Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Ant-Man

  • Peyton Reed Shares First ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quanumania’ Production Image From ‘The Mandalorian’s Volume

    Peyton Reed Shares First ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quanumania’ Production Image From ‘The Mandalorian’s Volume

    It looks like the third entry in the Ant-Man and the Wasp series is finally entering production. Director Peyton Reed took to Twitter to share an image teasing as they prepare for the threequel’s production. In it, he also confirms that they will be using the Volume. It is a 20 feet tall, 270-degree stage that allows ILM to create the backgrounds during production. Instead of adding them into the film through post-production and green screens, they create a space that allows the actors to interact with CG backgrounds. It is the next evolution step from classic green screens that offers a new experience for those involved.

    Of course, Ant-Man’s shrinking abilities are perfectly suited for production in the Volume. We may get to explore the world from a new perspective through this technology. It may also be an easier way to film sequences in the Quantum Realm, which will have a larger role going by the title. It is uncertain if the snow background shown in the image will be used in the film. As they are only preparing, they may be testing out different environments as they get a feel for this new technology.

    There was also the filming that took place in Turkey a few months ago. At the time, the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, revealed they were filming in the country. Of course, there were no sightings of the actors at the time. As such, they may have been filming background sets that’ll get used for pre-viz and the Volume. Instead of purely relying on digital backgrounds they can use pre-shot footage to add more realism to the backgrounds. It’ll be exciting to see how much they share from the production and their experiences with the technology.

    Source: Twitter, TechCrunch

  • How ‘Loki’s Variant Concept Opens the Door for Recast Characters to Return

    How ‘Loki’s Variant Concept Opens the Door for Recast Characters to Return

    Loki‘s latest trailer offered a closer glimpse into the newly introduced Time Variance Authority. After the Avengers played around with time, they gave the God of Mischief a chance to escape his fate that would’ve been Thor: The Dark World. Of course, the TVA wouldn’t allow it and Made sure he can’t do more damage by roaming free. We learn that this alternative version is called a Variant and uncover that there are potentially more out there. With rumors going around that multiple Lokis might appear in the series, which aren’t all played by Tom Hiddleston, and the addition of other Spider-Men in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it seems we will see many different interpretations of our favorite heroes soon. As such, Marvel Studios could explore its own history and bring back some familiar faces that got replaced as the series expanded.

    While Marvel Studios has been quite good with keeping its various characters consistent, there have been a few recasts throughout the years. The most notable one for the franchise was when Mark Ruffalo replaced Edward Norton as Bruce Banner. As production ramped up for Avengers, Norton‘s vision of the character didn’t mesh with Marvel Studios’ and they parted ways. It made many questions if that film was still considered canon until William Hurt‘s Thaddeus Ross returned in Captain America: Civil War. There are other cases of recastings in the franchise’s long history. Don Cheadle took over from Terrence Howard in Iron Man 2 while Zachary Levi replaced Josh Dallas‘s Fandral in Thor: The Dark World.

     

    Nicht düster genug: Edward Norton erklärt seinen Hulk-Ausstieg

     

    Now, with the introduction of Variants in Loki, it opens up a lot of new possibilities. Of course, there is the obvious option to also bring back the before-mentioned recasts, who could make an appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Strange may seek the help of the Hulk only to meet a completely different version of Banner, which gives us a brief cameo of Edward Norton returning as his interpretation of the character. They might even explore this aspect with the recent replacement of Cassie Lang, as Kathryn Newton took over the role from Emma Fuhrman in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Scott Lang can’t recognize the face of his daughter that becomes a catalyst for the events of the film, as he tries to get back the Cassie he knew and loved. Why stop there? How about they introduce Tom Cruise as an alternative version of Tony Stark to pay tribute to almost playing the character before it went to Robert Downey Jr. It opens up a new way to explore the ever-expanding universe as they face real-world limitations and give these actors one last shot at revisiting these old roles or what could’ve been.

    Source: CinemaBlend, ScreenRant, Geo

  • Theorizing MARVEL STUDIOS’ Interconnected Storylines

    Theorizing MARVEL STUDIOS’ Interconnected Storylines

    It’s been a little over three months since Marvel Studios properly kicked off its Phase 4. Both WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are now behind us, two shows that gave us but a glimpse of what is in store in the coming years in terms of the interconnectivity between the different IPs that make up the MCU. This is something Kevin Feige himself made extremely clear this past December, during the Disney Investor Day 2020:

    The Cinematic Universe weaves storylines of heroes and villains across twenty-three feature films to date, and with Disney+ we’re able to extend this way of storytelling to a new format, creating series that are connected to our theatrical releases making the MCU more immersive than ever.

    As for WandaVision, it managed to bring together characters from properties that seemed somewhat foreign to its titular characters (bringing them in from Thor, Captain Marvel, and Ant-Man). The Falcon and The Winter Soldier did almost the exact opposite. It grabbed most of its main characters from the same feature (Captain America: Civil War) and continued their arcs in a way that seems to hint at them diverging into several other (new) IPs. The common ground between both approaches seems quite simple: when the story asks for it, characters will come and go from whatever property that needs them to. With this in mind, and with the number of projects Marvel Studios has already announced, it’s hard to not try and envision some of the paths the stories these characters might take us on.

    The existing connective tissue between properties is stronger with some than with others, even though Marvel Studios will always end up surprising us one way or another. But most of the more realistic theorizing (if there even is such a thing), taking into account the information that has already come out regarding casts, plots, and so on, seems to hint at a clear/not clear separation between what are the military-powered, skill-driven heroes and the more mystic and cosmic side of the MCU. So being, we’ll now focus on the first of these two groups.

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier seems to be at the heart of the stories we might end up exploring on this side of the spectrum. With Karli Morgenthau being one of the few main characters to have (apparently) died, all the others are now ready to move on, each doing their own thing. With Sam Wilson as Captain America, he seems like a given to star in the upcoming fourth installment of the Captain America series. As for Bucky Barnes, with a Nomad series apparently in development, Barnes seems like a perfect fit. As for James “War Machine” Rhodes, he might now become the direct link to Iron Man’s legacy Riri Williams comes into contact with in Ironheart, before both move into Armor Wars, where they could be met by Sharon Carter in her newfound MCU role. Black Widow will introduce us to Yelena Belova who can seamlessly move on to Hawkeye (even if just to attend a memorial service), where Echo will be show up before staring in her own show.

    Shifting our attention to the other side of the diagram, we find several connections between shows that have already been confirmed. Monica Rambeau will be back in the franchise where she was first introduced, where she will be met by Kamala Khan who will have already been introduced in the Ms. Marvel series. Both might be met in The Marvels by Talos, who will also have a role to play in the upcoming Secret Invasion alongside Nick Fury. As to Wanda Maximoff, now the Scarlet Witch, she is certain to continue her story in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness which may become the epicenter of every upcoming property dealing with the Multiverse. Loki and Spider-Man: Far From Home seem like projects that are likely to have strong connections to the second Doctor Strange feature for obvious plot reasons, at the same time as they connect through other storylines to yet another set of properties. With the information coming out of Loki that Gugu Mbatha-Raw will be playing Judge Renslayer (meaning that almost certainly that makes her Ravonna Renslayer) it becomes highly likely that Kang will make an appearance, ahead of his already highlighted presence in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, played by the brilliant Jonathan Majors.

    These stories alone are certain to keep Marvel gaining momentum for years to come, but what seems to be the endgame here? Establishing new properties where characters from all over manage to meet for the first time, bringing together story threads from all sides of the MCU, certainly seems like a possibility. Projects that haven’t been announced as that might somewhat spoil the plots leading up to them. It should be no coincidence that a number of upcoming projects will seamlessly allow for the introduction of Young Avengers members, much like WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier managed to do with Tommy and Billy Maximoff, and Eli Bradley, respectively. Kate Bishop is already confirmed to be debuting in Hawkeye, and the rest of the team will probably soon follow, with Teddy perhaps being introduced in Secret Invasion, America Chavez in Doctor Strange 2, and Cassie Lang returning, as Stature, in Quantumania. Therefore, a Young Avengers series/movie should definitively be in the works bringing together their individual storylines. Another team being put together, even though a much different one, should be the focus of the Thunderbolts. With Baron Zemo and Abomination brought back, Taskmaster (the mantle) surviving Black Widow, and with Ghost still alive after Ant-Man and the Wasp, there is no reason for it not to be in the cards. Another feature that could serve as a continuation to John Walker’s story, maybe even bringing Yelena into the mix, and perhaps managing to dig up an Osborn to lead them, is The Dark Avengers. Marvel Studios knows that they can’t top the Avengers team they built up until Avengers: Endgame, so this focus on alternate teams, some of dubious character, would certainly be welcomed as a great change of pace. 

    There are a few projects that have already been announced that played no part in this theory. For all I know they might end up becoming the most crucial chapters of the MCU going forward. The Fantastic Four, due to their relevance, or the Eternals, due to their scope, certainly have that ability. But for now, this is it. Maybe in a couple of months, the script will be flipped and a new article will be in the works.

  • ‘CAPTAIN MARVEL 2’ Filming Next Week Under Working Title “Goat Rodeo”

    ‘CAPTAIN MARVEL 2’ Filming Next Week Under Working Title “Goat Rodeo”

    There was an unfortunate mix-up a couple of weeks ago, with a previous report that the working title of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was “Goat Rodeo.” It’s been discovered recently, however, that this is incorrect. LRM Online posted on March 16th that “Goat Rodeo” is actually the working title of Captain Marvel 2. I’ve done some research and found ample evidence of my own to back up their claim. We’ve also recently learned that Captain Marvel 2 (aka Warbird II Productions) will be briefly filming some aerial shots in New Jersey next week under the working title “Goat Rodeo.” It’s important to note these are likely establishing shots or VFX work and that no actors will be present.

    With Captain Marvel 2 going by “Goat Rodeo”, we can also confirm that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is using the working title “Dust Bunny.” Both productions are expected to begin principal photography this summer with Captain Marvel 2 scheduled for a November 11, 2022 release. 

  • Rumor: ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Working Title Revealed

    Rumor: ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Working Title Revealed

    If you’ve been missing Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang as much as I have, then you probably are eagerly awaiting Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Given that crazy sounding main title, and a freshly rumored working title like Goat Rodeo, Scott and Hope will certainly have their hands full.

    Derek Cornell of the DisInsider dropped that Goat Rodeo was the working title on his Twitter today.

    Why is this significant? Goat Rodeo is a slang term for a huge fiasco, or a trainwreck of a situation. So it’s highly unlikely we’ll have cute little baby goats in colorful knitted sweaters bounding around the MCU, wreaking all too adorable havok. However whatever Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror gets up to in the third Ant-Man film will most certainly be a massive and probably chaotic challenge for our tiny but mighty MCU heroes to try to overcome.

  • T.I. Will Not Return for ‘ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA’

    T.I. Will Not Return for ‘ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA’

    Scott Lang’s crew will be down at least one member when Ant-Man returns to theaters in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. Rapper and actor Clifford “T.I.” Harris will reportedly not be coming back for Marvel Studios’ upcoming size-changing threequel. Harris was a part of both previous Ant-Man films, portraying the titular Avenger’s friend, Dave. His character acted as comedic relief in the franchise, bouncing jokes off his partners and fellow ex-cons, Luis and Kurt. Those two were played to perfection by Michael Pena and David Dastmalchian, respectively. It is unknown if the outspoken musician’s boot from the MCU has anything to do with the multiple sexual assault allegations lobbied against him and his wife, Tameka Harris, earlier today. Production on T.I.‘s VH1 series T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle got shut down last month after the married couple faced prior claims of assault, and after the highly-publicized firing of Gina Carano, likely, Disney wouldn’t want to take any more chances with cast members.

    It is possible, however, that the script for Quantumania never included Harris in the first place. Marvel has trimmed side characters from sequels before, most notably throughout the Thor films, and the third Ant-Man looks to be jam-packed with content as it is. Officially announced at December’s Investor’s Day, Quantumania will bring back Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly in the titular roles. Peyton Reed is returning in the director’s chair. Also returning are Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfieffer, with Jonathan Majors and Kathryn Newton joining the cast as the time-traveling villain Kang the Conqueror and Lang’s grown-up daughter Cassie. With time-travel and a possible Young Avengers set-up going on, it’s not all that surprising that the employees of X-Con Security might not fit into the scheme of things.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Murphy’s Law Podcast: Episode 82

    Murphy’s Law Podcast: Episode 82

    The Charleses M. and V. discuss the ridiculous Fantastic Four/Jennifer Lawrence rumor and come with a bunch of reasons why they hope it’s untrue. But they also manage to talk about Evangeline Lilly confirming the start date of Quantumania, the legendary Danny Elfman scoring Doctor Strange 2 and Mena Massoud being up for the role of Ezra Bridger!

  • ‘ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA’: Evangeline Lilly Confirms Summer Production Start

    ‘ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA’: Evangeline Lilly Confirms Summer Production Start

    We’ve been getting a lot of first looks at various Marvel Studios productions. We got our first look at the Thor: Love and Thunder set as they are ramping up production in Australia. Now, we were wondering if any other films might also be slowly starting, such as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The Wasp herself, Evangeline Lilly, was surprisingly candid when addressing the Ant-Man threequel’s upcoming shooting start. It looks like we’re pleased to see that it won’t take long for the project that will feature Kang the Conqueror, and that is likely will give yet another Young Avenger in Cassie Lang’s Stature. If you scroll through the following Instagram post, you can see her confirm a potential summer production start. 

     

    This revelation confirms our own report from June 2020, that principal photography is set to begin this summer. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will once again have Peyton Reed in the director’s seat. He will be the second Marvel Cinematic Universe director to have a complete trilogy under his belt. He is following Spider-Man‘s Jon Watts, who is currently directing his still-untitled third installment. Stars Paul Rudd and the aforementioned Evangeline Lilly will be returning alongside Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer. Jonathan Majors and Kathryn Newton will be making their franchise debuts in the threequel. It will be interesting to see how this film connects to the last entry in the franchise and potentially build upon the current rumors of a multiversal storyline.

    Source: Instagram

  • Edgar Wright’s ‘Ant-Man’ Could Return in Marvel Studios’ Disney+ Era

    Edgar Wright’s ‘Ant-Man’ Could Return in Marvel Studios’ Disney+ Era

    Just recently, Edgar Wright revealed that he and Kevin Feige finally buried the hatchet. To offer some context, Wright worked on Ant-Man back in 2003 with Joe Cornish. At the time, Artisan Entertainment held the rights before it returned to Marvel Studios. At one point, it was part of the original 2006 line-up alongside Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America before getting delayed due to concerns the technology hasn’t quite caught up with the idea. After a second draft and test reel, it would join the franchise’s second phase before Feige gave him time to work on The World’s End.

     

     

    The problem was that the standalone script was facing issues with the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s growth. As a result, creative differences due to constant rewrites led to Wright leaving the project two months before production start. Six years later, he revealed that they were able to bury the hatchet:

    I’m very glad I did it… he was really touched that I had reached out, and I feel what he wrote was great. I told him that I read what he’d said about ‘Aliens’ to James Cameron, which he said was just wild. So it was nice, it’s a nice happy ending to that story.

    It is great to hear that these two titans in the industry were able to make amends. Wright left a lasting impact on how to do visual comedy in the industry. He moved on to direct Baby Driver, which continued to skyrocket his cinematic career that started in 2004 with Shaun of the Dead. So, it was a huge loss for everyone involved that he could not realize his vision of the original script that Joss Whedon described as Marvel’s best. Now, it seems like a distant dream that may never see the light of day. Well, at least that was until Marvel Studios’ latest project, WandaVision, proved we are in new territory.

     

     

    Marvel Studios’ expansion into long-form storytelling introduced us to a show that embraced its sitcom inspirations completely. It broke the formula that has plagued the releases even after the Marvel Creative Committee finally was disbanded. Kevin Feige had the freedom to give his directors more freedom. Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn confirmed that Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter and his committee added haphazard notes that disrupted the production process, such as their decision to ax the Awesome Mix.

    They probably added to the tension surrounding Wright‘s Ant-Man. After some time has passed since they got disbanded, we have a new and more diverse future for Marvel Studios. WandaVision is proof they are willing to explore new types of stories. Even their films have changed drastically over the years. Thor: Ragnarok proved how much freedom a director has nowadays. The MCU project is truly a vision that only Taika Waititi could bring to the silver screen. We are not talking about the same Marvel Studios from five years ago.

     

     

    As such, there is a possibility they use the current multiversal storyline to create unique one-offs that explore existing characters. They could explore a past story within the MCU that doesn’t have to concern itself with the overarching storyline too much. How about we go back in time to follow a young Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne becoming heroes in a pulp-era? The early times of using Pym particles and his adventures as Ant-Man. It still feels like the one storyline Marvel has yet to explore, and it is a waste. It would be a great Disney+ film or TV series, where he can go wild with ideas that were tragically lost when the original script got scrapped. Even if that chapter ended, I will always keep out a little hope that there is a possibility of him returning and make the film he worked so many years on.

    Source: Collider, IndieWire, Collider (Creative Committee), SlashFilm

  • UPDATE: ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Already Started Filming in Turkey

    UPDATE: ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Already Started Filming in Turkey

    UPDATE: Here is a quick update on the article, as @Orochimarusama_ was kind enough to translate the statement by Mehmet Ersoy, which reveals that filming has already begun in Cappadocia. They also seem to be eyeing several other locations, so we will see if there is even a chance we might already see some shots from the set make their way online as filming continues.

    Source: Twitter

     

     

    Even as the pandemic lurks, Marvel Studios is not holding back on getting their productions together. They’ve been hard at work on their future slate even if there is still a possibility Black Widow gets another delay that may affect their entire line-up. Just a few days ago, we got our first look at Thor on the set for Thor: Love and Thunder rocking a nice Thunderstrike-inspired costume. The film is slated to release in May 2022, so they have enough time to get productions. There is a good chance that other films for that year might be entering productions in the coming months. Marvel Studios might try to keep potential delays into account and plan in some additional months just in case. It looks like one of those films might also already eyeing its filming locations, as the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, has let slip that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is filming in Turkey on the Turkish TV channel Habertürk TV.

     

     

    I won’t claim I speak a lot of Turkish but the channel is discussing tourism and the pandemics’ impact. They then namedrop Ant-Man during their section on the countries’ filming economy. I think I heard out that Cappadocia might be the location they are eyeing for the upcoming production. It is a beautiful location that is famous for its Hot Air Balloon Flights and Pigeon Valley, where you can find the ruins of Uçhisar Castle. Speaking of, that location could be a perfect backdrop for the Quantumverse’s secret inhabitants that was teased in a deleted scene from Ant-Man and the Wasp. Cappadocia is a beautiful place and has been used for a variety of films and TV shows in the past. It seems rather likely that the Ant-Man threequel is slowly getting ready to start production, especially as Michael Douglas did hint at him growing his goatee in time for production again.

    Source: YouTube, Travel Magazine, SyFy, IMDb, ComicBook