Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Avengers

  • Chris Evans Misses Playing Captain America

    Chris Evans Misses Playing Captain America

    When Avengers: Endgame hit theaters in 2019, it was a bittersweet moment for both the cast and their countless fans. The film was a triumph, but it was also a goodbye to many of the stars that made the Marvel Cinematic Universe a hit in the first place. Among those who made their final appearance was People Magazine’s current Sexiest Man Alive, Chris Evans. The actor had been playing Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, since 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, and capped off his nearly decade-long journey with the character in an emotional finale that saw him reunite with Hayley Atwell‘s Peggy Carter and travel back in time. Now an elderly man, Evans‘ hero officially retired and gave his shield to Anthony Mackie‘s Sam Wilson, who has since taken on the mantle of Captain America in the MCU.

    At the time, Evans seemed very ready to hang up the tights and move on with his career. However, a recent interview with People Magazine revealed he may be having some minor regrets only three years into retirement. Speaking about his time as a Marvel superhero, Evans finally admitted to missing the experience, saying:

    They’re challenging, but the beauty is the movies are great. You get out what you put in. It’s been a wonderful, very symbiotic relationship, so I’ve been thrilled to do it. I think when the movies end you’re very happy to have a break. But very quickly, you miss it. I miss it now. But yeah, I’m very grateful and very happy to have been a part of them.

    Chris Evans

    It’s actually still likely that Evans returns to his role at some point in the future. His character has not yet died, and an elderly Steve Rogers could easily pop up to give some sound advice in another project. Furthermore, Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently revealed the MCU’s sixth phase is scheduled to end with an adaptation of Avengers: Secret Wars, a multiverse-hopping storyline with endless possibilities. It wouldn’t be the craziest turn of events to have an alternate-universe Rogers make a surprise appearance. Until then, and after, fans should remain supportive of Mackie in the Captain America title. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier indicated the actor has a bright future in the patriotic costume.

    Source: Screen Rant

  • Russo Brothers Tease When You Could Expect a Marvel Return

    Russo Brothers Tease When You Could Expect a Marvel Return

    Joe and Anthony Russo made quite their mark on the filming market by not only directing two great additions to the Captain America franchise but also directing two of Marvel Studios’ highest-grossing films Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers. Endgame. When rumors of what may be the next addition to the franchise might be, many threw their names back into the hat. They even teased how they would tackle an adaptation of Secret Wars throughout various interviews promoting films from their newly established AGBO production studio.

    While Shang-Chi director Daniel Destin Cretton took over the first of the Multiverse Saga’s Avengers entries, many thought there is still a chance for them to tackle the finale which is Avengers: Secret Wars. So far, Marvel Studios has yet to announce a director to tackle the project but it seems we should definitely not expect the Russo Brothers to tackle the project according to Joe Russo in an interview with Variety.

    We won’t be ready to do anything with Marvel until the end of the decade.

    Joe Russo

    It’s no surprise that they won’t have any time until later in the decade, especially with their many deals with Amazon and Netflix currently moving forward in full force. Marvel Studios ended up giving them the opportunity to establish their name in the industry and push forward on their own passion projects. Of course, there’s also always the question of finding the right project that would catch their interest, and perhaps something pops up throughout the coming years that pulls them in eventually.

    Source: Variety

  • 3 In-House Directors Who Could Land ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

    3 In-House Directors Who Could Land ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

    Following SDCC ’22, Secret Wars is no longer a secret. Kevin Feige unveiled Marvel Studios incredibly ambitious Multiverse Saga in July and even though some dates have shifted around a bit since then, it still all ends with Avengers: Secret Wars on May 1st, 2026. Michael Waldron, who introduced the rules of the Multiverse in Loki and then took Doctor Strange on a brief tour of it in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, has been tasked with writing the film, but as of now, the project is without a director. Marvel Studios doesn’t need to be in a rush given the film doesn’t release for over three and a half years, but with a project this big, it’s likely they’ve narrowed down their list and will be choosing someone soon. With that in mind, here’s a look at some in-house candidates that aren’t Joe and Anthony Russo who might be up for the big job…

    Ryan Coogler

    Among the in-house candidates to take on Avengers: Secret Wars, Ryan Coogler is inarguably the most talented and arguably the safest choice. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is about to blow up the box office, likely giving Coogler two of the highest-grossing non-Avengers films. All logic would dictate that Feige and Coogler had to have at least talked about the possibility of him directing Avengers: Secret Wars. The only real question might be: does he want to do it? Coogler is a deeply passionate creator and I’ve often heard his approach to the worlds of Wakanda and now Talocan compared with the depth of George Lucas’ creation of the Star Wars universe. It’s possible, maybe even likely, that Coogler would prefer to continue to develop more projects (Ironheart, for example, is led by Coogler’s production team) within and connected to these worlds. Whether he chooses to stick to what he’s doing or tackle Avengers: Secret Wars, fans of the MCU still win.

    Nia DaCosta

    Marvel Studios has had some troubled productions since 2020. Whether due to COVID, changing directors, clashing visions, starting productions with 2/3 of a script or reshooting third acts, some of the roads on the way to what have all been fine finsihed products have been bumpy. One production that by all accounts seems to have been fairly smooth sailing, however, was The Marvels. The films three leads, Brie Larson, Iman Vellani and Teyonah Parris have all gone on record gushing about working with diretor Nia DaCosta, who took on a heavy project in her first MCU gig. DaCosta also reportedly established a great rapport with Feige, who was very pleased with The Marvels, a film which I’ve heard nothing but great things about. Having handled a team-up film in her first go around gives DaCosta some sense of what Avengers: Secret Wars will be like, even if it’s not quite the same scale. DaCosta checks a lot of the boxes the studio is likely using to choose the director for that project.

    Peyton Reed

    Reed may not be a popular choice amongst fans, but his first two Ant-Man films were solid, if not underrated, entries that were done the disservice of being released near major event films. By all accounts (and the trailer allows fans their first look at it), Reed absolutely slayed it with Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania which had what I’ve heard called one of Marvel’s best-ever scripts by Jeff Loveness. The teaser should make it clear that Quantumania will be a major step up in terms of the impact the film will have on the ongoing saga when compared to the previous two Ant-Man films and it should also be clear that this Variant of Jonathan Majors’ Kang is one of the ones to be worried about. Reed had a huge job to do and he nailed it. He’s proven he can run a clean production, he’s worked extensively with the Volume (which will be needed on something like Secret Wars) and has a great relationship with Marvel Studios and Feige. Don’t sleep on Reed connecting with Waldron on Avengers: Secret Wars.

  • ‘Spider-Man’ Beyond ‘No Way Home’: A Balancing Act

    ‘Spider-Man’ Beyond ‘No Way Home’: A Balancing Act

    As Marvel Studios prepares its future phases and the Multiverse Saga, there is still one key character seemingly missing on the horizon. After making a massive splash at the box office during the pandemic, Spider-Man: No Way Home took our favorite wall-crawler to his limits as he faced Variants, tragedy, and a world that has forgotten who he is. It raised the question of what the future might have in store for him beyond the lurking Symbiote left behind by a multiversal visitor.

    The ending of that project highlighted a potentially new direction, as Spider-Man was no longer a well-recognized face without his mask. The entire world has forgotten Peter Parker and he’s lost everyone dear to him. Without Aunt May or his friends by his side, he now has to do his best to cover rent, follow up on his education, and balance life as Spider-Man. The future seems difficult and challenging for our favorite hero.

    At the same time, it opens up a new challenge for Marvel Studios and whoever may take over the franchise. While Spider-Man: Homecoming was a bit more grounded, he still was shackled under the shadow of his mentor and an Avenger. His first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe had him take on Captain America, he would travel into space, take down Thanos alongside his army, fight fake elementals, join Nick Fury’s mission, and so much more.

    No Way Home brings magic and the multiverse to Spidey’s corner of the MCU, which seemed like the perfect high point for the development of this trilogy. Yet, it opens up the question of: where do you go now? Any higher and we might lose any fabric of what defines Spider-Man. We already had five films before this trilogy. So, it seemed fitting that they’d take him to new places and further explore his time in the comics, where he ended up getting wrapped up in other characters’ plots in various team-ups. Plus, if you introduce Peter Parker into the MCU, it comes with the territory.

    Yet, the answer is still not there for what to do next. A fourth entry is definite after the last film’s success and Sony’s ongoing deal with Marvel. They both want Tom Holland‘s take on the character to remain a sturdy figure in the franchise. With the ending of No Way Home leaving the young man on his own, it seems like perhaps the best strategy is to take a step back rather than continue to push forward. In a world without Avengers, there are no more ties to a bigger world but a whole new one to explore.

    Swinging throughout the snow-covered New York City, Peter is on his own. Yet, it comes with a new freedom that no longer sees him as part of what he once was. It seems fitting that perhaps his time in college also comes with a more grounded time as the wall-crawler. He’s no longer in a place where he has to face world-ending threats but rather help the locals. Everyone still remembers the webhead and he is no longer in a place where the Avengers will just call for him. Now, he has time to figure out his place in a world that doesn’t remember him.

    The sequel will likely be a story in a smaller scope even with the Symbiote on the horizon. Its tease actually sets up the perfect comic tribute with him potentially getting his hands on it during Avengers: Secret Wars as he did in the comic. We shouldn’t expect that storyline to instantly kick off, as Marvel Studios has a challenging balance to keep moving forward. We’ll see him in Avengers films but we’ll likely not see him in the same capacity as before.

    He’s no longer an Avenger and none of the remaining members would even know that he is Peter Parker. So, he’s just a guy in a costume that helped out. So, moving forward we’ll still have these bigger-than-life stories with Spider-Man but his own franchise will take that step back to ground him even more. The balance that Marvel Studios and Sony will have to balance moving forward is the very notion of his two worlds. No matter how you look at it, it’s going to be a tough balancing act, and either they once again restart a trilogy that continues to escalate or try to create a distinct line between Peter Parker’s two alter-egos: Spider-Man and forgotten Avenger.

  • Jeff Loveness to Start Writing ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ Soon, May Hint at Production Start

    Jeff Loveness to Start Writing ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’ Soon, May Hint at Production Start

    When we discuss future projects, we commonly get the most insight into when productions start. May it be through hints by actors or others involved with a film, or even just an official statement. In the case of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, we may have gotten our first hint at when writer Jeff Loveness will start working on the film’s script.

    Grand Canyon University seemingly invited Loveness as their mystery guest for an Inside Entertainment! panel from last week. What stands out is that the schedule includes him attending the event on September 16th with the statement that he’s set to start writing the script “in two weeks.”

    Of course, this confirms that he hasn’t worked on the script already and there’s a chance that he’s likely pitched the idea before getting the gig. Of course, that’s just speculation but given his work on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, he may have likely been eyed for the project anyway as it’ll potentially lead into the next major Avengers film. Plus, he’ll be the first to also have established the character of Kang in a film.

    Though, what makes this reveal interesting is that it gives us a good hint on when they might start production. It does seem likely that they could start working on the film by the end of 2023 or at least 2024. It’s not unusual for them to start working on a film while the script is still being finalized, which gives the production some flexibility moving forward.

    According to some rumors, a Shang-Chi sequel is eyeing a 2025 release, which could still fit right in if it starts production earlier next year if director Destin Daniel Cretton is set to tackle the project before focusing on The Kang Dynasty. He’s also involved with a Wonder Man Disney+ series, which doesn’t mean he’ll necessarily direct. For now, we can only use these nuggets of information to speculate.

  • Marvel Studios Taps ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Writer to Tackle ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’

    Marvel Studios Taps ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Writer to Tackle ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’

    It looks like not only does Avengers: The Kang Dynasty have a director in Destin Daniel Cretton, but they’ve also added Jeff Loveness as its writer. It seems his work on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has put him on the map to tackle the feature, which is fitting given that the film also introduces the main threat of Kang the Conqueror, played by Jonathan Majors, after the introduction of his variant in Loki.

    It’s safe to say that they’re likely to set on continuing his work on the character, who’ll have a bigger role considering the name of the film’s title. In a way, Marvel Studios is relying more on familiar writers that have already had their experience in the franchise, similar to how Michael Waldron introduced the multiverse concept in Loki and went on to tackle the Doctor Strange sequel.

    There’s also a fun trend of Marvel Studios hiring Rick and Morty writers for its various projects. Loveness and Waldron are both veterans of the animated series and it seems their experience with sci-fi concepts has made them the perfect candidates for these projects. Even the writer of the Pickle Rick episode, Jessica Gao, has been spearheading the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law project.

    It opens up the question of who might get their hands on the Avengers: Secret Wars film, especially with them still actively searching for the director. They may be considering Ryan Coogler for the role of director, and perhaps Michael Waldron may return as well, especially as he set up the idea of the Incursions in his Marvel projects.

    Source: Deadline

  • The Hypothetical 2025 Marvel Studios Release Calendar, V1

    The Hypothetical 2025 Marvel Studios Release Calendar, V1

    In March of 2022, it was reported that Sabir Pirzada, who worked with Marvel Studios on both Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel, was developing a Nova project with the studio. The trade report indicated that it was unclear whether or not Pirzada’s work was for a film or streaming series and, as of publishing, that was still unclear. However, Prizada’s current track record with Marvel allows one to lean towards expecting a series about The Human Rocket.

    Confidence is high that Destin Daniel Cretton’s sequel to 2021’s Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings will hit theaters ahead of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. It seems like Cretton and star Simu Liu are going to be very busy starting in 2023.

    When the search for an actress to portray Kamala Khan was ongoing, a rumor indicated that whoever would eventually take on the role would have a pretty heavy workload that would consist of Season 1, a film, and Season 2 all being filmed over the course of 3 years. If that rumor still holds any water, Iman Vellani is going to find herself on set for Season 2 of Ms. Marvel sometime in the next year so that she can also be available to fit Avengers: The Kang Dynasty into her schedule. It would not be incredibly surprising if this were among the announcements made during either Disney Plus Day or Marvel Studios’ Showcase at D23.

    It’s been a long, long time since our original scoop that Marvel Studios was developing a Nomad project. However, no news does not always equal bad news. Confidence is high that Nomad is still in development and is intended to be included as part of the Multiverse Saga.

    The first of what is currently set to be a 2025 Avengers double-feature, The Kang Dynasty might just have a lot to do with some of the artifacts fans have already seen in some of Phase 4’s early projects. It remains to be seen, but it’s very possible that both Ms. Marvel and Shang-Chi’s accessories might play major roles in the Multiverse Saga.

    A second Moon Knight season seems a sure thing. Star Oscar Isaac and director Mohamed Diab have teased it. Fans are hungry for it. There’s no reason Kevin Feige doesn’t announce it at D23…unless it’s not happening. That would be a good reason not to announce it.

    At this point, why not? Rumors about this film have dried up, but a recent piece of information that Marvel Studios may regain the distribution rights to live-action Hulk films does give some hope that it might come to fruition. Bruce Banner’s trip to Sakaar in Episode 2 of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is right in line with the earliest rumors I ever heard about what will essentially be a prelude to this film, but we’ll have to wait until Episode 9 to find out if Marvel Studios is going forward with this project…unless they decide to grace fans with a Hulk-sized gift at D23.

    *NOTE*

    While it’s not a Disney project and won’t be announced at D23, it wouldn’t be shocking at all to see Spider-Man 4 hit theaters in the space between Marvel Studios May 2nd film and their November 7th film.

    According to the Phase 6 slate unveiled by Kevin Feige at SDCC ’22, there’s one spot left to fill and, to be honest, there isn’t enough strong info around any one project to confidently place it here. With that in mind, rumors of a Harry Styles-led Starfox project made the rounds some time ago, and while I initially dismissed them, I was told by someone I trust that to keep an ear to the ground as there might be some fire to that smoke. So while we’d set the odds very low here (I’d say under a 1% chance this is correct), it’s as good of a guess as any.

    The capstone of the Multiverse Saga, fans should expect Marvel Studios to pull out all the stops for this one and for it to include all the bells and whistles, including possibly bringing back some of the biggest stars from the Infinity Saga. It could also serve as a way for the studio to reset things with new actors in old roles, old actors in new roles, or any manner of shenanigans.

  • ‘She-Hulk’ Head Writer on Jennifer Walters’ Future in the MCU

    ‘She-Hulk’ Head Writer on Jennifer Walters’ Future in the MCU

    With the debut of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s newest superhero has been introduced into the franchise. As the final Disney+ series of the MCU’s Phase 4, plenty of fans are curious where Jennifer Walters could be headed in Marvel Studios’ explosive Phases 5 and 6.

    Recently, Mark Ruffalo, who plays Bruce Banner aka the Hulk, stated that “there’s not going to be another Avengers without [She-Hulk],” suggesting that the new hero will be a consistent presence in future films like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. Now, She-Hulk head writer Jessica Gao has further emphasized the likelihood of Jen appearing in those two Avengers films. When asked on Deadline’s Hero Nation Podcast if She-Hulk would appear in Kang Dynasty or Secret Wars, Gao said:

    I would be shocked if they didn’t start putting her in the movies, especially the group team-up movies.

    Jessica Gao

    Of course, even the series’ head writer’s comments are no guarantee of She-Hulk’s future in the MCU, as creators are notoriously kept in the dark about the future of their characters beyond the current project. Gao explained her approach to making one season of a show while knowing that the superhero may have a larger future down the road:

    Coming from television, you can never guarantee that you’re going to get another season with a first season show. So it’s kind of been trained into my head that, on a first-season show, you really have to tell a complete story that you’d be satisfied with if this is only a one-and-done. Just because there’s never a guarantee, you just never know if you’re going to get another season, so you can’t really hold back and just leave things open-ended. You do have to tell some sort of satisfying arc in one season just in case, and then of course you leave the door open for possibilities for a second, third, and fourth season. So that was kind of my mental approach to it.

    Jessica Gao

    The first episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is now streaming on Disney+.

    Source: Hero Nation Podcast

  • ‘She-Hulk’: Mark Ruffalo Teases Tatiana Maslany’s Return in Next ‘Avengers’ Film

    ‘She-Hulk’: Mark Ruffalo Teases Tatiana Maslany’s Return in Next ‘Avengers’ Film

    We’re only a few days away from Tatiana Maslany premiering as She-Hulk on her new Disney+ series. She’ll be joined by Mark Ruffalo‘s return as Hulk, who has been a fixture throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s runtime. It seemed like a no-brainer that he’d continue to keep the role alive and maybe even appear in a future Avengers film, but he has now accidentally also confirmed that Tatiana Maslany is definitely going to appear in the one of the two upcoming Avenger movies.

    He doesn’t really give away which one it’ll be, but he goes on to highlight that “there’s not going to be another Avengers without her,” which would hint at a potential return to the role in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty that will release in 2025. There’s also the already confirmed sequel of Secret Wars which is set to follow just a few months later; though things can always change until then.

    It’s fun how Mark Ruffalo continues to stay true to his leaking ways. Almost a shame Tom Holland wasn’t around to help him and add a few more casting confirmations. Still, it does make sense that they’d set her up to return in an upcoming project like Avengers. We might even see her in other shows, as introducing a heroic lawyer does open up many ways of bringing her into the fold. Whatever the case might be, the MCU is continuing to open up in interesting ways.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Mark Ruffalo Opens Up About ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

    Mark Ruffalo Opens Up About ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’

    One of Marvel Studios’ biggest reveals at SDCC ’22 was that their ongoing Multiverse Saga was set to wrap up in 2025 with two Avengers films, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. The studio’s plans should seem familiar to fans, as they wrapped up the previous multi-phase Infinity Saga with two Avengers films as well in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.

    While not all of the MCU’s heroes had a large role to play in both Infinity War and Endgame, one who did was Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk, portrayed by Mark Ruffalo. And while some of his longtime MCU co-stars have moved on from Marvel Studios’ projects-at least for the time being-Ruffalo is still going strong, set to appear next in the Disney + streaming series She-Hulk: Attorney At Law. At the green carpet premiere for the series, Ruffalo was asked about Avengers: Secret Wars by Entertainment Tonight and while uncharacteristically reserved did have something to say about the project.

    It’s gonna be hard to top Endgame, but if I know Kevin and I know Marvel, it’s gonna be pretty amazing. It’ll be a big bang. We’ll go out with a big bang.

    Mark Ruffalo

    With Secret Wars still over three years away, it’s not surprising to hear Marvel Studios’ talent, even the usually verbose Ruffalo, giving more measured responses to questions about the film. While it’s likely Ruffalo will appear in the film and that he has a vague sense of what the story might entail, it’s even more likely that he’s not seen so much as a first draft of the script. That all means fans will have to wait a while before Ruffalo, or Tom Holland, start letting some details spill out on press tours.