Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Black Panther

  • Connecting Imaginary Dots: The Contessa is Making More Moves in ‘BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER’

    Connecting Imaginary Dots: The Contessa is Making More Moves in ‘BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER’

    Atlanta has served as one of the industry’s central filming hubs for some time. The area has several studios and a tax friendly approach to filming, making it a great place for Hollywood studios to get work done. For the past several years, Marvel Studio has used it as much as anyone, filming maybe a dozen or so projects in the area, including a major project now: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The sequel is set to introduce Namor, Riri Williams and a handful of other characters to the MCU but it also seems like it’ll mark another appearance for Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

    Piecing together a couple of recent Instagram photos might give enough evidence to prove that JLD is now in Atlanta on the set of the sequel to the 2018 blockbuster.

    The first photo comes from JLD who tags her friend and (maybe) personal make-up artist, Karen Kawahara, who, as it turns out is in Atlanta. As it turns out, the set Kawahara included in her photograph is one that matches the description recently given to me of one being used for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Connecting imaginary dots here, it seems VERY likely that we will see JLD reprise her role as Val in this film.

    Val is already known to be working with John Walker and Yelena Belova, Captain America and Black Widow replacements respectively. Could she be trying to line up an Iron Man replacement here in Riri? Could she be recruiting or working with someone in Wakanda? Certainly Namor wouldn’t be interested in anything the human world has to offer. Kevin Feige recently indicated we’d see Val again soon and learn more about her past. Maybe Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is that place!

  • Martin Freeman Rocking a Beard in Latest ‘BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER’ Set Photos

    Martin Freeman Rocking a Beard in Latest ‘BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER’ Set Photos

    The set photos for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever have been slowly pouring in. Not too long ago, we got our first real look at Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams on the film’s set. We even got a few pictures featuring Letitia Wright and Danai Gurira. It’s not over, as Just Jared shared a brand new look at Martin Freeman, as he rocks a beard. The actor had a strong supporting role in the first film as CIA agent Everett K. Ross and it’s great to see his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    As we sadly can’t share pictures from JustJared, you can check them out here.

    We still know very little about the film’s upcoming plot, but it looks like the CIA will get involved in one way or another. They’ve been busy shooting scenes at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which might be the reason he gets involved. We don’t know the details but it looks like Riri will have some role in the film.

    There’s a chance that Ross might not be as involved in this film as he was previously. The rumors of the film focusing on a potential war between Wakanda and the MCU’s version of Atlantis will introduce quite a few new players. So, they’ll likely try to keep the supporting cast between these two nations. It’ll be interesting to see how much the initial trailer will reveal or hint at, as they might want to keep a few things close to their chest moving forward. Either way, here’s hoping Freeman might appear in other projects further down the line. He might need to sit down to have a chat with his now evil former co-worker and now Power Broker.

    Source: Just Jared

  • New ‘BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER’ Set Photos Offer a Glimpse of Riri Williams

    New ‘BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER’ Set Photos Offer a Glimpse of Riri Williams

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been filming on two fronts over the past week with part of the cast in and around MIT where it is believed Riri Williams, who will play an integral role in the film’s plot, is a student. Today, set photos of Dominique Thorne as Williams have made the rounds and give us our first really good look at the character looking like a college student.

    Williams possesses a genius-level intellect and, in the comics, created her Ironheart armor with materials she stole from MIT. While we are sure to see her armor, perhaps multiple versions, I’m told it’s another invention of hers that drives her part in the story.

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is slated to hit theaters next summer.

  • Set Photos Offer First Look at Danai Gurira and Letitia Wright in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    Set Photos Offer First Look at Danai Gurira and Letitia Wright in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    The highly anticipated sequel to Black Panther began production last month, following multiple delays due to the ongoing pandemic and the tragic loss of the star, Chadwick Boseman. As filming headed to Massachusetts recently, some new set photos have given us our very first look at returning fan favorites Danai Gurira and Letitia Wright sporting some very flashy new looks.

    New photos from the set of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever have brand new looks at both Gurira and Wright as Okoye and Shuri. Okoye can be seen sporting a red bodysuit with a black blazer, and Shuri with a purple jumpsuit, with both wearing the Kimoyo beads introduced in the first film. Speculation about Wright departing the film swirled last month when Michaela Coel was cast. As you can see, that speculation was baseless.

    Okoye and Shuri are certainly meeting with Riri Williams, previously confirmed to make her live-action debut in this film. Actress Dominique Thorne was recently spotted on set filming at MIT and it’s possible the duo could be recruiting or simply meeting with Williams as she has quite the bright mind.

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to release in theaters on July 8th, 2022, and will be written and directed by Ryan Coogler, who’d previously worked on the first film. The film will see the return of Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Basset, and Lupita Nyong’o. The film will also feature newcomers such as Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, and Mitzi Mabel Cadena, With Huerta and Cadena rumored to be playing Namor and Namora.

  • Kevin Feige Confirms Riri Williams Debut in ‘BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER’

    Kevin Feige Confirms Riri Williams Debut in ‘BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER’

    It looks like we finally have the confirmation that Dominique Thorne‘s Riri Williams will make her debut ahead of her Disney+ series Ironheart. In an interview with ComicBook.com, the head of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, confirmed that she will appear in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. He also hints that she’ll jump from this production to the Disney+ series after finishing it.

    We’re shooting Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, right now, and the character of Riri Williams, you will meet in Black Panther 2 first. She started shooting, I think, this week before her Ironheart series

    Her inclusion makes a lot of sense, as the character has built up quite a friendship with Shuri in the comics. We also heard a few months ago that they are filming at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she builds her first armor. Perhaps this version of the character gets some help with developing the suit with the help of Wakandan technology. It also highlights how Abominations’ appearance in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and her inclusion in this Black Panther sequel is a way for Marvel Studios to cut on some costs.

    If the designs and first rigging work are done in a big-budget film, it’s easier to give them the film quality in an ongoing series. So, we might see her don the suit either during the film or in a post-credit sequence. We don’t know how large her role might be, but she could become an emotional anchor for Shuri, who seems to be the most likely candidate to take on the mantle passed down from T’Challa. We’ll see if the trailer offers a glimpse of her role, or if they keep it for later.

    Source: Comic Book

  • REVIEW: ‘What If… T’Challa Became Star-Lord?” Episode 2

    REVIEW: ‘What If… T’Challa Became Star-Lord?” Episode 2

    Episode 2 of What If…?, What If…T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?, is absolutely stunning. It is an incredible joyride through an almost absurd amount of MCU nods and history that is gripping from start to finish. The episode impressively manages to be both hilarious and heart-wrenching in constant waves that at times are simultaneous. All eyes and ears are on Chadwick Boseman’s final role as T’Challa, and Episode 2 as a whole rises to meet his brilliant performance. Despite being in the form of a half-hour animated show, it manages to be a beautiful farewell to such an iconic and impactful actor and character.

    Even armed with the heavy knowledge that Episode 2 marks one of Boseman’s final performances—and one of T’Challa’s final appearances—the episode hit an emotional depth that, quite frankly, didn’t seem entirely possible given the nature of the What If…? series and the Guardians of the Galaxy-based premise. It is no surprise that the sound of Boseman’s voice evokes such a mixture of joy and grief nearly a year after his death, but hearing his Star-Lord performed with such vibrant personality and passion both breaks and fills your heart at the same time.

    The fact that T’Challa as Star-Lord completely changes character trajectories of Star-Lord himself, the Ravagers, and various side characters is a hilarious contrast to Guardians of the Galaxy, but it also doubles as what feels like a tribute to T’Challa and Boseman. The impact the two have had in the MCU and world at large is well analogized here. The utter goodness of T’Challa that turns the space explorers into world-saving heroes and Thanos righteous is heartwarming almost beyond words now. And wow—the quick bits of Black Panther score that would pop in and out constantly added another layer of intensity and emotion to the episode that kept on surprising.

    While loosely following the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy, Episode 2 hits a family theme hard. Despite the fact that we end up exploring three or four different “families” by the end of the episode, they are presented and played out so well that it all comes across cohesive and genuinely a part of the same story without feeling overdone. Even the brief nod to Drax’s wife and daughter being alive in this reality was a noteworthy moment. While the Nebula-Thanos dynamic and arc is less compelling, the episode nails the portrayal of T’Challa’s relationship to both the Ravagers and Wakanda. The most gutting scene is undeniably T’Chaka’s message left for T’Challa that his Wakandan family would never stop looking for him, whether on this plane or the next. It’s simply both heartbreaking and heartwarming. In any event, it’s moving.

    Throughout the unavoidable but captivating bittersweet emotion that shrouded this episode, it also managed to have countless laugh-out-loud moments stemming primarily from the dramatic character changes. Easily one of the best examples is Thanos who has seen the error of his ways yet his original genocidal plan becomes a big source of laughter and also spotlights a fairly joyful version of the Mad Titan which is just authentically fun. The banter between the characters is also well done, and the voice performances overall do well enough to pull it off. 

    In short, Episode 2 of What If…? is absolutely phenomenal. It was broadly fun and enjoyable from start to finish and likely could easily fill an hour runtime—or even longer—without faltering. The incredibly well-executed mixture of laughter and tears turned this unassuming, animated, and inherently wacky episode into a moving and compelling story that resonates far beyond this series. Truly, it seems to be an episode of this type fit for a king. Boseman’s and T’Challa’s final bow is such a gift here at the end of the day and that is something to be grateful for amongst the grief. 

  • ‘What If’: Chadwick Boseman Voices Multiple Versions of T’Challa

    ‘What If’: Chadwick Boseman Voices Multiple Versions of T’Challa

    What If has a lot of challenges ahead. It is Marvel Studios first attempt at an animated series, and also will be the last time we get Chadwick Boseman’s performance as T’Challa in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ever since the first trailer was released, the series shared a first look at the future Black Panther traveling through space and taking Peter Quill’s place.

    Well, it seems that he’ll appear in four episodes, and executive producer Brad Winderbaum confirmed he’ll play different versions of the character. His tragic passing also influenced the show’s development, especially their approach to the score to honor T’Challa’s story in the new Disney+ series.

    He plays different versions of the character. I wouldn’t say that anything changed drastically. We wanted to honor, frankly, his performance and his eagerness to be a part of the project. In retrospect, he recorded this episodes for us knowing what we all know now. We wanted to honor what he did, so we actually didn’t change a lot of it. There were certain things, in the context of his passing, especially musically…Lauren Karpman delivered what I think is an incredible score for the entire series and the way she approached T’Challa throughout, especially in light of his passing, is really beautiful.

    There’s a good chance one version of T’Challa will appear in the Killmonger-focused episode, which teases him appearing in Wakanda. We even got a Funko Pop teasing his future connection to the country in this alternative universe. Still, it’s great to see that the animated series will pay respects to the actor. It’s still uncertain how the live-action Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will tackle his tragic passing and continue the story set-up with his appearances throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. No matter what, his legacy will live on no matter what.

    Source: Comic Book

  • What I Heard This Week: Namora and ‘BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER’

    What I Heard This Week: Namora and ‘BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER’

    Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons. Typically, when the second scenario occurs, I move on and forget about the information unless, in rare instances, it turns out to be proven true somewhere down the road. With that in mind, understand that this piece of news is NOT confirmed by Disney, Marvel or any other source and, for now, should fall under the category of rumor until further confirmation comes through.

    10 Amazing Characters Marvel Studios Still Can't Use - The Geek Twins

    We’ve known for a while now that Marvel Studios was looking to cast two major, supporting characters in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The Illuminerdi were first to report that the casting calls for two Mayan warriors, codenamed Zyanya and Cadmael, were for the roles of Namora and Attuma, two major Atlantean characters from the comics set to join Tenoch Huerta’s Namor in the 2022 sequel. Now, we may be able to associate a name with one of those roles. I heard this week that actress Mabel Cadena has joined the cast as Namora, the cousin of Namor and one of the original members of the Agents of Atlas!

    Mabel Cadena

    The 30-year old Mexican actress checks all the boxes for the role of Namora. Marvel Studios was looking for an Hispanic or Latino actress, 20-40, with previous experience in physical roles. Cadena, who recently starred in Dance of the 41 (now available on Netflix) and Hernan (now available on Amazon Prime), has been in the Atlanta area and been hitting the gym to prep for the role.

    Huerta also recently began interacting with Cadena on Instagram, which may add a little more fuel to the rumor mill fires, if you’re into that sort of thing. Again, at this point there is no confirmation from any official source, so this should be treated as a rumor; however, a lot of supporting evidence does exist.

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to hit theaters next summer!

     

  • Kevin Feige Shares How ‘Black Panther’s Reception Fast-Tracked ‘Shang-Chi’

    Kevin Feige Shares How ‘Black Panther’s Reception Fast-Tracked ‘Shang-Chi’

    Marvel Studios is back in theaters with their next major project heading our way this September. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will explore a new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. Not only will it finally unveil the true Ten Rings organization teased since 2008’s Iron Man, but we’ll also get to explore a new cornerstone of cinematic representation, an Asian-American-led superhero film. In an interview with Empire, Kevin Feige revealed that he’s been on their list of potential cinematic heroes, but it was Black Panther’s success and social relevance that drove them to fast-track the project to ensure that everyone can see themselves on the silver screen.

    I remember seeing a viral video when the Black Panther poster first came out. It was some young men in a movie theatre overwhelmed with excitement at seeing the poster, and it was moving because people were excited about the movie we were making. But it was also a harsh realisation that they were reacting that way because they had not seen it before. So Panther really coalesced the notion of, ‘Everybody deserves to see themselves portrayed in these larger-than-life ways.

     

    Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings – exclusive

     

    While part of the film will explore the Ten Rings and Shang-Chi’s heritage, there’s a strong emphasis on his time living in the United States. It allows them to bring that very story to life and explore what it means to live as an Asian-American in the country. Black Panther was the first sign of the importance that cinema gives everyone a chance to see themselves on the silver screen, or even as a hero. Hopefully, it’s also just the beginning of exploring the diverse corners of the MCU.

    Source: Empire

  • Latest ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Set Photo May Confirm Namor and Atlantis

    Latest ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Set Photo May Confirm Namor and Atlantis

    Just yesterday, we got our first glimpse at the production of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. A set video teased a new location within the city of Wakanda that also includes a tribute to Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa. Marvel Studios has been very diligent in keeping the plot a secret as much as possible. Yet, one huge reveal has found its way online, and that is Namor’s upcoming appearance in the film. His exact role isn’t certain, but war seems likely between the MCU’s Atlantis and Wakanda. His involvement was never officially confirmed, but a new set photo may be our first confirmation.

    The set photo provided by Instagram user @sinny8 features a giant water tank at the film’s shooting location of the Tyler Perry Studios. These are commonly used by film productions to bring underwater scenes to life. So, the necessity for this tank would confirm that they will feature some underwater scenes with the film’s cast.

     

     

    Sadly, we don’t get a shot of any cast members. We heard that they are actively casting Namora and Attumo around two months ago. It seems likely they might have cast the characters by now. The Namor rumor also confirmed that the MCU’s version of Atlantis will connect to Mayan culture, with Tenoch Huerta reportedly cast in the iconic Marvel role. So, we might get our first glimpse at his interpretation of the character if they are filming in these tanks out in public. There’s still no official confirmation on Namor’s appearance or how it connects to the overarching storyline in Wakanda Forever. Yet, they might want to get ahead of any set photos leaking, and we may get an announcement on his casting in the near future.

    Source: Instagram