Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Black Widow

  • ‘Black Widow’: David Harbour Hints at More Red Guardian in the MCU’s Future

    ‘Black Widow’: David Harbour Hints at More Red Guardian in the MCU’s Future

    The following article contains spoilers for the end of the Black Widow film. If you want to remain unspoiled, please only continue at your own risk.

     

     

     

    After a long wait, we finally had a chance to watch Black Widow. We got the last adventure of Scarlett Johansson‘s Natasha Romanoff before her untimely end in Avengers: Endgame. The film also set up some curious new players for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s future, as we Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova, Rachel Weisz‘ Melina, and David Harbour‘s Red Guardian.

    The latter was a show-stealer throughout the film, as we meet a washed-up super soldier that is trapped in his delusion of grandeur. At the end of the film, he is seen flying off with the others as Natasha faced General Ross’ arrival. It made us wonder if Alexei might have a future in the franchise and it seems there have been some ideas going around. Harbour hinted at some rumblings behind the screens at Marvel studios in an interview with Collider.

    There is some chatter around certain things. We were pretty focused on just this. They also have a lot of stuff in the pipe that, it seems like in this particular phase, there’s a lot of different… There’s like Eternals… There’s different elements to this universe that I think they’re branching out at this point until they start to do this. I knew I wasn’t involved in that branch. The discussions were… They didn’t really give a sense of what was up next. It was more just really focused on this movie, and some speculation of possibilities.

    There’s a lot of potentials to explore Red Guardian in a Disney+ series. We got some references to other famous members of a Russian superhero group that includes Mikhail Ursus, better known as the mutant Ursa Major, and a name drop of Crimson Dynamo. The latter was quite an interesting reference, as they combined the original character with Whiplash in Iron Man 2.

    Perhaps there is a future for the character in the upcoming Armor Wars Disney+ series. It would be fun to see Alexei form a Russian copy of the Avengers to face Captain America. Yet, he ends up facing US Agent and joined a very different cause. There’s a lot of potential with the character. So, hopefully, we’ll get more of Harbour in the MCU’s future.

    If you want to check out the interview with Collider, you can watch the video here:

     

    Source: YouTube

  • Piracy and Delayed Chinese Release Might Hurt ‘Black Widow’s International Success

    Piracy and Delayed Chinese Release Might Hurt ‘Black Widow’s International Success

    Black Widow kicked off to a great start in the U.S. Box Office. It could even keep up with pre-pandemic releases and is eyeing a potential 100M+ weekend even though it was made available through Disney+ Premier Access. Yet, what is not helping the film’s current release is a delayed-release in China. Even though it has gotten approved by Chinese authorities, it still has no set release. This case wouldn’t be much of an issue, but Disney’s streaming service isn’t available in the country. So, they can’t bank on people buying it through Premier Access. The only real option for Chinese viewers is piracy, which will hurt its Box Office potential.

    There doesn’t seem to be a reason why the release wasn’t time with the West. Their local business has been suffering, and July is also usually kept solely for Chinese productions. This year will see the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding. It has also led to an additional layer of censorship. So, the delay might be a result due to these political developments. It might even put a release in question.

    So, what are people to do? Well, they can pirate an HD version of the film that is made available through Premier Acess. So, even if the film releases there, most people might’ve already watched it by then. It’s a well-known issue, and companies take it into account with many Western releases. Marvel Studios is already facing troubles with the release of Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings due to distrust created through Mulan and local beauty standards. Eternals is also uncertain due to Chloé Zhao openly criticizing the ruling party. As such, it’s uncertain if the production studio and Disney can truly bank on the Chinese Box Office moving forward.

    Source: Variety

  • Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Influenced ‘Black Widow’s Approach to Cameos

    Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Influenced ‘Black Widow’s Approach to Cameos

    There will be spoilers in the upcoming article on some key moments in the film. If you want to avoid spoilers, only continue reading at your own risk.

     

     

     

    Marvel Studios isn’t a stranger to including cameos in their films. As the years went on, we’ve seen the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe crossover into other projects more and more. Especially a film like Black Widow that takes place between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, it seemed like the perfect place to include elements from the expanded universe even as it introduces us to a new side of its past.

    Well, even with many rumors going around we never got a cameo by Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark or Chris Evans‘ Steve Rogers. We got some references to Hawkeye but he wasn’t physically present. According to director Cate Shortland, this was a decision enforced by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, as she stated in an interview with Total Film.

    Initially, there was discussions about everything, about all of the different characters. What we decided was, and I think Kevin was really great, he said, ‘She doesn’t need the boys.’ We didn’t want it to feel like she needs the support. We want her to stand alone. And she does.

    We do get one returning character from a previous project, which is William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross. He doesn’t have a big role but he does connect and set up the timeline when Black Widow takes place. Otherwise, the story is all about Natasha and returning to her long-lost family. Otherwise, the story is purely about Natasha and her past with the Red Room we got a glimpse of in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Moving forward, the question will be how and where characters introduced in this film might make a grand return.

    Source: Total Film

  • ‘Black Widow’: Cate Shortland Talks the Importance of Taskmaster’s Real Identity

    ‘Black Widow’: Cate Shortland Talks the Importance of Taskmaster’s Real Identity

    The following article contains a major twist from the film. Only continue reading at your own risk. This is your final spoiler warning.

     

     

     

    Black Widow has finally arrived. The wait has been a long one, but somehow the real identity of Taskmaster has remained tightly under wraps. In an interview with Total Film, director Cate Shortland finally was able to open up about that reveal after a whole year of silence. There have been countless theories that it was Rachel Weisz‘s Melina or O.T. Fagbenle‘s mysterious character.

    It turned out, we were all wrong. In reality, it turned out to be the man antagonist’s daughter, Antonia Dreykov. She was a sacrificial lamb when Natasha joined shield and had been referenced since the first Avengers film while Loki was taunting her from his cell. While sadly it wasn’t Tony Masters, we did get a very personal twist and Shortland offered some insight on the inspiration:

    What’s great in the film is, you see that [Natasha] physically has to face what she’s done. It’s not a fragment [of that]. It’s real. And so she’s really facing her worst nightmare. I almost see Taskmaster as being her psyche, ‘This is what I’ve done, and it’s coming back to get me.’ The androgyny of the character is really interesting.

    She also goes on to talk about Natasha sticking out from the other heroes due to her ambiguity. She’s done some terrible things but the film also gave us insight into how she was able to make the sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. Yelena was an important part in her finally accepting her past and Antonia’s return let her apologize for the things she’s done. The Taskmaster Protocol might still make a return in the future and Marvel Studios has returned to some projects in the past to further explore them. So, we might see the legacy that Natasha left behind in the MCU’s future.

    Source: Total Film

  • ‘Black Widow’s Thursday Box Office On Par With Pre-Pandemic Marvel Studios’ Releases

    ‘Black Widow’s Thursday Box Office On Par With Pre-Pandemic Marvel Studios’ Releases

    It looks like Marvel Studios has not lost its steam at the Box Office after not releasing a film for two full years. Black Widow was originally set to release in May of 2020 but got continuously pushed back due to the pandemic. Still, the long wait is over and it is finally available in theaters, as well as on Disney+’s Premier Access. There was some uncertainty that its availability would dampen its Box Office success, but early predictions already had it eyeing a potential $110M domestic opening.

    These predictions hinted that it would pass F9‘s $80M. We’ve seen an uptick in Box Office performances since Godzilla vs. Kong gave us our first glimpse of hope in its Easter weekend release. It looks like the digital release didn’t hurt Marvel Studios’ first Phase 4 film in the slightest, as it already garnered $13M in ts preview nights.

    That alone is already signaling a $100M+ opening. The release is even on par with other Marvel titles, as it’s only slightly below Spider-Man: Homecoming‘s $15.4M and ahead of Ant-Man and the Wasp‘s $76M. The former garnered a $117M opening and it looks like people have been anxiously awaiting the return to cinemas. It’s uncertain if the general release might be influenced by the Disney+ release. So, there is a chance it’ll lose momentum over the weekend. Disney and Marvel are still hoping for a $120M+ release. Perhaps word-of-mouth

    Now, HBO Max’s similar release showed its fangs in the second weekend. Their films would commonly see a harsh drop, but they were also freely available for subscribers. Disney+’s additional fee could end up pushing people towards rewatching it in theaters to also get that experience they’ve missed out on during the pandemic. All eyes will be on the film#s weekend and then what it may mean for September’s Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings release.

    Source: Twitter, Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Adds New ‘Black Widow’ Inspired MCU Skin

    ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Adds New ‘Black Widow’ Inspired MCU Skin

    Marvel’s Avengers has been busy preparing for its big August update that will see Black Panther finally join the game. Until then, we have this month’s release of the first Multiplayer-focused endgame content in the form of Omega-Level Threats and the return of their Black Widow tie-in event, the Red Room Takeover. It originally came out back in May when the film was originally set to release but will make a return alongside the film’s premiere. Luckily, it seems that wasn’t the only tie-in they planned as their official Twitter channel just shared the first look at a brand new MCU-inspired skin from the upcoming film.

     

     

    The film eased quite a few different suits but it makes sense they went with the iconic white suit that’s been heavily advertised. It’s a great touch to use the Red Room visuals in the background, which added a unique flair to the HARM room challenges we’ve been playing since the game launched last year. It’s great that the game is doing film tie-ins and makes you wonder if we’ll see some more stuff in the future.

    Sadly, Shang-Chi isn’t playable but with rumors pointing to a late 2021 release for Spider-Man, we could potentially get some of his iconic suits from Spider-Man: No Way Home in the game. Either Way, July is going to be an exciting month for the game as we get closer and closer to Black Panther’s release. Here’s hoping he gets his Captain America: Civil War suit.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Black Widow’ Special on Stuntwoman Heidi Moneymaker Heading to ESPN+

    ‘Black Widow’ Special on Stuntwoman Heidi Moneymaker Heading to ESPN+

    Black Widow is so close to releasing in theaters. It looks like Marvel Studios has some plans to put a focus on an essential member of the film’s team, Scarlett Johanssons‘ stunt double, Heidi Moneymaker. She has been a part of the Marvel family for almost ten years. She was along for the ride since she first pulled off the amazing stunts in 2010’s Iron Man 2. To celebrate her work, ESPN+ will release an exclusive special that takes a closer look at her time and work in bringing the character to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The E60 Presents special titled Moneymaker: Behind the Black Widow will explore her origin story and her journey to bringing the Marvel icon to life as narrated by Scarlett Johansson.

     

     

    There’s not enough focus on the stunt industry that is an integral part of modern Hollywood. It is long overdue that the Oscars include a nomination for stunt work. So, it’s great that they are adding a documentary to focus on her work. It’ll follower her story as a national champion gymnast to joining Marvel Studios. She isn’t the only Moneymaker helping the company bring their iconic heroes to life. Her sister Renae doubles for Evangeline Lilly and Brie Larson.

    Hopefully, this move also means that other iconic stunt woman and men that brought the other heroes to life get their time to shine in future additions of the E60 Presents line-up, as we wouldn’t have our iconic heroes without them. It’s uncertain if it remains an ESPN+ exclusive. Not every country has access to the streaming service. So, some markets might get it through Disney+. Of course, we hopefully will also get a Black Widow episode on the Marvel Studios: Assemble documentary series to go alongside this special. 

    Source: Marvel, YouTube

  • ‘Black Widow’ Eyeing a $110M Post-Pandemic Domestic Opening

    ‘Black Widow’ Eyeing a $110M Post-Pandemic Domestic Opening

    It looks like a lot of bets are on Marvel Studios’ grand return to cinemas after a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus. The last entry of the franchise was released in June 2019 with Spider-Man: Far From Home. Black Widow was originally going to premiere last year in May but got continuously pushed back. Finally, we are only a few days away from its release and Box office predictions are already aplenty. Marketing recently kicked into overdrive with various short spots and featurettes getting released. Rotten Tomatoes currently has it Certified Fresh at 82% with 162 reviews. After F9‘s $70 million debuts, there was a lot of hope that the next MCU flick could even surpass that and current predictions are looking great.

    According to Box Office Pro, the film is currently predicted for a domestic premiere between $80 to $110M. As the film’s release draws nearer, the predictions have gone up. That would put it at a potential $310M total run. It’s certainly a sign that cinemas are still helping form the effects of the pandemic, but it also has to be considered that Black Widow will also be made available via Disney+’s Premier Access option.

    So, you can technically stay at home and purchase the film for an additional fee through the streaming service. It will potentially cut into its opening day earnings, but it still looks like the film is set for an impressive Box Office. The higher end of that opening would put it on par with 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. Even the lower end is slightly below 2016’s Doctor Strange release, which opened with $85M. So, it’s looking good for Marvel Studios to continue their Box Office dominance even after the long hiatus.

    Source: Box Office Pro, Rotten Tomatoes, Business Insider

    Black Widow design for header by @valentinromeroa

  • Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Confirms Red Room Takeover Returns Next Week

    Latest ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Dev Stream Confirms Red Room Takeover Returns Next Week

    Marvel’s Avengers once again got a brand new dev stream that offered some tiny insights into what the future holds. It was a rather short one as we are still in the middle of the Cosmic Cube event, but there was a nice major reveal. It looks like May’s Red Room Takeover event is making a grand return. It’ll run from July 8th up until the 22nd. We’ll also get a brand new nameplate and they confirmed the issues from last time were fixed. It is also a reason why it is making a return, as they wanted to offer those that missed out on it. Of course, that was not all, as we also got some updates on current bug fixes and what they are working on.

    • They confirmed that a minor patch is heading our way that’ll fix a variety of issues, which includes Captain America’s MCU shield, where his star was pointing the wrong direction, Monica shrinking and falling to her death in the Beating the Odds mission when using Hank Pym, and some other minor issues.
    • The bigger fix is regarding the Mega Hives and Last Avengers Standing, where enemies wouldn’t spawn on specific floors. This is still being looked into, but they found a fix that could help with various other issues. It does not require a patch and will be updated directly in the game.

     

    Marvel's Avengers' Red Room Takeover Is Now Live | Marvel

     

    • Hulk’s combat abilities were indeed nerfed, but only because he was overpowered due to a bug. His Thunderclap ability added 50% to melee damage rather than 25%.
    • They confirmed that up to eight different takedowns can get equipped once War for Wakanda drops.
    • Crystal Dynamics is looking into adding Twitch drops and other community offerings soon. It just sadly takes time due to many people being involved to make it a reality, but it is something to look forward to.
    • We also got a look at some brand new animated skins that feature magma running down their clothes. Luckily, @PlayAvenger was able to grab a video showcasing this effect for Thor’s skin:

     

    https://twitter.com/PlayAvenger/status/1411071667539939333?s=20

     

    Overall, it was a quieter stream as they are heading into a three-day weekend. The return of the Red Room Takeover is great, as it ties into next week’s Black Widow release. Again we got the tease of an MCU-inspired outfit heading our way before Thor gets his. So, I believe there is a good chance it’s a tie-in suit for the film’s release. The event’s runtime might also hint at the OLT’s release being the latest around the 22nd of July alongside multiplayer Mega Hives and permanent multi-heroes matchmaking. Here’s hoping we get more information next week on what is heading our way.

    Source: Twitch, Twitter

  • Cate Shortland Open to Direct a ‘BLACK WIDOW’ Sequel

    Cate Shortland Open to Direct a ‘BLACK WIDOW’ Sequel

    It may not come as a surprise to many, but the director of Black Widow doesn’t think the franchise is over just yet. During a recent interview with Radio Times, filmmaker Cate Shortland was asked directly about the odds of a follow-up to the upcoming solo project. Marvel is known for its endless array of sequels and spin-offs, so the question may seem silly at first glance. However, when you take into account the fact that Scarlett Johansson‘s original Avenger met her demise during the events of Avengers: Endgame, the query seems a lot more rational. Shortland, it seems, is hopeful for a continuation of her film. She just doesn’t think it would include Johansson:

    I think following a different character, yes. I think Scarlett is really happy that she’s leaving the party, you know, and she’s not the last to leave. She decided she wanted to go. And I don’t think she would want to come back at the moment.

    The suggestion lines up with the director’s previous comments that Black Widow will “pass the baton” from Johansson‘s Natasha Romanoff to Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova. It would appear that the project will act as a goodbye to the Black Widow we know and love, while simultaneously welcoming in a new hero to take up the mantle. Pugh is already set to return to the role in Disney+’s Hawkeye, and it seems unlikely she would stop there. So, if a sequel focusing on Yelena were to come to fruition, would Shortland be open to a comeback herself? She seemed hopeful about that as well:

    I mean, all the beautiful fights and the spectacle, and I think just creating something really fun and joyous is pretty addictive. So yeah, I would do it again. Yes.

    Source: Radio Times, Empire