Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: DC Movies

  • Walter Hamada’s Original DCEU Plan for Henry Cavill’s Superman Revealed

    Walter Hamada’s Original DCEU Plan for Henry Cavill’s Superman Revealed

    Marvel Studios has been busy developing their own Multiverse Saga with Kang the Conqueror at its core, but it seems that DC had their own multiversal plans beyond just The Flash‘s upcoming release. While Walter Hamada is no longer involved with DC or Warner Bros, it seems his original plan was to develop a Crisis on Infinite Earths film but have Henry Cavill‘s Superman slowly build up that storyline through breadcrumbs in various movies.

    It seems likely that The Flash was going to unleash the multiveerse unto the DC Extended Universe with Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton‘s versions of Batman’s existing simultaneously. Ironically, it seems that Dwayne Johnson‘s own plans to make Black Adam a Superman rival and forcefully bringing Cavill back in the role may have also derailed those plans somewhat. Though, it’s uncertain just how far they mapped out the concept and if they were trying to test the waters.

    The idea to not give Superman a sequel but rather use him for cameos is curious–pretty much the Nick Fury for the DCEU. It may have also been a decision based around Cavill‘s booked schedule with The Witcher (ironic given recent developments) and the Enola Holmes movies. Once a Warhammer 40K or World of Warcraft project picks up any steam, he’ll likely throw his hat into the ring for those as well. So, even if he won’t truly return as Superman, there are many franchises that’ll definitely catch his attention.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Peaky Blinders’ Creator Worked on the ‘Man of Steel’ Sequel Pitch

    ‘Peaky Blinders’ Creator Worked on the ‘Man of Steel’ Sequel Pitch

    Well, it looks like after all these rumors we finally know who was the one working on a potential sequel to Man of Steel. In Hollywood Reporter’s weekly Heat Vision blog, they’ve shared that their sources unveiled the news that Peaky Blinders and See creator Steven Knight was involved in pitching the Superman sequel. It seems that this pitch was initially made before James Gunn and Peter Safran joined the newly formed DC Studios to spearhead the franchise moving forward.

    There are sadly no details on what exactly the story was going to focus on, but it seems that Warner Bros. executives weren’t thrilled and “gave notes” that has become a common element. There’s also uncertainty if they even hired someone else to rewrite the project afterwards but it definitely was their dream to bring back Henry Cavill while it was still under Walter Hamada‘s supervision.

    The creator behind Peaky Blinders definitely is an interesting choice to bring the franchise back to life, and it would’ve been great to see what his original plans may have been. There are many questions if they would’ve stuck to the vision introduced by Zack Snyder, or try to go for a more hopeful version that is closer to how the character works in the comics. Either way, we may have a very different version at some pint in the future going by recent events.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • DC’s Change in Leadership May Not Be Able to Resurrect ‘Justice League Dark’

    DC’s Change in Leadership May Not Be Able to Resurrect ‘Justice League Dark’

    Once upon a time, director Guillermo del Toro was deep into development on a big screen adaptation of Justice League Dark for Warner Bros. Even after del Toro left the film in order to work on Pacific Rim Uprising, work continued on bringing his vision to the screen. That vision would have featured DC Comics’ characters John Constantine, Swamp Thing, Deadman, Etrigan the Demon and Zatanna, along with appearances from others such as Doctor Fate and Detective Chimp and was far enough along in development that a great deal of concept art was generated for the project.

    Obviously, the film never came together with several directors opting for other projects instead. Earlier this year, JJ Abrams announced plans to develop Justice League Dark characters for a series of projects on HBO Max but those plans seem to have already materialized as well, causing fans of the characters to wonder if they’ll ever find their way together on screen.

    However, the silver lining there is that without Justice League Dark ever having been made by anyone, the option for del Toro to pick the project back up remains. While nobody is suggesting that any of the others who passed would have done poorly, it’s hard to imagine many creatives better for the job than del Toro. In a recent interview with Comic Book, the question of whether or not the director had any interest in revisiting the project now that there was a new team of visionaries in place at DC. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound promising.

    Oh, I don’t know. My love for Swamp Thing, The Demon, knows no bounds, but I don’t know. You don’t get a manicure from a big machine, that’s what I learn, you lose a few fingers. So I don’t know if I want a manicure from a big machine. As Danny Glover would say, “I’m too old for this shit”.

    Guillermo del Toro

    That’s certainly not a no, but it also isn’t a yes. Perhaps a sit down with DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran might turn del Toro around on this, but given all the uncertainty surrounding the future of the newly minted studio, there’s no telling if Justice League Dark is in the plans now or ever will be.

    Source: Comicbook.com

  • RUMOR: ‘The Flash’ Spinoff Focused on Michael Keaton’s Batman Scrapped in DC Studios’ Restructuring

    RUMOR: ‘The Flash’ Spinoff Focused on Michael Keaton’s Batman Scrapped in DC Studios’ Restructuring

    Everything is changing over at DC Studios, as the future of the former DC Expanded Universe seems quite uncertain. We’ve had the reveal that Wonder Woman 3 has lost its director Patty Jenkins, a Black Adam sequel seems unlikely at this point and so much more. Now, it seems a new rumor has popped up from Jeff Sneider that another project has been canned as James Gunn and Peter Safran restructure the new DC universe.

    It seems that The Flash and Birds of Prey‘s Christina Hodson has been working on a spinoff from The Flash that would’ve acted as a reboot of the original Michael Keaton-led Batman franchise. Keaton would further explore his character that is set to return in the upcoming film, though details on how the project would’ve explored his return remain uncertain. There’s also no word just how far they got with the script, as they may have just kicked around the idea before it was scrapped.

    It does seem more and more likely that The Flash might end up as a hard reboot for the DC Cinematic Universe moving forward, even if there are still no specific plans set by DC Studios’ new co-leads. Though, once the roadmap for the next ten years have been set, we might get a better look at what the future has in store for us.

    Source: YouTube via The Direct

  • DC Studios Still Hopes to Make ‘Wonder Woman 3’ as Patty Jenkins Exits Project

    DC Studios Still Hopes to Make ‘Wonder Woman 3’ as Patty Jenkins Exits Project

    Many wondered what exactly was the cause for Warner Bros. to pass on Patty Jenkins‘ third Wonder Woman film. They could’ve easily prepared the film for whatever they have planned under Peter Safran and James Gunn, but it seems that director Patty Jenkins has moved away from the project completely. According to Deadline, there were creative differences and this wasn’t purely on the new CEOs of DC Studios.

    In their report, they highlight that there were issues with the direction of the story given the issues that Wonder Woman 1984 faced when it released. As it turns out, Jenkins has seemingly just left after they rejected her initial pitch even as the team was open for her to rewrite the film and try again. As such, if they move forward with a new Wonder Woman film, it does seem like Jenkins will no longer be involved as a writer, director or producer.

    There’s also the question if her departure could lead to its main actress leaving the project behind. Gal Gadot has been quite a vocal fan of Jenkins‘ work but a recent post does seemingly hint that she’s excited for the future with or without the director. It would seem surprising if she’d completely drop the role of Diana Prince, but given recent reports there’s a lot of uncertainty with what exactly DC Studios has in store for the franchise’s revival plans. For now, we’ll have to just watch as everything unfolds.

    Source: Deadline

  • DC Studios’ James Gunn Semi-Confirms Recent Reports on ‘Black Adam’, Henry Cavill, and More

    DC Studios’ James Gunn Semi-Confirms Recent Reports on ‘Black Adam’, Henry Cavill, and More

    James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as the new heads of a newly formed DC Studios. The question remained on what it might mean for the future of the franchise and generally for those projects that are still currently in some form of development. A recent report by The Hollywood Reporter has openly discussed that perhaps some things aren’t moving forward as first expected.

    Report indicated that not only did they pass on Patty Jenkins‘ third Wonder Woman film, but also won’t move forward with a Black Adam sequel; even as Dwayne Johnson desperately crunches the numbers to prove its a success. The biggest shock was also the fact that Henry Cavill may have returned briefly as Superman but is unlikely to do so once again. As Gunn is no stranger to openly discussing rumors and reports, he has taken to his Twitter to semi-confirm some aspects and debunk others.

    He also goes on to highlight that they are aware not everyone will be happy with their decisions, but that the transitional period is quite a rough one for any creative taking over an existing slate while mapping out its next ten years.

    DC is no stranger to some rather passionate fans about very specific franchise entries, and it likely won’t be an easy transition internally as well as externally. The big qeustion is that this move also puts a dark shadow over the upcoming projects and may add to the fact that The Flash may end up becoming a hard reset for the franchise after all.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Black Adam’ Sequel Unlikely to Happen

    ‘Black Adam’ Sequel Unlikely to Happen

    As the internet continues to debate whether Black Adam will be profitable for DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery, a new report suggests a sequel is off the cards. Earlier in the week, Variety reported that Black Adam was set to lose $100 million for Warner Bros. Discovery, after only pulling in $387 million worldwide. Leading man, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would later refute that report, suggesting the film would make a profit of $52 million-$75 million. Despite Johnson’s claims, though, it appears a sequel to the film is off the table.

    In a new piece exploring the future of DC Studios, The Hollywood Reporter reveals that it is unlikely a sequel to Black Adam will be given a greenlight. The decision is based on the film’s overall performance. As THR notes, much like Variety did, the film had a hefty price tag – a reported $190 million, but some suggest it’s more like $230 million – and that’s without the cost of marketing. With those numbers, a worldwide haul of $387 million is unlikely to make the film profitable. It could break even with ancillary revenue, but the costs to produce a sequel even at that point seems too high.

    Also unlikely is a sequel to Black Adam. Despite the hype surrounding the movie of launching a new corner of DC, a lot of it led by star Dwayne Johnson, the movie has only grossed $385 million worldwide and insiders at the studio say the movie, which cost more than $190 million to produce (two sources peg the actual cost at $230 million, not including marketing), will be lucky to break even, even considering ancillary revenue. Even if the movie does eke out a minimal profit, any follow-up’s inherent rising costs dim the prospect of a sequel.

    The Hollywood Reporter

    Black Adam is currently playing in theaters and will hit Blu-Ray and DVD at the end of the month.

    Source: THR.

  • REPORT: Willem Dafoe Will Not Appear in ‘Aquaman’ Sequel

    REPORT: Willem Dafoe Will Not Appear in ‘Aquaman’ Sequel

    Willem Dafoe has left the ocean, or something like that. According to a new report from industry insider KC Walsh, the fan-favorite actor will not appear in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, despite playing a major role in the previous film and cameoing alongside Jason Momoa‘s Arthur Curry in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Dafoe portrayed Aquaman’s mentor Nuidis Vulko, a chief Atlantean scientist and one of the hero’s foremost supporting characters from the comics. The former Spider-Man star was widely expected to reprise the Vulko role in the sequel, but Walsh states the story has other plans.

    ***POTENTIAL SPOILERS***

    In response to an inquisitive fan on Twitter, Walsh made the claim that the friendly father figure will not only be absent from the film but will be snuffed out of the franchise altogether. Vulko will, supposedly, be killed offscreen at some point during the movie, ending Dafoe‘s time in the DC cinematic universe and stripping Aquaman of his most-trusted confidant.

    Dafoe‘s journey as Vulko has been a bit strange from the start. He was originally cast in the role by Snyder for Justice League but saw all his scenes cut from the theatrical release. He eventually debuted in Aquaman before having his initial Justice League restored in the highly-demanded Director’s Cut.

    Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is set to be directed by James Wan, returning from the first film. Momoa will be back in the title role, with Patrick Wilson also returning as his formerly villainous half-brother Orm Marius. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Kidman, Randall Park, and Amber Heard are all expected to make a comeback as part of the cast.

    Source: Twitter

  • Snyderverse Fans Won’t Love the News Out of the Latest ‘Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom’ Test Screening

    Snyderverse Fans Won’t Love the News Out of the Latest ‘Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom’ Test Screening

    Earlier this year, Aquaman star Jason Momoa posted a shot of him alongside Ben Affleck teasing the latter’s inclusion in the upcoming DC release Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom. Fans of Affleck’s Batman believed that this meant Affleck was back as the Bat, booting Michael Keaton’s version of the character and signaling a return to the Snyderverse continuity. According to one insider, a recent test screening of the film might not be the best Christmas present for those hoping to see Affleck return to the role.

    Following a test screening of Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, KC Walsh shared the news that Affleck was nowhere to be seen in the cut shown to a test audience.

    In fact, according to Walsh, neither Affleck nor Keaton’s version of Batman showed up in the cut.

    So what happened between Momoa’s tease and the test screening? Perhaps Affleck was just visiting? Maybe he did shoot scenes and throughout the chaotic front office upheaval at DC, which has found James Gunn in charge of storytelling, the decision was made to pull any Batman-related scenes from the film. At the moment, wild speculation is the only recourse for fans as they ponder what this means for the future of Batman outside of the Matt Reeves-led Gothamverse as many online rumors have led them to believe that Affleck was going to return to the role long-term. Again, a lot has changed since this Summer and until Gunn and DC co-chair Peter Safran present their long-term vision for DC Studios, fans are going to be left in the dark.

  • Ezra Miller’s ‘The Flash’ Shuffles Its Release Date Again

    Ezra Miller’s ‘The Flash’ Shuffles Its Release Date Again

    DC’s The Flash will now open one week earlier than previously expected, moving to June 16, 2023. The film, which was originally slated to hit theaters on March 23, 2018, is now on its seventh release date since being announced.

    The film has been a considerable source of controversy as star Ezra Miller was at the center of a series of increasingly bizarre scenarios. Amid these scenarios, rumors have swirled about a potential recasting but at the same time, early screenings of the film have been generally positively received.

    According to director Andy Muschetti, the film will be an adaptation of the iconic DC Comic story Flashpoint, though not a one-to-one page-to-screen translation. Principal photography for The Flash ran from April through October of 2021. The most recent move gives the DC film one more week to breathe ahead of the release of Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny, which is slated for a June 30th debut.