Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: DC Movies

  • What “Folie à Deux” Could Mean For the ‘Joker’ Sequel

    What “Folie à Deux” Could Mean For the ‘Joker’ Sequel

    2019’s Joker was a box office hit that was met with equal measures of controversy and praise. The film grossed over $1B worldwide, but the real surprise was the performance Joaquin Phoenix put on, which earned him the Best Actor Award at the 2020 Academy Awards. The news of a sequel comes as a shock for many as first of all, Phoenix has really never been much for sequels. Secondly, Joker’s ending didn’t seem to leave a lot for the character to do in a sequel, but the film’s title could provide some clues to how it might play out.

    When translated to English the subtitle for the film’s sequel translates to “Madness for two”, but is often defined as “an identical or similar mental disorder affecting two or more individuals, usually the members of a close family.” With that in mind, here are a couple of ways that could apply to the plot of the sequel.

    The Imposter

    One avenue this film could follow is to pick up immediately following the events of Joker, and focus on the effects of Arthur Fleck’s influence on Gotham. Following the riots his debut as the Joker unleashed, the sequel could portray a Gotham up in flames and full of citizens in clown masks, inspired by Arthur to turn life in Gotham on its head. The sequel could directly tackle this by introducing a faux Joker, someone who fills the void left by Arthur’s absence and continues to raise hell in the city while Fleck sits in Arkham.

    Interestingly enough, in an interview with GQ, Willem Dafoe pitched the idea of a sequel following an imposter alongside Phoenix’s Fleck. Dafoe clarified that it was merely a hypothetical, but Folie a Deux could provide an opportunity for WB to cash in on the popular fancast of Dafoe as the Joker, similar to how Marvel Studios brought in John Krasinski to play Reed Richards in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness.

    Casting another major star alongside Phoenix and pitting him against Fleck for the title of Clown Prince of Crime could be a lot of fun on screen. The idea also seems to fit with the film’s subtitle, teasing a counterpart with a mentality similar to Fleck’s.

    Family Conflict

    Alternatively, the chip away at the part of the definition of Folie a Deux that ties in nicely with one of the most controversial reveals from the first film. In Joker, it is hinted that Arthur Fleck is the illegitimate son of Thomas Wayne and half-brother to Bruce Wayne. While Thomas deflects these claims and tells Arthur his mother was delusional and crazy, the sequel could explore this claim and set up a confrontation between Fleck and Wayne.

    The first film included the deaths of Thomas and Martha Wayne that sends Bruce down the path to becoming Batman. However, the fact that the killer was wearing a clown mask and was clearly inspired by Fleck can allow Bruce to focus his vengeance on the man who lit the fire in Gotham.

    Such a plot for the sequel could feature a time jump and be set sometime in the 90s, which would allow for it to feature a grown Bruce Wayne, who has become somewhat of an insane vigilante. It’s a crazy and ambitious idea to hypothetically introduce yet another Batman while we’ve got Michael Keaton, Robert Pattinson, and Ben Affleck still running around in the cape and cowl, but it could work.

    No matter what they do with a potential sequel to Joker, it’ll be very interesting to see where Phoenix takes the character and just how he elevates and changes the performance for the return of Arthur Fleck.

    SOURCE: GQ

  • Producer Hiram Garcia on How ‘Black Adam’ Connects to the Larger DCEU

    Producer Hiram Garcia on How ‘Black Adam’ Connects to the Larger DCEU

    Dwayne Johnson’s decade long investment into getting Black Adam on the big screen will finally pay off this fall when the character’s solo film debuts on October 21st. Initially set to be introduced in Shazam!, Johnson fought hard to make sure both heroes got their time to shine. As a result, the character’s first appearance in the DCEU comes when the idea of powered heroes is already well-established in-universe.

    With such things already established, the creative team behind Black Adam had their work cut out for them when deciding how to introduce someone like Teth-Adam whose powers, as seen in the trailer, are sure to catch the attention of Earth’s other heroes. In an interview with Screen Rant, producer Hiram Garcia discussed how the team approached it and built it into the fabric of the film.

    And for us, you’ll feel the effects in our world. We know that those guys exist. There’s even conversations where he’s told that there’s other heroes out there, but he’s very specific to the kind of hero he is. We like the idea of knowing that he has now been put into this world, and he’s kind of a disruption, because they’re not used to having a person that powerful be that much of a livewire. They can’t figure out how to control him.

    Hiram Garcia

    As the trailer indicates, some of the first heroes Adam will come into contact with are Doctor Fate, Hawkman, Atom Smasher and Cyclone, members of the JSA who are all pretty powerful in their own right. How those interactions with the Man in Black, who isn’t known for playing well with others, remains to be seen, but we know one thing: the hierarchy of power in the DCEU is about to change.

    Source: Screen Rant

  • ‘Black Adam’ Unaffected by DCEU Changes

    ‘Black Adam’ Unaffected by DCEU Changes

    It’s been a long road since Black Adam made its way to the silver screen but with a trailer finally confirming it’s just around the corner, we’re finally nearing the point of getting to see it ourselves. Of course, a lot has changed throughout the DC Extended Universe since the initial announcement yet it seems that has not affected the story that is being told by the film.

    Black Adam producer Hiram Garcia highlights how the upcoming film pretty much plays within its own little pocket of the DCEU. As such, it wasn’t affected by any major changes that were happening behind or in front of the scenes.

    Luckily, we didn’t [have to go back to the drawing board], because we’ve been functionally within our section. Basically, we knew the characters we had: we had Black Adam and JSA, and we were launching things attached to that. Our world has stayed very much intact, so even though there has been some changes, it hasn’t really affected us. That’s been a very fortunate thing. There’s been a lot going on, but we’ve been able to maintain our bubble and our lane. We continue to build it out.

    Hiram Garcia

    They lucked out that they have the opportunity to introduce the Justice Society of America and aren’t dependent on the Justice League, who were affected the most by the changes. We still don’t know if he’ll eventually team up or face other heroes from across the DC Universe, especially with his close ties to Shazam but they may be keeping that in their back pocket until the film releases. Shazam: Fury of the Gods is also set to release this year, which may have some tie-in with Black Adam, but we’ll have to wait a little longer to find out.

    Source: ScreenRant

  • Dwayne Johnson is 100% Committed to Building the DC Universe

    Dwayne Johnson is 100% Committed to Building the DC Universe

    Dwayne Johnson has been hyping up the arrival of Black Adam for years, and now it looks like he’s in it for the long run. After nearly a decade of development on Black Adam, whose live-action presence was first conceived as being the villain of Shazam! before shifting to a solo spin-off instead, Johnson is ready to make the character his own.

    The wrestler-turned-actor-turned-renaissance man revealed in a recent interview with Comic Book that he is “100% committed” to sticking around as the violent anti-hero for years to come. Not only that, but he’s willing to help build the entire DC Universe as well:

    I am 100% committed to not only Black Adam but then expanding the Black Adam universe, the DC universe. I am an optimist from the word, ‘Go.’ So, to me and to all of us up here, all universes exist in our heads. I will, we all will, work very hard to make sure we are honoring the mythology but also giving the fans what they want. I hear the fans, we all do, and I pick up everything they’re putting down. It doesn’t get by me, it doesn’t get by these guys [producer Hiram Garcia, producer Beau Flynn, director Jaume Collet-Serra]. This is the beginning, hopefully, fingers crossed, of a very long storytelling road that Black Adam is the anchoring jet fuel now that will then push and press this universe out.

    Dwayne Johnson

    The DC Extended Universe, or DCEU for short, has experienced some tumultuous growth in the past few years. Starting as a cinematic world crafted by Zack Snyder, several critical flops led to a tonal rebranding that featured more colorful and comedic projects like James Gunn‘s The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, and the aforementioned Shazam!.

    The past couple of weeks have seen more changes in leadership, so perhaps the company could use someone of Johnson‘s caliber to assist in setting things straight. Black Adam appears to have the makings of a bona fide hit, and time will tell if the film’s vision is worth expanding into other projects.

    Source: Comic Book

  • ‘Black Adam’ Producer Teases “Real Violence” That is “Rough and Gruesome”

    ‘Black Adam’ Producer Teases “Real Violence” That is “Rough and Gruesome”

    There was some uncertainty about just how brutal the upcoming adaptation of Black Adam will be. Yet, the first trailer drop certainly confirmed that he’ll have a darker turn as he’s a hero that isn’t scared of killing off anyone who stands in his way. Dwayne Johnson is usually an actor that has stuck primarily to pushing the PG-13 rating but it looks like the upcoming film will remain for all four quadrants but will offer “real violence” according to its producer Beau Flynn.

    Just from the experience of all the Dwayne Johnson movies we’ve been privileged to be part of, we’re a four quadrant. I mean, we really like to service all demos, all ages, but we had to be authentic to Black Adam and we had to really push,” Flynn said. “The violence is real and it can be rough and gruesome in places, but I think the audience will be okay. I think the kids will be okay. There is a huge heart in this movie. And at the same time, you have to have fun. You have to have joy in these movies. And I think even when you see the trailer, you see, there’s like even the palette, the colors, the world, it’s not as dark as some other movies, but it still has some dark undertones. And I think that’s important. The tone I think is what I’m really most proud of with the film. That’s hard. Tone is hard.

    Beau Flynn

    So, if you were worried that it wouldn’t live up to the standards of Black Adam’s usual violence in the comics, you’ll be in for a treat. The first trailer did tease that some more fun shenanigans will also be at play but the one guy he punched into the ocean might not have survived that enforced travel. We’ll see if future trailers tease more of the action that is heading our way and if it truly can hold a candle to what they promise.

    Source: ComicBook

  • ‘Black Adam’ and ‘Shazam’ Were Originally One Film

    ‘Black Adam’ and ‘Shazam’ Were Originally One Film

    After a long wait, the Black Adam trailer has finally arrived Dwayne Johnson‘s dream project of taking on the role of Theo-Adam is finally revealed to the world. The trailer gives us a quick recap of his origin and teases his eventual battle with, or perhaps against, the Justice Society of America. Yet, it turns out that the original plan was for him to appear in the Shazam film, which would’ve actually been the origin of both. We did get a brief tease, but Johnson offered some insight into their initial plans.

    The original plan, maybe five or six years ago I think, was to tell the two origin stories of Shazam! and Black Adam in the same movie. That’s what we had worked on. The script was delivered. When we all read the script, I immediately felt like, ‘We have to separate these two movies. We have to honor Shazam! and that origin story and what that is and what that can be for the fans and then we also have to tell our story, too, as well.’ I think in separating them, with the majority of the world not knowing who Black Adam if you weren’t a serious comic book fan, it was important I think to separate them and tell each story respectively.

    Producer Beau Flynn also recalls what it was like when he and Hiram Garcia got the call from Johnson that they would turn Black Adam into its own separate project rather than just have both these properties smashed together.

    I got a phone call very early in the morning from Dwayne Johnson which is always very intimidating. He called Hiram and I, he just said, ‘Brothers. We’re gonna make Black Adam. We’re gonna tell this story. It’s so big and so important,’ and that was it. It was really an amazing… Dwayne’s instincts are so extraordinary but he was right. Again, we were deep in it and developing that script with both of them and there’s a reason why sometimes in our business sometimes you have to keep moving forward and sometimes the business tells you. We weren’t really cracking it. It wasn’t really working and then that’s when that call came through and everything changed.

    Beau Flynn

    It’s certainly interesting to get a look behind the scenes and find out how films were originally pitched. The move was definitely smart as it gave the films a unique opportunity to build up a special crossover while also giving their respective (anti-)heroes time to find their footing in the world.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • Todd Phillips, Joaquin Phoenix Returning for ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’

    Todd Phillips, Joaquin Phoenix Returning for ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’

    Back in 2019, there was the heavy buzz surrounding the release of Joker, a standalone film following the origins of the clown prince of crime. The film took home a plethora of awards such as Oscars, BAFTAS, and even the coveted Golden Lion award from the Venice film festival. The film was a smash hit at the box office, bringing in over a billion at the box office with a small $60+ budget. Word has been around for quite a while now that a sequel to the film was in the works, with co-writer and director Todd Phillips returning.

    The word seems to have been true as Phillips has taken to Instagram to confirm that the script for the sequel is complete and even posted a photo with Joker himself, Joaquin Phoenix holding the script, all but confirming the actor’s return. The script was once again co-written by Todd Phillips and Scott Silver, who return from the first film. It’s unknown if Phillips will direct the sequel, but seems very likely.

    The sequel features a pretty interesting sub-title, with Folie à deux translating into “Madness for Two” hinting what the sequel will hold for fans. One plot we could see is Joker facing another Joker. Towards the end of the first film we saw Arthur Fleck rally the citizens of Gotham city to riot in the streets, and fight back against those that look at them as a lesser being. It would be interesting to see Arthur face the consequences of his actions, and come face to face with someone whom he has inspired to rise up in his absence, as we saw Fleck locked up in Arkham at the end of the film.

    We still await word on the sequel as we’ve yet to hear any casting information or even when the film could possibly release. Its definitely and interesting turn for Phoenix, as this would be the actors first sequel in his entire career.

    Source: Instagram

  • Dwayne Johnson Announces ‘Black Adam’ Has Wrapped Production With New Set Video

    Dwayne Johnson Announces ‘Black Adam’ Has Wrapped Production With New Set Video

    Now that is what one would call perfect timing, as it looks like Black Adam has wrapped production ahead of its official trailer release. Dwayne Johnson took to Twitter with a cheeky video to announce that they finished filming on the film, which is set to arrive later this year. There have been quite a few teases of the eventual arrival of the man who will change the power hierarchy within the DC Extended Universe.

    Source: Twitter

  • Marvel Studios Kevin Feige Almost Went to DC After Ike Perlmutter Dispute

    Marvel Studios Kevin Feige Almost Went to DC After Ike Perlmutter Dispute

    Here’s an interesting surprise it looks like the conflict between Kevin Feige, the CEO of Marvel Studios, and Ike Perlmutter, the CEO and Chairman of Marvel, almost led to the MCU producer joining Warner Bros.’ DC department. In a new piece by Puck, they reveal he entered discussions around the mid-2010 as he was facing some issues with Perlmutter, which were quite famously documented. This may have also led to a promotion in 2015 to work with Alan Horn. He would eventually become Marvel Entertainment’s Chief Creative Officer as well while supervising Marvel Studios.

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe definitely wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for Feige’s leading hand, and he’s quite a passionate person about telling these stories. Disney may have faced quite the challenge if he decided to leave, as there aren’t many in the industry that could’ve taken over the vision that was set out. He’s famous for planning in advance where their franchise is heading, and his imprint is definitely on these projects.

    Of course, it’s always strange to think about what could’ve been, and DC may have been very different if he did indeed take over the project. There have been many reports on Ike Perlmutter‘s infamous frugality that has led to many issues. He also established the creative council that led the original projects and strongly restricted what Feige could do, especially when it came to embracing more diverse characters. If you’ve ever wondered why it took so long for a Black Widow film to get going, he’s the one that wouldn’t even let them release toys based on the character.

    Source: Puck via The Direct

  • RUMOR: Amber Heard’s Scenes in ‘Aquaman 2’ May Have been Cut

    RUMOR: Amber Heard’s Scenes in ‘Aquaman 2’ May Have been Cut

    Amber Heard and Johnny Depp‘s trial has been in the news for quite some time. During, there were many reveals regarding her role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, as well as Depp talking about what would’ve been his last Pirates of the Caribbean film. Yet, as Heard didn’t want out of her contract as hoped by Warner Bros., it seems that they may have decided to delete all her scenes in the upcoming Aquaman sequel after all.

    The news comes from Geeks Worldwide’s KC Walsh who shared the tidbit on his Twitter. Of course, there are no details but it does seem like they may have decided to move away from her entirely after already minimizing her role to some extent. It’s unclear how they may write around her absence, but we could see some reshoots in the future if this turns out to be true.

    If they had a meeting, it is very likely in response to the trial and worries from the corporation to draw in any more negative attention. Amber Heard has been the focus of coverage for this trial, especially on Social Media. For now, there’s no official word by Warner Bros. Discovery, which is going through quite a bit of change. So, we’ll see if they will even make an official announcement if this decision has truly been made.

    Source: Twitter