Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: DC Movies

  • ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Writers Join Michael B. Jordan’s ‘Val Zod’ Superman Project for HBO Max

    ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Writers Join Michael B. Jordan’s ‘Val Zod’ Superman Project for HBO Max

    It looks like Michael B. Jordan‘s adaptation of Val Zod, a Superman of another Earth, is moving forward. Deadline has just reported that writers Darnell Metayer and Josh Peters were hired to tackle the HBO Max’s adaptations script. It’s still unclear if Jordan will also take on the role of Val Zod, which still remains uncast. He is only set to act as an executive producer alongside Outlier Society’s Elizabeth Raposo.

    While we still wait for a sign of life if Henry Cavill‘s time as Superman has a future within the DCEU, it’s great to see DC and Warner Bros. continued efforts to expand their slate by exploring the many different aspects of the multiverse. Val Zod explores the story of a different Kryptonian who lands on Earth, but this time Earth-2. He eventually went on to face off against Superman, who was brainwashed at the time.

    Metayer and Peters are hot off the heels of their work on the new Transformers film, Rise of the Beasts. So, it’s a great get for Warner Bros. and the HBO Max project. As such, they’ve worked with Steven Caple Jr. who directed Creed II, one of Michael B. Jordan‘s many leading roles. There’s a good chance that their work together might’ve landed them this current gig.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘The Trench’ Was Going To Be a Black Manta Solo Project

    ‘The Trench’ Was Going To Be a Black Manta Solo Project

    Just a few years ago, as the DC Extended Universe was still blooming, there was an urge to get things done as fast as possible when it came to building its shared universe. WB became quite impulsive with its projects, green lighting spinoff after spinoff, most of which would never come to fruition. 

    Hot off the success of Aquaman, WB announced development had begun on a spinoff focusing on the Trench with undersea monsters featuring in the film aptly titled The Trench. News on the project would go dark, though, and eventually, the film would be shelved alongside Ava Duvernay‘s New Gods. 

    Little was known about the Trench film, aside from that it would feature the frightening fish-men of the deep; the same fish-men that would eventually aid Arthur and Mera in the fight against Orm, earning Arthur the throne. However, today James Wan took to Instagram to clear up a bit of what the trench would’ve featured. He revealed that it was originally intended to be a Black Manta solo project, likely featuring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II reprising his role as David Kane in the film. 

    While the project isn’t in development as of right now, critical and fan reception to the Aquama and The Lost Kingdom, featuring Manta in a much larger role, could determine if that film has legs and could be revived. The film could be something very different for DC, taking the comic book film genre in a new direction with a horror approach, one of director James Wan‘s specialties in film. 

    The project was initially set to be written by Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald, with Wan set to produce the project. No director or casting was ever announced, aside from Mateen likely leading the film.

    SOURCE: Instagram

  • Brendan Fraser Joins ‘Batgirl’ as Firefly

    Brendan Fraser Joins ‘Batgirl’ as Firefly

    The resurgence of Brendan Fraser continues with DC as it is being reported that he has joined the upcoming HBO Max film Batgirl as the main antagonist. Sources at Deadline believe Fraser will be playing popular Batman rogue, Firefly, a retired and disgruntled firefighter turned mad arsonist. Casting for the role listed an actor in the 50-60s age range to play a “disgruntled former firefighter.”

    With Firefly set to be the main villain of the Batgirl solo film, it seems likely that the project will be taking inspiration from Scott Beatty and Chuck Dixon’s Batgirl: Year One mini-series. The story saw Barbara Gordon rejected from both the Gotham City police department and the FBI, deciding to take her love of superheroes, especially Black Canary. The most interesting bit is that the story features Firefly as the big bad, alongside Killer Moth. While there has yet to be any word of Killer Moth in the film, the pieces seem to be fitting together well.

    With the debut of Jurnee Smollet as Black Canary, it seems possible they could include Barbara’s love of Canary in the film and eventually lead her to join the Birds of Prey within the DCEU, and maybe even lead to an appearance of the team in the film.

    Batgirl currently has no set release date but will release sometime in 2022. The current cast includes Leslie Grace, Jacob Scipio, and JK Simmons who will be reprising the role of Commissioner Gordon and Barbra Gordon’s father in the upcoming film.

    SOURCE: Deadline

  • New Leaked ‘Black Adam’ Photos Tease Hawkman’s Full Costume

    New Leaked ‘Black Adam’ Photos Tease Hawkman’s Full Costume

    DC Fandome came and went, leaving fans with a lot of new things to talk about regarding the upcoming slate of projects over at Warner Bros. Among them is the tightly anticipated adaptation of Black Adam. The panel revealed our first look at the film, its opening sequence, as well as small teases of the four core members of the Justice Society of America. Sadly, we didn’t get a clear look at their costumes, but rather just a few glimpses.

    Luckily, it seems that more images have found their way online giving us a clearer look at Hawkman’s symbol, whose iconic Hawk was only briefly shown. The difference with this look is that they’ve given Hawkman grey armor beneath the emblem and strap. New photos from behind the scenes of the film offer a much better look at Hawkman’s chest piece, alongside a pair of armored burgundy pants, and gloves fit with talons.

    https://twitter.com/ffn_media/status/1451655684140019712?s=21

    Hawkman looks to be sporting an accurate adaptation of his comic book design with all the pieces of his costume we’ve seen so far. We did get a glimpse earlier in the month at his costume from some set photos. So, at this point we’ve seen enough. We just have to wait for an official look at all the pieces put together.

    Hawkman will be played by Aldis Hodge in the upcoming film, which is currently set to release only in theaters on July 29th, 2022. The film will feature the debut of Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam alongside Pierce Brosnan, Quintessa Swindel, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, and Marwan Kenzari.

    Source: Twitter

  • RUMOR: New Character Description May Hint at ‘Batgirl’ Casting Alysia Yeoh

    RUMOR: New Character Description May Hint at ‘Batgirl’ Casting Alysia Yeoh

    As production is set to kick off sometime in November, we’ve recently got a slew of new information on the upcoming Batgirl film. The film seems to be taking its inspiration from the Burnside run that was prominent in the New 52. Directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi also teased the appearance of “the real” Batman, which naturally adds quite a bit of speculation. The cast is still growing as they recently added actor Jacob Scipio in an unknown role. It looks like they might be adding one more character.

    The production is currently looking to cast a role under the name Alanna. Cast-It lists it as an “Untitled Warner Bros. Action Film” with Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi listed as directors. What is also noteworthy is that it’s eyeing to shoot in the United Kingdom. The role is described as a transgender, Asian-American actress in their mid-late 20’s. The production is looking for someone to play both an older and younger version of the character. So, there’s an additional casting call for a 10 to 12-year-old Asian-American, transgender girl, or a non-binary/gender-diverse person. They are described as “athletic, fun, and confident”.

    This description matches almost perfectly to the character of Alysia Yeoh, Barbara Gordons best friend, and roommate from the comics. She would eventually end up dating Barbara’s brother James, which could even further backup that Jacob Scipio could indeed be playing James Gordon Jr. Batgirl currently has no set release date but will release exclusively on HBO Max. Leslie Grace is taking on the mantle and will be joined by J.K. Simmons, reprising his role as Commissioner Gordon.

    Source: Cast-It

  • DC FanDome Tripled Its 2020 Viewer Count

    DC FanDome Tripled Its 2020 Viewer Count

    DC once again held its fan event DC FanDome. Unlike last year, however, they took a different route by shortening the event and not providing a full-on schedule for multiple different events. Luckily, it seems that it worked out for the streaming event as Deadline is reporting they managed to triple their viewership numbers from last year. It was available in 220 countries in 12 languages. There were 50 available live streams across Social Media, as people clocked in. WarnerMedia Studios and Networks CEO Ann Sarnoff shared their excitement for the digital event’s success with the following statement:

    With triple the fan traffic of last year, DC FanDome 2021 exceeded all of our expectations. We continue to innovate across the company in service of our fans, and I cannot overstate the creativity and hard work that went into this highly curated, global digital event. We gave fans what they wanted – the very best of all things DC – and their engagement and response have been fantastic. We’re as excited as they are to deliver on all the great content DC FanDome highlighted.

    Ann Sarnoff

    As of now, the event pulled in 66M viewers worldwide. It’s also a testament to DC’s decision to downsize the event in their favor. Instead of investing in countless panels with hosts, special guests, video editing, and so much more, they kept it to a few hours to push out reveals at a steady rate. Given its success, there’s a good chance we’ll get another release next year as they continue to expand the DCEU moving forward.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Black Adam’ Merch Reveals new Justice Society Logo

    ‘Black Adam’ Merch Reveals new Justice Society Logo

    Just recently at DC FanDome, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson debuted our very first look at his upcoming DCEU film, Black Adam, a film that The Rock insists will “Change the hierarchy of power within the DC Universe.” The film is set to introduce not just Black Adam, the fallen champion of the wizard Shazam, but the Justice Society of America. The roster for the team will feature fan favorites such as Hawkman and Doctor Fate, as well as lesser-known heroes like Atom Smasher and Cyclone. We only got a brief glimpse at the JSA at this year’s FanDome, but it seems some merchandise has given us a better glimpse at the team, and possibly its history.

    The merch reveals a simple, with “Justice Society” logo along with the letters “JSA” right in the middle. The one notable difference, that many fans may notice, is the absence of the team’s golden eagle, seen in many and almost all iterations of the team’s logo.

    Its interesting to see that the team has a logo, especially when you remember that this Justice Society is new. It is confirmed that Atom Smasher and Cyclone are the newest recruits for this new JSA. The existence of this logo could be yet another hint that this is not the first iteration of the Justice Society of America within the DCEU, and that this could be the return of a long-dormant superhero team within the DC Universe.

    SOURCE: Twitter

  • Jacob Scipio Reunites with ‘Bad Boys for Life’ Directors in HBO Max’s ‘Batgirl’

    Jacob Scipio Reunites with ‘Bad Boys for Life’ Directors in HBO Max’s ‘Batgirl’

    Jacob Scipio broke out as Will Smith’s surprise son in Bad Boys for Life and now the young actor is making the jump to the superhero genre. According to a trade report, Scipio is reuniting with Bad Boys for Life directors  Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah in the HBO Max original film Batgirl.

    According to the report, Scipio’s role is being kept a secret for the time being. Previous reports had the film searching for an actor to portray DC villain Firefly, but give the age of Scipio and the age group being screened for Firefly, it’s likely Scipio is playing someone else.

    Scipio joins star Leslie Grace and J.K. Simmons as actors known to be a part of the project. Production on Batgirl will take place in Glasgow, where filming on Matt Reeve’s The Batman recently concluded. The film will stream exclusively on HBO Max sometime in 2022.

  • ‘Black Adam’ Teaser Could Confirm Villain Rumors

    ‘Black Adam’ Teaser Could Confirm Villain Rumors

    Black Adam is one of the strongest characters within the DC Universe, harnessing the power of the wizard Shazam and ruling the country of Kahndaq. The character is set to make his live-action debut in his very own solo film coming next year. DC FanDome gave us our first look at the film including a brief scene from the film showing off the anti-hero’s power as he turned a man to ash with just a grasp. Many wondered just who Adam would be facing off against in the film, besides the Justice Society, and it seems another rumored foe may have been confirmed.

    The first Black Adam teaser was pretty fantastic, particularly a scene in which the fallen champion himself is set free from his centuries-long imprisonment at the ends of the wizard Shazam. Before he is set free, both Sarah Shahi and Marwan Kenzari can be seen. Shahi, who plays Adrianna Tomaz, is the one who sets Adam free by reciting the hieroglyphics and saying “Shazam!.” But just before that we can see an ancient-looking crown floating above Adams tomb, one that may just be the Crown of Sabbac.

    Rumors began awhile back that actor Marwan Kenzari was cast as Ishmael, and would don the crown of Sabbac which would give the abilities of the Seven Kings of Hell. The character seems to have gotten a bit of a makeover with the character foregoing his Russian roots and adopting an Egyptian heritage as the descendant of a Pharaph whose story ties directly into Adam’s.

    Black Adam will be in theaters July 29, 2022.

  • DC’s ‘Black Adam’: Who is Doctor Fate?

    DC’s ‘Black Adam’: Who is Doctor Fate?

    Black Adam is quite possibly one of the most anticipated DC movies in development and is already living up to the hype with the addition of some of DC’s most iconic characters. With such a rich library to pick from, the film will introduce those from the Justice Society and the Black Marvel Family. The hierarchy of power in the DC universe is about to change and Black Adam won’t let anything stand in between him and protecting the kingdom that he’s called home for thousands of years.

    Created in May of 1940 in More Fun Comics #55 by Gardner Fox, many characters have been known as Doctor Fate over the years, but the most known of them all is Kent Nelson, who became the Agent of Order when traveling through Mesopotamia in 1920, with his father, and fellow archaeologist, Sven Nelson. In the Valley of Ur, the two discovered a pyramid that held Nabu, an ancient immortal being from the planet Cilia, who had been kept in a frozen state for centuries. But when a poisonous gas was released in the pyramid, killing Sven Nelson, Kent began to train with Nabu and learn the secrets of the universe. Through completion of his training, Nabu bestowed upon him the Helmet, Amulet, and cloak, making him an agent of the Lords of Order, known as Doctor Fate. Nelson’s adventures were guided by Nabu as his spirit had become bound to the helmet. Through his travels, Kent would meet his soon to be wife, Inza Carter, who’d join him in the battle against the the Lords of Chaos.

    Around World War II, Doctor Fate and many other heroes teamed up to thwart a plot to assassinate President Roosevelt and go on to found the Justice Society of America. Others who have gone on to wear the helmet include Inza Cramer, Kents grandson Kent V. Nelson,  Kents Grand Nephew Khalid Nassour, and from time to time John Constantine.

    Doctor Fate has previously only appeared in live action once, all the way back in the golden days of Smallville, played by Brent Strait. The character also famously appeared on the Justice League animated seriously, leading some of the series most popular episodes. The Kent Nelson iteration of Doctor Fate will make his first film appearance in Black Adam, portrayed by Pierce Brosnan.