Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: DC TV

  • Jeffrey Wright Confirms Talks to Return as Commissioner Gordon in ‘The Batman’s GCPD Spinoff

    Jeffrey Wright Confirms Talks to Return as Commissioner Gordon in ‘The Batman’s GCPD Spinoff

    Before we even got our first look at The Batman, the studio showed immeasurable faith in Matt Reeves‘ project and already signed off on a GCPD focused spin-off. What the series might entail is still under wraps, as many thought the series could be adapting Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka’s Gotham Central storyline. The story is reportedly set in Bruce Wayne’s first year as the Caped Crusader. It seems like things could finally be kicking into action with Commissioner Gordon himself, Jeffrey Wright, teasing his involvement.

    The press tour for The Batman has begun with only a week to go until it finally hits theaters. Naturally, the cast is making the rounds promoting the film and their roles in it. In an interview with RadioTimes, Wright dished that there may already be talk in progress for him to mustache up once again for an appearance in the GCPD spin-off.

    “Well, yeah, there’s been a little talk about that”

    Jeffrey Wright

    Wright followed up that comment showing his eagerness to explore this new Gotham City, and thinks it could be really exciting.

    “I do think that the film is going to leave fans longing for more. So if there’s an opportunity to explore more of this specific Gotham in a granular way through a show like that, it’d be very exciting.”

    Jeffrey Wright

    Hopefully, following the release of the film, we will get more details on the series and make things a bit more clear. This is one of two spin-offs already in development at HBO Max, with a Penguin series featuring Colin Farrel returning to the role. We’ve ironically heard more bout this project than the GCPD-focused one over the years even though it’s been in production quite a bit longer. Matt Reeves seems to be building something quite special here.

    Source: RadioTimes

  • New ‘Batwoman’ Set Photo Offers Full Look at Arrowverse’s Joker

    New ‘Batwoman’ Set Photo Offers Full Look at Arrowverse’s Joker

    The young actor Kendrick Jackson has shared some behind-the-scenes photos from Batwoman to celebrate his return to the role of Marquis Jet. The first photo to catch everyone’s attention is the inclusion of what is seemingly our first full look at the Arrowverse series’ version of the Joker, who was only hinted at in the series. The photo offers a full look at the actor Nathan Dashwood in his costume as the iconic Clown Prince of Crime, which showcases just how comic-accurate their version was.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CaWDmVlLDF5/

    For those that haven’t seen the latest episodes yet, there’s an ongoing trend of familiar villains making their return due to the various trophies that Batman collected over the years are leading to a new generation of villains. In the post-Crisis timeline, the Joker was killed by Batman with the new Batwoman’s brother, Marquis Jet, inheriting the role.

    The above reveals hints that we’ll revisit the original version before his death at some point in the story. Jet becoming the new CEO of Wayne Enterprises will definitely lead to quite the conflict and redefine what makes a Joker in the CW series. Batwoman has been trying to take the characters we grew up with and add a twist to them, which this “Inheritance” plotline has certainly enabled. We’ll see if they have way more plans for the future.

    Source: Instagram

  • The ‘Peacemaker’ Finale and Peace In Our Time

    The ‘Peacemaker’ Finale and Peace In Our Time


    The long lingering shot at the end of the season finale of Peacemaker felt appropriate. Christopher Smith had found what felt like a modicum of peace. He had Eagly by his side and the relationship he built with Goff (the last living butterfly) felt like an agree-to-disagree but closing with friendly terms. In watching that moment, there was an ease in Smith as he came to grips with who he is and is ready to move on. It was short lived however, as his father reappeared as a ghost. There can be speculation about what that means for season 2, but there’s something that James Gunn nailed in this moment. Sometimes we are left to carry our trauma as if a butterfly was sitting in our heads.

    The closing montage to the season found Peacemaker and his crew dealing with new realities. Adebayo outing her mother Amanda Waller; Harcourt recovering and rehabbing her injuries in battle; and Economos right back to Belle Reve. Vigilante gets to be Vigilante so at least there’s that, but the point is the fight doesn’t just end. There’s more. Peacemaker, as it seems, doesn’t get to move forward. Even though he killed his father, that part of it doesn’t end in his death.

    In a lot of ways, whether intentionally or not, Gunn’s writing reflects the time we’ve spent since 2020 sitting and wading in our collective trauma. As the global pandemic has affected everyone in different ways, it’s illuminated the weight we carry. Like Peacemaker, we all have had to keep moving despite those effects. Whether mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual it feels like a price has been paid. As Economos is baring his soul to a butterfly just to attempt to stay alive, you can’t help but feel the weight of that. These are the words we’ve all held onto because life doesn’t wait for us to recover.

    Adebayo speaks poignantly to Peacemaker at the beginning of the episode, referring to the accidental death of his brother: ”Don’t forgive me that’s fine, but don’t let that shit define who you are.” It feels like great advice, in fact it is. However, like all things in life, these are easier problems to think about than the act of forgiveness. The familiarity of trauma for Peacemaker allows him to stay in it because its the easy thing to do. It’s a hard truth for many of us in life to just move on instead of dwell.

    The beautiful thing, whilst heartbreaking, is these characters continue to fight. Adebayo battles Amanda Waller’s influence and voice to become something more. Harcourt grows to understand that while the job is the job, there is room for others in her life. Economos, much so the same, finding friends in the midst of trouble.

    Christopher Smith has been through a great deal, and that last shot of the episode felt like what peace could potentially look like. He can forgive himself for his brother’s death, and feel like there’s a chance for redemption. He can find and cultivate friendships, meaningful ones, that grow through honesty. There was a feeling of accomplishment in that shot. Seeing Auggie again was a reminder of the passengers we carry. It was sad, yet so identifiable. In ways that we can all understand, this is peace in our time.

  • ‘Peacemaker’s Justice League Cameo Included Henry Cavill’s Superman Suit

    ‘Peacemaker’s Justice League Cameo Included Henry Cavill’s Superman Suit

    Just a few days ago, we got the season finale of Peacemaker which gave us a heartfelt and action-packed ride. Yet, many are still talking about the surprise cameos by the Justice League. We saw Aquaman, the Flash, Wonder Woman, and Superman arrive to save the day, but they were too late at that time. Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller were the only members to make an actual return with the others kept in the shadows. A stand-in actor shared a first look at what would’ve been a Batman costume and confirmed that he alongside a Cyborg stand-in were cut from the scene.

    Now, actor Brad Abramenko has shared a look at the Superman costume that was used for the scene and confirms that it was indeed Henry Cavill‘s Superman. There’s been a lot of debate on if the actor would eventually return to the role, but his inclusion may further give some hope that DC will see the return of the Man of Steel that started the current rendition of the DCEU. You can check out his costume here:

    It was hard to make out in the darkness, but it seems they went with the more colorful version of Cavill‘s Superman suit for the shot. That was the version used in Joss Whedon‘s take of Justice League that may still be deemed canon. The Flash will rewrite our understanding of this franchise after a quick trip through the multiverse. That’s the theory on why Batman and Cyborg were absent given who knows where this series takes place. For now, we’ll have to wait but it’s great to get a confirmation.

    Source: Instagram

  • Batman and Cyborg Were Cut From ‘Peacemaker’s Justice League Cameo

    Batman and Cyborg Were Cut From ‘Peacemaker’s Justice League Cameo

    The Peacemaker finale was filled to the brim with surprises for fans. The one that stood out to many was the surprise appearance of a few Justice League members. Towards the end of the episode, we saw Superman, Aquaman, Flash, and Wonder Woman arrive just as the battle with the butterflies had come to an end. It looks like Jason Momoa was the only one actually on set, while Ezra Miller filmed his scenes on the set of Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3. It turned out Wonder Woman and Superman were played by doubles, explaining they were hidden in the shadows. Turns out, there were a couple of other surprises that sadly got cut.

    A double, who worked on the Peacemaker finale, confirmed via a behind-the-scenes photo from his trailer that Batman and Cyborg were indeed set to make a brief appearance in the finale. He even shared an image on his Instagram of him wearing a Batman costume very similar to that worn by Ben Affleck throughout his tenure as the iconic DC character.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CaKpbLvJskM/?utm_medium=copy_link

    The curious aspect of their exclusion further hints at the characters confirmed with a future in the franchise were present in the short scene. Affleck’s iteration of Batman will make his final appearance in The Flash, while Cyborg’s future is unknown and doesn’t look to be returning anytime soon. There have been many theories on what the future holds for Superman though, as Henry Cavill also seemingly moved on from the role. perhaps his appearance hints at his return in the near future, but it’ll just leave us with a few questions for now.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘Peacemaker’s Finale is HBO Max’s Best Performing Single-Day Release

    ‘Peacemaker’s Finale is HBO Max’s Best Performing Single-Day Release

    Peacemaker just wrapped its season finale, and it looks like the show is quite the success for HBO Max. James Gunn took to Twitter to not only thank the fans for their love towards the project but also to highlight that it was the biggest single-day performance for an original production. It was able to even pull in 44% more viewers than the premiere episode, which isn’t a common occurrence with these streaming series.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1494772448503508995

    It’s crazy to think how such an unknown character has managed to rise up the ranks, especially as the first DCEU-connected original show. John Cena and the entire cast offered a very down-to-earth experience that redefined our look at heroism in a series that tricks you by making you think it’s just a comedy. Seeing that the finale was able to push even stronger numbers than its initial premiere is quite impressive, as most shows see a drop in viewership over their runtime.

    Still, it continues to prove that weekly releases are an asset for most shows, as each week Peacewalker was the buzz of the town. Netflix still remains firm with its binge approach but also forces its hands into offering a lot of content within smaller time windows. Who knows, perhaps the development will push all streaming services to embrace the weekly schedule.

    Source: Twitter

  • REVIEW: ‘Peacemaker’ Episode 8 – “It’s Cow or Never”

    REVIEW: ‘Peacemaker’ Episode 8 – “It’s Cow or Never”

    After a six-week run, the first season of Peacemaker has come to an end with “It’s Cow or Never.” The series has seen some highs as James Gunn has yet again taken the comic book genre and flipped it on its head. This time he tackled one of DC’s most unknown characters, Peacemaker. The highly anticipated finale has finally arrived and proves why Gunn told people to avoid Social Media at all costs. The only question remains: did the finale live up to the rest of the show?

    Keep in mind, this review contains massive spoilers of the finale. So, only continue at your own risk.

    The Peacemaker finale does not waste a second, as we jump straight into the action. Our unlikely team is on their way to take down the “cow” teased during the previous episode’s final moments. John Cena‘s Peacemaker has gone through quite a bit in the past twenty-four hours, such as being betrayed by a friend and killing his father. That would obviously affect anyone’s mood with the betrayal of Adebayo hitting him especially hard. He proceeds to make fart noises over her attempted apology highlighting his childish way of handling these kinds of situations.

    One of the running jokes this season is that Peacemaker constantly rags on Economos, such as mocking his beard. It all built up to a surprising somber moment after he briefly tried to infiltrate the Butterfly’s hideout. While it felt a bit silly given the stakes of the story, it did give us some great character growth for everyone left on the team. It was a heartfelt moment that was important to build up the final confrontation.

    Peacemaker’s journey this season, strengthened by John Cena‘s performance is what truly carried the series. His work on the series is stunning, as he offers a strong emotional range from a character that once killed an entire village of people without batting an eye – no, we won’t talk about Rick Flag. The finale uses his character development to push his old belief in direct contrast to the lessons he learned throughout and what it means to have friends.

    The series doesn’t want to fully turn him into a boy scout just yet, as the final moments reveal his father is still haunting him. This is an element torn right from the comics but given a psychological twist. This time around isn’t the soul of his father living in his helmet, but a personification of his regrets. He also isn’t joining any superhero group, as the amazing surprise cameo by the Justice League gave him a moment to curse them out on being late and focusing on what is truly important.

    One of the series’ biggest strengths lies in how it uses parallels to further develop its characters, especially with Smith and Adebayo. They have similar parental situations and had to realize that they might not be as good as they once believed. After he was forced to face his father head-on, she decided to do the same by revealing Amanda Waller’s ties to Task Force X. Not only is it a way for her to make up for planting the diary but also to confront her demon. Plus, it got us a cameo by the always-amazing Viola Davis.

    The finale may have featured one of the series’ best action sequences. It highlights just how much effort has been put into the choreography of the series, as the all-out assault being played alongside the series’ theme song “Do Ya Wanna Taste It” gave us some memorable moments. We even get Peacemaker wielding a shield to play on the ongoing joke of him being a “douchy” version of Captain America.

    Ther is one oddity in this series that remains even in the final episode, Judomaster. While he provided some incredible beatdowns – Nhut Lee offering a fun performance throughout – he didn’t really provide that much to the series. He just showed up and kicked ass. There wasn’t much of a character arc outside of his love for snack food. The only reason he wasn’t a butterfly was revealed due to him buying into their vow, but it may be something that the now-confirmed second season might further explore.

    The first season of Peacemaker was truly something special and the finale offered a tense, fast-paced, and incredibly well-put-together 45-minute episode. James Gunn continues to be a powerhouse in the genre of comic book adaptations, and it’s no wonder DC wants to develop more projects. If this episode is anything to go by, the DCEU will be shaken up quite a bit moving forward, and I can’t wait to see more of John Cena in this role.

  • Jame Gunn Teases New Genre for Next ‘The Suicide Squad’ Spinoff

    Jame Gunn Teases New Genre for Next ‘The Suicide Squad’ Spinoff

    James Gunn‘s The Suicide Squad spinoff, Peacemaker, was just renewed for a second season but that isn’t all the director has been actively working on. He’s teased that there are other projects in some form of development, but never gave away what exactly it might end up being. In an interview with Deadline, the director did avoid a joke question about Peter Capaldi‘s Thinker becoming the main focus, he joked around but ended up teasing the next spinoff that might explore a different genre altogether.

    I can’t say anything. It is connected to this universe, and I don’t think it will be the same genre as Peacemaker, it won’t be as much a comedy as Peacemaker, but it will be in the same universe.

    It makes sense for the director to try out new things, he is no stranger to exploring different genres. I would love to see him return to his horror roots with DC characters. His latest two projects did include the ongoing theme of body-snatching – a curious recurring theme there Gunn – but there’s a lot of potential for him to fully embrace those roots. We’ll probably still have to wait for a bit until we get an actual announcement but it’ll be exciting.

    Source: Deadline

  • James Gunn to Direct and Write Every ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 Episode

    James Gunn to Direct and Write Every ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 Episode

    Peacemaker is the very first TV spin-off series set within the DC Extended Universe and has been quite popular with fans. The series featured the return of John Cena in the titular role, following the post-credit scene in which his character was revealed to be alive. With the series being praised by critics and fans, it seemed like a definite to get a second season. James Gunn has taken to Twitter to confirm that Peacemaker will indeed be returning for a second season on HBO Max. Not just that, it turns out that he’ll also be writing and directing every single episode.

    https://twitter.com/jamesgunn/status/1494020020980097024?s=21
    itr

    This news comes just hours before the finale of the first season, which will see the conclusion on the butterfly’s invasion. It’s also unknown just who will be returning for the second season, but the upcoming episode may offer up some hints for that. Gunn tackling directing every episode is a first, as he worked on five of the eight episodes in the first eipsode. He did write every script, however.

    It may be a while before we see the second season as the director is still in production of both the The Guardians of The Galaxy Holiday Special and Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3. Gunn is also still developing another spin-off to The Suicide Squad, but just who it will follow and plot details on that remain under wraps for now. The first seven episodes of Peacemaker season one are streaming right now on HBO Max, giving you just enough time to catch up before tomorrow’s big finale.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter

  • CW’s ‘Gotham Knights’ April Production Start Confirmed Alongside New Logo

    CW’s ‘Gotham Knights’ April Production Start Confirmed Alongside New Logo

    The series Gotham Knights have been moving forward at quite the speed, as we first heard about the project back in December, as Natalie Abrams, James Stoteraux, and Chad Fivestash are joining the new Batman family-focused series after their work on Batwoman. We previously also shared some exclusive insights on the characters we’ll meet throughout the series’ runtime and that the series is eyeing an April production start.

    Not too long after, it looks like director and writer Danny Cannon has shared a first look at the series’ logo and confirmed that the DC series will start production in April. It’s curious that it was shared without any casting confirmations so far. It’s a nice visual to confirm the production and the logo seems surprisingly simple for the series, but it may change as time goes by.

    The series will explore the aftermath of Bruce Wayne’s murder, similar to what the game of the same name is exploring, and forces the unlikely family to work together. Unlike the upcoming Batman Arkham spinoff, we’ll get a wider cast that reflects how many people Batman has taken under his wing throughout his run as Gotham’s Caped Crusader. It’ll be fun to see these many personalities bounce off of each other and what chaos might ensue in the void left behind by Bruce’s death.

    Source: Instagram