Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: DC TV

  • ‘Peacemaker’s’ Danielle Brooks Talks James Gunn’s Support of Her Casting: “You Already Fit”

    ‘Peacemaker’s’ Danielle Brooks Talks James Gunn’s Support of Her Casting: “You Already Fit”

    James Gunn‘s much-anticipated Peacemaker series makes its HBO Max debut in less than a week. The series is full of characters that look like they have jumped straight out of a comic book, including John Cena‘s Peacemaker and Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante. The series co-lead, Danielle Brooks, however, recently opened up to Variety some of the anxiety she experienced as someone who didn’t herself fitting into the superhero or comic book world the series takes place in.

    The Orange Is The New Black star revealed that Gunn wrote the part of Leota Adebayo with Brooks in mind. When it came to the casting process, Brooks stated:

    It’s [] this kind of nerve-racking experience, because you really want to fit in their world. When you audition and you get the part, you know that you were the right choice, but when you didn’t audition, you’re like, “I hope they don’t feel like they made a terrible mistake.”

    Danielle Brooks

    Obviously, Gunn and Peacemaker did not make a terrible mistake. When Brooks expressed her concerns to Gunn, the writer and creator made it clear to her that she fit in Peacemaker‘s world:

    So we ended up having a meeting, and we just hit it off. I explained to him [that] I’ve never seen anyone like myself in this world. It was really exciting for James to say, “I like you the way you are. I don’t want you to get all this training and try to lose 100 pounds” or all this stuff. He didn’t try to make me fit into his world. He said, “You already fit.” I really appreciated that.

    Danielle Brooks

    It is always great to see that level of support between members on any project, and that will almost certainly be reflected in the series’ final project. Peacemaker’s confidence to bring in characters that challenge the traditional view of what a “superhero” project character can be undoubtedly seems like it will payoff for the series. Still, Brooks also noted the importance of her character to comic books and their stories in other mediums:

    I started doing research before getting this part of, like, if I were to ever be asked which [comic book] characters I could play, who do I actually look like? There are a few that look like me, actually, but when they’re reflected on TV or film, they change them completely. Their look does not reflect what you see in the comics. I’ve always tried to manifest doing an action project, because I do feel like a big part of my driving force in this industry is changing the narrative of what leading ladies look like and what plus-size women are capable of doing. Part of that was getting out of my own way. When I had my daughter, I ended up gaining 60 pounds, so I didn’t feel confident. Before, I was doing Spartan races. Like I was out here over 200 pounds, doing Spartan races, and now I’ve gained 60 pounds on top of that, and I just felt like, “Can I do this [show]?” But I knew in the back of my head I could because I had the support of James Gunn, and not someone saying that you need to change any parts of yourself.

    Danielle Brooks

    You can see Brooks bring Leota Adebayo to the screen when the first three episodes of Peacemaker drop on HBO Max on Jan. 13.

    Source: Variety

  • Ed Brubaker Joins ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ as Head Writer

    Ed Brubaker Joins ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ as Head Writer

    Comic book author and seven time Eisner Award winner Ed Brubaker has joined the creative team behind the HBO Max series, Batman: Caped Crusader, as the head writer on the animated project. The project, first announced last May, already features a ton of talent with the legendary Bruce Timm as showrunner and J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves serving as executive producers.

    Brubaker himself is a comic icon, especially well-known for his crime-based work such as Criminal, Kill or Be Killed and also a veteran of the Batworld, having written Catwoman and Gotham Central in the early 2000s.

    Batman: Caped Crusader looks to recapture the success of Batman: The Animated Series, a show that defined the character for a generation, by reinventing the character and his “iconic rogues gallery.” Brubaker described the vision for the show and promised that fans will be surprised, saying:

    Their vision for the show, with a slightly more pulpy take on the character, and a new way of looking at the world of Gotham, set in the past but viewed through a modern lens really sold me, and so far every part of it has been a blast to work on. I can’t wait until the rest of the world can see what we’ve been building the last few months in the writers room. All I can say is, it’s not what anyone is expecting … but in a good way.

    Production on the show’s first season, which will feature 10 episodes, is underway now though no release date has been set.

    Source: THR

  • Who Is Judomaster, The New Peacemaker Sidekick?

    Who Is Judomaster, The New Peacemaker Sidekick?

    With Peacemaker just under a week away, stills and promotional materials are coming out featuring some of the characters. One of those characters is Judomaster. Given James Gunn’s affinity for lesser-known comic characters, it’s no surprise that Judomaster fits right into his vision. But who is Judomaster? Don’t fret, we have you covered.

    Judomaster, played by Nhut Le

    Created in 1965, Judomaster’s real name is Hadley “Rip” Jagger. He is a World War II vet and appeared in Crisis on Infinite Earths #6. Judomaster has undergone three reboots with different people taking up the helm. While Judomaster wasn’t originally a DC Comics character, the character was bought by the company in 1965 and he made his debut in Special War Series #4 shortly after inception.

    Nhut Le stars as the aforementioned hero joining John Cena‘s Peacemaker. Appearing as Judomaster in Peacemaker is Nhut Le’s first major role as an actor. Previously, he’s appeared in Kroll Show and Raven’s Home. With the role of Judomaster, Le is poised for a breakout with James Gunn and John Cena at his side.

    As the name implies, Judomaster is a master of Judo which is the Japanese art of throwing people, or as people in the Judo circle refer to it as: “The art of hitting someone with a planet.” Readers can get a feel for judo in the below video, highlighting three-time Olympic judoka champion, Teddy Riner.

    But Judomaster isn’t as one-dimensional as his name implies. In addition to Judo, Judomaster is adept in karate and boxing, making him a very formidable person to fight. He can be seen punching, throwing and chopping his way through guerilla insurgents in the Martial Law series. So when you tune into Peacemaker on January 17th, expect some high-flying action à la Bruce Lee. Judomaster, should he live up to his name, will be a hero with no real superpower, only specialization in hand-to-hand combat.

    What to expect?

    What can fans expect from the titular hero? Well, as mentioned above, Judomaster isn’t a one-trick pony. He is a master in hand-to-hand combat. With a martial arts background, I expect to see a very Bruce Lee-esque approach to his choreography, but with a peppering of Gunn’s hint of violence: a hot-tempered fighter with a huge enthusiasm for violence. 

    The Lee influence will likely borderline on parody in this series knowing Gunn. In many martial arts, there’s the risk of injury, but Gunn will likely lean into this to keep the tone and violence levels similar to The Suicide Squad. 

    Te-Gutuma

    If you’re looking for the Judo influence, I fully expect to see the Te-Guruma implemented. The Te-Guruma, as seen in the above image, involves picking your opponent up and slamming them upside down. This throw, also popular in MMA and freestyle wrestling, is especially dangerous when improperly (or properly in Judomaster’s case) implemented. You can easily slam your opponent on their head or the back of their neck causing severe spinal damage.

    Osoto Gari

    One other throw that you can almost bet on is the Osoto Gari. The Osoto Gari involves getting close to your opponent and sweeping the legs from under them while pushing their torso down. Modified, Judomaster will likely push on the head, smashing the skull to the hard surface. The technique can also be seen in the drawing above.

    Ronda Rousey applying an armbar

    One more judo technique, which is more common in Jiu-Jitsu, I expect to see is an armbar. This stretches the arm across the hips and hyperextending the elbow which is very painful. But if not tapped or, what is likely in Judomaster’s case, continued torque, will break the arm — something that seems likely in Peacemaker.

    Don’t miss out on the violence when Peacemaker debuts on Jan. 17th. Oh, what a lovely day!

  • James Gunn Offers New Look at ‘Peacemaker’s Judomaster

    James Gunn Offers New Look at ‘Peacemaker’s Judomaster

    While the holidays are a quiet period for Hollywood, we still get some teases here or there to tie us over into the new year. Luckily, DC fans won’t have to wait long until they get their first new property in 2022, as we’ll get a spinoff for The Suicide Squad focused on John Cena‘s Peacemaker. As we’re only 17 days away from its release, director James Gunn took to Twitter to offer a closer look at one of its newest additions, Judo Master.

    https://twitter.com/jamesgunn/status/1475884327279816704?s=21

    Nhut Le will take on the role in the HBO Max series, which is taking a lot of inspiration from the original Charlton Comics, which included quite a few iconic characters that would eventually become mainstays in the DC universe. Le‘s upcoming take is quite a departure from the original, especially in the costume department. Instead of his white-red costume, he has one that is fully in green that seems closer to what we saw Nathan Filion‘s TDK was wearing. It’ll be interesting to see how he brings the character to life and how he’ll interact with Peacemaker and Vigilante.

    Source: Twitter

  • James Gunn Confirms Weekly Release for ‘PEACEMAKER’

    James Gunn Confirms Weekly Release for ‘PEACEMAKER’

    The DCEU may be dead-silent following the release of last summer’s The Suicide Squad but 2022 is set to open with a loud bang as Peacemaker debuts on January 13th. In the face of that anticipated release, there has been some question regarding the series’ release format, whether it would be a weekly affair or a Netflix-style binge release. Series creator and director James Gunn confirmed on Twitter that the show would follow a weekly release after the season premiere on HBO Max.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1473335583430758403?t=OYpqEmnYBFCCuVMaRxadBg&s=19

    Just like how the Marvel Studios Disney+ shows are dominating on social media on a weekly basis, it isn’t surprising to see HBO Max opt the same for their first major DCEU series. Fans will have a lot to chew on with the hefty 3-episode premiere on January 13th, followed by more 5 weeks of action-packed hilarity starring John Cena. MCU fans will have to wait until they get some Marvel content so this will have to do.

  • Former ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Star Directing Episode of ‘Superman & Lois’

    Former ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ Star Directing Episode of ‘Superman & Lois’

    Production on the latest season of the CW’s Superman & Lois is underway, and it looks like fans will be treated to an unlikely Marvel crossover when new episodes begin hitting their screens. 

    Former Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Elizabeth Henstridge has revealed via her Instagram that she was behind the camera on the season’s seventh episode. The effort will mark her second foray into directing after she previously helmed a seventh season episode of S.H.I.E.L.D. titled “As I Have Always Been.”

    Henstridge portrayed one of the brains of Phil Coulson’s operation in the Marvel series, as one half of the science duo known as “FitzSimmons.” Her character, Agent Gemma Simmons, quickly became a fan favorite on the show. While British actress hasn’t appeared in much since her time on Agents came to an end, fans can next see her in the Apple+ TV series, Suspicion, which released its first trailer a couple of days ago. While it remains to be seen what else the actress has on deck, it seems she may begin getting steady work behind the scenes as well as on camera.

    All seven seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are now available to stream on Disney+, while the first season of Superman & Lois is now streaming on HBO Max.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘Gotham Knights’ Series in The Works at The CW

    ‘Gotham Knights’ Series in The Works at The CW

    The CW just doesn’t seem to want to stop at this point and continues to expand its Arrowverse even after the death of the character that gave it its name. With new series like Superman and Lois, Naomi, and Stargirl releasing over the last few years, this multiverse just seems to be growing in every direction at this point. And they aren’t done yet, as there’s a new branch splitting off with another series set in Gotham focusing on the youth that will soon become Gothams newest protectors.

    Some of the team behind Batwoman have banded together on an all-new project titled Gotham Knights, with no correlation to the upcoming video game, nor is it Batwoman spin-off. Natalie Abrams, James Stoteraux, and Chad Fivestash are the names behind the project with Stoteraux and Fivestash set to serve as executive producers on the project. No casting has been made on the project and all that is known is a brief synopsis provided in the initial report.

    in the wake of Bruce Wayne’s murder, his rebellious adopted son forges an unlikely alliance with the children of Batman’s enemies when they are all framed for killing the Caped Crusader. And as the city’s most wanted criminals, this renegade band of misfits must fight to clear their names. But in a Gotham with no Dark Knight to protect it, the city descends into the most dangerous it’s ever been. However, hope comes from the most unexpected of places as this team of mismatched fugitives will become its next generation of saviors known as the Gotham Knights.

    By the sound of that synopsis, the lead looks to be either Dick Grayson or Jason Todd, but the CW is notorious for changing things up drastically. As far as children of Batman’s most famous rogues go, we could be looking at characters like Cassandra Cain, Rose Wilson, or maybe even Helena Wayne. It’s currently unknown just how and where this series will fit into the overall Arrowverse as we await more details.

    Source: Variety

  • James Gunn Teases More Potential ‘The Suicide Squad’ Spin Offs

    James Gunn Teases More Potential ‘The Suicide Squad’ Spin Offs

    The Suicide Squad spin off series, Peacemaker, is set to make its streaming debut on HBO Max in just over a month and will continue the story of John Cena’s Christopher Smith. The 8-episode series looks like it’ll pick up Smith’s story right where it left off, finding him working with some of Amanda Waller’s Task Force X aides and also introducing some new characters, including Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante. The footage we’ve seen so far looks seems to indicate the series will play to the strength’s the Cena brought to the character in The Suicide Squad and, if we’re being honest, looks like it’ll be a hell of a lot of fun.

    Gunn genuinely seemed to love working on The Suicide Squad. He wrote and directed the film and took great care to develop the main characters, giving them all their time to shine. While Cena’s turn as Peacemaker certainly stood out for Cena’s willingness to be the butt of the joke, Harley Quinn, Ratcatcher 2, King Shark, Polka-Dot Man, Rick Flagg and Bloodsport all took turns captivating audiences. While the film marked the end of the road for a couple of their stories, several of the characters walked away from the wild events of the film, leaving room for more stories to be told.

    Gunn, who has always been responsive to fans on social media, was asked if there could be any more spin offs to The Suicide Squad, potentially for some of the characters mentioned above, and while he didn’t give a direct answer, he also didn’t say no.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1467619864886099968

    Gunn recently indicated he had some more ideas about potential DC properties he’d like to develop in the future, so perhaps another spin off series is among them. Could the stars align for an Idris Elba-led Bloodsport series? Earlier this year, Gunn indicated that the potential for such a series existed, though it wasn’t something in development at that time. Elba seemed to truly enjoy playing the character and should he be open to reprising the role, certainly carries the star power required to lead a big budget series. Time will tell what Gunn has in mind, but until then fans have plenty to look forward to with Peacemaker streaming on HBO Max on January 13th.

  • Murphy’s Team-Up, Volume 9: Favorite Comic Book Adaptation of 2021

    Murphy’s Team-Up, Volume 9: Favorite Comic Book Adaptation of 2021

    John Sabato

    Sweet Tooth' Renewed for Season 2 on Netflix – The Hollywood Reporter

    My favorite comic book property this year had to be Netflix’s Sweet Tooth. Jeff Lemire’s original comic is one of my very favorites and was such an interesting read. The series mostly stays true to it’s source material but isn’t afraid to make creative changes that let it stand apart from the comic. It’s a sweet and wholesome story that sees a young hybrid boy and a grizzled survivor of the plague travel what’s left of the world to find the answers to what came first: the plague or the hybrids?

    Anthony Canton III

    Review: Doom Patrol season 3 ends on a solid if unremarkable note

    There’s something to be said for a show that continues to get better over each of its three seasons. Doom Patrol does that in spades. There’s a level of self awareness, humor, and introspection that makes it the best live-action comic book adaptation I’ve seen. The casts performances particularly this season have been extraordinary. Nuanced, tragic, and some even angry. Brendan Fraser in particular has been a standout in bringing such a broken character like Robotman to the screen. We’ve had a lot of good to great entries in comic book tv and film this year, but no property quite understands it’s assignment like Doom Patrol.

    Nathan Miller

    Eternals Earth Born Celestial 300 Miles Tall | Screen Rant

    My favorite comic book project of the year is Eternals. I loved how the film made me feel. Through the performances, direction and soundtrack, I felt the weight of human history, the joy of friendships and found family, the terrifying vastness of space, and the drive of needing to pull together to tackle environmental problems. Intellectually I think the film points toward the future of storytelling, in leaving behind The Hero’s Journey and embodying a more collective journey beyond binary perspectives. It’s a shame more people didn’t initially appreciate the film’s complexity, but hopefully that will change over the next few years, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe enriches its appreciation retrospectively. I’m looking forward to Chloe Zhao’s sequel and the Eternals themselves eventually appearing alongside other established MCU characters.

    João Pinto

    This wasn’t my first choice, but someone with impeccable taste got to that one first (thank you to my friend, JJ!). But in a sense, this show deserves to take the top spot. WandaVision was a pop culture phenomenon. Due to many production delays that affected several projects, it ended up becoming the first Marvel Studios project to be released after the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic and to say audiences were hungry for content is an obvious understatement. The weeks the show was on were some of the best ever to be a comic book fan. The theories ran wild as the show lent itself to the sort of online discourse that drove everyone insane by the sheer magnitude of some of the hot takes. Covering it was a blast as well. I must say that the Murphy’s Multiverse team covered that show as well as any other site, big or small, did. It showed us how much fun we could have while doing something that hopefully everyone enjoyed, and in a way, it became the stepping stone for the work we’ve been doing covering every show ever since. By the enjoyment I got from covering it to following it as a fan it deserves its spot on my favorite comic book adaptations of 2021 list.

    Joseph Aberl

    Both 'Shang-Chi' Post-Credits Scenes, Explained (Spoilers)

    I think my favorite comic book adaptation of the year must be Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. I have no prior knowledge or history with the character. So, I went in pretty open about the adaptation. I was hoping for at least some fun kung-fu actions inspired by classics from the genre. Yet, the film went above and beyond as I ended up with an incredibly heartfelt story that also manages to open up the MCU in a creative way. I cannot wait to see Simu Liu’s future with the character and what a sequel might offer.

    Charles Murphy

    The Suicide Squad Trailer Reveals Bloodsport Put Superman in ICU with Kryptonite Bullet - Den of Geek

    This will probably come as a shock to absolutely everyone, most of all JJ, but my favorite comic book-based project of 2021 was not a Marvel property. James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad takes the top spot for me and it’s not a particularly close race. While I certainly loved Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, The Suicide Squad feels like the most complete story. While the casts of WandaVision, Loki and Black Widow were lights out, the cast of The Suicide Squad was all but perfect. And finally, while Marvel Studios did a great job bringing some less-than-popular characters this past year, Idris Elba’s Bloodsport stands as not only the best reinvention of a little known comic book character in the past year, but also arguably of all time. After a year in which the comic book-based entertainment we all love was painfully absent, we had plenty in 2021 but none of them quite matched the quality of The Suicide Squad.

    Hunter Radesi

    Loki' Is the Perfect MCU TV Show - Variety

    I’m as surprised as anyone to be writing this, but I think the quirky magic of Loki was my favorite experience with a comic adaptation this year. I was firmly against the idea of this project from the start, and you can probably find old tweets of mine stating the show would be a waste of resources on a character whose story I felt was already over. I couldn’t have been proven more wrong. Michael Waldron and Kate Herron managed to craft a fresh, unique spin on the genre that left me wanting more every week. Absolutely charming performances from every member of the cast, genuinely joyous twists and turns throughout, and constantly beautiful set pieces that begged you to keep your eyes on the screen. I think I finally understand why my friends love Dr. Who so much. Can’t wait for the next season.

  • Latest ‘Peacemaker’ Trailer Includes Quite a Few Easter Eggs

    Latest ‘Peacemaker’ Trailer Includes Quite a Few Easter Eggs

    The brand new trailer for Peacemaker has finally arrived and gave us a much more in-depth look at the DC Extended Universe’s first TV series. John Cena will reprise the role of Christopher Smith, the man who will stop at nothing on his quest for peace. James Gunn returns after his work on The Suicide Squad to continue his journey and you can always bet that there’s going to be a ton of Easter eggs when he’s involved with a project. Even the latest trailer offered some great teases. So, let’s dive right into all the secrets the latest trailer offers us.

    The Extreme Temperature Helmet

    When we first enter what has personally been dubbed “The Peacecave”, we’re greeted by a slew of Peacemaker helmets, which are all seemingly special and unique in their own way. One that’s noticeable for a split second is the helmet Peacemaker developed and donned back in The Peacemaker #5. The helmet was used to fight a molten lava monster and featured his iconic fin as a mohawk. It was styled after Vulcan, the God of Fire.

    The Classic Peacemaker Helmet

    The Peacemaker we’ve seen so far in both The Suicide Squad and bits of Peacemaker have featured a more modernized take on the character’s look. But if you take a closer look in the Peacecave, you can spot quite a few takes on the character’s original helmet that feature an excessively large fin from one end to the other. While his helmet in The Suicide Squad keeps that base design, it certainly was quite a bit larger at one point.

    The Butterflies

    Now, for a non-helmet-related Easter egg, we get our first look at something called “the butterflies.” Not much is known about them aside from that they’re small white bugs that are only glimpsed at in the trailer. Perhaps they are connected to the people we see with inhuman strength breaking through the glass. Civilians in the trailer can be seen acting like zombies in an almost mob mentality. We even see a woman who throws Peacemaker through a wall. It’s unknown where the butterflies come from, but they seem to be quite similar to Starro but are an original idea for the series.

    The X-Ray Helmet

    Another helmet within the lineup is the so-called X-Ray helmet, which is pretty self-explanatory as to what its intended use is for. But It seems like Peacemaker could use the helmet to see who’s been taken over by a butterfly. We see him wear the helmet later on and it might be his best bet to uncover who has or hasn’t been affected by this new threat.

    The Privateer

    Briefly in the trailer, a poster can be seen for what looks like a movie called “The Privateer.” It may have ties to an existing character within DC Comics. The Privateer was an alias used by Mark Shaw, better known as the Manhunter. It was his heroic alter-ego, joining the Checkmate organization and running it at one point. But the character also joined the Suicide Squad at one point, even going on to work for ARGUS.

    Task Force….What Now?

    Early on in the trailer, we hear newcomer Leota Adebayo mention that they aren’t an officially sanction Argus Task Force and that they are “on their own”. This is strange considering they have been operating teams with much worse people than that for years now. We also see in the post-credit sequence from The Suicide Squad that they were given the mission to look after Peacemaker. Perhaps the events of the story may have led to them becoming their own splinter team.