Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: DC TV

  • DC Studios’ Co-Chair’s ‘Lanterns’ Tease Has Reignited a Very Exciting Rumor

    DC Studios’ Co-Chair’s ‘Lanterns’ Tease Has Reignited a Very Exciting Rumor

    James Gunn may still be very busy working on making sure Superman is ready for theaters in 2025 but as the man in charge of the entire creative vision of the DCU, he has to make time for other projects as well. He’s already done some work behind the camera on Season 2 of Peacemaker and helped get Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow up and running for a 2024 start of production but a new tease on social media may indicate he’s also making some headway on another project.

    At various times across multiple social media platforms, Gunn posted a relatively innocent piece of art featuring the Power Ring of a Green Lantern. However, what’s more interesting is who was paying attention to the post.

    While not much is known about Lanterns, one of the more intriguing rumors about the series was that it was set to be written by Tom King while Damon Lindelof would serve as an executive producer. While we’re certainly in no position to confirm anyone’s involvement, it is of note that Lindelof made a point to like the post.

    Described by DC Studios’ co-chair Peter Safran as a “terrestrial-based investigation story” in the vein of True Detective, Lanterns certainly sounds like a project right up King‘s alley. According to Gunn, the show will feature Lanterns who “find this ancient horror on Earth, and these guys are basically supercops on “Precinct Earth.” With a premise like that, Lanterns would certainly be within Lindelof’s range if not his sweet split as a creative.

    Whoever does end up making it, Lanterns will stream on Max when it’s ready to roll out.

  • James Gunn Confirms When ‘Creature Commandos’ Will Kick Off the New DCU

    James Gunn Confirms When ‘Creature Commandos’ Will Kick Off the New DCU

    When James Gunn revealed part of DC Studios Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters slate, it was revealed that the animated Max series Creature Commandos was the first project to get the green light. When the series was announced, Gunn has already completed scripting all seven episodes and with casting just recently announced, it’s been pretty consistently clear that it would be the project that launched the new DCU. Now Gunn has given fans an idea of when they can expect to see the motley crew.

    While participating in one of his favorite pastimes (interacting with fans on Twitter), Gunn revealed that Creature Commandos is slated for a 2024 release on Max, the new name of the combined streaming services HBO Max and Discovery.

    Gunn and Peter Safran have made it clear that the plan is for the talent who lend their voices to Creature Commandos to also portray the characters in live-action. It was made clear that Rick Flag Sr., voiced by Frank Grillo, will show up in other projects and it’s likely he won’t be the only one. With the streaming series Waller likely the next project in the queue, and Viola Davis part of the cast of Creature Commandos, it’s possible we might see Flag Sr. in live action sooner rather than later.

  • Full Voice Cast of DC’s ‘Creature Commandos’ Revealed

    Full Voice Cast of DC’s ‘Creature Commandos’ Revealed

    Following the announcement that Frank Grillo signed onto DC Studios’ Creature Commandos as the voice of Rick Flag Sr., the entire cast of the project was revealed by Collider. As previously explained by James Gunn, the actors providing the voices for the characters in DC Studios animated projects will also be tasked with realizing the characters in live-action should they appear in any projects down the road. With Creature Commandos set to be both the first animated and one of the first overall projects of the new DCU, it’s very possible these actors will be appearing elsewhere in Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.

    In addition to Grillo, Viola Davis and Sean Gunn, who had previously been revealed to be reprising his The Suicide Squad role of Weasel but will also be voicing G.I. Robot, Creature Commandos will feature Steve Agee, returning as John Economos, Maria Bakalova making her debut as Princess Ilana Rostovic, Zoe Chao making her debut as Nina Mazursky, David Harbour making his debut as Eric Frankenstein and Alan Tudyk, a DC vet who portrayed Mr. Nobody on Doom Patrol, as Dr. Phosphorous.

    Gunn wrote the 7-episode first season of Creature Commandos, which has already entered into production which is currently without a release window.

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    Source: Collider

  • James Gunn Reveals When to Expect Season 2 of ‘Peacemaker’

    James Gunn Reveals When to Expect Season 2 of ‘Peacemaker’

    The HBO Max streaming series Peacemaker was one of the surprise hits of 2022. Spinning out of James Gunn‘s The Suicide Squad, the series followed John Cena‘s titular character as he once again teamed up with Amanda Waller and A.R.G.U.S. to stop Project Butterfly. Even as Gunn took a new role as the co-chair of DC Studios and looks to start with a clean slate, a second season of Peacemaker remained on the slate though how it will transition into the new DCU continuity remains to be seen.

    Needless to say, Gunn is a very busy man these days. Not only is he helping Peter Safran to create and oversee the projects in Chapter 1 of the new DCU, titled Gods and Monsters but he’s also writing and directing Superman: Legacy, one of the most anticipated projects on the slate. With all that going on, fans have begun to question when Gunn will find time for the second season of Peacemaker. As is his way, Gunn took to Twitter to answer those questions.

    While talking about the upcoming Gods and Monsters slate, Gunn indicated that Season 2 of Peacemaker won’t be released until after Superman: Legacy. Interestingly enough, production on the second season of the streaming series was reported to be planned to take place after Gunn wrapped his press responsibilities for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 which means it may sit in the can for quite some time before release.

  • James Gunn Hints at Talks for a Marvel-DC Cinematic Crossover

    James Gunn Hints at Talks for a Marvel-DC Cinematic Crossover

    James Gunn is now the co-CEO of DC Studios and has the unimaginable task of righting the ship that was the DC Extended Universe. Now, simply pushing it forward as the DC Cinematic Universe, he aims to wrap up what was filmed before him while setting his sights on the future. Interestingly enough, it seems his friendship with Kevin Feige has led to some “light and fun” talks about a potential DC-Marvel crossover down the line.

    In an interview with Empire, he reveals that while his first priority is to ensure that he fully takes charge of the DCU after wrapping up work on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. But he seems quite open to potentially working on some kind of crossover; even if it likely would require a lot of legal work to make it happen.

    I’m certain that’s more likely now that I’m in charge [at DC], Who knows? That’s many years away, though. I think we have to establish what we’re doing [at DC] first. I would be lying to say that we haven’t discussed it. But all discussions have been very, very light and fun.

    James Gunn

    With Gunn at the charge, it definitely will change many of the restrictions that we saw in the past for the franchise. While some corners of the Internet have already cried out in terror, there’s a bright future ahead for a truly interconnected franchise. While juggling TV and video games in addition to films might sound quite a bit challenging, if anyone could make it work it’s definitely Gunn.

    Source: Empire

  • Frank Grillo Doubts a Crossbones Return to the MCU, Hints at DCU Future

    Frank Grillo Doubts a Crossbones Return to the MCU, Hints at DCU Future

    There’s always a discussion surrounding how villains are treated in any comic book cinematic franchise. Most commonly, they survive for mostly one film and those that make it out alive aren’t around for too long. So, while the heroes continue to get some development, outside of Loki, most villains end up one-dimensional due to the lack of screen time.

    As it turns out, Crossbones actor Frank Grillo feels the same. His character was seemingly set up for a long future with the Marvel Cinematic Universe but faced an untimely end during Captain America: Civil War. One might argue that without his character, the events of that entire film wouldn’t have taken place but it seems Grillo wasn’t a fan of how his character was treated, and seemingly confirms he’ll appear in an upcoming DC project.

    They never told a story [about Crossbones]. The mythology of the MCU and just what Marvel has in its pool of characters, it’s so deep. Crossbones was there for a minute, but he was supposed to be there longer, then they went the direction they did. I think Crossbones serves a purpose, but I think the interesting thing is that if you see how many people around the world have responded to Crossbones, and again, he’s on the screen for a very f–king short amount of time, I think there’s more there. I think there was more meat on the bone. I was disappointed, which is why I went over to DC.

    Frank Grillo

    It’s certainly a bit strange as he probably had more screen time than any villain in the MCU. Plus, he also returned for two projects even after his character died, as he returned in Avengers: Endgame and even voiced Crossbones again in What If…?. So, he wasn’t a character that was completely sidelined and it would’ve been great to see him return especially with future multiversal storylines. But going by his comments, that ship has sailed.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’s James Gunn Believes in Superhero Fatigue

    ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’s James Gunn Believes in Superhero Fatigue

    Superhero fatigue has been all the rage right now. Mostly due to some pointing out that they’ve seemingly reached their limits and reading too much into box office performances of two distinct projects earlier this year. Shazam: Fury of the God couldn’t pull in an audience and opened with a depressing $30M while Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania lost steam surprisingly fast after a bombastic opening.

    While there’s more to this given just how superhero films performed last year, James Gunn gave his thoughts on the topic and seemingly believes that there is such a thing. Yet, he points out that it’s not as simple as “superhero movies” but rather spectacle films that lack the heart that really drags us into these stories.

    I think there is such a thing as superhero fatigue. I think it doesn’t have anything to do with superheroes. It has to do with the kind of stories that get to be told, and if you lose your eye on the ball, which is character. We love Superman. We love Batman. We love Iron Man. Because they’re these incredible characters that we have in our hearts. And if it becomes just a bunch of nonsense onscreen, it gets really boring. But I get fatigued by most spectacle films, by the grind of not having an emotionally grounded story. It doesn’t have anything to do with whether they’re superhero movies or not. If you don’t have a story at the base of it, just watching things bash each other, no matter how clever those bashing moments are, no matter how clever the designs and the VFX are, it just gets fatiguing, and I think that’s very, very real.

    James Gunn

    It’s not completely wrong, as many spectacle films sometimes can overshadow the heart of the story. Ant-Man‘s third film is quite a bit “bigger” than the previous and perhaps just went overboard on what defined the franchise initially. Even Shazam‘s sequel seemingly started going in a bigger direction and there’s no surprise that the first two very family-centric franchises may have struggled a bit earlier this year.

    Of course, the topic of superhero fatigue is also quite a bit important for James Gunn, as he’s the head of the newly formed DC Studios. With him set to also direct the next Superman film that’ll define a future new cinematic universe, he’ll put a lot of weight into ensuring that fatigue doesn’t take away their opportunity to build this franchise.

    Source: Rolling Stones

  • First Look at Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone from the Set of ‘The Penguin’

    First Look at Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone from the Set of ‘The Penguin’

    The HBO Max streaming series The Penguin will see Colin Farrell suit back up as Oz Cobblepot and navigate a Gotham in chaos following the events of 2022’s The Batman. It’s been reported that the series will take place almost immediately after the final act of The Batman and a new batch of set photos may prove just that.

    The new photos not only provide the first clear look at Cristin Milioti‘s Sofia Falcone but also seem to be taken outside of a church. Sofia’s father, Gotham crime boss Carmine Falcone, was murdered in The Batman so it’s possible the scene filmed today is his funeral. The photos also seem to confirm that Berto Colon has joined the cast as an associate of Falcone’s.

    Farrell was on set for the potential funeral as well. Given Cobblepot’s less than stellar opinion of Falcone and his involvement with him on the night of his death, it’s safe to assume he won’t be getting along well with Sofia and her brother Alberto, played by Michael Zegan.

    https://twitter.com/assisteagora/status/1638247442641481750?t=ImtVzM9oJ740ueR9LgGjDA&s=19

    The Penguin currently has no time table for release but should be ready to stream by mid-2024.

  • Leaked Set Photos Show Colin Farrell’s Oz Back in Action in ‘The Penguin’

    Leaked Set Photos Show Colin Farrell’s Oz Back in Action in ‘The Penguin’

    As James Gunn and Peter Safran empty the cupboards of the old DC Universe, Matt Reeves‘ Gotham-verse remains alive and well under the newly formed DC Studios Elseworlds banner. That expanding universe includes The Batman-Part II, scheduled for a 2025 theatrical release, and multiple streaming projects in different stages of development. Among those, the Colin Farrell vehicle, The Penguin, was always known to be the furthest along and now it seems production has kicked off on the project.

    Via the Daily Mail, videos and pictures from the set of The Penguin have arrived and show Farrell once again unrecognizable as Oswald Cobblepot.

    The events of The Penguin are reported to pick up right where The Batman left off and tell the story of how Farrell’s Oz rises to power in Gotham following the death of Carmine Falcone. Things won’t be easy for Oz, however as Cristin Milioti’s Sofia Maroni and her father, Gotham gangster Salvatore, played by Clancy Brown, will be standing in the way.

    Source: The Daily Mail

  • ‘Hellraiser’ Star Joins CW’s ‘Gotham Knights’

    ‘Hellraiser’ Star Joins CW’s ‘Gotham Knights’

    DC Studios has been busy reshuffling its future franchise to focus on projects that’ll crossover in multiple ways to establish one unified DC Cinematic Universe. Yet, there are still a few projects too far into development that is still going to see the light of day. We all expected The Flash and the Aquaman sequel to release in theaters, but many were surprised that Gotham Knights was given a series order after all on the CW.

    Even going by the first trailer, the project seemed like a far cry from what makes a Batman series what it is. Plus, CW was currently undergoing its own major management shift that’ll reshape the broadcaster’s future endeavors, as they seemingly move away from their usual release schedule. Still, Gotham Knights endured and it looks like we’ll see Hellraiser star Doug Bradley join the production in an iconic DC role.

    While he’s not one of the biggest of Batman’s Rogue’s gallery, Joe Chill definitely left the biggest impression given he was the one that killed Bruce Wayne’s parents. He’ll be featured in the upcoming sixth episode, as he is scheduled to be executed after sitting on death row for fifty years. Yet, it seems Gotham’s “Patron Saint of Bad Guys” won’t let his secret die with him. Series co-creators Chad Fiveash, James Stoteraux, and Natalie Abrams had the following statement to share on his casting.

    When casting the iconic role of Joe Chill, arguably the man who created Batman, there was only one name we considered – Doug Bradley. We needed an actor with the kind of gravitas that would do justice to such a seminal character in DC Comics canon. And who better to embody the role of the classic Gotham fiend than the man whose legendary portrayal of another classic fiend – Pinhead in the Hellraiser franchise — continues to terrify generations of horror fans?

    Bradley definitely knows how to leave an impression with his performance, though it does seem like their take on Chill might be quite different from the man we’ve seen many times throughout cinematic Batman history. We’ve seen many variations of the character, one even ending up as Joker himself in Tim Burton‘s original Batman film. So, we’ll see what Gotham Knights has in store for us.

    Source: Variety