Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: DC TV

  • REVIEW: ‘Stargirl’ 3×03: “The Blackmail”

    REVIEW: ‘Stargirl’ 3×03: “The Blackmail”

    A period of change can be incredibly stressful for any person, whether you’re trying to find a new job or if you’re uprooting your entire life. You never know where it might lead you. Yet, what happens when that big period of change is being buried alive? Well, Sylvester Pemberton is living that very nightmare and Stargirl has certainly flipped the veteran hero’s life upside down.

    The episode dives deeper into the suspects on the board that was set in the last episode. This time around it shifts its focus onto the Crock’s, as the team finds out that they’d been blackmailed by the Gambler for months. A little more of the Crocks is never a bad thing though, one of the best choices they could’ve made was bringing back Neil Hopkins and Joy Osmanski for season 3. The two just have great chemistry together as they somehow have this perfect harmony when interacting with each other.

    The reintroduction of Starman has been a surprisingly classic fish out of water story. Joel McHale works incredibly well as an out-of-touch, grizzled hero who just doesn’t know what his place in the world is anymore. The parallels between him and Courtney, as well as how they choose to act with the power of the Cosmic Staff gives the show an interesting balance.

    Fans will also find some enjoyment in a perfectly choreographed fight sequence within a grocery store. With that worryingly impulsive nature, Starman takes things into his own hands to confront the Crocks, leading to an dynamic and incredibly pleasing scuffle between him and the duo of Sportsmaster and Tigress.

    The stunt team for this series deserves some insane recognition for what they managed to put together. It’s one of the best aspects of the show that they continously improve upon and push the limits of whats possible for these characters. The dual style that Sportsmaster and Tigress have mastered truly makes this sequence pop the way it does.

    The best way to watch this season is to get into the mindset as if you’re watching an experiment unfold, seeing how these characters continue to coexist as if they’re reactive materials that could easily lead to an explosion at any time. In a way, it feels like a whole new way to enjoy the veteran show on CW.

  • Dan Lin No Longer in Talks to Become DC’s Kevin Feige

    Dan Lin No Longer in Talks to Become DC’s Kevin Feige

    While many were excited when the news first hit that long-time producer Dan Lin might be the one to lead Warner Bros. Discovery’s new future for its DC Comics adaptations. Yet, it turns out that he’s no longer in talks due to various factors. One of the big aspects is his continued commitment to his production banner Rideback. The search still continues as Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is committed to finding the right person for the job to lead their DC adaptations similar to how Kevin Feige handles Marvel Studios.

    For those wondering, the current DC Films President Walter Hamada is expected to leave the company. That was cemented with the recent drama surrounding Batgirl and the way it was communicated. Lin seemed like a big candidate, especially with his history with Warner Bros. and the successful LEGO Movie franchise. It seems the company was also interested in taking a majority take on the company.

    A lot is riding on this search, especially as shares have been down by 50%. Their “cost-cutting measures” have ended up backfiring in many ways, as industry veterans are nervous about working with the company and a lot of bridges getting burnt along the way. We’ll have to see if they do end up finding the right person for the job, or rather who is willing to do so.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter, CNBC

  • REVIEW: ‘Stargirl’ Season 3 Premier-“The Murder”

    REVIEW: ‘Stargirl’ Season 3 Premier-“The Murder”

    Blue Valleys’ resident superhero is back! The third season of Stargirl is setting up what looks to be a much more character-focused, slow burn compared to previous seasons. The Frenemies theme teased towards the end of the second season makes things feel a whole lot more personal this season and the dynamics that it brings into this chapter could be the most enticing aspect of the season, as it feels like it’s the only thing really going on.

    Season 3 brings quite a few familiar faces back into the spotlight, with characters such as Sportsmaster, Tigress, Gambler, and the long-awaited arrival of Joel McHale as Sylvester Pemberton, who returned at the tail end of Season 2 after being teased over the course of the past two seasons. Pemberton’s return brings the dynamic between him and Courtney into focus, bringing up the question as to how the two would be able to co-exist as the only two who’ve ever been able to wield the cosmic staff. Courtney is obviously a bit hesitant but eager to learn more about the cosmic staff from the old hero.

    Courtney has gone on to make a life in Blue Valley as Stargirl with the support of both her family and her friends; Sylvester never properly gave up the mantle and of course, his first notion would be to find the staff as its really all he ever knew, he lived and breathed those cosmic rays until he was put six feet under by Icicle. The whole mystery behind his return is still a bit murky, with Sylvester speculating that the staff may have made him almost immortal with the energy it radiates.

    Courtney has always been the show’s strongest character, which is a good thing when she is your title character, and the hatchet burying this season really allows room to explore the heights and limits of her heroic nature. We get to see these limits put to the test as she must juggle working alongside Cindy Burman after facing the consequences of releasing Eclipso. Courtney works as the glue, the optimist amongst the few who don’t trust as easily as she does. Cindy’s inclusion in the Justice Society obviously leaves some members feeling a bit uneasy about the situation, as they believe she doesn’t deserve redemption.

    The end of the episode provides quite the revelation. The Gambler’s return is quickly shuttered, as the retired Injustice Society member is cut down by a mysterious assailant, just after discovering a system of cameras had been setup around Blue Valley. These cameras are likely monitoring the town for what could only be the experiment teased by Mister Bones at the end of season 2.

  • HBO Max Renews ‘Harley Quinn’ for a Fourth Season, But With a New Showrunner

    HBO Max Renews ‘Harley Quinn’ for a Fourth Season, But With a New Showrunner

    It’s been a bit doom and gloom over at HBO Max as one series after another has seemingly been taken down or axed wherever the streaming service could. The direction by Warner Bros. Discovery made many wonders what exactly they are hoping to do with the service, especially with a fusion planned with Discovery+. In a way, it hinted at the future of Warner Bros. streaming venture to be less serialized dramas and comedy but more reality TV. Luckily, it seems not everything is lost along the way.

    The popular and creative R-rated comedy series Harley Quinn has officially been renewed for a fourth season. While many feared it could be facing a similar fate as other DC projects have as of late, it seems that David Zaslav and his team are quite happy with the viewership the show pulls in. This is quite exciting news, especially with the uncertainty for DC’s future with HBO and HBO Max, as it seems not every show will be lost in the process.

    Though not everything remains the same, it looks like the series will have a new showrunner. Writer Sarah Peters will take over and continue the series after writing a few episodes throughout its first seasons and also acting as a consulting producer. Patrick Schumacker and Justin Halpern are stepping down from the role. It’s unclear if they are potentially moving on to a different project in this universe like the confirmed Kite-Man project which is unclear if they are moving forward with it.

    Source: Twitter, THR

  • WB Targeting Dan Lin to Oversee DC Films and TV’s “10-Year Plan”

    WB Targeting Dan Lin to Oversee DC Films and TV’s “10-Year Plan”

    David Zaslav has been on the lookout for “DC’s Kevin Feige” and according to a trade report, he may have found his man. THR reports that producer Dan Lin, who backed hits such as The Lego Movie and the It films, is negotiating for the job.

    Zaslav’s tenure as Warner Bros. Discovery CEO has resulted in a veritable blood bath for DC’s film and TV projects. Several projects at varying places in production have been canceled as Zaslav looks to model the future of DC’s film and TV adaptations on the success Kevin Feige has had a Marvel Studios.

    According to the trade report, Lin’s success as a film executive and producer and on the TV side helped WB identify him as a prime candidate to lead the 10-year plan described by Zaslav. Lin would seemingly look to put forth a more unified slate of projects after putting the brakes on the previous leadership’s Crisis plans.

  • ‘Aquaman: King of Atlantis’ to be Pulled from HBO Max

    ‘Aquaman: King of Atlantis’ to be Pulled from HBO Max

    Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to pull another batch of titles from HBO Max. It was revealed on Wednesday that the streaming service will be pulling a large list of titles including The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo, Generation Hustle, Uncle Grandpa and Ellen’s Next Great Designer. The biggest surprise, however, is that the service is also set to remove Aquaman: King of Atlantis from the service this week.

    Aquaman: King of Atlantis was first announced in January 2020. The HBO Max original animated series centered on Aquaman’s first day on the job as the king of Atlantis. Joining him in the series were Vulko, the scholar, and Mera, the water controlling warrior-princess, who were there to serve as his two royal advisors. The series saw the hero rise to the challenge as he fought to prove himself worthy of being King of Atlantis.

    James Wan, who directed the first Aquaman film and its forthcoming sequel, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, was on board as a producer through his Atomic Monster banner. He produced the animated series alongside Michael Clear, Rob Hackett, Sam Register and Warner Bros. Animation. The series premiered in Oct. 2021 and has since become available to rent through other platforms including Amazon’s Prime Video and iTunes.

    As Warner Bros. Discovery continues to evaluate the company as a whole, it’s likely more cancellations and removals will be announced in the coming weeks. Especially given that the goal is to merge HBO Max and Discovery+ by next year.

    “As we work toward bringing our content catalogs together under one platform, we will be making changes to the content offering available on both HBO Max and discovery+. That will include the removal of some content from both platforms,” the company said in a statement to the press. “At the same time, we’re already starting to bring our content catalogs together like the launch of the new CNN Originals Hub on discovery+ and a curated collection of Magnolia Network content coming soon to HBO Max.”

    Source: Deadline.

  • REPORT: Another Name Surfaces as a Candidate for DC Films’ Kevin Feige

    REPORT: Another Name Surfaces as a Candidate for DC Films’ Kevin Feige

    The uncertainty and unease surrounding the future of Warner Bros. Discovery’s DC Universe seem to be growing by the day. As has been widely reported over the last week, new WBD CEO David Zaslav has been busy making a series of drastic alterations to the company’s film slate. Batgirl, along with several other potential projects, received an unexpected axing, and most things in development are potentially on the chopping block.

    Before the current upheaval, David Zaslav announced that DC is one of their highest priorities. On top of the announcement that DC would be becoming its own studio within the company, Zaslav has confirmed that they’ve put a team together to run said studio and have put together a ten-year plan, mentioning outright it is similar to what Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios have built over at Disney. No word has been made on what exactly this “10-year-plan” entails and it’s unknown if WBD will announce a slate anytime soon.

    Still, plenty of discussion has erupted about who could possibly be the “Kevin Feige of DC”. According to a report from Variety, one name being considered is TV producer Greg Berlanti, who “has been loudly whispered as a possibility for the role.” Berlanti is known for his work as one of the key architects of the CW’s DC Arrowverse, which included ncluded shows Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, and Superman & Lois. The Arrowverse featured many classic DC heroes and held several crossover events over the years, so Berlanti’s experience seems on par with what DC Films needs.

    However, the report noted that no official discussions between WBD and Berlanti’s team have occurred, and apparently trade reporting insiders think he would not be interested in the role. Another potential candidate mentioned by Variety’s report is producer Dan Lin, whose credits include IT, The LEGO Batman Movie, Godzilla vs. Kong, and the failed Justice League movie that George Miller was preparing in 2009. But Lin is reportedly not interested in the role either.

    Whoever ends up as the Feige of DC will be faced with high expectations set by Feige himself at Marvel Studios. It will be interesting to learn who WBD eventually selects for the role, though with all the seeming turmoil in the DC TV and Films, it is unclear when this person or 10-year plan will actuall come to fruition.

    Source: Variety

  • HBO Max’s ‘Titans’ and ‘Doom Patrol’s on the Chopping Block, ‘Harley Quinn’ Seemingly Safe

    HBO Max’s ‘Titans’ and ‘Doom Patrol’s on the Chopping Block, ‘Harley Quinn’ Seemingly Safe

    Warner Bros. Discovery is taking a great big axe at everything DC, which has made many wonder what exactly they can expect from the future of this franchise. Batgirl‘s sudden cancelation and the bizarre situation surrounding The Flash have created quite the rift in the franchise’s future. There are also various other shows in some form of production with Doom Patrol, Harley Quinn, Titans, and many more on HBO Max. In a new report by Variety, it does seem that a little glimpse is given in regards to the future of these projects.

    First off, and scarily so, it seems that the popular and wildly out there series Doom Patrol is on the chopping block alongside fellow DC Universe series Titans. They have renewed not too long ago and it does seem like the next seasons are likely to release, but anything beyond that remains a mystery for now. Luckily, Harley Quinn is so popular that it’s safe but no word on its Kite Man-focused spinoff. #

    Constantine and Madame Xanadu, the two projects of J.J. Abrams prolonged Justice League Dark franchise, are also seemingly still in some form of development. Though whoever is set to spearhead the DC Studio could change that rather fast. For now, we’ll have to see if any of these projects may still see the light of day or if internal reshuffling in the near future could change any plans moving forward.

    Source: Variety

  • HBO Max’s ‘Pennyworth’ Season 3 Gets a Curious New Subtitle

    HBO Max’s ‘Pennyworth’ Season 3 Gets a Curious New Subtitle

    It’s still crazy to think that not only do we have a Pennyworth series focused on the famous butler that would go on to take care of the Wayne family, but it’s also lasted for around three full seasons. While it’s moving to a new home, Pennyworth is also getting a new title. HBO Max has decided that they can’t entirely sell a Batman prequel series without the name in the title, which is now titled Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler.

    It’s kind of a bizarre title choice, which seems like it was made to give that series an additional level of promotion. Plus, it might be their way of trying to make the third season stand out for those that haven’t seen the original when it premiered on Starz. It does seem like the series isn’t going through any major changes and sticking t its guns from previous entries, but the fact they had to find a way to shove Batman into that title is definitely more a marketing ploy than something creatively.

    There’s no word if they might end up finishing the series with the birth of Bruce Wayne, which may be the inspiration for that title. We’ll see if the series might end up finding a strong audience on the new streaming home and could potentially go on for another season or two. So, perhaps the origin of Batman’s butler will remain a staple as Warner Bros. Discovery continues to figure out their franchise.e

    Source: Twitter

  • Idris Elba Confirms DC Project In Development 

    Idris Elba Confirms DC Project In Development 

    Idris Elba is one of the few actors getting to play in both the Marvel and DC sandbox at the moment. Now a household name, Elba has starred concurrently as the Asgardian warrior Heimdall in Marvel’s Thor films and the ruthless mercenary Bloodsport in Warner Bros.’ The Suicide Squad for the last few years. Thor: Love and Thunder brought the former character back after a long absence, while the latter character’s journey has seemingly only just begun. However, since each of his last comic book-based projects was released, his future with either company has been up in the air. That is, until now.

    During a recent interview with Erik Davis, the actor confirmed he’s in the process of cooking up something big for DC right now. Davis took to Twitter to share the news ahead of the interview’s release. Without any further information, it’s impossible to say exactly what it is Elba is working on. That being said, director James Gunn has been teasing the exciting future of his work with HBO Max creating DC television series. The creative already produced Peacemaker, a spin-off of The Suicide Squad, and has stated he’s developing more unrevealed spin-offs as well. Deductive reasoning would indicate Elba might be returning to his Bloodsport role in one of Gunn’s shows, but without any official word, that should still be considered simple conjecture. Hopefully, more information comes sooner than later.

    Elba’s next picture, Beast, in which the actor battles a ferocious lion, hits theaters on August 19th.

    Source: Twitter