Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: DC

  • Review: ‘Superman & Lois’ Episode 1

    Review: ‘Superman & Lois’ Episode 1

    The CW has been no stranger to the superhero family story. From Arrow’s team and family drama to Black Lightning’s father/daughters with powers dynamic, the form and the format have been well established. Enter Superman & Lois which premiered this past Tuesday and gave a look at Clark Kent in a different light.

    The show wastes no time with the often told Superman origin story and uses the first ten minutes as a refresher. One immediate observation is that this show appears to have a higher budget than its sister shows. It feels cinematic, and time isn’t wasted in showing Supes in action with physical combat and feats of strength. This takes place years after the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, as Lois and Clark’s sons are teenagers. Jonathan (Jordan Elsass)is the cocky athlete and Jordan (Alex Garfin) is the angst ridden adolescent.

    Tyler Hoechlin feels more comfortable and confident in the role of Superman than previous Arrowverse iterations. There’s a regal presence, an empathetic grace to his character that’s apparent early. Bitsie Tulloch’s Lois maintains the strong personality and inquisitive nature that is necessary for the character to succeed.

    The show tackles the question of how can Superman be the hero the world needs and be a good father. Contextually you can make the argument that it’s different than other heroes as Superman is the world’s champion, not just a city or town. There are legitimate complications, particularly when Clark had never told his sons about his origins or their heritage. The classic sins of the father effect, except you can understand why Clark didn’t want to burden his sons with his own fears. As Lois and Clark disagree, he states, “It’s too dangerous for them to know.” Lois replies, “It’s more dangerous if they don’t.” All of this is magnified when Martha Kent dies due to a stroke which forces Clark to return to Smallville.

    Later an incident takes place which forces Clark to reveal his origins to his sons which understandably upsets them. This is where the show gets interesting as there’s legitimate friction in trying to deal with the lies that Clark has told. Jordan Kent (who has powers) is someone to watch as moody and temperamental as he is, and Jonathan (who doesn’t at this point) is more self-assured. Their story arc is fascinating and potentially more compelling than anything else.

    The other character who makes an impact immediately is Sam Lane (Dylan Walsh) who wants Superman available at all times and Lois realizes that Clark needs to be around more often. Just imagine Superman as a stay-at-home dad, funny right? As Lane states in the pilot, “You may have fallen in love with Clark Kent, but you married Superman. And Superman doesn’t get to have a normal life, no matter how much you want one for him.”

    Going forward, the show’s main challenge as always is to sell the audience on not only the emotional aspect but the physical. We want to see Superman fight monsters, aliens, and all types of obstacles as action provides the discourse. We get that at the end of the pilot as Superman fights and loses to a Captain Luthor in a super suit. Is he from the future perhaps? It was a good cliffhanger to end the pilot on.

    The man of tomorrow has a lot more on his plate than kryptonite and saving the world. As it turns out, both Clark and Lois have quite the challenge on their hands. Superman & Lois airs at 8pm every Tuesday on the CW.

  • ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Production Update

    ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ Production Update

    A few weeks ago actress Meagan Good, who played Super Hero Darla in 2019’s Shazam!, appeared on the Carlos Watson show and told him “God willing and by the grace of God, Shazam 2 starts in May.” Now, this was not exactly an answer that instilled a huge amount of confidence that Shazam! Fury of the Gods, would begin filming in May after a significant delay, but it was certainly hopeful. I can now confirm that the Shazam! sequel is still on schedule to begin filming in Georgia at the end of May or early June.

    The Shazam family!

    Previously it had been reported that Shazam! Fury of the Gods would film in Toronto, ON, Canada this Spring, but this has apparently changed. At this time, it’s unclear whether or not the production will film entirely in Georgia or they will travel to Canada at some point to film as well. But I have heard that the Georgia part of production is prepping currently and is on course to begin filming at the end of May.

    Black Adam vs Shazam

    It is interesting to note that Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam is also currently in pre-production in Georgia and should be filming at the same time. Whether or not the Shazam! production “powers that be” decided to move to Georgia for this reason (in order to make any potential cross overs between the films much easier to make happen and keep secret) is unclear, but it’s certainly a possibility!

    Shazam! Fury of the Gods, starring Zachary Levi and directed by David F. Sandberg,  is scheduled to be released June 2, 2023

    Source: Twitter (Carlos Watson Show video)

    Note: This is not my source, however a shout out to @pridenation on Twitter who also got the info a few days ago that Shazam! Fury of the Gods would be filming in Georgia, so kudos to them on getting the location!

  • ‘Black Adam’ May Tease the Lost Golden Age of Heroes

    ‘Black Adam’ May Tease the Lost Golden Age of Heroes

    The Justice Society of America is known as one of the first superhero teams in comic history. They recently got brought back in DC’s Doomsday Clock event. At one point, Doctor Manhattan erased them from the timeline. Yeah, I am not sure why either. The team has become somewhat of a hot topic, showing up in the recent Death Metal storyline and taking centerstage in CW’s Stargirl. We also got the confirmation that the JSA will be making their way to the DCEU in the highly anticipated Black Adam film.

    The roster will consist of Doctor Fate, Hawkman, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher. With this news, many may begin to wonder why the team roster seems so small. Also, why is it missing so many key members that made the golden age so special? So far, we can figure out from the news of the upcoming film and knowledge of past iterations of the team that this probably isn’t the first incarnation of the JSA within the DCEU.

     

     

    The first piece of evidence stems from a line said by Wonder Woman in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. In a conversation with Bruce, Diana tells Bruce that “They said the age of heroes would never come again”. It could be possibly referring to the gods of Olympus, but I feel as though the line could mean a whole lot more. Wonder Woman has been part of the JSA on multiple occasions. She even leads the team in the upcoming animated feature Justice Society: World War II. In Wonder Woman 1984, Diana may have stayed out of the public eye, but she was still active in her efforts to help people.

    In Adventure Comics #466, following the end of the war and a decline in supervillains, villain Per Degaton had taken full advantage of the Red Scare and coerced the US government into believing these masked heroes could serve as a threat to the country. Consequently, the government forced these heroes to reveal their identities if they wish to continue. The team concluded that to keep themselves and everyone they loved around them safe, the best course of action would be to retire and disband the Justice Society. This storyline could serve as a reason why Superman was one of the first heroes to pop up and why the US government had been so critical of Clark’s actions.

     

     

    Another intriguing detail about the golden age team is the chosen roster for their upcoming appearance in Black Adam. It isn’t just the roster but also how they are going to get introduced in the film. These details come from casting info for a character known as Ma Hunkel, a member of the original JSA who will appear in the upcoming film. The breakdown states that Hunkel will be the caretaker in Hawkman’s museum. In Geoff John‘s run, she served a similar role. She was the caretaker of the JSA headquarters when they were brought back into the modern-day DC universe. Ma Hunkel’s inclusion isn’t the only brow raiser, as the roster itself includes characters known as Cyclone and Atom Smasher. They will be played by Quintessa Swindell and Noah Centineo respectively.

    These iterations of the characters are early recruits like they were in John‘s team. The original lineup included iconic characters that have evolved and inspired new iterations, such as DC staples like Green Lantern and The Flash, two notable absences from this roster. These absences may serve to tell even more stories in the DCEU, such as period piece set during WW2 featuring iconic members such as Hourman, Dr. Midnite, Starman, Sandman, Johnny Thunder, Mr. Terrific, Wildcat, and more.

  • Three Stories We’d Like To See Adapted For ‘Constantine’

    Three Stories We’d Like To See Adapted For ‘Constantine’

    Earlier last year, news broke that J.J. Abrams and his production company, Bad Robot, had signed a deal with Warner media and HBO Max to develop series and films based around the characters of DC’s Justice League Dark. Just a few days ago, it was announced that Abrams had begun development on new series following John Constantine, everyone’s favorite demonologist, but it really depends on who you’re asking. The series is set to be written by Guy Bolton, who’s already written a pilot script for the project, and casting has begun with the production looking for a late ’20s, BIPOC actor to portray the character in the upcoming series and any spin-offs or team-ups that may happen down the line. While it’s currently unknown if the series will find itself in the mainline DCEU, Constantine is a character with a rich history and riveting stories, and we’ve thought up just a few that would make for great a great adaption.

    Marks of Woe  

    hbo max constantine

     

    One of the most recent stories featuring Constantine was written by Simon Spurrier and released late last year. The book John Constantine: Hellblazer features the characters return to the Sandman Universe, with Constantine finding himself taken from an Apocalyptic future and placed right back into his old stomping grounds of London. Upon his return, Constantine has come to realize that there’s been a bit of a supernatural outbreak and a local gang has become terrorized by these spirits. When the leader of said gang reaches out, with no dollar to his name, Constantine has no choice but to help exercise these spirits and send them back to where they came from. This seems like an easy task for Constantine, an open and shut exorcism like the good ol’ days, but things get much more unpredictable when John finds himself facing a younger version of the boy who was destined to become the most powerful mage of all time.

    All His Engines

    All His Engines was published back in January of 2005 and was written by Mike Carey. The Story once again finds John Constantine on the streets of London alongside his trusty Cabbie, Chas Chandler. John has returned to look into a mysterious bug going around the city that’s putting people into comas, including Chas’s granddaughter, Tricia. In an attempt to communicate with Tricia and find out what’s going on, the seance is interrupted by Beroul, a demon who’s set up his own personal Hell in California, who tells John and Chas to come there. In order to face Beroul, John Summons the Aztec god known as Mictlantecuhtli, who helps him summon the foes of Beroul in order to take him down. While this story still includes a heavy amount of biblical influence just on the art alone should tell you this story could be something truly horrifying and fit the vibe they’re trying to establish with this new take.

    Going Down?

    Constantine: The Hellblazer, written by the great James Tynion IV, features another great storyline with the character that would be perfect for a horror-inspired introduction of the character in this new “Dark Universe.” John Constantine is a very haunted man both literally and figuratively, and this story is one that sees him face his past, a very dark and muddy past. Suddenty, something has begun killing the ghost that haunts him, banished from the afterlife, and cast into oblivion. Returning to London, Constantine must reunite with Georgiana Snow, now an official paranormal consultant for the British Government, in an effort to stop who or what is killing ghosts and taking away their after-life.

     

     

  • Angel Manuel Soto Set to Direct DC’s ‘BLUE BEETLE’

    Angel Manuel Soto Set to Direct DC’s ‘BLUE BEETLE’

    As they continue to develop their slate of DC films, Warner Bros. has signed up director Angel Manuel Soto to helm their upcoming adaptation of Blue Beetle. According to a trade report, Soto’s film will feature Jamie Reyes, making this Warner’s first Latino-led superhero film.

    Blue Beetle Movie in Development | Den of Geek

    Blue Beetle was first introduced as a Fox Comics character by the name of Dan Garrett back in 1939. The character made his way to Charlton Comics and eventually to DC. Following Garrett, both Ted Kord and Jamie Reyes have filled the shoes of the character, but the film, written by Scarface remake writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer will follow Reyes, who assumed the mantle during the 2006 DC event Infinite Crisis. The film has been in development since late 2018 and is looking to begin production this fall.

    Source: The Wrap

     

  • What I Heard This Week: James Gunn and ‘Krypto’

    What I Heard This Week: James Gunn and ‘Krypto’

    When James Gunn and Marvel Studios parted ways in mid-2018, it wasn’t long before the director found himself in talks with Warner Bros. to develop one of their DC properties. Gunn eventually chose The Suicide Squad, which is headed to theaters this summer. That decision led to the development of the HBO Max streaming series Peacemaker, starring John Cena, which is currently filming. While Gunn and Marvel Studios reconnected on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which will begin production later this year, it seems that the director has already started thinking about what’s next. During a fan Q&A on Instagram, Gunn teased that he’s testing the waters of his next DC project for Warner Bros.

    As is the case with all the information in our “What I Heard This Week” pieces, this information should be taken as an unverified rumor. For us, that means that I was not able to confirm it with a second source. In this case, given that it involves Gunn who is incredibly interactive with rumors on social media, we’ll know very soon how valid it is. That having been said, I’ve been told that the project that Gunn is dipping his toe in is Krypto. Though this is JUST a rumor, it checks a lot of boxes as far as believability. In a 2019 THR Heat Vision newsletter, the trade mentioned that one of the original DC properties that Gunn considered creating for Warner was Superman. During his research, Gunn took an interest in Krypto:

    When Warners was courting Gunn, the studio gave him his pick of properties, including Superman. Though Gunn never got far enough along to seriously consider tackling a Superman movie, the filmmaker did take a shine to the Man of Steel’s superpowered dog Krypto during his comics research — which makes sense for a man who turned a talking raccoon into one of Marvel’s most popular big screen characters.

    Gunn revisiting Krypto now makes a ton of sense. Those who follow Gunn on social media will recall that his beloved dog, Dr. Wesley Von Spears (who was the inspiration for the MCU version of Groot and appeared in both volumes of Guardians of the Galaxy) passed away just about a year ago while Gunn was filming The Suicide Squad. Production on the film was put on pause for a time so Gunn could come home to be with Von Spears, who had been a part of his life for 17 years. A year out from Von Spears’ passing, Gunn could be processing his feelings into a Krypto project that honors his longtime best friend.

    Gunn himself says he’s just got “one toe dipped in” the project and, in the same IG chat mentioned above, he stated he has no plans after he completes work on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. With Gunn looking for some downtime following Vol. 3, this is something that, should it move forward, wouldn’t be headed to production until next year, allowing for plenty of time to go through the writing process and determine if he’s committed to the project. Many projects that begin development never make it to the screen but given Gunn’s previous interest in the property, his love for dogs and his own personal experiences, this is one of the more believable things I’ve heard this week.

  • ‘Naomi’: New Casting Details Teases CW’s Newest Heroine

    ‘Naomi’: New Casting Details Teases CW’s Newest Heroine

    Ava Duvernay is becoming a mainstay at Warner Bros., especially with the recent announcement that she’d begun developing Naomi, a solo series based on one of DC’s newest characters. Naomi was created by Brian Michael Bendis back in 2019. She hails from another Earth within the multiverse. Her planet had gone through an environmental trauma, which caused the ozone layer to break. As a result, unknown radiation started to seep into her home planet. It ended up giving exactly twenty-nine people special abilities. One of these powered individuals, named Zumbado, wanted to kill her. So, her parents had to send her away. She landed on Earth-Prime and got adopted by the McDuffie family in Port Oswego. The production is now actively looking for its lead, as the first casting descriptions revealed by Illuminerdi.

    They are looking for a black female around the age of 16 to 18 years. Naomi’s description states that she’s confident, charismatic, and has a sense of style without even trying. It also points out that she is very popular in High School. She is described as a cut above the rest, as she takes AP classes, speaks nine languages, and tries to take every possible extracurricular club activity. Overall, Naomi is a “modern-day Ferris Bueller with a dash of Black Girl Magic and with an unshakeable sense of self” according to her general description.

    Naomi was first announced back in December, with Duvernay serving as executive producer and writer alongside Jill Blankenship, who is also serving as writer and producer on the series. Naomi currently has no release date but recently had a pilot ordered by the CW. It’ll be interesting to see such a new addition to the DC Universe make her live-action debut.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • ‘Harley Quinn’s Started Recording for Its Third Season

    ‘Harley Quinn’s Started Recording for Its Third Season

    DC has been producing a variety of great shows in the last few years. What started with Titans has expanded into a plethora of original productions. They used the opportunity to explore the different aspects of the comic universe. Once Warner Bros. migrated them to HBO Max, we’ve seen a large increase in new shows entering a form of production. Of course, the sophomore series that started on the original DC Universe app is continuing, as well, such as the before-mentioned Titans currently in production.

    The stand-out, however, was the R-rated animated comedy Harley Quinn, which saw Kaley Cuoco take on the role of the Joker’s most iconic henchwoman. We got to see her grow into her love the course of two seasons, and many were ecstatic when the third got announced last September. We’ve been anxiously waiting for an update, and it looks like it finally arrived, as executive producer Patrick Schumacker shared an official update on Twitter.

    It is great to see the return of Diedrich Bader, Jim Rash, and Chris Meloni, who gave some iconic performances in the last two seasons. The idea of a washed-up Gordon just hanging on as best as he can be a genius interpretation of a commissioner living in the most crime-ridden city of the world. Bader was a perfect choice for this universe’s Batman, especially how much it contrasts the version he played in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. I cannot wait for the next season, especially how they plan to continue where the last one ended.

    Source: Twitter, IMDb

  • ‘The Flash’ Adds Sasha Calle as Supergirl

    ‘The Flash’ Adds Sasha Calle as Supergirl

    When you look up the definition of development hell, the solo Flash movie could be one of the first things you find. The movie has been through hell and back, as it went lost directors left and right after its first announcement. Finally, the movie found its savior in horror movie director, IT‘s Andy Muschietti. The story will explore Flash traveling through the multiverse. There he meets a new version of Batman, the original 1989 version played by Michael Keaton. It will be DC’s first step into exploring the many sides of the franchise’s legacy.

    In a shocking announcement that no one saw coming, Muschietti made the announcement today that actress Sasha Calle will don the iconic Kryptonian crest and take up the role of Kara Zor-El, otherwise known as Supergirl. The director hand-picked Calle from over 400 other auditions. They have met actresses from all over the world before they made a decision. It looks like none of the actresses had any clue what role they were auditioning for until later into the process. Calle was one of few to make it to a chemistry test with star Ezra Miller. Muschietti had the following to say:

    I saw more than four hundred auditions. The US, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia. The talent pool was truly amazing and it was very hard to make a decision, but we finally found an actress who was destined to play this role.

    The Flash is currently set for a November 4th, 2022 release date. The film will see Ezra Miller reprise the role of Barry Allen. In addition to Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck is also set to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne from the DCEU.

    Source: Deadline

  • A New Batwoman, A New Story

    A New Batwoman, A New Story

    “Black, male, foster kid, juvie. In case you’re wondering why GCPD isn’t looking for him, those five words.”

    Those are Ryan Wilder’s words to Mary Hamilton in the fourth episode of Batwoman’s second season on the CW. Batwoman, still early in its inception, already has had to deal with a major transition. Javicia Leslie, who plays the caped superheroine replaced Ruby Rose’s Kate Kane after Season 1. There’s always a challenge when it comes to changing the lead specifically so early in television. It also requires a redirect in story. Season 1 focused primarily on Kate’s rivalry with the show’s villain, her sister Alice. Season 2 feels like an entirely different show, and it’s been for the better.

    Often, representation for black people on network television has been about getting the faces seen but not heard. A pleasant surprise on this season of Batwoman has been the nature of the stories being told. They represent the real-life issues that not only black people face, but mainly black women as Ryan’s character is a homeless ex-con. Nothing quite articulates the experience like an exchange in episode 1 between Ryan and her parole officer. Officer Stevens tells Ryan, “They are your choices, Ryan. You have the power to turn this around.” Ryan responds in kind, “You want to know why I haven’t paid my fines? Because I can’t find a job. Because I don’t have a home. Because no landlord wants to rent to an ex-con who’s post-release. You see how this works? No one cares that the dope wasn’t mine or that the Crows were dirty or that I’m actually a decent human. I am a file in your cabinet. That is not having power. That is the very definition of powerless.”

    Lines like those are so important in storytelling. We are reminded every day in society that it’s all about the bottom line. Your circumstances don’t matter to the powers that be, nor does context. This is Ryan’s reality in trying to find a job. Leslie and the writers deserve a lot of credit for the nuance in their storytelling. Ryan Wilder is not only trying to make sense of her life after prison but also trying to fill the shoes of Gotham’s missing hero.

    “That suit. It’s bigger than me. It’s one thing to put it on and it’s another thing to wear it.” That line is symbolism for not only what Ryan carries but exemplifies the constant juggling act of expectations versus reality that is the life of a black woman.

    In Batwoman’s latest installment nothing hits home more as she finds the boy she was looking for. Jacob Kane asks, “How did you know he was here?” Batwoman replies, “Easy. I looked.” It’s the simplicity of the words and the delivery of them that punctuates the meaning of the story. That meaning? It’s not enough to just be seen, people need to be heard.

    Batwoman airs every Sunday evening on the CW at 8pm EST