Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Disney Plus

  • First Look at “The Santa Clauses” Released by Disney+

    First Look at “The Santa Clauses” Released by Disney+

    With roughly six months to go until Christmas Day, Disney+ is getting in the holiday spirit a bit early this year with the first look at official images of their upcoming series The Santa Clauses.

    The images were released as part of Disney’s Halfway to the Holidays marketing campaign, giving audiences an idea of what to expect when the Calvins are back on the screen.

    Tim Allen and Elizabeth Mitchell are both returning in their starring roles as Santa Claus, Scott Calvin, and Mrs. Claus, Carol. The pair will be joined by Austin Kane and Elizabeth Allen Dick, who will be playing their two children, Cal and Grace. Elizabeth Allen Dick won’t have to stretch her imagination to far to imagine Scott Calvin as her on-screen father as she is the real-life daughter of Tim Allen.

    As well as the Calvins, audiences will also be introduced to a new batch of characters. Kal Penn will be playing a character named Simon Choski, a single father who is an ambitious game inventor and product developer. Choski visits the North Pole, which turns out to be a life-changing trip for him. Alongside Penn will be Rupali Redd, described as Choski’s “angelic daughter with a love for Santa and all things Christmas.”

    Would there really be a North Pole without elves? Of course not. Devin Bright is cast as Noel, Santa’s trusted right-hand elf. Matilda Lawler will be playing Betty, Santa’s demanding Chief of Staff and a “job-oriented Elf.”

    The plot for The Santa Clauses is set an unspecified time after the events of the 2006 film The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, in which Jack Frost (Martin Short) attempted to become Santa Claus himself. The series picks up with Scott Calvin approaching his 65th birthday. Scott realizes he cannot be Santa forever as his magic suddenly starts to disappear, so he begins a quest to find a proper replacement and get his family ready for a life outside of the North Pole.

    No official release date has been given yet, but the Disney original series will be streaming soon on Disney+.

    Source: Disney Parks

  • ‘Rise’ Director Wanted to Direct a Film About Giannis Antetokounmpo Since His NBA Draft

    ‘Rise’ Director Wanted to Direct a Film About Giannis Antetokounmpo Since His NBA Draft

    Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s journey is a complex one. While he grew up in Greece, he has Nigerian roots through his parents that lived as undocumented immigrants in the country. So, finding a fitting director to tell that story must’ve been a long one and luckily they found a fitting choice in Nigerian director Akin Omotoso. During the official press conference, he revealed that he’s been hoping to tell this story ever since Antetokounmpo was drafted in the NBA.

    In 2013, when Giannis was drafted, every year I’ll look at the draft and I’ll pick out who the African players are drafted. And when Giannis was drafted, I remember reading, you know, reading up a story and I was like, “If ever I was to make a film about basketball and life, it’ll be this gentleman’s story.

    Akin Omotoso

    He also went on to highlight that they found out about the project through a magazine, which led to him instantly inquiring his agent to give him a chance to just be in the room to talk bout potentially directing the film.

    And by chance, like Dayo, you know, I picked up a magazine. And in the magazine, it said Disney was making a movie about their life. And I said to my agent, whatever you do, you got to get me in that room so that I tell Disney how I would make this film.

    Akin Omotoso

    He also highlighted that he kept that magazine by his bed until he would at least find out if someone else got the chance to direct the film. It seems that it was his way of showcasing his dedication to making his six-year dream true before fate would finally lead to him making it a reality. In a way, it’s fitting given the message of the film is about people being inspired to chase their dream.

  • Theory Thursday: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Will Lead to an Incursion

    Theory Thursday: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Will Lead to an Incursion

    Episode 3 of Ms. Marvel, entitled “Destined”, made it clear that Kamala Khan will be involved in much more than street-level threats. The young hero clearly has connections to universe and multiverse-spanning abilities and those seem related heavily to her family history. In essence, Ms. Marvel may be opening a very large door into the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe storyline. In particular, Episode 3 gave hints that the events of the series could lead to an incursion and tie into a future Secret Wars adaptation. 

    Ms. Marvel’s third episode opened with quite the bombardment of new, cosmic-level information and stakes. Najma, Kamran’s mother, reveals to Kamala that the Clandestines are Djinn from a place they refer to as the Noor Dimension. She also tells Kamala that Kamala’s great-grandmother Aisha was also Djinn and that the group was exiled from the Noor Dimension and was trying to use Kamala’s bangle as a way to get back. While Najma is clearly an antagonist and some of the details should not be taken at full face value, the lingering implication is that Kamala has the power to create the means for inter-dimensional travel. 

    Ms. Marvel #16 (2015)

    The last time we got to explore multiple realities was in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. There, we first learn that incursions are happening to some extent throughout the multiverse. Incursions are essentially the colliding of two realities that—as described by Earth-838’s Reed Richards—ultimately lead to the destruction of one or both. We do not know much about incursions, other than that a multiverse-traveling sorcerer can cause one by leaving too much of a footprint in another universe. In Ms. Marvel, the Clandestines are implying that inter-dimensional travel could be at play, which may implicate some of the forces behind incursions.

    Still, Kamala’s abilities are mysterious. When she confides in Bruno about the Clandestines and her plan, his research (based on scholarship by Thor’s Dr. Eric Selvig) leads him to believe that she would essentially need the power equivalent to that of the sun to actually make it happen. In other words, he warns her that “if you help them go home, some things might go boom.” The foreshadowing of destruction certainly brings to mind the idea of the demolition of a dimension or universe. To be fair, the MCU has not been overly clear as to the distinction, if any, between other “dimensions” and “universes”, but the same logic might apply. 

    Ms. Marvel #19 (2015)

    By the end of the series, the inter-dimensional and/or multiversal implications of Ms. Marvel could very well lead to this sort of “boom” Bruno warned Kamala about, and there is plenty of reason to think that the fallout could be an incursion. In the comics, the Secret Wars (2015) storyline was a major influence on Kamala’s story early on. She actually first meets Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel in the lead-up to the final incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-1610. Considering an adaptation of Secret Wars has been hinted at in the MCU for quite some time, incursion-related consequences stemming from Ms. Marvel could easily go on to influence The Marvels and an eventual Secret Wars. 

    There are still numerous mysteries to be explored in Ms. Marvel, and Kamala’s family history and connection to the bangle are sure to be big reveals. Considering that Kevin Feige recently promised fans that the direction of the MCU in Phase Four and beyond will soon become clear, Ms. Marvel may very well be laying more groundwork for a Secret Wars event in a direct way, coming right off of Multiverse of Madness. Whether she directly or indirectly causes an incursion herself is yet to be seen, but her presence in the universe is definitely cosmic. 

    The first three episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney+.

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 3’s ‘Shang-Chi’ Easter Egg Opens a New MCU Mystery

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 3’s ‘Shang-Chi’ Easter Egg Opens a New MCU Mystery

    Episode 3 of Ms. Marvel, “Destined”, provided an interesting backstory for the bangle that has been at the center of all of Kamala’s adventures thus far. In the opening scene of the episode, a flashback to the early 1940s shows how the Clandestine, specifically Kamala’s great-grandmother, Aisha, came to be in possession of the bangle. It’s a very informative scene filled with details, including one that ties Ms. Marvel to Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings.

    At around the 3:09 mark of the episode, as the Clandestine are discovered at the underground vault by British soldiers, an overhead shot established that this vault seemingly belonged to Wenwu’s Ten Rings as the organization’s symbol is clearly seen carved into the ground.

    As established in Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, Wenwu existed roughly one thousand years before the MCU’s present-day and conquered most of Asia, so there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t have made his way to India during that time. Whether or not the blue alien in possession of the bangle came to the vault before or after it was abandoned by the Ten Rings and what else he may have had with him is relevant both to Ms. Marvel and Shang-Chi.

    The story of how exactly Wenwu came into possession of the Ten Rings is left intentionally vague, seemingly meant to set up the uncertainty of who or what is being hailed by the rings in the mid-credit scene to Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings. Could Kamala’s bangle be tied to Shang-Chi’s ten rings? Could this be the “tomb” where Wenwu originally found them? Both artifacts certainly seem alien in nature and grant their users extraordinary power.

    Unfortunately, for now, it seems like fans are left with more questions than answers. The logo could be nothing more than an Easter egg that fits so well given the long lives of both Wenwu and the Clandestine. However, it’s equally possible that its presence in Ms. Marvel hints at a larger mystery that might bring Kamala into Shang-Chi’s world before too long.

  • REVIEW: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Part 6

    REVIEW: ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Part 6

    I won’t lie that my feelings about Obi-Wan Kenobi were a bit mixed throughout my viewing experience. There are strong personal moments sprinkled throughout and Ewan McGregor once again showcases why he was the perfect choice for this role. There were interesting plot threads and while it did seem to drag out at times, the story cohesion and personal touches made it feel just that, personal. Yet, some gripes still gathered throughout especially when it came to the action and some sequence staging. Even with all that, I can’t deny that the final episode hit me emotionally in all the right ways.

    I am not going to call this a perfect finale, as the limited series still had to do some jumping to keep its plot threads together. The Vader conflict wasn’t really directly tied to what would be the final sequences, as Obi-Wan had to rush home due to Reva going on a rampage while chasing down a young Luke Skywalker. While many will try to point to canon issues this sequences causes, Luke never sees Reva’s face or even her lightsaber. So, he just fled from whatever he thought might be chasing him due to what Beru and Owen were warning him about.

    Still, that’s jumping the gun on this episode’s true strength; it’s an emotional rollercoaster throughout in all the best ways. A lot of the emotional core depends on the previous episodes as well as your own investment into the Prequel Trilogy. May it be the showdown between Obi-Wan and Vader with its strong emotional climax; or just the tender greetings with a young Luke Skywalker. The series is definitely focused on Kenobi and many of the characters surrounding him reflect that very tale.

    There still is a conflict if that many pieces are truly moved from the Prequels going into the Originals, yet it’s less about story development but character exploration. Owen’s powerful line as he says that Luke is his son while fighting off Reva was definitely a moment the character truly deserved. After his harsh criticism earlier on, it gave him a nuance and highlighted the journey we never got to see in the originals. It adds context and seeing him fight Reva alongside Beru to protect the kid highlighted that very thing.

    Yet, even Reva’s arc comes to an emotional arc. Her vengeance had pit her on a path of no true return, if it weren’t for that last bit of humanity catching up with her. She’s definitely highlighted as fighting as much as she could to stay alive, and she knows Luke’s connection to Vader, but she lost herself in the rage thinking if she can’t take the man himself, she’d do it to his legacy. Even if he may never truly find out given that it was a secret kept from him. The flashes to her simply becoming the same as the man she vowed to kill reflects her arc in this story. Even if it was a bumpy one, Moses Ingram gives one hell of a performance in this episode.

    It’s an emotional climax that might be among the better final episodes of a Disney show. Yet, the road to it simply was one of its bumpiest as well. At least this time around, the action is quite a bit more focused and the camera stops shaking. We get Kenobi’s iconic pose and see him regain his strength with some spectacular visuals of the Jedi Master showcasing what he is truly capable of. Him actually forcing Vader to his knees was a rather surprising direction but echoed the flashback that we watched in a previous episode. Vader’s rage is what defines him and it’s also the obsession that becomes his downfall.

    Finally, we got a good look at Hayden Christensen behind the mask, and he really gave it his all. The way his voice overlaps with that of James Earl Jones added a unique showcase of how these two sides of the same coin meld together. The way he takes away Obi-Wan’s grief and points to his actions being his own were powerful to say the least. His obsession then continuing even beyond the mercy shown by his master once more, only to continue his hunt with a fitting cameo by Palpatine trying to discourage him and keep his focus on the Empire’s growth.

    Leia also gets a small farewell, as we see her put on a rather similar outfit that combines elements from her future look and even some Padme in there. Didn’t expect an origin for her blaster, but it was a nice touch and rounded out her design. Kenobi coming to visit to bring her back the droid was a nice little touch, as it also shows that the Jedi Master has finally broken free from his old life. Though the ending especially seems to hint at him going on a journey, which muddles the concept of this series being a limited series even more.

    Also, the cameo finally happened. After all the theories after the first mention of Qui-Gon Jinn and Liam Neeson pretending he’d never do it, there he is just waiting around for his former Padawan to figure things out on his own. There does seem to be an open aspect to this ending that may lead into another story, and we don’t quite see what the future has in store for Reva. At first I assumed she succumbed to her wounds, but Kenobi helps her up; ironically highlighting how he did for her what he couldn’t for Anakin.

    Overall, Obi-Wan Kenobi definitely ended on a high note. perhaps one strongly dependent on your nostalgia, but a high note nonetheless. while I do wish aspects of the show were tweaked a bit and the action wasn’t as jumbled as it was, it definitely was a series I am glad I got to witness. The cast carry the show and its emotional storyline that is more a love letter to those that grew up with the original series, while also giving some characters a bit more character development they otherwise only had in our memories.

  • REVIEW: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 3—”Destined”

    REVIEW: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 3—”Destined”

    Ms. Marvel’s third episode, “Destined”, does a remarkable job at maintaining the heart and integrity of the series while also bringing it to new heights in an exciting way. The episode hit the ground running straight off of Episode 2’s cliffhanger in Kamran and his mother’s car. There is a very welcome shift in pace throughout the beginning of the episode, which also takes the series in a very bold new direction. While the bangle remains mysterious, Kamran’s mom, Najma’s, explanation of its history to Kamala suggests that Najma (along with her family) and Kamala’s mysterious great-grandmother Aisha are Clandestines, or Djinn, from another dimension. While their narrative should be taken with a grain of salt at this point, they seek Kamala’s power to get them back to their home Noor dimension from which they had been exiled. The very end of the episode suggests there is more to the story of Aisha’s disappearance still, as Najma shows both Kamala and her grandmother Sana a vision of a train marked “Karachi”, which seems to be a callback to Sana’s family’s escape from India and Aisha’s disappearance. 

    The rest of the third episode once more brought the Kamala Khan charm to the screen. Particularly in the wedding scene, the episode proves that Ms. Marvel is one of the most colorful Marvel Studio’s projects in existence and is filled to the brim with personality. The teenage drama involved in Kamala’s story is amplified here, as she struggles to maintain trust, confidence, and honesty with and from her friends and family. Bruno begins to hesitate about Kamala’s plans with the bangle and tells her he is headed to CalTech, which complicates their adorably awkward crush-type relationship. Nakia angrily discovers that Kamala is actually the masked person who has caused problems for the community, and Kamala’s relationship with her family is further strained by her inability to tell them what she is going through. 

    The episode spends much time celebrating and dissecting the concept of family. This theme was introduced, foreshadowed, and explored in the first two episodes, but Episode 3 featured multiple scenes back to back that explicitly state the importance of family through dialogue. Kamala’s relationship with the Clandestines is yet another layer to that discussion—assuming they are to some extent her family, what is her duty to them? How can Kamala honor her lineage or heritage while not betraying her closer family and community?

    While we have still yet to see Kamala go into full superhero mode, the episode’s first major action scene set to Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On a Prayer” was a strong start for the series in that regard. This episode also solidified the villains of Ms. Marvel even if there was no surprise to it. The tease of the mask Bruno made Kamala tees up her eventual triumphant debut as her own bona fide superhero, but that moment still seems potentially distant on the horizon.

    Overall, Episode 3 of Ms. Marvel dramatically raises the stakes and implications for both Kamala and the series. While the more “classic” elements of the series are still going strong—teenage awkwardness, crushes, family responsibilities, and self-discovery—there is now an additional element of inter-dimensional or multiversal travel and Kamala’s direct connection to it. The fact that there is a missing bangle is a mystery that foreshadows its inclusion down the line. Sana’s request that Kamala and her mother come to Karachi is clearly setting up an adaptation of the Ms. Marvel comics “Mecca” arc, but it also is the prime (or closer to it) location for exposing the truth about Kamala’s family history, the significance of the bangles, and Kamala’s powers.

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’s ‘Assembled’ Episode to Release in July on Disney+

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’s ‘Assembled’ Episode to Release in July on Disney+

    We’re only a few more hours away from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness finding its way to Disney+. While the film will still be available in theaters, it does seem like people will be given Marvel’s first true trip into horror another shot from the safety of their home. Well, it seems that fans will get a little extra, as on July 1st we’ll also get the Assembled entry from the latest Marvel Studios film.

    Disney Plus Informer has shared the release date, which will follow a week right after its Disney+ premiere. The timing is also perfect to build up some momentum for the release of Thor: Love and Thunder which is also set to fire up the box office. The entry will be titled Assembled: The Making of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

    Sadly, it seems the future episodes will remain as individual episodes rather than summarized under the Assembled banner. It does continue to imply that they simply draw in more viewers individually rather than as a continuing series. Who knows they might get combined in the future, but it’s great that they are continuing the tradition of adding new entries once a film is added to the streaming service.

    Source: Disney Plus Informer

  • Disney+’s ‘Percy Jackson’ Series Expands Cast by 3

    Disney+’s ‘Percy Jackson’ Series Expands Cast by 3

    According to Deadline, Dior Goodjohn and Charlie Bushnell have joined the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians in recurring roles, while Olivea Morton is set to guest star. They join series lead Walker Scobell in the small screen adaptation of the beloved book series. Also starring alongside Scobell in the series are Aryan Simhadri and Leah Sava Jeffries, as well as recently announced cast members Virginia Kull, Glynn Turman, Jason Mantzoukas, Megan Mullally, and Timm Sharp.

    Goodjohn, best known for her role as Robyn Rook in the Head of the Class reboot on HBO Max, will be portraying Clarisse La Rue, the child Ares. She is a determined and aggressive fighter and is feared as a bully at Camp Half-Blood. Bushnell, who appeared as Bobby Cañero-Reed in Diary of a Future President on Disney+, will play Luke Castellan. The character is the son of Hermes and a head counselor at Camp Half-Blood, as well as an expert swordsman and all-around cool guy.

    Morton, who has appeared in the short film And Yet They Speak, will play Nancy Bobofit, a sixth-grade classmate of Percy Jackson. Portrayed as a bit of a kleptomaniac in the first book of the Percy Jackson series, Nancy enjoys picking on Percy, but ends up the first victim of Percy’s demigod powers.

    Production on the live-action series is underway with the author of the original Percy Jackon book series Rick Riordan serving as the writer of the pilot, alongside Jon Steinberg. James Bobin of The Muppets and Dora and the Lost City of Gold fame is directing the series for Disney+, which currently is without a release date.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 3 Primer

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 3 Primer

    Episode 2 of Ms. Marvel, “Crushed”, was a very exciting episode. As Kamala comes to understand what her new powers can do, she learns from Bruno that her powers don’t come from the bangle, but that the bangle just triggers something already inside of her. Just as all that starts to come together, Kamala runs into the new kid at school named Kamran. Kamala starts crushing on Kamran immediately, making Bruno more than a little jealous.

    The episode also makes good on the post-credit scene from the first episode that showed the Department of Damage Control taking an interest in Kamala. When Kamala saves a little boy, showcasing her superpowers once again, she not only gets the DODC’s attention again but also has a vision of a lady holding her hand out to her. At the very end of the episode, when Kamran helps Kamala escape the DODC, it’s revealed that this mysterious lady is actually Kamran’s mom.

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    Why she was having visions about Kamran’s mom? Well, we don’t know but if I had to guess I think it might be because it is actually also Kamala’s great-grandmother, whose life story was at the center of much of Episode 2. It would be weird if she was just having visions about a random lady, but it would make sense that she would have visions about her if she had the bracelet before, too. In this next episode, I believe that her great-grandmother will explain everything to Kamala. She will help her understand her powers a little bit more and why she has been in her visions.

    The next episode of Ms. Marvel will stream tomorrow!

  • ‘Hawkeye’s Fra Fee Teases Kazi’s Return

    ‘Hawkeye’s Fra Fee Teases Kazi’s Return

    Hawkeye was one of Marvel Studios’ more grounded storylines, as Jeremy Renner‘s Clint Barton had to take on a couple of mafia goons in tracksuits alongside their leader Echo. Though, we’re also introduced to Kazi, a very different take from the comics clown portrayed by Fra Fee. At the end of the series, it seemed like the character made his untimely doom at the hands of his former boss, but Fee believes that there’s still a future for the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    In an interview with Attitude Magazine, the actor got a chance to talk about his upcoming role in Zack Snyder‘s Rebel Moon and used the opportunity to tease his potential return to the MCU. While he doesn’t confirm anything, he says he doesn’t “really know just yet” but highlights that “no one’s ever dead in Marvel” after the events of Hawkeye.

    Erm, the truth is, I don’t really know just yet. But I very much hope that Kazi can make an appearance. I wouldn’t put money on the fact he met an untimely end at the end of Hawkeye. No one’s ever dead in Marvel. I would be very hopeful and I’d certainly be thrilled to revisit the character and the world — I had such a good time

    Fra Fee

    He has confirmed in the past he knows about the character’s story and wasn’t going to tease if we may still get the Clown at some point. Many fans of the original run were a bit underwhelmed when he was nothing more than a member of the Tracksuit Mafia, but with an Echo spinoff show on the horizon, they could still take it in a direction that he makes his return as a changed man. For now, it’s just fun to speculate but who knows where the MCU is heading.

    Source: Attitude Magazine