Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Disney Plus

  • ‘I Am Groot’ Won’t Be a Weekly Release

    ‘I Am Groot’ Won’t Be a Weekly Release

    So far, Disney+ has been focusing on a weekly release model unlike its streaming giant counterpart, Netflix. All Marvel Studios series were released on a weekly basis and it looks like they will break that tradition with the upcoming short collection of I Am Groot. It’s following the same structure as other shorts that have was released in the past on the Disney+ service, such as Olaf Presents or Scrat Tales.

    The Guardians of the Galaxy spinoff, I Am Groot, will consist of five shorts but there are no exact details on how long each individual episode will be, but as they are titled “shorts” we shouldn’t expect an overarching storyline or long episodes. Also, this isn’t a new thing for the service and isn’t a sign that they are changing the model, as it’s rather common for the service in how they tackle their shorts.

    It would be a tall order to tell people to wait weekly for shorts that might not even break the two-minute mark. While it would be great to see them play around with some series being made available to binge, it doesn’t seem like this is their plan for any other series outside of the various shorts that they’ve offered with Pixar, Disney Animation, and now Marvel.

    Source: The Direct

  • Disney+’s ‘I Am Groot’ Shorts May Not be MCU Canon

    Disney+’s ‘I Am Groot’ Shorts May Not be MCU Canon

    Here’s a surprise, while it seemed like most of the upcoming projects from Marvel Studios would remain as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they may be twisting that moving forward. X-Men ’97 already hinted at something as part of a different universe, but it seems the I Am Groot shorts might be their own thing as well according to producer James Gunn. While discussing the newly announced release window for the series, the Guardians of the GAlaxy director revealed that they aren’t necessarily part of the “Guardians saga” and went on to further elaborate:

    It doesn’t really denounce that these shorts aren’t something that takes place within the larger MCU, but rather that it very likely doesn’t matter to themselves. In a way, it just exists in its own little pocket especially as it explores a time when Groot was during the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. It wouldn’t be too surprised if it just exists as its own story that just happens to use elements from the original franchise that it technically takes place in it but still explores its own story without needing to connect.

    It wouldn’t be too surprising, however, to see how Marvel Studios starts growing beyond its mainline franchise. They have introduced a multiverse of opportunities and it wouldn’t be too surprising that they start to explore standalone stories within the MCU that aren’t dependent on being part of its main storyline. Plus, these shorts have generally been more independent storylines that focused on telling some cute and funny jokes rather than be an ongoing storyline, as we’ve seen with Olaf quite a bit on his Disney+ journey.

    Source: Twitter

  • Ms. Marvel’s New Powers in the Disney+ Show Aren’t Due to Mr. Fantastic

    Ms. Marvel’s New Powers in the Disney+ Show Aren’t Due to Mr. Fantastic

    If you’ve been wondering if the changes done to Disney+’s version of Ms. Marvel are due to the upcoming Fantastic Four film, this may outweigh that fear. When we first heard rumors of her getting a new power set, there were quite a few concerns that the changes might be a bit too drastic and take away from the character.

    Her Embiggening powers were theorized to be too close to that of Mr. Fantastic. Still, according to writer and producer Sana Amanat, who is also the character’s co-creator, that wasn’t the case. In an interview with The Direct, she talked about what was the true decision on changing her powers that are not of fantastical origin.

    Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t think so. I mean, from my understanding, it was kind of linked to the type of story that we wanted to tell with Kamala, and not only linkage to other MCU events, but also to the sense of history that she has and the relationship to her family, linking the powers to her family’s past. I think that was really the bigger idea.

    Sana Amanat

    So, if you’ve wondered if that was the reason, it seems that her connection to Captain Marvel, especially with her upcoming appearance in The Marvels, is very likely the main cause for this connection. The new powers are also still paying tribute to the originals with some added benefits. We’ll see how it may evolve in the future and who knows if an Inhuman connection is still set up potentially with future episodes. For now, it remains speculation.

    Source: The Direct

  • Ugly Sonic Replaced Jar Jar Binks in ‘Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers’

    Ugly Sonic Replaced Jar Jar Binks in ‘Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers’

    It’s always interesting to get a look behind the scenes at how and what may have changed throughout production. The Disney+ Original Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers is filled to the brim with Easter eggs and familiar characters, but it looks like the infamous Ugly Sonic, the original design for Sonic the Hedgehog, cameo almost was carried by another icon that faced similar ridicule back in his day, Star Wars Episode 1: Phantom Menace‘s Jar Jar Binks.

    Storyboard artist Simeon Wilkins took to his personal Instagram account and shared a look at some sequences from the film. In it, he also included the Fan Expo chase sequence but with the original plans of having Jar Jar Binks appear. Sadly, he doesn’t mention what led to him getting replaced with Ugly Sonic, but it’s likely due to them getting the chance to include him as he’s a character owned by Paramount appearing in a Disney film.

    It must’ve been a blast storyboarding this film and pitching ideas on who may appear in what capacity. Who knows how many other characters had to get switched out throughout production due to rights discussions and generally what best fit the story. The film is one of those rare meta films that manages to connect with audiences.

    In a way, it even gave Ugly Sonic his own fanbase after being ridiculed out of a film. It would’ve been nice to see Jar Jar get a bit more positive feedback as Ugly Sonic did but who knows if they might tackle a sequel where he gets his chance to shine.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘Hawkeye’s Initial Tone Was Darker to Focused on Clint Barton’s “Despair”

    ‘Hawkeye’s Initial Tone Was Darker to Focused on Clint Barton’s “Despair”

    Here’s a rather dark and curious revelation but it seems that Hawkeye was initially going to be a much darker show. Christoph Beck and Michael Paraskevas, who composed the Disney+ series, got a chance to sit down and talk about their work on the series. Beck highlighted how he went from WandaVision to tackle Hawkeye, especially how he was excited when Marvel reached out to him to return.

    Well, [I did] WandaVision, the first series out of the gate for Marvel. And of course, Michael was involved as an additional composer. As we wrapped that one, Marvel reached out and told me about this one and that they wanted me involved. I have a very long relationship with Marvel so it was an easy “yes.”

    Christoph Beck

    It was him that brought Paraskevas onboard as he was already in a supporting role in the past, but it was the perfect timing to add him as a partner “after five years.”

    I knew very little about [it] and I actually thought it would be a film noir type of vibe and that this would be reflected in the score. As time went on, it turned out to be a buddy Christmas comedy! And this also felt like the perfect project to finally bring on Michael as a full collaborator, as a partner, after five years. I pitched that to Marvel, and they were very enthusiastic.

    Christoph Beck

    The biggest reveal is that Hawkeye has seemingly gone through quite a few changes, as it seemingly was going to be much darker. While Beck doesn’t give away any details, it does seem that the story was going to focus on Clint Barton’s despair on what happened before evolving into a more joyful “Christmas in New York” story.

    There was a bit of an evolution for what the sound of the score was going to be. At first, it was going to be a darker tone, focused on Hawkeye, his despair around the events of the Avengers, and the dark things he went through in his past. But the show, the story, and therefore the score evolved into something much more playful, especially between Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld. And the idea that this would be a ‘Christmas in New York’ sort of thing, we took.

    Chrisoph Beck

    Beck also confirmed that they would use any chance they could to include some Christmas in their music, especially to make the “superhero type of score” have something special to make it stand out more.

    Whenever there was an opportunity to sprinkle in Christmas magic, we did. Not just the big set pieces we mentioned, but also incorporating classic Christmas textures into what was a more traditional Marvel superhero type of score.

    Christoph Beck

    While it would’ve been interesting to see a darker take on Barton fighting his grief, there is something special with taking the iconic comic that was more light-hearted and adding some Christmas cheer to it. It made the story stand out in a special way and also offered something unique over the Holidays for those hoping to get their Marvel fix.

    Source: BTL News

  • Indira Varma Reveals Her ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Character Was Originally a Love Interest 

    Indira Varma Reveals Her ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Character Was Originally a Love Interest 

    One of the great mysteries surrounding Obi-Wan Kenobi before its release was the identity of Indira Varma’s character. When she was first announced as part of the cast, theories began to run rampant. Many guessed she might be playing Kenobi’s long-lost love, Duchess Satine Kryze, in potential flashbacks, while others wondered if she might be a hidden Jedi. The first trailers for the series eventually revealed Varma to be playing an Imperial Officer, and the latest episode unveiled that she was actually a double agent working against the Empire from the inside.

    An original creation, Tala helps smuggle refugees to safety alongside Kumail Nanjiani’s Haja Estree. However, it seems fans weren’t actually that far off when they assumed Varma would be playing some sort of love interest on the show. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the former Game of Thrones star explained her character went through a few iterations in the script and was originally meant to be Obi-Wan’s romantic interest:

    There had already been different incarnations of the script and the story line. And I think, originally, she was going to be a love interest.

    Indira Varma

    Varma went on to describe why the creatives behind Kenobi ultimately decided against the idea:

    They felt that it was maybe a bit clichéd where always the woman turns up and they fall in love or whatever. And it’s more interesting that this is a woman with agency who is not just going to fall at the feet of Obi-Wan.

    Indira Varma

    So far, not much is known about Tala or her motives. She was able to survive the events of the most recent episodic installment, so hopefully, fans get to learn more in the coming weeks.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige is Open to Create a Real AvengersCon

    Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige is Open to Create a Real AvengersCon

    After two years of being canceled, forced online, or reduced, fan conventions are back. Disney just held the first in-person Star Wars Celebration since 2019 and dominated the news cycle for four consecutive days. They’re expected to attend SDCC this July and will host their own line-wide con in September with D23. But with Marvel Studios producing up to 4 live-action films, 4 live-action series and a couple animated series per year, could it be time for a Marvel-centric convention?

    That very question was posed to Marvel Studios One-Above-All, Kevin Feige, during the global Ms. Marvel press conference. Central to the plot of the first episode of Ms. Marvel is the fictional First Annual AvengersCon. Kamala and Bruno attend a celebration of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes that is complete with all the convention norms, including a cosplay competition that has been highlighted in much of the marketing for the series. Could Ms. Marvel inspire Marvel Studios to hold a real life AvengersCon?

    We were definitely talking about that on the set. We shot that right in the middle of COVID protocols. So, there hasn’t been a convention in a very long time and it was very cathartic for all of us to see that. We were shooting Spider-Man: No Way Home on the stage right next door, believe it or not. And a lot of that crew kept sneaking over to see and attend AvengerCon, walking around. I think that would be fun to do some time.

    Kevin Feige

    If it’s something that Feige can get behind, then it’s something that could happen. It wouldn’t take much to give it a try during this year’s D23. Simply allowing Marvel Studios to hold its own panel called “AvengersCon” could be a nice dry run. Even though Star Wars has a 3-decade head start on Marvel Studios, any information on upcoming Marvel Studios projects generates an insane amount of buzz (see Investor Day 2020). Disney would be wise to take advantage of eventually carving out an entire 4-day chunk of time during which the future of Marvel Studios would be the only news in town as opposed to sharing the news cycle with other big-time properties. It would be a fascinating case of “life imitates art.”

    Ms. Marvel debuts on Disney Plus on June 8th.

  • Kevin Feige Shares Why ‘Ms. Marvel’ Became a Disney+ Show

    Kevin Feige Shares Why ‘Ms. Marvel’ Became a Disney+ Show

    Disney+ has become a way for Marvel Studios to further explore different stories that they may otherwise not have had the chance to do so. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is expanding in interesting ways with new characters getting introduced to further expand the potential stories to tell on the small and big screen. Yet, we never fully know when and who gets the cinematic or streaming treatment.

    In the series’ official press event, Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige talks about why they generally decided to tackle Kamala Khan and how they’ve been asked to bring her to live-action ever since the initial comic was released.

    Why not I say! I mean, honestly, at Marvel, it is such a privileged, because not only are there reinterpretations every few years of existing wonderful characters. Every once in a while, almost every decade or so, there’s a new character that comes around that catches the audience’s imagination. This character clearly did that and as I said to some people on the red carpet last night: Almost form the first few issues, people started asking us in environments like this when is Kamala Khan coming.

    Kevin Feige

    He goes on to highlight that it was part of their plans to introduce her through Disney+ and set up an appearance in a feature film, which we now know is The Marvels. Not just that, but Feige also revealed what his true goal is with these series and introducing new characters to the franchise.

    So, t always seemed inevitable in a great way that we would be able to do it. When Disney+ came around, it really us the opportunity to do what we really wanted to do and tell her full story in six episodes and have her transition into a feature. [..] I am so proud of bringing new characters to the screen and not just telling reinterpretations of characters that people have seen for decades and decades. And I think that’s important. I want people who never even considered a Marvel Studios feature before to be excited and watch this show.

    Kevin Feige

    Of course, he also jokingly adds for them to watch the others, which isn’t uncommon. There are people that find themselves introduced into the franchise through a specific new series, and that becomes their gateway to explore the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We learned back in May that an Egyptian director Mohamed Diab stated that his home country saw Moon Knight as their Black Panther, which highlights what Marvel Studios is currently accomplishing with these projects.

  • Marvel Studios Kevin Feige Almost Went to DC After Ike Perlmutter Dispute

    Marvel Studios Kevin Feige Almost Went to DC After Ike Perlmutter Dispute

    Here’s an interesting surprise it looks like the conflict between Kevin Feige, the CEO of Marvel Studios, and Ike Perlmutter, the CEO and Chairman of Marvel, almost led to the MCU producer joining Warner Bros.’ DC department. In a new piece by Puck, they reveal he entered discussions around the mid-2010 as he was facing some issues with Perlmutter, which were quite famously documented. This may have also led to a promotion in 2015 to work with Alan Horn. He would eventually become Marvel Entertainment’s Chief Creative Officer as well while supervising Marvel Studios.

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe definitely wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for Feige’s leading hand, and he’s quite a passionate person about telling these stories. Disney may have faced quite the challenge if he decided to leave, as there aren’t many in the industry that could’ve taken over the vision that was set out. He’s famous for planning in advance where their franchise is heading, and his imprint is definitely on these projects.

    Of course, it’s always strange to think about what could’ve been, and DC may have been very different if he did indeed take over the project. There have been many reports on Ike Perlmutter‘s infamous frugality that has led to many issues. He also established the creative council that led the original projects and strongly restricted what Feige could do, especially when it came to embracing more diverse characters. If you’ve ever wondered why it took so long for a Black Widow film to get going, he’s the one that wouldn’t even let them release toys based on the character.

    Source: Puck via The Direct

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’s Directors Reveal the Inner Thought Animations Weren’t Part of the Initial Scripts

    ‘Ms. Marvel’s Directors Reveal the Inner Thought Animations Weren’t Part of the Initial Scripts

    There was a lot of excitement when the first trailer dropped for Ms. Marvel, as it seemingly promised what may be Disney+’s most inventive series by Marvel Studios yet. With a fun atmosphere of a young heroine trying to find her place in the world and as a superhero, we also got some creative visualizations that bring her inner thoughts to life. It turns out, this wasn’t part of the initial script.

    Directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah revealed how they had the idea during the Disney+ show’s red carpet premiere. They added the animation as they had the idea to use it as a way to highlight the character’s inner thoughts and further emphasize that she’s a daydreamer.

    We needed to set her up right. That’s why we wanted to add animation to it. It was not in the script, we wanted to get into her head, into her fantasy. We wanted to have an endearing and charming character. And have someone that Muslim girls all over the world can relate to, but also tell that universal story everybondy can feel a connection with.

    Adil El Arbi

    They definitely stood out in the initial trailer and highlight the influences it takes from films like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. It would be interesting if they also make their way into future appearances for the character, something that someone like Deadpool might notice and reference. We know she’ll also appear in next year’s The Marvels, which could further build upon her inner thoughts as she’s among the Avengers she’s been idolizing for so long.

    Source: Twitter