Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Disney Plus

  • The Many Personalities of ‘Moon Knight’

    The Many Personalities of ‘Moon Knight’

    Marvel Studios’ first 2022 project is set to introduce the titular Moon Knight to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even though its trailer quickly became the most-liked Disney+ series trailer on YouTube soon after its release, the character isn’t exactly a household name. Moon Knight is a caped vigilante; he was seemingly revived by the Egyptian moon god Khonshu, often dresses in all-white so that bad guys see him coming, and he may very likely be the MCU’s most violent and brutal character to date. But those aren’t exactly his most interesting traits.

    Marc Spector, Moon Knight’s human persona, has dissociative identity disorder (DID), which is a mental health condition characterized by the existence of two or more personality identities in the same person. DID used to be known as multiple personality disorder, and in the past, the character’s own comics incorrectly referred to Spector’s disorder as schizophrenia. Because the portrayal of any mental illness can be fumbled, the makers of Moon Knight have indicated that they plan to take the character’s DID seriously and portray it as accurately as possible. 

    With that in mind, Marc Spector in the comics now generally has five core personalities, or alters, in the comics, some much more recent than others–though even more manifested at different points in time. Not every one of the primary five have been referenced ahead of Moon Knight, but you can check them out below:

    Marc Spector

    Moon Knight

    Marc Spector is the son of a rabbi, and a former Marine and CIA operative who became a mercenary. Spector was killed during a mission in Sudan, but was seemingly resurrected underneath the statue of the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Spector’s belief that he is Khonshu’s avatar on Earth, or the “Fist of Khonshu,” leads to his Moon Knight persona. Spector is often the primary non-costumed personality nowadays, but there are times throughout the character’s history where the Spector alter is suppressed for long periods of time. So far, the Moon Knight trailers and promotions have only given us a tiny sliver of Marc Spector.

    Steven Grant

    Moon Knight

    Steven Grant is a wealthy, charismatic, connected businessman who took Marc Spector’s mercenary earnings and turned them into millions. He uses these riches to fund Moon Knight’s costly vigilante pursuits, including the Mooncopter and plenty of gadgets. Later, Steven became a producer and even produced a Moon Knight movie. In the trailers for the Disney+ series, Oscar Isaac seems to almost exclusively be portraying the series’ version of Steven Grant. Instead of a playboy millionaire, this Grant is a mild-mannered British gift-shop employee who seems to have little to no awareness of his alters.

    Jake Lockley

    Shadowland: Moon Knight

    Completely absent from all trailers and marketing for Moon Knight is Jake Lockley, Spector’s third classic personality. Lockley is usually depicted as a sometimes-seedy, kind of rough, street-smart cab driver who uses his position to stay connected with ground-level informants and criminals. In that way, he acts as a kind of detective for Moon Knight. Lockley also serves as the connection between Moon Knight and several major supporting characters, such as Bertrand Crawley, Gena Landers, and her two sons. Whether Jake’s absence from Moon Knight promotions means that he will not be making an appearance or that he will be a later reveal is yet to be seen.

    Moon Knight

    Moon Knight

    Depending on which Moon Knight comic you happen to be reading, whether or not Moon Knight is actually a separate identity is pretty ambiguous. In some, like the first-ever issue of Moon Knight above, Marc, Steven, and Jake together form the identity of Moon Knight. But more recent runs have made it more explicit that Moon Knight is indeed his own alter, not just (for example) Marc in a cape. Appointed as Khonshu’s fist and high priest, Moon Knight enacts justice to protect those who travel at night. Throughout most of his history, Moon Knight was never actually superpowered, though there have been times where Khonshu imbued him with special abilities–such as superhuman strength, speed, and durability–that could vary with the lunar phases. 

    Mr. Knight

    Moon Knight

    The fifth primary alter of Marc Spector is his newest by far, first making his appearance in 2014. Maybe the most visually interesting Knight of the two, Mr. Knight always wears a crisp, all-white suit with a white shirt, white tie, and white shoes. He also wears white gloves and a white mask with the outline of a crescent moon on his forehead. If the Moon Knight posters are any indication, Isaac is about to don a very comic-accurate rendition of this personality. Mr. Knight is somewhat of a casual version of Moon Knight–he is often talking to his psychiatrist, assisting in police investigations, and talking to people in need. 

    Honorable Mentions

    Moon Knight

    For a brief time during the Brian Michael Bendis run, Marc and Moon Knight found themselves without Steven and Jake. Instead, Moon Knight developed three new alters: Wolverine, Spider-Man, and Captain America. While it is highly unlikely for many reasons that any of them will appear in Moon Knight, the Bendis run is still worth a shot.

    Moon Knight hits Disney Plus on March 30th.

  • James Gunn Teases Runtime of ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ 

    James Gunn Teases Runtime of ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ 

    This Christmas, Marvel Studios will debut its first-ever holiday special in the form of the aptly titled The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. The project will be new territory for the production company, which has previously stuck to making feature films, television shows, and short films called “One-Shots”. As such, many fans have found themselves in the dark on just how long the Holiday Special will be.

    Debates have been raging as to whether the final runtime will match a series episode or be closer to the aforementioned short films. Luckily, director James Gunn has opened up about the topic on Twitter, revealing the special will be about the same length as the traditional programs that have come before it.

    https://twitter.com/jamesgunn/status/1507537666656686085?s=21

    While he doesn’t give the exact runtime, Gunn’s comments about the Holiday Special being “TV Special length” would seem to confirm it being somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour-long. Old fashioned animated specials like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving have been at the half-hour range, while live-action projects like the Star Wars Holiday Special have clocked in at around an hour and a half. This means, at the very least, fans can expect the special to be longer than a One-Shot, and probably closer in length to an episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

    For anyone thinking ahead, this could also be a good indication of how long Michael Giacchino’s rumored Halloween Special will last upon its completion as well. It seems Marvel plans to make holiday-themed specials a recurring concept going forward, and Gunn’s wintery extravaganza will likely set the standard later this year.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Better Nate Than Ever’s Tim Federle on Directing an Adaptation of His Own Book

    ‘Better Nate Than Ever’s Tim Federle on Directing an Adaptation of His Own Book

    Tim Federle wrote the book Better Nate Than Ever back in 2013, but now got the chance to not only write the script for the Disney+ adaptation but even get to sit in the director’s chair. So, the director got a chance to share his enthusiasm for taking on this new role during the press junket, and especially how where he is now also strongly echoes the message of his film.

    It’s a dream come true. I mean, my background was as a theater kid from Pittsburgh, who dreamed of getting out of my hometown and dancing on Broadway. I never really dreamed of turning it into a movie, and I think the amazing thing about […] growing up is it never stops happening if you surround yourself with people who allow you to dream.

    Tim Federle

    Federle has been busy and is no stranger to working with Disney+, as he also was an executive producer and writer on the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, which has a third season on the horizon. He also co-wrote the Blue Sky Studios’ film Ferdinand back in 2017. So, the author has been quite busy, and with the chance to sit in the director’s chair and the potential success of Better Nate Than Ever, he hopefully gets a chance to also the sequel Five, Six, Seven Nate! life.

  • Latest Disney+ ‘Mickey Mouse’ Special Includes ‘Kingdom Hearts’ Reference

    Latest Disney+ ‘Mickey Mouse’ Special Includes ‘Kingdom Hearts’ Reference

    To this day, the fact that Disney and Square Enix worked together on a game that combined both worlds into one with Kingdom Hearts remains one of those things that seem like pipedreams. Somehow, we’ve got three main titles and countless spinoffs. And in a surprising twist, it seems that Disney is starting to include references to the project, as eagle-eyed fans have noticed that Mickey Mouse’s Kingdom Key D was included in a brief sequence in the new Disney+ special The Wonderful Spring of Mickey Mouse.

    The fact it appears while they are busy spring cleaning is a hilarious idea, as it seems that his time with the Keyblade was in the past. IThe brief tease also includes Yen Sid’s famous hat that he briefly borrowed, a character that also appeared in the Kingdom Hearts series. The inclusion is a great tease, as there have also been quite a few rumors that Disney+ was developing a series based on the franchise. We’ve sadly never heard much on it and it seemingly has vanished since.

    It would be fun to see Sora appear in one of these specials, as the art style would offer a very creative take on the character. Plus, it would just be surreal to actually see them interact outside of the games. Here’s hoping that the appearance is also a tease that we may get some hints on the project as we are currently in the franchise’s 20th anniversary.

    source: Disney+ via Twitter

  • James Gunn Confirms ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Will Release This Christmas

    James Gunn Confirms ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Will Release This Christmas

    When Disney+ and Marvel Studios teased their line-up for 2022, there were some interesting projects missing. We still never got an official announcement for the untitled Werewolf by Night project even though it has already started production. And, there was no mention of if The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which James Gunn is going to direct while working on the third entry of the franchise, would release later this year.

    Luckily, Gunn not only tased how “ridiculous” his take on a Holiday Special is going to be but also confirmed that we can definitely expect it to release this Christmas. His full quote is as follows:

    It’s totally ridiculous, and every day we can’t believe that we’re making it. We all completely love it. It is unlike anything that anyone’s ever seen before. I can’t wait for people to see it. And it’s out pretty soon. You know, it’s out this Christmas. It’s not like people have to wait that long.

    James Gunn

    He even calls the project the “greatest thing I’ve ever done” which sounds quite promising after his success with The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. It’ll be interesting to see how it might not only connect into the third entry but also just how crazy he was able to make the story. Seems like Marvel Studios gave him complete free control and it wouldn’t be too surprising to even see the MCU’s version of Santa Clause make an appearance at some point in the special.

    Source: RadioTimes

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer On Series’ Violence And Pushing the PG-13 Rating to its Limit

    ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer On Series’ Violence And Pushing the PG-13 Rating to its Limit

    Now only a week away, anticipation for Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight is at an all-time high. The series is expected to be a fairly unique installment of the MCU for several reasons. Notably, the series will take on mental illness with the titular character’s dissociate identity disorder, and Kevin Feige has suggested Moon Knight will be darker than the MCU at large.

    One particular aspect of the show that has been hinted at by Moon Knight’s creators has had fans on the edge of their seats for quite some time: violence. In some comic book iterations of the character, Moon Knight is abundantly brutal. Moon Knight head writer Jeremy Slater had some interesting things to say about the violence of the series at the red carpet premiere for Disney+’s MCU outing. Speaking to Variety, he stated:

    But I was like: ‘Let’s get as PG-13 as we possibly can, let’s give people some goosebumps, let’s have some violence in there that you may have never seen before in an MCU thing. And Marvel was so supportive of that. They were so cool about it.

    Jeremy Slater

    The fact that Moon Knight may have violence “never seen before in an MCU thing” is certainly an encouraging statement for those hoping the character refuses to pull punches. Still, the MCU has always been “PG-13”, and Slater also noted that the series is “appropriate for all ages“:

    I think it’s definitely appropriate for all ages, that was important to us. We didn’t wanna make something that was inaccessible to a big chunk of the MCU fan base. And we know that people watch these shows with their kids and with their families, and that’s important to people.

    Jeremy Slater

    It is a little confusing that Slater suggests that Moon Knight is appropriate for kids while also apparently bolstering violence that stands out in the MCU. It is not particularly surprising that Moon Knight would not be the first “R-rated” outing in the franchise, especially given the fact that Disney+ has only recently treaded into the water of trying to balance its family-friendly image while including some of its more mature properties on the streaming service.

    Fans can see just how violent Moon Knight is when the first episode premieres on March 30.

    Source: Variety via The Direct

  • ‘The Incredible Hulk’ Finds New Streaming Home on HBO Max Instead of Disney+

    ‘The Incredible Hulk’ Finds New Streaming Home on HBO Max Instead of Disney+

    Disney+ has become the home of all Marvel projects. While the Sony Spider-Man films are still noticeably absent, especially those that take place in the MCU, the service has recently been able to add the missing Netflix series. Yet, there is still one MCU-specific film that refuses to make its return home in the form of The Incredible Hulk.

    Decider has shared a list of projects heading to HBO and HBO Max in April. What stuck out is the Edward Norton-led film is included in the list. It’s uncertain if the film will finally make its move to join Disney+ anytime soon, as the production was originally distributed by Universal. They also seemingly owned the rights to the character for some time, but it’s unsure if Disney+ has actively been making deals behind the scenes to get the rights back to the film.

    For now, it seems that we’ll still have to wait to have the full MCU represented on the “Home of Marvel” according to the recent update. It does seem like Marvel Studios plans is to bring all projects that have the Marvel brand to the service at some point, especially with that Sony deal some time ago that still hasn’t born any fruit so far. Spider-Man is heading to the service at some point, but it’s uncertain just how long the wait will be.

    If The Incredible Hulk is getting added to HBO Max, it would indicate that some kind of deal was made with Universal. 20th Century films are still premiering on WarnerMedia’s service before they fully move over to Disney+ with the rights now belonging to the House of Mouse. We’ll see how exactly this unfolds and if the MCU will truly be united at some point.

    Source: Decider

  • RUMOR: Emilia Clarke’s ‘Secret Invasion’ Character Revealed

    RUMOR: Emilia Clarke’s ‘Secret Invasion’ Character Revealed

    Though plenty of set photos and videos were captured during its production, much of Secret Invasion has stayed a secret. Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn and Cobie Smulders are all reprising their respective MCU roles in the Disney Plus streaming series, but little is known about who the rest of the cast will be playing in the paranoia-thriller.

    Olivia Colman, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Christopher McDonald and Killian Scott have all been cast in undisclosed roles, but no member of the cast has drawn more interest and generated more speculation than Emilia Clarke. Fan theories have had her as everyone from Jessica Drew to Abigail Brand, but now a rumor from a source who has proven reliable in the past points in a different direction. If you’re hoping to avoid spoilers, turn away now…

    Why You Should Be Excited About the Upcoming Secret Invasion Series on Disney+

    According to Reddit and Twitter scooper My Time to Shine Hello, Clarke is portraying a character who played a major role in the Secret Invasion comic book event upon which the streaming series will be based.

    In the comics, Veranke was the Skrull Empress and the mastermind of the Skrull invasion of Earth. Veranke famously simmed Jessica Drew, aka Spider-Woman, and used her to sow discord among the Avengers in the period leading up to the invasion.

    Set footage from the UK showed Clarke’s character had some familiarity with Maria Hill, but also showed her seemingly working with Ben-Adir’s unknown Skrull villain, so while her identity as Veranke is important, it’s only half the story. The identity of the human character she has chosen to sim will prove to be just as important to the plot of Secret Invasion, which seems set to stream in 2023.

  • Ethan Hawke Says ‘Moon Knight’ “Could Be the Origin Story of a Larger Thing”

    Ethan Hawke Says ‘Moon Knight’ “Could Be the Origin Story of a Larger Thing”

    Despite the fact that the next Marvel Studios project, Moon Knight, arrives soon, fans are already wondering if or when they will see the titular character in future Marvel Cinematic Universe stories. Star Oscar Isaac has already confirmed that the Disney+ series is in fact a limited series, suggesting that a second season isn’t likely.

    Even if Moon Knight ends its run after six episodes, that probably has little bearing on whether the vigilante will be a part of more stories in the MCU down the line. The character already has plenty of momentum to join the Avengers or be a part of a potential future Midnight Sons team. Now, actor Ethan Hawke, who plays Moon Knight villain Arthur Harrow, has indicated that the character of Moon Knight may very likely be a part of something “larger” in the future:

    The good news is that it’s possibly both. It lives and breathes on its own merits, it functions as a limited series – and if people are engaged and excited by it then it could be the origin story of a larger thing.

    Ethan Hawke

    Hawke’s phrasing is certainy interesting as he not only suggests that Moon Knight’s future in the MCU could hinge on audience engagement, but also clearly believes that the character’s future could lie in something larger. This could be somewhat disocuraging news for anyone hoping to see Moon Knight extend the character’s solo adventures, but fantastic news for all those excited to see Marc Spector team-up with other characters in exciting new ways in the MCU’s future.

    Moon Knight’s first episode will premeire on Disney+ on March 30.

    Source: The Direct

  • Oscar Isaac Says Marvel Originally Wasn’t Sure His Take on ‘Moon Knight’ Would Work

    Oscar Isaac Says Marvel Originally Wasn’t Sure His Take on ‘Moon Knight’ Would Work

    Ahead of Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight Disney+ series, star Oscar Isaac has been open about how the titular role was one of the biggest challenges of his career. The actor has also shared that he had a large amount of input and influence when it came to developing the character of Moon Knight for the series. He recently told RadioTimes.com:

    [W]hat was amazing about Kevin [Feige] and everyone at Marvel is that there was a lot of faith and a lot of trust in my opinions about it, and my feelings about it…So like talking to [director] Mohamed [Diab] about where we wanted the story to go, getting Ethan [Hawke] to be part of it. And already, it started to become a very personal story.

    Oscar Isaac

    After wrapping up the series, Isaac is glad he got involved with the project and is happy with the result. But the actor says it was a major risk, and it took him quite some time to agree to Moon Knight. He went on to say “it was all reservations”:

    It was months of smashing my head against a stone wall like, ‘Is this the right thing to do?’ I thought, ‘I shouldn’t do it. Maybe maybe…I had just kinda got out of the whole, you know, big machinery of Star Wars. And I was like, ‘I just really want to do character studies. And I don’t know’…That’s the risk, sometimes you have an idea of what you want to do. And then something comes to you. And I just kept thinking about it.

    Oscar Isaac

    Interestingly enough, Isaac explained that his own take on the main character of Steven Grant differed significantly from Marvel’s original script. Not only that, but Isaac believes that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige felt like he was taking a risk on Isaac’s interpretation of the character:

    It wasn’t necessarily written that way at all. And so I thought, ‘OK, well, let me see what Kevin says about this.’ And so I had a meeting with Kevin, I said, ‘This is how I’d want to do it.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, OK, go for it. And it’s funny, because afterwards he told me they didn’t know what the hell I was doing. And they weren’t sure it was going to work at all. But you know, in the end I’m glad we did that, because everyone says it kind of makes the show.

    Oscar Isaac

    It is certainly interesting that Isaac noted that, for many, his portrayal of Steven Grant–which differs drastically from the comics–“makes the show.” Moon Knight’s and Isaac’s Grant seems to be a sort of awkward, British character, while the Grant from the comics is more of a classic millionaire playboy-type. The risk-taking on both Isaac’s and Marvel Studios’ sides definitely shows that the parties had faith in one another and thought working together would create something special. 

    Moon Knight’s first episode premieres on March 30 on Disney+.

    Source: RadioTimes.com