Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Disney Plus

  • Latest ‘Moon Knight’ TV Spot Includes a ‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’ Connection and Confirms Timeline Placement

    Latest ‘Moon Knight’ TV Spot Includes a ‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’ Connection and Confirms Timeline Placement

    A new TV spot has dropped for Moon Knight and it includes quite a few interesting things. First off, we finally hear Oscar Isaac’s voice for the personality of Marc Spector, which is quite a bit different from Steven Grant. Not only that, but we’ll also get scenes of him discussing with himself if this trailer is anything to go by. What stands out as well, is that the spot also includes a connection to the wider MCU with a reference to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

    It’s easy to miss but if you look behind Moon Knight after his transformation, you can see the logo for GRC on the bus. This is significant as it’s the logo for the Global Repatriation Council, which formed after half the universe was snapped out of existence by Thanos in an attempt to reunite the world. We are first introduced to it in the Falcon and the Winter Soldier Disney+ series, where it played a major role in showing us the aftermath of the Blip.

    It’s a great small detail to hide in the background, as it also is a great way to get a feeling for when the series takes place. We don’t know if the project will also explore Marc Spector’s time before the events that Thanos unleashed, but the main series is definitely part of the post-Blip timeline within the Marvel Cinematic Universe if this TV spot is anything to go by.

    You can check out the TV spot right here:

    Source: YouTube

  • REPORT: Marvel Studios’ ‘Echo’ Adds Graham Greene

    REPORT: Marvel Studios’ ‘Echo’ Adds Graham Greene

    All eyes have been on the upcoming Marvel Studios’ releases of the year, but slowly we’re getting more details on other projects soon to enter production. Among them is the recent update on Echo, which is seemingly eyeing a production start soon. It looks like they may have also already started their casting process, as The Direct has just revealed that veteran and Academy Award-nominated actor, Graham Greene, has joined the production in an undisclosed role.

    The actor is famous for his performances in Dances with Wolves for which he was also nominated for an Academy Award, The Green Mile, and Wind River. It would be another big series for the actor as well, as he recently appeared in American Gods last year, and is currently working on The Last Of Us for HBO.

    Greene is a great addition to the series, especially as the series is eyeing to embrace Maya Lopez’s Indigenous background. It wouldn’t be too surprising to see many actors with many more Indigenous actors join the production. As far as we know, it seems that the production hopes to start soon with some exterior shots of Grantville planned. The project’s location manager teased that it’ll mainly focus on a small town, which was our first hint at the series’ direction. We’ll see if some official casting finds its way online in the near future.

    Source: The Direct

  • ‘Swiss Army Man’ Directors Passed On ‘Loki’ Season One Because of Another Multiverse Project

    ‘Swiss Army Man’ Directors Passed On ‘Loki’ Season One Because of Another Multiverse Project

    The multiverse is quite popular these days, for Marvel Studios and beyond. The Marvel Cinematic Universe kickstarted its own multiversal adventure in the finale of Loki’s first season, and it has already been followed up with What If… ?, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and soon Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The chaotic branching of timelines seen in Episode 6 of Loki may very well go down as one of the most iconic moments of the MCU, and the series as a whole was generally critically succesful as well.

    Director Kate Herron ultimately brought Loki to the small screen. However, apparently Marvel was in early talks with a directing duo who ultimately said no to the Disney+ series because of another multiverse project. Swiss Army Man directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert revealed the ironic twist of fate in an interview with IndieWire, as their multiversal project Everything Everywhere All At Once was in production about the same time:

    [Scheinhert] “There were meetings with Marvel about ‘Loki’ that we didn’t even take. We were trying to make our own multiverse movie,”

    [Kwan] “No, the meeting was set, and we went, but by the time we went we said we probably weren’t going to do it,” he said. “We were trying to shoot our own movie at the same time.”

    Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

    While the duo passed on Season One of Loki, the fact that they were in the mix at some point could mean that Marvel still has its eye on the directors for future projects. Still, the two expressed their doubts on working on an interconnected project, like those found in the MCU:

    “Then we can just throw out anything that’s not working. I respect people who are able to play in someone else’s sandbox but that’s kind of intimidating because if there’s a preexisting fanbase for a character, and a lore, a mythology and I’m not allowed to throw out something that’s not working, that seems hard.”

    Daniel Kwan

    Marvel Studios has clearly found great success with directors that were not already well-established blockbuster filmmakers. Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi and Captain America and Avengers franchise tentpoles Joe and Anthony Russo are a few of the biggest examples.

    Loki is confirmed for Season Two, and directing duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead are attached to the project. While it will be some time before it is ready for release, Mobius actor Owen Wilson said in February that production on the second season would begin soon.

    Source: IndieWire via The Direct

  • ‘What If…?’ Wins Best Animated Series at the Critic’s Choice Awards

    ‘What If…?’ Wins Best Animated Series at the Critic’s Choice Awards

    It looks like it was a big night for Marvel Studios at the Critic’s Choice Awards, as they managed to take in one win during the event with What If…? nabbing the Best Animated Series award. In a strong year for animation, it’s a big win for Marvel Studios especially with it being their first venture into animation. Some might question why Arcane isn’t nominated, but the Netflix series sadly wasn’t eligible due to the cut-off date for the awards. What If…? was going up against other titles which include Big Mouth, Bluey, Bob’s Burgers, The Great North, and Q-Force.

    Dune. WandaVision was nominated for Best Limited Series but lost against Mare of Eastwood. Paul Bettany, Elisabeth Olsen, and Kathryn Hahn were both nominated for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress respectively but didn’t take the win home. So, it’s great to see Marvel studios manage to take home at least one award after also mostly being kept out of the Oscars again in their go-to visual effects category.

    Of course, we recently heard that What If…? will return this year with a new season, which adds further credence to their plans of this animated project being a yearly release. It’s unclear if future seasons will unshackle itself from having to forcefully follow specific set storylines, but it does seem like the Guardians of the Multiverse maybe something from the past. Of course, they may also find a recurring villain breaking the multiverse to call them to action once again. We’ll see once we learn more about the next season.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Ironheart’ Actress Dominique Thorne Wraps Filming On ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    ‘Ironheart’ Actress Dominique Thorne Wraps Filming On ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    The highly anticipated sequel to Black Panther will be bringing familiar faces back, but is also set to introduce new characters. One such character, Riri Williams, has a role in the film ahead of her solo series Ironheart. Now, the actress behind the character, Dominique Thorne has revealed that she recently finished production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever via an Instagram story. Check it out below:

    Instagram

    The actress was spotted on set back in August, where it looked like she was playing a college student at MIT. While Riri Williams’ true role in the Black Panther sequel has yet to be officially revealed, it is almost a given that it will in some way lead into her Disney+ series where she takes on the titular mantle of Ironheart. 

    First officially announced at Disney’s 2020 Investor’s Day presentation, the live-action show will follow the life of a genius, teenage MIT student Riri Williams as she invents her own high-tech suit of armor and follows in Tony Stark’s footsteps. While a release date for the series is unknown, we do know that Anthony Ramos, frequent Lin-Manuel Miranda collaborator and star of both In the Heights and Hamilton, has joined the cast of Ironheart in an undisclosed role. While fans wait for the series, they can look forward to Riri’s introduction in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is scheduled to release on Nov. 11, 2022.

    Source: Instagram via The Direct

  • Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2

    Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2

    TBD: 2026

    After an amazing first season, Marvel’s Head of TV, Streaming and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, confirmed that Season 2 of the D+ animates series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, would debut in 2026.

    Season 2 will follow up on the series of events set in place in Season 1 and will also introduce Spider-Gwen/Ghost Spider/Gwen Stacy.

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Producer: “There’s No Attachment to the Current MCU”

    ‘Moon Knight’ Producer: “There’s No Attachment to the Current MCU”

    In a post-Avengers: Endgame world, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four is as interconnected as ever. Between Doctor Strange having a major role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Black Widow’s Yelena Belova making an appearance in Hawkeye, and the wild ride Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness promises to be, fans are generally expecting to clear crossovers and tie-ins often in the MCU. Despite that, the next MCU entry and Disney+ series Moon Knight will apparently stand on its own.

    Executive producer Grant Curtis stated in a Disney press release that Moon Knight will explore the character without relying on pre-existing MCU lore. Specifically, Curtis noted:

    There’s no attachment to the current MCU. He’s brand-new, and he is going on a brand-new adventure. We really think the fans are going to enjoy it.

    Grant Curtis

    The lack of attachment to the MCU seems to be coming from a place of trying to create an entirely unique character from scratch within the franchise. Curtis compared Moon Knight to Iron Man to explain it:

    There are multiple aspects of Moon Knight that get us internally jazzed at Marvel Studios. But one of the unique aspects of this character is it’s taking Marvel Studios to its Iron Man and Tony Stark roots. That was a character that was obviously built from the ground up, and it is the same with Marc Spector.

    Grant Curtis

    Moon Knight already promises to bring a unique character to light when the series premieres on Disney+ on March 30. Marc Spector is an ex-mercenary who suffers from dissociative identity disorder, and the show is expected to directly tackle mental health issues. It’s also anticipated that Moon Knight will be more violent than other MCU entries, honoring the character’s comic book history. While some fans may be disappointed at the lack of other MCU references or influences on the series, Moon Knight may end up being a fresh story that adds to Phase Four on its own merit alone. Despite Curtis’ quote, there is still a rumor that an original Avenger will make an appearance in the series at some point. Still, even if Moon Knight stands alone for this series, it is highly doubtful that the character will do so forever.

    Source: The Direct

  • ‘What If’ Season 2 Officially Confirmed for 2022 Release

    ‘What If’ Season 2 Officially Confirmed for 2022 Release

    Marvel Studios’ 2022 Disney+ slate is looking like it might be as packed as 2021’s. We already know that this year will include Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, and She-Hulk. The streaming service previously released a sizzle real to tease the 2022 Disney+ projects, but it notably did not include a tease of the second season of What If…? which had been expected.

    It now looks like the animated anthology series is confirmed to debut in 2022 after all. Disney released a production brief ahead of Moon Knight. While noting all of Marvel’s 2021 Disney+ projects, the release goes on to confirm that What If…? is indeed part of the 2022 plan:

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe is currently the highest-grossing film franchise of all time. Feige is building on that success with a host of new series that streamed on Disney+ in 2021, including “WandaVision,” “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” “Loki,” “What If…?” and “Hawkeye.” Upcoming original series for 2022 include “Moon Knight,” Ms. Marvel,” “She-Hulk” and the second season of “What If…?.

    This makes sense given that What If… ? had been previously described as an annual release. While the series has yet to truly interact with the main MCU, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is rumored to incorporate some elements of the animated multiversal series. If it does begin to crossover, the hype will definitely build for future seasons of one of the MCU’s most unique entries to date. It will interesting to see if What If…? Season 2 keeps Season 1’s late summertime slot, considering that Ms. Marvel seems to be looking at a June premiere and She-Hulk is reported to be released after it.

    Source: Disney via The Direct

  • Leaked ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3 Set Photos Tease Sith-Themed Mandalorians

    Leaked ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3 Set Photos Tease Sith-Themed Mandalorians

    The continuation of Din Djarin’s story has been highly anticipated after The Book of Boba Fett gave us the reunion of Baby Yoda and Djarin. While it felt a bit sudden shortly after they separated, it did open up a lot of possibilities on what The Mandalorian Season 3 might explore. It’s almost impossible to predict what direction they might take, but a slew of set photos have leaked online that may offer a glimpse into what they’re planning.

    What stands out in the images are the bright red Mandalorian-like helmets. They seem to share the same color as the Sith Troopers that we see in the sequel trilogy, but with the overall design used for Mandalorian helmets. The split in the middle is the only oddity in its design. The third image does hint at another empire base being visited. Perhaps a group of rogue Mandalorians has aligned themselves with them. The material also seems to be closer to Trooper armor rather than the usual Beskar. Plus, don’t have any horns, which excludes a connection to Darth Maul’s time as the ruler of Mandalore. It’ll be interesting to see how these factor into the series whenever it premieres.

    The Empire is probably still after poor Grogu, who still has an affinity for using the Force. Perhaps his action son Tatooine might have put him back on their radar, as he and his father are on the run. The Mandalorian also set up an eventual battle for Mandalore, as Djarin would become the person to wield the Darksaber. So, we’ll see if these helmets are from those hunting him down.

    Source: Twitter

  • Michael Giacchino Confirmed to Direct Marvel Studios’ First Halloween Disney+ Special

    Michael Giacchino Confirmed to Direct Marvel Studios’ First Halloween Disney+ Special

    It’s been quite some time since we first heard about Marvel Studios working on a Disney+ Halloween special. the idea is exciting, as there are a lot of characters to choose from with rumors going crazy that it’ll be focused on Werewolf by Night. A recent interview on The Batman‘s score even added more hints that composer Michael Giacchino was taking on directing duties. for an unnamed Marvel Studios project Now, we finally have the official confirmation that he is indeed tackling the Halloween special.

    The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed his involvement with the project, which is eyeing a production start at some point this month in Atlanta. Laura Donnelly and Gael Garcia Bernal are involved with the project; castings we’ve heard about for some time now. The article does add that Bernal is very likely taking on the role of a werewolf in the project. They also mention that music played a key part in the recent revamp that helped the character control his abilities. Perhaps that was also an inspiration to have the composer tackle the project.

    The project still remains untitled and hasn’t been officially announced what it’s about. It’s interesting they are introducing a character initially introduced in Moon Knight #32, but it doesn’t seem like there will be a connection with his upcoming series. Though we still have some time until it releases and perhaps we’ll get a post-credit announcement for the spinoff with Moon Knight facing off against the unlikely foe in the special.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter