Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Disney Plus

  • How the ‘Black Widow’ Post-Credit Scene Ties into ‘Hawkeye’

    How the ‘Black Widow’ Post-Credit Scene Ties into ‘Hawkeye’

    The most recent social media spot for the Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Hawkeye promised some big surprises for the second half of the season. Prominent among the teases in the spot was a character, who was supposed to be mysterious, dressed in black with some rather interesting headgear. Fans of the comics immediately recognized that character as Yelena Belova, wearing her signature headgear from her days working for A.I.M. as the Adaptoid.

    Rather than working for A.I.M., the MCU’s Yelena was revealed to be working for Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. While Val’s larger agenda is yet to be revealed, we do know that in the short-term, she has put Yelena on the trail of one of the heroes of Hawkeye: Clint Barton. When Val and Yelena met during the post-credit scene of this Summer’s Black Widow, we didn’t have enough information to fully understand the threat Yelena’s pursuit of Barton could pose. Thanks to a trade report, fans already knew Florence Pugh was going to appear in Hawkeye and the scene spelled out that she and Barton would be facing off against one another, but it wasn’t until fans worked through the first 3 episodes of the series that we could truly see the kind of trouble Belova could make for Clint.

    The first 3 episodes of Hawkeye have spent a significant amount of time dealing with the fallout of Kate putting on the Ronin suit. The suit put Kate in danger, brought her and Clint together and put them both on the radar of the Tracksuits and their boss and, as we learned in Episode 3, “Echoes”, brings back painful memories for Maya Lopez as the Ronin was responsible for the death of her father. As Episode 3 ended, Clint’s secret was still safe but it seems like it’s only a matter of time until his past truly comes back to haunt him. And now that we can tie it all together, it seems like it’ll be Yelena that brings everything crashing down on Barton.

    Who Is Valentina Working For? Val Is Back And Seen Recruiting Yelena Belova

    Despite only a couple people being shown to have been aware that Clint was the man behind the Ronin mask, it turns out that Val, who seems to be pretty resourceful, was in the know all along. As our friend Caleb Borchers pointed out on Twitter, Val didn’t just sent Yelena after Clint, she sent her after Ronin Clint. And that’s going to cause Clint a whole lot more headaches.

    It seems safe to say that once Yelena enters the picture, Clint’s secret identity will be revealed to all interested parties in some way. How will Kate deal with the fact that her hero is a murderer? How will Echo respond to finally learning the identity of her father’s killer? What will Wilson Fisk’s move be when he learns it was an Avenger that nearly wiped out his criminal empire? Of course, Yelena is operating on bad info from Val, so what will happen when she learns the truth about what happened to Natasha? The second half of this season might not quite have the surprises the spot promised, but it certainly will have a lot of drama all tied to Kate putting on that damn suit.

    The first 3 episodes of Hawkeye are now streaming on Disney Plus.

  • Disney+’s ‘She-Hulk’ Inspired by Dan Slott and Charles Soule’s Storylines

    Disney+’s ‘She-Hulk’ Inspired by Dan Slott and Charles Soule’s Storylines

    During Disney+ Day, we got our first look at the upcoming Disney+ series, She-Hulk. Tatiana Maslany will bring Bruce Banner’s cousin, Jennifer Walters, to life who’ll eventually get a blood transfusion and transform into a green goliath. Unlike the Hulk, she still remains mostly the same person and continues her efforts as a lawyer. We know very little about the series, but luckily, Maslany offered some details in an interview with the podcast Scott Hasn’t Seen, which was pointed out to us by @MerchantOfSound.

    In it, she confirms that the upcoming series is inspired by Dan Slott‘s run with the character as well as that of Charles Soule. Both famously took a more grounded look at the character with action taking a backseat to focus more on how she struggles to find the right work-life balance with heroics on top of it all. Especially Soule‘s work alongside Javier Pulido and Mutsa Vincente, which ran in 2018, gave a very grounded look to the character. She even ends up in quite the trial against Matt Murdock.

    Dan Slott’s run is a bit further back, as it ran from 2004 until 2005. The story also focused on her balancing these different lifestyles with Titania having quite the role in the story. We know she is making her MCU premiere and will be played by Jameela Jamil, which was our first hint at Slott potentially being one of the inspirations of the Disney+ series. It’ll be interesting to see what elements from both will make it into the project.

    Source: CCB World, Twitter

  • EXCLUSIVE: Brady Noon Recalls His Favorite Day Working on ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ and How COVID Impacted Production

    EXCLUSIVE: Brady Noon Recalls His Favorite Day Working on ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ and How COVID Impacted Production

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid was Brady Noon’s first voice acting role and he did a great job. Throughout the movie his character had to deal with all of the emotions from happy to sad to angry to embarrassed I spoke to him earlier this week and asked him what his favorite scene was to record.

    Probably when we (Greg and Rowley) were walking through the woods and we have our candy and all, like the high school kids, like pulled up on us and tried to take our candy and we were just running and yelling and screaming. So pretty much, that whole day, I was just yelling the whole day-laughs-that was pretty funny. That was a funny day.

    I followed up by asking him if he was able to meet any of the other voice actors, to which Noon replied:

    Unfortunately not, due to COVID-19 and we did our own individual session for recording, so I haven’t spoken to anyone else but I’m super proud of everyone’s work and I’m super happy how it turned out.

    Despite having to work alone, Noon said he had enjoyed the process and is looking forward to doing it again. With author Jeff Kinney hoping to adapt all of the books into Disney+ films, Noon should be able to continue filming memorable scenes for years to come.

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid is now streaming on Disney+!

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ Author Hopes to Adapt the Entire Series into Disney + Films

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ Author Hopes to Adapt the Entire Series into Disney + Films

    The all-new animated film Diary of a Wimpy Kid is now streaming on Disney Plus (you can read our review of the film right here!). The film is an adaptation of the first book in the popular children’s series by author Jeff Kinney. Kinney, who wrote the screenplay for the new movie and also served as an executive producer, talked with Murphy’s Multiverse’s own Arlyn Murphy this week about the new film.

    Diary of a Wimpy Kid is served in an easy-to-digest 56-minute runtime full of heart and humor and some great characters. An adaptation of the second book in the series, Rodrick Rules, is already in development as a sequel that is planned for a 2022 release, but we could just be seeing the tip of the iceberg in terms of the books being adapted for Disney Plus. Murphy asked Kinney if he had plans to continue to adapt the series (the 16th entry to the series, Big Shot, was just released at the end of October), and Kinney was optimistic about the prospects:

    I hope so. And I hope we can make them longer, too. The Rodrick Rules one is a little longer than the first one. I really hope we get to do lots of these stories because we’re really trying to do a good job and we’re not just spitting them out. We’re sort of really taking our time in crafting them and I love that so I hope we can tell lots of stories.

    As Murphy noted in her review of the film, the new adaptation makes some emotional additions to the book. With Kinney overseeing the projects, we know the stories of Greg Heffley and his family and friends are in good hands.

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Diary of a Wimpy’ Kid Author Has No Plans to End the Beloved Series

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Diary of a Wimpy’ Kid Author Has No Plans to End the Beloved Series

    It took author Jeff Kinney nearly 8 years to get his first book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, published in 2007. Since then, the author has continued to kick out sequels at a prolific rate with at least one Wimpy Kid book being released each year since. The first book was adapted into a live-action film in 2010 and now Kinney worked with Disney to bring the familiar animation style to Disney Plus in the all-new short film Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

    Arlyn Murphy sat down with Kinney to talk about the new movie and the future of book series. Murphy and Kinney talked about the inspiration behind the book series and the process in getting the first one to print. When asked if he had any end in mind for Greg’s story, Kinney’s reply indicated that we should plan on many more stories about the adventures of Greg Heffley and friends.

    Yeah, I was joking on Twitter…somebody said “When will the series end?” and I said, “It will end when I end.” And I got like 100,000 likes to that and I was like, “Oh man, I shouldn’t have said that!” But that is how I feel. A good cartoonist, I think, sticks with their property. I think we all feel sad when a cartoon character goes away, you know, so I’m gonna do this for a while if I can.

    Kinney’s love for the characters he has created comes through not only in the novels but in the new film. His message of perseverance in the face of challenges is a great one and his success shows the power of betting on yourself. The most recent entry in the Wimpy Kid series, Big Shot, is available now at Amazon and wherever books are sold.

    You can read Murphy’s review of the new animated film here and check back at Murphy’s Multiverse for more coverage of the movie and interviews with Kinney and the film’s lead, Brady Noon.

  • ‘Hawkeye’ Series Echo Funko Pop! Now Available for Pre-Order

    ‘Hawkeye’ Series Echo Funko Pop! Now Available for Pre-Order

    Maya Lopez made her MCU debut in this week’s episode of Hawkeye and made quite the impression. Fan response to the character, portrayed by newcomer Alaqua Cox, has been incredible with many looking forward to seeing more of the character. The good news on that front is that Cox will star in her own series, Echo, which is likely to stream in 2023. And now, Entertainment Earth has made the first ever Maya Lopez Funko Pop! available for pre-order.

    Hawkeye Maya Lopez Pop! Vinyl Figure

    The new Pop is available for pre-order now at Entertainment Earth by clicking right here. The Pop, which is scheduled to ship in February, is selling for $11.99. Completist collectors might also be interested in the Kate Bishop and Lucky set as well as as the Clint Barton Pop!

    Murphy’s Multiverse is an Entertainment Earth affiliate.

  • Alaqua Cox Talks How Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld Made Her Feel Welcomed on ‘Hawkeye’ Set

    Alaqua Cox Talks How Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld Made Her Feel Welcomed on ‘Hawkeye’ Set

    The latest episode of Hawkeye introduced us to Alaqua Cox‘s Echo. It’s an incredible feat if you consider it is her first time acting, as she brings an intensity to the role. It was her time to shine as she’s also going to get a spin-off series afterward and she did not disappoint. The actress offered some insight into how it was on set for the first time, but more noticeably how Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld created an environment where she feels welcomed.

    In an interview in the latest D23 Magazine, she revealed that her new co-workers went out of their way to talk to her through ASL and ease her into the role. More importantly, it makes her feel welcome on set given her disability. It’s a cute gesture that goes a long way. You can read her full quote here:

    It was such an honor to work with them both. I think they are spectacular actors, and I have learned a lot from watching them work behind the scenes… I remember meeting Jeremy on my first day of work on-set; I was a nervous wreck, as this was my very first acting job. He then complimented me in American Sign Language (ASL), which comforted me. Hailee also spelled out her name to me in ASL at the studio where we were doing our stunt training sessions. I thought it was sweet of them putting in efforts to learn basic ASL to communicate with me. It means a lot to me as a Deaf person

    Alaqua Cox

    We have seen Marvel Studios make strides in inclusion with their projects. Eternals and Hawkeye included the first deaf characters where sign language was also prominently featured. The franchise has opened its arms to the diverse world that lives out there and it doesn’t look like they are going to stop it any time soon.

    Source: D23 Magazine via The Direct

  • ‘Turner and Hooch’ Canceled at Disney+ After One Season

    ‘Turner and Hooch’ Canceled at Disney+ After One Season

    It looks like the dog days are over for the cast and crew of Disney+’s Turner & Hooch. The streaming service has put an end to the reboot of 1989’s popular buddy cop franchise after only a single season, according to series star Reginald VelJohnson. The actor dropped the news during a recent chat with ComicBook.com, after being asked about the cloudy future of the show. He started by revealing there is still hope for Turner & Hooch, as Disney looks to shop the project to other networks. VelJohnson elaborated:

    Well, as far as I know, they’re trying to sell it to another network or something like that. That’s what I heard. But as of now, it’s not going to be picked up, I don’t think. It was fun to do. And working with the actors was great fun and I hope so, whatever they decided to do I’m with it. It’s okay. I enjoyed doing the sequel and, hopefully, we’ll have some time to do it again. But if not, I was glad for the experience.

    Reginald VelJohnson

    The actor, best known for his work on Die Hard and Family Matters, was the only person from the original Turner & Hooch film to return for the legacy series. He portrayed the partner of Tom Hanks‘ character, who did not make an appearance on the Disney+ show. Josh Peck replaced Hanks as the franchise lead, playing the son of the now-deceased hero. It centered around Peck’s character being paired with an unruly dog, much like his father before him. It’s joined the small number of shows to get canceled ahead of the potential second season and a shame given its popularity with fans.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • ‘Hawkeye’ and ‘Eternals’ Assembled Episodes To Premiere This Month

    ‘Hawkeye’ and ‘Eternals’ Assembled Episodes To Premiere This Month

    The year may be coming to a close real soon but the outpouring of MCU content is yet to slow down. This month alone sees the premiere of Spider-Man: No Way Home as well as the remaining episodes of Hawkeye. In addition to that, the Assembled episodes of Hawkeye and last month’s Eternals are slated for release on Disney+ later this month. Eternals: Assembled is on track for a December 22 premiere while Hawkeye: Assembled is later on December 29.

    It’s worth noting that these are the current listings for Disney+ in Latin America though it’s very safe to assume that North America will likely get the same release date. The Assembled series has proven to be a fascinating look at the behind-the-scenes process for this brand new phase of the MCU. Every episode gives new insight on how aspects of the Phase 4 projects are brought to life as well as concepts that didn’t make the cut. With rumored surprises for Hawkeye, it’ll be interesting to see the creatives talk about them in detail.

    Source: Whats on D+

  • ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3: The Clint Barton Convergence

    ‘Hawkeye’ Episode 3: The Clint Barton Convergence

    The latest episode of the Marvel Studios Disney Plus series Hawkeye picks up the pace and presents probably the most complete and best episode so far. Part of picking up the pace meant speeding through flashbacks to tell the origin story of one of the series’ main characters, Maya Lopez. Much like the flashbacks that told the tragedy of Kate Bishop’s early life, Maya’s flashbacks take up about 5 minutes of screen time and end in a similar tragedy. Through the use of these flashbacks, the episode draws some intriguing parallels between the two young women and gives them a common point from where their paths through life diverged.

    Paterfamilias

    In the cases of both Kate and Maya, Hawkeye establishes a loving relationship between father and daughter. Both Derek Bishop and Willie Lopez are shown to share special bonds with their daughters. In Kate’s case, it’s made clear that her childhood relationship with her father is stronger than that with her mother. When it’s noticed that she is eavesdropping on her parents’ argument, her mother indicates to her father that he’s the one who will have more success communicating with Kate while she’s upset. In Maya’s case, it’s implied that her father is a single parent but it is clear that the two share a special bond. When Willie is unable to send Maya to a deaf school, he teaches her to embrace her disability and assures her that she’ll be stronger for it. He’s portrayed as a father who teaches his daughter to refuse to use her disabilities as an excuse and one who wants the best for her, even if his station in life doesn’t make it possible for him to deliver.

    Essentially both girls look up to their fathers as heroes but the two fathers’ lives are very different. Derek is portrayed as an optimistic silver spooner while Willie is equally optimistic but seems to have to scrape for every penny and chooses to do so as part of a criminal organization. And make no mistake about it, the difference in the circumstances in which Kate and Maya were raised lead directly to the divergent paths they took in life.

    For both characters, the relationships with their fathers have truly made them who they are. Both are shown to be uniquely skilled and driven; both are shown to be determined and dynamic; both are also shown to have apply those characteristics in very different ways.

    Death of a Father

    In the case of any child, the death of a parent is traumatic. Hawkeye draws another parallel between the two characters by having them both experience the deaths of their fathers. However, the responses of the two character to the death’s of their fathers are entirely different. The death of Kate’s father (bit mysterious, don’t you think? I’m not convinced her mom didn’t kill him) during the Battle of New York set Kate on her journey to be a protector, a hero, like her father; the death of Maya’s father (much less mysterious) set her on a journey to become a violent, vengeful criminal.

    The New Father Figure

    After suffering the loss of their fathers, Kate and Maya have father figures step into the void. In Kate’s case, Jacques Duquesne tries to charm his way into her life, going so far as to brag about buying a book about being a stepdad. In Maya’s case, her not-so-mysterious “Uncle” is still looking after her and she find herself in his employ. On one hand, we see Kate rail against allowing someone as slimy as Jacques into her life; on the other hand, we see Maya, choose the life of a mob enforcer. Simply enough, one chose the light while the other chose the dark.

    The Clint Connection

    The two characters have walked divergent paths following the losses of their fathers but those divergent paths have now converged thanks to a common interest: Clint Barton. The ending of Episode 2 and beginning of Episode 3 really highlight the entirely opposite interests the characters have in Barton: Kate comes crashing into the abandoned KB Toy Store warehouse to save Clint just as Echo makes her way to interrogate him about the Ronin. Clint Barton is the intersection of these characters lives and the revelation of his secret, which he’s holding from both of them, will greatly impact how both of them view him.

    How will Kate look at her hero when she finds out he was Ronin? How will Maya deal with discovering the identity of her father’s murderer? While it was Clint that brought the two together, the answers to those questions could well set them on divergent paths once more in the aftermath of Hawkeye.