Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Disney Plus

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘WHAT IF…?’ Has A Big Overarching Storyline Yet to Be Revealed

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘WHAT IF…?’ Has A Big Overarching Storyline Yet to Be Revealed

    As we approach the midpoint of the first season of What If…?, a certain subset of fans have wondered what exactly is the endgame of the show, given the anthological nature of the show. Every episode seems to be its own thing with stories wrapping up as the credits roll (except for Captain Carter). But according to the show’s production designer Paul Lasaine, whom we got to chat with, there is an overarching plot that the show is sneakily setting up.

    Obviously, with it being an anthology series, each episode is a standalone. But there is an overarching story which will become more.. [pause] ..without giving spoilers, you’ll see that there is a big storyline going on. 

    Now, this isn’t particularly new. If you’ve been paying close attention to all the details of this show, you know there’s something happening at the conclusion of the show. But if you haven’t and are worried that the show isn’t going to go anywhere cohesively, this should alleviate some of those concerns.

    Based on the remaining episodes we haven’t seen, it looks like the creators of the show are upping the ante in giving us crazier scenarios like Marvel Zombies and Ultron taking over the world. This recent episode alone has started seeding somewhat of an arc for the Watcher. There’s still a lot of stories to build up so that’s something fans can all look forward to.

  • ‘HAWKEYE’ Production Heads to Canada for Additional Photography

    ‘HAWKEYE’ Production Heads to Canada for Additional Photography

    With just about 2 months to go until its debut on Disney Plus, the Marvel Studios streaming series Hawkeye continues production. Some cast and crew recently completed additional photography for the series in Atlanta and now, according to a report from Hollywood North Buzz, crew members are headed to Toronto for another round of additional photography.

    Series co-star Jeremy Renner is currently working in Toronto on the Paramount + series Mayor of Kingstown, so this seems to be a case of the studios accommodating his schedule in order to get the additional shots. HNB reports that the shoot will be brief, with work being done on September 7th and 8th.

    6 episodes of Hawkeye are set to stream on Disney Plus beginning November 24th. The anticipated series will see Hailee Steinfeld join the MCU as Kate Bishop, introduce Alqua Cox as Maya Lopez/Echo ahead of her own spinoff series and is strongly rumored to feature the return of Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin.

    Source: Hollywood North Buzz

  • What If… It All Leads To Secret Wars?

    What If… It All Leads To Secret Wars?

    With four episodes behind us, Marvel Studios’ What If…? is slowly but surely becoming a staple of Phase 4’s approach to the Multiverse. What, for some, was initially seen as a minor entry in the MCU, is not only allowing for the exploration of alternate realities in a way only animation allows to but also building some of the foundations of future live-action events. As the Marvel Cinematic Universe turned into the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse, branching out its storylines deviating from the Sacred Timeline, the path ahead of us could be one similar to our own Universe’s.

    Following The Big Bang, one of the theories regarding the ultimate fate of the universe is The Big Crunch, where the average density of the universe will be enough to stop its expansion and the universe will begin contracting. The storylines could then eventually begin to merge, bringing together characters that weren’t ever supposed to exist in the same timeline. But such an event, that could very well be an adaptation of Jonathan Hickman‘s Secret Wars (2015) comic book storyline that deals with a similar premise, in order to connect with audiences the way it should, people need to care about the characters, both new and old ones. The gimmick of introducing Captain America or Spider-Man variants could be a fun one to experience, but it’s only by devoting time to each of those characters beforehand that their appearance might mean something more.

    So being, the timelines explored so far in What If…? have eventually left us with a focus on a central character, that while maintaining a few of the traits already seen in the movies have gone through very distinct experiences that ultimately left them in a different place in their life. When and if they do manage to show up down the line on a live-action project, their motivations and impulses will have been properly explored allowing for more dynamic interactions and for the movie itself to hit the ground running as only minimal exposition will be required. 

    A project of this size and scope could still be years away, but with What If…? planned as an annual release on Disney+, it seems the waiting time will be well spent, with more characters added to the MCM roster every year, as we all await a possible Russo Brothers return for what might be the mother of all crossover events. A Marvel Studios led Secret Wars.

  • Disney+ to Revive ‘THE ROCKETEER’

    Disney+ to Revive ‘THE ROCKETEER’

    It looks like Disney is ready to revive a cult classic, as Deadline is reporting that a new film titled The Return of the Rocketeer will bring new life into the 1991 classic, The Rocketeer. It’ll release on Disney+ with David and Jessica Oyelowo set to produce through their Yoruba Saxon banner. Ed Ricourt will pen the script with David Oyelowo also potentially starring int he titular role. There is currently no director attached. It’ll be the first film under Yoruba Saxon’s first-look deal with Disney. Deadline also shared some first story details, as it will follow a retired Tuskegee airman, who takes up the mantle.

    Ricourt made his mark with the hit Now You See Me and Marvel’s Jessica Jones. He even was a consulting producer on that series and went on to pen Raising Dion for Netflix. He has some heavy shoes to fill by bringing Joe Johnston‘s 1991 film to life while staying true to Dave Stevens original graphic novel. The story of a young pilot finding a jetpack and helping others stuck with many over the years.

    Updating the project and acting as a sequel is a smart move. Rather than just retelling the original, they can continue the legacy set up and even see how the character would look like in a new era. It heading directly to streaming is a curious decision and it’ll be interesting to see what kind of budget the film will get. The franchise did make a return in 2019 as a children show on Disney Junior and Disney Channel, which followed a young girl named Katherine “Kit” Secord, which was promptly cancelled after only one season.

    Source: Deadline

  • Disney Already Working on ‘JUNGLE CRUISE’ Sequel

    Disney Already Working on ‘JUNGLE CRUISE’ Sequel

    Looks like Disney was quite satisfied with Jungle Cruise‘s performance, as the House of Mouse already green lit a sequel. Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt will also return as their respective characters, Frank Wolff and Dr. Lily Houghton. Co-writer Michael Green is also slated to return. Hollywood Reporter believes that Jaume Collet-Serra is also returning to direct the project alongside the original’s producers. Johnson took to Twitter to share his excitement on the sequel announcement:

    The film was one of Disney’s simultaneous releases on Disney+ Premier Access and theaters. Even with the additional pricing tag, the film saw a good success as it premiered at $34.2M in domestic sales. It added an additional $30M on the streaming service and it managed pass the $100M in its fifth weekend. Currently, it stands at $187M worldwide.

    So, it certainly looks like that Disney has been quite satisfied with its Box Office performances and sees a lot of potential in the franchise. With the pandemic still raging, there’s also a good chance the film would’ve pulled in more during regular times. All eyes are currently on Disney’s first theater-exclusive release to give a good indicator what the future holds for the domestic Box Office with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter, Twitter

  • Marvel Studios One Shot ‘ALL HAIL THE KING’ Gets New Logo on Disney+

    Marvel Studios One Shot ‘ALL HAIL THE KING’ Gets New Logo on Disney+

    Marvel Studios is no stranger to testing out new formats. While they’re enjoying the success of releasing long-form projects on Disney+, they’ve tested out non-cinematic releases with the Blu-ray exclusives Marvel Studios One Shots. They started off minor before they even created small spin-offs exploring characters that had a supporting role in the film. Most notably, they used this format to tackle the Mandarin issue introduced in Iron Man 3. In that film, we found out that the the self-proclaimed Mandarin, played by Ben Kingsley, was just a actor. Of course, it rubbed fans the wrong way until they released a One Shot titled All Hail the King that revealed there was a real one still out there.

    That very Mandarin will finally get introduced in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. As we are only a week away from its release, they re-released the One Shot with a brand new logo. Not only did the One Shot series finally get a unique design but they’ve laso included the ten rings design used throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe to highlight its connection. As it’s not available in some European regions, @TimGettys shared a shot of the new design.

    It’s a great move to higlhight the short, as it does set-up Wenwu’s eventual appearance. Plus, they finally are giving these shorts some more focus which were hidden away in the Extra sections of the film’s they initially released with. So, we might see Agent Carter’s One Shot also get its own spot in the near future. It does make you wonder if they’ll also include a new logo for their Marvel Legacy connection that are technically not part the MCU. At least until Deadpool makes his debut in this franchise and potentially breaks reality as we know it.

    Source: Twitter

  • Connecting Imaginary Dots: Mark Ruffalo May Appear in ‘MOON KNIGHT’

    Connecting Imaginary Dots: Mark Ruffalo May Appear in ‘MOON KNIGHT’

    Moon Knight has been busy filming in Budapest for some time now. Oscar Isaac will play the vigilante in what may be Marvel Studios’ darkest story. They’ve kept the plot tightly under wraps and we know very little outside of Ethan Hawke playing the Disney+ series’ main antagonist. Still, it’s fun to speculate on what may potentially happen in the film. Well, some photos from Instagram user dora_magyari features both Isaac and Mark Ruffalo in front of the same hotel in Budapest.

    Of course, Ruffalo‘s presence is a curious one and we’ve long wondered how Moon Knight might connect to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. There’s always the chance he’s just there to check on the set or on vacation, but it is quite a curious coincidence that he’d travel to the same shooting location right after finishing up She-Hulk. There’s also the fact that Moon Knight and Hulk have had some confrontations in the comics, especially when Banner turned into Joe Fixit. In 2008’s Hulk Vol. 2 #7, he returned to Las Vegas, where he famously ran a bar, and got into a fight with Wendigo’s before Moon Knight intervened. As you can guess, it didn’t go well for him.

    Joe Fixit (Dr. Bruce Banner) (Grey Hulk persona) vs. Moon Knight art by Arthur Adams | Marvel comic book characters, Hulk marvel, Hulk art

    There actually was a reveal of a “Bruce’s Bar” from an Instagram post by one of the She-Hulk crew members. Included in their crew merch, you can see Jennifer Walters enjoying a drink at a bar run by Bruce in Professor Hulk form. While not confirmed, there’s a chance he might’ve taken a break from his heroic life. Plus, it seems his arm has recovered from taking the full force of the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Endgame. So, perhaps they are preparing a sequence where Moon Knight visits that very bar. Perhaps they’re shooting the post-credit sequence for the final episode that sets up his appearance in a future entry.

    Source: Instagram via Twitter, ScreenRant

  • Marvel Studios Starts Casting for ‘WEREWOLF BY NIGHT’ Halloween Special

    Marvel Studios Starts Casting for ‘WEREWOLF BY NIGHT’ Halloween Special

    Werewolf by Night is moving forward over at Marvel Studios, as The Wrap has just unveiled they are currently casting a Latino male in his 30s to star in a Halloween Special. It is currently still untitled but will follow the story of a werewolf character, which may confirm earlier reports that they are actively working on a project for the character. Production is eyeing an early 2022 with earlier reports hinting at a February start. No episode count has been named, but might be a one-off episode rather than a full season order.

    There have been some rumblings on Werewolf by Night making a possible appearance in the upcoming Moon Knight series. If they are currently casting, it would imply that he won’t have a role. Though, there were two that held that title in the Marvel comics, Jack Russel and Jake Gomez. So, perhaps we get to explore the origins before he splinters off into his own project. It’s not the first special we’re getting from Marvel Studios, as Guardians of the Galaxy is also expected to release a Holiday Special next year.

    The only confusing aspect is that earlier reports hinted at a series being in development. From the sound of it, and Disney+’s history with any kind of special, they are only a one-time release. Perhaps there are multiple projects in the work, such as Guardians getting a special ahead of the third entries release in cinemas. Of course, they might also want to introduce the character ahead of a potential crossover. Are we finally getting Midnight Sons?

    Source: The Wrap

  • ‘WHAT IF…?’ Planned as an Annual Release on Disney+

    ‘WHAT IF…?’ Planned as an Annual Release on Disney+

    2021 became Marvel Studios’ big year of expansion, as they released their new series on Disney+. We’ve gotten introduced to various series that act as mini-series before the character’s journey into an upcoming film. Loki surprised audiences with the announcement of a second season, as it joined What If…? as the only series getting multiple season orders. It looks like a curious detail has slipped through the cracks, as Brad Winderbaum teased that they plan to keep the animated series as an annual release. As such, it would be Marvel Studios’ first series to get a yearly release.

    We’ll see what happens. Obviously, I don’t want to predict the future with this new world we live in, but our intention is to make it an annual release.

    We did find out earlier this month that the second season will include films from Phase 4. There’s no word if they will also include the Disney+ series in any capacity, but it seems likely they might get included at some point. Animation takes quite a bit of time, as they’ve already worked on the second seasonf or some time. So, if they want to keep their plans with an annual release, they might already be finalizing their plans for future seasons.

    What If Episode 3 Voice Cast: Every New and Returning MCU Actor

    Perhaps they get a chance to revisit some of the cancelled ideas teased by head writer A.C. Bradley. Of course, it’s uncertain if the same creative team will remain on the series, but the unique aspect of this show would allow anyone to jump on board to add a new twist on the concept. The multiverse is vast and allows for any possible combination of events to unleash. If anything, the last two episodes cemented that anything is possible and I am still thinking about the fact we have a zombie episode.

    Source: YouTube

  • REPORT: ‘ANDOR’ Wraps Production

    REPORT: ‘ANDOR’ Wraps Production

    It looks like Disney+’s Star Wars: Rogue One spin-off has wrapped production. According to Bespin Bulletin, the series has finished production over the weekend with most of the cast finishing up. They share that Diego Luna has also finished filming with sets already getting taken down. The series was first announced back in December during the Disney Investor’s Day by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.

    Andor Release Date, Cast, Trailers & News

    The last thing we’ve heard of this production was earlier this month with the report that The End of the F***ing World‘s Alex Lawther has joined the series. Filming has gone on for quite some time as they faced the COVID pandemic throughout production at Pinewood Studios. The Bespin Bulletin goes on to highlight that this was approached as a film with a twelve-episode run. It also required quite a few sets which adds to the production time.

    The timing is also quite fitting, as Carl Weathers shared the news that The Mandalorian will start production in September. There’s a chance they might utilize the sets from it and the Obi-Wan Kenobi series to cut down on costs. It also implies that they’ll focus on working on a specific amount of projects.

    Rogue One - Director Krennic HD Wallpaper | Background Image | 4096x1716

    We still know very little about the project besides it’ll act as a prequel to Rogue One. The Disney+ series will explore the time before he joined the resistance. Surprisingly, there are no plans to include his sarcastic sidekick K-2SO even when his inclusion was initially announced. We might get multiple seasons as we explore his first meeting with the droid in the future.

    Source: Bespin Bulletin