Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Disney Plus

  • REVIEW: ‘The Mandalorian’ Reminds Us What’s Out There in the Galaxy Far, Far Away

    REVIEW: ‘The Mandalorian’ Reminds Us What’s Out There in the Galaxy Far, Far Away

    The Mandalorian has never been in hurry. For the most part, concerns about the pacing of the series have died down a bit over the years as fans seem to be able to accept it for what it is. Part of that acceptance has likely come from the fact that “filler episodes” have often turned out to be more than filler an episode or two down the road. With Chapter 17 of the series, The Apostate, it seems as though Jon Favreau and Rick Famuyia chose to kick off the third season of The Mandalorian with what feels like a “filler episode” but also feels like something a bit more.

    From start to finish The Apostate seems hellbent on reminding us (both directly and indirectly) of what’s out there in the vastness of the galaxy. The Watch. Greef Karga. Kowakian monkey-lizards. Pirates. IG-11. A host of Anzellans. Bo-Katan. We’ve seen it all before; however, as they hopscotched around the galaxy and caught up with familiar faces from their own story, Din Djarin and Grogu’s adventures almost certainly led fans astray on more than one occasion. As they journeyed through hyperspace Grogu’s first encounter with Purrgil reminded Star Wars fans that there are other stories left to be finished in the Filoni-verse. And certainly, no Star Wars fan worth their weight in credits didn’t wonder for a beat or two when Hondo was going to walk around the corner during the dispute on Nevarro. The decision to intentionally and indirectly bring Ezra Bridger’s ongoing narrative to mind in the season opener of The Mandalorian seems a fairly clear indicator of just how central the series is to the New Republic universe that Favreau and Dave Filoni are building but it also makes the galaxy far, far away feel a bit smaller than it probably should, even if for only a few moments.

    So while it’s a little awkward to kick off a fresh new season in first gear–indeed neither The Mando nor Grogu was much changed by the events of The Apostate–and fans of the series probably feel a bit indifferent about bits and pieces of the episode (did we really really need an update on Cara Dune?), the episode does provide plenty of opportunity for contemplation about just how important the story of Din Djarin and Grogu truly is in this New Republic Era. In fact, the episode is filled with an almost overwhelming amount of small and important details buried in exposition. So while The Apostate feels familiar and sluggish as it retreads old ground, it seems to be laying the foundation for an entire suite of New Republic adventures coming to Disney Plus this year. And, if past precedent for the series is to be followed, Chapter 18 will turn on the jets anyway.

  • REVIEW: ‘The Bad Batch’ Go Where No One Will Hear Them Scream

    REVIEW: ‘The Bad Batch’ Go Where No One Will Hear Them Scream

    Star Wars: The Bad Batch, as a concept, has so much potential. The context surrounding its titular team, as well as its placement on the galactic timeline, makes the animated series ripe for a mix of cerebral storytelling and unique action scenes. Perhaps this is why it’s so frustrating that the show constantly ignores its best attributes for the sake of forgettable plotlines and run-around episodes, and more importantly, why it feels so good when an episode actually does something interesting. Thankfully, this week’s entry is among the latter. Titled Metamorphosis, the latest chapter in The Bad Batch saga combines serious political intrigue with an exhilarating play on genre to craft a narrative that’s both entertaining to watch and momentous in the grand scheme of the series.

    In Metamorphosis, Dee Bradley Baker‘s Hunter and his tactile band of misfits investigate the mysterious wreckage of an Imperial cargo ship, only to find that what lies inside might have been best left undiscovered. The first half of the episode, especially its opening moments, is maybe the most horrifying Star Wars has been in recent memory. From the beginning sequence, which highlights a lone Imperial Commando desperately fleeing from an unseen terror through dark and silent hallways, Metamorphosis promises to be different from what viewers have grown accustomed to seeing. Most of what follows falls more in line with a suspenseful science-fiction thriller, specifically in the vein of Ridley Scott’s Alien than the protagonists’ usual cookie-cutter escapades. The gimmick, though sadly short-lived, works completely for the time it’s on screen.

    (L-R): Tech, Hunter, and Wrecker in a scene from “STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH”, season 2 exclusively on Disney+. © 2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

    Star Wars is often its most fun when reviving, or replicating, the pulp of old-fashioned adventures. Watching a vintage space horror occur in the galaxy far, far away makes for a wildly enjoyable ten-to-fifteen minutes before the episode takes a surprising turn, shifting from one monster-based genre to another. Halfway through the runtime, the danger at hand is revealed to be a Zillo Beast, an evolving creature first introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. From there, Metamorphosis becomes a miniature kaiju film, with the Bad Batch chasing the larger-than-life organism across an otherworldly cityscape. The change in tone happens pretty organically, resulting in a delightful, pulse-pounding romp that pits the clones against an opponent they’ve never faced before. Especially striking in the climactic scenes is the show’s cinematography, its most consistent positive this season, vividly portraying the power of the beast against a sickly sky.

    The Zillo, however, is not the episode’s true villain. That honor belongs to Dr. Royce Hemlock, a fresh Imperial baddie hellbent on expanding Kaminoan cloning technology for the benefit of the Empire. Played to menacing perfection by the great Jimmi Simpson, Dr. Hemlock is exactly the type of antagonist The Bad Batch has needed. His existence, and ultimate plot to condense and control the galaxy’s cloning operations, immediately tie a loose narrative together and raises numerous thought-provoking questions for the Bad Batch and the show itself to answer going forward. Hopefully, the series doubles down on this seemingly new direction and follows up on it next week, instead of leaving it until the season finale.

  • Disney’s ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ Streaming Debut Date Revealed

    Disney’s ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ Streaming Debut Date Revealed

    Disney’s Peter Pan & Wendy has been set for a 2023 release for some time but had not been given a firm release date as of the studio’s latest slate update. Now the studio has revealed the release date for the live-action film along with the first trailer for the project.

    Peter Pan & Wendy, directed by David Lowery, is set to debut on April 28th on Disney Plus!

    Disney revealed a synopsis for the film via an official release:

    “Peter Pan & Wendy” introduces Wendy Darling, a young girl afraid to leave her childhood home behind, who meets Peter Pan, a boy who refuses to grow up. Alongside her brothers and a tiny fairy, Tinker Bell, she travels with Peter to the magical world of Neverland. There, she encounters an evil pirate captain, Captain Hook, and embarks on a thrilling and dangerous adventure that will change her life forever. The film stars Jude Law (“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”), Alexander Molony (“The Reluctant Landlord”), Ever Anderson (“Resident Evil: The Final Chapter”), Yara Shahidi (“Grown-ish”), Alyssa Wapanatâhk, Joshua Pickering (“A Discovery of Witches”), Jacobi Jupe, Molly Parker (“House of Cards”), Alan Tudyk (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”), and Jim Gaffigan (“The Jim Gaffigan Show”). “Peter Pan and Wendy” is directed by David Lowery from a screenplay by David Lowery & Toby Halbrooks (“The Green Knight”) based on the novel by J. M. Barrie and the animated film “Peter Pan.” The producer is Jim Whitaker (“Pete’s Dragon”), with Adam Borba (“A Wrinkle in Time”), Thomas M. Hammel (“Thor: Ragnarok”), and Toby Halbrooks serving as executive producers.

  • ‘Wonder Man’ Reportedly Adds Lauren Glazier, Werner Herzog to Growing Cast

    ‘Wonder Man’ Reportedly Adds Lauren Glazier, Werner Herzog to Growing Cast

    As Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Wonder Man prepares to enter production over the coming months, the cast is beginning to round out. Just days after reporting that Demetrius Grosse had signed on, industry insider Daniel RPK broke the news on a pair of castings. According to RPK, Lauren Glazier (Takes of the Walking Dead) and Werner Herzog (The Mandalorian) have joined the cast.

    No details were given concerning the roles either actor would fill, Glazier does seem to fit a the bill for the female lead of the project. While it’s possible Herzog could have been cast in a role that was previously rumored to be offered to Bob Odenkirk, the former is significantly out of the age range Marvel Studios was reported to have identified for the role.

    The project, written by Andrew Guest and created by Destin Daniel Cretton, is set to enter into production in April. Wonder Man will introduce long-time Avenger Simon Williams, played by Yaha Abdul-Mateen II, to the MCU and is said to be a Hollywood satire. Given the mandate by Bob Iger that Marvel Studios slow the wheels on its production machine, it seems unlikely that Wonder Man will be headed to the streaming service any time soon, with eyes on a possible late 2024 or early 2025 release.

  • ‘Hawkeye’s Original Musical Number Heading to Disneyland

    ‘Hawkeye’s Original Musical Number Heading to Disneyland

    There have been many theories that we may see more of that iconic musical piece from Hawkeye titled Rogers: The Musical. After visitors of D23 got a little piece from the musical, many wondered why they wouldn’t make use of it to have a live feature at one of the Disneyland Resorts. Well, it seems it was only a question of time as Marvel has finally announced that Disneyland Resort will indeed start showcasing the one-act version of Rogers: The Musical starting this summer.

    It’s fun to see this unique take on the first Avengers film make its way to real life after its popularity during the airing of Hawkeye on Disney+. While Clint Barton was a bit embarrassed by the project, it definitely became a fan-favorite, especially when we got the musical as the final post-credit sequence. For now, it seems they don’t have any exact details just yet for the project but it will debut on the Hyperion Stage in California Adventure Park.

    Many have wondered what the biggest advantage of Disney has been and that was its synergy. Not only do they have strong box office performers, but they also profit from having their properties get featured at Disney parks, the various merchandise released for the projects, and more. Who knows if they might also get inspired for a full-on musical inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe that could also become a Disney+ original eventually. At this point, anything is possible.

    Source: Marvel

  • Stella Meghie to Direct Multiple Episodes of Marvel Studios’ ‘Wonder Man’

    Stella Meghie to Direct Multiple Episodes of Marvel Studios’ ‘Wonder Man’

    Marvel Studios has hired Stella Meghie to direct episodes of Wonder Man. The upcoming Disney+ series is set to star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in the title role. As of now, it’s unclear just how many episodes she’ll direct but it seems she’ll be responsible for multiple. She’ll be joined by Shang-Chi and future Avengers director Daniel Destin Cretton, who will take multiple episodes. Andrew Guest is set as the series head writer.

    This Disney+ series makes the second time that Stella Meghie has worked with the Disney streamer, as she was also involved with the live-action series Tiana, which will continue the story from The Princess and the Frog. She acted as an executive producer on that adaptation and it seems that they were eager to work with her on another project, which led to her getting the job to direct Wonder Man. So, it seemingly worked out and she got her hands on quite a high-profile project after making a great impression on everyone involved.

    It should also be noted that this series is seemingly becoming a high priority for Marvel Studios and Disney+. While details are still being kept a secret, it seems that they are quite excited to tell this Hollywood-based story that may also play a little with their own position in the industry. We know that Marvel Studios is taking a step back with its Disney+ output and they may be refocusing their projects moving forward.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’ May Be Facing an Indefinite Delay

    ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’ May Be Facing an Indefinite Delay

    Kathryn Hahn‘s Agatha Harkness quickly became one of Phase 4’s most beloved characters despite her villainous role in 2021’s WandaVision. In late 2021, an Agatha-centric spinoff show was announced to be in development by Jac Schaeffer and at SDCC ’22, Kevin Feige revealed plans for that show, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, was slated for a late 2023/early 2024 release. Now it looks like that might not be the case.

    According to insider KC Walsh, Agatha: Coven of Chaos may be facing a delay in its release as Marvel Studios slows down its Disney Plus production machine.

    Walsh’s information lines up with Version 4 of our Hypothetical 2024 Marvel Studios Release Calender in which we suggested that the series may end up moving “through no fault of its own.” Walsh’s report suggests that the new time for the release of Agatha: Coven of Chaos is to be determined which indicates an indefinite delay in the release of the series.

    Despite the delay, there are no concerns about the project being taken off Marvel Studios’ upcoming slate. It looks set to introduce Billy Kaplan, aka Wiccan, to the MCU and given the push towards the Young Avengers assembling in the MCU and Wiccan’s prominent role on the team, the project seems incredibly important.

  • RUMOR: ‘Secret Invasion’ Eyeing May Release

    RUMOR: ‘Secret Invasion’ Eyeing May Release

    There’s been a lot of silence on Marvel Studios’ future with its next Disney+ series, Secret Invasion. So far, it seems like we’ll only get two this year which is quite the departure from the last two years that saw an onslaught of various projects that further expanded the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yet, as we wait for any news, it seems the next Disney+ series won’t be with us for quite some time.

    Geeks Worldwide KC Walsh has shared an interesting detail in regards to what we can expect from the upcoming Secret Invasion Disney+ series. While he doesn’t offer any insight into when exactly, he claims that the series is currently eyeing a May release. Of course, this may change, as he points out, especially with the tie-in film The Marvels getting pushed back to November.

    Of course, May is also when we’ll get our hands on the next Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and if they are hoping to spread out the projects more, they may push it back into the summer. Still, if they were eyeing a May release, it would match with the original release window for The Marvels. That also would hint at Loki potentially being a later release though depending on how far along these projects are, they could also be switching to have a closer tie-in with Kang’s arrival in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Whatever series gets released this summer, we’re likely to get a trailer that’ll confirm it.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘The Mandalorian’ Showrunner Already Wrote Season 4

    ‘The Mandalorian’ Showrunner Already Wrote Season 4

    We’re only a few weeks away from finally returning to the world of Din Djarin and Grogu. After a long pause and a pit stop in The Book of Boba Fett, the two reunite in the third season of The Mandalorian to continue where we left off. Din is on his journey to regain his right as a Mandalorian once more by going to the long-forgotten home planet of Mandalore.

    The various trailers already teased a conflict is brewing and he’ll reunite with his brethren and sisters to take on a yet-to-be-determined threat. But, it seems like it won’t be the end for our beloved duo as showrunner Jon Favreau has revealed that he already finished writing the fourth season which has yet to be officially confirmed.

    Season 4? Yeah, I’ve written it already. We have to know where we are going to tell a fully formed story. So, we had mapped it out, Dave [Filoni] and I. And then slowly you just write each episode. So I was writing it during post-production, because all of it has to feel like a continuation and one full story.

    Jon Favreau

    It is interesting to note that Favreau and co-creator Dave Filoni have had this habit of already working on the next season just as they were wrapping work on the previous one. So, it’s not necessarily a surprise that they already mapped out the next season but more that they’ve already finished writing it while working on the post-production. It’ll be interesting to see if the wait between this season and the next might be quite a bit shorter.

    Source: Collider

  • ‘Ahsoka’ Star Rosario Dawson Updates Season 1 Release Plans

    ‘Ahsoka’ Star Rosario Dawson Updates Season 1 Release Plans

    Star Wars fans are anxiously awaiting the release of Ahsoka, the live-actions series which seems to be nothing less than a direct sequel to the animated series Star Wars: Rebels. Footage of the series has been screened at a couple of different fan events and some snippets have found their way into some 2023 teasers for Disney Plus but news on the series has been scarce…until now.

    During an interview with Today’s Hoda and Jenna, Ahsoka star Rosario Dawson gave fans a bit of hope about the project’s release window. “Ahsoka, that’s going to probably come out in the Fall,” Dawson said of the streaming project slated for Disney Plus. Fall is still pretty generalized but it does at least give fans something to pencil in.

    With Disney Plus recently getting an overhaul in terms of the number of projects being put out and the spacing between said projects by large brands like Star Wars and Marvel Studios, streaming Ahsoka in the Fall gives it plenty of room to breathe following the third season of The Mandalorian, which kicks off on March 1st.