Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Disney Plus

  • Jodie Turner-Smith Joins ‘The Acolyte’

    Jodie Turner-Smith Joins ‘The Acolyte’

    Announced during Disney’s 2020 Investor Day, The Acolyte was one of many Star Wars projects that went dark for a while with virtually no updates on the series. That was until it had been announced that Amanda Stenberg was set to lead the cast of the Sith-based prequel series for Disney+ and it looks like the project has secured yet another cast member.

    Deadline is reporting that actress Jodie Turner-Smith, best known for her work in projects like After Yang, Queen and Slim, and Anne Boleyn, has joined the cast of the Disney+ series. The trade report didn’t have any details on who Smith will be playing in the series as details on the project still remain under wraps.

    The series, developed by Netflix’s Russian Doll creator Leslye Headland, is said to take viewers into the last days of the High Republic as the Dark Side grows in power and will follow a young Sith apprentice, known as an Acolyte. The project is reportedly set to begin filming sometime this Fall.

    Fans can most likely expect to hear more on the project at the upcoming D23 expo set for September 9th and 10th where anything and everything under the Disney umbrella will have time to shine during two major Studio Showcase panels.

    Smith can be seen in multiple upcoming projects such as White Noise alongside Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig, directed by Noah Baumbach and Netflix’s Murder Mystery 2.

    SOURCE: Deadline

  • The Hypothetical 2024 Marvel Studios Release Calendar, V3

    The Hypothetical 2024 Marvel Studios Release Calendar, V3

    Thanks to Kevin Feige’s presentation at SDCC ’22, not much has been left to the imagination for 2024. Marvel Studio’s One-Above-All blew the doors off Hall H by officially revealing Daredevil: Born Again, Captain America: New World Order, Thunderbolts, and Fantastic Four would all be released in 2024. He did, however, leave one currently scheduled film date unfilled and what look to be three Disney Plus series. Feige also gave a time frame for when Agatha: Coven of Chaos should start streaming and from the looks of it, 2024 is going to be a very full slate for Marvel Studios live-action productions.

    As per Feige at SDCC ’22, Coven of Chaos will bridge 2023 and 2024, so if Marvel Studios sticks to that timeline, it’s just a matter of when in December it starts and when in January it ends, assuming a 6-episode run until otherwise indicated.

    Once upon a time, it seemed like a sure thing that Deadpool 3 would hold down this spot. I even got wind at one point that it might start production in the Spring of 2023, making this the perfect date. However, as time goes on, confidence in Deadpool 3 being ready in time for this date continues to decrease. But until such a time that confidence hits absolute zero (and I hear that something else is taking this date), it’ll stay here.

    Daredevil: Born Again will be Marvel Studios’ longest series yet, with an 18-episode first season on the docket. Everyone has their own idea about how this series will work out: three six-episode pods; a nine-episode “part one” and a nine-episode “part two.” But as of now, Marvel Studios hasn’t given any indication of what to expect so we’re rolling with this being 18 consecutive weeks of DD goodness. 18 weeks is over a third of the year and there are plenty of other streaming series they want to roll out, so a March 1st start date allows this big event series to bridge the gap between films.

    It took a little longer than expected to crack the script and find a director, but now things are headed in the right direction with Julius Onah taking the helm. Expect casting news to start trickling out over the last quarter of 2022 and for production to get underway early in 2023.

    The first draft of Thunderbolts has been complete for quite a while now, having been done by Black Widow’s Eric Pearson. With Jake Schreier now on board as director and much, if not all, of the cast of the film already in place, don’t expect a ton of news to roll out about this one.

    Whether or not this project, which was announced back in February of 2021, is called Midnight Angels or not remains to be seen; however, once fans see Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, they will certainly have an understanding of what this project could be about should Ryan Coogler chose to center this Wakanda-centric spinoff on those characters. Of course, there will be a couple of other potential stories that could also make for an interesting D+ series and Ironheart is itself a Black Panther-related spinoff, so the World of Wakanda will continue to grow in many directions regardless of what this series is titled.

    Wonder Man finally gets his chance to step into the MCU! While I don’t expect this show to begin filming until 2023, there may be something to the rumors about them already looking to cast Simon Williams, meaning that the character would debut in another project ahead of his streaming series. Wonder Man and the Wakanda series do seem to be next up, so which one debuts first in the Fall of 2024 will just be a matter of which one gets into production first and successfully avoids the kinds of delays that have hit all of Marvel Studios live-action streaming series.

    Nearly five and half years after first being teased at SDCC ’19, Marvel Studios will debut their version of the First Family. Matt Shakman was recently chosen to shepherd the project and early word is that his vision lines up nicely with not only what Kevin Feige has in mind but with the original vision of the characters who first appeared in the World’s Greatest Comics Magazine over 60 years ago.

    Fans have had a field day wondering “what’s going on with Armor Wars?” The answer is probably much less sinister than the internet believes. The project is still in development and as is the case with so many of Marvel Studios’ projects, they are simply just taking their time to make sure they put together a solid project before heading into production.

    *NOTE* While confidence is fairly high that 2024 will include Midnight Angels, Wonder Man, and Armor Wars (though it’s possible a Nova series pushes one of them to 2025) confidence is much lower on the order in which they might arrive.

  • Initial ‘Cars on the Road’ Pitch Included “Twice as Many Stops”

    Initial ‘Cars on the Road’ Pitch Included “Twice as Many Stops”

    Productions change a lot from when they are initially pitched. While some pitches tend to focus on the overarching storyline and feeling the series is going for, others tend to have a stricter outline. In the case of Cars on the Road, it seems that they had quite a few episodes already mapped out as revealed by writer Steve Purcell, who pitched the series initially.

    In the official press conference for the series, he reveals that the biggest change was the number of episodes that made it into the final release. Purcell initially pitched twice as many stops before they started cutting down on what fits the story best. He doesn’t give away what they would’ve consisted of but it seems that they wanted to focus on finding a nice balance when bringing the series to life.

    Yeah. When I first pitched the idea, we had twice as many stops. And so we’ve sort of arrived at an order that we felt was working. And sometimes we would pull one out and put another one in, a different idea. Looking for just the right selection and the kind of, you know, alternating between day scenes and night scenes and kind of, you know, out in the desert opposed to in a forest or something like that. So it was really trying to structure it so it felt like a nice variety of places and it felt like you were going from one place to another along the way.

    Steve Purcell

    He does highlight that perhaps there’s more to come and teases that he has “10 more ideas sitting out there” that could be a part of another road trip for Mater and Lightning McQueen.

    But there’s still, you know, 10 more ideas sitting out there that we hadn’t used.

    Steve Purcell

    Given the Cars franchise’s success, it seems unlikely to expect this to be the last we see of them. So, we’ll have to see if the series’ upcoming Disney+ Day release will signal a second season renewal. Who knows if they might even have it planned and are just trying to build up the momentum once the series hits Disney+?

  • ‘Cars on the Road’ Director Reflects on History with the Franchise

    ‘Cars on the Road’ Director Reflects on History with the Franchise

    Pixar’s Cars franchise is making its grand return with the upcoming Cars on the Road Disney+ series. It sees the return of franchise veterans Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable guy to voice Lightning McQueen and Mater once again, as they make their way on a crazy road trip like no other. They aren’t the only veterans returning, as the series has a directing trio behind it that has all worked on the franchise since the first one was released back in 2006.

    Steve Purcell, Brian Fee, and Bobby Podesta have a long history with their work on the series, and when discussing how they approached the project during the Disney+ series’ official press conference, Fee got a chance to reflect on how their history with t. He also highlighted how knowing these characters and working for so long, they could still bring in their unique perspectives.

    We all three go back to Cars One. So, it’s in our DNA. It’s in our blood. We were all in story on Cars One. Bobby was also in animation. So, we’re all just so heavily rooted into these characters. It’s like these characters are part of our family and we all understand them, you know, on that level. So, I think it almost took care of itself as far as how do we make sure they’re in line enough. So, how are we representing, you know, what people expect from this franchise? And then I think the beauty, for me anyways, the joy of working, directing with these guys is we all have slightly different personalities.

    Brian Fee

    It definitely sounds like the series will be a Cars entry through and through, even with the new format. It also helps to have the original voices for its leads back, as they embark on a different kind of story. Who knows if this potentially opens up many other spinoff series from the Cars universe, especially as each of the directing trio might potentially add their own voices to explore new corners of the franchise.

  • Chadwick Boseman Wins Posthumous Emmy for Marvel Studios ‘What If…?’

    Chadwick Boseman Wins Posthumous Emmy for Marvel Studios ‘What If…?’

    Chadwick Boseman has been gone for two years, but his legacy continues to shine. Best known for his iconic portrayal of King T’Challa – the Black Panther – in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the late actor picked up his first and only Emmy win at last night’s Creative Arts ceremony for his work voicing a multiversal Star-Lord in Marvel’s animated What If…?. One of many MCU stars who returned to do voice work for the series, Boseman was a noticeable stand-out when he appeared in the episode “What If…T’Challa Became a Star-Lord?” and quickly grew in popularity as he recurred throughout the rest of the season. His efforts, recorded before he died but released almost a full year after, earned him the award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance.

    Boseman beat out an extremely competitive group at this year’s event, rising above the likes of Bridgerton‘s Julie Andrews, Moon Knight‘s F. Murray Abraham, Big Mouth‘s Maya Rudolph, Central Park‘s Stanley Tucci, fellow What If…? alum Jeffrey Wright, and Archer‘s Jessica Walter, who passed away in 2021. The win puts an end to Rudolph‘s victory streak, after the comedian won the award for the past two years in a row. Boseman‘s wife, Taylor Simone Ledward, accepted the Emmy on his behalf, giving the following statement to Deadline:

    When I learned Chad was nominated, I started thinking of everything that was going on in the world and our world and being so in awe of his commitment and dedication and what a beautiful moment that one of the last things he would work on was something so important to him and to the world but also something new. You can’t understand your purpose unless you ask what if? What if the universe is conspiring in my favor? What if it’s me? Chad would be so honored and I am honored on his behalf.

    Taylor Simone Ledward

    What If…? will return for both a second and third season on Disney+, though the release dates are currently unknown.

    Source: Deadline

  • Disney+ Teases Potential X-Men-Related Announcement for Disney+ Day

    Disney+ Teases Potential X-Men-Related Announcement for Disney+ Day

    There have been many theories about what we can expect from the upcoming Disney+ Day. Last year, we got a few announcements alongside official logo reveals. The big question for many is how much they’ll really show if D23 is right after but they might still use the chance to tease some Disney+ projects or even reveal some fun trailers. Plus, we’ll also get some new additions to the service to celebrate the occasion. Now, the official Twitter account is also seemingly teasing something X-Men related for the day.

    The interesting thing is that they’ve made a few day countdown posts, but this time around they highlighted the hashtag. The inclusion of Hugh Jackman‘s Wolverine is definitely a curious choice but very unlikely is hinting at anything related to the 20th Century Fox era but there’s a chance we might get a teaser of some kind of the 90s animated series continuation X-Men ’97.

    Of course, to temper expectations, there’s simply a chance they are promoting the fact that they have all the 20th Century films on the platform. Disney+ has advertised itself as the “Home of Marvel” and is definitely living up to that name. Perhaps they’ll finally add X-Men: Evolution to the platform, which was a great animated series based on popular animated characters. We still have a week to wait until we find out what exactly they might be teasing or if it’s actually anything, but there’s a lot of fun to have to speculate ahead of such a big event from Disney.

    Source: Twitter

  • Tim Roth Reveals Feige Originally Planned for a Different Fate for Abomination

    Tim Roth Reveals Feige Originally Planned for a Different Fate for Abomination

    With She-Hulk: Attorney at Law being well under way with its first season on Disney+, one of the standout characters fans have connected with is Emil Blonsky, a.k.a. Abomination. The character, of course, is played by Tim Roth, who returns to the role and the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a reformed villain serving a prison sentence. It’s certainly not the way many expected to see the character return, and it turns out, the character very nearly had a different fate planned for him. When sitting down with IGN, the actor revealed what the original fate of Blonsky would have been after The Incredible Hulk.

    I remember talking to Kevin [Feige] on set of [The Incredible Hulk] and Stan Lee as well. The idea was that they locked him up in a steel vault and sank it to the bottom of the ocean and left it there. So that when you found it at the beginning of whatever film that might have been… That’s where you found him. And he’d had time to think. About what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go.

    Tim Roth

    The idea of Abomination being locked in a confined space and submerged deep into an ocean could’ve led to a different adaptation of the character upon a return. However, Roth went on to further elaborate on how his position in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law still has some mirrors to this original fate.

    Well in a sense they kind of did it in She-Hulk. He’s in isolation, dealing with his inner monster… and he’s been in a bubble… in a maximum security [prison] in total isolation, for many years. So now what do we get? Who is he? And the journey he goes on will possibly dance around the knife edge of ‘is he or isn’t he [reformed]?’ And I know I had some fun with him.

    Tim Roth

    The concept of reforming oneself has been ever prevalent with the character of Emil Blonsky and it’s interesting to see how Tim Roth has run with that character direction. Ultimately, it could be considered a surprise that Abomination returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after over a decade of not being mentioned. This is especially the case for a subversion of the villainous role. Roth spent some time discussing his feelings about his return and the nature in which he was brought back.

    I laughed. I thought it was hilarious. When [Marvel] told me what they had in mind, I just laughed, I thought it was wonderful, and impossible, and mad… It also in a sense was nice because then I could revisit my kids’ childhood.

    Tim Roth

    It can be assuring to know that at least the performer behind the character has a positive experience for his time returning to this role. The first three episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law starring Tatiana Maslany as the titular character are now streaming on Disney+.

    Source: IGN

  • ‘She-Hulk’ Creative Team Discusses THEE Episode 3 Cameo

    ‘She-Hulk’ Creative Team Discusses THEE Episode 3 Cameo

    One of the biggest talking points coming out of the latest episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is the cameo appearance of Megan Thee Stallion. While the news was spoiled on social media just a few days prior to the episode release, it still has served as a pleasant surprise for a number of viewers. While sitting down with Entertainment Weekly, various members of the creative team discussed the process of how the star rapper’s cameo came to be. Head writer Jessica Gao talked about the challenge of deciding who would best fit this role and the relatively surprising name who pitched the idea of Megan Thee Stallion.

    We didn’t even know that we could dream that big. When we wrote the script, all we knew was we needed to have a female celebrity who was very famous, very successful, and very beautiful. But we didn’t know if it was going to be an actress, or a model, or a musician. And depending on who it was, we knew we’d probably have to tweak the story a little bit to fit whoever we ended up casting…Jameela (Jamil) one day floated the idea of Megan and the moment she said that, and the moment we realized that that could be a possibility, we were like, ‘Stop everything. That’s it. The conversation’s done. We only care about Megan now. And if Megan will do it, then that settles it.‘

    Jessica Gao

    From this, it’s clear how much of an influence Megan Thee Stallion has had on the cultural zeitgeist and her epitomizing what the show was looking for in that role. Director Kat Coiro further elaborated on what made Megan a massively exciting option for the show’s creative team.

    The character was scripted as a celebrity who never in a billion years would we believe would date Dennis Bukowski. When Jameela suggested Megan, we all lost our minds. She’s perfect on so many levels, just as a beautiful young celebrity who would never date Dennis Bukowski, but also as a powerful woman who embodies a lot of what She-Hulk embodies. And then it was a little cherry on top that Tatiana (Maslany) is the world’s biggest Megan fan. As soon as that name came up, there was nobody else.

    Kat Coiro

    The further notion of Tatiana Maslany being a massive fan of Megan Thee Stallion certainly helped elevate the scene in portraying Jennifer Walters’ undying adulation towards the rapper. And as learned in the interview, the feeling of love was mutual with Megan Thee Stallion towards Marvel Studios.

    We found out that Megan loves Marvel and superhero stuff, so it was incredible. It really came together very quickly, and we didn’t even have time to stop and just stand in awe at the fact that this was actually happening. It was everyone’s dream come true, especially Tatiana.

    Jessica Gao

    Ultimately, the appearance of Megan Thee Stallion in this past episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law provided a large source of levity for not just the characters on screen, but the creative time sitting behind it. The third episode of the Disney+ was officially released on Thursday, September 1st.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • REVIEW: ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 3

    REVIEW: ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ Episode 3

    She-Hulk: Attorney at Law finally gets into its full groove in its third episode, and the result is the series’ best episode by far. By being able to embrace the half-hour story format, the show capitalizes on its concept and various parts to create some memorable and enjoyable television. But at the end of the day, Episode 3 is simple: it is wholeheartedly hilarious and full of constant literal laugh-out-loud moments.

    With Wong’s introduction, the show once again proves it has strong connections to the MCU that it uses to enhance She-Hulk. The legal case-by-case structure essentially gives the show—apart from Jen’s overarching personal journey—the substance and story it needs on a weekly basis without the weight or pressure of actually needing a heavy overarching premise. There are clear breadcrumbs to a larger plot on the horizon, notably with the Asgardian construction worker-inspired Wrecking Crew that tried to take a sample of She-Hulk’s blood for “the boss.” But that tease is quite frankly the least interesting part of the episode by far.

    The focus on smaller-scale stories also gives She-Hulk the space it needs to be genuinely funny and a pure comedy. Without the mandate of a slowly unraveling “main story”, each episode can just simply be enjoyed for what it is. The series can take elements, like Wong, from the greater universe and frame them in its own comedic lens without having to take on any responsibility for the true development of those characters or elements outside of this specific series. The cast, particularly the supporting cast, proves itself to be a formidable comedic vehicle when the narrative gives them the screen time. Josh Segarra’s Pug and Drew Matthews’ Dennis Bukowski handle the B-story without a problem and put in some of the best performances of the episode.

    The pure absurdity contained in some of She-Hulk’s source material and comics generally is often not explored in live-action projects because it is—exactly—absurd. Phase 4 in general has been letting itself delve into that weirdness, but this series probably embraces the weird more than any other project. The simple joy of watching the “everyday life” of a Hulk and the Sorcerer Supreme along with the trivial and silly adventures they get into is virtually never part of the usual MCU experience. By not taking everything so seriously, She-Hulk gets to exist and breathe on its own, unique scale. But its resources make the small-scale stories feel much more exciting than if the revolving door of characters and clients was entirely new or bland. The show, through its connections to cameos and references, has an anchor in the MCU that keeps it from drifting into forgettable waters.

    She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’s third episode sees the series transform into what it is intended to be. Where the first two episodes jogged, Episode 3 sprints. The show is fully self-aware, and even directly calls out misogynistic patterns that surround female superheroes and woman-led projects, particularly on social media. She-Hulk has nothing to prove to those who cannot handle the concept of a “She”-Hulk getting attention. For the rest of the world, this episode proves that the series is a hell of a good time.

  • Regan Aliyah Joins Marvel Studios ‘Ironheart’ Disney+ Series

    Regan Aliyah Joins Marvel Studios ‘Ironheart’ Disney+ Series

    While Ironheart has been in production for some time, it looks like their casting announcements aren’t taking a break anytime soon. Deadline has just reported that XO‘s Regan Aliyah has joined the upcoming Disney+ series in an unknown role. There’s no word how big her role might be, but she’s joining a stacked cast that includes Dominique Thorne as Riri Wiliams, Alden Ehrenreich, Anthony Ramos, and many more.

    The series is shaping up to be one of the MCU’s most interesting, especially with recent reveals adding a few curious questions on how it connects to the wider MCU storyline. Leaks seemingly hint at her iconic armor being showcased in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever while set photos hinted at her still working on one during the Disney+ series as it has a much bulkier design in comparison.

    There have been theories that perhaps this show acts as a prequel leading into the event of the upcoming film, which would be a first. WandaVision was released ahead of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness so it would connect to the series. Yet, this would be the first case that a series explores a character’s story before they joined the silver screen. Of course, we don’t know yet and can only theorize but it’ll be interesting to see once we get a first look at the series.

    Source: Deadline