Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Disney

  • First ‘Cruella’ Trailer and New Poster Teases a Punk Rock Origin

    First ‘Cruella’ Trailer and New Poster Teases a Punk Rock Origin

    Just yesterday, Disney teased the next live-action reimagining of one of its iconic villains from Disney’s past. This time around, the One Hundred and One Dalmatians franchise is returning with an all-new style. We will explore the origin story of Cruella de Vil. Academy Award® winner Emma Stone will play the iconic villain and will be joined by Emma Thompson in the Craig Gillespie-directed film. It is set to release on May 28th. Now, the first trailer has finally released that showcases Cruella’s early beginnings as she embraces London’s punk rock revolution and becomes the icon we all know and love.

     

     

    The new trailer is also accompanied by a brand new trailer and some new stills from the upcoming film:

     

     

    Emma Thompson as the Baroness in Disney’s live-action CRUELLA. Photo by Laurie Sparham. © 2021 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

     

    Emma Stone as Cruella in Disney’s live-action CRUELLA. Photo by Laurie Sparham. © 2021 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserve

     

    Emma Stone as Cruella in Disney’s live-action CRUELLA. Photo by Laurie Sparham. © 2021 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.

     

    Cruella is set in the 1970s and follows the story of Estella. She is trying to make a name for herself with her designs in the competitive fashion world. Her appetite for mischief gets her involved with two young thieves as they start to build a life on the streets of London. One day she is scouted by the Baroness von Hellman, a fashion legend, which will set in motion Estella’s path down a darker path into a revenge-bent Cruella de Vil. The film is based on a screenplay by Dana Fox and Tony McNamara. The original story was by Aline Brosh McKenna, Kelly Marce, and Steve Zissis. The costume designs teased in the trailer are from Two-time Oscar® winner Jenny Beavan, who has worked on Mad Max: Fury Road and A Room with a View.

  • Rian Johnson’s ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy Still in Development

    Rian Johnson’s ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy Still in Development

    Star Wars has entered a new era. After the new trilogy has ended, the franchise tested new forms of storytelling with its first Disney+ series, The Mandalorian. Its success led to the announcement of a slew of various titles that will premiere on the streaming service. Among them, we got the reveal of a live-action Ahsoka Tano show. They also revealed two brand new films, an unnamed project by Taika Waititi and Rogue Squadron by Patty Jenkins. However, there was one absent film announcement. The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson was originally going to work on a spin-off trilogy, yet we haven’t heard anything about it in a long time. Many believed it could have been canceled as Johnson moved on to working on the Knives Out franchise. Plus, Disney seems to have a stronger focus on its streaming service moving forward. USA Today’s Sariah Wilson took to Twitter to confirm that he is still actually working on it.

    https://twitter.com/sariahwilson/status/1361502613728948230

    It seems that he is getting the time he needs to iron out the details. We never got any insight into what his trilogy would explore. The Star Wars franchise has many histories to draw from, may it be the Old Republic or explore the galaxy after Rey defeated Palpatine. There have been some discussions on his take on the iconic franchise. Either way, if he has full freedom to tackle his take on an overarching storyline in a galaxy far far away, he could offer a unique story that we haven’t seen yet in this galaxy. I would love to see more of the daily life of Stormtroopers. The Mandalorian offered us a look at the potential of exploring stories beyond the Jedi that we’ve come to know and love. 

    Source: Twitter

  • New ‘Cruella’ Poster Released by Disney

    New ‘Cruella’ Poster Released by Disney

    Disney has been making a lot of live-action adaptations based on their various animated films over the past decade. Most have been straight-up remakes, but a few have functioned more like sequels, such as 2010’s Alice in Wonderland continuing the story of the 1951 animated classic of the same name. Disney’s next film in their live-action pipeline is Cruella. This one is based in the world of One Hundred and One Dalmatians but isn’t a sequel but rather a prequel focused on the titular character. It is the second live-action adaptation of the franchise, as we got a remake of the original with a sequel starring Glenn Close.

    This one is a prequel telling the origin story of the villainous Cruella de Vil, who is played by Emma Stone, as she works in the world of fashion and develops a certain fascination with dogs’ skins. To announce the upcoming trailer, Disney just revealed our first trailer for the film:

    The movie got announced as a theatrical release, and it seems to be still aiming for its May 26th release. Nothing was said to indicate a delay or change in the release method. They are officially teasing tomorrow’s trailer for the film, which will likely provide an update on whether a theatrical run is still planned. There is a chance it will be heading straight to Disney+ as several other Disney movies have during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The punk rock aesthetic is an interesting take for the iconic character and will offer a unique viewing experience for long-time Disney fans.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ To Premiere With First New Original Disney Animation Short Since 2016

    ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ To Premiere With First New Original Disney Animation Short Since 2016

    We are only a few weeks away from Disney’s first big film premiere of 2021. Raya and the Last Dragon will release simultaneously on Disney+’s Premier Access and in theaters. It will be their major test if this hybrid model will determine their future release plans. They went all out advertising it during the Super Bowl with a brand new trailer. Now, it looks like they have one more little incentive for people to check it out in theaters. Disney has just revealed a brand new theatrical short titled Us Again. It is the first one in over five years by the famous studio. It will premiere alongside Raya and the Last Dragon in theaters worldwide as of March 3th. It will premiere on Disney+ in June. Check out the first official image of the upcoming short here:

     

     

    The upcoming short is about an elderly couple. One magical night, they rekindle their forgotten passion on a magical night. It will not feature any dialogue, as the couple’s love for dance will transport them back through time. Executive producer and Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer Jennifer Lee shared her excitement for the new short and teased a future for more animated shorts:

    One of my priorities has been to bring back theatrical animated shorts and to give artists at our Studio an opportunity to explore new ideas.  ‘Us Again’ has so much spirit and energy, and pushes the boundaries of our short form storytelling

    The upcoming short was directed by Zach Parrish, who is the first to attempt one since 2016’s Inner Workings. Parrish is n stranger to Disney’s work, as he was the director of the Short Circuit film Puddles and served as the head of the animation on Big Hero 6. The short will combine dance, music, emotional storytelling, and animation with the help of Award-winning choreographers and dancers Keone and Mari, who worked with Justin Bieber and Billie Eilish. Their performance is given new life through the help of composer Pinar Toprak. Brad Simonsen, who has worked as associate producer on Big Hero 6, Zootopia, and Ralph Breaks the Internet, is set as a producer. The first visual already promises a heartfelt story of how dance and music connect us through the ages.

  • Diamond White, Alfre Woodard, and More Join ‘Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’ Animated Series

    Diamond White, Alfre Woodard, and More Join ‘Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur’ Animated Series

    The news got filled with theories on WandaVision and excitement for future Disney+ releases. All our eyes were mainly on the upcoming live-action releases. It all changed until we got some more news on the stop-motion-animated MODOK series heading to Hulu yesterday, and it looks like another Marvel Animation series is making a comeback. At the tail end of 2019, Disney Television Animation announced the animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. After a long wait, the official Disney TVA Twitter shared some concept art and a brand new logo for the upcoming series. They also finally confirm that the series will debut on the Disney Channel in 2022.

    The series is getting developed by Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland‘s Cinema Gypsy Productions, who were also the masterminds behind ABC’s Black-ish. As the image showcases, the story is following 13-year-old genius Lunella Lafayette and her T-Rex Devil Dinosaur. They will work together to protect New York City. How did a giant T-Rex make it into the Big Apple? Well, she accidentally pulled him into the present day after an experiment. The cast has some great star power with Diamond White, Alfre Woodard, and Laurence Fishburne. Speaking of Fishburne, the tweet confirms that The Beyonder will have a role in the upcoming series. Our titular star will be voiced by Damond White, who many might recognize from her voice work and appearances in various Madea films. It already looks like a fantastic addition to the Marvel family, and here’s hoping we get a sneak preview by summer for its release next year.

    Source: Deadline, Twitter

  • EXCLU: First Details on Dan Trachtenberg’s Comanche ‘Predator’ Film

    EXCLU: First Details on Dan Trachtenberg’s Comanche ‘Predator’ Film

    At the tail end of 2019, DiscussingFilm revealed that famous director Dan Trachtenberg is working on the film Skulls. He will work alongside producer John Davis, who worked on Chronicle, The Man From UNCLE, and Disney’s upcoming Jungle Cruise film. It turned out that this film is the fifth installment in the Predator title that got revealed sometime before. It would continue the franchise after Shane Black‘s 2018 film The Predator. He will work based on a script written by Patrick Aison, whose work includes Jack Ryan and Kingdom. The film will follow a Comanche woman who defines her culture’s norms and decides to become a warrior. Now, we can exclusively report some details about the upcoming project and its main characters.

    Let’s start with our rebellious girl, whose name Kee means “no”. They are looking for a 15-year-old to take on the role of a rebellious Comanche teen. She has a close relationship with her brother. He is our second lead, the 18-year old Taabe, whose name means “sun”. Kee is a truth-teller who sees what others don’t, as she guides her brother, who is expected to become Chief one day. After a successful hunt, he believes he has come of age and no longer requires his sister’s help, which creates a rift between them. She decides to set out and prove that she is just as capable as the others. She aims to defy the rules set by the masculine world of the Comanche.

     

     

    Their dynamic will be quite an interesting one to explore throughout the film, especially if these hunters have to face one of space’s deadliest hunters. The production is currently still shying away from the Predator title. It still is being produced with the working title Skulls. I like this new angle, as the alien race has visited Earth multiple times to face their greatest foes. The film’s casting is also an important move for representation and will offer a unique perspective on a classic franchise.

    Source: DiscussingFilm, Deadline

  • Blue Sky Studios Shut Down by Disney

    Blue Sky Studios Shut Down by Disney

    The studio that brought you the Ice Age franchise is closing its doors. Deadline revealed that Disney is shutting down Blue Sky Studios, which it acquired along with many other assets in the massive Fox takeover just two years ago. The studio was the prime money-maker of Fox’s animated division, having grossed $5.9 billion in total throughout thirteen films since 2002. Blue Sky produced numerous hits alongside the now-iconic Ice Age films, such as the Robin Williams vehicle Robots and the high-flying Rio. They also adapted critically-acclaimed classic properties like Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! and The Peanuts Movie. The reason behind the closure is the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, with losses from their theme park lockdowns and theater closure hindering the corporation’s ability to maintain three animation studios at once. Disney is instead opting to maintain funding for their mainstays, Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios.

    The entire Blue Sky library will remain a part of the Disney experience, and the previously-announced Ice Age series for Disney+ is expected to arrive. However, the studio’s next film, Nimona, a magic-based medieval fairy tale about a shape-shifting boy who partners with a mad scientist to topple an evil ruler, will halt production. It still required ten more months to finish. Tragically, the demise of Blue Sky will lead to the loss of 450 jobs. Deadline does report that Disney will work with the former employees to find positions at other internal studios. The world is sure to miss the storytelling prowess of Blue Sky and the diversity that another animation studio would bring to the table. The work of the company played a vital role in many childhoods. Sadly, the latest release of the Tom Holland-led Spies in Disguise failed to make the impact the company was hoping for. Here’s hoping that the workers impacted by the closure will find ample opportunity in their future elsewhere. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors and that they can find something soon.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ Super Bowl Spot Released

    ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ Super Bowl Spot Released

    We have been anxiously awaiting the Super Bowl. Some are excited to see their favorite team win, while some are excited for the various trailer that teases what we can expect in the rest of the year. Among them, we got a brand new trailer for Disney’s next major animated film, Raya and the Last Dragon. It is the perfect opportunity to test out Disney’s next attempt at testing their Premier Access business model. It offers a closer look at Awkwafina‘s dragon Sisu.

    https://twitter.com/DisneyRaya/status/1358558363315957761

    The film still looks visually stunning, and I cannot wait to check it out when it releases in March. Awkwafina is joined by Kelly Marie Tran, who plays the role of the titular heroine Raya. The last trailer teased that she will be getting a small team together to face an ancient evil that returned after a 500-year slumber. The cast consists of Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Benedict Wong, and so many more. The film will be available for $29.99 when it releases on March 5th.

    Its success may define how Disney handles the rest of its 2021 release slate. We’ve already seen many others postpone their films, or completely embrace a simultaneous digital release. Warner Bros. certailny left an impact when they decided before the year started that they will utilize HBO Max alongside every release. No matter what they decide to do, Raya and the Last Dragon will be an essential film to keep an eye on. With those visuals, it certainly is a must-watch.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘WANDAVISION’: The Theory of Knowing Nothing

    ‘WANDAVISION’: The Theory of Knowing Nothing

    Spoiler Warning ahead for Episode 4

    For years, people on the internet have gone out of their way to make theories and speculations about the upcoming MCU films and for a time, people started to get a sense of the direction that Marvel Studios wanted to take these films in. Albeit being by reading the source material the films base themselves on, seeing set pictures, breaking down trailers and clips frame by frame. These are all standard things fans and writers do when they try to unravel the mystery behind any project. I include myself in the list of people who spend their time trying to piece together a story based on these facts. And it would help me predict many plot points from previous MCU projects at the time. But WandaVision truly is a challenge to many theorists. Mainly because Marvel has broken its standard formula and genuinely surprises us each week with every episode that comes up. And Marvel truly wasn’t lying when they said “We just don’t know what to expect.”

    The mind of a theorist can be truly interesting at times. For example, when watching the first minute of the 4th episode and seeing Monica “return”, I thought of a number of different theories in a span of a minute. At first, I thought we were following the events of what happened after the 3rd episode and that what we saw was just Monica’s mind coming back after being “Geraldine” in Westview for so long. Then I thought that what was happening was that Monica had actually obtained her powers and didn’t know how to control them. As we cut to the hospital room, my theories started to fall apart as I realized that we were back at the time of Avengers: Endgame, when the snapped or “blipped” were brought back by Bruce Banner. What happened there was a brilliant example of what happened to everyone who had been theorizing about WandaVision and the direction this show will take. And it did a brilliant job of changing up the script on all of us.

    There’s a scene in Episode 4 where pretty much every single theorist gave a collective sigh as they had to erase everything they thought they knew about WandaVision and start from scratch. And you can tell Marvel had a lot of fun making that episode as a lot of us could potentially relate to being in S.W.O.R.D.’s position. When S.W.O.R.D. started identifying the people in Westview and revealed0 that they were just “cast” in Wanda’s reality, so many theories about this show just collectively went out the window. Herb as the High Evolutionary, The Harts being amalgamations or demons that are after Wanda’s children, Phil Jones, and the possibility of Arcanna Jones appearing in this series. The point being that Marvel really flipped the script on us by making us think that we know everything when in reality, we practically are still in the dark about this show, and every episode introduces a new aspect that leaves fans just buzzing with new ideas. “What happened to the beekeeper after Wanda said no? Who is censoring the broadcast of what’s happening in Westview? Why is it even being broadcast in the first place? Is Wanda literally imagining all of this happening with Vision’s dead corpse?” And that’s just from this last episode alone.

     

    This is why WandaVision is so interesting in the first place. We’ve grown used to expecting big Marvel fight scenes and straightforward stories in the films. But by having a story like WandaVision play out as it does, it allows fans to make theories and try to look back at what the big mystery of the show truly is, only to realize that most of what they thought they knew was wrong. Having scenes like the ones where S.W.O.R.D. is at the command center watching the first episode of WandaVision as if they were us really allows for fans to have more of a connection to the characters of the show and its what keeps bringing back fans for more to try to uncover the mystery of what’s really going on in WandaVision. So maybe, in this new phase of the MCU, Marvel’s new plan isn’t really to follow the same ol’ strategy, but rather explore the universe it’s established with new characters and different storytelling formats that could make the films and shows less predictable.

  • Super Bowl to Feature Disney Trailers for ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’, ‘Falcon and the Winter Solider’ And Potentially More

    Super Bowl to Feature Disney Trailers for ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’, ‘Falcon and the Winter Solider’ And Potentially More

    The Football event of the year is just around the corner. Everyone has their eyes on the Super Bowl for different reasons. Some are there to cheer on their team, while others can’t wait for those exclusive trailers. Well, after a year-long pandemic, some are wondering if anyone will risk the investment. According to Deadline, we will see a smaller line-up than in the past few years. Many streaming services like HBO Max, Peacock, Apple TV, and Netflix will skip this year. Luckily, it seems that Disney is willing to take the risk. They plan to release at least two to four trailers that will be on par with previous years.

    Raya and the Last Dragon is a safe bet to be one of the trailers, as they want to test out their second Premier Access film that releases next month. Last year, Disney+ made a major splash with their first official teaser for their Disney+ slate. It was a short trailer that showcased Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, and even Loki. None of these series got a release date at the time, but it certainly left an impact when it initially aired. So, there is a good chance we will get another trailer that teases their 2021 Marvel slate. Deadline does not rule out a possible trailer for Black Widow, which is still set to release May 7th. They highlight that you shouldn’t expect a sudden announcement that the film will be made available on Disney+ during the event.

    It is crazy to think that Black Widow released a trailer last year and was only a few months away from release. If they do end up including the upcoming Marvel film, there is a good chance we might not see another delay. They could be waiting out to see how Raya performs before making any decisions. It is understandable after Mulan underperformed last year on the service. The release of Pixar’s Soul saw a massive increase in app downloads. However, it probably was nowhere near as profitable as a regular cinematic release. Well, no matter which direction they end up going. There is no competition this year, and Disney will be able to dominate the post-game buzz with anything they decide to release.

    Source: Deadline, Digital TV Europe, Deadline (Soul)