Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Exclusive

  • EXCLUSIVE: Downward Facing Twerk Will Leave You Saying Namaste, Bitches

    EXCLUSIVE: Downward Facing Twerk Will Leave You Saying Namaste, Bitches

    Ready for some well-being and re-centering? Try yoga! Want a snarky, scathing criticism of the commercialization of yoga and its devolution into a mainstream social media contest for followers? Watch season 2 of Namaste, Bitches, a comedic web series from Creator and Director, Summer Chastant.

    Chastant stars in the series as yoga instructor Sabine, who’s been teaching at What Up Dog Yoga Studio for six years and is eager to for a promotion to Senior Teacher. Tania Verafield reprises her role as Gina, now an unemployed yoga instructor crashing on Sabine’s couch, who’s beginning to spiral down a rabbit hole of wild conspiracy theories. When yoga studio owner Beth (Christina Piazza) asks Sabine to mentor her young niece and help her become a better instructor, Sabine accepts the role despite misgivings with Holly (Rebekah Kennedy), who will clearly stop at nothing to gain her own following of yoga enthusiasts.

    Rebekah Kennedy as Holly and Summer Chastant as Sabine in Namaste, Bitches.

    Sabine confronts Gina about her conspiracy theories and finally gets news about the Senior Teacher position she’s been longing for. But she’s in for a wicked surprise! Murphy’s Multiverse has an exclusive look at episode 4, “Downward Facing Twerk” here first.

    Chastant launched season one of Namaste, Bitches in 2015, showcasing the underbelly of the yoga scene in Los Angeles. The story is close to home for Chastant, who taught yoga for over a decade in New York, but was forced to adapt her yoga practice after moving to California to pursue her acting and directing career. In a phone discussion earlier this month, Chastant said she had a more alignment-focused practice valued by a population who moved more. New Yorkers walk, take the stairs, walk to the subway, and valued that slower, aligning-focused practice. Vehicle-bound Californians, however, were looking for a workout. She found yoga practices attached to crystal meditation rooms and sound baths—with a much bigger focus on “energy” healing. When I asked her what she thought about those practices, Chastant laughed and explained “I appreciate people who appreciate them.”

    Chastant, a certified yoga teacher, was concerned with the yoga community’s embrace of certain conspiracy theories during the pandemic—particularly with QAnon and its anti-vaccination movements which seemed to resonate among a subset of yoga’s cult-like followers looking for nontraditional healing. She confronts those trends and cancel culture in season two of the series. Guru Seasonal (Katarina Morhacova) serves as a sort of stand-in for the god-like yogis who are no longer questioned by their followers but blindly followed to dire ends. When someone dares to speak out? They’re canceled, never to be mentioned again amongst yoga practitioners. This worried Chastant, who urges people to be wary of any situations where people stop asking questions of their leaders. “Do your research!” she says playfully, parroting the QAnon catchphrase.

    The yoga instructors of What Up Dog embrace Guru Seasonal’s conspiracies as cult-like followers.

    With season two, Chastant took on directing and producing duties in addition to starring in the series. She says it was definitely more work, but directing allowed her to execute the vision she had for the show while writing it. She hopes the series can continue to evolve, perhaps even into a feature-length film. Chastant’s recent project, Plug, placed in the Austin Film Festival. Plug tells the story of a teenage girl who, after the death of Kurt Cobain, must confront her own tragic past in order to fulfill her dream of being the lead singer in a band.

    You can catch up on Namaste, Bitches on YouTube now. All six episodes of season one are available now, as well as episodes 1-3 of season 2. Episodes 4-6 of season 2 will be available on December 2.

  • ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Director Christina Choe Set to Helm Margot Robbie’s ‘Pizza Girl’ (Exclusvie)

    ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Director Christina Choe Set to Helm Margot Robbie’s ‘Pizza Girl’ (Exclusvie)

    Christina Choe, who directed two episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale and two episodes the The Twilight Zone, is set to helm the feature film Pizza Girl, which is being produced by Margot Robbie. Though it was unclear at the time of publication, it is also believed that Robbie will hold down one of the film’s leads. Casting for the film is underway now ahead of a January start of production.

    Pizza Girl will tell the story of a young, expectant mother struggling to come to terms with a multitude of major changes in her life all happening in rapid succession. As her tenuous grip on reality continues to slip, Pizza Girl finds herself obsessed with an older woman who may be played by Robbie. Robbie recently revealed that her planned Pirates of the Caribbean film was no longer in development at Disney.

    Jean Kyoung Frazier, who has just one writing credit for Law & Order: Organized Crime, penned the script for Pizza Girl. Robbie’s husband, Tom Ackerly, will serve as a producer on the project alongside Amy Lo and Steven Rales, who also produced Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, an upcoming film starring Robbie.

  • Dave Bautista’s ‘My Spy 2’ Ready to Roll at Amazon Studios (Exclusive)

    Dave Bautista’s ‘My Spy 2’ Ready to Roll at Amazon Studios (Exclusive)

    Dave Bautista will reunite with co-star Chloe Coleman and writer/director Pete Segal for My Spy 2, a sequel to the surprise 2020 film. The film will be produced by Amazon Studios, which purchased the rights to My Spy in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down theaters across the globe. After a couple of years in development, production is set to begin in February 2023 with shoots planned on location in South Africa and Italy.

    My Spy followed Bautista’s CIA operative JJ’s mission to track uncle of Coleman’s Sophie. Though the nine-year-old Sophie was much more than JJ bargained for, the pair formed a bond and an unlikely alliance. The film ended with JJ living with Sophie and her mother, Kate, played by Parisa Fitz-Henley. Jon and Erich Hoeber, who co-wrote the original film, penned the script for the sequel as well, which looks set to be released on Amazon Prime in late 2023 or early 2024.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Live-Action ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Replacing an Iconic Character from the Animated Original

    EXCLUSIVE: Live-Action ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Replacing an Iconic Character from the Animated Original

    Disney is all about live-action remakes these days and they’ve eyed pretty much any of their iconic animated films to get the treatment. Among them is the iconic Lilo and Stitch, which is set to be directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp based on a script from Chris Kekianiokalani Bright, which once again explores the story of a young girl named Lilo who ends up with a rather different kind of pet who she names Stitch. While the film will follow the story of the original, we can exclusively share a few details of two original characters being added to the story.

    The film is currently busy casting for the roles of Lilo, Nani, and David Kawena from the original animated film. There’s no word if they are actively looking for a voice actor for Stitch, or perhaps they might even see Chris Sanders return to the role. Yet, they are also actively casting two new roles for the film which are a character known as Tutu and Mrs. Kekoa. The former is described as someone who speaks with a local Pidgin accent and is the neighbor of the Pelekai sisters, Lilo and Nani.

    The surprising new addition is Mrs. Kekoa, as she seemingly will take on the role of Cobra Bubbles. It’s unclear if that character will still be featured in the film, but it seems that this new character is being cast as the social worker, who pays Nani a few visits to see if their living conditions are right for her to continue looking after Lilo. The addition of an alien pretending to be a dog won’t help matters much. Her inclusion does raise the question if Bubbles will be featured in the film at all, but it is possible they may be taking a different route.

    There have been a few rumblings hinting at Disney hoping to start production on it soon. DisInsider shared back in August that the film might be set as a Disney+ exclusive. This was highlighted by Discussing Film’s Jacob Fischer, who also hinted at a production start in February, which we can also confirm. They will be filming until the end of May 2023 in Hawaii, which will definitely make the project stand out and sticks to the aspects that made the original shine.

  • Amazon Studios to Develop Jeff Lemire’s ‘The World of Black Hammer’ into a Shared Cinematic Universe (Exclusive)

    Amazon Studios to Develop Jeff Lemire’s ‘The World of Black Hammer’ into a Shared Cinematic Universe (Exclusive)

    For more than a decade, Jeff Lemire has been one of the most talented and prolific writers in the comic book industry. Whether working on books such as Moon Knight or Animal Man for the Big 2 or creating a horror masterpiece in Gideon Falls for Image Comics, Lemire has proven himself a singular talent with a penchant for inspired and imaginative tales that can quickly capture an audience. In a time when comic book properties remain a key part of Hollywood’s present and future, Lemire has already seen one of his titles, Sweet Tooth, adapted as a Netflix streaming series, another, Descender, in development as a film at Sony, and a third, Gideon Falls, in development as a television series by James Wan’s Atomic Monster. And soon Lemire can add another one of his creations to the list of page-to-screen adaptations as Amazon Studios is developing what is arguably the creator’s finest work into a shared cinematic universe.

    Murphy’s Multiverse can exclusively report that Lemire and Amazon Studios have begun developing a shared cinematic universe based on The World of Black Hammer.

    The World of Black Hammer consists of over a half-dozen titles that spun out of the multiple Eisner Award-winning series Black Hammer, a creator-owned comic that Lemire launched in 2016 after nearly a decade of development. The core series centered on a group of heroes who found themselves trapped in the strange, rural town of Rockwood after saving the world from a character known as the Anti-God. Following the success of the original title, Lemire began creating multiple new titles and characters. Titles such as Sherlock Frankenstein and The Legion of Evil, The Unbelievable Unteens and Barbalien: Red Planet have come to make up the three phases of The World of Black Hammer, which Lemire intends to put a bow on in 2023.

    Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time The World of Black Hammer has been in development by a studio. Legendary Entertainment struck a similar deal in 2018 for which Lemire created a significant amount of work for the project. In a 2018 interview with SyFy Wire, Lemire explained his need to help oversee the transition from page to screen, saying, “I decided with Black Hammer, because it’s so personal and near and dear to my heart, if I was ever going to option and develop it, I had to be intimately involved. As far as that adaptation, I do have to be the one that is creatively steering that ship, like the comic.“

    It’s expected that Lemire will similarly oversee and potentially serve as an executive producer to oversee development on Amazon’s adaptation of his works, which we hear will include both films and series. With the deal only newly being struck, there’s no word yet on which project(s) will kick off the shared universe, much less when to expect a start of production.

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ Star Joins Tim Blake Nelson Film ‘Bang Bang’

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ Star Joins Tim Blake Nelson Film ‘Bang Bang’

    Bang Bang is only getting bigger. The upcoming sports drama, which is set to star Tim Blake Nelson in the title role, has added five more performers to it’s roster. Daniella Pineda, perhaps best known for playing Faye Valentine in Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop, joins Tony Award winner Nina Arianda, Kevin Corrigan, Andrew Liner, and Will Janowitz as new additions to the film’s cast. The group will appear alongside Nelson and Glenn Plummer, who were exclusively revealed as being attached to the project by Murphy’s Multiverse in September.

    Bang Bang centers on former featherweight boxer Bernard ‘Bang Bang’ Rozyski, played by Nelson, as he attempts to settle a score with his old rival Darnell Washington, played by Plummer. When his grandson, Justin, comes to stay with him, Rozyski sees the boy as an opportunity to relive his glory days, complicating his family life and leading him down a path toward the ultimate rematch. Liner will play Justin, while Arianda portrays his mother, Jen. Pineda is set to bring Officer Flores to life, while Corrigan and Janowtiz portray men named John and Dylan, respectively. Janowitz, who once held a recurring role in HBO’s The Sopranos, also wrote the movie’s script.

    There is currently no release date for Bang Bang, which will be directed by Vincent Grashaw. However, it’s likely the project is aiming for a 2023 release. Production is scheduled to begin at the end of the month in Covington, Kentucky with Jesse Ozeri and Dane Eckerle on board as executive producers.

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Barbarian’ Director Explains Film’s Title

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Barbarian’ Director Explains Film’s Title

    Barbarian, an inventive new horror film from the mind of Zach Cregger, continues the longstanding tradition of giving spooky movies a one-word title. From Us to It to Misery, there are countless mononymous thrillers with a whole lot of meaning packed into only a few syllables. Ever since Barbarian was announced, internet sleuths have done their best to crack the code and figure out just how the title relates to the plot. However, according to the director, they may never truly get an answer.

    In an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, Cregger was asked if he could break down exactly how his latest directorial effort found its name. The creative, who also wrote the film, began by stating he enjoyed the mystique of not giving a direct answer. Luckily, Cregger did decide to explain the moment “Barbarian” was selected as the project’s label and how that impacted the movie going forward:

    I think it’s an intriguing title. I like the idea that when the movie is over it could inspire a debate as to what it’s referencing. There’s been a lot of theories online about how I probably landed on it. None of them are especially accurate. [laughs] Truth be told, I had to name the document something when I saved it the first time. I was writing the script and I had to write something to save it, or it was going to be called ‘Untitled Screenplay’, and so I wrote ‘Barbarian’ and then I got attached to it. Then the more I wrote… maybe the movie just sort of wrapped itself around that title. I’m really happy with it. I think it’s the right title, but it is mysterious.

    Zach Cregger

    After it was pointed out that most of the film takes place at 476 Barbary St., which feels like a potential play on the movie’s title (“Bar-bar-y-an”), Cregger conceded that might have been done on purpose. He elaborated, giving his most solid answer:

    I think that was probably what I was thinking. The first time I started writing, I named the street “Barbary Street”. So that probably was in my head. Like ‘Barbarian’, an inhabitant of this place.

    Zach Cregger

    Barbarian hits theaters on September 9th.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Blumhouse Looks to be Rebooting ‘Brain Waves’

    EXCLUSIVE: Blumhouse Looks to be Rebooting ‘Brain Waves’

    It looks like Blumhouse is looking to reboot yet another title. We here a Murphy’s Multiverse can report that Blumhouse is currently casting for a feature film titled Brain Waves, which seems to be a reboot of the classic film of the same name.

    Brain Waves was a movie that was released in 1982. It hailed from director Ulli Lommel, who helmed the feature based on a script by Lommel with additional dialogue added by Henry R. Alexander and Suzanna Love. The film focused on Kaylie, who is forced into a coma for months following a car accident. In hopes of waking her from the coma, the doctors try a new procedure that is meant to stimulate her brain with neural patterns of a woman who just died. Although the procedure is successful, Kaylie finds herself living the life of the other woman in her dreams, learning that she’s been murdered. With her husband’s help, the duo seeks to discover the truth about the mystery woman.

    The film is currently in the casting process and is looking to fill the roles of Zarina, mother of the bride, Father Max, Deanna, Eric, Doctor Fallon, Todd Carlon, Detective Cohen, and Jeff West. Other roles being cast are a facility rep, a doctor, a farmer’s son, and a newscaster. Zarina is described as an actress between the ages of 30-38 who has undeniable charm with motherly energy; the role also calls for depth and curiosity. The film is seeking to cast a Black actress for the role. The actress must also have a US passport as she might be shooting abroad per the casting call. The role will film from January-February.

    Production on the film is expected to have a varying schedule. The shoot dates are noted as Oct. 24th through Dec. 21st, however, the film is also expected to continue filming into 2023 with filming taking place between Atlanta and Savannah, GA.

    As of now, a director has not been announced for the project.

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Director Teases More Reveals About the Clandestines

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Director Teases More Reveals About the Clandestines

    Since first meeting Najma and the Clandestines, the audience (and Kamala Khan) have learned an awful lot about the other-dimensional beings…and not all of it has been good. They’ve gone from a stranded family to a group of exiled refugees willing to destroy Earth in order to return home. The audience has heard their side of the story; the audience has heard Waleed’s side of the story. With Aisha’s side of the story still yet to be told, we asked director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy if we could close the book on the Clandestines as villains, or if there might be more to the story.

    I think you have a lot left to uncover about who these people are and what their desire is and what they want to do. I will say this, that it was so important for us to sometimes look at villains as people of circumstances and that not all villains are black and white, that there are shades of grey in that. I think that with the Clandestines, there is a lot of grey.

    Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

    As with any good villain(s), allowing the audience to empathize with them can go a long way. By drawing parallels between the Clandestine and the millions of people displaced in the Partition, the team of directors behind Ms. Marvel is creating a fascinating bit of cognitive dissonance in the audience and forcing them into some uncomfortable places.

    Episode 5 of Ms. Marvel, which will likely resolve some of the untold bits of the Clandestine’s story, will stream on Disney Plus tomorrow.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Farhan Akhtar Explains What Drew Him to ‘Ms. Marvel’

    EXCLUSIVE: Farhan Akhtar Explains What Drew Him to ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Episode 4 of Ms. Marvel, “Seeing Red”, put a new spin on Kamala Khan’s ally, Kareem, making him one of an order of Red Daggers who serve to protect the people of Pakistan from unseen threats. In establishing the Red Daggers as an organization, Marvel Studios was able to give Kareem a mentor in the form of Waleed, played by Indian multi-hyphenate legend Farhan Akhtar.

    Akhtar stays unbelievably busy writing and producing, but seems fairly selective when it comes to acting. In an exclusive interview, Akhtar recalled how he came into the role of Waleed and why it was so important for him to be a part of Ms. Marvel.

    When my agent reached out and said that Marvel is looking to cast people from India for this new show that they are doing, I was immediately interested. Firstly, it’s Marvel which is a big deal, you know we are all fans of what they make. Their films are entertaining and are always made on this amazing scale that has something for everyone. So I was immediately interested.

    Farhan Akhtar

    Akhtar’s interest in the role grew when he found out that Marvel Studios was hoping to find a role for him in Ms. Marvel, a show Akhtar saw as groundbreaking. According to the actor, he had a feeling early on that he was joining a very special production.

    And then when we found out more, we realized it’s Ms. Marvel, it’s a show about the first Pakistani-Muslim girl superhero, it speaks about the Asian community in the U.S., it travels all the way to this part of the world, it taps into the culture of this place, the folklore of this place, the history of this place. So it immediately felt like Marvel was treading new ground here, you know, in doing something that hadn’t been done before. And then they had people like Sharmeen on board-like Sana as a creative producer, so it really seem like this was going to be special. That’s what it felt like. And I wanted it. So I just said, “Listen, please whatever it is just call me and I’m gonna do it.” And after that, of course, we discussed Waleed and we discussed that character and all that more.

    Farhan Akhtar

    Fans fell immediately in love with Akhtar’s Waleed who, unfortunately, seems to have met his end saving young heroes Kareem and Kamala. Whether we see Waleed again in the future or not, it’s safe to say Akhtar made his mark in his limited role and that his feeling he was going to be part of something special was spot on.

    The first four episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney Plus.