Tag: Exclusive

EXCLUSIVE: ‘Tyler Perry’s Sistas’ Zatima Spinoff Ordered to Series

We have a treat for fans of Tyler Perry’s Sistas. There was a lot of pull for DeVale Ellis‘ Zac and Crystal Hayslett‘s Fatima to get together and it wasn’t until the third season’s midseason finale that Zac confessed and “Zatima” was born. Their popularity made them fan-favorites and it looks like Tyler Perry wants to explore their relationship a bit more, as we can exclusively share that a series focused on the two is currently in development.

Perry will return as director and writer for the series that is currently eyeing a production start in December. It’s perfect timing as Sistas recently got renewed for a fourth season by BET. The new series is currently going to run for ten episodes with BET+ and Tyler Perry Studios involved with the production. Perry has worked on quite a few TV series including House of Payne, Young Dylan, The Oval, and many more. Sistas started in 2019, the same year as The Oval.

It’s great to see how much momentum the show has built over the years. While DeVale Ellis has been playing Zac since the series began, Crystal Hayslett‘s Fatima Wilson only had a recurring role during the first season before joining as a regular in its second. Perry has worked on quite a few TV series including House of Payne, Young Dylan, The Oval, and many more. Sistas started in 2019, the same year as The Oval which was quite a busy year for the producer, actor, and director.

November 4, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Zoey Deutch leads ‘Something From Tiffany’s’ for Amazon, Plus Casting Breakdown

Amazon and Zoey Deutch are teaming up for an upcoming film.

We at Murphy’s Multiverse can exclusively reveal that Deutch is attached to star in Something From Tiffany‘s for Amazon Studios. The film is being produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Levy Neustadter, with Deutch joining them as an executive producer. The project will be helmed by Daryl Wein, who directed Lola Versus.

The project is an adaption of the Melissa Hill novel of the same name. It tells the story of two men who find themselves shopping at Tiffany’s for the women in their lives. Gary, one of the men, is merely looking for a charm bracelet, while Ethan is looking to purchase an engagement ring. When a mix-up is made with the shopping bags, the two couples will find their lives intertwined. Although it is unclear which woman Deutch will play in the film, we can confirm the feature is casting for the role of Daisy, Ethan’s daughter.

The role of Daisy is open to any ethnicity and requires a 12-year-old actor who can portray a 10-year-old. Daisy is described as clever, charismatic and wise beyond her years. Her dad, Ethan, is said to be her best friend and she just wants to see him happy. While she lacks a filter and is unable to keep a secret, Ethan relies on her help to navigate his love life. The role of Daisy is for a lead role.

Production on Something From Tiffany‘s will kick off in New York and Los Angeles this December. The adaption was written by Tamara Chestna, who penned the adaption of the best-seller, After.

October 30, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Character Breakdowns for Netflix’s ‘Beef’ with Steven Yeun

In March, Netflix announced it was developing a comedy-drama series titled Beef starring both Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead, Invincible) and Ali Wong (Baby Cobra, Always be my Maybe). The story centers around two people who allow a road rage incident to burrow into their minds and slowly consume their every thought and action.

Since the show’s announcement, though, details regarding the forthcoming series have been sparse. Until now, at least. We here at Murphy’s Multiverse have character breakdowns for some of the other characters set to appear in the Netflix series.

First up is the role of George. The character is said to be an early 30s-40s Japanese-American Male. He is described as the “chiseled and attractive” husband of Amy, who also happens to be the son of a renowned architect and designer. His character is the type who wears full bicycle gear and rides hundreds of miles every morning while listening to the Tom Ferriss podcast. George also happens to be a ceramicist who makes vases that are hard to sell, but he’s keen to focus on his business after his wife, Amy, sells off her own. This role is that of a series regular.

Next up is June, the daughter of Amy and George. The role calls for a young girl between the ages of 4-6 who is Asian-American. June is described as “adorable” and “shy.” She’s also known to have outbursts when she becomes too frustrated. While she is sweet toward both parents, June has a closer relationship with her father. She also enjoys painting, yoga and eating candy. This role is also that of a series regular.

Then there’s Isaac. The character is a Korean-American male who is between his mid-30’s and late 40’s. Isaac is the cousin of Danny and Paul. He is a bigger guy with the build of a high school or amateur football player. Isaac was recently released from jail after being arrested for illegal-export activities. While he believes in traditional Korean values, he will break the law when needed and justify it as being for his family. The character will appear in 7 out of 10 episodes.

Finally, there’s Fumi. This character is a Japanese-American woman in her 60s. She is the mother of George and Amy’s mother-in-law. Fumi is described as elegant and attractive, and she wears head-to-toe designer clothes. She is also the widow of a renowned architect who has never worked a day in her life. With no job, she spends her time as a doting grandmother and visits her son’s family often. Fumi has high expectations of others, including her son, and prides herself on her artistic taste. The character will appear in 7 out of 10 episodes.

Netflix’s Beef consists of 10 episodes and Lee Sung Jin (Dave, Tuca & Bertie) serves as the showrunner.

October 29, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Lia McHugh on Sprite’s Future Within the Marvel Cinematic Universe

When most actors sign on to appear in a Marvel Studios film, they do so without a clear idea of how long their character will be around. In the past, Marvel Studios was known to sign actors for six-picture deals, however, that has since changed. Still, it’s hard to imagine most actors don’t envision a future for their characters within the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe at one point or another. For Eternals actor Lia McHugh, she’s unsure of Sprite’s future but seems hopeful.

In an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, McHugh briefly discussed her future as Sprite. While she can’t comment on future appearances, the actress does discuss how she has earned the distinction of being the youngest superhero within the Marvel Cinematic Universe – despite playing a character well over thousands of years old.

You know, as a kid you sort of daydream about different, crazy things that don’t ever really come true. And I never thought in a million years that I would play a superhero because there’s never really been a kid superhero, especially at this level in the MCU. So, when I got this part, I was absolutely shocked and its been special that I’m the youngest superhero in the MCU. I’ve officially gotten that title. I really can’t comment on any future movies, they don’t tell me anything. So, you probably know more than I do.

She is open to doing voice work in an animated project, though. When asked if she would voice Sprite in an animated series for Marvel, McHugh kept it simple.

I mean, I don’t know. I would probably be open to anything.

Fans can meet McHugh’s Sprite when Eternals hits theaters on Nov. 5.

October 22, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Lia McHugh Talks About the Casting Process for ‘Eternals’

Marvel Studios’ latest blockbuster, Eternals, will not only tell the story of some of its oldest characters. The film will also debut 10 brand new heroes into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Lia McHugh‘s Sprite. During an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, the young actress briefly discussed the long casting process she endured for the role as Sprite.

During our one-on-one interview with McHugh, we asked her about the casting process for her role as Sprite in Eternals. Interestingly enough, McHugh revealed she auditioned for Marvel television roles in the past.

I had auditioned for, I think, a couple of Marvel TV shows when I was a lot younger. So, it was the same studio that I had been to for auditions back when we used to do in-person auditions.

At the time, McHugh wasn’t entirely sure what she was auditioning for, although she had her suspicions it could be for Marvel again. As we’ve seen in the past, Marvel Studios used fake sides for the casting process, which threw the young actress for a loop.

I kind of had the idea that it was something for Marvel. I didn’t know what, um, it was weird sides and the description was someone with dark hair, dark eyes. I remember when I went in, I was like ‘Just so you know, I’m willing to dye my hair and wear contacts’.

Eventually, McHugh was brought in to audition once again. This time, though, she was given real sides, and she realized she was auditioning for the chance to be a superhero.

I got a callback and then, I think my second round of callbacks, I finally got real sides. “It was one or two scenes… and I was sort of able to figure out who Sprite was by googling and I was like ‘Oh my gosh, this is for an Eternal. I could play a superhero.’

McHugh would go on to do a massive screentest on a soundstage in front of director Chloé Zhao and the film’s producers, where she found herself feeling nervous. She was told she would hear back within 30 days regarding whether or not she got the part. To her surprise, at the end of the 30 days, she was then flown out to London to do a screen test with Richard Madden at Pinewood Studios.

I got to go to London for a week before I even got the part, and I got to meet Richard Madden. And then, it was actually my brother’s birthday when we got the call, and they called my mom and she accidentally hung up the phone because she was so nervous. They called back and she woke me up because I was asleep… and we all started crying. It was a very vigorous process.

It was a long process for the young actress, but luckily, McHugh secured the role as Sprite. Fans can catch McHugh in Marvel Studios’ Eternals when it hits theaters on Nov. 5.

October 22, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Lia McHugh Was Surprised By Changes Made to ‘Eternals’

Major studio films rarely stay the same from start to finish. Whether it be thanks to reshoots or constant script changes, movies are constantly evolving. It would seem Marvel Studios’ newest blockbuster saw plenty of changes, too, throughout production. During an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, Eternals star Lia McHugh revealed she was caught off guard by a handful of changes made to the movie between the time of filming and its release. Of course, this is common practice for the House of Ideas. Sometimes it’s meant to keep actors in the dark. Other times, however, the alterations are made to enhance the quality of the film. Either way, statements regarding alterations throughout production have become a recurring statement among those involved with Marvel’s projects.

When asked directly if any parts of the final product were a surprise to her, McHugh responded:

There were a lot of changes… I mean, not a lot. There were a few changes made from when we shot the movie and then a couple things were changed in reshoots.

While this may not be all too interesting, it’s what she says next that will pique fans’ interest:

One of the after-credits scenes I was surprised. I watched like a rough cut of the movie before I saw the final cut, and I actually was surprised by a few things. I can’t say too much about it. But yeah, there were a few things that were changed that I was surprised.

It’s important to note that the up-and-coming actress does not specify what she was surprised by; it could have been because the after-credit scene was changed, or simply because she didn’t know it existed. Either way, it would appear Marvel Studios had a few secrets up its sleeve for both audiences and the cast of Chloe Zhao‘s latest work.

Eternals hits theaters on November 5, should fans like to see what surprises McHugh might have been talking about.

October 22, 2021
Exclusive: Character Breakdowns & Start Date for Grease Prequel ‘Rise of the Pink Ladies’

It looks like things are moving along on Paramount Plus’ forthcoming Grease prequel, Rise of the Pink Ladies. We here at Murphy’s Multiverse have some fun news for Grease fans. Not only do we have two character breakdowns for two leads, but we also know when production will finally kick off.

The Grease prequel is looking to cast the roles of Nancy and Richie. Both characters are portrayed as 16-years-old, with the production seeking actors that are at least 18 years of age. Nancy, who is as a founding member of the Pink Ladies, is described as a Japanese-American female who is “unapologetically artsy and eccentric” with dreams of going to fashion school in New York City. The person cast for the role must be a strong singer & dancer. As Nancy is one of the Pink Ladies, this will be a series regular role.

Richie is described as a Mexican-American male who is a part of the T-Birds. He is a “cool playboy with a reputation” who is also a secret romantic with more depth than others would expect from him. The character is also a twin on the series, with a twin sister named Olivia. The person cast for the role must be a strong singer & dance, they must also be fluent in Spanish. Like Nancy, this is for a series regular role.

A Grease prequel has been in the works for quite some time. Rise of the Pink Ladies was initially in development at HBO Max, before the streamer ultimately passed on the project resulting in Paramount+ picking it up. Prior to Rise of the Pink Ladies, another prequel series titled Summer Loving was in development, while HBO Max was looking to produce Grease: Rydell High. As it stands, the status of those projects is unclear.

Rise of the Pink Ladies takes place four years before the events of the iconic musical, Grease. The series will show the rise of the Pink Ladies, which will consist of four “fed-up, outcast girls” who simply want to have fun on their own terms. Their rise as the Pink Ladies will alter Rydell High forever.

Filming on Rise of the Pink Ladies is will begin in January 2022 in Vancouver. As always, production timelines can change, for now, though, the production is on track for a January 2022 start.

October 19, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Daredevil’s Marc Jobst to Direct Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Pilot Episode

Eiichiro Oda‘s One Piece has recently passed the 1,000 chapter mark and has been going strong since 1997. The journey of a young and ambitious pirate named Monkey D. Luffy spirals into an adventure unlike any other. With the end of its current Wano arc on the horizon, Netflix is trying its hand at bringing this iconic franchise to the west as a live-action adaptation. It’s been quiet since it first was announced in 2017 but picked up some pace a few months ago with the first look at their One Piece logo.

There are still some questions on the upcoming production and who might bring this series to life. Early on, Steven Madea joined as showrunner alongside Luke Cage writer Matt Owens. We can now exclusively confirm that the series’ pilot episode also has found its director in Daredevil and Black Sails‘ Marc Jobst. He and Owens have some shared history, as the director also worked on the Luke Cage episode from season two titled “Wig Out,” which Owens wrote. His experience with Black Sails, a Starz series that explored the golden age of piracy, is also a great plus. He may have hinted at his involvement back in March in a Q&A with Newcastle University.

The project is currently working under the title “Project Panda,” which seemingly has changed at one point in pre-production as it was teased as “Project Roger” in May. It’s a fun reference to Oda‘s joke character Pandaman that he hides as an easter egg throughout the manga. Production was eyeing an August production start in Cape Town last year but got delayed due to the pandemic. The first season will explore the East Blue saga in ten episodes, as Luffy recruits the first members of the Straw Hat pirates before he sets out into the Grand Line.

Source: YouTube

September 23, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Netflix’s THREE-BODY PROBLEM Looking to Fill Out its Cast
Last September, it was announced that Game of Thrones showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, were developing an adaption of The Three-Body Problem for Netflix. The adaption was the first project announced by the duo under their new overall mega deal with Netflix. Since the news first hit, details regarding the series adaption have been rather sparse. We know that Derek Tsang (Better Days) will direct the drama, and actress Eiza Gonzalez will lead the series. Details beyond those, though, have been slim… until today.
- We here at Murphy’s Multiverse have a small bit of news we can share, though, with fans of Liu Cixin’s sci-fi book trilogy The Three-Body Problem. The Netflix series is currently looking to cast to cast unspecified roles.
- The first role calls for a Female Lead between the ages of 25-35. This actor will need to be of Chinese heritage, a scientist and a fluent English speaker. It’s a lead role with options. Should the series stay close to the book and, assuming Eiza isn’t portraying a different version of the character, this could perhaps be for the role of Ye Wenjie. (This, of course, is merely a guess!)
- The second role calls for a Female Lead between the ages of 70-85. This actor will need to be of Chinese heritage, a scientist and a fluent English speaker. This is also for a lead role with options.
- The third role is for a Female Lead between the ages of 25-35. The actor will need to be of Hispanic/Latino heritage and speak English fluently. The character is described as a scientist and the role is a lead role with options.
- The fourth role is for Male Lead between the ages of 25-35. The actor will need to be of Indian/South Asian heritage and British. The character is said to be powerful, charismatic and clever. This is for a lead role with options.
- The fifth role is for a Male Lead between the ages of 25-35. The casting grid calls specifically for a Black actor. The character is described as a scientist, who isn’t necessarily a nerd, who is smart and laid back. He’s also said to have leading man charisma, who finds himself in extraordinary circumstances.
- The final two roles being cast are for Male Leads, both between the ages of 50-70. These are only described as Military/Ex- Military.
The Three-Body Problem is based on the book series by . The series includes Remembrance of Earth’s Past, The Dark Forest and Death’s End.

Production on The Three-Body Problem is expected to kick off in November in the UK.
September 23, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Fala Chen Talks Tony Leung and Being the Heart of ‘SHANG-CHI’

Shang-Chi and The Legend Of The Ten Rings features plenty of action. Each action set piece is bigger than the last until the film’s explosive third act. Now everything that leads into that action is surrounded by the heart of the movie: Jiang Li, mother of Shang-Chi, played by Fala Chen. Murphy’s Multiverse was fortunate enough to talk with Chen recently about her role, working with Tony Leung and more.

Chen’s Jiang Li makes a big impact as the moral center of the film. Chen addressed how she stepped into that central role:

I feel it was very natural for me to step into that role. I got to spend a lot of time with the cast prior to the beginning of filming. We trained together for so long that we hung out after our training sessions. We got to really know each other so well and we became best friends. So I think that really helped me to imagine some of the character I didn’t get to play with on screen but have a relationship with that was really helpful.

Chen gave director Destin Daniel Cretton credit for not only helping her create what is an entirely original character but also creating an authentic vibe for Ta-Lo, they mystical realm from which Jiang Li hails.

Then Destin (Director Destin Daniel Cretton), I have to give him so much credit for spending so much time with me to map out the journey of my character. He explained the backstories, and asked me what ideas I had for the character. There are imaginary backstories that we mapped out together. I feel like I was very lucky to not only play the character but have a lot of personal input as well. Here’s a small example particularly with the language. My character spoke Chinese in the film, and there are so many dialects in the Chinese language. Even with Jiang Li coming from Ta-Lo, which is a mystical village we wanted to be very specific about every word that she was using. It’s precise, it’s part of the spirit. The language we used is such an ancient, nuanced language we wanted to make sure it’s authentic. In order to do that we spent a lot of time with a translator. I had a lot of personal input in the translation of that. It was a lot of collaboration amongst us all.

Chen absolutely stole the show in her role, a role, as it turns out, she never auditioned for as Marvel Studios was eager to work with her.

I was offered the role and never had to audition for it, which was like, “What? “I was so honored and so happy. I almost didn’t even get the call that came through, because they’ve been tracking my availability. For a long time we didn’t know what the project was about. I had heard in the news that Shang-Chi was in the making, so I’ve been tracking it. We never know because they (Marvel) have been so secretive. I then went on a honeymoon with my husband. Then suddenly, my agent was trying to reach me and I didn’t hear from them for the longest time. Eventually we got a call from a satellite phone as we were literally out of this world, and they made an offer.

Jiang Li’s tragic story was such a necessary part of this movie. It provides the context for Shang-Chi, Xialing, and specifically Wenwu’s journeys. The opening scene between Chen’s Jiang Li and Tony Leung’s Wenwu was a beautiful homage to Asian cinema. Chen talked about that scene and working with Hong Kong legend Leung:

I have to say that was the most difficult scene to play but also the easiest thing to play. The difficult part obviously being the physical fighting. It was the intricate choreography and also being 50 feet in the air flipping around. Doing all that physically is really difficult as well as pretending to be such a master of a high power. At the same time the easiest part is looking into his eyes and just being a fan girl.

Chen also echoed the sentiments of much of the film’s Asian and Asian-American cast when asked how she felt being a part of the production that brought Marvel Studios first Asian hero the big screen

While I was a part of making this, I’m still kind of in disbelief that I’m lucky enough to be a part of this amazing story that’s going to be an historic film. Obviously not only for the Marvel Universe, but for especially the Asian-American community.

Marvel Studios Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings is in theaters now.

September 6, 2021