Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Film

  • ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’s Malcolm D. Lee Reveals the Michael Jordan Cameo That Never Happened

    ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’s Malcolm D. Lee Reveals the Michael Jordan Cameo That Never Happened

    There will be spoilers for Space Jam: A New Legacy in this article. Only continue at your own risk.

     

    After a long wait, Space Jam finally got a sequel. Yet, there was a noticeable absence of 1996’s leading man. The first film’s leading man, Michael Jordan, did not return, but the Looney Tunes sure did. LeBron James took over as the central character, whose relationship with his son gets tested when a rogue algorithm tries to take over his status as king. Trapped in the Warner Bros. ServerVerse, he joins together with the classic Looney Tunes to take on Don Cheadle‘s Al-G Rythm and the Goon Squad in a basketball game of the century.

    There are various references throughout the film to the original film, but no sign of the former NBA star. According to director Malcolm. D. Lee, there were plans for him to appear in a post-credit sequence, even if the chances were slim to none. It would’ve even referred to the 202 mini-series The Last Dance by ESPN Films and Netflix by echoing one of his iconic lines from the documentary.

    We were holding out hope, but also knew that the likelihood was going to be very remote. Especially after The Last Dance came out, I was like, we’ve got to be able to do something, even like a tag at the very end after the credits with Bugs showing him the movie and saying, ‘What do you think, Doc?’ And just Jordan going, ‘I took that very personal.’ I wanted to do it! It would have been fantastic, but our movie is our movie and Space Jam is Space Jam

    Luckily, the team did get visits by another Jordan, Michael B. Jordan. It seems he was shooting a project and dropped by the project to hang out with LeBron James. This coincidence led to one of the film’s best jokes when Sylvester gets him mixed up with the first film’s protagonist.

    But it’s one of the greatest jokes that I’ve ever put in one of my movies — and it’s super unique to Space Jam. There’s no other movie where you could play this joke. Warner Bros. wanted really badly to use it in marketing, and I was like, you cannot do that, because this joke is too good to sacrifice.

    It’s sad they couldn’t get Jordan to return, but it did make way for a very unique joke that, as the director points out, only Space Jam could make. Luckily, they talked the marketing team out of wasting it in the trailers. The film managed to beat out Blck Widow at the Box Office, but it’s uncertain if we might see this franchise return with more entries moving forward. Still, it was great seeing Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the rest of the Looney Tunes back on the silver screen. Even if this franchise doesn’t continue, it’s about time they get more films.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Nico Parker Joins HBO’s ‘THE LAST OF US’ As Joel’s Daughter Sarah

    Nico Parker Joins HBO’s ‘THE LAST OF US’ As Joel’s Daughter Sarah

    Get ready to feel emotions, as HBO’s The Last of Us has found it’s Sarah Miller. Nico Parker, who is best known for her starring role in 2019’s live-action Dumbo remake and for being the child of acclaimed actress Thandiwe Newton, has joined the cast of the upcoming video game adaptation as the daughter of Pedro Pascal‘s Joel Miller. Fans of the franchise know that Sarah plays a key role in the events of the post-apocalyptic saga, and the talented Parker seems prepared to bring that role to life. She will star alongside the aforementioned Pascal, as well as Game of Thrones breakout Bella Ramsey and former Ghost Rider, Gabriel Luna. Also part of the cast is Merle Dandridge, who will reprise her role as the leader of a rebel organization called the Fireflies from the original game.

    The Last of Us tells the story of Joel and Ellie, who must traverse the country together after a dangerous fungal infection turns half the world into mindless, bloodthirsty creatures. They encounter numerous threats, but the most deadly may be the humans they meet along the way. The series will be adapted to the screen by franchise creator Neil Druckmann and former Chernobyl showrunner Craig Mazin. The pilot will be directed by the capable Kantemir Balagov, with Jasmila Žbanić and Ali Abbas also set to helm episodes. While the show is expected to stay true to the heart of the original story, Druckmann has stated in the past that certain events will play out differently in live-action. While we still don’t know what he means by this, the revelation should make fans at least a little nervous about the fate of their favorite characters.

    Source: Deadline, IGN

  • ‘TRANSFORMERS 7’ Adds Luna Lauren Velez

    ‘TRANSFORMERS 7’ Adds Luna Lauren Velez

    The cast of Paramount’s newest Transformers film is growing. Luna Lauren Velez has officially boarded the project, as confirmed by the actress herself.  The veteran performer, known for her roles in Into the Spider-Verse and Dexter, revealed the casting news during an interview with Comic Book Movie. While discussing her role in the upcoming action flick Rogue Hostage, Velez dropped the informative bomb that she’d also be appearing in the seventh installment of the Transformers franchise. She stated:

    I’m doing Transformers 7 which I’m very excited about. I play Anthony Ramos’ mom in that film, so there’s some exciting stuff coming up.

    As the conversation continued, the famed television actress added that being a part of the robot-centric film series was a brand new experience for her.

    I have to confess that I haven’t seen any of the films, so to come in a project like this at this moment was really great. I’m excited about that. It’s going to be fun stuff.

    Following the success of the 2018 prequel Bumblebee, Paramount Pictures has committed to continuing the franchise with Caple Jr, director of Creed II, joining the project. It will star up–and-comers Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback in leading roles. The film is set to debut in 2022. It is still uncertain if they’ll reboot the franchise or if they will revisit what was started by Michael Bay. A few months ago, rumors pointed to it potentially exploring a live-action adaptation of Beast Wars. Hopefully, we’ll find out more in the near future.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • Shemar Moore Joins ‘SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2’

    Shemar Moore Joins ‘SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2’

    The cast of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has added a Criminal Minds star to its ranks. Shemar Moore has confirmed his involvement with the video game sequel via a post on his Instagram. The veteran television actor did not include any information on who he might be playing, but the image he provided is enough to assume he’ll be taking a live-action role instead of voicing an animated character. He joins a cast that includes returning members James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and Parks and Rec breakout Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic. Jim Carrey is rumored to return as the villain Dr. Robotnik. There is also the rumor that Jason Mamoa will voice Knuckles the Echidna. Sonic’s long-time friend Tails is also returning after his brief appearance in a post-credit sequence, though there has been no word on whether or not Colleen O’Shaughnessey will return to the role.

     

    Moore is best known for his work as a television police officer. He starred as behavioral analyst Derek Morgan on Criminal Minds for eleven years before leaving the show to lead CBS’ S.W.A.T. The actor is also no stranger to the world of geeks, having provided the voice of DC’s Cyborg in five separate animated films over the last decade. Known for his smooth, charming nature, Moore served as the host of the music-based television show Soul Train for almost five years. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will be one of the highest-profile films in his career, and it’s set to release in April of 2022. Jeff Fowler will return to helm the project, which will follow Sonic and his human friends dealing with the destructive return of Carrey‘s Robotnik.

    Source: Instagram

  • First Look at Harrison Ford in Latest ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Set Photos

    First Look at Harrison Ford in Latest ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Set Photos

    Just recently, we got our first look at Indiana Jones 5‘s set photos that teased a flashback sequence. A stunt driver was wearing what seemed to be a mask resembling a younger Harrison Ford. There was no sighting of the main man himself, but it seems that changed quickly as the first image of Ford has found its way online. The actor is in full Indiana Jones gear and it looks like he hasn’t dropped his fashion sense in all these years. In the image released by @IndianaJones_ch, he is standing alongside Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm.

    James Mangold is taking over directing duties for the Lucasfilm project and the plot still remains tightly under wraps. There was a recent report by Illuminerdi that hinted at the latest addition of Mads Mikkelsen potentially playing a former Nazi scientist that is enlisted by NASA. It is uncertain how true this story will turn out to be, but it’ll be interesting to see how they continue the story that was last explored in 2008 with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. If NASA is involved, it doesn’t seem too crazy for Indiana to explore space after uncovering the existence of aliens in the last film. As more set photos find their way online, perhaps we’ll get a better look at the rest of the cast and how much of these reports turn out to be true after all. No matter what, it just feels right to see Ford back in action with his iconic outfit.

    Source: Twitter

  • Third ‘A Quiet Place’ Film In Development Eyeing 2023 Release

    Third ‘A Quiet Place’ Film In Development Eyeing 2023 Release

    Paramount Pictures isn’t done with A Quiet Place just yet. The studio has given a release date to a third installment in the popular horror franchise, which may or may not act as the series’ first spin-off. According to insider Erik Davis, the project will drop on March 31, 2023. The news comes shortly after A Quiet Place: Part II successfully helped ring in the return of movie theaters across the United States. The untitled project will be helmed by Jeff Nichols, who is best known for his dramatic work with films like Mud and Loving. The script is based on an original story by Nichols and franchise creator John Krasinski. This will make the film the first Quiet Place feature not to be directed by Krasinski himself.

    A Quiet Place released in 2018 to critical acclaim and focused around a family attempting to survive in a world populated by noise-sensitive monsters. The sequel was intended to come out in 2020 but was delayed over a year due to the unexpected global pandemic. A third film has been in the cards for a long time, with Nichols’ potential spin-off being announced in November of 2020. In terms of continuing the franchise past 2023, series star Emily Blunt stated recently that husband Krasinski had a “whole arc of ideas” for more films. She was quoted as saying:

    I think he just wanted to see how people responded to [the second one] before he fully engaged his brain on the third one. But he has a couple of great ideas.

    Whatever the case may be with this next movie, it seems likely that A Quiet Place is here to stay.

    Source: Twitter, Digital Spy

  • Shamier Anderson Joins ‘John Wick 4’ In Undisclosed Role

    Shamier Anderson Joins ‘John Wick 4’ In Undisclosed Role

    It looks like the cast of John Wick 4 is continuing to grow. Right after they cast IP Man‘s Donnie Yen, the upcoming fourth entry in the Keanu Reeves-led project has added Shamier Anderson in an undisclosed role. Anderson has worked on a variety of projects that include Stowaway, City of Lifes, as well as Syfy’s Wynonna Earp. He also was an important part of forming Canada’s first Black-owned venture capital firm, Bay Mills investment Group. The film’s plot still remains under wraps, but they are eyeing a worldwide production that starts this summer. The film will film in France, Germany, and Japan as Wick takes on the world. Rina Sawayama was cast as the film’s female lead and it will be interesting to see how all the pieces come together.

    Overall, John Wick is a fascinating franchise that started as a small indie project that continued to balloon in success with each entry. It was also the grand return of Keanu Reeves in a titular role. It’s also the aesthetic and worldbuilding that makes this franchise so fascinating standing tall alongside big-budget films. It doesn’t require a CGI backdrop of unfamiliar buildings and structures to make us believe there is a world we know little about. The structure of the Continental hotel chain, the way it showcases assassins living in a completely unique world that is hidden from the everyday person makes it a must-watch franchise for any action fan out there. Here’s hoping we find out what the future holds in the near future once more actors and actresses join the project.

    Source: Deadline

  • RUMOR: Sacha Baron Cohen In Talks to Join ‘Red Sonja’ Reboot

    RUMOR: Sacha Baron Cohen In Talks to Join ‘Red Sonja’ Reboot

    Development on the upcoming Red Sonja reboot has been moving along quite steadily with the recent addition of Antman and The Wasp’s Hannah John-Kamen as the titular warrior, Red Sonja. Plot details for the project have remained under wraps. Gail Simone recently confirmed her involvement in the project, hinting that the film could be taking inspiration from one of her runs on the character. While we wait for more details on the project, new rumors surrounding casting for the upcoming film could hint at some connections that are sure to make Conan the Barbarian fans, and Marvel fans happy.

    The Illuminerdi is reporting that Sacha Baron Cohen has been offered the co-lead role in the upcoming reboot as the evil sorcerer Kulan Goth. Long-time Marvel fans might recognize the character. Conan the Barbarian and its characters once called Marvel home before moving to other companies. Kulan Goth first appeared in Conan The Barbarian #14 and was a sorcerer during the Hyborian era. He married the witch Vammatar in hopes to obtain the powers of Shuma Gorath, a multiversal villain within the Marvel Universe. Kulan and Vammatar were eventually destroyed by the god-like entity while attempting to control him.

    It’s interesting to see this character chosen as the main antagonist especially as he holds such strong ties to the Marvel universe. Goth has gone up against the Avengers and the X-Men in his Marvel comic run. The origins of the character may be rewritten and tie directly into Sonja’s, with him even possibly being responsible for her family’s death and the pillaging of her home. It’ll be interesting to see how they tackle this iconic character.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • ‘Creed III’ Eyeing Jonathan Majors as Michael B. Jordan’s Next Boxing Adversary

    ‘Creed III’ Eyeing Jonathan Majors as Michael B. Jordan’s Next Boxing Adversary

    It looks like Michael B. Jordan has found his next adversary for the third entry in the Creed series. Deadline reports that MGM is currently eyeing Lovecraft Country’s Jonathan Majors to take on the role of Adonis Creed’s next foe. The actor has been getting a lot of attention since his work on the critically-praised HBO series that explored racism and the supernatural in the United States. He broke out with his role in 2019’s The Last Black Man in San Francisco and has been cashing in one role after another. The actor is also joining the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe as the villain Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. He currently has two upcoming projects in the works. Majors will appear in Jeymes Samuel’s The Harder They Fall and Black Label Media’s Devotion.

    Deadline does report that his deal isn’t finalized. So, anything can happen in case he chooses to tackle a different project. If he decides to join the project, he will star alongside the returning Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad. The upcoming Rocky spin-off will not feature Sylvester Stallone. It will be based on a script by Zach Baylin and Keenan Coogler. The film will also mark Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut. It’s an exciting direction for the project and Majors would make for a great adversary in the ring. The film series tackles the legacy of Rocky, which could open up the possibility he might play a character related to Mr. T‘s Clubber Lang. Here’s hoping he signs on for the project.

    Source: Deadline

  • Zack Snyder Reworking an Old ‘STAR WARS’ Script Into an Original Film

    Zack Snyder Reworking an Old ‘STAR WARS’ Script Into an Original Film

    It looks like Zack Snyder may be taking us to a galaxy far, far away. It’s just not the one you’re probably thinking of right now. The director is well-known for his forays into the world of superheroes, having famously tackled both Watchmen and Justice League over the course of his career. Now, Snyder is stepping away from established franchises and getting back to basics. Netflix recently released his first original feature in years, a zombie flick called Army of the Dead, and now the filmmaker has revealed he’s working on his next major project.

    He shared the first news while being on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. Snyder confirmed his script was originally intended to be part of the Star Wars universe, telling a brand new story set in its own corner of the celebrated timeline. Unfortunately, the story concept, which was heavily inspired by Akira Kurosawa‘s Seven Samurai, never made it past Lucasfilm. So, Snyder has set out to restructure the script and rewrite it to become an original project.

    I’ve been working on it away from the ‘Star Wars’ universe, on my own, as a sci-fi thing…It’s still a sci-fi thing. It’s the same story. Now, I’m just going to let ‘Star Wars’ be ‘Star Wars.

    This isn’t the first time the director has mentioned playing in the Star Wars universe. In May, he shared his interest in a project but pointed out that he “wouldn’t survive” the process. His film also would not have been the first Star Wars story to take inspiration from Kurosawa or Seven Samurai, as franchise creator George Lucas is known to have often cited the film when it comes to Star Wars: A New Hope. It remains to be seen when or if Snyder‘s sci-fi movie gets a greenlight, but here’s hoping it happens sooner than later.

    Source: Happy Sad Confused, Cinemablend