Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: HBO Max

  • ‘Batgirl’ Would Make the Perfect 2023 Holiday Release

    ‘Batgirl’ Would Make the Perfect 2023 Holiday Release

    In addition to producing live-action streaming series that are a part of the DCEU, Warner Bros has begun development on a few DC films that will be exclusive to the streaming service as well. Batgirl, which will introduce Barbara Gordon to the DCEU, is currently the first of what is presumed to be many HBO Max exclusive DC films, but recent shifts in the DC film release slate may have given it a window of opportunity for a theatrical release.

    Substantial changes to many upcoming DC film release dates were part of a cascade begun by Black Adam being pushed back from its July release date to October 21st, 2022. Shazam: Fury of the Gods jumped forward on the calendar, taking the December 16th, 2022 slot previously held down by Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, knocking the sequel into March of next year. Also moving into 2023 is The Flash, streaking to June 23rd, 2023, 7 months later than previously scheduled. Following the release of Blue Beetle on August 18th, 2023 there is nothing set moving forward, meaning Batgirl would have a perfect window to release in late 2023.

    The Flash being delayed means Batgirl’s reported 2022 release is highly unlikely as the events of that film directly lead into the The Flash, reintroducing Keaton as the main Batman of the DC Extended universe. So what should Warner Brothers do with this new opportunity? Move Batgirl to a late 2023 release date and give the film the opportunity for a theatrical release instead of only putting it on HBO Max.

    We’ve seen quite a bit from the set of Batgirl and we know the film is set during the holiday season with the set in Glasgow being covered with a ton of Christmas decorations. Instead of creating another Shazam! situation, where a film centered around one season is released in the opposite, the film could thrive with a a theatrical release during the 2023 holiday season.

    Blue Beetle was originally set to be an HBO Max exclusive film but was moved to a theatrical release, so its possible for Batgirl to get the same treatment. Batgirl is an instantly recognizable character for many people and has had prominent roles in many DC projects. This move seems like a no-brainer for Warner Brothers, who could bring in more money with a more strategic release. It would also give the film additional time during production, as it always seemed a bit risky to shoot and release a film in the same year.

    Batgirl’s release date is still unknown as production on the film continues in Glasgow. The film will be directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah with Leslie Grace in the titular role. Alongside Grace will star J.K. Simmons, Michael Keaton, Brendan Fraser, Ivory Aquino, Jacob Scipio, and Rebecca Front.

  • Colin Farrell Teases Potential R-Rating for ‘The Batman’ Penguin Spinoff on HBO Max

    Colin Farrell Teases Potential R-Rating for ‘The Batman’ Penguin Spinoff on HBO Max

    Just minutes ago, we got the confirmation that The Batman‘s first spinoff will indeed focus on Colin Farrell‘s Penguin. While he didn’t have a large role in the film, he still had an important role–especially teaching Batman and Gordon some Spanish lessons. The series has been confirmed as a limited series and an interview from Rotten Tomatoes has found its way online with Farrell teasing that not only might the series explore his origins before his appearance in the DC film but also that they are potentially eyeing an R-rating.

    The Batman was still a hard PG-13 rating but didn’t fully embrace the R-rating that it could’ve. While it would’ve been great to see a bloodier take of the already dark storyline, there’s always the hope to reach a general audience as much as possible–even if Joker managed to pass a billion with that rating a few hours ago. Of course, there’s a chance that the pandemic scared Warner Bros. away from risking it and hoped to dial it back. Luckily, HBO Max doesn’t face does restrictions and it makes sense they could embrace the R-rating a bit more moving forward.

    Source: Twitter

  • Penguin-Focused ‘The Batman’ Spinoff Confirmed as HBO Max Limited Series

    Penguin-Focused ‘The Batman’ Spinoff Confirmed as HBO Max Limited Series

    We’ve heard the first rumblings of the many spinoffs from The Batman some time ago, and it looks like with the film’s box office success they used the opportunity to officially announce the first series. With the tagline “Every story has a beginning” DC has shared a tease for the HBO Max original series focusing on Colin Farrell‘s Penguin that may act as a prequel on how he rose to become the owner of the Iceberg Lounge.

    We first heard about the project back in September of last year, but there were no details outside of Agents of SHIELD veteran Lauren LeFranc taking on the role of executive producer and showrunner of the series. What is also interesting is that The Penguin is currently only a working title. So, we’ll see how it might change over time and once the project truly starts production.

    It’s still crazy to think that it’s Colin Farrell behind all that make-up, but he truly embraced the character throughout the film’s runtime. Him being back and excited for the project is a showcase of just how invested he is in this world and its characters. Hopefully, the seires may also set up whatever the future has in store for this verison of Cobblepot. With Gotham’s legacy no longer includes his family legacy, perhaps he uncovers a connection he has not yet considered.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘The Batman’s HBO Max Release Confirmed for April

    ‘The Batman’s HBO Max Release Confirmed for April

    We’ve entered a new age where film release windows will be quite a bit shorter than they were in the past. While Warner Bros. is moving away from the day-and-date simultaneous release model, they still are working with a new 45-day release window moving forward. One of the first affected by it is The Batman, which had many wonders when they might expect it to release on HBO Max exactly. Luckily, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar has outright confirmed its exact release date on Vox’s Recode podcast. In it, he confirmed that it will release on April 19th on the service.

    Think about when movies would show up on HBO, which is eight to nine months after theatrical premiere. The Batman is going to show up on day 46 on HBO Max.

    Jason Kilar

    It’s not going to be the only film to release within this schedule, as Kilar further highlighted that it’ll affect other big DC tentpole releases, such as Black Adam, and The Flash.

    I feel really, really good knowing that The Batman, and Black Adam, and The Flash, and Elvis, and a whole host of other movies, are literally going to be showing up on day 46 on HBO Max in a variety of territories all over the world. That is a very, very big change that I don’t think people appreciate, and I feel really good about it.

    Jason Kilar

    It’s uncertain how this might affect the film’s box office, as quite a few releases tend to make a lot during their runtime. Yet, the pandemic has shown that the latest release doesn’t truly impact the films too strongly, but it also depends on whatever the release is. It still seems like a possible $1 billion might be in its future, but we’ll see what happens once it releases digitally.

    Source: Vox’s Recode via IGN

  • ‘The Batman’s Matt Reeves Teases Horror-Themed Arkham Asylum Spinoff Series

    ‘The Batman’s Matt Reeves Teases Horror-Themed Arkham Asylum Spinoff Series

    The Batman is just the beginning of a brighter future for a new cinematic universe primarily focused on the Caped Crusader and his colorful cast of supporting characters. One of the first confirmed projects was one focused on Gotham P.D. but we did hear rumors that it may have gotten a new focus. It seemed like the project was going to explore Arkham Asylum rather than the usual police storyline. We only had the project name to go by at the time, but director Matt Reeves has finally confirmed the new direction.

    The GCDP thing, that story has story has kinda evolved. We’ve actually now [moved] more into the realm of exactly what would happen in the world of Arkham as it relates coming off of our movie, and some of the characters… almost leaning into the idea of… it’s like a horror movie or a haunted house that is Arkham.

    Matt Reeves

    The horror themes seem quite promising, especially if they fully embrace the insanity that is Arkham in the comics. That is not all, as the director has also teased the direction the project will go and hinted that we might get a bit more from his rogue’s gallery in the series.

    The idea, again the way that Gotham is a character in the movie, I really want Arkham to exist as a character. You go into this environment and encounter these characters in a way that feels really fresh. And so in our work on Gotham, that story started to evolve, and it started feeling [like], ‘Wait, we should really lean into this.’ And then that’s kinda where that’s gone

    Matt Reeves

    There were teases of Batman’s first year has already introduced some familiar villains into this universe, and it’s unclear if these series will all build up into a united storyline, or if they are all acting as separate projects to further explore the universe that this version of the Dark Knight lives in. No matter what direction Reeves‘ vision might be heading towards, the film already gave us a promising starting point and hopefully we’ll find out sooner rather than later when we might expect the new series.

    Source: Cyber Nerds via The Direct

  • Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Offer Full Look at Firefly’s Costume

    Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Offer Full Look at Firefly’s Costume

    Just recently, we got our first look at Brendan Fraser‘s costume as Firefly in HBO Max’s Batgirl film. Yet, it was missing quite a few parts. Luckily, it seems that they have finally assembled the full costume, as a new batch of leaked set photos has found their way online offering our best look yet at the iconic DC villain with his full gear on. What is interesting is that this design seems to skip his wings completely. As such, the arsonist might be grounded throughout the film.

    The set photo does offer a great look, and the design has this really enticing steampunk aesthetic. There always is a chance that his costume may evolve throughout the film’s runtime, especially as he is seemingly the only villain that Batgirl might face in the film. The previous set of photos did tease her chasing down Firefly on a firetruck. So, perhaps he has a team working for him.

    We don’t know if Firefly is a villain through and through, as there might be more to this story. He still seems like he has his arsonist tendencies from the comics, but they always change things in these projects. There’s still some time before the film finds its way unto HBO Max, and who knows what other set photos might find their way online that reveal more.

    Source: Twitter

  • New ‘Batgirl’ Set Photo Offers First Look at Brendan Fraser’s Firefly Costume

    New ‘Batgirl’ Set Photo Offers First Look at Brendan Fraser’s Firefly Costume

    We’ve got our first look at Brendan Fraser on the set of Batgirl some time ago, but he was seemingly wearing civilian clothing while setting a building on fire. He certainly was staying true to the arsonist nature of his character during that shoot, but we’re all excited to see what his costume may look like. Luckily, a new set photo has found its way online which may have given us our first look at his Firefly costume for the HBO Max original film. It doesn’t reveal too much, especially as he is missing the iconic helmet, but it does seem like it’s taking inspiration from the comics with the giant fuel tank on his back and arm-mounted flamethrowers.

    The biggest missing aspect is the wings, but they may be something they add in through post-production. He may have also lost them during a fight with Batgirl, which left him with just a few more elements of his costume. Of course, there is probably a simpler solution in the form of that they are currently taking a break in this set photo and that is why he isn’t wearing everything. Though, a new video does hint that him standing on the firetruck is on purpose and we can see Batgirl chasing him down.

    Still, it’s great to finally get confirmation that he will wear the armor of some kind during his tenure as Firefly in the series. So far, he’s still the only confirmed villain to appear in the Batgirl film, but with a large rogue’s gallery-like Batman’s, you never know who else might show up. Given the story’s inspiration, it would be fun to see a live-action adaptation of Killer Moth, especially if they just have fun with the concept. When else would we get the chance to see him on screen?

    Source: Twitter

  • HBO Max’s ‘Titans’ Season 4 Started Production

    HBO Max’s ‘Titans’ Season 4 Started Production

    In a way, it was only a question of time but it looks like production has finally started on the next season of HBO Max’s Titans. The official Twitter account shared a picture from the TV series’ clipboards that also confirm that production originally started yesterday on February 28th. Nicholas Copus, who worked on projects like Animal Kingdom, The Right Stuff, American Gods, and more, will take on the role of director for the first episode of that season.

    We still know very little about the upcoming season outside of a few rumors, such as iconic Superman villain Lex Luthor potentially appearing. They also are eyeing Joseph Morgan and Franka Potente in the villainous role of the latest season. If these casting rumors end up true, they would take on the roles of Brother Blood and Mother Mayhem. There have been some hints sprinkled throughout the last season that would help support this direction for the fourth season as the Titans leave Gotham behind them and everything that happened with Scarecrow.

    It’ll be interesting to see how they tackle the fourth season, as it seems mostly freed from the weight that bogged it down before. The series is quite popular on the platform, and it made sense that they would renew it for a fourth season. There are even hints that they’ve already signed on the talent for the fifth season that may start production once this season wraps. Here’s hoping we might get some teases of Brother Blood and confirmation on the rumored castings soon.

    Source: Twitter

  • Jeffrey Wright Confirms Talks to Return as Commissioner Gordon in ‘The Batman’s GCPD Spinoff

    Jeffrey Wright Confirms Talks to Return as Commissioner Gordon in ‘The Batman’s GCPD Spinoff

    Before we even got our first look at The Batman, the studio showed immeasurable faith in Matt Reeves‘ project and already signed off on a GCPD focused spin-off. What the series might entail is still under wraps, as many thought the series could be adapting Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka’s Gotham Central storyline. The story is reportedly set in Bruce Wayne’s first year as the Caped Crusader. It seems like things could finally be kicking into action with Commissioner Gordon himself, Jeffrey Wright, teasing his involvement.

    The press tour for The Batman has begun with only a week to go until it finally hits theaters. Naturally, the cast is making the rounds promoting the film and their roles in it. In an interview with RadioTimes, Wright dished that there may already be talk in progress for him to mustache up once again for an appearance in the GCPD spin-off.

    “Well, yeah, there’s been a little talk about that”

    Jeffrey Wright

    Wright followed up that comment showing his eagerness to explore this new Gotham City, and thinks it could be really exciting.

    “I do think that the film is going to leave fans longing for more. So if there’s an opportunity to explore more of this specific Gotham in a granular way through a show like that, it’d be very exciting.”

    Jeffrey Wright

    Hopefully, following the release of the film, we will get more details on the series and make things a bit more clear. This is one of two spin-offs already in development at HBO Max, with a Penguin series featuring Colin Farrel returning to the role. We’ve ironically heard more bout this project than the GCPD-focused one over the years even though it’s been in production quite a bit longer. Matt Reeves seems to be building something quite special here.

    Source: RadioTimes

  • The ‘Peacemaker’ Finale and Peace In Our Time

    The ‘Peacemaker’ Finale and Peace In Our Time


    The long lingering shot at the end of the season finale of Peacemaker felt appropriate. Christopher Smith had found what felt like a modicum of peace. He had Eagly by his side and the relationship he built with Goff (the last living butterfly) felt like an agree-to-disagree but closing with friendly terms. In watching that moment, there was an ease in Smith as he came to grips with who he is and is ready to move on. It was short lived however, as his father reappeared as a ghost. There can be speculation about what that means for season 2, but there’s something that James Gunn nailed in this moment. Sometimes we are left to carry our trauma as if a butterfly was sitting in our heads.

    The closing montage to the season found Peacemaker and his crew dealing with new realities. Adebayo outing her mother Amanda Waller; Harcourt recovering and rehabbing her injuries in battle; and Economos right back to Belle Reve. Vigilante gets to be Vigilante so at least there’s that, but the point is the fight doesn’t just end. There’s more. Peacemaker, as it seems, doesn’t get to move forward. Even though he killed his father, that part of it doesn’t end in his death.

    In a lot of ways, whether intentionally or not, Gunn’s writing reflects the time we’ve spent since 2020 sitting and wading in our collective trauma. As the global pandemic has affected everyone in different ways, it’s illuminated the weight we carry. Like Peacemaker, we all have had to keep moving despite those effects. Whether mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual it feels like a price has been paid. As Economos is baring his soul to a butterfly just to attempt to stay alive, you can’t help but feel the weight of that. These are the words we’ve all held onto because life doesn’t wait for us to recover.

    Adebayo speaks poignantly to Peacemaker at the beginning of the episode, referring to the accidental death of his brother: ”Don’t forgive me that’s fine, but don’t let that shit define who you are.” It feels like great advice, in fact it is. However, like all things in life, these are easier problems to think about than the act of forgiveness. The familiarity of trauma for Peacemaker allows him to stay in it because its the easy thing to do. It’s a hard truth for many of us in life to just move on instead of dwell.

    The beautiful thing, whilst heartbreaking, is these characters continue to fight. Adebayo battles Amanda Waller’s influence and voice to become something more. Harcourt grows to understand that while the job is the job, there is room for others in her life. Economos, much so the same, finding friends in the midst of trouble.

    Christopher Smith has been through a great deal, and that last shot of the episode felt like what peace could potentially look like. He can forgive himself for his brother’s death, and feel like there’s a chance for redemption. He can find and cultivate friendships, meaningful ones, that grow through honesty. There was a feeling of accomplishment in that shot. Seeing Auggie again was a reminder of the passengers we carry. It was sad, yet so identifiable. In ways that we can all understand, this is peace in our time.