Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: HBO Max

  • Murphy’s Team-Up, Volume 14: Reviewing ‘Peacemaker’

    Murphy’s Team-Up, Volume 14: Reviewing ‘Peacemaker’

    Anthony Canton III

    The first three episodes of Peacemaker are an energetic whirlwind of wild. James Gunn’s fingerprints are all over this in the best way possible. From the opening scene to the can’t skip opening credits, it’s a tour de force of fun. John Cena was born to play this role, and Danielle Brooks is a revelation as Adebayo. Having the intricate knowledge of The Suicide Squad makes this show already feel lived in, but you can totally watch it fresh. I’m anticipating episode 4 already to see what’s next from this wonderful cast and crew. P and V!

    Charles Murphy

    Peacemaker Trailer Reveals First Look at Judomaster

    Peacemaker’s first 3 episodes were a ride! This is the role John Cena was born to play. While he’s otherwise never really stood out to me in any of his other projects, Cena’s work as Peacemaker has been fantastic. And while’s he’s still pretty much just an asshole who works well as the punchline of pretty much every joke, if you’re paying attention you’re seeing something more from Cena in these episodes. James Gunn’s strengths as a writer and director are magnified here with more time to spend on the interpersonal dynamics that he always manages so magnificently and the members of the core team are all doing great work both fitting in and getting their chances to shine. Gunn’s also done a great job taking characters that nobody has given a shit about for decades and making them fun. Vigilante has been hilarious to date and Judomaster’s fight scene was a riot. Robert Patrick has caused a lot of feelings in his limited time as Peacemaker’s piece of shit father and it’s clear he’s got a bigger role to play yet. To be fully honest, I don’t even care to learn more about Project Butterfly or who is behind it. I’d be fine just watching these people go through their day.

    Mary Maerz

    Peacemaker delivers on its promise to be a parody-like take on the more traditional superhero genre. It’s funny, it’s raunchy, and it confuses the boundaries of hero and anti-hero more than most takes on anti-heroes. John Cena really is perfect as Peacemaker–without that, Peacemaker might have been a non-starter–and the casting overall is phenomenal. Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante is the best part of the whole series, though. I thought the first three episodes had some pacing issues and didn’t quite capitalize on its strongest elements, so to me they felt a bit more flat than I would have liked. But they consistently improved as they went along, and I am pretty confident the series is going to keep getting stronger.

    Joao Pinto

    The Unexpected Relationship That DC Fans Are Loving In Peacemaker

    Even though Peacemaker debuted to mostly wonderful reviews across the board it didn’t quite grab me in the same way. Even so, I absolutely understand how it being R-rated helps to take such a show to a new level, making it feel, at times, a bit more real and not as squeaky clean, to a fault, as many others. Especially because that angle fits so very well with the bonkers worldbuilding set up in The Suicide Squad by James Gunn. The episodic format does allow us to spend more time in said world, and it’s perhaps the repetitiveness and the double downing on many jokes that comes with that extra runtime, making them the norm and not the exception, that makes them feel a bit odd. As such, the humor has been sort of hit-and-miss but I don’t hold that against the series as its best moments still seem to overshadow its lowest. With just three episodes out so far it’s expected that the best is still yet to come as the script matures alongside the characters in it.
    The highlights have been, without a doubt, John Cena and Danielle Brooks’ performances. While Cena seems to have been born to play this role and shines in every chance he gets, Brooks exudes such humanity in every single line spoken that you can’t help but root for her every step of the way.
    Above all, it’s palpable how everybody involved had a great time making this show. Even if it might turn out not to be my favorite thing ever, there isn’t much more one can ask for from such a talented cast and crew.

    Joseph Aberl

    Peacemaker is peak James Gunn, as you see him truly embrace the wackiness of a post-The Suicide Squad world. Not only do we get some good comedy to ease us into understanding these characters quite easily, but they also build up a rather intriguing mystery surrounding its main antagonists. We’re put into Peacemaker’s shoes as we try to find out what exactly he is going up against, as it slowly unravels throughout the episodes. What sells the show are the performances by Freddie Stroma and John Cena, whose attitude completely counteracts the more serious nature of what they are going up against. Cena is also all-in with the wackiness and quite a raunchy continuation of his character, which fits perfectly into the R-rated and brutal world we were introduced to.

    Hunter Radesi

    Peacemaker Show Footage Reveals First Look At Vigilante

    Peacemaker is a wonderful, mixed bag. The show simultaneously feels like something born out of the early 2000s and something that could never have existed before now. It is a glorious celebration of the weirdness of comic books while also tearing their self-righteousness apart at the seams. It’s not a show for everyone, but it was never advertised that way. John Cena is a surprisingly capable leading man, the action is great, and when the humor lands, it really lands. It’s James Gunn tapping into his Super days, with a much larger budget. It may not be the most nuanced comic adaptation we’ve ever gotten, but if you’re looking for a good, raunchy time, it doesn’t get much better. I dig it.

    John Sabato

    Peacemaker has been everything I’ve wanted it to be and more. John Cena shines brighter than his helmet in this series. He’s really acting his ass off here and is becoming such a phenomenal actor. His supporting cast is just as good with Harcourt, Economos, Murn, Vigilante, and Adebayo each bringing something special to the show and just working so well with each other. Of course this wouldn’t be a thing without the maestro himself, James Gunn, who continues to create of the best comic book media in the genre. The way he’s able to bring such emotional weight to the silliest and most outlandish ideas is something to behold. Gunn just knows what he is doing here; he’s a giant nerd in the best way possible and makes some really deep cuts and provides some fantastic world building in the series. There’s some seriously great character work here with Christopher Smith, peeling back those layers yet still letting him be the douchebag we all got to know in The Suicide Squad. I truly hope Gunn continues to build on his corner of the DCEU because this stuff is GOLD.

  • ‘Peacemaker’ Episode 1-3 Easter Eggs and References

    ‘Peacemaker’ Episode 1-3 Easter Eggs and References

    Peacemaker is finally here and just like any other James Gunn project it’s packed full of Easter eggs and features quite a few deep-cut nods to the DC mythos.

    Evergreen

    Picture

    Peacemaker takes place in the fictional city of Evergreen, Washington, the hometown of the most famous Green Lantern: Hal Jordan. Jordan returned to his hometown upon leaving his post at Ferris Aircraft to work as an insurance salesman. At one point, Green Arrow even made his way to Evergreen where he crossed paths with the lantern. There doesn’t seem to be any hint of either character right now, but it’s still a pretty cool bit of world-building in the ever-expanding DC Extended Universe.

    Bat-Mite

    During a discussion between Peacemaker and John Economos, Economos exclaims that he’d rather be hanging out with Bat-Mite than be working alongside Smith. Peacemaker asks who Bat-Mite is and Economos describes him as a “Two-foot tall interdimensional imp who stans Batman” and that he is in fact very real, leaving Peacemaker wondering what the world is coming to. It’s a bit funny to picture Ben Affleck’s Batman standing next to the likes of Bat-Mite but it’s a fun nod to the Bat’s biggest fan.

    Doll Man

    As they prepare to set out on their first mission as a team, Peacemaker gets chatty as usual. This time around he name drops a rather obscure DC name: Doll Man. Peacemaker goes into detail about just how much he dislikes “homunculi”, and then name drops Doll Man as an example. Doll Man, also known as “The Worlds Mightiest Mite”, developed a chemical formula that gave him the ability to shrink himself and was one of the first superheroes with that ability.

    White Dragon

    When Peacemaker’s dad, Auggie Smith, finds himself in jailafter he’s framed for murder by John Economos, he’s worshipped and saluted by the other inmates. In that moment, Peacemaker’s awful father got so much worse as it was revealed that he is the White Dragon, a white supremacist supervillain who was created by John Ostrander. In the comics, Auggie wasn’t the White Dragon, but he was a Nazi who when he died, haunted Peacemaker with the horrible atrocities he committed. Gunn gets original here giving Auggie an alter-ego as a “Cape”.

    The DEO

    When Peacemaker and Harcourt are staking out the Groff mansion, Smith attempts to pry a bit into Harcourt’s past. As she recalls her career path, she mentions that after she joined the CIA, she ended up at the DEO, better known as The Department of Extranormal Operations. First introduced into the comics in 1998, the DEO is a government agency that deals with everything out of the ordinary in the DC Universe. The DEO was previously heavily featured in Supergirl where they dealt with alien threats.

    Peacemaker’s Jetpack

    Upon returning to his trailer after leaving the hospital, Peacemaker is quickly greeted by the members of his new team, led by Clemson Murn. Peacemaker has few conditions he wants met before he agrees to join the team, chief among them is that he wants a Jetpack, like really bad. Murn quickly shoots down the jetpack and moves on from his silly request. Peacemaker just really loves his jetpacks and has since his early days ini the comics. The character used to constantly be equipped with a Jetpack in many of his old comic book experiences, so if you thought he was a menace to begin with, imagine him being able to fly. Maybe down the line we’ll be able to see Peacemaker take flight, but for now it’s just a fun nod to his comic book history.

    With a Gunn production, there’s always plenty of Easter eggs to be found and with a whole new universe at his fingertips, he’s sure to be pulling anything and everything that he can. Some may never be found, just like the elusive Easter egg in Guardians of The Galaxy that to this day eludes fans.

  • Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Tease the Court of Owls and Vicky Vale

    Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Tease the Court of Owls and Vicky Vale

    The Batgirl set photos have been a smorgasbord filled with Easter eggs or hints of what we can expect from the upcoming HBO Max film. A mural gave us our first look at a potential appearance of Robin, as it even sparked rumors about a potential Nightwing spinoff. Yet, the latest set photos have added some more interesting references to the original 1989 Batman and one of Batman’s most iconic foes. Let’s start with the latter, as @BatgirlFilm has noticed a magazine that very openly discusses the usually secretive society known as the Court of Owls.

    It’s weird seeing them so openly discussed on the cover of the fictional Gotham Tattler. So, either Michael Keaton‘s Batman faced off against them in the past and they’ve been exposed as a result, or they took a very different approach with their mythology as part of his rogue’s gallery. Speaking of Keaton, a different set photo including another magazine cover includes the name of Vicki Vale, who was played by Kim Basinger back in 1989.

    There’s no word that we might actually see Vicky Vale in the film, but it’s great that they are also including references to the original 1989 project. We saw that the film#s take on Robin is quite different from how the original films introduced the character, but Keaton also wasn’t invovled once that character was included. So, they have enough wiggle room to recreate specific elements while still paying tribute to others from the original Tim Burton films.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter (Vale)

  • RUMOR: Ethan Kai May Be Playing Jason Bard in ‘Batgirl’

    RUMOR: Ethan Kai May Be Playing Jason Bard in ‘Batgirl’

    Batgirl recently started production over in Glasgow. In the past few days, we’ve gotten quite a few set photos that offered us a glimpse into the HBO Max film’s take on Gotham City. They, however, aren’t the only news we’ve gotten recently, as just today the film added Corey Johnson, Ethan Kai, and Rebecca Front to its cast. No details on their roles were revealed as plot details for the film are still under wraps, but it seems we may have a clue who Kai could be playing in the film.

    Many were hoping that we may finally have our Dick Grayson, as recent rumors have pointed to the first Robin making an appearance. Yet it turns out Kai may be playing a very different character. Some new set photos have surfaced that may hint at the actor playing Jason Bard, a GCPD cop and love interest to Barbara Gordon. Leslie Grace and Ethan Kai are seen on set holding hands during filming, which hints at a romantic relationship between their characters.

    The proof that may seal the deal on this is another set photo of a trailer belonging to a character only listed as “Jason.” As it seems quite unlikely Jason Todd would be popping up in this film, it seems like the most likely scenario is that this trailer belongs to the actor who could be playing Jason Bard, which looks to be Ethan Kai.

    For those unfamiliar with Jason Bard, he isn’t a huge character but he is an ally of Batgirl and Batman. He was a man fueled by the death of his mother, who was murdered at the hands of his abusive father. Eventually, he would become a cop and join the GCPD to avenger his mother’s death, where he would meet Barbara Gordon and would often team up with her alter ego without a clue who she was. While this remains unconfirmed, it seems to be a possible outcome for Kai’s character. It seems fans may just have to wait a bit longer to see if Dick Grayson pops up in Batgirl.

    Source: Twitter, Alamy,

  • Corey Johnson, Ethan Kai, and Rebecca Front Join Leslie Grace’s ‘Batgirl’

    Corey Johnson, Ethan Kai, and Rebecca Front Join Leslie Grace’s ‘Batgirl’

    The HBO Max film Batgirl has just recently started production in Glasglow, as we’ve already gotten a few glimpses from the Easter egg-filled set of the production. Leslie Grace has also already been sighted on the film’s set and as more actors may make get sighted, more castings have found their way online. So far, we only know about Brendan Fraser, J.K. Simmons, and Michael Keaton joining the project. Now, Deadline has shared a new trio of actors that will have a role in the project.

    Rebecca Front, Corey Johnson, and Ethan Kai have officially joined the HBO Max film. Front recently appeared in Ryan Reynolds‘ film Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard. Kai has appeared on the British soap opera Emmerdale, but also was featured on the popular Killing Eve series. Johnson mostly had minor supporting roles in various shows and is currently set to appear in Morbius. There are no details of who they are playing, but they may have minor roles in the story.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • REVIEW: ‘Peacemaker’ Episodes 1-3

    REVIEW: ‘Peacemaker’ Episodes 1-3

    Peacemaker’s comedic tone and its take-nothing-serious attitude are immediately in full force at the beginning of its premiere episode, and the series’ amazing opening credits promise that that will underlie the entire show. With that, it is successful, and it is sure to please a wide-ranging audience with those elements alone. Still, the first three episodes of Peacemaker left some to be desired with a sometimes-dragging pace. The series mostly makes up for it with its characters and the excitement and pace pick up as the series progresses. 

    Where Peacemaker excels most is its desire and fearlessness to allow itself to be the joke rather than just making jokes. In The Suicide Squad, that is essentially what the character of Peacemaker brings to the table, though with a bit more grit than the series is so far generating. Peacemaker is driven by general incompetence, and the series feels somewhat like it exists in some bootleg underbelly of a superhero universe. A universe where generally ordinary but demented people dress up in colorful costumes and casually assimilate into society. From what Peacemaker shows, there is nothing flashy or elegant about the lives of these superheroes—the titular hero lives in a cluttered mobile home—and it adds to the feeling that the series takes place in a reality closer to our own. 

    The one thing that Peacemaker nailed before it even began was John Cena’s casting. It’s hard to put a finger on it, but there’s something about him and his performance that is Peacemaker and feels effortlessly so. Cena allows himself to inhabit a character that is the butt of the joke but also portrays genuine bravado yet cluelessness at the same time. Peacemaker does not spend time trying to convince anyone that the titular character is some worthy hero, and the series even attacks the character for being racist within the first few minutes. The character also encapsulates the series’ intended tone, so even if other elements aren’t matching it, Cena’s Peacemaker rightfully anchors it all to keep it from losing its heart.

    While there is some controversy over the direction the series decided to take Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante, the character is possibly the best part of Peacemaker so far. While his scenes were sparing over the first couple of episodes, his character is being consistently built into the foundation of the series. His flamboyant, upbeat personality that overlaps with a clearly deranged and murderous individual is a Peacemaker-level character at its finest. Cena’s Peacemaker is otherwise surrounded by a bit more serious and grounded characters, so Vigilante’s personality is a strong addition that compliments Peacemaker’s in a way that others cannot. 

    Still, the supporting cast feels integral to the series to the same degree that Peacemaker does. Jennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt is often the most serious character of the series but can come across as one-note. Danielle Brooks’ Leota Adebayo is a welcome addition to Peacemaker’s Task Force X that underscores the premise that the team often is not exactly inspiring or competent. Steve Agee’s John Economos mostly seems there to exchange insults with others, and Chukwudi Iwuji is undoubtedly the most formidable and intriguing member but has yet to reveal much about himself. The reluctant team aspect is reminiscent of The Suicide Squad in some senses, but the group’s dynamic has room to evolve and improve. The team plays as (mostly) the level-headed backbone of the Project Butterfly plot, in stark contrast to Peacemaker who ironically is often the most incompetent around. The team, though, is not immune from the series’ desire to make fun of itself and not take things so seriously. As serious as they can be, they also suffer from silly mishaps and poor decision-making skills. Robert Patrick’s Auggie Smith or White Dragon is featured prominently in the first two episodes, and it is made clear that the white supremacist villain will have a substantial role to play other than being the source of Peacemaker’s daddy issues. 

    However, the series is surprisingly slower than expected. The first episode in particular felt rather mundane and drawn out, serving as a basic primer without much-added excitement. After that, the series picks up with Episode 3 easily being the best and well-paced of the three. Episode 3 is also the first episode where the overarching “Project Butterfly” really comes into play, though the series is still rolling out the details. The effect is a show that is currently more of a mystery than an action-thriller, but there’s every reason to assume that that will shift. For now, though, Peacemaker falls significantly flatter than maybe it intends to. The humor still carries and drives the series, so it is not left without its fun and heart, even in its blander moments.

    All in all, Peacemaker is full of plenty of promise. The first three episodes seem to have set up most of the major players and elements of the series, even though most of Project Butterfly remains under wraps. Hopefully, the show can utilize its strong cast and collection of characters to propel the series to greater heights as the story picks up the pace and the action—hopefully—follows suit. 

  • ‘Peacemaker’ Episodes 1-3 Primer

    ‘Peacemaker’ Episodes 1-3 Primer

    The chrome-domed beacon of freedom will be making his return tomorrow when the first 3 episodes of Peacemaker debut tomorrow, exclusively on HBO Max. It’s been a few months since we last saw the character, and since then we’ve had plenty of comic book-based content released, so minds may be a bit cloudy on just how we got here, and some may even be wondering just how is Christopher Smith alive? I mean he looked quite dead last time we saw him, well we’ve got a bit of a refresher for you to be ready to jump right in tomorrow.

    We first met Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad, assigned to Task Force X for Project Starfish which found him in Corto Maltese. Smith was assigned to Squad B, the “real team” as Squad A had been sent into the other side of the beach in order to provide a distraction. Peacemaker instantly began butting heads with everyone on the team, determined only to finish the mission and establish peace on the small island nation. It would later be revealed that Smith had been sent with an alternate objective assigned to him by Amanda Waller: to destroy the truth behind Project Starfish at any cost necessary. That lead to multiple altercations, including one that resulted in Peacemaker killing Rick Flag, and one in which Bloodsport took out Smith and left him for dead.

    But Peacemaker, of course, is not dead. In the post-credits of The Suicide Squad, he is pulled from the rubble of Jotunheim and barely hanging onto life. After surviving the mission, Smith is met by John Economos and Emilia Harcourt, who defied Waller’s orders and helped to extract Task Force X from Corto Maltese. Both characters will return for Peacemaker.

    The series will also introduce multiple new character to Christopher Smith’s team like Clemson Murn, Leota Adebayo, and Vigilante. This new team has been tasked with hunting down targets labeled as “Butterflies” that pose a risk to national security. The team’s first targets are US Senator Royland Goff and his family, who are under the protection of Judomaster, another classic Charlton Comics character introduced in the series.

    The series will also see Peacemaker facing his past, reuniting with his father, Auggie Smith, a southern racist who had a very intense method of parenting with Christopher. Hopefully the series is able to give us a glimpse into just what caused Peacemaker to pick up his quest for peace.

    The first three episodes of Peacemaker will stream tomorrow on HBO Max.

  • RUMOR: ‘Batgirl’ May Have Already Cast Its Robin With Potential ‘Nightwing’ Spinoff In Mind

    RUMOR: ‘Batgirl’ May Have Already Cast Its Robin With Potential ‘Nightwing’ Spinoff In Mind

    The Batgirl news is nonstop these days, as production begins to ramp in Glasgow. The city has been transformed into Gotham City once more for the upcoming HBO Max film. Just recently we saw quite a few interesting details from the set, one specifically featuring a mural depicting not only Batman but also Robin. The character’s future in the DCEU has been a bit questionable, as previous entries in the franchise hinted there was no active Robin. Yet, the multiversal shenanigans from The Flash may change that, as a new rumor has found its way online stating that Dick Grayson will make his debut in Batgirl.

    MyTimeToShine, who we have previously reported one hinting at a soft-reboot of the DCEU, has shared that Warner Bros. has already found its choice to take on the role of Robin in the upcoming film. Not only that, but she also hints that Batgirl could possibly set up a Nightwing spinoff, which has been stuck on the back burner in DCEU’s infamous development hell for years.

    This tweet also got the attention of KC Walsh, another source who provided quite a few insights in the past, who gave a rather curious response to highlight the statement. So, there might be more to this story.

    Back in 2017, it was announced that the director of The Lego Batman Movie, Chris Mckay, would be directing a solo Nightwing film with Bill Dubuque set to write the script for the film. Like many other projects that spawned during the early days of the DCEU, it never went anywhere. The project was one of the few that even had someone attached to direct. Of course, there has not been an official word yet and so we still have to take it with a grain of salt for now.

    Source: Twitter, The Playlist

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Director Jon Watts Reviving ‘Final Destination’ for HBO Max

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Director Jon Watts Reviving ‘Final Destination’ for HBO Max

    It looks like Jon Watts has some big plans after his record-breaking launch of Spider-Man: No Way Home. The latest entry in the Tom Holland-led trilogy has managed to pass a billion at the box office, as many films even struggle to reach around $500M. So, it’s no surprise that the director would be highly requested in the industry. He’s already signed up for Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four revival, but it seems he is interested in reviving the Final Destination franchise.

    He is taking on a producing role alongside producers Craig Perry and Sheila Hanahan Taylor, who worked on the franchise for quite some time, and his wife Dianne McGunigle. The screenplay is currently being written by Lori Evans Taylor, who worked don Wicked Wicked Games, and Guy Busick, whose new take on Scream is heading to theaters this week. Watts shared his excitement on the new project heading to HBO Max:

    Both Dianne and I have been massive fans of ‘Final Destination’ from the very beginning. So to be able to have a hand in crafting a new story with the original team and New Line is going to be both fun and exciting

    Jon Watts

    Jon Watts is no stranger to the horror genre, as his first film was the body horror film Clown, which was released in 2014. He worked on the project which was produced by Eli Roth, which he co-wrote with Christopher Ford, who would go on to help him with his work on Cop Car and Spider-Man: Homecoming. It’ll be interesting to see what a new take on the classic Final Destination franchise has in store for viewers.

    Source: Variety

  • New ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Offer Some Interesting Easter Eggs and Potential Villain

    New ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Offer Some Interesting Easter Eggs and Potential Villain

    News on Batgirl has been quite plentiful lately as Glasgow has once again been transformed into Gotham City. As the crew prepares to begin filming, more and more Easter eggs have been spotted by some eagle-eyed fans, including images that hint at appearances from Hugo Strange, Robin, and even Black Canary. Now, more photos (sent to us by @thegeeksreview) from the set have made their way online and seem to tease some inspiration from Batgirl: Year One and a reference many diehard DC Fans will love.

    Today’s look at the Glasgow set have revealed what looks to be construction on a restaurant named “Bressi.” For those unfamiliar, Bressi is the last name of an infamous Gotham City, Tony, who was an antagonist of Barbara’s in Batgirl: Year One. In the comic, Bressi is introduced following Batgirl putting a beating on DC villain Killer Moth, who was attempting to kidnap Bruce Wayne. Moth attempts to sell his services as a bodyguard to Bressi, who laughs in his face because he was beaten by a girl.

    Also spotted in the area was a new billboard that serves as a fun nod to a coffee brand seen in multiple mediums of DC Comics: Sundollar Coffee, their universe equivalent of Starbucks. The billboard features a smiling coffee cup alongside the logo and the brand slogan of “The Best Money Can Buy”.

    Batgirl is shaping up to be something really exciting and seems to be greatly inspired by Batgirl: Year One; if you haven’t yet, now is the time to read up in preparation. The film is expected to release sometime late this year.