Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: HBO Max

  • ‘Peacemaker’ Shot Five Episodes Before Recasting Role of Vigilante

    ‘Peacemaker’ Shot Five Episodes Before Recasting Role of Vigilante

    Peacemaker is set to release its first three episodes this Thursday on HBO Max, with the series featuring the return of Christopher Smith, better known as the titular anti-hero Peacemaker. Back when the series was still in development it was announced that actor Chris Conrad was set to play the Adrian Chase, aka the Vigilante, a punisher-like Anti-hero who’d sworn revenge on those who break the law following the murder of his wife and children. However, after production had begun on the series it was reported that Conrad had left the project over “creative differences” and Freddie Stroma had been set as the recast for the role.

    To promote the HBO Max series, writer-director James Gunn recently sat down with the folks at Screen Rant to talk about the new series and revealed that Stroma came into the series quite late, having already filmed five and a half episodes with Conrad as Vigilante. 

    “He came in late. We had already shot five-and-a-half episodes with another actor, who’s an incredible guy, but we were on different pages about certain things and I don’t think he wanted to continue on the series in the long run. And so we brought Freddie in five-and-a-half episodes in, and I reshot all of his scenes.”

    James Gunn

    Gunn went on to gush about just how much he loved Stroma in the role and how well he worked with John Cena as Peacemaker.

    “Freddie is just amazing, and the chemistry between him and John is fantastic. Freddie is so good at… he’s such a sociopath, he’s such a psychopath and yet sweet at the same time. There’s an innocence to him despite the fact that he does these horrible things and is completely lacking in empathy and feelings in a way that Peacemaker is not.”

    James Gunn

    While it is odd for an actor to depart a series that’s nearly complete, it does happen. Creative differences could push many productions into hiatus, thankfully, though, Gunn and company were quickly able to recast the role. Still, it’s a shame to know things didn’t work out for Conrad, although fans will get to see what Stroma brings to the role when Peacemaker debuts on Thursday.

    SOURCE: Twitter

  • Black Canary Reference Spotted in Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos

    Black Canary Reference Spotted in Latest ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos

    The Birds of Prey are a prominent crime-fighting force in DC comics, usually comprised of an all-female roster. They have most recently appeared in the Harley Quinn-led film, where she alongside Black Canary, Huntress, Renee Montoya, and Cassandra Cain teamed up to take down Roman Sionis, aka the Black Mask. There has been some hope that the missing key member may also join at one point, Barbara Gordon. Luckily, new set photos offer a hint that a meeting might be in the near future.

    We’ve seen quite a bit from the set of Batgirl, which included an all-new look at Michael Keaton‘s bat-suit and even confirmation on the existence of Robin in the new DCEU. There was even a tease for a potential appearance of Hugo Strange. A new set photo of some more posters has found its way online and includes a direct reference to Black Canary. While most of the poster is covered, it’s likely connected to her music career.

    It seems Dinah Lance may be going solo in Gotham City these days. Rumors have swirled recently on her inclusion in the film with it even connecting into her upcoming solo project. For those who aren’t familiar with the Batgirl: Year One storyline, Canary played an important role as Barbara Gordon’s inspiration in becoming a crime-fighting vigilante. So, they may take some queues from that storyline to add more inspiration to the character’s motivation outside of Batman.

    Source: Twitter

  • Aubrey Plaza Joins ‘The White Lotus’ Season 2

    Aubrey Plaza Joins ‘The White Lotus’ Season 2

    Fans of the first season of the HBO Max original series The White Lotus are anxiously awaiting the next entry. The next season is rumored to take place at another White Lotus resort, moving away from the one located in Hawaii with an all-new set of characters. As such, the series might be taking an anthology approach moving forward. Variety is now reporting that Parks and Recreation star Aubrey Plaza will be the next guest, as she officially joins the second season. The actress is set to be a series regular, playing the character of Harper Spiller. Harper is on vacation with her husband and his friends, however, no casting has been made on her supporting cast.

    Plaza joins Sopranos star Michael Imperioli, who is set to play the role of Dominic Di Grasso, another guest, who is traveling with his son and father. A while back it was reported that Jennifer Coolidge would be returning from the first season, but it was never confirmed by HBO Max. If she does end up returning, she’ll very likely be reprising the role of Tanya McQuoid. There is currently no set production start and it’s uncertain what the location might be this time around. Mike White, the series creator, is returning to work on the series alongside producers David Bernad and Mark Karmine.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Features a Mural With a First Look at Michael Keaton’s Updated Batman Suit

    ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Features a Mural With a First Look at Michael Keaton’s Updated Batman Suit

    One of the biggest mysteries that surrounded the upcoming Batgirl film was who they’d choose as their Batman. A while back the directors teased that Batman would be in the film and only gave us a hint with the statement, it’ll be “the real Batman“. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that we’d receive a confirmation. Michael Keaton will be the one to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne. If rumors are to be believed, it’ll take place in a post-Flash DCEU where he has taken over as the main Batman from Ben Affleck.

    Production on Batgirl has recently started in Glasgow, as the streets are transformed into Gotham City. What stands out is that new set photos have caught crews prepping a mural of Batman in a suit similar to Keaton‘s. What stands out is the yellow emblem with an updated look. It even seems like they streamlined the design he made famous back in Batman and Batman Returns.

    The most notable difference here is the cowl: Keaton‘s original design was a singular piece with his cape and offered very limited mobility for the actor’s neck. It now looks to be much more separated from the cape and much thinner.

    Batgirl is currently set to release in 2022, exclusively on HBO Max. The film will be directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. The film is set to star Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon alongside J.K. Simmons reprising his role as Commissioner Gordon with Brendan Fraser as the Gotham City arsonist and notorious Batman rogue Firefly.

    Source: Twitter

  • Leaked ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Offer First Look at Leslie Grace

    Leaked ‘Batgirl’ Set Photos Offer First Look at Leslie Grace

    Batgirl has officially started production, as more set photos are slowly finding their way online. Earlier today, some posters were spotted that were hinting at the potential appearance of famed Batman villain Hugo Strange. now, it seems that shortly after the first look at lead actress Leslie Grace has found its way online from the Glasglow set.

    While she isn’t sporting her iconic Batsuit just yet, we do get a clear look at her wearing a GCPD t-shirt. Some time ago, we got the confirmation that she’ll work for her father’s police station and hints at their take on her character. We still know very little about the plot and what villains she might face, with the sole exception being Brendan Fraser as Firefly.

    It’s exciting to know that they are revving up production and with the exterior shots we have some hope that we’ll also get a closer look at her new costume. It was teased during DC FanDome, but only with some artwork from the distance. They’ve teased which direction they are taking it, but it’s always a different experience seeing it on set.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Peacemaker’ Pop Up Offers a Closer Look at More Helmets

    ‘Peacemaker’ Pop Up Offers a Closer Look at More Helmets

    Peacemaker is almost upon us just a few months after his first live-action appearance in The Suicide Squad. He is quite the oddball, on a quest for peace that includes killing anyone and anything that gets in his way, sporting a colorful outfit and a chrome dome that helps him stick out like a sore thumb even more than he did before. His helmet is his most iconic feature, and it seems the Peacemaker series is going to run wild with infinite possibilities as to what these helmets could be.

    The past few trailers for Peacemaker have given us a look at a few new helmets in the series. We get a glimpse at Christopher Smith’s base of operations that includes a display case full of unique helmets, which in the comics have different functions. A new pop-up event for the HBO Max series features a display case with a few new helmets that we have yet to see before and gives us names for said helmets.

    One of the first helmets is an “Underwater World” that most likely gives him the ability to breathe and see underwater. The next is reminiscent of his early helmets, featuring an obscenely and comically large fin that’s dubbed the “Screwdriver.” His final helmet is called the “Itchy Dan” and is a basic Peacemaker but instead features a forehead of spikes that could prove quite useful in a headbutting match. It’ll be interesting to see if he wears these helmets or if they are simply a closer look at what else his display case includes.

    Source: Twitter

  • Ed Brubaker Joins ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ as Head Writer

    Ed Brubaker Joins ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ as Head Writer

    Comic book author and seven time Eisner Award winner Ed Brubaker has joined the creative team behind the HBO Max series, Batman: Caped Crusader, as the head writer on the animated project. The project, first announced last May, already features a ton of talent with the legendary Bruce Timm as showrunner and J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves serving as executive producers.

    Brubaker himself is a comic icon, especially well-known for his crime-based work such as Criminal, Kill or Be Killed and also a veteran of the Batworld, having written Catwoman and Gotham Central in the early 2000s.

    Batman: Caped Crusader looks to recapture the success of Batman: The Animated Series, a show that defined the character for a generation, by reinventing the character and his “iconic rogues gallery.” Brubaker described the vision for the show and promised that fans will be surprised, saying:

    Their vision for the show, with a slightly more pulpy take on the character, and a new way of looking at the world of Gotham, set in the past but viewed through a modern lens really sold me, and so far every part of it has been a blast to work on. I can’t wait until the rest of the world can see what we’ve been building the last few months in the writers room. All I can say is, it’s not what anyone is expecting … but in a good way.

    Production on the show’s first season, which will feature 10 episodes, is underway now though no release date has been set.

    Source: THR

  • Xolo Maridueña Already Tried on the Blue Beetle Suit

    Xolo Maridueña Already Tried on the Blue Beetle Suit

    Warner Bros. has been busy preparing for their next line of DC films. While The Batman is their next major release, they’ve been busy preparing their other projects, such as the once HBO Max exclusive, Blue Beetle. Actor Xolo Maridueña will take on the title role in the Angel Manuel Soto-directed film, which is now heading for a theatrical release. Little is known about the project, but in a recent interview on the latest season of Cobra Kai, the actor confirmed that they’ve already tested out the suit in an interview with USA Today.

    We’ve done two suit fittings. They’re hoping that I get more buff by the time we actually start filming. But I’ve seen the suit, and it looks awesome.

    Xolo Maridueña

    He’s certainly excited about the role and it’s great to hear that the suit will have practical elements. It won’t be an easy design to adapt even if the concept art shared during DC FanDome is quite promising. We can’t wait to see how they bring the organic living suit to life and if they’ll even play around with the fact that Jaime Reyes’ design originally doesn’t include a nose when he’s in his suit. It’ll be interesting to see how they bring that element to life.

    Source: USA Today

  • Top 5 Candidates For The New Justice League

    Top 5 Candidates For The New Justice League

    Recent rumors have sent fans of the DCEU into a bit of a crisis, pun intended. At the center of recent controversy is the fate of the Justice League within the shared universe and just what the team roster will look like in future appearances. Luckily the DC Extended Universe continues to grow and offers plenty of prime candidates who’ve joined the team in the pages of the comics and could eventually become a member in live-action.

    Honorable Mention: Hawkgirl

    The only reason Hawkgirl did not make the actual list is due to the uncertainness surrounding the character in the DCEU. The existence of Carter Hall, aka Hawkman, would point to Shiera Sanders Hall existing somewhere within the greater DC Universe. The character is a current member of the Infinite Frontier Justice League line-up and played a prominent role in the Justice League The Animated Series in which she was quite the fan-favorite character.

    5. Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz

    Both cuts of Justice League confirm that Green Lanterns do indeed exist in the DCEU however the corps has been AWOL and yet to make an appearance in the present day. Both Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz will make their live-action debuts in the upcoming Green Lantern series on HBO Max, and while the status of the series canonicity in the DCEU is still up in the air, the two would make great additions to the league. The pair joined the league in the place of Hal Jordan and Jon Stewart upon the beginning of DC’s Rebirth storyline and have been present in the DC Universe ever since.

    4. Shazam

    Billy Batson is probably one of the most beloved characters in the DCEU with one of the best films; of course, he’s a viable candidate for the Justice League, especially with how the Shazam! ended. Rumors surrounding the future of the team state that he could very well indeed be one of the newest members. The character has been a come-and-go member of the team since the launch of the New 52 and has been a popular addition ever since.

    3. Zatanna

    Zatanna is in a similar situation to Hawkgirl, but we actually know for a fact that the character is coming with a solo film in the works from academy award-winning screenwriter Emerald Fennel. While the character will most likely be a member of the Justice League Dark, this doesn’t exactly keep her from the Justice League. If Constantine leads the JLD and Doctor Fate represents magic on the JSA, Zatanna should have a place on the JL as she’s quite a powerful magic user and the league lacks someone that specializes in that.

    2. Martian Manhunter

    A character who was there at the very beginning, Martian Manhunter is a founding member of the Justice League and should be a member of the team. He possesses a variety of different abilities and powers that make him worthy of a spot on the team. In recent years, the character has taken a bit of a backseat, with Cyborg taking his spot on the team when the New 52 came around. The character was only revealed to exist and be General Swanwick in Zack Snyder’s Justice League which isn’t technically canon to the mainline DCEU, but the character could still find a place in the DCEU and on the League in a post-Flash universe.

    1. Black Canary

    Jurnee Smollett’s debut as Dinah Lance in Birds of Prey was praised by fans for her portrayal of the character, and people instantly craved more of the character. Jurnee is set to return as the character in her own solo film, as well as rumored to appear in Batgirl. The character is usually seen on the team alongside Green Arrow, who has yet to make an appearance in the DCEU, but existence is sure due to a graphic image featuring Lexcorps corporate rivals listing Queen Industries. What we’ve seen from Dinah so far has proved she can hold her own and harnesses a killer canary cry. With Jurnee wracking up a few more appearances and quickly becoming a prominent character in the DCEU, a spot on the league is what she deserves.

    The DC universe is vast and full of plenty of diverse and beloved characters and while things may feel familiar it’s also important to welcome a bit of change. The Justice League is a team that’s gone back decades and featured an ever-expanding and transitioning roster of characters so these additions wouldn’t feel out of the ordinary.

  • RUMOR: Viola Davis Will Return as Amanda Waller in ‘Peacemaker’

    RUMOR: Viola Davis Will Return as Amanda Waller in ‘Peacemaker’

    Viola Davis just recently made her return as Amanda Waller in The Suicide Squad, where she assembled yet another Task Force X for a mission into Corto Maltese. Davis is considered one of the best parts of the first Suicide Squad film, praised for her performance in bringing the character to life, and without her, there really is no squad. So, many were wondering if we might see her return sooner rather than later.

    According to leaker MyTimeToShine, Davis will reportedly return to the DCEU in Peacemaker, reprising her role as Amanda Waller, but the extent of her role is unknown. She is the one who Assigned John Economos and Emilia Harcourt to Peacemaker on an all-new top-secret mission, due to their insubordination in defying her orders to extract the Squad from Corto Maltese.

    Not much is known about the plot of Peacemaker aside from this new Task Force of presumably ARGUS agents working together to take down an alien threat known as the Butterflies. Shine also reveals that Peacemaker will presumably take on a massive worm in the series. There’s a chance it may be connected to the main threat in some way. The series could see Waller dealing with the fallout of the Suicide Squad since her team was caught on camera fighting Starro, and Bloodsport was able to get away with dirt on her.

    Source: Twitter