Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: HBO Max

  • Graham McTavish Confirms Involvement With ‘Game of Thrones’ Spin-Off ‘House of the Dragons’

    Graham McTavish Confirms Involvement With ‘Game of Thrones’ Spin-Off ‘House of the Dragons’

    It looks like HBO has been sneaky with some of their recent castings, as actor Graham McTavish has revealed he joined the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel. Production has already started and we got our first look at Emma D’Arcy and Matt Smith on the set. There has been no sighting of the actor on set, but he gave away his involvement in an interview with the UK fashion magazine Stylist for his new documentary Men in Kilts.

    I’m really having a lot of fun. We’ve just started. It’s a very big project, so we’re getting to know each other. They’re lovely people. It’s great, but I can’t tell you too much. I can’t tell you really anything about the story! But it involves a lot dragons.

    If anyone talks about dragons nowadays, it is a sure-fire connection that it involves Game of Thrones. His role is uncertain as of now. There is also a fun in-joke between the Outlander actor and his co-star Sam Heughan. He has tried to audition for the original series seven times and never landed a role. Perhaps his friend can help him finally nab a role of a lifetime that he’s been gunning for all this time. It’ll be interesting to see what role McTavish takes on in the series. Hopefully, the actor gets to keep his majestic beard as he stands among the rest of Targaryen royalty. Not everyone in that family needs long white hair at this point.

    Source: Stylist via The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Mad Men’s Vincent Kartheiser Joins ‘Titans’ as Scarecrow

    ‘Mad Men’s Vincent Kartheiser Joins ‘Titans’ as Scarecrow

    It looks like HBO Max’s upcoming season of Titans has found its Dr. Jonathan Crane. The official Twitter account has unveiled that actor Vincent Kartheiser will be taking on the role of Scarecrow. The actor is known for his work on the WB series Angel and AMC’s Mad Men. He also just recently appeared on Netflix’s The Social Dilemma. The character of Scarecrow has been a mainstay in Batman’s rogue’s gallery for a long time. He’s appeared in the original animated Batman series, The Lego Batman Movie, Harley Quinn, Gotham, and was famously played by Cillian Murphy in Christopher Nolan‘s The Dark Knight Trilogy. It’ll be interesting to see how Kartheiser reinvents the character for the third season of Titans.

    Interestingly, the tweet points to his influence from within Arkham Asylum. He may be the mastermind behind many villains that’ll make the life of the Titans a living nightmare. He will be joining a stacked cast that consists of Brenton Thwaites, Anan Diop, Teagan Croft, Ryan Potter, and Conor Leslie. The addition of Scarecrow was first teased during DC FanDome alongside Barbara Gordon and Red Hood. We don’t know how big his role will be, but he might have a larger role as the mastermind pulling the strings. The strong focus on Gotham might also see other iconic Batman villains making an appearance in the upcoming season.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘House of the Dragon’: Set Photos Offer First Look at Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy as Targaryen Royalty

    ‘House of the Dragon’: Set Photos Offer First Look at Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy as Targaryen Royalty

    All eyes have been anxiously awaiting the first look at HBO’s Game of Thrones spin-off. We’ve seen a plethora of series getting announced throughout the last months, such as Tales of Dunk and Egg and, most notably, House of the Dragons. The latter has entered production and already rounded out its cast with some heavyweights, which includes Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, and Matt Smith. After a long wait, we finally got our first look at the upcoming spin-off, as some set photos have found their way online through the Daily Mail. They offer us a look at Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy on the beach in very familiar-looking Targaryen outfits.

     

     

    The series will take place 3,000 years before the original show and explores Targaryen’s history before Emilia Clarke‘s Daenerys Targaryen started her conquest of Westeros. Smith is playing Prince Daemon Targaryen and is sporting the iconic ice-blonde hair that the family is famous for. They are filming at Holywell Bay Bech in Cornwall. D’Arcy is playing his wife and niece Rhaenyra Targaryen. Their designs hint at a parallel between them and their successors, who would face a grim fate.

    We still know very little about the upcoming project, but we can expect a lot of murder and dragons once it releases. It is uncertain if the other projects are in some form of early production. We don’t know where exactly the story will take place, as we could see the Targaryens travel throughout Westeros or they may focus on Dragonstone Beach, which seems like the fitting location for this shoot. Hopefully, we get some more set photos that might tease Dragonstone Castle in the near future.

    Source: Daily Mail

  • ‘Mortal Kombat’ and ‘Demon Slayer: Mugen Train’ Dominate the Box Office

    ‘Mortal Kombat’ and ‘Demon Slayer: Mugen Train’ Dominate the Box Office

    It looks like it was a good weekend for the Box Office, as it was a tight race between Warner Bros. Mortal Kombat reboot and Japan’s Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. After Godzilla vs. Kong seemed to revive cinemas after a long pandemic-induced hiatus, there was a lot of hope that the next films would continue that momentum. Luckily, it seems that hope wasn’t misplaced, as Mortal Kombat opened to a sizeable $22.5M. It had some tough competition, as with little more than half the cinemas, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train garnered an impressive $19.5M. With it, the Anime has earned the biggest domestic debut of all time for a foreign-language film.

    What makes these numbers even more impressive is that both projects are R-rated. So, we aren’t just talking about the usual PG-13 fair. BoxOffice Pro’s Shawn Robbins offered a comparison to Wonder Woman 1984 to highlight how far we’ve come:

    To really get a sense of how far pandemic-era moviegoing has progressed, we just have to look at the fact that two R-rated films with some crossover audience appeal are combining to nearly triple the opening weekend of Wonder Woman 1984 just four months ago. People are increasingly comfortable and ready to get back to the movies

    We also need to consider that the latest adaptation of Mortal Kombat was also released simultaneously on HBO Max. Even so, it managed a respectable $50.1M internationally. These projects had a strong male viewership and were able to dominate the April marquee, which normally is flooded by larger Hollywood projects. In a way, the consequences of the pandemic may have helped some of the smaller projects that might’ve otherwise struggled. Godzilla vs. Kong held on to the third title making $86.6M domestically.

    It also may be a sign that Anime films, which are normally targeting a niche group, have a much stronger chance in the US market. Demon Slayer‘s first film released in Japan last year and was the countries’ top-grossing film. It now stands at a very impressive $400 million.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Doom Patrol’ Finds Its Sisterhood of Dada

    ‘Doom Patrol’ Finds Its Sisterhood of Dada

    For a while news on this upcoming season of Doom Patrol was scarce, and many began to fear the worst when we didn’t get an initial green light for the third season on HBO Max. Fans were clamoring for some sort of confirmation when the second season found fans on one mighty cliffhanger. The team was at the mercy of the Candlemaker, a foe who’d been casually fighting to break free from Dorothy’s imagination. The third season is now well into production, it looks like they’ve found their villains for this upcoming season.

    Deadline is reporting that actors Micah Joe Parker, Wynn Everett, Miles Mussenden, Anita Kalathara, Gina Hiraizumi have joined the cast of the upcoming third season in recurring roles as members of the Sisterhood of Dada. Parker will play Malcolm, Everett will play the role of The Fog, Miles Mussenden as Frenzy, Anita Kalathar as Sleepwalk, and Gina Hiraizumi as The Quiz.

    Doom Patrol third season has no set release date but will be made available through HBO Max. The season will feature the returns of Jovian Wade, Brendan Fraser, Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Matt Bomer, Timothy Dalton, alongside newcomer Michelle Gomez as Madame Rogue. It is unknown if the Sisterhood of Dada will be the main antagonist throughout the season, or they might just give our unlikely heroes a temporary distraction. Alan Tudyk was a member of the comics’ Brotherhood of Dada, but there is no word if he might make a return.

    Source: Deadline

     

  • ‘Mortal Kombat’: Joe Taslim’s 4-Film Contract Hints at Sub-Zero’s Dark Future

    ‘Mortal Kombat’: Joe Taslim’s 4-Film Contract Hints at Sub-Zero’s Dark Future

    We are only a day away from Mortal Kombat finally releasing in theaters and HBO Max. In anticipation, Sub-Zero actor, Joe Taslim, shared his excitement for the project with Variety. In it, he revealed that he has signed up for four more installments if the film turns out successful. Now, it isn’t uncommon nowadays that actors have multiple sequels in their contracts. What makes this particular contract interesting is the history that Bi-Han has in the games. Of course, there is a chance that the film takes a unique direction for his character, but the signs are hinting at his future echoing the games.

     

    Mortal Kombat's Joe Taslim Reveals He's Signed on for Four Sequels

     

    HBO Max released the first seven minutes of the film, which gave us our main conflict between Hanzo Hasashi and Bi-Han. Now, if you haven’t played the games only continue reading at your own risk. For those that have played the original trilogy from 1992 to 1995, their battle would eventually lead to one of them winning. Scorpion took the life of the one that murdered his family. His brother, Kuai Liang, would take on the mantle, but his brother’s soul wasn’t truly able to rest.

    In Mortal Kombat II, a secret character named Noob Saibot made his debut. We would later find out that this is actually a resurrected Bil-Han, who would continue his conflict with Scorpion and even his younger brother. The sorcerer Quan Chi took his humanity and turned him into a pure evil soul seeking vengeance. Now, the film series might take a very different approach to not just repeat the games. There is a chance he might end up living on, as Kuai Liang is notably absent. We’ve theorized that the original character, Cole Young, could be revealed as the younger Sub-Zero. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out what the future of Sub-Zero could look like.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Mortal Kombat’: Cole Young was a Studio-Mandated Addition

    ‘Mortal Kombat’: Cole Young was a Studio-Mandated Addition

    The addition of a unique character in this long-running franchise is surprising, but it does allow them Since the trailer dropped for the first Mortal Kombat film, we’ve all wondered who the hell is Cole Young? The character played by Lewis Tan is a new addition to the franchise. We’ve come to expect either Liu Kang or Johnny Cage to take the role of audience surrogate, but they’ve included this new character instead. Cage is noticeably absent in the trailer, which adds another level of confusion on why Cole got included. In an interview with Inverse, the film’s screenwriter, Greg Russo, revealed that this inclusion was a studio mandate.

    It was something the studio wanted. The new protagonist was an idea loaded in prior to my involvement.

    Producer Todd Garner does point out that the character offers a new perspective into the complicated world of Mortal Kombat. Cole’s role as the audience surrogate allows him to ask the questions necessary to explain why the tournament is taking place, where these humanoid creatures come from, and how Liu Kang can summon fire. They also point out that they could add a unique story instead of being held back by the expectations combined with the series’ staples.

    We needed somebody to completely manipulate, so there’s not 30 years of people going ‘You can’t do that.’

    As strange as the appearance of a unique character is in this long-running franchise, it does allow them to take a unique angle with the story. Of course, we’ve theorized that Young could actually have close ties to an existing character that will be revealed later down the line. Inverse’s article does point out that he will definitely tie into the franchise’s overarching universe. We’re very curious to see where the franchise is heading once it releases April 23rd on HBO Max and in theatres.

    Source: Inverse

  • REPORT: ‘Doom Patrol’ Season 3 Finds its Dead Boy Detectives

    REPORT: ‘Doom Patrol’ Season 3 Finds its Dead Boy Detectives

    The third season of Doom Patrol is definitely one that fans have been clamoring for since last year. It will pick up there where we left our miserable band of “heroes.” At the end of the series the second season, they were quite literally in pieces and at the mercy of the Candlemaker. For those who weren’t aware, the second season met an abrupt end last year in March, as the pandemic had begun to cause almost if not all productions around the world to cease filming due to health concerns. Doom Patrol was no different, as its tenth episode got cut and left the series on one hell of a cliffhanger. Now that filming has been able to resume, it seems we’ve gotten another addition to Doom Manor, in the form of the Dead Boy Detectives.

    The Direct has unveiled that actors Sebastian Croft and Ty Tenant have joined the upcoming season. They will be playing Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine, who are better known as the Dead Boy Detectives. For those unfamiliar with the characters, they were created by Neil Gaiman. The pair are exactly what you think they are, undead boys who instead of moving into the afterlife, remain on Earth to solve the mysteries of the living. Doom Patrol‘s third season currently has no set release date and is still filming. The season will feature the return of everyone’s favorite moody science experiments including Brendan Fraser, Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Jovian Wade, Matt Bomer, Timothy Dalton, and newcomer Michelle Gomez.

    Source: The Direct

  • ‘House of the Dragon’ Adds ‘The Serpent’s Fabien Frankel

    ‘House of the Dragon’ Adds ‘The Serpent’s Fabien Frankel

    It looks like HBO’s upcoming Game of Thrones spin-off is still casting some key characters. House of Dragon will explore the times of Viserys Targaryen’s rule. Of course, a good leader requires his Kingsguard and it seems that the Last Christmas actor, Fabien Frankel, will take on that role as Ser Criston Cole. Author of the original novel series, George R.R. Martin, took to his blog to reveal the news of Frankel‘s casting teasing his rather important role in these series. In it, he describes the character as followed:

    He is the common-born son of the steward to the Lord of Blackhaven. He has no claim to lands or titles, all he has is his honor and his skill with sword and lance. He is a challenger, a champion, cheered by the commons, beloved of the ladies. He is a lover (or is he?), a seducer (or is he?), a betrayer (or is he?), a breaker of hearts and a maker of kings.

    It seems his character will have an important role in starting the civil war that will end the era of dragons. Frankel has built up quite a reputation in a short amount of time with his work on The Serpent, NYPD Blue, and alongside former Targaryen Emilia Clarke in Last Christmas. It’ll be interesting to see what the actor has to offer and how Ser Cole’s relationship with Viserys might shape the spin-offs story.

    Source: Not a Blog via The Hollywood Reporter, IMDb

  • ‘MORTAL KOMBAT’: A Beginner’s Guide to Every Kombatant

    ‘MORTAL KOMBAT’: A Beginner’s Guide to Every Kombatant

    The release of Warner Bros.’ Mortal Kombat reboot is fast approaching. While die-hard fans of the infamously bloody franchise are no doubt excited to see their favorite fighters on the big (or small) screen, newcomers may be feeling a little overwhelmed by the wealth of over-the-top characters included in the film. Luckily, dissecting fictional universes is what we at Murphy’s Multiverse do best, and I’ve taken the liberty of breaking down every person, half-person, and monster confirmed to pop up in the movie. Welcome to the tournament and here are its combatants:

     

    Cole Young

     

    Cole, played by Lewis Tan, is the outlier on this list. As far as we know, Mortal Kombat‘s main protagonist is an original character created for the film. According to Entertainment Weekly, Young is a washed-up MMA fighter with little knowledge of his heritage. He has a mysterious birthmark in the shape of the Mortal Kombat tournament’s logo on his chest and a major chip on his shoulder. Down-on-his-luck, he finds himself pulled into the world of MK when Shang Tsung sends Sub-Zero to hunt him down, but his story after that is still a giant question mark. Although, we may have some ideas on that.

     

    Scorpion

     

    Mortal Kombat‘s mascot, and by far the most famous character of the bunch, is an undead warrior hell-bent on revenge. Born Hanzo Hasashi, he became the greatest warrior in the Shirai Ryu ninja clan, an off-shoot of the storied Lin Kuei clan. During a raid on his village by the bitter Lin Kuei, Hanzo and his family got slain by Sub-Zero. Luckily for Hasashi, he was resurrected by the evil sorcerer Quan Chi as a specter from the Netherrealm and given a second chance at evening the score. He enters the tournament to face his rival and eventually succeeds in killing him. After completing his initial task, Scorpion spends the rest of his existence balancing attempts at a peaceful life with rage-induced killing sprees against those who’ve wronged him. Along with Sub-Zero, the character has appeared in every installment in the series. Hiroyuki Sanada will wield the character’s iconic kunai when the movie premieres.

     

    Sub-Zero

     

    As one of the franchise’s most iconic characters, Sub-Zero is a respected member of the Lin Kuei clan with the ability to harness ice as both a tool and a weapon. The first Sub-Zero, and the one in the movie, was Bi-Han, a cold-hearted assassin who murdered Hanzo Hasashi and his family in cold blood. After Hasashi’s resurrection as Scorpion, the two became embroiled in an intense rivalry. The feud made its way to the Mortal Kombat tournament, where Scorpion would eventually get his long-awaited revenge. After his death, Bi-Han’s younger brother would take up the Sub-Zero name and Scorpion rivalry as a more honorable version of the character, while Bi-Han himself would become a ghostly wraith known as Noob Saibot. Joe Taslim will don the blue armor as the film’s main antagonist.

     

    Liu Kang

     

    The original series protagonist. 1992’s debut Mortal Kombat game introduced Liu Kang as an honorable Shaolin monk. He finds himself recruited to fight in the tournament when its previous champion, Goro, and host, Shang Tsung, threaten Earth’s existence. Kang defeats them both and becomes the new Mortal Kombat champion, falling in love with the princess Kitana along the way. He returns as the protagonist and becomes champion for the first four games in the franchise. Kang defeats the likes of both world-conqueror Shao Khan and evil sorcerer Shinnok. Although he eventually takes a back seat to allow new characters to shine, as he has remained a staple in almost every iteration and installment of the series. Oh, and sometimes he can turn himself into a giant fire dragon. Ludi Lin will play Kang in the upcoming movie.

     

    Shang Tsung

     

    Shang Tsung is an evil sorcerer intent on stealing the souls of the tournament’s victims. He uses the souls to maintain a youthful visage and temporarily steal their inherent abilities. He spent 500 years as the host of Mortal Kombat on his private island, with Goro as his champion and Shao Khan as his only master. He came close to allowing Khan to conquer Earth but was finally defeated in combat by Liu Kang and removed from his position as head of the tournament. Following this, he spends much of the series on the sidelines, concocting nefarious schemes and continuing to serve the Khan in exchange for his eternal life. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa played the character in the original Mortal Kombat from 1995. Chin Han is taking over for the reboot.

     

    Sonya Blade

     

    Sonya is a no-nonsense member of the United States Special Forces. Alongside her partner, Jax Briggs, she formed an intense rivalry with the Black Dragon crime organization and its top mercenary, Kano. Her pursuit of Earth’s scum led her to Shang Tsung’s island, where she got forced to participate in the tournament. Her military training allowed her to assist Liu Kang in becoming champion, and she found her tough exterior cracked by the romantic advances of cocky movie star Johnny Cage. Since then, Blade has committed her career to defending Earth from otherworldly threats, settling scores, and even starting a family along the way. She will be portrayed on screen by Jessica McNamee.

     

    Raiden

     

    Raiden is the assigned protector of Earthrealm and the franchise’s resident thunder god. The original game saw Raiden join the Mortal Kombat tournament to save his realm from Shang Tsung. After Liu Kang’s victory, he became an advisor of sorts to the heroes of Earth. He spends much of the series stoically guiding protagonists through their problems, stepping in to shoot some lightning when need be. Though recent entries have taken the character down a darker conflicted path, it seems the movie will stick to the lighter version we know and love. Tadanobu Asano will tackle the godly role in the upcoming film.

     

    Kano

     

    A threat from down under, Kano is the leader and top mercenary of the Black Dragon crime organization. His skill with a knife and an array of cybernetic enhancements, like his laser eye and the ability to turn himself into a spinning death ball on occasion, allow him to be a formidable fighter when he needs to be. Kano originally joined the tournament in search of riches on Earth but quickly found himself taking advantage of his newfound connections to become a real player in Outworld’s criminal underworld as well. He’s been everything from a general in Shao Khan’s army to a secret Special Forces informant, but one thing has remained consistent: Kano is the scum of the Earth. Josh Lawson will take on the role of the film.

     

    Jax Briggs

     

    Jax is Sonya Blade’s faithful and physically imposing Special Forces partner. He first appears in 1993’s Mortal Kombat II, venturing into Outworld to save a captured Blade. He quickly becomes a mainstay, joining his partner as one of Raiden’s chosen warriors to protect Earth. His larger-than-life personality, inspired by Marvel’s Luke Cage, is complemented by powerful robotic arms fitted to enhance his favored style of combat – boxing. It already looks like the movie will take liberties with his origins (the trailer shows Sub-Zero removing his organic arms). Mehcad Brooks‘ performance seems like it will bring the same energy that made the character lovable in the games.

     

    Kung Lao

     

    He is Liu Kang’s best friend and a fellow member of the Shaolin monks. He is the last living ancestor of the Great Kung Lao, the former Mortal Kombat champion who lost his life to Goro and Shang Tsung 500 years prior. Known to be every bit as honorable as Liu Kang, his ultimate goal is to find eternal peace on Earth, and he often chooses the route of non-violence when possible. Despite this, he is well-known to be a deadly combatant with the aid of his razor-tipped hat and extreme proficiency in martial arts. Max Huang will embody the role on screen.

     

    Mileena

     

    She is the monstrous clone of Princess Kitana. After conquering the realm of Edenia, Shao Khan took the former ruler’s family as his own. Fearing his newly adopted daughter would eventually rebel (she did), he created a more loyal copy with the essence of both Kitana and a warrior from the terrifying Tarkatan race. Known as Mileena, the disfigured clone was raised as Kitana’s sister until her taste for flesh and violent tendencies turned her into an efficient assassin. Though Kitana has not gotten confirmed yet to appear in the film, Sisi Stringer will bring her evil counterpart to life.

     

    Kabal

     

    He is one of the more minor characters appearing in the movie. Kabal is an on-again-off-again member of the Black Dragon crime organization. The Black Dragon member got introduced as a reformed mercenary in Mortal Kombat 3, who used his expertise with hook swords and surprising super-speed abilities to act as both a hero and a villain of Earthrealm. He was renowned for his intense body scars, which resulted from an attack by Shao Khan. It left him reliant on high-tech respirators for survival. A man of few words, he will be played by stunt actor Daniel Nelson in live-action with Damon Herriman providing his voice.

     

    Nitara

     

    A winged vampiress, Nitara is a freedom fighter masked by a haunting facade. Only making a handful of appearances in the franchise, the character is an inhabitant of Outworld hell-bent on freeing her homeworld from its unwanted bond with Shao Khan’s empire. Elissa Cadwell and Mel Jarnson will team up for Nitara’s cinematic debut.

     

    Goro

     

    He is a prince and the reigning Mortal Kombat champion for 500 years. This four-armed beast became the brawn to match Shang Tsung’s brain and helped place a stronghold on the fighting tournament to take over Earth. After centuries of easily vanquishing opponents ill-equipped to deal with his hulking frame, Goro finally tasted defeat at the hands of Liu Kang. He would return, however, as one of Shao Khan’s favored warriors. Goro would consistently be a threat to the heroes of Earth. Angus Sampson will voice the Shokan in the movie.

     

    Reiko

     

    For all you Justice League fans out there, Reiko is the Steppenwolf to Shao Khan’s Darkseid. The leading general in Outworld’s world-conquering army, Reiko has a knack for brutalities with a variety of large weaponry. He possesses a brilliant strategic mind despite looking like a cliché meathead. There was once a fan theory that Reiko and Khan were one-in-the-same, and though the games have since proved it to be false, I wouldn’t put it past the upcoming film to adapt the theory into a reality. Especially with Khan look-alike Nathan Jones in the Reiko role.

     

    Reptile

     

    This guy didn’t get confirmed for the movie, but the first trailer included some footage of a lizard creature that looks a lot like him. So, I’ll keep you informed just in case. Reptile is one of the last remaining members of his species. They were wiped from the map by Shao Khan. He became a sort of Grima Wormtongue-type slimeball character (you’re welcome, LOTR fans) who serves Khan in the hopes that the conqueror will bring his race back to life. Often underestimated by his opponents, Reptile has many natural abilities that help him in a scrap, including sharp claws and venom spit. If it is Reptile in the film, it’s unknown who is playing him.

    Source: IMDb