Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Man of steel

  • Zack Snyder Gave His Blessing for Michael Shannon to Return as Zod in ‘The Flash’

    Zack Snyder Gave His Blessing for Michael Shannon to Return as Zod in ‘The Flash’

    Zack Snyder is always a big discussion point online, as his very specific group of fans continues to try to keep the “legacy” alive as much as possible. Even as the DC franchise is starting to move away from what he initially started with Man of Steel. It seems Michael Shannon wasn’t sure either when Andy Muschietti asked him to reprise the role of Zod from the film in the next DCEU entry, The Flash.

    I was hesitant [to come back] because I wasn’t really happy about what happened to Zack Snyder in that whole deal … And I really love Zack. The fact that Zack asked me to play that part to begin with – that’s probably the biggest surprise of my career. It almost felt like a practical joke. I was like, ‘You’re kidding me, right?’

    Michael Shannon

    He goes on to share what it was like when Muschietti offered him the role and it seems he even had some drawings prepared to showcase his vision of what The Flash would look like if he returned to the role and how it would shape the story. Shannon even still owns a drawing from that pitch.

    But I talked to Andy [Muschietti] about it, and I liked Andy, and I said, ‘Andy, look – I just want to get Zack’s blessing on this because it just doesn’t feel right without that.’ And Zack, to his credit, was very understanding. He gave me his blessing, and I went to do it. I loved Andy, too. I loved working with Andy. They’re both super creative guys. Andy’s an amazing artist. He would just make these drawings when I was sitting there talking to him. I’d look over and say, ‘Hey, can I keep that?’ and he’d go, ‘Sure!’ and sign it and give it to me.

    Michael Shannon

    He does, however, highlight that we shouldn’t expect much depth from his version of Zod in The Flash, as they may have seemingly used him as a way to set up an antagonist that blocks our heroes’ way as teased by the trailers.

    But, you know, it’s just really different – these kind of multiverse situations … The story is a lot more all over the place, you know? And I feel like I mainly exist in ‘The Flash’ as, like, an obstacle or a problem. Whereas, in ‘Man of Steel,’ it was more of a story. Like, ‘The Flash’ is definitely about The Flash – as it should be. So, it’s not as in-depth.

    Michael Shannon

    It’s great to know that Zack Snyder gave his blessing to the project and that he was able to return. This film almost feels like a final swan song for that era of DCEU that was built upon Man of Steel’s release. So, we’ll see if it pays tribute to the past while setting the stage for the future.

    Source: The Playlist

  • Villain for the Scrapped ‘Man of Steel’ Sequel Reportedly Revealed

    Villain for the Scrapped ‘Man of Steel’ Sequel Reportedly Revealed

    As news came this week that Henry Cavill‘s tenure as Superman had officially come to an end, fans lamented what could have been for his version of the character who first appeared in 2013’s Man of Steel. A scrapped sequel for the film had been in the works at Warner Bros. Discovery, but as James Gunn and Peter Safran stepped into their new roles as co-chairs of DC Studios, that project was scrapped. Now a new report has revealed who Cavill‘s Kal-El would have squared off with in the sequel.

    According to THR, Man of Steel 2 would have pitted Superman against one of his classic foes: Braniac. Braniac and Superman have been going at one another since 1958 with his vilest plot being the miniaturization of Krypton’s capital city of Kandor which he then kept in a jar! The sick bastard!!

    Braniac has a pretty long history in live-action,ost notably as an ongoing antagonist in Smallville where he was played my James Marsters. The character was also a major player in Superman: The Animated Series.

    While fans mourn the lack of Brainiac in the Snyderverse, keep in mind he’s far too important of a character in Superman’s story to stay out of a long form story about the character in Gunn’s all-new DC Universe.

  • Walter Hamada’s Original DCEU Plan for Henry Cavill’s Superman Revealed

    Walter Hamada’s Original DCEU Plan for Henry Cavill’s Superman Revealed

    Marvel Studios has been busy developing their own Multiverse Saga with Kang the Conqueror at its core, but it seems that DC had their own multiversal plans beyond just The Flash‘s upcoming release. While Walter Hamada is no longer involved with DC or Warner Bros, it seems his original plan was to develop a Crisis on Infinite Earths film but have Henry Cavill‘s Superman slowly build up that storyline through breadcrumbs in various movies.

    It seems likely that The Flash was going to unleash the multiveerse unto the DC Extended Universe with Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton‘s versions of Batman’s existing simultaneously. Ironically, it seems that Dwayne Johnson‘s own plans to make Black Adam a Superman rival and forcefully bringing Cavill back in the role may have also derailed those plans somewhat. Though, it’s uncertain just how far they mapped out the concept and if they were trying to test the waters.

    The idea to not give Superman a sequel but rather use him for cameos is curious–pretty much the Nick Fury for the DCEU. It may have also been a decision based around Cavill‘s booked schedule with The Witcher (ironic given recent developments) and the Enola Holmes movies. Once a Warhammer 40K or World of Warcraft project picks up any steam, he’ll likely throw his hat into the ring for those as well. So, even if he won’t truly return as Superman, there are many franchises that’ll definitely catch his attention.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Peaky Blinders’ Creator Worked on the ‘Man of Steel’ Sequel Pitch

    ‘Peaky Blinders’ Creator Worked on the ‘Man of Steel’ Sequel Pitch

    Well, it looks like after all these rumors we finally know who was the one working on a potential sequel to Man of Steel. In Hollywood Reporter’s weekly Heat Vision blog, they’ve shared that their sources unveiled the news that Peaky Blinders and See creator Steven Knight was involved in pitching the Superman sequel. It seems that this pitch was initially made before James Gunn and Peter Safran joined the newly formed DC Studios to spearhead the franchise moving forward.

    There are sadly no details on what exactly the story was going to focus on, but it seems that Warner Bros. executives weren’t thrilled and “gave notes” that has become a common element. There’s also uncertainty if they even hired someone else to rewrite the project afterwards but it definitely was their dream to bring back Henry Cavill while it was still under Walter Hamada‘s supervision.

    The creator behind Peaky Blinders definitely is an interesting choice to bring the franchise back to life, and it would’ve been great to see what his original plans may have been. There are many questions if they would’ve stuck to the vision introduced by Zack Snyder, or try to go for a more hopeful version that is closer to how the character works in the comics. Either way, we may have a very different version at some pint in the future going by recent events.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Superman:’ Henry Cavill Likely Out as the Man of Steel

    ‘Superman:’ Henry Cavill Likely Out as the Man of Steel

    DC Studios is looking to revamp the DC universe. Following the news that Wonder Woman 3 is not moving forward, it was revealed that Henry Cavill‘s return as Superman is already over. After making a cameo in Black Adam, the actor took to social media to proudly announce his return to DC as the Man of Steel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, however, that no longer appears to be the case.

    New DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are said to be in the final stages of drafting the future of DC Studios, and Cavill’s Superman doesn’t appear to be a part of those plans. Plans for a sequel to Man of Steel 2 are reportedly shut down, as is the return of Cavill as Superman. It’s said that the move comes as the new heads seek to close the curtain of the Snyderverse, including saying goodbye to the heroes previously cast by Zack Snyder — Cavill being one of them.

    If that proves to be the case, it’s likely Jason Momoa will be out as Aquaman, too, although rumors suggest Momoa might have a different future at DC. Gunn and Safran are expected to make a presentation to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO, David Zaslav, which should help to make the plans for DC and DC Studios a bit clearer in the coming months.

    Source: THR.

  • Warner Bros. ‘Superman’ Revival Plans Potentially Stalled

    Warner Bros. ‘Superman’ Revival Plans Potentially Stalled

    Henry Cavill just recently made his long-awaited return as Superman in the Black adam post-credit sequence. while it was exactly what Dwayne Johnson hyped up during his press tour, there still were many questions if this was a one-off event or if Warner Bros. Discovery has bigger plans moving forward. Naturally, it seemed clear they wanted to have the actor back for more adventures as the Man of Steel, but it seems those plans are currently being stalled going to a new report by The Wrap.

    It seems that the project has lost all momentum moving forward, as they are still looking for a writer and director for a potential Man of Steel sequel, and they still haven’t made a formal deal with Henry Cavill to join the franchise. A big factor seems to be the fact that James Gunn and Peter Safran‘s recent addition as co-CEOs of DC Studios may be delaying things, as they map out the long-range plan for the DC Cinematic Universe.

    There was the assumption that he has joined WB’s plans for the character after exiting The Witcher series after being its main lead for three seasons, but it seems more and more evident that this was mostly due to the way the project was developing. For now, we shouldn’t expect a return anytime soon and it’s unclear if Johnson gets his way of just turning the sequel for Black Adam into a Superman showdown.

    Source: The Wrap

  • Dwayne Johnson on Henry Cavill’s Return to the DC Universe

    Dwayne Johnson on Henry Cavill’s Return to the DC Universe

    As Dwayne Johnson’s career trajectory continued upward over the last decade and a half, one thing remained constant: his passion for Black Adam. First announced in 2007, the project has survived stops and starts in DC Universe, changes in leadership and changes in which characters and stories have been prioritized. Now as it’s finally about to be released, Black Adam seems set to serve as a jumping-off point for a new version of a connected DC Universe, but there’s one character that Johnson, and fans, have been eager to see back on screen.

    Henry Cavill made his debut as Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel, which once upon a time seemed to be the jumping-off point for a DC Universe shaped by Zack Snyder. However, following appearances in Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, Cavill was absent from other projects and with no development on a Man of Steel sequel, fans had all but given up hope on his return as Kal-El. Johnson, however, never did. In an interview with ET at Black Adam’s premiere, Johnson seemingly confirmed the return of Cavill as Superman and discussed why it’s so important to have him back.

    The whole goal and initiative of Black Adam was to build out the DC Universe by introducing not only Black Adam but the entire JSA. 5 new superhero characters in one movie and also, as I have been saying all along, there’s an ethos we at Seven Bucks have…Seven Bucks Productions…myself, my co-founder, Dany Garcia, and Hiram Garcia and that is we’ll always put the fans first. Audience comes first. So, for years, audiences have been so passionate and vocal about…we’ve established Black Adam as the most powerful and unstoppable on our planet…but the fans have been so passionate about, as we have been, where is the most unstoppable force in the universe? Where is he? Well, just like I fought hard for Black Adam for fifteen years, Dany has been fighting for six years, Hiram has been fighting for six years, fifteen years. We’ve all been fighting for this moment, so I will say this: welcome home.

    Dwayne Johnson

    Rumors have swirled for months that Black Adam would see Cavill return to the role of Superman and Johnson’s all-but-confirmation here has to be exciting for fans, not only for this film but for the future, which Johnson has also spoken about recently. Let’s hope it doesn’t take 15 more years before we see the two titans share the screen again!

  • Michael Shannon Joins The Cast of ‘The Flash’

    Michael Shannon Joins The Cast of ‘The Flash’

    The MCU’s multiverse blew up this year thanks to Loki, What If…?, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and soon, the DCEU will follow suit with The Flash. While characters like Supergirl and Michael Keaton‘s Batman are expected to return, one particular villain is set to make an unexpected appearance as well. The official Warner Bros. listing of the film has Michael Shannon as one of its cast members. This likely means we’ll be seeing more of General Zod.

    Zod won’t be the only evil Kryptonian making a return as Faora-Ul, played by Ante Traue, is listed next to Shannon as well. Their return bodes for some interesting problems Ezra Miller‘s Barry Allen will have to face. Perhaps we could see a variation of the events of Man of Steel, through the eyes of a time-traveling Barry Allen. Maybe there’s an Earth where Zod and his army successfully terraform our planet.

    Source: Warner Bros

  • J.J. Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates Working on a ‘Superman’ Reboot

    J.J. Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates Working on a ‘Superman’ Reboot

    Fans have been clamoring to see the Man of Steel return to the silver screen ever since his last solo outing in 2013. Of course, they want to see Henry Cavill reprise his role as the last son of Krypton, something that’s been up in the air for the past few years. A while back, it was being reported that Henry Cavill had exited the role, but his management had assured everyone that the cape was still in his closet. The actor has been noticeably absent from the DCEU, which didn’t help keep spirits high. He got replaced with a body double in Shazam!, and there was no word on any future appearances being in the works. After a long wait, we finally got the confirmation that Superman has a future in the DC Extended Universe after all.

    According to Deadline, J.J. Abrams has begun developing a Superman reboot through his production company, Bad Robot. Ta-Nehisi Coates will write the script, whose previous works include many notable Black Panther and Captain America comics. The project will be produced by J.J. Abrams alongside Hannah Minghella. Plot details for the upcoming project are still unknown. They have also pointed out that no lead is attached to the film. The report notes that Cavill hasn’t been signed on yet. They point out that he is eager to get back in the cape to play one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time.

    His future with the franchise may still be unknown, but Cavill will return in HBO Max’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League. It will feature original and never-before-seen footage that never saw the light of day back when the original version was released in 2017.

    Source: Twitter, Deadline