Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Cinematic Universe

  • Andrew Garfield Retracts His Denial and Leaves the Door Open for ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

    Andrew Garfield Retracts His Denial and Leaves the Door Open for ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

    It’s incredible how much can happen within 24 hours. You may recall that yesterday, Andrew Garfield continued what seems to be an ongoing tradition at Marvel Studios by wholeheartedly denying his involvement in the upcoming Spider-Man sequel, Spider-Man: No Way Home. The first rumors of his involvement started months ago. It was believed that multiple actors from the previous  Spider-Man franchises would be returning to reprise their roles.

    The rumors also included the return of Alfred Molina and Jamie Foxx, who will reprise their roles as Doc Ock and Electro, respectively. Of course, Garfield’s return seemed like a shoo-in after multiple rumors until he denied it in an over-the-top manner. Now, in an interview with Access, The Amazing Spider-Man actor was once again asked about the rumors, calling the potential of him returning “a really cool idea” and to “never say never”.

    This is definitely quite the tone shift from “I’m not the werewolf” from the last interview. It’s not the first time an actor has denied their involvement in a Marvel project. Several MCU actors and actresses have denied their involvement in the past. Jeremy Renner, Evangeline Lilly, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Rudd, and most recently Tatiana Maslany have all denied their involvement as part of the MCU. It’s obvious Marvel Studios and Sony are trying to make sure nothing regarding this film is potentially leaked out to the public, especially if the cast for this film is rumored to incorporate the three live-action Spider-Men from different franchises.

    Andrew Garfield‘s comments yesterday did nothing more than fan the flames of perhaps the worst kept secret in Hollywood. However, he is no stranger to keeping secrets. For the moment, we’ll have to take his word and say he isn’t involved in the film until we receive some sort of official confirmation. But until such a time happens, we’ll have to keep very close attention to see how this tangled web unfurrows.

    Source: Twitter

  • Theory Thursday: Bucky Barnes Will Become Nomad

    Theory Thursday: Bucky Barnes Will Become Nomad

    With The Falcon and The Winter Soldier series drawing to a close tomorrow, I can’t help but reflect and speculate on where some of the characters are going from here. It’s clear Sam Wilson is and will be the next Captain America, and a much anticipated new suit reveal seems imminent in the next episode. But what about Bucky? What happens to him after this? The series, especially episode 5, has dropped some significant clues. That along with this scoop by our own Charles Murphy four months ago about a Nomad series in development had led me to think the next step for Bucky will be as Nomad in his own Disney+ series somewhere down the line. 

    Charles himself mentioned in his article the possibility of Bucky, among a few others, taking on the mantle of Nomad in the series. However, I’m now convinced that Bucky is the strongest possible candidate with a lot of potential for the character going forward.

    I am no longer the Winter Soldier. I am James Bucky Barnes, and you are part of my efforts to make amends.

    -Bucky Barnes to Senator Atwood

    As Bucky states to the rattled Senator Atwood in the first episode, he is trying to leave the Winter Soldier behind him and make amends for the wrongs he’d done because of people like her and Hydra. I’m not saying Bucky will never be referred to as the Winter Soldier again, he may even reclaim it and make it mean something more positive, but for now, he seems to want to leave it in the past. The White Wolf moniker, given to him by the Wakandans, isn’t necessarily a name he wants to be known to the wider world as either, especially given some Wakandans may still feel betrayed and angry by his perceived involvement with Zemo’s escape. As Ayo tells Bucky in episode 5, “It would be prudent to make yourself scarce from Wakanda in the time being, White Wolf.” Indeed, as Bucky replies, this is “fair enough.” In other words, I don’t expect him to show up in Black Panther 2 as the White Wolf, and maybe not the planned Disney+ series either.

    TFATWS' star Sebastian Stan reveals how Bucky might die in MCU - Deseret News

    There is, however, still the whole very important theme of the necessity for Bucky to try to make amends to people he feels he’s wronged as the Winter Soldier. That seems to be too much to completely wrap up in this final episode. Bucky needs to feel he’s righted some of these wrongs, not only for his own mental health, but for the good of those that he’s wronged. Family members of people the Winter Soldier murdered such as his friend Yori Nakajima (Ken Takemoto) from the first episode need closure, and only Bucky can give them that. It could be that they can wrap up this part of Bucky’s story with Yori specifically in the finale, but as Bucky admits to Sam, there are at least a dozen or so people that he could help bring closure to, other than just hurting the baddies that made him do these terrible things. 

    But you gotta make them feel better. You gotta go to them, and be of service. I’m sure there’s at least one person in that book who needs closure about something. You’re the only person who can give it to them.

    -Sam Wilson to Bucky, episode 5.

    This is a perfect setup for Bucky as Nomad in his own series. Think of it, a charming but mysterious loner, with a painful past, going from town to town on his motorcycle, writing wrongs, making amends. This would be a great series where Sebastian Stan would get to shine even more than he already has as Bucky Barnes. 

    The main roadblock to Bucky’s potential Nomad motorcycle redemption tour, however, is the US government. As we’ve seen, a condition of Bucky’s pardon has required him to check in and have therapy sessions. Now, don’t get me wrong, therapy for Bucky is good, he needs it, but the idea that he could be arrested for not checking in while trying to do good in the world, or even be made to do something bad by the government as part of his pardon agreement, is not good at all. So, how does he get out of that? How does Bucky get to a place where he can truly be free, and not under the control of any government or person?

    And just keep in mind as you watch that finale tomorrow, as was asked in the very first episode, Bucky may be free of the programming and mind control, but “to do what?” A Nomad series perhaps?

  • Bollywood Star Farhan Akhtar Cast in MS(terious) Marvel Role

    Bollywood Star Farhan Akhtar Cast in MS(terious) Marvel Role

    It is being reported by The Times of India and India Today that top Indian Actor Farhan Akhtar has been cast in a Marvel project and is currently in Bangkok, Thailand to film. Ms. Marvel, being the only Marvel project currently filming in the country, seems to be the obvious choice for this cast addition.

    Confirming the news, a source close to the development said, “Farhan is currently stationed in Bangkok, along with an international cast and crew, for the shoot of a project with Marvel Studios. All other details of the project are strictly under wraps.”

    From India Today and Times of India

    Farhan Akhtar on his career's top moments and Priyanka Chopra | Bollywood – Gulf News

    No word yet on the role that Akhtar is playing but given his popularity and talent it is likely to be a significant one in the series. He recently appeared in The Sky is Pink with Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Akhtar has a starring role in the upcoming sports drama Toofaan directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.

    Ms. Marvel is currently filming and expected to release in late 2021.

     

    Source: Times of India, India Today

  • ‘CAPTAIN MARVEL 2’ Filming Next Week Under Working Title “Goat Rodeo”

    ‘CAPTAIN MARVEL 2’ Filming Next Week Under Working Title “Goat Rodeo”

    There was an unfortunate mix-up a couple of weeks ago, with a previous report that the working title of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was “Goat Rodeo.” It’s been discovered recently, however, that this is incorrect. LRM Online posted on March 16th that “Goat Rodeo” is actually the working title of Captain Marvel 2. I’ve done some research and found ample evidence of my own to back up their claim. We’ve also recently learned that Captain Marvel 2 (aka Warbird II Productions) will be briefly filming some aerial shots in New Jersey next week under the working title “Goat Rodeo.” It’s important to note these are likely establishing shots or VFX work and that no actors will be present.

    With Captain Marvel 2 going by “Goat Rodeo”, we can also confirm that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is using the working title “Dust Bunny.” Both productions are expected to begin principal photography this summer with Captain Marvel 2 scheduled for a November 11, 2022 release. 

  • ‘FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’: The MCU in Madripoor and Beyond

    ‘FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’: The MCU in Madripoor and Beyond

    The fictional island of Madripoor is set to make its MCU debut in the Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, perhaps even this very Friday. We’ll finally get to see how such an important location translates from the comics into live-action, and we very well might need to thank “The Blip” for such an opportunity.

    When Thanos snapped his fingers in Avengers: Infinity War the Marvel Cinematic Universe was forever changed. The Avengers managed to bring everyone back but certain things just weren’t able to be fixed by Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, as the five years it took them to do so took their toll. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier has already shown us how much things have changed even after half the world’s population came back, and in WandaVision, through Director Hayward, we got an idea of just how hard those five years were on everybody that had to endure them.

    You have no idea what it was like. What it took to keep the lights on.

    Madripoor
    Madripoor in “X-Treme X-Men” #11

    This extreme change in status-quo within the Marvel Universe gives Marvel Studios the perfect opportunity to justify how a place like Madripoor, basically unmentioned through twenty-three movies and one tv show, can all of a sudden become an integral part of the MCU. With half the world’s population gone it would make sense for countries to concentrate the entirety of their diminished military power closer to home where it would make the most difference. This would mean that super-powers like the US or organizations like NATO would stop being so involved in world affairs creating a power-vacuum in certain parts of the world that would tend to be filled by those seeking power on their own terms. This way a place like the “Principality of Madripoor” could have gained a level of economic and social relevance it just didn’t have before, justifying its absence from the storylines being told up to this point.

    Bagalia in “All-New Captain America” #2

    And just like Madripoor, there are several other locations from the comics that might very well be introduced into the MCU in the coming years using “The Blip” as the catalyst. By having areas around the globe without proper protection by the so-called good guys, places like Bagalia could pop up by being in the perfect situation to establish themselves as the sovereign island nation ruled by criminals we know from the comics, becoming a haven for the ill-intentioned. Also, a nation like Latveria, led by a ruthless ruler, could thrive in the conditions the world found itself in for five years. Not having mentioned it since 2008’s Iron Man would become a non-issue, since only after taking advantage of surrounding nations that might have been left to fend for themselves in the five years where there wasn’t so much oversight, did it become such a relevant player on the global stage.

    Latveria in “The Children’s Crusade” #4

    From a different perspective, and knowing how Marvel Studios enjoys approaching certain events and locations taken from the comics by giving them their own take, a place like the Blue Area of the Moon could also be something introduced using The Snap and the following five years that are yet mostly unexplored in the MCU. Its discovery might have prompted by an attempt to establish a defense system on the Moon with the prospect of keeping another alien invasion from reaching the planet in the future, and we could now be faced with a fully constructed human facility built in the previous five years, and perhaps even dealing with the Skrull, Kree, and Cotati background. Its development in secrecy might even have something to do with the theory that Steve Rogers “is in a secret base on the moon looking down over us”.

    The Blue Area of the Moon in “Empyre: Avengers” #0

    The bottom line is that there are a number of locations and even characters that would have had a hard time being introduced into the MCU after more than a decade without being acknowledged. But “The Blip”, besides having been an exceptional way to finish The Infinity Saga by taking The Avengers to their limits, just might prove to be the smartest thing Marvel Studios has ever done as it manages to set up an almost infinite amount of brand new possibilities for Phase 4 without having to retcon a single thing from past features.

  • ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ End Credits Track “Louisiana Hero” Officially Released

    ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ End Credits Track “Louisiana Hero” Officially Released

    If you found yourself air guitaring to that great end credit track at the end of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, you are in luck. Marvel Music and Hollywood Records have released the Henry Jackman composed track “Louisiana Hero” for download and the full end title sequence and track are linked below.

    It’s interesting to note that Jackman also worked on Captain America: The Winter Soldier, among other things, with rock and roll icon and founding member of Aerosmith Joe Perry on guitar. According to IMDB, Perry is listed as working his guitar magic with Jackman again in all 6 episodes of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. It seems very likely that’s him on this track.

    According to an article on Marvel.com, two digital soundtrack releases for the Disney+ series are also on the way. Episodes 1-3 will be covered in volume 1, released on April 9th. Music from episodes 3-6 will be in volume 2, which is to be released on April 30th. 

    Source: Marvel.com, Hollywoodrecs.com

  • ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’: Leak Offers Closer Look at Sam Wilson’s Captain America Suit

    ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’: Leak Offers Closer Look at Sam Wilson’s Captain America Suit

    It looks like a recent leak may have given us another look at what may end up being Sam Wilson’s Captain America uniform. The first episode has left it open if Wilson would ever take on the role, but it still seems likely that his journey throughout Falcon and the Winter Soldier will eventually lead to him accepting it. So, we’ve been wondering what his new suit might look like ever since he was given the shield by Steve in Avengers: Endgame. Well, it looks like The Direct noticed an international listing on Tmall retail which gave us a close look at his new outfit. Sam will definitely combine the iconic look from Steve with his Falcon uniform.

     

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

    This leak might be the closest look we ever got at a design long before it was officially shown. The details look great, as we can clearly see the red, white, and blue throughout his design. I love how his design focuses more on the white in contrast to Steve’s blue-dominated uniform. It is a perfect mixture of his current uniform on the Disney+ show and what we are used to with Captain America. I am excited to see how he gets this uniform. It wouldn’t be too surprising that something was prepared by Stark tech after they referenced his Falcon suit’s hardware in the premiere episode. We still don’t know how he gets the shield back and how it might get included in the show, so it’ll be exciting to keep an eye out for the next episodes.

    Source: Tmall via The Direct

  • Malcolm Spellman on John Walker’s Humanity in ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’

    Malcolm Spellman on John Walker’s Humanity in ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’

    The next Empire Magazine will feature The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and give us a few more insights into the series. One that caught my notice was the quote about John Walker, (played by Wyatt Russell) also known in comics as US Agent, and a sometimes rather hot-headed version of Captain America.

    Despite being introduced at D23 back in 2019, very little has been seen or said about the character, but one thing we do know, he will be donning the Captain America mantle and taking the shield, at least temporarily in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

    U.S. Agent First Look Revealed in The Falcon and the Winter Solider Disney+ Series

     

    Rumors have circulated around the internet, as they often do about these shows, speculating that he’s going to be anything from a racist monster, a true villain, to being a sort of red herring as a villain, to perhaps being messed up and mind-controlled after taking the Super Soldier Serum. Whether any or all of these turn out to be true, it’s likely that Walker, as MCU characters often are, may turn out to be much more complex and sympathetic, than what some of these rumors might suggest. Some new quotes from showrunner Malcolm Spellman certainly support that theory.

    “We took him in a more human direction, someone who’s dedicated every minute to being the perfect person to inherit the shield and represent the country.”

    Malcolm Spellman via Empire Magazine

    There have been a number of quotes recently from various people involved with the series, indicating that mental health and PTSD would be explored and John Walker won’t be an exception here. Those that choose to join the military carry a great deal of stress and trauma, that can stick with them as much as physical wounds sometimes can. This is something that Bucky, Sam, and certainly John Walker, could attest to and help show the audience what these people go through and how it affects, and sometimes scars, them.

    “He has to confront that – ‘Was all the stuff I did righteous, if it’s not enough for me to be honoured or accepted as the rightful heir to this mantle?’ Wyatt crushed it – the humanity of that, the scar tissue of his journey.”

    Malcolm Spellman via Empire Magazine

    One of the things about Steve Rogers Cap that I’ve appreciated is the fact that he’s called Captain America, but he by far isn’t a “I’m going to follow orders and do anything and everything for my country,” kind of guy. The mantle of Captain America, isn’t just about America, to Steve, it’s about an ideal to do the right thing, to do your best. Chances are Walker is a good soldier, been following orders, possibly done some things he feels guilt over but has to live with on the way, so he feels he deserves the mantle for being a good soldier. But to truly be the rightful heir to Steve’s legacy, you have to be a good man too. Here’s hoping John Walker finds his way to be a better man, during the course of the series. (But let’s face it, we all want Sam to get that shield).

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier featured issue of Empire Magazine on March 18th ahead of the serie’s first episode releasing on Friday.

  • Kevin Feige Talks Sam and Bucky’s Role’s After ‘Falcon and The Winter Soldier’

    Kevin Feige Talks Sam and Bucky’s Role’s After ‘Falcon and The Winter Soldier’

    Among the many things that fans have been wondering about in the lead-up to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, is whether or not Sam and Bucky’s show will be one and done. Some worry about what their future holds after the big “Who will wield the shield?” dilemma is answered. A quote from today’s press junket from Kevin Feige left encouraging signs for Bucky and Sam’s Marvel Cinematic Universe future.

    The characters of Bucky and Sam are essential to the MCU and as they change, or as they evolve, or whatever they go through could and should have a big impact on the MCU so the answer’s yes….There can be character shifts that have massive massive implications for the stories we’re telling in the future.

    It’s not exactly an announcement of a fourth entry in the Captain America franchise, or another TV series featuring Sam Wilson or Bucky Barnes. However, it is an indication that Feige knows both of the characters’ worth to the MCU, and why it’s important to keep them involved in it. These characters and their experiences will help ground the more extraordinary elements of this ever-expanding universe. Feige knows that an audience can get a much more fulfilling experience out of films by using relatable and emotionally engaging characters, rather than just creating a big spectacular blockbuster that gets panned because it’s not much else.

     

    The Falcon & The Winter Soldier Director Wants A Season 2

     

    I think you feel it more because we have more time with the Disney+ series but I think that’s something we’ve always tried to do. Iron Man 3 was all about Tony Stark’s PTSD from Avengers essentially. What’s great about the Marvel characters is you’ve always heard us say: is there flaws? It’s grounding something for as crazy and extraordinary and science fiction and fantasy and supernatural as the MCU can get. It’s grounding in the character experiences and the emotions of the character and that’s always by far the most important anchor for any story we’re going to tell.

    As wild and fun as parts of WandaVision were, the emotional journey we went through with Wanda’s grief hit many of us hard. Yet it was important to do on many levels. The audience is allowed to see her trauma through the series, is grounding and relatable, and anchors the more fantastical elements. It seems as if we will have an emotional deep dive with Sam and Bucky in their series as well. This is what has always most attracted me to the Marvel universe and why I love the MCU characters so much. I enjoy the spectacle but still feel connected to the characters within it. It’s good to see that although the MCU will soon involve the multiverse, alongside more space and time travel, that Kevin Feige continues to understand that the most important part of these films is the connections made with the characters along the way. I’m hopeful we will continue to see more of that, and that this series isn’t the last of Sam and Bucky that we’ll see.

  • How Marvel Studios Plans to Take the Fight to Superhero Fatigue

    How Marvel Studios Plans to Take the Fight to Superhero Fatigue

    It probably feels like a lifetime ago but it was only in 2017 that the MCU started releasing three feature films every year. By that time the franchise was approaching its 10th year with 17 movies under its belt and many started wondering just how long could Marvel Studios’ dominance at the box office truly last until audiences’ superhero fatigue managed to creep up on it. The following couple of years presented everyone with a resounding answer to that question as five out of the six movies released in that period surpassed the 1 billion dollar mark at the box-office, with two of those going over the 2 billion dollar mark while making Avengers: Endgame the highest-grossing movie of all time.

    By that point, and besides being the final chapter of a story being told since 2008 through 23 interconnected movies, the end of the Infinity Saga had audiences saying goodbye to arguably its two most important characters, Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, that had been at the forefront of the MCU since its inception. So being, Marvel Studios had a few problems on their plate as 2019 came to a close: How to reintroduce surviving characters making them a bigger presence within the franchise filling the void of the ones lost, how to make fans care for the new characters being introduced as they did the legacy ones, and most importantly how to maintain global audience interested in the MCU avoiding the aforementioned superhero fatigue to finally become a real thing, in what the MCU is concerned.

    A few of the issues mentioned above had already started being addressed head-on by taking a chance on characters like Black Panther and Captain Marvel, allowing for a larger and more diverse audience to feel embraced by the superhero cinematic universe Marvel created, all while keeping longtime fans engaged by diversifying the type of stories being told, the angles in which they were told, and the voices that told them. Phase 4 would be doubling-down on this idea of bringing into the franchise a much more diverse group of filmmakers (Cate Shortland, Destin Daniel Cretton, Chloé Zhao, Nia DaCosta) and introducing characters like Shang-Chi, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Ironheart, and the incredibly diverse cast of Eternals that are further living proof that the MCU is trying to evolve and become a much richer and relevant franchise by allowing so much different voices to shine through.

    But today, exactly one week after the WandaVision finale and one week before The Falcon and The Winter Soldier premiere, it’s becoming increasingly clear that, as contradictory as it may sound, another way Marvel Studios is trying to avoid superhero fatigue is by going all out and delivering ten projects in a single year. One would think that that would be against their interests as this means that there’ll be hardly a week throughout the year without some sort of new MCU content, but Marvel Studios is managing to circumvent that by turning inwards and redefining what the superhero genre can aspire to become. This way, instead of only releasing properties that could be described as being the generic superhero production and thus paving the way for audiences to quickly lose interest by the lack of novelty, they are expanding into sub-genres that are already a reality across the industry.

    As WandaVision played with sitcom tropes while combining romance, mystery, and drama, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is set to be more of an action-thriller experience. Ms. Marvel could be categorized as a teen drama while Hawkeye (mystery-thriller), Eternals (action epic), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (martial arts action film), and Loki (sci-fi adventure) will each have their particular characteristics, making each project fresh in its own right. Going beyond 2021 we’ll find the same being applied to shows like She-Hulk (courtroom drama) or movies such as Thor: Love and Thunder (space opera rock show). All of this seems to mean that Marvel Studios is thinking that, by diversifying, audiences won’t grow tired of what they have to offer in the same way they don’t get tired of movies and tv in general. Even if all properties are a part of a larger franchise, their particulars will allow all of them to be experienced without the added weight of being presented with the same formulaic concepts and narratives.

    Marvel Studios broke the mold for what franchises of this magnitude could become, and by keeping themselves in the public eye year-round but also understanding that a gimmick can only keep itself relevant for so much time, so much so that it’s not afraid to reinvent itself on the go (as we were able to see with WandaVision), is likely doing it again, before our very eyes.