Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Features

  • EXCLUSIVE: Lia McHugh Talks About the Casting Process for ‘Eternals’

    EXCLUSIVE: Lia McHugh Talks About the Casting Process for ‘Eternals’

    Marvel Studios’ latest blockbuster, Eternals, will not only tell the story of some of its oldest characters. The film will also debut 10 brand new heroes into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Lia McHugh‘s Sprite. During an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, the young actress briefly discussed the long casting process she endured for the role as Sprite.

    During our one-on-one interview with McHugh, we asked her about the casting process for her role as Sprite in Eternals. Interestingly enough, McHugh revealed she auditioned for Marvel television roles in the past.

    I had auditioned for, I think, a couple of Marvel TV shows when I was a lot younger. So, it was the same studio that I had been to for auditions back when we used to do in-person auditions.

    At the time, McHugh wasn’t entirely sure what she was auditioning for, although she had her suspicions it could be for Marvel again. As we’ve seen in the past, Marvel Studios used fake sides for the casting process, which threw the young actress for a loop.

    I kind of had the idea that it was something for Marvel. I didn’t know what, um, it was weird sides and the description was someone with dark hair, dark eyes. I remember when I went in, I was like ‘Just so you know, I’m willing to dye my hair and wear contacts’.

    Eventually, McHugh was brought in to audition once again. This time, though, she was given real sides, and she realized she was auditioning for the chance to be a superhero.

    I got a callback and then, I think my second round of callbacks, I finally got real sides. “It was one or two scenes… and I was sort of able to figure out who Sprite was by googling and I was like ‘Oh my gosh, this is for an Eternal. I could play a superhero.’

    McHugh would go on to do a massive screentest on a soundstage in front of director Chloé Zhao and the film’s producers, where she found herself feeling nervous. She was told she would hear back within 30 days regarding whether or not she got the part. To her surprise, at the end of the 30 days, she was then flown out to London to do a screen test with Richard Madden at Pinewood Studios.

    I got to go to London for a week before I even got the part, and I got to meet Richard Madden. And then, it was actually my brother’s birthday when we got the call, and they called my mom and she accidentally hung up the phone because she was so nervous. They called back and she woke me up because I was asleep… and we all started crying. It was a very vigorous process.

    It was a long process for the young actress, but luckily, McHugh secured the role as Sprite. Fans can catch McHugh in Marvel Studios’ Eternals when it hits theaters on Nov. 5.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Lia McHugh Was Surprised By Changes Made to ‘Eternals’

    EXCLUSIVE: Lia McHugh Was Surprised By Changes Made to ‘Eternals’

    Major studio films rarely stay the same from start to finish. Whether it be thanks to reshoots or constant script changes, movies are constantly evolving. It would seem Marvel Studios’ newest blockbuster saw plenty of changes, too, throughout production. During an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, Eternals star Lia McHugh revealed she was caught off guard by a handful of changes made to the movie between the time of filming and its release. Of course, this is common practice for the House of Ideas. Sometimes it’s meant to keep actors in the dark. Other times, however, the alterations are made to enhance the quality of the film. Either way, statements regarding alterations throughout production have become a recurring statement among those involved with Marvel’s projects. 

    When asked directly if any parts of the final product were a surprise to her, McHugh responded:

    There were a lot of changes… I mean, not a lot. There were a few changes made from when we shot the movie and then a couple things were changed in reshoots.

    While this may not be all too interesting, it’s what she says next that will pique fans’ interest:

    One of the after-credits scenes I was surprised. I watched like a rough cut of the movie before I saw the final cut, and I actually was surprised by a few things. I can’t say too much about it. But yeah, there were a few things that were changed that I was surprised.

    It’s important to note that the up-and-coming actress does not specify what she was surprised by; it could have been because the after-credit scene was changed, or simply because she didn’t know it existed. Either way, it would appear Marvel Studios had a few secrets up its sleeve for both audiences and the cast of Chloe Zhao‘s latest work. 

    Eternals hits theaters on November 5, should fans like to see what surprises McHugh might have been talking about.

  • World War Hulk(s): What It Could and Should Be

    World War Hulk(s): What It Could and Should Be

    On Wednesday, Geeks World Wide broke the news that the next time we could potentially see Mark Ruffalo‘s Jade Green Giant is in a film adaptation of World War Hulk that will spring out of Disney Plus’s upcoming She-Hulk series releasing in 2022. With a World War Hulk(s) movie in the making, Anthony and Dalbin break down what a feature adaption of the comic could and should be!

    Anthony: There’s always been a fascination from the comic book community about what a World War Hulk adaption would look like on the big screen. Does it need to be comics canon? Not completely. Some things are necessary, though. 

    We need to see Bruce Banner at odds with the Avengers physically. We got a taste of that in Age of Ultron as Hulk took on Veronica the hulk buster, but that didn’t have the emotional stakes this one could potentially have.

    Whether it’s an accident or something more significant, Bruce could be at odds with one of the more powerful leaders of the Avengers. Maybe a throwdown with Captain Marvel, or perhaps a rematch with Thor? All the possibilities are tantalizing, the difference being that this time there’s personal stakes attached.

    Even seeing something like the Hulk and his brethren take on multiple Avengers could have catastrophic consequences for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It also would be extremely compelling, bringing grit and grime the Hulk has been way overdue for. This is also potentially a great way for Mark Ruffalo to end his run as the Hulk. He’s getting a bit older and maybe he doesn’t want to do this forever. A story like this would be a satisfying conclusion to his arc if Marvel Studios and Ruffalo chose to go that route. However it goes, World War Hulk has the potential to change the fabric of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s storytelling as we know it.

    she hulk production

    Dalbin: She-Hulk, the Disney+ 10-part series, is shrouded in some mystery, but what we know is it will star Tatiana Maslany as the lead heroine and Jameela Jamil as the villainous Titania. They’re the newcomers joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the show is equally as important for who is returning.

    Fresh off appearing in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the Abomination and a now-human Bruce Banner will feature in She-Hulk. As Jennifer Walters’s cousin, it’s no surprise we’ll see Banner, but last we saw Emil Blonsky he was no longer in a S.H.I.E.L.D. holding facility. (He was most likely on board the Raft). Instead, he had just fought Wong in the underground Fight Club that the new leader of the Ten Rings was overseeing. He and Wong left through a portal as Wong was training him on how to be a more effective fighter, however, it’s never made clear as to why Wong is training Abomination.

    Could the Abomination, who is now free, be recruited by Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Val for whatever her endgame is? Does she send Blonsky after She-Hulk? More importantly, is Banner then forced to transform into the Hulk to defend his cousin from the two superpowered villains?

    Banner is the one whose appearance in Shang-Chi‘s post-credits scene raised even more eyebrows. No, not because Jolly Green seemed to be serving in a leadership role post-Endgame with Captain Marvel and Wong, but because he was human. Yes, his arm was in a sling, but he was very much Mark Ruffalo. What happened post-Endgame that split Hulk and Banner after Banner spent time post-Infinity War bringing them together? And how do we get from Banner in a leadership role to Banner potentially being exiled off Earth Prime? 

    What if it isn’t the Hulk we know? Could we be getting ready to see the introduction of the Immortal Hulk? A Bruce Banner whose timeline mirrors the Banner from Earth-Prime until the One Below All possesses him? This Hulk, in the comics, actually killed the son of Sue Storm and Reed Richards. Yes, the Franklin that tried to save the multiverse. An all-powerful Hulk unhinged is strong enough to be jettisoned off-world, but what if stopping at one Hulk isn’t enough? What if She-Hulk or any Hulk-like character are blasted off Earth Prime?

    With the Multiverse opening up following the events of Loki, what we thought we knew about the Marvel Cinematic Universe no longer applies. After all, a Secret Invasion is heading our way soon that could pave the way for even more Skrulls to descend upon Earth or reveal themselves. Everything has within the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been leading to this. Yet, it’s hard to believe we are ready for what Marvel Studios has in store for Hulk.

    World War Hulk will enter production sometime in 2022. A release date is yet to be announced.