Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Movies

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Writer on Nightmare’s Inclusion in Earlier Drafts

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Writer on Nightmare’s Inclusion in Earlier Drafts

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been a film with some of the most changes from its original inception to its release for Marvel Studios. And with the Doctor Strange sequel officially released almost a month ago, more information is emerging about some of the changes that were made in the script’s transformation between creative teams. In an interview with Den of Geek, Michael Waldron discussed how the character of Nightmare was originally involved with the film before Marvel Studios changed course in its direction.

    I think it’s been reported that once upon a time, there was some talk of Nightmare and stuff like that. But when I came on board, it was a multiverse story. And so it was always about trying to figure out who that multiversal adversary was going to be.

    Michael Waldron

    During the time in which Scott and Jade Bartlett served as head writers with Scott Derrickson directing, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was a film with a relatively smaller scope. The change of villain towards one focused on the multiverse was emblematic of Marvel Studios looking to take a bigger swing with the project in how it fits into the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And they found that to be a success with Waldron writing and Sam Raimi helming the film as it has earned over $800M globally at the box office. As well, the choice of a new villain could be considered a success based on the general widespread praise Elizabeth Olsen has received for her portrayal of the Scarlet Witch. 

    With Marvel Studios continuing to move forward in this multiversal arc in the MCU, it will be interesting to follow where and how they continue to make larger choices to keep excitement in their flagship film franchise.

    Source: Den of Geek

  • Bad Bunny Shares What Inspired Him to Tackle the Sony Marvel Film ‘El Muerto’

    Bad Bunny Shares What Inspired Him to Tackle the Sony Marvel Film ‘El Muerto’

    Many were quite surprised when the announcement came that singer Bad Bunny is joining the Marvel universe. What caught everyone off-guard was that he was joining another of the many Spider-Man spinoffs that don’t feature the web-head and it would focus on one of his most obscure characters, El Muerto.

    In an interview with GQ, Bad Bunny not only promoted his new album but also got a chance to share what inspired him to tackle the project and why he chose El Muerto as his character. As it turns out, his time growing up “watching wrestling” played a big part in the choice.

    I grew up watching wrestling. This role is perfect, and I know ‘El Muerto’ is going to be epic. I’m a Marvel fan and the fact that I’m now part of this family still feels like a dream.

    Bad Bunny

    It’s definitely going to be interesting how they tackle this project and if it may generally be a more self-contained story and not build up to a crossover, which was hinted at in the post-credit sequence of Morbius. There are still many questions surrounding what exactly Sony’s goal is with his franchise, and here’s hoping that it becomes a bit more clear in the near future.

    Source: GQ

  • Three Ways ‘Ms. Marvel’ Will Tie Into ‘The Marvels’

    Three Ways ‘Ms. Marvel’ Will Tie Into ‘The Marvels’

    Now that Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness has released on the big screen, and Moon Knight has concluded its 6-episode run on Disney+, eyes have naturally pivoted to the next double entry in the MCU: Thor: Love & Thunder and the introduction of Kamala Khan in Ms. Marvel. Ms. Marvel is about three weeks away from dropping, and as we have seen, the Disney+ shows are FIRMLY connected to the wider MCU (even Moon Knight had a reference to the GRC that debuted in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier). Ms. Marvel will be no different, forging ties to the 2023 theatrical release, The Marvels.

    The 1-2 punch of Ms. Marvel/The Marvels seems in line with WandaVision/Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness. As such, the speculation train is rampant as to how this story about a young hero from New Jersey can connect to the sequel for one of Marvel’s highest grossing films ever. We can start to answer that by going back to the source: the comics.

    Based on the trailer, Kamala Khan’s power source seems incredibly reminiscent of the Quantum Bands. The Quantum Bands, gifted in the comics to Mar-Vell as he became Protector of the Universe, may offer us our first connection to Carol Danvers.

    In the MCU, the Bands are likely Kree tech with a connection to the Quantum Realm. The Kree came to Earth-616 to bring Carol Danvers back to Hala, and it is entirely possible that they left some tech that Kamala Khan stumbles upon. The last time we saw Carol, in the post-credit scene for Shang Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, where she was quickly distracted and had to run off. It’s incredibly likely that will coincide with the timeline of The Marvels.


    The Disney Plus streaming series Hawkeye may also provide a template for a connection to form between Kamala and Carol. In that, we see a young Kate Bishop inspired by Hawkeye after watching him from her parents’ apartment as he fought off the Chitauri. In the comics, Kamala looks up to Carol in the same way, and you see hints of that transferring over from the page to the screen in the footage that Marvel has released. Kamala idolizes Carol, and it wouldn’t be too surprising to see a similar scene in Ms. Marvel that allows for Kamala to develop a deep respect for Carol. Keep in mind that, at this point in the MCU, Carol’s adventures have taken place off-world, so Marvel is going to have to show why Kamala feels this deep connection to Carol.

    Lastly, we can’t talk about how Ms. Marvel will connect to The Marvels without discussing the third “Marvel”: Monica Rambeau. Imbued with powers from thrice crossing “The Hex”, it is possible that Monica Rambeau will be the one to remind Kamala that Carol is not the hero that she thinks she is. Monica blipped when her mother was alive, returning only to have her mother pass and Carol, her mother’s best friend, nowhere to be found. In Wandavision, we see a Monica that is very clearly not too fond of Carol, and now she’s going to be with a person in Kamala who adores the person she cannot stand.

    Given that Carol didn’t Blip, and thus won’t understand why Monica is so pissed, it’s even likely that Kamala is who tells Carol that Monica has a reason to not be happy with her. Given Carol’s stubborn nature, this will most likely be needed. At the end of WandaVision, we also see that Monica is told by a friendly Skrull that someone wanted to see her, and that someone could be a Carol who has now recruited a kid into space (if Ms. Marvel ends with Kamala Khan being beamed up in order to be protected). Imagine her anger when seeing that Carol came to protect Kamala, but not her.

    With her power source potentially being Kree tech, the idolization of one of the heroes, and potential role as an intermediary between Carol and Monica, Ms. Marvel will most definitely be required watching for anyone preparing to watch The Marvels.



  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Coming Out On Digital Next Month

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Coming Out On Digital Next Month

    With $800M to its name and a couple million more to close out its theatrical run, it’s safe to say that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is another notch of success for the MCU. The film will be heading to everyone’s home on Digital come June 22 and on Blu-Ray on June 26. Check out the announcement trailer below:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4EBvzMqW84

    Like Eternals and Shang-Chi before it, it’s likely that the Disney+ release will be on the same day, something that was rumored last week. With it finally available for everyone to access in the comfort of their home or computer, fans will be able to post HD pictures of Anson Mount getting his head blown off and John Krasinski turning into spaghetti.

  • ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Directors Decline Comment on ‘Avengers 5’ Rumors

    ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Directors Decline Comment on ‘Avengers 5’ Rumors

    Joe and Anthony Russo have made quite the mark in the industry, as not only did they direct some of the most successful films for Marvel Studios, but they went on to found their own production company AGBO to support smaller productions. Everything Everywhere All at Once was also thanks to their support and made quite the splash in the industry. Yet, there have been rumors that they may be returning to Marvel Studios for a fifth e entry.

    In a new piece by Den of Geek, they got a chance to sit down with the directors who shared their thoughts on the treatment of Scarlet Johanssen, where Disney left quite a sour taste with many of its talent moving forward due to the sudden shift towards streaming releases. They said “it was disturbing to us as artists” and are happy that it has been resolved since. They denied to comment on a potential return to Marvel Studios, Joe Russo did highlight their view of where cinema is currently developing.

    I think we will start trending back towards original IP. I think it’s a great opportunity… I think that original IP will start to emerge in this market as corporations become more pedantic and factory-like with the execution of their current IP. I just think people are going to crave new ideas

    Joe Russo

    We’re definitely seeing some more unique IPs taking a stronger stand and in the best-case scenario, there will be a balance between franchise films and original IPs. The industry is learning that there’s no necessity for every film to be a massive box office breaking success, instead of focusing on smaller-scale projects taking a stronger stand in the market.

    Franchises will still be around, they’ve always been around since the 70s and we’ll likely see a continuous change with streaming dominating the market, as highlighted by Russo.

    We’re certainly concerned with the trend in the market that’s moving away from artists. There’s been a lot of value in tech companies getting involved in making content, but there’s also some downsides to that. And those downsides include tech companies like Netflix and Apple and Amazon having much deeper pockets than studios do, and they can pay more and that’s starting to scare the studios.

    Joe Russo

    While many in the industry are focused on franchises as the main cause of the current trend. Yet, streaming, YouTube, TikTok, and more have been bombarding the market with content that shifts entire viewing behaviors. Yes, superhero films have a certain dominance but we’re seeing original IPs make their stand and continue to have a stronger standing. Like any industry, competition helps develop the market but the problem is that external factors are showing their fangs.

    Source: Den of Geek

  • HBO Max Brazil to Add ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ in July

    HBO Max Brazil to Add ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ in July

    As Spider-Man: No Way Home is not owned by Marvel Studios, its release is quite scattered across the world. If you live in Brazil, you’re in luck if you have an HBO Max subscription, as the film is heading to the Warner Bros.-owned subscription service on July 22nd. Not every release is currently known on the Spider-Man threequel worldwide, but there is the deal that Sony made with Netflix and Disney+. We still haven’t heard any update on how exactly that deal works and when we might expect the MCU films to make their appearance on the Disney-owned service. It’ll likely head to Netflix in those markets that don’t yet have HBO Max access.

    Sony’s release strategy on streaming has been smart, as they don’t carry any of the costs without setting up one, but still enjoy the licensing fees from offering them to others. While Warner Bros., Disney, Peacock, and Netflix fight over the dominance in the market, Sony is making its cash mostly through offering its library to them. It’s a great strategy in an already crowded market that is reaching its limits.

    The only drawback is that it becomes quite the question mark where and when we can expect specific releases. If there’s no overall deal, like Netflix and Disney+, it strongly depends on local market contracts. For now, it feels like a free-for-all though we’ll likely see a shift within the market as time goes on and some overall deals are finalized with the main subscription services cementing themselves within the market.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Madame Web’: Celeste O’Connor is the Latest to Get Caught in Sony’s web

    ‘Madame Web’: Celeste O’Connor is the Latest to Get Caught in Sony’s web

    The Ghostbusters: Afterlife actress is set to join Sony’s Madame Web. She’ll star alongside Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney in the film. Johnson, of course, is expected to portray Madame Web, while the roles of Sweeney and O’Connor are currently unknown.

    The film is Sony’s latest Spider-Man offshoot and will mark the first film to be headlined by a female character within the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters. While details are sparse regarding Madame Web, it is thought the film will be an origin story for the clairvoyant character, whose psychic abilities allow her to see within the spider world. 

    O’Connor is steadily building an impressive resume. Following Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the young actor can next be seen in Zach Braff’s A Good Person from MGM. O’Connor can currently be seen in Paramount+’s The In Between where she stars alongside Joey King.

    Madame Web is being directed by S.J. Clarkson (Jessica Jones) from a script by Morbius writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. Kerem Sanga, who write First Girl I Loved, took an earlier pass at the script prior to Sazama and Sharpless.

    Madame Web will hit theaters on July 7th, 2023.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Trailer Features Some MAJOR Cosmic Entities, Including the Watcher

    ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Trailer Features Some MAJOR Cosmic Entities, Including the Watcher

    We know that Thor: Love and Thunder will see Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher on a mission to end all the gods. You’d think that kind of mission would catch the attention of some pretty powerful beings, and as it turns out, a scene from the new trailer hints at the potential inclusion of some of Marvel’s major Cosmic entities

    While we can’t be sure exactly WHERE Jane Foster’s Mighty Thor is in the scene below, we sure can identify the busts in that location.

    Mistress Death, Eon and Infinity look to line the wall to the left of the shot, while Uatu the Watcher and the Living Tribunal, who has made quite a few brief appearances in the MCU as of late, line the right.

    It’ll be interesting to see if this is some sort of meeting area for the major Cosmic entities and if Jane goes there for help, or if this is some sort of elaborate trophy room for Gorr. We may well have to wait until July 8th to find out!

  • Disney Releases New Synopsis for ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Disney Releases New Synopsis for ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Along with a full trailer and a new poster, Disney has released an updated synopsis for Thor: Love and Thunder.

    …the God of Thunder’s latest adventure—including a trek to Olympus where Zeus (Russell Crowe) reigns supreme. The film finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced – a search for self-discovery. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late. Directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” “Jojo Rabbit”) and produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum, “Thor: Love and Thunder” opens in U.S. theaters July 8, 2022.

  • Letitia Wright Talks ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ And How it Honors Chadwick Boseman

    Letitia Wright Talks ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ And How it Honors Chadwick Boseman

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is still a few more months out, as Thor: Love and Thunder remains in the spotlight for its upcoming July release in theaters. Yet, we’ve lately seen a few curious teases of what’s to come on the November film. While we’re still waiting for details, a seemingly first blurry look at Namor may have found its way online. We even got some crew merch that teased some Aztec influences in the sequel’s depiction of Atlantis.

    Variety had a chance to interview Letitia Wright and asked her if she could offer any teases for what’s to come in Wakanda Forever. While she didn’t give away any specifics, outside that it’s going to be “jam-packed,” she did highlight that the sequel will definitely pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman‘s legacy.

    It is an incredible honor for Chadwick Boseman. It’s Jam-packed with exciting stuff. November couldn’t come sooner.

    Letitia Wright

    It did hit many by surprise when the actor tragically passed away in 2020. It definitely caught everyone by surprise and put the creative team in a challenging position. There are many discussions that they should recast the role online, but Black Panther‘s team decided to honor the actor by continuing the franchise without recasting him. It couldn’t have been an easy decision for Ryan Coogler and the rest of the team, but it looks like the sequel will definitely pay tribute to the character as well as the actor.

    Source: Twitter