Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Movies

  • Oscar Isaac Reflects on His Time in ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’

    Oscar Isaac Reflects on His Time in ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’

    The leading man of Disney+’s Moon Knight opened up recently to the New York Times about his first role in a superhero property, X-Men: Apocalypse. The third film in the second attempt for Fox to adapt the popular X-Men is generally considered one of Fox’s weakest efforts. Isaac played the title villain in a bulky costume that diverged from the presentation of the traditional comic. In the interview, he gave his thoughts on taking on the role and what it’s like looking back.

    No, I don’t disown it. I know exactly what I went in there wanting to do and the reasons why. “There were these amazing actors involved that I really wanted to work with, [James] McAvoy and [Michael] Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence. I collected X-Men growing up, and I loved Apocalypse, I just found him such a freaky, weird character. And then you get there and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got all these prosthetics on. I’ve got a suit on. I can’t move. I can’t see anybody. All these actors I wanted to work with — I can’t even see who they are.

    Oscar Isaac

    Following the first two entries of the Fox X-Men series, First Class and Days of Future Past, it seemed like Apocalypse was primed for success, as the trio of lead characters had successfully taken the mantle of Xavier, Magneto, and Mystique. While Apocalypse was ambitious in its scope, it introduces too many new characters to develop them in any meaningful way before the massive final battle. “I still think back to that time with fondness,” Isaac said. “I wish it would have been a better film and that they would have taken care of the character a little better, but those are the risks.”

    Source: Variety

  • First Look at Comic-Accurate Guardians Costumes for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3’

    First Look at Comic-Accurate Guardians Costumes for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3’

    Production on Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 might be nearing its end, but that doesn’t mean there’s been a shortage of set photos. Thanks to Just Jared, we have a new look at some of the Guardians cast on the set, including Chris Pratt and Karen Gillan. Both Pratt and Gillan are in character and seem to be sporting new uniforms that are sure to delight comic book fans.

    Gone is Starlord’s maroon trench coat. Instead, Pratt’s Starlordis seen sporting the classic blue uniform from the comics with the red lining and classic guardians’ emblem. Also sporting the classic uniform is Gillan’s Nebula, who looks to finally be an official member of the team. While the rest of the team is absent from these latest photos, we do have a new look at some of the aliens featured in the film.

    Writer and director James Gunn recently confirmed that production is nearly finished. Production for both Vol. 3 and the Holiday Special have been filming concurrently, and we’ve seen a fair share of set photos surface in recent weeks, with one even teasing a potential Eternals connection.

    Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 is currently slated to hit theaters on May 5th, 2023.

    Source: Just Jared

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Projecting a $150M+ Opening in the U.S.

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Projecting a $150M+ Opening in the U.S.

    With the upcoming release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness this Friday, current projections are looking promising for Marvel Studios’ latest release. Industry insiders are anticipating a $150M+ opening weekend in the United States. As of now, the Benedict Cumberbatch-led film is currently selling 5x the number of tickets as the original Doctor Strange film (which opened to $85M domestically in 2016). If these potential numbers hold true, this would be the largest increase for film entries in a solo franchise in the MCU.

    In comparison to how this projects in relation to other films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this opening would be in line with the likes of Captain Marvel ($153.4M), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($146.5M), and Thor: Ragnarok ($122.7M). As it stands, the film has already pulled in $42 million from presales alone, which Disney confirmed during its CinemaCon presentation. With Thursday previews fast approaching, it is expected that number will only continue to rise.

    The online excitement has been high for a continuation of Marvel Studios’ multiverse saga on the big screen after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home compounded with the film’s marketing teasing of Patrick Stewart being involved with the film. With that, all signs are pointing at Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness being large financial success for Marvel Studios and the theatrical market.

    Source: Deadline.

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’s Xochitl Gomez on a Potential Young Avengers Spinoff

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’s Xochitl Gomez on a Potential Young Avengers Spinoff

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is about to be unleashed into theaters and will introduce the world to Xochitl Gomez‘s America Chavez. The famous member of the Young Avengers has the ability to punch her way through the multiverse, which makes it the perfect jumping-off point for the character. Of course, as many of their latest ventures introduced some younger heroes, it seems almost inevitable that we’ll meet the young team of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

    It seems that Gomez is of the same opinion, as in an interview with ComicBook.com, she also discussed her hopes of having the team form in the future, especially highlighting Kate Bishop and Kid Loki, who was a curious addition as a Vriant in the Disney+ Loki series. She’s certainly on board for this team to form in a future project.

    Of course Kate Bishop and I think Loki because I want to see how that can pan out.

    Xochitl Gomez

    Young Avengers is seemingly the end goal with many story beats hinting at their formation. While it’s unclear if we’ll even see another classic Avengers film anytime soon, it does look like they want to have this next generation of heroes become an integral part of the franchise. For now, we can still only speculate, especially with when they might fast-track this project, but it’s great to see the new cast members excited for its potential.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • Michael Waldron on Working With the Cast to Write ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Michael Waldron on Working With the Cast to Write ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Taking part in today’s press conference for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, writer Michael Waldron shared about the collaborative process of writing Marvel’s upcoming summer blockbuster. When asked about what kept the film centered on storytelling, he focused on staying true to the characters and working with their actors.

    I had the great benefit of kind of inheriting a bulk of these characters. And so I think that was what certainly centered me creatively. You know: Stephen, Wanda, Wong. Obviously America is a new character that Xochitl was originating. But in a lot of ways, I was just a steward of these characters on the page and so there was a lot of opportunity to collaborate with these tremendous actors who know them better than I could. And as the script evolved, which it very much was all the time, you’re really refining it and it’s leaning on the people who have been doing it even longer than we have in this individual chapter. It’s a real team effort putting this story together.

    Michael Waldron

    Michael Waldron‘s answer provides some perspective into how much creative input performers have had for this film that has had a fast-paced process for the writer and the production team. This is a concept that especially works when you have world-class talented performers such as Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen in principal roles collaborating with the likes of Waldron and director Sam Raimi. As well, his response gives a window into how the creative teams working in tandem with Marvel Studios have been able to sustain the cinematic juggernaut they’ve been for the past decade.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases in theaters on Friday, May 6.

  • Kevin Feige on Keeping Marvel Cinematic Universe Secrets

    Kevin Feige on Keeping Marvel Cinematic Universe Secrets

    Movie leaks are always a mixed bag. Sometimes fans enjoy them because they help to get them excited, while other times, fans want to avoid having the film spoiled for them. For the past few years, Marvel Studios has seen quite a few big leaks surrounding its many projects in development. Perhaps the most prolific of the bunch were the leaks surrounding Spider-Man: No Way Home. During the virtual press conference for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige addressed these concerns, noting it isn’t always easy to keep the secrets. 

    During the conference, Feige was asked about the challenge of keeping all the secrets and surprises for the upcoming releases. After all, the running joke is that Marvel snipers – and/or Feige – are always watching. Surprisingly, however, Feige seemed to note how difficult it has become in recent years.

    “The unfortunate truth is you don’t, and therefore you need to make sure that the experience itself works, regardless of what has been spoiled or not. We still do as good a job as we can and I think a lot of people are getting good at not spreading it. You know somebody steals something, don’t spread it around because it just potentially lessens the experience, but in a lot of ways, No Way Home showed that it did not lessen the experience, so we will continue to do the best we can, but the most important thing is delivering the movie or the show that delivers regardless of what you know going in.”

    Kevin Feige

    The Doctor Strange sequel has had quite a few leaks itself, whether it be from Marvel Studios directly or scoopers eager to reveal the cameos in the film. Still, despite the leaks, fans seem eager to hit the movie theaters still. As it stands, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is looking to bring in $200 million domestically in its opening weekend. 

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Writer on How the Sequel Expands Upon MCU’s Magic

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Writer on How the Sequel Expands Upon MCU’s Magic

    Magic is about to expand in the MCU, as Doctor Strange finds himself lost within the vastness of the multiverse. The Marvel universe has been quite a bit different since 2016, as we’ve been introduced to many more powerful magic users, sci-fi concepts, and so much more. Naturally, the arrival of the upcoming release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness makes many wonders just how it might further explore the concept, and luckily writer Michael Waldron offered some insight during the film’s press conference.

    The first movie was very much about Stephen Strange entering this world of magic, learning about it […] and beginning to master it. And then, we had Stephen in several other movies and the Avengers films, and then Spider-Man: No Way Home. This is our first time in a movie that is really his and this is our chance to focus on that magic and check in on what is it look like 5 years on.

    Michael Waldron

    He goes on to highlight that it’s definitely an expansion, which leads to quite a lot of laughter early on while trying to answer the question, and focuses on how every character involved is at a ta certain point that helps push it forward.

    This guy who was the greatest surgeon, now he’s been a sorcerer for a while. He’s been through a lot, how good of a sorcerer is he? We’re seeing him kind of at the height of his powers and I think that’s really exciting. At the same time, you’re encountering Wong, who has become Sorcerer Supreme. He’s at the height of his powers. Then you have Wanda, who is actualized in a whole new way from the end of WandaVision and you could say she’s at the height of her powers.

    Michael Waldron

    The potential of exploring these characters at the height of their power certainly opens up a lot of potential in how the film has to tackle these powerful magic users going at it. In a way, the multiverse seems like the perfect way to not only catch them off-guard but also push them into exploring concepts way beyond their understanding even with their current standings.

  • Sam Raimi Teases How His Earlier Horror Films Influenced ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    Sam Raimi Teases How His Earlier Horror Films Influenced ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    While we’re excited to head into the multiverse, there’s a lot of potential with Marvel Studios’ first true venture into horror. The genre is a long-time favorite for many moviegoers and the film has promised that it’ll give us the kind of scares we’ve always hoped to see in a Marvel film. When Sam Raimi took over from Scott Derrickson, we knew that the film is still in good hands to keep that genre alive.

    The director may be quite famous for setting the benchmark for modern superhero films with 2002’s Spider-Man, he made a name in the industry with his work on the Evil Dead series. He even followed up his caped adventures with Drag Me to Hell, as a way to venture to During the press conference, Sam Raimi talked about how those films influenced his venture into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    When Kevin announced that this movie would be the first entry into Marvel putting their toe into the world of horror, I was thrilled that he called me to come in and talk about the possibility of directing this picture. I was able to take those horror films I made in my youth, and what I had learned from them, building suspense sequences, tituling the audience, going to give them a scare now? No, NOW I am going to give it to them. That stuff I was able to apply in the spooky sequences in this film.

    Sam Raim

    It certainly sounds promising, especially with the iconic camera shots that made him stand out as a director. The first clips and even the trailers included some references to his talent with the camera, which will make the film potentially stand out among Marvel’s already impressive filmography. As he’s openly stated he is excited to potentially direct another project, here’s hoping he can further expand the horror projects for Marvel Studios.

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Still Currently Eyeing a $200M Opening Weekend at the Domestic Box Office

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Still Currently Eyeing a $200M Opening Weekend at the Domestic Box Office

    During CinemaCon, Disney unveiled that their upcoming Marvel release has already made $42M in presales, and has already outpaced The Batman at this point. The more sales data makes its way to vendors, the easier it becomes to get a better grasp of where exactly the film’s box office performance might lead. The Batman opened with $134M and it looks like the current predictions still has it making up to $200M at the domestic box office. That would mean it has the potential to end its run at $535M, which Box Office Pro teased back in early April.

    Fandango’s Erik Davis took to his Twitter account to share that film is currently tracking between $150M to a $200M opening weekend at the domestic box office. Box Office Pro has adjusted its forecast, which would see it between $190M and $215M within 3-days. So, it has seen a slight uptick since the initial prediction. Of course, there’s always a chance that the film could even outperform those numbers once word-of-mouth makes its rounds. As Davis points out, this could become one of the biggest Box office increases between film entries for the MCU if it beats expectations.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been topping Fandango’s Most Anticipated List alongside Marvel Studios’ July release, Thor: Love and Thunder. The teased return of Patrick Stewart may also draw in a crowd alongside the many believed cameos that people are hoping to see, especially as the film ventures out into the Marvel multiverse. The latest promo has been a bit spoiler-heavy but it seems that it’s a marketing ploy to get that last nudge for those that haven’t seen it and are in disbelief over reports they are hearing. We will finally know how well it truly performed by Sunday of next week.

    Source: Twitter, Box Office Pro

  • First Set Video of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Offers First Look at ‘Eternals’ Easter Egg

    First Set Video of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Offers First Look at ‘Eternals’ Easter Egg

    We’ve gotten a surprising amount of teases from behind the scenes of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Just recently, we got our first good close-up of Drax and Mantis wandering the streets of Hollywood during Christmas. It was the only real confirmation that what they were filming wasn’t for Vol. 3, which James Gunn is working on simultaneously. Now, it seems that the same scene has found its way online as a video, which reveals what exactly Drax and Mantis are up to.

    As shared by u/iggyfenton on Reddit, we can clearly see the two just strolling down the street. In the end, they seemingly stumble upon a group of people in Avengers costumes. As they’ve met them in the last two Avengers films, it would be fun to see the two think these are the real deal while mocking their new costumes. Drax might even like them more, as they are a bit flashier. There’s not too much new in this scene, but it does confirm the recent rumor of a sighting that the Chinese Theater includes a poster of one of Kingo’s Bollywood movies. Luckily, the video gives us our first good look at it.

    SPOILER!: Marvel shot a scene from a future Disney+ special in Hollywood on Thursday. I was across the street with my family. (Details in Comments)
    byu/iggyfenton inmarvelstudios

    What does stand out is that Drax can be seen pointing at Kingo for a second. As there might be other versions of the character out there, it wouldn’t be too out-there to guess that Drax and the Guardians may have met a version of the character that lived on a different planet. There’s a lot of potentials to see these worlds collide, especially as we have no idea what the future has in store for the Eternals, in-universe and outside of it. It’s surprising they managed to film them for as long as they did. Security was trailing them but not reacting, but it’s great to get a little glimpse from a different angle than what we’ll get when the Holiday Special releases later this year.

    Source: Reddit