Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Movies

  • ‘Peacemaker’s John Cena On Rejections for ‘Shazam’ and ‘Deadpool 2’

    ‘Peacemaker’s John Cena On Rejections for ‘Shazam’ and ‘Deadpool 2’

    John Cena is living the life as the new superhero addition to the DCEU, Peacemaker – well, probably more of an anti-hero to be fair – and is proud to lead his own series after his debut in The Suicide Squad. Director James Gunn found the perfect role for him by taking a satirical look at the classic Charleton character. As his series has just premiered, Cena has been busy with interviews. During his recording with the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, he revealed that he’s been chasing superhero roles for some time, but was met with rejections left and right. He was passed on by projects like Deadpool 2‘s Cable, and even the title role for Shazam!.

    I can’t tell you how many superhero roles I’ve been rejected for. Shazam is certainly one. There was a brief try at the Deadpool universe, rejection. Shazam! was Dikembe Mutumbo. There was a few in the Marvel universe, rejected.

    John Cena

    It’s certainly a competitive market out there, as many actors are trying to nab that role for their chance to either bring a personal favorite hero to life or get their foot in the door. Cena is a household name for many and has starred in quite a few films and projects. So, even if it took some time, the wait has paid off for him to not only join a superhero project but also to find a role he can fully embrace. The fact he still loves wearing the costume to every event is a testament of his commitment.

    Source: Spotify via ComicBook

  • Letitia Wright Returns to Film ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    Letitia Wright Returns to Film ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    After almost five months, as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever took an extended break for the holidays, its leading star has returned. Letitia Wright returns to the set of the Marvel Studios sequel months after her serious injury. At first, it seemed like she only had a minor injury but later turned out to be a fractured shoulder and a concussion with severe side effects. So, it’s no wonder that production was forced to take an extended break, as they wait for her to recover.

    A spokesperson for the star has told the BBC that Wright has now returned to the production in order to complete the film, which is scheduled for release in November of this year. Her character Shuri is set to be a lead character for the film which will focus on Wakanda and its place in the world amidst pressure from the outside after the events of the first entry. With Spider-Man: No Way Home wrapping production at the end of March 2021 for a December release, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever should have plenty of time now that it has resumed production, as they are probably catching up with scenes that involve Wright.

    Source: BBC

  • UPDATE: ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’s Tessa Thompson Talks Valkyrie’s Comic Powers

    UPDATE: ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’s Tessa Thompson Talks Valkyrie’s Comic Powers

    UPDATE: It turns out that the powers Tessa Thompson was describing in her interview with W Magazine weren’t for the Thor: Love and Thunder version of her character, but rather the comics. In an Instagram story, she offers some insight into what she was discussing in the interview and simply shares her excitement of the character’s comic abilities and backstory.

    In talking about Valkyrie to W Mag, I was talking generally about powers that are canon and that I loved in reading the comics and not Thor: Love and Thunder. I shan’t be a home for spoilers.

    Tessa Thompson

    Source: Instagram via ScreenRant

    There are quite a few exciting projects heading our way in 2022. Of course, all eyes are on May’s release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as it’ll continue what was set up in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Yet, Thor: Love and Thunder have been slowly teasing the new designs of Taika Waititi‘s next MCU entry which promise an even crazier fourth entry in the franchise. It’ll also see the return of Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie who’ll have a major role in the story. In a new interview with WMagazine, she reveals that her character might have a new and very powerful ability in the film:

    She has weird skills, to be honest. She can sense when someone is close to death, and she takes them into Valhalla, which is essentially the afterlife. She can revive people. But when she revives people, sometimes she ends up in their body. It’s a weird thing. It can be quite erotic. And then she has superhuman strength and is essentially God.

    Tessa Thompson

    That’s a curious ability that hasn’t truly been hinted at in Thor: Ragnarok. It’s an ability that fits what the Valkyries do in Norse mythology, but this ability might also be our first hint that they are staying true to Jane Foster’s transformation into the Mighty Thor. In the comics, she is fighting cancer before she gains the abilities.

    So, Valkyrie might be the one to figure out her real identity – if it’s a secret, to begin with – and connect the dots. Her being able to revive someone does make you wonder if someone might end up dying in the film only for her to bring them back. It opens some interesting questions about the upcoming fourth entry of the Thor franchise.

    Source: WMagazine

  • ‘What If…?’s Composer Laura Karpman Joins ‘The Marvels’

    ‘What If…?’s Composer Laura Karpman Joins ‘The Marvels’

    It looks like The Marvels has found its composer in Marvel Studios veteran Laura Karpman, who has previously worked on What If..? and is also well-known for her work on the Lovecraft Country HBO seires. She’s the second female composer for one of their films following the first Captain Marvel film’s Pinar Torprak, who sadly isn’t returning the project. Yet, as the franchise is moving away from its singular focus on Carol Danvers, it makes sense to give it a new audio identity. Karpman shared her excitement for joining the project:

    I am thrilled to be going on this wild adventure with Nia DaCosta and Carol Danvers and am really looking forward to the collaboration.

    Laura Karpman

    We still don’t know a lot about the sequel’s storyline, especially how it might tie into Secret Invasion on Disney+. Either they’ll explore the Skrull invasion that leads into the series, or they could focus on the Kree-Skrull War instead that becomes a catalyst for that storyline. WandaVision‘s Megan McDonnell wrote the screenplay, which is a promising hint at a great twist as the story sees Carol Danvers, Kamala Khan, and Monica Rambeau join to fight a common threat.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Wrapped Production on Reshoots

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Wrapped Production on Reshoots

    Some time ago, we learned that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness started another round of additional photography to reshoot some elements of the film. They were described as “extensive” but outside of rumors that it may be to add some more cameos and shoot sequences that weren’t possible due to COVID. There were hints they were nearing an end back in December, but it turns out the reshoots were still ongoing uup until recently.

    In a new profile by Deadline they’ve revealed that the reshoots ended this weekend, which means they’ve now fully entered the post-production process. With the film still eyeing its May release, there’s enough time for them to focus on development. Of course, the process isn’t new for Marvel Studios or any production company in the industry nowadays, which directors have praised due to it ensuring they can make necessary tweaks.

    It’ll be interesting to see how much Multiverse of Madness added as a result of these reshoots. There were concerns that more cameos could take away from the film’s central storyline, but Spider-Man: No Way Home proved that it is possible to strike a good balance with a central story and crowd-pleasing appearances. Of course with a story that takes place in the multiverse, it would be a shame not to embrace those kinds of shenanigans.

    Source: Deadline via ComicBook

  • Marvel Studios Officially Reveals Where ‘Eternals’ Fits on the Sacred Timeline

    Marvel Studios Officially Reveals Where ‘Eternals’ Fits on the Sacred Timeline

    Marvel Studios Eternals made its streaming debut today on Disney Plus and with the release came an update to the MCU’s chronological viewing order. While the film made it clear that the events set in the “present day” timeline took place after the events of Avengers: Endgame, the update to the app has now placed it more precisely.

    It’s now clear that Eternals lands between the events of Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings and the Christmas-centric Hawkeye. Given that the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home were shown to take place just before and during Hawkeye, it’s probably safe to assume that Eternals also took place before the big events of No Way Home as well. Moving forward, it’ll be interesting to see how long it takes before references to Eternals make their way into Phase 4 and 5 projects; given that a Celestial was frozen as he broke free from the Earth’s core and another appeared in the sky, it’s only a matter of time before we start hearing about those events in other projects.

    Eternals is now streaming on Disney Plus in both widescreen and IMAX enhanced formats.

  • RUMOR: Marvel Studios Approached Ben Affleck to Cameo as Daredevil

    RUMOR: Marvel Studios Approached Ben Affleck to Cameo as Daredevil

    There’s a long list of Marvel projects from the early 2000s that defined the superhero film market before the modern MCU became what it is today. In 2003, 20th Century Fox took their stab at a Daredevil film, which featured Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock and Jennifer Garner in the role of Elektra. While many fondly remember Michael Clarke Duncan‘s take on the Kingpin, the film wasn’t well-received. Still, the film wasn’t a hit with fans or critics alike. It looks like that didn’t keep Marvel Studios from trying to get their hands on a cameo from that era.

    @bigscreenleaks, who has often shared information on upcoming projects, revealed that they’ve approached Affleck at one point to potentially cameo as Daredevil. He doesn’t add what project that might’ve been, but there’s a likelihood it would’ve been for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It makes sense as they don’t have to go by any rules why he would appear in the film if the character was already exploring the multiverse, to begin with. Geeks Worldwide’s KC Walsh has also shared a similar story, but it doesn’t mean we should expect a cameo.

    https://twitter.com/bigscreenleaks/status/1481303379452301314?t=0rj2QOde7KJxvjEHd-Nukw&s=19

    Marvel Studios has just recently reintroduced Charlie Cox as the blind lawyer in Spider-Man: No Way home. So, a potential cameo would’ve been a nice nod to the franchise’s past yet sadly Ben Affleck has been taking a step back from superhero franchises due to his experience with DC and especially Joss Whedon‘s Justice League film. Of course, if there is any truth to this rumor, he might pass on the project just to avoid putting on that skin-tight costume again that he wore while filming.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter

  • James Gunn Teases a “Different” ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

    James Gunn Teases a “Different” ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

    Marvel Studios has quite a few exciting projects heading our way, but many are excited to see James Gunn finally get a chance to end his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. While the project has entered production at a later point than initially planned, we still get to see his vision come to life and continue the story of Star-Lord, Rocket, Gamora, Drax, Mantis, and Groot across the MCU’s galaxy. It seems that the third entry may offer something quite unique.

    In an interview with Collider, the director revealed that Marvel Studios has already seen some parts of the film and it seems they are quite happy, especially its CEO Kevin Feige. He also praises Chukwudi Iwuji‘s performance, who’ll have a larger role in the upcoming project, as teased by the project.

    It’s going great. Chukwudi, who plays Murn in Peacemaker, is one of the main characters in the movie and people are freaking out over how good this guy is. Literally freaking out. I think that I’m really happy. I gave a bunch of scenes to Marvel right before Christmas break. Kevin [Feige] went… They were all really, really, really stoked. But also, it’s not going to be the movie people… It’s different than what people are going to expect. It’s a hard road, but I’m really happy with it so far.

    James Gunn

    Some rumors believe that Iwuji might be playing the film’s main antagonist that is very likely the creator of Rocket, the High Evolutionary. He was revealed as part of the cast in a set photo from the production’s first day, and it’s great to see his performance receiving praise. We cannot wait to see what the third entry has to offer and what Gunn means with it being different.

    Source: Collider

  • Simu Liu Shares His Hopes for the Upcoming ‘Shang-Chi’ Sequel

    Simu Liu Shares His Hopes for the Upcoming ‘Shang-Chi’ Sequel


    One of 2021’s best surprises was Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. After the film’s financial and critical success, it was given the green light for a sequel with director Destin Daniel Cretton signed on to return. The possibilities for the next entry seem endless, but franchise star Simu Liu already knows what he’d like to see happen when his titular hero returns to the big screen.

    At the end of Ten Rings, Shang-Chi finds himself in possession of his father’s iconic weapons, the aforementioned Ten Rings. In a conversation with Complex Canada, Liu stated that he’d love to explore how his character handles this development:

    I think just what Shaun decides to do with all this newfound power, you know? It kind of consumed his father, consumed Wenwu. I’m curious as to how someone much younger, much more inexperienced, would fare against the rings. Just this idea of all of a sudden being gifted something that’s so powerful but also so dangerous.

    Simu Liu

    As he continued, the actor revealed that he’s also very interested in seeing Shang-Chi interact more with the wider MCU, such as participating in some fun team-ups.

    And then the other big question I have is, you know, in what way does Shaun fit in with the rest of the MCU? Who are you going to see? What kind of crazy team-ups? What kinda tie-ins, Easter eggs? I’m just as much in the dark as everyone else, so I don’t know anything, but I’m excited to dive into that process.

    Simu Liu

    Liu may get his wish. The last we saw him, Marvel’s signature martial artist was being introduced to the Avengers by the Sorcerer Supreme, Wong. Unfortunately, audiences will likely have to wait until the untitled second Shang-Chi eventually hits theaters to know if any of the leading man’s wishes come true.

    Source: Complex Canada

  • Iman Vellani Spotted in Atlanta for Rumored ‘Ms.Marvel’ Reshoots

    Iman Vellani Spotted in Atlanta for Rumored ‘Ms.Marvel’ Reshoots

    Kamala Khan is set to make her live-action debut this year in Ms.Marvel, one of the next series set to hit Disney+. While we don’t have an exact release date for the series just yet, we know it’s set to premiere sometime this summer on the streamer. So far, it’s the only 2022 Disney+ released by Marvel Studios that have any release window. Recent rumors surrounding the series say it is set to undergo quite a bit of reshoots before its debut.

    For now, it was mostly just a rumor making the rounds, but it seems the cast might be arriving, as star Iman Vellani has been spotted arriving in Atlanta. Instagram user epik_Ink2020, who confirmed multiple celebrity arrivals in Atlanta via his instagram account in the past, shared a new image with the actress confirming she’s in Georgia.

    Atlanta Filming has also made a statement on her arrival after having teased the potential reshoots:

    Her arrival does add some fuel to the rumors and it seems likely that they’ll start production on the series’ reshoots. A few months back, leaked promotional material revealed that Ms. Marvel no longer had her embiggening abilites and instead had been replaced with crystallized Green Lantern-like energy constructs. It is rumored she harnesses the power through the bangle she is seen wearing in the same image. This change has been quite controversial amongst fans as her Embiggening abilites played quite a pivotal role in her journey as a young pakistani girl growing up in the United States.

    Ms.Marvel is still set to release this summer as of right now, but the extent of these reshoots could possibly affect the series release. It’s unknown just what the reshoots will change, or if these decisions were made prior to Vellani‘s filming on The Marvels, it’s unlikely her power set with be changed.

    SOURCE: Twitter, Instagram, The Direct