Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Movies

  • How Avengers Campus is the Foundation for MCU’s Next Frontier

    How Avengers Campus is the Foundation for MCU’s Next Frontier

    The Infinity Saga saw the average box office of the MCU continue to grow even as Marvel Studios increased output from one film per year to three. They’ve maintained this quality and growth to this day with five additional streaming series on Disney+. This is a result of how this studio approaches its overall innovative process. Yet while these shows have attracted much of the cultural and critical appraisal this year, Marvel Studios collaborated on a massive project, which paves the way to a future frontier of engagement with fans that is, at the moment, unparalleled, the Avengers Campus.

    Avengers Campus is an MCU-inspired theme park area created in collaboration between Marvel Studios and Disney Imagineering “​​that will grow and evolve as [the] cinematic universe grows and evolves” according to Kevin Feige at the opening ceremony. Less than a week after Avengers Campus’ opening alongside Loki’s premiere episode, there were already sightings of Loki Variant L1130 in his TVA arrest costume alongside some Hunters. This continued to progress as the show aired.

    Although it doesn’t take place in the MCU itself, Feige noted that the “studio’s filmmakers, artists, costume designers, and production designers have worked in lock-step with the Imagineers and the Parks team to create” much of what visitors experience, suggesting there is a certain amount of coherence between the two types of storytelling worlds. The fact that Marvel Studios have devoted some of their resources normally used in their films and streaming series to an interactive area suggests that they are aware of interactivity and engagement as a key aspect of evolving with their fans.

    Marvel Studios’ work on Avengers Campus recognizes their fans “yearning to stimulate the other four senses outside of the visual.” That is according to Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner, a transmedia production company he co-founded with Fabian Nicieza, where they have consulted on worldbuilding for the theme park area Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge as well as the films Avatar and Pirates of the Caribbean. Gomez knows what he’s talking about in regards to the rise and fall cycle in the public consciousness of these story world franchises and suggests there is a “five-stage cycle” of how both projects are made and received.

    It goes through stages of experiments, classics, refinements, reflexives, and deconstructions, where “if we get to stage five … it’s very hard to go back, which means we’re near the end” which is similar to comparisons to the decline of the Western film genre. When talking about where the MCU is in this cycle “if multiple actors show up as a Spider-Man,” referring to the Spider-Man: No Way Home rumors, as a “reflexive element” which Gomez suggests is nearer the latter end of that cycle. While he also refers to WandaVision having self-reflective elements, it’s clear that Wanda Maximoff’s appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be a narrative experiment, as subsequent film appearances from characters in Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Loki and What If…? will also be part of the same experiments.

    Kevin Feige has repeatedly said that the Disney+ series “will tie directly to MCU feature films” and that Marvel Studios is learning as they go with Disney+ their experiments, meaning we can likely look forward to more classics and refinements in the TV-film narratives in the years ahead. All of this is to say, while it seems distant that Marvel Studios has interactivity as a key part of their narrative experiences, they’ve shown they are prepared to integrate new media formats into the main narrative, in order to keep their experiments fresh.

    Given the standards, Marvel Studios always aims to improve and it opens up the question of what next media frontier they might explore next after entering streaming? The answer might well be in the clue of collaborating on the updating interactivity of Avengers Campus. Matthew Ball, a venture capital investor, notes that the amount of hours of engagement Fornite attracts probably dwarfs that of the MCU (it would be a hard maths challenge to actually try and work out the monthly engagement hours of the MCU). In a 2019 earnings report, Netflix stated “We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO” suggesting the competition for attention goes beyond the so-called streaming wars. Marvel Studios cannot afford to overlook this type of engagement.

    All of Fortnite’s Marvel-themed skins standing side by side

    It’s likely these kinds of things won’t happen until the art forms and the technologies have matured, just as Disney did not immediately dive into streaming. But what might the MCU crossing into the frontier of interactivity look like? Narrative space would have to be left for the films and streaming series, but I’ve thought of a couple of ways participants could interact with the MCU outside of those visual experiences.

    Firstly, an in-MCU game of sorts could act as an Interactive Live Event (see #8 here) where participants don’t play as main characters but watch the computer generated heroes interact with their storyworld and vote upon their activities concurrently. This kind of integration would lend itself to the kind of behavior in interacting with video game streamers. Another route could take inspiration from The Marvels comic storyline, as players take on the roles of non-heroes amongst a graphical MCU New York, taking part in small activities at The Daily Bugle, Stark Enterprises, or Hellfire Trading Company.

    They get to contribute to heroic missions and occasionally meeting our heroes, while witnessing what happens in the world above like Fortnite Events. The outcomes in both of these set-ups could lead to missions participants see play out, and also outcomes that appear in films and series which would allow fans to experience the MCU in an unprecedented way in contributing to the stories of our heroes.

    There’s no guarantee that an interactive MCU integration would end up happening either of the ways mentioned above, just as Avengers Campus exists in a Marvel Theme Park Universe so could an online Marvel Gamerverse exist as part of the multiverse. Perhaps we could see existing franchises integrate into the overarching narrative in some way. Even before such a narrative integration could take place there would have to be a breakthrough in computing power, as well a storytelling maturity that is in its earliest stages as streaming competitors like Netflix just starting to move into gaming.

    There is however a clear and constant fan desire to spend time in fictional storyworlds, and the excitement around the interactivity of Avengers Campus shows that a Marvel fan that spends many hours a week in a digital theme park contributing to the stories of their heroes is way more valuable to Marvel Studios than even the most regular rewatcher. This kind of evolution toward a Marvel Transmedia Multiverse seems at the start of a journey to that interactive horizon.  

    Source: YouTube, DisneyParks Blog, Pop Insider, YouTube, The Guardian, Walt Disney Company, NewZoo, Matthew Ball, Netflix, Matthew Ball, IGN, NWN, Financial Times

  • How ‘WHAT IF…?’ Confirms a Hela and Gorr the God Butcher Connection

    How ‘WHAT IF…?’ Confirms a Hela and Gorr the God Butcher Connection

    There’s been a burning question for many comic fans when Thor: Love and Thunder announced it will introduce Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher. The iconic weapon of the alien was the infamous All-Black the Necrosword that turned out to be the original symbiote forged into a sword by Knull. Yet, we’ve already gotten introduced to the weapon in Thor: Ragnarok through Thor‘s sister, Hela. At least, we believed it was the same weapon and didn’t get a confirmation until now.

    She wielded an unnamed blade that seemed to be based on the comic’s design of the Necrosword rather than her usual Nightswords. Her summoning them into her hands seemed to stem from the comic version. It opened up the question of if she was even wielding the same weapon and, if she was, how it might connect to Gorr in the upcoming sequel. Well, the latest episode of What If…? may have given us the set-up to that very answer.

    Hela: Hat Thor Ragnarok den mächtigsten MCU-Bösewicht?

    In a part of the multiverse where T’Challa became Star-Lord, the Collector became the new galactic crime boss after Thanos joined the good side. In his collection, he has a bunch of familiar weapons. It includes Mjolnir, the arm of Korg, and even Captain America’s shield. Suddenly, he pulls out the headpiece of Hela. The moment he wars it, he confirms that it is, indeed, a Necrosword. It also confirms she was using this weapon through the headgear rather than inherent ability. Of course, there’s no mention of All-Black or symbiote, but the first name drop seems relevant even in a What If scenario.

    Now, the only question remains if Gorr gets his hands on this version of the Necrosword. There’s a good chance that after the events of Ragnarok, her helmet flies off into space and the hands of Gorr. While the Collector doesn’t seem to change its shape when putting it on, the heat from Surter could have warped it in the aftermath. There’s only the question about Hela’s connection to Asgard, which the What If…? episode negates with Collector wielding it. We’ll see if they potentially utilize this connection or take a different route, but it is our first naming of the Necrosword in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Source: Disney+

  • Anthony Mackie Officially Signs On to Star in ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA 4’

    Anthony Mackie Officially Signs On to Star in ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA 4’

    The writing was on the wall since Avengers: Endgame and it took Falcon and the Winter Soldier to really get us there but Anthony Mackie has officially signed on to star in the untitled fourth Captain America film, according to Deadline.

    By no coincidence, the fourth Captain America film was revealed to be in development, with writers Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson penning the script, at the tail end of the FATWS finale. While none of this is surprising, that the deal has been signed and closed is very exciting. There’s no word on whether his co-star Sebastian Stan makes the cut in this film. Deadline is also noting that this film isn’t the same MCU project that Chris Evans signed for earlier this year.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘ETERNALS’: Sersi and Black Knight’s Romance Takes Place in MCU’s Present Day

    ‘ETERNALS’: Sersi and Black Knight’s Romance Takes Place in MCU’s Present Day

    Entertainment Weekly has released a grand interview with the cast and team behind Marvel Studios’ upcoming Eternals film. It offered many details on what we can expect from the film, such as what they were up to during events like Avengers: Endgame. Luckily, we also got some insight into Gemma Chan’s Sersi, who will be the driving force behind the film. Her relationship with Richard Madden’s Ikaris has been highlighted quite frequently throughout the press.

    Yet, we knew that Kit Harington might also spend some time with her in a romantic relationship. As he is playing Dane Whitman, the Back Knight, we guessed they would have had a brief romance during the Middle Ages, but it seems they’re taking a very different route this time around. Entertainment Weekly reveals that:

    One of the last roles to be cast was the film’s emotional center: Chan plays Sersi, who — unlike some of her Eternal cohorts — has a soft spot for humans. In the present day, she works as a museum curator in London and is dating human Dane Whitman (played by Game of Thrones alum Kit Harington)

    Entertainment Weekly

    This is quite an interesting hint, as it would imply that Whitman won’t don the iconic moniker from the comics. There’s still the chance he’s a descendant of a Black Knight and might end up wielding the Ebony Sword, but he isn’t from that time period. Of course, they could also take the modern route to give him the Photon Sword that he ended up wielding later on. They might want to avoid him swinging around a deadly sword when facing human enemies.

    Source: EW

  • ‘ETERNALS’ Will Explore their Absence During ‘AVENGERS: ENDGAME’

    ‘ETERNALS’ Will Explore their Absence During ‘AVENGERS: ENDGAME’

    We’ve been anxiously awaiting the next installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s only a few more weeks until Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings finally releases, and Eternals awaits us in November. The latter will introduce us to a new race within the universe that has been guarding humanity since the earliest days. Of course, it made many wonders where they were in past entries of the franchise. Why they weren’t helping the Avengers from the planet getting destroyed?

    Well, it looks like Entertainment Weekly was able to shed some light on the topic, as in their big coverage of the upcoming film they sat down with the cast and crew to talk about the next entry in the MCU. In it, they also revealed some interesting details about what we can expect from the film and hinted that the film will explore why they didn’t get involved with any of the events we’ve witnessed since the first Iron Man in 2008.

    Eternals picks up after the events of Avengers: Endgame, when half of the population has returned after being snapped out of existence. It’ll also answer why the Eternals didn’t volunteer to help go after Thanos — or help tackle any of the other various crises throughout history. (The short answer is that their mission is to focus on the Deviants and never interfere with human affairs. Still, the Avengers probably could’ve used the help.)

    Entertainment Weekly

    The message of the first trailer did highlight that they don’t interfere with humanity, but we’ve witnessed them do it quite a bit in that same footage. So, whatever they did before these events might have triggered them to distance themselves from these events. Their focus on the Deviants is also an interesting aspect, but with Thanos having a Deviant gene in the comics, it might be a bit more complicated than it seems at first glance.

    Source: EW

  • Marvel May Have Only Recently Secured the Rights to ‘SECRET WARS’

    Marvel May Have Only Recently Secured the Rights to ‘SECRET WARS’

    It’s already been some months since we learned in an interview that Loki may potentially be the set-up towards a multiversal clash in the form of Secret Wars. While the name has never been outright stated, there was some evidence in the series with the mention of a “Multiversal War” early on in a section featuring Miss Minutes. It seemed likely Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would continue to build upon that foundation alongside the newly released What If animated series.

    Well, it seems more evidence is popping up of its inclusion, as the creator of the comic storyline Jim Shooter revealed he was approached by Marvel Studios about adapting the storyline during 2021’s Megacon Orlando. In a question, if he saw the Marvel Cinematic Universe developing to adapt that storyline, he started telling a story about how Marvel was trying to secure the rights for everything involving his original Secret War run.

    This one clown called me from Marvel. He wasn’t an editor but some executive of property management which was a little odd. He asked me if I wanted to write a novelization of Secret Wars.

    He goes on to describe the received a gigantic document with a deal that wasn’t acceptable. Shooter would go on to turn it down and get a call from Jeff Bogart, who apologized for the dubious contract. The writer highlighted that the reason they sent such a large contract was simple, they don’t hold the rights to a plethora of characters:

    They didn’t have a single piece of paper that said the Beyonder, Titania, Vulcano and other characters, new Spider-Woman for that matter, and the whole black costume thing, no piece of paper that said they own it.

    He then asked if they are making a movie due to these contracts, as they are trying to make sure everything has been a “bulletproof chain of title,” as Shooter describes it. He also mentions that Hollywood was a bit looser in the past and recently focused more on securing any rights in advance to not get sued. It may explain why we’ve seen Spider-Man’s Black Suit in the third Sam Raimi film, but they only made sure to own it now. While the film might not be in development currently, Marvel Studios is famous for planning and might’ve already been trying to secure all the necessary rights. The highlight of Spider-Man’s black costume is also quite interesting.

    If you are interested, you can check out the entire panel, where he also discusses the current state of comics and creators:

    Source: YouTube

  • Marvel Studios Confirms Ben Kingsley Return in ‘SHANG-CHI’

    Marvel Studios Confirms Ben Kingsley Return in ‘SHANG-CHI’

    It’s been a long wait but the premiere for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has finally arrived. While we still have to wait a few more weeks, it’s a sign that we don’t have to fear the film facing some kind of delay. Venom: Let There Be Carnage left its late September release and it did add some uncertainty but everyone took to the red carpet to enjoy the event. It seems that the event had some curious surprises, as actor Ben Kingsley was sighted during the event. Luckily, Comic Book’s Brandon Davis was attending the event, where Marvel Studios confirmed he is part of the film’s cast to all those that are attending

    The actor hasn’t appeared since his initial appearance in Iron Man 3 as a fake version of the Mandarin. It turned out he was an actor known as Trevor Slattery that ended up in prison before he met with a follower of the Ten Rings in the All Hail The King one-shot. Of course, his appearance would hint at them continuing the storyline in some way. It’s uncertain if he’ll have a bigger role in the story, or it might turn out to be a simple cameo.

    Still, it’s incredible how Marvel Studios still pulls upon storylines left open. The Marvel Cinematic Universe first introduced the organization in 2008. There have been some hints of their continued reign throughout the series even after Iron Man 3. It’ll be interesting to see how Kingsley‘s character will play into this story and what it might mean for his future with the franchise.

    Source: Twitter (Ben Kingsley) Twitter

  • The First Reactions to ‘SHANG-CHI’ Are Here

    The First Reactions to ‘SHANG-CHI’ Are Here

    After years of waiting, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is finally around the corner. The film just had its big LA premiere and with that screening comes the first reactions from the press. Check it out below!

    https://twitter.com/johncampea/status/1427497528539312129
  • Connecting Imaginary Dots: The Return of the Ancient One

    Connecting Imaginary Dots: The Return of the Ancient One

    With more than a month since the season finale of Loki and with the story-altering events of What If…? well underway, the prospect of an ever-expanding multiverse mens countless possibilities for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It appears that all this talk about character variants, alternate timelines, and multiple universes will all come to a climax during the highly anticipated film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The sequel to 2016’s Doctor Strange is set to face the consequences of the events set into motion during WandaVision, Loki, What If…? and Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, even with all of these discussions about the branching timelines across the multiverse, very few details are actually known about the Doctor Strange sequel. However, some evidence indicates that there’s a good chance that we could potentially see the return of one of the most important characters during Stephen Strange’s upbringing in the mystic arts.

    According to an IMDb listing, Julia Schunevitsch has been added to the stunts team for the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel as a stunt performer. What makes her addition particularly interesting is that Julia also participated in the MCU previously in 2016’s Doctor Strange as Tilda Swinton’s stunt double for the role of the Ancient One. At this point in time, it is merely speculation that Swinton could return as the Ancient One, given that her character is already technically dead given the events of Doctor Strange. However, even past her death, Swinton has returned to the MCU on a number of occasions. She reprised her role in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame and she is also set to make an appearance during an upcoming episode of What If…?. So, her death in the main timeline of the MCU may not have completely sealed the fate of this character.

    With the number of events that have transpired in the MCU regarding the timeline and the multiverse, it’s no doubt that Doctor Strange will need all the help he can get to face what’s coming, and having the former Sorceror Supreme on his side would potentially make a great asset as both he (and us) navigate across the Multiverse of Madness when it hits theaters March 25, 2022.

    Source: IMDb

  • Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Talks Fu Manchu and Their Approach to ‘SHANG-CHI’s Wenwu

    Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Talks Fu Manchu and Their Approach to ‘SHANG-CHI’s Wenwu

    There’s a lot of controversies surrounding Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in China. Local audiences aren’t comfortable with the introduction of the titular character’s father. We know it’ll be an original character known as Wenwu, who is portrayed by famous Chinese actor Tony Leung, but there are still some heavy ties to the racist caricature of Fu Manchu. In an interview, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige discussed their approach to this character and also confirmed that Marvel does not own the rights to the racist caricature.

    That is one of the truths about the early comic books that Fu Man Chu was a part of that story in the early comics. Fu Manchu is not a Marvel character. Fu Manchu is not a character we own or ever want to own. And that changed in the comics many years ago. We never had any intention of doing that in this movie. Fu Manchu is not in this movie in any shape or form.

    Kevin Feige

    He also goes on to highlight that it is an offensive figure. He makes a point of highlighting their strategy is to welcome people into this universe, especially with their approach to defining their heroes. They also took a very specific approach with their villain, as Kevin Feige highlights that Wenwu isn’t the kind of villain you think the leader of the Ten Rings might be.

    This is a very unique character that you can almost not even call a villain. This is a story about the love between a father and son, but misunderstanding and conflict and that’s what we’re anxious for people to see in this movie between these two amazing actors.

    Kevin Feige

    The interviewer goes on to point out Shang-Chi’s dark decision on taking his father’s life. While not giving away any details, Feige does point out that they’ve changed many elements in their adaptation. He does go on to tease the change of perspective on his father’s past might inform his character in the film while avoiding giving away any real spoilers. Leung‘s past performances will also play a major role in how this character is shaped and, hopefully, we get a lot more of him in the future.

    Source: Weibo via YouTube