Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Movies

  • What I Heard This Week: John Malkovich’s ‘Fantastic’ Role

    What I Heard This Week: John Malkovich’s ‘Fantastic’ Role

    At 70 years old, John Malkovich has shown no interest in pumping the brakes on what has been a prodigious acting career. With a film career that began in earnest 40 years and over 70 projects ago on his resume, the actor has remained as busy as ever, starring in 14 movies in the 2020s as well as taking on recurring roles in 4 streaming series including The New Pope, Space Force and Billions. However, despite his very full plate, the eccentric actor made the decision to jump into one of Hollywood’s most popular franchises.

    In May 2024, a Hollywood trade report broke the news that Malkovich had joined the very impressive cast of Marvel Studios The Fantastic Four: First Steps in an unknown role. Speculation around Malkovich’s role had the actor filling in as anyone from Phillip Masters, aka the Puppet Master to Reed Richards’ time-traveling father, Nathaniel, and many other interesting roles in between. As it turns out, Malkovich will be portraying one of the Fantastic Four’s oldest foes and one I speculated might end up in the film in February 2024.

    This week, I heard that Malkovich is playing Marvel Comics’ villain and twisted genius Ivan Kragoff. First introduced in January 1963’s Fantastic Four #13, Kragoff is better known as the Red Ghost, a recurring foe of Marvel’s First Family who often used his army of Super-Apes to aid him in his plans.

    A brilliant Russian scientist, Kragoff was fascinated with Cosmic Rays and, following the exposure of the Fantastic Four to them built his own spacecraft, loaded it up with primates and intentionally exposed himself to Cosmic Rays as well. He and his simian sidekicks were all mutated by the exposure and took on the Fantastic Four on the Blue Area of the Moon. Malkovich has a famously horrible Russian accent which he has shown off in both Rounders and Billions and given how sharp director Matt Shakman is, that’s almost certainly part of the reason Malkovich is playing Red Ghost.

    As speculated back in February, given that The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set in the 1960s and that Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben’s mission to space will be part of the film, the Space Race may well be included. If so, Malkovich’s role as Kragoff makes sense as he both fits the mold of many Marvel Studios villains in that his origins as a villain are uniquely tied to the heroes and he also has enough ties to other characters and potential storylines that he could be kept around and used again down the road.

    Once upon a time, Malkovich was set to play the Vulture in Sam Raimi‘s scuttled Spider-Man 4 and we once dreamt of the star joining other eccentric legends like Beneci del Toro and Jeff Goldblum as Elders of the Universe in the MCU. Alas, fate had its own plans and know we know who John Malkovich is being.

    The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to hit theaters on July 26, 2024.

  • One 2026 Marvel Studios Film Reportedly Revealed

    One 2026 Marvel Studios Film Reportedly Revealed

    Following Marvel Studios summer convention circuit, which was laser-focused on the 2025 slate, it’s become clear that the studio has now turned its attention to 2026. In a relatively short amount of time, plans for two films, Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man 4, began to crystalize. However, as it stands now, there are still 2 untitled Marvel Studios films on the release schedule for 2026 which means if the studio hopes to make their respective release dates, they’ll need to make decisions in short order.

    The two untitled projects are set to serve as bookends to Doomsday and Spidey 4 which will both arrive in Summer 2026. With one untitled movie dated for February 13th, 2026, time is running out for the studio to get a project up and running if they hope to have something in theaters that day. Typically, Marvel would prefer to give a director about one year of lead time headed into production, meaning they’d typically have had a director on board for the February 2026 film nine months ago. However, despite that not being the case, a new report from a trusted insider points toward one troubled Marvel Studios’ movie potentially making into theaters for that date.

    According to Daniel RPK, Marvel’s long-gestating Blade film starring Mahershala Ali stands as the best bet to join Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man 4 on the 2026 theatrical release schedule.

    The insider’s report does come with one interesting caveat, however: he believes that the studio will eventually abandon the February date and try to have Blade ready for theaters in time to make the November 6, 2026 date they have staked out for an untitled film.

    Of course meeting any 2026 release date is contingent on finding a director for the film. Since it was announced in 2019, Blade has already lost original director Bassam Tariq and his replacement, Yann Demange. Fortunately, according to Daniel RPK, things may be headed in a positive direction as the project may be “close to finding a director.”

    Should the studio choose to move Blade into November 2026, that would cut the number of Marvel films on Disney’s recently updated 2026 release schedule by one. While that may be the most realistic option at this time, it’s not the only one. If the powers that be that make up the Marvel Parliament believe they can get Blade and another film in theaters for 2026, there’s no reason they can’t kick the February date down the road while also releasing a fourth film in November.

    Source: Twitter

  • Elizabeth Olsen Teases a Very Specific Future for The Scarlet Witch

    Elizabeth Olsen Teases a Very Specific Future for The Scarlet Witch

    Though she only briefly appeared in Agatha All Along as a dead body, Wanda Maximoff played a major role in the recently wrapped MCU streaming series. Despite sacrificing herself to destroy the Darkhold in the third act of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Kevin Feige made it very clear that there was plenty of room in the MCU’s future for more stories about Wanda.

    There really is so much more to explore. We still haven’t touched on many of her core storylines from the comics. I don’t know that we saw her under rubble? I saw a tower coming down, and a little red flash. I don’t know what that means.

    -Kevin Feige

    Undoubtedly, part of the allure of continuing Wanda’s tale is that it would allow Marvel Studios to continue to work with one of its most talented actresses in Elizabeth Olsen. Feige has taken every opportunity to praise Olsen , calling her “incredibly humble and incredibly down-to-earth” while also stating that she is “a force of nature” when “those cameras roll.” In 2022, Feige claimed that he’d “work with Lizzie for another 100 years”, teasing a possible loophole to her apparent death by saying “anything’s possible in the multiverse!” 

    AsMarvel Studios Multiverse Saga has evolved, Feige’s comments have proven more true than he probably intended. Robert Downey Jr. is now set to be th MCU’s Doctor Doom, Hugh Jackman will reportedly stay on as Wolverine for the time being and Wanda’s children, who disappeared with the undoing of her hex, are now both alive and (sort of) well…and that last point really makes it seem as though Wanda cannot be far behind.

    While rumors of a Scarlet Witch solo project written by WandaVision and Agatha All Along creator Jac Schaeffer continue to be bandied about, Schaeffer claims to be in the dark on the future of the character. When asked about the possibility during September’s Agatha All Along launch event, Schaeffer said, “I don’t know! I’m in witchy Agatha land right now and I can’t quite see through the trees, but we’re hoping.” However, when asked if it was possible that the collapse of Mount Wundagore could have been the end of the Scarlet Witch but not necessarily Wanda,  Schaeffer’s comments were a little more telling. “I am keeping such a good poker face,” remarked the writer. “What I will say is like, I really like how your mind works. That’s my response to that theory.“

    I mean I’m just here hoping for a Scarlet Witch movie. We all want Wanda, so fingers crossed that’s a thing that happens.

    -Jac Schaeffer

    More recently, Schaeffer offered a little more insight into Wanda’s possible future, indicating that the decision was made to explain in Agatha All Along that Wanda was not dead but simply “gone.” And that brings it right back to where Feige left things: anything is possible. And Olsen just teased one such possibility.

    In a recent appearance at a fan convention, Olsen was asked if there was one specific Marvel Comics story she’d like to see adapted for her return to the MCU. And while she didn’t refer to any particular story, she seemed to give away plenty.

    “Well, honestly, if I were to tell you exactly what I would want I think I would maybe be spoiling something,” said Olsen. “Kevin Feige genuinely asks us what we want to do with the character and then he does it [Laughs] so I don’t know if I can share…I just want to come back.”

    As for what the mystery arc might be, rumors have often cited Disney’s interest in adapting Young Avengers: The Children’s Crusade for an MCU project and that possibility has never seemed more realistic than it does now. With Tommy now back among the living, Billy on the hunt for him without control of his powers and the studio reveling in the success of a second streaming series set in the witchy corner of the MCU, a Maximoff family reunion seems like exactly the right move.

    Source: Twitter

  • New Rumored ‘Spider-Man 4’ Title Hints at Amazing New Status Quo for Tom Holland’s Web-Slinger

    New Rumored ‘Spider-Man 4’ Title Hints at Amazing New Status Quo for Tom Holland’s Web-Slinger

    After three years of reports, rumors and flat-out bullshit about Tom Holland‘s next steps as the MCU’s Spider-Man, a fourth installment in Sony and Marvel Studios’ franchise is finally gearing up for a 2025 start of production and a summer 2026 release. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the new film looks poised to play a pivotal role in the final arc of the Multiverse Saga though at this point in time, it remains unclear what story Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers have cooked up for Holland‘s Parker who is now set to face whatever comes his way without the support system that kept him up and running through the first three films.

    Originally rumored as an adaptation of Marvel Comics Devil’s Reign that would feature Spidey teaming up with Daredevil to take on Wilson Fisk in a “street-level Civil War”, more recent buzz had the film evolving into an unprecedented high-stakes crossover event that would feature Sony’s latest Venom villain, Knull, the King in Black. While both of those potential plots certainly have their charms, a new production listing for the film has the film headed in an entirely different direction that would see Parker encounter a familiar face…sort of.

    Production Weekly is reporting that the new film, titled Spider-Man: Brand New Day, will spin out of the events of Avengers: Doomsday and feature Robert Downey Jr.‘s Doctor Doom.

    Following the events of Doomsday, Peter Parker is determined to lead a normal life and focus on college, stepping back from his responsibilities as Spider-Man. However, peace is short-lived when a deadly new threat emerges, endangering his friends and forcing Peter to reconsider his promise. With stakes higher than ever, Peter reluctantly returns to his Spider-Man identity and finds himself teaming up with an unlikely ally to protect those he loves.

    -Reported synopsis of Spider-Man: Brand New Day via Prodcution Weekly

    Reading between the lines, if the rumored subtitle and synopsis are correct, it would seem the studio is adapting Dan Slott’s post-Civil War run on The Amazing Spider-Man.

    The listing also indicates that Michael Keaton and Andrew Garfield are on board to return as Peter 3 and Adrian Toomes, respectively. While it’s all very interesting and could lead to some fun and unexpected turns for the character, it’s too early to get too excited.

    Spider-Man 4 will swing into theaters on July 24, 2026.

  • ‘Blade’: New Report Details Marvel Studios’ Latest Plans for the Daywalker

    ‘Blade’: New Report Details Marvel Studios’ Latest Plans for the Daywalker

    For those able to read between the lines, the recently announced decision by Marvel Studios to remove Blade from its 2025 theatrical lineup wasn’t much of a surprise. Production on the film has been delayed multiple times beginning with the decision of original director Bassam Tariq to leave the film in 2022. At least five different writers have taken a turn on the script after original scribe Stacey Osei-Koffour parted ways with the project with Marvel Studios’ vet Eric Pearson (Black Widow, Thunderbolts*) having most recently penned a draft. Without a director since Tariq’s replacement, Yann Demange, bailed in June 2024, there was simply no way Blade was making it in front of cameras this year.

    However, further extrapolation of the latest news could also lead one to believe that while Blade was not going to be ready for its November 7, 2025 release date, the studio had not abandoned the project. In fact, the lack of recent movement on any other Marvel Studios films was rather an indicator that Kevin Feige and the Parliament (didn’t they chart in the ’60s?) still hoped to get Blade up and running as soon as possible, potentially with an eye on making it into theaters on February 13, 2026. Now, a new report from a reliable Marvel Studios insider gives some credence to that possibility.

    As Marvel Studios focuses on finalizing its 2026 theatrical slate, Daniel RPK has reported that work continues on a new script for Blade with an eye on principal photography getting underway in the UK next year.
    blade update

    Though the new report does not indicate whether Pearson is still on board the project, RPK also reports that the studio is still developing Blade as a dark, R-rated film, although now with a smaller, more reasonable budget than some of its previous projects.

    As the studio heads down the home stretch of the Multiverse Saga, tentatively slotting Blade into the first open 2026 release date would leave the powers that be at Marvel with just one more film to pull together and have in theaters on November 6, 2026. Even if Blade continues to face challenges in its development, Marvel could easily vacate the February 13th date and choose to either move it to one of Disney’s four open dates that year or shoot for a November 2026 release and bump whatever unknown project they have slotted in for that date into early 2027, ahead of Avengers: Secret Wars. Whatever the case, it seems as though fans shouldn’t put a stake in the heart of their hopes to see Mahershala Ali‘s Daywalker just yet.

  • Marvel Studios Adds Two Projects to Its 2026 Slate

    Marvel Studios Adds Two Projects to Its 2026 Slate

    Coming out of the 2024 summer convention circuit, Marvel Studios’ plans for 2026 were almost a complete mystery. Short of Avengers: Doomsday being slotted in for a May 1st release, the studio’s schedule was mostly the subject of speculation. However, over the course of a few hours, that’s all changed as a pair of projects have been tabbed by the trades as having been slated for release in 2026.

    Shortly after the news that Sony set Spider-Man 4 for a July 24th release, a trade report indicated that another Avenger is set to join the fray with a solo project in 2026. According to THR, Paul Bettany‘s untitled Vision streaming series is “reportedly set to arrive on Disney + in 2026.”

    While at the premiere of his new film Here, Bettany was asked about the Vision series, which will see him return to the role for the first time since 2021’s WandaVision. “We’re cooking up something that I’m really excited about,” said Bettany before adding that “snitches end up in ditches” and refusing further comment.

    Marvel’s 2026 Theatrical Slate

    As it stands, there will be four MCU-set films in theaters in 2026. However, at this time only Avengers: Doomsday and the Untitled Sony/Marvel Studios Spidey collaboration have been identified. Marvel Studios still has stakes placed in the ground on February 13th and November 6th although it’s unclear what projects will occupy those dates.

    Our most recent best guess was that the studio would continue to try to have Blade ready to get in front of cameras early in 2025 and in theaters for February 2026. That said, it’s easy for Disney to continue to kick that can down the road until the project is ready and eventually choose another date.

    • February 13, 2026 (Untitled Marvel Studios)
    • May 1, 2026 (Avengers: Doomsday)
    • July 24, 2026 (Untitled Sony/Marvel Studios Spider-Man sequel)
    • November 6, 2026 (Untitled Marvel Studios)

    Marvel’s 2026 Streaming Slate

    Since debuting on the streaming service in 2021 with WandaVision, Marvel Studios has been notoriously stingy with details about release dates for Disney Plus projects. At this time, the only known release date for an upcoming project is Daredevil: Born Again‘s planned March 4, 2025 premiere which was just revealed. Ironheart, which has been in the can for some time, is expected to join Born Again on the 2025 release slate though Disney has not officially confirmed a release window. Keeping all that in mind, it’s hardly surprising that there’s no official word about what projects will stream in 2026 but it’s not incredibly difficult to take some educated guesses.

    Though it has yet to be included in any of Marvel Studios’ presentations, Wonder Man completed production some time ago and with the studio slowing the rate at which its streaming series release, it’s likely to be the first live-action series on Disney Plus in 2026. With Bettany confirming that production on Vision is set to get underway next year (earlier reports have indicated that it should kick off in the UK in July) it’s possible it will be ready for release in late 2026.

    • First half of 2026 (Wonder Man)
    • Second half of 2026 (Untitled Vision series)

    Obviously this does not include any of a number of animated series being developed at the studio. In the case of those projects, any sort of predictions feel unsafe given that two series set for release by Disney in 2024 are apparently no longer on the docket.

    Source: THR

  • Marvel Studios Officially Extends Its Post-Multiverse Saga Plans

    Marvel Studios Officially Extends Its Post-Multiverse Saga Plans

    With plans for the remainder of the Multiverse Saga likely having coalesced behind the scenes, the powers that be at Marvel Studios have begun to turn their attention to projects set a little further down the road. Though the studio has yet to reveal the titles of the 2026 films that will debut on either side of Avengers: Doomsday, they remain committed to bringing the Multiverse Saga to a close with 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. And while it may be some time before the studio officially reveals the next saga’s main focus, it’s clear they have some ideas about where things are headed.

    With a writer on board for the first MCU-set X-Men film, it’s likely the mutants will be major players in the next saga but they certainly won’t be asked to carry the load alone. It would be hard to imagine that The Fantastic Four’s time in the MCU would come to an end with Secret Wars and there’s no shortage of rumors about projects for characters such as the Scarlet Witch, Hulk and the Young Avengers and there’s no reason to assume more Avengers films won’t be made.

    Whatever the plans, thanks to an official press release, we now know the tentative dates for the first five films of the Post-Multiverse Saga MCU. Disney has added three Untitled Marvel movies to its 2028 release slate which join two previously slated 2027 dates on the calendar for the new saga.

    According to Disney, Marvel Studios has plans to release films on 2/18/28, 5/5/28 and 11/10/28. With the first two post-Secret Wars films already planned for 7/23/27 and 11/5/27, it seems rumors of the death of the MCU may have been premature.

  • Marvel Studios Finally Removes One Film from Its 2025 Slate

    Marvel Studios Finally Removes One Film from Its 2025 Slate

    Marvel Studios panel at SDCC ’19 was among the most exciting they’ve ever put together on Hall H. However, due to a number of variables that have often been beyond the studio’s control, many of the projects teased over five years ago have yet to be released. Additionally, other projects have struggled to come together and have undergone numerous changes behind the scenes. Now it seems as though the studio has made the decision to move on from one such project for the time being.

    Via an official release from Disney, Marvel Studios has removed  Blade from its 2025 film slate.

    The move comes as no surprise to anyone who has followed the film’s incredible inability to come together over the past five years. Despite being backed and led by Mahershala Ali, the studio has been unable to put together a script worth shooting even after trying out a half dozen writers. Blade has also seen turnover in the director’s chair and despite recent rumors that they were looking to some new names to lead the film, Marvel Studios has finally put a stake in the heart of the project for now.

    Updating…

  • ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Claws Up Biggest R-Rated Opening Weekend Ever

    ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Claws Up Biggest R-Rated Opening Weekend Ever

    Marvel once again fatigues its way to some record-breaking numbers, but this time in a category many thought they’d never read the names “Marvel Studios” and “Disney.” With the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, they have now managed to win the biggest R-rated opening box office weekend ever with a whopping $205M. That makes it the eighth-highest opening ahead of Black Panther and trailing slightly behind The Avengers. It’s crazy to think that in all this time only nine films ever passed that $200M mark and this is the first time an R-Rated film managed such a feat.

    It has also skipped over Deadpool and Deadpool 2′s opening weekends, which each made respective $132M and $125M which were massive for the time for R-rated before Joker went on to make a good streak. It also marks the biggest opening of the year overtaking Inside Out 2, which had a debut of $155M and now is the highest-earning animated film ever. It’s a good sign after many films seemingly struggled last and this year, but may be a bigger sign that July is the new May for the summer box office.

    Internationally, the film made $438M so it’s definitely going to be a smash at the box office and help make up some of the issues that plagued the studio last year with The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Though ignoring online discourse, it was a rough year overall for major releases and the strikes just hit the box office harder than one would expect. It does open the question if this is a similar surprise hit with Spider-Man: No Way Home given the leads and audiences simply care more for nostalgia than original continuations.

    Deadpool & Wolverine had initial expectations at $160M so that jump is quite massive after it made $96M on its opening day alone. What is also going to boost its numbers is the impressive A CinemaScore ranking which is quite unusual given how general audiences tend to react towards R-rated films. So, the Deadpool film being a crowd-pleaser with its humor goes against many online reactions stating people will be mixed on it. So, we’re continuing to see a stronger dissonance between X and TikTok reactions against the global reactions. The big question is: how far can it go and is a billion on its radar moving into its second weekend?

    Source: Variety

  • We May Now Know When ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ Will Hit Theaters

    We May Now Know When ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ Will Hit Theaters

    Sony’s animated Spider-Man franchise has been far and away the studio’s best efforts in bringing the world of the Web-Slinger to the big screen. 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its 2023 sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, combined to gross over $1B worldwide and opened the eyes of audiences to the wonders of animation. As freneticaly fast-paced as the action on the screen has been through the first two movies, pushing the boundaries of animation certainly slows things down behind the scenes. The trilogy’s final film, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, was due to be released in theaters on March 29, 2024; however, a series of delays–including the 2023 Hollywood strikes–have delayed the film’s release indefinitely. As fans wait (im)patiently for word from Sony, singer and songwriter d4vd may have tipped the studio’s hand.

    In a pair of social media interactions, dv4d indicated that he is working on music for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and that the film will hit theaters in 2025.

    While responding to a fan’s comment about his song “Feel It” which was used in Season 2 of Invincible, d4vd teased the notion that he was working on something Spider-Man related saying, “I can only make one happy song a year…See you next year when Spider-Man comes out.” Of course with the possibility that Tom Holland’s live-action Spider-Man 4 may hit theaters next year, it wasn’t necessarily clear what Spidey film the creator was talking about. On a subsequent Twitch stream, d4vd cleared up any confusion, telling a follower “I got news for you buddy. Beyond the Spider-Verse. That’s all I‘m gonna say.“

    While it’s not a sure sign that the film will be in theaters next year, it does line up with some recent speculation. And, of course, it’s important to note that Sony has a currently unfilled release date set aside for a Marvel movie on June 25, 2025. Should the studio indeed be able to roll out Beyond the Spider-Verse in June and Spider-Man 4 later in the year, it would certainly be a banner year for Sony.