Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Movies

  • Following His Uncanny Cameo in ‘The Marvels’, Kelsey Grammer Reveals the Future of Beast

    Following His Uncanny Cameo in ‘The Marvels’, Kelsey Grammer Reveals the Future of Beast

    As is too often the case, the post-credit scene for Marvel Studios’ latest MCU installment, The Marvels, has generated more hype than the events of the film. The tag, which revealed what happened to Monica Rambeau following her universe-saving actions in the film’s climax, took place in another universe where Monica’s mother, Maria, was the costumed hero Binary and where Charles Xavier had put together a team of X-Men. One member of that team, Dr. Henry McCoy, was voiced by Kelsey Grammer, who first played the role in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand and the scene seemed to hold some promise that it might not be the last time Grammer would reprise the role, though as we’ve learned from Marvel Studios litany of unfulfilled stingers, nothing is certain.

    While Grammer’s return to the role in The Marvels was surprising to fans, it’s something the actor had hoped might happen. And, in an interview with The Wrap, Grammer has expressed his desire to return as Beast again…and perhaps teased that his return is imminent. “It is my hope that you will,” replied Grammer when asked if audiences might see him as the furry, blue genius. However, as is refreshingly becoming more and more common with actors working with the studio, Grammer went a bit further, adding, “I can say with a certain amount of confidence that you will. I would love to.”

    The actor, who also recently returned to his career-making role as Frasier Crane, shared that he was “very pleased” by the reaction to his return as Beast. “I’ve always wanted to play him again, said Grammer. “I see him as an extraordinary character, a real character of gravitas and importance in our culture. I’m delighted Beast is back and hope he’s back in a real way.”

    This certainly seems like a case where Grammer is well-aware of what’s in store for the character but is not quite willing to completely cross the line. Obviously, Monica Rambeau will be expected to reunite with at least Carol if not Kamala and find her way back to the 616 universe. Given the level of genius possessed by Hank McCoy–and his status as a member of the Illuminati during Marvel Comics Secret Wars–he seems as good of a character as any to start to figure out the just how damaging the ongoing Incursions are to the Multiverse.

    Source: The Wrap

  • ‘Invincible’ Creator Robert Kirkman Goes Honey Badger on Steven Yeun’s Rumored MCU Role

    ‘Invincible’ Creator Robert Kirkman Goes Honey Badger on Steven Yeun’s Rumored MCU Role

    While the entirety of the internet clamors over reports and rumors about who will ultimately be cast in Marvel Studios Fantastic Four, the studio’s worst kept casting secret actually belongs to another of its 2025 films. Last February, The Walking Dead and Beef star Steven Yeun joined the cast of Thunderbolts in a “mystery role” which was no mystery at all. By early March, reports revealed that Yeun had joined the MCU as the Sentry and while Yeun refused to talk to much about his role, he did share his excitement about landing a role in a Marvel Studios project.

    I feel good. I feel excited. I feel like a new challenge. I feel blessed to be able to play in a place that reaches so many people. I got to touch that on Walking Dead. It feels exciting to get another chance to connect with people in another way.

    Steven Yeun on joining the MCU-Total Film

    As expected, nobody at Marvel Studios has addressed the nature of Yeun’s role either, keeping it a “big surprise” for an official reveal at some sort of con or event. But while neither Yeun nor the powers that be at Marvel Studios want to address it, writer Robert Kirkman who created Marvel Zombies at Marvel Comics back in 2006 and both The Walking Dead and Invincible–two projects which have been adapted to TV and starred Yeun–has no problems discussing it. During a conversation with artist David Finch, Kirkman shared a fun anecdote about Yeun, attending a costume fitting for the Sentry.

    “My good friend Steven Yeun in playing the Sentry in a movie,” said Kirkman. “Yeah, he called me…he went in for a costume fitting…I hope I’m not…I don’t think this is a spoiler or anything that’ll get anybody in trouble. I don’t know. Maybe. We’ll see. I don’t care. I don’t work for Marvel what are they gonna do to me?” Kirkman continued, “But he called me and he said, ‘I just came back from a costume fitting for the Sentry! I guess I only do superheroes that are yellow and blue.’ He said he was at the costume fitting and was like ‘Aw, crap! I forgot Invincible is yellow and blue.’“

    Kirkman’s realization that he had potentially revealed something was quickly followed by the realization that he didn’t care at all. After more than a decade of Marvel sniper culture, it’s refreshing to see Kirkman address the studio’s chicanery in regard to these “super secret” castings.

    After quite a few changes to the creative team and delays due to the WGA and SAG strikes, Thunderbolts is expected to go into production in 2024 and land in theaters on July 25, 2025.

    Source: YouTube

  • RUMOR: Javier Bardem Emerges as the Frontrunner for a Massive ‘Fantastic Four’ Role

    RUMOR: Javier Bardem Emerges as the Frontrunner for a Massive ‘Fantastic Four’ Role

    As it works toward a possible Spring 2024 start of production, Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four is looking to round out its cast which is already rumored to be loaded with talent. After news broke that The Mandalorian and The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal was in talks for the role of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, rumors about the studio having settled on actors to fill the rest of the roles of Marvel Comics First Family weren’t far behind. Now, another rumor centered on one of the Fantastic Four’s most well-known antagonists has hit the web.

    According to scooper Jeff Sneider, Marvel Studios is looking hard at Javier Bardem for the role of Galactus. Should Bardem’s busy schedule prevent him from filling the role of the Devourer of Worlds, the role could fall to Antonio Banderas, who was rumored to be the frontrunner for the Hunger That Does Not Cease earlier this year.

    Sneider believes that the role of Galactus will mostly require Bardem to do voice work, which could ultimately make it possible for him to land the role. However, it’s possible that some motion-capture work might also be necessary which means both that the MCU’s Galactus would be more than an effervescent fart cloud and that Bardem would have to work around his schedule on F1 which co-stars Brad Pitt.

    Source: The Insneider

  • RUMOR: The Rest of Marvel Studios First Family Has Been Cast in ‘Fantastic Four’

    RUMOR: The Rest of Marvel Studios First Family Has Been Cast in ‘Fantastic Four’

    The resolution of the SAG strike has allowed the big wheel in Hollywood to start spinning again and over the last several days, it has spun at breakneck speed. Over the course of just a few hours on November 15th, Pedro Pascal went from a rumored front-runner for the role of Reed Richards in Marvel Studios Fantastic Four to having trade reports indicate that he’s close to signing on for the role. Now, a new rumor from a familiar source indicates that the studio has also cast Pascal’s co-stars in the 2025 film.

    According to Jeff Sneider, who was among the first to report Pascal’s involvement with the film, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon-Moss Bachrach have been cast in the film as Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm, respectively.

    Our own sources indicated in August that Kirby had agreed to star in the film prior to the strike and that Quinn was a top choice for the studio which had concept art created of the actor as The Human Torch. Bachrach, who recently worked with Disney on Lucasfilm’s Andor and also starred as Micro in Netflix’s The Punisher, has been rumored as the front-runner for Ben Grimm/The Thing for several months.

    While no deals have been announced yet, Sneider believes it’s just a matter of time before the three actors officially become part of the MCU. Fantastic Four, which is being helmed by WandaVision’s Matt Shakman, is scheduled to go into production in Spring 2024 and release in theaters on May 2nd, 2025.

    Source: The Insneider

  • UPDATE: Pedro Pascal In Talks for ‘Fantastic Four’

    UPDATE: Pedro Pascal In Talks for ‘Fantastic Four’

    UPDATE: After /Film revealed that Pedro Pascal has signed on for Fantastic Four, Deadline has reportedly shared that while he is definitely in talks: “a deal is far from done.” Supposedly it is heading in the right direction and while he’s busy the next year, scheduling will work out for him to take on the role. So, unless some big surprise drops, it seems very likely he’ll have the role.

    Source: Deadline

    Earlier today, there were rumors that a new frontrunner has emerged for the role of Reed Richards in the upcoming Fantastic Four film. Many have supposedly declined the role since the first wave of castings started but The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal surprisingly came out as the next potential person to take on the role.

    Well, a new report by /Film has seemingly stated that not only was he offered the role but according to their sources he’s already signed on. The rumor started with Daniel RPK sharing that he was the next in line shortly followed by Jeff Sneider supporting the rumor. Though that’s not including the crazy rumors that have piled on before and during the pandemic.

    For now, it’s still not a full confirmation but further hints that Marvel’s First Family might be slowly coming together on the big screen. A variety of actors have supposedly been up for the role ranging from Adam Driver to Matt Smith, as well as MCU veternals like John Krasinski (who even played a Variant of the character in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) and Spider-Man’s Jake Gyllenhaal.

    The big question though is how he’ll juggle his roles in other projects like The Last of Us, The Mandalorian, and many more. He hasn’t been actively showing up in the Star Wars series and mainly focuses on voicing the character of Din Djarin, but scheduling conflicts with The Last of Us’ second season is definitely going to impact when Marvel Studios can start work on the Fantastic Four. Though given current developments it was going to need a bit more time anyway.

    Source: /Film

  • Vanessa Kirby Plays Coy on ‘Fantastic Four’ Rumors

    Vanessa Kirby Plays Coy on ‘Fantastic Four’ Rumors

    It looks like it’s a Fantastic Four kind of day. Not too long ago, we got a rumor that Pedro Pascal might be the next in line of many actors to take on the daunting role of Mr. Fantastic a.k.a. Reed Richards. Even before the strike, we had a long list of names attached to this project and it’s unclear who may or may have not still been signed on.

    Among the many rumored was Mission Impossible actress Vanessa Kirby, who supposedly was up for the role of Susan Storm, better known as the Invisible Woman. In an interview to promote Napoleon, Kirby was asked if she had anything to say about the rumors and she pretty much masterfully dodged the question without denying anything.

    I don’t know, you’ll have to ask them. I would be very honored to join.

    Vanessa Kirby

    Not like denying it would’ve changed anything, as we know a plethora of actors that denied their involvement with the cinematic franchise in the past. Still, Kirby is certainly a frontrunner for potentially joining the MCU and most certainly would be a fitting choice for the role. We might have to wait a bit until we get the official confirmation of who is playing the Fantastic Four members, as they may be waiting to confirm once everyone has been cast.

    Source: Variety via GamesRadar

  • ‘Loki’ Producer Reveals Michael Waldron is Writing Both ‘Avengers’ Sequels

    ‘Loki’ Producer Reveals Michael Waldron is Writing Both ‘Avengers’ Sequels

    There was a time when everyone was claiming that Loki creator and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron was no longer involved with Avengers: Secret Wars. After his work on the hit Disney+ series, it seemed like the writer could do no wrong but things quickly changed after online chatter started surrounding the Doctor Strange sequel.

    Yet, it seems that Michael Waldron actually took on a new role. As rumors started spreading that fellow Rick and Morty scribe Jeff Loveness was no longer attached, it would make sense that they take a similar approach they did with Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame given the films set up each other directly.

    The information comes from Loki producer Kevin Wright, who was part of an interview with the ComicBook.com Phase One podcast, where he revealed that not only where they allowed to tell the story they wanted, but Waldron is potentially involved with the other projects.

    As far as where it’s all going, I can’t say and not because I am being coy, we’re not a part of those projects. What I would say is, I mean, I know Michael Waldron is working on them and he loves obviously this world as he helped create it.

    Kevin Wright

    Waldron‘s involvement makes sense with both films as the Loki series sets up the Secret Wars storyline and he’s set up quite a few elements that would tie the story together. We still don’t know just how involved the entire Kang the Conqueror storyline is going to be moving forward but there’s a possibility that they’ll use the opportunity to recast.

    Source: YouTube

  • Marvel Studios was Aware of ‘The Marvels’ Troubles, Reworking Future Slate

    Marvel Studios was Aware of ‘The Marvels’ Troubles, Reworking Future Slate

    2023 was certainly a rough year for Marvel Studios and potentially the one to reshape their future. Phase 4 seemed to be the most experimental for the studio, especially facing troubles during COVID and the recent strikes completely scrapping any plans that were finally coming together. The Marvels‘ box office is definitely going to be something many cling to for a variety of reasons, but it does look like Marvel Studios wasn’t just blinded by the troubles heading their way.

    In a new report by The Hollywood Reporter, they claim that according to their sources, “Marvel studios and Disney were well aware The Marvels was in trouble” even before it was released in theaters. As such, they are going to take their time to rework their theatrical tentpole releases and also evaluate generally how they will move forward.

    Marvel Spotlight is their first move to create a more distinct separation of the projects that are relevant for the bigger picture, but it does seem like this might be how they’ll brand most of their Disney+ series moving forward. THR also highlights that Deadpool 3 is a deliberate choice as the only release next year and perhaps is one of the reasons they are considering reworking Captain America: Brave New World. Marvel Studios’ future may seem uncertain but it’s definitely a good sign that they are learning from their lessons.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • Destin Daniel Cretton Working on ‘Shang-Chi’ Sequel

    Destin Daniel Cretton Working on ‘Shang-Chi’ Sequel

    It’s a big news day for Marvel Studios. After the long SAG and WGA strikes, the news is slowly pouring back in on what’s happening in the industry. After The Marvels fizzled out at the box office in its opening weekend, we know that Marvel Studios is trying to restructure and we might already be seeing the first consequences of that action.

    Director Destin Daniel Cretton has left the upcoming Avengers film behind, The Kang Dynasty, and has set his eyes on sticking to the franchise he knows well. While he’s mainly going to kick off his work on the paused Wonder Man Disney+ series, he’s already started work on the sequel to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

    That movie opened during the pandemic and managed to grow to $432M globally after a strong Labor Day opening weekend. The move seems fitting to allow Cretton to focus on Shang-Chi, especially now as they are trying to build up existing franchises and brands to regain the momentum it had during Phase 3 and in Phase 4. It’ll be interesting to see what else will happen.

    Source: Deadline

  • BREAKING: ‘Shang-Chi’ Director Exits ‘Avengers: Kang Dynasty’

    BREAKING: ‘Shang-Chi’ Director Exits ‘Avengers: Kang Dynasty’

    It looks like director Destin Daniel Cretton has decided he wants to focus on other projects, as he’s exited the upcoming Avengers film, The Kang Dynasty. Though this isn’t him leaving the Marvel Studios family behind, as he’s setting his eyes on other future projects. He seemingly will still be involved with the Wonder Man series, which was rumored to have been canceled, and the long-rumored Shang-Chi sequel.

    The film initially was going to be released in 2026 with its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars set for 2027. Yet, as Deadpool 3 will be the only release in 2024 and many films are once again being pushed back, we can expect a lot more reshuffling for the studio moving forward. Who knows what other projects might end up looking quite a bit different moving forward?

    It’s good to know that Cretton is still on board with Marvel Studios and that the Wonder Man series is seemingly still in some form of development. The only question is if they are reworking the concept as they are no longer including headwriters but going back to actual showrunners. So, we might see more ongoing projects created with multiple seasons in mind rather than their ongoing mini-series approach.

    Source: Deadline