Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Studios

  • ‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’s Rumored Cut Storyline May Get a Comic Adaptation

    ‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’s Rumored Cut Storyline May Get a Comic Adaptation

    The showrunner for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Malcolm Spellman, was interviewed by Amon Warmann on the Fade to Black Podcast this week. Even though he shied away from several topics not to spill anything on Marvel Studios’ plans, there were still a few curious soundbites to highlight. When asked about the rumor floating around that a “lost” storyline might have been cut from the show because it mirrored the current COVID-19 pandemic a bit too closely, Spellman gave the following statement:

    I’ve been told to stop saying that [refering to the “lost” storyline]. I loved it and it had nothing to do with the pandemic. (…) I want to see if we can get some of the writers to do a book run on it because I think Kevin [Feige] does it. I’ve been told to stop talking about it.

    This would indicate that the “lost” storyline might not be lost for long. Given Spellman loved it so much, it might get the traction to get adapted in comic form. Since it ended up being cut entirely from the show, it will still feel like a fresh idea and not a simple rehash of old material. The reference to Kevin Feige is also noteworthy since he was named Chief Creative Officer for Marvel Comics back in October 2019. It gave him a larger role in deciding which storylines make it to the comics.

     

    Game Changers: Malcolm Spellman on his rise from stealing comic books to running Marvel's 'Falcon and the Winter Soldier'

     

    Another takeaway from that quote is how Spellman negates that the storyline was cut due to the pandemic or potentially related to it. The idea first started when it was revealed that the limited liability company created for the series was titled Pandemic Productions. Now, it seems that the only real impact COVID-19 had on the show was purely in terms of safety precautions and limitations on their shooting locations. It seems it had little to do with the actual story being told. He also hints at this in the interview by revealing they initially had eight episodes mapped out before cutting out the “flab” as he called it. It’ll be interesting to see if this mysterious storyline makes a return in comic form sometime in the future.

    Source: CNBC, Fade to Black Podcast

  • ‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’: Power Broker All Along

    ‘Falcon and Winter Soldier’: Power Broker All Along

    After the freshly minted Captain America and The Winter Soldier, we got many answers we were looking for. It gave us Sam Wilson becoming Captain America. Bucky Barnes finished his list and even checked it twice. On top of it all, we also get introduced to John Walker’s alter-ego US Agent. With that said, we now know that Sharon Carter was the Power Broker all along. Sharon found a way to slip right under our hero’s noses into a pardon. Now, what does this mean for the future? Let’s dive straight in.

     

    Does Falcon And Winter Soldier Theory Prove That Sharon Is A Villain? Kevin Smith Seems Interested - CINEMABLEND

     

    With Sharon having the Rolodex of all government liaisons and contracts, she has access to so much more as the Power Broker. Her phone call with a mysterious stranger hints at her having access to more than she should. It seems likely she’ll appear in the freshly announced Captain America 4, but it also seems very likely she could show up in Armor Wars. Imagine a world where someone steals Tony Stark’s nanotechnology only for it to land in Sharon’s hands. Charles offered a closer look at this concept, which you can check out here. She’s more dangerous than ever. Her phone call may have hinted at a mysterious partner. Could that be the newly-introduced Val?

    She was busy recruiting John Walker into her new team, it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility that she could have her hands in multiple cookie jars. The Power Broker can have multiple faces. Their reach in Marvel comics was far beyond what one could imagine, as it grew beyond a single individual. Power Broker Inc was established by Curtiss Jackson and Dr. Karl Malus. They had plenty of clients. They supplied John Walker and Lemar Hoskins with their abilities in the comics. They used not only their intellect but their status to control everything.

     

    Who Is Batroc And What He Gave To The Flag-Smashers Explained

     

    We saw Sharon use Batroc to help Karli as a means to her ends. Sharon and Val could be a dynamic duo that none of our heroes even know about. It would be fascinating to see the two of them evolve together. Val could be forming a team that gets supplied by Sharon. Now that’s what you call cutting the check. They eventually could create an app similar to the Hench app in the comics. We’ve seen how well that worked for the Flag Smashers. So, they might just hijack that design for their own nefarious purposes.

    Villains for Hire in a post blip world could be very lucrative. The bad guys have to pay rent too. As important as Sam Wilson’s positive effect on the world was, he may have inadvertently developed his biggest threat. Marvel Studios left enough threads vague through which they can develop in curious directions. Perhaps the fourth entry in the Captain America series also ties together with Armor Wars. It might just be the beginning of this new brand of villainy and what could be the most dangerous threat the Avengers ever faced.

  • How ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ Sets the Stage for ‘Armor Wars’

    How ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ Sets the Stage for ‘Armor Wars’

    The finale of Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier not only nicely wrapped up the stories of the two series leads but also nicely positioned several characters for their next moves in the ever-expanding MCU. Sam is Cap, Bucky has begun to make amends in earnest and Walker has transitioned into the all-to-eager-to-serve U.S. Agent. Perhaps no character’s next move, however, is as interesting as Sharon Carter’s. The one-time S.H.I.E.L.D. and CIA operative revealed herself to be the Power Broker (about 4 episodes after it was made glaringly obvious) and took full advantage of our new Captain America by using his promise to get her a pardon to sink her hooks into the U.S. government’s secret stash. As the post credit’s scene indicates, Carter is lining up buyers for “government secrets, prototype weapons…something for everyone.”

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 6 Post-Credits Scene, Explained | NDTV Gadgets 360

    While Sharon’s motives are still a source of debate for fans, this isn’t an article about the “true” nature of them; instead, this is taking her words at face value and following a path that leads the Power Broker to a place where the buyers she’s lining up can buy prototype weapons in the form of Stark Tech. While Don Cheadle is the only actor currently confirmed to be a part of Armor Wars, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, along with Iron Man 2, could give some clues as to some key participants in the 2022 event.

    In the comics, an old school Iron Man villain, Spymaster, was able to get his hands on some of Tony Stark’s designs and sell them to Justin Hammer who, in turn, designed Stark-based armors for an array of villains such as Stilt-Man, the Controller, Beetle and more.

    10 Iron Man Villains Who Should Return in Dan Slott's Run

    Given Carter’s status as the MCU’s Power Broker, a title that puts her in charge of Madripoor, a haven for people like Spymaster, it’s not a Reed Richard’s reach to believe Carter’s new pardon could put her in a position to find out that the U.S. government has been experimenting with some Stark Tech (maybe putting it to use to arm their Guardsmen), send Spymaster in to acquire it and then find a way to bring Hammer back into the picture to work with her. From here it’s not much of a stretch to imagine characters like Basil Sandhurst and Wilbur Day making their ways into the MCU and, hopefully, having Hammer assemble a Mandroid for the final showdown with Rhodey.

    The Armor Wars announcement came as a surprise to pretty much everyone but it’s foolish to think that Marvel Studios The-One-Above-All wasn’t several steps deep into the plan when he revealed it. For the time being while we all wait for some real news about the event, all we can do is speculate how it might come together; as is always the case, fan theories and speculation won’t come close to the final product, but it doesn’t take away from the fun of it.

     

  • First Look at Tatiana Maslany on the Set of ‘SHE-HULK’

    First Look at Tatiana Maslany on the Set of ‘SHE-HULK’

    Marvel Studios second Disney Plus streaming series, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, finished its run today but the big wheel keeps on turning. Production on one of the studio’s first 2022 series is underway and today, courtesy of Atlanta Filming, we have our first look at Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters.

    While we have no details on the scene, Maslany’s hair and her sweatshirt could hint at flashbacks to Walters’ time in law school at UCLA, where she acquired her law degree in the comics. We know that the show will focus on Walters’ time practicing law, so a flashback to her origin stories as both lawyer and gamma-powered Hulk could quickly set the stage for the meat of the story.

    Maslany will be joined by Mark Ruffalo and Tim Roth who will be reprising their respective MCU roles and newcomers Ginger Gonzaga and Renee Elise Goldsberry.

    Source: Atlanta Filming

  • ‘Eternals’: Closer Look at Celestials Leaks Online

    ‘Eternals’: Closer Look at Celestials Leaks Online

    Marvel Studios broke the silence on Shang-Chi recently with a brand new trailer. It has been the first trailer for a new film in the franchise since Black Widow’s last year. We haven’t seen anything from Eternals even though it was originally going to release at the end of last year. So, most of our knowledge about the film stems from various leaks, especially revolving around toys and artwork. Well, it seems that trend continues as another leak offers a closer look at some of the Celestials that will be showcased in the upcoming film through user @EternalsTalks.

    In the comics, the Celestials are the beings that created the race of Eternals and that will carry over into the films. It is uncertain how large their role will be, but they will give us our first glimpse at the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We did meet the head of one in Guardians of the Galaxy. So, we might even get the story of how KNowhere ended up becoming what it is today.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Captain America 4’ in Development

    ‘Captain America 4’ in Development

    It looks like Falcon and the Winter Soldier was simple the interlude, as The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Captain America 4 is in development. The film will pick up where the Disney+ series left off with Sam Wilson taking on the new role. Falon’s head writer Malcolm Spellman is penning the script with staff writer Dalan Musson. Now, they couldn’t divulge any more information other than that the new film is in development. It is likely that Anthony Mackie will take on the mantle continuing from the season finale.

    It is uncertain if it might be the grand return of Chris Evans in some form, whose absence was never given much information outside of “being gone.” There is also the potential return of Wyatt Russel‘s John Walker, who held the mantle in the series. The season explored the

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Marvel Studios, Disney Plus and the Art of the Cameo

    Marvel Studios, Disney Plus and the Art of the Cameo

    Ever since Disney+ was announced that Marvel Studios made it extremely clear that the streaming service would become a pivotal part of their future going forward. Many reasons make this paradigm shift a game-changer for the MCU, but one of the most interesting ones is the possibility of having a larger number of relevant characters interacting on-screen, cross-pollinating the various projects. Characters that if Marvel Studios had stuck to feature films probably wouldn’t even have the chance to show up at all.

    What the extended screen time and the weekly episodic format ended up causing was a constant increase in the expectations these possibilities allowed for. Be it because cast and crew hinted at big things to come in upcoming episodes or simply because fans’ theorizing became the norm, it seemed to be possible for everyone who’s anyone in the Marvel Universe to make a surprise appearance in some shape or form. Reed Richards, Mephisto, Wolverine, everyone was fair game. Until they weren’t. Now with both WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in our rearview mirror, we can safely say that that’s a good thing.

    Just like with the characters and locations that we did get, the absences themselves have shown us how Marvel Studios has been all about the particular story being told. Living mostly in the moment and only looking towards the future in ways that don’t weaken the plot. These “surprise appearances” always tended to serve at least one of two purposes. Either they helped move the story along with previously introduced elements (which helped not making them feel too forced), or they subtlety introduced new elements that laid the groundwork for something sure to pay off down the line. But there was a line that was never, ever crossed: Not a single introduction, not a single “surprise”, had the power to overshadow the true focus of the show.

    It would have been fairly easy to make Reed Richards the friend Monica Rambeau kept referring to in WandaVision. That is if you don’t consider the issue of eventually rushing the casting process of a character that is sure to spearhead the MCU for the next decade, of course. Everybody would have loved it, there would be articles written on how the MCU was as big as ever and that Phase 4 was off to an impressive start. But it would also mean that Monica’s journey would be undermined, by asking less of the character from then on, thus limiting what it had to offer. In the end, it would be making WandaVision worse by changing what audiences would be caring about. The same with introducing Mutants, or almost any mutant for that matter, in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as Sam and Bucky entered Madripoor. It would have turned the show on its head, moving away from the relationship between the two and centering audiences’ not on the “old and dusty” characters but on the “new and shiny” mutants that everybody seems to love.

    This way, subtlety introducing someone like Eli Bradley or adding Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to the mix proves to be a much better option, both by the possibilities it opens up and the “Who’s that?” 99% of audiences asked themselves when she presented herself, all but assuring their interest was peaked but that their focus would remain on Wilson, Barnes, Walker, and Karli. This is their story, their time to shine. Other characters might step into the frame, but the stage should always be theirs.

    We’ll likely continue with this modus operandi in the upcoming Loki series, especially when introducing characters that only later on, in streaming shows and movies alike, will take center stage and become household names for the casual viewer. But for now, it’ll be Hiddleston‘s show, and any special appearance coming our way will be anything but gratuitous, serving the story first and foremost, without much concern for whatever mind-bending, and often lackluster theories might surface at the time. 

    Marvel Studios could be giving us new characters every single week, and the legacy characters would still manage to increase the amount of screen time they have had for the last ten years. The fact that it isn’t doing so, and that it’s taking its time, is perhaps the biggest selling point towards the bright future the MCU has ahead of itself.

  • Theory Thursday: The Future of the MCU

    Theory Thursday: The Future of the MCU

    On December 10th, 2020, Kevin Feige gave a presentation during Disney Investor Day that provided an in-depth glimpse at the next few years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The presentation showed a mixture of returning characters appearing in solo projects or team-ups, as well as new superheroes joining the ranks. With the introduction of many different superheroes and teams, speculation began to spiral: When the next Endgame event is coming? As once discussed by Kevin Feige and James Gunn, some speculated that the MCU was turning to the cosmos and the next big event would be inspired by Annihilation. Others believed that the story that was being laid out was headed towards Secret Wars. While I agree that this feels like the natural progression, there are more intimate stories that should come first. Exploring these stories, viewers would feel they earned the Secret Wars’ pay-offs.

    Inhumans vs. X-Men

    Inhumans vs. X-Men Complete Event Reading Order

    Two of the announced projects and beyond set this event up by introducing both teams and concepts required for telling this story. Ms. Marvel, due to arrive on Disney+ later this year, is bringing the first Inhumans to the MCU. In the comics, Kamala Khan receives her powers from a Terrigen Cloud that activated the Kree DNA in her genetic code. With Ms. Marvel’s introduction into the MCU, other Inhumans like the Royal Family will finally be able to make their proper way onto the screen. As well, At SDCC 2019 Feige announced that “The Mutants are coming”, but with no other information surrounding them since then, their projects may still be far off. It could even be the end of phase five or six before we see a full X-men team-up. However, with both parties on their way, Inhumans vs. X-Men could be the next team-up event.

    In the comic event series, the Terrigen Cloud that gave Ms. Marvel her powers was released across the globe due to a Terrigen Bomb going off. This cloud gave many Inhumans powers across the global, but also caused Mutants to get sick. It killed off large portions of their population, causing mass panic among those infected. The Mutants wished to destroy the cloud leading to a division with the Inhumans who did not support their actions. To give justice to the story, many aspects need to develop before the clash occurs. The Inhumans, the Royal Family, and Attilan, The Inhumans City, need to be established explored. With their rich heritage and culture, there are plenty of stories to explore in their own series or movies, A catalyst event also needs to occur that would cause the release of the Terrigen Cloud. It does not make narrative sense to show this in Ms. Marvel as it would severely limit potential stories that could be told. While it occurred in response to the events of Secret Wars in the comics, an event Disney+ show such as The Death of the Inhumans may be a better place to explore this story. The MCU also needs time to properly explore the mutants, both individual characters and eventually the team, and establish why viewers should care about their imminent demise. This could play out as either a series on Disney+ or a movie.

    Civil War II

    Marvel reveals the two sides of Civil War II - Blastr

    Following the establishment of the Inhumans vs. X-Men, the team behind the MCU could move on to another fight. Civil War II centers around the introduction of an Inhuman who can predict the future. Captain Marvel wishes to use these powers to stop threats by arresting the culprits before they commit them, essentially removing their agency. Tony Stark is opposed to this plan, which causes a clash amongst Avengers. The groundwork will be laid through Ms. Marvel and the eventual Terrigen Cloud that will show up in the MCU. As for the role of Tony Stark, Sam Wilson or Doctor Strange could replace him as the moral compass of the group. Another character that would need to be established would be Miles Morales. Peter Parker could play the part; however, removing Miles Morales feels cheap and may anger many fans. To allow the previous event to play out and establish Miles in the MCU, it would make sense that this event would not arrive until the end of phase six or even early phase seven.

    Avengers vs. X-Men

    10 Reasons Why Avengers Vs X-Men Is Marvel's Most Underrated Event

    At first, I struggled to place this event in the narrative being established leading up to Secret Wars but ultimately decided that it would make the most sense as the finale in this trilogy. The comic series tells the story of the return of the Phoenix Force, a threat in the eyes of the Avengers. Many of the X-Men hold the Force together and use it to create a society a better society. Feige could drastically change story details, but they would need more time to establish the Phoenix Force if he were to stay true to the basic concept. We have seen the Phoenix Force twice in movies and so we might not need to establish it. We would need enough time to pass after Inhumans vs. X-Men to explore integral X-Men stories before this one can be told. So, at the earliest, it should be sometime in Phase Seven.

    Once the vs. trilogy is told in its entirety, the teams of the MCU will be fractioned. And through the chaos, Secret Wars would begin and bring our heroes back together to face the end of days.

  • Drafting The ‘Armor Wars’ Rogue’s Gallery

    Drafting The ‘Armor Wars’ Rogue’s Gallery

    We still don’t know much about Marvel Studios Armor Wars. We only know that Don Cheadle reprises his role as War Machine, and the series would deal with the death of Tony Stark. His worst nightmare has finally arrived when his technology falls into the wrong hands. When Kevin Feige uttered that sentence, it opened up a world of possibilities. The character still features a lot of unexplored history within the Marvel comics, which opens up the doors to many of his rogue’s gallery making an appearance. So, we used the chance to figure out who exactly will be after his tech:

     

    Crimson Dynamo

    Supervillain Origins: The Crimson Dynamo - YouTube

     

    Crimson Dynamo has gone through multiple iterations. His first was Anton Vanko, who briefly appeared in Iron Man 2 as the father of Ivan Vanko. Anton since passed on, but that doesn’t mean Dynamo’s legacy ended there. His successor would a protege named Alexander, who took on the mantle after getting exiled. He even grew to hate his motherland and Tony Stark for what they did to the man he admired. The second entry of Iron Man did include some tributes to his character with Ivan Vanko building a Whiplash armor.

     

    The Beetle

    Beetle (Origin) - Comic Basics -

     

    While Abner Jenkins is sometimes known as a Spider-Man villain, the character has had many run-ins with Iron Man, especially during the first Armor Wars comic storyline. The original armor got destroyed by Iron Man. That didn’t stop Jenkins, as he got a new suit with some massive upgrades through Justin Hammer. He used stolen Stark Tech to upgrade the armor. Something many might remember him doing with the Wr Machine armor in Iron Man 2. Jenkins would fit well within the story considering his involvement in the comics, and it’s just a matter of rights considering his ties to Spider-Man.

     

    Detroit Steel

     

    The Detroit Steel armor got piloted by the United States Air Force Lieutenant Doug Johnson III. He underwent surgical modifications to be able to function in the suit. At the time, Justine and Sasha Hammer had taken over Hammer Industries following the death of their grandfather. The two hated Stark and blamed him for Justin’s passing. They saw him as a roadblock in their path to selling Detroit Steele-inspired soldiers around the world. Tony Stark’s death in the MCU opens the door for Hammer industries to move along a similar path and introduce Detroit Steel to the public.

     

    The Tinkerer

     

    Phineas Mason first appeared in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and worked alongside Vulture and Shocker. He was part of the crew as they stole Stark and Alien tech. His role was to rework it into weapons that they can sell on the black market. Tinkerer’s presence in Armor Wars would be quite the earnest addition when you look back at how previous Disney+ series brought back characters like Darcy, Jimmy, and Sharon Carter. In a story about stolen tech, Tinkerers’ expertise would be the obvious choice in reworking Stark Tech into weapons of mass destruction.

     

    Chemistro

    Luke Cage Season 2: 5 Villains We Want To See

     

    Curtis Carr developed an alchemy-based gun during his time at Mainstream Motors. It was able to transmute matter in an unknown process. It could even turn glass into the wood. Curtis got fired for his work, and his life’s work got confiscated, as he made it on the company’s time. He stole the gun and became Chemistro. Subsequently, he enacted his revenge against the company. Curtis would come to work with Iron Man and War Machine in a fight against the Wrecker. He even became the lead director at Stark prosthetics. Chemistro was no more until his brother, Calvin, stole the gun and began a life of crime, fighting against the likes of Luke Cage and Iron Fist.

    While details on Armor Wars remain scarce, many fans are excited to see the return of Jim Rhodes as War Machine. It’ll offer a closer look at how much Rhodes’s life has changed during the blip and how life has changed for the veteran turned superhero. He will carry the heavy legacy of Tony on his back as he continues carrying the title of War Machine.

  • ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Finale Primer

    ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Finale Primer