Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Studios

  • ‘Eternals’ Star Reveals Marvel’s Plans for the Failed Franchise

    ‘Eternals’ Star Reveals Marvel’s Plans for the Failed Franchise

    At a time when it seemed Marvel Studios could not miss, it delivered one of its biggest disappointments. 2021’s Eternals failed to land with critics and, in a fresh post-COVID environment, struggled at the box office. The film deviated heavily from the much-discussed “Marvel formula“, introducing a large cast of characters and leaning heavily into philosophical influences.

    It was clear at the time that the studio had big plans for future projects, including a major role for Kit Harrington‘s Dane Whitman and a spinoff featuring Harry Styles‘ Starfox, who appeared in one of the film’s tags. However, as time went on, it became clear that Eternals was likely to be a one-shot. After rumors of Marvel shelving a sequel to Eternals landed online in early 2024, Kevin Feige confirmed that there were “no immediate plans” to move forward with a follow-up.

    Despite having one of the studio’s most talented ensemble casts, the only lasting impact Eternals has had on the MCU was to introduce Adamantium into the mix in Captain America: Brave New World. Even without a sequel in the works, the film’s stars such as Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden and Kumail Nanjiani have yet to find themselves integrated into other projects, leading to speculation they may never be seen again, despite some of them being more than willing to return to the MCU.

    Yeah! I mean, listen, I have plans today. I don’t know if they have plans. I would love to come back. But I’m sort of waiting to hear when or if that’s going to happen. I’m hoping I get to do more. I had a great time playing that character. It’d be a shame if he’s a sort of one and done. But, you know, the decision’s not mine to make.

    –Kumail Nanjiani on the future of the Eternals franchise, January 2023

    In 2023, Nanjiani indicated that while he would “love to come back” as Kingo, he was unaware whether or not Marvel had plans to move ahead with an Eternals sequel. Now, in a new interview, Nanjiani opened up about Marvel Studios grandiose plans for the failed franchise and how it’s poor landing impacted him.

    “It came out right after COVID, so I had a year and a half at home to be just like, ‘When this thing comes out…‘” said Nanjiani of the anticipated impact Eternals would have on his career. “It came out, it got really bad reviews, and it didn’t do that well. It shattered me too much. That was when I was like, ‘Oh, I need to go to therapy to figure this out.”

    Any disappointment fans may have had in the response to the film multiplied for Nanjiani. As he shared, Marvel intended for Eternals to launch its own franchise, including additional movies, video game appearances and even a ride at Disney Parks.

    “I was like, ‘This is going to be my job for the next ten years.’ I signed on for six movies. I signed on for a video game. I signed on for a theme park ride. They make you sign on for all this stuff,” explained Nanjiani. “You’re like, ‘Okay, so I’ll be doing Marvel movies every year, and in between, I’ll do my own little things. Whatever I want to do.’”

    Reading between the lines of Nanjiani‘s comments, it sounds as though not only was an Eternals trilogy in the pipeline but also appearances in other projects, likely including Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which has since been scrapped, and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, four years later, Nanjiani‘s Kingo has only appeared in Marvel Animation’s What If…? and as he explained, it doesn’t sound as though he has any future appearances scheduled at the moment.

    “None of that happened,” he lamented. “For me, what really hit me was realising that too much of my self-esteem is wrapped up in other people’s reactions to my work. People have way bigger problems than this.”

    Of course, recent years have provided plenty of evidence that the studio never truly puts any character fully to rest. Tim Roth and Tim Blake Nelson recently returned to their respective roles after more than a decade on the sidelines and with an all-new, all-different mutant-centric saga on deck, maybe there will be new life for the Eternals, too.

    Source: YouTube

  • Ray Winstone Blames Marvel Reshoots for His Sleepy ‘Black Widow’ Performance

    Ray Winstone Blames Marvel Reshoots for His Sleepy ‘Black Widow’ Performance

    It doesn’t take a well-trained eye to notice that reshoots took a toll on Black Widow. Despite strong performances across the board and a thrilling first two acts, a “poorly staged, plotted, and executed” third act  kept it from realizing its potential as a truly great spy film.

    Part of the problem came by way of the film’s big bad, General Dreykov, the worst villain in the studio’s Phase 4 and, perhaps, the entire body of work that makes up the MCU. Played with big grandpa-fell-asleep-on-the-toilet-again energy by Ray Winstone, a potentially great villain who should have felt like evil incarnate came across as a flatline. And now we know why Winstone grumbled his way through his scenes.

    In an interview with Variety, Winstone explained that after filming his scenes–whichnbe called “the best thing” he had “done for a really long time“–director Cate Shortland (almost certainly at the behest of Marvel), had him reshoot his entire performance.

    “I worked with this amazing director, Cate Shortland, and we worked on what my character was going to be,” started Winstone. “He was like a pedophile running around all these girls, and they’d become black widows. We used to get applauded on set. It was probably the best thing I’ve done for a really long time,” said the actor of his time on set during principal photography.

    “Then I come home after finishing the job and get a call saying we need to do some reshoots,” continued Winstone. “I say: how many scenes? [Cate] says ‘all of them.’ So I said she should recast [the role], but I was contracted, so I had to do it. I go back, they do my hair all nice, put me in the suit, and I couldn’t do it. I’d already done it. I thought, ‘I’m not doing it now. I’ve done it. That’s how it’s going to be.’ That’s rejection, you know? There’s nothing worse than doing something, leaving it on the floor, and then being told it’s not right.”

    It certainly sounds like Winstone had a miserable experience and it showed as he was barely coherent as Dreykov during Black Widow‘s third act which was a sloppy, VFX tragedy. While it’s clear there was an entirely different version of the film which included an entirely different version of Dreykov, it’s unlikely that fans will ever hear about it, much less see it.

    Source: Variety

  • Wyatt Russell Joins the Cast of Another MCU Project

    Wyatt Russell Joins the Cast of Another MCU Project

    After debuting as an antagonistic force in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Wyatt Russell‘s John Walker has becoming an increasingly sympathetic character as he’s worked through a redemptive arc. His rough persona made him the perfect foil to Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova in Thunderbolts* and now, as part of the New Avengers, he’ll help Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as they attempt to save the Multiverse in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, fans will have another chance to catch Russell’s U.S. Agent before he hits the big screen again in 2026.

    According to a recently updated project profile for Marvel Animation’s Marvel Zombies, Russell will voice (presumably) Walker in the four-episode mini-event.

    Debuting on D+ on September 24th, the TV-MA series spins out of the ending of Episode 1.01 of What If…?, “What If…Zombies?”, and sees the survivors of a zombie plague search for answers to their survival.

    After the Avengers are overtaken by a zombie plague, a desperate group of survivors discover the key to bringing an end to the super-powered undead, racing across a dystopian landscape and risking life and limb to save their world.

    -Official Synopsis for Marvel Animation’s Marvel Zombies

    Whether Walker finds himself among the infected or not is unclear; however, given that David Harbour and Florence Pugh are also among the announced cast members, it is possible an alternate reality version of the Thunderbolts could be on display in the series.

  • ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Will Feature a “Changed” Sue Storm

    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Will Feature a “Changed” Sue Storm

    Vanessa Kirby has been widely and roundly praised for her work as Marvel Studios Sue Storm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. After sacrificing herself to save Earth-828 from Galactus, Sue was brought back to life by her immensely powerful son, Franklin and while the fallout of that wasn’t addressed in the film, Kirby recently made it clear it will have an impact on her character going forward.

    In an interview with Movie Web, Kirby–who has been in production on Avengers: Doomsday since March–gave some insight into why she’s excited to continue on with the character and teased a potential dark twist spinning out of her  death and rebirth.

    “I love that I get to continue with Sue because it’s so interesting,” said Kirby who said her character’s experience with death has been heavy on her mind.

    I’ve been thinking a lot doing Avengers and stuff about how someone that’s been through, in the space of basically a week, someone who has given birth and has died and come back to life… how a death experience like that would change you.

    -Vanessa Kirby

    And she’s been doing more than just thinking about it as it sounds as though in preparation for Doomsday, Kirby has been doing some research into how near-death experiences can change a person. “I’ve been listening to a lot of people that have had those kind of experiences and what they learn, and therefore how different they are after they come back from that,” said Kirby. But how big of a change could it be?

    If Marvel Studios followed one particular path from the pages of Marvel Comics, Sue’s return from the other side could be used to introduce Malice, a manifestation of the darkness inside the character. As wild as a direct adaptation of Malice into the MCU might be, some version of the character might be in the cards, especially since Kirby recently revealed her desire to explore an entirely different side of Sue than has been done in any other big screen iteration.

    I’m dying to do Malice. She’s come from a really tough background. She lost her mother in a car crash. Her dad tried to save her mother. He couldn’t. He then spiraled, became an alcoholic, got locked up in prison for murdering a loan shark, and then died. Sue had to become a mother to Johnny. They were orphans. They had to fight for themselves. What I loved about her was that she chose a path that was inherently a positive one. She chose to keep her heart open and to stay warm. The Future Foundation, for me, wasn’t a noble political act, but it seemed to me that it’s Sue’s nature.

    -Vanessa Kirby, Variety

    Of course, Kirby’s interest in exploring that particular direction does not necessarily mean Malice will ever appear in the MCU; however, with the First Family set for appearances in a pair of Avengers films ahead of a likely sequel, there’s plenty of narrative runway to let Kirby take Sue down that road.

    Sources: Movie Web, Variety

  • New ‘Marvel Zombies’ Synopsis Teases a Key to Stopping the Super-Powered Undead

    New ‘Marvel Zombies’ Synopsis Teases a Key to Stopping the Super-Powered Undead

    Marvel Animation’s What If…? spinoff, Marvel Zombies, was recently given a new, earlier release date that will see it hit D+ well ahead of Spooky Season. The four-episode TV-MA mini-event was originally developed as a movie before being broken into four parts and according to director Bryan Andrews, it will deliver on its premise and unleash “a lot of insanity.” And now, thanks to an updated Disney press release, a new synopsis for the story has been revealed.

    Spinning right out of the ending of “What If…Zombies?”, which saw Spider-Man, Black Panther and the head of Ant-Man travel to Wakanda where zombie Thanos awaits, the event series will introduce additional surviving heroes to the mix including Ms. Marvel, Kate Bishop, Shang-Chi and Yelena Belova. The new press release confirms that Paul Rudd will return to voice Scott Lang and that Wyatt Russell and Tessa Thompson also lent their voices to the project.

    After the Avengers are overtaken by a zombie plague, a desperate group of survivors discover the key to bringing an end to the super-powered undead, racing across a dystopian landscape and risking life and limb to save their world.

    -Official Synopsis for Marvel Zombies

    Starring Awkwafina, David Harbour, Simu Liu, Elizabeth Olsen, Randall Park,
    Florence Pugh, Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, Hailee Steinfeld, Tessa Thompson, Dominique Thorne, Iman Vellani and Todd Williams, Marvel Zombies will debut on D+ on September 24th.

  • After Skipping the Summer Convention Circuit, Marvel May Be Ready to Make Some Noise

    After Skipping the Summer Convention Circuit, Marvel May Be Ready to Make Some Noise

    By choosing not to put together a big Hall H presentation at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, Marvel Studios seemed content letting Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps do its talking this Summer. Both films were a hit with critics and fans and generated plenty of discussion; however, with a year-long wait until the next MCU film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, hits theaters, there will need to be some additional topics of conversation. And while production on Destin Daniel Cretton‘s Spidey film has been making headlines, it’s likely to move inside for a significant chunk of time, disappearing from the spotlight. That leaves Marvel Animation’s Marvel Zombies and Marvel Television’s Wonder Man on the docket and, so far, neither have drawn much interest from fans. So, what can Marvel Studios do to make some noise?

    Without its every-other-year D23 convention on the calendar, it looked as though the studio may have intended to go the rest of the year without showing off its future slate; however, over the past week, the revelation that the studio will have a presence at a pair of events has provided some hope for a look at Marvel’s plans for 2026!

    First up, Destination D23

    Destination D23 is a Disney fan event, specifically a smaller, biennial event held in Walt Disney World that alternates with the larger, flagship D23 Expo. This year, it’s taking place from August 29-31 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. The event offers fans a chance to celebrate Disney’s past, present, and future through exclusive presentations, behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming projects, special guests, and unique shopping experiences. On Saturday, August 30th, the Walt Disney Studio’s Showcase will give fans in attendance “an exclusive look at the movies fans love, and a glimpse into what to look forward to from Disney’s film studios,” which, of course, includes Marvel Studios.

    While Marvel has not been confirmed to have a presence, it is possible that the event will include an appearance by Kevin Feige. And with no films on the slate until next year, the panel could contain some information about Avengers: Doomsday, which remains in production in the UK.

    New York, Neeeeeew Yoooooork…Comic Con

    Held at the Javits Center from October 9-12, NYCC will be “Four jam-packed days of pop culture, film and TV studios, studio and brand activations, comics, celebs, authors, voice actors, panels, and geeky goodness right here in NYC. And most importantly, a home for heroes, villains, and nerds to be accepted and embraced,” and Marvel Studios WILL be there.

    On October 11th, fans are invited to “join special guests for a look behind the scenes at Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ shows from Marvel Television and Marvel Animation.” With Marvel Zombies  streaming on September 24th, only Wonder Man remains on the 2025 slate. It is possible–perhaps even likely–that Marvel uses the panel to roll out the first full trailer for that project but that’s almost certainly not all that they’ll get up to.

    With Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again set to hit D+ in March, Marvel could wow the NYCC crowd with a first look at the upcoming episodes. Additionally, given Marvel Animation’s presence, a look at Season 2 of X-Men ’97 and/or Season 2 of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man could be in order. It’s possible the studio could also provide a first look at the Paul Bettany-led Vision series and reveal additional animated projects in the works.

  • Latest Sadie Sink Rumor Could Mean a Wildly Unexpected Turn for ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

    Latest Sadie Sink Rumor Could Mean a Wildly Unexpected Turn for ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

    After two weeks of filming in Glasgow, Scotland, it looks as though production on Spider-Man: Brand New Day is headed back to Buckinghamshire, England where Pinewood Studios serves as the movie’s “home base.” Fans were treated to plenty of photos and videos from the Glasgow set, including some spoilery shots of Frank Castle’s new Battle Van; however, despite rumors to the contrary, the film’s co-star, Sadie Sink, never made it to Glasgow.

    Since being cast in March, Sink has been at the center of an insider info war with several scoopers sharing a half-dozen or so potential characters that the Stranger Things star could be playing. Ranging from Jean Grey to a Mary Jane Watson Variant to Gwen Stacy to Mayday Parker, the rumored possibilities all fit with the film’s street-level plot. However, a new rumor from a source not previously part of the info war has shared an intriguing rumor that, if true, could send the plot of Spider-Man: Brand New Day in an entirely unexpected and wild direction.

    Nexus Point News EIC Demet took to X to share word that she’s been told Sink’s character was named–or possibly codenamed–Annabelle Adams. A relatively minor character with only 15 appearances in the pages of Marvel Comics, Adams seems like a boring choice at first; however, the studio could be looking to use her as the host of a far more interesting character.

    After being introduced as the love interest of Peter Parker clone Kaine, Annabelle Adams story took a major turn in Edge of the Spider-Verse Volume 2 when she became entangled with the shape shifting deity Shathra.

    Should the studio be looking to use Adams as some sort of host for Shathra, the film, featuring The Punisher, Scorpion and several other street-level baddies could take a multiversal turn, potentially tying it to Sony’s animated Spider-Verse franchise ahead of the end of The Multiverse Saga.

    Of course, speculation based on a rumor is hardly the best way to go but this latest rumor does share some commonality with some information making its way through some certain circles. If nothing else, it makes for a very different bit of conversation than what’s been taking place.

  • Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio Share Conflicting Information on the Future of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio Share Conflicting Information on the Future of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

    As Season One of Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again was finishing its run on Disney Plus in March, production on Season Two was getting underway in New York City. As is always the case, shooting scenes in the Big Apple allowed fans and professional photographers to capture pictures and videos of the action, including catching star Charlie Cox in a black suit complete with, for the first time, a “DD” logo on the chest.

    The suit–which upon a closer look appeared to be the red suit with a layer of black paint on top–resembles the one worn by the character in the Shadowland event or the “Back in Black” suit from the 2015 Charles Soule and Ron Garney run and generated some serious hype.

    Though it’s been a while since the photos landed online, Cox was asked about them during an appearance at Galaxy Con and teased that the black suit isn’t the only new get up Ol’ Hornhead will be sporting in the follow-up season.

    “I know there have been some leaked set photos…so the one we’ve just finished with in Season Two of Born Again, I think is my favorite for a couple of reasons,” said Cox. “One, because it is badass. But also because every suit that we’ve had so far, in some way, is represented in the comics,” explained the actor. “We’ve had a couple of red one. Two, I think three red ones. We’ve had the She-Hulk golden yellow and red…but there’s a particular…there’s something I can’t without giving away too much…there’s something that we do in this final season that doesn’t exist in the comics. So it is unique to our show and so I’m pretty excited about that.”

    Season 2 will come out next year, and then hopefully season 3 and season infinity after that. I think this world is extremely rich, and there are many stories to be told on the streets of New York.

    -Brad Winderbaum

    Cox’s reference to the new season as the “final” one understandably had fans concerned, especially since Marvel Television boss Brad Winderbaum revealed long-term plans for the series earlier this year. Perhaps the star simply misspoke; perhaps Marvel will retitle the show for Season Three, making the second season the final season of Born Again; perhaps Cox had a Freudian slip and accidentally revealed his desire to move on from the character. Whatever the case, co-star Vincent D’Onofrio was quickly able to put out a growing fire. In response to multiple fans asking him about Cox’s comments, D’Onofrio confirmed plans for the series to continue.

    D’Onofrio’s comments are consistent with what he had to say in an interview earlier this year in which he explained that while there are plans for more Daredevil, it’s “up to the fans to watch and to get excited,” and convince Disney to move ahead with those plans.

  • Ryan Reynolds Ignites ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Speculation with New Instagram Post

    Ryan Reynolds Ignites ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Speculation with New Instagram Post

    It has been about two and a half months since Marvel Studios used empty chairs to capture the entire world’s attention for roughly five hours while revealing part of the cast of Avengers: Doomsday. While rumors have circulated that 33 more stars will eventually be announced as part of the cast, bringing the count to 60, so far, Marvel Studios has remained quiet on that front. However, one MCU star just ignited speculation that further casting reveals may be imminent.

    Deadpool & Wolverine star Ryan Reynolds shared an image of an Avengers “A” overlayed with an anarchy symbol–seen in Cassandra Nova’s lair in the 2024 film–causing fans to believe an announcement that Reynolds has joined Avengers: Doomsday is pending.

    While Reynolds has stated in the past that he doesn’t want his character to join the Avengers and X-Men, he does see a path forward for Deadpool in big team-up films. “The character trait I love most about Deadpool is that he’s a fanboy. His enthusiasm and longing to be part of a team is really endearing to me. It’s his overarching wish-fulfillment story. But I don’t think he should ever be an Avenger or an X-Man,” Reynolds explained. “If he becomes either, we’re at the end.“

    “I think Deadpool works so well appearing with the X-Men and Avengers, but he always needs to stay an outsider. His ultimate dream is to be accepted and appreciated. But he can’t be accepted,” said Reynolds. With a clear vision for the character from Reynolds and with MCU boss Kevin Feige “wondering where we can fit [Deadpool and Wolverine] in, and how quickly,” it would be shocking not to see Wade Wilson and Logan make an appearance in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Avengers: Secret Wars.

  • Marvel Rumored to Have Filled Another Villainous ‘Spider-Man Brand New Day ‘ Role with MCU Veteran Actress

    Marvel Rumored to Have Filled Another Villainous ‘Spider-Man Brand New Day ‘ Role with MCU Veteran Actress

    UPDATE: Jeff Sneider has since reported that Carrie Coon will NOT have a role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

    Despite an already heavy roster of baddies for Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man to tangle with in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, a new report indicates he’ll have at least one more. According to industry insider Jeff “The In” Sneider, Carrie Coon has joined the cast of the film as yet another villain.

    Coon voiced Black Order general Proxima Midnight in Avengers: Infinity War and What If…? but, according to her husband, parted ways with Marvel when the studio refused to increase her salary for Avengers: Endgame. Though Sneider did not reveal the identity of Coon‘s character, it’s possible she may be filling the role that actresses Sarah Snook and Nicole Kidman were once believed to be up for rather than returning as a Child of Thanos.

    “There’s this villain no one knows anything about,” teased Sneider. “I don’t know if it’s true. I have no idea. I haven’t vetted it at all,” befire adding that to date, nobody has filled that role. “I heard a name. What if, Carrie Coon is the villain?” Following that, Sneider claimed that another source gave the rumor some credence.

    When Snook was believed to be in talks, theories for the role ranged from the Hydra terrorist Viper to a genderbent Norman Osborn. If it’s the latter, it might also open up the possibility that Sadie Sink, who recently landed in Glasgow to begin filming, could be playing an Osborn as well, introducing native Earth-616 goblins to the MCU.

    Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Spider-Man: Brand New Day was recently described as “the biggest Spidey movie yet,” drawing comparisons to Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Production on the fourth installment in the Spider-Man franchise is currently underway in Glasgow, Scotland ahead of an expected July 31, 2026 release.