Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Studios

  • REPORT: Marvel Studios’ ‘She-Hulk’ Adds an Alien Shapeshifter

    REPORT: Marvel Studios’ ‘She-Hulk’ Adds an Alien Shapeshifter

    WandaVision has come to an end, so all eyes are on Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s upcoming release. Still, Marvel Studios has been busy developing their various Disney+ series. It looks like the upcoming adaptation of She-Hulk is already well-underway getting its cast together. Illuminerdi has revealed that the series will add a female alien shapeshifter for two episodes. She is described as someone who loves to use her abilities to get “power, money, and attention”. It also states she has an affinity for Earth’s pop culture, which confirms she is from space. The character is being cast under the hilarious code name, A’Dood. Now, the most likely candidate would be the Skrull, Jazinda Kl’rt-Spawn, as Illuminerdi is also theorizing.

    For those wondering who this character might be, she is the daughter of the Super-Skrull Kl’rt. After being exiled from the Skrull Empire, she started a new life on Earth. There, she saved She-Hulk’s life and ended up working alongside her for Freeman Bonding Incorporated, which is a bail bond specialized in superhuman law. It is a subsidiary of the Law Firm of Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway, where Jennifer Walter would eventually work. 

    Now, there’s also the chance the shapeshifter ends up being a different character who has ties to the previously-mentioned law firm. There was also Ditto, who ended up being the cause why Titania attacked Timely Plaza. Yet, why introduce a brand new alien race of shapeshifters after they spend a lot of time focusing on the Skrulls? It would also allow the show to tie into the upcoming Secret Invasion Disney+ series, which will adapt the iconic storyline from 2008. In the comics, Jazinda was informed about the invasion but chose not to tell anyone at the time. It will be interesting to see how this character ties into the overarching story.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • Where ‘WANDAVISION’ Excelled

    Where ‘WANDAVISION’ Excelled

    Eight weeks have passed since the WandaVision premiere and we’re now finally able to look back at the show as a whole. Being the first Marvel Studios production to use the more traditional television episodic format we knew from the start that its end product would differ from the usual theatrical releases, and we got exactly that. What audiences would probably not be expecting, especially coming from the MCU, was that the show would pack such a huge emotional punch. 

    Marvel movies have always been characterized by the brilliance of the action pieces, the larger-than-life characters, and the growing spectacle that’s been developing in every single theatrical release for over a decade. We’ve certainly have had our share of emotional moments throughout, but the biggest ones have always been towards characters that have been developed in several movies, with an immense amount of screentime at their disposal. When this is the case, it’s easier to connect with audiences for the simple fact that those characters have been there for the amount of time that they have, and attachments are naturally created.

    But WandaVision manages to accomplish the same thing with characters that were either just now added into the MCU or that have had limited screentime ever since their introduction, which is hardly easy. Many fans already had a soft spot for both Wanda or/and The Vision and that obviously helped, but the writing on the show was competent enough to take that to a whole new level, as they brought both Billy and Tommy along for the ride.

    The show was always, at the core, about family. About the family we lose, the family we gain, the family we cherish, the family that makes us who we are, and perhaps most importantly, the family that makes us want to be better, something Wanda ended up doing by the end of the show. WandaVision was brilliant in the way it showed us just how much family truly means, how far we’re willing to go to bring happiness to the ones we love, even if sometimes in a somewhat (to put it mildly) selfish manner. Wanda and Vision’s love for each other and their children became as real as it gets, with them always wearing their hearts on their sleeves regarding the twins. They were always the first thing on their minds whenever danger was looming, and even Wanda’s immediate reflex when seeing that both would be gone if she released everybody from the Hex was to save them, not the entire town even if she knew that was what needed to be done. She showed us that she would put everything on the line just the keep them beside her. But as soon as she understood what needed to happen, she left them with words that only enhance their importance to her, and that quite possibly are even a small hint of events still to come:

    You know… a family is forever. We could never truly leave each other, even if we tried.

    If WandaVision was about Wanda discovering a new family that filled her need for one, we’re sure to be getting Wanda searching for her lost children as the following chapters of her MCU story unfold. It appears that she hasn’t quite given up on it, and bringing back the twins seems like quite the priority, as the post-credit scene seems to suggest. The seeds of this newfound meaning to her journey were planted in the season that just ended, in what is perhaps the greatest achievement of the entire show.

  • Jane Foster Returns in New ‘THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER’ Set Photos

    Jane Foster Returns in New ‘THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER’ Set Photos

    We’ll all be very sad when filming at Thor’s Little Bay set wraps up but for the time being, we can all continue to enjoy the bounty of set photos from the location. This morning, we have our first look at Natalie Portman’s return to the MCU as Jane Foster!

    While most of the photos are pretty non-descript, one seems to indicate we’ll see Jane go airborne in her visit to what we assume to be New Asgard. We know that Jane is set to become the Mighty Thor during the course of the film but we don’t have any details about whether or not Marvel Studios is directly adapting her story arc from the Jason Aaron run or tweaking it to fit the MCU. With that in mind, there are a lot of options as to what could be happening here. Prior set photos seem to indicate, by the presence of his goats, that Thor is in New Asgard around this time, so this could be part of their reunion, perhaps part of some sort of vision she has while in New Asgard or pretty much anything else. We’ll keep an eye out for more set photos over the next few days in hopes of catching a first look at Jane as the Mighty Thor.

    Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters May 6, 2022.

  • ‘WandaVision’: Agatha Kind All Along

    ‘WandaVision’: Agatha Kind All Along

    Here’s a crazy theory to throw out. At the end of WandaVision’s seventh episode, it ended with a massive twist. Agnes turned out, as predicted, to be Agatha Harkness. She even got a brand new intro that seemed inspired by The Munsters. As its title implies, she was responsible for some of the actions in the past episodes. It was her that manipulated the drunk Vision and the fake Pietro. Yet, was she really behind it all, as the title states? The latest episode revealed that it was Wanda’s grief that created the Hex. In reality, Agatha may be selfish, but she isn’t the villain that we think she is. There might be a softer side that will get explored in tomorrow’s finale.

     

    WandaVision': Hints that Agnes' character was Agatha Harkness

     

    The catchy musical entry reveals Agatha’s actions throughout the early shows. We see her manipulate Vision so that the townfolks would realize what is happening. She also frees Herb from Wanda’s control. If you look closely, she does it after he already cut through the wall. In a way, she was trying to reveal something to Vision that would make him realize what is happening. As we learned, the Pietro plotline was to get Vision to explore outside of the hex. So, while she was behind some of the shenanigans, she isn’t the root cause of it all. The latest episode confirms that Wanda created the sitcom world in her grief.

    It’s also strange how the episode turns Agatha into a therapist for Wanda. Yes, her ulterior motive is to uncover how she used her abilities, but they tease some humanity. The moment we briefly see her shed a tear when they revisit her time in the Avengers compound solidifies the fact that she isn’t evil for the sake of it. As we are about to enter the final episode, I think Agatha will have a change of heart and support Wanda moving forward. They teased it when she wondered how she had no idea about runes but could put her magic on auto-pilot throughout Westview. She never was a villain in the comics. It was through her that Wanda learned to control chaos magic. The potential of teaching a new incarnation of the Scarlet Witch might be an exciting prospect for her.

     

    WandaVision villain Agatha Harkness, explained by the comics - Polygon

     

    Once the new Vision teased in the post-credit sequence enters Westview alongside SWORD, they have a common enemy. She might end up fighting alongside them, as she has no interest in losing a powerful witch like Wanda. Yes, she does absorb the life force of her fellow witches back in Salem. If you pay close attention, she seems to have no control over it. It almost seemed like the purple magic she was dabbling in was protecting her. At the end of the idea, it was self-defense. She didn’t attack them but retaliated when they tried to kill her. So, she is obsessed with mastering magic and has the perfect pupil. I would love to see her and Doctor Strange get into a dispute over who is the better teacher for her. As such, she would follow her comic roots and introduce Wanda and us to the world of witchcraft. It would be a shame to introduce this part of the MCU without exploring its history. After that brief tease at the beginning of the last episode, I want a history lesson on this crazy universe. Plus, I believe it would be a waste not to give Kathryn Hahn more time to shine in this ever-expanding franchise.

  • REPORT: Marvel Studios’ ‘X-Men’ Reboot in Early Development

    REPORT: Marvel Studios’ ‘X-Men’ Reboot in Early Development

    Ever since Disney purchased 20th Century Fox, we’ve been waiting for the X-Men to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. During Disney’s Investors Day, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed that they are adapting Fantastic Four, but the mutants will have to wait a bit. There have been theories that they could appear in WandaVision, as Wanda Maximoff has close ties with Magneto. It seemed unlikely to happen with each passing episode, but it looks like Marvel Studios is finally moving forward with their adaptation of the iconic mutant family.

    Illuminerdi has just shared that the X-Men film reboot has entered the early stage of development. As of right now, there is no talent of any kind attached to the project. It’ll enter development under the working title “The Mutants,” which is beautifully straight-forward. We have no details of how they will approach the project, but it would indicate that we could maybe get some news by the end of the year.

     

     

    It will be interesting to see which direction they go. 20th Century Fox introduced the first film in the franchise back in 2000. So, the franchise has been going for around 20 years. Last year’s The New Mutants marked the end of an era. The original franchise focused a lot on Wolverine. It made sense as he is one of the group’s most popular characters. They might take a different route and focus on the school, as they could take the same path as the Harry Potter franchise did by focusing on the students. No matter what direction they take, we can’t wait to see it unfold on the silver screen.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • REPORT: ‘Blade’ Reboot Casting Supporting Roles Ahead of Fall Production Start

    REPORT: ‘Blade’ Reboot Casting Supporting Roles Ahead of Fall Production Start

    Just two days ago, we got the first casting details for the upcoming adaptation of Blade. The Mahershala Ali-led project will introduce the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the mystical world of vampires. It will be the second adaptation since Wesley Snipes tackled the role back in 1993. The seemed to hint at the addition of his daughter. She was a character that almost made her comic debut in 2015. Now, POC Culture revealed that Marvel Studios is casting two African-American female roles for an upcoming project. They do hint that there is a possibility they might also be for Black Panther, but it seems pretty likely, going by the descriptions, these belong to Blade.

    Marvel is trying to cast an African-American woman in the age range of 20 to 35 to play Betsy. She aspires to become a heroine, and it seems that her role requests comedic chops from the stress. She would appear alongside Lucy, who is in a similar age range. She is on the run after her mother passed away under mysterious circumstances and living off the grid. It would make sense that the strange occurrence might get tied to a vampire attack, which some might not even believe in a world filled with heroes.

    These characters might have a connection to Ruby, who was the focus of the last casting reveal. They are older, but she could accidentally get involved as the “mysterious circumstance” makes its return to haunt Lucy. It could be how she gets involved as a major supporting character and what leads to her meeting Ali‘s Blade. We still know very little about the story, so it is only speculation. With casting underway, we will hopefully find out who will direct the film in the coming weeks.

    Source: POC Culture

  • Theory Thursday: The Spider-Verse Paradox

    Theory Thursday: The Spider-Verse Paradox

    Multiple topics are trending amongst Marvel fans. The upcoming finale of WandaVision and the premiere of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier are on everyone’s mind. Yet, perhaps nothing riles up all four corners of the fandom quite like Spider-Man. Last week, the official title for the upcoming threequel got revealed via a social media post, Spider-Man: No Way Home. The title reveal has sparked multiple theories ever since. They range from possible plotlines based on crossed-out names to the suspicious use of hexagons across the board.

     

     

    Yet, the biggest question on everyone’s mind is whether or not Spider-Man: No Way Home will incorporate the multiverse. Kevin Feige confirmed that the events of WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will tie into the third entry. As such, there is a high probability that we will witness some multiverse shenanigans. With that in mind, it would imply that we could see former iterations of the character return to the silver screen. Yet, Tom Holland has denied any potential cameos by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield on multiple occasions.

    The rumor of a live-action Spider-Verse has gotten rumored for quite some time. This time, the concept seems plausible. So, in the case that Spider-Man: No Way Home does go that route in December, we might wonder how they would approach this storyline. We are talking about characters that haven’t been on the silver screen for some time. Andrew played the character around seven years ago, while Tobey hasn’t donned the suit since 2007. Keep in mind that Far From Home takes place in 2024. So, how do we bring them from their respective timelines into the MCU? Let us try to answer this Spider-Verse Paradox.

     

    The Timelines

     

    In my Phase 4: Reality Checked feature, I talked about how Marvel Studios explicitly defined the MCU’s time travel concept by taking the multiverse approach. In essence, any alteration in the past would create a new timeline, which ruptures the flow of time into a new universe. It’s pretty much a butterfly effect on a larger scale. So far, we know that it will get presented in the upcoming Disney+ shows Loki and the animated What If…? series. They seem to exist in alternate timelines (and therefore alternate universes), proving the existence of a Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. That theory is for another day. Now that we have a clear picture of the MCU timeline. So, let’s take a look at other universes.

     

     

    Let’s apply the concept of the multiverse to another franchise: Sam Raimi‘s Spider-Man trilogy. Based on the multiverse concept, the Raimi films exist in another timeline and therefore are pretty straightforward. The same principle would apply to The Amazing Spider-Man films, which exist in a separate timeline and universe. Now, how will Marvel Studios bring them all together for Spider-Man: No Way Home?  

     

    Spider-Verse Paradox

    The Spider-Verse Paradox Theory refers to the diagram above. In essence, all of the alternate universes have their separate timestreams. When that flow gets disrupted by an event caused within the MCU, whether it’s caused by Wanda Maximoff in WandaVision or something else entirely, we will have a convergence-style event. It will be similar to the one we witnessed in Thor: The Dark World. Yet, instead of the nine realms, multiple universes converging towards the center of the singularity. At the center of it, all will be the MCU’s New York City.

    What is the point I’m trying to make? The timelines of each universe will flow linearly and converge during Spider-Man: No Way Home. As it is set in 2024, then that means that the other timelines have to be in the same year. It means that Andrew Garfield‘s Peter Parker would have been Spider-Man in the TASM universe for about ten years, and Tobey Maguire‘s version will have existed for nearly 20 years. It would be interesting to revisit the character after that many years on the job.

    We can only imagine how many stories they could tell. There is also the possibility they hung up on the mantle. Perhaps Maguire‘s Peter settled down with Mary Jane Watson and started a family. What happened after Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man came back in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and took on Paul Giamatti‘s Rhino? The possibilities in those stories are endless. It’s all just a matter of waiting to see if it comes to fruition.

    Source: Walt Disney

  • ‘WANDAVISION’ Episode 9 Primer

    ‘WANDAVISION’ Episode 9 Primer

    The last episode of WandaVision helped us see how we got to where we are. There are two major things that were presented clearly in the flashbacks. 1: Wanda has always had powers, 2: Her grief has shaped everything that has happened to her. The combo of those two things led to the BIG psychotic break that recreated the whole town of Westview to fit Wanda’s ideal life, including creating Vision out of nothing.

    What Fate Awaits WANDAVISION's Twins, Billy and Tommy?

     

    There are a few unresolved things that are going to have to get worked out in the finale. Vision is headed back to the house where the twins are being held captive by Agatha. Also, Woo, Monica, and Darcy have to wrap up their stories in some way. We also saw that they took Vision apart only to put him back together and create White Vision. Seeing this new version of her dead husband could really add another weight to Wanda’s shoulders.

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    WandaVision' Episode 9: Predictions for Finale | Hollywood Reporter

    The episode is probably going to be pretty intense right away with so many things to work out. Monica is sure to escape “Fietro” and find some way to try to help and finally show off her new powers but is she powerful enough? I think the series is going to end off with Dr. Strange showing up and teaming up with Wanda and the real Vision to defeat White Vision and Agatha. This will end up being a big fight scene that might mess something up in this reality. My one concern is who will fix it? Well there is a new Dr. Strange movie coming out and maybe the whole plot will be trying to fix what Wanda messed up in this reality. Real Vision will not make it out of this mess as the show has proven that he will fall apart outside of the HEX, so if this reality were to fall then he would die. But what about the twins?! With all the loss Wanda has already experienced, losing them too would be too much.

    The final episode of WandaVision streams tomorrow

  • How Marvel Studios ‘BLADE’ Could Bring Fallon Grey to Life in the MCU

    How Marvel Studios ‘BLADE’ Could Bring Fallon Grey to Life in the MCU

    Once upon a time, writer Tim Seeley and artist Logan Faerber were set to usher in a new era for Blade in Marvel’s comic book universe. The duo had created a new character, by the name of Fallon Grey, who would be introduced as the iconic vampire hunter’s teenage daughter. The concept behind the story excited a lot of fans, but many took issue with the idea of an all-white, all-male creative team telling the story of a young black woman. With pressure mounting from the backlash, Seeley and Faerber both departed the project and Marvel cancelled the book before it was ever released. As such, Fallon Grey never got to make her much-anticipated debut and faded into the obscurity of “what if” concepts. She remained in this obscurity until quite recently, when a surprising casting grid for Marvel Studios’ Blade revealed the production team was searching for a spunky 15-year old girl. Blade doesn’t have a long history of paling around with teenagers, so who could this young person be? Here at Murphy’s Multiverse, we think Kevin Feige and company might be interested in giving Fallon a second chance. If this is true, the question shifts from “who” to “how”, and there are two major possibilities that could answer that query.

    Let’s start with the origin Fallon was supposed to have in the comics. When the character was announced at Comic-Con 2015, she came with the following log line:

    Fallon Grey is a sixteen year old girl from rural Oregon. Nominated for Prom Queen, Captain of the debate team, most popular girl in her class. But there is another side to Fallon. A feeling like there’s something more inside of her. When terror strikes her small town, she’ll find out just how right she was. As fearsome supernatural forces hunt Fallon, she’ll come face to face with something even more shocking than the monsters on her tail. Eric Brooks…Blade…her father?! And in each other, they’ll discover the purpose they’ve each been struggling to find.

    This unused plot seems almost tailor-made for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We know that Marvel Studios loves to tell stories about characters discovering they’re part of a larger world, and with heroes like Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel coming to the forefront of the franchise, we know they have a specific interest in doing it with young folk. One can assume that with a man of Mahershala Ali‘s stature in the title role, we’ll be getting a Blade who’s been around killing vampires for a while. Using the aforementioned origin for Fallon, and making her the actual protagonist of the story, would slip her into the role of audience surrogate quite nicely. We would learn about Blade and his mission to rid the world of vampires right alongside his daughter. Also, setting the bulk of the story in a small town invaded by bloodsuckers, a la 30 Days of Night, is a good way to show how the monsters and their hunter could have been waging this war for so long without anyone knowing, all while maintaining a firm hold on the horror genre. The plot could then end with Fallon accepting her role as a vampire killer, and leaving her suburban paradise to join her father as a new Blade. While this seems like a likely approach to introducing Grey, there is a possibility Marvel gives us a version of the Buffy-esque hero who is already working side-by-side with her father when we meet her. If that’s the case, the studio could find inspiration in a separate comic character they’ve shown interest in adapting before.

    Elsa Bloodstone, a member of Marvel’s horror roster created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning in 2001, would coincidentally be a perfect template for a re-imagining of Blade in the MCU. In the comics, Elsa is the daughter of little-known bronze age monster hunter Ulysses Bloodstone. Much like her pop, she grows up to become a proficient killer of things that go bump in the night and has since found herself becoming a member of teams like the Midnight Sons and the Astonishing Avengers.  Unfortunately for Elsa, she had a less-than-ideal childhood dealing with a strict and abusive father intent on making her a killing machine. Now, Marvel Studios probably wouldn’t stoop to making Blade an abusive dad, but I don’t think anybody has ever described the character as “soft” or “loving”. It would stand to reason that if Fallon is brought to the big screen having been raised by Eric Brooks, she would have dealt with her fair share of stern scolding. Since Fallon technically has no pre-existing character traits, they could just make her a loose adaptation of Elsa. Portray the young protagonist as a talented vampire hunter, in a strained relationship with the man who didn’t know how to raise her, and tell the story of their re-connection. Marvel Studios could even have Fallon be more of a general monster hunter instead of being specific to vampires, separating her a little from Blade so they can co-exist more easily in the MCU going forward.

  • ‘Blade’ Casting May Hint at the MCU Debut of His Daughter

    ‘Blade’ Casting May Hint at the MCU Debut of His Daughter

    Just today, we got our first casting detail for Marvel Studios’ upcoming Blade film. It describes that the studio is looking to add a character named Ruby, a teenager described as “thoughtful, serious, and burdened by growing up in a complex world.” It’s a curious casting choice, especially with them trying to cast the character so early. It made our gears turn until we remembered a story that never made it into comic bookshelves. It may also bring back life to a rumor that has been around for quite a few years now. What if Ruby is Fallon Grey, Blade’s daughter?

    If you are confused, don’t worry. This character is quite obscure. In 2015, Tim Seeley revealed that he is working on an all-new version of Blade. It would premiere his teenage daughter. In a now-deleted article, Seeley revealed that he had quit the book before it ever got published. So, the character only existed through some artwork and a cover. It became a rather popular theory for a future Marvel Studios film, especially when Wesley Snipes, who played the character in the 1998 original film, revealed he had talks with Marvel for over two years.

     

     

    There is also the following quote by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige that also adds to the theories of her getting adapted in a future film adaptation:

    I think Blade is a legacy character now, and I think it would be fun to do something with him one day.

    So, there is a possibility that Ruby may end up being Fallon Grey. They could give her a new name and just carry over the concept of a high school girl finding out her father is a vampire hunter. As the character never officially debuts in the Marvel comics, they aren’t restricted in any way. Ruby could be a play on the color of blood and act as a tribute to the red rose design on Grey’s outfit. No matter what direction they go, it would be a unique way to make the MCU’s version of Blade take a unique angle.

    Legacy characters will be at the center of various stories, such as WandaVision, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Hawkeye, and many more. At this point, Blade could add a unique twist while also allowing Ruby to be the audience’s surrogate into the world of vampires. It’s certainly going to be something to keep an eye out for before it enters production at the end of the year.

    Source: CBR, JoBlo, Newsarama via CBR, ToyLabs, Syfy