Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Studios

  • ‘She-Hulk’ Adds Ginger Gonzaga in a Major Supporting Role

    ‘She-Hulk’ Adds Ginger Gonzaga in a Major Supporting Role

    The upcoming She-Hulk series is one of the most anticipated projects coming to Disney+. Many fans are ecstatic to see Jennifer Walters make her live-action debut. It wasn’t until Disney’s Investors Day that Tatianna Maslany got confirmed as the Gamma-powered lawyer. The show will be Marvel’s first attempt at a half-hour courtroom comedy. So far, we only know that Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner and Tim Roth‘s Abomination will reprise their roles in the series. Luckily, Deadline revealed that a supporting role got cast.

    Ginger Gonzaga joins the production in the role of Walter’s currently unnamed best friend. Deadline doesn’t offer much info on what role she is playing specifically. She has worked on several comedy shows, such as Jim Carrey‘s Kidding, Mixology, and The Morning After. Gonzaga may be playing Jill Stevens, who briefly appeared in Savage She-Hulk #2. In the comics, she was Jennifer Walters’s best friend since childhood. Illuminerdi also reported they are looking into casting a character that fits the description of Angie Huang. She was Jennifer’s assistant in the comics. They may have combined both of these characters into one.

    She-Hulk will reportedly begin filming its ten-episode count in the next few months. Currently, it seems likely it will release on the Disney+ streaming service sometime next year. The series tapped Rick and Morty writer Jessica Gao with Kat Coiro and Anu Valia directing the episodes. Illuminerdi also reported they are looking into casting Augustus Pugliese and Titiana, so we might get some news on their casting as we near the production start.

    Source: Deadline

  • Karen Gillan Confirms Nebula’s Return in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Karen Gillan Confirms Nebula’s Return in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Just a few weeks ago, we got hints that Nebula actress Karen Gillan was joining Thor: Love and Thunder. She was sharing various photos on Instagram about her heading to Australia. Since then, it seems that more Guardians of the Galaxy were joining the production. Just yesterday, we even got the news that Matt Damon was going to become a part of the production. So far, it still has never been officially confirmed. In a recent Instagram Story, she gave away that she is indeed returning as Nebula in the upcoming Thor sequel.

    I cut it the other day in preparation for Nebula, so that we don’t have to get so much hair into the bald cap because I have so much hair, it’s unbelievable. It’s just so thick.

    It is still crazy to think back to when she shaved her head for Guardians of the Galaxy. While they did find a way to use a bald cap, seems her hair still doesn’t make it an easy process. It is great to finally get a confirmation on her addition. So far, only Chris Pratt‘s return as Star-Lord was officially announced, so this is a safe sign the rest of the Guardians will also make their return. They probably will only have a brief appearance in the film, as Thor took off alongside them at the end of Avengers: Endgame. There is also the possibility that we spend some time with him on various space adventures alongside the Guardians. They might have a bigger role, as they aid the Asgardian in his battle against the God Butcher. There is still some time until the film officially airs, so it will be interesting what else might get announced in the coming months.

    Source: Digital Spy

  • Matt Damon Lands in Australia to Join ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Matt Damon Lands in Australia to Join ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Here’s an interesting surprise. It seems that while everyone was getting ready for the production of Thor: Love and Thunder, Matt Damon was also sighted alongside his family in Sidney. According to news.com.au, he arrived there for the mandatory quarantine before joining the production. This isn’t the first time he appeared in a Marvel Studios or Thor film. He had a brief sequence in Thor: Ragnarok, where he played the role of Loki reenacting The Dark World‘s death sequence. As noted by the source, it is rather unlikely he’d fly all the way to Australia and go through quarantine for just a brief cameo, so he may have a larger role in the film. There is no official word on it, so we can probably assume that it may just be director Taika Waititi who wanted to continue his running joke. Perhaps we will also see the return of Sam Neill, who played Odin in the previously-mentioned play.

    The site also offers some interesting teases of the film’s upcoming production. It is currently set to invest $178 million in the local economy. As a result, it will create 2,500 jobs and work alongside 1,650 Australian businesses. They got a location incentive of $24,1 million from the Australian government. The budgets behind films are high but they play a key role in many economies, as they reinvest that money into local businesses and offer new job opportunities. They also mention that other actors are in Australia for different productions, most notably Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton. Elba is especially noteworthy after his character passed away in Avengers: Infinity War. There is still a chance he may have a cameo of some kind, maybe helping Thor through the challenge that faces him.

    Source: News

  • UPDATE: Michael Giacchino Debunks ‘Secret Invasion’ Rumors

    UPDATE: Michael Giacchino Debunks ‘Secret Invasion’ Rumors

    UPDATE: It seems that Michael Giacchino got wind of the story by DisInsider and debunked it directly. He responded to a tweet reporting on the story and pointed out that it isn’t true. It doesn’t rule out the possibility he may join later down the line, but for now it seems to be debunked.

     

     

    Source: Twitter

     

    Disney+ is going to be Marvel Studios’ big new entry point. They just started with WandaVision and have plenty of various shows already in some form of production. There were quite a few announcements, such as a Don Cheadle-led Armor Wars series and, most notably, an event mini-series adapting the Secret Invasion storyline. So far, they’ve only confirmed that Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn will return. We know from the post-credit sequence from Spider-Man: Far From Home that Fury has been leading a group of Skrulls in space. Meanwhile, Mendelsohn‘s Talos remained on Earth with his wife while impersonating Nick Fury. So, this will act as a direct follow-up to the storyline that got teased at the end of that film.

    Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige did reveal that the storyline will stick to the original’s focus on paranoia. It looks like they might have already found the perfect composer to add just the right music that will probably drive us insane, as we question who one can trust. According to DisInsider, Marvel Studios has already tapped Michael Giacchino to compose the Disney+ mini-series’ score. It isn’t the first time for the director, as he also worked on both MCU Spider-man movies and will compose Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

    Giacchino worked on many projects over the years, such as the Jurassic World films, Rogue One, Star Trek Beyond, Coco, and so many more. He is also currently working on the score for Matt Reeves‘ The Batman film. Now, I do believe he is the perfect choice for Secret Invasion. His work on the series Lost was a huge selling point for the series, as the score is still stuck in my head since the show ended. I could see him echo some elements from that score, as we will face a wide variety of twists.

    Source: DisInsider

  • Feige teases Nova for the MCU

    Feige teases Nova for the MCU

    This week marks the official return for Marvel Studios and the beginning of Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That means that the Marvel press machine has been nonstop pushing out articles, interviews and questions for what’s ahead.

    This time, the good people over at Comicbook.com had the president of Marvel Studios; Kevin Feige, over for an interview in the premiere episode of their new podcast, Phase Zero. They talked about a number of things, but of course, being the Nova fan that he is (who wouldn’t be really?), Brandon Davis asked Mr. Feige about Nova’s future involvement in the MCU, since he has been teased for quite a while now.

    In regards to whether Nova would be a film or a Disney+ series, and which one would take the mantle (Sam Alexander or Richard Rider), Feige only responded with a “yes and yes” answer.

    Nova (Sam Alexander) | Heróis de quadrinhos, Vingadores personagens, Heróis marvel

    In a 2018 interview with Davis, Feige mentioned that the character had “immediate potential”, something he clarified a bit more during their recent chat:

    Timing is relative, right? I think I’d been talking about Doctor Strange eight years before that movie came out. So, ‘immediate potential’ is relative. But clearly, we are not shying away from the cosmic end of storytelling right in the sweet spot of the Nova Corps and Nova himself.

    Of course, what does this all mean for Nova? Does this mean Nova is getting both a film and a series? And does it mean that we’re getting both iterations of Nova, with Richard Rider’s Nova already existing within the MCU and Sam Alexander rising up to also take up the mantle and serve under his tutelage? Only time will tell when Marvel Studios takes a deep dive into the cosmic side of the MCU.

  • ‘WandaVision’ Featurette May Tease a Potential Wonder Man Appearance

    ‘WandaVision’ Featurette May Tease a Potential Wonder Man Appearance

    WandaVision has finally released after a long wait. The first two episodes are filled to the brim with easter eggs and references to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. As a last little promotion, Marvel Studios also released a small featurette that gives us a good look at what happened behind-the-scenes. We get a first look at the production with a live studio audience. It also features interviews with various members of the production team including the show’s head writer Jac Schaeffer. Eagle-eyed viewers may notice an interesting image on the wall to her left.

     

    Yes, the image on the right is that of Wonder Man. Simon Williams has been a character I wanted to see introduced in the MCU for a long time, yet I am surprised to see him in this featurette. It would hint at him potentially making an appearance in this show. There is a reason to introduce the actor in this show, as he originally was the template for Vision in the comics. To be more precise, his brain pattern was the basis for Vision’s personality. JARVIS ended up taking on that role in the MCU, but that doesn’t exclude this storyline getting revisited in live-action.

    The character almost appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as a small cameo. There were posters prepared with Nathan Fillion in the role, where he was already a well-established actor. It is uncertain if they are using this chance to revamp the character. In the animated show, Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Williams was a scientist who was infused with ion powers by AIM. The MCU may stray from his actor background and introduce him as someone who works for SWORD. They can take any angle, even if I would prefer him as an actor that shows up in the commercials that appear throughout the show. He would also be a perfect addition to the Disney+ line-up to explore film productions creatively.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘WandaVision’ Proves That Sitcoms Are Timeless

    ‘WandaVision’ Proves That Sitcoms Are Timeless

    WandaVision has finally aired its first two episodes. It certainly is a unique project, as it avoids the classic superhero action and focuses on sitcom-inspired comedy. It isn’t just inspired, but it is recreating sitcoms from different eras. The first two episodes focus on The Dick Van Dyke Show and Bewitched. These shows aired back in the 60s and 70s, so they are digging deep. Of course, comedy sensibilities have changed substantially over the years, and many wondered if going this far back may be counterproductive. The newer generation won’t recognize most of the references, and the humor might not click the same way for those that grew up with it. Now that the show has aired, it proves that we underestimated the strength of sitcoms.

    To this day, sitcoms are still some of the most popular shows that air on television. Even today, there is a wide variety within this genre, such as the police sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, a family-focused Modern Family, or the never-ending animated sitcom The Simpsons. The latter proves the staying power of this genre, as the series has been airing since 1989. Even as these shows have adapted to modern sensibilities, the core aspects that define them have been there since the first TV sitcom titled Pinwright’s Progress kick-started the genre in 1946. We see it in how WandaVision adapts these classic series, but somehow still manages to keep them fresh

     

     

    Even a younger audience can appreciate the jokes in large part due to the performances by the cast. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany are a perfect leading pair that bring new life to classic tropes. They also brought in some veterans of the genre, such as Fred Melamed, Debra Jo Rupp, and potentially many more in future episodes. What WandaVision does incredibly well is it knows how to use the awkward phases of older sitcom shows. There were always pauses for a laugh track that tends to go on for too long nowadays. Instead of just leaving them in, they use these out-of-place sequences to add the overall mystery and darker atmosphere slowly seeping out.

    Jac Schaeffer and her team did their homework and found ways to re-energize older aspects and avoid the feeling of them being outdated. It’s a love letter to the past that anyone can appreciate and proved its staying power as a genre. In a way, many of us learn to love these older shows through our peers, as many might have grown up on older shows through parents and grandparents. One of my fondest memories was spending time with my mother watching shows she spent her childhood watching. It may also be a gateway for families to discuss the originals after a viewing. It creates a platform to ask your family about their knowledge of these sitcoms. To this day, my grandfather still watches re-runs of The Dick Van Dyke Show and shares his favorite memories surrounding the show. I cannot wait until WandaVision starts to explore sitcoms that I grew up with and remember when I was just a kid watching them. One day, I’ll be able to share the same experience that I had with the MCU.

    Source: Guinness World Record

  • Theory Thursday: ‘WandaVisions’ Mysterious Cameo

    Theory Thursday: ‘WandaVisions’ Mysterious Cameo

    We’re just hours away from the premiere of WandaVision on Disney+. With a star-studded cast of Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kat Dennings, Randall Park, Teyonah Parris, and Katheryn Hann, this show certainly set to be quite the spectacle. It seems like that cast is only going to get bigger, as, during an interview with Black Girl Nerds, Vision actor Paul Bettany teased the appearance of a surprise actor. He’s stated that this actor is someone Bettany has wanted to work with for a while. Now, one of the key elements of any sitcom is the incorporation of guest stars. From John Wayne appearing in I Love Lucy, Adam West in Bewitched, and Christopher Lloyd in Malcolm in the Middle, it is quite common to have an unexpected cameo from a recognizable face appear at least once. So, why don’t we explore who the mysterious guest might be?

     

    1. A Former Sitcom Star

     

    There have been hundreds of sitcoms over the course of television history. We know that WandaVision based itself on quite a number of these like The Dick Van Dyke Show, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, Full House, and so on. So, it would make sense for one of these actors to appear as a resident of Westview. Imagine the likes of sitcom legends like Dick van Dyke, Erin Murphy from Bewitched, Maureen McCormick from The Brady Bunch, or someone from Full House. We know that Marvel already has included a few former sitcom stars, like Debra Jo Rupp from That 70’s Show, so there might be many more that haven’t gotten revealed yet.

     

    2. James Spader as a Human Ultron

     

    This theory has been something I have hypothesized for quite a while, and I hope it becomes a reality. James Spader was such a key piece in the MCU back in 2015. He had a considerable role in the development of Wanda and Vision in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Hell, he created the body that would eventually become Vision. Imagine someone knocks on Wanda and Vision’s door, and it turns out to be James Spader. He is in a human body and posing as Vision’s father. Perhaps some fans might not recognize him right away without his robotic form, but his voice is certainly something fans will remember. His appearance could even serve as a perfect representation of Wanda’s psyche and trauma. We see it starting to merge with her seemingly perfect suburban life. His appearance in this show, in my opinion, could bring the newly-wed couple’s story full circle.

     

    3. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange

     

    Having Dr. Stephen Strange appear in WandaVision feels like it’s nearly a given due to the connection this show will have with the upcoming Doctor Strange film. If I had to take an educated guess as to how we might see Doctor Strange in the series, there are two possibilities. One way would be to take a page out of House of M by making Strange the doctor who helps Wanda give birth to her twins. The other option would be near the end of the show, where he will try to help Wanda not fall into the madness that might befall her throughout the story.

     

    4. A Former Avenger

     

    Wanda’s connection with the Avengers has grown over the last couple of films. Should any of the original members of the Avengers appear in WandaVision, I would suspect it would be characters that have helped Wanda overcome her fears and traumas. My main choices would be Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff. Clint helped Wanda find her inner courage through which he became a mentor figure. He was the one that dubbed her an Avenger during the events of Age of Ultron. And as for Natasha, she took Wanda under her wing and trained her to blend in as a spy, which we saw during Captain America: Civil War.

     

    4. Hidden in Advertising

    We know from an interview with TV Line that Kevin Feige teased that we should pay close attention to the various commercials. I suspect we might see ads from companies that have affected Wanda directly in her past. One notable company would be Stark Industries. Wanda had to witness her own parents’ death when a shell with Stark’s logo on it hit their apartment building. It was one of the reasons they took on the villainous roles in Age of Ultron. Not only that, but I suspect we might see Hydra showcase a commercial that’ll serve as a bit of backstory to how Wanda and Pietro got recruited into the ranks of Hydra before the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Just imagine Dominic Cooper or Thomas Kretschmann appearing in various commercials as Howard Stark and Baron von Strucker. They keep trying to sell their unique products to Wanda with empty promises. They could be giving cheesy, expositional commercials about their companies to represent the sitcoms era.

     

    6. Evan Peters

     

    Thanks to our very own Charles Murphy, we know that Evan Peters is joining the show in a mystery role. Now, I have several suspicions as to who Peters could be playing. No matter the way I look at it, Peter’s role will mess with Wanda’s psyche. His experience playing antagonistic characters in the American Horror Story series certainly would make him the perfect candidate. Many people suspect he could be portraying an interdimensional villain, who comic fans might know as Nightmare. Others claim he could be Marvel’s resident devil, Mephisto. Some have even mentioned the possibility of Evan taking on the mantle of Pietro Maximoff. The one thing that these characters have in common is the ability to convince others to do their bidding. And if he did end up portraying Wanda’s brother, it would be nice for him to pay homage to the House of M story arc by being the one that convinces Wanda into making a new reality, where everything can live their dream life.

  • Weekend at ‘WandaVision’s: Theorizing How Vision Was Resurrected

    Weekend at ‘WandaVision’s: Theorizing How Vision Was Resurrected

    Can you believe it? Tomorrow, WandaVision is finally released. After a year hiatus, the Marvel Cinematic Universe returns in style. It isn’t just the first entry in Marvel Studios’ fourth phase, but it is also their first brand new series on Disney+. Of course, they are returning in style by featuring our starstruck lovers, Wanda, and Vision trying to live a suburban life. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Marvel Studios’ story if something wasn’t going wrong. We know that Vision died at the hands of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. So, the question remains how is he alive again? If you’ve read the title for this feature, you might already know where I am going with this theory. I sadly believe that while we see Vision interact on his own in the various trailers, he still is dead. 

    The version of the character we see is, in fact, just the remnants of the android hero through Wanda’s powers. In a way, she is just controlling his body the way Larry and Richard handled their CEO in 1989’s Weekend at Bernie’s. In Wanda’s case, her powers are giving him the ability to act independently. Her memories of the android are giving him life, but only as long as he remains within Westview. Yet, if someone from the outside is looking in, it might just be a lifeless husk floating around with the red hex surrounding it. I actually got the idea when I saw Marvel Studios president’s cap from the WandaVision press release. It featured Wanda’s red outfit combined with a white version of Vision, which just added more to this theory. The more I thought about it, the story’s climax may be quite similar to that of the recently released Wonder Woman 1984. 

     

    The eerie feeling conveyed throughout the trailers may be a clear sign of something going wrong. Every idyllic life has its secrets to hide. She made a deal with Agnes, who is still theorized to be the cause for her powers going out of control, to bring him back. Little did she know, it was just a temporary fix that would give her the life she dreamt of for a limited time. At the end of the series, she would have to make a clear decision. Will she embrace her illusion or accept that she would have to let go eventually. The moment the hex surrounding Westview gets broken, she sees what he was the entire time. Yet, that doesn’t stop her from still loving him as she gives him one last embrace and hears his voice echo in her head. Hopefully, I am wrong, and there is a future for Vision in the MCU beyond this project.

  • Chris Evans Nearing Deal to Return as Captain America

    Chris Evans Nearing Deal to Return as Captain America

    Avengers: Endgame felt like the ending for many iconic characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While Natasha Romanoff is getting a prequel film, it looked like Tony Stark, and Steve Rogers ended their story arcs. It certainly seemed that the actors were ready to find some new projects outside of the Marvel Studios’ staples. It looks like we might’ve been wrong, as it seems Chris Evans is nearing a deal to return in a future Marvel project. He would return as Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America, for at least one project with the potential of joining a second film as well. Deadline does point out that it most likely is similar to how Robert Downey Jr. returned in various projects, such as Captain America: Civil War or Spider-Man: Homecoming.

    This reveal is a massive surprise after Evans did tease he was passing on the torch. The ending of Endgame certainly showcased the title of Captain America getting passed on. There is also the upcoming Falcon and the Winter Soldier series that builds upon that revelation. A while back, Charles Murphy got the scoop on a potential Nomad project being in development. In a way, they could use this storyline to tell what Rogers was up to during his time after hanging up the title after the Civil War events. That, of course, would require him to have a larger role than mentioned. If he still is in early negotiations, it would be possible he would like to explore storylines left open after all.

    It seems to be hinting that he’ll most likely be involved with a film rather than Disney+ series. Still, if Evans is open to returning, there might be no limitation to where he might show up again. They could also explore Roger’s time returning the various Infinity Stones. I would still love to see a confrontation between him and the ghastly Red Skull, who is stuck on Vormir. There is also the question of if he may appear as a senior in a potential Young Avengers project. At this point, anything is possible. Whatever he may decide, it is great to see Evans interested in returning once again.

    Source: Deadline