Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Studios

  • SDCC ’24: Marvel Studios Retitles ‘The Fantastic Four’…Again!

    SDCC ’24: Marvel Studios Retitles ‘The Fantastic Four’…Again!

    As part of Marvel Studios’ Hall H panel, the studio has revealed yet another new title for its Fantastic Four film.

    Originally titled Fantastic Four, the film underwent a subtle title change earlier this year and became The Fantastic Four. With Matt Shakman on stage, the studio revealed an updated title: The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

    The official release from Marvel also indicated that Marvel intends to hold onto the July 25, 2025 release date despite the fact that production has not yet begun.

  • SDCC ’24: Giancarlo Esposito’s ‘Brave New World’ Character Officialy Revealed

    SDCC ’24: Giancarlo Esposito’s ‘Brave New World’ Character Officialy Revealed

    It turns out Giancarlo Esposito wasn’t pulling anyone’s chain when he said nobody has correctly guessed who he was playing in Captain America: Brave New World. While word had leaked out among multiple insiders that Esposito was set to play an obscure character known as G.W. Bridge, it turns out that big of info was a bullshit.

    During Marvel Studios’ Hall H panel at SDCC ’24, Esposito revealed that he’ll be playing Seth Voelker, aka Sidewinder, the King of the Serpent Society!

    Updating…

  • SDCC ’24: Kevin Feige Reveals How ‘Eternals’ Leads into ‘Captain America: Brave New World’

    SDCC ’24: Kevin Feige Reveals How ‘Eternals’ Leads into ‘Captain America: Brave New World’

    Though no direct sequel to Eternals is in the works at Marvel Studios, Head Honcho Kevin Feige recently teased that the events of the film will indeed continue to influence the ongoing shared narrative of the MCU. Tonight, during the studio’s big Hall H panel at SDCC ’24, the cat was let out of the bag.

    After months of rumors, it was confirmed that the body of Tiamut–the large Celestial that began to emerge from the ocean in Eternals–is composed of adamantium and will be central to the plot of Captain America: Brave New World.

    Updating…

  • SDCC ’24: It’s Official! The Russos Have Returned to Marvel Studios

    SDCC ’24: It’s Official! The Russos Have Returned to Marvel Studios

    Just ten days after the news broke that Marvel Studios had entered into negotiations with Joe and Anthony Russo to helm the next two Avengers movies, the brothers were confirmed to be returning to the studio at SDCC!

    Updating…

  • Kevin Feige Addresses Hugh Jackman’s Future as Wolverine

    Kevin Feige Addresses Hugh Jackman’s Future as Wolverine

    From the sounds of the reviews of critics who were able to catch early screenings of Deadpool & Wolverine, the movie is no Quantumania but it’s no Endgame either. Wherever it ultimately lands in terms of fan and critical reception, there’s no doubt left that it will blow up the box office and that Hugh Jackman‘s return to inhabit the role of Wolverine once again has a lot to do with that. Jackman famously believed he had fully left the role behind him after 2018’s Logan gave the character an incredibly well-received send-off; however, a call from Ryan Reynolds and a long drive gave Jackman the clarity to decide that Deadpool & Wolverine provided a way back in without having to disturb the legacy of Logan.

    Jackman’s return as Wolverine (along with FINALLY donning the iconic comic-accurate costume) has been central to the film’s marketing since the beginning and seems to have been worth the wait. Even before the film’s debut, fans were already begging for more of Jackman in the role, hoping that he’d star in one or both of the studio’s upcoming Avengers films. While that’s not been confirmed by Marvel yet, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them take advantage of Jackman’s presence in San Diego to make a major splash at their Saturday Hall H panel. However, even if Jackman does come back for another appearance or two, he can’t go on forever and whoever does ultimately replace him will have their claws full.

    (L-R): Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

    In an interview with Discussing Film, Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, addressed the topic of Hugh Jackman‘s future as Wolverine and the idea of replacing the actor in a role he has owned for more than two decades. “Yes,” Feige answered bluntly when asked if someone other than Jackman would ever portray Wolverine in the MCU. “You know, Marvel is celebrating its 85th anniversary later this summer. That’s just the first 85 years, and Disney just celebrated 100 years as well. I think these characters will be around for another 100 years, long after all of us,” he continued, “so, for sure, there will be [eventually another actor as Wolverine]. I think it will be in a very different style and in a different way.” Feige finished the answer with a warning for whoever takes the handoff from Jackman, saying, “I also think if somebody were to attempt to do a Hugh Jackman as Wolverine impression, that would be a pretty big mistake.”

    As Marvel Studios moves closer to launching their own take on the X-Men, it’s all but a sure thing that Wolverine (one of the most popular X-Men ever) will ultimately be part of their plans. It sounds as though that’s something Feige has already thought quite a bit about and that the folks behind the MCU’s X-Men reboot will be delivering their own take on Wolverine which will help distance it from Jackman’s iconic portrayal. “As comic readers know, there have been various and very, very different versions of these characters over the decades,” began Feige. “It would be fun to explore different ones someday down the line. Again, we don’t have immediate plans by any means. But in the decades to come, I think it’s inevitable. If that happens, it would have to be a very different and bold reinterpretation of [the character] because no one will be as great as Hugh Jackman at doing his version of Wolverine.”

    So while it seems we’ve not seen the last of Jackman in the role just yet, it also sounds like a plan is in place to make sure the next guy in the suit doesn’t have to bear the weight of being compared too closely to him. Check out Jackman’s latest turn as Logan in Deadpool & Wolverine, in theaters now.

    Source: Discussing Film

  • Kevin Feige Ends Speculation about Sequel Plans for ‘Eternals’

    Kevin Feige Ends Speculation about Sequel Plans for ‘Eternals’

    Marvel Studios’ Eternals opened to incredibly poor reviews when it hit theaters in 2021. At the time, seeing an MCU project miss so badly with critics was a bit of a shock. While several other projects have joined the Chloe Zhao-helmed film in the past few years that haven’t been well-received, it still stands out among the duds. More than other projects such as The Marvels or Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Eternals doesn’t truly seem to fit into the MCU mold despite its storyline having some major consequences for the shared universe.

    Though rumors persisted for some time that a follow-up project or two were in the works, the gravity of its failure to land with anyone made it seem like a longshot to ever have a direct sequel. Now, as Marvel Studios looks to reestablish itself as the box office bull it once was, studio head honcho Kevin Feige has addressed the future of the franchise.

    In an interview with Inverse, Marvel Studios One Above All made it crystal clear that the studio is not looking to develop a sequel to the 2021 film saying, “there are no immediate plans for Eternals 2.”

    While Feige did also confirm the major world-changing events of Eternals will be addressed in the MCU–“There are, and I think you’ve seen maybe in a trailer we’ve released recently, an acknowledgment of some of those events. Certain giant things came out of the ocean,” Feige told Inverse–it’s unclear if any of the film’s ensemble cast will have any role in future projects. That’s not entirely surprising as Kumail Nanjiani, whose Kingo was one of the highlights of Eternals, indicated in a 2023 interview that he hadn’t heard of any plans to move forward with a sequel.

    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

    As it stands, it would seem that the loose ends of Eternals will stay loose and have no significant impact on the remainder of the Multiverse Saga.

  • Marvel Studios Rumored to Be Reuniting with Major Infinity Saga Contributors on ‘Avengers’ 5 & 6

    Marvel Studios Rumored to Be Reuniting with Major Infinity Saga Contributors on ‘Avengers’ 5 & 6

    It seemed…inevitable. Just hours after THR broke the news that directors Joe and Anthony Russo were in talks to return to Marvel Studios to helm Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars, rumors began to swirl that another pair of key contributors to the Infinity Saga may join them. According to multiple outlets, the Russos may be accompanied in their new venture by another creative tag team well-known to MCU fans: writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.

    According to both Daniel RPK and Jeff “The In” Sneider, Markus and McFeely–who teamed up to write the screenplays for a half dozen MCU films in Phases 1 through 3–are set to pen Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars. Interestingly enough, word of the duo’s return comes on the heels of unconfirmed reports that writer Michael Waldron had left Avengers 5.

    While the Russos faces may have been more familiar to fans of the MCU, Markus and McFeely were every bit as much involved in the scaffolding of the Infinity Saga as the directing duo. In addition to writing the screenplays for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Markus and McFeely also penned Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War.

    There are all sorts of characters that would be fun. Joe and Anthony keep saying Secret Wars and I keep going, “really, you want to take on another giant multi-character [crossover]?” I would personally be more drawn to setting up a single character again and taking them from the beginning.

    -Christopher Markus, THR Interivew, 2019

    While the Russos often shared their desire to adapt Marvel Comics Secret Wars for the MCU, Markus and McFeeley were less keen on the idea in a 2019 interview, suggesting they’d rather work with X-Men characters, with Cyclops at the top of their list. Should they start from scratch on Avengers 5, an adaptation of Marvel Comics 2012 crossover event, Avengers vs. X-Men, could scratch that particular itch and fit nicely into the ongoing Multiverse Saga plot, especially given where things left off in The Marvels.

    With the creative team for the next Avengers films now seemingly complete (again), it’s reasonable to assume Marvel Studios will include the projects in their Hall H panel at SDCC ’24 on Saturday, July 27th.

    Sources: The InSneider, THR

  • Marvel Studios’ “New Approach” to Controversial ‘Captain America 4’ Character Revealed

    Marvel Studios’ “New Approach” to Controversial ‘Captain America 4’ Character Revealed

    Since Shira Haas was first revealed to be playing Ruth Bat-Seraph in Captain America: Brave New World, the character has been the center of online controversy, including calls for her to be removed from the film. In 2022, Marvel Studios made it clear that rather than remove her from the film, they took a “new approach” in reimagining her for the MCU. Now, shortly after the first look at the film hit social media, that new approach is becoming very clear.

    While our characters and stories are inspired by the comics. They are always freshly imagined for the screen and today’s audience, and the filmmakers are taking a new approach with the character Sabra who was first introduced in the comics over 40 years ago.

    -Official Statement from Marvel Studios on Ruth Bat-Seraph in Captain America: Brave New World

    Haas‘ brief appearance in the teaser trailer for the film didn’t give much away about what changes may have been made to the character, however, a follow-up piece on Marvel.com shed some light on what to expect. Rather than appearing in the MCU as a member of the Israeli Secret Service, Ruth is described as “a former Black Widow,” who “is now a high-ranking U.S. government official who has the trust of President Ross.” Given how Black Widow played out, the change works just fine but according to a new trade report, the changes don’t stop there.

    In the comics, Ruth Bat-Seraph also went by the alias Sabra; however, according to THR, the studio chose to drop that code name entirely as well as her allegiance to Israel. Essentially, Marvel Studios’ new approach to the character was to keep the name and recreate her entirely–and it’s hardly the first time they’ve done such a thing. Though it’s unlikely that the changes made by the studio will relieve any of the tension online, it does show at least some semblance of awareness by the execs while also calling into question why the chose to use the character in the first place when an original character would have worked well in her place.

    Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters February 14, 2025.

    Sources: Marvel.com, THR

  • Disney Confirms Controversial Character Remains in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’

    Disney Confirms Controversial Character Remains in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’

    Marvel Studios rolled out the first look at 2025’s Captain America: Brave New World which looks to be a high-octane thriller. While the teaser trailer gave away quite a bit, including the inclusion of Red Hulk, it held back quite a bit as well, including leaving out some key cast members. One of those members of the cast, Shira Haas, is set to play Ruth Bat-Seraph, known in the comics as Sabra, who has become the center of some controversy. Fans have threatened to boycott the film over her inclusion and some rumors arose that the character would be taken out of the film entirely. As it turns out, that is not the case as Haas was included on the list of cast members sent out by Disney in an official press release.

    “Captain America: Brave New World” stars Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford. The film is directed by Julius Onah and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore. Louis D’Esposito and Charles Newirth serve as executive producers.

    Despite backlash from fans, Haas‘ character was never going to be removed from the film. In 2022, the studio released a statement indicating that they were “taking a new approach” with the character.

    While our characters and stories are inspired by the comics. They are always freshly imagined for the screen and today’s audience, and the filmmakers are taking a new approach with the character Sabra who was first introduced in the comics over 40 years ago

    With only a brief hint of the character in the teaser, fans will have to wait to see what that new approach is and how they incorporate her into the MCU despite the controversy that has surrounded her since she was first revealed to be in the film.

    Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14, 2025.

  • Marvel Studios Official Synopsis for ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Teases a “Nefarious Global Plot”

    Marvel Studios Official Synopsis for ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Teases a “Nefarious Global Plot”

    Following the release of the teaser trailer for Captain America: Brave New World, Disney unveiled the first official synopsis for the action-packed 2025 film. The film has been described as a political thriller in the past and the synopsis indicates fans should expect just that.

    CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. © 2024 MARVEL.

    After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

    Official Synopsis for Captain America: Brave New World

    Though he’s only briefly seen in the teaser, that “true mastermind” is certainly Tim Blake Nelson’s Samuel Sterns who is returning to the role for the first time since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Brave New World director Julius Onah teased Sterns’ role in the film in an interview with ComicBook.com in 2022.

    One of the things that really drew me to this project is The Leader is a man who operates from intellect. And it’s so great to have an adversary who is working with this incredible intellect to really put Sam through the wringer in this story. And again, it’s a paranoid thriller; it’s this grounded adventure where I think everything that happens in this film feels so real and intense because of who this adversary is. What he’s going to have to go through in this film is because he’s got an adversary who is so terrifyingly intelligent.

    -Jullius Onah

    The teaser trailer lays out how Sam Wilson moves ahead following the events of the Disney Plus streaming series The Falcon and The Winter Solider as President Thaddeus Ross looks to make Captain America an official position within the United States military. Onah previously talked about the challenges Wilson would face in that role saying, “He is in a new position. Stepping up to be the leader as Captain America is going to be a new set of challenges for him. And in this story, a big part of his journey is how do you define that leadership? That’s the thing that he hasn’t had to deal with just yet. As the Falcon, he was always there supporting the rest of the team, but now he’s the man leading the team and I think that’s going to be a really exciting journey to go on with him.”

    Captain America: Brave New World hits theaters on February 14th, 2025.