Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel Studios

  • 5 Spidey Suits We’d Like to See in the MCU Following Tom Holland’s New Deal

    5 Spidey Suits We’d Like to See in the MCU Following Tom Holland’s New Deal

    Rumors persist that Tom Holland and Marvel Studios have struck a deal that will allow the actor to reprise his role as Spider-Man in a bevy of upcoming MCU projects. If that’s true, there’s one thing above all others that fans can count on: new suits! New suits sell toys and there’s nothing Disney loves more than that.

    Now all on his own within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Peter Parker has to fend for himself and that means creating his own suits. He put together a very nice-looking one at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home and that’ll almost certainly be the one he’s wearing when he’s first seen in his next appearance. However, Marvel Stuios has done a pretty great job of incorporating some of the most memorable Spidey suits into their films, even if they’ve not all been Peter’s and not all been entirely comic accurate. With that in mind, we take a look at five comic-book suits that might inspire Peter’s wave of costumes in the MCU!

    Spider-Armor

    At SDC ’22, Marvel Studios One-Above-All Kevin Feige listed Spider-Man and Daredevil as headliners of the MCU’s street-level heroes. Being a friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man means spending a good deal of time in the streets and less in space, and it’s pretty likely that’s exactly what will happen in Holland’s fourth MCU-based Spidey film. Battling crime on the streets, especially with the likes of a guy like Kingpin and his goons, almost certainly means coming under gunfire. With that in mind, it seems like it would be a pretty good idea for Peter to put together an armored suit. The comics provide inspiration for a few different choices, but the very metal silver and black MK1 that he first donned in 1993’s Web of Spider-Man #100 would look great on screen and serve as a nice contrast the bright red and blue of his default suit.

    The Symbiote Suit

    Everyone wants to see Holland’s Parker bond with Venom and bring the Symbiote Suit to the MCU. The post-credit scene of 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home set the stage and it’s likely that Holland’s new contract will have him signed on for Avengers: Secret Wars, meaning if Marvel Studios chooses to, they could pay homage to the comics by having him bond with the symbiote for the first time in the the 2026 conclusion to the Multiverse Saga.

    The Bombastic Bag-Man Suit

    With Marvel Studios Fantastic Four film set to come out in 2025, Holland’s new contract could work him into the film in a larger-than-a-cameo-but-still-pretty-small-role. If that’s the case, there’s no more MCU-type gag that Matt Shakman and the creatives behind Fantastic Four could play than having Peter suit up as the Bombastic Bag-Man for a scene. If Marvel Studios can give Peter a new suit by making him turn one inside-out, they can definitely come up with a way for him to need to borrow one of the FF’s suits and put a paper bag over his head.

    The Future Foundation Suit

    A much more iconic suit that Peter could wear a bit longer in either Fantastic Four or something like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, the Future Foundation suit seems like a must to shove Holland into over the next 6 years. The suit has been featured heavily in video games, Marvel Legends and in the comics. It’s a fascinating design and the colors can be inverted at will, meaning Disney could go two-for-one as far as getting toys out of a suit. Keeping in mind that just because it’s called the Future Foundation suit in the comics doesn’t mean there needs to be a Future Foundation in the MCU, this seems like the second surest bet on this list.

    The Big Time Suit

    Another suit that gamers are already plenty familiar with is the Stealth Suit, aka the Big Time Suit. It could be argued that Peter already had a Stealth Suit in Spider-Man: Far From Home, but that’ll almost certainly go down in memory as the Night Monkey Suit. The Big Time Suit could show up down the road in Spidey 5 or 6 after Peter has had some time to build on his already impressive engineering skills. Interestingly enough, Peter first wore it in the comics to help defend him from Hobgolin, a villain who has yet to appear in any Spider-Man films but who could pretty readily be worked into the MCU.

    Ultimately, it was tough to choose just 5 suits. Outside of Peter’s vast array, there are the iconic looks of Ben Reilly, Miguel O’Hara, Kaine Parker and, of course, Miles Morales. Of those characters, it doesn’t seem like more than one could ever have a future in the MCU, so should Marvel Studios choose to do so, they could work some of those into the next half-dozen or so appearances by Holland. In all likelihood, whatever suits they do choose to adapte, we won’t see the same one twice!

  • Simu Liu Discusses ‘Shang-Chi’ Sequel Plans

    Simu Liu Discusses ‘Shang-Chi’ Sequel Plans

    As Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes to a close with the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, discussions are being had about which projects stood out the most during this new era for Marvel Studios. Generally speaking, one of the largest successes on the theatrical side was Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. After being one of the best critical and commercial performances of 2021, a direct sequel, to be written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, has been announced. Though it’s far too early for any plot details to be known, star actor Liu has some thoughts about what could transpire for the sequel film.

    I think just what Shaun decides to do with all this newfound power, you know? It kind of consumed his father, consumed Wenwu. I’m curious as to how someone much younger, much more inexperienced, would fare against the rings. Just this idea of all of a sudden being gifted something that’s so powerful but also so dangerous. And then the other big question I have is, you know, in what way does Shaun fit in with the rest of the MCU? Who are you going to see? What kind of crazy team-ups? What kinda tie-ins, Easter eggs? I’m just as much in the dark as everyone else, so I don’t know anything, but I’m excited to dive into that process.

    Simu Liu

    The notion of focusing on the younger generation and comparing it to the reign of Wenwu certainly opens the door for interesting story potential. Tony Leung’s character quickly has become one of the most well-received antagonists of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and finding a way to continue his legacy would be fruitful for the sequel. In addition, folding Shang-Chi into the greater universe would be a logical move as a character that feels primed to be a key part of a hypothetical Avengers roster for their upcoming films. There are certainly various different avenues of existing and new concepts that would work well to connect the popular hero to various stalwarts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When it comes to the idea of being a fixture at Marvel Studios, Liu has a positive outlook on wanting to stay as long as Kevin Feige and company will let him.

    As far as when I think that’s just a question of timing and how well my back holds up through the years. I’ll make 40 of them if we can.

    Simu Liu

    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is currently available to watch on Disney+. There has been no official announcement made on when the sequel film will release theatrically.

    Source: Complex

  • The New Deal: A Look at Tom Holland’s Future as Spider-Man

    The New Deal: A Look at Tom Holland’s Future as Spider-Man

    Though it hasn’t been officially announced, the buzz around Sony and Marvel Studios reaching a new deal to continue their collaborative efforts to co-produce Spider-Man films has been at an all-time high this week. The deal, should it be reached, would allow Marvel Studios to get to work on developing new Spidey films with Sony and for them to negotiate a deal with star Tom Holland that would allow him to appear in non-Spidey films. As we wait for word to come down that Holland is ready to get back to work, we take a look at how Tom’s New Deal might play out over the next several years.

    Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2024)

    Once the new deal is announced, expect things to advance pretty quickly on the first new solo Spidey outing. In late 2021, Kevin Feige admitted that he and Amy Pascal had already begun developing the story for the fourth MCU-based Spidey film. Even though the film hasn’t been officially given the green light yet, the fact that a story has been in the works for nearly a year means that some of the principal talent involved might be privy to some of that info. Feige announced at SDCC that Spider-Man and Daredevil were going to lead the way as street-level heroes and Tom Holland, Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio have all dropped some breadcrumbs along the way that make it sound like the fourth MCU Spidey film might feature Spidey and Daredevil teaming up to take on Mayor Fisk. Of course, it’s also time for Peter Parker to complicate his life by adding a new love interest and there’s no better time than now for that to be Felicia Hardy, aka Black Cat.

    Fantastic Four (2025)

    Undoubtedly, part of Holland’s New Deal will include stipulations that allow for appearances in non-Spidey MCU films. Given that the New Deal will coincide with the Fantastic Four finally making their way into the MCU and that one of Peter Parker’s longest-lasting and most important friendships in Marvel Comics is with Johnny Storm, it’s nearly impossible to think he wouldn’t show up in their film.

    Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2025) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2026)

    Spider-Man is among Marvel’s most valued and beloved characters, so it’s all but a sure thing that they’ll want Holland’s New Deal to include appearances in both their upcoming Avengers’ films. Secret Wars is probably the most ambitious project Marvel Studios has ever attempted and it’s likely to take inspiration from Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 version, which means that another Spider-Man could potentially be introduced here, setting the stage for the remainder of Holland’s time as the Wall-Crawler. It also allows for Marvel Studios to make good on the symbiote suit tease in the post-credit scene of Spider-Man: No Way Home, allowing Holland to get at least one go around in the beloved black suit.

    Spider-Man: One More Day (2026)

    Assuming Sony wants to keep churning out new Spidey films every 2 years as they did during the first deal, Holland’s next MCU-based Spidey film will hit in 2026. Assuming the rumors of Sacha Baron Cohen signing on as Mephisto for multiple projects are true, it’s likely that at least one of those appearances would be for a major film and it’s also likely he didn’t sign on to something that would keep him busy for a decade or more. In the comics, Spider-Man made a deal with Mephisto that had long-lasting ramifications for the character. It’s not out of the question that Peter’s MCU story could see him try to find a way to have “one more day” with MJ. Mephisto is just the guy to grant that kind of wish to Peter, but at what cost?

    Spider-Man: End of Days (2028)

    Unfortunately, Holland can’t and won’t go on forever as Spidey; fortunately, the comics provide a fantastic road map for what to do next and both Sony and Marvel Studios would be foolish not to take advantage of it. Miles Morales is one of the most important Marvel Comics’ characters not just of the modern age but of all time. Giving Peter and Miles time to get to know one another after meeting in Secret Wars would deepen and enrich both characters, make Peter’s death feel like an even great loss and set up Miles as THE Spider-Man for the next decade.

    6 projects in 4 years for Holland seems crazy, but obviously, this is all just speculation and no dates are set in stone, not even, as we’ve seen, those for movies as big as Fantastic Four and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, whether the dates are even remotely correct or not, Holland’s New Deal will certainly keep him incredibly busy over a very short amount of time.

  • ‘Black Panther 3’ No Sure Thing for Director Ryan Coogler

    ‘Black Panther 3’ No Sure Thing for Director Ryan Coogler

    Early word on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever would seem to indicate that director Ryan Coogler followed up 2018’s Black Panther, which stands as Marvel Studios greatest critical success, with another well-received blockbuster. To follow up the beloved first film with another hit after losing star Chadwick Boseman to cancer would be no small feat. According to Coogler, who had to start from scratch after the death of his friend, the process has been difficult.

    In an interview with Variety, Coogler spoke about the process of making Wakanda Forever and what the future holds.

    This movie got everything I have. I’m at that place where I think I’ve got this press tour in me and then I’ve got to sit down and reflect. Probably cry a lot, because I’ve been holding that back. And then from there, figure out whatever’s next.

    Ryan Coogler

    A third Black Panther film might seem like sure thing, especially given the nature of the plot of Wakanda Forever, but at the moment, Coogler isn’t sure if he’s ready to take it on, “I have no idea what I’m doing next as a writer and director.” Though finishing the trilogy without Coogler doesn’t seem possible, Marvel Studios One-Above-All Kevin Feige admits that it has to remain a possibility. “I go back to what I said when we decided to make ‘Wakanda Forever’ after losing Chad,” said the head honcho of Marvel Studios. “This mythology and this ensemble and these characters deserve to continue and will continue after all of us are gone, I hope, and will continue forever in movies the way it has in comics for 50-plus years.“

    However, with so much time and effort invested into building the World of Wakanda for the MCU, it’s impossible to imagine that Coogler doesn’t something in mind for a third film. Feige confirmed that he and Coogler have has some “ideas pitched back and forth” and that conversations have taken place about the director returning to helm a third film. As Feige says, though he’s open to continuing without Coogler, it “wouldn’t be the preference.“

    With so much of Marvel Studios slate over the next 3+ years already determined, the good news is that there’s no rush for Coogler to make the call.

    Source: Variety

  • Marvel Studios Confirms Multiple D+ Projects from the World of Wakanda in Development

    Marvel Studios Confirms Multiple D+ Projects from the World of Wakanda in Development

    Marvel Studios Executive Producer Nate Moore has set the record straight on the number of potential Wakanda-based spinoff projects in development. In an interview with Variety, Moore, who is also a member of Marvel Studios Parliament, described the World of Wakanda as “expansive” and full of “great characters” adding that “beyond what happens with this film, there are more opportunities to go back to Wakanda.”

    The D+ streaming series Ironheart will be the first project to spin out of the Black Panther franchise but as Moore put it, “there are no shortage of ideas” about other projects. According to Moore, some of the series in mind would involve existing characters, such as the Okoye-centric project that’s been in development for some time, while others would focus on characters “that would be completely new.” With the introduction of Namor and Talokan in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the potential could exist for Coogler’s Proximity Media to develop projects based around those characters as well.

    The idea of multiple projects set within and adjacent to the World of Wakanda comes at a time when Disney Plus offers multiple options to expand on the characters and stories that make up the shared tapestry of the MCU. Nearly three years ago, WandaVision began an new age of streaming series for Marvel Studios and while 6-10 episode series seemed to be a key piece of the D+ puzzle, Werewolf By Night, the studio’s first Special Presentation, opened another gateway for new projects. Given the rich comic book history and number of characters associated with Wakanda, it wouldn’t be surprising to see all avenues explored in the future.

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in theaters on November 11th.

    Source: Variety

  • New Rumor Supports Joe Locke’s Casting as Wiccan in ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    New Rumor Supports Joe Locke’s Casting as Wiccan in ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

    Marvel Studios WandaVision spinoff, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, is preparing for the early 2023 start of principal photography and the cast is seemingly growing by the day. One of the major additions to the Kathryn Hahn-led streamer was Heartstopper actor Joe Locke, who was cast as an unnamed gay, lead character for the 9-episode series. Locke’s casting came shortly after a report indicated that Agatha: Coven of Chaos looked to be set to introduce Billy Kaplan to the MCU, but a prevailing alternate theory as the actor playing Agatha’s son, Nicholas Scratch. Now, a new rumor seems to add fuel to the Wiccan fire.

    According to one YouTube channel, Locke’s role in the upcoming series is indeed that of Billy Kaplan/Wiccan. Of course, given everything that is known about the character(and the fact that Locke is a near-perfect match for the character’s physical appearance in the comics), Wiccan is the most obvious choice. Though Hahn’s character is the lead in Agatha: Coven of Chaos, the title would lead one to believe that the series will be dealing with the fallout of Wanda Maximoff’s time as the Scarlet Witch and her use of Chaos Magic. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may also have given some hints as to the pending arrival of Wiccan as a representation of him was seen etched into the walls of Mount Wundagore.

    In the comics, Billy Kaplan is the son of a Jewish couple living in New York who is ultimately revealed to be the “reborn soul” of Billy Maximoff. Kaplan, who becomes a founding member of the Young Avengers. Destined to become the all-powerful Demiurge, Billy often found himself the target of schemes by other magic-wielders, including Loki, who sought his power for themselves. Given Agatha has lived by siphoning the power from others for so long, it would stand to reason that if she were somehow able to break free from Wanda’s spell, perhaps with the assistance of a group of other witches, she might take a keen interest in someone like Billy Kaplan.

    Marvel Studios has had no official comment on Locke’s role. Hahn and Locke have recently been joined in the series by Aubrey Plaza, Ali Ahn and Maria Dizzia, whose role as a witch in the series has been misreported. Principal photography is expected to kick off in January and wrap in May and the series is currently on the schedule for a late-2023/early-2024 release on Disney Plus.

    Source: YouTube

  • Early Returns on Rotten Tomatoes Have ‘Wakanda Forever’ Flying High

    Early Returns on Rotten Tomatoes Have ‘Wakanda Forever’ Flying High

    Ryan Coogler’s emotion-packed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in theaters this weekend but critics, including our own Hunter Radesi, have had ample time to screen the film ahead of its wide release. With the expiration of the embargo, dozens of reviews are making their way online and onto Rotten Tomatoes and the early returns are very promising for the film.

    Though it’s not quite Certified Fresh yet because there are not enough reviews, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opened up with an impressive 94% through the first 84 reviews. The balance between a powerfully emotional tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman and a plot that advances the story of the nation of Wakanda are among the most commonly mentioned strengths. Others who were less high on the film called into question the film’s hefty run time, its pacing and convoluted plot.

    2018’s Black Panther stands as Marvel Studios’ highest-rated film to date with a Certified Fresh rating of 96% with over 529 reviews. For the sequel to be so well-received following the tragic loss of Boseman and a complete rewrite of the script is a testament to Ryan Coogler and the team behind the sequel.

  • ‘Wakanda Forever’ Producer Discusses Talokan and the Threat of Namor

    ‘Wakanda Forever’ Producer Discusses Talokan and the Threat of Namor

    Namor the Sub-Mariner is one of the few remaining marquee Marvel characters to never appear on the silver screen but now Tenoch Huerta is prepared to introduce the character in a major way as the antagonist of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Wakanda Forever afforded Ryan Coogler the ability to build another civilization into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While speaking with ScreenRant about the upcoming project, producer Nate Moore discussed this concept and how connections between Wakanda and Talokan (the Mayan-influenced version of Atlantis) play a major role in the sequel.

    Because there’s such an interesting contrast between Talokan and Wakanda, that’s [what] I think drew Ryan as a storyteller to Namor in the first place. Obviously, there’s a history in publishing of Namor and Atlantis and the Black Panther and Wakanda being at loggerheads because they’re both such powerful nations that have such autonomy. But to also tell the story of colonization through the perspective of two people who’ve experienced it so differently made for a really interesting collision of ideologies.

    Nate Moore

    The themes of colonization and cultural identities are right within the wheelhouse of Ryan Coogler as a filmmaker. If he can keep the momentum that he brought with the original Black Panther (alongside his other directorial triumphs), then Wakanda Forever has all the earmarks to be another resonant classic. In that line of thinking, the Black Panther sequel could certainly match the quality of the first with another villain on the level of Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger. Early reviews of the film seem to indicate he’s hit the mark with Namor. Nate Moore further elaborated on the idea of Namor being a major threat and how that plays into the infrastructure of Wakanda.

    Namor’s such a powerful character. It’s hard to think of anybody who could challenge Wakanda, right? It’s the most technologically advanced nation in the world. At times, it has a Black Panther, if not the Dora Milaje. Man, who’s going to scare these guys? That is a very short list. And all of a sudden they’re faced with somebody who’s more powerful than anybody they have, and it forces them to respond in a different way than any other person would, really. Namor is such an important character that you have to commit time to get to know him. So, it’s not like you can throw him into an ensemble and say, “Also this guy.” You want to take the time to build out that world. Hopefully, we were able to achieve that with the same love and dedication to the details as we did with Wakanda in the first movie.

    Nate Moore

    It certainly will be interesting to follow the audience’s response to the character and see if Namor will have the longevity of other notable antagonists of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens exclusively in theaters on November 11, 2022.

    Source: ScreenRant

  • ‘Wakanda Forever’ Producer Nate Moore on Storm’s Future in Wakanda

    ‘Wakanda Forever’ Producer Nate Moore on Storm’s Future in Wakanda

    From the moment Disney’s merger with Fox Studios was complete, fans began theorizing about how one of Marvel Comics’ most powerful mutants, Storm, might fit into the story of the Black Panther sequel. Once the wife of T’Challa and the Queen of Wakanda, Storm’s connection to Wakanda remains strong in the present day despite no longer being married to T’Challa. While her duties to the X-Men had her busy on Mars, Ororo still found herself playing a role in current Black Panther writer John Ridley’s series. Even though T’Challa’s relationship with Nakia was clearly prioritized in Black Panther, fans were still adamant that Storm could find her way into the sequel and even as the film was reworked following the death of Chadwick Boseman, the Storm theories never stopped coming.

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens this week and, to nobody’s actual surprise, Storm is not in the film. However, with at least one more Wakanda-based streaming series on the way and a third film in the series all but a sure thing, fans are still looking to the future for hope that the character might show up in Wakanda, reflecting the strong connection she has to the nation in the pages of Marvel Comics. In an interview with Screen Rant, Marvel Studios Parliament member and Wakanda Forever Executive Producer Nate Moore may have dashed those hopes. When asked about the chances of Storm showing up in Wakanda down the road, Moore certainly didn’t seem optimistic saying, “Well, Storm’s relationship with Wakanda in publishing is pretty interesting. Obviously, we might be a few years out from the X-Men, so I’m not sure we’re there yet.“

    The quote certainly doesn’t inspire confidence that Ororo will find her way to Wakanda any time soon, though it doesn’t completely rule it out of the question. While there are plenty of ways that Storm could be worked into Black Panther 3, the unfortunate reality is that the strength of the character’s connection to Wakanda came from her relationship with T’Challa and that’s sadly not something that the MCU can replicate at the moment. Perhaps down the road after Avengers: Secret Wars, new possibilities for the pair to unite on screen might emerge but until then, it sounds like Storm may not be part of the plans to continue to story of Wakanda.

    Source: Screen Rant

  • Ryan Reynolds Reveals Production Timeline for ‘Deadpool 3’

    Ryan Reynolds Reveals Production Timeline for ‘Deadpool 3’

    After taking some time to get the pieces in place for it, Deadpool 3 now seems to be making steady progress. Hugh Jackman agreed to return to the role of Wolverine, which he believed he’d left behind with 2017’s Logan, and the film was finally put on the Marvel Studios slate with a release date of November 8, 2024. Obviously, that means production on the film must be getting underway at some point in 2023 and in a recent interview, star Ryan Reynolds gave a little clarity to when that should be.

    In an interview with Sirius XM’s Stars, Reynolds explained that he, Jackman and director Shawn Levy are “up to our necks in prep” and that the film is still being written, and that he will be wrapped up in production on it for the next two years. The actor then added that shooting on the film, which he called “the easy part”, is expected to take place “just before Summer.”

    Reynolds also noted that he only fully revealed the film’s plot to Jackman after he’d agreed to return, adding he can’t wait to “unleash” the movie to audiences. Though there have been no details released about what to expect from the threequel, plenty of theories have made their way around, including one that ponders the idea of the film adapting the Marvel Comics’ miniseries Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe.