Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel TV

  • Marvel Zombies Might Have a Live-Action Future in the MCU Beyond ‘WHAT IF…?’

    Marvel Zombies Might Have a Live-Action Future in the MCU Beyond ‘WHAT IF…?’

    The last episod eof What If..? introduced the world to the first incarnations of zombies within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They’ve actually been a mainstay in the comics since their debut in the Ultimate Fantastic Four run before going on to get their own series. It looks like Marvel Studios might have some plans for the zombified Avengers, as Mark Millar hinted at some live-action plans potentially being in the works in his latest newsletter. The statement “

    […](if my sources are correct) a little live-action Marvel Zombies further down the line, but you never heard that from me.

    Mark Millar

    The episode introducing the zombified versions of our favorite heroes was quite the talk of the town ever since it was first teased. It’s a concept that would deserve more exploration and with the horror theme, they’d make for a perfect enemy for our favorite Sorcerer Supreme to face in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

    There is also the possibility to reintroduce the concept in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The virus spreads through Janet van Dyne in the Quantum Realm, which exists outside of time and the multiverse. Perhaps the crew’s return to face Kang the Conqueror might unleash the virus in another unsuspecting universe. It’s would also be curious to see if this project ends up as an R-rated one, or they go with the more muted PG-13 friendly designs of the animated series. If they truly make a return, it’s going to be an exciting one as Marvel Studios continues to explore new avenues with their franchise.

    Source: Mark Millar via CBR

  • ‘Onyx Equinox’ and ‘Infinity Train’s Sofia Alexander Joins Marvel Studios

    ‘Onyx Equinox’ and ‘Infinity Train’s Sofia Alexander Joins Marvel Studios

    Marvel Studios is continuing to expand their animation team, as the creator of Crunchyroll’s Onyx Equinox, Sofia Alexander, has joined the famous Disney subsidiary. She took to Twitter to announce her joining the ever-expanding team, as the production studio aims to grow its animation team. It’s a perfect time, as we know they want to go beyond just the currently airing What If…? series. She has quite a diverse portfolio which includes the critically acclaimed Infinity Train, Netflix’s Invader ZIM: Enter the Florpus film and even Cartoon Network’s The Powerpuff Girls reboot. She doesn’t go into detail about what role she’ll have, but it’s certainly a sign they’re already underway on their next animated project.

    Alexander‘s history is quite diverse with different animation styles. We still don’t know a lot about how Marvel Studios aim to expand. We did get the hint that I Am Groot will explore a unique animation style, which adds some hope they won’t restrict to the one utilized in What If..?. There’s also the question if they’ll continue to keep these series in canon or head out into the multiverse to explore unrelated storylines. HBO Max is exploring the younger demographic with their Batman-inspired Batwheels project and we could see Marvel Studios attempt something similar. Who knows if we’ll see different projects for various target audiences that’ll introduce a younger generation into the MCU.

    Source: Twitter, IMDb

  • ‘SHE-HULK’: Tim Roth Shares Why He Joined the Disney+ Series and Working With Mark Ruffalo

    ‘SHE-HULK’: Tim Roth Shares Why He Joined the Disney+ Series and Working With Mark Ruffalo

    Disney+ continues to expand its Marvel Studios roster throughout the year, as we got our first look at the upcoming Hawkeye series. While it’ll end the year, we know it’s just the beginning of many more projects heading our way. One highlight is the adaptation of She-Hulk, which will be the first Hulk-centric project since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Bruce Banner will pass on the spotlight to his cousin Jennifer Walters, but when Kevin Feige announced Tim Roth‘s return as Abomination, it felt like the MCU is continuing to include more callbacks.

    Roth has been quite busy since working on projects like Twin Peaks, The Hateful Eight, Hardcore Henry, and spearheaded the Lie to Me TV series. In an interview for the upcoming film Sundown, the actor also opened up about the challenges he had returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and how Mark Ruffalo helped him find his groove working on the Disney+ series. He also confirms that Marvel Studios approached him to reprise the role.

    I did The Incredible Hulk [playing Emil Blonsky, aka Abomination] years ago, just because I thought my kids would be embarrassed by it. I did it for them and I really enjoyed making it. So when they came to me and said: “We’re adapting the She-Hulk thing. Can you come back as that character again?” I was like, sure. It should be fun. I was very surprised though because it was difficult at first. It was only when Mark Ruffalo came in to shoot his stuff [reprising his role as Bruce Banner] that I went: “Oh, that’s how you do it! With a sense of humor!

    Tim Roth

    It’s crazy to think that at the time, Edward Norton was the Hulk and it’s the actor’s first time working with Ruffalo. Abomination had a minor role during Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings, where Roth did some of the voice work for the character. So, the Diseny+ series might be his first time having to also play the larger-than-life beast. Ruffalo took on motion capturing for the Hulk since he took on the role of Banner in 2012’s Avengers. He even got help from Andy Serkis on Avengers: Age of Ultron. Here’s hoping that the Marvel Studios’ Assembled documentary series offers some insight into their work together.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter, The Direct, CinemaBlend

  • ‘WANDAVISION’ Wins Marvel Studios’ First Emmys

    ‘WANDAVISION’ Wins Marvel Studios’ First Emmys

    It was only a matter of time until Kevin Feige‘s crew got their hands on an Emmy considering the great work they’ve been doing this past year alone. Wandavision has scored Marvel Studios’ first couple of Emmy awards, bagging Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Program and Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes during the Creative Arts Emmys.

    Next week’s Primetime Emmys, however, is the big show for Marvel Studios’ Disney+ offerings. Both Wandavision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier are nominated for a slew of awards including acting nominations for Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, and Don Cheadle himself. Fingers crossed that these shows bag some major awards in addition to the great ones they won yesterday.

    Source: Deadline

  • Marvel Studios May Have Plans for Jeffrey Wright’s Watcher Beyond ‘WHAT IF…?’

    Marvel Studios May Have Plans for Jeffrey Wright’s Watcher Beyond ‘WHAT IF…?’

    We have previously seen hints that characters in What If…? might appear in future live-action projects in the MCU. With the many alternate universes on show, it makes sense that some of them might cross into other films and TV series we watch. The standout is Jeffrey Wright‘s chilling performance as the Watcher. A formless entity constantly hanging over the many stories of the animated series.

    Yet, the recent episode pulled him into action as he got confronted by Doctor Strange. So, we’ll see how long he will hold to his rule to never interact in the happenings of the multiverse, as his future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe remains open. In an interview with The GOAT Movie Podcast, Head Writer AC Bradley hints that Marvel Studios may have future plans for the character while playing coy on the topic.

    I’m not fully aware or able to discuss what Marvel might be doing with the character of The Watcher in the future.

    AC Bradley

    While she’s not fully aware, her leaving the door open by stating she can’t discuss matters on the Watcher’s future does hint that some discussions might have taken place at some point. The end of Loki broke open the multiverse meaning we’re likely to see a lot more crossover characters from other universes soon. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness seems like it might be the kind of event that includes characters we’re familiar with in new guises. It will be exciting if any of these characters make their live-action debut having seen them previously in the animated series!

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘WHAT IF…?’: Christine’s Death Was a ‘LOKI’ Nexus Point in the Doctor Strange Episode

    ‘WHAT IF…?’: Christine’s Death Was a ‘LOKI’ Nexus Point in the Doctor Strange Episode

    The fourth episode of What If…? explored the dark and tragic story of what would have happened to Doctor Strange if, instead of losing his hands in his car accident, he lost his love, Christine Palmer, instead. The episode was well-received for several reasons including its emotional depth. But the episode was also crucial in introducing more lore around potential multiversal connections and how variations in timelines work.

    The MCU Makes Rachel McAdams' Doctor Strange Snub Even Worse

    Obviously, we first got a taste of this in the Loki series when we got introduced to the so-called Nexus Events that marked the beginning of a new timeline. In the Doctor Strange episode, the Ancient One tells him that Christine’s death was an “absolute point” in time that needed to happen in order for him to start on his journey. Changing it through magic he only gained as a result of this incident leads to a paradox. Well, What If…?‘s head writer, AC Bradley, clarified in an interview that:

    I should have called it a Nexus point instead of an absolute point, but the Loki scripts weren’t even written yet.

    AC Bradley

    Considering the What If…? episode script was apparently written in February 2019, it makes sense that all of the future multiversal languages that the MCU ended up using would not have been universally used in other projects so far out. But the confirmation that Christine’s death was a Nexus Point connects the franchise with Loki and the event that created the multiverse. We’re currently exploring the aftermath of that very moment. It also gives us our first look at a Nexus Point occurring in one of the many timelines and how exactly it works. As Doctor Strange can tell you, it’s not all that easy or safe to find a loophole around one.

    Source: YouTube

  • New ‘WHAT IF…?’ Zombie Funkos Revealed

    New ‘WHAT IF…?’ Zombie Funkos Revealed

    As is per Disney+ tradition, we get brand new Funko Pops as the series continues to expand. The latest episode of What If…? gave us the darkest storyline yet, as Bruce Banner returned to a world invested with zombies. Even the title didn’t waste any time to get to the point of the latest entry. Now that the episode is out there, Funko has unveiled the brand new Funkos that include the zombified Captain America, Sam Wilson, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and Wanda Maximoff. Zombie Hunter Spider-Man also gets his own Funko.

    Marvel Studios found a creative way to balance the designs for Zombies that can work within a PG-13 setting. Yet, the series still includes some pretty brutal fatalities, as we see heads explore, zombies get cut in half, and so much more. We don’t see anyone getting eaten, with one planned exception by the Wasp, which might be the one aspect they couldn’t get past Disney+.

    In Europe and specific countries, Disney+ includes the STAR branding that adds some adult-themed projects to the service. So, while it is strange to see the Avengers fight zombies on the family-focused streaming service, some markets are also enjoying shows like The Walking Dead. Who knows if the popularity of this episode opens up for the service to explore darker avenues moving forward. Deadpool 3 will be our first R-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe project that might not find its way on the service. It’ll be interesting how it continues to grow as they explore new concepts.

    Source: Twitter

  • EXCLUSIVE: How ‘WHAT IF…?’s Composer Balances Dozens of MCU Themes

    EXCLUSIVE: How ‘WHAT IF…?’s Composer Balances Dozens of MCU Themes

    The MCU may not have the most consistent of iconic musical themes but when they’re iconic, they’re pretty damn iconic. A theme like the Avengers theme has penetrated the zeitgeist in the same way the Superman Donner theme has.

    Being an anthology show about the MCU, What If…? unifies all the themes together to create a tapestry of familiar yet unique sounds. At the center of this is composer Laura Karpman, who shared with us how she balances all the different sounds and melodies of the MCU.

    The great thing about all the themes is they have these wonderful handles you can just grab onto. You see Captain America, you hear Captain America’s theme, and then you move on. If you think about Endgame, that’s the way they’re handled. When somebody appears, you hear their signature, and then move on.

    This season’s Black Panther x Guardians of the Galaxy mashup is the prime example of just how a unified What If…? score could be. It meshes the best of both worlds; Ludwig Gorranson‘s hi-fi tribal soundtrack and Tyler Bates’ cosmic orchestral work. Karpman had this to say about that episode’s particular sound.

    For Episode 2, we took elements of Ludwig Goransson’s wonderful score for Black Panther. So you have a Roland TR-808 sound or an African flute and then you can layer that with the orchestral sounds of Guardians of the Galaxy. And it works in addition to the heist theme that I composed. The references to themes of the MCU are spices in a stew that is quite different.

  • The Hardest Thing About Making ‘WHAT IF…?’

    The Hardest Thing About Making ‘WHAT IF…?’

    Making a Marvel Studios property seems hard on so many levels and an animated show like What If…?, done in the vein of the big MCU films, looks like an impossible feat to accomplish. But the people behind the show do the seemingly impossible and pull off thrilling episodes on a weekly basis.

    In an interview we did with Animation Supervisor Stephan Franck, he shared with us what the toughest part of making What If…? is.

    There are different angles that we try to be mindful of. One of them is the continuity of these characters. Their vibe is well established in the movies and we really try to honor that in these new incarnations of the characters. Connecting to that is very important. Who’s a smartass? Who’s more earnest? Who’s more deadpan? All that stuff.

    Keeping characterization is one thing but making sure the action lives up to the million-dollar action sequences of Avengers: Infinity War or Captain America: The Winter Soldier is another thing. Franck notes that action is something they hone in on.

    We try to be very specific with the action. As you mentioned, the action is crazy and intense. The fighting styles are very specific. Those are things we always look out for making this show.

  • ‘NEW WARRIORS’ Showrunner Debuts Look at Squirrel Girl, Talks Cancellation

    ‘NEW WARRIORS’ Showrunner Debuts Look at Squirrel Girl, Talks Cancellation

    UPDATE: Biegel has since deleted his tweets.

    In April 2017, Freeform ordered New Warriors straight to series. Unfortunately, despite assembling a promising young cast and filming a pilot that received rave ratings, the series never moved forward at Freeform. Since then, fans have curiously awaited an answer as to why the show was not retooled or even moved to a different service. It would seem showrunner Kevin Biegel (Enlisted, Cougar Town) is ready to unveil details regarding the stalled project, including exactly what caused its sudden cancellation.

    Before Marvel Studios overtook Marvel Television, Marvel Comics’ teen heroes had overtaken the small screen thanks to Hulu (The Runaways) and Freeform (Cloak & Dagger). Which is why New Warriors seemed to be a great addition to the line-up when it was first announced. Unfortunately, as things would go, the series would not move forward despite having been ordered to series, and the rumored stellar pilot would go forever unseen. Thanks to Biegel, however, we at least have a chance to see what could have been.

    There’s a show we wrote a few years ago

    It was very very proudly gay

    A SINGULAR power that be killed the show.

    Because it was too gay.

    A rich, straight, Brentwood turd.

    He got fired for being vile at his company.

    We, on the other hand, live. #newwarriors

    In a late-night thread on Twitter on Wednesday, Biegel briefly hinted at why the show did not move forward, careful not to unveil any specific names. While Ike Perlmutter would seem to be the likely culprit, there’s also the possibility of Biegel’s comments being in reference to Jeph Loeb, who ran Marvel Television until Kevin Feige disbanded the division.

    In recent years, Loeb has been accused of inappropriate conduct, including racist behavior, as cited by Daredevil actor, Peter Shinkoda. The Nobu actor revealed Loeb’s racist remarks during a #SaveDaredevil appearance last year stating, “He said, ‘Nobody cares about Chinese people and Asian people.” Loeb, of course, was let go after Marvel Television dissolved with Kevin Feige overtaking the television arm.

    Biegel also shared a look at Milana Vayntrub as Doreen Green, aka Squirrel Girl, with Tippy-Toe atop her shoulder.

    While it’s doubtful the pilot will ever see the light of day, we at least have a sneak peek at what could have been. It’s just unfortunate we’ll never get to see his take on New Warriors ever truly realized.