Tag: Marvel TV

  • EXCLUSIVE: Marvel Studios ‘HAWKEYE’ Takes Aim at a New Start Date

    In early January, I broke the news that start of production on the Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series Hawkeye had been delayed indefinitely from it’s original July start. You can read the original, unaltered report in the link above, but I’ve cut and pasted the relevant parts below:

    Production on Marvel Studios planned Disney Plus series, Hawkeye, has been postponed indefinitely. Originally scheduled to begin production this July, the series has now been removed from the studio’s 2020 production schedule.

    While the news is sure to disappoint fans, the signs have been pointing towards a possible delay over the past several weeks. The studio has moved Ms. Marvel into an April start of production and is already casting for Moon Knight and She-Hulk, both of which will film ahead of Hawkeye, meaning that while we might not see the Avenging Archer when we thought we would, the big production wheel keeps on turning.

    We’ve seen plenty of evidence to suggest that the still young Disney Plus service is a little more fluid in it’s scheduling than we first thought. We’ve seen WandaVision moved into a 2020 release window, Ms. Marvel production shifted to August, a lot of back and forth on the Obi-Wan Kenobi series and now, the reintegration of production on Hawkeye into 2020. I have learned that Marvel Studios hopes to begin production on Hawkeye in September of 2020, after production begins on Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk and Moon Knight. Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk and Hawkeye are all expected to film primarily in Atlanta

    Image result for hawkeye concept art

    I will caution that, at this time, there is no specific date in September on which production is slated to begin and that the studio is open to sliding Hawkeye even a bit further down to road, but still hoping to begin production before the end of this calendar year. The studio has not yet agreed to terms with an actress for the role of Kate Bishop, though they are still hopeful they can find a way to work it out with Hailee Steinfeld.

    In this case, I want to make it very clear that the evidence for everything production related is something that is 100% verifiable by other sources and I expect that to happen very, very soon.

    So, there it is…Hawkeye’s indefinite delay looks to have become a little more definite and it has been pushed down the list a bit in terms of when it starts production. I’d also like to point out that a September start of production, if they do in fact make that timeline, could allow Hawkeye to air in the Fall of 2021, as first revealed at SDCC and that at no point did the original article about the indefinite delay on start of production make any claims about an altered release date.

    Stay tuned to Murphy’s Multiverse for the most accurate and up to date information on this situation.

  • What I Heard This Week: ‘LOKI’

    Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons. Typically, when the second scenario occurs, I move on and forget about the information unless, in rare instances, it turns out to be proven true somewhere down the road.

    A thing I heard this week: actress Angelica Ross was up for a role in the Disney Plus Marvel Studios series Loki.

    The nature of the role is interesting as it is said to be a strong supporting role (aka the actor/actress who landed it will be in every episode) and because the studio was open to having either a male or female in the role, which is described as a “strong leader.”

    The thing that I can’t be clear on is exactly what role it is. Earlier this week, a report indicated that Loki would feature Sera, a transgender angel associated primarily with Thor’s sister Angela. Given that Angelica Ross is a transgender actress, it’s easy to make the jump that this is the role she was up for, but there is no evidence to support such a conclusion at this time. Earlier this week, I reached out to representation for Ross to inquire about her association with this project, but at the time of publication, no response had been received.

    As for Ross, her Instagram stories indicate that she has landed a physically demanding role as she has been working overtime with a personal trainer. However, while filming on Loki has been ongoing for a couple of weeks, Ross has not been in Atlanta, casting a shadow on any suspicions that she did land the role given the fact that she should appear in every episode. That said, it takes several weeks to film one episode, so there’s still a chance Ross can show up on time.

  • What I Heard This Week: ‘LOKI’ Likely to Have Second Season

    Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons. Typically, when the second scenario occurs, I move on and forget about the information unless, in rare instances, it turns out to be proven true somewhere down the road.

    The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and WandaVision are deep into production with both series on schedule for late-Winter/early-Spring wrap parties. As those two productions start winding down, the third Disney Plus series, Loki, started production earlier this week just as I told you last week. With the start of production came confirmation of something we’ve been hearing about but, until now, I had never seen solid evidence of.

    Things I heard this week: actors being brought on board for lead and major supporting roles in Loki are having options for a possible second season written into their deals.

    Now it’s a fine line between what this does mean and what it does not mean. It does not mean that, as of today, I can confirm with 100% certainty that a second season of Loki will happen. I will say that there’s plenty of evidence which supports the idea that it’s a great possibility.

    The first indicator was the naming of the limited liability company Disney formed for Loki: Limbo Productions I LLC. The inclusion of the Roman numeral I means Kevin Feige had already given thought to a second season, which would be produced under Limbo Productions II LLC.

    Additionally, writers at other sites and “those in the know” have indicated they’ve heard rumblings about the potential for a second season of the show. Those are both great indicators, but for me, the FACT that contracts are being written to include the option is the most concrete indicator we could ask for.

    So, what this DOES mean is that Marvel Studios has developed a series that, if all things go smoothly, will not only dovetail into Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness and, possibly, Thor: Love and Thunder, but also leave some threads hanging that could be picked up again in Season 2.

    Overall, this is potentially great news for fans of Loki and Tom Hiddleston, but I’d caution against celebrating too hard just yet as there are still some moving parts that will have to mesh before it’s a certainty. That said, I’m told the studio is already looking into studio space in which to film Season 2 in 2021, so…there’s that. Things are looking good for the Son of Secrets.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Marvel Studios ‘HAWKEYE’ Series Delayed Indefinitely

    UPDATE: According to Verge reporter Julia Alexander, Disney reps have denied the veracity of this report, calling it “completely inaccurate.”

    Production on Marvel Studios planned Disney Plus series, Hawkeye, has been postponed indefinitely. Originally scheduled to begin production this July, the series has now been removed from the studio’s 2020 production schedule.

    While the news is sure to disappoint fans, the signs have been pointing towards a possible delay over the past several weeks. The studio has moved Ms. Marvel into an April start of production and is already casting for Moon Knight and She-Hulk, both of which will film ahead of Hawkeye, meaning that while we might not see the Avenging Archer when we thought we would, the big production wheel keeps on turning.

    Changes to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe necessitated the production delay, which is not the first delay on Hawkeye. The cascading changes, which will allow for some plot points of the larger, ongoing narrative of the MCU to be introduced ahead of the series, have moved Hawkeye quite a way down the production list and, quite possibly, out of 2020 entirely. An indefinite delay does not mean it’s the end for Hawkeye and might give time for Hailee Steinfeld, said to have been in negotiations for series co-lead Kate Bishop, to work out a way to fit the series into her schedule.

    Stay tuned for more on this story as it develops.

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ to Resume Production in a Caribbean Paradise

    After filming in and around Atlanta, Georgia for the past several months, production on Marvel Studios Disney Plus series, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, is set to move to a bit more “exotic” location when filming revs back up after the holiday break. When filming resumes after the holiday break, it will be in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico!

    Image result for beautiful puerto rico

    While work has begun on a film district in Puerto Rico, it is not expected to be complete until next Summer; however, films such as Bad Boys 2 and Fast Five and Captain America: Civil War have filmed on the island before.

    The studio has filed paperwork to shoot there under Pandemic Productions PR LLC.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Marvel Studios Disney Plus Series ‘MOON KNIGHT’ Set to Film in the UK

    With two shows already in production in Atlanta and two more set to follow in 2020, Marvel Studios will make the move to Pinewood UK to film Moon Knight.

    While no start date was given, it’s possible to deduce that the series could film in Pinewood in between the productions of Eternals (ending in early 2020) and Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness (expected to begin filming sometime in the summer of 2020), should all things remain on schedule. If that’s the case, we could be hearing casting news sometime early next month once Hollywood returns from holiday.

    With the confirmation of Ms. Marvel beginning production next April and the possibility of Moon Knight filming in the first half of 2020, it seems more and more likely that the Phase 4 slate as it was originally planned may be undergoing some restructuring and we may be getting a lot more Marvel Studios content in 2020 and/or 2021 than was originally believed.

    Filming in the UK allows for easier access to other locations abroad and given the importance of Egypt to the origin of Moon Knight, it’s very likely we’ll see the production move around, using Pinewood UK as the base camp and studio location while they fly to Egypt, or whatever location doubles as Egypt. As with all Marvel Studios productions, it’s possible it’ll film in various locations and could certainly shoot some scenes in Atlanta as well as locations all over the U.S. and Europe.

  • What I Heard This Week: ‘WANDAVISION’

    Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons. Typically, when the second scenario occurs, I move on and forget about the information unless, in rare instances, it turns out to be proven true somewhere down the road.

    With two different Disney Plus series under production at the same time, rumors are running rampant and while it’s a ton of fun to sort through them all, not all of them make a ton of sense; however, I recently came across one that, while unverified, makes a lot of sense. It’s important to understand that, because I can’t verify this with a second source, I myself am treating it as a rumor which means, for the time being, I don’t believe it myself. It’s also important to understand that the information provided would be spoilery if did turn out to be true. So please read at your own risk and please make an effort to represent what you’ve read here as nothing more than a rumor. This isn’t a “hot scoop”, at least not yet. For now, they it is nothing more than a compelling rumor that should generate plenty of great discussion among the MCU fan community. With that having been said, read ahead if you chose…

    Obviously I put out some information on WandaVision earlier this week that caused a bit of trouble; however, I’ve continued to hear all kinds of things about the show, but in an effort to be responsible, I’m holding on to the vast majority of the news which includes casting, character reveals and plot details. That said, there is something I feel comfortable sharing as a rumor because, if true, it confirms the suspicion of fans around the globe.

    Things I heard this week: Benedict Cumberbatch will be on set for the last week of filming for Wandavision.

    Image result for cumberbatch doctor strange ragnarok

    Since it was announced by Kevin Feige that WandaVision would tie into Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness and impact all of Phase 4 and that Elizabeth Olsen would appear the Strange sequel, fans have speculated about just exactly what that means and the timing of Cumberbatch’s scheduled appearance on set could give us some clues.

    WandaVision has been billed as part sitcom and part epic Marvel Studios spectacle. I was able to learn that the first half of the season would serve as the homage to classic sitcoms from different eras which means, by default, the second half will contain the big action pieces. Cumberbatch being on set for the last week indicates that he’s likely to only be appearing in the final episode and that can be very telling.

    It’s becoming very obvious that Kathryn Hahn’s Agnes is going to turn out to be Agatha Harkness and while a lot of folks are expecting her to be the villain of this piece, evidence from the comic books and from the set (stuff which unfortunately I cannot share) indicates otherwise.

    Up until now, Wanda, while incredibly powerful, has used the powers unlocked in her through experimentation at the hands of Doctor List under the watchful eye of Strucker. However, every time he’s had a chance to do so, Feige has indicated that this series will show us why Wanda is known as the Scarlet Witch and while he’s never elaborated on that statement, one can easily infer that it is because she will, under Agatha’s tutelage, enter into the world of the mystic arts.

    We’ve also heard rumors and seen evidence from Marvel Studios Expanding the Universe feature that Wanda and Vision will have children at some point during the series, children that, in the comics, are conceived magically.

    Image result for doctor strange wanda vision children

    In the source material, Wanda and Vision’s children, through a strange series of events, are taken away from the couple, Wanda’s memories of them are erased by Agatha and a series of events begins to unfold that ultimately leads to Wanda breaking down, losing control and altering reality.

    Since first appearing in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Wanda story has been one of tragic loss after tragic loss: her parents, her twin brother and her lover. The Wanda we saw in Avengers: Endgame displayed a lever of power hitherto unseen in her attempt to extract vengeance from Thanos; should she lose her children, she would certainly go over the edge. I am convinced this will happen and I believe, that as I revealed way back in the 4th episode of Murphy’s Law podcast, that the combination of Wanda’s powers and her newfound ability to use magic will result in her becoming powerful enough to alter reality by the end of WandaVision. And if the Scarlet Witch loses control and breaks reality, there is only one person who can be called in to try to remedy the situation: the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth, Doctor Stephen Strange.

    Image result for doctor strange scarlet witch comics

    The timing of the productions of WandaVision and Doctor Strange: Into the Multiverse of Madness have always been connected. With WandaVision not coming out until Spring of 2021, it seemed curious to some that it would start filming so early; however, as we’ve learned more about it, it’s beginning to seem obvious that it’s March wrap date was necessary to get Elizabeth Olsen and Benedict Cumberbatch’s work on the series done so they could head across the pond and begin work on the tie-in film. Cumberbatch only being on set for the final week of filming fits perfectly into this timeline and indicates that his role in the series, while more than a cameo, isn’t crucial to the central plot. It sounds very much like we’ll see WandaVision end on cliffhanger to be resolved when Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 7, 2021.

  • What I Heard This Week: ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’

    Every now and then I come across some information the veracity of which can be confirmed by a second source. What happens FAR more often is that I come across some information that while believable and from trustworthy sources, cannot be confirmed by other sources for various reasons. Typically, when the second scenario occurs, I move on and forget about the information unless, in rare instances, it turns out to be proven true somewhere down the road.

    With two different Disney Plus series under production at the same time, rumors are running rampant and while it’s a ton of fun to sort through them all, not all of them make a ton of sense; however, I recently came across one that, while unverified, makes a lot of sense. It’s important to understand that, because I can’t verify this with a second source, I myself am treating it as a rumor which means, for the time being, I don’t believe it myself. It’s also important to understand that the information provided would be spoilery if did turn out to be true. So please read at your own risk and please make an effort to represent what you’ve read here as nothing more than a rumor. This isn’t a “hot scoop”, at least not yet. For now, they it is nothing more than a compelling rumor that should generate plenty of great discussion among the MCU fan community. With that having been said, read ahead if you chose…

    Things I heard this week: Zola will make an appearance in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

    Could Zola be here? It’s possible, I guess. The man was obsessed with carrying on his work despite being diagnosed with a fatal illness and worked out a way to upload his consciousness into a computer. Of course the last time we saw him in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, his brain was destroyed when Camp Lehigh was bombed.

    Image result for mcu zola"

    It’s possible that Zola could have found some other means by which to preserve his consciousness, but I think there is another, more intriguing possibility and that is that this might not be Arnim Zola at all but, instead, his daughter Jet Zola.

    Image result for jet zola"

    First introduced in 2013’s Captain America Vol. 7, #1, Jet, and her brother Leopold/Ian, were created by Zola during his time in Dimension Z. Obviously we aren’t going down that crazy road, but it’s possible that the work we saw Zola begin in Captain America: The First Avenger that led to Bucky surviving his fall and becoming the Winter Soldier could have carried on during his time at S.H.I.E.L.D. Furthermore, it’s possible that Zemo could have discovered this work and follow up on it as he attempts to assemble his own super-powered squad of Thunderbolts.

    Crazy, I know, but this is why I share these fun rumors. Speculating on things like this give fans something to talk about even though we know we’ll be wrong far more often than we are right.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Josh Stamberg Joins ‘WANDAVISION’

    Actor Josh Stamberg (Nahsville, The Affair) has joined the cast of WandaVision in a small, supporting role as an FBI agent.

    While Stamberg’s role will be minor, he will likely be working alongside Randall Park’s Jimmy Woo as FBI agent (possibly joined by Teyonah Parris’s Monica Rambeau?) in the series. One might ask why the FBI might be involved in this show at all and what relationship, if any, Monica Rambeau’s powers might have to this series. Those would indeed be fine questions to ask.

    WandaVision is currently expected to air on Disney + during the spring of 2021.

     

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLIDER’ Will Introduce a New Bucky

    It appears that Marvel Studios is pulling no punches with its first Disney + series, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. As announced by Kevin Fiege at this past summer’s SDCC, the series will introduce John Walker, aka U.S. Agent, as a government sanctioned replacement for Steve Rogers, but it won’t stop there. I have learned that the series will also introduce Lemar Hoskins, aka Battlestar, as a partner to John Walker.

    Lemar Hoskins made his Marvel Comics debut alongside John Walker in 1986’s Captain America #323. When John Walker was introduced to the world as Super-Patriot, Hoskins, who served alongside Walker in the military, along with two other former military men calling themselves the Bold Urban Commandos staged an attack, providing Walker with the opportunity to save the day. The Bold Urban Commandos, or BUCkies continued to dish out vigilante justice against those whose ideals opposed their own.

    Hoskins, who like Walker gets superhuman strength from the Power Broker, continued working with the BUCkies as Walker’s popularity rose and his favor with the U.S. Government grew. In issue #333, Walker was appointed by the Government as the new Captain America and in issue #334, Hoskins was revealed as the new Government sponsored Bucky.

    Finally, in issue #341, Hoskins donned a new outfit and began calling himself Battlestar citing the racist connotations and origins of the word Bucky as the reason for the change.

    While we aren’t likely to get a direct adaptation of this origin story, it appears that Marvel Studios will be taking some cues from Mark Gruenwald’s Captain America run. Thanks to Instagram user “justbeachy4stacy”, I have gotten my hands on some set photos taken in Barnesville, Georgia that give us some insight into how Lemar Hoskins will be introduced in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Recent set photos taken of the Duluth High School football field indicate that Wyatt Russell’s John Walker will be introduced to the world via public reveal that may well be held in the town where he grew up. The following day, November 22nd, Russell was in Barnesville where the local grocery store was transformed into a flower shop: Hoskins Family Flowers.

    Russell filmed scenes both inside and outside the Hoskins’ flower shop where he paid a visit to an as yet unknown actor, believed to be pictured below:

    At this point we can only speculate that Walker is visiting his old friend to bring him on board with him. It’s possible that the we could see a reenactment of the staged attack when Walker is introduced at the football field, giving the newly anointed hero a chance to prove himself. It’s also possible that we’ll simply see Hoskins introduced as the new Bucky or as Battlestar. Whatever the case, it is simply awesome to see how deep showrunner Malcolm Spellman has dug to bring new characters to life.

    While we know we’re getting a deep dive into the lives of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, it’s becoming obvious that John Walker is not going to be one-note character. It’s important to remember that Walker is not the villain of this project and while he’s certain to come into conflict with Sam and Bucky, he is also doing his best to be an American hero at a time when he is sorely needed.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts on the inclusion of Lemar Hoskins in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Chime in below and let me know how you think the story will unfold.