Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel TV

  • RUMOR: Marvel Studios May Be Facing Creative Issues With ‘She-Hulk’

    RUMOR: Marvel Studios May Be Facing Creative Issues With ‘She-Hulk’

    Marvel Studios’ venture into Disney+ has been quite the success so far. While not every show was considered a massive hit right out of the gate, they still found their audiences and proved the studio is willing to experiment. WandaVision was quite the departure from their heroic tale, as they explored grief through the eyes of a superpowered individual. And it seems that there might be some concerns or worries behind-the-scenes with the upcoming adaptation of She-Hulk. Jeff Sneider has briefly discussed the topic on the latest episode of The Hot Mic With Jeff and John, where he highlighted some concerns that have been happening behind the scenes.

    I’ve heard not good things behind-the-scenes… and I’ve asked whether it’s Moon Knight or Ms. Marvel or Secret Invasion or any of these [projects], they are always like, ‘She-Hulk is the one that could be a problem.

    Jeff Sneider

    He goes on to make a comparison to the Guardians of the Galaxy films, which helps solidify this less than a quality issue but potentially just a project that sticks out from a creative direction.

    I’ve heard it from people working on it, from people actually working on it who are just like, ‘We’ll see.’ I think that’s a lot of Marvel things, honestly, and you know where it’s just like, ‘Ugh, this could be really stupid, like we’ll see.’ I’m sure people making Guardians of the Galaxy felt that way, right? And most of the time [Marvel] pulls it out. But there will come a time where they won’t, that’s just the laws of moviemaking, the laws of numbers.

    Jeff Sneider

    The “laws of numbers” comparison is a bit curious, as that is more in overabundance leads to mediocrity if you stick too much to put out the same thing; a common provocation in the discourse surrounding the MCU. In this case, it sounds like they are trying to break away from the norm as Guardians did some time ago. He does add that it “is not shaping up to be very good” but there have been those kinds of rumors in the past, especially the more the studio departed from its usual fare. For now, the bigger showcase will be as we close in on its release which is still some time away. Some of the concerns could also be due to the CG-heavy reliance on a character like She-Hulk and Hulk on a smaller budget. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see.

    Source: YouTube via The Direct

  • James Gunn Teases Runtime of ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ 

    James Gunn Teases Runtime of ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ 

    This Christmas, Marvel Studios will debut its first-ever holiday special in the form of the aptly titled The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. The project will be new territory for the production company, which has previously stuck to making feature films, television shows, and short films called “One-Shots”. As such, many fans have found themselves in the dark on just how long the Holiday Special will be.

    Debates have been raging as to whether the final runtime will match a series episode or be closer to the aforementioned short films. Luckily, director James Gunn has opened up about the topic on Twitter, revealing the special will be about the same length as the traditional programs that have come before it.

    https://twitter.com/jamesgunn/status/1507537666656686085?s=21

    While he doesn’t give the exact runtime, Gunn’s comments about the Holiday Special being “TV Special length” would seem to confirm it being somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour-long. Old fashioned animated specials like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving have been at the half-hour range, while live-action projects like the Star Wars Holiday Special have clocked in at around an hour and a half. This means, at the very least, fans can expect the special to be longer than a One-Shot, and probably closer in length to an episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

    For anyone thinking ahead, this could also be a good indication of how long Michael Giacchino’s rumored Halloween Special will last upon its completion as well. It seems Marvel plans to make holiday-themed specials a recurring concept going forward, and Gunn’s wintery extravaganza will likely set the standard later this year.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Will Introduce Multiple New Characters to the MCU

    ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Will Introduce Multiple New Characters to the MCU

    We have quite a few exciting MCU projects on the horizon that will continue to expand the franchise in creative ways. Not only that, but they are also starting to try out new expansions such as a Halloween and Christmas special later this year. While both are currently filming, Gunn has recently offered a few teases of what’s to come. He also shared a few details on Twitter as a follow-up, he teased what we can expect from the project such as that the upcoming Disney+ Holiday special will introduce not just one but multiple new MCU characters.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1507546334387126274

    Of course, this opens up a lot of potential questions on who we might expect. As it is a Christmas special, we have jokingly wondered if we’ll see the MCU’s incarnation of Santa Clause. In the comics, he’s an actual character that exists. If Khonshu is a real being so why couldn’t old Saint Nick also make an appearance? Plus, he may be the first MCU-based mutant to get introduced into the franchise. If we exclude the upcoming appearance of Patrick Stewart‘s Xavier who was briefly teased in the last Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer.

    The most difficult connection to make is if the story is going to remain in space or be earth-based. Star-Lord making his way back home to visit his family would be a nice way to bring a Christmas story together, as he also faces his own family. With the upcoming Vol. 3 teased as the final entry for the team, or at least its current roster, there’s a chance that this might be his only chance to also make up for running away. We briefly saw his grandfather appear in the second entry. It would be nice for him to face his family and maybe even visit his mother’s grave after the events of the last film. He was already on Earth with the battle against Thanos. So, it’s time to face his demons in the holiday spirits.

    Source: Twitter

  • The Witch’s Road: What’s Next for Wanda Maximoff

    The Witch’s Road: What’s Next for Wanda Maximoff

    One could argue that few characters have had a more difficult and emotionally scaring tale told in the MCU than Wanda Maximoff. To date, Wanda’s story has been heavily shaped by loss: her brother, her love and, most recently, her twin sons. Despite the loss, Wanda has perseverated, however, and after 4 major film appearances and the Disney Plus series WandaVision, she’s only just starting to truly understand who she is.

    First introduced in a post-credit scene to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Wanda’s origins were explained briefly in Avengers: Age of Ultron where it was explained that she, and her twin brother, Pietro, were given powers as a result of experimentation with the Mind Stone at the hands of Baron Strucker. In true comic book fashion, that origin was heavily retconned in WandaVision when it was revealed to Wanda that she had always possessed the ability to wield Chaos Magic-an ability that was simply enhanced by the Mind Stone-as she was the embodiment of the mythological Scarlet Witch, a being capable of spontaneous creation. Already incredibly powerful, Wanda began her studies of the Darkhold, a book which not only prophesied her ascension to a level of power great than that of the Sorcerer Supreme, but also her destruction of the world. This is the Wanda fans will next see in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and she’s a far cry from the orphan first introduced in 2015.

    Unsurprisingly, her path in the MCU is deeply-rooted in Marvel Comics. While she was once the mutant daughter of one of Marvel’s most powerful villains, modern day Wanda’s comic book story, like her MCU counterpart, has been heavily retconned. No longer a mutant, Wanda is a born witch whose powers were amplified by scientific experimentation, though in the comics it was the High Evolutionary who did the work. Her powers were inherited from her mother, the previous holder of the title “Scarlet Witch” and her maternal grandfather, the “Scarlet Warlock.” This “new” family history was explored in James Robinson’s Scarlet Witch solo series, which ran for 15 issues from December 2015 through February 2017, a series which fans of the character may wish to explore, or reexplore, as they prepare for the character’s post-MOM chapter.

    While we haven’t seen her character arc in Multiverse of Madness unfold just yet, the trailers and plot rumors have given us a good sense of what to expect in the film: Wanda’s continuous studies of the Darkhold, where she seeks for an answer of how to get her sons back, have corrupted her and, in combination with her incredible powers, made her a threat to anyone who might stand in her way. Without delving too deeply into spoilers, it’s safe to say from the trailers that she’s not necessarily there to support Stephen Strange. Skipping through that heavy spoiler territory, recent rumors have her surviving the film and appearing in a pair of projects over the next several years. The firsts of those projects, a solo Scarlet Witch project, is rumored to go into production at some point in 2023 and could well be an adaptation of Robinson’s Marvel Comics’ series.

    Such a story would certainly further into her past, only briefly glimpsed in flashbacks in WandaVision, and potentially involve the return of Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness, a witch whose long life-span would make her perfectly suited to lead Wanda through further explanation of her true nature: after all, fans only know that Wanda IS the Scarlet Witch, but not what the really means about her outside of being extraordinarily powerful. In the comics, Wanda’s journey lead her to the Witches’ Road, an alternate plane of existence accessible only to powerful mages, where she faced numerous dangers and discovered the true nature of Chaos magic and witchcraft.

    Robinson’s solo series is a wonderful character study that is ripe for adaptation in the MCU. It would allow for all sorts of interesting characters to be introduced and all sorts of wild visuals and explorations. It could also, if done correctly, lead Wanda down one very specific road that leads to another incredibly powerful magic user…but that’s a story for another day, or for the adaptation of The Children’s Crusade.

  • BREAKING: ‘Moon Knight’ Writer Sabir Pirzada to Adapt a ‘Nova’ Project for Marvel Studios

    BREAKING: ‘Moon Knight’ Writer Sabir Pirzada to Adapt a ‘Nova’ Project for Marvel Studios

    After being one of the longest rumored characters to get a solo project, Deadline has finally revealed that Richard Rider, better known as the intergalactic hero Nova, will be getting his own project. Marvel Studios is developing the adaptation but there are no details if this will be a Disney+ series or a solo film outing. As per usual, Kevin Feige will take on the producing role while Moon Knight writer Sabir Pirzada is attached to pen the project. The project has been teased for quite some time, and many rumors made the rounds on a potential project being in development. Deadline’s Justin Kroll did highlight that sources seem to indicate this is very likely a limited series heading to Disney+.

    While the article highlights Richard Rider as the potential main character, there’s a chance that it’ll focus on Sam Alexander. As the name implies, he is part of the Nova Corp but unlike the others we’ve seen in Guardians of the Galaxy, he has superhuman abilities. A special helmet was passed on to his son after his apparent demise, which gave him the same abilities as his father. With the Young Avengers on the horizon and the apparent destruction of the Nova Corp, they may skip straight to the legacy aspect of the character similar to what Ant-Man did when it focused on the second generation holder of the mantle.

    Source: Deadline

  • RUMOR: Emilia Clarke’s ‘Secret Invasion’ Character Revealed

    RUMOR: Emilia Clarke’s ‘Secret Invasion’ Character Revealed

    Though plenty of set photos and videos were captured during its production, much of Secret Invasion has stayed a secret. Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn and Cobie Smulders are all reprising their respective MCU roles in the Disney Plus streaming series, but little is known about who the rest of the cast will be playing in the paranoia-thriller.

    Olivia Colman, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Christopher McDonald and Killian Scott have all been cast in undisclosed roles, but no member of the cast has drawn more interest and generated more speculation than Emilia Clarke. Fan theories have had her as everyone from Jessica Drew to Abigail Brand, but now a rumor from a source who has proven reliable in the past points in a different direction. If you’re hoping to avoid spoilers, turn away now…

    Why You Should Be Excited About the Upcoming Secret Invasion Series on Disney+

    According to Reddit and Twitter scooper My Time to Shine Hello, Clarke is portraying a character who played a major role in the Secret Invasion comic book event upon which the streaming series will be based.

    In the comics, Veranke was the Skrull Empress and the mastermind of the Skrull invasion of Earth. Veranke famously simmed Jessica Drew, aka Spider-Woman, and used her to sow discord among the Avengers in the period leading up to the invasion.

    Set footage from the UK showed Clarke’s character had some familiarity with Maria Hill, but also showed her seemingly working with Ben-Adir’s unknown Skrull villain, so while her identity as Veranke is important, it’s only half the story. The identity of the human character she has chosen to sim will prove to be just as important to the plot of Secret Invasion, which seems set to stream in 2023.

  • ‘Reservation Dogs’ Director Sydney Freeland Confirms Involvement in Marvel Studios ‘Echo’

    ‘Reservation Dogs’ Director Sydney Freeland Confirms Involvement in Marvel Studios ‘Echo’

    In December, we connected the dots and speculated that Reservation Dogs director Sydney Freeland might be attached to direct Marvel Studios streaming series Echo. It seems now that there’s no doubt that Freeland is attached to the show as she has spread the word of a casting search via her Instagram account.

    The post, which calls for background actors with a focus on Native American, First Nations and Indigenous Peoples, confirms that the streaming series is prepped and ready to begin production next month in and around Peachtree City, Georgia. With that start of production just a month away and no news on who will direct the series, Freeland remains THE top candidate, especially now that she’s confirmed her involvement. Marvel Studios has used multiple directors for some projects, so it’s not clear if Freeland will be the project’s only director.

    Echo will flesh out the story of Maya Lopez, who first appeared in the MCU in 2021’s Hawkeye. The series has been looking to fill nearly a half-dozen lead role with Native American talent, such as Graham Greene, who recently joined the project, and it’s expected to see Lopez spend some time in a small town while tangling with some mid-level thugs. The series has yet to be given a release date, but a mid-2023 debut seems likely.

  • Oscar Isaac Looking Forward to Bringing the Midnight Sons to the MCU

    Oscar Isaac Looking Forward to Bringing the Midnight Sons to the MCU

    With the debut of Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight just under two weeks away, star Oscar Isaac is already looking ahead to the future of the character. The series, which was recently screened by critics, is said to have very little connective tissue to the rest of the MCU, allowing it to explore some new ground. Without ties to Captain America, Captain Marvel, Thor or the Hulk, Marc Spector is free to make his own friends down the road.

    In an interview with The CineGeek, Isaac was asked about which friends he would like to see Moon Knight make down the road, and his answer will make comic fans FIRED up:

    Interviewer: “My last question: I’d like to see Moon Knight with two other Avengers characters. Which two characters would you like to have as teammates?“

    Isaac: “The truth, for me, more than the Avengers, is the Midnight Sons. Imagine, with Punisher, Ghost Rider, Daredevil… I think that would be a very interesting group.“

    Fans have been clamoring for the arrival of the Midnight Sons, a team of heroes who take on some of the darker, more supernatural threats in Marvel Comics, since the announcement of the Moon Knight project. Isaac is certainly no stranger to the team and lists off the makings of an interesting squad, including Daredevil, who was once rumored to make a cameo appearance in Moon Knight.

    The team has always been a bit of a revolving door, but if there is one character associated with it most often, it’s another one name dropped by Isaac: Ghost Rider. Rumors of Marvel Studios circling an actor for the role of Ghost Rider have kept the character in the discussion and Isaac naming him here will only keep it going.

  • Deep Thoughts: Hypothetical Marvel Studios 2024 Release Calendar, V1

    Deep Thoughts: Hypothetical Marvel Studios 2024 Release Calendar, V1

    With so much uncertainty remaining about exactly when which projects will stream in 2022, and only some known quantities for 2023, it would be crazy to start thinking about 2024. Without further delay, here’s a look at what Marvel Studios’ 2024 release slate COULD be.

    Marvel Studios has not acknowledged the existence of this Hulk project; however, KC Walsh broke the news publicly in October of 2021, supporting information shared with Murphy’s Multiverse 3 months prior. While it seems like a safe bet to be the first 2024 film, given Walsh’s info that it will film in late-2022, all that can be done now is to make a wild prediction that it’ll land here.

    As discussed at length here, Charlie Cox is going to be included in a lot of Marvel Studios projects over the next several years. It’s been great for Cox to take off the gloves lately and start discussing his future more and more and, as recent reports have indicated, a Daredevil solo project is among those. At the moment, it looks like that one could go into production as soon as late 2022 or early 2023, but with an already packed 2023, it’s reasonable to expect Daredevil hits Disney Plus in 2024.

    The news that Shawn Levy had signed on to take the wheel for Deadpool 3 and the lack of news about other theatrical projects put this one firmly on the board for 2024. Fans are rightly curious about exactly what to expect from this film, but with the writers from the first two films getting a pass at the script, a steady flow of dick jokes is probably on the menu.

    While the title of this series is up in the air, from a simple Okoye to a more indicative Midnight Angels, it’s expected that it will spin directly out of the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and possibly focus on not only Okoye but also a group of elite Dora Milaje warriors on a VERY special mission. Ryan Coogler has created expansive mythology connected to Wakanda and this series should explore more of that while setting up the future of the franchise.

    At one point, this film was on the docket to film in 2021. Recently, Murphy’s Multiverse was informed that production was officially postponed until 2023, putting it among the top contenders for a 2024 release. Thematically, Cap 4 could tie into a number of Marvel Studios projects, including Armor Wars and the Okoye-centric series. Could this be the beginning of a New Avengers team in the MCU?

    2024 is the 60th anniversary of Wanda’s first appearance, so what better time for her first solo project to debut? Recent rumors of a solo project The Scarlet Witch seem to be supported by multiple sources and word of a 2023 start of production has reached our ears. A Fall release would align the series with the Autumnal Equinox, one of several major celebrations for Wiccans. Let’s put it here for now.

    A late-2023 start of production for this one falls in line with more than a decade’s worth of data that indicates Marvel Studios likes to give creatives a 2-year window from green light to film. Destin Daniel Cretton, who helmed Marvel Studios’ best origin story since Black Panther, is back for the sequel and should benefit from Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi dropping in here and there in between films.

    Discussed a couple of times in the most recent 2023 hypothetical calendar, the ability for Marvel to synergistically link theatrical releases to streaming series is a powerful marketing tool. With that tool in the toolbox, a beautiful bridge could be built from Shang-Chi 2 to a Xialing-centric The Ten Rings series. Could the two projects blow open the door for some other hidden cities to enter the MCU?

    Note: The latest version of our hypothetical 2023 calendar can be found right here.

  • New ‘Ms. Marvel’ Merch Teases New Jersey Avengercon

    New ‘Ms. Marvel’ Merch Teases New Jersey Avengercon

    While we have gotten a few teases in the first Ms. Marvel trailer, merchandise has found its way online featuring a print that confirms the event all about Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. It also seems to tease various events that visitors can try out during their visit like Hulk’s Rage Room, which are actually real things that you can visit–just without the Hulk branding. Of course, as it is Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel also gets highlighted as the “Cosmic Avenger.” The other posters also offer a better look at her new costume for the series, highlighting some doodles we saw from her active imagination in the trailer. The photos were found by @TimmyTakout.

    It’ll be interesting to see what other merchandise might find its way online, as something like Avengercon seems like the perfect idea to build creative merchandise around. It’s ironically not the first time such an event was used to introduce Ms. Marvel’s transformation into a superhero, as Marvel’s Avengers used a similar concept with A-Day. It’s funny to see two creative teams build a similar concept for their adaptation of the character.

    The first trailer has teased an exciting slice-of-life meets superhero series that’ll explore what it’s like to be a teenager wanting to become a hero. We still don’t know if any Avenger will make an appearance in the series, as you’d think one would appear during an event called Avengercon. Maybe they include some fun Easter eggs, like an actor that voices Iron Man or Captain America on an animated series to poke fun at the many Variants that are out there. We’ll see if the next trailer might offer a closer look at Avengercon.

    Source: Hot Topic via Twitter