Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel

  • REPORT: ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Runtime Is Among MCU’s Longest

    REPORT: ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Runtime Is Among MCU’s Longest

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been hyped up as potentially being one of the “biggest” MCU films of all time. The sheer scope of the multiverse and the endless possibilities that could stem from it are enough to draw quite an audience to the 28th Marvel Studios film.

    The Doctor Strange sequel has been tight-lipped with respect to many of the film’s key features including plot, antagonists, and possible cameos. While cameos are normally not discussed so heavily prior to a film’s release, Multiverse of Madness has stirred up countless rumors about which characters or universes might make an appearance. With all of that going on, it was easy to think that the film could have a particularly long runtime.

    According to the Brazilian ticketing website Ingresso, Multiverse of Madness will clock in with a reported runtime of 2 hours and 28 minutes. If true, that makes the sequel one of the top five longest MCU movies. At 148 minutes, it would boast the same runtime as Spider-Man: No Way Home, but be shorter than Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Eternals.

    While a film’s runtime tends to spark curiosity as to the contents of the film itself, it’s worth noting that a two and a half hours-long superhero flick is no longer seen as particularly long. This runtime places the Doctor Strange follows up as the shortest MCU film since Shang-Chi but is well shy of The Batman’s three-hour event.

    Fans can learn all of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘s secrets when the anxiously-awaited film is released on May 6.

    Source: Ingresso

  • ‘Halo’ Actor Pablo Schreiber Has Had Talks With Marvel, Including For Wolverine

    ‘Halo’ Actor Pablo Schreiber Has Had Talks With Marvel, Including For Wolverine

    In the age of competing intellectual properties and streaming services, the Microsoft video gaming brand Xbox is gearing up to bring one of its most iconic properties to live-action with Halo on Paramount+. American Gods actor Pablo Schreiber is set to star as Master Chief in the series. Like any leading role in an action project, Schreiber has been fancast in plenty of Marvel roles.

    Perhaps some good news for fans of the actor, apparently a Marvel role for Schreiber is not too far-fetched to dream about. During an interview with the Bingeworthy podcast, the Halo actor has has “a bunch of discussions” with Marvel over the years:

    Yeah. You know I’ve seen things pop up a lot. I’ve had a bunch of discussions with Marvel at different points in my career. We’ve never been able to find the right thing at the right time, but I’d certainly be open to that. But yeah it’s just staying open to the right path and I don’t know exactly what that is, but I’ll know it when I see it.

    Pablo Schreiber

    Schreiber, who is Canadian, even expressed interest in playing the MCU’s Wolverine. Notably, the actor mentions that he and Marvel “flirted” with the idea of that casting:

    Oh goodness yeah, well we flirted with that one for a while. That’d be fantastic, that would certainly be a dream casting. He’s actually my favorite hero, from a child he was always my favorite comic book. So I’ve had a long flirtation with that guy, so you know obviously that’d be a dream

    Pablo Schreiber

    Whether Schreiber is speaking about talks with Marvel for Wolverine purely in the past tense or not is not entirely clear, but it definitely notable that he speaks so highly of the potential role and implies he and Marvel have had somewhat of an ongoing relationship with Marvel throughout his career.

    While Wolverine is still very much viewed as Hugh Jackman’s character, X-Men characters are expected to make their way into the MCU now that Disney owns the film rights to the characters. Who exactly will take on the iconic role is unknown at this time, but Marvel clearly has been working on casting for some time. Schreiber will make his debut as Master Chief in Halo on March 24 on Paramount+.

    Source: Bingeworthy via The Direct

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer On Series’ Violence And Pushing the PG-13 Rating to its Limit

    ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer On Series’ Violence And Pushing the PG-13 Rating to its Limit

    Now only a week away, anticipation for Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight is at an all-time high. The series is expected to be a fairly unique installment of the MCU for several reasons. Notably, the series will take on mental illness with the titular character’s dissociate identity disorder, and Kevin Feige has suggested Moon Knight will be darker than the MCU at large.

    One particular aspect of the show that has been hinted at by Moon Knight’s creators has had fans on the edge of their seats for quite some time: violence. In some comic book iterations of the character, Moon Knight is abundantly brutal. Moon Knight head writer Jeremy Slater had some interesting things to say about the violence of the series at the red carpet premiere for Disney+’s MCU outing. Speaking to Variety, he stated:

    But I was like: ‘Let’s get as PG-13 as we possibly can, let’s give people some goosebumps, let’s have some violence in there that you may have never seen before in an MCU thing. And Marvel was so supportive of that. They were so cool about it.

    Jeremy Slater

    The fact that Moon Knight may have violence “never seen before in an MCU thing” is certainly an encouraging statement for those hoping the character refuses to pull punches. Still, the MCU has always been “PG-13”, and Slater also noted that the series is “appropriate for all ages“:

    I think it’s definitely appropriate for all ages, that was important to us. We didn’t wanna make something that was inaccessible to a big chunk of the MCU fan base. And we know that people watch these shows with their kids and with their families, and that’s important to people.

    Jeremy Slater

    It is a little confusing that Slater suggests that Moon Knight is appropriate for kids while also apparently bolstering violence that stands out in the MCU. It is not particularly surprising that Moon Knight would not be the first “R-rated” outing in the franchise, especially given the fact that Disney+ has only recently treaded into the water of trying to balance its family-friendly image while including some of its more mature properties on the streaming service.

    Fans can see just how violent Moon Knight is when the first episode premieres on March 30.

    Source: Variety via The Direct

  • Angela Bassett Says ‘Black Panther’ Sequel Will Be Better Than The Original

    Angela Bassett Says ‘Black Panther’ Sequel Will Be Better Than The Original

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has seemed to have had far more hurdles in its pre-production and production processes over the past couple of years than its predecessor or even its fellow MCU films. Between the tragic passing of star Chadwick Boseman and lengthy delays, the Black Panther sequel has persevered.

    With some fans worried about the franchise’s future, Queen Ramonda actress Angela Bassett has declared that Wakanda Forever will be even better than Academy Award Best Picture nominee Black Panther, and she went on to praise director Ryan Coogler:

    It’s going to be amazing. It’s going to top [the first] one. Can I say that? Marvel, can I say that?…[Ryan Coogler] was such an example, such a leader, an amazing talent — we all know that. Big heart, great intellect, and we just hope to raise his standard. It will be amazing. Our director Ryan Coogler. Writer. Director. Perfect leader.

    Angela Bassett

    To give a film such high praise nearly 8 months out from its release is certainly a big statement, especially when the film is being compared to the incredibly successful Black Panther. Some may be skeptical of Bassett’s declaration, particularly given the fact that the MCU’s current Black Panther, T’Challa, will not be in the film. Wakanda Forever is expected to significantly expand the roles of Letita Wright’s Shuri and Winston Duke’s M’Baku among others, and introduce major new Marvel characters to the MCU such as Tenoch Huerta’s Namor and Domique Thorne’s Ironheart.

    The film is certainly set to be larger in scale than Black Panther considering the fact that it is introducing Namor and Atlantis and paving the way for so many future MCU stories. Fans will have to wait and see how Black Panther: Wakanda Forever stacks up to Black Panther when the film is released on November 11, 2022.

    Source: The Direct

  • Ethan Hawke Says ‘Moon Knight’ “Could Be the Origin Story of a Larger Thing”

    Ethan Hawke Says ‘Moon Knight’ “Could Be the Origin Story of a Larger Thing”

    Despite the fact that the next Marvel Studios project, Moon Knight, arrives soon, fans are already wondering if or when they will see the titular character in future Marvel Cinematic Universe stories. Star Oscar Isaac has already confirmed that the Disney+ series is in fact a limited series, suggesting that a second season isn’t likely.

    Even if Moon Knight ends its run after six episodes, that probably has little bearing on whether the vigilante will be a part of more stories in the MCU down the line. The character already has plenty of momentum to join the Avengers or be a part of a potential future Midnight Sons team. Now, actor Ethan Hawke, who plays Moon Knight villain Arthur Harrow, has indicated that the character of Moon Knight may very likely be a part of something “larger” in the future:

    The good news is that it’s possibly both. It lives and breathes on its own merits, it functions as a limited series – and if people are engaged and excited by it then it could be the origin story of a larger thing.

    Ethan Hawke

    Hawke’s phrasing is certainy interesting as he not only suggests that Moon Knight’s future in the MCU could hinge on audience engagement, but also clearly believes that the character’s future could lie in something larger. This could be somewhat disocuraging news for anyone hoping to see Moon Knight extend the character’s solo adventures, but fantastic news for all those excited to see Marc Spector team-up with other characters in exciting new ways in the MCU’s future.

    Moon Knight’s first episode will premeire on Disney+ on March 30.

    Source: The Direct

  • Oscar Isaac Says Marvel Originally Wasn’t Sure His Take on ‘Moon Knight’ Would Work

    Oscar Isaac Says Marvel Originally Wasn’t Sure His Take on ‘Moon Knight’ Would Work

    Ahead of Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight Disney+ series, star Oscar Isaac has been open about how the titular role was one of the biggest challenges of his career. The actor has also shared that he had a large amount of input and influence when it came to developing the character of Moon Knight for the series. He recently told RadioTimes.com:

    [W]hat was amazing about Kevin [Feige] and everyone at Marvel is that there was a lot of faith and a lot of trust in my opinions about it, and my feelings about it…So like talking to [director] Mohamed [Diab] about where we wanted the story to go, getting Ethan [Hawke] to be part of it. And already, it started to become a very personal story.

    Oscar Isaac

    After wrapping up the series, Isaac is glad he got involved with the project and is happy with the result. But the actor says it was a major risk, and it took him quite some time to agree to Moon Knight. He went on to say “it was all reservations”:

    It was months of smashing my head against a stone wall like, ‘Is this the right thing to do?’ I thought, ‘I shouldn’t do it. Maybe maybe…I had just kinda got out of the whole, you know, big machinery of Star Wars. And I was like, ‘I just really want to do character studies. And I don’t know’…That’s the risk, sometimes you have an idea of what you want to do. And then something comes to you. And I just kept thinking about it.

    Oscar Isaac

    Interestingly enough, Isaac explained that his own take on the main character of Steven Grant differed significantly from Marvel’s original script. Not only that, but Isaac believes that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige felt like he was taking a risk on Isaac’s interpretation of the character:

    It wasn’t necessarily written that way at all. And so I thought, ‘OK, well, let me see what Kevin says about this.’ And so I had a meeting with Kevin, I said, ‘This is how I’d want to do it.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, OK, go for it. And it’s funny, because afterwards he told me they didn’t know what the hell I was doing. And they weren’t sure it was going to work at all. But you know, in the end I’m glad we did that, because everyone says it kind of makes the show.

    Oscar Isaac

    It is certainly interesting that Isaac noted that, for many, his portrayal of Steven Grant–which differs drastically from the comics–“makes the show.” Moon Knight’s and Isaac’s Grant seems to be a sort of awkward, British character, while the Grant from the comics is more of a classic millionaire playboy-type. The risk-taking on both Isaac’s and Marvel Studios’ sides definitely shows that the parties had faith in one another and thought working together would create something special. 

    Moon Knight’s first episode premieres on March 30 on Disney+.

    Source: RadioTimes.com

  • Samuel L. Jackson Says Nick Fury Will Return for ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania’

    Samuel L. Jackson Says Nick Fury Will Return for ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania’

    With so many Marvel projects in the works, it is easy to lose track of where some characters are in the universe and when we might see them reappear in the future. Case in point, all eyes have been on Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role as Nick Fury in the upcoming Disney+ series Secret Invasion. Given his conenction to Captain Marvel, it is no surprise that we are expecting to see Fury return in The Marvels as well.

    In a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused project, Jackson mentioned his role in both Secret Invasion and The Marvels, but he also appeared to confirm that Nick Fury will return yet again in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania:

    It used to take a while to make a movie. It still kind of does, but people make about two or three of them at the same time. In the Marvel universe, it’s crazy. When I was in London just now, there was Ant-Man and Captain Marvel 2 was happening and we were getting ready to do Secret Invasion. So it was like three Marvel movies on one lot. So I was kinda running around from place to place.

    Samuel L. Jackson

    Fury has been a staple of the MCU since its very first post-credits scene in Iron Man, so it is encouraging to see him as a mainstay in 2023, which will feature both The Marvels and Quantumania, and likely Secret Invasion as well.

    Not much is officially known about Quantumania yet, though recent set photos have shown a bit of Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang. With Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conquerer as the Villain and the Quantum Realm a major focus, the third Ant-Man film will likely get pretty wild. That makes Fury’s inclusion in the film so much more interesting considering he is generally a very grounded character. How his Skrull connections and Secret Wars arc will play into the greater MCU is an even larger question now than it was before. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is expected to hit theaters on July 28, 2023.

    Source: Happy Sad Confused via ComingSoon

  • Benedict Cumberbatch Improvised a Major Moment in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

    Benedict Cumberbatch Improvised a Major Moment in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’

    Spider-Man: No Way Home is no longer a secret. All of the surprises, cameos, details, and moments from the massively succesful film came to light when it was released in December. Three months later, the cast and crew are talking more about the making of the movie ahead of its digital release on March 15. While a lot of attention is still on Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s appearances as their respective Spider-Men, Benedict Cumberbatch has has plenty to say with respect to his experience on set and Doctor Strange’s role in the film.

    In an interview with Collider, Cumberbatch revealed that he improvised one of Doctor Strange’s most memorable moments and one of the film’s most emotional. While praising director Jon Watts’ ability to adapt, the actor described how he decided to alter the scene where Peter Parker chooses to have the world forget him:

    There was this one moment near the end of the film, where we were really trying to make that moment work, at the top of the Statue of Liberty. Tom [Holland] was having a tough time with the script, as it was before the reshoots. And then, we did the reshoots and I came up with this idea of, to show that I love him, I didn’t want him to make the sacrifice of being forgotten. He was like, ‘That’s gonna be in the film.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, cool. That’s great.’

    Benedict Cumberbatch

    The moment in No Way Home that Cumberbatch describes is a memorable one. While Doctor Strange spent much of the film as a somewhat stoic mentor or helping hand, the moment where he shows a sense of loss at the thought of forgetting Peter highlights the emotional tone of the ambitious movie and makes Peter’s decision all that more impactful. Cumberbatch also revealed that his interest in improvising was influenced by his time on the set of Avengers: Infinity War:

    You throw yourself out there in those huge sand pits. The remarkable thing I learned from Tom Holland and RDJ on Infinity War was seeing how at ease he was, just in improvising about Aunt May with Robert Downey Jr. He did this thing which wasn’t scripted at all. I’m quite a canon guy. It’s about the text for me. To be free with that and to have some maneuverability in it and to be able to improvise, and on such a large canvas, was a real eye-opener.

    Benedict Cumberbatch

    Fans can refresh their own memories of No Way Home when it makes its digital release on March 15. Audiences can also look forward to seeing more of Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters May 6, 2022.

    Source: Collider via The Direct

  • ‘Swiss Army Man’ Directors Passed On ‘Loki’ Season One Because of Another Multiverse Project

    ‘Swiss Army Man’ Directors Passed On ‘Loki’ Season One Because of Another Multiverse Project

    The multiverse is quite popular these days, for Marvel Studios and beyond. The Marvel Cinematic Universe kickstarted its own multiversal adventure in the finale of Loki’s first season, and it has already been followed up with What If… ?, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and soon Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The chaotic branching of timelines seen in Episode 6 of Loki may very well go down as one of the most iconic moments of the MCU, and the series as a whole was generally critically succesful as well.

    Director Kate Herron ultimately brought Loki to the small screen. However, apparently Marvel was in early talks with a directing duo who ultimately said no to the Disney+ series because of another multiverse project. Swiss Army Man directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert revealed the ironic twist of fate in an interview with IndieWire, as their multiversal project Everything Everywhere All At Once was in production about the same time:

    [Scheinhert] “There were meetings with Marvel about ‘Loki’ that we didn’t even take. We were trying to make our own multiverse movie,”

    [Kwan] “No, the meeting was set, and we went, but by the time we went we said we probably weren’t going to do it,” he said. “We were trying to shoot our own movie at the same time.”

    Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

    While the duo passed on Season One of Loki, the fact that they were in the mix at some point could mean that Marvel still has its eye on the directors for future projects. Still, the two expressed their doubts on working on an interconnected project, like those found in the MCU:

    “Then we can just throw out anything that’s not working. I respect people who are able to play in someone else’s sandbox but that’s kind of intimidating because if there’s a preexisting fanbase for a character, and a lore, a mythology and I’m not allowed to throw out something that’s not working, that seems hard.”

    Daniel Kwan

    Marvel Studios has clearly found great success with directors that were not already well-established blockbuster filmmakers. Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi and Captain America and Avengers franchise tentpoles Joe and Anthony Russo are a few of the biggest examples.

    Loki is confirmed for Season Two, and directing duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead are attached to the project. While it will be some time before it is ready for release, Mobius actor Owen Wilson said in February that production on the second season would begin soon.

    Source: IndieWire via The Direct

  • ‘Ironheart’ Actress Dominique Thorne Wraps Filming On ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    ‘Ironheart’ Actress Dominique Thorne Wraps Filming On ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

    The highly anticipated sequel to Black Panther will be bringing familiar faces back, but is also set to introduce new characters. One such character, Riri Williams, has a role in the film ahead of her solo series Ironheart. Now, the actress behind the character, Dominique Thorne has revealed that she recently finished production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever via an Instagram story. Check it out below:

    Instagram

    The actress was spotted on set back in August, where it looked like she was playing a college student at MIT. While Riri Williams’ true role in the Black Panther sequel has yet to be officially revealed, it is almost a given that it will in some way lead into her Disney+ series where she takes on the titular mantle of Ironheart. 

    First officially announced at Disney’s 2020 Investor’s Day presentation, the live-action show will follow the life of a genius, teenage MIT student Riri Williams as she invents her own high-tech suit of armor and follows in Tony Stark’s footsteps. While a release date for the series is unknown, we do know that Anthony Ramos, frequent Lin-Manuel Miranda collaborator and star of both In the Heights and Hamilton, has joined the cast of Ironheart in an undisclosed role. While fans wait for the series, they can look forward to Riri’s introduction in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is scheduled to release on Nov. 11, 2022.

    Source: Instagram via The Direct