Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Marvel

  • ‘Eternals’: Closer Look at Celestials Leaks Online

    ‘Eternals’: Closer Look at Celestials Leaks Online

    Marvel Studios broke the silence on Shang-Chi recently with a brand new trailer. It has been the first trailer for a new film in the franchise since Black Widow’s last year. We haven’t seen anything from Eternals even though it was originally going to release at the end of last year. So, most of our knowledge about the film stems from various leaks, especially revolving around toys and artwork. Well, it seems that trend continues as another leak offers a closer look at some of the Celestials that will be showcased in the upcoming film through user @EternalsTalks.

    In the comics, the Celestials are the beings that created the race of Eternals and that will carry over into the films. It is uncertain how large their role will be, but they will give us our first glimpse at the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We did meet the head of one in Guardians of the Galaxy. So, we might even get the story of how KNowhere ended up becoming what it is today.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Captain America 4’ in Development

    ‘Captain America 4’ in Development

    It looks like Falcon and the Winter Soldier was simple the interlude, as The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Captain America 4 is in development. The film will pick up where the Disney+ series left off with Sam Wilson taking on the new role. Falon’s head writer Malcolm Spellman is penning the script with staff writer Dalan Musson. Now, they couldn’t divulge any more information other than that the new film is in development. It is likely that Anthony Mackie will take on the mantle continuing from the season finale.

    It is uncertain if it might be the grand return of Chris Evans in some form, whose absence was never given much information outside of “being gone.” There is also the potential return of Wyatt Russel‘s John Walker, who held the mantle in the series. The season explored the

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Marvel Studios, Disney Plus and the Art of the Cameo

    Marvel Studios, Disney Plus and the Art of the Cameo

    Ever since Disney+ was announced that Marvel Studios made it extremely clear that the streaming service would become a pivotal part of their future going forward. Many reasons make this paradigm shift a game-changer for the MCU, but one of the most interesting ones is the possibility of having a larger number of relevant characters interacting on-screen, cross-pollinating the various projects. Characters that if Marvel Studios had stuck to feature films probably wouldn’t even have the chance to show up at all.

    What the extended screen time and the weekly episodic format ended up causing was a constant increase in the expectations these possibilities allowed for. Be it because cast and crew hinted at big things to come in upcoming episodes or simply because fans’ theorizing became the norm, it seemed to be possible for everyone who’s anyone in the Marvel Universe to make a surprise appearance in some shape or form. Reed Richards, Mephisto, Wolverine, everyone was fair game. Until they weren’t. Now with both WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in our rearview mirror, we can safely say that that’s a good thing.

    Just like with the characters and locations that we did get, the absences themselves have shown us how Marvel Studios has been all about the particular story being told. Living mostly in the moment and only looking towards the future in ways that don’t weaken the plot. These “surprise appearances” always tended to serve at least one of two purposes. Either they helped move the story along with previously introduced elements (which helped not making them feel too forced), or they subtlety introduced new elements that laid the groundwork for something sure to pay off down the line. But there was a line that was never, ever crossed: Not a single introduction, not a single “surprise”, had the power to overshadow the true focus of the show.

    It would have been fairly easy to make Reed Richards the friend Monica Rambeau kept referring to in WandaVision. That is if you don’t consider the issue of eventually rushing the casting process of a character that is sure to spearhead the MCU for the next decade, of course. Everybody would have loved it, there would be articles written on how the MCU was as big as ever and that Phase 4 was off to an impressive start. But it would also mean that Monica’s journey would be undermined, by asking less of the character from then on, thus limiting what it had to offer. In the end, it would be making WandaVision worse by changing what audiences would be caring about. The same with introducing Mutants, or almost any mutant for that matter, in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as Sam and Bucky entered Madripoor. It would have turned the show on its head, moving away from the relationship between the two and centering audiences’ not on the “old and dusty” characters but on the “new and shiny” mutants that everybody seems to love.

    This way, subtlety introducing someone like Eli Bradley or adding Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to the mix proves to be a much better option, both by the possibilities it opens up and the “Who’s that?” 99% of audiences asked themselves when she presented herself, all but assuring their interest was peaked but that their focus would remain on Wilson, Barnes, Walker, and Karli. This is their story, their time to shine. Other characters might step into the frame, but the stage should always be theirs.

    We’ll likely continue with this modus operandi in the upcoming Loki series, especially when introducing characters that only later on, in streaming shows and movies alike, will take center stage and become household names for the casual viewer. But for now, it’ll be Hiddleston‘s show, and any special appearance coming our way will be anything but gratuitous, serving the story first and foremost, without much concern for whatever mind-bending, and often lackluster theories might surface at the time. 

    Marvel Studios could be giving us new characters every single week, and the legacy characters would still manage to increase the amount of screen time they have had for the last ten years. The fact that it isn’t doing so, and that it’s taking its time, is perhaps the biggest selling point towards the bright future the MCU has ahead of itself.

  • Theory Thursday: The Future of the MCU

    Theory Thursday: The Future of the MCU

    On December 10th, 2020, Kevin Feige gave a presentation during Disney Investor Day that provided an in-depth glimpse at the next few years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The presentation showed a mixture of returning characters appearing in solo projects or team-ups, as well as new superheroes joining the ranks. With the introduction of many different superheroes and teams, speculation began to spiral: When the next Endgame event is coming? As once discussed by Kevin Feige and James Gunn, some speculated that the MCU was turning to the cosmos and the next big event would be inspired by Annihilation. Others believed that the story that was being laid out was headed towards Secret Wars. While I agree that this feels like the natural progression, there are more intimate stories that should come first. Exploring these stories, viewers would feel they earned the Secret Wars’ pay-offs.

    Inhumans vs. X-Men

    Inhumans vs. X-Men Complete Event Reading Order

    Two of the announced projects and beyond set this event up by introducing both teams and concepts required for telling this story. Ms. Marvel, due to arrive on Disney+ later this year, is bringing the first Inhumans to the MCU. In the comics, Kamala Khan receives her powers from a Terrigen Cloud that activated the Kree DNA in her genetic code. With Ms. Marvel’s introduction into the MCU, other Inhumans like the Royal Family will finally be able to make their proper way onto the screen. As well, At SDCC 2019 Feige announced that “The Mutants are coming”, but with no other information surrounding them since then, their projects may still be far off. It could even be the end of phase five or six before we see a full X-men team-up. However, with both parties on their way, Inhumans vs. X-Men could be the next team-up event.

    In the comic event series, the Terrigen Cloud that gave Ms. Marvel her powers was released across the globe due to a Terrigen Bomb going off. This cloud gave many Inhumans powers across the global, but also caused Mutants to get sick. It killed off large portions of their population, causing mass panic among those infected. The Mutants wished to destroy the cloud leading to a division with the Inhumans who did not support their actions. To give justice to the story, many aspects need to develop before the clash occurs. The Inhumans, the Royal Family, and Attilan, The Inhumans City, need to be established explored. With their rich heritage and culture, there are plenty of stories to explore in their own series or movies, A catalyst event also needs to occur that would cause the release of the Terrigen Cloud. It does not make narrative sense to show this in Ms. Marvel as it would severely limit potential stories that could be told. While it occurred in response to the events of Secret Wars in the comics, an event Disney+ show such as The Death of the Inhumans may be a better place to explore this story. The MCU also needs time to properly explore the mutants, both individual characters and eventually the team, and establish why viewers should care about their imminent demise. This could play out as either a series on Disney+ or a movie.

    Civil War II

    Marvel reveals the two sides of Civil War II - Blastr

    Following the establishment of the Inhumans vs. X-Men, the team behind the MCU could move on to another fight. Civil War II centers around the introduction of an Inhuman who can predict the future. Captain Marvel wishes to use these powers to stop threats by arresting the culprits before they commit them, essentially removing their agency. Tony Stark is opposed to this plan, which causes a clash amongst Avengers. The groundwork will be laid through Ms. Marvel and the eventual Terrigen Cloud that will show up in the MCU. As for the role of Tony Stark, Sam Wilson or Doctor Strange could replace him as the moral compass of the group. Another character that would need to be established would be Miles Morales. Peter Parker could play the part; however, removing Miles Morales feels cheap and may anger many fans. To allow the previous event to play out and establish Miles in the MCU, it would make sense that this event would not arrive until the end of phase six or even early phase seven.

    Avengers vs. X-Men

    10 Reasons Why Avengers Vs X-Men Is Marvel's Most Underrated Event

    At first, I struggled to place this event in the narrative being established leading up to Secret Wars but ultimately decided that it would make the most sense as the finale in this trilogy. The comic series tells the story of the return of the Phoenix Force, a threat in the eyes of the Avengers. Many of the X-Men hold the Force together and use it to create a society a better society. Feige could drastically change story details, but they would need more time to establish the Phoenix Force if he were to stay true to the basic concept. We have seen the Phoenix Force twice in movies and so we might not need to establish it. We would need enough time to pass after Inhumans vs. X-Men to explore integral X-Men stories before this one can be told. So, at the earliest, it should be sometime in Phase Seven.

    Once the vs. trilogy is told in its entirety, the teams of the MCU will be fractioned. And through the chaos, Secret Wars would begin and bring our heroes back together to face the end of days.

  • UPDATE: First Look at ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ MCU Skin for Professor Hulk Leaked

    UPDATE: First Look at ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ MCU Skin for Professor Hulk Leaked

    UPDATE: Well, it looks like that MCU skin might be real after all, as user @VWarrior31 shared the new skin animated within the game. If this is a fake, someone really invested a lot of time to trace those movements so there is a good chance this MCU skin is real.

     

    We’ve known for some time that the first set of Marvel Cinematic Universe-inspired skins will be released in May alongside Marvel’s Avengers Red Room Takeover event. The team has been sharing their excitement for the new skins in their developer streams and we were going to potentially get the first look this week. Well, it looks like we truly did get the first look but not in the dev stream as originally planned. A Reddit user shared the first look at a costume ripped straight from Avengers: Endgame‘s Professor Hulk costume. @AssembleCast and @DammitEthan noticed the similarities to the Hot Toys figure, which gave a closer look to the full-body suit on Twitter and brought it to my attention.

     

    Professor hulk MCU skin glitch (not mine originally but from a user on another forum)
    byu/nhillier inPlayAvengers

     

    Now, it seems that a strange visual glitch created the suit. There is a possibility that the original skin and the developed MCU skin might be connected through code, which led to this activating. Yet, it could be that someone invested a lot of time to replicate the costume. So, we have to take it with a grain of salt for now. Crystal Dynamics might still give us a first look this Friday. So, we will see if they confirm this costume. It still looks believable as its lighting matches the other characters. There is no similar skin to readjust to turn it into this MCU’s version. If this design turns out to be real, it hopefully will relieve many people’s fear of the “inspired” word used in the roadmap. It seems pretty accurate to the films, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Marvel Studios signs off on the usage of these designs. Here’s hoping we get a better look at others soon.

    Source: Reddit, Twitter

  • Drafting The ‘Armor Wars’ Rogue’s Gallery

    Drafting The ‘Armor Wars’ Rogue’s Gallery

    We still don’t know much about Marvel Studios Armor Wars. We only know that Don Cheadle reprises his role as War Machine, and the series would deal with the death of Tony Stark. His worst nightmare has finally arrived when his technology falls into the wrong hands. When Kevin Feige uttered that sentence, it opened up a world of possibilities. The character still features a lot of unexplored history within the Marvel comics, which opens up the doors to many of his rogue’s gallery making an appearance. So, we used the chance to figure out who exactly will be after his tech:

     

    Crimson Dynamo

    Supervillain Origins: The Crimson Dynamo - YouTube

     

    Crimson Dynamo has gone through multiple iterations. His first was Anton Vanko, who briefly appeared in Iron Man 2 as the father of Ivan Vanko. Anton since passed on, but that doesn’t mean Dynamo’s legacy ended there. His successor would a protege named Alexander, who took on the mantle after getting exiled. He even grew to hate his motherland and Tony Stark for what they did to the man he admired. The second entry of Iron Man did include some tributes to his character with Ivan Vanko building a Whiplash armor.

     

    The Beetle

    Beetle (Origin) - Comic Basics -

     

    While Abner Jenkins is sometimes known as a Spider-Man villain, the character has had many run-ins with Iron Man, especially during the first Armor Wars comic storyline. The original armor got destroyed by Iron Man. That didn’t stop Jenkins, as he got a new suit with some massive upgrades through Justin Hammer. He used stolen Stark Tech to upgrade the armor. Something many might remember him doing with the Wr Machine armor in Iron Man 2. Jenkins would fit well within the story considering his involvement in the comics, and it’s just a matter of rights considering his ties to Spider-Man.

     

    Detroit Steel

     

    The Detroit Steel armor got piloted by the United States Air Force Lieutenant Doug Johnson III. He underwent surgical modifications to be able to function in the suit. At the time, Justine and Sasha Hammer had taken over Hammer Industries following the death of their grandfather. The two hated Stark and blamed him for Justin’s passing. They saw him as a roadblock in their path to selling Detroit Steele-inspired soldiers around the world. Tony Stark’s death in the MCU opens the door for Hammer industries to move along a similar path and introduce Detroit Steel to the public.

     

    The Tinkerer

     

    Phineas Mason first appeared in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and worked alongside Vulture and Shocker. He was part of the crew as they stole Stark and Alien tech. His role was to rework it into weapons that they can sell on the black market. Tinkerer’s presence in Armor Wars would be quite the earnest addition when you look back at how previous Disney+ series brought back characters like Darcy, Jimmy, and Sharon Carter. In a story about stolen tech, Tinkerers’ expertise would be the obvious choice in reworking Stark Tech into weapons of mass destruction.

     

    Chemistro

    Luke Cage Season 2: 5 Villains We Want To See

     

    Curtis Carr developed an alchemy-based gun during his time at Mainstream Motors. It was able to transmute matter in an unknown process. It could even turn glass into the wood. Curtis got fired for his work, and his life’s work got confiscated, as he made it on the company’s time. He stole the gun and became Chemistro. Subsequently, he enacted his revenge against the company. Curtis would come to work with Iron Man and War Machine in a fight against the Wrecker. He even became the lead director at Stark prosthetics. Chemistro was no more until his brother, Calvin, stole the gun and began a life of crime, fighting against the likes of Luke Cage and Iron Fist.

    While details on Armor Wars remain scarce, many fans are excited to see the return of Jim Rhodes as War Machine. It’ll offer a closer look at how much Rhodes’s life has changed during the blip and how life has changed for the veteran turned superhero. He will carry the heavy legacy of Tony on his back as he continues carrying the title of War Machine.

  • ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Finale Primer

    ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Finale Primer

  • Russel Crowe May Have Confirmed That He is Playing Zeus in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    Russel Crowe May Have Confirmed That He is Playing Zeus in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’

    It looks like Russel Crowe may have joined Alfred Molina‘s approach to discussing their work with Marvel, as in an interview he revealed that he is playing Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder. It was shared on Twitter by user @tlatnews with the audio bit from the actor’s interview with Joy 94.9. In it, he talks about taking a bicycle to film his final day and just outright states that he is playing the Greek father of the gods.

    https://twitter.com/tlatnews/status/1385291213490769925

    It is kind of hilarious how he states how he’ll be “Zeus-ing about” and it sounds like a line that would actually be in the film from Taika Waititi. Marvel Studios is famous for keeping a lot of their projects under secrecy, but Crowe is the second person to let slip about his involvement and role in an upcoming film. Alfred Molina famously just dropped the bomb by confirming the rumors of his involvement with Spider-Man: No Way Home.

    Now, the addition of a Greek god in the fourth entry of Thor is quite a game-changer. It opens up the possibility of Hercules making his MCU debut in the film. There is also the confirmation of Gorr the God Butcher having a major role in the film, which could hint at a dark future for these gods as they might come face-to-face with the character played by Christian Bale. We’ll see if the first trailer also gives us a glimpse of how they might factor into the story.

    Source: Joy 94.9 via Twitter

  • Theory Thursday: Scarlet Witch’s Fate in the ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel

    Theory Thursday: Scarlet Witch’s Fate in the ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel

    With principal photography for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness approaching its end and a near-perfect “no-leak” track record, fans are pretty much going blind into the highly anticipated sequel. With a stellar character lineup up like Doctor Strange, Baron Mordo, Wong, Christine Palmer, America Chavez, and more, we can certainly expect to be in for a spectacle the likes we may have not yet seen in the MCU. However, there is one character that fans are excited to make a return to the big screen following her Disney+ series, Wanda Maximoff the Scarlet Witch.

     

     

    The story will continue where WandaVision left off. How exactly it ties in from the post-credit scene remains a mystery. We are also unaware of what she’s been doing for the past year since the events of WestView, which took place just weeks after Avengers: Endgame. The Doctor Strange sequel will take place in 2024. Our first clue at her role stems from Agatha Harkness’ Darkhold prophecy:

    The Scarlet Witch is not born, she is forged. She has no coven, no need for incantation. Your power exceeds that of the Sorcerer Supreme. It’s your destiny to destroy the world.

    There is a good chance that the prophecy may take place in the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel. Wanda could end manipulated by whomever the real villain in this story is and put in a position where she sacrifices the world to save her children. We got the hint at their existence in WandaVision‘s post-credit scene. There’s also one other question that has everyone’s attention. What happens to Wanda’s story as the film concludes? Does her story conclude along with it? If she truly is meant to destroy the world, how will Doctor Strange handle her? Will he be forced to break his oath as a doctor and take life to guarantee the safety of the multiverse?

     

    A Scarlet Case of Amnesia

     

    It may sound tragic, but it could potentially be the most humane way of saving both Wanda Maximoff and the world. This theory is actually not far off from the comics. After the events of House of M, the world went back to normal, and Wanda Maximoff disappeared from the face of the Earth. Even Doctor Strange couldn’t find her. She eventually reappeared in New Avengers #26, where Wanda was found in a village, with no memories of her time as an Avenger or as the Scarlet Witch. She even didn’t believe in magic when we see her again. I suspect that Marvel Studios could potentially adopt a version of this plot device for the film.

     

     

    Doctor Strange has one truly defining trait in comparison to others. He lives by the Hippocratic Oath. This oath is taken by physicians worldwide where they promise to bring no harm to another human. It was first acknowledged in the first Doctor Strange film, right after he took the life of one of Kaecilius’ acolytes, promising that he wouldn’t do that ever again. He became a doctor to “save lives, not take them.” There’s also a second medical element that Dr. Strange uses later on in Avengers: Infinity War, which is known as “triage.”

    It is how he prioritizes tasks, such as prioritizing the Time Stone over Tony and Peter’s lives because “the universe” depended on it. It will be interesting to see if the film will bring Doctor Strange’s moral system into question by making him decide what’s more important: saving the multiverse or the life of one singular being out of pity. By erasing her mind, it allows Strange to do both as he would technically “erase” Scarlet Witch while still saving Wanda Maximoff and ensures that the dimensional rifts don’t destroy the multiverse.

  • ‘Spider-Man’ Heading to Disney+ Through Multi-Year Disney-Sony Deal

    ‘Spider-Man’ Heading to Disney+ Through Multi-Year Disney-Sony Deal

    It looks like Disney and Sony have been busy making deals behind the scenes, as Deadline just reported that they have reached a multi-year deal for post-day-1 releases of Spider-Man and other franchises on Disney+. This deal also covers Hulu and the various outlets owned by Disney. Now, the major reveal is that every theatrical release from 2022 to 2026 will move to Disney once their runs on Netflix end. Keep in mind, there is no confirmation when or how this will take place, as the specific plans haven’t been finalized.

    […] gives Disney enormous programming potential across its platforms and makes them key destinations for a robust collection of Spider-Man films.

    Now, this is quite the game-changer. We all expected that the Spider-Man franchise wouldn’t find its way to Disney+ after the Netflix deal, but it seems that Sony has been playing the long game here. At the time, the wording hinted at the streaming giant becoming their main home for digitally accessible content, but this changes the landscape. There is also the possibility that it opens up the possibility for Disney to develop Spider-Man spin-offs that connect to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or if this deal will also extend Tom Holland‘s franchise. There are a lot of questions coming out of this deal and we probably won’t get any answers anytime soon, but the developing partnership between Disney and Sony is a rather curious one. Hopefully, we will get some more news on how this deal may affect the MCU’s Spider-Man franchise in the near future.

    Source: Deadline