Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: MCU News

  • New Report Details Marvel Studios’ Plans for Robert Downey Jr.’s Doom

    New Report Details Marvel Studios’ Plans for Robert Downey Jr.’s Doom

    Though fans might debate whether Robert Downey Jr.‘s return to Marvel Studios was a publicity stunt or a brilliant casting decision, there’s little room for argument about the impact the star will have on the box office receipts for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. As one of the franchise’s central heroes, Tony Stark, Downey led the MCU to unimaginable success and is primed to do it again, this time as the newly minted main antagonist of the studio’s Multiverse Saga. The announcement of Downey as Victor Von Doom not only caught a lot of fans by surprise, it also changed the course of the remainder of the studio’s Multiverse Saga, potentially allowing for some projects to move ahead while putting others on the shelf, perhaps forever.

    While the studio’s slate of projects for 2026 and 2027 remains largely unknown, the ongoing shared narrative does have two fixed points in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. And so while the Marvel Studios Parliament continues to rewrite the new saga on the fly, preparations are underway for Anthony and Joe Russo to get back to work with Downey and the rest of the cast of Avengers: Doomsday so it can meet its May 1, 2026 release date. And now, thanks to a new report from a reliable MCU insider, we have an idea of not only what that schedule might look like but also what else awaits Downey in his role as Doom.

    According to long-time MCU inside man Daniel RPK, like Josh Brolin‘s Thanos before him, Downey’s Doom will indeed be the protagonist of Avengers: Doomsday. With a five-month shoot expected to kick off in the UK in March 2025, Downey is expected to be on set for three of those months while other stars are currently looking at only setting up shop for anywhere between one to four weeks.

    How can we not go backwards? How can we not disappoint expectations? How can we continue to beat expectations? And he brought up Victor Von Doom. I looked into this character. Later on, he goes, ‘Let’s get Victor Von Doom right.’

    -Robert Downey Jr. on Kevin Feige’s pitch for him to return to the MCU,THR

    Given the lengths to which Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, went to bring Downy back into the fold as Doom, it shouldn’t be too surprising that the star will be front and center in Avengers: Doomsday and, likely, again in Avengers: Secret Wars. However, according to RPK, those won’t be the only projects in which Downey dons the mask. The insider suggests that in addition to those two films and 2025’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Downey’s Doom may “potentially” appear in “some other projects between Doomsday and Secret Wars.”

    Without a defined release slate for 2026 or 2027, it’s incredibly hard to pin down what those “other projects” might be; however, given the comic book history between Doctor Doom and Wanda Maximoff, it’s not too hard to imagine Downey joining Elizabeth Olsen in the rumored Scarlet Witch solo film, even though the two characters have to navigate the multiverse to make it happen. Similarly, a shared comic book history with Stephen Strange points to multiple potential opportunities for storytelling in the MCU, pairing Downey with Benedict Cumberbatch’s Master of the Mystic Arts. And, of course, any number of other possibilities exist and with Downey on board as Doom, it would seem as though a bad match would be hard to find.

    Source: THR

  • Marvel Studios 2026 Release Slate Begins Taking Shape

    Marvel Studios 2026 Release Slate Begins Taking Shape

    In the simplest terms, MCU fans would be best served by forgetting Marvel Studios 2022 SDCC and D23 presentations ever took place. Just over two years later, the studio’s plans for their Multiverse Saga have been turned upside down and inside out. However, after going through an unprecedented rough patch, Marvel has begun to emerge and, it seems, learned and evolved and righted the ship.

    As part of the unexpected struggles, many of Marvel’s previously announced and planned projects have been delayed while others face an uncertain future. However, with a new path to the end of the saga outlined, the studio has been able to begin roughing out the supporting pieces that will flesh out the story around the two Avengers centerpieces.

    With the studio’s 2025 projects all seemingly moving along as expected, the Parliament has turned its attention to its 2026 slate and it has started to come together quickly. Though nothing has been officially announced by the studio, it’s beginning to look like 2026 will shape up as follows:

    • Blade (February 13, 2026)
    • Avengers: Doomsday (May 1, 2026)
    • Spider-Man 4 (July 24, 2026)
    • Doctor Strange 3 (November 6, 2026)

    To be clear, as of now only Avengers: Doomsday, set to be directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, has been announced by the studio. However, Destin Daniel Cretton recently boarded Spider-Man 4, choosing to direct it rather than a Shang-Chi sequel, and Sam Raimi is reportedly nearing a deal that would see him back at the helm of the Doctor Strange franchise. And yes, even Blade, which has been searching for the proper creative mix for over five years is reportedly still working toward eventually hitting the big screen.

    Caveat emptor certainly applies heavily here as the studio has never faced a more uncertain time than now; however, it is clear the powers that be have been working toward putting together a 2026 slate and have made some legitimate progress. And for a studio trying to scale back its output, 2026 is shaping up to be one of its biggest years ever.

  • Marvel Studios Reportedly (Third)Eyeing MCU Veteran Director for ‘Doctor Strange 3’

    Marvel Studios Reportedly (Third)Eyeing MCU Veteran Director for ‘Doctor Strange 3’

    Marvel Studios took a very focused approach to the 2024 summer convention circuit. Rather than present an updated future slate full of projects tied to dates they might never meet, the studio chose instead to focus on the short term, showing off 2025 projects such as Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Fantastic Four: First Steps, Daredevil: Born Again and Ironheart. Sure, the revelation that Robert Downey Jr. was returning to the MCU to play Doctor Doom for a pair of Avengers films was a wonderful surprise and a tease of what’s to come but overall, SDCC and D23 felt very different than prior cons in which the studio let fans peer 3 or 4 years into the future.

    The studio’s concentrated efforts on stage reflected changes behind the scenes that had come with the return of Bob Iger to the Disney throne. Following a string of projects that weren’t up to the standards of success expected by Marvel Studios, Iger mandated the studio slow down and seek to get things in order. Indeed each of the 2025 projects shown off at the summer cons was delayed from its original release date and that scale of delay will, of course, create a domino effect. However, despite the delays, the studio seemed intent on staying the course and wrapping up its Multiverse Saga by mid-2027. It’s a confusing calculus but after what amounted to a year’s worth of delays, the studio’s decision to keep the same fixed endpoint meant some projects simply were not going to make the cut and reading between the lines, one of the reasons SDCC and D23 were focused on 2025 was because Marvel Studios hadn’t quite figured out what they were doing next. However, that’s all started to change.

    In the past two months, the pieces of a potential 2026 MCU slate have started to fall into place. The studio is still seeking a new director for Blade, perhaps in hopes of having it in theaters in February 2026, ahead of Avengers: Doomsday which is still on track for a May 2026 release. Destin Daniel Cretton paused work on his Shang-Chi sequel to take on directorial duties on Spider-Man 4 which Sony is expected to schedule on July 24, 2026, a date recently abandoned by Marvel Studios. That leaves only one more film in 2026 and while fans have had plenty of ideas about what it might (or should) be, a new report has likely eliminated the need for guesswork and theorizing.

    According to Jeff (The In) Sneider, Marvel Studios is seeking to reteam with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness director Sam Raimi on the as-yet-untitled third installment in the Doctor Strange franchise.

    Should the studio close the deal with Raimi for Doctor Strange 3, it would very likely indicate a desire to have the film in theaters on November 6th, 2023, placing it between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars which is the studio’s first scheduled 2027 release.

    It was a fun challenge, and a little scary. Most of the work was done by [screenwriter] Michael Waldron, who is a really big fan of the Marvel Comics and has friends on the WandaVision writing staff, so we would communicate with each other, the WandaVision team and ours and the Spider Man: No Way Home team, and we would keep abreast of their changes. And even while we were shooting, they were shooting, and we’d be making changes based on changes that they made, because we really wanted this to be the next installment. We really wanted it to be a really good — not sequel, but a very logical next step for the fans.

    -Sam Raimi on directing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

    Following the departure of Scott Derrickson, Raimi took over as the director of the 2022 Doctor Strange sequel late in the game.Despite facing a series of challenges including the COVID pandemic what he called a “cascade of ideas” that resulted in the film’s script constantly evolving and the film being created “on the fly“, Raimi delivered a solid final product. Citing “complete creative freedom” within the bounds of “Marvel lore“, Raimi enjoyed working with Marvel Studios on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and was rumored to be among the directors the studio was considering to direct Avengers 5 and 6. Given a two-year lead time on Doctor Strange 3, it’s likely that Raimi can capture even more magic for the studio and give the franchise necessary momentum heading into the Multiverse Saga capstone, Avengers: Secret Wars.

    Source: The Insneider

  • Marvel Studios Reportedly Developing ‘Agatha All Along’ Spinoff

    Marvel Studios Reportedly Developing ‘Agatha All Along’ Spinoff

    Three and a half years after Marvel Studios’ first Disney + streaming series, WandaVision, took audiences by storm and led to a weekly deluge of theories and speculation, the studio’s latest series has followed a similar pattern. Through its first four episodes, Agatha All Along has been highly entertaining and despite being plagued by plot leaks, has managed to keep general audiences in its trance and keep them guessing. While the series’ biggest mysteries are yet to be revealed, Agatha All Along has further carved out space in its own corner of the MCU that’s being curated by series creator and WandaVision writer Jac Schaeffer. And it seems as though the studio is more than willing to let Schaeffer continue to work her own brand of magic.

    While Agatha All Along is the first project delivered by Schaeffer after signing a three-year overall deal with Marvel Studios and 20th Television it certainly won’t be the last. Already rumored to be developing a Scarlet Witch solo film, Schaeffer is quickly becoming one of the studio’s most valued creators which means she may find herself incredibly busy over the next few years.

    Jac is unbelievable. Any chance I get to walk around that woman’s imagination is like a gift. She’s an absolute genius storyteller. 

    -Brad Winderbaum, head of streaming, television and animation for Marvel Studios.

    Though the Scarlet Witch solo project is something Schaeffer is keen to make happen, it’s only a rumor at this point; however, it is worth noting that after developing a Vision-centric WandaVision follow-up series for some time, Schaeffer departed that project, handing it over to Star Trek: Picard Season 3 showrunner, Terry Matalas. It’s worth asking why Schaeffer would leave a project she had begun to develop and the simplest answer is because she needed more time to develop another project. And while the Scarlet Witch film may be that project, a new report by a Marvel Studios insider may provide another option.

    According to Daniel RPK, Marvel Studios is developing an Agatha All Along spinoff series that will feature the search for Tommy Maximoff.

    While it’s long been believed (and may still be true) that Tommy would have a role in the studio’s VisionQuest series, RPK’s report seems to indicate that this series is quite separate from the upcoming Paul Bettany-led spinoff. To be clear, the insider’s report does not indicate that Schaeffer is working on the project but given how Agatha All Along concludes, it’s very reasonable to assume that is the case.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Ghostbusters’ & ‘Walking Dead’ Actor Joins ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ in Totally Awesome Role

    ‘Ghostbusters’ & ‘Walking Dead’ Actor Joins ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ in Totally Awesome Role

    ‘

    After undergoing a significant post-production overhaul, Captain America: Brave New World debuted a thrilling trailer that had fans up in arms over Marvel Studios revealing Harrison Ford‘s President Thaddeus Ross as Red Hulk. Believing that the studio let the cat out of the bag too soon by revealing what many believed would be a surprise twist saved for the film’s third act, fans were mildly bewildered by Marvel’s decision. As it turns out, the studio may have another trick up its sleeve.

    According to a report by industry insider Daniel RPK, The Walking Dead: Dead City and Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire actor Logan Kim has joined the MCU as Amadeus Cho. And while I’m not willing to spoil any plot details, I’ve been able to confirm that Cho will make an appearance (and a very minor one at that) in Captain America: Brave New World.

    Introduced in the pages of Marvel Comics in 2005, Cho is one of the Marvel Universe’s smartest characters and was a child prodigy. In his earliest adventures, Cho befriended Hulk and became a sidekick of Hercules’. More recently, Cho absorbed the powers of Hulk from Bruce Banner and became the Totally Awesome Hulk. With ongoing rumors of Captain America: Brave New World potentially setting up a World War Hulks project, the appearance of Cho certainly seems more than a coincidence.

    Rumors of a World War Hulk(s) project date back to 2021 when Geeks World Wide first reported that Marvel Studios was developing a project. At one point, it was believed that the studio had regained the rights to distribute a Hulk solo film and that they were ready to begin production on the film in 2022. Obviously, that didn’t happen and MCU star Mark Ruffalo downplayed the notion that such a project was in the works. Though the addition of Cho to the MCU in no way guarantees the studio is finally ready to move on the World War Hulks project, it also feels like it might just push the (green) door open a bit more.

  • Rumored ‘Spider-Man 4’ Subtitle Supports Leaks of Super Symbiote Team Up

    Rumored ‘Spider-Man 4’ Subtitle Supports Leaks of Super Symbiote Team Up

    As Tom Hardy prepares for one last dance as Venom and recent reports have Tom Holland preparing for a very busy 2025, there’s been increasing buzz that the two stars will team up in an unprecedented studio crossover event film. Recent rumors have indicated that Knull, the big bad in Sony’s Venom: The Last Dance, will survive the film and crossover into the MCU for future projects. Now, a new rumor lends some support to that possibility.

    Scooper Cryptic HD Quality, who has been quite reliable in the past, took to Twitter to share that he’d heard a potential subtitle for the fourth installment in Sony and Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man franchise. And if what he’s heard is true (note that even he is skeptical of the rumor) it cements Knull entering the MCU.

    Cryptic HD Quality shared that the as-yet-undated film could be titled Spider-Man: The King in Black.

    For those unfamiliar with the Marvel Comics character, Knull is an Eldritch god who created the symbiote race. Long after being imprisoned and losing his connection to them, Knull broke free and slaughtered billions during a cosmos-wide rampage of terror in which he attempted to once again control every symbiote and their hosts. Eventually, Knull’s search brought him to Earth where he faced off with Venom and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in a 5-issue event titled The King in Black.

    Given that Tom Hardy‘s Eddie Brock left a piece of his symbiote behind after visiting Earth-616, all the necessary ground work for Knull to enter the MCU has already been done. The rumors also line up with recent reports that before hiring Destin Daniel Cretton to direct the film, Marvel Studios and Sony overhauled the script for Spider-Man 4 which once featured Spidey and Daredevil teaming up against Wilson Fisk in a street-level Civil War. With production on Spider-Man 4 reportedly getting underway in the first half of 2025, it’s likely that we’ll gain some clarity on these rumors over the next few months.

  • Marvel Studios May Be Planning Unprecedented Crossover Event

    Marvel Studios May Be Planning Unprecedented Crossover Event

    For forty years, Marvel Comics’ crossover events have brought characters from every corner of the Marvel Universe to tell stories larger in scale and scope than could be done on the pages of any individual series. While not every event has been well-received, many of the arcs stand as some of the genre’s most exciting. Jim Starlin‘s Infinity Trilogy, Mark Millar‘s Civil War and Brian Michael Bendis‘ Secret Invasion have already been adapted by Marvel Studios which will next turn to an adaptation of Marvel’s first crossover event, Secret Wars, as the capstone to the Multiverse Saga. While fans wait to see just how that project comes together, new reports indicate that the studio may also have plans for a different type of crossover that would involve an unprecedented level of collaboration.

    As Sony prepares to take its Venom franchise for one last spin around the dance floor, rumors and reports have begun to emerge that suggest that the story of Tom Hardy‘s Eddie Brock may continue in the MCU.

    After revealing that Knull, the terrifying villain of Venom: The Last Dance, was portrayed via motion capture by Andy Serkis, industry insider Daniel RPK shared the news that the character was set to appear in future projects down the road. WIth Sony having confirmed that the upcoming film will be the final installment in the Venom franchise, that has led to speculation that the character may be making the jump to the MCU.

    While it’s purely speculative at this point, there’s enough circumstantial evidence to allow for the possibility to be considered. Knull, also known in the comics as the King in Black, is an incredibly complex character but what’s important for the context of this potential crossover is that he is an eldritch god who created the symbiote race of which Venom is a part. After losing his connection to them for a time, Knull sought to regain control of them and take over the cosmos. As seen in trailers for Venom: The Last Dance, Knull is sending creatures to Earth in search of symbiotes and it could be assumed that he’s doing so to bring all of his “children” back to him. With a piece of the Venom symbiote having been left behind in the MCU, it’s not too hard to imagine that Knull could be making his way there soon.

    It’s interesting that the news comes just ahead of the release of Venom: The Last Dance and as Sony and Marvel Studios begin to prepare for production on Spider-Man 4. After recently undergoing a major overhaul, the fourth installment in the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man franchise has reportedly shifted from featuring a “street-level Civil War” to potentially featuring a Multiversal story that could tie directly into Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Holland is reportedly set to play a leading role in both Avengers films and a meeting with Hardy’s Eddie Brock and a battle with Knull could work to put his Peter Parker in the black symbiote suit that first debuted in Jim Shooter‘s 1984 crossover event, Secret Wars, just in time for the 2027 MCU film of the same name.

    The level of collaboration between the two studios that would be required to make this sort of studio crossover is unprecedented but also carries some potentially incredible implications. While Marvel Studios recently had major characters from non-Marvel Studios’ produced films appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, the studio had regained the right to all of those characters. In the imagined scenario where Venom and Knull appear in a film set within the MCU, the studio would be using characters solely owned by Sony and would have no choice but to adhere to the prior storytelling that brought them to where they are. Of course, with the Multiverse Saga in its back half, it is now or never for such an opportunity.

    Venom: The Last Dance hits theaters on October 25th.

  • ‘Thunderbolts*’ Adds ‘True Blood’ Star to Its Ensemble Cast

    ‘Thunderbolts*’ Adds ‘True Blood’ Star to Its Ensemble Cast

    It’s still too early to tell, but Thunderbolts* may well be the poster child for Bob Iger‘s successful return to Disney when it’s all said and done. Though it hadn’t quite fallen from grace, Marvel Studios was on thin ice following a string of projects like The Marvels that either weren’t doing big business at the box office or projects that were simply subpar efforts like Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Secret Invasion.

    It seemed that in the studio’s rush to flood the market with Marvel content, quality was taking a back seat and that was something Iger wasn’t willing to allow to continue. Among the projects targeted by Iger was Thunderbolts* which underwent a series of script rewrites that reportedly reworked the film into something quite worthwhile despite its inauspicious start as a sequel to Black Widow. Of course, the success of any film is partially dependent on the work of its cast and Thunderbolts* has a collection of stars at its center with Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, Sebastian Stan and David Harbour leading the way. And now comes word that an actor from one of HBO’s most beloved series also has a role in the film.

    According to an official project profile for Thunderbolts*, True Blood star Chris Bauer landed a role in the 2025 film.

    Bauer, who played Bon Temps Sheriff Andy Bellefleur for 81 episodes over True Blood‘s seven seasons, has been a staple of serial television for 25 years with major roles in The Wire, Third Watch, The Deuce, and recently as Wild Bill Hancock in Starz’s Heels, created by Marvel Studios’ writer Michael Waldron. It’s unknown what the nature of Bauer’s role in Thunderbolts* is and he joins Jack Ryan star Wendell Pierce as a surprise addition to the cast.

    Thunderbolts* will be in theaters on May 2, 2025.

  • ‘Jack Ryan’ Star Joins MCU in Undisclosed Role

    ‘Jack Ryan’ Star Joins MCU in Undisclosed Role

    Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan had a solid four-season run for Amazon Prime before coming to an end in 2023. As a modernized adaptation of Clancy’s series of novels, the streaming show combined good writing, decent action and wonderful casting, including some names that may not have been familiar to audiences before viewing.

    While series lead John Krasinski was certainly a household name, Jack Ryan gave Hollywood vets like Michael Kelly and Wendell Pierce strong supporting roles that allowed them to shine. Kelly parlayed his success into a role in a comic book property, landing a gig in HBO’s The Penguin as Falcon family underboss Johnny Viti. Now, it looks as though it’s Pierce’s turn to enter the world of superheroes.

    As revealed in an official project profile for Marvel Studios Thunderbolts*, Pierce has joined the film’s ensemble cast in an undisclosed role.

    Recent rumors suggest that Thunderbolts* will serve to introduce the MCU’s New Avengers and while it’s unlikely that Pierce will be joining that team, the gruff demeanor might make him perfect for a government liaison to the team. To that end, he could be playing anyone from Henry Gyrich to nameless CIA guy #7.

    Thunderbolts* will land in theaters on May 2, 2025.

  • Marvel Studios Rumored to Have Begun the Search for a New Female Lead for ‘Spider-Man 4’

    Marvel Studios Rumored to Have Begun the Search for a New Female Lead for ‘Spider-Man 4’

    With the writing team of Chris McKenna and Eric Sommers back for a fourth go-around and Destin Daniel Cretton on board to direct, the creative team for Sony and Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man 4 looks to be in good shape. With the studios hoping to get principal photography underway in the first half of 2025 to get the film ready for 2026, the next step is assembling talent around star Tom Holland. While the supporting cast of the first MCU-set Spider-Man trilogy had several key members play large roles in each film, Spider-Man: No Way Home remade Peter’s status quo, leaving room for potential new friends and enemies.

    The spell cast by Doctor Strange at the behest of Peter Parker in the final act of the Spidey threequel was intended to make everyone forget they knew the man behind the mask of the Wall-Crawler. And as revealed before the film wrapped, the spell was a success. Happy Hogan, MJ and Ned all interacted with Peter with no recognition of their friend. With his friends safe from enemies who would otherwise exploit them to get at Peter and Aunt May having been killed by The Green Goblin, Peter is set up for a brand new day…which may just include a new love interest!

    According to social media scooper MyTimeToShineHello, as Spider-Man 4 heads for a May 2025 start of production, the project is searching for a new female lead.

    While the scooper didn’t provide any follow-up details, it hasn’t stopped fans from speculating that the character may well be one that’s been both slated to rumored to appear in Spidey movies in the past: Felicia Hardy, aka Black Cat.

    A cat burglar with a bit of a vengeful streak, Hardy has engaged in an on-again, off-again romantic relationship with Peter.  The plot for Spider-Man 4 has yet to be revealed though rumors about the film involving either a street-level civil war or a crossover battle with Sony’s Eddie Brock/Venom, played by Tom Hardy. In either case, it’s not clear what role Black Cat would play but then again, neither plot is confirmed nor is it clear that she is the new female lead. With the studios moving quickly toward production, however, it wouldn’t be too surprising if more information about the project was revealed soon.