Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: MCU

  • ‘LOKI’ Episode 5 Primer

    ‘LOKI’ Episode 5 Primer

    After a little bit of lull in episode 3, episode 4- Nexus Event- brought more to the table. It’s a little cringy that Loki fell in love with a version of himself, but it’s also the most Loki-like thing in the show. Seeing he is so self-centered it’s not really a surprise. While the TVA splits up Sylvie and Loki, Mobius gets time to reconnect with his bestie, Loki, and express his disappointment; Loki, on the other hand, tried to convince Mobius that he and everyone else in the TVA are variants and that they have been lied to. Sylvie and Hunter B-15 were having a similar conversation that led to B-15 breaking free of her program. During his conversation with Ravonna, Mobius steals her Tempad, confirms Loki’s story, and hatches a plan to break Loki out and destroy the TVA. Unfortunately, Ravonna catches him and deletes him. Ravonna then takes the two variants to the Time-Keepers, B-15 has another plan and helps them break free which eventually leads to Sylvie decapitating one of the Time-Keepers revealing that they are not the all-powerful time gods they are cracked up to be, they are cheap robots. Sylvie and Loki’s big revolution ends with Ravonna deleting Loki, but a post-credit scene shows Loki waking up to be surrounded by other variant Lokis.

    Marvel Had Concerns About Loki Episode 4 Time-Keepers Twist

    The TVA is just a great big lie, I’ve thought all along that there must be someone running the show other than the Time-Keepers the reveals in this episode seem to prove my theory. In episode 1, Loki believed that the TVA was the greatest power he has ever seen, maybe they still are but we know it’s not the Time-Keepers who wield the power. Kang was the first person who came to mind that might truly be in charge, especially when I saw Ravonna. The other big reveal from the episode is when variants get deleted they don’t die. This gives Loki hope in finding his way back to Sylvie. We know from the trailer the wasteland is filled with other Lokis and it will be exciting to see if they are a help or make it more difficult.

     

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    We know that Loki is getting out of this wasteland because we see Loki and Sylvie fighting in a location we haven’t seen yet, most likely Kang’s castle. Mobius isn’t dead so there is a chance Loki can get him out of his wasteland. I’m looking forward to this next episode being crazy fun with all of the different Lokis.

    The next episode of Loki streams tomorrow!

  • Theory Tuesday: Vision’s Avengers Fail-Safe Program

    Theory Tuesday: Vision’s Avengers Fail-Safe Program

    A few months have passed since WandaVision concluded its heartwrenching story. Yet, to this day, there are still a few questions on everyone’s mind regarding the future of its characters. The biggest question mark surrounds the Vision. In the final two episodes, we learned that Vision’s body was recovered by S.W.O.R.D. and was turned into a weapon. Now, this “White Vision” had no memories of his past and lacked any empathy. Yet, the Vision in Westview managed to unlock that final piece before saving Wanda. After his memory got unlocked, the newly reformed Vision flew off and was never seen again. So what exactly has the Vision been up to since his memory’s been unlocked? Our very own, Joseph Aberl, already explored his story post-WandaVision with a Vision Quest adaptation pitch. My theory expands on this vision and what it could imply for the future of the MCU.

     

     

    The Vision is bound to be riddled with hundreds of protocols in case of a specific scenario sets in. In the comics, Vision had developed a contingency program called “The Avengers Fail-Safe Program”. It was made to activate if the Avengers were ever destroyed by a potential threat or disbanded due to unforeseen circumstances. If we base ourselves on Joseph’s VisionQuest pitch, following the events of WandaVision, The Vision sets out to retrace his steps to fill in the gaps between the moment he died in Infinity War and the moment he came back online. And as he finds out that most of the Avengers have either died or gone their own paths, it is possible that Vision could activate his fail-safe program. It could even be a modified version of Zola’s Algorithm from Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but rather than use it to eliminate potential targets, Vision utilizes the protocol to search for the next generation of heroes to take up the mantle of the Avengers.

     

     

    Marvel Studios is setting up the Young Avengers to join forces at some point in Phase 4 or beyond. We’ve already been introduced to Billy and Tommy Maximoff in WandaVision. Elijah Bradley had a few appearances in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Cassie Lang has already reached her teenage years in Avengers: Endgame. It doesn’t end there, as we’re also bound to see the introduction of Kate Bishop, Riri Williams, and America Chavez to the MCU in future projects. With the Avengers gone and almost no heroes to help save the world, it seems pretty opportune for this band of heroes to step up to the challenge and take on the mantle as the Young Avengers. It would seem fitting for the Vision, who is trying to uncover his own identity, to help guide a new generation of heroes while re-learning his humanity. Little does he know, two members of his new team are closer to him than he might not realize.

  • Leaked ‘What If’ Image Teases an Iconic Loki Scene from ‘Thor’

    Leaked ‘What If’ Image Teases an Iconic Loki Scene from ‘Thor’

    All eyes are on Loki, as the series is slowly nearing its end. This week we’ll finally figure out what happened to our titular character and potentially finally uncover the secret of the multiverse. Speaking of, there’s another series that has yet gotten any focus that tackles the same topic. The What If series, which will be Marvel Studios’ first venture into animation, explores alternative timelines where our titular heroes take on very different futures.

    We’re still waiting for an official release date and a new trailer, but it seems that translations are underway. The voice actor who dubs Tom Hiddleston‘s Loki in Turkey released a still from the series before taking it down. Luckily, Twitter user @simpforhidd was able to grab a screenshot before it got deleted.

    The image might be familiar to fans of the first Thor film, as it’s the same move he pulls while fighting his brother on the rainbow bridge. There’s a good chance this sequence might take place during the Party Thor storyline that was teased some time ago. In it, Thor will throw a party of galactic proportions on Midgard that might destroy the universe as they know it. We did get brief glimpses from the first Thor film during the earlier trailers of the series, which might connect to this storyline. Instead of being deemed unworthy, he manages to pull out the hammer and celebrates while his brother’s plan continues to flourish. Perhaps the story still ends up the same between these two brothers?

    Source: Instagram via Twitter

  • New ‘Loki’ Episode 5 Images Tease Richard E. Grant’s Classic Loki in Action

    New ‘Loki’ Episode 5 Images Tease Richard E. Grant’s Classic Loki in Action

    The last episode of Loki offered us the reveal of four brand new Variants of our titular anti-hero. After getting pruned, he awakens in a strange place he believes might be Hel. Luckily, the credits did confirm that his new friends are Richard E. Grant‘s Classic Loki, Jack Veal‘s Kid Loki, and Deobia Oparei‘s Boastful Loki. The ending left us with quite a few questions and excitement about what these new renditions of the characters might mean for the multiverse. Luckily, @cosmic_marvel shared some images from the upcoming fifth episode. They offer a closer look at Kid and Classic Loki. It also shows the latter using his magic. 

     

    https://twitter.com/cosmic_marvel/status/1412064483132858368

     What is interesting about these images is that Boastful Loki and the Loki Alligator are noticeably absent. There is a good chance that these images take place later in the episode as they start to explore this strange land. One also shows Classic Loki and the Variant we’ve been following since Avengers: Endgame in a green glow. Grant’s Variant might be behind it, as he is trying to pull him out of a fight to continue their main objective. The green glow might also tease a unique vision for his abilities.

    So, this sequence might take place after as we’ve seen Boastful Loki join the battle. It would also imply that the trailer’s Vote Loki might be a new Variant. We most commonly assumed it was Tom Hiddleston‘s current version after a time skip, but it wouldn’t be too surprising that doubles of the actor got pruned at some point in the Time Variance Authority’s long history. We’re only a few days away, and it’ll be exciting to see how these new Variants will play into the story and if Classic Loki might be the version we’ve come to love from the comics.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Black Widow’ Special on Stuntwoman Heidi Moneymaker Heading to ESPN+

    ‘Black Widow’ Special on Stuntwoman Heidi Moneymaker Heading to ESPN+

    Black Widow is so close to releasing in theaters. It looks like Marvel Studios has some plans to put a focus on an essential member of the film’s team, Scarlett Johanssons‘ stunt double, Heidi Moneymaker. She has been a part of the Marvel family for almost ten years. She was along for the ride since she first pulled off the amazing stunts in 2010’s Iron Man 2. To celebrate her work, ESPN+ will release an exclusive special that takes a closer look at her time and work in bringing the character to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The E60 Presents special titled Moneymaker: Behind the Black Widow will explore her origin story and her journey to bringing the Marvel icon to life as narrated by Scarlett Johansson.

     

     

    There’s not enough focus on the stunt industry that is an integral part of modern Hollywood. It is long overdue that the Oscars include a nomination for stunt work. So, it’s great that they are adding a documentary to focus on her work. It’ll follower her story as a national champion gymnast to joining Marvel Studios. She isn’t the only Moneymaker helping the company bring their iconic heroes to life. Her sister Renae doubles for Evangeline Lilly and Brie Larson.

    Hopefully, this move also means that other iconic stunt woman and men that brought the other heroes to life get their time to shine in future additions of the E60 Presents line-up, as we wouldn’t have our iconic heroes without them. It’s uncertain if it remains an ESPN+ exclusive. Not every country has access to the streaming service. So, some markets might get it through Disney+. Of course, we hopefully will also get a Black Widow episode on the Marvel Studios: Assemble documentary series to go alongside this special. 

    Source: Marvel, YouTube

  • RUMOR: Working Titles for Marvel Studios’ ‘Ironheart’ and ‘Echo’ Disney+ Series

    RUMOR: Working Titles for Marvel Studios’ ‘Ironheart’ and ‘Echo’ Disney+ Series

    We have a lot of Marvel Studios projects to look forward to. We are this close to the release of Black Widow. Loki has two more episodes to go before What If premieres sometime this summer. That isn’t all, as it looks like two Disney+ projects are picking up speed over at Marvel Studios. It’s a common practice for their films to work under a pseudonym. Around three months ago, we found out that the Captain Marvel sequel, which now is titled The Marvels, entered production as Goat Rodeo. Now, it seems that Cosmic Circus might have gotten their hands on the working titles for Ironheart and the upcoming Echo spin-off.

    The first on the list is the upcoming series that will introduce moviegoers to the character of Riri Williams. The genius MIT student ends up creating the most advanced suit since Tony Stark. With a confirmed War Machine-focused Armor Wars series around the corner, it seems clear she might also be involved in the project to some capacity. According to Cosmic Circus, the Ironheart Disney+ series got the working title “Wise Guy,” which is an odd choice. The titles don’t always give away what the project is about and sometimes also act as a way to get you off their scent.

    Echo’s working title “Whole Branzino” is another case that opens up more questions than answers. The Branzino is the Italian name for the European bass, which might play into her close ties to the mafia in the comics. The character will be portrayed by Alaqua Cox in the upcoming Hawkeye series before she branches off into her own adventure. We know the Tracksuit Mafia will be involved. So, it might be a play on her connection to them. It’s always fun o speculate with working titles what they could mean, but each new project shows that Marvel Studios is no sopping anytime soon to find creative working titles.

    Source: Cosmic Circus (Ironheart), Cosmic Circus (Echo)

  • ‘LOKI’: The Time-Keepers, the Hourglass and the Man Behind the Curtain

    ‘LOKI’: The Time-Keepers, the Hourglass and the Man Behind the Curtain

    Episode 4 of Marvel Studios latest and greatest Disney Plus streaming series, Loki, exposed the great lie of the TVA when it was revealed that the Time-Keepers were nothing more than some Chuck E Cheese style animatronics instead of the almighty overlords of the Sacred Timeline. Now that we finally know for sure that they’re not in charge (we’ve speculated for a while now that they weren’t all they were cracked up to be), the big question left to answer is who was behind the curtain and making the decisions about what was allowed to go on and what had to be pruned. My money has always been on Kang, or at least one Variant version of him, and it’s possible that this episode may have given us a small, Easter egg-y type of clue that it is him.

    This could easily be a case of someone (me) seeing something and interpreting it to fit their desired outcome; it could also be a case of Marvel Studios sneaking something so subtle that it could easily go undetected. So here’s the plan: I’ll point it out and you decide for yourself.

    After being teased for 3 episodes, we finally find out that the Time-Keepers are just an elevator ride away for Ravonna; however, this doesn’t seem to be the same elevator we’ve seen before in scenes with Loki and Mobius, rather an elevator only Judge Renslayer has access to. And it’s this elevator, adorned with what look to be hundreds of hourglass shapes, that might be hinting at the man truly in charge of the TVA or is simply the kind of symbol you’d place on the doorway to the keepers of time.

    Maybe, long ago the Time-Keepers were real. Maybe, like in the comics, they sought out Kang and made him guardian of the timeline. Maybe the Time-Keepers were never real. Either way, someone built the TVA and someone designed those elevator doors. In following the line of thought that Kang, or one version of him, is behind all this, the hourglass shape becomes more than just a nice nod: it was actually the symbol worn by one version of Kang, the Scarlet Centurion.

    The Scarlet Centurion was one of the more aggressive versions of Nathaniel Richards (and yes it was also a name taken up by one of his sons at one point) who confusingly created another version of himself that found himself up against the Squadron Supreme (rumored to be in Loki) but who also ultimately became the most recognizable version of Kang. I’ve always found it strange that the TVA, a place that exists outside of space and time, has such a 60’s feel to it. Maybe, in this instance, it’s another bread crumb on the trail leading us to Kang, who was introduced in the 60s, or to the Scarlet Centurion version of the character who first appeared in 1967’s Avengers Annual #2. Maybe the version of Kang we’ll see here is the tired version who has literally seen it all and not one who has the edge of his less-experienced self who, maybe, built the TVA as a means to conquer time. Of course, it makes sense that these hourglasses symbols are just there because they are things that keep time and adorn the entrance of the Time-Keepers, but I wouldn’t put it past Marvel Studios to hide a subtle clue in plain sight, either. With only 2 episodes left, we’ll find out soon enough.

  • ‘Black Widow’ Eyeing a $110M Post-Pandemic Domestic Opening

    ‘Black Widow’ Eyeing a $110M Post-Pandemic Domestic Opening

    It looks like a lot of bets are on Marvel Studios’ grand return to cinemas after a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus. The last entry of the franchise was released in June 2019 with Spider-Man: Far From Home. Black Widow was originally going to premiere last year in May but got continuously pushed back. Finally, we are only a few days away from its release and Box office predictions are already aplenty. Marketing recently kicked into overdrive with various short spots and featurettes getting released. Rotten Tomatoes currently has it Certified Fresh at 82% with 162 reviews. After F9‘s $70 million debuts, there was a lot of hope that the next MCU flick could even surpass that and current predictions are looking great.

    According to Box Office Pro, the film is currently predicted for a domestic premiere between $80 to $110M. As the film’s release draws nearer, the predictions have gone up. That would put it at a potential $310M total run. It’s certainly a sign that cinemas are still helping form the effects of the pandemic, but it also has to be considered that Black Widow will also be made available via Disney+’s Premier Access option.

    So, you can technically stay at home and purchase the film for an additional fee through the streaming service. It will potentially cut into its opening day earnings, but it still looks like the film is set for an impressive Box Office. The higher end of that opening would put it on par with 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. Even the lower end is slightly below 2016’s Doctor Strange release, which opened with $85M. So, it’s looking good for Marvel Studios to continue their Box Office dominance even after the long hiatus.

    Source: Box Office Pro, Rotten Tomatoes, Business Insider

    Black Widow design for header by @valentinromeroa

  • REPORT: She-Hulk to Face the Wrecking Crew in Disney+ Series

    REPORT: She-Hulk to Face the Wrecking Crew in Disney+ Series

    She-Hulk has been quietly filming in Atlanta. Only a few tidbits found their way online. There was a rumor three weeks ago that Hulk’s son Skaar might make his live-action debut in the series. We got the official confirmation that Jameela Jamil will play the iconic villain Titania. Surprisingly, we haven’t seen much from the film’s set outside of a photo of Mark Ruffalo in his mo-cap suit and a brief tease of Tatiana Maslany as the titular heroine. So far, it’s been otherwise quiet, and we’ve been wondering what else the series might have in store for us. Well, it looks like Cosmic Circus might have gotten their hands on a juicy tidbit as it seems the Wrecking Crew will appear in the upcoming series.

    For those wondering who they are. The Wrecking Crew is a team that consists of four supervillains known as Bulldozer, Piledriver, Thunderball, and Wrecker. They made their first appearance in The Defenders #17 back in 1974. In the comics, Dirk Garthwaite, the future Wrecker, was mistaken for Loki and gained mystical powers when he got an enchanted crowbar by the Norn queen Karnilla. After his friends grabbed it when it got struck by lightning, they all got their abilities. It’s uncertain which members will appear, as the roster has changed over the years in the comics.

    As you can guess by their origin, they commonly get connected to Thor’s rogue’s gallery but some adaptations have also added Gamma radiation to their powers, such as The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The team seemed like a classic Saturday morning cartoon villain. So, it seemed unlikely they would get adapted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe anytime soon. So, it’s great that Marvel Studios is using these Disney+ shows to introduce some minor characters from the comics.

    Source: Cosmic Circus

  • James Gunn Declares ‘WandaVision’ As The “First MCU” Show

    James Gunn Declares ‘WandaVision’ As The “First MCU” Show

    There has been a lot of discussion surrounding the canonicity of Agents of SHIELD, Agent Carter, or even the Netflix series. Loki added the concept of the Sacred Timeline into the Marvel Cinematic Universe that may have put Marvel TV’s shows in a strange limbo. No one openly wants to confirm or deny their connection to the overarching stories developed by Marvel Studios. Early seasons of SHIELD had some strong connections to overarching events in the films but started to distance themselves as the story continued to unfold. The first film acknowledgment of a series was James D’Arcy‘s return as Edwin Jarvis in Avengers: Endgame. Well, James Gunn took to Twitter discussing MCU actors that appeared in DCEU projects and vice-versa. In it, he also made a clear statement regarding the former Marvel TV series.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1410677884390236160

    He also went on to clarify that there wasn’t as much communication between Marvel TV and Marvel Studios as we thought. There were implications they got some of the older assets to recreate iconic locations such as the Triskellion. Well, Gunn states that there wasn’t any coordination between the two companies.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1410764308712022018

    We do know there was some communication regarding events, as Agents of SHIELD did tie its release around Captain America: The Winter Soldier‘s twist. The big difference is that the mentioned WandaVision series was not only produced in its entirety by Marvel Studios, but it is also part of their complete roadmap. While story elements connected to the films, they didn’t build upon any from the series like how Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will continue Wanda’s story from her Disney+ series. There was still no reference to the newly formed spy organization at the tail-end of SHIELD‘s final season. Of course, it doesn’t mean the story could never be part of the MCU. There is still the likelihood of Marvel TV’s old series acting as part of the multiverse that is independent of the rest. Of course, Kevin Feige and his team could surprise us and add more elements from the shows in the near future that pay tribute to the Marvel TV projects but add their own spin.

    Source: Twitter (MCU), Twitter (Coordination)