Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: MCU

  • ‘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

  • 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

  • Theory Thursday: Bucky Barnes Will Become Nomad

    Theory Thursday: Bucky Barnes Will Become Nomad

    With The Falcon and The Winter Soldier series drawing to a close tomorrow, I can’t help but reflect and speculate on where some of the characters are going from here. It’s clear Sam Wilson is and will be the next Captain America, and a much anticipated new suit reveal seems imminent in the next episode. But what about Bucky? What happens to him after this? The series, especially episode 5, has dropped some significant clues. That along with this scoop by our own Charles Murphy four months ago about a Nomad series in development had led me to think the next step for Bucky will be as Nomad in his own Disney+ series somewhere down the line. 

    Charles himself mentioned in his article the possibility of Bucky, among a few others, taking on the mantle of Nomad in the series. However, I’m now convinced that Bucky is the strongest possible candidate with a lot of potential for the character going forward.

    I am no longer the Winter Soldier. I am James Bucky Barnes, and you are part of my efforts to make amends.

    -Bucky Barnes to Senator Atwood

    As Bucky states to the rattled Senator Atwood in the first episode, he is trying to leave the Winter Soldier behind him and make amends for the wrongs he’d done because of people like her and Hydra. I’m not saying Bucky will never be referred to as the Winter Soldier again, he may even reclaim it and make it mean something more positive, but for now, he seems to want to leave it in the past. The White Wolf moniker, given to him by the Wakandans, isn’t necessarily a name he wants to be known to the wider world as either, especially given some Wakandans may still feel betrayed and angry by his perceived involvement with Zemo’s escape. As Ayo tells Bucky in episode 5, “It would be prudent to make yourself scarce from Wakanda in the time being, White Wolf.” Indeed, as Bucky replies, this is “fair enough.” In other words, I don’t expect him to show up in Black Panther 2 as the White Wolf, and maybe not the planned Disney+ series either.

    TFATWS' star Sebastian Stan reveals how Bucky might die in MCU - Deseret News

    There is, however, still the whole very important theme of the necessity for Bucky to try to make amends to people he feels he’s wronged as the Winter Soldier. That seems to be too much to completely wrap up in this final episode. Bucky needs to feel he’s righted some of these wrongs, not only for his own mental health, but for the good of those that he’s wronged. Family members of people the Winter Soldier murdered such as his friend Yori Nakajima (Ken Takemoto) from the first episode need closure, and only Bucky can give them that. It could be that they can wrap up this part of Bucky’s story with Yori specifically in the finale, but as Bucky admits to Sam, there are at least a dozen or so people that he could help bring closure to, other than just hurting the baddies that made him do these terrible things. 

    But you gotta make them feel better. You gotta go to them, and be of service. I’m sure there’s at least one person in that book who needs closure about something. You’re the only person who can give it to them.

    -Sam Wilson to Bucky, episode 5.

    This is a perfect setup for Bucky as Nomad in his own series. Think of it, a charming but mysterious loner, with a painful past, going from town to town on his motorcycle, writing wrongs, making amends. This would be a great series where Sebastian Stan would get to shine even more than he already has as Bucky Barnes. 

    The main roadblock to Bucky’s potential Nomad motorcycle redemption tour, however, is the US government. As we’ve seen, a condition of Bucky’s pardon has required him to check in and have therapy sessions. Now, don’t get me wrong, therapy for Bucky is good, he needs it, but the idea that he could be arrested for not checking in while trying to do good in the world, or even be made to do something bad by the government as part of his pardon agreement, is not good at all. So, how does he get out of that? How does Bucky get to a place where he can truly be free, and not under the control of any government or person?

    And just keep in mind as you watch that finale tomorrow, as was asked in the very first episode, Bucky may be free of the programming and mind control, but “to do what?” A Nomad series perhaps?

  • 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.

  • ‘Hawkeye’ Wraps Production as Jeremy Renner Hints at Additional Photography

    ‘Hawkeye’ Wraps Production as Jeremy Renner Hints at Additional Photography

    It looks like one more 2021 Disney+ show has wrapped up production, as Jeremy Renner shared the end of Hawkeye‘s production on his Instagram story. The series will introduce the world to Hailee Steinfeld‘s Kate Bishop, who is set to take on the iconic mantle. It will also introduce the world to the character of Echo, who will be played by Alaqua Cox. As Instagram Stories tend to vanish after some time, Twitter user @OYLmcupodcast luckily shared a screenshot featuring Renner covered in wounds. Now, fans of Matt Fraction‘s My Life as a Weapon run might be excited to see them embracing the original story. There is also a rather interesting wording by the actor that may hint at plans set for additional photography.

    Unlike classic TV productions, Marvel Studios approaches their projects like long-form films. As such, they also offer their teams the possibility to do multiple takes and tweak their work with additional photography. Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings will also return for some additional work next week. These are commonly planned far in advance to offer some time before release to add scenes or make sure every sequence hits as it should. Of course, we could also interpret his wording about the future of the character in the MCU. As of now, it is uncertain if Jeremy Renner‘s Clint Barton will have a future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as he passes on the title to Kate Bishop. It’ll be interesting to see if the series offers more insight once it releases later this year.

    Source: Instagram via Twitter

  • Additional Photography for ‘SHANG-CHI’ Set to Begin This Week in Los Angeles

    Additional Photography for ‘SHANG-CHI’ Set to Begin This Week in Los Angeles

    A new and exciting teaser trailer for Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings premiered yesterday on star Simu Liu’s birthday, but that doesn’t mean the work is done. Additional photography for Shang-Chi is being conducted in Los Angeles beginning this week and will go on for two weeks into early May.

    Director Destin Daniel Cretton announced on his Instagram on 10/24/2020 that the production had wrapped, however additional photography like this is very common, to be expected and part of the plan for Marvel Studios features. 

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CGt_BaoJ76Z/?igshid=6sr75f2h1j2a

    Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings stars Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung, and Michelle Yeoh. It’s set to hit theaters September 3, 2021, following Black Widow on July 9th. Find out everything there is to know about the project right here!