Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movie News

  • REPORT: Lack of Communication as DC Changes Leadership “Creating a Riot”

    REPORT: Lack of Communication as DC Changes Leadership “Creating a Riot”

    James Gunn, the co-head of the newly created DC Studios, took to social media in an attempt to smooth the tidal wave of disruption caused by THR’s revelation that Wonder Woman 3 wasn’t moving forward and that Henry Cavill was not likely to return for a sequel to Man of Steel. Of THR’s piece, Gunn explained that “some of it is true, some of it is half-true, some of it is not true, & some of it we haven’t decided yet whether it’s true or not“, adding that he and co-head Peter Safran “still have a lot more questions to ask & answer.” However, it appears that the transition at the top has left things in chaos.

    According to Deadline, the studio’s “lack of communication to talent reps and content creators” has ruffled more than a few feathers. Reading between the lines of the report, many of the people behind the DC projects that have already been in the works at Warner Bros. Discovery are just as in the dark as fans. According to one insider, the lack of communication “is creating a riot” and straining relationships.

    Deadline reports that one of its sources called into question why Gunn and Safran would be interested in scrapping established franchises that have already had some measure of success in order to start over, saying “These franchises which already make a lot of money, why stop them? How can a studio that’s bearing so much debt afford to start from scratch? There are scripts and actors’ schedules to be figured out.” A fantastic question and one asked often in the online discourse that followed THR’s news. However, as Gunn indicated on social media, in searching to tell what he calls a “cohesive story across film, TV, animation and gaming” a rough transition was always expected.

    Just how rough and how extended that period will be is another question entirely.

    Source: Deadline

  • DC Studios Still Hopes to Make ‘Wonder Woman 3’ as Patty Jenkins Exits Project

    DC Studios Still Hopes to Make ‘Wonder Woman 3’ as Patty Jenkins Exits Project

    Many wondered what exactly was the cause for Warner Bros. to pass on Patty Jenkins‘ third Wonder Woman film. They could’ve easily prepared the film for whatever they have planned under Peter Safran and James Gunn, but it seems that director Patty Jenkins has moved away from the project completely. According to Deadline, there were creative differences and this wasn’t purely on the new CEOs of DC Studios.

    In their report, they highlight that there were issues with the direction of the story given the issues that Wonder Woman 1984 faced when it released. As it turns out, Jenkins has seemingly just left after they rejected her initial pitch even as the team was open for her to rewrite the film and try again. As such, if they move forward with a new Wonder Woman film, it does seem like Jenkins will no longer be involved as a writer, director or producer.

    There’s also the question if her departure could lead to its main actress leaving the project behind. Gal Gadot has been quite a vocal fan of Jenkins‘ work but a recent post does seemingly hint that she’s excited for the future with or without the director. It would seem surprising if she’d completely drop the role of Diana Prince, but given recent reports there’s a lot of uncertainty with what exactly DC Studios has in store for the franchise’s revival plans. For now, we’ll have to just watch as everything unfolds.

    Source: Deadline

  • DC Studios’ James Gunn Semi-Confirms Recent Reports on ‘Black Adam’, Henry Cavill, and More

    DC Studios’ James Gunn Semi-Confirms Recent Reports on ‘Black Adam’, Henry Cavill, and More

    James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as the new heads of a newly formed DC Studios. The question remained on what it might mean for the future of the franchise and generally for those projects that are still currently in some form of development. A recent report by The Hollywood Reporter has openly discussed that perhaps some things aren’t moving forward as first expected.

    Report indicated that not only did they pass on Patty Jenkins‘ third Wonder Woman film, but also won’t move forward with a Black Adam sequel; even as Dwayne Johnson desperately crunches the numbers to prove its a success. The biggest shock was also the fact that Henry Cavill may have returned briefly as Superman but is unlikely to do so once again. As Gunn is no stranger to openly discussing rumors and reports, he has taken to his Twitter to semi-confirm some aspects and debunk others.

    He also goes on to highlight that they are aware not everyone will be happy with their decisions, but that the transitional period is quite a rough one for any creative taking over an existing slate while mapping out its next ten years.

    DC is no stranger to some rather passionate fans about very specific franchise entries, and it likely won’t be an easy transition internally as well as externally. The big qeustion is that this move also puts a dark shadow over the upcoming projects and may add to the fact that The Flash may end up becoming a hard reset for the franchise after all.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Wicked’ Adaptation Adds Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible

    ‘Wicked’ Adaptation Adds Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible

    It seems like the casting for Wicked has continued, as The Hollywood Reporter has just revealed one more addition to the cast. The adaptation by Universal Pictures has now locked in MIchelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, who is the head of Elphaba’s school. Cynthia Erivo is set to take on the role of Elphaba with Arana Grande already ast as Glinda. Jeff Goldblum is also part of the cast as thee Wizard while Jonathan Bailey has been cast as Fiyero. The cast also includes SpongeBob Squarepants: The Musical’s Ethan Slater as Boq in the John M. Chu directed film.

    The film will be split up into two projects that are set to be shot back-to-back in January. So, we might see a few more casting announcements before Christmas rolls around. The first entry is already set for a release on December 25th, 2024. The sequel would be set for the Christmas of 2025. So, we’ll still have to wait quite a bit before we get a first look or even a tease of how they’ll adapt the iconic musical reinterpretation of The Wizard of Oz.

    Yeoh has been on a hot streak with quite a few franchise projects, and even her big role in this year’s biggest Awards contender, Everything Everywhere All At Once. She’s a legend in the industry and has picked up quite a bit of steam once again with her recent projects. She’s also set to arrive in Netflix’s upcoming The Witcher spinoff Blood Origin and who knows what other project she might already have planned.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Is Set to Surprise Fans of the First Film

    ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Is Set to Surprise Fans of the First Film

    It took 13 years for James Cameron to bring the sequel to 2009’s Avatar to the screen and early reactions to the film seem to point to it being both a technological marvel and a film worthy of the blockbuster status it’s preemptively been assigned. However, if you think Cameron was going to wait 13 years to simply dish out more of the same from the first film, you’re in for some surprises.

    During the global press event for Avatar: The Way of Water, Cameron explained that while the sequel will touch on the components that made the first film the #1 highest-grossing film of all-time, audiences are also in for some surprises.

    I think it’s important for a sequel to honor what the audience loved about the experience the first time. But also to, you know, get them off-balance, you know, do things that they don’t expect. There are a lot of surprises in terms of where the story goes in this film, that we’re not putting into the trailers and the TV spots and all that. You kind of have to experience it.

    James Cameron

    Cameron continued on to explain that while there are some surprises as the plot unfolds, one of the key differences between the sequel and its predecessor comes from the emotional family dynamic at the heart of the film.

    But it also goes a lot deeper, in terms of the heart and the emotions, I mean, wouldn’t you guys say? I mean, we were (Sure), it was a much simpler story, and the characters were simpler the first time. And I was inspired by the fact that both Zoe and Sam were- Sam are parents, and I’m a parent of five, and so we wanted to get into the family dynamics, and the responsibilities of having kids. And also what that’s all like from the kid’s perspective right?

    James Cameron

    At 190 minutes, Avatar: The Way of Water has plenty of time to sneak in some surprises and to allow for an emotional connection to be established with the audience. Cameron is no stranger to making successful sequels. Given his passion for the project and the worlds and characters he’s built within it, it seems safe to say the film will be a big hit over this holiday season.

    Avatar: The Way of Water hits theaters on December 16th.

  • Sony Inks Streaming Deal With Crave for ‘Spider-Man’, ‘The Equalizer’, and More

    Sony Inks Streaming Deal With Crave for ‘Spider-Man’, ‘The Equalizer’, and More

    While Sony’s handling of the Spider-Man IP has been quite questionable, they have their own strengths when contrasted with the streaming craze. Most big studios have been busy trying to build up their own competitor to establish themselves in the market. It’s not too surprising that Netflix would eventually have more competitors to contend with but there’s been anothger strategy that has become quite popular for some. Sony is leading the way by mostly handling its projects to other studios and has now seemingly added a new deal to its belt.

    In a report by Deadline, Canadian streamer Crave has inked a long-term deal with Sony Pictures that they’d get the first window rights to their upcoming blockbuster films after their theatrical and home entertainment runs. As such, it would be the exclusive streaming home for upcoming releases like Insidious, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Madame Web, and more.

    This deal also includes older projects and is committed to spotlighting the content with “elevated promotional campaigns, including in-product merchandising and experiential marketing initiatives.” It’s a big move for Crave to position themselves in the streaming market but does add more confusion on how exactly these deals affect the releases. Sony has also made deals with Netflix for first look and Disney+, which only recently got access to some of its missing Spider-Man films that were co-produced with Marvel Studios alongside their legacy collection. For now, we can only guess and have to keep an eye out how this might delay releases on other streaming platforms.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Black Adam’ Sequel Unlikely to Happen

    ‘Black Adam’ Sequel Unlikely to Happen

    As the internet continues to debate whether Black Adam will be profitable for DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery, a new report suggests a sequel is off the cards. Earlier in the week, Variety reported that Black Adam was set to lose $100 million for Warner Bros. Discovery, after only pulling in $387 million worldwide. Leading man, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would later refute that report, suggesting the film would make a profit of $52 million-$75 million. Despite Johnson’s claims, though, it appears a sequel to the film is off the table.

    In a new piece exploring the future of DC Studios, The Hollywood Reporter reveals that it is unlikely a sequel to Black Adam will be given a greenlight. The decision is based on the film’s overall performance. As THR notes, much like Variety did, the film had a hefty price tag – a reported $190 million, but some suggest it’s more like $230 million – and that’s without the cost of marketing. With those numbers, a worldwide haul of $387 million is unlikely to make the film profitable. It could break even with ancillary revenue, but the costs to produce a sequel even at that point seems too high.

    Also unlikely is a sequel to Black Adam. Despite the hype surrounding the movie of launching a new corner of DC, a lot of it led by star Dwayne Johnson, the movie has only grossed $385 million worldwide and insiders at the studio say the movie, which cost more than $190 million to produce (two sources peg the actual cost at $230 million, not including marketing), will be lucky to break even, even considering ancillary revenue. Even if the movie does eke out a minimal profit, any follow-up’s inherent rising costs dim the prospect of a sequel.

    The Hollywood Reporter

    Black Adam is currently playing in theaters and will hit Blu-Ray and DVD at the end of the month.

    Source: THR.

  • James Cameron Says ‘Avatar 4’ Is So Nuts It Made the Studio Say the F-Word

    James Cameron Says ‘Avatar 4’ Is So Nuts It Made the Studio Say the F-Word

    Avatar: The Way of Water is so close to theatrical release, audiences can almost taste it. When it finally drops, it will only be the second film in the Avatar franchise, but director James Cameron has much bigger plans than just two movies. The Hollywood legend has infamously spent the last decade of his career developing multiple sequels to his 2009 megahit, with the third entry reportedly already done with the filming process. Not to be contained, Cameron has stated he has outlines for an overall Avatar story that lasts up to seven or eight films, though whether or not he winds up helming all of them remains to be seen. Either way, in a recent interview with Collider, the creative made a big promise that each sequel will only be more insane than the last.

    Cameron has a long history of not holding back in his work, as evidenced by his gutsy bet to fully film sequels to a project that has yet to even release. However, according to his conversation with Collider, the currently-untitled Avatar 4 may be his most “nuts” achievement yet. The Titanic filmmaker explained a hilarious behind-the-scenes scenario during the interview:

    I can’t tell you the details, but all I can say is that when I turned in the script for 2, the studio gave me three pages of notes. And when I turned in the script for 3, they gave me a page of notes, so I was getting better. When I turned in the script for 4, the studio executive, creative executive over the films wrote me an email that said, ‘Holy f-ck.’ And I said, ‘Well, where are the notes?’ And she said, ‘Those are the notes.’ Because it kind of goes nuts in a good way, right?

    James Cameron

    There’s no telling what audiences might be in store for when Avatar 4 hits cinemas on December 18th, 2026, but they can get a better idea when Avatar: The Way of Water drops on December 16th (of this year).

    Source: Collider

  • REPORT: Willem Dafoe Will Not Appear in ‘Aquaman’ Sequel

    REPORT: Willem Dafoe Will Not Appear in ‘Aquaman’ Sequel

    Willem Dafoe has left the ocean, or something like that. According to a new report from industry insider KC Walsh, the fan-favorite actor will not appear in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, despite playing a major role in the previous film and cameoing alongside Jason Momoa‘s Arthur Curry in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Dafoe portrayed Aquaman’s mentor Nuidis Vulko, a chief Atlantean scientist and one of the hero’s foremost supporting characters from the comics. The former Spider-Man star was widely expected to reprise the Vulko role in the sequel, but Walsh states the story has other plans.

    ***POTENTIAL SPOILERS***

    In response to an inquisitive fan on Twitter, Walsh made the claim that the friendly father figure will not only be absent from the film but will be snuffed out of the franchise altogether. Vulko will, supposedly, be killed offscreen at some point during the movie, ending Dafoe‘s time in the DC cinematic universe and stripping Aquaman of his most-trusted confidant.

    Dafoe‘s journey as Vulko has been a bit strange from the start. He was originally cast in the role by Snyder for Justice League but saw all his scenes cut from the theatrical release. He eventually debuted in Aquaman before having his initial Justice League restored in the highly-demanded Director’s Cut.

    Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is set to be directed by James Wan, returning from the first film. Momoa will be back in the title role, with Patrick Wilson also returning as his formerly villainous half-brother Orm Marius. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Kidman, Randall Park, and Amber Heard are all expected to make a comeback as part of the cast.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Superman:’ Henry Cavill Likely Out as the Man of Steel

    ‘Superman:’ Henry Cavill Likely Out as the Man of Steel

    DC Studios is looking to revamp the DC universe. Following the news that Wonder Woman 3 is not moving forward, it was revealed that Henry Cavill‘s return as Superman is already over. After making a cameo in Black Adam, the actor took to social media to proudly announce his return to DC as the Man of Steel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, however, that no longer appears to be the case.

    New DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are said to be in the final stages of drafting the future of DC Studios, and Cavill’s Superman doesn’t appear to be a part of those plans. Plans for a sequel to Man of Steel 2 are reportedly shut down, as is the return of Cavill as Superman. It’s said that the move comes as the new heads seek to close the curtain of the Snyderverse, including saying goodbye to the heroes previously cast by Zack Snyder — Cavill being one of them.

    If that proves to be the case, it’s likely Jason Momoa will be out as Aquaman, too, although rumors suggest Momoa might have a different future at DC. Gunn and Safran are expected to make a presentation to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO, David Zaslav, which should help to make the plans for DC and DC Studios a bit clearer in the coming months.

    Source: THR.