Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movie News

  • Michael Rosenbaum Confirms Return as Martinex in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

    Michael Rosenbaum Confirms Return as Martinex in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

    It seems there may be a full-blown Ravager reunion in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. It was confirmed in November that Hollywood icon Sylvester Stallone would reprise his role as Stakar Ogord, a high-ranking member of the Ravagers and leader of Yondu Udonta’s former squad, from 2017’s Vol. 2, and now it looks like he won’t be alone. Michael Rosenbaum recently took to his Instagram to reveal he would be returning as Martinex, the sparkling Plutonian, in Marvel Studios’ intergalactic threequel.

    The actor shared the news by posting an image of his character from the unreleased trailer that played for fans at San Diego Comic-Con. He captioned the photo, “See a familiar face in the new GOTG trailer?”.

    Rosenbaum is a longtime friend and frequent collaborator of director James Gunn, so it’s not a big surprise that he would appear in the creative’s next project. However, his appearance combined with Stallone’s would indicate at least part of the movie will pay off the Vol. 2 post-credits scene that involved the original Ravagers. When last fans saw the group, they had reunited on Ogord’s ship after years apart, mourning the loss of Michael Rooker’s Yondu and gearing up to “steal some shit”.

    If the whole team is truly back, that would mean Vol. 3 could also see the return of Michelle Yeoh as Aleta Ogord, Ving Rhames as Charlie-27, and Miley Cyrus as Mainframe. This would put Yeoh in the unique position of playing two Marvel Cinematic Universe characters concurrently, after also appearing prominently in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5th, 2023.

    Source: Instagram

  • Walter Hamada Almost Left Warner Bros. Due to ‘Batgirl’ Controversy

    Walter Hamada Almost Left Warner Bros. Due to ‘Batgirl’ Controversy

    The shelving of Batgirl for tax reasons is something that left quite the bitter taste with many long-time fans of DC films and Warner Bros. Under new leadership, David Zaslav has been taking a hammer to most every prominent project they have with one controversial decision following the next. Now, it turns out that DC Films president Walter Hamada was just about to exit the studio over the recent decision.

    While he’s agreed to stay, it does seem like it’s going to be short-lived as he’ll supervise the release of Dwayne Johnson‘s Black Adam in October. He’s not made a comment in regards to this current development but it does seem to lack the last pieces are falling apart at Warner Bros. Discovery. There’s still some questioning on their decision to not even give the film a chance theatrically, as it seems it was deemed “not strong enough” for that kind of release.

    The big reveal is that Hamada has not been consulted about the decision and simply found out during a test screening for Black Adam. He naturally was worried bout those heavily involved with the production who haven’t really been informed either until the news was first released by the New York Post, which stated that low test scores were one of the reasons.

    Hamada has been a highly discussed figure in the DC realm due to decisions surrounding Justice League back in 2017. Internally, there was a lot of pressure of setting a path for these projects and creating their own shared universe like Marvel but things have been bumpy along the way, even if The Suicide Squad, The Batman, Aquaman, Peacemaker, and more still shined bright. If he’ll truly leave the company we’ll have to see once the Black Adam releases.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Doctor Strange’ Storyboard Artist Reveals Mordo’s Grisly Original Fate

    ‘Doctor Strange’ Storyboard Artist Reveals Mordo’s Grisly Original Fate

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness did a pretty good job of continuing the threads established in Stephan Strange’s first solo outing, but there was one major loose end that never wrapped up. While Chiwetel Ejiofor did return for the sequel to reprise his role as Karl Mordo, the Ancient One’s top former student and Strange’s one-time mentor, it wasn’t in the way most fans expected. Mordo had ended 2016’s Doctor Strange disillusioned with magic users and promising to rid the world of it’s “too many sorcerers”. Many assumed this meant the sequel would see him follow his comic book arc to become Strange’s arch-rival on Earth, but instead, the mainstream timeline’s version of the character never appears at all.

    Audiences were treated to an alternate Earth-838 Mordo, who lives in a world where Strange has died and he has ascended to become both Sorcerer Supreme and a member of the Illuminati. The film leaves the fate of Earth-616 Mordo completely up in the air, but according to storyboard artist Jeremy Simser, that was not always the case. Months after the release of Multiverse of Madness, the artist has unveiled a series of panels that confirm Ejiofor‘s potential villain was once supposed to perish at the hands of Elizabeth Olsen‘s Scarlet Witch:

    There had previously been rumors that the film’s original script had Mordo losing his head after trying to stop Wanda Maximoff on his own, but this is the first solid look at how that might have played out. Luckily for fans of the character, and those hoping to see him fulfill his comic book role down the line, Simser mentions in his caption that deleted scenes don’t count as part of Marvel Cinematic Universe canon. So, perhaps there’s still room for Mordo to flex his villainous muscle in Doctor Strange 3.

    Source: Instagram

  • Warner Bros. Discovery Working on 10-Year Plan for DC Franchise

    Warner Bros. Discovery Working on 10-Year Plan for DC Franchise

    In the beginning many were frustrated to see Warner Bros. rushing through the DC Extended Universe, jumping the gun to catch up with Marvel Studios. The course correction never really came and since 2017, its been an uphill battle for fans. With the Discovery merger the new heads seem to be dedicated in expanding and pushing the DC property to its fullest potential with quality content.

    During the Q2 earnings call for Warner Brothers Discovery, David Zaslav announced that DC is one of their highest priorities in getting situated. On top of the announcement that DC would be becoming its own studio within the company, Zaslav has confirmed that they’ve put a team together to run said studio and have put together a ten-year plan, mentioning outright it is similar to what Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios have built over at Disney.

    No word has been made on what exactly this “10-year-plan” entails and it’s unknown if WBD will announce a slate anytime soon. Another interesting part of this announcement is what’s going to happen with the current universe. Could the new plan be set on the foundations of the old one, with The Flash mentioned during the call and Zaslav saying he thinks the studio can make the film better? This could possibly hint at reshoots for the film and maybe allow them to alter the ending so that it could allow another new DC Universe to be born of it as a result, as it seems Zaslav is not a fan of the Keatonverse idea.

    The third time’s the charm, as many say, but this might even be closer to their fourth. No matter what, let’s just hope that they can get it right this time and the DC universe is able to thrive the way everyone knows it can.

    Source: Twitter

  • HBO Max to Merge With Discovery+ by Summer 2023

    HBO Max to Merge With Discovery+ by Summer 2023

    A major bit of news in the age of streaming has come to be during the Warner Bros. Discovery earnings call. JB Perrette, the CEO and President of Global Streaming and Interactive at Warner Bros. Discovery announced that HBO Max and Discovery+ are set to be combined into a singular streaming service in the US next summer. On the earnings call, Perrette discussed the plans for rolling out this new operation.

    Our primary focus for the rollout will be in the markets where HBO Max has already launched. We plan to launch the service sequentially starting in the U.S. next summer. Latin America will follow later in the year. European markets with HBO Max will follow in early ‘24, with additional launches and key Asia Pacific territories and some new European markets coming later in 2024. There’s much work to be done over the coming months. There’s lots to do, we’re determined to get it right, which will take a bit of time.

    JB Perrette

    JB Perrette also spent time discussing the rationale for this decision, with the more appointment viewing experience of HBO Max and the comfortable viewing experience of Discovery+ being more strongly served on a singular platform.

    These are two critical and powerful components of a strong and sustainable subscription business. Coupled with our world-class collection of globally recognized brands, franchises and characters, it is truly an unprecedented combination in an already crowded market.

    JB Perrette

    The news of this radical shift from Warner Bros. Discovery is coming off the heels of an already loud week from the company in terms of shuttering projects. This includes the cancelations of Batgirl and the sequel to Scoob, despite them being well into the post-production process. It remains to be seen how much more will be altered in this new status quo from David Zaslav’s newly minted regime at the Hollywood stalwart.

    Source: Deadline

  • James Gunn Teases Tonal Change for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3’

    James Gunn Teases Tonal Change for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3’

    As the Marvel Cinematic Universe heads towards the end of Phase Four and into the beginning of Phase Five, one of the most anticipated projects for fans is Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3. With that, those in attendance at San Diego Comic-Con this past month were able to view a first look at what’s in store for the final chapter of this specific saga. And now, in addition, director James Gunn has given further intel on what to expect from his upcoming film. In an interview with Gamespot, Gunn discussed the tone of Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 and how it differs from the first two iterations of the franchise.

    It’s an incredibly emotional story. Much more mature than the other Guardian stories in a way because, you know, we started making these movies that were 10, 11 years old when they saw the first one, and now they’re 20, 21 years old. The movie has grown up with them.

    James Gunn

    The news of a more emotional and mature story for Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 is sure to pique the interest of fans who will be curious as to how exactly this will transpire. One could make the assumption that the introduction of Chukwudi Iwuji as the High Evolutionary will be the impetus for a relatively darker story in dealing with the trauma that Rocket Raccoon has at the hands of his creator. In addition, the San Diego Comic-Con exclusive trailer showcased the dramatic nature in which Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill is dealing with the ramifications of trying to rebuild a relationship with Zoe Saldana’s Gamora. This despite the Gamora of this film being a multiversal variant after the death of Earth-616’s version during the events of Avengers: Infinity War.

    The more mature narrative for this film would also be in line with a trend often seen in recent Marvel Cinematic Universe franchises in which the third film of a saga changes deviates from the general tone of the previous two. These have included the likes of Thor: Ragnarok, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and will seemingly continue with the upcoming Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (which also arrives in theaters in 2023).

    Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3 is currently scheduled to open exclusively in theaters on May 5th, 2023.

    Source: GameSpot

  • Lady Gaga Confirmed for ‘Joker 2’

    Lady Gaga Confirmed for ‘Joker 2’

    A day after an official release date was given to Joker 2, aka Joker: Folie A Deux, director and co-writer Todd Phillips took to social media to confirm Lady Gaga‘s casting. News that Gaga would be joining the Joker sequel first hit in June, with Deadline revealing she was in talks to portray Harley Quinn in the film. While news has continued to hit regarding the Joker sequel, this marks the first official confirmation that the singer/actress is set to co-star alongside Joaquin Phoenix.

    In the video below, we see a silhouette of Phoenix’s Joker as he looks to be dancing with a cigarette in his mouth, followed by a silhouette of Gaga with what appears to be a heart on her cheek. The silhouettes then come together in a pose before confirming the Oct. 2024 release date.

    Production on Joker: Folie A Deux is expected to begin this December, with a good chunk of the story reportedly set within Arkham Asylum with some musical elements involved. Little else is known regarding the film, however, it’s possible the sequel could take cues from the Mad Love comics storyline. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see how it all comes together.

    Joker: Folie A Deux will hit theaters on Oct. 4th, 2024.

  • Leslie Grace on ‘Batgirl’ Being Shelved: “I feel blessed.”

    Leslie Grace on ‘Batgirl’ Being Shelved: “I feel blessed.”

    Following the news that Warner Bros. Discovery has opted not to release Batgirl, the film’s leading lady, Leslie Grace, has finally spoken out. Grace took to her Instagram page late Wednesday evening to talk about the abrupt move.

    “Querida familia! On the heels of the recent news about our movie “Batgirl,” I am proud of the love, hard work and intention all of our incredible cast and tireless crew put into this film over 7 months in Scotland,” she wrote. “I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process! To every Batgirl fan – THANK YOU for the love and belief, allowing me to take on the cape and become, as Babs said best, “my own damn hero!””

    Grace also included behind-the-scenes images from the film that fans will now never get to see come to life. In some of the images, Grace can be seen sporting Batgirl’s purple and yellow costume with plenty of dirt on her face, while in other clips the cast can be seen goofing around while waiting to film.

    Grace’s comments come after directors Bilall Fallah and Adil El Arbi released their own statement earlier in the day, revealing they were “saddened and shocked” by the news. “As directors, it is critical that our work be shown to audiences, and while the film was not finished, we wish that fans all over the world would have had the opportunity to see and embrace the final film themselves.”

    While earlier reports suggested DC was keen to work with Grace and Fallah and Arbi again outside of Batgirl, it remains to be seen whether or not that does happen down the line. For now, it’s evident that all involved in the project are clearly passionate about Batgirl and are sad to see fans won’t get to see their hard work.

  • ‘Supergirl’ Rumored to Cancelled by DC Films

    ‘Supergirl’ Rumored to Cancelled by DC Films

    In what comes as a continuation of DC Film’s slate being upended in massive turnaround from Warner Bros Discovery, it has now been rumored studio will stop development on their Supergirl film. According to a report from Rolling Stone, insider sources have told the publication that the Sasha Calle-led project is unlikely to be moving forward at the studio.

    Sasha Calle is currently scheduled to appear as the character in The Flash, which is currently slated for a June 2023 release. That appearance was intended to serve as the launching point for the solo Supergirl film. The Flash is not without its problems as its star, Ezra Miller, has already been a major point of controversy on a number of different levels already. Miller has been embroiled in various arrests due to their erratic behavior, forcing Warner Bros Discovery to deal with the important decision in relation to whether or not the studio will have to pull the plug on this project. The Flash is still scheduled for its 2023 release, but Miller is seemingly no longer involved with future DC related projects. The whole ordeal has especially been difficult as the film is slated to be a critical lynchpin for the future of DC’s cinematic plans.

    If Supergirl is indeed canceled, it will be in line with the array of projects getting nixed from the major comic book company’s film division. Notably, Batgirl was scrapped despite it being in the post-production process and $78 million already being spent on it. Wonder Twins, a project slated for HBO Max, was also canceled by the new Warner Bros Discovery regime earlier this year. And at the pace in which David Zaslav has been clearing house in terms of previously announced projects in development, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think more potential films will meet an untimely end before they move any further.

    Source: Rolling Stone

  • ‘Shazam 2’, ‘Aquaman 2’ and ‘The Flash’ May Get Delayed Again

    ‘Shazam 2’, ‘Aquaman 2’ and ‘The Flash’ May Get Delayed Again

    In perhaps the most shocking film news of the year, Warner Bros. Discovery made the move to cancel HBO Max’s Batgirl after it had already completed filming. The project was axed alongside Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, an animated sequel to 2020’s Scoob!, which was also nearly finished with its production process. These decisions came as the result of a change in leadership at the company, with new CEO David Zaslav making drastic modifications to Warner Bros. Discovery’s project output in an attempt to save the business money. Other such changes include the removal of multiple previously released HBO Max Originals, such as The Witches and An American Pickle, from the streaming service for the sake of partial tax write-offs.

    A new article from The Hollywood Reporter indicates more release alterations may be coming, specifically to the company’s slate of upcoming DC films. While fans are mostly concerned about projects that have yet to begin marketing, like Angel Manuel Soto‘s Blue Beetle or Andy Muschietti‘s The Flash, THR reports that imminent entries on Warner Bros. Discovery’s schedule could be in motion as well. Shazam!: Fury of the Gods and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are both listed as projects that might see a change in release dates in the near future. Fury of the Gods, which just had a grand showing at San Diego Comic-Con and recently dropped its first trailer, is currently set for a December 21st release, while The Lost Kingdom is supposed to hit theaters on March 17th, 2023.

    No reason was given for any potential shift, but THR did note that Aquaman may be undergoing some changes in its Batman department. Michael Keaton was reportedly set to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne from the original Tim Burton films, The Flash, and Batgirl, replacing Ben Affleck from the Zack Snyder universe as the Caped Crusader going forward. However, a recent video posted to Jason Mamoa‘s Instagram seemed to hint that Affleck would indeed return. The cancellation of Batgirl and uncertainty surrounding The Flash could mean the switch to Keaton has been undone, with THR also noting that Keaton’s original scene as Batman in The Lost Kingdom caused confusion among early test audiences. Warner Bros. Discovery has an earnings call on Thursday, and all eyes are directed toward Zaslav for answers.

    Source: THR