Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movie News

  • Sony is Working on More ‘Ghostbusters’ Films

    Sony is Working on More ‘Ghostbusters’ Films

    If you’ve been wondering if Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the last entry in the franchise, you don’t have to worry any longer. In an interview with Deadline, Sony Chairman Tom Rothman discussed the future of their focus on keeping theatrical releases alive with their entries. He highlights that they’ve produced a good number of original productions that aren’t sequels or caped-focused while also confirming that more entries in the Ghostbusters franchise are in development.

    He didn’t go into any detail or reveal if this will see a single sequel, or even a build-up into a larger franchise. In a world where many well-known IPs try to build their own cinematic universes, it’s not uncommon to assume that is the approach going in. Ghostbusters has many untapped stories to explore, especially with its surprising history as with only two films in its filmography. The franchise found a second life in a variety of animated series and even video games.

    While the female-centric Ghostbusters film didn’t quite pick up, Afterlife gave the franchise an extra jolt of energy and is potentially going to set up a new generation of Ghostbusters to carry on the torch. We’ll see if we get some kind of announcement in the coming months and if some of the creative team, as well as the cast might return as well. Still, it’s great to know that there will still be someone to call.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Bad Boys For Life’ Sequel Still in Development, Not Affected by Will Smith Controversy

    ‘Bad Boys For Life’ Sequel Still in Development, Not Affected by Will Smith Controversy

    In the whirlwind aftermath of Will Smith’s infamous slap of Chris Rock during the 2022 Academy Awards, news started to circulate that numerous projects the actor was attached to would be put on hold due to his conduct. One of the most prominent rumors was pausing one of Smith’s most iconic franchises in Bad Boys. However, these rumors have been squashed in an interview with Sony Chairman Tom Rothman. In it, he discussed the project is still in early development stages and that nothing has been canceled.

    No. That was inaccurate. That movie’s been in development and still is. There weren’t any brakes to pump because the car wasn’t moving.

    Tom Rothman

    In addition, Rothman discussed his relationship with Will Smith as someone who’s worked closely with him throughout their careers. As well, he provides his two cents on the infamous incident.

    That was a very unfortunate thing that happened, and I don’t think it’s really my place to comment, except to say that I’ve known Will Smith for many years, and I know him to be a good person. That was an example of a very good person having a very bad moment, in front of the world. I believe his apology and regret is genuine, and I believe in forgiveness and redemption.

    Tom Rothman

    A sense of forgiveness from Tom Rothman could end up being a good omen for the potential future of Will Smith’s acting career. There have been rising doubts on if any major Hollywood production would want to involve the A-lister due to him quickly becoming a controversial figure. While it’s a whole other conversation as to whether or not that would be a fair response to this moment, especially in relation to leniency given to other controversial entities in the industry, those rumors may end up being much ado about nothing. With the chairman of Sony being openly willing to work with him, it could be fair to assume that Smith will gradually be brought back into the fold of major Hollywood films.

    Source: Deadline

  • Sony Chairman Plans to Have Jon Watts Direct ‘Spider-Man 4’

    Sony Chairman Plans to Have Jon Watts Direct ‘Spider-Man 4’

    Jon Watts just recently surprised people with the decision to move away from the upcoming Fantastic Four project. Yet, we learned shortly after that he started work on a new project together with Lucasfilm, which will explore an Amblin-style entry in the Star Wars galaxy. Now that he just wrapped work on one of the biggest Spider-Man film releases of all time with No Way Home, it seems Sony Chairman isn’t ready to let him go quite yet. In an interview with Deadline, Tom Rothman confirmed that he hopes for Watts to return to the director’s chair for the fourth MCU Spider-Man entry.

    On one hand, many have hoped that a new creative team would take the reigns as Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man takes a more grounded approach. Now that he’s seemingly unshackled from the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they can rewrite his future as part of the franchise. Yet, it seems that Sony wants to keep Watts heavily involved, as well as see the return of Zendaya as MJ.

    Now, that also raises the question of how big of a role she could have considering she is heading out to MIT and has completely forgotten who Peter Parker is. Of course, she may be visiting New York City, it is her home after all, and they bump into each other. She will only remember him as the stranger she met at the coffee shop. He’s not officially signed on and things may change as more get a chance to potentially pitch their take on the character.

    Source: Deadline

  • Leaked ‘Snow White’ Set Photos Offer First Look at Rachel Zegler in Costume

    Leaked ‘Snow White’ Set Photos Offer First Look at Rachel Zegler in Costume

    It looks like our first look at Rachel Zegler in the upcoming live-action adaptation of Snow White has found its way online. Details on the project are still kept tightly under wraps, but it looks like they kept the design of her original dress alive, which looks like a direct adaptation of the original Disney animated film. What stands out is how much the colors pop, as sometimes live-action costumes are muted to fit a more realistic design.

    The only addition seems to be the elongated sleeves, as they normally stopped with the shoulder piece. We’ll see if we also get some more set photos that reveal the inclusion of the seven dwarfs. There have been some hints that they may take a unique take with the characters, but we’ll have to wait and see, as a lot on this production is unclear, especially how close they might adapt the original animated film.

    The 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs had quite a short runtime but was a marvel of animation for its time. We’ve seen quite a few live-action attempts over the years, such as an inclusion of the characters in the Once Upon a Time series, or the action-adventure version, Snow White and the Huntsman with Kristen Stewart in the lead. There was also the 2012 film Mirror Mirror where Lily Collins took on the role of Snow White opposite Julia Roberts‘ The Queen. So, we’ll see what Zegler‘s version brings to the plate as the iconic character.

    Source: Twitter

  • Australian Theater Chain Leaks ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Runtime

    Australian Theater Chain Leaks ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Runtime

    There have always been active discussions on just how long some of the upcoming Marvel Studios films will be. When Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ runtime was revealed, people were worried that it wasn’t “long enough” to really fully explore the multiverse. Now, it seems that an Australian theater chain, Even Cinemas, may have accidentally leaked the runtime for Thor: Love and Thunder, which will once again fuel the speculation surrounding if it will spend enough time with the characters.

    According to Event Cinema, Love and Thunder will run for 115 minutes. That would mean the film will be just shy of the two-hour mark, not that uncommon with superhero films. If this is the final runtime for the film., it’ll be longer than the first The Incredible Hulk (112 minutes), and Thor: The Dark World (112 minutes). Funny enough, it’s the same runtime as the first Thor and the first Doctor Strange film. It’ll also only be slightly shorter than the first Ant–Man film, which was 117 minutes.

    Runtimes don’t speak for the quality of the film, and it also is up to the director to find that sweet spot of how long a film needs to be. As we don’t know any details about the film or how it’ll explore the different plot points hinted at. It’s easy to go by rumors that the runtime may not fit what we’ve heard about the story but we also don’t know how much time is spent with what characters or story concepts. Plus, Taika Waititi is known for his fast-paced storytelling.

    Source: Event Cinema

  • Will Poulter on Playing Adam Warlock in ‘Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3’ and Beyond

    Will Poulter on Playing Adam Warlock in ‘Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3’ and Beyond

    Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to conclude what director James Gunn and his crew started all the way back in 2014 with the first Guardians of The Galaxy film. It brought the rather obscure cosmic team into the limelight and made them household names ever since. The third film is set to introduce quite an important character from the Marvel mythos, as Will Poulter is set to play Adam Warlock, a role Poulter says he’s ready to play the long game with.

    Poulter sat down with the playlist to talk about his upcoming film The Score, where he was asked about his exciting debut as Warlock in the next Guardians film.

    I first auditioned in June of last year [2021], and that was the first time I auditioned, and then I kind of got the role in September, I think. And then started shooting in December… I didn’t know what character , initially, I was auditioning for. I kind of knew sort of closer to the time [of casting] who I was reading for. Although I wasn’t familiar with Adam Warlock beforehand, I was very familiar with the ‘Guardians of The Galaxy,’ and it was king of my favorite ‘planet’ within the Marvel universe, if you like. I’m just a huge fan of the tone and creativity and James Gunn’s work and so many of the actors, you know, that I now I get to call colleagues, which i’m very grateful for. So yeah, to have any kind of part in that world is very, very cool for me.

    Will Poulter

    Poulter went on to talk about the future of his character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but revealed he isn’t actually sure where the character is going, only that he is more than happy to stick around for the journey.

    I don’t know. I honestly don’t know what’s in store for me. I’m waiting to find out, and that’s the honest truth, but, needless to say, I’d love to sort of go on a journey with that character.

    Will Poulter

    Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to hit theaters on May 5th, 2023 with Gunn returning to write and direct. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillian, and Pom Klementieff will all reprise their respective roles.

    Source: The Playlist

  • Jay Roach to Direct a Margot Robbie-Led ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ Prequel

    Jay Roach to Direct a Margot Robbie-Led ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ Prequel

    Warner Bros. isn’t done with the Ocean’s franchise. The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that fan-favorite actress Margot Robbie will star in an upcoming prequel to the iconic film series, set to be directed by veteran filmmaker Jay Roach. Plot details are still being kept under wraps, but the story will reportedly take place in Europe during the 1960s. It will be brought to life from an original screenplay by writer Carrie Solomon. The goal is to begin production by 2023, but THR notes the project has yet to receive an official green light and is still merely in early production.

    This will be the second time Robbie and Roach work together, following 2019’s Oscar-nominated Bombshell. The actress will also produce the film through her production company Lucky Chap, alongside Village Roadshow. Gary Ross, who directed the previous franchise installment Ocean’s Eight, will return in a producing capacity as well.

    The new prequel will look to revitalize a series that began with Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven in 2001, itself a remake of the 1960 film based on a book of the same name. Former stars attached to the movies include major names like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Sandra Bullock, Al Pacino, and Julia Roberts. The last attempt at bringing the franchise back to life was the aforementioned Ocean’s Eight. Unfortunately, there was never a sequel announcement, even with an all-star cast consisting of Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Sarah Paulson, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Helena Bonham Carter, and more. However, with Ross back to produce this new prequel, maybe there will still be some connections down the line.

    Source: THR

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Eyeing a June Release on Disney+

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Eyeing a June Release on Disney+

    It looks like the German Disney+ page has already confirmed when we might expect the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on Disney+. According to Twitter user @DragonSkill01, a new visual was shared highlighting what we can expect in June on the service. In it, it reveals that the Doctor Strange sequel will release on June 22nd. Not only that, but it looks like the Assembled episode, here only titled The Making of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will also release on the same day.

    Image

    While it’s the German release in this overview, it’s commonly a worldwide simultaneous release. So, it would make sense that the rest of the world will also get their hands on it by June 22nd. It must be noted that the post has been deleted since. So, it may have accidentally been published early. So, there may be a chance that the release would change, but it’s the official account that accidentally published it.

    The Assembled episode is also an interesting inclusion, as normally they try to keep some time between the film’s release and the Making Of episode. They’ve started releasing them as individual episodes instead of under the Assembled banner initially, but we’ll see how they handle it moving forward. Still, it’s great to know that we’ll get some mind-blowing sequences on the family-friendly Disney+ app soon.

    Source: Instagram via Twitter

  • ‘Fast X’: Scott Eastwood Returns to the ‘Fast and Furious’ Franchise as Little Nobody

    ‘Fast X’: Scott Eastwood Returns to the ‘Fast and Furious’ Franchise as Little Nobody

    It looks like Fast X is continuing to expand its cast, as even after facing the loss of its initial director, the project is moving forward. Now, it has been revealed that Scott Eastwood will return to the Fast and Furious franchise in his role as Little Nobody. The production picked up again with Louis Leterrier at the helm after replacing Justin Lin.

    Eastwood last played the character in 2017’s Fate of the Furious, where he was a government agent working with Kurt Russell‘s Mr. Nobody. There is, sadly, no word if this also means that Russell will return to the franchise as well, but it’s great to have another familiar face join the production. He joins a once again stacked cast consisting of Jason Momoa, Charlize Theron, Alan Ritchson, and Brie Larson, who will join returning favorites like Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, and Tyrese Gibson.

    It’s unclear where the film is going, especially now with the new director on board. The project will lead into the final installment in the now-titled Fast Saga, and they were originally going to shoot these films back-to-back. For now, we’ll have to see if we get any further updates as they continue filming. With the delays costing around a million per day, it hopefully won’t mean they’ll undertake any budget cuts as a result.

    Source: THR

  • Marvel Makes a 20-Year Deal With Genius Brands and POW! Entertainment for Stan Lee’s Likeness and Name

    Marvel Makes a 20-Year Deal With Genius Brands and POW! Entertainment for Stan Lee’s Likeness and Name

    It’s definitely a weird deal to talk about, but it seems that Marvel has acquired the rights to bring Stan Lee, who passed away in 2018, back to life through archival footage and digital technology. If you’re wondering what exactly this is all about, it seems that Marvel has signed a 20-year deal with Stan Lee Universe, which is a venture of Genius Brand International and POW! Entertainment. It lets them license the use of his name and likeness in any future film or TV production, as well as Disney theme parks, “experiences,” and merchandising.

    The CEO of Genius Brands, Andy Heyward, has shared the following statement on the decision to make this deal and revive the beloved comic creator, who quickly became the face of Marvel, through digital means.

    It really ensures that Stan, through digital technology and archival footage and other forms, will live in the most important venue, the Marvel movies, and Disney theme parks. It’s a broad deal.

    Andy Heyward

    Stan Lee‘s cameos in the various Marvel films, not just Marvel Studios’ MCU, were a staple and they have found indirect ways to mention the comic creator with small tributes to the actor without actually including him. Of course, it’s unclear if he’ll actually return as a digital character in these films. Plus, it’s not certain people will feel comfortable seeing a digital double of Lee on the silver screen. Best case, they might include his likeness in the background like how the Netflix shows had him on posters. Heyward highlights:

    The audience revered Stan, and if it’s done with taste and class, and respectful of who he was, [uses of his likeness] will be welcomed. He is a beloved personality, and long after you and I are gone, he will remain the essence of Marvel.

    Andy Heyward

    The deal is still a strange one, as Stan Lee Universe was originally founded by Gill Champion and Arthur Lieberman with the comic creator to “steward” the legacy he left behind. It’s unclear just how detailed the dealing is and if they have to sign off on the use of his likeness, but we’ll have to see how this deal pans out. They likely may have also made a deal due to existing merchandise using Lee‘s likeness.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter