Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movie News

  • Michael Waldron on Kang’s Absence in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ 

    Michael Waldron on Kang’s Absence in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ 

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness does its best to carry on the multiversal plot threads introduced in last year’s first season of Loki, but there’s one major component missing from the final product. Despite an ominous warning from Jonathan Majors’ He Who Remains that a more dangerous variant of himself, Kang the Conqueror, would arrive if the Sacred Timeline was continually tampered with, there was not a single inter-dimensional warlord to be found in Doctor Strange’s two-hour runtime. Michael Waldron, the man with a plan who wrote both projects for Marvel, recently sat down with Deadline’s Hero Nation podcast and revealed exactly why he chose not to include the next big Ant-Man baddie in Sam Raimi’s sequel:

    To me it felt like we had the biggest, best bullet already, in Wanda. That when working with Sam, when it was like we should really make the decision to make Wanda the antagonist of this film. It was exciting and part of that was the feeling of ‘geez, we can’t let another movie go have that fun.’ It’s because she is going to be so great.

    Michael Waldron

    The Scarlet Witch acts as an incredibly effective villain in Multiverse of Madness, which packs a lot into its story already. It was probably for the best that Waldron and Raimi decided to focus on one antagonist at a time. The writer confirmed as much as he continued his answer, explaining:

    And I think that if you had introduced Kang, as great as Jonathan Majors is, and as great as he is going to be playing that character, you would have risked the movie just getting maybe over-stuffed.

    Michael Waldron

    For fans worried about the lack of Kang, don’t be. The villain is set to get the spotlight in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and will likely be a major player in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the meantime, go see Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, in theaters now.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Opens to Around $190M at the Box Office

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Opens to Around $190M at the Box Office

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is entering its opening weekend earning approximately a resounding $190 million domestically as per current industry estimates. This comes off the back of $90 million earned on Friday in addition to previews the day prior. This would be Disney’s most successful opening for a film since the start of the pandemic. Marvel Studios’ latest tentpole release places 7th in terms of largest domestic opening days for box office earnings. More interesting, though, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is now home to half of the top ten films in this category. Globally, the Benedict Cumberbatch-led project has opened to over $229 million thus far and will certainly exceed the expectations of a $300 million opening weekend.

    According to EntTelligence, a box office earnings data firm, 89% of all moviegoing attendees were specifically present for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This is generally in line with the most previous theatrical entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Spider-Man: No Way Home. 

    Still, there are some questions about the long-term sustainability of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in the box office after receiving a B+ CinemaScore. Still with the momentum the film has had in its opening weekend, it’s certainly possible for Sam Raimi’s latest superhero project to be a long-term success in theaters. It will definitely be a story worth following in the coming weeks.

    Source: Deadline.

  • New Report Offers Insight Into Justin Lin’s Exit From ‘Fast X’

    New Report Offers Insight Into Justin Lin’s Exit From ‘Fast X’

    It was a shock for many when Justin Lin exited Fast X, which had just started production. Some pointed to a potential issue with issues between the director and Vin Diesel that may have ballooned into a lot more problems that have happened behind the scenes. In a new tell-all from The Hollywood Reporter, it seems that the issues have some deeper roots than just a single dispute.

    It seems that Lin was in charge of the film’s script and went in thinking it has been locked. While some adaptations had to be done due to recent events, such as an Eastern European location being adapted due to the war in Ukraine, Universal sent a writer to “polish dialogue” even if they haven’t even cast one of the villains at that point. Diesel also seemingly had to sign off on everything forcing Lin to somehow stick the film back together.

    It seems that a “major disagreement” on April 23rd led to his exit after a meeting and new notes from Diesel became the last straw for the director, who prioritized his mental health. A spokesperson from Universal, however, pointed out that this was with the studio and not with the crew.

    Any creative differences leading to Justin Lin’s exit were with the studio, not with fellow producers, cast or crew.

    It wasn’t until a few days later that the official announcement arrived that he was leaving the franchise. They have now found. replacement in Lois Letterier, who has some backstory with driving action thanks to his work on the Transporter franchise. Yet, the costs for this project continue to pile on with it costing upwards of $300M, which doesn’t include its upcoming marketing costs. The weight on this and its sequel may potentially drag the film down.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Receives B+ CinemaScore

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Receives B+ CinemaScore

    While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has left quite the impression to draw in a crowd at the box office, we now also finally know what CinemaScore the film has received from audiences. Eternals surprised people back during its release when it received Marvel Studios’ worst Audience Score with a B, which might very likely be connected to its very different storytelling approach and even something like the inclusion of a sex scene that sometimes rubs general audiences the wrong way. Now, Multiverse of Madness has received its rating and now stands at a B+.

    the score is the same that Fantastic Beasts: the Secrets of Dumbledore received as well as The Lost City. Even The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and Uncharted were given a B+ rating from audiences. 2022’s Scream also got a B+ rating earlier this year and given Multiverse of Madness’ horror roots, it wouldn’t be too surprising that it played a key role in how the general audience reacted to the film. While some believe B+ or even a B rating signals “bad quality,” it’s more a reflection of elements in that film potentially catching audiences off-guard.

    So far, it seems Morbius was one of the few films to actually get hit with the lowest CinemaScore, as it received a C+. The original 2011 Thor was for some time given the “worst” Marvel Cinematic Universe rating with B+ before Eternals release in theaters. Still, the film seems to be pulling in quite a few people into theaters and it’s horror roots may potentially also give it an extra boost, as even with lower CinemaScores they have pretty strong legs at the box office.

    Source: Twitter, ComicBook.com

  • Taika Waitit Teases Jane Foster’s Return as a ‘Mindf-k For Thor’ in ‘Love and Thunder’, New Look at Mighty Thor

    Taika Waitit Teases Jane Foster’s Return as a ‘Mindf-k For Thor’ in ‘Love and Thunder’, New Look at Mighty Thor

    Empire has released a new interview with director Taika Waititi, who has returned to the Thor franchise after his work on Ragnarok. Love and Thunder will see the grand return of Natalie Portman‘s Jane Foster, who hasn’t been seen since 2013’s Thor: The Dark World. The astrophysicist has gone through quite the change, as she’s the new wielder of a resurrected Mjolnir and it looks like it’ll be quite an experience for Thor to see her again. Director Waititi teases that after all this time, her reappearance will be quite the “mindfuck for Thor” in Love and Thunder. Full Quote Here:

    It’s been about eight years. She’s had a whole other life, and then the love of your life comes back on the scene, and is now dressed like you. It’s a real mindfuck for Thor.

    Taika Waititi
    Image

    In the interview, the director highlights that it wasn’t their initial plan to explore Mighty Thor’s storyline, but it came together through the writing process.

    I didn’t know we were going to use the storyline of the Mighty Thor character until we started working out the actual story. I was writing and it was like, ‘Wouldn’t it be kind of cool to bring Jane back into the storyline?’ You don’t want Natalie coming back and playing that same character who’s walking around with science equipment. You know, while Thor’s flying around, she’s left on Earth, tapping her foot going, ‘When’s he going to be back?’ That’s boring. You want her to be part of the adventure.

    Taika Waititi

    It definitely would’ve been a shame to bring her back and not further explore her character. Though, it surprised many that Portman was going to return to the franchise after she left it behind all those years ago. So, it’s great she got a true moment to shine, as Waitiit also teases some great humor heading our way from the actress once we see her return in the MCU.

    Source: Empire

  • James Gunn Shares Set Photo as ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Wraps Production

    James Gunn Shares Set Photo as ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Wraps Production

    It looks like the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has wrapped up its production, as James Gunn took to his Twitter account to share a last image from the set. He’s hinted some time ago that it wouldn’t take much longer before they wrapped work on it, especially as they were also working on the Holiday Special as well. He shared an image of him alongside some of the cast members while also looking back at the work they’ve done to bring the trilogy to life over the years.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1522730391911686144

    Now, we have to keep in mind that there will still be reshoots in the future, which will bring some of the cast back together but that doesn’t mean everyone is going to be on set the same way. That is why when the initial production ends, it has a bittersweet feeling for most of those involved, especially if this is indeed the final installment for the franchise. Who knows if we’ll see every member of this team continue their time with the franchise moving forward, or if we’re saying farewell to some members.

    It’s great to see the cast together, and hopefully, we get some teasers on what they have planned for us, as we won’t get our hands on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 until next year. There haven’t been any set photos of the newest additions to the franchise, who might have a bigger role moving forward and here’s hoping they start teasing who else we might see in the film as well as how it might tie into the Holiday Special aiming for a release later this year.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Spinoff Focused on Gemma Chan’s Astrid in Development

    ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Spinoff Focused on Gemma Chan’s Astrid in Development

    Here’s an interesting surprise, as it looks like Crazy Rich Asians is getting a spinoff focused on Gemma Chan‘s Astrid Young Teo. The story will focus on her romance with Harry Shum Jr.’s Charlie Wu. The producer behind the hit show Barry, Jason Kim, seemingly sold a pitch to Warner Bros, which kicked off the interest in further developing this storyline. As of now, the project is in early development.

    This will not replace the already in-development sequel, which Amy Wang is currently working on. They will both be tied to the second book of Kevin Kwan’s famous trilogy, China Rich Girlfriend. The original story focused on Constance Wu and Henry Golding‘s trip to Shanghai to find her birth father. The spinoff will pick up after Astrid found out her husband, played by Pierre Png, is cheating on her and she reconnected with her first love, Charlie.

    It’s definitely an interesting move, but Chan was praised for her performance in the film. What stands out is that this was a pitch by Kim that pushed this project forward rather than something the studio purely decided. So, it’s interesting to see creatives inspired by franchises explore other stories or adapt aspects of books they themselves may have quite enjoyed. The film was a milestone in Asian-American representation and the sequel alongside the spinoff will very likely carry on that torch.

    Source: Deadline

  • Elizabeth Olsen Teases “Different Versions” of Scarlet Witch’s MCU Future

    Elizabeth Olsen Teases “Different Versions” of Scarlet Witch’s MCU Future

    While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness focused on Benedict Cumberbatch’s titular hero for the first time since his 2016 debut film, the sequel undoubtedly put some other characters in the spotlight as well. Xochitl Gomez had a triumphant introduction as America Chavez, and some major cameos got quite a bit of attention. Still, it was Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff that stole plenty of scenes in the film, and her adversarial role as the Scarlet Witch was fantastic.

    Wanda has been a fan favorite at least since her Disney+ series WandaVision, which saw the character (first introduced in Avengers: Age of Ultron) finally take on the Scarlet Witch mantle. With her popularity so high, fans have been clamoring for more. While a Scarlet Witch solo project seems likely, Olsen herself recently teased where the antihero’s story may go. Speaking to Extra, the actress stated:

    There’s a couple different versions of what could happen at the end of this film. Mostly, I want to hear what the fans who know her best, what they would like to see from her next.

    Elizabeth Olsen

    While MCU actors are notoriously left in the dark about their character’s futures or pretend they are, Olsen seems to suggest that she has some substantial knowledge about her character’s potential future projects. It is also interesting that she seems to want fan input to influence the ultimate direction of the Scarlet Witch. One of the directions Olsen might be teasing could be an adaptation of the popular James Robinson’s 2015 Scarlet Witch solo series. But Wanda Maximoff is not short on major arcs and storylines in the comics.

    In any event, it looks like Olsen just provided a bit more evidence that fans should expect the Scarlet Witch’s return in the MCU after the events of Multiverse of Madness.

    Source: Extra

  • Patrick Stewart Teases a Potential MCU Return for Professor X

    Patrick Stewart Teases a Potential MCU Return for Professor X

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness made big waves with some of its character inclusions. Perhaps most exciting for fans was the inclusion of Patrick Stewart’s return from the X-Men franchise as Charles Xavier. The inclusion of Professor X marks the first mutant we’ve seen in the MCU, as Disney only more recently acquired the film rights to the X-Men characters.

    As a fan favorite in the X-Men movies, as well as his portrayal of the character in Logan, fans were overjoyed at his re-introduction as an alternate universe variant in the Doctor Strange sequel. Stewart himself was a little unsure about returning to the iconic role, but he just teased that there could be more to come. Speaking to Variety, Stewart said:

    Charles Xavier? Yeah. There may be [more apperances]. You know, the whole X-Men comic series is so huge, so vast, there might be an opportunity in which he comes back. We’ll see.

    Patrick Stewart

    Marvel Studios is expected to eventually introduce previous 20th Century Fox-owned characters such as X-Men, Deadpool, and the Fantastic Four into its Marvel Cinematic Universe. As Stewart mentioned, the X-Men universe is incredibly rich and expansive in the comics, and Charles Xavier is one of the biggest characters in that realm. If the MCU does introduce an MCU live-action Xavier, it does not necessarily mean that he will be portrayed by Stewart. Only time will tell, but the acclaimed actor has put in decades of time with the character, and may not wish to return in a major way. Marvel Studios may also be interested in a younger character or simply starting from scratch.

    Source: Variety

  • Patrick Stewart Was “a Little Unsure” About Returning as Charles Xavier in ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    Patrick Stewart Was “a Little Unsure” About Returning as Charles Xavier in ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    Marvel Studios’ latest film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is filled to the brim with surprises and horror goodness. Earlier trailers did give away one massive addition, which was that Patrick Stewart was joining the franchise as Professor X one more time. His voice alone had many excited and made him a great addition as they further explore the multiverse in this new entry.

    In an interview with Variety, he compares what it was like returning to the role to his hesitation with the Star Trek Picard series. He was “a little unsure” about returning especially after the powerful send-off we got with Logan for the character. But, it seems like he was quite happy with how his role turned out in the film.

    Well, it was a day-and-a-half’s work. I was in a very different environment from the one that I had ever been in, in any of the “X-Men” movies. And just like “Picard,” I was grateful for it, because I could think refreshingly about who he was and how he related to others. Just like “Star Trek: Picard,” I was a little unsure at first if it was a wise thing to do. Given that “Logan” had been such a powerful movie and we watched him die in Hugh Jackman’s arms. So having seen [“Doctor Strange 2”] on Monday night, I’m very happy and very proud that I’ve been part of that.

    Patrick Stewart

    It definitely left a memorable impact on viewers when he arrived, especially with him riding in on the iconic chair from the 90s animated series. They definitely set up some interesting aspects going in and it gave Stewart one more chance to play a role he made so iconic. Of course, his true send-off came in the form of Logan, which left quite a memorable lasting effect with his character and the tragedy of where his abilities lead him. It’ll be interesting if this also sets up a new generation to take on the role with MCU’s take on the X-Men.

    Source: Variety