Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movie News

  • Anthony Mackie Almost Had a Cameo in ‘Eternals’ Post-Credit Scene

    Anthony Mackie Almost Had a Cameo in ‘Eternals’ Post-Credit Scene

    Now that Eternals has been released, Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to grow. So, there are many more moving parts keeping the franchise going. Disney+ has even added a new layer of complexity, as we also saw Anthony Mackie take the mantle of Captain America. While we know he’s getting his own film soon, there’s uncertainty where and when characters can show up nowadays with so many options. Well, it seems that Mackie may have almost taken over an important role in this film’s second post-credit sequence.

    Quick spoiler warning, if you still haven’t seen Eternals, we are going to spoil the second post-credit sequence. Only continue at your own risk.

    After the credits roll, we see Kit Harington‘s Dane Whitman unveil the Ebony Blade. As he’s about to touch it, a voice, which later was confirmed to be Maharshala Ali‘s Blade, stops him. It seems that role was never set in stone, as Eternals writer Kaz Firbo hints that it may have almost been Anthony Mackie at some point.

    I think that once upon a time it may even been Sam [Wilson, played by Anthony Mackie], our new Cap.

    Kaz Firbo

    The Wrap also tried to see if the rumors of it being Doctor Strange at some point may have been true, they wouldn’t elaborate. So, Sam Wilson is the only other option for that role. It adds an extra layer of confusion about what exactly his role is in this sequence and how it connects to the future of Whitman as the Black Knight.

    Source: The Wrap

  • Earlier ‘Eternals’ Post-Credit Ideas Included the Avengers or Kang

    Earlier ‘Eternals’ Post-Credit Ideas Included the Avengers or Kang

    Marvel Studios’ Eternals offered a new look at the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yet, the rest of the universe always catches up with any new property, most commonly within the post-credit sequence. Surprisingly, the film was a bit more restrained outside of one voice line. We normally don’t get many glimpses into what the original plans were or even what was used in earlier pitches, but luckily the writers Kaz and Ryan Firbo have opened up about initial pitch ideas.

    It seems that they originally envisioned a sequence similar to what we see at the end of Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings, where the Eternals join the new lineup of the Avengers. Yet, they even considered having them sit down and talk with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania villain, Jonathan Majors‘ Kang the Conqueror. Yet, they wanted to focus on one of the series supporting characters instead to further develop their place in the MCU.

    It was a good decision to focus on stories that build out of Eternals and not interconnect them too early. The film stands on its own merits quite a bit and it may have muddled it if the Avengers suddenly appeared at the end. Plus, if they had a discussion with Kang and it just cut there, it may have driven many fans crazy to find out what they are talking about. Plus, it would’ve been a waste to introduce Dane Whitman without teasing the Ebony Blade at some point in his story.

    Source: The Wrap

  • ‘Eternals’ Writers Would Love a Sequel and Disney+ Prequel

    ‘Eternals’ Writers Would Love a Sequel and Disney+ Prequel

    Now that Eternals is out, the big question has arrived: where are these characters and stories heading next? Well, it seems that the film’s writers Kaz and Ryan Firbo are quite excited to spend more time with these characters, as in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter they’ve openly discussed their excitement to explore not only a sequel but also a prequel series on Disney+. They even pitched a few ideas on how they could tackle the series, as we may bridge the gap between their arrival 7,000 years ago up until the modern-day.

    We’ve even said jokingly that there should be an Eternals prequel show on Disney+. Go back and do a Kingo episode in 1890s Mumbai where he is juggling his life as a movie star, dealing with Gandhi’s peaceful dissolution of the British empire in India. And there’s an episode with Thena where she’s in Greece. I would love to make that show. There are a lot of opportunities. If the audiences allow us, there’s going to be a story to tell with Dane Whitman. There’s going to be a story to tell in the Cosmos with the Eternals confronting Arishem and all the Celestials who are these incredible metaphors for creation. I think there’s a lot of stories in the Eternals universe.

    Kaz Firbo

    There’s a lot of potential with the history that is hinted at throughout the film. While we only get to spend time with them in specific eras and hear stories of how they defined Earth’s earliest legends, it would be interesting to see how they coexisted alongside the Asgardians, or if the actual Olympians had some kind of role. Perhaps Thena spent time with a different kind of Zuras, who became famous as Zeus to people before he left the planet again. Here’s hoping they get a chance to explore these different stories across MCU history.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Eternals’ Angelina Jolie Is Interested In Returning as Thena, But Not in a Solo Movie

    ‘Eternals’ Angelina Jolie Is Interested In Returning as Thena, But Not in a Solo Movie

    Of all the major names attached to the cast of Marvel’s Eternals, the biggest may be Angelina Jolie. The actress has starred in countless films over multiple decades, headlining a vast portfolio of movies like Tomb Raider and Maleficent. Yet, it looks like she won’t be leading any films for Marvel anytime soon. In a recent interview with Brazilian outlet CinePop, the Tourist star clarified that she has no intentions of working with the company on a solo Thena project, although she is very open to returning to the role in another supporting capacity.

    I loved being part of the family, so I have no desire to separate from the family. But I would be happy to play her again and explore even more deeply the struggles that she has. I think it’s fun thinking of where they’ve been over the years. We’ve got thousands of years worth of material. We can take her anywhere. I think that’s fun and I like the idea that we can pop up somewhere, maybe in other Marvel movies.

    Angelina Jolie

    It was a surprise to almost everyone when Jolie signed on to Chloe Zhao‘s superhero epic in 2019. Aside from an adaptation of Mark Millar’s Wanted, the actress stayed away from the comic book films during the peak of their popularity. In the same interview with CinePop, the actress revealed that the only reason she boarded Eternals was that it centered around the idea of family. So, it would make sense that she doesn’t want the spotlight all to herself. Here’s hoping Kevin Feige and company find a way to include her elsewhere sooner rather than later.

    Source: Collider

  • Chloé Zhao Plays Coy on ‘Eternals’ “Repercussions for the Future” of the MCU

    Chloé Zhao Plays Coy on ‘Eternals’ “Repercussions for the Future” of the MCU

    Eternals has finally dropped and offered a new perspective on what mysteries lie within the cosmos of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Its ending left us with more questions than answers, as multiple new storylines could pave the way to change the franchise as we know it. Chloé Zhao has recently teased that she has mapped out quite a bit with this film, and in an interview with ScreenRant, she continues to play coy on whatever effect and long-lasting changes we can expect from this film.

    Huge, huge. I can’t say anything! I can’t say anything, but one thing I can say is that we knew going in that the origin of the MCU will be defined to a certain extent in this film by exploring the mythology of the Celestials, and we know this is going to have repercussions for the future.

    Chloé Zhao

    Those that have seen the film might remember that there are some noticeable changes to the world and some obscure hints on where certain characters’ fate lies. Yet, we still haven’t gotten a sequel announcement or even a confirmation where we’ll see them next. The film does end with the tease they will make a return, but it’s quite uncertain moving forward. Yet, the way she is actively hiding it might hint at her having a hand in shaping the MCU’s future.

    Source: ScreenRant

  • ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Might Push Peter Parker to His Breaking Point

    ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Might Push Peter Parker to His Breaking Point

    The MCU’s Spider-Man films have had some dark moments but were mostly light-hearted. Now, he’s about to face his biggest challenge yet, as villains from other cinematic storylines are entering the fray. Not only is he about to face multiple villains, but he’ll also learn fast that they’ve already faced a Spider-Man before, especially with how Alfred Molina‘s Doc Ock seemed quite familiar with Peter Parker. In an interview with Total Film, Tom Holland highlights that this might be the darkest entry in the trilogy.

    What people will be really surprised about is that it’s not fun, this film. It’s dark and it’s sad, and it’s going to be really affecting. You’re going to see characters that you love go through things that you would never wish for them to go through. And I was just really excited to kind of lean into that side of Peter Parker.

    Tom Holland

    It’s certainly an intriguing tease by the actor, especially with how this might push our favorite webhead to his limits. Of course, the actor also gets a chance to explore Parker in new and distinctive ways. He goes on to highlight:

    Peter Parker is always someone who’s looking up. He’s always really positive. He’s always like, ‘I can fix this. I can do this.’ Whereas in this film, he feels like he’s met his match. He’s like, ‘I don’t know what to do.’ That was an aspect of the character that I’d never seen before, and I was really, really excited to try to tackle.

    Tom Holland

    It makes you worried about what it might mean for Parker and his supporting cast. In a way, it makes you wonder if he might face another tragedy in his life that continues to push him forward while forcing him to rethink what it means to be a hero. He already lost his mentor and is about to face an ever-changing universe.

    Source: Total Film

  • Tom Holland on How ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is “Three Generations Coming Together”

    Tom Holland on How ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is “Three Generations Coming Together”

    Now, we all know what you’re thinking about with the title. So did Total Film when they sat down with Tom Holland to discuss his role in the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home film. Throughout the interview, it seemed that the actor almost let slip one of the worst-kept secrets in the industry. It didn’t help that when they questioned if he had to prove himself on set with the cast while pointing out rumors of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire making the rounds, he said the following:

    It was interesting having those guys come in because they have a certain ownership over Spider-Man in their own way”

    Tom Holland

    He naturally corrected quickly to point out he is talking about working alongside Alfred Molina, Jamie Foxx “and those guys,” probably alluding to the other rumored returning actors like the recently teased Willem Dafoe. Both actors are returning from very different types of films. Holland also points out how interesting it was to see them adapt to a new director and new Spider-Man, as they bring back these classic characters.

    It means a lot to me. The first time you see Doc and the rest of the characters that come back, it’s so exciting – and it’s such a huge moment in cinematic history. It’s three generations coming together.

    Tom Holland

    His last point is certainly the highlight of what the film’s new multiverse direction is offering, as we get another chance to revisit characters we’ve come to love over the years. It’ll be interesting to see how the film explains their appearance and what it might mean for the character’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He did jokingly reference that no one would believe him if he continues to deny that previous Spider-Man actors are in the film, but laughs it off.

    Source: Total Film

  • Kumail Nanjiani Almost Didn’t Join ‘Eternals’ Due to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

    Kumail Nanjiani Almost Didn’t Join ‘Eternals’ Due to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

    Sometimes things happen for a reason. There are castings that are hard to imagine being played by someone else, but others were you imagine what could’ve been. It seems that Kumail Nanjiani had quite a curious history in joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We now know him as the Eternal Kingo, but it seems he almost didn’t have the role. In an interview with the podcast My Mom’s Basement, writer Kaz Firpo pointed out that the actor didn’t initially join the project because he was already cast in James Gunn‘s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

    Little fun fact, we literally basically pitched from like the jump. We were like, we love Kumail, we love everything he pretty much has done, specifically Silicon Valley and what he is up to. And we pitched to the producers right from the beginning, like it’s got to be Kumail. They were like: ‘It can’t be because he’s got a role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, James Gunn like has already written him into it so he can’t do Eternals.’

    Kaz Firpo

    Of course, as we all know things didn’t quite pan out for the third Guardians film early on and it got delayed indefinitely. Luckily, the wait has come to an end, as it just recently entered production. Sadly, the writer has pointed out that they don’t know what role exactly he had, but it’s quite interesting that Gunn wrote one with him in mind. Perhaps we’ll find out later down the line once we’ve learned more about the threequel.

    You can watch the full interview on the topic here:

    Source: Twitter

  • RUMOR: Chloe Zhao “Locked In” to Helm Kevin Feige’s Star Wars Movie

    RUMOR: Chloe Zhao “Locked In” to Helm Kevin Feige’s Star Wars Movie

    Fresh off her Marvel Studios debut as the director of Eternals, Chloe Zhao is now rumored to have signed on to direct Kevin Feige’s Star Wars film that has been in development for the past couple of years. The rumor came courtesy of One Take News and was quickly backed up by Star Wars scooper Jordan Maison, who said he’d heard Zhao was “locked in” to direct the film.

    Feige began working with Lucasfilm to develop a Star Wars film in late 2019 and little has been heard about that film since. Recently, while doing press for Eternals, Zhao hinted that her next project might be a Star Wars film, calling the Star Wars universe one she has “so much reverence for.”

    Earlier this year, a trade report revealed that Michael Waldron, who wrote both Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness for Marvel Studios, had struck a deal to write Feige’s film, meaning we’re seeing a full team of Marvel creatives head to the galaxy far, far away.

    If both the writer and director are in place, an announcement could be forthcoming, especially with some insight into the future of Star Wars expected at this Friday’s Disney Plus Day.

    Source: One Take News

  • EXCLUSIVE: Diane Guerrero on How Mental Health Played a Role in Joining ‘Encanto’

    EXCLUSIVE: Diane Guerrero on How Mental Health Played a Role in Joining ‘Encanto’

    Disney is about to embark on a new kind of animated adventure with Encanto. The story of an unlikely family with powers explores the different dynamics that come to play when one of them stands out for one simple reason: she doesn’t have any. It allows us to explore a very different kind of dynamic, as the family must face an unlikely challenge. It features an all-star cast that includes Stephanie Beatriz in the leading role, John Leguizamo, Angie Cepeda, Adassa, and many more. Among them, of course, is Diane Guerrero, who made a name for herself in the DC comics-inspired series Doom Patrol. 

    Our very own Hunter Radesi got a chance to sit down with the actress to discuss what drew her to the role of Isabel Madrigal. Along with discussing what drew her to the role, she explained how different it is from her previous work. Guerrero revealed most of her work and the roles that interest her are all about mental health. With Encanto, that was partly what drew her to the project, but she also liked that it explores the family dynamic.

    I’m a huge fan of Disney and the roles that I play, I care about them aligning with my values. I care about mental health, I care about family, I care about mental wellness in family And this film addresses something that we, you know, rarely talk about, especially, in family films. We have family films, they talk about family dynamics but rarely do we see the sacrifice and the ancestral trauma that comes along with some of some of those trials and tribulations that, you know, what it actually took to get you here.

    Diane Guerrero

    It’s quite interesting to learn how she approaches her roles, especially with the glimpse of what Encanto will explore once it hits theaters. The trailers tease the importance of family and the challenge of sticking out from the rest of the family. It puts a lot of pressure on someone, and it’s not easy for everyone to take in without it weighing them down. So, it’s great to see Guerrero‘s put her very values at the forefront when choosing roles.

    Encanto hits theaters on Nov. 24th.