Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movie News

  • Anthony Mackie Officially Signs On to Star in ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA 4’

    Anthony Mackie Officially Signs On to Star in ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA 4’

    The writing was on the wall since Avengers: Endgame and it took Falcon and the Winter Soldier to really get us there but Anthony Mackie has officially signed on to star in the untitled fourth Captain America film, according to Deadline.

    By no coincidence, the fourth Captain America film was revealed to be in development, with writers Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson penning the script, at the tail end of the FATWS finale. While none of this is surprising, that the deal has been signed and closed is very exciting. There’s no word on whether his co-star Sebastian Stan makes the cut in this film. Deadline is also noting that this film isn’t the same MCU project that Chris Evans signed for earlier this year.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘ETERNALS’: Sersi and Black Knight’s Romance Takes Place in MCU’s Present Day

    ‘ETERNALS’: Sersi and Black Knight’s Romance Takes Place in MCU’s Present Day

    Entertainment Weekly has released a grand interview with the cast and team behind Marvel Studios’ upcoming Eternals film. It offered many details on what we can expect from the film, such as what they were up to during events like Avengers: Endgame. Luckily, we also got some insight into Gemma Chan’s Sersi, who will be the driving force behind the film. Her relationship with Richard Madden’s Ikaris has been highlighted quite frequently throughout the press.

    Yet, we knew that Kit Harington might also spend some time with her in a romantic relationship. As he is playing Dane Whitman, the Back Knight, we guessed they would have had a brief romance during the Middle Ages, but it seems they’re taking a very different route this time around. Entertainment Weekly reveals that:

    One of the last roles to be cast was the film’s emotional center: Chan plays Sersi, who — unlike some of her Eternal cohorts — has a soft spot for humans. In the present day, she works as a museum curator in London and is dating human Dane Whitman (played by Game of Thrones alum Kit Harington)

    Entertainment Weekly

    This is quite an interesting hint, as it would imply that Whitman won’t don the iconic moniker from the comics. There’s still the chance he’s a descendant of a Black Knight and might end up wielding the Ebony Sword, but he isn’t from that time period. Of course, they could also take the modern route to give him the Photon Sword that he ended up wielding later on. They might want to avoid him swinging around a deadly sword when facing human enemies.

    Source: EW

  • ‘ETERNALS’ Will Explore their Absence During ‘AVENGERS: ENDGAME’

    ‘ETERNALS’ Will Explore their Absence During ‘AVENGERS: ENDGAME’

    We’ve been anxiously awaiting the next installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s only a few more weeks until Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings finally releases, and Eternals awaits us in November. The latter will introduce us to a new race within the universe that has been guarding humanity since the earliest days. Of course, it made many wonders where they were in past entries of the franchise. Why they weren’t helping the Avengers from the planet getting destroyed?

    Well, it looks like Entertainment Weekly was able to shed some light on the topic, as in their big coverage of the upcoming film they sat down with the cast and crew to talk about the next entry in the MCU. In it, they also revealed some interesting details about what we can expect from the film and hinted that the film will explore why they didn’t get involved with any of the events we’ve witnessed since the first Iron Man in 2008.

    Eternals picks up after the events of Avengers: Endgame, when half of the population has returned after being snapped out of existence. It’ll also answer why the Eternals didn’t volunteer to help go after Thanos — or help tackle any of the other various crises throughout history. (The short answer is that their mission is to focus on the Deviants and never interfere with human affairs. Still, the Avengers probably could’ve used the help.)

    Entertainment Weekly

    The message of the first trailer did highlight that they don’t interfere with humanity, but we’ve witnessed them do it quite a bit in that same footage. So, whatever they did before these events might have triggered them to distance themselves from these events. Their focus on the Deviants is also an interesting aspect, but with Thanos having a Deviant gene in the comics, it might be a bit more complicated than it seems at first glance.

    Source: EW

  • Marvel May Have Only Recently Secured the Rights to ‘SECRET WARS’

    Marvel May Have Only Recently Secured the Rights to ‘SECRET WARS’

    It’s already been some months since we learned in an interview that Loki may potentially be the set-up towards a multiversal clash in the form of Secret Wars. While the name has never been outright stated, there was some evidence in the series with the mention of a “Multiversal War” early on in a section featuring Miss Minutes. It seemed likely Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would continue to build upon that foundation alongside the newly released What If animated series.

    Well, it seems more evidence is popping up of its inclusion, as the creator of the comic storyline Jim Shooter revealed he was approached by Marvel Studios about adapting the storyline during 2021’s Megacon Orlando. In a question, if he saw the Marvel Cinematic Universe developing to adapt that storyline, he started telling a story about how Marvel was trying to secure the rights for everything involving his original Secret War run.

    This one clown called me from Marvel. He wasn’t an editor but some executive of property management which was a little odd. He asked me if I wanted to write a novelization of Secret Wars.

    He goes on to describe the received a gigantic document with a deal that wasn’t acceptable. Shooter would go on to turn it down and get a call from Jeff Bogart, who apologized for the dubious contract. The writer highlighted that the reason they sent such a large contract was simple, they don’t hold the rights to a plethora of characters:

    They didn’t have a single piece of paper that said the Beyonder, Titania, Vulcano and other characters, new Spider-Woman for that matter, and the whole black costume thing, no piece of paper that said they own it.

    He then asked if they are making a movie due to these contracts, as they are trying to make sure everything has been a “bulletproof chain of title,” as Shooter describes it. He also mentions that Hollywood was a bit looser in the past and recently focused more on securing any rights in advance to not get sued. It may explain why we’ve seen Spider-Man’s Black Suit in the third Sam Raimi film, but they only made sure to own it now. While the film might not be in development currently, Marvel Studios is famous for planning and might’ve already been trying to secure all the necessary rights. The highlight of Spider-Man’s black costume is also quite interesting.

    If you are interested, you can check out the entire panel, where he also discusses the current state of comics and creators:

    Source: YouTube

  • EXCLUSIVE: Tim Roth Cast Alongside Rebecca Hall in 2019 Black List Winner ‘RESURRECTION’

    EXCLUSIVE: Tim Roth Cast Alongside Rebecca Hall in 2019 Black List Winner ‘RESURRECTION’

    The Black List has been a famous spot for aspiring screenwriters or directors to find their start. It’s grown to the point that it’s become its own community that helps to develop projects. Of course, there’s also the annual survey where they look for the most-liked screenplays that haven’t been produced yet to support the smaller projects to find a footing. It’s how films like American Hustle, Juno, Spotlight, and many more found their footing in Hollywood. In 2019, the Black List winner was Andrew Semans for his script titled Resurrection. As the project is picking up steam, we can exclusively reveal that the film will include Tim Roth alongside Rebecca Hall in the leading roles.

    The project is eyeing a production start in the coming week in Albany with Semans also taking over directing duties. He’s previously worked on projects like 2012’s Nancy, Please, and was a producer on various films including 2021’s The Dig. Hall plays the character of Margaret, who is raising her daughter Abbie on her own. She’s set to go to university until her past comes haunting her in the form of David (Tim Roth). Her well-planned life takes a darker turn as she faces the uncertain. It’ll be interesting to see these two act off of each other in the psychological thriller which currently doesn’t have a release date as of yet.

    Marvel fans are excited to see the return of Roth in the upcoming She-Hulk Disney+ series, and his character Abomination was revealed to also appear in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Rebecca Hall recently appeared in Godzilla vs. Kong and Amazon’s Tales of the Loop series. They have both proven their dramatic muscle and will make a great pairing in Resurrection.

  • Marvel Studios Confirms Ben Kingsley Return in ‘SHANG-CHI’

    Marvel Studios Confirms Ben Kingsley Return in ‘SHANG-CHI’

    It’s been a long wait but the premiere for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has finally arrived. While we still have to wait a few more weeks, it’s a sign that we don’t have to fear the film facing some kind of delay. Venom: Let There Be Carnage left its late September release and it did add some uncertainty but everyone took to the red carpet to enjoy the event. It seems that the event had some curious surprises, as actor Ben Kingsley was sighted during the event. Luckily, Comic Book’s Brandon Davis was attending the event, where Marvel Studios confirmed he is part of the film’s cast to all those that are attending

    The actor hasn’t appeared since his initial appearance in Iron Man 3 as a fake version of the Mandarin. It turned out he was an actor known as Trevor Slattery that ended up in prison before he met with a follower of the Ten Rings in the All Hail The King one-shot. Of course, his appearance would hint at them continuing the storyline in some way. It’s uncertain if he’ll have a bigger role in the story, or it might turn out to be a simple cameo.

    Still, it’s incredible how Marvel Studios still pulls upon storylines left open. The Marvel Cinematic Universe first introduced the organization in 2008. There have been some hints of their continued reign throughout the series even after Iron Man 3. It’ll be interesting to see how Kingsley‘s character will play into this story and what it might mean for his future with the franchise.

    Source: Twitter (Ben Kingsley) Twitter

  • The First Reactions to ‘SHANG-CHI’ Are Here

    The First Reactions to ‘SHANG-CHI’ Are Here

    After years of waiting, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is finally around the corner. The film just had its big LA premiere and with that screening comes the first reactions from the press. Check it out below!

    https://twitter.com/johncampea/status/1427497528539312129
  • ‘Hotel Transylvania: Transformania’ Nearing a $100M Deal to Stream Globally on Amazon

    ‘Hotel Transylvania: Transformania’ Nearing a $100M Deal to Stream Globally on Amazon

    Just recently, Sony made the decision to postpone Venom: Let There Be Carnage once again and is now set to release in October. In the first report on another delay, there were also discussions of Hotel Transylvania: Transformania also eyeing a delayed-release. Well, it looks like the animated sequel has found a new home with Amazon, as Sony is nearing a $100M deal with the streamer for an exclusive release.

    Sony has been forming a strong strategy in these unlikely times by forming alliances with various streaming services. Venom‘s recent delay added some fuel to theories surrounding their December release of Spider-Man: Homecoming. Their willingness to push an October release to a streaming service may also hint at uncertainty about how to handle the current situation. Who knows if the Spider-Man spin-off will get delayed again if Delta Variant numbers continue to grow going into October.

    Variety revealed that Sony will still retain rights to home entertainment, linear TV, and Chinese exhibition. So, the deal is primarily for their digital release. It joins other projects, such as Netflix’s Fatherhood, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, and recently Vivo. It’s also not their first deal with Amazon, as Cinderella will release on the platform on September 3rd. Still, it’s a big move to push the finale of their franchise to a digital release. The deal hasn’t been finalized. So, it could still change but it seems safe to say they might go down this route.

    Source: Variety

  • Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Talks Fu Manchu and Their Approach to ‘SHANG-CHI’s Wenwu

    Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Talks Fu Manchu and Their Approach to ‘SHANG-CHI’s Wenwu

    There’s a lot of controversies surrounding Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in China. Local audiences aren’t comfortable with the introduction of the titular character’s father. We know it’ll be an original character known as Wenwu, who is portrayed by famous Chinese actor Tony Leung, but there are still some heavy ties to the racist caricature of Fu Manchu. In an interview, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige discussed their approach to this character and also confirmed that Marvel does not own the rights to the racist caricature.

    That is one of the truths about the early comic books that Fu Man Chu was a part of that story in the early comics. Fu Manchu is not a Marvel character. Fu Manchu is not a character we own or ever want to own. And that changed in the comics many years ago. We never had any intention of doing that in this movie. Fu Manchu is not in this movie in any shape or form.

    Kevin Feige

    He also goes on to highlight that it is an offensive figure. He makes a point of highlighting their strategy is to welcome people into this universe, especially with their approach to defining their heroes. They also took a very specific approach with their villain, as Kevin Feige highlights that Wenwu isn’t the kind of villain you think the leader of the Ten Rings might be.

    This is a very unique character that you can almost not even call a villain. This is a story about the love between a father and son, but misunderstanding and conflict and that’s what we’re anxious for people to see in this movie between these two amazing actors.

    Kevin Feige

    The interviewer goes on to point out Shang-Chi’s dark decision on taking his father’s life. While not giving away any details, Feige does point out that they’ve changed many elements in their adaptation. He does go on to tease the change of perspective on his father’s past might inform his character in the film while avoiding giving away any real spoilers. Leung‘s past performances will also play a major role in how this character is shaped and, hopefully, we get a lot more of him in the future.

    Source: Weibo via YouTube

  • ‘SHANG-CHI’s Destin Daniel Cretton Teases Martial Arts Action and Buster Keaton Storytelling

    ‘SHANG-CHI’s Destin Daniel Cretton Teases Martial Arts Action and Buster Keaton Storytelling

    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ upcoming release will mark an important milestone for Marvel Studios. It’ll be their first Asian-American-led project with Simu Liu taking on the role of the titular hero. It’s also their first attempt at a Kung fu-inspired film that honors the film of Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and many more. In the interview, he revealed that Marvel Studios took the challenge quite seriously as they changed their approach to action to emphasize the choreography.

    This movie is the first time that I think Marvel has put a lot of their emphasis in the action design and, specifically, the choreography. And it’s their first time really tackling a more purely martial arts movie, which is super exciting to be a part of. They obviously didn’t hire me because I’m amazing at martial arts movies, so there’s also a very strong emotional, dramatic and comedic element to these characters.

    Destin Daniel Cretton

    He even goes on to highlight how they took a Buster Keaton storytelling approach with some of the action sequences. The first clip released for the film highlighted this approach, as you can see physical comedy with various payoffs. Cretton calls it just a small taste of what the film has to offer.

    The first glimpse at action seems promising, as it doesn’t rely on over-editing that some MCU films shave done in the past. The approach of adapting Keaton-style storytelling is also a perfect tribute to the way that Jackie Chan also molded his martial arts films. He famously paid tribute to the famous clock hanging sequence from Safety Last! in his film Project A back in 1983. We can’t wait to see what action awaits us, especially when Shang-Chi faces off against his father Wenwu.

    Source: Fandango, YouTube