Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movie News

  • Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ Sequel Adds Pedro Pascal

    Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ Sequel Adds Pedro Pascal

    Pedro Pascal has been piling on project after project. He’s been seeing a slew of major projects pile on with The Mandalorian, the recent HBO series The Last Of Us, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and many more. It’s crazy to think how far his career has come since Narco and Game of Thrones. Now, he has seemingly added one more big production to his belt in the form of Ridley Scott’s return to Gladiator.

    It seems he is using the breaks between the production of the first and second seasons of The Last of Us to film the untitled Gladiator sequel. He’s joining a stacked cast that includes Barry Keoghan, Joseph Quinn, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and is spearheaded by recent breakout Paul Mescal. There is, sadly, no information on what role exactly he’ll have in the film but it’s definitely great to join a production that famously was a career-builder for Russell Crowe many years ago.

    It seems he’ll have just enough time to film before The Last of Us starts filming next year and he was weighing out quite a few options before tackling that project. Luckily for The Mandalorian, he mostly appears with his helmet, and isn’t necessary to film every scene. So, if they are moving forward with a fourth season, they aren’t dependent on the actor’s direct performance as part of the production. His next projects include Strange Way of Life, which recently released a trailer, Drive Away Dolls in September, and Freaky Tales sometime this year.

    Source: Deadline

  • Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley Join Chloé Zhao’s ‘Hamnet’

    Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley Join Chloé Zhao’s ‘Hamnet’

    It looks like Paul Mescal has already set his sights on the next project. While he was busy spearheading the next Gladiator entry, he is now in talks to join Chloé Zhao’s upcoming adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet. He will be joined by Jessie Buckley in retelling the story of Agnes, William Shakespear’s wife, who struggles with the loss of her son, Hamnet.

    It’s a fictional novel exploring the concept of what may have happened to inspire Shakespeare’s iconic play Hamlet which went on to become a New York Times bestseller. Buckley is famous for her work on a variety of projects, such as Apple TV+
    s Fingernails, Woman Talking, and The Lost Daughter. She’ll also star alongside Olivia Colman in the upcoming Wicked Little Letters.

    Mescal has been making quite the rounds as of late. He got an Oscar nomination for his work in A24’s Aftersun and went on to get the title role in Ridley Scott’s return to the world of Gladiator. Most interestingly though is the fact that he was heavily rumored to have been offered the role of Johnny Storm, better known as the Human Torch. Of course, it still remains nothing more than a rumor for now but the timing seems fitting.

    Source: Deadline

  • Sugar Bear Set to Return for ‘Deadpool 3’

    Sugar Bear Set to Return for ‘Deadpool 3’

    X-Force’s most surprising member is back for another round in Deadpool 3! According to Deadline, Rob Delany who played Peter, aka Sugar Bear, in Deadpool 2 has signed on the dotted line for a return to the role.

    Like almost all of the members of Deadpool’s X-Force, Peter met a grisly fate during the team’s first mission in Deadpool 2. While attempting to save Zeitgeist from a woodchipper, Peter was killed by Zeitgeist’s acidic vomit. However, during the post-credit scene to Deadpool 2, Deadpool used Cable’s time-traveling device to save Sugar Bear from his fate.

    In a 2018 interview with Empire, Reynolds explained why Deadpool chose to use the device to save only Peter, the only unpowered member of the team, rather than any of the other members of X-Force. “I love that he just completely ignores this marquee cast that he could’ve saved of useful and wonderful superheroes, but instead went back and saved [Peter],” explained Reynolds, adding, “I always felt that it was important to save Peter, just because in the helicopter before we jump, I say to him ‘I’d never let anything happen to you, sugar bear. I’m just saying this to impress the other guys.’” So, I felt like that was a promise that Wade made early on in the movie, and it was nagging him, so he went back and got Peter.“

    Delany joins Fox holdovers Hugh Jackman, Monica Baccarin, Karan Soni, Stefan Kapicic and Leslie Uggams in the jump to the MCU. The returning crew will be joined by Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfadyen, whose roles have yet to be revealed. Deadpool 3 is set to begin production later this month.

    Source: Deadline, Empire

  • Rumor: Paul Mescal Offered Major Role In Marvel Studios’ ‘Fantastic Four’

    Rumor: Paul Mescal Offered Major Role In Marvel Studios’ ‘Fantastic Four’

    We are closer than ever to the casting reveals for Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four, according to multiple insiders. The project was first announced by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige during 2019’s San Diego Comic-Con and has been stuck in development ever since. The initially-attached director Jon Watts left the project, and Matt Shackman filled in for him. Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer’s screenplay for the movie is now being rewritten by Josh Friedman.

    According to industry scooper Daniel Richtman, Paul Mescal was offered the role of Johnny Storm aka The Human Torch for Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four. It is currently unknown if Mescal turned down the role or accepted it.

    Paul Mescal

    Another name widely rumored for Johnny Storm is Elvis‘ Austin Butler. Last year, Jeff Sneider reported on The Hot Mic that Butler was running for a major role in Fantastic Four and that the actor’s agents were “putting him up for Human Torch.”

    The film is directed by Matt Shakman, while Josh Friedman pens the script. It will commence production in early 2024. No cast members of the movie have been officially announced yet. The movie releases in theaters on February 14, 2025.

    Source: Twitter

  • Mamma Mia! ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Passes a Billion at the Box Office

    Mamma Mia! ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Passes a Billion at the Box Office

    Nothing is stopping the Italian plumber from dominating the box office until Chris Pratt’s next film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, hits theaters next week. Still, it was ample time for the Super Mario Bros. Movie to pass the always coveted one billion milestones at the worldwide box office. It took the film 26 days in total to pass that mark and now stands at $490M in the US with an additional $532M internationally. That makes it the fifth film to accomplish this during the pandemic since Spider-Man: No Way Home gave theater owners hope for the future.

    The film opened to a powerful $204M across five days and marks the second-highest debut for an animated film and the biggest opening weekend of the year following Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’s still impressive opening in February. For now, the Nintendo film is the biggest earner of the year with quite a bit of competition on the horizon ready to take its mantle. The film has the advantage of being one of the biggest brands in the world and has a heavy nostalgia element tied to the project, which helps boost the otherwise dead family market we saw earlier in the year.

    The question remains what this might mean for the future of video game adaptations? We’ll very likely see a boom as it is the next “superhero genre” trend in the market even as that genre of filmmaking still remains surprisingly strong even with a much softer development earlier this year. Ant-Man 3 opened strongly but fizzled out due to Disney’s streaming strategy in the past but it’s not a clear sign of a true “fatigue” as some have been maliciously waiting for.

    The biggest takeaway from those that hit a billion is the nostalgia of it all. No Way Home re-introduced the world to some major characters from their childhood with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield returning in their respective roles. Top Gun Maverick hit a chord with older audiences due to its callbacks to an old era of star-first productions, which oddly many want back even with its strong restrictions of actors in samey roles and the industry depending even more on individual stars rather than giving smaller ones a chance.

    Source: Variety

  • Pom Klementieff Seems Likely to Join James Gunn in the All-New, All-Different DCU

    Pom Klementieff Seems Likely to Join James Gunn in the All-New, All-Different DCU

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn has pulled no punches as he’s transitioned from Marvel Studios to his new gig atop DC Studios hierarchy. Through his career, Gunn has repeatedly shown a sens of loyalty to various actors. Nathan Fillion and Michael Rooker, for instance, have found themselves in more than one of Gunn’s films over the years, even if only in minor roles. As Gunn’s Marvel tenure comes to an end, the shepherd of the Guardians films is continuing the trend.

    Gunn has openly stated that since hisove to DC, he’s courted talent from his time at Marvel Studios in hopes that they would follow him. Now, in an interview during the World Premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Klementieff revealed that Gunn has opened the door to a DCU role.

    When asked if she had conversations with Finn about a DC Studios role, Klementieff, who reprises her role as Mantis in Vol. 3, held nothing back.

    I’m not gonna tell you guys but we’ve had conversations and we’re like making plans already but nothing is confirmed yet.

    Pom Klementieff

    When pressed further about who that character might be, Klementieff didn’t hesitate to shut down the line of questioning.

    There would be one specific character but I can’t tell you now.

    Pom Klementieff

    While Klementieff stayed clear of revealing who she might end up playing, she did share one last detail about the character. “I mean, I knew about the character, yeah, and I thought the character was fucking cool,” said Klementieff.

    Time will tell how “cool” Klementieff’s character is and how big of a part she plays in James Gunn‘s all-new, all-different DCU when Superman:Legacy hits theaters in 2025

  • Mila Kunis Claims She’s Not in MCU’s ‘Fantastic Four’ But She Knows Who Is

    Mila Kunis Claims She’s Not in MCU’s ‘Fantastic Four’ But She Knows Who Is

    The Late Late Show with James Corden is coming to an end, which had quite a line-up of celebrities. Among them was Mila Kunis, who has recently been the focus of various curious and even surprising rumors for the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Fantastic Four. Of course, Corden used the chance to ask her about it and she reflected on when the first rumors started, a shot of her with director Matt Shakman.

    We went out to a deli and had lunch together and the next day I was somehow in Fantastic Four.

    Mila Kunis

    She goes on to confirm that she is not playing anyone in Fantastic Four, but in a curious twist, she highlights that she knows “who is” in the project. Of course, she doesn’t go on to confirm anything

    I am not in Fantastic Four, but I know who is. But I don’t want to get in trouble with The Mouse, so none of you will find out.

    Mila Kunis

    Of course, there have been quite a few times when Marvel actors denied any involvement with upcoming projects. So, there’s always that slight chance that Kunis might have a role after all, but it’s definitely interesting that she’d tease knowing who might be appearing. So, it further implies that they may have finally cast the characters that we’ve been waiting for quite some time. So, perhaps the wait isn’t that much longer.

    Source: The Wrap

  • First Look at the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Rotten Tomatoes Score

    First Look at the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Rotten Tomatoes Score

    After the red carpet premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in Los Angeles last night, the review embargo for the latest MCU installment has expired and the first reviews of the film have been shared. It’s still very early in the process but so far the film seems to be continuing the recent trend of Phase 4 and 5 films not living up to the expectations of critics.

    While some critics are hailing the film as a fitting conclusion to the Guardians trilogy (including our own Michael T. Ford III), others are seeing the film through a very different lens. Flickering Myth’s EJ Moreno called the film “a tonal mess that relies on Disney-style emotional manipulation” while Vanity Fair’s Richard Lawson called Vol. 3 “an odd, lumbering patchwork of a film, occasionally fascinating but otherwise bloated and aimless” and an “awkward franchise finale.”

    The very mixed and disparate reviews for the film are reminiscent of many of the studio’s post-Endgame films which have rarely been universally hailed as successes. Marvel Studios most recent theatrical release–and its first Phase 5 offereing–, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania compiled a franchise-worst 47% Rotten Tomatoes score and of the Phase 4 releases, only Spider-Man: No Way Home and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings resonated with critics in a way that the pre-Phase 4 releases did.

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 84%
    Thor: Love and Thunder 63%
    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 74%
    Spider-Man: No Way Home 93%
    Eternals 47%
    Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 91%
    Black Widow 79%

    That said, it’s still very early in the game and Vol. 3’s score could still move quite a bit. While it’s unlikely to end up as high as 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy‘s 92%, it could end up comparing favorably to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2‘s 85%.

    Source: Rotten Tomatoes

  • James Gunn Reveals Who Won’t Play Superman in ‘Superman: Legacy’ and What Traits He’s Looking for in the New Actor

    James Gunn Reveals Who Won’t Play Superman in ‘Superman: Legacy’ and What Traits He’s Looking for in the New Actor

    As James Gunn closes the door on his time at Marvel Studios, he’s already firmly entrenched in his new job at DC Studios and working hard on bringing the first chapter of the all-new, all-different DCU to life. A major part of that first chapter, Gods and Monsters, is Superman: Legacy, a film that’s being written and directed by Gunn and is slated to hit theaters in the Summer of 2025. Production on that film is reportedly kicking off in Atlanta in January and the search for the next actor to bring Kal-El to life is already underway. While at the world premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Gunn was asked what he’s looking for in his new Superman.

    It’s hard but we’re looking and we actually have some really great choices which I’m excited about. It has to be somebody who has all the humanity Superman has but he’s also an alien. It’s gotta be somebody who has the kindness and compassion that Superman has. And it has to be somebody that you want to give a hug. All the Supermen have been good and so we just have to add to that story.

    James Gunn

    Just in case that sounds like Gunn is describing Guardians star Chris Pratt, he was quick to confirm that’s not the case; in fact, it sounds increasingly more likely that Gunn will be looking to cast a relative newcomer as Kal-El, rather than an already established Hollywood star. It goes without saying that much of the success of the new DCU will rest on the shoulders of Superman: Legacy and the audience’s perception of the actor portraying the Man of Steel. As Gunn and co-chair Peter Safran took over the future of DC films for Warner Bros. Discovery, they moved on from much of the Snyderverse era of projects, including actor Henry Cavill who portrayed Superman in several of those projects. The new actor will have to live up to audiences’ perception of Cavill’s Superman in addition to Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh and others who have forged the live-action legacy of the character.

  • Andy Samberg Reportedly Joins the Cast of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’

    Andy Samberg Reportedly Joins the Cast of ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’

    One of 2023’s most anticipated films, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, is just over a month away from hitting theaters and news is still emerging about its impressive voice cast. The sequel already boasts an impressive lineup of talent including Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Issa Rae, and Daniel Kaluuya among its stars and now, another big name has been revealed to voice a key character.

    According to One Take News, Andy Samberg provided the voice work for Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider in the upcoming film. An SNL vet and the star of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Samberg’s role in the film was apparently top secret until very recently while Reilly’s presence in the film has been know for some time.

    Reilly is a controversial character in comic book circles with his origin story being one of the more divisive Spidey stories of all time. It seems unlikely, however, that Across the Spider-Verse will delve too deeply into the Clone Saga as OTN’s report describes Scarlet Spider’s role in the sequel as that of a “secondary supporting character.” That said, there’s a chance the character returns for the third film in the franchise and or even in another animated or live-action film.

    Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse hits theaters on June 2nd.

    Source: OTN