Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movie News

  • Zoe Saldaña Calls ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ “The End for Gamora”

    Zoe Saldaña Calls ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ “The End for Gamora”

    Reactions to advance screenings of Marvel Studios Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 have called the threequel heartbreaking and emotional and that has fans of the franchise nervous as the film’s wide release approaches. Before the film”/’s teaser trailer debuted, fans were already abuzz about which Guardians might meet their ends in Vol. 3 and that teaser (a d subsequent marketing) has only amplified that feeling. While fans continue to place their bets about whifh beloved character won’t make it out alive, one of the film’s stars just threw a little gas on the fire.

    Promotional material for the film has made it seem like several of the film’s lead characters (most prominently Star-Lord, Rocketband Drax) will be facing their ultimate fate in the film. Dave Bautista, now making his seventh appearance as the dense Drax, has made it clear that his time as the character is through and now his sentiment has been echoed by another of the film’s stars: Zoe Saldaña.

    In an interview with THR, Saldaña, whose Gamora has already died once in the MCU, made it clear that while the Guardians will live on, Gamora will not be part of their future.

    I don’t think this is the end for the Guardians. It is the end for me, for Gamora.

    Zoe Saldaña

    As Gunn has said and THR’s report reiterated, there are more adventures in store for the Guardians of the Galaxy, just not these Guardians of the Galaxy. And will Saldaña joining Bautista in moving on from the franchise, perhaps the makeup of the new team starts to become a little clearer even before audiences see the film.

    Stars Chris Pratt and Pom Klementieff, who play the brother/sister duo of Star-Lord and Mantis, respectively, have been less direct about their futures with Marvel Studios. Will Poulter‘s Adam Warlock, who serves as an antagonist in Vol. 3, has a comic book history with the Guardians and his casting has always seemed like one with the future in mind. Groot is almost unkillable and his partnership with Rocket is one of Marvel’s most beloved ongoing relationships. Certainly there’s a team in that mix somewhere, even if it doesn’t involve all of them. However, Saldaña, it seems, won’t be part of whatever new adventures are in store.

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 debuts in theaters on May 5th.

    Source: THR

  • Zack Snyder Gave His Blessing for Michael Shannon to Return as Zod in ‘The Flash’

    Zack Snyder Gave His Blessing for Michael Shannon to Return as Zod in ‘The Flash’

    Zack Snyder is always a big discussion point online, as his very specific group of fans continues to try to keep the “legacy” alive as much as possible. Even as the DC franchise is starting to move away from what he initially started with Man of Steel. It seems Michael Shannon wasn’t sure either when Andy Muschietti asked him to reprise the role of Zod from the film in the next DCEU entry, The Flash.

    I was hesitant [to come back] because I wasn’t really happy about what happened to Zack Snyder in that whole deal … And I really love Zack. The fact that Zack asked me to play that part to begin with – that’s probably the biggest surprise of my career. It almost felt like a practical joke. I was like, ‘You’re kidding me, right?’

    Michael Shannon

    He goes on to share what it was like when Muschietti offered him the role and it seems he even had some drawings prepared to showcase his vision of what The Flash would look like if he returned to the role and how it would shape the story. Shannon even still owns a drawing from that pitch.

    But I talked to Andy [Muschietti] about it, and I liked Andy, and I said, ‘Andy, look – I just want to get Zack’s blessing on this because it just doesn’t feel right without that.’ And Zack, to his credit, was very understanding. He gave me his blessing, and I went to do it. I loved Andy, too. I loved working with Andy. They’re both super creative guys. Andy’s an amazing artist. He would just make these drawings when I was sitting there talking to him. I’d look over and say, ‘Hey, can I keep that?’ and he’d go, ‘Sure!’ and sign it and give it to me.

    Michael Shannon

    He does, however, highlight that we shouldn’t expect much depth from his version of Zod in The Flash, as they may have seemingly used him as a way to set up an antagonist that blocks our heroes’ way as teased by the trailers.

    But, you know, it’s just really different – these kind of multiverse situations … The story is a lot more all over the place, you know? And I feel like I mainly exist in ‘The Flash’ as, like, an obstacle or a problem. Whereas, in ‘Man of Steel,’ it was more of a story. Like, ‘The Flash’ is definitely about The Flash – as it should be. So, it’s not as in-depth.

    Michael Shannon

    It’s great to know that Zack Snyder gave his blessing to the project and that he was able to return. This film almost feels like a final swan song for that era of DCEU that was built upon Man of Steel’s release. So, we’ll see if it pays tribute to the past while setting the stage for the future.

    Source: The Playlist

  • CinemaCon: Hugh Grant to Play an Oompa-Loompa in Timothée Chalamet’s ‘Wonka’

    CinemaCon: Hugh Grant to Play an Oompa-Loompa in Timothée Chalamet’s ‘Wonka’

    Warner Bros. Discovery’s big CinemaCon showcase seemingly had two big centerpieces: DC Studios and Timothée Chalamet. Besides sharing the first footage for his upcoming major release of Dune: Part 2, they also had some footage ready for his other big project, Wonka. The Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory prequel explores the early days of the chocolatier in musical form, and it seems we also know who will take on the role of at least one Oompa-Loompa.

    It should be noted that this was first reported by One Take News, as it has been unveiled that Hugh Grant, who recently had a major role in the Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves film, will be playing an Oompa-Loompa in the prequel. There’s no word if they are sticking to what we saw in Tim Burton’s take, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where all Oompa-Loompas were played by Deep Roy.

    Some reactions have hinted that the visual of Grant in the role has burned itself into their mind, it definitely sounds like it would be quite a fun role for the actor. Though, it’s unclear how big of a role he might truly have in the film and if we will also see him sing. It does seem likely and the visual of him in the make-up from the original 1971 film creates a potentially hilarious nightmare fuel for viewers.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter, One Take News, Twitter

  • Voice Cast for Rocket’s Friends in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’ Revealed

    Voice Cast for Rocket’s Friends in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’ Revealed

    We’ve known for some time that a big part of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 would likely explore the origins of Rocket. The character was a major part of the franchise’s emotional core and James Gunn openly discussed that he centered a lot around that character from his own personal experiences. With the third Guardians entry being his last before he continues to focus on DC Studios’ future, it seems almost fitting to use this chance to explore that character’s true emotional background.

    In a new piece of footage, we get a new look at the characters that grew up alongside Rocket into becoming more humanoid under The Evolutionary’s watchful eye. Linda Cardellini has been confirmed to play Lylla the Otter, who is Rocket’s main love interest. Asim Chaudhry is taking on the role of Teefs the Walrus while Mikaela Hoover is Floor the Rabbit. Gunn shared the following on what makes these characters stand out in the film:

    They’re best friends… and I think it’s a really beautiful scene with them… where they talk about going outside into the sky, in the world, which they’ve never experienced.

    James Gunn

    Of course, the big surprise for many is likely that Cardellini is set to take on the role of Lylla after having played a major part in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since Avengers: Age of Ultron as Laura Barton, the wife of Clint Barton and a former SHIELD agent as teased in the Hawkeye Disney+ series. Though, it’s not the only time this has happened and not even the first time this year, as David Dastmalchian also took on a new voice role in the recently released Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

    Source: Collider

  • CinemaCon: First Footage Description of ‘Dune: Part 2’ Finds it’s Way Online

    CinemaCon: First Footage Description of ‘Dune: Part 2’ Finds it’s Way Online

    While most eyes have been on the future presentation of DC Studios and their current releases, which still were developed under the former leadership, they had quite a bit of other projects to show off during this year’s CinemaCon. They gave visitors a look at Barbie and its unique world and it seems the first footage of the long-awaited Dune sequel has been released for attendees. Us online at least got the description of the footage that was showcased during CinemaCon.

    It seems the big focus of the footage was on Paul Atreides, played once again by Timothee Chalamet, learning to ride a giant sandworm. It makes sense given that this was the big tease at the end of the first entry and Paul’s entire storyline is wrapped around him finding his way among the locals of the planet Arrakis. They also seemingly got a first look at Florence Pugh and Austin Butler during the footage but not many details have been shared on what they might look like.

    It’s definitely interesting that this is their selling point as Chalamet made the bold statement of it being “done practically” which has become a bit of a habit to imply certain elements are done that way with the rest added afterward. It’s also become a bit of a marketing habit to make the film stand out in the pool of effects-heavy film selection. Most of what we’ll see on the screen will be effects work as there is no real giant sandworm, but it makes for a good way to sell it to audiences.

    Source: Twitter, Discussing Film, Twitter, Twitter

  • CinemaCon: First ‘Aquaman 2’ Footage Description Teases Major Plot Points

    CinemaCon: First ‘Aquaman 2’ Footage Description Teases Major Plot Points

    CinemaCon has given Warner Bros. Discovery the chance to highlight its future slate with a strong emphasis on 2023. It’s a big movement for the studio as they have been struggling with their recent DC releases like Black Adam and Shazam: Fury of the Gods. While the big focus is on The Flash which is being screened in its entirety for attendees, they also got some footage teasing Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

    The big surprise is that quite a bit of the footage shown includes some major spoilers for the sequel. Some reports are sharing that the footage includes Aquaman having a child and that Black Manta is seemingly the main antagonist in the upcoming sequel. Of course, they might be hiding some secrets as there’s no word of the “Lost Kingdom” in the title.

    Black Manta has seemingly gotten his hand on an ancient weapon known as the Black Trident and starts an attack on Atlantis. The rest of the film will see him forced to work alongside his murderous brother Orm the Ocean Master. Of course, they weren’t going to spoil everything but it’s definitely interesting that many early reports are pretty much on point with what we can expect. It’s also great to see Yahya Abdul-Mateen II get a bigger role in the sequel.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter

  • CinemaCon: Xolo Maridueña Shares Why Blue Beetle Stands Out from Other Heroes

    CinemaCon: Xolo Maridueña Shares Why Blue Beetle Stands Out from Other Heroes

    CinemaCon has brought us our first look at what the summer has planned for us and it looks like quite a doozy. Warner Bros. had the second day to kick off with quite a few announcements from their various projects. It’s also quite the gamble for them, as they are putting all their money on the next releases truly making a mark to water down the bad blood that rose with their HBO Max activities in the last few years.

    Among their first big new streaming-to-theatrical releases is Blue Beetle, which only recently got its first trailer. Warner Bros. Discovery took to the stage to showcase the talent they have, and among them was Blue Beetle’s star Xolo Maridueña. The actor took the chance to share why he believes Jamie Reyes stands out from other superheroes.

    I think he’s the only person ever to get superpowers and not want them.

    Xolo Maridueña

    It’s easy to say that there are countless superheroes that aren’t quite happy with being given the powers they have, especially characters like Hulk or The Thing. But, it’s definitely a potential first for the current roster of DC heroes that managed to embrace their powers. Still, Maridueña‘s excitement is infectious and it was great that he was given the stage during CinemaCon.

    Source: Twitter

  • CinemaCon: Sony Unveils First Look at R-Rated ‘Kraven The Hunter’

    CinemaCon: Sony Unveils First Look at R-Rated ‘Kraven The Hunter’

    Sony’s CinemaCon presentation didn’t include any news about the status of Tom Holland‘s new Spider-Man deal nor an update on when to expect Spider-Man 4 but they did bring a first look at the film everyone is looking forward to: Kraven the Hunter! Footage of director J.C. Chandor‘s upcoming film was screened for the crowd and, according to reports, it was pretty rowdy!

    Described as “a Marvel movie grounded heavily in the real world“, the footage naturally featured a surprising look at Alessandro Nivola ingesting a serum and then transforming into the Rhino whilst asking “don’t you want to know why they call me the Rhino?” It doesn’t get more grounded in reality than that!

    The highlight of the footage was a violent rampage by Aaron Taylor-Johnson‘s titular character. In an all-out assault on a team of poachers, Taylor-Johnson‘s Kraven brutally attacked and killed them in a variety of creative ways including biting off a piece of one of their faces and spitting out the blood. This of course was part of the revelation by Sony that the film will be an R-rated theatrical release, news that is sure to please that particular corner of the internet.

    Kraven the Hunter is set for release on October 6th.

  • The Final Chapter of the ‘Fast & Furious’ Franchise Finds Its Co-writers

    The Final Chapter of the ‘Fast & Furious’ Franchise Finds Its Co-writers

    One of the most financially successful franchises in box office history is gearing up for its last ride. The Fast & Furious franchise has fascinated fans since the beginning of the century but the end is in sight with Fast X headed to theaters this year and the creative team of the eleventh and final film starting to come together. It was recently reported that Fast X director Louis Leterrier was returning to helm the finale and now, according to Deadline, the film has found its writers.

    The Flash writer Christina Hodson and The Cloverfield Paradox scribe Oren Uziel are teaming up to write the script for the eleventh Fast film which, according to Deadline, is “being described as a companion to Fast X.” Justin Lin directed and co-wrote both F9 and Fast X before departing the franchise last year after some unpleasant business with franchise star Vin Diesel.

    While Hodson has been on a pretty consistent superhero/comic book movie streak, penning not only The Flash but also Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey and Bumblebee, Uziel most recently penned the script for the Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum film The Lost City. Uziel also wrote the screenplay for Tatum’s 22 Jump Street, so this seems like a move clearly designed to get Tatum, who may be the only actor in Hollywood not to appear in the Fast franchise, into the series finale.

    At this point, a release date for Fast 11 has not yet been slated.

    Source: Deadline

  • James Gunn Updates the Post-Credit Scene Status of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

    James Gunn Updates the Post-Credit Scene Status of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

    For many Marvel Studios fans, there is nothing more important than the post-credit scenes that follow almost every project. For better or for worse, that is the culture that Marvel Studios has created and although the stingers often distract from a conversation about the events of the film it seems they are here to stay. When Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was screened in Paris, no post-credit scenes were shown, causing some fans to believe there wouldn’t be any; however, James Gunn has taken to social media to address that concern and indicated that fans of post-credit action would be satisfied.

    Answering a question from papaj_419, Gunn indicated that the audience will want to stick around for not one but two post-credit scenes after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which has been confirmed to be the longest film of the Guardians franchise clocking in at just under 2 hours and 30 minutes.

    2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy featured 2 post-credit scenes as well while 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 boasted 5, the most of any MCU film to date. All but two of the films in the Multiverse Saga have featured two post-credit scenes with one running midway through the credits and the other after all the credits rolled.

    Vol. 3 is Gunn’s last hurrah with both the Guardians and Marvel Studios as he moves full-time into his new role as co-chair of DC Studios. Reactions from the Paris screening have said the film is heartbreaking and the best of the trilogy and with further press screenings scheduled to get underway on April 27th, there’s sure to be plenty more reactions on the way.

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens in theaters on May 5th.