Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movies

  • ‘Black Adam’ Cinemascore Revealed

    ‘Black Adam’ Cinemascore Revealed

    If you haven’t heard, the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to change. Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam finally hit theaters after 15 years in development and while its reaction with critics has been mixed, that doesn’t seem to be the case with fans. Following its Thursday and Friday night showings, the superhero film is boasting some pretty impressive fan metrics.

    Cinemascore, which polls movie audiences following their opening night experiences, has reported a B+ score for Black Adam while Rotten Tomatoes audience score is at an 89%, which is a stark contrast to the “rotten” 42% critics’ score. While we wait for Friday’s official box office numbers to come in (the film made $7.6M during its Thursday night preview screenings), it’s clear that audiences are enjoying the action-packed film.

    The B+ Cinemascore for Black Adam is very much in line with the last two theatrical releases for Warner Bros. DC films. Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which opened in March of 2022, was given an A- Cinemascore by moviegoers and James Gunn’s 2021 The Suicide Squad received the same B+ Cinemascore as Black Adam. Fans who enjoyed the direction of those projects have quite a bit to look forward to as a Black Adam sequel is expected to happen fairly quickly, Reeves is developing a whole universe of Gotham-based projects and Gunn has at least one new DC trick up his sleeve.

    Read our full review of Black Adam here.

  • Thursday Previews Box Office for ‘Black Adam’ Hint at a Disappointing Opening Weekend

    Thursday Previews Box Office for ‘Black Adam’ Hint at a Disappointing Opening Weekend

    Black Adam’s projected opening weekend domestic box office numbers continue along a disappointing downward trend. Dwayne Johnson’s anti-hero film, which has been in development for 15 years, was originally predicted to pull in $65M+ with some estimates as high as $75-80M. Now, after the numbers from the Thursday previews have arrived, it looks like it would take a pretty serious course correction to get to $60M.

    Gitesh Pandya of Box Office Guru shared the official box office take from Thursday’s showings which came in just under $8M.

    As Pandya points out, the Tom Hardy-led Venom films took in $10M and $11.6M, respectively, ahead of $80M and $90M opening weekends. DC’s last theatrical release, The Batman, opened to $134M when it opened in March of 2022.

    As of now, it looks like Black Adam’s box office has fallen victim to mixed reviews from the initial wave or critics who screened the film ahead of its wide release. Given Johnson’s star power and the less-than-secret return of Henry Cavill as Superman in a post-credit scene, it’s likely that DC Films was hoping the film would open between $80-100M. With Black Panther: Wakanda Forever set to follow Black Adam into theaters in just three weeks, it’s unlikely the latter will have legs making the first two weekends more significant than normal.

  • Four Characters That Would Be Fantastic for Adam Driver

    Four Characters That Would Be Fantastic for Adam Driver

    News of Adam Driver taking a meeting with Marvel Studios to discuss an unknown role in Fantastic Four generated some crazy buzz when it broke. While there’s absolutely no guarantee that Driver will show up in the film, which is currently set to hit theaters on February 14th, 2025, there’s no doubt that the actor, who has two Oscar nominations to his credit, is incredibly talented and has shown a great deal of range over the course of his career. With that in mind, we take a look at four characters that would be a fantastic fit for the star and to nobody’s surprise, they are all over the map!

    The Maker

    Marvel Studios Fantastic Four will kick off Phase 6 of their Multiverse Saga, so it’s hard to imagine that some multiversal shenanigans won’t be in play. One fascinating option that could tie into a simplified version of Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 event Secret Wars, which is expected to be a primary source of inspiration for Marvel Studios’ 2026 film Avengers: Secret Wars, would be to use Fantastic Four to introduce the Reed Richards of Earth-1610. In the comics, 1610 is known as the Ultimate Universe and its Richards isn’t the hero he is on Earth-616. 1610’s Richards went a bit off the deep end following Sue Storm’s rejection of his marriage proposal. Truly a character worthy of his own story in the MCU, The Maker would prove to be a fascinating character study, something Driver’s been drawn to in the recent past.

    Silver Surfer

    Certainly a role coveted by many in Hollywood, the Silver Surfer’s pathos seems to fall in line with Driver’s resume. Granted there’s no guarantee that Norin Radd will show up in Fantastic Four but he’s as connected to the property as any. In truth, Radd’s origin story as the Sentinel of the Spaceways is as deserving of its own project as that of any hero in Marvel’s vast stable, something that could interest Driver if he were looking for something more than a supporting role. That origin, which features Mephisto, a character reported to be entering the MCU played by Sacha Baron Cohen, begins a story of torment unlike any other in the history of Marvel Comics and Driver can certainly do “tormented.”

    Molecule Man

    Over the years, Jonathan Hickman has shown a knack for reimagining and reinventing characters. Perhaps no character was as well-served by this as Owen Reece, the Molecule Man. While he always possessed great powers, it wasn’t until Hickman’s work on Avengers and Secret Wars that Reece’s full potential as a reality warper was unlocked making him one of the most powerful and important beings in the Multiverse. Hickman also portrayed Reece as a bit unstable, disturbed and aloof. Reece’s characterization under Hickman’s watch is a combo right in Driver’s sweet spot.

    Psycho-Man

    If you were waiting to find Victor Von Doom on this list, you’re crazy. And speaking of crazy…it’s Psycho-Man. If you’ve seen Driver in Annette, you’ve seen where the inspiration for him as Psycho-Man is rooted. Though he rules over an empire in the Microverse (the comic’s version of the Quantum Realm), he’s a major threat. The idea of a deadpan Driver walking around holding a box that controls the emotions of those around him is pretty appealing, to me at least.

    With no guarantee that Driver will join the MCU at all, much less Fantastic Four, it’s all just fun and games. But with an actor as talented as Driver, it’s hard not to consider what he’d bring to the table.

  • Rian Johnson’s Star Wars Trilogy Timeline Remains a Mystery

    Rian Johnson’s Star Wars Trilogy Timeline Remains a Mystery

    Rian Johnson made one of the most divisive projects in the history of Star Wars in 2017’s The Last Jedi. Even so, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy signed Johnson to a deal that allowed him to create a trilogy of films that would exist outside the Skywalker saga and explore all new parts of the galaxy. Even as Lucasfilm continues to develop and produce new projects for Disney Plus and plan new theatrical releases, any advancement on Johnson’s trilogy has stayed out of the news.

    Johnson has stayed plenty busy, writing and directing 2019’s Knives Out and its sequel, The Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which will premiere on Netflix this December. In speaking with Variety, it seems clear that developing more stories around Knives Out star Daniel Craig’s clever detective Benoit Blanc is his top priority.

    If each one of these [Knives Out sequels] can really be what Agatha Christie did, if it can be not just in a totally new location and a new cast, but also trying something exciting, I’ll keep doing it as long as Daniel [Craig] and I are having a good time. I’ll keep making these as long as they let me.

    Rian Johnson

    If the Knives Out franchise is at the forefront of Johnson’s work, where does that leave Star Wars? Lucasfilm has untitled Star Wars releases scheduled for 2025 and 2027, but it doesn’t sound like fans should expect either of those to be one of Johnson’s projects. When asked when fans could expect to see his Star Wars trilogy take off, the writer/director was pretty candid about the prospects.

    I have talked to [Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy] about it and we’re still talking about it. I had such an amazing experience making The Last Jedi. It’s entirely a matter of scheduling. For me, putting this [Glass Onion] out and making the next one of these [Knives Out sequels]…the answer is I don’t know.

    Rian Johnson

    When pushed a bit further by Variety about whether or not the trilogy will happen at all, Johnson simply said, “God I hope so.“

    Not exactly a vote of confidence by Johnson, but it isn’t a death knell either. While Johnson’s Star Wars films may never hit the screen, Lucasfilm seems to have found its sweet spot on Disney Plus, giving fans plenty of Star Wars content to look forward to for years to come.

    Source: Variety

  • SPOILERS: Dwayne Johnson Discusses a Major DC Cameo in ‘Black Adam’

    SPOILERS: Dwayne Johnson Discusses a Major DC Cameo in ‘Black Adam’

    If you somehow haven’t heard just yet (that’d be pretty impressive because Dwayne Johnson’s been shouting it from the rooftops every chance he’s had), turn back now and give yourself a chance to be surprised.

    While post-credit scenes have come to be known as a Marvel Studios tradition, they certainly didn’t invent them and no matter what studio uses them, they often serve as less of a promise and more a tease of potential future ideas. To that end, Johnson and the leadership of Seven Bucks Productions have given DC fans an epic tease that, for the time being, comes without a promise as DC Films looks for new leadership. After years away from the role, Henry Cavill returns to the DC Universe as Superman in Black Adam.

    How The Rock Got His Supes Back

    While the future for Cavill’s Kal-El is just starting to unfold, his return has proven exciting for fans and Johnson took the time to explain how it came about while talking with ComicBook.com:

    Well, I’ve known Henry for a long time. We’re buddies. My longtime business partner, Dany Garcia, she has been a big advocate for Henry. She’s managed Henry’s career over the years. It came down to, dude, we love Superman. There is new leadership about to happen in Warner Brothers. Here’s an opportunity. On our end of Black Adam, we will do everything we can to pay homage and respect to the mythology of Black Adam and build him as being the most powerful and unstoppable force on this planet. And if we do our job right, at the end of the movie, then in comes not only the most powerful and unstoppable force in the entire universe in Superman, but also the one that the fans want.

    Dwayne Johnson

    Even in the world of superhero films, it turns out it’s who you know. Johnson continued to discuss Cavill’s return and the part that fans of the DC Universe had in making it happen.

    And that’s the difference. And that’s the new era I’m talking about. This new era in the DC universe is we listen, man. We listen to the fans. We may not be able to do every single thing that they want, but they’re going to know that they’re not ignored because they’ve been ignored for so long. But we’re going to listen to them, man.

    Dwayen Johnson

    Of course just having Johnson and the fans willing to make it happen would have meant nothing had Cavill not wanted to return as the Big Blue Boy Scout. Thankfully he did, because according to Johnson, there’s nobody better for the role.

    So in presenting that to Henry, he also… Man, when it comes to Superman, I don’t know if there’s any other person on the planet who loves and embodies the mythology, the ethos, and everything of Superman than Henry. And so I’m so happy that it all came together. I’m so happy the fans are losing their minds over it. And I’m so happy that there is a new shift in this DC universe. And Superman is back.

    Dwayne Johnson

    What’s Next for Superman and Black Adam

    The post-credit scene simply introduces the two characters to one another and while tensions seem high, there’s no battle of the titans. According to Black Adam producer Hiram Garcia, that’s all the production team ever hoped to accomplish, leaving plenty of room to develop “great stories” coming out of the meeting.

    What we really want to establish is that Superman exists in the same world as Black Adam. Both those guys exist in the same universe and that’s important for us. It’s in the universe where our JSA is and so forth, but we really wanted the world to know that these guys are going to cross paths. How we do it we’re still working on it, we don’t want to give that away, I will say that it’s much bigger than what people think. We want to do long-form storytelling, we’re not looking for a quick one-off or something like that. These guys exist in the same universe and there’s a lot of fun to be had when you have basically the two most powerful beings in the universe on opposite sides, but also have some very interesting similarities to them. For us there’s a lot of opportunities to tell some great stories around (that).

    Hiram Garcia

    As the film’s first weekend unfolds, it’ll be worth tracking how fans across the world respond to Cavill’s return. The actor has had a lengthy break from the role and recent rumors had him being courted by Marvel Studios for a major role in their DC Universe. However, now that he’s back, a Man of Steel sequel is in development and a Black Adam sequel isn’t too far off, there might be plenty of chances to see Superman and Teth-Adam duke it out in the near future.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • Turnaround to the ‘Black Adam’ Sequel “Will Be Fast”

    Turnaround to the ‘Black Adam’ Sequel “Will Be Fast”

    Black Adam hasn’t even fully opened in theaters across North America yet, but two of the DC Comics’ film’s producers already have their sights set on getting the sequel in theaters. Hiram Garcia, President of Production of Seven Bucks Productions, and Beau Flynn, who has worked as a producer on Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson’s films dating back to 2012’s Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, are ready to get to work on a follow-up.

    Speaking to Comic Book about the timeline for a potential sequel, Garcia said, “It’s not going to take that long. I can promise you that. We always hope the first domino’s the easy one. We’ll get cooking on it fast, that’s for sure.” As is often the case, it’s possible that plenty of ideas were tossed around for a sequel during development and production on the first film. Johnson is keen on seeing his character square off with Henry Cavill’s Superman, so keen in fact that he chose to spoil the character’s post-credit scene appearance a week before the film premiered.

    Whether the script features Superman, Shazam or something else entirely, Flynn backed up Garcia’s promise. “Don’t worry. This one will be fast,” said Flynn. “We will open up the magic wagon, we’ll have the script ready, pretty fast,” added the producer. Of course, a script doesn’t necessarily mean the film will be given the green light by Warner Bros. The company is still searching for a new figure atop DC Films following the exit of Walter Hamada and the projected box office for Black Adam slipped a bit this past week following a mixed reaction in its initial wave of reviews. However, with Johnson leading the charge to make Black Adam a key character in the future of the DC Universe, it’s hard to imagine he’ll be denied a sequel.

    Black Adam is now in theaters.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • Warner Moving Ahead with A-List DC Characters; ‘Wonder Woman 3’ On Deck

    Warner Moving Ahead with A-List DC Characters; ‘Wonder Woman 3’ On Deck

    Even as claims of a “leadership vacuum” persist as the Walter Hamada era comes to an end, Warner Bros. is continuing to develop its DC properties. James Gunn is actively developing new projects; Henry Cavill is back as Superman; and Matt Reeves continues to build his Gotham universe through a series of projects being developed both for theaters and streaming. With the news of Superman and Batman projects in the works came news that the other member of DC’s Trinity is still very much in the plans as well.

    According to a report by THR’s Borys Kit, Warner Bros. expects a script treatment for Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 3 to be ready soon. Jenkins first brought the character to the big screen in 2017 and then again in 2020 and has been working to finish the script for the third film for the last year. At one point, it was expected that production on Wonder Woman 3 might kick off in 2023, but no updated timeline has been made available since the Warner Bros./Discovery merger.

    Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman has been one of the highlights of the DC Universe’s modern era and her character will be the first to complete a trilogy of films for the studio. She’s already appeared in 4 films and has an appearance the upcoming Shazam!: Fury of the Gods. With the news that Cavill is back as Superman, it would seem that it’s only a matter of time before the two reunite on screen…with Batman?

    Source: THR

  • WB Prepared to Move Ahead with a Sequel to ‘The Flash’

    WB Prepared to Move Ahead with a Sequel to ‘The Flash’

    Even as questions about star Ezra Miller continue to surround The Flash, news comes that WB remains incredibly committed to the property. While the first film won’t hit theaters until June 23, 2023, Borys Kit reports that the studio already has a script in place for a sequel should the first film be well-received.

    David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who penned the script for Aquaman, has put together the framework for a follow-up to The Flash, which is said to be an adaptation of the classic DC Comics story, Flashpoint. Just what the future holds for the franchise will first depend on what comes of recent events surrounding Miller, who has been arrested several times in the past year and recently pleaded not guilty to one charge. Common among fans is the theory that if WB decides they can no longer work with Miller, the Flashpoint nature of The Flash would easily allow for the role to be recast.

    The news of the potential sequel comes amidst a slew of news about the potential future of DC films. While Matt Reeves continues to build out the world of The Batman, James Gunn looks to be on board for multiple new projects and Henry Cavill is set to return in a new Superman project. As WB continues the search for the “Kevin Fiege” of their DC Universe, it seems that the good work of developing projects continues.

    Source: THR

  • ‘Halloween Ends’ Originally Ended Much Differently

    ‘Halloween Ends’ Originally Ended Much Differently

    David Gordon Green’s Halloween Ends has proven to be incredibly divisive, sparking a great deal of internet debate about the creative choices of the final film in the director’s trilogy. On one side of the debate, fans expressed their frustrations at the lack of screen time for series’ boogeyman Michael Myers; on the other side, fans appreciated the choice to take the focus off the slasher and keep it on the impact the ongoing battle between Myers and Laurie Strode had on Haddonfeild.

    While both sides would probably agree that the film’s finale gave them the satisfactory conclusion to the Myers-Strode feud that they had been hoping for, it seems that the very cut-and-dried ending that made the final cut of Halloween Ends wasn’t always so cut-and-dried. According to Viewer Anon, the scripted ending played out much differently.

    https://twitter.com/ViewerAnon/status/1581780522900258817?t=v1qC7Ig3LLh90tqUAp76qw&s=19

    The full thread linked above claims that the film followed a different path with the “evil doesn’t die, it just changes shape” theme explored in the film. In the version that fans have seen, it seems that evil does in fact die with the deaths of Corey and Michael; however, the script apparently saw Laurie infected with the same evil, even after killing Michael in her kitchen. In the original version, that played out by having Laurie attempt to strangle her granddaughter before coming to her senses.

    Ultimately, what was put to film in the final cut worked really well as Laurie and the entire town of Haddonfield were able to collectively put their Boogeyman behind them. The trilogy explored the way that Myers’ evil infected every corner of the town where his rampage took place, impacting more than just those who lost people to his evil, so a denouement where they dispose of him and his legacy as a community works well as a definitive ending to THIS trilogy. Of course it’s hard to imagine there won’t be more Halloween films in the future, but Green’s work with Myers is done and taken as one long-form story, it’s a truly terrifying narrative on evil.

  • ‘Werewolf By Night’s Michael Giacchino Rules Himself Out of ‘Blade’ Director Search

    ‘Werewolf By Night’s Michael Giacchino Rules Himself Out of ‘Blade’ Director Search

    Production on the highly anticipated Mahershala Ali-led Blade movie is currently shut down after losing director Bassim Tariq. After Tariq’s departure, it was revealed that Beau DeMayo had agreed to rewrite the script. With the hiring of DeMayo, it was expected that Marvel Studios would quickly fill the director position, but instead, the studio has slowed down to “deepen the search” for a new director, while also taking time to further strengthen the film.

    One name has received a lot of attention as a potential new director for Blade after the recent success and critical praise of Werewolf By Night. In fact, some think director and composer Michael Giacchino should be the architect of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s horror future.

    On Comicbook.com’s Phase Zero podcast, Giacchino addressed whether he could take the reins on Blade. Unfortunately for fans, it looks like the list of potential directors does not include the Werewolf By Night director. Giacchino expressed that Blade would conflict with some of his other projects in the works timing-wise:

    “I mean, look, I love Blade. I think that’s an amazing, amazing character. It’s one of my favorites. But I feel like that thing is already in motion in a way that is like, and I’m in motion on other things as well, and there’s just– It’s a whole… you know. It’s just, timing-wise, it’s a little crazy. So I feel like, you know… I want that to be a great movie. I want that to be an awesome movie, because that character deserves it in a huge way. But yeah, right now, I mean, no.”

    Michael Giacchino

    Fans will have to keep waiting for news on who will replace Tariq. Marvel Studios has given itself more time to get Blade in order, as it delayed its release date to September 6, 2024.

    Source: Phase Zero