Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movies

  • RUMOR: Harrison Ford Joins ‘Captain America: New World Order’ as Red Hulk

    RUMOR: Harrison Ford Joins ‘Captain America: New World Order’ as Red Hulk

    Just as She-Hulk: Attorney At Law wrapped up with no Red Hulk in sight, an updated rumor suggests that one might not be too far off. According to the Hot Mic Podcast, living legend Harrison Ford has joined the cast of Captain America: New World Order.

    The report indicates that Ford, who will star in the fifth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise in 2023, has joined the cast of Cap 4 as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, a role that had been filled by William Hurt since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Hurt passed away in March of 2022 after reprising the role once more in Black Widow.

    Fans have been hoping to see the Red Hulk appear in the MCU for years, with rumors of his appearance in Captain America: Civil War and the upcoming Thunderbolts film among the most well-known. While Marvel won’t comment on casting, fans might not have too long to wait to find out as filming on Cap 4 is slated to begin early next year.

    Much speculation about just how much longer the 80-year old Ford planned to remain active in film, but if this rumor pans out, it’s possible he might be looking at a recurring role in the MCU over the next several years.

    Source: Hot Mic Podcast

  • Pierce Brosnan on How Doctor Strange and a Fantastic Script Led Him to a Role in ‘Black Adam’

    Pierce Brosnan on How Doctor Strange and a Fantastic Script Led Him to a Role in ‘Black Adam’

    69-year-old Pierce Brosnan is already a legend. But as if having four Bond films under his belt, including 1995’s GoldenEye, and a memorable role in Mrs. Doubtfire and 94 episodes of Remington Steele weren’t enough to cement the Irish actor’s legacy, he can now check “superhero” off his list. Brosnan’s latest endeavor finds him starring alongside Dwayne Johnson and Aldis Hodge in DC’s Black Adam where he plays Kent Nelson, aka Doctor Fate. As Brosnan enters into his fifth decade as an actor, he remains busy despite having five children and three grandchildren. As it turns out, he might have his children to thank for his latest role.

    In an interview at Black Adam’s World Premiere, Brosnan explained how his son’s fascination with another comic book doctor, Doctor Strange, among other things, inspired him to take on the role of Kent Nelson in Black Adam.

    I loved Doctor Strange and my sons, who are comic book aficionados, would say, “Dad, Doctor Strange.” Well we all know who Doctor Strange his and he is epically brilliant. Benedict…But then you have the bookend to that and it’s Doctor Fate. And Doctor Fate is much-loved, one of the senior members of the sorcerer’s world. Jaume Collet-Serra is the director. Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam. The cast. The text. The script works on many different levels. I think it covers them in a very subtle way and sometimes on the nose culturally…politically…socially. And, more importantly, in a grandiose, epic, entertaining way.

    Pierce Brosnan

    DC comic fans will know that Nelson is just one of several characters to take on the mantle of Doctor Fate but is considered to be the most powerful to have ever donned the Helmet of Fate. While the character has previously appeared in DC-related media, it’s likely that Brosnan’s version will be the one that enters into the collective consciousness of pop culture. Whether or not that means he’ll return in the role again, or if another character from the comics assumes the mantle, remains to be seen. Either way, it’s another checkmark on the legendary Brosnan’s list of achievements.

  • Dany Garcia on Easter Eggs and THAT End Credit Scene in ‘Black Adam’

    Dany Garcia on Easter Eggs and THAT End Credit Scene in ‘Black Adam’

    Black Adam stands to serve both as an introduction to a new cast of DC characters and as a bridge to the pieces of the existing DC Universe that Warner Bros. intends to keep on the board as they move forward. Dwayne Johnson’s Teth-Adam is innately connected to Zachary Levi’s Shazam, but the new film won’t feature Shazam. Rather, it features a modern-day version of the Justice Society of America lead by Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman and Pierce Brosnan’s Doctor Fate, characters who might well find themselves, or other versions of themselves, returning down the road. Meanwhile, Johnson has all but confirmed the return of Henry Cavill as Superman and he might not be the only character from another project who shows up.

    If it seems like a lot for one project, it is, but early word is that the film handles it wonderfully, working to respect what’s been done before while also setting up a different future than many might have imagined. In an interview at Black Adam’s premiere, Dany Garcia, who co-founded Seven Bucks Productions with Johnson, gave some insight into how they pulled it off and what fans might expect.

    I think they’re going to see all of the nods. They’re going to see the respect that we have for the character. They’re gonna find the easter eggs, and they’re gonna see an end credit that speaks to the past but acknowledges what’s to come.

    Dany Garcia

    As the greater DC Universe continues to face uncertainty in the wake of project cancellations, shifts in leadership and issues with some of their talent, it seems that Black Adam will be more than capable of holding down the fort now and in the future.

  • ‘Black Adam’ Scribe Teases Potential Future Spinoffs

    ‘Black Adam’ Scribe Teases Potential Future Spinoffs

    After fifteen years of development, Dwayne Johnson’s superpowered passion project, Black Adam, is set to hit theaters. Set to introduce not only Johnson’s Teth-Adam but also four members of a modern-day incarnation of the Justice Society of America (Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Atom Smasher and Cyclone) and featuring the return of a couple of characters from previous DC projects, the film is laying the groundwork for a wide-range of opportunities to tell stories in the future. In an interview at the film’s premiere, writer Rory Haines was asked if fans should expect to see any additional projects spinning out of Black Adam.

    Hopefully so. DJ’s been working on this for 10 years. Obviously it’s well know…he’s not just an actor, he’s a producer, he’s a visionary himself. He has a lot of vision for this and I think fans are going to really love where he wants to go.

    Rory Haines

    Even though the film’s main plot seems set in the present, the very fact that the JSA shown in the film has a pair of legacy members opens up the potential for a JSA-centric project to be told in the past, present of future of the DC Universe. It’s also possible that solo projects for Hawkman or Doctor Fate could be on the horizon if the characters are well received. Of course, there’s great potential for a Black Adam sequel, perhaps featuring Superman or Shazam. Whatever the case, it remains clear that Johnson’s passion for the character, which was the driving force in seeing Black Adam made through all the changes over the years at WB, will shape what comes next for these characters.

  • Hiram Garcia Teases the Ambitious Plans for Superman and Black Adam

    Hiram Garcia Teases the Ambitious Plans for Superman and Black Adam

    After keeping it secret for quite some time, Dwayne Johnson slowly let the cat out of the bag over the past couple of weeks during the lead-up to the premiere of Black Adam: Henry Cavill is back as Superman. With the Man of Steel’s return to the DC Universe coinciding with the arrival of superpowered anti-hero Black Adam, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the two might run into one another down the road. According to producer Hiram Garcia, when the two do meet, it won’t be only for a brief chat.

    If those guys cross paths, it’s really not just about a showdown…there’s much more we would want to do. We like to really think about the long game. And we like to think about some really interesting long-form storytelling with two characters that are so polar opposite but kind of from the same place in terms of power and approach. So if we are able to pull that off, some way, someday those guys cross paths, it’s not gonna be a quick thing. We have some big ambitions for that.

    Hiram Garcia

    Garcia and Johnson certainly seem to have the fans in mind as they look for a way to move forward the story of Teth-Adam and the shared DC Universe. Fans have been eager for Cavill to return to the role of Kal-El that he first inhabited in 2013 and, over the last few years following his appearance in Justice League, the hopes for that return seemed to dwindle. With Cavill back on board and firmly in the mix to mix it up with Black Adam in a sequel to one or another of their solo projects, it seems Johnson’s Seven Bucks production company is taking the lead in keeping the DC Universe on track for the time being.

  • Dwayne Johnson on Henry Cavill’s Return to the DC Universe

    Dwayne Johnson on Henry Cavill’s Return to the DC Universe

    As Dwayne Johnson’s career trajectory continued upward over the last decade and a half, one thing remained constant: his passion for Black Adam. First announced in 2007, the project has survived stops and starts in DC Universe, changes in leadership and changes in which characters and stories have been prioritized. Now as it’s finally about to be released, Black Adam seems set to serve as a jumping-off point for a new version of a connected DC Universe, but there’s one character that Johnson, and fans, have been eager to see back on screen.

    Henry Cavill made his debut as Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel, which once upon a time seemed to be the jumping-off point for a DC Universe shaped by Zack Snyder. However, following appearances in Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, Cavill was absent from other projects and with no development on a Man of Steel sequel, fans had all but given up hope on his return as Kal-El. Johnson, however, never did. In an interview with ET at Black Adam’s premiere, Johnson seemingly confirmed the return of Cavill as Superman and discussed why it’s so important to have him back.

    The whole goal and initiative of Black Adam was to build out the DC Universe by introducing not only Black Adam but the entire JSA. 5 new superhero characters in one movie and also, as I have been saying all along, there’s an ethos we at Seven Bucks have…Seven Bucks Productions…myself, my co-founder, Dany Garcia, and Hiram Garcia and that is we’ll always put the fans first. Audience comes first. So, for years, audiences have been so passionate and vocal about…we’ve established Black Adam as the most powerful and unstoppable on our planet…but the fans have been so passionate about, as we have been, where is the most unstoppable force in the universe? Where is he? Well, just like I fought hard for Black Adam for fifteen years, Dany has been fighting for six years, Hiram has been fighting for six years, fifteen years. We’ve all been fighting for this moment, so I will say this: welcome home.

    Dwayne Johnson

    Rumors have swirled for months that Black Adam would see Cavill return to the role of Superman and Johnson’s all-but-confirmation here has to be exciting for fans, not only for this film but for the future, which Johnson has also spoken about recently. Let’s hope it doesn’t take 15 more years before we see the two titans share the screen again!

  • A Closer Look at Marvel Studios’ Updated Slate

    A Closer Look at Marvel Studios’ Updated Slate

    Marvel Studios made sweeping changes to their upcoming theatrical slate recently, shuffling the release dates of several projects in what looks to have been a game of dominoes. Upon closer look, however, it seems possible that the last domino hasn’t fallen yet.

    2023

    Phase 5 begins! Outside of Blade being removed from the 2023 slate, the slate remains unchanged. Two projects (Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Loki Season 2) look to connect directly with the overarching plot of the Multiverse Saga, but The Marvels might connect to it a bit more than one might think at first glance.

    2024

    The changes to the 2024 slate are where things really start to fall apart and where one has to question whether or not there will be another round of changes ahead. It seems like a big factor in whether or not there are more changes will depend on how connected the Disney Plus series/special projects are to the order of things.

    Originally, Phase 5 was supposed to end with Thunderbolts in July of 2024, now it looks like it will likely end with Deadpool 3 in November of 2024. Blade and Deadpool 3 (even though it wasn’t officially given a date until recently) were always a part of Phase 5, so where they land within it doesn’t seem to matter. However, as of SDCC, the first Phase 6 project was intended to be a Disney Plus series/special presentation scheduled for Fall 2024, before Fantastic Four. Then, another two Phase 6 Disney Plus projects were set to stream before the end of 2024.

    With all the changes, the end date for Phase 5 has now been extended by 4 months, meaning two streaming projects that were meant to be a part of Phase 6 are now TENTATIVELY set to stream before Phase 5 concludes. Can these projects just be moved into Phase 5? It’s hard to determine without knowing the identity of the projects. Do audiences need to see the content delivered in Blade or Deadpool 3 before they can view these series? Again, hard to determine without knowing what the projects are. If they need to be included in Phase 6, Marvel Studios would have to push them into November of 2024 or later, potentially creating a content void that they seem to be trying to avoid. A lot of questions that can’t be answered, but 2024 and Phase 5 are clearly being impacted the most by the changes and potentially impacting everything else the most as a result.

    Summary: Phase 5 ends later and with a different project and would currently experience an increase in the number of projects with some Phase 6 projects set to stream before Phase 6 begins.

    2025

    While the update on Monday revealed two pretty major changes, it also implies that more might be coming. With Fantastic Four being bumped into 2025, Avengers: Secret Wars was bumped out. However, it also means the February slot before Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is now occupied by Fantastic Four when it was clearly meant for another film up until these changes took place. The best bet as to what was intended to be there is the sequel to Shang-Chi. Both films are set to be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and there’s been enough said to me to indicate that Shang-Chi 2 was meant to lead up to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. With all that in mind, the slate is what it is at this point, but don’t be surprised to see further changes. One possibility is for one Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to move to the vacated November slot, opening up one of two summer spots for Shang-Chi 2. And while Disney doesn’t date Spidey films, that 4th movie is looming out there, so perhaps one of these 2025 films might come off the schedule entirely to make room for Spidey 4.

    Summary: Phase 6 starts later than expected, but with the same project (Fantastic Four). It also ends later, but with the same project (Avengers: Secret Wars).

    2026

    As announced at SDCC ’22, Avengers: Secret Wars was intended to close out Phase 6 and the Multiverse Saga in November of 2025. The next day, Disney slated 4 Untitled Marvel Studios films for 2026, all meant to kick off Phase 7. But as the delay of Blade led to the delay of another project and another project and so on, Avengers: Secret Wars found itself bumped 5 months to May of 2026. But being the capstone project of the entire Multiverse Saga, moving Secret Wars ultimately means delaying the end of Phase 6 and the start of Phase 7.

    Additionally, in shifting from November 7, 2025 to May 1, 2026, Avengers: Secret Wars actually jumped 2 dates. On the surface and without further changes, this adds a 6th film to the Phase 6 slate. We don’t know what the untitled films are, but when the slate for Phase 6 was revealed, it was comprised of 5 films. With things the way they are now, it’s 6 and this seems like a pretty major change to a slate that one would assume is pretty well planned out and only holds the requisite number of projects to tell the story. The scenario described in the 2025 section above provides some relief to that by removing one of those films to make way for Spidey 4. The best guess here is that Marvel Studios is NOT done shuffling and that these dates should be viewed as placeholders and nothing more.

    Summary: Phase 6 not only ends later but with Avengers: Secret Wars jumping 2 release dates, it currently includes one additional film that was previously slated for Phase 7.

    Realistically, any analysis is probably a waste of time because the only constant with Marvel Studios’ slate of projects is change. So for now, tracking the changes and thinking about how they might lead to more is both the best we can do and the worst thing we can do because it sends us down a path with no clarity just past the horizon.

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ Star Joins Tim Blake Nelson Film ‘Bang Bang’

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Cowboy Bebop’ Star Joins Tim Blake Nelson Film ‘Bang Bang’

    Bang Bang is only getting bigger. The upcoming sports drama, which is set to star Tim Blake Nelson in the title role, has added five more performers to it’s roster. Daniella Pineda, perhaps best known for playing Faye Valentine in Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop, joins Tony Award winner Nina Arianda, Kevin Corrigan, Andrew Liner, and Will Janowitz as new additions to the film’s cast. The group will appear alongside Nelson and Glenn Plummer, who were exclusively revealed as being attached to the project by Murphy’s Multiverse in September.

    Bang Bang centers on former featherweight boxer Bernard ‘Bang Bang’ Rozyski, played by Nelson, as he attempts to settle a score with his old rival Darnell Washington, played by Plummer. When his grandson, Justin, comes to stay with him, Rozyski sees the boy as an opportunity to relive his glory days, complicating his family life and leading him down a path toward the ultimate rematch. Liner will play Justin, while Arianda portrays his mother, Jen. Pineda is set to bring Officer Flores to life, while Corrigan and Janowtiz portray men named John and Dylan, respectively. Janowitz, who once held a recurring role in HBO’s The Sopranos, also wrote the movie’s script.

    There is currently no release date for Bang Bang, which will be directed by Vincent Grashaw. However, it’s likely the project is aiming for a 2023 release. Production is scheduled to begin at the end of the month in Covington, Kentucky with Jesse Ozeri and Dane Eckerle on board as executive producers.

  • Heather Langenkamp Wants a ‘Halloween’ Style Legacy Sequel for ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’

    Heather Langenkamp Wants a ‘Halloween’ Style Legacy Sequel for ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’

    Halloween and Scream have recently made quite a big splash in theaters with their grand return. Not only did they revive the franchise but also acted as direct sequels to previous entries. So, it raised some eyebrows if this is the start of a new trend for other projects making a similar return. As it turns out, it seems that Nancy herself, Heather Langenkamp, is excited to potentially face off against Freddy Krueger one last time in a legacy sequel for A Nightmare on Elm Street.

    Gosh, I’d love to see a future in that. I’ve been really watching the Halloween saga that’s been out, and I love watching Jamie Lee Curtis get to play that part. You know, this age, where I think we have so much to give to those storylines, but yeah, I wish I was in control of that, but, unfortunately, it’s one of those Hollywood very complicated things.

    Heather Langenkamp

    In the age of remakes, it’s crazy to think that the concept of killing someone in their dream has not been truly explored since the A Nightmare on Elm Street remake back in 2010. While Jackie Earle Haley gave a chilling performance as Krueger, it still didn’t scratch the same itch that the original did.

    A legacy sequel with Robert Englund would definitely be a dream project and there are hopefully already some discussions happening behind the scenes with the recent resurgence. If the latest season of Stranger Things can pay tribute to the iconic franchise, it just makes sense for the project to make a grand return.

    Source: Bloody Disgusting

  • ‘Black Panther’ Director Reveals When ‘Wakanda Forever’ Takes Place

    ‘Black Panther’ Director Reveals When ‘Wakanda Forever’ Takes Place

    Many have wondered when exactly the upcoming Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever, will take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. Especially this project had many wondering as we know the project will act as a tribute to Chadwick Boseman with T’Challa also having died in this universe. Many assumed the project would start off with the direct aftermath of that event, but it seems that the film actually explores the aftermath a year after his in-universe passing according to director Ryan Coogler.

    Ramonda realizes that it’s been a year since T’Challa’s passing and Shuri’s still not healing—she’s not taking steps to move forward in a healthy way. They take a retreat—stepping away from the city, from the technology—to sit with no distractions and perform what is essentially a grief ritual. That’s when Namor shows up.

    Ryan Coogler

    This statement was released as part of a new press release and it highlights the overall themes of this story. Just as the family is finally trying to overcome the loss, Wakanda faces its biggest threat yet. It doesn’t give away the full story but it definitely seems like the legacy of T’Challa–especially that of Chadwick Boseman–will fuel the story and the characters living through that grief.

    It’ll be interesting to see how they tackle those themes with an invasion by Namor. While the character is more of an anti-hero, he’ll take on a villainous role in this entry and grief will likely also be one of the motivators for his place in this story. For now, we’ll have to wait just one more month for it to finally release in theaters.

    Source: The Direct