Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movies

  • Elizabeth Olsen Teases “Different Versions” of Scarlet Witch’s MCU Future

    Elizabeth Olsen Teases “Different Versions” of Scarlet Witch’s MCU Future

    While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness focused on Benedict Cumberbatch’s titular hero for the first time since his 2016 debut film, the sequel undoubtedly put some other characters in the spotlight as well. Xochitl Gomez had a triumphant introduction as America Chavez, and some major cameos got quite a bit of attention. Still, it was Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff that stole plenty of scenes in the film, and her adversarial role as the Scarlet Witch was fantastic.

    Wanda has been a fan favorite at least since her Disney+ series WandaVision, which saw the character (first introduced in Avengers: Age of Ultron) finally take on the Scarlet Witch mantle. With her popularity so high, fans have been clamoring for more. While a Scarlet Witch solo project seems likely, Olsen herself recently teased where the antihero’s story may go. Speaking to Extra, the actress stated:

    There’s a couple different versions of what could happen at the end of this film. Mostly, I want to hear what the fans who know her best, what they would like to see from her next.

    Elizabeth Olsen

    While MCU actors are notoriously left in the dark about their character’s futures or pretend they are, Olsen seems to suggest that she has some substantial knowledge about her character’s potential future projects. It is also interesting that she seems to want fan input to influence the ultimate direction of the Scarlet Witch. One of the directions Olsen might be teasing could be an adaptation of the popular James Robinson’s 2015 Scarlet Witch solo series. But Wanda Maximoff is not short on major arcs and storylines in the comics.

    In any event, it looks like Olsen just provided a bit more evidence that fans should expect the Scarlet Witch’s return in the MCU after the events of Multiverse of Madness.

    Source: Extra

  • Patrick Stewart Teases a Potential MCU Return for Professor X

    Patrick Stewart Teases a Potential MCU Return for Professor X

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness made big waves with some of its character inclusions. Perhaps most exciting for fans was the inclusion of Patrick Stewart’s return from the X-Men franchise as Charles Xavier. The inclusion of Professor X marks the first mutant we’ve seen in the MCU, as Disney only more recently acquired the film rights to the X-Men characters.

    As a fan favorite in the X-Men movies, as well as his portrayal of the character in Logan, fans were overjoyed at his re-introduction as an alternate universe variant in the Doctor Strange sequel. Stewart himself was a little unsure about returning to the iconic role, but he just teased that there could be more to come. Speaking to Variety, Stewart said:

    Charles Xavier? Yeah. There may be [more apperances]. You know, the whole X-Men comic series is so huge, so vast, there might be an opportunity in which he comes back. We’ll see.

    Patrick Stewart

    Marvel Studios is expected to eventually introduce previous 20th Century Fox-owned characters such as X-Men, Deadpool, and the Fantastic Four into its Marvel Cinematic Universe. As Stewart mentioned, the X-Men universe is incredibly rich and expansive in the comics, and Charles Xavier is one of the biggest characters in that realm. If the MCU does introduce an MCU live-action Xavier, it does not necessarily mean that he will be portrayed by Stewart. Only time will tell, but the acclaimed actor has put in decades of time with the character, and may not wish to return in a major way. Marvel Studios may also be interested in a younger character or simply starting from scratch.

    Source: Variety

  • Patrick Stewart Was “a Little Unsure” About Returning as Charles Xavier in ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    Patrick Stewart Was “a Little Unsure” About Returning as Charles Xavier in ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    Marvel Studios’ latest film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is filled to the brim with surprises and horror goodness. Earlier trailers did give away one massive addition, which was that Patrick Stewart was joining the franchise as Professor X one more time. His voice alone had many excited and made him a great addition as they further explore the multiverse in this new entry.

    In an interview with Variety, he compares what it was like returning to the role to his hesitation with the Star Trek Picard series. He was “a little unsure” about returning especially after the powerful send-off we got with Logan for the character. But, it seems like he was quite happy with how his role turned out in the film.

    Well, it was a day-and-a-half’s work. I was in a very different environment from the one that I had ever been in, in any of the “X-Men” movies. And just like “Picard,” I was grateful for it, because I could think refreshingly about who he was and how he related to others. Just like “Star Trek: Picard,” I was a little unsure at first if it was a wise thing to do. Given that “Logan” had been such a powerful movie and we watched him die in Hugh Jackman’s arms. So having seen [“Doctor Strange 2”] on Monday night, I’m very happy and very proud that I’ve been part of that.

    Patrick Stewart

    It definitely left a memorable impact on viewers when he arrived, especially with him riding in on the iconic chair from the 90s animated series. They definitely set up some interesting aspects going in and it gave Stewart one more chance to play a role he made so iconic. Of course, his true send-off came in the form of Logan, which left quite a memorable lasting effect with his character and the tragedy of where his abilities lead him. It’ll be interesting if this also sets up a new generation to take on the role with MCU’s take on the X-Men.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Pulls in Strong $36M in Thursday Previews Domestically, Just Behind ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Pulls in Strong $36M in Thursday Previews Domestically, Just Behind ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

    The first numbers are in for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and it has definitely left an imprint already. The latest Marvel Studios film pulled in a great $36M in its Thursday previews in the US, which is the eighth-best preview intake right behind Avengers: Infinity War‘s $39M. It’s also the fifth biggest preview for IMAX previews with $4.3M. It was released across 4,545 theaters across the country and is further showcasing that business is healing for theater chains.

    Depending on how frontloaded the film is, it could potentially make beyond $180M, but as Hollywood Reporter points it’s very likely to move between $160M to $180M. This would be closer in line with what we heard from Deadline a few days ahead of its release. It should also be noted that this is higher than other successful entries that include Captain Marvel ($153.4M), Thor: Ragnarok ($122.7M), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($146.5M).

    Box Office Pro had it heading towards $215M, which strongly depends on how it goes into Friday and Saturday. but if it keeps up a strong momentum it may even reach their expectations, but it strongly depends on word-of-mouth. The horror and gory elements could either pull in more curious viewers over the weekend, but also has the chance of having great legs like other horror franchises.

    We can’t forget that the film has pulled in a really impressive $27.2M in its Wednesday previews internationally, which is only 4% behind Spider-Man: No Way Home without releases in specific countries. It seems that it potentially would make $300M globally at its current path. The Avatar: Way of Water trailer promotion has also been giving the film quite the boost with IMAX screenings. The growth from the previous entry is quite impressive considering it made $85M back in 2016.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline

  • ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s Director Shares Early Concept Art

    ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s Director Shares Early Concept Art

    Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has some new iconic moments that seem directly inspired by his action-adventure games. We get Sonic Adventure’s snowboarding sequence, a level plucked directly out of the classic games, and even Eggman’s iconic Death Egg robot. There’s a lot to take away from the film for those that grew up with the games and generally wanted a good time with a Sonic film.

    Luckily, director Jeff Fowler has just shared some amazing artwork from the film that really highlights how much of the early concept art made it into the final product. We get to see Eggman with a much more game-inspired mustache. While he didn’t quite get that costume in the film, the red elements and the mustache survived the development process.

    It’s great to see that the Death Egg robot was always part of the plan, as it definitely gave the film quite the set-piece at the end. Plus, it gave Super Sonic something to take out to showcase just how powerful his abilities truly are. Hopefully, we get to see more concept art and maybe even some teases that didn’t quite make it into the film.

    With a Knuckles spinoff series and a third film on the horizon, it’s going to be a lot more Sonic the Hedgehog heading our way. It’ll be interesting to see if they also have other spinoffs in some form of development, which may add something special to the project.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Pulls in an Impressive $27.2M in First Day Internationally

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Pulls in an Impressive $27.2M in First Day Internationally

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is already making quite an impressive footprint in the industry, as its first day in international markets has pulled in $27.2M. As such, the film is currently trailing behind Spider-Man: No Way Home but only by 4%. That is an impressive number considering just how large that film was without a release in key markets and the fact that Multiverse of Madness isn’t releasing in a few countries due to controversies of their LGBTQ references. The film is currently 153% ahead of the original 2016 film and 210% of The Batman on a like-to-like basis.

    The Benedict Cumberbatch-led film managed to keep the top spot in the Asia Pacific, as well as European markets such as France, Italy, and Germany. It has also pulled in $3.5M in Mexico and $2.7M in Brazil, which puts it at $10.3M in all Latin American markets. It has already topped those territories while still being in its previews. Even Korea, which has been pulling back due to concerns with the pandemic, has managed to return to cinemas. It may have made an additional $14.7M which isn’t included in the $27.2M.

    We’ll see more releases in other international markets, and it looks like the film is going to be quite the crowd-pleaser. The rumors may give it some additional legs and while it probably won’t come near to what No Way Home managed, it seems like it’ll definitely be carrying the next month as more films start to release. It also is a good sign that Marvel Studios’ expansion into Disney+ may have not scared off people to still come in and see their latest entry. Word-of-mouth and its horror elements may be a key factor moving forward, especially as it may not quite pull in the usual four-quadrant market due to these elements.

    Source: Deadline

  • Taika Waititi Hypes ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, Hails Christian Bale’s Gorr

    Taika Waititi Hypes ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, Hails Christian Bale’s Gorr

    Taika Waititi wasted no time making it clear that his version of the MCU’s Thor would have little in common with the character that was introduced in 2011 and spent several years and appearances being overshadowed by his fellow Avengers. After being sidelined in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, the God of Thunder returned in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok in which Waititi deconstructed the hero and set him on a journey that would find him stripped bare of everything that he thought he was and all those who mattered to him. When we last saw him at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Thor was headed out into the galaxy to star over. And according to Waititi, in an interview with the Associated Press, that’s right where his story will pick up in this summer’s Thor: Love and Thunder.

    Thor is just trying to figure out his purpose, trying to figure out exactly who he is and why he’s a hero or whether he should be a hero. I guess you could call it a midlife crisis.

    Taikia Waititi

    The recent teaser for the film gave that vibe, with Thor meditating and reflecting while searching for peace. Unfortunately for the Odinson, any peace he finds will be fleeting as he’s fated to come face-to-face with Gorr the God Butcher who was teased-not-seen in the aforementioned teaser. According to Waititi, Gorr-brought to the screen by Christian Bale-will not only provide an unprecedented threat to Thor, but is poised to find himself in high company saying, “in my humble opinion, we have probably the best villain that Marvel’s ever had in Christian Bale.”

    And though Thor has lost his father, his brother, his Warriors Three and his best friend, he’s picked up a couple of new pals along the way in Valkyrie and Korg, and is set to be reunited with familiar face he thought lost in ex-flame Jane Foster. These friends, old and new, will be with him while he takes on a threat not only to him, but gods of all Pantheons. Waititi calls the squad “a great, really fun, weird little group of heroes, a new team for Thor with Korg, Valkyrie and The Mighty Thor.”

    Waititi isn’t one to make promises upon which he can’t deliver. He’s often described Love and Thunder as crazier than Ragnarok and if he’s hyping it and Bale’s performance this much, there’s reason to be excited. Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters this July.

    Source: AP

  • Sam Raimi Reveals First Cut of ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Was Much Longer

    Sam Raimi Reveals First Cut of ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Was Much Longer

    As Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness prepares to blow fans’ minds, more information is coming to light about what it was like behind the scenes. Audiences are eager to witness director Sam Raimi’s return to the Marvel movie scene and what his signature flair will add to the horror-inspired film.

    One aspect of the unreleased film that has caught people’s attention is the official run time. Conversations about run times seem to have increased dramatically in the past few years, and many have questioned whether the Multiverse of Madness’s two-hour and five-minute run time is appropriate for the perceived scope of the film.

    Raimi recently told Collider that the first cut of the film was indeed significantly longer than the final cut. Apparently, the final film was cut down from a two-hour and forty-minute run time. At that length, the Doctor Strange sequel would have been one of the MCU’s longest films to date. The final cut is actually right about the average length for an MCU film.

    In explaining that there are a few deleted scenes he expects to make the eventual Blu-ray, Raimi commented on the film’s runtime:

    Well, the first cut…I actually don’t remember the length of it…it was probably about two hours and forty minutes and it slowly came down even though we did the reshoots. We took out material even though the reshoots went in.

    Sam Raimi

    While the runtime is controversial despite the fact that general audiences have yet to see Multiverse of Madness, fans should trust that the filmmakers left out material for the good of the film. You can read our review as to why no one should worry about how long the sequel is.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases in theaters on May 6, 2022.

    Source: Collider

  • ‘Doctor Strange’ Writer Regrets Some Multiverse Rules He Introduced in ‘Loki’

    ‘Doctor Strange’ Writer Regrets Some Multiverse Rules He Introduced in ‘Loki’

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is almost upon us. You can read our spoiler-free review here. The 28th Marvel Studios feature film will be the latest—and likely biggest—leap into the multiversal lore of Phase Four. The movie promises to be a bold and wild Sam Raimi-directed adventure that sees our titular character, with company from major characters like the Scarlet Witch and America Chavez, travel through the multiverse to prevent a great evil that threatens it.

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s multiverse was, in fact, broken open during the events of the season finale of the Loki Disney+ series that debuted in 2021. With the new multiverse in full focus going into the Doctor Strange sequel, the film had quite the helping hand in its writer Michael Waldron, who also penned Loki. Previously, producer Richie Palmer has praised Waldron’s involvement with respect to how the Disney+ series already set the groundwork for some of the rules of the multiverse.

    Interestingly, Waldron recently told Digital Spy that he has some regrets about how rigidly he defined some of the “rules” of the multiverse in Loki due to its potential effects on future multiverse projects:

    We worked pretty hard on Loki to make it as airtight as possible. But there were times when I was like, ‘Oh, shit, I wish I hadn’t have defined that so clearly. I don’t know why I had to be so specific in my time-travel television show about the rules of the multiverse.

    Michael Waldron

    Even though there may be some challenges in keeping multiversal mechanics consistent in the MCU as a whole going forward, Waldron still believes that his work on Loki greatly benefitted the writing process of Multiverse of Madness. He stated:

    But, I was glad that I came in with institutional knowledge of the multiverse and was able to get the creative team of Doctor Strange on the same page as me on everything. Because like with Loki, that’s the most important thing when you’re dealing with this…You have to all have a shared language of all this stuff, otherwise it can get pretty confusing.

    Michael Waldron

    If Loki limited some of the creative direction of Multiverse of Madness with respect to the physics and understandings of the multiverse, it seems as though it still ultimately enabled the sequel to have a coherent and consistent tone with the MCU. A “shared language” about the multiverse will undoubtedly come in handy to both filmmakers and audiences going forward.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases in theaters on May 6, 2022.

    Source: Digital Spy

  • Karen Gillan Wraps ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’, Talks the Future of Nebula

    Karen Gillan Wraps ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’, Talks the Future of Nebula

    A recent batch of photos from the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 seemed to indicate that Karen Gillan’s time on set was coming to an end. Today, the actress confirmed that she had completed her portion of the 2023 sequel’s principal photography.

    Gillan was cast as Nebula in early 2013 and has appeared in 4 films (Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame) with 2 more (Thor: Love and Thunder and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) appearances on the way. After serving as one of the primary antagonists of the first Guardians’ film, Gillan’s role expanded greatly as her character evolved. Nebula served as one of the main characters of Avengers: Endgame and director James Gunn has said she will play a larger role in Vol. 3.

    As Gillan explains, the future of the character is up in the air given that Gunn has repeatedly explained that the third film will be the end of the story for the current iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy. It is possible, however, that given her popularity, Marvel Studios could look to work with Gillan on a solo Nebula project, keep her attached to future Guardians’ films or simply find another way to incorporate the character. Nebula has had one of the most intense and emotional onscreen arcs of any character in the MCU, so it would be a shame if the threequel closes the door on the character’s future now that she’s come to find herself after years of abuse at the hands of Thanos.