Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movies

  • David Dastmalchian Won’t Return in ‘Ant-Man: Quantumania’

    David Dastmalchian Won’t Return in ‘Ant-Man: Quantumania’

    It looks like the Baba Yaga got its hands on Kurt Goreshter, as David Dastmalchian has confirmed that he isn’t returning in the upcoming third entry of the Ant-Man and the Wasp franchise, Quantumania. The actor was asked about his eventual return during his attendance at Moon Knight’s red carpet premiere. There he confirmed that he isn’t in the project.

    It doesn’t look like it… But that’s okay. I know they’re making something incredible. I can’t wait to see what Peyton does next. He’s one of my favorite directors…He’s been so busy. I have tried to stay in touch, but he’s making an incredible film right now.

    David Dastmalchian

    He’s not the only X-Con member that won’t make a return, as we also learned back in March of 2021 that T.I. will also not be returning for the upcoming film. There were some rumblings regarding multiple sexual assault allegations towards T.I. at the time, but there have been theories that the sequel may have trimmed some of its supporting cast members. The fact Dastmalchian isn’t returning either seems to further support that theory.

    For now, the only member of X-Con that hasn’t been revealed yet would be Michael Peña‘s Luis. He was a fan-favorite, especially with how he tends to recap events from previous films. While they shrunk down the cast, he may be the one to join them into the Quantum Realm. It would be hilarious to see him distracting Kang by giving him a recap of Avengers: Endgame with some fun cameos would be a great addition.

    Source: ScreenRant

  • First Full Look at Barry Keoghan’s Joker Revealed in Newly Released ‘The Batman’ Footage

    First Full Look at Barry Keoghan’s Joker Revealed in Newly Released ‘The Batman’ Footage

    The Batman hit theaters just a few weeks ago and made waves amongst the community, some heralding it as the definitive Batman film. Towards the end of the film, we saw a bit of setup for the future of the franchise, with a mysterious prisoner in Arkham locked up alongside Riddler, who upon speaking was revealed to be the Clown Prince of Crime, the Joker.

    Matt Reeves has shared a new look at Keoghan in full prosthetics, locked up in Arkham asylum and seemingly being interrogated by Batman. We only get a look at the character from the back, but it seems to be somewhat burned with minimal hair. The design looks somewhat like Cameron Monaghan Joker that was featured on Gotham.

    That’s not all, as one of the long-rumored scenes that didn’t make it into the film has also been shared.

    In a closer look at the character, we get to see the Joker’s full face, featuring the permanent smile that Reeves revealed following the film’s release. This Joker has already found himself a home in Arkham, presumably running into the Bat during Bruce’s first active year on the Gotham project. It would be interesting to see if the character shares a similar origin to what was alluded to in The Killing Joke storyline as he does seem to have some sort of burns on his skin, but it’s hard to miss that smile.

    We have yet to hear any official word on a sequel to The Batman but as fans and critics praise it with the box office haul passing $600 million, it seems inevitable.

    Source: Twitter

  • Tom Cruise and Paramount Execs Clash Over ‘Mission Impossible 7’

    Tom Cruise and Paramount Execs Clash Over ‘Mission Impossible 7’

    Mission Impossible 7 and its sequel are still in active development, as both were postponed at the beginning of the year. Ever since many fans have been wondering why such a seasoned team is running into issues. Of course, COVID-19 protocols, environment hazards, and political events can be looked at as the obvious answers, it seems there may be more than meets the eye. According to reports, Tom Cruise lawyered up due to Paramount’s new release strategies for their films and shows, as they rolled out their new streaming service alongside an ever-growing budget due to COVID constraints and a changing development.

    The movie was originally filmed in Northern Italy, which got impacted hard during the early stages of the pandemic, with Tom Cruise contracting the virus. To add to the issues, Paramount+ is expected to get films 45 days after their theater debut, half of what the Hollywood norm is. As a result, the film’s star has reportedly gotten his lawyers involved due to the change. The argument is apparently on hold until MI:7 finished production, which has seemingly been purposefully been pushed out as they started work on the eighth entry.

    Add in the countless other issues like the film’s multiple shutdowns over COVID-19 infections, needing to move shooting locations multiple times, dealing with an insurance company due to those moves, and an inflating budget, MI:7 just can’t seem to catch a break. Hopefully, the dispute over the film’s runtime and budget are resolved and we get to see the film hit its new targeted release date, but we may need to wait three months to stream the movie because of it.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • James McAvoy Swiftly Shoots Down any ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Rumors

    James McAvoy Swiftly Shoots Down any ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Rumors

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘s name already comes with high expectations, as it seems like the multiverse opens up the franchise to countless potential cameos. The final trailer including the voice of Patrick Stewart just further sparked that potential, as now people are wondering who else might appear. Nicolas Cage recently denied that he would have a potential appearance in the upcoming MCU film, but it looks like we can add one more legacy actor to the list.

    James McAvoy was asked during an Instagram live stream if we can expect him also to return as Charles Xavier in the upcoming MCU sequel. Yet, he swiftly shot down any theories with a loud “No” before moving on with the topic. So, it seems we might only expect one version of Charles Xavier to make his debut in the MCU with the upcoming film, even if even Stewart had some fun denying that the voice clip was from him before finally confirming.

    It’s kind of funny rewatching the video in just how fast he responds to the question. While it’s a shame, it does make sense they might not want to stuff the film with every single character that was ever shown in a past Marvel film. While we’re excited about the potential, the film’s core narrative should remain its main focus. It’s uncertain what we can expect but the wait won’t be too much longer as the film finally releases on May 6th.

    Source: Instagram via Twitter

  • REPORT: ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Runtime Is Among MCU’s Longest

    REPORT: ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Runtime Is Among MCU’s Longest

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been hyped up as potentially being one of the “biggest” MCU films of all time. The sheer scope of the multiverse and the endless possibilities that could stem from it are enough to draw quite an audience to the 28th Marvel Studios film.

    The Doctor Strange sequel has been tight-lipped with respect to many of the film’s key features including plot, antagonists, and possible cameos. While cameos are normally not discussed so heavily prior to a film’s release, Multiverse of Madness has stirred up countless rumors about which characters or universes might make an appearance. With all of that going on, it was easy to think that the film could have a particularly long runtime.

    According to the Brazilian ticketing website Ingresso, Multiverse of Madness will clock in with a reported runtime of 2 hours and 28 minutes. If true, that makes the sequel one of the top five longest MCU movies. At 148 minutes, it would boast the same runtime as Spider-Man: No Way Home, but be shorter than Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Eternals.

    While a film’s runtime tends to spark curiosity as to the contents of the film itself, it’s worth noting that a two and a half hours-long superhero flick is no longer seen as particularly long. This runtime places the Doctor Strange follows up as the shortest MCU film since Shang-Chi but is well shy of The Batman’s three-hour event.

    Fans can learn all of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘s secrets when the anxiously-awaited film is released on May 6.

    Source: Ingresso

  • ‘Red Notice’s Rawson Marshall Thurber to Direct Live-Action ‘Voltron’ Movie

    ‘Red Notice’s Rawson Marshall Thurber to Direct Live-Action ‘Voltron’ Movie

    Voltron will make its way to live-action as a bidding war has sparked over who has the distribution rights to a new live-action feature. Red Notice director Rawson Marshall Thurber is set to tackle the project as multiple streamers are in talks to get their hands on the project. The series has picked up in popularity since the release of the animated series Voltron: Legendary Defender. Surprisingly though, Netflix is currently not in the running, which is surprising given they distributed the animated series and have been on a hot streak with Anime adaptations.

    It seems that around two weeks ago, the film was pitched with a teaser reel by Thurber. He also co-wrote the script with Ellen Shanman. Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman are currently attached to produce alongside World Events Productions’ Bob Koplan, who currently hold the rights to the property. If the current rumors are to be believed, it may find a home by the end of the week.

    The popular animated series started back in 1984 with a simple concept. What happens if multiple lion bots fused together to become a giant robot. It originally was created by Toi Animation and has gone through many different iterations throughout the years including Lion Force Voltron, Vehicle Team Voltron, Voltron Force, and many more.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Nicolas Cage Denies a Potential Return as Ghost Rider in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Nicolas Cage Denies a Potential Return as Ghost Rider in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Marvel Studios’ upcoming sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is rumored to have just about every former Marvel actor making a cameo appearance. However, it sounds like fan-favorite star Nicolas Cage will not be among them. The eccentric performer famously portrayed Johnny Blaze, a stunt driver who makes a deal with the devil and transforms into the demonic Ghost Rider, through two films in the pre-MCU era. Ghost Rider and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance were disliked by both audiences and critics upon release, but have grown a cult following since they dropped in 2007 and 2011, respectively.

    During a recent interview with the magazine GQ, Cage was asked if there were any plans for him to reprise the role for Marvel’s Doctor Strange follow-up. While expressing his desire to come back for another round alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor did confirm that he won’t be in the film:

    Oh, I don’t think so. I don’t think they’re casting me. I mean, I would do it. It would be fun. I’d love to work with Cumberbatch, but I don’t think that’s happening.

    Nicolas Cage

    Multiverse of Madness is currently on the back end of filming reshoots. It seems likely that, should Marvel want Cage to appear, they would have already contacted him about it. The film will see most of its main cast return from the first installment, with new addition Xochitl Gomez playing the multiverse busting America Chavez. With a plot taking place across multiple universes, it’s possible that any character could make a surprise resurfacing. One name that’s been making the rounds is Patrick Stewart‘s Professor Charles Xavier, who has the potential to finally bridge the gap between the MCU and Fox’s long-running X-Men franchise.

    Fans can find out for sure when the next Doctor Strange lands in theaters on May 6th.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Moon Knight’s Mohamed Diab Shares His Thoughts on ‘Wonder Woman 1984’s Portrayal of Egypt

    ‘Moon Knight’s Mohamed Diab Shares His Thoughts on ‘Wonder Woman 1984’s Portrayal of Egypt

    The Egyptian director Mohamed Diab has been quite vocal in his thoughts about how other productions have depicted his home country. While he’s about to make his Hollywood premiere with the Disney+ series Moon Knight, he has been openly discussing his thoughts on other projects during the press tour. He first shared his thoughts on Black Adam‘s and now has gone on to share his thoughts on the sequence in another DC project, Wonder Woman 1984. The director had the following to say on how his country is portrayed in the film:

    I remember seeing Wonder Woman 1984 and there was a big sequence in Egypt and it was a disgrace for us. You had a sheik – that doesn’t make any sense to us. Egypt looked like a country from the Middle Ages. It looked like the desert.

    Mohamed Diab

    When the film was released, there was already quite a stir regarding the racist depiction of Egypt. Not only did it seem to mostly focus on stereotypical takes on the people from that nation, but even went as far as to portray the 80s version of Egypt in a questionable way. It makes sense for the director to share that sentiment, which has sparked quite the controversy quite some time ago.

    Source: SFX via CBR, National News

  • Nicolas Cage Disagrees With Scorsese and Coppola’s Views on Marvel’s Success

    Nicolas Cage Disagrees With Scorsese and Coppola’s Views on Marvel’s Success

    Nicolas Cage is speaking out on Marvel’s behalf, even if he doesn’t really need to. The enigmatic actor was recently interviewed by GQ and took the time to voice his support for the recent upward trend of comic book adaptations. Superhero projects, and Marvel films especially, have been the subject of much debate over the last few years. Acclaimed director Martin Scorsese started a movement against the popularity of such movies in 2019 when he claimed the genre wasn’t “true cinema.” Since then, multiple other industry titans, such as Cage‘s uncle Francis Ford Coppola, have also come forward to state their opinion that the MCU is doing damage to the moviegoing experience.

    Cage openly disagrees, explaining to GQ when the topic was brought up that he doesn’t think the event-style films are responsible for killing audience interest in smaller productions:

    Yeah, why do they do that? I don’t understand the conflict. I don’t agree with them on that perception or opinion. I think that the movies that I make, like ‘Pig’ or ‘Joe,’ are not in any kind of conflict with Marvel movies. I mean, I don’t think the Marvel movie had anything to do with the end of the tweener. By tweener, I mean the $30 to $50 million budget movie. I think movies are in good shape. If you look at ‘Power of the Dog,’ or if you look at ‘Spencer,’ or any of Megan Ellison’s movies. I think that there’s still Paul Thomas Anderson.

    Nicolas Cage

    Cage is known for a variety of oddball roles throughout his career, which include comic book adaptations like the Ghost Rider films and an attempted Superman movie. He is also a known advocate for nerdy lifestyles, having lifted his stage name from Marvel character Luke Cage and naming his son, Kal-El, after the Man of Steel. In the middle of a bit of a comeback, it’s possible fans see Cage in another comic book project someday, especially with the positive things he has to say about Marvel Studios:

    Marvel has done a really excellent job of entertaining the whole family. They put a lot of thought into it. I mean, it’s definitely had a big progression from when I was doing the first two ‘Ghost Rider’ movies. Kevin Feige, or whoever is behind that machine, has found a masterful way of weaving the stories together and interconnecting all the characters. What could be wrong with wholesome entertainment that is appealing to the parents and the children, and gives people something to look forward to? I just, I don’t see what the issue is.

    Nicolas Cage

    Cage‘s next film, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, releases on April 22nd.

    Source: Variety

  • Nicolas Cage Hints That His Superman May Live After All in a Potential Cameo

    Nicolas Cage Hints That His Superman May Live After All in a Potential Cameo

    All the way back in 1997, Tim Burton almost ditched Gotham City to catch some sun over in Metropolis, as he’d begun development on a Superman film titled Superman Lives. The film would’ve featured Nicolas Cage in the titular role of the last son of Krypton but the project was eventually scrapped.

    During a recent segment on GQ’s Actually Me, the actor took some time to answer some burning questions from his fans. One, in particular, focused on Cage‘s role as Superman and asked if they could just make it happen now. The actor’s answer was a bit surprising, as he seemed to hint at a potential return to that role after all.

    “Would it matter how much time I appeared as the character? There might still be a chance.”

    Nicholas Cage

    If Cage was to hypothetically make a cameo as the Man of Steel in any upcoming project, The Flash would seem like the most likely outcome. The multiverse angle of the plot could see Flash traveling through many versions of Earth. One could just so happen to be the one Superman Lives would’ve taken place.

    Superman Lives would’ve been quite the movie as it was set to pit Kal-El up against the likes of Lex Luthor, Brainiac, and Doomsday with a script from Wesley Strick and Dan Gilroy. The project was eventually scrapped due to WB suffering many box office bombs and the film just didn’t make the cut. Maybe one day we could see the story told in some shape or form, or even Cage suiting up just one time.

    Source: Youtube, ScreenRant