Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movies

  • Mahershala Ali Almost Left ‘Blade’ Reboot; Added ‘Logan’ Writer

    Mahershala Ali Almost Left ‘Blade’ Reboot; Added ‘Logan’ Writer

    Blade has been Marvel Studios’ one project that isn’t seemingly getting off the ground. While they did announce a while back that Mahershala Ali would play the iconic character many years ago, the film never seems to have a finalized script or even a production start. There was one time it almost got the ball rolling but swiftly had to postpone again.

    It seems a problem is that the story keeps evolving depending on who is writing it after going through at least five writers. There’s a weird phrasing by Variety where they state: “the story at one point morphed into a narrative led by women and filled with life lessons” as if life lessons aren’t a common element in many of these films’ core themes. Yet, who knows where the sentiment came but it would be strange to have Ali’s Blade not be the main character.

    Either way, it seems that the script issues almost led to Ali leaving the project (something that has been hinted at in the past) and Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios’ CEO, has hired Logan writer Michael Green to start from scratch. The upside is that Marvel may be learning from the budget bloats and hopes to make the film with a “smaller” budget of $100M, which may become more common moving forward.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s Heading for Record-Breaking $68M Opening

    ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s Heading for Record-Breaking $68M Opening

    Some might be wondering what makes an opening of $68M record-breaking may have forgotten that horror films may have legs but they aren’t big openers. Five Nights at Freddy’s is the next major video game adaptation of the year that has seemingly kicked off with Thursday night previews of $10.3M. That helped catapult it to a powerful $34M Friday opening and is setting the film on a path to open at around $68M. Word-of-mouth is going to be critical especially with this being a day-and-date release on Peacock.

    That opening is higher than Halloween Kills ($49.9M) and Halloween Ends ($40M). It has now gained the biggest opening weekend for any horror release. It’s the third biggest opening for a video game adaptation; it may still dethrone Sonic the Hedgehog 2‘s $72M if word-of-mouth is strong, and it’s even the second biggest Blumhouse opening. It’s also the second largest day-and-date release since Black Widow during the peak of COVID, which opened to $80.3M.

    The film has strong Social Media coverage given how large the fandom surrounding Five Nights at Freddy’s has grown. The film is based on a video game franchise from a single person that started as his final gamble of finding a foot in the industry before it ballooned into one of the biggest horror gaming franchises based on an indie property. The film is facing the usual PostTrak exits of its genre so the weekend hold is going to be interesting moving forward.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Mission Impossible 8’ Delayed by a Year, New Name Potentially

    ‘Mission Impossible 8’ Delayed by a Year, New Name Potentially

    The strikes are turning 2024 into a wasteland at this rate. While some projects were pushed back, the hope that perhaps everything gets cleared in time to promote major releases is becoming a major issue. Marvel Studios is still sticking to its The Marvels release but it’s not been rosy for theaters looking towards the next year, or even 2025.

    Still, it seems Tom Cruise’s next major entry in the Mission: Impossible franchise has been delayed by an entire year as Paramount has also pushed A Quiet Place: Day One back around two months. Seems they are being quite cautious going into next year. The other bizarre decision is that Dead Reckoning Part Two is going to get its own title. That is kind of a weird way to react after already naming the previous one Dead Reckoning Part 1.

    It seems production wasn’t finalized on the film, which has now been bumped back to May 23rd, 2025 from its initial June 28th, 2024 release. There’s also a high expectation of other major releases getting pushed back even further. Even Spongebob Squarepants’ new film has been pushed back to December 19th, 2025, as it gave its release date to Mission Impossible. We’ll have to see what remains of next year’s slate.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘The Marvels’ Box Office Tracking Towards Potential $75M+ Opening

    ‘The Marvels’ Box Office Tracking Towards Potential $75M+ Opening

    The headlines surrounding The Marvels are surprisingly harsher than you’d expect from a tentpole summer release like The Flash. DC’s general struggle this summer has led to some mixed feelings on what the future has in store for the superhero genre yet other releases seem to hint that the genre isn’t fully out. At the same time, there are enough examples throughout the entire summer that blockbuster fatigue is a bigger issue looming over cinemas going into a strike-affected 2024.

    The current projection for The Marvels have been a bit all over the place. Box Office Pro has a more subdued $50M with a high point of $70M. Its pre-sales trackings are quite a bit behind other Marvel tentpoles, especially 2023 releases. It also simply be a showcase that the frontloading era these films have enjoyed fizzled out early on, as even Elemental proves there are still some legs for Disney releases.

    Projections by The Hollywood Reporter are a bit more positive with a potential high of $80M for the Marvel Studios release, which may be quite a bit behind the initial Captain Marvel with its $153.4M. Three female leads are a big selling point of the project, especially after the success of Barbie a few months back It also grew from its initial $70M prediction but word-of-mouth is going to be the deciding factor here. However, the fact that its leads can’t actually promote the film is likely a huge factor.

    What also seems to be easily forgotten is that Captain Marvel enjoyed the build-up towards Avengers: Endgame and her potentially major role in that franchise “ender” as some claim it was. So, we might be seeing what the film originally might have opened to plus the name-change could also be a factor that people aren’t seeing it necessarily as a sequel even if trailers try to highlight that aspect (to be fair, barely any MCU entry acts like a true sequel but rather just an additional chapter for a specific character).

    Is it the end of Marvel Studios? Who knows at this point, but they are still holding on better than DC is with a questionable reboot. What everyone believed was the “biggest flop” of the year with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania turned out to be a high bar barely any major release would reach. Even after the summer blockbuster, the film remains the eight highest-grosser of the year domestically.

    The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Barbie were the exceptions rather than the rule this summer which saw major franchises like The Flash, Dungeons & Dragons, Shazam, Transformers, Indiana Jones, Blue Beetle, and even Mission Impossible fizzle out with huge post-COVID budgets. Exhibitors should be more scared that going to the movies is becoming a rarer occurrence and relying on two or three tentpoles per year is not going to keep the box office afloat long-term; even if some are hailing the end of superhero movies and its fatigue discussions.

    Source: Box Office Pro, The Hollywood Reporter, The Numbers

  • Shawn Levy Says ‘Deadpool 3’s May 2024 Release Date Is in “True Risk”

    Shawn Levy Says ‘Deadpool 3’s May 2024 Release Date Is in “True Risk”

    Despite some positive momentum in the immediate aftermath of the settlement of the WGA strike, actors remain on strike as negotiations between SAG and AMPTP have broken down once again. As such, productions for screens both big and small remain on hold and with the strike now looking like it might drag into November or beyond, 2024 release dates are certainly in jeopardy. One project with such a date is Marvel Studios Deadpool 3 which was already deep in production in London when the strikes shut everything down. Should the SAG strike resolve soon, could the Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman team-up make its May 3rd, 2024 release date?

    It doesn’t sound good, according to director Shawn Levy. In a recent interview with Yahoo!, Levy, who worked with Reynolds on Free Guy and The Adam Project and with Jackman on Real Steel, admitted that while “half the movie” has been shot and edited, he’s uncertain if they can make the date…or if the film is even still slated for May 3rd.

    I wish I knew. I don’t even know if we officially have [a release date]. I know we were gonna be May 3. Certainly, the actors’ strike and the long pause in production have put that release date in true risk. We’ve shot half the movie. I’ve edited half the movie. We’re dying to get back to work and get this movie out next year.

    Shawn Levy on the chances that Deadpool 3 makes its release date

    After reshuffling its entire release slate in June, Disney has remained silent about what to expect in 2024 and beyond since, even skipping SDCC where they’ve often had a big presence. Should cameras roll on Deadpool 3 again in 2023, it might be possible for the film to make the May 3rd date; however, given recent concerns with VFX workers at Marvel Studios, it seems more likely that it might end up being pushed down the road a bit. Perhaps it might find itself filling the staked-out July 26th, 2024 release date that once belonged to Thunderbolts (which will certainly not end up in theaters until 2025) and is now set aside for Captain America: Brave New World. As fun as speculating is, however, it’s fruitless to think too hard about all these dates until the SAG strike is resolved AND cameras start to roll again.

    Source: Yahoo!

  • New Report Hints at ‘Aquaman 2’ Drama and New Claims against Jason Momoa

    New Report Hints at ‘Aquaman 2’ Drama and New Claims against Jason Momoa

    There’s something bizarre about the DCEU at this point. Ever since the beginning under the supervision of Zack Snyder, the entire franchise seems to be riddled with issues and questionable decisions on many levels. While he had an initial plan, it got derailed at every possible step along the way, and even with new heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, it seems the franchise isn’t on a path to full recovery.

    After The Flash’s ongoing drama, it seems that the other remnant of the original DCEU is also facing some massive troubles. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is seemingly filled with a lot of drama surrounding its main stars Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, and surprisingly Elon Musk as well. The production has been another major tentpole release that ballooned to a $215M budget. All these revelations seemingly came from Heard’s own therapist that fans paid to get access to as part of the trial.

    Early on, the Johnny Depp-Heard trial was all over the news and cast doubt that she’d have a role in the film. As it turned out, Momoa was also against her being on set and seemingly dressed up like Depp in a drunken stupor. It established a hostile environment and he was actively trying to push her out of the film, where she was set to return as Hera. Though DC spokesperson has made a statement that this wasn’t the case. Some even testifying against the claims.

    Jason works his ass off, likes to have a beer once in a while like everyone, but doesn’t show up drunk to set. And he isn’t dressing like Johnny Depp. He has always dressed in that bohemian style.

    It’s hard to say what is and isn’t true from all this, but more reports also hint that the relationship with director James Wan wasn’t the best either. He supposedly treated her “like a pariah” due to the limitations set on the production due to the court case. There are also reports that Heard was nearly fired from the production but an unlikely person came to ensure she could keep the role. That was her ex-boyfriend Elon Musk, who sent a “scorched-earth letter to Warner Bros. threatening to burn the house down” to ensure she could remain in production.

    Source: Variety

  • Matt Shakman Expects ‘Fantastic Four’ to Film Next Spring, Calls It “Unlike Anything at Marvel”

    Matt Shakman Expects ‘Fantastic Four’ to Film Next Spring, Calls It “Unlike Anything at Marvel”

    The WGA and SAG strikes shut down Hollywood for several months and in the absence of genuine news, a deluge of liquified bullshit ran wild. Marvel Studios long-gestating Fantastic Four was the subject of many such rumors, including one that indicated director Matt Shakman had departed the project. It looks as though that rumor–like many of the other rumors that have made the rounds since July–has been dispelled as Shakman provided an encouraging update on the project in an interview with Collider.

    From the sounds of the interview, it seems unlikely that there was ever any chance of Shakman bailing on Fantastic Four. “Absolutely having a great time,” said Shakman when asked how his work on Marvel Studios First Family project was going. “It’s a dream of mine to be able to work on that. I’ve loved those characters since I was little. It’s such an awesome world to be in,” he explained. “The script is awesome, the characters are brilliant. I’m super excited. I’m obviously very happy now that the writers’ strike has resolved in such a good way, and we’re able to reunite with Josh Friedman, our amazing screenwriter. I’m really hoping for a fair and equitable resolution to the actors’ strike soon, too. Keeping our fingers crossed. But we’re going! We’re a snowball heading downhill. It’s awesome. It’s got a lot of momentum. It’s really fun.“

    After updating the post-WGA status of the script, Shakman revealed that the project will be ready to go in front of cameras in 2024, “probably in the spring” at Pinewood Studios in London. The director also explained that the film should be able to make its projected start date because while the WGA and SAG strikes were ongoing, work continued with visual effects and production design crews to build the right mix for the world that the Fantastic Four will inhabit.

    We have been nonstop. Despite the strikes, yes, we’ve been working with the effects and with production design and building our world, and that’s been incredibly exciting. You know, how do you translate those skills into live-action in dynamic ways? Because some things that work beautifully in John Byrne and Jack Kirby are a little tougher when you’re filming them. How do you make sure that things are exciting but also grounded in a scientific thing, which is also part of the Fantastic Four that I love? There’s some stuff I’m super excited about. I can’t say too much, you know?

    Matt Shakman on the world building of his Fantastic Four film

    While Shakman couldn’t give any updates on casting, he was pleased to heap more praise on the new script. “It’s different in so many ways,” Shakman said of Friedman’s rewrite. “I wish I could be specific. I wish I could say more. But we are doing things very differently from a story standpoint, from an approach to the filmmaking standpoint, that really fits the material. I wish I could say more. I would love to, but I can’t. But I think it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve seen before, and certainly unlike anything at Marvel that you’ve seen before.” Given the importance of this project not only to the Multiverse Saga but the continued health of the MCU, setting it apart not only from previous big-screen iterations of the team but other teams already in place is perhaps the most encouraging update fans could have hoped for.

    Fantastic Four should hit theaters in 2025.

    Source: Collider

  • Scott Derrickson’s ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Would Have Been a “Genuine Horror Film”

    Scott Derrickson’s ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Would Have Been a “Genuine Horror Film”

    It’s no secret that the Doctor Strange sequel that made its way into theaters in 2022 was miles away from the film that was originally pitched by the director of the first film, Scott Derrickson. When Derrickson and Marvel Studios parted ways, the rumor mill churned out the idea that departure stemmed from the director being told his pitch was “too creepy.” That rumor was squashed by Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, and never really made much sense anyway since the studio went on to work with Sam Raimi, who inserted plenty of creepy stuff into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. That doesn’t mean, however, that Derrickson, who has directed horror movies such as The Black Phone, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Sinister, didn’t have creepy ideas in mind for the sequel.

    In an interview with The Playlist, Derrickson opened up about the reasons he and Marvel Studios chose to part ways and his pitch for the film. “All I can say is that what we said publicly is exactly the truth,” said Derrickson. “We had real creative differences. You know, the movie I wanted to make and how I wanted to make it was different than–it was just increasingly obvious that we were pulling against each other. And that’s how you make a really bad movie, I think. When the producer or the studio and the filmmaker are making different movies, you end up with a monstrosity and, you know, that’s why I had to bounce.”

    As for what the movie Derrickson wanted to make entailed, the director told The Playlist that is was an “extreme departure from the first film” and “a genuine horror film of sorts.” Concept art for Derrickson’s version of the sequel included designs for Nightmare, a Fear Lord who has served as one of Strange’s longest-lasting antagonists in the comics. So what becomes of all those concepts and ideas? As it turns out, Derrickson explains “there’s no bad blood” over his departure, backing up his previous comments about being open to returning to work with the studio. While it seems unlikely his pitch would line up with what Doctor Strange 3 seems to be about, it’s possible it might find life in whatever comes next for the MCU following the Multiverse Saga.

    Source: The Playlist

  • Mutant Movement! Marvel Studios Looking to Begin Development on Their ‘X-Men’ Reboot

    Mutant Movement! Marvel Studios Looking to Begin Development on Their ‘X-Men’ Reboot

    With the Writers Guild of America strike coming to an end, Marvel Studios wasted no time in getting the big wheel of development up and running again. According to Deadline, Kevin Feige and crew are set to begin meeting with writers this Fall in search of pitches for their reboot of the X-Men!

    According to the report, facing a major backlog of projects–both theatrical and streaming–Marvel Studios is set to take their time in finding the scribe for the project with a decision not expected until sometime in 2024. In days of old, that would mean the project might look to start filming in 2026 but with so much uncertainty around productions as the SAG strike continues and studio space at a premium, there’s been no certainty when the film might go into production much less make its way into theaters.

    It is widely rumored that Deadpool 3 and Avengers: Secret Wars will close permanently close the doors to the Fox X-Men franchise, allowing the MCU mutants to be the only game in town. A 2021 report from The Illuminerdi indicated that, in an attempt to set its reboot apart from those Fox films, Marvel Studios was looking to develop the project as The Mutants. Though the idea was roundly dismissed online, documents showing that title did circulate and it is a title that was tossed around by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby for the X-Men comic back in the early 1960s.

    While Hugh Jackman is set to suit up as Wolverine for an MCU adventure, the shared cinematic universe has already seen its first mutant in Kamala Khan and a Marvel Studios-produced revival of the popular X-Men: The Animated Series is set to debut in 2024. All signs point to a BIG future for mutants within the MCU!

    Source: Deadline

  • Chris Evans Says His Return to Marvel Will Be “No Time Soon”

    Chris Evans Says His Return to Marvel Will Be “No Time Soon”

    Chris Evans was once just as unsure about the idea of him becoming Captain America as fans who thought he was the wrong guy for the job. However, by the time Captain America: The Winter Soldier rolled out in 2014, it was obvious there really was no other guy better for the job and as he led the charge against Thanos in Avengers: Endgame he had earned the love and resect of fans and the right to finally say “Avengers…Assemble.” Like fellow Infinity Saga stars Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlet Johansson, Evans walked away from the MCU after Endgame; however, unlike those stars, Evans‘ Steve Rogers is still alive and well somewhere within the Marvel Universe leaving fans to wonder if he’ll ever return to action.

    Nearly three years ago, Deadline reported that Evans had in fact made a deal to return as Rogers in an unnamed project with an option to return for a second theatrical project. With Hollywood still catching up from COVID, Disney slowing Marvel Studios roll and a pair of long-lasting strikes, much of what Marvel Studios may have had planned has been hit with a series of delays so if Evans had planned a return to the MCU, there’s no telling just how far off that might be. Now, in an interview with GQ, Evans addresses the possibility of his return and gives an idea of when it might happen.

    “Yeah, maybe,” said Evans about his return to Marvel. “I’ll never say never, just because it was such a wonderful experience. But I’m also very precious with it. It’s something that I am very proud of. And like I said, sometimes I can’t believe it even happened. And I wouldn’t want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab or if it didn’t live up to expectations or if it just felt like it wasn’t connected to that original thing. So, no time soon. And ultimately I really hope to just maybe act a little bit less in my life. I have a lot of other interests.“

    Of course, “soon” is relative and with the mountain of delays Marvel is currently looking to overcome, it looks like no new projects would be on the slate for at least another year or more anyway which would put a new Evans-led project somewhere in 2025 or 2026 anyway. That would certainly feel like something other than “soon” for a character who is already 4 years removed from his last appearance. With an adaptation of Secret Wars set to conclude the Multiverse Saga for Marvel Studios, an appearance by Cap–or even Iron Man and Black Widow–is clearly not out of the question and would likely very much live up to those expectations Evans is referring to.

    Source: GQ