Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movies

  • James Gunn Teases a ‘Legendary Star-Lord’ Solo Project

    James Gunn Teases a ‘Legendary Star-Lord’ Solo Project

    A post-credits scene attached to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 promised that while Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord had moved on from the Guardians and returned to Earth following his adventures with the Guardians, his time in the MCU was not up. Fans wondered and speculated about what might be next for the legendary outlaw and while most assumed that the character would show up in one or both of the Avengers films slated for the Multiverse Saga, there was also some chatter about a solo project for the character and as it turns out, that might just be in the works.

    After a successful two-month run at the box office, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is now available on digital platforms complete with all the extras and bonuses that accompany home releases including director commentary. During the post-credit scene that features Pratt’s Quill reuniting with his Terran grandfather, director James Gunn revealed that he and Pratt had talked about a potential Star-Lord solo film.

    Oh, but not quite over. We always want to give somebody a little something special. And Chris and I, forever, have talked about how great it would be to be able to do a ‘Legendary Star-Lord’ movie, a story with Star-Lord on Earth trying to adapt to the environment of Earth in the same way that somebody else might try to adapt to the alien environment of outer space. He’s a fish out of water in just kind of regular water. So I can’t wait to see it.

    James Gunn

    Given Pratt’s star appeal and the fact that he’s one of the last headliners from the Infinity Saga not to be featured in his own solo project, it’s not surprising to hear that a Legendary Star-Lord film might be in the works. Though Pratt has made it clear that he thinks “it would be strange to continue Peter’s story without James,” the star also indicated he’d be willing to return to the role “down the road if something makes sense” saying he “would do it but it would really have to check a lot of the right boxes.” Just when such a project might fit into the MCU’s already packed and jammed-up slate and who would take the wheel now that Gunn has moved on to co-chair DC Studios are obvious questions. However, Gunn’s comments do seem to clarify that such a project is more likely to happen than not.

    Via: CBM

  • BREAKING: Jennifer Garner to Return as Elektra in ‘Deadpool 3’

    BREAKING: Jennifer Garner to Return as Elektra in ‘Deadpool 3’

    It looks like the rumors are true, as Deadpool 3 will act as a callback to the era before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was getting started. In a new piece by The Hollywood Reporter, they have unveiled that not only will Ryan Reynold’s film see the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, but we’ll also get an iconic character from a previous Marvel film. Jennifer Garner is back as Elektra one more time.

    For those that might not remember, Garner famously played the character in 2003’s Daredevil starring alongside Ben Affleck before getting her own spinoff in 2005. Her inclusion further supports the rumors that the story is going to feature a big multiverse storyline, as a way to build upon what we saw in Deadpool 2‘s post-credit sequence.

    Of course, Garner’s return opens up the discussion as to if recent rumors of Affleck being on set might also indicate that he’s set to return as well. Who knows if Daredevil will actually be featured and how exactly this multiversal storyline will connect, but it’s definitely the perfect idea to make good use of Deadpool’s shenanigans as a final hurrah to that era before the MCU became the de facto franchise based around Marvel characters.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • First Look at Ryan Reynolds in Costume on ‘Deadpool 3’ Set

    First Look at Ryan Reynolds in Costume on ‘Deadpool 3’ Set

    Deadpool 3 has been quite busy filming the return of the Merc with a Mouth. While his Marvel Cinematic Universe future remains open, a lot of hints have pointed to it potentially further exploring the Fox Universe one last time as Ryan Reynolds is joined by former X-Men and iconic Wolverine, Hugh Jackman. While there was a random statement that production may have already halted, it seems things are still moving along at a steady pace.

    Surprisingly, while we still have to wonder if Wolverine finally gets his iconic yellow costume, Ryan Reynolds has been spotted on set in his Deadpool gear. Surprisingly, his costume seems pretty close to the original only the fabric might be made of some different material. Though, there’s also the chance that the color is simply popping a bit more on set than it would on the big screen.

    https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1676956683044794369

    Either way, it’s great seeing the iconic design back and knowing that Deadpool is on the horizon once again. There’s probably going to be a lot more 4th wall breaking, as the character realizes that he’s on a last hurra though his original universe. There’s a beautiful irony that the way Deadpool 2 ended, opened up for Marvel Studios to jump in and just go with it as a part of their multiverse shenanigans. We’ll see if they can keep the concept fresh after two other superhero properties explored it this year.

    Source: Mirror

  • Benedict Cumberbatch Reveals When Doctor Strange Will Return

    Benedict Cumberbatch Reveals When Doctor Strange Will Return

    When last seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Doctor Stephen Strange hopped off to an undisclosed alternate universe with Charlize Theron‘s Clea with the promise that he’d return again. However, despite a third film in the franchise rumored to have been fast-tracked, there’s been no official announcement from Marvel Studios just yet, leaving fans wondering when they might see the Master of the Mystic Arts again. As it turns out, his next appearance may not be as far away as some might think.

    In an interview with Nick Hackworth, Benedict Cumberbatch revealed that plans are in place for him to step back into the role of Strange. After describing his next role as Pete Seeger in James Mangold‘s upcoming Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown, Cumberbatch teased his return to the MCU.

    “After that [A Complete Unknown],the only thing I think I know for certain is there are some Marvel capers in the making next year,” revealed Cumberbatch. And while the actor went on to clarify that he knows very little about the plans–and given the current climate in Hollywood, it’s easy to believe him–a little Sherlockian deduction might lead to some possible explanations.

    Following Disney’s major reshuffling of their future slate of films, only two Marvel Studios films, Blade and Fantastic Four, are currently intended to release in 2025. Of those projects, only Fantastic Four is known to be scheduled to film in 2024 with Blade believed to be nearly ready to enter production as soon as the ongoing WGA strike comes to an end. Given Strange’s travels to Earth-838 make him one of only three MCU characters to have met that Earth’s version of Reed Richards, it isn’t too hard to imagine Strange interacting with the main continuity’s Mister Fantastic. Of course, that doesn’t take all other options off the table. There’s an Untitled Marvel film slated for February 13, 2026 which could potentially be either Doctor Strange 3 or another film in which Strange appears and it’s certainly worth pointing out that while Cumberbatch will be filming next year, he never indicated he was working on a film. With that in mind, it’s possible he’s joining any number of Disney Plus projects that are either known to be or rumored to be in the works. Unfortunately, with Marvel sitting out SDCC ’23, we’ll likely have to wait quite some time to find out what’s next for Strange.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘Tron: Ares’ Cast Continues to Grow With Jodie Turner-Smith and Greta Lee

    ‘Tron: Ares’ Cast Continues to Grow With Jodie Turner-Smith and Greta Lee

    Disney is finally returning to the iconic Tron franchise once again. It’s been quite some time since Tron Legacy was released in theaters, but the latest entry decides to move into a whole new direction that’ll likely only loosely connects to how the Grid was brought into existence.

    So far, we only knew that Jared Leto was going to star in the film, who shortly after even “accidentally” leaked the title of the film that will be known as Tron Ares. Now, they are seemingly gearing up for production with quite a few different casting additions that are quite promising for the latest entry.

    Now, they have also added Past Lives breakout Greta Lee and Queen & Slim’s Jodie Turner-Smith to the cast, who is also going to join another Disney property in the Star Wars Disney+ series The Acolyte. We’ll see if some more casting announcements are heading our way in the coming weeks.

    Leto is set to play Ares the program that ends up becoming sentient and ends up in the human world. Lee will take on the role of a video game programmer and tech CEO, who wants to change the world. As one knows about technology, it definitely looks like a cautionary tale is going to explore the effects of programs entering the human world. Even if it makes you wonder if director Joachim Rønning will bring back the visual style we saw in Legacy.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Indy 5’ Opens with an Impressive Thursday Preview

    ‘Indy 5’ Opens with an Impressive Thursday Preview

    Ahead of its full theatrical opening, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny grossed an impressive $7.2M from its Thursday night preview screenings. While that total may not seem to ring the bell in the same way that Marvel Studios preview nights do, as Deadline reports it is a very good haul when compared to similar films.

    Dial of Destiny outgrossed both No Time to Die and Mission: Impossible-Fallout which opened to $6.3M and $6M, respectively. Both of those films opened near enough to the $65M projected opening for the fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise which would be considerably less than the $100.1M opening of the last installment, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Given the film’s large production and marketing budgets, it’s looking increasingly unlikely that the final Indy adventure will break even much less turn profit.

    Source: Deadline

  • First ‘Venom 3’ Set Photos Reveal ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Connection

    First ‘Venom 3’ Set Photos Reveal ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Connection

    There have been some leaked images from the set of Venom 3 as production finally started, but it was hard to make out what exactly was happening in these scenes. Some theorized that Tom Hardy‘s Eddie Brock was wearing the same outfit that we saw in the post-credit sequence of Spider-Man: No Way Home, which brought the symbiote into the mainline Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    Now, Hardy has unveiled the first image from the set, which confirmed the connection. So, it seems safe to say that the film takes place directly after Brock’s return from the MCU in his original dimension. We still don’t know if this is the same universe where Morbius and the upcoming Kraven the Hunter film take place, but it means we’ll get to explore the fallout of these events. Who knows if it might even tease a potential multiversal storyline?

    We’ll have to wait a bit longer until we know how exactly it might tie into the events, but also if they will stick with whatever they are shooting. Who knows how much things will change once the WGA strike comes to an end and they are compensated as they should be? Of course, they may just be sticking to the first draft that was finished some time ago, but all that remains a mystery for some time moving forward.

    Source: Instagram

  • Anthony Mackie on the Pressure of Becoming Captain America and Sam’s Story Picks up in ‘Brave New World’

    Anthony Mackie on the Pressure of Becoming Captain America and Sam’s Story Picks up in ‘Brave New World’

    Before audiences decided they hated everything produced by Marvel Studios, they loved everything produced by Marvel Studios. From 2014 through 2019, the vast majority of MCU films were overwhelmingly well-received by critics and fans alike. Many of those films involved one of the shared universe’s most beloved characters, Steve Rogers, played by one of its most beloved talents in Chris Evans. At least for the time being, Evans has put the MCU behind him and, following the events of the Marvel Studios streaming series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, has been replaced as Captain America by Sam Wilson, portrayed by one of Hollywood’s most charismatic talents in Anthony Mackie. In 2024’s Captain America: Brave New World, Mackie will lead his first MCU feature film and become the first actor to take over an existing franchise as a legacy character and according to the actor, he’s feeling the pressure.

    “There’s a huge amount of pressure,” Mackie told Inverse. “You throw my dumb ass in the water, and you’re like, ‘Swim.’ I’m like, ‘Sh*t.’ But at the same time, it’s all in the state of mind. I’ve been given a great cast. I’ve been given a great group of people who I’ve worked with before.” That great group of people includes director Julius Onah and co-stars Danny Ramierez, Shira Haas and Harrison Ford, who Mackie said made him “so fucking nervous” on their first day working together that he couldn’t remember his lines. “He’s Harrison fucking Ford,” said Mackie. “There is this aura about him. But he dispels that really quickly because he’s such a cool guy. He’s everything a movie star should be,” explained Mackie before recounting Ford’s on-set demeanor. “He would say, ‘Let’s shoot this piece of shit.’ And everybody was like, ‘Yeah, let’s shoot this shit,” said Mackie.

    falcon and winter soldier vfx
    Falcon/Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Marvel Studios’ THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

    Despite picking up the shield that once belonged to Steve Rogers, Mackie is quick to explain that Sam Wilson is his own Cap. “It’s more so about his ability to connect and counsel,” Mackie says of Sam’s “superpower.” “He’s not as rash to bear arms as Steve Rogers was. Having a super serum makes you impossible to beat, so your answer to everything is to fight it out. Whereas Sam Wilson can actually die pretty easily. He realized that his ability is not to change the world with force; it’s about giving people the wherewithal and the recognition that they deserve so that they can make a change,” Mackie explained. “I can go around and beat up people all day; it won’t matter. Those people are going to come right back and do the same shit.” Despite not having superpowers, however, Mackie made one thing clear. “All the flying, CGI, and all that shit. That’s going to happen,” he assured.

    As of now, Mackie’s first film foray as Cap is slated for July 26th, 2024 and despite some fairly spoilery set photos making their way online, the plot of the film is still relatively unclear. Though he wouldn’t say much, Mackie did indicate that he and Ford worked together quite a bit on Brave New World. “We spent a good bit of time together. Ross and Cap have always had that relationship, where they were friends and they respected each other, but they always bumped heads. That’s their relationship in the storyline,” explained Mackie. With Ross set to become the President of the United States of America, it’s interesting to imagine what would cause him to bump heads with Captain America. As of now, fans will have to wait just over a year to find out.

    Source: Inverse

  • ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Heading to a Soft $65M Domestic Opening Weekend

    ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Heading to a Soft $65M Domestic Opening Weekend

    Indiana Jones is a household name and while it’s a franchise that has way more breaks between releases than others, the nostalgia factor alone would seem like the perfect draw for audiences. Yet, it seems that even Harrison Ford’s return to the iconic role isn’t going to be putting a lot of butts in the cinemas. As of now, the film seems to be heading to a $65M opening weekend in 4,500 theaters.

    Globally, it’s not looking too much larger as it’s heading towards $80M with a potential total of $150M worldwide. Now, that isn’t a terrible start mind you but the issue lies in the fact that the film costs around $295M. That is excluding marketing and promotion costs, which makes it the most expensive entry in the franchise. So, the film has a long shot at turning a profit.

    It’s also set to open below Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which pulled in $100M in May of 2008. That film went on to make $790M globally and remains the highest-grossing entry of the franchise. James Mangold is taking over from Steven Spielberg with Dial of Destiny, but it seems a mixed reception from critics due to a risky Cannes showcase that may be backfiring on Disney and Lucasfilm.

    The film could still make a decent amount but it would need to make at least 600M to cover its production budget with another 200M minimum to cover its marketing budget, which might be far more expensive than we think. So, it’s a high gamble from Disney and who knows if they’ll be willing to do the same. This lower opening also continues to highlight that what some are trying to call superhero fatigue is affecting the entire blockbuster scene. Did theaters overestimate how ready audiences are set to return?

    Source: Variety

  • BREAKING: James Gunn Has Found His Superman and Lois Lane

    BREAKING: James Gunn Has Found His Superman and Lois Lane

    The wait has finally come to an end. Superman Legacy director James Gunn has seemingly found his leading duo. After weeks of testing, even going as far as last week to having various duos in costume to enact scenes for the film, Gunn has seemingly settled on who David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan to become the leading pair in the first true DC Cinematic Universe film directed and written by the co-CEO of DC Studios.

    Corenswet is taking on a major role for this film, as he’ll not only be in the shadow of Snyderverse’s Henry Cavill but also have to set up the entire DC Cinematic Universe. All their plans ride on the success of this film and it’s no wonder that they went all out to ensure that they have the right duo together to show what this new franchise is all about.

    Corenswet is most known for his break-out role as Ryan Murphy in The Politician. He also has worked on projects like Pearl, We Own This City, and is about to be seen in the Twister sequel, Twisters. Brosnahan has quite the career with her work on projects like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Blacklist, House of Cards, and is currently filming The Amateur. So, they definitely are bringing something new to the table and will hopefully get a good look at them in costume before production starts.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter