Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movies

  • Live-Action ‘Lilo and Stitch’ Finds Its David

    Live-Action ‘Lilo and Stitch’ Finds Its David

    With production for the live-action of Lilo and Stitch set to start just around the corner, we are slowly getting more and more casting news for the production. The latest addition is another newcomer in Kahiau Machado as Nani’s love interest from the original animated film, David Kawena.

    The casting follows shortly after Sydney Elizabeth Agudong was confirmed to take on the role of Lilo’s sister, who will be played by fellow newcomer Maia Kealoha. They have also cast some familiar faces from the industry with Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen taking on some uncertain roles, but are both expected to play aliens in the film.

    There’s some uncertainty on just how close the project will be to the original, as back in November we shared that the production was going to not include the character of Bubbles from the original animated film. We also still don’t know who might be taking on the role of Stitch, which could easily be done by the original actor given just how iconic the performance has been.

    With The Little Mermaid on the horizon, there’s also the question of how they’ll adapt the character’s design. They could stick to the original’s work or try to make him a bit more alien and realistic but that doesn’t seem fitting. The latest release includes mermaids but forces its fish and crab characters to have more realistic looks. So, it’s hard to say for now what direction they might take.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Mortal Kombat’ Producer Confirms Production Start for Sequel

    ‘Mortal Kombat’ Producer Confirms Production Start for Sequel

    Mortal Kombat was released during the pandemic back in 2021 as part of Warner Bros.’s ambitious yet futile attempt at boasting streaming and theatrical numbers. While nowadays it has taken a bad rep, it still led to some films getting a stronger reputation than they otherwise might’ve pulled when the box office was still just a major question mark. The video game adaptation went on to become one of HBO Max’s biggest releases and after a long wait, it seems the sequel is finally picking up some steam.

    We still know very little about the sequel, especially if it’ll continue to follow the story of Lewis Tan’s Cole Young or potentially move away from the original character. One of the highlights was Joe Taslim and Hiroyuki Sanada’s Sub-Zero and Scorpion, which also had one of the better stories in the film that received mixed reviews from critics (ironically not that different from the current Super Mario Bros. Movie that might reignite interest in video game adaptations).

    While we haven’t heard much about the project in some time, it seems producer Todd Garner may have accidentally confirmed that production is set to start in June. He quotes retweeted a statement by Geek Vibes Nation on the production cycle being mapped from June to September in Australia with the cheeky reaction “I was wondering why I had an apt in Australia....” pretty much confirming that is where they’ll be heading.

    If they are indeed planning on filming in a few months, we might get some casting announcements in the coming months. It’s still surprising it took them over two years to start rolling the cameras on a film that was generally considered a streaming success but sometimes it’s best to give projects enough time. They may be trying to address some of the issues pointed out in the initial release as they prepare to expand the franchise.

    Source: Twitter, ComicBook.com

  • Lucasfilm Hoping to Launch Theatrical Return with Daisy Ridley’s New Jedi Order Film

    Lucasfilm Hoping to Launch Theatrical Return with Daisy Ridley’s New Jedi Order Film

    Among the biggest bits of news to come out of Star Wars Celebration 2023 was the announcement of three new theatrical projects set in three different eras in the Star Wars galaxy. While all three already have writers and directors on board, none were given a release date leaving fans to wonder which film would relaunch Star Wars in theaters. Though several projects have been put on and taken off the slate over the last several years, there hasn’t been a Star Wars film since 2019’s Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker as Lucasfilm has focused on streaming projects. There are a few dates still set aside for Star Wars films, including one in December 2025, however, and now a trade report gives a clearer picture of what film is most likely to end up there.

    According to THR, director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s film–which will be set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker and see Daisy Ridley‘s Rey found a new Jedi Order–is Lucasfilm’s top choice to kick off their return to theaters.

    But there is still a December 2025 date kept open for an unspecified Star Wars movie, which in theory could be one of these titles. A source tells The Hollywood Reporter that Lucasfilm would ideally like to return to theaters with the Rey-focused film and follow that a year later with the Filoni movie, although nothing is set due to the timetables of the Disney+ Mandalorian universe shows.

    THR

    Given how far along the Rey project is in development, a 2025 release date does seem achievable. Though original co-writers Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson left the project earlier this year, a new draft of the film is already in the works by Steven Knight. Given that production on the film wouldn’t have to begin until next mid-to-late 2024, there’s plenty of time for the project to come together.

    Interestingly enough, THR also stated that, if possible, Lucasfilm would look to return to theaters “a year later” with Dave Filoni‘s Mando-verse film. Given that Filoni’s Mando-verse seems to always have at least one project in production at all times, it looks like a tough timeline. Additionally, Disney currently has no Star Wars film slated for 2026, though that could obviously always change. The news also puts James Mangold‘s Dawn of the Jedi era film the furthest out, though it was recently reported that he planned to complete his Star Wars project before beginning work on DC Studios’ Swamp Thing. Could Lucasfilm be aiming for an ambitious slate of Star Wars films rolling out in 2025, 2026 and 2027? Given their recent track record with postponing and canceling films, we’re not holding our breath.

    Source: THR

  • New ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Spot Confirms More Returning Characters

    New ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ Spot Confirms More Returning Characters

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 releases in theaters in just over two weeks which means marketing for the film is really starting to pick up. The film has been billed as the last tour for this group of heroes and from the looks of it, they’ll have their hands full with Adam Warlock and the High Evolutionary.

    With such a tall task ahead of them, the Guardians will need all the help they can get. It’s been known for some time that Sylvester Stallone‘s Stakar Ogord was returning for Vol. 3 and a new spot for the film confirms he won’t be alone.

    As seen in the TV spot, Martinex and Krugarr, former Ravager buddies of Yondu’s who appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, will be returning for Vol. 3. With Stakar, Martinex and Krugarr now confirmed, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Charlie-27, Aleta and Mainframe return as well! Given Martinex’s return, it’s extremely likely that Michael Rosenbaum, who voiced the character in Vol. 2 and is a good friend of Gunn’s, will reprise the role. While there’s no confirmation that Ving Rhames, Michelle Yeoh and Miley Cyrus, who portrayed Charlie-27, Aleta and Mainframe, respectively, are back, it does seem likely. Gunn previously teased “wonderful” cameos that “true Guardians fans” would enjoy and those would definitely fit that description.

  • Dave Filoni’s New Republic Movie Could Introduce a Major Star Wars Legends Character

    Dave Filoni’s New Republic Movie Could Introduce a Major Star Wars Legends Character

    During Star Wars Celebration 2023, it was revealed that Dave Filoni was set to direct a film that would serve as the denouement of the story he and Jon Favreau have been and will continue telling through their “Mando-verse” streaming series. While it’s easy to look at that film as the end of the stories told in the New Republic era, it’s also important to remember that, at present, two additional eras are open to the telling of further stories set in a galaxy far, far away. Given that the New Republic era can now be seen as a bridge connecting Luke Skywalker’s Age of Rebellion stories to his epilogue in the Rise of the First Order stories, it is worth considering if Filoni, who has shown a penchant for bringing non-canon/Legends characters into the modern Star Wars canon may choose to use his film to bring one of the most popular Legends characters into canon.

    An increasingly popular theory is that Filoni’s New Republic-era film will be an adaptation of Timothy Zanh‘s 1991 now non-canonical novel, Heir to the Empire. That novel, set nine years after the Battle of Yavin, introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn, who has since been adopted into canon and will soon be portrayed in live-action by Lars Mikkelsen. During the Ahsoka trailer which debuted at Star Wars Celebration, the phrase “heir to the Empire”, uttered by Rosario Dawson‘s titular character, created a significant buzz that the next chapter of stories in Filoni’s Mando-verse might be an adaptation of Zahn’s iconic Thrawn trilogy and, if that is the case, Thrawn will hardly be the only major character making a canonical live-action debut.

    Further evidence that the Mando-verse stories might begin to adapt and include Zahn’s trilogy came in Chapter 23 of The Mandalorian when Gilad Pellaeon made his live-action debut as part of the second iteration of The Shadow Council. While Pellaeon played a minor role Star Wars Rebels, he played a much larger role in Thrawn’s plans in the non-canon Zahn trilogy. If Pellaeon is going to play a role, no matter now small, in Star Wars canon, it’s possible another of the Emperor’s servants–indeed the Emperor’s Hand–could appear in Filioni’s film.

    There is, perhaps, no Legends character whose addition to canon is more anticipated than Mara Jade’s. Once one of Palpatine’s most trusted assassins tasked with killing Luke Skywalker, Jade eventually married Luke and played a key role in the foundation of the New Jedi Order. Jade played a major role in one of the non-canonical novels’ most well-known conflicts, the Yuuzhan Vong War, which, coincidentally, would bridge a major gap in the current canonical eras. Would Filoni introduce Mara Jade/Mara Skywalker into the Star Wars canon? Given the work he and Favreau have done with Legends characters and concepts over the years, it’s nowhere near out of the question that Jade could soon be introduced into their Mando-verse and then quickly become a main character in the Rise of the First Order and New Jedi Order timelines.

  • ‘Super Mario Bros.’ Pulls a Record-Breaking $87M in 2nd Weekend

    ‘Super Mario Bros.’ Pulls a Record-Breaking $87M in 2nd Weekend

    It looks like nostalgia remains a powerful tool for box office results. The Super Mario Bros. Movie has denied any expectations of being frontloaded and has pulled in an $87M second weekend, which is a huge hold after a powerful Easter weekend. Once again, it dethrones Frozen 2’s position at the top spot for animated films and marks Illumination’s best ever. What stands out is that this marks a drop of only 45%, the lowest we’ve probably seen in a long time for any project.

    Evil Dead Rise is on the horizon with a potential $20M+ opening weekend after moving away from HBO Max, it doesn’t look like anyone will take the top spot from Mario until the main summer season kicks off in a few weeks. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will likely push them off that top spot but the film has had no real direct family-oriented competition for some time, but it’ll be interesting to see if its main target audience is likely much older than one might expect.

    Sadly, there’s a drawback with such a dominant presence in theaters as other projects are seemingly suffering a bit and not quite pulling in the audiences they want. Normally, counterprogramming is quite effective in using an audience that isn’t drawn in by the latest blockbuster but perhaps this is a bigger showcase of what exactly the audience is behind a film based on a franchise that started in the 1980s.

    Renfield has seemingly bombed in its opening weekend at third place with a small $7.7M. 62% of the box office went to The Super Mario Bros. Movie so it and Russell Crowe’s The Pope’s Exorcist ($8.5M) had to duke it out for what is left. Though the mixed reception on both doesn’t help that isn’t uncommon with many horror films that actually play better than what the general audience reception might make you think.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Becomes 2023’s Highest-Grossing Film

    ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Becomes 2023’s Highest-Grossing Film

    Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has been dethroned as The Super Mario Bros. Movie has now become the biggest worldwide release. It’s also the first film to pass the $500M mark which is quite impressive considering it has a budget of $100M, which is quite a bit lower than Pixar or Disney’s overly ambitious $200M animated production costs. It’s currently on track to stick to the top spot in the second weekend with $58M after pulling in $9.4M on Thursday.

    Internationally, the film has pulled in around $248.4M globally and stands at a strong $260.3M domestically, which totals $508.7M. The film dropped around 63% on its second Thursday which is a strong hold and highlights the power of nostalgia and Nintendo. It seems more and more likely that this is the current winning formula as people relive their own memories and bring the family along for the ride, which is perfect for a kid’s film like The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

    Interestingly enough, the other two big releases are currently duking it out as Nicolas Cage’s Renfield and Russell Crowe’s The Pope’s Exorcist are the newest releases with very similar Thursday night releases at the domestic box office. Renfield is currently still leading the pack with $900K while Crowe’s film is behind only by $850M. The action-horror entry is currently set to overtake the other new release with a slightly better Rotten Tomatoes hinting at a better box office run.

    Source: Deadline, Deadline, The Numbers

  • Sydney Elizabeth Agudong Join ‘Lilo & Stitch’

    Sydney Elizabeth Agudong Join ‘Lilo & Stitch’

    As the start of production on Disney’s live-action reimagining of the animated classic Lilo & Stitch draws closer, the cast of the project continues to take shape. According to THR, Syndey Elizabeth Agudong is the latest addition to the cast in the role of Lilo’s sister, Nani Pelekai.

    In the 2002 animated film, Nani is the legal guardian of Lilo and one of the film’s lead characters. Agudong joins Maia Kealoah–who will play Lilo–and Zach Galifianakis. According to THR, the search for a voice actor for Stitch is still ongoing.

    Dean Fleischer Camp is directing Lilo & Stitch, which will be a Disney + exclusive release similar to Lady and the Tramp. The live-action remake is slated for a 2024 release.

  • Andy Muschietti Rumored to Be Back Behind the Camera for a New DC Studios Project

    Andy Muschietti Rumored to Be Back Behind the Camera for a New DC Studios Project

    It’s hard to imagine that there’s a comic book film that’s had a stranger saga than The Flash. While it’s finally set to be released this June, it’s been a long, rough road to release. Warner Bros. had been developing the property for over two decades when they finally added it to their slate of planned films and gave it a 2018 release date. Seth Grahame-Smith was brought on board to write and direct the Ezra Miller flick but bailed on the project citing creative differences. Warner Bros. swiftly replaced Grahame-Smith with Rick Famuyiwa who swiftly left citing…creative differences. By 2018, The Flash had become Flashpoint and then The Flash again, got a new creative team as John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein agreed to write and direct and was pushed to 2021 as Miller kept busy with his work in The Fantastic Beasts franchise. Daley and Goldstein hit the road and were replaced by It director Andy Muschietti who, by some miracle, stuck around long enough to make the film. And that’s not even getting into the Miller stuff…

    Muschietti’s work on The Flash has been subject to high praise from those who have screened the film ahead of its June 23rd release, including DC Studios co-chair James Gunn who called the film “one of the greatest superhero movies ever made.” While the place of Miller’s Flash in the new DCU remains to be seen, a new rumor suggests that Muschietti has proven his mettle and is being tasked with shepherding one of DC Studios recently announced theatrical projects. According to r/DCEUleaks “verified sources”, Gunn and co-chair Peter Safran are eyeing Muschietti to direct The Brave and The Bold, which will introduce the DCU’s prime Batman and his son, Damian.

    Described by Gunn as “a story of Damian Wayne, who’s Batman’s actual son that he didn’t know existed for the first eight to ten years of his life. He was raised as a little murderer and assassin,” The Brave and The Bold will be “a very strange sort of father-son story” about Batman and Damian based on the Batman and Son arc from Grant Morrison‘s epic run on Batman at DC Comics. While it’ll focus on Bruce and Damian, Safran shared that the film will also “feature other members of the extended Bat-Family just because we feel like they’ve been left out of the Batman stories in the theater for far too long.“ At this time, Gunn has not spoken on the possible inclusion of Muschietti in the project, though given his propensity to address online rumors, it may only be a matter of time before he does.

    Source: Reddit

  • ‘X-Men’ Franchise Director Rumored to Be in Line to Helm DC Studios ‘The Authority’

    ‘X-Men’ Franchise Director Rumored to Be in Line to Helm DC Studios ‘The Authority’

    The inclusion of The Authority among the new DCU’s theatrical projects certainly came as a surprise to fans when James Gunn revealed part of the slate of Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters. The super team, once described as the Anti-Justice League for their lack of a moral compass, is hardly among the most popular group of DC comic book characters but look to play a big part in the overarching narrative of the DCU. As such, Gunn and co-chair Peter Safran would almost certainly love an experienced director behind the camera and according to a new rumor, they’ve found their guy.

    According to r/DCEUleaks “verified sources”, Matthew Vaughn has been slotted in to direct The Authority. Vaughn is a veteran of comic book properties as he’s helmed Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class and the Kingsman trilogy. He is also known to be a huge fan of Superman who was once pursued by Warner Bros. to direct Man of Steel 2 and once developed a trilogy pitch with writer and friend Mark Millar. Interestingly, Millar wrote 12 issues of The Authority for DC following the departure of creators Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch from the series.

    As of yet, Gunn–who is notoriously active on social media when it comes to rumors about his projects–has yet to comment on the veracity of the rumor of Vaughn’s involvement. Whether it turns out to be true or not, Vaughn would certainly check a lot of boxes for both Gunn and fans when it comes to the type of talent attached to one of the new DC tentpoles.

    Source: Reddit