Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movies

  • Tom Cruise Loved DC’s ‘The Flash’

    Tom Cruise Loved DC’s ‘The Flash’

    Here’s a piece of news you don’t expect every day. It seems that Tom Cruise, the star of the recent monolith release Top Gun Maverick and the upcoming next Mission Impossible film, has gotten an early screening of The Flash, Warner Bros. biggest bet for the year on making their mark in theaters. The film is still set to release in June and it looks like they are all in to make this film get as hyped up as it can.

    While the controversies surrounding its star Ezra Miller might still overshadow most positive news, new DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn did call it “one of the greatest superhero movies ever made.” Now, it seems that Cruise loved the film so much that he just called director Andy Muschietti to rave about it according to sources close to The Hollywood reporter.

    Seems it all started with a meeting between Cruise and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav that led to him being curious about just how good the film was. Quotes like “everything you want in a movie” and “the movie we need now” according to the sources. It’s not too dissimilar from what they tried to do with Christopher Nolan‘s Tenet back in the day when they made a whole show of him visiting a theater in London to watch it.

    While that didn’t really boost that film’s box office, it’s great to see the actor’s enthusiasm for the latest DC film. There’s always an ongoing “feud” online about if these films have value in being as dominant in theaters as they are but this might probably worsen the discussion rather than help it.

    Cruise has become a “spokesperson” for the theatrical experience with even Steven Spielberg being heard quoting him as saving theaters. While one could argue it takes more than one film release, the film did bring an older audience back into theaters even if that didn’t hold as many had hoped after its release.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Gladiator’ Sequel Adds Denzel Washington

    ‘Gladiator’ Sequel Adds Denzel Washington

    Ridley Scott has been quite busy preparing work on a sequel to the iconic Gladiator film. While it’s still quite a surprise that we’re seeing this film of all get a sequel, it is still picking up quite a bit of steam and adding talent left and right. Shortly after it was revealed that Eternals star Barry Keoghan was part of the cast, it seems that Ridley Scott is also going to reunite with Denzel Washington. It’s the first time since these two A-listers worked together since the release of American Gangster.

    He will star opposite Paul Mescal, who is in the leading role of the project. Costume designer Janty Yates is also back to the project after having worked on the costumes from the original Gladiator that marked the film that would be nominated for twelve Academy Awards and even won Best Picture. It also was the film that put Russell Crowe on the map and made him one of the biggest names in the industry after his Best Actor victory.

    The story will not revisit the early days of Maximus but rather a new character named Lucius (Mescal), whose story continues years after the end of the original. He was strongly inspired by the heroic actions of Maximus, which will likely kick off the events of this film. Washington‘s role remains a secret but he’ll likely have a major role in the project. Keoghan is set to take on the role of a character known as Emperor Gata, who was an actual Roman emperor.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’ Off to a Slow Start at the Box Office

    ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’ Off to a Slow Start at the Box Office

    The first box office numbers are in for Shazam: Fury of the Gods following the film’s Thursday night previews and they don’t bode well for a big weekend for the sequel. The new DC film, the first to hit theaters following the news that James Gunn and Peter Safran were essentially cleaning house and starting over with DC Studios, took in $3.4M yesterday afternoon and evening. That total represents a 43% drop from the first film’s Thursday take in 2019.

    Opening weekend predictions for the film have not been healthy for the sequel with the latest estimates coming in projecting a $35M domestic haul. The first film raked in $53.5M as an unknown quantity in 2019.

    The film has not been warmly received by critics, currently sitting at a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. Online discourse around the film has mostly been centered around poor marketing and general lack of interest in the upcoming DC films knowing that the narrative threads begun within them are unlikely to carry over into the new DCU.

    Source: Deadline

  • Ben Affleck Addresses Rumors He’ll Direct DC Studios ‘The Brave and The Bold’

    Ben Affleck Addresses Rumors He’ll Direct DC Studios ‘The Brave and The Bold’

    Shortly after James Gunn announced part of the lineup of the DCU’s Chapter 1-Gods and Monsters, rumors began to swirl that while Ben Affleck‘s days of portraying Batman on screen were done, there was mutual interest in having Affleck direct a project. Before long, a rumor surfaced that had Affleck on a shortlist to direct DC Studios The Brave and The Bold, which would introduce a new Batman and his son, Damian, the new DCU. The rumor was believable enough: Affleck likes Batman and Gunn, who is always actively dispelling rumors on social media, didn’t address it. Now, Affleck has made his thoughts known on the rumor.

    “I would not direct something for the Gunn DC. Absolutely not,” said Affleck when asked by THR about the possibility of helming a DC Studios project. “I have nothing against James Gunn,” Aflleck clarified, “Nice guy, sure he’s going to do a great job. I just wouldn’t want to go in and direct in the way they’re doing that. I’m not interested in that.“

    Affleck didn’t clarify what “the way they’re doing that meant” leaving plenty of room for interpretation for rabid fans who’ll want to read into his comments; however, the only real news here is that Affleck’s superhero days, which date back to 2003’s Daredevil, seem to be behind him and that Gunn’s search for a director for The Brave and the Bold will continue.

    Source: THR

  • REVIEW: ‘Boston Strangler’

    REVIEW: ‘Boston Strangler’

    True crime stories have captured the imagination of audiences for decades, offering dramatic retellings that allow them to indulge in their morbid curiosities. Fans often find themselves interested in the psychology of criminals and, according to a study published in Social Psychology and Personality Science by Dr. Amanda Vicary, “the consumption of true crime is likely a subconscious effort to protect and educate oneself.” Writer-director Matt Ruskin‘s Boston Strangler capitalizes on the fascination with the genre to shine a light on two journalists who sought to protect and educate the women of Boston in the early 1960s as a serial killer–or two–terrorized Boston at a time when the concept of serial killing was a decade away from beginning to make its way into the vernacular.

    Hulu’s Boston Strangler tells the story of the string of crimes from the dual perspectives of Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole, played by Keira Knightley and Carrie Coon, respectively. As the murders continued in and around Boston, McLaughlin and Cole’s work was instrumental in tying the murders together while police from different jurisdictions struggled to solve the stockpiling cases. McLaughlin and Cole’s instincts, perspective and persistence ultimately helped Boston PD identify and nap a suspect, Albert DeSalvo, who confessed to the murders; however, their work, done in predominantly male fields, wasn’t warmly received at the time and almost 60 years later, McLaughlin and Cole’s names are still rarely associated with the case.

    (L-R): Carrie Coon as Jean Cole and Keira Knightley as Loretta McLaughlin in 20th Century Studios’ BOSTON STRANGLER, exclusively on Hulu. Photo by Claire Folger. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Ruskin looked to change that by making Boston Strangler and strong performances by Knightley and Coon will resonate with audiences, particularly those who have faced similar struggles and discrimination in their chosen fields. The role of women in the workforce had only just begun to change in the early and mid-1960s and as the film shows–sometimes subtly and other times not so subtly–not everyone was eager to accept the change. To that end, Boston Strangler‘s supporting cast, led by Chris Cooper and Alessandro Nivola, turn in solid performances as allies to McLaughlin and Cole’s cause.

    Though it’s likely to draw some eyeballs as a true crime project, Boston Strangler is fairly light on crime and violence, choosing instead to work more as a tribute to the work done by McLaughlin and Cole. It’s here where the film does its best work, rightfully identifying the deuteragonists as heroes and protectors. If not for McLaughlin’s work tying the cases together and Cole’s experience in navigating the landmines of the male-dominated fields of law enforcement and journalism, the Strangler’s (Stranglers’) body count could have been much higher. Their work, done at the great risk of career, family and personal safety, served to warn the women of Boston about the behaviors of the Strangler and certainly saved lives. Boston Strangler is a fitting celebration of two unsung heroes of their profession and a wonderful tribute to women who charged hard and stood firm against the obstacles in their way.

    Source: Social Psychology and Personality Science,

  • Michael Waldron’s Overall Deal with Disney, Marvel Studios Renewed

    Michael Waldron’s Overall Deal with Disney, Marvel Studios Renewed

    It looks like Avengers: Secret War won’t be the last Marvel Studios project for writer Michael Waldron. The Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness scribe has reupped with Disney and Marvel Studios on an overall deal that will keep him churning our projects for the foreseeable future.

    Waldron also launched a new production studio, Anomaly Pictures, with his production partner Adam Fasullo. The two first worked together on the Starz streaming series Heels, which will return for its second season sometime in 2023. According to a trade report, Anomaly Pictures will operate under the belief that “popcorn entertainment can also be prestige entertainment, and at the heart of every project lies the question: What if this was good?”

    Source: Deadline

  • James Gunn Confirms He’ll Direct ‘Superman: Legacy’; Synopsis Revealed

    James Gunn Confirms He’ll Direct ‘Superman: Legacy’; Synopsis Revealed

    From the moment he revealed he was writing the new DC Studios’Superman film, Superman: Legacy, it seemed all but a sure thing that James Gunn would also direct. Now, it has made it official. In a thread on Twitter, Gunn confirmer he’d be behind the camera for the film.

    Gunn’s Superman: Legacy isn’t scheduled to hit theaters until July 11, 2025 but Warner Bros. released the first synopsis of the project today to accompany the news.

    Superman Legacy tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned

    The film will be, to some extent, an adaptation of All-Star Superman,a twelve-issue series by Grant Morrison that ran from 2005-08.

  • Guillermo del Toro Eyeing Top Talent for His ‘Frankenstein’

    Guillermo del Toro Eyeing Top Talent for His ‘Frankenstein’

    As Guillermo del Toro continues work on the script for his Netflix feature film Frankenstein, a new report indicates that the director has begun meeting with talent for the film. Deadline reports that while no deals have been finalized just yet, del Toro has met with Andrew Garfield, Mia Goth and Oscar Isaac for roles in the project.

    Del Toro has been very public about his long-standing desire to develop a film around Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. In 2008, the writer-director told Coming Soon that he’d “been dreaming of doing a ‘Frankenstein’ movie since I was a child.” Del Toro struck an overall deal with Netflix in 2020 and has been working toward getting Frankenstein off the ground since. Now, del Toro seems to be assembling a dream cast for his dream project which is expected to begin production in June.

    Source: Deadline, Coming Soon

  • Steven Yeun on What Drew Him to His Mysterious ‘Thunderbolts’ Role

    Steven Yeun on What Drew Him to His Mysterious ‘Thunderbolts’ Role

    Marvel Studios Thunderbolts is set to serve as a sequel of sorts to 2021’s Black Widow while also introducing one of Marvel Comics most powerful characters: Sentry. Though the details of the plot remain a tightly kept secret, director Jake Schreier‘s film will see Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s team of kinda-sorta heroes, led by Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova and, maybe, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, take on some dangerous mission for the CIA director. Many fans believe that mission will involve having to take on Sentry and many fans believe Sentry will be played by Steven Yeun, who recently joined the project.

    While Yeun wasn’t giving any hints on who he would be playing in the Phase 5 film, he did have quite a bit to say about why he was joining the project. While an MCU role is “the dream” for many actors in the business, for Yeun, it was to reunite with his pal Schreier, with whom he worked on the upcoming Netflix series, Beef, that drew him to Thunderbolts.

    I don’t know if it was explicitly on my bucket list. It was more the story, getting to work with Jake Schreier again, who directed Beef, and what his intentions were. The intentions of the particular character that they wanted me to play were very clear, and that’s what drew me to the film.

    Steven Yeun

    It sounds as though Schreier may have been the one to pitch Yeun’s involvement in Thunderbolts and if he is indeed playing Sentry, that Schreier believes the actor was the right guy for what the MCU’s version of the character will be.

    Source: Empire Online

  • ‘John Wick 4’: The Sequel’s Rotten Tomatoes Score on Par with Other Films in the Franchise

    ‘John Wick 4’: The Sequel’s Rotten Tomatoes Score on Par with Other Films in the Franchise

    While March Madness is associated with the NCAA Men’s and Women’s basketball tournaments, this year it could also serve as an appropriate descriptor of the onslaught of major films coming out throughout the month. Creed III and Scream VI have already debuted in theaters and Shazam: Fury of the Gods and John Wick: Chapter 4 are set to roll out over the next two weeks. While the review embargo for the former hasn’t lifted yet, reviews for the latter started to roll in after 8:00 PM PST on March 13th and it looks like great news for fans of the franchise.

    The early reviews for John Wick: Chapter 4 seem to indicate it’s yet another solid installment in the ongoing saga of the Baba Yaga with 88% of the 26 reviews (23/26) giving the film a “fresh” bump. Though it’s still very early and that number could swing dramatically one way or the other, the film has been widely praised on social media as well. As it stands now, the 88% “fresh” rating puts it on par with the other Wick films.

    • John Wick (2014) 86%
    • John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) 89%
    • John Wick: Chapter 3–Parabellum (2019) 89%

    It sounds as though fans of the franchise will find exactly what they’re looking for in the 3-hour-long sequel: intense action, a high body count and all the Keanu Reeves they could ever want.

    John Wick: Chapter 4 opens in theaters on March 24th.