Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Movies

  • REVIEW: ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules’

    REVIEW: ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules’

    Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series has sold over 275 million books since the original was published in 2007. Over the last 15 years, Kinney has published 17 books in the main series, including Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Diper Överlöde, which was released just this past October. The beloved series has expanded into supplemental books, a spinoff series and live-action films, and, most recently, animated films on Disney Plus. The first film, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, debuted on the streaming service in December of 2021 and now the first sequel, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, has followed.

    Much like 2021’s entry into what looks to be a growing animated franchise (the third book in the series is already being developed for release on Disney Plus) plays out over an easily-digestible runtime. Also, like 2021’s entry (and presumably all future entries) Kinney has adapted his own original work into the screenplay which makes Rodrick Rules feel like a bit of a highlight reel of all the important beats from the book. At the heart of the story is the relationship between the franchise’s central character, Greg, and his older brother, notorious slacker Rodrick. Greg, voiced by a returning Brady Noon, finds himself with some leverage over Rodrick when the older brother throws a huge party when their parents are away. Over the course of the film, Greg’s relationship with Rodrick is tested and strained as a result of said leverage allowing the nature of family, specifically sibling relationships, to be explored. A visit with their grandfather, voiced by Ed Asner in his final role, sets the stage for Greg to do some tough thinking about the present and future of his relationship with Rodrick.

    (L-R): Mackie (voiced by Nathan Arenas), Bill (voiced by Jimmy Tatro), Rodrick (voiced by Hunter Dillon), and Larry (voiced by Hudson Yang) from 20th Century Studios’ DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES. © 2022 20th Century Studios.

    Though Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules plays as a CliffsNotes version of either the novel or the 2011 live-action film, the theme comes across loud and clear, especially during the climax at the talent show in which Greg, following an emotional conversation with his grandfather, makes a choice about where he will stand in his relationship with Rodrick. Like 2021’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rodrick Rules seems aimed at younger audiences. The animation, the short runtime, the shortened plot and the simple themes should all make this and future installments fit Kinney’s goals of telling more emotional stories on Disney Plus.

  • ‘John Wick’ Writer to Adapt ‘SIFU’ into Live-Action

    ‘John Wick’ Writer to Adapt ‘SIFU’ into Live-Action

    It looks like Sloclap is ready to adapt their recently released game SIFU into a live-action feature. They’ve decided to partner with Story Kitchen to bring the project to life, whose partner Derek Kolstad, who many might know from his work on John Wick, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Nobody, and many more, to adapt the script. Dmitri M. Johnson is set to produce the project alongside Mike Godlberg, Dan Jevons, and Timothy I. Stevenson for Story Kitchen. Kolstad naturally also is on board as a producer.

    It’s unclear how they’ll adapt the story, as its main “concept” was built around a gamification element. It’s a revenge story taking place in modern China, where a student of a martial arts school witnesses the murder of his mentor and goes on a revenge-filled spree to take those down responsible for his death. It’s built around the gimmick that he has a magical talisman that revives him but t the price of him growing older.

    The game was a big success and even went on to get nominated for quite a few awards. The main premise of SIFU is perfect for a film but it’ll be interesting to see how they adapt the concept of him being revived but only older. They could go for a Groundhog Day-inspired story or simply have him come back but visibly older.

    It also raises the question if the main star might be cast in different age groups, or they’ll heavily rely on aging or de-aging technology and practical effects to keep the same actor. Whatever direction they might go, Kolstad‘s work is definitely a showcase that they have the right man for the job.

    Source: Deadline

  • Margot Robbie’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Spinoff Not Dead Yet

    Margot Robbie’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Spinoff Not Dead Yet

    Margot Robbie shocked the world when last month she revealed that her Pirates of the Caribbean spinoff film was no longer happening. As the franchise moved away from its main star due to Johnny Depp‘s trial, Disney was seemingly all-in with a new direction for the franchise and a fresh face. Robbie is the perfect choice to lead any new franchise and it being dead before it even got started was a shame.

    As it turns out though, Pirates of the Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer seeemingly confirms that they are still developing the project alongside multiple Pirates projects. At this point, it’s all about the script coming together that may rejuvinate the project once more given enough time.

    I think that that script will come forward at a certain point. We developed two different stories for ‘Pirates’ and the other one’s going forward first, so that’s what we’re working on, to try to get that one made.

    Jerry Bruckheimer

    We first heard about the project back in 2020 with two projects in development. One was with Robbie leading the charge and another that had Ted Elliot and Craig Mazin attached to write, which would act as a second reboot. Bruckheimer worked on all previous entries of the Pirates franchise and sadly it seems that it’s not quite picking up development as hoped.

    At this point, it does seem like they are focusing work on the one led by Robbie but if that script doesn’t truly come together, she may jump ship if she already believes that the project is dead. For now, we’ll have to keep waiting until they truly move forward.

    Source: Variety

  • CCXP: ‘Indana Jones 5’s Title Finally Revealed

    CCXP: ‘Indana Jones 5’s Title Finally Revealed

    There have been a lot of theories on the web about what exactly might be the subtitle for the latest entry of Indiana Jones. For quite some time, Lucasfilm and director James Mangold have simply referred it as Indiana Jones, which is a possibility given how some film continuations simply share the same title as the first entry, such as the new Scream film. Yet, it seems that during CCXP 22, we’ve finally gotten a title.

    It seems the film will go with Indiana Jones: Dial of Destiny. What exactly that “dial” is will haunt our theories until it releases in theaters, but it’s great to see the naming trend continue for the franchise. Destiny is also a fitting addition if you consider that this story will explore events from Jones’ use connect with the return of the Nazis now in the middle of the Space Race. Perhaps that dial could be the answer to who wins.

    Check out the trailer here:

    Source: Twitter

  • Disney+ Already Working on Next ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ Film

    Disney+ Already Working on Next ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ Film

    Disney+ has been busy promoting its big-budget shows based on popular IP like Marvel, Star Wars, and many more. Of course, the family-friendly company has not been wasting any time to also focus on some iconic stories for its younger streaming audience. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney has made its way to the streaming service Disney+ as an animated film in 2021.

    It’s sequel, Rodrick Rules, is about to hit Disney+. Yet, as revealed by the series creator Jeff Kinney in an interview with One Take News, they’re already working on a sequel based on The Last Straw. So, those hoping for Disney+ to spend more time on this adaptation are going to be happy to know there’s more to come.

    Yeah, I don’t know how much I’m allowed to say but I will say that yes, The Last Straw is in the works and I’m hoping to do lots and lots of [animated Wimpy Kid films] over time.

    Jeff Kinney

    The book series that this is based on first released back in 2007, and it’s spawned sixteen entries with the latest Diper Överlöde having released this October. So, it’s not too surprising that Kinney is excited to do a lot more. If the series remains as a staple for young kids to check out, he might just get his wish and Disney is no stranger to enjoying a long-running franchise based on a popular IP having a prominent spot on their platform.

    Source: One Take News

  • What to Expect TODAY from Disney’s CCXP ’22 Panel

    What to Expect TODAY from Disney’s CCXP ’22 Panel

    This afternoon at 2:30 PM ET, Disney will begin a 3-hour and 20-minute long panel at CCXP ’22 in Brazil where it is expected to show off a significant amount of its 2023 slate from across its major brands. 20th Century Studios, Disney, Disney Animation, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios and Pixar are all expected to have a presence during the panel. Here’s an idea of what to expect.

    20th Century Studios

    The only question here is if Fox will show off anything other than Avatar: The Way of Water. The film is just 2 weeks away from release and press screenings begin early next week. Star Zoë Saldaña and producer Jon Landau are scheduled to be at the event and are likely to show off some footage from the film.

    Disney

    Image from Collider.com

    Thanks to Collider, we know that Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid will be front and center during their portion of the studio’s portion of the panel. The film, headed to theaters on May 26, 2023, stars Halle Bailey as Ariel and looked to be a visual spectacle when a teaser trailer of it was shown at D23. Given the May release, it’s possible a new trailer might be unveiled at CCXP.

    Disney Animation

    As of publication, not much about the animation panel has trickled out. It’s possible, however, that the animation studio might show off the upcoming Disney Plus film, Iwájú, and its next theatrical release, Wish.

    Lucasfilm

    It looks like Lucasfilm will be showing off at least 3 projects from its slate: Willow, which just launched this week on Disney Plus, The Mandalorian Season 3 and Indiana Jones 5. Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are set to join the panel virtually and discuss Mando S3, which is reportedly streaming in February. A trailer for the third season was unveiled about 2 months ago, so it’s possible a new trailer, complete with an expected release date, might emerge from CCXP. As exciting as that will be, expect Indy 5 to take up a big chunk of Lucasfilm’s time. A trailer for the new film, complete with the title, has been cut and is waiting to roll out. Is today the day?

    Marvel Studios

    Kevin Feige does not do panels unless he can bring something special to the mix. He’ll be on stage in Brazil and will be joined by Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania director Peyton Reed and stars Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly and Jonathan Majors, whose Kang the Conqueror, a major piece of the Multiverse Saga plans, will be introduced in the film. The film comes out in just over two months on February 17, 2023, and a new trailer for it was just screened at an event in Singapore. Feige is bringing it with him and the only question is whether or not it’ll leave the screens at CCXP or be exclusive to the event. It’s very likely it’ll be playing in front of Avatar: The Way of Water, so even if it doesn’t get into the wild today, we’ll all see it soon.

    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will also get some attention at the panel, especially with Saldaña already in Brazil. Like Quantumania, new footage of it was shown in Singapore, so a trailer or some footage will be shown. The public has yet to see anything from the film, which is now just 6 months away from its May 5, 2023 release. While Marvel’s marketing window has been shorter recently, the same logic from above applies: they probably want this trailer in theaters with Avatar: The Way of Water.

    Loki Season 2 was also part of the panel in Singpore and the footage shown there featured Majors’ Kang the Conqueror. Fortunately, Majors is already there, so expect him to give an update on Loki and perhaps introduce a new trailer. The series comes out after Quantumania, sometime in the Summer of 2023, so its unlikely an exact release date will be given.

    Marvel Studios is also likely to at least talk about Secret Invasion and The Marvels, both of which are set for 2023 releases. At this point, it doesn’t seem likely that any major new announcements should be expected but rather just a showcase of 2023’s projects.

    Pixar

    Pixar will absolutely be showing off Elemental, the Peter Sohn-helmed film which is slated for a June 16, 2023 release. Here’s the official synopsis from Disney.com:

    Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” is an all-new, original feature film set in Element City, where fire-, water-, land- and air residents live together. The story introduces Ember, a tough, quick-witted and fiery young woman, whose friendship with a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in.

    Of course, there could always be surprises rolled out during such a long panel and Murphy’s Multiverse will be doing out best to share everything with you as it happens!

  • REVIEW: ‘Darby and the Dead’ Feels Familiar With a Strong Message

    REVIEW: ‘Darby and the Dead’ Feels Familiar With a Strong Message

    What happens if you combine Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Mean Girls, and add a splash of Ghost Whisperer? Well, you get Darby and the Dead. The story of Darby Harper (Riele Downs), a young teenage girl who has the ability to see the dead. After a tragic accident sees the most popular girl in school pass away (Auli’i Cravalho), Darby is forced with an unlikely tag-along as she tries to make sure her frenemy manages to pass on but gets more than she initially bargained for.

    The main concept is a fun idea to give the usual high school storylines an additional layer beyond the usual drama, but the film by Silas Howard is quite keen on trying to throw in as many ideas as possible. In addition to the “wacky” element of Darby seeing the dead, we also have her actively breaking the fourth wall throughout the story. It seems to imply we are also part of her gift, but it can sometimes be more distracting than anything else. Yet, it does also add some levity of social commentary regarding popular culture in high school. It only suffers from trying a bit too hard to replicate Ferris Bueller.

    That very element does have the advantage of living off of Downs‘ performance throughout the film. She’s definitely a highlight and even with a more clichéd direction at times, she still finds a way to balance her character’s development of not falling too much into Means Girls territory. It’s simply a shame that the story still relies mostly on familiar territory rather than taking it into a new direction with a premise of someone able to speak to the dead. Instead of exploring Cravalho‘s Capri from that perspective, we mostly follow the outcast to popular girl storyline throughout.

    One thing you can’t deny though is that the film has heart. It’s cheeky self-awareness be more a way to make use of the story’s trappings and build upon its characters. Darby is the main focus and the story doesn’t shy away from showing her as a flawed but well-meaning person. The story manages to find that balance that doesn’t turn it into a cautionary tale of popularity, but rather just showcasing that trying out new things is okay. Even with some of the usual story beats at play, the focus of this story and Darby’s development makes up for it in many ways. In times of resisting change, there’s something sweet of a story simply saying you don’t have to be popular but you shouldn’t close yourself off from the living either.

    These are elements that work quite in favor of the film’s way of riffing on the material. While it does follow similar plot beats, we get a twist on one of the usual romance storylines and another that is hinted at but never truly followed through with. So, it manages to avoid one cliché by simply being busy with other plot elements throughout its runtime. In turn, this works in favor of creating more believable reactions rather than something that feels like a forced plotline. Capri similar is able to avoid some aspects of the popular girl trope by simply being in a position that won’t let her fully fulfill that role. So, there are elements where its base premise works in favor of not completely falling into what you’d expect form this type of story.

    Even saying that, there’s still a lot of heart. Howard‘s direction adds some visually interesting shots and the way it handles her supernatural elements does make for some interesting set pieces. Even with some of my complaints, there’s still a self-awareness to the story that makes great use to it, especially when it comes to how Capri ends up passing away. It’s a light-hearted adventure that knows its mostly following in cliché territory. So, it makes great use of those story elements even if it’s not reinventing the wheel per say.

    Darby and the Dead is an enjoyable ride, but could’ve used a bit more dead and less high school. There’s an earnest attempt at using a clichéd storyline by adding a message that’s more realistic. While it didn’t always hit the mark, it’s central messaging is definitely worth praising. It’s okay to change and let go of the past while also still looking at it with fond memories. Letting go is part of the process and sometimes it’s the hardest thing to do, especially when you yourself have to embrace change.

  • ‘Darby and the Dead’ Star Opens Up on the Challenge of Breaking the Fourth Wall

    ‘Darby and the Dead’ Star Opens Up on the Challenge of Breaking the Fourth Wall

    As revealed in the trailers, Darby and the Dead features a lot of inspirations, especially from the many high school films that released throughout the years. But, one can easily tell that Ferris Bueller’s Day Off plays a big inspiration in how Darby Harper breaks the fourth wall throughout her misadventure with the dead. Actress Riele Downs had the challenge of not only speaking to the deceased but also the audience and it seems it took some time getting used to.

    As revealed during the official press conference for the film, Downs shared what it was like trying to communicate with the camera and “needing to play all these different beats” with whoever she had to interact in a specific scene. She’s an introverted character that is quite outspoken and that took some time to adapt to for Downs.

    Honestly, it was maybe a little difficult to adapt to at first, just, like, how much dialogue there was and needing to play all these different beats, and to Auli’i’s characters who was not supposed to even be visible by other people. So, a lot of different dynamics happening, but it became natural pretty quickly, believe it or not. I guess maybe being more of an introverted slash introspective person that sort of, you kind of live that out in your life anyway I guess a little bit.

    Riele Downs

    Adding the fact that she can see the dead that aren’t visible to others lends the film a certain unique challenge. We’ve seen the fourth wall being broken by quite a few characters, as it became popular once again with the arrival of Deadpool but it does add a unique take with Darby’s ability. So, it’ll be interesting to see how she brings it to life when Darby and the Dead release son Hulu on December 2nd.

  • James Cameron Has Plans for 6 ‘Avatar’ Sequels

    James Cameron Has Plans for 6 ‘Avatar’ Sequels

    If you’ve ever wondered just ho wmany Avatar films might be in our future, director James Cameron might have just the answer for you. As he’s busy promoting th erleease of the first sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, he has talked about his plans and just how far he hopes to push this new project. The first sequel alone is a big gamble, as the production budget is so high that without breaking $2 billion, he’d likely not be able to make more than a trilogy. Yet, while he already openly laid out his plans for four sequels, it seems he can go further.

    In an interview wiht The Hollywood Reporter, he highlighted that he’d likely be working on Avatar films until he’s 89, as he has ideas for a sixth and seventh film, but only if therE’s interest. He also highlighted that he would have a succession plan on a director that could continue his work and the 800-page diary that is filled with the extensive world-buliding he mapped out for the first entry.

    Obviously, I’m not going to be able to make Avatar movies indefinitely, the amount of energy required. I would have to train somebody how to do this because, I don’t care how smart you are as a director, you don’t know how to do this.

    James Cameron

    Cameron is famous for having a very specific vision for his projects. So, it’s not too surprising that he’ll likely not pass on the work to anyone without truly keeping a close eye on them. Ironically, he’s simlar to how Tom Cruise closely vets the people they work with, almost like they function as their own little production studio trying to keep a certain amount of quality control and direction alive.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Marvel Studios Debuts New Trailers for ‘Quantumania’, ‘Guardians’ and ‘Loki’ at APAC Showcase 2022

    Marvel Studios Debuts New Trailers for ‘Quantumania’, ‘Guardians’ and ‘Loki’ at APAC Showcase 2022

    If fans were wondering what they might expect at CCXP in Brazil this weekend, Marvel Studios seems to have given them a pretty big hint. Disney had a major presentation at the APAC Showcase 2022 in Singapore and while it wasn’t solely focused on Marvel Studios, the presentation gave fans in attendance a first look at 2023’s Phase 5 projects.

    According to a report from Geek Culture, brand new trailers were shown for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Loki Season 2 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The Disney Plus streaming series Secret Invasion and the Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels, were also part of the presentation, though the site reported that no new footage was shown though a release date “between June and August” is being reported elsewhere. Whether that’s just a guess because those are the Summer months or if that was stated at the presentation is still unclear.

    It’s been expected that a new trailer for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and the first trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 would be a part of Marvel Studios’ reported CCXP presentation in Brazil and the fact that they were rolled out in Singapore all but confirms it. A new look at Loki Season 2, which reportedly features Jonathan Majors‘ Kang the Conqueror, Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s Ravonna and a plethora of Variant Lokis who find themselves fighting in what’s likely the multiversal war He Who Remains warned of in Season 1.

    Photo Credit: Twitter User MJ Felipe

    Majors‘ Kang was definitely a focus of the presentation as the new trailer for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania reportedly showed an extended scene of the character negotiating with Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang. A similar scene played exclusively at D23, painting a chilling portrait of the character. Like the rest of the footage from the APAC Showcase, the new footage has not yet been released to the public, but with Quantumania headed to theaters in February following Avatar: The Way of Water, it is incredibly likely the new trailer will be officially released sometime in early December.

    Photo Credit: Twitter User MJ Felipe

    Finally, footage from May’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 played for the audience and revealed serious tension between Star-Lord and the Variant Gamora who now finds herself part of The Ravagers but with no interest in Quill’s affection. Much like the footage shown at D23, the APAC Showcase footage gave a brief glimpse of Will Poulter’s Adam Warlock and teased a look at the origins of Rocket. Like Quantumania, it’s possible that Disney might like the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 trailer to play in front of Avatar: The Way of Water, which is likely going to draw large audiences throughout early 2023.

    Photo Credit: Twitter User MJ Felipe
    Photo Credit: Twitter User MJ Felipe

    Though nothing new was revealed about Secret Invasion or The Marvels, it is interesting that the streaming series Echo was absent from the presentation. At last update, Echo was expected to stream on Disney Plus sometime after Secret Invasion and before Loki Season 2. Short of projects like Ironheart and Agatha: House of Harkness, which are expected to premiere in the fourth quarter of 2023, the APAC seemed to be a pretty comprehensive look at what 2023 has in store for Marvel Studios’ fans, making Echo’s exclusion a bit of an anomaly.

    Source: Geek Culture, MJ Felipe on Twitter