Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Netflix

  • ‘THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY’ Casts Its Sparrow Academy

    ‘THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY’ Casts Its Sparrow Academy

    After being renewed for a third season this past November, we now have further confirmation on how the cast for Umbrella Academy‘s new season will look like. The Hargreeves children discovered that their actions have led to a brand new timeline. This led up to the final scene of season two teasing the appearance of the Sparrow Academy. Following these events in Dallas, Sir Reginald got a glimpse of what the future held for both himself and his Umbrella Academy. In order to give himself a future, where he didn’t have to die in order to bring his estranged children back together, he decided to get different children altogether. As such, making up a team that would hopefully be able to avoid the apocalypse in a way the older ones couldn’t in the first season.

    This new team is now confirmed to feature Justin Cornwell, Genesis Rodriguez, Britne Oldford, Jake Epstein, and Cazzie David. Justin H. Min. will also be part of the ensemble after portraying the main timeline’s Ben Hargreeves in the first two seasons of the show. The third season, which will consist of 10 episodes, will hopefully begin production this February and will see the return of stars Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, Aidan Gallagher, Ritu Arya, David Casteneda, Emmy-Raver-Lampman, and Robert Sheehan. It will be interesting to see the conflict between these two families escalate throughout the next season, and how much it’ll follow the original comic. The Existential Dread Inducing Psykronium Cube is already going to be an interesting addition to an already crazy show.

    Source: Deadline

  • Rumor: Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones to appear in ‘SHE-HULK’

    Rumor: Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones to appear in ‘SHE-HULK’

    In 2019, Netflix released the third and final season of Marvel’s Jessica Jones. The series starred Krysten Ritter as detective Jessica Jones, a woman haunted by her traumatic past with extraordinary abilities. Jessica then settles in New York City after an accident ended her career as a superhero and she opened up Alias Investigations, her own detective agency focused on solving cases involving people who have special abilities like her.

    Jessica Jones season 3 finale recap: AKA Everything | EW.com

    Since her final appearance as the character, fans have been anxiously waiting to see whether or not Marvel Studios will step up to the plate and save the Netflix characters in some shape or form, and include them into the larger scale MCU. While fans may have to wait until February 2021 for the rights to Jessica Jones to revert back to Marvel Studios, we already may have our first hint at when this vigilante badass could pop up in the MCU.

     

    A tweet by @MarvelNewsHub, sourcing Daniel Richtman, states that Krysten Ritter is RUMORED to appear in the Disney+ streaming series She-Hulk, reprising her role as Jessica Jones for the Disney+ show.

    https://twitter.com/MarvelNewsHub/status/1348381482113372160?s=19

    Now, again, the keyword here is RUMORED. None of this has been confirmed, although Daniel’s reputation certainly precedes him. Nonetheless, if Ritter were to appear in the upcoming She-Hulk series, I’d expect her to appear as a rebooted version of the character, with no link to the previous Netflix version beyond the same actress portraying the character. It’s been already told multiple times that Kevin Feige is not interested in incorporating Loeb’s Marvel TV properties into the MCU, but he didn’t say anything about rebooting them. This isn’t the only time a Defender from Marvel TV has been brought into the MCU. An example of this is the news that our very own Charles V. broke regarding Charlie Cox appearing as Matt Murdock in the upcoming Spider-Man 3 film, due out 2021. Whatever the case may be, we’re definitely ready to see if this unbreakable superhero make her way back to our TV screens in 2022 when She-Hulk premieres on Disney+.

  • How Disney+ Impacted the Streaming Market With What Hulu Pioneered

    How Disney+ Impacted the Streaming Market With What Hulu Pioneered

    WandaVision is only a few more days away. We just got the first reactions to the show’s first three episodes, and it seems we are in for a curious mystery. The upcoming Marvel Studios’ series are embracing the weekly release model that Disney+ introduced with The Mandalorian. It was in stark contrast to Netflix’s approach, which made the concept of binge-watching a household regularity. They tend to release their eight- to thirteen-episode seasons in one day. So, anyone can sit down and watch the entire series in one sitting. It was the streaming standard for some time. Well, that was until The Mandalorian switched things up during the launch of Disney+ in 2019.

    The House of Mouse decided to release their episodes weekly in the same vein as classic television. It was a massive success for the new streaming service, as people were discussing the latest episode and reveal of the Child. Word-of-mouth would spread and add new subscribers to the platform, as everyone wanted to know why everyone is talking about Baby Yoda. Of course, the show hasn’t released every episode yet. So, each week would come with Social Media buzz, discussions, and theories. Disney+ didn’t invent the weekly release, as it was something another Disney-owned service had been doing for a while. Hulu has been a pioneer in this department by sticking to their weekly release schedule, which got highlighted in a 2015 review with Hulu’s VP, Craig Erwich:

    We value the shared experience and the joy of the water cooler that is television

     

     

    The buzz surrounding The Mandalorian was no small feat and quickly got Amazon’s attention. They then decided to release the second season of The Boys weekly to build up some hype with each episode’s release. It sounded great on paper, as they could add more relevance to the season’s overarching plot, but it ended up becoming quite the controversy. The series got review-bombed for taking this route. It was a considerable shift for the series, as the initial season was available to binge-watch on Day 1. Netflix has also been embracing a weekly release with a few shows, such as The Great British Baking Show in late 2019. Their dominant strategy will remain with binge releases, but it certainly proves Hulu was correct to stick to their guns.

    Now, why did this shift only really start to get traction across streaming markets after Disney+ copied Hulu’s model? Well, it most likely has to do with branding. Yes, it sounds a bit too simple, but Disney’s name gets a lot of attention. Hulu did have Disney-based intellectual properties, most notably Runaways, but didn’t have the same kind of build-up. It also is only available in the United States, so the buzz that existed was strictly kept to local markets. Disney+ was smart and focused on popular IP-based series, such as The Mandalorian building on the hype of being the first live-action Star Wars series. They also are very deliberate with pointing out that WandaVision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and the many other future Marvel shows are marketed as Marvel Studios’ productions.

     

     

    It also has the selling factor of being a hub for all Disney IPs alongside the promise of high-quality productions. You have a perfect recipe for a new streaming service to enter the market and disrupt it. 72.4 million new subscribers by November are proof of that. Hulu’s limited availability also is a key factor here. Instead of expanding the brand, Disney is more focused on adding its content library to Disney+ through the STAR brand, which will help boost its standing internationally. Netflix will most likely stick to their binge format, but we could see them explore this concept with other shows. Amazon’s test with The Boys‘ second season was certailny successful. It was so popular enough to give Netflix’s highest-rated shows some fierce competition. Disney+ may not have revolutionized the streaming market, but it certainly left quite an impact on how others in the market will approach their scheduling moving forward.

    Source: Forbes, Variety, The Wrap, Business Insider, Forbes

  • Pitching a ‘God of War’ Series

    Pitching a ‘God of War’ Series

    Long ago, in 2005 A.C., Santa Monica Studios unveiled a story that marked the video game industry forever with their game, God of War. It was the story of Kratos, a Spartan General with a thirst for war and a champion to the Gods. As the years went by, the game developed into one of the most critically acclaimed video-game franchises of all time. Multiple games from the story have gone on to win Game of the Year, and the original God of War game has even been named one of the best PlayStation 2 games of all time. So, with Sony recently announcing that they will be developing seven TV Shows and three films based on their library of games, I’m here to pitch God of War as one of the seven series that is currently in development.

     

    Why a series instead of a film?

     

    One of the biggest challenges when adapting a story is the limited runtime of cinema. It tends to put a heavy constraint on the story that the film tries to tell. God of War would need to branch out beyond these restrictions. An example of an adaptation that did really with this format is Netflix’s The Witcher. I like the idea of a series is that you can play around more with the storytelling meta. For the series, I would love to create a sort of modern retelling of old Greek myths. Greek myths are told in verse, with muses serving as narrators (such as Disney’s Hercules for example). A great narrator for this series would be the original one from the games, the titan Gaia. I’ll be splitting up the story into three distinct seasons to follow the classic three-act structure.

     

    Season 1: The Rise

     

    The first season will focus on the games God of War: Ascension, Chains of Olympus, and the original God of War game. The season starts with the telling of a terrible prophecy. The Father of the Gods, Zeus, learns that he will die at the hands of one of his sons, the marked warrior. We begin the series with the abduction of Kratos’ brother Deimos, and his growth into the famed Spartan Captain. We will see Kratos pledge his allegiance to the God of War, Ares, in exchange for the power to slay his enemies. As Ares’ servant, he went on to conquer anything in his sight. That was until Ares tricked him into killing his own wife and daughter. The ashes of his wife and daughter form a white layer above his skin, marking him with his failure.

    Kratos vows to exact revenge against Ares and pledges allegiance to the Gods of Olympus. During his quest to have his sins forgiven and erased from his mind, he carries out multiple tasks and killing various mythological Greek creatures in the name of Mount Olympus, eventually enacting his revenge on Ares and killing him by using the power within the Pandora’s Box. In the end, even after killing Ares, the memories of killing his wife and child will continue to haunt him for all eternity. Seeing no other alternative, Kratos attempts to end his life, but the Goddess Athena has other plans and grants him a chair as one of the Gods of Olympus, as the brand new God of War.

     

    Season 2: The Betrayal

     

    The second season is based on the God of War: Ghost of Sparta storyline and leads into God of War II. For the first half of Season 2, we’ll focus on Ghost of Sparta, where Kratos finds out that his mother is alive and held prisoner in Atlantis’ Temple of Poseidon. There he uncovers that his brother Deimos is alive and trapped in the Realm of the Dead. Tragically, his mother transforms into an evil creature, which forces him to kill her. Kratos makes his way to free Deimos from his prison. He accomplishes his task, but bad blood between them leads to Deimos attempting to kill his younger brother. Suddenly, Thanatos takes him away and plunges him off the highest cliff in the realm. Kratos manages to save his brother, and they both reconcile to take on the God of Death. They are victorious, but Deimos dies in battle. This final death is the moment when Kratos swears his vengeance upon Olympus. 

    Kratos aids his Spartan army in their conquest of Greece. This act leads the Goddess Athena to plead to Kratos not to go through with this plan, as it will anger the Greek deities. In his rage, Kratos refuses to listen to reason, and he heads to the city of Rhodes. His attack is interrupted by Zeus, who finally makes his debut to confront the Spartan God. He strips Kratos of his powers and kills him using the famed Blade of Olympus, sending him to the underworld once more. Suddenly, our narrator Gaia feels that she cannot allow Kratos’s story to end here and aids him in his quest to defeat Zeus. Gaia revives Kratos and leads him to the Island of Creation, where he must find the Sisters of Fate and travel back in time to stop Zeus before he dies.

    Using the Thread of Fate, he accomplishes his task and claims the Blade of Olympus, but before he can deliver the final blow, Athena casts herself between the two and sacrifices her life. When Kratos asks why she did this, she says she did it to prevent the cycle of fathers killing their sons, revealing that Kratos is indeed the son of Zeus. Wounded, Zeus retreats to Mount Olympus to rally the other gods in an attempt to stop Kratos once and for all. Meanwhile, he once again uses the Thread of Fate to bring the Titans to the present timeline. The season ends the same way God of War II ended. Kratos leads the Titan Army up Mount Olympus to face the gods of Olympus.

     

    Final Season: The War

     

    The final season is essentially ripped straight from God of War III. This season will have the most effects work in it. It kicks off right where the last one ended. Kratos is scaling Mount Olympus to face off against the Gods alongside his army of Titans. During this season, we’ll see Kratos’ pent up rage and anger finally take hold, as he kills the Gods one by one. He’s aided by the Ghost of Athena, who sends him on a quest to find and put out the Flame of Olympus, which is powered by Pandora, whose box he used to kill Ares in the first season. Along the way, he makes his wrath felt across Olympus by killing anyone who stands in his way, both Gods and Titans alike. Kratos’s murderous rampage let him take on Poseidon, Hades, Helios, Perseus, Hercules, Hermes, Cronos, Hephaestus, Hera, and Gaia, who all fall before Kratos finally manages to take on Zeus. Blinded by his rage, he does not realize what plagues he unleashed upon Greece. Kratos finally reaches the Flame of Olympus, and Pandora sacrifices herself to quench the Flame. Then, the final battle begins as father and son take each other on for the fate of the world.

    Kratos manages to win the battle, but Greece is left in ruin by his actions. Upon seeing the end of the world, Kratos has his final encounter with the Ghost of Athena. She asks Kratos to hand her over the power he used to kill Zeus, a weapon that she put in Pandora’s Box along with the Flame of Olympus. Kratos, however, tells her that the box was empty. She realizes that when he opened Pandora’s Box in the first season, he unknowingly released an evil. It infected all the Gods of Olympus. This is why Zeus and the rest of the Gods were out to kill Kratos in the first place. The power he had taken was Hope. She begs him to return the power, so she can rebuild everything. Since Kratos no longer trusts any of the Gods, he stabs himself with the Blade of Olympus, releasing it into the world. Instead of returning it to Athena, he gives it to the rest of the world. The Goddess takes the Blade of Olympus and leaves Kratos to die. Yet, after the credits, his body has strangely vanished, opening up to exploring more stories in the future.

     

    Source: IGN

  • What I Loved in 2020

    What I Loved in 2020

    2020 has been quite the year, and that may be an understatement. Still, even throughout the pandemic and other crazy happenings, life goes on. I think many of us have uncovered a wide selection of media to keep us going. As such, I thought with the year ending, let’s take a look back at some positive things that helped me get through the year. As such, here are four stories that stuck with me even until the year came to an end and helped me not lose my sanity. Keep in mind that not everything on the list will be from 2020. I had to catch up on some things throughout the year. So, being stuck at home did have its advantages. So, without further ado, here are the things I loved about 2020.

     

    Love after World Domination

     

    Have you ever wondered about what would happen if Rita Repulsa was a high school student and fell in love with one of the Power Rangers? Well, you are in luck, as author Noda Hiroshi and artist Wakamatsu Takahiro have created just that story. The manga Love after World Domination (恋は世界征服のあとで) got released in 2019, but I didn’t find it until April. It focuses on the group Gerato 5, who are trying to keep world peace alive while fighting the evil society only known as Gecko. One of their leaders, Magahara Desumi, ends up falling in love with the Gelato Red Ranger, Aikawa Fudou. As they are from two sides of the conflict, they use their various clashes to sneak away on small dates. The monthly series parodies Super Sentai, which is the basis for the Western Power Rangers while giving a lighthearted romantic comedy. It humanizes the villains in a way that makes them just as endearing as the members of Gelato 5. Just like us in 2020, we are all just trying to keep everything together as best as possible while facing incredible odds.

     

    The Queen’s Gambit

     

    I think pretty much everyone has been praising this series, but I just had to throw in my two cents as well. Netflix is a fascinating streaming service. As the most dominant streaming service, they do not have to rely on pre-existing intellectual properties like HBO Max or Disney+. Yet, they somehow are obsessed with purchasing the rights to well-known properties, even though they have some truly stand-out original series. Among them is this year’s sleeper hit The Queen’s Gambit. Scott Frank and Allan Scott introduce us to chess prodigy Beth Harmon, who is played by Anya Taylor-Joy. After the tragic loss of her mother, she uncovers her talent with the board game. The story is based on the 1983 novel by Walter Tevis, which I confess I have never read but certainly will do now. What makes this series stand out is Taylor-Joy‘s performance combined with the slow breakdown of a prodigy. She faces her inner demons, addiction, and what it means to be the best. The mini-series teaches us a lesson I believe we all needed to hear in such a year. Sometimes we lose ourselves in those that seem to be perfect in the eye of the public but may not realize how much pressure lies on their shoulders.

     

    Final Fantasy VII Remake

     

    In my opinion, Final Fantasy VII Remake is the best 2020 release. I do confess I have a strange history with the Final Fantasy franchise. I did not grow up with the original version of VII. Actually, my first Final Fantasy game was the ninth entry that I played at a friend’s place. It wasn’t until the tenth that I played through an entire game. I got hooked ever since. My introduction to Cloud and Sephiroth was actually through Kingdom Hearts, which sparked my interest in these characters. So, I went into the game already knowing the story without ever playing the original. We knew that the remake would have a stronger emphasis on the Midgar arc, which was the intro to the original game. I loved the idea as it allows them to flesh out the city and its inhabitants before it opens up to the rest of the world. Luckily, the game did exactly that and even went a few steps further. The retooled combat system was a refreshing combination of classic RPG turn-based combat and action. The performances for these incarnations of the characters were some of the best in the industry. It certainly made me anxious for what the future may hold and helped me through the beginning of the first lockdown. I could get lost in the city of Midgar and forget I was stuck at home for who knows how long.

     

    Soul

     

    Now, to cap off the year, let’s talk about the most recent release. Charles already prepared a great review of the film, but after just watching it, I just had to talk about it too. Pixar’s latest film, Soul, is a beautifully done story about purpose. It focuses on a music teacher Joe, who prematurely dies just as he believes he has found his dream to play in a jazz band. His journey into the afterlife leads him to meet 22, who gets dragged into a wacky adventure about finding the spark that inspires your life. It tackles the many questions of our existence in a light-hearted but relevant manner. It doesn’t shy away from making its audience question what was their spark. We felt sympathy with Joe, as many of us lost our path far away from the passion that once drove us. Many moments in this film hit me personally. As someone struggling to find a way into a creative industry, you never realize you lose sight of everything around you. You become so obsessed with the end goal that you forgot the experiences along the way. If you ever needed a film that makes you feel that 2021 is a new beginning, this is the film for you.

  • ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Netflix Series in Development

    ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Netflix Series in Development

    Here’s an interesting surprise that may have accidentally leaked ahead of The Video Game Awards. Netflix shared a tweet that revealed they are working on a brand new 3D animated series together with SEGA, WildBrain, and Man Of Action Entertainment. It is set to debut in 2022. There are no exact details given so it doesn’t look like it will be connected to the films or even the games’ ongoing conflict. We are still waiting for any news regarding the follow-up to Sonic Forces, so this might also tie into that game similar to the Boom spin-off.

     

     

    Sonic Boom was an American-French produced show that featured the redesigns of the Boom reboot. Ironically, the series was well-received while the games were hit by heavy criticism. The blue blur has a long history with animated projects dating all the way back to 1993. It also had a second series at the time titled SatAM due to it taking on the Saturday morning timeslot. There was also Sonic Underground that completely revamped Sonic’s origin back in 1999.

    He has quite an extensive history, so it isn’t surprising that they are giving a new animated series a shot. The collaboration with Netflix is a huge step that could mean it’ll have a much bigger budget. Man of Action Entertainment has worked on a variety of shows, such as Ben 10, Big Hero 6, and The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Hopefully, this show takes inspiration from SatAM and the Archie comics, which have featured some darker storylines. WildBrain is also involved, who specialize in child-friendly content so that seems rather unlikely. Guess I’ll have to wait longer until Scourge the Hedgehog makes an appearance outside of the comics. Still, it is interesting that the tweet got deleted shortly after it was published so we’ll see when it’ll be announced during the Game Awards.

    Source: Tails Channel

  • ‘COBRA KAI’’s Latest Trailer Confirms Tamlyn Tomita and Yuji Okumoto Return

    ‘COBRA KAI’’s Latest Trailer Confirms Tamlyn Tomita and Yuji Okumoto Return

    The new trailer for season three of The Karate Kid spin-off Cobra Kai is has been released. The new footage confirms the Murphy’s Multiverse exclusive that both Tamlyn Tomita and Yuji Okumoto will be indeed returning to the franchise, portraying Kumiko and Chozen Toguchi, their characters from the 1986 sequel The Karate Kid Part II.

    The third season of the former YouTube Red series is now set to bring back two of Daniel LaRusso’s love-interests from the movies with Elizabeth Shue is also set to be coming back as Ali Mills, who we first saw in 1984’s The Karate Kid. It will be interesting to see how they play into the overarching story, but the trailer is promising quite a lot of drama and action. The inclusion of many classic characters from the franchise does open up the possibility of others following suit. Makes you wonder if they will get Hillary Swank to return as Julie Pierce from The Next Karate Kid in a future season. I’d love a cameo from Jackie Chan, who played Mr. Han in the 2010 remake.

    Netflix has already renewed it for a fourth season before the third even aired, so they have a lot of hopes for this series’ future. Cobra Kai season three is set to premiere this January on Netflix, but they have yet to reveal a final release date. Going by the latest trailer, it seems they will release it on New Years’, or at least shortly after. So, we’ll have a great new series to kickstart 2021, as we’ll once again see the return of Ralph Macchio and William Zabka in their iconic roles.

    Source: Twitter

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘KARATE KID 2’ Stars Tamlyn Tomita, Yuji Okumoto Join ‘COBRA KAI’ Season 3

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘KARATE KID 2’ Stars Tamlyn Tomita, Yuji Okumoto Join ‘COBRA KAI’ Season 3

    Ever since it was teased that Season 3 of Cobra Kai would see Daniel LaRusso head back to Okinawa, Japan, fans have been anticipating the return of 2 major characters from 1986’s The Karate Kid 2: Kumiko, Daniel’s love interest in the sequel, and the arrogant baddie, Chozen. We are able to confirm that both Tamlyn Tomita and Yuji Okumoto did in fact return to reprise their roles as Kumiko and Chozen, respectively, and will join Elisabeth Shue as members of the original Karate Kid casts returning to the streaming series!

    Eagle-eyed fans believed they spotted Chozen in the Season 3 trailer and we can confirm that they were correct.

    Both Chozen and Kumiko will come back into Daniel’s life as business with the LaRusso Auto Group takes him back to Japan. A chance meeting with Kumiko, a reunion with Chozen and a valuable secret are all a part of LaRusso’s Japanese adventure.

    Cobra Kai Season 3 is set to stream on Netflix beginning January 8, 2021!

     

     

  • Exploring ‘Daredevil’s Future Beyond Its Netflix Run

    Exploring ‘Daredevil’s Future Beyond Its Netflix Run

    For those out there hoping to support the return of Netflix’s Daredevil, be sure to check out the site SaveDaredevil.com. They’ve probably been campaigning for its return since its cancellation, so be sure to give them a visit while you’re at it!

     

    It is crazy to think that Daredevil‘s third season aired two years ago. Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio reminded us why they were the perfect duo to take on the dynamic between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk. The original Netflix deal was massive, as they signed up for four series consisting of 13 episodes. Not just that, they also made a deal to film most of the series directly in New York City, where it would all lead up to a The Defenders crossover. It was going to be the small-screen Avengers built on Marvel’s Television division. Right now, Netflix still held a tight grip on the rights to all franchisees that aired on the streaming service. So, many of us were waiting for the moment they could return. Supposedly, the rights return two years after it aired its final episode, and we are finally at that point. So, let us look at how exactly Daredevil could become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

     

     

    Now, like many, I want the core cast to return. Charlie Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, and Elden Henson were outstanding. Matt Murdock is always conflicted between the devil calling him to defend the streets, but also his human need for a normal life. He is nothing without Karen Page and Foggy Nelson keeping him centered, as he balances being a lawyer and vigilante. Of course, there is also Vincent D’Onofrio‘s Wilson Fisk, who may be one of the best Marvel villains brought into live-action. Also, I hope we also see the return of Ayelet Zurer‘s Vanessa. Her relationship with Fisk elevated it in unique ways and managed to humanize all of Fisk’s actions in an interesting way. While we’re at it, Wilson Bethel deserves more time as Bullseye, just saying. Now that Jamie Foxx is going to return as Electro in Spider-Man‘s still-untitled third entry, there is no excuse that they can’t have the iconic cast return.

    There is, sadly, one major issue of continuing the series where it originally ended. I don’t believe that every part of The Defenders will remain the same. Most notably, there is a good chance that Iron Fist will get a complete reboot. Out of all of the Netflix series, it felt like it was trying its hardest to avoid the aspects that made the character unique, which may be something that Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige wants to change. Yet, a massive part of the crossover was how the main antagonists, the Hand, had strong ties to K’un-Lun, where Danny Rand gained his magical fist. Maybe this time we get to visit the hidden city. Daredevil‘s third season has built on the events that transpired during Netflix’s mini-series. If it weren’t for the four vigilantes taking on a group of supernatural ninjas, we wouldn’t have had Matt’s reawakening that would lead to him taking on his original mantle.

     

     

    As I write that, it doesn’t mean it is impossible, just that it may not fit into Feige‘s plans. Plus, they seem to have mapped out quite a bit ahead, as plenty of series and films are about to enter production. So, we might not see anything related to any of the Netflix series by the latest of 2023 or even 2024. Now, there is a way that it could work to integrate the events from all Defenders into the mainline MCU overarching storyline. The approach is simple: all of them are already active once we meet them again. It would be a similar approach to that of The Incredible Hulk. Yes, Mark Ruffalo looks nothing like Edward Norton, but the storyline mainly remained the same. So, why couldn’t everything from Daredevil‘s first season up until Jessica Jones‘ final season has taken place in the same timeline with some slight alterations?

    Even if someone else takes over the role of Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, or Luke Cage, the main events still occurred. Viewers are technically familiar with what transpired. They can make references to past events as an easy recap for newer viewers. They can also leave some aspects vague to adapt it to fit the new narrative. There is no need to rehash Murdock’s origin story again besides showcasing some of the emotional cores that defined him. Netflix could be part of a different dimension, as the mainline MCU’s events were similar in most places.

     

     

    They did something similar with Spider-Man: Homecoming, where they built on everyone’s understanding of the character’s core principles. It was a popular show on Netflix, so there is no need to retread old ground. That would only be necessary if Feige had any plans to reuse the Hand in different ways. Even if they don’t continue the storyline set up by the first three seasons of Netflix, they can still use people’s understanding of the characters to move forward rather than retread familiar ground once again. We also saw the advantage of an ongoing format for the characters, so it would be a waste not to continue the series on Disney+, especially when they are exploring darker characters like Moon Knight on the platform. Their introduction though could open up the potential to having them crossover into films, which seems to be the plan for many of the streaming characters. Either way, if Marvel Studios decides to move forward, I hope to see this amazing cast return so that they can continue the story where they left off.

    Source: Digital Spy

  • ‘The Mandalorian’: First Disney+ Show to Join Nielsen’s Top 10 Streaming List

    ‘The Mandalorian’: First Disney+ Show to Join Nielsen’s Top 10 Streaming List

    It’s been a big year for streaming services. As most people were stuck at home, they used the time to catch up on the latest shows by Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and more. These services do not provide much insight into how their shows are doing, so we depend on external analysts to give us a feeling if our favorite show is popular or not. Well, according to Nielsen, it looks like Disney+ has finally been able to join the top ten, as The Mandalorian has taken the third spot right behind The Office and Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit. It is the first time a Disney+ series was able to join the list.

    The show was watched for over 1 billion minutes, which will only increase from here. Keep in mind this only accounts for the week of October 26th. So, it only takes into account the first season and the second season’s premiere episode. As such, it only counts the first nine episodes of the series’ run. Its performance wasn’t so far off from The Office, which consists of 192 episodes in total. As such, it does not include episodes that include the appearance of fan-favorite characters or the hype it built around Thanksgiving weekend.

    The Queen’s Gambit was also a massive success for Netflix, as it has managed to garner 1,850M viewed minutes since it released at the end of October. The rest of the list mostly consists of shows that are available via Netflix, such as Schitt’s Creek, Holidate, Grey’s Anatomy, and many more. It’ll be interesting to see if WandaVision will also join the list once it released in January.

    Source: Variety