Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: News

  • Disney+ Quietly Boardroom-Testing a ‘Free Tier’ Option to Combat YouTube and Tubi

    Disney+ Quietly Boardroom-Testing a ‘Free Tier’ Option to Combat YouTube and Tubi

    The Great Streaming Paywall of the Walt Disney Company is officially showing its first major cracks. According to a report published by Business Insider, Disney executives are actively engaged in early-stage exploratory discussions to introduce a completely free, fully ad-supported tier to Disney+.

    The strategic pivot comes as the House of Mouse faces a systemic migration of younger civilian television audiences away from traditional subscription apps and straight into the waiting arms of completely free video giants like YouTube, Tubi, and The Roku Channel.

    The veil was lifted yesterday during a virtual streaming town hall meeting. Disney Entertainment’s newly installed Chief Product & Technology Officer, Adam Smith, openly addressed the workforce regarding plans to enable a dedicated “free-tier content ecosystem” natively inside the core app interface.

    While Smith did not commit to an immediate, hard rollout calendar or outline the precise geographic markets targeted for the trial, sources confirm the trial is a high priority.

    The financial catalyst behind this boardroom shift is laid bare by the latest domestic audience tracking. For the past three years, subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms have aggressively hiked baseline monthly fees while purging library content, inadvertently creating massive consumer price-sensitivity.

    According to definitive Nielsen tracking metrics cited in the report, Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) ecosystems and algorithmic giants like YouTube captured a staggering 18.7% of total U.S. television watch time. That represents an alarming, steady market-share climb from 16.8% and 12.7% over consecutive historical cycles.

    Quite simply: millions of casual viewers are deciding that watching commercials for free beats paying $12.99 to $19.99 a month to see corporate banners.

    Source: Business Insider

  • DC Reveals SDCC 2026 Plans: Retro 1950s Silver Age Booth, Absolute Universe Exclusives, and Heavy-Hitter Panels

    DC Reveals SDCC 2026 Plans: Retro 1950s Silver Age Booth, Absolute Universe Exclusives, and Heavy-Hitter Panels

    San Diego Comic-Con is right around the corner, and DC is setting up to take over the convention floor with a massive wave of nostalgia and highly anticipated future looks.

    The publisher has officially unveiled its full programming lineup, booth activities, and convention exclusives for Comic-Con International 2026. This year, the publisher is continuing its decade-by-decade countdown toward DC Comics’ historic 100th anniversary by transforming Booth #4544 into an immersive, retro celebration of the 1950s Silver Age.

    Starting Thursday, July 25, the 1950s-themed DC Booth will host a full weekend of interactive programming, creator meet-and-greets, and photo ops. Fans can step into a stylized era honoring milestones like the debuts of Barry Allen’s Flash (Showcase #4) and Supergirl (Action Comics #252).

    Additionally, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood is bringing an immersive Fortress of Solitude backdrop inspired by Superman’s icy headquarters, complete with a custom Superman Experience #1 comic book giveaway.

    If you are hunting down exclusive comics, your wallet is in serious danger. DC is bringing premium foil-stamped convention variants for its red-hot Absolute line alongside special compiled editions:

    • Foil Variants ($15 each): Absolute Batman #1 (J. Scott Campbell), Absolute Superman #1 (Terry Dodson), Absolute Wonder Woman #1 (Mark Brooks), Absolute Catwoman #1 (Jay Anacleto), and Absolute Green Arrow #1 (Rafael Albuquerque).
    • Hardcover Collection Exclusives: Hardcover standard editions of Absolute Batman Vol. 1: The Zoo, Absolute Superman Vol. 1: The Last Dust of Krypton, and Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon will all feature stunning custom convention variant dust jackets drawn by Dan Mora.

    The core of DC’s presentation will take place across several powerhouse panels inside the San Diego Convention Center rooms, breaking down what’s next for the All In initiative and the Absolute Universe. Key talent scheduled to appear includes:

    • The Absolute Architects: Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta (Absolute Batman), Joshua Williamson (Superman), Mark Waid (Action Comics), and Tom King (Wonder Woman).
    • The “Jim Lee & Friends” Panel: DC President, Publisher, and CCO Jim Lee will anchor his signature spotlight panel, promising major creative announcements and surprise guest appearances detailing upcoming media integrations.

    For a heartwarming bonus, Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines will return to the DC Booth for a special two-day appearance. Fans can meet DC’s sponsored litter of service puppies-in-training, playfully named after the pillars of the universe: Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Kara Zor-El, Krypto, and Lobo. Artist Chrissie Zullo will also be on hand Sunday morning for a special signing of Krypto: Home Sweet Krypto.

    Between the massive Absolute showcase, the 1950s tribute styling, and exclusive apparel lines for Lanterns and Clayface, DC is going, well, All In for SDCC 2026.

    Source: DC.com

  • ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 3 Set Photos Reveal a Major Defenders-Verse Character’s Return to Hell’s Kitchen

    ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 3 Set Photos Reveal a Major Defenders-Verse Character’s Return to Hell’s Kitchen

    Not even Daredevil and Defenders star Elodie Yung was sure what ultimate fate befell Elektra Natchios following her appearances in Netflix’s Defenders-verse series…now it seems she–and everyone else is about to find out.

    With Kingpin in exile and Matt Murdock behind bars, the return of Elektra in Marvel Studios Daredevil: Born Again seemed inevitable and now, set photos have confirmed that the former leader of the Hand will indeed factor into Season 3. Photos and videos from the New York City set of the series have provided the first look at Yung‘s return to Hell’s Kitchen.

    Seen wielding her trademaek sais and sporting a new costume reminiscent of the character’s look from Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto acclaimed Daredevil run, Elektra was caught heading into an entrance to an unknown location the same night a bloodied Wilson Fisk makes his return to New York.

    After dying in the Daredevil Season 2 finale, Elektra’s corpse was placed in a resurrection chamber by the Hand. She is brought back as an empty vessel with no memories of her past life. The Hand’s leadership, led by Alexandra Reid, trained Elektra to be their ultimate weapon. However, as Elektra interacted with Matt Murdock, her past memories began to return. She turned on her captors, killing Stick and Alexandra to assert her own independence.

    Seeking to use the Hand’s secrets of immortality, Elektra attempted to force Matt to leave Hell’s Kitchen with her. During the final battle of The Defenders, Elektra and Matt fought beneath Midland Circle but when explosives were detonated to destroy the dragon bones underneath, the building collapsed, leaving both trapped in the rubble. While Matt managed to survive, Elektra’s fate was left ambiguous…until now.

    Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 is expected to stream on D+ in March 2027.

  • New ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Footage Said to Add Critical Link to ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    New ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Footage Said to Add Critical Link to ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

    When Avengers: Endgame hits theaters again this fall, it won’t be the same film fans saw in 2019. According to director Joe Russo, fans will be getting an all-new, all-different version of the film which will include footage set within the narrative of Avengers: Doomsday.

    “It’s critically important to re-release the movie, and, in fact, we’ll be re-releasing the film with footage that is set in the Doomsday story that we have added to Avengers: Endgame,” explained Joe Russo.

    “It’s an opportunity to create a bridge from Endgame to Doomsday in a very unique way, and because the movie was so successful, we have an opportunity to re-release it. You don’t always get the chance to re-release because it costs money, so the fact that we can enhance the story of Doomsday by bridging it to Endgame and these characters that we worked with for years that we love so much, and continue their story: It’s a really unique opportunity.”

    As Russo explained further, he described the Avengers: Endgame re-release as a “critical companion story” and a “setup for what you’re gonna watch in December when you see Avengers Doomsday.”

    With Chris Evans back in a central role, one can imagine that at least some of the new footage would address Steve Rogers journey through time and which, if any, Avengers, might have known about it.

    Avengers: Endgame will be back in theaters on September 25th and Avengers: Doomsday will follow on December 18th.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Daredevil:Born Again’: BTS Photos Confirms the Return of a Pair of Major Characters for Season 3

    ‘Daredevil:Born Again’: BTS Photos Confirms the Return of a Pair of Major Characters for Season 3

    With Marvel Television intent on producing new season of Daredevil: Born Again on an annual cadence, fans will continue to run the risk of learning information about each “next” season before the “current” season completes its run. While it’s easy enough to avoid major spoilers (and as Season 2 will prove, easy enough for the studio to keep major reveals away from the public eye), it’s impossible to keep everything under wraps when much of the series is filmed on the streets of New York City. And with filming on Season 3 underway, a pair of major characters have been confirmed to return to your small screens in 2027.

    Behind the scenes photos from the NYC set have revealed that both Krysten Ritter‘s Jessica Jones and Deborah Ann Woll‘s Karen Page will not only be back for Season 3 but will be sharing scenes…with no sign that Charlie Cox‘s Matt Murdock will be joining them.

    Karen Page and

    Shared by Daredevil Shots, the new photos reveal trailers for “Jessica Jones” and “Karen” and “JJ” (reported to be the stunt double for Ritter).

    It’s been made clear by Marvel’s streaming skipper Brad Winderbaum that fans should expect more Jessica Jones stories in the future and the photos confirm that at least some portion of those will be told in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3.

  • ‘ViSiONQUΞST’ Lands ‘The Penguin’ Composer Mick Giacchino

    ‘ViSiONQUΞST’ Lands ‘The Penguin’ Composer Mick Giacchino

    If there’s one thing Marvel Studios has mastered lately, it’s the art of the creative upgrade. While we’re all waiting to see exactly how Paul Bettany’s White Vision finds his soul (and his sons) in the upcoming VisionQuest streaming series, the production has just locked in one of its most important voices yet.

    According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Emmy-winning composer Mick Giacchino has been enlisted to score the series.

    The name Giacchino carries a lot of weight in the halls of Marvel and Disney. Mick is the son of legendary composer Michael Giacchino, the man responsible for the iconic scores of Doctor Strange, the studio’s Spider-Man trilogy, and Thor: Love and Thunder.

    But Mick isn’t just riding on his father’s coattails. He’s been carving out his own path in the genre space. Mick just won an Emmy for his incredible, brooding work on HBO’s The Penguin. If you loved the way that score made Gotham feel like a living, breathing weight on Oz Cobb’s shoulders, you know what he brings to the table. He’s also no stranger to the Disney machine, having recently composed the score for the Amblin-esque Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

    With VisionQuest set to be one of Marvel Television’s weirdest series to date–a sort of techno-philosophica journey that needs a score capable of feeling both cold and deeply alive, Mick’s penchant for quirky, neo-nostalgic themes might be the perfect fit.

    This is a show about the Marvel AIs. You do get to see robot Ultron, but you see a lot of James Spader and a lot of Paul Bettany together. They are very much a core dynamic of the show.

    -Terry Matalas

    This hire confirms that Marvel is treating VisionQuest as a premium event. By pairing a writer like Terry Matalas with a composer like Giacchino, they are aiming for the same prestige level that made WandaVision a cultural phenomenon. With James Spader returning as Ultron, the soundscape for this show needs to be massive, and Mick has proven he can handle the pressure of legacy characters.

    Source: THR

  • ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Script Credit Sparks Further Concerns

    ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Script Credit Sparks Further Concerns

    We are officially two months away from the theatrical return of Star Wars, and while the marketing for The Mandalorian and Grogu is ramping up with shiny Empire Magazine covers and LEGO reveals, a new development behind the scenes is giving some fans a reason to pause.

    A new listing from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has finally confirmed the screenwriting team for the May 22 release. While Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are the expected architects, a third name has appeared on the masthead: Noah Kloor.

    The Boba Fett Connection

    For those of you who don’t spend your nights memorizing the production credits of the Mandoverse, Kloor’s name carries a specific weight. He was a staff writer on every single episode of The Book of Boba Fett—a series that remains the most divisive entry in the New Republic era.

    While Kloor also contributed to The Mandalorian Season 3–specifically co-writing the stellar and illuminating episode “The Convert”–, his involvement as a primary co-writer on the film sparked concerns over a specific creative pipeline.

    While Kloor‘s involvement is not necessarily an indicator of anything treacherous, Star Wars fans are Star Wars fans, after all. Kloor’s presence suggests that the movie may feel more like an event miniseries than a standalone cinematic epic and for a film that fans are already waxing negatively about, it may not be the way. On the other hand, bringing Kloor onto a project set to feature the Hutt twins–who debuted in The Book of Boba Fett–could simply be a smart move intended to ensure attention to continuity

  • Power! Unlimited Power! Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan Set to Replace Kathleen Kennedy Atop Lucasfilm

    Power! Unlimited Power! Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan Set to Replace Kathleen Kennedy Atop Lucasfilm

    Everything is proceeding as many have forseen. Following an extended period of speculation and rumors, a new report claims that the heir to George Lucas’ empire, Lucasfilm’s creative Grand Admiral Dave Filoni, will soon be named co-President of the company alongside Lynwen Brennan as Kathleen Kennedy steps down from the role.

    The news comes from Matt Belloni who reports that Lucasfilm will confirm the moves in “the next week or two.”

    Filoni, the creator behind Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels and Ahsoka, has served as Lucasfilm’s Chief Creative Office since November 2023 and will remain in command of the “creative direction of the franchise in film, television, and any other platforms in the galaxy.” Brennan, who was named Executive Vice President and General Manager of Lucasfilm by Kennedy in 2015, is expected to continue coordinating the business side of things for the studio.

    Kennedy‘s career at Lucasfilm began in 2012 when she was handpicked by George Lucas to serve as co-chair before the company’s acquisition by The Walt Disney Company. Following the sale, she was promoted to President, overseeing Lucasfilm’s primary divisions, including Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Skywalker Sound. Under her leadership, the studio revitalized the Star Wars franchise, launching a sequel trilogy that began with the record-breaking The Force Awakens (2015) and continued with The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Beyond the Skywalker Saga, Kennedy shepherded standalone “anthology” films such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) as well as the return of another iconic Lucasfilm property with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023).

    In addition to her work in feature films, Kennedy spearheaded Lucasfilm’s expansion into streaming through Disney+. She served as executive producer on critically acclaimed and award-winning live-action series, most notably The Mandalorian, which debuted in 2019, and the Emmy-winning Andor.

    As Kennedy prepares to step away, Lucasfilm has rough 7,813,212 Star Was projects in development, none of which a large segment of fans believe will actually be made.

  • A vs. X: ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Star Teases Epic Clash Ahead

    A vs. X: ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Star Teases Epic Clash Ahead

    When Marvel Studios revealed the main cast of Avengers: Doomsday, a number of surprising names graced the backs of chairs, including a half dozen stars from Fox’s X-Men franchise. Fans immediately began to speculate that the return of the OG X-Men could mean only one thing: a war between worlds featuring the Avengers and X-Men. And according to one star, it looks as that’s what we’ll see.

    In an interview with Variety, Cyclops actor James Marsden talked about his role in Avengers: Doomsday and teased that “worlds are ready to collide.”

    You can feel that it’s something special. The world is ready for this movie and these worlds are ready to collide.

    -James Marsden

    With Avengers: Doomsday believed to be largely inspired by Marvel Comics writer Jonathan Hickman‘s work on Avengers and New Avengers titles, it’s possible that the Fox X-Men’s Earth could serve as a stand-in for Earth-1610 (the original Ultimate universe) which went to war with Earth-616 during the final incursion before 2015’s Secret Wars.

    Doctor Doom has officially arrived in the MCU. This villain, a master of cutting-edge science and powerful magic, will unleash a cascading crisis across the entire multiverse.

    -First synopsis for Avengers: Doomsday

    Rumors from the set of Avengers: Doomsday have indicated that any potential clash between Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the Children of the Atom would be engineered by Doctor Doom. Given the powerful looking Doom seen recently at a merchandising expo in Shanghai, it’s safe to assume he’ll be pulling a lot of strings when Avengers Doomsday hits theaters on December 18, 2026.

  • Insider Compares ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ to One of Marvel Studios’ Best Films

    Insider Compares ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ to One of Marvel Studios’ Best Films

    Spider-Man: Brand New Day has already generated a ton of hype as production has gotten underway in Glasgow, Scotland. With Mark Ruffalo, Jon Bernthal, Sadie Sink and Michael Mando among those joining Tom Holland in the film, fans are buzzing about the project while also trying to deduce just what might be going on in it. With a handful of street-level villains, a raging Punisher and a rampaging Hulk, it seems as though Peter Parker will find himself in quite a predicament no matter which way he turns, meaning fans can expect quite a bit of action. And according new report from one of the busiest scoopers in the game, the action in Destin Daniel Cretton‘s flick may be on par with one of Marvel Studios’ best films.

    Social media scooper My Time To Shine Hello, who seems to be dialed in on what’s happening on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, has compared the film to Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

    “Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the biggest Spidey movie yet,” claimed MTTSH. “Despite being more ‘street-level,’ it’s even been described to me as Captain America: The Winter Soldier for Spider-Man.“

    While the social media scooper was not clear on exactly how the fourth installment in the Spidey franchise might resemble the 2014 sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger, it still lands as incredibly high praise and may raise expectations even further for the film. The Winter Soldier was a game changer both for the MCU and for Chris Evans as Steve Rogers; if Brand New Day delivers the same, status quo-changing dynamic as the spy thriller, fans will be riding a massive wave of energy into Avengers: Doomsday.

    Directed by the Russo brothers, the film is a masterclass in action and suspense. The hand-to-hand combat is brutal and visceral, a stark contrast to the more fantastical battles of other MCU films. The Winter Soldier not only redefined Captain America’s character but also reshaped the entire MCU. Its events had massive ripple effects, fundamentally altering the landscape of the cinematic universe and paving the way for future stories like Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. It’s a crucial piece of the puzzle, a thrilling standalone film, and a testament to Marvel’s willingness to take risks with its characters and its storytelling.