Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Paramount Plus

  • First Paramount+ ‘Halo’ Trailer Offers First Look at Cortana and Arbiter

    First Paramount+ ‘Halo’ Trailer Offers First Look at Cortana and Arbiter

    Finally, the first full trailer has dropped for the upcoming live-action adaptation of Halo, which is heading to Paramount+ in March. We finally got a full look at what this new series has to offer, as it hopefully breaks the live-action curse of video game adaptations. Luckily, the new trailer not only gave us Master Chief’s voice but also the first look at the series’ take on Cortana, who will be voiced by Jen Taylor.

    That is not all, as we also got a good look at an Arbiter with a close-up of their live-action take of the Arbiters, who are part of the Sangheili alien race. Humans have given them the name Elites, who stem from the planet of Sanghelios.

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    The designs are quite impressive and they seemingly brought a fresh take on the iconic gaming franchise. Of course, we still need to see if the series can keep up the quality in how it tells its story, but it does seem like they’ll use the time to humanize Master Chief and even offer some interactions with other Spartans, which lets us explore his origin.

    Pablo Schreiber‘s take on the iconic supersoldier does seem promising and we’re excited to see if the series can break the live-action adaptations curse and manage a promising story, especially after it was stuck in development hell for quite some time. You can check out the full trailer right here:

    Source: YouTube

  • Joshua Jackson Joins Lizzy Caplan in Paramount+’s ‘Fatal Attraction’ Remake

    Joshua Jackson Joins Lizzy Caplan in Paramount+’s ‘Fatal Attraction’ Remake

    Joshua Jackson has signed on for Paramount Plus’ Fatal Attraction remake, joining Lizzy Caplan who was cast last year. Jackson will play the male leading role opposite Caplan’s leading lady.

    The forthcoming series is meant to be a reimagining of the hit 1987 film starring Michael Douglas and Glenn Close. It’s said the reimaging of the film will focus on the “timeless themes of marriage and infidelity through the lens of modern attitudes towards strong women, personality disorders and coercive control.”

    Jackson’s playing Dan Gallagher who ends up having a relationship with Caplan’s Alex Forrest. As the relationship develops between the two, it’s clear an obsession is building from Alex. Regarding Jackson’s casting, Nicole Clemens, the president of original scripted series at Paramount+, praised the actor. “Joshua is an incredible talent who creates beautifully complicated characters on both the screen and stage.”

    “He and Lizzy are perfectly matched to tell a nuanced and modern narrative about the complexities of the human psyche. We’re thrilled to partner with them to bring this provocative and captivating story to a new generation,” she continued. Caplan, of course, was confirmed to join the project in Nov. 2021. Jackson marks the second actor to join the project.

    Alexandra Cunningham (Dirty John) serves as the showrunner for Fatal Attraction, as well as the writer. She’ll executive produce the series alongside Kevin J. Hynes and Amblin Television’s Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey.

    Source: THR.

  • EXCLUSIVE: Alan Coulter to Helm Sylvester Stallone’s ‘Kansas City’

    EXCLUSIVE: Alan Coulter to Helm Sylvester Stallone’s ‘Kansas City’

    Paramount Plus continues to be a major player in the streaming wars with hits like Yellowstone, its prequel 1883, The Mayor of Kingstown and Picard all puling in good numbers and positive buzz. Three of those four series were written by Taylor Sheridan, who has been tapped by the studio to develop what looks to be another big time series, Kansas City. Set to star Sylvester Stallone, Kansas City follows an NYC mobster who relocates to Missouri, where he’ll have to restart his life after serving 25-year prison sentence.

    The show will be co-written by Terence Winter, who served as a writer on Boardwalk Empire and The Sopranos, and we can now add that Allen Coulter. who worked with Winter on both series, is on board to direct. The series, which will film in New York City and in Oklahoma, is rounding out the cast now ahead of a March start of production. Stallone’s Balboa Productions is among the production companies backing the show and Stallone will also serve as an executive producer.

  • Paramount+ Unveils Release Dates and Renewals for Several ‘Star Trek’ Series

    Paramount+ Unveils Release Dates and Renewals for Several ‘Star Trek’ Series

    It looks like Paramount+ is about to boldly go into the next year, as the official Star Trek Twitter account shared quite a few announcements in one major wave. The new year will see the release of Discovery‘s fourth season as of February 10th, followed by Picard‘s second season on March 3rd, Strange New Worlds then on May 5th. That is quite the line-up of heavy hitters one after another. The Nickelodeon series Star Trek: Prodigy also will have new episodes from the first season through February 3rd with new ones announced for later in the year. It also looks like the third season of Lower Decks will return in the summer of this year.

    That is not all, as the announcements also include quite a few renewals. Lower Decks will get a fourth season, Discovery will also make a return with a fifth season while Strange New Worlds gets a second season renewal. Picard, surprisingly, did not get a renewal which may hint at it potentially ending in the second season, but they may also want to be keeping the door open to catch viewers by surprise. Still, it’s a massive move to renew three series on the same day, but they announced it with a set of great visuals highlighting each series, which you can check out here:

    It’s crazy to think just how many shows are currently running that explore different corners of the Star Trek universe. Lower Decks takes a comedic look at what it’s like living in a ship that travels through the galaxy to explore undiscovered parts of the galaxy. Discovery was part of the current revival of the franchise through TV series, which had mainly expanded in cinemas. It’ll be interesting to see if they have other projects cooking to further expand their franchise.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ Revival for Paramount+ in the Works, First Look at Titular Characters Revealed

    ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ Revival for Paramount+ in the Works, First Look at Titular Characters Revealed

    It looks like some classic icons from our childhood are making a comeback, as Paramount+ is working on a revival of Beavis and Butt-Head. The adult animation was originally part of a short film before becoming a mainstay on MTV with seven seasons. It ran from 1993 until 1997 but even got a revival in 2011 that sadly never got a second season. while it is supposedly getting another renewal over on Comedy Central, our wait for the icons might not be too long after all.

    Creator Mike Judge has shared that they are working on a new film that’ll premiere on the streaming service Paramount+ sometime this year. It’ll be the second film based on the characters after 1996’s Beavis and Butt-Head Do America. There is still no title or details on the project outside of our first look at the returning characters, who are seemingly in their middle ages now.

    Many streaming services have been banking quite a bit on nostalgia-filled content. Paramount+ is no stranger to it, as they recently released two of a series of new films that explore the future versions of popular South Park characters. The films Post Covid and Post Covid: The Return of Covid also continued the franchise’s classic humor but explored the characters’ future selves. Of course, Beavis and Butt-Head hasn’t aired in some time. So, the approach might be quite a bit different and it’ll be exciting to see how they reinvent the classic characters.

    Source: Twitter

  • New Look at Pablo Schreiber’s Master Chief in Paramount+’s ‘Halo’ Series

    New Look at Pablo Schreiber’s Master Chief in Paramount+’s ‘Halo’ Series

    Halo has been going through quite a revival, as not only has the Halo: Infinite multiplayer been welcomed with open arms but its campaign was added recently. Entertainment Weekly used the opportunity to also share a new look at Pablo Schreiber‘s upcoming take of the franchise’s protagonist, Master Chief. The production was hit hard by the pandemic, as they had to take a six-month hiatus during its filming in Budapest. Luckily, after a long wait, we’ll finally see what a live-action take on the franchise might look like and Master Chief’s design looks quite fateful to the games.

    HALO

    The actor has described the role as “a herculean task” and what it meant to bring the character to life for the now Paramount+ original series. It’s planned to finally release later this year. In a recent interview he highlighted the weight that was on their shoulders for tackling this project:

    It’s a huge job, from setting the tone on set down to the grueling task of waking up at the crack of dawn to work out, then go to shoot, and go home to work out some more. Nothing about it is easy, and I wouldn’t want it to be.

    He promises that the series will “crack the veneer” to bring the iconic video game franchise to life, especially with how most adaptations face some issues in translating into other mediums. It’s an exciting prospect and here’s hoping it can live up to the weight of the original.

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • Lizzy Caplan Joins Paramount+’s ‘Fatal Attraction’ Remake

    Lizzy Caplan Joins Paramount+’s ‘Fatal Attraction’ Remake

    Paramount+ continues trying to revive some classic franchises, as they’ve already eyed their second with Fatal Attraction. The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Castle Rocks Lizzy Caplan has been hired to spearhead a new adaptation of the 1987 classic. It was ordered script-to-series earlier this year and has now found its leading star. Dirty John‘s Alexandra Cunningham will write and be the series’ showrunner for Amblin Television. Kevin J. Hymes also has co-story credit and will also act as executive producer.

    Paramount+ president of original scripted series, Nicole Clemens, shared her enthusiasm on the reimagining of the classic:

    Alexandra brings an incredibly strong and nuanced point of view to a story that became a cultural phenomenon but has thus far only been told from the male gaze. Partnered with Kevin, they will bring the next explosive chapter of this story to a new generation with a balanced eye to the complexities of the human psyche

    Nicole Clemens

    Amblin’s Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey also join as executive producers. The series will act as a reimagining of the original psychosexual thriller. THR highlights that it’ll explore marriage and infidelity from a modern perspective. Caplan‘s character is Alex, who was played by Glenn Close in the original and will become obsessed with her lover throughout the story.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Exclusive: Character Breakdowns & Start Date for Grease Prequel ‘Rise of the Pink Ladies’

    Exclusive: Character Breakdowns & Start Date for Grease Prequel ‘Rise of the Pink Ladies’

    It looks like things are moving along on Paramount Plus’ forthcoming Grease prequel, Rise of the Pink Ladies. We here at Murphy’s Multiverse have some fun news for Grease fans. Not only do we have two character breakdowns for two leads, but we also know when production will finally kick off.

    The Grease prequel is looking to cast the roles of Nancy and Richie. Both characters are portrayed as 16-years-old, with the production seeking actors that are at least 18 years of age. Nancy, who is as a founding member of the Pink Ladies, is described as a Japanese-American female who is “unapologetically artsy and eccentric” with dreams of going to fashion school in New York City. The person cast for the role must be a strong singer & dancer. As Nancy is one of the Pink Ladies, this will be a series regular role.

    Richie is described as a Mexican-American male who is a part of the T-Birds. He is a “cool playboy with a reputation” who is also a secret romantic with more depth than others would expect from him. The character is also a twin on the series, with a twin sister named Olivia. The person cast for the role must be a strong singer & dance, they must also be fluent in Spanish. Like Nancy, this is for a series regular role.

    A Grease prequel has been in the works for quite some time. Rise of the Pink Ladies was initially in development at HBO Max, before the streamer ultimately passed on the project resulting in Paramount+ picking it up. Prior to Rise of the Pink Ladies, another prequel series titled Summer Loving was in development, while HBO Max was looking to produce Grease: Rydell High. As it stands, the status of those projects is unclear.

    Rise of the Pink Ladies takes place four years before the events of the iconic musical, Grease. The series will show the rise of the Pink Ladies, which will consist of four “fed-up, outcast girls” who simply want to have fun on their own terms. Their rise as the Pink Ladies will alter Rydell High forever.

    Filming on Rise of the Pink Ladies is will begin in January 2022 in Vancouver. As always, production timelines can change, for now, though, the production is on track for a January 2022 start.

  • ‘RUGRATS’ To Return With Original Cast On Paramount+

    ‘RUGRATS’ To Return With Original Cast On Paramount+

    Paramount+ is following up its iCarly revival with the return of another iconic franchise. Nickelodeon revealed at today’s ViacomCBS Investor’s Day event that the upcoming streaming service, born out of CBS All Access, will bring back the Rugrats in 2021. The brand-new series will feature a CG animation style, which some may consider a bold departure from the franchise’s traditional hand-drawn look. Something that won’t change, however, is the cast of the characters and their voice actors. This means die-hard fans of the original show will once again hear the likes of E.G. Daily, Nancy Cartwright, and Cree Summer in their iconic roles, as troublesome toddlers.

    The revival will be produced by Nickelodeon Animation, and company president Ramsey Naito had the following to say regarding the project:

    Rugrats is one of the most iconic cartoons recognized by fans around the globe, and this original version is one we are taking great care and pride in creating for a brand-new audience. Having the voice cast behind these special characters come together is one of the essential pieces to making the show recognizable and we can’t wait to watch this talented group bring them to life again.

    The original version of the series debuted in 1991 and ran for nine seasons throughout 13 years. It was critically acclaimed by adults and children alike, winning four Daytime Emmys and six Kid’s Choice Awards. Rugrats was followed by a sequel series in 2003 titled All Grown Up!, which followed the same group of friends through their teenage years. The flagship show also produced three spin-off films, beginning with The Rugrats Movie in 1998. The latest addition to the Rugrats fold looks to bring all the same lovable energy as the projects before it. Check out the first footage in the tweet below.

    Source: Variety, Twitter

  • ‘Halo’ to Premiere Exclusively on Paramount+ in 2022

    ‘Halo’ to Premiere Exclusively on Paramount+ in 2022

    It hasn’t been an easy road for Microsoft’s adaptation of Halo. It seems like it has been in development for an eternity. After a long silence, the adaptation has finally gotten an update in the form of a new home. It has been announced that the show will not premiere on Showtime but will become an exclusive series on the new streaming service, Paramount+. They are currently eyeing a premiere in the first quarter of 2022. The series will be produced by Steven Spielberg, Darryl Frank, and Justin Falvey‘s Amblin Television.

    According to Deadline, they have already filmed around 60% of the first season before it got shut down due to the pandemic. It is uncertain when it was decided that the series would be added as an exclusive to the streaming service. CEO of Showtime, David Nevins, had the following to say about the series:

    It delivers the visceral excitement of playing the game, along with a much deeper emotional experience around the Spartans, human beings who got their humanity chemically and genetically altered. The story is about reclaiming what makes them human, and therefore it’s a very powerful story.

    It also came with the first look at the series logo, which remains very true to the original game’s version:

    Showtime will be focused on premium adult programming, as ViacomCBS starts its new streaming venture. Even after all this time, we haven’t seen a single still from the series. It is uncertain if it will focus on Master Chief’s story from the original games, or explore something unique.

    Source: Deadline, Twitter