Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Paramount

  • The Power 15 List: Which Franchises Have the Most Juice With Fans Right Now?

    The Power 15 List: Which Franchises Have the Most Juice With Fans Right Now?

    1. Marvel Cinematic Universe (Disney/Sony)

    On the heels of winning San Diego Comic-Con with the Avengers news that shook the fandom, and with a film at the box office in Deadpool and Wolverine which is breaking records, the MCU is riding high. And this weekend’s D23 event may provide an additional jolt of enthusiasm about the franchise. However, with only Agatha All Along on Disney Plus to sustain content appetites for the rest of the year, we can expect to see some loss of momentum, particularly when the next shoe drops with respect to the beleaguered Blade film.

      2. Game of Thrones (WBD)

      This weekend’s House of the Dragon finale will likely cap a season that undoubtedly restored the feeling for the television franchise that reigned over the monoculture like a Targaryen Dynasty. And with additional spinoffs in the works, all skepticism about sustainability has been melted away with dragon flame. Warner Brothers Discovery’s flagship franchise is flying high, and we continue to whistle that iconic theme.

      3. Star Wars (Disney)

      The mixed reaction to The Acolyte and the continuing Culture War noise surrounding this franchise have really left Star Wars vulnerable. A Skeleton Crew trailer release is imminent, and maybe an infusion of Stranger Things energy into the graying, embittered fandom will do it some good. This is a franchise built on childlike wonder, and much of the recent content has been lacking in that regard.

      4. The Boys (Amazon)

      Head-to-head against The Acolyte, the most recent season of The Boys held its own in terms of mindshare, and even though Season 4 didn’t hit the highs of previous seasons, that hasn’t stopped Amazon from greenlighting a prequel spinoff to go with the Mexico-set spinoff announced a while back. The fact that the next season will be its final one will center it even more firmly in the discourse, as fans and critics will wonder if it can “stick the landing.” If anything, The Boys’ biggest Achilles heel might be the extent to which real-life steals its absurdist thunder.

      5. Dune (WBD)

      With one of the most critically and commercially successful films of the year, a sequel expected to be fast-tracked, and the spinoff prequel Dune: Prophecy series set for November on HBO, 2024 has been quite the year for the Dune franchise. And that’s before the memes. However, it does still remain to be seen how far the franchise climbs in the pop cultural consciousness, or whether this year will be its apex, given that other franchises were hobbled by the pandemic and the strikes, and given that things get extra weird on Arrakis from here on out.

      6. DC Elseworlds (WBD)

      While James Gunn‘s DCU prepares to pull out of the station, fans of those characters will get to visit Gotham twice this fall, as the HBO series The Penguin returns us to the world of Matt Reeves’ The Batman Epic Crime Saga. And although Robert Pattinson’s Batman is unlikely to feature heavily in the series, his shadow will likely loom over the story. And at the cinema, the highly anticipated sequel to the billion-dollar grossing Joker will offer us another glimpse into Todd Phillips’ Scorsese-tinged hyper-reality, as Lady Gaga‘s Harley Quinn enters the fray. Other alternate universe projects have yet to be announced, and details remain limited on the proper sequel to The Batman, but needless to say, the more successful these two projects are, the more likely that others will also see the light of day.

      7. DCU (WBD)

      Superman has recently wrapped, the first teaser trailer for Creature Commandos (dropping in December) has been released, and news items about upcoming projects continue to surface. Still, while anticipation for what James Gunn is cooking up remains high, excitement is muted. There was no SDCC panel, and it’s possible that audiences won’t get non-set leak Superman footage until 2025. So for the remainder of 2024, we could very well be in “wait and see” mode.

      8. Star Trek (Paramount)

      Although it’s been many years since the last Star Trek film (despite Quentin Tarantino‘s best efforts to give audiences “Hard R Trek”), the franchise has been flourishing on streaming, with a number of well-regarded series on Paramount Plus, and more on the way. And the recent announcement of the first live-action comedy in the franchise’s history could push Star Trek further into the mainstream than it’s been in years.

      9. MonsterVerse (Legendary/WBD)

      Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire was moderately successful at the box office, and the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters streaming series was well-received, albeit underappreciated, with a second season on the way. This franchise still has its drawing power, but its days at the top of the zeitgeist may be behind it.

      10. Spider-Verse (Sony)

      Tom Holland‘s MCU Spider-Man franchise is represented elsewhere, but through the power of the Spider-Verse franchise, every possible Spidey and Spidey-adjacent character — be they in the Amazon researching spiders before dying, bonding with goopy alien symbiotes in San Francisco, or…doing whatever Kraven is doing — is connected via multiversal web. And Beyond the Spider-Verse very well might connect these divergent threads. There’s still no word on when that movie will drop, but for now, fans of the Venom films can look forward to the conclusion of that trilogy in Venom: The Last Dance, which releases in October.

      11. Transformers/GI Joe (Paramount)

      Last year’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts revealed that the two franchises were being merged, and while there’s a degree of uncertainty as to when we’ll get that film, next month’s Transformers: One animated film will give longtime fans the robot-centric big screen adventure they’ve clamored for since they first discovered Stan Bush’s “The Touch.”

      12. Lord of the Rings (WBD/Amazon)

      While technically, the rights to the Tolkien books have been bifurcated, and the Rings of Power series will likely never cross over with the LOTR projects in the works at Warner Brothers, each is capable of elevating the overall excitement around the stories told on Middle Earth. But unfortunately, Season 1 of Rings of Power, despite its budget and the advertising blitz around it, never really hit the mainstream, and it’s hard to see Season 2 breaking through.

      13. Jurassic Park/World (Universal)

      Yes, they’re still making these, and yes, the films still have a billion-dollar upside. But with less than a year until the next film, directed by Gareth Edwards and starring Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali, is slated to hit theaters, it’s hard to see what new ground this franchise could stake out to fire up the fanbase.

      14. Harry Potter (WBD)

      Putting aside the toxic JK Rowling of it all, this franchise needs a cultural reset, and indeed, WBD is looking to introduce a new generation to the world of wizards and wands. They’re still a few years away from getting that project out, though, and who knows what nonsense JK could say or do to further sully the franchise’s legacy before then.

      15. Anne Rice Immortal Universe (AMC)

      Yes, The Walking Dead has been an AMC mainstay, but while that seems to be limping along, the series based on the Anne Rice novels seem to be gathering momentum. However, despite their highly engaged fan followings, particularly for Interview With the Vampire, the media landscape for these shows doesn’t seem favorable for a jump into the mainstream anytime soon.

      Honorable Mention:

      The Walking Dead (AMC), Mission: Impossible (Paramount), Fast & Furious (Universal), Mad Max (WBD), John Wick (Lionsgate), Ghostbusters (Sony), James Bond (EON)

    1. Paramount Developing ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin’ Movie

      Paramount Developing ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin’ Movie

      Paramount is looking to keep the Teenage Mutant Turtles around a bit longer. After the success of the animated movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, the studio has unveiled its next move. On Thursday, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Paramount is developing a movie based on The Last Ronin.

      The movie will be based on the IDW comic of the same name from writers Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz. The comics were released between 2000 and 2002, and a video game adaptation has already been announced although a release date is currently unknown. Tyler Burton Smith, who wrote the 2019 Child’s Play, is on board to write the screenplay. The movie is expected to have an R-rating. As of this writing, no director is attached to the project.

      The Last Ronin is being produced by Walter Hamada via his 18hz production banner as part of his multi-year deal with Paramount.

      Updating…

      Source: THR

    2. Paramount’s ‘Vertigo’ Remake Eyeing Robert Downey Jr.

      Paramount’s ‘Vertigo’ Remake Eyeing Robert Downey Jr.

      Remakes are still a thing and it seems iconic films by directors like Alfred Hitchcock won’t be able to avoid it either. Paramount is seemingly trying to revive his iconic film Vertigo and may have already found its lead. It seems that Robert Downey Jr. might be the one to take on the role of the former police detective that ends up with a fear of heights and, you guessed it, vertigo.

      Steven Knight, who is most known for his work on See and Peaky Blinders, will write the script for the project. He’s been getting quite a few high-profile projects given he was also hinted at taking over the latest Star Wars film that was first written by Damon Lindelof. It seems that Davis Entertainment will be producing the project alongside Team Downey.

      It’s definitely an interesting film to adapt, and we’ll see how they bring it into the modern era. Downey Jr. hasn’t had a major role in some time, which makes this quite an interesting project to bring himself back into the spotlight. We’ll see if he can live up to the legacy left behind by James Stewart with his performance in the original film.

      Source: Deadline

    3. ‘Yellowstone’ to End, Sequel Series Planned with Matthew McConaughey

      ‘Yellowstone’ to End, Sequel Series Planned with Matthew McConaughey

      Here’s a big surprise, but it seems Yellowstone is coming to an end. The series is currently the top-rated drama and seemingly one of those shows that could continue for quite some time but co-creator and showrunner Taylor Sheridan has decided to end the current version of the show. Yet, it’s not the end of the Dutton saga as Matthew McConaughey is set to spearhead a sequel series.

      It seems that the reasoning behind this movie actually is due to its main star Kevin Costner. He has limited the number of days he shoots for the production to 65 days but seemingly pushed for even less in its current season. Yet even after winning best television actor in a drama series at the Golden Globes, he continued to want to spend less time in Yellowstone with only a week of shooting.

      The reason seems to be his involvement with the western epic Horizon, which he not only stars in but also is directing and co-wrote. Though, Costner plays the Dutton patriarch and is a major player in the series. Paramount has not offered any confirmation but praised McConaughey. It seems that nothing is quite set in stone as he is currently in negotiations. Sheridan‘s 1883 was also quite the success, so other Yellowstone spinoffs have all eyes on them as one of Paramount’s biggest TV franchises ever; even if it moves on from its main star.

      Source: Deadline

    4. RUMOR: J.J. Abrams Might Direct ‘Star Trek 4’

      RUMOR: J.J. Abrams Might Direct ‘Star Trek 4’

      In the age of major franchises seeing massive expansion in the cinematic landscape, Star Trek has generally been falling behind. The rebooted version of the classic television franchise hasn’t had a feature film since 2016’s Star Trek Beyond. Since then, Star Trek has leaned much more heavily into various streaming series on Paramount+ to continue its legacy. 

      There have been attempts to get a new film off the ground for a while, but Paramount has struggled to find a director to stay attached to the project. After various directors had come and gone during early development of Star Trek 4, some ground was thought to have been made with the hiring of Matt Shakman to helm the project. However, his hiring to Fantastic Four in 2022 forced him to relinquish the position and placed Paramount back at square one. However, a new rumor seems to suggest a returning name may be coming back to recalibrate the film series.

      https://twitter.com/ViewerAnon/status/1610716063217643521?t=JEmkmvIGB3Zh_rvLKxtf_g&s=09

      Of course, this very much remains a rumor at this time and shouldn’t be taken as any sort of decision set in stone. However, the potential of J.J. Abrams returning to the director’s chair would be compelling. Abrams was a major name in the creation of this iteration of Star Trek by directing the first two films (Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, respectively). A return from the famous director and producer would procure many questions about where he’d take the franchise. It would also mark J.J. Abrams‘ first foray back into directing following the generally maligned Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

      Another major factor that needs to be considered is the status of a script. It had been announced that Lindsey Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet were working on a script when Matt Shakman was hired to direct in July 2021, but little has been heard since then. With nothing set in stone, it remains to be seen if a new writer – or writers – are brought on to assist the new director, whether it ends up being Abrams or not.

    5. ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Becomes Paramount’s Most-Watched Trailer Ever

      ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Becomes Paramount’s Most-Watched Trailer Ever

      Steve Caple Jr.’s upcoming Transformers film subtitled Rise of the Beasts has become one of Paramount’s most watched trailers. After dropping during CCXP in anticipation of the dangerous Marvel panel later in the day, we got our first look at the latest addition to the Transformers franchise; the first since Bumblebee back in 2018. It’s been 4 years since we last saw one of cinema’s biggest franchises dominate the market and they are back in style with some more animalistic friends joining the fray in June of next year.

      Not only is it making its grand return but also seemingly broke a record for Paramount, as the film’s first trailer pulled in 494M globally in its first week. That beats out even Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s 182M and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s 77M. 238M checked out the trailer within the first 24 hours, which is above any other theatrical trailer released by Paramount and only behind Avengers: Endgame‘s 268M and Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s 355.5M.

      Supposedly, it’s even the most shared trailer to date beating out Jurassic World: Dominion‘s 185K with 400K. For those wondering if this is a sign that Rise of the Beasts will domiante theaters, it’s not exactly an easy comparison drawn. Solo: A Star Wars Story once drew in massive trailer viewership and had a better first-day ticket sale than Black Panther but lost a lot of momentum, as pointed out by The Wrap. Yet, there’s likely a big curiosity about the return of the franchise, especially since Michael Bay‘s films dominated the box office back in the day and we haven’t seen one in quite some time.

      Perhaps the surprise drop combined with a “oh, this is back” element could’ve gotten word-of-mouth going but its box office will strongly depend on Paramount going all-in with its marketing. Bumblebee didn’t make as much as its predecessors did and it does seem like they are trying to pull back some elements from Bay into this sequel, but perhaps it was simply the insanity of “Bayhem” that truly had people going to theaters back in the day; looking for that thrill similar to Top Gun: Maverick early this year. We’ll know more once the next trailer drops and popularity remains building up into its June release next year.

      Source: The Wrap

    6. Paramount Orders Up Adaptation of Image Comics ‘Geiger’

      Paramount Orders Up Adaptation of Image Comics ‘Geiger’

      Paramount Television has reached a deal to adapt Geoff Johns’ Image Comics title Geiger. Set in a Mad Max-esque dystopia in 2050, Geiger tells the story of a man named Tariq who survived the Unknown War of 2030 and now protects the people of the wastelands from criminals and scavengers. According to Deadline, Johns will write the pilot and then serve as showrunner and executive producer alongside Justin Simien.

      Published in 2021, Geiger’s first story arc ran for six issues and was followed up by an old-school 80-page giant-sized issue that looks to be setting up a Geiger-verse full of characters called The Unnamed who are somehow connected by through fighting in wars dating back to American Revolution of 1776. One of the characters, a robot named Junkyard Joe who fought in the Vietnam War, recently debuted his own solo series.

      As of publication, no timeline for the start of production of the series was given, but it’s safe to say fans shouldn’t expect it to hit the screen until late-2023 at best, but more likely 2024.

      Source: Deadline

    7. Michelle Yeoh & Pete Davidson Board ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’

      Michelle Yeoh & Pete Davidson Board ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’

      Michelle Yeoh and Pete Davidson have joined the cast of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts for Paramount. Yeoh will voice the Maximal Airazor, while Davidson will lend his voice to the Autobot Mirage. The news was announced on Tuesday by director Steven Caple Jr. in behind-the-scenes videos featuring the actors recording their lines for the film.

      In the Instagram post, which can be seen below, Caple Jr. teases their involvement in a series of playful videos. “Pete Davidson in disguise. 😂 @transformersmovie cast is amazing, man. Sneak peek of Pete voicing Mirage & @michelleyeoh_official blessing us as the voice of Airazor #rotb 2023″

      Production on the movie wrapped in October 2021. While details regarding Rise of the Beasts are being kept under wraps, a recent rumor suggests we’ll see the Transformers face Unicron in the forthcoming film. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts stars Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback. It is currently set to hit theaters on June 9, 2023.

      Source: Deadline.

    8. ‘Star Trek 4’ Taken Off Paramount’s Release Schedule

      ‘Star Trek 4’ Taken Off Paramount’s Release Schedule

      Star Trek 4 won’t be boldly going anywhere anytime soon. The sequel has officially been removed from Paramount’s upcoming film slate. The film, which was being produced through J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot banner, was originally set to hit theaters on Dec. 22, 2023.

      Unfortunately, the news shouldn’t be too surprising. Star Trek 4 faced yet another setback when director Matt Shakman exited the project after signing on to direct Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four. Prior to Shakman’s hiring, Paramount had brought on Jessica Jones director S.J. Clarkson to helm the film, but she ended up leaving the project and eventually signed on to direct Madame Web for Sony. While Noah Hawley (Fargo) and Quentin Tarantino were being eyed to direct other Star Trek films that ultimately never came to fruition.

      The fourth film was set to see the return of Chris Pine as Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Karl Urban as Bones, John Cho as Sulu and Simon Pegg as Scotty. Filming was set to begin by the end of this year. With no director attached, however, there was no chance of the project meeting its planned 2023 release date.

      Updating…

      Source: Variety.

    9. Babak Anvari Will Direct New ‘Cloverfield’ Film for Paramount

      Babak Anvari Will Direct New ‘Cloverfield’ Film for Paramount

      An acclaimed horror franchise is finally on its way back to the big screen. Babak Anvari has been tapped to direct a new installment in the Cloverfield series, which is now in development at Paramount, based on a script by Joe Barton. Like previous entries, J.J. Abrams will act as a producer through his company Bad Robot, alongside Hannah Minghella and Jon Cohen. The list of executive producers also includes Drew Goddard and Matt Reeves, who wrote and directed the original film, respectively, as well as Bryan Burke.

      The untitled Cloverfield project is keeping to tradition by not revealing any plot details at this time. It will be the fourth film in the franchise that began with 2008’s found-footage movie, about a group of party goers fleeing from a rampaging monster in New York City. After nearly a decade of radio silence, Cloverfield was followed by two anthological sequels, 10 Cloverfield Lane and The Cloverfield Paradox, released only a couple years apart in 2016 and 2018. All three films were famously shrouded in mystery before being unveiled to the public, with the latter two both marketed as original projects before surprising fans as Cloverfield installments shortly before release.

      This will be Anvari’s first foray into tentpole work, with the creative having only previously worked on small indie flicks. His debut film, 2016’s Under the Shadow, earned him a BAFTA award for Outstanding Debut Filmmaker, and his second movie, Wounds, released in 2019 to mixed reviews. He recently released his first major studio project, I Came By, for Netflix. That dropped on the streamer in August of this year. His Cloverfield film does not currently have a release date.

      Source: Deadline