Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Star Wars

  • UPDATE: ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ To Premiere on May the 4th

    UPDATE: ‘Star Wars: The Bad Batch’ To Premiere on May the 4th

    UPDATE: It looks Collider was indeed right after all since less than two hours after the initial news came out, LucasFilm confirmed the May 4 release date for the upcoming series.

    On StarWars.com there was further information regarding the release schedule. It was made clear that the unusual release day (for Disney+), a Tuesday, is due to the fact that May 4 is, as we all know, Star Wars Day. The following episodes will be released on Fridays as The Mandalorian, with the first one being made available on May 7th.

    Source: StarWars.com

     

    According to Collider, The Star Wars Clone Wars spin-off The Bad Batch is now set for a May 4th premiere on Disney+. However that same report ended up getting deleted shortly after, and the link is no longer available. Luckily, The Direct was able to quote the article before it got taken down, announcing a May 4 release date. Announced in July 2020, the animated series will follow the Clone Force 99, which is also known as the titular Bad Batch. They were the focus of The Clone Wars‘ last season’s first storyline. It will take place in the post-Clone Wars era, which will see the uniquely skilled clones take on mercenary work as they transition into a new life. It was during Disney’s Investor Day back in December that when we found out that the series will premiere in 2021. They also released the first footage, so we were hotly anticipating the actual release date.

     

     

    The Bad Batch is yet another Disney+ exclusive that will expand the Star Wars franchise after The Mandalorian‘s success. If this debut date proves true, it looks like the streaming service is experimenting with different release schedules for its shows since both The Mandalorian and WandaVision was released on Fridays. The animated show would then break the mold with a Tuesday premiere as the service starts to expand, showing us that Disney is looking for ways to release multiple episodes every week without them cannibalizing each other. The May 4th release would set The Bad Batch to premiere right before Black Widow hits theaters and a couple of weeks before Loki will have its first episode made available. It will be interesting to see if the release of Collider’s article was just an accident or if it was released early, ahead of a scheduled official announcement.

    Source: Collider via The Direct

  • RUMOR: Mena Massoud is the Front Runner to Play Live-Action Ezra Bidger

    RUMOR: Mena Massoud is the Front Runner to Play Live-Action Ezra Bidger

    A Kessel Run Transmissions report has been released that places Aladdin‘s Mena Massoud as the main choice to play Star Wars Rebels‘ Ezra Bridger in the upcoming Ahsoka Tano live-action series. This series will continue where Ahsoka’s The Mandalorian cameo left off, with Ahsoka searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn as he is the one who may lead her to Ezra after he disappeared in the animated show’s finale. Mena Massoud has worked with Disney before in the aforementioned Aladdin, so it seems Disney should be pretty sure about their choice to play the Lothal native.

     

     

    Besides Rosario Dawson who will be playing the titular character, this is the first major casting news regarding the show, one of the two The Mandalorian spin-offs, the other being Rangers of the New Republic. The show was announced during the Disney Investor Day on December 10, 2020, and will be developed by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni. If they are already casting the show’s main characters, it could be a sign that they are already eyeing a production start. Star Wars may try to replicate Marvel Studios’ formula of releasing a new show so that most of the year is filled with content. We could also see them switch between each show to better spread it out throughout the year. Either way, Massoud would be an amazing choice to play the iconic character from the Rebels animated series. It could also be a clue that we might get some casting information on Admiral Thrawn in the coming months.

    Source: Kessel Run Transmissions

  • UPDATE: Disney Will Not Recast Gina Carano’s Cara Dune

    UPDATE: Disney Will Not Recast Gina Carano’s Cara Dune

    UPDATE: The moment we dropped the news, it seems that THR has updated their article and states that they won’t be recasting Cara Dune moving forward.

     

    Source: THR, DiscussingFilm

     

    It was only a week ago that Disney fire The Mandalorian star Gina Carano from her role in the galaxy far, far away. It came after months of scrutiny from fans. Carano has been divisive due to her questionable social media posts. The final straw for Disney was an Instagram post that many viewed as anti-semitic, but the former MMA fighter maintains it was a call for unity. Whatever the case may be, the future of Cara Dune is in doubt. According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Carano was to headline a Disney+ spin-off series. As such, their insiders claim they are considering a recast of Cara Dune for a story and merchandising reasons.

    Initially, it seemed as though we’d seen the last of Dune. After a recurring role over two seasons led her character to the ranks of New Republic officer, it did not appear that any future appearances were vital to the series’ plot. However, the news that Disney is considering a recast would indicate that they have big plans, which may correlate with the recently announced Mandalorian spin-off Rangers of the New Republic. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Carano was supposed to be part of the Disney Investor’s Day roll-out that revealed the show to the public. However, the backlash over previous Twitter comments led to her getting booted from the event. If Carano was to play a role as Dune in any of the projects announced that day, New Republic would have been the one that made the most sense.

    Hasbro has halted the production of Cara Dune-based toys. Even Amazon has removed almost all of its merchandise for the character. A recast would most likely allow the companies to salvage some of the potential losses from any toys they’re currently unable to sell with a new face and re-branding. There are no details given if Carano also gains a licensing fee for their use of her image through the toys, so there might be some legal discussions are happening behind the scenes. It will be interesting to see how it develops as Star Wars rolls out their future Disney+ slate.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Rian Johnson’s ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy Still in Development

    Rian Johnson’s ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy Still in Development

    Star Wars has entered a new era. After the new trilogy has ended, the franchise tested new forms of storytelling with its first Disney+ series, The Mandalorian. Its success led to the announcement of a slew of various titles that will premiere on the streaming service. Among them, we got the reveal of a live-action Ahsoka Tano show. They also revealed two brand new films, an unnamed project by Taika Waititi and Rogue Squadron by Patty Jenkins. However, there was one absent film announcement. The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson was originally going to work on a spin-off trilogy, yet we haven’t heard anything about it in a long time. Many believed it could have been canceled as Johnson moved on to working on the Knives Out franchise. Plus, Disney seems to have a stronger focus on its streaming service moving forward. USA Today’s Sariah Wilson took to Twitter to confirm that he is still actually working on it.

    https://twitter.com/sariahwilson/status/1361502613728948230

    It seems that he is getting the time he needs to iron out the details. We never got any insight into what his trilogy would explore. The Star Wars franchise has many histories to draw from, may it be the Old Republic or explore the galaxy after Rey defeated Palpatine. There have been some discussions on his take on the iconic franchise. Either way, if he has full freedom to tackle his take on an overarching storyline in a galaxy far far away, he could offer a unique story that we haven’t seen yet in this galaxy. I would love to see more of the daily life of Stormtroopers. The Mandalorian offered us a look at the potential of exploring stories beyond the Jedi that we’ve come to know and love. 

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘WandaVision’ Takes the Top Viewing Spot Worldwide

    ‘WandaVision’ Takes the Top Viewing Spot Worldwide

    Disney+ has seen astounding growth throughout its first year. It already surpassed 90 million viewers, which was originally meant to be the streaming service’s four-year prediction. It is impressive if you consider that the only real high IP that was provided for the service was The Mandalorian‘s two seasons. Last month’s release of WandaVision did make people wonder if the first Marvel Studios’ original series would continue the service’s growth. Well, according to Parrot Analytics, the series has become the number one series worldwide.

    The interesting aspect is that the show didn’t start as the most popular show. It seems the initial three episodes kept it between the seventh and the 35th spot. Once the third episode hit, it skyrocketed up to the third or second spot. Ever since the major twist at the end of the fifth episode, it has officially taken the number one spot and hasn’t left it since the episode aired. It shows the relevance of the weekly release model. Wade Payson-Denney, an analyst of Parrot Analytics, points out the difference between Disney+ and Netflix’s binge strategy:

    They really pop up at first but quickly trail off. It’s a quick hit for these streamers. Whereas with weekly release, we see popularity gradually build over time, especially for a show like The Mandalorian and WandaVision

    The Mandalorian actually didn’t peak until its season finale, as it just saw a continuous growth since its initial episodes. WandaVision still has three more weeks to go, so it is sure to stick to that top spot before Falcon and the Winter Soldier takes over in March. Netflix’s focus on releasing their shows in one burst means they have an early peak but fizzle out fast. It’ll be interesting to make a comparison between the Marvel shows. The next two shows will have shorter runtimes of six episodes, which may go through a faster viewer cycle. As Payson-Denney points out, these shows remain in the conversation longer and are able to grow their audience as a result of everyone sharing their viewing experiences and theories online. It’ll be interesting to see how far WandaVision goes in the coming weeks.

    Source: Forbes

  • Disney+ Surpassed 90 Million Subscribers Even Before ‘WandaVision’ Released

    Disney+ Surpassed 90 Million Subscribers Even Before ‘WandaVision’ Released

    Disney+ has proven to be quite the powerhouse in the streaming wars. As of January 2nd, the subscription service has reached a new record high subscription number with 94.9 million. It has risen by 8 million in just one month, as it was at around 86.8 million the last time we got an update on it. As such, its growth already surpassed the service’s original prediction of 90 million in four years. It is a massive win after Disney has announced a slew of brand new originals heading to the service throughout 2021. The release of The Mandalorian’s second season and Pixar’s Soul were essential boosters in the last months. Especially the latter, which dominated streaming numbers during Christmas. These numbers also don’t include the subscribers gained after they released the first Marvel Studios original series, WandaVision.

    The streaming service has seen substantial growth that is not going to slow down anytime soon. Variety does point out that 30% of its subscribers are through India and Indonesia’s Disney+ Hotstar subscription model, which comes at a lower price. They are also about to launch the STAR brand in selected markets. So, the service will see a slight increase in the pricing in those regions. Still, In the latest financial meeting, they stated that they aren’t expecting profitability until 2024, but the current increase is still impressive. It’ll be interesting to see if WandaVision managed to push the subscription beyond the milestone of 100 million. Marvel Studios plans to release around six shows this year, so they will certainly see an increase over the coming months. December will also kick-off with the first The Mandalorian spin-off that is certain to draw in some attention. 2021 is going to be a big year for the service and an indicator how fast its growth will continue in its second year.

    Source: Variety, Forbes

  • BREAKING: Gina Carano Has Been Fired by Lucasfilm

    BREAKING: Gina Carano Has Been Fired by Lucasfilm

    It was only a matter of time until her batshit comments caught up to her but Gina Carano has now been fired by Lucasfilm, in an exclusive report by io9. The outlet received a statement from a Lucasfilm spokesperson saying, “Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future. Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.” The report was also seconded by The Hollywood Reporter, whose sources revealed that an announcement unveiling Carano as the star of her own show was quickly scrapped when the controversy first started a couple of months back.

     

     

    Gina made waves again this week after posting photos on Instagram comparing the political divide in the US to the horrors and atrocities in Nazi Germany. That post was taken down quickly as the fan outrage deservedly started pouring in and the hashtag #FireGinaCarano surfaced. Carano, over the past few months, has been on a streak of controversy, sharing misinformation on mask-wearing, the vaccine, BLM protests, and the 2020 elections, in addition to the transphobic comments she previously posted online.

    There’s no word yet on what happens to her Mandalorian character, Cara Dune, but given the scale of the Star Wars galaxy, we imagine it won’t be tough to write her off the show.

    Source: io9

  • ‘ANDOR’ Adds Directors Ben Caron and Susanna White

    ‘ANDOR’ Adds Directors Ben Caron and Susanna White

    It looks like Disney+’s Andor series has found a pair of new directors to take the helm for the series’ upcoming episodes. DiscussingFilm reports that Ben Caron and Susanna White will help steer the ship of Disney and Lucasfilm’s Rogue One prequel, which will debut on Disney+ in 2022. The duo joins the previously announced Toby Haynes. The series is filmed in London’s Pinewood Studios, where the directors are heading to join the cast and crew. When the project got announced, Rogue One’s writer and secondary director, Tony Gilroy, was to direct and write episodes of the show. Sadly, complications with travel due to the current pandemic prevented him from making the trip. As a result, his role got reduced to that of executive producer. He still was heavily involved with the script.

    Ben Caron is best known for his work in British television. He previously directed episodes of cult classic series Sherlock and Skins. He also was behind multiple episodes of Netflix’s breakout series, The Crown. There is also Susanna White. She is renowned for her work on the British film Nanny McPhee Returns. Americans might recognize her work in the popular series Masters of Sex and Billions. The talents of both will support the story of a younger Cassian Andor. Diego Luna will reprise his role in the series, which will take place five years before the events that would spread hope throughout the galaxy. 

    Andor never shied away from referring to his many years in the service of the Galactic Rebellion. Luckily, we will finally get a chance to explore those years on a deeper level. Sadly that means we won’t be seeing the return of Alan Tudyk‘s K-2SO, which the actor confirmed some time ago. The show is one of many of Lucasfilm’s Disney+ series and has gotten overshadowed by some larger projects, especially Ewan McGregor’s return to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Still, it promises to be an exciting adventure for all fans of the Star Wars universe that want to explore the Empire’s reign throughout the galaxy

    Source: DiscussingFilm

  • McGregor Confirms Late Spring Production Start for ‘Kenobi’ using StageCraft Tech

    McGregor Confirms Late Spring Production Start for ‘Kenobi’ using StageCraft Tech

    Ewan McGregor was a guest on Eddie Izzard‘s final A Run For Hope marathon (you can donate right here), and his upcoming Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi series was briefly discussed. After several news outlets reporting that the show would shoot in places like Boston, MA, or even in the UK, McGregor confirmed that the show will actually be filming in Los Angeles, starting this spring, around May/June. This could eventually mean that we could be looking at an early to mid-2022 release date.

    When it was initially confirmed that he would indeed be returning to the role he last played in 2005’s Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, McGregor talked about how excited he was to go back to a galaxy far, far away as it would probably mean he could be using the StageCraft technology that those behind The Mandalorian developed. This was also basically confirmed by McGregor and so being choosing LA was a no-brainer. With this technology being an essential part of the success achieved by the first live-action Star Wars series, the head of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kenedy has since confirmed that new stages are being set up in the US, the UK, and Australia. In the meantime, the LA location used by The Mandalorian remains the only operational sound stage featuring StageCraft, and so it makes sense for McGregor to be confirming that principal photography on the show will take place in the City of Angels.

    Obi-Wan Kenobi will see the return of both Ewan McGregor, as the titular character, and Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker. It will be directed by Deborah Chow who directed two episodes of The Mandalorian‘s first season.

  • ‘Andor’: Alan Tudyk Reveals No Current Plans for K-2SO Appearance

    ‘Andor’: Alan Tudyk Reveals No Current Plans for K-2SO Appearance

    We haven’t heard much from the upcoming Star Wars series since the announcements during Disney’s Investors Day. Among the many series, we finally got an official title for the Rogue One spin-off that would focus on Cassian Andor. Diego Luna was set to return, but there was no real word if Cassian’s robot side-kick would also join him on this new adventure. Alan Tudyk voiced the former Empire droid, who was quite a fan-favorite mostly due to his sarcastic comments. Well, it sadly looks like the silence surrounding his inclusion had a good reason for it. In an interview with Collider for the upcoming Resident Alien, he revealed that he was not involved in the upcoming series:

    They’re shooting it right now, I’m not in it. But, if it stays on the air, stories keep getting told, I’ll end up in there

    It is sad we won’t get to spend more time with K-2SO. Hopefully, there is a chance the series might get some additional seasons to explore how they first met. We did get their initial meeting in an official prequel comic to the film, so it may be a reason why it won’t be the focus in Andor. This revelation is actually quite a surprise as shortly after the show’s initial announcement he was heavily involved in promoting it. So, his exclusion and the way Tudyk answered might hint that they are planning on mapping out multiple seasons. Interestingly enough, the droid made an appearance outside of the Rogue One film, as he was a returning enemy in Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order. So, there is also the chance that K-2SO could appear in other Star Wars-related media, such as The Mandalorian. His blueprints may have been used to build the Dark Troopers, who made their live-action debut last season. For now, we can only hope that he

    Source: Collider, Slash Film