Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Superheroes

  • ‘The Boys’ Getting Spin-Off from ‘Blue Beetle’ Writer

    There’s a fun irony to see The Boys series slowly turn into exactly what it mocked in its earliest seasons. The series created by Eric Kripke explored a dark and twisted take on superheroes that is steeped deeply in American politics and consumerism. It was the “gotcha” of its time as an anti-movement towards the more light-hearted fun the superheroes on the silver screen offered by mocking its foundations as a franchise-building, marketable product.

    The Boys is now set to get its third spinoff series, The Boys: Mexico. The offshoot will be developed by Blue Beetle writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, who is seemingly actively looking for a co-showrunner to join the project. The project has not started casting and is set to film in Latin America. This marks another expansion of the Boys-verse after the recent release of Gen V and the animated spinoff Diabolical, which were both steeped in the R-rating of the original.

    The series is also going to be executive produced by Andor’s Diego Luna and Werewolf by Night’s Gale García Bernal, who is also interested in potentially having a minor role of some kind in the series, though it’s not yet set in stone. It’ll likely further explore another venture by Vought into expanding its superheroes across the world, or perhaps be a series that echoes the normal man vs. the superheroes that we see in the main The Boys series. We’ll have to wait a bit until we get more info on the series as Gen V is also set to get a second season.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘THE BOYS’ Adds a Trio of New Superheroes

    ‘THE BOYS’ Adds a Trio of New Superheroes

    A trio of new superheroes has been added to The Boys‘ already-sprawling cast! The hit Amazon series has cast Sean Patrick Flannery, Miles Gaston Villanueva, and Nick Wechsler as a group of supposedly original creations. Flannery, best known for starring opposite Norman Reedus in The Boondock Saints, will portray a “hero” named Gunpowder. The moniker was used by a minor character in the comics, who specialized in weapons-based combat, but we have no official word on whether this is the same person in the live-action series.

    Villaneuva, who previously starred in Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, will play a character called Supersonic. Some rumors suggest the character, who could be another speedster or possess some sort of Black Canary-style sonic screaming, is the ex-boyfriend of Erin Moriarty‘s Starlight. If true, this would mean Supersonic is the show’s replacement for comic character Drummer Boy. Last but not least, Wechsler, known for his role on Revenge, will bring a character called Blue Hawk to life. This character may be a variation of the comics’ Ground Hawk. He was a feral supe with skilled use of hammers.

    The new cast members join the previously announced Jensen Ackles as new additions to the show. He is set to portray Soldier Boy in the show’s third season, one of the world’s first superheroes. We recently got our first look at his costume. While the latest casting news adds nothing to our knowledge of the third season’s plot, these new characters will play a role in Soldier Boy’s origin. In the comics, he leads a super-team called “Payback,” and these three powered individuals could be members of the show’s live-action take.

     

    Source: Entertainment Weekly

  • New ‘The Boys’ Concept Art Offers Closer Look at Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy

    New ‘The Boys’ Concept Art Offers Closer Look at Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy

    It looks like The Boys team wanted to showcase Jensen Ackles‘ new character, Soldier Boy, in style. The Wrap released an even better look at his design that was revealed a week ago in the form of concept art. It seems nothing was lost in translation into live-action, as his live-action design seems very close to the original. The only real difference one might notice is that the knife’s placement on his hip is a bit different. We still don’t know quite what role he’ll have in the new season, as our group of misfits continues their fight against Vought Enterprises and their army of superheroes.

     

     

    Hopefully, we’ll get an update on the next season in the near future. They’ve been keeping the plot tightly under wraps with only small glimpses making their way online. Eric Kripke, the creator behind CW’s Supernatural, brought Ackles on board. The suit was designed by Laura Jean Shannon and showcases some strong Captain America inspirations, as she also shared her enthusiasm over the design:

    Soldier Boy is the original badass. Our goal was to highlight a bygone era of overt masculinity and grit. With that pedigree we dove headfirst into baking in an all-American quality grounded in a military soldier’s practicality with a heavy dose of old school cowboy swagger. We knew that the actor had to have Steve McQueen looks and chops with a John Wayne attitude. Luckily Jensen Ackles embodies all of that.

    At first glance, it also seems they are going for a very distinct version of the character and embracing the original version rather than the legacy characters. There is still a chance he has some knock-off versions imitating his brand, but he is considered Vought’s first superhero in The Boys universe. Here’s hoping we find out more soon.

    Source: The Wrap

  • New Set Photos for ‘The Boys’ Season 3 Teases a Time Jump

    New Set Photos for ‘The Boys’ Season 3 Teases a Time Jump

    The Boys has built a world where superheroes have dominated the media. They pretty much appear on anything and everything Vought can license to pump out to the masses. It is all to strengthen their empire even further. The upcoming third season is sure to kick things into the next gear following the second season’s revelations surrounding Stormfront. As such, keeping up the public image will become their top priority. While the next season is still in production, new set photos tease what’s to come and how the Seven has changed since we saw them, especially now that Starlight’s name got cleared and they welcomed her back onto the team. We’ve been wondering what the next season holds and we finally got some set photos teasing some time has passed since the last season.

     

     

    The first batch of set photos features a closer look at what looks to be downtown Toronto plastered with advertisements sponsored by Vought. One curious detail features Starlight on a poster for what looks to be an upcoming game show where they possibly try out to become another one of Vought’s contracted heroes. Starlight also happens to be wearing her original outfit, opposed to the one they made her wear when she initially joined the Seven.

    The previous season featured what many thought would be a redemption arc for Ex-Seven member, The Deep, and by the end of the season, would learn that wasn’t the case. He’d spent all season doing what he could alongside the church of the collective to get his spot on the team back to no success. It seems that he’s moved on and written a memoir about his time on the team. 

     

    The Boys: Dreharbeiten zur 3. Staffel starten

     

    The final advertisement seen in the set pics is for the upcoming 2024 election, one for Ted Cruz whose shares an ongoing Twitter feud with series producer Seth Rogen. While it seems like a joke at surface level, it confirms that there will be a time jump with the upcoming third season. The previous season ended in 2020, as revealed during Translucent’s funeral. A time jump could show us how the team has been operating through their new US Government contract and how they’ve adjusted to this new lifestyle.

    Source: Twitter

  • First Look at Elliot Page on Netflix’s ‘Umbrella Academy’ Set

    First Look at Elliot Page on Netflix’s ‘Umbrella Academy’ Set

    The next season of The Umbrella Academy has been in production for some time now. After the ending of the last season, we were teased of the arrival of the Sparrow Academy. The third season will explore this new timeline, where Sir Reginald left his original family behind to adopt a new one. His hope was that these new groups would avoid the dark future he saw in a vision. We got the official casting announcement a few months ago, but have been wondering when we’ll get a look at the cast from the original timeline. Luckily, our wait has paid off as the first images have found their way from the set. Photographer Sean O’Neill shared an image giving us our first look at Elliot Page on the series’ set.

    That is not all, as we also got a closer look at Tom Hopper wearing a muscle suit in Hamilton’s Gage Park.

    In December 2019, Elliot Page publicly announced his transition and publicly discussed the difficulties of identifying as a boy while often playing the role of a girl. However, Netflix embraced the change and even adapted the credits from the previous projects to showcase his change. He will continue playing the role of Vanya Hargreeves in Umbrella Academy, who was portrayed as a cisgender woman. It is uncertain if they might decide to adapt to the role, but currently, there still seem to be no plans. Seeing Elliot on the set could be an indicator that they will allow the actor to embrace his new identity and add a new layer of complexity to the character.

    Source: Twitter, Variety (Transition), Variety

  • Closer Look at ‘My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission’ Stealth Suits Released

    Closer Look at ‘My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission’ Stealth Suits Released

    As the fifth season of My Hero Academia is currently underway, new details on the upcoming third film subtitled World Heroes’ Mission have emerged from Japan. Earlier today, series creator Kohei Horikoshi shared a closer look at the designs of Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, and Shoto Todoroki’s new designs on Twitter. The costumes are being referred to as stealth suits for the Class 1A protagonists.

     

    As these brand new looks were revealed to the public, longtime MHA composer, Yuki Hayashi, took to Twitter to also confirm his involvement in the film. The film will tell an original story that takes place during the Hero Internship Arc. As it matches the show’s current development, there is a chance this arc will potentially be introduced in one of the final episodes. The film’s official synopsis offers some insight into why the three are called into action with these brand new stealth suits:

    A mysterious group called ‘Humarize’ strongly believes in the ‘Quirk Singularity Doomsday Theory’, which states that as quirks get mixed together in with future generations, that power will bring forth an end to humanity. They believe that quirks are a disease and aim to cleanse the world of anyone who possesses quirks.

    The upcoming film will focus on Deku, Bakogou, and Todoroki during their time working in Endeavor’s agency. They end up working in the nation of Oseon, where the mentioned Humarize group will enact their plans. It is uncertain how the team will get their stealth suits or if they might introduce some elements from the manga to built up towards the next arc in the series.

    Source: Twitter (Suits), Twitter (Composer), My Hero Academia Movie, International Business Times

  • ‘Invincible’: Omni-Man and Control

    ‘Invincible’: Omni-Man and Control

    Mark, we need to talk.

    These four words by Nolan Grayson reveal a vulnerable side we’ve never witnessed from Omni-Man. This moment was the most vulnerable we’ve seen him in Invincible to this point. Yes, even more than after brutally killing the Guardians Of The Globe. Mark doesn’t realize is that his father lives a completely different life than him. It’s not only another planet, Viltrum, but it’s the world inside Nolan’s mind. Inside Nolan’s mind, it’s an insatiable need for control.

     

    2021 - Unbesiegbar: Warum Omni-Man nicht wollte, dass Mark Kräfte hat - Gettotext.com

     

    There are people we encounter in life every day that are control freaks. They can’t stand the idea of someone doing however they please. They also abhor a person who doesn’t have the same viewpoints as they do. It’s the person who wants the A on the project and you to thank them for it. When Nolan trains Mark, he expects the absolute best. Under the guise of fatherly love, he chides him for not showing the same discipline. When Nolan tells Mark not to help Titan in the fifth episode, he ends up being right on the surface. In reality, it’s a lack of empathy from Nolan’s perspective that was his concern. He finds the request “beneath” his son’s abilities. He talks about wanting to focus on the big picture. Omni-Man aims to conquer Earth.

    Omni-Man is all about controlling the message and the narrative. When Debbie finds out that he killed the Guardians, Nolan doesn’t show remorse. He doesn’t even try to explain or give a justifiable reason for his actions. He attempts to use Debbie’s love for him against her, but what he doesn’t realize is that she and Cecil now understand who and what they’re dealing with. It’s only then that Nolan abandons the perfect mirage of a personality that he’s displayed.

     

    Amazon's Invincible Cast On Family Drama and Super-Violence | Digital Trends

     

    Another example of having control and exerting that power and fear is Nolan with his tailor Art. He knows that Art discussed his extracurriculars with his wife. Nolan can easily kill him, but he casually has a beer with him and plays on his fear. He uses indirect threats to make Art understand his position:

    One day it seems like you have all the time in the world, and the next it’s gone.

    When Nolan rips through the government, it’s a loss of control at play. It’s in all of that death and destruction that we see a desperate, psychotic version of himself. The only thing holding him back from a complete loss is Mark. In his last gasp at being able to control his plan, his ideology, and most importantly, his son. One can assume that Mark won’t respond kindly to all of the horrors his father has inflicted. Great parenting happens when you start controlling yourself rather than your child. We can only fear that the only thing Nolan understands is control, but it’ll never be himself. In more ways than one, Mark will have to prove if he is Invincible or not.

  • ‘THE BOYS’: Laz Alonso Teases Jensen Ackles’ Dark Portrayal of Soldier Boy

    ‘THE BOYS’: Laz Alonso Teases Jensen Ackles’ Dark Portrayal of Soldier Boy

    It’s no secret that Amazon Prime’s The Boys is one of the darker comic book adaptations out there. The show has become known for its excessive guts and gore. Don’t forget its tendency to dive headfirst into some fairly heavy topics. It seems as though the upcoming third season, which is now deep into filming, won’t be changing any of that. In fact, series star Laz Alonso is teasing that it only gets worse from here. The actor, who plays Mother’s Milk on the show, revealed in a recent interview with Collider that the new Boys episodes are only getting darker and darker. He explained:

    I’ll put it to you this way. I was talking to the head makeup artist and she’s in charge of ordering the blood — that’s one of her many jobs. She told me that all of Season 2… When you talk about bulk, I don’t think they used over a gallon of blood in Season 2, believe it or not. Season 3, we’re already at three and a half gallons of blood. So that should give you a little indication of where it’s going.

    Alonso also dropped some of our first new information on Jensen Ackles’ new addition to the franchise, the Captain America-like WWII “hero” known as Soldier Boy. Apparently, the former soldier will be a big reason the show’s third season takes a darker turn. He elaborated that the inclusion of the character “allowed [Kripke] to not only bring in a character historically who’s pretty dark, but it also makes all of the other ensemble Supes darker as well.” Luckily for the production team, this is exactly what fans of The Boys were hoping for.

    Source: Collider

  • Untitled ‘The Boys’ Spin-Off Casts Reina Hardesty as Lead

    Untitled ‘The Boys’ Spin-Off Casts Reina Hardesty as Lead

    It looks like the still-untitled The Boys spin-off has found its lead actress. Deadline has just revealed that Brockmire actress Reina Hardesty will tackle the lead role of the upcoming college-focused series. It seems that it is already nearing a green light by Amazon Studios, which will want to continue banking on the success of their R-rated superhero franchise. The story will focus on America’s college for superheroes. Of course, it is run by Vought International and aims to prepare the new generation of Supes for their big debut. As to be expected, the story will push their sexual and moral boundaries to a test to get the best contracts.  It will be written by The Boys executive producer Craig Rosenberg.

    The third season is still in production for the popular series, as it has recently cast Katia Winter as Little Nina. The spin-off has also been quite busy, as it has added Shane Paul Mcghie, Maddie Phillips, Aimee Carrero, Jaz Sinclair, and Lizzie Broadway. It will be quite the stacked cast, which will take a very different approach from the mainline series. The Boys focused primarily on a group of non-powered individuals while intersecting stories from the Supes now and then. This series will primarily focus on a group of young adults and very hormonal superheroes at its core. The Brockmire actress might end up being the only hero without powers to add that human element, but there is no word which role she is tackling. It’ll be interesting to see if we get any potential crossovers between the series in the future.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Invincible’: The Power of Escalation

    ‘Invincible’: The Power of Escalation

    Superhero shows tend to go in different directions. We’ve seen their stories evolve from their child-friendly roots to embracing more adult themes. This evolution of storytelling led to Jessica Jones changing the landscape of female storytelling. Frank Miller‘s take on Batman in The Dark Knight Returns showed us a dystopian Gotham haunted by its failures. Yet, there persists an aspect of the franchise that makes it accessible for anyone in the world. Marvel Studios found a way to create an ever-expanding universe that can offer light-hearted stories alongside geopolitical thrillers. DC is taking a different approach by telling stories in different ways, may it be Joker‘s attempt at an avant-garde project or Aquaman embracing the silliness. The Boys took a different approach by completely embracing its R-rating. We’re seeing a curious development with Amazon’s second superhero project, an adaptation of Robert Kirkman‘s Invincible.

     

    Keep in mind, I will be discussing the first three episodes in this article. If you haven’t seen them yet, only continue at your own risk.

     

    Robert Kirkman's Invincible TV Series Packs a Surprising Punch

     

    Now, there is one aspect that makes the latest adaptation rather interesting. The first episode lures us into a false safe of security. It plays out as most superhero stories do. The 17-year-old Mark Grayson, voiced by Steven Yeun, uncovers that he has abilities just like his father. Of course, he sees this as his opportunity to live up to his father’s reputation as one of Earth’s mightiest superheroes, Omni-Man. It follows most superhero conventions by teaching him to control his abilities, face his teenage angst, and find a perfect name. It ends with a triumphant flight through the city as he embraces his new identity before the title card shows up.

    It is at this moment that the show ends and the other part of it begins. Suddenly, the story escalates once the title card vanishes. The superhero team, which is similar to the Justice League or Avengers, is murdered by Omni-Man. It’s not even just that he betrays the team out of the blue. He tears them apart. In a way, we shift from an episode of the Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes straight into an animated adaptation of The Boys. The trailers tease a darker storyline, but it goes that step further to enforce this isn’t your regular superhero story. It isn’t even your everyday R-rated storyline. Its talent lies in balancing the two worlds that heroes can live within.

     

    Invincible Trailer Reveals Amazon Has The Market Cornered on Superhero Violence | Den of Geek

     

    There is a clear development of escalation between specific story beats. In the time we spend with Invincible, we commonly see his world get darker as time goes by. The first large-scale invasion in the second episode goes wrong. Yet, once he joins the Teen Team, it returns to a largely optimistic and comedic tone. That downtime doesn’t detract from the dark aspects of the overarching plot, but it offers a temporary break. In a way, it isn’t a subversion of the tropes we’ve come to love like The Boys is. It simply takes the base concept from comics that we’ve seen since its inception and escalates the violence. There is a reason that the title card continues to add more blood with each episode. Yes, it is adapting an existing comic, but the show uses its animated format to push that escalation. We’ve seen plenty of R-rated animated series do exactly that. So, it isn’t the first to do so. As such, it’s not reinventing the wheel in any way but using the existing and putting the pieces together to create something that feels fresh.