Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: The Marvels

  • First ‘The Marvels’ Funkos Include Goose, Captain Marvel, and More

    First ‘The Marvels’ Funkos Include Goose, Captain Marvel, and More

    It looks like Funko Pops for the next Marvel Cinematic Universe entry is slowly finding its way online. While we still have some time before The Marvels‘ releases in theaters this November, it looks like a sneak peek of what’s to come has surfaced online. To be fair, these don’t include anything majorly new that wasn’t already hinted at in the trailer, but it’s definitely interesting to get a bit more from the project.

    As shared on Instagram by IG account funkochaseryeg, a new box set is unveiled that includes a Pop figure of Captain Marvel in her binary form. Not just that, but it also confirms that the kittens we saw in the trailer are indeed the children of Goose, who will definitely leave chaos in their wake; never double-cross a Flerken kitten. The box also includes Ms. Marvel and Photon Funkos.

    Goose seems quite dominant as part of the merch push, but that’s not too surprising. The feline was a standout in the first Captain Marvel movie and has been highly anticipated to return to the franchise since he puked out the Cosmic Cube. It’ll be interesting to see how they will explore the storyline with the kittens and if perhaps Goose has a surprisingly more active role in the film moving forward.

    Source: Twitter

  • You Get a Captain Marvel, You Get a Captain Marvel…Samuel L. Jackson Reveals the MCU’s New Approach to the Shared Moniker

    You Get a Captain Marvel, You Get a Captain Marvel…Samuel L. Jackson Reveals the MCU’s New Approach to the Shared Moniker

    Across the decades, the House of Ideas has churned out multiple Captains Marvel. The Kree hero Mar-Vell, Monica Rambeau, Genis-Vell, Phyla-Vell, Noh-Varr, Carol Danvers and even a weird Skrull/Mar-Vell hybrid have all been known as Captain Marvel in the pages of Marvel Comics. The MCU has shown no interest in following the lineage laid out in those pages and has chosen instead to blaze its own trail, leapfrogging 5 Captains to get to Carol and revealing that on Earth-838, Maria Rambeau became Captain Marvel. Now it appears that much like the comics, the moniker of Captain Marvel is going to be shared by more than just those two characters.

    In an interview with Sway’s Universe, Secret Invasion star Samuel L. Jackson, whose Nick Fury is set to appear in November’s The Marvels, indicated that two more characters may be set to take shared ownership of the title of Captain Marvel. “After Secret Invasion, I’m moving on to The Marvels where you got like three different people who are Captain Marvel,” said Jackson. “You got Brie, you got a black Captain Marvel and you got a Muslim Captain Marvel,” continued the actor. Jackson is, of course, referring to Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau and Iman Vellani‘s Kamala Khan, both of whom will share the stage with Brie Larson‘s Carol Danvers in the upcoming film.

    This is certainly the first time we’ve heard of the possibility of these characters sharing the distinction of being called Captain Marvel but it does fall in line with the way the title has been treated in the comics. It also certainly doesn’t preclude any of the characters from having other superhero names as not too many characters have sported the title Captain Marvel for long in the comics. Marvel Studios The Marvels will hit theaters November 11th.

    Source: Sway’s Universe via The Direct

  • [SPOILER] May Return in ‘The Marvels’

    [SPOILER] May Return in ‘The Marvels’

    The following article contains spoilers for the ending of the first episode of Secret Invasion. So only continue at your own risk.

    One of the biggest shocks in the pilot episode of Secret Invasion was the death of Maria Hill. Cobie Smulders was a mainstay since her first appearance in 2012’s Avengers. While she didn’t quite follow her comic counterparts’ growth into the leader of SHIELD, she still remained a constant throughout the franchise. It worked well to highlight the dangers Nick Fury is about to face.

    Even with how big the show was and how many set photos have found their way online from the production, the twist was kept a secret up until the show’s release. Smulders shares her surprise and looking back at what she believes was “a dream job.”

    There were a lot of people around, so I’m surprised that there wasn’t an image that got leaked. I guess that’s the respect that Marvel has earned over the last decade, which is like, ‘Don’t spoil it for people.’ And nobody did, thankfully.

    Cobie Smulders

    Interestingly enough, the article from The Hollywood Reporter claims that she is still set to return in the upcoming film The Marvels. What adds a bit of confusion to this twist. Of course, it opens the possibility that we’re going to see more Skrull twists in the series moving forward. Of course, it may just also be a hint that the film takes place earlier in the timeline tahn expected but we might not know until Disney+ releases.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • Hasbro Reveals Marvel Legends Wave for ‘The Marvels’

    Hasbro Reveals Marvel Legends Wave for ‘The Marvels’

    In another universe, Marvel Studios’ The Marvels would be hitting theaters in less than 2 months. In this universe, Disney moved the release date from July 28th to November 11th, but not before the gears on the machine that is merchandising had already been set in motion. Today, Hasbro released the first look at one of the many branches of merchandise associated with Marvel Studios projects: Marvel Legends.

    In has to be one of Hasbro’s most hodgepodge waves to date, The Marvels wave of Marvel Legends includes only 3 figures from the film (Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel and Photon) while the other 4 figures (Commander Rogers, Heroes Return Iron Man, Karnak and Marvel Boy) and the Build-A-Figure (Amadeus Cho’s Totally Awesome Hulk) are all comic based.

    While an argument could be made that each of the comic-based figures are Captain Marvel and/or Ms. Marvel adjacent, it’s surprising nonetheless to see Marvel Boy and Karnak get their own figures. Karnak’s inclusion could bode well for fans of Marvel Comics Inhumans as it could indicate that Hasbro may start pushing out individual Inhumans over the next few years.

    As for Amadeus Cho’s Totally Awesome Hulk, his connection to Kamala Khan as a fellow member of the first modern-day iteration of The Champions seems to explain his inclusion here. It’s worth noting, however, that Cho was long-rumored to be in The Marvels.

    Pre-orders for the wave will go live on June 7th at 1:00 PM ET on Hasbro Pulse, Amazon and other online retailers.

  • New Promo Art for ‘The Marvels’ Showcases Zawe Ashton’s Villain, Flerken Army

    New Promo Art for ‘The Marvels’ Showcases Zawe Ashton’s Villain, Flerken Army

    Marvel Studios Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels, was originally slated for a July release before moving to November but the Marvel marketing machine was already hard at work behind the scenes before the move. As such, fans have already been treated to a teaser trailer for the Phase 5 film and now, some brand-new promo materials have made their way online.

    The promo art, which was first shared on Instagram by Ironman.TW and then on Twitter through the Captain Marvel News account, not only shows off the film’s three leads but also gives a great look at Zawe Ashton‘s villainous Kree leader Dar-Benn.

    Also of note, is the confirmation of something that fans have been buzzing about since the teaser trailer first aired. During a scene set on the planet Aldana, several cats can be seen running around and the new concept art seems to confirm that they are all indeed Flerkens, just like Goose!

    The presence of what’s essentially a Flerken army should provide Carol, Monica and Kamala with some formidable allies in their fight against Dar-Benn and the Kree. The release of The Marvels is just a little over six months away which means fans can expect another trailer and a lot more promotional material to make its way online ahead of November 10th.

    Source: Twitter

  • Marvel Studios Confirms Identity of Zawe Ashton’s Kree Revolutionary; Reveals Casting of Daniel Ings

    Marvel Studios Confirms Identity of Zawe Ashton’s Kree Revolutionary; Reveals Casting of Daniel Ings

    The first teaser trailer for the upcoming Marvel Studios film, The Marvels, gave fans a taste of what to expect when the film hits theaters this November the first look at the film’s villain, played by Zawe Ashton. In the Fall of 2021, we heard that Ashton’s character was going to be loosely inspired by a very minor character from Marvel Comics by the name of Ael-Dan. Now we know who she’s actually playing.

    According to an official still released by Disney, Ashton is playing Dar-Benn who is described as a “revolutionary” in the official synopsis for the film. As explained in 2021, Dar-Benn was a co-conspirator of Ael-Dan’s when they deposed and murdered Clumsy Foulup, the Kree Emperor at the time. Neither Ael-Dan nor Dar-Benn’s stories continued on for long as they were both killed by the Shi’ar warrior Deathbird.

    And that’s where Ashton’s character comes into play. I heard that Ashton’s character, described by the trades as the villain ofThe Marvels, is loosely based on an incredibly minor Kree comic character named Ael-Dan, who has appeared and/or is referenced in a total of 3 comics. In those appearances, General Ael-Dan works in tandem with a General Dar-Benn to assassinate the sitting emperor and then take his place. Their great reign ended during Operation Galactic Storm when they were killed by Deathbird of the Shi’ar. Ashton’s character in The Marvels is a gender-swapped take on this character which means that for all intents and purposes, she’s playing an original character. I’ve heard the character described as both the Kree Emperor and a Kree general. In the comics, both are true and I can’t confirm if Ashton’s character will be one or the other or both in the film.

    The release also confirms the addition of Instinct and I Hate Suzie actor Daniel Ings to the cast. Ings will be portraying a Kree by the name of Ty-Rone who seems to be an original character.

  • Marvel Studios Unveils the First Official Synopsis for ‘The Marvels’

    Marvel Studios Unveils the First Official Synopsis for ‘The Marvels’

    Following the release of the first trailer for The Marvels, Marvel Studios unveiled the first official synopsis for the Captain Marvel sequel.

    In Marvel Studios’ “The Marvels,” Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau. Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe as “The Marvels.”

    The Marvels hits theaters on November 10th.

  • New Funko May Have Unveiled an MCU Original Hero Kahhori for ‘What If…?’ Season 2

    New Funko May Have Unveiled an MCU Original Hero Kahhori for ‘What If…?’ Season 2

    Marvel Studios has mainly focused on adapting existing characters from the choices; sometimes even twisting some familiar faces in new ways like the Scarlet Scarab in Moon Knight. Yet, a new Funko leak may have unveiled a brand new character that could be a Marvel Cinematic Universe exclusive character.

    Instagram user lasvegasfunkoholics has shared a Funko Soda that includes a character named Kahhori. Now, this character seemingly has no connection to an existing one in the comics and seemingly will appear in the upcoming second season of What If…?‘s second season given that another leaked Funko Soda includes Zombie Iron Man and the logo is included.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CpQJnIFp7Uy/

    There are also Soda Funko’s for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as they are seemingly rolling out quite a few MCU-centric Soda Funkos. There will be some confusion of who Kahhori is and if she might also have a role in live-action. There’s also the chance that she might appear in The Marvels or potentially one of the Disney+ shows set to release this year, Secret Invasion and Loki‘s second season.

    Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige has always been open to potentially introducing brand new characters original to the franchise. Agent Coulson may not have been a hero but Clark Gregg‘s iconic character went on to become a fan-favorite and was also even introduced into the comics even before he got his own spinoff series Agents of SHIELD. So, we’ll have to keep an eye out for where Kahhori might appear.

    Source: Instagram, The Direct

  • All Roads LED Here: Marvel’s Future with Stagecraft May End

    All Roads LED Here: Marvel’s Future with Stagecraft May End

    If there ever was a piece of technology that went from being “the future” to having the Internet complain about it ruining experiences, it would be Stagecraft. The technology is quite simple, as it makes use of LED screens and pre-rendered elements to give actors something to act from. The Mandalorian popularized it and it became a useful tool during COVID and put Industrial Light & Magic on the map for many productions.

    Cinematographer Greig Fraser has been a strong proponent against the use of greenscreen (but still uses them heavily for some of his biggest projects under new names like “Sand Screens” in Dune) and was one of the first to push the technology forward. He went on to make good use of the Stagecraft in The Batman after pioneering it for The Mandalorian. Still, even that great film couldn’t avoid some people feeling it was a little flat in its design give or take.

    As its use went on, that complaint started to pick up more and more speed. It got to a point where the main criticism was that this technology creates a lifeless experience and truly only creates something that is “too polished.” Not really great for every project already filming at the time as its criticism took centerstage. Marvel went all in with projects potentially making good use of it, Thor: Love and Thunder, the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and the just-released Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

    Marvel is already constantly under a magnifying glass for its use of a green screen and CG over the years. Especially once the pandemic hit, it felt like a free-for-all on what problems one can find and focus primarily on the few times it just wasn’t 100% right. So, the use of a technology that is already at a stage of heavy criticism during a time when filmmaking was at its most difficult was going to face some new challenges.

    Thor: Love and Thunder was the first to release that technology and the criticism of flat backgrounds has returned. Many discussions online were questioning what was the cause: bad lighting or just generally if the technology is too early for the big screen given how limited it is in scope. Its use, however, was highly praised by those working on the projects in how they combined real set pieces with the technology giving them more flexibility.

    It’s a strange fight, as there’s an expectation that “shot on set is always better,” which is definitely the case given its tangibility, but also downplays the value of this technology and its use. We want to move away from greenscreen but also push away any alternatives, especially for projects like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania that explore a completely foreign world. Director Peyton Reed has experience working with the tech and likely was excited to return to its use.

    The film also received similar criticism due to the technology and the usual CG comments that have dominated Marvel discourse for quite some time now. It starts blending together where it’s difficult to truly tell if it’s Stagecraft or the CG that makes it difficult as a topic overall. Though some have also praised the CG and Quantumania‘s very mixed reception creates a difficult point of discourse. Yahoo’s review of the film just called it “almost wholly on green screens” which just completely sidelines the tech while, for example, CNet‘s just generally praises the world created.

    CG is a sour topic and Marvel became quite the focus given its size and popularity. Post-Endgame, there’s also a big “it’s not like it used to be” mentality that has just been pushed forward by the pandemic’s restrictions on the industry. A film like Quantumania also will rely more on CG given that it takes place fully in a non-realistic world and given its design choices, it wanted to be as wacky as possible; something praised and loathed from one review to the next.

    We know that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was initially announced to use the technology; another franchise that makes a lot of use of greenscreens and sets given its space-focused storyline. Yet, James Gunn seemingly decided against its use due to it not being able to bring his vision to life for the final film in his trilogy. So, he would’ve used it if it were fitting for what he was trying to accomplish.

    By all accounts, that would seemingly be the end of its use with this week’s release of Quantumania. Yet, there is one more hint that exists for use on The Marvels. Sadly, it’s just a very unreliable source in the form of IMDb. The upcoming Captain Marvel sequel includes credits for Stagecraft artists Robb Gardner, supervisor Christopher Django Johnston, and more. The only thing is, there’s no real official announcement about the use of the technology.

    So far, we haven’t had any official announcements for future projects and it almost seems like they won’t be focusing their use on the technology moving forward. Select projects like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever did not make use of the tech. So, they aren’t forcing it into every project and there’s definitely a surprising silence on its future use after heavy promotion for Quantumania.

    At this rate, it does seem like they aren’t going to rely too heavily on it anymore. It should also be noted that all productions released this year used the technology in 2021 while COVID was still at a high point. Thor: Love and Thunder was produced in 2020 when it was even unpredictable, which makes the expectation of its necessity higher. Yet, we’re about to enter a very different era for Marvel Studios’ productions.

    It should be noted that non of the 2024 releases have even started filming just yet. In a way, we’re returning to some normalcy and their usual production schedule from before the pandemic moving forward. There hasn’t been a single production in 2022, which is curious and perhaps a showcase of rearranging pieces around the board. Quantumania was originally the ending of Phase 4 and the reception seems to hgihlight that.

    Stagecraft might still get used but we shouldn’t expect any major promotions of its use for future titles. It probably will only be a sparing addition to production if there ever is truly a necessity given whatever the production is working on. Perhaps this year will signal the final “COVID era productions” from Marvel Studios with a potential new future going into the next year. Phase 5 may have not kicked off how some wanted, but it doesn’t mean Marvel is truly over, it may just be getting started once again.

    Source: YouTube, GameRant, IndieWire, DisInsider, Movieweb, IndieWire, Total Film, IMDb, ILM

  • BREAKING: First ‘The Marvels’ Poster Reveals New November Release

    BREAKING: First ‘The Marvels’ Poster Reveals New November Release

    Here’s a surprise, but it looks like Marvel Studios wasn’t lying about giving their projects more time to breathe. The Marvels has finally received its first poster as many theorized we’d see a trailer soon given its July 28th release. Yet, the poster reveals comes with one major addition: the film is delayed by quite a few months. It looks like The Marvels won’t release until November 10th

    It does seem like a smart move, as it spaces out their projects more evenly throughout the ear. While Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige always talked about having four films a year, their Disney+ ventures may have shifted that plan to a three-films-a-year cycle moving forward. It would give them some strong box office contenders, and stretch out the future phase while balancing it out with whatever series they have planned.

    It should be noted that Disney isn’t keeping that July date open, as they have seemingly decided Haunted Mansion is ready for a summer release. That is quite bizarre given it’s commonly an October/Halloween-centered release for these types of films, but they may just believe it’ll offer the right amount of summer zaniness.

    Marvel Studios is still set to make a splash at the box office and still remains a good seller for anyone wanting to follow along. We’ll expect a sizable drop in Quantumania‘s second weekend, as per usual but could also be a bit lower due to the box office not being as grandiose as last year. Interest in Kang the Conqueror will keep people interested and perhaps even if word-of-mouth isn’t hitting an A on the CinemaScore, it could boost future releases. Whatever it might be, it will be interesting to keep an eye on the releases of this year.

    Source: Twitter