Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: TV News

  • EXCLUSIVE: ‘Moon Knight’ Producer Talks Reimagining the Scarlet Scarab for the MCU

    EXCLUSIVE: ‘Moon Knight’ Producer Talks Reimagining the Scarlet Scarab for the MCU

    The Moon Knight finale had more than a few surprises up its sleeve, but its biggest may have come in the form of May Calamawy‘s Layla El-Faouly. After being introduced as an original character, fans began to view Layla as an updated version of Marc Spector’s comic book love interest Marlene Alraune. However, the show’s final episode revealed her to be quite a bit more. A big twist has Layla bonding with the goddess Tawaret and transforming into a version of the Scarlet Scarab, an obscure character from Marvel lore and the first Egyptian superhero.

    In an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, Moon Knight producer Grant Curtis explained how Scarlet Scarab came to be a part of the show and why Calamawy’s Layla was the perfect choice for the role:

    We had an incredible female protagonist. Whether or not she had wings in the previous episode, she was already a superhero in her own right. When you start looking at the Marvel canon for potential superheroes, we found the Scarlet Scarab. We learned that was Egypt’s first superhero and what an incredible actress in May Calamawy to lead that charge. It was a natural merging of two different stories into one character. I think it worked quite well.

    Grant Curtis

    In the comics, Scarlet Scarab is a man named Abdul Faoul, a version of whom is revealed to be Layla’s father in the MCU series. Faoul gains supernatural abilities from a mystical scarab amulet and vows to rid Egypt of all foreign invaders. He comes into conflict with the superhero Invaders during World War II but eventually sides with them against the Nazis. His amulet, and Scarlet Scarab title, are eventually passed down to his child, in a similar manner to Layla picking up her father’s torch in Moon Knight.

    It’s unknown if Layla will continue to appear as the Scarlet Scarab going forward, or if this was simply a one-time appearance. The character’s fate is left in the air at the end of the Disney+ series. If fans are lucky, though, Marvel will find a way to keep revitalizing this long-forgotten hero for years to come.

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Director and Executive Producers Have No Idea If a Season 2 Will Happen

    ‘Moon Knight’ Director and Executive Producers Have No Idea If a Season 2 Will Happen

    As Moon Knight’s six-part event came to a close on Wednesday, it left many fans wanting more. Oscar Isaac put in a stunning performance as Marc Spector and Steven Grant, while Layla El-Faouly became the MCU’s first Egyptian superhero. More importantly, though, by season’s end, a new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that contains rich Ancient Egyptian mythology has just been broken open.

    The finale of the Disney+ series also created more questions than perhaps fans were expecting of a limited series. For example, the mid-credits scene finally gave the first look at the third personality, Jake Lockley, and it was quite the cliffhanger to end the show. Similarly, we had no epilogue or resolution to Layla’s story after her grand moments in the final episode. It all leads the audience to wonder—will there be a Season 2?

    It turns out that not even Moon Knight’s creators know the answer to that. In an interview with Deadline, director and executive producer Mohamed Diab said quite simply:

    We don’t know if there’s a next season.

    Mohamed Diab

    The director elaborated that he knows just about as much as fans do when it comes to Moon Knight’s future:

    I’m kept in the dark, just like the fans…Marvel doesn’t go with a conventional way, so even if they like the character and want to extend the world, it could be season 2, it could be a standalone film, or he can join another superhero’s journey…We never discussed it being a season 2, but one day there’s going to be an expansion, but I don’t know how it’s going to look like.

    Mohamed Diab

    Maybe the most interesting thing about Diab’s remarks is that a second season was never truly thought out. Obviously, Moon Knight was marketed as a limited series, so it is not surprising that Season 2 was never an absolute plan. But the fact that the creators of the show seem to have no indication as to where the character might be going is fascinating.

    Executive produce Grant Curtis agreed with Diab’s statements as well, noting that he wants to know Moon Knight’s future just as much as fans do. He stated:

    Where Moon Knight lands in MCU after this, I actually don’t know,” said Curtis, “As a fan, I want to know, because Oscar created such an engaging, emotional performance that people want to see more of the Steven-Marc-Jake story.

    Grant Curtis

    While even Marvel Studios creators are notoriously left in the dark about their own projects’ futures, Diab’s and Curtis’ comments certainly do not suggest that a Moon Knight Season 2 is a strong bet. Perhaps after the hype of the finale dies down, fans might get a better understanding of where the titular character is headed in the MCU future.

    All episodes of Moon Knight are now streaming on Disney+.

    Source: Deadline

  • EXCLUSIVE: Why Jake Lockley Was Saved For Last in ‘Moon Knight’ Finale

    EXCLUSIVE: Why Jake Lockley Was Saved For Last in ‘Moon Knight’ Finale

    Finally, after teasing his existence for six episodes, the final moments of Moon Knight’s post-credit sequence gave us our first look at the third personality hidden deep within Marc Spector, Jake Lockley. Khonshu was playing a long con with our new favorite protagonist, as while he promised to let Steven and Marc go, he still had one more trick up his sleeve.

    In an interview with producer Grant Curtis, Charles Villaneuva got the chance to ask what their approach was to introducing the third personality and they waited to do so until the very last second. It seems that they wanted to focus on Mar cand Steven before adding one more to the mix.

    It wasn’t a conscious effort. As you know, Jake Lockley is peppered throughout the whole series but it’s not until the final scene that you actually see him. It was our writer Jeremy Slater leading us on the most satisfying journey for Marc and Steven to go on. That’s how it played out. It was the best story to tell. Believe me, once he pitched and once we knew that’s where Jake was going to land, it was like, “Game on.”

    Grant Curtis

    It’s certainly an interesting approach, especially as the teases became more prominent throughout the series’ runtime. The final fight included another confirmation that someone else is in them, which may be the reason they are still chaining themselves to their bed even after they found peace with each other. Here’s hoping they really have a second season planned to further explore this storyline.

  • Oscar Isaac Open to Return for a ‘Moon Knight’ Season 2 With the Right Story

    Oscar Isaac Open to Return for a ‘Moon Knight’ Season 2 With the Right Story

    Oscar Isaac gave quite the performance in bringing Moon Knight to life, as he spent most of the final episode switching between the personalities of Marc Spector and Steven Grant at a whim. Yet, the ending also introduced us to his third personality Jake Lockley. While there’s still no second season announcement, it seems that if they have the right story in mind, the actor would be down to return to the world of Moon Knight.

    And let’s just put everything out on the table on this story. There’s definitely no official plans to continue it. I think it would depend on what the story is. That being said, I love being Steven. I just love it. It’s just like, physically, it’s so much fun to be him. So, you know, if there was a story that really made sense, I’d be happy to be part of it

    Oscar Isaac

    It’s still unsure what the future has in store for the character, but it would seem strange to end the season the way it did without any potential plans moving forward. There have been some hints that they may have plans to continue the story, but until we get an official announcement it is difficult to really say what the future has in store. So far, Loki is the only live-action Disney+ series from Marvel to get any season renewal, which makes it hard to know what exactly their plans are moving forward.

    Source: Radio Times

  • Peacock Cancels ‘Saved by the Bell’ After Two Seasons

    Peacock Cancels ‘Saved by the Bell’ After Two Seasons

    Peacock has canceled its Saved by the Bell reboot.

    The news comes courtesy of Deadline, with the outlet revealing the cast and crew were given the news yesterday. Just a month ago, Peacock’s Saved by the Bell reboot on the award for Outstanding Comedy Series at the GLAAD Media Awards. While the original series was goofy, despite trying to tackle tough subjects at times, the newer installment often tackled gender, race and class issues.

    “We are so proud to have been the home of the next iteration of Saved by the Bell for both new and OG fans. Saved by the Bell has been a cultural mainstay for more than 30 years and the new series, led by Tracey Wigfield’s superfan enthusiasm and signature witty humor, seamlessly continued the show’s legacy, all while allowing more audiences to feel seen,”  a Peacock spokeswoman said in a statement. “We’re grateful to Tracey, Franco Bario, our partners at UTV, the beloved cast, and the fans who have continued to champion one of the most iconic shows of all time.”

    The reboot series starred Haskiri Velazquez, Mitchell Hoog, Josie Totah, Alycia Pascual-Peña, Belmont Cameli, Dexter Darden, John Michael Higgins and original cast members Elizabeth Berkley Lauren and Mario Lopez. While Mark Gosselaar, Tiffani Thiessen and Lark Voorhies all made several appearances in the reboot. Saved by the Bell‘s second season debuted all ten episodes in November over the week of Thanksgiving.

    Source: Deadline.

  • Marvel Studios Tweet Hints At ‘Moon Knight’ Season 2

    Marvel Studios Tweet Hints At ‘Moon Knight’ Season 2

    Moon Knight has only just released its final episode, and Marvel Studios is already hinting that it won’t actually be the show’s last. From the very beginning, the Oscar Isaac-led project has been marketed as a “limited series.’ The show was even submitted for Emmy’s consideration in the “limited” category. Presumably the original idea was for Moon Knight to act as a standalone entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, introducing Marc Spector and Steven Grant to a wider audience and then sending them on their way to larger team-ups or other spin-offs. However, a recent tweet from Marvel’s official account has cast doubt that this is still the plan.

    On Monday, the account tweeted out the trailer for the conclusion of the series with a caption that read “epic series finale.” That is, of course, exactly what one might expect to see. Yet, the tweet was taken down a short time later and replaced with a new post that instead read “epic season finale.” This is far from official confirmation of another season, but the decision to change the wording of above the trailer is definitely a little suspicious. At the very least, it indicates Marvel Studios may not be as certain about the way they’ll handle the future of Moon Knight.

    As a side note, this could potentially mess with the show’s chances at the Emmys. Even though the tweet might be a mistake, it still could be enough to disqualify Moon Knight from “limited series” contention. The Television Academy has reportedly been trying to crack down on shows attempting to use loopholes to win awards. They may view this as evidence of Marvel hoping to do the same.

    Source: Variety

  • Elizabeth Olsen on WandaVision Fan Theories: “We Should Have Done That!”

    Elizabeth Olsen on WandaVision Fan Theories: “We Should Have Done That!”

    When WandaVision first debuted, fans were unsure of what to expect. Not only was it a unique series that would take Wanda across various decades, but it was the first series produced by Marvel Studios, leaving fans to theorize with each new episode. The common theory, of course, was that Mephisto would appear. However, there was one other theory that fans speculated over for weeks – whether or not Evan Peters’ Quicksilver was from the multiverse.

    While we were the first to break the news that Peters would appear in the series, even we were unsure how Peters’ Quicksilver would debut within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Would he be the new Pietro going forward? Or was his role merely a cameo? Unfortunately, though, in the end, Peters’ Quicksilver was essentially a throwaway as the actor was later revealed to be playing the role of Ralph Bohner who was under the influence of Agatha Harkness. For fans, it was a frustrating reveal. As it turns out, though, Scarlet Witch actress Elizabeth Olsen wishes they’d gone that route with the character.

    In a recent interview with The Independent, Olsen noted that she found many of the fan theories surrounding WandaVision to be clever. “I love fan theories ‘cause I always think they’re very clever. There are usually ones where I’m like, ‘S***, we should have done that!”

    She specifically noted the theories surrounding Peters’ Pietro. “There was one where they thought we were bringing in the Multiverse with the Pietro character, with Evan [Peters.],” she explained. “The sad thing is, when we were doing WandaVisionbefore Covid, that was not part of the docket yet, and then itkind of overlapped when we finished the show. So we could have actually gone back and fixed or adjusted that. I thought that could have been cool to make Pietro a part of the Multiverse.”

    While certain fan theories regarding WandaVision didn’t come to fruition, the expansion upon the multiverse in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is sure to open plenty of doors going forward.

    Source: The Independent.

  • ‘Doctor Strange’ Writer Regrets Some Multiverse Rules He Introduced in ‘Loki’

    ‘Doctor Strange’ Writer Regrets Some Multiverse Rules He Introduced in ‘Loki’

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is almost upon us. You can read our spoiler-free review here. The 28th Marvel Studios feature film will be the latest—and likely biggest—leap into the multiversal lore of Phase Four. The movie promises to be a bold and wild Sam Raimi-directed adventure that sees our titular character, with company from major characters like the Scarlet Witch and America Chavez, travel through the multiverse to prevent a great evil that threatens it.

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s multiverse was, in fact, broken open during the events of the season finale of the Loki Disney+ series that debuted in 2021. With the new multiverse in full focus going into the Doctor Strange sequel, the film had quite the helping hand in its writer Michael Waldron, who also penned Loki. Previously, producer Richie Palmer has praised Waldron’s involvement with respect to how the Disney+ series already set the groundwork for some of the rules of the multiverse.

    Interestingly, Waldron recently told Digital Spy that he has some regrets about how rigidly he defined some of the “rules” of the multiverse in Loki due to its potential effects on future multiverse projects:

    We worked pretty hard on Loki to make it as airtight as possible. But there were times when I was like, ‘Oh, shit, I wish I hadn’t have defined that so clearly. I don’t know why I had to be so specific in my time-travel television show about the rules of the multiverse.

    Michael Waldron

    Even though there may be some challenges in keeping multiversal mechanics consistent in the MCU as a whole going forward, Waldron still believes that his work on Loki greatly benefitted the writing process of Multiverse of Madness. He stated:

    But, I was glad that I came in with institutional knowledge of the multiverse and was able to get the creative team of Doctor Strange on the same page as me on everything. Because like with Loki, that’s the most important thing when you’re dealing with this…You have to all have a shared language of all this stuff, otherwise it can get pretty confusing.

    Michael Waldron

    If Loki limited some of the creative direction of Multiverse of Madness with respect to the physics and understandings of the multiverse, it seems as though it still ultimately enabled the sequel to have a coherent and consistent tone with the MCU. A “shared language” about the multiverse will undoubtedly come in handy to both filmmakers and audiences going forward.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases in theaters on May 6, 2022.

    Source: Digital Spy

  • May Calamawy Talks About Introducing [SPOILER] into the MCU

    May Calamawy Talks About Introducing [SPOILER] into the MCU

    If you haven’t seen the latest episode of Moon Knight, only continue reading at your own risk.

    The final episode of Moon Knight has (sadly) arrived, and it included quite a lot to take in. Not only did we have an all-out Kaiju battle between the newly resurrected Ammit and Khonshu, but also received a brand new hero. Layla El-Faouly has become Taweret’s new Avatar and gained with it a new alter-ego. While it is never explicitly stated in the series, a new article by Marvel confirms that she is the MCU’s interpretation of the Scarlet Scarab.

    The portrayal of May Calamawy‘s Egyptian heritage played an important role in her addition to the series, especially with how it tries to focus on representation throughout. Now, she’s also Marvel’s first Egyptian superhero, which the actress saw as quite the pressure going into the project.

    I had to really sit with it and be like, I cannot represent every Arab woman or every Egyptian woman…I just hope that all Arab women can watch that and feel like a Super Hero, and that they have that space on that big scale.

    May Calamawy

    They have built up her scarab-inspired design with the way she was named by her father. While it was unexpected that she would fully embrace a superhero persona, there were some interesting seeds planted throughout. Consulting producer Sara Goher highlighted that she was always part of their initial pitch going in.

    When we were putting [together our pitch], she was in the presentation,” Goher says. “We knew in our hearts that we wanted someone like her to take on this role. And then once we got her on board, she just gave like 1,000%, and I’m so happy with Layla.

    Sara Goher

    A new hero is born with Scarlet Scarab and it’ll be interesting to see if we’ll see more of her moving forward in the MCU. There is still no word if Moon Knight will get a second season, as it’s been often teased as a limited series but going by the ending, it would seem fitting that they continue Marc’s story within the MCU. Perhaps they have some plans for a spinoff Disney+ series, which has happened to other newly introduced characters as well.

    Source: Marvel

  • Eric Martin is ‘Loki’ Season 2’s New Head Writer

    Eric Martin is ‘Loki’ Season 2’s New Head Writer

    It looks like the Loki series has passed the torch to a new generation, as not only will directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead take over what Kate Herron started, but it looks like Michael Waldron is no longer serving as its head writer. In an interview with Digital Spy, the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer revealed that Eric Martin has taken over that position.

    Well, I mean, look, everything leads into everything, right? We’ve hired a couple of great directors. [Justin] Benson and [Aaron] Moorhead [Loki season two directors] are brilliant. And Eric Martin has taken over as head writer for season 2. So the creative team is fantastic. As Tom [Hiddleston, who plays Loki] once said, there’s plenty more mischief to come.

    Michael Waldron

    It’s interesting how Marvel studios is moving away from the usual TV structure by not having an ongoing showrunner, but swapping out teams with each new season or series. In a way, it keeps each project fresh and introduces a new vision that can take over, but it does also come at the cost that they might feel a bit disjointed. In the case of Loki, the first season will lead directly into the second, as set up by its final moments.

    The challenge moving forward, especially if they go with multi-seasonal formats, is that they will fall into the issue of some connections being dependent on a film, or another series. If Loki shows up in other multiversal storylines, it becomes a bit confusing when jumping into a third season only to find out that there’s an entire character arc or storyline that was missed out. It’ll be interesting to see how they handle that moving forward, but it’s great to see Waldron‘s trust in the new team that is continuing what they built up.

    Source: Digital Spy