Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: TV News

  • ‘Star Wars’ Veteran John Williams Returns to Compose ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Theme

    ‘Star Wars’ Veteran John Williams Returns to Compose ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Theme

    It looks like it is official, as after quite a few rumors hinted at the iconic Star Wars composer John Williams would make his return to the classic universe. It seems they were right as Variety has confirmed his return and that he’ll be creating the theme for Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series. It’s fitting, as he was involved with the original prequel trilogy that defined Ewan McGregor‘s take on the character, and it’s been two years since he completed work on the ninth film of the franchise.

    He has supposedly recorded it last week with the Los Angeles orchestra. It’s noteworthy that he is willing to tackle this project, as it is his first TV project since 1985’s Amazing Stories. and the NBC Olympics theme. The composer won an Oscar for his work on 1977 original and has been nominated for its five sequels over the years. He also was heavily involved with the theme for Solo: A Star Wars Story and Disneyland’s Galaxy Edge theme park. He even won a Grammy for the latter.

    The composer just turned 90 a few days ago and continues to work to this day. It’s an admirable dedication to his craft, as he composed Steven Spielberg’s next film The Fabermans, and is involved with the fifth Indiana Jones. His inclusion in Obi-Wan Kenobi also adds that extra touch as this series is a bridge between the prequels and A New Hope, for which he created a theme for Alec Guinness time with the character. So, it’ll be exciting to hear what he has in store for us.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Loki’ Season 2 Finds Directing Duo in ‘Archive 81’s Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead

    ‘Loki’ Season 2 Finds Directing Duo in ‘Archive 81’s Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead

    As the expected start of production on the second season of Loki draws nearer, Marvel Studios has finalized the creative team behind the project. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, who helmed a couple of episodes of Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight, will direct the majority of the second season’s episodes.

    The duo jumped to the top of Marvel’s list after their work on Moon Knight and now find themselves taking the reigns from Kate Herron, who directed the first season. The directors will be joined by executive producer Michael Waldron, who was the head writer for the first season, and Eric Martin, who worked with Waldron in that writer’s room.

    Updating….

    Source: Deadline.

  • FX ‘Alien’ Series Is A Prequel Set on Earth and Won’t Feature Ellen Ripley

    FX ‘Alien’ Series Is A Prequel Set on Earth and Won’t Feature Ellen Ripley

    It all seemed over for the Alien franchise by the time the verdict for Ridley Scott‘s Alien: Covenant came in. Fans were turned off by the perplexing direction of the prequels and its stuffy mythology. The magic of the original films was no longer to be found in the franchise.

    FX’s upcoming show might be keen on undoing some of the damage as it was revealed in this week’s TCAs that the series would be a prequel set several decades before the first movie. According to network head John Landgraf, series linchpin Ellen Ripley doesn’t come around until way later in the timeline:

    There are some big surprises in store for the audience. Alien takes place before Ripley. It’s the first story that takes place in the Alien franchise on Earth. So, it takes place on our planet. Right near the end of this century we’re in — so 70-odd years from now. Ripley won’t be a part of it or any of the other characters of Alien other than the alien itself.

    The series will have a bit of explaining to do as to why there would be a xenomorph on Earth decades before the Nostromo’s discovery off-planet. Thankfully, the series is being helmed by Noah Hawley, who has proven time and time and again his skill in expanding cinematic worlds onto television. Case in point, Fargo’s 5th renewal at the network. If his vision for Fargo and Alien is to be trusted, we’re in very capable hands.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Writer Reveals Changes They Made To Avoid Batman Comparison

    ‘Moon Knight’ Writer Reveals Changes They Made To Avoid Batman Comparison

    Moon Knight, the titular character in Marvel Studios’ next Disney+ series, has always had issues with comparisons to another familiar comic book hero, Batman. Despite vast differences between the two, there has always been just enough similarity between Oscar Isaac’s new addition to the MCU and the iconic Caped Crusader to inspire unwanted connections in the minds of fans. While having multiple personalities aided in setting Moon Knight apart, it didn’t help that one of those personalities was a wealthy playboy, much like the Dark Knight’s well-known civilian identity Bruce Wayne.

    In a new interview with Empire Magazine, Moon Knight’s head writer Jeremy Slater discussed “de-Wayne-ifying” the character Steven Grant, and how he set out to make a unique addition to the nerd mythos:

    “There’s all this amazing stuff from Egyptology in the comics. Raiders of the Lost Ark was actually a big reference when I first pitched. How can we tell this dark, complex story but also inject some big, fun, supernatural, Amblin-style magic at the same time?”

    With this, Grant was quickly changed from confident playboy to timid Egyptologist. Slater went on to explain how Marvel brought in a real-life professional to expand on the idea in the show:

    “He told us all these crazy details. Like, inside the Great Pyramid of Giza there’s a chamber that’s inaccessible, but large enough to contain the Statue of Liberty. And no-one knows what’s in it. Those kinds of wild, real-life facts informed everything we wrote.”

    The more is revealed about the show, the more it appears to be something brand new for the genre. Trailers have shown much of the spooky, supernatural, Egyptian elements that Slater is referring to. It seems Marvel is confident in this new take on the Grant personality, and fans have much to look forward to when the series drops on March 30th.

    Source: Empire

  • May Calamawy’s ‘Moon Knight’ Character Revealed

    May Calamawy’s ‘Moon Knight’ Character Revealed

    There’s a ton of mystery surrounding Marvel Studios’ forthcoming Moon Knight. From Ethan Hawke‘s Dr. Arthur Harrow to lead Oscar Isaac‘s accent in the trailers for the series. One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Moon Knight, however, has been who May Calamawy was playing in the highly anticipated series.

    Calamawy was the second cast member to be announced for the series and many assumed she would be playing the hero’s love interest. As it stands, though, Marvel Studios seemed keen to keep her character’s identity quiet. Thanks to the latest issue of Empire magazine, though, we now know she is playing Layla El-Faouly, and not Marlene as many had expected.

    The magazine also unveiled a photo of Calamawy alongside Isaac’s Grant/Spector as they prepare to scale a cave together. Layla appears to be a character created for the series, and it’s currently unclear if Marlene will be making an appearance on the Disney+ series. Of course, with how little has been revealed regarding Moon Knight as of now, anything is possible.

    Moon Knight, which stars Isaac, will debut on Disney+ on March 30.

    Source: Twitter

  • New Details On ‘Moon Knight’ Villain Revealed

    New Details On ‘Moon Knight’ Villain Revealed

    The character of Ethan Hawke in Moon Knight has been shrouded in mystery from the moment the acclaimed actor was announced. Dr. Arthur Harrow was a name the trailer’s closed-captioning revealed to fans but even that revelation didn’t mean much to anyone due to the obscure nature of the character in the comics.

    Luckily, Hawke himself has finally shed light on just who Arthur Harrow is in the upcoming show. In an interview with Empire, Hawke said:

    [He’s] the head of a kind of certain religious sect. Like a lot of zealots. He has his own ideas about what might make the world a better place and they may not include you.

    Hawke initially raised eyebrows when he namedropped real-world evil cultist David Koresh as one of his inspirations for the character. For the uninitiated, Harrow in the comics is a mad scientist and not a religious figure. Knowing that Harrow is indeed a cultist makes the Koresh influence clearer. Hawke revealed other real-world figures he deemed essential to the creation of his version of Harrow:

    When you build a new character, you create a blender and throw things in. So I threw in David Koresh, Fidel Castro, the Dalai Lama, Tolstoy. The best villains are the ones that think they’re heroes and that’s definitely Dr. Harrow. He sees Moon Knight as an obstacle to him healing the world.

    The recent trailer of Moon Knight showcased more aspects of Harrow that we weren’t previously privy to. Scenes that revealed his tattoo coming to life and his peculiar crocodile staff summoning a burst of energy are telling of the character’s reach in the supernatural. Whether he ends up being a truly larger-than-life character remains to be seen but it’s exciting to think about.

    Source: Empire

  • ‘Stranger Things’ Will End After Newly Announced Season 5

    ‘Stranger Things’ Will End After Newly Announced Season 5

    Just over two years ago, Murphy’s Multiverse revealed that the wildly popular Netflix streaming series Stranger Things had plans in place for a fifth season. Two years later, through COVID-delays and uncertainty around when Season 4 would stream, series creators Matt and Ross Duffer have confirmed that a fifth and FINAL season is indeed happening.

    Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things. At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but — as you’ll soon see for yourselves — we are not hurling toward our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season; Season 5 will be the last.

    The statement about the fifth season comes as the long-awaited release date for the show’s fourth season was announced. Surprisingly, Season 4 of Stranger Things will be split up into two volumes, with the first premiering on May 27th and the second on July 1st.

    As indicated in another one of our 2020 scoops, the events of Season 4 will introduce a slew of new characters, many of whom were brought on under two-year deals and will be involved in the mysterious events surrounding Hopper. The fourth season is also said to pay homage to horror classics such as Alien and Maximum Overdrive, as the Duffers continue to sample some of the great horror films of the 80s in the series.

    Sources: TV Line, THR

  • Amazon To End Emmy Award-Winning Show With Fifth Season

    Amazon To End Emmy Award-Winning Show With Fifth Season

    It would seem that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will soon take her final bow. Amazon revealed today that the Emmy Award-winning series has been renewed for a fifth season, but it will be the last for showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino and her talented cast. Luckily for fans, they won’t have to wait long for the final season to air, as it was also announced that filming for the surprise fifth series is already underway in New York City. The news comes ahead of the fourth season’s premiere, which is set to debut on Prime on February 18th with two new episodes.

    Amazon Studios boss Jennifer Salke had the following to say about the show’s ending:

    The dozens of awards cement Maisel’s legacy in many ways, but what’s even more enduring and poignant are the characters Amy created and the joyous, brilliant, singular world she and Dan brought to life. This series has meant so much to Prime Video and the effects of its success will be felt long after its final season. I can’t wait for fans and our worldwide Prime Video audience to savor each moment as we embark on the culmination of this groundbreaking and unforgettable series.

    Maisel’s end shouldn’t be too much of a shock for viewers. Sherman-Palladino spoke about the future of her show during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic and hinted that the break-in production had led her and her team to rethink how long the series should truly last. While it may be sad news for longtime fans, it could be good fortune for the show to end on its own accord. Perhaps this means the writers will be able to conduct a proper ending, without ever jumping the shark.

    Source: Deadline

  • New ‘Moon Knight’ Stills Provide First Look at May Calamawy’s Layla

    New ‘Moon Knight’ Stills Provide First Look at May Calamawy’s Layla

    Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight has consistently generated buzz over the past few weeks since the first look at the show was released. So far, the footage has mainly focused on Oscar Isaac’s Steven Grant as he struggles to make sense out of some disturbing events, most of which he can’t be sure are real. Beyond that, outside of a few glimpses of Ethan Hawke’s Arthur Harrow, the rest of the cast hasn’t been revealed.

    Now, thanks to still believed to be from Empire’s coverage of the series, fans have their first look at May Calamawy’s mysterious character, Layla. A couple of the images would seem to be from flashbacks that show Oscar Issac’s Marc Spector working with Calamawy’s character in Egypt. Of course, it’s possible that these are also stills showing them revisiting Egypt later in the series, but given the gear worn by both characters, I’m inclined it’s the former scenario and takes place before Spector is killed and revived by Khonshu.

    Little is known about Calamawy’s Layla, though it’s possible, given the fact that Marvel Studios seems to be reinventing minor characters for this series (like Hawke’s Harrow), that her character is a reworked Leila O’Toole, an archeologist and Egyptologist who while in Egypt studying the ruins, became a member of the Cult of the Living Pharaoh. The photos certainly seem to support her having some interest in exploring whatever dig Spector is part of and while it’s unlikely she’ll be a direct adaptation of the character (she’s probably not a mutant in the show), we still don’t know anything at all about her role in the series.

    Source: Reddit

  • HBO Max CCO Offers Update on ‘Game of Thrones’ Many Spin-offs

    HBO Max CCO Offers Update on ‘Game of Thrones’ Many Spin-offs

    Games of Thrones may be one of those few shows that redefined TV. HBO obviously has no plans of letting its legacy fizzle out as it continues to develop and explore its options on spin-offs and prequels. The first of what could be many new spinoffs looks to be setting its eyes on a 2022 premiere while others remain in limbo.

    House of The Dragon is currently set to premiere sometime this year, but no date has been found as the studio was concerned about how the ongoing pandemic would affect production. Talks continue behind the scenes to find the perfect release date for the series, as confirmed in a new piece by Deadline.

    There are multiple other series in some form of pre-production which includes Sea Snake, Flea Bottom, 10,000 Ships, and Dunk & Egg. As of now, they have talent attached to them, but none of them have been picked up or passed on just yet. Among these is also an animated spin-off, yet there is still no news on what that’ll be about. HBO and HBO Max’s Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys had the following to share on Game of Thrones‘ future:

    It’s just like any development process. Some are looking really good. Some we’ll see. We’re not going to make everything. I don’t have any mandate that I must make a certain amount of spin offs or prequels or anything like that. We’re really doing it just based on what we’re excited about creatively. I wouldn’t even give you a tease that we might see something this year because I really don’t know, it depends on how the development comes in.

    Casey Bloys

    With a series like Game of Thrones, it’s gonna take a lot to live up to what that series was to a lot of people, and it seems here that they’re being quite meticulous with what they pick up and send to the series.

    Source: Deadline