Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: TV News

  • RUMOR: First Description on ‘Ahsoka’s Take on Grand Admiral Thrawn

    RUMOR: First Description on ‘Ahsoka’s Take on Grand Admiral Thrawn

    Ahsoka is one of the most anticipated Star Wars series coming to Disney+, as it’ll follow one of the franchise’s most beloved characters. Ahsoka Tano’s debut in The Mandalorian was an event all on its own, as fans counted down the hours until the episode would premier to get their very first look at the animated darling to enter live-action. Following the conclusion of The Mandalorian‘s second season, it was announced on Disney’s Investors Day that Rosario Dawson would be picking up her lightsabers for a solo outing in her very own series.

    The series will reportedly follow Ahsoka as she travels the galaxy alongside Sabine Wren, searching for Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn, one of the franchise’s most treacherous foes. Thrawn is yet another character in the Star Wars universe fans are eager to see make their live-action debut and the Illuminerdi recently shared some details on the character’s upcoming debut. He is described as “unequivocally, the most clever and calculating of the Emperor’s followers.”

    Most of his description will remain the same from the original books and his animated adaptation, as he’ll be a “blue-skinned humanoid with glowing red eyes.” The big takeaway, however, is that he’ll also act as a series lead, which is a promising showcase that he’ll have quite an active role throughout the series rather than just being a villain hidden in the shadows.

    The role of Thrawn has yet to be cast as the series is currently targeting an early 2022 production start date, with no current release date attached to the series. Rosario Dawson will star alongside Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Ivanna Sakhno, and Hayden Christensen reprising his role as Anakin Skywalker.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • EXCLUSIVE: Yssa Mei Panganiban on Being A Filipina Black Widow

    EXCLUSIVE: Yssa Mei Panganiban on Being A Filipina Black Widow

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe may be 13 years, 27 films, and 5 TV shows deep but even Kevin Feige‘s billion-dollar franchise has its fair share of ‘firsts’ this late in the game. Case in point, this week’s episode of Hawkeye that gave Filipino audiences a Black Widow of their own. Yssa Mei Panganiban, appears as Sonya, a Black Widow working alongside Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova in a mission to save the remaining brainwashed Black Widow assailants in the world.

    We got to speak to Panganiban about her experiences working on the set with directors Bert and Bertie, Florence Pugh, and what it’s like to be a Filipina in the MCU.

    The works of directing duo Bert and Bertie have been unanimously praised by fans these past 3 episodes of Hawkeye, prompting some fans to rally behind the call to have the duo direct the next Spider-Man films. Panganiban had nothing but nice words to say about the duo, who made sure her first time on a Marvel set was a warm experience.

    Everyone on set was so kind. They mentioned to me, “This is your first time? It’s not gonna be your last time for sure.” They were so sweet because at the time, I had no credits on IMDB but they just said, “That doesn’t matter to us.” The fact that Marvel took so many green artists onboard for Hawkeye was unbelievable. They were super kind enough to bring me on.

    Florence Pugh makes up most of Episode 5’s memorable moments, sharing the screen with not only lead Hailee Steinfeld but also Panganiban herself. The two share a very intense fight scene with another Black Widow named Anna yet filming that sequence with Pugh was anything but, according to Panganiban.

    She’s so kind. Yelena and Florence are kind of the same person in terms of their humor. It was really lovely working with her. She hyped me up the whole time. I let her know it was my first time on set. She was so supportive the entire time. When I wrapped, she had everyone clap for me. She was just the kindest soul.

    Sonya is one of a handful of Filipino characters to appear in a speaking role in the MCU, with the most notable ones being Dave Batista‘s Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy and Jacob Batalon‘s Need Leeds in the Spider-Man series. For Panganiban, she hopes for the role to resonate among her Filipinx peers who want to see more of themselves in the industry.

    To give Sonya a voice has been so amazing. To be a Pinay Black Widow is so amazing. I hope Filipinos can go, “She has the same skin tone as me. I don’t have to whiten my skin.” I really just want people to feel seen. To feel like they can love themselves as they are. I think that’s the whole thing of being an actor and an artist.

    Our interview can be watched below:

  • Charlie Cox To Star in Netflix Spy Drama Series ‘TREASON’

    Charlie Cox To Star in Netflix Spy Drama Series ‘TREASON’

    Charlie Cox is readying another project for Netflix. The Daredevil actor has signed on to the spy series, Treason, for Netflix alongside Game of Thrones‘ Oona Chaplin and acclaimed action star Olga Kurylenko. The 6-episode spy drama hails from Matt Charman, who has penned titles such as Bridge of Spies and the forthcoming Netflix title Mothership starring Halle Berry.

    The premise is as follows according to Deadline:

    The drama follows Adam Lawrence, trained and groomed by MI6, whose career seems set. But when the past catches up with him in the form of Kara, a Russian spy with whom he shares a complicated past, he is forced to question everything and everyone in his life. A triangular relationship forms between Kara, Adam and his wife, Maddy; three people who are trying to expose each other’s secrets, navigate political and diplomatic relationships, whilst hanging onto their personal lives, and those they love most.

    Treason marks Cox’s 2nd major rodeo with Netflix, having been the star of the company’s flagship superhero show for 3 years. No word yet on when the miniseries is slated to come out but it nonetheless is an exciting addition to the Daredevil’s star’s growing list of commitments in the coming years.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Hawkeye’ Directors on the Episode 5 Reveal and What to Expect from Kingpin

    ‘Hawkeye’ Directors on the Episode 5 Reveal and What to Expect from Kingpin

    After briefly teasing him in Episode 3, directing duo Bert and Bertie brought Kingpin into the mix in last week’s episode of Hawkeye. The big boss made a brief appearance in the episode’s closing moments when it was revealed that Kate’s mom was acquainted with him (it was also revealed that she hired Yelena to kill Clint, which seems like something we all should have known by then).

    Now that Kingpin, played once again by Vincent D’Onofrio, is actually in the picture, things look like they’ll get even more complicated for the Hawkeyes. Bert and Bertie talked to Insider about the reveal and what Kingpin’s presence means as the series prepares to wrap up in Episode 6.

    The “how” of the reveal, the grainy still frame from a video sent to Kate by Yelena, was a major point of conversation following the episode. Bertie addressed the intro and its fulfillment of all the theories fans shared online leading up to it:

    We kinda loved that it was this grainy, grainy impression of him and just confirms everyone’s suspicions because there have been lots of theories and that one’s been the outstanding theory about who this was. It’s Marvel. There’ve been different iterations of how Kingpin was revealed and this is the one that served the story, to hold him back to the very end of five.

    Bert expounded on Bertie’s thoughts, saying, “There’s something about the simplicity of the simple tease,” said Bert about revealing the connection between Kingpin and Eleanor before cutting away at the end of Episode 5. “It was an interesting twist that she was there in the room with Kingpin,” she added, before teasing that the “possibilities are endless.”

    Of course, now that Kingpin has finally been revealed, the big question is whether or not this character is the same one fans met on the the Netflix’s Daredevil. Turns out Marvel is in no hurry to answer that question for fans. When asked by Insider if Fisk was the same Fisk from Daredevil, Bertie replied, “Tune in on Wednesday for episode six.” And so we wait one more week.

    Source: Insider

  • ‘Shang-Chi’ and ‘Jungle Cruise’ Boost Disney+ in November

    ‘Shang-Chi’ and ‘Jungle Cruise’ Boost Disney+ in November

    Disney+ has been seeing quite a bit of growth that made it a strong competitor. While Netflix still dominates the market, especially in the United States, the offerings based on existing IPs have been a strong marketable focus for the Disney-owned service. Marvel Studios and Star Wars offerings are at the forefront, but there is a stronger shift since their big cinema releases are making their way to the platform.

    Exactly that happened in November, which saw a strong showing by Disney+ with the Disney+ Day releases of Shang-Chi and Jungle Cruise playing a big role. On top of it all, Hawkeye was released in the same month offering a lot to viewers. We did hear it had the lowest viewed premiere from all Marvel Studios series on the platform, but it still was quite close to WandaVision back in January. It’ll be interesting to see how the finale might perform after the confirmation of Vincent D’Onofrio‘s return as Kingpin.

    Overall, Disney+ has grown to a competitive size within a short period of time. It’s uncertain what the future has in store for it, as they try to find new ways to grow, but expansion is still at the forefront of most of these offerings. Netflix also has the advantage of beings years in the market but has been pushing much more to expand its IP collection. We’ll see what the future has in store for this competitive market.

    Source: Nielsen

  • Danny Elfman to Compose Tim Burton’s ‘Addams Family’ Spinoff

    Danny Elfman to Compose Tim Burton’s ‘Addams Family’ Spinoff

    It looks like Tim Burton is ready to work with his long-time composer once again for the upcoming Netflix series, Wednesday. Danny Elfman will lend his talent to create the themes and score the various episodes alongside Bates Motel‘s Scott Bacon. The series was ordered back in February, which will take a very different take on the classic franchise. Instead of family comedy, it’ll explore Wednesday Addams’ time as a student at Nevermore Academy. There she’ll end up trapped in a supernatural-infused mystery. Burton is set to direct multiple episodes and also is acting as an executive producer alongside showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar.

    It’s still a very unique approach to the iconic franchise, but with Burton‘s involvement, it seemed like a promising new take. We’ll see how gothic the project will go, but Elfman‘s inclusion is a motivating factor. His work always adds a little something special and it’ll definitely add the vibe that’ll make it stand out. They’ve always been a strong team since they worked on projects like the original 1989’s Batman, Batman Returns, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Burton‘s Alice in Wonderland remake, and many more.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Finds Its Azula, Kyoshi, Suki, And More

    Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Finds Its Azula, Kyoshi, Suki, And More

    The news of live-action adaptions gets met with very mixed reactions, as tackling a video game or animated series in this new format comes with many limitations. Fans are interested to see just how Netflix handles their live-action adaption of Avatar: The Last Airbender, especially when you consider the first attempt from 2010 getting panned by critics and fans alike. This time around, it’s going to be a series, which works in its favor to explore the original’s story while also exploring new paths to really make the series stand on its own.

    Showrunner Albert Kim and Netflix revealed some new casting today, which will surely excite fans of the original. Elizabeth Yu has been announced as Azula, the ruthless princess of the Fire Nation and sister to Prince Zuko. Maria Zhang has been cast as Suki, leader of the Kyoshi warriors and love interest of Sokka. Yvonne Chapman will play Avatar Kyoshi, who preceded Aang and will likely help guide him on his journey. Finally, Casey Camp-Horinek will play Gran Gran, Sokka, and Katara’s grandmother.

    Azula’s addition is a bit surprising and might be premature. Many fans of the show are probably scratching their heads, as Azula does not play a big role in Book One of the series and only briefly shows up in the background at the very end. This feels like a situation that Netflix could’ve kept quiet and saved for a season finale stinger or post-credit scene. Yet, there’s a good chance that the series might include her earlier on to introduce one of their biggest threats early.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘What If…?’ Season 2 Noticeably Absent in Disney+’s 2022 Line-up

    ‘What If…?’ Season 2 Noticeably Absent in Disney+’s 2022 Line-up

    Disney+ just released a special teaser including every series and film that’ll release on the platform in 2022. It finally confirmed that I Am Groot, the animated spinoff of the Guardians of the Galaxy, would premiere next year. Yet, there’s one noticeable absence in the line-up. After teasing that What If…? is planned as an annual release, there’s no sight of the series’ confirmed the second season in the released teaser list. It’s uncertain how far along they are on the second season, but it would seem we shouldn’t expect it until the earliest of 2023.

    Of course, there’s the possibility that they are prioritizing one animated project per year, as such they gave I Am Groot the release spot. They might also announce it as a later addition at one point down the line, but it is curious that there’s no mention of it. They might’ve decided to change-ups strategies, as producing an entire season every year for the series might be a much larger uptaking than initially expected. We’ll see if any other announcements arrive later on, as The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is also absent in the listing. So, we’ll see if this is a definite list or we’ll see some changes throughout the year.

    Source: Twitter

  • Marvel Studios’ ‘I Am Groot’ Confirmed for 2022 Release on Disney+

    Marvel Studios’ ‘I Am Groot’ Confirmed for 2022 Release on Disney+

    A new teaser has dropped teasing the upcoming 2022 line-up. We’ve seen quite a few included, such as the recently announced Eternals release date, She-Hulk, Moon Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and many more. Yet, there’s an interesting surprise thrown into the mix, as it looks like the Groot-focused Guardians of the Galaxy series, I am Groot, is also slated to release next year. The logo is included in the end as you see the various shows and films from the next year getting promoted. It’s a bit of a surprise as it wasn’t given much focus during Disney+ Day unlike the other projects, but it’s definitely an exciting surprise.

    James Gunn has also taken to Twitter to confirm this announcement that was sneakily included in their 2022 line-up.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1471534234976370697

    It’s great to finally get a confirmation on when the series releases. Surprisingly, there was no mention of the The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which would release ahead of its third entry. Perhaps it’ll be made available in January or around New Year to celebrate the holidays and all its intergalactic diversity. We know very little about I Am Groot outside of it going for a hyper-realistic animation style to bring Baby Groot back into the fold. So, here’s hoping we might get a tease in the near future.

    Source: Twitter, Twitter

  • RUMOR: ‘Hawkeye’s Finale to be Marvel Studios’ Longest Disney+ Episode

    RUMOR: ‘Hawkeye’s Finale to be Marvel Studios’ Longest Disney+ Episode

    So far, Hawkeye has been quite an enjoyable entry in the MCU’s ever-expanding library. It offers a more grounded storyline as Clint Barton faces the underbelly of New York City while having to take care of a young protégé. Kate Bishop joins him in his fight, as we explore his time as Ronin and the regret that is included with it, as well as the loss of his closest friend. Of course, can’t forget the addition of Yelena Belova to follow up her story from Black Widow and the confirmation of Vincent D’Onofrio‘s return as Wilson Fisk.

    There’s a lot to unpack going into the finale and it seems the team behind the series is very aware of this. As it seems the upcoming sixth episode may be the longest of any Marvel Studios series. According to Amit Chaudhari, who has reported the length of episodes in the past, the final episode will not only be the longest of the series but also every Disney+ entry so far at 59 minutes.

    It now dethrones Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s fifth episode “Truth” which clocked in at around 58 minutes. Keep in mind that depending on where you live, the credits are longer or shorter due to the international voice cast also getting included. Still, it’s an impressive length and hopefully a sign that we’re in for quite a lot. We still haven’t met Fisk in this series, as he was only showcased through an image on a phone. So, not only do we have to resolve the storylines set-up through both Hawkeyes, Maya Lopez, and the mysterious watch, but also get introduced to the series’ actual villain. It’ll be interesting to see how they wrap it all up with a nice bow.

    Source: Twitter