Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: TV News

  • Ruby Rose Opens Up on Why She Left CW’s ‘Batwoman’

    Ruby Rose Opens Up on Why She Left CW’s ‘Batwoman’

    Batwoman surprised many when Ruby Rose left the project after one season. She played the show’s main protagonist Kate Kane, who would take on the mantle of Batwoman after Bruce Wayne suddenly vanished from Gotham. Suddenly, the second season announced that she’d exit the project with Javicia Leslie taking over. Her character even made a return later on but got recast with Wallis Day taking on the role. Rose has been quiet for quite some time in her absence but that came to an end. She took to Instagram to share he displeasure with working on the project and especially calling out showrunner Caroline Dries in the process.

    I’m going to tell the whole world what really happened on that set. I will come for you so what happened to me never happens to another person again. And so I can finally take back my life and the truth. Shame on you.

    Ruby Rose

    It seems that one of Warner Bros. TV’s former head Peter Roth forced her to return to production even after sustaining her injury. In her statement, she highlights that she was blackmailed, as her not returning to set would get the whole crew and cast fired. Seemingly, she was even investigated by a PI hired by Roth after leaving the production. It’s one of the reasons she goes on to talk about the fact that she isn’t happy with people hoping she returns to the project, as she refuses to do so.

    I wouldn’t return for any amount of money nor if a gun were to my head. NOR DID I QUIT. I DID NOT QUIT. They ruined Kate Kane and they destroyed Batwoman, not me. I followed orders, and if I wanted to stay I was going to have to sign my rights away. Any threats, any bullying tactics, or blackmail will not make me stand down.

    Ruby Rose

    Deadline highlights that Rose was also facing allegations for her behavior by the studio which ended up with them parting ways. The public statement of leaving the show being her decision is a common PR practice within the industry. It’s certainly not a good look for the series and Warner Bros. We’ll see if something comes of this in the near future.

    Source: Instagram via Deadline, ComicBook.com

  • DC FanDome Tripled Its 2020 Viewer Count

    DC FanDome Tripled Its 2020 Viewer Count

    DC once again held its fan event DC FanDome. Unlike last year, however, they took a different route by shortening the event and not providing a full-on schedule for multiple different events. Luckily, it seems that it worked out for the streaming event as Deadline is reporting they managed to triple their viewership numbers from last year. It was available in 220 countries in 12 languages. There were 50 available live streams across Social Media, as people clocked in. WarnerMedia Studios and Networks CEO Ann Sarnoff shared their excitement for the digital event’s success with the following statement:

    With triple the fan traffic of last year, DC FanDome 2021 exceeded all of our expectations. We continue to innovate across the company in service of our fans, and I cannot overstate the creativity and hard work that went into this highly curated, global digital event. We gave fans what they wanted – the very best of all things DC – and their engagement and response have been fantastic. We’re as excited as they are to deliver on all the great content DC FanDome highlighted.

    Ann Sarnoff

    As of now, the event pulled in 66M viewers worldwide. It’s also a testament to DC’s decision to downsize the event in their favor. Instead of investing in countless panels with hosts, special guests, video editing, and so much more, they kept it to a few hours to push out reveals at a steady rate. Given its success, there’s a good chance we’ll get another release next year as they continue to expand the DCEU moving forward.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Agent of SHIELD’s VFX Supervisor Passed on ‘Ghost Rider’ Due to Hulu’s Budget Constraints

    ‘Agent of SHIELD’s VFX Supervisor Passed on ‘Ghost Rider’ Due to Hulu’s Budget Constraints

    Agent of SHIELD‘s Ghost Rider project was quite the mystery project. It was the first successful attempt for the series to expand its universe. It already seemed like a miracle that they pulled off the effects in a broadcast network like ABC. So, an entire show featuring the Spirit of Vengeance would be quite costly.

    It seems sadly that very fact played a role in why Agents of SHIELD‘s VFX supervisor Mark Kolpack also didn’t join the production. In an interview with ComicBook.com’s Adam Barnhardt, he revealed that he opted not to continue his work on the character’s design that he brought to life in SHIELD’s fourth season due to budget constraints set by Hulu.

    I had to pass on it because I couldn’t get into a situation, as I told them, where I’m struggling with the budget to try to do the creative and we’re trying to pare the creative down. And it was really unfortunate because Gabe wanted me to do it. I wanted to do it. I wanted to direct some. All this stuff. But I felt I couldn’t do my best with not as large a budget. So I had to regretfully decline and that was sad because I wanted to do it, Marvel wanted me to do it, Gabe wanted it. It was a logical process that I would have, but then it didn’t happen anyway

    Mark Kolpack

    While not confirmed, it most likely played a role in why the series didn’t continue. Without the proper team to bring the effects to life, it wouldn’t have been an easy rode to bring the character to life. Especially considering Kolpack already managed to make it possible on ABC’s network restraints. However, he also confirmed that it ate up quite a bit of their overall budget, hinting as much as half of each Agent of SHIELD‘s episodes investment went into that flaming skull.

    Marvel Studios seems willing to make that investment, as there are enough hints at him potentially joining the MCU in the near future. We’ll see if Gabriel Luna also gets a chance to take on the role, or they try to return to the character’s roots before expanding the mythology. It’s disappointing that the Hulus series didn’t get a chance to move forward, but Luna is currently busy working on The Last of Us for HBO, while Kolpack is continuing his work on the series Raising Dion.

    Source: ComicBook.com, IMDb

  • Charlie Cox on Possible ‘DD’ Return: “A reimagined, upgraded version of the character”

    Charlie Cox on Possible ‘DD’ Return: “A reimagined, upgraded version of the character”

    Charlie Cox continues to be a gentleman as the press endlessly asks him about his return to his famed take on Daredevil while promoting his new show Kin. In an interview with Sirius XM, Charlie was unsurprisingly quizzed about a hypothetical return to the role, to which he responded interestingly:

    What happens in the comics is a writer and an artist will team up for a run of a comic, so they’ll do 10 issues, 20 issues. If there was an opportunity for me to come back as Daredevil, whatever that would look like, I imagine it would be a reimagining of the character and the show. If they choose me to do it, there are going to be some elements that are of course the same. But I imagine it would be like the upgraded version of the character.

    It’s no secret that while the Daredevil Netflix show was excellent in quality, it had certain limitations with how they could push certain aspects of the character such as the suit and the radar sense. In addition to Spider-Man: No Way Home, Daredevil is rumored to appear in Disney+ shows Hawkeye, Echo, and She-Hulk, all of which have substantially larger budgets. Charlie openly talking about his hypothetical, upgraded return is indicative of the talks he’s had with Marvel Studios about a Daredevil reprisal.

    Source: Sirius XM

  • Gabriel Luna’s Canceled ‘Agents of SHIELD’ Spinoff Was Going to Feature Classic Ghost Rider Villains

    Gabriel Luna’s Canceled ‘Agents of SHIELD’ Spinoff Was Going to Feature Classic Ghost Rider Villains

    Sometime before Marvel Studios ventured into Disney+, there were plans for Agents of SHIELD to get a variety of spinoffs. Their first attempt never got an order but their second attempt caught everyone’s attention. Marvel TV was eyeing a Hulu series featuring Gabriel Luna as Ghost Rider. While Helstrom moved forward with the streaming service, the Marvel TV and Marvel Studios merger made Luna‘s project its first sacrifice. Little was known about the project at the time. Well, that was until now.

    In an interview with ComicBook.com’s Adam Barnhardt, Luna discussed what would’ve been with the Ghost Rider project. Not only did the actor share his excitement to potentially return to the role one day, but also on what they had originally planned. They wanted to include many of Ghost Rider’s classic villains with Lilith getting highlighted. He even goes on to highlight that they wanted her as the main antagonist for a The Defenders-inspired crossover.

    I remember when I was pitching stuff, I had a really awesome idea that would have kept Robbie in L.A. and that would have pitted us against classic Ghost Rider villains. And I think it would have led up to her being the big bad of what we were initially trying to start, which was this four-show, very Defenders-esque thing that was going to happen.

    Gabriel Luna

    The mother of all demons would’ve certainly made for an interesting threat, especially as they embrace the supernatural part of the Marvel franchise. Of course, Marvel Studios is doing something similar with Moon Knight and the rumored Werewolf by Night project. There are even some hints that Ghost Rider might make a return as part. We’ll see what the future has in store for the spirit of vengeance.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • Gabriel Luna on Playing Robbie Reyes in a Future MCU Project

    Gabriel Luna on Playing Robbie Reyes in a Future MCU Project

    The future of the MCU may rest on the shoulders of its spookier properties as evidenced by the greenlighting of properties such as Blade, Werewolf By Night, and by association, Moon Knight. But one Marvel horror property that fans have long been asking for in the MCU is Ghost Rider.

    Last we got a live-action Ghost Rider was in the Agents of SHIELD show, which in all fairness, was a substantially good portrayal of the modern-day Spirit of Vengeance, Robbie Reyes. Actor Gabriel Luna‘s take on the character was so beloved that Marvel TV quickly put together plans for a spin-off show that eventually found its way into Hulu. Unfortunately, plans eventually fell through once Marvel Studios dissolved Marvel TV, leaving Luna out of a Marvel job.

    Luna spoke to our buddy Adam Barnhardt at Comicbook and shared his thoughts on possibly reprising the role down the line.

    I try to stay in the moment. This is interesting, in talking to you, it’s the first time I’ve done some recollection of the experience. You never say no. You always say that it comes down to the story. If it’s a great story and it makes sense and if I still feel the way I felt when I was reading for Jed and Moe that first day with Sarah Finn, it was a few years back, if I still feel it’s just like breathing, that’s what I felt with the character previously, then absolutely.

    In the meaty interview, Luna didn’t hesitate to express his wistfulness over the show not coming to fruition. Seeing his passion for the character and the personal lengths he took to try to bring the spin-off to life, it’s hard to blame him. Luna certainly is one of the few Marvel TV actors that would make sense to bring given his show-stealing take. Luna also happens to namedrop major MCU casting director Sarah Finn as the one who booked him the gig so there’s that too.

    Source: Comicbook

  • Report: Production on Lucasfilm’s D+ Series, ‘The Acolyte’ On Track for Early 2022 Start

    Report: Production on Lucasfilm’s D+ Series, ‘The Acolyte’ On Track for Early 2022 Start

    Production on Lucasfilm’s upcoming Disney+ exclusive series, The Acolyte seems to be on track. According to the Bespin Bulletin, the series will indeed begin shooting in the UK in February 2022, at Pinewood Studios. This fits with a previous report, and even though it’s now new information, it does bode well towards the expected 2023 release as everything seems to be on schedule.

    The London setting is seemingly justified by the tremendous success of shooting The Mandalorian with the help of StageCraft technology in Los Angeles. Something that lead Lucasfilm to later announce that three new StageCraft stages were being built around the world. A new one in California, one in Australia (used while shooting Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder), and another one in London, at Pinewood. This means that even though production might move to the UK, audiences can be assured of the same production value.

    The Acolyte will be led by Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), who will serve as showrunner, producer, and writer on the show. Details regarding casting are as of yet unknown, something that will probably change in the upcoming months as principal photography nears. Back in May 2021, production was searching for a female POC as the lead, as the series has been described as a “female-driven action thriller with martial arts elements”. The show will be set during the late High Republic era something that could mean that the events of the series might be set a mere 50 years before The Phantom Menace, making it possible for several characters known to be alive at this time to make an appearance.

    Source: Bespin Bulletin

  • Squid Game: Series Pulls in 142 Million Views Globally in First Four Weeks

    Squid Game: Series Pulls in 142 Million Views Globally in First Four Weeks

    After just four weeks in release, Netflix’s Korean drama Squid Game pulled in a stunning 142 million views by member households globally. The numbers were released by Netflix on Tuesday as part of its third-quarter earnings report in a letter to its investors. “A mind-boggling 142m member households globally have chosen to watch the title in its first four weeks. The breadth of Squid Game’s popularity is truly amazing,” the letter read.

    Squid Game launched on Netflix on Sept. 17 and has ranked as Netflix’s No. 1 show in 94 countries since its launch. Netflix also says Squid Game has “pierced the cultural zeitgeist” after being in an SNL skit, as well as becoming a meme on TikTok and other social media across the globe.

    The series centers around 456 players who are down on their luck and in need of money to pay off their debts. They meet a mysterious recruiter who challenges them to a game of ddakji. The recruiter allows them to play until their successful, going on to offer them a chance at more cash through a series of children’s games. While he doesn’t go into further details, he does offer the players a card with three symbols on the front and a phone number on the back. Upon calling the number, participants have the chance to join the game without any idea of what its store upon joining. Soon enough, though, they find out only one player will survive to win the 45.6 billion won.

    Squid Game was written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk. All 9 episodes are now streaming on Netflix.

    Source: Deadline

  • New ‘Hawkeye’ TV Spot Provides a First Look at The Clown

    New ‘Hawkeye’ TV Spot Provides a First Look at The Clown

    Marvel Studios Hawkeye will be streaming on Disney Plus in just over a month and while we’ve seen a trailer and some other spots, there are still some pretty secrets yet to be revealed, including the faces of the big bads the Hawkeyes will go up against in the series. Sure, we’ve seen the Tracksuits, but they’re mostly there to beat up and provide comic relief; however, a new TV spot has given us our first look at one of the projects real threats alongside a surprising partner.

    The spot reveals the first look at Fra Fee‘s Kazimierz Kazimierczak, aka the Clown, alongside Alqua Cox‘s Maya Lopez. While teasers and footage can be edited to trick fans, it seems clear Lopez and Kazi are working together and, when the series streams beginning November 24th, it’ll be interesting to see exactly who the duo are working for since they both have comic book ties to Wilson Fisk, who is heavily (get it) rumored to appear in the series.

    Fee doesn’t look too clown like in the new footage, nor does Lopez look very Echo-y, but they both look to be out to cause someone some harm. We know Echo is likely to come around and join the good guys before moving on to her own series, but it seems far less likely The Clown will have a similar transformation.

    The first two episodes of Hawkeye will stream on Disney Plus on November 24th.

  • ‘Naomi’ Clip Confirms Thanagarians Will Appear in New CW Series

    ‘Naomi’ Clip Confirms Thanagarians Will Appear in New CW Series

    DC is notorious for announcing movies that would never actually go anywhere, one of those being Ava Duvernay’s highly anticipated New Gods, which would sadly end up being shelved at WB. But Duvernay wasn’t done with the DC Universe as she’d begun developing, Naomi, the popular comic by Brian Michael Bendis, for the CW Network. The project moved into action quite quickly, gathering a cast and crew, filming the pilot shortly after. The series would receive a green light from the CW for a full-season order.

    A recent clip from Naomi has made its way onto the internet and seems to confirm that the series will remain accurate to the mini-series. The clip gives us our very first look at Alexander Wraith as Dee, the mysterious mechanic in town who Naomi believes is holding a secret the could solve the mystery of her origin.

    https://twitter.com/dcnaomibr/status/1449488585258897417?s=20

    POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR NAOMI SEASON 1

    The series seems to be adapting the Raanian/Thanagar War plotline from the comics. Dee is a Thanagarian war deserter, who planned to run from the conflict with his wife who didn’t make it to earth. Naomi’s adoptive father is the one who came to earth in search of Dee but ended up falling in love and staying on Earth.

    Naomi is one of DCs newest and perhaps most interesting stories, focusing on Naomi McDuffie as she begins to realize her life in Port Oswego isn’t what it seems. Naomi comes to believe that there’s something larger at play and that she’s at the center of it as she begins to develop energy-based meta-human abilities and looks for the truth behind her origin.