Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: TV News

  • ‘One Piece’ Director Open to Return for a Potential Season 2

    ‘One Piece’ Director Open to Return for a Potential Season 2

    Director Marc Jobst has collected quite an impressive filmography over the years with his work on Daredevil, Luke Cage, The Punisher, Black Sails, The Witcher, Hannibal, and more. Now, he’s added the first two episodes of the new One Piece series that was released last week and has managed to gather quite a positive reception after many feared it would fall into the usual pitfalls of live-action adaptations of anime and manga.

    Now, after hyping up the show quite a bit with a variety of postings, the director shared with The Streamr that he’s definitely excited to return for a second season and he’d love to get a chance to work with everyone involved once again. He also highlights that they “did some service int he community” as part of their stay in South Africa while filming.

    Oh, listen, of course, I want to come back. You know, I love this show. I love the actors. Hugely we bonded we worked, we rehearsed. We played silly games, we did some service in the community. You know, we worked together to kind of build trust, and there’s no way I’d like to let that go. Just like that. So yes, it sounds to do that.

    Marc Jobst

    He definitely had a hand in defining the way the show came together, which isn’t an easy task considering what they set out to adapt into live-action. The love for the close-up lens was certainly an interesting artistic choice that sometimes could’ve been toned down, the show is visually unique from most projects that are out there, especially in how they had to approach each episode as its own self-contained story that expands into a bigger one.

    Source: The Streamr

  • Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Pulls in 18.5M Views in First 4 Days

    Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Pulls in 18.5M Views in First 4 Days

    It looks like One Piece is definitely doing numbers, even if it’s still hard to say if Netflix deems this worthy enough to continue with multiple seasons. The first numbers are in and over its first 4 days on Netflix, the series is firmly placed at #1 with 18.5M views that amass 140.10M hours watched across its eight-episode run. That isn’t bad for a start and if it keeps up a strong momentum in the upcoming weeks, there’s definitely a lot of potential moving forward.

    It didn’t quite pull in the same hours as Wednesday and Stranger Things S4, which stand at 341.2M hours and 286.79M hours respectively. Yet, it should also be noted that it beat its own record recently. After jumping to the top spot in 84 markets, it grew to 86 needs after a short drop in its fourth day. It should be noted there was some confusion on the record it broke as the one that was referenced was the week release, which One Piece didn’t quite manage the same way given its tough competition with an overperforming Who is Erin Carter? in its second week.

    That means it’s showing some strong word-of-mouth and even beat its previous record that was initially set by the series mentioned above. However, how it’s in the top #1 more with fewer hours viewed is currently uncertain how it is measured (lack of transparency be damned).

    One thing of note is that it did perform seemingly better than The Witcher S3 which opened to 15.2M and is currently the biggest opener since they reformed their data back in June. So, this might give it a bit of a boost for Netflix seeing the potential of letting this series grow beyond with multiple seasons; though just a season two renewal during a strike would be good enough. Here’s hoping that the coming weeks see it hold tight to that top spot and continue to grow throughout September.

    Source: Twitter, Flixpatrol, Twitter

  • Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Breaks a ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Stranger Things 4’ Record

    Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Breaks a ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Stranger Things 4’ Record

    Some time ago, Netflix made the big appointment that Wednesday was tying with Stranger Things‘ fourth season for the most #1 positions in the world with 83 countries. Considering the iconic IP and Jenna Ortega leading the show, it was definitely a statement but it seems a new entry may have potentially found a new contender as the live-action adaptation of One Piece reportedly already managed to become the No. 1 in 84 countries and seemingly rising due to strong word-of-mouth.

    As such, One Piece has broken the record set by other iconic Netflix series and is continuing to grow its potential to continue on the platform with at least a second season. However, the question is if it is also reflected in the total viewership numbers. Netflix didn’t unveil Wednesday’s record numbers until at least a week later and there’s a chance that they are going to count that same timeline which means the big challenge is for this new series to also keep up that very momentum throughout the coming weeks.

    Netflix evaluates different factors even if not every detail on when they decided to renew a series. One Piece was an expensive production with a massive marketing push. Yet, they also already have merchandise ready for this series, which can push it to become quite profitable for the studio. So, we’ll have to keep a close eye on its performance for a bit more time if the series manages to dethrone Wednesday and Stranger Things.

    Source: Twitter (Wednesday), Twitter, Twitter, Television Stats, Flixpatrol

  • ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 is Already Mapped Out

    ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 is Already Mapped Out

    Neil Druckmann is the mind behind The Last of Us and had a major role in bringing the HBO live-action adaptation to life. So, if anyone knows where they currently stand with the project. Showrunner Craig Mazin has hinted that he already dropped off the first episode’s script before the strike started.

    In a new interview, Druckmann offered another update on the series where he confirmed that they have “outlined all of Season 2” and that once the strike ends, they can pretty much jump straight into production for the continuation that’ll very likely adapt elements from the second game in the series.

    We’ve outlined all of Season 2 and we’re ready to go as soon as the strike ends. As far as the next game at Naughty Dog, I can’t say anything. My comms director over there will slaughter me.

    Neil Druckmann

    There have been hints that they may have also been busy casting while preparing for the second season, but nothing was confirmed until now. The big question that remains for every production at the moment lies in studios paying their writers and actors fairly moving forward.

    Source: Variety

  • Marvel Studios’ Reshuffles its Disney+ Release Slate as ‘Agatha’ Gets a New Name

    Marvel Studios’ Reshuffles its Disney+ Release Slate as ‘Agatha’ Gets a New Name

    Marvel Studios has been shifting quite a few of its release dates as of late. While they certainly are going to for all projects that have yet to finish, it seems they also decided to map out some of their TV shows that were set to release on Diseny+ in the coming months. The biggest surprise is that Echo was pushed back (again) to a January release date even though it was previously slated for November 29th.

    What If…? is going to be released on Christmas Day, which is our first confirmation as it was initially going to be released in 2023. So, it’ll be the only other show releasing this year besides Loki later in October, which is already being heavily advertised by Marvel Studios. X-Men ’97 also seemingly is getting a release timing, as it is set for early 2024 after initially planned to release later this fall. Season 2 of the series is already in the works.

    Ironheart is off the schedule for now, as it seems it is affected by the strikes. The same goes for Daredevil: Born Again and Wonder Man, which had to pause in the middle of production. The big surprise is that Agatha: Coven of Chaos is getting another new name, this time Agatha: Darkhold Diaries. It initially was announced with the title Agatha: House of Harknes and is now set to release on Halloween next year.

    Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘One Piece’ Production Designer on Why They Changed Going Merry’s Figurehead

    ‘One Piece’ Production Designer on Why They Changed Going Merry’s Figurehead

    Production designer Richard Bridgland got a chance to share what it was like bringing the iconic manga One Piece to live-action. Given just how iconic many locations and visuals have become over the years, it was a daunting task for anyone to tackle.

    It seems that the production team wanted to ensure that while they kept the fantastical elements from the original manga, their main goal was still to ensure that the One Piece series was kept as realistic as possible. As such, it led to a few changes that needed to happen one of them being the way the figureheads looed for the various ships.

    It’s interesting, with all the figureheads of the ships, I couldn’t just copy them straight out of the manga and make them in real life, they would look kind of goofy. I had to create a credible real-life version of them. So, what was apparent to me from going into the manga was that all of these figureheads were actually kind of symbols for the spirit of that character.

    Richard Bridgland

    There have been some jokes online about the Going Merry ship looking a bit creepy with the goat face screaming based on some behind-the-scenes images. Yet, once the poster was released the way they brought the figurehead into live-action highlights the “merry” part of Going Merry. So, it’ll be quite exciting to see the other ships brought to life.

    Source: Collider

  • Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Composers Wanted to Showcase Series Diversity in its Music

    Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Composers Wanted to Showcase Series Diversity in its Music

    One highlight throughout the promotion for Netflix’s live-action One Piece was the energy that composers Sonya Belousova and Giona Ostinelli brought to the table. As it turns out, they actually wanted to work on the show when it was announced and as they were fans, gave it their all to join the project by creating an entire concept on the “One Piece music universe” that consisted of “different themes and instruments we would assign to each one of our characters.”

    I think it was December 2021. I think you’re right. So it was so long ago by now, and that video got everybody really excited. And from there on, we were immediately on board. But funnily enough, all those concepts that we outlined in that video and the themes that we came up with, because we actually even wrote specific themes for the video and performed that theme on different instruments, representing our characters, all those concepts, now that we are done with the soundtrack, it’s about to come out. They all remained 100% true in the final product

    Sonya Belousova

    Luckily, their work paid off and they got the chance to create the iconic score based on one of the biggest mangas out there. Their biggest mission was to ensure that the music in the live-action also reflected the diversity of the series. The world of One Piece even just in the East Blue consists of different types of islands that bring something different to the table.

    The score for the live-action universe is very diverse stylistically because the whole universe is so diverse and our straw heads are so diverse within their roots and backgrounds and also their diverse and unique personalities and fighting styles and skill sets. So the whole concept of diversity was really something that was very paramount to us when building this music universe, and the score ranges stylistically from epic swashbuckling orchestra to songs featuring incredible artists such as Norwegian art-pop sensation Aurora, to hip hop featuring an amazing artist, Flawless Real Talk to rap to folk to big band jazz funk fusion.

    Sonya Belousova

    We got a few glimpses of the music, such as Luffy and Gold Roger’s theme. There was also the theme for Nami that was also sung by Norwegian pop star Aurora; adding quite the star power to one of the most important arcs in the first season. So, it’ll be exciting to see all the diversity they are teasing from the entire series that we’ll be able to witness as it releases on Netflix tomorrow.

    Source: What’s on Netflix

  • ‘One Piece’: Netflix Head Can’t Promise a Season 2 Yet

    ‘One Piece’: Netflix Head Can’t Promise a Season 2 Yet

    One Piece’s promotion so far has probably been the biggest we’ve seen from the streaming service. They are going all out with fan events, tie-in merchandise, and so much more. It truly feels like they believe this has the potential to be on par with their other projects like Stranger Things.

    Sadly, it seems that Netflix’s head of US and Canada scripted series, Peter Friedlander, can’t promise an early renewal for the series just yet like they did with The Witcher (though nothing got that treatment since then) but believe their track record with other IP-based adaptations will prove there’s a good chance for this adaptation to do the same.

    You can’t get it right every time. You hope that with creative passion and storytellers that you do. And that’s what I’m here for, is to support the storytellers and how they interpret and adapt and experience an IP. And I think we’ve had a pretty impressive run when you think about just within the last year with ‘The Sandman’ and ‘Wednesday.’ And I do think we are able to adapt some of these IP into something that’s extraordinary and unexpected, and still truly honor what it is.

    Peter Friedlander

    It truly is a shame they haven’t renewed it yet given how big the fan reception has been, and the way they are handling it does hint that they believe it’ll be a success. Unlike Cowboy Bebop, they aren’t rushing it out to the streaming service without much fanfare. We’ll see if perhaps the promotion of this first season also shows them the importance of actually promoting their shows as well as future seasons.

    Source: Variety

  • Netflix Head was “Stunned” by Reactions to Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Series

    Netflix Head was “Stunned” by Reactions to Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Series

    If there was one thing that makes One Piece stand out has always been the way it became one of the biggest-selling mangas in the world. The series missed its opportunity to establish itself in the States but ended up becoming a major franchise in Japan, France, Brazil, and a variety of other markets.

    Netflix Head of U.S. and Canada Scripted Series, Peter Friedlander, shared that they were “all stunned, truly stunned” at just how big the reception was when it was first unveiled at their TUDUM event. It definitely was an emotional moment for the cast that made their big debut.

    I think we were all stunned, truly stunned. We knew that there was a big fan base, but to watch those actors step out onstage, you could barely hear anything. They could barely get words out, and it was really an emotional experience just watching the actors.

    Peter Friedlander

    They also were excited to see the early reception to the series going by how viewers reacted to the teaser and trailer. The initial look did have some people a bit optimistically nervous but reactions continued to get more positive as time went on.

    It’s heartening to see the early reaction just to what we’ve shown. With the teaser and trailer, we’ve put out, we were trying to show the fans we’re loving on this IP, we are loving on this show and we hope you see that. I feel very hopeful and confident going into this.

    Peter Friedlander

    Netflix is certainly all-in with this adaptation given just how much merchandise they are already preparing to release by the time the series releases. They know what they have in their hands with the adaptation and its already massive built-in fan base. If the fan events are something to go by, there’s a lot of potential for this series to make a big bang for the streamer.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘One Piece’ Creator Was Stumped by One Question from Live-Action Team

    ‘One Piece’ Creator Was Stumped by One Question from Live-Action Team

    Richard Bridgland was given quite the challenging task of bringing the iconic world of Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece to life. There are quite a few questions that could change the way they tackle the world-building that Oda is famous for and it seems that one question managed to surprise even the creator of this series.

    In an interview by Collider’s Mike Thomas, Bridgland revealed that they managed to stump Oda with a simple question and that was if “there was electricity in the world.” What seems like a simple question would’ve defined the set design for their adaptation but it seems that Oda never gave that aspect a thought.

    I remember one of the big things was about whether there was electricity in the world. It was really interesting because I needed to have electricity in the world for lighting because otherwise everything was gonna be candlelight and fire and everything, and it was gonna be so it could get very one note like that. And it was interesting because he came back, and he said, “That’s such a good question.” He’d never really thought of it in such a bold way.

    Richard Bridgland

    He was also asked if they may have included a power system that wouldn’t become relevant until much later. Yet, it seems that Oda didn’t want to spoil that quite yet and keep it for later, as it is more a defining trait of a major character and simply stated: “Look, don’t use the cola power. That’s something that appears later in the story arc, but let’s say, yes, there’s electricity.” So, it seems that we will have to wait a bit until we get to witness One Piece’s true power system.

    Source: Collider