Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: TV News

  • Disney Plus Moves ‘Ahsoka’ to Prime Time

    Disney Plus Moves ‘Ahsoka’ to Prime Time

    While fans have been largely engaged in the big brand TV series produced by Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios for Disney Plus, they have long bemoaned the awkward release schedule that has seen them debut at 3:00 AM ET/12:00 AM PT. Now fans can cross another thing off of Bob Iger‘s to-do list after returning to Disney.

    Disney’s next big streaming series, Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Ahsoka, will become the streaming service’s first major offering to debut during the traditional TV time period known as “prime time.” Originally set to debut on Wednesday, August 23rd at 3:00 AM ET/12:00 AM PT, the Rosario Dawson-led series will now roll out its two-episode debut on Tuesday, August 22nd at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM ET.

    To be clear, it’s not just the premiere that will inhabit the prime time time slot as Disney is committing–at least with Ahsoka–to the 9:00 PM ET release. Fans of HBO’s Game of Thrones franchise can attest to the power of the late evening release which allowed for far more viewers to watch the newest episodes and be part of the “water cooler” conversation the next day. The awkward middle-of-the-night releases have often left everyone other than the hardest of hardcore fans on the outside looking in and avoiding social media as not to be spoiled until they could get home from work and catch up. On the surface, this looks like a no-lose scenario for Disney as they look to get their streaming poop in a group.

    Source: What’s On Disney Plus

  • First Look at Live-Action ‘One Piece’s Young Straw Hats Leaked Early

    First Look at Live-Action ‘One Piece’s Young Straw Hats Leaked Early

    The official live-action One Piece Instagram account may have shared the next batch of images a bit earlier than initially planned. They dropped a post that included a new batch of images that actually give us our first look at the younger versions of everyone’s favorite Straw Hats in the upcoming Netflix series.

    As saved by @DesnesCitrus, we have received our first look at a young Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Nami. They definitely are going to explore all their iconic flashbacks from the manga, which are the essential aspects of what defines them as characters. It’ll be interesting to see just how much time we spend with the younger cast throughout the series.

    https://twitter.com/DesnesCitrus/status/1691475464668241920

    A younger Usopp has also surfaced online from the Instagram posting, where he even has the iconic Scream-inspired crossbones bandana that we saw in the manga. The sequence likely being from one that many manga and anime enjoyers will easily recognize.

    It’s great to get a tease of the young cast and there’s a chance they might officially post it later today or at some point this week. We’re still waiting for an update on the character posters for the new series. We’ll likely still get two or three clips as we near the release on August 31st.

    Source: Instagram via Twitter

  • Sasheer Zamata’s ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’ Role Confirmed

    Sasheer Zamata’s ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’ Role Confirmed

    In late 2022, Deadline broke the news that SNL alum Sasheer Zamata had joined the cast of the WandaVision spinoff, Agatha: Coven of Chaos. Once shrouded in secrecy, plot details of the upcoming Disney Plus streaming series started rolling out pretty steadily once Zamata’s co-star, Patti LuPone, broke Marvel Studios’ well-known vow of silence. Rumors about the project–both legit and bogus–have been commonplace since including one about the identity of Zamata’s character. Now, in an interview with Mashable, Zamata followed LuPone’s lead and confirmed which witch she’ll be playing in Agatha: Coven of Chaos.

    According to Mashable, Zamata will be playing Jennifer Kale, a character with some interesting connections in the Marvel Comics. The daughter of the leader of an ancient cult, Kale has shared adventures with some of Marvel’s most heavy-hitting supernatural characters such as Doctor Strange, Ghost Riders Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch and recent MCU newbie, Man-Thing. Interestingly enough, she’s also been part of the Midnight Sons, a team that’s oft-rumored to be on its way to the MCU. However, according to Zamata, the MCU’s Kale might be a bit different than the one first introduced in the comics in 1972.

    “I definitely did do as much [comic book] research as I could,” said Zamata, “but the way we formed this character is very different from what I think people expect.” As long-term fans of Marvel Studios projects know all-too-well, that could very well mean that the character is essentially an entirely original character who is simply borrowing a name from an established comic book character. Whatever the case, Zamata made it clear that the production took its witchiness seriously, calling her time on set “magical and ethereal.” “It brought that out of everyone on set,” explained the actress, saying “there were crystals and candles everywhere. We saged and cleansed the stage all the time. It was the perfect environment for me.“

    Though Agatha: Coven of Chaos completed principal photography before the WGA and SAG strikes began, there’s still no firm release date for the project. While it’s expected to stream in 2024, it is believed that–like all MCU projects–it’ll need some additional photography and reshoots which won’t be able to be completed until the strikes come to an end. At this point, it seems like it’s now destined to be released at some point in the second half of 2024.

    Source: Mashable

  • ‘Ahsoka’ Release Schedule, Runtime of Two-Episode Premier Revealed

    ‘Ahsoka’ Release Schedule, Runtime of Two-Episode Premier Revealed

    The next entry in Dave Filoni’s New Republic era of stories, Ahsoka, is now less than two weeks away from its Disney Plus premiere. The series, which will see star Rosario Dawson reprise the role of the former Jedi, will not only move the Mandoverse story ahead but also serve as a sequel to Star Wars Rebels. Ahsoka will feature the live-action debuts of Rebels characters Hera Syndulla, Sabine Wren, Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn and could also pull off any number of surprises so needless to say, there’s a lot of story to tell. It looks like Lucasfilm is happy to give the story room to breathe as it’s not only an eight-episode series but also has a very generous runtime for its two-episode debut.

    According to Cryptic4KQual, a Twitter account that has a well-established track record for reporting accurate runtimes of Disney Plus projects, the two-episode premiere will run for a total of 1 hour and 36 minutes including credits and just shy of 90 minutes without. Feature films such as Zombieland (87 minutes), Attack the Block (88 minutes) and Stand By Me (89 minutes) made 90 minutes feel like plenty of time to tell a compelling story and these two episodes are just the opening act for Ahsoka.

    https://twitter.com/Cryptic4KQual/status/1689410104100069376?s=20

    Following the two-episode debut, Ahsoka will continue to release on a weekly basis for the next six weeks with the final episode streaming on October 4th as Lucasfilm is sticking with Wednesdays for their Star Wars releases.

    The series has already built some significant buzz and looks to be a pivotal chapter in the ongoing Mandoverse narrative.

    Set after the fall of the Empire, Star Wars: Ahsoka follows the former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy.

  • ‘One Piece’ Creator Was “Tough In the Beginning” on Netflix’s Live-Action Adaptation

    ‘One Piece’ Creator Was “Tough In the Beginning” on Netflix’s Live-Action Adaptation

    At this point, it’s no secret that mangaka Eiichiro Oda took a very proactive role in the development of the live-action One Piece series, which is set to hit Netflix later this month. And it looks like co-showrunner Matt Owens was quite nervous about tackling a series he loved dearly, as he shares that he’s never “been more nervous for anything in my entire life” when tackling this series.

    I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous for anything in my entire life. Here was this person who has created this story I hold so much love and reverence for, and I’m asking him to trust me with his baby.

    Matt Owens

    Though, he does highlight that Oda needed some to warm up. It seems that this wasn’t the first attempt at a live-action adaptation, which led to him being a bit worried going into the production. Though Owens highlights that “once he realised we were coming from the right place” everything seemed to start falling into place.

    I’m not going to lie, he was tough in the beginning – this wasn’t the first attempt at a live-action One Piece, and we weren’t the first people to try to express it in a new way. But I think once he realised we were coming from the right place – trying to protect this series and create a new avenue for even more people to fall in love with it – he started to trust us.

    Matt Owens

    His goal to make more people fall in love with the series is the right approach; though quite a task when considering just how big One Piece already is just based on sales. Oda has shared quite a few messages of his thoughts on the production and that they did make changes here or there. It’s not uncommon with adaptations and while things will likely not be exactly the same, it’ll lead a new generation into exploring the manga and the journey many of us started over 25 years ago.

    Source: SFX via GamesRadar

  • New BTS ‘One Piece’ Image Confirms Nami’s New Look Inspired by Unused Concept Art

    New BTS ‘One Piece’ Image Confirms Nami’s New Look Inspired by Unused Concept Art

    One Piece is only a few more weeks away and we’re slowly getting more and more teases of what’s to come. Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the popular manga will not only take inspiration from the original but even go beyond to take elements from Eiichiro Oda’s 25+ years of work on the series and its complex world.

    We saw that most of the Straw Hats’ outfits will be taken from various sources such as One Piece’s color illustrations as well as the various manga covers. A new behind-the-scenes post from the official One Piece Twitter account has seemingly given us a confirmation that we can expect a rather interesting costume design for Nami that might be familiar to those that have been with the series since its early days.

    Emily Rudd’s outfit with the orange-striped legging is inspired by the early design of the character of Nami before she was introduced into the manga. Early concept art featured her with similar black jeans, the orange-striped legging, and a white top. She even had her hair tied back but we won’t be getting the giant axe anytime soon.

    These kinds of teases showcase just how deep the love for One Piece is for everyone involved with the production. Even small things as the costumes are taken from Oda’s work. The fact they even found a way to include the concept art feels like a great way to let some of his earlier ideas finally make it into the story. Here’s hoping the show can live up to that love and go on for many more seasons.

    Source: Twitter

  • The MCU’s Watcher Set to Make His Next Move in a Most Unexpected Place

    The MCU’s Watcher Set to Make His Next Move in a Most Unexpected Place

    Marvel Studios’ first canonical animated adventure, What If…?, introduced one of the most powerful and enigmatic characters in Uatu the Watcher. A member of a race of nigh omnipresent and omnipotent aliens, Uatu lived in the Nexus of All Realties where he was tasked with observing the Multiverse while swearing an oath never to intervene. That oath was tested and ultimately broken in Season 1 of What If…? when Uatu gathered a team of heroes, the Guardians of the Multiverse, to take on Ultron after the AI became aware of the presence of the Watcher.

    That team, comprised of alternate reality versions of Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Gamora, Thor, Black Widow and N’jdaka, took on and ultimately defeated the Infinity Stone-powered Ultron and Uatu returned to the Nexus of All Realities to await whatever came next. Now, thanks to a new trailer, Uatu’s next MCU appearance has been revealed and it’s certainly not what anyone expected.

    Dr. Strange Supreme & The Watcher in Marvel Studios’ WHAT IF…? exclusively on Disney+. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

    During the trailer for Season 2 of I Am Groot, the Watcher was spotted overseeing the feisty sapling taking off in the Guardians’ ship. While rumors of his appearance in the show had circulated a while back, the trailer is the first confirmation of the surprising return of the character who is voiced by the talented Jeffrey Wright. What could Groot be up to draw the attention of Uatu? Will the events of Season 2 of I Am Groot be tied to the events of Season 2 of What If…? ? Answers to those questions will be answered soon as five new I Am Groot shorts will hit Disney Plus on September 6th!

  • Eiichiro Oda had Two Demands for Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Series

    Eiichiro Oda had Two Demands for Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Series

    We’ve known for some time that One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has been heavily involved with the production. He had a big hand in choosing who would portray the iconic Straw Hat pirates and had the final say if they would release the show. We would later find out that he even asked them to reshoot a few sequences to ensure they stayed true to his original vision as much as possible but were still open to some changes.

    Matt Owens, the co-showrunner for the series, has revealed in a new issue of Shueisha that Oda had quite a few requests for the development but highlighted two very distinctive ones. The first is that the character’s backstories are not to be touched and remain as their core motivation, which Owens seemingly fully agrees with.

    They’re so pivotal to who they are as people, what their dreams and motivations are, and how Luffy digs into that as he meets them and helps them rediscover those dreams.

    Matt Owens

    The second aspect is that they would focus on the different abilities of the characters. Even if that likely was going to be a big challenge in a live-action setting, they definitely wanted to stick to the moves and devil fruits that are an iconic aspect of the entire franchise.

    Specific devil fruit powers and other skill sets were all carefully crafted by Oda and a lot of imagination went into what different people can do and what the rules are with that.

    Matt Owens

    Going by the trailers, it seems that they definitely stayed true to those requests and went all out to ensure the Devil Fruits get the love they deserve. In an era that is scared of showing off a body stretching, such as with Ms. Marvel recently, they fully embraced that aspect and made sure to show it off even in the first teaser. So, here’s hoping we get a lot more once the series releases and potentially gets multiple seasons to fully embrace the wacky world that is One Piece.

    Source: ComicBook.com

  • ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Will Focus More on Noah Schnapp’s Will

    ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Will Focus More on Noah Schnapp’s Will

    Stranger Things remains one of Netflix’s best releases, as it combines horror and 80s nostalgia in an unlikely mismatch. The Upside Down also became a rather fascinating mythology element that had many returning to this world every new season, as we slowly uncovered more of this world. Though, one big change throughout the seasons was that Noah Schnapp, who was a major player in the earlier seasons, seemed to take quite the backseat with each new season.

    Luckily, it seems that the upcoming fifth season will likely return to Schnapp’s Will having a bigger part in the story that slowly became more and more about Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven. In an interview, co-creator Ross Duffer seemingly confirms he will take “center stage again” in the upcoming fifth season and teases that he’ll be “coming into his own as a young man.”

    Will really takes center stage again in 5. This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together. Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected. So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality — it’s Will coming into his own as a young man.

    Ross Duffer

    We don’t know how they will handle the fact that they won’t be filming for some time and the cast already looks far older than the ages they are supposed to play. The writer and actors’ strike have currently halted productions across Hollywood as they are fighting for a livable wage. So, we’ll see if some elements might get adapted

    Source: Variety

  • Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Adds ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’s Ian McShane

    Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Adds ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’s Ian McShane

    While there are still some characters that we don’t know if they’ll appear in the first season of One Piece, we still have quite the cast of characters. We will meet many familiar faces from East Blue across the (hopefully) first season. Though, there’s a surprising addition that we may have not considered making the transition from manga to live-action. It seems the mysterious narrator will remain a fixture in this adaptation of One Piece.

    The big surprise is that the narrator will be played by probably the most well-known actor in the cast. Netflix’s press release includes the mention of Ian McShane voicing the role. The iconic actor marks the first Pirates of the Caribbean addition to the cast, as he famously played Blackbeard in On Stranger Tides. He also is quite famous for his role in the John Wick franchise and Deadwood.

    We will see just how big his role might be, as there’s a chance the narrator only appears in the opening if it replicates the original series. Though, they may have him be a recurring voice throughout, as the narrator tended to appear at random times throughout the manga’s run. It definitely is a great addition and an easy way to have a very recognizable addition to the cast without having to fly him in to shoot scenes. Perhaps they also know who the narrator is at a later point.