Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: TV

  • ‘Astro Boy’ Reboot in Development by ‘Miraculous’ Creator

    ‘Astro Boy’ Reboot in Development by ‘Miraculous’ Creator

    It looks like Astro Boy, the iconic anime series from 1963, is once again making its return. Variety has just unveiled that Tomas Astruc, who created the popular animated series Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, is working on the animated adaptation. Method Animation, who worked on that series as well as The Little Prince, will work on the new series together with Shibuya Productions.

    The series was adapted from the original manga by Osamu Tezuka, which has sold over 100 million copies worldwide and was the franchise to set the path to modern Japanese anime. The simple concept of a child-like robot also became an iconic element of the industry, which would eventually also spark similar ideas such as Megaman. The following statement was shared on its international production.

    Tezuka’s original comics were far advanced in delivering a powerful message to readers worldwide. These fantastic stories of the little boy who flies are all about strong values that still resonate today for a global audience.

    It seems that this adaptation is seemingly going to be a timeless adaptation. Astruc will direct 52 half-hour episodes for the series which will be CGI-3D. So, we can expect a style quite similar to Miraculous. Still, it’s great to see the classic anime character getting another adaptation of this childhood classic.

    Source: Variety

  • Theory Thursday: A Mysterious Comics Character May Explain ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 2 Mystery

    Theory Thursday: A Mysterious Comics Character May Explain ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 2 Mystery

    Ms. Marvel Episode 2 built a solid foundation for the mystery of Kamala Khan’s super-powered origins. The apparent change in her powers and origin from the comics is one of the most discussed topics with the live-action adaptation, but the fact that there exists a bona fine mystery in the series’ plot is certainly worth something. While there is plenty to speculate about concerning Kamala’s family history and the nature of the bangle that activated her powers, a smaller detail about her history could have major implications going forward. This article discusses how an interesting cosmic character from the comics could play a role in both Kamala’s past and future.

    In the most recent episode of Ms. Marvel, Kamala’s dad recounted the story of Kamala’s mother’s family during Partition. While leaving India, Kamala’s grandmother was a toddler. She was separated from her family after her mother disappeared without a trace. The toddler was able to find her way back to the last train and the rest of her family by following a trail of stars. This story, along with some other theories about how Kamala’s powers may connect to the greater universe, may hint at the introduction of Singularity, a peculiar character from the comics.

    A-Force (2016)

    Not much is known about Singularity, but she is supposedly a sentient quantum singularity who was once affiliated with A-Force. Generally, Singularity can teleport dozens of people vast distances, fly, cross dimensional barriers, and use osmosis to absorb objects or people into her form, within which a pocket universe apparently exists. Interestingly, Singularity is humanoid in form but her body simply looks like the night sky, including stars. 

    Singularity could be involved in Kamala’s family history in several ways, but the “trail of stars” certainly invokes her imagery. The fact that she can exist outside of time and move through dimensions could connect to Kamala’s power connections to the Quantum Realm or quantum energy in general. If the bangle belonged to Kamala’s great grandmother, she presumably had some access to the powers. Perhaps something went wrong with quantum energy she she was removed from time, which would be similar to how Kamala met Singularity in Ms. Marvel comics. In that way, the cosmic being may have been an ally. But perhaps Kamala’s ancestor actually became Singularity, which would make sense that she helped guide her daughter back to her family.  

    Ms. Marvel (2015)

    Interestingly, there may have been a hint in Episode 1 that Singularity could be related to Captain Marvel in some way. It is a bit more of a stretch, but the Captain Marvel figurine at AvengerCon looks like a sparkly, dark blue figure in costume. In other words, it kind of looked like Singularity. If Carol Danvers was somehow involved in the story of Kamala’s great grandmother, it would provide for a direct connection between her and Kamala by the end of the series. It might also answer some lingering questions about what Danvers has been up to since Avengers: Endgame. But there is meaningful imagery in Kamala gazing at the Singularity-looking figure at AvengerCon if she might have the opportunity to look up to the actual being.

    Ms. Marvel so far promises to be a fun and suspenseful mystery. Episode 2 raised far more questions about Kamala’s story than answers, which means that there is plenty of room to theorize for the series. Singularity has comics history with Kamala, so it would be interesting to see if or how she would make the jump into live-action. 

    The first two episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney+.

  • RUMOR: ‘Tokyo Vice’ Director May Have Joined Netflix’s Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Series

    RUMOR: ‘Tokyo Vice’ Director May Have Joined Netflix’s Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Series

    We’ve been slowly getting a good look behind the scenes at who is working on the upcoming live-action One Piece series. Just recently, the agency United Agents gave away that Doctor Who director Emma Sullivan was working on the production. Earlier in April we also learned that Lost in Space‘s Tim Southam has joined the production as Daredevil‘s Marc Jobst wrapped work on the first two episodes of the series. Now, it may look like one more has been uncovered.

    First shared by @OnePieceNxBr on Twitter, an agency site for hair and make-up artist Amanda Ross McDonald reveals she is actively working on Project Panda, the name of One Piece‘s production. What sticks out is that alongside the previous three directors, they also confirm one more is part of the team. The list reveals that Josef Kubota Wladyka may be directing episodes of the series spearheaded by Steven Maeda and Matt Owens.

    Wlydka has been building up quite the filmography, as he not only worked on quite a few episodes of Netflix’s iconic Narcos and Narcos: Mexico series, but also recently worked on HBO Max’s break-out hit Tokyo Vice. He’s also worked on Fear the Walking Dead and The Terror. So, he has quite a varied background that’ll definitely come in handy

    Source: Gems Agency

  • Kamala Khan’s New Origin is an Upgrade for ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Kamala Khan’s New Origin is an Upgrade for ‘Ms. Marvel’

    Two episodes into Ms. Marvel, viewers are left with more questions than answers about Kamala Khan’s powers and their origin. Much of this stems from the fact that the series has seemingly overhauled the superhero’s origin from the comics, and plenty of debate on that has ensued. Of course, any significant change from the comics for any character will ruffle some feathers, but Ms. Marvel is demonstrating why it can be a positive thing. While we are still learning how Kamala’s story will play out, the changes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far have some obvious advantages.

    There is no dancing around the fact that Kamala does not appear to be Inhuman like she is in the comics. There are countless rumors that theorize how she will ultimately be revealed as Inhuman, but there are countless others that support what the series has shown so far—the Inhuman aspect is not in play. Still, Kamala’s story looks like it will still bring many of those important aspects but also improve on them. The familial history and heritage aspects are still intact in Ms. Marvel. It is crystal clear that whatever her powers’ origin is, it is tied to her ancestors. The series may be actually taking this a step further in the sense that Kamala’s Pakistani and Muslim background drives that journey. While in the comics she was connected to a larger, well-known super-group, in the MCU she may learn she is part of a larger group or family that is more closely tied to her culture that is front and center for Kamala in Ms. Marvel anyway.

    No matter your preference on Kamala’s new “hard light” powers versus her comics version’s embiggening abilities, her MCU powers are still inherently Kamala. When early rumors and news came out that her bangle would be the source of her powers, there was some reasonable concern over the concept of Kamala not actually possessing powers of her own. But the second episode of Ms. Marvel whisked away those fears when Bruno confirmed that the powers stem from Kamala and that the bangle seemed to simply activate them. 

    But perhaps the greatest upgrade her power change relates to Ms. Marvel’s story. In the age of a hyper-connected universe, it is easy for an individual story or plot to get lost in the greater scheme of the MCU. But here, her unknown origin is driving a mystery that so far is a driving force in the alluring nature of the main story of the series. By dissolving the foundation laid by the comics, the MCU opened up space for the growth of new ideas. For an MCU series, new ideas mean fans have far fewer resources to predict how Ms. Marvel will actually play out. The overhaul of Kamala’s super-powered origin leaves a mystery-filled space that keeps both hardcore comic book readers and casual fans on edge to learn more. It arguably makes for a more engaging and better series, and it allows viewers to speculate and theorize more than they would have been able to if her background closely mirrored the comics.

    Overall, the loss of Kamala’s embiggening powers will always leave a sour taste in many fans’ mouths. Without discounting that, there is still reason to be optimistic about where the changes will lead Ms. Marvel and affect Kamala in the series and in her MCU future. In the long term, it may open up an entirely new corner of the MCU or connect Kamala to the universe in a way that transcends the comics. In the short term, it may help Ms. Marvel be a phenomenal standalone series.

    The first two episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney+.

  • REVIEW: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 2

    REVIEW: ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 2

    After the triumphant first episode of Ms. Marvel, the series is back for its second installment. It brings most of the same shine and quirkiness, but it competes with a deeper, darker narrative as well as classic Marvel Cinematic Universe storytelling. It is still a bit too soon to figure out what exactly Ms. Marvel’s ultimate tone will be, but Episode 2 proves it has the potential to be just about anything. A coming-of-age comedy, a superhero origin story, or an emotional mystery—all of those elements can be easily teased out of this episode.

    While the series’ premiere felt emphatically unique, the second episode’s venture into more rigorous superhero territory fairly brings up concerns as to whether Ms. Marvel might eventually suffer from being “too MCU.” After all, Kamala Khan is directly connected to other heroes in the universe, and there is no denying that she will make her way into a variety of future projects. Episode 2 undoubtedly took on more conventional superhero or superpower-type tropes, though no one would expect the series not to feel like part of the universe. Still, the personality of Episode 1 felt slightly diluted in this episode, which may be something to keep an eye on as the series continues.

    The second episode aptly showcases a couple of dualities. The layers to Kamala’s story not only reflect the nuance of her character but also the complexity of the story being told. It is easy to pick out the fact that she now has two identities—“Night Light” and Kamala—but it goes further.

    On one hand, Kamala is a regular teenager with concerns such as crushes and parties. In regard to that part of Kamala, Episode 2 featured lighter subplots and more trivial (but genuine concerns). On the other hand, she is gradually getting engulfed in a clearly darker narrative surrounding her newfound powers and her family history. There is almost an awkward tension between the two levels of Ms. Marvel, though given the awkwardness of teenage years perhaps that is the point.

    While Kamala’s superhero tale unfolds, it is looking like the future Ms. Marvel will be facing two major adversaries as well. Obviously, the Department of Damage Control has made a strong racist and xenophobic entrance as a comic book DIY United States Homeland Security. Her escape from them and their drones at the end of Episode 2 cements their role as ongoing foes, but signs are pointing elsewhere for the true threat of Ms. Marvel. With nothing but some visions and an ominous final scene, Kamran’s mother is already radiating big bad energy. Kamran himself is a villain in the comics, so there is little reason to think that Kamala has not encountered her match for the series in him and his family. Given the strong familial themes of both the live-action series and Ms. Marvel comics, there is a good chance Kamala might see these new faces as trustworthy before the truth comes crashing down.

    The second episode of Ms. Marvel proves that the series did not peak in its first episode. While concessions may be made to support the ever-present greater MCU (both in front of and behind the camera), Kamala still outshines most freshman heroes across the board. Not only that, but the series is doing something that virtually no comic book adaptations can actually do: make it all a mystery. Because Kamala’s powers and origins have seemingly been overhauled from the comics, casual and hardcore fans alike have no idea what to expect with the revelation of her backstory. To keep all audiences on the edges of their seats in the MCU is not an easy feat, and it might be another reason Ms. Marvel ends up as one of the most successful Marvel Studios projects. 

    The first two episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney+. 

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 2 May Have Introduced an Obscure Super Group as Kamala’s Foe

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 2 May Have Introduced an Obscure Super Group as Kamala’s Foe

    The mystery of Kamala Khan’s powers and her family’s past was in the spotlight in Ms. Marvel Episode 2. So far, the series has done a great job at keeping this aspect of Kamala’s story in suspense, and the most recent episode certainly ended in a cliffhanger that will surely take the series in a new direction. But while the show itself has not made much overly obvious to fans, we might have an idea as to where it is headed. The tail end of Episode 2 might have given us our first glimmer at one of Kamala’s main adversaries, and it is a group you may have never heard of. 

    Throughout Episode 2, Kamala finds herself with a hardcore crush on the new senior, Kamran. The two have a lot in common and he seems to show a lot of interest in Kamala in return. At the end of the episode, however, it becomes clear that he is more than a new kid in school. He helps Kamala escape the Department of Damage Control, making it clear he knew she was the super-powered person who dresses like Captain Marvel. Even more, he introduces Kamala to his mother who just so happens to be the lady Kamala kept seeing in her visions when her bangle would act out. 

    In the comics, Kamran was an Inhuman who gained Kamala’s trust in order to recruit her to a faction of Inhumans that, because of a superiority complex, was trying, essentially, to destroy Earth’s non-Inhuman population. But considering Inhumans are not likely at play in Ms. Marvel, Kamran may be a member of a different kind of superhuman group. The fact that his mother is already involved speaks to how genes and lineages are still important to the character and to his connection to Kamala. 

    Once it became known that Kamala’s powers and origin were being changed for Ms. Marvel, rumors circulated that Kamala, her powers, or something major in the series were related to Djinn. Djinn, or Jinn, are spirits in Islamic mythology and theology. Anglicized as “genies”, these spirits are recognized in Marvel comics as an ancient race with powerful magical abilities. Ms. Marvel has off-handedly mentioned Djinn or “evil Djinn” multiple times so far. Going back to the importance of family, heritage, and genes in Kamala’s origins, Marvel has a super-powered family that descends from a powerful Djinn, and that may be what Kamran is a member of.

    The comic book super-family Clan Destine is a family of super-powered individuals that spans centuries given the immortality of the patriarch, Adam Destine, which came from the magic of the mother of all the children, the Djinn Elalyth. Clan Destine is not particularly well-known, and the group is neither a superhero nor supervillain one, but instead, certain members have taken on their own roles. But considering the super family is not popular and a bit odd, why would Ms. Marvel feature them as an adversary?

    Technically, we do not know that Kamran and his mom are villains, but considering Kamran’s comics history and the general tone at the end of Episode 2, it is probably a safe bet that they will ultimately not be on Kamala’s side. Kamran’s mother looked to be from a very different time period when she would appear in Kamala’s visions, so it looks likely that she may be the immortal leader like Adam Destine is in the comics. But using Clan Destine as a template or inspiration would allow Kamala’s story to still take the Inhuman-like structure but without Inhumans. 

    Whether or not Kamala would be related to the Clan Destine-type family in Ms. Marvel is an interesting question. On one hand, it makes a lot of sense considering the Djinn connection could explain her powers and fill in the gaps in her mysterious family history. Kamran’s role as a distant relative would also be preserved from the comics, and his motivation in recruiting her to supposedly advocate for the larger family could similarly make its way into the live-action series. 

    Whether Kamran and his mother are part of “Clan Destine” or a family group that resembles it is yet to be seen. But it would be an interesting way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to keep Kamala’s traditional origin story relatively intact while avoiding the concept of Inhuman if they choose to go that route.

    The first two episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney+. 

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 2 Dropped the MCU’s First ‘Eternals’ Reference

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 2 Dropped the MCU’s First ‘Eternals’ Reference

    It is no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest series, Ms. Marvel, is a haven for Easter eggs and references to the rest of the franchise. Teenage soon-to-be superhero Kamala Khan is a fangirl of the Avengers herself, so between her conversations and AvengerCon, the new series almost certainly already holds the record for most MCU easter eggs in a project. Among all of it, though, the second episode of Ms. Marvel dropped a particularly interesting MCU reference.

    While Kamala and Kamran are at the restaurant, they bond over things they have in common. One of those things is a love for Bollywood movies. When mentioning which celebrities they like, Kamala mentions that her mom, embarrassingly, still has a crush on Kingo, Sr. It is a quick name drop that is easy to miss, especially for viewers not as familiar with Bollywood stars. But the mention is a reference to Kumail Nanjiani’s Kingo from Eternals. As we learned in that movie, Kingo has posed as a long line of Bollywood stars, embodying a new generation of “Kingo” as he ages in order to avoid exposing himself as immortal.

    Interestingly, this reference to Kingo is actually the first Eternals reference in the MCU since the movie was released last November. We did learn that Moon Knight creators at one point wanted Eternals—particularly Kingo—in an Ancient Egypt flashback scene. Alas, it never happened. Because the ending of Eternals left many of the Eternals with a fairly ambiguous fate, little glimmers like this reference in Ms. Marvel are all fans have to go on until they formally return to the screen.

    The easter egg is also interesting because it is practically the only reference that Kamala is unaware of the significance of. She, of course, loves the Avengers and other known superheroes, such as Doctor Strange, but the Kingo nod is a reminder that the regular people of the MCU still have no idea about the existence of the Eternals. It also leaves major questions for Eternals open—for example, how have people reacted to the giant marble Celestial in the ocean or the even larger Celestial that appeared over Earth in the film? Perhaps someday we will find out, but that day is not today.

    The first two episodes of Ms. Marvel are now streaming on Disney+. 

  • ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 2 Primer

    ‘Ms. Marvel’ Episode 2 Primer

    This first episode of Ms. Marvel, “Generation Why”, was incredibly relatable to most teens. The first episode introduced Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old Pakistani girl, who is obsessed with the superheroes that saved Earth, especially Carol Danvers. She lives a typical teenage life and has a loving- and hilarious-family. While her mother is very conservative and her father is a bit disconnected, they love her very much. Kamala has two best friends, Bruno and Nakia, and seems to spend most of her time at school (all the time really) with her head in the clouds, daydreaming about and doodling superheroes. Day to day, she lives a pretty ordinary life and goes mostly unnoticed.

    That all begins to change quickly once Kamala finds this a bangle that her Grandma gifted her. Kamala and Bruno have been looking forward to AvengerCon and Kamala has spent a lot of effort on her Captain Marvel costume. She needs just one final piece of flair and the bangle is it! Unfortunately, while Kamala’s mother is fine with Kamala going to the Con, she has a problem with her costume: she thinks that it is too skimpy. Because of this, her mother refuses to let her go, so Kamala had to sneak off to the convention. During the convention, Kamala went on stage for a costume contest. As soon as she puts the bangle on, her powers start to show and she immediately has what’s maybe a vision (?) of what looks like hundreds of people walking in a crowd. On stage, her powers are totally unleashed and since she has no control of them, she accidentally puts one of the “cool kids” from her school in danger before saving her with a pretty cool “stretchy arm” that looks like her powers from the comics.

    The big question is obviously why Kamala’s grandmother had a bangle that unlocked super powers just sitting around in a box of stuff. Does the bangle give Kamala the powers? Does the bangle activate powers Kamala already had? In the comics, Kamala was an Inhuman whose powers were activated accidentally. While she’s different in the show, it seems like that part could stay the same. It definitely feels like there’s some connection between the powers and Kamala’s heritage.

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    The next episode will definitely see Kamala explore her powers a little more. I’m a teenage girl who loves Marvel movies and the heroes. If I suddenly had powers, I’d spend all kinds of time trying to figure out how they work and see what cool stuff I could do! I also think that she will be in quite some trouble for sneaking out to the convention.

    Episode 2 of Ms. Marvel streams tomorrow on Disney Plus.

  • Eugene Cordero Confirms Return to the TVA in ‘Loki’ Season 2

    Eugene Cordero Confirms Return to the TVA in ‘Loki’ Season 2

    There was so much to love in the first season of Loki but for many, Eugene Cordero‘s Casey was a hilarious standout. The Time Variance Authority secretary was a charming member whose deadpan reactions to Tom Hiddleston’s Loki were a highlight in the earlier episodes. Also, it takes a truly powerful person to use Infinity Stones as paperweights. Plus, he offered a clear look into how exactly the TVA worked and hinted at the eventual revelation of their identity as Variants from older dimensions.

    The reveal of his return comes in an interview with the actor from ScreenRant. When asked on his potential return to the franchise, he was surprisingly open about it and just confirmed that we’ll see more of Casey in the upcoming second season. Yet, he didn’t confirm in what capacity or what we can expect.

    Yes, yes, you can [look forward to more Casey]. You know, I can’t [tease anything], because I don’t even know. There’s so many passwords and passcodes that I have to fill out just to even look at the pages that I’m on, and the way that it works is things constantly change in a great way. There’s so many moving parts in that universe that things keep changing, so I can’t really nail it down, but I’m excited. I’m excited to do more and I don’t know to what capacity I’ll be able to be a part of it, but I’m excited to do it. So yeah, get ready, it’ll be fun, I hope? No, it will be, it’ll be great. [Chuckles]”

    Eugene Cordero

    He certainly sounded like he was having some fun teasing the eventual return and what the second season has to offer for fans of the series. Loki was its most-watched series and it definitely isn’t an easy task to follow up on one of Marvel Studios’ strongest seasons. With a new creative team involved and the arrival of Kang the Conqueror, it’s definitely going to be exciting to see what the future has in store for Disney+ subscribers.

    Source: ScreenRant

  • ‘Loki’ Season 2 Production Kicks Off With Set Photo

    ‘Loki’ Season 2 Production Kicks Off With Set Photo

    It looks like the first of hopefully many second seasons of any Marvel Studios Disney+ show has finally started production. Cinematographer Isaac Bauman took to his personal Instagram account to share that they have started production on the second season of Loki (as shared by Twitter user @enchantcs due to Bauman deleting the post). He shared the first look from the set which doesn’t reveal too much but does tease with the sentence “Just the beginning.”

    https://twitter.com/enchantcrs/status/1536356800899035137

    As Michael Waldron went on to continue his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Eric Martin is taking over as Loki‘s head writer. It’s unclear how they will continue the franchise and if the second season may be a bit removed from what came before. We know that the Time Variance Authority will make its return, but with a new creative team on board, they may make some changes to make the season stand out from the previous one.

    Even director Kate Herron has moved on from the project to tackle new ventures with Moon Knight directing duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead taking on the duties. So, it’ll be interesting to see just how they continue the look and feel from the previous season while still adding their own twist moving the franchise forward.

    Source: Instagram via Twitter, The Direct