Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: TV

  • Amazon Prime’s Rebooting ‘Takeshi’s Castle’ Game Show

    Amazon Prime’s Rebooting ‘Takeshi’s Castle’ Game Show


    Back in 1986, TBS aired a series titled Takeshi’s Castle. It was a rather bizarre take on a game show format, where contestants had to manage their way through countless hurdles, people in costumes, and other gimmicks so that they have a chance to win a prize after facing off against Kitano Takeshi. The series ran until 1989, but it looks like Amazon Prime’s Japan divison has plasn to revive the series. It currently is only titled “Takeshi’s Castle Project” and is eyeing a release in 2023.

    They are announcing the revival of the series alongside other Japanese-produced series such as the Japanese adaptations of classic competition shows like Bake Off, The Masked Singer, and The Bachelorette. They are also developing some new dramas and comedies, which include Modern Love Tokyo, a Japanese adaptation of the anthology series by the same name, or My Lovely Yokai Girlfriend that will offer a different take on a horror adventure-comedy.

    The return of Takeshi’s Castle might be somethign for those that love series like Total Wipeout, Ninja Warrior, Ultimate Beastmaster, and more. There was some controversy back in the day, as some Western translations included racially insesitive cut-aways or commentaries which have certailny not aged well. So, they may have a chance to recify that lesson once they wrap produciton and include a new set of English commentators for international audiences.

    Source: Variety

  • REVIEW: ‘Moon Knight’ Episode 1-“The Goldfish Problem”

    REVIEW: ‘Moon Knight’ Episode 1-“The Goldfish Problem”

    Moon Knight doesn’t hit the ground running as a superhero show. There’s certainly supernatural mystery in the air, but it is all very open-ended up until the actual Moon Knight reveal. We didn’t enter the realm of Captain America, Hawkeye, or even Thor, and it feels like the show exists in its own pocket universe within the greater universe. No one thing explains that feeling, but it certainly doesn’t rely on existing structures or even narrative themes and patterns. In that way, Moon Knight, if nothing else, feels fresh. The premiere episode certainly felt like a prologue and an introduction into some sort of outlier corner of the MCU. But the possibilities are practically endless.

    This is an episode about Steven Grant. Steven Grant is an awkward, kind of fumbling, lonely, cowardly guy. But he’s also quippy. And the consistent humor Oscar Isaac brings to the role is truly the bedrock of everything that happens around Grant. The funny personality type does sort of feel like the MCU—letting the underlying character shine with or without the suit. Moon Knight in this episode is still a far cry from being as dead serious as the character historically can be. Grant, who does not know what is happening to him here, is like a mirror to a viewer who also is meant to be in the dark. But he will help you laugh a bit too. 

    But the underlying story is without a doubt serious, and it’s heightened by not only the obvious supernatural evil presence of Ethan Hawke’s Arthur Harrow, but also by the suspense and tension of Grant’s mental state. While Grant’s other personality, Marc Spector, is not revealed until the end of the episode, the screenplay is brilliant to tease out areas where Grant lost control of his body to Marc. Grant sort of reawakens with jarring editing to a similar setting but with violence and bloodshed around him. While more than one personality of the main character will be explored over time, the episode’s focus almost exclusively on Steven Grant gives the series the ability to tell a Moon Knight story without starting from scratch while taking advantage of quite the character piece it has built right in.

    The larger sequence where Grant finds himself awakened in a foreign place, where he meets Harrow, emphasizes how important Grant’s mental narrative is to the show. While Harrow’s background and goals are still a mystery, using Grant as the lens into this particular moment of the story gets rid of the origin story lag. It also is designed to make the viewer question what is and is not real in the show, and that is an exciting bucket of worms that is so characteristic of the character in his comic book history. And while this episode still has to lay some groundwork, the series has the potential going forward to have some phenomenal pacing and tell a story without skipping a beat. While the costumed Moon Knight only makes a very brief appearance at the tail end of the episode, the quick transition to him and the final shot being him on the move does quite a lot in terms of setting up the rhythm of the series.

    Despite being fronted as an MCU superhero adventure, at this point, the series looks like a story about an unstable man who happens to find himself surrounded and overwhelmed by a foreboding evil plot involving Egyptian gods. The first episode of Moon Knight certainly shows off that it has the potential to be a very intriguing, suspenseful, and fresh story for the MCU. It can pretty much move in any direction, and that is not something a lot of comic book series can boast—it’s exciting.

  • Explaining that “Duchamp” Easter Egg in ‘Moon Knight’

    Explaining that “Duchamp” Easter Egg in ‘Moon Knight’

    The new MCU series Moon Knight seems to be taking a somewhat unique path to introduce and explore the titular character. We see nearly the entire first episode through Steven Grant, who knows nothing of the conflict among the Egyptian gods happening around him. So far, Moon Knight is not tracking any particular comic run, so predicting what comes next is not easy. But the first episode did supply an interesting Easter egg that might have legs to be more than just a nod to the comics.

    When Steven discovers what turns out to be Marc Spector’s stash, he goes through the flip phone and sees countless missed calls from Layla. Placed amongst all of those missed calls was a “Duchamp.” A Moon Knight comic reader might recognize that name as Jean-Paul Duchamp, otherwise commonly called “Frenchie.”

    Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight

    Duchamp made his first appearance alongside Moon Knight himself in 1975’s Werewolf By Night #32. In that way, Duchamp is actually older in the comics than Marc Spector or Steven Grant. Like Moon Knight, Duchamp has a long and colorful history in Marvel comics. He is an ex-member of the French Foreign Legion and met Marc Spector while they were both mercenaries. Duchamp became, most notably, a close friend of Marc’s as well as a sort of sidekick to Moon Knight, and he was a long-time pilot of the Mooncopter.

    Marc Spector: Moon Knight

    But was Duchamp’s name on the phone simply an easter egg or could the character make an appearance in Moon Knight? Simply having the name listed somewhere a fan could spot seems like one-off reference territory, but the shot curiously lingered on the name for longer than you would expect it to if it didn’t pack more meaning. The episode barely introduces Marc, so there is plenty of room down the line for Marc’s character to be developed. That could include not only his personality and relationship to Khonshu and Moon Knight but also the other relationships–like Layla–that identity has made throughout his life.

    From the little the first episode showed, it looks like Moon Knight has been around for some time. Steven seems to have had control over his own life for a significant period of time, meaning that Moon Knight may have been established or created potentially years ago. That is plenty of time for Marc to have a network around him. What’s more, it looks like Steven is scrolling through relatively recent missed calls on Marc’s phone, meaning Duchamp may have tried to reach out recently. This could suggest that they are still in contact or that Duchamp is at least trying to get involved. Perhaps he had been helping Marc carry out his Moon Knight activities, or maybe he is just a close confidant. If the classic character makes it into Moon Knight, by all guesses he would not have the screen time to truly develop. But there could be plenty of room for Marc Spector and his classic supporting cast to be explored more in the future.

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer Teases “Weird” Final Two Episodes

    ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer Teases “Weird” Final Two Episodes

    The upcoming Disney+ Marvel Cinematic Universe installment, Moon Knight, already promises to be one of Marvel Studios’ most unique projects. Considering the series is based on a character with dissociative identity disorder who acts as the fist of vengeance for an Egyptian god, that is not too hard to grasp. Still, it looks like Moon Knight might get even crazier than everything seen so far.

    Series head writer Jeremy Slater responded to a fan on Twitter who asked what his favorite episode is. While not his “fave,” it is interesting how Slater brings the final two episodes into the conversation:

    The pilot is my sentimental fave, because it changed the least throughout the years, and huge chunks of it were taken directly from my very first pitch to Kevin Feige. But I also can’t wait for everyone to see just how weird the last two episodes get!

    Jeremy Slater

    It is worth noting that Slater is specifically referring to the only two episodes that critics have not seen. Moon Knight directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead teased an exciting ending of the fourth episode, as well. It seems safe to say that the series’ creators believe viewers can expect a “weird” and wild conclusion to the still-mysterious show.

    The first episode of Moon Knight premieres on March 30 on Disney+.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer Explains Why The Series Avoided Classic Antagonist

    ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer Explains Why The Series Avoided Classic Antagonist

    When Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight lands on Disney+ tomorrow, viewers will meet quite a few characters they’ve never seen before. This is because, in large part thanks to the protagonist’s obscure origins, some of them are original creations for the show. Among these new faces is Ethan Hawke‘s villain Arthur Harrow, who takes his name from a very minor comic character but is otherwise a brand new character exclusive to the live-action series. The inclusion of Harrow in Moon Knight’s origin story, as opposed to better-known antagonist Bushman, confused some diehard fans of the character’s lore. Luckily, the series’ head writer Jeremy Slater has taken to Twitter to explain the reason behind the decision.

    In the comics, Raoul Bushman is originally Marc Spector’s primary mercenary partner. This lasts until Bushman and Spector have a disagreement over the former’s alarmingly violent tactics, which results in Bushman beating Spector to a pulp and leaving him for dead in the desert. The event is how Spector becomes Moon Knight in the first place, and the vigilante eventually uses his newfound abilities to take revenge on Bushman. Some supernatural events have allowed the two rivals to clash on a couple more occasions (including one extremely graphic incident in which Spector carved off Bushman’s face), causing Bushman to become Moon Knight’s arch-nemesis.

    In Moon Knight, Arthur Harrow is described as a sort of cult leader who comes to blows with Marc Spector and Steven Grant. The name Harrow is lifted from an evil scientist who appeared in a single issue of the Moon Knight comics in 1985. It remains to be seen just what role he plays in the protagonist’s MCU adventures.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer Is Interested In a Movie

    ‘Moon Knight’ Head Writer Is Interested In a Movie

    With the premiere of the Disney+ series Moon Knight just around the corner, the amount of questions about what might be next for the character in the MCU has reached an all-time high. While multiple people involved have suggested that the series is just the beginning for the character, what form Marc Spector’s next outing could take is anyone’s guess.

    Moon Knight head writer Jeremy Slater recently stated that he would love to tackle a Moon Knight film. In responding to a fan’s question about whether he would “want to write the Moon Knight movie,” Slater said:

    “Hell yes. I’d write a Moon Knight movie in a heartbeat.”

    Jeremy Slater

    Even head writers like Slater are generally kept in the dark about an MCU character’s future, so it certainly is no confirmation of a future Moon Knight movie. Still, it shows there is plenty of interest on the creative side to continue developing the character beyond the series. Slater previously stated that while he does not know Moon Knight’s future, he does think Marvel’s goal is to have the character eventually be a member of the Avengers. During the same Twitter Q&A, he reiterated his belief that the character will have a bright future in the MCU.

    Whether on D+ or the big screen it’s clear the Fist of Khonshu isn’t done in the MCU. Moon Knight premieres on Disney+ on March 30.

    Source: Twitter

  • Head Writer Says Moon Knight’s Jewish Faith Is “Explored in Later Episodes”

    Head Writer Says Moon Knight’s Jewish Faith Is “Explored in Later Episodes”

    With Moon Knight arriving in a matter of hours, the Disney+ series’ head writer and executive producer Jeremy Slater has been answering some fan’s questions on Twitter ahead of the release. With plenty of conversation focused on the Jewish heritage of Moon Knight’s protagonist Marc Spector, Slater told fans that the MCU series does explore its significance:

    Preserving the character’s Jewish faith was important to our entire writing team. It’s something that definitely gets explored in later episodes.

    Jeremy Slater

    In Moon Knight comics, Marc Spector is the son of a rabbi who later becomes the human “fist” of Egyptian moon god Khonshu. While the character’s heritage and connection to Judaism is absent from much of the comic book history, it nonetheless plays a significant role in the character’s identity and story at times. Some fans have been concerned that Moon Knight would not honor that history. Slater seems to put those concerns to rest, although he suggests it might take a few episodes (definitely more than 4) before the character’s Jewish faith is explored.

    The first episode of Moon Knight premieres on March 30 on Disney+.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Moon Knight’ Writer Says 6 Episodes of the Series “Felt Right” for the Story

    ‘Moon Knight’ Writer Says 6 Episodes of the Series “Felt Right” for the Story

    Marvel Studios’ next big project, Moon Knight, is only one day away on Disney+. Unfortunately, fans will be treated to just a single episode when the series hits their small screens. The premiere will be the first of six episodes, set to drop weekly on the streaming service, in the same vein as previous Marvel shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki. With so many of the studio’s productions clocking in at around six hours, it seems some viewers are beginning to believe it’s the Marvel standard. However, quasi-showrunner Jeremy Slater has taken to social media to confirm this is not the case. When asked by a follower whether or not the writing team was required to hit six episodes, Slater responded by saying that was simply the organic outcome of the creative process.

    Slater went on to explain that each episode was written as a stand-alone piece, instead of crafting a singular story and splitting it into six parts. Many big-budget comic book adaptations have lately been described as “six hour movies” by fans, with the assumption they were designed as such and distributed in separate pieces. Zack Snyder’s Justice League was quite literally a four hour film, treated as a four-episode limited series by home service HBO Max. Luckily, it seems Moon Knight won’t have to worry about it’s release schedule not fitting with it’s creative process, and early social media reactions have indicated this strategy paid off. Marvel contributors have a history of praising the company’s collaborative nature, so hopefully this continues to be the case.

    Source: Twitter

  • HBO Max Developing ‘It’ Prequel by ‘Wonder Woman’ Scribe

    HBO Max Developing ‘It’ Prequel by ‘Wonder Woman’ Scribe

    Wonder Woman writer and It Chapter Two producer Jason Fuchs has begun work on an It prequel project for HBO Max. According to a trade report, the prequel series which is currently titled Welcome to Derry, will see Fuchs serve as the head writer and Andy Muschetti, who directed both It films, back the project as executive producer.

    According to the confusingly worded trade report, the series will serve as a prequel to 2017’s It. While it’s unclear exactly what ground the series might cover, it’s possible that it could explore the origins of Pennywise. If that were to be the case, they could further develop an idea that was cut from the 2017 film which introduced Pennywise in the 1600s:

    There was a scene we shot that was a flashback from the 1600s, before Pennywise [was Pennywise]. The scene turned out really, really disturbing. And I’m not the clown. I look more like myself. It’s very disturbing, and sort of a backstory for what It is, or where Pennywise came from. That might be something worth exploring in the second one. The idea is the ‘It’ entity was dormant for thousands and thousands of years. The [flashback] scene hints on that.

    Bill Skarsgard

    There’s no work on whether or not Bill Skarsgard, whose portrayal of Pennywise was so terrifying that the children on set were often afraid during filming, would return in the role.

    Source: Deadline, JoBlo

  • ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3’s Production Has Wrapped

    ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 3’s Production Has Wrapped

    Well, it seems that even with all the hurdles it faced throughout, The Mandalorian‘s third season has wrapped production. Currently, the series is potentially eyeing a release by this Holiday, which matches the series and its spinoffs usual release schedule. And, it seems they’ll have enough time to prepare for their release, as Amanda Ramirez has shared a new logo from the Disney+ series’ costume department confirming that they have finished work on the upcoming Season 3. The logo she shared may be something she created for the team, as she’s a cross stitch artist as revealed in an interview with Shoutout LA.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbp_V6XrG_o/

    The timing is also perfect as we just got a big reveal, as Hollywood icon Christopher Lloyd has joined the series in an unknown role. Star Wars expansion into the medium has certainly managed to draw in some major talent, especially veteran actors that have made a name for themselves in the industry with genre pictures. The franchise always had a strong pull but it keeps growing as they are now investing more time in expanding it beyond animation and a trilogy.

    The Mandalorian‘s upcoming third season will pick up where The Book of Boba Fett left us off. For those htat missed out on that spinoff series, it might be quite a bit jarring jumping back into the story, but we’ll likely get a recap early on. Their reunion was still rushed a bit, as we’re already entering the next season with the same status quo that we left the other one with, but we’ll see where it leads us.

    Source: Instagram, Shoutout LA