Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: TV

  • ‘Werewolf By Night’ Confirmed to Take Place Post-Endgame

    ‘Werewolf By Night’ Confirmed to Take Place Post-Endgame

    Unlike nearly every other Marvel Studios project, Werewolf By Night took place entirely in its own corner of the MCU. No cameos. No callbacks. Just a self-contained special presentation that introduced a neatly retrofitted history of monsters and those who hunt them. As wonderful as it was, however, its ability to stand on its own (short of a 2-second reference to the Avengers) made it tough to determine just where it exists within the MCU’s ever-expanding timeline. Fortunately, Disney Plus has put it in its place.

    Outside of a few dates on the graves of the Bloodstone family, there was really nothing given to place WHEN the events of Michael Giacchino’s project took place and the black and white presentation of it certainly makes it feel “longer ago” than when it actually was…which as it turns out, is right now in Marvel Studios’ present day. According to Disney Plus, the events of the night depicted in Werewolf By Night take place just around the same time as She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Ms. Marvel and Thor: Love and Thunder. That means that not only does the MCU have a long history of monsters, it has a present which means it could have a future!

    With Werewolf By Night’s timeline established, it leaves Black Widow as the only Phase 4 project set outside of the present day as its events took place prior to Avengers: Infinity War, making them part of the Infinity Saga. It’s of note that since Werewolf By Night does take place in the present day, the idea that the Bloodstone could play a role in the coming events in projects such as Avengers:The Kang Dynasty remains firmly on the table.

  • NYCC: Oscar Isaac Teases More ‘Moon Knight’ in the MCU’s Future

    NYCC: Oscar Isaac Teases More ‘Moon Knight’ in the MCU’s Future

    We’ve long wondered what the future might be for Moon Knight. There still hasn’t been an announcement for a second season even if the first one ended on a perfect note to continue the storyline of the newly introduced personality Jake Lockley. Still, we’re still anticipating some kind of update on the project.

    Luckily, it seems that Moon Knight star Oscar Isaac was asked during a panel at New York Comic-Con if we can expect a second season. While he plays coy on anything definite, he uses the interesting wording of “system” in regard to the Marvel Cinematic Universe return of Moon Knight.

    All I can say is that this isn’t thee last we’ve heard of the system that is Moon Knight.

    Oscar Isaac

    We’ll likely have to wait a bit to see if a second season is potentially part of Phase 6, as the fifth phase has seemingly been completely mapped out already but things can shift around if needed, especially with Armor Wars now a cinematic release opening a spot for a Disney+ series. There were some hints by director Mohamed Diab in the past but he quickly backtracked on it after word started spreading.

    We’ll have to see if they are building up to it and potentially what the future has in store for the character. There have been rumors that Moon Knight may appear in an upcoming film,b ut there’s not been a definite tease on that outside of some rumblings online. Still, it would be strange to bring in Isaac into the MCU for a single season on Disney+ and not further explore the character in the projects.

    Source: NYCC via Twitter

  • New ‘One Piece’ BTS Set Photos Tease How They Filmed on the Going Merry

    New ‘One Piece’ BTS Set Photos Tease How They Filmed on the Going Merry

    As production on Netflix’s upcoming live-action One Piece has wrapped some time ago, the news well has certainly dried up. We still know very little about when we might expect a release or even an official glimpse at the cast or set beyond what we got earlier this year. Still, even if Tudum didn’t give us something to hold on to, it seems that a few new photos have found their way online to tie us over.

    While it doesn’t reveal anything new for the One Piece series, it does give us a glimpse behind-the-scenes on how exactly they tackled shots of the cast on the Going Merry. As shared by @dogy_logy, we get a look on how they made use of various screens to film anything they needed to on the stationary version of the boat.

    It looks like they needed quite a few cranes to keep every element they needed stationary. They likely used a screen that will represent them being on the ocean or near an island of some kind. Of course, we don’t know how much time they’ll spend on their iconic ship mostly due to uncertainty how they may have structured the season.

    Still, it looks like we can expect some fun shenanigans on the ship and hopefully the team behind the One Piece series will keep those fun moments of the crew just interacting alive with the adaptation. Of course, big parts of their early ventures take place on the various islands of the East Blue which we’re still hoping to get a better look at in the near future besides Baratie and Windmill Village.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Werewolf By Night’ A First for Marvel Studios in More Ways Than One

    ‘Werewolf By Night’ A First for Marvel Studios in More Ways Than One

    Marvel Studios Werewolf By Night debuted to praise from fans and critics alike, being hailed as a unique project for the studio in terms of both content and tone. The first of what’s expected to be many more Special Presentations for the studio, Michael Giacchino’s horror homage introduced a world of monsters and those that hunt them and was a little more violent than typical Marvel Studios’ fare. But being the first Special presentation and opening up a whole new world of characters and stories wasn’t all for the project as it also became the first Marvel Studios’ project on Disney Plus NOT to include some sort of post-credit tag.

    Dating back to WandaVision, Marvel Studios has included at least one post-credit or mid-credit scene in every one of their Disney Plus streaming series, both live-action and animated. An argument can be made that the post-credit scenes have become a distraction, often taking away from the discourse around the body of the project and focusing on “what’s next.” And so despite rumors that actor Jaycob Maya would appear as lycanthrope Jake Gomez in a Werewolf By Night tag, he was nowhere to be found.

    Giacchino recently stated that he had no intention of his project serving as a pilot for future horror installments, so it’s not entirely surprising that he put a bow on the story without teasing anything more. Sure, fans can wonder what Elsa, Jack and Ted might get up to next and exactly what the nature of the Bloodstone might be, but there were no promises made via a post-credit scene and that’s ok. Not even a “Jack will return” text appeared on screen. Too often, those promises aren’t kept or generate speculation that ultimately leads to disappointment. So while it might not mark the END of the tradition, it’s nice to see that the creators don’t feel beholden to it, allowing for them to use them as they see fit.

  • ‘Squid Game’ Director Met With ‘Shang-Chi’s Tony Leung

    ‘Squid Game’ Director Met With ‘Shang-Chi’s Tony Leung

    Many have been wondering what exactly they could expect from the upcoming second season of Squid Game. The first season of the Korean drama made waves on Netflix and has become an international hit. So, expectations are high for what they might accomplish by further developing the concept and exploring what other dangerous games might be in store.

    While there has been no real cast confirmation, creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk has already pointed out that he hopes to have the next season’s release in 2024. Not only that, but he hopes to have Leonardo DiCaprio potentially join in the future. Yet, it seems that isn’t the only superstar that could have a potential appearance on the Netflix series.

    Chinese-Canadian actress Carina Lau has shared a curious post on her Instagram account that includes director Dong-hyuk meeting up with Tony Leung. The Hong Kong superstar has made quite a substantial career and recently even joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. So, a meeting with the director may open up the possibility that he might have a role in the second season.

    It’s mostly the “Ready for Squid Game” with the tag that will catch the eyes of many wondering if the actor might appear in the sequel. Of course, anything is possible and the Korean project may start branching out as we explore the concept of these games across the world. Squid Game‘s name and concept explore traditional children’s games from South Korea, which is a simple concept that can be adapted worldwide. so, we’ll have to see if he gets cast once they start getting production ready for the sequel season.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘Werewolf by Night’ Isn’t a Pilot for a Future MCU Series

    ‘Werewolf by Night’ Isn’t a Pilot for a Future MCU Series

    Many were excited when Marvel Studios unveiled its new approach for its first-ever holiday special, Werewolf by Night. They had a great touch by calling git a Marvel Studios Special Presentation, which also opened up the possibility to further explore the concept with other projects. It’ll very likely make a return with the upcoming The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and maybe even more explorations of Marvel Cinematic Universe’s monster world.

    Yet, many wondered if Werewolf by Night may act as a setup for something given the introduction to some iconic members of the comics, Jack Russell, Elsa Bloodstone, and Ted. With Marvel Studios’ expansion on Disney+, many wondered if this might lead to a new series, especially with Midnight Sons theories making the rounds since Moon Knight’s entry into the franchise.

    Well, director Michael Giacchino has swiftly pointed out that this project was never meant to act as a backdoor pilot for anything. It’s a standalone project but doesn’t discount the possibility that “anything can happen. We’ll see.” Man-Thing’s arrival in the Multiverse Saga seems perfectly timed given his connection to the Nexus of All Reality. So, we’ll definitely see these characters again, and hopefully, Giacchino will also return to the director’s chair sooner rather than later. Perhaps a recent seat vacancy could begin his road to his first theatrical directorial debut (if you don’t count film festivals).

    Source: Variety

  • Marvel Studios Head Was Uncertain About Making ‘Werewolf by Night’ Black-and-White Early On

    Marvel Studios Head Was Uncertain About Making ‘Werewolf by Night’ Black-and-White Early On

    One of the nicest touches for Werewolf by Night was going for a black-and-white scheme. It not only made it stand out from the other entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it also made perfect use as a tribute to the 1930s and 1940s Hammer/Universal monster movies. It wouldn’t be the same project without the style and it still does add color in a clever manner later on. As it turns out, it wasn’t an easy path to convince Marvel Studios’ execs to go with this version as revealed by director Michael Giacchino.

    The composer-turned-director highlighted that “in my mind, from the very beginning, it needed to be in black-and-white” but there was some skepticism. He doesn’t confirm if this was purely on the side of Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, who seemingly also shared some uncertainty about the decision, but generally highlighted the “upper echelons” of the studio. Yet, he was so confined with the direction, he stated that he “had a special monitor” that was there purely to highlight the black-and-white aesthetic.

    It seems it did take a bit to get the convincing, as it wouldn’t be until “maybe the third cut” that Feige was the one to agree on the direction. Special Presentations are the perfect way to try out new cinematic visual styles to add some diversity to how they approach their projects. Plus, WandaVision already gave us a black-and-white entry in the franchise which makes the uncertainty curious but that might be mainly due to that show also having in-universe reasonings with Wanda’s reality warping powers. Still, Giacchino‘s belief in the visual style was certainly a great one given how the project stands out from the rest.

    Source: Variety

  • NYCC: HBO Max’s ‘Titans’ Set Prop Teases Possible Superman Appearance

    NYCC: HBO Max’s ‘Titans’ Set Prop Teases Possible Superman Appearance

    The next season of Titans looks quite promising, as the team is leaving Gotham behind and faces a new threat. Many were caught by surprise when they announced that Titus Welliver will take on the role of Lex Luthor in the next season, which opened up many new story possibilities for the HBO Max series. With a release planned for November, the DC TV show used the opportunity to show off and tease what the future has in store for the team at New York Comic-Con. There, they may have given away a little hint at a future appearance with the prop sets being showcased at its booth.

    Among the many little teases of what the future has in store for the Titans series. Our very own John Sabato got a chance to visit the booth and noticed a rather interesting little set prop from the upcoming fourth season, the glasses of Clark Kent. So far, the only main Justice League member that made an appearance was Iain Glen taking on the role of Batman. Now, it seems that Clark Kent’s glasses will be sued in the fourth season, which means there’s a chance that Superman could make an appearance.

    The inclusion of Superman would make sense given Lex Luthor’s role in this season. Plus, we finally get to spend some time with Connor, who is a clone of him and Lex. We haven’t gotten a chance to explore how he would react to his existence or generally what it means to have another Kryptonian in his life. Lex’s role could also add some tension between these two as Connor tries to find his own place in this world beyond just being a member of the Titans.

  • Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ Finds its Uncle Fester

    Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ Finds its Uncle Fester

    The Addams Family is about to reunite in the upcoming Netflix series Wednesday. Surprisingly though, there are quite a few members of the family that haven’t been announced or confirmed as part of the spinoff series. While it is all about Wednesday Addams and her murder mystery shenanigans, we still know that Gomez, Morticia, Lurch, and Pugsley will appear. Yet, many have wondered where exactly Uncle Fester was and if he’d even make an appearance.

    Luckily, it seems like Netflix was just playing coy to build up to the reveal that Fred Armisen is taking on the role of Fester. He joins Luis Guzmán, Catherine Zeta-Jones, George Burcea, and Isaac Ordonez to round out the family members. The new direction as a coming-of-age mystery comedy will definitely mix things up as Wednesday is heading to Nevermore Academy. So, it’ll be interesting to see if it also mixes up the overall family dynamic or sticks closely to the originals.

    Tim Burton is back at the helm of this project and the first trailers already hinted at the gothic flair he’s injecting into the project. So, we’re quite excited to see just what the series has in store, especially if they start exploring a dark mystery that hangs over the Addams family. We’ll see what they have in store for us once the series premieres on November 23rd.

    Source: Vanity Fair.

  • The Case for More ‘Marvel Studios Special Presentations’

    The Case for More ‘Marvel Studios Special Presentations’

    With the release of Werewolf By Night, Marvel Studios has given us yet another format in which to experience and further explore the MCU. Following feature films, one-shots, and TV shows, fans have now been treated to its first Special Presentation, with The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Marvel’s second go at the format, just a few weeks away. And one thing is certain: if it ends up being as well received as Werewolf By Night has been, the demand for further projects within the same framework is bound to rise.

    James Gunn has stated that his upcoming Holiday Special will be under 40 minutes in length and considering that Werewolf clocks in at around 48 minutes (not counting end-credits) the basic parameters for this kind of project seem to be fairly straightforward. Tv-episode-length with a higher budget, and a more concise and focused script than a feature film. Could this structure become the go-to format for Marvel Studios when it comes to their Disney+ content? As with many debates, the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle.

    Considering how most Marvel Studios Disney+ shows have been a bit lackluster, there is no doubt that there is still work to be done when adapting the MCU to an episodic format. The Special Presentation type of show does allow Marvel to keep its feature film formula—a formula that works more often than not—a bit more intact, but while that may serve particular stories, there is still much that can be gained by giving certain characters and storylines additional room to breathe by going the 6+ episode route. If anything, Special Presentations allow Marvel to have a sort of middle-ground between a feature film and a TV show, so that when the story does ask for a shorter runtime but still not garnering sufficient relevance for the big screen there is still a way to make it work. It wouldn’t be hard to picture a series like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier being developed as a one-hour tv special, telling the story of how both Sam and Bucky went from Endgame to Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts, respectively. The same case could be made for Hawkeye that, as FatWS, would take advantage of previously established characters to streamline the narrative, swiftly leading into the next project. WandaVision would perhaps be the exception since it took the episodic format to heart and made it intrinsic to its essence. As for all Marvel Studios series introducing titular heroes, along with their own set of side characters, from Moon Knight to Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk, the longer runtime provided by several episodes seems completely warranted. Taking time to properly explore their origin, in their own corner of the MCU, without all the noise provided by the evergrowing mob of characters that will eventually engulf them seems fair.

    But while the story itself should be the main reason when choosing what format to go with, there are also more specific points working in favor of the new format. For one: talent availability. With the success of the Marvel formula, the franchise is either attracting A-listers to its key roles or turning unknown actors into household names. In either case, unless previously signed contracts so dictate, it will become increasingly hard to get the desired names to be completely available for the time that it takes to shoot the usual 6 to 9 episodes of a regular Marvel Studios series. By having the Special Presentation format available, the studios could keep production schedules shorter, stars happier, and probably even bring about a bit more of that Strange Alchemy that the Russo Brothers valued so much (something that happens when characters who never interacted in previous projects share the screen for the first time) by making everyone’s schedule a bit more team-up prone.

    There is also another issue, especially relevant when it comes to streaming services, that the Special Presentation format sort of bypasses, not on its own but due to the sheer volume of premium original Disney+ content. The importance of keeping active subscribers all-year round is a big reason for investing in episodic series to be a good business model. But since Disney+ already has other equally massive franchises that are aiming at pumping out content frequently, there is no reason for Disney, when looking at the bigger picture, to not be ok with a few Marvel shows becoming glorified one-shots and not having to drive online discourse for several weeks since there are other shows that will keep subscribers busy for that same period.

    What is perhaps a bit more dubious, but that could actually be a reality, is what the shorter runtime (when compared to a TV series) might do in terms of rewatchability and how that relates to the ease with which Marvel properties have been able to enter the cultural zeitgeist since 2008. For years Marvel Studios made…movies. Fans had to wait months in-between projects and what did they do when a new one was about to premiere? They rewatched the previous ones. And with that, everything about the movies permeated the discourse, from the biggest set pieces to the smallest of dialogue lines. It feels difficult for the same thing to happen when instead of 120 minutes that can be easily experienced over, and over again, fans have to sit through double that same amount of time, especially when there is always something new coming right up. By trimming the actual minutes of content being released, Marvel might be doing themselves a favor since instead of trending due to having constantly something new out, they might give fans the pause to reconnect with the material in a way that’s way more sustainable in the long run, thus imbuing Marvel Studios projects with what made them relevant to begin with.

    As for what the future holds for the Special Presentation format, only time can tell. But things are seemingly on the right track for it to become an MCU staple on Disney+.