Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: WandaVision

  • Ranking Marvel Studios’ Series Finales

    Ranking Marvel Studios’ Series Finales

    The Hawkeye finale marks the end of Marvel Studios’ first year of Disney+ series and the conclusion of the fifth installment to date. From WandaVision to What If…?, Marvel Studios showcased its ability to pull off a wide range of stories and styles. Still, it pulled off some better than others, and we now rank the finales of all of the Disney+ series below.

    There’s something about TFATWS, other than its horrible title, that tends to land it at the bottom of lists. The series finale wasn’t bad and it wasn’t riddled with flaws. In fact, it was quite comforting, and there’s something about a straightforward series focused almost exclusively on already-established characters that is satisfying. Unfortunately, even a satisfying finale can be completely forgotten and left behind when it’s entirely bland. Even with Sam’s triumphant claim of the Captain America mantle, not much else propped the finale up.

    What If… ? will always be at a disadvantage if it has little connection to the Sacred Timeline as we know it. But it was particularly disappointing that the finale did not feature any connection whatsoever, even if that’s an unfair desire given the premise of the series. It also felt like a bit of a letdown by not capitalizing on the strong momentum that the penultimate episode had and ultimately being pretty forgettable instead. It did have the Guardians of the Multiverse, including Party Thor and Doctor Strange Supreme, up against Infinity Ultron, which was great. The pure absurdity of the situation makes it a unique and fun addition to the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse.

    The ending of WandaVision got a little murky due to wild speculations built up over the two-month-long run. While it will go down in history as not having Mephisto in it, it honestly was a good finale. It brought the series’ eccentric and creative storyline to a proper close and featured arguably one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most emotional moments. It also brought with it Wanda’s formal transition into the Scarlet Witch, which was a long-awaited moment after her introduction in 2015.

    While the resolution of the series’ plot left plenty to be desired, the Hawkeye finale was easily one of the most–if not the most–enjoyable finales that Marvel Studios has delivered. All of the things that the series did well, the finale did even better. It was funny, the character dynamics were on point, and the action finally arrived. The inclusion of Kingpin was very exciting, but it can’t really compete with Loki.

    The season finale of Loki will surely always be iconic, and long after the series itself is forgotten, this episode will be remembered. Of course, the actual opening of the multiverse was stunning and marked an exciting and dramatic new chapter for the MCU, and the fact that it happened on Disney+ rather than on the big screen makes it even more interesting. The He Who Remains reveal was on another level thanks to an amazing performance by Jonathan Majors. And who can forget the opening where the entirety of the MCU was dramatically condensed into the glowing Sacred Timeline?

  • ‘WandaVision’s Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany Nabs Golden Globe Nominations

    ‘WandaVision’s Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany Nabs Golden Globe Nominations

    It looks like the Golden Globe nominations are in. It’s been a busy year for Marvel Studios, which has been garnering more critical acclaim with the release of its Disney+ series, WandaVision. It started off with the series garnering quite a few nominations at the Emmys before winning the first for the production company. The song “Agatha All Along” even got a nomination at the Grammys and the series got nominations for the Critic Choice Awards shortly after. Well, it seems that the series can now add the Golden Globes to the list.

    The official nominations have dropped and Paul Bettany has been nominated for the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television. He is joined by his co-star Elizabeth Olsen, who is nominated in the Best Performance by an Actress category. They are the only nominations for Marvel Studios at the upcoming event, but an additional nomination arrived for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings for Best Visual Effects.

    Succession, Ted Lasso, and The Morning Show garnered the most nominations for the TV category. Squid Game has also garnered quite a bit of acclaim at this year’s Golden Globes and it’s great to see such a diverse type of show getting some critical acclaim for their work. We’ll see if WandaVision manages to also bring a Golden Globe home.

    Source: CNN, Twitter

  • ‘WandaVision’ and ‘What If…?’ Nominated for Critics Choice Awards

    ‘WandaVision’ and ‘What If…?’ Nominated for Critics Choice Awards

    It looks like the Critics Choice Awards are finally in. HBO and Netflix are leading the charge with 20 and 18 nominations respectively. Yet, Marvel has also made quite the splash this year as WandaVision has garnered four nominations, similar to Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso and Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. It currently is nominated for Best Limited Series. Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen got a nomination for Best Actor and Actress in a Limited Series. Not just that, Kathryn Hahn also got nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

    That’s not all, as What If…? has also been nominated for Best Animated Series. Sadly, Falcon and the Winter Soldier as well as Loki did not get nominated but it’s still great to see Marvel Studios’ work in long-form storytelling is paying off, especially with WandaVision‘s overall reception, as it won the first Emmy for the studio. Not bad for it being its first series. The Critics Choice Association TV Branch president, Ed Martin, had the following to share on this year’s nominations:

    Although the industry is still recovering from the COVID-19 lockdown, you wouldn’t know it from the wealth of amazing television programs our nomination committees pored through to come up with this year’s nominees. We have even more choices than we did before the pandemic, for critics and viewers to embrace. While the streamers continue to break new ground with some wonderfully unexpected offerings, it has been an unusually strong year for all areas of television. We look forward to honoring the year’s finest shows at what promises to be our most exciting awards ceremony yet.

    Ed Martin

    It’ll be interesting to see if the film manages to win their respective nominations, but WandaVision definitely has a good chance. What If…?’s nomination is a pleasant surprise and noteworthy for it being the studio’s first venture into the media format. So, it’s quite the big day for Marvel Studios and Disney+ with these nominations.

    Source: Critics Choice

  • Murphy’s Team-Up, Volume 9: Favorite Comic Book Adaptation of 2021

    Murphy’s Team-Up, Volume 9: Favorite Comic Book Adaptation of 2021

    John Sabato

    Sweet Tooth' Renewed for Season 2 on Netflix – The Hollywood Reporter

    My favorite comic book property this year had to be Netflix’s Sweet Tooth. Jeff Lemire’s original comic is one of my very favorites and was such an interesting read. The series mostly stays true to it’s source material but isn’t afraid to make creative changes that let it stand apart from the comic. It’s a sweet and wholesome story that sees a young hybrid boy and a grizzled survivor of the plague travel what’s left of the world to find the answers to what came first: the plague or the hybrids?

    Anthony Canton III

    Review: Doom Patrol season 3 ends on a solid if unremarkable note

    There’s something to be said for a show that continues to get better over each of its three seasons. Doom Patrol does that in spades. There’s a level of self awareness, humor, and introspection that makes it the best live-action comic book adaptation I’ve seen. The casts performances particularly this season have been extraordinary. Nuanced, tragic, and some even angry. Brendan Fraser in particular has been a standout in bringing such a broken character like Robotman to the screen. We’ve had a lot of good to great entries in comic book tv and film this year, but no property quite understands it’s assignment like Doom Patrol.

    Nathan Miller

    Eternals Earth Born Celestial 300 Miles Tall | Screen Rant

    My favorite comic book project of the year is Eternals. I loved how the film made me feel. Through the performances, direction and soundtrack, I felt the weight of human history, the joy of friendships and found family, the terrifying vastness of space, and the drive of needing to pull together to tackle environmental problems. Intellectually I think the film points toward the future of storytelling, in leaving behind The Hero’s Journey and embodying a more collective journey beyond binary perspectives. It’s a shame more people didn’t initially appreciate the film’s complexity, but hopefully that will change over the next few years, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe enriches its appreciation retrospectively. I’m looking forward to Chloe Zhao’s sequel and the Eternals themselves eventually appearing alongside other established MCU characters.

    João Pinto

    This wasn’t my first choice, but someone with impeccable taste got to that one first (thank you to my friend, JJ!). But in a sense, this show deserves to take the top spot. WandaVision was a pop culture phenomenon. Due to many production delays that affected several projects, it ended up becoming the first Marvel Studios project to be released after the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic and to say audiences were hungry for content is an obvious understatement. The weeks the show was on were some of the best ever to be a comic book fan. The theories ran wild as the show lent itself to the sort of online discourse that drove everyone insane by the sheer magnitude of some of the hot takes. Covering it was a blast as well. I must say that the Murphy’s Multiverse team covered that show as well as any other site, big or small, did. It showed us how much fun we could have while doing something that hopefully everyone enjoyed, and in a way, it became the stepping stone for the work we’ve been doing covering every show ever since. By the enjoyment I got from covering it to following it as a fan it deserves its spot on my favorite comic book adaptations of 2021 list.

    Joseph Aberl

    Both 'Shang-Chi' Post-Credits Scenes, Explained (Spoilers)

    I think my favorite comic book adaptation of the year must be Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. I have no prior knowledge or history with the character. So, I went in pretty open about the adaptation. I was hoping for at least some fun kung-fu actions inspired by classics from the genre. Yet, the film went above and beyond as I ended up with an incredibly heartfelt story that also manages to open up the MCU in a creative way. I cannot wait to see Simu Liu’s future with the character and what a sequel might offer.

    Charles Murphy

    The Suicide Squad Trailer Reveals Bloodsport Put Superman in ICU with Kryptonite Bullet - Den of Geek

    This will probably come as a shock to absolutely everyone, most of all JJ, but my favorite comic book-based project of 2021 was not a Marvel property. James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad takes the top spot for me and it’s not a particularly close race. While I certainly loved Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, The Suicide Squad feels like the most complete story. While the casts of WandaVision, Loki and Black Widow were lights out, the cast of The Suicide Squad was all but perfect. And finally, while Marvel Studios did a great job bringing some less-than-popular characters this past year, Idris Elba’s Bloodsport stands as not only the best reinvention of a little known comic book character in the past year, but also arguably of all time. After a year in which the comic book-based entertainment we all love was painfully absent, we had plenty in 2021 but none of them quite matched the quality of The Suicide Squad.

    Hunter Radesi

    Loki' Is the Perfect MCU TV Show - Variety

    I’m as surprised as anyone to be writing this, but I think the quirky magic of Loki was my favorite experience with a comic adaptation this year. I was firmly against the idea of this project from the start, and you can probably find old tweets of mine stating the show would be a waste of resources on a character whose story I felt was already over. I couldn’t have been proven more wrong. Michael Waldron and Kate Herron managed to craft a fresh, unique spin on the genre that left me wanting more every week. Absolutely charming performances from every member of the cast, genuinely joyous twists and turns throughout, and constantly beautiful set pieces that begged you to keep your eyes on the screen. I think I finally understand why my friends love Dr. Who so much. Can’t wait for the next season.

  • New Data Hints at Marvel Studios Being Responsible for More than 60% of Disney+ Subscribers

    New Data Hints at Marvel Studios Being Responsible for More than 60% of Disney+ Subscribers

    Disney+ has seen quite extensive growth since it was released last year across the world. Just recently, it celebrated its long history with Disney+ Day that offered some insight into what the future has in store. Now, the company Whip Media has offered a bit more insight into how exactly the growth of the app may have been strongly pushed through the addition of Marvel Studios’ original series. While The Mandalorian laid the groundwork for its success, their data hints that the Marvel Studios additions that started with January’s WandaVision, are a reason why people subscribe to the service.

    Keep in mind, this isn’t official data provided by Marvel Studios or Disney. It is a statistical analysis based on a survey of US TV Time apps, where interviewees were at least 13 years of age. The server showcased that only 10% were not interested in the latest show, Hawkeye while 66% were “definitely” going to check it out. Generally, it looks like 63.5% have subscribed to the service in the first place due to the Marvel Studios offerings.

    Whip Media

    It’s an impressive showcase of just how popular the Marvel Studios series are. Keep in mind, this also doesn’t include the film releases like Black Widow and Shang-Chi, which may also add a boost due to early access to Marvel Studios films. When asked if they see value in other offerings outside of Marvel on the platform, 73.9% believed there is enough on Disney+ to keep them using the platform.

    Whip Media

    So, while Marvel Studios’ offering might be the reason people are subscribing, they do stick around for the other offerings on the service. In November, we saw that the service was facing some troubles in its growth during the last quarter with only 2.1M new subscribers. It was far removed from their initially expected 10M. It was also when releases slow down for Marvel Studios and their other offerings due to the pandemic pushing back quite a few releases. The only offering was What If…? that had the least people complete the viewing according to Whip Media’s survey.

    Whip Media

    Statistically speaking, it’s certainly a showcase that Marvel Studios might continue to be a priority for the service moving forward. To be fair though, we’ve only had two new series releases under the Star Wars umbrella, The Mandalorian‘s first two seasons and The Bad Batch. So, we might see a stronger push once Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and the various spin-offs, which kick off with The Book of Boba Fett next month, start releasing on the service. Plus, Marvel Studios has quite a big year planned for 2022 and we’ll see if their new ventures like She-Hulk or Moon Knight might even draw in a new audience.

    Source: Variety via The Direct, Variety

  • WandaVision’s “Agatha All Along’ Nominated for Grammy

    WandaVision’s “Agatha All Along’ Nominated for Grammy

    Here’s something you don’t expect every day. It looks like the catchy “Agatha All Along” song from WandaVision has been nominated for the Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media. It is joined in the category by From Inside‘s “All Eyes on Me”, Judas and the Black Messiah‘s “Fight for You”, One Night in Miami‘s “Speak Now,” and Respect‘s “Here I Am.” Agatha’s theme song from the seventh episode was written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez with the lyrics sung by Agatha herself, Kathryn Hahn, with back-up from Eric Bradley, Greg Whippie, Jasper Randall, and Gerald Whites. You can check out the announcement here:

    It’s a great win for Marvel Studios and their first venture into Disney+ long-form storytelling. In September, the series won the studio’s first Emmys, which was impressive for their first venture into TV-style programming. Loki also included a song that was quite popular but it hasn’t been nominated. The Mandalorian, however, was nominated for its soundtrack in this year’s Grammys. So, WandaVision won’t be the only Disney+ series represented at the award.

    Source: Twitter

  • Meister Rolling Out a Limited Marvel Studios Watch Collection This Week

    Meister Rolling Out a Limited Marvel Studios Watch Collection This Week

    Through an officially licensed collaboration with Marvel Studios, Meister Watches is releasing an exclusive line of watches this week ahead of Black Friday. The 7 watches, inspired by Black Widow, Guardians of the Galaxy, WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, are each limited to 50-100 watches and will be available for order online at Meister’s Marvel shop.

    Releasing Tuesday, the Falcon Ambassador MK4 and the Winter Soldier Ambassador MK4.

    Soar high with our new Falcon Ambassador MK4. The new Falcon MK4 is equipped with a stealthy black case and matching black leather with contrasting red stitching. The black dial is accented with custom white arrows on the index, Falcon’s logo, and the functional chronographs with a red ring. Finish the mission with this limited MK4 now. Limited to only 100 pieces, each timepiece is individually numbered on the back case.

    Never forget whose side you’re on with our new Winter Soldier Ambassador MK4. Deep blue steel case with black bezel set off Bucky’s best accessory. The black outer ring in the face of the watch has a grey middle and the black and blue chronograph rings with silver stars serve as hour markers. Bucky’s blue star logo completes the one-of-a-kind watch. Limited to only 100 pieces, each timepiece is individually numbered on the back case.

    Releasing Wednesday, the Wanda Ambassador Ultra Slim and the Vision Ambassador MK4.

    Enhance your WandaVision with our newest Ambassador Ultra Slim. Equipped with a black case constructed of 316 NASA grade stainless steel, the genuine red leather band matches the red sunray dial face. The dial features a custom white luminescent index with the Avengers logo in silver. Only 100 of these timepieces have been produced and each is individually numbered on the back case.

    Synchronize your synthezoid with our new Vision Ambassador MK4. The blue steel case and matching band and face are contrasted with gold hexagon bolts, crown and pushers, and maroon index. Gold hands on the functional chronographs, Vision’s V logo and the Soul stone are details that tie-in the Avengers outfit. Limited to only 100 pieces, each timepiece is individually numbered on the back case.

    Now releasing Thursday, the Black Widow Ambassador Ultra Slim.

    Go deep undercover with our newest Black Widow Ambassador Ultra Slim timepiece, featuring a stealthy all-black case with matching interchangeable steel band or black leather band. The custom hour index with red and white lining, red functional chronograph, and Black Widow symbol all pay homage to the female Avenger. Limited to only 50 pieces, each timepiece is individually numbered on the back case.

    Releasing Thursday, the Star-Lord Ambassador MK4 and the Gamora Ambassador Ultra Slim (not pictured).

    Defend the galaxy in style with our newest Star-Lord Ambassador MK4. Matching Star-Lord’s fit, the case is Gunmetal with a burgundy leather band. The two-tone face, burgundy outer layer with gold center carry on the theme as does the red index with Star-Lord’s logo. Limited to only 100 pieces, each timepiece is individually numbered on the back case.

    Stand your ground like a true warrior with our newest Gamora Ambassador Ultra Slim. constructed of 316 NASA grade black stainless steel. Multi-layer green sunray dial face complemented by glowing luminescent index. Gamora logo completes the warriors ultra slim. Limited to only 100 pieces.

    The 7 new watches join Meister’s already impressive collection of Marvel products, including their line of Eternals timepieces which are now on sale.

    Meister’s Black Friday releases kick off tomorrow. With each watch being limited, make sure you make your way to the site early to ensure you get the one on your list!

  • First Look at ‘The Art of WandaVision’ Artbook

    First Look at ‘The Art of WandaVision’ Artbook

    There’s a tradition with Marvel Studios films that an art book commonly follows at one point. It offers a look behind-the-curtains and how they bring some of our favorite characters to life. It was uncertain if the same is the case for the Disney+ series, but luckily it seems we got the answer we were looking for. Marvel Studios’ Director of Visual Development and Concept Artist Andy Park has shared the first look at an Art of WandaVision book with its cover highlighting Wanda’s transformation into the Scarlet Witch and her family from the Disney+ series.

    Park‘s artwork has always been impressive and showcases his love for detail. Scarlet Witch’s MCU design feels like the perfect blend of her comic outfit with a blend of practicality. There are always interesting secrets hidden in the many chapters of these Art of books, as they sometimes also hint at concepts that didn’t make it past the concept phase. There was artwork prepared for Doctor Strange wearing the Iron Man armor in Avengers: Infinity War and even some alternative designs for Spider-Man’s many suits throughout the MCU. It’ll be interesting to see what secrets this book includes.

    Source: Twitter

  • Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness Likely to Appear in More Films and Series

    Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness Likely to Appear in More Films and Series

    Earlier today news broke that an Agatha Harkness spin–off series starring WandaVision’s Kathryn Hahn is in development as Marvel Studios. Hahn’s performance as Harkness in the Emmy-winning series received massive fan praise and critical acclaim. Her turn as Harkness even earned her an Emmy nomination in the process.

    While spin-offs of any kind are quite common to see after extremely successful and popular original works, they often end there. However, it was reported that Hahn’s series deal is, in fact, part of a larger deal with Marvel Studios. The deal not only encompasses Hahn’s Harkness appearing in more Disney+ projects, it also sets the character up to appear in future films.

    The broad deal means Agatha Harkness may be around the Marvel Cinematic Universe for some time. After all, the character has significant history not only Wanda Maximoff, but also the Fantastic Four. The Fantastic Four, of course, are gearing up to make their MCU debut in Phase Four. The versatility of a large Marvel deal might allow her to make appearances in several projects that touch on stories vastly different from WandaVision. In any event, it certainly means Agatha Harkness will probably be around to add the mystical side of the MCU in the near future. 

    Source: Deadline

  • BREAKING: Agatha Harkness Series in Development at Marvel Studios

    BREAKING: Agatha Harkness Series in Development at Marvel Studios

    According to Variety, Marvel Studios is developing a Kathryn Hahn-led Agatha Harkness series for Disney Plus. Hahn starred alongside Elizabeth Olsen and and Paul Bettany in Marvel Studios first streaming series, WandaVision, and did so to rave reviews.

    According to the trade report, the series will be written by WandaVision head scribe Jac Schaeffer, who signed a big deal with the studio earlier this year. Hahn’s character, Agnes, was revealed late in WandaVision’s season to be Agatha Harkness, an old witch who has thrived by stealing power from other witches. When we last saw her, she seemed to have her memory wiped by Wanda but there was definitely a promise of more stories to come.

    Hahn received and Emmy nomination for her role in the series and the character has a loooooooong history in Marvel Comics, so it’s not at all surprising to see the studios continue working with the actress to further develop the character. Schaeffer, who will also serve as an executive producer on the series, could chose to explore the character’s rich history, expanding the mythology of witchcraft in the MCU and connect her character to the growing mystical/horror element in the MCU. Marvel Studios is known to have over a dozen projects in development at this point in time and now we know we can count this Agatha-centric series among them!