Christopher Landon, the director behind horror hits Freaky and Happy Death Day, is helming a new technologically-tinged thriller that puts a deadly spin on modern dating. The first trailer for Drop reveals Emmy nominee Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus) as a widow forced into a terrifying game when anonymous messages threaten her children’s lives unless she kills her current date. And just like that, the movie’s premise promises to blend contemporary anxieties about technology with classic thriller elements. Produced by genre powerhouse Jason Blum and action mogul Michael Bay, Drop marks Landon’s return to theatrical releases following 2023’s Netflix ghost story We Have a Ghost.

Drop’s trailer showcases Fahy as Violet, a single mother window venturing back into dating, only to have her evening turn deadly when mysterious AirDrop messages appear on her phone. Her date, played by Brandon Sklenar (1923), becomes both a potential victim and suspect as the technological terror escalates. The cast also includes Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, and Ed Weeks, while Truth or Dare writers Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach sign the script. The project brings together an impressive producing team, including Jason Blum’s Blumhouse, the producer behind hits such as Five Nights at Freddy’s and M3GAN, alongside Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes banner, known for A Quiet Place and The Purge horror franchises.

[RELATED: Netflix Confirms 2025 Sequel to One of Their Biggest Horror Movies]

Drop represents a significant shift for Landon, who departed the troubled Scream VII production in December 2023. The filmmaker took to social media then, describing the experience as “a dream job that turned into a nightmare.” The silver lining is that leaving Scream VIII allowed Langon to work on Drop, which appears to blend his proven ability to create tense horror scenarios with timely commentary on digital-age anxieties, a combination that has served him well throughout his career.

Christopher Landon’s Evolution Through Modern Horror

Landon’s journey through the horror genre begins as a screenwriter. He first made his mark with 2007’s Disturbia, a modern technological update of Hitchcock’s Rear Window that was both a critical and commercial success. It grossed over $118 million worldwide and earned praise for its fresh take on surveillance paranoia. Langon also served as a writer on multiple entries in the Paranormal Activity franchise before making his directorial debut with 2014’s Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones.

The filmmaker truly came into his own with 2017’s Happy Death Day, a clever fusion of slasher films and time-loop narratives that starred Jessica Rothe as a college student forced to relive her murder repeatedly. It proved a major commercial success, grossing over $125 million worldwide against a modest $4.8 million budget. The 2019 sequel, Happy Death Day 2U, took an even more ambitious approach by incorporating science fiction elements, though its $64 million worldwide gross represented a significant drop from its predecessor. Nevertheless, Happy Death Death has kept a strong cult following, with Landon currently developing a third installment.

2020’s Freaky further cemented Landon’s reputation for genre hybridization, combining the body-swap comedy format with slasher horror. Starring Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton, the film earned strong reviews for its creative premise and execution, with critics particularly praising Vaughn’s committed performance as a teenage girl trapped in a serial killer’s body. However, its theatrical release was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting its box office potential despite positive word-of-mouth. Drop will give Landon the opportunity to win big at the box office again, especially since the filmmaker is on his turf of digital nightmares.

Drop will be available on April 11, 2025.

The post Freaky Director’s Next Movie Finally Has a Trailer (But It’s Not Happy Death Day 3) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Time is running out to catch one of 2017’s most acclaimed thrillers, as Brawl in Cell Block 99 leaves Netflix on January 25. Director S. Craig Zahler’s brutal prison drama follows Bradley Thomas (Vince Vaughn), a former boxer who must navigate increasingly dangerous prison environments to protect his family after a drug deal gone wrong. While the film’s theatrical run was limited, it earned widespread praise for its uncompromising vision and Vaughn’s dramatic transformation, marking a sharp departure from his typical comedic roles. In addition, the movie’s ultraviolence helped with the word-of-mouth that allowed it to become a streaming success.

Brawl in Cell Block 99‘s critical success stemmed from its authentic approach to both character development and action. Zahler specifically sought out Vaughn for his imposing 6’5″ frame and untapped dramatic potential, moving away from more obvious casting choices. To prepare for the physically demanding role, Vaughn underwent extensive training to perform his own fight sequences, which were captured without computer-generated effects or stunt doubles. This commitment to realism helped Brawl in Cell Block 99 to stand out, with the film maintaining a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes across 99 reviews.

[RELATED: Netflix Confirms 2025 Sequel to One of Their Biggest Horror Movies]

After premiering at the 74th Venice International Film Festival, Brawl in Cell Block 99 went on to make several prestigious year-end lists of best movies, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The A.V. Club. The Museum of Modern Art even added the film to their permanent collection, recognizing its artistic merit. In addition, Vaughn’s performance earned him a Saturn Award nomination for Best Actor.

How a $4 Million Prison Thriller Became a Critical Phenomenon

Shot over a tight five-week schedule on Staten Island, Brawl in Cell Block 99 demonstrates how creative constraints can fuel innovation. Working with cinematographer Benji Bakshi, Zahler developed a distinct visual approach, choosing a narrower aspect ratio than his previous film, Bone Tomahawk, to focus on intimate character moments. Furthermore, the film’s color palette progressively darkens as the story descends into its hellish third act, reflecting Bradley’s journey through increasingly dangerous prison levels.

According to Zahler, he drew inspiration from classic prison films, particularly Don Siegel’s Riot in Cell Block 11, but sought to bring new elements to the genre. Despite its modest $4 million budget, the film’s commitment to practical effects and extended takes lends the violence a visceral quality rarely seen in modern thrillers. Zahler and his team achieved this through careful choreography and multiple takes, with the actors risking injury if mistakes occurred during the intricate fight sequences.

Brawl in Cell Block 99‘s theatrical run might have been disappointing – grossing just $79,000 worldwide – but this reflects the challenges in marketing independent R-rated genre films that challenge genre conventions. While the film’s departure from Netflix might make it more difficult to access temporarily, Brawl in Cell Block 99 will likely be picked up by a different streaming service soon. Still, just in case, there’s no time better than now to watch a truly unique thriller that showcases Vince Vaughn’s talent as few movies do.

Brawl in Cell Block 99 will remain on Netflix until January 25, 2025.

The post It’s About to Get A Lot Harder to Watch This Violent Vince Vaughn Thriller appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The second episode of Harley Quinn Season 5 explores the origins of Poison Ivy (voiced by Lake Bell), explaining how the brilliant undergrad Pamela Isley became the green-skinned villain. Until now, the series had dropped hints about Pamela’s lab accident, overlapping her TV show transformation with her classic DC Comics persona. However, the latest episode draws inspiration from the post-Infinite Crisis continuity, revealing there was no accident. Ivy gained her powers due to a devious murder attempt at the hands of Jason Woodrue (voiced by John Slattery), Pamela’s former college teacher and lover. This deep and personal betrayal ultimately thrusts Pamela into a life of eco-crimes, shaping the woman she came to be.

Adding Jason Woodrue to Season 5 of Harley Quinn amps the series’ emotional stakes as it forces Pamela to confront her painful past. However, his presence is also meaningful because Woodrue is best known as the Floronic Man, a DC Comics villain with close ties to Swamp Thing.

Who Is DC’s Floronic Man?

Jason Woodrue’s path from mad scientist to plant-human hybrid spans over six decades of DC Comics history. First appearing in The Atom #1 (1962), Woodrue was introduced as the Plant Master, an exile from a dimension called Floria who used his botanical knowledge to control plant life. His most significant transformation came in 1976 when he used an experimental formula to become the Floronic Man, a being composed of vegetable matter with the ability to mentally control plants.

While Woodrue fought various heroes over the years, his most meaningful role came during Alan Moore’s legendary run on The Saga of the Swamp Thing. In this story, Woodrue made a groundbreaking discovery that changed DC Comics forever: Swamp Thing wasn’t actually Alec Holland transformed into a plant creature but rather an intelligent plant that had absorbed Holland’s memories and consciousness. This revelation redefined Swamp Thing’s character and established Woodrue’s deep connection to “the Green,” a mystical force connecting all plant life on Earth.

[RELATED: Every Classic Superman Suit in Harley Quinn Season 5 Episode 1]

The relationship between Woodrue and Swamp Thing grew more complex when the Floronic Man attempted to use his connection to the Green to destroy all human life on Earth. After suffering a mental breakdown from his communion with the Green, Woodrue was captured by the Justice League and imprisoned in Arkham Asylum. Later, Neil Gaiman’s Black Orchid mini-series established that Woodrue had been a university professor who taught botany to Alec Holland and Pamela Isley, among others, connecting the three plant-based DC characters.

In the post-Infinite Crisis continuity, Woodrue took on the identity of the Seeder, gaining new powers from the Green but still falling short of Swamp Thing’s full capabilities as the Avatar of the Green. This storyline culminated in a battle between Woodrue and Swamp Thing for the title of Avatar, which Woodrue briefly held before being defeated. This new continuity also ties Poison Ivy’s villainous to Jason Woodrue.

Harley Quinn Season 5 Remixes Poison Ivy’s History with Jason Woodrue 

The post-Infinite Crisis continuity expanded on Pamela Isley’s and Jason Woodrue’s connection by revealing that Woodrue was directly responsible for her transformation into Poison Ivy. This backstory echoes elements from the 1997 film Batman & Robin, where John Glover’s Woodrue attempted to murder Isley, inadvertently creating Poison Ivy instead. The comics incorporated this dramatic betrayal by painting Pamela as a naive student who lets herself be seduced by Jason, her teacher, becoming his lab rat for several unethical experiments that shatter her mind.

Season 5 of Harley Quinn reuses the post-Infinite Crisis story, getting rid of its most problematic aspects. As in the comic books, Pamela and Jason are also romantically entangled in the TV show. However, the show underlines how Pamela is already a confident scientist, a far cry from her easy-to-manipulate comic book counterpart. In the show, Jason discovers Pamela has managed to split the DNA of a plant, Frank (voiced by JB Smoove). Jason wants to steal Pamela’s experiment, and when she refuses, he traps her in the lab after releasing poisonous gas. Pamela is forced to inject herself with plant DNA to survive, becoming Poison Ivy.

The Jason Woodrue version of Harley Quinn is among the evilest in the character’s history. He betrays Pamela, a woman he claimed to love, for nothing more than scientific fame. It’s a petty motive for an awful crime, which explains why Ivy was shocked to meet Jason again. Unfortunately for Ivy, her troubles have just begun, as she just turns Jason into the Floronic Man in the TV show, echoing what happened to her many years prior. She might need to weaponize that White Kryptonite, after all.

New episodes of Harley Quinn Season 5 premiere on Max every Thursday.

The post Harley Quinn Just Put a New Evil Twist in a Classic Swamp Thing Villain appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the most popular sitcoms out there is The Big Bang Theory, no doubt about it. Over the course of 12 seasons, the show won several Emmy awards and built a very solid fan base. However, it’s undeniable that not everyone connects with its premise, as the show’s theme, with its numerous references to science and geek culture, is quite specific and appeals to a niche audience. Still, with its huge success, you’ll definitely find people who are curious and want to dive into this world, which even led to a well-loved spin-off and another one already in the works.

With 279 episodes about a group of brilliant, but socially awkward, scientists figuring out life and relationships, The Big Bang Theory has some of the most captivating moments to get hooked on. Since you don’t have to really watch the seires in order, we’ve selected the best ones to make anyone become a fan of the show straight away – even if you’re not fluent in Klingon or quantum physics.

“The Staircase Implementation” (Season 3, Episode 22)

In this episode, the origins of all the relationships are revealed, making it unnecessary to start with The Big Bang Theory‘s pilot (though Sheldon and Leonard’s friendship wasn’t thoroughly detailed at first). After a fight with his flatmate Sheldon, Leonard takes refuge in Penny’s apartment. During their chat, he reminisces about meeting Sheldon, Howard, and Raj, while also unraveling the story behind the building’s famously broken elevator from seven years ago. If you’re looking for an alternative and more engaging way to dive into the sitcom, this episode is the perfect pick, offering the most detailed glimpse into how the gang originally came together.

“The Convention Conundrum” (Season 7, Episode 14)

[RELATED: Big Bang Theory Fans Still Upset Over Penny and Howard Scene 16 Years Later]

Sheldon will stop at nothing to prove his point. When he can’t score tickets to San Diego Comic-Con, he takes matters into his own hands and starts planning his own convention. Along the way, he manages to rope in James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Darth Vader, as a guest speaker. This partnership leads to a hilariously unexpected night out, complete with karaoke and a prank involving ringing Carrie Fisher’s doorbell. Meanwhile, Leonard, Howard, and Raj, still determined to attend Comic-Con, toy with the idea of buying tickets from resellers but are paralyzed by the fear of being banned from the event for life. This episode is a love letter to pop and geek culture – the backbone of the sitcom and its characters. It’s a blast to watch, especially with the awesome cameos from two big Star Wars icons.

“The 43 Peculiarity” (Season 6, Episode 8)

The story here is all about figuring out what Sheldon does during his daily 20-minute break at Caltech, the university the gang attends. Howard and Raj go to great lengths to uncover this secret throughout the episode, but even when they ask, they don’t get any answers. Eventually, they crack the mystery and find out that Sheldon spends the time doing absolutely nothing in the basement. In the end, the audience is blown away by Sheldon’s cleverness, as he totally knew how to hide what he was really doing every day. The reveal is pretty shocking and will definitely get anyone excited to keep watching the show, especially if you’re into the quirky habits of the iconic main character.

“The Barbarian Sublimation” (Season 2, Episode 3)

One of the funniest and most iconic episodes featuring Penny, who, even in the early seasons, is just an actress with no clue about the geek world. When she gets frustrated with her career, Sheldon introduces her to MMORPGs, and she quickly becomes hooked to the point that it starts affecting her everyday life. The situation gets so out of hand that Sheldon even pushes her to focus on other activities like exercise, and, eventually, she breaks the addiction. This episode is a meme goldmine, but also highlights the role of women in the geek community and pokes fun at classic gamer habits in a hilarious way.

“The Love Spell Potential” (Season 6, Episode 23)

The episode centers around Dungeons & Dragons, but the real highlight is Howard’s spot-on impersonations, which make the whole thing way more fun to watch. Penny, Amy, and Bernadette plan a trip to Las Vegas, but it gets canceled after an airport incident. To lift their spirits, the gang comes together to play the RPG, with Howard doing hilarious impressions of Nicolas Cage, Al Pacino, and Christopher Walken. On top of all that, the game sparks a deeper conversation between Amy and Sheldon about their relationship. For new viewers, it’s a great way to get a clear look at their dynamic, as well as how the female characters get totally into a game that’s usually seen as a guy thing.

“The Justice League Recombination” (Season 4, Episode 11)

Zack is one of those characters who pops in and out of The Big Bang Theory, mostly because of his unstable relationship with Penny. He’s the main focus of this episode, as the gang constantly makes fun of him, thinking he’s not too bright. When Penny gets fed up with this, the couple is invited by the gang to join the New Year’s costume contest at Stuart’s comic book store, dressing up as the Justice League. The event is full of laughs, and it also leads to some personal revelations, like Penny and Leonard’s lingering feelings for each other. Overall, the episode is lighthearted and packed with humor, especially when it comes to the superhero jokes and Zack’s hilarious participation.

“The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis” (Season 2, Episode 11)

Considered one of the best episodes of The Big Bang Theory, especially for a Christmas marathon, this one puts the spotlight on Sheldon and Penny’s friendship. The plot kicks off when she gives him a Christmas gift: a napkin signed by Leonard Nimoy. Sheldon feels the pressure to give her an equally meaningful gift, so he turns to his friends for help, leading to a series of hilarious situations. The real kicker of the episode, though, is when Sheldon, who rarely shows physical affection, gives Penny a heartfelt hug. It’s a rare and sincere moment that highlights his emotional growth. This gesture perfectly captures the show’s knack for balancing humor with genuinely touching moments.

“The Hawking Excitation” (Season 5, Episode 11)

Among all the memorable cameos on The Big Bang Theory, one stands out as truly historic: Stephen Hawking. While he wasn’t exactly a stranger to the show, his debut is unforgettable. Sheldon learns that the legendary physicist will be giving a lecture at Caltech, and Howard, who is responsible for maintaining Hawking’s wheelchair equipment, does everything he can to prevent Sheldon from meeting his idol. This leads to a series of hilarious and humiliating tasks, including Sheldon dressing up in a French maid outfit. In the end, Howard helps his friend achieve his dream, since he just wanted to mess with him. But even with all the laughs, the episode really stands out because of the epic interaction with the legendary Hawking.

“The D&D Vortex” (Season 12, Episode 16)

This episode is packed with cameos, including Wil Wheaton, who became friends with Sheldon and the gang after their rivalry in the earlier seasons. After Sheldon has a mishap on his friend’s science show when he spots the famous William Shatner as a special guest, he later finds out that Wil often has Dungeons & Dragons sessions with Shatner, plus Joe Manganiello, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Kevin Smith. Stuart, the comic book store owner, also joins in. Leonard gets invited but is quickly kicked out when Wil thinks he only wanted to join to connect with the celebs. For new viewers, it’s an episode that really shows the gang’s relationship with the supporting characters, who still make a huge impact. Plus, just seeing so many celebs together is pretty awesome on its own.

“The Panty Piñata Polarization” (Season 2, Episode 7)

The whole “war” dynamic, such a classic trope in movies and shows, also shows up in The Big Bang Theory when Sheldon decides to ban Penny from his apartment for breaking his rules, like sitting in his spot on the couch. This sparks a hilarious series of paybacks, including restricting his access to her restaurant and even sabotaging her laundry routine. It’s a classic example of their unique relationship, where Penny consistently stands up to Sheldon, refusing to let his quirks get the best of her. On top of that, Howard and Raj spend their time tracking down the house where some of the America’s Next Top Model contestants are staying. It’s the perfect episode for a good laugh.

The Big Bang Theory is available to stream on Max.

The post 10 Big Bang Theory Episodes That Will Make Someone Into a Fan appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Let’s face it, the found-footage genre is one of the most polarizing subgenres out there. Audiences tend to either love the look and feel of the rawness of a found-footage flick or they can’t stand the shaky cam and even shakier logic of some of the dumbest characters in cinematic history. But for those of us that love the genre no matter what, there is nothing better than stumbling across an underrated found-footage film and wondering how we could have possibly gone so long without watching it. The only catch is that those movies can also be the first to be forgotten about.

When The Blair Witch Project came out in 1999, it legitimized the entire found-footage genre and became one of the most iconic movies of all-time, even though you never see the monster or horrifying witch. Since then, countless horror movies have been made with the hopes of becoming the next great viral sensation. But that is usually easier said than done. For every Rec, Hell House, or Paranormal Activity, it seems like there are a hundred bland and uninspired films attempting to take its place. While that ratio doesn’t exactly inspire confidence for found-footage fans, it is all part of the fun to try and find that great underrated gem. You just have to remember to not forget about it. Luckily for you, we’ve remembered some of the best found-footage films that might have wandered off your radar.

The Den

Before the age of widespread high-speed internet, video calling was seen as something of a luxury as opposed to a viable form of reliable communication. Even with increased internet speeds, the idea of being able to chat with strangers from anywhere in the world was still a little scary. That’s where The Den comes in. The 2013 film centers around Elizabeth Benton (Melanie Papalia), a grad student who aims to chat with as many strangers as possible with the hopes of finding as many meaningful connections as possible. But she quickly learns that people on the internet aren’t always as friendly as they seem and must fight for her life when she uncovers a twisted and deadly conspiracy.

[RELATED: 5 Horror Movies to Watch For in 2025]

As a low budget film that primarily takes place in one small apartment, The Den won’t ever ‘wow’ audiences with its insane visuals, and that’s okay. Since we only see Elizabeth through a webcam, it can also be somewhat difficult to have a complete picture of who she is as a person. We have a pretty good idea, but that’s just from what we can see from the webcam, and that’s the brilliance of it all. Capitalizing on the fear of the still somewhat-new technology of video calling, filmmaker Zachary Donohue crafts a suspenseful albeit by-the-numbers found-footage horror that still remains relevant today. While it’s not one of the 10 best horror movies of the 2010s, it is worth a watch.

Butterfly Kisses

While this movie likely wins the award for the least fear-inducing horror movie title, it certainly packs enough of a dread-filled punch that you’ll forget all about what sounds like it should be a G-rated movie. Butterfly Kisses tells the story of Gavin York (Seth Adam Kallick), a filmmaker who discovers a box with the words “Don’t Watch” written on it. Like any good horror movie, Gavin ignores the obvious warning and finds out that the box is filled with videotapes that will slowly become his new obsession. The videotapes are a film project by students Sophia (Rachel Armiger) and Feldman (Reed DeLisle), detailing their quest to uncover the truth of an urban legend known as Peeping Tom.

The most fun aspect of Butterfly Kisses is the urban legend that is the cornerstone of the entire story. The legend explains that if a person is willing, they can summon Peeping Tom by staring down a tunnel at midnight, for exactly one hour straight, all while not blinking. If successful, the person will be rewarded with summoning Peeping Tom. Though it’s not exactly a worthwhile prize. Peeping Tom will get closer to the victim each time they blink until he eventually gets close enough to kill them. Butterfly Kisses is an engrossing film that plays with the idea of how urban legends form and how quickly they can consume your life if you’re not careful.

Butterfly Kisses can be streamed on Tubi.

The Taking of Deborah Logan

If you have ever known anyone who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, then you’d know that it can be pretty scary to see someone you care about transform into a completely different person. The Taking of Deborah Logan explores the hardship of a family member dealing with losing a loved one to the horrible disease. But like any good horror movie, there is still more than meets the eye. The Taking of Deborah Logan follows a documentary crew who are making a film about Alzheimer’s patients when they come across Sarah Logan (Anne Ramsay) and her mother Deborah Logan (Jill Larson), who has been afflicted with the disease. But as the film crew follow Deborah around, they uncover something sinister in her house that threatens to not only take her life, but everyone around her as well.

The Taking of Deborah Logan is a harrowing film that offers up an captivating performance from Larson that will send a chill down your spine. She is mesmerizing as the feeble yet charismatic titular character… that is until her disease grabs a dark hold of her. Even as the movie plays out in what appears to be a predicable fashion, it takes a sharp left turn that’ll leave you speechless. As the directorial debut from filmmaker Adam Robitel, The Taking of Deborah Logan is one found-footage film that deserves to be remembered.

Stream The Taking of Deborah Logan on Tubi.

The McPherson Tape

Originally titled UFO Abduction, The McPherson Tape is one of those films that almost benefits from becoming forgotten about. Released in 1989, it is painfully obvious that the film was made a shoestring budget; a $6,500 budget to be exact. Such is the case of most great found-footage films, the low budget only enhances the authenticity of the story. If you didn’t know any better, you might actually buy that The McPherson Tape was a tape that was actually discovered. The 66-minute film follows the story of a small family who are celebrating a birthday, and as they record their party, they are horrified when the night is interrupted by a bizarre UFO event that brings the festivities to a halt and puts their lives in jeopardy.

The McPherson Tape is the classic case of less is more. There aren’t any actors you’d recognize or performances that will leave you impressed. But the raw emotion of the movie and the events that appear to be happening in real-time might just leave you a little shaken. This underrated and forgotten found-footage gem might not be a looker, but it has such a believable premise that a larger budget and fancier cameras would have worked against it. Just about all of us have been to a birthday party where something unexpected happens and the mood suddenly shifts. The McPherson Tape is exactly like that… just with aliens.

Stream The McPherson Tape on Tubi.

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum

Some found-footage films can become a bit of a chore to sit through for a number of reasons, such as poor characters, lack of logic, and dull scares. Fortunately for horror fans, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum avoids all three of those mistakes, which makes it the perfect found-footage movie. This 2018 South Korean gem follows a crew of horror-based YouTubers who explore the world’s scariest locations during live broadcasts. Joined by a small group of newcomers, the crew explore a supposed haunted mental asylum that is alleged to have a secret room that once you enter, you’ll never leave.

As one of the most fun movies on this list, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is a blast to watch. There are a perfect amount of likable characters mixed in with the occasional sleezeball who will likely give you someone to root against. The entire cast all play their respective roles really well, especially when confronted with the ghostly apparitions that stalk them throughout the walls of the asylum. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is a movie that has some of the most well-made scares of any found-footage film in the last 30 years. Since Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is framed as a YouTube video gone awry, it can be fairly easy to forget that it’s all a movie.

Stream Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum on Tubi.

Final Prayer (The Borderlands)

This 2013 found-footage horror film is something of a slow-build, but once the whole story has been fully developed, it’ll leave quite the impression. Written and directed by Elliot Goldner, Final Prayer follows a small team of Vatican investigators who have been tasked with investigating an old church in the English countryside, which is rumored to be the site of a miracle. While the church appears to be nothing newsworthy, the investigators slowly begin to realize that something is terribly wrong about the whole situation. But as they look more closely, they reach a point of no return that forces them to finish the job, one way or the other.

At the center of Final Prayer, a blossoming friendship between the two investigators only enhances the horror that engulfs the film. Gordon Kennedy as Brother Deacon and Robin Hill as Gray Parker play their parts perfectly and help pull you in a viewer. It’s easy to forget that both men are in the middle of something insidious because they really are endearing characters. Final Prayer is another found-footage film that is well worth the patience as you wait for the events to unfold. Once the ending hits, you won’t believe it’s the same movie you’ve been watching for the past 80 minutes.

Stream Final Prayer (aka The Border Lands) on Tubi.

The Devil’s Doorway

Similar to Final Prayer, The Devil’s Doorway is another found-footage movie draped in enough religious lore that it’ll have you looking for a Bible. Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but The Devil’s Doorway is a hell of a movie that is often criminally overlooked, and without any big named actors, it is somewhat easy to lose track of the movie. Directed by Aislinn Clarke, the movie follows Father Thomas Riley (Lalor Roddy) and Father John Thornton (Ciaran Flynn), two priests who are sent by the Vatican to look into reports of a miracle. According to witnesses, a statue of the Virgin Mary weeps human blood inside a remote Catholic asylum for immoral women. But as the two priests investigate, they discover widespread terror that includes everything from sadistic nuns to even demonic possession.

At a brisk 76 minutes, The Devil’s Doorway may not have a long runtime, but the underrated found-footage film has enough packed into it that you certainly get your money’s worth. What starts out as a religious mystery quickly turns into a depraved horror film that is dripping with dread. With a title like The Devil’s Doorway you can probably guess where the movie is heading, but it does such a masterful job of crafting a compelling story. Like The First Omen and Immaculate, the movie will make sure that you never look at a nun the same way again.

Stream The Devil’s Doorway on Shudder.

The post 7 Underrated Found-Footage Movies You’ve Probably Forgotten About appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Well, it looks like Malakai Black might really be leaving AEW.

Fightful Select recently reported that Malakai Black was expected to be finishing up with AEW if he hadn’t already. The departure comes after reported tensions between sides dating back quite some time. Black is the former leader of the House of Black, joining the company in 2021 after leaving WWE. He is a former AEW Tag and Trios Champion with the group that launched Julia Hart’s career. While his contract status has been a hot-button topic, it turns out he had option years after 2025 and, evidently, AEW chose not to pick them up.

The Future of the House of Black in AEW

Hart faced Jamie Hayter in a rematch on AEW Dynamite. In a post-match promo, the former AEW Women’s Champion addressed Hart, laying out an invitation for a rubber match. In said promo, she hinted at the House of Black becoming three members. It was unclear if she misspoke at the time but a spooky vignette quickly cleared that up. Hart, Brody King, and Buddy Matthews are walking through a dreary tunnel as King gives a voiceover.

[RELATED: AEW’s Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay Are Teaming for the First Time Ever]

“For years, we’ve had a voice to guide us; that voice was all but deafening. Now, that voice has gone silent.” Matthews adds, “We are done living in the shadows.” Says Hart, “It’s time to honor ourselves.” According to the group, they have “no rules, no leaders, no gods, no masters, just violence.”

“I think we’ll be okay,” Hart said in an interview with Denise Salcedo about Black’s rumored departure (H/T Wrestling Inc). “Whatever he decides to do with his career is his business. I wish him all the best, no matter what. He has been such a great rock for me. I appreciate everything he’s ever done with me. But also I don’t — the rumors aren’t confirmed or anything, so I don’t know what exactly is going on. Anything could be happening, we don’t know.

So it’s just a matter of fact of whatever happens, happens, and I’m happy for him no matter what happens. And I think House of Black will be okay no matter what happens. I think I’ll keep destroying the women’s locker room, and Brody and Buddy will destroy the men’s locker room. Everything will be okay, and I’m happy for everybody no matter what.”

Black is expected to have heavy interest from other wrestling companies now that he’s a free agent. Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on AEW and Black’s future.

The post Did AEW Just Confirm Malakai Black’s Really Leaving? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

FOX has revealed their line up of new and returning shows for the Winter 2025 midseason schedule, and unfortunately Bob’s Burgers fans are going to be waiting quite a while before the series makes its comeback. Bob’s Burgers is now in the midst of Season 15 of the series with the final airing taking place last year before the Winter broadcast break. As FOX prepares to return with a new wave of episodes and shows for the midseason schedule of Sunday’s Animation Domination block, and there are some major shake ups to be found. The biggest of which is the lack of Bob’s Burgers.

FOX has announced its midseason line up for the Animation Domination block beginning on February 16th, and it includes Family Guy, Grimsburg, The Great North and Krapopolis. While it had initially seemed like the biggest shake up to FOX’s midseason schedule would be Family Guy temporarily taking The Simpsons‘ time slot at the start of the block, it’s now revealed to be that it’s going to be a much longer wait for Bob’s Burgers as it’s not listed for a return within the first few months of the year.

Bob’s Burgers Won’t Be Back Until After the Winter

As FOX announced, the Animation Domination block will be featuring Family Guy, Grimsburg, The Great North and Krapopolis beginning on February 16th, and The Simpsons will then be making its own return beginning on March 30th. The Simpsons will then go back to leading the block with new episodes of Family Guy, The Great North, and Krapopolis to follow it. But as mentioned, Bob’s Burgers is left off the schedule completely with no current release window or date for Season 15’s return as of the time of this publication.

It means that fans will be waiting until the midseason schedule ends its run, and potentially might not even get to see Bob’s Burgers return in full until much later in the year. As the series is still in the middle of Season 15, there are a few more episodes to air before it can come back for a potential Season 16 (which is currently unconfirmed as of the time of this publication as well). That could mean that a Fall 2025 return for the series would be too long of a wait, and maybe we’ll see forward momentum on these final episodes heading into the Summer.

RELATED: The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers and Family Guy Lock in New U.S. Streaming Deal

How to Watch Bob’s Burgers

If you wanted to catch up with Bob’s Burgers Season 15 thus far, you can currently find the ten currently available episodes now streaming exclusively with Hulu. It’s also where you can find all previous seasons of the series if you just want to spend this time to watch your old favorites over again instead. But you really should catch up with the latest season if you have missed it as Season 15 has been one of the strongest in recent memory.

Bob’s Burgers seems to only be getting better with age as each new episode offers a fun new look at each of its characters, and the team behind it all has also found a new rhythm to explore. The Bob’s Burgers Movie was a great example of the creativity behind this animated franchise, and the TV series itself has only gotten stronger. That’s a rare feat for an animated series following up a movie project, so you really should catch up to make sure you’re not missing out.

The post Bob’s Burgers Fans Are Going to Be Waiting a While For New Episodes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel’s Wolverine developer Insomniac Games won’t acknowledge whether or not the game will drop this year. Insomniac Games has become one of the most well-respected video game developers in the last decade. On top of steadily building themselves up as a reliable developer throughout the PS2 and PS3 era with games like Ratchet and Clank, Insomniac really made a name for itself in 2018 with Marvel’s Spider-Man. The developer brought a level of prestige to a character that had largely been relegated to tie-in games or titles released on short development cycles while Batman was allowed to boom in the Arkham series. Insomniac managed to essentially give Spider-Man the Arkham treatment and now, it’s doing the same for Wolverine.

After three successful cracks at Spider-Man across the PS4 and PS5, Insomniac Games’ next big project will be Marvel’s Wolverine. Insomniac Games earned Marvel’s trust with Spider-Man and was allowed the opportunity to make a Wolverine game, something that hasn’t happened since X-Men Origins: Wolverine in 2009. Many were immediately excited at the prospect of the game and Insomniac even confirmed that it was aiming for a mature tone with Marvel’s Wolverine, suggesting it would have an M-rating like the beloved aforementioned 2009 game. Fans want to see Wolverine slashing people up, cutting off limbs and spraying blood, and it seems like Insomniac will deliver on that. However, word around the game has been quiet since its 2021 reveal.

Marvel’s Wolverine Developer Won’t Share New Details

It’s not unusual for Insomniac to reveal a game and then go silent for a while, but it has been four years without a new trailer or screenshot. There was some leaked Marvel’s Wolverine gameplay that really put things into perspective for fans, but officially speaking, Insomniac Games has been hush hush. With that said, Insomniac Games is undergoing some big changes as its CEO Ted Price will retire in March. During an interview with Variety, Insomniac Games co-head Chad Dezern was asked about whether Marvel’s Wolverine will finally release in 2025, but he wouldn’t confirm or deny anything.

“We’ve announced ‘Wolverine,’ and we’d love to talk more about ‘Wolverine,’ but we have to be like Logan today, and remain very stoic until it’s time to pop the claws down the road. As much as we’re as much as we have pent up excitement, we got to hold on to it. So that’s, that’s about as much as we could say about our upcoming projects today.”

Marvel’s Wolverine underwent a surprising change late last year as its director abruptly left the project to go work on Xbox’s Perfect Dark reboot. It’s not common for a director of a game to leave in the middle of a project, maybe at the end, but rarely in the thick of things. Some have feared this could result in a change of direction for the project that could cause setbacks, but Insomniac and PlayStation remain tight-lipped. Leaks indicate that Marvel’s Wolverine is planned for a 2026 release date, so maybe PlayStation and Insomniac will start showing more of the game later this year, but it really remains to be seen.

Nevertheless, it seems like Insomniac Games announced Marvel’s Wolverine way too early. While sometimes big projects like this are announced to drive recruitment to the studio, it’s hard to imagine the studio was having troubles finding people to come work on Spider-Man. Even if the studio wanted to be vague, it could’ve said it was working on new Marvel projects and it wouldn’t have raised too many eyebrows. Ultimately, it seems like fans will have to keep waiting for Marvel’s Wolverine. Outside of the leaked gameplay, all we have is a pre-rendered trailer from September 2021 that only shows Wolverine’s back and his claws… and that may be all we get for quite some time.

The post Marvel’s Wolverine Developer Refuses to Address 2025 Release Rumors appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The long in the works movie adaptation of The Devil in the White City just took a big step forward. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 20th Century Studios has picked up the film for development. Leonardo DiCaprio is in talks to star while Martin Scorsese is in talks to direct. If the project moves forward, it will mark the seventh feature film collaboration between the two, whose latest Killers of the Flower Moon was released in 2023. According to the report, this new film is in the earliest stage of collaboration and does not yet have a script.

The Devil in the White City is based on Erik Larson’s 2003 true crime book The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America and follows World’s Fair architect Daniel Burnham and serial killer H.H. Holmes. The novel “intertwines the true tale of the 1893 World’s Fair and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death.” The book’s road from page to screen has been a long one. Back in 2010 it was reported that DiCaprio was developing a film based on the book with DiCaprio looking to play the role of Holmes. There have also been versions of the project with Tom Cruise involved as well as Kathryn Bigelow attached to direct.

[RELATED: Star Wars Creator George Lucas Addresses Martin Scorsese’s Comments About Marvel Movies]

Most recently, it was reported back in 2019 that Hulu was developing the book as a series. That version would have had Keanu Reeves set to star with Todd Field directing the first two episodes and both DiCaprio and Scorsese as producers. However, Hulu announced in 2023 that the series was no longer moving forward, putting the adaptation in limbo once again.

Will The Devil in the White City Adaptation Happen?

While this update on the film adaptation of The Devil in the White City is promising, as was noted above this is far from the first time that there’s been some sort of announcement or update about the project — and with the project being in the early stages of development, it’s unclear when audiences could even expect it. It also wouldn’t be the first time a Scorsese project didn’t quite make it to the finish line. It was announced last spring that Scorsese and DiCaprio were already working on a different project together: a new Frank Sinatra biopic. Last year, it was announced that Scorsese would be directing the film with DiCaprio set to star as Frank Sinatra while Jennifer Lawrence would play Sinatra’s second wife, actress Ava Gardner. However, while the film had been set to start production last November, soon after its announcement Sinatra’s daughter, Nancy Sinatra, expressed disapproval of both leads and by mid-August of last year, the start date for filming was cancelled.

Additionally, Scorsese has said he wanted to make a film about the life of Jesus, confirming in 2024 that there was a completed screenplay. However, that film has also been postponed.

Keep checking with ComicBook for updates on The Devil in the White City.

The post Leonardo DiCaprio & Martin Scorsese’s New Movie Just Took a Big Step Forward appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fans of zombie movies will soon be able to stream an all-time zombie classic on Netflix, with the impending arrival of 2016’s Train to Busan soon being added to the streaming platform. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, Train to Busan takes place during a zombie outbreak, with the movie centered on the passengers of a train in South Korea running from Seoul to Busan. With the zombie virus spreading among passengers on the train, a small group of passengers do their best to survive, including Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), Yoon Sang-hwa (Ma Dong-seok), his pregnant wife Seong-kyeong (Jung Yu-mi), and Seok-woo’s daughter Kim Su-an (Su-an.) Train to Busan is set to be part of the collection of movies and TV shows added to Netflix in February, with the movie arriving on the platform on February 11th.

Upon its release in 2016, Train to Busan became a phenomenon in South Korea, and its popularity has been equally strong internationally, with North American distributor Well Go USA facilitating its U.S. and Canadian release in 2017. Train to Busan was subsequently followed in 2016 by an anime prequel, titled Seoul Station, and a direct sequel, Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula in 2020. Additionally, a Hollywood-produced English-language has been in the works for several years, with Indonesian filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto attached to direct.

RELATED: 10 Best Horror Movies of the 2010s

For Western audiences specifically, Train to Busan is also notable as the introduction for many to South Korean action movie star Ma Dong-seok (also credited in English as Don Lee). Ma has since expanded his profile greatly in the popular Roundup series as its rough-and-tumble protagonist Ma Seok-do, along with Netflix’s post-apocalyptic action movie Badlands Hunters. Ma was also seen in the role of Gilgamesh in the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Eternals, and is also attached to the forthcoming martial arts action ensemble Non-Stop alongside Jet Li, Tony Jaa, and Iko Uwais.

The zombie genre has seen a huge resurgence in popularity since the beginning of the 21st century. The long-running TV series The Walking Dead significantly helped drive the modern zombie craze, while it has also maintained huge popularity in everything from comedies like the Zombieland films to action-horror combos like Army of the Dead and 2025’s upcoming 28 Years Later.

Train to Busan‘s recognition as one of the best modern zombie movies is testimony to the zombie genre being internationally popular, while the film itself has long been praised as being especially innovative in bringing a zombie outbreak scenario into the environment of speeding train. With Train to Busan‘s impending arrival on Netflix, fans of the movie and general zombie fans alike can soon make plans for some fun Netflix horror movie nights, even likely to include viewers discovering the modern zombie cult classic for the first time.

The post One of the Best Zombie Movies of All Time Is Coming to Netflix appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The story of Thor is one of the most interesting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chris Hemworth’s version of the hero is definitely a beloved character, but he’s not on the level of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man or Chris Evans’s Captain America, despite being presented on the same level in the superhero community. A big reason for this is because of the quality of the Thor films – there are few individual franchises in the MCU whose reception is more negative among the fandom than the four movies starring Thor, his Asgardian allies, and their powerful foes.

There are multiple reasons why the Thor movies don’t have the same love as the Captain America series or Guardians of the Galaxy. However, a big one is that many feel like these movies didn’t do justice to Thor’s pantheon of characters. These five Thor characters got ruined by the Marvel movies, leading to checkered reputation of the God of Thunder.

Thor

The perfect place to start is with Thor himself. To begin with, Marvel Studios doesn’t really know what to do with powerful beings, especially heroes, so Thor’s powers and fighting skills wax and wane over the Thor and Avengers films. Sometimes, he’s a superlatively powerful god and other times he’s on the same level as Iron Man. This sort of inconsistency is the biggest problem with Thor in the MCU.

Related: The MCU Needs To Stay Away From This Wolverine Story

Thor is sometimes a wacky frat boy and other times he’s a Viking warrior with millennia of fighting experience. The hero is basically whatever the writers need him to be at any given time. So, in his first two movies, he’s a powerful god dealing with the problems in Asgard, and in his last two, he’s silly. Each Avengers movie has a totally different Thor in them, despite all being played by the same actor. His character arc in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame gets a pass, but other than that, the inconsistency of Thor throughout the MCU has made sure he’ll never reach the same level as the comic version of the character.

Jane Foster/Mighty Thor

Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster was never really a character in the MCU; she was a romantic foil for Thor, which honestly wasn’t very different from the Jane in the source material. However, something happened to Jane in the comics that changed the character forever – she became The Mighty Thor after Thor Odinson lost his worthiness of Mjolnir, and starred in the bestselling Thor comics in decades.

Fans loved Jane Foster as Thor and many of them were excited that there was a chance to see her in the MCU Movies. Of course, the problem was she was a part of Thor: Love and Thunder, a movie that many fans and critics feel may be as bad as Thor: The Dark World, which up until Love and Thunder was considered the worst Thor movie. Foster’s Thor was never going to get the kind of development that she got in the comics, but Love and Thunder barely tried to develop her role. Porter did her best with Jane in the movie, but she could only work with what she was given. Jane Foster in the comics has become a three dimensional character, fighting against the greatest threats in the Marvel Universe. Movie Jane rarely even reached two dimensions, at best.

Odin

Casting Anthony Hopkins as Odin made a lot of Thor fans happy. Hopkins did a great job with the character – he’s Anthony Hopkins – but he could only do so much with the material he had. Odin in the MCU was the gruff king, and then he died.

This is a vast oversimplification of Odin in the comics who

is a warrior king, feared by enemies and allies alike. He’s an intelligent monarch, one who has spent millennia dealing with threats of all kinds. Odin is crafty, always one step ahead of everyone. In the MCU, Odin is a cliche who never really seems dangerous. He never feels like a mastermind, instead he was a put upon king who everyone can take advantage of. Anthony Hopkins’ skill was completely wasted as Odin.

Miek

Miek was introduced to MCU fans in Thor: Ragnarok, but in the comics Miek never met Thor. Miek came from the blockbuster story Planet Hulk, which introduced Sakaar, the setting for Ragnarok. A gladiator in both stories, Miek played a huge role in the Planet Hulk and World War Hulk storylines in the comics. He became one of Hulk’s first allies on Sakaar, helping him escape the gladiatorial games, and then helped lead the army that freed planet from the clutches of the Red King. In the end, Miek mated with a Brood alien, and was secretly responsible for the destruction of Sakaar, all because he wanted to keep fighting while Hulk wanted to settle down.

Miek was a master manipulator in the comics, and in the movies he was… there. That’s pretty much all you can say about Miek in the MCU. The alien doesn’t really do anything in the movies except hang around with Korg and Thor. Miek in the comics was a pivotal character in two of Marvel’s best stories of the 2000s; but in the MCU, Miek wasn’t even an actual character.

Volstagg

This could be any of the Warriors Three, but Volstagg has always been the best of the trio, so he was the one ruined the most. Played by the late great Ray Stevenson in the MCU, but right away longtime Thor fans realized that something was missing. In the comics, Volstagg is known as Volstagg the Voluminous and is a rotund warrior known for his love of food, drink, and fighting. He’s a fun character, always ready with a jest, and the MCU never really captures that part of the character. Stevenson never managed to showcase the size – both in body and personality – of Volstagg.

The Warriors Three were never going to be as cool in the MCU as they were in the comics, which meant that MCU fans were never going to understand why comic fans loved them so much. Volstagg and his compatriots were never more than background characters, and that’s a tragedy.

The post 5 Thor Characters Ruined by the Marvel Movies appeared first on ComicBook.com.

At AEW Grand Slam in Brisbane, Australia, long-term rivals Will Ospreay and Kenny Omega are teaming up against the Don Callis Family.

To open tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Ospreay and Omega had a standoff with one another. As things got heated, Konosuke Takeshita, Brian Cage, Lance Archer, and Kyle Fletcher used it as an opportunity to attack. The fight spilled out all over the arena, ending when Ospreay and Omega threw Archer through a merchandise table.

The two climbed up high, moonsaulting off the pillars onto the group. As the Don Callis Family retreated, they climbed back up again and Omega laid out a challenge for Takeshita, Fletcher, Ospreay, and himself at AEW Grand Slam on February 15th.

[RELATED: WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Coincides with AEW’s Biggest Event of the Year]

Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay’s Unlikely Tag Team

The fight is likely the anchor point to two separate stories. Firstly, there is a rematch between Omega and Takeshita taking shape. Currently, “The Alpha” is the AEW International Champion. While fans are clamoring for Omega to have a spot in the world title picture, it looks like he’s shifting his focus for now.

Then there’s Ospreay and Fletcher, former teammates who fought each other late last year. Both men are 1-1 in their feud, if Ospreay is trying to get to the next level, putting Fletcher in the backseat is the priority for now. Despite their decorated history, it’s surprising the two wrestling giants haven’t teamed together in their careers. Whether in New Japan Pro Wrestling or AEW, it’s certainly different but welcomed.

Plus, it doesn’t look like rekindling their feud down the line is off the table. Omega coming back from a life-threatening injury puts his career into perspective. Squeezing out those last dream matches, feuds, and storylines before he hangs up his boots for good is paramount.

Thus far, AEW Grand Slam has one other confirmed match — Toni Storm vs. Mariah May for the Women’s World Championship. Despite having faced off in the past, Storm has a case of amnesia that is causing her to forget the last year of her career. But is that just another iconic performance by Mrs. Timeless Toni Storm? What tricks does the former multi-time Women’s Champion have up her sleeve? Only time will tell.

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on AEW and AEW Grand Slam.

The post AEW’s Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay Are Teaming for the First Time Ever appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars is ripe territory for fan theories, though they don’t always last very long. The fandom has hosted some incredible armchair writers over the years, and has always pivoted with new information and revelations. Many of the most popular theories have been shot down in recent years with the release of the sequel trilogy and the Disney+ shows, but the new ones cropping up are exciting. Meanwhile, the theories with the largest scope are still on the table — and will remain so unless Lucasfilm tackles some uncharacteristically big questions about the origins of the galactic infrastructure.

Star Wars works best by appealing to a wide audience, so it rarely gets as deep into the minutiae of worldbuilding as other sci-fi franchises. If anything, that just leaves more room for fans to explore and flesh out their own ideas. Here are ten of the best Star Wars fan theories that are still viable at the time of this writing.

Shmi’s Death

One of the biggest turning points in Anakin’s path to the Dark Side came at the end of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, when he witnessed his mother’s death. Shmi Skywalker was freed from slavery but was then kidnapped by Tusken Raiders and tortured, for reasons we don’t fully understand. Fans now suggest that Shmi’s death was orchestrated by Palpatine as part of his plan to corrupt Anakin and turn him to the Dark Side.

This idea picked up a lot of traction after Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett premiered, allowing the audience to spend more time among the Tusken Raiders. They are known to attack moisture farms like the one Shmi lived on, but it’s unclear why they held her and brutalized her for so long without demanding a ransom or taking further action against her farm. It’s possible that Palpatine was exerting some mental influence on this tribe to make the treatment of Shmi worse. He may also have influenced the prophetic dreams that sent Anakin looking for her.

This all becomes extra tragic if you believe that Palpatine is the one who used the Force to conceive Anakin with Shmi. However, some fans dislike this idea because it removes Anakin’s culpability for the murders he committed here. It doesn’t need to be true, but it could be.

Clone Wars Propaganda

There are two animated series that cover wartime events between Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith — Star Wars: Clone Wars, which aired from 2003 to 2005, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars which aired from 2008 to 2013. Reddit user u/onex7805 suggests that the first series was a faithful depiction of the war, while the second was in-world propaganda created by the Galactic Republic. This is a really interesting idea, and it’s consistent with what we see in other Star Wars media as well.

Stormtrooper Armor

There are two popular and interesting theories about the purpose and efficacy of stormtrooper armor. It doesn’t seem to protect its wearers very well, but many fans have suggested that this wasn’t its main point. Instead, they figure the armor was meant to project strength and intimidation while hiding any humanity that might be lurking within the helmet. It’s a way for the cloners on Kamino and the Empire to make their armies look more terrifying.

This doesn’t contradict an interesting theory by Reddit user u/stormtrooper1701 — that stormtrooper armor actually does perform very well considering what it’s up against. They point out that a direct hit from a blaster is incredibly destructive to property and the environment, so the same must be true for living beings. If it weren’t for the armor, stormtroopers might be blown to bits much more easily.

Franchise Crossovers

There are several popular fan theories online that suggest Star Wars takes place in the same universe as other movies or media, and some of them make pretty compelling cases. One of the strongest is Men in Black — the movie tells us that George Lucas is secretly an alien refugee living on Earth. It would make sense that he wrote his movies about his real experiences a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. There are other connections, as well, such as some similar character designs for aliens and a fictional language that sounds suspiciously like Huttese.

Movies about aliens visiting Earth are easy to connect to Star Wars, which is why some fans think E.T. may have come from the Galactic Empire, for example. Meanwhile, connections to Doctor Who are subtle but common. There are many canonical stories that connect Star Wars to Marvel Comics, and in fact, many fans expect Disney to start exploiting this connection soon in movies and TV shows. However, the genre-bending connections get more and more tenuous, such as this one suggesting that The Lord of the Rings‘ Middle-earth is an ancient version of Tattooine.

Grogu’s Origin

We’ve learned a lot about the origin and backstory of the Mandalorian foundling Grogu — a.k.a. The Child, a.k.a. Baby Yoda — but there are still some built-in mysteries surrounding his species and its connection to the Force. One theory that took off when The Mandalorian first premiered suggests that Grogu was born through the will of the Force — and perhaps that’s how all members of this species are born.

All the sources on the Star Wars timeline agree that Grogu was born 41 years before Star Wars: A New Hope, which is the same year that Anakin Skywalker was born. The movies tell us that Anakin was an immaculate conception and that either Darth Sidious or his master Darth Plagueis used the Dark Side of the Force to create him. This theory suggests that there was an equal and opposite reaction and that Grogu was created in the same way through the light side of the Force.

[RELATED: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Finale Proves That Callback Connections Are the Franchise’s Achilles Heel]

What makes this theory really exciting is its potential to reveal more about Grogu and Yoda’s species in general. It could be that these beings are always born through the Force, and only when they are needed. However, all Star Wars writers have always shied away from revealing anything about Yoda’s species — even its name — so it’s hard to imagine them revealing something this big in The Mandalorian & Grogu.

Palpatine’s Return

While the details of Yoda’s species are the kind of mysteries we want to see teased out slowly, there’s a more ominous fan theory that it may be used to explain one of Star Wars’ most hasty and disliked plot points in the modern era: Palpatine’s return. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker shows us that Palpatine survived Star Wars: Return of the Jedi or was resurrected, and he lived in secret for a generation before making his play for power again. However, the particulars of this plan are left vague, and it feels extremely disconnected from the rest of the sequel trilogy’s plot.

The theory is that Grogu has been built up to become the connective tissue between this storyline and the rest of the fandom. Fans suggest that Grogu’s cells were used by Palpatine’s remaining loyalists for cloning experiments that were intended to bring the Emperor back — and perhaps to imbue him with new powers. They would have been hunting The Child to continue this work, and their failure would explain why Palpatine returned in an imperfect form in the later movie.

Skywalkers

Star Wars has not moved its timeline forward since 2019, and fans are itching to know what the next era in galactic history will look like. One popular theory connects the titles of the two most recent movies to suggest a new trend — there will be no more “Jedi” after the Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Instead, Force-users will now be referred to as Skywalkers, which is why the finale was titled The Rise of Skywalker.

This may seem like a small, semantic change, but it could actually signal a wide range of interesting developments. If Force-users were freed from the connotations of the title Jedi and all the traditions of that order, they could develop a whole range of new practices and philosophies, perhaps even splintering into groups that develop independently and eventually go on to learn from each other. The catch-all term “Skywalker” would be a neat nod to the past and would also make sense of Rey’s self-appointed name in the end. Fans have compared this to the way that “Caesar” started as one man’s name, but went on to become a title for Roman leaders.

Balance

There’s a small subgenre of fan theories that neatly explain plot holes and inconsistencies by suggesting that the Force itself seeks balance at all times. It bothers some fans that, during the prequel trilogy, the massive and powerful Jedi order was unable to sense Palpatine and stop him, while a single under-trained Jedi was able to do so just a few years later. This theory essentially suggests that the more Jedi there are, the less powerful each one will be, as the Force will seek to maintain balance between the Dark Side and the light. This means Luke was tapping into a much larger well of potential energy and Palpatine had much less influence over him.

Similarly, some fans think that Palpatine’s rise was inevitable in a time when the Jedi were so numerous and so involved in worldly affairs like politics and trade. They argue that a Jedi Order which couldn’t stop a single Sith was somehow imperfect, and it needed to be toppled to make room for something better. This could be an interesting idea to explore in the future, if it can be done without excusing any of the emperor’s crimes.

Droid Villains

Looking ahead, there’s an interesting theory out there suggesting that whenever the Star Wars timeline does move forward again, its next big arc will be a conflict between droids and organic life. This idea has been circulating for at least a few years now, but it has become even more appealing since the finale of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew revealed that the planet At Attin was under the control of one massive AI. There has also been a recent trend in Star Wars media commenting on the relatively low social and economic status of droids throughout the series, with Solo: A Star Wars Story essentially depicting them as an oppressed class.

The Force may be powerful, but it would have some trouble contending with a hive mind, or even a coordinated force of self-improving droids. Add to that the moral complexity of the droids’ plight and you could have a very interesting story on your hands — likely one with a solution more nuanced than blowing up another planet-killing space station.

Attachment

Finally, fans may have stumbled upon a practical reason for one of the Jedi Order’s more lofty, philosophical teachings — their quest to sever all worldly attachments. Of course, early on Lucas drew this from Buddhist teachings and other real-world philosophies, but it became a very central part of the story when attachment to Padme helped drive Anakin to the Dark Side in the prequel trilogy.

Reddit user u/Nofrillsoculus suggests that this was precisely why potential Jedi needed to be found and indoctrinated early. A Force user with loyalties and ties to their family, nation, or planet will almost certainly become corrupted, and the galaxy would gradually devolve into a nonstop struggle between Force-sensitive warlords, or Sith. The Jedi want to avoid this, but there’s still something sinister about the idea of them tracking down every single Force-sensitive child and pulling them away from their lives as early as possible.

The Star Wars franchise is streaming now on Disney+. The next release will be Andor Season 2, hitting Disney+ on April 22nd.

The post 10 Star Wars Fan Theories That Will Change How You Watch the Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The status of the Power Rangers franchise has been a bit murky over the past year, but it seems to be ramping up again, and now we have a tease of the long-awaited return of the toy line. As announced last year, Hasbro will no longer be handling the production of Power Rangers toys, as Playmates Toys will be taking over and introducing a new toy line later this year. Not much has been said about that toy line in the months since, but more details are incoming it seems, as now Playmates has revealed the name of the new line will be Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Ignition and teased more details to come.

The official Power Rangers account and the Playmates Toys account teamed up for a new post, revealing the logo for the toy line and then adding the caption, “Get ready for the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers RE-IGNITION with a new morphinominal collection. Stay tuned for more…”

The previous Power Rangers toy collection was known as the Lightning Collection, and while it was cut short, it would still deliver 15 main waves of 6-inch figures as well as a variety of two-packs, deluxe monsters, and exclusives. The final figures were released in 2023, so Power Rangers was pretty much absent from pegs throughout 2024, but that is thankfully going to change sometime in 2025.

It is expected that more information and perhaps even the first in-person reveals will be revealed at this year’s Toy Fair, which takes place form March 1st to March 4th. A tease of things starting now would make sense if Toy Fair is the big debut, and hopefully we’ll also get details of a release date for the first wave of toys from the collection there as well.

[RELATED: New Power Rangers Movie Reportedly in Development, and It’s a Complete Reboot]

Playmates holds licensing rights to develop additional cross-category Power Rangers products that include action figures, blasters, plush, role play, vehicles, and accessories, and they will distribute across all regions except for Asia. That said, Hasbro still retains the entertainment rights to the franchise, and also will feature Power Rangers products on Hasbro Pulse and at special events like San Diego Comic-Con.

In the original announcement, Playmates’ SVP of Marketing Karl Aaronian said, “We are honored to work with Hasbro on the reimagination of this iconic franchise’s toy line for long time fans and a new generation of children. Playmates and Hasbro speak the same toy language and share a passion for POWER RANGERS, a multi-generational phenomenon that has stood the test of time.

“Playmates’ ability to interpret character-based story telling in highly detailed, innovative, and affordable products has revitalized several iconic brands, they are the perfect fit to fully expand the POWER RANGERS franchise,” said Casey Collins, President of Licensed Consumer Products at Hasbro. “While we’ll continue to provide oversight and direction on future POWER RANGERS product ranges, Playmates will leverage its action figure and accessory design, development and marketing expertise to create an entirely new play and collecting experience for fans of all ages. With two powerhouse companies coming together to support a powerhouse brand, the potential is limitless!”

Are you excited for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Ignition? You can talk all things Power Rangers with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

The post Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Reveals First Details on New Toy Line appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Warner Bros. is placing their bets on Ocean’s Fourteen. According to a new report, David Leitch — the filmmaker behind the flashy and stylish action movies Atomic Blonde (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019), Bullet Train (2022), and The Fall Guy (2024) — is in talks to direct the next Ocean’s movie. Leitch would take over from Ocean’s trilogy director Steven Soderbergh, who produced the female-led Ocean’s 8 spinoff from Gary Ross that revived the long-dormant franchise in 2018.

George Clooney, who is also producing via his Smokehouse Pictures, is reprising his role as conman Danny Ocean alongside fellow high-rollers Brad Pitt as pro thief Rusty Ryan, Matt Damon as pickpocket Linus Caldwell, and Casey Affleck as Virgil Malloy, one half of a bickering twin brother duo with Scott Caan’s Turk.

Clooney and Pitt recently reunited for Jon Watts’ Wolfs, and Leitch directed Pitt in Bullet Train and Damon in Deadpool 2. (A former stunt performer, Leitch’s credits as a stunt man include the Damon-led Bourne Identity and as a double for Pitt in 2001’s Ocean’s Eleven.)

Soderbergh’s star-studded heist trilogy assembled a crew that included Basher (Don Cheadle), Frank (Bernie Mac), Livingston (Eddie Jemison), Yen (Qin Shaobo), Saul (Carl Reiner), and benefactor Reuben (Elliott Gould), with Julia Roberts in the mix as Danny’s wife Tess and Andy García as casino owner Terry Benedict. In the nearly two decades since 2007’s Ocean’s Thirteen, Mac and Reiner have passed away; the latter made a cameo alongside Damon’s Linus in Ocean’s 8, but their scenes ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor.

The finished cut of that film featured two cameos from Danny’s crew: Reuben and Yen, who were in leagues with Danny’s conwoman sister, Debbie (Sandra Bullock). It remains to be seen if Ocean’s Fourteen might bring over some of Debbie’s crew, which included the likes of Lou (Cate Blanchette), Daphne (Anne Hathaway), Amita (Mindy Kaling), Tammy (Sarah Paulson), Constance (Awkwafina), Rose (Helena Bonham Carter), and Nine Ball (Rihanna).

In 2021, Cheadle said that Soderbergh was considering a fourth Ocean’s movie before Mac’s death in 2008.

“We were talking about it, and then Bernie passed, and very quickly we were like, ‘No, we don’t want to do it,'” Cheadle told Entertainment Weekly at the time. “But I just did a movie [No Sudden Move] with Stephen and he said, ‘I think there may be a way to do it again. I’m thinking about it.’ And it didn’t go much further than that. But I don’t know; I don’t know who all would be in it. I imagine the main group of us would be in. It would be interesting to see.”

The following year, it was announced Warner Bros. had begun “actively developing” a new Ocean’s movie as a period piece with director Jay Roach (Bombshell) and Barbie star and producer Margot Robbie and Fall Guy star Gosling. It’s unclear if the 1960s-set prequel is moving forward. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. has earmarked dates for untitled films: March 26, 2027, July 23, 2027, and Dec. 17, 2027.

The post Ocean’s 14 Gets New Director (But Which Stars Will Return?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s no secret that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet had its fair share of issues, leaving many fans disappointed. In fact, the poor reception of the game may be part of why The Pokemon Company decided to keep its next main series game, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, in the oven a little bit longer. With a greater delay comes greater responsibility, and I’m hopeful we’ll see that delay pay off in the final product – a better game that actually functions from the start.

However, there are plenty of pitfalls Pokemon Legends: Z-A could fall into no matter how long they take making it. Here’s hoping the game doesn’t repeat these past Pokemon game mistakes.

Glitchy Gameplay and Frame Rate Nightmares – The Scarlet and Violet Mistake

This one is almost a given, but with the year gap between releases giving more time for the developers to work on Pokemon Legends: Z-A, it needs to run well. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet launched with massive glitches such as players falling through the ground and getting stuck. The frame rate also struggled, leading to stuttering and the overall impression that the game launched before it was ready. That means many fans, myself included, are hoping The Pokemon Company learns from its mistakes on this front.

While I mostly enjoyed Scarlet and Violet thanks to the more robust story and ability to work through different areas at your own pace, the glitches certainly took away from what could’ve been a truly great game. Pokemon Legends: Z-A needs to do a lot better to bring Pokemon fans something to make them love the games again.

Lazy Remake Syndrome – The BDSP Mistake

While Legends: Z-A isn’t exactly a remake, it is a return to a familiar region. Set in Pokemon X and Y’s Lumiose City, the game will likely have shades of the never-released Pokemon Z about it. It’s also the second Legends-style game, which means the developers could be hoping to set some patterns for what makes a Legends game different from the mainline Pokemon series, leading to ideas from Pokemon Legends: Arceus being borrowed.

As a result, it’s possible the game could suffer from what made so many people hate Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Namely, these remakes didn’t really improve upon the original games, and in many cases, took steps backward. Heading back to Lumiose City could mean a lack of interesting new story and lore, and returning to the Legends: Arceus format might mean leaning too much into similar gameplay to the detriment of the new entry. Here’s hoping Pokemon Legends: Z-A is able to avoid remake syndrome and pave its own path.

Missing Battles – The Legends: Arceus Mistake

Speaking of what makes a Legends-style game, one primary complaint about Legends: Arceus is that you don’t really get to participate in many Pokemon battles. Personally, I find that battling trainers can get a little repetitive after a while, but even I found it odd that you only really battle a handful of times. Sure, there’s the option to battle wild Pokemon, and you’ve got the Noble Pokemon boss battles, but trainer battles are few and far in between.

Given that Legends: Z-A will likely be set entirely in Lumiose City, it’s poised to make this mistake. After all, how many trainers can there be in one city? Hopefully, the developers will find a way to infuse trainer battles throughout the story of Lumiose City, giving trainers a chance to test their teams. We still haven’t seen much of anything in the way of actual gameplay, so it’s highly possible some kind of tournament or other setup will allow for more Pokemon battles… at least, we can hope.

Poor Story Pacing – The Sword and Shield Mistake

I’ll fully admit I’m just now going back to play Pokemon Sword, as I missed it the first time around. Yet even early on, the story problems in this game are pretty obvious. Aside from a few hints at something bigger, the story basically doesn’t exist for much of the early gameplay. One thing I liked about Scarlet and Violet was that it had more than just one “beat Team X” type of storyline. That’s missing in Pokemon Sword as the main conflict doesn’t emerge until later in the game. This leaves the beginning a bit dull and repetitive as you mostly just hear Hop talk about his dreams over and over. With this in mind, I really want to see future main series games like Pokemon Legends: Z-A stick the landing when it comes to having a more robust storyline like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

If The Pokemon Company and Game Freak can avoid these past Pokemon game mistakes, there’s a chance that the extra time working on Pokemon Legends: Z-A could deliver something truly exciting for Pokemon fans that will be worth the wait.

The post I Hope Pokemon Legends Z-A Doesn’t Repeat These Past Mistakes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Daima is helping Vegeta prove why he’s the best husband in the franchise as he and Bulma have one of the strongest connections in the new anime. Dragon Ball has been building the relationship between Vegeta and Bulma for a long time. Ever since it was revealed that they had a child in the future during the events of the Android Saga, Vegeta and Bulma have been a couple ever since. But while it’s largely happened in the background through the years, fans have seen how dedicated of a husband and father Vegeta is compared to his Saiyan rival, Goku.

This has also clearly been the case with Dragon Ball Daima as well as Vegeta and Bulma have been adventuring with one another through the Demon Realm. Showing off more of their unspoken connection as husband and wife, the newest episode of the series takes it further as Bulma’s already fully confident that Vegeta will help save her when their plan starts crashing into the First Demon World. And that’s only the latest example of how much trust the two have for one another.

Vegeta and Bulma Really Are Dragon Ball’s Best Couple

Dragon Ball Daima Episode 14 sees Goku and the others trying to make their way to the First Demon World, only to find that Supreme Demon King Gomah had shut off the Warp Fish service that would let them transfer between worlds. After Neva revealed his ability to remove the spell that was keeping the worlds apart (and had apparently been the one to create it in the first place), Glorio had taken their ship down through the gate to the First Demon World. And soon enough it was revealed that their ship wouldn’t make the rest of the flight and they’d need to abandon it.

Bulma realized that she was the only one on the team that couldn’t fly, and although Hybis hilariously declines carrying her, Vegeta made it clear he had intended to grab her the entire time. But Bulma never once questioned that fact. It’s just one of the moments we’ve seen in Dragon Ball Daima such as when Vegeta had quickly moved to protect her when Glorio first came to Earth. The two of them are so close that they quickly move to cover one another, and pretty much know what one another are thinking.

RELATED: Dragon Ball Daima Final Episode Release Date Accidentally Revealed: What We Know So Far

Bulma Cares Just as Much For Vegeta Too

Bulma and Vegeta stand out as such an important couple for Dragon Ball as not only do the two of them play key roles in many of Dragon Ball’s arcs over the years (and thus get more opportunities to showcase their connection on screen compared to other couples), but it’s made clear that it’s a connection that’s shared by the both of them. The biggest example came when Vegeta had actually transformed into the Super Saiyan 3 form for the first real time in the series.

Vegeta using this new form as a surprise to Goku and the others, but Bulma had known all about it. Not only did she reveal that Vegeta had been training in secret, she was proud of seeing this form in action. It’s a small moment in the grand scheme of things, but it really goes to showcase that their marriage is a two way street. They both care for one another, and Vegeta (despite seeming frustrated by it on the outside) always puts Bulma first above everything else. That’s not something every husband and father in the series can say.

The post Vegeta Proves Why He’s Dragon Ball’s Best Husband appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Will Smith’s starred in so many famous movies that it’s sometimes hard to ever comprehend the features he’s never gotten off the ground. Who can think about projects that never were when famous Bad Boys or Independence Day quotes are rattling around in your brain? Like any movie star, though, Smith has become attached to a slew of high-profile productions that never saw the light of day. In some cases, it sounds like it was better to leave the project on the cutting room floor in favor of superior Smith titles like I Am Legend or Enemy of the State.

Others still fascinate the brain for a multitude of reasons. Maybe it’s because a certain unmade production promised to explore a new exciting side of Smith as an actor. Perhaps another would’ve teamed him up with an extraordinary filmmaker. Others just had enticing plotlines that could’ve been cool to see Smith navigate. Whatever the reason, these seven unmade Will Smith movies are insanely compelling to contemplate. If only we’d gotten some of these titles instead of, say, Bright or Emancipation.

Oh, and sorry The Matrix, but we’re exploring lesser-known unrealized Will Smith star vehicles. Everyone knows Smith could’ve been Neo. These other unmade features are much more under the radar!

Steven Spielberg’s Oldboy remake

Long before Spike Lee and Josh Brolin’s Oldboy remake hit theaters, director Steven Spielberg and Will Smith very nearly collaborated on an English-language remake of Park Chan-wook’s 2003 masterpiece. Oldboy does not need an English-language remake, the original feature works perfectly as is. However, the idea of these two men specifically engaging in such a bleak movie tantalizes the mind. How would the star of crowd-pleasers like I, Robot depict Oldboy’s grisly twist? Alas, the world would never know. This project collapsed in late 2009, depriving the world of seeing Smith go full Oldboy.

The Legend of Caine

In the late 2000s, Smith was attached to star in The Legend of Caine, a fresh take of the Cain and Abel Bible story. Naturally, since this project was announced a month after Twilight’s premiere, The Legend of Caine would’ve told this ancient story with vampires. In 2012, Sony picked up the project, and, in yet another twist, Smith wanted to direct. To date, this man has only two directing credits under his belt: one for directing an episode of All of Us in 2006 and another for helming a 2017 YouTube video. Everything about this bonkers project sounds so weird that it would be a dream to see it come to the big screen.

The Suspicion Remake

In early 2010, Smith was angling to anchor a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s beloved 1941 thriller Suspicion, The project saw a newlywed couple thrown into chaos when the wife believes her new spouse might murder her for a significant inheritance sum. Smith would’ve played the spouse role originally inhabited by Cary Grant. The thought of a Hitchcock film getting remade by producer Michael Bay is a horrifying thought. However, the prospect of Smith playing such a morally murky role is even more enticing.

[RELATED – No, Will Smith’s Not Starring in The Matrix 5 (but the Movie Could Still Happen)]

Fantastic Voyage

One of the many incarnations of a modern Fantastic Voyage remake saw attached director Shawn Levy announce he’d only go through with the VFX-heavy project if Will Smith starred in it. The thought of mixing Smith and a retro-sci-fi-adventure yarn like Fantastic Voyage sounds a recipe for summer blockbuster fun. Plus, Smith could be a consistently engaging and distinctly human anchor against a heightened trip inside the human body, just like he provided a great relatable fixed point in past sci-fi projects like Men in Black.

The City That Sailed

For the longest time, Will Smith was attached to a very stylized family drama entitled The City That Sailed, which concerned a dad stuck in Manhattan who misses his daughter (stuck overseas) so much that Manhattan breaks loose and begins to float towards the man’s offspring. Deadpool & Wolverine helmer Shawn Levy was once attached to the project, which doesn’t quite sound like the ideal filmmaker to handle this material. Get somebody better at mixing raw pathos with deeply fantastical material like J.A. Bayona or Vera Drew, and this movie could really sail to creative heights.

Harvey

In 2009, Steven Spielberg announced he was pursuing a remake of the Jimmy Stewart star vehicle Harvey, with the two main choices for the film’s lead role reportedly being Tom Hanks and Will Smith. While Hanks has constantly been compared to Stewart, Smith most certainly hasn’t. That makes the idea of him anchoring Harvey much more interesting, since it would immediately offer something new compared to the original film. Plus, Smith and Spielberg clearly wanted to work together, and it’d be great to see what kind of cinema emerges from that collaboration.

Brilliance

Will Smith won’t let the project Brilliance go. First attached to the production in the mid-2010s, this high-concept sci-fi movie would’ve seen Smith directed by future Captain America: Brave New World director Julius Onah. Anyone who’s seen Onah’s excellent 2019 film Luce knows this filmmaker works great with actors. Seeing what Smith would’ve done under Onah’s watch captivates the mind. Smith’s fervent conviction to this production also makes one curious how Brilliance would turn out. After all, he was re-attached to headline Brilliance as late as 2022 when it got a new director in the form of Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

The post 7 Unmade Will Smith Movies We Still Want to See (Besides The Matrix) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The next chapter of Kevin Costner’s American Saga is on the horizon. In July, Costner’s Territory Pictures and distributor New Line Cinema announced that Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 — which had been set for an Aug. 16, 2024 release date — was being put out to pasture after the first chapter of the $50 million Western bombed at the box office over the June 28-30 weekend. In a statement, a New Line Cinema spokesperson said Horizon 2 was pulled from theatrical release “in order to give audiences a greater opportunity to discover the first installment of Horizon over the coming weeks, including on PVOD and Max.”

Horizon 2 eventually premiered out-of-competition at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 7, and it was announced today that the delayed sequel will hold its U.S. premiere during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Feb. 7. SBIFF will also host a post-screening Q&A with Costner, who wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the second chapter of the four-part Western epic.

RELATED: Kevin Costner Has a Promising Update on Horizon 3

A free screening of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is set for 2:00 p.m., followed by the Horizon 2 premiere at 6:00 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre. Costner will participate in a second Q&A following a showing of the behind-the-scenes documentary Beyond the Horizon within the SBIFF Film Center at 8:20 p.m. on Feb. 13.

The Horizon 2 release date in theaters has not yet been announced. Parts one and two, which shot back-to-back, were originally slated to release just weeks apart — Chapter 1 on June 28, and Chapter 2 on August 16 — until the first installment wrangled just $11 million in its opening weekend, finishing third at the domestic box office behind Inside Out 2 and A Quiet Place: Day One. Horizon: Chapter 1 became available digitally on Premium VOD on July 16 and ultimately finished its six-week run in theaters with $38 million.

Horizon found an audience on Max and eventually on Netflix, where it climbed to No. 2 on the Netflix Top 10 after premiering on the platform in December.

“The audience response to Horizon, and enthusiasm for seeing our story continue in Horizon 2, has been incredibly gratifying,” Costner’s Territory Pictures said in a July statement. “Kevin made this film for people who love movies and who wanted to go on a journey. The support that we have received from film fans, and the theater owners, as they experience the first chapter of this saga only serves to reinforce our belief in them and the films that we have made, and we thank them for coming on board for the ride.”

The statement continued, “We welcome the opportunity for that window to be expanded as we know it will only serve to enhance the experience of seeing Horizon 2.“

The three-hour first chapter of Kevin Costner’s epic western saga — which stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Jamie Campbell Bower, Will Patton, and Costner — follows a group of families, friends, and foes over the course of the Civil War. Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is now streaming on Max and Netflix.

The post Horizon 2: Kevin Costner’s Delayed Sequel Gets Surprise Release Update appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Happy new comic book day! It’s another big week in the world of comics, and the ComicBook staff have come together to break down and review as many of the new releases from this week as possible. Now obviously this isn’t every single comic on stands, but we’re breaking down new releases from Marvel, DC, Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Oni Press, IDW, Mad Cave Studios, DSTLRY, and more!

We’ve also carved out some additional space for two of this week’s biggest books in X-Men: Xavier’s Secret #1 and Detective Comics #1093 so if our smaller reviews here pique your interest, make sure to check out the full reviews for a much more comprehensive analysis of those issues. As for ratings, we keep things simple with a whole or half number out of five, and you can check out some of our previous reviews right here. With all that said, let’s get to this week’s new comics!

DC

Absolute Wonder Woman #4
Absolute Wonder Woman has brilliantly crafted a sense of awe, honor, and compassion around Diana, but to truly appreciate the picture that’s been painted, look no further than Etta and Gia Candy. In just one issue, Kelly Thompson has already established a meaningful role to play for Etta and her sister Gia, and not only do they get to shine of their own accord, but they also provide a welcome prism in which to better appreciate just how selfless and awe-inspiring Diana truly is. It doesn’t stop there though, as artist Hayden Sherman, colorist Jordie Bellaire, and letterer Becca Carey deliver unforgettable moments throughout the entire issue, delving into the steep price of magic and the power of loyalty in truly vivid ways. Also, when in doubt, giant swords absolutely rule, and there’s that too. Absolute Wonder Woman has been brilliant from the very start, and it’s already making a case to be one of the best books of 2025. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 5 out of 5

Black Canary: Best of the Best #3
The fight of the century has steadily become the ultimate underdog story in Black Canary: Best of the Best, but issue #3 sets the stage for an amazing comeback. Tom King brings that authentic big fight feel to the festivities, but it’s those small touches and moments between the punches that elevate it from a fight to a battle of titans. Ryan Sook, Dave Stewart, and Clayton Cowles, are true magicians at creating those visceral moments in the ring, creating the sense of tension and stakes that make these battles into such one of a kind spectacles. As the action plays out in the ring we also get more of a sense of the human stakes behind it all, and not going to lie, seeing Green Arrow get served is never going to hurt either. Black Canary: Best of the Best continues to live up to its name, and I can’t wait to see what happens when the comeback finally arrives. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4 out of 5

Catwoman #72
While the narration structure that runs through the issue and frames the story overall is a little bit of a distraction from the more compelling action on the page, Catwoman #72 is a strong issue. Serving as both heist and subtle examination of Selina’s past, the issue gives readers what they want — Catwoman doing a little breaking and entering in order to attempt to retrieve her secrets form a safe — while also deepening the mystery of what exactly those secrets are and who she is up against. There’s a good bit of action in the issue, brought to life by some fantastic art but the use of color is the real star of the show.
– Nicole Drum
Rating: 4 out of 5

DC Horror Presents…#4
DC Horror Presents… #4 is an odd, but fun little book. There are two stories — one from Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum featuring Catwoman and one from Steve Kostanski featuring Matter-Eater Lad — and while neither of them really feel like “horror” tales, they contain just the right balance of spooky and humor. “The Diamond that Steals Back” sees Catwoman haunted by disturbing images of a life she never got to have thanks to a demon-possessed diamond. There isn’t a lot to it, substantively, but the idea of the thief being stolen from makes for an interesting premise, particularly in how it factors in what would cause Catwoman the most pain. The Matter-Eater Lad story leans a bit more into comedy and borders on the gross, but it explores the weirdness of the hero’s ability in a way that is pretty unique. Both stories are perhaps a bit weak in terms of art, but overall, the issue’s not a bad read and doesn’t scare too much. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 3 out of 5

Detective Comics #1093
Whether the subtext rings true, Taylor and Janin have crafted a compelling mystery in the Batman mold. The villains feel appropriately arch, aloof, and dangerous enough to be worthy of Batman’s attention, and their victims are both sympathetic and relatively on personal and symbolic levels. If nothing else, Janin appears born to bask Gotham’s dingy streets in a grimy, neon glow, illuminating every violent secret it hides. Detective Comics is a finely packaged dose of grounded Batman storytelling at its best.
– Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4 out of 5 (Read the full review here)

Green Arrow #20
While the idea of a superhero fighting against a corrupt corporation may not be wholly original, it is rarely executed with such skill as seen in the current Green Arrow run. The visuals, focused entirely on mood and character over bombast, set the perfect tone to tell the story of a justified killer, one who has suffered from the indifference of the wealthy and been sacrificed to the bottom line of a corporation. And yet again, the characters are the thing. It’d be easy to paint Ollie here as a paragon of virtue of virtue, a superhero you can feel uncritically good about rooting for because he has the “correct politics.” But the writing here is nuanced enough that even if Green Arrow is broadly correct in his furor over the injustices that have befallen this vengeful woman, he still comes off as smug and self-righteous, someone who takes advantage of privilege at the same time, he’s calling out another for awarding it to him. It’s a much richer text for this complication. And then after all of that, the issue still managed one last well-paced surprise before the end. Green Arrow remains a top-notch superhero story with a fine noirish touch. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 5 out of 5

Harley Quinn #47
There’s a delicious irony in how Harley Quinn oblivious takes advantage of the citizens of the neighborhood she’s sworn to protect from gentrification, a picture of an out-of-towner with online politics swooping in to save a community that never asked for their help. That illumination nicely primes readers for this issue’s story, which is all about Harley getting a bit overconfident about her abilities and getting duped as a result, her self-righteousness combined with her obliviousness forming a negligent callousness. But primarily, Harley Quinn is a cartoon character stuck in a cartoon rivalry with her cartoon nemesis, who happens to be on the other side of the gentrification struggle. There are delightful scenes of humor in this issue, including a wry, corporate-slogan-laden villain monologue from the object of Harley’s affections, undercut by Harley herself. The artwork in this book is entirely committed to that cartoonish flavor, with thick, bold linework and exaggerated features all around (and also a resemblance to Becky Cloonan’s work). It’s a tidy package of animated energy and satirical humor delivered with a lot of charm. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Justice League Unlimited #3
It’s an embarrassment of riches in the Justice League Unlimited corner of the universe, and few teams are as adept at delivering big action and layered storytelling on a grand scale as Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain, and Ariana Maher. Justice League Unlimited #3 touches all aspects of the bigger story at play while also exploring the ramifications from Absolute Power, and some of those moments are as grisly as they are unforgettable. Inferno really gets a bump this time around, and feel like a genuine threat to the world’s way of life, let alone the League itself. This book also continues to be a stunner, delivering epic action in one panel and then pivoting to full-on gruesome horror in the next. Justice League Unlimited has captured what made the original cartoon so brilliant and is adding its own signature flair, and I really can’t think of a bigger compliment to pay it.
– Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Metamorpho: The Element Man #2
A hilarious indictment of generative AI and the goofballs that tout its “potential,” Al Ewing continues to write the comic that feels both modern and classic in nature, a rare feat. Steve Lieber’s art stylings are also the exact right look not only for this character but for the tone that this series is taking on. This is a must-read comic for fans of the medium as its timeless potential is already obvious two issues in. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 5 out of 5

Superman #22
If you were looking for an issue that crystalized the potential in Lois Lane’s Superwoman transformation, look no further than Superman #22. Clark is always a much better character when Lois is involved and in the mix, and that is equally true now that she finds herself superpowered and working alongside Superman in the field. Joshua Williamson never loses sight of their couple dynamic, but also adds layers to it as new scenarios present themselves, like say when an army of Doomsday haters come to collect him. The banter between Clark and Lois is simply delightful, as is Lois’ assessment of Radiant’s true motives, though equally worthy of celebration is the truly beautiful artwork from the dynamite team of Dan Mora, Alejandro Sanchez, and Ariana Maher. This book is simply stunning from beginning to end, with several pages knocking you for a loop both in terms of concept and brilliance of execution. Few books stun as much as Superman on a month to month basis, and it’s the latest chapter in one of the DC icon’s strongest eras to date.
– Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 5 out of 5

Wonder Woman #17
Wonder Woman #17 continues the needlessly long and drawn out story of the Sovereign explaining his history and story with Wonder Woman, this time narrating how the Wonder Girls decimated his stronghold by working together while in a parallel story Diana tells her infant daughter the story of her father, seemingly dazed by her own grief as she allows her allies to fight the Sovereign battle for her, at least for now. To be honest, there isn’t much new ground covered in this issue. We’re still very much in the same place we’ve been for a few issues, just with the Sovereign running to a new location that is being teased as being the ultimate one, but one that feels rather American-centric for a character that isn’t actually from our world. It’s an easy enough read, but it feels like we’re just reading water.
– Nicole Drum
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Marvel

Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon #1
Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon is an interesting book. There’s a good bit of humor — that’s to be expected considering that it’s Rocket Raccoon and the idea of teaming him up with Doctor Doom is itself a little wacky. But there are also some funny little fourth wall breaks through editor “notes” that offer some levity on what is otherwise a little weighty with Doom looking to go back to before time existed to find the “why” of everything. While the actual story falls a little short — we get bogged down in details and some big esoteric things — it’s an interesting window into Doom’s mind, and a pretty fun adventure, too.
– Nicole Drum
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Fantastic Four #28
Ryan North brings Reed and Sue into “One World Under Doom”, putting the crossover to good use in seeing Victor and Richards once again coming face-to-face. In trying to take down the new Sorcerer Supreme, the two “parents” of the Fantastic Four make a trip to Dane Whitman, aka the Black Knight, in an effort to fire magical fire with fire. While there are some clever twists and turns in here, the story progression is one that can be a tad confusing at times thanks to Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman jumping through a time portal. While this one-off feels a tad too much like a one-off for a crossover rather than looking at the overall story of the FF, it still brings the goods when all is said and done.
– Evan Valentine
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Hellverine #2
Benjamin Percy’s Hellverine is a testament to his writing ability, as he takes yet another concept that seems sophomoric and giving it gravitas and weight. The art by Raffaele Ienco (with colors by Bryan Valenza) captures not only the specific aura of the place Daken is investigating, but gets across a strong sense of character in all of the images. If there’s a fault to find, it’s minor, but Ienco’s work in many pages lacks a dynamic feel, with the posing of some characters feeling like still moments without energy, there’s no momentum between some of the panels. – Spencer Perry
Rating: 4 out of 5

Iron Man #4
Tony Stark is still licking his wounds following the Roxxon Stark War, and he’s getting a little help from a magical friend to dig into the Mysterium issue at hand. The best part of this issue, for me, was the Scarlet Witch’s journey into the magical plane, which might be free of speech but has some interesting and gorgeous art to see Wanda’s traversal to help out her fellow Avenger. This latest issue focuses far more on the “Iron” versus the “Man” but it still works well at pushing the story forward. Of course, the past once again comes back to bite Tony in the final pages and it will be interesting to see how this new wrinkle plays out.
– Evan Valentine
Rating 3.5 out of 5

Phoenix #7
Stephanie Phillips continues to do tremendous work with what is quietly one of the best comics Marvel is publishing. Not only do the characters themselves feel smart and grounded, but the plot is propelled by the actual personality and powers of the title hero. Phillips just GETS Jean, and this series shows. Marco Renna continues to turn in tremendous splash pages and action beats as well in this (his second issue), with color artist David Curiel elevating the already great work with depth and layers.
– Spencer Perry
Rating: 5 out of 5

Scarlet Witch #8
Wanda and Amaranth continue to work their magic in the pages of Scarlet Witch, and that magic absolutely pops thanks to the insanely talented team of artist Lorenzo Tammetta, colorist Ruth Redmond, and letterer Ariana Maher. While writer Steve Orlando keeps you guessing regarding the origin of these creatures, the moment to moment action screams with style, with some truly cinematic moments woven throughout. Orlando only ups the ante by continuing to find new ways for Wanda to be a complete badass, and while this doesn’t end on the highest of notes for Wanda and her new apprentice, it does leave the reader anxiously waiting to see what happens next, so mission accomplished.
– Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4 out of 5

The Amazing Spider-Man #66
“The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man” may go down as the least consistent major superhero storyline ever produced. Once again, the story is handed over to writer Justina Ireland, who, along with artist Andrea Broccardo, presents a look at Peter Parker at his most destitute. Having sworn off Spider-Man yet again after undergoing existential trauma during his latest challenge against one of Cyttorak’s scions, Peter has gone full nihilist, seeing no point in anything, least of all trying to do good in a world gone bad. The message here is a bit muddied. As presented previously, Peter’s cynical streak is born out of a feeling of smallness, that on a longer enough timeline, nothing we do matters because, on a long enough timeline, we and everyone we know or help will die. But throughout the issue, Peter is more interested in bemoaning the evils of capitalism, a sense that good can’t ultimately defeat evil, rather than simply that neither side of the conflict matters in the long run. Even if you gloss over that, while it’s nice to have a quiet issue between the more bombastic ones, The Amazing Spider-Man #66 doesn’t offer any insights into Peter’s state of mind that wasn’t already clear by the end of the last scion’s challenge, doubly so for readers who read the Coulson-focused (and cumbersomely numbered) The Amazing Spider-Man #65.DEATHS, which already offered readers a glimpse into the life of The Fatalistic Spider-Man. Add to that the distracting artwork, with characters’ features shifting noticeably from panel to panel, and it’s hard to escape the sense that the issue is spinning its wheels and not in a particularly entertaining way. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 2 out of 5

TVA #2
Marvel’s TVA #1 felt like an extension of Loki through and through, with a few comic elements thrown in for good measure, but issue #2 rather successfully turns that on its head. In what is a polar opposite approach, issue #2 feels far more firmly entrenched in the comics, with writer Katharyn Blair mixing in the Loki cast at key moments. Ghost-Spider and Gambit play off each other incredibly well, and are the two shining stars in the series so far, though the addition of a Loki series favorite should make the team that much more compelling, especially if we continue to get this much from Hellstrom. Speaking of Hellstrom, Pere Perez and Guru-eFX give the character a substantial aura that’s been missing in some of his other appearances, though the duo’s work on Gambit and Ghost-Spider is also praise-worthy, allowing the banter between the two to pop off the page. The ending few pages only raised the stakes that much higher, so if we can hit this type of balance moving forward, the series could really be onto something special.
– Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Uncanny X-Men #9
The Raid on Graymalkin was a storyline that failed to hit the same landing as the earlier issues of Gail Simone’s take on Marvel’s merry mutants, but luckily, issue nine is a return to form. While there are some issues with fill-in artist Andrei Bressan’s work here, especially when looking at some facial features of beloved characters, it’s a minor bump in the road. Introducing new young mutants in an X-Men story is a trope that has been examined many times before but the “outliers” feel like the freshest new recruits in recent memory. Seeing the likes of Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Jubilee placed into a true role as teachers and mentors really works in pushing the new class of mutants here. Uncanny remains the best of the best when it comes to the X-Men line post-Krakoa and this issue once again shows why.
– Evan Valentine
Rating: 4 out of 5

Wolverine: Revenge #4
This alternate universe is one that is certainly seeing shades of “Old Man Logan” in its recent issue, deciding to take us twenty years into the future from Wolverine’s battle against Colossus, Sabretooth, Deadpool, and the others that became the target of Logan’s ire. In Revenge, however, there’s a sense of optimism and overall hope for a world that has been placed back at square one and how revenge can still factor into such an environment. Wolverine: Revenge feels like the X-Man’s best take on Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, and it truly shines in focusing on Logan’s character and his inability to truly let his revenge go. It’ll be interesting to see if the fifth and final issue is able to stick the landing but this outing from Jonathan Hickman and Greg Capullo but all signs are looking good based on this penultimate outing. – Evan Valentine
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

X-Men: Xavier’s Secret #1
With the X-Men about to clash with the upcoming “Raid on Graymalkin” crossover and Jean’s adventures in the Phoenix series ongoing, putting the X-Men: From the Ashes Infinity Comic together is good timing. Not only does it remind regular readers of the events that brought them here, but for those who have been following the team less closely since the start of the Krakoa era, it serves as a quick primer for what might be an explosive next chapter. But while it’s timely and helpful, X-Men: Xavier’s Secret #1 feels mostly like a bridge to these larger stories. With some slight missteps in the stories being told, it feels like this is one series that didn’t necessarily need revisiting. – Nicole Drum
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 (Read the full review here)

IMAGE COMICS

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #313
Most of the action in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #313 is simply Destro making a straightforward descent toward the bunker where Cobra Commander hides. Leave it to Chris Mooneyham to make such an indoor stroll into a dramatic event. The subtle recurring gag of the G.I. Joe ninjas and the Drednok’s simply waiting outside for it all to happen is a nice, lightening touch, and Cobra Commander ultimately orchestrating his demise via his arrogance is character-perfect, but then one expects no less from Larry Hama when it comes to G.I. Joe. Having Cobra Commander narrate Destro’s approach somewhat undercut its power — one imagines the quieter version of this issue, where Destro stalks the halls silently, a force of nature that cannot be stopped. Regardless, what we do have more than lives up to the high standards that Hama and his collaborators have set during his decades writing the Joes’ adventures.
– Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4 out of 5

Hyde Street #3
While Hyde Street #3 would have hit a little differently during Christmas time, the issue does insert some new elements into the horror story. Pranky is more of a threat than ever, but we also see the introduction of a new character, Oscar, aka Matinee Monster who curiously intervenes in the taking of a soul. It throws a new threat into things, denying Pranky another soul but giving Mr. X-Ray something else to worry about. It also overall makes for an interesting twist on a heartwarming Christmas story of redemption of sorts.
– Nicole Drum
Rating: 3 out of 5

W0rldtr33 #12
W0rldtr33 returns with an issue revealing the origin of Ph34r, previously revealed to be Gabriel Winter’s younger sister, Sammi. The issue tells a familiar story of a closeted queer youth struggling to find her place. It being the late 1990s, it’s unsurprising that she would go looking for community online, only to find it lacking. But the Undernet serves as a symbol of the dark side of the internet, what one might stumble upon a young person, unprepared, and how it might alter their perception of reality. Tynion, Blanco, and Bellaire tell the story subtly, using an irregular grid with missing panels to represent young  Sammi’s distance from her peers, her isolation, the sensation of trying to fit into boxes that do not fit them, the juxtaposition of who she is against who the world expects her to be, fixation, the crossing of a threshold, and ultimately, that imprisonment. It’s a gauntlet of meaning pulled off admirably with a singular visual device, creating a strong throughline in this otherwise understated yet tragic tale. W0rldtr33 is back, and it is not taking prisoners, no matter how sympathetic they may be. – Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

BOOM! STUDIOS

House of Slaughter #29
There’s so much to love about the central premise of James Tynion IV and Sam Johns’ Azure, which delivers its fourth chapter in House of Slaughter #29. That’s partly why it’s so frustrating that it’s just not clicking in the way I want it to. This is truly a dream scenario in a lot of ways, as you have three different masks coming together to face what is one of the most intriguing enemies in the series thus far (which I won’t spoil here). Unfortunately moving between what’s going in on their minds and what’s actually happening in the present disrupts the flow of the story and the battle that’s playing out, and when you multiply that by three characters, it just becomes messy. There are some moments of gold here, especially in regards to Edwin, and some of the character spotlights by Letizia Cadonici, Francesco Segala, and Justin Birch are gorgeous, but the cluttered nature of how the story is playing out at the moment obscures those more positive aspects more often than not. – Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Power Rangers Prime #3
Power Rangers Prime got off to a stellar start, but issue #3 might even be better than its soaring debut. In just three issues writer Melissa Flores has brought together all five key players, each already equipped with their own individual motives and personalities, rough edges and all. It’s already created a solid foundation for evolving dynamics and relationships within the group, but adding in by far my favorite version of Rita Repulsa yet just makes this a can’t miss affair. That’s all wrapped in the showstopping artwork of Michael YG, Fabi Marques, and Ed Dukeshire, who bring a fresh edge and style to every page but in a way that feels unmistakably Power Rangers. Prime can’t miss, but issue #3 just set a new bar for the series and paints a bright picture of what’s to come.
– Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 5 out of 5

The post Comic Book Reviews for This Week: 1/22/2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s safe to say that streaming services are way beyond frustrating at this point. The promise of having countless movies and TV shows at your fingertips has been steadily outweighed by constant price increases and titles you love being pulled at a moment’s notice. Just this week Netflix announced another price hike, and that’s on the heels of the big Disney+/Hulu increase from the end of last year. Getting quality entertainment has become expensive, especially if you want to avoid ads (though the ad-supported likes of Tubi and Pluto TV are great alternatives).

Fortunately, there’s a good service out there with an incredible film library that doesn’t cost a cent. It also doesn’t have ads breaking up the movies. While it may sound too good to be true, I promise this is a real service. It’s called Kanopy.

Kanopy, from the company Overdrive, is a service that actually partners with public libraries around the country to bring cinema to everyone, free of charge. The only “catch” to using it is that you need to sign up for a library card, provided your local library is enrolled (most major public library systems are).

Once you sign up for Kanopy, everything is free to check out. You get a number of “tickets” added to your account, and that number resets each month. For example, I get 30 tickets a month to watch movies or shows on Kanopy. A regular film rental usually costs two tickets, though every now and then a really popular title will cost four. Like an on-demand rental, I’ll have that movie available to me for 48-72 hours after checking it out. This part changes from library to library. You might get more tickets or the cost of titles might be different, but it’s the same system.

That’s it. That’s Kanopy in a nutshell. It’s completely free, very easy to use, and it supports public libraries. Not to mention it’s got a great lineup of films and shows from all decades, genres, and parts of the world.

Kanopy has several popular films from A24 and Neon, as well as some classic Hollywood entries and acclaimed documentaries. There’s a goal with this library to educate through film, so there’s a lot to explore, but there are also tons of movies you’re already familiar with.

Here’s a list of just a few titles currently available on Kanopy, that’ll hopefully show you just how varied its lineup really is: Point Break, Punch-Drunk Love, Gladiator, Drive, The Third Man, Oldboy, Hundreds of Beavers, Titanic, Past Lives, Anatomy of a Fall, the original Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The Apartment, Train to Busan, Eraserhead, Wayne’s World, Ella Enchanted, His Girl Friday, Some Like It Hot, and so many more.

[RELATED: Netflix Losing Some of Its Biggest Blockbusters in February]

Kanopy also has a loaded roster of British TV shows from the BBC that can be harder to find other places here in the States. And like other streaming service, Kanopy is adding and dropping titles on a monthly basis, keeping its roster fresh and new.

From popular blockbusters to hidden treasures you didn’t know you needed, Kanopy has something for everyone. And unlike Netflix, there aren’t going to be any price hikes thrown at you when you least expect them. This is an actual service, in the truest sense of the word, and you definitely need to give it a try.

You can sign up with your library card now at kanopy.com.

The post One of the Best Streaming Services for Movies Is Totally Free (But There’s a Catch) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Peter Griffin’s “It insists upon itself” criticism for The Godfather has really taken off online, so the original creator behind Family Guy revealed the real origin story behind the iconic line. In the Season 4 episode, “Untitled Griffin Family History,” the Griffin Family hides away in a panic room in the attic (as Peter was inspired by watching The Butterfly Effect and wanting to get away from the movie), and Peter passes the time by telling the story about the Griffin’s family history. But the most iconic scene comes towards the end as the Griffin Family thinks they are all going to die.

In Peter’s final confession to the rest of his family, he states that he did “not care” for the famous Francis Ford Coppola feature film, The Godfather. When the rest of the family asks him why, Peter’s defense is that he feels it “insists upon itself.” This clip had been gaining more traction on social media as one fan thought it was a proper critique to use, and Family Guy series creator Seth MacFarlane explained on social media that “It insists upon itself” actually came from his college film history professor.

“It Insists Upon Itself” Scene Explained

“Since this has been trending, here’s a fun fact,” MacFarlane stated on X. “‘It insists upon itself’ was a criticism my college film history professor used to explain why he didn’t think ‘The Sound of Music’ was a great film. First-rate teacher, but I never quite followed that one.” The scene has been a fairly popular one since it was first seen back in Season 4, and has been popping up online here and there. It started taking off again when a fan had claimed it was a good argument to make, and MacFarlane’s explanation of the origin seems to indicate the opposite. That Peter looks foolish for making such an argument when he hasn’t even finished seeing the movie.

It always seemed to be the core of the joke that Peter was dismissive of The Godfather despite the rest of the family trying to tell him about all of its good qualities, and it even was one of the rare scenes where the rest of the family can hear and understand Stewie as they all join in on the argument. This scene in particular has even returned to Family Guy as one of the many hallucinations that Peter had when he was in a coma during the Season 18 episode, “Coma Guy.” So even after all these years it seems the Family Guy team loves “It insists upon itself” just as much as fans do.

RELATED: The Simpsons and Family Guy Are Getting a Massive Schedule Change in 2025

What’s Next for Family Guy?

Family Guy is finally scheduled to be making its comeback with new episodes later this Winter. Family Guy Season 23 was originally slated to return with many of the other Animaiton Domination favorites on FOX in the Fall 2024 season, but had been moved to the Winter 2025 midseason schedule instead. Now after much waiting for these new episodes, they will finally be making their debut with FOX on Sunday, February 16th at 8:00PM EST (temporarily taking The Simpsons’ spot in the FOX Sunday evening line up).

As Family Guy celebrates its 25th anniversary, you can currently catch up with all of the episodes released thus far now exclusively streaming with Hulu. The streaming service also has an exclusive Halloween and Christmas special that released last year as well, so Family Guy still has quite a lot for fans to enjoy before the new episodes hit next month.

The post Family Guy Creator Reveals Real Origin Behind Viral “It Insists Upon Itself” Meme appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Mission: Yozakura Family ended its run with Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine after six long years, and the creator behind it all has shared a final message to fans to help say goodbye. Shonen Jump magazine has been going through a lot of changes in the last couple of years as some of its longest running franchises have come to an end, and 2025 is already ushering even more changes for the magazine as the first major series of the year has wrapped up its run as well. This marks an even bigger turning point for the magazine than expected.

After kicking off the final arc of its manga early last year, Mission: Yozakura Family officially has come to an end with Chapter 258 of the series. To celebrate the series’ long run with the magazine and its final chapter, original creator Hitsuji Gondaira has shared a special message with fans online to help say goodbye. Thanking fans for their support over the series’ run, fans can now look ahead to what this creator might have in the works next with a potential new series in the future.

Mission: Yozakura Family’s Creator Says Goodbye to the Manga

“Thank you so much for reading and supporting Mission: Yozakura Family!” series creator Hitsuji Gondaira began. “This may have been the luckiest series in the history of Jump. I have been blessed with an incredible amount of readers and amazing people involved in this project. Honestly, I’m afraid I have used up all my luck and will have it hard in my next life, but I’ll keep on living embracing this happiness as much as I can. See you all again someday, somewhere!” It’s clear the creator felt lucky for their run in the magazine, and is appreciative of fans who showed their support the entire time.

As for how the series came to an end, Mission: Yozakura Family had quite a lot going for it when compared to how some other franchises ended. Not only was it allowed to have several months to explore the final battles between the Yozakura Family members and Asa (which had been sped up over its run), but the final chapters of the series even provided a nice epilogue as Taiyo and Mutsumi where able to have a proper wedding ceremony for the first real time in the series and grow their family from there.

RELATED: Shonen Jump Is Already Planning to End Its Next Major Series Only One Week Later

Mission: Yozakura Family Isn’t Done Just Yet

Mission: Yozakura Family might have officially come to an end with its final chapter in Shonen Jump magazine this past week, but the franchise is far from done. Mission: Yozakura Family has officially announced that the TV anime has a second season now in the works, and revealed that it was in production late last year. Although it had revealed the first look at the coming season, there has yet to be a concrete update as to what or when to expect the new episodes since its initial announcement.

As for the manga itself, you can now read the series in its entirety as Mission: Yozakura Family is now available with either Viz Media’s digital Shonen Jump library or Shueisha’s MangaPlus service. As the final series that originated from the 2010s to come to an end with the magazine, it’s helping to kick off a new and much fresher era for the magazine as the remaining series are either longterm mainstays like One Piece or Hunter x Hunter, or newer entries that have gotten their starts in the 2020s.

The post Mission: Yozakura Creator Says Goodbye to Series With Final Message to Fans appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Robert Eggers’ breakout movie was The Witch, an experience in terror that screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015 but wouldn’t be unleashed on audiences for a full year. The critical acclaim Eggers earned from the picture offered him the chance to explore projects he dreamed of bringing to life, namely a new take on F.W. Murnau’s 1922 movie Nosferatu. After some initial setbacks, Eggers pivoted to original films like The Lighthouse and The Northman, with his focus on those projects, along with the coronavirus pandemic and writers’ and actors’ strikes pushing back a Nosferatu revival even further. After years of waiting, Eggers’ Nosferatu arrived in theaters on Christmas Day 2024 and cemented itself as one of the year’s most talked-about experiences in terror. Nosferatu is available now on Digital and hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 18th.

Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake. Starring Bill Skarsgård (IT franchise, Barbarian), Lily-Rose Depp (The Idol, The King), Nicholas Hoult (Renfield, The Menu), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nocturnal Animals, Bullet Train), Emma Corrin (Deadpool & Wolverine, The Crown), and Willem Dafoe (The Northman, The Lighthouse).

ComicBook caught up with Eggers to talk about the film’s development, collaborating with his cast, and developing the iconic look of the monstrous Count Orlok.

ComicBook: This film has been a passion project of yours for years. Even when it got more real, like a decade ago, when it seemed like this actually could happen, the movie went through some changes, delays, casting changes. Is what we saw in your Nosferatu essentially the core vision that you had initially, or did it go through a lot of evolutions over the years?

Robert Eggers: No, I mean, I don’t know that I could have succeeded in articulating it as well, whether it turned out well or not, had I made it 10 years ago, but this is the movie. Over the years, it was mainly sharpening, getting rid of exposition, but it was like, “A little more ship, a little less ship, we can’t afford this much ship.” That kind of thing.

The cast is so fantastic in this. Lily-Rose I wasn’t super familiar with and she totally blew me away. Once you got the cast involved, how did they alter the vision of the movie? What did they bring that you hadn’t anticipated that left an impact on the final product?

I think that I have such a very clear vision of what I want that they are giving that life. But then, of course, you’re working with an actual human being and things do turn out differently. I think, while I pre-plan the shots with Jarin Blaschke, my cinematographer, and we’re often acting the scenes out, the two of us, like in our kitchen or in his office, trying to figure it all out, and a lot of the times it’s done as rote.

But I think, for example, the most show-stopping scene with Lily, her second really big possession scene towards the end with the brown-and-white striped dress, that was something that we rehearsed to death. And then when we were shooting it, it was not working right. We had to stop the scene and figure out how to do it differently so that then we had to re-rehearse it this other way, but it is much cooler than anything I had imagined.

One of the main things that Bill brought to the performance, because I was so obsessed with Nosferatu being demonic and masculine and phallic and evil, is still finding some vulnerability. I think that makes the character so … I’m so embarrassed that I was not keen to explore that aspect of him, just because I was so tired of self-loathing, sad vampires. but you needed a little bit of that as well.

The scene with Lily, that possession, was a transformative point in the movie that it solidified how fantastic the movie was. What were the things that weren’t working? Was it just blocking? Was it just the tone? What was it that you felt didn’t work?

Well, we had done so much with her body earlier that we were feeling it was going to be, even though we were shooting out of sequence, but we finally, once we actually saw it lit, it was perhaps repetitive. And also, she’d always rehearsed in a corset and with skirts, the actual dress was even more restrictive and covering her. So we were like, “This needs to be all about the face,” and I’m so glad. But the other thing is, because she had been working with Marie-Gabrielle Rotie, the choreographer, for months on all these different techniques, she was able to readjust, because she had been doing a lot of those facial things for other scenes in different ways and things that she had tried. So we were like, “Okay, remember that thing and this thing? Let’s go back and finesse those for this.”

Knowing how long you wanted to make this movie and how, it seemed like The Lighthouse came out, The Northman came out, you would mention like, “Yeah, I still want to do Nosferatu.” Now that the movie is done, what was the most satisfying part of the whole process, of checking that item off your bucket list? Was it the actual filming of it that was the fulfilling part? Was it when you finally locked the edit? Was it seeing how audiences were connecting to the movie and reacting to it?

It’s obviously finally sharing it with the world and seeing that a significant amount of people are connecting because you’re doing creative work like this to share what it is to be human with other human beings. Maybe that’s weird for a Gothic vampire movie, but it’s still hopefully talking about ourselves to each other.

Speaking to Orlok’s design, you knew people were going to have some complex reactions to it, given how different it is from previous incarnations of the character. Did you anticipate that there would be so much attention paid to a mustache? Of all of the different tweaks and changes, that people would just be like, “Wow, never thought I’d see Orlok with a mustache,”?

I knew it would be divisive because I knew that some people would be too attached to Max Shreck. But it’s like, I love Max Shrek. It’s one of the most iconic makeup designs in history. So why should we be doing it again?

And also, frankly, if he was a Transylvanian nobleman, there’s no f-cking way in hell or heaven that he would not have a mustache. And if you can’t wrap your mind around that, I’m sorry.

What does it feel like that you’re part of the legacy of Nosferatu and years from now, people are going to be comparing Eggers to [F.W.] Murnau to [Werner] Herzog. How do you feel on a personal level?

No comment on that one, buddy.

I’ll check back with you in a few decades and we’ll get we’ll get a better reaction. Lastly here, anytime someone has a big hit in the genre world, it’s like, “Oh, well, you’re going to jump to a Marvel or a Star Wars movie.” I know that’s not of interest to you, there’s been some like chatter kicking around about you may be involved with a new Labyrinth thing. I don’t know if there’s any truth to that, if you can’t comment on that either, or if that’s just fans making stuff up.

The thing is that I always have a ton of things in development, because you need to to survive in this industry and you don’t know what is going to hit next. But I definitely want the next film I make to be an original movie.

Nosferatu is available now on Digital and hits 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 18th.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You can contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or Instagram.

The post Nosferatu Filmmaker Robert Eggers Reflects on Fulfilling His Dream With the Reimagining appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Every single month brings changes to Netflix’s streaming lineup here in the United States, as the streaming giant is constantly adding and removing titles as licenses renew and expire. Each time Netflix releases its monthly newsletter of upcoming new additions, the excitement about what’s to come is always joined by the disappointing list of titles that are set to leave its roster in the coming weeks. This February is no different.

On Wednesday, Netflix released its newsletter for February 2025, revealing all of the new additions set to be made throughout the month. The newsletter also included the titles that will be departing in February, and there are a couple of massive movies on their way out.

On February 11th, which is just in a couple of weeks, Netflix will be losing a total of five movies in the Fast & Furious franchise, including the acclaimed Fast Five. That day alone will mark a huge loss for action fans with a Netflix subscription, especially since the Transformers films just made their exit last month.

Unfortunately, Fast Five isn’t the only generational blockbuster set to depart Netflix in February. On the last day of the month, the service will be losing Christopher Nolan’s Inception, which still stands as one of the best original tentpoles in a number of years.

TV fans will be frustrated about the February changes as well, with a couple of key titles on the way out. After adding two of the later Brooklyn Nine-Nine seasons in February, Netflix will lose the first two seasons of the show at the conclusion of the month. February 28th will also see the departure of all six seasons of The Mindy Project.

You can check out the full list of Netflix’s February losses below!

Leaving 2/1/25
Cocaine Cowboys 2
Plus One
Run All Night

Leaving 2/11/25
The Fast and the Furious
2 Fast 2 Furious
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Fast Five
Fast & Furious 6
The Pope’s Exorcist

Leaving 2/14/25
The Catcher Was a Spy
White Boy

Leaving 2/15/25
47 Meters Down: Uncaged
Blackhat
Pearl

Leaving 2/20/25
Book Club
Southpaw

Leaving 2/21/25
All Good Things

Leaving 2/24/25
U Turn

Leaving 2/25/25
Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Seasons 1-2

Leaving 2/28/25
21 Bridges
A Haunted House
A Haunted House 2
Aloha
The Angry Birds Movie
Blended
Cinderella Man
Due Date
Green Lantern
Inception
Legends of the Fall
Little
The Mindy Project: Seasons 1-6
Oblivion
The Other Guys
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Sixteen Candles
Stand by Me
Without a Paddle

The post Netflix Is About to Lose Some of Its Biggest Blockbusters (and a Great TV Series) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Simpsons aren’t going anywhere as their return to Sunday nights is confirmed with their return date for the final episodes of Season 36 later this year. The Simpsons and Family Guy are about to have a major schedule shake up as Family Guy will be taking over The Simpsons‘ long held time slot of 8:00PM EST on Sunday evenings on Fox. This sparked some confusion online as it seemed like The Simpsons was going to be moving away from Sunday nights entirely for the first time in its nearly 40 year run given the original reported plans for Family Guy, but now it’s confirmed that it’s not the case.

The Simpsons has confirmed its return date on FOX as new episodes will be officially premiering on Sunday, March 30th. It will then be returning to its usual Sunday evening time slot of 8:00PM EST, and then followed by other Animation Domination hits such as Family Guy, The Great North, and Grimsburg. So Family Guy will be temporarily taking The Simpsons‘ time slot for a few weeks starting in February, but The Simpsons thankfully won’t be leaving Sundays after all as initially feared.

The Simpsons Returns in March 2025

When Family Guy was moved away from its Fall 2024 premiere for a new midseason schedule, it was reported at the time that the series would be moving to Wednesday nights to support Animal Control on FOX. When it was later revealed that Family Guy would be returning for Season 23 for FOX’s midseason schedule this Winter, fans were taken by surprise that the animated series would be taking The Simpsons‘ usual time slot for the occasion. This sparked an even bigger conversation.

Somewhere along the way wires were crossed that had some fans thinking that The Simpsons would be leaving Sunday nights entirely, and even potentially moving to Wednesdays instead. As Family Guy later confirmed it will be officially premiering Season 23 of the animated series beginning on February 16th with FOX, it’s now more clear that The Simpsons will then be returning to Sunday evenings after just a few weeks. So there’s no more reason to fear the worst for either of these long running animated franchises. They’re both going to stick around.

RELATED: The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers and Family Guy Lock in New U.S. Streaming Deal

What to Know For The Simpsons Season 36

When The Simpsons comes back for its midseason premiere on Sunday, March 30th, the animated series will be picking up right from where it left off with Season 36. This new season kickstarted last Fall, and has already gotten a lot of buzz for its experimental episodes released thus far. Not only has this newest season killed off some long time characters previously seen on the sidelines, but has also had a few fun experimental episodes that have changed the format for the series completely like its season premiere that pretended to be the series finale.

There have also been some big changes behind the scenes as long time star Pamela Hayden has announced her retirement from The Simpsons, with the new voice actor (or actors) for her characters have yet to be announced as of the time of this publication. If you wanted to catch up with the first few episodes of The Simpsons Season 36 thus far, you can check out the series now streaming with Hulu. You can also find the first 35 seasons along with a brand new, exclusive Christmas special now streaming exclusively with Disney+. With the new episodes coming this March, now is the perfect time to catch up.

The post The Simpsons Are Staying on Sundays As Confirmed With 2025 Return Date appeared first on ComicBook.com.

We finally have our first look at Ben Affleck’s long-awaited sequel film The Accountant 2, as well as confirmation about its release date. Fans have been waiting for the sequel to the much-loved 2016 film The Accountant and now can look forward to the sequel’s exclusive theatrical release on April 25th. The Accountant 2 will have its world premiere at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival on Saturday, March 8th at The Paramount Theatre.  

In The Accountant 2, we will see Ben Affleck return as Christian Wolff, an autistic certified public accountant who makes his living by ‘fixing’ fraudulent financial records for criminals and terrorist organizations dealing with internal embezzlement. Joining Affleck this time is Jon Bernthal, who will reprise the role of Christian’s brother.  

What Is The Accountant 2 About?

As per the official synopsis for The Accountant 2:

‘Christian Wolff is brought out of hiding by Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) after someone close to them is killed by unknown assassins. To solve the murder, Wolff must recruit the help of his estranged but highly lethal brother Brax (Jon Bernthal).’ 

The Accountant 2 also stars Daniella Pineda, Allison Robertson, and J.K. Simmons. With Gavin O’Connor returning to direct the film, and Affleck and Matt Damon among the producers. However, it seems that Anna Kendrick, Jeffrey Tambor, Jean Smart, and John Lithgow will not be returning for the sequel.  

In The Accountant (2016) we watched Wolff as he uncovered a major financial discrepancy while working for a (ironically) legitimate company, which led to him being targeted by both the authorities and dangerous criminals. As Wolff tried to get closer to uncovering hidden truths, we found out that he’s an expert at killing as much as he is with numbers. Although the film received mixed reviews it made $155 million worldwide with a budget of only $44 million and has become a cult-classic in Affleck’s filmography. It was also the most-rented digital film of 2017 and ranked No. 1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Movies chart when it was released on the platform.

With the news of The Accountant 2, it’s important to note director Gavin O’Connor has expressed the desire to turn The Accountant into a trilogy: “I’ve always wanted to do three because the second one’s going to be more with — we’re going to integrate his brother into the story,” O’Connor shared with CinemaBlend. “So there’ll be more screen time for Bernthal in the second one. And then the third movie’s going to be, I call it, ‘Rain Man on steroids.’ The third movie is going to be about the two brothers, this odd couple. The third one is going to be a buddy picture.”

The Accountant 2 has a theatrical release date of April 25th.

The post The Accountant 2 Reveals First Look and Confirms Premiere Date (It’s Soon) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Looks like the Crash is out of the bag. Ahead of the Xbox Developer Direct 2025, which will feature games such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, DOOM: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, and a top-secret title, players will also get a glimpse of the next batch of games heading to Xbox Game Pass in February. However, fans won’t have to wait much longer to discover the titles, as three titles have been leaked. The games that are rumored to be coming to the service include a timeless classic platformer, a free-to-play shooter, and a recent EA Sports title.

According to an Insider Gaming article from eXtas1s, who is a very reliable leaker, EA Sports’ Madden NFL 25, Toys For Bob’s Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, and Blizzard Entertainment’s Heroes of The Storm will be revealed at the Xbox Developer Direct. The titles mentioned above could be the only ones announced at the event, but there could be more added to the subscription service. The lineup here is pretty stacked, given that these titles are pretty popular amongst fans.

Crash Bandicoot 4, Madden NFL 25, Heroes of The Storm Will Debut in February on Xbox Game Pass

RELATED: Crash Bandicoot Developer Teases New Game

Madden NFL 25 is an EA Sports title released last August for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The latest football game in the Madden franchise received average reviews from fans and critics, with many citing the on-field gameplay as a highlight. The Madden series has been going strong for decades, and with the game coming to Xbox Game Pass just in time for the Super Bowl LIX, fans will be able to play their favorite football players once again.

Toys For Bob and Activision’s Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time will finally make its way to Xbox Game Pass in February. First released in 2020 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC, the title will bring the lovable creature for free to Game Pass subscribers. The platformer series was exclusive to Sony’s PlayStation consoles but expanded to various consoles through multiple developers. With over 23 titles in the series, including spin-offs, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time brought back the platformer after almost a decade of silence, which was met with positive reviews from critics and longtime players.

The next title comes from Blizzard Entertainment, which will bring back heroes to the forefront of the free-to-play realm. Move over Marvel Rivals, 2015’s Heroes of The Storm is coming back. Released almost a decade ago, the battle arena shooter features 90 characters from Blizzard’s notable franchises like Starcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and Warcraft. The title received positive reviews from critics and fans with many citing it to be a solid MOBA, as well as bringing engaging gameplay and heroes to the genre.

While we can add a pinch more salt to these rumors, given the source, we won’t be sure until tomorrow’s Xbox Developer Direct. For now, we have to be patient, so give it time.

The post 3 Xbox Game Pass Games for February Leaked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new leak tied to Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda franchise has indicated that a remake or a remaster of a previous Zelda game could arrive in 2025. Over the past few years, numerous reports and rumors have indicated that Nintendo has developed ports of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for Nintendo Switch. Despite this, Nintendo has yet to reveal these Zelda games for Switch, which has led many to wonder if they actually exist. Now, based on a new leak that has come about, it seems that hope for these remasters is alive once again.

Spotted on the website of electronics retailer Newegg, it was said that a remake or remaster of a past Zelda game is set to release at some point this year. Mention of this was found in a description for a Nintendo eShop gift card, which happened to outline Nintendo games slated to arrive in 2025. In addition to Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Newegg also happened to list “a Legend of Zelda Remake/Remaster”.

Not long after this discovery was made by Nintendo fans, those at Newegg altered the description to remove this Zelda game in question. Still, it being listed in the first place suggests that Newegg could have spilled the beans on an announcement that Nintendo has yet to make. Then again, it could have been completely accidental and was only done by someone trying to guess which Nintendo games will be released in 2025.

Related: Does the Zelda Timeline Actually Matter?

If a remake or remaster of a Zelda game from yesteryear is on the way, though, it would actually make a fair amount of sense given Nintendo’s upcoming slate. Currently, Nintendo has new first-party games lined up to release on the Switch through March of this year. Given that the Nintendo Switch 2 seems poised to launch in June at the earliest, this would mean that Nintendo would have a couple of months between March and June to continue supporting the current Switch. Bringing older Zelda games to Switch would be a great way to bridge the gap to the arrival of the Switch 2, especially if the rumored ports of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess are truly already finished and ready to release.

Assuming that this is indeed the plan that Nintendo is moving forward with, we should hear more about it in an official capacity shortly. Credible reports have claimed that a new Nintendo Direct should be happening at some point in February 2025 and will center around games releasing for Switch. If this February Direct does indeed happen in the coming weeks, that would almost certainly be where these much-rumored Zelda games would finally show up.

The post Legend of Zelda Leak Teases New Remake That Will Release Soon appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After a lot of delays, the film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone is finally taking shape. On Wednesday, four new cast members were announced for the lead roles — Thuso Mbedu, Amandla Stenberg, Damson Idris, and Tosin Cole. They join the five previously announced cast members Viola Davis, Cynthia Erivo, Idris Elba, Lashana Lynch, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Three more cast members are in negotiation, according to a report by Variety — Regina King, Diaana Babnicova, and Bukky Bakray. The movie is based on the best-selling novel by Tomi Adeyemi, and will be directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. It is currently scheduled to hit theaters on January 15, 2027.

Children of Blood and Bone is a young adult fantasy inspired by Nigerian myths and folklore. It is set in the fictional kingdom of Orïsha which is inhabited by an oppressed class of magic users called divîners, in addition to non-magical people. The heroine, Zélie Adebola, is thrust into a quest to restore the magic suppressed in the kingdom and restore balance.

Zélie will be played by Mbedu, who worked with the director before on The Woman King. Cole will play Zélie’s older brother Tzain, while Stenberg and Idris will play the children of the king, Princess Amari and Prince Inan. Stenberg’s casting is particularly poetic since Adeyemi has said she was inspired to write this book in part by the racist backlash Stenberg’s casting in The Hunger Games.

Davis will play the character Mama Agba, while Erivo will play Admiral Kaea, Elba will play Lekan, Lynch will play Jumoke, and Ejiofor will play King Saran. King is in negotiations to play Queen Nehana, Babnicova to play Folake, and Bakray to play Binta. Production is reportedly expected to begin within a few weeks.

Children of Blood and Bone was first published in 2018 and was followed by Children of Virtue and Vengeance, then Children of Anguish and Anarchy. Altogether, the series is titled The Legacy of Orïsha Trilogy. So far, Paramount Pictures has only committed to one film adaptation, leaving the fate of sequels up to its success.

The film rights to this adaptation were originally optioned by Fox 2000 Pictures, but the project was lost in the shuffle when Disney acquired 21st Century Fox. It was transfered to Lucasfilm where it sat unused for several years. Finally, the film rights lapsed and Paramount acquired them instead, prompting this new flurry of work on the movie.

Children of Blood and Bone and Adeyemi’s other books are available now in print, digital and audiobook formats. The film adaptation is scheduled to hit theaters on January 15, 2027.

The post All 9 Confirmed Cast Members for the Children of Blood and Bone Movie appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Star Wars fans are no strangers to debate when it comes to their beloved franchise, and to be honest, some of those debates go back to the beginning, with the release of Star Wars: A New Hope back in 1977. One of those OG Star Wars debates has now resurfaced: why Jek Porkins had to die.

Jek Tono Porkins (aka “Piggy”) was a member of the Rebellion’s famous X-wing “Red Squadron,” who fought in the infamous “Battle of Yavin” against the first Death Star. Porkins was one of two pilots (the other being Darklighter) who made a strafing run shooting at the Death Star’s gun turrets. However, (as later retcons would reveal) Porkins’ X-wing hadn’t been properly cleared for battle when the Death Star ambushed the Rebel base; after being hit with some debris during his shooting run, Porkins lost flight control and radar and ended up getting obliterated by enemy fire.

Porkins had one of the most gruesome deaths in Star Wars, and like so many minor characters in the Original Trilogy, he sprung an entire cult following based on curiosity about who he was, based on the brief hints we get from his very limited screen time (see also: Boba Fett). Porkins have been of particular interest because the character was played by actor William Hootkins. Hootkins had a run of minor-but-memorable appearances in popular ’80s and ’90s movies, including playing Major Eaton in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, “Eckhardt” in Batman, and Munson in Flash Gordon. Those roles made Hootkins one of those “know I know that face” actors, and it still blows fans’ minds to know the same ill-fated X-wing pilot from Star Wars is the same man who assured Indy the Ark of the Covenant was being looked after by “Top, men,” is the same guy that Jack Nicholson’s Jack Napier/Joker told to “Think about the future,” before shooting him down with that big revolver.

Now, fans are once again wondering what the in-universe reasoning was for Porkins to die in A New Hope. There have actually been new projects since the film was released that have examined more of Porkins’ life and the events leading up to his death. As stated, it was revealed (in the Star Wars Customizable Card Game) that Porkins’ X-wing didn’t pass full inspection before he had to rush into battle against the Death Star, providing tragic reason for his demise.

Porkins has also become another hot-button character in Star Wars lore, as he is a minor nexus of contradicting continuity. That includes multiple in-canon differences in Porkins’ official call sign (“Red Six” vs. “Blue Four” vs. “Gold Six”), as well as contradicting accounts of how he died (crashing on the Death Star’s surface or being shot down by turrets vs. being shot down by enemy TIE fighters). Those discrepancies in canon are just one more reason that Jek Porkins is still being debated by Star Wars fans, and since they’re not getting straightened out anytime soon (or ever), Jek’s legacy will also live on.

Star Wars movies are streaming on Disney+.

The post 47 Years Later, Star Wars Fans Are Still Debating Why This Character Had to Die appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Nearly 20 years after Weta Digital replaced actor Doug Jones with a CG-animated Silver Surfer in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Marvel Studios is using motion capture to transform actress Julia Garner into the Sentinel of the Spaceways. The Ozark Emmy winner and Wolf Man star is playing the Shalla-Bal version of the character in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is also using the technology — used in everything from Gollum in The Lord of the Rings to the Na’Vi in Avatar to the Hulk in The Avengers — for co-star Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s own rocky transformation into the Thing.

Opening up about her closely-guarded Marvel role in an interview with the fashion and lifestyle publication Who What Wear, Garner confirmed that the Silver Surfer will be a motion-capture creation (rather than just CGI).

RELATED: MCU Schedule: Every Marvel Studios Movie and TV Show Release Date in 2025 and Beyond

“You have to imagine everything when you’re doing it, as if you’re auditioning,” she said. “Even though we had the sets, I didn’t have my costume or hair and makeup or anything.”

Performance capture, like superhero fare, is new territory for Garner. The actress is known for her roes in dramas like The Americans and The Assistant, and will next be playing the spacefaring herald of the planet-devouring Galactus (Ralph Ineson).

“Going into the Marvel space was a big interest,” she said. “I feel like what a lot of actors don’t value enough is trying to reach every kind of audience. I think that’s really important. I’d be crazy to expect that everybody is going to watch Inventing Anna or Ozark or The Assistant. But to reach all kinds of people and build fans from everywhere? I was really excited to step into that universe.”

Garner’s gender-swapped Silver Surfer is a departure from the character who debuted in 1965’s Fantastic Four #48: Norrin Radd, who volunteered to serve Galactus as his herald to spare his homeworld Zenn-La — and Shalla-Bal, the woman he loves — from Galactus’ hunger. (An alternate-universe female Silver Surfer appeared in the Earth X series.)

“With the Silver Surfer, there’s still something very mysterious about it,” Garner said. “That mystery is very important to me as an actor. It’s such an iconic character, and it felt very different for me. I’ve never played a character like that.”

Marvel’s Fantastic Four reboot, directed by Matt Shakman (WandaVision), is “set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world,” per the synopsis, and introduces Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they “face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer. And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.”

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is in theaters July 25.

The post The Fantastic Four: First Steps Star Confirms Marvel Character Is 100% Motion Capture appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Harry Potter fans can be pretty defensive of their favorite series, but some of their critiques would definitely improve the franchise if they were incorporated. One of those ideas cropped up this week on Reddit, in a discussion of “unpopular opinions” about Harry Potter. User u/British_Historian laid ut a great case for why the “killing curse,” Avada Kedavra, should have had more limitations placed on it by the author. That way, there would be a use for more creative spellcasting in combat, while leaving the ultimate act of evil for only the most dramatic moments. Instead, spamming this spell “turned a lot of duels into laser lightshows.”

Avada Kedavra, “the killing curse” is introduced in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as one of the three Unforgivable Curses. When cast successfully, it will instantly kill its target without any damage to their body. It cannot be blocked with a well-timed shield charm, but it can be dodged or blocked with a physical barrier like a wall. We are told the curse requires “a powerful bit of magic behind it,” which seems to mean true murderous intent. There are also implications that using it somehow damages the caster’s soul, which is how Voldemort created his Horcruxes, but it’s not clear what the practical outcome of this damage would be.

Many commenters agreed with u/British_Historian, pointing out that earlier scenes had suggested dueling would be more dynamic and outrageous. In the second book, for example, Malfoy conjured a snake and sent it to attack Harry. The characters spend years learning a wide array of spells, but by the end of the series, most fights come down to Avada Kedavra against sunning spells and disarming spells — all in the forms of light beams.

[RELATED: 7 Harry Potter Characters Ruined by the Movies]

This may have been due in part consideration of the target audience, as u/WuPacalypse pointed out. The books were for children and young adults, and the movies were rated PG. It was convenient to depict death as a flash of green light with no blood, screaming, or any tangible violence at all. If antagonists had been using spells like Sectumsempra left and right, parents would have thought twice about bringing their kids along to the theater.

Still, spells to incapacitate opponents could have taken the places of a lot of green killing curses — especially the ones that missed. It may also have been interesting to see characters try and fail to cast Avada Kedavra, staggered by the pain it caused or unable to manifest the sheer will it required. This would have dovetailed nicely with the series’ distinction between downright evil villains like Voldemort and cowardly, insecure ones like Malfoy or Peter Pettigrew.

There are a lot of problems with the Harry Potter series, and the overuse of the killing curse is probably pretty low on many fans’ list. Still, it’s something to consider as we prepare for the new TV series adaptation to premiere in 2026 on HBO and Max.

The post This Harry Potter “Unpopular Opinion” Would Change the Movies for the Better appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The sequel to Alien: Romulus could be bringing back the franchise’s most famous character in an unexpected way, as Ellen Ripley is rumored to appear in the film. Industry insider Daniel Richtman, aka DanielRPK, shared the information in a Patreon post, noting that if this happens, the filmmakers would be incorporating digital de-aging to pull it off. “For the next Alien movie, they’re considering bringing back Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) using de-aging technology,” the post reads. It is important to keep in mind that this is a rumor and should be taken with a grain of salt for now.

Richtman’s post does not specify if the plan would be to have Weaver film her scenes on-set and be digitally de-aged in post, or if another actress will have their face replaced with a young Weaver’s likeness. The use of the phrase “de-aging technology” lends credence to the belief that the former scenario is the one in play, but the wording is vague enough that both are possible.

Released in August 2024, Alien: Romulus was critical and box office success, grossing $350.8 million worldwide against an $80 million production budget. A follow-up was quickly announced in October 2024, but the project has not received an official release date as of this writing. Director Fede Álvarez has cautioned fans it might take a while for the sequel to come to fruition, as he won’t move forward on anything until he feels he has “a story that is worthy of everyone’s time and is worthy of the title.”

[RELATED – 3 Alien Franchise Sequels That Didn’t Get Made (But Should Have)]

At one point, Weaver was set to reprise Ripley in an Alien film. Director Neill Blomkamp was developing an Aliens sequel that would have disregarded the events of Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection. However, that project, which would have teamed Ripley with Newt and Hicks again, never got off the ground. In the years since, Weaver has discussed the possibility of returning to the franchise. While she said it’s “not impossible” that she could return, she’s also “yet to read a script that said ‘you have got to do this.’”

While Alien: Romulus earned praise for taking the series back to its horror-infused roots with several unnerving sequences, the film was also hit with criticism for relying too heavily on nostalgia. The decision to digitally recreate the late Ian Holm’s face for the android character Rook generated a substantial amount of controversy — particularly over the ethical concerns of reviving a dead actor with modern technology. Since Weaver is still alive, this isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison, but it could still be seen as another example of the filmmakers being too dependent on the past as opposed to paving a new way forward. Álvarez has claimed he wants to explore “uncharted waters” with the Romulus sequel; the appearance of a digitally de-aged Weaver would seemingly negate that.

There’s also the question of how Ripley would fit into a Romulus sequel’s story. Romulus is considered an interquel in the franchise — on the timeline, it’s set between Alien and Aliens. During the events of Romulus, Ripley is floating through space in stasis, and she won’t be found until several years later as Aliens begins. Logistically, there doesn’t seem to be a spot for her in a Romulus follow-up, but Álvarez and his team could come up with a way to make it work. This would be a considerable risk, but there would be plenty of excitement surrounding Weaver’s long-awaited return to the role that made her a household name. It’ll be interesting to see if this rumor amounts to anything as development on the Romulus sequel continues.

The post Alien: Romulus Sequel Rumor Teases One Character’s Return (But Not How Fans Think) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The TikTok Ban lasted for around fourteen hours in North America, as the social media video platform skirted it’s own destruction in the West. Alongside the App, there were various games that got the axe in a similar vein, with the biggest easily being Marvel Snap. The beloved mobile game would see players collect cards of their favorite Marvel heroes and villains, garnering quite the player base in a relatively short amount of time. While it might have been missed originally, an anime mobile game suffered the same fate as Snap but was able to rise again once TikTok and the Chinese companies affected got a new lease on life in the U.S.

The anime game in question that was initially banned was One-Punch Man – The Strongest, a turn-based free to play role playing game that assembled the biggest heroes and villains from the beloved anime franchise. First launching in 2019, the game was one that continued to add new characters to its roster over time. Since TikTok was reinstated quickly following the ban, so to was One-Punch Man’s mobile game able to do the same. The Saitama focused app is owned by Shanghai Moonton Technology, which in turn is owned by ByteDance. In Marvel Snap’s case, the card game was developed by Nuverse but was still under the ByteDance banner, hence the ban.

[RELATED: Marvel Snap Is Back Online Following Brief Ban]

Saitama Returns

On January 19th, One-Punch Man – The Strongest released the following message to fans regarding its original ban, “Dear Players, we regret to inform you that One Punch Man – The Strongest will be closed on January 19th, 2025. We understand this may be disappointing. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your support. It has been a remarkable journey and we’re thankful to have shared it with you. Thank you once again for your understanding and for being a part of our gaming community.”

This year won’t just see Saitama returning in the mobile market, but with the third season of his anime adaptation as well. With anime fans waiting years to see the “Hero For Fun” return to the small screen, reportedly, Saitama’s story will continue in 2025. With J.C. Staff releasing a string of new character posters, One-Punch Man season three might be making a comeback shortly.

Will One-Punch Man Remain The Strongest?

Unfortunately, the return from the grave might only be temporary as TikTok and Bytedance were simply granted a seventy-five day reprieve once the ban was lifted. When the social media video service did return, it shared a message with users regarding its comeback that read,

“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive. It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”

Want to see what the future holds for Saitama and the Hero Association? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on One-Punch Man and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Major Anime Game Returns Following TikTok Ban Reversal appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Build 42 beta is reigniting the passion of many gamers to give Project Zomboid another spin. The beta already has tons of new features representing all the hard work the developers have put into the game. Sadly, the multiplayer will not be available with the beta, but solo survivors can get an early start into Build 42.

Players have their hands full of new features to tide them over until the developers add multiplayer and officially release Build 42. New features include a new crafting system, new animations, gunplay, tweaked zombie spawns, player voice lines, wild animals, and much more.

Here are the best ones you can check out so far:

New Animations & Corpse Disposal

Not every action in Project Zomboid has an animation, but this update will change that. Seated animations are now finally part of the vanilla game and no longer need a mod to integrate.

Moving corpses have been reworked to remain realistic, no longer requiring players to stuff a rotting corpse into their inventory. Corpses can now be dragged by the action button near a corpse. Moving corpses is now advisable as the stench they give off causes discomfort as seen in zombie TV shows.

Animal Husbandry

Managing animals can be hard work, but it appears that lots of players are reporting obtaining a crazy amount of farm animals. Once tweaked, the farm animals will become a vital part of a survivor’s diet. Players now have an additional food source to give more variety.

Farm animals currently include cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens. Sadly, animal husbandry in Project Zomboid is not as easy as it is in Minecraft. Players need a secure fenced area and regular feeding by using a feeding and water trough.

Gunplay Changes

The gunplay mechanic in Project Zomboid has received more depth in Build 42. The reticule indicates the chance of landing a shot. The larger the reticule, the more de-buffs a player is facing. De-buffs to shooting include low shooting level, fatigued or panicked survivor, or inadequate lighting.

It is best to avoid shooting in poor conditions, as most shots will not land. Leveling up shooting and using beta blockers are a great step to getting reliable with a gun. While not rivaling a shooter, the changes now reward patience.

A Polished Muldraugh

The towns in Project Zomboid are not known for their cosmetic flair. This update has given us a reworked Muldraugh that is visually appealing using increased heights, new lighting, and varied colors to give the old town a massive glowup.

Points of interest have received the most attention and can be appreciated in the Build 42 beta right now. Police stations, schools, and more have been reworked from the ground up. Spawning in Muldraugh is a totally different experience now and looks far more polished than before.

Survivor Vocals

Players in the Build 42 beta will have some company from their own survivor. Project Zomboid now offers several voices for players to pick to their liking. Noises will randomly play during character actions. These actions include swinging a weapon, being out of breath, or simply coughing from a cold.

Yelling for a zombie’s attention will no longer be conveyed through text bubbles, but include an actual voice line. While this might seem small on the outside, these little changes do lots of work in keeping players immersed in the game.

Tracking & Hunting

In theme with more food sources, players not keen on managing farm animals can set out into the risky wilderness in search of prey. Players can now expect to hunt rabbits, rats, and deer. Tracking animals will take time, as tracks can be difficult to discern at first.

Players will now need to keep an eye out for deer crossing the road while driving on the highway, as it appears deer and rabbits have a habit of crossing the road frequently in the Build 42 beta.

Dynamic Music

The soundtrack in Project Zomboid has been criminally underused in the past. In the beta, certain actions will trigger specific music to play. The adaptive music will play depending on factors such as player location, time, and local threat level.

The new music does a great job matching the original vibe of the first soundtrack that many love. The soundtrack has a mix of calm and intense music that will play depending on what the player is currently doing.

Crafting Overhaul

The Project Zomboid crafting system has been massively reworked and even includes some animations that are no longer instant. The full crafting system is not yet released, but fans have enough to play with right now to get a grasp of what to expect.

Many players have voiced that the crafting system appears to be too complex and needs to be tweaked for convenience. Current crafting is only limited to pottery, some blacksmithing tech trees, and some surface crafting.

The post 8 New Project Zomboid Features Available On the Build 42 Beta appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Though One Piece’s story has come a long way since, one lingering mystery that still haunts fans to this day is the prophecy of Fishman Island’s destruction. Though Eiichiro Oda has been laying out the pieces of the puzzle since Egghead, this peculiar prophecy is yet to find its place in the grand scheme of things, with fans coming up with countless theories in this regard over the years.

That said, One Piece‘s latest arc brings in a rather interesting possibility, suggesting that Madam Sharley’s prophecy may not even be about Luffy but rather Elbaf’s self proclaimed sun god and accursed prince Loki instead.

Loki May Be Responsible For Fishman Island’s Ruin Instead

Although it initially seemed like the lore bombs had ended with the Egghead Arc, One Piece just surprised fans with even more information about the enigmatic Sun God Nika, deepening the mystery even further. The latest chapter of One Piece’s Elbaf Arc teases Nika may not be as benign as many believe him to be, setting up some interesting parallels between Luffy and Loki as a result.

Chapter 1136 of One Piece introduces an interesting divide in opinion of Sun God Nika, with some believing him to be a god of destruction rather than liberation. As Jarul explains, the ancient Harley texts of Elbaf reveal that Nika is closely tied to the two instances when the world of One Piece was destroyed in the past, thus associating Nika with times of great turbulence. The many interpretations of the Harley texts also most likely add to this ambiguity surrounding Nika.

[Related: One Piece Must Solve Its Biggest Issue Holding Luffy Back]

Both these versions of Nika seem to be currently personified by Loki and Luffy respectively, with Luffy representing freedom and liberation while Loki represents chaos and destructiveness. In fact, even in his introduction in Chapter 1130, Loki introduces himself as the Sun God who will bring the world to an end. If so, Madam Sharley’s prophecy about the destruction of Fishman Island may have to do more with this destructive version of Nika instead. Granted, as Chapter 610 reveals, Sharley foresees a human in a straw hat who will bring ruin to Fishman Island, though it is yet to be confirmed whether this individual is in fact Luffy.

It is very much possible that Loki’s actions bring about Fishman Island’s destruction instead with Luffy being held responsible for freeing him from his chains and unleashing him into the world. Interestingly, the latest chapter of One Piece also sees Loki display a strong distaste for Celestial Dragons and perhaps this hatred towards the World Nobles and Mariejois by extension is what inadvertently ends up bringing harm to Fishman Island. But of course, these are only speculations and theories for now. Only time will tell what Oda has in store for Loki, Luffy, and Fishman Island, though hopefully fans will get their answers soon enough.

One Piece is available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.

The post One Piece’s Fishman Island Prophecy May Not Be About Luffy At All appeared first on ComicBook.com.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes will be making its highly anticipated anime debut later this April, and the anime has finally set a release date for the new series with a new look at the anime’s central cast. My Hero Academia is set to have quite the huge year as although Kohei Horikoshi’s original manga ended last year, the TV anime is set to come to its own end later this Fall with its eighth and final season. But before fans get to see how it all ends, we are going to be treated to a new look at how the My Hero Academia world began.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is a spinoff series that takes place five years before the events of the main My Hero Academia series. This prequel follows a trio of local heroes who decide to start fighting villains and criminals without their official hero licenses because their small town is in danger. Now fans won’t have to wait too much longer for this new series to make its anime debut as it’s now scheduled to make its debut on April 7th as part of the Spring 2025 anime schedule. You can check out the special new promo for the upcoming anime below as shared by TOHO Animation.

What to Know for My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Anime

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes will be making its premiere on April 7th as part of the Spring 2025 anime schedule. Along with the newest promo and trailer, the anime has also revealed the central voice cast behind its main trio of illegal heroes. Shuichiro Umeda will be starring as Koichi Haimawari, who decides to become a local hero named “The Crawler” (who is also inspired by All Might like Izuku Midoriya) to help out people in his neighborhood. Ikumi Hasegawa will be starring as Pop Step, a local neighborhood idol who goes from performing on the street to helping Koichi.

And finally, Yasuhiro Mamiya stars as Knuckleduster, a wild vigilante hero who takes Koichi under his wing as they end up wrapped up in a much more intense story than Koichi ever expected. The new anime will be directed by Kenichi Suzuki by Studio Bones’ new Bones Film offshoot production house. Yosuke Kuroda returns from the main My Hero Academia TV anime to handle the scripts, Takahiko Yoshida is overseeing the character designs, and Yuki Hayashi will be composing the music together with Shogo Yamashiro and Yuki Furuhashi.

RELATED: My Hero Academia: Shoto Todoroki Star Reacts to Young Fan’s Viral Video

Why You Should Watch My Hero Academia: Vigilantes

If you’re a fan of My Hero Academia, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is a definite must-watch. Originally written by Hideyuki Furuhashi with illustrations by Betten Court, this might be a spinoff series to the main events but it has some very important ties to the original hero series. There are entire arcs of this prequel series that help to flesh out some of the biggest reveals in the original My Hero Academia (that really were only teased at in the original anime series), and fans get to see what Japan was like before heroes really took over.

This series also gives fans a look at some of the main series’ pro heroes at a much earlier stage in their lives, and this even includes All Might who is still very much in his prime. But as My Hero Academia: Vigilantes reveals that the hero world is much sketchier than fans saw in the main series, fans will fall in love with its central trio of illegal heroes much like Deku and the others in the main series.

The post My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Anime Reveals Release Date & Cast With New Promo appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A prominent Resident Evil leaker has crushed the hopes of longtime fans when it comes to Resident Evil 9. In the lead-up to Capcom’s next entry in its beloved survival-horror series, there have been plenty of leaks and rumors that have teased the setting, themes, and characters that will be seen in the game. Some of these previous rumors have specifically asserted that longtime Resident Evil character Jill Valentine would be returning as one of the main protagonists of RE9. Unfortunately, based on new information that has now come about, it seems that this won’t actually be the case.

According to Resident Evil insider Dusk Golem, Jill Valentine isn’t set to have a “major role” in Resident Evil 9 at all. Dusk Golem said that he had seen this belief circling quite a bit in recent months, so they took it upon themselves to debunk the previous rumors. They then added that most of the rumors tied to RE9 that have been going around have been false and implored fans to wait for official information directly from Capcom.

“Jill doesn’t play any major role in Resident Evil 9 unfortunately,” Dusk Golem said. “[I’m] crushing the Jill hopium now before wrong expectations are set. Wait for actual RE9 news, nearly every RE9 rumor that’s been floated around has been bulls**t.”

In case you’re out of the loop about why this is so disappointing to fans, it’s due to the fact that Jill Valentine has been one of the most underused characters in the Resident Evil saga for the better part of the past 20 years. Outside of starring in the spin-off Resident Evil: Revelations and being a side character in Resident Evil 5, Jill hasn’t been the main protagonist of a Resident Evil game since Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and its 2022 remake. Instead, Capcom has chosen to focus heavily on the likes of Chris Redfield and Leon Kennedy in recent installments, in addition to introducing Ethan Winters as the main character of Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil Village.

Related: Resident Evil 9 Confirmed to Be in Development

Assuming that this info from Dusk Golem is credible, it’s worth stressing that Jill Valentine could end up appearing in Resident Evil 9, just not in a primary role. Past rumors have said that Leon Kennedy will once again be the main character of RE9, but Capcom could always opt to go in a different direction and introduce a completely new character to the series.

For now, all that’s known with certainty about Resident Evil 9 is that the game is merely in the works at Capcom. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about RE9 in an official capacity at some point later in 2025.

The post Resident Evil Insider Crushes Fan Hopes for Resident Evil 9 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Solo Leveling’s second season has been one of the biggest anime events in the medium, with Jinwoo becoming a far bigger warrior than what was seen in season one. This isn’t just thanks to the anime hero leveling up his strength, speed, and other stats, but also thanks to gaining a new class. Jinwoo is now a “necromancer,” aka a sorcerer that has the ability to use mana/magic to bring back downed opponents to add to his army. Unfortunately, while the new power is one that has added some wild new flair to the anime adaptation, it has also taken away some of the bite out of potential challenges that otherwise might have been life-or-death scenarios.

So how did Jinwoo get to this point? Funny story, he was able to achieve this by taking down the Blood-Red Commander Igris, an antagonist who would fit right into a From Software game. Along with receiving an upgrade in his skills, Jinwoo gained his new class and added Igris and the many soldiers he fought in this encounter to his roster. When the second season began, Solo Leveling’s star found himself jumping into a Red Gate where he found ice bears and ice elves that wanted nothing more than to kill the intruders that invaded their snowy lands. Of course, Jinwoo added these opponents to his roster and upon re-entering the Hell’s Tower, Sung’s new power is making things a little too easy for the hero.

[RELATED: Solo Leveling’s Anime Needs to Fix Its Female Lead Problem]

Jinwoo’s Hell Tower Adventure

As Jinwoo Sung works his way through the Hell Tower, he knocks out the initial challenges, aka killing thousands of demons, using his physical strength and speed. When he encounters one of the demon lords, he brings out his shadow forces and takes a step back in fighting against everyone but the larger-than-life red terror. Even though the demon king is able to take down a good number of Jinwoo’s forces, Sung’s fight against the creature almost seems easy with the backup feeding him weapons when he needs them.

Of course, at the end of the latest episode, Jinwoo is shown striking fear into another undead lord as his shadow army tore through some of the strongest demons the Hell Tower had to offer. For those who read the original Solo Leveling manwha, you know that there are challenges to Jinwoo on the way but his current power level is such that the anime could use knocking him down a peg or two sooner rather than later.

Jinwoo Needs More Weaknesses

The spawning of fallen enemies as allies does have a weakness and that’s Jinwoo’s “mana level.” Much like a video game, Sung summoning his nearly endless hordes drains the amount of magical enemy at his disposal. Though this weakness doesn’t feel much like one as the protagonist can still summon seemingly endless hordes to help him in his quest.

This is only one of the weaknesses as the other is a tad more interesting. Jinwoo cannot seemingly bring back to life an opponent that is stronger than himself, which he attempted to do with the leader of the Ice Elves. Since Sung was assisted by his shadow forces, he was able to defeat the elven opponent. Honestly, an interesting weakness could be Jinwoo losing control of his army based on any number of extenuating factors, so fingers crossed that some more chinks are placed into Sung’s armor as Solo Leveling forges forward.

Want to see how strong Jinwoo Sung becomes in the future? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Solo Leveling and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Solo Leveling: Jinwoo Is Too Over-Powered in Season 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While Marvel has not officially announced Doctor Strange 3, it sounds like the studio is developing the sequel behind-the-scenes, collaborating very closely with star Benedict Cumberbatch. In an interview with Variety, the actor — who has played Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2016 — briefly touched on the possibility of headlining another solo film. “They are very open to discussing where we go next,” Cumberbatch said, describing the conversations he’s had with Marvel Studios. “Who do you want to write and direct the next one? What part of the comic lore do you want to explore so that Strange can keep evolving?”

Cumberbatch expressed excitement about the prospect of continuing to portray Strange, alluding to the plethora of creative opportunities available. “He’s a very rich character to play. He’s a complex, contradictory, troubled human who’s got these extraordinary abilities, so there’s potent stuff to mess about with.”

Through a combination of starring roles, supporting turns, and cameos, Cumberbatch has played Strange in six MCU movies, with a seventh (2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars) on the way. He remains hopeful that a third solo Doctor Strange film will eventually get made. Following the release of 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the actor shared his interest for future appearances, stating that he’s “still having a wild time playing [Strange]” even after all this time.

[RELATED – Predicting Marvel Studios’ Three Mystery 2028 Releases]

As fans await confirmation regarding Doctor Strange 3, there are signs the film is in the works. In October 2024, rumors suggested Sam Raimi, who helmed Multiverse of Madness, would return to the MCU to direct Doctor Strange 3. Disney has multiple release dates claimed for untitled Marvel movies; there are two in 2026 (February 13 and November 6) and three in 2028 (February 18, May 5, and November 10).

It’s encouraging that Cumberbatch is heavily involved with Doctor Strange 3 development. Not only does it highlight his enthusiasm to continue playing Strange, it illustrates Marvel’s interest in maximizing the character’s potential on-screen. After playing one role for so long, there’s always a risk things could become stale from a creative perspective. Cumberbatch’s comments indicate Marvel is committed to keeping the actor, a two-time Oscar nominee, around for the foreseeable future. By asking Cumberbatch which filmmakers he personally wants to work with and which comic storylines he’d like to explore on-screen, the studio is attempting to create an environment where he can continuously challenge himself within the expansive MCU sandbox.

With Marvel having these kinds of talks with Cumberbatch, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before Doctor Strange 3 gets added to the MCU release calendar. As for where it might fit on the studio’s slate, it may be too late at this stage for it to secure one of the 2026 dates (unless Marvel is planning to fast-track it in order to hit that November window). Doctor Strange 3 hitting theaters in 2028 could be more practical, and that would present the filmmakers with interesting narrative possibilities. Whoever directs would be able to explore how Strange handles the aftermath of Avengers: Secret Wars, allowing Cumberbatch to tap into the character’s fascinating traits and sensibilities.

The post Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange 3 Update Is Even Better Than We Hoped For appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The all-star cast of NBC’s highly anticipated Suits spinoff continues to grow. Headlined by Arrow‘s Stephen Amell, Suits: L.A. is set to debut on prime time next month, bringing the Suits franchise back to television in the wake of the original show’s unprecedented streaming success. This Los Angeles-set spinoff, dealing with the world of entertainment, has just added several veteran performers to the lineup.

According to a new report from Variety, the trio of Brian Baumgartner, Patton Oswalt, and Enrico Colantoni have all joined the cast of Suits: L.A. in guest starring roles. All three actors will be fictionalized versions of themselves, lining up with the whole entertainment industry angle, sort of like guest stars on Curb Your Enthusiasm or Entourage.

Baumgartner is well known for starring in every season of The Office as chili-spilling accountant and basketball ringer Kevin. Oswalt, a veteran comedian, has appeared on countless shows over the years, including a lengthy stint on Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD. Colantoni most recently starred in Canadian drama series Allegiance, but is perhaps best known for portraying Keith on Veronica Mars.

Amell leads the cast of Suits: L.A. as Ted Black, an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles. The description of the series describes Black’s situation as a tough one, with “his firm at a crisis point, and to survive he must embrace a role he held in contempt his entire career. Ted is surrounded by a stellar group of characters who test their loyalties to both ted and each other while they can’t help but mix their personal and professional lives.”

[RELATED: First Trailer for Suits: L.A. Arrives Online]

The series also stars The Walking Dead alum Josh McDermitt, Lex Scott Davis, and Bryan Greenberg. Perhaps the most exciting news about the show’s cast so far is that it will include original Suits star Gabriel Macht, at least for a few episodes. Macht is set to reprise his role as Harvey Specter in Suits: L.A., scheduled for a three-episode arc. Details about his role on the new show are scarce beyond that, so there’s no way to tell if the arc will lead to more appearances in the future. So far, Macht is the only original Suits star revealed for a guest spot on the new series.

Suits: L.A. comes from Suits creator Aaron Korsh, who will serve as writer and executive producer on the spinoff. While the original series aired all nine of its seasons on USA, Suits: L.A. will move to network television, premiering on NBC February 23rd.

The post Suits LA Adds Fan-Favorite Marvel, The Office, Veronica Mars Stars to Cast appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Justice League Unlimited has truly captured the brilliance of the best Justice League adventures, and issue three is yet another stellar issue. Creators Mark Waid and Dan Mora have proven on Batman/Superman: World’s Finest that letting them play with DC’s biggest toys leads to fantastic stories, and this newest one us building into something special. From the mystery of new Justice League baddies Inferno to the reveal of the traitor to the team, Justice League Unlimited has kept throwing curve balls at readers, and the latest installment is no different.

Inferno’s attacks on Earth have so far targeted areas with lots of natural resources, and the third issue sees them hitting the Amazon rain forest. This leads the League to call for help from a familiar ally, one uniquely suited to helping them. However, bringing him into the mix may have been the biggest mistake the Justice League could have made.

Inferno’s Newest Attack Reveals Some Startling Secrets

Inferno newest attack involves dropping fire-producing pillars all over the length and breadth of the Amazon rain forest. The Justice League sends in Superman, the Captain, the Flash, Wonder Woman, Stargirl, Star Sapphire, and S.T.R.I.P.E. to try to stop the blaze and figure out how to contain the damage. Superman quickly finds the source of the fire, but when he goes to remove the nearest pillar, he’s burnt by the flames. This shows that the flames are magical in nature, and the League calls in three other members to help them deal with the fire – Zatanna, Doctor Occult, and Xanthe Zhou.

Superman and Flash begin to evacuate the areas surrounding the pillars, while the three magic users begin to use their mystic abilities to try to figure out how to stop the pillars. As the League gets to business, Mister Terrific speculates that the flames of Inferno may be somehow related to the same fires that destroyed Mars centuries ago, but since Martian Manhunter is MIA, there’s no way to be sure. Flash and Terrific try to figure out just what Inferno wants this time – their first attack saw them try to take control of resources while this one is simply an attack designed for collateral damage. This gives Zatanna an idea.

Related: Justice League Unlimited: 7 Dream Team-Ups We Need to See

Since Inferno is using magic to summon the flames, they’re connected to them. That means that Justice League mages can in turn summon them to ask them about their motives. This leads to a dark robed figure appearing, similar to what readers saw in the first issue. They don’t really reveal much more than they did when Superman found their communication device, but add one interesting new caveat – that they want the heroes to live to see them conquer the Earth and that they are agents of vengeance. The robed figure is able to break the summoning, but Doctor Occult jumps through the portal after them.

Mister Terrific realizes that Inferno’s goal with this attack is to take control of the Green, the elemental energy that is present in all plant life. This leads him to dispatch Air-Wave and Aquaman to Lousiana to get the avatar of the Green, Swamp Thing, to help. However, that proves to be a terrible mistake, as Swamp Thing bursts into flames!

Targeting Swamp Thing Shows How Powerful Inferno Is

Inferno’s first attack involved using powerful technology to try and take control of an iridium supply. Their next attack involved using powerful magical items to try to take control of a magical force – the Green. These two attacks are both quite different and show just how much of a threat that Inferno is. Most of the time, the worlds of magic and technology don’t interact, so Inferno using both is quite rare.

Their latest attack also proves just how powerful they are. Swamp Thing is something of a niche character, but one thing that can’t be denied is how powerful he is. While the current Swamp Thing isn’t the classic Alec Holland but new guy Levi Kamei, he’s still completely in control of the Green. Inferno targeting him makes a lot of sense, and the fact that they can they’re able to attack him without even being near him shows just what kind of powerful magic they’re working with. Justice League Unlimited is developing Inferno into the scariest force in the DC Multiverse; if they’re able to destroy Swamp Thing, they are a threat that even the Justice League might not be able to stop.

Justice League Unlimited #3 is available wherever comic books are sold.

The post One of DC’s Most Powerful Heroes Just Met a Fiery Fate appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Wheel of Time Season 3 is only weeks away now, and Amazon MGM Studios just gave us our first look at some new cast members, locations, and other important glimpses of what’s ahead. The fantasy series already has a sprawling ensemble — just like the books it is based on — and so far we’ve had 10 new cast members announced for Season 3. We get to see most of them in these first-look photos published today, along with some exciting hints about where our existing heroes are headed. We may even be getting some fan-favorite scenes that were left out of previous seasons, appearing here out of order from the books.

The Wheel of Time has an uphill battle — adapting a 15-book series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, with only eight episodes per season and some heavy setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic when it began. Fans have their issues with various aspects of the show, but most agree that the casting and performances have been excellent. That bodes well for Season 3 and all the new faces in these photos. Read on for first looks and a bit about what we’re seeing in each one.

Aiel

First up, we have Rand (Josha Stradowski), Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) and Lan (Daniel Henney) in the Aiel Waste, accompanied by some of our new characters — the Wise Ones Bair (Nukâka Coster-Waldau) and Melaine (Salóme Gunnarsdóttir), along with their clan chief Rhuarc (Björn Landberg). It will be exciting to venture deeper into the waste and spend more time immersed in Aiel culture. They’ve already proven themselves to be some of the most exciting characters in the show, and seeing the spears bristling from their backs never gets old.

[RELATED: The Wheel of Time’s Ceara Coveney on Elayne’s Meeting With Rand]

Elaida

We also have our first glimpse of Shohreh Aghdashloo as Elaida a’Roihan, a casting choice that fans were pulling for on social media long before it became official. Beside her is Olivia Williams as Queen Morgase Trakand decked out in her royal finery. These two are experts at projecting power in other series like The Expanse and Dune: Prophecy, so they are definitely up to he job they have here.

There are other new cast members not featured in these photos, but we’ve seen some of them in the Season 3 trailer. That includes Callum Kerr as Galad Trakand and Isabella Bucceri as Faiel Bashere, though we only got quick glimpses of them.

Accepted

Next up is a striking shot of Elayne (Ceara Coveney), Egwene (Madeleine Madden), and Nynaeve (Zoë Robins) side-by-side on horseback that will have fans very excited. The trailer gave us a hint about what might be next for these three back at the White Tower, but it’s nice to see them in the outside world as well. Their elaborate garb also indicates that they may be learning to project authority like true Aes Sedai, and their color choices are worth considering as well.

Elayne and Aviendha

Another shot that will raise some eyebrows shows Elayne sharing a drink with Aviendha (Ayoola Smart), and they both seem to be sizing each other up. These two have a lot going on between them in this series, yet the books don’t let them spend too much time together — especially this early on. Seeing them here could set some things up for the future.

Training

This photo may be showing a scene that was sorely missed in Season 1 and Season 2 — Lan training Rand to become a swordmaster. These two should have formed a bond as master and pupil early on, and their practice on a northern towertop was particularly iconic in the books. This sweeping vista might be enough to take its place, and it’s nice to see them using the elaborate stances and forms described in Jordan’s writing.

Moiraine

Moiraine has a hard road ahead of her, and this picture sums up how she will face it. We saw her weaving the One Power around this same orb in the trailer, so it’s clearly an important part of the story ahead.

Mat

As always, Mat Cauthon (Dónal Finn) is here to undercut the drama and provide some levity. This shot of him in flamboyant garb alongside Nynaeve and Min (Kae Alexander) seems to promise some time in town, if nothing else. However, shady figures offering cloth-wrapped bundles are usually a bad sign for Mat.

Siuan Sanche

Siuan Sanche (Sophie Okonedo), the Amerlin Seat herself should theoretically have the greatest command of the One Power of all the Aes Sedai, and this image might prove it. She should play a bigger and bigger part in the story from here on out, which will delight many fans of her and Moiraine.

Lanfear

The Wheel of Time‘s best villain is back with a new haircut and the same devious smile. Lanfear features heavily in the Season 3 trailer, so it’s hard to guess where she is or what she’s up to in this picture. Judging by the commentary online, some fans will be working extra hard to piece her story together.

Old Friends

Finally, fans will be delighted to see this simple photo of Rand, Perrin (Marcus Rutherford) and Mat together in a casual, non-apocalyptic setting. This series is often promoted as more bright and hopeful than contemporary fantasy series like Game of Thrones, so it’s nice to see that the lighthearted moments aren’t over for good.

The Wheel of Time Season 3 premieres on March 13th, 2025 on Prime Video. The previous two seasons are streaming there now. The complete novel series is available now in print, digital and audiobook formats.

The post The Wheel of Time Photos Reveal First Look at New Characters (And Important Changes to Others) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Punisher has had many memorable moments in movies and television, including three unforgettable standouts. Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher, is well-known as one of Marvel’s most uncompromising antiheroes, with his predilection for killing and engaging in far more brutal methods than any Marvel superhero indulges in. Frank Castle has been played in live-action by Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane, Ray Stevenson, and Jon Bernthal, each of whom has brought a unique interpretation to the character.

With three movies, a solo streaming series, and two crossover appearances with Daredevil on his two streaming shows, the Punisher has made an unforgettable mark on comic book movies and TV. Here are the Punisher’s three greatest moments in movies and TV.

Frank Castle vs. The Russian – The Punisher

The most memorable scene of Jonathan Hensleigh’s 2004 actioner The Punisher is the movie’s wildly brutal yet darkly hilarious fight scene between Thomas Jane’s Frank Castle and the hired hitman known as The Russian (pro-wrestler Kevin Nash.) Taking place in Frank’s Tampa apartment after a pleasant dinner with his new neighbors, Frank is tossed and pummeled around the apartment by the hulking assassin, even narrowly avoiding a hand grenade explosion that the whole building feels.

Set to “La Donna e Mobile”, the fight scene was described during production as “the horrific clown show”, which perfectly captures the fight scene’s blend of humor and brute force. It also didn’t come without some real pain for the actors, with Kevin Nash accidentally being stabbed for real in the fight. In the end, Frank triumphs over his massive adversary, and his fight scene with the Russian continues to stand as one of The Punisher’s best movie moments.

Opening Action Scene – Punisher: War Zone

2008’s Punisher: War Zone saw the late Ray Stevenson take over as Frank Castle in Lexi Alexander’s reboot, and Frank’s new mission kicks off with an blood-splattering start in his raid of a meeting on a criminal compound. Frank enters the meeting like a slasher movie villain, killing the lights and activating a flair to make the presence of the Punisher known before going to work. And, by Punisher standards, going to work involves a lot of knife slashing, limb snapping, neck breaking, and opening fire on the mob while swinging upside down from a chandelier, all in the most over-the-top fashion imaginable.

Punisher: War Zone sadly bombed in theaters upon its release in 2008’s holiday season, but it has since built up a comic book movie cult following, with even comedian Patton Oswalt among its fanbase. Lexi Alexander has spoken many times of striving to bring the cartoonish, absurd levels of gore in the Punisher comics to life in live-action, and few could argue that Punisher: War Zone doesn’t succeed thoroughly in that endeavor. Between the movie’s financial failure and Ray Stevenson’s passing in 2023, Punisher: War Zone was sadly the one and only time he got to show what he could do as the Punisher. Nonetheless, the Marvel cult classic showed he not only captured the essence of Frank Castle splendidly, but also snagged the best entrance of any live-action Punisher, by far.

RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Set Photo Reveals First Look at Jon Bernthal’s Punisher Return

Daredevil & Punisher’s Rooftop Showdown – Daredevil

For the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jon Bernthal became the newest incarnation of the Punisher, making his debut in Daredevil season 2, before being spun-off into The Punisher series. While Bernthal has given an all-around fantastic performance as Frank with many memorable moments and action scenes, his rooftop scene with Charlie Cox’s Daredevil in the season 2 episode “New York’s Finest” (S2E3) is his best. While it’s one of the quieter Punisher scenes in any big or small screen iteration, paradoxically, that’s what makes it so great, with the focus being on the differing crime-fighting ideologies of Frank Castle and Matt Murdock.

As Daredevil, Matt seeks to battle the criminals of Hell’s Kitchen with as much mercy as possible, in order to give them a chance “to try again.” However, Matt’s restraint is something that Frank sees as doing more harm than good, since it gives criminals like the ones who murdered his family a chance to prey on the defenseless again. As Frank puts it, “You hit them and they get back up! I hit them, and they stay down!” Daredevil season 2 devotes much of its story to Frank and Matt’s polar opposite methods, but their extended rooftop debate is the real heart of their relationship on the show, and forms a strong foundation for Daredevil and Punisher meeting again in Daredevil: Born Again. Even for all his great Punisher action scenes on Daredevil and in his own series, Jon Bernthal’s most shining moment as Frank Castle remains his rooftop verbal sparring match with The Man Without Fear.

Both seasons of Marvel’s The Punisher can be streamed on Disney+.

The post 3 Best Punisher Moments in Movies and the MCU appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Filmmaker Robert Eggers has found the next movie to follow up his smash hit Nosferatu. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Eggers is reuniting with Focus Features for Werwulf, and as the name suggests, it’s a werewolf project sticking to the horror and otherworldly themes Eggers has become known for. Werwulf has been slotted for a 2026 release on Christmas Day, which is the same day Nosferatu made its way to theaters and shot to second place at the box office. Early reports state Werwulf will be set in 13th century England and be made in color instead of black-and-white.

Focus Featuers, a division of Universal, has been behind all of Eggers’ projects, which include the aforementioned Nosferatu, The Northman, and The Witch and The Lighthouse, one of his earlier projects. Werwulf is co-written by Eggers and Sjón, who he teamed with on The Northman writing duties. Chris and Eleanor Columbus will executive produce.

[RELATED: Spongebob Squarepants Animation Recreates “Graveyard Shift” With Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu]

Nosferatu is a Dracula adaptation starring Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Willem Foe, Bill Skarsgard, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Some have labled Nosferatu the best Dracula adaptation of all time, which is a pretty lofty claim. Nevertheless, there will assuredly be interest in Werwulf after the success of Nosferatu. The latter netted over $40 million at the box office during its five-day opening the week of Christmas.

Eggers recently revealed how the final scene in Nosferatu between Count Orlok and Ellen Hutter was originally different from what made the final cut. When asked about the protagonists’ embrace at the end and whether it turned out to be a good conclusion to the story, Eggers said that this had always been the plan.

“Even as I was struggling to figure out the blocking of Orlok’s demise, that final shot was always going to be the final shot,” Eggers told Variety. “It’s nice to have our own version of the ‘Death and the Maiden’ motif. I think it looks pretty nice.”

However, there was more to the scene than what was shown in the final film, something that Eggers said initially was “too demented,” before elaborating that things were far more bloody for Orlok.

“Well, if you look very closely at that shot, Orlok is still bleeding out of his eyes, ears and nose,” he said. “There are some maggot holes in his back. We also rigged it so that he would be bleeding out of his anus, but it was very comical. When we started rolling, we had to literally put a cork in it.”

Nosferatu is available on digital and arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on February 18th.

The post Robert Eggers’ Next Movie Revealed (and Its the Perfect Nosferatu Follow-Up) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

This week, Mortal Kombat 1 added Conan the Barbarian, the penultimate fighter in the Khaos Reigns DLC. Following the addition of Conan, players can still expect to see T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgement Day. However, it seems director and Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon might be hinting at more things to come. In a thread on X/Twitter, Boon talked about the performance of Mortal Kombat 1, which has now sold more than 5 million copies, and is “still in the top 15 most played Playstation 5 games.” In one of the final posts of the thread, Boon noted that “with Conan getting into player’s hands, we are excited to keep trucking forward with future DLC.”

It should be noted that the post with that language contained a clip from a Fatality, in which T-1000 runs over Johnny Cage with a truck. That moment is a direct reference to Terminator 2, and the use of “trucking” is clearly a pun. However, fans have been trying to decipher Boon’s overall meaning. Boon’s post has gotten a lot of responses, with many asking if he’s strictly speaking about T-1000 when he says “future DLC,” or about additional characters. Previous rumors had indicated that additional DLC was planned for Mortal Kombat 1, but that NetherRealm had cancelled the DLC due to lower than expected sales for Khaos Reigns. Now it sounds like those rumors might not have been accurate.

While fans immediately pressed Boon for more details, the director did not elaborate on his previous comments, leaving fans to wonder if T-1000 will be the last fighter in Mortal Kombat 1, or if we can expect to see more. In the replies, players shared the fighters they would still like to see added to the game, including Jade and Sonya Blade. While past favorites from the Mortal Kombat series are a strong possibility, we could also end up seeing more guest fighters. There are plenty of strong candidates that would work in the world of Mortal Kombat, including characters from past games, and those that have never appeared before.

RELATED: Mortal Kombat 2 Movie Gets the Violent Rating Fans Were Hoping For

For the time being, fans should take this with a grain of salt. There’s simply no way of telling what Boon meant by his comment, and unless he decides to elaborate, all we can do is guess whether T-1000 will be the only “future DLC.” If this truly is the end, the villain should make for a great way to end things, and all of the teases we’ve gotten so far look really impressive. Fans can’t be blamed for wanting more content, but it is possible NetherRealm has shifted focus to the next game in the series.

Do you want to see more DLC for Mortal Kombat 1? What fighters would you like to see next? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

The post Mortal Kombat 1 Director Hints at “Future DLC” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Superman, by Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora, has been one of the most intriguing books in DC’s All-In publishing initiative. Lois Lane becoming Superwoman has only been the beginning, with the Time Trapper’s return revealing him to be Superman’s most feared foe: Doomsday. This new Time Trapper has a simple request – for Superman to kill him so he can become god. Williamson somehow came up with the perfect way to up the stakes of the current story – by bringing in the present day version of Doomsday, giving the Man of Steel and his now superpowered wife more than they bargained for.

All of this leads to Superman #22, where a familiar face returns to Metropolis to take possession of Doomsday. Of course, they don’t ask in the nicest way and their arrogance leads to battle, one that sees them try to take Doomsday from SuperCorp. This leads to something that fans never thought they’d see – a team-up of epic proportions.

The Return of Radiant Leads To Some Strange Bedfellows

Superman’s neverending war against Doomsday has taken him many places, and Superman #22 references one of those worlds – Calaton. Calaton was the target of the monster in The Death of Superman sequel Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey. Superman was unable to stop Doomsday’s rampage on that world, and the people of Calaton suffered greatly. While there, Superman met the hero of Calaton – Radiant.

Radiant’s failure to stop Doomsday’s rampage in the past plays into his return in the present. Radiant has a simple ultimatum for Superman – to give up Doomsday and let his army deal with the beast. Superman warns him that nothing they can do will hurt Doomsday, while demanding answers about what they were going to do with Doomsday. Radiant avoids revealing exactly why he wants Doomsday while threatening the people of Metropolis, telling Superman that the city will never survive a battle between his forces and the Couple of Steel. This is too much for Superman, who is dealing with his anger problems in recent issues, and begins the battle.

Related: The Best Modern Superman Comics, Ranked

Radiant’s forces make a beeline for SuperCorp, where the amnesiac Lex Luthor, his genius daughter Lena, CEO of SuperCorp Mercy, and Supergirl are trying to figure out how to deal with Doomsday before Radiant can abscond with the monster. When Lena says that her father would have some way of dealing with Doomsday, it sparks something in his memory and he asks for them to move Doomsday’s containment unit. Unfortunately, Radiant gets there at that moment.

Supergirl is unable to stop the alien warrior, but Superman swoops in to save the day. However, Radiant plays his most desperate card, freeing Doomsday. This causes Superman’s Red levels – the way SuperCorp measures the energy his anger produces – to skyrocket and leads to a sight no Superman fan ever thought they’d see: Superman and Doomsday fighting side-by-side against Radiant’s forces. It’s an epic moment in DC history, perfectly captured in an amazing double page spread from Mora and colorist Alejandro Sanchez.

Superman & Doomsday Teaming Up Seems To Be Just the Beginning for This Titanic New Story

Williamson has been firing on all cylinders since launching Superman in 2023 and this newest story is yet another example of why he’s an amazing Superman writer. Bringing back the Time Trapper and making him the Doomsday of the future is a perfect twist, and Superman #22 builds on that. The return of the monstrous present day Doomsday was always going to have major repercussions and bringing back characters like Radiant is the perfect way to remind readers that Doomsday is more than just a Superman enemy, but one who has caused chaos throughout the universe.

Superman and Doomsday teaming up is one of the biggest moments in the history of the two characters. However, judging from the direction this issue takes the story, it’s only the beginning. As the two former enemies fight side by side, Radiant attacks Jimmy Olsen and Superwoman is given a terrible choice by the Time Trapper – save Jimmy by killing Doomsday and make the Time Trapper into a god or allow the fight to go on without the Time Trapper’s help, leading to the probable death of Jimmy. Williamson keeps finding ways to make this tale fresh, and playing on the often pragmatic Lois’s morals is brilliant. Superhero comics are built on nostalgia, but Superman is showing that it’s possible to give fans something new.

Superman #22 is on sale anywhere comics are sold.

The post DC Just Delivered a Superman Team-Up Fans Never Thought Would Happen appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Director Takashi Miike‘s horror movie Audition is highly regarded among genre fans and often lands on best Japanese horror movie lists, and for good reason. Thanks to Peacock, more audiences can revisit the cult classic or experience the movie for the first time now that Audition has been added to the streamer. Based on the Japanese book by Ryu Murakami, Audition follows widower Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), whose producer friend comes up with an idea to audition women for a lead role in a film, except there is no film. The women are being brought in under false pretenses as Shigeharu’s friend is running the scam to help Shigeharu find a new wife. Eventually, Shigeharu meets Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina), and the two develop feelings for each other. Everything takes a turn when the truth about Asami and her past comes to light, leading to shocking violence.

For anyone who has never seen Audition, the movie is most satisfying when you go in blind without looking up any further details about its plot or twists. What we can tease is the surprising way the story establishes its characters through a dramatic and sometimes comedic plot that builds up a mystery before suddenly diving into the deep end of grotesque horror.

The 1999 horror drama, which celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2024, is not for the squeamish. The first theatrical screenings for Audition came with reports of audience members allegedly fainting, walking out, and some calling Miike “sick” (via Arrow Video). Naturally, the response piqued the interest of viewers wanting to witness the brutality for themselves, and the curiosity spread.

[RELATED – Peacock Cancels Horror Series After Just One Season]

Audition is the perfect example of a successful slow build that cleverly draws you into an unforgettable, jarring finale. While some audiences balked at the extreme violence, many critics and fans over the years have discussed at length why the movie is so impactful and special to the genre. Despite some of the first reactions to the film, Audition won the out-of-competition FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Prize at the 2000 International Rotterdam Film Festival and left other festival attendees excited about Miike as a new talent to watch. Fantastic Fest honored the filmmaker nearly 20 years later in 2019, where he received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Miike began filmmaking in 1991, but Audition helped launch his international career. He has made over 100 films and maintains a loyal cult following. Miike’s other well-known movies include Ichi the Killer (2001), Gozu (2003), One Missed Call (2003), the Dead or Alive trilogy, and 13 Assassins (2010).

Audition is also available to stream on Shudder, Tubi, and Screambox.

The post Shocking Japanese Horror Movie Is Available to Stream (But It’s Extreme) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel is weaving the next multiversal crossover event. After 2022’s End of the Spider-Verse and 2024’s Venomverse Reborn, it’s Spiders versus Symbiotes in Spider-Verse vs. Venomverse. The multiverse-spanning series — from writers Mat Groom (Ultraman X The Avengers) and Kyle Higgins (Winter Soldier) with art by Luciano Vecchio (Venom War: Venomous) — adds to the ever-expanding Spider-Verse and the Venomverse as the Spider-Characters tasked with protecting the Web of Life and Destiny and the Lethal Protectors of the Symbiote Hive-Mind collide to decide the fates of both ‘verses.

The arachnid war will begin with two one-shots. First, in March, Web of Spider-Verse: New Blood #1 will introduce Spider-Prowler, a new Spider-Hulk, and the vampiric Count Parker in stories from writers Groom, Greg Pak (Sam Wilson: Captain America), Chris Eliopoulos (Power Pack), Jordan Morris (Youth Group), and artists Sumit Kumar (Spider-Man: Black Suit & Blood), Alan Robinson (Spider-Man Unlimited Infinity Comic), and Eliopoulos and Vecchio.

RELATED: Who Is the All-New Venom Host? Marvel Teases the Four Suspects

April’s Web of Venomverse: Fresh Brains #1 features a new Eddie Brock Venom (whose 616 counterpart will debut as Carnage in Eddie Brock: Carnage in February), Venomouse, and a venomized Katie Power of Power Pack. That one-shot is from Groom, Eliopoulos, Erica Schultz (Daredevil: Woman Without Fear), and Marvel’s Ant-Man actor and Count Crowley writer David Dastmalchian, with art by Vecchio, Eliopoulos, Chris Allen (Black Panther), Dylan Burnett (X-Force), and Juan José Ryp (Venom War: Zombiotes).

In May, Spider-Verse vs. Venomverse #1 will kick off the five-issue limited series spinning out of Web of Spider-Verse and Web of Venomverse. Readers can expect to see Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and Spider-Ham (Peter Porker) alongside Weapon VIII (introduced in 2024’s Edge of Spider-Verse #1), Agent Venom, and many more.

“When Dan Slott and Olivier Copiel launched the Spider-Verse in 2014, it transformed the Spider-Man mythos and completely took over the world,” Groom said of the event that inspired everything from 2017’s Venomverse and 2018’s Spider-Geddon to the animated Spider-Verse movies. “Since then, creators like Donny Cates, Al Ewing, and Ram V have transformed the Venom mythos in a way that is arguably just as vital and transformative.”

Groom continued, “Crashing these worlds together is a genuine honor and a privilege— and it gives us an opportunity to push both sides to the breaking point, so we can all discover whether the Spider and Symbiote communities hold strong against the oncoming storm… or if they crack under the pressure!”

Vecchio, who has penciled issues of Edge of Spider-Verse, Black Widow: Venomous, and the Slott-penned Spider-Man, also serves as the character designer on the two lead-in titles. “Luciano’s superpower is building complex tapestries of intertwined characters and worlds… And I love that readers will get an early taste of that in New Blood and Fresh Brains,” Groom said.

Web of Spider-Verse: New Blood #1

The war of the Multiverse begins in WEB OF SPIDER-VERSE: NEW BLOOD #1. Spider-Man and his spider-compatriots across the Spider-Verse are the guardians of the Web of Life and Destiny… but they are heading for a confrontation with the OTHER Arachnid-Multiverse of the symbiote variety when they come into conflict with the VENOMVERSE!

In the buildup to that 8-fisted confrontation, meet three new Spider-Versers to see who has what it takes to fight in the web wars! Could it be Count Parker? Spider-Prowler? Or maybe Spider-Hulk? 

On sale: March 5

Web of Venomverse: Fresh Brains #1

In WEB OF VENOMVERSE: FRESH BRAINS #1, the Venomverse is upon us! The existence of Venom and symbiotes across the entire Venomverse will be at stake as they go head-to-head with their Spidery counterparts to defend the Symbiote Hive-Mind from the SPIDER-VERSE! As an eight-legged fight creeps to the surface, meet the three new symbiotes who could put the Spiders at the edge of their webs!

Which of them has what it takes? Could it be the devious Venomouse? The disorderly Katie Power? Or a whole new Eddie Brock?

On sale: April 2

Spider-Verse vs. Venomverse #1 (of 5)

The arachnid war is here! With the fates of the SPIDER-VERSE and VENOMVERSE hanging in the balance, these eight-legged warriors will stop at nothing from protecting their people – or die trying! Will Spider-Man and friends succeed in protecting the Web-Heart? Or will Venom and his symbiotic comrades prove that the Hive-Mind fights for its survival? Meet the newest Web-Head Spider-Prowler as well as the mysterious symbiote Yaleo as this savage battle risks their extinction!

On sale: May 14

The post Marvel’s Spider-Verse vs. Venomverse Event Reveals New Spider-Man and Venom Variants appeared first on ComicBook.com.