Monday Night Raw has been the Judgement Day’s home base for a while now, but the group has had a rough go of it lately. Dominik Mysterio hasn’t defended his Intercontinental Championship due to an unknown injury, and Liv Morgan experienced an injury to her shoulder that will have her out of action for a considerable amount of time. That raised the question of what would happen to her and Raquel Rodriguez regarding their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, and tonight, Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis finally revealed their answer, which Morgan is going to absolutely hate.

The night started off wonderfully for Judgement Day, as Finn Balor and JD McDonagh successfully took down New Day’s Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods to become the new WWE World Tag Team Champions. That now means that just about the entire group is holding Title gold, but the biggest question was whether that would continue to be the case since Morgan is out of action with an injury.

After their win, Balor and McDonagh went to Pearce and Aldis backstage, and Balor offered up a compelling idea to the General Managers that Roxanne Perez should step in for Morgan and represent the Women’s Tag Team Champions until she returns. Pearce and Aldis discussed it briefly and decided that was fine, but with one stipulation.

That one stipulation was that Perez and Rodriguez would have to prove they could be worthy Tag Team Champions, and so the General Managers revealed that the new Champ duo would have to face a top Tag Team from Raw, SmackDown, and NXT at Evolution. While the other teams have yet to be revealed, what is official is that Perez is now part of the Women’s Tag Team Champions with Rodriguez, and they will defend those Titles in a Fatal 4-Way when Evolution rolls around.

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The New Judgement Day

The Champion news was big, but that wasn’t the only development regarding Raw’s biggest faction. After Pearce and Aldis made the Champion status official, Perez joined the rest of the group backstage in their locker room, and she was wearing her Title proudly around her waist. That’s when Rodriguez came into the room and saw the Title, prompting her to raise concern that they were replacing Liv so quickly.

Balor looked to calm her unease, saying they weren’t replacing her but were instead just trying to keep the Title with Rodriguez until Liv returned. Then Balor went one step further, saying they should take a vote on Perez officially becoming a member of Judgement Day. Balor said everyone knew where he stood and it was a yes, and then after a moment of hesitation, McDonagh voted yes so that the group could stay on top of WWE.

Then it was Mysterio’s turn, and he paused for a minute and then said he needed to talk to Liv, but Balor told him to make his own decision. Mysterio then gave a cautious yes, and that left it to Rodriguez, who also hesitated at first but then agreed, telling Perez she needs to live up to her part of the deal. Now Perez is officially part of the Judgement Day, and combined with her new role as Tag Team Champ, you just know this is all going to go down terribly with Morgan when she comes back.

What do you think of Perez becoming the new Women’s Tag Team Champion and joining Judgement Day? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

The post WWE Makes Decision on Liv Morgan’s Championship (And She’s Going To Hate It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The fact that Smallville ran for ten seasons across two networks, the WB and the CW, is a formidable accomplishment that a relatively small number of television shows can say they achieved. Creators Al Gough and Miles Millar chronicled a young Clark Kent’s (Tom Welling) journey from a teenager to Superman over the course of over 200 episodes. For the first half of the series, we’d typically tune into Smallville to watch Clark defeat the latest “freak of the week” — usually a fellow teen that developed powers from exposure to Kryptonite from the meteor shower that brought Clark to Earth. According to Smallville, Kryptonite doesn’t just weaken Clark Kent, it causes a whole host of mutations in regular humans too.

While there were some guest-star “meteor freaks” that shaped the course of the show and were so popular that they were brought back for more episodes, they all can’t be winners. Smallville was a traditional network series for the time with 22-episode seasons, and sometimes, the writers’ creative strain from the sheer volume of episodes showed. This was never more clear than a slew of “meteor freaks” that were one-dimensional, forgettable, or just plain weird. As Clark and the series evolved, Smallville transitioned away from meteor-infected teens and instead opted to incorporate more lore from the Superman mythology. Ultimately, it was the right move, but for old time’s sake, here are the five worst “meteor freaks” on Smallville:

Honorable Mention: Sasha Woodman

Appearing in the Season 1 episode “Drone”, Sasha Woodman (Shonda Farr) was a tightly wound, overachieving student at Smallville High. She miraculously survived over 1000 bee stings as a child, thanks to a hive of meteor-infected Africanized honey bees. As a result, Sasha gained the ability to control bees as if she were their hive’s queen. When her Student Body President campaign goes south, Sasha commanded the bees to attack her competitors, along with Martha Kent (Annette O’Toole) in an attempt to win the position. Yet when Clark confronted her, Sasha lost her control over the bees and they stung her so badly she ended up in a coma.

While we get we get what the writers were trying to do with making Sasha an unlikely “Queen Bee,” her character was thin and her bee-wielding ability lost its punch quickly. After Clark defeated Sasha, she was taken to recover at the fictional DC asylum Bell Reeve. However, unlike most mediocre “meteor freaks,” Smallville actually brought Sasha back in Season 7. In the episode “Cure”, Sasha returned to Smallville, claiming to be cured and discharged from the facility by Dr. Curtis Knox (Dean Cain). However, Knox only did so to murder her and harvest her organs in an attempt to revive his dead wife. Although Sasha was one of the few “meteor freaks” to be given meaningful narrative closure on Smallville, it sure was a real bummer.

RELATED: 7 Smallville Episodes You Can Skip When Watching the Superman Series

5) Seth Nelson

Smallville had many questionable brushes with consent over the course of the series, but the Season 3 episode “Magnetic” is one of its most egregious and laziest. Whereas the Season 2 episode “Heat” had a meteor freak who could manipulate people’s pheromones and facilitated Clark discovering his heat vision, in “Magnetic,” Seth Nelson (Kevin Zegers) gets the ability to control magnetic fields after someone clocked him in the head with a Kryptonite snow globe. Once Seth realized his newfound abilities, he used his powers to manipulate the electromagnetic field in Lana Lang’s (Kristin Kreuk) brain to make her like him and do crimes together. After a climatic confrontation with Clark, Seth fell into a coma and presumably remained as a vegetable at the Smallville Medical Center.

Not only does Seth fall into the problematic trope of “creepy Smallville characters obsessed with Lana,” he turns out to be a much more snotty, lame version of Marvel’s Magneto. Naturally, when creating a character with the ability to control magnetic fields Magneto’s proverbial shoes are near impossible to fill. While Smallville found fresh ways around other common superpowers with compelling characters like the shapeshifting Tina Greer, mind-reading Ryan James, and teleporting Alicia Baker, we the audience weren’t exactly devastated that we never heard from Seth again.

4) Jodi Melville

Largely considered to be one of Smallville‘s worst episodes, “Craving” in Season 1 stars a young Amy Adams before she skyrocketed to fame. Adams played Jodi Melville, a sweet, plus-size teen who puts Kryptonite-infected vegetables in her weight loss shakes. The result? Jodi slims down miraculously fast…and becomes a fat-eating vampire. She’s also not even the only Krypto-powered vampire on this list either.

It’s clear that Smallville was trying to do their own version of an after school special about eating disorders. And though we appreciate the attempt, “Craving” goes down in the show’s history as an uncomfortable reflection of early 00s diet culture. Though most “meteor freaks” found themselves in Bell Reeve or in a coma after Clark confronted them, Jodi seeing her own reflection and the monster she became causes her to stop herself from potentially killing Clark in a greenhouse full of Kryptonite. Points for that.

RELATED: 10 Smallville Episodes Featuring Stars Before They Were Famous

3) Brendan Nash

File Brendan Nash (Steven Grayhm) from the episode “Forever” under the “just plain weird” sub-sect of “meteor freaks” on Smallville. While the writers neglected to inform us exactly how he got the ability to freeze people into wax statues with his touch, the fact his power backfires when Brendan tries to use it on Clark has us feeling safe to assume it’s Kryptonite-related. The photographer for the Smallville High paper, Brendan threatened his father with his bizarre ability and forced to build him a replica of Smallville High after Brendan didn’t get into any colleges.

Petrified of life after graduation, Brendan began kidnapping students — Lana and Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) included — to pretend high school would never end. Clark and Lois Lane (Erica Durance) track Brendan down and liberate their friends before he can cause them any significant harm. Their classmate Hayley Timmonds (Fiona Scott)? She wasn’t so lucky. Brendan froze her into a wax statue and then decapitated her.

Again, Brendan’s character felt like another ill begotten attempt by the Smallville writers to relate to their teenage viewers. Though the ability to turn people into wax figures a la Medusa is certainly imaginative, the low production value of the statues made the overall effect come off as odd and campy rather than chilling.

2) Evan

Another famously panned episode that preceded the waxy madness with Brendan in “Forever,” we met Evan (Jeffrey Ballard) in the Season 4 episode “Ageless.” He seems to be one of only second-generation “meteor freaks” on Smallville. Clark and Lana find an abandoned baby Evan alone in a field after his mother, Karen Gallagher (Pascale Hutton) died giving birth to him with bang. Literally. Clark and Lana discover baby Evan in a crater caused by the blast.

When Evan begins aging rapidly in a matter of days, Clark deduces that Karen must have been Kryptonite-infected and passed her uncontrollable energetic powers onto Evan. After being examined by Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) and his always on-call team of scientists, they deduce that Evan will soon die and much like his mother, will emit a deadly blast when he goes. Clark and Lana, who became Evan’s de facto parents in a matter of about 72 hours, do everything they can to comfort Evan before he ultimately perishes. Clark shields the town from the worst of the blast with his super invulnerability when the time comes.

There’s several problems with Evan, and “Ageless” in general. Firstly, given that Clark and Lana are supposed to be high school seniors in Season 4, therefore likely no older than 18, it’s strange to watch them play pseudo-teen parents. Karen and Evan’s fate also reeks of the Smallville writers not-so-subtly trying to warn its young audience about the hazards of teen pregnancy in the most wild and hyperbolic way possible. Next, like with other “meteor freaks” on this list, Smallville already did the “rapidly aging child” trope better in a previous episode, Season 2’s “Accelerate.” While “Accelerate” masterfully blended elements of horror into the action adventure series, the tone Smallville took with Evan and “Ageless” felt disjointed and bordered on super-powered melodrama.

1) Buffy Sanders

“Thirst”, which stars Buffy Sanders (Brooke Nevin), is Smallville‘s lowest-rated episode, so much so that creators later apologized for its entire existence on its DVD commentary. Buffy, whose name is an insult to her vampire slayer namesake, is the head of a sorority that Lana reluctantly pledges in Season 5 in a last-minute effort to find housing at Metropolis University. When she’s initiated into the sorority, it’s revealed that Tri-Psi is actually a coven of vampires led by Buffy.

When Lana becomes one of them, her entire personality, not to mention her diet, changes. Understandably freaked, Clark and Chloe do some digging to reveal that Buffy was bit by Kryptonite-infected bats, whose saliva endowed the co-ed with enhanced abilities as well as the stereotypical qualities of a vampire. Lana killed Buffy when she and the Tri-Psi sisters tried to feed on Clark with a blast of heat vision. You know, as you do. Thankfully, Lex helped develop an antidote to cure Lana and the other girls of their vampiric affliction.

Buffy wasn’t the first vapid, randy sorority girl (shoutout to the girls who tried to seduce Clark on his college tour in “Recruit”) on the show, but she’s definitely the most memorable. The entire episode plays like some Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Girls Gone Wild fever dream, taking the worst tropes from each and mashing them together, jumping the shark on a series about an alien with superpowers fueled by the sun. While Lana is nearly constantly objectified over the eight seasons she was on the show, it reaches a cringey peak here. Once Lana becomes a vampire, she dresses almost exclusively in low cut, skin tight leather and is way more forward than she’s ever been. Nevin does her best to play into the camp of Buffy’s character, but the suffocating male gaze and unimaginative writing didn’t give her much to work with. At least Smallville has recognized and at least tried to atone for their sins with this one.

The post The 5 Worst Meteor Freaks on Smallville appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After an eventful Night of Champions, WWE didn’t let up on the gas pedal for Monday Night Raw, as it set things in motion for big storylines and the upcoming events of Evolution and Saturday Night’s Main Event. WWE also shook up its Championship roster, as two new Champions were crowned early in the night, and this development will have a major impact on one of the company’s biggest factions and could also play a part in bringing another fan favorite faction back to reality.

The first Championship match of the evening was for the World Tag Team Championships, as New Day’s Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston defended their Titles against The Judgement Day’s Finn Balor and JD McDonagh. New Day was extremely confident coming into the match, and Balor and McDonagh were equally focused and intense, and that couldn’t help but play a role in the match’s critical moments.

While New Day is the more experienced team, they seemed off their game at critical moments, including when Woods almost got pinned, though Kingston saved the match at the final second. Then Kingston went for a move but came down awkwardly when he landed on the floor, and Balor capitalized, hitting Kingston with a Sling Blade.

That took Kingston out of commission for a bit, and it was long enough for Balor to hit the Coup De Grace on Woods, ending New Day’s reign and giving Judgement Day event more Championship gold. Balor and McDonagh are now the new WWE World Tag Team Champions, which means that just about everything is going according to Finn Balor’s plan.

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A New Era for Judgement Day

Balor has been scheming quite a bit behind the scenes, and it appears to be working. After Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley left the group, Balor had been losing more and more control as Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and Dominik Mysterio gained more power and a stronger foothold on the card thanks to their various Championships. That was never going to sit well with Balor, and he’s been slowly but surely working on gaining some of that power back.

That included bringing in Roxanne Perez to help the group, though she seems to fully be on Balor’s side in things, and her presence has helped sow more discord between not only Dominik and Liv but also Raquel and Liv. In recent weeks, we’ve seen that Roxanne has actually managed to endear herself to Rodriguez, which is certainly going to play a role in things when Morgan comes back from injury.

Now, Balor and McDonagh are Champions, and while Mysterio is as well, if he were to lose that Title, he would certainly be pushed down the power ladder as a result. This could ultimately lead to a Judgement Day civil war, if you will, possibly even splitting the group or breaking it up completely, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

What have you thought of Monday Night Raw, and what do you want to see happen with the Judgement Day? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

The post New WWE World Champions Crowned on Raw appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Stargate Atlantis was an amazing sci-fi series that brought compelling characters to a whole new universe; literally. The series may have spun off of Stargate SG-1, but it’s safe to say Stargate Atlantis worked hard to make a story of its own, complete with a (mostly) new cast and new threats. Of note however, Stargate Atlantis had a shocking amount of character development, letting its characters change and evolve throughout five seasons. The story follows a group of intrepid explorers, consisting of scientists, linguists, and military professionals, who have willingly stepped through a Stargate to points unknown. As such, most characters knew that there was more than a good chance they’d never make it home.

Stargate Atlantis had a diverse group of characters right from the start; however, it’s the greyscale characters who toyed with being allies and enemies who sometimes stole the show, such as the rare named wraith characters. All said and done, this complex web of characters created many amazing adventures, and we’ll never forget the stories they told.

10) Aiden Ford

First Lieutenant Aiden Ford, portrayed by Rainbow Sun Francks, is part of the original cast of Stargate Atlantis. He’s a regular throughout Season 1, usually appearing alongside Sheppard and the rest of the team. He’s got sharp eyes and sometimes is known for making quick judgments, both the good and the bad. Unfortunately, Ford’s story takes a turn for the worse at the end of Season 2. It all begins when Atlatis is under attack from Wraiths, with darts in dangerous proximity, while the hive ships loom ever closer.

It could have spelled disaster for the city, and it very nearly ended Ford’s story. During the climactic season finale, Ford is attacked by a Wraith, who proceeds to feed upon him. At this point, a grenade knocked the two off the balcony and into the cold ocean. Ford survived, but only because of the Wraith still attached to him. Viewers all know what happened next, as Ford descended into paranoia and worse, becoming addicted to the Wraith enzyme. Since it also made him stronger, he was convinced this was a good thing, eventually fleeing the city to prevent them from treating him.

Ford appears a few more times in the series, but ultimately his tale peters out, seemingly without a proper conclusion. They had intended to address where he’d gone during Season 6, but obviously, the series never got that far. Instead, Ford’s conclusion is left to the books, literally.

9) John Sheppard

John Sheppard, portrayed by Joe Flanigan, is one of the lead protagonists of Stargate Atlantis. His story in the series begins before they even step through the Stargate, as a harrowing scene involving a rogue dart reveals John’s ancient gene. It’s a long story, but it made him essential to the Atlantis team. The very first expedition off base (Atlantis city) quickly turns into a disaster, as John is forced to make an impossible choice: providing mercy and killing his commanding officer in the process.

From here, John Sheppard has to step into more of a leadership role, not just for his expedition teams, but sometimes for the whole of Atlantis. He has to deal with the burden of command while dealing with outside forces, from the Wraith to the Genii and pretty much everything in between. However, several episode arcs expose John’s emotional core, not to mention his potential to ascend (with the help of a few Ancients). By the time the series concludes, everyone, including Stargate Command, recognizes that John was meant to lead the military side of the expedition.

8) Todd the Wraith

It may be surprising for some to see a Wraith make this list, but Todd (Christopher Heyerdahl) is one of the few named and recurring Wraith characters in the series. Todd is introduced during SGA Season 3 and he appears as one of John’s fellow prisoners, being held by Koyla of the Genii. At first, John assumed that Todd was a fellow human, but it didn’t take long for the truth to come out. Against all odds, the two worked together to escape the Genii, agreeing that the next time they met, they would once again be enemies.

Oddly enough, that wasn’t entirely the case. Todd would willingly approach the Atlantis crew, hoping they could work together to defeat a mutual enemy (the Replicators). Somehow, he even managed to get multiple hive ships to work alongside the humans against the Replicators. While viewers would never classify Todd as an ally to the Atlantis expedition, he’s likewise not an enemy. More like an uneasy ally who appears when the need is high.

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7) Elizabeth Weir

Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson) is the original leader of the Atlantis Expedition. Notably, she’s a civilian, proving that Stargate’s command didn’t want to have a military character in control (minus a couple of extenuating circumstances). Elizabeth Weir’s story is a bit long and complicated, as she faces impossible choices regarding the safety of Atlantis and the humans across the Pegasus Galaxy. While Stargate Command occasionally rakes her over the coals for these decisions, she stands strong. It quickly becomes clear why she was put in charge in the first place. From that first season, Elizabeth Weir learned how to feel stronger about her decisions, and while she listened to John’s counsel, she didn’t always agree with him (or allow him to do as he wished).

Thanks to the sci-fi foundation, Weir’s character went through some strange transitions, including an end that not all fans are thrilled about. She suffered serious injuries at the end of season three, with season four beginning with a desperate attempt to save her life. Rodney intentionally infects her with Replicator nanites, convinced he can control them. He’s not entirely right or wrong, though Weir with Replicator access does help to save the entirety of Atlantis, though it costs Weir her life in the process. A Replicator version of Weir appears later in the series, and fans have openly debated whether this counts as the same person/character or not.

6) Carson Beckett

Dr. Carson Beckett (Paul McGillion) is there from the first episode of Stargate Atlantis, acting as the leading doctor of the expedition crew. He’s a charming character that fans immediately grew to love, especially as he worked to keep the rest of the crew alive and healthy. While we can’t pretend that Beckett’s story had the happiest of endings, there’s no denying the character growth he went through.

At the beginning of the show, Beckett is portrayed as a compassionate but skittish character, hesitant to utilize his ancient gene to activate any of the equipment around him. That doesn’t stop him from creating a gene therapy treatment, giving other crew members the chance to obtain the ancient gene. Soon after, Beckett finds himself in an impossible situation, having helped develop the Hffan drug. This drug, once in humans, would kill any Wraith that tried to feed on them. The problem is that it also had a 50% kill rate for all human recipients. This is one of many ethical conundrums Beckett was forced to face while acting as the lead doctor. He would likewise be tasked with finding a “cure” to the Wraith condition, opening the door to further ethical and moral debates. Ultimately, Beckett’s story is cut far too short. A cloned version of him does make an appearance, adding to the complexity of his story, in an ironic sense.

5) Jennifer Keller

After the unfortunate passing of Dr. Beckett, Dr. Jennifer Keller (Jewel Staite) stepped into his role. She had joined the team in the previous season, but Beckett’s passing forced her to step up and take on a leading position, something she didn’t feel ready or qualified for. Throughout her time on Stargate Atlantis, Jennifer was forced to acknowledge her weaknesses and find new ways forward. First, it was when she and Teyla were left alone to face off against an unknown number of enemies. She had to overcome her fear (and pain) to get through that situation.

From there, Dr. Keller really grew into her role, taking bold risks as needed. She helps Rodney try to save Weir’s life and later promises that she won’t stop trying to find a cure for Beckett’s (the clone) illness. Even Ronon acknowledged how much she had grown during this time, explaining that while he had first seen her as soft, he could tell she was more of a fighter than he originally thought.

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4) Michael Kenmore (The Wraith)

For a brief time, Michael (Connor Trinneer) truly believed he was Lt. Michael Kenmore. However, strange things started to stack up, from the way Ronan looked at him with disgust to his lack of memories. He would eventually learn that he was a test subject, the first Wraith exposed to Beckett’s retrovirus. This was the start of a long and not-always-positive relationship between Michael and the Atlantis Expedition.

Michael became a recurring character, sometimes as an almost-ally and other times as not-quite a villain. In a way, Michael was trapped between two worlds, not human but also not acknowledged by the Wraith. He had to find a new way forward in his life, and that resulted in him trying to work with both the humans and the Wraiths, for different goals and reasons. Michael was not afraid to express how he felt betrayed by the humans, especially Teyla. As a result, he didn’t feel too bad about targeting her people for further experimentation. Ultimately, Michael’s character showcases the complex nature that only sci-fi can touch upon.

3) Richard Woolsey

On the surface, Richard Woosley (Robert Picardo) is just a suit, a bureaucratic cog in the machine. He appeared in both SGA and SG-1, and he often comes off as a bit stuffy. He’s the sort of character who got called in when Stargate Command bureaucracy had to be made apparent, so it was easy not to like him. Again, at first. One of his first appearances in SGA happens when he takes Weir to an IOA panel designed to evaluate her command.

Woosley would appear again, this time as the liaison between the humans and some Ancients, who were taking control of Atlantis. That didn’t go well, since Replicators quickly attacked. The whole experience helped Woosley to realize that the situations in the Pegasus Galaxy were far too complex for one Command center to judge from afar. This is where his character growth started to become more apparent. He would later withhold details on a report about Samantha Carter, knowing how the Command would interpret certain facts. This made the audience a lot less upset when he would later assume command of Atlantis. He was a surprisingly good leader who listened to what the team had to say.

2) Ronon Dex

Ronon Dex (Jason Mamoa) is one of two primary characters added to the Atlantis team after reaching the Pegasus Galaxy. Unlike Teyla, his introduction occurs in season two. Ronon’s character goes through a long journey, as his story begins with heavy losses. His people are gone, destroyed by the Wraith, and he was made to be a Runner, effectively a plaything for his enemy. While this put him in the position to meet the Atlantis crew, it was hardly a good situation.

Over the course of the following three seasons, Ronon Dex learned how to trust again. He would form bonds with the rest of the Atlantis team, even becoming involved in a bit of a love triangle at one point. While his past is always present, multiple episodes address it, bringing it to the forefront as a way of showing his character growth. For example, it was clear how much Ronon changed when compared to fellow Satedan survivors they found later.

1) Rodney McKay

One of the series biggest triumphs was taking a twerp from Stargate SG-1 and making him a beloved character to introducing new and compelling characters. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) was a character first introduced in SG-1, and his original character was more like Dr. Kavanagh (the rat) than not. In other words, he was as smug as he was smart, and that’s saying something. His time in the Pegasus Galaxy changed him, as he faced near-death experiences, fell in love, and overall became more self-aware.

Rodney’s character growth is showcased in several ways, from the careful way he courted Dr. Keller to his growing relationship with his sister. He also learned how to be more empathetic, and while he never quite reached a point of being humble, he got closer. He was even able to admit ways in which Carter was smarter than him. For McKay, that’s huge. At the end of the day, viewers came to love McKay’s character.

The post Stargate Atlantis Main Characters Ranked by Their Arcs appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Any show that proves successful is graced with increasingly impressive guest stars. Some use guest stars to attract extra viewers, perhaps even new viewers who will stick around. But It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia isn’t one of those shows. When it brings in a guest star it’s not one you expect, and far more often than not that guest is used exceedingly well. Those are the Sunny guests that follow. The qualification here was that they were in at most three episodes. Just missing the cut were Tom Sizemore, Cleo King, Dax Shepard, Jason Sudeikis, Nora Dunn, and Kerri Kenney.

Some guest appearances are better than others, with a handful of the guest stars clearly understanding the show’s wavelength. Here are the 10 best guest stars on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, ranked.

10) Faizon Love as Coach

One of the best It’s Always Sunny Season 3 episodes, “The Gang Gets Invincible” is a blast from front to back. It also features an example of how Sunny is at its best when a character surrounding the Gang is growing increasingly sick of their nonsense.

Enter Don’t Be a Menace and Friday‘s Faizon Love, who delivers all of his lines with either charming sarcasm or understandable exasperation. Love’s Coach is the type of person who just isn’t taking the Gang’s neediness or unwarranted overconfidence, and it’s hilarious to watch him throw those things in their faces.

9) Josh Groban as Himself

Rob Thomas, Sinbad, Wade Boggs, Jason Kelce, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Richard Grieco, and Scott Bakula. These are all people who played themselves on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and almost never in a straightforward way.

But Josh Groban wins. Groban is Dee’s dream guy. Trying to get to his concert is essentially her entire plotline in Season 6’s “Mac’s Mom Burns Her House Down.” And, in Dee’s fantasy sequence in Season 9’s “The Gang Saves the Day,” she does in fact meet him. More specifically, they fall in love, with Groban loving her even more than she loves him. We know this because he writes and sings a song about her. Admittedly, she seems like she loves him too…right up until about four minutes later when she meets Brad Pitt and drops Groban like old cabbage.

8) Guillermo del Toro as Pappy McPoyle

Five years into Sunny‘s run, Charlie Day became the show’s breakout movie star. First was the greatly underrated Going the Distance, then a bigger role in Horrible Bosses, followed by two of the higher-profile releases of 2013’s summer movie season: Pixar’s Monsters University and Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim.

The latter project ended up clearly establishing some bonds. For one, that film’s Burn Gorman appeared in Season 9’s “Flowers for Charlie” in a pretty standard scientist role. But the role for Pacific Rim‘s director was perfect and an all-timer. Specifically, del Toro plays Pappy McPoyle, patriarch of the horribly inbred McPoyle family. The first time was in Season 8’s “The Maureen Ponderosa Wedding Massacre,” where he screamed a little bit but that was about it. Then he was brought back for Season 11’s “McPoyle vs. Ponderosa: The Trial of the Century,” where it’s revealed he keeps a little birdie under his big hat at all times.

7) Judy Greer as Ingrid ‘Fatty Magoo’ Nelson

One of the most versatile performers of her generation, Judy Greer was and remains underappreciated. She excels in dramas like The Descendants just as she knocks comedies like Arrested Development out of the park.

Her role in It’s Always Sunny, Ingrid Nelson AKA “Fatty Magoo,” isn’t a funny one in the traditional sense, but her utter disinterest in the Gang’s hijinks and unrequited interest in reconnecting with Dee is. Nelson’s big episode was Season 3’s “The Aluminum Monster vs. Fatty Magoo” but she was also put to good use in Season 7’s “The High School Reunion, Part 2: The Gang’s Revenge,” where her disapproving look in response to the Gang’s dance routine is classic.

6) Dolph Lundgren as John Thundergun

Ever since Season 7’s “Thunder Gun Express” introduced the Die Hard-like Thunder Gun movies to the Sunny universe, fans were curious just what one of those movies might look like. We didn’t see a frame of one in that aforementioned Season 7 episode just as we didn’t see a frame in Season 9’s “The Gang Squashes Their Beefs.”

But we do in Season 14’s “Thunder Gun 4: Maximum Cool,” it’s just that the Gang doesn’t like this newest installment. But at least we learn who plays Thunder Gun. None other than Dolph Lundgren, who approaches the material with his traditional stoic tough guy-ness with a mixture of self-awareness.

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5) Fisher Stevens as Lyle Korman

Actor, writer, director, producer Fisher Stevens is a Jack of many trades. And, in front of the camera, he’s excelled in everything from a handful of Wes Anderson movies to HBO’s smash hit Succession.

But his work as restaurant critic Lyle Korman ranks mighty high. Stevens knew exactly how to play someone who starts out fed up with the Gang’s exploit and only grows increasingly exhausted by them. He’ll do anything to get out of Paddy’s and get on with his life. Stevens makes us believe that with all our hearts.

4) Seann William Scott as Country Mac

Season 9’s “Mac Day” may be the definitive Ronald “Mac” McDonald episode, but he isn’t really the star of the show (much to his increasing and increasingly hilarious dismay). Instead, the one getting the Gang’s attention is his cousin, Country Mac.

Seann William Scott perfectly underplays the character, he “just lets the wind blow through his hair.” Country Mac is so lovable, cool as a breeze, and Scott was the perfect choice to bring him to life this one and only time.

3) Jessica Collins as Jackie Denardo

“‘Til now, I always got by on my own! I never really cared until I met you!” These are lyrics from the Heart song “Alone,” and they play every time we (and Dennis Reynolds) see Jackie Denardo, It’s Always Sunny‘s local reporter.

We first meet Jackie in Season 7’s “The Storm of the Century,” where Dennis claims he “might be in love with this woman. Not for the right reasons, mind you.” What are his reasons? Both of them are attached to her. We then meet Jackie again in Dennis’ fantasy in Season 9’s “The Gang Saves the Day” before we see her in her most recent appearance in Season 14’s “Paddy’s Has a Jumper,” where she shares her scenes with Danny DeVito’s Frank. It’s not the meatiest role on the planet, but Jessica Collins gives Denardo a lot of believable reporter tenacity and, well, Heart.

2) Alanna Ubach as Roxy

Alanna Ubach is a scene-stealer in every project that’s smart enough to cast her. For instance, Waiting…, a movie that isn’t particularly funny but is hysterical whenever she’s on screen.

She’s also incredibly ranged as a comedic performer. We believer her in her roles. For instance, as Roxy, the drug-addled sex worker who gets paid tons of money to have a fake Tiger Woods play with her feet. She’s not classy (“Help me get this crack rock outta my ass”) but she is endearing, and Ubach makes her that way.

1) Roddy Piper as Da’ Maniac

The late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper was a highly underappreciated actor. The WWF performer got his big break as an actor in John Carpenter’s They Live, and instead of that minor classic leading to consistent on-screen work, Piper’s acting career kind of petered out.

As the Always Sunny cast has said in interviews and on their now-deceased podcast, Piper was a method actor. He took his role as Da’ Maniac very seriously. He arrived in character. It shows, because there are a few moments where he rivals the talent shown by Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler. This applies to his debut in the wrestling-focused “The Gang Wrestles for the Troopers” just as much as it applies to the character’s later appearance in “Mac and Dennis Buy a Timeshare.” The Gang’s reactions to Da’ Maniac are far funnier than Da’ Maniac himself, but it’s because of Piper’s work that we believe the Gang’s (hilarious) fear.

The post 10 Best Guest Stars on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Angels and demons, pagan gods and urban legends — this action horror tragicomedy of a show has it all. For 327 episodes and 15 seasons, Supernatural took us on a ride aboard a sleek 1967 Chevy Impala, chasing mysteries, solving murders, hunting things, i.e., the family business. But, at its core, it has always been a show about family. We’ve known this from the start, from the very moment when Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) first stared down his big bro, Dean (Jensen Ackles), when the latter literally forced his way into the former’s life and home. The connection was undeniable, the chemistry electric. 

From the Pilot itself, it was all about the two brothers. But apparently that wasn’t the original plan at all. In fact, it took creator and showrunner Eric Kripke and producer Robert “Bob” Singer quite a few episodes to realise what viewers knew from the start — that it was never just about hunting down the monster of the week in modern Western-style settings. It was about family, and how far you’d go to protect it.

Fate, Freewill, Family, & the Supernatural Saga

Back in 2009, in an interview with Maureen Ryan for the Chicago Tribune, Kripke revealed that his original plans for the show weren’t centered around the two brothers and their unshakeable bond come hell or high water. In fact, they were supposed to just serve as a way to explore the many colorful myths and urban legends that make up the American lore. 

“When we started out, we were going to make a horror movie every week. It was about the monsters, and it was about Hook Man and Bloody Mary and the urban legends and the boys, honestly, in the beginning, Sam and Dean were an engine to get us in and out of different horror movies every week,” he says. It took around four or five episodes for him to notice what had been staring him in the face. So, they went from asking, “What’s the monster?” to “What should we put Sam and Dean through?” And, honestly, thank Chuck for that. Because, hundreds of episodes later, we cannot begin to imagine what it would have been like if they had stuck to their initial plan.

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Before the show had even gone into production, Kripke’s original plans had already undergone multiple alterations. He began with two tabloid reporters driving in and out of cities, decrypting urban legends. It then became about two gunslinger brothers, oozing masculinity and Han Solo energy, driving into towns to face local supernatural fiends, kissing girls, and riding off into the sunset. While that does sound fun to be fair, it doesn’t seem like something that could even begin to hold a candle to what the show eventually went on to become. In Kripke’s own words, “The story is about ‘Can the strength of family overcome destiny and fate, and can family save the world?’” It’s fate vs free will. It’s about two boys who always have each other’s backs, even and especially when they each believe they don’t deserve it. It’s about redemption, salvation, hope, and heartbreak. And that is so much more poignant than chasing cool new monsters every week. 

Supernatural has always been about its characters and the connections they share. While the Winchester boys and Castiel (Misha Collins) are inarguably the heart of the show, the people they meet, love, and lose are equally important to the narrative. From Crowley (Mark Sheppard) to Charlie (Felicia Day) to Bobby (Jim Beaver) and Sheriff Jody Mills (Kim Rhodes), these people form the emotional core of the series. Getting to take down wendigos and women in white adds flavor, but it’s definitely not the main course. Because, at the end of the long, long road, when we look back, we don’t remember epic battles between angels and demons and feverish fights against fearsome fiends. We remember how we giggled at “Pudding!”; melted when Sam went, “I lost my shoe”; did a spit-take when we heard “You married fake Ruby”; and choked up when Bobby first said, “Family don’t end in blood.”

We remember Dean, ever the protective big brother, who would literally go through the circles of hell to protect his brother, but didn’t believe he deserved redemption. We remember Sam, once plagued by a demonic destiny, running away from the trauma of a childhood lost, and somehow finding his way back home. After all, it’s just as Kripke said, “…The only thing that matters is family and personal connection, and that’s the only thing that gives life meaning. Religion, gods, and beliefs…it all comes down to your brother.  And your brother might be the brother in your family, or it might be the guy next to you in the foxhole, it’s about human connections.”

And that, in the end, is what Supernatural has always been about. Nothing more, and definitely nothing less.

You can re-watch Supernatural on Netflix.

The post The Original Plan for Supernatural Would Have Totally Changed the Series (And It’s Good It Was Scrapped) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

We viewers are fortunate to have so many sci-fi TV shows to watch. Every year, there are dozens of new worthwhile shows to watch, from expansive galactic adventures to futuristic takes on technology and beyond. Regardless of the theme, we can count on these shows to push boundaries and take risks. Realistically, it’s one of the best parts of sci-fi. However, there’s no denying that the sheer amount of sci-fi content out there can be overwhelming, especially when trying to decide what to watch next. Knowing what other viewers have watched and loved can help, which is why sites like Rotten Tomatoes exist.

Rotten Tomatoes aggregates critic and viewer scores and will even compile new content into helpful lists. With that in mind, these are some of the highest-rated sci-fi TV shows of the 2020s, meaning they’re absolutely worth checking out. Some of them are extremely new, while others have been around for a couple of years now. While this may add to your ever-expanding list of shows to watch, it’s all but guaranteed that you’ll find something you enjoy in the process.

1) Pantheon

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%

Pantheon is an animated sci-fi thriller that plays with different elements and themes. The show incorporates drama, techno-thriller, and post-cyberpunk together to create something new, dark, and compelling. In this world, the technology that enables one to upload their mind has been perfected, but it hasn’t quite hit mass saturation with the public. As viewers know, society embracing this technology is probably only a matter of time. In the center of this series are three characters, Maddie Kim (Katie Chang), Capsian Keyes (Paul Dano), and Vinod Chanda (Raza Jaffrey). Each character has a differing and unique perspective on the new technology, giving viewers a cohesive idea of the complex nature of it all.

Pantheon is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

2) Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is another animated series, this time with a stronger cyberpunk leaning. The series is based on the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, taking place a year before the game’s events. It’s a cybernetic dystopia, complete with augmented humans dependent on medications to keep their bodies functioning. Enter David Martinex (KENN/Zach Aguilar), a jaded student who finds himself thrown into the deep end of augments and edgerunning, as he joins a new group. The series was pretty much an instant hit for Netflix, portraying vibrant artwork alongside a darker tale.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is available to stream on Netflix.

3) X-Men ’97

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 99%

X-Men fans have long been talking about the treasured animated series (X-Men: The Animated Series), and the creative powers that be finally listened, giving us X-Men ’97. It continues the same story fans fell in love with, but don’t let that deter you from diving in. The story follows the X-Men, a group of mutants, with Professor Charles Xavier at their helm. Together, they aim to protect both humans and mutants, creating a world safer for everyone. Naturally, they face many challenges along the way, including fellow mutants (Magneto and his crew, for starters). It’s a classic tale that even casual fans are likely to be at least partially aware of.

X-Men ’97 is available to stream on Disney+. There’s currently only one season of X-Men ’97 available, but more is on the way!

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4) Resident Alien

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 98%

Those looking for a sci-fi adventure with a bit more humor, plus a murder mystery edge, will probably enjoy what Resident Alien has to offer. Starring Alan Tudyk as the titular alien, the series follows one alien who crash-lands on Earth in the middle of his mission. Desperate to blend in, he steals the identity of the first human he finds, Harry Vanderspeigle. Little did he know that this character would become the town doctor, leading to antics and shenanigans galore. All while he tries to complete his mission and get off the planet. Resident Alien is based on a comic series of the same name, created by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse.

Resident Alien is available to stream on Netflix and Hulu.

5) Station Eleven

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 98%

Station Eleven is a post-apocalyptic and dystopian tale, still fitting snugly in the world of sci-fi. It’s based on a novel of the same name, written by Emily St. John Mandel. Both the novel and the show achieved critical acclaim, and sci-fi fans should take note. The story will hit home, telling of a flu pandemic that tears through civilization. The survivors are left doing the best they can; however, they naturally encounter some complications along the way. Station Eleven stars Mackenzie Davis, Himesh Patel, David Wilmot, Nabhaan Rizwan, Daniel Zovatto, Philippine Velge, and Lori Petty.

Station Eleven is available to stream on HBO Max.

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6) Murderbot

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 97%

Murderbot is the latest sci-fi series to hit Apple TV+ and thus is one of the newest series on the list. It’s based on The Murderbot Diaries, written by Martha Wells. The story follows Murderbot, a rogue SecUnit designed to protect humans. However, all it really wants to do is be left alone and watch shows all day. Alexander Skarsgård plays the titular character, who just wants to get through the latest season of The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon in peace, which is impossible with its humans constantly putting themselves in danger.

Murderbot is available to stream on Apple TV+. The first season is currently airing, and there’s high hope that there will be more seasons to come.

7) Severance

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%

Severance is another Apple TV+ series, this time leaning a bit more into the psychological thriller side of sci-fi. The story revolves around Lumon Industries, a corporation that has its hands in everything and thus has a little too much power. It has launched an “innovative” new solution for work/life balance, allowing employees to opt into their severance program. Doing this procedure would split an employee into two different mental states, the working self and the off-hours self. The Innie and the Outie, effectively. The series has an eerie and slow-burning mystery element, as four Severed employees try to dig into the truth of what is happening to them.

Severance is available to stream on Apple TV+.

8) Andor

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%

Andor is a sci-fi political spy thriller set in the larger Star Wars Universe. It’s a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Ironically, the movie itself is a prequel, explaining how the Rebels got their hands on the schematics for the Death Star. The series follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a thief and pilot later turned rebel spy. The story explains how Andor became the infamous rebel spy of the film, portraying his progression into the role. Likewise, it highlights the struggles of many of his friends, allies, and enemies, portraying the complex nature of the Star Wars universe and the factions within.

Andor is available to stream on Disney+.

9) Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 95%

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a sci-fi series set in the universe that many fans have come to know and love. It’s one of several modern iterations of the Star Trek franchise, and even the focus will feel familiar. The story follows Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his crew aboard the Starship Enterprise. There’s one catch, as the story takes place long before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series. Much like how the modern James Bond films showed how the character gained his status, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds tells the early adventures of this captain and his crew.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is available to stream on Paramount+.

10) Fallout

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%

Fallout is a live-action post-apocalyptic series based on the beloved video game franchise. The story is set sometime after the Great War of 2077, with the world having been nearly destroyed by a series of nuclear exchanges. Enter Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell), a naive vault dweller who has spent her entire life underground. However, she’s about to breach that door and head above ground, in hopes of finding her father. While it’s safe to say Lucy was unprepared for what she found on the surface, at least she’s a quick learner. Fans of the video game franchise have had many positive things to say about the series, which explains its higher Rotten Tomatoes rating.

Fallout is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. There’s currently only one season available, but on the bright side, Fallout has already been renewed for two more seasons.

The post 10 Highest Rated Sci-Fi TV Shows of the 2020s According to Rotten Tomatoes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Whether you just watched Dexter for the first time or are rewatching it ahead of Dexter: Resurrection, you may be wondering how the heck he survived driving his boat straight into the eye of a hurricane. Dexter is a pretty resilient guy and nothing seems to stop him. He has been stabbed, left for dead, and even shot and presumed dead, but alas, he manages to get back up every time. Of course, he has some plot armor and the audience accepts it because they love the character so much. At the end of Dexter: New Blood, he was shot in the chest by his son, but it has since been confirmed he survived the gunshot wound.

It has been explained in various interviews that the cold weather slowed Dexter’s heart rate and blood loss, preventing him from bleeding out before doctors could tend to him in the hospital and keep him alive. However, that’s far from the first time Dexter has cheated death on-screen. In the infamous series finale of Dexter, the legendary serial killer takes his dead sister out to sea and drops her into the ocean, essentially claiming her as his last victim as he takes blame for death. He then drives his boat into Hurricane Laura, suggesting he has hurt too many people and needs to go away.

Initially, it’s thought that Dexter killed himself by crashing his boat into the hurricane, but that’s not the case. In what is perhaps one of the most hated endings of any TV show ever, we see Dexter is still kicking as a lumberjack somewhere likely in the pacific northwest. His inner monologue is gone and he has created a mental prison for himself, bound to never hurt anyone ever again… at least, that was the case back in 2013.

Dexter Intentionally Faked His Death in the Original Series Finale

How did Dexter survive the hurricane, though? Some have assumed that this is a Dexter plot hole, but there is an answer. In Season 8, Episode 11, Dexter is showing his boat to a potential buyer. He lists off all of the various features of the boat which notably includes an autopilot function and an emergency life raft. It’s likely that Dexter activated the autopilot and utilized the raft to make an escape from there. Previous seasons have shown that Dexter keeps cash and even potentially fake identities on hand in case he has to make a quick escape, so it likely wasn’t hard for him to set up shop for cheap elsewhere.

Of course, Dexter eventually goes on to live as Jim Lindsay in Dexter: New Blood, so he was able to establish a quiet new life for himself. In that show, he’s questioned by Angela Bishop about why he is living under an alias. He claims that he tried to kill himself in the hurricane, but miraculously washed ashore alive and used it as a new lease on life. This was likely a lie in order to make him seem less suspicious and like a poor soul rather than someone who intentionally faked their own death.

The post How Did Dexter Survive the Hurricane in the Original Ending? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In the 1990s — before the era of on-demand streaming services — Fox Kids network was where fans could tune in to Saturday morning cartoons like X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-97) and Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994-98). These days, where the Fox Kids block is a thing of the past and TV Guides are a relic of a bygone era, those beloved ’90s cartoons can be streamed anytime on Disney+ alongside the new Marvel Animation series X-Men ’97 (2024) and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2025).

After launching Hits & Heroes, an always-on channel on Disney+ that featured throwbacks like the X-Men and Spider-Man animated series in cable-style programming before it was discontinued in May, The Walt Disney Company is bringing Disney+ exclusives X-Men ’97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man to cable.

Both of the Marvel Studios Animation series will join the line up of Disney-owned cable channel FXX starting today (June 30). The entire 10-episode first seasons of X-Men ’97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man are scheduled to air throughout the week, concluding with their respective season finales on Friday, July 4.

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See the listings below for the airing schedule, which has sandwiched X-Men and Spider-Man between episodes of 20th Television animated series The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Futurama, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers.

X-Men ’97 — a decades-later revival of 1992’s X-Men: The Animated Series, which picks up where the original show left off in 1997 — premiered on Disney+ in 2024 as the first X-Men project produced by Marvel Studios. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, a new animated Disney+ series set in a parallel timeline inspired by the MCU, swung onto the streaming platform earlier this year with Hudson Thames (Marvel’s What If…?) voicing the web-slinger. Both shows have sophomore seasons in the works at Disney+.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man FXX Schedule

Monday, June 30

Season 1 Episode 1 — “Amazing Fantasy” 5:00 PM
During high school orientation Peter’s life is forever changed; a new era of Spider-Man begins here.

Season 1 Episode 2 — “The Parker Luck” 5:36 PM
Peter begins an exclusive internship, but his first day is way more complicated than he expected.

Tuesday, July 1

Season 1 Episode 3 — “Secret Identity Crisis” 5:00 PM
Peter deals with the fallout of his secret revealed; Lonnie’s perfect life falls apart.

Season 1 Episode 4 — “Hitting the Big Time” 5:37 PM
Peter and Norman work through creative differences; Lonnie undergoes a loyalty test.

Wednesday, July 2

Season 1 Episode 5 — “The Unicorn Unleashed” 5:00 PM
Peter makes a new friend; Lonnie finds himself in the sights of a dangerous gang.

Season 1 Episode 6 — “Duel With the Devil” 5:37 PM
Peter’s night off is derailed when he must suit up to stop a mysterious intruder.

Thursday, July 3

Season 1 Episode 7 — “Scorpion Rising” 5:00 PM
Peter and Lonnie face the consequences of their secret lives; Spider-Man faces his biggest threat.

Season 1 Episode 8 — “Tangled Web” 5:37 PM
Norman gives Spider-Man an ultimatum, causing Peter to do some soul-searching.

Friday, July 4

Season 1 Episode 9 “Hero or Menace” 5:00 PM
Spider-Man swings into action, as Lonnie looks to settle a score and Norman visits an old friend.

Season 1 Episode 10 — “If This Be My Destiny…” 5:37 PM
Peter’s internship takes a dark turn with the arrival of an unexpected visitor.

X-Men ’97 FXX Schedule

Monday, June 30

Season 1 Episode 1 — “To Me, My X-Men” 6:12 PM
Cyclops races to find the source of a new anti-mutant technology.

Season 1 Episode 2 — “Mutant Liberation Begins” 6:51 PM
When Magneto is forced by the UN to stand trial, a group of anti-mutant rioters test his resolve.

Tuesday, July 1

Season 1 Episode 3 — “Fire Made Flesh” 6:15 PM
The team is propelled into a tragic confrontation with an immortal mad scientist.

Season 1 Episode 4 — “Motendo; Lifedeath – Part 1” 6:53 PM
Jubilee must relive the X-Men’s greatest adventures when she’s transported into a 16-bit video game.

Wednesday, July 2

Season 1 Episode 5 — “Remember It” 6:13 PM
Select members of the team head to Genosha; a press event risks airing the X-Men’s dirty laundry.

Season 1 Episode 6 — “Lifedeath – Part 2” 6:56 PM
Storm is forced to face her worst fears in order to free herself.

Thursday, July 3

Season 1 Episode 7 — “Bright Eyes” 6:15 PM
The X-Men finds Sentinel inventor Bolivar Trask, realizing they’ve been played by a mastermind.

Season 1 Episode 8 — “Tolerance Is Extinction – Part 1” 6:55 PM
The X-Men must face a new threat.

Friday, July 4

Season 1 Episode 9 — “Tolerance Is Extinction, Pt. 2” 6:15 PM
Magneto’s attack on Earth sets introduces a Civil War within the team.

Season 1 Episode 10 — “Tolerance Is Extinction, Pt. 3” 6:52 PM
The X-Men’s dream is put to the test as mutant-human relations reach a tipping point.

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The post Marvel Bringing X-Men, Spider-Man TV Shows From Streaming to Cable (For a Limited Time) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Rick and Morty Season 8 has crossed the halfway mark of its run with Adult Swim, and the newest episode of the series has given Rick and Beth the moment they’ve desperately needed through the years thus far. Rick and Morty has been spending the first half of its newest season working through a new status quo that has been set up following everything that happened in the past few seasons. But at the same time, there have been some major moves for all of the characters so far as we’ve gotten to see new sides to each of them after all these years.

Beth has been a particular point of focus this season as an earlier episode brought back Space Beth for a full focus episode as we got to see more of how she relates to Rick after everything they’ve been through. This gets taken to the next level in the newest episode, however, as Beth and Space Beth not only show a new side of themselves, but they have a big emotional resolution with Rick that fans have been hoping to see for quite a while.

Rick and His Daughter(s) Emotionally Breakdown With One Another

Rick and Morty Season 8 Episode 6, “The CurRicksous Case of Bethjamin Button” sees both Beth and Space Beth growing tired with the current state of their lives. The two of them are growing bored and depressed over everything they have going on, and wonder where it all went wrong. The two of them then decide to go back to when they were the happiest, and de-age themselves back to children. It’s here that we get to truly see how much of a menace the young Beth was (as previously teased in episodes like “The ABCs of Beth), and the reason behind her aggressiveness.

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When Rick comes to settle down the de-aged Beths, the two of them end up outsmarting him and aging him up to 360 years old. While beating on him, the two Beths start to cry over the fact that he abandoned them in order to do whatever he wanted. Rick tries to explain that his own Beth died and he didn’t abandon them, but they were so angry that someone had left them in the first place. Ultimately, this beatdown makes Rick proud of his daughters in the way only he could be.

What Does This Mean for Rick and Beth?

As the three of them cry over everything and hug one another, it’s the bit of emotional resolution that fans have been waiting to see for a long time. Rick and Beth’s relationship has been one of the core factors of Rick and Morty‘s later seasons, and it’s been even more important following the reveal that this Beth isn’t even his original daughter. Rick and his daughters are now at a more healthy place than they ever have been, and that’s a huge step forward for each of these formally walled off characters.

It showcases that while Rick and Morty is more interested in maintaining the episodic nature of its adventures, there’s still going to be serialization where it matters most. While wacky things continue to happen around them each season, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the characters are changing thanks to everything that’s happened to them. It makes even the episodic stuff more important than ever before as while they might be brushed off in the immediate aftermath, it’s clear how much each of these moments have had an impact on them. Which is ultimately a good sign for Rick and Morty’s long future too.

The post Rick and Morty Gives Rick & Beth the Moment Fans Have Been Waiting For appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After Netflix and Marvel pulled the rug out from underneath The Defenders Saga shows, it felt like those versions of Daredevil and Co. would never appear again. It would have been easy for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to ignore them altogether because their shows barely touched on larger events or heroes. However, the support of Netflix’s characters gave Marvel Studios confidence that there was still room for them somewhere. Matt Murdock showed up in Spider-Man: No Way Home, while Wilson Fisk made his way into Hawkeye. Eventually, Marvel Studios went full steam ahead, greenlighting Daredevil: Born Again, which brought Murdock and Fisk back together again.

The Disney+ show initially went its own direction and avoided tethering itself to the events of the Netflix series. However, partway through production, it was clear that something was off. A creative overhaul occurred, and while it was evident in the final product, the changes paid off because the end of Season 1 went off without a hitch. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to please everyone, with at least one person taking issue with the fact that Born Again “nerfed” Kingpin.

During an exchange on X, a fan explained that they think Disney made Kingpin weak, just like it did the Hulk in Avengers: Endgame. Fisk actor Vincent D’Onofrio chimed in, saying that he doesn’t agree with the sentiment.

“I have to say i disagree with all that you say,” the actor said. “To be honest my performances have been called many things but never nerfed. Lol. Yet i don’t play the part just for you and you don’t watch tv just for me. So we are even and i accept your criticism. No matter the lack of good sportsmanship, fairness and legitimacy.”

After receiving the classy response, the fan once again came after Disney’s iteration of the villain, saying he does things the Netflix one never would. In response, D’Onofrio schooled the naysayer about how much effort it takes to bring a character to life and how a performance isn’t for any one person.

“I control my characters performance. You are a bit green when it comes to your knowledge on making a show. The detail, the writing, the technologies and the overall structure and architecture in laying out the storyline and executing performances. You keep saying it’s the writing that is the problem. You may not like it. Many do though,” he explained. “We can’t please everyone but we can please millions and they’ve said so. Our fans are very loud. Lets say i were you and i hated the portrayal of kingpin as much as you do. I’d stay away from it. I’d champion storytelling that i love instead of dragging writers and someone’s performance. As an actor i fail in my eyes everyday and also in my past work many times but i keep trying to get it right. All creative types have that in common. What we don’t do is try and ruin millions of others fun when we don’t like a piece. Instead we champion the stuff we do like and become inspired by it. Try it. It makes life so much more sustainable and yes, inspiring.”

While there’s an argument to be made that Fisk doesn’t have the gloves off at the start of Born Again, there’s a clear story reason for that. Season 2 is going to be a very different story, though, since Fisk declared war on vigilantes in New York City.

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Kingpin Will Have the Gloves Off in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2

Fisk, who becomes mayor of NYC, puts together an Anti-Vigilante Task Force in Born Again Season 1 to take back the streets from heroes. He locks up anyone he sees as a threat, including Punisher, and doesn’t look like he’s going to let his foot off the gas anytime soon in the finale. Dardevil’s only recourse is to raise an army of his own, and when he eventually takes the fight to Fisk, the villain isn’t going to be able to hold back if he wants to keep control of the city.

Daredevil: Born Again is streaming on Disney+.

Do you think Kingpin was “nerfed” in Daredevil: Born Again? What do you want to see out of him in Season 2? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Daredevil Star Responds Perfectly to Claims Born Again “Nerfed” Their Character appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Arrowverse likes to have its serious hat on most of the time. It all starts with Oliver Queen, who spends five years on an island in the North China Sea in Arrow before returning home to rid Star City of corruption. Even Barry Allen, who is everything that Oliver is not, has to go to some dark places after running into Reverse-Flash and Zoom, who kill his mother and father, respectively. Being a superhero isn’t supposed to be easy, but don’t tell that to the residents of the Waverider on Legends of Tomorrow. The B-list Arrowverse heroes travel through time on their show, and they always find a way to make the timeline a bit more ridiculous.

The later seasons of Legends of Tomorrow are when it really jumps the Beebo, having Heatwave have alien babies and creating an evil Gideon, but Season 2 also features its fair share of wild moments. There’s even an episode where the Legends nearly ruin arguably the biggest movie franchise in history.

The Arrowverse Tries to Ruin Star Wars for Its Inhabitants

Legends of Tomorrow sees the titular team face off against the Legion of Doom, led by Eobard Thawne. The Reverse-Flash recruits fellow Arrowverse villains Malcolm Merlyn and Damien Darhk, using them to track down the Spear of Destiny, which will allow him to rewrite reality and secure his spot on the timeline. The Legion’s mission proves difficult, but they have a breakthrough when they discover a piece of the weapon is in the 1960s. The Legends follow the evil team to Los Angeles and confront them on a film set, where they discover their former captain, Rip Hunter, who doesn’t remember who he is.

Before a reunion can take place, the Legends and Legion battle, catching the attention of local police, who arrest Rip. He’s not the only person to be affected by the situation, though, as his crewmate, George, is upset about the altercation and decides to give up filmmaking. It doesn’t seem like a big deal at the time, but once Ray Palmer and Nate Heywood start dealing with memory issues, they realize that George is, in fact, George Lucas. It turns out the time travel shenanigans ruin any chance of Star Wars being made, and because the franchise is so important to Ray and Nate, they’re different without its influence.

The Legends return to LA to save George from the Legion, who are using him to find a piece of the Spear of Destiny. While it takes some convincing, the film student eventually agrees to return to school and give making movies another shot. The timeline corrects itself shortly after, and Ray and Nate’s heroic sides return. But they aren’t the only people to benefit from the development, as the Arrowverse is full of characters who dream of living in a galaxy far, far away.

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Star Wars Is a Major Part of the Arrowverse

All major franchises these days owe a debt of gratitude to Lucas and his collaborators. However, few of them show as much appreciation as the Arrowverse, which never misses an opportunity to shout out Star Wars. Cisco from The Flash frequently references events from Lucas’ films, including wearing a “Keep Calm and Han Shot First” shirt during his interview with Harrison Wells, which, of course, touches on the controversy surrounding Harrison Ford’s character’s introduction in Star Wars: A New Hope.

The Flash doesn’t stop there, though, because Season 1, Episode 17, “Trickster,” sees Mark Hamill reprise his role as the Trickster from the 1990s Scarlet Speedster series. The Trickster teams up with a copycat villain, who turns out to be his son. Once Hamill’s character realizes this, he embraces his new family member by saying, “I am your father.” It’s a fantastic callback, but it wouldn’t be part of the timeline if the Legends hadn’t corrected their mistake and put Lucas back on the right path. They really should have fought for some of the backend after they finished dealing with the Legion.

Legends of Tomorrow is streaming on Netflix.

Did you know about George Lucas’ appearance in Legends of Tomorrow? What is your favorite Star Wars reference in the Arrowverse? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Arrowverse Nearly Ruined the Greatest Movie Franchise of All Time appeared first on ComicBook.com.

July is heating up, and so is Netflix’s streaming library, with a fresh slate of new arrivals perfect for any binge-watching marathon. This month’s offerings span a wide range of genres, from the epic conclusion of a beloved fantasy saga to the arrival of classic sitcoms and gritty crime dramas. Whether you are looking to dive into a highly anticipated new anime or simply laugh along with a 90s favorite, Netflix continues to build its reputation not just on its original productions but also by becoming a definitive home for acclaimed series that viewers may have missed during their initial runs.

We are highlighting the most compelling shows hitting Netflix in July 2025, offering a mix of brand-new premieres and complete series drops that are ideal for binge-watching. These are the series that promise to capture your attention with the kind of addictive storytelling that makes you hit “next episode” without a second thought. Get your watch list ready, because these are the seven best shows to binge on Netflix this month.

1) The Sandman

Based on Neil Gaiman’s seminal DC Comics, the acclaimed fantasy series The Sandman brings its epic story to a close this month, with its final season arriving in three distinct parts. The journey begins on July 3rd with the release of six episodes, followed by five more on July 24th, and a concluding bonus episode on July 31st. This final 12-episode arc joins the existing first season, offering a complete 23-episode saga that chronicles the journey of Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), the cosmic ruler of the Dreaming.

The final season will delve deeper into the lore of the Endless as viewers are introduced to Morpheus’ long-absent siblings Destiny (Adrian Lester), Delirium (Esmé Creed-Miles), and the prodigal Destruction (Barry Sloane). Their arrival sets the stage for some of the comic’s most celebrated and dramatic arcs, including Dream’s reluctant quest to find his missing brother and a perilous journey back to Hell to undo an ancient injustice. These storylines will push Morpheus into new, challenging territory, forcing him to confront the consequences of his past and the rigid nature of his own existence on a truly cosmic scale.

2) Mom

Chuck Lorre’s acclaimed sitcom Mom lands on Netflix on July 1st, offering a comedy with as much heart as it has laughs. The series follows the fraught but loving relationship between Christy Plunkett (Anna Faris), a newly sober single mom, and her caustic mother, Bonnie (Allison Janney), also a recovering alcoholic. The entire eight-season, 170-episode run will be available, allowing viewers to follow their complete journey as they attempt to rebuild their lives with the help of a fiercely loyal and hilarious support group.

While Mom delivers plenty of laughs, its true strength lies in its empathetic portrayal of addiction and recovery. The show is rightfully acclaimed for tackling difficult subjects with honesty and grace, earning Janney multiple Emmy Awards for her standout performance as Bonnie. The series’ ability to balance genuinely funny moments with profound emotional depth makes it an incredibly rewarding watch, standing as a powerful example of how the sitcom format can be used to explore serious real-world issues without sacrificing humor.

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3) Mr. Robot

All four seasons of the groundbreaking thriller Mr. Robot land on Netflix on July 3rd, offering a complete narrative from start to finish. The series stars Rami Malek in his Emmy-winning role as Elliot Alderson, a brilliant but deeply troubled cybersecurity engineer who moonlights as a vigilante hacker. His life is turned upside down when he is recruited by the mysterious leader of an underground hacktivist group, led by the enigmatic Mr. Robot (Christian Slater), to help orchestrate a global revolution by erasing all consumer debt. The entire 45-episode run will be available on Netflix, making it a perfect opportunity for both new viewers and returning fans to experience the full story.

Mr. Robot is famous for its unreliable narrator and stunning plot twists, creating a paranoid and disorienting viewing experience that rewards close attention. Binging the series allows viewers to fully immerse themselves in Elliot’s fractured reality and piece together the mysteries of his past and the true nature of the fsociety revolution. It’s a dense, complex story that benefits immensely from being watched in quick succession, making its arrival on Netflix the perfect opportunity to tackle one of modern television’s most challenging dramas.

4) Leviathan

A new, epic anime series makes its global debut on July 10th with the premiere of Leviathan. Based on the acclaimed novels by Scott Westerfeld, Leviathan transports viewers to an alternate-reality 1914 on the brink of a world war. In this steampunk universe, the conflict is waged between the German Clankers, who command giant mechanical war machines, and the British Darwinists, who employ bio-engineered beasts as their weapons. The story centers on Alek (Ayumu Murase), a fugitive prince of the Clanker empire, and Deryn (Natsumi Fujiwara), a commoner girl who disguises herself as a boy to serve in the British Air Service aboard the Leviathan, a massive living airship.

Produced by Studio Orange, the celebrated animation house behind BEASTARS, and Qubic Pictures, Leviathan features a stunning visual experience that brings its unique world to life. The series boasts an impressive creative team, including a score from legendary composer Joe Hisaishi, known for his work with Studio Ghibli. This blend of breathtaking animation, a rich alternate history, and a compelling character-driven story makes Leviathan one of July’s most exciting new releases on Netflix and a must-watch for fans of anime, fantasy, and adventure.

5) The Steve Harvey Show

On July 21st, Netflix adds a dose of ’90s nostalgia as all six seasons of the classic sitcom The Steve Harvey Show become available to stream. The series stars Steve Harvey as Steve Hightower, a talented funk legend from the 70s who trades in his music career for a role as a music teacher and vice principal at a Chicago high school. The show’s comedy is driven by his interactions with the stern but fair principal, Regina Grier (Wendy Raquel Robinson), and his lifelong friends and roommates, Cedric (Cedric the Entertainer) and Lovita (Terri J. Vaughn).

The Steve Harvey Show was a cornerstone of 90s television, celebrated for its sharp comedic timing, memorable characters, and the incredible chemistry among its cast. It is a perfect example of classic comfort television, offering reliable laughs and feel-good stories across its 122 episodes. For fans who grew up watching it or new viewers looking for a funny and easy-to-watch series, its arrival on Netflix provides a fantastic opportunity to binge a show that helped define a generation of comedy.

6) Hightown

The underrated Starz series Hightown arrives on July 23rd, providing a perfect binge for those craving a dark and gritty crime drama. The show stars Monica Raymund as Jackie Quiñones, a hard-partying National Marine Fisheries Service agent whose life of indulgence in Cape Cod is shattered when she discovers the body of a murdered woman. The discovery plunges her into the center of a grim investigation tied to the local opioid epidemic and organized crime, forcing her to confront her demons and addiction in the process. All three seasons will be available for streaming on Netflix.

Hightown is a compelling thriller that functions as both a tense murder mystery and a raw character study. Raymund delivers a powerful performance as Jackie, a flawed but determined protagonist whose personal journey is as central to the story as the case she is trying to solve. With its complete three-season run on Netflix, viewers can immerse themselves in its complex narrative and moody setting. It is an excellent choice for fans of character-driven crime stories who are looking for a show with serious dramatic weight.

7) House of Lies

All five seasons of the sharp and cynical comedy House of Lies land on Netflix on July 23rd. The series stars Don Cheadle in his Golden Globe-winning role as Marty Kaan, the brilliant and ethically bankrupt leader of a management consulting team. Along with his ambitious second-in-command, Jeannie van der Hooven (Kristen Bell), and their dysfunctional colleagues, Marty travels the country using every dirty trick and psychological manipulation in the book to close deals with the powerful and clueless elites of the corporate world.

What makes House of Lies such a compelling binge is its witty dialogue and its merciless satire of big business. Cheadle’s charismatic performance, complete with frequent fourth-wall breaks to explain his morally dubious tactics, is also a highlight of House of Lies. This device makes the viewer a co-conspirator in his schemes and provides a hilarious look at corporate greed. Its 58-episode run is perfect for viewers who enjoy dark comedies with a satirical bite and are looking for a show that is both intelligent and unapologetically profane.

Which show on this list will you be binge-watching first? Share your picks in the comments below.

The post 7 Best Shows to Binge on Netflix in July 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Squid Game has now come to an end with Netflix four years and three seasons after it made its debut, but it already makes no sense with how it’s approaching its American version so far. Squid Game as a franchise has been such a massive hit with Netflix that the only one who was really surprised to see it picked up for more seasons after the debut was its original creator. Although Hwang Dong-hyuk on multiple occasions revealed how tough it was just to make the original story happen, there’s been so much demand for Squid Game to continue with or without him.

Squid Game has gone far beyond its original first season to release two more seasons with Netflix, a reality game show competition, multiple video game cameos, and much more in the years since its debut. It also seems like an English language version of Squid Game is now in the works as following reports of a new series from David Fincher, a massive cameo in Squid Game‘s final season has sparked an new wave of American games. But it already got off to a very weird start with how it’s doing things.

Squid Game Might Not Work in America

In the final episode of Squid Game Season 3, it’s revealed that a recruiter (complete with a wild Hollywood star cameo) is playing the same Ddakji game with a person in Los Angeles that Seong Hi-Hun and the others played all those years ago. This has not been fully confirmed to be a tie in to the eventual English language version of the series now in the works, but it’s the best start to the American spinoff yet. But at the same time, this is a weird place to come from as it’s not a game that’s really played in the United States. So it’d be weird for the recruiter to use the same game to draw people in.

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Part of the appeal of Squid Game itself is the fact it takes Korean children’s games and turns them into deadly fights for your life. It’s the juxtaposition of young innocence clashing with the harsh realities of adult life, and in that way the Korean drama series has been able to reach a worldwide audience. But although its themes draw upon the humanity of any kind of viewer, there’s still a very wide cultural divide in the games seen in Squid Game itself. Even its title is a game that not many American kids have ever played. So an English language version will need to adapt it to more Western sensibilities in order to stand out further from the original.

Will There Be An American Squid Game?

Reports of an English language version of Squid Game have been sprouting for the last couple of years, but seemed to reach a new level of potentially happening last Fall when it was reported that David Fincher (Gone Girl, Fight Club) was slated to begin working on the American version of the series as soon as this year. It’s yet to be fully confirmed to be in the works, but even original franchise creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has noted how the franchise is likely going to continue following the end of Gi-Hun’s story. This is likely one of those ways.

But much of the appeal of Squid Game will be lost when it’s adapted for an English language audience. The culture of the show is going to change, and much of its symbolism and visual presentations will need to change in order to account for the shift in players. Characters will need to be familiar with the games present in the new series, which means that the central “Squid Game” motif itself can’t even really be a factor in the new one. While some kids might have played these games, it’s just not a universally shared thing in America.

Much like how Squid Game: The Challenge (which is still in the works on Season 2) had to adapt many of the games to be less deadly, it also made changes to the games present to better fit an American audience. The reality show used board games like Battleship and chance games like Rock, Paper, Scissors, and that’s likely going to be the case for this new version as well. Which goes back around to highlighting that Ddakji is an odd game for the recruiter to play with an American player. It’s just not something that American would be familiar with enough to agree to play for any kind of money.

Unfortunately while this means that an American remake of Squid Game would lose what makes the original so special in all of these changes for a new culture, that’s kind of the risk they’re taking with that endeavor in the first place.

The post Squid Game’s American Spinoff Already Makes No Sense appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Amazing World of Gumball is coming back with a brand new series to pick up from where the original left off seven years ago, and now fans have gotten the first look at the new opening for The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball ahead of its premiere. Seven years after the original series ended its run with Cartoon Network, the Watterson Family is going to be making their return to screens with a brand new series continuing the story. But it’s going to have a big facelift for this new era with the debut of a brand new series title.

The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball will be making its debut in the United States later this Summer with Hulu, but fans in international territories will be watching the new episodes through Cartoon Network. Now an international release date has been set as Cartoon Network fans will be able to watch the new series beginning on October 6th. To celebrate the confirmation of its international release date, you can check out the new opening for The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball and new poster for the series below.

What to Know for Gumball’s Comeback

The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball will be making its debut with Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ on July 28th for fans in the United States, and October 6th with Cartoon Network and HBO Max across EMEA, Latin America and APAC. Original series creator Ben Bocquelet returns for this new series as creator and executive producer for Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. Matt Layzell and Erik Fountain will serve as executive producers and series directors, Xav Clarke will be the composer, and Joe Sparrow serves as art director. It’s being treated as a full continuation of the original series too, so fans can hope to see that big cliffhanger resolved soon enough.

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The voice cast for The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball includes both returning stars and new additions for the new era. Teresa Gallagher and Dan Russell will be returning from the previous series as the voices of Nicole and Richard Watterson, respectively, with new additions including Alkaio Thiele as Gumball, Hero Hunter as Darwin, and Kinza Syed Khan as younger sister Anais. The extended voice cast has yet to be revealed as of the time of this publication, however, so it’s currently unclear who else has returned or been recast.

What Is The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball About?

As for what to expect from the new series, Hulu and Cartoon Network tease The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball ahead of its debut, “Welcome back to Elmore, where the laws of reality are a joke, and family life is anything but ordinary. Whether he’s battling an evil fast-food empire, facing off against a sentient AI in love with his mom, or trying to stop Banana Joe from wearing pants — Gumball Watterson drags his brother Darwin, sister Anais, and the rest of the town of Elmore along for the ride. With even wilder stories, bigger twists, and surreal humor, the show is so amazing that they had to rename it!”

Previous teases about the new episodes revealed that The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball would be addressing the massive cliffhanger left over from the final episode of the original series, and that fans would be learning more about the mysterious void. So if the new series can bring back the energy fans loved about the original while continuing its overarching story, this revival is going to be a very successful one. It’s just a matter of seeing whether or not it can stick the landing.

The post New The Amazing World of Gumball Series Debuts Opening Ahead of Premiere appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While fans wait for the second season of X-Men ’97, the Disney+ animated season is revealing some behind-the-scenes details on your favorite characters. Excerpts from a new art book will provide an in-depth look at Marvel Animation’s Emmy-nominated revival of X-Men: The Animated Series. Picking up where the original series left off when it aired its final episode in September 1997, this new series features returning cast members and a revamped but familiar art style. X-Men ’97: The Art and Making of the Animated Series goes on sale this week, and excerpts feature new looks at three of the show’s main characters.

ComicBook has the exclusive preview of excerpts from X-Men ’97: The Art and Making of the Animated Series. Those excerpts feature character designs for Magneto, Beast, and Jubilee. With Professor Charles Xavier believed to be dead, he left the X-Men to his longtime friend and sometime rival, Magneto. The Master of Magnetism had an interesting character arc through the first season, going from reluctant hero to world-ending threat. Magneto gets a new look in X-Men ’97, and X-Men ’97: The Art and Making of the Animated Series gives a closer look, with some insight from the creative minds behind the animated series.

The character design sheet for Magneto shows several different iterations of the costume Magneto wore in the Uncanny X-Men #200 storyline, “The Trial of Magneto.” Artist Paolo Rivera draws four different designs, with all four highlighting the large “M” on Magneto’s chest. There’s also an outfit from Uncanny X-Men #202, as well as a redesign that gives Magneto a white beard.

We then move on to more colored designs by Leinil Yu and the team of Steven Choi and Sylvia Filcak-Blackwolf, before Amelia Vidal and Franco Spagnolo finish things off with uncolored designs. These final designs display Magneto with different facial expressions, showing the range of the art team.

“So we do start with the iconic cover, which I love,” said Episodic Director Chase Conley about Magneto adopting the costume from Uncanny X-Men #200’s cover. “We wanted to showcase the big M on his chest, because he represents mutantkind on trial. It’s an unjust trial, but it’s just one big M, like Mutants, and then you see the U.N. behind him. [Mutantkind] is on trial in front of the entire world.”

To wind up, we end with designs for Beast and Jubilee. Ryan Lang, Jordi Lafebre, and Steve McNiven are the artists credited with the first three designs for Beast. The blue furball is in three different poses. Next, Amelia Vidal draws Beast with a white lab coat, with Steven Choi and Vy Tran providing inked character designs with helpful notes attached, such as placing shadowed blacks where light doesn’t enter, like on Beast’s neck, while also using blacks to accentuate anatomy. We end the look at Beast with a front and back design by Steven Choi, Paul Harmon, Mark Taihei, and Sylvia Filcak-Blackwolf.

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Jubilee is featured in her signature yellow rain jacket by Steve McNiven, Ryan Lang, and Jordi Lafebre. The one by Lafebre gives Jubilee a more human appearance. Amelia Vidal, Franco Spagnolo, and Vy Tran work on Jubilee’s facial expressions before Mark Taihei and Mariko Yamashin focus on Jubilee’s upper body. We end with front, side, and back perspectives by Mariko Yamashin and Sylvia Filcak-Blackwolf.

X-Men ’97: The Art and Making of the Animated Series features storyboards, character sketches, vehicle designs, new costumes, stills, animatic frames, cels, and so much more that detail every step of the process that the talented team of animators, designers, and storytellers undertook to bring viewers the further adventures of Wolverine, Storm, Bishop, Beast, Jubilee, Cyclops, and the rest of Marvel’s most famous mutants.

X-Men ’97: The Art and Making of the Animated Series goes on sale July 1st. You can purchase a copy here.

Excerpt from X-Men ’97: The Art and Making of the Animated Series (Abrams) by James Field

© 2025 MARVEL

The post X-Men ’97: The Art and Making of the Animated Series Excerpt Reveals New Character Designs (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

We’re just under a week away from the start of July, and the arrival of a new month means a slew of new options in the world of streaming. All of the major streaming services regularly turn over their rosters at the start of a month and July is no exception to that rule. Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+, Prime Video, and Tubi have all released their newsletters for the month of July, revealing dozens of movies and TV shows set to arrive in the coming weeks.

Some big streaming originals are set for July, including a couple of highly anticipated sequels on their way to Netflix. The Old Guard 2 is hitting Netflix on July 2nd, while Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore 2 arrives on July 25th.

HBO Max has likely the most popular addition coming in July, with Ryan Coogler’s record-breaking Sinners preparing to make its debut. The genre-defying box office hit will hit streaming on July 4th.

You can check out July’s full streaming calendar below.

July 1st

NETFLIX
17 Again
Annie (1982)
Blow
Born on the Fourth of July
Captain Phillips
The Deer Hunter
Friday Night Lights
Here Comes the Boom
The Hitman’s Bodyguard
The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
Horrible Bosses
The Karate Kid
The Karate Kid
The Karate Kid Part II
The Karate Kid Part III
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible III
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Mom: Seasons 1-8
The Notebook
Pacific Rim
PAW Patrol Seasons 2-3
Portlandia: Seasons 1-8
The Sweetest Thing
Tangerine
V for Vendetta
White Chicks
Yellowjackets: Season 2
Zathura: A Space Adventure
Attack on London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

DISNEY+
Critter Fixers: Country Vets (S6, 12 episodes)
Lost Treasures of Egypt (S5, 10 episodes)
Ironheart – Episodes 4-6 at 6pm PT

HBO MAX
Annabelle (2014)
Better off Dead…
Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me
Canyon River
Carol
Chopped: Volume 4, Season 61 (FOOD Network)
Cunningham
Dames
Dances With Wolves
Dances With Wolves: Extended Cut
Film Geek
Get Out
Get Shorty (1995)
In Time
Insidious
Jewel Robbery
Jimmy the Gent
Lady Killer
Lawyer Man
Life as We Know It
Love & Other Drugs
Love Crazy
Moana with Sound (1926)
Mortal Kombat (1995)
Mortal Kombat (2021)
Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms
Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge
Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
Napoleon Dynamite
One Way Passage
Other Men’s Women
Picture Snatcher
Private Detective 62
Red Dawn (1984)
Shadow of the Thin Man
Shaun the Sheep Movie
Showgirls
Sinner’s Holiday
Smart Money
Snatched (2017)
Song of the Thin Man
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
Taxi! (1932)
The Amityville Horror (1979)
The Amityville Horror (2005)
The Big Lebowski
The Brink (2019)
The Great Wall
The Kennel Murder Case
The Key
The Last House on the Left
The Meg
The Public Enemy
The Road to Singapore (1931)
The St. Louis Kid
The Strawberry Blonde
The Thin Man Goes Home
The Three Stooges
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
Torrid Zone
Two O’Clock Courage
Tyrel
Valentine’s Day
Valley of the Sun (1942)
What’s Your Number?
What’s Your Number? Ex-tended Edition
Winner Take All (1932)
Woman at War

HULU
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Season 2 Reunion Premiere
Lies Hidden In My Garden: Complete Season 1 (SUBBED)
Adam (2009)
Alita: Battle Angel
Bride Wars
Bridesmaids
The Bounty Hunter (2010)
The Call (2013)
Catch and Release
The Comedian
Country Strong
Daddy Day Camp
The Day After Tomorrow
Dear White People (2014)
Demolition
Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
Easy A
The Equalizer 3
Flight Of The Phoenix (2004)
Ford v Ferrari
Friends With Benefits
Fruitvale Station
Garden State
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy
Home Alone
Home Alone 2: Lost In New York
Home Alone 3
Honest Thief
The Internship
I Love You, Man
I Origins
I, Robot
I Saw the Light
King Arthur
Kingdom Come
Kingdom Of Heaven
The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen
The Longest Yard (2005)
The Man Who Knew Too Little
Mission To Mars
Pixels
The Pledge
Prometheus
Puss In Boots
Real Steel
Ruby Sparks
The Sandlot
Shanghai Knights
Shanghai Noon
Sisters
Sugar
Sunshine (2007)
Tammy
Taxi (2004)
Ted
Ted 2
The Way Way Back
Wrath Of Man

PEACOCK
10 Items Or Less
13
About My Father
Airplane!
American Pie
Aquamarine
Are We There Yet?
Barbershop
Barbershop 2: Back In Business
Beauty Shop
Big Momma’s House
The Brothers
Chance of Snow
Contraband
Couples Retreat
The Croods
Daniel Isn’t Real
Dante’s Peak
Dazed And Confused
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears A Who!
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
The Fate Of The Furious
First Blood
Forrest Gump
Friday
The Friday After Next
Furious 7
Goodfellas
Hall Pass
The High Note
Hot Tub Time Machine
Hotel Transylvania
Hotel Transylvania 2
I Am Woman
Iris
King Kong
The King of Staten Island
Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White And Blonde
Liar, Liar
Making Babies
Mission: Impossible
Next Friday
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
Rambo III
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Ray
Repo Men
Robin Hood (2010)
Role Models
Sausage Party
Self/Less
Semi-Pro
Sisters
Street Fighter
Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby
Titanic
Tropic Thunder
The Turning
Twister
War Of The Worlds
Waterworld
Whitey: United States Of America V James Bulger
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys, Season 2 – Premiere (Bravo)
The Real Murders of Atlanta, Season 3 – Premiere, All Episodes (Oxygen)
Yes, Chef!, Season 1 – Finale (NBC)

PARAMOUNT+
A Soldier’s Story
A Walk Among the Tombstones
A Walk on the Moon
Airplane II: The Sequel
Airplane!
An Officer and a Gentleman
Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop II
Beverly Hills Cop III
Boys And Girls
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Chicago
City of God
City of Men
Congo
Cracks
Crisis
Defiance
Don Jon
Downhill Racer
Election
Failure to Launch
Full Metal Jacket
G.I. Blues
G.I. Jane
Gasoline Alley
Girl, Interrupted
Glory
Go
Hamburger Hill
Hit & Run
Jackass 2.5
Jackass 3
Jackass 3.5
Jackass Number 2
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa.5 Unrated
Jackass: The Movie
Jarhead
John Grisham’s The Rainmaker
Limitless
Looper
Lords of Dogtown
Machete Kills
Major League
Mud
Pet Sematary (2019)
Rules of Engagement
Saving Private Ryan
Seabiscuit
Set It Off: Director’s Cut
Side Effects
Sleepless
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
Stardust
Staten Island Summer
Stop-Loss
The Aviator
The Book of Henry
The Fighter
The Gunman
The Killer Inside Me
The Lincoln Lawyer
The Patriot
The Presidio
The Quiet American
The Survivalist
The To Do List
The Virgin Suicides
Titanic
Training Day
World Trade Center
Zero Dark Thirty
Monster Summer

PRIME VIDEO
2 Fast 2 Furious
A Bridge Too Far
A Fish Called Wanda
Baby Boom
Back to School
Bandits
Blown Away
Blue Crush
Blue Velvet
Colors
Creed II
Death Warrant
Double Impact
Dressed to Kill
Duck Soup
Every Day
Fast & Furious 6
Fast Five
Fiddler On the Roof
Gladiator
Hart’s War
Hidden Figures
Hoodlum
How to Train Your Dragon 2
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
Into The Blue
Into The Blue 2: The Reef
It Came from Outer Space
K-PAX
Leaving Las Vegas
Licorice Pizza
Little Fockers
Little Man
Mad Max
Meet the Fockers
Meet the Parents
Mystic Pizza
No Country for Old Men
No Way Out
Only Lovers Left Alive
Paths Of Glory
Rings
Robocop (1987)
Robocop (2014)
Robocop 2
Robocop 3
Rocky (1976)
Rocky Balboa
Rocky II
Rocky III
Rocky IV
Rocky V
Salt
Saving Private Ryan
Teen Wolf (1985)
The 40 Year-Old Virgin
The Addams Family (2019)
The Addams Family 2 (2021)
The Apartment
The Bone Collector
The Bounty Hunter
The Fast and the Furious
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
The Funhouse
The Great Train Robbery
The Horse Soldiers
The House Bunny
The Hustle
The Informant!
The Perfect Storm
The Usual Suspects
Thunderbolt And Lightfoot
What’s The Worst That Could Happen?
Windtalkers
Witness For The Prosecution
XXX: The Return Of Xander Cage
Sherlock S1
Shooter S1-3

TUBI
Brickleberry
Girlfriends
Hap & Leonard
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Kold & Windy (S1)
Major Dad
Millennials
Sanford and Son
The Jeffersons (S1 & S11)
WOW: Women of Wrestling (S2-S3)
12 Rounds
2 Guns
8 Mile
A Most Violent Year
A Time to Kill
Alice, Darling
Amadeus (Theatrical Cut)
American Honey
Anger Management (2003)
Arrival
Arthur and the Invisibles
Baby’s Day Out
Barbershop
Barbershop 2: Back in Business
Baywatch (2017)
Beauty Shop
Because of Winn-Dixie
Belly
Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club
Blair Witch (2016)
Bones and All
Bringing Down the House
Broken City
Cadillac Records
Clemency
Colombiana
Cuban Fury
Culture of Winning
Death Wish (2018)
Déjà Vu
Destroyer
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Don’t Tell a Soul
Dumb and Dumber
Escape Plan
Escape Plan 2: Hades
Escape Plan: The Extractors
Final Destination
Final Destination 2
Final Destination 3
Final Destination 5
Finding Felt
First Blood
Flashdance
Forrest Gump
Fried Green Tomatoes
Get Off My Lawn
Get On Up
Good Burger
Goon: The Last of the Enforcers
Hitman
Hitman: Agent 47
Hot Summer Nights
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
I, Robot
Jinn
Juice
Jumanji (1995)
Jumping the Broom
Jungle 2 Jungle
Jurassic World
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
Legends of the Fall
Major Dad
Minamata
Minority Report
Miss Congeniality
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
No Strings Attached
Non-Stop
Obsessed (2009)
Outlaws
Pale Rider
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension
Pet Sematary (2019)
Phenomenon
Planet 51
Pootie Tang
Pride and Glory
Pulp Fiction
Quarantine 2: Terminal
Rango
Redemption
Richie Rich
Riddick
Robocop (1987)
Robocop (2014)
Robocop 2
Robocop 3
Rye Lane
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Sicario: Day of the Soldado
Son of a Gun
Southside With You
Spotlight
Sweet Dreams
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
That Awkward Moment
The A-Team (2010)
The Benchwarmers
The Birdcage
The Cable Guy
The Captive
The Core
The Da Vinci Code
The Fate of the Furious
The Final Play
The Grey
The Hills Have Eyes
The Invisible Raptor
The Longest Yard
The Menu
The Nun (2018)
The Outsiders
The Running Man
The Secret Life of Pets 2
The Sorcerer and the White Snake
Thelma & Louise
Titanic
Top Five
Under the Silver Lake
Universal Soldier
War of the Worlds
When You Finish Saving the World
While We’re Young
Wrecked
Zola

July 2nd

NETFLIX
The Old Guard 2 — NETFLIX FILM
Tour de France: Unchained: Season 3 (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

DISNEY+
Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (S6, 8 episodes)
ZOMBIES (Sing-Along Version)
ZOMBIES 2 (Sing-Along Version)
ZOMBIES 3 (Sing-Along Version)

HBO MAX
Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print (HBO Original)
My Big Fat Fabulous Life, Season 13 (TLC)

HULU
Dragon Ball DAIMA: Complete Series (Dubbed)

PEACOCK
Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour, Season 1 – Finale (E!)

PARAMOUNT+
Dora & Diego: Rainforest Rescues special
Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado premiere
DORA season 3 premiere

PRIME VIDEO
Heads of State (2025)

July 3rd

NETFLIX
Countdown: Taylor vs. Serrano — NETFLIX SPORTS SERIES
Mr. Robot: Seasons 1-4
The Sandman: Season 2 Volume 1 — NETFLIX SERIES

HBO MAX
Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League
The Deep Three, Season 3

HULU
The American Soldier: Complete Season 1
Aaron Hernandez and the Untold Murders of Bristol: Complete Season 1
America The Story Of US: Complete Season 1
America: Promised Land: Season 1
Barack Obama: Season 1
Black Patriots: Heroes of the Civil War: Season 1
Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution: Season 1
Codes and Conspiracies: Complete Seasons 1 and 2
Community: Complete Series
Dan Da Dan: Season 2 Premiere (Subbed & Dubbed)
Days That Shaped America: Complete Season 1
The First 48 Presents Critical Minutes: Complete Season 3C
The Proof Is Out There: Coomplete Season 4B
The Secret History of Air Force One: Complete Season 1
The Secret History of the Civil War: Complete Season 1
761st Tank Battalion: The Original Black Panthers: Complete Season 1
Who is Luigi Mangione?: Complete Season 1
Mia and Me: The Hero of Centopia

PEACOCK
The American Society Of Magical Negroes
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
Poker Face, Season 2 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

July 4th

NETFLIX
All the Sharks — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

HBO MAX
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (A24)
Sinners (2025)

HULU
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
The Abyss
The Day The Earth Stood Still
In the Lost Lands (2025)

PEACOCK
Curry Inc: The Business of Stephen Curry – Premiere (CNBC)
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks

PRIME VIDEO
Game Night (2018)

TUBI
Great White Waters

July 5th

NETFLIX
The Summer Hikaru Died (JP) — NETFLIX ANIME

HULU
Cold Case Files: The Grim Sleeper: Complete Season 1
The Idaho College Murders: Complete Season 1
The Lake Erie Murders: Complete Seasons 1and 2
The Perfect Murder: Complete Seasons 1 and 2
Untitled Maxine Project: Complete Season 1

PEACOCK
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode, 60 min (Peacock Original)

July 6th

DISNEY+
Investigation Shark Attack (S1, 6 episodes)
Shark Quest: Hunt for the Apex Predator (S1, 2 episodes)
Sharks of the North
Sharks Up Close with Bertie Gregory
Super Shark Highway (S1, 6 episodes)

HULU
Cults and Extreme Belief: Complete Season 1
Killer Cases: Complete Season 6a
Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun: Season 2 Sequel Premiere (SUBBED)

PEACOCK
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
She Said

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July 7th

HBO MAX
90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After?, Season 9 (TLC)
Wardens of the North, Season 4 (Animal Planet)

HULU
Such Brave Girls: Complete Season 2
Deep Sea Detectives: Complete Season 1
Travel Texas: Complete Season 1

PEACOCK
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

July 8th

NETFLIX
A Star Is Born (2018)
Sullivan’s Crossing: Seasons 1-2
Better Late Than Single (KR) — NETFLIX SERIES
Nate Jackson: Super Funny — NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL
Quarterback: Season 2 — NETFLIX SPORTS SERIES
Trainwreck: The Real Project X (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

HULU
Bachelor in Paradise: Season 10 Premiere
Born to be Viral: The Real Lives of Kidfluencers: Complete Docuseries
Marked Men (2025)

PEACOCK
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
Survival Mode, Season 1 – Premiere (NBC)

PARAMOUNT+
White Famous (season 1)

July 9th

NETFLIX
Building The Band — NETFLIX SERIES
The Gringo Hunters (MX) — NETFLIX SERIES
Mad Max: Fury Road
Under a Dark Sun (FR) — NETFLIX SERIES
Ziam (TH) — NETFLIX FILM

DISNEY+
Ancient Aliens: Origins (S1, 12 episodes)
People and Places: Shorts – Premiere

HULU
FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season 17 Premiere
Ancient Aliens: Origins: Complete Season 1
Insomnia (UK): Complete Season 1
Matched in Manhattan: Complete Season 1
Team Players: Complete Season 1

PRIME VIDEO
Ballard (2025)

July 10th

NETFLIX
7 Bears (FR) — NETFLIX FAMILY
Brick (DE) — NETFLIX FILM
Leviathan (JP) — NETFLIX ANIME
Off Road (IL) — NETFLIX SERIES
Sneaky Pete: Seasons 1-3
Too Much (GB) — NETFLIX SERIES

DISNEY+
Summer Baking Championship (S1, 8 episodes)
Suspicious Minds – Premiere

HBO MAX
Back to the Frontier, Season 1 (Max Original, Magnolia Network)
Celebrity IOU, Season 10 (HGTV)
Isadora Moon, Season 1B (Max Original)

HULU
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations: Complete Seasons 5 and 6
Extreme Road Ragers: Complete Season 1A
Summer Baking Championship: Complete Season 1
Suspicious Minds: Complete Season 1
Parkland
Buffaloed

PEACOCK
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
Poker Face, Season 2 – Finale (Peacock Original)

PARAMOUNT+
The Great Debaters
Big Brother (season 27)

July 11th

NETFLIX
Aap Jaisa Koi (IN) — NETFLIX FILM
Almost Cops (NL) — NETFLIX FILM
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 — NETFLIX LIVE EVENT
Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Destination Wedding — NETFLIX FILM

DISNEY+
Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story
ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires – Premiere

HBO MAX
Chasing the West, Season 1 (HGTV)
House Hunters International: Volume 9, Season 202 (HGTV)
House Hunters: Volume 10, Season 243 (HGTV)
Opus (A24)
Rage (Furia), Season 1 (HBO Original)

HULU
Celebrity Family Feud: Season 11 Premiere
Mountain Men: Complete Season 13
Big Momma’s House
Big Momma’s House 2
The Hot Chick
LOL Live with Chico Bean
LOL Live with Chinedu Unaka
Marmaduke
MR-9: Do or Die
Riff Raff

PEACOCK
Drop – Premiere (Peacock Exclusive)
Friends The Next Chapter, Season 3 (LEGO)
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
The Real Housewives Of Orange County, Season 19 – Premiere (Bravo)

PARAMOUNT+
Dexter: Resurrection series premiere

PRIME VIDEO
Better Man (2025)
One Night in Idaho: The College Murders

TUBI
Get Off My Lawn

July 12th

HBO MAX
Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Juan, Season 5 (Discovery)

HULU
90 Day Fiance: Complete Season 6
90 Day Fiance UK: Complete Season 3
Prison Wives Club: Complete Season 1
A Quiet Place Part II

PEACOCK
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

July 13th

HULU
Deep Sea Detectives: Complete Season 2
Dumb Money

PEACOCK
Love Island: Beyond the Villa, Season 1 – Premiere (Peacock Original)
Love Island USA, Season 7 – Finale (Peacock Original)

PARAMOUNT+
Alone in Berlin

July 14th

NETFLIX
Apocalypse in the Tropics (BR) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
SAKAMOTO DAYS: Season 1 Part 2 (JP) — NETFLIX ANIME

HBO MAX
Evil Lives Here, Season 18 (ID)
Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing, Season 3 (Discovery)
Two Guys Garage, Season 24

HULU
Fugitives Caught on Tape: Complete Season 1
Stags (UK): Complete Season 1

PEACOCK
Kings Court, Season 1 – Premiere (Bravo)
Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars, Seasons 16-17 (WeTV)

July 15th

NETFLIX
Entitled: Season 1
Jaws
Jaws 2
Jaws 3
Jaws: The Revenge
Trainwreck: Balloon Boy (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

HBO MAX
A Killer Among Friends, Season 1 (ID)

HULU
Her Last Broadcast: The Abduction of Jodi Huisentruit: Complete Docuseries
Rachael Ray’s Holidays: Complete Season 1
Get Away (2024)
SAS: Red Notice

PEACOCK
Bahar: Esencia de Mujer, Season 1 – Premiere (Telemundo)

PRIME VIDEO
Uncharted

TUBI
Getting Warmer with Kal Penn

July 16th

NETFLIX
Amy Bradley Is Missing — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Mamma Mia!
Wanted

HBO MAX
911: Did the Killer Call?, Season 1 (ID)

HULU
Rachael Ray’s Meals in Minutes: Complete Season 2A
Unexpected Loves: Complete Season 1

PEACOCK
Botched Presents: Plastic Surgery Rewind, Season 1 – Premiere (E!)

PARAMOUNT+
The Challenge: All Stars (season 5)
Max and the Midknights (season 1)

July 17th

NETFLIX
Catalog (EG) — NETFLIX SERIES
Community Squad: Season 2 (AR) — NETFLIX SERIES
UNTAMED — NETFLIX SERIES

DISNEY+
America’s Funniest Home Videos (S13-15, 67 episodes)
Disneyland Resort P.O.V. Walkthroughs – Premiere

HBO MAX
Beat Bobby Flay, Season 38 (FOOD Network)

HULU
Baylen Out Loud: Complete Season 1
Jake Makes It Easy: Complete Season 1
My 600-lb Life: Complete Season 3
My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?: Complete Season 2
Polyfamily: Complete Season 1
The Amateur
Snake Eyes G.I. Joe Origins

PEACOCK
Love Island: Beyond the Villa, Season 1 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

PARAMOUNT+
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 premiere

PRIME VIDEO
Surf Girls: International

July 18th

NETFLIX
Almost Family (BR) — NETFLIX FILM
Delirium (CO) — NETFLIX SERIES
I’m Still a Superstar (ES) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Superstar (ES) — NETFLIX SERIES
Vir Das: Fool Volume (IN) — NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL
Wall to Wall (KR) — NETFLIX FILM

DISNEY+
Megastructures: Real Madrid Super Stadium

HBO MAX
Billy Joel: And So It Goes (HBO Original)
Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, Season 51 (FOOD Network)
Family Recipe Showdown, Season 1 (FOOD Network)
I Love You Forever (2024)

HULU
High Rollers

PEACOCK
Transplant, Season 4 – Finale (NBC)

TUBI
TKO

July 19th

NETFLIX
Eight for Silver

HBO MAX
Guy’s Ranch Kitchen, Season 7B (FOOD Network)
Zillow Gone Wild, Season 2 (HGTV)

HULU
Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda: Complete Seasons 6 and 7
The Assessment

PRIME VIDEO
Sabotage
PBC on Prime

July 20th

HBO MAX
Shark Week 2025 (Discovery)
Teen Titans Go!, Season 9C (Cartoon Network)

HULU
Smurfs: The Lost Village

PEACOCK
Violent Night

July 21st

NETFLIX
The Hunting Wives: Season 1
The Steve Harvey Show: Seasons 1-6

HULU
Trophy Wife: Murder on Safari: Complete Docuseries

PEACOCK
Rizzoli & Isles, Season 1-7 (TNT)

PRIME VIDEO
Justice on Trial

July 22nd

NETFLIX
Trainwreck: P.I. Moms (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

DISNEY+
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+ – Premiere

HBO MAX
Eva Longoria: Searching For Spain, Season 1 (CNN)

HULU
Red Eye (UK): Complete Seasons 1 and 2

July 23rd

NETFLIX
Hightown: Seasons 1-3
House of Lies: Seasons 1-5
Critical: Between Life and Death (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Letters From The Past (TR) — NETFLIX SERIES

DISNEY+
Kiff (Season 2) – Premiere

HBO MAX
Welcome to Plathville, Season 7 (TLC)

HULU
Washington Black: Complete Season 1

PEACOCK
The Valley After Show, Season 1 – Finale (Bravo Digital)

PARAMOUNT+
RuPaul’s Drag Race (season 17)
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked (season 16)

PRIME VIDEO
Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War

July 24th

NETFLIX
A Normal Woman (ID) — NETFLIX FILM
Hitmakers — NETFLIX SERIES
My Melody & Kuromi (JP) — NETFLIX ANIME
The Sandman: Season 2 Volume 2 — NETFLIX SERIES

HULU
Match Game: Season 6 Premiere ABC
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Season 4 Premiere
Bakeaway Camp with Martha Stewart: Complete Season 1
Mad About You: Complete Seasons 1-7
Summer Baking Championship: Complete Season 2

PEACOCK
Love Island: Beyond the Villa, Season 1 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

July 25th

NETFLIX
Happy Gilmore 2 — NETFLIX FILM
Trigger (KR) — NETFLIX SERIES
The Winning Try (KR) — NETFLIX SERIES

HBO MAX
AEW Special Events, 2023C (2023)
AEW Special Events, 2024C (2024)
Care Bears: Unlock the Magic S1F: The No Heart Games (2024)
Death of a Unicorn (A24)

PRIME VIDEO
Wicked

July 26th

DISNEY+
BBQ Brawl (S1-2, 14 episodes)
Theme Song Takeover (S4, 6 episodes)
Ultimate Summer Cook-Off (S1, 4 episodes)

HBO MAX
The Pioneer Woman, Season 39 (FOOD Network)

HULU
BBQ Brawl: Complete Seasons 1 and 2
Chopped: Complete Season 61
Tournament Of Champions: Complete Season 6
Tournament of Champions VI: The Qualifiers: Complete Season 6
Ultimate Summer Cook-Off: Complete Season 1

July 27th

PEACOCK
Tár

July 28th

NETFLIX
The Lazarus Project: Seasons 1-2

DISNEY+
Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time (S1, 5 episodes)

HULU
The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball: Season 1A
Operation Fortune

PEACOCK
Adaptive: Paris (Vitium Productions LLC)
Unlocked, Season 2 (CNBC)

July 29th

NETFLIX
Dusty Slay: Wet Heat — NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL
Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
WWE: Unreal — NETFLIX SPORTS SERIES

HBO MAX
Worst Cooks in America, Season 29 (FOOD Network)

HULU
Dope Girls (UK): Complete Season 1
Memoir of a Snail

PEACOCK
Unknown Serial Killers of America, Season 1 – Premiere, All Episodes (Oxygen)

July 30th

NETFLIX
Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Unspeakable Sins (MX) — NETFLIX SERIES

DISNEY+
Big City Greens (S4, 10 episodes)
StuGo: Shorts (S1, 6 episodes)
StuGo – Premiere

HULU
Mr & Mrs Murder: Complete Docuseries
The Bachelor (Australia): Complete Seasons 3-5
The Bachelorette (Australia): Complete Seasons 3-4

PEACOCK
Destination X, Season 1 – Finale (NBC)
Top Chef VIP, Season 4 – Premiere (Telemundo)

PARAMOUNT+
CMT Live – Nate Smith at Busch Country: One Night Only

PRIME VIDEO
War of the Worlds (2005)

July 31st

NETFLIX
An Honest Life (SE) — NETFLIX FILM
Glass Heart — NETFLIX SERIES
Leanne — NETFLIX SERIES
Marked (ZA) — NETFLIX SERIES
The Sandman: Season 2: Special Episode — NETFLIX SERIES

DISNEY+
Project Runway (S1-4, 51 episodes)

HBO MAX
Don’t Hate Your House with the Property Brothers, Season 2 (HGTV)

HULU
Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives: Complete Season 5
Guy’s Grocery Games: Complete Seasons 21, 22, and 38
Mad About You (2019): Complete Series

PEACOCK
Love Island: Beyond the Villa, Season 1 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
Twisted Metal, Season 2 – Premiere (Peacock Original)

The post Everything Coming to Netflix, Disney+ & Other Streaming Services in July 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

James Gunn has officially confirmed that a DCU projects that appears to have gone cold (at least on the news front) is still happening. The new head of DC’s screen empire has been very clear that projects will only move ahead when certain obligations are fulfilled (like a viable script), rather than too many adaptations being hastily announced to build hype. But even when things go quiet, that doesn’t mean there’s no progress or that the projects are canceled.

Gunn has now confirmed that the Waller television series is still in active development for the DC Universe, using the social media platform Threads to personally shut down persistent rumors that the project had been canceled or reworked. The Waller series was first announced as part of the initial DCU slate reveal in January 2023, with Viola Davis set to reprise her role and writers Christal Henry (Watchmen) and Jeremy Carver (Doom Patrol) attached. While details on Waller are still vague, the DC Studios co-CEO provided the first concrete update on the Viola Davis-led series in several months, reassuring fans that Amanda Waller’s story remains a part of the DCU’s future.

When a fan asked Gunn if rumors about “the Waller show being reworked into a Checkmate show” were false, Gunn offered an unambiguous one-word reply, “Yes”. To ensure there was no misunderstanding, another fan pressed for more clarity, asking, “So Waller is still in development?”, to which Gunn again replied with a simple and definitive, “Yes”. This interaction was necessary to counter the pessimistic narrative that had formed around the project, especially after Gunn himself acknowledged at a DC Studios press event in February 2025 that Waller had encountered “a couple of… setbacks, frankly”.

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Waller was originally conceived as a direct spinoff from the first season of Peacemaker, intended to explore the immediate fallout of Amanda Waller’s daughter, Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), publicly exposing the existence of Task Force X. However, the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes caused a major halt in production, and the resulting delays forced significant rewrites as the new DCU timeline evolved, rendering that original premise obsolete and leaving the show’s future in limbo until this new confirmation.

Peacemaker Season 2 Establishes a New Order at ARGUS

The upcoming second season of Peacemaker, scheduled to premiere in August 2025, is set to introduce a radically different status quo for the DCU’s clandestine operations, confirming Amanda Waller has been deposed from her position of power. Taking place after a significant time jump of “a couple of years,” the new Peacemaker season will establish Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) as the new head of ARGUS. As the trailers revealed, Flag Sr. is actively using the full resources of the government agency to hunt down Christopher Smith (John Cena) to seek revenge for the death of his son, Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman), who was killed by Peacemaker during the events of The Suicide Squad.

Beyond the conflict with ARGUS, Peacemaker Season 2 is also set to wildly expand its lore by embracing high-concept science fiction and multiversal chaos. A key element of this is the Quantum Unfolding Chamber, an apparatus that will seemingly allow the characters to access alternate realities. The first look at these other dimensions has revealed a different version of Peacemaker who sports a jetpack and an inverted dove symbol in an alternate reality where his brother, Keith, is still alive and works alongside him as an armored operative. This dimensional-hopping storyline will also introduce a new version of the White Dragon (Robert Patrick), Peacemaker’s villainous father, who is seen wearing a distinct blue suit of armor. These bizarre new elements, coupled with the introduction of other new characters like Michael Rooker’s Red St. Wild and a mysterious four-eyed gray alien, promise a season that will be both a gritty manhunt and a wildly unpredictable sci-fi adventure.

Peacemaker Season 2 premieres on HBO Max on August 21st.

What do you want to see in Amanda Waller’s solo series? Let us know in the comments.

The post James Gunn Confirms a Seemingly Forgotten DC Universe Project Is Still Happening appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Milly Alcock, the actress set to become the DC Universe’s new Girl of Steel, is at the center of a massive streaming phenomenon, as her new Netflix series Sirens has officially become the most-watched show in streaming. According to the latest Nielsen data for the week of May 26 to June 1, the five-episode limited series amassed a staggering 1.5 billion minutes viewed, decisively claiming the top spot. The achievement is a monumental indicator of the show’s breakout success, as it not only topped the charts but did so as a brand-new property with no existing IP to boost its profile. This meteoric rise establishes the dark comedy as a true cultural event and cements Alcock’s star power ahead of her highly anticipated superhero debut in Supergirl.

The scale of Sirens’ streaming dominance becomes even clearer when compared to its competition. The Netflix series completely dwarfed the second-place finisher, the sitcom titan The Big Bang Theory, which registered 905 million minutes watched. That gap is made more impressive by Nielsen’s methodology, which calculates total viewing time across all available episodes of a series. For Sirens, with only five episodes, to outperform a show with a 281-episode catalog and a huge fanbase demonstrates an extraordinary level of engagement from a massive audience. The show also handily beat out other high-profile series, including Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, which landed in third place with 900 million minutes viewed even though it aired its Season 6 finale on May 27.

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Furthermore, the timing of the Nielsen window highlights Sirens‘ powerful word-of-mouth appeal. Sirens was released on May 22, meaning its record-breaking performance occurred in its second week of availability. This pattern deviates from the typical binge-model trajectory, where a show’s viewership peaks during its opening weekend and then declines. For Sirens to not only sustain but build such massive numbers well after its launch suggests that an initial wave of viewers quickly turned into a vocal army of advocates, driving a continuous surge of new audiences to the show after its debut. This kind of organic growth is the gold standard for a new series, proving it has captured the public’s attention in a major way.

Milly Alcock’s Star Power on Full Display Ahead of DCU Debut

Milly Alcock’s record-breaking series, Sirens, was created by Molly Smith Metzler and is based on her play Elemeno Pea. The five-episode limited series, which also stars Julianne Moore and Meghann Fahy, is a dark comedy thriller that centers on Devon (Fahy), a woman who becomes worried about the intense relationship between her sister Simone (Alcock) and Simone’s billionaire boss, Michaela (Moore). The plot unfolds during a weekend intervention at a lavish beach estate, exploring themes of class dynamics, sisterhood, and co-dependency.

Following her role in Sirens, Alcock will star as Kara Zor-El in DC Studios’ Supergirl. The film is a major installment in the new DC Universe and is based on the acclaimed 8-issue comic book series Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by writer Tom King and artist Bilquis Evely. James Gunn has described this cinematic version of Supergirl as a more “hardcore” hero, shaped by a vastly different upbringing than her cousin, Superman. In this continuity, Kara was raised on a floating fragment of Krypton, where she witnessed the death of everyone around her for years before arriving on Earth. The movie is being directed by Craig Gillespie, known for his work on I, Tonya and Cruella. The announced cast also includes Matthias Schoenaerts as the villain Krem of the Yellow Hills, Eve Ridley as Ruthye Marye Knoll, David Krumholtz as Supergirl’s father Zor-El, Emily Beecham as her mother Alura In-Ze, and Jason Momoa as the intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo.

Supergirl is scheduled to fly into theaters on June 26, 2026. Sirens is currently available to stream on Netflix.

Are you surprised by Sirens’ massive streaming success, and are you more excited for Milly Alcock’s take on Supergirl now? Let us know in the comments.

The post Supergirl Star’s New Netflix Show Is the Biggest Thing in Streaming appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dexter: Resurrection will undo a major plot point from Dexter: New Blood when it begins airing in July. Dexter is one of the most infamous anti-heroes in television thanks to his complicated morals. On one hand, he’s a serial killer who has violently disposed of hundreds of people. On the other hand, the bulk of his kills have been people who slipped through the cracks of the justice system and likely would’ve gone on to hurt others had they stayed alive. Part of the thrill of the show is that you’re torn by the morality of Dexter’s actions, particularly when his actions start to have consequences that hurt those around him.

Of course, Dexter’s actions lead to many of his loved ones getting hurt and in the end, Dexter decides its best if he ends his life… but only his life as Dexter Morgan. He fakes his death by driving into a hurricane, ultimately moving away to become a lumberjack in the series finale of the original show. A decade later, the cameras turn back on for Dexter: New Blood and find Dexter living in snowy upstate New York under a new alias: Jim Lindsay, a fun twist on Dexter author Jeff Lindsay. However, it wasn’t long before his cop girlfriend, Angela Bishop, discovered his true identity and began looking into Dexter’s past… if you’re reading this, you probably know it doesn’t turn out well for ol’ Dex.

Dexter Morgan Will No Longer Be Jim Lindsay in Dexter: Resurrection

With all of that said, it seems like a lot of things will be sort of reset in the upcoming sequel series Dexter: Resurrection. A recent CCXP panel with the cast and crew of the show has been released teasing a lot of fun details about the show. One big piece of information is that Dexter will no longer have an alias, he is out in the open as Dexter Morgan. He doesn’t appear to be a wanted fugitive, as many (including myself) suspected following the finale of New Blood, he is a free man living under his legal name. This will certainly make it easier for Dexter: Resurrection to have multiple seasons, but it also has interesting story implications.

Part of this is because Dexter’s old friend Angel Batista is back in the picture and when he meets up with Dexter, it’s revealed that Batista was the one that declared Dexter legally dead and took care of his affairs. However, at the start of the show, he legally resurrects Dexter meaning he can get a driver’s license and not have to do anything super dodgy to carry out his life. However, this wasn’t just a nice friendly favor done by Batista as actor David Zayas coyly revealed the reason Batista does this is because you can’t prosecute a dead man.

Obviously, this implies Batista is investigating Dexter with the possibility of trying to arrest him. It definitely creates a lot of tension and poses the question of what Dexter would do in a situation like this. We’ve seen him take down Doakes and even LaGuerta, but they were adversarial prior to that. The finale of Dexter: New Blood even shows him considering drawing a kitchen knife on Angela, his own girlfriend and the mother of his son’s love interest. He’s clearly willing to kill if necessary, but Angel does seem like a totally different beast. It could also be extremely controversial if the two come to physical blows, but a bold story choice that would keep things feeling fresh.

Dexter: Resurrection will premiere on July 11th with its first two episodes. How would you feel if Dexter killed Angel Batista? Let me know in the comments.

The post Dexter: Resurrection Will Undo a Major New Blood Plot Point appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the most popular episodes of science fiction anthology series Black Mirror was oddly predicted by David Schwimmer’s iconic Ross Geller back in a 1999 episode of Friends. Despite being a hugely valued member of the core group of Friends, Ross was often the butt of the joke in Friends, and his intelligence usually set up some of his best awkward and uncomfortable moments. One of these was featured in Friends season 6, episode 7, “The One Where Phoebe Runs,” but Ross’ comments here could have proved just how forward-thinking he was.

“The One Where Phoebe Runs” not only focused on Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) and Rachel’s (Jennifer Aniston) silly running, or Chandler’s (the late Matthew Perry) cleaning the apartment in Monica’s (Courteney Cox) absence. The episode also saw Joey (Matt LeBlanc) get a new roommate whom Ross tried to impress with a story. “By the year 2030, there will be computers that can carry out the same amount of functions as an actual human brain,” explains Ross to Janine (Elle Macpherson). “So, theoretically, you could download your thoughts and memories into this computer, and live forever as a machine.”

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Unbeknownst to Ross, this anecdote accurately predicted the storyline of Black Mirror season 3, episode 4, “San Junipero.” Lauded as one of the best episodes of the anthology series, “San Junipero” saw Kelly (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Yorkie (Mackenzie Davis) meet and fall in love in a simulated reality that the elderly can inhabit and become young again, even after death – living forever as part of a machine. Written by Charlie Brooker and directed by Owen Harris, it’s striking how similar “San Junipero’s” story is to Ross Geller’s tale, but the two, interestingly, aren’t actually linked.

“I don’t think the notion of consciousnesses being uploaded to a computer – I don’t think that concept came from Ross from Friends,” noted Brooker during an interview with NME in 2018. “I’d certainly heard that concept before so I must have stolen it from elsewhere.” Black Mirror’s co-creator Annabel Jones joked that “Most of our episodes are inspired by Friends,” as everyone is upbeat and happy all the time, which clearly is not the case. Despite Brooker’s comments, it’s uncanny how correct Ross Geller’s prediction was, and it was great to see it beautifully brought to life in “San Junipero.”

Brooker has denied the creation of a sequel to “San Junipero” a number of times over the years, despite the episode receiving critical acclaim. Several subsequent Black Mirror episodes have included references and Easter eggs to “San Junipero,” however, including Kelly and Yorkie’s dresses in the Black Museum and the Saint Juniper’s Hospital in “Black Museum,” the Juniper Hotel in “Common People,” the simulated reality and reference to 3049 Junipero Drive in “Hotel Reverie.” Black Mirror’s seventh season released on Netflix on April 10, 2025. Although it hasn’t yet been officially announced, it’s likely the series will continue.

What are your favorite Black Mirror episodes? Let us know in the comments!

The post A Fan-Favorite Black Mirror Episode Was Predicted 17 Years Before It Aired… By Friends?! appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The evolution of Cordyceps in The Last of Us has presented many challenges to the survivors of the fungus-infested world, but one problem already has a very obvious solution that nobody has mentioned. The Last of Us Season 2 recently concluded with a massive cliffhanger, as Ellie (Bella Ramsey) finally tracked down Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) on her mission for revenge for Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) murder, but Abby turned the tables. While there are many twisted human survivors to handle, The Last of Us also hasn’t forgotten its seemingly-unbeatable fungal villain.

The Last of Us Season 2 examined the father-daughter relationship between Joel and Ellie in the weeks after Ellie works out that Joel had been lying to her about what happened in Salt Lake City in Season 1’s finale. Ellie’s immunity to Cordyceps made it possible for a Firefly doctor to create a cure from her brain tissue, but this would have killed her. Joel saved her by killing almost all the Fireflies, including the doctor, Abby’s father, which apparently made it impossible for a cure to now be made – but this isn’t the case.

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The Last of Us has put a lot of stock in Ellie being the only immune individual, and the only candidate to be the source of a possible cure for the Cordyceps infection. However, the way in which Ellie became immune means that any newborn baby could also become immune, should the mother be infected during labor. Of course, this would be truly tragic in another sense, as it would be a very controversial choice to have new mothers be killed in order to immunize their babies, but this would be a clever and surefire way to ensure herd immunity.

Ellie’s birth was shown in the opening moments of The Last of Us Season 1’s finale, “Look for the Light.” In the sequence, Anna (Ashley Johnson – who portrayed Ellie in the video game) was bitten by an infected while giving birth, and cut the umbilical cord after the bite. This meant that Cordyceps had been growing in Ellie’s body from birth, which made her insusceptible to new infection. This surely wasn’t a one-off event, so there must be other individuals out there who are also immune, and this creates a way for new individuals to be immunized, too.

Of course, we’re not condoning the murder of mothers simply to immunize the population from the Cordyceps infection – but Ellie is living proof that it works. Since Dina (Isabela Merced) is pregnant in The Last of Us Season 2, it’s possible, however tragic it would be, that she could be bitten while in labor, delivering a new immune resident of Jackson. In the video game, Dina gives birth to a baby boy whom she names Jesse Jr. after his deceased father, but the futures of Ellie, Dina, and the baby might not be so clear-cut in the live-action HBO adaptation.

Do you think Joel should have left the Fireflies to make a cure in The Last of Us Season 1? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Last of Us’ Biggest Problem Has A Solution So Obvious, I Can’t Believe Nobody Is Saying It appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Linda Hamilton is in no hurry to leave Resident Alien behind. In an interview with ComicBook to promote the show’s fourth season, Hamilton said that she is loving the show’s longevity — especially knowing that her role as General Macalester was supposed to be short-lived. She said that she and her colleagues feel like they’re just finding their niche, and as far as she can tell, the audience feels the same way. Resident Alien is currently airing on Friday nights at 10 p.m. ET on Syfy and USA Network, and Hamilton said that she hopes it continues to do so “forever.”

We asked Hamilton how it felt to help develop a character like Macalester, who was originally meant to leave the series pretty early, into a fan favorite. She responded, “Thrilling, really. I’ve never done a show for four years, for one. And to be able to grow the characters and sort of implement anything that they throw my way in terms of, you know, what they’re building for that character has just been a delight, a complete delight for me. And I didn’t know that they were planning to kill me off, that’s not exactly how they hired me saying, ‘Hey, one season, then you’re out.’”

“But I want this show to go forever,” Hamilton continued. “I really do. I just feel like we’re just finding our feet. I mean, it’s been so great, but in terms of audience, we’ve just sort of landed in a place where people are really, you know, enjoying what we’ve set out for them.”

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Hamilton is echoing the sentiments of many people in Hollywood, and TV fans as well. Many people miss the days when TV shows had time to find their audience and discover their own unique hook, mourning those that have been canceled quickly in the era of streaming. Thankfully, Resident Alien has held on for the last four years, airing primarily on cable and then streaming on Peacock.

The series stars Alan Tudyk as an extraterrestrial living on earth disguised as the human doctor Harry Vanderspeigle. Although sent to earth to wipe out humanity, he quickly develops compassion for earthlings and does his best to help them survive other alien threats. However, his own secretive life is dangerous as well, especially as some humans can mysteriously see through his diguise.

Hamilton plays a U.S. general working with a personal vendetta regarding extraterrestrials. She works for a mysterious organization dedicated to protecting earth from alien threats, and she personally has spent her life seeking irrefutable proof that they are real. Hamilton was a recurring cast member for the first three seasons, and is a guest star in Season 4.

New episodes of Resident Alien air on Friday nights at 10 p.m. ET on Syfy and USA Network. Previous episodes are streaming now on Peacock.

The post Resident Alien Star Linda Hamilton Hopes Series “Goes on Forever” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

For those who grew up with Wet Hot American Summer, it’s a comedy that’s hard to beat. It’s definitely a movie where you need to be on its wavelength though. But even if you’re not on that very particular and very odd wavelength, it’s the type of comedy you can get something out of. Namely, a sense of awe in just how many pre-fame stars are stuffed in one 90-minute movie. As a result, a follow-up seemed next to impossible. For one, the film flopped hard. Two, half its cast became A-listers. But all of the film’s cast members really enjoyed their experience making the movie. They all got along very well (which is actually part of the movie’s appeal), so they ended up being game for a return to Camp Firewood.

Thus, 14 years after the release of the movie, we got the Netflix miniseries Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp. And it was even better than the movie.

What Makes Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp the Perfect Follow-Up to the Movie?

First Day of Camp‘s core concept is a hilarious one. All of the cast members are almost fifteen years older, yet they’re playing slightly younger versions of their younger selves. That in and of itself is very funny, but First Day of Camp also manages to go for eight episodes and never allow the laugh-a-minute style to become grating.

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Most of the characters are given charming, goofy plots. However, most are not given full-on character arcs, which is for the best, considering it would change who they were when the events of the movie kicked off. Equally importantly, Wet Hot just isn’t the type of project where characters have arcs, they barely exist in reality.

What really helps First Day of Camp stand above the film is the writing. Michael Showalter and David Wain (the latter of whom again serves as director, as well) only got better at their craft between the movie and the show without losing a shred of the spastic energy that helped allow the film feel so spontaneous.

It was also great to see the gang back together. As mentioned earlier, most of the characters aren’t given full arcs. The exceptions are Elizabeth Banks and Bob’s Burgers‘ H. Jon Benjamin. We learn that Banks’ Lindsay is actually a journalist on the search for a reclusive rock star (played charmingly by newcomer Chris Pine, proving he’s made for comedy just as he did in Horrible Bosses 2) and we learn how Benjamin’s Mitch became, well, a Can of Mixed Vegetables.

First Day of Camp‘s other newcomers also help keep the show feeling fresh, helping to steer it away from repeating the film’s jokes too often. The newcomers include Jason Schwartzman, Lake Bell, Michaela Watkins, Jon Hamm (as The Falcon, an assassin who spars with Christopher Meloni’s chef in a hilarious scene), John Slattery as a snooty Broadway actor-director, and Kristen Wiig and Josh Charles as a pair of snooty counselors at the neighboring Camp Tigerclaw.

Unfortunately, 2017’s Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later couldn’t keep the ball rolling. It’s not bad, but much of the spontaneous magic of the movie and First Day of Camp is absent. The series originated with a line of dialogue from the film. Early in the movie, the counselors tell each other they’ll all reunite after a decade has passed.

Ten Years Later was able to bring back Banks, Benjamin, Michael Ian Black, Janeane Garofalo, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Christopher Meloni, David Hyde Pierce, Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, and Molly Shannon, amongst others, but Wet Hot alum Bradley Cooper had to sit it out.

He’s replaced by Adam Scott, with the explanation that the character, Ben, had undergone cosmetic surgery. Naturally, losing Cooper isn’t enough of a loss to sink the ship when the ship is populated with so many other talented people, but Ten Years Later just can’t help but feel like it’s treading water. Not the case with First Day of Camp, though, which was and remains a gift for Wet Hot American Summer fans that they never thought they would get.

The post 10 Years Later, This Is Still the Funniest Netflix Show of All Time appeared first on ComicBook.com.

“The end and yet… the beginning.” So reads the last shot of the final storyboard for the 1997 series finale of X-Men: The Animated Series, ending on a heroic and dramatic upshot of the X-Men — Cyclops (Norm Spencer), Jean Grey (Catherine Disher), Storm (Alison Sealy-Smith), Jubilee (Alyson Court), Wolverine (Cal Dodd), Beast (George Buza), Gambit (Chris Potter), Rogue (Lenore Zann), and Morph (Rob Rubin) — beneath a dawn skyline alongside Magneto (David Hemblen). The storyboard by artist Dan Veesenmeyer describes the mutants, looking upward after bidding a heartfelt farewell to their mentor Professor Charles Xavier (Cedric Smith), as “hopeful, determined, as if they look towards the future!”

For nearly three decades, fans who grew up watching X-Men: The Animated Series could only imagine what the future might hold for the uncanny X-Men after “Graduation Day.” A blockbuster movie franchise and animated adaptations like 2000’s X-Men: Evolution and 2009’s Wolverine and the X-Men continued the adventures of Marvel’s mutants on both the big and small screens, but it wasn’t until 2024 that the series that defined the X-Men for an entire generation returned, like a phoenix from the ashes, as X-Men ’97.

“For thirty years, people have been asking, ‘Can X-Men [The Animated Series] please come back? Can they do some more episodes? Anything?'” Julia Lewald, a writer on X-Men: TAS and a consulting producer on X-Men ’97, writes in the foreword to X-Men ’97: The Art and Making of the Animated Series (Abrams Books, July 1). The official behind-the-scenes art book is a comprehensive guide to the decades-later revival of the beloved ’90s Fox Kids Saturday morning cartoon.

Chronicling the making of the Emmy-nominated X-Men ’97 with storyboards, character sketches, costume designs, stills, cels, animatic frames, and insights from the cast and creators, the book from author James Field (The Art of The Batman) is a veritable Cerebro, containing exclusive intel from the 10-episode first season and the upcoming season 2 of the Marvel Studios Animation series.

Here, ComicBook has rounded up a few of the many revelations readers will find in the 223-page book (out July 1), which can be pre-ordered at Abrams Books or retailers like Amazon.

A Legend Reborn

Brad Winderbaum, X-Men ’97 executive producer and Head of Streaming, Television and Animation at Marvel Studios, pitched a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. Having started his career as an associate producer on the 2000 X-Men movie, Feige “was as excited as I was,” Winderbaum recalls in the book. “His first questions: ‘Can we get the music?’ and ‘Can we get the cast?'”

Marvel tapped John Andrew Grush and Taylor Newton Stewart (collectively known as the Newton Brothers) to re-record composer Ron Wasserman’s iconic X-Men theme song and reunited the original show’s surviving cast members, including Dodd as the metal-clawed Wolverine, Sealy-Smith as the weather-wielding Storm, Zann as power-absorbing Rogue, Buza as the erudite, blue-furred Beast, Adrian Hough as the swashbuckling Nightcrawler, and Chris Britton as the villainous Mister Sinister.

Ray Chase replaced the late Spencer as the voice of Cyclops, and Matthew Waterson took over the role of Magneto from Hemblen. (Both Spencer and Hemblen died in 2020.) Original X-Men: The Animated Series actors Disher (Jean Grey), Alyson Court (Jubilee), Ron Rubin (Morph), Chris Potter (Gambit), Lawrence Bayne (Cable) returned in new roles, with series newcomers J.P. Karliak (Morph), A.J. LoCascio (Gambit), Holly Chou (Jubilee), Jennifer Hale (Jean Grey), Isaac Robinson-Smith (Bishop), and Ross Marquand (Professor X) coming aboard to voice the mutants who protect a world that hates and fears them.

“I think it seemed like something that would never happen; they could never conceive of it, and the fact that they’re all back enthusiastically in the recording booth and really giving it their all, I mean, some of these performances are unbelievable,” Winderbaum says of the cast reunion.

Just as synonymous with X-Men: The Animated Series‘ voices is the theme song and the opening title sequence. “It’s that song and it’s that animation,” notes Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, VP of Marvel Animation. “It’s this call to arms for fandom. You hear it and you’re like, ‘Yep, I’m on board.’ It’s like a bugle sound. It’s the promise of what the show’s going to be.”

The Best There Is

Next, Marvel hired Beau DeMayo (Moon Knight) as Head Writer “after his inspiring pitch that not only honored the original show but also elevated it by reflecting on the world of the past thirty years,” Winderbaum continues. (DeMayo was dismissed from the series just days before its premiere on Disney+ last March.) Winderbaum’s team included co-executive producer Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt (Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man), supervising producer-director Jake Castorena (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Head of Marvel Studios Visual Development Ryan Meinerding (Avengers: Endgame), and lead character designer Amelia Vidal (What If…?).

Finally, Winderbaum consulted the team behind X-Men: The Animated Series: Julia and Eric Lewald and series producer and director Larry Houston. “Their guidance throughout the creation of X-Men ’97 showed us how to bring these characters to life,” Winderbaum says. “They told us about the challenges and limitations they encountered in making the original series and how they overcame obstacles. In an attempt to emulate our collective memory of X-Men: The Animated Series, we created our own rule book so we could retain the look and feel of the original.”

Second Genesis

Picking up where X-Men: The Animated Series left off decades earlier, Marvel’s X-Men ’97 was designed to be “fresh but familiar in this day and age,” Castorena says of the sequel to the original series that aired 76 episodes over five seasons between 1992 and 1997.

“The original pitch was about reviving the series, not about rebooting it and not about remaking it,” Winderbaum adds. “One of the reasons was there are so many stories in the X-Men comics that you could continue telling in that X-Men: The Animated Series style.” As for revisiting the Jim Lee-inspired designs of the ’90s series, Winderbaum says, “The bigger question is: Why go back to a style that seems antiquated or old-fashioned instead of creating some big CG extravaganza on-screen? The real reason is because I love that aesthetic; I love the way that show looks.”

“We are a revival. There’s already a sandbox that we are fortunately beholden to,” says Castorena. “It’s a combination of what we learned so far in animation — the recognizable nineties style of the show, making it producible in this day and age and designing to where we can keep the quality.”

X-Men: Blue & Gold

X-Men: The Animated Series adapted such seminal X-Men comic storylines as Days of Future Past, the Phoenix/Dark Phoenix Saga, and Fatal Attractions, while X-Men ’97 cited comics like the Inferno crossover, the Storm-centric Lifedeath, and New X-Men‘s “E Is for Extinction” as some of the biggest influences for season 1.

Another major influence was the ’90s blue-and-gold era of X-Men. Not only did the team split into two field squads due to an expansive roster — Cyclops’ Blue team and Storm’s Gold team — but the Lewalds’ show bible for X-Men: The Animated Series also broke the seasons by dividing each story’s roster of characters into “A-team” (the most prominent in a story), “B-team” (somewhat prominent in a story), and a “C-team” (least prominent in the story).

For X-Men ’97, the “A-team” consisted of Cyclops, Jean, Magneto, and Storm, prominent characters with their own multiple-episode arcs; the “B-team” was Rogue, Gambit, and Jubilee, with their own episodic arcs; and the “C-team,” Wolverine, Morph, and Beast “to bring flair and color to stories while also having their own moments to shine.”

Weapon X-Man

Wolverine, for example, has been the X-Man since even before The Animated Series aired its final episode in 1997, with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine taking center stage in everything from 2000’s X-Men movie to his own trilogy to 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine. While Logan may be on the “C-team” this time around, rather than being at the forefront, the creators wanted to show other sides of Wolverine — namely through his relationship with mom-to-be Jean Grey and his close bond with the shape-shifting Morph.

“We’re seeing how he actually integrates, not just him being that lone wolf,” Castorena notes. Adds episodic director Emi/Emmett Yonemura, “What people want to see with Wolverine is the brawler, the one who’s going to get in there and basically be your tank and your damage dealer, which I love about him. But you know, it’s fun to explore his soft side because I think you have to always balance it out … I think his masculinity comes from his age, the fact that he has all this experience, the fact that some Wolverines have seen a horrible future with the X-Men. So there’s a lot to unpack with him.”

In adapting stories like Inferno and E Is for Extinction into one over-arcing story that converged in the three-part “Tolerance Is Extinction” season finale, Vasquez-Eberhardt says, “You have these characters and the emotional journey they’re going through. To do justice to all those stories, [even with] our love of these individual characters, you have to be very careful. It all has to tie together. It has to deliver on this big promise of these epic storylines.”

“To Me, My X-Men!”

When field leader Cyclops (Ray Chase) utters that command — rallying Wolverine (Cal Dodd), Storm (Alison Sealy-Smith), Rogue (Lenore Zann), Gambit (A.J. LoCascio), Beast (George Buza), Morph (J.P. Karliak), and Bishop (Isaac Robinson-Smith) inside a crater he shatters with an optic blast unleashed from behind his ruby quartz visor in mid-air — it’s a raw display of power.

Cyke’s superhero landing was also “one of the biggest animation challenges,” according to FX Lead Designer and FX Supervisor Chris Graf. “I did roughly twelve design stages for that shot to sell each moment that a new [visual effects] element was introduced.”

“This scene was important to show how powerful and capable Cyclops actually is, and it was also extremely important to our showrunner and directors that Cyclops finally got his long-overdue cinematic moment to really sell his strength as team leader,” adds Graf, who animated the shot himself.

“With all the different layers of sand, wind, dust, optic blast, and shockwaves, it ended up taking roughly eighty hours from start to finish to animate the six-second scene,” he adds. “It was very important in design to make sure we got the idea across that his optic blast is concussive — and not a laser made of heat — and that he can also adjust the power level needed when fighting different types of characters. Being able to reduce his power levels to use them in a fight against common thugs or turn them up when he’s fighting three-story-high Sentinels was a level of precise control we wanted to make sure the leader of the X-Men had.”

X-Men ’97‘s “To Me, My X-Men” series premiere ends with its own seismic shift in the X-Mansion: the X-Men’s archnemesis, Magneto, the mutant Master of Magnetism, tells the team that he’s inherited everything from the last will and testament of Charles Xavier. In setting up The Trial of Magneto and a reformed Magneto leading the X-Men — another classic story from the comic books — Castorena reveals, “That ending went through a few different scene and tonal changes.”

“The first episode has to really be a delicate balance of fresh but familiar, because if we come out and start swinging, like our team does in [Episodes] 2 and 3, it’s awesome, but it’s just slightly elevated. You have to gain the audience’s trust first. You have to let them know we understand what the X-Men are; we understand the shoes we have to fill.” Like X-Men: The Animated Series, Castorena continues, “The whole series is founded on cliff-hangers to get you to want to come back for more. So what’s a bigger, better cliff-hanger than the X-Men’s most notorious foe coming in and saying, ‘Oh, yeah. By the way, this is all mine.'”

Next Time on X-Men ’97…

Over 223 pages, X-Men: The Art and Making of the Animated Series explores the 10- episode season 1 with dedicated chapters. But in Marvel fashion, the book concludes with its own teaser for X-Men ’97 season 2.

The season finale, “Tolerance Is Extinction – Part 3,” ends with the X-Men believed dead, having stopped Bastion (Theo James) from hurling Magneto’s Asteroid M into the Earth to cause an extinction event. Bishop informs Forge (Gil Birmingham) that the X-Men are lost to time after “E-Day,” leaving them to form a new team for a rescue mission next season.

Season 1 left off with Xavier, Magneto, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Beast in the past in the year 3000 BCE, the time of En Sabah Nur (Adetokumboh M’Cormack); Wolverine, Storm, and Morph MIA in the present; and Cyclops and Jean with a young Nathan Summers, the future Cable, in the year 3960. Season 2 will span all three timelines, with En Sabah Nur — aka Apocalypse (voiced by Marquand) — also returning in present-day Genosha in a mid-credits scene.

X-Men ’97 season 2 “is going to be some of the most beautiful work I think we’ll get to see in episodic TV animation,” Castorena teases. “Just as far as what our color and paint team is doing for environments and designs. I’m just really excited for what our internal team is doing to help differentiate all that good stuff. And I’m sorry you guys are going to have to wait to see it. But, you know, let us bake the cake.”

In an afterword, Castorena writes that the original X-Men: The Animated Series was a success because the Lewalds and Houston honored the source material.

“Now that show is our source material — what we’re continuing from, standing on the shoulders of X-Men: The Animated Series. It’s our North Star, and it’s why I think X-Men ’97 has been embraced by the fans — because we have the best team in the game, and we’re fans ourselves. We’re making the stories that we want to see, and we have the support of a studio that cares about the quality of our storytelling and values the source material,” the supervising producer-director writes. “Y’all have no idea what’s coming at you for season two. The team is setting a new bar for narrative and visual storytelling in television animation. I’m seeing a true marriage of artists across the globe working together to make something genuinely special.”

“If I could tell six-year-old me what I get to see and do, he wouldn’t believe it,” Castorena concludes. “I could also tell him that it’s OK to like what you like and to be who you want to be. But he wouldn’t need me to say any of that… because he already had the X-Men.”

X-Men ’97: The Art and Making of the Animated Series is available July 1 from Abrams.

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The post 7 Insights From X-Men ’97: The Art and Making of the Animated Series appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Sandman Season 2 is going to be grim in many ways, but at least there’s one wedding to look forward to. A new sneak peek clip of the Netflix original series takes us to Orpheus’s (Ruari O’Connor) wedding, and Dream (Tom Sturridge) is there to celebrate, going by the name Morpheus. His Endless siblings are there as well, and even they can’t seem to dampen the mood, despite their best efforts. Orpheus is the son of Dream and the Muse Calliope, both of whom we met at the end of Season 1. Now, the series is going backward in time to the day Orpheus married Eurydice (Ella Rumpf). The Sandman Season 2 premieres on Thursday, July 3rd.

The Sandman is going back to ancient Greece this season, complete with period-accurate names for each of the Endless as they celebrate their nephew’s wedding. Orpheus is a real figure from Greek mythology, and the story of his wedding to Euridyce here is loosely based on those myths. That means viewers likely won’t be surprised when this story gets grim.

Netflix has released the episode titles for The Sandman Season 2, which means we may be able to guess which episode this scene comes from. Episode 5 is titled “The Song of Orpheus,” but that may be the end of this tale, not the beginning. Episode 4 is titled “Brief Lives,” which is also the title of the Sandman comic book arc in which Dream and Orpheus meet up for the first time in many years.

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This scene will play nicely into showrunner Allan Heinberg’s plan for The Sandman Season 2. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly last month, Heinberg said that he had always envisioned the TV show as “a family drama above all,” intending to minimize the comic’s meandering storylines and focus mostly on Dream and his relationships with his siblings and others. “There are some volumes where [Dream] just appears in two scenes,” he pointed out. Seeing how all of the Endless treat Dream’s son is a great way to gauge their dynamics.

The Sandman Season 2 kicks off with six episodes premiering on July 3rd on Netflix. The main series concludes on July 24th with five more episodes, and a final bonus episode premieres on July 31st. Season 1 is streaming now on Netflix, and the original comics are available in print and digital formats, as well as an audio dramatization available on Audible.

The post The Sandman Season 2 Sneak Peek Reveals a Major Wedding in the Endless Family appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel’s Disney+ shows almost always have trouble finding their footing. The first few (WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki) all pushed the boundaries of what superhero TV could be, but dropping in the middle of the night on the East Coast didn’t help them dominate water cooler conversations like the movies did. Disney eventually fixed the release times for its original content, and the episodes started to feel more like events. Echo got the short end of the stick, with the show dropping all of its episodes at once, but Marvel Studios learned a lesson. It’s taking a different approach with Ironheart, which dropped its first three episodes on Disney+ on July 24.

Ironheart, which follows young genius Riri Williams after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, takes some big swings in its first batch of episodes. Most aspects of the show are firing on all cylinders, but a few need fine-tuning before everything wraps up in Episode 6.

1) Right: Putting Riri Williams in Tough Spots

Compared to the movies, Marvel Studios’ shows can feel like a walk in the park. The stakes aren’t all that high, and the villains leave a lot to be desired. Ironheart bucks that trend by having its titular hero struggle and do shady jobs to make ends meet. The end of Episode 3, in particular, sees Riri come face-to-face with her mistakes and enter a situation she will have to work hard to escape.

2) Right: Making The Hood a Complicated Villain

On paper, the idea of a bad guy wearing a magical hood that gives him incredible abilities sounds pretty ridiculous. Parker Robbins has a code, though, and he uses his garment to take from the rich and provide opportunities to the poor. Ironheart teases in its first three episodes that The Hood is getting some help, but he doesn’t seem totally on board with his master’s decisions, which is more than a lot of evildoers can say.

3) Right: Differentiating Chicago From Other MCU Cities

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has visited Chicago a few times in the past, but Ironheart is the first time it has taken center stage. Riri returns to her hometown after getting kicked out of MIT and isn’t all that happy about it. She’s still dealing with childhood trauma, and it’s hard to be around figures from her past. However, all the colorful characters make the city feel alive in the same way New York City does in so many MCU projects.

4) Right: Giving Riri a Unique Co-Pilot

Iron Man always had an AI entity in his suit while flying around. Well, Riri follows in his footsteps after learning about AI in Wakanda, creating N.A.T.A.L.I.E., which is modeled after her late friend Natalie Washington. Having a personal connection to her AI makes Riri’s life harder, but it helps the story out tremendously, with N.A.T.A.L.I.E. acting like the angel on her creator’s shoulder.

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5) Right: Having Joe McGillicuddy Be a Legacy Character

When Joe McGillicuddy shows up in Ironheart, he seems like a one-and-done character who’s just going to give Riri some tech and get out of dodge. That doesn’t end up being the case, as Joe turns out to be Ezekiel Stane, the son of Iron Monger. Zeke is becoming obsessed with the idea of upgrading his body, which never ends well but makes for great television.

1) Needs to Be Better: The Hood’s Supporting Crew

The Hood runs a tight ship, only bringing in crew members that he believes have potential, and anyone who disappoints him wrong doesn’t last long. Unlike Robbins, however, his colleagues aren’t all that complex. Ironheart needs to do a better job of fleshing them out, especially with Josh gone.

2) Needs to Be Better: The Evil Villain Teases

Every episode of Ironheart teases that The Hood isn’t really the one in charge. He keeps his cloak in a mysterious chamber and communicates with someone who’s not in the room with him. There are plenty of rumors about who The Hood’s master is, but no matter which comic character the show is bringing to life, it needs to reveal them sooner rather than later because the breadcrumbs are getting stale fast.

3) Needs to Be Better: The Inevitable Finale Fight

The action in Ironheart hasn’t been an issue yet, but it feels like every Marvel Disney+ show falls flat on its face in the last episode when the hero and villain throw hands. The only way for the show to avoid that fate is to get ahead of things and have Ironheart and The Hood duke it out a couple of times. That way, the final confrontation doesn’t have everything on its shoulders.

Ironheart is streaming on Disney+.

How do you feel about Ironheart‘s first three episodes? What do you think the show can improve on before it ends? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 5 Things Marvel’s Ironheart Is Already Doing Right (And 3 Things I Hope Get Better in the Final Episodes) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The world of The Walking Dead isn’t for the faint of heart. While Rick Grimes is in a coma after being shot, society falls apart due to the appearance of a mysterious virus that turns people into undead monsters. It takes everything Rick’s got to get out of Atlanta and regroup with his family. However, finding allies is only half of the battle because there are threats around every corner, and most of them aren’t zombies. Rick and his group face off against several major human factions that hope to conquer what’s left of the world and don’t care who gets in their way. And all the conflict means that The Walking Dead‘s cast doesn’t stay the same for long.

Every season, new faces arrive as familiar ones depart, making it difficult to keep track of what happens to everyone. Sure, seeing a major character lose their face to a walker or be on the wrong end of a swing from Negan’s bat leaves a mark, but not everyone gets to go out in a blaze of glory. Some of The Walking Dead‘s characters disappear with no explanation.

1) Heath

Rick and his friends leave Georgia behind and join the Alexandria community in Season 6. Tensions are high initially, but Heath, Alexandira’s best gatherer, isn’t around to see much of the bickering. He gets on board with Rick’s mission after an attack on the settlement and continues to go on runs. During a rough one with Tara, Heath vanishes and never returns. There are rumors about him ending up with the CRM, but he’s never able to confirm them himself.

2) Grady Memorial Hospital Staff

The group splits up after the attack on the prison in Season 4, and Beth ends up in Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta after getting separated from Daryl. The staff there isn’t very friendly because they’re being harassed by a former cop, Dawn, who thinks she knows best. Daryl and the rest of the group come to rescue Beth, who ends up dying during the exchange. Daryl kills Dawn but leaves the rest of the staff alive. Once Rick and Co. depart for Virginia, though, the people who call the hospital home no longer serve a purpose.

3) Guillermo 

Resources are vital in the world of The Walking Dead, so when a crew steals Rick’s guns, he formulates a plan to get them back. The group soon crosses paths with Guillermo, who runs a gang. They trade blows, but it comes to light that Guillermo wants the weapons to protect elderly people who got left behind after the outbreak. Rick and Guillermo come to an agreement and vow to leave each other alone.

4) Virgil

Michonne meets Virgil in Season 10 and doesn’t like his vibe. However, he claims to know where weapons are, so she agrees to travel with him to an island. Virgil isn’t honest about anything, though, so Michonne locks him up. Eventually, he becomes a member of the Alexandria community and helps out from time to time. The last time Virgil appears, he’s not looking too hot during a nasty storm in Alexandria.

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5) Cyndie

While Rick and his crew are beefing with Negan, they discover other settlements near Alexandria, including Oceanside. Cyndie is in charge of the community and agrees to help Rick, Ezekiel, and Maggie, the other leaders of the Coalition alliance. She remains an important part of The Walking Dead until Season 11, when she sets out to sea off-screen for a mysterious mission.

6) Georgie

Georgie is the leader of a strange group that makes contact with Hilltop in Season 8. She claims to have knowledge that Maggie needs, and the two form a strong bond. Maggie even leaves Hilltop behind to join Georgie’s group and look for other settlements across the United States. However, Georgie only makes one appearance, and after Maggie returns in Season 10, she claims not to know where her ally is.

7) Winnie

Alexandria opens its doors to a group of children in Season 9, led by Michonne’s old friend Jocelyn. They turn out to be a problem, though, as Jocelyn brainwashes her followers into being monsters. Michonne has to kill Jocelyn and most of the children. Winnie is the only one who survives, and instead of going with Michonne, she runs away and never shows her face again.

The Walking Dead is streaming on Netflix.

Do you want to know what happened to these characters from The Walking Dead? Who else deserves a spot on this list? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 7 The Walking Dead Characters That Disappeared appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Sure, Marvel’s main heroes are the center of any show. Usually, the clue’s in the IP’s title.
But let’s be real, sometimes the most unforgettable moments and most unforgettable characters are working in the margins. These side characters, often with limited screen time, manage to steal the scene, our hearts, and sometimes the entire show, thanks to their charisma, humor, or sheer unpredictability.

Whether they’re fan-favorites with cult followings or unsung gems, here are 10 side characters in Marvel television we think made it better.

10) Hernan “Shades” Alvarez – Luke Cage

Theo Rossi’s Shades Alvarez was never the loudest villain in the room, but he was always the most dangerous. Shades was cool, calculating, and endlessly compelling. Rossi played him with a quiet menace and emotional complexity that elevated Luke Cage‘s grounded tone.

More than just a gangster, Shades was a strategist with a moral compass shaped by love, loyalty, and survival. His relationship with Mariah Dillard revealed layers of vulnerability, making him more than just muscle, and gave the show some of its most emotionally charged moments. Balancing love, power, and betrayal, Shades was the rare Marvel antagonist who felt like he could have carried his own series.

Not driven by chaos or vengeance, Shades was about control, and Rossi’s subtle expressions and simmering intensity made every scene count. Alvarez proved that in the Marvel universe, the most dangerous players are often the ones pulling strings from the shadows. And in a show bursting with powerful voices, he never needed to shout to be heard.

9) Elena “Yo-Yo” Rodriguez – Agents of SHIELD

Elena Rodriguez, known as Yo-Yo, was the heart of Agents of SHIELD. Introduced in Season 3, Natalia Cordova-Buckley’s character grew from a reluctant ally to one of the most reliable members of the team. Her power to bounce back to her starting point always served as a metaphor for her internal struggle.

By the final seasons, Yo-Yo’s journey included losing and regaining her powers, facing intense trauma, and stepping into leadership roles. Her evolution was one of the most satisfying arcs in the entire SHIELD run, and it’s time more fans gave her the credit she deserves. Whether she was standing up to Coulson or saving the timeline, Yo-Yo never backed down from doing what was right, even when it hurt.

8) Taweret – Moon Knight

Who expected a giant hippo goddess to become one of the most beloved parts of Moon Knight? Antonia Salib’s Taweret walked … well … waddled into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and instantly stole hearts as well as the show.

The Egyptian goddess of childbirth and the afterlife injected levity into the show’s darker themes. And her quirky line delivery and bubbly demeanor turned what could have been a terrifying afterlife guide into a comedic fan-favorite. Her compassionate guidance of Marc and Steven through the Duat gave the characters — and viewers — a much-needed emotional anchor.

Taweret’s childlike curiosity, paired with divine wisdom, made her instantly lovable. She brought humor without undermining the stakes, and her genuine concern for souls in the afterlife lent a calming and emotional depth to a fantastical premise. Salib’s enthusiasm for her role and respect for the souls she shepherded gave Taweret a rare combination of warmth and wisdom. She’s proof that in a show as layered and intense as Moon Knight, even a hippo goddess can bring emotional clarity.

7) Mrs. Hart/ Sharon Davis – Agatha All Along

Debra Jo Rupp’s performance as Sharon Davis, aka Mrs. Hart, was a masterclass in tonal control. In WandaVision, she had a minor role, but her performance was outstanding. The dinner scene featuring Mr. and Mrs. Hart was the audience’s first real clue that something was deeply wrong in Westview. Her capacity to switch from chirpy, sitcom housewife of Vision’s Boss to a terrified hostage trapped behind forced cheeriness was chilling.

In Agatha All Along, Sharon returned with a richer backstory, as someone now grappling with traumatic fallout from Wanda’s mind control. Rupp injected layers into what could’ve been a one-note character, making Sharon both heartbreaking and hilarious. She was never a green witch, she was just a woman who wanted to garden, and Agatha plucks her and puts her on the road, which she tries to make the best of.

She has — quite literally — been plagued by witches, and though she has been set free by Wanda, she’s still magical collateral damage. Her death scene in Episode 3 walked a fine line between comedy and tragedy, showing Rupp’s uncanny ability to ground the absurd in real emotion.

6) The Cast of Rogers: The Musical – Hawkeye

What could have been a throwaway gag turned into an unforgettable MCU moment.
We’re not even pretending to be sorry to add this cast to the list. Rogers: The Musical was the perfect parody of how pop culture within the MCU mythologizes its own heroes, and it became the highlight of the Hawkeye series.

The Broadway-style song-and-dance number recapped the Battle of New York with campy costumes and dramatic flair. Beyond its humor, it symbolized the disconnect between heroism and public perception. Clint Barton’s visible discomfort during the show was more than just a dislike of such a cringeworthy performance, it was a hit right to his survivor’s guilt.

It wasn’t ever meant to be perceived as a “good” musical, but fans absolutely loved the corny, awful Broadway take on a tragedy, that it even got a stage show run at the Disney parks. And quite frankly, we could’ve watched it all daaaaaay!

5) Helmut Zemo (Daniel Brühl) – The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Daniel Brühl’s debut as Zemo in Captain America: Civil War, as a disillusioned Sokovian soldier and grieving family man, was fantastic. But the real joy came when he reinvented Zemo in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as a charismatic, morally complex anti-hero. No longer just a vengeful villain, Zemo showcased wit, intelligence, dance moves, and a code of ethics that set him apart from the majority of the big bads.

His dance scene may have gone viral, but it was his sharp insight into superhuman ideologies that gave the show gravitas. He became both a foil and reluctant ally to Sam and Bucky, constantly challenging their worldview. Brühl brought elegance and ambiguity to Zemo, making viewers question if he was truly the bad guy. He didn’t need powers to be powerful—his intellect and unpredictability did the job.

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4) Mobius – Loki

Before Loki launched, fans were dubious how Owen Wilson would fair in a role not connected to Ben Stiller or Vince Vaughn. But we were all extremely happy with what we saw. Wilson’s Mobius brought warmth, humor, and philosophical depth to Loki. More than a TVA pencil-pusher, Mobius was the emotional compass of a story filled with existential dread and multiversal chaos.

His scenes with Tom Hiddleston were a perfect balance of camaraderie and soul-searching. Mobius’ quiet belief in Loki’s potential made him a surrogate for the audience, offering hope that even the God of Mischief could change. Wilson’s understated performance and his longing for a life beyond bureaucracy (jet ski dreams, anyone?) gave the show its most human moments, and a character that many want to see return to the MCU.

3) Madisynn – She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Possibly one of the greatest and most beloved side characters with barely any screen time. Madisynn King appeared for one episode and tottered away in her stilettos as a legend. Patty Guggenheim turned a tropey party girl into a comedic icon whose honesty and unfiltered charm won audiences over instantly.

Her chemistry with Wong worked beautifully, and gave the Sorcerer Supreme a fresh, lighthearted level to his personality. Madisynn became the Walter Matthau to his Jack Lemmon, and they ended up being BFFs. Their sitcom-worthy rapport turned what could have been filler into fan-favorite material. Madisynn’s casual navigation of magical mayhem, paired with her unique speech patterns, made every line she delivered instantly meme-worthy. She proved that sometimes, a single scene-stealer can reshape the tone of an entire show.

2) Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) – WandaVision

One of the longer serving side characters within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Darcy Lewis first appeared in Thor way back in 2011. She’s evolved from Jane Foster’s wise-cracking comedic assistant to a sharp, snarky astrophysicist. It was her insight and sarcasm gave WandaVision its wit.

Kat Dennings imbued Darcy with dry humor and scientific brilliance that felt both natural and vital to the story. Many fans saw her role within WandaVision as a deserving rebirth after her short appearances in Thor: Dark World. The show proved Darcy was more than just pithy quips. She was intelligent; she connected dots no one else could, helping to unravel the mystery of Westview.

Her interactions with Jimmy Woo showcased a unique chemistry rarely seen in the MCU, and her refusal to be sidelined in a male-dominated agency felt empowering. She bridged the audience’s understanding of the show’s meta-sitcom structure and provided a grounded, yet humorous lens into its surreal mystery.

1) Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) – WandaVision

Which brings us onto the legend that is Jimmy Woo. Not content with stealing the limelight from Paul Rudd in Ant-Man and the Wasp, Woo went from background FBI agent wanting to learn magic to a breakout star in WandaVision, thanks to Randall Park’s charming, earnest, and quietly hilarious performance which instantly endeared him to fans.

His card trick callback was a nice a nod to his earlier MCU training but also symbolized how far he’d come. Park’s skillful balance of humor and professionalism as Woo brought credibility to S.W.O.R.D.’s investigation of the Westview anomaly.

His collaboration with Darcy Lewis added an enjoyable buddy cop dynamic that offered levity amidst the show’s psychological tension. Woo’s grounded approach reminded viewers of the human cost behind superhero antics, and his competence without superpowers made him even more impressive. No wonder fans campaigned for his own series.

The post 10 Side Characters Who Completely Stole Marvel Shows appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There’s no denying that the Joker is one of the most iconic comic book villains of all time. The arch-nemesis of Batman has become one of the most popular and consistently adapted villains in pop culture, making him incredibly well-represented among the ranks of comic book characters. Unlike many other characters, the Joker has consistently remained an integral figure in various DC universes and continuities, further evidencing his importance within the wider world of comic book adaptations. This has seen the Joker become one of the best movie villains of all time, with each new iteration of the character adding something to the ever-growing mythos surrounding him.

With each new version of the Joker, there comes a whole new layer to the character. Each independent adaptation seeks to explore another facet of the villain, with stylistic variety often playing a major role. This has seen some live-action versions of the Joker fare far better than others, with only the very best becoming a respected part of the villain’s history.

10) Nathan Dashwood 

Airing on The CW, Batwoman proved to be a popular but relatively short-lived part of the expansive continuity of the Arrowverse. It put a unique spin on the stories that ypically involve Gotham by focusing not on its most famous hero, Batman, but his successor, Kate Kane, who becomes the eponymous Batwoman in his absence. The majority of the show’s Batman-related stories and characters – including the Joker – were in Batwoman’s past, but the villain was shown very briefly in a flashback scene.

The scene in question doesn’t clearly show the Joker, as it’s told from the perspective of one of his victims, but Nathan Dashwood played the role in the flashback. As he’s not properly shown and doesn’t personally play a particularly important role in the show, it’s not an entertaining or even an interesting use of the character. That sadly makes Dashwood’s Joker the worst live-action iteration of the villain, if only because he doesn’t have a chance to do anything to set him apart from other versions of the character.

9) Roger Stoneburner/Mark Hamill

Another short-lived show focused on the adventures of some of the female characters of the Batman mythos was 2002’s Birds of Prey. The show followed Oracle, Huntress, and Black Canary as they team up to protect Gotham after Batman leaves the city behind. It aired for only 13 episodes over a single season, meaning it didn’t have much time to adapt other figures from the DC Universe. However, it did briefly feature a cameo from the Joker.

Birds of Prey‘s pilot episode includes the villain as part of Oracle’s origin story: loosely following the narrative of The Killing Joke, the Joker is shown shooting Barbara Gordon in the spine, ending her career as Batgirl. His brief appearance saw him played physically by Roger Stoneburner, whose performance was unremarkable. However, the only thing that makes Birds of Prey’s Joker more noteworthy was Mark Hamill’s vocal performance. Reprising his role as the Joker from Batman: The Animated Series, Hamill’s inclusion is enough to give even Birds of Prey‘s uninspired Joker a little more substance.

8) Curtis Armstrong 

Though this version of the Joker has been forgotten by most and dismissed by many others, it is an adaptation of the villain that made it into live-action. As part of a series of commercials for OnStar in-vehicle security, several Batman characters were adapted, including the Joker. This version of the villain was played by Curtis Armstrong, best known for his role as Booger in the Revenge of the Nerds franchise or from his extensive body of work as a character actor.

Despite not featuring in a more traditional form of major release, Curtis Armstrong’s Joker was surprisingly good. The use of a comic-accurate design was a nice touch, as was showing the villain in direct conflict with Batman. Armstrong’s very brief tenure in the role was unexpectedly impressive, honoring the source material and also delivering an iteration of the Joker that was far better than it needed to be for the purposes of a simple commercial.

7) Jared Leto 

The movies of the DCEU proved to be largely divisive, and the same can be said of many of the franchise’s characters. Though the live-action continuity ultimately came to a disappointing end, it was able to introduce several important DC characters, including the Joker, to its ranks. Unfortunately, Jared Leto’s version of the villain was not up to scratch, leaving many fans feeling disappointed with many aspects of the character.

Considering the scope of the DCEU, hopes were high for Leto’s version of the villain, but his Joker did not impress. Leto’s Joker felt as though it leaned more into a gimmick than it seemed to be a dangerous persona, making the DCEU’s take on the character feel cheap and lacking in substance. Combined with limited screen time and unnecessary shock-inducing explicit dialogue, Leto’s Joker stands out as one of the worst attempts to fully adapt the villain into live-action.

6) Barry Keoghan 

2022 saw Matt Reeves introduce a whole new take on Gotham to the big screen in The Batman. After featuring several prominent DC characters, the movie’s final shocking reveal was that Barry Keoghan was The Batman‘s Joker, establishing the character’s existence in the continuity and teasing his future in the franchise. However, he’s not really shown as much as he is heard, and even the deleted scene that featured Keoghan’s Joker more heavily gave very little away about him.

What makes Keoghan’s Joker interesting is the mystery surrounding him. It has been loosely established that he has prior experience of Batman by the time The Batman‘s story unfolds, but little else has been revealed about Keoghan’s version of the character. Until the character is fully introduced and better explore, the mystery surrounding him will have to suffice to make him an interesting and exciting take on the beloved Batman villain.

5) Cameron Monaghan

Though Gotham is far from the most popular adaptation of the Batman mythos, it did boast an innovative take on several of its characters. The DC TV series following the career of a young James Gordon saw many supporting Batman characters and villains adapted to the small screen, including the Joker, after a fashion. Appearing as both Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska, Cameron Monaghan took on the role intended as a representation of Batman’s most iconic villain.

Though neither of the Valeska twins are specifically named as the Joker during Gotham’s run, it was always clear that the characters were intended to draw from the character. By splitting the villain into two distinct characters, Gotham allowed Monaghan’s performance to explore different sides of the villain’s pysche. Divisive though the idea might have been, Cameron Monaghan proved up to the task, and delivered an insighftul and electrifying performance in the dual role.

4) Joaquin Phoenix

Were it not for the poor reviews of Joker: Folie À Deux, Joaquin Phoenix’s performance might be better considered in comparison to other live-action Jokers. Phoenix first took on the role for 2019’s Joker, bagging himself an Oscar for his nuanced portrayal of Arthur Fleck in an origin story for the titular villain. However, reprising the role for its musical sequel in 2024 turned out to be a poor choice, as the movie failed to impress critics and audiences.

Nonetheless, Phoenix’s performance as the Joker has many excellent moments. The portrayal of the Joker as a man living with severe mental illness proved an insightful and challenging examination of the character, taking a surprisingly thoughtful approach to the iconic villain. Phoenix brings a poetic physicality to the role that is offset by his unpredictably violent nature, making his version of the character an explosive and hugely entertaining adaptation.

3) Cesar Romero

As the first true live-action Joker, Cesar Romero holds a special place in the hearts of many. Appearing in the role in the 1966 Batman movie and the TV series of the same name, Romero’s tenure in the role speaks for itself. Despite many decades passing since he last featured as the Joker, Romero’s performance has continued to define the character in many ways, making it an influential and timeless iteration of the villain.

Romero’s Joker is perfect for the movies and TV show he appears in. He fits the tone exceptionally well, bringing the character to life with a wacky brand of villainy that makes use of the Joker’s clown-like tendencies and often humorous pursuits. Regardless of the more light-hearted tone, Romero is able to make his Joker a true villain, balancing his performance between the source material and the family-friendly nature of his appearances.

2) Jack Nicholson 

Tim Burton’s 1989 movie Batman was a seminal film in the superhero genre, and its influential nature extends to its version of the Joker. The movie established an origin story for the villain, with Jack Nicholson brought in to deliver the complex blend of comedy, tragedy, and outright evil necessary to adequately bring the character of the Joker to life. Nicholson’s performance did just that, making his Joker a reference point against which the character was measured for many years afterward.

Nicholson’s Joker is a dark, calculating figure whose exposure to chemicals causes a clown-like appearance and comedy-based approach to his criminal pursuits. In other words, he perfectly fits the traditional characterization of the Joker, including his use of various joke-based gadgets and visual gags. Perhaps the most comic-accurate version of the villain ever to grace the screen, Jack Nicholson’s Joker remains one of the best of all time.

1) Heath Ledger 

As well as featuring many great quotes, The Dark Knight trilogy also featured some excellent reimaginings of Batman villains. Among the entirety of the celebrated trilogy’s characters, none stand out as obviously as the Joker, played in 2008’s The Dark Knight by the late Heath Ledger. Praised as one of the finest movie villain performances of all time, Ledger’s Joker is truly exceptional in a number of ways, making him the best iteration of the character in live-action.

Ledger’s performance as the Joker is electric and hypnotic throughout, with his dark charisma only lightly overshadowed by his terrifying volatility and surprisingly clever nature. The triumph is both in Ledger’s exceptional performance and the creative vision required to reimagine the Joker so thoroughly. The Dark Knight‘s version of the villain completely redefined the Joker in the modern era, making him a dark and dangerous villain and focusing far less on gimmicks. As such, Ledger’s Joker is simply the best version of the character as yet adapted into live-action.

The post Every Live-Action Version Of The Joker, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Squid Game has come to an end with Netflix after three seasons and four years, and the final season of the series can’t help but highlight one of the biggest problems now facing television shows today. Television is still considering one of the biggest entertainment mediums around, but the shape of what television has become is much different than has been seen in the past. Thanks to streaming platforms changing television from its traditional definition, the way fans have come to watch television shows has changed dramatically in the past decade plus. Which has also come to impact how shows are released.

Squid Game Season 3 for all of its pros and cons, unfortunately falls into the same pit that many streaming juggernauts have over the last few years. It’s a problem that’s not exclusive to television shows either, but reflects a major shift in storytelling and how it’s delivered. Because for as much as Squid Game Season 3 wants to be treated like an entire new season of television, it can’t help but escape the fact that it really is a story that had been split in half unnaturally. Because of that split, Squid Game‘s finale just doesn’t hit as hard as it should.

Television Doesn’t Hit the Same Way Anymore

When streaming platforms like Netflix started producing their own content for viewing, it immediately changed how these stories were watched. Shifting over from the old broadcast format of offering 22 episode seasons airing weekly over several months, instead the new model trained fans to expect a new season of a series to be released all at once. There would be eight to ten episodes offered for a season, and fans would get to watch it all over the course of a weekend (sometimes even over a single evening). But this model soon revealed its own issues.

Successful shows needed to catch on with fans basically the day they released lest they be cancelled, and even if a show found success it would take many years to follow it up with more. Squid Game, for example, premiered back in 2021 but didn’t come back for Season 2 until late 2024. The cracks in this format really started to show with Squid Game as well as not only was series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk open about how long the series took to get made, but even more so about the fact that he made the new seasons for money. Stating “Money…Even though the first series was such a huge global success, honestly I didn’t make much…” was the reason he returned in an interview with the BBC.

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The long in the works new season coupled with Hwang’s openness about not really having an idea for future episodes in mind before their production was a cloud hanging over Squid Game Season 2, and even more so in the third season. When Squid Game‘s second season came to an end with a cliffhanger right in the middle of the story, it seemed like an egregious and unnatural extension of the series put there by someone other than the creator himself. Which also meant there would be a bigger burden put on the finale to somehow stick the landing despite it all. Which, once again, is a unique problem that streaming has forced onto television shows.

Squid Game’s Final Season Never Stood a Chance

Increased budgets, longer production periods, and higher demands have put streaming shows into a unique kind of situation. Each new season needs to be bigger than the last in order to compensate for the long wait in between new episodes, and that wait seems even longer when you’re able to watch it in a single evening. This demand gets even bigger with huge franchises like Squid Game, and it’s why some shows even go as far as releasing in multiple parts.

Rather than have a complete season airing on a weekly basis, some shows instead vouch to release a couple of episodes at once before then releasing the next half later. When you add all of these elements at once, it’s a longer wait in between new seasons that run for much less time. Then sometimes you only get half the story. That’s what it felt like at the end of Squid Game Season 2, and that completely deflated the potential hype for Squid Game’s finale. Instead of opting to end it all with one very compelling season, it’s instead broken into two solid but not as thrilling halves.

The third season is six episodes, and doesn’t really feel like a full season of television. “Season” used to mean a serialized story would bring fans from its beginning to its end while laying the groundwork for the overall series, but now it’s changed to mean telling half of a story. That’s just something that has been an issue with television shows now, and unfortunately doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon.

The post Squid Game’s Finale Highlights One of TV’s Biggest Problems Right Now appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Over the 60-year history of Doctor Who, 18 different actors have played as many versions of the Doctor, most moving on from the series after a few years in the titular role. Doctor Who first premiered in the UK in November 1963, starring William Hartnell as the time-traveling Time Lord, alongside Susan Foreman (Carole Ann Ford), Ian Chesterton (William Russell), and Barbara Wright (Jacqueline Hill) as his first companions. Since then, the Doctor has had many faces, with new actors taking on the role thanks to the Time Lords’ ability to regenerate when ailing, injured, or dying.

The Doctor’s regenerative ability means new actors are brought into Doctor Who, usually every few years, to replace the last when they leave. There are many reasons why actors who’ve portrayed the Doctor have departed the BBC series, ranging from health-related issues, creative differences behind the scenes, and even the series being cancelled altogether. Doctor Who’s most recent episode, “The Reality War,” marked Ncuti Gatwa’s departure as the Fifteenth Doctor, but he is just the latest in a long line of stars to leave the longest-running sci-fi TV series in history.

17) William Hartnell and David Bradley as the First Doctor (1963-1966, 2017)

The first iteration of the Doctor, played by William Hartnell, fought against classic villains including the Daleks, the Sensorites, the Celestial Toymaker, and the Cybermen. Hartnell played the Doctor between 1963 and 1966, regenerating in ’66’s “The Tenth Planet,” when Hartnell was forced to leave the show due to health problems, specifically undiagnosed arteriosclerosis, which impacted his ability to remember lines. Hartnell also had a poor relationship with Verity Lambert’s successor as Doctor Who’s producer, John Wiles. It was Wiles’ successor, Innes Lloyd, who came up with the idea of regeneration to allow Doctor Who to continue despite Hartnell’s departure.

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Hartnell made an appearance as the First Doctor in the 1972 special, “The Three Doctors,” which was his final performance due to his deteriorating health. Hartnell passed away from heart failure in 1975, but David Bradley assumed the role of the First Doctor for the 2017 Christmas special, “Twice Upon a Time,” opposite Peter Capaldi, and the 2022 special, “The Power of the Doctor,” opposite Jodie Whittaker. Bradley also played William Hartnell in the biographical TV film, An Adventure in Space and Time, which included dramatized events of the creation of Doctor Who.

16) Patrick Troughton as the Second Doctor (1966-1969)

Character actor Patrick Troughton was chosen to replace Hartnell, and he debuted as the Second Doctor at the end of “The Tenth Planet,” with his first full adventure taking place in “The Power of the Dalek.” The Second Doctor fought the Macra, the Yeti, the Cybermen, and more, before regenerating in 1969’s “The War Games.” Troughton departed because of Doctor Who’s gruelling production schedule and long filming hours, and out of fear of being typecast as the Doctor. He went on to appear in The Omen and episodes of Coronation Street, Space: 1999, and Two Ronnies, among many more.

15) Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor (1970-1974)

Similarly, Jon Pertwee also left Doctor Who from fear of being typecast, and from a desire to resume his stage career. The death of the Master actor Roger Delgado also spurred Pertwee to leave the series, while the late Elisabeth Sladen, who played Sarah Jane Smith, suggested Pertwee had requested a larger fee, which was rejected, spurring his departure. Pertwee played the Third Doctor between 1970’s “Spearhead from Space” and 1974’s “Planet of the Spiders.” For most of his era, the Doctor was exiled on Earth by the Time Lords, regenerating because of exposure to lethal levels of radiation.

14) Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor (1974-1981)

Regarded by many to be the greatest Doctor ever (though some would argue David Tennant earned this title), Tom Baker played the Doctor consistently for the longest time when compared to his peers. Baker left in 1981 due to creative differences with then-producer John Nathan-Turner, who made changes to Doctor Who that Baker didn’t agree with. In hindsight, he suggested that he may have stayed for too long, as he appeared as the Fourth Doctor between 1974’s “Robot” and 1981’s “Logopolis” – an era that received the classic show’s highest viewership numbers.

13) Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor (1982-1984)

Peter Davison’s contract stipulated he’d play the Fifth Doctor for three years, so he left when this expired, but he second-guessed this decision. “When I made the decision absolutely to leave, I was very happy with it,” Davison revealed to Radio Times in 2023. “When it came to the actual day of doing the regeneration scene, there were moments where I thought, ‘What have I done?’.” Davison’s Doctor appeared between 1982’s “Castrovalva” and 1984’s “The Caves of Androzani,” though Davison has reprised the role several times, and his daughter, Georgia Tennant, even married David Tennant after appearing in Doctor Who.

12) Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor (1985-1986)

Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee, Baker, and Davison all chose to leave Doctor Who, but Colin Baker, who played the Sixth Doctor between 1985’s “The Twin Dilemma” and 1986’s “The Ultimate Foe,” was replaced on the orders of BBC higher-ups. This had little to do with Baker, but Doctor Who had come under fire for becoming too violent, mature, and uncharacteristic of previous eras, prompting an 18-month hiatus that swallowed most of Baker’s time as the Sixth Doctor, and eventually leading to the creative team and Doctor being replaced. Baker has reprised the role many times in the years since.

11) Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor (1987-1996)

Sylvester McCoy was brought onboard to replace Baker, but his clown-like portrayal of the Seventh Doctor swung Doctor Who in the opposite direction. Many criticized the series for becoming increasingly lightweight, contributing to a decline in public perception, a less prominent transmission slot, and low viewership numbers, which ultimately led to the series being cancelled after 1989’s “Survival.” Doctor Who’s cancellation ended McCoy’s career as the Doctor, though he returned briefly in 1996’s TV movie, Doctor Who, which saw him regenerate into Paul McGann’s Eighth Doctor.

10) Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor (1996)

1996’s Doctor Who TV movie was intended to be a backdoor pilot to a new American-produced Doctor Who series. The movie introduced Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor in his only televised appearance before 2013’s “The Night of the Doctor.” Since no series was commissioned, McGann’s career as the Doctor on-screen was done, but he has appeared in many audiobooks and radio productions, so has had one of the longest-running careers as the Doctor out of any actor. It’s a shame McGann never got a full season before regenerating into the War Doctor in “The Night of the Doctor.”

9) John Hurt as the War Doctor (2013)

Unseen before 2013’s “The Name of the Doctor,” John Hurt’s War Doctor was the incarnation of the Time Lord who fought during the Last Great Time War that was originally mentioned by Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor in 2005. Sci-fi legend John Hurt was only needed on-screen for the 50th anniversary special, “The Day of the Doctor,” which saw Tennant’s Tenth and Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctors team up with the War Doctor to rewrite the Time War. Hurt reprised the role in the audio drama series The War Doctor until his passing in January 2017.

8) Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor (2005)

16 years after it was cancelled, and nine years after the TV movie failed to get a new series off the ground, Christopher Eccleston was cast as the ninth incarnation of the Doctor for Doctor Who’s revival under the control of Russell T. Davies. The details of Eccleston’s departure from Doctor Who after only one season have been discussed at length in the two decades since. Originally attributed to Eccleston not wanting to be typecast, the BBC later suggested the Ninth Doctor had only ever been intended to appear in one season.

Eccleston has since suggested he was overworked and exhausted by the production process, harking back to Patrick Troughton’s departure in 1969. He revealed more about his deteriorating relationship with Davies and producers Julie Gardner and Philip Collinson. He expressed animosity towards Doctor Who for many years, but has said appearing at conventions since 2017 has helped heal these wounds, leading to him returning in 2020 as the Doctor for the first time in audiobooks. During a 2023 panel, Eccleston suggested he’d only return to the series if most of the creative team were “sacked” (via YouTube).

7) David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor (2005-2010) and the Fourteenth Doctor (2023)

David Tennant first appeared as the Tenth Doctor at the end of 2005’s “The Parting of the Ways,” and went on to become many viewers’ favorite Doctor. He appeared in three seasons and several specials before regenerating in 2010’s “The End of Time.” Tennant didn’t want to outstay his welcome, and felt that, after almost five years, it was the right time to move on, but he reappeared as the Tenth Doctor in 2013’s “The Day of the Doctor,” and then returned as the Fourteenth Doctor in 2023’s “The Power of the Doctor” for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary celebration.

6) Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor (2010-2013)

David Tennant left big shoes to fill, which made Matt Smith’s run as the Eleventh Doctor polarizing for audiences. He was, overall, highly-rated as the Doctor, however, appearing between 2010’s “The Eleventh Hour” and 2013’s “The Time of the Doctor.” While he’s since expressed regret at not staying for longer, and stated he wanted to work with Jenna Coleman – who played companion Clara Oswald – for longer, Smith departed Doctor Who as he felt it was the right time to move on, though also cited the demanding nature of the role as a factor.

5) Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor (2014-2017)

It was lifelong Doctor Who fan and British TV icon Peter Capaldi who was brought on to replace Matt Smith, making his first full appearance as the Twelfth Doctor in 2014’s “Deep Breath.” Capaldi was the oldest actor since Hartnell to appear as the Doctor, and appeared in three seasons and a number of specials before regenerating in 2017’s “Twice Upon a Time.” Capaldi wanted to leave Doctor Who while still enjoying the role and delivering his best work, rather than running the risk of producing lackluster adventures, and his version of the Doctor has received high praise since.

4) Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor (2018-2022)

Jodie Whittaker’s debut as the Thirteenth Doctor was a big deal, as she was the first woman to portray the iconic character. She joined Doctor Who with new showrunner Chris Chibnall, and the pair agreed to do three seasons together and then leave, which they both stuck to. Unfortunately, Chibnall and Whittaker’s era of Doctor Who was heavily criticized for a drop in quality, writing, and focusing too much on the message behind every adventure. Whittaker briefly reprised the role in 2025’s “The Reality War” alongside Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor, and will voice her Doctor in upcoming audiobooks.

3) Jo Martin as the Fugitive Doctor (2020-2025)

Jodie Whittaker’s era included the reveal that the Doctor is actually a being from another universe whose regeneration ability was stolen by early Gallifreyans and given to Time Lords. This revealed the Doctor had already had many lives prior to Hartnell’s debut in 1963, including Jo Martin’s “Fugitive Doctor.” Martin hasn’t actually left the role – after her debut in 2020’s “Fugitive of the Judoon,” she appeared in 2020’s “The Timeless Children,” 2021’s “Once, Upon Time,” 2022’s “The Power of the Doctor,” and 2025’s “The Story & the Engine,” and is returning as the Fugitive Doctor in an upcoming audio drama series.

2) Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor (2023-2025)

The Fifteenth Doctor was portrayed by Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa, who bi-generated from Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor in 2023’s “The Giggle.” Gatwa only received two shortened seasons as the Doctor, however, before abruptly and surprisingly leaving in 2025’s “The Reality War,” playing the titular character for only 18 months. Gatwa has cited the demands of the role as a factor for his departure, but there has also been speculation that the breakdown of the deal between Bad Wolf and Disney contributed, too, as his regeneration scene was filmed late as a reshoot, and perhaps wasn’t the original plan.

1) Billie Piper as the Sixteenth Doctor (2025)

The Fifteenth Doctor’s regeneration wasn’t just shocking because of Gatwa’s ending, but because it was Billie Piper who replaced him in “The Reality War.” Piper played companion Rose Tyler opposite Eccleston and Tennant, returned for cameo appearances in 2008 and 2010 for Tennant’s final episode, and later played the personification of the Moment – the War Doctor’s weapon – in “The Day of the Doctor.” Piper said the level of success that came with Doctor Who in the 2000s made her “uncomfortable,” (via Radio Times), but it remains to be seen what the future holds for Piper if Doctor Who returns.

Who is your favorite Doctor in Doctor Who? Let us know in the comments!

The post Why Every Doctor Actor Quit Doctor Who appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There’s not a ton of room for writers to take creative liberties when it comes to handling comic book-based material. There are decades worth of expectations behind every character, which can be helpful in some regards and challenging in others. The Arrowverse walked to the beat of its own drum, though, changing whatever it wanted whenever it wanted. Its first big decision was to make Arrow‘s Oliver Queen more like Batman than his comic book counterpart, turning him into a vengeful vigilante who had no qualms about hurting people. Arrow also introduced Oliver’s team, which included an original character that certainly made an impact.

In Arrow‘s first couple of episodes, Oliver meets John Diggle, his driver and bodyguard. Their relationship starts off rocky because Oliver prefers to work alone, but they grow closer as the seasons go on. Diggle becomes so important by the end of the Arrowverse that he deserves another shot in live-action.

John Diggle Makes the Most of His Opportunity in the Arrowverse

Being a military man, Diggle understands Oliver’s quest to make Star City better. He starts lending a hand here and there, covering for his boss when he disappears and offering advice. The Arrow villains get tougher and tougher, though, so Diggle starts being active in the field. He also uses his connections with A.R.G.U.S. to bring the Suicide Squad into the fold, which pays off when Deathstroke has the city bending to his will in Season 2. Unfortunately, it’s not all smooth sailing for Diggle, but his resilience in the face of insurmountable odds proves why he’s one of the best original DC characters.

One of Diggle’s toughest moments comes when he takes over for Oliver as the Green Arrow. He’s not at his best physically, so he starts relying on a drug that Ricardo Diaz is pushing on the streets. Oliver catches wind of his friend’s problem and confronts him. The two have a heated argument that sees them both say awful things. It doesn’t take them too long to patch things up, and after they do, they’re the Arrowverse’s best duo, beating any villain they come up against. Sadly, the battle with the Anti-Monitor during “Crisis on Infinite Earths” takes Oliver’s life, leaving Diggle heartbroken.

After Oliver’s death, Diggle struggles with his identity, especially because he comes into contact with a glowing green object that seems a lot like a Green Lantern ring. He doesn’t take the Guardians of the Universe up on their offer to become a galactic hero, which is a bit of a bummer. However, James Gunn’s DC Universe is preparing to take off, and there’s certainly room for a character as noble as Diggle on the flight.

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The DCU Could Use a Hero Like John Diggle

The Arrowverse never missed an opportunity to tease the fact that Diggle was its version of John Stewart. His stepfather’s last name was Stewart, and his military history was similar to the Green Lantern character. The DCU already has its own Stewart, with Aaron Pierre stepping into the role for HBO Max’s Lanterns. Diggle doesn’t have to be put in a green box, though, especially because he has another codename: Spartan. He can be one of the vigilantes that are already active in the DCU, donning his helmet and helping those in need.

Another thing Diggle has going for him is the DCU’s version of A.R.G.U.S. The shady organization is a major part of Peacemaker, and with it taking a hit in Season 1 of the John Cena-led show, Diggle could come in and help its image. It wouldn’t even be a stretch to put him in the director’s chair because he has plenty of experience participating in shadow ops and running around with bad guys. If that doesn’t work for Gunn and Co., they could pivot to an idea the Arrowverse had for the character. The spinoff Justice U would have seen Diggle recruit young metahumans and teach them to embrace their heroic sides. It wouldn’t hurt anyone to have Diggle run a hero school in the DCU after all he did for the brand on the small screen.

Do you think John Diggle is one of the best original DC characters? Would you like to see him show up in James Gunn’s DCU? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Arrow Created One of the Best Original DC Characters, And We Need More Of Them appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The final season of Game of Thrones received a lot of hate during its release in 2019, but these criticisms actually seem unfair after rewatching all eight seasons of the iconic HBO fantasy series. Game of Thrones, adapted from George R. R. Martin’s series of novels, A Song of Fire and Ice, became one of the most critically-acclaimed shows in TV history during its eight-season run between 2011 and 2019. Even so, Game of Thrones’ final season received a huge amount of criticism, with many considering it a disappointing conclusion, but I disagree.

I recently sat down and rewatched all eight seasons of Game of Thrones – roughly 70 hours total – and it actually makes a lot more sense after taking some time away from the series. At the time of its release, Game of Thrones Season 8, especially the final episode, was heavily criticized by audiences and critics alike. However, the final season wrapped up characters’ storylines perfectly, provided answers to some age-old questions, and even set up some wild spinoffs that could be explored in the future, so it didn’t deserve the hate it received.

Why Game of Thrones’ Ending Was So Controversial

Perhaps the biggest pitfall in Game of Thrones Season 8 was the runtime. Previous seasons had usually comprised ten episodes, while Season 7 dropped to seven episodes, and Season 8 only produced six. This meant the season felt rushed in comparison to previous seasons, which had developed their narratives gradually over several episodes. This was, however, compensated for, as most of the episodes in Game of Thrones Season 8 had a longer runtime than single episodes in previous seasons, which meant that more action could be explored in a single sitting.

Another criticism fell on the perceived inconsistent character development in Season 8. For instance, Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) returned to King’s Landing to be by Cersei’s (Lena Headey) side, ignoring his character development and budding relationship with Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie). Similarly, Jon Snow’s (Kit Harington) decision to finally kill Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), ending her long-running quest for the Iron Throne very abruptly and unexpectedly, seemed very out of character for the King in the North.

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The very ending of Game of Thrones Season 8 was perhaps the most controversial aspect, as Bran “The Broken” Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) was elected as King of the Six Kingdoms. Many considered this to be an unexpected and illogical choice. Jon Snow, as a Targaryen, had a real claim to the Iron Throne, Gendry Baratheon (Joe Dempsie) was the son of a former King, and even Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) had more claim to the throne than Bran. Admittedly, there were problems with Game of Thrones Season 8, but, overall, the season didn’t deserve the criticism it received.

Game of Thrones’ Final Season Actually Wrapped Up Characters’ Storylines Perfectly

While there might have been better choices that could have been made at the ending of Game of Thrones Season 8, most of the main characters’ stories were wrapped up tight. Daenerys Targaryen’s quest for the Iron Throne concluded with her death – controversial, sure, but this was her only logical ending, especially after becoming so corrupt in Season 8. Tyrion became Hand of the King – a fitting role – and the likes of Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen), Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer), Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), and more all received fitting ends, losing their lives in the season’s battles.

The Stark family, who had been at the core of Game of Thrones’ story since the very first episode, also all saw appropriate ends. While making Bran the new King was controversial, it actually makes sense – Daenerys wanted to “break the wheel.” Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) is off to explore the uncharted areas of Game of Thrones’ intricate and detailed world, heading west of Westeros, while Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) became Queen in the North, ruling alongside her brother. Jon Snow’s exile to the Wall also made sense after he killed the Queen, yet his story may not be finished.

Game of Thrones’ Ending Set Up Interesting Spinoff Possibilities (But Will They Happen?)

While it tied up many loose ends, Game of Thrones’ finale also left several stories open-ended, which could have set up a number of spinoffs from the popular HBO series. So far, only House of the Dragon has released as a Game of Thrones spinoff, focusing on the Targaryen family during their ruling of the Seven Kingdoms almost 200 years before Daenerys Targaryen’s birth. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, featuring the stories of Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his squire Prince Aegon “Egg” Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell), is also planned for release in 2026.

Other spinoffs have had trouble getting off the ground, but it would make sense for HBO to continue to capitalize on the success of Game of Thrones and expand Martin’s complex fantasy world far more. It was a shame to see a spinoff focused on Jon Snow get shelved, but it’s possible Harington could still reprise the role in the future, exploring Snow’s story after traveling north of the Wall. Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) was traveling with the Unsullied and the Dothraki to the island of Naath, which could be interesting to explore further in a spinoff.

Arya’s next story, the adventures of Ser Brienne of Tarth, the history of the White Walkers, the story of the Faceless Men, and many more could have easily become the focus of spinoffs. The continued success of House of the Dragon may persuade HBO to move forward with more of these projects. If this happens, Game of Thrones’ ending could be solidified, explained, and legitimized more, perhaps helping to turn around criticisms that have persisted for the last six years.

What did you think of Game of Thrones’ final season? Let us know in the comments!

The post I Like Game of Thrones’ Ending Even More After Rewatching The Entire Series appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The cast of HBO’s The Last of Us has included several veteran stars from various Marvel movies and TV shows, both in and out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Many of the most popular, bankable, and successful actors around today have appeared in projects developed by Marvel, bringing dozens of vibrant, complex, and powerful characters from Marvel Comics to life. The fact that so many stars have appeared in Marvel’s movies and shows means it would have been hard to cast the live-action adaptation of The Last of Us without including some Marvel veterans.

The Last of Us hit our screens in 2023 as a live-action adaptation of Naughty Dog’s critically-acclaimed video game from 2013. The series saw Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) take Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the United States, 20 years after an outbreak of a mutated form of Cordyceps fungus, to seek a cure for the infection that has taken control of much of the world’s population. The Last of Us Season 2 released in 2025 to continued critical acclaim, spotlighting Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and the Washington Liberation Front’s battle against the Seraphites, and Season 3 is in development.

Over two seasons, The Last of Us has featured a total of 11 actors who have also appeared in various Marvel media. These stars have appeared in projects including The Avengers, Runaways, Agents of SHIELD, What If…?, and more, while Pedro Pascal will soon be debuting in the MCU’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While some of these actors have only had brief roles in both their Marvel projects and The Last of Us, others have been crucial to the development of both, and this list will surely expand as both franchises develop.

1) Ashley Johnson as Beth & Anna

Ashley Johnson holds a special role in The Last of Us’ history, as she not only appeared as Ellie’s mother, Anna, in Season 1’s finale, “Look for the Light,” but she also provided the voice and motion capture for Ellie in the original video game and its 2020 sequel. Before any of this, however, Johnson made a brief appearance in 2012’s The Avengers as Beth, who was saved by Steve Rogers’ Captain America (Chris Evans) during the Chitauri attack. Beth appeared in a news report thanking the Avengers, acting as the voice of those in support of the team.

2) Gabriel Luna as Robbie Reyes & Tommy Miller

Although he hasn’t appeared in the MCU proper, Gabriel Luna played a huge role in Agents of SHIELD Season 4 as Robbie Reyes’ Ghost Rider. Since his departure, there has been speculation of him joining the MCU officially, but this hasn’t yet occurred. Luna instead made the move to The Last of Us, where he debuted as Tommy Miller, the brother to Pascal’s Joel, who reunites with Joel in Jackson, Wyoming, and ends up becoming an uncle figure to Ellie, which was particularly important following Joel’s death in The Last of Us Season 2.

3) Graham Greene as Skully & Marlon

Graham Greene’s role in The Last of Us was tiny, but provided a great moment of connection and teamwork between Joel and Ellie after they watched Henry (Lamar Johnson) kill his brother, Sam (Keivonn Montreal Woodard), and himself. Greene’s Marlon appeared alongside his wife, Florence (Elaine Miles), as a couple living in the Wyoming wilderness who help Joel and Ellie find their way to Jackson. Greene had a larger role in the MCU’s Echo series as Skully, Maya Lopez’s (Alaqua Cox) grandfather-figure who helps her rekindle her relationship with her grandmother, Chula (Tantoo Cardinal).

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4) Isabela Merced as Anya Corazon & Dina

Before Isabela Merced makes her DC Universe debut as Hawkgirl, she starred alongside Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, and Celeste O’Connor in Madame Web as Anya Corazon. She surely wouldn’t want to be solely associated with Madame Web, however, considering the film’s poor performance, but her role as Dina in The Last of Us has earned her a lot more credibility and appreciation. Dina was introduced in The Last of Us Season 2 as Ellie’s love-interest who joins her in Seattle on her hunt for revenge, and she’ll surely have a large part to play in Season 3, too.

5) Ariela Barer as Gertrude Yorkes & Mel

Also introduced in The Last of Us Season 2 was Ariela Barer’s Mel, a member of Abby’s group, a former Firefly who joined the WLF and was a part of the scheme to murder Joel. Mel was later tracked down and accidentally killed by Ellie during her rampage through Seattle, which marked the demises of both Mel and her unborn child. Marvel fans will know Barer as Gertrude “Gert” Yorkes in Hulu’s Runaways series, the child of villainous time-travelers, and the companion to a genetically-engineered dinosaur. Runaways is not canon to the official MCU timeline.

6) Joe Pantoliano as Ben Urich & Eugene Lynden

Similarly, Joe Pantoliano had a tiny role in The Last of Us Season 2, appearing in just one scene in Episode 6, “The Price,” as Eugene, Gail’s (Catherine O’Hara) husband who became infected and was put down by Joel, who refused to bring him home to say goodbye. Pantoliano starred 23 years prior opposite Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, and Michael Clarke Duncan as New York Post reporter Ben Urich in 2003’s Daredevil. Urich was portrayed by Vondie Curtis-Hall in Daredevil on Netflix, and his legacy continues in the form of his niece, BB Urich (Genneya Walton), in Daredevil: Born Again.

7) Robert John Burke as Smitty & Seth

Robert John Burke is another actor who has had a minor role in both the MCU and in The Last of Us. He appeared briefly as Navy SEAL Smitty in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, who worked with the CIA to search for vibranium, and was attacked by the Talokanil. He had a larger role in The Last of Us as Seth, a resident of Jackson who, while drunk, insults Ellie and Dina at the New Year’s party with a derogatory slur. Seth later apologises and provides aid to Ellie and Dina before they sneak out on their mission for vengeance.

8) Tony Dalton as Jack Duquesne & Javier Miller

It was great to see some of Joel and Tommy’s backstory explored in a brief flashback in The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 6, “The Price,” as their relationship with their abusive father, Javier (Tony Dalton), was detailed. Javier and Joel’s conversation was one of Season 2’s most touching and heartfelt moments, and Dalton excelled in this role, just as he does as Jack Duquesne, aka the vigilante known as Swordsman, in Hawkeye and Daredevil: Born Again. There are hopes that Duquesne will soon fully embrace his role as a sword-wielding hero in the MCU.

RELATED: The Last of Us Answers a Major Joel Backstory Question That Even the Games Ignored

9) Jeffrey Wright as the Watcher & Isaac

Although he hasn’t yet made a live-action appearance, Jeffrey Wright has been a crucial part of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, as he provided the voice of Uatu the Watcher in all three seasons of the animated What If…? series. There are hopes that Wright will appear as a live-action version of the Watcher in the MCU’s Phase 6, while his role of Isaac in The Last of Us will also be better developed in Season 3. Isaac was a FEDRA commander who defected to the Washington Liberation Front, and is now at war with the religious group, the Seraphites.

10) Danny Ramirez as Joaquín Torres & Manny

Danny Ramirez’s Joaquín Torres is a relatively new addition to the MCU, but he has quickly become a very important character. First introduced as a US Air Force intelligence officer and ally to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Torres returned in 2025 as the MCU’s new Falcon in Captain America: Brave New World. The Phase 5 movie teased his inclusion in the roster for Sam Wilson’s upcoming Avengers team, though it remains to be seen which other heroes will be joining the new Captain America and Falcon.

In The Last of Us, Danny Ramirez hasn’t yet had too much to do. He debuted as Manny, a member of Abby’s group in the WLF who is part of the ploy to murder Joel for his actions in Salt Lake City. Manny wanted to also kill Ellie, getting rid of any witnesses, but the group stopped him, ultimately leading to Owen, Nora, and Mel’s deaths. Fans of The Last of Us Part II’s video game will know that Manny is set to have a larger role in The Last of Us Season 3, told from Abby’s perspective.

11) Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards & Joel Miller

Pedro Pascal is one of the most bankable stars in film and TV right now – he seems to pop up in everything. His next major project, however, will be The Fantastic Four: First Steps, where he will be debuting as the MCU’s official Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, the leader of Marvel’s First Family. Pascal was a polarizing choice for Mister Fantastic, but he is a remarkable and talented actor, so there’s no doubt he’ll deliver a tender, intelligent, and fatherly performance as Reed Richards. He could take notes from his role in The Last of Us for that.

Joel Miller was central to the development of The Last of Us Season 1, as he is tasked with getting the immune Ellie across the country to try and seek a cure for the Cordyceps infection. Along the journey, however, Joel and Ellie form a father-daughter bond that informs Joel’s killing spree to save her. Joel was brutally murdered by Abby in The Last of Us Season 2, so it’s unclear if he’ll will return in Season 3, but since Pedro Pascal seems to be everywhere we turn right now, we’ll still have plenty to look forward to.

Who are your favorite actors who have appeared in Marvel’s movies and TV shows and in The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments!

The post 11 Marvel Actors Who Have Also Appeared in The Last of Us appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Pluto TV is one of many streamers available to fans for free if you’re willing to put up with ads, which only feels like a minor nuisance in the grand scheme of things. Owned by Paramount Streaming, Pluto TV is an on-demand service that offers a diverse range of programming spanning various decades, genres, movies, and television shows. One such category includes its featured sci-fi and fantasy TV shows selection, showcasing series like the sci-fi sitcom Alf, Charmed, RoboCop: The Series, The Greatest American Hero, 1958’s The Invisible Man, the six-episode Ultraviolet British horror series starring Idris Elba, Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda, and the miniseries Merlin starring Sam Neill.

The titles listed above only scratch the surface of the best sci-fi series available to stream for free on Pluto TV, including shows that are part of fan-favorite franchises.

1) The Twilight Zone

The impact that Rod Serling’s groundbreaking anthology series The Twilight Zone had on film, television, genre tropes, pop culture, and its historical significance cannot be overstated. Launching in 1959 and running for five seasons on CBS, the show was famously hosted and narrated by creator Serling, who infused the anthology with social commentary. The stories spanned various genres, from horror, sci-fi, drama, fantasy, dystopian fiction, dark comedy, psychological thriller, and more. Even decades after its first airing on TV, The Twilight Zone remains an essential piece of entertainment for every genre fan.

All five seasons are available to stream on Pluto TV, which also features an entire channel dedicated to the classic show. Another anthology series streaming on the platform that viewers might enjoy is Mick Garris’ classic horror show, Masters of Horror.

2) Stargate Atlantis

The original Stargate SG-1 series (also streaming on Pluto TV) picked up where Roland Emmerich’s 1994 movie Stargate left off, featuring a new cast and running for 10 seasons after premiering in 1997. It was the first big expansion of the beloved franchise, and in 2004, the Stargate universe grew with the fan-favorite spinoff Stargate: Atlantis. The series starred Joe Flanigan, Rachel Luttrell, David Hewlett, Torri Higginson, and Jason Momoa in his breakout role as Ronon Dex.

Nominated for four Emmys, Stargate: Atlantis followed a new group of explorers who investigate the lost city of Atlantis and the Pegasus Galaxy it calls home. Soon, they are drawn into a war against the show’s main antagonists, the Wraith. Along with SG-1 and Atlantis, the 2009 spinoff series Stargate Universe is also available on Pluto TV.

3) Farscape

In 1999, Farscape debuted as a fresh sci-fi adventure series produced by The Jim Henson Company, whose creature designs, prosthetics, and animatronic puppets helped set the show apart from similar science fiction series at the time. Beyond the unique tone, action, and group of characters, fans especially loved the performances and relationship between leads Ben Browder (who would later join the Stargate franchise as Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell) and Claudia Black. The intense romantic entanglement between John Crichton and Aeryn Sun acted as the foundational narrative of a series that was bold in its weirdness and unpredictability.

Created by Rockne S. O’Bannon, all four seasons of Farscape are available on Pluto TV. The miniseries follow-up, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars, is also streaming on the platform.

4) Star Trek: The Next Generation

Pluto TV has carved out a basic Star Trek offering on the streamer, including random seasons of Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise. Nostalgia speaks volumes about which of these initial installments in the franchise are at the top of any one fan’s favorite list, but Star Trek: The Next Generation is considered by many to have been the game-changer that paved the way for the Star Trek universe.

Gene Roddenberry’s Emmy Award-winning series featured a talented cast led by Patrick Stewart, compelling characters, and maintained quality storytelling throughout its run.

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5) The Outer Limits

Another classic sci-fi anthology series was The Outer Limits, created by Leslie Stevens. Running from 1963 to 1965, the ABC show was clearly influenced by The Twilight Zone, with a stricter focus on science fiction and making a mark with its creature designs. The series was known for its cold opens and the Control Voice narration that introduced each episode, beginning with, “There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture.” The opening titles made it appear as though an outside force was taking over viewers’ TVs.

The Outer Limits was later revived in 1995, running for seven seasons and narrated by Kevin Conway. Both seasons of the original series are available now on Pluto TV.

6) Mork & Mindy

Mork & Mindy (1978-1982) was a popular sci-fi sitcom starring the late Robin Williams as the alien Mork and Pam Dawber as his human companion and roommate Mindy. The character of Mork first appeared in Happy Days before Williams found himself co-leading his own television show in his first standout role. Over the course of the series, Mork attempts to understand humans and life on Earth, leading to humorous shenanigans and observations from the extraterrestrial. For his portrayal as Mork, Williams received his first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 1979.

Every season of Mork & Mindy is available on Pluto TV.

7) Continuum

Created by Simon Barry (Warrior Nun), Continuum was a Canadian sci-fi action series that debuted in 2012. The show starred Rachel Nichols as Officer Kiera Cameron, who is from the year 2077 but accidentally becomes trapped in present-day Vancouver along with a group of escaped criminals who intend to alter the future. Kiera’s relationships with tech genius Alec Sadler (Erik Knudsen) and Detective Carlos Fonnegra (Victor Webster) were a significant highlight of Continuum and partially why it ran for four seasons.

Every episode of Continuum is available to stream on Pluto TV.

8) Sanctuary

After spending the majority of her television career as Samantha Carter in the Stargate universe, Amanda Tapping starred as Dr. Helen Magnus in Sanctuary. Created by Damian Kindler, the futuristic series centered on human evolution through cybernetic enhancements, gene therapy, and DNA splicing. Tapping’s character is a 157-year-old teratologist who runs an organization known as the Sanctuary. The goal of the Sanctuary is to locate and assist creatures and people known as Abnormals, but others view these powerful beings as threats and attempt to turn society on them.

Throughout its four-season run (all available on Pluto TV), Sanctuary was an innovative sci-fi tale with interesting characters and twisty concepts — and a perfect fit for Tapping.

9) Ultraman

Returning to the 1960s, Ultraman was a Japanese superhero sci-fi series centered on a character named Hayata. A member of the Science Patrol, Hayata (Bin Furuya) possesses the ability to transform into a giant alien superhero known as Ultraman, an extraterrestrial being from Nebula M78 who merged with Hayata after arriving on Earth in pursuit of a space monster. Debuting in 1966, Ultraman ran for 39 half-hour episodes, following the Science Patrol and Ultraman as they defended the planet against various threats.

Ultraman was a massive hit in Japan and grew into a vast media franchise (including follow-up series, movies, comic books, and more) that influenced Japanese pop culture. All episodes of Ultraman are streaming on Pluto TV.

The post 9 Best Sci-Fi TV Shows You Can Stream Free Right Now appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s hard to believe that The Bear is already through four seasons. Season 1 premiered on Hulu in June 2022, introducing the world to the Berzatto family, which owned a beef restaurant in Chicago. The youngest son, Carmen, returned home after his older brother, Michael, tragically passed away. However, since Carmen had experience in some of the nicest restaurants in the world, he changed how things worked at The Original Beef of Chicagoland. The employees didn’t appreciate his attitude at first, but they came around over time and learned to take pride in their work, especially after the establishment became The Bear.

The Bear Season 4, which is streaming now on Hulu, is less about the quality of the work and more about a race against time. The titular restaurant’s primary investor, Uncle Jimmy, tells Carmy and Co. that they must show progress in the financial department, or the doors are closing in a few months. The chefs and front-of-house staff push themselves to keep the lights on, but the series doesn’t make it clear whether it’s enough or if another season that will provide answers is on the way.

How Does The Bear Season 4 End?

The timer in the kitchen is dangerously close to running out in the penultimate episode of The Bear Season 4. The staff can go ahead with one more service, and after learning that Marcus is going to be featured in Food & Wine magazine, spirits are high. Everything goes off without a hitch, but Carmy can tell Sydney isn’t happy with him in the finale. She reveals that Pete told her about the change to the partnership agreement that made it so only she, Sugar, and Jimmy had any skin in the game. Sydney confronts Carmy because she thinks he’s planning to leave, a bombshell he confirms minutes later.

Richie joins them outside, and he and Sydney begin berating their friend for making such a foolish decision. Carmy explains that he’s tired of the rat race and wants to figure out what kind of person he is when he’s not working in a kitchen. He promises to get them out of debt before he leaves, but Richie and Sydney don’t want to hear it. Everyone shares their feelings, and Sugar walks outside to find a somber scene. However, instead of piling on, she embraces her brother, knowing that he’s making the most difficult decision of his life. The Bear Season 4 ends there, with the timer running out and Carmy having one foot out of the door. That sounds like plenty of drama for a fifth season to sink its teeth into, but FX is apparently in wait-and-see mode.

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Is The Bear Returning for Season 5?

Despite Season 4’s major cliffhanger, The Bear has yet to be renewed for Season 5. Reports claim that the cast is under contract for another season (via Variety), but creator Christopher Storer isn’t ready to pull the trigger. Availability is complicating things, as stars Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are all much busier than when the show started. There’s also the matter of scripts. While Storer knows where he wants to go in Season 5, the pen isn’t being put to paper, and it may be some time before it is. It’s hard to believe that a show that released four seasons in three years is staring a major delay in the face, but that’s the risk that comes with making great shows these days.

The Bear is streaming on Hulu.

What did you think of the end of The Bear Season 4? Do you want to see the show return for a fifth season? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Is The Bear Ending After Season 4? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Squid Game has officially come to an end after four years and three seasons with Netflix, but the final season found a creative way to bring Season 2’s biggest standout back from the dead before it was all over. Squid Game returned for Season 2 of the highly anticipated series last year, and quickly took over Netflix just as much as the first season did. This new season introduced Seong Gi-Hun to a new series of games, and a new cast of players who needed to survive. But the biggest standout was the wild drug using rapper named after a Marvel character, Thanos.

Squid Game Season 2 really took over the world with Thanos as fans got to love the character despite the fact he didn’t make it out of the season unscathed. This had seemed like it meant that the character would not be making a comeback in the third season despite his popularity, but Squid Game Season 3 found a way to bring Thanos back to the action without breaking the grounded rules of its world. Whether or not it was a successful return will be up to the fans, however. Warning! Major Squid Game Season 3 spoilers to follow!

How Thanos Comes Back in Squid Game Season 3

Thanos was decidedly killed off during the second season‘s final stretch after losing a fight to Lee Myung-gi, so it seemed like he would be off the table for a potential cameo in the final episodes given that his story was completed. But Thanos was such a personality that he continued to live on through others. At first it seemed small, however, as his surviving compatriot Nam-gyu was bringing Thanos back to the screen with a hilarious impression of his former friend, but it all becomes real much later through an entirely different character.

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Nam-gyu and Thanos had been bullying Park Min-su through the games thus far, so Squid Game Season 3 sees Min-su instead taking more of the reins over his life. During the chaos of the fourth game he gets a hand on Thanos’ drug necklace and starts to take them through the final games. In the final game, Sky Squid Game, Min-su hallucinates and nearly falls off the side of a platform. It’s here he briefly sees Thanos and Nam-gyu as the two try and “grab him” and drag him to his death. So Thanos was able to come back even after he died.

Is Thanos’ Return a Success?

Thanos’ comeback is going to be a point of debate among Squid Game fans. Because it might seem like a decision that was made following how much popularity Thanos had in the second season, but Season 2 and 3 of the series were produced pretty much at the same time. It’s not likely that Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk inserted Thanos into this moment just as a bit of fan service, and that’s apparent in the scene itself as Min-su is haunted by the literal ghosts of his past through the game thus far.

It’s not the kind of return that would break the reality set by the first two seasons of the series, and is also not the only dead character we see returning through these kinds of visions either. Thanos just stands out because of all the noise he made during the second season, so it ends up being just another fun nod to the fact that this character continues to cause chaos in others’ lives long after he was killed off. No other Squid Game character really has that level of impact.

The post Squid Game Finale Brings Season 2’s Best Character Back From the Dead appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Warning! Massive Squid Game Season 3 spoilers to follow! Squid Game has officially come to an end after four years with Netflix, and the final episode of its final season set up the path towards the long reported American Squid Game spinoff series with a major Hollywood cameo. Although Squid Game seemed to be a fairly contained story from series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk when it first premiered during the pandemic, it has since become such a massive hit for Netflix that it returned to complete its run with two new seasons. But that’s not been all as Netflix has been looking for ways to expand the massively popular franchise even further.

One issue with expanding the franchise is where to go after the original story ends, but Squid Game’s answer to this has instead been to start development on a new spinoff series set in the United States of America. This English language take on the franchise has reportedly been in the works for the last couple of years, and now it seems like it has taken a huge step forward with the final episode of Squid Game Season 3. Bringing in massive star Cate Blanchett (Thor: Ragnarok, Borderlands, Black Bag), Squid Game is now teasing a whole new setting for the future.

Why Is Cate Blanchett in Squid Game Season 3?

The final episode of Squid Game Season 3 sees the Front Man making his way to Los Angeles, California to deliver Seong Gi-Hun’s belongings to his daughter following the end of the games. But a slapping sound in a nearby alleyway catches his attention, and he spots a woman playing the same Ddakji game that Gong Yoo’s recruiter had been seen playing in the series before. It’s soon revealed to be Blanchett as she’s clearly the recruiter for an American version of the game. It’s the final nod to the series in the future, and sets up what’s to come.

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Part of Squid Game‘s message throughout its run is that regardless of what Seong Gi-Hun tried to accomplish throughout both of the games he participated in, he would be helpless to stop the system at hand. Regardless of how much he was going to fight, it would not be enough to stop others from playing or hosting the games. Now it’s more clear that ever that even if Gi-Hun were successful in stopping them in Korea, the games are still very much active in the rest of the world. It’s why the creator was so open about the show not having a happy ending ahead of its premiere.

What Does This Mean for Squid Game?

Reports have revealed that a new English language adaptation of Squid Game was now in the works with David Fincher expected to helm this new take on the franchise. It’s unclear as to whether or not this ending will directly tie into Fincher’s version of the franchise, but it does set up an important point either way. It’s now revealed that these deadly games are taking place throughout different regions of the world, and that opens up the franchise to a much wider scope than ever before.

Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk might have ended his Squid Game story, and might have expanded on the central idea of how its capitalistic core ruins everyone involved, but the franchise is really only getting started. It’s likely we’re going to see much more of Squid Game from this point on, and that’s not even including the also in the works second season of the reality game show version, Squid Game: The Challenge. It’s far from over.

The post Squid Game Finale Teases American Spinoff With Major Marvel Star Cameo (& What That Means) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

As we look ahead to a new week, we’re seeing a whole new month staring back at us. Tuesday marks the start of July, which means another month of major additions coming to Netflix’s streaming lineup in the United States. For those looking to add new movies and TV shows to your watchlist, there’s a lot you’ll want to pay attention to in the week ahead.

This is one of the rare weeks where Netflix doesn’t have any new additions planned for a Monday, save for the regular live airing of WWE’s Monday Night Raw. Things get kicked into overdrive on Tuesday, however, as the start of another month brings a massive wave of new titles.

On Wednesday, Netflix will debut one of its most anticipated movies of the summer in The Old Guard 2, the sequel to the streamer’s 2020 action hit. One day later, the service will add all four seasons of acclaimed thriller series Mr. Robot.

You can check out the full list of this week’s Netflix additions below!

Tuesday, July 1st

17 Again
Annie (1982)
Blow
Born on the Fourth of July
Captain Phillips
The Deer Hunter
Friday Night Lights
Here Comes the Boom
The Hitman’s Bodyguard
The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
Horrible Bosses
The Karate Kid
The Karate Kid
The Karate Kid Part II
The Karate Kid Part III
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible III
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Mom: Seasons 1-8
The Notebook
Pacific Rim
PAW Patrol Seasons 2-3
Portlandia: Seasons 1-8
The Sweetest Thing
Tangerine
V for Vendetta
White Chicks
Yellowjackets: Season 2
Zathura: A Space Adventure

Attack on London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Insider accounts and never-seen-before footage tell the story of the 7/7 bombings on London’s transport network in 2005 — and its explosive aftermath.

Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Featuring tell-all interviews with insiders and former staff, this exposé traces American Apparel’s journey from fashion phenomenon to financial flop.

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Wednesday, July 2nd

The Old Guard 2 — NETFLIX FILM
Andy and her team of immortal warriors fight with renewed purpose as they face a powerful new foe threatening their mission to protect humanity.

Tour de France: Unchained: Season 3 (GB) — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
In a thrilling 2024 Tour de France, larger teams dominate while smaller ones struggle to survive — and recent injuries cast a long shadow for some.

Thursday, July 3rd

Countdown: Taylor vs. Serrano — NETFLIX SPORTS SERIES
Narrated by Uma Thurman, the film follows Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano’s intense journey and preparations as they train for their historic trilogy fight, airing live on Netflix on July 11th.

Mr. Robot: Seasons 1-4

The Sandman: Season 2 Volume 1 — NETFLIX SERIES
A reunion of the Endless thrusts Lord Morpheus onto a perilous path, where a fateful choice makes him the target of a relentless quest for vengeance.

Friday, July 4th

All the Sharks — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
All the Sharks is a thrilling new competition series where four teams of passionate shark experts embark on the ultimate adventure to find and photograph the most sharks. Racing against time – and each other – teams dive deep into the world’s most spectacular shark habitats, all in hopes of winning a $50,000 prize for their chosen marine charity. Over six action-packed episodes, they’ll travel from the crystal-clear Caribbean waters to the mysterious depths of the Pacific where they’ll come face to toothy face with incredible species like the critically endangered Great Hammerhead and the remarkable walking Epaulette Shark. Blending breath-taking visuals, “fin-tastic’ shark facts, and stunning underwater encounters, All the Sharks is a fun, fast-paced journey into the misunderstood world of sharks —showcasing why these incredible creatures are more vital to our planet now more than ever.

Saturday, July 5th

The Summer Hikaru Died (JP) — NETFLIX ANIME

The post Everything Coming to Netflix This Week (June 30th) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With July just around the corner, Prime Video is taking an opportunity to get its subscribers excited about the month ahead. Over the weekend, Amazon’s streaming service unveiled the complete list of movies and TV shows joining its lineup over the course of July, a list that is headlined by some major movies at the beginning of the month.

Dozens of movies are going to hit Prime Video on the first day of July, including the complete Rocky film series, several Rambo entries, and a couple of Fast & Furious movies. Other big additions on July 1st include No Country for Old Men, Mad Max, Robocop, and The Usual Suspects.

One day later, on July 2nd, Prime Video will be adding a brand new original movie called Heads of State. The action-comedy is headlined by the all-star trio of Idris Elba, John Cena, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

You can check out the full list of Prime Video’s July offerings below!

July 1st

2 Fast 2 Furious
A Bridge Too Far
A Fish Called Wanda
Baby Boom
Back to School
Bandits
Blown Away
Blue Crush
Blue Velvet
Colors
Creed II
Death Warrant
Double Impact
Dressed to Kill
Duck Soup
Every Day
Fast & Furious 6
Fast Five
Fiddler On the Roof
Gladiator
Hart’s War
Hidden Figures
Hoodlum
How to Train Your Dragon 2
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
Into The Blue
Into The Blue 2: The Reef
It Came from Outer Space
K-PAX
Leaving Las Vegas
Licorice Pizza
Little Fockers
Little Man
Mad Max
Meet the Fockers
Meet the Parents
Mystic Pizza
No Country for Old Men
No Way Out
Only Lovers Left Alive
Paths Of Glory
Rings
Robocop (1987)
Robocop (2014)
Robocop 2
Robocop 3
Rocky (1976)
Rocky Balboa
Rocky II
Rocky III
Rocky IV
Rocky V
Salt
Saving Private Ryan
Teen Wolf (1985)
The 40 Year-Old Virgin
The Addams Family (2019)
The Addams Family 2 (2021)
The Apartment
The Bone Collector
The Bounty Hunter
The Fast and the Furious
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
The Funhouse
The Great Train Robbery
The Horse Soldiers
The House Bunny
The Hustle
The Informant!
The Perfect Storm
The Usual Suspects
Thunderbolt And Lightfoot
What’s The Worst That Could Happen?
Windtalkers
Witness For The Prosecution
XXX: The Return Of Xander Cage
Sherlock S1
Shooter S1-3

July 2nd

Heads of State (2025)

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July 4th

Game Night (2018)

July 9th

Ballard (2025)

July 11th

Better Man (2025)
One Night in Idaho: The College Murders

July 15th

Uncharted

July 17th

Surf Girls: International

July 19th

Sabotage
PBC on Prime

July 21st

Justice on Trial

July 23rd

Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War

July 25th

Wicked

July 30th

War of the Worlds (2005)

The post What’s Coming to Prime Video in July 2025? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Studios has teased the existence of Mephisto in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for several years, and the demonic supervillain might finally be ready to make his debut. Inspired by Mephistopheles, a demonic character from Faust legend, Mephisto made his first appearance in Marvel Comics back in 1968’s Silver Surfer #3. Since then, he has become one of the most prominent, threatening, dangerous, and powerful supervillains, facing the likes of Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, the Scarlet Witch, and many more, perfectly priming him for a new live-action makeover.

Mephisto was previously played by Peter Fonda in 2007’s Ghost Rider, and then by Ciarán Hinds in 2011’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, but he is yet to make his MCU debut. Despite not yet making a physical appearance, there have been several hints, teases, and references regarding Mephisto in the MCU, dating all the way back to 2012’s The Avengers. This has picked up in recent years as Mephisto seems ready to finally debut in the MCU, with speculation suggesting he’ll pop up in Ironheart’s upcoming episodes, and perhaps even in his own Special Presentation.

6) Mephisto’s Name Was Glimpsed Back in 2012’s The Avengers

2012’s The Avengers was the first MCU project to mention Mephisto, though this was only in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, non-explicit moment. Mephisto’s name appears in a file on the Tesseract that Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) hands to Steve Rogers’ Captain America (Chris Evans). While Rogers’ finger blocks most of the paragraph, the file seems to suggest that Mephisto was a consultant for SHIELD during the organization’s investigation of the Space Stone. Mephisto had dealings with the Infinity Stones in Marvel Comics, so this makes sense, but it seems this detail has since been retconned or ignored out of existence.

5) WandaVision Included a Lot of Devil Imagery

Mephisto debut theories were rife during WandaVision’s release on Disney+ in 2021. Aside from Agatha Harkness’ (Kathryn Hahn) suggestion that “in the details” isn’t the only place that the “Devil” resides, surely hinting at Mephisto, the appearance of Billy and Tommy Maximoff also connects back to Mephisto. In the comics, the Maximoff twins were magically created by the Scarlet Witch using pieces of Mephisto’s soul. The fake Pietro Maximoff (Evan Peters) also referred to the twins as “Demon Spawn,” spurring countless theories – but Mephisto never actually made a physical appearance in the Phase 4 series.

4) Loki Teased a Devil in the Window

Loki’s premiere in 2021, “Glorious Purpose,” saw Time Variance Authority analyst Mobius (Owen Wilson) clearing up a disturbance on the Sacred Timeline in a French church in the 1500s. One of the church’s stained-glass windows depicted a devil-like figure with a blue tongue that many attributed to be Mephisto. “It’s honestly just a super weird coincidence,” Loki director Kate Herron confirmed during a 2021 interview with ET Online, however. “Like, it’s genuinely a reference to Loki – the horns, he was cast out of heaven, that’s what it’s a reference to… it’s not a nod to [Mephisto].”

3) Madisynn Might Have Crossed Paths With Mephisto in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Madisynn King (Patty Guggenheim) was a fan-favorite addition to She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’s cast, especially because of her unlikely friendship with Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong). During her first appearance alongside Donny Blaze (Rhys Coiro), Madisynn was sent to a hell-like dimension through a portal, where she struck a deal with a demonic goat named “Jake.” Theories have suggested that Jake may be connected to Mephisto, perhaps residing in his hell dimension, or even being the villain himself in disguise, but Marvel Studios hasn’t yet confirmed this.

2) Jennifer Kale Name-Dropped Mephisto in Agatha All Along

While discussing the fate of Agatha Harkness’ son with Billy Maximoff (Joe Locke) in Agatha All Along episode 3, “Through Many Miles / Of Tricks and Trials,” Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata) name-dropped Mephisto. This was the first actual mention of Mephisto by name in the MCU, confirming the supervillain does, indeed, exist. Kale’s comment also implies that there are already “Agents of Mephisto” running round, which creates some exciting possibilities for upcoming Marvel projects. While Scratch is not an Agent of Mephisto, it’s good to finally hear his name in the MCU.

1) Ironheart’s First Three Episodes Clearly Set Up Mephisto’s MCU Debut

The latest MCU series to release is Ironheart, which debuted with its first three episodes on June 24, 2025. Ironheart has long been rumored to be including Mephisto’s first appearance in the MCU – expected to take place in the last three episodes, releasing on July 1, 2025. Ironheart’s first three episodes have already teased the demon many times, most notably with the debut of Parker Robbins’ Hood (Anthony Ramos), who seems to have struck a deal with Mephisto, who he hears through disembodied voices and strange visions, to become a superpowered criminal.

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Ironheart Official Episode Guide Teases the Arrival of One of Marvel’s Best Characters

In Ironheart’s premiere, the Hood exclaims, “Holy Hell,” when Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) first flies into Chicago in her Ironheart suit. Several other mentions, including Riri’s mother (Anji White) stating, “Get behind me, Satan,” when NATALIE (Lyric Ross) appears on her painting, Robbins suggested “He” did something to turn him into the Hood, and Clown (Sonia Denis) questioning whether Robbins “wrestled [the Hood] off a demon,” all also hint at Mephisto and demonic imagery. This was also seen in the music choice, as Nina Simone’s version of “Sinnerman” from 1965 repeats the lyric, “Go to the Devil.”

Posters painted with the word “Faust” can be seen behind Riri while she’s speaking to the NATALIE artificial intelligence, with some figures that sport horns – clearly reminiscent of Mephisto. The demon’s voice also repeatedly appears throughout these first episodes, at one time asking, “What is it you most desire?” – a classic Mephisto move, while Robbins also sees hallucinatory visions of his partner in crime, John (Manny Montana), dying, and of Riri Williams. There’s little doubt Mephisto will finally appear in Ironheart’s upcoming episodes, and could have a very bright future in many future MCU stories.

Do you want to see Mephisto in the MCU after all these years? Let us know in the comments!

The post Every MCU Tease Of Mephisto (& All The Fake-Outs) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

July is officially on the horizon, with the calendar set to flip to the next summer month in just a matter of days, and Peacock is already getting subscribers prepared for what lies ahead. At the start of the weekend, Peacock revealed its monthly newsletter for July, revealing every title that’s set to join the service in the weeks ahead. The month will kick off on Tuesday with a slew of new movie arrivals that include American Pie, The Croods, Goodfellas, Dazed and Confused, Mission: Impossible, and dozens of others.

The coming month is also a big one for two original hits on Peacock. The second season of Poker Face will come to an end in July, with the finale of Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne’s acclaimed series arriving on July 10th.

At the end of the month, on July 31st, Peacock will debut the second season of the hit video game adaptation Twisted Metal.

You can check out the complete list of Peacock’s July additions below.

July 1st

10 Items Or Less
13
About My Father
Airplane!
American Pie
Aquamarine
Are We There Yet?
Barbershop
Barbershop 2: Back In Business
Beauty Shop
Big Momma’s House
The Brothers
Chance of Snow
Contraband
Couples Retreat
The Croods
Daniel Isn’t Real
Dante’s Peak
Dazed And Confused
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears A Who!
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
The Fate Of The Furious
First Blood
Forrest Gump
Friday
The Friday After Next
Furious 7
Goodfellas
Hall Pass
The High Note
Hot Tub Time Machine
Hotel Transylvania
Hotel Transylvania 2
I Am Woman
Iris
King Kong
The King of Staten Island
Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White And Blonde
Liar, Liar
Making Babies
Mission: Impossible
Next Friday
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
Rambo III
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Ray
Repo Men
Robin Hood (2010)
Role Models
Sausage Party
Self/Less
Semi-Pro
Sisters
Street Fighter
Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby
Titanic
Tropic Thunder
The Turning
Twister
War Of The Worlds
Waterworld
Whitey: United States Of America V James Bulger
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys, Season 2 – Premiere (Bravo)
The Real Murders of Atlanta, Season 3 – Premiere, All Episodes (Oxygen)
Yes, Chef!, Season 1 – Finale (NBC)

July 2nd

Honestly Cavallari: The Headline Tour, Season 1 – Finale (E!)

July 3rd

The American Society Of Magical Negroes
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
Poker Face, Season 2 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

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July 4th

Curry Inc: The Business of Stephen Curry – Premiere (CNBC)
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks

July 5th

Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode, 60 min (Peacock Original)

July 6th

Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
She Said

July 7th

Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

July 8th

Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
Survival Mode, Season 1 – Premiere (NBC)

July 10th

Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

Poker Face, Season 2 – Finale (Peacock Original)
Poker Face is a mystery-of-the-week series following Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve.

July 11th

Drop – Premiere (Peacock Exclusive)
First dates can be rough. In this mind-bending action thriller from the director of Happy Death Day, they can also be deadly. Violet is a widowed mother who has worked up the courage to go on her first date in years with a charming photographer named Henry. The cute couple’s killer chemistry is rudely interrupted by a series of anonymous drops to Violet’s phone showing a masked intruder entering her home and ordering her to follow a series of instructions. Violet must do exactly as she’s told or her loved ones will die. Her unseen tormentor’s final directive? Kill Henry.

Friends The Next Chapter, Season 3 (LEGO)
Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)
The Real Housewives Of Orange County, Season 19 – Premiere (Bravo)

July 12th

Love Island USA, Season 7 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

July 13th

Love Island: Beyond the Villa, Season 1 – Premiere (Peacock Original)
Love Island USA, Season 7 – Finale (Peacock Original)

July 14th

Kings Court, Season 1 – Premiere (Bravo)
Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars, Seasons 16-17 (WeTV)

July 15th

Bahar: Esencia de Mujer, Season 1 – Premiere (Telemundo)

July 16th

Botched Presents: Plastic Surgery Rewind, Season 1 – Premiere (E!)

July 17th

Love Island: Beyond the Villa, Season 1 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

July 18th

Transplant, Season 4 – Finale (NBC)

July 20th

Violent Night

July 21st

Rizzoli & Isles, Season 1-7 (TNT)

July 23rd

The Valley After Show, Season 1 – Finale (Bravo Digital)

July 24th

Love Island: Beyond the Villa, Season 1 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

July 27th

Tár

July 28th

Adaptive: Paris (Vitium Productions LLC)
Unlocked, Season 2 (CNBC)

July 29th

Unknown Serial Killers of America, Season 1 – Premiere, All Episodes (Oxygen)

July 30th

Destination X, Season 1 – Finale (NBC)
Top Chef VIP, Season 4 – Premiere (Telemundo)

July 31st

Love Island: Beyond the Villa, Season 1 – New Episode (Peacock Original)

Twisted Metal, Season 2 – Premiere (Peacock Original)
Following the revelations in the season one finale, John and Quiet find themselves entering the deadly TWISTED METAL tournament, a sinister demolition derby hosted by a mysterious man known as Calypso. As they try to survive an onslaught of dangerous new foes and familiar faces alike, including the murderous clown Sweet Tooth, things get complicated for John when he reunites with his long-lost sister, the vigilante Dollface.

If you want to check out any of these new additions but don’t already have a Peacock subscription, you can sign up for one here.

The post Everything Coming to Peacock in July 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Harry Potter books are for children. They feature a magical world full of adorable creatures, focus on a trio of kids, and teach important lessons about right and wrong. However, wanting to appeal to a young audience doesn’t mean the serious avoids serious topics. In fact, as it continues, things get pretty dark. Ron Weasley’s rat turns out to be the dark wizard Peter Pettigrew, who is in league with Voldemort, and Harry Potter’s classmate, Cedric Diggory, loses his life in a battle with the Dark Lord. Those moments all happen in later books, though, which means the HBO Max reboot doesn’t have to worry about them for a couple of years.

The first season of the Harry Potter TV show will focus on reintroducing viewers to the Wizarding World and all its inhabitants. Harry will make his way to Hogwarts and try to settle in at a place that wants him to embrace his gifts. Of course, there are still going to be dark forces that want to bring him down, and that means plenty of twists are on the way.

1) Harry Speaking Parseltongue

Before Harry learns about his magical origins, he’s living at home with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. They view him as a burden rather than a member of the family, so he always gets the short end of the stick, including after a trip to the zoo. A snake escapes from its exhibit and threatens everyone, and Harry’s the one who calms it down.

Harry doesn’t realize it at the time, but he speaks Parseltongue to defuse the situation, which isn’t an easy feat for any witch or wizard. The titular character’s ability to actually communicate with snakes will become a major part of his journey as the HBO Max series goes on.

2) The Sorting Hat’s Game

It doesn’t take long for Harry to realize that Slytherin isn’t for him. He wants to be in the house of noble students, Gryffindor, which is where his parents were placed back in the day. The Sorting Hat doesn’t make life easy for Harry, though.

When Harry goes up to get his assignment, he makes it clear that he’s not about Slytherin. The Sorting Hat can’t help but see some of the qualities of the bad boy house within him and reveals that the decision isn’t an easy one. Harry ends up where he wants to be, but he has to sweat for a minute there.

3) The Troll in the Dungeon

Strange things happen at Hogwarts in every book, but Harry’s first year is anything but normal because of the hunt for the Philosopher’s Stone. The kids are learning more about the object, but their progress comes to a halt on Halloween night when a troll shows up in Hogwarts.

At first, it doesn’t seem like a big deal because one of the professors will handle it. However, Hermione is off on her own when the beast is spotted, forcing Ron and Harry into action. They fight off the troll as a team, proving that they’re far from regular first-years.

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4) Professor Quirrell’s Real Identity

Professor Quirrell always seems to be in the right place at the right time, and the reason why only becomes clear at the end of Harry’s first year at Hogwarts. The teacher is in league with Voldemort and trying to steal the Philosopher’s Stone. However, Harry learns that Quirrell isn’t just doing Voldemort’s bidding but letting him live on his body.

After Ron and Hermione complete challenges to get to the Philosopher’s Stone’s location, Harry comes face-to-face with Quirrell. They argue back and forth until Quirrell reveals that Voldemort’s face is on the back of his head. The Dark Lord has been in Hogwarts the whole time, and nobody knew it.

5) Professor Snape Not Being the Bad Guy

The reason Quirrell flies under the radar for so long is that the main trio believes that Professor Snape is the one after the Philosopher’s Stone. After all, he doesn’t like Harry and appears to bewitch the young wizard’s broom during a Quidditch match.

It turns out to be a big misunderstanding, though, as Snape was actually trying to use a counter-curse to save Harry from getting hurt. Harry still has his reservations about Snape after his first year, but later books reveal the professor’s true nature.

Which of the twists on this list are you most excited to see in the first season of the Harry Potter show? Are there any others that you think belong on this list? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 5 Major Twists in Harry Potter Season 1 That We Can’t Wait to See appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s clear that James Gunn’s Superman pays homage to the Man of Steel’s history on the big screen (see: the use of John Williams’ iconic theme in the trailers), but the reboot also has some nods to DC’s past in the TV medium. In an interview with ComicBook to promote Superman, Gunn shared that he included a major reference to the TV series Smallville. Dating back to the first Superman teaser trailer released late last year, fans have known that the DC Universe’s Lex Luthor is in charge of LuthorCorp, which is a Smallville Easter egg.

“When I was making this movie, I really was taking stuff from all sorts of different comic books and TV shows and movies,” Gunn said. “And I’m a Smallville fan. It was LutherCorp in Smallville and so it is that. But also, first of all, most people don’t name their corporations after their first names, right? So, I believed it more in terms of that. And also, you know, it leaves the door open for, you know, was his father, in any way, ever a part of this, or his mother.”

Though Superman represents the dawn of a new era for the character and DC, Gunn has found numerous ways to pay respect to the character’s rich legacy across various mediums. With its tone and storytelling approach, the film is harkening back to the Christopher Reeve movies, looking to entertain audiences with an optimistic tale. Gunn has also pulled key elements from the comics, such as Clark Kent’s hypno glasses.

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In the DC Extended Universe, Lex’s company was called LexCorp. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it’s revealed that Lex’s father, Lex Luthor Sr., had founded it years prior. On Smallville, the company eventually changed its name to LexCorp, but it was introduced as LuthorCorp. Created by Lex’s father Lionel Luthor, LuthorCorp initially focused on agricultural products before expanding its horizons. Biotechnology, weapons, and electronics were among the areas the company added to its portfolio.

Smallville is a huge part of Superman history, earning a loyal, passionate fan base across its 10-season run. Though it’s been off the air since 2011, there’s still interest in seeing some sort continuation; Smallville co-creator Al Gough remains hopeful a planned sequel series will eventually see the light of day. Considering Smallville‘s place in the zeitgeist, it’s nice to see Gunn tip his hat to the long-running TV show. Though this obviously isn’t the same as seeing Tom Welling back in action as Clark Kent, fans will likely appreciate this Easter egg that acknowledges Smallville‘s impact in the overall Superman franchise.

Outside of the Smallville connection, Gunn’s reasoning for going with LexCorp is practical. It’s common for characters/people to use their surnames when naming a company. Marvel has multiple instances of this, including OsCorp (founded by Norman Osborn) and Stark Industries (founded by Tony Stark). So it’s just logical for Gunn and the DCU to run with LuthorCorp. It’ll be interesting to see if Superman dives into Lex’s family history and details whether or not his family have any role with the company.

The post Superman Contains a Major Smallville Easter Egg appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Good news for comedy fans, a major comedy series that first kicked off in 2005 has finally seen its third season announced 11 years after last appearing on screens. Initially canceled after its first season, the show – starring Friends star Lisa Kudrow in arguably her most prominent role since the end of the sitcom – was revived in 2014, before once again going on ice for more than a decade. Now, a third and final season is on the way.

That’s right, satirical comedy The Comeback is making a comeback! HBO announced that the meta cult comedy co-created by Friends star Kudrow has been greenlit for a third season that will debut next year on HBO and HBO Max. Kudrow will return as Valerie Cherish, a one-time sitcom star who takes another crack at show business via a reality show titled The Comeback. While the release model is perhaps unconventional, it feels oddly fitting that Valerie Cherish is back for one more bow after another decade-long break.

The Season 3 official green light was announced Friday via a hilarious and meta video where Cherish unsuccessfully tries to tape the announcement her fictional show’s final season. Despite it being a mere minute long, Kudrow slips back into Cherish’s idiosyncrasies with such ease and hilarity, we feel as if she never felt. Kudrow and Comeback co-creator Michael Patrick King cheekily commented on the show’s third and last season, “Valerie Cherish has found her way back to the current television landscape. Neither of us are surprised she did.”

The Comeback‘s Revival Mirrors Star Kudrow’s Own Second Act

Returning alongside Kudrow and King for Season 3 of The Comeback are Dan Bucatinsky as Cherish’s publicist, Laura Silverman as the reality TV show producer of the fictional Comeback, and Damian Young as Cherish’s ex-husband. An self-aware and unfliching satire of the reality of being a woman in the entertainment industry, The Comeback‘s return feels particularly pertinent, since when we last saw Valerie Cherish, there had been no #MeToo movement, no industry-altering writer and actors strikes, and the business wasn’t quite as obsessed with spinoffs, sequels, and reboots as it is now. The last decade has undoubtedly provided The Comeback with a plethora of material to sink their comedic teeth into. We’re on the edge of our collective seats to see how Kudrow, King and The Comeback team tackles these topics when Valerie returns to our screens in 2026.

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While Kudrow has kept busy since her Emmy-winning turn as Phoebe Buffay in the television phenomenon that was Friends, roles that gave her the opportunity to shine like The Comeback have been scarcer than they should be for the actor. However, last year she starred in two vastly different comedic projects — Apple TV+’s fantastical epic Time Bandits, along with Netflix’s comedy caper No Good Deed. Though neither series was renewed for a second season, both shows were a return to form for Kudrow. The actor doesn’t seem to be slowing either, as there is also a sequel the beloved two-hander Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion in the works. Though Kudrow’s return to the big screen along Romy and Michele co-star Mira Sorvino seems to be slower going, The Comeback has us hoping that we’ll get to see Kudrow reprise yet another memorable role of hers, the underachieving but fabulous Michele.

The post After 11 Years, Friends Star’s HBO Series Is Finally Returning With New Episodes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There are plenty of impressive feats in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Just when it looks like Thanos is going to finish off Thor, Captain America proves himself worthy by wielding Mjolnir and saving his friend. The God of Thunder also gets a chance to show off when he holds open the forge on Nidavellir to help create Stormbreaker, a weapon he later uses to do serious damage to the Mad Titan. As great as those moments are, though, there’s one that usurps them, and it doesn’t even happen on the big screen. No, the MCU’s most impressive accomplishment comes in the second season of Disney+’s Loki.

The multiverse is in grave danger in Loki Season 2, so the God of Mischief seeks out a variant of He Who Remains to help. They plan to repair the Temporal Loom that protects the Sacred Timeline, but things go off the rails pretty quickly. Loki must make the difficult decision to venture out to the End of Time by himself and hold the branches of the multiverse together. However, while it’s great that the Asgardian finally finds his glorious purpose in his solo series, he’s not the only MCU character up for the challenge.

1) Hela

Loki has to put his durability to the test to survive the End of Time, and it’s not a journey just anyone could survive. His fellow Asgardians can endure just as much as he can, though, and his sister, Hela, proves more formidable than most. It also helps her case that her mastery of sorcery would come in handy in a situation that calls for an influx of energy.

2) Frigga

Frigga has everything going for her that her son Loki does, but she has one advantage: she taught him everything he knows. With endless amounts of Asgardian knowledge in her mind, she’s sure to have a trick up her sleeve that makes her visit to the End of Time agreeable. Frigga just has to hope there aren’t any Dark Elves around who want to fight.

3) Captain Marvel

While the first non-Asgardian on this list doesn’t have any experience with magic, she knows a lot about energy. Carol Danvers gains powers from the Tesseract and immediately becomes one of the MCU’s strongest characters. Her ability to manipulate cosmic energy makes her the perfect candidate to recharge the multiverse branches without having trouble holding them together.

4) Ancient One

Doctor Strange proves himself to be a great Master of the Mystic Arts, helping defeat heavyweights like Thanos and Dormammu. However, he’s still not at the level of the Ancient One, who protects the Sacred Timeline on countless occasions. She proves in Avengers: Endgame that she’s well aware of the multiverse, so there’s no doubt she would step up to the plate if called upon.

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5) Starfox

Starfox hasn’t shown off his abilities in the MCU, but if he’s anything like his comic book counterpart, holding together the multiverse would be another Tuesday for him. Thanos’ brother has incredible durability, and the ability to manipulate energy is also on his baseball card. While Loki and Starfox are unlikely to cross paths, if the God of Mischief needed a breather, there are worse options than the Eternal.

6) Adam Warlock

The Sovereign creates a being to get revenge on the Guardians of the Galaxy with the help of the High Evolutionary. They get more than they bargained for with Adam Warlock, though, as he has no trouble beating the Guardians to a pulp. Once he comes around, he shows off some impressive skills that would come in handy at the End of Time, including incredible strength and energy manipulation.

7) Thor

There can’t be a list about Loki without his brother appearing somewhere. While Thor doesn’t have the God of Mischief’s magical prowess, there’s no one better at producing energy. Thor could grab the multiverse branches without breaking a sweat, with the only potential hiccup being that they get a little scorched by the time he gets to the thrones.

Loki is streaming on Disney+.

Do you think the characters on this list could hold the multiverse together? What other MCU heroes or villains have a shot at achieving the feat? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 7 MCU Characters That Could Hold the Multiverse Together Like Loki appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The science fiction genre has produced a myriad of excellent TV shows across multiple generations. All-time greats such as Star Trek and its predecessors, as well as Star Wars’ endeavors in the TV realm remain some of the most popular sci-fi shows. Not all genres boast a similar universal appeal, which is why sci-fi series stand out so prominently in the history of TV. There exist some shows that any lover of TV would enjoy thanks to great stories and characters. Beyond sci-fi’s best-known titles lie others that are just as brilliant. From sci-fi horror shows to epic space opera’s the best sci-fi shows demand to be watched by everyone.

The following 10 sci-fi TV shows are among the best of all time, and fans of the genre need to stream them.

1) The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone aired more than 50 years ago, but its appeal remains timeless. Boasting an intriguing mix of sci-fi and horror, the anthology series centers each episode on mysterious supernatural or extraterrestrial events. The Twilight Zone is regarded as an all-time TV classic for a reason, as the show tells plenty of creepy and unnerving stories dealing with aliens, monsters, and other strange happenings. Each installment develops its characters in memorable ways and delivers narrative twists viewers won’t see coming. Those who haven’t gotten the chance to delve into The Twilight Zone‘s rich world need to start watching the show, and luckily it’s currently available to stream for free on Pluto TV.

2) Westworld

Westworld Season 1 captivated TV audiences with its mystery-filled Wild West theme park and intriguing array of characters — humans and android hosts alike. The series begins by exploring the hosts’ interactions with affluent guests and soon spirals into a riveting chain of events involving the dystopian real world. Elevated by outstanding acting performances and an imposing musical score, Westworld demands to be binged by all fans of science fiction. Westworld‘s plot grows a bit too convoluted after Season 1, but its first batch of episodes is still a remarkable work of sci-fi.

Westworld is only available to purchase through video on demand services like Apple TV and Prime Video.

3) The Expanse

TV fans on the hunt for top-notch character arcs and political themes should look no further than The Expanse. A gripping space opera set hundreds of years in the future, The Expanse fixates on a Solar System colonized by humans and divided into the factions of Earth, Mars, and the Asteroid Belt. Conflict breaks out amid the emergence of a world-altering supernatural threat, and the misfit crew of an independent spaceship must navigate its pivotal role in it all. From start to finish, The Expanse surprises, thrills, and moves audiences. An excellent cast and a number of smart changes to its source material cement The Expanse as one of the greatest sci-fi shows ever. The Expanse is streaming on Prime Video.

4) Humans

Humans examines artificial intelligence through an engaging narrative focused on humanoid robots known as synths. Created to serve humans, the hyper-intelligent sentient robots struggle to navigate a world in which they are relegated to second-class citizens despite being virtually indistinguishable from humans. The series includes a variety of interesting characters and a plot that will keep viewers glued to the screen. Humans was sadly cancelled after its third season, but the show is still well worth a watch, and is available to stream on Prime Video and for free on Tubi, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel.

5) Severance

Severances starts off slow, but its uncanny, yet fascinating, story is one worth paying attention to. In the series, a process known as Severance enables people to separate their work memories and consciousness from their home life. As one might expect, this comes with a unique set of drawbacks, and the severed employees of Lumon Industries progressively learn more about what’s been done to them and who they really work for. Saturated with tantalizing mystery and drama, Severance is heightened by its first-rate cast and complex characters. The show is streaming on Apple TV+.

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6) Battlestar Galactica

Before The Expanse, there was Battlestar Galactica. The brilliant sci-fi series centers on a star system in which the survivors of a devastating war, led by one military vessel, make the journey to Earth to start anew. Deep political themes and layered characters define Battlestar Galactica‘s prowess as a sci-fi show. A perfect balance of action, drama, and thought-provoking messages work wonderfully to flesh out the show’s world and characters. Every fan of sci-fi TV needs to watch Battlestar Galactica at least once. The classic show can be purchased through various VOD platforms.

7) Firefly

Firefly epitomizes exhilarating sci-fi adventure in TV form. Set centuries in the future, the show revolves around a group of unique outcasts who travel their star system in search of goods to smuggle. Against the backdrop of a an oppressive government, Firefly‘s main characters work their way around their world’s tense political atmosphere. Through plenty of exciting plot threads, Firefly succeeds as an entertaining and thoughtful work of sci-fi. Intricate world-building and a stellar cast also help to cement Firefly among the best sci-fi shows in history. Firefly is available to stream on Hulu.

8) Stranger Things

TV enthusiasts with an equal love for sci-fi and horror have to check out Stranger Things. The series takes place in 1980s Indiana and follows a group of kids embroiled in a perilous debacle involving supernatural forces from another dimension. Funny, heartwarming, and terrifying, Stranger Things offers an intriguing mystery with a hefty amount of action and emotion to raise its stakes. Additionally, Stranger Things‘ charming cast and characters make the show a joy to watch. The fifth and final season of Stranger Things is set to premiere in 2025, so viewers should binge the show soon, with the other seasons all available on Netflix.

9) Black Mirror

An anthology series similar to The Twilight Zone, Black Mirror immerses viewers into a multitude of futuristic mysteries. The series’ standalone episodes tackle themes about science, technology, and human consciousness. Black Mirror‘s relevance to the real world’s ever-evolving technological landscape, unsettling atmospheres, and detailed visuals distinguish the show from most other sci-fi properties. With each season and episode headlined by loads of talented actors and centered on engrossing premises, Black Mirror stands out on its own and prevails as a worthy successor to The Twilight Zone. It’s available to watch on Netflix.

10) The X-Files

The X-Files follows a pair FBI special agents and their investigations into unexplained paranormal happenings. Scary and engaging over the course of its eleven seasons, the show masterfully blends sci-fi and horror through its standalone tales about horrific monsters and strange events. Some of The X-Files‘ episodes are more connected than to the overarching narrative than others, which provides a satisfying sense of variety and excitement to the series. The X-Files is guaranteed to surprise and thrill audiences in each episode, making it a genuine must-see sci-fi show. It is available to stream on Hulu.

What are your favorite sci-fi shows? Let us know in the comments!

The post 10 Essential Science Fiction Shows Everyone Should Watch appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Smallville was an iconic show for a number of reasons. Not only did it launch the Arrowverse and gave us some of the best depictions of classic DC characters, but Smallville‘s soundtrack was also the stuff of legend. Over the course of the show’s ten years, the series’ music supervisors, Madonna Wade-Reed and Jen Pyken, crafted Smallville‘s many memorable music moments that still have fans associating certain songs inextricably with the series. What made Smallville so successful from a music standpoint was Wade-Reed and Pyken’s ability to find songs that were either popular or about to pop at the time, and then meaningfully tie them in with emotionally resonant moments on the show. And they never got better than these 10 most definitive needledrops on Smallville.

10) “Pain” by Jimmy Eat World

Smallville certainly had some awesome fight scenes, but this one in Season 4, episode “Transference” stands out. Clark Kent (Tom Welling) and an incarcerated Lionel Luthor (John Glover) have swapped bodies. In this scene, which also happens to take place during a prison riot, Clark and Lionel switch back. “Pain”, by millennial favorite indie rock band Jimmy Eat World, perfectly underscores the chaos of the sequence and the culmination of the episode where Clark gets his body back.

9) “The Scientist” by Coldplay

Season 2, Episode 17 “Rosetta” on Smallville was a landmark episode, marking Christopher Reeve’s first appearance on the show. Decades after offering the definitive screen version of Superman, Reeve joined the Smallville cast as Dr. Virgil Swann, a billionaire astronomer and satellite communication magnate. Dr. Swann is the one who unlocks the secrets for Clark about his home planet Krypton and gives him a vital window into his destiny.

How does this relate to Clark and Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) chatting in a coffee shop? Having Coldplay’s “The Scientist” play in the background of the scene is one of the best examples of Smallville using music to subconsciously set the tone for the episode beyond dialogue and action. “Rosetta” revolves around Clark meeting a scientist who changes his life forever, and using the Coldplay song helps to keep that thematic through-line running without pulling focus in the scene. Furthermore, it’s also a showcase of music supervisor Wade-Reed’s keen eye for emerging musical trends. On the episode’s DVD commentary, Welling himself remarked that she featured “The Scientist”, which went on to go platinum in 9 countries, just as it was climbing the charts.

8) “A Little Less Conversation (JXL Remix)” by Elvis Presley, Junkie XL

Fans remember the Season 2 episode “Heat” as the episode when Clark’s teenage “urges” led to the development of his heat vision. To match Smallville‘s re-imagined version of a young Superman, the episode paired a re-imagined version of Elvis Presley’s hit “A Little Less Conversation” with the scene where Jonathan Kent (John Schneider) helps Clark get a handle on his newfound ability.

The use of Junkie XL’s remix here, which soared to number one on charts around the world in 2002, is yet another shining examples of Smallville’s music supervisors putting hit songs in the show. It also helps establish the episode’s midpoint and tonal shift. Up until this scene in “Heat”, Clark had been confused and afraid of his new power. “A Little Less Conversation” helps the viewer track the emotional shift into him embracing his heat vision, all while tastefully and suggestively alluding to the “little more action” that brought about this new superpower.

7) “Sober” by Kelly Clarkson

No show could put together an end-of-episode montage like Smallville. The use of Kelly Clarkson’s “Sober” is one of the series’s very best in the Season 7 premiere “Bizarro”. The song functions as a great unifier for all the characters’ emotional state at the end of the explosive season opener. We see Clark profoundly changed after Lana’s supposed death, Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) burns her death certificate after literally coming back from the dead, Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) turns himself in for Lana’s murder, only to reveal in the scene that Lana is alive and in disguise in Shanghai. Lastly we get a powerful moment with new addition Kara (Laura Vandervoort), or Supergirl, flying off into the night.

“Sober” and Clarkson’s powerful vocals work so well in the montage because it subtly acknowledges the three month hiatus the viewers have had since we saw these characters last, as well as highlights that even though each person depicted has been through their respective ringer, they’re all resolved in tackling whatever comes next.

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6) “You Could Be Happy” by Snow Patrol

Smallville could also nail an episode-opening montage, like the one that uses British indie rockers Snow Patrol’s “You Could Be Happy” to kick off the Season 6 episode “Promise”. Chronicling the official start of Lex and Lana’s brief and tumultuous marriage, the episode starts by giving the audience a moment to orient themselves before a fraught eighteen or so hours until the couple says “I do.” As “You Could Be Happy” plays, we see glimpses and of a happy, anticipatory Lex and Lana, as well as a heartbroken, resigned Clark. The song suits Clark’s state of mind around Lana getting married so well, one could mistake it as being written for the show.

5) “Let Me Go” by 3 Doors Down

This scene from Season 4, Episode 19 “Blank” is a fan favorite. In addition to the fact “Let Me Go” was climbing the charts at the time, the song was also a perfect lyrical tie-in to an episode about Clark losing his memory. Having the 3 Doors Down hit play while an amnesiac Clark and a torn Lana discuss their former relationship and complicated past did a wonderful job of adding to the scene’s subtext and amping up the characters’ yearning. Chloe catching the end of their conservation and declaring “Looks like the heart remembers more than the brain” only makes the moment more devastating and gives an additional dimension to the song’s plea to “let me go.”

4) “My Happy Ending” by Avril Lavigne

Clark and Lana weren’t the only tragic love story in Smallville. The majority of the show saw Chloe pining for, and almost always friend-zoned by, Clark. Never was that brought into sharper and more heart-wrenching relief than in the Season 4 episode “Facade”. “My Happy Ending” by Avril Lavigne was already the anthem of angsty, lovelorn teen girls everywhere in 2004, and using it during the moment when Chloe first notices the chemistry between Clark and Lois was a masterstroke. Plus, given that we all know Clark and Lois are destined to be together, the song was a perfect externalization for the resentment and sinking heartbreak Chloe feels.

3) “Collide” by Dishwalla

The Season 5 episode “Hidden” is remembered as one of the series’s best. A powerless Clark is shot and killed by a deranged peer Gabriel Duncan (Johnny Lewis). Jor-El (voiced by Terrance Stamp) to brings his son back to life and restories his superhuman abilities so that Clark can stop the nuke Gabriel has aimed at Smallville. Clark saves his hometown for nuclear decimation, and then has a cathartic reunion both with his parents and Lana, his girlfriend at the time.

Dishwalla was used as part of Smallville‘s soundtrack quite a few times throughout the series, but “Collide” stands out as it seems to both capture and elevate Lana’s shock and relief at seeing that Clark is in fact alive. The song’s lyrics also provide us with a peek into Clark’s anguish and mixed feelings at the end of “Hidden”. Of course he’s happy to be alive and that he saved his loved ones, but his de-powered average Joe bliss is over. Now that he has his abilities again, he will have to start keeping secrets from the woman he loves once more.

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2) “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” by Five for Fighting

Both Smallville and the Five for Fighting hit “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” debuted in 2001, and therefore, a lot of fans hoped the song would make an appearance in the series. While using a self-referential song about Superman could’ve come off as on-the-nose, Smallville made it work by featuring the Grammy-nominated song in the first season’s most tender and moving episode, “Stray”. In it, Clark and the Kents take in Ryan James (Ryan Kelley) a young boy with the ability to read minds being abused by his step-parents.

The Five for Fighting ballad plays while Ryan and the Kents share a fond, poignant goodbye as Ryan is now going to live with his aunt. The scene both gave the fans what they wanted with the inclusion of the song, but also provided the perfect subtext for the moment where Ryan tempts Clark with the knowledge of Lana’s true feelings and cautions him about Lex. Clark, in true Superman fashion, refuses the insight into Lana, opting to “find out on my own”. He also doesn’t heed Ryan’s warning about Lex either, choosing to see the best in others. Using “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” here becomes stellar foreshadowing as to what Clark’s relationships with both Lex and Lana will evolve into, as well as hints at the hero he is destined to be too.

1) “Everything” by Lifehouse

Lifehouse’s “Everything” closes the pilot episode of Smallville where Clark imagines a slow dance with Lana in his loft. “Everything” was integral to shaping the tone of the series and providing a window into Clark’s teenage yearning that we’d never seen before on screen. Sure, we’d gotten glimpses from Christopher Reeve’s Superman films and Dean Cain’s portrayal of the character in Lois & Clark, but never had a young Clark been explored so thoroughly and so relatably until Smallville. The song, paired with the final scene of the episode, alchemized into a moment that was pure TV magic, and made us all fall in love with the show when it premiered in October of 2001.

In addition to “Everything” setting the bar for Smallville’s soundtrack, it became so iconic that it led to Lifehouse guest-starring on the show years later. The band played at the Smallville High Prom in Season 4, which led to another memorable musical moment that almost made this list — Lana and Clark slow dancing to their hit “You and Me”.

Smallville is currently streaming on Hulu. Did we forget one of your favorite needledrops on the show? Let us know in the comments!

The post 10 Best Needledrops on Smallville appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Since Game of Thrones ended, HBO has been quick to expand George R.R. Martin’s universe with several spinoffs. House of the Dragon was a hit, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set to drop in 2026, others are still cooking, and some got scrapped before they even had a chance. But while the show (and HOTD) focused on kings, dragons, and political drama, the next big thing is basically staring everyone in the face.

The Faceless Men are hands down one of the most fascinating groups in the entire Westeros and Essos universe. Fans have been into the idea for ages, the source material is incredibly rich, and the storytelling potential is obvious. The wildest part? Simply that HBO still hasn’t pulled the trigger. But what’s not to like? Born in Old Valyria thanks to a slave who saw death as a way out, they grew into a secret sect of religious assassins in Braavos who serve the god of many faces.

All of that is already more interesting than half the storylines Game of Thrones tried to force in its later seasons. And yet, when the show had the perfect chance to dig into this group through Arya’s (Maisie Williams) storyline, the ball was well and truly dropped. The temple felt like set dressing, the rituals got watered down (almost to a laughable level), and the mysticism became just background noise for another hero’s journey. It felt lazy, like they didn’t trust the audience to handle something deeper.

Sure, Jaqen pulled off some super precise, almost otherworldly killings, and later shows he can literally change his face, but it never went far enough. The show never really got into where that power came from, how the Faceless Men operate, or what it really means to join them. It just throws out the idea that there’s some strict code and deeper system behind it all, to create temporary drama in Arya’s story. Jaqen’s face change is played like a nice special effect, but in the original material, it has a lot more weight: memory transfer, giving up your identity, and being fully devoted to the god of many faces. None of that makes it into the show. Instead, it get reduced to just another plot device. It remains a huge missed opportunity.

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That’s exactly why a spinoff focused on the Faceless Men would be the smartest (and probably boldest) move HBO could make right now. This is a group that gives up who they are, uses the faces of the dead to become someone else, and believes death is actually a sacred gift. Just imagine the moral and philosophical questions that could come out of that – not to mention the chance for some serious world-building. A show like this could finally break away from the tired “who gets the throne” formula that’s been done to death. For viewers craving something more serious and more thoughtful, this would hit the spot. Sure, battles and power struggles are fun, but this world can go way deeper – and it’s about time someone let it.

And it’s not like HBO hasn’t considered the idea before. There was talk of a show set in Braavos that might’ve involved the Faceless Men, but it got shelved. Just like Bloodmoon (the spinoff about the Long Night that got canned after a super expensive pilot), this idea died before it had a real shot. Are we to believe HBO are that risk averse? Dragons are a safe bet as they know people will tune in, but it’s the fresh and riskier ideas that could actually take the franchise to a whole new level. It’s already huge, but the crazy part is that it’s just scratching the surface of what it can be.

Plus, the fandom is already on board: there are Reddit threads, YouTube videos, TikToks, even petitions begging for a Faceless Men show. Some people have even pitched an anthology setup, where each season follows a different assassin on a new mission, in a different place and time. That would open up Essos, take us back to Valyria before it fell, or show us stories running alongside the main Game of Thrones plot. Besides, the show wouldn’t even need to rely on big-name characters. It could stand on its own, just based on the mood, the concept, and the guts to do something new.

And here’s the thing: a Faceless Men spinoff isn’t just the logical next step – it’s basically the only move that could still shock us. Dragons are cool, and they work, but why not seek something that flips the script, something that makes us rethink what this world is even about? The darker, more spiritual side of Martin’s universe is still relatively untouched. The Faceless Men have everything – mystery, danger, devotion, even a built-in fanbase. People are already sold. They just need the show to actually happen.

If HBO keeps ignoring this idea, they’ll be walking away from something huge. It’s time to explore what’s been stuck in the shadows – the myths, the secret groups, and the stuff no one really explains. A series about the Faceless Men wouldn’t just be amazing – it would be a statement. It would be a sign that Game of Thrones still has more to offer than just throne fights and fire-breathing dragons. More than anything, it would finally shift the focus to what lies beyond all of that. And that’s a story worth telling.

The post The Next Game of Thrones Spinoff Is Obvious (And Fans Already Love It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.