The director, scriptwriter, and lead actress for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX appeared together for a special stage appearance in Japan on June 28th. The trio answered several questions during the presentation, unveiling new interesting tidbits about the series. One of the main reveals at the stage appearance was that the series was going to feature a surprise cameo of two major characters from the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX takes place in an alternate timeline of the original Gundam anime. The Principality of Zeon won the One Year War in Gundam GQuuuuuuX rather than the Earth Federation, leading to the Zabi family taking over the space colonies.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX features many of the same characters from the classic anime, most notably Char Aznable, Challia Bull, Lalah Sune, and Kycilia Zabi. However, most of the main heroes from the original series, including lead protagonist Amuro Ray, were primarily absent in Gundam GQuuuuuuX. Sayla Mass would make a surprise cameo in the series finale, yet most of the other characters from the Earth Federations didn’t make substantial appearances. It turns out, Kai Shiden and Miharu were going to be in Gundam GQuuuuuux before they were cut. They were going to be portrayed in a much happier situation than they were in the original show.

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Who Are Kai and Miharu from Mobile Suit Gundam?

Kai Shiden was one of the main supporting characters in Mobile Suit Gundam. He was a normal citizen who was forced into joining combat because nearly every other military official perished during a sneak attack on Side 7. He was primarily comedic relief in the original series, usually complaining about having to fight and making insensitive remarks against everyone. He eventually meets a teen girl named Miharu Ratokie, whom he thought was a normal citizen. She convinces him to let her sneak onboard the White Base. It’s quickly revealed she was a spy for Zeon, intending to pass information about the White Base back to Zeon. She soon changes sides and helps the crew in protecting a transport plane. Tragically, she falls to her death in the open waters, leaving Kai devastated.

Gundam GQuuuuuuX scriptwriter, Yoji Enokido, revealed that the team initially had a plan to reintroduce Miharu as a high-ranking official for the Zeon intelligence division. Miharu would have been secretly working for Challia Bull to undermine the Zabi family, highlighting the character’s altruistic personality she would eventually display in the classic series. Miharu would have been married to Kai, giving them the happy ending they couldn’t have in the original timeline. Enokido claims the subplot was dropped because the director wasn’t really feeling it, and Gundam GQuuuuuuX ended up becoming more focused on Lalah Sune than the creators’ initially intended.

While it’s sad we don’t get to see the happy ending between Kai and Miharu, it’s nice to know the creators behind Gundam GQuuuuuuX didn’t fully forget the characters. Given that the two characters met during the war in the classic show, it’s unknown how Kai and Miharu would’ve met in the first place in the Gundam GQuuuuuuX universe. Kai, in the original timeline, would survive Mobile Suit Gundam and would make sporadic appearances throughout the sequels. He would become a journalist and investigative reporter, outliving many of his contemporaries who stayed in the military.

H/T: Oricon US

The post Gundam GQuuuuuuX Cut a Story Featuring Classic Characters Returning appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Weekly Shonen Jump and Shonen Jump+ are among the highest-selling magazines from Shueisha, Japan’s largest publication company. Each year, the magazines go through several changes with many series being canceled or finishing, and just as many get introduced to fill the gaps. This has especially been the case this year, as we just bid farewell to Ken Wakui’s Astro Royale after an unsuccessful year. On the other hand, Shonen Jump+’s beloved manga, Kaiju No. 8, will reach its conclusion in July 2025. As such, both magazines introduce new series this week in two consecutive days, and while they may be completely opposite of one another, both have a ton of potential.

WSJ debuts Ekiden Bros, a sports manga by Daiki Nono, a new name in the manga industry. The author even shared a special message after the manga’s debut in the author’s comments. While Shonen enthusiasts welcome a new mangaka in the industry, Shonen Jump+ adds another sequel of Welzard’s famous horror series, Karada Sagashi. Horror manga fans might be familiar with the franchise that has released several manga series, anime series, and live-action films based on the manga. The latest sequel, Re/Member: The Last Night, is also a weekly installment, set in an amusement park after midnight. The first chapter of both series is available on Manga Plus, which you can access for free. Ekiden Bros will add new chapters every Sunday, while Re/Member: The Last Night will be released every Monday.

What Is the Plot of Ekiden Bros?

The story centers around Nobunaga, who has been watching the Tokyo-Hakune Round-Trip College Ekiden Race since he was a child. The race takes place every winter, and Nobunaga is thrilled to witness the incredible moments, the prizes, and the new records being set each year. Since his father is the coach for the Ekiden marathon and his mother runs the dorm, Nobunaga lives among the long-distance runners, which fuels his passion for the race. Now in high school, he dedicates all his time and energy to learning everything about the marathon.

Despite all that, Nobunaga only wants to keep watching from the sidelines since he believes he doesn’t have the talent for it and wants to avoid people mocking his father for having a “mediocre” son. Although he planned to work in the dorm and support the runners as much as possible, Nobunaga rediscovers his love for running after getting in a brief argument with his childhood rival and entering a ten-kilometer run. Thanks to Kenzaki’s help, the ace of Seitoku University’s track and field team, Nobunaga, wins the race and decides to pursue his dream of running in the Ekiden marathon.

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What Is the Plot of Re/Member: The Last Night?

The series is a continuation of Welzard’s web novel, Karada Sagashi, which was published in 8 volumes from 2013 to 2015. Katsutoshi Murase returns as an artist in the latest installment and showcases his unusual gore and intricately detailed art style. The story kicks off from where the original Karada Sagashi web novel and the 2022 Netflix live-action film, Re/Member, left off. The latest manga series is an adaptation of the upcoming sequel film set to release in September 2025.

The screenplay is done by Harumi Doki and Yuki Hara. Doki is best known for her works in Ultraman and Pokémon Concierge, while Hara is a renowned animator known for Bakemonogatari, Nisekoi, Evangelion, and more. The story follows a group of students trapped in a time loop who hold a haunted house during a school festival. They believe the other students are avoiding the haunted house because of the sign that says, “Re/Member,” an urban legend that those chosen for the re/membering will be torn limb from limb by a blood-soaked girl.

After the culture day, the students visit an amusement park where they discover a strange girl, believing she is lost. After they chase after her, she asks them to find her body before they find themselves in a strange place. The ghost of the girl begins targeting the students one by one. After the tragic incident has passed, the students find themselves stuck in a time loop as they realize that “Re/Membering” wasn’t merely an urban legend after all.

The post Shonen Jump Just Launched Two New Series (And They Couldn’t Be More Different) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Jim Shooter — the controversial former editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics who conceived and wrote 1984’s Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, the first company-wide crossover in the history of comics — has died. He was 73. Writer and former DC Comics editor Mark Waid, who once described the Shooter-scripted Legion of Super-Heroes story in 1968’s Adventure Comics #369 as “the single most influential-to-my-craft story I ever read,” took to social media to announce the news on Monday, writing in a Facebook post that Shooter died from esophageal cancer.

“I’ve just received word that Jim Shooter passed away of esophageal cancer, which he’s been battling for some time,” Waid wrote on the Facebook post. “I realize that for many he’s been a controversial figure in the past (game knows game), mostly with regards to his managerial style, but my experiences with him lay outside that realm and began with my lifelong love for his writing beginning with the first time I ever picked up a copy of Adventure Comics in 1967.”

Born September 27, 1951, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Shooter cut his teeth writing for DC at the age of 14. Shooter first wrote and penciled 1966’s Adventure Comics #346, featuring Superboy and the future’s Legion of Super-Heroes, after being commissioned to write Supergirl and Superman stories. During his years at DC, Shooter created Superman villain Parasite in 1966’s Action Comics #340 and went on to create such Legionnaires as Princess Projecta, Ferro Lad, Karate Kid, and the 30th century supervillains the Fatal Five.

“For those who don’t know, Jim broke into comics at the age of 14. Let me say that again: 14. I don’t know about you, but when I was 14, I could barely put sentences together on paper,” Waid wrote. “During a hospital stay, he’d been given some Marvel and DC comics and could clearly see how much more exciting the Marvel books were and couldn’t understand why DC’s books couldn’t have that same vitality. Having no idea how comics scripts were done, he literally wrote and drew a Legion of Super-Heroes story on notebook paper and sent it in to editor Mort Weisinger, who put him to work immediately — having no idea how young he was until later.”

The protégé of then-National Periodicals (later DC) editor Mort Weisinger, whose run on the Superman titles introduced such characters as Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog, Shooter, then 17, left DC for rival publisher Marvel for a three-week stint in 1969. Shooter characterized his time working with Weisinger as “abusive.”

Shooter would return to Marvel when then-editor-in-chief Marv Wolfman offered him a position in the Marvel Bullpen in 1975. By 1978, Shooter had succeeded Archie Goodwin as editor-in-chief, overseeing the Chris Claremont-penned Uncanny X-Men, John Byrne’s Fantastic Four, Frank Miller’s Daredevil, Walt Simonson’s Thor, and Roger Stern’s Amazing Spider-Man, and X-Men spinoff Dazzler, which Shooter conceived with Alice Donenfeld and John Romita Jr. “with some help” from Stan Lee, Al Milgrom, Roger Stern, and Tom DeFalco.

He implemented a “continuity bonus,” described by Shooter as “the first incentive system in mainstream comics,” to keep creators on successive issues, as well as life insurance for freelancers, standardized creator contracts, and a royalty system. “I fixed a lot of things, but my greatest frustrations were the royalties and artwork return, which were delayed by lawsuits. I also increased rates, doubling them, and then doubling them again, because we started to make more money,” Shooter recalled in 2010. “I tried to standardize and boost the rates up. Superstars like Frank Miller? He got paid like the old guys, because he’s Frank Miller. I did respect the creative contributions like the age and seniority of the guys. I made sure guys who’d been there for twenty years weren’t getting the minimum. I also respected genius.”

Byrne, writer of Alpha Flight (1983-85), claimed that Shooter enforced a “no gays in the Marvel Universe” policy under the strict Code of the Comics Code Authority. Shooter’s interference with the Dark Phoenix Saga in the iconic Claremont-Byrne Uncanny X-Men run was just one of several creator conflicts that led to an exodus; as Wolfman put it in 2003, “Professionals left Marvel in droves” after Shooter took the reins of Marvel.

In 1984, in the midst of popular toy lines like G.I. Joe and Masters of the Universe, toy makers Mattel wanted an “editorial concept” to tie to a new Marvel-based line of action figures. That concept became Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, at the time the biggest crossover in the history of the Marvel Universe. The 12-issue series, written by Shooter, edited by DeFalco, and penciled by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton, was as successful as the toy line.

The original Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars assembled Marvel’s greatest heroes and villains — the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, and Spider-Man among them — who were pit against supervillains like Doctor Doom, Galactus, Ultron, Doc Ock, and the Wrecking Crew by the cosmic being known as the Beyonder. The series famously featured the debut appearance of Spider-Man’s black alien costume in issue #8.

Shooter also wrote the sequel, the 1985 nine-issue limited series Secret Wars II, drawn by Milgrom. The 1984 series inspired writer Jonathan Hickman’s multiversal crossover Secret Wars in 2015, which is being adapted into Marvel Studios films Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

The post Jim Shooter, Former Marvel Comics Editor-In-Chief Who Wrote Secret Wars, Dies at 73 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Summer anime season is officially less than 24 hours away, although some of this season’s anime have already been released. This Summer is one of the most anticipated anime seasons in years, as multiple major shonen series are returning, with a brand new one debuting (that is said to be the next Jujutsu Kaisen!), not to mention the return of a seinen romance masterpiece, a new horror offering from Netflix, several new romances, and much, much more. It’s going to be one hell of a season and, most urgently, it’s going to be one hell of a week for anime fans.

Of the anime teased above, many of them are debuting this week. Prepare to lock yourself away and say goodbye to your loved ones this Summer season (that means no going outside) because there are so many potentially amazing stories to get lost in. For the first (and hopefully not the last) time this Summer season, here is every new anime premiering this week (June 30th)!

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This Week’s Biggest Anime Releases

For many, this approaching season is the season of shonen and action, and much of that kicks off this week. The big release over the next seven days is Season 2 of Dandadan. Science SARU’s acclaimed anime premiered last October, and fans have been incredibly lucky, only having to wait less than 12 months for the second season. One of the strangest isekais is also returning this season. You’d better have a spare dollar (or Yen, in this case) because everyone’s favorite vending machine is back to wander around a dungeon, for the second season of the very aptly titled Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon.

But, much of the hype of this Summer season comes from the new debuts. Sticking with the action theme, Clevatess blends medieval action with fantasy and magic, creating a series that looks like a slightly lighter take on Claymore. But, the biggest new action anime premiering this week is undoubtedly Gachiakuta. The post-apocalyptic action series has been described as the successor to Jujutsu Kaisen, and fans of the relatively new manga cannot wait to see it on screen.

Moving away from action, one of the most popular romance series is finally back. My Dress-Up Darling‘s eagerly anticipated second season premieres this week, as do two new romance anime: The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity and April Showers Bring May Flowers. There’s also something spooky brewing, as the anime adaptation of The Summer Hikaru Died drops its first eerie episode this weekend.

This Week’s Anime Line-Up

Below is a day-by-day slate of each new anime releasing this week. We’ve highlighted the biggest releases in bold.

• TUESDAY – 7/01
  • Detectives These Days Are Crazy! (Crunchyroll)
  • Necronomico and the Cosmic Horror Show (Crunchyroll)
  • Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 4 (Crunchyroll)
• WEDNESDAY – 7/02
  • Reborn as a Vending Machine, Now I Wander the Dungeon Season 2 (Crunchyroll)
  • Clevatess (Crunchyroll)
  • New Saga (Crunchyroll)
  • Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse (Crunchyroll)
  • Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube (YouTube)
• THURSDAY – 7/03
  • Kamitsubaki City Under Protection (Crunchyroll)
  • Welcome to the Outcast’s Restaurant (Crunchyroll)
  • Dandadan Season 2 (Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu)
  • The Water Magician (Crunchyroll)
• FRIDAY – 7/04
  • Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex (Crunchyroll)
  • Watari-kun’s ****** is About to Collapse (Crunchyroll)
  • Secrets of the Silent Witch (Crunchyroll)
  • Call of the Night Season 2 (HIDIVE)
  • April Showers Bring May Flowers
  • Arknights: Rise From Ember (Crunchyroll)
• SATURDAY – 7/05
  • Scooped Up by an S-Rank Adventurer! (Crunchyroll)
  • 9-nine- Ruler’s Crown
  • The Flagrant Flower Blooms With Dignity (Netflix)
  • The Shy Hero and the Assassin Princesses (Crunchyroll)
  • Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus (Crunchyroll)
  • With You and the Rain (Crunchyroll)
  • Bad Girl (HIDIVE)
  • My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 (Crunchyroll)
  • Fermat no Ryori
  • The Summer Hikaru Died (Netflix)
• SUNDAY – 7/06
  • Gachiakuta (Crunchyroll)
  • City The Animation (Prime Video)
  • Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra (Crunchyroll)
  • Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun Season 2 (Crunchyroll)
  • Hotel Inhumans (Crunchyroll)
  • Cultural Exchange With a Game Centre Girl (Crunchyroll)
  • Nyaight of the Living Cat (Crunchyroll)
  • Ruri Rocks (Crunchyroll)
  • Uglymug, Epicfighter

Which new anime are you most excited for this week? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Every New Anime Premiering This Week (June 30th) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Demon Slayer’s manga concluded the story in 2020, and after more than five years, the anime is also in its final phase. The finale of the Hashira Training Arc sets up the premise of the Infinity Castle Arc, the final battle against the Upper Moon demons. The thousand-year-long feud between Muzan and the Demon Slayer Corps will finally come to an end, but the battle will be more difficult than anything the Demon Slayers have ever faced. After Kagaya blows up his mansion, Muzan gets temporarily injured and is baffled by the former’s insanity. However, the sacrifice of Kagaya and his family gave the Demon Slayers a small window to attack the demon progenitor. He is considerably weakened thanks to the combined intellect of Shinobu and Tamayo, but it will take a lot more than that to put down the monster.

Unfortunately, the Demon Slayers didn’t get a chance to fight Muzan properly before getting sucked into the Infinity Castle. Before the real fight against the final antagonist begins, they must take down the Upper Moons, Muzan’s strongest demons. A trailer was released last weekend, hyping up some of the best fights in the arc, such as Shinobu vs. Doma and Zenitsu vs. Kaigaku. However, the biggest highlight of the trailer was the confrontation between Tanjiro and Akaza, who stand against each other again after the Infinity Train Arc. The film will hit the Japanese theaters on July 18th, 2025, but the U.S. fans will have to wait till September 12th. As fans await the upcoming film, Crunchyroll’s CCO shares via a branc.jp interview how the unique decision of a canon trilogy film will become a milestone for theatrical anime.

Crunchyroll’s CCO Shares Insights on the Upcoming Demon Slayer Movie

In an interview with Blanc, Asa Suehira, the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of Crunchyroll, talks about the wide range of topics, including the growth of the anime industry, the massive success of Solo Leveling, as well as the upcoming Demon Slayer film.

When asking about the development of theatrical anime, the interviewer mentions Demon Slayer, which will be a big topic this year. Sueihara replies, “That’s right. Since the huge success of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Infinity Train, the attention of theater owners around the world to anime has changed.”

Sueihara continues, “Infinity Castle Arc will also be released on an unprecedented scale. I think it will be a milestone movie for theatrical anime, so I think it is Crunchyroll’s responsibility to deliver solid results.”

After the record-breaking success of the Mugen Train film, Ufotable decided to adapt the entire final arc into a trilogy film. Mugen Train was the highest-grossing anime movie of all time, breaking records across the globe. Thanks to that, Ufotable was able to make this bold move of adapting the final arc in a trilogy film, which is quite rare in the anime industry. Infinity Castle includes the most intense battles in the series as well as highly emotional moments, which can be adapted quite beautifully thanks to Ufotable’s stellar animation and direction. Sueihara promises the unprecedented scale of being released in over 80 countries.

H/T: Branc

The post “It Will Be a Milestone Movie”: Crunchyroll Exec Confirms Huge Scale of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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.

Shinichiro Watanabe is one of the most acclaimed anime directors of all time. His most lauded work, Cowboy Bebop, throws audiences head-first into a jazz-infused sci-fi world, filled with grungy aesthetics and moody characters all trying to survive. The director did it again with Space Dandy, another sci-fi series that acts as a love letter to jazz and funk music. His most recent hit, Lazarus (which recently dropped its final episode), also gave fans another soft dose of sci-fi. As a result, you’d be forgiven for thinking that his favorite movie, and the one that influenced his work the most, would be a sci-fi classic… but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Shinichiro Watanabe just released a new book, titled Watanabe Shinichiro no Sekai Cowboy Bebop Kara Lazarus Made (Shinichirō Watanabe’s World: From Cowboy Bebop to Lazarus). As well as diving into his creative process and giving some behind-the-scenes snippets from his most popular series, Watanabe also revealed his Top 100 movies, and the top spot might surprise you.

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Shinichiro Watanabe’s Favorite Movie is a Martial Arts Classic

Shinichiro Watanabe’s list top 10 movies is filled with certified classics. Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry is 4th, while Jean-Pierre Melville’s Le Samouraï is 5th. The film that you’d assume to be his biggest influence, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, was in 8th. But it wasn’t a sci-fi film that held the top spot. As well as transporting audiences to outer space (and ancient Japan in Samurai Champloo) and acting as a crash course in the jazz and hip hop genres, Watanabe’s biggest works all have on thing in common: phenomenal fight scenes.

We shouldn’t be too surprised, then, that his favorite movie of all time is the Bruce Lee 1973 classic, Enter the Dragon. This is far from the first time Watanabe has declared his love for Enter the Dragon. Unfortunately, though, the director still hasn’t explained exactly why the film has inspired him so much.

Enter the Dragon is an absolute classic of the martial arts genre. The film cemented Bruce Lee as a pop culture icon. Enter the Dragon blended Bruce Lee’s iconic martial arts with the spy and espionage genres. Lee played, well… Lee, a Shaolin martial artist who works with the American government to infiltrate an opium lord’s island fortress through the guise of a fighting tournament.

Enter the Dragon‘s Influence on Watanabe

As previously mentioned, Shinichiro Watanabe didn’t directly reveal why Enter the Dragon is one of his biggest influences. But, looking at his filmography, it doesn’t take much detective work to see the influence. Spike Spiegel’s fighting style in Cowboy Bebop feels highly emulative of Bruce Lee’s in Enter the Dragon. The character of Spike also appears to be heavily influenced by Lee’s persona as a philosopher and martial artist.

Shinichiro Watanabe has yet to do an Enter the Dragon-esque fighting tournament series. But, with Enter the Dragon being such a big influence on his work, we’re now desperate to see it in the future. Shinichirō Watanabe’s World: From Cowboy Bebop to Lazarus is currently available in Japan. There is currently no word on an English release.

H/T: Kadokawa

The post Cowboy Bebop Director Reveals the Biggest Inspiration On His Work (& It’s Not What You Think) 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.

Every year, we eagerly await to see what the top summer blockbusters will be, knowing they’ll create memorable experiences for years to come. That brings us to what is often considered the first summer blockbuster, Jaws. Jaws was released on June 20, 1975, and even 50 years later, this movie’s impact on the industry is still felt. It became what felt like an instant classic, pulling in over 100 million at the box office. At the time, it broke records left and right, setting a precedent for all summer movies to follow. That begs the question: how did Jaws change the industry?

Jaws is an American thriller based on Peter Benchley’s novel. Adapted by Steven Spielberg, the film weaves a terrifying tale of a great white shark and the horror it unleashed on a small New England town. It was a genre-defying film, merging thriller, horror, and monster elements into an action-packed 124 minutes. While it isn’t hard to guess that Jaws directly affected how the population viewed beaches, it also had a lingering effect on the movie industry, especially for summer blockbusters.

The Success of Jaws

Jaws was an unprecedented success, bringing in more money than was ever expected, especially for the time. People loved it, with many fans reporting that they went back to the theater for multiple viewings. This was years before Star Wars, another movie famous for its repeat audience. Looking at cold, hard numbers, it’s easy to see that Jaws was worth the money. Jaws cost a mere 9 million to make but grossed over 450 million by the time it was all said and done.

While critics were quick to point out the film’s flaws, fans fell in love. It didn’t hurt that Jaws was released simultaneously across hundreds of theaters. While that’s the standard these days, it was a groundbreaking concept at the time. Previously, films would follow a carefully regimented plan of release. The creators also hyped the film up quite a bit, creating a new form of marketing strategy. Again, another first for the industry. In a way, it makes sense that marketing would affect the bottom line of Jaws. How many of us have complained about missing a movie’s release, because the marketing failed to cross our desks?

How Jaws Changed the Industry

The success of Jaws taught the industry a few important lessons. First, the wide-release strategy worked. Second, it was clear that marketing was essential, and finally, that high-concept, high-budget, and ideally, high-profile films have a solid chance of returning on investments. In other words, the industry learned that to achieve success, it needed to create yearly spectacles.

However, this was not the only thing Jaws did differently, causing a ripple effect of changes throughout the industry. Jaws produced an unprecedented amount of merchandise. Admittedly, not all of it was legit or licensed merch, but it still taught the industry a valuable lesson. Today, it’s all but expected for a film to produce a certain amount of merch, starting with limited-edition popcorn buckets and spreading outward from there.

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Jaws also caused a different sort of shift, as previously, the biggest films of the year were held back until the holiday season. However, it quickly became apparent that summertime was potentially the most lucrative time to drop larger films.

The Rise of the Summer Blockbuster

In a way, Jaws was the perfect summer storm. It was released in the summer and set in summer. The setting alone ensured that the audience would always think of war (but dangerous) beaches and days in the sun, anytime the subject came up. The next big summer blockbuster was Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, which was released a mere two years later. Notably, Star Wars borrowed a few pages, such as the increased marketing strategy and leaning into the musical potential the franchise had to offer.

Since then, dozens of movies have tried to follow suit, to varying degrees of success. Jurassic Park came out in June of 1993, stealing the show and breaking new ground. The 1999 film Deep Blue Sea tried to play with the same genre, but it earned mixed reviews in the process. More recently, The Meg tried to repeat this combined success, telling a monster story set at sea. While Jaws fans hesitate to make direct comparisons, the movie grossed pretty well, especially at the box office.

The Unexpected Effects of Jaws

Jaws did more than revolutionize the summer box office, as it had a direct impact on sharks and pop culture. The summer that Jaws was released, there were reportedly fewer people at the beaches. Yes, really. Unfortunately, that isn’t all good news for sharks, as shark hunting increased after Jaws‘ release. It could be a causation/correlation problem, but most likely it is exactly what it looks like.

While many people became terrified of sharks, many more found themselves fascinated. It’s no wonder that Shark Week persisted for so long, or that there have been dozens of attempts to create shark-themed films.

The post The Movie That Started It All: Remembering The First Summer Blockbuster appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Lately, FromSoftware and its legendary IP feel more relevant than ever, with an Elden Ring movie in the works (a sentence that still shocks me to read) and Elden Ring Nightreign providing a brand new multiplayer Soulslike experience for players to enjoy. This beloved new entry into the FromSoft legacy has introduced a plethora of new characters, both playable and boss, to the Souls lexicon, many of which have captured the imagination of the community and become as timeless and recognizable as long-standing characters in the franchise. One such boss in Nightreign stands above the rest, however, being incredibly respected by the community for its unique mechanics, as well as feared and loathed for a difficulty some argue rivals even the game’s final boss.

Enter Libra, the most iconic boss from Nightreign and the game’s poster-boy goat-eye-thing. Chances are, if you’ve spent any time in the Nightreign side of social media, you’ve seen fan art and references made to this instantly recognizable monster. So just why has Libra captured the attention of the community so much that the boss is discussed more than any others in the game, and is even more recognizable than the game’s titular antagonist?

One of the more obvious reasons for this character’s fame (or infamy, but we’ll touch on that in a bit) can be attributed to their fantastic design and intriguing lore. Libra, Creature of Night, or known better as the Equilibrious Beast, has an incredibly striking design, drawing attention to his goat-like silhouette and massive, golden eyes. The character’s appearance clearly resonates with players, as Libra receives far more fan art than any of the game’s other Nightlords.

If you’ve played Nightreign and encountered this Nightlord yourself, than I don’t have to tell you that this boss also sticks to you due to his incredibly unique mechanics. If you’re unfamiliar, before each battle with Libra players are offered a deal. The character’s quote, “Make your choice,” is instantly recognizable to any Nightreign players as preluding one of the more interesting mechanics and player designs in the game.

The deal that Libra offer you just before his fight is a series of powerful enhancements to your build, but at a cost. Anything from maximizing one stat while shrinking the others, receiving a powerful weapon at the cost of levels, leveling up but losing a level every time you use a flask, and more are presented to players as incredibly interesting ways to mix up the fight each time you try it, making Libra one of the most replayable bosses in the game.

The offers themselves can be kinda confusing, but thankfully, players on the Nightreign subreddit have put together a cheat sheet if you need a bit of help for your next run.

As cool as his design and unique mechanic are, Libra has not earned his reputation in the community for these reasons alone. Much of the attention Nightreign characters have paid this character is due to a fairly popular community consensus, that Libra, Creature of Night is perhaps the hardest boss in the game, even outdoing Heolstor, the final boss in Nightreign.

Libra’s insane difficulty are often attributed to two mechanics in his moveset: his use of spells/glyphs and his proc of Madness on players.

Libra, who plays as a magic-heavy boss, will occasionally throw a series of glpyhs and spells at the player, very similar to Golden Order incantations. One such glyph, Rain of Light, sees Libra summoning a glyph in the sky, which then rains down a hail of projectiles all over the map. I personally found this attack hard to dodge, as the hitbox on the light projectiles just felt a little bit off.

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Worse, however, is Libra’s application of madness, a status affect that, like many others in Elden Ring Nightreign, deals damage when fully stacked. Though at many points during the fight the rate at which Libra procs this effect seems rather low, certain abilities can fill the whole bar at once if you don’t have the proper resistances. A madness proc, in my experience, is more or less always an instant health bar wipe.

“I’ve defeated each boss at least twice, but this guy humiliates me every run,” says one Reddit user. Yeah, I felt that buddy.

Intentional or not, Libra, Creature of Night, has captured the imagination of Nightreign players in a way no other boss in the game has. With his iconic mechanics, appearance, and terrifying difficulty, this character will likely continue to feel like the poster boy for Nightreign’s antagonists to many players, and I have to wonder if he’ll be making any kind of cameo in the upcoming movie.

The post Elden Ring Nightreign Players Fear This Encounter More Than the Final Boss appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Directed and co-written by Mamoru Hosoda, Wolf Children, released in 2012, is one of the best portrayals of single motherhood beyond simply the anime medium. The film had its world premiere in Paris on June 25th, 2012, and was released theatrically on July 21st, 2012, in Japan. Wolf Children won the 2013 Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year, the 2012 Mainichi Film Award for Best Animation Film, and the 2013 Animation of the Year award at the Tokyo International Anime Fair. It also received worldwide recognition and won two awards at the Oslo Films from the South festival in Norway, an Audience Award at the 2013 New York International Children’s Film Festival, and the 2014 Best Anime Disc award from Home Media Magazine.

Even 13 years after the film’s release, it’s celebrated as one of the most beautiful and emotional stories of all time for the medium. At its core, the film highlighted the unwavering resolve of a mother’s love and sacrifice, which touched the hearts of many. Hosoda, previously known for Summer Wars and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, told the simple, emotional story of a young woman who raised her two children alone after the death of her husband. Despite having supernatural elements, the film is profoundly human about the uncertainty of life and the challenges faced ahead.

What Is the Plot of Wolf Children?

The story centers around Hana, a college student who falls in love with a mysterious, yet kind man. She discovers his secret of being a werewolf one day, the last of his kind, and learns why he keeps himself away from the others. However, despite their differences, Hana and the werewolf eventually get married and live quiet and peaceful lives with their children, the oldest daughter Yuki and the youngest son Ame. However, the sudden death of the werewolf shatters Hana’s entire world, but she forces herself to remain strong for her children.

It’s already difficult enough for her to live in the city and earn enough income to support her kids. However, the most challenging part is to hide the fact that her children are half-werewolves. When she realizes their identities could be exposed under the watchful eyes, she countryside in hopes of living a life where Yuki and Ame can be free to grow on their own terms. Life in the countryside brings its own set of challenges as the woman struggles with financial instability, isolation, and the constant fear of not doing enough. As her children grow, Hana realizes both of them have to decide how to live going forward, whether as humans or wolves.

Wolf Children Is a Rare, Honest, and Heroic Portrayal of Motherhood

Wolf Children doesn’t blindly romanticize or simplify motherhood, but it paints the experience with raw authenticity. She makes sacrifices, struggles silently, faces breakdowns, but still keeps going forward without ever thinking for herself. She’s not your typical obstinate battle shonen hero, but her perseverance reflects the often unseen labor of mothers, making her one of anime’s most quietly heroic characters. Every scene of the film feels infused with respect and admiration for mothers, particularly those who do the work alone and without recognition.

The film also sends a message that a parent can do everything for children, but it’s up to the young ones to find their own paths, even when they diverge from their own dreams for them. We see the children grow from toddlers to teens, and the challenges Hana faced through each phase of their lives. There are certain scenes in the film with no dialogue as we see Hana fixing a roof, gardening, cooking, and smiling through exhaustion. Her tiredness feels almost too real, and it hits us that she never once lived a day simply for herself.

However, it’s also not difficult to see that nothing made her happier than watching Yuki and Ame grow healthy and happy. While Yuki decided to live among humans, Hana was heartbroken to learn Ame wanted to become the new protector of the forest and fully embrace the wolf side of himself. At first, she was devastated, but realizing he had found his own path, she emotionally accepted his goodbye. More than a decade has passed since its release, but the film hits us all the same, a timeless classic whose story may forever be unmatched.

The post 13 Years Ago, This Heartbreaking Anime Film About a Single Mother Broke Our Hearts 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.

Monster movies have been around for a long, long time. The earliest days saw the release of classics like King Kong, a film which has continued to influence filmmakers and entrance audience members for nearly 100 years now. Then there was a boom in the ’50s, with American films like The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms and Them! attracting box office dollars and accolades, but even combined they didn’t prove to be as influential as Japan’s Gojira, which kickstarted a franchise that continues strong to this day.

What follows are the best giant monsters from movies that aren’t, well, King Kong or Godzilla. We avoided monsters from movies that aren’t specifically monster movies, with apologies to the sandworms from Dune and the Chitauri Leviathans from the Avengers movies. Also, extra-large animals like the Anaconda and dinosaurs were out. Even if they were genetically engineered by man with the help of some ancient mosquitos, they’re still dinosaurs, not monsters.

What’s your favorite movie monster? Do you go for scariness or cool design? Either way, they’re probably listed below.

1) “Clover” in Cloverfield

Cloverfield is one of the best found footage movies to date, and what works about its monster, unofficially dubbed “Clover,” is that we don’t see much of it. The found footage angle doesn’t really allow for that.

The 25-story tall creature has a thick hide that allows it to withstand military attacks and, while it doesn’t come equipped with laser breath or anything, it’s fairly agile for a creature of its size. It also has a bunch of parasites that break off it and terrorize anyone unlucky enough to be in the vicinity.

Stream Cloverfield on Paramount+.

2) The Octalus in Deep Rising

The Kraken in director Stephen Sommers’ underrated Deep Rising, officially named Octalus, manages to be a genuinely frightening CGI monstrosity. It spends the film devouring the cast and crew of luxury cruise ship Argonautica, and with its seemingly unlimited number of teeth we believe it can do so.

The Octalus also comes equipped with tentacles that partially function independently of their host. Each one has teeth of its own and doesn’t hesitate to use them. Sometimes it spits people out, too, which results in the hideous sight of them being melted by the acid sloshing around within it.

Stream Deep Rising on fuboTV.

3) Gamera in the Gamera Movies

It may not be quite as long running or critically revered, but the Gamera franchise has done well for itself. Gamera started out just like Godzilla: a big monster that spews fire and does a lot of damage. But, even in the beginning, he was somewhat more benevolent than Godzilla, at least with kids.

As the franchise wore on, Gamera became even more of a friendly presence until he was outright called the guardian of the universe. Are most of the movies particularly good? Not really, but Gamera has almost as solid a design as Godzilla’s. Sure, it’s a little silly seeing a turtle spew fire out of its mouth and fly through the air, but the movies actually make him work.

Stream Gamera, the Giant Monster on Prime Video.

4) Gorgo in Gorgo

Gorgo was England’s answer to Toho’s Gojira, and like every other Godzilla rip-off, it’s not nearly as good. But it is fairly well-made, and the design of the title monster is more impressive than what was seen in similar fare like Yongary, Monster from the Deep and Gappa: The Triphibian Monster.

Gorgo is a massive amphibian that, like many other kaiju, seems to be almost entirely impervious to military intervention. He doesn’t breathe fire, but his perky ears to allow him acute hearing. Not to mention, the movie also pulls a Jaws 3 and has Gorgo be the child of an even larger, more ferocious mother monster. Together, they’re able to tear apart London before slinking back to the sea (the area where they’re most comfortable) for a hopefully more peaceful life.

5) The Megalodon in The Meg

It’s no Jaws, but The Meg is a fun shark movie with a quick pace and a perfect lead role for Jason Statham. But, while Statham is a huge star and displays a certain magnetism in all of his movies, this is really the titular megalodon’s movie all the way through.

Given the constraints of the PG-13 rating (which allowed the film to become something of a blockbuster back in 2018), those behind The Meg manage to make the beast pretty intimidating. There’s no blood, be we certainly see it gobble up a ton of people.

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6) The Various Kaiju in Pacific Rim

One of the best mainstream kaiju movies out there, Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim is an extremely ambitious blockbuster. And, even with a scenery-chewing performance from Ron Perlman, it’s pure spectacle all the way through.

The world has been thrown into a new type of war. Instead of two countries going head-to-head, it’s now humanity trying to survive the Kaiju, and del Toro and others behind the film went to great lengths to give each one of the monsters unique physical appearances. They come in different sizes too, with “smaller” Category II ones like Onibaba absolutely dwarfed by Category IV kaiju like Leatherback.

7) Quetzalcoatl in Q: The Winged Serpent

Larry Cohen’s Q is like It’s Alive and The Stuff in that it’s a monster movie that doesn’t mind hopping around genres. In this case, it’s a kaiju movie, a mystery, a horror movie, and a police procedural all wrapped up in one.

The title monster is Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, which is essentially a big, winged dragon (minus the fire breathing) that has been swooping down on unsuspecting New York civilians. It grabs them from their rooftops, devours them, and leaves a lot of blood in its wake. And she does leave a lot of blood. Unlike most of the other entries on this list, Q is a blood-soaked movie that earns its R rating. The only one that’s more intense is the aforementioned Deep Rising.

Stream Q on Prime Video.

8) Graboids in Tremors

A movie that helped shape many ’90s kids’ youths, Tremors is one of the absolute best monster movies ever made. All six sequels combined don’t even match half of its power (though Tremors 2: Aftershocks is pretty fun).

It’s only in the first movie where the subterranean Graboid is truly fearsome. It’s reveal is perfectly built up in a gradual way. And, once we do see it, we see a masterful creation that only practical effects can bring to life. With an overall length of about 30 feet and the ability to detect vibrations and swiftly reach its target, it’s a killing machine. And with snakelike tentacles that come from its mouth, it’s an ugly sucker, too.

9) Reptilicus in Reptilicus

While Danish-American kaiju movie Reptilicus is one of the lamest rip-offs to come out in the wake of Gojira‘s success, that’s more due to threadbare production values than the actual design of the title antagonist. Reptilicus is basically a scaled snake that spits acid, and while his effectiveness is held back by the restraints of the budget, he’s still a pretty neat looking beastie.

Reptilicus is actually pretty well-equipped for a kaiju. On top of his ability to spit acid, he also is strong enough to basically just push his way through buildings. And, thanks to his scale, he’s able to take any number of tank shells and flamethrower flame bursts. Not to mention, while his wings are small as can be, he can still fly.

Stream Reptilicus on Prime Video.

10) The Kaiju in Colossal

It may be on the poster, but really the kaiju of Colossal is just a small part of Colossal. What the film really excels at being is a study on alcoholism and abusive, manipulative people. But the kaiju is pretty unique looking, too.

The monster is brought to life by frequently drunk unemployed writer Gloria. It only attacks Seoul even though she lives on the other side of the planet. It’s a manifestation of her own dependency issues, and it only comes to be when she is standing on a particular sandbox in a particular playground. But, given how Gloria doesn’t want to harm people, it’s a benevolent monster. The massive robot that is a manifestation of Jason Sudeikis’ Oscar, however, is far from benevolent, because despite first appearances, he is far from benevolent.

Stream Colossal for free on Kanopy.

The post 10 Best Giant Movie Monsters That Aren’t Godzilla or Kong appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The visionary behind Marvel’s Man Without Fear had a word of advice for James Gunn‘s Man of Steel. Drew Goddard, who created Marvel’s Daredevil for Netflix and wrote the first two episodes of the dark drama, weighed in on the Superman reboot written and directed by Gunn (in theaters July 11). In fact, Goddard had a suggestion that proved instrumental in shaping the ending of the DC Studios film.

“Drew Goddard was really helpful,” Gunn told Collider. “I think that there were a couple of little things in the movie, three or four things that we really argued about in the film, and all of them had to do with things that were a little bit darker or a little bit lighter. In discussing one of them, Drew Goddard was like, ‘You know what? It’s just not that film. It’s not that film with this little dark ending bit.'”

“And I thought, ‘He’s right. It’s not that film. It is not that film,'” Gunn continued. “And so that line that he said stuck with me for the rest of editing.”

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Goddard, a writer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a writer-producer on Alias and Lost before going on to helm films like The Cabin in the Woods and Bad Times at the El Royale, is part of the brain trust that Gunn put together to help build the new DC Universe in 2023.

The writers’ room includes Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Mister Miracle comic scribe Tom King (Lanterns), Christal Henry (HBO’s Watchmen), Christina Hodson (The Flash), and Jeremy Slater (Marvel’s Moon Knight), with Gunn overseeing the DCU with his DC Studios co-chief and producer Peter Safran (Aquaman, The Suicide Squad).

Gunn also consulted fellow filmmaker Jason Reitman (director of Juno and Ghostbusters: Afterlife), Damon Lindelof (co-creator of Lost and The Leftovers), and Chantal Nong, the Executive Vice President of Production for DC Studios and executive producer of such films as Wonder Woman 1984 and The Batman.

“I really go to Peter Safran and Chantal Nong and other directors. I showed [Superman] to Drew Goddard, and Jason Reitman, and Damon Lindelof, and all these people to get their input on what works and what doesn’t. And they were so helpful,” Gunn said.

As both the co-chairman/co-CEO of DC Studios and a filmmaker, he added, “I want to be able to support people but also be really honest. I don’t pull punches. I’m really blunt. And I think we need to come from the common space that we’re just trying to make the best movie possible without ego being a part of it.”

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Superman stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The cast includes Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/the Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4, Neva Howell as Ma Kent, Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. The DC Studios movie flies into theaters July 11.

The post Superman: James Gunn Reveals How Marvel’s Daredevil Creator Changed Movie’s Original “Dark” Ending appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Dane Whitman seems to be finished before he really got started, but fans are not satisfied to leave it that way. A new fan art poster making the rounds on social media shows what Kit Harington might look like if he got to take on his character’s superhero persona Black Knight, complete with the Ebony Blade. Harington took on the role in Eternals back in 2021, and while it now seems likely that movie won’t have a sequel anytime soon, there’s always a chance any of the characters might be pulled back into the MCU for a future story. In the meantime, fans are eagerly fusing Harington’s most dramatic photos with Marvel Comics to imagine the big screen Black Knight for themselves.

Harington made his MCU debut in Eternals, but unlike the main ensemble, he didn’t get a chance to play a superhero. Harington was cast as the scientist and historian Dane Whitman, but at that point in the story, he hadn’t taken up the mantle of Black Knight. However, he did seem to know about his family’s ancestral sword, and even of the curse it carried. Presumably, a sequel to Eternals might have focused on Whitman taking up the blade, but at this point, no sequel is in the works.

Whitman has a long legacy in in Marvel Comics, and it has evolved a lot over the years, so there’s no telling how the MCU might have portrayed the Black Knight. The moniker actually goes back to ancient times, when Whitman’s ancestor wielded the Ebony Blade and fought alongside King Arthur himself. Whitman’s uncle used the cursed sword for evil, and in the earliest comics, he was defeated by Iron Man. With his dying breath, he passed the sword on to Whitman and charged him to restore the family’s honor.

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Things would likely go a bit differently in the MCU, especially with what we know of their version of Whitman so far. He alluded to some disagreements with his uncle, but his relationship with Sersi (Gemma Chan) seems more relevant to his potential superheroics. The post-credit scene of the movie featured Whitman confronting the Ebony Blade, apparently tempted by disembodied whispers.

Many fans thought Whitman was a great role for Harington after his time on Game of Thrones, where he played another brooding, sword-wielding hero with a dubious legacy named Jon Snow. Harington himself has admitted to the similarity, and to the real reason for his interest in the MCU. Last year, he told GQ, “I’m not gonna pretend I took that [role] because it was different and interesting. If Marvel calls, you gotta do it.”

Hopefully, Marvel will call again someday and Harington will be compelled to reprise the role. In the meantime, Eternals is streaming now on Disney+ for those interested.

The post Marvel Fan Art Finally Gives a Game of Thrones Star Their MCU Moment appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Halo Studios is teasing more information on its next Halo game for later this year. The team behind Halo hasn’t released a new game since 2021 when it dropped Halo Infinite, a game that was actually supposed to release a year prior as an Xbox Series X launch title. Of course, 343 Industries, now known as Halo Studios, has been working on post-launch support for the game. It wasn’t until late 2022 that Halo Infinite even had a co-op campaign, so clearly the studio has been busy with the most recent game even after its release. Still, there are more plans for new Halo games.

Last year, it was announced that Halo Studios moved to Unreal Engine 5, an engine that will not only allow more ease when it comes to recruiting and onboarding new staff, but also streamline development on the next game. Rumors indicate that the studio is working on a new remake of Halo: Combat Evolved for the game’s 25th anniversary next year, but nothing has been firmly announced. Many hoped to see the next Halo project announced at the recent Xbox showcase, but the show came and went without any concrete mention of the franchise’s future. It did seem like Phil Spencer teased the Halo remake, but that’s just fans trying to read between the lines.

New Halo Game Reveal Coming This Year

With that said, it sounds like we will hear more sometime this year. In a recent Halo Waypoint blog post, Halo Studios commented on recent speculation about the future of the franchise. Although they typically don’t engage in speculation, the team felt it was important to set some expectations and noted that at last year’s Halo World Championship, they talked about the future of the series. Fans can expect another tease for the future of Halo at this event this October, but it’s unclear if it will be another behind the scenes look or a more concrete reveal like a trailer for the next game.

“Over the past few weeks, there’s been a fair amount of speculation about when and where more details might emerge about any of the multiple projects Halo Studios is actively working on,” reads the blog post. “We don’t usually comment on such matters, but this time we want to enter the chat and share a little more perspective for Halo fans who might be on the fence about whether to attend this year’s event. Last year at HaloWC, we premiered “A New Dawn” where we talked about the switch to Unreal Engine, gave you a behind the scenes look at Project Foundry, and debuted our evolution to Halo Studios as we enter a new chapter for Halo. For us, “A New Dawn” was just the beginning – at this year’s HaloWC, we look forward to continuing the conversation.”

It’s nice of Halo Studios to come out and be so upfront with fans, especially since speculation like this tends to go on for months and even years with other games. It drives fans to the point of insanity and generally fosters an unhealthy community. It’s good to set expectations and hopefully, this reveal will answer the questions fans have for what’s next for Halo. It’s also rumored that Halo is coming to PS5 in some capacity, so hopefully we get more details on that here as well.

The post New Halo Reveal Teased for This Year by Developers appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Not even the summer doldrums can stop the flow of video games. The July 2025 video game releases cover a wide variety of genres, from sports to Soulslikes. There’s undeniably something for everyone, so here are the 10 biggest games coming out in July 2025.

1) EA Sports College Football 26

RELATED: EA Sports College Football 26 Hands-On Preview: Key Upgrades Change the Game

EA Sports College Football 25 was the second best-selling game of 2024 — outselling even Madden NFL 25 — and it’s likely its sequel will hit similar numbers. Players will undoubtedly flock to it again just because it’s college football, but developer EA Orlando has still added over 2,700 new plays, 10,000 more players, and over 300 coaches, as well as improved AI, better blocking and coverages, dynamic substitutions, mechanical ways to emulate home team advantage, and cross-platform play.

Release Date: July 10th via PS5 and Xbox Series X|S

2) Patapon 1+2 Replay

Patapon lives. This bundle is yet another remaster of the seminal first two PSP games, but it has more features than the bare-bones ports PlayStation put out for the PS4. Replay has difficulty settings and adjustable timing, both of which were sorely missing in those aforementioned ports. The lag inherent in many modern TVs also meant they were hard to control and the dated difficulty spikes in those two original games forced players to grind. Given how Patapon 1+2 Replay is smoothing out these wrinkles, it might be the best time to play these strange rhythmic strategy games.

Release Date: July 11th via PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC

3) Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater also lives. After reportedly being canned by Activision despite the explosive success of the 1+2 remasters, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 is a collection of two remasters based on the third and fourth entries in the series but with the modern amenities of the prior remaster. It’s still all about the tricks and fluidly setting up a long combo, but with a bigger roster of skaters, expanded customization options, the ability to create a park, and cross-platform multiplayer. Some have been miffed over its changes it making to the originals, but THPS 3+4 still has a lot going for it.

Release Date: July 11th via PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC (will launch on Game Pass)

4) Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate

Destiny 2‘s The Final Shape was received well and sent that decade-long story out with a bang, and now The Edge of Fate is here to mark a brand-new beginning for the narrative and kick off a multi-year saga. Like past expansions, The Edge of Fate will add a slew of new weapons, missions, and gear, as well as a raid, so this is mostly of those who already love Destiny 2. But given the reception of The Final Shape and how many players it brought back to Bungie’s looter shooter, that’s still for a whole lot of people.

Release Date: July 15th via PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

5) Shadow Labyrinth

Shadow Labyrinth is a Pac-Man game. It’s tough to get that from the title and maybe the key art, but it’s an action platformer take on the classic arcade phenomenon complete with upgrades and, strangely, the ability to turn Pac-Man into a pilotable mech. This gritty reimagining is coming out in a crowded genre, but, at the very least, it’ll be worth checking out in some capacity because of its novelty as a different kind of Pac-Man game.

Release Date: July 17th via PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC

6) RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business

RoboCop: Rogue City was a surprisingly well-received first-person shooter and developer Teyon is giving players another helping with Unfinished Business. This standalone expansion has players controlling both RoboCop and Alex Murphy, meaning it’ll give a peek at what Murphy’s life before his accident, as well as the walking tank, ED-209. It brings new enemies that pack more powerful gear, some of which — like the self-explanatory Cryo Cannon — RoboCop gets to wield. It’s already building from an established base, so this one seems primed to deliver.

Release Date: July 17th via PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

7) Donkey Kong Bananza

Nintendo’s first-party Switch 2 trickle continues with Donkey Kong Bananza, the new console’s second huge exclusive. This platformer stars a slightly redesigned ape as he smashes and bashes around big levels. This player-driven approach to traversal driven by destruction seems quite liberating and has given it the colloquial name of “Red Faction: Gorilla.” It’s a novel idea, one that seems like it’ll take advantage of the Switch 2’s higher technical abilities.

Release Date: July 17th via Nintendo Switch 2

8) Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is yet another action Soulslike set within various Asian mythology. However, it’s also another promising version of one of those types of games. Like Nioh, Wuchang is on the faster side and balletic movement, as protagonist Bai Wuchang can flip and roll around quite effortlessly. She not only has a long skill tree and access to around 25 unique weapons and about 40 spells, but she can also take moves from enemies, further building out her combat repertoire. It’s a new team tackling a crowded genre, so there’s room to be skeptical, but it’s still one to look out for.

Release Date: July 24th via PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (will launch on Game Pass)

9) Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game

Most The Lord of the Rings games are about stabbing or, tragically, playing as Gollum. Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game is quite different in that it is a cozy game based in the popular universe. Players create their own Hobbit in Hobbiton and garden, pick plants, trade, fish, cook meals, warm up to the locals, and customize their own home. Its release also marks the 71st anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring to the day. And while it looks to be quite thematically different from those books, it, like Shadow Labyrinth, demonstrates the benefits of going someplace unexpected with an established franchise.

Release Date: July 29th via PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and PC

10) Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound

Developer The Game Kitchen cut its teeth on the two Blasphemous games, and while both have plenty of action, the two also have a fair bit of methodical Soulslike DNA in them. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a way for the team to stretch into full action territory and it’s shaping up to be a shift the team was more than prepared for. This 2D action title looks to pull from the original NES Ninja Gaiden games, but with a modern coat of paint, a coat that’s taking advantage of The Game Kitchen’s talented artists. It remains to be seen if it’ll be the best Ninja Gaiden game of 2025, given how it’s coming months after Ninja Gaiden 2 Black and a bit before Ninja Gaiden 4, but it’s sure making one hell of a push to take that top spot.

Release Date: July 31st via PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC

The post 10 Video Games Releasing in July 2025 You Shouldn’t Miss 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.

Deciphering which of Studio Ghibli‘s movies is the best is one of the most contentious and hotly debated subjects within the anime community. Ghibli is undoubtedly the most popular anime studio across the world, with even the most casual of anime fans being aware of movies like Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and Grave of the Fireflies. But, a recent poll that gathered the opinions of over 500 filmmakers, actors, and Hollywood executives has tried to make the subjective objective by revealing what is “officially” the best Studio Ghibli movie.

The New York Times conducted the poll to determine what the best movie of the 21st Century is. The top 30 included beloved classics like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, City of God, and Lost in Translation, along with modern hits like Moonlight, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Wolf of Wall Street, with Parasite claiming the top spot. But, alongside the live-action masterpieces, a Studio Ghibli classic snuck its way into the top 10, inadvertently making it the best Ghibli film.

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What is Studio Ghibli’s Best Movie?

Sitting high and mighty at the number nine spot is one of Studio Ghibli’s most lauded movies of all time. Released in 2001, the movie was written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and won an Oscar in 2003. The film is renowned for its phenomenal worldbuilding, blending the world of humans with supernatural creatures, transfigured pigs, and terrifying old ladies.

If you haven’t guessed by now (firstly, shame on you!), the film in question is none other than Spirited Away. Per the results of the poll, the movie is officially the 9th best film of the 21st century. It was the only Studio Ghibli movie to make it onto the list, unofficially making it the studio’s best, at least, according to some of Hollywood’s most beloved filmmakers.

Spirited Away‘s Cinematic Legacy

It might not be your favorite Studio Ghibli movie, after all, that is an incredibly subjective matter, but it’s hard to argue with the film’s legacy. The movie helped to drastically change the perception of animated movies within mainstream culture. Before Spirited Away, animation and anime were largely seen as being made for children. But, Spirited Away did what the industry has been attempting for decades by shutting down that notion.

Spirited Away is often cited as one of the most influential movies of all time, not just within the anime industry. There are likely hundreds (if not thousands) of animators working today because they were inspired by Spirited Away. But the movie has also inspired countless Western filmmakers. As well as influencing the visual style of contemporary filmmakers and anime directors, Spirited Away also helped to popularize some of the most popular themes and motifs in modern anime. The most apparent is the idea of children facing dark and mature situations.

Do you agree with the poll? Is Spirited Away your favorite Studio Ghibli movie? Do you prefer one of Miyazaki’s other lauded films? Or, perhaps one of the studio’s more underappreciated movies? Let us know in the comments below.

H/T: NY Times

The post A Studio Ghibli Classic Is Officially One of the Greatest Movies of the 21st Century 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.

Thor is one of the strongest characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He’s the son of Odin, after all, and the God of Thunder, which allows him to create electrical energy out of thin air. Despite all his gifts, Thor chooses to use a weapon for most of his life, Mjolnir. The hammer allows the Asgardian to focus his power, and it doesn’t hurt that it packs a serious punch. Thor isn’t the only character in the MCU to have experience with Mjolnir, though, as his sister, Hela, used it before him. When she shows up on Midgard in Thor: Ragnarok, she destroys the weapon, leaving her brother between a rock and a hard place. He learns to control his powers without the hammer to defeat Hela, but his next fight isn’t so simple.

Thanos comes knocking in Avengers: Infinity War, and because of his mission to collect the Infinity Stones, Thor knows it’s going to be easy to beat him. The God of Thunder travels to Nidavellir to forge Stormbreaker, an axe that doesn’t come with the prerequisite that someone has to be worthy to wield it. However, Thor makes it clear to Star-Lord that not just anyone can use a weapon as strong as Stormbreaker. There are a few other characters up for the challenge, though.

1) Bucky Barnes

Steve Rogers proves himself worthy in Avengers: Endgame, saving Thor from Thanos using Mjolnir. During the ensuing battle, the two heroes switch weapons, and Steve picks up Stormbreaker without any problems. While Bucky Barnes isn’t as strong as his best friend, he’s still a capable super soldier who can toss cars and pull off other impressive feats. There’s no doubt he could grab Stormbreaker and swing it around if the opportunity arose.

2) John Walker

John Walker is in the same boat as Bucky, but Thunderbolts* makes it seem like he’s a bit stronger than his teammate. While the group is trying to escape Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s safehouse, John jumps higher than any super soldier before him to see how deep they are underground. Leaping doesn’t prove his skills with a weapon, but it seems fair to assume that he can withstand a lot more than a regular human.

3) Drax

While Thor is lecturing Star-Lord in Infinity War, he tells everyone on the ship they wouldn’t be able to wield a Thanos-killing weapon. He’s wrong about Drax, as the Guardian of the Galaxy is far from a run-of-the-mill alien. He possesses super strength and durability, which he uses against some impressive foes. Picking up Stormbreaker would be light work for the Destroyer.

4) Vision

Vision shocks all of the Avengers when he picks up Mjolnir shortly after being born. He even uses the hammer later to teach Ultron a lesson. While the original Vision is no longer around, his replacement, White Vision, is just as powerful. He may not be in a fighting mood after the events of WandaVision, but wielding Stormbreaker isn’t a challenge that he would fail.

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5) Nebula

The MCU makes it clear that it’s not fun having Thanos as a father. He tortures his girls, but Nebula gets the worst of it, with the Mad Titan replacing most of her body with cybernetics. The one silver lining is that she’s incredibly powerful after the operations, always giving the Guardians a run for their money. While Nebula doesn’t have experience with brain-melting weapons, they can’t be any worse than what she’s already gone through.

6) Adam Warlock

The Sovereign spend a lot of time creating Adam Warlock, and while it appears to be for their own gain, it turns out the High Evolutionary is behind the whole thing. He wants to create the perfect specimen, but Adam fails to meet his expectations. Despite his flaws, Adam is still one of the strongest characters in the MCU. He takes out the Guardians in just a few minutes, and it wouldn’t have even taken that long if he had Stormbreaker.

7) Shang-Chi

Thor’s weapons are going to become yesterday’s news if Shang-Chi learns how to control the Ten Rings. The objects give him incredible power, making him strong enough to defeat giant beasts. The God of Thunder knows a little something about that, so maybe he and Shang-Chi can trade weapons and have a friendly competition.

Do you think the characters on this list could wield Stormbreaker? Which other MCU characters have a shot? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 7 MCU Characters That Could Definitely Wield Stormbreaker appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Roughly eight years to the day Transformers: The Last Knight opened to underwhelming box office, a news report emerged alleging that Paramount Pictures is planning on reviving the Transformers saga. After Transformers: Rise of the Beasts failed to turn a profit and Transformers One outright bombed, Paramount is desperate for this once lucrative saga to come back to its initial box office might. The plan the studio is allegedly batting around now is getting Michael Bay back in the saddle to direct another movie.

The news isn’t exactly the brightest glimpse into the potential cinematic future of this property. In fact, if Bay does come back, it’s a surefire sign that the Transformers franchise is dead, and not just because of the quality of his initial five Transformers installments.

Returning to the Old is a Sign of Creative Stagnation

Michael Bay did five Transformers movies over ten years. They were incredibly profitable enterprises, with Transformers: Dark of the Moon grossing over $1 billion worldwide in 2011 and Revenge of the Fallen remaining the biggest non-Titanic movie ever domestically until Top Gun: Maverick flew into town in 2022. However, by the end of these five films, audiences clearly said with their wallets that they’d had enough. Transformers: The Last Knight’s lifetime domestic haul was less than the initial five-day grosses of Revenge of the Fallen and Dark of the Moon. It ultimately earned $605 million worldwide and lost a boatload of cash for Paramount.

The novelty of combining Bay’s style of action cinema with those robots in disguise had worn out its welcome with people. Since then, Paramount has tried two more live-action Transformers movies. One (Bumblebee) was a reboot that went in a radically different tonal direction than Bay’s film, while the other (Rise of the Beasts) balanced the rebooted timeline with action sequences patterned after Bay’s works. Looking back now, Bumblebee and Transformers One suggested that this series was stepping into new creative territory and expanding what Transformers movies could look like.

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If Bay comes back, that would be a frustrating regression to an arcane status quo for Transformers. After so much work has been spent on more character-focused and robot-centric Transformers movies, now the franchise will presumably be trying to evoke nostalgia dollars from folks who get nostalgic thinking about Linkin Park’s “New Divide.” There’s already a problem with modern Transformers media like Rise of the Beasts being too beholden to fan service and older Transformers properties. Fully bringing back Bay to the franchise would be a sign that all creative gumption is gone. The Transformers franchise has no pulse.

Audiences Don’t Want More Transformers, Bay or Otherwise

Michael Bay coming back also sounds like a way for Paramount brass to stave off an inevitable truth: audiences no longer care for or about Transformers movies. Three of the last four theatrical Transformers films failed to turn a profit, including Bay’s final outing. Whether they’re directed by Michael Bay or rendered in a fully animated family-friendly feature, these mechanical beings are just not the box office draws they once were. Bringing Bay back into the director’s chair sounds like a way to act like it’s 2009 again, rather than reflecting modern moviegoing trends.

On top of that, Bay’s constant desire in the 2010s to leave the Transformers saga and pursue more projects like Pain & Gain and Ambulance makes it doubtful his Transformers return would even yield fascinatingly divisive results. The honeymoon has long been over for Bay and the Transformers saga; would recruiting him back into this saga really get his creative juices flowing again? Or would he just be eyeing the exit door the entire time, as he was during The Last Knight?

There’s just no end to the problems inherent to bringing Michael Bay back to the Transformers saga. Regardless of anyone’s opinions on his original five films, cinematic franchises need to evolve and grow. Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan can’t helm Batman movies forever. Star Wars has never just been a George Lucas enterprise. Transformers has yielded creative highs with Bumblebee and Transformers One in embracing this reality and new artistic voices. Bringing back Michael Bay, though, would just be a tired plea for nostalgia, solidifying the franchise’s cultural stagnation. Forget his deaths in Revenge of the Fallen and the 1986 animated movie, having Michael Bay return as a Transformers director would really solidify that the movie version of Optimus Prime is dead.

Transformers One is now streaming on Paramount+.

The post The Transformers Franchise Is Dead If Michael Bay Returns appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Rockstar Games has surprised fans by confirming that it will be releasing new Red Dead Online content this week and it may tease zombie content. Back in 2018, Rockstar Games fans were elated to see Red Dead Redemption 2 would get its own online mode similar to GTA Online. Unfortunately, the mode didn’t meet expectations and Rockstar struggled to put content out for it and was hindered by COVID in what would’ve been the game’s second year. Players were left feeling frustrated by the game’s lack of meaningful support, especially as GTA Online continued to thrive and it felt like it just didn’t live up to its potential.

By 2022, Rockstar confirmed that Red Dead Online would no longer be receiving any major content updates as the developer was focusing its efforts on GTA 6 going forward. It was disappointing and left many wondering about what could’ve been, but it wasn’t in the cards. Although Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the best selling games of all-time, it never received single player DLC either which bummed fans out who enjoyed the first game’s Undead Nightmare expansion. It seemed that fans would just have to be content with the core game, but Rockstar is teasing some surprise content.

Despite Rockstar clearly being deep in development on GTA 6 with it due out in less than a year, they’ve found a way to add some new missions to Red Dead Online this week. Rockstar Games has confirmed to community members such as videotechuk_ on Twitter that it will be releasing new missions in Red Dead Online with single player character Theodore Levin at the center of them. He will ask players to help him investigate some bizarre, unexplained mysteries in the West that involve them tracking down beasts and looking into an “undead plague.”

“Author Theodore Levin needs your help investigating the bizarre and unexplained in Strange Tales of the West — a new set of four eerie Telegram Missions available tomorrow in Red Dead Online,” reads Rockstar’s description of the update. “Track down undead plagues, rogue automations, swamp beasts, and more by collecting Mr. Levin’s letter from any Post Office or your Camp’s Lockbox, or by launching Telegram Missions from the Player Menu.”

Of course, this only entices players who have been longing for some zombie content in Red Dead Redemption 2. Whether this is just a one-off occasion or something that hints at a larger update or DLC this fall remains to be seen. Red Dead Redemption 2 is rumored to be getting a remaster this fall for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Nintendo Switch 2. Perhaps there’s a chance it will come with a new DLC or added content that features zombies.

Only time will tell, but we do urge you to be cautious in hyping yourself up too much. Rockstar is pretty pre-occupied with GTA 6, so it would definitely be a bit of a longshot if this was some massive new update or DLC, but one can hope!

Do you want to see an Undead Nightmare-like DLC for Red Dead Redemption 2? Let me know in the comments.

The post New Red Dead Online Missions Tease Zombie Content 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.

My Hero Academia came to an end last Summer, and ever since the creator behind it all has been steadily revealing more of his process behind how he brought it all to an end. With the My Hero Academia TV anime coming to its own end later this Fall, the franchise has been going all out to celebrate how far the franchise has come since it launched in the pages of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine ten long years ago. This has given the creator lots of new opportunities to open up about his process in bringing it all to life.

One of the ways My Hero Academia has been celebrating the franchise is with a new art exhibition now running in Japan showing fans a much closer look at all of the art from the series’ history. And a cool element of this showcase is the fact thatr series creator Kohei Horikoshi also shared some notes about elements of his experience. This includes what he felt was the hardest part of the final arc (as translated by @shibuyasmash on X), and surprisingly it was the final fight between Dabi and Shoto Todoroki as the Todoroki Family reunited.

My Hero Academia Creator Had Trouble With the Todoroki Family

It turns out that My Hero Academia series creator Kohei Horikoshi had trouble with the final fight between Dabi and Shoto because of the balance with the Todoroki Family reunion within it. As Horikoshi explained, he wanted to balance it enough to showcase both the family in this moment while being sure that Shoto would still be able to stand on his own. “Each and every line took a lot of time, I had to be really careful with it and it had a physical effect on my body.” The creator began.

“I had decided to have the whole Todoroki family stop Toya head on, all together, but I wanted to avoid having Todoroki-kun being ‘just one of the family’ there.” Horikoshi explained. “I was careful about the balance of ‘the story of the Todoroki family’ and ‘the story of how Todoroki-kun became the person he wanted to be,’ these stories overlap but are not mixed. I don’t know if I was able to do a good job of protecting that balance. But I had come this far so I wanted to finish drawing it all.”

What’s Next for My Hero Academia?

My Hero Academia will be fully coming to an end sometime this October as part of the Fall 2025 anime schedule. While a concrete release date has yet to be announced as of the time of this publication, the anime will be taking on the final fights against All For One and Tomura Shigaraki as it all comes to an end. If you wanted to catch up with everything that has happened so far, you can now find the first seven seasons, OVA specials, and a couple of the movies now streaming with Crunchyroll.

There will be a returning staff and voice cast for the anime’s grand finale as well. My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON will be directed by a returning Naomi Nakayama for studio Bones with Yosuke Kuroda returning to handle the series’ scripts, Kenji Nagasaki serving as chief director, Yoshihiko Umakoshi and Hitomi Odashima providing the character designs, and Yuki Hayashi composing the music. It’s yet to be revealed if the anime will be adapting all of the extra materials released after the manga’s ending, so that’s yet another reason to tune in and see how the anime approaches such a grand finale.

HT – @shibuyasmash on X

The post My Hero Academia Creator Reveals the Most Difficult Part of the Final Arc appeared first on ComicBook.com.

All the major characters in the Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle film will have their moments to shine as the final showdown against the demons will be more brutal than ever. Ufotable is adapting the final arc in a trilogy film, and the first film has already shared its match-ups. The trailer, which was released last weekend, features most of the major characters in the final arc. While everyone will be fighting some of the most powerful demons in history, the trailer specifically highlights Shinobu vs. Doma, Zenitsu vs. Kaigaku, and Tanjiro vs. Akaza. Shinobu’s opponent is the Upper Moon Two, who is way stronger than the Upper Moons Tanjiro and the others defeated before the Hashira Training Arc.

The Infinity Castle has an unpredictable layout that’s almost impossible to navigate. The Demon Slayers were scattered all across the castle after forcefully getting sucked in, and Shinobu faced Doma all by herself. Doma has already been introduced in the anime, but his true powers will only be revealed in the Infinity Castle Arc. He is also the only demon who has the habit of specifically targeting women, since eating their flesh gives demons a lot more strength. Even so, the Hashira won’t be easy to take down. The first part of the trilogy film will hit the Japanese theaters on July 18th, 2025. However, U.S. fans will have to wait until September 12th before watching the film.

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Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Film Will Reveal the Real Reason Shinobu Fought Doma

Although Shinobu’s a Hashira, she lacks brute strength, unlike the other Demon Slayers. Because the Insect Hashira is smaller and has no arm strength, she relies on poison to defeat the demons. Shinobu is the only one who created an unconventional way of fighting demons. She also makes up for her lack of strength with exceptional speed, and she can kill a demon in the blink of an eye. However, even someone like her will be at a significant disadvantage against Upper Moon Two, one of Muzan’s most powerful subordinates.

However, Shinobu vs Doma isn’t a random matchup; there’s a lot of story behind it. Out of all the Hashira, Shinobu and Giyu were the only ones who didn’t participate in the training. While Giyu’s reason was already revealed in the anime, Shinobu’s goal still remains a mystery. From her conversation with Kanao, it’s evident she’s planning something major before the series bows out. Shinobu’s hatred for demons, the conversation with Kanao, and the truth behind her sister’s death will all be revealed in this arc.

The post Demon Slayer Readies Shinobu for Final Fight appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Backyard Baseball is a classic franchise that many children of the late 90s and early 2000s got the chance to play on their family’s very first PC. The franchise has recently seen a massive resurgence in popularity thanks to the release of Backyard Baseball ’97, a remaster of the very first game in the series. While we knew Backyard Baseball ’01 was coming as well, we now have an official release date, and fans won’t have to wait very much longer to play it.

The enhanced remaster was officially confirmed via an announcement on X today by the Backyard Sports account. In the post, the developers list the release date for the game as July 8th, specifying that it will be available for PC and mobile devices. It is currently unclear if the game will receive a console port later like Backyard Baseball ’97 did.

“We’re honored to partner with MLB to bring this iconic game to modern gaming devices for the first time,” said Lindsay Barnett, CEO of Playground Productions, in a new statement today. “Backyard Baseball ‘01 was a game-changer in many ways—introducing some of the sport’s biggest legends into the Backyard universe. We can’t wait for fans to relive the joy of building their dream team with both our beloved original characters and baseball’s greatest pros from that unforgettable era.”

RELATED: These MLB Stars Need to Be in the Next Backyard Baseball

A list of returning features and highlights are listed on the Steam page and include:

• 30 Charming Backyard kids
• Legendary MLB Players
• MLB Team Marks
• Hilarious Bloopers
• 8 Classic Ballparks 
• 9 Pitching Power-ups and 4 batting Power-ups
• Lively commentary from Sunny Day and Vinnie

“At our core, we are fans first – not just of video games, but of the Backyard Sports franchise,” says the game’s description. “Fans have asked for accessible and legal ways to play their original Backyard titles for years, and we are excited to deliver. Backyard Baseball ‘01 runs well, looks better than ever, is stacked with Steam achievements, includes new bonus features to test your mettle, and creates a new installation for digital preservation within the Backyard Sports catalog that allows the next generation of fans to fall in love with the game.”

The post Backyard Baseball ’01 Release Date Announced 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.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse premiered two years ago this month, and tragically, we’re another two years out from what is sure to be a breathtaking conclusion of the animated trilogy with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. The long wait feels particularly cruel since Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ended with on a cliffhanger with Miles meeting the Earth-42 version of himself. Since there is no Spider-Man in that universe — the radioactive spider was transported into Miles’s Earth-1610 and bit him instead — Earth-42 Miles has become a villain, The Prowler. The reveal left us at the edge of our seats and with our heads spinning.

So how are we biding the time until Beyond the Spider-Verse hits theaters on June 4, 2027? Diving into each and every fan theory on TikTok, of course! Here are our top five we hope are in fact part of the franchise’s third installment:

1) Beyond the Spider-Verse Will Open with an Epic Spider-Team and Earth-42 Sinister Six Battle

We’re obsessed with this theory from popular creator Supes for a number of reasons. Not only would a Spider-Team versus Sinister Six battle be an epic way to kick off the film, it would be an awesome, action-packed way to get us reoriented in the Spider-Verse after four years away. Furthermore, the Beyond the Spider-Verse footage shown at CinemaCon earlier this year indicates that Supes might be on the right track here. Green mentions that Sony showed footage of Miles fighting Prowler Miles. It’s very likely that the clips shown at CinemaCon were smaller moments within a larger battle that involves more players…like the Spider-Team we see at the end of the last movie and this universe’s version of the Sinister Six.

2) Miguel Got Miles’ Canon Events Wrong

Creator Shelby Hallow isn’t the only fan online claiming Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 got canon events wrong, but we love her explanation. She doesn’t believe that Miles’ major canon event is his dad’s death. In explaining that nearly all Spiders lose a family member, mentor, plus a close friend and/or significant other to become the hero they’re destined to be. However, both versions of Miles – our protagonist from Earth-1610 and the Earth-42 Prowler version of Miles we meet at the end of the movie, have lost either their father OR their Uncle Aaron. Therefore, by Shelby’s reasoning, Miles is slated to lose, or at the very least be emotionally estranged from, a non-family mentor like Peter B. Parker or Gwen.

We really hope this isn’t true, we also can’t forget that Earth-1610 Miles wasn’t destined to be Spider-Man. He’s an anomaly, therefore do the canon rules even apply to him? For Peter B. and Gwen’s sake, we hope not. We also really hope someone other than Miguel clears up how canon events work in Beyond the Spider-Verse. While the fans may not agree on much, we all seem to feel that Spider-Man 2099 is either mistaken, or hiding something when it comes to the canon.

RELATED: 3 Questions Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse Needs to Answer

3) Miles Will Enlist Earth-42 Miles /The Prowler to Help Him

Going off the theory that Miguel’s canon event theory is flawed and the rules may not apply to Miles, an anomaly, Alex Brizard takes it a step further. He believes that through enlisting Earth-42 Miles to help him, they will be available to save everyone, along with keeping the universes in tact by working together. Brizard references Miles’s pointing out that one can have their cake and eat it too if they have two cakes. In Beyond the Spider-Verse, the two cakes are the two Miles who team up to save their loved ones and keep the multiverse in tact. Given that some of the footage screened at CinemaCon from Beyond the Spider-Verse also includes the two Miles working together in addition to squaring off, we like where Alex is headed with this one.

Also shoutout to Evan’s theory that Beyond the Spider-Verse will include a live-action Miles Morales. Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige has previously said they’re waiting for the animated Spider-Verse trilogy to complete before the character formally enters the live-action MCU. What better way to introduce the next major incarnation of Miles than for him to be passed the torch by his animated self?

4) Miguel Will Redeem Himself by Sacrificing Himself to Save Miles

While Miguel was certainly an antagonist in Across the Spider-Verse, at the end of the day, he’s still a Spider-Man. Creator @kailazi points out that though Miles and Miguel spent most of Across the Spider-Verse at odds, it would make a very meaningful turn of events and arc for Miguel if he saw the error of his ways. Especially since the general consensus is that he’s definitely got a few things wrong about the multiverse. Furthermore, sacrificing himself for Miles would be a tragic, but certainly powerful way to redeem himself after the chase through Nueva York in Across the Spider-Verse.

5) Miles and Gwen’s Universes Will Merge

Out of the all the fan theories circulating about Beyond the Spider-Verse, this may be the one we’re most obsessed with. Ryan and Daniel from Just the Nobodys Podcast break down all the visual hinting and foreshadowing throughout both Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse that could potentially support this. Universes merging rather than catastrophically colliding in an incursion would be a big departure from most of Marvel’s multiversal rules, but if any film could pull it off, it would likely be Beyond the Spider-Verse. Plus, we’re suckers for a happy ending, and would love to see what a blended universe where Peter and Gwen get to coexist would look like.

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse swings into theaters June 4, 2027. Until then, drop your fan theories in the comments below.

The post 5 Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse Fan Theories We’re Obsessed With appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Jurassic World Rebirth already sports a 58% Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is not necessarily excellent, but it’s impressive for this franchise at this stage. This is the seventh Jurassic movie overall, and the fourth of the Jurassic World reboot series — though the previous three definitely formed a trilogy, while this one stands apart. Rebirth is now the third-highest rated Jurassic movie on Rotten Tomatoes, and it scored much higher than the two movies that immediately preceded it. Fans will be able to make up their own minds when the movie hits theaters in the U.S. on July 2nd.

Jurassic World Rebirth is not available to general audiences yet, but plenty of critics have now seen it at pre-release screenings, or at the world premiere in London earlier this month. The reviews circulating so far say that this movie does a better job of capturing the spirit of the franchise than the other recent installments, but ultimately, it made some viewers question if there was anything left to explore in this premise at all.

Keep in mind that Rotten Tomatoes’ score represents the percentage of reviews that were counted as positive overall, and not an actual rating for the movie. The aggregator has accumulated reviews of Jurassic World Rebirth from 76 trusted critics, and determined that 44 of them were positive, and 32 were negative. Among those reviews is a wide range of ratings for the movie, and opinions on what worked and what didn’t. The website no longer presents an average score for movies.

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This already gives it a high ranking within its franchise, too. At the front of the pack is the original Jurassic Park with a 91% Fresh score, followed by Jurassic World at 72%. Rebirth is next, followed by The Lost World: Jurassic Park at 52%, then Jurassic Park III at 49%. The latter two movies in the sequel trilogy trail behind at 47% for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and 29% for Jurassic World Dominion.

Taken all together, the aggregate score and its ranking within the franchise seem like good news for Rebirth, but from another perspective, the wide range of reactions with no consensus is a bit ominous. In particular, the sentiment that there may be nothing new to explore within this premise is a bit alarming. Even if that’s not true, the fact is that studios rely on major franchises like these for bankable nostalgia. If the only hope for the Jurassic series is to evolve into something new, it may not get the chance.

Jurassic World Rebirth hits theaters on July 2nd in the U.S. The six previous movies are streaming now on Peacock.

The post Jurassic World Rebirth Rotten Tomatoes Score Secures Impressive Ranking in the Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Hajime no Ippo is one of the most popular and influential sports anime of all time. Written by Joji Morikawa (who is a real-life boxing coach), the series follows Ippo Makonouchi as he goes from a bullied high school student to one of Japan’s top boxing prospects. Madhouse’s anime adaptation is considered to be one of (if not THE) best sports anime of all time, having influenced a generation of real boxers across the globe. Now it’s time for those boxers to showcase their passion for the sport, and for Hajime no Ippo, in the franchise’s first real event.

Many boxers have expressed their love for Hajime no Ippo during matches. But, never before has it happened at an official Hajime no Ippo boxing event. Joji Morikawa’s inspiring and adrenaline-pumping sports manga/anime is hosting its first-ever live-boxing event, and it’s two decades overdue.

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Hajime no Ippo is Being Brought to Life

This November, Hajime no Ippo becomes a reality at the first-ever “Dynamite Gloves 2025.” The live sporting event will take place at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall on November 18th, and Hajime no Ippo fans do not want to miss it.

Seven professional bouts will take place on the night. Like Ippo’s early fights as an amateur boxer, the matches will be four-round bouts. As well as actual boxing matches, the event will also include an art exhibition showing off Morikawa’s work on the long-running, and still ongoing, manga, as well as anime-inspired visuals and banners. To top it all off, Joji Morikawa will be making a rare public appearance, giving a talk to those in attendance.

If that wasn’t cool enough, the venue (Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall) is where many of the fights in Hajime no Ippo take place, so it’ll be like spectators are watching matches from the anime. The event is open to international fans, and fans can now join a pre-registration waiting list on the event’s official website.

Hajime no Ippo’s Legacy on the Sports Genre

How can you not love Hajime no Ippo? It blends the classic underdog story with real boxing techniques, meaning it simultaneously entertains and educates viewers about the world of boxing. The anime first began airing in 2000 and came to an end in 2014. Morikawa’s manga is one of the longest-running series of all time (and longer than One Piece), so fans are hoping for more from the anime in the coming years, although this hasn’t been confirmed.

The series is on par with Takehiko Inoue’s Slam Dunk in terms of its influence on the sports genre of anime. Not only has its story and character work inspired modern classics like Haikyuu, but its success has also helped usher in the current age of sports anime. Before Slam Dunk and Hajime no Ippo, sports manga and anime weren’t popular. But both series broke that barrier down, and it’s them that we have to thank for the tidal wave of great sports anime we’re now being treated to.

H/T: Anime News Network

The post The Best Sports Anime of All Time Is Being Turned Into a Real Event appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Following a wave of Superman (2025) figures released by McFarlane Toys, Tamashii Nations will release their own David Corenswet figure in his role as the Man of Steel. The S.H. Figurarts figure is the latest collectible in an over-the-top collection of products that DC Comics has released in support of the upcoming film from James Gunn, which will arrive in theaters July 11.

The new S.H. Figuarts Superman figure will be a completely new sculpt with a wired fabric cape for dynamic posing. As you’ll see from the images below, they didn’t hold back on the texturing of the suit. It will also come with an interchangeable head and hands. If you’re game to add it to your collection, Tamashii Nations has revealed that figure will be available for pre-order July 1 in Japan, but with the film so close, it’s likely that it will be available in the U.S. at some point this week as well. If that happens, you’ll be able to pre-order one here at Entertainment Earth. This article will be updated with additional information when it becomes available, so stay tuned.

Written and directed by Gunn, Superman stars David Corenswet in the title role opposite Rachel Brosnahan as intrepid reporter Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as the Man of Steel’s archnemesis Lex Luthor. The first film in the newly rebooted DC Universe also introduces a cast of characters that includes superheroes Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), the Guy Gardner Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan), and The Authority’s Angela Spica/the Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría).

Tamashii Nations S.H. Figurarts Superman 2025 Figure / Coming Soon

Order at entertainment Earth

Rounding out the cast are Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell as Clark Kent’s adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent; Sara Sampaio and Terence Rosemore as Luthor’s associates, Eve Teschmacher and Otis; and Frank Grillo reprising his role from Creature Commandos as Rick Flag Sr. From The Daily Planet, Clark and Lois’ colleagues include Superman’s pal, Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), columnist Cat Grant (Mikaela Hoover), reporters Steve Lombard (Beck Bennett) and Ron Troupe (Christopher McDonald), and editor-in-chief Perry White (Wendell Pierce).

“In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC Universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind,” said Jeff Goldstein, President, Global Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

The post Superman 2025 S.H. Figuarts Pre-Orders Set To Launch This Week appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Christopher Nolan’s new movie, The Odyssey, is reportedly getting its first trailer as soon as this week, but you won’t be able to watch it at home. Christopher Nolan is one of the biggest directors out there and has won Oscars, achieved massive success at the box office, and helmed some of the most beloved Batman movies. He’s a name that can get butts in seats during a time where that’s pretty hard to do. There is always a lot of big buzz around new Nolan movies and his next movie looks like it will probably be one of his biggest. The Odyssey reportedly boasts a massive $250 million budget, making it one of his most expensive movies to date.

Although The Odyssey is still filming, Nolan likes to tease fans far in advance. Historically, Christopher Nolan’s movies will get a teaser trailer roughly a full year before the film is actually released and it will be kept as a theatrical exclusive. It appears that will once again happen with The Odyssey. Historically, these teasers are also attached to a specific movie, typically one that is releasing in IMAX and comes from the same studio he’s working with, which is Universal Studios in this case.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Trailer Reportedly Releases This Week Only in Theaters

A new rumor from Cryptic HD Quality, a fairly reliable leaker when it comes to new movie trailers, has claimed that first trailer for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey will run in theaters this month. It will be attached to Jurassic World Rebirth despite it not being shown in IMAX, but it is the only big Universal movie due out for the foreseeable future. Jurassic World Rebirth will release on Wednesday, July 2nd, so we won’t have to wait long to see it.

Although it’s expected to play in front of other July movie releases like Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it’s unclear if there will be an IMAX version of the trailer for those films. Nolan is a pioneer when it comes to using IMAX to film his movies and is sort of an unofficial spokesperson for the format, so it would only make sense we get a teaser that utilizes the IMAX format as well.

Nevertheless, this teaser trailer for The Odyssey is only expected to be released in theaters. This is tradition for Nolan who values the theatrical experience and these teasers typically never make their way online officially. There will probably be someone who records it on their phone and posts it to social media, but if you want a good, high quality version of the trailer, you probably won’t get it. The first proper trailer, if history is anything to go by, will likely be released online around December, possibly around the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash.

The Odyssey will release in theaters on July 17th, 2026.

The post Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Reportedly Getting First Trailer Soon (With a Catch) 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.

Heroes are almost always born out of tragedy. Peter Parker receives incredible abilities after being bitten by a radioactive spider, but it takes him losing Uncle Ben to understand that he has a responsibility to help people. Still, some iterations of Spider-Man see Peter give in to his dark side initially and try to get revenge on his uncle’s killer. The Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s Wanda Maximoff goes down a similar path after losing her parents in Sokovia at a young age. She and her brother, Pietro Maximoff, allow HYDRA to experiment on them, and the Mind Stone unlocks something in both of them.

By the time Earth’s Mightiest Heroes run into Wanda in Avengers: Age of Ultron, she’s all about knocking Tony Stark down a peg because his weapons killed her parents. Ultron gives her that opportunity, but his true plan isn’t something she can get behind. Wanda decides to help the Avengers, and together, they take down Ultron. Unfortunately, Wanda’s life after the Battle of Sokovia doesn’t get any easier.

Scarlet Witch Never Catches a Break in the MCU

After her brother’s death, Wanda turns over a new leaf and grows close to Vision. The Sokovia Accords tear them apart briefly because they end up on different sides of the argument, but after Captain America breaks Wanda out of the Raft, they get back on track. Wanda and Vision stick together throughout the events of Avengers: Infinity War, ending up in Wakanda when the Black Order comes looking for the Mind Stone. While the Avengers keep it out of their hands, Thanos comes knocking and, with five Infinity Stones in his back pocket, makes quick work of them. Wanda can only watch as Thanos rips the Mind Stone out of Vision’s head, and before she can even properly grieve, she’s turned to dust.

Wanda returns during the Battle of Earth in Avengers: Endgame and sets her sights on the Mad Titan. He escapes her wrath, but he doesn’t last much longer, being dusted along with the rest of his army. Wanda can’t handle all the pain, though, so she takes over Westview, New Jersey, creating a sitcom-like environment that all the residents can’t escape. Her mistakes catch up to her, and after embracing her identity as the Scarlet Witch, she says goodbye to the children she conjured. However, Wanda doesn’t think it’s fair that she keeps losing everyone she loves, which leads her to use the Darkhold’s power to search for her children across the multiverse in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

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The titular hero goes to great lengths to stop Wanda from sacrificing America Chavez, even dreamwalking into the body of a dead Stephen Strange. Fortunately, Wanda ultimately realizes the error of her ways and gives her life to destroy all the versions of the Darkhold. It’s a sad ending for a hero who has to go through so much, but at least she gets to say goodbye on her own terms.

Now, a decade later, the MCU is introducing a character who has it even worse than Scarlet Witch.

The Thing’s Life Could Be Full of Heartbreak After Fantastic Four: First Steps

Ben Grimm has it harder than all of his Fantastic Four teammates because his powers don’t require effort to manifest themselves. His body is always made up of rocks, which makes day-to-day tasks difficult. While the marketing for The Fantastic Four: First Steps shows that the Thing is in good spirits due to being beloved by children and adults alike, it’s only a matter of time before his appearance becomes an issue. However, that’s only the tip of the iceberg because Ben may have another curse that hurts his soul even more.

The final trailer for First Steps features a shot of the Thing with a beard, which is a relatively recent addition to the source material. Jonathan Hickman and Ron Garney’s Fantastic Four run sees the Future Foundation create a serum that allows Ben to turn human one day per year. The only downside is that he only ages in his human form, meaning he’s essentially immortal. Reed Richards visits the future in the comic and runs into Ben, who’s sporting a lengthy rock beard and a bad attitude. The Thing’s friends have been dead for centuries, and he just has to go on without them. The origin of Ben’s beard in First Steps is still a mystery, but if it has anything to do with time travel, it’s going to give the hero a taste of his lonely future.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25, 2025.

Do you think the Thing could be a more tragic character than Scarlet Witch in the MCU? Where do you think his rock beard comes from? Let us know in the comments below!

The post A New MCU Hero Just Usurped Scarlet Witch as the Franchise’s Most Tragic Character appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Kinema Citrus, the same studio that brought us Made in Abyss and The Rising of the Shield Hero, has finally released new teaser footage and poster for the company’s upcoming The Little Mermaid adaptation, Goodbye, Lara. The studio initially announced the project in 2024, sharing the first teaser at Anime Central. The company also announced the light-hearted school anime, Ninja Skooler, alongside Goodbye, Lara. The two teasers for Goodbye, Lara evoke the classical Studio Ghibli feel, with bright colors, soft character designs, fluid animation, and mundane life within the fantastical. The original footage focused heavily on the storybook atmosphere of the tale, showing Lara slumbering within the pages of the classic Little Mermaid novel.

The first teaser features a mixture of Lara’s extraordinary life underwater and her normal life above ground with human legs. The underwater stuff features many classic Little Mermaid traits, including the evil sea witch and the undersea castle. The normal life parts are more contemporary, with Lara befriending a Japanese schoolgirl and meeting a charming blond boy. The new teaser is shorter, highlighting a few scenes in the series, including the iconic scene of the titular mermaid saving a drowned prince, the underwater castle, and Lara learning how to run. Goodbye, Lara is expected to release in 2026.

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Why Is The Little Mermaid Important in Anime?

The Little Mermaid is one of those Western media that is fairly popular in Japan. Several prolific European and American stories have discovered great success in the country, including Alice in Wonderland and Anne of Green Gables. Classic fairytales like The Little Mermaid were always popular in Japan, with the iconic Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid anime film predating the more infamous Disney animated film by 14 years. However, Disney’s The Little Mermaid has become so ubiquitous with the fairy tale that the animated movie continues to influence more modern renditions of the story. The protagonist in Goodbye, Lara even has bright red hair just like Ariel in Disney’s film, a trait that wasn’t specified in the original Andersen story. The classic 1975 Little Mermaid anime film had the titular character as a blonde.

While the two teaser footage emphasizes the slice-of-life aspect of Lara, the poster and title hint at a darker undertone. The original Andersen story was a more somber story featuring a more tragic ending for the character, whereas the more iconic Disney film had a happier ending. The 1975 Little Mermaid anime film kept the more bittersweet ending. The Goodbye, Lara’s name suggests the main character will have to leave, and people have to say their farewells, which is similar to how the original story ended. The new official poster is a close-up on Lara’s eye as she sheds tears that shine like stars. It’s a much more dire image than what the anime is advertising as. Goodbye, Lara is being sold a fun, slice-of-life anime starring a mermaid who is learning how to live in the human world.

The title and poster hint at a sadder story, probably one closer to the original tale. This wouldn’t be the first time that Kinema Citrus tricked audiences with its marketing. The company notoriously advertised Made in Abyss as a much more lighthearted show than it became, making it one of the most somber yet still hopeful shows in the last ten years.

The post The Little Mermaid’s Anime Drops Ghibli-Like Trailer and New Look appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Denis Villeneuve finally gets to do his own take on James Bond. In 2017, he revealed he’d been in talks to direct a Bond film, but it had fallen through because of his commitment to Dune. With the third (and presumably final) Dune shooting this summer and coming out next winter, Amazon and MGM handed him the keys to Ian Fleming’s take on MI-6, and its most impressive secret agent. Predictions on who would actually be the next Bond have been all over the place ever since Daniel Craig hung up his tuxedo with No Time to Die in 2021.

There’s no real profile of the ‘perfect’ Bond, which might be why there’s been no clear successor emerge in the past few years. Despite what common knowledge might suggest, Ian Fleming actually didn’t love the idea of Sean Connery as Bond; he was too big and bulky. George Lazenby, the one-off, wasn’t British at all; he was Australian. Roger Moore didn’t start playing Bond until his mid-40s. Timothy Dalton was lean and broody in the role before Daniel Craig ever showed up. Pierce Brosnan was Irish, and he was a previous runner-up for the role. And Daniel Craig was infamously blonde. Part of the thrill of Bond is that anyone could be Bond; but knowing who the director is might help us figure out who the perfect James Bond could be. Here are seven actors who would be perfect for Denis Villeneuve’s take on 007.

7) Jacob Elordi

Let’s get the obvious pick out of the way: of the three young British actors on Amazon-MGM’s list, Elordi seems the most likely to actually take the role. He’s still under 30 (reportedly one of Amazon-MGM’s hopes), and his being Australian doesn’t hurt his chances, because we know he can do a fine English accent. He’d be the tallest Bond, at 6’5″, but that’s not a bad thing. Between him, Harris Dickinson, and Tom Holland, he seems the most equipped to carry on a stoic quality in the role. His lack of action experience might play against him, but Timothée Chalamet wasn’t exactly an action star before Villeneuve chose him for Dune, either.

6) Will Poulter

Will Poulter could be an inspired choice for the next Bond; he’s consistently surprised people since his first big franchise role as Narnia’s Eustace Scrubb. He’s got MCU experience thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and there’s even rumors James Gunn wants to bring him into his new take on the DCU. He’s got a lot of action experience, and he’s not such a big name that his level of fame would surpass Bond’s cultural cache. If Villeneuve wants his Bond to be as action-packed as he’s said in the past, Poulter might be the most experienced choice in roughly the age range Amazon-MGM is hoping for.

5) Sam Claflin

Sam Claflin is probably too old to play the new Bond at this point, but he would still be a good Bond. He’s also worked with Amazon on another high-profile project, with Daisy Jones and the Six. He has the broody qualities most of the past Bonds have held, in some capacity, but he can also turn on the charm when need be. He’s also got an expressive face, which might help if Villeneuve really cuts back on dialogue and focuses on action, like he’s said he’d like to. Even if he doesn’t fit for Bond, one hopes he’s being considered for some kind of supporting role within MI-6 itself.

4) Aaron Pierre

Aaron Pierre‘s name keeps coming up in Internet discussions, and it’s hard to argue with his credits over the past few years. He’s worked with Amazon on The Underground Railroad, he played Malcolm X, he was the voice of Mufasa in in the titular Lion King prequel… he’s a LAMDA grad, and he’s British. Pierre has a lot of intensity, and he has plenty of action experience. He could be an ideal Bond, especially if Villeneuve’s film represents a new evolution completely for 007.

3) Rebecca Ferguson

This may be the most ‘hear me out’ choice of them all, but of all of Villeneuve’s past stars, Rebecca Ferguson seems the most suited to be Bond… or a version of Bond. She doesn’t get to do a lot in the Dune movies, but we know she’s great at action, and she can certainly lead her own show (see Silo). Her mother is English, and her first big role was a historic English queen, so she’d fit the nationality requirements. Even if she doesn’t play Bond himself (themself?) one can only hope she gets a chance to graduate spy franchises, and be more than the typical Bond girl. Villeneuve’s worked with a host of star actors, such as Gyllenhaal, Gosling, and Chalamet, but they all seem too American (or Canadian, in Gosling’s case) to actually fit in Bond’s shoes. They’re also all too well known. Rebecca Ferguson, on the other hand, might slip right in, like she has in so many other franchises.

2) Jack Lowden

Jack Lowden has a lot going for him in support of his being the next James Bond: he might be a few years too old, but he’s Scottish, just like the original. He’s also been showing off his spy chops in the much beloved Slow Horses, which is reminiscent of Pierce Brosnan showing off his stuff in Remington Steele before finally landing Bond. Lowden has worked with Christopher Nolan before, and he can certainly handle action showdowns — even if many Slow Horses stunts for River Cartwright feel more Buster Keaton-esque than truly contemporary. The only thing that might play against him, in the end, is that he’s River, who in many ways is an anti-Bond.

1) Asa Butterfield

Anyone can get jacked. If the last ten years of action stardom have taught us anything, it’s that. Asa Butterfield might seem an entirely unconventional choice, but he isn’t, really, when you look at him on paper. He’s 6 feet, he’s just under 30, and he’s been able to lead movies and shows since he was a kid. The above image is from Second Best, a play about a fictional runner-up for the Boy Who Lived in the first Harry Potter franchise. He’s next starring in Duncan Jones’s Rogue Trooper. His turn as Ender Wiggin in the 2013 Ender’s Game might be what clinches him as an ideal Bond, though; Ender is a strategic kid genius from the start, sure, but he has to learn how to actually fight. Butterfield’s take on that journey works because Ender isn’t great from the start; if this new 007 is to be a wholly new take on Bond, maybe what we need, ultimately, is a Bond origin story.

Who would be your pick for Villeneuve’s Bond? Who would you like to see populate the next installment of the Bond films? Let us know in the comments!

The post 7 Actors Perfect for Denis Villeneuve’s James Bond appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the most underappreciated DC movies ever made will be leaving Netflix very soon. While there are many brilliant DC projects available to watch on Netflix in the United States, including several of The CW’s Arrowverse shows (Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow) plus a number of DC animated series, one of the franchise’s most underrated projects will soon be lost. On July 1, 2025, Francis Lawrence’s Constantine, starring Keanu Reeves as the titular exorcist, will be leaving Netflix.

Based on DC Comics’ Hellblazer comic series, Constantine focuses on Reeves’ John Constantine, a cynical warlock and occult detective who has the ability to perceive angels and demons and travel between Earth and Hell. While Constantine was met with a mixed response after its original release in February 2005, the movie has received retrospective acclaim and amassed a huge cult following, which means many will be sad to see it leaving Netflix on July 1st. Constantine may be bidding farewell to Netflix now, but the movie’s history on the streaming platform proves there’s still hope.

Constantine first joined Netflix on January 1, 2016, over a decade after its original release, and, since then, it’s been removed and added back three times. There’s typically been a gap of two or three years between the movie being removed from Netflix and returning, which means it’s possible that Constantine could return to the streamer in 2026, 2027, or beyond. This might be just in time to act as promotion for Constantine’s much-anticipated sequel, which was confirmed to be in development back in 2022.

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The upcoming sequel to Constantine will be a DC Elseworlds project, set outside the mainstream DC Universe. James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC franchise kicked off with the animated Creature Commandos series in 2024, and will be continuing with July’s Superman reboot, while the likes of Matt Reeves’ The Batman movies, Todd Phillips’ Joker movies, and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ planned Black-led Superman movie are all Elseworlds projects set in alternate realities. Constantine 2 doesn’t yet have a scheduled release date, but both Lawrence and Reeves are expected to return.

Audiences have one day left to watch Constantine on Netflix, but there is a chance the 2005 movie could return to the streaming service at some point in the future. It would be even more exciting if this occurs in the lead-up to Constantine 2’s release, though it’s unclear exactly when this will take place. Constantine’s vocal and passionate cult following is waiting patiently for the sequel to release, but should catch up on the 2005 original beforehand – it’s a brilliant and underrated DC flick.

What did you make of Constantine? Are you excited for the sequel? Let us know in the comments!

The post Netflix Is About to Lose One of the Most Underrated DC Movies Ever appeared first on ComicBook.com.

For its whole history, one of the most troubling parts of anime has been its relationship to its source material. For any given adaptation, there are inevitable arguments about whether the source or the anime is better. With the industry looking toward using anime to save failed manga, these discussions might just intensify. For others, though, the situation is pretty cut-and-dry.

At this point, we’ll be earnest and say that not all of these manga are horrible; in fact, some of them are pretty great. The industry has a built-in filter—if a manga gets an anime, it’s probably already pretty decent. After all, animation studios don’t have infinite resources to work with. Nonetheless, there are countless incredible anime that outshine their manga renditions. Whether by making sense of a dense forestry of illegible paneling, expanding paper-thin narratives, or bringing out elements that simply don’t do well in the manga format, these anime are top-notch examples of how thoughtful adaptation can improve any story.

1) Dororo

Dororo is one of the best anime ever. It’s a gripping shonen story about a samurai without a master named Hyakkimaru, and a young boy named Dororo who accompanies him. The series has two different anime adaptations—a 1969 effort from Mushi Production, and a 2019 effort from MAPPA. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, but generally, the latter is recommended to those trying to get into the series today.

Fans of Dororo‘s anime might be surprised to learn that its manga really isn’t that great. Or rather, it shows its age tremendously: Osamu Tezuka’s original manga debuted in 1967, back when shonen storylines were significantly simpler than today’s. MAPPA’s gorgeous adaptation follows the same basic premise as Tezuka’s Dororo, but it also deviates significantly. Beyond the usual elevations, MAPPA’s Dororo implements a great deal of narrative depth that was otherwise absent. On its own, Dororo is unimpressive to readers today; meanwhile, aesthetically and narratively, 2019’s Dororo is one of the most beautiful anime ever made.

2) K-On!

K-On! started out as 4-koma, or a comic with four cells and a traditionally rigid narrative structure. As a story about five girls making music together in the Light Music Club, it’s obvious that the music that an animated adaptation can provide would lift up K-On!’s story, but the problems run deeper into its narrative structure. K-On!‘s original comic was lacking in a lot of dimensions that the show would become known for.

This, in turn, became a job for Kyoto Animation, a legendary studio with a reputation for massively building on their source materials. One fan ran the numbers in a publicly available Google Doc, finding that K-On!’s anime is over 80% original material. Needless to say, Kyoto Animation’s expert work with K-On! brought depth, dimension, and heart to a comic that was limited in its storytelling and lacking in impact.

3) Sailor Moon

Sailor Moon is an iconic magical girl anime, and its best-kept secret is that the source material isn’t all that great. Granted, some people find it very charming, but there’s a serious lack of certain basic elements. Take the fact that it’s offensively rushed. The manga is far more serious and way darker, which appeals to many. But the side effect is that Sailor Moon‘s manga cuts straight to action without taking time for characterization. Not to mention, Naoko Takeuchi isn’t the best at rendering her ideas on the page.

By comparison, although Sailor Moon‘s anime is far more lighthearted, it ensures characters outside of Usagi and Mamoru are developed. A big part of this is also its liberal use of filler. Filler does a tremendous job of expanding Sailor Moon‘s world and building out concepts its manga iteration left underdeveloped; it also creates room for much-appreciated comic relief and depth. Add in the additional clarity that animation brought to the manga’s sometimes-confusing battles, and the anime emerges a clear winner.

4) Usagi Drop

Usagi Drop, also known by its English title Bunny Drop, is a heartwarming story that plays with slice-of-life, comedy, and drama elements. In Usagi Drop, the single 30-yegreatar-old Daikichi finds himself suddenly saddled with a six-year-old daughter, Rin. Although he’s eternally uncertain about his abilities, she has a hugely positive impact on his own life. The manga is great until it isn’t: a ten-year time skip leads down some iffy roads as Rin, now a high-schooler, develops feelings for Daikichi.

The anime decides to say no to the time skip, and fans couldn’t be happier with the decision. In fact, many of them choose to consider the anime’s ending the real one, some even playfully denying that Usagi Drop‘s manga ever existed to begin with. Add that to the fact that it’s an all-around lovely watch with beguiling art and pacing, and the anime comes out a clear victor over its source material.

5) JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Admittedly, this one is kind of cheating. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is an incredible manga, and its creator Hirohiko Araki is a landmark talent on the level of Urasawa (Monster, 20th Century Boys) and Miura (Berserk). But, with that said, David Production’s incredible adaptation of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure elevates the source material to such a nuts degree that it would be sacrilegious not to mention it. The list isn’t “great manga to incredible anime”, but bear with us. There are numerous examples of this expert handling.

In a general sense, JoJo‘s fast-paced and often convoluted action is better represented on the screen than in manga format. The immeasurable difference between the manga and anime depictions of Golden Wind‘s Diavolo’s Stand, King Crimson, is enough to demonstrate the difference that motion, sound, and color can make. However, the benefit of hindsight also adds a lot: for example, David Production cleaned up manga’s presentation of simultaneous events on July 15th in Diamond is Unbreakable. For purposes of clarity, JoJo‘s anime wins every day—even if Araki’s manga is already fantastic. There’s a reason fans think an anime will take Steel Ball Run to the next level.

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6) Houseki no Kuni

Houseki no Kuni, also known by its English title Land of the Lustrous, is a brilliant effort by mangaka Haruko Ichikawa. However, it’s a seinen action manga based around immortal humanoid gemstones called Gems. It goes without saying that gemstones are, well, colored, which should already tell you where the problems emerge. As a work of art, Houseki no Kuni‘s manga is a gorgeous effort with high visual appeal. As a story, it’s hard to follow; the manga’s many characters blend together, and it takes a lot of cognitive effort to understand what’s happening.

The 2017 anime by Studio Orange wasn’t just a stunning adaptation. It was so good that it convinced countless people that CG anime had potential. As for the core narrative of Houseki no Kuni, it brought attention to scenes that were insignificant in the manga, in turn shedding light on some underappreciated moments. The presentation is also miles better. Believe it or not, color is as important for telling Gems apart as they are for telling, well, gems apart. The anime format turns the abstract, hard-to-parse manga on its head, for the better.

7) Ghost in the Shell

Ghost in the Shell is another example that by no means is a bad manga. However, for most fans, Masamune Shirow’s The Ghost in the Shell would be pretty much unrecognizable in comparison to the 1995 Ghost in the Shell from Production I.G, directed by Mamoru Oshii (who also directed its 2004 follow-up, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence). It’s also the film, rather than the manga, that would set the tone for the entire franchise built around the manga.

But the manga is nothing like the film, nor is it like any of the acclaimed offshoot media like 2002’s anime serial Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Shirow emphasized very different things, putting humor and characterization at the forefront. Anybody familiar with Oshii’s style will know that those things aren’t exactly his bag: Oshii emphasized atmosphere, philosophical weight, and the visual/narrative dimensions, only adapting a few sequences from the original manga. As far as Ghost in the Shell goes, it was 100% Oshii who put it on the map.

8) Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

It’s probably controversial to throw Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba in here, but among fans, it’s practically a universal opinion that the anime is leagues better than the manga. Bear in mind, it’s not fair to call Demon Slayer a horrible manga. It’s not. Gotouge’s Demon Slayer debuted in 2016, and it’s been called a “good enough” manga by some: it definitely does the trick, but it doesn’t do anything special for its time and place. Its story and mechanics feel very generic in manga format.

Then along came Ufotable’s 2019 adaptation and the game changed entirely. Again, while Demon Slayer‘s manga was fine on its own, its fan base exploded after the anime―and for good reason. Ufotable’s meticulous, beautiful animation and expert storyboarding, casting, and pacing filled out the lackluster manga, allowing certain elements to shine and the rest to breathe. Against all odds, Demon Slayer became a franchise that could age like a fine wine, showing that even a middling premise can enrapture potential fans with the right execution.

9) Ga-Rei: Zero

Ga-Rei is a bit of a different case. The story, art, and characters don’t shine at all. As a whole, the manga is incredibly mediocre. The premise is incredibly run-of-the-mill, predicated on Kensuke Nimura’s ability to see spirits and his recruitment to a government agency tasked with fighting them off. There’s also a teased romance between Kensuke and his spirit-devouring partner, Kagura, but nothing ever comes of it.

By every metric, the story is unimpressive, and it was received by fans as such; nonetheless, a following in Japan led to the series getting an anime. It wasn’t, however, an adaptation of the manga itself. Instead, Ga-Rei received a prequel: Ga-Rei: Zero, handled by AIC Spirits (Date a Live, Maken-Ki!) and asread. (Arifureta, Shuffle!). To the practically unanimous surprise of the Western anime community, Ga-Rei: Zero was way better than its source material. Anime fans loved its music, characters, and thoughtful animation. They were also hooked by its first episode, enjoying its meticulous writing and execution all the way to the equally beloved ending.

10) Mob Psycho 100

Maybe this is a cheap shot, but it’s worth mentioning anyway: everybody knows that art isn’t ONE’s strong suit. That even comes across in adaptations of his two best-known works, One-Punch Man and Mob Psycho 100 with his quirky character designs. On one hand, they are indeed a personal style for the artist (who emphasizes comedy over glamor), but on the other, they’re also just a reflection of his background: a webcomic artist who caught some fame, rather than a professional mangaka. ONE’s strength has always been his storytelling, and that’s what carries Mob Psycho 100‘s manga.

Where One-Punch Man was remade with art by Murata for Weekly Shonen Jump, Studio Bones was working with the bare-bones publication of Mob Psycho 100 illustrated by ONE. Bones’ adaptation breathes an unbelievable amount of life into ONE’s panels which are, whether by necessity or habit, often stiff and lacking in depth―especially when it comes to depicting action or environments. Combine that with brilliant sound design and great voice acting, and ONE’s charming writing is finally given room to shine.

At the end of the day, there are a lot of reasons an anime might outshine its source, although anime failing their manga counterparts is way more common. Like the entries on this list show, even well-regarded manga have some essential shortcomings that can be ironed out in their anime format. We think it’s pretty hard to disagree with our picks if you see where we’re coming from—which is why we’d love to hear your thoughts below!

In the meantime, if you’re looking for some stellar manga we can’t wait to see adapted, click through to the list below!

The post 10 Most Amazing Anime That Outclassed Their Manga appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Just because Zelda games have become open-world with Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t mean that traditional Zelda games like Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, and Twilight Princess are outdated and need to come to an end. When visual fidelity and the upgraded technology allowed for 3D Zelda games to be produced, that didn’t result in the end of top-down versions of Zelda. Hits like The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom are still great additions to the franchise and don’t detract from the experience. There is still an audience of players who are excited about top-down Zelda games, and the same is likely true for the traditional non-open-world experience as well.

For audiences that are still of the mindset that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the best Zelda game ever, the recent Zelda games perhaps leave an itch that is left unscratched. As a result, here are five reasons why Nintendo should continue making traditional Zelda titles moving forward.

1) The Relevancy of Music to Gameplay

The music of the open-world Zelda games offer hauntingly beautiful music that fits the natural adventure of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. The soundtracks for these games leave you with a feeling of melancholy and the desire to explore the world around you. However beautiful the music in the open world, it is missing one important detail within the Zelda franchise. A core talent of Link, separate from his swordmanship or the ability to shoot a bow, is also his ability with musical instruments.

Across the different adventures, Link has played several instruments like the Spirit Flute, the Harp of Ages, and the Ocarina of Time. The music played is intertwined and relevant to the gameplay, impacting things like the flow of time, the weather, the movement of the sun, fast travel, and more. While top-down and linear Zelda games have built a marriage between the gameplay and music, this is inherently missing in the open-world adventures. While one could consider it a one-off with Breath of the Wild, after the release of Tears of the Kingdom, there realistically seems to be an inherent mismatch between the open-world settings and music-based gameplay. If so, then it only gives more cause to believe that traditional Zelda games still have something to offer fans that the open-world games are missing.

2) The Challenge of the Dungeons

Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom forgo the traditional dungeons and instead opt for a plethora of smaller shrines. A world can exist where in-depth and difficult dungeons exist side-by-side with the shrines. However, in the current generation of Zelda games, dungeons are easy and not something to look forward to anymore. Instead, dungeons are merely an obstacle that sits in the way of story progression or is secondary to the world exploration itself. That exploration does offer a state of bliss and sits at the core of the open-world experience, but also misses audiences looking for a challenging combat experience from the enemies, dungeons, and final bosses to defeat.

Zelda dungeons usually incorporate puzzles, like the shrines, that offer one element of challenge, but also incorporate combat challenges. Each room and floor of a temple or dungeon comes with a variety of new enemies to contend with, a mini-boss at the halfway point, and new items of power to acquire before progressing to the main boss. Therein, each dungeon is like an allegory of the Triforce itself, requiring wisdom to complete the puzzles, the courage to face unknown enemies and environments, and the power to defeat those foes. If the open world is missing that balance, perhaps that value can instead be found in bringing dungeons back in a major way in the future.

3) The Gift of Opening a Chest

Next to the importance of a gritty and in-depth dungeon is the relevance of traditional dungeon items. If most items and equipment are breakable or consumable, the intrinsic value of each item collected is overall reduced. More customization options are available in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, which give more ownership to how Link is outfitted best for the adventure, and more control to individual playstyles, but they miss out on the excitement and pleasure of finding a unique equipment chest.

The loss is no greater felt than with the loss of the animation and music associated with opening an important chest from older Zelda games. While there may be value to the philosophy that the journey is sometimes greater than the reward, prior Zelda titles made a pretty great case for the reward being just as valuable as the journey itself. Those chests offered up items of great importance for story progression and usually added new gameplay mechanics that, up until that chest was opened, were unavailable to the player. In that sense, the world exists in one fashion before the chest, and is a completely different place after the chest.

4) The Intrinsic Value of the Master Sword and Hylian Shield

Items that are breakable or consumable also come with another impact on a few other items of great import to the Zelda franchise: the Master Sword and Hylian Shield. While both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom offered meaningful adjustments, the value pales in comparison to prior iterations like Twilight Princess or Majora’s Mask. The Master Sword, while still a key item, loses energy and becomes unavailable for ten minutes instead of breaking. Meanwhile, the Hylian Shield is neither a main quest nor a side quest item that can easily be missed in an entire playthrough, which feels like a tremendous loss given how iconic it is to Link’s character.

In comparison, traditional Zelda games typically offer mainline or side quests that saw the Master Sword or Hylian Shield as something that you had to earn or grow into using. The Hylian Shield is perhaps the best example. The narrative usually begins with a wooden shield that burns and takes damage easily, but as you grow into the hero’s role, you can equip a shield worthy of the role. In Ocarina of Time, that shield is something Link truly has to grow into, and in Skyward Sword, a plethora of lore behind the value of the Hylian Shield and Master Sword is revealed.

5) Story Density

The Legend of Zelda games always come with a rich level of story behind each game to uncover. A facet that is quite strong within the open-world stories of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is the memories that are scattered throughout. They provide a rich tapestry to collect and better understand the characters involved and their motivations, and do so in ways that aren’t covered in a linear or top-down Zelda game. Those memories, at times, offer glimpses into the lives of Link and Zelda that show strong character development and a sense of nostalgia.

However, inversely, those moments if never found are never experienced. By making each moment a collectible spread throughout the entire open world, it leaves space for moments of impact to be left unnoticed. At times, the moments occur so spread out that the narrative is broken, fragmented, and postmarked, so that the audience is left in a space to forget what the central story is about. A linear narrative leaves audiences in a place where likely everyone plays the same story, and is concentrated over a smaller timeframe. Less room is left to forget about the main goal or central narrative when key milestones and objectives are kept at the focal point. While an open world comes with a host of opportunities and challenges, it also comes with more distractions and opportunities to lose sight of the story itself.

The post 5 Reasons Nintendo Needs to Return to Making Traditional Zelda Games 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.

We’re still in the early stages of the new DC Universe that James Gunn is guiding, but that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating on when Harley Quinn will debut. Margot Robbie brought Harley Quinn to life on the big screen, and her adult animated series on HBO Max continues to impress. The first DC heroine to get the spotlight is Milly Alcock’s Supergirl. Of course, Harley Quinn will eventually appear, but it’s the team-up potential that should get fans excited. This happens all the time in the comics, so why should the theatrical DC Universe be any different? One DC Comics team-up features the potential of pairing Harley Quinn with other antiheroes.

DC released a preview of Gotham City Sirens: Unfit for Orbit #1 by Leah Williams and Haining. It begins inside Harley Quinn’s apartment, where we see her hyenas sound asleep. As for Harley, she’s in the bathroom listening to music while taking a shower. Suddenly, a masked individual sneaks in through a window. The hyenas get up growling, but the individual takes their glove off so they can sniff her hand.

Harley Quinn comes up on the masked person from behind, wielding a massive mallet. The mysterious character ducks and strikes back, kicking Harley Quinn on the side of the head. They continue fighting until Harley slips on a pool of water, allowing her attacker to pull off the towel covering her bare skin. The preview reveals our mystery character is Catwoman, who asks Harley how she’s been.

Catwoman and Harley Quinn are going to be joined by Poison Ivy for Gotham City Sirens: Unfit for Orbit, a five-issue event series featuring an intergalactic nightclub opening up in Gotham City. The owner of the nightclub, Despero, is looking to destroy Earth, and it’s up to Harley Quinn, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy to stop him.

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“MEN MAY BE FROM MARS, BUT BADDIES ARE FROM VENUS!” the description of Gotham City Sirens: Unfit for Orbit #1 reads. “There’s a hot new outer space-themed nightclub in Gotham City, and who better to rob it than Catwoman, Ivy, and Harley? But there’s more to this intergalactic discotheque than meets the eye(s), as the Sirens discover when they stumble headfirst into a plot to destroy the entire planet led by the club’s owner — the alien despot Despero! I hope you have good insurance, Gotham City, because you’re about to get wrecked. Special appearances by deadly DJs, hunky alien hotties, dancers dressed as aliens, mutant failures, one wild UFO, and lots and lots of fire!”

James Gunn is staying busy fleshing out the rest of the DC Universe. Tom Rhys Harries has been cast as Clayface, and it appears that Matt Reeves has finished the script for The Batman 2. Later this month Superman releases, and it’s the first theatrical release for the new DC Universe. The reception to Superman will dictate how the rest of the DC Universe unfolds, including when we’ll see Harley Quinn and the rest of the Gotham City Sirens.

Gotham City Sirens: Unfit for Orbit #1 goes on sale Wednesday, July 2nd. Let us know your thoughts on the preview in the comments below!

The post DC Gives Harley Quinn a Reunion We Need to See in James Gunn’s DC Universe appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It appears that Nintendo is preparing fans for a price increase on the Nintendo Switch. The Nintendo Switch is one of the best selling consoles of all-time just behind the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS. It was a huge win for Nintendo when it was released back in 2017 as the company took a big hit with the Wii U, a console that failed commercially despite being generally well-liked by Nintendo fans. Thankfully, the Switch was a huge hit largely thanks to it being a console/portable hybrid that allowed fans to take console-quality games on the go. Of course, there were some compromises to keep it affordable and it would show there’s demand for other things like Steam Deck, but it was a huge hit.

Now, the Nintendo Switch 2 is here and it has been a huge hit so far. It is a much more powerful version of its predecessor, allowing players to play big games like Hitman and Cyberpunk 2077 on the go while retaining solid performance. There are still plans for Nintendo to keep supporting the Switch 1, as games like Metroid Prime 4 are slated to come to the console at launch later this year. It’s unclear how long this support will last, but Switch 1 fans will have some time to upgrade without missing on too much stuff.

Nintendo Switch Price Increase in Canada Teased by Nintendo

With that said, if you’re looking to buy a Nintendo Switch in hopes that the price is going to drop after the release of the Switch 2, don’t hold your breath… especially if you’re in Canada. Nintendo has announced that the Nintendo Switch will be getting a price change due to “market conditions” in Canada and more information will be revealed in August. Unfortunately, this will apply to all versions of the Nintendo Switch as well as games and accessories. The one upside is this does not apply to the Nintendo Switch 2.

“Pricing for the original Nintendo Switch family of systems and products in Canada will change based on market conditions,” said Nintendo. “These include Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, physical and digital Nintendo Switch games and Nintendo Switch accessories. Other Nintendo products, including amiibo and Nintendo Switch Online memberships will also experience price changes. Please note: This pricing change does not apply to the Nintendo Switch 2 system, accessories, or software.”

Given the heads-up and the wording of Nintendo’s statement, it seems to be teasing a price increase for the console as a price drop wouldn’t be teased like this nor would it feel so ominous. Furthermore, if it was a price drop, it wouldn’t make sense for games and accessories to all drop at the same time as well. It likely indicates a price increase across the board. This only applies to Canada right now, but we’ll keep you posted if this changes for other countries or if there’s a price increase on the Nintendo Switch 2 in the future. Some fans feared a Switch 2 price increase prior to release due to tariffs, but that didn’t end up coming to fruition.

The post Nintendo Switch Teases Imminent Price Increase in Some Countries appeared first on ComicBook.com.

2025 has already been an incredible year for film, with many films already vying for Academy Award nominations. From sentimental love stories like Materialists or loud racing blockbusters like F1: The Movie, there looks to be a lot of competition at this year’s awards show. Easily the biggest Oscar contender to come out in 2025 so far is Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. Coogler’s first venture into original storytelling is his magnum opus, combining deep thematics with a relentlessly entertaining vampire story in a manner that anyone can enjoy. Although horror films rarely receive recognition at the Academy Awards, this film is more than worthy of being acknowledged.

Not only should the film be nominated in a variety of categories, but it should easily win Best Picture. Its ability to transform the medium and entertain audiences makes it extremely deserving of the top award in film.

Sinners Is the Phenomenon That No One Saw Coming

Sinners had a lot of hype throughout its production, due to the star power of Black Panther and Creed duo Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler, but the real buzz came right when the film was released. The love for Sinners was widespread, and this was reflected in its box office run. In its second weekend, the film experienced a 4.8% decrease from its opening weekend – a rare occurrence for a horror movie. This statistic not only represents the film’s strong acclaim but also provides a reason why the Academy should consider it for an Oscar.

Ryan Coogler has built an incredible resume of films, with movies like Judas and the Black Messiah scoring him an Oscar nomination for producing, and a songwriting nomination for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – and that’s not counting the numerous actors and crew members who have all gained major awards nominations and/or wins from working on Coogler projects. Sinners is arguably his best work yet. His deep passion for film is seen in every frame. Whether it’s the stunning and innovative 70mm cinematography or its awe-inspiring musical numbers, Ryan Coogler delivers an experience that is more than worthy of earning him an Oscar nomination.

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Ludwig Göransson is arguably the best modern composer of his time, and his work on Sinners is strong evidence of that. The way he blends blues music with rock instrumentals makes for a one-of-a-kind experience. The music serves as a tempo, grounding the film with a rhythm that brings it to life. Göransson has already received two Oscar wins in the past decade, but his work on Sinners could potentially earn him a third, and it would be deeply deserved.

Sinners Is Unlike Any 2025 Movie Experience

The cinematography in Sinners not only brings the world to life in such an expansive manner, but also changed how films are shot. It was the first film ever to be shot using Ultra Panavision 70 and IMAX 65 cameras simultaneously; these cameras allow for a taller and broader view of the frame, creating the most beautiful images 2025 has to offer. The film also invented the halo rig, which involves surrounding an actor’s face with 10 to 12 cameras to capture facial movements. These technical achievements not only make Sinners a worthy Best Picture winner, but also make the film deserving of a win in the cinematography category.

Sinners also boasts one of the best ensembles of 2025, which is unlikely to change by the end of the year. Michael B. Jordan’s previous collaborations with Ryan Coogler have showcased his talents, but his work in Creed II expresses his range as an actor. His ability to convey two entirely different characters makes for a highly compelling performance worthy of Oscar consideration. But the surprise performances of the film come from Delroy Lindo and Miles Caton. Lindo brings an excellent sense of humor to the film while portraying his character’s tragedy with seamless ease. Caton is the heart of the film, with his powerful singing voice and emotionally driven performance bringing the film’s main themes to life. With this being the first year of the Best Casting category, I fully expected Sinners to be nominated.

The film is not just a well-made vampire flick, but a deeply resonant look at black oppression, freedom, and music. The film utilizes vampires as a metaphor for the harsh reality of the path to freedom, illustrating how it sometimes means being stripped of one’s humanity. It also uses music as a means for building culture and how it can bring generations of people together. The way the film tells its story feels singular to Ryan Coogler, but it manages to connect with all types of audiences. It’s hard to imagine there being a sharper or denser screenplay this year.

Sinners is exactly how Ryan Coogler describes it: a “full meal.” From an incredible ensemble to a powerful screenplay, the film hits every mark needed to be a great film. Although 2025 is only halfway done, it is hard to see any movie topping it as the best of the year. With numerous worthy technical elements, as well as its innovation to the industry, no other film is more deserving of winning the Best Picture prize than Sinners.

Sinners is available to rent on VOD and stream on Max on July 4th.

The post Why Sinners Should Win Best Picture appeared first on ComicBook.com.

July 2025’s first big release is out this week, on July 2, and ahead of this release date the PC game has been Verified on Steam Deck. Verified, for those that don’t know, means Valve has tested the game on the handheld machine, and can confirm it is both fully playable and functional on Steam Deck. This means it works great with the built-in display and controls, and requires no settings configuring on the user front.

As for the Steam game in question, it is Mecha Break from Amazing Seasun Games. The multiplayer third-person shooter has been earning lots of attention and anticipation in its pre-release period, and looks poised to be perhaps the biggest Steam release of the month. And the moment it releases it will be available for Steam Deck users to enjoy and enjoy knowing it has been tested by Valve.

“After the Catastrophe, humanity harnassed the power of Corite — a mysterious carbon-silicon mineral driving rapid technological recovery,” reads an official description of the game for those unfamiliar with it. “But its pathogenic nature and relentless spread threaten to consume Earth’s last habitable spaces. In just decades, Corite is projected to engulf the globe. Humanity must find a way to preserve civilization before the countdown reaches zero. Resist. Adapt. Escape. Or follow Corite’s call and forge a new path. Uncover the secrets of Corite and fight for the future! Join S.H.A.D.O.W., pilot third-generation BREAK Strikers, and deploy now!”

The game’s official Steam description continues: “Choose your mecha—assault, melee, sniper, reconnaissance, or support. Battle at breakneck speed across three action-packed modes: Ace Arena (3v3), Operation VERGE (6v6), and Operation STORM (PvPvE). Dodge beams, weave through explosions, and dominate the battlefield!”

Mecha Break is set to be the sophomore release of Amazing Seasun Games, at least on Steam. Previously, the studio put out Snowbreak: Containment Zone in 2023. And like this game, Mecha Break is going to be free-to-play. That said, Mecha Break looks poised to be far more popular than its 2023 predecessor based on beta numbers and Internet anticipation.

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For more Steam Deck coverage — including all of the latest Steam Deck news, all of the latest Steam Deck rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Steam Deck deals — click here.

The post July 2025’s First Big Steam Game Is Steam Deck Verified appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Time passes strangely in Narnia, and it seems like that phenomenon extends to the new film adaptation at Netflix. Back in December, producer Amy Pascal told the Behind the Lens podcast that production on the new movie was expected to begin in July, however, this weekend Screen Daily reported that work won’t begin until sometime in the fall. It’s not much of a delay, but it’s sad news for fans who are eager to see the Pevensie siblings’ adventures brought to life again. At the same time, a few extra months are a small price to pay for perfectionism, especially in an adaptation of such a beloved story.

Netflix’s new adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series will be written and directed by Greta Gerwig, and with details like casting announcements coming out now, we can be reasonably sure it is moving along steadily. In fact, Screen Daily‘s report mentioned that the movie is in pre-production, but said that filming won’t begin until the autumn. The report was about the recent boom in filming in the U.K., noting that there are plenty of other movies and series crowding the country’s studios this summer.

It could be that the details have simply shifted since Pascal’s announcement back in December. At the time, the producer also said that Gerwig’s take on The Chronicles of Narnia will surprise a lot of viewers. “It’s a very new take on Narnia. It’s all about rock ‘n’ roll,” she said. Pascal didn’t give any other details, and right now, we have no context for what exactly she meant.

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The “rock ‘n’ roll” characterization is particularly confusing since the original novel series is so firmly rooted in World War II. The war is essential to the premise of the first novel, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe — in it, the Pevensie siblings live in London, but they are sent to stay in the countryside because London was under threat of bombing by Axis forces. It was decades later that rock ‘n’ roll music made it to the U.K., though perhaps the spirit of the genre can still take root in the story in a more subtle way.

Movie-goers may already be familiar with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe after it was adapted into a movie back in 2005, but reports indicate that won’t actually be the book adapted to kick of Netflix’s new series. Lewis wrote seven Chronicles of Narnia novels, and while they are typically presented in publication order, they can also be read in chronological order. That seems to be Netflix’s plan — casting calls indicate that Gerwig is adapting either The Magician’s Nephew or The Silver Chair. Gerwig has signed on for at least two adaptations, and this is the first time the screen rights to all seven books have been held by one studio, so there’s a chance this series will go all the way.

The Chronicles of Narnia may not begin production until the fall, but it’s unclear if that will change Netflix’s plan to release the movie on the weekend of Thanksgiving in 2026. In the meantime, Lewis’ novels are available in print, digital, and audiobook formats.

The post Netflix’s Chronicles of Narnia Reboot Just Got Some Bad News appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Movie fans returned to the World of John Wick this year, with the theatrical debut of the Ana de Armas-starring Ballerina back at the start of the month. Now, just a few weeks later, the hit Lionsgate action flick is preparing to make its debut on Premium Digital and Premium Video on Demand services. Perhaps even more exciting is the fact that the on-demand debut of Ballerina is quite literally just around the corner.

Lionsgate will be releasing the digital version of From the World of John Wick: Ballerina on Tuesday, July 1st. So starting tomorrow, fans of the John Wick franchise can check out the franchise’s latest chapter for purchase or rental on services like Prime Video, Apple, and Fandango at Home.

In addition to sharing the on-demand date for Ballerina, ComicBook.com has partnered with Lionsgate to reveal and exclusive clip from the film’s special features. The clip, which you can watch below, shows off the behind-the-scenes work that went into the making of the infamous ice skates scene.

Here’s the full rundown of the special features available with the on-demand released of Ballerina:

• The Making of Ballerina ― Witness the rise of Eve (Ana de Armas) as the filmmakers discuss the intricate process of creating a new character in the world of John Wick.
• Building A Frozen Underworld ― Step into the bold new locations that serve as the latest hunting grounds for these talented filmmakers, eager to face and overcome fresh challenges.
• The Art of Action ― A Dance Between Fire and Ice: Discover how the teams behind the stunts, fight choreography, and weapons devised even more ruthless and creative ways to kill in some of the most intense action sequences in the entire John Wick universe.
• Deleted & Extended Scenes

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Ballerina, directed by Len Wiseman, is an extension of the John Wick franchise, focusing on a character named Eve, who is training to be an assassin. While it isn’t a full-on John Wick movie, Keanu Reeves does appear in the film, reprising the role of his iconic action character.

The official synopsis for Ballerina reads, “The next chapter from the World of John Wick follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma. Eve seeks revenge for her father’s death, and finds herself crossing paths with John Wick himself (Keanu Reeves).”

Are you looking forward to checking out Ballerina once it makes its home debut this week? Let us know in the comments!

The post From the World of John Wick: Ballerina In-Home Release Announced With Exclusive BTS Clip appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Demon Slayer is set to take over theaters this Summer with the long-awaited Infinity Castle movie. The series, based on the hit manga by Koyoharu Gotouge, is one of the most successful anime of all time. The first feature film, Mugen Train (released in 2020), is the highest-grossing anime movie of all time, and the series is one of the most popular on streaming platforms like Crunchyroll and Netflix. But, like Tanjiro constantly pushing through injury, the series isn’t taking a break, as yet another adaptation is on the way.

Fans are getting Demon Slayer overload this Summer. Mugen Train was rereleased in theaters in 4K, the entire series streamed for free on YouTube, and the show’s official X account has been overwhelming fans with content for the last 54 days. To top it all off, Demon Slayer fans will get to enjoy a new novelization of the manga this Summer, alongside the Infinity Castle movie.

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Demon Slayer Is Getting a New Novel

To celebrate the release of Infinity Castle in Japanese theaters on July 18th, a new novelization of the arc will be released the same month. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle Movie 1 – Akaza’s Return is the new novel written by Aya Yajima, which will be released in Japan on July 22nd.

The novel will take the first part of the Infinity Castle arc and transform it into beautiful prose. The novel is over 240 pages, and also includes four color illustrations. Infinity Castle Movie 1 – Akaza’s Return isn’t the first novelization of Demon Slayer. Yajima has previously written three novel adaptations of the franchise. The Flower of Happiness was the first novel, published in 2019, and it explored Tanjiro and Zenitsu’s lives before joining the Demon Slayer Corps.

The official synopsis for the new novel reads, “Muzan Kibutsuji appears at the Ubuyashiki estate, headquarters of the Demon Slayer Corps. Tanjiro and the Hashira rush to protect their master, but they are suddenly cast into a mysterious space by Muzan’s power. Where they land is none other than the demons’ stronghold, Infinity Castle. Thus, the final battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons begins.”

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Is Aiming to Break Box Office Records

To say that the release of Infinity Castle is the most anticipated anime of 2025 is a massive understatement. Mugen Train arc’s box office achievement (above) is already impressive, but fans are expecting Infinity Castle to blow that record out of the water. Not only is Infinity Castle the second Demon Slayer movie (which is hype enough to fill theaters), it is also the first movie in a new trilogy that will bring Demon Slayer‘s anime to a close. Infinity Castle releases in US theaters on September 12th.

H/T: Demon Slayer X

The post Demon Slayer Is Getting Yet Another Adaptation appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Worlds are colliding in Avengers: Doomsday. Marvel Studios has already announced that the followup to 2019’s Avengers: Endgame will assemble stars from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Fox-made X-Men movies, including Patrick Stewart (Professor Charles Xavier), Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), and Kelsey Grammer (Beast). But in a behind-the-scenes crossover, Marsden can be seen training alongside Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu.

See the image that Marsden and Liu’s trainer shared on Instagram below:

It remains to be seen what roles Marsden’s Cyclops and Liu’s Shang-Chi will play in Doomsday, and whether they’ll meet as enemies or allies. Marsden’s X2 co-star Alan Cumming previously suggested — potential spoiler warning — that the mutant X-Men will battle the Fantastic Four in the multiversal crossover.

Marsden last appeared as Scott Summers, the ruby quartz visor-wearing, optic blast-firing field leader of the X-Men, in a cameo in 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past. Marsden’s X-Man was a core member of the team in 2000’s X-Men and 2003’s X2 before being killed off in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand, only for a time-traveling Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to alter the timeline in Days of Future Past, undoing the Last Stand deaths of Scott, Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), and Professor X (Stewart).

Liu made his first, and so far only, appearance in 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, as the master martial artist who now wields the ancient and mystical Ten Rings. The last we saw him, Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong) — alongside the Avengers Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) and Bruce Banner/Smart Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) — told Shang-Chi that the Ten Rings were emitting a beacon and sending a message to… somewhere.

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Alongside Marsden and Liu, the Avengers: Doomsday cast includes returning Marvel stars Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, and Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘s Letitia Wright (Shuri/Black Panther), Winston Duke (M’Baku), Tenoch Huerta Mejía (Namor), Mabel Cadena (Namora), and Alex Livinalli (Attuma) are all set to return alongside Thunderbolts*/New Avengers‘ Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova/Black Widow), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr/Ghost), Wyatt Russell (John Walker/U.S. Agent), and Lewis Pullman (Bob Reynolds/Sentry).

Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Channing Tatum is reprising his role as card-slinging Gambit, with The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm/the Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/the Thing) rounding out the ensemble.

Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to release in theaters on December 18, 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars on Dec. 17, 2027.

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The post Avengers: Doomsday Cast Photo Reveals Unexpected X-Men & MCU Crossover appeared first on ComicBook.com.