Looking for more hospital intrigue after Maxs The Pitt? Netflix medical drama Pulse follows the doctors and nurses of Miamis Maguire Medical Center as they deal with an impending hurricane and the explosive relational drama that push the limits of what this staff can handle. But no matter what may hit the hospital from within and without, this staff does the best it can for its patients. The cast of Pulse is stacked with many familiar faces across TV and film. Here are the characters you need to know and the actors who play them.Willa Fitzgerald is Danielle Danny SimmsDanielle Danny Simms is a third-year emergency medicine resident at Miamis Maguire Medical Center. She unexpectedly finds herself promoted to chief resident amidst the fallout of a romantic relationship with one of her coworkers, Xander Phillips. Danny cares deeply about her patients, family, and friends, but also struggles to hold back her brash and self-sabotaging nature, which could put her career in jeopardy. Danny is played by Willa Fitzgerald, who you may recognize from Reacher, The Fall of the House of Usher, Scream: The TV Series, and Dare Me.Colin Woodell is Xander PhillipsXander Phillips held the role of chief resident and Maguire Medical Center up until his explosive fallout with Danny. The twos secret romance is not-so-secret now, and they both must figure out how to move on from this. Xander is confident and charismatic and has the respect of many of the higher ups at Maguire, in part due to his talents, but also because he hails from a highly-regarded and powerful family. Xander is played by Colin Woodell, who has previously starred in The Flight Attendant, The Continental, Fly Me to the Moon, and The Originals.Jack Bannon is Tom ColeJack Bannon plays Tom Cole, a second-year surgical resident. Tom is very aware of how witty and charming he is, and does his best to use that to his advantage. He may have come to Maguire for their renowned trauma program, but that doesnt mean he isnt going to enjoy the fun and luxurious lifestyle that Miami offers. Before Pulse, Bannon starred in Pennyworth, The Imitation Game, Endeavour, and Medici.Jessie T. Usher is Sam ElijahSam Elijah is a third-year emergency medicine resident at Maguire. He and Danny may be friends, but shes also his competition for chief resident. Sam is thoughtful and altruistic, but has a competitive edge despite his calm demeanor. Sam is played by Jessie T. Usher, who youll most likely recognize as A-Train in Prime Videos The Boys. Usher has also appeared in the movies Smile and Dangerous Lies.Justina Machado is Natalie CruzNatalie Cruz is the Chair of Surgery and Emergency Medicine at Maguire Hospital. She oversees both departments in an administrative role while also lending her skills on the floor when needed. She is brilliant and savvy and always tries to do whats best for the hospital and its doctors and patients. Dr. Cruz is played by Justina Machado, who has previously starred in Six Feet Under, One Day at a Time, and The Horror of Dolores Roach.Daniela Nieves is Camila PerezDaniela Nieves plays Camila Perez, a third-year med student starting her rotation at Maguire. Despite the long hours and seemingly never-ending workload, Camila does her best to stay optimistic. Nieves has previously appeared in Vampire Academy, Sex Appeal, Every Witch Way, and WITS Academy.Jessy Yates is Harper SimmsJessy Yates plays Harper Simms, a second-year emergency medicine resident and Dannys younger sibling. Harper has been a wheelchair user ever since an accident in their childhood an accident that Danny refuses to forgive their father for. The two siblings dont always see eye-to-eye when it comes to their jobs or their family, but they do their best to support each other no matter what. Before Pulse, Yates appeared in the TV series Me and Speechless.Jessica Rothe is Cass HimmelsteinJessica Rothe plays Cass Himmelstein, a charismatic and charming senior ER nurse. Cass and Tom have an on-again/off-again relationship (and arent always the most subtle about it), but that doesnt stop Cass from speaking her mind and going after what she wants. Youll most likely recognize Rothe from her role in Happy Death Day and Happy Death Day 2U, but she has also appeared in La La Land, Valley Girl (2020), and Virgin River.Sophie Chan is a surgical intern who works under Tom. She is smart and incredibly capable, even if Tom is often unwilling to see it. She may be a little jaded and burnt-out, but that doesnt stop her from being the best surgeon she can be. Sophie is played by Chelsea Muirhead, who you might recognize from the shows Warrior and Slo Pitch.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Santiago Segura is Gabriel MorenoSantiago Segura plays ER nurse Gabriel Moreno. Gabriel is a highly competent and skilled team player at Maguire, but isnt always easy to impress. You might recognize Segura from Scream: The TV Series and Walker: Independence.Nstor Carbonell is Dr. Ruben SorianoDr. Ruben Soriano is a senior surgeon at Maguire who often puts his job above all else. Dr. Soriano is highly respected, especially by Tom who hopes to learn from the esteemed doctor. Dr. Soriano is played by Nstor Carbonell who has appeared in many projects, though you may recognize him the most from Lost, Bates Motel, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Shgun, and Ringer.Arturo Del Puerto is Luis DominguezArturo Del Puerto plays Luis Dominguez, Maguires beloved ER Charge Nurse. Luis is often unphased by the chaos that comes through his ER, staying steadfast without sacrificing his signature wit. Arturo Del Puerto has previously appeared in shows such as For All Mankind, Big Sky, The Lincoln Lawyer, and Westworld.Ash Santos is Nia WashingtonNia Washington is a confident and scrappy Miami-Dade County EMT who often brings patients through Maguires ER. She and Tom have a bit of a flirty rapport, which may soon blur the lines of their professional relationship. Nia is played by Ash Santos, who you might recognize from Mayor of Kingstown, Night Teeth, and American Horror Story.

This article previews Doctor Who season 2 but is spoiler-free.Last season on Doctor Who, the Doctor and Ruby traveled to Regency England, 1963 London, and a space station run by babies, as well as facing the god of music, a mysterious haunting, white supremacist airheads, and the return of Classic Era enemy Sutekh. As the season two trailer teases, this time Ncuti Gatwas Doctor will be traveling with new companion Belinda (Varada Sethu) whos stranded far from Earth and desperately wants to get home. The first episode of the season The Robot Revolution wastes no time in giving viewers a taste of the worlds beyond Earth. Belinda is a nurse who has seen every possible injury and illness, and who teams up with the Doctor to make her escape from the Robots grasp. She wants to go home and the Doctor has promised her to help her get there. Well bring you our chat with Gatwa and Sethu soon, as they talk Den of Geek through the new TARDIS dynamic and their upcoming adventures.While fans await the start of season two on April 12, the future of Doctor Who is in flux. Neither the BBC or Disney+ have confirmed at this time the status of season three. Theres still five-part Sea Devil and UNIT spinoff The War Between the Land and the Sea to come, but after that fittingly for this show is a big question mark.Nonetheless, we find showrunner Russell T. Davies over Zoom in enthusiastic form, and describing the new season as a enormous adventure with the maddest monsters. Hes excited for fans to see the Doctor and Belinda encounter an otherworldly version of the Eurovision Song Contest, an animated movie character coming to life, and wars in other galaxies. Read on for the inside story on why Belinda isnt an outer space thrill seeker, why Davies loves watching Doctor Who weekly, and all about the four other writers whove contributed episodes this time around.DEN OF GEEK: Which scene or episode was the most challenging scene for you to write this season?Russell T Davies: The second episode where the Mr. Ring-a-Ding cartoon character comes to life in 1952 was a great and bold idea. But the challenge is always doing an idea justice. We dont have an unlimited budget, how do you make that work? What do you do with a cartoon character once hes come to life? What does he want? How does the Doctor handle that? Its like every good idea is an awful lot of work. You only need to look at when Steven Moffat invented the Weeping Angels in Blink, which is a world-class idea. As he says himself, he could have made a feature film out of that. By now, wed all be going to the cinema to see Weeping Angels 10 because it would just keep happening. Why didnt we do that? It would just keep being brilliant. What I love about Blink is that every other part of the script is magnificent as well. Because having had a great idea, he then has to make the great idea work, so as to never let down the great idea. Every piece of dialogue with Carey Mulligan on that is the finest stuff weve ever watched because its all aware that its got a great idea behind it.Thats why all writing is hard work, and Doctor Who in particular. Most scripts might be talking about divorce, or a drug problem, or a chase or something, but, actually, in Doctor Who, youre doing it with a big concept, like a cartoons come to life, or were visiting the 803rd Interstellar Song Contest, or Boom Beasts have taken over London. Its huge in its scale. Thats the tricky thing, keeping your standards up, and never letting the show down. Thats why I love working on it.Season one had two episodes by guest writers (Steven Moffats Boom, and Kate Herron & Briony Redmans Rogue) and now season two will have four. Can you tell us more about working with the new screenwriters?Its so very exciting. Theyve actually been with us almost since the beginning, because it takes two years to get scripts to screen sometimes. We are constantly on the lookout for new talent. Juno Dawson is someone Ive known for years in gay land, but her novels are also on the Sunday Times best-selling list. I knew she was a Doctor Who fan as well. She had done a Doctor Who podcast drama called Redacted for the BBC that only aired in Britain, but was very successful. I knew shed be interested in joining this season.Inua Ellams is a magnificent playwright whod never had a piece of television on before so we made that happen. Hes been watching Doctor Who since he was 11 years old, so that was gorgeous. Hes a man, you learn as much off him as he might learn off us.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Pete McTighe is an old hand at Doctor Who and an old friend. Ive known him for at least 10 years and he lives in Wales literally on our studio doorstep. Hes just so busy so hasnt always had the time to work with Doctor Who. Hes actually off to Australia now because hes running his own show over there.Sharma Angel-Wallfall was a great delight because Sharma was a brand new writer to me. Its our job, as a team, to investigate new writers, and ask agents, and read new scripts, and to find talents like that. It turned out wed met when she was 12 years old. I gave a talk at her local theater, The Contact Theatre. I went to give a talk and a workshop for kids with the wonderful poet, Lemn Sissay. It turns out she was one of those kids. How amazing. Isnt that a weird coincidence? I know its just meant to be sometimes. But thats irrelevant, her scripts are what got her the role. And she was just a joy to work with.What new perspectives on the Doctor, his companion Belinda and others did these writers contribute?They all did, simply by being not me, which I recommend for an awful lot of people. In fact, I think most people are not me! Strangely, I want to correct this in the world. They bring their backgrounds, their histories. Inua Ellams just to pick an example, set his episode in Lagos. Hes created a whole history of friendships for the Doctor around a whole new mythology. Theres that lack of fear. Theres not a second of worrying, of him thinking, Have they done this before? Did they do this in 1985? Although hes always watched the show, he was completely free of its shackles. What you get is a completely new take on things you thought you understood in Doctor Who. The episode has the TARDIS doing things its never done before. And thats just exciting, and its bracing. Its exciting, and I hope to God, Im not the kind of producer that sits there going, You cant do that. Im not. Thats why Im good at my job, frankly. I lean in, and go, Oh, great. Weve never done that before. Lets push the story this way.Its the same with every writer who comes in. Its like there are moments in their episodes where you say, Why dont you try pushing the Doctor so hes angrier than hes ever been before. Or, Lets put Belinda in a situation where Theres some stunning stuff coming with Belinda, where you think, What if shes really terrifying? What if shes really dark, and strange, and weird, and mysterious? The story just gets better and better and better and richer and richer. And they write it in their own way. They write it in ways that I wouldnt write it. Thats automatic, and thats what Im here to do, is to release them, and to give them this canvas, which is a worldwide canvas.Its a glorious thing to write on Doctor Who. What I like about it is that everyone loves the opportunity because they know that Disney will sell it to 205 countries. They also know, in fairness, itll be made well and that were a very nice team. Were a script-based production team. Im a writer, obviously. Im a part of it. Julie Gardner, whos our producer, was a script editor. Jane Tranter started out as a script editor. Philip Collinson was a script editor. We have very good script editors ourselves. Were not coming at it from the money mans point of view. That counts in the end, but we all have script experience. We all know when a writers being treated well, or when a writers being treated badly. So I genuinely think they have a great time with us because were writers.How does the Fifteenth Doctors character evolve this season?Its a matter of simply trusting Ncuti Gatwa. Partly its us writers taking the story to new areas, and then asking him what areas do you want to take it to? Its very interesting, Id started work with Inua Ellams on his episode, when Ncuti asked to see me in the office one day. He said, I just want to come and see you because I just want to suggest, Ive come across this writer called Inua Ellams. I think hed write Doctor Who really well. So we were like, Oh my God, this is strange but its just meant to be because we all had the same idea.Id like to think Ncutis always happy to come in for a day at work because hes always got something new to do. I think you should never relax with your lead actor. You should always make your lead actor happy to come into work that day. The goal is to push the plot further, go into the Doctors history more, make something new happen on the spot. He fell in love last year. Now, how does he feel when Ruby falls in love with someone? Whats going to make his anger come out more? What are his friendships? Who does he know across time and space? Which people havent we met before? You keep changing it, keep making the story rich, new and exciting.Youve written several previous companions. How did you distinguish Belindas journey from others?Belindas got a very strong story across the entire arc, which is to get her home. The posters have the Doctor and Belinda standing on an alien planet looking up at the sky and it says, Get her home. That was my suggestion for the tagline for the whole thing. The poster says thats what its all about. I love that. For the first time, weve got a companion who doesnt want to be traveling about in time and space because she knows youre going to get a laser gun pointing at your head. Shes a nurse who works in A&E [the ER]. She knows how things work. She knows that people die. Also, in a story that unfolds over the season, youll get to see she has reasons to want to be home, which you will not be able to guess at. Theres a continued story there. Varada Sethu is one of my favourite actors Ive ever been lucky enough to work with. As you know, she appeared last year in Boom. I literally sat here at this desk thinking, Damn, Ill never get to work with that woman again. And then, ding, this little bell went off in my head, literally a light bulb over my head, and I went, Oh my God, just make her the companion then I can work with her forever. Brilliant. Welcome to the world of Doctor Who.Which episode are you hoping the fans get the most, Oh my God, reaction from?I think therell be big reactions around Episode Six, The Interstellar Song Contest which has got some great surprises in store. I think people will think its a big laugh with a lot of camp and fun. Theres a lot going on in that. If you dont want spoilers, Id stay off the internet before you see that episode to have the full viewing experience.Which episode are you the most nervous about?Oh, thats every single episode. I sit and watch them every single week. In Britain, we get old-fashioned transmission, where it goes, Oh, BBC One on a Saturday night. I would cancel any holiday to be there for that night. I know we live in a streaming world, but I was brought up with Doctor Who on terrestrial transmission, and thats how it is still in my house. Every week at five to seven, Ill be sitting there going, I hope this works. I believe in watching them on transmission because I think you see them differently. I have seen all of those episodes about 60 times by the time they get on air. And, yet, it feels like the first time when it first premieres .I love it, and I wouldnt swap that experience for the world.What do you want viewers to take away from this season as opposed to the previous one?I think, well, not as opposed to the first season, theres joy in both seasons together. Doctor Who is the most exhilarating show in the world. Come and join in, is what I always want to say to people. Come and have fun. Come and enjoy it. Its a rollercoaster. You get the best jokes, and you get the biggest scares, and you get the maddest monsters. Doctor Who is a big, full-hearted show. Its full-blooded, its an enormous adventure. Just relax and come and enjoy it and I promise youll have a great time, absolutely.Doctor Who season two starts on Saturday April 12 at 8am on BBC iPlayer in the UK and at midnight on Disney+ around the world.

Discussions about Nintendos long-awaited full reveal of the Switch 2 are currently being dominated by the topic that has come to define most other aspects of modern life: how expensive everything is.While Nintendo didnt reveal many price points during their Switch 2 Direct presentation, gamers soon discovered the hard numbers behind the hype. The Nintendo Switch 2 console (which is set to launch on June 5) will retail for $449.99. That price point came as quite a shock given that industry analysts previously predicted the Switch 2 likely wouldnt cost more than $399 at launch. While the Switch 2 still costs less than the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 did when they launched for $499 in 2020, the devil is in the details.Its no surprise that the Switch 2 will be less powerful than the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but some of the devices specs feel downright odd from a value standpoint. The Switch 2 will only ship with 256GB of internal storage. Thats far less than the 1TB of storage that is quickly becoming the industry standard and made worse by the fact that the Switch 2 will no longer support MicroSDXC expansion cards (youll instead need to use MicroSDXC Express). So while the Switch 2 will be backward compatible with most Switch games (another instance of ambiguous messaging concerning the consoles functionality), you may not be able to use the cards where your Switch game data is currently stored.The Switch 2s built-in LCD screen is also an odd choice given that Nintendo released an upgraded OLED version of the Switch in 2021. Its undoubtedly a better LCD screen (and the Switch 2 will thankfully support 4K resolutions when its docked), but that LCD screen invites direct comparisons Nintendo would probably rather avoid. Notably, you can currently get a 256 GB Steam Deck device with an LCD screen for $399. For that price, you gain access to thousands of Steam titles, emulation/modification possibilities, and processing power and battery life that is at least comparable to the Switch 2 (based on what we know). While the Steam Deck was previously considered a premium product compared to the Switch, the Switch 2s clearest advantage over the base model of Valves handheld now seems to be its library of exclusive titles.But if the Switchs hardware pricing is raising eyebrows, then the consoles software pricing is simply raising ire. We recently learned that the Switch 2s biggest launch day exclusive (Mario Kart World) will retail for $79.99. You can buy a Switch 2 bundle that includes Mario Kart World for $499.99 (assuming scalpers dont snag them all, of course), but were still talking about an $80 launch game in the already controversial age of $70 new releases. While another upcoming Switch 2 exclusive (Donkey Kong Bananza) will retail for $69.99 when it launches on July 17 (which is still on the high end by Nintendo standards), Nintendo is undoubtedly preparing us for the age of $80 Mario and Zelda titles at the very least.Thats hardly the end of the Switch 2s pricing problems. Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour (an interactive exploration of the consoles features filled with minigames) looks like a free pack-in title similar to what Astros Playroom was for the PlayStation 5. However, Nintendo revealed it will actually be a paid downloadable launch title. The Switch 2 will offer enhanced versions of certain Nintendo Switch titles, but Nintendo has yet to reveal how much those upgrades will cost. Even the Switch 2s enhanced native voice chat functionality (a feature that the original Switch honestly should have launched with) will only be free until March 31, 2026. After that, it will become part of a premium Nintendo Switch Online membership program.Through all of this, Nintendo is preparing to launch the Switch 2 with one of the weakest lineups of true exclusives weve ever seen from a sheer quantity standpoint. Outside of the $80 Mario Kart World, the premium Welcome Tour, and the upgraded versions of Nintendo Switch titles, the only true exclusive the Switch 2 will receive at launch is Konamis survival title Survival Kids. Additional exciting exclusives are coming later in 2025 and throughout 2026, but if Nintendo is going to bring their console prices closer to their competitors standards without also offering comparable hardware upgrades, perhaps they should also offer more than one truly notable launch game at an inflated price point.While industry analysts and insiders have warned us that the age of the $70 game is inevitable, given the rising costs of development, Nintendo seems ready to blow right past all of that. Like 2K Games before them, Nintendo seems to be selling us on the idea that their premium price comes with a premium product. Its the same argument that has led many to predict that Grand Theft Auto 6 may cost as much as $100 when it launches later this year.Of course GTA 6 reportedly cost an absurd $1 billion+ to develop. Does anyone really believe that Mario Kart World was so much more expensive to develop than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe that Nintendo simply had to raise its price by $20? For that matter, does Mario Kart World really look more premium than the $70 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which was released less than two years ago?The fact of the matter is that these Nintendo Switch 2 price points are about familiarity rather than premium products. Nintendo had enough sense not to reveal those prices during their Switch 2 presentation, but make no mistake that they are confident that most people who want a Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart World will buy them at these price points. Right now the only standard price point in gaming seems to be what we can get away with.Perhaps this will all blow up in Nintendos face. As the Wii U showed, theyre not exactly above overestimating the desire for a follow-up to one of their most popular consoles. Maybe people will choose to buy two or three indie games instead of one Nintendo title. Maybe theyll consider the versatile Steam Deck as an alternative gift this upcoming holiday season. Maybe gamings biggest studios will have to go back to the drawing board and find a solution other than charge more until you cant at a time when disposable income simply isnt keeping up with rising costs.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!That probably wont happen though. The far more likely scenario is that people will simply choose to buy fewer games in a given year, and one of those games will likely be the $80 Mario Kart World, exclusive to the $450 Nintendo Switch 2.Truth be told, Im as excited to play that game on that console as much as anyone else. But at a time when gamings established, top-end studios are dictating premium prices without much rhyme or reason, you cant help but wonder what will happen to an unbalanced industry that has long been teetering at the tipping point of a collapse.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has gone in a bold and bloody new direction with Daredevil: Born Again, and while the Netflix-era Daredevil was known for its gritty nature, thats nothing compared to the violence already displayed in this Disney+ effort. Seven episodes in, and the freshman seasons nine-episode run has already seen the murders of Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), the OG White Tiger (Kamar de los Reyes), and many a crooked cop. Now, Born Agains ever-shrinking cast list has killed off another Marvel heavy-hitter.It was a short but memorable stint in the MCU for the villainous Muse, who was teased at the very start of Born Again and tipped to be the seasons main antagonistic anatomist. Instead, the morbid artist has bowed out in gruesome style just after a big reveal of his true identity. With Wednesdays Hunter Doohan named in the credits of episodes he wasnt even in, it didnt take the intellect of Pedro Pascals Reed Richards to figure out he was probably Muse. Things came to a head in April 1s Art for Arts Sake, when the violent vigilante tried to complete his masterpiece.Viewers clocked that Doohans Bastian Cooper was a little shifty when he met Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva) back in episode 2, but it turns out he was seeking the therapists help simply to turn into one of his pieces of art. With Muse being pitched as the perfect antagonist for the MCU, it wouldve been great for him to have some more screen time, but ultimately, it doesnt take away from the twist.A tense final showdown between Glenn, Muse, and Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) goes down in her office, and after Daredevil turns up just at the right time, he pulls off a gnarly grappling hook move that wouldnt look out of place in a Mortal Kombat game. This gives Heather a chance to fire a gun into Muses chest. Hes dragged across his canvas and becomes his own final work of art. Whats even more interesting is that Muse seemed to ironically predict his own demise, with his death pose looking like one of his earlier murals where he depicted himself as a blood-stained Statue of Liberty complete with what looked like bullet holes in his chest.The MCUs Bastian Cooper is a major contrast to the comic book version of Muse who was introduced in 2016s Daredevil (Vol. 5) #11.While comic book Muse was also a macabre artist who liked to make murals with the blood of his victims, we never found out his real identity before he was killed during 2018s Daredevil #600. Daredevil wasnt involved in Muses comic book death at all, with the latter walking into a burning pile of debris following a fight with Blindspot, lamenting his defeat because he had so much beauty left. Comic book Muse is a much more mythical creation, later being confined to Hell to continue creating artwork and then haunting Morgan Whittier. Theres further confusion about whether Muse can be considered an Inhuman, especially as the comics sometimes referred to as the Inhuman artist and others as the Inhuman serial killer. This was addressed by co-creator Charles Soule, who said on X, He seems like the kind of character its better not to explain too much.It makes sense that Born Again gave us a more grounded version of Muse in-keeping with the street-level nature of the series, but with no sign of Muses vortex abilities from the comics, superhuman strength, speed, and endurance, he ended up being a pretty feeble foe that was easily defeated by the Man Without Fear. For those hoping there will be a reprieve for Muse, there could be more to the story thanks to apparent Daredevil: Born Again season 2 set photos potentially spoiling his return. Given the death of Foggy but confirmation that Henson is also coming back for more, there are questions about whether the pair will appear via flashback.Of course, its also possible (but seemingly unlikely) that a copycat version of Muse continues to give DD a headache. While some expected that Muse would have a bigger presence as the de facto endgame villain of Daredevil: Born Again, his bloody rampage should at least give Wilson Fisks Anti-Vigilante Task Force plenty of ammo, and hopefully, bring Big Willy back to his Kingpin best.New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again stream every Tuesday night on Disney+.

At South by Southwest we talked to a Spotify exec and two premiere podcasters about the future of the industry.Put two podcasters in a room with a Spotify exec, and their infectious enthusiasm for long-form and short-form discussion content will quickly have you wondering where the medium is headed in the future. Such was the case at South by Southwest when we were visited in the Den of Geek studio by Spotify Senior Director of Content Partnerships Jordan Newman, who was flanked by two amazing hosts, Rachel Lindsay of Higher Learning and Morgan Absher of Two Hot Takes.Absher and Lindsay talked a bit about how their shows, which air on Spotify in both audio and video format, grew and transformed in the past five years, undeniably influenced by the pandemic and the changing audience preferences. Newman also chimed in with his thoughts about how podcasting has changed since the early days and where things might be going. The trios shared love of the medium is on display throughout the video, and you wont want to miss some of the cool stories that podcasting allows them to explore.Adolescence has managed to become one of Netflixs most popular series of all time in only three weeks on the streamer.The limited series amassed another 30.4M views from March 24 to 30, putting it at 96.7M views since its debut. That was good enough to land at No. 9 on the all-time Most Popular English TV list, bumping Bridgerton Season 2 from the list altogether and pushing Stranger Things 3 to tenth place.Read more atDeadlineThe Housemaid stars Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried were on hand at CinemaCon to share a scene and the trailer for the thriller.Sydney Sweeney joined director Paul Feig and her fellow The Housemaid stars at CinemaCon to share the tense first footage. Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar also hit the stage for the Lionsgate presentation Tuesday to promote the psychological thriller and reveal its trailer, which has not yet been publicly shared. Hitting theaters on Christmas Day, the movie has a script from Rebecca Sonnenshine that adapts the 2022 best-selling novel from author Freida McFadden.Read more at The Hollywood ReporterKendrick Lamar fans will have to wait until 2026 to see his comedy collaboration with South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker.Kendrick Lamars untitled comedy wont debut on Americas birthday after all. Paramount, the studio behind the closely guarded movie from Lamar and South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, has been delayed from July 4, 2025 to March 20, 2026 The change in release plans was announced ahead of CinemaCon, the annual convention of movie theater owners thats unfolding this week in Las Vegas.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Read more at Variety

As a prequel to The Original Series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds squeezes a lot of references to that groundbreaking show in its season three trailer. We get to see Paul Wesleys Kirk toast Martin Quinns Scotty. The teams holodeck mystery feels closer to the gangsters of A Piece of the Action than they do the gumshoe Dixon Hill in The Next Generation. We even see Jess Bushs Chapel and Melissa Navias Ortegas in 1960s style costumes and hairdos.But the most shocking nod appears for just a split second. For one brief moment, Rhys Darby of Flight of the Conchords fame appears on screen and snaps his fingers. And as excited as we are whenever Darby is present, the more notable thing is the way he looks. Darbys character has long sideburns and a Victorian coat. More importantly, he looks like something reality-changing is going to happen when he snaps.Weve known for a while that Darby would join Strange New Worlds in season three. Furthermore, producer Henry Alonso Myers teased at a convention that Darby would play a very familiar character.There had been some speculation that he would play another member of the TOS crew, but the teaser essentially confirms it. Hes playing Trelane, the mischievous godlike being who troubles the Enterprise crew in the classic episode The Squire of Gothos.But is he actually Trelane? Yeah, his clothes and hairstyle are similar to the Trelane we saw there, but Darby doesnt actually look that much like William Campbell, who portrayed the character first. Sure, weve seen some differences in look and style of characters between their original and recent incarnations. Rainn Wilson sported brown hair and more traditional facial hair when he took over for Roger C. Carmel as Harry Mudd in Discovery, Celia Rose Gooding changes the hairstyle of their Uhura more than Nichelle Nichols ever did, and Martin Quinn is Scottish while James Doohan is not.So, sure, he might be playing Trelane with a slightly different look, something thats not out of the question for someone so powerful. But he might also be playing someone who is similar to Trelane, something that has huge implications for Star Trek in general.Trelane may have only appeared in on TOS episode, but there was a character with the same personality and power set who debuted in TNG. The pilot episode Encounter at Farpoint introduces John de Lancie as Q, a trickster god who tests the Enterprise-D and then returns to annoy Jean-Luc Picard and other captains time and again.Q describes himself as just one manifestation of an entire Q collective, and we do see other members from time to time throughout the franchise. But as much as Q has in common to Trelane, no series has ever made the connection canonically explicit. Sure, there was the delightful Peter David novel Q-Squared from 1994. And sure, a line from Mariner in the Lower Decks/Strange New World crossover episode Those Old Scientists suggested that they were the same. But given that Trelane has never reappeared in canon, the question remains open.Now, Strange New Worlds has a chance to change that. By bringing in the actual Trelane, or at least someone who looks a lot like him, were bound to learn more about him and his species. Add in the fact that season three will also explore the early days of holodeck technology, another Trek standard introduced in TNG, and we can expect to finally learn about this The Original Series and The Next Generation connection.Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season three premieres this summer on Paramount+.

Every good stuntman knows that getting knocked down is part of the job. Every time you hit the dirt, youve just got to get back up and keep going. With that in mind, its not too surprising that stuntman Cliff Booth would return for a sequel to Quentin Tarantinos Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. What is surprising, however, is how the sequel will come to be.According to Deadline, the makeshift sequelwhich initially began as a screenplay for Tarantinos self-proclaimed final film, which at the time was titled The Film Criticis alive once more after the Pulp Fiction director shelved the project. Furthermore, it still has Brad Pitt attached to star as Booth. And yet, instead of directing it himself, Tarantino is turning the project over to David Fincher.Its an odd twist of fate, but one that at first honestly sounds pretty good. Fincher isnt that similar to Tarantino, but he is an auteur of the same generation and indie 90s background. He will be able to present the material with care, particularly given his decades-long friendship with Pitt. But as Deadline points out, Fincher is currently under exclusive contract with Netflix, which means that the follow-up to Tarantinos love letter to the power of cinema and old New Hollywood will be sandwiched between forgettable Millie Bobby Brown vehicles, watched by people scrolling on their phones and folding their socks. Forever.The project announcement comes just days after Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos pronounced movie theaters dead, the latest in a long line of similar claims. The theatrical box office is down 40 to 50 percent from pre-COVID, and this year is down eight percent already, so the trend is not reversing, said Sarandos. Youve gotta look at that and say, What is the consumer trying to tell you?Theres a logic to Sarandos bean-counting. But five years ago, Once Upon a Time made the exact opposite argument.In one of the movies many transcendent themes, Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) visits a movie house to see herself on screen in the Dean Martin vehicle, The Wrecking Crew (1968). After a delightful prelude in which she gets a ticket taker to snap her photo next to the movies poster, Tate watches the movie with wonder. Its not just that Tate sees herself, revealing a screen talent that shell tragically never fully develop in the real world. Its that shes transported by the magic of cinema, by the gigantic screen, the engrossing music, and the pastel colors.Imagine something similar with a Netflix star. Yeah, this star would still be excited to see her face on a television screen or even her iPhone. But shed have to navigate through the piles of other slush Netflix put out that week. Shed watch herself, at best, on a 55-65 TV, maybe in 4K if her internet connection holds up. But then it would be done. And before the credits could roll, giving her a chance to revel in the experience, trailers would pop up and urge her to choose her next watch, Is It Cake? or Nailed It!The power of the Tate sequences only grow stronger over time, as the movies supporting cast has turned into the next-gen stars of today. Once Upon a Time features early performances from actors who are now household names, including Austin Butler, Sydney Sweeney, Mikey Madison, and Margaret Qualley. While old stars like Bruce Dern huddle under a blanket, these young luminaries move forward, carrying on the cinematic tradition.Once Upon a Time may end in an alternative reality where Cliff and his pal Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) thwart the Manson Family before they can kill Sharon Tate, but the success of these young stars proves that her spirit lives on in talented performers who can continue the magic of the movies.Or at least they could, provided they can still do movies. After all, the primary arc of Once Upon a Time involves Dalton contemplating his future. No longer an A-list talent, Dalton fears that if he lets go of his Hollywood home while making Italian pictures, hell lose his status forever. Instead he makes the transition to TV, playing the heavy who gets beat-up by up-and-comers in series such as Bounty Law.As a sophisticated look at stardom, Once Upon a Time isnt so simplistic that it says that movies are good and TV is bad. After all, Rick gives the best acting young Trudi (played by Julia Butters, another up-and-comer) has ever seen in the pilot for the largely forgotten TV Western, Lancer. Yet the fact that the movie presents a fantasy in which Sharon Tate lives, countering the Mansons claim that movies taught them to kill, the fact that Rick takes an Italian movie role instead of continuing television, suggests that the film has far more respect for the big screen instead of the small screen.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!All of which makes the sequels Netflix fate disappointingespecially after Tarantino railed fairly recently about the death of the theatrical experience Netflix is championing. Fincher and other greats have made fantastic movies released by Netflix: The Irishman from director Martin Scorsese, Marriage Story by Noah Baumbach, Hit Man by Richard Linklater, and Finchers own The Killer. But in each and every one of these cases, Netflix diminished and did not help the film, often getting it buried and, with the exception of The Irishman, deprived of a physical media release.Once Upon a Time In Hollywood believed in the beauty and power of cinema. Netflix believes in the numbers generated by constant distraction. If Once Upon a Times sequel goes to straight to stream, its hard to believe that Netflix isnt right and Tarantinos wrong. The movies are dead, replaced by endless, unremarkable streaming.

What do you think? asks a drunk and sickly Doc Holliday, staring down Johnny Ringo, a man rumored to be the fastest gunslinger in the West. Should I hate him?When Holliday poses that question, a shiver runs through everyone in the saloon. After all, the confrontation occurs in Tombstone, a 1993 Western about an infamous gunfight, and from the very first scene, director George P. Cosmatos starts beating the drum, moving retired lawman Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and brutal outlaw Curly Bill (Powers Boothe) toward their inevitable, bloody confrontation. So when Ringo (Michael Biehn) begins to challenge Doc in this moment, and Doc refuses to back down, we think were going to see a preview of the big fight. Ringo prepares for the battle by showing off his gun skills, twirling his pistol in an ostentations pattern. Everyone, especially Earp (who holds his own weapon secretly beneath the table), expects Holliday to draw.Instead Doc pulls out his tiny handled shot glass and replicates the routine, widening his eyes to accentuate the mockery of Johnnys mad-eyed glower. With this simpl display, this specific version of Doc Holliday became one of the greatest characters in Western fiction, as well as a signature role for the man who realzied him: Val Kilmer. And we are finding ourselves thinking a lot about Doc, Wyatt, and of course Kilmer, after the actor who passed away on April 1 at the age of 65.Brief But BrilliantTombstone came at the height of an impressive run of fantastic performances from Kilmer. With his tall frame, surfer hairdo, and distinctive lips, Kilmer was a natural at cool, collected heroes, as he personified in his first movie Top Secret! (1984) and his earliest hits. He was Mavericks (Tom Cruse) foil Iceman in 1986s Top Gun and adventurer Madmartigan in the Ron Howard and George Lucas fantasy, Willow (1988).But Kilmer soon showed that he could do much more than look cool and handsome. In 1991, Kilmer played pop icon Jim Morrison for Oliver Stones iconoclastic biopic The Doors. Not only does he embody the charisma that made Morrison a fixture on dorm room walls but he also captured the arrogance and self-destruction that made him a pop culture legend.Yet just as soon as The Doors and Tombstone made him into a Hollywood favorite, Kilmers star began to fall. He repeatedly got overshadowed by his co-stars, even when he was cast in the lead. He was boring as Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever (1995), buried by over-the-top takes from Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones. A wacky late-period Marlon Brando made him look like a stuffed shirt in The Island of Doctor Moreau, and even Michael Douglas got to be the fun one in The Ghost in the Darkness, both from 1996.Hes excellent in Michael Manns epic Heat (1995), but no ones paying any attention to him when Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are onscreen. And The Prince of Egypt (1998) has its fans, but the animation and story stands out more than his vocal role. 1997s The Saint made money, but critics hated it. Between these little loved projects and his (by his own admission) tendency to be difficult on set, Kilmers time as Hollywood leading man came to an end.But even in his post-success phase, Kilmer stood out, with notable performances in 2002s The Salton Sea, the 2005 Shane Black comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, the Saturday Night Live spinoff MacGruber (2010), and Francis Ford Coppolas experimental Twixt (2011), in which he gives an entirely over-dubbed performance due to the throat cancer that would take his voice.By the time he reprised his role as Iceman for 2022s Top Gun: Maverick, his final screen appearance, audiences were glad to have him back. Its not just that he operated as something of a memento mori for Maverick and an ageless Tom Cruise, Its that theres a warmness to his silent performance. Kilmer relates regret, sadness, and gratitude in a few minutes of screen time, reminding us that hes still capable of giving complex performances.Playing it CoolI am in my prime, Doc Holliday declares in Tombstone, a rejoinder to Ringos challenge that hes lost a step. Kilmer delivers the line with the syrupy sophistication of a Southern aristocrat, his confidence unshaken by his pallor and ever-present sweat.None of us would disagree. Despite all the interesting performances that Kilmer gave throughout his lifetime, none topped Doc Holliday. Like the historical Holliday, the Doc of Tombstone came to the territory with his friend Earp, hoping that the climate would ease his tuberculosis. He made his living as a gambler and brought with him a reputation as a fast draw, a reputation that may or may not be rooted in fact.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!The part required Kilmer to play two contrasting conditions. First he had to be a man suffering from constant malaisehot spells, chills, shortness of breath. Secondly he had to play a man of complete confidence, able to bluff his opponents and retain perfect control of the way hes perceived. Kilmer displays those qualities in an early scene from Tombstone, in which Doc wins a game of cards. Docs opponent Ed (Frank Stallone) tries to bluff, which Holliday calls with aplomb. Doc reveals his winning hand and coos, Isnt that a daisy?In the hands of a lesser actor, Holliday in this scene would be a disaster. The part allows for so many ticks, so many chances for the actor to show the audience how hard hes working, showing off his charm and his ability to play charming. But Kilmer doesnt give in, doesnt distract from the character. He keeps his Holliday cool and collected, even when Ed stands up and accuses Doc of cheating.You know, Ed, if I didnt think you were my friend, I just dont think I could bear it, he continues, barely moving at allthat is until he pulls two pistols before his opponent even notices. Yet even then Kilmer immediately returns to a calm state, placing the guns onto the table and leaning back. There, he declares. Now we can be friends again.The Tombstone script, written originally by Kevin Jarre, is full of moments such as these. Killer one-liners, acting showcases, exchanges full of meaning. And Kilmer approaches them all with calm control. He never lets the audience forget that Doc is sick and dying. But he also knows that Doc wouldnt let his condition control him, wouldnt let his sickness diminish his gentlemanly charms.Tombstone gives Kilmer a complicated character and instead of showing off, Kilmer plays the truth of the person, making Doc Holliday one of the great figures in the history of movie Westerns.A Legend ForeverLate in Tombstone, Johnny Ringo prepares for what he assumes will be a duel with Wyatt Earp when he hears Doc Holliday instead approaching.Well, I didnt think you had it in you, sneers Ringo, mocking who he believes to be Russells lawman. Im your Huckleberry, snaps back Doc after taking a drag of his cigarette.Again Doc gets an incredible line, one so iconic that it continues to be quoted today. Kilmer even used it as the title of his autobiography. And yet, Kilmer doesnt say the line like hes delivering an iconic movie quote. He delivers it like hes Doc Holliday, a guy who says stuff like this every day.Kilmer modulates his performance to make Doc Holliday a person first and an icon second. Thats why Doc Holliday one of the legendary screen characters. Thats why Val Kilmer will always be our huckleberry.

Tommy Callahan sucks as a salesman. So much so that midway through 1995s Tommy Boy, Tommy and his unwilling sales partner Richard take a break at a diner to drown their miseries in terrible food. Richard orders a shrimp cocktail, but when Tommy requests chicken wings, the waitress shuts him down because the kitchen is closed.What follows is an incredible combination of self-loathing and obnoxious ranting. Comparing himself to a circus boy who inadvertently smothers his beloved pet, and Lenny from Of Mice and Men, Tommy picks up a bread roll that he initially strokes, but soon enough is killing. And kill in this scene he does, with Tommy crushing the roll in his hand while screaming in equal measures of sorrow and terror.At the end of the bit, Tommy looks up at the waitress, his mussed hair and red face contrasting his simultaneous expressions of innocence and excitement. God, youre sick, the waitress chuckles, and proceeds to open the kitchen for his wings.That short bit serves as the turning point in Tommy Boy, the moment when Tommy and Richard finally click as a sales team and succeed enough to save the company. The bit, which was released into theaters 30 years ago, also captures the magic of Chris Farley as a comedian, a fantastic talent who was lost far too soon.A Friendly GiantBy his own admission, Farley wasnt the first energetic big man in Saturday Night Live history. Farley idolized the shows original maniac John Belushi, remembering fondly how his father would lose himself in laughter while watching Belushi perform. When Farley joined SNLs cast in 1990, he initially presented himself in the Belushi mold. Motivational speaker Matt Foley, which he and Bob Odenkirk created while they were both at Second City in Chicago, highlights the Belushi influence. In his introductory sketch, Matt terrorizes the suburban family who hires him, bellowing in their faces about his life in a van down by the river. The sketch ends with the family locking the doors and huddling in fear when Matt threatens to move in with them.Matt has plenty of the boiling rage that marked Odenkirks early work, long before he would snuggle his Little Women. But Farley plays it like the second coming of Belushis diner or samurai characters. Matts also one of Farleys signature characters. But he lacks the later quality that made Farley unique from Belushithat made Farley one of the most beloved actors in SNL history. He lacks Farleys innate sweetness.Later sketches would make use of Farleys guilelessness and Midwestern affability, most notably The Chris Farley Show, in which he shyly asked guests such as Martin Scorsese and Paul McCartney awkward and obvious questions. But no work captured Farleys mixture of manic energy and inherent kindness like Tommy Boy.Chaos Across the MidwestReleased in 1995 and directed by Peter Segal, Tommy Boy stars Farley as Tommy Callahan, scion of successful auto parts manufacturer Callahan Auto, based in Sandusky, Ohio. A party boy who skates by on his charm and family fortune, Tommy earns the ire of Richard (David Spade), who had to work hard to earn a top position at the company.When Tommys dad (Brian Dennehy) drops dead after marrying the duplicitous Beverley (Bo Derek), she and her con partner Paul (Rob Lowe) enact a plan to sell the Callahan company to an unscrupulous rival in Chicago. This would also in effect put most of the workers in Sandusky out of a job. To save the company, Tommy and Richard must therefore go on a tour of the Midwest, doing everything they can to sell Callahans revolutionary new brake pads and thwart Beverleys plan.As you might expect, that setup from screenwriters Bonnie and Terry Turner largely exists as a spine on which to graft comic set pieces. Each places Farleys outsized persona against Spades reserved snark. Thanks to that structure, Tommy Boy has plenty of space to show off all the varieties of Farleys approach.A simple example involves Tommy meeting Paul for the first time, introduced to our big-hearted protagonist as his new step-brother. I have a brother? Tommy asks with wonder. When Paul extends his hands, Tommy responds with affable rejection. Brothers dont shake hands, he gushes. Brothers gotta hug! He envelops Paul in a giant bear hug, dwarfing Lowe in the embrace.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!A later sequence finds Tommy bumbling as he attempts to fuel up Richards fancy car. After accidentally bending the door the wrong way, we watch through a window and over Spades shoulder as Farley struggles to push it back into place. With the same chaotic energy of classic physical comedians such as Roscoe Arbuckle and Buster Keaton, Farley throws himself at the door, bumbling back each time. But the kicker is the end of the bit when Richard returns to the vehicle, finding Tommy sitting inside and deliberately not looking at the now-shut car door.After taking a second to gently buff a tiny scratch on the door, Richard pulls the it open, only to have it come off in his hand. Taking one look at the horrified Richard, Tommy asks with exaggerated surprise, Whatd you do!?!Obviously, Tommy knows what he did and what Richard didnt do. But Farley channels his innate likability to sell the line, making it all the funnier.A Legacy of LaughterFarley made a few more movies before his untimely death in 1997 at the age of 33. And each of these movies have their charms, whether its teaming again with Spade for 1996s Black Sheep, going solo for 1997s Beverly Hills Ninja (1997), or swapping Spade for another uptight sidekick via Matthew Perry in Almost Heroes (1998).But none of them so perfectly suit Farleys comic sensibilities like Tommy Boy. Its in Tommy Boy, with its warm-hearted underdog story and space for big set pieces that remind us just how special Farley was.

This article contains light spoilers for Yellowjackets season 3.As Yellowjackets third season winds down, the tension and conflict has only ratcheted up. Due to impulsive decisionmaking, to put it politely, from teen Lottie in episode 7, Croak, the minds behind Yellowjackets have put into motion pivotal and interweaving plot threads with major implications for the past and present timelines.During a promotional stop at SXSW Film & TV festival in Austin in early March, Den of Geek met the producers of Yellowjackets, Jonathan Lisco and Drew Comins, and series creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson inside of Paramount+s The Lodge experience, where the streamer created a nicely wooded photo opp area. No frogs or axes were present during our interview, but we were able to pick their brains about the evolution of their writing process, and how they approached some of the standout characters in season three.The creatives have different approaches when it comes to checking in with fans and engaging with specific fan theories, such as a major character death that was teased in season one. Lyle initially was intrigued by it after the shows buzzy start, but has almost entirely checked out of the discourse. Lisco referenced the feedback loop in television where they see the edits and we can see who is dimensionalizing their character more, which partially led to their decision to give the fans what they wanted: more Mari.Were really just interested in the dimensionality of the characters and people, Lyle says. This season, theyve started to really lose their minds. Theres this darkness that is potentially always hiding in the shadows.Dark, abrupt twists have become the calling card of season three but the team continues to be excited by finding ways to unlock the talented cast theyve assembled in new ways. The show has been balancing ominous themes with comedic relief like that of Warren Koles Jeff Sadecki or this seasons breakout in teenage Mari. Played by actress Alexa Barajas, Mari began the series as a secondary character in the first two seasons and has since grown to become a more prominent character this season.Alexa is a treasure, basically, she started out as a relatively secondary character on the show, Lisco says. And I think we decided that we could give her more, and we gave her more, and she just kept knocking out of the park. So we decided to take her on a real ride this season.Series co-creator Lyle expanded on how gratifying it is to find ways to grow the ensemble and find more screentime for characters who might have been sidelined in past seasons.We knew we couldnt have 12 main characters in a season, but we got very lucky that these secondary characters showed their talent and their abilities as actors. she says. [Maris] rise as a character is evidence of the shows success and increased comfortability in exploring the abilities and complexities of different characters and actors.Comedy has always been an important tool throughout the show, and during the writing process the creative team is always trying to blend the lines of humor, horror-leaning elements, and drama. People dont know what to do with shows that are like, Its a comedy but its a drama, its a horror show, says Lyle.The ability to flesh out the series secondary characters in some ways is linked to the runaway success of the show giving the creative team more latitude to take risks and experiment. For series co-creator Nickerson, the process is familiar, but its undeniable the circumstances have changed when it comes to tuning out the online noise around Yellowjackets and growing as a decision-making unit.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!I feel like, individually and collectively, were always sort of growing in ways we might not be able to fully comprehend, Nickerson says. You sort of like, move differently when the wind is at your back or ahead of you, or like, depending on how the circumstance shifts and changes.For Comins, the feedback and excitement is a motivational boon. I think the ability to be noisy and kind of incite that emotion, again, from people who are new to the hive of Yellowjackets and people whove been there since the beginning, he says. I think that, in of itself, is very exciting and very potent. And I think art is meant to generate discourse, right?

News Talk to Me Directors Explain Why Their Street Fighter Movie Got KOdFresh off the buzzy Talk to Me, Danny and Michael Philippou were briefly attached to a new Street Fighter movie. But they had a good reason to Hadoken it.By Rosie Knight | April 2, 2025 | | Photo: CapcomAfter the massive success of their supernatural teen Talk to Me, it was no surprise when YouTube powerhouses RackaRacka, also known as Danny and Micheal Philippou, were picked up to direct a new Street Fighter movie. Rising to prominence with their gory and gratuitous action and horror videos before moving into studio filmmaking, it seemed like a perfect creative fit, so it was with disappointment that fans learned last year that they were no longer connected to the video game adaptation.Now after a recent event promoting the twins newest film, Bring Her Back in LA, Micheal and Danny spoke about the project and why it didnt happen.When it comes IP stuff, I usually would stay away from it, not because I dont want to do it, Micheal explained, but because I dont want to fuck it up. Theres things of such big, in-built audiences, Id hate to just let a whole bunch of people down, like, The fuck was that? Im so sorry! Thats my nightmare.That didnt stop them from taking on the iconic and beloved Capcom video game though. We were developing a big IP, it wasnt horror, it was Street Fighter, Micheal said. It was clear that it was something that the brothers were really passionate about. We were actually really excited for that, he continued. Developing that was a lot of fun.So why didnt the project happen? Well, it came down to a simple and deeply relatable reason: Timing.Just finding the time for it, it just didnt line up properly for us, he explained. So we decided to focus on the original stuff. I guess, were not opposed to it, but it has to really kind of connect with us in a special way for us to actually do that thing.I think wed fuck it up, Danny added with a laugh.

Danny and Michael Philippou were already well known in the YouTube community when they took Hollywood by storm with their A24 horror hit, Talk to Me. That haunting supernatural horror explored grief and loss through the lens of a wild party game, which saw teens take turns being possessed by a strange artifact.During the trailer launch for and sneak peak of their follow-up, Bring Her Backa film that follows foster kids Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong) as they are taken in by an eccentric and possibly dangerous woman (Sally Hawkins)the pair shared that just like their massively successful first feature, Bring Her Back was shaped by a devastating loss in the Australian twins own lives.In the middle of writing Bring Her Back my cousin lost her two year old, Danny Philippou shared. We were in the hospital, and I was just seeing her on the bed, holding this kid, and the family were all around him, and they were holding his feet and his hands and his head and his arms, and eventually, over time, everyone let him go. My cousin was the last one to let him go.The idea of her never being okay ever again after that, that was an inspiration point, He continued. And how far she would go to heal herself from it. The idea of a never-ending grief cycle is terrifying to me.If it seems like Talk to Me and Bring Her Back are atmospherically and thematically connected, thats because they were developed concurrently, both inspired by the same losses, as well as Micheals love for The Exorcist.I think its the greatest film ever made so that makes me lean towards possession automatically, Michael told a group of journalists. Theres something so terrifying [about it], it feels so real to see somebody where something else is inhabiting their bodies. Connecting the stuff that makes you feel uncomfortable or nervous, or freaks you out and then express those things on screen.Danny added, Then leaning into how far youd go to bring someone back that you love. Those deep questions that you wonder and think about. Thats something that we didnt fully get out with Talk to Me, so this is another iteration.As Bring Her Back went into pre-production another tragedy struck as a close family friend died at the age of only 23. Alerted by their mother, the twins were suddenly once again crafting a film while dealing with the death of a loved one.The grief was so raw that in the moment we didnt really have time to properly process it, Danny admitted. We were doing pre-production meetings, then we started shooting, and there was no time to properly sort through those emotions. They sort of poured themselves out in the script and in conversations with Sally, so that bled into the character of Laura and scenes that were meant to be scary suddenly turned sad. So that just becomes part of the process, I think theres a rawness in it that wasnt in Talk to Me.To the brothers, horror offers a lighter way to explore dark themes and experiences like the loss of their cousins child, even becoming fun if they approach it in the right way.From what we sawtwo clips and the recently released first full trailerBring Her Back is a far darker and more somber take on horror than their previous endeavor, which still freaked out audiences around the world. According to Micheal, horror was always in their blood and their unusual childhood meant that the brothers carved a bloody path to adulthood and filmmaking.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Our parents were never home, he said. Our grandfather raised us to a certain point, and he passed away when we were really young. And once he did, there was no parental supervision, and our childhood was Lord of the Flies. Theres footage of us as 10 year olds covered in blood, like actual blood, from backyard wrestling and fucking each other up that way, it just became our love language: violence and psychopathy-ness.Perhaps thats why Bring Her Back centers on three children, Andy, Piper, and Ollie (Jonah Wren Phillips) thrown into a world of violence and ritual under the watchfuland potentially malevolenteye of grieving mother Laura. Working with Hawkins was something of a dream come true for the brothers who eagerly gushed about her performance. And it marks a landmark moment for the actress too as she ventures into horror for the very first time.We did not think she would say yes, we sent her the script, and then she got back right away and said she was in love with it, how much it meant to her, how much she connected to it. Danny recalled. Her role was inspired by so-called Psycho-biddy movies like Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, Lady in a Cage, and Straight Jacket. Thus Bring Her Back promises to show a side of Hawkins audiences have yet to see.Im in awe of her. Shes genuinely incredible. And in certain scenes so terrifying as well, Danny teased.Bring Her Back hits theaters on May 30 2025.

You say you want a revolution? Well, at a Cinema Con event that featured multiple Spider-Men, Prowlers, and superheroes of various mediums, it was striking that the mic drop moment came not from a webslinger or one of his countless variants; it arrived by way of the cast reveal of a four-film cinematic event; it came from the Beatles.Together, all four films will tell the story of the greatest band in history, director Sam Mendes said at the Las Vegas event (via EW). Meanwhile Sony Pictures CEO Tom Rothman added that this would be the first bingeable theatrical experience.The language Rothman used is intentionally evocative of how streaming content is consumed in the 21st century, however the showmanship of the reveal was defiantly theatrical, albeit of a very specific kind. In a sight that six years ago would not have looked out of place at San Diego Comic-Cons Hall H, and with Kevin Feiges signature baseball cap at center stage, Mendes was joined in front of a cheering crowd by the surprise cast announcement of Harris Dickinson (Babygirl) as John Lennon, Paul Mescal (Gladiator II) as Paul McCartney, Joseph Quinn (Warfare) as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan (Saltburn) as Ringo Starr.Furthermore, it was revealed that all four actors and their four total Beatles films will be released in the same month, April 2028.Theres never been anything quite like this before in the annals of musical biopics or any other ostensible movies for adults genre. But thats the appeal of Mendes and Sony Pictures gambit: they are essentially inventing the shared musical biopic cinematic universe. And there probably isnt a better test run for the concept than the Fab Four who forever changed the trajectory of rock n roll and music writ large. Indeed, the Beatles remain hallowed ground for moviegoers of every generation, but particularly the Baby Boomers who still have ticket-buying power (see: Top Gun: Maverick) and vivid memories of listening to their Beatles LPs on record players, or playing The White Album backwards to confirm that they heard Paul is dead on Revolution 9. Or maybe that was Im So Tired?The mythology around the Beatles remains so rich, so layered, that they are easily the best group ever to attempt doing four films from four different perspectives about the same events. In the process they offer a way to commercially, and perhaps artistically, innovate one of the few still reliably popular Hollywood genres. As last years similarly Boomer-leaning A Complete Unknown reminded with its buzzy casting of Timothe Chalet as Bob Dylan, conventional and often hagiographic biopics about beloved musical icons do reliable business. That film grossed $137 million on a $50 million budget and was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director for James Mangold, and Best Actor for Chalamet.Yet that Searchlight release was deliberately a bit understated in its approach, arguably befitting its contrarian subject matter. Conversely, another Boomer icon like Elvis Presley got the splashiest of treatments in the Baz Luhrmann-directed Elvis, which grossed almost $290 million three years ago. And the whitewashed Queen love letter, Bohemian Rhapsody, cleared an eye-watering $910 million in the pre-pandemic 2018. It also benefitted from Queens broader international appealan appeal the Beatles share.In other words, musical biopics are a sure bet, but perhaps one of several reasons beyond legal rights we have yet to see one about the Beatles at the height of their popularity (as opposed to movies about individual members before the band broke out, a la Nowhere Boy) is that all four personalities are so big in the pop culture imagination that it is difficult to narrow the story down to a two or three-hour film with a primary perspective.Hence the shrewdness of the four-film event. Now every band member can be the hero of his own story, even as it is also taking a reliable genre aimed at older audiences and essentially Marvel-ifying it. At a time when superhero movies have to struggle increasingly to generate excitement among audiences about yet another one being an event, the inevitable Beatles biopic becoming a backdoor shared universe feels comparable to Marvel Phase One 15 years ago. It offers just enough novelty to convince folks to step away from their actual bingeable content and go to the nearest movie house.Furthermore, if it works, the approach could be implemented with other legendary bands with multiple members of notoriety. Why not a Beach Boys trilogy from the perspective of Brian Wilson (though we already kind of have that), as well as Dennis Wilson, and maybe Mike Love? How about a Nirvana duology that leads right into the Foo Fighters? How about some sequels to Straight Outta Compton that follow up on Ice Cube, Eazy-E , and Dr. Dre individually?If this works, we guarantee other studios will explore the possibilities. Meanwhile it might also allow Mendes some creative latitude to try something uniquelike, say, a four-film version of Rashomon where each film offers a conflicting account for why the band broke up, and perhaps who blamed who after it was all over.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!There is opportunity here when this storyall four volumes of itgets to the cinema in 2028.

Weve seen the MCU Spider-Man have his One More Day. Now its time for his Brand New Day.If those phrases mean nothing to you, its probably because you know Spidey mostly from the movies, particularly of the MCU variety and starring Tom Holland. Most of the time, thats totally fine. The MCU is its own universe with its own history and characters, divorced from the comics. The Spider-Man movies demonstrate this, as they exist in a world in which Peter Parkers primary love interest is Michelle Jones instead of Mary Jane Watson, his best friend is Ned Leeds (a guy who looks a lot like Miles Morales best pal Ganke) instead of Harry Osborn, and no one even mentions ol Uncle Ben.But in the case of the fourth MCU Spider-Man movie, some knowledge of the comics might help. Sony has just revealed the title of Tom Hollands fourth outing as Spider-Man: Brand New Day. That title originally belonged to a 2008 storyline that set a new status quo for Spider-Man, something that the MCU Peter Parker also desperately needs.Before the Brand New DayIts starts here! declares the cover of 2008s Amazing Spider-Man #546, written by Dan Slott and penciled by Steve McNiven. To announce the beginning of the Brand New Day storyline, the cover features Spidey climbing up a wall, his satisfied grin just visible under the mask he pulls over his face, all presented in bright colors by Morry Hollowell and sharp inks by Dexter Vines.Brand New Days inaugural issue really needed to highlight an upbeat tone. Brand New Day came right after two controversial stories, both of which will be familiar to movie watchers, albeit their perceptions might be different if they are not familiar with pre-2008 comics. The first is Civil War, during which Peter willingly revealed his secret identity to the world for discernably no logical reason on the page. The second is One More Day, in which Peter made a deal with the satanic Mephisto to save the life of his beloved Aunt May and to have his secret identity restored. All it cost was his marriage to Mary Jane.Obviously, One More Day was a controversial story, not just because it felt driven by the hand of editorial but also because it killed a beloved part of Spider-Mans backstory (the great Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote a beautiful essay in defense and memoriam of the Parkers marriage). So Brand New Day had to put a positive spin on the whole thing, making people glad that it happened.The MCU Peter is currently in a similar situation, although the execution has been a heck of a lot more satisfying. Spider-Man: No Way Home may have ben a box office hit, but it left Peter in a tough spot. Aunt May died in an attack from the Green Goblin, he lost all the financial backing he had from Tony Stark, and his friends all forgot him. And yet, in the final seconds of No Way Home, we see Peter crafting his own Spidey suit (low-tech, no AI) and triumphantly leaping out of his apartment window.No Way Home ended very much ready for a Brand New Day.Let the Day BeginBut what, exactly, will this cinematic Brand New Day look like? In the comic arc, Peter has been living with Aunt May and planning his next steps. He has stopped being Spider-Man because of the Superhero Registration Act in Civil War, which required him to reveal his identitysomething he hasnt done in this new reality.Peter eventually finds work with Robbie Robertson, who has started a new outlet called the Daily Line after a businessman buys the Daily Bugle and changes it into a trashy gossip rag. But thats not enough to save his relationship with Mary Jane, with whom he once had a serious thing going. but they never married.Peters relationship with MJ gets even more complicated after he returns to action as Spidey, as he soon encounters another masked figure called Jackpot, one who looks a lot like Mary Jane. Worse, he meets a villain called Menace, who shares similarities with Harry Osborn, who once was the Green Goblin.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!But the biggest new villain of them all is Mister Negative, a name familiar to video game players. Born Martin Li, Mister Negative has the powers of light and darkness, allowing him to bring out the worst in others, which he uses to take control of the New York underworld. In his civilian identity and in his heroic alter-ego Mister Positive, Li runs the FEAST charity organization. However, that only creates more problems for Peter, who volunteers for FEAST when Lis Negative personality takes over. As this brief summary indicates, the Brand New Day comics offer a lot of storytelling potential, but which of those will show up in the movie?Marvels New DayIts not hard to imagine that the Brand New Day movie starts in more or less the same place as the comics. Peter is lying low in a crappy apartment, trying to make ends meet. Hes no longer in a relationship with MJ, nor does he have access to the Stark tech he once used. Given Mister Negatives role in the comic book story and in Spider-Man games, it seems plausible that he could be big bad of the movie, especially if Peter initially sees FEAST as a way to do good outside of being Spider-Man. For the record, FEAST previously appeared in No Way Home.But what of the supporting cast? Zendaya has been confirmed to return to the movie, meaning that Michelle Jones will be back. However, shell be joined by Sadie Sink, whose red hair sure seems more in line with the comic book version of MJ, Mary Jane Watson. Some rumors have argued that Sink will indeed be playing Mary Jane Watson, while others have pointed to Jean Grey, mutant telepath of the X-Men. However, the movie may try to replicate the tensions around Jackpot by having Sink play Sara Ehret, the red-headed scientist who takes the Jackpot name. It would also lend credence to the rumor that the film could feature a female villain, or at least antagonist. (Then again, if they go that way, Sink could just dye her hair white or platinum blonde and be the Black CAt.)Leaker Daniel Richtman, who has a spotted history of accuracy, recently claimed that Marvel has released a casting call, looking for actors willing to play a powerful man ages 30 to 50, and actors to play 20-year-old entrepreneur, which could be the long-absent Norman Osborn and Harry Osborn. By introducing the Osborns in a story focused on Mister Negative, Brand New Day could do a bit of the exposition missing from previous movies, bringing the world more in line to the familiar dynamics of the comics.In short, Brand New Day seems like a pretty straightforward adaptation for Marvel, with a few changes to match the movie continuity.Waiting for the DayOf course, all of this is speculation, and Kevin Feige has made a point of frustrating fan expectations more than once (remember all the times we thought Mephisto would appear?).But one thing is clear by the title choice: its time for a radical change in direction for the MCU Spider-ManNo Way Home already teased a return to the status quo. With Brand New Day, that status quo may finally be realized.Spider-Man: Brand New Day releases July 31, 2026.

Sonys presentation at Cinema Con came with good news and bad news. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, the third entry in the incredible animated trilogy, will not hit theaters until June 4, 2027, which is bad news (unless youre one of the overworked animators). However, the good news is that weve got our first looks at the movie, and they are amazing. It appears that Beyond the Spider-Verse will continue the standard set by the first two films, creating dazzling worlds unlike anything seen in comics or movies.The even better news is for fans of the Prowler, a minor villain from Spider-Man comics who continues to be a major character in the Spider-Verse movies. Created by Stan Lee, John Buscema, and Jim Mooney for 1969s the Amazing Spider-Man #78, the Prowler was Hobie Brown, a brilliant engineer who felt that his talents were unappreciated. Instead he used his inventions to become the Prowler and steal the riches he thought he deserved.The depiction of African American Hobie perhaps reflected the relatively centrist politics of Stan Lee (see also early Falcon stories in Captain America at the time, in which the Black Power movement is portrayed as illogical and susceptible to Red Skulls manipulations). Yet Prowler soon found an audience and became a popular anti-hero in Spideys stories, even carrying his own miniseries for a while.Most modern Spidey fans know the Prowler as the alter-ego of Aaron Davis, uncle to Miles Morales and brother to Jefferson Davis. As introduced in the alternate reality Ultimate Universe, Aaron is Jeffersons neer-do-well brother, whose illegal activities clash with Miles adventures as Spidey.The Spider-Verse films, and the recent PlayStation Spider-Man video games, further develop this version of Davis, using Uncle Aaron to represent the dangers posed by Miles new adventure. When Uncle Aaron (voiced by Mahershala Ali) dies in Into the Spider-Verse, Miles learns about the loss that binds all the Spider-People together.Across the Spider-Verse continued that theme in its cliffhanger. After an adventure that paired him with an alternate universe Hobie Brown, now the radical Spider-Punk, Miles landed in yet another reality, one in which Jefferson died, Aaron still lives, and Miles is the Prowler.Looking at the first images from the movie, Beyond the Spider-Verse will certainly carry this story further. The alternate universe Prowler will be a sort of dark mirror of our Miles, showing what he could become should the Spot complete his mission of vengeance and kill Jefferson.Thats quite an upgrade for the Prowler from his humble comics origins, both in the mainline and Ultimate universes. Despite the similarities to their masks, Spider-Man and the Prowler were never foils to one another. Peter never felt the same urge to use his inventions for selfish gain, and thus moralized to Hobie more than he related with him. But Beyond the Spider-Verse will alter that dynamic by making the Prowler as literally another version of Miles Morales, aka Spider-Man. The Prowler is now the manifestation of everything that could go wrong for Miles, the suggestion that maybe he doesnt actually have the ability to continue doing the right thing in the face of tragedy, as Miquel OHara claimed in Across the Spider-Verse. Maybe his leap of faith will result in disaster.Thats a huge upgrade for the Prowler, and a welcome one at that. After years of sitting on the sidelines, the Prowler will finally climb to the top. Well, in two years, that is.Photo: Sony Pictures Animation.Photo: Sony Pictures Animation.Photo: Sony Pictures Animation.Photo: Sony Pictures Animation.Photo: Sony Pictures Animation.Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse releases June 4, 2027.

This review contains The Replacement finale spoilers.Praise be for the three-parter. Even when the narrative wheels come off, as they did in spectacular fashion in The Replacements ludicrously overblown finale, youre still quids-in when it comes to your time investment. A dodgy last hour after two decent instalments is forgivable, especially when its all so bonkers you cant look away.Episode three put pay to all the subtle ambiguity over who was really the crazy one and vindicated our girl Ellen by exposing Paula not only as Kays killer but also as the villain from the Saw films. The blue-eyed monster hatched a plan so complicated that even after watching the episode twice and taking notes each time, I could still use a steer on what actually happened.Heres what I have so far: Paula wanted to save baby Lia from Ellen, so stole the former from a windowsill like a pie in a Yogi Bear cartoon, then sent a cryptic message to the latter inviting her to the place where she died. (Reading she as Paulas daughter Caris, Ellen met her foe at the accident site though if shed done what I did and interpreted she as Kay, it turns out shed have driven straight to baby Lia without any need for all that A-Team nonsense in the garage).If Paula planned to fake Ellens suicide and then take her place as Lias mother, then what about that whopping filing cabinet leaning against the car, or Paulas line about knowing she couldnt have Lia? If she planned to frame Ellen as Lias kidnapper and be the one who marches in with the police and saves the day, then why quietly accept the handcuffs? Was Ellen supposed to wake up from those sleeping pills? Did Paula turn herself in to the police? Forgive me if its all clear to you, but Im genuinely floundering.Kudos to Vicky McClure and Morven Christie, whove gone up in my already high estimation by gamely selling whatever it was that happened in those last ten minutes. Theyre such good actors, they even had me convinced they had a clue as to what on earth was going on. That pair were The Replacements prize; the depth of their performances kept this story of well-dressed unhinged women from venturing too close to soap territory.Until this episode, that is, when it held its nose and took a running both-feet jump into soap-land. Dead Caris being kept alive as a comforting lie? The faked push down the stairs at a chichi party? Paula breaking up Ellen and Ian by telling him Lia isnt his baby? Colour-drained flashbacks to seemingly incriminating dialogue? Is this a BBC psychological thriller or Days Of Our Lives? Georgias child has leukaemia, we learn. And an evil identical twin no doubtIt probably didnt help the accusations of soapishness that the cast was so uniformly good-looking. Everyone, from Ellens sister to the mysterious Georgia to those social workers, looked like Abercrombie and Fitch models. Theres not a pot belly, imperfect smile or pair of eyes you wouldnt want to dive into in the whole joint.In the finale, all the nuanced tension and promised exploration of competitiveness, paranoia and what work and motherhood mean to modern women went out of the window (or should we say through the skylight). With that absurd MacGuyver ending, it blew it. Ultimately, The Replacementturned out to beyour average bereavement-turns-mothers-into-psychopathic-murderers thriller, nothing more complex or original than a posh soap with a partiality for contra-zoom camera tricks.Still, those two were great leads. You have to give it that.The Replacement is streaming now on Netflix UK.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!

I Will Find You is an eight-part adaptation of Cobens 2023 novel thats coming to Netflix via Quantum Leap and Alcatraz showrunner Robert Hull. Its cast has just been announced and includes Sam Worthington (Avatar), Milo Ventimiglia (This Is Us, Heroes), Britt Lower (Severance), Logan Browning (Dear White People), and Erin Richards (Gotham).Set in New Jersey, the traditional home of Cobens thrillers, I Will Find You is the story of David Burroughs, a man serving a life sentence for the murder of his young son Matthew a crime he says he didnt commit. When a photograph arrives appearing to show Matthew alive several years after his supposed death, David sets about solving the mystery.I Will Find You wont be the very first Harlan Coben adaptation set in its home country of the US, but the first one to stream on Netflix. In 2023, Prime Video aired Shelter, an American-set series revolving around teenager Mickey Bolitar, the nephew of Cobens hit creation Myron Bolitar the rights to whom are owned by Netflix, hence Myron not appearing in Shelter. Netflix is currently developing a Myron Bolitar series, rumoured to be in collaboration with TV producer David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, Big Little Lies, The Lincoln Lawyer).The next UK-set Coben thriller Run Away began filming earlier this year in and around Manchester, England, and stars James Nesbitt (Cold Feet), Minnie Driver (Speechless), Jon Pointing (Big Boys), Lucian Msamati (Gangs of London), Ruth Jones (Gavin & Stacey), Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders) and more. Its the story of a father who discovers his troubled runaway daughter strung out on drugs and tries to bring her home, but who uncovers a web of lies that change his family forever along the way. If Run Away keeps with tradition, then we can expect it to arrive on Netflix on January 1, 2026 for the now-traditional New Years Day binge. In short: our Coben cup runneth over!

This month on Hulu, The Handmaids Tale returns for its sixth and final season. June Osbornes (Elisabeth Moss) journey is coming to an end as her fight against the oppressive regime Gilead gains momentum. Will she be successful in taking them down and reuniting with her daughter? Well have to tune in and find out.All episodes of the FX limited series Dying For Sex arrive on Hulu April 4. Based on a true story, this series follows Molly Kochan (Michelle Williams), who decides to leave her husband and explore her sexuality for the first time in her life after shes diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer. As far as movies go, a lot of incredible films such as Arrival, Interstellar, Black Swan, Gone Girl, and Jurassic Park join Hulus library on the first of the month.Heres everything thats coming to (and leaving)Huluin April.Hulu New Releases April 2025April 1Arrival (2016)Arrival En Espanol (2016)The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)Black Swan (2010)Boys on the Side (1995)Concussion (2015)Concussion En Espanol (2015)Copycat (1995)Enough Said (2013)The Equalizer (2014)The Equalizer En Espanol (2014)Gifted (2017)The Good Thief (2003)Gone Girl (2014)Gullivers Travels (2010)The History of the World Part I (1981)I Heart Huckabees (2004)Interstellar (2014)Interstellar En Espanol (2014)Jumanji (1995)Jumanji En Espanol (1995)Jurassic Park (1993)Jurassic Park III (2001)The Karate Kid (1984)The Karate Kid En Espanol (1984)The Karate Kid Part II (1986)The Karate Kid: Part II En Espanol (1986)The Karate Kid Part III (1989)The Karate Kid Part III En Espanol (1989)Little Man (2006)Little Man En Espanol (2006)The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)Made in America (1993)Me, Myself and Irene (2000)Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)OddityRed Sparrow (2018)The Revenant (2015)Runaway Jury (2003)Sexy Beast (2001)Shark Tale (2004)The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)Superbad (2007)Superbad En Espanol (2007)Tombstone (1993)True Story (2015)21 Jump Street (2012)22 Jump Street (2014)Wall Street (1987)Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)War of the Worlds (2005) (2005)Widows (2018)Wild (2014)The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)The Wolf Of Wall Street En Espanol (2013)Year One (2009)You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger (2010)April 2Beyblade X: Complete Season 1BApril 3Oklahoma City Bombing: One Day in America: Complete Limited SeriesApril 4FXs Dying for Sex: Complete Limited SeriesFire Force: Season 3 Premiere (SUBBED)Classified (2024)The Darjeeling Limited (2007)Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)Rushmore (1999)April 5American Monster: Complete Season 3Bering Sea Gold: Complete Season 3Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives: Complete Seasons 1-2I Love A Mamas Boy: Complete Season 2The World According to Allee Willis (2024)April 6Witch Watch: Series Premiere (SUBBED & DUBBED)April 8The Handmaids Tale: Sixth & Final Season PremiereSmall Things Like These (2024)Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!April 9Angels & Demons (2009)The Da Vinci Code (2006)April 10Court Cam: Complete Season 7Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life: Complete Season 1Ca$h (2010)Hesher (2010)Niko: Beyond the Northern Lights (2024)Red Dog (2011)So Undercover (2012)Spun (2002)April 11Got to Get Out: Series PremiereGarfield (2004)Garfield: A Tail Of Two Kitties (2006)Magpie (2024)April 12Fixer Upper: Complete Season 5MythBusters: Complete Season 5The Family Chantel: Complete Season 4April 15Lake George (2024)April 16No Mans Land: Complete Season 2Synduality Noir: Complete Season 1 (DUBBED)The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: Complete Season 3April 17The Stolen Girl: Series PremiereBible Secrets Revealed: Complete Season 1Gangland Chronicles: Complete Season 1Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath: Complete Seasons 1 and 2Martin Short: Complete Season 1The Girl Who Wasnt Dead (2024)April 18The Order (2024)April 19Breaking Amish: Complete Season 4Disappeared: Complete Season 6Gypsy Sisters: Complete Season 3Moonshiners: Complete Season 13April 21Secrets of the Penguins: Complete Limited SeriesNo Hard Feelings (2023)No Hard Feelings En Espanol (2023)April 22In a Violent Nature (2024)April 24Airline Wars: Complete Season 1Customer Wars: Complete Season 4Tell Me How I Died: Complete Season 1Tiny House World: Complete Season 1Husband, Father, Killer: The Alyssa Pladl StoryApril 25Jessica Kirson: Im the Man: Special PremiereAzrael (2024)April 26Chopped: Complete Season 60Four Weddings: Complete Season 9House Hunters Renovation: Complete Season 16Jessica Chambers: An ID Murder Mystery: Complete Season 1April 29Ernest Cole: Lost and Found (2024)Leaving Hulu April 2025April 6Agnes (2021)April 13She Will (2021)April 16Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am (2019)April 20Totally Under Control (2020)April 24The Good Neighbor (2022)April 27Resurrection (2022)April 30After Everything (2018)Code Name Banshee (2022)Stars Fell Again (2023)

The long-awaited return of Andor is finally here, as the series returns for a second and final season on April 22. This season will tell the next chapter of Cassian Andors (Diego Luna) life as we watch him become the rebel spy we meet in Rogue One. The stakes are high as the Empire continues to assert its power across the galaxy and the Rebel Alliance rises to fight their oppression.Doctor Who also returns to Disney+ for another season on April 12. This season, The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) meets Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu), who really just wants to go home to Earth. However, theres a mysterious force at work keeping them from returning, and the two must learn how to work together to face the dangers and enemies that block their path.Daredevil: Born Again will have its season finale this month as well, with the masked vigilante hanging up his horns (for now) on April 15. This season, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) has had to wrestle with a lot this season, both within and without, but when a mysterious new criminal surfaces, he once again feels the call to protect the city as Daredevil.Heres everything coming toDisney+this April.Disney+ New Releases April 2025April 1Lost Treasures of Rome (S2, 6 episodes)National Parks: USA (S1, 5 episodes)RoboGobo (S1, 24 episodes)Marvel Televisions Daredevil: Born Again (Episode 7 at 6pm PT)April 3Oklahoma City Bombing: One Day in America (S1, 3 episodes)April 4Kindergarten: The Musical (S1, 5 episodes)April 7David Blaine Do Not Attempt (Two New Episodes)Not Just a Goof (Premiere)April 8Marvel Televisions Daredevil: Born Again (Penultimate Episode at 6pm PT)April 9Marvels Spidey and his Amazing Friends (S3, 4 episodes)April 11The Abyss 4KPets (Premiere)Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!April 12Titanic: The Digital ResurrectionTo Catch a Smuggler (S8, 8 episodes)Doctor Who (Season 2 Premiere)April 15Marvel Televisions Daredevil: Born Again (Season Finale at 6pm PT)April 16Big City Greens (S4, 7 episodes)SuperKitties (S2, 3 episodes)April 18Light & Magic (Season 2 Premiere)April 19Doctor Who (Season 2, Episode 2)April 21Secret of the Penguins (S1, 3 episodes)April 22ABC News Live Special: Last Lands (S1, 4 episodes)Andor (Season 2 Three-Episode Premiere at 6pm PT)Sea Lions of the Galapagos (Premiere)Guardians of the Galapagos (Premiere)April 25Megastructures: Real Madrid Super StadiumApril 26Doctor Who (Season 2, Episode 3)April 29Andor (Season 2, Three New Episodes at 6pm PT)April 30Chibi Tiny Tales: Shorts (S5, 7 episodes)Mickey Mouse Funhouse (S3, 5 episodes)

Netflix is kicking off the month strong with the release of their animated Devil May Cry series on April 3. Based on the video game series of the same name, Devil May Cry follows demon hunter Dante as he tries to keep the peace between the human and demon realms, not realizing he might be the key to the fate of both worlds.Next, we have medical drama Pulse, also arriving on April 3. Set in Miami, the series follows the doctors of the fictional Maguire Medical Center as they deal with interpersonal drama, patients, and the threat of an incoming hurricane.The popular sci-fi dystopia series Black Mirror returns for its seventh season on April 10, and once again features a stacked cast including Issa Rae (Insecure), Emma Corrin (The Crown, Deadpool vs. Wolverine), Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers), Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who), and so many more. Cristin Milioti is also returning in a sequel to the episode U.S.S Callister.Another popular series returning this month is You. The fifth and final season of this gripping thriller drops on April 24, and follows Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) as he tries to live happily ever after in New York City. But with Joe being Joe, its not long before his past comes back to haunt him.Heres everything else coming toNetflixthis month. Note that Netflix marks its international offerings with that respective countrys two-letter country code. You can find a list of those abbreviationshere.New on Netflix April 2025Coming SoonJewel Thief The Heist Begins (IN) NETFLIX FILMWeak Hero Class 2 (KR) NETFLIX SERIESApril 1The Age of InnocenceBig DaddyBonnie & ClydeThe Breakfast ClubConan the DestroyerCouples RetreatThe CroodsDraft DayField of DreamsFor Love of the GameGeostormGet Him to the GreekHeatInsidious: Chapter 2K-9LucyMatildaThe MauritanianThe Place Beyond the PinesPsychoRise of the GuardiansRooster Cogburn (and the Lady)RudySicario: Day of the SoldadoSmokey and the BanditSmokey and the Bandit IIUncle BuckApril 2Banger (FR) NETFLIX FILMGarnachas: Glorious Street Food! (MX) NETFLIX DOCUMENTARYLove on the Spectrum: Season 3 NETFLIX SERIESApril 3Devil May Cry NETFLIX SERIESJurassic World: Chaos Theory: Season 3 NETFLIX FAMILYPULSE NETFLIX SERIESApril 4Karma (KR) NETFLIX SERIESTEST (IN) NETFLIX FILMApril 7Blippis Job Show NETFLIX FAMILYKill Tony: Kill or Be Killed NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIALJoin our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!April 8The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox NETFLIX SPORTS SERIESHow to Sell Drugs Online (Fast): Season 4 (DE) NETFLIX SERIESKians Bizarre B&B (KR) NETFLIX SERIESMy Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman: Season 5 Part 2 NETFLIX SERIESApril 9The Addams FamilyBad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing NETFLIX DOCUMENTARYThe Dad Quest (MX) NETFLIX FILMThe Hating GameUnicorn Academy: Chapter 3 (CA) NETFLIX FAMILYApril 10Black Mirror: Season 7 (GB) NETFLIX SERIESFrozen Hot Boys (TH) NETFLIX FILMMoonrise (JP) NETFLIX ANIMENorth of North (CA) NETFLIX SERIESApril 11The Gardener (ES) NETFLIX SERIESMeet the Khumalos (ZA) NETFLIX FILMApril 12Resident Playbook (KR) NETFLIX SERIESApril 13Life or Something Like ItApril 15The Glass Dome (SE) NETFLIX SERIESYoung Sheldon: Season 7April 16Baby MamaThe Diamond Heist (GB) NETFLIX DOCUMENTARYI Am Not Mendoza (MX) NETFLIX SERIESProject UFO (PL) NETFLIX SERIESApril 17Istanbul Encyclopedia (TR) NETFLIX SERIESRansom Canyon NETFLIX SERIESApril 18iHostage (NL) NETFLIX FILMOklahoma City Bombing: American Terror NETFLIX DOCUMENTARYApril 19Heavenly Ever After (KR) NETFLIX SERIESApril 21Pangolin: Kulus Journey NETFLIX DOCUMENTARYApril 23A Tragedy Foretold: Flight 3054 (BR) NETFLIX DOCUMENTARYBattle Camp (GB) NETFLIX SERIESBullet Train Explosion (JP) NETFLIX FILMCarlos Alcaraz: My Way (ES) NETFLIX SPORTS SERIESUnBrokenApril 24A Dogs Way HomeYou: Season 5 NETFLIX SERIESApril 25Havoc NETFLIX FILMPokmon Horizons: Season 2The Search for Laqua Part 2 (JP) NETFLIX FAMILYApril 28Chefs Table: Legends NETFLIX DOCUMENTARYApril 30Asterix & Obelix: The Big Fight (FR) NETFLIX FAMILYThe Eternaut (AR) NETFLIX SERIESExterritorial (DE) NETFLIX FILMTurning Point: The Vietnam War NETFLIX DOCUMENTARYLeaving Netflix April 2025April 1Baby DriverBoyz n the HoodBruce AlmightyDr. Seuss The Cat in the HatDr. Seuss The LoraxElysiumHappy FeetHappy Feet TwoHow to Train Your DragonHow to Train Your Dragon 2InterstellarItThe Karate KidThe Karate Kid Part IIThe Karate Kid Part IIILegionMiss CongenialityMollys GameThe Nice GuysRichie RichRush HourRush Hour 2Rush Hour 3Rust and BoneSpace JamWhen in RomeApril 4SerenaApril 8Megan LeaveyApril 11PixelsScreamApril 12A Quiet Place Part IIApril 15HereditaryApril 16The Unbearable Weight of Massive TalentApril 21No Hard FeelingsApril 24MinionsApril 29Patriots Day

One of HBOs hottest series, The Last of Us, returns for a second season on April 13. Based on the video game series of the same name, this show is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a zombie-like fungal infection has wiped out a lot of the population and forever changed the world as we know it. Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Kaitlyn Dever, Gabriel Luna, and Isabela Merced are among the cast members you can expect to see this season.Max original Hacks is returning for a fourth season starting April 10. Deborah (Jean Smart) and Avas (Hannah Einbinder) relationship is the rockiest its ever been after Ava blackmailed Deborah to get the head writer position she believes she deserved. Now the two must work together to make Deborahs late night show as successful as it can be, despite how much they might hate each other.If youve been wanting to catch up on the latest A24 movies, Y2K (April 4) and Babygirl (April 25) both arrive on Max this month.Heres everything coming toHBOandMaxin April.HBO and Max New Releases April 2025April 1A Kind of Murder (2016)A Stolen Life (1946)Aftersun (2022)All I See Is You (2017)Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)April in Paris (1952)Bad Santa (2003)Bad Santa 2 (2016)Black Death (2010)Brittany Murphy: An ID Mystery (ID)Chopped After Hours, Seasons 1-3 (Food Network)Chopped Junior, Food Network, Seasons 6 & 7 (Food Network)Chopped Next Gen, Season 1 (Food Network)Deception (1946)Doubling Down with the Derricos, Seasons 1-3 (TLC)Drinking Buddies (2013)Edge of the City (1957)Expedition Unknown, Season 1 (Discovery)Friday (1995)Friday After Next (2002)Gold Rush: Parkers Trail, Season 2 (Discovery)House Hunters Ho Ho Home, Season 1 (HGTV)House Hunters Renovation, Season 10 (HGTV)Ill See You in My Dreams (1952)In This Our Life (1942)Its Love Im After (1937)Jezebel (1938)Jimmy the Gent (1934)Juarez (1939)June Bride (1948)Kid Galahad (1937)Land of the Lost (2009)Little Men (2016)Logan (2017)Lucky Me (1954)Lullaby of Broadway (1951)Marked Woman (1937)Moonshiners: American Spirit (Discovery)Moonshiners: Master Distiller, Season 3 (Discovery)Moonshiners: Whiskey Business, Season 1 (Discovery)Mr. Nobody (2011)Mr. Nobody: Extended Directors Cut (2011)Mr. Skeffington (1944)My Big Fat Fabulous Life, Seasons 6 9 (TLC)My Dream is Yours (1949)My Golden Days (2016)Naked and Afraid, Season 14 (Discovery)Next Friday (2000)Nobody Walks (2012)Now, Voyager (1942)Old Acquaintance (1943)On Moonlight Bay (1951)Panama Hattie (1942)Parachute Jumper (1933)Payment on Demand (1951)Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)Romance on the High Seas (1948)Satan Met a Lady (1936)Severance (2007)Sixteen Candles (1984)Special Agent (1935)Stampede (1949)Station West (1948)Storm Warning (1951)Suspicion (1941)Tea for Two (1950)That Certain Woman (1937)The Biggest Little Farm (2019)The Double (2014)The Old Maid (1939)The Prince (2014)The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)The Star (1952)The Terminator (1984)The Tree of Life (2011)The West Point Story (1950)The Wild North (1952)The Working Man (1933)Three on a Match (1932)Winter Meeting (1948)Young Man with a Horn (1950)April 2Bateau Mouche: Sinking Justice, Season 1 (discovery+)Ride of Your Life with Courtney Hansen, Season 2 (discovery+)April 3Fix My Frankenhouse, Season 2 (HGTV)HOP, Season 1C (Max Original)April 4Y2K (A24)April 5HGTV Smart Home 2025 (HGTV)April 6Iyanu, Season 1A (Cartoon Network)Lazarus, Season 1 (Adult Swim)April 72073 (2024)Barneys World, Season 1CJoin our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!April 890 Day Diaries, Season 6 (TLC)April 9All Access PD: Grand Rapids, Season 1 (ID)April 10Gremlins: The Wild Batch, Season 2B (Max Original)Hacks, Season 4 (Max Original)April 13The Last of Us, Season 2 (HBO Original)April 15Rock The Block, Season 6 (HGTV)April 16100 Day Dream Home, Season 6 (HGTV)Fist Fight (2017)April 17Cookie Monsters Bake Sale: Block Party (Max Original)Ghost Adventures, Season 29 (Discovery)April 18Lu & The Bally Bunch, Season 1B (Cartoon Network)April 19Bugs Bunny Builders, Season 2D (Cartoon Network)Impractical Jokers, Season 11B (truTV)Outback Opal Hunters, Season 7 (Discovery)Sal Vulcano: TerrifiedApril 20The Rehearsal, Season 2 (HBO Original)April 21Yellowstone Wardens, Season 6 (Animal Planet)April 22Love It or List It, Season 20 (HGTV)Planet Earth III, Season 3 (discovery +)April 24Life of the Party (2018)April 25Babygirl (A24)April 2824 in 24: Last Chef Standing, Season 2 (Food Network)Evil Lives Here: The Killer Speaks, Season 2 (ID)Filthy Fortunes, Season 1 (Discovery)April 29Contraband: Seized at the Border, Season 6 (Discovery)April 30Castle Impossible, Season 1 (HGTV)Polyfamily, Season 1 (TLC)Twitter: Breaking the Bird, Season 1 (CNN)

Jonathan Hickman has been playing in the Marvel Universe for 15 years now and almost no one can lay a greater claim to the universes makeup in that time than him. Not only did he destroy the Marvel Multiverse (in the greatest superhero crossover of all time, Secret Wars), but he shaped the now-dead original Ultimate Universe with epic runs on Ultimates, mapped the multiverse in Fantastic Four, and rebuilt the Ultimate Universe in its most recent relaunch. Hell, he even sowed some seeds for the cosmogony of the multiverse in House of X/Powers of X (seriously, if you havent read what Al Ewing did to Secret Wars in his Defenders, you need to go check it out). But theres one story hes been chasing from the start: a book about the Shiar Imperial Guard. And were finally getting a payoff in this years Imperial.Marvel is pitching Imperial as a chance to see Hickman reshape the Marvel cosmos in the same way he did the Ultimate Universe. And while Im excited to read anything he does, what has been most interesting is the fact that hes been playing with these characters and ideas for a long time. There were rumors going back to his time with the Avengers that Hickman had a pitch for the Legion of Super-Heroes, DCs futuristic space teens. And in the Legion is the origin of the Shiar.Dave Cockrum was the artist who, with Chris Claremont, created the Shiar as part of his work on the big Phoenix story at the dawn of the Claremont era. Prior to his work on X-Men, Cockrum had been a seminal artist on the Legion of Super-Heroes, and he made the Imperial Guard loosely analogous to his Legionnaires. So Superboy became Gladiator of Kallark; Brainiac 5 became Mentor; Saturn Girl became Oracle; and so on. So while their in-universe story was based on imperial Rome, their look was very Legion, forever linking the two franchises in the minds of fans.Hickman used the Imperial Guard a ton in his Avengers run, having Gladiator (a Superboy stand in from the planet Kallark) lead the coalition of space societies that included the Spartoi, the Kree, the Skrulls and the Annihilation Wave as they joined the Avengers to battle an army of Builders bent on destruction in the universe. And those stories rocked. Hes also revealed in post-X-Men interviews that his original plan at the dawn of the Krakoa era was to put mutants Cannonball and Sunspot in an Imperial Guard book, fleshing out Shiar society relative to the mutant status quo.

Another thing you might recall from season 2 is that Lord Cregan cant necessarily afford to send his youngest, best, and brightest to battle at the moment you know, with winter coming and all. Still, Lord Cregan promises that even the elder Northerners will be fierce fighters for Queen Rhaenyra. Ser Roderick is great evidence of that. Known as Roddy the Ruin, Ser Roderick Dustin is an absolute beast on the battlefield despite his advanced age. He is the general who Lord Cregan has entrusted with leading an army of 2,000 Winter Wolves to support Rhaenyras claim. Ser Roderick will eventually lead the charge into a battle known as the Butchers Ball a particularly blood event (even by Westerosi standards).Playing Ser Roderick is Tommy Flanagan, a Scottish actor best known for his role as Chibs in Sons of Anarchy and for his genre work in projects like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Gotham, and Westworld. He also just happens to have distinctive facial scarring that will give Ser Roderick an extra dimension of badassery.Dan Fogler as Ser Torrhen ManderlySer Torrhen Manderly is a member of House Manderly, which just happens to be one of my personal favorite families from the Game of Thrones mythos. A long time ago in the Age of Heroes, House Manderly was cast out of its homestead in the Reach by King Gwayne III Gardener. They traveled the continent of Westeros, searching for a new home and ultimately being granted lands in The North by House Stark. The Manderlys gratitude for this offering has lasted for thousands of years making them one of House Starks absolute ride-or-dies. Manderly men also tend to be both very brave and very rotund, hammering home the storys themes that heroism can come in any form. Ser Torrhen is currently riding down with Ser Roderick and the Winter Wolves. He will have a major role to play in incoming battles and their subsequent diplomacy and negotiations. Playing Ser Torrhen is Dan Fogler. One of the few American actors to join the Game of Thrones universe, Fogler is best known for his roles in the Fantastic Beasts films, The Walking Dead, and for playing Francis Ford Coppola in Paramount+s The Offer. House of the Dragon season 3 does not yet have a release date but has been confirmed to contain eight episodes.

How will the end of the world come upon us?There are certain names in every industry that generate an extra level of excitement and anticipation for their respective projects. Theyve earned the audiences trust, which if implemented properly, can keep these storytellers relevant for an entire lifetime. Shinichir Watanabe has a remarkable filmography that consists of totemic titles like Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Space Dandy, and Carole & Tuesday, any of which on their own would be enough to make him an essential anime auteur. Watanabe brings such meticulous pedigree and passion to all of his series, but its particularly satisfying when he returns to grungy science fiction like he has in Lazarus.Lazarus has been one of the longest-gestating and most highly anticipated programs on Adult Swim, which has a surprisingly spotty reputation when it comes to their original anime co-productions. Fortunately, Lazarus is exactly what it needs to be and a case where this modern anime classic is well worth the wait. Lazarus is one of 2025s best anime and its sure to delight Cowboy Bebop fans, anime aficionados, and complete newcomers who just want to experience a compelling animated sci-fi parable.Lazarus hits the ground running with a fortuitous storyline where a miracle drug, Hapna, reveals fatal side effects three years after its street date. This cheap escape from reality suddenly threatens humanitys preservation. A team of elite individuals is saddled with the impossible task of finding the reclusive scientist who created Hapna, Dr. Skinner, so that he can create an antidote before its too late and huge swathes of the worlds population perish. Its such a captivating hook that kicks Lazarus off with immediate urgency and sets in motion this 30-day ticking doomsday clock deadline. it perpetually feels like every second counts in Lazarus. Theres a powerful anxiety thats reminiscent of Watanabes Terror in Resonance that absolutely works in Lazarus favor and contributes to the unease thats felt by most of its characters.Watanabes Lazarus presents a very real world where people feel hopelessly oppressed and are desperate for any sort of way to slow the bleeding. Corporations hold all the power and innocent people are rendered into footnotes, if that. Theres a grander serialized narrative to find Dr. Skinner and create a Hapna vaccine, but Lazarus fluctuates between episodic stories that indulge in diverse genres that still manage to contribute to the greater whole. Meanwhile, theres a bit of an our princess is another castle syndrome as each attempt to locate Dr. Skinner falls short. Its a solid enough framework for adventures as Lazarus flexes its storytelling and character development muscles throughout this bleak quest to save the world.Lazarus is also a total triumph when it comes to world-building and how it fleshes out this unique universe. Theres such artistry behind the architecture of Lazarus futuristic communities, like Babylonia City, that are all distinct and feel like natural evolutions of modern society. Lazarus begins with dense, economical exposition thats an effective, melancholy tone-setter thats echoed in each episode. This opening narration gradually morphs over the course of Lazarus as it tells other tales of Hapna-based woe. Its a simple, but smart stylistic detail that hits a little harder with each passing episode as the collective weight of these tragedies begins to mount. Lazarus channels this energy and is occasionally a very angry series about rebellion and rage in a world thats increasingly cruel. Lazarus provides an unflinching look at the people who society steps over in order to succeed.Beyond its suspenseful storytelling and rich world-building, Lazarus infinitely oozes charisma and charm. Lazarus is like John Wick meets Suicide Squad, with shades of Supercrooks and The Great Pretender thrown in for good measure, all within an appealing Watanabe sci-fi universe. Lazarus is full of the sort of freaks that you cant wait to spend more time with. Watanabe has created some unforgettable characters between Mugen, Jin, Fuu, Dandy, and the entire Bebop crew, yet Axel Gilberto and the rest of Lazarus cast immediately make strong impressions. Every character shines, undergoes cathartic development, and feels like a wild card in their own way. This is a strong, unforgettable cast who are destined to become evergreen anime icons, even if Lazarus only produces this singular season of 13 episodes.Axel is cocky and operates like hes invincible. There are real Ryo Saeba from City Hunter vibes going on. However, theres also a sweeter side to Axel that views life as something thats incredibly precious. He wants to experience everything that the world has to offer, which leads to a certain impulsivity. Hes a character who does endlessly cool things and it often feels like the universe is bending over backwards to perpetually make him look impressive while hes in the peak of action. Axel is a standout character, but theres also a really strong sense of camaraderie among the whole Lazarus team where everyone gets a chance to shine.One of Lazarus most fascinating elements is how the Lazarus team gets to know Dr. Skinner a little better with each of their failed pursuits. The team begins to question whether Dr. Skinner is even as nefarious as theyve been told that he is. There are rich shades of grey here as the Lazarus team begins to doubt their mission. It becomes a rewarding complication as Lazarus continues. Lazarus also bravely asks heavy questions about the purpose of human life and if society deserves to pay for the pasts sins if humanity continues to repeat the same mistakes. Lazarus features an evolving take on this topic that becomes increasingly clear once more of this finely-tuned sci-fi universe gets explored. Its an anime thats just as interested in understanding humanity as it is in curing and saving it.Lazarus is such a nostalgic blast of bliss for anyone who grew up watching anime on Toonami during the 90s and 2000s. It has the energy of a Sega Saturn video game, which may sound like an insult, but isnt. Theres a soothing retro-but-not aesthetic that MAPPA nails so well. Lazarus is set in 2052, but theres a timeless quality to its characters, storytelling, and settings. That being said, it functions like a lost anime from the 80s or 90s. Lazarus is a versatile series, but it really feels like a title thats made for that crowd and those who are lost in arrested development while they chase that high of those irreplaceable 90s anime classics. Lazarus somehow accomplishes this. Its easily the best of Adult Swims original anime co-productions, but its also some of Watanabes most captivating work in years. Its undeniably on par with Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo which is genuinely the highest of praise.It should come as no surprise that Lazarus excels with its action. Theres such aJoin our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!kinetic sense of motion in the chase sequences thats also present in Watanabes previous anime. It feels especially pronounced in Lazarus as hapless heroes sprawl through danger and flail their limbs about. Theres a slight level of exaggeration to the characters movements and the laws of gravity that become the perfect rhythm for Lazarus to lock into. Everything is just a little off-center and cranked up a touch more than it should be, but it works in this universe.Lazarus gleefully indulges in tropes and stock characters, like a tech-savvy hyperbolized hacker, that communicates a certain narrative shorthand in the process. Holy crap, this guy has been watching too many action movies, is yelled at Axel after one of his more heightened stunts and one cant help but imagine this accusation being aimed back at Watanabe when it comes to the many pop culture reference points that helped bring Lazarus to life.Theres an extended jailbreak from the first episode which is basically just one long chase sequence masterpiece thats one of the best action scenes that Watanabe has ever done. Its on par with the theatrics from Cowboy Bebop: Knockin on Heavens Doors bombastic opening scene. Its a dizzying sequence thats a marvel to behold that also sets a high standard for the rest of the series. Lazarus thankfully rises to the occasion on this front and this is far from a situation where all of Lazarus money has gone into the premiere, while the rest suffers. Every Lazarus episode is rich in frenzied action scenes that are meticulously orchestrated and executed. Each installment is as detailed and impassioned as the last. Alternatively, Lazarus also has plenty of episodes that are content to get lost in the nitty gritty nature of heist minutiae and the unglamorous side of grifting. Its not always a gun chase across skyscraper rafters.Theres a real raw, visceral, messy quality to many of Lazarus fight sequences, which likely has something to do with John Wicks Chad Stahelski working as Lazarus action supervisor. These fights are complex and personal, but they also reflect a unique personality thats not just a retread of John Wicks greatest hits. The combat and any incidental gun-fu may occasionally bring John Wick to mind, but Lazarus always does its own thing here.Lazarus action setpieces often feel like theyre designed to push the animes visuals to exciting, new places. Theres a chaotic, parkour-esque chase sequence while a frenetic jazz soundtrack blares over the mayhem. Music is always really particular and important in a Watanabe series, but it cannot be stressed enough how infectious and energetic the score is here. Lazarus music really helps the action sequences fly so that the visuals and sound design can match Axels pressured state of mind. Lazarus music is great and its engaging enough to listen to on its own. However, this music is also just a really smart way to amplify Axels personality. Lazarus uses music as a storytelling tool and an opportunity for insight into its characters and unique themes.Lazarus is exceptional anime escapism thats needed now more than ever. Its subversive science fiction and eccentric action storytelling done right. On top of everything else, Lazarus is just really freaking funny. Theres a strong sense of humor as tongue-in-cheek barbs are traded between characters. It all contributes to the philosophy that theres nothing that Lazarus cant do and that its the real cure-all miracle drug of this story. Lazarus is some of the most fun that youll have with an anime this year. Its pure sci-fi/action catnip thats impossible to resist.Lazarus premieres April 5th at midnight on Adult Swim, with next-day-streaming on Max.

This article contains spoilers for 1883, 1923 seasons 1-2 and Yellowstone.Throughout the second season of Yellowstone prequel 1923, audiences have witnessed how hard it was for Dutton family to survive year after year. The Montana winters were especially difficult, as creator Taylor Sheridan and his team have highlighted in this sophomore season, and it is a reminder of how far the Duttons have come.The Duttons of today are a much different animal. They would like to think theyre the same underdog merely fighting for survival, but thats not the case. In fact, it can be easily argued that John Dutton (Kevin Costner) has forged the modern Duttons of Yellowstone into the same monsters his family once fought. Heres how.Family Used to Come First For the DuttonsIt went strangely under the radar for Yellowstones five-season run just how awful a father John Dutton was. Plenty of fans will argue that he did, in fact, love his children, but his actions shouted a different story.John Dutton III learned from his father John Dutton II (Dabney Coleman), who learned from all the J Duttons that came before him that the only real love was tough love. Audiences have witnessed this familys stance on raising children since first prequel 1883 was released. It gave a glimpse into the lives of the first family of Montana generations ago while they traversed the untamed terrain of America to eventually land in Big Sky Country. It was a harrowing time for the Duttons, and the original patriarch, James (Tim McGraw), had to remind his children of the harsh realities of the world and the dangers that surrounded them at all times.Yet, both James and his brother Jacob (played in his elder years by Harrison Ford in 1923) had a tenderness to them. In fact, while some of the lessons James or Jacob have to teach the next generation is a dose of reality, it is rarely delivered in a cold manner, and often with warm intentions. Fans have to look no further to the beautiful bond between James and his daughter Elsa (Isabel May). The love James had for his daughter was unquestionable, which led to one of the most heart-wrenching endings Sheridan has ever written.But John Dutton in this modern America apparently never taught that lesson to his kids. The inner fighting between siblings was a story thread for all five seasons, which even led to one sibling, Beth (Kelly Reilly), killing her adopted brother, Jamie (Wes Bentley). Some fans might pick up on the fact that John, if he were alive, might actually lament the loss of his surrogate son, but the coldness and indifference he showed Jamie was often highlighted in the show.In fact, Jamie was not the only one who suffered abuse by Johns hand. Kayce (Luke Grimes) was the only individual of Dutton blood to ever be branded with the infamous Y insignia of the ranch. This was done because Kayce was apparently too wild, according to Johns decree, and felt that he needed to be reminded of who Kayce belonged to. This didnt seem like the same kind of harsh lesson that James or Jacob would teach their kids about the real world and family. This seemed unnecessary, and in fact, caused a rift between John and Kayce for years. Granted, there were times that John certainly stepped up to protect and love his grandson, Tate (Brecken Merrill), but John never really seemed all that close with anyone else in his family, and usually kept everyone else at a distance.Survival vs. AffluenceJohn Dutton III (Costner) was born in 1955, and during his time the Duttons became one of the largest landowners in the entire United States. Thats a far cry from living month-to-month, not having any food, and literally being hunted by both man and mountain lion. That is the reality the Duttons of 1923 had to endure.John became everything his family fought against namely, an aristocrat. You can dress it up in a cowboy hat and boots all you want, but John is exactly the kind of man his ancestors hated. Take for instance Timothy Daltons Donald Whitfield. Whitfield is a man of certain means who then tries to use his wealth to spread his influence across as much of the state as he can. Audiences have seen several iterations of this type of person, and often the Duttons are right there fighting them. Dan Jenkins (Danny Huston) tried to bully the Duttons. The Beck brothers (Neal McDonough and Terry Serpico) took it one step further, even attacking the one family member that John holds dear. Then there were giant conglomerates like Market Equities and Roarke Morris who failed to take the family down.Ultimately, whats the difference between those villainous power hungry millionaires and the patriarch of the Dutton family? This writer would argue, almost nothing. The flagship series would often have you believe that Johns intentions are so much purer, that he maintains the land and preserves it, and to an extent thats true. Hes not trying to develop an airport or a casino, but to the Everyman, he is still a massive landowner, taking way more than he can manage, and perhaps more than he deserves.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Recall the very first season of Yellowstone, when a group of blissfully-ignorant tourists are trespassing on Dutton land. An elderly man tells John, Its wrong for one man to own all this, to which John replies, This is America. We dont share land. This is exactly the kind of elitist rhetoric that Johns own great uncle fought against when Whitfield went to take the original Yellowstone ranch by whatever means necessary. How quickly John has forgotten who his family fought against.A Man of the Law, But Above the LawFor generations, the power that the Duttons held was limited to the sheer willpower to survive. The hardships the family suffered in 1883 and 1923 make the modern Duttons seem like sheltered toddlers, even though they too might have to fight for literal survival. Yet John regardless if he would admit it, and much like his land grabbed more power than he needed. His great uncle Jacob was a livestock commissioner, and therefore had a similar power to enforce the laws, but this was just a drop in the bucket with John.From day one, he had a plan for his children (biological or other). The ill-fated Lee Dutton (Dave Annable), who died at the start of the series, was always meant to take Johns place as commissioner, maintaining that level of control. He made sure Jamie (Wes Bentley) became a lawyer, and eventually put him in politics. He ensured Beth became the most fearsome businesswoman this side of the Bitterroot mountains. He positioned his children into positions of power, rather than simply being ranchers or cowboys. He wanted to use them to ensure he could do what the family needs in order to thrive. That meant that at times, circumventing the law his children knew so well was often the option.Some might argue that John never wanted power, as he often shied away from becoming governor until he actually became governor. John was always well connected (again, much like Whitfield) and in those early seasons, he certainly looked like he enjoyed being a well connected, well respected man of the community. More importantly, John was never afraid to use his connections to lean on someone or strike the fear of God into them to get what he wants a play right out of Whitfields book.If the law cannot be on their side, then it was time for cowboy justice, which has always been one of the most popular aspects of the show. Yet in recent 1923 episodes, it has been revealed that the Duttons beloved train station where problems can disappear is yet another one of Whitfields tricks, as Whitfield was the one who discovered and used the train station long before the Duttons.It seems John Duttons favorite read by the fire might, in fact, be Whitfields playbook.1923 season 2 debuts new episodes every Sunday on Paramount+ with the finale premiering April 6.

This article contains Death of a Unicorn spoilers.You know what? We really must put more stock in art history. This is a moral truth that should be repeated. It also, perhaps, is a thought that flashed through the mind of Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant) right before a unicorns horn also smashed into that soft, squishy gray matter. It might have similarly been in the back recesses of Belinda Leopolds (Ta Leoni) head while another unicorn opened her belly.They were both warned earlier in their movie by art history student Ridley Kintner (Jenna Ortega) that ancient masterworks tell us of the dangers posed by horned mythical creatures. She even had JPEGs of the fancy medieval tapestries to prove it, with scenes of death by unicorn disembowelment and all. But they refused to listen.Its a comical sight befitting a movie purposely infused with Jurassic Park imagery as rich elites attempt and fail to control the natural world. Yet its not only a gag. In fact, Death of a Unicorn writer-director Alex Scharfman extensively studied unicorn mythology and folklore, telling us previously in a Den of Geek cover story that he went back to Roman historians and the Old Testament Bible while researching the film. He also intensely examined those unicorn tapestries you see in the movie. Aye, theyre real and currently reside in the Met Cloisters in New York City. So we recently decided to sit down again with Scharfman to discuss how deeply these Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries informed his film.I grew up around New York in the suburbs and went on field trips to the Cloisters Museum where those are held and maintained, Scharfman recalls in our latest interview about the film and these Gothic wonders. They must have been buried in my unconscious, because at some point I forgot about them but then when researching the movie, I came upon them again and I was like oh right, those things!These tapestries, which were made by an unknown artist at the turn of the 16th century, and then resided in an aristocratic Parisian home until nearly being destroyed in the French Revolution, became a North Star for everything in Death of a Unicorn. Ortega even previously told us they were a cheat sheet for understanding their movie. So join us below as we unpack each of the seven tableaus composing the Unicorn Tapestries while Scharfman explains how they influenced and shaped his man-eating unicorn creature feature.A24 / Met CloistersThe Hunters Enter the WoodsAn interesting thing to note is that while the Cloisters and many art historians place these tapestries in a generally recognized sequenceand it is the sequence we are using in this articleno one is exactly certain about the official order of things.Theres not like on the back of them a number one or a number two, Scharfman explains, so people have put them in an order that seems to make sense. And I totally agree that this makes sense as the first one, but one thing that I thought was fun with the movie is theyre not necessarily in the right order.Still most agree this is the first composition since it distinctly lacks either a unicorn or a king and/or lord. Instead it is just dogs and kingsmen approaching a formidable wilderness.One thing thats nice about this tapestry specifically is theres just so much foliage and just this overwhelming sense of nature, says Scharfman. That is something people write about with the Unicorn Tapestries a lot: this sense of the way nature is depicted. Yet it is the humans in this specific tapestry that inspire so much of the bent of Death of a Unicorn, the movie about a CEO, or feudal lord, who summons a prospective servant, Paul Rudds Elliot Kintner, to court.I think its telling that [the Lord] is not in this one, Scharfman says. He sent out his minions to go get him this thing that he wants in the woods and to bring it back for him. So I totally think when you start digging into the tapestries, and more broadly most medieval unicorn mythology and lore, you end up with something that really presents itself as a class commentary in that way.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!The writer-director notes that he also modeled one of his shots of Grant leading Rudd and other characters into the wilderness while hunting a unicorn specifically after this tapestry.A24 / Met CloistersThe Unicorn Purifies WaterThe next tableau sets the scene of a unicorn purifying the water in an enchanted fountain hidden deep within the wood. The implication is that the unicorns horn, and perhaps blood, has restorative magical powers, which some scholars perceive as an allusion to Christ. The myth about a unicorns body having healing properties long predates the tapestries and was already a key element in Scharfmans vision for the developing movie when he rediscovered these tapestries. But this image had other significant influences on the film.Its a funny thing, Scharfman chuckles, I dont know why theres this fountain in the woods. The unicorn is not purifying a stream, its purifying water from a fountain thats pouring out. It is an odd sight, but one the director sought to recreate by placing a near replica of this fountain in the Leopold estate: In the courtyard of the house, theres a fountain that is exactly like that one. We modeled it pretty much as close as we could possibly get to it and that is where the unicorn is discovered by most of the characters.Furthermore, this tapestry inspired even the name of the films villains.Says Scharfman, Among the other animals that are drinking from the water in this tapestry, there are a couple lions, and the Leopold family is of course the antagonists, the pharmaceutical family in the movie. As the director acknowledges, the name Leopold is an allusion to Leo the lion in astrology. The Leopolds company sigil is also a lion.In a lot of unicorn mythology, lions and unicorns were enemies, Scharfman adds. But here theyre kind of allies, or at least the unicorn seems to be happy to let them drink from the water the unicorn has purified. Its a departure from the myths, as well as where Death of a Unicorn goes next.A24 / Met CloistersThe Unicorn Crosses a StreamIn this scene, the kingsmen fall upon the poor unicorn and begin their attack as it attempts to flee across a stream. The image sets the stage for the bigger carnage to come later, but right down to the costumes of the hunters, beginning with the gent attending to the dog in the bottom left corner, this image helped inform the look of many ofcostume designer Andrea Fleschs creations for the film.Theres certainly lots of little textures and details like Will Poulters bathing suits, Scharfman comments. Theres these really great stripes, vertical stripes on one of the characters pants, and that was certainly an influence that we took for Will. Costume-wise, Paul wears blue throughout the movie, Jenna wears red throughout the movie. Theyre kind of moving towards each other [which gives you purple] the Leopold family, which is played by Richard, Ta, and Will, they wear a lot of gold. Gold, white, black, thats their palette, and when you look at the characters in these tapestries, theyre wearing red, blue, gold, and then theres a lot of green in the background.Even the scientists lab coats in the film are made to mimic the high collars of late Middle Ages fashion.A24 / Met CloistersThe Unicorn Defends HimselfNow we get into the images that really start to influence the strange, bemused tone of Death of a Unicorn. And we are not referring to the orange tree high above the action of this scene or the red-roofed castle far off in the background. Both of those informed the look and garden of the Leopold estate, which the director is quick to point out to us. But it is the violent carnage and death in the foreground of this tapestry that immediately catches the eye.This was one of the first bits of unicorn violence that I had seen in any artwork, Scharfman remembers. When you look in this tapestry, when you go up close and you see it, its stabbing this dog in the intestines. Its a hunting dog, so I think its self-defense. But when you go very close or if you got a high enough resolution version of it, it is very gory with the level of detail in this wound that its inflicting on the dog.He continues, Beyond that its also kicking with its hind legs, which when you go back into historical accounts of unicorns, there is a lot of violence described and theres a lot of very violent imagery that you can find. They were not these passive creatures. They really were not afraid to bite and kick and use their horn to gore people.Scharfman admits that ripping out a characters intestines like he depicted happening to poor Belinda was his own flourish, but there are accounts of them using their teeth to bite people, so it felt like it wasnt that big of a jump.A24 / Met CloistersThe Unicorn Surrenders to a MaidenPerhaps the most influential tapestry on all of Death of a Unicorn, The Unicorn Surrenders to a Maiden is as important for what it doesnt show as for what it does.Jenna wears a red hoodie throughout the movie, which has a very unusual shape, notes Scharfman. This actually is very much inspired by what the maiden is wearing in this, with these very kind of wide sleeves. And that was a hoodie we found from a Japanese designer that they made in gray and other colors, but we asked them to make it custom for us in red. It had this really interesting cloak kind of shape to it.After discovering this tapestry, it became quite indicative of how Scharfman imagined the Ridley character within the film: It got me thinking, Well, what is a pure hearted maiden in 2025? And I started thinking its probably a Gen-Z leftist whos protesting on a campus somewhere right now. Someone with very strong morals and ideals.However, more than just the idea of having a pure-hearted maiden, this tapestrys incompleteness created space for Scharfman to fill in his own grisly details.When you look at it in real life, its about a third the size of the other ones, the director points out. Thats because it was tremendously damaged. It was recovered after the French Revolution, so it is believed to have been damaged during the revolution, perhaps. It was used on top of a sack of potatoes to keep them warm in the winter time, and so they got totally tattered.What is left of the tapestry is actually torn into two pieces, and it is missing crucial information like the maiden it is named after.If you look in the bottom right corner of this tapestry, just under the unicorn, you can see a womans hand, says Scharfman. So the maiden that the unicorn is actually surrendering to is not in the tapestry, which is very confusing. This is another maiden who happens to be like a handmaiden working with the maiden who is the bait. And I thought about putting that into the movie, but I was like that is so confusing to try and teach peoplethat there is a maiden in the tapestry, but thats not the maiden its surrendering to. Its surrendering to an off-screen maiden that well never see.Nonetheless, the actual maidens absence gave Scharfman the creative liberty to suggest there is a fuller, more complete lost tapestry introduced in the film that includes so much of the monster movie mayhem that was to come.We had these brilliant artists do this incredible artwork to take the figures of the tapestries and the style of the tapestries, and infuse it with scenes from our movie, he explains. So we expanded this tapestry into this lost tapestry that includes a lot of the kills and a lot of the fun elements of the horror language that we employ in the movie, but to put it in this medieval context.It also allowed Scharfman to reconfigure the way the tapestries are meant to be interpreted. Whereas the following two tapestries are perceived by many historians to be the end of the story, in Scharfmans film the actual ending is this tapestry with the maiden and unicorn resting after all the death and carnage had been carried out.A24 / Met CloistersThe Hunters Return to the Castle / The Unicorn Rests in a GardenThe last two actual tapestries tell an interesting if aloof conclusion to their tale: first the unicorn appears to be deceased, presumably killed by the hunters after the maiden beguiled the mythical creature long enough for them to get closeand then the creature appears to be resurrected and curiously happy in captivity.Of the former tableaus influences, the Lady of the Manors golden gown informed Leonis cream colored suits in the movie. Scharfman also points to the shape of the unicorns corpse as it lies draped over a horse in the center of the scene. When the unicorn is killed [and taken to] the house in our movie, it has a similar pose where its kind of draped out the window of a car, says the director. In which case, perhaps historians interpretations of the tapestries sequence is wrong, and this is the real first tapestry, which like Death of a Unicorn sets the stage for all the carnage that is to follow?Either way, its the generally accepted final image of the story which inspires at least the oblique motivation of the films greediest Leopold, Will Poulters nepobaby Shepherd. The unicorn in captivity, that is the vision that Will Poulters character is going after, Scharfman says. This idea that we can own this thing and possess it forever, and it will be ours within these confines. Yet there are multiple ways of reading the actual tapestry.Adds the director, Whats funny about it is when you look at it, it has a very thin chain on it. It seems like it could break out of this, but its not. So there are questions about the symbolic meaning there. Is it there by choice? Is it there being held as captive? Who knows? But that is his vision of the future if [Shep] can possess them and contain them. Then he will have a limitless supply of unicorns.Given the tone and tenor of Death of a Unicorn, we might suggest the creatures contentment is nothing more than medieval propaganda for how they actually handle confinement. Whatever the case might be, the film ends with the beasts running free and even attacking the police vehicle that Elliot and Ridley are being driven away in. However, Scharfman doesnt think his films heroes are in too much danger.I think theyre there to try and help Jenna and Pauls characters, Scharfman muses of his unicorns, but I also think they dont really understand how cars work or police, or how any of these things actually function, because they exist outside of society. Still, should either Ridley or Elliot perish in the ensuing car crash, its no biggie. Worst case scenario, they can resurrect some people.Much like the tapestries show, when it comes to unicorns, death is more of a temporary inconvenience than a bitter fact of life. And with any luck, Death of a Unicorn might inspire some folks to learn more about the O.G. medieval roots of the pop culture creature.We put a lot of easter eggs from these tapestries into the movie, and I think theres something fun about that, muses the filmmaker. Hopefully it adds a layer of rewatchability and maybe sends some people to the Cloisters to check out the tapestries in person. That would be a nice kind of enchantment.Death of a Unicorn is playing in theaters now.

Its always exciting when a great title comes along at the absolute perfect time and it feels like everything aligns for the story to hit even harder. WEBTOON Unscrolleds Viral Hit, created by Taejun Pak and illustrated by Kim Junghyun, is an exciting breath of fresh air that presents a simple premise in a rewarding way. Hobin Yu is a scrawny high school student who is constantly bullied, despite minding his own business and keeping his head down while he struggles to pay his moms mounting hospital bills.Hobin finds himself in a unique situation where he gets pushed too far and starts beating someone up, only for this act of violence to get recorded and uploaded to NewTube, which makes him a viral sensation. Soon, Hobin is pulling in huge revenue from his NewTube streaming, which finally means that he can pay his moms bills. However, he needs to take on progressively stronger bullies to appease his channels fans, all while he communicates with a mysterious streamer who helps him with his cause.Viral Hit is kind of like Fight Club or Megalo Box meets Oshi no Ko, with some Solo Leveling thrown in for good measure. Its a unique entity because its able to indulge in constant action, but through an interesting lens because Hobin isnt driven by any desire to become stronger or intimidate others. All of this is done to help his mother. Its a fascinating angle for an underdog action story, which are plentiful with Webtoon Unscrolled graphic novels.Whats also so appealing is that Viral Hit becomes the ultimate character study. The audience truly loves Hobin, cares for him, and wants to see him succeed. However, theres an understandable concern that the endless NewTube fighting is gradually turning him into a more hardened individual. He begins this adventure as someone who fights against his will, but theres a growing concern that he begins to relish this combat and the money that he makes for his mom is just a nice bonus.While Viral Hit gets pretty dark, theres also a rich sense of humor in the storytelling and an earnestness when it comes to Hobins efforts to make headway with his crush. The story is full of action, which is frequently its priority, but it makes sure to present a broader tone that isnt afraid to get silly and pull at the readers heartstrings.Viral Hit teases enough romance and slice of life situations that balance out the more aggressive ideas.Viral Hit delivers an impact because it tells a heightened story that almost feels like the natural extension of where the world is at right now. Its tragic that the only way that Hobin can help his mother is through streamed fighting, but it reflects societys desperation. Hobin is so lovable and relatable because he feels stuck in an oppressed system where all he wants to do is provide for his family. The comic explores fame and fortune, but these arent what initially drive Hobin. Its a selfless, altruistic quest thats more a reflection of society and the Top 1% than himself. He wouldnt be doing any of this if there wasnt an audience for it, which is such rich, timely material for Viral Hit to explore.Hobin is dependent upon society for views and therefore revenue but theres also a level of disdain for the people who desire this twisted material. Viral Hit has interesting things to say about how people engage with fandom and how this level of communication is crucial to evolve. During a time in which so many anime and manga are set in fantasy worlds or some version of the world thats too far removed from reality, its staggering to get a series like Viral Hit thats not only grounded, but critical and introspective of the current world.Viral Hit digs far deeper than many of its peers that examine comparable material. Its a title that constitutes endless dissection and discussion, which makes it all the more convenient that Viral Hit now exists as a WEBTOON Unscrolled graphic novel. Viral Hits first volume is available April 1, 2025 and its the perfect way to get into the ground floor of whats likely to be one of 2025s standout titles.

Its up for debate where Assassins Creed Shadows lands in the hierarchy of Assassins Creed games, but its a clear top contender for best combat in franchise history. The discrepancy in styles and weapon sets between Naoe and Yasuke keeps the fighting fresh deep into the game, and improved AI helps enemy encounters feel challenging but fair.The games wide array of weaponry supports the robust combat system with items that are quite literally game-changers, particularly later in the campaign. Whether you like staying nimble with Naoe but struggle to deal with groups of enemies, or love stringing together combos with Yasukes katana and want to maximize your damage output, there are powerful, specialized weapons that can help cater to any style of attack you choose to employ.Below weve listed the best Legendary weapons for each weapon type in the game, where to find them, and why theyre worth seeking out.NaoeDragons EdgeWithout question, Naoes biggest weakness in combat is crowd control, particularly with the katana, which is better for one-on-one scenarios where its easier to manage distance. It takes a lot of finesse and lightning-quick timing for her to deal with a swarm of enemies, but the Dragons Edge katana mitigates this incredibly well. Its perk creates an AOE on hit with dodge attacks, which obviously gives Naoe a leg up when surrounded by grunts. Dodge attacks are super satisfying to land on their own, but adding an AOE to boot makes life a lot easier and frankly makes combat with Naoe even more fun. Oh, and Dragons Edge comes with adrenaline gain as well, which makes it even sweeter.Dragons Edge is unlocked by completing the Topple the Traitor main story quest in Yamashiro by assassinating the Two-Faced.Shinobis FuryThe speed and evasiveness the tanto grants and its synergy with the hidden blade make it a go-to for fast-twitch players, though tantos arent great for ranged combat. What makes Shinobis Fury such a useful tanto is its perk, which causes weakpoint attacks to make enemies vulnerable a second time. When stacked with other gear like the Hood of the Dragon, whose perk restores 33% health on weakpoint attacks, it makes Naoe far more formidable in close-range combat as two consecutive weakpoint attacks restore a whopping two thirds of her health bar.Shinobis Fury can be found by killing The Golden Teppo in the main quest line by completing either the Defensive Position or Drive the Point Home quest.Oceans GripThe most effective tactic when fighting as Naoe is managing distance. Kusarigamas are great for keeping enemies at bay from a safe distance, and the Oceans Grip is unique in that when you hit enemies further than three meters away, damage is increased by 60%. Using kusarigamas to keep enemies at bay is the most tactical, measured way to play as Naoe, and while it can take a while to dispatch enemies with this method, Oceans Grip greatly expedites the process and buys you time to collect yourself in the midst of chaos.Oceans Grip is unlocked by assassinating Lopo Cruz in the Pirates Alliance side quest in Wakasa.YasukeTurquoise ZephyrIf youre a parry-heavy player, the Turquoise Zephyr is one of the most deadly long katanas in the game. Its perk pushes enemies back upon a successful parry, completely changing the rhythm of battle in your favor, particularly if youre the strategic type. When combined with gear boasting further effects like the Armor of the Undead, which creates a cloud of poison on a successful parry, its a particularly effective way to wreak havoc when surrounded.The Turquoise Zephyr can be found in Yamashiro in a hidden chest under a broken bridge at Eagles Nest.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Sages ReachWhile not as flashy, a defensive approach to combat is as effective as any in Shadows, and though blocking isnt as flashy as parrying or dodging, it can be crucial in surviving close-call encounters in which you otherwise might be overwhelmed. Naginatas are slower but rangy and powerful, and the Sages Reach naginata adds a useful wrinkle to defense, stacking +10% damage on your next hit after each blocked attack.Find Sages Reach by killing the Naginata Shinbakufu leader in Sakamoto Castle on the Southwest side of Lake Biwa in the Omi Region.Patient HarbingerThe teppo is one of the trickier weapons to master in AC Shadows due to its drastically different cadence and spacing compared to the other weapons. Using a slow-loading rifle to take down rushing enemies can be downright panic-inducing, but the Patient Harbinger teppo remedies this drawback pretty significantly by allowing you to load two bullets for each reload, effectively doubling your rate of fire and buying you precious time.Find Patient Harbinger in a chest in Wakasa at the Hikidan-jo Ruins at Lake Suigetsu.Dragons WrathLike the Patient Harbiniger, the Dragons Wrath bow allows you to unleash powerful attacks drastically quicker than you normally would, which allows you to speed up your style and pace of combat significantly. While it typically takes time to charge arrows, Dragons Wraths perk instantly charges them, upping the speed and damage of bow combat by quite a lot. Yasuke is quite slow compared to Naoe to begin with, so not having to worry about charging arrows makes the bow a far more effective weapon in general.To acquire Dragons Wrath, kill the Tsutsui Agent in the Kurai Eikyou quest.Boulder FallVideo games can be cathartic in many ways, but few things are more cathartic than swinging a gigantic war club at groups of hapless enemies, leaving pools of blood in your wake. If you want to reach maximum catharsis with AC Shadows kanabo, the Boulder Fall is the way to go. The clubs perk makes it so that attacks cannot be interrupted, which not only completely changes the flow of combat but makes kanabo combat the most indulgently fun, silly, and satisfyingly violent in the game.To find Boulder Fall, assassinate the Katsugari Agent in the Kurai Eikyou quest.

Conversely, there is nothing thrilling in the traditional, adventurous sense about Warfare. This is a movie told in real-time and with a visceral sense of chaos and confusion. It casts a murderers row of young Millennial and Gen-Z talent like Will Poulter, Jarvis, Joseph Quinn, Kit Connor, Charles Melton, and DPharaoh Woon-A-Tai as a young version of the films co-director, Mendoza. They all play real people who, should they survive, were on the set and discussed their memories with their onscreen opposites. The effect of assembling familiar faces (at least for cinephiles and Broadway heads) is the only fig leaf offered for keeping track of who is who. But the point is less the identities of the men as it is a shared morning during the bloodiest battle in the Iraq War. It binds them and seeks to bind the audience as well to the utter senselessness of its namesake.The film will assuredly face many critiques in various corners of the internet for simply existing. Some have already oddly condemned it as U.S. military propaganda, sight unseen. Others will soon call it leftist or anti-war. But its not really either. It is content with setting up base camp in an indifferent center, as aware as likely any veteran of how their experience, then and now, is politicized and turned into spin, cashed in on at our culture clash casino where the door is always open.Truthfully, Warfare deliberately offers little in the way of a point-of-view. It avoids any words like WMDs or oil or Bush, just as it notably never once shows a single insurgent fall from a bullet wound or show of force blast from the air above. This is not the jingoistic hero-worship of Clint Eastwood nor a Kathryn Bigelow lament.Yet like the Iraq War writ large, it is impossible to not ask what all this suffering was for, an open question that Warfares recalcitrance to say anything about still ultimately speaks volumes. When the Iraqi home this movie occurs in is absolutely obliterated, the mother of a terrified family hiding beneath their furniture cries perhaps the only word of English she knows: Why?Garland and Mendoza are content on not answering what probably can never be satisfactorily explained. That will frustrate some viewers, but then so did the war.More problematic may be the films absolute commitment to near anonymity of its soldiers. Again, if you cannot spot Poulter, Melton, or Connor in a lineup, youll be unlikely to tell many of them apart. It is this documentarian-like element which will probably prevent Warfare from having the cultural impact of a movie like Black Hawk Down or The Hurt Locker, or sure, pure propaganda like American Sniper. Warfare is not a story or narrative in the traditional sense, it is a 90-minute assault on the senses. It leaves you to make head or tails of what it all meant, which is a bold choice but artistically not as satisfying as the great war movies. Its subjectivity is so acute that it obscures what should have been a stronger emotional response.Still, I cannot fully dismiss Warfares effect as limited or fleeting. In fact, it reminds me a great deal of the second wave of Vietnam War films that began cropping up in the 1980s. There was the initial salvo, a series of movies that ran the gamut from classics (Apocalypse Now, The Deer Hunter) to the movies that were decidedly not (The Green Berets). But they were all films by filmmakers of a different generation and with a different set of values they were infusing into the Southeast Asian jungles. Then came Oliver Stones Platoon and Born on the Fourth of July, or even Stanley Kubricks Full Metal Jacket, which was based on real-life marine and later Vietnam War correspondent Gustav Hasfords experiences.

Armageddon. That word, spoken by political officer Putin in the 1990 adaptation of Tom Clancys The Hunt for Red October, is weighted with meaning. Its not just that The Hunt for Red October is a Cold War thriller about the Russian and American Navies racing to find the titular nuclear sub, a conflict that might set off World War III. Its that the delivery of the word completely changes the movie.Up until that point, Putin (Peter Firth) and the other Russian charactersmost notably, Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) and his second officer Vasily Borodin (Sam Neill)have been speaking Russian. As Putin reads from a Bible that he finds in Ramius quarters, the camera pushes closer and closer onto his face, reaching his mouth just as he pronounces the word Armageddon. The camera then reverses the push, pulling out as Arana, Connery, and the others now all speak English from here on out, albeit some with Russian accents.Its an incredible moment, one that makes The Hunt for Red October the gold standard for handling foreign languages in Hollywood movies.Speaking the Same LanguageThe push in is just one of many elegant directorial flourishes that John McTiernan makes in The Hunt for Red October. Like the previous movie McTiernan directed, Die Hard from 1988, Red October is a masterclass in action filmmaking. Whether in the cramped confines of a submarine or in the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, McTiernan keeps the spacial arrangements clear, making sure that we viewers understand the distance between the characters.To put it another way, McTiernan is keenly aware of where his viewers eyes are going and resting. He intentionally constructs the frame so that, for example, we see the distance between CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) and American sub the USS Dallas when the the latter tries to board the boat from a chopper. McTiernan and editors Dennis Virkler and John Wright maintain a steady rhythm of cuts between people inside Red October and the sub itself to ratchet up the tension as navigator Gregoriy Kamarov guides the boat through tight straights.Whether it is that attention to composition that prompted McTiernan to drop the subtitles used in the first 15 minutes of the movie or its just the fact that Connery isnt going to muddle through Russian for two hours and 15 minutes (nor will the films target American audience), Red Octobers transition remains the best in Hollywood history.Traditionally American movies indicate someones nationality through accent, so that characters speak English to be legible but with enough difference to sound othered. Even if American audiences are less averse to subtitles than studios think, its unlikely that anyone other than, say, Quentin Tarantino making Inglourious Basterds, could get funding for a Hollywood picture where most of the cast speaks different languages.Nuclear MiscommunicationIn one of the movies tensest moments, Jack Ryan boards the Red October alongside Commander Bart Mancuso (Scott Glenn) and Petty Officer Ronald Jones (Courtney B. Vance) of the USS Dallas. The three Americans stand across from Captain Ramius, Captain Borodin, and other members of the Red Octobers senior staff.Throughout the movie, Ryan has been trying to convince anyone who would listen that Ramius intends to defect from the Soviet Union to the United States, and that he is taking Red October and its highly sophisticated caterpillar drive with him. However, the USSR has warned the U.S. that Ramius has gone rogue and plans to attack the Americans with his nuclear sub, something made all the easier by the virtual silence granted by Red Octobers caterpillar drive.Finally after the Dallas locates Red October, Ryan convinces Mancuso to send a message to Ramius via morse code and sonar pings, arranging to let the Americans board the sub. When the Americans come aboard, Ramius spies the pistol on Mancusos belt and makes a comment to Borodin. Ryan chuckles, which surprises both Mancuso, to whom Ryan explains the joke, and Ramius. When Ramius asks if Ryan speaks Russian, Ryan explains himself in the language, leading Ramius to continue in English.At that moment, Ryan and Ramius bond, relieved that their gambits have paid off. But its a moment that only works if the audience understands that these characters have not heretofore been speaking the same language. The entire stakes of the scene, indeed of the whole movie, come down to people hoping they can understand each other well enough to avoid nuclear catastrophe.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Unheard and UnlearnedOne can certainly make a larger argument about the thematic importance of communication in The Hunt for Red October, how its a statement on the tragedy of the Cold War, how we could achieve peace if we could just understand one another. Thats a great way to approach something like Star Trek (or, you know, Denzel Washington talking about Star Trek in a submarine in Crimson Tide), but The Hunt for Red October is not Star Trek. Its a thriller, one that leaves little room for philosophizing on international affairs.McTiernan needs to build tension quickly, laying out the stakes without letting too much exposition get in the way. Which he did right at the start of the movie with the language shift. It wasnt showy, it got the point across, and laid all the groundwork for the stakes and themes.Even 35 years later, weve rarely seen a technique as genius as the shift in The Hunt for Red October. What should have been a type of cinematic armageddon, forever changing the way we do different languages in visual art, has instead become a highlight of a great movie, an important lesson that continues to go largely unlearned.