It’s so tough for a prequel to achieve the level of greatness established by its predecessor, let alone beat the original at its own game. It certainly happens from time to time, and that seems to count doubly for horror movies. There are rare examples – like Annabelle: Creation, The First Purge, and Ouija: Origin of Evil (though that one had a low bar to beat) – but they’re conspicuous for their scarceness. Though these instances may be few and far between, they certainly exist and should be celebrated accordingly. A more recent example that fits the bill is a horror prequel directed by William Brent Bell.

Orphan: First Kill takes place prior to the events of Orphan, catching up with an adult Estonian woman called Leena (Isabelle Fuhrman), who has the physical appearance of a young child, as she escapes confinement in a psychiatric hospital. Leena ultimately assumes the identity of a missing American girl called Esther. When Esther is “reunited” with her parents, Allen and Tricia (Julia Stiles and Rossif Sutherland), things initially seem to go well. Yet, as Esther “rejoins” her “family,” strange things begin to happen, and we quickly realize that absolutely nothing is what it seems. Even in the age of streaming abundance, Orphan First Kill is only available to watch on Paramount+, and it’s worth looking out for.

This 2022 Horror Prequel Is Even Better Than Its Predecessor

We’re not alone in our assessment that Orphan: First Kill outdoes the original. One need look no further than the aggregate film review site Rotten Tomatoes to verify that claim. Orphan is narrowly fresh on the site, with a critical approval rating of just 60%. However, Orphan: First Kill boasts a more impressive approval rating of 70% with an even higher audience rating.

As for why critics favor the prequel, there are a number of good reasons for that — not the least of which is the way the follow-up takes some of the best parts of the original and runs with them. The original features moments of camp that make the flick stand out from similarly themed offerings, yet the film never goes into full-fledged absurdity like Orphan: First Kill does.

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Orphan: First Kill hits the ground running, thanks, in no small part, to the fact that the cat is out of the bag from the get-go. Rather than waiting to learn that Esther isn’t a child at all, we know that going in. That allows the film to start with a crazy, unhinged baseline, and then just continues to build.

Seeing as the first film hinges on a twist, it seems only appropriate that the follow-up does as well. We won’t veer into spoiler territory to tell you how; we’ll only say that the twist here is just as shocking as the one featured in the original, if not more so. At the point at which all is revealed, we learn of a chilling revelation that forever shifts the dynamic between Esther and the couple that takes her in as their missing daughter.

Aside from a great twist, the flick also features a terrific sense of humor. Screenwriter David Coggeshall dreams up a series of chilling scenarios that are often tinged with campy humor. The scene where we see Esther (who looks like an 11-year-old) piloting a stolen car with a cigarette pressed between her lips is a stroke of genius. There are several other standout sequences likely to make you chuckle, but we’ll stop there so as not to spoil all of the comical setups in store for the uninducted.

On the whole, Orphan: First Kill takes the groundwork laid by its predecessor and improves upon it. This is a prequel that leans heavily into the camp value inherent to the setup and delivers an undeniably good time in the process. Moreover, this follow-up effort features a killer twist and a wicked sense of humor. If we’ve successfully sold you on checking out the flick, you can find the film streaming on Paramount+.

If you’ve experienced Orphan: First Kill, we’d love to hear your thoughts. How do you rank it compared to the 2009 original? Let us know in the comments section below!

The post Paramount+ is the Only Place to Watch One of the Only Good Horror Prequels appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The first few issues of Absolute Green Lantern have been split between telling the story of what happened in the city of Evergreen while Abin Sur kept it trapped inside his green barrier, and the battle between Green Lantern Sojourner Mullein and Black Hand Hal Jordan. In the past, we watched all of the inhabitants of Evergreen slowly be turned into light by Abin Sur, and while at first it seemed like he was killing them, it was revealed that the alien was actually transporting them to Oa to continue their judgement. The end of Absolute Green Lantern #5 saw Hal and Jo entering the previously benign Green Lantern Power Battery, and inside they met John Stewart. But he had obviously changed, as he told them to be without fear and glowed with golden light.

What Happened to John?

John Stewart started this adventure as human and mundane as everyone else, but while the other trapped citizens panicked, Jon studied the barrier. He eventually discovered that gold could diffuse the green light, likening it to how gold represented the color of enlightenment in alchemy. Abin Sur told them that they needed to be without fear, and so the ultimate overcoming of that fear would be to totally understand it and rise above it. Thus, gold negates the energy. Unfortunately, that revelation forced Abin Sur to take notice of John, who smiled as he was transported, understanding that this was all about Abin Sur teaching them to overcome their fear. 

Hal and Jo both assumed that everyone who Abin Sur judged was killed just like Guy Garnder, and came up with a plan to kill the alien. Jo would call him down and distract him, while Hal blasted him with gold-covered bullets. Jo berated Abin Sur and demanded to know why he killed everyone, but Abin Sur replied that nobody was dying, simply being transported to Oa as pure light to continue their judgement. Abin Sur explained that he was conducting these tests in order to find people suitable to be elected as Ain Sur, Ain Rao, and Ain Aur, and he even later confirms that Abin Sur is a position that he has taken up. Unfortunately, everything goes belly up when Jo winds up absorbing Abin Sur’s power into her gold ring and disappearing, leading to Hal killing Abin Sur and being declared the Black Hand, being told to fear the Black Star. That leads us to the present, where we see a very much alive John Stewart powered by golden light. It’s clear that he’s passed his judgement and was granted a title or power of some kind, but even though he’s encased in the yellow spectrum of light, it’s very clear that he’s not powered by fear like the Yellow Lanterns we know. He’s something entirely new.

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What Are John’s Golden Powers?

Based on the fact that John was coated in light and spoke the same line of being without fear that Abin Sur did, it’s easy to assume he passed his judgement and was selected to be one of the Ains. Based on the fact that Abin Sure referenced three different Ain positions, it’s likely that there are just as Abin roles, especially given that one is Ain Sur. This could mean that John Stewart has been given one of these roles, and is now in command of the Yellow Light just like Abin Sur was in control of the Green Light. This would imply that he has the same ability to create constructs and become light that Abin Sur possessed. Beyond that, it’s very likely that he’ll have some special abilities that only apply to him, which would most likely have to do with alchemy in some way. John was presented as the character who had reached a kind of enlightenment, so his powers will likely be tied to that understanding.

Perhaps John will be able to pull out the fear that lives inside of people, either forcing them to confront it or stripping it away. Or maybe his powers will be more tied to connecting information between people, showing them visions or constructs of their fears to either give information or gather it. It’s impossible to know what he can do until we see it, but based on the fact that Hal has the powers of the Black Hand, Jo is the Green Lantern, and future covers and a tease from Jo entering Abin Sur’s mind showed us that Tomar-Re will be a Red Lantern, it’s highly possible that Lanterns of all colors are being chosen to these positions. One very interesting piece of information is that one of the positions is Ain Rao, and Rao is the god of the Kryptonian sun, which is the sector the mainline Tomar-Re protected. It’s possible that the Rao position represents the Red Light, Sur the Green Light, and Aur the Yellow Light. Or even that Ain is pure Yellow, and Abin is Green. Either way, John Stewart is likely able to conclude the judgement of others now, and will be finishing the judgement on Hal and Jo. 

Abin Sur was incredibly powerful, and it’s highly likely that John Stewart is just as strong now. He will complete the judgement for Hal and Jo, and hopefully manage to help free Hal from the Black Hand and Black Star’s influence. Whatever happens now, John is a Yellow Lantern, and even if that isn’t about inspiring fear in this universe, it will definitely be awesome to watch unfold.

Absolute Green Lantern #5 is on sale now!

The post DC Just Gave a Beloved Green Lantern God-Like Powers (But What Are They?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dexter: Resurrection‘s Kadia Saraf sat down with ComicBook.com for an exclusive interview where we dove into how she discovered the character of Detective Claudette Wallace, her meeting with Dexter himself, and much more. Dexter: Resurrection has seen the emergence of a bunch of new friends and foes in the Dexter universe. The titular serial killer is in uncharted territory now that he has moved to New York City, opening himself up to all kinds of new threats and opportunities. However, one of the biggest threats posed to him isn’t even necessarily because of anything he did.

Frequently, a season of Dexter begins with Dexter messing up or creating an issue that snowballs into a larger conflict. However, this time, the catalyst is from his son Harrison, who kills a man and becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation. Dexter’s no stranger to good investigators, but Harrison isn’t. This all leads to the introduction of one of Dexter: Resurrection‘s best characters, Detective Claudette Wallace, who doesn’t miss any details.

I spoke with actress Kadia Saraf ahead of the premiere for Dexter: Resurrection‘s seventh episode to talk about how she developed the character, what it was like to finally share the screen with Dexter, and much more. As you might imagine, there are some spoilers below, so if you’re not fully caught up on the show, you may want to bookmark this for later.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

ComicBook: What was your audition process like for this show? How did you get involved with it?

Kadia Saraf: It started with David Zayas and myself. We have been friends for many years. My kid and his grandkid, they’re in an acting program, and we came to see their show and he said, ‘Oh, Dexter’s coming back. We’re resurrecting him. And I saw this character in the script that you should definitely ask your reps about.’ And I did. I was initially told that it’s already out to someone as an offer. I remember in the moment when I got that email back thinking maybe it’s not over until it’s over kind of thing. Probably three days later, the audition came in and I had a very short time to tape it. So I taped actually the scene, the first scene that Claudette and Oliva introduced by the garbage dock.

I did that one and then one of the scenes where we’re going through finding out what happened in the hotel room. So I sent those tapes in, and the next morning I woke up and thought to myself, ‘Oh, I wish I had another day.’ I had these ideas to do some more with the character, and my manager just texted me back, ‘Have some faith, just have some faith.’ And I remember having goosebumps and so in that moment, I just let go. That was in December [2024]. Then when the industry came back after the holidays in January, I got an email, a call that I’m being tested and that I don’t need to do anything else.

I was kind of shocked, what do you mean you don’t have to meet me? I don’t have to do pushups and pullups and prove all the things that I can do and all the reasons why they should hire me. And she said, no, they already know and saw the tape, and you were Claudette. They’ve been looking for Claudette for a long time, and you are Claudette. And it was one of these really, really special moments. I mean, they say it takes 20 years to become an overnight success kind of thing. It’s been an accumulation of a lot of work. And then this unique moment was just played out with ease, if that makes sense.

How much of Claudette is on the page? As I am talking to you and seeing her in the show, you’re two very different people. She’s very proper, very straight, very heavy eye contact, and intimidating. How much of that is something you brought to it?

So we’ll go back to the tape because what was interesting to me is that what I brought to them initially was exactly what they were looking for. But when I showed up on set, suddenly I had these millions of questions because there’s more scenes, there’s a lot more progression. How is she at home? They kind of calmed me down and said, ‘Everything’s okay. You already understand her.’ They gave me some pointers of who she is. I think the pointers that were anchoring me more where she has a very flat affect, and that is pretty much all that I needed because she is on the page, but I think the way I personally picked it up from the page is because of all those elements that I can so relate to her.

It is pretty much in her demeanor. I mean, the body language is a little different than my own, but that’s the fun part where you get to explore is how would a person like this is so hyperfocused, how does she move? What does she do with her arms? These are not things we usually think about. Everything is so natural, but with her, it is very much condensed. It is consolidated almost.

Jack Alcott said in one of the interviews, she is a human laser beam and that to me was like, oh, yes, this is what it is. She is honed in and it just informs everything else, whether it’s the language, the cadence of her speech, the body movement and all of that. But I would say the writing was pretty much, the writing is brilliant on the show, and Clyde and Scott very much knew who she, apparently they’ve been developing this character for a long time. I heard later. So they knew her very well, and they were very excited to bring her to life and to give it to me, to bring her to life. So what I found so special is that I picked it up. I picked their vision up from the page. Naturally, there were many elements that were natural to me.

That’s very interesting. Like you said, the human laser beam kind of thing. She has these eyes that you could burn right through someone’s head.

Ask my kids. [laughs]

It feels like she could spark a confession, whether you’ve done it or not, just by staring at you long enough, which maybe your kids can relate to that.

Yeah, they can absolutely relate. It’s when I don’t yell and I don’t get upset when I’m just quiet and look at them. Everything just is laid out.

What kind of research did you do to prepare for this? Did you read anything? Did you talk to anybody?

Books! I mean, this is a world that I already immersed myself in prior. Anything that has to do with forensics and human psychology, human behavior, body language, the littlest movements in the face, like how to read people, that fascinated me forever. And so again, it was just sliding just deeper into this world. But for me, research, I can show you books that I created. I wrote an entire notebook that is Claudette writing everything about the case. So I really dove deep as Claudette to understand what it is that she sees.

If I may be more intuitive as Kadia, Claudette might be more the quick calculations of things. It’s pretty much parallel to somebody’s intuition, but it’s really all in the mind. Everything just makes sense or doesn’t make sense. There’s not a lot in between. They’re quick calculations. I would say that I am very much like her in that regard. I mean, I do pay attention to details. If I want to teach you the letters A, B, and C, I feel like I would have to know and master A all the way to Z. I can’t just master A, B, C. So the same thing happened here with everything that has to do with criminology, with law enforcement, with the system in New York, talking to detectives and understanding her, how long she’s been there to have that kind of experience.

Also because of the partnership with Oliva, it gave me freedom to soften just a little bit more to explore how much she allows herself to be in that space, because she’s very unique and she has respect. She’s getting the respect that she deserves, but I’m sure there’s a lot of raised eyebrows as well. But yeah, there’s a lot of hours and hours of pages written and pages read. I created a whole chart of all the serial killers and how many kills they had and when they were caught, who’s still in prison, what their sun sign, moon sign, and ascendant. It’s pretty deep. It goes deep.

I saw in your credits that you had a “Story by” credit on an episode of Law and Order. I don’t totally know how that works in terms of whether you get a writer’s credit or a story credit. Does that mean you just kind of came up with the broad strokes, or did you write something?

So the way it works is we brought the concept for the episode because the reason I started learning a ASL (American Sign Language) a few years ago, and I’ve learned a lot about the deaf community and felt that their story needs to be told in a very honest way.

So the showrunner and I sat down and talked about it and agreed on it. I brought all the stories, the important points of what they’re experiencing with the system and justice system in New York and the country, but it’s specifically to New York. And then there were writers who actually wrote the teleplay. So it’s dialogue in the scenes that would be getting the writers credit, I got the story by, but there’s suggestions of what they would say and wouldn’t say. And so it’s a very collaborative kind of project. But yeah, it was an incredible manifestation of an idea, and they were very open and excited about it too.

I asked because I thought that was interesting and hearing you talk about your process of building this character is very clear, you’re driven by storytelling. It’s not just about showing up and saying your lines. You dig deep. Did you talk with David Zayas at all about his time as a cop in New York in real life?

Yes, he has fascinating stories. He is such an amazing human and we wanted to work together for many years, by the way. We’ve always looked for opportunities, but our roads never crossed in that way. And so to be able to do this on Dexter is, I mean, you can it up really. I could write down a list of the things I want, and it’s just so much better than what I imagined, and I have very, very big and vivid imagination.

But we did talk, and he is incredible as an actor, storyteller, a friend, and just working with him and he has such a wealth of knowledge of this world, and you wouldn’t know. He doesn’t walk around that just, it goes deep. It doesn’t go out. It goes deep. And yes, he’s shared how it actually works, what things would be truthful in terms of our behavior and what is movie magic, and we also have to accept that there’s some movie magic in there. I always question things like, wait, that doesn’t make sense and then everybody got that half smile. I was like, ‘Oh, okay. Movie magic in that part. Okay.’ I accept that.

I spoke with the actor who played Ryan, Bryan Lillis, and he said his scripts only included the scenes that he was in, and he had to kind of get it out of Jack as to what was going on with the rest of the show. Was that your experience or did you have a bit more context?

Yeah, I saw the scripts before as they were coming out and yeah, I knew that [my meeting with Dexter] was coming in episode seven, so I knew the meeting was coming in episode seven, not before, and well, that was the first time I met Michael [C. Hall].

We were both in the makeup trailer at the same time, but we didn’t meet. That was I think my first day he walked out when I walked in or something like that. And we didn’t meet until then. At some point, a couple of weeks in, I kind of shared in the makeup trailer that I actually like it like that, and I would like to keep it like that and meet him for the first time as Kadia meeting Michael, same as Claudette meets Dexter.

I watched the show originally, so for me, it would be a much more immersive, impactful experience to meet him as Dexter. That scene has so much tension, and it’s just the way we met each other there. It is not a coincidence. And there’s even a scene, there’s a part there. I don’t know if you clocked it, where we both glanced at each other at the same time. We catch a glance at the same time. That was spontaneous. I’m so happy they included that because it was so natural. And then, yeah, I was told that Michael also enjoys the fact that it could be a candid meeting.

What was the actual process of working on that scene? What was it like to finally get to that moment where you could interact with Dexter? Claudette knows who Dexter is prior to this encounter, and that’s a big reason why it’s so tense.

So, because Claudette knows him a lot less than Kadia knows him… [laughs] There was just an episode and a half before that. It was still speculation. There was a lot of back and forth happening with Batista and then Oliva and Claudette kind of bouncing ideas and trying to put the pieces together. At this point, for me, the experience of meeting him, it remained a little fresh. It wasn’t like all this history because it was important to me. It wasn’t, ‘Uh oh, Dexter is in my lecture hall.’ It was, ‘Oh wait. Oh, they’re together. Let’s see what happens there.’

Claudette doesn’t emotionally attach herself much to findings. It’s not an emotional attachment. It’s simply, is there truth to it? Is it logical? She just collects pieces of information and puts them together. So for her, it was a moment where now everything comes together for her so she can move from there forward, but not just in theory. She actually could read their body language and see the two of them together.

Are there any interesting fan theories you’ve seen? Maybe ones that at this rate, don’t hold any water that you can talk about or some that you’re thinking about that could be interesting for the future?

There’s a lot of things. My kids, my teens, they’re in high school, so they have TikTok, so they send me all kinds of theories They just sent me a picture of Claudette and Dexter as a couple, and I’m like, okay. People are taking it where they want to take it. The fan base here goes wide and deep and high, and I can’t even, the wide array of theories, everyone sees the show differently, wants something else from the show, and so they will create whatever they create. I mean, I’ve seen one theory about her being a serial killer or something like that, but that’s about it. I mean, there’s no snowball growing and walking down the hill.

Since you mentioned your kids are seeing things on on social media, do you watch the show as a family?

So with the original show, I didn’t want to sit and watch with them because I didn’t want to rewatch it, so I don’t get in my head as a watcher. My daughter, she’s going to be a senior now. She binge watched it, all of them, all the way up to New Blood in a span of maybe a month and a half while writing her essays and doing her hair or whatever, all at the same time. But I don’t believe my oldest and my youngest have watched the original show, but we do watch the show together. We watch it as it comes out. We sit together and watch it.

That’s gotta be so much fun.

It’s unbelievable because I’ve been doing this for a while, and my children have been my readers for auditions for over a decade, and they’re also actors. They’re also in the businesses in some capacity. For them to be able to witness what it takes to be able to get a job like this and to work with people like that and to see, and it sets the bar for them of what the co-stars and the show creators and writers and the crew do, all this experience that I bring home, it sets the bar for them, and they know what it takes. They’re not born into this.

They know what it takes for them to sit and watch me. They’re just blown away and the compliments from them mean the most. I mean, my youngest child, he is going to be 15, sometimes he holds me and he says, “You did it. You did it. You were always a star. Now the world knows.” It’s just this old man in a young body telling me things, it’s really hard to put into words because they watched it and now they see something blossom from it, and it’s just priceless. It’s priceless.

Are they rooting for you or for Dexter?

By the way, I kept spoilers from happening here too. My daughter came to set one day, but I did not tell her. It was really hard, really hard to not tell them and to try to hide it. When I worked on the scenes I tried for them not to be spoiled, but I don’t know who they’re rooting for. I mean, they ask questions. I guess now they’re just enjoying the chase and it’s not so easy to root for one, because there’s moments that you kind of lean towards Claudette or Claudette and Oliva together. I mean, Dominic Fumusa is incredible. And then Dexter becomes so lovable suddenly with his relationship with Harrison. I don’t know. Do you find yourself rooting for one character?

I root for drama. I want whatever the most dramatic thing is to happen. I think Dexter’s at his best when he gets put in a corner and has to do whatever he has to do to get out of that, whether it’s break his code or chew his own leg off, metaphorically speaking, it is always the most tense when Dexter is against the corner.

We all are, and all characters are, if you think about it.

I recently watched these episodes at the airport during a big layover because I couldn’t wait to get home to watch the screeners. Despite all of this noise around me, I was just hyperfocused on the drama of this show because it’s so much fun to watch.

And isn’t it an amazing show? Everything, the writing the story, the people, the cast, it’s just such a wholesome buffet of drama, like you said. I just enjoy every aspect of it. It’s fantastic, really.

New episodes of Dexter: Resurrection premiere every Friday on Paramount+ with only three more episodes remain.

The post Dexter: Resurrection’s Kadia Saraf Talks Episode 7, Creating Claudette, and More (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When fans think of Spider-Man’s most hated enemies, plenty of villains likely come to mind. From the Green Goblin to Doctor Octopus to Venom, there’s no shortage of “baddies” dreaming of making Spidey “bend the knee.” Yet none of these infamous foes can compare to the one Spider-Man adversary who has arguably spent more blood, sweat, and tears trying to erase him from existence — and has been doing so since the earliest days of the hero’s debut. In fact, given his almost absurd ability to sway public opinion, it’s remarkable that his relentless efforts haven’t already turned the entire city, country, and world against Spider-Man.

J. Jonah Jameson’s hatred for Spider-Man dates back to the very first issue of Amazing Spider-Man. Beyond his role as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, his animosity toward the webslinger is one of his most defining traits. It’s a passion he’s pursued for decades, a pursuit that has not only strained his relationship with his son, John, but also indirectly led to the creation of some of Spider-Man’s most iconic foes. Given that Jameson is an intelligent, well-informed individual in a world filled with superheroes, it’s worth considering: does his skepticism of Spider-Man have merit?

Why Is Jameson Such a Spider-Man Hater?

After the death of his Uncle Ben, Peter Parker tries, in Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #1, to help his Aunt May make ends meet by continuing his performance gigs as Spider-Man. However, even these modest opportunities dwindle due to J. Jonah Jameson’s smear campaign against him. Under Jameson’s analysis, allowing a “masked menace” to take the law into his own hands sets a dangerous example for young people. Supporting Spider-Man, he claims, would encourage kids and teenagers to mimic his actions — without his skills, experience, or, most importantly, his superhuman abilities.

But Jameson’s hatred goes well beyond this basic frustration. Indeed, as Parker himself observed, in a city filled with heroes “like the Fantastic Four,” why was Jameson so focused on Spider-Man? The answer turned out to be that, unlike those other established heroes who voluntarily expose their identities, Spider-Man was a different breed – one that acted alone, without a clear motive or official imprimatur – and Jameson thinks that “freedom” is dangerous. That is, he felt heroes without rules could not be trusted to act without damaging the city, injuring or killing the innocent, or otherwise causing chaos and havoc. 

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Jameson also harbors a deep personal bias against Spider-Man. This largely arises from his belief that Spider-Man was a personal threat to the admiration he believes his son, the famous astronaut, deserves. In his view, heroes should be like John Jameson, who openly and proudly displays his talents. Additionally, hating Spider-Man serves as the Daily Bugle’s strategy to generate clickbait. The more Jameson condemns Spider-Man, the more readers flock to his newspaper. Ultimately, Jameson’s animosity towards Spider-Man is founded on his belief that he’s a troublemaker who gets away with murder by a soft and lenient city government and police force.

For Jameson, Nothing Can Overcome or Diminish the Harm Spider-Man Causes

The fact that Jameson is a loudmouthed blowhard who weaponizes his paper to amplify his personal grievances against Spider-Man doesn’t mean his complaints are entirely baseless. In several instances, his criticisms are more accurate than not. Indeed. Jameson’s “menace to society” claim, which is one of his most popular Spidey diatribes, is accurate. According to his accusation, Spider-Man’s actions are harmful or dangerous because they break the law, contribute to public safety risks, or engage in disruptive behavior. When you compare those accusations to the actual facts on the ground — or across the rooftops — Spider-Man is “guilty as charged.”

First, Spider-Man is a vigilante. Vigilantism is illegal regardless of good intentions or positive outcomes because it promotes disrespect for law enforcement, including police and other official authorities like those superheroes previously registered under the Superhuman Registration Act. Under the “black letter of the law,” Spider-Man is an unrepentant lawbreaker who actively engages in criminal activity at a near-daily rate. Second, getting into fights with villains like the Rhino in a crowded Washington Square Park or chasing the Green Goblin down Park Avenue during rush hour is the definition of reckless behavior that endangers the public, even if the ultimate goal is to protect them. Third, not even Peter Parker could deny that he consistently engages in actions that disrupt public peace. In other words, as Jameson argues, Spider-Man is a menace to society.

Jameson: “Spider-Man, He Creates These Criminals”

Even if Spider-Man isn’t a “menace to society,” he still seems to satisfy the second part of Jameson’s argument: that Spider-Man contributes to lawlessness as much as he prevents it. Jameson argues that Spider-Man’s actions have inadvertently led to the creation or deviancy of many of the criminals he fights. It’s worth noting that Jameson’s stance is somewhat hypocritical, as he has a history of investing in and supporting villains like the Scorpion. Despite this, Jameson’s point holds some weight because the criminality of more than a few of Spider-Man’s enemies is indirectly tied to his or Peter Parker’s actions. These include the burglar who killed Uncle Ben, the Green Goblin, whose obsession with Spider-Man increased his volatility, and – of course – Venom. All of these antagonists have gone on to become major menaces in their own right.

While it’s easy to dismiss Jameson’s anti-Spidey tirades as the ranting of a cranky newspaper mogul with too much time on his hands or a self-serving campaign — to use Spider-Man as a lightning rod to draw attention to himself and his newspaper, a dog whistle to rally the many virulent anti-superhero voices in the Marvel universe — there’s more to consider. When one compares Jameson’s specific criticisms to the facts, it’s hard not to conclude — objectively speaking — that he might actually have a point. Spider-Man, at the very least, is a nuisance. That being said, the logical next question becomes whether Spider-Man, despite the “problems” he may cause, ultimately brings more good, more justice, and puts an end to more evil than a world without him ever could.

What do you think? Is Jameson’s anti-Spidey hate justified? 

The post Has Spider-Man’s Biggest Hater Been Right All Along? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Like her Fantastic on-screen husband, Vanessa Kirby isn’t only celebrating the release of Fantastic Four: The First Steps. While that film may be the biggest title out with Kirby at the moment, the actress is currently dominating one popular streaming platform with her most recent release.

Night Always Comes, which was released on Friday, August 15th, is already an instant global streaming hit for Netflix. The movie, which is led by Kirby, has taken to the Top 10 on Netflix’s Top Movies. Per Flix Patrol, the movie is the top film in Netflix’s Top 10 Global Movies, however, domestically the film is currently in third place on Netflix, behind K-Pop Demon Hunters and Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw, which are in first and second, respectively. Here’s the trailer:

Of course, Kirby also stars in Hobbs & Shaw, giving her two films in Netflix’s Top 10 Movies in the U.S. currently. Not bad, for the in-demand actress. Especially as Fantastic Four: The First Steps is still in the top four at the domestic box office. Night Always Comes is a Netflix film that follows Kirby’s character, Lynette, as she opts to risk everything in order to try to secure a future for herself and her brother by ultimately setting out on a “dangerous odyssey, confronting her own dark past over the course of one propulsive night.” The film hails from director Benjamin Caron from a screenplay penned by Sarah Conradt.

Kirby’s new movie is based on the book, “The Night Always Comes,” by author Willy Vlautin. The film adaptation stars Kirby, as well as Zack Gottsagen as Kenny, Jennifer Jason Leigh as Doreen, Jennifer Lanier as Shirley, Jason Rouse as Elvis, Randall Park as Scott, Julia Fox as Gloria, Eli Roth as Blake, and Jake McDorman as Jack. The movie currently has a rating of 53% on Rotten Tomatoes with only thirty-four reviews accounted for, while audiences gave the film a slightly worse score of 49% on the Popcornmeter, suggesting that critics and audiences appear to be on the same page with the film. Most seem to agree that while Kirby delivers a strong performance, the film is incapable of properly telling the powerful story it attempts to tell.

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Night Always Comes is seemingly a big project for Kirby as she serves as a producer on the film adaptation, alongside Benjamin Caron, Jodie Caron, Lauren Dark, Ryan Bartecki, Gary Levinsohn, and Billy Hines. While the film may be a miss for audiences and critics alike, the film does have a talented crew behind it. Caron, of course, has previously directed episodes of Andor, The Crown, Sherlock, and Skins, all of which are critically acclaimed television shows. On the film side, though, Caron is still building his resume as the only other feature film Caron has helmed is 2023’s Sharper.

Luckily, fans of Kirby have a wide range of titles they can currently check out if they’re looking to see more from the actress. Along with Fantastic Four: The First Steps currently playing in theaters, Hobbs & Shaw is now streaming on Netflix along with Night Always Comes. The actress also appeared in Netflix’s The Crown, which fans can watch now on the streaming service.

The post Fantastic Four Star’s New R Rated Movie Is an Instant Global Streaming Hit appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In his company’s most recent quarterly earnings report, Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed news that had long been suspected: Hulu will be integrated into the Disney+ app. The standalone Hulu app will be phased out in 2026 (though people can still get subscriptions to solely Hulu), as the only way to experience shows like King of the Hill, Shōgun, and The Bear will be through a single Disney+ and Hulu app. It’s a form of consolidation that puts most of Disney’s streaming future on one app.

It’s a little bittersweet to realize that the Hulu app that first launched in the final days of October 2007 will no longer exist by 2026. However, anyone worried that this signals Hulu and its programming going the way of the dodo need not fret. On the contrary, this seems to confirm that Disney is slightly pivoting its streaming future to largely focus on Hulu, which could be a very wise move for the studio.

Disney Has Already Indicated Its Streaming Future Is Hulu-Centric

On July 8, 2025, Disney released a sizzle reel of all the big new and returning shows dropping on Disney+ and Hulu for the rest of the year. In years past, the sizzle reel would’ve been crammed full of teases for big shows based in the worlds of Star Wars, Marvel, and other major Mouse House properties. However, the only two Disney+ TV shows highlighted here were Wonder Man and a new Percy Jackson season. The Zombies 4 TV movie also got a shout-out, but that was it for Disney+ exclusives.

Meanwhile, Hulu programming like Chad Powers, All’s Fair, Alien: Earth, The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, King of the Hill, and Only Murders in the Building dominated the sizzle reel. The heavy imbalance in favor of Hulu programming in this sizzle reel indicates where Disney’s streaming future lies. Now that the Mouse House fully owns Hulu and Disney divisions like Lucasfilm and Marvel Television are significantly cutting down on their small-screen exploits, Hulu and its shows will be the primary driver of narrative streaming shows for this company.

Upcoming original projects for 2026 and beyond at these streamers further bear this out. Only Vision Quest and an Oswald the Lucky Rabbit show are either shooting or have finished principal photography for Disney+. Hulu, meanwhile, has a bevy of further shows on the horizon, including The Plot, The Testaments, and a Murdaugh murders show. This is a wise shift on many fronts, including how Disney+ seriously struggled to launch big, buzzy shows in its first five years of existence. National Treasure: Edge of History, Big Shot, and Turner & Hooch (among many others) just never caught on with the general public like The Bear or Only Murders in the Building.

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Hulu’s Already Got a Track Record for Producing Television

More importantly, with regards to Hulu, this streamer already has over a decade of experience launching and maintaining original programming. Disney+ required labels like Marvel Studios, Pixar, and Lucasfilm to overhaul their entire structure and creative priorities to produce overly expensive TV shows for the streamer. In contrast, Hulu already has the know-how and creatives who can produce tons of multi-season small-screen programming. That’s a more reliable and drama-free source of streaming productions than hurriedly converting film labels into TV production houses.

Plus, Hulu is intertwined with John Landgraf’s FX label, a domain that’s produced countless Emmy darlings and mainstream hits like Shōgun, The Bear, and Atlanta (among many others) over the years. That ensures Hulu can deliver prestige programming as well. There are just so many mechanisms in place already at Hulu, making it the clear frontrunner as Disney’s streaming champion. On top of all that, Hulu now has decades of brand familiarity with audiences as the place where TV lives.

Chucking that away, especially when Disney+’s original programming has garnered such a mixed reputation, would be foolish. Thus, Hulu getting folded into the Disney+ app is the biggest indicator yet that the home of King of the Hill’s 14th season is a critical piece in Disney’s future streaming empire. Though its standalone app will fall imminently, Hulu isn’t going anywhere. As long as it keeps producing shows like The Bear and Only Murders in the Building, this label will be the primary driver of Disney’s original streaming programming.

Are you surprised that Hulu is going away? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Why Disney’s Huge Hulu Change Is Secretly Genius appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the next title in the Legends spin-off series. It is arriving on October 16th for both Nintendo and Nintendo Switch 2, and players can try the game early at both the 2025 Pokemon World Championships and Gamescom before launch day. From these demos, new information about the game is being revealed, including a big change from Pokemon Legends: Arceus. This change brings in an important feature from the mainline games that is necessary for Pokemon Legends: Z-A to work. It remains to be seen, but this will likely have an interesting effect on the new battle system used in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

Held items are returning in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. This mechanic was absent from Pokemon Legends: Arceus and has been restored. This may seem obvious, as Pokemon must hold a Mega Stone to Mega Evolve, but The Pokemon Company and Game Freak could have implemented a different method for Mega Evolution.

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Leaks revealed this information, and it appears items will be on a cooldown in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. This is in line with how Pokemon moves work and will prevent players from just spamming potions or other items. However, it is a little unclear if this cooldown applies to both held items and regular items.

While many players are happy to see held items return in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, some are disappointed that abilities are still absent. Abilities are a pivotal part of how Pokemon function in the mainline games. Balancing these with Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s new battle system may have proved too challenging during development, and this may be why abilities were left out.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A features a focus on battling, unlike Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ focus on exploration. This is likely another main reason why held items are returning in this spin-off series, outside of the necessity for Mega Evolution. Held items can have a huge impact on a battle in the mainline game, and this may also be true in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

While fans wait for Generation 10, Pokemon Legends: Z-A will be a fun and unique experience. It is doubtful that its battle system will replace the mainline battle system, but it is a fun experiment. Pokemon Champions is also on the horizon and will see the reintroduction of Mega Evolution to competitive Pokemon.

Are you excited for Pokemon Legends: Z-A? Share your feelings in the comments below, we’d love to talk about it with you!

The post Pokemon Legends Z-A Bringing Back Feature That Was Missing in Arceus appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After wringing every last tear from fans through Kuma and Bonney’s backstory over the last few months, One Piece’s Egghead Arc has finally kicked off the second half of its story, setting the stage for the arc’s big climax with the initiation of the dreaded Buster Call. The anime has also marked this shift in the story with a brand new opening theme full of easter eggs and spoilers of what’s to come, including the introduction of One Piece’s biggest enigma, Joyboy.

From finally seeing the Five Elders in action to all the revelations that Vegapunk’s worldwide broadcast has in store, there’s plenty to look forward to in the Egghead Arc for the next few months. Even so, easily the biggest upcoming moment in the arc is the flashback containing Joyboy’s first-ever appearance in the series. While Joyboy has been mentioned multiple times over the course of the series, fans still know frustratingly little about this mysterious figure from the Void Century. Luckily, the Egghead Arc is finally set to change this, not only revealing more about Joyboy but also giving fans their first-ever look at him, albeit in silhouette form. That said, One Piece’s new opening theme may have already revealed Joyboy, but it was so quick that fans may have completely missed it.

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One Piece’s New Opening Already Revealed Joyboy

During the title card sequence in One Piece’s new opening theme for the Egghead Arc, a nondescript figure in a straw hat makes an appearance in the background for just a split second. The straw hat is then seen flying across the blue sky to the Iron Giant, who is revealed to be named Emet later in the Egghead Arc. At first glance, the obvious answer seems like this figure in the straw hat must be Luffy. However, the figure in the straw hat does not appear to possess Luffy’s distinct spiky hair. Were it to be this as the only clue, though, the glimpse being that of Joyboy in the new One Piece opening would be dismissed pretty easily.

However, when the opening theme pans across to Emet, he seems to be missing any of the rust and moss that is seen on him in the present day. More importantly, Emet is pictured with both of his horns intact, which is easily the biggest giveaway that this scene in the opening is taken from a flashback, as the Iron Giant has been missing his left horn ever since his introduction on Egghead. All of these pieces of evidence point to the figure in the straw hat in the new opening being Joyboy rather than Luffy, Shanks, or even Roger.

Lastly, the plain blue sky with fluffy white clouds in the background confirms that this scene is indeed adapting Emet’s flashback from Chapter 1122, which reveals Joyboy’s silhouette. Of course, the best part has yet to come as the big reveal in the anime will surely be much more exciting. It will also be interesting to see who ends up being cast to voice Joyboy and what he will end up sounding like in the anime, though until then, One Piece’s Egghead Arc definitely has plenty of thrilling developments in store.

One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

The post One Piece Just Revealed Its First Look at Joyboy (And Fans May Have Missed It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Many of the best partnerships in the Marvel Cinematic Universe unfortunately don’t exist now as characters and relationships have come and gone. Marvel Studios has adapted dozens of characters from Marvel Comics into live-action since the MCU began with 2008’s Iron Man. Marvel has done a fantastic job of developing these characters into fully-fledged, well-rounded, and relatable people, and their interpersonal relationships and powerful friendships have been at the forefront of this development.

It’s a shame that some of these most interesting and beloved duos don’t exist in the MCU, but the removal of many characters, some deaths, and some developing rivalries mean these partnerships aren’t around anymore. With the MCU barreling towards a reset after Avengers: Secret Wars, it’s possible we could see some of these duos come back to the MCU. For now, however, since the likes of Tony Stark, T’Challa, Wanda Maximoff, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and more are missing from the MCU, these partnerships are still sorely missed.

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7) Tony Stark & Rhodey

2008’s Iron Man, the MCU’s first movie, introduced this iconic duo that persisted for the next 11 years until Tony Stark’s departure in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Robert Downey Jr. and Don Cheadle – who debuted in 2010’s Iron Man 2 – had fantastic chemistry on-screen as Stark and James “Rhodey” Rhodes, the armored heroes Iron Man and War Machine, and contributed to one of the MCU’s fan-favorite and longest-running friendships. Stark sacrificed his life in Endgame to defeat Thanos with the Infinity Stones, and it’s surprising we haven’t seen Rhodey’s reaction to this loss yet.

6) Peter Parker & Ned Leeds

The ending of 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home saw everyone in the world forget Peter Parker, meaning he also lost his closest friends. The loss of his friendship with Jacob Batalon’s Ned Leeds will surely leave a huge void in Spider-Man’s life. Ned was the first of Peter’s peers to learn of his identity as Spider-Man, and became his “guy in the chair” on various missions, and he proved pivotal in many of Spider-Man’s missions. Tom Holland will be returning in 2026’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but Peter will have new responsibilities to deal with without his closest friend.

5) T’Challa & Okoye

The tragic and sudden passing of Chadwick Boseman in 2020 not only forced the removal of one of the MCU’s most exciting and potential-filled characters, T’Challa’s Black Panther, but also meant that this fantastic partnership could no longer continue. T’Challa’s friendship with Danai Gurira’s Okoye, the General of Wakanda’s Dora Milaje, was full of respect, wit, and love. They were two of Wakanda’s most formidable and talented warriors, and while Okoye has gone on to foster a strong bond with Letitia Wright’s Shuri, her partnership with T’Challa replicated that of a sibling bond that was brilliant to watch grow.

4) Wanda Maximoff & Vision

One of the MCU’s most emotional storylines has been the development of the romance and grief shared by Wanda Maximoff and the vibranium synthezoid, Vision. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany’s evolution – taking them from Avengers to lovers, and then to parents – has been explored beautifully in the MCU, and the exploration of their loss of each other and everything they hold dear was even more heartfelt. Vision’s death in Avengers: Infinity War and Wanda Maximoff’s death in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ended this duo, but there is speculation that the pair will somehow reunite.

3) Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

One of the longest-running friendships in the MCU is that shared between Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers and Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes. They were childhood friends in the early 1900s, fought during World War II together, and reunited years later as super soldiers in the modern era. Their history has been tumultuous, but Rogers has always remained loyal to his closest friend. Rogers’ departure in Endgame – which saw him retire with Peggy Carter – allowed Barnes to build a new friendship with Sam Wilson, but it’s not quite the same as the bond between the original Captain America and Winter Soldier.

2) Natasha Romanoff & Clint Barton

It’s seldom we see such a strong bond between male and female heroes in superhero franchises that don’t have a foundation in romance, but the friendship between Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff and Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton was one for the ages. Black Widow and Hawkeye had a long history before joining the Avengers, as the latter chose to spare the former during a SHIELD mission, instead enlisting her to SHIELD and enabling her defection to the United States. Romanoff ultimately sacrificed her life for Barton and her friends, leaving Hawkeye somewhat untethered in recent years.

1) Thor & Loki

Here’s a missing MCU duo that we might actually be about to see reunite, as both Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston have been confirmed to be involved with 2026’s upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. As of now, however, the main iterations of Asgardian brothers Thor and Loki haven’t been seen on-screen together since 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, which opened with Thanos brutally killing Loki. The growth of Thor and Loki’s bond over the years has been remarkable, taking them from enemies to allies, and now that Loki is the multiverse’s staunch protector, his partnership with his brother will surely be even stronger.

Which lost MCU duos do you miss the most? Let us know in the comments!

The post 7 Great MCU Duos That Don’t Exist Anymore appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel’s cast of Spider-Verse characters is seemingly ever-expanding, adding new spider-themed heroes every year or two. Overall, that’s great news for fans; however, it does mean that many amazing characters have been left by the wayside. In all likelihood, every devoted Spider-Verse reader has one or two favorite heroes whom they sincerely believe deserve more attention (and they’re probably not wrong). Today, we want to take a moment to raise the call for more time with one mystical spider-hero, Aña “Anya” Corazón. This hero has gone by many names in her relatively short time in Marvel Comics, and we want to see her break new ground.

Anya Corazón is also known as Araña, Spider-Girl, and “The Hero Within.” She’s a seriously underrated and underutilized hero hailing from the farther reaches of the Spider-Verse. Her story began in Amazing Fantasy (2004), and it’s safe to say she’s been slowly working her way across the Spider-Verse. Like many of the variants, Anya took up protecting the people of Brooklyn, though she worked as part of the Spider Society. Her history has taken a few strange turns since then, pulling her into different Marvel events, changing her power sets, and overall not giving her enough time to shine. We want that to change.

Anya Corazón’s Early History

Even though Anya has not gotten the attention she deserves, she has found herself tied to many moments and organizations within Marvel Comics. She started as a member of the Spider Society before joining up with the Sisterhood of the Wasp. Naturally, this was the first of many trials for Anya, as she had to watch one of the team die. This resulted in her stepping back from the Society (perhaps not so willingly), but it let her forge her own path, and that’s a solid step forward.

After branching out on her own, Anya began working with different heroes across the Marvel Universe, even winding up in Marvel’s Civil War. In hindsight, that wasn’t the best move, but she was a young hero, and she was trying to do some good. She took one hit after another during this time, which fans remember all too clearly.

As Spider-Girl, Anya has not been immune to what feels like the Spider-Man curse. She has loved and lost, and is no stranger to grief. She’s watched many allies die in battle, and even lost her supportive father after years of being a superhero. So she knows what it’s like to bear the weight of responsibility.

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What Makes Anya Corazón Different

Those who aren’t familiar with Anya Corazón may be thinking that her story, overall, doesn’t sound that different from other spider-themed heroes. After all, she’s faced trials, tribulations, and losses. Sounds familiar, right? Here’s the thing: Anya’s original powers don’t stem from radioactive spider bites. Her power is far more mystical in nature, and that makes her a rarity, even among the sheer numbers of the Spider-Verse.

Anya’s powers came from a spell that was intentionally cast on her, as part of a deal. She may not have organic webshooters or venom blasts, but she did start with something else, something that made her very unique. She had a blue exoskeleton, which covered her whole body and, unsurprisingly, made her pretty durable. Her fans were devastated when she lost this ability, because it was one of many details that made her unique.

The events of Spider Island once again changed Anya’s powers, and yeah, it was getting a bit exhausting for fans. While she mercifully survived those events, she walked away with the basic Spider-Man power set, removing a lot of what made her unique. Marvel would later fix this mistake, teasing at some return to her original state.

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Her Endless Potential

Anya Corazón is a determined and dedicated hero. She has proven herself time and time again, showing up every time she hears the call. Despite this, Marvel seems content to constantly mess with her abilities, swapping them around and slowly erasing what makes her unique. Over the years, Spider-Girl has been involved in dozens of Spider-Verse events, but she’s rarely taken the center stage.

No matter how we look at it, Anya Corazón deserves a much bigger role in the Spider-Verse, both in the comics and the animated series. The latter probably isn’t likely to happen, given there’s only one film left. However, there’s still hope for the comics. Anya is a proven leader with a compelling backstory. There’s still limitless potential for her story, especially if Marvel allowed her creative team to run with the powers that make her stand out.

The post This Character Deserves a Much Bigger Role in the Spider-Verse appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is poised to introduce new Mega Evolutions, with Mega Dragonite being the first to be seen. This new Mega Evolution has caused some controversy, with some fans loving the new design and seeing Dragonite finally get a Mega Evolution. However, a vocal group has expressed its disdain for this design, with many calling it ugly. This has drawn attention to other Mega Pokemon in the past that have hated designs.

While most Mega Evolutions give Pokemon a visual upgrade, some have not had that effect. Many Mega Evolution designs are ugly or lazy, leaving fans of these Pokemon disappointed. Here are five of the worst-designed Mega Pokemon that may or may not appear in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

1) Mega Slowbro

Mega Slowbro’s design is questionable to the point that you have to wonder what Game Freak was thinking. Instead of simply taking a bite out of Slowbro’s tail, the shell has now almost completely engulfed the Water and Psychic-type Pokemon. However, somehow Slowbro’s arms and tail have managed to poke through, and the shell has changed color. Of all the possible designs, this one just looks bad, and I’d prefer just to use Slowbro to avoid looking at this abomination.

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Mega Slowbro doesn’t just look goofy, but its stat increases leave something to be desired. The buff to Special Attack is nice, but did it need the massive increase to Defense? Considering it is already bulky on the physical side, splitting some of this buff to Special Defense would have been a welcome choice. Shell Armor is an okay ability, but it doesn’t feel any more meaningful than its original abilities.

2) Mega Kangaskhan

Mega Kangaskhan is one of the laziest designs in Pokemon. All it does is have the baby Kangaskhan climb out of Kangaskhan’s pouch, allowing it to fight beside its parent. If this is the route The Pokemon Company and Game Freak wanted to go, it would have been cool to see a more grown-up juvenile Kangaskhan. Not only would this give a new design, but it would justify the baby climbing out of its pouch.

That said, Mega Kangaskhan was one of the most dominant Mega Pokemon before it got nerfed. The combo of Power Up Punch and Parental Bond was incredibly broken. Even after the nerf, Mega Kangaskhan was a force to be reckoned with. This just shows how overtuned the Pokemon was and how much it changed the competitive scene.

3) Mega Latios/Mega Latias

While Mega Kangaskhan is one of the laziest designs for a Mega Evolution, Latios and Latias are right up there with it. The designs themselves are fine, but they are the exact same, aside from the eye color. While red and blue do combine to make purple, why did both have to be purple? The Pokemon Company and Game Freak should have kept their colors the same, and this would have made their designs more tolerable.

That said, it would have been nice to see Latias and Latios change up their design to be separate from one another. With the jet plane design, the designers could have taken real-life aircraft and used two different ones for inspiration. This would give the two Pokémon a more unique identity and help them stand out compared to their regular forms.

4) Mega Ampharos

There is a reason why everyone calls Mega Ampharos Fabio. The Electric Pokemon was already goofy-looking, but the wig just takes this over the top. The fluffy tail does look nice and would have been fine on its own, or paired with a less dramatic hairstyle. The saying “less is more” comes to mind when looking at Mega Ampharos.

Mega Ampharos’ stats are okay as a whole. The increase to Special Attack is the most, and the loss to Speed does make it a more viable Trick Room sweeper. But Mold Breaker is a questionable choice for an ability. The only real perk this offers is being able to bypass Lightning Rod and Volt Absorb with its Electric attacks. While fine, Static just has more value due to the chance to cause paralysis.

5) Mega Salamence

Speaking of aircraft, Mega Salamence goes from looking like a dragon to a fighter jet. The wings for Mega Salamence look ridiculous and don’t fit the overall design of the Pokemon. The rest of it looks fine, but would benefit from a redesign that aims for a more dragon-like appearance. The other Dragon-type Pokemon have gone this route, either highlighting the dragon elements or accenting a new type, such as Mega Altaria’s new Fairy-type.

Stat and ability-wise, Mega Salamence falls into the same category as Mega Kangaskhan. It’s incredibly powerful and had to be nerfed to try and balance it. With its offensive stats being spread out rather than focused strictly on Attack, Mega Salamence could fit either a physical or special sweeper, making it more flexible than Mega Kangaskhan.

The post 5 Worst Pokemon Mega Evolution Designs appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One of the Cartoon Network’s best shows ever is on Amazon Prime Video, not HBO Max. This is obviously a little strange because Cartoon Network and HBO Max are both in the Warner Bros. Discovery family so you would expect a popular Cartoon Network show to be on HBO Max, if not an exclusive to the HBO streaming service. Yet, it is not only not available on HBO Max, but it is on Amazon Prime Video. In the future this could obviously change, but in the meantime, Warner Bros. is sending Cartoon Network fans to another streaming service rather than its own.

The Cartoon Network TV show in question is Dexter’s Laboratory from the mind of Genndy Tartakovsky, a name you may also recognize as the creator of Star Wars: Clone Wars and Samurai Jack. Unfortunately, while HBO Max subscribers can’t enjoy this Cartoon Network classic at all, Amazon Prime Video subscribers can only enjoy the first two seasons. Season 3 and Season 4 are not available with an Amazon Prime Video subscription. That said, as Dexter’s Lab fans will know, the first two seasons are the best, and a quality above the two that followed.

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Streaming Exclusivity

Not only are the first two season of Dexter’s Laboratory not on HBO Max but Amazon Prime Video instead, they are also streaming exclusives for Amazon Prime Video, making the whole situation all the more odder. That said, how long this will be the case we don’t know. They are obviously not permanent fixtures in the Amazon Prime Video library, but we have no information on when they will leave Amazon Prime Video, let alone come to HBO Max.

Amazon Prime Video Having a Noteworthy Month

Beyond being the exclusive streaming home of the first two seasons of one of the best Cartoon Network shows, Amazon Prime Video recently added one of 2024’s biggest and best movies as part of its new lineup this month.

Compared to the likes of Netflix, HBO Max, Peacock, Disney+, and others, Amazon Prime Video has a massive library, and the biggest. So perhaps it should come as no surprise that Dexter’s Laboratory is on Amazon Prime Video. What is more surprising though is that it is, at least currently, an exclusive.

For more coverage on Cartoon Network, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and all things streaming — including the latest Cartoon Network news — click here. Meanwhile, and as always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know what you think.

The post One of Cartoon Network’s Best Shows Is on Prime Video (And Not HBO Max) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Batman‘s most guarded secret is his alter ego as billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne. At one point or another in the Dark Knight’s storied history, those who have become privy to the Batman’s secret identity include his allies (Alfred Pennyworth, the Robins, Superman), his romantic interests (Vicki Vale, Silver St. Cloud, Catwoman), and even his rogues gallery of villains (Hugo Strange, Ra’s al Ghul, the Joker). But there’s a lesser-known character who deduced the greatest secret of the world’s greatest detective: Bruce Wayne’s bodyguard, Sasha Bordeaux.

Peacemaker season 2 introduces the character to James Gunn’s new DC Universe, in which she’s played by Argentine actress Sol Rodríguez (Star Trek: Picard). Rodríguez’s Sasha Bordeaux is one of the A.R.G.U.S. agents tasked by Director Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) to hunt down Chris Smith (John Cena) over his illegal use of a dimensional portal — and for killing his son, Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag Jr., in 2021’s The Suicide Squad.

But could this current A.R.G.U.S. agent be Bruce Wayne’s former bodyguard? “I think she could [be],” Rodríguez tells ComicBook. “It hasn’t been talked about with James if that’s ever going to happen. I’m crossing [my] fingers. If he ever wants to make that happen, I’m here for it.”

While Peacemaker‘s Sasha Bordeaux doesn’t officially have a connection to the as-yet-uncast Bruce Wayne/Batman, Rodríguez incorporated her character’s comic book history into her backstory. “In my work for the character, I do have it in my backstory … I had it in the back of my mind,” she explains. “I didn’t bring it with me. Because I wanted to do a different version honoring the character but also doing what James was asking me to do, and honoring this Sasha in Peacemaker‘s world.”

In the comics, Sasha first appears in 2000’s Detective Comics #751 when the board of Wayne Enterprises votes to assign Bruce Wayne a bodyguard. While working the Wayne detail, Sasha becomes suspicious of her principal’s inexplicable disappearances, and in Detective Comics #756, discovers Bruce’s Bat-Paraphernalia. Six months into protecting Bruce Wayne, Sasha becomes Batman’s “bodyguard,” joining the caped crusader in the field as his masked, Kevlar-suited backup.

A romantic relationship develops between Bruce and Sasha, but after she’s framed as an accomplice to murder and imprisoned, she fakes her death when she’s recruited by the covert government agency Checkmate. Originally a sister organization of Task Force X’s Suicide Squad, Checkmate has included the likes of Amanda Waller and Maxwell Lord — two characters who exist in the DCU, played by Viola Davis and Sean Gunn, respectively. As the chess-themed organization’s Black Queen, Sasha serves alongside Waller’s White Queen and White King’s Bishop, Mr. Terrific, in the Greg Rucka-penned Checkmate.

Your move, James Gunn.

John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick return for season two, joined by new cast members Frank Grillo, David Denman, Sol Rodríguez, and Tim Meadows. Peacemaker returns August 21 on HBO Max.

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The post Peacemaker: Sol Rodríguez Teases Her DC Character’s History With Batman appeared first on ComicBook.com.

If you’re a long-time anime fan or manga reader, chances are you’ve heard of Shonen Jump’s Dark Trio. The Trio are individual manga series known for gritty, dark themes that can lean towards trope-subversion of the shonen genre. They include: Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku, Chainsaw Man, and Jujutsu Kaisen. Each of these manga has anime adaptations (courtesy of Mappa), and large fanbases that are willing to argue why each deserves the title of best series among the Trio.

For quite some time, Jujutsu Kaisen took the lead in popularity and recognition, especially with its anime adaptation recognized for fluid animation and attention-grabbing fight scenes. When Chainsaw Man’s anime debuted in 2022, the crowd’s attention shifted to include the series with gratuitous violence and compelling world-building. Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku not only came to the screen last, but is also notably the least talked about among the Dark Trio. While I would never discredit Chainsaw Man or Jujutsu Kaisen and the hype they’ve brought back to modern anime/manga of the last five years, I do want to discuss why I believe Hell’s Paradise is the better story in the Trio, and why I think its plot and themes have a stronger longevity than its counterparts.

1) Meaningful Use of Character Death

Anime characters carry plot armor in shonen manga, there’s no getting around this overused and common trope. This is one of the reasons the Dark Trio was praised initially by fans; instead of shying away from killing off a character, these series embraced the idea that sometimes in high-stakes situations, the realistic conclusion would be for a character to die. And while this can be devastating, sometimes it drives the plot and other character arcs forward: think Kento Nanami’s death during the “Shibuya Arc” and the full circle it achieved, as well as inspiring Yuji to continue fighting curses.

But acknowledging that characters may need to perish to keep the story realistic and interesting, and giving weight to what’s at stake, doesn’t mean killing characters for the sake of shock value or grim bleakness. The amount of characters knocked out of orbit in Chainsaw Man alone could turn readers off of the plot; after all, why do I want to invest in a new set of main supporting characters when the last were killed off so fast and with such little consequence to Denji’s development and narrative? What’s the point in caring about Choso as Yuji’s only surviving family when he dies in battle and there’s little more than a moment to mourn or acknowledge what happened and what Yuji lost (and no, it isn’t brought up once the heat of the moment passes either).

To create characters is to understand that some may die, it’s also to remember you are telling a story. Not everything needs to be hyperrealistic and dark to drive home how serious your plot is meant to be. One devastating and meaningful character death is worth ten that are barely acknowledged or given the respect they deserve.

Hell’s Paradise follows through with this in a way that shows the creator, Yuji Kaku, understands the importance of preserving a character’s meaning through both death and life. Tenza is a supporting character given his own beliefs and with a kindness and will to protect Nurugai which their bond legitimate and emotional. When he dies protecting her and Shion, we see his ambitions and dreams of what life could be. Once he’s dead, it’s his vision and words that inspire Nurugai to live on and even go back to save Shion in the manga and interrupt his quest for vengeance. This single death ripples through two important characters and their decisions, even when Tenza is not around. It carries meaning. Main characters aren’t fodder to be used for bloody panels that shock the reader, only to be forgotten like they never existed. That balance, of near-death experiences, of murders and battles, and still shining in the importance of a lost life, is what makes Hell’s Paradise stand out.

2) Concise and Focused Plot

The Dark Trio may explore similar themes, but they all have unique plots that have little in common with each other. Chainsaw Man follows Denji, a teenager who merges with a Devil (beings that feed on human energy), and must now work for a company hunting down dangerous Devils and defeating them. Jujutsu Kaisen navigates a world plagued by curses created by the negative emotions of humanity and the sorcerers who fight to destroy them. Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku takes place on a mystical island where a group of executioners and criminals search for the elixir of immortality.

These series all dabble in intricate themes such as good versus evil, the nature of humanity, personal choice and the consequences of it, and hope in creating a better world. Each has at least one arc that fans will rabidly defend as a modern classic in the genre (think “Shibuya Incident Arc” for Jujutsu Kaisen, the “Control Devil Arc” of Chainsaw Man, and the “Horai Arc” of Hell’s Paradise). There are intriguing characters who undergo severe changes in all three series, and moments that change the direction of the plot for better or worse.

But Hell’s Paradise knows the story it wants to tell, from start to finish. Are there slower moments and build-up? Absolutely. The plot still follows a mostly linear path directly to the manga’s conclusion and the final message. One thing many fans have noticed in Jujutsu Kaisen is the numerous arcs and storylines that seem to fall flat, get lost in translation, or are just abandoned and never fully explored.

Jujutsu Society as a whole and the nature of the head clans is never fully explained or given backstory; Kenjaku’s master plan and longevity is cut short in a meaningless beheading by Yuta and quickly forgotton; the Culling Games are extremely interesting with parallels to the “Hidden Inventory Arc” and are still quickly dealt with and barely affect the overarching plot of Sukuna’s revival. It often feels like Gege Akutami had a larger story to tell than what he was capable of getting across in the plot, and the final ending suffers for it.

While Chainsaw Man’s manga has not come to an end yet, there are still so many questions as to why the story needed to go past the final reveal of Makima’s true nature. That alone could have been the end of the series, with the manga building up to the final battle between Denji and the mentor who molded her perfect weapon using manipulation and gentle, yet cruel tactics that have made Makima an iconic villain. The deaths of main side characters like Aki and Rocket could have felt like final punches to the gut before the story’s end, rather than footnotes to a new cast introduced in Denji’s life (maybe a continuation manga following Denji raising Nayuta and finding his way in the world). If Jujutsu Kaisen had too many messages it wanted to get across, Chainsaw Man sometimes feels like Tatsuki Fujimoto hasn’t decided on a central message yet at all.

Love it or hate it, Hell’s Paradise sets out to tell a single story: Gabimaru eventually returns to his wife. Every tribulation he faces and every enemy he strikes down are backed by this wish, from the moment we are introduced to his character, that cannot die as an internalized means of staying alive for love. And that is also what sets Hell’s Paradise apart from the other two Dark Trio shonen: the focused theme of love and hope, of carrying on through the love you once had for a comrade, friend, or lover to live on. We reach each narrative checkpoint with the characters as they discover the secret of Shinsenkyo, the connection to mainland Japan, and how to defeat and overcome their adversaries. The plot doesn’t stray far from the information we need to complete a full picture and to flesh out this world and the characters living inside of it.

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3) The Conclusion Feels Earned

And with the final theme of Hell’s Paradise: Jigokiraku identified, we can talk about why Hell’s Paradise tonally felt complete when it ended. Now, I can’t speak on Chainsaw Man because the manga is ongoing with no identifiable end in sight as of yet; however, I can compare Jujutsu Kaisen, a manga with extraordinary popularity and one of the most controversial endings in the last decade.

The ending of Jujutsu Kaisen felt so rushed that looking back at the beginning of the manga sometimes feels like reading a different story altogether. Key characters, such as Megumi or Nobara, end up playing very little part in the final battle besides small moments that come across as fan service for their entrances and survival. Megumi was touted by Sukuna as having great potential; he’s Gojo’s ward and protege, and has an incomplete Domain. Despite all of this build-up, in the end, he spends the rest of the manga as a carcass inhabited by Sukuna, with his character arc nearly abandoned.

It’s not just Megumi: Nobara is treated like a plot device after missing since Shibuya, Yuta somehow survives inhabiting Gojo’s corpse, and it’s never discussed again, and Yuji suddenly has a Domain strong enough to target Sukuna’s soul. Nothing much is shown to have changed in the sorcerer society, at least in a concrete way that the audience can visibly see and understand. The main trio tackle one last curse and seal the remaining finger away, and somehow, all is well despite the brutality and loss. You cannot hopscotch over character development and power scaling only to present the end as if it were always there.

Hell’s Paradise, in comparison, has the ending that fits the story best, even if it isn’t the most showy or flashy compared to other manga of its time. Yes, there’s a final battle and yes, the main characters win. But more importantly, there’s a small scene at the end where Sagiri goes to visit Yui and Gabimaru at their shared home. The emphasis on life continuing quietly but peacefully after the horror, the journey for the characters to reach that ability to accept such peace, feels earned. Not to mention, this ending didn’t come out of left field: Gabimaru’s goal was always to see Yui again.

He is no longer forced to live the life of an assassin, of a killer. Gabimaru, who struggled to rest throughout the series due to his trauma and his past haunting him, is asleep in the last panel. He sleeps in his own home with the love of his life and a friend visiting him. It’s quiet, and it’s simple, but it drives home the point of Hell’s Paradise and what the characters fought for throughout every chapter. The chance at a fresh start. Hell’s Paradise: Jigokiraku doesn’t overstay its welcome or try to entice readers with a bunch of side arcs and quests. It makes its point, and then the story ends, just as it should.

What’s your favorite series in the Dark Trio? Let us know your choice in the comments below, and what upcoming Shonen Jump series you’re keeping an eye on.

The post 3 Reasons Why Hell’s Paradise Is Actually the Best Shonen Jump Dark Trio Series appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Superhero families are one of the coolest aspects of long-running comic books. When I say this, I don’t mean teams built around the concept of a family of superheroes like the Fantastic Four or the Incredibles, but groups that have been built up over time around a singular hero. Usually, most or all of the members of this family would have similar powers or skills as the head, with many members often being sidekicks or partners to the head hero. Some of the most famous examples of superhero families include the Batman Family, the Flash Family, and in recent years even the Spider-Man Family. These are groups that have been brought together by a shared goal and inspiration in the hero their family is both named after and centered around. They typically take decades to form, with new members slowly being added over time as side characters or sidekicks, and growing to be even more important and connected with each other.

Superhero families are one of the best ways to show both the development of the hero and their growing impact on the world. Where Batman started as the sole protector of Gotham City, he slowly accrued a veritable army of like-minded individuals who were galvanized by the Dark Knight’s constant struggle to improve their city. Fully-fledged superhero families allow creators to make use of all of the heroic side characters introduced across decades of storytelling and bring out new aspects of their characters that can’t be brought out when they’re solo or in a team with friends or colleagues. And yet, despite all of these advantages, we don’t have any active superhero family comics. Why?

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The Problems With Superhero Families

The simple issue with superhero families is that they tend to have too many superheroes for conventional storytelling. Most of these groups wind up having anywhere between six to over a dozen heroes as main members of their group, which is way too many to take active roles in a comic dedicated to a single hero. Just look at the Bat Family, which is often cited as being the most overblown family in comics. There are a lot of heroes with fairly overlapping skill sets. Yes, they each have their own strengths and weaknesses, but when you have eight people who are fantastic detectives and near unstoppable in combat, it can get a bit hard to juggle them all with equal spotlight in the limited pages available. You either have to skip out on beloved characters and make those fans mad, or give every character such little presence that nobody is happy. This leaves fans hungry for content about their favorite heroes, especially when they don’t have their own books and the only way to see them is if they show up in the head hero’s book. These are the exact problems that comics dedicated to the families themselves could solve.

The Strength of Families

Comic books dedicated to superhero families give creators a platform to satisfy the urge fans have to see their favorites interact with the people that lore says they are very close to, but we only get to see interact for two panels every three years. Back in the ‘70s there were Batman Family and Superman Family comics running that focused on stories with different members of each group, and both were massively popular. Superman Family ran for fifty-nine issues, and Batman Family was so popular that they merged it with the then ailing Detective Comics line to boost its sales. Wayne Family Adventures is a massively popular webtoon focusing on the Batman Family, though it is far more comedy focused and tends to have its characters act more in line with the fandom’s interpretation of them then how they actually behave. 

Regardless, superhero family comics can work, and it opens the avenue to have superheroes explore familial drama and relationships in a way that they usually can’t in their own series, which opens the door for so many new stories that we haven’t been able to tell yet. It makes the fans happy and can be structured with a rotating cast of characters, and gives the chance for less popular characters to share the spotlight without dragging attention away from a hero’s headlining book. Family and connections have always been essential in superhero stories, so we should have books dedicated to just that. What superhero family do you want to see get their comic? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Why Don’t We Have Superhero Family Comics? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s hard to imagine a time when Tom Hardy wasn’t a household name. Long before he suited up as Bane, snarled his way through Mad Max: Fury Road, or became the chaotic anti-hero in Venom, Hardy was still carving out a reputation as one of the most daring actors of his generation. But the world hadn’t seen the full storm he was capable of unleashing. That all changed seventeen years ago when Hardy stepped into the role of Britain’s most infamous prisoner in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Bronson. In that hour and thirty minutes, Hardy unleashed a beast, unpredictable yet enigmatic.

The film encapsulates the moment he transformed into the actor who would one day go toe-to-toe with superheroes, action icons, and cinematic legends. If you’ve ever wondered where the legend of Tom Hardy truly began, you don’t look to Bane or Eddie Brock. You look to Bronson.

The Film That Unleashed Hardy’s Madness

Bronson isn’t your typical crime biopic. Refn could have easily told the story of Charles Bronson (born Michael Peterson) as a straightforward tale about a man who spent decades behind bars. Instead, he turned the film into a surreal, theatrical odyssey. Hardy’s Bronson literally performs his life, often standing on a stage recounting his violent episodes with a mix of humor and menace. It blurs the line between performance and reality, which fits perfectly with a man who spent most of his life locked away in solitary confinement, yet could not stop craving fame. The movie is chaotic, violent, and deeply unsettling. And none of it works without Hardy at the center. He consumes the role, becoming one with the madness. Every scream, every laugh, every explosive act of violence feels so lived-in that you forget you’re watching an actor. 

We’ve seen actors go through dramatic physical changes before, but Hardy’s preparation for Bronson remains one of the most jaw-dropping examples of method commitment. To capture Bronson’s hulking, intimidating frame, Hardy put on over 40 pounds of pure muscle. He emerged as a man who could take on an entire prison block by himself. The physicality of the performance is staggering. The way Hardy carries himself, shoulders back, chest puffed out, fists clenched like weapons, makes him look the part of the rabid, caged animal that Bronson embodies. Hardy’s Bronson is brutal one moment, philosophical the next, and oddly charming in between. It’s that unpredictability that keeps the audience locked in, never knowing if he’ll break into a smile or break someone’s jaw.

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Seventeen years later, the actor has played some incredible characters. He broke Batman as Bane, reinvented Max Rockatansky in Mad Max: Fury Road, and turned Venom into a beloved anti-hero. But even stacked against all of those iconic roles, Bronson still stands out. Why? Because it’s Hardy at his most raw. There are no masks, no heavy prosthetics, no blockbuster spectacle. Just Hardy and a camera, and that’s all it takes to command one’s attention. Unlike his comic book roles, which rely on larger-than-life production, Bronson is entirely powered by Hardy’s performance. Every scene is built around him, and it’s impossible to look away. He turns Bronson into a sort of mythic figure, larger than life, terrifying yet magnetic. It’s the kind of performance that haunts you long after the credits roll.

Looking back, it’s clear Bronson was the launchpad for everything that came after. The fearlessness Hardy displayed here carried into all his later roles. In Warrior, you witness the same physical intensity. In Peaky Blinders, you see the same unpredictability. In Venom, you notice the familiar chaos. But what makes Bronson different is that it was the first time audiences got the full package. Hardy showed us his willingness to go to extremes for a role, even if it meant becoming unrecognizable. He embraced the madness and the malice, and in doing so, he set himself apart from every other actor of his generation.

Seventeen years on, Bronson still hasn’t lost its unsettling charm. It’s not the kind of movie you watch casually. It demands your attention, challenges your expectations, and leaves you feeling oddly uncomfortable. But if you’re a Tom Hardy fan, it’s essential viewing. It’s the film that proved he was a force of nature, one who would soon dominate Hollywood blockbusters and prestige dramas alike. Hardy’s career is filled with highlights. But when it comes to his best performance, the one that first showed us what he was truly capable of, Bronson remains unmatched. 

The post 17 Years Ago, Tom Hardy Gave His Best Performance in This Crime Movie appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The biggest Xbox Game Pass game of August 2025 is yet to release. Xbox Game Pass has been a little slow lately after a blistering couple of months that saw subscribers enjoying day one games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Blue Prince, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and most recently, Abiotic Factor. That said, this is fairly typical of Xbox Game Pass. There are typically two slow periods: December and January, and then the first two thirds of summer. In the case of the latter, things usually start to pick up at the end of August, when video game releases start picking back up. To this end, one of the biggest games of August 2025 comes out at the end of the month, and it will be available via on Xbox Game Pass the moment it does.

What is coming to Xbox Game Pass subscribers at the end of the month? Well, on August 26, Sumo Digital, Disbelief, and Xbox Game Studios are set to deliver Gears of War Reloaded, a remaster of the first Gears of War game that will be free for Gears of War: Ultimate Edition owners and free with an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

This is separate from Xbox Game Pass, but what makes this release even more notable is the game is going to introduce the series to PlayStation consoles for the first time. Interestingly, on the same day PlayStation will introduce Helldivers 2 on Xbox for the first time. This is not as consequential because Helldivers is not synonymous with PlayStation like Gears of War is Xbox, but it is an interesting coincidence.

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Playing it Right Away

What is important to remember with this release is you are going to want to play it right away. The legendary campaign of the first Gears of War can be played at any time, however, the multiplayer is going to fade. There will likely always be a playerbase for it throughout this console generation, but over time this will filter down into a hyper competitive and small pool of hardcore players. The vast majority of players are going to stop playing in a few weeks, or a few months at best, so it will be important to play Gears of War: Reloaded multiplayer the moment it releases to maximize the experience.

Prequel Coming Soon

What also juices the significance of this release and addition to Xbox Game Pass is the fact that a prequel to this game, Gears of War: E-Day is the next Gears of War game and expected to release sometime in 2026. As a prequel, it can technically be enjoyed without experiencing the games that come after it, but having played at the first Gears of War game should go a long way in enhancing the experience of Gears of War: E-Day, one of 2026’s biggest releases.

For more Xbox Game Pass coverage and general Xbox coverage — including all of the latest Xbox Game Pass news, all of the latest Xbox Game Pass rumors and leaks, and all of the latest Xbox Game Pass deals — click here.

The post Xbox Game Pass’  Biggest Game This Month Is Yet to Come appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Not all great action movies emerge as box office hits, with some true action gems floundering in theaters. Action movies are one of the greatest and longest standing monuments to the human desire for thrills and adventure. Stunts, gun play, martial arts, and vehicular spectacle, and other kinds of displays of physical grit, strength, and determination are everything action fans yearn for when they pay to see an action movie. However, box office success is never written in stone, with action movies becoming hits, flops, or everything in between just like any other genre. That, unfortunately, also applies to great action films as much as it does lackluster one.

In fact, some truly phenomenal action movies have debuted in theaters only to be largely ignored by moviegoers. Fortunately, the silver lining of home media and streaming often gives action movies that bombed in theaters a second chance to find their audience, with some action movie theatrical flops later becoming wildly popular and beloved in the world of home media. Here are 10 great action movies that flopped in theaters despite deserving much better results.

1.) Waterworld

Once upon a time, the title Waterworld was synonymous with over-budget, troubled productions that drown at the box office, but it has aged fantastically as a sea-faring riff on Mad Max. Set in a post-apocalyptic future in which Earth has been submerged by water after the melting of the polar ice caps, Waterworld centers on the Mariner (Kevin Costner), a loner of the high seas with gills, who finds himself protecting Helen (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and Enola (Tina Majorino), the latter of whom bears a tattoo that could be a map to the fabled oasis known as Dryland. Waterworld‘s scope and high-seas battles make it an engaging popcorn adventure, along with the ruthlessly evil performance of the late Dennis Hopper as the Deacon, leader of the pirate gang known as the Smokers who also seek out Dryland. Waterworld eventually turned a profit through home media and other revenue sources, exemplifying that box office numbers are not the be-all and end-all of a movie’s bottom line, while Waterworld‘s sequel comic Children of Leviathan expanded the movie’s mythos and universe in epic fashion.

2.) Chill Factor

1999’s Chill Factor got a decidedly chilly response from critics and at the box office, but it deserved a much warmer one on both counts. Chill Factor focuses on short order cook Tim Mason (Skeet Ulrich) and ice cream delivery truck driver Arlo (Cuba Gooding Jr.), who find themselves transporting a chemical weapon codenamed “Elvis” in order to keep it out of the hands of terrorists. Chill Factor flips the numerical gimmick of Speed to great effect, with Mason and Arlo having to keep Elvis from ever reaching 50 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the release of its flesh-eating virus. While consistent chase-fueled momentum and hilarious buddy banter between Ulrich and Gooding Jr., Chill Factor is an underrated action comedy that action fans should definitely pull out of the freezer.

3.) Gemini Man

Ang Lee’s Gemini Man was never marketed with the “Will Smith vs. Will Smith” tagline that it arguably should have had, which could at least partially account for the movie’s underperformance in late 2019. Nonetheless, Gemini Man is a splendid action-packed yarn following retired sniper Henry Brogan (Smith), who finds himself pursued by a younger clone of himself. Smith’s range really shines in his side-by-side performance as the veteran Henry and the youthful and conflicted killing machine, Junior, while the movie’s stunts and fight sequences (including an outstanding smackdown between Henry and Junior) deliver in spades. Gemini Man might be the rare Will Smith box office flop, but it is quite arguably the best of the bunch.

4.) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Nine years after 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, director George Miller followed up one action classic with another with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, a prequel devoted the origins of Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa (played here by Anya Taylor-Joy). Despite deservedly earning every bit of the acclaim that Fury Road did, Furiosa saw a far lower box office return. With Miller’s deft command of the incredible automotive action and stunts in Furiosa rivaling Fury Road‘s and the power of Anya Taylor-Joy’s performance as she seeks revenge for her mother’s death on Chris Hemsworth’s voraciously hammy Dementus, Furiosa‘s box office failure is a sad loss. Nonetheless, Furiosa is a worthy addition to the Mad Max universe and a truly stellar post-apocalyptic action spectacular primed for cult classic status.

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5.) Last Action Hero

In his first big summer box office showdown, Arnold lost to the dinosaurs with Last Action Hero‘s close release to Jurassic Park in the summer of 1993, but it has stood the test of time as one of Arnold’s best action movies as well as his most underrated. In Last Action Hero, a magic movie ticket transports action movie fanatic Danny Madigan (Austin O’Brien) into the world of his favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger franchise, the Jack Slater movies. Last Action Hero is at once a fantastic Arnold Schwarzenegger action vehicle and a hilarious spoof of one, going out of its way to point out plot holes and making a memorable in-universe switcheroo with Sylvester Stallone as the star of Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Charles Dance and Tom Noonan’s cold and maniacal villains Benedict and The Ripper add flair to Last Action Hero‘s meta fun, which also fully capitalizes on the layers of being two Arnold actioners for the price of one. A flop in its day, Last Action Hero has long since emerged from the wreckage as a true Arnold classic.

6.) Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Edgar Wright directed what is arguably the most video game movie of all time in 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, in which Michael Cera’s dorky protagonist must defeat the Seven Evil Exes of his new girlfriend Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Based upon Bryan O’Malley’s graphic novel series, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a delight for gamers and especially martial arts fans, with the movie’s wild fight sequences explosions of primary colors and kung fu madness, culminating in the literal explosion of the losing combatant into arcade game tokens. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World decidedly did not explode at the box office in 2010, but has since gone on to be a cherished nerd classic, a gradually achieved but well-deserved win for the video game-kung fu movie combo that Scott Pilgrim vs. The World energetically embodies.

7.) Dredd

Judge Dredd is 0-2 on making it big in movie theaters, but where 1995’s Sylvester Stallone-led Judge Dredd is remembered without much affection, 2012’s Dredd is the complete inverse, with many fans continuing to campaign for Dredd 2. Karl Urban portrays Judge Joe Dredd, with the movie following a “day-in-the-life” story of Dredd responding to a call in the Peach Trees city block with rookie Judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby). The two are forced to fight for their lives when the building’s crime boss ruler, Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), orders their deaths. Dredd‘s close proximity to and shared single-location premise with 2012’s action hit The Raid: Redemption did it no favors, but the similarities between the two are superficial, with Dredd a wild sci-fi action ride anchored by Karl Urban’s grizzled and at times even chilling performance as Judge Dredd, delivered with his face consistently hidden by his helmet, a true flex of real comic book accuracy. Standing as a revered sci-fi action powerhouse over a decade after its debut, Dredd may be a comic book box office flop, but one that earns the Judge’s rating of “pass”.

8.) Ganapath: A Hero is Born

Tiger Shroff leapt to Bollywood stardom with the action-packed Baaghi franchise, but despite bringing the same charisma and martial arts prowess to 2023’s Ganapath: A Hero is Born, the post-apocalyptic actioner did not find similar success either in India or in its Western theatrical release. Set in the year 2070, Ganapath‘s world is one with a literal wall dividing the haves from the have nots, with young gangster Guddu (Shroff) finding himself kicked out of his bosses inner circle and taken in by a rebel group in the desert, with many coming to believe he is the prophesied savior of their people known as “Ganapath”. Sure, the CGI might be a little on the Sharknado side, and Guddu’s training gets him up to the level of a world class MMA champion in roughly a week or two, but those nitpicks are easy to set aside when Tiger Shroff snaps into action as a twirling machine of fists and kicks in Ganapath‘s many outstanding martial arts sequences. Shroff’s ring fights in particular, including his showdown with Monkey Man‘s fight choreographer Brahim Chab, are some of the best of his career. Ganapath sadly tanked theatrically, with the movie having seemingly yet to be given a streaming or physical media release, but for fans of Bollywood martial arts action, Ganapath is a spin-kicking blast.

9.) Boy Kills World

Bill Skarsgård trades in his usual sinister villain chops for those of a mute, formidable warrior in the action-comedy Boy Kills World, set in a dystopian future in which the Van Der Koy family rules with an iron fist. After the murder of his family by the Van Der Koys, the child known only as “Boy” trains for years under the wise Shaman (Yayan Ruhian) to exact revenge, finding a collection of both unexpected allies and unexpected enemies when he finally embarks on his vendetta. Skarsgård synchronizes his versatile range to portray Boy entirely without words while H. John Benjamin provides the voice of his arcade console-derived inner monologue. Boy Kills World amassed a paltry $3.3 million at the box office, a baffling outcome with the movie’s wild, video game-inspired tale and outstanding martial arts action scenes, including a show-stopping smackdown in which Yayan Ruhian brings all the power and grit of his roles in The Raid movies. Boys Kills World is essentially a streaming release that found its way into theaters, and hopefully, it will thrive over time in its real home in the streaming world.

10.) The Killer’s Game

Speaking of streaming or direct-to-video action movies that snuck under the radar into theaters, 2024’s The Killer’s Game also falls neatly in that classification. The second directorial outing of stunt coordinator extraordinaire J.J. Perry following 2022’s Day Shift, The Killer’s Game focuses on professional assassin Joe Flood (Dave Bautista), who discovers he is dying of a terminal illness and puts a contract on himself in order to give his girlfriend Maize Arnaud (Sofia Boutella) his life insurance money. Unfortunately, Joe learns too late that he was misdiagnosed, with an active assassination contract on his head. Dave Bautista brings his strengths as both action star and character actor to The Killer’s Game with a healthy dose of comedic hops to boot. Action fans will also thrill to not only the movie’s abundant stunts, gun play, and martial arts fights, but its ensemble that includes action greats like Scott Adkins, Marko Zaror, and Daniel Bernhardt along with Terry Crews and Bautista’s fellow pro-wrestler Drew McIntyre as the many assassins pursuing him. The Killer’s Game fizzled out at the box office, but the streaming world should hopefully be kinder to it as a stellar, action-packed second chapter of J.J. Perry’s transition from stunt coordinator to action filmmaker.

The post 10 Great Action Movies That Unfairly Flopped at the Box Office appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Black Clover is currently reaching the climax of its final arc, with Yuno and Asta standing against the current Wizard King, Julius, who has been overtaken by his counterpart, Lucius, intent on creating his own paradise in their world. Julius embodied what it truly meant to be a Wizard King, leading the Magic Knights of the Clover Kingdom with unmatched magical prowess and a kind heart that even surpassed the other captains. He set the standard for what a Wizard King should represent. Now, with Julius consumed by Lucius, the prestigious title has once again been left vacant.

It is clear that Black Clover will conclude in classic fashion, with the heroes prevailing over the villains, meaning Lucius’ defeat is inevitable, and the world will return to normal. Once peace is restored, the seat of the Wizard King must be filled. Even if Julius survives Lucius’ scheme, he will likely step down from his position, much like William Vangeance did after the Elf Reincarnation arc when he was manipulated by Patolli. This raises the question: who will take the open seat? While many fans expect that, as the series’ protagonist, Asta will finally achieve his dream of becoming the Wizard King, the role is far more complex, and a fitting ascendant could just as easily be found in Yuno Grinberryall.

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Being the Ultimate Mage Gives Yuno a Specific Edge as the Prospective Wizard King

Yuno has always been portrayed as a prodigy in the series, possessing immense magical power that Asta could never even dream of. His achievements were evident from the very beginning, earning the recognition of all the Magic Knight captains and securing a place in the most renowned squad instantly. His growth as a Magic Knight has only continued, and in just 15 months of training with the Spade Kingdom arc, Yuno’s rank advanced to the point where he surpassed William, the captain of the Golden Dawn, who was once considered the most suitable candidate for Wizard King before the revelation of Patolli residing within him.

William even declared Yuno as his successor to lead the Golden Dawn, making him the second youngest captain in history and the youngest ever to achieve the rank of Grand Magic Knight. In contrast, during this same period, Asta only rose to the level of First Class Senior Magic Knight, a rank equivalent to vice-captain. This disparity highlights how the Magic Knights perceive both of them, positioning Yuno as the stronger candidate and the one more likely to become Wizard King once the conflict ends. What truly cements Yuno’s place as the “Ultimate Wizard,” however, is being revealed in the final arc.

While Asta was away in another nation, Yuno singlehandedly stood as the force that hindered Lucius’ plan at the beginning of the Judgment Day, to the point where even Lucius admitted that Yuno was the greatest obstacle to his world domination. Asta remained the anomaly who disrupted Lucius’ designs, but Yuno’s actions alone were worthy of being called those of a Wizard King. By creating “Neverland,” a state that empowered his fellow Magic Knights and allowed them to fight against Lucius’ monstrous army, Yuno embodied the very essence of leadership and strength expected of the role.

This was further solidified in the most recent chapter, Black Clover Chapter 381, titled Ultimate Mage. After Asta was gravely injured, Yuno once again faced Lucius head-on, wielding Asta’s sword imbued with anti-magic and proving himself as the “Ultimate Mage.” While Asta has also accomplished remarkable feats, Yuno’s achievements consistently stand just above his. Finally, there remains another crucial factor that makes Yuno’s ascension to Wizard King appear even more inevitable than Asta’s.

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Politically, Yuno Seems To Be in a Better Position To Become Wizard King Than Asta

At the end of the day, the position of Wizard King is about more than just raw power; it is also a political role that requires more than embodying strength; it demands wit and the ability to make decisions that shape the world. While Asta excels in battle, he lacks the social awareness and political acumen needed to handle the weight of such responsibilities. His persona is that of the ultimate warrior. Yuno, on the other hand, not only possesses immense strength but also carries the wit and composure fitting for a political figure. As the prince of the Spade Kingdom, he has been molded to wield authority and is better suited to handle the political demands of the Wizard King’s position. Needless to say, however, he’d be a perfectly fitting ruler of the Spade Kingdom should Asta ascend to the title of Wizard King for the Clover Kingdom. But there’s a strong case for Yuno to lead just as much, as it’s every bit his home as well.

Another factor that may solidify Yuno’s claim lies in the recurring pattern of world threats arising from leaders who carried “devilish” entities within them, such as Julius and William. Asta too harbors a devil within him, which politically works against him when decisions are to be made, already reflected in his recent advancement, only to First Class Senior Magic Knight after the timeskip. Considering these disadvantages, and with Yuno holding clear advantages both in strength and political standing, he seems a perfect strategic choice to become Black Clover‘s Ultimate Wizard King once the final battle concludes.

The post Here’s Why Yuno Will Be Black Clover’s Ultimate Wizard King appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel has introduced readers to some of the most dangerous heroes and villains in comics. A big part of the fun of Marvel is watching the heroes give their all to destroy the deadliest menaces ever, whether they be Earthbound or from the cosmos. Marvel menaces are a cut above the rest at times, all because the publisher remembers its greatest strength — humanization. Marvel became a force in the comic industry because of its human heroes, and this has extended to its antagonists as well. The real interesting characters, though, are the ones in whom darkness and light are always battling, those characters who are fighting against their own natures to do the right thing. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they fail, but it’s always a wild ride along the way.

That brings us to Marvel’s most conflicted character, the Hulk. The Hulk is one of those characters who has taken the Marvel approach to its apex. Bruce Banner, a child of horrific abuse, created a weapon that opened the Green Door and made him into a pawn for the most powerful beings in creation. Since then, the Hulk has become one of Marvel’s most storied characters, a powerful behemoth that has wreaked as much terror as he’s done good. The Marvel Universe has some dangerous folks, but few of them are as dangerous as Bruce Banner and his alter ego.

The Road to Hell Is Paved with Gamma Radiation

When most people think about who’s more dangerous between Banner and the Hulk, they think of the Hulk and there’s a good reason for that. The Hulk is a rage monster who is known for wrecking everything in front of him. The Hulk singlehandedly beats the Avengers more often than not, and we’re not talking about weak Avengers teams like the ’90s leather jacket crew. We’re talking the big teams, the ones with Cap, Thor, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, and the other heavy hitters. There was an entire Marvel event — the excellent World War Hulk — following the Hulk as he destroyed basically everyone who tried to stop him from killing the Illuminati. The modern classic series The Immortal Hulk had Hulk wrecking the Avengers and government sponsored monsters alike, going after corporations for their environmental records, and revealed that the ultimate form of the Hulk is the embodiment of entropy and will be the last thing that exists in the universe. Being scared of the Hulk is something we in the real world would call “ridiculously smart”. However, the thing about the Hulk, after all of the Green Door/One Below All/Worldbreaker madness, is that all of it is because of the broken human being known as Bruce Banner.

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Bruce Banner was exposed to the worst of humanity through his abusive, alcoholic father. His father hated him, and took that rage out on Bruce and his mother. Bruce survived. His mother didn’t. Bruce developed Disassociative Identity Disorder, and would eventually kill his own father in a fit of rage at his mother’s grave. Bruce threw himself into his studies, and created one of the most dangerous weapons imaginable. Bruce Banner is as intelligent as Iron Man and Mister Fantastic, but he is also much, much more broken. His life wasn’t much to crow about before the Hulk but after? A million times worse. The Hulk destroyed everything in Bruce’s life. His peers don’t trust him. The woman he loved died because of him and when she came back, she was scared of him. Not the Hulk, but Bruce. There are things inside his head he can’t control, and at any time he could be replaced by the Hulk. His own feelings are an enemy to him.

The scariest thing about the Hulk isn’t his near-infinite power, it’s that it is all in the hands of a man who has lost everything. Bruce has nothing, can have nothing really, and that makes him so dangerous. If Bruce decides that the world should burn for what it did to him, who can stop him? This is the man who created the gamma bomb and he’s only gotten smarter. The Hulk part of his personality says that it loves him, protects him. If Banner decides that the world isn’t worth it, will the Hulk destroy everything? The Hulk just wants to be left alone, something which comes from the way the world has hurt Banner, and look at the damage he does. If Banner decided that the only way to be alone was to destroy everything, then who could stop the Hulk?

Bruce Banner Holds the Earth in His Hands and He Could Squeeze

Over a decade ago, Hulk fans got a run on the character by writer Jason Aaron for that short period he was Marvel’s golden boy writer. In it, Doom separated the Hulk and Banner, and Bruce became a villain, using his scientific knowledge to create weapons that could hold the Hulk at bay, something that most scientists had always failed at. We’ve seen Banner at his worst, and it’s a scary thing, nearly as scary as the Hulk. In fact, I would say more so, because Banner can create a weapon that would burn away the atmosphere in a firestorm no one could survive. The Hulk and Banner have their differences, but imagine if an insane Banner was able to get the Hulk to go along with his insanity. Nothing would stop him.

In fact, looking at the various evil future Hulks we’ve seen, like the one from “Old Man Logan” or the Maestro, it’s plain to see that these are Banner unleashed. Banner is the most dangerous kind of person you can imagine, a man who learned only pain from the world, and a man with the power, both as the Hulk and as a human, to destroy everything. That’s what makes Bruce Banner so scary.

What do you think about Bruce Banner? Sound off in the comments below.

The post Is Bruce Banner the Most Dangerous Person in Marvel? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

This year has seen some great horror releases, but 2024 still remains a standout year for the genre. Films like Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, Osgood Perkins’ Nicolas Cage-led Longlegs, and Tim Burton’s long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, pulled in massive box office hauls and earned rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. Many of those titles have since made their way to streaming platforms, including the best horror movie of 2024, but there’s a major catch.

Streamers like Netflix, HBO Max, and Prime Video are some of the most well-known platforms out there, and their libraries frequently boast some of the biggest titles in recent years. However, a lesser-known platform, Mubi, is streaming The Substance as of this August. Director Coralie Fargeat’s epic body-horror satire centers around Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading actress who in an effort to recapture her youth injects herself with a mysterious drug that promises a younger, better version of herself, but also comes with horrible side effects.

Why You Should Watch The Substance

In a year filled with memorable releases, The Substance was a standout. The movie is one of the best horror movies of 2024 and also one of the best horror films of all time. The Substance managed to find an ounce of originality in a crowded genre, and is self-aware in its societal commentary on aging and Western culture’s obsession with female beauty and youth, depicted through truly gruesome and grotesque body horror. Both thought-provoking and visually disturbing, The Substance made for an unforgettable cinematic experience that will be just as enthralling at home.

The Substance earned plenty of praise for its unflinching and often grotesque storyline, but where the movie really shines is in its cast. Fargeat’s movie is led by Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle, alongside Dennis Quaid as her producer Harvey and Margaret Qualley as Sue, a younger version of Elisabeth. All three actors deliver unforgettable and emotionally-charged performances, but Moore in particular is a standout in the film. The actress delivered a raw and visceral performance as a self-loathing and fading Hollywood star trying to deal with societal pressures in what is without a doubt a career-best. Her portrayal of Elisabeth in The Substance even earned Moore her first Oscar nomination, a rare feat for a horror film, a genre often overlooked at the Academy Awards. Moore didn’t take home the Oscar for Best Actress, but she did win a Golden Globe Award, Critics’ Choice Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award.

Other Top Horror Movies Now On Mubi

Mubi is not as well-known as other streamers in the growing field of subscription streaming options, but the platform has a can’t-miss collection of movies for fans of all genres. The streamer has an especially impressive collection of horror titles, and The Substance is just one of them. See some of the other horror movies streaming on Mubi now below.

Sick of Myself
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person
Four Unloved Women, Adrift on a Purposeless Sea, Experience the Ecstasy of Dissection
The Babadook
The House That Jack Built
Night Tide
A Field in England
The Nest of the Cuckoo Birds
House of Seven Bells

The post The Best Horror Movie of 2024 Is Available to Stream (But There’s a Catch) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Back in 2000, Darren Aronofsky directed one of the most intense and shocking dramas in cinema history, and it’s now available to stream for free on Peacock. In the years since his 1998 directorial debut with Pi, Aronofsky has become well-known for producing some of the most surreal, psychological, and disturbing movies in history, including acclaimed hits Black Swan, Mother!, and The Whale. Austin Butler, Matt Smith, and Zoë Kravitz will soon star in Aronofsky’s latest movie, Caught Stealing, but one of his earliest movies paved the way for his more recent projects to take some huge risks.

BE WARNED: This article contains discussion of drug addiction.

Aronofsky’s sophomore movie, Requiem for a Dream, became available to stream on Peacock in May 2025, a quarter of a century after its original release. Requiem for a Dream hit theaters in October 2000 after a successful showcase at Cannes, and despite grossing only $7 million on a $4 million budget, the movie has been lauded as one of Aronofsky’s best and one of the most intense and psychologically-demanding movies in history. Adapted from Hubert Selby Jr.’s 1978 novel, Requiem for a Dream follows four characters affected by drug addiction, and the subsequent alterations of their physical and emotional states.

Requiem for a Dream follows Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn), her son Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto), his girlfriend Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly), and his best friend Tyrone C. Love (Marlon Wayans). They each watch as their lives spiral out of control as they descend deeper into their drug addictions. Sara becomes addicted to amphetamines to lose weight ahead of an appearance on a TV game show, while Harry, Tyrone, and Marion all deal with the impact of their heroin addiction. Harry and Tyrone end up imprisoned, with the former’s arm being amputated, while Marion falls into a life of prostitution.

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This incredibly dark subject matter gave Aronofsky the perfect opportunity to show off his experimental, surreal, and psychological filmmaking style early in his career. Requiem for a Dream is one of the most visually-striking movies of Aronofsky’s career, with some images hard to watch, but heightened throughout by strong performances from Academy Award-nominee Burstyn, Leto, Connelly, and Wayans. Each of the actors lost weight for their roles, and immersed themselves in the lives and histories of real individuals dealing with the same issues as their characters, which made for remarkable performances.

Requiem for a Dream is not for the faint-hearted, as a challenging exploration of drug addiction and the real people it affects. However, if you’ve got the stomach for it, it’s certainly worth the watch, as it’s celebrated as one of the best examples of Darren Aronofsky’s work, and one of the most thought-provoking and shocking dramas of all time. You can stream Requiem for a Dream on Peacock.

What do you make of Requiem for a Dream? Let us know in the comments!

The post Peacock Now Streaming One of the Most Intense Dramas of the 2000s appeared first on ComicBook.com.

By bringing the Hulk back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after a four-year hiatus, Spider-Man: Brand New Day can finally break a surprising and disappointing 13-year-long streak. Bruce Banner has been a staple of the MCU since the franchise’s early days, even though he’s only been the subject of one solo movie, where he was played by Edward Norton. Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk has appeared in all four Avengers movies, and has crossed over with the likes of Thor, Shang-Chi, and She-Hulk, and 2026 will see him join forces with Tom Holland’s Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home ended the complete origin story of Peter Parker in the MCU, ending Jon Watts’ trilogy and allowing new director Destin Daniel Cretton to explore exciting new avenues in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The MCU’s fourth solo Spider-Man movie was confirmed to be in development in 2023, with Tom Holland set to return as a now-anonymous and forgotten Peter Parker. Filming for Spider-Man: Brand New Day started on August 3, 2025, and, since then, we’ve been given some major updates, including the confirmed return of an original Avenger, which promises to break a long-running MCU trend.

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The Hulk Hasn’t Transformed On-Screen Since 2012’s The Avengers

On August 1, 2025, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Mark Ruffalo would be reprising the role of Bruce Banner in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Ruffalo will be joining Holland and Jon Bernthal in a suspected three-way battle between Spider-Man, Frank Castle’s Punisher, and the Hulk, with the latter perhaps reverting to his much-wanted savage form. We haven’t seen the Hulk in this unabashed and unhinged form since 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron – which saw the Scarlet Witch put him under a destructive spell – but the Hulk’s appearance in Brand New Day will break an even more surprising streak.

Reverting the Hulk to his savage form in Spider-Man: Brand New Day means we might finally see the former Avenger transform on-screen. We haven’t seen this happen since 2012’s The Avengers, which saw Bruce Banner declare he’s “always angry” before quickly turning into the Hulk in time to punch a Leviathan. In Age of Ultron, we saw the Hulk turn back into Banner, but not the other way around, and the same occurred in Thor: Ragnarok. In Avengers: Infinity War, the Hulk’s impotence meant we saw no transformations at all, while Avengers: Endgame revealed Banner had become the Smart Hulk.

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Smart Hulk requires no transformation, as he is a combination of the human and Hulk personas. This iteration returned in 2022’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, though we did briefly see the beginning of Banner’s transformation into the Hulk, but not the full sequence. We’ve seen Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth), Todd Phelps (Jon Bass), and Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) all Hulk-out in recent years, but not Bruce Banner. Spider-Man: Brand New Day promises to change this, which makes Mark Ruffalo’s return even more exciting.

Mark Ruffalo’s Return as the Hulk in Spider-Man: Brand New Day Explained

Mark Ruffalo’s return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day will mark his first appearance in the MCU since 2022’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and could prepare him to reprise the role yet again in the Russo brothers’ upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Ruffalo took over from Norton as the Hulk in 2012’s The Avengers, and he has remained as one of the franchise’s most prominent characters in the years since. The distribution rights to the Hulk still reside with Universal Pictures, making the development of new solo movies very difficult, but this doesn’t stop the character from appearing in other heroes’ adventures.

He has been central to the Avengers team, fought alongside Thor in 2017, appeared to welcome Shang-Chi to the MCU in 2021, and partnered with his cousin, Jennifer Walters, in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, all before his upcoming adventure with Spider-Man in Brand New Day. After Spider-Man: No Way Home, however, Bruce Banner will seemingly have no memory of Peter Parker, even though they fought the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin), together during Avengers: Endgame. This has spurred speculation that Banner and Parker will not be teaming up, but could actually be enemies in Brand New Day.

It’s possible that, after brief battles, Spider-Man and the Punisher could team up to take on a savage version of the Hulk. With Michael Mando returning as Mac Gargan’s Scorpion, and rumors of Mister Negative, the Inner Demons, and perhaps even Mephisto’s (Sacha Baron Cohen) appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, these antagonists could revert the Hulk to his original form. This would provide Banner with a fantastic transformation sequence, and pose a significant threat to New York’s heroes, as an unhinged and uncontrollable Hulk could cause an immense amount of damage.

Are you excited to see Bruce Banner’s Hulk appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day? Let us know in the comments!

The post The Hulk’s MCU Return Can End A Ridiculous 13-Year Streak appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When the first Ghostbusters film debuted during the summer of 1984, it revolutionized the horror-comedy genre, and had us all proclaiming that we weren’t “afraid of no ghost.” While that may be true, there are still plenty of scares to found in Ghostbusters in between the laughs. Who can forget the movie’s iconic opening at the New York Public Library with the formidable Library Ghost? Or Slimer terrorizing the Sedgewick Hotel? We’ve never looked at marshmallows the same after Gozer took the form the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and trudged down Central Park West. However, there’s one scene that definitely skewed more horror than horror-comedy in Ghostbusters, and it’s still the scariest scene in the movie, along with all the other films that have followed.

The scene comes at the end second act of Ghostbusters as Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) heads back to her apartment to get ready for her date with Ghostbusters Peter Venkman (Bill Murray). On her way, she bumps into her neighbor, Louis Tully (Rick Moranis). Louis cajoles Dana into stopping by his party with Peter. Dana hedges and enters her apartment, where she takes a call from her mother.

As Dana has her very ho-hum conversation with her mother, the foreboding starts to build. We, the audience, see that the door to Dana’s bedroom is eerily glowing before she does. The film’s score turns ominous, and just as Dana glimpses claws pushing at the door, the scaly, clawed limbs emerge from the armchair she’s sitting in! They hold her down against the chair, making escape impossible, no matter how much Dana screams. Her armchair magically turns and slides toward the now-open bedroom door, where a massive Terror Dog with fangs and glowing-red eyes await her. The next time we see Dana, she’s been possessed by the otherworldly gatekeeper, Zuul.

Dana’s Possession in Ghostbusters is True, Undiluted Horror

Dana’s possession is so darn scary because director Ivan Reitman chooses not to undercut it with any humor. Dana’s not the only character to get possessed in Ghostbusters, but in contrast, there’s more wackiness and gags when Tully succumbs to the Keymaster in the following scene. In Dana’s case, we’re lulled into a false sense of security with the friendly exchange between neighbors that comes before her possession. Especially since Dana’s engaging in a mundane task—talking on the phone with a loved one—right before she’s attacked, adding to the sense that what follows can happen to us too.

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Reitman expertly builds the suspense and apprehension after Dana hangs up with her mom. The camera pans around so we see Dana’s glowing bedroom door before she does, and the imprint of the Terror Dog’s paws against the door is plays on our sense of dead of what’s on the other side. It’s a clever misdirect, both Dana and the audience are so busy trying to figure out what’s knocking against the door that the jump scare of the limbs ripping out of chair and pinning her to it can fully land. Also, integral to the scene’s scare factor are Bernstein’s eerie score. The composer’s use of strings underscores the uncanny’s steady increase during the scene.

Of course, the scene wouldn’t have worked at all without Weaver’s arresting performance. No stranger to horror after her star turn in Alien five years prior, Weaver plays Dana’s placidity and then discovery of the monster a moment too late perfectly. It’s a swift shift, but we’re right there with Dana screams and thrashes against the ghoulish limbs and unseen forces dragging her to her monstrous fate, albeit temporary. Funnily enough, the Terror Dogs themselves stemmed from Weaver, who in her audition with Reitman, acted out being possessed by a dog. The director was so taken with her fearlessness and performance, he included it in the film.

This dose of undiluted horror, albeit tame enough to exist in a movie children adore, comes at the exact right spot in Ghostbusters. It introduces a heightened sense of danger to the film as the story goes into its finale and establishes the scale of the monster that the Ghostbusters will be up against. Further proof of the scene’s fear factor is how the Terror Dogs have endured in pop culture. Even before their reprisal in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the monsters were one of the most recognizable memorable creatures to come out of Ghostbusters, since they scared the bejesus out of us, and also created the terms of the balance to be struck between the two genres in future movies in the franchise.

What scene scares you the most in the Ghostbusters films? Let us know in the comments!

The post This Is Still the Scariest Scene in the Ghostbusters Franchise appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Get ready, My Hero Academia fans – the final season is almost here, and October 2025 can’t come fast enough. After seven amazing seasons, we’re finally headed into the ultimate showdown that will determine the fate of Hero Society. Season 8 promises to deliver everything fans have been anticipating: the final clash between All Might and All For One, and of course, the Deku vs. Shigaraki fight that we have all been waiting for.

But let’s be real, it’s been nearly a year since Season 7 wrapped up, and even die-hard fans might be a little fuzzy on some of the key moments. With just a few months left until the premiere, there’s just not enough time to binge the entire series from scratch. So we’ve got you covered with ten of the best My Hero Academia episodes to refresh your memory and get you all excited for Season 8. Let’s dive in!

10) Shoto Todoroki: Origin (Season 2, Episode 10)

My Hero Academia often explores generational trauma, and Shoto Todoroki is the perfect example of this with how he was forced to carry his father’s dream of surpassing All Might. This episode focuses on his intense semi-final match against Deku during the Sports Festival. The match begins with Deku breaking his fingers one by one to counter Todoroki’s powerful ice attacks, but it quickly turns into an endurance test as Todoroki keeps using his ice blasts, wearing Deku down even as he tries to hide his pain.

The turning point comes when Deku stops trying to win and starts pushing Todoroki emotionally, calling him out for holding back his fire side just to spite his abusive father, and you can see it’s getting under Todoroki’s skin because he knows Deku is right. When Todoroki finally snaps and unleashes his flames, the animation goes absolutely insane. Shoto wins the fight, and his victory symbolizes Todoroki beginning to free himself from his father’s shadow and truly own who he is.

9) His Start (Season 4, Episode 25)

For most of the series, Endeavor is a self-absorbed, abusive father obsessed with surpassing All Might. But this MHA episode changes everything as he nearly dies fighting High-End and finally begins the path from irredeemable villain to a complex hero. The way he refuses to give up, even when his body is falling apart, shows there’s something heroic buried under all that anger and abuse.

The animation in this episode is on another level, with Studio Bones going all out to make every moment feel explosive, from Endeavor basically turning into a UFO mid-fight to Hawks sprinting backwards across rooftops. They clearly saved their boldest animation choices for this finale, really saving the best for last. By the end, you’re somehow rooting for the guy you’ve spent three seasons hating, and honestly, you’ll probably want to rewatch it just to feel it all again.

8) Infinite 100% (Season 4, Episode 13)

From the very beginning, My Hero Academia established that Deku’s quirk came with a heavy price: the more power he used, the more his body would tear itself apart. We watched him slowly work his way up from 5% to 8%, then 10-15%, and finally 20% in the previous episodes without completely destroying himself. So, when Deku realizes he can use 100% of One For All without breaking every bone in his body, it feels like watching a kid discover they can finally ride their bike without training wheels.

The episode also reveals that Eri’s quirk doesn’t rewind time like everyone thought, but actually rewinds people themselves. And suddenly, Deku realizes he’s got a human cheat code strapped to his back, letting him push his body way beyond what should be possible without consequences. The fight against Overhaul’s final monster form is every fan’s dream come true, and you can really feel Deku’s relief and excitement at finally being able to protect someone without holding back. 

7) One’s Justice (Season 6, Episode 3)

In this MHA episode, the heroes launch a coordinated attack on two fronts: Gunga Villa and Jaku General Hospital. At Gunga Villa, Edge Shot’s team including heroes like Ms. Midnight, Kamui Woods, Mudman and Kinoko take down the villains’ defenses step by step. But the real heartbreak comes when Hawks corners Twice and gives him one last chance to choose redemption.

Despite being a villain, Twice was never actually evil and genuinely believed Hawks to be his friend before the latter betrayed him. As such, the battle between Hawks and Twice is one of the most intense fights in the series, as Twice’s love for his League of Villains family leads him to create an army of doubles, even as Hawks threaten him. On the other hand, the winged hero struggles with having to kill someone he knows is redeemable. When Dabi arrives with his blazing flames and Twice uses his final moments to save his friends, we see a villain’s heroic sacrifice that proves that sometimes, the line between good and evil is blurry. 

6) League of Villains Vs. U.A. Students (Season 6, Episode 8)

After months of training, the U.A. students finally get their chance to prove how much they’ve grown. Led by Momo Yaoyorozu, the heroes-in-training face off against Gigantomachia, working together to deliver a sedative into the giant’s mouth. The battle scenes are absolutely stunning, especially when the students soar through the air like the Survey Corps from Attack on Titan, working together to bring down their own colossal enemy.

But this episode isn’t just about teamwork and animation; it also delivers one of the most chilling villain speeches in the entire series. Shigaraki’s words about how society shaped him make viewers question everything they thought they knew about heroes and villains. It’s a perfect example of how My Hero Academia can make you cheer for the heroes while simultaneously making you understand why the villains feel the way they do.

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5) One for All (Season 3, Episode 11)

This episode covers the iconic showdown between All Might and All For One. We see him pushed to the brink, physically and emotionally shattered, as the world watches their Symbol of Peace face his greatest enemy. At his lowest point, All Might’s body reverts completely to its weakened form, revealing his true state to the public for the very first time.

During the battle, All For One tries his best to break All Might’s will, going as far as to reveal that Tomura Shigaraki is actually Nana Shimura’s grandson. But with the cheers of the citizens and fellow heroes behind him, this fight reminds us why All Might was the Symbol of Peace to begin with. It’s because he sacrifices everything to protect others even when his body is failing him.

4) Symbol of Peace (Season 3, Episode 10)

In this MHA episode, it seems like the heroes finally have everything under control. Until All For One steps onto the battlefield, reminding everyone why he’s the most feared man alive. Even Deku and his friends, who had been so brave just moments before, are frozen in fear as they watch All Might face his greatest enemy. 

This episode is absolutely worth rewatching because there’s so much layered into every scene. From All For One’s voice acting to the subtle way fear is written across each hero’s face. It’s one of those episodes that gets your heart racing every single time, no matter how many times you’ve seen it.

3) Light Fades to Rain (Season 7, Episode 11)

In Season 7, Episode 11, UA’s Big Three finally gets their moment to shine as a proper team. Mirio gets his Quirk back,  Tamaki pulls out bigger and more creative combos of food-based weapons, and Nejire gets some much-needed backstory. Fans had been waiting since Season 3 to see Mirio, Tamaki, and Nejire fight together like this, and watching them coordinate their attacks against Shigaraki feels like a long-awaited payoff. 

But just as the energy is soaring, the episode pulls the rug out from under you when Bakugo gets mortally wounded by Shigaraki. The voice acting during Bakugo’s final moments is devastating, and you can hear the pain and desperation in everyone’s voices around him. The soundtrack kicks in at just the right moment, too, especially since this is happening right when Bakugo has finally become the hero we always knew he could be.

2) Dabi’s Dance (Season 6, Episode 11)

When this manga chapter first dropped, it completely broke the internet, and its anime adaptation did not disappoint either. The episode centers around Dabi as he finally reveals he’s Toya Todoroki, the long-presumed-dead eldest son of No. 1 Hero, Endeavor. In a pre-recorded broadcast, he exposes Endeavor’s abusive past to the entire world. Revealing how his father’s obsession with surpassing All Might led him to force his mother into an illegal Quirk marriage. 

Dabi also claimed Endeavor had children solely to fulfill his dream and continued forcing his wife to have more children until Shoto was born. And considering how he witnessed Endeavor abuse Shoto too, it makes sense for Dabi to call him a selfish man unworthy of being called a hero. The villain taunts Endeavor, saying he never forgot what happened and had been watching the Todoroki family from the shadows all along. It’s an episode packed with emotion and action, the kind you’ll want to rewatch just to take it all in again.

1) A Chain of Events, Across the Ages (Season 7, Episode 3)

The moment every fan had been waiting for finally arrived as Deku rushed across the ocean, determined to face his greatest enemy. With help from Star and Stripe’s fighter pilot squad, he rocketed through the sky using his Blackwhip quirk, but nothing could prepare him for what he found at the battlefield. There, lying broken and bloodied after fighting Shigaraki, was his childhood friend and rival Bakugo, and for a second, it felt like Deku’s entire world stopped.

But the heroes don’t stay down for long, and with Mirio’s words echoing in his ears, Deku wipes away his tears and steps into the fight of his life. This time, Shigaraki was unable to use his quirks, and Deku finally let loose, unleashing everything he had learned. Using Gearshift for blinding speed, Smokescreen for stealth, and his power to drive each blow home, Deku fought like someone who’d trained for this moment his entire life, making it a must-watch episode that will get you excited for the season ahead

The post 10 Best My Hero Academia Episodes to Get Excited for Season 8 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

DC Comics and legacy have gone hand in hand for a long time now. It honestly all started nearly a 100 years ago with Dick Grayson’s Robin. The whole point of Robin was that the character was the audience surrogate, and he wouldn’t be alone as the years went on, as characters like Green Arrow and the original Sandman would also get sidekicks. DC kept introducing sidekicks over the decades, with characters like Donna Troy’s Wonder Girl (herself a retconned version of Diana because the original Wonder Girl was Diana a la Superboy), Wally West’s Kid Flash, Aqualad, and more. Eventually, the Earth-Two heroes of the Justice Society’s children would join their fight in the ’70s. DC’s focus on legacy intensified after 1985-86’s Crisis on Infinite Earths, as the various teen heroes of the DC Multiverse were put on one Earth and grew up, with Wally West leading the charge as the new Flash.

Since then, DC has toyed with making its legacy heroes more important. We’ve gotten Dick Grayson as Batman, Kyle Rayner took over as Green Lantern, and Wally West proved to be the best Flash. Donna Troy has taken up Wonder Woman’s mantle. Speedy became Red Arrow. Superman’s son Jon Kent was aged up and eventually became Superman. However, the originals always came back. I think that was a mistake. It’s about time that the next generation took over; however, that doesn’t mean exactly what you think it means.

DC’s Legacy Heroes Can Take Up the Fight but the Originals Don’t Have to Disappear

I started reading DC Comics in the ’90s and it was an interesting time. Superman had died and been replaced by four heroes. Batman’s back was broken and he was replaced. Wally West had been the Flash since 1986, and The Flash was hyper popular. Hal Jordan was turned evil, and replaced, with Kyle Rayner becoming the only Green Lantern left. Green Lantern suddenly became a fan-favorite book. Legacy was important and as the years went on it, became even more important. As the decade was coming to a close, the New Teen Titans had graduated to the New Teen Titans, and a new generation of young heroes was fighting evil as Young Justice. These heroes had all proven that they were more than skilled and powerful enough to save the day, and things were looking pretty good. It was an exciting time, but eventually, it was decided to undo all of the legacy heroes and bring back the old guard. Dick Grayson became Batman during this period, but he came along just as the old guard was ascending again. Since then, DC has paid lip service to the idea of legacy, but it’s never pulled the trigger on it. I think that we’ve reached a moment when you can have the legacy heroes take over, and make the fans of the older heroes happy.

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Wally West is the best Flash, but it was nice having Barry around, as well. So why can’t we have both? In fact, when Barry first came back, he and Wally were both the Flash. Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne were both Batman. There’s no reason that DC can’t pull this off. Right now, characters like Superman and Batman have multiple books anyway. Why not have two Supermen and Batmen? Why not have Wally and Barry? Look at the Green Lanterns — some can have their own books, some can be on the Justice League. Why do the Titans always have to fight the same bad guys every time? For some reason, DC is scared of making the next generation, which at this point is the Silver Age generation of heroes, important, but there’s no reason not to do it. I loved Titans when they were supposed to be the new Justice League team, but what happened? A Brother Blood story by another name. DC is big enough for the originals and the legacy heroes. Beyond that, moving the legacy heroes up in the pecking order would mean that the newest heroes would get to move up. And honestly? Superman could use a break. Bruce Wayne could definitely use a break. The last time Superman took a break, we got “Warworld Saga” and Superman, Son of Kal-El. Do you know how cool it was to have Bruce traveling the world as Batman while Dick was in Gotham? Diana could fight gods and monsters and Donna could be the Wonder Woman of Earth. The DC Multiverse is vast. There’s infinite stories out there. If legacy is going to mean anything, DC has to let it.

The Old Order Changeth

I’ll be honest — I love Kal-El’s Superman and wouldn’t want to live in a world where he retired. However, I also want more Kon-El’s Superboy and Jon Kent’s Superman. I want more Super-Man. Dick Grayson can be Batman alongside Bruce. Or Tim Drake could get his chance while Dick stays Nightwing and gets a sidekick. Donna Troy should be having her own solo adventures. There is room for legacy in the DC Multiverse.

We all love Kal, Bruce, Green Arrow, Hal, Barry, Aquaman, and Diana, but there’s more than enough room for all of them. We can have the originals and the legacy heroes. The Justice Society of America has been doing it for years, creating teams that are partly the originals and partly legacy heroes. DC has proven that they can use legacy heroes in the best possible ways. There’s no reason for comics’ greatest legacy heroes to kept being treated like second class citizens. Let them have some spotlight. It’s worked nearly every time DC was serious about it. And it’s about time they were serious about it again.

What do you think legacy in the DC Multiverse? Sound off in the comment below.

The post It’s Past Time for DC’s Legacy Heroes to Take Over appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Since 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been breaking records left and right, upping the ante across the board. It’s had everything from box office hits, such as the highest-grossing solo superhero film and the biggest opening weekends for IMAX. Likewise, the MCU has even made it into the Guinness World Records, thanks to Wesley Snipes. We’re not going to sit here and pretend that every record broken has been a positive one, as Marvel has seen its fair share of slumps. Most fans will be quick to point out what hasn’t worked for the larger MCU. For example, Marvel famously caused a bit of burnout with its fans after releasing too many simultaneous projects.

With Marvel officially moving into its planned Phase Six, it’s now clear that the MCU has a new record to brag about. With The Fantastic Four: First Steps officially out in the wild, we’re looking at a total of 37 MCU movies, and their ratings say a lot about the franchise. Taking a look at the Rotten Tomatoes ratings for all 37 films reveals that the franchise has more films certified “Fresh” by Rotten Tomatoes standards. Out of the 37 films, 29 are “Fresh,” putting the franchise at a cozy 78%.

Certified Fresh Marvel Productions

Dedicated fans won’t have a difficult time guessing the top-rated films of the MCU, with Black Panther, Avengers: Endgame, Iron Man, Thor: Ragnarok, and Spider-Man: No Way Home ranking in the top five. None of these films dip below 93%. In fact, viewers will have to look to the 13th spot to see any film get a rating below 90% (Doctor Strange, coming in at 89%).

Interestingly, the two newest films are sitting right below Doctor Strange, in the 14th and 15th spots, respectively. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is holding steady at 86%, while Thunderbolts* has a solid 88% (despite its box office failure).

As predicted, the films failing to land a certified “Fresh” status are largely sequels, with a few exceptions. Eternals and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania sit on the bottom, not too far below Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Love and Thunder.

Marvel’s Record-Breaking Trends

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is no stranger to breaking records and making a name for itself. While recent years may show the franchise is struggling to find the right path forward, early years showcased a strong plan. Iron Man came out swinging, and that character became a huge part of many stories, including Marvel’s highest-grossing film, Avengers: Endgame. Incidentally, that film battled for the highest-grossing film of all time, totaling $2.797 billion at the global box office.

Those numbers starkly contrast the conclusion to Marvel’s Phase 5, which reportedly only brought in $3.66 billion in total. That includes the numbers from Deadpool & Wolverine, so it’s safe to say that the earnings dropped significantly during Phase 5. To see the two most recent films ranking well may offer some hope and guidance to future Marvel productions.

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Closest Comparisons

Given how massive the MCU is, spanning dozens of films, characters, and events, it may seem challenging to find an accurate comparison for record purposes. However, one franchise that comes surprisingly close is James Bond. It’s beloved series that goes back decades, totaling 26 films to date. Given all the talk about reboots and recasting, we’ll probably be seeing newer additions sooner rather than later.

Out of those 26 Bond films, 19 landed a Fresh rating. That’s 73%, which is incredibly impressive, given the range of actors, styles, and eras the franchise has encompassed. The top five films, Goldfinger (1964), From Russia With Love (1963), Dr. No (1962), Casino Royale (2006), and Skyfall (2012), all sit comfortably above the 90% mark.

Ultimately, the records of major franchises such as the MCU and Bond help us gain more insight into what is and isn’t working in the industry. Marvel’s numbers give them an edge to records like these, but we’re seeing them happen more often across the industry.

The industry is changing, as it is now taking more to get people into theaters for major releases. How the industry continues to change, and what that means for our favorite franchises, remains to be seen. News revolving around Avengers: Doomsday makes it clear that Marvel execs are aware of this, and they’re quickly trying to formulate a plan for their future.

What was your favorite Marvel movie, and do you agree or disagree with its Rotten Tomatoes rating?

The post The MCU Has a Rotten Tomatoes Record That May Never Be Broken appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In March 2027, the MonsterVerse will unleash its sixth installment in the form of Godzilla x Kong: Supernova. The franchise’s major Apple TV+ show Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, meanwhile, will soon drop its second season. Its streaming home has always announced plans for more spinoffs of the show in the near future. The MonsterVerse is on a roll, in other words. This saga keeps roaring mightily in the pop culture landscape and doesn’t appear to have any plans to stop its ubiquity anytime soon. All of that makes it amusing to remember that the MonsterVerse basically collapsed for one brief moment in May 2019.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters brought the MonsterVerse to its critical and especially financial nadir just before that big Godzilla vs. Kong showdown.

What Went Wrong With Godzilla: King of the Monsters?

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is no misunderstood misfire in the history of the MonsterVerse. While no post-2017 entry in the saga has hit the creative heights of either Godzilla or Kong: Skull Island, King of the Monsters is an especially misguided affair. Writer/director Michael Dougherty does pack the script with more monsters, seemingly as a response to all the complaints of Godzilla’s minimal screentime in 2014’s Godzilla. However, he constantly cuts away from any of the carnage involving Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah to an even more plentiful cast of humans than Godzilla’s human characters.

This abundance of flesh-and-blood Earthlings all talk in irritating quips, making any screentime spent with them insufferable. Meanwhile, Ken Watanabe’s Ishiro Serizawa’s storyline eventually dovetails into a self-sacrifice scene that somehow paints nuclear weaponry as “heroic” in a Godzilla movie. It’s a misguided decision exemplifying how little thought has gone into the grating humans populating King of the Monsters. Whenever those big beasties are on-screen, meanwhile, Dougherty frames them through strangely busy framing and jumpy editing.

The crisp, awe-inspiring imagery of the Gareth Edwards Godzilla (which truly made Godzilla and the MUTOs feel towering) is gone. In its place is an excessively crowded visual scheme, drowning Godzilla and his foes in busy snowstorms and buckets of rain. It’s a decision that left viewers uttering “what just happened?” rather than “whoa!” That alone exemplifies why King of the Monsters couldn’t click with audiences. Even other weaker MonsterVerse titles like Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire at least made the monster fight scenes visually coherent.

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If King of the Monsters couldn’t deliver on giant monsters duking it out, what good was it? That reality led to box office returns that totally should have spelled doom for everything related to the MonsterVerse.

How the MonsterVerse Bounced Back From King of the Monsters

In its domestic box office run, Godzilla: King of the Monsters only grossed $110.5 million, a sharp 45% drop from Godzilla’s domestic haul five years earlier. It’s also, to date, the only MonsterVerse film to gross under $300 million internationally. Normally, outright flopping like this would’ve inspired the MonsterVerse to end before that long-teased Godzilla vs. Kong showdown. However, this franchise got lucky, since Godzilla vs. Kong was already deep into principal photography when King of the Monsters came up short theatrically.

Meanwhile, Godzilla vs. Kong beat out box office expectations in March 2021 thanks to the external circumstances surrounding its release. With New York and Los Angeles finally reopening their theaters in March 2021, Godzilla vs. Kong was the first major blockbuster to open all across North America in over a year. This Adam Wingard directorial effort didn’t register with audiences, then, as a King of the Monsters sequel. It was instead a grand return of big blockbusters to your local multiplex. Between that and Godzilla vs. Kong doing significantly better internationally than its predecessor, the MonsterVerse was back.

The significantly pared-down human cast of titles like Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire also suggests that the MonsterVerse took to heart complaints over the ludicrously excessive human cast eating up screentime in King of the Monsters. Even the emphasis on Hollow Earth and its brightly colored, daylight-heavy in the Godzilla vs. Kong movies feels like a shift away from the drably lit backdrops of King of the Monsters. Unforeseen external circumstances gave the MonsterVerse a new lease on life at the box office. However, its most recent installments have shown a tangible commitment to not replicating the failures of the saga’s weakest installments.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is now streaming on HBO Max.

What do you think of Godzilla: King of the Monsters? Let us know in the comments below!

The post One MonsterVerse Movie Almost Derailed The Entire Franchise (And For Good Reason) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

“I need to find the Peacemaker. He killed my son,” General Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) says in the trailer for Peacemaker season 2. The self-loathing jingoistic mercenary (John Cena) expressed remorse over killing American hero Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman) during a still-canon mission to Corto Maltese in 2021’s The Suicide Squad, admitting in a sob session that Flag was right to call him a “joke.” But as Chris Smith says in the trailer, “I don’t want to be a joke anymore. I want to be a real hero.”

While Flag Sr. pursues Peacemaker over his use of the Quantum Unfolding Chamber — or the QUC, similar to the dangerous interdimensional technology that Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor operated in Superman — he’s also motivated by revenge. As a father himself, Grillo tells ComicBook how parenthood informed his performance.

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“It’s impossible not to let it kind of saturate your being,” the actor, who first played the elder Flag in the animated Creature Commandos, says. “The way for me anyway when I prepare, it’s like, ‘What would I do in this situation? How would I be in this situation?’ So it’s hard not to think of [what I would do].”

“If it were me, I would be hellbent on getting this guy in the ground,” Grillo continues. “And that would probably blur a lot of other things around me, which is what I think Flag is dealing with.”

As the new director of A.R.G.U.S., and with agents like Sasha Bordeaux (Sol Rodríguez) and Langston Fleury (Tim Meadows) at his command, Flag is dealing with “having this new position and dealing with this power that he has, while still having this one major objective,” Grillo says. “Which is to annihilate Peacemaker and to use everyone around me, with my authority, to get that done.”

Series creator and The Suicide Squad writer-director James Gunn previously defended Peacemaker killing Flag, who threatened to expose the truth about Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) Project Starfish and the US government’s involvement with the starfish-like alien Starro the Conqueror.

“People constantly are writing on Twitter about how awful [Peacemaker] is and how mad they are that he killed Rick Flag — and I may get s–t for saying this — but what he was doing, he had a reason for doing it,” Gunn said back in 2022. “He kills Rick Flag in The Suicide Squad because there’s a piece of evidence that he believes will cause the world a great amount of disturbance and death and violence. He’s covering up the truth, so if you believe in the truth being out there no matter what, you definitely don’t agree with that.”

Peacemaker comes from “not a natural rights perspective, he comes from a utilitarian perspective,” Gunn added. “He believes that the world is better off without that bit of information [about Starro]. And if that means killing a guy he really likes and looks up to, he’s willing to do that.”

John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick return for season two, joined by new cast members Frank Grillo, David Denman, Sol Rodriguez, and Tim Meadows.

In Peacemaker season 2, Chris “discovers an alternate world where life is everything he wishes it could be,” a discovery that also “forces him to face his traumatic past and take the future into his own hands,” per the synopsis. James Gunn wrote all eight episodes of Peacemaker and directed three, including the first episode premiering August 21 on HBO Max.

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The post Peacemaker: Frank Grillo on How He Connected With Rick Flag’s Revenge Story in Season 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The first two episodes of Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth are now streaming on Hulu, and so far, critics and fans alike appear to be loving it. Despite already contradicting a popular fan theory, the series boasts a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score and is expected to gain even more popularity as future episodes air. But as good as Alien: Earth is, you can only re-watch the two available episodes so many times without getting sick of them. If you’re looking for something else to watch with the same sci-fi movie-turned-TV show vibes, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

It’s only natural to finish Alien: Earth and still hunger for some Grade-A science fiction. But sci-fi is a broad genre, and jumping from the corporate-owned dystopia of Alien: Earth to the moneyless utopia of Star Trek: The Original Series wouldn’t feel right. You want to follow up Alien: Earth with something gritty, something grounded. Something that evokes nostalgia for an ’80s property while expanding on it and going in its own direction. In short, you want our picks for the three sci-fi shows you should watch after Alien: Earth.

1) Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles

One of the major plot points of Alien: Earth revolves around the universe’s three different kinds of artificial life—synths, cyborgs, and hybrids—duking it out to become the last android standing. So it only makes sense to go from that show to Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, a series that also revolves around artificial intelligence and mechanical life. Acting as an alternate follow-up to Terminator 2, The Sarah Connor Chronicles follows Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) and her son John (Thomas Dekker) as they continue to try and stop the evil Skynet from becoming sentient and kicking off a future war between humans and machines.

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Far from the usual cheapo, TV cash grab, hoping to make money off of its big screen counterpart, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles introduced a wealth of new lore to the Terminator universe and was generally well received by fans of the franchise. Along with the human resistance and Skynet, both introduced in the original Terminator, The Sarah Connor Chronicles featured a new Cyborg Resistance started by machines that had switched sides and were now fighting against Skynet and a faction called The Grays, consisting of the opposite: humans that had jumped ship and were now working alongside the machines.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles isn’t currently available to stream, but episodes can be purchased from Prime Video and Apple+.

2) Alien Nation

One of the things fans love about the Alien franchise is the blue-collar, down-to-earth way it deals with the future. Many go as far as to refer to the Nostromo crew as “space truckers,” a stark contrast to the explorers and galactic wizards found in fellow sci-fi franchises, Star Trek and Star Wars. Alien Nation, an all but forgotten gem from 1989, presents its world in a similar fashion.

Based on a movie of the same name, Alien Nation takes place in a fictional version of 1991 where a UFO containing 300,000 aliens appears above L.A. After a three-year quarantine, the aliens, dubbed “Newcomers,” are integrated into human society where they face the same bigotry that plagues human minorities. Like the best sci-fi, Alien Nation used the fictional Newcomers to tackle real issues like racism, sexism, and homophobia while still finding time to find humor in the little quirks that differentiate the aliens from us, like their predilection for getting drunk off of spoiled milk.

Much like Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Alien Nation isn’t available to stream anywhere. Fortunately, you can find the entire series on YouTube in reasonably good quality.

3) Andor

Normally, we’d consider Star Wars the furthest thing from Alien in terms of tone and aesthetic, but Andor isn’t your typical Star Wars. Andor takes a darker, more realistic approach to the Empire and its particular brand of space fascism. Andor, like Alien: Earth, takes a popular film series and expands upon themes and ideas only hinted at on the big screen. It uses its extended format to examine life for the average galactic citizen under Imperial rule, something the movies never really take the time to get into.

Another thing Andor and Alien: Earth have in common is their attention to detail and the way they perfectly recreate the retro-futuristic aesthetic of the first films in their respective franchises. Both shows somehow manage to nail the look of 70’s science fiction without coming off as cheesy or silly looking. If you have access to Disney+, we can’t recommend Andor enough, especially if you’re looking for a sci-fi series to watch following Alien: Earth.

What do you think, are these TV Shows good picks for a post Alien: Earth binge-watch, or is there something better? Let us know in the comments.

The post 3 Sci-fi Shows to Watch After Alien: Earth appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When Nobody was first announced, many commenters thought that Bob Odenkirk was an odd choice to star in an R-rated action movie, yet the actor has drawn on his own real-life experiences for this role. In a new interview with Variety, stunt coordinator Greg Rementer explained how the fight scene set on a duck boat in Nobody 2 was Odenkirk’s idea, inspired (loosely) by real-life events. Even after the filmmakers decided to run with the idea, Rementer was surprised by how they wanted to go about it, but he was excited for the challenge. The scene was actually filmed on a real boat on the water rather than in front of a green screen.

“It came from this childhood experience that Bob had,” Rementer recalled as he discussed the scene in question. He said, ‘I remember going on these duck boats when I would go to the Wisconsin Dells as a kid.’” Rementer agreed with others on set that this would be a fun and interesting set piece, but he didn’t expect to be choreographing around moving water. He assumed “they’d park a boat on a blue screen, and we’ll go through the fight.”

Rementer said he was pleasantly surprised when he heard they would be filming this scene outside on a real boat. “That immediately opened up twice the possibilities, due to interaction, movement and ambiance,” he said. Many have compared the sequel’s duck boat fight to the fight on a bus in the first Nobody film, but Rementer highlighted the differences between these two brawls. It was a buildup that allowed a character to exert frustrations. The duck boat fight was the opposite of that. Hutch is like, ‘I’m going to restrain myself,'” he pointed out.

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Odenkirk told ComicBook about the duck boat fight himself in an interview earlier this month. He said that a few colleagues tried to talk him out of shooting an action sequence on an unstable surface, but he was already comitted by then. He felt that the duck boats would be recognizable to just about everyone who has been in a vacation town anywhere in the U.S., including the Wisconsin Dells.

“They told me. Don’t do that. Don’t do it,” Odenkirk said. “I mean, really, the producers are like, you don’t want to fight on a boat. It’s just a pain in the ass. But the truth is, when I was a kid, my family went on two vacations, the Illinois State Fair and the Wisconsin Dells. And this film is inspired by my trip as a kid to the Wisconsin Dells. And we rode on duck boats. And duck boats are famous for being in almost every vacation town … I was told don’t do the fight on the duck boat because being on water is hard, but I insisted upon it. I wanted to make that dream come true.”

Nobody 2 hit theaters this weekend, and is now showing around the world. The first movie is streaming now on Prime Video.

The post Bob Odenkirk’s Wild Childhood Influenced Nobody 2’s Bloodiest Fight appeared first on ComicBook.com.

For better or worse, there is no Spider-Man without Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tony Stark saves a young Peter Parker during the Stark Expo in Iron Man 2 without thinking anything of it, but he earns a lifelong fan who becomes a hero when he gets the chance years later. In Captain America: Civil War, Tony recruits Peter to join his team, which is gearing up to fight Steve Rogers’ group in Germany, even giving the young hero a new suit. After that, the two are as thick as thieves, always having each other’s backs when times get tough.

Of course, Tony has to watch Peter die on Titan in Avengers: Infinity War, and while he tries to lock all the pain away, he gets back on the horse and finds a way to bring everyone back. The plan works like a dream, but Tony loses his life after using the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe out Thanos and his army. Ever since, Spider-Man has been working to be a hero Tony would be proud of. Well, in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Peter is going to have a chance to put his money where his mouth his by providing another hero with a major upgrade.

Frank Castle Is Going to Be in Over His Head in Spider-Man: Brand New Day

With Iron Man out of the picture, the Wall-Crawler has been hanging out with some other notable MCU figures in his solo movies. Nick Fury (who is actually the Skrull Talos posing as the spy) brings Mysterio and Peter together to take on the Elementals in Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Doctor Strange offers to make everyone forget the connection between the young man and Queens’ resident hero in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Brand New Day will continue the trend by bringing Frank Castle, aka the Punisher, into the fold. Since the movie is still about a year out, his role is a mystery at this point, but it’s probably going to have something to do with the Hulk, who’s going to pick a fight with a couple of New York’s best.

As confident as the Punisher is while battling rogue cops and ninjas, the Hulk is in a whole different league, as he can go toe-to-toe with massive wolves and Asgardians. Peter is sure to recognize the pickle that he’s in, so he may offer to help Frank out by gifting him a suit of armor. That way, when the Hulk starts throwing punches, the Punisher won’t be down for the count after one blow. The decision also wouldn’t be completely out of left field, as the Punisher has a history with Iron Man armor in Marvel Comics.

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Marvel Comics Makes the Punisher a New Version of War Machine

Marvel is constantly reinventing its characters to keep things fresh. Big characters like Captain America and Spider-Man get a lot of the attention because they’re the cream of the crop, but the wave of change hits everyone eventually. Punisher has been Ghost Rider and something resembling Frankenstein’s monster that leads a group known as the Legion of Monsters. However, one of his most effective eras sees him don the War Machine armor after Nick Fury calls him in to take out ex-SHIELD soldiers. Frank likes the power that the suit gives him, so he takes it back to New York with him and cleans up the streets.

It doesn’t take long for Punisher to take things too far, though, and the Avengers have to intervene. While the anti-hero doesn’t want to give up his new toy, he does after having a heart-to-heart conversation with James Rhodes, the original War Machine. Rhodey is still around in the MCU, and he’s probably not looking to hand over his baby to someone like Frank. But if Peter vouches for him and promises to return it after defeating the Hulk, Rhodey may relent because lives are on the line. At that point, it’ll be up to Frank to not let the power go to his head.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31, 2026.

Do you think Frank Castle could use the War Machine armor in Spider-Man: Brand New Day? Is there another way for him to fight the Hulk? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Spider-Man: Brand New Day Could Replace Iron Man in The Coolest Way appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Every now and then South Park departs from its cutout-like animation style. It doesn’t always work as well as it should, e.g. in “Korn’s Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery,” “A Scause for Applause,” or “Handicar,” but when a stylistic departure hits it really hits. It’s something the show has been doing here and there for a long time, and most notably it worked very well for Trey Parker and Matt Stone not once but twice in Season 10. Here, we’re going to be analyzing why an animation switch worked so well for five episodes. Six, if you count a two-parter as two episodes.

However, it should be noted we’re not looking at the instances where an episode has put a real person’s face on a typical South Park residents’ animated body, e.g. Mel Gibson in “The Passion of the Jew.” That is something that has continued to great effect even in its hit newest season. But it’s not what we’re unpacking here. Instead, we’re specifically examining why it has worked when the show has gone from one animation style to another.

Recreating The Simpsons and Family Guy in “Simpsons Already Did It” and “Cartoon Wars”

Season 6 was the year where the show tried to go forward without Kenny. Parker and Stone enlisted a few techniques to make it work and, no disrespect to the parka-clad kiddo, but it does indeed work. One of the things they did was have Kenny’s soul enter Cartman’s body and, thanks to Chef’s parents, have it extracted. Another thing they did was kill off Ms. Choksondik.

The scene occurred in “Simpsons Already Did It,” but that’s not the only thing that made this episode so important. This was the first time the show adopted the animation style of another popular show. However, unlike in the Family Guy skewering episode, this one is all about showing reverence for The Simpsons.

“Simpsons Already Did It” is great because it reflects the real-life South Park writing process. There were several times early in the series’ run where ideas were floated in the writers’ room only for someone to chime in with “Simpsons already did it.” Art reflects life.

The next time the show adopted another series’ animation style was four years later, in the aforementioned Family Guy-focused episodes, “Cartoon Wars Part I” and “Cartoon Wars Part II.” These episodes are even more important than “Simpsons Already Did It” because they inspired a significant amount of controversy and behind-the-scenes turmoil.

This was not because it so savagely takes down Family Guy. In fact, Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane called the episode “funny and accurate.” Even for those who can’t stand Family Guy, that’s a respectable reaction. No, the controversy stemmed from the fact the episode focuses on the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Like with Season 5’s “Super Best Friends” (which, like “Cartoon Wars,” is not available for streaming), Parker and Stone intended to show Muhammad at the end of the second part. The whole discussion posited by the episodes more or less hinged on this moment. But, after disagreements with Comedy Central, it was ultimately decided by the network to censor the image. These negotiations took so long that they were the reason the episode was split into a two-parter.

Fortunately, the two episodes still work extremely well. It could even be argued that the question that ends the first episode (which amounts to whether or not Comedy Central will back down and not show Muhammad) is made even more poignant because they did in fact back down.

But while the commentary about censorship is the meat of the episodes, all of the Family Guy stuff is what makes them so funny. It’s a spot-on take-down, and the take-down wouldn’t have been effective had the world of South Park not temporarily moved fully into the Family Guy realm.

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Becoming Japanese Warriors in “Good Times with Weapons”

“Good Times with Weapons” is an episode that makes fantastic use of Butters—arguably the show’s best character. Specifically, by having him get a ninja star to the eye and then have the boys try to dress him up as a dog, with Butters whimpering in pain, and take him to a vet so they don’t get caught with their newly purchased weapons. Then, once they get distracted, Butters drags himself to the hospital only for the doctor to reject him because he’s “a people doctor.” Poor little guy can’t catch a break.

What’s even better about the ninja star scene is how it immediately cuts back to the traditional animation style as soon as Professor Chaos’ helmet is knocked off. We first see the boys transition to Japanese anime animation style as soon as they start playing with their weapons. We’re entering into their imaginations. As soon as they recognize that the villain they’ve been fighting is Butters and he does indeed have a sharp object in his eye, that’s when we (and they) cut out of that imagined anime world a re-enter reality. It’s a very well-done moment.

“Good Times with Weapons” is the type of episode that works best either as the premiere or the finale. It’s just such a big swing. And, in this case, it was the premiere of Season 8, which many fans agree is the show’s most consistent and consistently hilarious year. In 2015, Parker and Stone listed “Good Times with Weapons” as their second-favorite episode they have ever made.

Saving the World…of Warcraft in “Make Love, Not Warcraft”

Just as Parker and Stone listed “Good Times with Weapons” as their second-favorite episode, they listed “Make Love, Not Warcraft” as their third-favorite. And that’s somewhat ironic as, during production, the episode stuck fear in the heart of Parker. Up to the day before it aired, he did not think it was going to work. He told the producers, “I’ve lost it. I don’t know how to do this anymore” and even begged the executive producer to tell Comedy Central that South Park wouldn’t air that week after all.

Even with the addition of machinima (the World of Warcraft animation style), “Make Love, Not Warcraft” didn’t take all that much more time to craft than the average episode. It did take about a month to plan the episode and collect data, but the machinima scenes only took five days to craft. The team tackled the non-machinima scenes simultaneously. All due credit to Blizzard Entertainment for being on board to assist Parker, Stone, and crew in making the episode. It can’t be easy to trust that a satirical show will be respectful of your cash cow.

And in that is one factor that helps make the episode so special. It’s actually fairly loving. Plenty of people had already ripped on World of Warcraft and the people who spend so much time playing it and similar MMORPGs. Those are fair targets for a show like South Park to aim its lens towards. And, sure, the episode does poke fun at the gradually deteriorating physical appearances of those who sit in front of a computer all day, but it really only utilizes Warcraft to tell a compelling story of frustration and vengeance.

But, at the end of the day, “Make Love, Not Warcraft” is one of the series’ funniest episodes for two reasons. One is a particular scene, and one is a bit of trivia. As to the former, the shot of Cartman’s mom bringing down a bedpan to catch her son’s explosive diarrhea (half of which ends up on her) only to walk away with a smile and the comment that “that’s a big boy, isn’t he?” will never not be funny. Two, the game that Butters plays, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, ended up becoming a real game.

Calling It Heavy Metal in “Major Boobage”

Sometimes South Park features real-life Colorado landmarks, other times it goes to a whole other cinematic universe; in the case of “Major Boobage,” the world of the cult classic film Heavy Metal.

Heavy Metal was such an odd film for South Park to emulate. By 2008 it wasn’t exactly a part of the mainstream cultural conversation. But it works like a charm.

Seeing Kenny enter a world to the tune of “Heavy Metal (Takin’ a Ride)” by Don Felder and “Heavy Metal” by Sammy Hagar (both of which were used in the actual film, as was “Radar Rider,” featured in the scene where Kenny and Gerald Broflovski charge at each other riding big-breasted ostriches) is perfect. He’s just so happy.

And, for those unfamiliar with Heavy Metal, the episode’s depiction of everything being focused on massive breasts is pretty spot-on. It’s a very sexual (and violent, which the episode also touches on in a few quick shots) film. There are so many great moments in this episode, most of which take place in the Heavy Metal world, making the eight-week production (eight times the norm) well worth it.

The post The Best Episodes of South Park Completely Changed the Show’s Animation appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The best Ubisoft game of all time is currently available for just $2.49 thanks to a hearty 75 percent discount. Ubisoft has been around since 1986, which means it has released a metric ton of great video games over the years. In the process, it has accumulated IP and franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, Rayman, Watch Dogs, The Division, Rainbow Six, Just Dance, Prince of Persia, and so on. You only get a wealth of IP like this when you are regularly pumping out high quality games. And arguably its highest-quality game to date is Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, a 2005 release and its highest-rated game to date thanks to a 94 on Metacritic.

Those that have never played this all-time great stealth game can remedy this by forking over just $2.49. While the Ubisoft classic was available on Xbox and PlayStation 2 when it released, this deal is exclusive to PC and Steam. On top of this, the deal is only available for a limited time. Come August 24, the 75 percent discount will expire and the Ubisoft game will revert back to its normal price point.

More Dirt Cheap Ubisoft Games

As noted above, Ubisoft sits on a mountain of IP. And almost all of it is on sale across PlayStation Store, Steam, and more. This includes other Tom Clancy games, and even Splinter Cell games specifically. For example, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist is also currently on sale for 75% off, courtesy of Steam, which means it has been discounted to just $7.49.

A Timely Deal

Splinter Cell may not feel like a very relevant series in 2025, since the latest Splinter Cell game is 12 years old, and that is the aforementioned Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist. However, Ubisoft is planning to change this. Not only is Ubisoft working on a new Splinter Cell game, a remake, but an animated series is also in the works at Netflix. Suffice to say, Splinter Cell is not only making a comeback, but a significant one. This means now is a great time to familiarize yourself with it, and there is no better entry to do this with than Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, the best Splinter Cell game to date, the best Ubisoft game to date, and one of the best video games of all time.

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Not only is this deal timely, but noteworthy because the Ubisoft game has never been cheaper than this, and it is unlikely to ever be cheaper than this. It is actually a series that doesn’t go on sale as much as other Ubisoft IP. For example, unsurprisingly, there are only two Splinter Cell discounts right now, while almost the entire Far Cry series is on sale between the PlayStation Store and Steam. To this end, now is a great time to jump on this deal as it will be a while before it is discounted again and it’s never going to be cheaper than this.

The post Best Ubisoft Game of All Time Now Only $2.49 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Doctor Doom is the Fantastic Four’s greatest enemy, one of the best supervillains in all of comic books. His rivalry with Marvel’s First Family is legendary, and he has gone to cosmic lengths to try and wipe out the people who have foiled his plans of domination at every turn. Recently, Doom took Steven Strange’s title as Sorcerer Supreme, and declared himself the emperor of the world. Obviously, the Fantastic Four didn’t take too kindly to the Latvarian dictator’s new world order, and tried to take him down. They would have beaten him, too, but Doom revealed a new strategy to bring them down for good, and without help, it might just spell the end for the Fantastic Four.

Step One; Time Displacement

The Fantastic Four decided that enough was enough and tried to take down the self-proclaimed Emperor Doom once and for all. However, before they could knock him out, Doom cast a spell to catapult the Four across time. Johnny ended up on Earth before it produced oxygen, the Thing was dropped in a dinosaur-infested jungle, Mister Fantastic was stranded in the medieval ages, and Sue almost burnt up nearly eight billion years in the future. Thankfully, while Doctor Doom plans infinite ways to destroy the Fantastic Four, Mister Fantastic has planned infinite emergency plans to keep them alive. He set up a tracker in the Forever Stone, one of the world’s longest lasting geological formations that is always easily accessible no matter the time period. Once there, they would carve the date they were stranded on and the person farthest in the future would summon the Time-Sled to pick everyone up. The only problem is that Sue was that person and her tracker stopped working, meaning that nobody could summon the sled without her getting lost forever.

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Thankfully, they managed to solve this temporal problem. Mister Fantastic reasoned out why Sue didn’t instantly appear, then created artificial diamonds which he buried miles beneath the Earth’s surface. He made arrows of diamonds that would never move, all over the Earth, pointing to the Forever Stone. Sue deduced Reed would do something like that and literally made the entirety of the Earth’s crust invisible to see his message. With teamwork that transcended billions of years, Sue called in the Time-Sled and rescued her family. They booked it back to the present to beat the block off of Emperor Doom, and they did, with Doom asking how it was possible they survived. Mister Fantastic explained their failsafe, but then Doom started to laugh. Unfortunately for the Four, Reed had played directly into Doom’s hands, and he was about to unleash his nigh-unbeatable plan. Again.

Save Scumming to Victory

Doom explained that he used an altered version of Doctor Strange’s time magic to create a sort of temporal save state that he could reset to whenever he wished. Every time the Fantastic Four beat him, Doom would simply figure out how they did it and reset, then try and destroy them a different way with the knowledge only he kept. He’d already reset dozens of times by this point, and said that this was the first time the Four used the Time-Sled, which he would account for when he reset and tried to destroy them again. Doom gloated like the malevolent dictator he is, calling Reed a fool for explaining how they survived, and said that he would keep going back to his save point over and over until they were destroyed. No one could stop him.

Unfortunately for Doom, his critical mistake was doing exactly what he just chastised Mister Fantastic for. By explaining his plan, it gave the family a chance to do something before their timeline was wiped from existence. Johnny looked at the Time-Sled, and Sue managed to piece together his idea. It was the one advantage they had over Doom in the moment, and could turn everything around. With her final moment, Sue managed to send the Time-Sled back to the Fantastic Four’s farmhouse earlier that morning, which should tip off their past selves that something is seriously wrong with their plan to take down Doctor Doom. Doom’s plan is absolutely perfect, yet like so many other times, his hubris will be the instrument of his defeat.

Fantastic Four (2025) #2 is on sale now!

The post Doctor Doom Has a Plan to Take Down the Fantastic Four (and It’s Perfect) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Simpsons is broadly considered one of the most successful and influential animated TV shows of all time, with its lasting impact on pop culture and the genre plain for all to see. The show has tackled various issues over its multiple decades on the small screen, with episodes examining or lampooning current events and other relevant features of modern society for many years. While The Simpsons keeps its focus predominantly on comedy, it hasn’t been afraid to branch over the course of its run so far, delivering stories that are heartfelt, interesting, and, on more than one occasion, surprisingly emotional.

In fact, there have been several episodes of The Simpsons that have been downright sad. While the wacky adventures of the titular family typically gives way to comedic antics, there are times when the subject matter is a little more serious, and that can often prove to be unexpectedly emotional. While they may be somewhat rare, especially in the show’s more recent seasons, the saddest episodes of The Simpsons are more than capable of making its audience well up with tears.

10) Moaning Lisa (S1, E6)

In one of the best episodes of The Simpsons season one, the focus was on Lisa as she faced something of an existential crisis. As well as a subplot involving Homer attempting to beat Bart at a video game, the episode’s main story followed an incredibly disillusioned Lisa as she tried to find some meaning or purpose to her life. “Moaning Lisa” ultimately saw Lisa identify her passion for music, particularly jazz, with the help of musician Bleeding Gums Murphy.

What makes “Moaning Lisa” such a sad episode is not necessarily the thrust of its narrative, but the actual subject matter. Seeing Lisa despair over various elements of her life is something that many viewers can likely identify with, compounded by her young age and the reactions of those around her. While its ending ultimately sees Lisa gain a creative outlet, seeing her so upset throughout the episode is something that makes it an especially sad early chapter in The Simpsons‘ history.

9) Four Regrettings and a Funeral  (S25, E3)

One of The Simpsons‘ best running gags throughout its run has been its chalkboard gag, in which the opening of each episode features a different—and usually hilarious—written message in front of Bart on a chalkboard. However, season 25’s “Four Regrettings and a Funeral” featured a different sort of message: an emotional farewell to Mrs. Krabappel after her voice actor, Marcia Wallace, passed away. The sad tribute is capped off by Bart’s troubled expression, making it an especially upsetting moment.

The episode itself is also decidedly sad in tone. It features multiple characters reflecting on their biggest regrets at the funeral of a local man, making it a morbid commentary on life, death, and seizing the moment. While “Four Regrettings and a Funeral” is a relatively sad episode from beginning to end, it’s really the opening chalkboard gag, and the real-world context behind it, that makes it such an emotional watch.

8) Bart Gets an F (S2, E1)

Since the very earliest episodes of The Simpsons, Bart has been the show’s prankster. Introduced as a lovable rogue, Bart’s childhood troublemaking became a core part of the character and his stories, though other aspects of his personality have also been explored. Season 2’s “Bart Gets an F” establishes Bart’s academic difficulties, as its story follows the young student as he attempts to pass a difficult test in order to earn a passing grade for the entire year.

What makes the episode such a sad one is simply that its story is relatable to so many, and it shows a much more vulnerable side of Bart as a character. Seeing Bart struggle to study and apply himself no matter how hard he tries is something that the majority of people have experienced in their life, and the emotional roller coaster of the episode’s story makes it one of the most unforgettable entries to The Simpsons‘ early years. Though it’s relatively mundane in its subject matter, “Bart Gets an F” is one of the most emotional episodes from across The Simpsons‘ entire run.

7) Lisa’s Substitute  (S2, E19)

Over the course of The Simpsons, Lisa has changed considerably since the show’s beginnings. Season 2 in particular saw her develop massively as a character, with one of its most heartfelt episodes standing out as an important moment for Lisa. “Lisa’s Substitute” saw the introduction of Dustin Hoffman’s Mr. Bergstrom, a substitute teacher who swiftly became something of a hero to Lisa, with his immersive lessons and sensitive nature striking a chord with the young Simpson.

The episode inevitably ends with Berstrom’s departure, though not before he’s able to share one final piece of moving advice with Lisa. Its ending also sees an inattentive Homer realize his error and attempt to make things right with Lisa, prompting one of the most tear-inducing endings to any episode across the show’s run. “Lisa’s Substitute” is an episode that stands out as especially sad, even several decades after it initially aired.

6) Old Money (S2, E17)

While it may not be the most memorable of Simpsons episodes, season 2’s “Old Money” is an incredibly sad chapter in the lives of the Simpson family, particularly that of Homer’s father, Abe. It sees Grampa Simpson fall in love with Bea, another resident at the Retirement Castle, with the pair flirting and enjoying one another’s company. However, after Homer patronizes his father and drags him away from a date with Bea, Grampa later learns that she died, leaving him a considerable sum of money.

Seeing Grampa briefly find love in his old age only to have it taken away so abruptly is upsetting enough, but the episode’s exploration of his dismissal of the money is especially heartbreaking. Everything about the episode’s story is deeply upsetting, from Grampa and Bea’s short-lived relationship to his abject misery following her death and everything in between. It’s an episode that tugs at the heartstrings from beginning to end, making it an incredibly sad moment in the show’s history.

5) ‘Round Springfield  (S6, E22)

Airing squarely within the golden era of The Simpsons, Season 6’s “‘Round Springfield” serves as an example of the emotionally complex storytelling the show is capable of. After learning that her hero, Bleeding Gums Murphy, is in the hospital, Lisa reconnects with him. However, the subsequent death of the classic Simpsons character then hits her incredibly hard, and the episode then goes on to follow Lisa trying to honor Bleeding Gums’ memory even as she mourns his loss.

It’s an episode that delves into grief, particularly the ways in which children process death and loss. It’s an episode that brings yet more sadness to Lisa Simpson’s life, but all the while shows that she can lean on her family and her own emotional maturity to navigate through the difficulties of grief. Bleeding Gums’ final farewell to Lisa is a moment that stands out as one of the most emotional in the history of the entire show, making “‘Round Springfield” an especially poignant episode.

4) Mother Simpson  (S7, E8)

Season 7 saw the introduction of Homer’s mother, Mona, to The Simpsons, filling in a blank in the character’s backstory. His enigmatic mother appeared after believing her son had died, prompting the pair to reconnect. The episode, “Mother Simpson”, explains the reasons for Mona’s absence while also exploring Homer’s past and his feelings toward the mother who he believes abandoned him.

“Mother Simpson” is an episode that is packed with laughs, but still manages to be incredibly sad. The story of how Mona was forced to leave her son behind is tragic, while the brief connection she shares with her family is made all the more upsetting when it’s ripped away again. “Mother Simpson” is an episode that manages to blend comedy with truly emotional drama, and its final scene of Homer silently watching the sky is one of the most poetically sad endings in the show’s history.

3) Dog of Death (S3, E19)

There are many Simpsons characters who deserve more attention, and Santa’s Little Helper is often considered one of them. Despite being a part of the titular family, the Simpson’s dog is rarely the focus of whole episodes. Interestingly, when he is, it often makes for incredibly memorable and emotional scenes, with the bond between human and canine facilitating decidedly powerful narratives. Season 3’s “Dog of Death” was among the first Simpsons episodes to focus specifically on Santa’s Little Helper, and it’s consistently sad right up to its final moments.

The episode sees Santa’s Little Helper get sick and require expensive veterinary treatment. The resulting financial strain this puts on the family causes the upset dog to run away, ending with him being reconditioned as a brutal attack dog by Mr. Burns. The culmination of this is a scene in which Santa’s Little Helper remembers all the happy memories he has shared with the Simpson family, breaking through his conditioning in a moment capable of bringing a tear to the eye of even the most hardened viewer, and establishing “Dog of Death” as a uniquely emotional episode of the show.

2) Alone Again, Natura-Diddily (S11, E14)

Although it aired just after the end of what is widely considered The Simpsons’ golden era, season 11’s “Alone Again, Natura-Diddily” is an episode that still stands out. It marked one of the most shocking and unexpected developments in The Simpsons‘ history, as it saw Maude Flanders be abruptly killed off. The death of the Simpsons’ neighbor caused her husband Ned to spiral into a pit of grief, with the episode going on to chronicle his short-lived relationship with a Christian rock musician shortly after Maude’s death.

There are several moments of comedy in the episode, but it’s still unbelievably sad. For the show to kill off one of the Simpsons’ closest neighbors was shocking, and seeing Ned’s difficulty in processing the sudden loss of his wife is deeply tragic and incredibly upsetting. Ned’s grief is the focal point of the entire episode, making it a rare Simpsons story that is based purely on a deeply sad emotional premise.

1) One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish  (S2, E11)

Season 2 of The Simpsons featured a number of episodes that were distinctly emotional, but none stand out quite as much as “One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish.” The episode sees the Simpson family dining at a sushi restaurant, only for Homer to eat a rare and exotic fish that is deemed highly poisonous. Told he likely only has 22 hours to live, the episode takes the viewer on an emotional journey of a father and husband attempting to make the most of his final day on Earth.

Seeing Homer bravely face the prospect of death and trying to work through a list of final tasks is pretty powerful in its own right. However, the melancholic thrust of the episode stems largely from Homer’s inability to please everyone, forcing him to constantly revise his list as the time ticks away. The episode’s final scene sees Homer prepare himself for death by tuning into to an audiobook of the Bible, only to awake in the morning to find that the danger has passed. The ending makes it one of the most heartwarming Simpsons episodes, although its story is deeply unsettling right up to the final moments.

The post The Simpsons: 10 Saddest Episodes of All Time, Ranked   appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Capcom is one of the most historic third-party developers in video game history. The Japanese company was founded in 1979 and got into console game development in 1985. Since then, it’s given players fan-favorite series like Mega Man, Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and countless other best-sellers. And to its credit, Capcom has continued to grow and innovate throughout its long history, successfully keeping its status as one of the industry’s best publishers and developers throughout several console generations. With hundreds of games and dozens of iconic series, it can be tough to pick a favorite Capcom game. Below, I’ve put together a list of the 10 best Capcom games of all time.

This list is presented in ranked order, and I’ve done my best to include games from several franchises to capture the breadth of Capcom’s gigantic catalog.

10) Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations

Most games in the Ace Attorney series are worth playing, but Trials and Tribulations takes the cake for me as the end-cap of the original trilogy. Director Shu Takumi took the more episodic format of the first two games and introduced a more concrete overarching plot, giving the series a darker tone. While it didn’t introduce any new gameplay mechanics, Trials and Tribulations was a fitting end to the original trilogy.

9) Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes

Capcom has its share of great fighting games (we’ll get another one below), but MvC’s brand of tag team fighter has always been a fan-favorite. MvC 2 is the best of the bunch thanks to its frenetic pace and gorgeous visuals. The one big downside is that the early versions of MvC 2 didn’t include online multiplayer outside Japan. Once Capcom added that support, tag team fighter fans were feasting.

8) Dragon’s Dogma 2

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is one of the more ambitious games from Capcom in the last decade. It’s not a perfect game, but the sheer scope of what it’s attempting with its pawn system and emergent narrative is staggering. If you want a game to lose yourself in, there aren’t many better than Dragon’s Dogma 2.

7) Okami

Let’s be frank, Okami is one of the best-looking games of all time. The cell-shaded graphics are stunning, and it’s a shame that it was released so late into the PlayStation 2’s life cycle. That doomed the game (and Clover Studios), but thankfully, it’s been ported to modern platforms and recognized for its beautiful art and original gameplay.

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6) Mega Man 2

Mega Man 2 might have the best soundtrack in video game history. Add in the classic Mega Man combat and a slew of great boss characters, and you have the series’ best game. Mega Man X and Mega Man 3 get close to taking the title, but fall just short of this all-time classic.

5) Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening

Nearly every Devil May Cry game is worth a try. Capcom’s action-adventure series has always pushed style to the max with great success. That said, DMC 3 stands out as the best of the bunch, though Devil May Cry 5 gets relatively close. There just aren’t many games that will make you feel cooler as you slice through hordes of enemies and solve puzzles.

4) Monster Hunter World

In many ways, Monster Hunter World is Capcom’s greatest achievement. It took a series that hardcore fans loved and made it more accessible, which led to over 44 million copies sold. That’s more than 10 million copies more than any other Capcom game, easily making it the best-selling game in the company’s history. As many players’ first Monster Hunter game, World was an excellent starting point, mixing incredible core gameplay with a slightly easier learning curve for new players.

3) Resident Evil 2 Remake

Resident Evil 2 Remake stands right next to Monster Hunter World as the games that helped usher Capcom into the modern era. The remake of the classic Resident Evil game took that old game and injected so much new life. Mr. X’s constant presence was the standout feature, but the real star of the show is the map itself.

Resident Evil 2 Remake turns the Raccoon City police station into one big puzzle, forcing you to plan every trip perfectly, so you can stay out of Mr. X’s deadly reach. It’s a masterclass in game design that the developers have been chasing since.

2) Street Fighter 2

You can pick whichever version of Street Fighter 2 you want, and to be clear, there are a lot of them. Either way, this is the fighting game for many players in the ’90s. When it launched in 1991, it quickly became a top-seller across all platforms. It’s been speculated that, between console ports and arcades, Street Fighter 2 has earned around $10 billion. It pumped new life into the arcades and spawned a multi-media franchise. On top of all that, it still holds up as a great fighter.

1) Resident Evil Remake

The original Resident Evil’s GameCube remake squeaks by Street Fighter 2 as Capcom’s best game. Simply put, this is the game that started the company’s best series, but even better. Director Shinji Mikami took his original design and made a game that better matched his original vision, given the increased hardware capability of the GameCube. And even if Capcom decides to remake Resident Evil again, it will be tough to live up to this game, because it’s highly unlikely that Mikami will return to the studio.

Regardless, this is the game that introduced us to so many important characters and design elements in Resident Evil’s long history. It showed us how great a remake could be if given the proper care. Resident Evil Remake has gone on to release on nearly every major platform, giving new fans an easy way to check out this all-time classic.

The post 10 Best Capcom Games Ever, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fans got their first look at the new Harry Potter and Hagrid together on Sunday, but Nick Frost is not actually in the shot. Fans spotted The remake filming out in public on Sunday, with Dominic McLaughlin dressed up as Harry walking alongside the massive figure of Rubeus Hagrid. However, according to those that shared the video, a body double was standing in for Frost in these exterior shots. It makes sense, as a close-up would be difficult in this case, possibly drawing attention to the effects used to make Hagrid look so tall. The Harry Potter series is filming now and is reportedly on track to premiere in early 2027 on HBO.

Fans glimpsed Harry and Hagrid shopping for school supplies on Sunday on Borough Street in London. This is likely the early part of the story, when Hagrid has retrieved Harry from the Dursleys and taken him to Diagon Alley to get everything he’ll need for Hogwarts.

This is actually one of the first sequences where the show has a chance to be more faithful to the books — in the first novel, Hagrid takes Harry back to the Dursleys after this shopping spree, and they’re responsible for getting him to the Hogwarts Express, which leads to his confusion over finding Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. However, in the first movie, Hagrid takes Harry straight from Diagon Alley to King’s Cross Station, but inexplicably abandons him there to find his own way.

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The team behind the Harry Potter remake have said that sticking to the books is one of their top priorities for this series. Most of the movies’ diversions from the books seemed to be done for brevity, but that won’t be an issue with this series, which may go on for as long as 10 seasons. It’s unclear how the show would break up the books to reach that length, but it seems the extra screentime would go to transitional moments like these.

Harry Potter is filming primarily at Warner Bros. Leavesden Studios, which is in a suburb of London. However, this is the second time the cast and crew have been spotted within the city itself getting exterior shots like these. The last sighting was at the London Zoo, and they were likely filming Dudley’s (Amos Kitson) birthday party, as all the right actors were present. Unlike the movies, this scene even featured Dudley’s friend, Piers Polkiss, played by Mickey McAnulty.

The Harry Potter movies are streaming now on HBO Max, and the novels are available in print, digital, and audiobook formats. This remake series will premiere in early 2027 on HBO.

The post Harry Potter HBO Series Set Video Reveals First Look at Hagrid and Harry Together appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Even the Fastest Man Alive can’t outrun a viral meme. Grant Gustin played the scarlet speedster Barry Allen in nine seasons of The Flash between 2014 and 2023, the long-running superhero show crossing over with Arrow, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman as part of The CW’s Arrowverse. But it was the series finale of Arrow — which memorialized Stephen Amell‘s Oliver Queen, who died in the five-part crossover Crisis on Infinite Earths — that birthed the meme of Gustin flashing the peace sign next to Queen’s grave.

The image, which originated on Arrow co-star Echo Kellum’s Instagram in January 2020, first went viral on Reddit and quickly became a meme:

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“There’s been some captions attached to it I wish weren’t attached to it,” Gustin said when asked about his favorite version of the meme at Chicago FanExpo 2025. “But I don’t know, I feel like sports-related ones are always funnier to me, because I’m a sports guy. Like whenever someone’s been eliminated from the playoffs, when it’s a team I don’t like, at least.”

“It’s been used [a lot],” he continued. “For a while there, it was sent to me once a week. It’s sent to me by people I’m hearing from for the first time in years. Because it reaches different corners of [fandom]. Suddenly, someone sees the meme because it’s about something they care about. It’s touched every corner of the internet, I feel like.”

Gustin has embraced the now iconic meme. “I’ve joked that when I die, that will be on my tombstone,” he added. “I feel like I’m more famous for that than anything I’ve ever done.”

Elsewhere during the panel, Gustin recreated the Flash run and reflected on playing the DC superhero for nearly a decade. “He just changed a lot, evolved a lot. But I never felt like I was trying to find him,” he said of Barry Allen. “I always felt like I was bringing a lot of myself to him, and following the guidelines of the writers who worked on our story. It was just very natural, and I grew as the character grew.”

During a previous appearance on Michael Rosenbaum’s podcast, Gustin told his fellow DC alum he’s “of course” interested in potentially playing the Flash in the newly rebooted DC Universe. “There’s a lot of things that I’d have to like ask… not for, but about,” he told the former Smallville and Justice League star. “I’d be more interested in the [creative].”

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One Piece’s highly anticipated Elbaf Arc commences Harald’s backstory right before the big fight against the Holy Knights. The series teased this arc in the Little Garden Arc of the Alabasta Saga, which was over 25 years ago. The island is known for its brave Giant warriors, who value honor and pride over their lives. It was that ideal that made Luffy and Usopp respect Dorry and Brogy in the first place. The duo dreamed of visiting Elbaf ever since. Meeting Dorry and Brogy gave Usopp the motivation to become stronger and honorable like them. It’s been over two decades, and the fanbase believed that it’s finally Usopp’s chance to shine.

As one of the Straw Hat Pirates, Usopp has a massive fanbase, but he doesn’t always get the attention he deserves. One Piece thrives on intense action scenes with characters using Haki and Devil Fruits. That’s not a place for the crew’s sniper, who can’t use Armament and Conqueror’s Haki. He also doesn’t have any Devil Fruit or powerful physical strength to speak of. Unlike Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, Usopp serves a different purpose in the crew, but this often leads him to get overshadowed. Even though the Elbaf Arc commenced a few months ago, there aren’t any signs of Usopp stealing the spotlight from others. On the other hand, it’s more likely for Sanji to get even more development.

One Piece’s Elbaf Arc Might Give Sanji the One Power He Lacks

Although Devil Fruits can significantly boost someone’s offensive or defensive abilities, it isn’t the sole criterion for someone to become powerful. Several top-tier characters, such as Shanks, Roger, Mihawk, Garp, and many others, rely only on Haki. The strongest Straw Hat members, Zoro and Sanji, are also the same, except that the former has one edge over the crew’s cook. Zoro can use Conqueror’s Haki while Sanji has shown no signs of awakening this ability yet. However, this might change in the Elbaf Arc. The introduction of Scopper Gaban, Roger’s left-hand, has been groundbreaking, not only for the story but also for Sanji’s character.

Just as Luffy parallels Gol D. Roger, Zoro parallels Rayleigh and Sanji with Gaban. Gaban competed with Rayleigh for the spot of the second strongest in the crew. The debate probably never even settled since Gaban insists on calling himself No. 2 of the Roger Pirates. Rivalry aside, Gaban’s powers can’t be scoffed at, and a majority of the reason why he’s so overwhelmingly powerful is because of his Conqueror’s Haki and Future Sight.

There’s also the fact that the Holy Knights seem like immortals because of their regenerative powers. On the surface, it may seem like they don’t have any weakness, but Gaban knows the trick to defeating them, and the only choice is to use Advanced Conqueror’s Haki. Just before Harald’s backstory commenced in the manga, Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji were preparing to fight the Holy Knights.

Sanji can have all the power in the world, but it’s useless against the villains if he doesn’t use Conqueror’s. One Piece has always shown Zoro and Sanji neck-in-neck with one another, with Zoro always having a slight advantage. Even so, it doesn’t seem likely that Sanji would go too far without awakening one of the strongest abilities in the world of One Piece.

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One Piece Creator May Be Preparing to Reshape Sanji’s Image

According to the latest Chapter 1157, it’s highly evident that the series’ creator, Eiichiro Oda, is also planning to salvage Sanji’s reputation, which has been in the mud because of his gag. He always simps over beautiful women, and someone goes over the top because of that. Sanji’s chivalry and his desire to flirt with every woman he sees are just aspects of his personality, which is why he has always been in the middle of the controversy. Although he has more fans than haters, it’s clear that his gag isn’t well-received by many.

Sanji’s flirtatious behavior wasn’t meant to be taken seriously, but the repetition can cause frustration among readers. To make matters worse, the anime’s slow pacing often makes him appear creepy because those scenes last for longer than necessary. However, in the latest backstory, we see almost all the legendary pirates, including Gol D. Roger, Edward Newgate, and Rocks D. Xebec. With so many legends having “heart-eyes” over Shakuyaku, Sanji’s gag doesn’t seem too out of place now.

Elbaf isn’t simply an arc for showcasing intense battles, but it’s supposed to be a lore-heavy arc. The island of the Giants is directly connected to Nika and has several hidden clues about figuring out the world’s true history. With the Holy Knights’ arrival and Harald’s flashback following the story of Rocks D. Xebec, there’s just not enough time to develop Usopp’s character any further. Although he might have a few moments of fame, it just can’t be compared to the Monster Trio. That’s just how the story has been, especially after the time-skip.

The post Sorry Usopp, But One Piece’s Elbaf Arc Is Sanji’s Time to Shine: Here’s Why appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Superman is starring in some of the best comics coming from DC right now. Superman has become a huge part of the DC publishing line, tying into the central storyline of the DC All-In era. Action Comics is taking place in Superman’s past as Superboy in Smallville, showing how he became the hero he is today. Superman Unlimited has unleashed the Emerald Age on the Man of Steel, as a massive Kryptonite meteor hitting the Earth changes the balance of powers on DC’s Earth. There have also been several Superman miniseries and one-shots released, with Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum being the latest. This story is brought to readers by Ice Cream Man‘s creators W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo, introducing readers to four new types of Kryptonite, as well as pitting Superman against one of DC’s most dangerous villains: Solomon Grundy.

Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1 is a cool comic, introducing readers to four new types of Kryptonite. If there’s one person who would be as interested in new types of Kryptonite, it’s Lex Luthor. Lex unleashes a plan to deal with Superman, using Grundy to go distract Superman, so he can figure out how to take advantage of these new types of Kryptonite. Solomon Grundy is a DC villain with a long history, and is best described as what would happen if the Hulk was a zombie monster villain.

Solomon Grundy Has Been Battling DC’s Heroes for Decades

Solomon Grundy has been around for 81 years. The monster first appeared in All-American Comics #61. He was a foe of the original Green Lantern Alan Scott, and would stay an Earth–Two villains for decades, sometimes making his way to Earth-One to battle the heroes of the Justice League. On one those occasions, Grundy’s cells were left behind and regenerated into a new Grundy, giving both pre-Crisis Earths their own Solomon Grundy. After Crisis on Infinite Earths, Grundy’s Earth-Two origin was brought over to the new Earth. Cyrus Gold was a wealthy Gothamite in the late 19th century, where he was murdered and dumped in Slaughter Swamp, a swamp outside of Gotham City. Grundy was reanimated fifty years later, with the original Green Lantern and the Justice Society battling against him. Solomon Grundy has also been a Batman villain at times, seeing as how he always starts out in Slaughter Swamp. Grundy got his name from a English rhyme, which goes like this: “Solomon Grundy, born on a Monday, christened on a Tuesday, married on Wednesday, took ill on Thursday, worse on Friday, died on Saturday, buried on Sunday, this is the end of Solomon Grundy.”

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Solomon Grundy is super strong and nearly invulnerable, but he’s also usually not very smart. Grundy has acted as muscle for groups like the Legion of Doom, the Secret Society of Supervillains, the Injustice Gang. In many ways, he’s like the early days of the Hulk, except he’s a zombie monster. He has a simplistic way of speaking, and was almost always angry. However, as the years have gone on, much like the Hulk, Grundy has also changed personalities. Grundy can be killed, and he always reincarnates in Slaughter Swamp. While he almost always pops out of the swamp as the angry monster with the brains of a monosyllabic child, it’s been revealed that he can come out of the swamp very different. In the ’90s classic Starman, Grundy was reborn as a nicer version of the character and helped out Jack Knight and his friends in battle. In the first story arc of Justice League of America (Vol. 2), known as “The Tornado’s Path” (it’s excellent and you should hunt it down; also spoilers coming up), Grundy comes back as a genius version of himself. Grundy reveals that he can remember all of the pain caused to him over the years, and that’s doesn’t want to die anymore because he doesn’t want to transform into the dumb version of himself. The New 52 comic Earth-2 introduced a new version of Grundy, one who was the avatar of the Rot, a force of decay and death related to the Green (the power of plants) and the Red (the power of animals), although that version no longer exists.

Solomon Grundy Is a Perfect Way to Keep Superman Busy

Solomon Grundy is a physical titan, and has been able to fight it out with Superman many times over the years. The monster is probably stronger than a base level Hulk, which is why Lex Luthor deciding to use him as a cat’s paw against Superman makes a lot of sense. Superman also isn’t fighting at his best, because of his exposure to Purple Kryptonite, a new type of Kryptonite that messes with Superman’s perception of time.

Superman, along with Batman (who was helping test the new types of Kryptonite), tackle the monster. As Superman saves civilians, Batman tries to fight Grundy, and gets injured. Superman is able to overcome his temporal problems to take down Grundy. It’s a great little action scene, and it shows why Grundy is one of the most fun villains in the DC Multiverse.

Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #1 is on sale now.

The post Superman Faces DC’s Zombie Hulk Thanks to Lex Luthor’s Deadly Plan appeared first on ComicBook.com.

PlayStation Plus subscribers at the PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium tiers could be set to lose upward of 22 PS4 and PS5 games in September. For adding games to the middle and most expensive tier of PlayStation Plus, developers and publishers typically work out either one-year contracts with Sony or two-year contracts with Sony. There are, of course, exceptions to this, but generally speaking this a pretty consistent pattern. As a result, it makes predicting what games are going to leave PlayStation Plus any given month possible. To this end, back in July we relayed word that PlayStation Plus was probably going to lose The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in August, and then this month it happened. Suffice to say, what PlayStation Plus free games are leaving next month can’t be predicted with 100% accuracy, but it is also a far cry from throwing darts in the dark.

All of that said, here are the games that were added to PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium in September 2024, and thus their contracts could expire next month: Far Cry 5, The Plucky Squire, Under the Waves, Night in the Woods, Pistol Whip, Chernobylite, Space Engineers, Ben 10, Road 96, Wild Card Football, Secret Agent Clank, Doom I + Doom II Enhanced, SkyGunner, and Mister Mosquito.

Meanwhile, here are the games added to PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium in September 2023, and thus could leave next month after their two-year contracts run out: This War of Mine, Contra: Rogue Corps, Odin Sphere, Call of the Sea, West of Dead, Tails Noir, Dragon’s Crown, and Paw Patrol: Adventure City Calls.

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There is no guarantee any of these PlayStation Plus games will depart, but there’s a good chance at least some of them, if not most of them, will. There aren’t any massive departures in this list, but Far Cry 5 is a noteworthy AAA game. Meanwhile, there are some good indies such as Night in the Woods, The Plucky Squire (which we particularly enjoyed when it released last year), and Pistol Whip.

What hardcore PlayStation fans will hope is not leaving is Ratchet and Clank spin-off, Secret Agent Clank, a great PSP exclusive. The idea that a PlayStation game would leave PlayStation Plus sounds implausible, but it does happen. Until we get official word though, remember to take everything above with a grain of salt. There is historical context backing up this speculation, but it is still speculation nonetheless.

H/T, Reddit.

The post PlayStation Plus In Danger of Losing 22 Free Games Next Month appeared first on ComicBook.com.

From time-traveling womanisers to space dads who make a mean plate of jambalaya, here’s our ranking of every Captain to sit in the Chair.

There’s no question more likely to divide the Star Trek fandom than “who’s the best captain?” Ask it in a room full of Trekkies and you’ll hear impassioned speeches about diplomacy, charisma, and maybe even hairlines. And while there’s no real right or wrong answer, (whatever floats your boat—or ship) it’s fun to debate and Trekkies have spent many a happy hour comparing personal rankings.

While there are some who would argue no one could live up to the commanding presence and charisma of James T Kirk in Gene Roddenbury’s Original Series, over its nearly 60 years of films, animated series and spin-offs, Star Trek has given us a whole host of Captains, each facing different challenges and each inspirational in their own way. While Star Trek Shows are very much an ensemble effort, the captain does tend to appear front and center, so for this list, we’re focusing only on main-series captains in Star Trek canon—the ones whose names appear in the opening credits and who command their ship week after week. That means no one-off favourites, no First Officers who took the con once or eventually got their own command, no Mirror Universe warlords like Lorca, and no animated anomalies like Dal (sorry Prodigy fans).

With those ground rules in place… Engage!

7) Michael Burnham (Star Trek Discovery)

Michael Burnham’s journey to Captaincy in Discovery is one of the more unusual in Trek history—she starts out as a disgraced first officer, mutineer, and prisoner, only to eventually become captain of the ship she helped save more times than we can count. She certainly eared her place in the chair, but she doesn’t get there until season three, and some fans have argued the series would have felt less disjointed had she been made Captain from the start. Making Burnham the protagonist of the show felt a little odd when she didn’t yet have the rank and authority to support her adventures (there’s a reason Captains are usually the focus). Sonequa Martin-Green anchored the series with undeniable charisma, but the early seasons often tied Burnham’s story too tightly to Spock’s and her family legacy.

Once she finally took the captain’s chair in Season 3, Burnham became the clear leader she was born to be, and she truly came into her own when Discovery traveled to the 32^nd Century. Sometimes her storylines skewed a little too far toward her being the “galaxy’s chosen one” for comfort, and she suffered a little from main character syndrome. Still, her empathy, emotional intelligence, and persistence made her a worthy addition to Starfleet’s upper ranks—even if her captaining style sometimes felt a little unorthodox.

6) Jonathan Archer (Star Trek: Enterprise)

The first captain of the original Enterprise, the first Warp 5 capable starship, had the unenviable job of writing the rulebook as he went along—and sometimes, it showed. We have to cut him some slack; Jonathan Archer’s pre-Federation missions meant no Prime Directive, no First Contact protocols, and no long history of Starfleet diplomacy to look back on for inspiration (and yet he still navigated first contact with many species including Klingons and Andorians). Unfortunately, it also meant more than a few instances where he seemed to make rash decisions, or go against his own morals.

Scott Bakula definitely brought an inherent relatability to Archer in Enterprise, especially when hanging with his dog Porthos, but too often the character came across as reactive instead of visionary, stubborn and set in his ways, rather than diplomatic and curious to explore, which some would argue are essential qualities for a Starship Captain. The Xindi and Temporal Cold War arcs gave him more to do in later seasons, but he never quite reached the inspirational heights of his successors, despite being arguably more down to Earth.

5) Christopher Pike (Star Trek Strange New Worlds)

Before Discovery and most recently Strange New Worlds, Christopher Pike was a more of a footnote in Star Trek history—the “other” captain of the Enterprise first seen in the Pilot episode of The Original Series “The Cage.” Anson Mount’s portrayal of the character in Season 2 of Discovery changed that instantly, leading to the actor securing his own show with the creation of Strange New Worlds and firmly securing Pike in Star Trek History. His Pike is a warm, collaborative leader who cooks for his crew, gives them room to shine, and even after learning of his fate (as seen in The Original Series in “The Menagerie” Parts 1 and 2) he somehow makes his tragic future into a challenge to live better, not a death sentence to fear.

Unlike some Captains, Pike doesn’t hog the spotlight; he’s happy to let Spock, La’An, or any of his very competent crew take center stage in any given mission, deferring to their expertise—but that humility is part of his charm. He’s even got a sense of humor, showing us throughout Strange New World’s that he’s a space dad in the best way possible, with just enough swashbuckling energy to remind us of Kirk but setting himself apart by showing the maturity and wisdom that comes with age.

4) Kathryn Janeway (Star Trek: Voyager)

Kate Mulgrew’s Janeway was the first female Captain to lead a Star Trek series, and she did it while stuck 70,000 lightyears away in the Delta Quadrant, cut off from Starfleet, with a decimated crew made up of trigger-happy Starfleet officers and Maquis rebels at each other’s throats—RESPECT! That alone should be enough to cement Voyager’s Captain as one of the most resourceful captains in Trek history, but she’s also a romantic at heart and her occasional loneliness and crises of confidence made her one of the most human of all the captains.

She didn’t like bullies, and she didn’t like threats, and boy did she make it known! Janeway could occasionally be stubborn, but above all, she was fiercely protective of her crew. Despite some inconsistent writing, with her clipped cadence and calm but powerful presence, Kate Mulgrew created a consistency in her character that made her feel trustworthy to her crew and audiences. Whether negotiating with the Borg or deciding the fate of Tuvix (sorry, Tuvix…), Janeway always made choices she could and would stand by—even if they weren’t always easy. Fans were delighted to see Kate Mulgrew reprise her role in Prodigy, where she has rightly made the rank of Admiral. She’s the kind of captain you’d follow into uncharted space.

3) Benjamin Sisko (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

Benjamin Sisko of Deep Space Nine, had a somewhat different job from other captains. Tasked with running a space station instead of a starship, he nonetheless gave his all to the role, delicately balancing Starfleet’s orders with the needs of the many different species aboard the station. He navigated some complex political situations, and he proved he wasn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty, commanding from the front lines playing a vital part in the war effort during the Dominion War.

As if that wasn’t enough, he managed to balance duel responsibilities, also acting as the Bajoran Emissary of the Prophets. Avery Brooks gave Sisko a commanding and serious presence, necessary for one of Star Trek’s darker shows, but he also gave his character a warmth and emotional intelligence that made him endlessly compelling. He could be a spiritual leader, a baseball coach, and above all a loving father to his son Jake. In short: Sisko got things done, whether Starfleet liked it or not!

2) James T. Kirk (The Original Series)

What?! Kirk’s not top of the list?! Kirk is undoubtedly Star Trek’s original action hero—bold, charming, occasionally reckless, but always decisive. William Shatner’s performance gave the character a swagger that’s often imitated but rarely matched. Kirk showed he could outthink his enemies as often as he could outshoot them. The Original ‘Golden Trio’, ‘The Triumvirate’ of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy was a friendship for the ages, that would never again be matched in Trek, and Kirk clearly valued the counsel of his friends as much as his own instincts.

Yes, some aspects of his character, like his tendency to flirt with any female alien who might stray in his vicinity, are firmly products of the 1960s, but Kirk’s adaptability, curiosity, and willingness to risk himself for his crew remain timeless. Without him, the idea of a “Starfleet captain” simply wouldn’t exist as we know it. In many ways, Kirk was the show in The Original Series. It’s no surprise that the iconic character has made a come back in recent years, with Chris Pine’s portrayal of the Character in JJ Abrams reboot films bringing the character to a new generation of fans and Paul Wesley being the latest actor to step in to the famous shoes, giving us a younger, less refined version of Kirk in Strange New Worlds.

1) Jean-Luc Picard (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

If Kirk was the blueprint, then Jean-Luc Picard is the gold standard. Patrick Stewart’s unflappable Captain of the Enterprise-D, redefined what a Starfleet captain could be: not just a warrior or an explorer, but a philosopher and diplomat with a strong moral compass. Preferring a good cup of Earl grey to a one-night stand, Picard led with reason, empathy, and an unshakable belief in the ideals of the Federation, making him the ultimate embodiment of Trek’s vision for the future. Gene Roddenbury famously didn’t want Patrick Stewart in the part, he certainly had some big boots to fill coming straight after Shatner’s Kirk, but the Shakesperean actor soon proved himself more than worthy of the role.

Sure, Picard’s leadership style might have been a slightly less entertaining than Kirk’s (a little less avant-garde) preferring to do things by the book, but you couldn’t really fault it when, there were lives at stake after all. Whether delivering a spine-tingling speech, outmaneuvering the Borg, or defending Data’s right to self-determination, Picard always placed principle above ego. Fans were delighted to see Stewart return to the role in Picard. He wasn’t perfect—nor was he infallible—but he was the kind of leader who made you want to be better. Every captain since has been measured against him, and for good reason.

Who’s your favorite captain? Let us know in the comments!

All seasons of Star Trek are streaming now on Paramount+.

The post Every Captain in Star Trek Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Superman isn’t just a reset for the Man of Steel, but an entire DC Universe, and as such, it brings with it multiple other new heroes who’ll go on to play key roles in the future. There’s the Justice Gang – Green Lantern, Mr. Terrific, and Hawkgirl – all of whom will return in Peacemaker, with Guy Gardner also expected to appear in Lanterns when it debuts on HBO Max sometime in 2026. And towards Superman‘s ending, there’s also the appearance of Kal-El’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, better known as Supergirl (played by House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock).

We’ve seen multiple iterations of the Girl of Steel on-screen over the years, from Helen Slater’s take in the 1980s through to Melissa Benoist in the Arrowverse, and most recently, Sasha Calle in The Flash. However, we haven’t seen Kara appear quite like this. Supergirl is, rather surprisingly, drunk, stumbling her way in (and out) of the Fortress of Solitude and calling her cousin “b*tch” for good measure. Clark explains that Kara has been on a planet with a red sun, which allows Kryptonians to become intoxicated, but the reasoning behind it makes for a great way to set up her solo movie.

Why Supergirl Is Drunk In Superman

The “why” of Supergirl being drunk is more intriguing than the “how,” and speaks to the differences between the Maiden of Might and the Man of Steel in James Gunn’s new DC Universe. In an interview with ScreenRant, Gunn himself described this version of the character as “a total mess,” adding that she had a “different… much more difficult background” than her cousin.

The Supergirl movie, taking inspiration from the comic book run Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (written by Tom King, with art by Bilquis Evely and color from Mat Lopes), will explore more of just what happened to her. But, in a nutshell, whereas Kal-El was sent to Earth and raised by a loving family, Kara remained on a chunk of Krypton. She spent years there, watching people she knew and loved die, turning her into a much darker, more depressed, and disillusioned character and one who, yes, turns to alcohol as a coping mechanism.

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The comic book story even begins with Kara getting drunk at a bar on her 21st birthday, so the DC Universe’s take seems to be sticking reasonably close to that blueprint. It’s a version of the character who has no clear sense of purpose and has suffered a huge amount of loss, which should lead directly into her solo movie.

Superman’s Setup For DC’s Supergirl Movie Is Perfect

Supergirl’s cameo in Superman is very much played for laughs, and it works, in part thanks to Alcock’s performance (I like to think that Gunn’s choice was at least partially inspired by the actress being drunk on stage at the Golden Globes 2023). That’s something that should continue, allowing for moments of levity and real humor in the 2026 movie, but there’s also an opportunity for something much deeper to go alongside it.

Supergirl should be about exploring Kara’s trauma, guilt, and anger. There’s a real chance to dive into her psyche in a way that brings a lot of pathos and likely a lot of superpowered rage (Woman of Tomorrow‘s story is, in a basic sense, a revenge mission that Kara ends up joining). The movie needs to maintain a careful tonal balance between comedy and tragedy, but the setup is very much there to do so. It can use the cameo as a springboard to unpack what led to Kara being this way, which should make it a more complex character study.

That would pair perfectly with Superman. Gunn delivered a very classic take on the character, which focused on his humanity; it’s about the hope he both carries with him and instills in others. Supergirl should be an exploration of a superhero who has lost that hope and has to work to regain it. About, to use Gunn’s phrasing, a messy individual (and her adorable-if-also-messy dog) who has to untangle that mess. It will be a unique journey, one that is entirely hers and distinct from her cousin’s, and will hopefully show the richness and diversity of stories in the burgeoning DCU.

Supergirl will be released in theaters on June 26th, 2026. Superman is currently in theaters and available on digital.

The post Supergirl Being Drunk in Superman Is Perfect for James Gunn’s DC Universe appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Battlefield appears to be looking to copy the Call of Duty strategy of having a new release every single year. Call of Duty has dominated the industry for many, many years now as a regular best-selling title. It is a reliable franchise that is always available every single holiday season and offers a high-value package with campaign, multiplayer, and a co-op mode. The ability to have a new game every year is what has allowed it to be so successful, though some have argued that has compromised its quality. With that said, Battlefield seems to be moving in the direction of Call of Duty.

Battlefield has had a fairly consistent cadence with new releases every 2 – 3 years, but Battlefield 6 has had the longest development cycle. The new game comes four years after Battlefield 2042, a game that did immense damage to the franchise. It was necessary, though, as the team was able to really identify how to make a better Battlefield game in that time. Now, Battlefield 6 is being hailed as one of the next great FPS games and could restore the series to its former glory with a smooth launch. However, the series could be headed to something a bit controversial in the coming years.

Battlefield May Copy Call of Duty’s Yearly Release Structure

According to analyst Michael Pachter, Battlefield General Manager Byron Beede told him that Battlefield Studios is developing a plan that would allow the series to become annualized by the 2030s. At that time, the series would have three studios working on a rotation, similar to Call of Duty. This would likely be DICE, Ripple Effect, and EA Motive, alternating like Treyarch, Infinity Ward, and Sledgehammer Games do on Call of Duty. It’s unclear if Battlefield would use this to make games in different eras or styles, such as one that is the typical modern day shooter, one that’s in a historical war like World War II, and maybe something more unique like Battlefield: Hardline which was a police-centric spin-off.

Of course, this is all hearsay. Pachter could be misquoting Beede, given he didn’t provide an exact quote. However, Beede and his cohort Vince Zampella both used to hold big roles on the Call of Duty franchise. They may seek to use lessons learn to try and emulate or improve the Call of Duty formula. Either way, it doesn’t sound like the best way to make Battlefield games. It’s a franchise that has longevity. People still play Battlefield 4 and Battlefield 1, games that are both about a decade old. By churning them out, it may kill that replayability factor as there won’t be time to grow any kind of significant attachment to the games.

With this plan being at least five years away, a ton could change, especially if Battlefield 6 maintains long-term engagement from its fans. If the team sees that players are willing to keep playing one game, there may not be need for multiple on a consistent basis. Maybe EA will come out and deny this approach altogether, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

Battlefield 6 will release on October 10th for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC.

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Few things in Game of Thrones were as heavily theorized about as Jon Snow’s parentage. The idea that Jon’s true parents are Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark – aka R+L=J – dates back to the 1990s, with fans beginning to speculate on it even just a year or so after the publication of George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones. The books have not yet been able to confirm it, but Game of Thrones‘ later seasons did indeed make Jon Snow into a Targaryen – though can also be fairly criticised for not doing a lot with the reveal.

Jon’s real identity sparked some tension with Daenerys Targaryen but, despite him killing her, his heritage wasn’t actually a major factor in Game of Thrones‘ ending. It’s hard to image that being the case in The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring (when they eventually arrive). Martin has done a lot to set up this reveal, and the POV nature of the books can give it more depth and allow us to understand how Jon himself really feels about it. Alongside that, though, the books can fix another problem with Game of Thrones‘ Jon Snow/Targaryen twist: his name.

Jon Snow’s Targaryen Name In Game Of Thrones Didn’t Make Sense

When Game of Thrones finally revealed the truth about Jon Snow, it also gave him a Targaryen name. This itself made a lot of sense; given Eddard Stark was attempting to hide his nephew’s identity, he changed his name too, naming him after his own mentor and father figure Jon Arryn, which only supports the ruse that the child was Ned’s. So it was no surprise there was another, more Valyrian name to be revealed. And not only that, but the show gave him the Targaryen name: Aegon. Five kings have been called that in Westeros history, starting with The Conqueror himself. So, from that perspective, there’s a certain logic to it… except for one problem.

Rhaegar already had a legitimate son named Aegon, from his marriage to Elia Martell. That child, along with his sister Rhaenys, was infamously killed at the end of Robert’s Rebellion. Aegon was confirmed to exist in the show, and there was never an explanation for why Rhaegar gave his second son the same name as his first. The books do suggest that Rhaegar was obsessed with the Prince That Was Promised prophecy and perhaps believed they would be called Aegon, but the show never draws this connection.

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What’s more, giving that name to Jon Snow didn’t deepen his Targaryen identity, but made it feel as though the show was artificially inflating his importance. Oh, of course he’s called Aegon, because what other name could there possibly be?! At best it’s careless, at worst it’s a plot hole, and the reveal deserved better – something it’s likely to get in The Winds of Winter.

The Winds Of Winter Probably Won’t Repeat This Mistake

George R. R. Martin has long demonstrated a far more meticulous approach to naming and lineage than Game of Thrones. The Targaryen family tree is well documented, and the author has spoken before about the importance of names. While, yes, this includes reusing names for kings like Aegon, which reflects some of the English history he was taking inspiration from (e.g. eight King Henrys), he’s also very deliberate in his choices. In a 2014 interview [via Blinbox Books], he said he “wrestled” with a lot of names, and that until he finds the right name, he “can’t find the character.”

So, if Jon is called Aegon in The Winds of Winter, there will at least have been a lot of thought put into it. We can expect an explanation of the reasoning and deeper meaning behind it, because Martin would be aware of the confusion otherwise. However, it’s much less likely that will be Jon’s name in the books, for a simple reason: the other Aegon Targaryen (allegedly) still exists.

A Dance of Dragons introduced Young Griff – who claims to be Rhaegar’s first son, Aegon, having secretly survived the end of Robert’s Rebellion. He’s arrived in Westeros at the beginning of The Winds of Winter, and will be making a bid for the Iron Throne. There’s some doubt about whether he’s the real deal or not, but to introduce one secret son of Rhaegar called Aegon, to then follow it with another, would be confusing, absurd, and unnecessary.

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The Two Big Theories For Jon Snow’s Real Name In The Winds of Winter

If not Aegon, there are a couple of strong contenders for what Jon’s name could be. One popular idea is that he’s Jaehaerys Targaryen. This name would honor Jaehaerys I, the Conciliator, who is not only Westeros’ longest-serving king, but also regarded as its wisest. Unlike Aegon the Conqueror, who represents House Targaryen’s power and ambition through fire and blood, Jaehaerys stands for unity and compromise.

Those traits fit more closely with Jon Snow: a man who seeks peace where possible, and is willing to sacrifice personal glory for the greater good. Given Jon has brought wildlings to the Wall – a plot point that will presumably continue after his inevitable resurrection in Winds – and will likely be a major force in uniting the realm against the White Walkers, the name of the conciliator is rather fitting.

Another compelling possibility is that Jon could have been named Aemon Targaryen – yes, after the Night’s Watch’s Maester. Aemon and Jon have a deep bond and clear parallels in their story: both are characters who have to choose between their family and their vows; who face tests of love against their duty. Those echoes are clear in Jon’s arc in the books and the show, and so it would be a fitting choice. It’s also a name that Rhaegar himself might choose. He corresponded directly with Aemon, including about the Prince That Was Promised prophecy. That gives Rhaegar giving Jon this name even more weight.

There are other Aemons in history that could have parallels with Jon Snow. Aemon, son of Jaehaerys I, had an elder brother named Aegon who died as an infant. Aemon the Dragonknight joined the Kingsguard at a young age, taking vows that would prohibit him from having kids, and rose to the position of Lord Commander, becoming known as one of the noblest and most skilled knights in Westeros, which certainly sounds very Jon Snow coded. But, whether it’s Jaehaerys, Aemon, or something else entirely, The Winds of Winter – or A Dream of Spring, depending on when Martin reveals it – should give a lot more depth and meaning to Jon Snow’s Targaryen name.

All eight seasons of Game of Thrones are streaming on HBO Max. The Winds of Winter does not yet have a release date (but let’s keep hoping).

The post The Winds of Winter Theory Fixes Game of Thrones’ Jon Snow Targaryen Name Mistake appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Over the last few weeks, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has been holding a series of events centered around the Legendary Pokemon of Paldea. The Pokemon Company is going to have Mystery Gift distributions for the Shiny versions of Wo-Chien, Chien-Pao, Ting-Lu, and Chi-Yu, but there’s a big catch attached: players must collectively defeat the four Pokemon in 1 million Tera Raids each. Players easily cleared the Wo-Chien requirement earlier this month, with a total of 6,078,885 victories in total. Now The Pokemon Company is reporting that players have also cleared the necessary requirement with Chien-Pao, as well.

According to Pokemon’s official Japanese Twitter account, players have defeated Chien-Pao 2,956,622 times. At the time of this writing, there’s still some time left in the event, so it remains to be seen what the final total will be. Once the event ends at 4:59 p.m. PT on August 17th, Ting-Lu will start to appear in Tera Raids. Players will have until Sunday, August 31st at 4:59 p.m. PT to hit the 1 million Raid requirement. Unless players start to get a little complacent, there shouldn’t be much trouble for the community to handle that one just as easily.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players shouldn’t have to wait too much longer for the Shiny Chien-Pao distribution to begin. Once that goes live, players will be able to claim the Legendary through the Mystery Gift option. All of these Legendary Pokemon were Shiny locked, so this is currently the only legitimate method of getting these Pokemon. When the event was announced last month, there was some concern from fans that the requirements were too steep. However, it’s clear that players clearly aren’t letting this opportunity pass them by, and that’s a very good thing.

Ting-Lu has a Ground Tera type, so players should plan accordingly for the next round of Tera Battles. Ideally, players will want a Pokemon that has strong Grass, Ice, or Water-type moves. Ting-Lu will likely have some Dark-type moves in its arsenal as well, so players will definitely want to avoid bringing in a Pokemon that also has Psychic or Ghost as part of its typing. For example, you might have a strong Decidueye, but as a Grass/Ghost-type, it’s going to struggle against Ting-Lu.

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Between Ting-Lu Raids, players might want to keep an eye out for Mass Outbreaks taking place throughout Pokemon Scarlet and Violet‘s three regions. The three Pokemon that are being spotlighted all follow the same Ground-type pattern. In Paldea, Wooper’s regional variant will be appearing throughout the event. Meanwhile, Kitakami will have Mudbray, and Blueberry Academy will have Drilbur. Players will have an increased chance of finding the Shiny versions of each of these Pokemon, so there’s a good incentive to check out the specific areas in which each Mass Outbreak is occurring during the event.

Are you excited for the next round of events in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet? Did you join in for any of these Tera Raid battles? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

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Zach Cregger’s Weapons continued to perform very well at the box office in its second weekend, and the acclaimed horror film has already made more money domestically than one of the year’s most infamous flops. According to Deadline, Weapons is poised to repeat as box office champion this weekend, bringing in about $25 million in the United States. Not only is that a very strong hold for the feature (a drop of just 43%), it raises Weapons‘ domestic total to roughly $89 million over its first 10 days. That surpasses the $87.2 million Disney’s live-action Snow White remake earned for its entire run.

Embroiled by multiple controversies as it entered theaters, Snow White struggled to make much of an impact in theaters. Budgeted somewhere between $240-270 million, the remake opened with just $42.2 million domestically and quickly fell down the charts. It suffered a staggering 66% drop in its second weekend, becoming a bomb. Snow White grossed only $205.6 million globally.

Snow White eventually found an audience when it hit streaming. It was the most popular movie on Disney+ back in June, beating out titles such as the original animated Lilo & Stitch and Predator: Killer of Killers. Still, that wasn’t enough to make up for its lackluster box office performance — especially as the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake broke records en route to $1 billion worldwide. Snow White‘s struggles forced Disney to hit the pause button on the live-action Tangled remake.

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In contrast, Weapons had no problem leaving an impression on audiences. Bolstered by very strong word of mouth and a mysterious marketing campaign, the original horror film exceeded projections in its first weekend, grossing $43.5 million in its first three days. That opening frame was more lucrative than the entire box office run of Cregger’s previous film, Barbarian.

Weapons has emerged as another box office win for Warner Bros., which has enjoyed a resurgence this spring and summer. It was the studio’s sixth straight film this year to debut with $40+ million domestically, a new record. Weapons is already profitable, having recouped its $38 million production budget last weekend. Its success has generated excitement not just for what’s next for Cregger (his Resident Evil movie just became that much more anticipated), but also further stories in the Weapons universe. In particular, there’s interest in building a prequel film around breakout character Aunt Gladys, played by Amy Madigan.

There’s no reason why Weapons shouldn’t be able to continue to hold well over the next few weeks. The rest of August doesn’t feature much in the way of high-profile competition. This week’s new arrival, Nobody 2, had to settle for third place in its debut (just $9.25 million). In addition to bringing in general moviegoers thanks to the word of mouth, Weapons can also corner the horror/thriller demographic until September, when movies like The Conjuring: Last Rites and The Long Walk open. It’ll be interesting to see how high Weapons goes.

The post Weapons Just Made More Money in 10 Days Than a Major Disney Flop Did in 2 Months appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The first installment of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is less than one month away from hitting the U.S. theatres. Tickets have already been on sale for a couple of days now, and promotions won’t be stopping anytime soon. The studio is going all out to keep up the hype of the film, and it’s working impressively well. The series will wrap up the story in the trilogy film, with the first part focusing on only a few major fights. We have already seen the first glimpse of Tanjiro Kamado and Giyu Tomioka fighting against Akaza, the Upper Moon Three responsible for Kyokuro Rengoku’s death.

The fourth key visual of the film hypes the series’s best girl, Shinobu Kocho, the Insect Hashira, who is facing off against Doma, the Upper Moon Three. The match-up was already revealed in the first trailer, and now a special key visual and a promotional video have been released just to hype up the fight between these two characters. The visual’s tagline reads, “All in for this one strike.” While the manga fans perfectly understand the meaning behind those words, anime-only fans will get to experience Shinobu’s sheer dedication on September 12th, 2025.

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Shinobu Kocho Has More Than One Reason to Fight Doma in Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle

As the Upper Rank Two, Doma’s powers are beyond something a Hashira can handle, let alone Shinobu, who doesn’t have enough arm strength to even slice off an ordinary demon’s head. However, the Insect Hashira has a unique fighting style thanks to her extensive knowledge of poisons for demons. Adding in her exceptional speed also gives her some advantage, but the fight will be more challenging than anything she has ever faced before. The key visual highlights her tension as she’s sweating and trying to strike the demon. On the other hand, Doma simply looks like he’s having fun, ready to take on whatever she throws at him.

This will also be the first time the anime will reveal Doma’s powers, which made him climb to the rank of Upper Two. Aside from her sense of duty that comes from being a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, there’s another reason driving her desire to kill the demon. The trailer revealed that Shinobu’s sister, Kanae Kocho, the former Flower Hashira, was killed by Doma. Kanae was bright and cheerful, unlike Shinobu, who used to have a much different personality than now.

Kanae is also the one who adopted Kanao Tsuyuri as her sister, who was in Shinobu’s care after her death. Shinobu held deep resentment for demons, not just for Doma, who only cause tragedy and destruction in their wake. She also sealed away her emotions and put on a fake smile in hopes of one day getting her revenge. Tanjiro was the only one able to sense those emotions from her despite her perfect facade. Now that the anime is in its final arc, the time has finally arrived.

H/T: Demon Slayer official website

The post Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Movie Hypes the Insect Hashira’s Best Fight With a New Promo appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Larian Studios really created something special with Baldur’s Gate 3. The game both captures the joy of Dungeons & Dragons and creates its own immersive world. And the replayability is off the charts, as your choices can truly craft a whole different tale. The high caliber of Baldur’s Gate 3 can make it tough to know what to play next after the end credits roll. But even if nothing will ever be exactly like romancing Astarion or rescuing the owlbear cub for the first time, these excellent games come pretty close.

Before we dive in, a quick honorable mention. The previous Larian Studios title, Divinity: Original Sin 2, is an obvious pick to play after BG3 if you haven’t yet. I’m leaving it off the official list for some deeper cuts, but didn’t want to totally leave it in the dark since it’s a great tactical RPG from the same team that brought us BG3. Similarly, prior Baldur’s Gate titles are a pretty obvious choice here, if you’ve yet to visit them. But if you’re looking outside the Larian/Baldur’s Gate box, here are the best games that will live up to the hype after Baldur’s Gate 3.

1. Bloomtown: A Different Story

Platform(s): PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam

Price: $24.99

Bloomtown: A Different Story is the “hear me out” pick on my list. But seriously, hear me out. This one earns its spot for being an indie game that does something different, creating an engaging and in-depth story that’s not quite like anything you’ve played before. If you enjoyed Baldur’s Gate 3 for the turn-based battles and the slightly dark undertones, Bloomtown may well hold up for you, too. It did for me.

This game is sort of Stranger Things meets Stardew Valley. By day, you hang out in an old rundown town. By night, you delve into the Underside to fight and collect demons. And you do it through turn-based battles with an impressively addictive soundtrack. It’s quite a different game from Baldur’s Gate 3 in many ways, but it gave me a similar sense of satisfaction to play.

2. Tavern Talk

Platform(s): PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch

Price: $17.99 for PC, $21.99 for Switch

If you really enjoyed the Dungeons & Dragons style storytelling, but need a break from tough combat decisions, Tavern Talk is for you. Tavern Talk is a visual novel with fantasy elements. You’ll be the “narrator” of this story, as the tavernkeep who compiles and assigns adventures. But the drinks you serve can be the difference between life and death.

While this game doesn’t have a similar playstyle to Baldur’s Gate 3, it will similarly impress players who enjoyed Larian’s iconic RPG. The fantasy storytelling is top-notch, and your choices do matter. Like Larian, the devs didn’t pull punches here, and you can definitely wind up spiraling from the consequences of your actions. I still think about what happened during one of my playthroughs, and it’s been ages.

3. Pillars of Eternity

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam

Price: $29.99

Pillars of Eternity comes from another stellar developer who has done wonders with existing IP, Obsidian Entertainment. And it has earned its place among iconic RPGs tahnks to its in-depth exploration, difficult dungeons, and engaging story. For those who like Baldur’s Gate 3 for being a D&D-style RPG with in-depth mechanics, this one’s for you.

There’s plenty here that makes it a suitable game to play after Baldur’s Gate 3. Character customization won’t be quite as detailed, but you can choose your race, class, and skills similar to how you craft a character in BG3. And the story’s reputation system offers that same sense that choices matter as you explore a beautifully rendered world. Plus, Pillars of Eternity 2 is right there for you to sink into when you wrap up this one.

4. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous

Platform(s): PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC via Steam

Price: $19.99

In so many ways, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a clear predecessor to Baldur’s Gate 3. When I picked this one up, I couldn’t believe how similar the overall gameplay style is. This game is a bit older and a bit less polished, but it’s still a natural next step after Baldur’s Gate 3, especially if you’re a fan of the Pathfinder world and lore.

Like Baldur’s Gate 3, this game features turn-based or real-time combat options and a similar party management system. It’s a bit more railroady than open-ended, but still offers plenty of exploration and choices to help shape your story. You won’t get to customize your character’s appearance, but you will choose classes, stats, and generally fill out your virtual Pathfinder character sheet. This game isn’t perfect, but it will really bring you back to that BG3 feel all over again and deliver on the high expectations Larian set with its gem of a game.

5. Clair Obsur: Expedition 33

Platform(s): PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam

Price: $49.99

When it comes to massively successful, impressively in-depth games from indie studios, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is right up there with Baldur’s Gate 3. This narrative-driven game delivers a devastatingly gripping story, pulling you along for the ride. It’s got a fantasy setting with a slightly different feel thanks to the French inspiration, so it won’t feel too much like you’re trying to relive your Baldur’s Gate 3 glory days.

But that’s not to say it won’t feel just as epic. Clair Obcur: Expedition 33 features turn-based combat enhanced with real-time actions, giving it a similar flow to what you can get out of Baldur’s Gate 3. It also has well-written characters and beautiful graphics, making it equally immersive to ensure you’ll lose just as many hours to it as you did Baldur’s Gate 3. In terms of games that hold up after experiencing 2023’s Game of the Year, Clair Obscur takes the crown.

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