The battle for the top of the box office this week comes down to guys talking about family with cars for guys talking about family with spaceships. And while the cars won as the new release, the spaceships did very well for a third week and may have better legs. Both, of course, starred Vin Diesel. Fast X opened for $67M, just $3M shy of the opening for Fast 9. The film is doing well with audiences, scoring 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, but the critics score is only 54%. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 made $32.7M in its third weekend more than either of the previous two entries did in their third weekend. And a lot of the premium theaters and IMAX moved to Fast X making the number even more impressive. Plus the 87% critic rating and 94% audience rating shows the film has a few more good weekends ahead of it. The juggernaut that is the Super Mario Bros Movie continues to add to its total with another $9.8M while Book Club: Next Chapter took fourth place with $3M. Perhaps they should’ve invited Diesel to the book club? And the little horror story that could continues to churn out tickets as Evil Dead Rise grabs another $2.4M in fifth place on its fifth weekend. Fast vs Guardians should stay the big fight for another weekend before Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse opens on June 2nd. 

Were you surprised to see Knull, the eldritch god of darkness that created the alien symbiotes in the Marvel Universe, as the main villain in the Venom: The Last Dance trailer? So were Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman, the writer and artist who created the character for the comics. Stegman was the first to tweet out, saying: “Yes, I did co-create Knull. No, I didn’t know until today that he was gonna be in Venom: The Last Dance. Yes, I do expect to finally be able to afford that lazy river moat around my house.” While Cates took a simpler approach, posting an image of the word MONEY done in the same logo font as the film and the simple message, “lol”. Historically the deals for creators weren’t great when it came to the characters being adapted to other media, but with Knull being created in 2018, it is possible their contracts addressed this likelihood since the MCU had been around ten years by then. The third and final Tom Hardy led Venom film is slated to be in theaters October 25th.    

Tim Blake Nelson is returning to the MCU after 16 years to reprise his role as Samuel Sterns aka The Leader, a classic villain from the Incredible Hulk comics. Nelson appeared as Sterns in the 2008 film opposite Ed Norton and Liv Tyler and wasn’t sure he would ever get to pick up where the character had left off. He told The Hollywood Reporter: “Being brought back into the MCU by [Marvel producers] Kevin [Feige] and Nate [Moore] and Kyana [F. Davidson] to be a villain alongside Giancarlo [Esposito] against Anthony Mackey has been a great honor. It’s been a really interesting adventure. I was heartbroken when it seemed I wasn’t going to come back as The Leader, but now I’m glad it took 16 years because it’s made the character more interesting. And I’ve gotten to do a lot of other great stuff during those 16 years that maybe wouldn’t have come my way if I had played the lead villain character in a Hulk sequel two years after Edward Norton’s Hulk.” He also mentioned the rumored significant reshoots the film has gone through. “Well, we’re done. I’ve shot it. I’ve actually shot it twice because I did it originally a year ago, and then we came back and redid a lot of it at the beginning of it this summer.” We’ll finally see Nelson’s return and just how the Hulk’s blood affected him in February with the release of Captain America: Brave New World.   

Potential Spoilers for Agatha All Along!....One of the big mysteries for the upcoming Agatha All Along series is the identity of Joe Locke’s “Teen” character. Believed by many to be Billy Kaplan, one of Wanda Maximoff’s two children she created while in the hex, Billy in the comics grows up to be the hero named Wiccan. In the trailer Marvel goes out of its way to avoid showing the characters name or even seeing him mouth the word… but a report says that if you go to Disney+ and watch the trailer with subtitles on it also refers to him as “Teen” … until you change the language choice. The non-English subtitles have him listed as “Billy” whenever he speaks. If this is the Billy we met in WandaVision now even further grown up, then it opens up a lot of questions like what is he hoping to get from the Witches Road and where is his brother Tommy? Oh… and how is he even alive since he was a creation of the Hex? There’s still a lot of other mysteries to reveal in the show.  

If you are confused at exactly what is happening with DC Studios, you’re not alone. As of right now, The Creature Commandos animated series will be released on December 5th and marks the start of the James Gunn / Peter Safran era, the first chapter if you will, called “Gods & Monsters”. So, this should be really simple and everything before this should be put aside… or is it? The next property in line is Superman which will be released in July and that has moved into post-production as filming has wrapped. Gunn has moved on to the next project, Peacemaker Season 2… and that’s where the confusion starts. John Cena is returning as Peacemaker, a role he played in both the previous season and the Suicide Squad film that was directed by Gunn. Those have to be part of the new DC Studios then, right? Unclear. Oh, and Viola Davis played Amanda Waller in both of those and she’s going to get her own series as well… and she played Waller in Black Adam. Do those tie into the new universe? Wasn’t Henry Cavill in Black Adam as Superman? Is Zack Snyder’s Justice League part of this continuity? Gunn will go on social media and debunk rumors or make it very clear that no DC Studios project will go into production until the script is complete because he is stressing quality. But he hasn’t explained how the new continuity works. Sure, DC Comics did a line-wide reboot a few times and no one would have a problem with that happening here, but there hasn’t been a specific Crisis point… unless you’re counting whatever the ending of The Flash was supposed to be and if that’s the case, I hope at some point Gunn and Safran will make it clear to the fans. Otherwise, he’s not really starting with the clean brake he seems to think it is and it’s just going to leave fans confused. 

This fall, Zachary Quinto is returning to television in a new series called Brilliant Minds, inspired by the life of Dr. Oliver Sacks, the late neurologist and writer that was also the inspiration for the character played by Robin Williams in the film Awakenings. Quinto, who got his start on television with the series Heroes, rose to even hire fame when he took on the role of Spock in the J.J. Abrams reboot of Star Trek. In those films, Quinto was part of the “Kelvin” timeline which also saw Leonard Nimoy reprise his role as Spock from the “Prime” timeline which allowed the two Spocks to interact and also lead to a close relationship between the two actors. Quinto told Variety, "The relationship that I shared with Leonard Nimoy still has reverberations to this day. As a result of Leonard, I became very, very close with his wife Susan." Susan Bay Nimoy is also an actor, having made her debut in 1963 on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and among her various 30 projects were two episodes of the spinoff series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Most recently she wrote, directed and appeared in the 2018 short, Eve. Now she will be appearing with her friend in his new series. Quinto said of her role, "She plays a woman who suffers from a condition that causes her to experience hypersexuality. So she's an 80-year-old nymphomaniac. She did such a great job. She was an actress like 40 years ago. … I just know her so well, and I know where she is in her life. She's 81 years old. She's one of the most vibrant, open, curious people I've ever met." Brilliant Minds debuts on NBC September 23rd. 

While appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, James McAvoy was talking about his 2016 M. Night Shyamalan film Split and how little time he had to prepare for it. It turns out that he only boarded the film after Joaquin Phoenix left the production just two weeks before filming began. McAvoy said, “Sometimes coming in last minute is the best way. I think he ditched it two weeks before they started shooting. It was really last minute. I had two weeks. The script was well put together so a lot of it was pretty clear what I wanted to do straight away. There were a couple of characters that took a little bit longer to find. Patricia came real quick, Dennis came real quick. Hedwig took a little while. It wasn’t until the read-through for the table read which I was really nervous for. I’m sitting there like, ‘God, I’ve got to do all these 15 characters and be judged by everybody in the room, including Universal studio executives including Jason Blum, and I haven’t even found some of the characters.’ It just came on really quick.” This story was brought up because of Phoenix storming off the set of Todd Hayne’s film in July five days before production was to begin, a gay romance with Danny Ramirez, which now has completely stopped production. McAvoy added about Phoenix, “He’s an amazing actor. I think he’d give a very different performance to the one I did, but I think he’d give an incredible performance.” 

Although Goonies never say die, there are few other words to describe the hopes for a potential sequel. Corey Feldman and Martha Plimpton, who starred together in Steven Spielberg‘s The Goonies (1985), recently responded to reports that a sequel to the beloved movie is in the works with the original cast expected to return. “2’SDAY, IS #GOONIES2 REAL?! EVERY1 IS ASKING…I CAN OFFICIALLY TELL U 100% NO! I HAV NO INFO THAT A SEQUEL IS IN THE WORX,” wrote Feldman on X, promoting the long-awaited premiere of his 2004 film The Birthday. Plimpton also shot down the news while using the opportunity to engage fans in their civic duty. “People, there is no Goonies 2 script, there is no one ‘attached,’ Spielberg is not directing, it’s not real,” she shared in a post on Instagram. “What IS real is CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION AND VOTE!!!!” Their posts came after The Sun reported that a sequel was in the works at Warner Bros., expecting to film next summer and premiere in 2026 or 2027. Their posts come after The Sun reported that a sequel was in the works at Warner Bros., expecting to film next summer and premiere in 2026 or 2027. (via Deadline)

This January, prepare for jungle action, untamed romance, and more in ROGUE: THE SAVAGE LAND! The new X-book will be written by Tim Seeley (Venom War: Wolverine) and drawn by new artist sensation and Marvel Art Atelier winner Zulema Lavina in her Marvel Comics debut. The five-issue limited series will take fans back to Chris Claremont and Jim Lee’s legendary Uncanny X-Men #269 and #274-275 where Rogue embarked on a wild journey in the Savage Land, began her passionate relationship with Magneto, and sported her now iconic Savage Land look! It’s a pivotal chapter in Rogue’s history, and at long last, readers will experience the whole story! The X-Man called Rogue has always been a survivor, but without her mutant powers she’ll need to prove it like never before! As the Savage Land turns towards war, Rogue will need all her skills to survive dinosaurs, mutates, and the Master of Magnetism himself! “In these five issues, I get to utilize my love for 80s X-Men, Jim Lee, Chris Claremont, Zabu, scantily clad heroines (and heroes!) and probably most importantly: DINOSAURS,” Seeley said. “Alongside my collaborator Zulema Lavina, we're going to deliver something fresh, while honoring the impossibly sexy and epic classic tale of a young Rogue, and two of the weirdest allies a girl from Mississippi could ask for: Magneto and Ka-Zar." Check out Kaare Andrews’ cover and preorder ROGUE: THE SAVAGE LAND at your local comic shop today!

BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at MINOR ARCANA #2, from one of the most renowned creators in comics, New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award-winning writer and artist Jeff Lemire, along with the incomparable letterer Steve Wands. MINOR ARCANA is his first ever creator-owned, ongoing series at BOOM! Studios, with an oversized opening chapter of the supernatural, coming to comic shops October 2024. Jeff Lemire continues his monumental new creator-owned series, as Theresa enters the frightening memories of the dead, searching for peace for a desperate client of her late mother. Liminal and lacking luminance beyond her darkest nightmares, the trance she’s trapped in is unfortunately exactly where she needs to be. However, Theresa’s anger and unhealed past, combined with the revelation of magic being very real, will do more than muddy the waters, not to mention a dark figure trailing her from just beyond the light’s edge… MINOR ARCANA #2 continues the first of the four major story arcs of the new ongoing series from Jeff Lemire and BOOM! Studios. Mirroring the suits of a tarot deck, the story arcs will be collected into The Book of Wands, The Book of Swords, The Book of Cups, and The Book of Pentacles respectively. MINOR ARCANA #2 features main cover art by series creator Jeff Lemire, and variant covers by highly acclaimed illustrators Reiko Murakami (Ghostlore), Matías Bergara (Coda), and Mike Del Mundo (Animal Pound). Additionally, each issue of MINOR ARCANA will feature a special tarot card variant cover illustrated by Jeff Lemire culminating in a full tarot deck at the end of the series! MINOR ARCANA is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney; Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera; bestselling horror anthology Hello Darkness; Grim by Stephanie Phillips and Flaviano; Stuff of Nightmares by R.L. Stine and A.L. Kaplan; A Vicious Circle by Mattson Tomlin and Lee Bermejo; Ghostlore by Cullen Bunn and Leomacs; Rare Flavours by Ram V and Filipe Andrade; Underheist by David and Maria Lapham; Animal Pound by Tom King and Peter Gross; and the upcoming Vicarious by Ryan Parrott and Eleonora Carlini; and The Creeping Below by Brian Azzarello and Vanesa Del Rey. The imprint also publishes popular licensed properties, including Dune: House Corrino from Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Simone Ragazzoni; Mighty Morphin Power Rangers by Melissa Flores and Simona Di Gianfelice; and The Expanse: Dragon Tooth by Andy Diggle, Rubine, and Francesco Pisa. MINOR ARCANA #2 will be available in comic shops October 9, 2024. It is available for pre-order at your local comic shop. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play.

Minor Arcana #2 A Main: AUG240026

Minor Arcana #2 B Variant: AUG240027

Minor Arcana #2 C 1:10 INCV Tarot Card Variant: AUG240028

Minor Arcana #2 D 1:25 INCV: AUG240029

Minor Arcana #2 E FOC Reveal Variant: AUG240030

Minor Arcana #2 F Unlockable Variant: AUG240031

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The creators of Knull weren't aware that the King in Black was going to be in Venom: The Last Dance. After appearing in various media, the Marvel villain seems set to be the main big-bad in Venom: The Last Dance, the third film in Sony Pictures' Venom trilogy. The movie's final trailer which dropped yesterday was thought to give fans a quick glimpse of Knull, which came as a surprise to the villain's creators. Artist Ryan Stegman and writer Donny Cates were just as surprised as fans when Knull seemingly appeared in the trailer. "Yes, I did co-create Knull. No, I didn't know until today that he was gonna be in Venom: The Last Dance. Yes, I do expect to finally be able to afford that lazy river moat around my house," Stegman wrote on X. Replies to his post join in on the "lazy river moat" joke referring to how much (or how little) Marvel creators make when their creations are adapted into other media. Cates also got some jokes off, writing, "You guys, I just had the weirdest dream….," following up with the word "MONEY" written in the Venom logo font. In its reporting, ComicBook.com mentioned, despite the trailer, that Knull has not officially been confirmed for Venom: The Last Dance.