It’s a team-up for the ages, as we finally see Godzilla and Kong join forces to take down a ferocious foe in the first trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.The latest feature film entry in Warner Bros./Legendary Entertainment‘s MonsterVerse follows the events of Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), where fans got to see the two apex kaijus finally fight for supremacy. From the trailer, The New Empire delves deeper into the mysteries of the Hollow Earth and the reveal of a Titan menace that will necessitate the alliance of Godzilla and Kong. The New Empire was originally slated to hit theaters March 15, 2024, but was moved to April 12, 2024. (via THR)Trailer: https://youtu.be/lV1OOlGwExM

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

a

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.

Gil Thorp, the veteran funnies-page high-school coach, is getting new help on the sidelines. Rachel Merrill takes over the drawing duties on the long-running comic strip, set on the playing fields of the fictional Milford High School starting September 30 — the first time “Gil Thorp” will have been drawn by a new artist in more than 16 years. Rod Whigham, who has sketched the adventures of Thorp since 2008, will step down from the role. Merrill has contributed to The New Yorker, Bright Wall/Dark Room, Vinegar Syndrome, and Southwest Review. She has worked as a storyboard artist for brands including Ulta Beauty and NBA x Meta, and in the animation industry, where she worked as rotoscope artist for the independent film “Quantum Cowboys.” (via Variety)

Warner Bros. has its work cut out for it before Todd Phillips‘ divisive sequel Joker: Folie à Deux opens in North American theaters three weeks from now. The movie starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga is tracking for a domestic opening of $70 million-plus, at least $10 million behind tracking for the first Joker, which went on to shatter records in launching to $96.2 million domestically in 2019. Prerelease tracking is hardly an exact science, and numerous movies of late have opened well ahead of predictions. But there’s no question that Joker 2 has raised eyebrows, and earned mixed reviews, for its genre-busting storyline after making its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Rarely does one see a film described as a “crime drama musical thriller” on IMDb, possibly confusing the everyday superhero fan. In this sequel, Phoenix returns in the titular role, while Gaga joins the cast in a part inspired by the comic book character Harley Quinn. The duo are known for their toxic romantic relationship in the comics, with the title Folie à Deux referencing the medical term for an identical or similar mental disorder impacting two or more people. The film’s supporting cast includes Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and Zazie Beetz. (via The Hollywood Reporter)

After world premiering his Angelina Jolie-helmed war drama Without Blood at the Toronto Film Festival, Academy Award nominee Demián Bichir has come aboard for a role in The Black Phone 2, Universal’s sequel to its 2021 horror hit from director Scott Derrickson. Details as to Bichir’s role are being kept under wraps, as is the follow-up’s plot. As Deadline was first to report, original cast members Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies and Miguel Mora are all set to return, along with Derrickson, who again co-wrote the script with partner C. Robert Cargill. Slated for release in theaters on October 17, 2025, the sequel will be produced by Derrickson, Cargill, and Blumhouse‘s Jason Blum. Joe Hill, writer of the short story on which the first film was based, serves as executive producer.