During the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct on April 2, the original Chibi-Robo game was revealed to be coming to Switch 2 via the Nintendo Classics service for “Nintendo Switch Onlne + Expansion Pack” subscribers. And now it’s here!

Chibi-Robo is a 4-inch-tall robot who’s arrived at the Sanderson house with the goal of helping the family get the most out of life and find happiness. Day or night, he’ll help however he can, whether that’s by cleaning or looking for lost items. In this chibi action-adventure title originally released for the Nintendo GameCube system in 2006, you’ll aim for the top of the Chibi-Rankings by gathering Happy Points and Moolah (aka money)! It’s rumored that Chibi-Robo will become Super Chibi-Robo if he reaches the top of the rankings…but between a daughter who only speaks in the language of frogs and toys that come alive when humans aren’t around, Chibi-Robo has his work cut out for him in the mystery-packed Sanderson house!

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Superman, DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.

DC Studios heads Peter Safran and Gunn are producing the film, which Gunn directs from his own screenplay, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

The film stars David Corenswet (Twisters, Hollywood) in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult (the X-Men movies, Juror #2) as Lex Luthor. The film also stars Edi Gathegi (For All Mankind), Anthony Carrigan (Barry, Gotham), Nathan Fillion (the Guardians of the Galaxy films, The Suicide Squad), Isabela Merced (Alien Romulus), Skyler Gisondo (Licorice Pizza, Booksmart), Sara Sampaio (At Midnight), María Gabriela de Faría (The Moodys), Wendell Pierce (Selma, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan), Alan Tudyk (Andor), Pruitt Taylor Vince (Bird Box) and Neva Howell (Greedy People).

Superman is executive produced by Nikolas Korda, Chantal Nong Vo and Lars Winther. Behind the camera, Gunn is joined by frequent collaborators, including director of photography Henry Braham, production designer Beth Mickle, costume designer Judianna Makovsky and composer John Murphy, along with composer David Fleming (The Last of Us) and editors William Hoy (The Batman) and Craig Alpert (Deadpool 2, Blue Beetle).

DC Studios Presents a Troll Court Entertainment/The Safran Company Production, A James Gunn Film, Superman, which will be in theaters and IMAX nationwide on July 11, 2025, and internationally beginning July 9, 2025, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Superman flies again: a new look from CinemaCon

Krypto, take us home. #Superman – Only in Theaters July 11 “Superman,” DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind. DC Studios heads Peter Safran and Gunn are producing the film, which Gunn directs from his own screenplay, based on characters from DC, Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film stars David Corenswet (“Twisters,” “Hollywood”) in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult (the “X-Men” movies, “Juror #2”) as Lex Luthor. The film also stars Edi Gathegi (“For All Mankind”), Anthony Carrigan (“Barry,” “Gotham”), Nathan Fillion (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “The Suicide Squad”), Isabela Merced (“Alien Romulus”), Skyler Gisondo (“Licorice Pizza,” “Booksmart”), Sara Sampaio (“At Midnight”), María Gabriela de Faría (“The Moodys”), Wendell Pierce (“Selma,” “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan”), Alan Tudyk (“Andor”), Pruitt Taylor Vince (“Bird Box”) and Neva Howell (“Greedy People”). “Superman” is executive produced by Nikolas Korda, Chantal Nong Vo and Lars Winther. Behind the camera, Gunn is joined by frequent collaborators, including director of photography Henry Braham, production designer Beth Mickle, costume designer Judianna Makovsky and composer John Murphy, along with editors William Hoy (“The Batman”), Jason Ballantine (the “IT” films, “The Flash”) and Craig Alpert (“Deadpool 2,” “Blue Beetle”). “Superman” will be in theaters and IMAX nationwide on July 11, 2025, and internationally beginning 9 July 2025, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Krypto to the rescue in first Superman teaser trailer

Watch the teaser – and listen to John Williams’ iconic score!

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Grave of the Fireflies is Studio Ghibli Fest 2025’s next feature, coming to cinemas Aug. 10-12. The fish-out-of-water “Little Mermaid” tale Ponyo is then next later in the month, Aug. 23-27.

Studio Ghibli Fest is back for 2025 with a lineup of eight features from the beloved catalog of Studio Ghibli, in celebration of the historic animation house’s 40th anniversary. This year’s lineup highlights the works of studio co-founders Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, as well as Oscar-nominated Arrietty director Hiromasa Yonebayashi.

Original Japanese and English dubbed screenings are available, and will include “surprise special extra content.”

Here’s the full lineup:

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

At a time when books are continuing to be targeted for removal, educators and librarians are under attack, and the very freedom to read is at risk, communities across the nation are joining together for Right to Read Night, a powerful evening of discussion, reflection, and action.

Taking place during Banned Books Week (Oct. 5–11, 2025), Right to Read Night will bring neighbors, educators, students, and book lovers together to engage in meaningful conversation about literature, censorship, and free expression.

This year’s featured book is Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, a deeply moving historical novel that tells the story of an enslaved teenager’s fight for freedom during the American Revolution. Chains is just one of thousands of books that have been challenged or banned in recent years. Its removal from shelves is a reminder of the urgent need to protect the stories that broaden our understanding of history and humanity.

Right to Read Night events will explore why this book matters, the dangers of censorship, and how individuals can stand up for intellectual freedom. Local organizers will follow a simple guide provided in the Right to Read Night Toolkit, making it easy for anyone to host an event in their community. 

“The right to read is fundamental to a free society. We cannot allow voices, especially those telling stories of struggle and resilience, to be silenced,” said Christine Emeran, Director of the Youth Free Expression Program.

How to Get Involved:

• Host your own Right to Read Night using the free toolkit at righttoreadnight.com/toolkit
• Attend a local event in your area during Banned Books Week
• Share your experience on social media with the hashtag #RightToReadNight

For more information on hosting or finding a Right to Read Night event, visit righttoreadnight.com. 

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

When the mysterious deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot crash-lands on Earth, Wendy (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat in FX’s Alien: Earth.

In the year 2120, the Earth is governed by five corporations: Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic and Threshold. In this corporate era, cyborgs (humans with both biological and artificial parts) and synthetics (humanoid robots with artificial intelligence) exist alongside humans. But the game is changed when the wunderkind founder and CEO of Prodigy Corporation unlocks a new technological advancement: hybrids (humanoid robots infused with human consciousness). The first hybrid prototype named “Wendy” marks a new dawn in the race for immortality. After Weyland-Yutani’s spaceship collides into Prodigy City, Wendy and the other hybrids encounter mysterious life-forms more terrifying than anyone could have ever imagined.

Alien: Earth premieres on FX, Hulu Aug. 12

Alien: Earth will premiere the first of its eight episodes Aug. 12 on FX and Hulu.

A new synopsis (and tongue-in-cheek Earth Day advert) have been released for Alien: Earth, FX’s new series coming this summer:

When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat in FX’s highly anticipated TV series Alien: Earth from creator Noah Hawley.

Alien: Earth is set in 2120 when five corporations – Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic and Threshold – wield the power of nations, and proprietary advancements in technology provide the promise of a new tomorrow.

Lead by Chandler, the series showcases an expansive international cast which includes Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant, Essie Davis, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, David Rysdahl, Adrian Edmondson, Adarsh Gourav, Jonathan Ajayi, Erana James, Lily Newmark, Diem Camille and Moe Bar-El.

A purr-fect new look at FX’s Alien: Earth series …

More about Alien: Earth:

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Take your family on an interstellar adventure with Disney and Pixar’s Elio on Aug. 19 via digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home and Sept. 9 on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD.
 
The latest chapter in Disney and Pixar’s storytelling legacy will fulfill your sense of wonder about outer space when alien-obsessed Elio Solís suddenly has a close encounter of the intergalactic kind. After trying everything to contact extraterrestrials, Elio is thrilled when they not only respond, but beam him up to their cosmic “Communiverse”. Imagine his surprise when other planetary powers-that-be assume he is the leader of Earth! Elio’s experience in the Communiverse not only expands his horizons but teaches him how important it is to build connections with loved ones back on Earth.
 
Disney and Pixar’s Elio is “fun and full of heart and humor!” (Scott Mantz, KTLA-TV) and will be spectacular in both sight and sound in home-viewing with 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Digital visuals and Atmos audio. The digital and
Blu-ray offer hours of exclusive bonus content including astronautic and artistic featurettes plus a gag reel, deleted scenes, and a peek at Pixar’s Easter Egg inclusions. The 4K UHD will be available in a collectible limited edition SteelBook with astronomically appealing artwork and packaging, displaying the beauty and wonder of Elio’s adventure, along with a couple of his new extraterrestrial friends.

Bonus Features*

• Inside the Communiverse: The World and Characters of Elio – Launch behind the scenes with the cast and crew to get an in-depth look at the design and development of our meteoric main characters, as well as the making of all the celestial environments that make up Elio‘s universe.
• Out of This World: An Astro Q&A – Calling all space enthusiasts! Voice actors Yonas Kibreab (Elio) and Remy Edgerly (Glordon) meet with a real-life astronaut to discuss space travel, possible alien life on other planets, and why it’s important to study space.
• Astronomic Art Class: Ooooo and Glordon – Join Nicolle Castro, the lead story artist, as she shares her role on the film and guides viewers through drawing a couple of the film’s interstellar characters, Ooooo and Glordon.
• Extraterrestrial Easter Eggs and Fun Facts – Uncover the references and characters from some of your favorite Pixar films hidden throughout Elio, along with other fun facts. 
• Galactic Gag Reel  – Discover the fun inside the recording booth with the starry voice actors from Disney and Pixar’s Elio as they bring their characters to life with some entertaining laughs.
• Deleted Scenes – Check out the scenes that didn’t make the final cut:
  • Bike Chase
  • Garden Party
  • Carver Legend
  • Questa’s Second Test
  • Home Visit

*Bonus features may vary by product and retailer

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Nintendo of America is partnering with the Interstate Scholastic Esports Alliance (ISEA) to make gaming competitions more social, accessible, and rewarding.

Starting this fall, the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Splatoon 3 games for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch – OLED Model systems will be used for school-organized tournaments and events for grades 4 through 12, reaching over 80,000 elementary, middle, and high school students across 23 states. Nintendo of America and the ISEA are excited to offer students another way to gather in the name of fun and friendly competition. As part of the partnership, Nintendo will provide a large quantity of Nintendo Switch Online memberships and digital game download codes at no cost.

“We are so excited to partner with Nintendo as we continue to grow and expand competitive gaming opportunities for students across the country,” said ISEA President Danielle Johnson. “Games are a fun, communal experience. We want to make gaming accessible to as many students as possible regardless of their previous gaming experience. School-based gaming programs connect students that may have not been involved in social competitive activities before, and every student deserves a place to belong at school. These programs not only raise student attendance and achievement but also help students build healthy relationships that can last a lifetime.”

In November 2023, Nintendo of America reorganized its official guidelines and application portal for individual competitive gaming event organizers. The goal was to make the process of hosting not-for-profit, small-scale community tournaments involving games for which Nintendo owns the copyright easier and more transparent. This partnership with the ISEA is yet another way to help build and support an engaged and connected gaming community.

“We support kids who want to celebrate their passion – or discover a new passion – by getting involved in memorable cooperative and competitive play experiences,” says Bill Trinen, Vice President of Player and Product Experience at Nintendo of America. “Working closely with the ISEA ensures that we are creating a fun experience that is open to everyone.”

To find the organization that is building esports in your state, and to learn more about the ISEA, please visit the Interstate Scholastic Esports Alliance official website: www.iseaesports.org.

Additional information on official Nintendo tournament guidelines is available here: https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/63433/~/community-tournament-guidelines

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant star in The Sixth Doctor Adventures: Bad Terms, a brand-new box set of full-cast audio drama, released today from Big Finish Productions.

Two amazing audio adventures are in store for the splendid Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) and his companion Peri Brown (Nicola Bryant) in today’s new box set release Bad Terms – and each is a feature-length epic!

The set begins with a swashbuckler of a tale – in the 18th century, the time travellers meet Irish pirate queen Saoirse O’Grady (Rebecca O’Mara, known for Line of Duty and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice). Threatening to sink her is naval officer Sir Kenneth Rushworth (Gareth David-Lloyd, fresh from his Big Finish audio adventures as Torchwood’s Ianto Jones and making his Doctor Who debut here) – not to mention the alien interlopers!

Then, in the second story, a jump forward in time takes the Doctor and Peri to that most dangerous of places – an English public school. Undercover as teachers, they discover a strange extraterrestrial scheme, and a surprising connection to the Doctor’s past.

Doctor Who – The Sixth Doctor Adventures: Bad Terms is available to purchase now for just £19.99 (download to own) or £24.99 (download to own + collector’s edition CD). The collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,500 copies and will not be re-pressed.

The two brand-new 90-minute adventures for the Doctor and Peri are:

“Saiorse of the Seven Seas” by Nina Millns

Saoirse O’Grady, Queen of the Irish Sea, teams up with the brave Captain Peri (and her lowly second-in-command, the Doctor) to fight for justice for her people and her homeland. But her English foe, Sir Kenneth Rushworth, doesn’t just have the law on his side – he has allies not of this Earth. Allies who have a very particular interest in Saoirse…

“Red for Danger!” by Nev Fountain

New teachers Dr Pretorius (History) and Professor Brown (Biology) find a lot to alarm them at one of the most menacing places they’ve ever visited – a traditional English public school. Finding aliens among both staff and pupils, can they solve the mystery of Malcolm – a boy whose connection to the Doctor is closer than the Time Lord could ever imagine…?

The cast of Saiorse of the Seven Seas also includes Barnaby Edwards as Xeneroth, Amanda Shodeko as Adria, Laurie Kynaston as Smirton, Tom Haywood as His Utmost Eminence, and Ayesha Antoine as Lookout/Pirate.

And, Red for Danger! features Charlie Hamblett as Malcolm Travers, Andre James as Reggie Biggs, Akshay Khanna as Darius Strangerman, Jason Forbes as Forbes Minor, David Holt as The Headmaster/Andigor Birch, and Martin Kor as Doctor Drylake.

Colin Baker said: “I do enjoy the historical stories! And I was amazed to discover that Saoirse is not real – I believed her totally, and that’s a tribute to Rebecca, who’s made her very, very real.”

Nicola Bryant added: “It’s great for Doctor Who to head off to the seas with our fake history. It’s wonderful to get that pirate feel, all the joy and the fun, and for Peri to have a sense briefly of feeling like she’s the captain. Of course, she was a queen of a planet, but it’s nice for her to exercise this back on Earth!”

And guest star Gareth David-Lloyd said: “This is my first Doctor Who Big Finish! It was great fun for me and a lovely change from playing Ianto Jones. It was especially lovely working with Colin’s larger-than-life doctor – my character is quite shouty and brash as well, so that was lots of fun.”

Big Finish listeners can save money by purchasing Bad Terms in a multibuy bundle with the previous Sixth Doctor Adventures box set (The Cosmos and Mrs Clarke) for just £38 (download to own) or £47 (download to own + collector’s edition CD box set).

Alternatively, listeners can buy this release as part of a bundle of all 15 Classic Doctor Who box sets released in 2025 from just £285 (download to own) or £352.50 (download to own + collector’s edition CD).

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

A new dawn is approaching. The Grand Line is no place for the faint of heart. Brace yourselves, ONE PIECE INTO THE GRAND LINE sets sail in 2026! And looks like Season 3 Production is kicking off.

ONE PIECE INTO THE GRAND LINE sets sail 2026.

ONE PIECE is a Netflix live action adaptation of the world’s most popular manga by Eiichiro Oda. An epic pirate blockbuster adventure on the high seas, the story follows the adventures of Luffy, an enthusiastic young man with the singular aspiration of becoming King of the Pirates. A cultural phenomenon with millions of passionate fans around the globe, ONE PIECE is an expansive ongoing story about a group of misfits with a dream of joining together to become Luffy’s loyal crew, the Straw Hats. The live-action series is executive produced by series creator Eiichiro Oda (also known as Oda-Sensei), created in partnership with Shueisha, and produced by Tomorrow Studios and Netflix.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

My Maker Mantras: ‘The Reality of Anything’

Russ Kazmierczak Jr.

Nerdvana presents Small Press Saturday – aka, Lessons Learned Self-Publishing Comics

If you told me 20 years ago that I’d be able to listen to Agent Fox Mulder talk to Iron Man, I wouldn’t have believed you. Fortunately, in 2025, we live in a world where He-Man has officially teamed up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Superman and Fantastic Four movies have come out within weeks of each other, and David Duchovny has a podcast. A few weeks ago, Duchovny’s guest was Robert Downey Jr.

On the July 22 episode of Fail Better with David Duchovny, Duchovny reminisces about his experience on the set of the movie Chaplin, and the intimidation that could’ve come from working with amazing actors like Dan Ackroyd and Kevin Kline. RDJ agrees with a statement that struck me as a mantra, not just for film-making, but for every kind of art:

“If you want to lose the intimidation factor, go see the reality of anything.”

What relieved Downey and Duchovny at that early stage of their respective careers was beholding stalwarts like Ackroyd and Kline as human beings, dealing with the work in real time versus simply beholding its results on the silver screen. Their performances may always look effortless, but we the audience aren’t privy to variables like scheduling and mood – all of the internal and external obstacles an artist faces in the midst of a project. Ideally, the audience should never be privy to such things.

When I read comics as a kid, I saw the creators’ names in the credits and wondered who these people were. Who were the men and women responsible for crafting these stories I loved so much? Surely, they’re rock stars, getting to work on comic books about the most famous superheroes in the world! How could I, even now, with my self-published minicomics, ever compare to the likes of Alan Grant and Norm Breyfolgle on Batman, or David Michelinie and Erik Larsen on Amazing Spider-Man?

RDJ called it the intimidation factor, but the more common description is imposter syndrome – comparing yourself to the most accomplished or admired in your field, and feeling you’ll never measure up. As I’ve grown older and had opportunities to see what the comics industry is really like – its reality – I’ve realized how little difference the creative process is for someone working on Superman, versus a self-publisher like me. At the end of the day, anyone working in comics is most likely toiling at the keyboard or the drawing board in a home office or studio, alone. 

Ironically, the solitary nature of making comics is a unifying factor, as cartoonists become more aware of its strain on mental and physical health. The tragic passing of Ed Piskor is an example of the former, and of Peter David, the latter. Sadly, for people who craft stories about Wonder Woman and the Hulk, the last thing some of them create is the GoFundMe for their medical expenses. As independent contractors, health care benefits don’t come with the job, so when illness or injury strikes, the struggle is real. That’s the reality that RDJ was talking about.

In this case, the problem is also the solution. Acknowledging the reality of the situation helps develop a mentality to face it, and overcome it. Community and movement are essential to any cartoonist that sits and draws all day – and that’s probably true for many artists working in multiple media. I make an effort to write or draw away from the home studio periodically, and I’ll usually meet a friend at a local coffee shop to share the experience. I’ve also begun walking to those meet-ups, if the cafe is close enough, for the myriad reasons walking is beneficial. Those simple measures add a layer of self-health that is otherwise forsaken in the stagnant, solitary routine at home.

Also, thinking about resources for mental and physical health care when you need them least assures they’ll be there when you need them most. I know this isn’t the most romantic notion when considering art as a full time job, but ignoring it actually demeans the concept of “artist” as a “job,” at all. Most other jobs have benefits packages, so if being an artist is real work, it should include all of those supplemental considerations, too. By allowing yourself the time and effort to have those resources, you give others the impression that your art isn’t some side hustle – it’s your occupation. 

Anything with a glamorous veneer has an underbelly of reality. How appropriate that Duchovny and Downey were the actors to remind me of that. Fox Mulder was most at home exploring the unknown, and Tony Stark was determined to solve the world’s problems with a suit of armor around the world. As artists, if we dare to explore the often unexplored variables in the career of making art, then resolve to protect ourselves from them, maybe we’d be the ones causing intimidation in our culture today. Imagine, pursuing your dreams – with a safety net for the pitfalls of reality? That’s a dream in itself!  

Nerdvana may earn a small share of sales made via links from this article.

Content by Russ Kazmierczak Jr. originally published on Nerdvana

At this past Evolution 2025 tournament, attendees got the opportunity to play not only demos of major games such as Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls and 2XKO, but also a selection of independent titles from small and passionate teams. One such entry was a platform fighter called Combo Devils, a project from the studio Punkzilla. 

Cordell Felix is the functioning CEO, Creative Director, Game Director, and 3D artist of the Punkzilla group. He explained that the idea for Combo Devils was born from a fan project being shut down: Project M. Project M was an independent mod for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which Felix himself reportedly worked on, before it was ultimately cancelled after several years of active development. 

The comparisons to Smash are undeniable with Combo Devils. The characters fight on distinct platform environments and fighters carry out bombastic moves that kick opponents off the stage. Where Combo Devils differs however, is the characters look more infused with 90’s Saturday morning cartoon aesthetics and the gameplay carries mechanics seen more commonly in more traditional 2D fighters. It hasn’t come without its share of development difficulties though.

“Stuff like gatling combos, EX specials, air dash cancels, mechanics like that. Designing them in a platform fighter is really hard to make them feel good.” said Felix in a Friday interview. “So that’s something that I think I’m very proud that we’ve been able to like, mesh two together.”

Combo Devils also boasts a dedicated story-driven roguelite mode. Four players can band together to battle through platform stages and take down bosses, while selecting upgrades earned through their progression. The mode is a means of catering to a more general audience, explained Felix, to “allow casual and competitive players play together where skill level isn’t as important.”

The Punkzilla team is populated by seasoned developers from across the videogame industry, all working on Combo Devils in their free time outside of their regular day jobs. Over the past few years, the studio has garnered multiple accolades for the game from the likes of Day of the Devs and the Media Indie Exchange (MIX). That success, combined with the positive attendee reception during events and tournaments, has fueled the Punkzilla team towards their next big step: Kickstarter. 

Punkzilla has pre-launched their Kickstarter, with the intention of the campaign going live within the next few months. Felix explained the funding from the Kickstarter would go towards additional development work with the hopes of getting the game to a 1.0 launch next year.

“It’s really difficult, to be honest, to be a small team. It’s like, we want more and more for this project,” Felix said when asked about the output of Punkzilla without any formal funding. “…[but] we see people smiling and laughing, and figuring out stuff in our game. It feeds us.”

Combo Devils will kick off its campaign on Kickstarter soon. Watch the most recent game trailer below:

Content by Christen Bejar originally published on Nerdvana

The second season of Daleks creator Terry Nation’s other magnup opus Blake’s 7 is coming soon to Blu-ray.

Details are scarce, but this year’s remastered release follow’s Blake’s 7 The Collection: Series 1, which hit the UK last fall. Expect a six-disc set with remastered episodes and a special booklet.

There hasn’t been an official U.S. physical media release since the 1990s. BritBox U.S. also streams the dystopian sci-fi series.

Update! UK physical media collectors can look for Blake’s 7 The Collection: Series 2 on Nov. 10.

INFORMATION – the newly updated and revitalised second season of the iconic BBC sci-fi series is coming to Blu-ray on 10th November 2025. All 13 episodes have been newly remastered from the best available sources, including the original film where available. These stories have never looked or sounded so good on home media.

In the distant future, rebel leader Blake (Gareth Thomas) once again boards the fantastical spacecraft Liberator with his crew, continuing their quest to free the galaxy from the tyrannical rule of the Federation and its Supreme Commander, Servalan.

Special features include:
IN CONVERSATION – Matthew Sweet conducts two new interviews, with Brian Croucher who played Travis, and designer Roger Murray-Leach.
LIBERATION – SERIES 2 – A brand-new feature-length documentary looking back of the making of the series.
ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTARY – Part 2 of the previously unreleased Making Of Blake’s 7, featuring extensive interviews with cast and crew.
JACQUELINE PEARCE TRIBUTE – A look at the life and career of the iconic British actress, who played Servalan.
DAVID JACKSON TRIBUTE – Friends and colleagues remember David Jackson (Gan).
RARE CONVENTION FOOTAGE – Previously unreleased panels with the cast and crew.
NEW AUDIO COMMENTARIES
RARE VISUAL EFFECTS FOOTAGE
HD PHOTO GALLERIES
PDF WRITTEN ARCHIVE
Production paperwork, scripts, studio floorplans and much more, available for the first time.
ARCHIVE TREATS – From the BBC archives.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

The War Master is a very wanted man. With both the Daleks and the Time Lords out to kill him, he decides he’s had enough of the Time War and sets off on a flight across time and space.

But his escape from the front lines provides plenty of opportunities the Master just can’t pass up. From taking charge of an alien school to investigating a legendary planet, there are plenty of opportunities for him to have some fun.

These latest masterful schemes will play out across four brand-new episodes of full-cast audio drama, starring Sir Derek Jacobi as the malevolent Master.

The Worlds of Doctor Who – The War Master: His Greatest Trick is available to pre-order now for just £24.99 (download to own) or £30.99 (download to own + collector’s edition 4-disc CD box set). Note: the collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,250 copies and will not be re-pressed. 

The four devilish new tales for the War Master are:

“The Grievance Bureau” by Lizzie Hopley

Like many a top-class criminal, the Master has been caught on a misdemeanour. Both the Time Lords and the Daleks intend to destroy him forever but they can’t do it alone. Can the two sides of the deadly Time War come together to eradicate a mutual enemy?

But as the Master’s show trial commences, there’s a danger that his ‘misdemeanour’ may not be as minor as they thought…

“Last Girl Standing” by Katharine Armitage

The Master has taken charge of an exclusive alien girls’ school, where he’s lying low in comfort. But when pushed by a suspicious colleague, he weaves a treacherous web around students and teachers alike.

Under the guise of choosing a new Head Girl, the ‘Head Master’ sets off a twisted competition; a race for survival where there can only ever be one winner…

“The Worst of All Evils” by Ian Winterton

Damaged by a Dalek time-destructor, the Master’s TARDIS is spat from the vortex onto Horoka – the hub of Earth Empire’s transmat network, and the site of a refugee camp. Injured, the Master is taken to a hospital run by the ever-hopeful activist Carla Zheng.

Their situation is desperate, but to the Master there is one thing even worse than despair…

“The Blue Shift Ritual” by Adam Christopher

On the run from both the Daleks and the Time Lords, the Master stumbles across an out-of-control time capsule. The crew are on a mission from Ancient Gallifrey to the legendary planet of Arkheparas, where they hope to prevent the Cult of the Infinite from activating their great Engine – a device which the seers foresaw would end all of time. But with both factions of the Time War on his tail, the apocalypse is just what the Master needs…

The guest cast of His Greatest Trick includes Bethany Antonia (House of the Dragon, Doctor Who: The Well), Laura Aikman (Gavin & Stacey), Sèverine Howell-Meri (Hanna), and Darragh Cowley (Masters of the Air), with further names to be announced.

On starting off this epic new story arc for the War Master, writer Lizzie Hopley said: “I like dark stories and the ones I’ve written for Sir Derek Jacobi’s Master are my favourite. To write for such a skilled actor allows you to include layers within lines and scenes which another may miss. The twists and turns in the plot were more challenging than other audios I’ve written and so satisfying to work out.”

And, the final episode’s writer, Adam Christopher, who is best-known as a New York Times bestselling novelist, said: “Writing Doctor Who was always the dream, but I could never have imagined that my first full-cast Big Finish would star one of the greatest British thespians, Sir Derek Jacobi! From start to finish, The Blue Shift Ritual was a total joy, not only to write but to see and hear come to life thanks to Sir Derek’s deliciously devilish performance and the incredible ensemble cast.

“In The Blue Shift Ritual – which takes its title from a line in Paul Cornell’s Timewyrm: Revelation – we get a glimpse of a real Doctor Who rarity: the time travel experiments of Ancient Gallifrey. And if the Master was going to stage his own death, what better way is there than to destroy the entire universe itself?”

His Greatest Trick will be followed by a further volume, Deeds Without Name, in October 2026. This box set will contain four more episodes starring Sir Derek Jacobi and will continue the story arc of the Master on the run from Daleks and Time Lords.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Rating: 9 out of 10.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

I wasn’t certain what I was walking into at the screening of the new fright flick, Weapons, but I’m convinced that the less you know about this movie the more you’ll enjoy it. It turned out to be the best horror movie I’ve seen in ages and easily one of the best films of this year.

If you’ve seen the trailer you know that the story involves the mysterious disappearance of a classroom full of kids, save one, and the suburban drama that ensues. I’m not going to tell you any other details.

Written and directed by Zach Cregger (who also created the excellent film, Barbarian), Weapons is creepy as hell and you never know where the story is going to go next. It’s refreshingly original and expertly constructed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Julia Garner (Wolf Man) plays the unfortunate school teacher whose class vanishes overnight while she gets left holding the bag. She delivers her best performance since the Ozark TV series and shows she still has some serious acting skills to share (beyond surfing the stars in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.)

The incredible cast also includes awesome performances by Josh Brolin as the devastated father of one of the missing students; Benedict Wong as the school’s easygoing principal; Cary Christopher as Alex, the lone survivor of the vanished classroom;  Amy Madigan as Alex’s eccentric aunt; and Austin Abrams as an unlucky drug addict that gets caught up in the community’s craziness.

Weapons succeeds on every level and even packs a lot of humor in-between its horror, an aspect that is sorely missing from many of the films in the genre.  There is also some great music on this soundtrack that is used very effectively, especially George Harrison’s “Beware of Darkness” tune from his 1970 album, All Things Must Pass. The song’s use here is absolutely perfect.

My only (very minor) gripe about this otherwise near perfect film is that, for me, they could have dialed down the gore-factor a couple of notches. The psychological mind-f-ing was going along perfectly fine without having to make anyone sick to their stomach. If you are sensitive to blood and guts, well, you’ve been warned.

It’s been a while since I’ve been this excited about a movie. My advice is to go see it and go see it soon, before anyone spoils it for you. You are in for one a one-of-a-kind thriller that is sure to become an instant classic.

Nerdvana may earn a small share of sales made via links from this article.

Content by Bob Leeper originally published on Nerdvana

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

This fall, fans around the world will celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, one of cinema’s most groundbreaking and provocative films. In honor of the milestone, a wide array of events and tributes are planned to salute the enduring legacy of the genre-defying cult classic.

Based on the stage musical by Richard O’Brien, The Rocky Horror Picture Show shattered conventions with its bold characters, flamboyant style, and infectious rock ’n’ roll soundtrack. Its legendary midnight screenings – featuring shadow casts, fan costumes, and audience call-backs – redefined moviegoing and created a cultural phenomenon. Today, it remains the longest-running theatrical release in film history, with weekly screenings still held around the world.

Events planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show include:

• Sept. 23–Nov. 3 – The Rocky Horror Picture Show Spectacular Tour features appearances, meet and greets and more with original cast members Barry Bostwick, Patricia Quinn and Nell Campbell. The tour will stop in 55 cities across the U.S. and Canada. For information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.scottstander.com/rocky
• Sept. 26 – A special screening of the newly restored 4K version will take place at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ David Geffen Theater, followed by a talent Q&A.
• Sept. 27 – The official Rocky Horror fan convention will take over the world-famous Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood with panel discussions, book signings, artist appearances, and more.
• Oct. – Audiences can experience the newly restored 4K version in theaters throughout the month of October.
• Oct. 4 – Cinespia will present a special screening under the stars at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, featuring an interactive shadow cast, special guests, DJ sets, time warp dance party, giveaways, selfie moments, fan festivities and a free themed photobooth.
• Oct. 7 – The new 4K Blu-ray arrives in a collectible limited-edition SteelBook, featuring stunning Dolby Vision and Atmos® audio for the ultimate viewing experience. A digital version will also be available on platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
• Oct. 10 – A 50th anniversary deluxe edition of the original movie soundtrack will be reissued on 180g red-in-gold vinyl, housed in a heavyweight gold-foil jacket with a newly designed inner sleeve featuring never-before-seen photos and production diary excerpts from producer Richard Hartley.
• Oct. 15 – The GRAMMY Museum will host a special screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, followed by a panel discussion celebrating its iconic soundtrack featuring Fat Mike amongst others!
• This Fall – Commemorative Rocky Horror merchandise – featuring new designs from Funko, Loungefly, RockLove Jewelry, and others – will be released.

Stay tuned for more announcements as the 50th anniversary celebration continues!

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Mina the Hollower, Shovel Knight creator Yacht Club Games’ latest release due out Oct. 31, was previously announced only for Windows PC, Linux and Mac, but has now been confirmed for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PS4 consoles.

Descend into a frightful world of action-adventure as Mina, a renowned Hollower, on a desperate mission to rescue a cursed island. Burrow beneath hazards and monsters, whip foes into oblivion, and gear up with an arsenal of sidearms and trinkets. Explore a vast world filled with pixel-perfect graphics, masterful gameplay, beastly bosses and infectious music. Encounter a cast of bizarre characters, search out secrets and illuminate the omnipresent darkness in this brand-new game from the developers who brought you Shovel Knight.

Start your journey with a free demo of the game, available on Nintendo eShop today, then resume your adventure where you left off when Mina the Hollower launches on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch Oct. 31.

Nearly a year since its last substantial update, Yacht Club Games took the stage at Summer Games Fest in June to unveil a world premiere for their upcoming game, Mina the Hollower.

“Leaning into Mina’s gothic horror roots, the top-down action adventure game is set to launch on Oct. 31.

“The trailer featured fast-paced combat-driven gameplay, shared our game’s official release date, and concluded with the surprise launch of a limited time demo.

“It’s the first official chance to hollow into Mina’s bizarre world full of monsters and mystery. The demo will also participate in Steam Next Fest from June 9-16. It’ll feature the game’s opening stage and conclude with the first major boss fight. Progress made in the demo will carry over to the full game at launch. The demo will be removed after Steam Next Fest.”

One of our most anticipated games of the year, Yacht Club Games’ upcoming new title, Mina the Hollower, takes inspiration from Castlevania, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and Bloodborne, and has fans of those classic adventures and Game Boy Color aesthetics practically salivating with 8-bit anticipation.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

GRADIUS ORIGINS: It’s time to venture into deep space and face off against relentless alien forces in the GRADIUS ORIGINS collection, bringing together 17 versions of six arcade classics: GRADIUS, SALAMANDER, LIFE FORCE, GRADIUS II, GRADIUS III and SALAMANDER 2. This collection also includes the long-awaited GRADIUS III AM Show version, and a brand new entry: SALAMANDER III. Pilot your ship through dangerous enemy lines, upgrade your weapons and master the intense, fast-paced gameplay that is the hallmark of the GRADIUS series. New gameplay features include rewind, save anywhere, reduced hit detection, invincible mode and more.

GRADIUS ORIGINS launches on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and Steam for PC Aug. 7.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

As a lover of alliteration, I can’t help but imagine Jamie Lee Curtis playing the Invisible Woman and switching bodies with Lindsay Lohan as the Silver Surfer in a Marvel movie called Fantastic Four: Freaky Friday (or FFFF for short.) Now THAT’S the summer blockbuster I want to see! (Give me a call, Kevin Feige, if you need any other incredible ideas.)

Alas, we only have separate films, The Fantastic Four: First Steps from a couple weeks ago, and now Freakier Friday, the sequel to the 2003 remake of the original Freaky Friday from 1976. So, yes, we’ve been dealing with this freakiness for almost 50 years now … over 50, if you count the Mary Rodgers’ book published in 1972. Is this movie actually “freakier” than all the others? Let’s find out.

First, if you were born post-2003, this movie has diddly squat to do with P. Diddy, Diddy or any of the Puff Daddy wackadoodleness that’s in the news. No, this is the simple story of a mother and daughter who swap bodies via some weird body-swapping vortex (or something) that allows them to view the world while in the other person’s shoes – literally.

The “freakier” part happens in this movie when the daughter (Lindsay Lohan) is now old enough to have her own daughter (Julia Butters) and they switch bodies, while the original Mom (Jamie Lee Curtis) switches bodies with the daughter (Sophia Hammons) of her daughter’s love interest (Manny Jacinto, The Acolyte).

Confused? Don’t worry – I was, too, for the better part of this movie. Can you have too much freakishness? In this case, I’d say yes. I spent more time trying to remember who was who than I did just settling in and enjoying the show.

Objectively, this is mostly a “chick-flick” and I’m far from the target audience. A lot of this might be good fun for young women and their moms, but I don’t think most guys will have the patience for it. For sure, the first act plays like a Disney Channel teen comedy, complete with a food fight.

All that said, Jamie Lee Curtis is a national treasure. I’ve been in love with her since 1978’s Halloween, and it’s great to see her still having fun performing while gracefully embracing her age. Good for her, and I’m hoping to still enjoy her work for many years to come.

Directed by Nisha Ganatra, Freakier Friday isn’t all lame and confusing; it does have its moments, and I think the 16+ mom and daughter market will really enjoy it.

For me, just let me know when the FFFF hits theaters …

Content by Bob Leeper originally published on Nerdvana

The filmed version of the Tony, Grammy, Emmy, and Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway smash hit Hamilton combines the best elements of live theater and film in an astounding blend of hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway. Presenting the tale of American founding father Alexander Hamilton, this revolutionary moment in theater is the story of America then, told by America now. Fans can experience Hamilton in movie theaters nationwide for the first time beginning Sept. 5, 2025.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

During the 2025 Evolution fighting game tournament in Las Vegas, attendees had a variety of things to see and do outside of matches. Among the vendors, demos, and artist booths was a space dedicated to independent developers. As part of the event, various small teams were showcasing their burgeoning competitive games to folks in attendance. 

Among these developers was Son Studios, a small team from Austin, Texas showing off their title Netcode Warriors for the first time in public. The game is an arena fighter with distinct anime stylings, boasting deeper fighting game mechanics and art designs from noted Digimon artists Kenji Watanabe and Soh Moriyama. 

Jesse Segun-Oside (aka Vankil), is the tech CEO, creative director, and more on the team working on Netcode Warriors, and was running demos over the weekend with other Son Studios collaborators. He discussed the game with Nerdvana on site, noting that the inspiration for the game came from his personal love for fighting games, and a desire to make arena fighters more competitive. 

“When I was growing up, I played a lot of arena fighters with my brother,” said Segun-Oside in a Friday interview. “I realized when I tried to go back and play those arena fighters I played as a kid, they weren’t as much fun anymore, because I looked at them through a different lens. I wanted a deeper experience.”

Arena fighters are a well-known sub-genre of fighting games, primarily seen with popular licensed anime such as DragonBall Sparking! Zero, Kill La Kill IF, Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections and many more. While these games are well-received by gamers, they are largely absent in major competitions such as Evo, due to their more limited playstyles and mechanics. It is with this facet in particular that Son Studios is working to change with Netcode Warriors. 

“We felt like there was this gap in the market in regards to competitive fighting games,” said Segun-Oside. “…We have platform fighters, 3D fighters, but arena fighters are like a very separate thing, almost like not fighting games right? So I kind of wanted to create something that’s like, unequivocally, a fighting game.”

Netcode Warriors has implemented a variety of unique options to their roster movesets including charge motions, stance changes, zoning options, and of course, rollback netcode, that would be found in a more traditional 2D fighter. The work has faced a lot of challenges, Segun-Oside admitted, as adopting deeper mechanics in a 3D arena fighter presented design changes and adjustments to allow for characters to function with more strategic gameplay. The project has been reportedly in development for five years, as the team continued to pivot and build off the learned lessons.

The game is still in pre-alpha, but was available for demos on the show floor at Evo. Attendees played matches against each other throughout the weekend and the reception appeared to be positive to Netcode Warriors’ first outing. More is still planned for the game, as Segun-Oside commented they’re working on more characters hailing from a variety of countries and crafting a unique storyline for each. There isn’t a definitive timeline for the game’s release at the moment, as Son Studios is developing several other titles currently. For Segun-Oside, the time spent at Evo was a culmination of his personal passion for the project and reaffirmed the mission for Netcode Warriors. 

“Fighting games changed my life.” said Segun-Oside. “…When I came to my first Evo, which was 2017, I remember just walking around and being like ‘Oh, there’s nothing like this in the world!’ There’s that feeling of when you feel like something has given something to you, you want to give back.”

Netcode Warriors can be wishlisted currently on Steam. Watch the extended Evo trailer for the game below: 

Content by Christen Bejar originally published on Nerdvana

Last year’s global cinematic cultural sensation, which became the most successful Broadway film adaptation of all time, now reaches its epic, electrifying, emotional conclusion in Wicked: For Good. 

Directed once again by award-winning director Jon M. Chu and starring the spectacular returning cast, led by Academy Award^® nominated superstars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the final chapter of the untold story of the witches of Oz begins with Elphaba and Glinda estranged and living with the consequences of their choices.

Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). 

Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (Oscar^® winner Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard. 

As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Olivier award winner and Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives.

As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.

Wicked: For Good also stars Emmy nominee Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James as Glinda’s fawning assistants, Pfannee and ShenShen and BAFTA and Grammy nominee Sharon D. Clarke (Caroline, or Change) as the voice of Elphaba’s childhood nanny, Dulcibear.

The filmis produced by returning Tony and Emmy winning powerhouse Marc Platt p.g.a. and by multiple Tony winner David Stone. The executive producers are Stephen Schwartz, David Nicksay, Jared LeBoff, Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. The first film, Wicked, released in November 2024, earned 10 Academy Award^®nominations, including Best Picture, and won the Oscars^®for Costume Design and Production Design. To date, the film has grossed $750 million worldwide.

Wicked: For Good is based on the generation-defining musical stage play withmusic and lyrics by legendary Grammy and Oscar^® winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, from the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire. The screenplay is by Winnie Holzman and Winnie Holzman & Dana Fox. The film score is by John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper head to 2036 in The Ninth Doctor Adventures: The Last Days of the Powell Estate – and Rose’s old home is haunted by a terrifying figure.

The Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) are back for a series of 12 brand-new full-cast audio adventures, released bimonthly from August 2025.

In the second story – The Last Days of the Powell Estate by Timothy X Atack, due for release in October – the time-travelling duo jump forward three decades into Rose’s future.

But in 2036, the Powell Estate is nothing like how Rose knows it. It lies abandoned, a place the people of London dare not enter.

But there’s help on hand, as Rose recruits over-the-phone support from her mother Jackie (Camille Coduri) and Jackie’s friend Brainy Betty (Mandi Symonds, The Wheel of Time). Will Jackie and Betty be able to help Rose survive a threat that resonates across the present and future of the Powell Estate?

Doctor Who – The Ninth Doctor Adventures: The Last Days of the Powell Estate is now available to pre-order from just £9.99 (download to own) or £11.99 (download to own + collector’s edition CD), exclusively from www.bigfinish.com. Note: the collector’s edition CD is strictly limited to 1,500 copies and will not be re-pressed.

South London, 2036. The Doctor and Rose team up with an urban explorer to investigate the case of Mr Fingers, an invisible killer haunting an abandoned corner of the city. If you feel a hand on your shoulder: don’t look around…

The Last Days of the Powell Estate guest stars Harki Bhambra (Our Girl, The Good Karma Hospital) as the urban explorer and influencer Ellis Coates, who teams up with the Doctor and Rose to explore the abandoned tower blocks.

Writer Timothy X Atack said: “I’ve got a book called Abandoned Places and it’s a photographer who travels the world and finds hotels that are slowly rotting away or islands that used to be inhabited but have been left to the elements. These amazing photographs were an inspiration for what might happen with an urban explorer, in more of an influencer space, and from that a frisson with the Doctor and with Rose started to build up in a very natural way.

“And I have this deep love of Doctor Who’s more eldritch, Lovecraftian villains, especially when you end up not really knowing any more about them at the end than at the beginning. Sometimes you just want something that hates, and that’s what Mr Fingers is. He despises life.”

Director Helen Goldwyn added: “We’re seeing different incarnations of the Powell Estate, this familiar setting from the TV series, and exploring more of what that community might look and feel like.  Here, we get to see the future version of the estate, which is a very bleak, dystopian vision. It’s a really cleverly constructed script where you get that picture of the modern flat and the destroyed flat – it creates such a vivid visual image in your mind as you’re listening.”

The Last Days of the Powell Estate is the second of twelve new audio adventures for the Ninth Doctor and Rose. A complete series multibuy bundle of all twelve releases is also available to pre-order at the specially discounted price of £102 (download to own) or £126 (download to own + collector’s edition CD), exclusively from the Big Finish website.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper are back together for the first time since 2005 – The Ninth Doctor Adventures: Snare, a brand-new full-cast audio drama, is released today.

Twenty years ago, Doctor Who returned to TV screens, with Christopher Eccleston as the fantastic Ninth Doctor and Billie Piper as his eager companion Rose Tyler. Today, Eccleston and Piper return, as a brand-new bimonthly series of audio dramas begins.

This first full-cast episode, Snare by Tim Foley, picks up the story after the TV episode Father’s Day. Having recently met her dad on the day he died, Rose has asked the Doctor to take her home to the Powell Estate, to check in with her mum Jackie (Camille Coduri).

Here they bump into Rose’s old neighbour Kevin (Alex Austin), who’s clearing out his father’s flat with the help of posh artist friend Marlene (Hannah Brown). When Kevin finds something weird going on in the empty apartment, the Doctor jumps at the chance to investigate – and finds an alien jungle growing in the bathroom.

Doctor Who – The Ninth Doctor Adventures: Snare is now available from just £9.99 (download to own) or £11.99 (download to own + collector’s edition CD), exclusively from www.bigfinish.com. Please note: the collector’s edition CD is strictly limited to 1,500 copies and will not be repressed.

Kevin left the Powell Estate a long time ago. He wasn’t going to be trapped there. But all these years later, he’s back and clearing out his dad’s old flat. At least his neighbours, the Tylers, are still here.

But Rose has a strange new man in her life. And this Doctor’s going to show Kevin a world he never knew existed. Unfortunately, something ancient is stirring on the Estate. Perhaps Kevin will be trapped here after all…

Christopher Eccleston said: “It was strange recording this script because seeing those references to Rose’s estate really took me right back to 2004 and the TARDIS in the middle of the estate. I can remember those days very vividly.”

Billie Piper added: “It’s like coming home. It’s lovely. And there’s always something deeply emotional about Doctor Who episodes, particularly Russell T Davies’. For this one, I felt like the story of Kevin’s dad and the mental health issues is so Doctor Who and Russell. It’s fun and it’s a rollicking ride, but there’s also something that’s really sad and troubling at its core that moves you.”

And, Camille Coduri said: “It’s so lovely. Going back to the old characters, the monsters and the aliens with the old Doctor and the Tylers – you just slot back into that!”

Snare is the first of 12 new audio adventures for the Ninth Doctor and Rose. A complete series multibuy bundle of all dozen releases is also available to pre-order at the specially discounted price of £102 (download to own) or £126 (download to own + collector’s edition CDs), exclusively from the Big Finish website.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

 Lilo & Stitch finally arrives on Disney+ for streaming Sept. 3 after surfing onto digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home on July 22. Physical media collectors can get their hands on this extraterrestrial entry on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on Aug. 26.
 
Disney’s Lilo & Stitch has officially crossed $1 billion at the global box office, making it the first Motion Picture Association (MPA) title of 2025 to reach the milestone. Following its record-breaking $183 million Memorial Day weekend debut, the film has become the year’s top-grossing MPA release both worldwide and internationally.
 
This reimagination of a Disney animated classic brings new energy into the hilarious and heart-warming tale of Lilo and her unconventional adopted “pet” Stitch. Lush tropical settings provide welcoming visuals as warm as the “found family” that Lilo and Stitch create together, while also authentically honoring the culture and beauty of Hawai’i. Lilo & Stitch is directed by Oscar®-nominated Dean Fleischer Camp and stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis, while introducing Maia Kealoha.
 
Fans can also revisit the animated classic that started it all – along with the full collection of the beloved Lilo & Stitch franchise – all on Disney+. With over 640 million hours streamed globally, the franchise continues to capture hearts and delight fans around the world. A new sequel is currently in development.

Also available is Disney’s Lilo & Stitch Original Soundtrack featuring new music by Iam Tongi, Mark Kealiʻi Hoʻomalu, Nyjah Music & Zyah Rhythm and an Original Score by Dan Romer. Audiences can stream the soundtrack out now on Amazon, Spotify and Apple Music.

Bonus Features*

• Deleted Scenes:
  • Nani Cleans Up
  • My Name is Nani
• ‘Ohana Means Family: Making Lilo & Stitch – Learn how an animated classic becomes an instant live-action favorite. Explore the challenges of bringing Stitch into the real world, how the familiar images of the original were recreated, and join returning cast members on a set that embodies ‘ohana.
• Drawn to Life – Check out scenes from the animated original film alongside their live-action counterparts to see how these beloved key moments were faithfully recreated. And uncover some easter eggs along the way!
• Bloopers – Take a look at some of the fun mishaps on set with the cast and crew of Lilo & Stitch.
• Scenes with Stitch – Hear Stitch talk about some of his favorite scenes as he watches the movie play.
  • Escape To Earth
  • Feeding Fish
  • Hula Performance
  • Stitch Gets Named
  • Bath Time
  • Watch This

*Bonus features vary by product and retailer

Your first look at Lilo & Stitch is here. The eagerly anticipated film, a live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, will open exclusively in theaters May 23, 2025.

Lilo & Stitch is the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family. The film is directed by award-winning filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp, with a screenplay by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes, and stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis, and introducing Maia Kealoha. “Lilo & Stitch” is produced by Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a. and Dan Lin, with Tom Peitzman, Ryan Halprin, Louie Provost, Thomas Schumacher serving as executive producers.

Lilo & Stitch opens exclusively in theaters nationwide May 23, 2025.

Disney teases live-action Lilo & Stitch for May 23

A live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, Lilo & Stitch is the wildly funny and touching story of a lonely Hawaiian girl and the fugitive alien who helps to mend her broken family.

Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind the animated feature film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, the film stars Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, with Courtney B. Vance, and Zach Galifianakis, introducing Maia Kealoha.

Lilo & Stitch is produced by Jonathan Eirich, p.g.a., and Dan Lin, with Louie Provost, Tom Peitzman and Ryan Halprin serving as executive producers.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Today, Disney released the teaser trailer and poster for the eagerly anticipated Freakier Friday, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. The film will be released exclusively in theaters Aug. 8, 2025.

In the film, Curtis and Lohan reprise their roles as Tess and Anna Coleman. The story picks up years after Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis. Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice. “Freakier Friday” is directed by Nisha Ganatra and based on the book Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers. The film, which also stars Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Rosalind Chao, Chad Michael Murray, Vanessa Bayer, and Mark Harmon, is produced by Kristin Burr, p.g.a., Andrew Gunn, p.g.a., and Jamie Lee Curtis, with Nathan Kelly, Ann Marie Sanderlin, and Lindsay Lohan serving as executive producers.

Disney begins production on Freaky Friday sequel

Untitled follow-up set for 2025 release

June 24, 2024

Walt Disney Studios announced today that production has begun on its body-swapping sequel to 2003’s Freaky Friday remake. Stars Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are confirmed to return as Anna and Tess Coleman, respectively (and not so respectively…)

The original 2003 Freaky Friday was based on a 1976 Disney adaptation of a 1972 novel of the same name written by Mary Rodgers, who also wrote the screenplay. That movie starred Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris.

What’s so freaky about the Friday in question? It always involves a quarrelous mother and daughter who find they are not so different after strange forces allow them to switch bodies and experience life from each others’ point of view.

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Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Evo rang in its third day with the much anticipated finals. As the crowds on the setups dwindled, the areas near auxiliary stages doubled in size. The audience was keyed in, repping early matches in Guilty Gear Strive all the way until late night Street Fighter 6 competitons.

The arena was much improved in comparison last year, as the reconfiguration of the space allowed for better viewing angles, as well as wristbands being required for entry. Not to be outdone, several matches were held in the general area outside of the arenas area including Virtua Fighter R.E.V.O for attendees to enjoy. Streamers also had tandem commentary for other screens simulcasting the finals action to the general area.

Evo has learned a lot from the previous year and made several positive changes. The arena changing to paid access assuaged the issues with capacity, and the arena itself is far more comfortable. Additions made to the auxiliary stages helps those that cannot attend finals, but still includes them in on the FGC fun. Evo has learned a lot and the next event happening in June will likely be another unmissable one next summer.

Content by Christen Bejar originally published on Nerdvana

The second day of Evo saw the whittling down of the competition. Setups grew more barren as competitors were knocked out, but crowds steadily gained size as matches became more tense between those that remained.

Saturday saw the conclusion of several top 8 series including Mortal Kombat 1, Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising, Under Night In-Birth II, and many others.

Seasoned competitor SonicFox took their eighth Evo title when they emerged victorious against Nicolas in Mortal Kombat 1; officially tying with Justin Wong for the most Evo first-place wins. Defiant, a relatively fresh face in scene, managed a grand finals reset and was crowned the winner in Under Night In-Birth II. Another longtime player Bas took first-place in Capcom vs. SNK 2, making it their fifth top finish for the game in various contests at the event.

Not only were the tournaments kicking up, attendees were treated to a cosplay contest and demos of new games as well. The second day also showcased the new arena setup, which had a share of issues in the previous year. The space is much reconfigured and will switch to paid-entry only for the remainder of finals on Sunday. Want to see more of Evo’s Saturday action? Check out our photos below!

Content by Christen Bejar originally published on Nerdvana

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

My Maker Mantras: ‘Fantastic Is In!’

Russ Kazmierczak Jr.

Nerdvana presents Small Press Saturday – aka, Lessons Learned Self-Publishing Comics

Fantastic Four has been in theaters for a week now, and Superman for three, so I have no qualms sharing spoilers to illustrate this week’s column. If you haven’t seen either movie yet, I offer fair warning: Spoilers ahead.

Firstly, I liked Fantastic Four: First STeps way more than I thought I would. I share many of Bob Leeper’s sentiments from his review right here on Nerdvana Media. I was especially taken by the cinematic scope of Galactus, who is, finally, translated perfectly from the comic book page. He menaces as both a cosmic figure over our heroes in the first act and a city-menacing kaiju in the final act, both of which make perfect sense. While Galactus felt like a genuine threat in the story, he was an absolute delight to behold in the theater.

How strange to remember a time when a concept like Galactus was too campy for mainstream audiences, when Hollywood decided a ravenous cloud was a better way to depict a world devourer. Superhero media has always teetered the edge of the bizarre, but, for a long time, it never took the leap, making safe choices so noncomics readers didn’t feel alienated by weird concepts like fifth dimensional imps or the multiverse. Flying men and invisible women were JUST enough.

Nowadays, these films plunge head-first into the fantastic, and I’m so grateful for it! Clearly, we have the MCU’s Infinity Saga to thank for that, as Marvel eased audiences into the idea of magical stones and intergalactic despots by way of tech-savvy millionaires, Norse gods, and super soldiers. Today, nobody bats an eye at rage-baiting social media monkeys in a pocket universe, or prong-headed planet eaters … which makes me wonder, would they ever? 

I was never a fan of knowing how Batman pieced together his utility belt, or why Captain America’s shield bounces around the way it does. In a world where people can shoot lasers from their eyes, I don’t care to relate to superhero physics. I’ll never run at the speed of light as much as I’ll never build an Iron Man suit, so while the latter CAN be explained in real-world terms, both are equally fantastic, so why bother? I’d MUCH rather relate to these characters on a human level, with the veneer of the truly amazing to capture my imagination in the meantime.

And it’s inspiring to know stories can be told that way, now more than ever! In my Mantra about the ways Superman worked, I mentioned the power of campiness, but this week’s mantra is a tad different. Considering Fantastic Four, I’m encouraged by the boldness of Marvel to give us a looming Galactus, without compromising the story’s grounded themes of family. 

In fact, Galactus is the catalyst that CHALLENGES that theme, as the FF’s dynamic strains under the villain’s attempt to bargain. While the rest of us don’t square off with world-eaters on a daily basis, surely we all have Galacti (the only plural that makes sense) of our own: bills, political disputes, health problems, and so on. The fantastic becomes completely understandable when it’s reduced to why it serves the story. In this case, Galactus is asking us ALL, “Would you sacrifice (fill in the blank) to save (fill in the blank)?” Most of us face that question on a daily basis!

That is, after all, what the fantastic IS – problems in proportion to the heroes’ ability to deal with them. When you have a cosmically powered quartet, the threats they face should be at LEAST proportionate to their amazing abilities! So, feel free to include the fantastic in your stories, with purpose and panache! That’s what makes the story compelling, and I think that’s the layer these superhero movies need to retain their appeal for ALL audiences, from comics enthusiast to comics amateur, from young and old alike. Remember, without the fantastic, Bruce Wayne is just a guy that dresses up like a bat to fight crime – and that’s just plain nuts!

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Content by Russ Kazmierczak Jr. originally published on Nerdvana

Evolution 2025 once again filled the west hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center on Aug. 1. Competitors from around the world traveled to Nevada for the opportunity to compete in the world-renowned fighting game tournament, with hopefuls diving into pools early on Friday.

The event is hosting a wide variety of games for attendees to contest one another in, including Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6, GranBlue Versus Rising, and many more. Developers from Arcsys, Sega, Circle Up, and others were in attendance, participating in meet and greets, and panels for their respective games. Alongside the official competition, unreleased titles such as Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, Invincible VS, and 2XKO are present in playable demos for eager fighting game enthusiasts to try.

Evo has also seen the return of the much lauded artist alley and the inclusion of a dedicated indie dev space to the show floor. Friday’s traffic seemed an even split between spectators and competitors, with the convention floor seeing its fair share of people throughout the day. For those unable to attend, much of the competition will be livestreamed via EVO’s official Twitch and Youtube channels.

The action will undoubtedly kick up as players get eliminated, but check out our photos of the first day below:

Content by Christen Bejar originally published on Nerdvana

The Doctor Who television series that premiered in 2005 has been removed from its U.S. streaming home on HBO Max, along with spinoffs Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

It’s the latest frustration for the streaming customers already getting squeezed by conglomerates like Max’s corporate parent Warner Bros. Discovery, which has been purging its vast catalog for a variety of nefarious reasons while simultaneous raising prices.

This is enough to drive many cord-cutters back into the arms of physical media …

The original TV run of Doctor Who, 1963-89, remains for now on the BritBox streaming service in the U.S. — except for the many famous missing episodes, wiped by the British Broadcasting Corporation before home media existed. Many of the classic serials also repeat on free advertising-supported streaming television (FAST) channels via apps like Roku, Pluto and Freevee (which itself is getting shut down and folded in to Amazon’s Prime Video next month).

The latest two seasons of Doctor Who and a series of three 60th anniversary specials that preceded them, starring David Tennant then Ncuti Gatwa, remain available to stream here on Disney+, which partnered with the BBC to distribute the series outside of the UK.

In Britain, the surviving old serials and newer episodes are available together to watch on demand in a “Whoniverse” package on the publicly funded iPlayer service (which hasn’t been without some notable content availability problems of its own). Maybe international audiences will be getting a central Who hub like this of their own — or may be that’s really too much to hope for …

Ironically, American public television is responsible for Doctor Who invading the U.S. originally in the 1970s and ‘80s, and now that’s just been defunded be the second Trump Administration.

Streaming may be the least of Doctor Who’s current problems: The show seems to be in a state of temporal flux (or maybe stasis would be more appropriate), with no word whether or when it will be returning with new episodes.

In the May 31 season finale “The Reality War,” without even having met the dastardly Daleks or Cybermen, Gatwa bowed out as the Fifteenth Doctor, who again regenerated but into another familiar face: Billie Piper, who played companion Rose Tyler alongside Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor starting in the 2005 relaunch.

Will Disney drop or renew its support? Will the BBC shop around for a new global distribution partner elsewhere?

“Time will tell — always does,” as an earlier incarnation of the Time Lord would say.

In the meantime, a new spinoff, The War Between the Land and the Sea, focused on the U.N.I.T. organization, is expected to debut this year on the BBC and Disney+ internationally, and the BBC just rolled out a new fan-centered merchandise shop online …

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Pricing for the original Nintendo Switch selection of systems and products will go up in the United States effective this Sunday, Aug. 3.

These changes will affect Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite and select Nintendo Switch accessories.

The company said its newly released Switch 2 system will remain priced at $449.99 without a game — for the time being, at least. The Switch 2 is also available in a $499.99 bundle with the Mario Kart World game, which is priced at $79.99 on its own.

Other Nintendo products, including certain Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, select amiibo, and the Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo, will also see price adjustments, according to Nintendo, which blamed the decision on “market conditions.” (Read: Donald Trump’s trade war.)

But, “pricing for the Nintendo Switch 2 system, physical and digital Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 games, as well as Nintendo Switch Online memberships, will remain unchanged at this time.”

Check the latest Nintendo pricing information for United States consumers at www.nintendo.com/us/store/.

Reports are placing the new Switch prices at $30-$50 higher, depending on whether it’s the Switch Lite, original Switch or OLED Model. While recently eclipsed by its Switch 2 successor, the original system is still seeing robust sales and software support from Nintendo and other developers and publishers.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

In news surprising absolutely no one, the original Star Wars film (Episode IV: A New Hope) will be re-released in theaters in 2027 to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

“On April 30th, 2027, we’ll celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Wars with a re-release of the 1977 classic back for a limited time, in theaters everywhere

“Part of Lucasfilm’s yearlong 50th anniversary celebration, Star Wars: A New Hope will play in theaters over the May the 4th holiday, also known as Star Wars Day.

“Switch on your targeting computer and keep your eyes on StarWars.com for more details, including when and where to buy tickets to this once-in-a-generation event.”

Left unsaid is whether this will be the true original version of George Lucas’ epic space opera, or one of the many Special Editions he tinkered with over he years before selling Lucasfilm, kit and kaboodle, to Disney in 2012. I’m thinking that’s covered in the “keep your eyes on StarWars.com for details” part …

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

From New Line Cinema comes the ninth entry in the more than $2 billion theatrical Conjuring universe, The Conjuring: Last Rites, directed by franchise veteran Michael Chaves and produced by franchise architects James Wan and Peter Safran.

The Conjuring: Last Rites delivers another thrilling chapter of the iconic Conjuring cinematic universe, based on real events. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson reunite for one last case as renowned, real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren in a powerful and spine-chilling addition to the global box office-breaking franchise.

Farmiga and Wilson star alongside Mia Tomlinson and Ben Hardy, who portray Ed and Lorraine’s daughter Judy Warren and her boyfriend, Tony Spera, as well as Steve Coulter returning as Father Gordon, Rebecca Calder, Elliot Cowan, Kíla Lord Cassidy, Beau Gadsdon, John Brotherton and Shannon Kook.

Chaves directs from a screenplay by Ian Goldberg & Richard Naing and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, story by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick & James Wan, based on characters created by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes.

The executive producers are Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Natalia Safran, John Rickard, Hans Ritter and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. Chaves is joined behind the camera by his creative team, including director of photography Eli Born, production designer John Frankish, editors Elliot Greenberg and Gregory Plotkin, visual effects supervisor Scott Edelstein, visual effects producer Eric Bruneau and costume designer Graham Churchyard, with casting by Rose Wicksteed and Sophie Kingston-Smith.

The music supervisor is Ian Broucek and the music is by composer Benjamin Wallfisch. New Line Cinema Presents A Safran Company / An Atomic Monster Production, The Conjuring: Last Rites. The film will be released worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and will be only in theaters and IMAX in North America on Sept. 5, 2025, and internationally beginning Sept. 3, 2025.

The Conjuring: Last Rites teaser

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake coming Oct. 30; Nintendo Switch 2 added

DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake: These modernized versions of two legendary JRPGs continue the Erdrick Trilogy narrative of the iconic DRAGON QUEST series are now available for pre-order.

DRAGON QUEST I & II HD-2D Remake launches for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, PS5, PC and Xbox Series X/S Oct. 30.

Video game release dates:

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Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Rating: 8 out of 10.

Rating: 8 out of 10.

The Naked Gun is back again, this time starring Liam Neeson as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (the son of Leslie Nielsen’s character), and it turns out that Neeson has all the skills to play Nielsen’s particular sort of dimwitted detective.

There was a time when we “Boomers” thought ridiculously stupid comedy was hilarious – and the dumber it was, the better. Somewhere over the past 45 years, that sort of irreverent, idiotic, slapstick humor died, or at least faded from theater screens, and films like Airplane and The Naked Gun (which was based on the TV series Police Squad!) became relics of our ultra-goofy past.

Like its forefather, with the new The Naked Gun, you are basically looking at 90 minutes of over-the-top, inane insanity, where anything and everything is fair game to joke about, regardless of how silly it might be. It won’t be everyone’s cup of coffee (handed to you by some off-screen barista), but I didn’t realize how much I missed this kind of nuttiness.

Written and directed by Akiva Schaffer (Saturday Night Live), the new Naked Gun also stars Pamela Anderson as Drebin Jr.’s love interest and Paul Walter Hauser as his partner, with Danny Huston and Kevin Durand playing the Bond-style villains out to drive the world insane.

There are more gags per minute than you could ever count, with a good third of them being laugh-out-loud hilarious. Surely, no one could have guessed that in the year 2025, we’d need the son of Frank Drebin to come and save us from our own seriousness? I know I didn’t (and don’t call me Shirley!)

Content by Bob Leeper originally published on Nerdvana

• Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection: Embark on a new adventure as a Rider living in harmony with monsters in the third installment of the turn-based RPG series set in the world of Monster Hunter! Amidst an environmental calamity, a monster hatches bearing a symbol of misfortune that drives two neighboring kingdoms to war. The heirs of these two kingdoms venture into forbidden ground in search of the truth. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection launches on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.

• Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment: Experience an untold story from Hyrule’s distant past. The Imprisoning War led to the events of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and players can experience the thrill of battle in this canonical tale. Featuring Princess Zelda, King Rauru, and other characters teaming up to fight for Hyrule’s future, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment comes to Nintendo Switch 2 this winter.

• EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26: The legendary Madden NFL series arrives on Nintendo Switch 2! Backed by years of NFL data, immerse yourself in explosive, realistic gameplay with new player-specific traits, authentic play styles, and adaptive counters that match on-field tendencies and strategies of NFL quarterbacks and coaches. Experience QB DNA, realistic football weather, and more! Pre-order the Deluxe Edition before Aug. 7 for seven days of early access ahead of launch on Aug. 14 on Nintendo Switch 2.

• EA SPORTS FC 26:The Club is Yours in EA SPORTS FC 26! Play your way with the overhauled gameplay experience powered by Community feedback. Plus, EA SPORTS FC 26 will bring Manager Live Challenges for the new season with fresh and authentic storylines, and Archetypes inspired by greats of the game. Hit the pitch when EA SPORTS FC 26 launches Sept. 26 on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch. Pre-orders are available now on Nintendo eShop.

• Apex Legends: The free-to-play¹ Hero shooter heads to Nintendo Switch 2! Master an ever-growing roster of legendary characters, round up your squad and engage in 60-person Battle Royale mode, limited-time modes and takeovers. Explore the deep and detailed planet maps from across the Outlands and see if your squad has what it takes to be truly legendary. Starting today, if you log in on your Nintendo Switch system you can grab an exclusive Legendary Pathfinder skin – “P.A.T.H”, available until Sept. 16. Drop in when Apex Legendslaunches on Nintendo Switch 2 Aug. 5.

• Chillin’ by the Fire: Players can now join in on humanity’s oldest social network. In this campfire simulation game, players can build and maintain campfires in a variety of different relaxing locales including the beach, forest, and snowy mountain tops. Combat differing weather and climate and grow your campfire to Level 10 to advance. Gather up to four friends or family members together around the fire, online¹ or via GameShare² and if a compatible external USB-C camera (sold separately) is connected, you can even appear in-game with CameraPlay. In a world that’s always rushing, slow down and reclaim the simple joy of just sitting around and watching a campfire grow, as Chillin’ by the Fire is available for Nintendo Switch 2 later today!

• The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales:A brand-new action RPG from the creators of OCTOPATH TRAVELER and BRAVELY DEFAULT, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales combines captivating HD-2D visuals and action-adventure gameplay to create a top-down journey in a wide-open world woven across time and space. Open new paths as you explore an untamed continent and reveal its mysterious history. Navigate battles with strategic support abilities provided by a helpful fairy. The game launches on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026, and an exclusive debut demo will be available later today on Nintendo eShop.

• Just Dance 2026 Edition: Gather your friends and family⁴ and turn your home into a dance floor with Just Dance 2026 Edition! Featuring 40 new tracks, from chart-topping hits to timeless classics like “APT.” by ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, “Houdini” by Dua Lipa, “Counting Stars” by OneRepublic and “Hung Up” by Madonna, there’s something for everyone. Shake up your dance sessions with the Party Mode and spice up the fun with unexpected twists. Dance solo, get active with Workout Mode, or dance with up to six players in local multiplayer. Just Dance 2026 Edition launches for Nintendo Switch on Oct. 14.

• Star Wars Outlaws: Experience the ultimate galactic adventure in the first-ever open world Star Wars game, Star Wars Outlaws. Set between the events of the films Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, players can become scoundrel Kay Vess, seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. Whether at home or on the go, players must fight, steal, and outwit their way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates and explore distant planets. With intuitive touch controls, gyroscope-assisted aiming, and immersive motion controls, players can embark on this epic journey when Star Wars Outlaws launches on Nintendo Switch 2 Sep. 4. Pre-orders are available later today on Nintendo eShop.

• Cronos: The New Dawn: From the studio behind the SILENT HILL 2 remake comes a third-person survival horror game where time is your deadliest weapon — and just maybe your worst enemy, too. Survive two distinct eras: a brutal future, and then dive back in time to 1980s Poland. Stop nightmarish creatures from merging into unstoppable abominations and survive by bending time itself when Cronos: The New Dawn launches on Nintendo Switch 2 Sept. 5.

• Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted: The classic Plants vs. Zombies returns in HD! Experience the strategy game that started it all with Plants vs Zombies: Replanted, now remastered with upscaled HD graphics and packed with new secrets to uncover. With new levels, fresh twists, and 15 years of never-before-seen franchise history at your fingertips, players can relive the glory days of Peashooters. Plus, if you pre-order the game, you’ll receive a retro Peashooter skin! Tend to your garden when Plants. Vs Zombies: Replanted launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch on Oct. 23. Pre-orders begin later today on Nintendo eShop.

• DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO: Triumph over your foes in high-speed, 360-degree movement battles with teams of up to five characters from across Dragon Ball history. Featuring the largest roster in franchise history with over 180 playable characters, players can relive iconic moments by attacking with a mixture of punches, kicks, grapples, and long-range abilities— and charge up your energy to activate Sparking! Mode, which grants your character access to their signature devastating attack. Create dream scenarios in Custom Battle or take on friends¹ in a variety of Versus modes when DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO launches on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch Nov. 14. Pre-orders are available later today on Nintendo eShop!

• Once Upon A KATAMARI: The King of All Cosmos and his family accidentally destroyed the Earth, the moon, and countless stars floating in the universe. Travel through the Jurassic Period, Ice Age, historic Japan, and other eras to roll up objects with your trusty katamari and rebuild the starry sky. With all-new stages, a new soundtrack, character customization, a new four-player multiplayer mode¹ that lets players compete online or battle CPU rivals offline and more, the quirky Katamari Damacy series returns when Once Upon A KATAMARI launches on Nintendo Switch Oct. 24. Pre-orders are available later today on Nintendo eShop.

• OCTOPATH TRAVELER 0: Start from zero in a personal quest of restoration and retribution! In this prequel to the first OCTOPATH TRAVELER, journey to stop powerful villains using fast-paced, turn-based combat. For the first time in the series, play through the eyes of your own custom protagonist and rebuild your hometown. With over 30 recruitable party members, an engaging story, and all-new features and returning core elements like the iconic HD-2D graphics and the Break & Boost battle system, players embark on a journey of their own creation when OCTOPATH TRAVELER0 arrives for both Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch on Dec. 4.

• Yakuza Kiwami 2/Yakuza Kiwami: Experience Japan’s criminal underground with the classic action-adventure beat ‘em up Yakuza Kiwami 2 on Nintendo Switch 2. Set in the fictional district of Kamurocho, the gripping drama will require you to master unique fighting styles as you journey through a story filled with love, betrayal and explosive combat. Also available on Nintendo Switch 2 will be Yakuza Kiwami, originally released on Nintendo Switch and now featuring enhanced graphics, improved frame rates, and more. Both titles are available on Nintendo Switch 2 Nov. 13, and anyone who has the original Yakuza Kiwami on Nintendo Switch can purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade⁵ at a discounted price!

• PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC: PAC-MAN WORLD 2 returns in this modernized, enhanced, and upgraded 3D platforming adventure! Ghosts have snuck into PAC-Village and stolen the Golden Fruit, unwittingly freeing the powerful ghost king, Spooky! PAC-MAN must venture across PAC-LAND to reclaim the Golden Fruit and put a stop to the haunted mayhem. PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC launches for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch on Sept. 26. Pre-orders are available later today on Nintendo eShop.

• FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition:Step back into the story of ambition, betrayal, and honor that defined a generation in this iconic RPG. Featuring fully voiced dialogue, enhanced graphics, and multiple gameplay improvements, players can lead their party in exhilarating encounters where strategic positioning and forward planning determine the outcome. Use the varied terrain of 3D battlefields to your advantage, skillfully manipulate the turn order, and victory will be yours for the taking! FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 launches on Sept. 30, with a Nintendo Switch version also launching on the same day. Pre-orders available later today on Nintendo eShop.

• Persona 3 Reload: Enter the Dark Hour where the line between the ordinary and supernatural blur in Persona 3 Reload. Experience the reimagining of this genre-defining RPG, where players step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an adventure when they enter the hour “hidden” between one day and the next. During the day, spend your time forging bonds with unforgettable characters. At night, awaken an incredible power to chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour and fight for your friends. Leave a mark on their memories forever when Persona 3 Reload launches on Nintendo Switch 2 Oct. 23.

• Hela: See the world through the eyes of a tiny yet brave mouse in a handcrafted world inspired by Scandinavian folklore. Explore magical forests and tranquil lakes, solve puzzles, and be a force for good in a land where heartwarming storytelling and the beauty of nature are intertwined. Play solo or team up with friends⁴ in seamless co-op online or in local split-screen and experience this non-linear, open world adventure together when Hela launches on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.

In addition to the featured titles listed above, the presentation included a montage of even more games in the pipeline for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch, including:

• Borderlands 4, where players can experience outrageous enemies and killer loot on the dangerous new planet of Kairos in the newest installment of this intense and chaotic shooter series – launching on Nintendo Switch 2 Oct 3. Pre-orders are available later today on Nintendo eShop.

• Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, a non-linear RPG that puts you in the center of a battle that spans millennia, and your choices drastically alter the course of your journey. Available for Nintendo Switch 2 later today!

• Hello Kitty Island Adventure – Wheatflour Wonderland, where you join a new Sanrio character, Cogimyun, and explore the whimsical Wheatflour Wonderland to craft powerful wands, unlock the story, and transform into your most magical self in this Hello Kitty Island Adventure DLC⁵ launching for Nintendo Switch in Fall 2025.

• SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance, which brings back theiconic master of the ninja arts in an all-new 2D action platformer featuring a hand-drawn style; launching on Nintendo Switch Aug. 29 with a free demo available on Nintendo eShop later today!

• NBA BOUNCE, Rise from rookie to pro in this arcade-style basketball game available for Nintendo Switch on Nintendo eShop starting Sept. 26.

• Goodnight Universe, an emotional adventure that puts you in the role of a 6-month-old baby developing mysterious psychic powers;launching for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch Nov 11.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Publisher Dotemu and developer The Game Kitchen debuted 14 minutes of brand-new demon-slaying gameplay from NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound, the upcoming 2D side-scrolling action platformer, offering an in-depth look at key features players can expect.

Watch the full gameplay breakdown showcasing both playable ninjas new to the series, Kenji and Kumori, as they put aside their rival clan loyalties to unleash their razor-sharp abilities.

Follow Kumori and Kenji while they navigate a high-rise building under construction teeming with demons. As the ninjas ascend the skeletal tower, they’re relentlessly hunted by Rhyvashi, the level’s boss, who tries to thwart their progress with brutal area attacks. Players must master precision and timing to evade these attacks while simultaneously eliminating enemies.

After being chased by a bulldozer, the level culminates in an underground face-off with Rhyvashi, where Kumori and Kenji must skillfully plan attacks in between her onslaught of claw swipes, falling spikes, and electric orbs to continue to the next stage. 

In addition to the combat, this new footage highlights the game’s robust upgrade and shop systems. In the shop, players can acquire Talismans, passive abilities that support a more defensive playstyle, or Secret Arts, which serve as powerful weapons and active abilities for more aggressive combat strategies.

The full video includes developer commentary from The Game Kitchen, offering insights into the game’s level design, upgrade mechanics, collectible systems, and optional challenges awaiting players in the final release. Commentary is delivered by:

• David Jaumandreu, producer and director
• Miguel Murat, level designer
• Oriol Tartarin, game designer

NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound releases on July 31 for PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and Xbox Series X|S.

NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound Features

• A Story of Entwined Fates: Join Kenji and his unlikely ally Kumori, a fierce kunoichi from the rival Black Spider Clan, as they overcome generational grudges and unite their unique powers to survive the battles ahead
• Monstrously Epic Boss Battles: Face off against formidable, boss-caliber behemoths that push your skills and strategy to the limit
• Revitalized Classic Gameplay: Slash into tense, fast-paced combat paired with the skill-demanding platforming the NINJA GAIDEN series is legendary for, with modern enhancements bolstering exciting, rewarding action
• A Challenge Fit for a Ninja: Unlock and upgrade powerful abilities while exploring hidden collectibles, secret missions, and optional challenges that test your ninja prowess
• Stunning 2D Pixel Art: Exquisite pixel art evokes the classic 2D games while bringing lush environments and a menacing cast of enemies to life in intricate detail
• A Star-Studded Soundtrack: Immerse yourself in a dynamic score featuring guest composers Keiji Yamagishi, Ryuichi Niita, and Kaori Nakabai—the original creators of the NES trilogy’s soundtrack—led by Sergio de Prado, known for his acclaimed work on Blasphemous

Publisher Dotemu (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, Streets of Rage 4) and developer The Game Kitchen (Blasphemous series) today announced the digital release date of NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound as part of the PlayStation State of Play showcase. Ready your blade for a demonic invasion when this original 2D side-scrolling action platformer releases July 31 on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Xbox – and get the drop on enemies early when NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound’s first playable demo debuts in Steam Next Fest next week.

NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound’s release date trailer unleashes a wave of otherworldly evil that demands eagle-eyed evasiveness and razor-sharp precision. Stand still and you’re dead. Only true ninjas will survive the relentless assault of blades, claws and demonic enemies. Master the distinct abilities of Kenji and Kumori, the two playable characters shown in today’s new gameplay, through thrilling action that inherits the legacy of KOEI TECMO GAMES’ NINJA GAIDEN series.

Today’s reveal confirms that guest composers Keiji Yamagishi, Ryuichi Niita and Kaori Nakabai—creators of the original NES NINJA GAIDEN trilogy soundtracks—have contributed to NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound. Leading the soundtrack is Sergio de Prado, best known for his work on the acclaimed Blasphemous series.

NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound begins immediately after the opening moments of the original NES NINJA GAIDEN. The veil between the human and demon realms has broken, leaving the world linked with a gate to darkness. Since Ryu Hayabusa leaves the Hayabusa Village to avenge his father, Kenji Mozu, a fledgling Hayabusa Clan Ninja central to NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound, must rise to slay the forces of evil. 

Kenji’s destiny is intertwined with Kumori, a fearsome new kunoichi hailing from the antagonistic Black Spider Clan central to the NINJA GAIDEN series. Kenji and Kumori must overcome the generational grudges between their clans and use forbidden techniques to merge their powers and survive the battles ahead, binding their fates together to share a test of soul and skill while maximizing their talents.

Kenji and Kumori’s high-stakes quest develops with show-stopping fights against powerful, boss-caliber behemoths. With upgradable abilities, hidden collectibles, unlockable secret missions, optional challenges and more, NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound is an engrossing modernization of the tense, satisfyingly swift battles and precise, skill-demanding platforming the series is known for.

NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound features exquisite pixel art, evoking the classic 2D games while bringing lush environments and a menacing cast of enemies to life in striking, wonderfully intricate detail. The dynamic action pairs with a pitch-perfect soundtrack featuring contributions from special guest composers, coalescing into an unforgettable adventure.

Publisher Dotemu (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, Streets of Rage 4) and developer The Game Kitchen (Blasphemous series) have announced NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound, a 2D sidescrolling action platformer channeling the classic and modern NINJA GAIDEN trilogies from KOEI TECMO GAMES in a brand new adventure, coming to PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One in summer 2025. 

NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound’s surprise reveal delighted fans today as part of The Game Awards, where the announcement trailer debuted the first look at NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound’s spectacular, thrilling gameplay.

Watch the announcement reveal trailer/gameplay: https://youtu.be/d8DK6Dl3RvA

“A new hero, Kenji Mozu, emerges in NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound. The story picks up in Hayabusa Village after Ryu Hayabusa heads to America to avenge his father’s death, as told in the NES version of NINJA GAIDEN. Suddenly, the veil between the human and demon worlds has torn, opening a doorway to darkness in Hayabusa Village. Kenji Mozu, a young ninja of the Hayabusa clan, throws himself into battle, determined to protect his village and its people from a looming demonic threat in this dark and dangerous era.

“Featuring a mastery of the high-speed, challenging combat the series is known for, NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound’s sidescrolling action is immediately welcoming to newcomers – while offering a steep, rewarding sense of difficulty and intricate technical depth that will challenge the blade of even a seasoned ninja. Brutally slash through an array of fiendish foes and demons while avoiding deadly fiery traps, spike pits, chasms and more.

“The young ninja, Kenji Mozu’s high-stakes quest develops with showstopping fights against powerful, boss-caliber behemoths. With upgradable abilities, hidden collectibles, optional mission objectives and more, NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound is an engrossing modernization of the tense, satisfyingly swift battles and precise, skill-demanding platforming the series is known for.

“NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound features exquisite pixel art, evoking the classic title while bringing a lush field and menacing cast of enemies to life through striking, wonderfully intricate detail. The dynamic action, paired with a pitch-perfect soundtrack featuring contributions from special guest composers, promises players an unforgettable experience.”

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

In Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories—Tides of Terror:

Jedi Master Kit Fisto has been sent to the ocean planet Tordus, alongside Mace Windu and Shaak Ti, to investigate a controversial underwater research facility. The facility is in danger of flooding and being crushed into rubble, and if that’s not enough, there are giant monsters circling them. With disaster looming, his diplomatic excursion quickly becomes a rescue mission! Kit Fisto and his fellow Jedi must race against the clock to save innocent lives from the hungry leviathans that fill the depths. This standalone story is full of murky intrigue and ancient abyssal nightmares. Can the Jedi fend off the danger lurking in the ocean’s briny waters?

“Following the success of The Bad Batch: Ghost Agents, we’re thrilled to see Dark Horse continue with their next Hyperspace Stories mini-series,” confirmed Lucasfilm creative director Michael Siglain. “Tides of Terror is part disaster story, part horror story, and all fun. It’s a race-against-time adventure in which the Jedi will face off against saboteurs and the sea creatures, and readers will learn to beware what lurks in the deep, dark ocean world of Tordus.”

Dive into this deep-sea adventure story with Kit Fisto when Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories—Tides of Terror #1 arrives in comic shops near you on July 16, 2025 for $4.99. Visit Comic Shop Locator for more details and stores near you.

New variant covers by Tony Fleecs covers in standard color and B&W with spot color (virgin) editions for retailer Knowhere Games were revealed June 13. Pre-order the set (of 2 covers) today directly for $40.00 or individually for $20.00 from Knowhere Games. Retail order cutoff is June 23, 2025.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred star in three brand-new audio adventures, set during Ace’s early days on the TARDIS – The Seventh Doctor Adventures: Wicked! is due October 2025.

The Doctor has a new friend. Ace has just joined the TARDIS, and is a long, long way from home.

Hunting treasure, solving snow-covered mysteries and meeting heroes of legend, a partnership is formed. The Doctor starts to see his protégée’s potential – while Ace thinks their adventures are nothing less than ‘wicked’…

In the 1987 Doctor Who TV story Dragonfire, the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) invited Ace (Sophie Aldred) on board the TARDIS, via the “scenic route”.  The next box set in the Seventh Doctor Adventures range explores what happened next…

Ace’s early trips on the TARDIS take her and the Professor – as she calls the Doctor – to 1920s Soho, a luxury ski resort in the 2070s, and to 15th century Spain, where they encounter a different extravagant adventurer, Don Quixote.

Doctor Who – The Seventh Doctor Adventures: Wicked! is available to pre-order now for just £19.99 (download to own) or £24.99 (download to own + collector’s edition 3-disc CD box set). Please note: the collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,500 copies and will not be repressed. 

The three ace new adventures are:

• “Backwards and in Heels” by Alison Winter
• “The Price of Snow” by Katharine Armitage
• “The Ingenious Gentlemen” by Alan Ronald

Script editor Matt Fitton said: “After spending some time with the older Seventh Doctor, it’s fun to go back to the partnership that defines his era like no other. The Doctor and Ace have a rollercoaster relationship over years of stories, with many twists and turns, ups and downs – but in Wicked! we delve into the very beginnings of that beautiful friendship.

“The lonely Time Lord starts to see the potential of his new young protégée, and the rebellious teen from Perivale has her eyes opened to the universe. These are Ace’s very first trips in the TARDIS – a madcap treasure hunt through 1920s London, facing danger on the snowy slopes of future Earth, and an encounter with another duo which holds a mirror up to the time travellers. ‘The Seventh Doctor meets Don Quixote’ is such an inspired pitch, I am amazed nobody has done it before!”

Wicked! is 2025’s second Seventh Doctor Adventures box set, after June’s Past Forward. Both can be pre-ordered together in a multibuy bundle from just £38 (download to own) or £47 (download to own + collector’s edition CD).

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

After cracking the biggest case in Zootopia’s history, rookie cops Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman) find their partnership isn’t as solid as they thought when Chief Bogo (voice of Idris Elba) orders them to join the Partners in Crisis counseling program. But it doesn’t take long for their partnership to be put to the ultimate test when they find themselves on the twisting trail of a mystery tied to the arrival of a venomous snake in the animal metropolis.

While Zootopia 2 introduces Gary De’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan), Nibbles (voice of Fortune Feimster) and quokka therapist Dr. Fuzzby (voice of Quinta Brunson), the upcoming feature film also welcomes back a herd of characters who made their debut in the Oscar-winning film Zootopia. “It’s been an absolute joy to reteam with so many actors who made the first film so special, and so exciting to expand the world with our phenomenal new cast members,” said director/writer Jared Bush (chief creative officer for Walt Disney Animation Studios). “I can’t wait for audiences to see what other surprises we have in store in this brand-new adventure.”

Walt Disney Animation Studios revealed a brand-new teaser trailer this morning for Zootopia 2, the highly anticipated sequel to 2016’s Academy Award-winning “Zootopia.” Featuring glimpses at new and returning characters, the trailer reunites rookie cops Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman) and teases a new team-up with a mysterious pit viper, Gary De’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan).

In the film, which opens only in theaters Nov. 26, Judy and Nick find themselves on the twisting trail of a great mystery when Gary De’Snake arrives in Zootopia and turns the animal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, they must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before. According to Disney Animation chief creative officer and director Jared Bush, who also wrote the script, a larger world is in store for fans. “We are beyond excited to welcome everyone back to the outrageous, expansive animal metropolis of Zootopia, and take audiences on a hilarious, wild ride into parts of the city we’ve never visited before,” said Bush. “Whether it’s the marshes of semi-aquatic mammals, the vast desert dunes or even greater mysteries beyond, our heroes, Judy and Nick, will meet a lot of new friends, and discover even more about the world, themselves and a brand-new snake in town.”

Added director Byron Howard, “The trailer features the original song ‘ZUTU’ by Zootopia’s finest lemming techno group, LEMEEENS. Fresh from touring with superstar Gazelle as her opening act, members Hans-Peter, Gūnther, Spielt and their DJ, Spaß, created the song to mark the occasion and welcome the world back to the City of Zootopia!” 

From the Oscar-winning team of Jared Bush and Byron Howard (directors) and Yvett Merino (producer), Zootopia 2 also features the voices of Fortune Feimster, Quinta Brunson and Shakira, who returns as Gazelle.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Indira Varma deals with unexpected motherhood in Torchwood: Child Free, a brand-new full-cast audio drama, available now from Big Finish Productions.

It’s a typical Friday night in Cardiff: Suzie is investigating mysterious energy signals, Hywel is on his stag do. The two bump into each other… and by the next morning, they have a baby.

In this latest release in the Torchwood audio drama range, Child Free, Indira Varma – recently seen in Doctor Who: Rogue, as well as Game of Thrones and Creature Commandos – returns as the amoral agent Suzie Costello, who faces one of her most unusual problems yet.

The man sharing Suzie’s baby situation is Hywel, voiced by Arthur Hughes, star of TV series Shardlake and The Jetty. The cast also includes Bharti Patel as Emily and Rhys Jennings as Chester.

Will Suzie be able to uncover the true origin of this new family member? And in the meantime, how will the mismatched duo fare as parents?

Torchwood: Child Free, written by Holly Robinson and George Fletcher, is now available to own for just £8.99 (download to own) or £10.99 (download to own + collector’s edition CD), exclusively from www.bigfinish.com. Please note: the collector’s edition CD is strictly limited to 1,000 copies and will not be re-pressed.

Looking for a mysterious energy signal, Suzie bumps into Hywel, who is having doubts about getting married tomorrow.

The next morning, they wake up with a baby and a whole lot of problems.

Child Free is the Big Finish writing debut of Holly Robinson and George Fletcher. Fletcher said: “This is a play about adulthood and letting go of childhood. We wanted to explore the strange moment where suddenly all of your mates are making this massive life choice, and sometimes with a lot of ease.

“And you look at them and go, wow, you really think that you’re able to do this? Why don’t I think I’m able to do this? There’s something about the world of Torchwood, which is so sleek and urban – and what’s it like when you land all of the mess and sprawl of a newborn baby into that?”

His co-writer Holly Robinson added: “It was really exciting to do this story with a character like Suzie. Indira Varma was obviously so brilliant, and Suzie has this real advantage for writers, where there’s a real clarity to her character. Cold and calculating and pragmatic. But there’s also so much room to explore and imagine around her.”

Torchwood contains adult material and may not be suitable for younger listeners.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

A wizard is never late … nor is he early; he arrives precisely when he means to.

Video games, however, are a different matter …

You’ll have to wait a bit longer to step into the Shire and embrace your inner Hobbit. Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game is now coming to Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PS4 and PC via Steam on July 29 March 25, 2025.

Originally set for holiday 2024 release, the cozy life sim will let you share home-cooked meals, unwind at The Green Dragon Inn, tend your garden, fish and do everything else a good Hobbit does — and, of course, you can decorate your own Hobbit hole!

More Gaming:

Chibi-Robo joins Nintendo Classics’ GameCube lineup for Switch 2

Nintendo bringing Switch e-sports to schools in 23 states

‘Combo Devils’ aims to take platform fighters to new heights

Yacht Club’s Mina the Hollower finally announced for consoles

Gradius Origins launches Switch, Xbox X/S, PS5 and PC

Son Studios on bringing more competition to arena fighters with ‘netcode warriors’

Video game release dates:

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Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

The 1992 Super NES game turns your system into a canvas, with an array of colors and drawing tools available to create digital works of art. You can even animate your drawings and compose music to craft your own video creations! Get ready to unlock your inner artist using the Joy-Con 2 controller’s mouse functionality on Nintendo Switch 2, or by using a compatible USB mouse (sold separately) on a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch – OLED Model system.

And just like in the original game, you can access the Coloring Book featuring fun designs and character art or play the Gnat Attack training game for some extra mouse control fun.

Experience the 1992 Super NES game that turns your system into a canvas, with an array of colors and drawing tools available to create digital works of art. Unlock your inner artist with simple mouse controls via Joy-Con 2 controllers on Nintendo Switch 2, or by using a compatible USB mouse (sold separately) on Nintendo Switch. You can even create animated sequences and write music to add to your collage! Mario Paint is available to play today for Nintendo Switch Online members.

Get inspired to create with the Mario Paint soundtrack, now on the Nintendo Music app! Go back to the drawing board and vibe out with tracks for Gnat Attack: Level 1, Title Theme 1, Special Stamp and more.

You can try the Nintendo Switch Online service free for a week. One month costs $3.99, three months cost $7.99 and a year costs $19.99 — but the best value is a family plan that costs $34.99 a year and accommodates eight people with free Nintendo Accounts. If you want to play Switch game online (Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, etc.), you’ll need to sign on with this service anyway. The Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack upgrade is required to play Nintendo 64, SEGA Genesis and Game Boy Advance games, along with other benefits.

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Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

The trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ash from Oscar-winning filmmaker James Cameron is here! The third film in the phenomenally successful Avatar franchise opens exclusively in theaters worldwide in IMAX 3D, Dolby Cinema 3D, RealD 3D, Cinemark XD, 4DX, ScreenX, and premium screens everywhere on Dec. 19, 2025.

This past weekend, the trailer debuted on the big screen with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, providing movie-goers with a first look at the film’s eye-popping visuals, new clans, and stunning new creatures.

With Avatar: Fire and Ash, James Cameron takes audiences back to Pandora in an immersive new adventure with Marine turned Na’vi leader Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Na’vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and the Sully family. The film, which has a screenplay by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, and a story by James Cameron & Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver & Josh Friedman & Shane Salerno, also stars Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Oona Chaplin, Cliff Curtis, Britain Dalton, Trinity Bliss, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass and Kate Winslet.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Following its exciting unveiling at Annecy International Animation Festival last month, Marvel Animation’s Eyes of Wakanda will now be available for fans to enjoy on Disney+ earlier than anticipated. The all-new series, which features four episodes, will debut on Aug. 1, 2025. The trailer and key art are available for download. 

The new action-adventure series, which was produced in partnership with Proximity Media’s Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian and Kalia King, follows the adventures of brave Wakandan warriors throughout history. In this globe-trotting adventure, the heroes must carry-out dangerous missions to retrieve Vibranium artifacts from the enemies of Wakanda. They are the Hatut Zaraze and this is their story. Featuring the voices of Winnie Harlow, Cress Williams, Patricia Belcher, Larry Herron, Adam Gold, Lynn Whitfield, Jacques Colimon, Jona Xiao, Isaac Robinson-Smith, Gary Anthony Williams, Zeke Alton, Steve Toussaint and Anika Noni Rose, “Eyes of Wakanda” is helmed by director/executive producer Todd Harris, a director, producer and storyboard artist who has worked on some of the world’s biggest film franchises from “John Wick” to the MCU. Over the years, Harris has been a close collaborator to director Ryan Coogler, first as a storyboard artist on “Black Panther” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” then as an illustrator on “Sinners” before directing “Eyes of Wakanda.” The show is executive produced by Ryan Coogler, Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito and Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Paramount+ today announced that Season 4 of its hit original series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will feature a puppet-themed episode, featuring U.S.S. Enterprise crew members as puppets created by the iconic Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. The episode is directed by Jordan Canning (Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock).

The reveal was made during today’s Star Trek universe presentation in Hall H at Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA. Moderated by Star Trek legend Robert Picardo, the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds panel portion featured a conversation with co-showrunners and executive producers Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers, executive producer Alex Kurtzman, and cast members Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, and Paul Wesley.

In addition, the Hall H audience was treated to a surprise advance screening of the series’ upcoming new episode, “A Space Adventure Hour,” ahead of its debut this Thursday, July 31 on Paramount+ in the U.S. Directed by Jonathan Frakes, the episode incorporates a murder mystery theme. When La’An (Chong) tests a prototype holodeck with a fictional case only she can solve, the consequences of failure get greater and greater, with the Enterprise hanging in the balance.

In celebration of “A Space Adventure Hour,” the episode will be available to stream for free starting Thursday, July 31 through Wednesday, August 6 on Pluto TV, Paramount+ channels on Amazon, Apple and Roku, the Free Content Hub on Paramount+, and the Paramount+ YouTube channel.

Season 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premiered with two episodes on Thursday, July 17, with new episodes dropping weekly on Thursdays through the season finale on Thursday, Sept. 11, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. The series is also available to stream on Paramount+ in international markets where the service is available. Recently, Season 4 wrapped production and it was announced that the series has been renewed for a fifth and final season.

In Season 3, when we reconnect with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, still under the command of Captain Pike, they face the conclusion of Season 2’s harrowing encounter with the Gorn. But new life and civilizations await, including a villain that will test our characters’ grit and resolve. An exciting twist on classic Star Trek, Season 3 takes characters both new and beloved to new heights, and dives into thrilling adventures of faith, duty, romance, comedy and mystery, with varying genres never before seen on any other Star Trek.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy follows the adventures of a new class of cadets in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.

Starring Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins, Bella Shepard, and Zoë Steiner, as well as Holly Hunter, who plays the captain and chancellor of Starfleet Academy. Additional cast members include Tig Notaro and Robert Picardo, reprising their roles as Jett Reno and The Doctor, and guest stars Oded Fehr and Mary Wiseman, reprising their roles as Admiral Vance and Sylvia Tilly, as well as recurring guest stars Gina Yashere and Paul Giamatti.

• Recurring Guest Star Gina Yashere as Commander Lura Thok, a Klingon/Jem’Hadar hybrid who is the chancellor’s First Officer and Cadet Master.
• Recurring Guest Star and Academy Award nominee, Paul Giamatti, as part-Klingon, part-Tellarite Nus Braka, the season’s villain with an ominous past connected to one of our cadets.

The announcements were made during today’s Star Trek universe presentation in Hall H at Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA. The Star Trek: Starfleet Academy panel portion featured an exclusive conversation with executive producers and co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau as well as series star Holly Hunter, plus cadets Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins and Bella Shepard. The panel was moderated by fellow series cast member and Star Trek legend Robert Picardo. More details about the casts and characters can be found on StarTrek.com.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Star Trek: Khan explores the untold events on Ceti Alpha V, chronicling Khan’s descent from a superhuman visionary into the vengeful villain seen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. New episodes will be available weekly on Mondays through Nov. 3, wherever you get your podcasts.

Naveen Andrews (Lost) voices the iconic role of Khan Noonien Singh, and is joined by a stellar cast, including Wrenn Schmidt (For All Mankind) as Lieutenant Marla McGivers, Sonya Cassidy (Reacher) as Dr. Rosalind Lear, with Star Trek veteran Tim Russ (Star Trek: Voyager) reprising his role as Ensign Tuvok, and the legendary George Takei (Star Trek) as Captain Sulu.

Supporting voice cast includes Olli Haaskivi (Oppenheimer) as Delmonda, Maury Sterling (Homeland) as Ivan, Mercy Malick (Mr. Mayor) as Ursula, and Zuri Washington (Life with Althaar) as Madot.

Star Trek: Khan is based on a story by Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan writer and director, Nicholas Meyer. Kirsten Beyer and David Mack serve as writers on the podcast. Star Trek: Khan is produced by CBS’ Eye Podcast Productions Inc. CBS Studio’s podcasting arm; Secret Hideout; and Roddenberry Entertainment. Executive producers include, Alex Kurtzman, Aaron Baiers, Kirsten Beyer, Molly Barton, Carly Migliori, Fred Greenhalgh, Trevor Roth and Rod Roddenberry. Robyn Johnson is Co-Executive Producer, and the podcast was directed by Fred Greenhalgh. Realm serves as the production studio for the series.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

My Maker Mantras: ‘No Rules, Just Tools’

Russ Kazmierczak Jr.

Nerdvana presents Small Press Saturday – aka, Lessons Learned Self-Publishing Comics

I have a confession to make. I hate inking.

If you aren’t familiar with the production process of a comic book, comics are generally scripted, like a film, and an artist uses that script to thumbnail pages. Thumbnails are almost like storyboards; they’re small sketches of the pages’ layouts, characters’ blocking, lettering placement, and so on. From those thumbnails, the pages are fully penciled, then inked, lettered, and colored. In mainstream comics, like Marvel and DC comics, each task is usually assigned or attributed to a separate artist, each a master in those respective steps.

If you’re a self-publisher, like me, you often tackle each of those steps solo. That means, by the time I’m inking any given page, I’ve already touched it two or three times (my scripting and thumbnailing often go hand in hand). If inking were JUST tracing, as Kevin Smith joked in his movie Chasing Amy, I might simply embrace it as a necessary step in making my comic pages print-ready. Alas, inking really is an art all its own, with considerations toward the depth and width of the line and story continuity. Some may even argue, inking is when the concept for a comic book becomes the comic book itself.

When I first started making my own comics, I presumed my insecurities about inking stemmed from the tools I used. I experimented with various art pens and brushes, and sometimes I still do. If something didn’t look right, I’d blame the tools and convince myself, “If only I had the right pen…!” Cartoonists often fall down that rabbit hole, sometimes called “process porn” – we become obsessed with the tools and techniques, rather than our subject and our story.

On a recent Instagram reel, artist Justin Bua featured someone painting with lipstick, and the portrait they made was evocative and full of soul. Bua insisted, “There are no rules, only tools.” That statement stuck with me. It isn’t the lipstick that made the painting, and my art pens aren’t really making my comics. Art is made by any means necessary, and an absence of skill CAN be supplemented by a passion and purpose to make it in the first place.

My friend and mentor Dean Haspiel shares a story about watching legendary cartoonist Bill Sienkiewicz working on pages for Elektra. Seemingly at a loss for the right shading tool, Sienkiewicz grabbed a teabag from a nearby mug and began dabbing the page, infusing it with the hues from the damp tea leaves. What a bizarre, inspiring technique! Another mentor of mine, Warren Mecca, once gifted me an abstract work painted with celery stalks. Truly, anything can be a tool. Rules need not apply.

While I still ink my comics with traditional art pens, this lesson, and these examples, aren’t lost on me. If those artists can use FOOD to create incredible work, surely I can use PENS – after all, that IS their intended use. Honestly, most people don’t think about how comics are made, anyway. They don’t think about the tools and the talent required. They just see a final product, and, no matter my taste for the steps in the process, that’s what I want to give them – a story to read. The best art is FINISHED art, by any means necessary!

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Content by Russ Kazmierczak Jr. originally published on Nerdvana

The fan-favorite team of experimental clone troopers known as Clone Force 99—or The Bad Batch—embark on an all-new, high-stakes adventure set during the Clone Wars in Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch—Rogue Agents. Dark Horse Comics and Lucasfilm Publishing are bringing back the team behind Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch–Ghost Agents for this new series: writer Michael Moreci (Barbaric, The Plot), artist Reese Hannigan (Black Spot, Terminus), inker Elisabetta D’Amico (Black Widow, Cloak and Dagger), colorist Michael Atiyeh (Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora), and letterer Comicraft (Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories—Qui-Gon, Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures). Issue #1 main cover art by Valeria Favoccia (By a Thread) with variant covers by Riley Rossmo (Proof) and Reese Hannigan. This four-issue series begins in December 2025 and is not to be missed.

In Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch—Rogue Agents:

When a Separatist scientist and his dangerous invention go missing during the Clone Wars, Clone Force 99 is sent to track him down and prevent the device from falling into the wrong hands. But when Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, and Tech arrive at the scientist’s abandoned laboratory, they quickly realize that they aren’t the only ones on his trail, and that this mission will be different than any they’ve faced before!  

Get in the battle with Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair and Tech when Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch—Rogue Agents #1 (of 4) arrives in comic shops on Dec. 17, 2025, for $4.99. Visit Comic Shop Locator for more details and stores near you.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Content by Bob Leeper originally published on Nerdvana

The Demigods descended upon Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con today, where thousands of fans were treated to a tidal wave of announcements and exclusive debuts for the epic Disney+ Original series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” 

The star-studded Hall H panel featured series leads Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson), Leah Sava Jeffries (Annabeth Chase), Aryan Simhadri (Grover Underwood), Charlie Bushnell (Luke Castellan), Dior Goodjohn (Clarisse La Rue) and Daniel Diemer (Tyson) alongside executive producers Jonathan E. Steinberg, Dan Shotz and Craig Silverstein. Moderated by actor-comedian Timothy Simons — who also stars as Tantalus in the series — the panel treated fans to an exciting peek of the upcoming season, including the debut of a brand-new teaser featuring a first look at the fan-favorite cyclops Tyson. 

Via a special video message, executive producer and creator Rick Riordan revealed that the highly anticipated second season of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” will premiere Dec. 10, 2025, exclusively on Disney+.

Additionally, Riordan announced that casting is complete for two fan-favorite demigods — and children of Hades — Nico di Angelo and his sister Bianca, who will join the series in its third season. Levi Chrisopulos is set to star as Nico, a series regular, with Olive Abercrombie appearing in a recurring role as Bianca. Production on Season 3 is set to begin soon. 

Percy Jackson fans in San Diego can also step into “The Percy Jackson Experience” – an immersive activation that will be open to the public directly outside the San Diego Convention Center. The experience takes fans beyond the mist and on a quest into the mythological world of the series.

Season 2 of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is based on “The Sea of Monsters,” the second installment of Disney Hyperion’s bestselling book series by acclaimed author Rick Riordan. After Camp Half-Blood’s protective border is breached, Percy Jackson embarks on an epic odyssey into the Sea of Monsters in search of his best friend Grover and the one thing that may save the camp — the Golden Fleece. With help from Annabeth, Clarisse and his newfound cyclops half-brother Tyson, Percy’s survival is crucial in the fight to stop Luke, the Titan Kronos, and their impending plan to bring down Camp Half-Blood — and ultimately, Olympus.

Created by Rick Riordan and Jonathan E. Steinberg, Season 2 of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is executive produced by Steinberg and Dan Shotz alongside Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Craig Silverstein, The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Bert Salke, The Gotham Group’s Jeremy Bell, D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Albert Kim, Jason Ensler and Sarah Watson.

The second season of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” stars Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, Aryan Simhadri, Charlie Bushnell, Dior Goodjohn and Daniel Diemer. 

Meanwhile, the first season of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is available on Disney+. 

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Rating: 8 out of 10.

Rating: 8 out of 10.

Can you believe that this, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, is the fourth Fantastic Four film? (Actually, it’s the fifth, if you count the never-released 1994 Roger Corman production that was made just so the film rights could be maintained. You can watch the excellent documentary film about that movie, Doomed!: The Untold Story of Roger Corman’s The Fantastic Four, on YouTube.)

I could go on and on about the history of the previous FF film fiascos, like the 2015 version that is one of the worst films I’ve ever seen. Heck, I even reviewed Denny’s “Thing Burger” back in the day (and it was way better than the movie.) But, we’re here to talk about the new MCU version of Marvel’s “first-family” (as was heralded), so let’s get started.

If you have ever discussed comic book movies with me, especially the FF films, then you know I’ve long propounded that the Fantastic Four films should be set in the early sixties, before we actually sent a man into space, the same era in which Stan Lee and Jack Kirby first created the super team. They were born of that time and it always seemed like that was where they best fit in.

Well, it’s almost as if director Matt Shakman and his team of writers read my ever-lovin’ mind, because the new film is, in fact, set in the early sixties, just four years after the space-traveling accident that gave the team their superpowers. One huge difference, though, is that this ‘60s period has a touch of The Jetsons’ retro-future about it that is fascinating.

If you enjoyed Shakman’s WandaVision (on Disney+), then you’ll get a kick out of the ‘60s TV aesthetic in which he tells this FF story. It’s not really an origin story, but there is time spent on getting newcomers up to date on how the team came to be and a recap of their early adventures.

If you’ve seen the trailers, then you know the main plot here is set around the FF’s first encounter with the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) and the world-devouring Galactus (Ralph Ineson), who is finally brought to life on the big screen in an awesome way that honors illustrator Jack Kirby’s original creation.

This story is set on Earth 828 (a number that has huge significance if you know your Marvel history), so the other FF films and the usual MCU do not play into the movie at all. (Not yet, anyway — but prepare yourselves, as the next couple of Avengers movies are going to get crazy with the interdimensional travel.)

Pedro Pascal plays Mister Fantastic, and really, is there any movie that the actor isn’t in these days? I didn’t like the moustache, but, other than that, he plays a perfect Reed Richards. The stretching effects are still a little shaky, but there are not that many of them.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach plays Ben Grimm/The Thing, and Joseph Quinn plays Johnny Storm/The Human Torch. My biggest complaint about this film is that neither of these portrayals was on the money for me. This Johnny is a lot smarter than he should be and the movie’s Ben Grimm is a lot more reserved and gentlemanly than I expected, with little angst or irritability about his monstrous condition.

Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, was the most interesting character to me, even though her character is also drastically changed from the early comics. Instead of being a beauty queen mostly concerned with her make-up, she’s basically the leader of the group and their best spokesperson. I loved what they did with her character (and it’s the role she also plays in the comics these days).

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is different from all the other MCU movies we’ve seen (and the 20th Century Fox FF movies as well), and that’s a good thing. Despite my minor complaints about Johnny and Ben, I can’t wait to see this again and pick up on all the things I surely missed the first time … and I gotta get one of those Galactus popcorn buckets!

Content by Bob Leeper originally published on Nerdvana

Andor’s triumphant final season

And as Bail Organa actor Benjamin Bratt encouraged her to do, she did indeed “tear the shit” out of the Imperial Senate in a stunning, truth-to-power speech that is still reverberating in increasingly authoritarian America.

Ahsoka Season 2

We now know that Ahsoka itself will get another season. At Star Wars Celebration in Japan, started hearing more from the Star Wars powers that be at Lucasfilm on what exactly we’ll see for sure next — and when. The second season is going into production immediately after Celebration! Hayden Christensen is returning as Anakin, and Admiral Ackbar returns to take on the Imperial Remnant’s Grand Admiral Thrawn.

As for one burning question, how will Ahsoka handle the untimely demise of actor Ray Stevenson, who played the series’ breakout character, former Jedi turned mercenary Baylan Skoll? Rory McCann, known for playing Ser Sandor “The Hound” Clegane in HBO’s Game Of Thrones, is officially stepping into the role.

A bit more was revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, with the very first look at Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) freshly shaved from his Peridean exile and in a new costume from Season 2 of Ahsoka, currently in production.

The Mandalorian and Grogu — in this economy?

A fourth season of the fan-favorite “Baby Yoda” series that launched Star Wars into contemporary television is widely expected — but has yet to be announced. It may also be wrapped into an expected “Mando-verse/Filoni-Favreau-verse” movie that is likely to expand up the pre-Sequel Trilogy era of adventures set against the shadowy (so far) struggle between the nascent New Republic and the Remnants of the Empire.

See also: The Book of Boba Fett …

Skeleton Crew sticks the landing

The eight-episode series Skeleton Crew stars Jude Law and is set during the same period as Ahsoka and The Mandalorian — the turbulent era after the Empire’s supposed fall in Episode VI — Return of the Jedi. The series is very Amblin-like, intrinsically Star Wars but with adolescent adventure vibes akin to E.T. and The Goonies. Learn more here …

A second season of Skeleton Crew has not yet been announced, but the season finale left things wide open, and the show was received more warmly from the fandom at large than its immediate predecessor on Disney+, The Acolyte — which has been effectively canceled and won’t get a second season anytime soon …

The Acolyte sputters out

Set in the waning days of the High Republic era, near the dawn of the Old Republic we see in the Episode I-III prequels, The Acoylte starred Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, Carrie-Anne Moss, Margarita Levieva and Joonas Suotamo.

With a darker tone exploring the shadows of the Republic and hints of dark side conspiracy that foreshadow a certain Phantom Menace, The Acolyte joins the ranks of Disney+ Star Wars series that didn’t get renewed, like The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Lando system?

Donald Glover is still expected to return as the younger Calrissian scoundrel, a role he first assumed in the criminally underrated Solo: A Star Wars Story film — but will it be in a Disney+ TV series? TBA …

LEGO my Star Wars? More Tales? And Visions Season 3 …

Darth Jar Jar? A Dark Falcon? In LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, the entire Star Wars galaxy got completely mixed up in the latest animated special on Disney+ last year. The four-part sequel series LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy: Pieces of the Past arrives on Disney+ on Sept. 19, 2025.

Launching on Disney+ on September 19, 2025, LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy – Pieces of the Past is a 4-part sequel series that will expand on the ever-changing future of Sig Greebling’s universe, which was turned upside down in every which way in last year’s original series debut: LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy. 

With The Clone Wars finally wrapped up in epic fashion — although there are many unproduced stories that could still see the light of day — fans naturally want to know what’s next in Star Wars animation. We’ve already got Clone Wars-style miniseries Tales of the Jedi and Tales of the Empire which could very well continue (Tales of the Underworld explored Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane’s histories this May), and we know a third season of the anime-inspired Star Wars: Visions shorts is coming Oct. 29, 2025 along with a longer-form spinoff. Then, in 2026, Maul returns in the Shadow Lord animated series. A first still from the new show was unveiled at Comic-Con 2025:

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …

Star Wars: A New Hope returns to theaters for 50th anniversary

PREVIEW: Star Wars’ coolest Jedi Masters face ‘Tides of Terror’ in new comic miniseries

More Bad Batch action coming from Dark Horse Comics

What’s next for Star Wars TV after Andor’s triumphant finale?

Preview: Bad Batch – Ghost Agents finale (July 16)

Star Wars updates galaxy map

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Next year will be the Year of F*ck Sh*t Up! Our heroes return for more debauchery in The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4 in 2026!

Season Four of The Legend of Vox Machina finds our heroes scattered across the globe on separate journeys, but when a cataclysmic threat befalls Exandria – they must reunite to face a foe darker than they could imagine.

The Legend of Vox Machina is an Amazon MGM Studios, Critical Role, and Titmouse production for Prime Video. The series stars Critical Role founders and cast members Laura Bailey (The Last of Us: Part II), Taliesin Jaffe (World of Warcraft), Ashley Johnson (The Last of Us), Liam O’Brien (Marvel’s Avengers), Matthew Mercer (Baldur’s Gate 3), Marisha Ray (Fallout 76), Sam Riegel (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Travis Willingham (Marvel’s Avengers). The Critical Role cast also serves as executive producers alongside Brandon Auman (Star Wars: Resistance), Chris Prynoski (Metalocalypse), Shannon Prynoski (Fairfax), and Ben Kalina (Big Mouth).

Prime Video also renewed the series for a fifth and final season.

Which is it – The Mighty Nein or The Sensual Seven? Whatever it is, looks like it comes exclusively to Prime Video on Nov. 19.

The Mighty Nein is an hour long new animated series from the team at Critical Role, who also created the critically acclaimed series, The Legend of Vox Machina. The Mighty Nein follows a group of fugitives and outcasts, bound by secrets and scars. But when a powerful arcane relic known as “The Beacon” falls into dangerous hands, they must learn to work together to save the realm and stop reality itself from unraveling.

The Mighty Nein is an Amazon MGM Studios, Critical Role, and Titmouse production for Prime Video. The series stars Critical Role founders and cast members Laura Bailey (The Last of Us: Part II), Taliesin Jaffe (World of Warcraft), Ashley Johnson (The Last of Us), Liam O’Brien (Marvel’s Avengers), Matthew Mercer (Baldur’s Gate 3), Marisha Ray (Fallout 76), Sam Riegel (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Travis Willingham (Marvel’s Avengers). The Critical Role cast serves as executive producers alongside Tasha Huo (Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft) who also serves as showrunner, Chris Prynoski (Metalocalypse), Shannon Prynoski (Fairfax), Antonio Canobbio (Star Trek: Lower Decks), and Ben Kalina (Big Mouth).

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Fuqua and King will bring audiences a riveting portrayal of the brilliant yet complicated man, from a script by three-time Oscar nominee John Logan. Newcomer Jaafar Jackson steps into the iconic role portraying his late uncle in the film.

Michael explores the global superstar’s journey to become known to the world as the King of Pop, presenting an intimate look at the life and enduring legacy of one of the most influential, trailblazing artists the world has ever known.

Philip Rood | Flickr

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

They’re not just at Freddy’s anymore.

In 2023, Blumhouse’s box-office horror phenomenon Five Nights at Freddy’s, based on the blockbuster game series by Scott Cawthon, became the highest-grossing horror film of the year. Now, a shocking new chapter of animatronic terror begins.

One year has passed since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. The stories about what transpired there have been twisted into a campy local legend, inspiring the town’s first ever Fazfest.

Former security guard Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) have kept the truth from Mike’s 11-year-old sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), concerning the fate of her animatronic friends.

But when Abby sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, it will set into motion a terrifying series of events, revealing dark secrets about the true origin of Freddy’s, and unleashing a long-forgotten horror hidden away for decades.

The cast of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 includes returning co-stars Theodus Crane as Jeremiah and the legendary Matthew Lillard as William Afton. The film features new characters played by Freddy Carter (Shadow and Bone, Pennyworth), Wayne Knight (Jurassic Park, Seinfeld), Mckenna Grace (Ghostbusters franchise, Annabelle Comes Home) and horror icon Skeet Ulrich (Scream, Riverdale).

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is directed by acclaimed returning filmmaker Emma Tammi and is written by game series creator Scott Cawthon.

The film is produced by Blumhouse founder and CEO Jason Blum and Scott Cawthon, who together produced the first film. The executive producers are director Emma Tammi, Beatriz Sequeira, Christopher Warner, Russell Binder and Marc Mostman.

The first Freddy’s film opened to a record-shattering $80 million in October 2023 and went on to earn almost $300 million worldwide.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Something has surfaced in Tokyo Bay. As the Prime Minister of Japan pleads with the public to remain calm, a horrific creature of tremendous size makes landfall in the city, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Then it evolves.

The government assembles a motley task force to combat the monster when an envoy from the U.S. Department of State delivers a folder of classified documents. On its cover is written “GODZILLA.”

From visionary director Hideaki Anno and co-director Shinji Higuchi, SHIN GODZILLA offers a thrilling origin story to one of cinema’s greatest creations. Propelled by astounding visual effects and rapid-fire dialogue, SHIN GODZILLA is equal parts pulse-pounding action film and venomous political satire, worthy of the franchise’s towering history.

Shin Godzilla is a 2016 Japanese kaiju film directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, with a screenplay by Anno and visual effects by Higuchi. Produced by Toho Pictures and Cine Bazar and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd., it is the 31st film in the Godzilla franchise, the 29th film produced by Toho, Toho’s third reboot of the franchise, and the first film in the franchise’s Reiwa era. It is the first reboot of a tokusatsu series to be adapted by Anno and Higuchi, followed by Shin Ultraman (2022) and Shin Kamen Rider (2023). The film stars Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, and Satomi Ishihara.

In the film, politicians struggle with bureaucratic red tape in order to deal with the sudden appearance of a giant monster, known as Godzilla, that evolves whenever it is attacked.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc., representing the estate of the iconic author behind Tarzan and John Carter of Mars, is developing an animated series based on the John Carter of Mars novels.

Michael Kogge, who is writing and directing John Carter of Mars: The Audio Series and whose other credits include projects for Lucasfilm (Star Wars), Disney Interactive, Playtone, and Warner Bros., has been tapped to develop the series. Jim Sullos and Wolf Larson will oversee for Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.

Edgar Rice Burroughs originated the story of John Carter of Mars in his first novel, A Princess of Mars, over 100 years ago. In 1936, legendary animator Bob Clampett (Looney Tunes) and Burroughs’ son, John Coleman Burroughs, created a test reel to pitch a series of nine-minute animated John Carter shorts to MGM that never came to fruition. This series would be the first time John Carter of Mars has been fully realized in animation.

“In this era of incredible animation, with shows like Castlevania, Blood of Zeus, and Twilight of the Gods pushing the genre of fantasy action-adventure to new heights, there couldn’t be a better time for the Martian saga of John Carter and Princess Dejah Thoris to be told through bold, ground-breaking animation,” Kogge said.

“We’re thrilled to endorse Michael Kogge’s inspired vision for our John Carter animated series, driven by his exceptional direction of John Carter of Mars: The Audio Series,” said Wolf Larson, head of the entertainment division of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. “Edgar Rice Burroughs’ 11 John Carter novels, combined with the countless comics and authorized stories by other authors, offer a vast tapestry that has inspired cinematic giants like George Lucas and James Cameron. With animation’s soaring popularity, we’re ready to unleash the boundless wonders of Mars in a thrilling epic that will enthrall both loyal fans and new explorers alike.”

“The explosive rise of action-adventure animation has captivated audiences around the world, making it the perfect moment to launch our John Carter animated series. This marks a new era in storytelling for the Edgar Rice Burroughs universe and we’re excited that Michael Kogge will help bring Mars to life,” added Jim Sullos, President of ERB, Inc.

More will be revealed at 2025’s San Diego Comic Con during the Edgar Rice Burroughs panel on Friday, July 25, at 4 p.m. in room 32AB at the San Diego Convention Center.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Sadie Miller and Christopher Naylor star in Smith and Sullivan: Reunited, a brand-new box set of full-cast audio drama, available now from Big Finish Productions.

Investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith and freelance UNIT operative Harry Sullivan once travelled the stars with each other and their friend the Doctor. Now they’re back on Earth, the adventures are only just beginning…

Smith and Sullivan is a brand-new full-cast audio drama series starring Sadie Miller (daughter of original TV actress Elisabeth Sladen) as Sarah Jane Smith and Christopher Naylor as Harry Sullivan. They’re joined by John Leeson as robotic companion K9 and Annette Badland as Sarah’s Aunt Lavinia.

The events which bring Sarah and Harry back together kick off the first Smith and Sullivan box set, Reunited. After joining forces once again, they set about solving mysteries across 1980s Britain, including a spate of odd deaths in phone boxes and a wealthy inventor with a most unusual ally.

The Worlds of Doctor Who – Smith and Sullivan: Reunited is now available to purchase as a digital download to own for just £19.99, exclusively from www.bigfinish.com.

Sarah and Harry’s three new cases are:

“The Caller” by Tim Foley

As the government prepares to sell off the telecommunications network to the highest bidder, including Starling Industries, Sarah investigates a spate of unexplained deaths in phone boxes across the capital. Elsewhere, Harry is vetting the bidding companies on behalf of UNIT, delighted when the assignment converges with his old friend – and her robot dog!

Sarah and Harry realise they are investigating the same thing – why is government minister Sir Gordon Carmichael covering up the ‘phone box murders’, and what alien power is Violet Starling preparing to unleash?

“Union of the Snake” by Roland Moore

Self-made millionaire Eric Chen inexplicably went from working in a sawmill to designing a revolutionary computer chip that has made billions. He had no training or education in electronics. How did he do it?

His new PA – Sarah Jane Smith – is determined to find the answer.

“Blood Type” by Simon Guerrier

Busier than ever with so many cases, Sarah has little time to write up her cases for publications. But taking shortcuts risks making mistakes, as a journalist and as an investigator.

When an old adversary reappears, the pressure reaches boiling point. But can Sarah rely on her closest friends in this crisis?

Smith and Sullivan: Reunited also features Rosie Baker as Violet Starling/The Caller, Graham Seed as Sir Gordon Carmichael, Chris Lew Kum Hoi as Eric Chen, Marcia Lecky as Veronica Hyde, Daon Broni as Derren Burrows/Medworth, George Naylor as Roy Kitt, and Sarah Moyle as Brenda Gough.

Sadie Miller said: “When a project as good as this happens, there are so many possibilities and it’s so exciting. To be able to get to do it is a dream. Sarah’s finding her feet after the Doctor, going back to being a journalist. It’s really fun to explore that time, seeing what’s happened to Sarah, who she is, and what she’s getting up to.

“Sarah adores Harry and, for a woman of her time, she loves that she can actually boss him around a little bit, but that he takes her seriously. They have a genuine relationship where they really care about each other, but where they’re each allowed to stand on their own as individuals.”

Christopher Naylor added: “Harry’s gone back to UNIT, but on a more freelance basis. He’s quite happy back at home again. And then Sarah explodes into his life yet again and changes all that. A whole new world of opportunities and perils opens up for him.

“It’s just nice to be at the heart of everything and to have this lovely team assembled around us, with Aunt Lavinia and K9. I can really feel we’re stamping our identities on it.”

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Dark Horse Manga continues the English translations of masterful manga artist Gou Tanabe! Winner of the 2025 Bram Stoker Award from the Horror Writers of America, Tanabe’s adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft have also been nominated for the Eisner, Harvey, and American Manga Awards. His latest work to appear from Dark Horse, H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow out of Time, is adapted into English by Zack Davisson, translator of the two-time Eisner Award-winning Showa: A History of Japan by Shigeru Mizuki, and lettered by the Eisner-nominated Steve Dutro. This next terrifying tale will arrive just in time for Halloween 2025. 

In H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow out of Time:

Nathaniel Wingate Peaslee was once a respectable professor of political economy. Though he taught at Miskatonic University in Arkham, his temper was of a reasonable sort, not at all interested in the occult. That has changed. In 1908, standing in the lecture hall, Professor Peaslee saw his classroom suddenly twist into an uncanny, alien vista, and he collapsed unconscious.

What awoke was not the Nathaniel Peaslee his colleagues knew—at least, not his mind. Now associating with strange people, and speaking oddly of time, distant lands, and concepts of existence, his travels and research disturbed those who knew him, including his friends, wife and even children. It was not until 1913 that Professor Peaslee came back to his right mind, with no memory of his strange sabbatical. His search for understanding of those five missing years leads him—and readers—on a journey across the globe to a place where a long-vanished race still casts their shadow out of time.

Are you out of your mind? Don’t miss H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow out of Time when the 370-page (5.125” x 7.25”) tankobon-sized paperback arrives in bookstores on Oct. 28, 2025 and comic shops on Oct. 29, 2025, for $21.99. Pre-order now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local bookstore or comic shop. Visit Comic Shop Locator or Bookshop.org for more details and stores near you.

Nerdvana may earn a small share of sales made via links from this article.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Today, Nintendo of America announced a brand-new Nintendo Switch 2 bundle that combines the Nintendo Switch 2 system with the Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game.

Players can purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 + Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition bundle for the suggested retail price of $499.99 in the United States. Releasing simultaneously with the Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game on Oct. 16, the bundle includes the Nintendo Switch 2 system and the full game download for the Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game.

Pre-orders for the bundle are available now on My Nintendo Store and select retailers.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Set in a resort on a tropical island resort for Pokémon, rookie concierge Haru and her partner Psyduck interact with Pokémon guests in this heartwarming story of growth.

In the new episodes (#5-8), Haru has grown a little and is no longer a newbie. She and her partner Psyduck welcome many new Pokémon to the resort, including Sealeo, Shinx, Luxray, Arcanine, and Corphish. Haru spends fun and relaxing days surrounded by these guests, occaisionally handling any problems that pop up. One day, a guy named Kent (voiced by Keita Machida) appears, and he seems to be Haru’s ex-boyfriend. Why did he come to the resort? What will happen with his relationship with Haru? Plus, Tyler’s uncle Dan (voiced by Kazuhiro Yamaji) arrives at the resort with the Sealeo that has accompanied him for 15 years. Dan, who sometimes looks a little forlorn, is troubled by something…

New episodes of the Netflix Series Pokémon Concierge start streaming worldwide Sept. 4 on Netflix.

Set at a resort for Pokémon on a southern island, this is the story of a new concierge named Haru, who gradually discovers herself as she and her fellow staff members scramble to attend to the various Pokémon guests.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

A new Dungeons & Dragons set releasing Oct. 7 will complete Eddie Munson’s Hellfire Club D&D campaign from Stranger Things:

Keep the flames of Hellfire burning in this board game bundle, which includes a collaborative 3-5 player board game and digital adventure pack featuring Eddie’s lost adventures. The Stranger Things Welcome to the Hellfire Club Ultimate Bundle invites you to gather the gang – and choose how the story ends.

D&D Beyond’s physical and digital bundle is priced at $69.99, with a $10 pre-order discount.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

A new trailer for Predator: Badlands, the newest entry in the “Predator” franchise from director Dan Trachtenberg (Prey), is now available to download and share. Predator: Badlands opens exclusively in movie theaters on Nov. 7 in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, RealD 3D, Cinemark XD, 4DX, ScreenX, and premium screens everywhere.

Predator: Badlands, which stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, is set in the future on a remote planet, where a young Predator, outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary. The film is directed by Dan Trachtenberg and produced by John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt, Brent O’Connor.

The director of Prey welcomes you to a world of hurt. Experience Predator: Badlands on the big screen, in theaters and IMAX Nov. 7.

Predator: Badlands, which stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, is set in the future on a remote planet, where a young Predator (Schuster-Koloamatangi), outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

The film is directed by Dan Trachtenberg and produced by John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt, Brent O’Connor.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

The official trailer for “Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends,” the first Iron Man preschool series, was revealed today. The highly anticipated series is set to premiere Monday, Aug. 11, on Disney Jr. (8:30 a.m. ET/PT) and later that day on Disney Channel, with the first 10 episodes available on Disney+ in the U.S. and select international markets and Disney Jr. On Demand the following day, Tuesday, Aug. 12.

John Stamos, who voiced the role of Iron Man (aka Tony Stark) in the hit series “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends,” will now take on the role of Tony’s father, Howard Stark, in “Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends.” A first-look image of the character was also released today.

Also joining the series in guest roles are the following:

• ESPN sportscaster and analyst Jessica Mendoza as Dottie Doubleday, the friendly owner of Dottie Doubleday’s Batting Cages
• Jackée Harry as Granny Williams, Riri’s spunky grandmother who owns a mobile pie truck
• Stephen Tobolowsky as Spencer Q. Sweets, the owner of the coolest candy shop in town
• Lauren Tom as Helen Cho, Amadeus’ enthusiastic and loving mother
• Gary Anthony Williams and Mo Collins as Nuts and Bolts, respectively, two of Ultron’s hilarious henchbots

“Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends” follows the adventures (and misadventures) of best friends and super geniuses — Tony Stark, Riri Williams and Amadeus Cho — as they work together to solve problems, both big and small, and protect their city. In order to help them save the day, the Iron Friends each have their own Iron Suits that allow them to fly and give them enhanced super-strength.

“Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends,” the first animated Iron Man preschool series, premieres Monday, Aug. 11, on Disney Jr. (8:30 a.m. ET/PT) and later that day on Disney Channel. The first 10 episodes will be available on Disney+ in the U.S. and select international markets and Disney Jr. on Demand the following day, Tuesday, Aug. 12, and will continue rolling out globally throughout 2025 and 2026.

GRAMMY Award-nominated musician Mark Hoppus, bassist, vocalist and founding member of pop-punk band blink-182, wrote and performed the series theme song, “Totally Awesome.” A sneak peek of the main title theme song was released today, with Walt Disney Records releasing the digital single on all major streaming platforms tomorrow, Friday, June 27.

Leading up to the series premiere, a batch of animated shorts titled “Meet Iron Man and his Awesome Friends” will begin rolling out Monday, July 14, across Disney Jr., Disney Jr. YouTube and Marvel HQ YouTube, with all 10 shorts available, Tuesday, July 15, on Disney+. The shorts will introduce young audiences to the stories and main characters featured in the series, as well as the newly announced Captain America (Sam Wilson), Black Panther (T’Challa) and Iron Spider (Aña Corazon), whom the Iron Friends call on when they need a helpful hand in taking on super baddies or just want to have a fun adventure.

• Series Synopsis: “Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends” follows the adventures (and misadventures) of best friends and super geniuses — Tony Stark, Riri Williams and Amadeus Cho — as they work together to solve problems, both big and small, and protect their city. In order to help them save the day, the Iron Friends each have their own Iron Suits that allow them to fly and give them enhanced super-strength.

• Cast: The series stars Mason Blomberg as Tony Stark (Iron Man), Kapri Ladd as Riri Williams (Ironheart), Aidyn Ahn as Amadeus Cho (Iron Hulk), Tony Hale as Ultron, Vanessa Bayer as Swarm, and Talon Warburton as Absorbing Man.

• Credits: From Disney Branded Television, the series is executive produced by Sean Coyle and Harrison Wilcox. James Eason-Garcia is co-executive producer and story editor; Alex Cichon is supervising producer; Ashley Rideout is producer; and Michael Dowding is supervising director. Matthew Margeson is the series’ composer. The series is produced by Disney Jr. and Marvel Studios in association with Atomic Cartoons.

• Brand Extensions: “Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends” is part of the “Disney Jr. Let’s Play!” global campaign designed to inspire preschoolers to experience the joy of play through Disney Jr.’s beloved characters and stories. Brand extensions for the series include an assortment of children’s books and products including an array of toys from Hasbro as well as apparel, footwear and more. The original soundtrack for “Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends,” featuring seven songs, will be released Aug. 15.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

My Maker Mantras: ‘Why Superman WORKS’

Russ Kazmierczak Jr.

Nerdvana presents Small Press Saturday – aka, Lessons Learned Self-Publishing Comics

Now that the latest Superman movie has been in theaters for over a week, I’d like to share three lessons I learned from what made its story WORK. Mild spoilers ahead, so please don’t proceed if you haven’t seen the film yet and would still like its details to be a surprise. For a nonspoiler write-up, read Bob Leeper’s excellent review right here on Nerdvana Media!

Campiness works.

From its initial marketing over a year ago, James Gunn sought to distinguish his interpretation of Superman as a brighter, campier take. Including Superman’s trunks, robot assistants, and Krypto were all strategic choices harkening back to the Golden and Silver Ages of comics. Many of those tropes are often ignored in more modern interpretations in an attempt to present something more realistic. I think that’s a shame, because those bizarre elements are what make characters like Superman more memorable. Superman is an alien, so why wouldn’t some elements of his world seem remarkably UNrealistic? Those parts of his story are what we loved most about him when we were kids, and surely they’re making an impression on a new generation of fans.

If you’re a cartoonist, lean into the campy, however that fits within the parameters of the story you’re trying to tell. If a kaiju doesn’t befit your story, consider quirky dialogue, exaggerated expressions, or daydreams of grandeur – anything that adds a fantastical element that makes your narrative different and memorable. Celebrity chef Alton Brown (I quoted him in my last column, too) often says a laughing mind is a retentive one; in other words, entertainment and education go hand-in-hand. Your audience will want to learn more about you and your art if they’re tickled by it. Sometimes, your hero has to wear his underwear outside of his pants.

An ensemble works.

One of the concerns many fans expressed amidst the marketing for Superman was its ensemble cast. As the first official movie in a new cinematic DC universe, this film not only introduced Superman and his standard supporting cast, but it also introduced Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl, Guy Gardner (and, by implication, the Green Lantern Corps.), Metamorpho, The Engineer, and other lesser known superheroes and villains. With so many characters in play, fans speculated that the movie would seem bloated, and Superman himself would squander in the shadows.

Fortunately, Gunn and his team presented a strategy that accommodates an ensemble cast: Everyone must contribute to the solution. In the third act, Superman faces an international conflict at its tipping point AND a plasmic fissure threatening Metropolis. Fortunately, Superman needn’t carry that burden alone, and Gunn proves why “The Justice Gang” was introduced, at all. Even Jimmy Olsen played a pivotal role in the story’s end! If you’re creating a story with multiple characters, the more they contribute to your tale’s problem or solution, the more important they’ll appear to your audience, and you should strive to have as many points of interest with your audience as possible. Even if they don’t like the titular character, if they like a secondary cast member, they’ll come back to follow THEIR story, and what’s the difference, in the end?

Bookends work.

The trailer that depicted a wounded Superman retrieved by Krypto and placed in the care of his Fortress robots is basically the beginning of the movie, so I’m glad it didn’t spoil a pivotal moment from the middle of the film. As the robots are tending to Superman’s wounds, they display a familiar video to ease his mind. I won’t spoil the contents of the video, as it plays a big role in the movie’s plot, but, I will say, at the end of the movie, the robots play a DIFFERENT video that reveals Superman’s growth as a character. It’s a poignant moment that satisfies the movie’s themes of alienation, humanity, and motivation.

Bookending the story with similar scenes creates a cyclical map for its author to follow, with a goal in mind to mirror the end with the beginning. Oftentimes, creators know how their story begins, and they work their way toward an ending, but if you resolve to follow a cyclical map, the writing process already has a destination. Sometimes, the connection is as simple as repeating or slightly altering the same line of dialogue. This bookend technique also reminds the audience how the story started, and how far the characters have come, with a touch of the familiar. To paraphrase the Superman movie, it gives the audience comfort . . . as many good stories do.

Of course, Superman offered many lessons in storytelling and marketing, but these are the three that struck me the most, because I think most makers can understand and implement them in their own work. James Gunn’s version of Superman is making a cultural impact, and it’s important to analyze why. It’s important to know why any audience would want to heed its call, and look up.

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Content by Russ Kazmierczak Jr. originally published on Nerdvana

Gamers will have to wait a bit longer to return to Eberron.

Pre-orders for Eberron: Forge of the Artificer kicked off in mid-May, but it won’t make its originally planned U.S. release of Aug. 19, 2025.

The digital and physical issues have been delayed to Dec. 9 to address a warping cover issue.

Early access kicks in Nov. 25 for Wizards Play Network stores and D&D Beyond Master Tier subscribers, and Dec. 2 for Hero Tier.

A trailer released in May details the adventure. Representatives for Wizards of the Coast contacted at the time would not reveal the page count or whether the adventure is hardcover or softcover. It now appears to be hardcover.

Eberron: Forge of the Artificer will feature:

• The revised Artificer class, redesigned for the new Core Rules
• (40) player options, including playable species like the mechanical Warforged
• (4) updated Artificer subclasses and (1) new subclass, the Cartographer
• (5) revised species, (18) backgrounds, and (28) feats, including the redesigned Dragonmarks
• (20) new monsters, each inspired by one of three campaign models
• New spells, bastions, and magic items

In addition to the core product, the Eberron: Forge of the Artificer Ultimate Bundle is also available for pre-order and includes the Artificer’s Forge Digital Dice Set and the Eberron Expeditions Digital Maps Pack.

Pre-orders for the digital edition or Ultimate Bundle will unlock the exclusive Airships of Eberron Digital Dice Set.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

If you’ve been missing the early days of the COVID pandemic with its masking controversies, George Floyd protests, Antifa conspiracies, social-media insanity, and the unsettling feeling that the world was crumbling apart, then you’ll love the new film, Eddington, a “contemporary Western” narrative that reminds us of our wackadoodle society’s fragility.  

The story is set in May 2020, in the fictional, small town of Eddington, New Mexico, where an anti-masker sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) is at odds with the liberal mayor (Pedro Pascal) over much more than just whether the citizens should wear a mask or not.

Maybe it’s just too soon to relive those memories of 2020, or maybe it’s just the skillful writing and direction of the film’s creator, Ari Aster (Beau Is Afraid), but I immediately felt on edge watching this movie. As it progressed, I felt like a frog in a pot of water on a slow boil.

The first two-thirds of Eddington are an excellent rural-American political thriller and dramatic recap of that ugly time in our recent history, but in the final act the story takes an off-the-rails left turn into what Aster must envision as the ultimate, violent outcome of our inability to get along.

Joaquin Phoenix delivers another incredible performance, and the ensemble cast here is all excellent. It includes Emma Stone as the sheriff’s unfortunate wife, with Deirdre O’Connell playing her conspiracy-driven mother, Luke Grimes and Micheal Ward as the sheriff’s deputies, and Austin Butler as a charismatic cult leader.

Eddington is a microcosm of our culture at its worst, and even though it’s a very good and thought-provoking movie, I was glad when it was over. I feel ready to go see Superman again, where least there is hope someone will save us from ourselves.

Content by Bob Leeper originally published on Nerdvana

What mazes will you discover in the darkness of Shadow Labyrinth? Take on its many challenges and become more powerful to prepare for what awaits on this mysterious planet.

Shadow Labyrinth is set to be released on July 18, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. You can pre-order now at shadowlabyrinthgame.com.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

From New Line Cinema comes the latest high-stakes installment in the blockbuster video game franchise in all its brutal glory, Mortal Kombat II. This time, the fan favorite champions—now joined by Johnny Cage himself—are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.

Karl Urban stars as Johnny Cage, alongside Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, with Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han, and Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi and Scorpion.

Director Simon McQuoid returns to helm the follow up to his explosive 2021 cinematic adventure, from a screenplay by Jeremy Slater, based on the videogame created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The film is produced by Todd Garner, James Wan, Toby Emmerich, E. Bennett Walsh and McQuoid, and executive produced by Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Slater and Lawrence Kasanoff.

Joining McQuoid behind the camera are director of photography Stephen F. Windon, production designer Yohei Taneda, editor Stuart Levy and costume designer Cappi Ireland, with casting by Rich Delia and music by Benjamin Wallfisch.

The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, only in theaters and IMAX across North America on Oct. 24, 2025, and internationally beginning Oct. 22.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Today, Disney unveiled a brand-new trailer, poster and images for TRON: Ares, the highly anticipated third installment in the groundbreaking “TRON” franchise, opening in theaters on Oct. 10.

Grammy-award winning rock band Nine Inch Nails composed the score for “TRON: Ares,” and today, the band dropped “As Alive As You Need Me To Be” —the soundtrack album’s first single and the first official music from the band in five years. Listen to “As Alive As You Need Me To Be” and view the visualizer HERE. The track is featured in the new trailer for “TRON: Ares.”

“TRON: Ares (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack),” featuring all original music by Nine Inch Nails, will be released on Sept. 19 via Interscope Records. The release marks the first-ever film score by the pioneering band, although bandmates Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have composed 20 scores under their own names, winning two Oscars, three Golden Globes, a GRAMMY and an Emmy in the process.

TRON: Ares follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.

The feature film is directed by Joachim Rønning and stars Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, with Gillian Anderson, and Jeff Bridges. Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, Justin Springer, Jared Leto, Emma Ludbrook and Steven Lisberger are the producers, with Russell Allen serving as executive producer.

Worlds collide in first trailer for Tron: Ares

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Story details were revealed today for Bernice Summerfield:The Dalek Eternity, a brand-new audio drama series from Big Finish Productions starring Lisa Bowerman, beginning September 2025.

A new Dalek masterplan threatens the galaxy. A deadly alliance is building. Can Bernice Summerfield save us?

Professor Bernice Summerfield (Lisa Bowerman) must defend the universe from the evil invaders from Skaro in her latest full-cast audio adventure, The Dalek Eternity.

This epic story, told over eight 30-minute episodes, begins with Benny at her new home, a club for interstellar explorers – as visited in last year’s series Bernice Summerfield:The Eternity Club – when the Daleks (Nicholas Briggs) show up, setting off a quest across the stars.

Her fight back will take Benny to planets ruined by Dalek occupation, and to idyllic worlds where they haven’t yet reached – but the threat of imminent extermination is ever-present, and no-one is safe.

The complete Bernice Summerfield: The Dalek Eternity series bundle is now available to pre-order for just £32 (download to own) or £40 (download to own + collector’s edition CD), exclusively from www.bigfinish.com. The collector’s edition CDs are strictly limited to 1,000 copies each and will not be repressed.

The Dalek Eternity comprises four full-cast audio drama releases, each including two half-hour episodes:

The Dalek Eternity 1, due for release in September 2025:

“The Lonely Bomb” by James Goss

The Daleks have invaded the Eternity Club. Fleeing from the Dalek fleet in a retired TARDIS, Bernice Summerfield finds herself trying to prevent the Daleks getting their hands on the biggest weapons store in the galaxy.

“Satrap” by Felicia Barker

The Eternity Club’s under Dalek occupation. Is one of the members working against them? Secretary Pym must uncover the saboteur or be exterminated.

The Dalek Eternity 2, due for release in October 2025:

“The Winner’s Tale” by Alex Hewitt

Can a Sontaran and a Draconian stop an endless war? And can Bernice Summerfield find the last survivor of a Dalek invasion?

“Oversoul” by Melissa F Olson

Bernice arrives on an idyllic world of crystal seas and floating palaces. She has a terrible warning – the Daleks are coming. Will their god believe her?

The Dalek Eternity 3, due for release in November 2025:

“Quisling” by Sophia McDougall

The Daleks are hollowing out a world. The remaining rebels are exhausted and demotivated. Can Bernice Summerfield convince their leader of a way to win?

“We Don’t Talk About Mavic Chen” by Tim Foley

Every Dalek Masterplan needs a figurehead. Who better than the nephew of Mavic Chen, the greatest traitor in the galaxy? Someone has to break the news to Sidney.

The Dalek Eternity 4, due for release in December 2025:

“Vizier” by Patrick O’Connor

The true leader of the Daleks has been revealed. A vast army has been unleashed. The Eternity Club has gone missing. Bernice Summerfield is running out of time.

“Emperor” by Ash Darby

The galaxy is burning, civilisations are falling, and the Dalek army grows. In a cell deep inside Dalek Command, a woman waits for her execution.

Alongside Lisa Bowerman and Nicholas Briggs, The Dalek Eternity features returns from regular Doctor Who Sontaran voice Dan Starkey as Starrl and Niamh Cusack as the mysterious Oldest. The cast also includes Siena Kelly (Domino Day), Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo (Wednesday), and Bethany Antonia (House of the Dragon, Doctor Who: The Well), with further names to be announced.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Alice Krige pursues Jo Martin across space and time in The Fugitive Doctor: Dead or Alive, a brand-new box set of full-cast audio drama, released today.

When we last caught up with the Fugitive Doctor (Jo Martin) on audio, in January’s Most Wanted, she was fleeing from her former employers the Division and their dogged agent Cosmogon (Alice Krige). That chase continues in her latest set of adventures, Dead or Alive.

Along the way, the Doctor encounters a Spitfire lost in the time vortex, then explores a junkyard full of time machines. Finally, Cosmogon catches up with her target, only for the two Time Lords to find themselves prey to a Great Vampire!

Doctor Who – The Fugitive Doctor: Dead or Alive is now available to purchase for just £18.99 (download to own) or £22.99 (download to own + collector’s edition CD box set), exclusively from www.bigfinish.com. The collector’s edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,000 copies and will not be repressed.

The three exciting new adventures for the Fugitive Doctor are:

“Flying Solo” by Tajinder Singh Hayer

Pilot Officer Mohinder Singh Johal is an RAF pilot on a sortie during World War Two. Following a close encounter with a flying blue telephone box, his Spitfire vanishes!

The Doctor, whose TARDIS is out of control following a blast from a time disruptor, should be keeping a low profile, but with Mohinder lost in time and space, she has to help bring him home.

“The Junkyard Loop” by Aaron Douglas

The Doctor, pursued as ever by Cosmogon, crash-lands the TARDIS on an off-grid junk planet littered with the remains of time machines from a thousand civilizations.

After being saved from the indigenous Time-Frost Parasites by Sodalis, an old companion long-marooned, the Doctor must come up with a plan to save them both. But a sinister Division commander has tracked our heroes, and not even Cosmogon can stand between him and his desire to unlock the Doctor’s memory and obtain the secrets within.

“Hereafter” by Tim Foley

Cosmo has finally captured the Doctor! But they’re stranded together on a planet thanks to an unusual psychic forcefield grounding her ship.

Tracing its source, they find a settlement that’s preparing for a festival in honour of their ‘queen’ in the mountain.

When Cosmo is captured, the Doctor must decide whether to help her captor… especially now she’s discovered, thanks to local woman Herma, that the queen and her minions are vampires!

In Flying Solo, Raj Ghatak plays World War II pilot Mohinder Johal, and John Dorney reprises the role of Alexander the Great, who he previously played in The Lost Stories: Farewell, Great Macedon.

In the following two episodes, Alexander Vlahos (The Confessions of Dorian Gray) guest stars as Division commander Zetorius, Terence Wilton (Doctor Who: Invasion of the Dinosaurs) plays Astrabar, and Clare Perkins (The Outlaws, Doctor Who Redacted) is the voice of the vampiric Queen Verdilla. The box set’s guest cast also includes David Holt, Charlotte Palmer, Abbie Andrews, and Gunnar Cauthery.

Jo Martin said: “Flying Solo is a really strong episode. I think it’s so lovely when we can revisit history, the stories that weren’t told to us in school.

“We’ve been on a journey with the character Cosmogon – she’s my enemy, she’s chasing me. She’s a pain in the butt! But we come together in Hereafter, and I think it’s quite beautiful. I wouldn’t say we’re friends, but we have a mutual understanding!”

Writer Tim Foley added: “I wanted to focus on the relationship between the pursuer and the pursued, and to dive into Cosmogon’s backstory. And as this is the end of a six-story run, there had to be a suitable climax. This isn’t the Doctor we know and love, so when a Great Vampire rears its head, whose side is she going to take?”

Producer David Richardson said: “The distinct tone of the Fugitive Doctor stories is crystallized in this second box set. The Doctor is still on the run from her Division pursuer Cosmo, and caught up in events she crashes into – I certainly don’t think the energy and emotional highs of Tajinder Singh Hayer’s phenomenal Flying Solo would fit into any other Doctor Who range.

“And John Dorney pops back as Alexander the Great – we had brilliant fun exploring a little thematic link to Farewell, Great Macedon in the Lost Stories range. Aaron Douglas’s The Junkyard Loop is wildly imaginatively bonkers, while Hereafter digs in deep in terms of character exploration. Of course it does – it’s by the legendary Tim Foley!”

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

In today’s Donkey Kong Bananza Direct presentation, Donkey Kong returns to the spotlight with mayhem, music, mystery and oh-so-many bananas. Launching July 17 exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2 system, Donkey Kong Bananza is an all-new 3D platforming game that lets DK punch, grab, toss, climb, smash and flex his strength as he explores the depths of this wild action adventure!

The Donkey Kong Bananza gamekicks off in Ingot Isle, where the discovery of the century has just been made within its cavernous depths: golden bananas! This turns out to be excellent news for renowned banana fan Donkey Kong, who just happens to be there for this incredible find. However, just before DK can indulge in the gilded treats, a tempest sends him hurtling deeper into the depths of the planet. There, he meets a mysterious new ally in Odd Rock, who turns out to be a talented young singer named Pauline! Together, the pair explore the vast Underground World by smashing, crashing, jumping and singing their way through it. A rollicking adventure you can play solo or in co-op with a friend, Donkey Kong Bananza gives you new ways to cut loose and unleash your inner Kong!

To view the Donkey Kong Bananza Direct presentation in its entirety, visit: https://www.nintendo.com/us/nintendo-direct/6-18-2025/. Read below for more information about everything featured:

• New Ways to Smash and Bash: As Donkey Kong, you will be able to utilize powerful abilities to smash your way through obstacles and enemies and even unearth discoveries! Use Dive Punch to drill deep into the earth, roll yourself over obstacles, and perform a Hand Slap to help locate hidden items. You can also tear off chunks of ground to either throw at enemies or ride on top of by Turf Surfing and more. These abilities can even be combined for maximum mayhem!
• Bananza Transformations: While this unlikely duo explores the Underground World, Pauline can enhance Donkey Kong’s destructive ability and even make him temporarily transform through the power of her singing! Collecting gold builds up their Bananergy, which allows Pauline’s singing to activate the transformations, each with its own specialties. Like Kong Bananza, that makes Donkey Kong super strong, Zebra Bananza which makes him faster and lets him dash for short distances and Ostrich Bananza that allows DK to fly and drop Egg Bombs on enemies!
• Co-Op Play: By sharing a Joy-Con 2 controller, you and a friend can control Donkey Kong and Pauline separately in local co-op play. Unleash Pauline’s vocal blasts using the Joy-Con 2 controller’s mouse functionality! You can also use GameShare¹ to share the game and play in co-op with another player locally even if they don’t have the game themselves and use GameChat² to invite friends online to join you via voice or video chat.
• Race to the Planet Core: Legend has it, the Planet Core has the ability to grant your heart’s desire, so Donkey Kong and Pauline set off on a quest to reach it. Pauline hopes it will be able to return her to the surface, while Donkey Kong plans to ask it for more (what else?) bananas! Unfortunately, they aren’t the only ones seeking the Planet Core: The Void Company is also racing there for their own nefarious purposes! A villainous mining operation whose reach extends through every layer of the Planet, VoidCo is not only responsible for the banana-stealing maelstrom that sent Donkey Kong hurtling underground in the first place, but they are also responsible for turning Pauline into Odd Rock. As they all dig deeper towards the Planet Core, Donkey Kong and Pauline must do whatever they can to get there first!
• Collectibles: While you dig your way through the Underground World, you’ll discover useful items to help you along your journey. Uncover golden bananas called Banandium Gems buried behind walls, under the ground, and sometimes right out in the open. Collecting these Banandium Gems earn you Skill Points that increase DK’s power and even allows you to learn new Skills to add to your repertoire. You can also earn Banandium Gems through challenges like timed battles, side-scrolling stages, obstacle courses and more. You will also uncover banana slice-shaped items called Banandium Chips and gold nuggets called Banandium Gold. You can trade Banandium Chips for Banandium Gems at the Chip Exchange and Banandium Gold for useful items at the Stuff Shop. As you dig for these banana-shaped goodies, you may also discover Fossils. If you happen to find one during your excavations, take them to the Style Shops and trade them for different fashions for Donkey Kong and Pauline, almost all of which come with useful extra benefits, as well as fur colors for DK.
• Other New and Familiar Faces: While uncovering moreabout the villainous activities of the Void Company, Donkey Kong and Pauline encounter many inhabitants across the Underground World. In addition to the giant Elders, familiar faces like Cranky Kong and his companion Rambi show up as well. You’ll also come face to face with Grumpy Kong, Poppy Kong and others who work for VoidCo leader, Void Kong.
• Getaways and Eelevators: Need a break? Treat yourself to a Getaway while in the Underground World and sleep in a comfy bed to help restore your energy. You can even choose some music to enjoy while you rest. And if you want to explore areas you’ve already been to with ease, use the Eelevators – subterranean eels that can carry you quickly from layer to layer.
• Creative Game Modes: Get ready to explore new game modes and ways to play Donkey Kong Bananza. This includes Photo Mode, where you can change the in-game camera angle and adjust other settings to snap your ideal pic. And in DK Artist, you can use the Joy-Con 2 mouse controls to take a break from the action and carve designs into stone. You can even change the lighting and add banana effects to give your masterpiece its finishing touches.
• amiibo: Donkey Kong Bananza also supports amiibo! A Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo figure will be available on July 17, and it allows you to unlock Pauline’s in-game Diva Dress early and receive KONG tiles with explosive power. Scan other Donkey Kong character amiibo figures and you will also earn gold KONG tiles. What’s more, if you scan any other available amiibo, you’ll receive a giant sphere of terrain material to aid you on your adventure!

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Pixar’s Daniel Chong directs the film, which hits theaters on March 6, 2026. “In Hoppers, the question we’re answering is: ‘What if we could understand and communicate with the animal world?’” says Chong. “Our main character, Mabel, gets to discover the animal kingdom as an animal, which can be weird and often hilarious. Mabel undercover in the animal world leads to a wild, roller coaster ride of a movie, with all the heart you expect from a classic Pixar film. It’s going to be so much fun to watch in the theater; I can’t wait for everyone to see it.”

In Hoppers, scientists have discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals! Using the new technology, Mabel (Curda) will uncover mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined. Produced by Nicole Paradis Grindle, Hoppers also features the voices of Bobby Moynihan and Jon Hamm. 

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Bo Bragason is Princess Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is adventuring hero Link in the May 7, 2027, live-action film adaptation of Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda.

On television, Bragason is known for her roles in the 2017 BBC One series Three Girls and 2024’s The Jetty, as well as the 2024 Disney+ series Renegade Nell.

Ainsworth is known for portraying Miles in the 2020 Netflix series The Haunting of Bly Manor, William in Disney’s 2021 film Flora & Ulysses, the voice of Pinocchio in Disney’s live-action remake and Mark Critch in the CBC series Son of a Critch.

The film is produced by Marvel Studios founder Avi Arad and Zelda and Super Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto at Nintendo. Wes Ball (The Maze Runner) is directing.

The video on the Nintendo Today news app announcing the casting of Bragason and Ainsworth was accompanied by the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System start screen music for The Legend of Zelda game, which debuted in 1986.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Nintendo says there will be no change to the way game vouchers expire. For example, if a set of Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers is purchased on Jan. 30, 2026, each Nintendo Switch Game Voucher remains valid until Jan. 30, 2027.

Users with an active, paid Nintendo Switch Online membership will continue to be eligible to redeem any valid, unexpired vouchers.

Debuting in 2019 and resurrected just last year, Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers represented one of the best deals in gaming: $100 for two vouchers redeemable for games costing up to $60 or more.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

More about Stranger Things 5:

The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.

Two years ago, we learned that Linda Hamilton (The Terminator) was joining the cast, and you can see her on the hunt in the first official teaser trailer, above.

Last fall, a brief Netflix teaser for Stranger Things 5 revealed the final season’s episode titles:

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

From cosmic rays to Secret Wars, uncover the origins of the team, including Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), Sue Storm (The Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (The Human Torch), Ben Grimm (The Thing), and their lineup of additional heroes coming in and out of the team. Within this epic recap are the many heroic accounts of the Fantastic Four, including their early feud with the Mole Man and his legion of subterranean kaiju, battling the shapeshifting Skrulls, quelling the Atlantean Prince Namor, and their endless encounters with their greatest nemesis of all… Dr. Doom.

So take heed of the Silver Surfer’s warning, for the Devourer of Worlds has arrived and only the F4 team stands between him and his next meal.

See Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps, only in theaters July 25.

Content by Bob Leeper originally published on Nerdvana

In contrast with the more budget-friendly price point of previous starter sets, Heroes of the Borderlands will cost $49.99 for either the physical or digital versions, with a D&D Beyond “Ultimate Bundle” of both available for $64.98 (though it’s currently marked down to $54.99 on the website).

What’s Included With the Board Game

• 40-60 hours of play featuring Combat, Exploration, and Roleplaying adventures
• A Quick-Start Guide to start playing in minutes
• 1 play guide and 3 adventure booklets for Dungeon Masters
• 4 iconic D&D classes for players to choose from: Cleric, Rogue, Wizard, and Fighter
• Over 200 game cards for backgrounds, species, spells, equipment, magic items, monsters, NPCs, and more
• 18 maps for the Caves of Chaos Valley, the Keep on the Borderlands, and the Wilderness
• Over 200 tokens, including resources, monsters, and terrain
• Combat Tracker that teaches new Dungeon Masters how to track initiative effectively
• Set of 11 dice

WITH THE ULTIMATE BUNDLE, YOU ALSO GET:

• Heroes of the Borderlands Digital Adventure Pack, which includes premade characters and 19 quickplay maps for getting started right away
• Keep on the Borderlands Digital Dice Set

Heroes of the Borderlands is the best way to introduce your friends and family to D&D! The biggest (and easiest to get started) starter set to-date; it’s been completely reimagined from the ground up to deliver fast 1 hour D&D sessions.

It’s never been easier to make D&D your game night go-to as everything you need to play is included in a single box. The inclusion of componentized gameplay elements, like cards, help actualize the rules and make this a fast and fun experience for D&D players old and new.

With 40+ hours of game play, you can rest assured that no game is ever going to go the same!

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Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Jon Culshaw reads Mirror Matter by Kate Orman, a brand-new audio novel starring the Third Doctor and his Season 7 team, now available from Big Finish Productions

The next installment in Big Finish’s popular series of Doctor Who audio novels takes us back to the Third Doctor’s debut season, broadcast in 1970, with an exciting new adventure for the Doctor, Liz Shaw, and the Brigadier.

This classic UNIT trio has a serious challenge to contend with in Mirror Matter. The title refers to a theorized counterpart to ordinary matter, and in Kate Orman’s thriller, a sinister organization is plotting to unleash it in the form of dangerous spores. A particularly unusual, and particularly deadly, alien being threatens Earth

Like the original Season 7 stories, Mirror Matter is divided into seven episodes. Each is 50 minutes long, so the audio novel has a total running time of approximately five hours and 50 minutes. It’s read by impressionist Jon Culshaw, who brings to life the Third Doctor and his friends.

The Mirror Matter is a hard-edged, science-based story written by acclaimed Doctor Who novelist Kate Orman, drawing from her own background as a scientist. It’s read by impressionist and actor Jon Culshaw, who recreates the voices of the original TV cast.

The Doctor, Liz and the Brigadier investigate the alien “spores” – blobs of deadly mirror matter from the dawn of time. Liz summons fellow scientists to help the investigation. But one is secretly working for the BNKR, an organization preparing to take over the world.

The BNKR unleash a killer spore. Meanwhile the Doctor and Liz race to stop another spore, locked in a countdown to destruction.

Can the Doctor and his friends prevent the entire Earth being converted into mirror matter?

Doctor Who – The Audio Novels: The Mirror Matter is now available to purchase as a digital download to own for just £19.99, exclusively from www.bigfinish.com.

Script editor Roland Moore said: “We wanted to do a seven-part story set in the Season Seven era, alongside stories like Silurians, Ambassadors of Death, and Inferno. And it fits seamlessly in. Kate’s got the era spot on, with characters like Liz Shaw – she’s got her voice totally – and that early iteration of the Third Doctor and the Brigadier.

“What Kate’s done amazingly well – and it’s a benefit of using real science – is that she’s thought up a monster truly unlike anything the Doctor has encountered before or since. It’s not a man in a suit, it’s a really alien thing that the Doctor finds hard to communicate with.”

Reader Jon Culshaw added: “This story is full of that ominous mystery and rising menace that those Season Seven Doctor Who stories had. The threats don’t just take place on distant, alien worlds, they happen in the pub, and in a lady’s kitchen, or down a high street – it makes it feel very real, and reminds me of when the Autons came to life in Spearhead from Space.”

Writer Kate Orman is an accomplished Doctor Who novelist, with several books in the acclaimed Virgin New Adventures and Eighth Doctor Adventures series under her belt. She previously contributed 2023’s The Dead Star to the Big Finish Audio Novel range.

Producer David Richardson added: “Kate Orman is one of my favorite authors of Doctor Who fiction, and after the success of The Dead Star, I was keen to sign her up for another as soon as possible.

“In Mirror Matter, she has written a truly authentic Season 7 story – it’s the exiled Doctor, Liz and the Brigadier investigating an alien incursion with a difference, told over (naturally) seven episodes! Once again, Kate has blended two of her passions – Doctor Who and real science – into a truly compelling yarn.”

Orman added: “Season 7 is a terrific season to play in. The stories are about what would have been contemporary scientific issues, like nuclear power and early space travel. There’s some playfulness around the scientific ideas, but the science helps to give it a very concrete, realistic feeling. So, this inspired me to get a genuine piece of science to base my own story on.

“One of the other reasons it’s such a brilliant season is those huge seven-episode stories. Writing a seven-episode story is great. You have six cliffhangers for a start. But you also have depth; you have time and space to expand on the scientific ideas, on the characters and their relationships, which I particularly enjoyed doing when it came to Liz Shaw.”

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

Talk about a crew cut for the space ages …

The third season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premieres July 17 with two episodes. New episodes will be available to stream every week on Paramount+.

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Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana

The latest take on Robert E. Howard’s swords and sorcery heroine is directed by MJ Bassett and starring Matilda Lutz, Martyn Ford, Robert Sheehan, Wallis Day, Michael Bisping, Philip Winchester, Trevor Eve, Luca Pasqualino, Rhona Mitra

Enslaved by an evil tyrant who wishes to destroy her people, barbarian huntress Red Sonja must unite a group of unlikely warriors to face off against Dragan The Magnificent and his deadly bride, Dark Annisia.

Content by Jayson Peters originally published on Nerdvana