Category: Movies

Top 5 Thanksgiving Movies

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! As we gather with family, we seek a way to bond. Nothing beats gathering on the couch with full bellies and watching some heartfelt classic films. Here are our Top 5 Thanksgiving Movies. 

Grumpy Old Men

Legends Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau unite once more to tell the story of two old rivals competing for Ann-Marget’s affection. Grumpy Old Men is full of hijinx and “grandpa jokes” that will have every generation laughing. 

Jingle All the Way

Yes, this is technically a Christmas movie, but let’s be honest, for many, Thanksgiving is the start of the Christmas shopping season. Jingle All the Way sees Arnold Schwartenager running around Minneapolis in search of the year’s hottest toy, Turbo Man. Simbad joins in the hunt, leaving a trail of destruction and mayhem behind the two. Believe it or not, Jingle All the Way is a movie about a bygone era. The father bounces around from store to store, similar to Black Friday madness. Today, we have become accustomed to shopping online. Although, with this year’s supply shortage, the hunt for Turbo Man may seem familiar for some anxious parents. 

Addams Family Values

If your family is in for a touch of the macabre, check out Addams Family Values. Uncle Fester is tricked into kicking the rest of the Addams Family out of the house by his new wife. The family has to unite and find comfort within each other to carry on and regain their home. The film also has one of the most iconic Thanksgiving ever, a camp play. Check out this play-gone-wrong below. 

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

The Peanuts gang is back at it! Truth be told, this actually has the most iconic scene, Lucy pulling the football at the last minute from Charlie Brown (third animated appearance of the gag). In this story, Charlie hosts a second Thanksgiving for all his friends. Possibly the first Friendsgiving? A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving shows the love we have for our chosen family. Be sure to gather the kids for this Thanksgiving classic!

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is required viewing at my Thanksgiving. Steve Martin and the beloved John Candy are on the road trying to reach Chicago by Thanksgiving. Martin strives to see his family while Candy creates and solves problems along the way. The pair start as poplar opposites but along the bumpy road, become friends. An abundance of heart and humor makes Planes, Trains, and Automobiles the best Thanksgiving movie. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

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New The Matrix Resurrections Character Posters

Hype continues to build for December’s The Matrix Resurrections. The studio released new character posters for Matrix’s cast. We see both vets Neo and Trinity, but also a slew of new characters to the franchise.

Jonathan Groff
Eréndira Ibarra
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Neil Patrick Harris
Jessica Henwick
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Carrie-Anne Moss
Keanu Reeves

The Matrix Resurrections will hit theaters and HBO Max on December 22nd!

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Kojima Production Launches New TV/Film Studio

Kojima Productions launches a new music, TV, and film studio. The studio will bring some of Kojima’s legendary games to other media. Some games already in the conversation are Death Stranding, Metal Gear, and Silent Hills. The new studio will be led by 28-year Sony vet, Riley Russel.

“The team has as its charter, the goal of expanding the reach and awareness of the properties now under development at Kojima Productions, and to make them even more a part of our popular culture. Although we are a global organization, the new business development team will be centred in Los Angeles, CA. We are truly excited and looking forward to working with the very best entertainment talent we can, across all of the entertainment industries.”

Riley Russel via Gameindustry.biz

We are excited for Kojima Productions to expand its brand. Join us on the next Geek Freaks Podcast as we discuss our hopes for the new studio.

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WB Reveals New Brawl Game, MultiVersus

The rumored WB Brawling game is revealed! WB’s MultiVersus pits Warner Bros. IPs against each other. They are also tweaking the brawling genre to create unique gameplay. Players are encouraged to work in pairs, sharing utility abilities with their teammates. They are also removing the “pain points,” used in Smash Bros to increase the dominant player’s difficulty. In a response to Nick Toons Brawl, all characters will be voiced. Batman will be voiced by the legendary Kevin Conroy. The last thing to note in the reveal trailer is the mention of eSports. Smash Bros curtails the competitive scene, but WB wants it to thrive. 

Here is the starting lineup: 

  • Arya Stark
  • Batman
  • Bugs Bunny
  • Finn The Human
  • Garnet
  • Harley Quinn
  • Jake the Dog
  • Reindog
  • Shaggy
  • Steven Universe
  • Superman
  • Tom and Jerry
  • Wonder Woman

Be sure to check out the full announcement trailer and sign up for beta trials!

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‘The Batman’ Synopsis Revealed

Warner Bros released the official synopsis for ‘The Batman’ revealing the film’s tone.

“THE BATMAN is an edgy, action-packed thriller that depicts Batman in his early years, struggling to balance rage with righteousness as he investigates a disturbing mystery that has terrorized Gotham. Robert Pattinson delivers a raw, intense portrayal of Batman as a disillusioned, desperate vigilante awakened by the realization that the anger consuming him makes him no better than the ruthless serial killer he’s hunting.”

‘The Batman’ looks to be the darkest Batman film today. His struggle with anger and the balance of vigilantism is similar to Oliver Queen in ‘Arrow’ season 1. We will see a rogues gallery including Catwomen, Riddler, and Penguin. We predict we will also see Batman’s many “mob boss” villains. ‘The Batman’ will hit theaters on March 4, 2022.

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Sandman and Lizard Return for Next Spider-Man

The Spider-Man: No Way Home roster continues to grow. Haden Church’s Sandman and Rhys Ifans’ Lizard are confirmed for the new film according to Empire Magazine. They join Electro, Vulture, Doc Ock, Green Goblin, and more. Sandman was last seen in 2007’s Spider-Man 3, which served as the character’s origin story. Lizard/Dr. Curt Connors popped up in the first Amazing Spider-Man in 2012. 

Spider-Man: No Way Home is set up to be the most ambitious MCU film outside of an Avengers. Captain America: Civil War was huge, but Spidery is spanning studios and decades for this rogues gallery. Marvel boss Kevin Feige shared how mind-blowing it is to bring on Sami Rami to work on Dr. Strange 2 while making a Spider-Man using his old villains. 

“It’s absolutely surreal to be working on a Doctor Strange movie with Sam Raimi in one part of the office, and then working on a Spider-Man movie with Jon Watts and Alfred Molina as Doc Ock in another room. That has been a mind-blowing part of the last 10 years of my life.”

Kevin Feige to Empire

We are anxiously waiting for the second Spider-Man trailer, and what it may reveal. Will we see more villains or finally see the other Spider-Mans (Spider-Men)? Once the new trailer releases, we will share it here and on our Tik Tok!

https://www.tiktok.com/@geekfreakspodcast?lang=en

Sources: Empire, ECBM, ComicBook.com

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Dune Part 2 is a GO!

Dune: Part 2 is greenlit at Legendary and Warner Bros! After both the positive reviews and box-office numbers, the next step is Paul’s journey is underway.

“I just received news from Legendary that we are officially moving forward with Dune: Part Two. It was a dream of mine to adapt Frank Herbert’s Dune, and I have the fans, the cast, and crew, Legendary and Warner Bros. to thank for supporting this dream. This is only the beginning.”

Denis Villeneuve to Deadline

The film will be exclusive to theaters and slated for October 2023. We did a full review, comparing Part 1 to the novel, on our podcast feed. Check it out:

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Marvel Delays Many Future Movies

New dates for delayed Marvel movies:

  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – Delayed from March 25, 2022, to May 6, 2022
  • Thor: Love and Thunder – Delayed from May 6, 2022, to July 8, 2022
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Delayed from July 8, 2022, to November 11, 2022
  • Indiana Jones 5 – Delayed from July 29, 2022, to June 30, 2023
  • The Marvels – Delayed from November 11, 2022, to February 17, 2023
  • Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – Delayed from February 17, 2023, to July 28, 2023
  • Untitled Marvel – Moved forward from November 10, 2023, to November 3, 2023.

Marvel announced earlier today more of their films are delayed. Why are movie delays becoming more common in the industry? This will likely affect the moviegoers of the future, but how? According to industry insider Deadline, “Some titles are contending with finishing scenarios while others are in production.” Meaning all delayed films are still in production, but facing new struggles. The continuing COVID protocols are necessary but tend to crew slow crews with testing, limited staffing, and frequent audits. Another cause for delays is the ongoing negotiations with the IATSE Union. Union leaders are demanding more pay and restructured streaming residuals. As the distribution of media continues to change, these contracts need to be updated. The talks are ongoing, but progressing to the later stages. While delays are commonplace in the film industry, they are not frivolous. Protecting the crew from the spread of COVID is everyone’s top priority. And the negotiations of a new pay system will lead to a more stable future for both the studios and their massive workforce. As an audience, we will have to temper our excitement when we see a new trailer. People will need to shift their mentality from exciting summer blockbuster to “it’ll be done, when it’s done.” 

Sources: Deadline, IGN

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DC Fandome Trailers and Reveals

DC Fandome has come to a close. We have new trailers, comics, and reveals. Here are the biggest announcements from the day:

The Batman 2nd Trailer

We all know why you’re here. The Batman’s new trailer was outstanding. The costume, city, music, Batmobile, and cast have us all VERY hyped!

Peacemaker Trailer

A once silly idea is shaping up to be an highly anticipated HBO Max original. The following interview showed they entire cast had a lot of fun making this series.

Black Adam Teaser

Black Adam is about to change the face of the DCEU. A well developed villain that can take on any hero… or all of them together.

The Flash Teaser

They had little Flash footage to reveal, but we did see the ’89 Batmobile is back!

Gotham Knights – Court of Owls Trailer

The Court of Owls are the major villain in the upcoming Gotham Knights. They are a newer villain, but already a fan favorite.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League – Story Trailer

The Justice League appear to be corrupted and on a rampage. The Suicide Squad will take them down one at a time.

The Flash series’ new costume

With a new season comes a new suit. This time, we are getting the iconic boots.

Milestone Comics Expands

Static Shock film is in the works, New seasons are on the way, and a new animated film is in development. Milestone is bring in a ton of new content. Highlights are the return of Blood Syndicate and a 1,300 page compendium of the 90s comics.

Teaser for League of SuperSets

Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart team up for this animated DC film.

Superman’s New Motto

DC is updating the old “American Way” with a new motto, “Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow.”

Other Announcements

  • Wonder Woman 3 is coming
  • Jim Lee teased a new Crisis on Infinite Earth
  • Pennyworth is coming to HBO Max early 2022
  • Todd McFarlane revealed new statues for The Batman, Joker, and Batman by Gaslight
  • Batman: The Animated Series’ new iteration, Batman Caped Crusader, will be more noir and adult-leanings.
  • Harley Quinn Season 3 expected in 2022
  • Titans is renewed for a 4th season
  • They showed up some concept art for Batwheels
  • Catwoman Hunted, a new animated film, coming Feb 2022
  • Batwoman and Alice will be teaming up for Batwoman season 3
  • DC’s Monkey Prince returns to comics in Feb 2022
  • Smallville came out 20 years ago!
  • Teaser for Injustice film (Already released)
  • First look at Gwendoline Christie’s Lucifer
  • Doom Patrol has been renewed for a 4th season
  • New mid-season teaser for Stargirl
  • Supergirl says goodbye with cast old and new
  • Teaser for Batman: Wayne Family Adventures
  • Trailer for Aquaman animated mini-series
  • Logo reveal for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Check out the full four hour event!

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IATSE Vote ‘Yes’ on Strike Authorization

IATSE voted ‘Yes’ today, authorizing a strike. The authorization gives the power to President Matthew Loeb the ability to call a strike for 60,000 members. 90% of members came out to vote, and the strike won with 98%.


Some of the issues being negotiated are “streaming compensation, benefits, and work hours.” The call for change was sparked by lighting tech Ben Gottlieb who created an Instagram account called IATSE Stories. The account shared some of the stories from fellow union members.


We still have a ways to go before an immediate strike. But today’s authorization puts Hollywood one step closer to a stoppage.

Source: IndieWire, Image: Twitter

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Headlines: Far Cry Ray-Tracing, Forza Multiplayer, Alan Wake on Switch

Here are the quick stories of the day!

Far Cry 6 Ray-Tracing on PC Only

Far Cry 6 will only feature ray-tracing on PC. The information comes from an interview with Ubisoft 3D Team Lead programmer Stephanie Brenham.

“On console, our objective has been to take advantage of new hardware capabilities, optimizing performance targeting 4K and achieving 60 FPS, for instance, all while ensuring new game features, like our dynamic weather system, are supported on all platforms.”

-Stephanie Brenham

Forza Horizon 5 Multiplayer Details

Forza’s new multiplayer is called Horizon Open. It includes Open Racing, Open Drifting, Playground Games, and The Eliminator. Eliminator is a Battle Royale mode. 

More common multiplayer features are included as well, including Horizon Tour and Horizon Arcade. 

Alan Wake Coming to Switch

The upcoming Alan Wake remaster will land on the Nintendo Switch. The game was rated on a Brasilian site and is now removed. It ranked the game alongside already announced platforms. 

Alan Wake was exclusive to Xbox and PC when it was originally released in 2010. The game quickly became a cult classic amongst horror fans. Looks like Epic seeks to spread Alan Wake to more fans across every platform. 

Amazing World of Gumball is Back!

WarnerMedia Kids and Family announced today it’s working on a new Gumball series and film. Both headed to HBO Max and Cartoon Network. The movie will conclude the original series and launch the new series. 

“Staying true to its self-referential and meta comedic roots that endeared The Amazing World of Gumball to fans around the world, the movie begins when Gumball’s biggest fan finds the show’s missing episode and accidentally opens a portal connecting his world to Gumball’s cartoon world. Upon meeting his heroes, our super fan decides to team up with Gumball, Darwin, Anais, Richard and Nicole to save them from a nefarious force overtaking Elmore, while inadvertently unleashing a threat of their very own.”

– Official Synopsis for the film

Sources: CBR, VGC, Game Debate, Kit Guru

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Star Trek Day Announcements

Star Trek Day is here, and with it, we got new trailers and info. 

A Message from Alex Kutman

Alex is the man at the helm. He is leading the way for the Star Trek universe on Paramount+. Alex says his goal is for each show to have its own identity yet feel connected. He also wants to continue Gene Roddenberry’s mission of “sharing stories that reflect our time” through the more palatable science fiction genre. 

Star Trek: Prodigy Trailer

A new look at Prodigy shows an action-packed story. A rag-tag group of friends uses a prototype starship to explore the universe and escape their past. You can start watching Prodigy on October 28th.

Star Trek: Strange New World Cast Reveal

Not only is Pike, Spock, and Una returning from Discovery Season 2, but we have some familiar characters joining the series. The legendary Nyota Uhura returns from The Original Series. Uhura is being played by Celia Rose Gooding. Also coming back is Nurse Chapel, now played by Jess Bush. Both Chapel and Una were played by Majel Barrett, wife of Gene Roddenberry, in the past. The last classic crewman is Dr. M’Benga, now played by Babs Olusanmokun. He’s even wearing a new version of the Starfleet medical scrubs. We have a slew of new characters joining the Enterprise, and will break them down as the series approaches.

Star Trek Remastered Films

The classic Star Trek films are getting massive upgrades. Star Trek: The Motion Picture is the first to be restored. It will be a Paramount+ Exclusive. 

Star Trek: Lower Decks Mid-Season Trailer

Lower Decks is not slowing down! Crewmen in peril, Mariner working with her mom, and the Borg. We have a lot to look forward to in the second half of Season 2.

Picard Trailer

The new Picard trailer lays out the plot of season 2. Jean Luc is being tested by Q once again. Q has changed our past to make Starfleet a totalitarian regime. Our team will need to go back in time and fix the timeline. 

Discovery Season 4 Release Date

Discover is right around the corner. When it premieres on November 18th, it will be the first time in over 20 years two Star Trek series will be airing at the same time. We will be reviewing every episode on Geek Freaks!

If you’re a Trekkie like us, check out Trek Freaks. Every Friday hosts Kevin and Jon break down another episode of Star Trek. Revisit a classic franchise with new friends!

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Shang-Chi’s Strong Opening Weekend

Shang-Chi

Shang-Chi’s opening numbers offer some light at the end of the tunnel for the theater industry. The film raked in $71 million in domestic box office sales last weekend. That does not include Labor Day earnings of $19 million. The totals are not outstanding but, when put in context, are impressive.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has a few things working against it. First, a pandemic and thriving Delta variant. Many are still staying home to avoid large crowds. We saw its effects on Black Widow; the film had a large opening day but trailed off by Sunday. Fans went out, but walk-up theatergoers never showed up.

Another threat to Shang-Chi’s success is its heroes mainstream premier. He is not a well-known character, like Captain America or Thor, so sales rely on advertisements to raise his awareness. Shang-Chi is also the first Asian lead in a superhero film, meaning the film would be making history.

So how did the movie perform? Shang-Chi’s $71 million is on the lower end at first glance. But when we compare it to other MCU films in a similar situation, we can see how strong it really was.

When compared to other pandemic-era films, Shang-Chi killed it. Black Widow pulled in $80 million. Black Widow is an established Avenger, giving it an advantage. Meanwhile, Shang-Chi towers over other pandemic-era releases. Even popular films like A Quiet Place: Part II with $48 million and F9 with $70 million fall short.

Shang-Chi beats out many MCU premier films. Captain America and Thor had $65m, Ant-Man had $57m, and Hulk brought in only $55m. In recent years, Marvel movies are guaranteed hits, but Shang-Chi at least holds up to some big names.

Shang-Chi was a test of sorts. Disney stated so a couple of months passed. They wanted to see how the film would do without the Disney+ backup plan. Shang-Chi will launch on the streaming platform on October 18th. The film’s success would decide The Eternals’ fate. It would either release as planned or be delayed. Disney has not revealed a decision yet. Sony believes the film is a good sign. They have moved up the Venom: Let There be Carnage release to October 1st.

The true test for Shang-Chi comes next weekend. Can the film hold up beyond the opening weekend and Labor Day boost? If it can, this may be the hope theaters needed. The industry might be back in business.

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DC Fandome Returns this October

DC Comics announced today the return of DC Fandome, a two-day event revealing what is next for the company, is returning October 16th. Last year Fandome had trailers, comic book announcements, casting news, and much more. We can expect the same from Fandome 2021. DC has already released a few teasers of what to expect. 

New Trailer for The Batman

Robert Pattison’s The Batman will show off a new trailer. Production has been slow with multiple COVID delays. Principle filming is now complete, and they are wrapping up the finishing touches. The Batman is scheduled to release in March 2022!

First Trailer for The Flash

DC is making a film for the greatest Flash story in comics, Flashpoint. Flash goes back in time in an attempt to save his mom. Unfortunately, he alters all of reality in the process. In the comics, Flash meets Thomas Wayne, Bruce’s father, who dons the Batman title. In the film, he will meet 1989’s Batman, Micheal Keaton. Our first trailer will hopefully show what Keaton looks like as a veteran Batman. 

Teasers for Black Adam and Aquaman: and the Lost Kingdom

Likely not getting any footage for either film. But we could get a look at the set and costumes. There are so many details in today’s comic book movies, that just a still can reveal a story. 

Info on upcoming DC seasons

All of the Arrowverse, HBOverse (new name), and of course Harley Quinn all have content on the docket. We could get a look at what direction these shows are headed next. 

DC/WB Game Trailers

We expect to see new trailers for Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. There is even a rumored new Injustice on the horizon. If announced, it may steal the show. 

Comic Reveals

DC recently went through another soft reboot. It combined all the past iterations of our heroes and added some fresh ones. We may see some additional Future State titles or Milestone Comics getting full series. Personally, I want more DC Black Label stories. Those never disappoint. 

DC Fandome was a virtual convention created after COVID closed all other comic-con. While other virtual events floundered, Fandome thrived. DC laid the blueprint on how to do a virtual convention properly. Now that they have adopted Fandome as a new recurring event, I’m excited to see how DC expands the event. We will cover every major announcement here, on the podcast, and on our social media. Hope you all join us!

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Top 5 Steven Spielberg Movies

*This is part of our “Geek Freaks: Happy Campers” series. We will be posting news again starting August 16th once the team is back in the office.

When I see Spielberg is attached to a film, I’ll give it a shot. Looking at his filmography, it’s a safe bet. This list, like many others, will be divisive. Remember, these are only my opinion. Put your favorites in the comments!

5. Hook

4. Raiders of the Lost Ark

3. Saving Private Ryan

2. Jurassic Park

1. Jaws

Honorable Mention: Schindler’s List

Honorable Mention: Catch Me If You Can

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Top 5 DC Movies

*This is part of our “Geek Freaks: Happy Campers” series. We will be posting news again starting August 16th once the team is back in the office.

Today we are looking at Top 5 DC movies. In recent years, the brand has suffered from poor showings. But full-length DC films have been around since 1951, and some have become pop culture staples. For this list, we are only using live-action movies. Here are our Top 5 DC films.

5. Watchmen (2009)

4. Superman: The Man (1978)

3. Wonder Women (2017)

2. Joker (2019)

1. The Dark Knight (2008)

Honorable Mention: The Suicide Squad (2021)

Honorable Mention: Batman (1989)

Honorable Mention: Batman Returns (1992)

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Scarlett Johansson Sues Disney Over ‘Black Widow’ Release

Black Widow roared onto the Box Office charts on its opening day. Unfortunately, by the weekend, there was a sharp decline. The initial rush was chalked up to Marvel super-fans returning to theaters. But the drop-off was due to Disney’s hybrid release. They released Black Widow both in theaters and on Disney+. Home viewers had to pay a premium of $30. For many, this was well worth it as they prefer the safety of their homes. With the Delta variant spreading, you can hardly blame them. Disney still wins as they receive money with both releases, but others around the project have lost big.

Scarlett Johansson claims in her suit that Disney has breached their contract with the Disney+ release. While the contracts are not available to the public, Wall Street Journal sources claim Johansson will lose nearly $50 million. Johansson’s attorney, John Berlinski, states Disney is only doing hybrid releases to keep stocks from plummeting.

Disney’s responded by saying the suit is completely false and distasteful due to the pandemic. But Scarllet’s team was concerned about hybrid releases before COVID. In 2019, Scarlett’s represetatives asked for reassurances that Black Widow would release not release on Disney+. Marvel Chief Counsel Dave Galluzzi told them the movie would release with the “traditional theatrical model.”

Disney is also claiming Scarlett will actually make more money with this release.


“Disney has fully complied with Ms. Johansson’s contract and furthermore, the release of ‘Black Widow’ on Disney+ with Premier Access has significantly enhanced her ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $20 million she has received to date.”

Disney Spokesperson to CNN Business

We have a lot to learn from Johansson’s lawsuit over the coming months. Hybrid releases are likely here to stay. It gives studios more control over their product and bolsters their many streaming services. How this effects the stars and theater companies is still being hammered out. Scarlett’s fame gives her the best voice to represent other stars in the same situations. As this story develops, we’ll keep you updated.

*Update: According to Matthew Belloni, former Hollywood Reporter editor, Kevin Feige is “Angry and Embarrassed” over Disney’s handling of the lawsuit. He lobbied against the hybrid release, believing it weakened the MCU brand. Via Matt Belloni

** Emma Stone is now “weighing her options” on suing Disney. Cruella also had a hybrid release and had a weak opening weekend. Two stars going after Disney will have a massive impact on the precedent about to be set. Via The Week

Sources: CNN Business, Wall Street Journal

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Lucasfilm Hires YouTube Deepfaker

*The Mandalorian Season 2 Spoilers

Lucasfilm hires YouTuber, Shamook, best known for fixing Mandalorian’s Season 2 finale. At the end of The Mandalorian season 2, Luke Skywalker flies in to save the day. After demolishing robotic Dark Troopers, Skywalkers takes Grogu (Baby Yoda) for Jedi training. An epic moment was forgotten by the lackluster CGI used on Luke. 

Mark Hamill was 32 when he filmed Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Hamill is now 69, but Luke is 37 in The Mandalorian. Lucasfilm and Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) employed de-aging special effects to bring back a young Skywalker. Mark Hamill acts out the scene as normal, then with CGI and face rigging, they apply a younger face onto a body double. 

While ILM is typically the cutting edge of special effects, this looked rough. The head didn’t sync with the body well. Blinks were blurred and hazy. And most importantly, this did not look like young Mark Hamill. In comes a YouTube creator on a mission. 

Shamook took the footage, and in only a few days produced a much better product. The dedicated creator fixed all major issues and Luke Skywalker looked like Luke again! Lucasfilm took note and hired on Shamook. But what does this mean?

First, this indicates that future Star Wars projects will include more de-aged characters. Harrison Ford can be zooming around in the Millenium Falcon once again. Hiring Shamook could also telegraph the future of The Mandalorian. Some were concerned the story would shift to Mando heading off on new adventures, but this might mean Luke and Baby Yoda are here to stay. Lucasfilm could have seen the positive response to Shamook’s YouTube video and brought him on for season 3 scenes. We may see Grogu’s training on a distant planet with a proper Luke Skywalker as his Jedi Master. 

We’ll discuss Shamook’s new position at Lucasfilm on the next Geek Freaks News:

Sources: IndieWire, AV Club

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New Star Trek Finds Its Director

According to Deadline, a new Star Trek film enters warp speed at Paramount after finding its director and writers.

Matt Shakman of WandaVision is set to direct the new Star Trek film. He’ll work with JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot production company. Shakeman has been a rising star following the success of WandaVision. Hopefully, he can bring some of his creative vision to the Star Trek universe.

Matt Shakman

Both Lindsey Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet will pen the script. Beer has been working with Paramount as the director of the next Pet Sematary film. She has many high-profile projects still in development and only 2018’s “Sierra Burgess Is a Loser” as a released writing credit. Robert-Dworet has been tearing it up! She wrote for Captain Marvel and Tomb Raider. She also has many more titles currently in production. This will be the first Star Trek film written by two women.

  • Geneva Robertson-Dworet
  • Lindsey Beer

We don’t know who (if anyone) is returning for the next Star Trek. JJ Abrams’ first three Star Treks used the Original Series characters. It could be a good time to introduce the Next Generation.

Source: Deadline

Check out Trek Freaks on the Geek Freaks Podcast Station. Every Friday Kevin and Jon go over another episode of Star Trek and explore Gene Roddenberry’s utopian future.

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Black Widow Takes the Pandemic Box Office Lead

Black Widow takes the lead with opening weekend sales. Disney boasts Black Widow made $215 million worldwide. That’s with about $80 million domestic, $78 million international, and $60 million in Disney+ Premier Access sales. This is the first time Disney is including Premier Access numbers into box office numbers. Black Widow overtakes the previous post-pandemic champ, F9, with $70 million. Big box office showings are a great sign for the industry, but we learn a couple of interesting facts when we look closer.

Black Widow’s first couple of days were explosive, but come Saturday the sales shifted. The Premier Access sales picked up when the weekend kicked off and the theater sales cooled. According to Deadline, the viewer breakdown means the Marvel “fanboys” headed out right away while the “walk up” theater-goers are still staying home. For Disney, this might be even better news. Disney takes ~60% of sales in theaters but grabs the whole pie in Disney+ sales. Meaning a $30 Premier Access purchase is worth $60 at the box office.

Disney+ is very profitable but may lead to a major loss in the end. Black Widow is being delayed in China for political reasons. We won’t go into the details here. China has grown into Marvel’s biggest theatrical audience. And that audience will not wait. With the film being available on Disney+, pirates can create nearly flawless copies. 4K video and Dolby sound for a free copy of Black Widow. The day the film was released, it was already scattered on Chinese pirating sites, some offering on-platform streaming. By the time the film hits Chinese theaters, it will be old news. No doubt, Disney will not be happy with the mishandling of their big release.

Black Widow has proven more viewers are coming out to the theaters. The process of opening up is slow and careful, as it should be. This was my first theater visit in 15 months. I was both excited and a bit nervous. Luckily I went early in the morning, with only 7 people in the theater with me. As soon as I walked in, I was so delighted. The smell of over buttered popcorn, the chimes from the arcade, and the excited families rushing off to their new movie. I took my time coming back to theaters, but I’m so happy to be back!

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