Revealed at LA Comic-Con, “Batman: The Animated Series” is getting a podcast! The new BtAS podcast will be an audio drama that will continue the story from the original series. Kevin Conroy will once again play the Dark Knight. John Glover, Riddler, was also on hand to announce the new project.
The “Batman: The Animated Series” podcast will be written by Alan Burnett. Alan was a writer and producer of the original series, Mask of the Phantasm, and Batman Beyond. He continued his work with DC into recent years, having a hand in most recent Batman and Superman animated movies.
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.
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!
Disney Plus Day gave us a load of teasers for new projects from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar. Here are the heavy hitters:
Marvel
X-Men ’97
This is a continuation of the 90’s animated series. They also continued the 90’s X-Men comics with great success this year. We will cover every episode on our show Sloop!
Moon Knight
We got our first look at Moon Knight. Oscar Isaac plays Marc Spector, multiple personalities. He’s on a mission from an Egyptian god to defend the weak from injustice. Many consider Iron Man to be Marvel’s Batman. Wrong, it’s Moon Knight.
She Hulk’s series is coming along soon. We see Hulk helping out his little cousin with her new powers. It is also rumored Jessica Jones will be joining the show.
The last of the Marvels trio is about to make her debut. Ms. Marvel is relatively new in the comic world, but already a fan favorite. She found new fame in Marvel’s Avengers game.
What If…? season 2 is confirmed! We have many questions that need answering and new dimensions to explore. We also have the lost episode from season 1 starring Tony Stark and Gamora to get our hands on as well.
Echo
This was a surprise. Echo, aka Maya Lopez, is getting her own series. She is making her debut in the new Hawkeye series coming later this month.
Spider-Man: Freshman Year
Spider-Man: Freshman Year is an animated prequel series to the Tom Holland Spider-Man movies. We will see a young Parker learn to control his abilities and manage his first year in High School.
I Am Groot
A Groot series was previously teased but we now have a synopsis. I Am Groot is “a series of original shorts exploring Baby Groot’s glory days growing up, and getting into trouble, among the stars. Directed by executive producer Kirsten Lepore.”
Iron Heart
We only have the logo for Iron Heart, but good to know it’s still in the works.
Agatha: House of Harkness
We got the first hints of this last month but now it’s official! The WandaVision spinoff will be written and produced by Emmy Nominated Jac Schaefer. After his work on WandaVision, Disney has a lot of faith in him.
Marvel Zombies
The Zombies got one episode of What If…? but now have their own series! And comic book fans are happy to see the original logo back in use.
Secret Invasion
One of Marvel’s best-written stories, Secret Invasion sees Marvel favorites battle the unknown threat among themselves. Skrulls have been weaved into Shield for years, and now they are showing their true face. We also got to see a grizzled Nick Fury, ready to fight.
Star Wars
Kenobi
We have a collection of concept art for the Kenobi series. Normally concept art feels like a hollow reveal, but Mandalorian fans know better. At the end of every Mando episode, we see the concepts that formed the show. And they are spot on! So expect these concepts to come to life when the series premiers in 2022.
Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett
Under the Helmet is a new documentary exploring the famed bounty hunter. We will see how a voiceless character became a fan favorite.
Pixar
Win or Loose
Pixar’s first original series, Win or Loose follows a softball team during the week of the championship. Each episode will showcase a new character as they prep for the big game.
New Documentaries
We are getting two new documentaries about Pixar’s next films, Turning Red and Lightyear.
Cars on the Road
A new Cars series featuring Owen Wilson. From the concept art, this looks like a time-traveling adventure.
Other Disney News
Warwick Davis talked about his upcoming new series Willow. Expected 2022.
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.
The internet is abuzz this week with new rumors of Daredevil’s return. Daredevil, Punisher, and Disney+ all trend after Knight’s Edge Media reported the possible return. They claim Disney is considering a soft reboot for the franchise on Disney+. But it is very important to remember these are only rumors from one source. That being said, let’s talk about what gets us here.
Disney regained the rights to Daredevil in 2020 and can now use the Hell’s Kitchen hero in any medium. We already have substantial rumors that Matt Murdock will be in Spider-Man: No Way Home. We also expect Kingpin in the new Hawkeye series. Lastly, Jessica Jones is rumored to join the She-Hulk series. This intertwining of the Netflix-Marvel universe into modern MCU would introduce a new fan base to Netflix’s more adult series. The rumors state Daredevil would be a soft reboot, likely to iron out some of the faults of the series. We will likely see Daredevil use his costume again. He abandoned the suit in season 3.
These rumors are just that, rumors. More fan requests than confirmed. Once we hear from Marvel or credible sources, we can start planning out Daredevil’s MCU future.
Happy Spooktober! We will later do a list of our horror movie suggestions. But outside of the spooky fun, we still have some amazing TV. Here are our streaming suggestions.
HBO Max
Aquaman: King of Atlantis – October 14
Succession s3 – October 17
Dune – October 22
Amazon Prime
I Know What You Did Last Summer (series) – October 15
Netflix’s TUDUM event showed off some new projects and returning classics. We got our first look at “Inside Job”, “Colin in Black & White”, and “Vikings: Valhalla.” We also saw some of their heavy hitters like “Stranger Things” and “The Crown.” Here is everything they showed off!
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.”
The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards are a wrap. The night revealed Netflix is stronger than ever, Handmaid’s bad season had consequences, and John Oliver is king. Here are this year’s winners.
Outstanding Drama Series
Winner: “The Crown”
“The Mandalorian”
“Pose”
“This Is Us”
“The Boys”
“Bridgerton”
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
“Lovecraft Country”
Outstanding Comedy Series
Winner: “Ted Lasso”
“Black-ish”
“Cobra Kai”
“Emily in Paris”
“Hacks”
“The Flight Attendant”
“The Kominsky Method”
“PEN15”
Outstanding Limited Series
Winner: “The Queen’s Gambit”
“The Underground Railroad”
“I May Destroy You”
“WandaVision”
“Mare of Easttown”
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Winner: Olivia Colman, “The Crown”
Emma Corrin, “The Crown”
Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Mj Rodriguez, “Pose”
Jurnee Smollett, “Lovecraft Country”
Uzo Aduba, “In Treatment”
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Winner: Josh O’Connor, “The Crown”
Rege-Jean Page, “Bridgerton”
Billy Porter, “Pose”
Matthew Rhys, “Perry Mason”
Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us”
Jonathan Majors, “Lovecraft Country”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Winner: Gillian Anderson, “The Crown”
Yvonne Strahovski, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Samira Wiley, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Madeline Brewer, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Ann Dowd, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Aunjanue Ellis, “Lovecraft Country”
Emerald Fennell, “The Crown”
Helena Bonham Carter, “The Crown”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Winner: Tobias Menzies, “The Crown”
Giancarlo Esposito, “The Mandalorian”
John Lithgow, “Perry Mason”
O-T Fagbenle, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Max Minghella, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Bradley Whitford, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Chris Sullivan, “This Is Us”
Michael K. Williams, “Lovecraft Country”
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner: Jean Smart, “Hacks”
Kaley Cuoco, “The Flight Attendant”
Tracee Ellis Ross, “Black-ish”
Aidy Bryant, “Shrill”
Allison Janney, “Mom”
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner: Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso”
Anthony Anderson, “Black-ish”
Michael Douglas, “The Kominsky Method”
Kenan Thompson, “Kenan”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Winner: Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso”
Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
Aidy Bryant, “Saturday Night Live”
Juno Temple, “Ted Lasso”
Rosie Perez, “The Flight Attendant”
Kate McKinnon, “Saturday Night Live”
Cecily Strong, “Saturday Night Live”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Winner: Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso”
Brendan Hunt, “Ted Lasso”
Nick Mohammed, “Ted Lasso”
Paul Reiser, “The Kominsky Method”
Jeremy Swift, “Ted Lasso”
Bowen Yang, “Saturday Night Live”
Kenan Thompson, “Saturday Night Live”
Carl Clemons-Hopkins, “Hacks”
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Winner: Kate Winslet, “Mare of Easttown”
Michaela Coel, “I May Destroy You”
Cynthia Erivo, “Genius: Aretha”
Anya Taylor-Joy, “The Queen’s Gambit”
Elizabeth Olsen, “WandaVision”
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Winner: Ewan McGregor, “Halston”
Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Hamilton”
Leslie Odom Jr., “Hamilton”
Paul Bettany, “WandaVision”
Hugh Grant, “The Undoing”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Winner: Julianne Nicholson, “Mare of Easttown”
Kathryn Hahn, “WandaVision”
Phillipa Soo, “Hamilton”
Renee Elise Goldsberry, “Hamilton”
Moses Ingram, “The Queen’s Gambit”
Jean Smart, “Mare of Easttown”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Winner: Evan Peters, “Mare of Easttown”
Daveed Diigs, “Hamilton”
Jonathan Groff, “Hamilton”
Anthony Ramos, “Hamilton”
Thomas Brodie-Sangster, “The Queen’s Gambit”
Paapa Essiedu, “I May Destroy You”
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Winner: Jessica Hobbs, “The Crown”
Julie Anne Robinson, “Bridgerton”
Steven Canals, “Pose”
Jon Favreau, “The Mandalorian”
Liz Garbus, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Benjamin Caron, “The Crown”
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Winner: Peter Morgan, “The Crown”
Misha Green, “Lovecraft Country”
Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Steven Canals, Janet Mock, Our Lady J, “Pose”
Rebecca Sonnenshine, “The Boys”
Yahlin Chang, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Dave Filoni, “The Mandalorian”
Jon Favreau, “The Mandalorian”
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Winner: Lucia Aniello, “Hacks”
James Burrows, “B Positive”
James Widdoes, “Mom”
Zach Braff, “Ted Lasso”
MJ Delaney, “Ted Lasso”
Declan Lowney, “Ted Lasso”
Susanna Fogel, “The Flight Attendant”
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Winner: Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky, “Hacks”
Maya Erskine, “PEN15”
Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, “Ted Lasso”
Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, “Ted Lasso”
Steve Yockey, “The Flight Attendant”
Meredith Scardino, “Girls5eva”
Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Winner: Scott Frank, “The Queen’s Gambit”
Matt Shakman, “WandaVision”
Barry Jenkins, “The Underground Railroad”
Craig Zobel, “Mare of Easttown”
Sam Miller, “I May Destroy You”
Sam Miller and Michaela Coel, “I May Destroy You”
Thomas Kail, “Hamilton”
Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Winner: Michaela Coel, “I May Destroy You”
Brad Ingelsby, “Mare of Easttown”
Scott Frank, “The Queen’s Gambit”
Jac Schaeffer, “WandaVision”
Laura Donney, “WandaVision”
Chuck Hayward and Peter Cameron, “WandaVision”
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
Winner: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
“Saturday Night Live”
“The Amber Ruffin Show”
“A Black Lady Sketch Show”
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Winner: “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
“Conan”
“The Daily Show With Trevor Noah”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live”
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
Winner: “Saturday Night Live”
“A Black Lady Sketch Show”
We will discuss the winners on the next Geek Freaks News
A new Batman series is in development. This one follows Gotham’s crime boss Penguin. The series is headed to HBO Max and is a spinoff of Matt Reeve’s The Batman. Colin Farrell is reportedly returning to the role.
Colin Farrell to play Penguin
This is similar to the new Peacemaker series announced last month. Peacmaker was announced before the release of James Gunn’s Suicide Squad release. It is a show of confidence it both the director and actor. As we had seen later in that month, Peacemaker was a hit in the film and the series is highly anticipated. A penguin series likely means WB and DC feel like the upcoming movie will be a success.
We will likely learn more about the series at DC’s Fandome on October 16th. We will also get additional information on the other new Batman series, Gotham PD and the animated Batman series. With Titans, Batwoman, and Harley Quinn, DC finds Gotham a breeding ground for new TV.
We have a Baby Yoda balloon coming to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! This comes from a joint announcement from Macy’s and Funko. The Grogu balloon is the Funko Pop version of the character.
“We’re no strangers to the thrill of translating Star Wars characters into the Pop! form. Thanks to the strong creative relationship with Lucasfilm, we knew we could develop a fun, charming and iconic moment. After a crash course in how the Macy’s balloons are constructed, we started the creative process inspired by everyone’s love for Grogu. His giant ears were an unexpected challenge of their own, but once we finally got a peek at the final result we knew that all of our hard work and collaboration had paid off. There’s going to be a whole lot of cuteness floating above the streets of New York City come Thanksgiving morning.”
O’Brien to StarWars.com
You can catch Grogu flying through New York on November 25th!
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!
Netflix’s animated Magic the Gathering series casts Brandon Routh for the lead. Routh will be playing a Planeswalker named Gideon Jura. The series is expected to release in 2022.
Brandon Routh is best known for his turn as the Man of Steel in 2006’s “Superman Returns.” Following the one-shot film, he went on to join a series of films like “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.” He dawned a new super suit as Atom in “Arrow” and “Legends of Tomorrow.” He even portrayed Superman once more in an Arrowverse crossover event. Brandon Routh may not be the most famous Superman, but to many, he’s the best.
Netflix’s Magic the Gathering series will follow two Planeswalkers’ journies. Routh’s Gideon Jura will join Jace Beleren (not yet cast). The Planeswalkers are magical heroes or villains. The pair will reportedly approach each adventure with different opinions.
A prequel novel by Django Wexler will expand the world and set up the story for the series. The book will release alongside the series in 2022.
After a nice vacation, Geek Freaks is BACK! We hope you enjoyed our Happy Campers series while we were gone. We have learned a lot based on reactions and will implement some of the tested posts. Now, let’s go over all the news we missed while we were gone.
Funimation Acquires Crunchyroll
Sony’s Funimation has acquired their primary competition, Crunchyroll. The deal unites the two largest anime-only streamers in the US.
“With the addition of Crunchyroll, we have an unprecedented opportunity to serve anime fans like never before and deliver the anime experience across any platform they choose,” Tony Vinciquerra, Sony Pictures chairman and chief executive said in a statement. “Our goal is to create a unified anime subscription experience as soon as possible.”
Ahsoka Series Casting Sabine Wren
The live-action Ahsoka series is looking for someone to play Sabine Wren. Sabine is a Mandalorian from Star Wars: Rebels, also created by producer Dave Filoni.
US Politicians Eyeing Loot Box Problem
Three congressmen have composed a letter sent to 12 gaming companies asking them to extend new UK regulations to US children. UK’s Age Appropriate Design Code (AADC) will set standards for data collection of children in the company. The politicians want the company “to protect children from exlpoitative prcatises.” Basically, loot boxes. The AADC does not mention loot boxes, but this does show a growing interest in loot box protection in the US.
Rumored GTA Remaster Coming
No, GTA 6 is not here. Yes, another GTA 5 is releasing on PS5 and XBOX Series X/S. But we have some additional GTA releasing soon. A new rumor, being shared on many prominent news sites, like Kotaku, says a remaster of old games is on the way. The remasters will be GTA 3, GTA Vice City, and GTA San Andreas. The games will come later this year to current and previous generations.
More Blizzard Heads Roll
Luis Barriga, Jesse McCree, and Jonathan LeCraft have all left Activision Blizzard. Barriga is a Blizzard vet who was working on Diablo 4. McCree and LeCraft were both pictured in the now infamous BlizzCon “Cosby Suite” picture.
McCree’s departure has also sparked outrage amongst Overwatch players. The gunslinging cowboy McCree is named after him. Players are now demanding his name be changed. Many prominent streamers are no longer saying the cowboy’s name. We will update as this is hammered out.
We will discuss all this and more on the next Geek Freaks News:
*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 have our Top 5 Cartoon Dads. A “zany” family is a classic in animation. From Fred in the Flinstones to Peter from Family Guy, the dad has been a reliable source for laughs. For this list, we are only using dads from adult animated series. Part 2 will cover shows intended for a younger audience. Here are our Top 5 Cartoon Dads Part 1.
South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone strike a new mega-deal with ViacomCBS, through MTV Entertainment. The deal renews South Park until its 30th season in 2027. It also locks in 14 movies from the producing pair for the Paramount+ streaming service.
Bloomberg estimates the new agreement is worth $900 million over six years. That price includes an advance of $150 million for Parker and Stone. The team also retain their “ongoing profit participation.” According to Variety, that tips the IP’s worth over $1 billion.
“Matt and Trey are world-class creatives who brilliantly use their outrageous humor to skewer the absurdities of our culture and we are excited to expand and deepen our long relationship with them to help fuel Paramount+ and Comedy Central.”
Chris McCarthy, President-CEO of MTV Entertainment Via Variety
ViacomCBS, owners of Comedy Central, has been the home of South Park since its 1997 launch. HBO Max licensed older episodes a couple of years ago for $500 million. This new deal shows Paramount+ is a top priority for the company, and here to compete.
No information on whether or not this includes the rights to “BASEketball.”
Geek Freaks Network 