The Elseworlds’ DC vs. Vampires saga is one of the best crossover events that DC Comics has published in recent years. Its brilliance lies in taking the well-worn idea of turning heroes into villains and adding a creative twist, where their unethical actions are less a question of pure evil intent, though there is certainly an element of that, and more a result of the need for survival. As in real life, when one is forced into a situation of survival or demise, there are incredible acts and compromises to long-held values that one will make to stay alive. DC vs. Vampires‘ exploration of how “turned” heroes and villains navigate these choices is top-tier content.

While this Elseworlds saga is a DC Universe-wide event, certain characters, such as Wonder Woman, play a more prominent role. To be sure, once she’s turned, Wonder Woman eventually becomes the second most important vampire in their community. As a result, the DC Universe’s toughest warrior is transformed into its most brutal enforcer. Given broad authority to carry out her duties, she performs them with heart-crushing singularity. Her transformation exemplifies just how extreme a new convert can become, especially when their survival is on the line.

Vampire Wonder Woman Strikes Fear in the Hearts of Humans and Heroes

Wonder Woman is the DC Universe’s preeminent combat specialist — and this isn’t just empty praise. In Justice League of America (2006) #13, the Caped Crusader himself called Wonder Woman the best melee fighter in the world. So it’s no surprise that her presence on the battlefield gives any opponent pause. But whatever fear they may have felt before is nothing compared to the terror they’ll experience when faced with Wonder Woman as a vampire, completely unbound from the values, principles, and discipline that once restrained her warrior’s urge to crush her enemies and see them kneel before her.

[ RELATED: DC Announces New Elseworlds Batman Series Coming This Summer (And We’re Excited) ]

In Matthew Rosenberg and Nikola Cizmesija’s DC vs. Vampires: World War V – Darkness and Light, one of the most terrifying expressions of Wonder Woman’s brutality as a vampire occurs when she literally tears the Green Lantern Corps’ Guy Gardner in half with her bare hands. This enraged reaction is triggered by Guy Gardner killing her disciple Harper, despite his best efforts to avoid taking action. It’s a shocking scene that fans could never envision her committing under normal circumstances, even while fully understanding her immense potential for such violence.

If her unleashed pugilistic prowess wasn’t scary enough, what’s even more terrifying is how skewed her moral compass has become as a vampire. Indeed, whereas before it acted as a guardrail that ensured Wonder Woman chose honor over success, compassion over aggression, and justice over injustice, now her life is dominated by her selfish desires, without regard for how they impact others. Outside of fulfilling the commands of her master, the Queen of the Vampires, Barbara Gordon, Wonder Woman’s actions are driven solely by self-interest.

Drawing again from Rosenberg and Cizmesija’s work in Darkness and Light, we see Wonder Woman slaughter a man while letting her underlings feed on his wife. Then, upon discovering their children hiding, she takes the daughter – Harper, to serve as her pet vampire. She even initially parades her around the community with a dog collar and leash. While she ultimately comes to regard Harper as a sort of daughter, one of the reasons she brutalizes Guy Gardner for killing her. Nevertheless, she always treated Harper more like a slave than an actual family member. It’s hard viewing for Wonder Woman fans, but this portrayal shows just how terrifying she’s become as a vampire.

Wonder Woman’s Corruption Shows Us Just How Good She Was Before Being Turned

Before her transformation, Wonder Woman was one of the foundational pillars of the DC Universe. She was celebrated as a symbol of truth, justice, hope, and compassion. At the same time, she was raised as a warrior, and ultimately became one of the greatest in history. As such, Wonder Woman has always possessed an extraordinary capacity for violence, ferocity, and brutality. In fact, bloodlust is a defining trait of the Amazon tribe, and Wonder Woman epitomizes the ideal Amazonian.

So, the rage and ferocity she shows in DC vs. Vampires – her true danger – was never about the supernatural abilities she gained by becoming a vampire. She always possessed those intense emotions. The crucial difference is that her vampiric transformation liberated her from the virtues and practices that once served to control her raw, monstrous power. The only true “force multiplier” was the addition of a vampire’s inherent survival instinct, which amplified Wonder Woman’s transformation into a truly terrifying force of nature.

Seeing her as the unstoppable predator she becomes in DC vs. Vampires is a testament to her unmatched discipline and the immense mental strength she exerted to suppress such primal urges. It retroactively proves just how much effort it took for her to remain true to her principles before her transformation, revealing the depth of her honor, courage, and strength as a warrior.

The post From Amazon Princess to Vampire Thug: How DC vs. Vampires Created Diana’s Most Terrifying Form appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While Planet Hulk dispelled the notion that Bruce Banner’s rage-fueled alter ego lacked the patience, intelligence, or strategic insight to lead effectively, it was not the first time the “Green Goliath” found himself at the center of political power. Years earlier, the Hulk played a typically outsized role in the politics of the sub-atomic world of K’ai. Much like his time on Sakaar in Planet Hulk, his involvement on K’ai not only brought about a period of political stability, but also led to him finding love — and a partner who would stand by his side through thick and thin. One key difference between his romantic relationships on Sakaar and K’ai, however, lay in the nature of the bond itself. In that respect, K’ai proved to be a far deeper experience.

Indeed, the connection he found on K’ai with the warrior-empress Jarella was more than just romantic — it was deeply transformative, just like true love. It gave him a sense of peace and purpose that he rarely experienced anywhere else.

Who is Princess Jarella of K’ai?

Like many great love affairs, the Hulk met Jarella quite by accident. As detailed in The Incredible Hulk (1968) #140, the supervillain Psyklop captured the Hulk to serve as an offering to his masters. Before presenting him, Psyklop decided to examine the “green behemoth” more closely by shrinking him to a compatible size for closer study. However, during this reduction process, the Avengers —who had been searching for Psyklop— burst into his laboratory, disrupting his “shrinking and compression” of the Hulk. As a result, the Hulk was miniaturized to microscopic size and eventually ended up on the sub-atomic planet of K’ai.

[ RELATED: The Imperial Hulks Smash Into Marvel’s Cosmic Crossover Event With New Looks ]

While wandering the lands of K’ai, the Hulk stumbled upon the capital city — which, at the time, was under attack by a pack of Warthos – giant “pig-dogs” that had previously tormented him when he first landed on the planet. After fighting them off, the city’s green-skinned inhabitants welcomed him as a hero. It was there that he met Empress Jarella, the leader of K’ai. For both, it was love at first sight, and Jarella soon chose the Hulk as her mate. There was just one problem: he didn’t speak the local language.

To resolve this, she summoned the realm’s finest sorcerers to cast an incantation that would grant the Hulk the ability to communicate. The spell not only succeeded but also allowed Bruce Banner’s mind to merge with the Hulk’s body. As their relationship deepened, Banner confided in Jarella, revealing his true identity — and the duality of the man before her: both the brilliant Bruce Banner and the mighty Hulk.

Princess Jarella – the Hulk’s Greatest Love of All

Historically, while the Hulk and Bruce Banner share the same body, they are two completely distinct personas. Banner is the ultra-intelligent, rational, geeky scientist. The Hulk is the childlike, impulsive force of nature. Naturally, his two personas are attractive to different types of people. On Earth, Betty Ross was attracted to Banner’s intelligence and brilliance, his moral integrity, kindness, and vulnerability. Betty tolerated the Hulk because she knew that he was connected to Banner.

Conversely, on Sakaar, Caiera was attracted to the Hulk’s physical and mental strength, his warrior mentality, his wildness, and his childlike compassion for others. Caiera never truly met Banner, so she has no opinion of him. The warrior-empress Jarella, however, was the only love interest who knew and loved both the Hulk and Banner – and that is why she is his greatest love.

As the Hulk, Jarella accepted him unconditionally for who he was. Where others saw a raging beast, she saw a vulnerable being with noble intentions — someone in need of support and inclusion, not hatred and manipulation. Through her love and understanding, Jarella gave the Hulk a soothing sense of security and belonging, calming his “savage beast” tendencies. As Banner, Jarella found a kindred spirit — someone who shared her compassion and thoughtfulness. For Banner, she was someone whose feelings did not depend on “curing” him of his Hulk side, but rather someone who loved him equally as both Banner and the Hulk. In essence, Jarella completed them both — Hulk and Banner. For both sides of the “Green Goliath,” she was the love of a lifetime.

Why Princess Jarella Deserves a Comeback?

Psyklop eventually finds the Hulk and involuntarily returns him to Earth, separating the couple and ending what Banner/Hulk had considered the best time of his life. However, both Jarella and Banner/Hulk did not forget each other and were actually able to visit each other on Earth and K’ai several times afterwards. Each time they were together, it brought them ever closer. This culminated when, needing to save the life of Glenn Talbot, Doc Samson miniaturized the Hulk, who again ended up on K’ai – this time rescuing Jarella from a coup attempt. Ultimately, this resulted in the Hulk bringing Jarella back to Earth and breaking any current means of her return.

While this meant Jarella could no longer visit her home, she was finally united with Banner/Hulk, and the couple began making plans for their future on Earth. Unfortunately, as told in The Incredible Hulk (1968) #205, a date between Banner and Jarella was interrupted by an attack from the villain Crypto-Man. When Crypto-Man targeted Jarella, Banner transformed into the Hulk to stop him, despite Jarella’s own warrior instincts to protect Banner. In the ensuing battle, Jarella tragically died saving a child from falling debris. With the help of Captain Marvel, the Hulk was eventually able to return Jarella’s body to K’ai for a proper burial, as depicted in The Incredible Hulk (1968) #248.

Jarella’s sudden and shocking death came far too soon. Not only had she become a central part of both Banner’s and the Hulk’s lives, but she also seemed to be the answer they had both been seeking — the one person who could bring out the best in them. Beyond her role in their story, Jarella had an intriguing life of her own, one the narrative was just beginning to explore. Taking her away so early removed a character with the potential to guide the story in new and exciting directions. Indeed, Jarella was briefly resurrected in The Incredible Hulks #619 to help the Hulk battle Zom and the Abomination. She ended up being the cavalry, arriving just in time to save everyone from defeat. It was a powerful and heartfelt moment — one that underscored how much the Marvel Comics Universe could benefit from her return.

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There is a weird juxtaposition in knowing that Halo is still one of the most influential video game properties in history and is still known as the Xbox franchise, but also knowing that the landscape in gaming is shifting and evolving, potentially putting Halo in a place where it doesn’t have the same reach that it had in the past. Realistically, the reach of Halo still places the series as a juggernaut in terms of sales, especially when we consider that Halo isn’t just a video game. Halo is multiple video games, a book series, a television series, and so much more.

Halo, in general, has had a few different chapters in its lifetime. In the beginning, the Bungie phase saw the original trilogy that built the groundwork Halo and made it a mega hit. In the second phase, 343 Industries took Halo into its next chapter and experienced growing competition. Now, Halo will be entering its third phase as 343 Industries rebrands to Halo Studios and boasts that the next Halo will shift to Unreal Engine 5 to reclaim the throne as a visual masterpiece in gaming.

While the next Halo hasn’t been formally announced yet, it does leave a good opportunity to look at all the mainline Halo games that came during the first two phases, with a ranked list.

8) Halo 5: Guardians

Halo 4 set the stage for building out a rich narrative with Master Chief and the relationship with Cortana. Halo 5, with the stage set, just needed to knock those pins down. Instead, Halo 5 was a miss on many different fronts. Players came to miss out on split-screen co-op, the campaign felt shorter while taking a backseat to the multiplayer, and Master Chief’s presence was significantly reduced. Halo 5: Guardians could have been such an easy success if it had just adequately followed up on the narrative setup from Halo 4.

7) Halo 3: ODST

Before the epic conclusion in Halo 3 comes the side story of Halo 3: ODST during the invasion of Earth by the Covenant. A group of elite ODSTs are separated following a botched jump down to the city. You take control of The Rookie to search and locate the rest of the missing squad.

The storytelling in ODST offered more depth, lore, and in a quasi-open world setting. A shortcoming, though, is that Halo 3: ODST felt like the scope of an expansion, but was originally priced at the same level as a full game. The campaign was quite short, and the multiplayer was Halo 3’s multiplayer repackaged to justify the price point. In modern landscapes, it’s a great additional piece of content associated with Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

6) Halo: Combat Evolved

The foundation of the entire Halo series was built quite strongly and with the original Halo: Combat Evolved. Halo, in a sense, is a game that defined the next generation of gaming for Millennials, shifting away from the Nintendo 64, and looking to play more serious co-op games with friends.

Whether in single-player or couch co-op, there was an art to fighting the Covenant, driving the Warthog, and taking down the Banshees. The issue is that while it’s a nostalgic experience with Halo: Combat Evolved, the game has not aged as well for newer audiences (or even older audiences) to revisit. Even with consideration of the remaster, sprinting isn’t an option, and a lot of the level design is redundant, which makes it more difficult for modern gamers to consider jumping into the OG Halo.

5) Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite was the first foray into an open-world setting for the Halo franchise, which graphically and mechanically was a success as a beautiful open-world title. The addition of new enemies associated with The Banished and the inclusion of the Grappleshot feels very organic as a new mechanic to Master Chief’s arsenal.

However, Halo Infinite does leave the feeling of a series that is still trying to find itself within the changing landscape of gaming, both as an FPS title and as an RPG. Halo Infinite largely leaves out the Covenant, but does see the setting shifting to a Halo (Halo Zeta), which leaves a feeling of loss towards the original alien race that has been pertinent to the series since its origins. That being said, the combat, enemies, and boss battles associated with Halo Infinite make the experience exceptionally enjoyable for a reboot in a post-Halo 5 world.

4) Halo: Reach

Halo: Reach is a prequel in the series, starting before Halo: Combat Evolved, but it feels more modern and still holds its own to this day. This was the last Halo title produced by Bungie, and it delved deeper into mankind’s war with the Covenant, and offered up armor abilities as a refresh for multiplayer.

You play as Noble Six, a member of the elite Noble Team, defending the world of Reach from a Covenant invasion. Narratively, the game offered up an ultra-satisfying end to the Bungie-led Halo games, with the only major issue being that the events of Reach don’t perfectly follow the events and timeline established in the Halo: The Fall of Reach novel.

3) Halo 4

There was a lot of pressure with Halo 4, as this was the first Halo title developed by 343 Industries. With the pressure on, the delivery came through exceptionally well. Halo 3‘s story wrapped up completely, but left on a small cliffhanger that proceeded into Halo 4. This new storytelling opportunity was well thought out, with Master Chief awakening from Cryo sleep and drifting towards the Forerunner planet of Requiem.

While the Covenant remains in play as antagonists as a splinter faction, more depth was offered, for there is also the introduction of mech warriors from the Forerunner Empire, Prometheans, for players to contend with. Separately, the length and growth of the relationship with Master Chief and Cortana was something of special note, given that these character developments and growth were always in mind as Cortana became more and more important in Halo.

2) Halo 2

Halo 2 took a brave step against the original Halo: Combat Evolved by including the ability to play as The Arbiter. In the first title, audiences got to see the most terrifying moment of being rushed by enemies who have the Plasma Sword. In Halo 2, the role switches to gain control of utilizing the Plasma Sword as The Arbiter, and perhaps more importantly, getting a deeper understanding of the Covenant up close and personal. An important element of that understanding was also about creating more depth to the Covenant as not just an enemy alien race, but as a potential ally to humanity against the Flood, which came to its cusp as a monumental moment when The Arbiter and Master Chief meet.

1) Halo 3

Where boys became men. So much more can be said, or nothing more at all, and everyone who played through Halo 3 will immediately agree to the same story: this is where boys became men. The final mission of Halo 3, driving the Warthog and making the jump into Forward Unto Dawn, is one of the most standout moments in gaming history and defines the end of an era.

Halo 3 centers on Master Chief fighting a combined invasion of Earth by the Flood and Covenant, centering around the activation of the Halo rings via the Forerunner Ark on Earth. While allies like the Arbiter are still involved in Halo 3, this character is ultimately reduced to a side character against his co-protagonist role in Halo 2, which feels like a loss. Still, even these shortcomings don’t keep Halo 3 from being the best game that the series has ever seen.

The post Every Mainline Halo Game Ranked From Worst to Best appeared first on ComicBook.com.

One aspect that stands out from Machu in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX is how different she is from Suletta Mercury from Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. Fans were shocked that the follow-up to the Gundam franchise’s first mainline series with a female lead would also have a female protagonist. Not only would she be another woman protagonist, but she would also have red hair, just like Suletta. However, that’s where the connection between the two characters ends, besides some potential Yuri overtones for both protagonists. Whereas Suletta was friendly and socially awkward, Machu is more assertive and a throwback to the Gundam protagonists made by Yoshiyuki Tomino.

Machu, real name Amate Yuzuriha, comes off more in line with Kamille Bidan from Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, as both are anti-authority and distrustful of the adults in their lives. Amuro from the original Mobile Suit Gundam also had some anti-establishment characteristics, but he was also less of a willing participant in the story than Machu and Kamille were. Amuro was forced to join the war because he was the only one who could pilot the Gundam, whereas Machu and Kamille piloted their Gundams by their own choice.

[RELATED – How Zeta Gundam Defined the Real Robot Genre for 40 Years]

Machu Is a Teen Making Stupid Decisions in Gundam GQuuuuuuX

Machu’s infatuation with Shuji, her partner in the Clan Battles, has earned some criticism, as many find it weak motivation. It makes her seem boy-crazy rather than a person with deeper and complicated feelings. However, Machu’s adoration for Shuji matches the overall themes established by Tomino in the classic Gundam shows. Many of the male protagonists in Tomino’s Gundam series do foolish things because they have a crush or want to impress a girl. Kamille is constantly trying to fix or save every broken woman he comes in contact with, neglecting his childhood best friend, who is emotionally stable and available. Zeta Gundam also has the adults do ridiculous things for sexual attraction, with one of the main supporting cast members literally switching sides because she found the lead antagonist to be handsome.

Attraction doesn’t only play a role in Tomino’s work, but in other Gundam series where he isn’t involved. Kira from Mobile Suit Gundam Seed was manipulated into a relationship with Flay, a girl to whom he had a physical attraction from school. Flay was using Kira to give him motivation to fight off the Coordinators, the people who killed her parents. Kira would end up doing questionable things to impress Flay, including pushing away his friends. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury focuses almost exclusively on the Yuri relationship between the two leads. People doing nonsensical things for love (or attraction) have been part of Gundam’s DNA since its inception, and Machu is simply continuing that tradition.

Gundam is about contradicting beliefs and feelings, and how, ultimately, we are creatures motivated by desire and selfishness. Gundam has also been a metaphor for teenage hormones, which is peppered within its overall war is bad message. When children are given weapons of mass destruction, expect them to do things grown-ups wouldn’t dare to do.

Machu Represents the Unheard Youth

Gundam typically stars teens or children because the shows are usually aimed towards young teens or older kids. However, Tomino twists the power fantasy of owning a giant robot, making the prospect of being a Gundam pilot as unappealing as possible. Amuro and Kamille’s superiors would constantly abuse or berate them, giving them PTSD throughout the war. While protagonists like Amuro and Kamille were a vital cog in the war, they were still ultimately underappreciated. Superiors would often drown out Amuro’s and Kamille’s voices and opinions, making the teen boys seem as if they had no choices. Amuro’s and Kamille’s lack of agency represents how teenagers often feel like they don’t have a voice in the world.

Machu, in contrast to the classic Gundam protagonists, had a pretty safe and luxurious life. She didn’t face any war before the events of Gundam GQuuuuuuX, and she lives a standard home life with her mother. Yet still reacts as if she isn’t being heard, especially from her mother. She feels disconnected from the adults in the same manner as Kamille did from his parents. However, Kamille’s parents were horrible in comparison to Machu’s parents. Machu’s angst can be drummed up to teenage hormones, which isn’t always the most exciting backstory, but it is honest. Even though Machu’s characterization and potential character development feel aimed more at the teenage crowd, there is something poignant about watching a young girl coming into her own in the world.

Her issues go deeper than being in love with a boy, and her outgoing and aggressive personality hammers home the idea that she is not like the other female protagonists in the series. She may be only focused on Shuji and getting to Earth, but she at least has agency in her own story. Her mistakes, which include shooting Annqi in Episode 7, are motivated by her personality and desires. Her overall goal and intentions may seem flat for some fans, yet they help sell the idea of how disinterested adults are towards teenage emotions.

The post Gundam GQuuuuuuX’s Machu is Already One of the Best Heroes Since Classic Gundam appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Neji was one of the first rivals that Naruto had to face off against, who truly believed that Naruto’s ninja way was nonsense. This positioned both Neji and Naruto as absolute foils to each other for the Chunin Exams and would allow for the victor’s beliefs to be the ones deemed worthy of the narrative. For most Naruto fans, this fight was a huge step in the right direction for our protagonist as he managed to assert his belief that hard work and determination are enough to change anyone’s destiny, especially your own. However, keen-minded fans may have realized that as the series continued into Naruto Shippuden, suddenly Neji’s assertions began to ring more and more true. Throughout his entire fight with Naruto, he proclaimed that people are set in the destiny they are born to and that there is no changing those truths, and even though our protagonist fought tooth and nail to disprove this, the eventual narrative may have proved the Genin right.

As Naruto Shippuden marched confidently towards its eventual climax and resolution, many things came to light through the many battles fought by our protagonists. Early on in Shippuden, Naruto continued his hard work and mastered and created multiple techniques and jutsus to aid him in the oncoming strife. Yet the crux of Naruto’s final arc boiled down to a cycle of reincarnation that has Naruto and Sasuke as two halves of a whole savior prophecy, meaning that all things leading up to that point in the series were parts of Naruto’s eventual “destiny.”

A Clash of Destiny

This matchup between Neji and Naruto seemed destined to come about, as much of the Chunin exams’ one-on-one matches consisted of genius Genin facing off against determined Genin. As thematic as the trend was, there were certainly moments where it appeared our hero might lose, but the reality of the matter is that during these competitions, the fans were set to learn just how they should view the world of Naruto. Naruto fought for the sake of “weaklings” who wanted to rise above the way they were perceived and wanted to win for the sake of Hinata and Rock Lee, who lost during the previous matches of the exams. As the two clashed, Neji regaled his past and how he was born to a destiny that he could not change. By the end of the battle, Naruto had proven to Neji that, according to his ninja way, anyone could craft their destiny and break free of their predetermined lives.

This faceoff was, in a sense, destined as well, as the two Genin were diametrically opposed, and only one of them could emerge victorious, proving the other’s views as inferior beliefs. Even with the fight being dominated by Neji’s overwhelming techniques, the battle boiled down to the fact that Neji consistently underestimated those he felt weren’t destined for greatness. Neji was blinded by his belief system, and on the opposite side of that coin was Naruto, who was liberated and empowered by his personal beliefs. Naruto drove forward, creating his destiny as he tapped into Kurama’s chakra to down his opponent and demonstrate just how capable he was of changing his path.

[RELATED: Naruto Has Better Fights Than Dragon Ball, and Here’s Why]

The Man Destined for Greatness

Much of early Naruto, such as the showdown between Neji and Naruto, insisted that the young ninja was simply a product of grit and determination. Yet, every fan who watched further into Naruto, as well as Naruto Shippuden, would soon realize that Naruto may be more than a hardworking Shinobi. The narrative of the series truly begins to lend itself to a savior story during the Shippuden war arc as Naruto rapidly begins surpassing characters left and right and is even revealed to be one-half of the reincarnated “God of Shinobi.” If that’s not destiny, we’re not sure what is. This simple fact alone is enough to condemn Naruto to be a bit full of himself and to gratify any long-standing Neji fan, but there are still many earlier moments that set Naruto apart from a basic, hardworking character.

Going through a handful of Naruto’s victories, it quickly becomes evident that much of his success stems from the Tailed Beast sealed inside of him, as well as the large reserve of chakra his lineage had granted him. Suddenly, there’s substantially more context to Neji vs. Naruto, and it wasn’t some underdog ninja facing a clan’s genius, but two genin granted power beyond much of the ninja world fighting it out to defend the concepts they respect the most. With all of this in mind, it is easy to quickly dismiss the savior of the Shinobi world as a hypocrite, but there is still something to be said for Naruto’s undying will to fight for those under him and even inspire them to become better versions of themselves.

The post Neji Was Right, Naruto Was Destined For Greatness the Whole Time appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There are few shows as full of humor and chaos as What We Do in the Shadows. Created by Jemaine Clement, this mockumentary series about vampires originated as a single film before evolving into a full series. At the heart of the series is a cast of lovable characters, bridging the gap between monsters and humanity. Their antics have proven endlessly entertaining, worming into the minds and hearts of viewers. This is especially true for the repeating gags, of which there are many. Each new season brought new arcs and new jokes, and much like the cast, they will never get old. The series may be complete now, but it still lives on in our hearts.

What We Do in the Shadows follows a group of vampires and their familiars. Having moved to America decades ago, their original goal was to initiate the process of taking over the country. Somewhere along the way though, they lost that plot and decided to just start hanging out. Like the film before it, the characters in What We Do in the Shadows are followed by documentary crew, a narrative device that you’ll find is baked into a lot of the best recurring jokes.

1) Bat!

One of the best parts about What We Do in the Shadows is that it takes vampiric elements that society has taken for granted and adds a humorous tone to them. For example, when Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry) wants to transform into a bat, he will, without fail, scream “Bat!” into the air before transforming. It’s part of his process, and while the others don’t seem dependent on this method, they don’t hate him doing it. Yes, Laszo does mention the need to scream “Bat!” when training others. It’s a whole thing, and we love it.

2) House Meetings

Vampires love house meetings. At least, some vampires seem to love them. Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak) is one such vampire, and he has made it his duty to ensure that house meetings are a constant in his house. Fans of the show can probably hear Nandor’s high-pitched call in their minds right now, as he repeats “House Meeting!” until his housemates hear and respond to his call.

It goes without saying that Nadja and Laszlo were largely not fans of these house meetings. Collin Robinson (Mark Proksch) seemed to enjoy them, but that’s more of a strike against against them. One might imagine that a vampiric house meeting would be daring, dark, or dastardly. That was not usually the case, with one or two exceptions. Usually, Nandor just needed to remind people to stop leaving their half-eaten food (humans) around the house.

[RELATED: 7 Funniest Lines From What We Do in the Shadows]

3) Colin Robinson’s Need for Dullness

Colin Robinson is not your stereotypical bloodsucking vampire. No, he’s an energy vampire, and thus he lives on the dullness in life. Yeah, he does need to bore the heck out of people to get his energy, but he really loves it. They say if you love your job you never work a day in your life, and Colin Robinson kind of proves it. What makes this gag noteworthy is that Colin is clearly capable of feeding off of anyone, traditional vampires included. He can’t seem to resist feeding off of his vampiric roommates, and their frustration about it may spur him on.

4) Gregor’s Trials and Tribulations

Gregor was introduced early in the first season of What We Do in the Shadows, and it’s safe to say that things did not go well for this character. Once upon a time, in Gregor’s first life, he had a whirlwind romance with Nadja (Natasia Demetriou). He was a knight who was summarily decapitated in battle, ending their liaison. Since then, Nadja has sought Gregor’s soul out, finding him in every life to continue the romance. Or so she claims. She could be finding guys that bear a passing resemblance to Gregor, implanting Gregor’s memory over them, and creating a happy little lie for herself. Only, things don’t seem to end all that happily for Gregor, as she somehow always ends up dead (looking at you, Laszlo).

The latest victim, uh, version of Gregor goes by the name of Jeff. Nadja’s obsession takes her to his window on many occasions, as her love for him returns. This kicks off a series of antics and mayhem, none of which go particularly well for poor Jeff.

5) The Neighborly Sean

While most of the housemates may be vampires (except for our precious Guillermo), there are plenty of humans filling the scenes. No, it’s not always about food. Enter Sean (Anthony Atamanuik), the neighbor. At first, Sean’s appearances were more about reminding viewers of the extent the cast had to go through to keep their secrets. Over time, it evolved into a bit of a running joke, as Sean’s memory gets wiped again, and again, and again.

The memory wiping had only just begun, as the closer he and Laszlo became, the more often Sean’s memory needed to be cleaned up. In one instance, they helped Sean save his marriage while wiping his memory, so it’s not all bad. Except for the part where they probably can’t risk doing it again.

6) Pronouncian Shenanigans

As vampires, the main cast has been around for a very long time. Colin Robinson doesn’t even understand how he was made or why, but that’s a whole different story. Naturally, this crew has some struggles with adapting to the modern world. In particular, Nandor and Laszlo seem to struggle with pronunciation, to an intentionally comedic level. Laszlo often acts poised and sophisticated, all while butchering common turns of phrase. Meanwhile, Nando has his own struggles, including nearly any word that ends with “tion” and “ing.”

7) Guillermo Has a Way of…Accidentally Killing Vampires

Guillermo de la Cruz (Harvey Guillén) is the darling of the series, and anybody who denies this is looking for a fight. But seriously, Guillermo may be one of the few humans to survive the series from beginning to end, but there’s a reason for it. It all begins when Guillermo seemingly kills one very important vampire, by accident, of course. That could have been the end of this joke, but it kept happening. First, as a mistake here and there, but before long, Guillermo was intentionally taking down vampires. He had a good reason for it, but it’s still one of the best running gags of the series.

It all comes down to the blood, as any good vampire story will tell you. Guillermo is the descendent of the infamous Van Helsing, the vampire killer. So, killing vampires runs in the family. This explains all the accidental murders and the ease of the intentional ones.

[RELATED: 10 Best Shows on Tubi You Can Binge in One Week]

8) Nadja Doll

At one point in What We Do in the Shadows, Nadja and the rest decided to summon their human souls as a means of handling unresolved issues. Laszlo’s was fairly easy (if disturbing) to put to rest, while Nadja’s was much more complicated. Ultimately, the two versions of Nadja decided that her human soul would reside in a little Nadja doll. That ended up lasting most of the series, with the doll becoming involved in many comedic and dramatic ways, including offering an excuse for Nadja to literally argue with herself.

9) Laszlo & Nadja’s Inability to Keep a Familiar Alive

Throughout the first few episodes, it becomes very clear that there’s something special about Guillermo. It isn’t just that the audience loves him – it’s because Guillermo is made of harder stuff. Guillermo is Nandor’s familiar, yet he often gets stuck playing the role of familiar for the rest of the household. Largely because Nadja and Laszlo are incapable of keeping another familiar alive. Their familiars have died to everything from poison, fire (a tragic candle accident), becoming a meal for the Barron, you name it. Their last attempt at a familiar, Topher (Haley Joel Osment), got the most screentime, largely because he lasted the longest (which does not mean he lived to tell the tale).

10) The Cursed Witch Skin Hat

The cursed witch hat is arguably the grossest set piece for What We Do in the Shadows, but it’s also probably one of the funniest. It all began sometime in the distant past when Laszlo was given a cursed hat made from a witch’s skin. He was given the hat as a means of cursing him, but for some reason, Laszlo never saw it that way (the magic of the hat?). As such, Laszlo held on to this accursed (and ugly) item for centuries. Unsurprisingly, this causes a lot of strife, beginning with how much Nadja hates the stupid hat.

Nadja’s hatred of the Cursed Witch Skin Hat is only the beginning, as there’s another vampire obsessed with it, for some insane reason. Simon the Devius (Nick Kroll) likewise desperately wants the hat, and he’s willing to do, well, devious things to get it! It becomes a bit of a recurring gag, with bigger and bigger stakes each time Simon tries.

Every episode of What We Do in the Shadows is streaming on Hulu.

The post 10 Best Recurring Jokes From What We Do in the Shadows appeared first on ComicBook.com.

You are neither a good person nor a bad person; we are all just a weird mix of our actions and what they shape us to be. You’re flawed, but that’s what makes you, you. These flaws are what is often missing in video games, but this is where The Last of Us proves it has some of the best writing and characters in video game history.

Looking back, The Last of Us Part I had more depth to its cast than The Last of Us Part II, even though the time we spent with each character was considerably longer. Part II did a fantastic job at bringing the WLFs alive and I felt the weight of each loss through Abby’s eyes. However, much like my issue with flawless Jesse, there wasn’t enough development for each WLF member. To summarize: Owen got on my nerves, Nora was a boss, Manny was alright, Mel was a pregnant icon, and Jordan had a “bitch scar”. Their flaws seemed restricted to the ugliness that seeped out of them when enacting their revenge on Joel for killing their families and destroying the Fireflies.

Related: 7 Saddest The Last of Us Moments That I’ll Never Forget

Characters like Bill, Tess, and Lev are great side characters that make the protagonist question their role in the world, acting as their conscience throughout the story. They’re just not as fleshed-out as Ellie or Joel. Tommy and Maria are pillars in Joel’s life and quickly become Ellie’s family. They get much-needed development and screen time in Part II and we see selfishness get in the way of their usual rational and diplomatic approach as leaders. Finally, Riley and Sarah are pivotal characters in Ellie and Joel’s backstories, both being the reason for the duo to push forward—survive and endure.

We’ve chosen the five best characters in The Last of Us game series—not based on biases—but by which characters have the most depth.

5) Marlene

What The Last of Us does so well is that neither side is good or bad, but depending on the perspective we’re looking at, our views are always bent towards the playable character. We will always see Joel and Ellie as the protagonists, where anyone who opposes them are the villains. But are we truly playing as the good guys? At least we can all agree that David was a certified wrong’un.

If the roles were swapped around, Joel would appear like an absolute monster through Marlene’s eyes. Knowing the Fireflies would continue to pursue Ellie, Joel decided to take Marlene out, alongside the scientists who could have brought this punishing world of survival to an end. Both characters were right in their views and made a difficult decision that would have massive repercussions for the future, but Marlene’s choice might have saved everyone. We’re meant to side with Joel, but for obvious reasons, Marlene shouldn’t be disliked, as she was willing to sacrifice someone she cared about if it meant that a cure could be made. She (like Joel) removed that choice from Ellie, as she likely didn’t want a child to deal with such an impossible decision.

4) Dina

The thing I love most about Dina is how she’s able to stay so positive in a hopeless world. You could get bitten any day, your rations and ammunition stolen by bandits, or succumb to the elements. Yet Dina remains forever the optimist. Much like how Ellie was in Part I, Dina is curious about a lot of things, and often reminiscences about the past. But she’s equally looking to her future, specifically with Ellie. Dina has moments where she acts on impulse, as if she’s forgotten how dire the situation truly is. This woman was ready to risk breathing in spores so that Ellie wouldn’t. That’s love right there.

The world to Dina is normal, and she’s adjusted to deal with it and be able to find happiness where she can. Dina clearly tries to live life to the fullest and adapt to whatever situation is in front of her. She won’t let the world bring her down. She knows what she wants and won’t let anyone stop her from being happy. In such an unforgiving and cruel place, Dina is kind and a positive influence to Ellie, being the light when darkness engulfs her. While she loves Ellie, she didn’t want to stay cooped up in their home with that gnawing thought that Ellie may never return. The pain of possibly losing her was worse, so she chose to leave and prioritize her son, JJ.

3) Abby

I don’t care what anyone says, I like Abby. She’s an interesting mix of Joel and Ellie’s flaws, being determined, vengeful, and hellbent on avenging her father. But, just like Ellie, Abby learns you don’t find peace from your pain by hurting others. While she goes to the extreme, Abby is hurting throughout Part II. Her story is one we should all relate to as we would all get hit hard by the loss of a family member, especially those taken from us too soon at the hands of another person.

What is so damn good about switching perspectives to the obvious antagonist in Part II is that Ellie is villainized through Abby’s eyes. The roles are reversed, perfectly capturing how neither character is inherently good or bad, but have sadly lost themselves through their grief.

It is through protecting Lev that she learns to love again and find that conscience to do the right thing, even if it’s the hard choice to make. Abby develops as a human being, starting out cold and heartless, to empathetic and protective of those she loves. We saw how her actions (much like Joel’s) had terrible repercussions (the death of her friends). Abby had a caring nature before her father’s death, and deep down, this is who she is; it’s just the pain that has transformed her into a killing machine. Returning to that place is a difficult task to achieve and Abby will probably never be the same again, but she now has to follow in her father’s footsteps in protecting her new family.

2) Joel

Who doesn’t love Joel? Seriously, who? His characterisation is so flawed, human, and real, making him really easy to understand and align with. Joel doesn’t do good things, he’s no hero, or the standard action man protagonist we’re used to seeing shoved in our faces all the time. Joel is a monster. But he’s also a father. A man who has suffered horrendous pain by losing a child and blaming himself for not protecting her, even though he did his absolute best.

“You have no idea was loss is.” Joel’s words and his song in Part II about losing oneself to grief would become a reality for Ellie. Joel is incredibly strong because he chooses to keep going. He didn’t regret his decision at the hospital because he’d rather live in a world where Ellie was still alive. In this instance, Joel finally has control, and he won’t stand by and allow his other daughter to die.

The Last of Us continuously shows us there is no good and evil, right or wrong, just the actions that a human chooses to make. Some decisions are difficult, nearly impossible to make, but Joel continues to carry that burden so no one else does. He knows his time is coming, but in his own way, he repents for his actions by loving and protecting Ellie. He finds his reason to continue living once more and a purpose that can bring back his humility. Joel has so much depth that he puts most other TLOU characters to shame, being an easy man to adore, judge, but never hate.

1) Ellie

Ellie is, in my opinion, the best video game character ever written. You see her as a wholesome, naïve kid in the midst of an apocalypse who finds love and shares joy in the presence of her best friend, Riley. Her life is altered forever when she learns she’s immune at the same time her first love is also infected. This transforms Ellie into a more standoffish character who’s petrified of people getting close to her because they always die. Ellie was scared to be alone and felt safe with Joel.

Her character gains greater depth in Part II as she’s forced to watch her father figure get killed in front of her. This would change anyone, of course, but Ellie seeks revenge to get the closure she sadly missed, as spending time with Joel was no longer possible. Ellie’s way of living was hugely impacted by Riley, who viewed survival as a means to be with each other for however long they could. It could be for as little as one minute, but Ellie would choose to survive so that she could be with her loved ones. But the person she had made plans to forgive was suddenly taken from her because of Abby, and that time they had together was up.

You can see her love for history, the curiosity to explore, and the desire to learn new things. She remains curious about the world, even as it’s falling apart around her. While her progress is hindered by her revenge arc, there is no correct way to mourn. Ellie sought revenge at whatever cost, realizing she lost Dina, her ability to play the guitar, and herself along the way. Where she ends up we don’t know, but Ellie was finally able to take the first step in moving on, showing her strength in a moment where giving up would have been okay.

The post 5 Best The Last of Us Characters, Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Elden Ring Nightreign will soon hit stores, keeping fans busy for a while, but the franchise is also heading to the big screen, and we might have the first cast reveal for the film. Deadline is reporting that Elden Ring, which is being directed by Alex Garland, is in talks with Kit Connor to star in the film in an unknown role. Connor worked with Garland on their Warfare project, so we might have a reunion on our hands, but sources do stress that several factors need to be worked out before this is 100% done. That said, those same sources also say that both Garland and Connor want this to happen.

Garland is writing and directing the film, with Peter Rice, DNA’s Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich, George R.R. Martin, and Vince Gerard producing. The film is being developed by A24 and Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., and it will be the fifth project Garland has worked on with A24. In fact, Garland has developed all but one of his films with A24, including the most recent release of Warfare.

In addition to his role as Tommy in Warfare, Connor has been a standout in Netflix’s Heartstopper as Nick Nelson, though he’s also worked in the video game space with roles in A Plague Tale: Requiem, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, and Dreams. Up next for Connor is an untitled Heartstopper project and Rapture, which are both in pre-production, while One of Us and A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow are both either completed or in post-production.

Few video game properties are as hot right now as Elden Ring, which has now shipped over 30 million units. The game launched in 2022 and quickly became a massive hit, and since then the studio has released an expansion (Shadow of the Eritrea) and the latest release, which is titled Elden Ring Nightreign, though Nightreign changes things up a bit from the previous formula.

[RELATED: 10 Best Elden Ring Bosses (Including Shadow of the Erdtree), Ranked]

Nightreign is a standalone adventure in the Elden Ring world, so you don’t have to own the original game to jump right in. When you do jump in, though, there are some major differences, including the fact that Nightreign is a multiplayer-focused title where you and some friends take down the game’s powerful bosses together. You have eight unique characters to choose from as you make your way across an evolving map, and over the course of three nights, you will end up facing a powerful Nightlord to gain powerful new items and experience to help with your continuing adventures the next day.

ComicBook’s Tanner Dedmon reviewed the game and called it the boss rush he’s always wanted. You can find an excerpt from his full review below, and you can find his full review right here.

“Most series and studios find themselves typically relegated to either single-player or multiplayer with only the occasional crossover between the two, but famed Dark Souls creator FromSoftware finds itself in an odd spot with Elden Ring Nightreign. I don’t think anyone would honestly consider Elden Ring a multiplayer game, but it does the job surprisingly well from years of Souls experience culminating in a pretty coherent, engaging online experience. Elden Ring Nightreign then is both the summation and flipside of that experience – it’s friend-focused first and foremost with a dash of solo play, and it’s the best version of a multiplayer Souls experience that I’ve seen so far,” Dedmon wrote.

Are you excited for an Elden Ring movie? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things gaming and movies with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

The post Elden Ring Movie Star Revealed as Warfare Star Boards Video Game Adaptation appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025 took place on May 25th to celebrate the wide array of anime released from October 2023 to December 2024. This lineup included a diverse range of titles, with various categories designed to highlight the many elements that go into making great anime. While fans were excited to see the award reveals, all eyes were undoubtedly on the prestigious “Anime of the Year” category, which aims to define the best of the best from the said period. The nominees in this category were exceptionally strong, making it a surprise when Solo Leveling was announced as the winner.

Unlike many major award shows that select nominees and winners through internal panels, Crunchyroll’s event allows fans to vote for the winners. While this approach appears democratic, it often turns the awards into a popularity contest rather than a true assessment of the category’s criteria, and Solo Leveling‘s win is a testament to that. Though Solo Leveling was an entertaining and unique debut, it didn’t break major records in its first season. In fact, it was the more recent second season that achieved significant milestones, suggesting that many fans may have based their votes on the latest installment rather than the eligible season, and given the timing of the voting, that may very well be the case.

[RELATED: Solo Leveling Star Shares Thoughts on His First Ever Award]

Solo Leveling Won Anime of the Year Prize Thanks to Season 2

The Crunchyroll 2025 Awards were held on May 25th, much later than their usual schedule. Voting for the nominees began on April 3rd, just days after the conclusion of Solo Leveling Season 2. Given the numerous records this season broke, it’s clear that when fans cast their votes for categories featuring Solo Leveling, they were influenced by the impact of the most recent season, even though the awards were meant to evaluate season one. This isn’t meant to diminish the excellent quality of Season 2, but it doesn’t change the fact that fans were voting on the quality of its debut season, which received far less hype by comparison.

It seems likely that the hype surrounding Season 2 propelled Solo Leveling to win nine out of the 13 categories it was nominated for. Otherwise, it’s hard to justify the debut season winning awards like “Best Main Character” and “Best Voice Actor Performance” for Sung Jinwoo in three different languages. This strongly suggests that the anime had global popularity, turning the event into more of a popularity contest, one that Solo Leveling undoubtedly would have dominated if such a category officially existed. Had Season 2 not aired so close to the awards, it’s evident that the next most popular contender, Dandadan, would likely have taken the win; however, unlike Solo Leveling, Dandadan delivered on all fronts and would have fully earned the title of “Anime of the Year.” That’s without factoring in other beloved hits of the past year, including the the reigning champion of MyAnimeList’s ranking, Frieren, and Netflix’s runaway success, Delicious in Dungeon.

In a way, it benefits fans of the series that Solo Leveling claimed the award this time due to the momentum of Season 2, as with no Season 3 releasing early next year, the hype will likely subside, and the series may not have this opportunity again. However, it also makes it evident that next year, whichever anime gains the most popularity closest to the awards may win, further underscoring the flaws in Crunchyroll’s award process.

Solo Leveling is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

The post The Real Reason Solo Leveling Won Anime of the Year Isn’t What Fans Think appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Michael Cera is having a busy 2025. He’s part of the star-studded ensemble of Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme, and later his year he’ll also re-team with Scott Pilgrim vs. The World director Edgar Wright for a reboot of the ’80s action flick The Running Man, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’ll be the first time the actor and director have worked together on a film since the smash hit Scott Pilgrim. Speaking exclusively with ComicBook, Cera shared his excitement for The Running Man, which hits theaters this November, as well as promising that viewers can expect a nonstop, “breathless” ride.

In the original 1987 The Running Man Schwarzenegger played Ben Richards, a falsely convicted policeman in an alternate, dystopian America who must participate in a TV game show where convicts, runners, must battle killers for their freedom. In Wright’s reboot, Glen Powell (Twisters, Hit Man) is playing Ben Richards. Not much is known about Cera’s role, but from what we do know, Wright claimed the new film is “very much” different from the original.

Cera Calls Wright’s The Running Man Reboot a “Really Fun Ride”

Cera told ComicBook that The Running Man is “a really crazy movie. I’m so excited for people to see it. I’m so excited to see it myself. I only can speak about my chunk of the movie, but Edgar did show me a little bit of what else they shot and it just looks like a really fun ride. It’s a breathless movie. It just doesn’t stop. It shoots out of a cannon and just keeps going.”

RELATED: Edgar Wright’s Running Man Remake Gets Exciting Update

Cera will play a naïve rebel who tries to help Powell’s character. The Running Man is based on a Stephen King novel published in 1982 under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, that was, funnily enough, set in 2025. Given Wright’s ability to blend action, intrigue, and dark humor, he makes for a perfect choice to bring an updated version of The Running Man to life in an America that increasingly feels dystopian. In addition to Powell and Cera, The Running Man will feature actors Colman Domingo, Katy O’Brian, Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, and William H. Macy.

Cera’s Role in The Phoenician Scheme Mirrors His Part in The Running Man

Cera is no stranger to star-studded ensembles. In The Phoenician Scheme, he plays Bjorn Lund, a Norwegian entomologist employed by Zsa-zsa Korda (played by Benicio del Toro) to tutor his nine sons and ends up falling for his daughter, a nun played by Mia Threapleton. Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Bill Murray also feature in auteur Anderson’s latest caper. Despite the marked difference in Anderson and Wright’s filmmaking styles, it’s interesting that Cera plays a guileless, good-natured character in both. Cera certainly knows his brand, but the range of projects makes for a fresh performance every time and avoids the typecasting curse.

The Phoenician Scheme hits limited theaters on May 30th and opens nationwide on June 6th. Edgar Wright’s The Running Man will open on November 7th.

The post Scott Pilgrim Star on Reuniting With Director Edgar Wright for Arnold Schwarzenegger Reboot appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new report from Windows Central suggests that plans for a Microsoft-developed Xbox handheld have been sidelined so that Microsoft’s full focus can be on improving Windows 11’s performance on third-party handheld PCs. This news comes as a disappointment, as rumors regarding an official Xbox handheld have circulated for a while and have even been addressed by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer.

The report goes on to explain that Microsoft wants to “prioritize” the gaming performance of Windows 11. In turn, this will allow the OS to function and run games more smoothly on third-party handheld PCs that use Windows as the primary operating system. This will be seen next in a previously reported upon Asus handheld codenamed Project Kennan, which will reportedly be positioned as a partner device for Xbox. Windows Central claims that the software side of Kennan still requires a “significant effort” from its developers, even though the hardware side is “essentially finished” and the device is reportedly set to release this year.

In the long term, it appears that this may only be a temporary setback in the effort to create new official Xbox hardware, such as a handheld. Windows Central goes as far as to say that “Microsoft is still deeply investing in developing its own Xbox gaming handheld technology in the future,” even though third-party handhelds are now what’s being primarily prioritized. A next-gen Xbox console is also reportedly slated for 2027, and Microsoft is in the process of upgrading its Xbox Cloud Gaming technology. There have also reportedly been no layoffs as a result of this shift, which is a positive sign and suggests that this move is truly a matter of resource allocation.

Keep in mind that Microsoft and Asus have yet to officially announce an Xbox-related handheld, despite both having been heavily teased and rumored. If Windows Central’s reporting is accurate, we can expect Asus’ device to arrive sometime later this year, in the midst of a fall lineup featuring titles like Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2.

The post Xbox Handheld Plans Have Reportedly Been Paused (For Now) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Elden Ring Nightreign departs from FromSoftware’s beloved formula to offer a gaming experience designed primarily for three-player cooperation. That doesn’t mean brave Nightfarers can’t explore Limveld alone, as it’s perfectly possible to beat the game solo, albeit a lot more challenging. With six starter classes and two unlockable ones, Elden Ring Nightreign even offers a wide variety of character builds to appease any playstyle, allowing you to choose how you want to tackle demanding boss battles and unstoppable hordes of enemies. However, even if it’s possible to play the game with any Nightfarer, some classes are better than others in solo mode, due to the specificities of Elden Ring Nightreign‘s game loop.

Warning: Spoilers below for Elden Ring Nightreign

The two Nightfarers you have to unlock in Elden Ring Nightreign are great for support. The Duchess’ ability to evade faster and chain dodges might seem enticing for solo players, but her tiny health bar means every mistake can be fatal, especially against bosses. Plus, the Duchess’ Ultimate Art can turn the entire team temporarily invisible, an ability that’s better when there are multiple players to benefit from it. Similarly, the Revenant’s ability to summon spirits is not as good as it sounds, as the spirits are not strong enough to compensate for a high-damage Nightfarer. Furthermore, the Revenant’s Ultimate Art turns everyone temporarily invincible, something that, again, works better for a team.

[RELATED: 3 Ways an Elden Ring TV Show Could Work]

There are some great battle–focused Nightfarers that, when playing solo, get challenged by the ticking clock. The Ironeye, focused on archery, can keep a safe distance, but his average damage output is the lowest of all Nightfarers, meaning it takes too long to kill bosses and get rewards. Something similar happens with the Executor, whose deflect ability is also best used against single enemies, which means killing one target at a time. Finally, the Guardian’s core advantages revolve around shield counters, another technique that’s perfect for group play but that slows down the gameplay in solo mode.

Things start to improve when we reach the Wylder and the Recluse, both capable of dealing heavy damage fast enough for them to be viable options. The Wylder, as a jack-of-all-trades, can also use an extensive array of weapons, even if he’s never the best with any of them. The Recluse, in turn, has an ability to constantly refill her FP bar, which means she can fire spells nonstop. However, while they are viable options, the Raider is still king of solo play.

The Raider Is the Best Solo Class in Elden Ring Nightreign

When it comes down to Elden Ring Nightreign, success can be pinpointed to dealing high damage fast and surviving many attacks. The Raider is the best starting class on both fronts. Since he specializes in colossal weapons, you start each run with a two-handed hammer that can easily break enemies’ guard and allow you to riposte. Plus, the Raider’s Character Skill is a powerful blow that improves if he has taken damage during the fight. 

While avoiding all damage is always preferable, most players do not have the skill to evade each attack. So, a class that turns failures into an advantage is the best for playing alone. Plus, while using his Character Skill, any attack that would kill the Raider leaves him with 1 HP instead. Yes, that’s right. If you know you can’t escape a deadly attack, you can use this skill to survive longer, buying a few seconds to chug down some estus and keep fighting.

The Raider’s Ultimate Art is also the most effective for solo play. With it, you summon a massive gravestone that does a lot of damage to everything around it after it appears. The gravestone remains in the field for a while, as a temporary cover from attacks or a platform from which you can jump and plunge-attack your enemies. The gravestone can also help you reach higher places, making traversal easier and faster, and it can even break statues filled with upgrade material that strengthens your weapons. That means the Raider can always use all its abilities to the fullest, regardless of playing solo. In addition, its simplified control scheme makes it ideal for newcomers, as you don’t need to learn complex maneuvers to bonk your way into victory.

Elden Ring Nightreign is currently available for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, and PS5.

Which class do you like the most in Elden Ring Nightreign? Let us know in the comments!

The post This Is By Far the Best Class to Play Elden Ring Nightreign Solo appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Ralph Ineson is a skilled actor, but there’s only so much a mortal man can do to get into the character and mindset of an immortal cosmic being. Ineson plays Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and he explained his process for embodying the character in a new interview with Empire published on Thursday. While it’s an impossible task by design, Ineson said that he started by simply being aware of Galactus’ sheer size and scale in relation to his own environment. That included driving through mountain tunnels “just imagining that as his windpipe and his trachea,” and visiting high places when he could.

“I also went to a lot of tall buildings,” Ineson explained. ‘We went to a wedding at the top of the Gherkin building in London, and I spent most of the afternoon just staring out, ruminating. I got in trouble with my wife — she was like, ‘You’ve got to say hello to the bride and groom at some point!'”

Simple as it may seem, it makes sense for an actor like Ineson trying to get into the headspace of an unfathomable character like Galactus. Marvel has been touting the movie character’s faithfulness to the original comics, likely due to the previous depiction of “Galactus” on the big screen that left so many disappointed. According to Marvel Comics, Galactus generally presents himself just shy of 30 feet tall, and weighs over 16 tons. However, he can change his size and his form, and his size sometimes changes based on how many worlds he has devoured recently.

[RELATED: The Fantastic Four: First Steps Is More Important for the MCU Than You Realize]

“He’s a cosmic force. He’s a god, of sorts,” Ineson said. He even jokingly compared his new character to his fan-favorite role on The Office, saying, “I don’t think Galactus is evil. But Finchy’s a proper c—.”

For a character like Galactus, comic book faithfulness is a bit of a moving target, as he has been retconned many times. On top of that, the MCU always bends characters, settings, and stories to its own unique purpose, keeping readers on their toes and avoiding spoilers. In First Steps, Galactus will appear in an alternate timeline from the rest of the MCU, but we know that these two timelines will crossover and interact in Avengers: Doomsday. It’s unclear if Galactus will travel to Earth-616 as well, but it’s certainly possible.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th. In the meantime, the next MCU release is Ironheart, premiering on June 24th on Disney+.

The post Ralph Ineson Prepared For Galactus Role In the Weirdest Way (But It Makes Sense) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The way Elden Ring Nightreign is structured means players are constantly on the run, trying to level up and haul as much loot as possible before the night falls. Since Limveld’s map is huge, and points of interest change each run, players must also make split-second decisions to decide where to go first and what to prioritize in the limited time they are given. Fortunately, points of interest in Elden Ring Nightreign always offer the same kind of reward based on which you visit, meaning that if you know what to grab first and what to avoid, you increase your chances of successfully beating a Nightlord.

To be clear, every location in Limveld’s map is relevant somehow, as killing bosses and opening chests increases your chances of getting the rewards you need for your build. However, some points of interest are universally useful, regardless of your class or playstyle. Meanwhile, others are too bothersome for the reward they give, unless specific conditions are met. With that in mind, here are the best (and worst) points of interest to keep an eye out for in Elden Ring Nightreign.

1) Rush to: Church of Marika

While avoiding getting hit is the primary survivability tool in Elden Ring Nightreign, sometimes you just can’t dodge an enemy in time. The Flask of Crimson Tears, just like in the original Elden Ring, allow you to partially recover your health points and keep you in the fray for longer. At the start of each new run in Elden Ring Nightreign, you have only three Flask charges. However, there are always three Churches of Marika that spawn in Limveld, each containing a new charge to be added to your Flask. While it’s not prudent to ignore everything else and only chase Churches of Marika, it’s essential to plan your run in a way that you move through the Churches, as more Flask of Crimson Tears charges can mean the difference between life and death when the night falls.

2) Avoid: Tunnels

Tunnels are a sure way to obtain materials that you can use to upgrade your weapons in Elden Ring Nightreign, which might sound enticing for newcomers. However, the upgrade system of Elden Ring Nightreign has been streamlined to the point where weapons can only be improved once or twice, depending on their rarity. That means you won’t need a lot of upgrade material in a single run. Furthermore, you can also find upgrade material with merchants and inside statues that appear in the field. Finally, since you can always find new weapons that might be better, upgrading an armament too early in a run often results in wasted resources.

[RELATED: 3 Ways an Elden Ring TV Show Could Work]

Entering a tunnel can be a hazardous endeavor, especially after sunset. Since Tunnels have narrow corridors, it can be difficult to escape the dangerous effects of the evening, meaning you can be blocked in the underground while the Nightlord’s rain quickly consumes your health. So, it’s best to avoid Tunnels unless you are specifically looking to upgrade a weapon and it’s still early in the day.

3) Rush to: Evergaols

As soon as you find a Stonesword Key in your Elden Ring Nightreign run, you should rush to the closest Evergoal on the map. Opening an Evergoal means summoning either a boss or a horde of enemies that you can quickly dispatch for a bounty of runes. While the passive abilities of weapons help you get stronger, leveling up is still the quickest way to increase your damage output and survivability. That means Evergaols are always a good stop to farm runes. Just remember to spend them at the closest Site of Grace.

4) Avoid: Legendary Bosses

After you survive a full day in Elden Ring Nightreign, several Legendary Bosses spawn on the map. These mighty challenges will reward players with loot of increased rarity, which could be something you are looking for. However, fighting these bosses is incredibly time-consuming and dangerous. 

The Legendary creatures have a significant health pool that you must chip away at, and they are well-equipped to kill greedy Nightfarers who dare to oppose them. Because of that, it’s only advisable to go after Legendary bosses once you feel confident in your build and the team’s synergy, as taking down one of these beasts demands everyone to be on top of their game. Plus, you should avoid facing Legendary challenges late in the day, as chances are you will waste your resources and fail to slay them before the rain starts to fall.

5) Rush to: Castles

Every time you kill a boss in Elden Ring Nightreign, or a group of enemies with a shared health bar, you are granted a reward. Each player, when interacting with this reward, is offered three choices between new weapons or permanent increments to stats. As a result, your goal each day is to kill as many bosses as possible, as stacking these rewards will prepare you to face the Nightlords.

Castles are great places to go hunting because these vast structures usually house three or four bosses you can kill. There’s always a boss in the castle dungeons, two on the rooftops, and frequently one in the main gates. So, without having to run from one place to another, you can take down bosses in sequence, acquiring runes and rewards. That’s a time-saver, as you can complete a castle fairly quickly once you get the hang of the game and avoid wasting precious minutes going from one point of interest to another.

The post 3 Elden Ring Nightreign POIs to Visit First (And 2 to Avoid) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

If you played Elden Ring Nightreign during the technical test that was live months ago, you may have spent some time with the Duchess, the dexterity-based class. She’s quick on her feet and can deal massive damage through bleed and other effects with the caveat being that if she gets hit, she gets hard. She was playable alongside the Recluse, Wylder, and Guardian during the technical test, and it’s quite possible Elden Ring Nightreign players are planning on maining her now that the game is officially rolling out worldwide.

However, you may be surprised to see that the Duchess is not actually available from the start. Once you get to Limveld’s version of the Roundtable Hold, characters like the Wylder and Raider and more are present, but the Duchess isn’t. That’s because you actually have to unlock her first, but thankfully, it’s a task that’ll be completed pretty quickly once you get your bearings in Limveld.

Unlocking the Duchess in Elden Ring Nightreign

Before you unlock the Duchess, you’re going to have to get used to playing as someone else first, so hopefully you have a backup character in mind. That’s because you have to first clear the initial boss run against the Tricephalos which is the three-headed dog boss that was also present in the network test.

Once you clear the Tricephalos for the first time, in your post-run loot screen, you’ll see that you’ve obtained an Old Pocket Watch item. In true FromSoftware fashion, however, you aren’t really told what to do with it.

To use it, head back to the central area of the Roundtable Hold and talk to the hooded Priestess who’s been your guide so far. She’ll notice the pocket watch and will request it saying that it’s hers. A short cutscene will play to reveal that — surprise! — the Priestess was the Duchess all along. Once that scene ends, you’ll be able to take the Duchess on future runs.

As mentioned previously, the Duchess is all about dealing quick damage with smaller Dexterity-focused weapons like daggers and short swords, but she’s proficient in spells as well if you prefer to use a bit of magic. Her base ability excels at capitalizing on coordinated damage while her ultimate gets her and allies out of tricky situations, but be sure you have someone like a Guardian or Raider on your team to be the frontline if you’re picking Duchess.

The post How to Unlock Elden Ring Nightreign’s Duchess appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Like the Duchess in Elden Ring Nightreign, you have to first unlock the Revenant before you can play as her. The cryptic character is far different from the other playable Nightfarers in Nightreign and has one of the biggest learning curves of all since you’ll have to manage more than just yourself, but her ability to provide breathing room for her team and save others at critical moments is unmatched. Before you worry about any of that, however, you’ll have to unlock her.

Unlike the Duchess, however, the Revenant takes a bit more legwork to unlock, but not much. Unlocking the Revenant in Elden Ring Nightreign requires a bit of in-game currency as well as a boss fight, so you’ll again have to familiarize yourself with another character first.

Unlocking the Revenant in Elden Ring Nightreign

To play as the Revenant, you’ll have to pay a visit to the Small Jar Bazaar that’s located in the Roundtable Hold. The small jar man is the same one you buy cheap relics and emotes from, but you can always fast-travel to him via the Roundtable Hold map if you lose your bearings.

At the Small Jar Bazaar, you’ll find a Besmirched Frame in the store (mine was buyable after unlocking the Duchess, so it seems you have to do that first). After buying that, you’ll now be able to spot a ghostly phantom in the corner of an eastern room in the Roundtable Hold. She’s looking at a painting, but when you interact with her, you’ll be transported to a memory-like experience.

The Revenant exists in this realm, but she’s guarded by the three summons that she uses as part of her ability kit. Defeat them first to be able to fight her uninterrupted, and once you best her, she’ll be added to your roster.

Similar to the Duchess, the Revenant is far from a healthy frontliner and needs a coherent team to make her supportive abilities worthwhile. Her whole focus is summoning spectral allies to help her in battles which can deal damage or draw the attention of enemies. While they fight, the Duchess excels at using Faith or Arcane-based abilities from the backline.

Once you’ve unlocked the Revenant, that’s all you have to worry about in regards to character unlocks. Other characters are to be added later via DLC, but the Duchess and Revenant will round out the current roster for you.

The post How to Unlock Elden Ring Nightreign’s Revenant appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Your Disney+ subscription now includes a whole new world: rewards. Disney announced on Thursday that it has launched the Disney+ Perks program, which offers Disney+ and bundle subscribers rewards, subscriber-only discounts, everyday savings, and access to one-of-a-kind experiences and limited-time sweepstakes — including a chance to attend the Hollywood red carpet premiere of Freakier Friday or a vacation on the Disney Cruise Line’s new ship, the Disney Destiny. The always-on program is live as of May 29 for U.S. subscribers with additional international rollouts to follow later this year.

Disney+ Perks is available for free to current Disney+ and bundle subscribers. To enroll in the program and access your rewards, simply visit the website (disneyplus.com/perks) or the new “Perks” tab below select titles and login with your Disney+ credentials. As long as you have an active Disney+ subscription, you’ll automatically have access to the offerings.

RELATED: Everything Coming to Disney+ in June 2025

The Disney+ Perks dashboard is where you’ll access your subscriber-only benefits, which are sorted into three categories: Special Offers, Sweepstakes, and Dropping Soon, where members can keep track of current and upcoming Perks.

At launch, Disney+ and bundle subscribers will have access to:

• A chance to win tickets to the Freakier Friday World Premiere and be among the first to see the all-new sequel before it arrives in theaters August 8
• A chance to win a 4-night cruise on the Disney Destiny, the newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, sailing from Ft. Lauderdale beginning November 2025
• A 6-month free DashPass membership from DoorDash (for New to Doordash subscribers only)
• 20% off on adidas.com and in the adidas app
• 15% off purchases at Funko.com and Loungefly.com
• A 3-month free trial of CLEAR+
• A 2-month Super Duolingo free trial
• Free in-game emoji from Disney Emoji Blitz
• Early access to the closed release of Disney Pinnacle by Dapper Labs, a monthly Mystery Capsule + until June 26th to claim a $10 Dapper Credit
• Special summer savings at Walt Disney World Resort: Stay 2 nights or longer at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels and get rates starting from $99 per night at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
• Free MONOPOLY GO! and Star Wars TIE fighter in-game TOKEN

Disney also announced that Hulu Perks will launch on June 2. The streamer’s first-ever suite of offerings will complement the Disney+ Perks program by unlocking even more benefits for Hulu and bundle subscribers throughout the summer, including prizes from and inspired by Hulu originals like The Handmaid’s Tale and Only Murders in the Building.

Upcoming Hulu-exclusive Perks include chances to win tickets to Lollapalooza, a taping of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and passes to San Diego Comic-Con 2025, plus Perks from partners like Microsoft, Pure Green, LG Electronics, and more. Entering a sweepstakes is as easy as accessing your Perks dashboard and clicking a button.

“Our fans are some of the most passionate in the world, and Perks are our way of thanking them for subscribing to Disney+,” said Samantha Rosenberg, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Disney+. “Whether it’s access to in-demand experiences that only Disney can offer or everyday savings and special discounts from top brands, we’re building two complimentary programs that are all about celebrating our viewers.”

Disney notes that new Disney+ and Hulu perks “will drop regularly, giving fans more reasons to check in, discover something new and engage with the stories they love.”

The post Disney+ Launches New Perks for Subscribers: Here’s How to Claim Rewards & Benefits appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In numerous forms of media, the apocalypse provides people with an excuse to surrender to their primal instincts. In the Mad Max franchise, everyone fights over resources using tricked-out vehicles, while Snowpiercer depicts the lower class on a train having to eat bugs to survive. HBO’s The Last of Us isn’t as fantastical as those properties, but it’s still got plenty to say about humanity and what becomes of it after society collapses. David’s group, for example, resorts to eating humans to survive the cold winters in Colorado. Season 2 takes things a step further by introducing a cult full of religious fanatics who have no qualms about gutting their enemies.

At first, the Seraphites don’t seem so bad, with the Washington Liberation Front, aka the WLF, ambushing them while they peacefully make their way to their new home. However, as The Last of Us Season 2 progresses, it becomes clear that the Seraphites are every bit as dangerous as the WLF and answer to a strange figure who appears in art all over Seattle.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Last of Us Part II video game!

The Seraphites Have Their Own Way of Doing Things in The Last of Us

When Ellie and Dina arrive in Seattle, they stumble across the bodies of a group of Seraphites. Since they don’t have any guns and there are children among them, Ellie takes the scene as more evidence that Abby and her group have to go. Visiting the WLF outpost changes things, though, because the two girls stumble upon WLF soldiers with their guts spilling out and the words “Feel Her Love” written in blood on the wall, making it clear the Seraphites aren’t just retaliating but fighting in someone’s name.

The actions of the WLF’s leader, Isaac, only pour fuel on the fire because, while he’s a disturbed individual, he knows what it’s like to subjugate people and still doesn’t have any problem torturing Seraphites, whom he refers to as “Scars.” The conflict between the two groups clearly dates back several years, and while the details surrounding it are murky at best, there is mention of a treaty in The Last of Us Season 2 that’s no longer in place. So, at some point, the groups met up and came to some kind of understanding, but all that went out the window, and it’s hard to believe the “her” the Seraphites talk about didn’t have something to do with that.

[RELATED – The Last of Us Shows Why Video Game Adaptations Can’t Please Fans]

The Seraphites Feel More Than One Person’s Love in The Last of Us Season 2

Exploring more of Seattle allows Dina and Ellie to come across more Seraphite propaganda. They notice symbols and portraits of a white woman who is seemingly the group’s prophet. However, Season 2’s finale throws that theory for a loop by showing a different art piece that portrays a Black woman as the prophet, with Ellie even going as far as to ask, “Is there more than one?” The show doesn’t explore the topic any further because Ellie has bigger fish to fry, but Season 3 is sure to dive into the Seraphite lore, especially during the attack on the group’s island.

While next season is sure to adapt some of the major Seraphite moments from The Last of Us Part II, things are going to be different because there’s only one prophet in the game. She dies before Ellie arrives in Seattle, sparking an all-out war between the Seraphites and the WLF. The show may have events play out the same, but rather than have the elders assume control of the group, it will opt to have another person fill the role of prophet or even build different factions. How that alters the course of Abby’s story remains to be seen, but, given her appearance in the theater in the finale, it’s entirely possible that the new prophet has a mean streak and won’t think twice about wiping out the WLF when they come knocking on her door.

The Last of Us Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

Did you catch Ellie’s line about there being more than one Seraphite prophet in The Last of Us Season 2? How do you think the change will affect Season 3’s story?

The post The Last of Us Made a Surprising Change to One Major Character With Just One Line appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Gary Oak has been the longest-standing rival of Ash and a mainstay of the Pokemon series and he has had numerous Pokemon along his journey, repeatedly adding iconic allies to his roster even as he’s become a Pokemon Researcher. The anime’s representation of the original games and manga character Blue, Gary, is the grandson of Professor Oak and continually battles Ash Ketchum while the two travel the regions of the Pokemon world. Gary, much like Ash, has been shown to have captured plenty of Pokemon throughout the long history of the series, but today we will be looking specifically at Gary’s 10 best Pokemon that have had the best on-screen showings.

From Blastoise to Regidrago, Gary has had multiple impressive and powerful Pokemon, but the lists must persist, and we will have to narrow down just which Pokemon Gary should keep in continuous rotation. Considering Gary’s low Pokemon count compared to the 1,025 Pokemon in the current Pokedex, the list will ideally provide insight into Gary’s evolution as a trainer through the regions and will hopefully platform and highlight fan favorites that we’ve all gotten to know and love through the OG rival. Being the grandson of Kanto’s titular Pokemon Professor gave Gary some early advantages when it comes to his development as a trainer, but as the series has evolved much like the Pokemon it features, Gary has become a rival proper and even a friend, growing alongside plenty of his and fan favorite Pokemon.

1) Blastoise

The first entry on this list is the iconic and ever-present member of Gary’s team, Blastoise. Once a scrappy starter Squirtle, this Blastoise has grown alongside Gary and has featured in every single important battle the trainer has taken part in. One of Blastois’ most impressive moments comes in the form of his fight against Ash’s Charizard, which even ended in his defeat, showing his pure power.

Along with this fight, Blastoise also had multiple instances of saving Pikachu or generally aiding the main gang and ensuring Ash and his electric mouse never got into too much trouble as long as Gary and Blastoise were around. Blastoise is so notable as Gary’s ace that he was even the first pick by the trainer when aiding Goh and friends in researching and battling the Mythical Pokemon Mew. Any trainer or avid gamer worth their salt knows that it takes nothing short of a finely tuned ace Pokemon to help capture any important Mythic or Legendary.

2) Arcanine

Much like our previous entry, Arcanine is an early member of Gary’s team and has traveled alongside the trainer since the Kanto region. Arcanine may not have as many on-screen battles and showings as Blastoise, but the classic Fire-type Pokemon has shown itself to be an invaluable asset on the battlefield. Arcanine’s greatest feat in Kanto was aiding Gary in his battle against Giovanni, where it was able to defeat the gym leader Kingler despite their typing disadvantage.

Arcanine is also one of the few Pokemon amongst the core characters who has the honor of facing off against Mewtwo, win or lose. Arcanine traveled a handful of other regions with Gary and was even recently shown to be a willing and powerful team member in aiding Gary and his allies in a battle, as Gary studied Pokemon as a researcher by tanking a Sheer Cold. Not only is Arcanine an iconic OG Pokemon, but it is a fan favorite and has served as one of Kanto’s greatest successes, making Gary’s Arcanine one of the most iconic team members in the series.

3) Krabby

Gary’s Krabby isn’t exactly a powerhouse; in fact, not much is known about the crab-like Water-type Pokemon, but as another one of Gary’s Kanto captures, the Pokemon had to make the list. However, Krabby wasn’t just any Kanto Pokémon but was Gary’s first captured Pokemon after beginning his journey alongside Ash.

Not only was Krabby one of Gary’s first Pokemon, but Ash also notably caught a Krabby and sent it to Professor Oak, which allowed fans to get another one of the classic comparisons between rivals, showing us how much larger Gary’s Krabby was compared to the protagonists.

4) Scizor

Scizor was featured as a key member of Gary’s team when the trainer entered the Johto Region’s Silver Conference after earning all eight badges. Scozpr earns a spot on this list from principle alone. Scizor is a fan favorite, and it is implied that this Scizor had been on Gary’s team for some time before the Silver Conference. Any Pokemon that can be a part of your team to secure all eight badges and enter a tournament with you is undoubtedly a notable one.

Scizor’s speed and attack power were also clearly on display in this match as the vibrant red Bug-type Pokemon made short work of two of Ash’s team members, Snorlax and Muk. Scizor was quick and decisive and was represented as a powerhouse only fainting when faced down by Ash’s Charizard, which is notable for two reasons: the protagonist’s ace Pokemon is no joke, and Scizor has a four times weakness to Charizard’s Fire-type.

5) Umbreon

Once a humble Eevee during the Orange Island Arc, the Dark-type Eeveelution has proven itself a worthy team member as it has persisted through the anime and all of Gary’s adventures up to his time as a Pokemon Researcher in Pokemon Journeys: The Series. Umbreon was featured in several episodes and has been shown to make quick work of Team Rocket grunt Pokemon, and was a savvy enough team member that Gary was able to help Ash work on and better understand his Gligar’s phobias in battle with Umbreon.

Umbreon, much like many other Pokemon featured on this list, bears the honor of having faced down a Legendary Pokemon. Umbreon was capable of confusing Articuno, but was eventually defeated with the one-hit KO Sheer Cold. Not only is Umbreon a faithful and powerful member of Gary’s team, but any avid Pokemon game enthusiast would recognize how much care and friendship go into getting an Eevee to evolve into an Umbreon, meaning that Gary must have a powerful bond with his friend.

[RELATED: These Are the 10 Best Anime of All Time According to MyAnimeList]

6) Magmar

Magmar may be a simple flaming duck, but his contributions to Gary’s team are still noteworthy. Magmar was notably a member of Gary’s Silver Conference team, which places it amongst the upper echelon of the trainer’s Pokemon. Magmar’s feats aren’t necessarily the most impressive throughout the match, as his main opponent is Ash’s Heracross, which Magmar has a type advantage over, but still ends up KO’d.

Even though Magmar lost the match, it was an impressive show of techniques like Flamethrower and Fireblast, and simply being a member of a tournament team is enough to earn Magmar a spot on this list.

7) Hatterene

This intense Fairy-type Pokemon is another of Gary’s newer additions; however, its representation in battle showed off just how capable it is. Hatterene has shown herself to be a team player and close with Gary by breaking the trainer out of the ice where he was trapped. Hatterene was then shown to face off against Regidrago and Regieleki, two Legendary Pokemon.

Much like Pokemon featured earlier on this list, going blow for blow with any Legendary Pokemon is a badge of honor. Hatterene may not have won, but her contributions are undeniable, as Gary was eventually able to capture Regidrago and add the Pokemon to his team.

8) Nidoking and/or Nidoqueen

These two members of Gary’s team may have been featured at separate times, but given that they are of the same line and can fill similar niches within the team, they share a spot. Nidoqueen has been seen a handful of times, including one instance of defeating Team Rocket, and her greatest showing is during the Silver Conference, where she managed to fell Ash’s Tauros.

On the other hand, Gary’s Nidoking was featured in the Indigo Plateau Conference, where he lost to Melissa’s Golem. Nidoking’s most impressive showing is one that continues to catapult Pokemon to this list, and it’s that he got the chance to face off against Giovanni’s Mewtwo.

9) Electivire

Electivire is not only one of the coolest Pokemon from Sinnoh, but is also the first Pokemon Gary attained post becoming a Pokemon researcher. Electivire has an incredibly impressive entrance given that it single-handedly defeats Team Rocket, and when Ash attempts to scan it with the Pokedex, there appears to be no information on the Pokemon.

Ash and Gary then face off with their two Electric-type Pokemon, and Electivire has the impressive feat of coming out on top and defeating Ash’s ace. Aside from Electivire’s entrance in Sinnoh, the fans have also gotten to see Electivire aid Gary in attaining a feather from Moltres during Pokemon Journeys: The Series.

10) Regidrago

All the talk about Legendary Pokemon, it should come as no surprise that the final entry on this list is, in fact, a Legendary Pokemon. Regidrago stands as one of the two new Regi Pokemon added to the Pokedex during the most recent series.

Regidrago was captured after a hard-fought battle against Gary and Goh, and was the last Pokemon caught by Gary before completing Project Mew. Regidrago is one of the rare onscreen captures of a legendary Pokemon, and that is enough to have it round out Gary’s 10 Best Pokemon.

The post Gary Oak’s 10 Best Pokemon in the Anime appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While it took decades for Top Gun: Maverick to materialize, all signs point to the next Top Gun installment having a much quicker route to movie theaters. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Maverick screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie recently confirmed that an idea had been cracked for Top Gun 3. While this doesn’t mean production is imminent on the project, other positive comments from key Maverick participants like Glen Powell do indicate that a third Top Gun is gearing up to get off the tarmac.

It’s obvious why Paramount Pictures, Skydance Media, and other Top Gun: Maverick financiers would be eager to see another installment soar into theaters. After all, Maverick was a massive cultural phenomenon that made over $700 million domestically alone. However, Top Gun 3 is always doomed to live up to Maverick since the specific external circumstances informing that film won’t be around for this installment.

Maverick Was An Ode to The Past That Top Gun 3 Can’t Replicate

Top Gun: Maverick was an old-fashioned light-hearted summer blockbuster full of jets going zoom and dudes learning to embrace each other. However, it was also a tip of the hat to pivotal figures of late 20th-century American blockbuster filmmaking. For one thing, Maverick was dedicated to the late Tony Scott, the filmmaker responsible for the original Top Gun and countless other seminal blockbusters. The tragic loss of this figure has forever changed the world of action cinema. Returning to Maverick allowed for a celebration of the movie that launched Scott’s career.

In hindsight, Maverick was also a last hurrah for Val Kilmer, an integral cast member to the original Top Gun and so many additional motion pictures. Though he passed away three years after Maverick’s release, this massive box office hit was Kilmer’s last role. Returning to Top Gun not only allowed its producers to cash in on the 1986 film’s brand name – it also allowed Tom Cruise and company to celebrate icons deeply associated with the original Top Gun. Movies live forever. Flesh-and-blood people don’t. Maverick ultimately wrung surprising levels of pathos out of that reality.

[RELATED: Hollywood Doesn’t Need Tom Cruise to Be that Crazy Stunt Superstar Anymore]

Without that element in play, what drives Top Gun 3? Frankly, at this juncture, it can’t help but look like just an attempt to print money after Maverick’s success. Audiences responded to Maverick because of its unexpected emotional vulnerability; it’ll be hard to mimic that again for Top Gun 3 since surprises are rarely as shocking the second go-around. But real-life mortality isn’t the only external element that Top Gun 3 won’t be able to tap into as easily as its predecessor.

Top Gun: Maverick Was A Major Moment For Movie Theaters

Top Gun: Maverick hit theaters 14 months after Godzilla vs. Kong’s late March 2021 debut indicated North American movie theaters were finally getting back to pre-March 2020 business. In those 14 months, titles like Venom: Let There Be Carnage and especially Spider-Man: No Way Home had made gobs of money. However, Top Gun: Maverick was a culmination of Tom Cruise’s one-man crusade to save movie theaters during COVID; he refused to unload the film on streaming, delaying its release for years until audiences could enjoy the full theatrical (and IMAX premium) experience. After so many years of uncertainty, Maverick delivered a dose of blockbuster theatrical spectacle that truly suggested movies were back. It also had the precise timing of being the first non-superhero movie blockbuster of the 2020s, making an extra special event for the wider moviegoing audience. Top Gun 3 is always going to come up short against those real-world circumstances that Maverick benefited from. For one thing, blockbuster theatrical movies are once again a cultural staple. Barbie, Oppenheimer, A Minecraft Movie, Lilo & Stitch (and other films) have all become major box office hits.

Top Gun: Maverick was credited with “saving theaters.” With multiplexes no longer in need of saving, Top Gun 3’s purpose becomes foggier beyond just satisfying Paramount Pictures shareholders. Granted, if Maverick’s visual audacity is maintained for the threequel, at least Top Gun 3 can still impress the eyes with IMAX-ready spectacle. That might be enough for a summertime spectacle; however, marching on with Top Gun 3 innately ignores that Top Gun: Maverick benefited from external circumstances that don’t happen every day. Ignoring that could send Top Gun 3 crashing to the ground sooner, rather than later.

Top Gun: Maverick is now streaming on Paramount+.

The post Top Gun 3 Can Never Recapture the Milestone Magic of Maverick appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The release of a new movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is always a monumental event. There are so many things to consider, such as potential cameos, post-credits scenes, and character introductions. However, before worrying about the future, it’s important to look at the past to figure out which MCU projects are worth watching before heading to the theater. The only problem with that is that it’s a lot harder to keep track of who shows up in what and which shows and movies matter going forward. Even films like Captain America: Brave New World, which seem pretty straightforward, have countless callbacks that don’t make sense without viewing a handful of other projects.

While Brave New World‘s theatrical run is already over, the movie is now available to stream on the Disney+ streaming platform, meaning a whole new audience is ready to discover it. However, they won’t have a good time unless they watch all of the MCU projects on this list ahead of time.

1) Avengers: Endgame

While Sam Wilson’s journey in the MCU begins long before Avengers: Endgame, the movie reveals enough about his character to understand what he stands for. He returns from being dust and immediately goes to help the Avengers in the Battle of Earth, even dropping Steve Rogers’s iconic “On your left!” line along the way. But Sam’s biggest moment in Endgame comes after the fight is over.

With the Infinity Stones still in the Sacred Timeline, Steve goes on a solo mission to return them. Sam is present when his friend leaves, but he grows concerned when Cap misses his return window. Steve chooses to go back in time and be with Peggy, and after returning as an old man, he hands his shield to Sam, who promises to do his best.

2) The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Not long after the events of Endgame, Sam gives up to the shield to the United States government in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier because he doesn’t think he’s worthy. John Walker becomes the new Captain America, which forces Bucky Barnes into action because he doesn’t want anyone ruining the name. Sam and Bucky also have to worry about a group of super-soldiers who are causing problems all around the world.

Throughout the entire series, Sam wrestles with what it means to be Captain America, and he learns more about what the government does to Black people who don the stars and stripes. However, he makes a decision about his future at the end of the show that sets the stage for his first solo movie.

[RELATED – 10 Captain America Movie Mistakes You’ll Never Be Able to Unsee]

3) Eternals

Eternals seems like a movie that the MCU wants everyone to forget. Despite introducing a new team of heroes to the franchise, there have been almost no references to the Chloé Zhao-directed movie since its release. Brave New World doesn’t care about any of that, making the end of Eternals a major part of its plot.

At the end of Eternals, Sersi and her allies have to fight against Ikaris, who wants to allow a Celestial, Tiamut the Communicator, to destroy the Earth. They save the planet, but there are still consequences, with the body of the Celestial finding a home in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

4) The Incredible Hulk

Since Edward Norton’s recast, The Incredible Hulk has been the black sheep of the MCU. The only olive branch that was extended to it was the return of William Hurt’s Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in Captain America: Civil War. However, Brave New World once again bucks the trend by making the events of The Incredible Hulk important to its story.

Both of the major villains in Brave New World made their debuts in The Incredible Hulk, and their history becomes the backbone of the threat that Captain America faces. It may seem strange to return to a Phase One MCU movie this late in the game, but it’s required viewing ahead of the fourth Captain America movie.

Captain America: Brave New World is streaming on Disney+.

Are you planning on watching these MCU projects before Captain America: Brave New World? Are there any other movies and shows that you think are worth watching? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Which MCU Movies & TV Shows to Watch Before Streaming Captain America: Brave New World on Disney+ appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Ms. Marvel star Aramis Knight, who portrayed Red Dagger on the Marvel Cinematic Universe series, has a disappointing update about a possible second season. In an interview with Screen Rant to promote his new film Karate Kid: Legends, the actor was asked about his possible future in the Marvel franchise. While Knight would be happy to return if the opportunity presented itself, he fears audiences might have seen the last of Red Dagger, citing how much time has passed since Ms. Marvel debuted. Knight also shared that he was in line to reprise his MCU role at various points, but things never worked out due to a variety of factors.

“I wish not, but I think so,” Knight said when asked if his time in the MCU is over. “I don’t think so. I mean it’s been a long time now, so I am not really sure. I mean I would love to. I was supposed to make appearances and other things but it didn’t end up working out and some logistical stuff and COVID stuff and I think also creative stuff. But I mean that was also an amazing show, but I dunno, I’m still waiting for the call to be honest.”

Ms. Marvel premiered on Disney+ back in 2022, bringing Kamala Khan to the MCU. The show earned enthusiastic reviews, with many praising its unique style and Iman Vellani’s performance in the titular role. Ms. Marvel laid the foundation for Vellani to reprise Kamala in 2023’s The Marvels, the feature film that saw her team up with Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau on a new adventure. At the end of the movie, Kamala looks to recruit Kate Bishop to form the Young Avengers.

[RELATED – Ms. Marvel Star Iman Vellani Has an Idea to Make the MCU Special Again]

Kamala hasn’t been seen since The Marvels, but the character was referenced during Daredevil: Born Again Season 1. In the now famous bank heist episode, Matt Murdock has a brief interaction with Kamala’s father Yusuf Khan. It’s revealed that Kamala is visiting friends in California. It has not been confirmed when Vellani will return for another Marvel project.

In the years since Ms. Marvel premiered, Marvel Studios has re-evaluated its strategy and made some notable changes. Even Kevin Feige realized it had become too much like homework for viewers to keep up with all the MCU content, so he’s moving forward with a “quality over quantity” approach. This means fewer movies and TV shows each year, which means Marvel is going to be more selective about what gets the green light. While The Marvels ended with a tease for a new superhero team, that film bombed at the box office with just $206.1 million worldwide. It seems unlikely there will be a follow-up to that project (be it a movie or TV show), raising questions about Ms. Marvel’s MCU future. Right now, the best bet might be to give her a supporting role in a film or series.

If Kamala is to return at some point in the Multiverse Saga, it would probably be in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars. Vellani was not among the 27 actors confirmed for Doomsday Marvel revealed in late March, but there are more casting announcements that will be made at a later date. Perhaps Vellani will be part of that next wave. If not, odds are audiences will have to wait until after Secret Wars to see her again. The start of a new saga for Marvel could serve as a gateway to deliver on the Young Avengers tease.

The post Ms. Marvel Season 2 Gets a Disappointing Update (What’s Next for Kamala Khan?) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Rockstar Games is one of the most well-respected video game studios in the industry, but they didn’t get here without a fair bit of controversy. In case you’re too young or simply don’t remember, Rockstar Games would frequently catch a lot of mainstream flak around the release of its new games. This was mainly a problem for the Grand Theft Auto series, but it extended to other games like Bully and Manhunt 2 as well. News outlets would talk about how outrageous their games were with the extreme violence, hypersexual content, and the fact that you could commit all kinds of crimes.

There was a lot of hysteria about Rockstar Games back in the day, and there was pressure from public officials and politicians to go as far as banning some of their titles. It seems like that intensity has died down in recent years, but Rockstar has also only released two brand new games in the last 12 years. However, almost a full decade ago, an unauthorized movie was made about Rockstar Games that depicted the company’s public battles while also creating one of the biggest entertainment franchises on the planet.

In 2015, just two years after the release of Grand Theft Auto V, the BBC released a docudrama called The Gamechangers. The film starred Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe as Rockstar Games co-founder Sam Houser and Twister star Bill Paxton as lawyer and noted Rockstar Games hater Jack Thompson. The film was not authorized by Rockstar Games and explicitly opens with a line of text that notes this, which probably won’t surprise you given that Rockstar won’t even make movies on its own games. All of the events of the film are constructed based on interviews with ex-developers or court documents.

This movie is virtually impossible to find, and you probably will never get to see it unless you scrub the depths of the internet. It’s not streaming anywhere, there is no physical release, and I was lucky enough to recently discover a link for it on the Internet Archives, but it has since been taken down. I have spent years looking for it because I am a huge Rockstar Games fan, and it’s one of the only pieces of Rockstar-adjacent media I’ve never experienced. I was fortunate enough to watch it before it was taken down and it’s a very interesting movie, albeit one that’s a bit absurd.

The Gamechangers is like Rockstar’s equivalent of The Social Network, except it lacks the finesse of a control freak director like David Fincher and the sharp writing of someone like Aaron Sorkin. We get to go inside Rockstar Games following the release of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and see how the team builds Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which Sam Houser hopes will be an innovative magnum opus that reframes the way people look at video games. Houser is heavily influenced by Top Gun producer Don Simpson, even going as far as uttering the cringe-inducing phrase: “What would Don Simpson do?”

There are even some glimpses at the notorious frat boy culture that Rockstar was once accustomed to. However, this isn’t really the focus of the movie. It’s a big piece of it, but a lot of the making of San Andreas is hand-waved with boring tech jargon and vague statements about how great it will be, which feels redundant.

Instead, The Gamechangers hones in on the beef between Rockstar and Jack Thompson, a lawyer who was so gung-ho in trying to take down Rockstar that he ended up getting himself disbarred in the process. His main concern was that he feared the effect that Rockstar’s games could have on children and was known for making defamatory statements, professional misconduct, and more. At one point, he called Grand Theft Auto IV “the gravest assault upon children in this country since polio” in an effort to highlight how dangerous he believed the game was. Pretty extreme, yeah?

In the film, Thompson is put on to Grand Theft Auto when he learns of a real teen named Devin Moore who committed three murders after playing Vice City. Before committing any acts of actual violence, Moore is taken into custody on suspicion of stealing a vehicle. In jail, he steals an officer’s weapon and kills three cops before stealing a police car. All of this is shown through the classic GTA third-person camera perspective, all it’s missing is the HUD. It’s a clever piece of filmmaking, though it’s pretty bold given this really happened, and it was never proven that GTA was the cause of violence. The judge prevented the defense from showing the jury evidence that Grand Theft Auto caused him to kill three people.

Thompson obsessively pursues this case, believing Rockstar’s games cause violence, particularly in children, and even presents evidence that the military uses violent video games to train soldiers to become killers. Thompson’s actions make him a target of gamers, but he continues to pursue the case. Unfortunately for him, he is taken off the case due to his conduct, and the case is thrown out. Thompson’s grudge with Rockstar doesn’t end here, however, as Houser successfully sees GTA: San Andreas through to release.

The game’s a huge hit, but there’s a big problem: there’s sexual content on the disc that’s not supposed to be accessible to players. It’s not long before a modder discovers it and releases the infamous “Hot Coffee” mod, allowing players to participate and engage in interactive sexual intercourse, something that would give the game an AO rating. Very few games have an AO rating, as they’re virtually unmarketable and Xbox and PlayStation prohibit the release of AO games on their consoles. The content was intended to be edited to retain an M rating, but the files for it still existed on the disc. Thompson and Senator Hillary Clinton looked to hit Rockstar Games hard for failing to disclose this content, resulting in FTC hearings and fines.

Amidst the FTC happenings with Rockstar, Thompson is simultaneously undergoing a disciplinary hearing for his conduct earlier in the film, which ends with him being disbarred. Rockstar Games is ultimately able to keep operating as it does, and Sam Houser walks through the city while imagining it like it’s Grand Theft Auto.

The biggest problem with The Gamechangers is that it just tries to do too much in such a little time, making it mostly underwhelming. What’s really interesting about this movie, though, is that Rockstar Games was very vocally against it. Not only did Rockstar file a lawsuit against the BBC for trademark infringement, but the incredibly secretive developer broke character on Twitter when it aired and called the film “random, made up bollocks.” The Rockstar Twitter is otherwise very formal and doesn’t post anything besides updates and news for its games, so this really struck fans at the time. Some have even speculated that Sam Houser was the one posting from the account during this time. Ex-Rockstar employees also spoke out against the film, making fun of its inaccuracies.

I’m not quite sure what came of the lawsuit between Rockstar and the BBC, but it may explain why the film has been scrubbed from the internet. It’s possible Rockstar won the suit, or there was at least a settlement where the BBC agreed to never show the movie again, but there’s nothing out there that tells us what really happened. According to the BBC’s own website, the movie aired literally once in September 2015. It was never shown again after its initial premiere. Either way, it’s a fascinating piece of Rockstar Games history!

The post The Rockstar Games Movie Starring Daniel Radcliffe You’ve Never Seen appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Having mostly seen and experienced the vast world of One Piece through its protagonist Luffy and the Straw Hats, instances such as the latest God Valley flashback are quite rare in the series. As the series has proved over the years, there is much more to One Piece’s world and history that fans still do not know, and the mysterious God Valley Incident is one of these things. As such, besides telling fans Kuma’s backstory, One Piece’s latest flashback is also revealing precious information about the series’ history, including a legendary battle where the former King of the Pirates and the Hero of the Marines joined forces.

After referencing the event multiple times and leaving fans with only brief teases for years on end, Episode 1130 of One Piece finally gives fans a good look at the infamous God Valley Incident. The episode reveals that the island was the location of the Celestial Dragons’ cruel Native Hunting Competition, with Ginny being the one to lure in the Rocks Pirates and the Roger Pirates as part of their escape plan. Besides giving fans a brief glimpse of the Rocks Pirates in their heyday, the latest episode also reveals young versions of Roger, Garp, and their respective crews as they jump into battle on God Valley, hyping up the mystery surrounding the historic event even more.

[RELATED: Why Does Ginny Cry in One Piece’s Kuma Flashback?]

Roger and Garp Make Their God Valley Debut in One Piece

So far, the only other time fans have gotten a proper glimpse at the God Valley Incident was when Sengoku first introduced the island and the mystery of what took place there 38 years ago. This was in Episode 958, wherein One Piece first revealed the young version of Garp that fans see in the latest episode, with Sengoku revealing that this was when Garp earned his famous title as the Hero of the Marines. Episode 958 was also when Sengoku revealed the nature of the battle at God Valley, which involved Garp and Roger joining forces to defeat the fearsome Rocks Pirates.

At this point, other than Garp, the series hadn’t yet revealed the younger version of any other characters, including Roger and his crew, which is why Episode 1130 has fans so excited. It is safe to say that the anime nailed the character designs, especially with Roger, who is seen without his signature mustache for the first time in One Piece. Sadly, beyond a few exchanged battle cries between Rocks and Roger, Episode 1130 cuts away without giving fans a good look at Rocks D. Xebec or the battle between him, Roger, and Garp. However, with One Piece headed into the Final Saga at breakneck speed, it likely won’t be long till the series reveals the entire clash, and it’s sure to be just as epic as fans imagined when that time comes.

One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe loves to revisit moments from earlier in the franchise. Despite Iron Man 2 featuring no connections to Spider-Man, it turns out that Peter Parker is present at the Stark Expo, and Tony Stark even saves him from a Hammer Drone that isn’t looking to take prisoners. However, not all of the major retcons happen off-screen, such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier confirming that Bucky Barnes is responsible for the death of Tony’s parents. But The Winter Soldier‘s retcon has nothing on the major one from Captain America: Brave New World, which changes the events of Captain America: Civil War in a massive way.

Beyond Sam Wilson, Brave New World‘s biggest connection to Civil War is Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who becomes president in the 2025 movie. His rise to power isn’t as straightforward as it seems, though, as there’s someone behind the scenes who’s pulling the politician’s strings.

Thunderbolt Ross’ Actions Are Not His Own During the Infinity Saga

Ross’ MCU debut comes in The Incredible Hulk, where he’s hunting Bruce Banner. He recruits Emil Blonsky, a decorated member of the British Royal Marines, to his cause, and they get to work. The duo corners Banner at a college, but after he turns into the Hulk, there’s no stopping him. Blonsky suffers serious injuries, which is a massive blow to his ego. So, when he runs into Samuel Sterns, who has been working with Banner’s blood, he forces the scientist to inject him with the dangerous substance, turning him into the Abomination. Unfortunately, Sterns doesn’t get away scot-free, being exposed to the blood during Abomination’s escape.

Sterns’ whereabouts remain a mystery until Brave New World, when he kickstarts a plan to show the world who Ross really is. It turns out Ross found Sterns after the attack on Harlem and threw him in a black site where he could use him for various projects. Ross’ main objective was to heal himself of an illness, but when it became clear to Sterns that his captor was never going to let him out, the villain changed course. While his career was taking off, Ross was slowly turning into a Hulk, the very kind of creature he had hunted for years. However, Sterns may have caused even more damage by supplying Ross with an idea that tore the Avengers apart.

[RELATED – Iron Man & Spider-Man’s MCU Relationship Was Great (But This Part of It Never Made Sense)]

The Leader May Be Responsible for the Sokovia Accords

Brave New World makes it clear that Ross uses Sterns’ superhuman intelligence to weigh different options when he’s in a tough spot. After Harlem, the only big conundrum for Ross is the creation of the Sokovia Accords in Civil War. He doesn’t believe the Avengers can operate on their own anymore because of all the damage they leave in their wake, so he brings Tony Stark the idea to have everyone register with the United Nations. Tony’s all for it because he feels guilty about his past transgressions, including creating Ultron. Steve Rogers, on the other hand, wants to be able to choose his missions without government interference.

The moral debate pushes both Iron Man and Captain America to the edge, and the two heroes create new teams to fight one another. Ross is in the middle of all of it, wanting to bring in Steve and his group as soon as possible to end the conflict. He doesn’t get his wish, of course, with Steve getting away and making up with Tony before Helmut Zemo shows them the tape of Bucky killing Maria and Howard Stark. The revelation makes things worse, and we find that the Avengers are splintered when Thanos and his Black Order roll into town in Avengers: Infinity War.

Ross clearly didn’t intend to leave the Earth near-defenseless when he pushed the Sokovia Accords. Still, there’s a scenario where Sterns came up with the idea and understood the ramifications of the political decision. After all, Brave New World‘s post-credit scene reveals that he’s smart enough to know that the multiverse is becoming more and more of a threat, which isn’t even in the same ballpark as breaking up Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

So did Zemo best the Avengers? Or was it really the Leader all along? Did Samuel Sterns create the Sokovia Accords for Thaddeus Ross? What other MCU events do you think he was involved in? Let us know in the comments below!

Captain America: Brave New World is streaming on Disney+.

The post Captain America: Brave New World Is Making Me Rethink Civil War in a Major Way appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Jujutsu Kaisen fans are about to be treated to yet another screening of one of the franchise’s movies this year, and it will be exciting. With the screening of the Hidden Inventory compilation movie already underway in Japan and soon in North America, there has been some buzz after cryptic and mysterious information about the movie has been revealed officially, potentially teasing the third season and more info regarding it.

In a post by the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime, promoting the release of the Hidden Inventory movie and the acoustic ending, the tweet left a message at the end urging fans to watch out for the end and pay attention to it. This small message left fans very excited and wondering what it could mean, and while it is possible that it might not be as big as it seems, there is a real chance of information regarding Season 3, such as a promotional video to be included at the end.

RELATED: Jujutsu Kaisen’s Hidden Inventory Movie Confirmed To Include Original Content by Creator

The Culling Games Might Receive An Update Sooner Than We Thought

Season 3 was announced shortly after the finale of the second season, and it wasn’t until this past Jump Festa event that the season got its first news: a gorgeous red key visual of Yuji sitting on a staircase. However, it has been radio silence since, and now could be the perfect opportunity for more updates about the anime to be revealed. With the hype being very high and a large audience there on the opening weekend, there is no better place and time to surprise fans with a teaser trailer about the long-awaited and action-packed season that adapts the Culling Games arc.

The Hidden Inventory Arc is the story’s fifth arc, preceding the Shibuya Incident, which was a major shift in the narrative. It flashed back to Satoru Gojo’s teenage years and his life in Jujutsu High, alongside Geto, Shoko, Nanami, and others. It also introduced the incredible antagonist, Toji Fushiguro, who almost killed Gojo and Geto, as well as led to the severing of their relationship. Hailed as one of the story’s best arcs, if not the best, the Hidden Inventory is a short but incredibly sweet ride that signals the story ramping up in pace and quality.

While it is equally possible that the account wanted fans not to miss the new JujuStrolls that were recently announced to be included in the movie, there similarly exists the chance that there’s content regarding Season 3 at the end of the movie. Whether fans’ wishes do end coming true or not, there is definitely progress on the season that is going on, and it will not be long until the sequel receives new information and updates. With the voice actor of Gojo confirming that Season 3 and future seasons will outdo the second installment to the franchise, it is no wonder everyone is excited about the anime’s return and, once again, to dominate.

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Oh, Dennis Reynolds, the resident sociopath of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Thanks to Glenn Howerton’s mastery of comedic timing, there’s an argument that Dennis is the show’s funniest character. That said, a similarly strong argument could be made for Rob McElhenney’s Mac, Danny DeVito’s Frank, Kaitlin Olson’s “Sweet” Dee, and Charlie Day’s Charlie. In other words, it’s a show where all five scheming, foul-mouthed protagonists are pretty much tied for first. And, given how the show has been running for 20 years now, each of those characters have received episodes that expand their respective personalities in noteworthy ways. And it’s not always in an episode where they’re fronting the A-plot.

What follows are some of those episodes for Dennis. “Some” because Season 4’s “Dennis Reynolds: An Erotic Life” and the “Mac and Charlie Die” two-parter didn’t make the cut, nor did Season 6’s “Mac Fights Gay Marriage” and “Dennis Gets Divorced.” Yet they too are incredibly important. “An Erotic Life” shows us just how much of a sex symbol Dennis deems himself to be. Meanwhile, the “Mac and Charlie Die” duology has him explain what a glory hole is, and it’s glorious. Then there’s that Season 6 duology, which introduces none other than Maureen Ponderosa…the woman he marries, divorces, pays for her transition into a cat, and, ultimately, “maybe” murders.

1) “The Gang Exploits a Miracle” (Season 2, Episode 7)

Dennis’ extreme, unhealthy vanity was a presence in the character even early on. His cohorts seem to acknowledge this as well. For instance, he, Mac, and Charlie just kind of accept and agree upon the fact that their dynamic is “The Looks, the Brains, and the Wildcard.”

But this is something Dennis takes too far, and too much to heart, the very moment the concept of his fading looks pops up. For instance, in Season 7’s “How Mac Got Fat,” which sees him get a chemical peel and die his hair black. Then there’s the Season 2 masterpiece “The Gang Exploits a Miracle,” which sees both the A and B-plot firing on all cylinders. As for the B-plot, it really just comes down to Dee telling Dennis his face looks fat, at which point he begins to starve himself (and, at one point, equate his vain attempt to decrease the size of his already slender face to “Jesus and Moses out in the desert”).

2) “The Gang Finds A Dumpster Baby” (Season 3, Episode 1)

Dennis’ vengeful nature is the ultimate quality of his that has grown as the series has progressed. If he’s wronged, you better believe he’ll come back with a quickly yet thoroughly thought-out plan carried out via manipulation and fueled by vindictiveness. He comes back with both barrels, in metaphorical terms. It’s just, later in the show, you wonder if that metaphorical nature might be swapped out for a literal one.

The best early days example of this is in “The Gang Finds a Dumpster Baby,” where a hippy turns him away when he tries to become an environmentalist. On one hand, he wants to do this because he just watched An Inconvenient Truth and wants to combat the “sad, throwaway culture” we’re living in. On the other hand, you know he’s just in it to inflate his ego. Either way, he gets rejected, which sets him down a course of sleeping with the condescending hippy’s girlfriend after planting in his head the idea of tying himself to a tree. Then, after sleeping with the girlfriend and untying the man, he waves on a bulldozer to tear down the tree.

3) “America’s Next Top Paddy’s Billboard Model Contest” (Season 4, Episode 3)

Dennis’ neediness is pretty well tied to his vanity. His opinion of himself always comes in first place, but he also needs that inflated view of self positively reinforced by a third party, even if he has absolutely no respect for that third party.

This is especially true if that third party he has something he wants, usually something that will help further inflate his already bloated vanity. Like a billboard. Then again, that bloated view of self can mislead Dennis, like when he’s in a contest to be on the aforementioned billboard and his competitors are actual stallions. To watch him play a losing man’s game of that type is compelling stuff.

4) “Mac and Dennis Break Up” (Season 5, Episode 9)

Dennis likes to think he’s independent. He likes to think he genuinely doesn’t need anyone, especially Mac. But he’s wrong and Season 5’s “Mac and Dennis Breaks Up” proves it.

When Dee insinuates that they would be lost without one another, Mac and Dennis decide to go their separate ways for a short time. For Mac, this makes him needier than ever. The same thing happens with Dennis, but in his case it’s arguably even stronger and less expected. He just wants to watch Transporter 2, but Dee has her attention locked on getting a cat out of her wall. So, still in her apartment, he gets Charlie over to watch the movie with him. But, given how the situation involves cats, Charlie’s attention also moves to the wall. Dennis pathetically sits in the background asking if they’re ready to watch the movie. That is, until he swallows an apple seed and goes to the toilet to emit the most hilarious vomiting sound in television history.

5) “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System” (Season 5, Episode 10)

It’s always been hinted at that Dennis has the confidence to do well with women. But it wasn’t until Season 5 that he, quite excitedly, explained just how he does so well.

As it turns out, he just flat-out plays horrible mind games. The entirety of his system in “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System” is so on-brand for him that it’s naturally one of his best episodes. But it’s also just a well-constructed 20 or so minutes of television. There’s also charm in knowing that the actress playing the latest target of his system is his real-life wife.

[RELATED: 10 Best It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Episodes]

6) “The Gang Buys a Boat” (Season 6, Episode 3)

“The Gang Buys a Boat” is a great episode for the entirety of the gang, but mostly for Dennis, and this is all because of one scene.

Dennis’ monologue about “the implication” is both his most iconic and a notable turning point. This is the first time we truly see Dennis as a full-on predator (even more so than in “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System”). He even has a name for his process of making women feel trapped. The fact that Howerton sells it all in a way that’s funny, even through a dead-eyed stare, is seemingly something only he can do.

7) “The Storm of the Century” (Season 7, Episode 6)

Charlie has the Waitress, Dennis has Jackie Denardo. Or, in Dennis’ words, “Charlie, I might be in love with this woman…not for the right reasons, mind you.”

He’s referring to the newscaster’s breasts. Their size is really the only thing he knows about her. And their size is enough to make the ultra-confident man quiver and studder when he finally comes face-to-face with her. Denardo actually came back twice after “The Storm of the Century,” once in Dennis’ daydream in “The Gang Saves the Day,” which has every member of the gang hallucinate their ultimate dream, and once in Season 14’s “Paddy’s Has a Jumper,” in which she only shares screentime with Frank (who is equally enamored with her).

8) “The Gang Gets Quarantined” (Season 9, Episode 7)

“The Gang Gets Quarantined” is really a great episode for all five characters. For Frank because it focuses on his descent into paranoid insanity revolving around his newfound fear of hair. For the others, because they’re locked in Paddy’s bathroom experiencing alcohol withdrawal.

The first one to experience withdrawal is Dennis, who has been obsessing over the gang getting their harmonizing right so they can open for Boyz II Men. Meaning, he’s been refraining from drinking to spare his throat. All of the gang ends up vomiting uncontrollably and getting the shakes, but Dennis ends up looking like an absolute ghost. To prove to Mac and Dee that he’s feeling fine, he asks them if a sick man could belt out a drawn out, high-pitched note (by belting out that drawn out, high-pitched note), to which Mac replies, “Yeah, dude.”

9) “The Gang Misses the Boat” (Season 10, Episode 6)

“The Gang Misses the Boat” is an interesting episode and, given how it has Charlie and Dee have sex, an important one. But it’s also important for Dennis as it’s arguably the first time we really see him lose control over his temper. His Range Rover has been submerged in water and, instead of getting it out, he attempts to sell it. Finally, he meets an interested buyer who isn’t put off by it being submerged. But then the prospective buyer lets slip that he’s going to be purchasing it for his daughter, as a “Starter car.” To that, Dennis lets loose with one of his most iconic rants to date.

“I have contained my rage for as long as possible, but I shall unleash my fury upon you like the crashing of a thousand waves! Begone, vile man! Begone from me! A starter car? This car is a finisher car! A transporter of gods! The golden god! I am untethered, and my rage knows no bounds!”

10) “Mac & Dennis Move to the Suburbs” (Season 11, Episode 5)

“Mac & Dennis Move to the Suburbs” has screentime for Charlie, Dee, and Frank, but this is really the two title characters’ episode all the way through. As the years have gone on, Mac (especially after officially coming out of the closet) has grown increasingly obsessed with Dennis and, in turn, Dennis has become increasingly dismissive of Mac.

This episode essentially locks them in a location that’s far away from their big city comfort zone and it works like a charm. Both characters go insane in their own ways, with Mac chopping up a dog (which he names Dennis) and feeding it to Dennis in a bowl of mac and cheese and Dennis, well, fantasizing about stripping naked and screaming at a neighbor.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns for its Season 17 debut (the second part of the Abbott Elementary crossover) on July 9th.

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There’s no shortage of expectations for Fantastic Four: First Steps, as this will be the third time around for Marvel’s first family. No one is more aware of the stakes in play than Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, who was actually a producer on Tim Story’s Fantastic Four movie and its sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. After the disappointment of the 2015 reboot Fant4stic, the franchise ended up back in Marvel’s hands, and Feige sees this as an opportunity to finally get the characters right on the big screen.

In an interview with Empire, Feige made it clear how important the Fantastic Four are and why they need to be done the right way. “I think that there are no four characters that are more important for the history of Marvel,” Feige said. When the opportunity came up to work with them again, he embraced that second chance.

“When Disney bought Fox, it was really an unexpected dream come true,” Feige said. “It came at the perfect time, to help us launch into a new era. They are Marvel’s First Family, and I really wanted to do them justice.”

While there are elements from the first two Fantastic Four films that fans look upon fondly, other elements have shown their age, especially after the MCU started rolling and really diving into characters while also building out a layered world. Even with the mixed reception of the sequel, many fans still look at that film’s Silver Surfer as excellent, so it’s not like everything was negative back then. That said, this is Feige’s chance to fix what didn’t work and improve upon what did and do it with an established universe and a talented cast. If it was ever going to work, it would certainly be with this scenario, and time will tell if that actually happens.

[RELATED: Kevin Feige Has One Big Criticism of the MCU (And He’s Right)]

Feige knew he would need someone to pull those classic Fantastic Four elements together and make them interesting and relevant for a modern audience, and that responsibility fell to WandaVision’s Matt Shakman, as well as channeling “classic Fantastic Four energy.” When Feige was working on the previous Fantastic Four films, he says, “There was still a bit of fear of being silly”, but that’s times have very much changed, and many superhero elements are just part of mainstream culture. “In another time, some might consider the notion of somebody with a big, angular helmet walking through a city goofy,” Feige said. “I consider it awesome.”

While Shakman has had to be vague regarding plans for the film, he did lean into some of the same things Feige has hinted at regarding those classic elements on the big screen. “It’s different in so many ways,” Shakman told Collider. “I wish I could be specific. I wish I could say more. But we are doing things very differently from a story standpoint, from an approach to the filmmaking standpoint, that really fits the material. I wish I could say more. I would love to, but I can’t. But I think it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve seen before, and certainly unlike anything at Marvel that you’ve seen before.” You can check out the official description for Fantastic Four: First Steps below.

“Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family-Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Sue Storm/ Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ben Grimm/The Thing as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.”

The Fantastic Four First Steps hits theaters on July 25th.

Are you excited for Fantastic Four: First Steps? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things Marvel and MCU with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!

The post MCU Fantastic Four Could Redeem Kevin Feige for Past FF Movie Mistakes (& It’s About Time) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Milly Alcock admits that she was once she had secured the role of Supergirl in the DC Universe, her honest reaction was “absolute fear.” The 25-year-old just graced the cover of Elle, with a profile interview about her rise to mainstream fame from House of the Dragon to Sirens to Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. She had gone through the long and secretive audition process with many other hopefuls, but once she came out on top she was left with even more terror for what came next. Thankfully, Alcock said that she sees fear as a major part of acting, and overcoming it as a part of her job.

Alcock recalled that DCU mastermind James Gunn was the one to inform her that she got the role as Supergirl, via text. “I was kind of in disbelief,” she said. “I was initially like, ‘What have I done?’ I then invited all my friends over to the house and we drank champagne.” The actress explained how this new fear moved in to take the place of the fear she felt throughout the audition process.

“During a screen test, you’re in a room with all the other women [vying for the same part] and you’re all dressed as the character,” she explained. “[The studio] will get you lined up in the makeup truck and put the same makeup on you all and then test you on a stage. For Supergirl, it was myself and another girl. It was really scary; I thought I was going to vomit! But it’s just fear! That’s what happens! This job has been a journey of overcoming my own fear.”

[RELATED: Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow Set Photos Show Milly Alcock In Costume (& S Logo)]

Later in the interview, Alcock mused on the nature of fame, and balancing that with the craft of acting. It sounds like public scrutiny is a major reason for her “absolute fear” of taking on a big role like this, but she takes it all in stride as part of the job. Alcock is already expected to be a major part of the DCU — she will make her debut this summer with a brief appearance in Superman, then her movie Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will hit theaters on June 26, 2026.

Those two movies have already been filmed, and we can be reasonably certain we’ll see them along with Peacemaker Season 2. Lanterns is also filming now, and expected to premiere in early 2026. Beyond that, the future of the DCU is all speculation. The franchise has a Clayface movie in pre-production and five more movies in development, along with up to five more seasons of TV in development. Most of that will contribute to the story arc called Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, which we don’t know much about yet.

Alcock is poised to be one of the most prominent faces of this burgeoning franchise, and her “healthy” fear might be one of her greatest strengths in that role. Superman hits theaters on July 11th, while Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is currently scheduled for June 26, 2026.

The post Milly Alcock’s Reaction To Landing Supergirl Role Will Surprise You: “What Have I Done?” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Following a partnership with Adidas that began in 2020, LEGO has teamed up with Nike for a similar co-branded mix of new brick-built sets and lifestyle gear that includes sneakers. It all starts with a 1180-piece Nike Dunk LEGO set that features a sneaker set against the DUNK slogan with a basketball on the top left and a B’Ball head mini-figure included. Features include hidden stash compartments to store “championship rings and other essentials”, such as extra laces for custom color swap-outs. The Nike Dunk set (#43008) is a love letter to LEGO, sports, and sneaker culture – a much welcome collaboration between the fandoms. You can pre-order the set now here at the LEGO Store for $99.99 with a release date set for July 1st. Additional information can be found below, along with details on upcoming apparel releases in the collab.

LEGO notes that “the partnership brings together the “Just Do It” spirit of Nike with the imaginative power of LEGO bricks to invite all kids into sport and play. Over the upcoming months kids can enjoy the opportunity to engage in immersive experiences across different cities around the world, as well as a full collection of products, including LEGO sets and Nike footwear, apparel and accessories.” On the Nike side of things, look for the Nike Air Max Dn x LEGO Collection as well as a line of apparel and accessories to drop on August 1st, followed by the Nike Dunk Low x LEGO Collection on September 1st. You can check out how Nike will incorporate the LEGO aesthetic into these sneakers via the teaser images below.

LEGO has also announced that three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson will support the Nike partnership by “helping to engage with kids through a reimagined world of play that will come to life across digital channels.” LEGO has promised that more information on this will be announced in the coming weeks.

“I have loved playing with LEGO bricks since I was a kid and know that my creativity and play helped me not only in sports but also at school and in life.” Wilson said in the LEGO press release. “I’m thrilled to be part of this partnership with Nike and the LEGO Group and know we can help to make a positive impact with kids and adults alike.”

Want to stay up to date with all the latest LEGO news and collectibles? Then keep an eye on our Gear Page!

The post LEGO x Nike Collaboration Debuts Its First Sets and Sneakers appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In 2013, writer Greg Rucka and artist Michael Lark brought what has since become one of Image Comics’ landmark series to life: Lazarus. Set in a near-future dystopia, the world of Lazarus is one in which society has settled into feudalism, ruled by sixteen extremely powerful Families. The story follows Forever Carlyle, the genetically enhanced super-soldier military type enforcer for the powerful Carlyle Family who is controlled by her father Malcolm Carlyle. However, a dozen years later, Lazarus is entering a new — and final — chapter, one that changes everything and could see the end of not just the Carlyle Family but the social order as the world knows it. That chapter is Lazarus: Fallen, the first issue of which will hit stores on June 25^th. ComicBook had the opportunity to do an early review and, without getting into spoilers, the final chapter of the Lazarus story is one that fans of the series won’t want to miss and one that newcomers to the story will quickly find themselves engrossed in as well.

When Lazarus: Fallen #1 picks up, the Carlyle Family is on the hunt, specifically for Forever Carlyle. She’s finally broken free from her family’s control and has a new mission: burn it all down, even if that means burning her own Family down as well. It is an exciting premise and issue #1 pays off on it, wasting no time dropping readers into the situation as it sets up the early hours after Forever is declared rogue by the Carlyle Family. This is not a spoiler; first looks at Lazarus: Fallen reveal a strike team infiltrating the Hock Wellness and Preservation Facility 074 on the hunt for Forever only to find that she’s not there, having been aided by her own mother in escape. From there, the story moves forward to reveal time passing with Forever still rogue and the brutal lengths Malcolm is willing to go to get her back, lengths that include manipulation and control of his own family.

[RELATED: No, The Power Fantasy Isn’t Watchmen (But It Might Be Better)]

I can’t get into more details about what those lengths entail — or about the twist in the final pages of issue #1; we’re doing this spoiler free. What I can get into is how seamless the story is. It’s been three years since the last issue of Lazarus (Lazarus: Risen #7 arrived in 2022,) but Rucka hasn’t missed a beat with the storytelling. For those already familiar with Lazarus, this latest installment fits in perfectly with everything readers already know and one can nicely hit the ground running. For readers coming to the world of Lazarus with Fallen #1 as their starting point, while going back to the beginning is an absolute must so as to get the full story, you still get an intriguing hook and the turn on the final page will have you quite literally trying to turn the page to get more (don’t worry, a second issue will follow in July, you’ll get more and what Rucka is doing here is already very much worth the wait.)

But while Rucka’s writing is impeccable — The Old Guard creator is highly regarded for a reason — it’s not the only element of Lazarus: Fallen #1 that stands out. Lark’s art here is superb. The book has a look and feel that is both realistic — there are moments when Lark’s work almost looks like a photograph, it’s so crisp and clean — and beautifully textured. It’s the balance between these two elements that give the book a cinematic feel, reminding readers that this is a big story told on a big scale even within the more intimate parameters of the comic book format. That, interestingly, is particularly noticeable when you get into the details: freckles smattered across a character’s nose, the way a body crumples on the floor, the look of resignation in the eyes of one character and the sort of conspiratorial gleam in another’s. Lazarus has always been good, with both Rucka and Lark delivering fantastic work, but Fallen is not only the story at its peak, but both creators doing some of their absolute career-best work. The result is something that is gritty and elevated in equal measure.

To put a finer point on things, Lazarus changed what is possible with sci-fi dystopian stories in comics and created something really special when it arrived in 2013 and now, the final chapter Lazarus: Fallen is not only starting off as a very worthy next part but is poised to perhaps be even better than the original. With excellent writing and art that may be some of the best of both creators to date, Lazarus: Fallen #1 may see Forever Carlyle on a mission to burn everything down, but it looks like this story is going to go out in a blaze of glory.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Lazarus: Fallen #1 goes on sale June 25th from Image Comics.

The post Lazarus: Fallen #1 Is an Epic Beginning of the End appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Crunchyroll and Netflix are anime fans’ go-to places to stream the best anime around. It’s understandable because the streaming giants hold a duopoly over the medium in Western countries like the US, Canada, and the UK. But, sometimes, an amazing series is tucked away behind one of the smaller anime streaming services. HIDIVE, Hulu, and Prime Video are slowly building up their reputations as established streaming houses for anime, but they still have a long way to go before being able to comfortably compete with Netflix and Crunchyroll.

That’s why it’s unfortunate that one of the best action/fantasy anime of the 21st century is hidden away on less prominent platforms, desperately waiting for fans to find it. The show blends classic samurai action with yokai and a heartbreaking story about brotherhood, duty, and revenge. The animation is stunning, with Jujutsu Kaisen‘s Studio MAPPA overseeing the intense action. What’s more, the series is a reimagining of one of the most iconic and legendary classic anime of all time.

Dororo Is Waiting to Be Watched on HIDIVE, Prime Video and Hulu

As you may have guessed from the sub-heading, Dororo is the fantastical fantasy anime that deserves more love from anime fans. The series is available to stream on HIDIVE, Hulu, and Prime Video. But, it has missed out on a bunch of potential fans as a result of being held back from the big two anime streaming platforms.

Released in 2019, Dororo follows Hyakkimaru, a limbless, skinless, blind, deaf, and mute infant who was offered to demons by his father in exchange for a prosperous land. As he’s grown older, Hyakkimaru has trained to battle the demons his father unleashed upon the world as part of the deal. Upon killing each demon, Hyakkimaru regains a part of himself, and so he sets off with his adoptive brother, the titular Dororo, to slay demons and seek revenge on his father.

Those who have watched Dororo have fallen in love with the series. The single-season, 24-episode show holds a strong 8.2-star rating on IMDb and a similar 8.25 rating on My Anime List. Fans of the show praise its incredible world-building, its nuanced and complex characters, and its frequently shifting morality, which manages to humanize and empathize with even the most despicable of characters.

[RELATED – 10 Original Anime Every Fan Needs to Watch]

What Makes Dororo So Iconic?

For fans who have only been introduced to the series through MAPPA’s 2019 series, you’ve got nearly 60 years of catching up to do. Dororo is based on the titular manga by the legendary Japanese creator, Osamu Tezuka. If that name rings a bell, it’s because Tezuka is also responsible for giving the world Astro Boy, Princess Knight, and Jungle Emperor (once erroneously believed to be ripped off by The Lion King).

Osamu Tezuka first published Dororo back in 1967. Surprisingly, considering the character’s legacy, the series wasn’t successful when it was first released, and Dororo was cancelled after just a year in print. But a 1969 anime adaptation, created by Mushi Production, gave the franchise a second life, resulting in Dororo becoming one of the most iconic classic anime characters ever produced.

MAPPA’s series retells Hyakkimaru’s iconic story with the animation quality it deserves. The action is intense, rivaling that of MAPPA’s more recent releases like the aforementioned Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man. There’s also something indescribable about the atmosphere of 2019’s Dororo. Despite having all of the visual appeal of a modern anime, the storytelling structure and tone feel more reminiscent of an episodic anime from the ’80s and ’90s.

Each episode follows a new demonic battle, with the occasional overarching story diving deeper into the world-building and recurring supporting characters. What potentially makes Dororo so special is the attention it gives to fleshing out even its smallest characters. It’s the same vibe given off by ’90s classics like Cowboy Bebop, where each episode acts as a standalone adventure. But, put them all together and you get a phenomenal overarching story.

Dororo was also adapted into a live-action movie in 2007. While the action was servicable, and the overall movie wasn’t bad, the story of Dororo is too far-reaching and winding to be compressed into a feature-length runtime.

Dororo (2019) is streaming on HIDIVE, Hulu, and Prime Video.

The post This Underrated Fantasy Anime Isn’t on Crunchyroll or Netflix (But It’s a Must-Watch Elsewhere) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Daredevil: Born Again was a critical hit for Marvel Studios, but that word of mouth didn’t lead to high viewership figures. It wasn’t even the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s biggest TV show of the past year. According to data compiled by Variety, Agatha All Along was the top Marvel series, accumulating 9 million viewers (based on total 35-day viewing). That is a considerably larger audience than Daredevil: Born Again, which saw 5.8 million viewers by the same metrics. That’s a difference of 3.2 million viewers between two of the MCU’s high-profile Phase 5 TV shows.

When compared to the larger television landscape, neither Agatha All Along or Daredevil: Born Again was a viewership juggernaut. Among the top 100 shows of 2024-25, Agatha ranked 45th, while Daredevil came in 92nd place.

A spinoff of WandaVision, Agatha All Along premiered on Disney+ last fall. It earned positive reviews, particularly for Kathryn Hahn’s performance in the titular role. Despite the success, a second season of the show hasn’t been greenlit yet. However, Marvel executive Brad Winderbaum has mentioned the studio is open to that possibility if the right story presents itself. Hahn would be excited to return if Agatha All Along Season 2 ever gets off the ground.

[RELATED – Kathryn Hahn Comments on Agatha All Along Season 2: “Would Be Thrilled to Come Back”]

Daredevil: Born Again, a continuation of Netflix’s Daredevil, launched in early March. Even before the first season debuted, Marvel Studios was moving forward with a second season. Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is set to release on Disney+ in March 2026. Set photos from earlier in the year teased some notable developments, such as Matt Murdock’s new superhero costume.

This is another troubling sign for Daredevil: Born Again. Despite the positive reviews, it also failed to chart on Nielsen’s ratings list of the top 10 original streaming shows (a first for Marvel Television). Considering Daredevil star Charlie Cox’s fan-favorite status, it’s surprising to see Born Again struggle so much with viewership. One possible reason for this is MCU fatigue. Since Disney+ launched, Marvel has launched a bevy of TV series, so many that even Kevin Feige realized the studio had to slow down its output. It’s become increasingly difficult for casual audiences to keep up with MCU offerings, meaning people may have opted to skip Born Again entirely.

It’s also plausible that viewers who didn’t watch Netflix’s Daredevil felt alienated by Born Again since they were unfamiliar with the storylines and character arcs being continued. Hopefully, things pick up when the second season arrives next year. As Marvel scales back, the studio will be producing fewer movies and TV shows annually. This means Daredevil: Born Again is a key project for them moving forward. Ideally, they’d like it to be a hit. Strong reviews are great, but strong viewership figures that drive subscriptions are even better from a business perspective.

The post Marvel’s Biggest TV Show of the Last Year Might Surprise You appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Although graphics greatly improved on PlayStation 3 compared to the previous generation, the PS3 quickly showcased its limitations with its level design and gameplay. Most PS3 games feel flat and far smaller now than when I first played them. What remains impressive are the choices by the developers at the time to do something different. Be it implementing a morality system, realistic gunfights and scenery, or focus on delivering a great story with good pacing and replayability. I played a good mix of games on PS3 willing to try anything in my teenage years to fill in the time before school came back around.

There are many PS3 games that are still impressive to play years after their release. From BioShock to Uncharted, Red Dead Redemption and Far Cry, to Borderlands and Assassin’s Creed, Wolfenstein to Dark Souls—and we all know The Last of Us certainly doesn’t need yet another remake. Many were ahead of their time, but there are a handful of games I grew up playing and adored that now sadly miss the mark because of their outdated graphics, level design, and gameplay. These are the PS3 games I’d love to see remade.

1) Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Now, I’m only mentioning CoD: BO2 for one reason only: League Play. This remains the most fun I’ve ever had in Call of Duty history because of its multiplayer. While I spent months perfecting no-scopes and quickscopes on MW2 and practicing trickshots on MW3, it was League Play that provided the most entertainment when playing with friends.

This is perhaps a wasted entry as I don’t need the entire game remade, but would love to see the return of League Play for its challenging and fun setting that used simple yet beloved CoD modes and ranked you based on whether you won or lost. As someone who still plays a ton of Apex Legends, League Play remains the most fun I’ve ever had ranking up in a video game.

2) Dark Souls

I know Dark Souls already has a remaster, but if it were to be remade, it needs to keep its immersive atmosphere from the original. FromSoftware sure knows how to wow with its worldbuilding and environments, creating a believable land that you want to run around and fully explore. We’ve seen it time and time again with Armored Core and Elden Ring, both having the best level design video games can offer. While fans may say Dark Souls‘ jankiness is part of what makes this game memorable, we’ve seen with the third game and Elden Ring that smoother gameplay works.

Related: 5 PS1 Games That Deserve a Remake

Dark Souls bosses still look incredible, and the level design is top-notch, but I’d love to see more depth added to the environment and upgraded combat systems. The first game in the franchise is rather outdated, not for its appearance, but for the enemy AI and boss movesets. Things feel much slower upon revisiting it, yet most arenas are quite big. Bosses execute sluggish attacks, then stop, rotate, and do the same again. There doesn’t seem to be the same strategy in place to learn their moves and combos to counter effectively. To be honest, Dark Souls doesn’t need to be remade, but it’s one I’m very curious about for its untapped potential on how it could look and play.

3) Infamous 2

Infamous 2 was my favorite game for many years. I had so many good memories playing this, being one of the main action-adventure games I’d sink hours into for its story, combat, open-world, and freedom. I used to revisit the sequel yearly until the PS5’s release, because by that point, Infamous had inevitably grown outdated. But my favorite thing about this game was two-fold: satisfying gameplay with choices that actually determined what you’d end up doing. You could be good or evil, altering your mission based on what the two side characters wanted to do.

I feel Infamous 2 needs a remake because it’s aged quite badly when it comes to its combat and level design. Enemy variety is decent, but it quickly gets repetitive. Cole glued onto enemies when you hit them, removing all challenge until you can deal damage from afar. But the climbing and traversal gameplay was flawless and remains so fun. From parkouring around the map, climbing onto whatever you want, to gliding across the environment on the power lines, everything in this vein was thrilling. Infamous 2 deserves a remake mostly for its level design, which was an incredibly restrictive open-world, trapping you on an island. It’s easy to get tied up in performing good or evil choices, but when you truly analyze the world, it’s a tad underwhelming.

4) Killzone 2

Killzone 2 looked absolutely incredible when it first came out, with gorgeous visuals, great sound design, and realistic environments. Similar to Gears of War and Crysis, Killzone demonstrated the power of graphics, being miles ahead of its competition at the time of its release. But this is where Killzone 2‘s praise ends, as this shooter is very outdated now, mostly because of its gameplay. This entry could use a massive overhaul, specifically in its gunfight and movement departments. Playing through it now is somewhat painful, and it doesn’t help that there has been a massive shift in recent years with fast, fluid movement for shooters (e.g., CoD’s omni movement and Apex Legends‘ tap strafe).

Related: 5 PS2 Games That Need a Remake

Playing through Killzone 2 nowadays is painfully slow, but it’s still an impressive-looking sequel. The environments were huge and immersive, with the destruction of war being prevalent throughout. For something that looks so incredible, Killzone 2 sure had limited gameplay as it stuck to perfecting the basics. The weapon variety was awesome, but the campaign quickly became repetitive. Similar to Resistance, these series deserve to make a comeback with improved gameplay, as either could easily compete against CoD and take top spot in today’s climate.

5) Prototype

Prototype is such an effortlessly cool game. Like living on GTA’s 5-star wanted list, Prototype saw rocket launchers and helicopters continuously come your way, where you could control and destroy whatever you pleased. I remember just going into this game to let off some steam after a long school day, but quickly noted the base level design and massively limited open-world of Prototype, which is the main reason for it being on this list.

The combat is still decent and I love how you can quickly and easily climb whatever you want to evade incoming fire, but Prototype‘s design felt as limited as a PlayStation 2 game. The destruction of the environment was amazing at the time, but an update on its gameplay and graphics could go a long way in creating the ultimate anti-hero game where you’re classified as the main villain by wreaking havoc across the city. But the setting was lifeless, and it’s only upon bringing chaos that the landscape lit up.

The post 5 PS3 Games That Badly Need a Remake appeared first on ComicBook.com.

All ten episode titles for the first season of Dexter: Resurrection have been revealed, teasing a long awaited showdown. Dexter: Resurrection is one of the most anticipated shows of 2025, as it will bring back America’s Favorite Serial Killer. From 2006 – 2013, Dexter dominated Showtime as its most popular series thanks to its thrills, kills, and incredible ensemble cast. Michael C. Hall was frequently recognized for his nuanced performance as serial killer vigilante Dexter Morgan and when the show ended, fans immediately missed him. This allowed Showtime to bring him back for Dexter: New Blood in 2021, a show that was meant to close the door on this era of Dexter for good.

However, it did just the opposite it would seem. Despite the fact Dexter was killed, fans wanted to see Michael C. Hall return to the role again. They weren’t pleased with how it ended and ratings for New Blood were otherwise through the roof. So, everyone involved put their heads together and figured out a way to bring Dexter back to life. Now, we are getting yet another sequel series known as Dexter: Resurrection. Plot details have remained under plastic wrap for about a year now, but we do know Dexter emerges from a coma and heads to New York City to find his son which in turn introduces him to new foes.

All 10 Dexter: Resurrection Episode Titles Revealed

However, we have been given some new clues about what the new season will entail. The official Showtime account on Reddit revealed all the episode titles for the first season of Dexter: Resurrection. You can view the full list of episodes below.

101 – A Beating Heart…

102 – Camera Shy

103 – Backseat Driver

104 – Call Me Red

105 – Murder Horny

106 – Cats and Mouse

107 – Course Correction

108 – The Kill Room Where It Happens

109 – Touched by an Ángel

110 – And Justice For All…

The first episode, titled “A Beating Heart…”, seems to be in reference to Dexter being brought back to life and awakening from his coma. Episode 2, titled Camera Shy, may be about Dexter trying to avoid being caught on camera in a bustling city. It’s possible he will have broken out of police custody once again as he killed a cop at the end of New Blood and is under suspicion of being the Bay Harbor Butcher. Perhaps someone posts his picture on social media or something of that nature? Episode 3, “Backseat Driver”, may be in reference to Dexter befriending a ride share driver named Blessing Kamara.

Episode 8, “The Kill Room Where It Happens”, obviously means we will be seeing Dexter wrapping people up to be killed once again. The fact it’s part of an episode title definitely suggests something may go wrong here or Dexter will have to reveal his ritual to a new person. Episode 9, “Touched by an Ángel” seems like it may be the one where we finally get to see Dexter and Angel Batista have a confrontation. Batista was called to Iron Lake at the end of Dexter: New Blood after learning that Dexter was still alive, but we never got to see their showdown. It seems like they will finally come head to head in a dramatic way here, the penultimate episode of the season.

No matter what happens here, the show won’t end this season. Michael C. Hall has confirmed that Dexter: Resurrection is planned to be a multi-season series that he will continue to star in for years to come. Of course, that presents a lot of questions on how he will avoid getting locked up or killed again with the walls closing in on him once more, but that’s part of the thrill of this show.

Fans expect the first proper Dexter: Resurrection trailer to drop on May 31st, as the cast and crew of the show are hosting a big panel at CCXP in Mexico. This would be the most likely place for a trailer to drop, so hopefully it gives us a good taste of what’s to come.

Dexter: Resurrection premieres on Paramount+ with its first two episodes on July 11th.

The post Dexter: Resurrection Episode Titles Tease a Long Awaited Showdown appeared first on ComicBook.com.

7 Days To Die’s next major update is coming soon, and developer The Fun Pimps has previewed the release schedule leading up to its June 30th launch. While the full update will not go into effect until the end of June, there are plenty of ways to interact with the community and learn more about the upcoming Storm’s Brewing update that will bring 7 Days To Die to version 2.0.

The first event leading up to 7 Days To Die’s Storm’s Brewing update is the developer stream on June 10th. Here, Lathan Meadows and Richard Huenink, the senior developer and founder, will hold an in-depth discussion of the 2.0 features in Storm’s Brewing. Following this, a streamer weekend begins on June 13th and runs through June 15th with various creators streaming the game.

RELATED: 7 Days to Die Launch Plans Confirmed Ahead of 1.0 Release and Price Increase

Finally, players can opt into the public Storm’s Brewing experimental build on June 16th. This will give players an early look at what they can expect once the update drops for 7 Days To Die. Players who opt into this beta build show expect various bugs and issues as this is to test out the new features.

The full release of 7 Days To Die’s Storm’s Brewing update won’t be released until June 30th. When this update launches, players will experience new progression-based elemental survival thanks to new biome chunks. Each offers unique ways to interact with the world and will test players’ ability to survive.

Dynamic storms are one of the other big additions in this update and will drastically change how the game plays. The severe storms force players to seek or build shelter, and each biome will have unique weather types. The Fun Pimps will also update and rebalance perks to directly adjust gameplay.

The post 7 Days to Die Sets Release Date for Big Storms Brewing Update appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When talking about contemporary horror with substance, it’s impossible to ignore the name Mike Flanagan. Over the last decade, the director and screenwriter has established himself as one of the most consistent figures in the genre, skillfully balancing the essence of horror with emotionally resonant plots, dense dialogue, and themes like grief, faith, trauma, and redemption. With a distinctive and much-discussed creative vision, Flanagan has built a filmography that goes well beyond simply trying to scare – his stories often strike a psychological, spiritual, and emotional chord. From The Haunting of Hill House to Midnight Mass, along with some strong Stephen King adaptations, he has shown that horror doesn’t have to stick to convention.

Flanagan experiments, takes risks, and constantly looks to evolve his work. From undeniable successes to a few more uneven titles, each of his projects reveals a different facet of a filmmaker who knows how to turn fear into something more reflective. But among them all, which stands out as the best and which falls short?

12) Absentia

The beginning of it all. Absentia feels like an early sketch of the filmmaker Mike Flanagan would eventually become. It’s his first feature, made on a tiny budget, and while it’s rough around the edges, you can already see some of the key elements that would later define his work – a creepy atmosphere, emotional themes, and a focus on grief, disappearance, and the fear of the unknown. The idea is there, and it’s interesting, but the execution doesn’t quite hold up. The writing, direction, and acting are okay, but nothing really grabs you, mostly because the movie feels uneven and a bit inconsistent.

Absentia ends up being more of a curiosity than a must-watch. It’s valuable if you want to understand where Flanagan started, but compared to what came after, it feels amateur.

[RELATED: The Life of Chuck Teaser Promises Another Compelling Stephen King and Mike Flanagan Collab]

11) Before I Wake

Good idea, poor execution. Before I Wake is easily Flanagan’s most inconsistent film. The premise has a lot of potential, but the movie gets stuck trying to juggle family drama, fantasy, and horror, and ends up not fully committing to any of them. There are a few visually strong moments, but the tone is all over the place, and emotionally, it just doesn’t land. The plot feels like it’s going in circles, never really pushing any of its ideas far enough. That said, you can still sense Flanagan’s usual sensitivity trying to break through – the themes are there, even if they’re not well explored.

Before I Wake is a bit immature, but it doesn’t feel dishonest. It’s clear that there was heart behind the project, even if the result doesn’t quite come together. For anyone following Flanagan’s work, it might be worth watching just to see where he was trying to go.

10) Ouija: Origin of Evil

Flanagan took a generic bomb and managed to turn it into something decent. But that’s just it – decent. In Ouija: Origin of Evil, the ’60s aesthetic works in the film’s favor, along with some solid direction and strong performances, especially from the child actors. Still, we’re clearly in familiar territory: jump scares, haunted house tropes, and a plot that doesn’t leave much of an impression. It feels like Flanagan was playing by the studio’s rules while quietly trying to push against them. The result is a film that’s technically competent, but limited – both by its origin as a franchise sequel and by the genre formulas it never fully escapes.

Ouija: Origin of Evil is worth checking out mostly to see what Flanagan can do with weak material. He elevates a franchise that started at rock bottom, and that’s no small feat. But despite the improvements, the film still feels disposable.

9) Oculus

Oculus is where Flanagan begins to find his voice. The movie is a narrative experiment where reality and illusion blur, and horror comes from the instability of what is seen. The story is, at its core, about distorted memories and inherited guilt. And even with a limited budget, the filmmaker already shows his fixation with more fragmented narratives and pain as the driving force behind the story. On the other hand, the pacing could be better, as the execution is a little repetitive. The characters are shallow and the emotional development is weaker. The film is more interesting as a sketch of Flanagan’s style than as a complete film.

Oculus has a structure that carries the filmmaker’s ambition. But, ultimately, it’s not so memorable. It is merely revealing and an important step in his career.

8) The Midnight Club

Flanagan decided to speak to a younger audience here, and this is clear in the (relative) lightness of its tone. The Midnight Club is a pleasant series with heart, but one that never really manages to move you. The horror stories are good, but the episodic structure hinders engagement. The most beautiful thing about the series is the idea of giving a voice to those who are dying. The characters talk about fear, regret, and fantasy as a form of resistance. But it lacks depth – it lacks the weight that marks his other works. It’s good, but perhaps the most “neutral” of his filmography.

The Midnight Club has good intentions, but its execution is uneven. The drama works in part, but it still lacks a little intensity. It has potential, but not the impact that Flanagan manages to achieve in other works.

7) Doctor Sleep

Doctor Sleep has a thankless task: to be the sequel to both versions of The Shining – King’s book and Stanley Kubrick’s film. Flanagan tries to please both sides, and as a result, the movie falters at times. It’s a good and very valid attempt at conciliation, but the story alternates between introspective drama and supernatural action without balance. Yes, the direction is solid and there are some strong moments, especially with the return to the Overlook Hotel – an honest fan service. Also, it transforms Danny Torrance into a broken man trying to rebuild his life, and that alone is worth the effort. It’s an ambitious film, but you can’t always get it right.

Doctor Sleep is quite interesting as a proposal rather than as a final result. Its merit lies precisely in its sincere attempt. It’s as if the filmmaker could say that he respects the story and legacy of The Shining, but wants to tell something else.

6) Hush

Minimalist, direct, and cruel. Hush is an exercise in language, and that’s what makes it so special. Here, Flanagan delivers a work that is pure narrative control. The fact that the protagonist is deaf completely changes the rules of the game: sounds are no longer warnings, but threats. It’s a suspenseful film that never lets up, where every technical choice counts towards creating just the right amount of tension. In other words, with Hush, the director simply shows that he doesn’t need ghosts to haunt an audience. With few elements, he does it perfectly.

Very well executed, Hush is a simple story that grabs your attention. It’s not ranked as one of Flanagan’s best works because it still lacks the emotional or narrative weight of his other great productions.

5) Gerald’s Game

Few people believed that this King’s book could be turned into a good movie. But Flanagan not only proved that it was possible – he made it a statement of identity. With Gerald’s Game, he takes a simple situation and turns it into a psychological nightmare about abuse, memory, and resilience. With this film, the director grandly proves what time and practice can do to shape someone professionally. Here we see his obsession with past pain manifesting itself more clearly. It’s a movie that shows how he masters intimate horror, the kind that comes from within and not from scares.

Gerald’s Game is a difficult adaptation that worked. With few resources and a lot of creativity and courage, the viewer remains interested in the story at all times. The performances are essential, but the greatest merit lies in transforming a minimalist premise into a tense psychological study.

4) The Haunting of Bly Manor

Let’s cut to the chase: The Haunting of Bly Manor suffers from coming right after The Haunting of Hill House, because it’s not a sequel in terms of impact, only in aesthetics. But that doesn’t diminish it. If the first season was about loss and grief, this one is about love – in all its forms. It’s a more contemplative, more subtle work, and for that very reason, it’s often underrated. Flanagan takes the horror out of the picture to let the drama breathe, so the result is a story that scares less but touches more deeply. For some who are expecting something more terrifying, it’s a sure rejection, but the slow-paced narrative is intentional, which also shows a different and cool vision of Flanagan for us to watch.

More melancholic, The Haunting of Bly Manor is a sensitive story with good dialogue and a moving ending. It is highly cohesive in what it sets out to do, although not exactly the director’s most memorable project.

3) The Fall of the House of Usher

This series is a celebration of the grotesque. In The Fall of the House of Usher, Flanagan flirts with excess (and has fun doing it). It’s a story laden with brutality that, rather than metaphors, offers a raw exposure of a lineage rotten to the core, paying the price for its own mistakes. By freely adapting Edgar Allan Poe, he creates a scathing critique of capitalism, ego, and the legacy of power. There’s something cathartic about seeing the characters being swallowed up by their own corruption. The aesthetics are impeccable, the editing is sharp, and the use of literature as a basis shows a more sarcastic side of Flanagan.

With The Fall of the House of Usher, the filmmaker unabashedly shows that he can also be literary, but quite cruel when he wants to be. It’s a well-constructed and versatile series with a consistent pace and mastery, but perhaps it lacks the emotional weight that is his trademark. It’s great in execution, but more cynical than engaging.

2) The Haunting of Hill House

Mike Flanagan is now a big name, but it’s only with The Haunting of Hill House that he becomes serious business. The show redefines the use of trauma in horror, transforming a haunted house story into a fable about the weight of childhood. It’s about unresolved pain, and ghosts serve perfectly as a metaphor for everything we bury and pretend we’ve forgotten. The structure of the episodes is brilliant, precisely because it’s crafted layer by layer. Besides, the character development is very careful, and the famous Episode 6, with its almost uninterrupted sequence shot, is simply a masterclass in filmmaking.

The Haunting of Hill House is haunting, yes – but more than that, it is deeply human. And perhaps that is why it is so scary. It is a significant milestone in Flanagan’s career, because it’s basically the turning point, when it goes from being promising to becoming essential.

1) Midnight Mass

Midnight Mass is the heart of the filmmaker’s career. But it’s not just his best work – it’s his most personal, most painful, and most daring. Here, he abandons the adaptation format and delivers something entirely his own, a profound reflection on faith, addiction, regret, and, above all, the desperate need to find meaning amid chaos. There is something almost theatrical about the long monologues, but they never feel gratuitous, because each line is like a scar being opened. This is where horror ceases to be merely aesthetic and becomes existential, which places Flanagan in the position of artist and thinker. In other words: if you want to understand what drives him, this series is the key.

The horror is intimate, the characters are flawed and human, and the ending is, paradoxically, the most hopeful and tragic of all. He takes a risk and hits the mark. With tight control over the script, direction, and theme, Midnight Mass has Flanagan’s greatest emotional and philosophical density. It marks the peak of his career.

The post Every Mike Flanagan Movie & Series Ranked appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Rick And Morty’s eighth season started with a bang as the season premiere saw Morty and Summer trapped in a “Matrix-like” environment thanks to stealing their grandpa’s phone charger. While the episode to kick off season eight was one with plenty of laughs, it appears as though the second episode is planning to bring back Beth Smith’s doppelganger once again. Adult Swim might have previously shared a brief preview for the next installment, the Cartoon Network programming block has gone one better and released the full two-minute intro for Rick And Morty’s next episode.

The next episode is titled “Valkyrick” and will air on Sunday, June 1st at midnight. Not only is Space Beth making a comeback but it appears as though the Gromflomites will be returning as well. The alien bug race has had a major part in Rick And Morty since the very start of the series, routinely causing some major headaches for Rick Sanchez. In “Valkyrick,” it appears as though Space Beth will be undergoing an assassination mission to take out the Gromflomite queen. Rather than waiting for any sort of plan, the Beth of the stars immediately flies into action but gets more than she bargained for.

[RELATED: Rick and Morty Premiere Puts New Spin on Adult Morty & Summer]

The Question of Space Beth

One of the biggest questions surrounding both Beth and her doppelganger is which Beth Smith is the real Beth Smith. Space Beth first appeared in Rick And Morty’s season four finale, “Star Mort Rickturn of The Jerri,” introduced as a Beth who was far closer to her father in the technological awareness department. Ever since, Space Beth has been a regular part of the cast, appearing throughout the subsequent episodes and even having a fling with Beth herself. To this day, many wonder which Beth might be the real deal and perhaps that question will finally be answered in season eight.

Rick And Morty’s eighth season will house ten episodes in total. While there might not be previews for future installments, Adult Swim had previously released episode titles to give fans a glimpse at the animated series’ future. Here are the current episode titles for season eight.

• Summer of All Fears
• Valkyrick
• The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly
• The Last Temptation of Jerry
• Cryo Mort a Ricker
• The Curicksous Case of Bethjamin Button
• Ricker Than Fiction
• Nomortland
• Morty Daddy
• Hot Rick

As of the writing of this article, Rick And Morty has been renewed all the way up until season twelve, meaning that the Smith family isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. While Justin Roiland might have departed the series, his voices have since been recast and co-creator Dan Harmon and showrunner Scott Marder are sticking with the Adult Swim series.

Want to see what the future holds for Adult Swim’s biggest original series? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Rick And Morty and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Rick And Morty Season 8 Shares New Lore-Building Opening For Episode 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

There are several games known to be coming to and launching with the Nintendo Switch 2, but it appears another has been leaked by GameStop. This isn’t the first time GameStop has leaked a game for the upcoming console, and it may not be the last. According to a new listing on GameStop’s website, Nintendo fans can expect Crimson Desert to release on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Crimson Desert is an upcoming ambitious and beautiful action RPG by developer Pearl Abyss, the team behind Black Desert Online. The game was previously confirmed for nearly every console but the Nintendo Switch 2, including the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. It also shifted from an MMORPG to a single-player title.

RELATED: GameStop Investigating Stores for Shady Nintendo Switch 2 Pre-Order Tactics

No release date has been shared for Crimson Desert, and this leak from GameStop sadly does not include this information, only the words ‘Coming Soon.’ The game is expected to be released in late 2025, but it seems highly unlikely it will be ready for the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5th. Still, the fact that Pearl Abyss supposedly the game running on the hybrid console has fans excited.

Some fans have their doubts about Crimson Desert on the Nintendo Switch 2 due to the sheer scale of the game. It features an open world with robust combat and stunning graphics. Its first trailer captured gamers’ attention, with many calling it Korean The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, especially after the shot where the protagonist dives off a mountain toward the ground below.

The expectation now is that the game will be seen at the next Nintendo Direct or Summer Game Fest where Pearl Abyss will finally reveal a release date. Until that time, fans are left speculating and anticipating what may be one of the biggest games of 2025.

The post GameStop Leak Reveals Another New Nintendo Switch 2 Game appeared first on ComicBook.com.

During their livestream on May 29th, Hasbro finally took the wraps off the first wave of Marvel Legends figures inspired by Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Figures of Marvel’s Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Thing, Human Torch and Silver Surfer will debut on May 30th. That’s certainly interesting, but the big reveal for many will be the huge lineup of Gamerverse figures that are expected to launch in June and July. They aren’t explicitly based on Marvel vs Capcom video games, but the inspiration is clearly there. There’s Wolverine Vs Marvel’s Silver Samurai, Psylocke Vs. Thanos Gargantos, Juggernaut, and more! Here’s everything you need to know.

Below you’ll find a breakdown of the Fantastic Four: First Steps and Gamerverse figures in the order of their pre-order release. Look for these figures to be available here at Entertainment Earth and here on Amazon after the launch times unless otherwise indicated (there are a few retailer exclusives). Direct links will be added after the figures go live.

Marvel Legends Fantastic Four: First Steps Figures

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES MISTER FANTASTIC / $TBA / May 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / See at Entertainment Earth and Amazon / Reed Richards is the Fantastic Four’s patriarch and a scientific genius with the superhuman ability to bend, stretch, and extend his body parts across far distances. This collectible 6-inch scale figure is detailed to look like the character’s appearance in THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, features premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs, and comes with 4 accessories, including alternate regular hands and extra-long “stretched” arms and hands.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES JOHNNY STORM / $TBA / May 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / See at Entertainment Earth and Amazon / Johnny Storm is the most popular member of the Fantastic Four, known for his fiery attitude and charming personality. This collectible 6-inch scale figure is detailed to look like the character’s appearance in THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, features premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs, and comes with 4 accessories, including alternate hands and attachable flame FX.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES MARVEL’S INVISIBLE WOMAN / $TBA / May 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / See at Entertainment Earth and Amazon / Sue Storm is a fierce protector of her family and friends, possessing the superhuman ability to turn invisible. This collectible 6-inch scale figure is detailed to look like the character’s appearance in THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, features premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs, and comes with 3 accessories, including alternate hands and an attachable shield FX piece.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES MARVEL’S THE THING / $TBA / May 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / See at Entertainment Earth and Amazon / With a body made of nearly indestructible rock, Ben Grimm is a formidable member of the Fantastic Four, possessing impressive super-strength. This collectible 6-inch scale figure is detailed to look like the character’s appearance in THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, features premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs, and comes with 2 alternate hand accessories.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES HUMAN TORCH / $TBA / May 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / See at Entertainment Earth and Amazon / The Human Torch can burst into flames, fly, and absorb explosions. This collectible 6-inch scale figure is detailed to look like the character’s appearance in THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, features premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs, and comes with 2 alternate hand accessories.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES SILVER SURFER / $TBA / May 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / See at Entertainment Earth and Amazon / The Silver Surfer travels across the universe on her surfboard, imbued with super-speed and strength. This collectible 6-inch scale figure is detailed to look like the character’s appearance in THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS, features premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs, and comes with 5 accessories, including alternate hands, and a surfboard with stand.

Marvel Legends Gamerverse Releases (June / July 2025)

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES GAMERVERSE WOLVERINE VS MARVEL’S SILVER SAMURAI / $TBA / June 5, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / See at Entertainment Earth and Amazon / The mutant Wolverine unleashes his adamantium claws against martial arts master and foe to the X-Men, Silver Samurai. These collectible 6-inch scale figures are inspired by the characters’ appearance in classic Marvel video games, are fully articulated with premium design and poseable heads, arms, and legs, and come with 11 accessories, including character-inspired power FX pieces and display stands.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES GAMERVERSE PSYLOCKE VS. THANOS / $TBA / June 6, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / Target.com (exclusive) / Armed with her psychic blades, the telepathic mutant Psylocke battles the mad titan Thanos. Comes with 9 accessories, including attachable power FX pieces for Psylocke and alternate hands for both figures.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES GAMERVERSE CAPTAIN AMERICA VS VENOM / $TBA / June 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / See at Entertainment Earth and Amazon / The patriotic Super Soldier Captain America faces off against Venom and his alien symbiote powers. Comes with 8 accessories, including an alternate head, alternate hands, and a shield power FX piece.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES GAMERVERSE GARGANTOS / $TBA / June 18, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / See at Entertainment Earth and Amazon / A giant cephalopod monster with tentacles, Gargantos brings his enormous size and strength into battle. Comes with 1 figure (7 unassembled pieces) and 1 eyeball accessory.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES GAMERVERSE MARVEL’S JUGGERNAUT / $TBA / June 26, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET / See at Entertainment Earth and Amazon / Cain Marko is the unstoppable Juggernaut, possessing superhuman strength and extreme durability. Comes with 3 accessories, including a set of alternate hands and a power FX piece.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES GAMERVERSE MARVEL’S WAR MACHINE VS MARVEL’S OMEGA RED / $TBA / July 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM ET / Walmart.com (exclusive) / James “Rhodey” Rhodes suits up as War Machine, going head-to-head against Omega Red and his weaponized cybernetic tentacles. Comes with 11 accessories, including attachable tentacle weapons for Omega Red and alternate hands for both figures.

The post Marvel Legends Capcom-Style Gamerverse and Fantastic Four Figure Pre-Order Details appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill can be seen in their pre-DC superhero roles in some new fan art for Avengers: Secret Wars, and fans would doubtlessly be thrilled to see them in the actual film. The new fan art was shared to Instagram by Arifinity, and also includes an added credit of “Concept inspired by @thegloriouspictures,” with the art showing Affleck and Cavill in their respective Marvel roles of Daredevil and Wolverine. Prior to his debut as the Dark Knight in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Ben Affleck made his comic book movie debut in 2003’s Daredevil, portraying the blind lawyer Matt Murdock who leads a double life as the masked vigilante Daredevil. Cavill, meanwhile, first established himself as Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel, and later jumped into the Marvel sphere with a surprise cameo as “the Cavillrine” in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, paying off years of online fan casting and art of Cavill succeeding Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.

The fan art of Affleck and Cavill as Daredevil and Wolverine can be seen below.

While Cavill’s Wolverine cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine is more of a fun Easter egg than a proper performance in the role, Affleck’s Daredevil performance had bigger ramifications for his career in superhero movies. Following the release of Daredevil (and Affleck’s deleted return cameo as Matt Murdock in the 2005 spin-off Elektra), he expressed significant dissatisfaction with the finished film, which led him to declare that his superhero days were over. Of course, that changed with Affleck donning Batman’s cowl in the DCEU.

RELATED: One Deadpool & Wolverine Moment Made Henry Cavill Sick

Based upon the eponymous 2015 Marvel Comics story, Avengers: Secret Wars is set to be the culmination of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, bringing past and current MCU stars into a crossover with many stars of pre-MCU Marvel Comics-based movies. Confirmed returns of the latter include numerous cast members of the Fox X-Men movies, including Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler, Rebecca Romijn’s Mystique, Kelsey Grammer’s Beast, James Marsden’s Cyclops, Sir Ian McKellan’s Magneto, and Sir Patrick Stewart’s Professor Charles Xavier. At writing, there’s no word yet on whether Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine will make his second MCU appearance after Deadpool & Wolverine in Secret Wars, or whether Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parkers will web-sling into the multiverse adventure after their much-applauded returns in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, both seem like good bets to see among the vast ensemble of the cast of Avengers: Secret Wars.

While a return of the Cavillrine in Secret Wars would be relatively easy to facilitate, the brevity of Cavill’s appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine also means that fans probably shouldn’t expect it to be much more than another quick cameo if it were to happen. The return of Affleck’s Daredevil, by contrast, is more complicated. As seen in Deadpool & Wolverine, Affleck’s Daredevil is stated to have been killed by the villainous Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) in the multiversal dumping ground of the Void (though Affleck’s Daredevil was on the list of possible cameos for the movie).

Of course, Daredevil’s demise is nothing to a little sci-fi writing couldn’t undo to bring him back into action for Secret Wars. Ultimately, fan art like the rendering of Affleck’s Daredevil and Cavill’s Wolverine often gives fans a fun glimpse into exciting “What If?” scenarios. In this case, the question of “What if Ben Affleck’s Daredevil and Henry Cavill’s Wolverine returned in Avengers: Secret Wars?” is one so intriguing, it’s hard not to hope it ends up happening.

Avengers: Secret Wars will be released in theaters on December 17th, 2027.

The post Ben Affleck’s Daredevil, Henry Cavill’s Wolverine Return in Avengers: Secret Wars Fan Art (& We Need It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

To Your Eternity is about to come back for its third season, which will be a massive shift in tone and environment, and a much-needed change of pace to hook people back in again. A new trailer as well as information on the project such as cast and staff, has been revealed, and the season is looking very strong and will hopefully deliver on the series’ most anticipated and popular arc.

As confirmed by the official X (formerly Twitter) account and website of To Your Eternity revealed season 3’s first trailer, showing the main character, Fushi, coming back from the dead and being confronted with a new world and exploring modern society. The season is set to be released this October, joining the jam-packed lineup of 2025’s fall anime, and will be streaming on Crunchyroll like the previous seasons have. With a completely new arc that takes in a different timeline, To Your Eternity season 3 has all the ingredients to come back to the spotlight again and show why it’s such a gripping tale.

RELATED: 10 Best Sad Anime That Break Viewer’s Hearts Every Time

To Your Eternity‘s New Season Will Be A Huge Flashforward

The arc the season will cover is the New World Arc, which is set in the Second Act of the story. Covering chapters 117 to 129.2, the episode count be 12-13, or a single cour. However, the season could also go further than this arc and adapt the Mimori arc as well, which would make a 2-cour 23-episode season possible, just like the past two seasons were structured.

Five centuries later, Fushi the Immortal adjusts to modern technology alongside revived lifelong friends. He meets new allies and foes, including Mizuha, her controlling mother Izumi, and Satoru—the human form of the Beholder. Complications arise when the Nokkers return, claiming they now seek peace with humanity, casting doubt on their true intentions and stirring conflict.

As expected from the anime, the visuals and soundtracks are as gorgeous as ever, probably even more so this season. Another exciting thing about this season is that the creator, Yoshitoki Oima (who also created A Silent Voice), will be personally more involved with the anime than in previous seasons, so fans should expect more original scenes and a more polished storyline in the anime. To Your Eternity might have lost popularity in the past few years, especially compared to its perfect first season, but hopefully, this season will rejuvenate the interest as it gears up to adapt a popular arc.

The post To Your Eternity’s Season 3 Return Drops New Trailer: Watch appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Before Ryan Reynolds starred as the motor-mouthed mercenary in 2016’s Deadpool, the Van Wilder actor had multiple comic book-based bombs under his utility belt. Reynolds starred opposite Wesley Snipes as vampire hunter Hannibal King in 2004’s Blade: Trinity, battled Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine as the mouthless Wade Wilson/Weapon XI in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and most infamously, wielded the power ring of DC superhero Hal Jordan in the 2011 commercial and critical flop Green Lantern.

But in between Green Lantern and the hilarious smash hit Deadpool is a little-remembered misfire: 2013’s R.I.P.D, based on Peter M. Lenkov’s 1999 Dark Horse comic book series of the same name.

RELATED: Marvel Star Ryan Reynolds Reveals He Considered Killing Off Deadpool in Deadpool & Wolverine

The four-issue series follows Detective Nick Cruz, who is gunned down in the line of duty and joins the soon-retiring Sheriff Roy Powell in the afterlife’s R.I.P.D.: the Rest In Peace Department. Patrolling the dead beat as God’s police force, Cruz and Powell’s first case is to track down Cruz’s killer just as demons Snuff and Speck escape Pandemonium — the capital city of Hell — and wreak havoc on Earth in search of archangel Michael’s Satan-slaying sword.

If you’re looking to revisit R.I.P.D., the movie is now available to stream with an Amazon Prime Video subscription. (Other Ryan Reynolds movies currently streaming on Prime are Safe House, The Hitman’s Bodyguard and The Hitman’s Bodyguard’s Wife, IF, and thrillers Safe House and Buried.) Reynolds and Bridges lead a cast that also includes Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds), Stephanie Szostak (Iron Man 3), and Robert Knepper (Prison Break) with James Hong (Everything Everywhere All at Once) and Kevin Bacon (X-Men: First Class).

Directed by Robert Schwentke (Red), the supernatural action-comedy pairs Boston Det. Nick Walker (Reynolds) with Old West lawman Roicephus “Roy” Pulsipher (Jeff Bridges), both murdered by their former partners. Rather than take his chance with Judgement, Walker agrees to join the R.I.P.D. and find “Deados”: dead people that have escaped Judgement. When they uncover a plot that could end life as we know it, the new partners have to turn grudging respect into top-notch teamwork to restore the cosmic balance — or watch the tunnel to the afterlife begin sending angry souls the wrong way.

R.I.P.D. was panned by critics and audiences alike with a grave C+ CinemaScore. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, R.I.P.D. was D.O.A. with 13%, below Blade: Trinity‘s 24%, X-Men Origins: Wolverine‘s 37%, and Green Lantern‘s 25% approval from critics. The consensus, that the movie is a lifeless mishmash of Men In Black and Ghostbusters, contributed to R.I.P.D. bombing at the box office in July 2013. It grossed just $78.3 million at the global box office against a reported budget of $154 million.

The post You Can Now Stream Ryan Reynolds’ Worst Comic Book Movie (& It Isn’t Green Lantern) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WARNING: Spoilers for Smile and Smile 2 ahead.

The Smile franchise has quickly become one of the latest horror franchises to find success, grow legs, and terrify audiences in recent years. It spawned a sequel, released in 2024, that helped plant seeds for the future third entry in the franchise. It’ll also raised the stakes from one victim to many by exponentially upping the number of witnesses to the final murder, putting more people at risk than we’ve seen in either movie up to this point. Does this indicate a skyrocketing body count? A possible panic in the streets? Or is it an open door full of failure by the minds behind the franchise? While difficult to broach, we’ve seen this type of plot change sink many a horror movie in previous years. Some of these horror projects went from the great to the disappointing very quickly, and we’re hoping Smile doesn’t follow suit.

The ending of Smile 2 sees the main heroine, pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), take the stage for her big show at the Herald Square Garden and is soon left horrified after realizing the events of her day were an illusion created by the Smile entity (or “Smiler”) that has tormented victims in both films. In front of the massive crowd, she ends up confronted by the monster and gets possessed. After a few beats, she turns, smiling at the audience, and brutally stabs herself in the eye with her microphone.

It’s not only a far more brutal demise than Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) got in the first movie, but also dooms everyone watching Skye’s concert during the slaying.

In Good Company

Smile is right at home with similar movies released in the past decade. It Follows creates a similar tone for its story, where an unknown creature steadily follows its cursed victim until they are dead. Other similar films include Truth or Dare in 2018 and The Ring in 2002, adapting the original Japanese films and books. Both movies feature a seemingly invincible supernatural force that moves to kill its victim within a time frame. The Smile Entity acts as a parasite, wearing its victims down and feeding on them before moving to the next victim, similar to The Ring‘s Samara Morgan, who kills her victims 7 days after viewing her cursed video cassette. The only way to avoid your fate is to copy and show the videotape to someone else.

[RELATED – 7 Movies to Watch After Smile 2]

The Ring‘s third installment in 2017 is where fans of Smile seriously should take note. Much like Smile 2, Rings takes the rules set in the original film and expands them to affect a larger group of victims. In Rings, the cursed video from the original story ends up going viral and spreads through email. A similar thing happened in Truth or Dare back in 2018, where Lucy Hale’s Olivia uploads a video extending her game to everybody online and thus buying her more time to survive.

Smile 3 Needs to Pay Attention to Failed Franchises

With an entire crowd of victims created in Smile 2, any potential third entry will have to navigate these waters while keeping its predecessors in mind. Both Rings and Truth or Dare suffered critically and financially, crafting open-ended finales that played on the possibility of a sequel. Critics slammed Blumhouse Productions, calling it a “backwards stumble” for the company on the heels of Get Out or Happy Death Day. But Rings seemed to be hit harder by criticism, with only an 8% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Some called it a “botch job” and complained it rehashed old plot points while undermining the mythology established in the original films.

Both films felt flat and seemingly dashed any hopes for a sequel, unless you want to think about Fantasy Island as a pseudo-Truth or Dare sequel. Most won’t go for that, so the pressure is on for the filmmakers behind Smile to either hit the landing with its plot, taking the larger group of victims and using it to grow the franchise, instead of rehashing the first two films.

This extends to the promotion of the film, which also represents a stumble for Rings after the trailer gave away its big plot twist at the end of the film. It’s a road map for what to avoid when you’re making a new horror franchise; raising the stakes and lifting the bar for a sequel warrants a lot of care and attention, with fans always frothing at the mouth and waiting to unload if they’re left unhappy.

What Can Fans Expect From Smile 3?

Smile and Smile 2 director Parker Finn seems aware of this and revealed he has already started to work on the third entry, revealing the depth he seems willing to take the franchise.

“There was information I had for myself that wasn’t expressed in the first film that I took the opportunity to bring into the new one, so what Smile 2 is doing is showing us new things,” Finn told SFX Magazine. “We felt like we’d uncovered the mystery in the first one, but we’ve maybe only scooped a single glass of water out of the ocean.”

Finn also echoed this during a chat with Collider on a potential third movie.

“I think there are a lot of interesting roads that any future Smile could go down. For me, I love all the stuff that goes bump in the night, and all the really frightening things of the big concept of Smile and the Smiler,” Finn told the outlet. “But really, for me, Smile is a vehicle to tell really intense and hopefully thoughtful character stories, and so I’d wanna make sure, regardless of if more than one person might have it, that we still find a way to really invest intimacy into the storytelling. That’s super important to me. But I think there are some really interesting tricks still up the sleeves of Smile.”

So it is safe to say that Smile 3 has a long road to travel before it earns the same praise as its predecessors. Fans are sure to flock to see the film when it is finally released, but its success and future rely on avoiding the pitfalls of the past.

Smile 2 and the original film are available to stream on Paramount+, with the original film still holding a 79 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the sequel improving on that, with critics calling it a success and praising star Naomi Scott. But the sins of those past films that earned comparisons, and the responses from some critics who felt the sequel closed the door on the franchise perfectly.

Will Smile 3 be a success, or is it destined to fall flat like Rings and other similar projects? Should the Smile franchise make a jump to a weekly TV format? Let us know in the comments.

The post Could Smile 3 Make Similar Mistakes as Another “Cursed” Horror Franchise? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is now in its second story arc, and while it has been intense so far with shocking reveals, great fights, and character moments, there are even more amazing moments to look forward to. The first part of the story has laid the groundwork for everything, and the timeskip has been in full gear to deliver all the interesting plot points that it meticulously set up, and these are the biggest ones to look forward to.

Three years after being branded a traitor due to Eida’s reality-warping powers, Boruto Uzumaki returns dramatically during Code’s attack on Konoha. He successfully thwarts the immediate threat but reveals a deeper mission. Boruto is focused on preventing a far greater catastrophe looming over the entire world, indicating his goals go well beyond defending his village. His reappearance marks the beginning of a larger battle, as he takes on a powerful enemy to protect everything he holds dear.

1) Naruto And Sasuke Could Return

This plot point is still up in the air as to whether it could happen, but nonetheless, there is still a possibility that the duo will be integrated back into the story. It would be interesting to see how they would contribute to the narrative, given how they have lost their most powerful abilities, and how strong the current villains are. Whichever direction the creators decide to go about it, fans can only hope the faces of the franchise come back sooner or later.

2) Momoshiki Is Still A Wild Card

The first villain of the story is as relevant and menacing as ever, but no one knows where the story is taking him or what he is going to do. However, one thing is for certain: Momoshiki is definitely plotting something, and this makes the protagonist uneasy, especially given how powerful Boruto has become and how much damage Momoshiki could cause if he were to take over.

3) Kurama’s Revival Is Yet To Be Fully Explained

With the reveal of Kurama’s revival inside Himawari, one of the series’ biggest plot twists thrusts the young Uzumaki into the spotlight. While it is exciting, how Kurama came back is yet to be explained. There are main theories that hold weight, but the series still needs to address this and fully reveal the reason why. This has the potential to be a great addition to the Tailed Beast lore.

RELATED: Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Unleashes the Greatest Sharingan Power Since Naruto

4) Kakashi’s First Appearance Will Be Massive

While the story focuses on the next generation of the verse and has sidelined most characters Naruto fans grew up with, the series still needs to answer the question of Kakashi’s disappearance, especially after Naruto and Sasuke were written out of the story. With Konoha in turmoil and a lack of a powerful leader, there is no better time than now for the Sixth Hokage to come out of retirement and make his first appearance in the story. Fortunately, Ikemoto alluded to his return in an interview years ago, so there is plenty of hope that he will come back sooner or later.

5) Amado Is Still Shrouded In Mystery

The laid-back and reserved scientist might be friendly with Konoha at the moment, but there is no doubt that he is the most secretive character in the series. While it has been recently revealed how he plans to revive his daughter using Kawaki’s Karma, there is much more that he is still hiding. Furthermore, there is a possibility that he will be one of the series’ endgame villains, as his knowledge and goals could put him head-to-head against the heroes.

6) Who Destroyed Konoha?

The opening scene of the series was a flashforward that showed a destroyed Konoha, and an adult Boruto and Kawaki fighting on top of the Hokage statues. While it was initially assumed that Kawaki was behind the carnage, there is no telling anymore who destroyed the village, as there are now multiple characters who could have done it, such as Code, Momoshiki, and Kawaki.

7) Boruto and Kawaki’s Final Fight

While the series is currently very interesting, if there is one thing fans want to see the most, it is the long-awaited battle between Kawaki and Boruto, as well as the circumstances that led up to it. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that is one of the main hooks of the series, and the way Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is setting it all up is very good. With Kawaki recently receiving a power boost, the two are finally equal and some of the strongest characters in the series. How the series will reach this fight and conclude it will be some of the most interesting in the entire franchise.

What are you looking forward to seeing the most with new chapters of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex and the anime’s return? Do you want to see Boruto and his allies cross over into other shinobi countries, or the return of more underrated characters? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 7 Most Anticipated Moments In Boruto: Two Blue Vortex appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has maintained its fan base in part because the game just keeps getting better. Though it had some technical issues at lunach, Stalker 2 has seen several updates to help iron out bugs and add new features. Earlier this month, Stalker 2 got a massive overhaul that adjusted its combat NPC and balance in a big way. Now, developer GSC Game World continues to refine and adjust Stalker 2 with the latest update, Version 1.4.2. This smaller update nevertheless packs in some important bug fixes and more.

Following the overhaul in update 1.4, Stalker 2 has already seen one adjustment patch aimed at smoothing things out. That 1.4.1 Hotfix, which deployed just a few days after 1.4, mainly focused on resolving critical errors causing crashes. Now, update 1.4.2 is refining the gameplay overhaul even more with additional balance tweaks and bug fixes.

The biggest highlight for today’s Stalker 2 update is another balance change, lowering the armor-piercing multiplier for 9×18 ammo. However, gamers won’t be mad at the list of bug fixes, either. Camera movement sensitivity issues have been resolved and mutants should stop randomly twitching erratically during investigations. Minor though it will be, update 1.4.2 will improve the Stalker 2 gameplay experience.

Patch Notes for Stalker 2 Update 1.4.2

RELATED: Stalker 2 Players in Love With Incredibly Small Detail in the Game

For the full list of changes arriving in today’s Stalker 2 update, check out the patch notes below as shared via Steam:

• Balance changes: lowered armor piercing multiplier for 9×18 ammo.
• Fixed an issue where camera movement sensitivity was too low on low framerate when using gamepads as input devices.
• Fixed an issue where mutants were shaking and twitching erratically when investigating a threat.
• Fixed an issue where consumable items were duplicated in quick slots, and appeared as available, despite not being present in Player’s inventory.
• Fixed an issue where radio call with Strelok was not triggered and next objective didn’t trigger if Player hadn’t killed all Wardens at TCS location during Dangerous Liaisons mission.
• Fixed an issue where Scar could get stuck playing confused animation after killing him during bossfight in The Last Step mission.
• Fixed an issue where Sanya Ocheret could start a combat with stalkers in his squad during The Boundary mission.
• Fixed an issue where doors to Duga’s underground tunnel and Location D could be locked on user saves during Once More Unto The Breach mission.

Stalker 2: Heart of Choronyl Patch 1.4.2 is available now, May 29th, for Stalker 2 on Windows and Xbox Series X|S.

The post Stalker 2 Gets Update 1.4.2 and a New Set of Patch Notes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

As if Severance wasn’t already complicated and mysterious enough, the team behind the hit series is exploring two ideas for spinoff shows. Ben Stiller revealed this himself in an interview with Variety on Thursday, alongside fellow producer and series star Adam Scott. He definitely shared this news on purpose, but he was guarded, and shared no further details or hints. Stiller helped develop the show from the beginning with creator and showrunner Dan Erickson, and has directed 11 out of its 19 episodes himself. He’s still keeping plenty of secrets on behalf of Lumon Industries, but he gave us this tidbit to ponder.

“There are two specific ideas — that I won’t tell you — that we’ve talked about internally as possible spinoff ideas,” Stiller said when the topic of franchise expansion as broached. It sounds like these are ideas in their earliest stages, and they may not even have been pitched to Apple TV+ yet. When asked where they were in the creative process, Still said, “They are nascent.”

Stiller and Scott were equally tight-lipped about the future of the main series. Asked how far along Season 3 is, Still replied, “I don’t want to talk about where we’re at in our process.” He also declined to comment on the total number of seasons he expects for the show, or the fates of particular characters.

[RELATED: 5 Great Severance Moments Unlike Anything Else on TV]

One hypothetical both were happy to comment on was the idea of Severance in other forms of media. Both imagined that the setting would be interesting for video games, with Scott remarking, “I think it lends itself to one.” They also hoped to see more merchandising for the show, particularly Lumon Industries office supplies. They imagined these could take on the hyper-specific look and feel of the cult-like company, becoming “bespoke.”

It’s hard to speculate about what a Severance spinoff would be about without also leaning on fan theories. The show has intentionally kept viewers in the dark about many key aspects of its setting and core premise, from the prevalence of Severance at other offices around the world to the cult-like communities that surround Lumon. The show could take us to other places and follow brand new characters going through this process, but it seems to be concentrated in the town of Kier for a reason. Any other Severed workplace would be further away from the Eagan family’s headquarters.

Any progress on these spinoffs will likely be as slow and methodical as the work on the main series itself. Severance Season 3 is in the works now, but there’s no word on when we might see it. The first two seasons are streaming now on Apple TV+.

The post Ben Stiller Teases Severance Team Are Considering Two Spinoff TV Shows appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps star Ralph Ineson opens up about playing Galactus in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and explains why he believes the antagonist isn’t “evil.” Speaking with Empire ahead of the film’s release this summer, the actor discussed his experience bringing the character to life, detailing his preparation process for portraying the role. While Galactus is definitely an opposing force to Marvel’s First Family in the movie, threatening to destroy Earth, it doesn’t necessarily mean he has malicious intent. Like any good actor behind a compelling villain, Ineson doesn’t think his Galactus is nefarious.

“He’s a cosmic force. He’s a god, of sorts,” Ineson said, describing Galactus in the film. “I don’t think Galactus is evil.”

The Fantastic Four: First Steps marks the first time Galactus has been depicted in a live-action film since 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The version seen in that movie was heavily criticized, as Galactus was depicted as a cloud. As seen in First Steps marketing materials, the MCU’s take on Galactus will be comics-accurate. Trailers have teased the character’s massive scale and imposing figure.

[RELATED – The Fantastic Four: First Steps Is More Important for the MCU Than You Realize]

In the comics, Galactus was notable because the character broke established trends for villains in superhero stories. Rather than being an evildoer hellbent on world domination or conquering the universe, Galactus consumes planets so he can live. If he stops devouring worlds, he’ll cease to exist, so he does what he does in order to survive.

Specific story details about Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps have largely been kept under wraps during the promotional campaign. All that’s really been revealed is the fact he has marked Earth as his next target. If the film follows the source material, one can see how Ineson doesn’t see Galactus as “evil.” Like anyone else, he’s just trying to live. There’s potential here for a very compelling portrayal of the villain, who is widely considered to be one of the best Marvel characters. Perhaps First Steps‘ take on Galactus could paint the character as a tragic figure, cursed by his perpetual hunger for planets. It would be fascinating if Galactus was torn and conflicted about things, understanding his actions are fueled by an unfortunate necessity.

If Marvel Studios delivers on this promise, Galactus could emerge as one of the most captivating villains in all of the MCU. The franchise’s best antagonists are ones that are well-rounded, relatable characters who aren’t just mustache-twirling evildoers out for power. Marvel has arguably struggled in the villain department during Phases 4 and 5 by attempting to craft sympathetic figures as foils for the heroes, but this is an instance where that approach could pay off. Obviously, Galactus is someone who needs to be stopped, but the character is so much more than a world-consuming monster. First Steps can demonstrate that in a way that hasn’t been on screen before.

The post MCU Galactus Star Thinks the Planet-Eater Isn’t “Evil” (& He May Be Right) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Though Wednesday Addams isn’t one for big displays of emotion, Wednesday‘s horror fans can rejoice! In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, show creators Al Gough and Miles Millar teased what’s to come in the new season of the hit Netflix show, which premieres this August. Their big promise? Wednesday will be going even darker and lean more into the horror aspect of the show’s horror-comedy tone. While Millar and Gough are well aware of Wednesday‘s broad, family audience appeal, the show’s second season will push the envelope with its fear factor. The upped horror element reflects the creator’s wish to up the stakes and sense of danger in the world of Wednesday.

“There’s some moments which are definitely horror movie-worthy,” Millar teased. “We have that in Season 1, but I think this season there are moments that are very intense, I’ll say.” Wednesday Season 1 had its fair share of bite, Gough and Millar are doubling down to bring horror fans a more scream-worthy Season 2 as they evolve the show.

Gough and Millar Promise More Frights in Wednesday Season 2

In addition to more straight “horror” moments in Season 2, Gough and Millar teased more of everything that made Wednesday such a hit when it debuted in November 2022 on Netflix.

“We certainly set out to really stretch ourselves and stretch what the show could do and see where our characters could go,” Millar said. “The last thing you want is people to be disappointed having waited for so long. We really want to ensure that the show is loaded with surprises and comedy and action, and that they see the characters they love, but also introduce new ones.”

We’re not sure yet exactly how these new characters — played by Steve Buscemi, Thandiwe Newton, Haley Joel Osment, Heather Matarazzo, Billie Piper, and star of the 1991 The Addams Family, Christopher Lloyd — will factor into Season 2’s heightened horror. However, they are all no strangers to the genre.

RELATED: Wednesday Season 2 Sneak Peek Brings the Addams Family to Nevermore

Jenna Ortega is set to return in her star-making role as Wednesday Addams, but this time, she won’t be the only Addams at Nevermore Academy. Her younger brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) will enroll at the school. Wednesday’s parents, and Gomez (Luis Guzmán) and Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) also find themselves sticking around campus, yet we’re not sure why yet. Even Wednesday’s Grandmama (Joanna Lumley) will be making an appearance on the show’s second season.

Wednesday Not to Leave Its Beloved Horror-Comedy Tone Totally Behind

Fans of horror may be chomping at the bit for Wednesday‘s darker tone, it won’t all be doom and gloom. The series’ juxtaposition between horror and levity, all set against a compelling mystery, is what made the show a smash for Netflix. Gough and Millar claim to have not lost sight of that.

“Season 2 definitely has some moments which are more straightforward horror, and we’re very aware that the show is watched by everybody in terms of the age groups,” Millar said. “So we want to make sure that it’s never torture porn, but that there’s enough bite to it that it feels that there are real stakes and that people die in this world, and it’s scary at moments. And I think that’s the great tonal shift that the show makes between comedy and horror.”

The bar is undoubtedly high among both horror fans and family viewers for Wednesday‘s second season. The series distinguished itself by leaning more toward horror and mystery rather than humor and camp from previous incarnations of The Addams Family. Even so, it seems no matter how scary Season 2 of Wednesday might get, Gough and Millar will be ready to counterbalance with levity at a moment’s notice to make for another hit season of television.

Wednesday Season 2 premieres with Part 1 on August 6th and Part 2 on September 3rd on Netflix.

The post Wednesday Showrunners Tease Big Season 2 Change (& Horror Fans Will Be Excited) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

PlayStation Plus subscribers are finding themselves incredibly frustrated by a new promotion that Sony has pushed live this week. On an annual basis, PlayStation kicks off its “Days of Play” promo to begin each summer. This offer not only brings big discounts to a variety of PlayStation games, but it also is one of the few times each year that PS Plus is available to purchase at a lower cost. Unfortunately, due to the stipulations that Sony has put in place with this PS Plus sale, many active subscribers are saying that they might now end their subscriptions altogether.

Over on Reddit, a number of PS Plus users began airing their annoyance with how Days of Play is structured. While PS Plus is cheaper than normal from now until June 11th, this offer is one that is only extended to those who aren’t currently subbed to the PlayStation membership. This means that active PS Plus subscribers don’t get any discounts at all unless they upgrade to the more costly PlayStation Plus Extra or PlayStation Plus Premium.

This move is one that many feel is odd, as Sony should want to reward its most hardcore PlayStation users who actively stay subscribed to PS Plus. Instead, by only making this discount available to new members, it has discouraged those who have been loyal to PlayStation and PS Plus over the years.

“I really despise their strategy of not allowing current subscribers [to buy] one year’s subscription during the discount,” said clydethepotatortoise. “I know it’s not new, but it still makes me bitter that they blatantly just say f**k you to their playerbase like this.”

Others mentioned that because Sony previously extended PS Plus subscriptions for all members as a result of the PSN outage earlier in 2025, it has now resulted in some seeing their membership extend past this Days of Play window. As such, they now can’t re-up their PS Plus subscription for the next year due to an issue that was completely out of their control.

“Gotta love that because they added five days extra to my subscription because of the outages, I can’t get the discount for the next sub,” noted u/Banksyyy_. “Looks like I’m waiting until the next one then.

Related: PlayStation Plus Free Games for June 2025 Revealed

“So, because of an 11-day difference I can’t get a sub with discount?” questioned u/OfficialShaki123. “Well Sony, that makes the decision even more easy: no more subscription.”

Again, these rules for Days of Play in 2025 aren’t necessarily new, as Sony has had these same restrictions in place for multiple years when it comes to buying PS Plus at a lower price. Still, if Sony wants Days of Play to feel like an event that truly celebrates PlayStation and its fanbase, perhaps it should reconsider how this sale works when it comes around again in 2026.

The post PS Plus Members Angered by New Sony Promo: “No More Subscription” appeared first on ComicBook.com.