The penultimate episode of Star Wars: The Acolyte's first season was released on Disney+ Tuesday night, and many of the big questions about the show's flashback timeline were finally answered. The third episode of the series was set entirely in the past, telling some of the story of the night on Brendok when the Jedi came for Osha and Mae and their entire coven ended up dead. This week's episode offered another account of those same events, revealing the full picture and delivering a big character twist heading into the Season 1 finale. WARNING: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for The Acolyte! Continue reading at your own risk...

Back in the third episode of The Acolyte, there was a scene that featured both Osha and Mae on either side of a collapsing bridge, with Sol on a nearby platform trying to save them. Mae's side of the bridge collapsed, but Sol was able to reach out and save Osha from the same fall (though Mae ultimately survived). In Tuesday's new episode of the series, another perspective on the same sequence painted the events in a different light.

In the penultimate episode, we learned that Sol was actually trying to save both of the twins, using his Force powers to hold up each side of the bridge. But it was clear that he wasn't going to be able to keep that up for very long, potentially risking the lives of both girls. So Sol intentionally let Mae fall, seemingly to her death, so he could save Osha.

Sol had already seen the differing attitudes from the twins when it came to the Jedi and their ways. Osha wanted to be a Jedi, while Mae rebuked them. Sol made a decision to save the one sister who wanted to go about exploring her powers "the right way," in his eyes.

What makes that twist even more impactful is remembering that Osha, his former Padawan, is no longer the sister he's with. Mae took Osha's place on the trip back to Coruscant, which means she's learning the entire truth about Sol's decision to let her die. Of course, Sol already knows he's speaking to Mae, so his honesty might end up winning her over by the time the season wraps up.

Set during The High Republic, Star Wars: The Acolyte delivers an investigation into a mysterious string of crimes, which pits a Jedi master against his former apprentice in a race to uncover the truth. The more that the pair learn about the situation, the darker their journey becomes, as they confront things that darker than either of them could have imagined.

The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. Star Wars: The Acolyte premiered on Disney+ on June 4th.

Marvel's X-Men '97 premiered under weird circumstances earlier this year as series showrunner Beau DeMayo parted way with Marvel just days before the first episodes were released on Disney+. No official word was ever revealed about why Marvel and DeMayo went their separate ways, but execs at Marvel continued to speak fondly of him and DeMayo himself continued to talk about the show as episodes were being released. Now a new update has arrived concerning the future of Marvel's X-Men '97, with a report from Deadline revealing that Marvel's What If...? scribe Matthew Chauncey is set to take over as the writer for the series.

According to the trade, Chauncey will succeed Beau DeMayo as the lead writer for the show, but Chauncey will actually be penning the THIRD season of Marvel's X-Men '97. Before parting ways with Marvel Studios, Beau DeMayo had already written both season 1 and season 2 for X-Men '97. The report goes on to note that the scripts for season 2 have been revised, but that Chauncey's work on season 3 is now in active development. He'll work along side X-Men '97 director Jake Castorena and consulting producers Larry Houston and Eric and Julia Lewald (who returned to the Marvel team after working on X-Men: The Animated Series in the 1990s).

Speaking in a previous interview with ComicBook's Phase Zero podcast earlier this year, Jake Castorena opened up about the process of Season 2 of X-Men '97, equating it to baking a cake. He added, "Nobody wants to ruin a cake. I don't want to ruin a cake. Let us bake it," Castorena laughed. "The cake is well underway and being made, being fabricated as we speak. There is no rest for the wicked I guess. To use that phrase. We rolled right into Season 2, while we were on Season 1!"

"I did write a lot of Season 2," DeMayo previously shared about his involvement in season 2 of X-Men '97. "However, unlike Season 1, I will not be heavily involved or leading production, cast records, design, editorial, post, music, etc., nor doing any production rewrites as it relates to the creative vision of the show. This is why I've said I can't really speak to Season 2. But, looking forward to seeing the final product with you all whenever it airs. I have high hopes."

Original X-Men: The Animated Series cast members Cal Dodd (Wolverine), Lenore Zann (Rogue), George Buza (Beast), Alison Sealy-Smith (Storm), Adrian Hough (Nightcrawler), and Christopher Britton (Mister Sinister) reprise their roles from the '90s series while returning cast members Catherine Disher (original Jean Grey), Chris Potter (original Gambit), Alyson Court (original Jubilee), and Lawrence Bayne (original Cable) voice new characters.

The new X-Men '97 cast includes Ray Chase (Cyclops), Jennifer Hale (Jean Grey), JP Karliak (Morph), AJ LoCascio (Gambit), Holly Chou (Jubilee), Isaac Robinson-Smith (Bishop), and Matthew Waterson (Magneto).

X-Men '97 is now streaming on Disney+.

The Mystery Machine Gang might be headed back to television in a whole new way, with a live-action Scooby-Doo series currently in the works for Netflix. The project comes courtesy of Riverdale and Arrowverse veterans Berlanti Productions, which has led fans to wonder exactly what new take on the franchise might be in store. While details surrounding the new Scooby-Doo series have been nonexistent for the better part of the past year, producer Greg Berlanti just provided a new update. In a recent interview with Deadline, Berlanti spoke about his own personal connection to the Scooby-Doo franchise, and teased that the pitch for the series' pilot episode is currently in the works.

"One of my first jobs in this business was as a temp at Hanna-Barbera," Berlanti revealed. "I'd sit with Joe Barbera and Bill Hanna while they autographed animation cels. I would go in the morning and I would retrieve with my boss a bunch of these animation cels. I'd go to Bill Hanna's office first. He was a very stoic guy. His office was very spare. And then came my favorite part of the day, going to see Joe Barbera. He was such a life force. He would sign the cels, but he would stop and regale me with the greatest stories. He was such a raconteur."

"He would tell stories of how Scooby was created and what they were thinking, and how it was the late '60s and kids felt under assault by adults, and they felt overwhelmed and they needed to be empowered," Berlanti continued. "When they pitched it to Bill Paley he was like, you need a dog or something. And that was the birth of Scooby-Doo. Joe was such a special storyteller, and I was so, wow. I'd always loved them as a kid. And again, with any of the properties be they Hanna-Barbera or DC or anything at Warners, you feel lucky to be the historian who helps usher them into a new generation. You just go back to the spirit and the DNA of what makes 'em special. With Scooby-Doo, we went out and heard pitches for a year and a half and finally found one that we really felt really captured it. I just was working on the pitch for it this morning, for the first episode. So we're really pumped."

What Is the Scooby-Doo TV Series About?

While plot details about the Scooby-Doo series remain under wraps, the series is believed to be a one-hour drama. Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg are creating the Scooby-Doo series, and would serve as writers and executive producers if the show becomes a reality. Other executive producers would include Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman via Berlanti Productions, as well as Andr? Nemec and Jeff Pinkner under Midnight Radio. Jonathan Gabay of Berlanti Productions and Adrienne Erickson would serve as co-executive producers.

Rick and Morty: The Anime will be making its highly anticipated premiere later this year, and Adult Swim has some big plans to show it off during San Diego Comic-Con 2024 this year! Rick and Morty Season 8 might not be coming our way until some time next year, but thankfully we're still going to get new entries in the franchise with the release of its full anime spin-off series. Telling a whole new kind of story not seen in the original animated series, there are still many questions about what to expect from this major makeover for the Adult Swim hit.

Adult Swim has been steadily revealing clips and smaller promotional materials through the year, but during San Diego Comic-Con they'll be showcasing the best look at the now in the works series yet. Adult Swim has revealed their panel plans for the year, and announced the upcoming "Adult Swim's "Rick And Morty: The Anime" Series First Look" panel taking place on Friday, July 26th at 12PM local time during the convention for fans in attendance with promises of new details with writer/director Takeshi Sano, producers Joseph Chou and Takenari Maeda, and Adult Swim's head of action and anime Jason DeMarco on hand to dish.

Rick and Morty Anime SDCC 2024 Panel Details

Adult Swim teases the upcoming panel as such:

• Adult Swim's "Rick And Morty: The Anime" Series First Look - Go further into the multiverse of Rick and Morty with the new series "Rick and Morty: The Anime" as it lands at San Diego Comic-Con. Writer/director Takashi Sano, producers Joseph Chou and Takenari Maeda, and Adult Swim's head of action and anime Jason DeMarco will share details about the intergalactic adventure and show you the inner workings of the new series on Adult Swim. Friday (7/26) at 12pm, Indigo Ballroom

This won't be the only plans they have for Rick and Morty: The Anime this year, however, as Adult Swim will also be livestreaming a special screening of the series' first episode alongside a few other special premieres later that Friday, July 26th evening with their official YouTube channel. This will also kick off the return of the "Anime-rican" tour featuring the Rickmobile and Mortymobile hitting up nine different cities across the country until getting to Adult Swim's home of Atlanta, GA.

Rick and Morty: The Anime will be releasing this year, but has yet to confirm a release date. The anime is teased as such, "In Rick and Morty: The Anime, a new series from the world of 'Rick and Morty,' Rick relaxes in a pseudo-world between multiverses, Summer helps Space Beth fight the evil Galactic Federation, and Morty falls in love with a mysterious girl who happens to be an atemporal being."

What a Cartoon!, one of the most influential shows in Cartoon Network's history, is coming back to TV as part of Adult Swim's Checkered Past nostalgia block! Checkered Past has been doing very well for Adult Swim as the block has been airing reruns of classic Cartoon Network series such as Ed, Edd n Eddy, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, and more. There have been a few shake ups to the schedule over the last few months, and later this month there are listings for one of the biggest shake ups yet with a grand return on the way.

What a Cartoon! was a special pilot program that Hanna-Barbera produced with the intent of trying to make as many original shows, from as many original creators as possible for the then very young Cartoon Network programming. These pilots went on to become franchises like Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, The Powerpuff Girls, and some of the most successful shows in Cartoon Network's history overall. Now these pilots will be making their way back to TV according to new listings later this July.

What a Cartoon! joins the Checkered Past lineup on July 29th at 6:00 PM! pic.twitter.com/CmiQD4j3CN

-- Swimpedia (@swimpedia) July 9, 2024

What a Cartoon! Returns to Cartoon Network

According to new listings spotted by @Swimpedia on X, What a Cartoon! will be airing with Adult Swim's Checkered Past block on July 29th with the first five pilots from the series beginning at 6:00PM. These listings could change as Cartoon Network or Adult Swim themselves have yet to promote them, but here's the current breakdown for the first few What a Cartoon! comebacks including Larry and Steve, which would eventually form the foundation for Seth MacFarlane's Family Guy.

• 6:00PM ET - Pizza Boy: No Tip - Pizza Boy tries to deliver a pizza to the Arctic Circle in five minutes to get a big tip. He has many problems on the way, like getting thrown out of a plane.
• 6:10PM ET - Help? - After Jof injures his finger while sewing, a trip to the hospital leads him to through a maze of corridors and offices where he encounters all types of quirky doctors and dubious examinations
• 6:20PM ET - Buy One, Get One Free - A man named Reilly gets a cat named Flinch in order to impress a female cat lover named Sofie and threatens the cat that if there is a scratch on anything while he's away, he will send him to the violin factory.
• 6:30PM ET - Yuckie Duck: I'm on My Way - Yuckie Duck works as a paramedic, but does more harm than good to his patients.
• 6:40PM ET - Larry & Steve - Steve, a homeless dog, is adopted by dimwit Larry (the only man to understand dog) and lives disaster after disaster when Larry takes him shopping.

Adult Swim and Cartoon Network have yet to confirm What a Cartoon!'s return as of the time of this publication, but this could be huge if these respective shorts have been restored for modern broadcast.

Brendan Gleeson is the latest actor to be caught within Nicolas Cage's spider web. The Golden Globe and Oscar-winning star of The Banshees of Inisherin has been cast as the villain of Sony's live-action Spider-Man Noir series for Amazon and MGM+, Variety reports. Gleeson is the latest addition to the still-growing cast that includes Cage as a version of the black-clad private investigator he voiced in 2018's animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and New Girl's Lamorne Morris as Robbie Robertson.

Details about Gleeson's role weren't immediately available, but Marvel's original Spider-Man Noir comic re-imagined many of Spider-Man's classic villains as gangster types in 1930s New York. They included Norman "The Goblin" Osborn, a carnival freak turned crime lord, and his carnie cronies Kraven (a former animal trainer), the Vulture (an animalistic freak show cannibal), and the Chameleon (a master of disguise).

Noir "tells the story of an aging and down on his luck private investigator (Cage) in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life as the city's one and only superhero," the official synopsis states.

It has been reported that Cage's character isn't Peter Parker, who was reimagined as an investigative reporter and crusading crime-fighter who took on the mob against the backdrop of the Great Depression in the 2008 Spider-Man Noir series by David Hine, Fabrice Sapolsky, and Carmine Di Giandomenico.

Emmy Award-winning director Harry Bradbeer (Fleabag, Killing Eve) is set to direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the eight-episode series from co-showrunners and executive producers Oren Uziel (The Lost City, 22 Jump Street) and Steve Lightfoot (Marvel's The Punisher, Shantaram). The duo developed the series with Spider-Verse visionaries Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and Sony's Spider-Man movies producer Amy Pascal, with the trio also serving as executive producers.

"No one else could bring such pathos, pain, and heart to this singular character," Katherine Pope, President of Sony Pictures Television Studios, has said of Cage's Noir character. Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios, added that the Oscar-winning Leaving Las Vegas actor and Longlegs star "is an ideal choice for our new superhero."

Gleeson has starred in such dramatic fare as The Banshees of Inisherin, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Braveheart, and Gangs of New York. Along with his role as "MadEye" Moody in several Harry Potter movies, Gleeson's credits include the films Mission: Impossible II and 28 Days Later, and the television series Mr. Mercedes, The Comey Rule, and State of the Union.

My Adventures with Superman is now nearing the final episodes of its run for Season 2 with Adult Swim, and a new early preview has been released teasing Lois' struggle within the Black Mercy! Things have taken a turn for Clark as now that he's been captured by Brainiac, the newest episode of the series saw the villain dig deep into Clark's psyche to make him weak enough to have his body taken over. With the villain being successful in this matter, Lois figures her only option is to chase down Clark in his mind and save him somehow.

My Adventures with Superman ended the previous episode with Lois putting on the Black Mercy, and the early preview for Season 2 Episode 9 sees Lois waking up within Clark's mind and losing her memories in the process. But it's clear that this mental version of Clark's father and mother are much different than their real counterparts, and Brainiac is likely going to work hard to somehow erase Lois before she has an impact on Clark's current state. Check out the preview for My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 9 below as released by Adult Swim.

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 9 Release Date and Time

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 9 is titled "Pierce the Heavens, Superman!" and the synopsis for the episode teases it as such, "Jimmy and Kara race back to Metropolis to stop Brainiac's invasion of Earth; Lois tries to free Clark from Brainiac's control, only to lose herself in an alternate reality where Superman never left Krypton." My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 9 will be premiering on Adult Swim on Saturday, July 13th at midnight EST. If you wanted to catch up with the first season and Season 2's available episodes so far, My Adventures with Superman can also be found streaming with Max the day after their initial debut.

Adult Swim teases what to expect from My Adventures with Superman Season 2's new episodes as such, "In the latest season, the three best friends face a host of new threats. Powerful foes will emerge from Clark's alien past, Amanda Waller will take aim at Superman, Lois will grapple with the future, and Jimmy Olsen will spend an unbelievable amount of money. Krypton is coming for our young heroes, and its arrival will test their strength, loyalty, and love like never before."

My Adventures with Superman Season 3 is now in the works for a future release with Adult Swim and Max.

The Magicians author Lev Grossman's latest novel is already headed to television. According to Deadline, Lionsgate Television and 3 Arts Entertainment have acquired the rights to The Bright Sword, Grossman's new novel set to be published on July 16th. The series will be produced by Grossman and Erwin Stoff. A showrunner and executive producer has not yet been found. The new novel is described as "the first major Arthurian epic of the new millennium steeped in tradition, full of duels and quests, battles and tournaments, magic swords and Fisher Kings."

"My ambition with The Bright Sword was to completely reimagine the legend of King Arthur -- to make it fresh, relevant and diverse, while at the same time hanging onto all the classic elements that fans like me love," Grossman said. "I've worked with Erwin before so when he threw his hat in the ring, I knew he was exactly the right person to bring The Bright Sword to the screen. I've seen the incredible integrity, intelligence, and effectiveness he brings to his work -- he has that obsession with great storytelling and great characters that make a project like this sing."

According to the book's synopsis, The Bright Sword follows "a gifted young knight named Collum" who "arrives at Camelot to compete for a spot on the Round Table, only to find that he's too late. The king died two weeks ago at the Battle of Camlann, leaving no heir, and only a handful of the knights of the Round Table survive. They aren't the heroes of legend, like Lancelot or Gawain. They're the oddballs of the Round Table, from the edges of the stories, like Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight, and Sir Dagonet, Arthur's fool, who was knighted as a joke. They're joined by Nimue, who was Merlin's apprentice until she turned on him and buried him under a hill. Together this ragtag fellowship will set out to rebuild a Camelot in a world that has lost its balance."

"We're thrilled to collaborate with Lev on this epic series," said Stoff, Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment. "He has a proven talent for crafting compelling, imaginative stories that captivate audiences. With The Bright Sword already receiving incredible early reviews, we're excited to bring this eagerly awaited novel to life on screen."

Grossman is best known for his Magicians trilogy -- The Magicians, The Magician King, and The Magician's Land. That series was adapted by SYFY into the television series The Magicians which ran for five seasons on the network, ending in 2020. That series followed a Quentin Coldwater, a student who enrolls at Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy to train as a magician only to discover that the magical world from his favorite childhood books, Fillory, is actually real -- and poses a threat to reality.

Rick and Morty: The Anime, Invincible Fight Girl, and more upcoming premieres will be livestreamed during a special screening at San Diego Comic-Con 2024! Adult Swim has announced their slate of plans for San Diego Comic-Con 2024, and with them have revealed they are planning to host a huge pirate themed party featuring their current and upcoming shows. This includes some of the new shows previously announced to release some time later this year, and some that are completely new as well. But we'll soon get to see more of it in action as there will be plans to livestream a screening for each of these big premieres!

Adult Swim has announced they will be hosting "Adult Swim's Night of View," a new screening event featuring the full-length premiere episodes of Common Side Effects, Rick and Morty: The Anime, Invincible Fight Girl, and Women Wearing Shoulder Pads alongside the tease of other never before seen Adult Swim content. While fans in attendance will be able to attend the screening, Adult Swim has also confirmed they will be livestreaming the event in real-time on Adult Swim's YouTube Channel at Friday, July 26th at 7:30pm local time. So mark your calendars!

What's Coming to Adult Swim in 2024?

While Rick and Morty: The Anime was previously confirmed to release some time this year, there's a good chance Common Side Effects will be releasing some time this year as well. But the biggest surprises are the full premieres for Women Wearing Shoulder Pads, the first ever Spanish language series produced for Adult Swim, and Invincible Fight Girl, an animated series that has been in development with Cartoon Network for some time (even thought to be quietly cancelled). If these shows are scheduled to hit through the rest of the year and early 2025, we're in for a great time.

Rick and Morty: The Anime is definitely the biggest draw, however, as that seems the closest to its premiere this year. A concrete release date has yet to be announced, but San Diego Comic-Con 2024 would be a great place to announce one. The anime is teased as such, "In Rick and Morty: The Anime, a new series from the world of 'Rick and Morty,' Rick relaxes in a pseudo-world between multiverses, Summer helps Space Beth fight the evil Galactic Federation, and Morty falls in love with a mysterious girl who happens to be an atemporal being."

Amazon's Spider-Man Noir series has found its Robbie Robertson. Nicolas Cage will play the live-action version of Spider-Man Noir in a Prime Video original series. Fans got to hear Cage voice Spider-Man Noir in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and now will return to the character for his live-action adventures. The series has undergone a few name changes, from Noir to now Spider-Noir, and with that news comes word of a new addition to the streaming show's cast. Deadline reports New Girl star Lamorne Morris has been cast in Spider-Noir as Robbie Robertson.

Fans of the Spider-Man franchise will be very familiar with Robbie Robertson, one of Peter Parker's bosses at the Daily Bugle. While Peter typically has a dicey relationship with J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie Robertson has often been a loyal associate and friend to the wall-crawler. The description of Morris' Robbie Robertson calls him "driven, hard-working, and won't take no for an answer. A dedicated journalist trying to make it with the odds stacked against him as a black professional in 1930s New York, he takes on riskier stories that no one else would touch in order to catch attention and a paycheck. He is willing to do whatever is necessary for his career."

Spider-Man Noir episode count revealed

Nicolas Cage revealed how many episodes the first season of Spider-Noir will consist of. "Forty-five minutes. I mean, it's eight episodes. So it's the equivalent of four movies in five months. And I've got another movie I've gotta prepare for, and then a movie right after it," Cage told The New Yorker.

Eight episodes seem to be the sweet spot when creating TV shows based on comic books. Each season of The Boys has been eight episodes, and Marvel's Disney+ content has been between six and 10 episodes on average.

Photo credit Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has enrolled three new cadets. On Tuesday, Paramount+ revealed that it had cast Kerrice Brooks (My Old Ass), Bella Shepard (Wolf Pack), and George Hawkins (Tell Me Everything) in the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series. Brooks, Shepard, and Hawkins will play cadets at Starfleet Academy. They join previously announced cast members, Holly Hunter, playing a Starfleet captain and current chancellor of Starfleet Academy, and Paul Giamatti, playing Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1's villain. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is the coming-of-age story of a group of Starfleet cadets finding themselves at one of the prestigious institutions in the galaxy.

Paramount+'s Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series "will follow the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy." CBS Studios is producing Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Production begins this summer.

What is Star Trek: Starfleet Academy about?

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is set in the 32nd century of Star Trek's universe, first seen in the later season of Star Trek: Discovery. According to the official synopsis, "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduces viewers to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself."

Brooks' past work includes her feature film debut in My Old Ass. She also stars in the upcoming 70s coming-of-age comedy, Feeling Randy. Her other credits include The Prom, The Cypher, How We Roll, and On My Block.

Shepard led the Paramount+ Series Wolf Pack and is best known for her work on the Brat TV series On the Ropes and A Girl Named Jo, and for leading the series Two Sides. Shepard has also appeared in The Wilds, Witch Hunt, and the iCARLY reboot, and had a guest role on the final season of Orange Is the New Black and recurring roles on Life in Pieces and Grace and Frankie.

Hawkins is best known for playing Dylan in Tell Me Everything. His other credits include playing Sean in the film Boiling Point and Adam in Gassed Up.

Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau are co-showrunners and executive producers of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. The other executive producers on the series include Gaia Violo, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa, and John Weber. Violo wrote Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's premiere episode. CBS Studios produces Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Paramount Global Content Distribution will distribute the series.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is the latest addition to Paramount+'s Star Trek library. Star Trek: Discovery wrapped its run earlier this year, and Star Trek: Lower Decks is headed into its fifth and final season. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is currently in production on its third season and is already renewed for its fourth. Paramount+'s first Star Trek original movie, Star Trek: Section 31 starring Michelle Yeoh, wrapped filming earlier this year.

Spider-Man: Noir's episode count has been revealed by Nicolas Cage. The New Yorker sat down with the long-tenured actor to talk about the twists and turns of his career. Spider-Man Noir has been a recent fan-favorite from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. When the series got announced, there weren't a lot of concrete details, but Cage has cleared some of the air. He said, "Forty-five minutes. I mean, it's eight episodes. So it's the equivalent of four movies in five months. And I've got another movie I've gotta prepare for, and then a movie right after it." So, no rest for the wicked in that respect. But, you have to be thrilled at the prospect of any solo series bringing him back as the character.

As people wonder about what the show will entail, here's an unofficial synopsis for Spider-Man: Noir. This has all been bubbling under the surface since last year at least: "[Noir] will follow an older, grizzled superhero in 1930s New York City. An individual with knowledge of the project says that the show will be set in its own universe and the main character will not be Peter Parker."

"Expanding the Marvel universe with 'Noir' is a uniquely special opportunity and we are honored to bring this series to our global Prime Video customers," Vernon Sanders, head of television for Amazon MGM Studios previously wrote. "The extremely talented Nicolas Cage is an ideal choice for our new superhero and the accomplished producing team with Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, and the incredible team at Sony is dedicated to expanding this franchise in the most authentic way."

Spider-Man: Noir Rolls Onward At Prime Video

One thing has been for certain with this character, fans have been clamoring for a return. Imagine their surprise at the fact that they would be getting an entire minisereies with Spider-Man: Noir. He appeared for a brief second at the end of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Along with that, the tease of Cage coming back to do the voice for the third film is palpable. But, in additon, the prospect of getting standalone adventures in this strange corner of the Marvel multiverse? Well, it's a dream come true for some people out there. The actor himself has talked about how much he loves Noir in previous interviews. That affection comes through in his performances.

"I can say that we have been talking. It's no secret that I love the character," Cage told Collider earlier this year. "I can combine my favorite golden age performances -- i.e. Robinson, Cagney, Bogart -- with a character that is, I guess, widely considered [to be] Stan Lee's masterpiece. I see it as a kind of foray into a pop art mash up of, sort of, a [Jungian] Lichtenstein, mash up by way of Bogart and Cagney, but nothing's definitive yet. It's just conversation."

How excited are you for Spider-Man: Noir? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

Apple TV+ just released the trailer for Time Bandits, the streamer's upcoming television adaptation of the beloved cult classic movie from beloved filmmaker Terry Gilliam. Created for television by Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords), Iain Morris (The Inbetweeners) and Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), and produced for Apple TV+ by Paramount Television Studios, Anonymous Content's AC Studios and MRC, Time Bandits centers on an 11-year-old boy who loves history -- and finds himself stolen by a group of thieves and recruited to help them on a cosmic journey through space and time. Oh, and along they way, they'll try to save his parents.

The ten-episode series will premiere globally with the first two episodes on Wednesday, July 24, followed by two new episodes every Wednesday until the finale airs on August 21, 2024. You can see the trailer below.

Guided by a captain played by Romy and Michele's High School Reunion star Lisa Kudrow, the eccentric crew of bandits embark on epic adventures while evil forces threaten their conquests, and life as they know it. As the group transports through time and space, the gang stumbles upon fascinating worlds of the distant past while seeking out treasure, depending on Kevin to shed light on each situation. The "Time Bandits" witness the creation of Stonehenge, see the Trojan Horse in action, escape dinosaurs in the prehistoric ages, wreak havoc during medieval times, experience the Ice Age, ancient civilizations and the Harlem Renaissance, and much more along the way.

The film version, released in 1981, was one of Gilliam's key early successes, released in between his three Monty Python movies (a member of the troupe, he co-directed Monty Python and the Holy Grail and had important behind-the-scenes roles on Jabberwocky and Monty Python's The Life of Brian) and hits like The Fisher King and 12 Monkeys. Time Bandits was part of Gilliam's "Trilogy of Imagination," which also included Brazil and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. The three were not connected by any particular plot, but were a thematic trilogy in the vein of Lindsay Anderson's Mick Travis movies or Edgar Wright's "Cornetto Trilogy."

The series stars Lisa Kudrow, Kal-El Tuck, Tadhg Murphy, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, Rune Temte, Charlyne Yi, Rachel House, Kiera Thompson, James Dryden, Felicity Ward, Francesca Mills, and Imaan Hadchiti. Time Bandits also features special guest appearances by Waititi and Clement.

Consisting of 10 episodes, Time Bandits is produced for Apple TV+ by Paramount Television Studios, Anonymous Content's AC Studios and MRC. Jemaine Clement, Iain Morris and Taika Waititi executive produce, write, and direct select episodes, with Clement and Morris serving as co-showrunners. Garrett Basch and Tim Coddington also executive produce along with Jane Stanton who executive produces for Handmade Films.

Time Bandits debuts on July 24 on Apple TV+.

Nick Offerman joins the fight to save the timeline in the trailer for The Umbrella Academy's final season. We've nearly hit the end of the road for the popular Netflix series which looks to wrap up its run in August. While the Hargreeves siblings are back to finish the job they started, they're also joined by newcomer Nick Offerman, who offers some voiceover work in The Umbrella Academy trailer. While previous seasons have consisted of 10 episodes, Season 4 will only have six. Though the content may be less, fans of the Dark Horse Comics series by Gerard Way & Gabriel B? will be happy to hear that the finale expands on the comics, so there will be new content for new and old fans alike.

"(Gerard) has a good sort of idea what he wants going forward," TV series creator Steve Blackman previously told ComicBook.com. "But we've also got to the place where we see the tv show and the graphic novel as being somewhat symbiotic, but on their own path. My goal is not to take the show away from where he's going with the graphic novel, but not everything translates because of money. Sometimes it's just so weird I don't know how we we do the tv version of it, but we're close enough that you know, I have a good sense of where he's going and I love to sort of use as a springboard or the inspiration for ours. So we never want to be on our own path without Gerard and Gabriel's influence in the show."

What is The Umbrella Academy's final season about?

The Hargreeves siblings have scattered after the climactic showdown at the Hotel Oblivion led to a complete reset of their timeline. Stripped of their powers, each is left to fend for themselves and find a new normal - with wildly varying degrees of success. Yet the trappings of their uncanny new world prove too hard to ignore for very long. Their father Reginald, alive and well, has stepped out of the shadows and into the public eye, overseeing a powerful and nefarious business empire. A mysterious association known as The Keepers holds clandestine meetings believing the reality they're living in is a lie and a great reckoning is coming. As these strange new forces conspire around them, the Umbrella Academy must come together one last time - and risk upsetting the shaky peace they've all endured so much to secure - to finally set things right.

In the third episode of House of the Dragon Season 2, Rhaenyra sent her young sons and niece off to the Vale to stay safe during the war. She also sent a case of unhatched dragon eggs that fans immediately theorized would eventually make their way to Daenerys Targaryen and hatch into the first trio of dragons in Westeros in nearly two centuries. The director of that episode, Geeta Vasant Patel, actually confirmed last week that those were indeed meant to be the eggs that are given to Daenerys in the Game of Thrones premiere. House of the Dragon co-creator Ryan Condal is now pumping the brakes on that narrative.

"Those are Daenerys' eggs," Patel told Mashable in an interview. "All of us who work on the show are big Game of Thrones fans, so it was very exciting to shoot that scene."

Now, following the fourth episode of House of the Dragon Season 2, Condal is walking Patel's comments back just a bit. He doesn't go as far as to say the eggs won't eventually belong to Daenerys, but he does explain that nothing is definitive.

"I think the fun of the history as it was written is that there's room for interpretation," Condal told EW. "I like to think of it as one possible future."

Fire & Blood, George R.R. Martin's book on which House of the Dragon is based, reads like a historical account of the Targaryen history, with information coming from a couple of different sources. Neither of those sources can be counted as the "definitive" story of what happened, and House of the Dragon is aiming to keep that same kind of uncertainty throughout the show.

Based on George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Blood" book, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with the Green and Black Councils fighting for King Aegon and Queen Rhaenyra, respectively. New episodes of House of the Dragon premiere every Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m. ET.

The cast for House of the Dragon includes Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, and Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower.

Amphibia might have come to an end a couple of years ago, but the creator behind the series has some new ideas to continue the story for the show if there's enough support shown for the franchise! Amphibia was one of the notable new Disney Television Animation projects released within the last few years that came along in the same generation of hits like The Owl House, Big City Greens and more. Following its second season, Amphibia then confirmed it would be coming to an end with a third and final season that aired its episodes back through 2021 and 2022.

Amphibia wrapped up its run with a seemingly conclusive end to its story with that third season finale, but it turns out series creator Matt Braly has ideas for how to pick it all back up. During the special panel highlighting Amphibia and other Disney projects as part of Anime Expo 2024 this past weekend, Braly revealed that if enough support were shown for the upcoming art book releasing next year and the currently available Marcy's Journal: A Guide to Amphibia, then Braly would be open to the idea, "We do have some cool ideas for continuing the show, or continuing the story."

How to Watch Amphibia

While Braly did not reveal how the show or story could continue, it is possible to see Amphibia grow in some form through other releases such as comics and other mediums. An animated return for the series might not immediately be on the table, but if there is a swell of fan support for the franchise as a whole it'd likely be easier to argue for a potential animated revival down the line.

Amphibia did come to a proper ending, but there's always the hope of seeing more of its story someday to fill in the gaps left by its final time skip. If you wanted to check out the original animated series for yourself, you can now find the complete Amphibia run now streaming with Disney+. They tease it as such:

"Amphibia chronicles the comedic adventures of thirteen-year-old Anne Boonchuy. After stealing a mysterious music box, Anne is magically transported to the world of Amphibia, a wild marshland full of talking frog-people. With the help of an excitable young frog named Sprig, Anne transforms from monster to hero and discovers the first true friendship of her life."

HT - The Cartoon Base

WARNING: This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 4... House of the Dragon delivered one of the most devastating moments of the series on Sunday night, as Rhaenys rode Meleys into the Battle of Rook's Rest and met an unfortunate end at the hands of Aemond and Vhagar. The Queen Who Never Was has been the strongest ally to Rhaenyra and one of the show's moral cornerstones to this point, and the significance of her loss to the other characters on House of the Dragon cannot be understated.

Following the airing of "The Red Dragon and the Gold," House of the Dragon star Eve Best spoke to Entertainment Weekly about her beloved character's demise.

"She's got that nobility of that absolute samurai: honorable, noble, f---ing cool-ass warrior queen," Best said. "The honorable thing is that she could have escaped, and then she's like, 'No, we've got to go back.' Because there's the potential to end it. I think she knows she's going back to die, but she has to try because if Vhagar can be taken down, then it's done. It's cauterized. The potential for nuclear war is cut down."

Best went on to talk about Rhaenys' final moments, when she finally let go of the weight she'd been carrying throughout the series to that point.

"There was something very beautiful about it," the actress explained. "It was a moment of total surrender and letting go of everything she'd been carrying for two seasons: never, ever letting anybody see any of her pain, any of her anguish, any of her fear, any of her vulnerability, and just being this rock of wisdom and grace and stoicism and goodness and badassery at the same time. I think for her to finally let go was the most wonderful relief."

Based on George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Blood" book, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with the Green and Black Councils fighting for King Aegon and Queen Rhaenyra, respectively. New episodes of House of the Dragon premiere every Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m. ET.

The cast for House of the Dragon includes Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, and Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower.

Disney's Primos will be making its debut with Disney Channel and Disney+ later this month, and the animated series has given fans the first real look at what to expect with its first trailer! Primos was first announced to be in the works a few years ago, and has been quietly on the back burner ever since. The series has been in development for some time, and even had to go back to the drawing board to adjust a few elements in the last few years. But it seems like everything has worked out as Primos will be officially making its debut at last.

Disney's Primos will officially be making its debut on the Disney Channel with the first two episodes on July 25th at 8:00PM PST, and then will be available for streaming with Disney+ beginning on July 26th. With the animated series' premiere coming so soon, Disney has shared the first full look at what to expect from the newest addition to their line up with a trailer introducing Tater Ramirez and her fairly large extended family. You can check out the trailer for Disney's Primos below.

What Is Disney's Primos?

Disney's Primos will first release on the Disney Channel with the first two episodes on July 25th at 8:00PM PST. Two new episodes will then release on a weekly basis beginning on Saturday, July 27th at 9:00AM PST. The first nine episodes of the new series will then be available for streaming with Disney+ beginning on July 26th. Creative and executive produced by Natasha Kline, Primos is a half-hour series produced by Disney Television Animation that will feature two 11 minute long segments.

Primos stars Myrna Velasco as Tater, Melissa Villase?or as Tater's sister Nellie, Michelle Ortiz as Tater's mother Bibi, Jim Conroy as her father Bud, Ang?lica Mar?a as Tater's grandmother, Cheech Marin as Tater's grandfather, Liza Koshy as Tater's best friend Serena, and Tater's roster of cousins include Elizabeth Grull?n as Lita, Jonathan Melo as Scooter, Rick Simon as Cousin Bud and Big Nacho, Cristina Vee Valenzuela as Tere and To?ita, Natasha Kline as Gordita and ChaCha, Nomi Ruiz as Tabi, Becca Q. Co as Lot Lot, Ryan Anderson Lopez as Nachito, and Sarah Tubert as Lucita.

Disney teases Primos as such, "Primos is inspired and created by Emmy(R) Award-nominated Natasha Kline's (Big City Greens) childhood experience in Southern California growing up in a large, multicultural and blended Mexican American family. It follows Tater Ramirez Humphrey, an eccentric girl with ambitious summer dreams. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when her family invites all 12 of her cousins to stay with them, leading to a summer of surprises and unforgettable adventures."

After a decades-long career in countless movies and television shows, Nicolas Cage has developed a unique outlook on the entertainment industry. As a new interview with the Longlegs actor reveals, he has some very staunch feelings about the use of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry. In a recent interview with The New Yorker, Cage spoke about an upcoming digital "scan" he has scheduled for the forthcoming Spider-Man Noir series Noir, and how it worsened his worries about the future intersection of artificial intelligence and art. The news of generative AI being used in movies and television has already drawn controversy across multiple projects, including Marvel's Secret Invasion, Late Night With the Devil, and the recent Netflix documentary What Jennifer Did.

"They have to put me in a computer and match my eye color and change--I don't know," he said of the upcoming scan, before joking, "They're just going to steal my body and do whatever they want with it via digital AI."

"God, I hope not AI. I'm terrified of that," he said. "I've been very vocal about it. It makes me wonder, you know, where will the truth of the artists end up? Is it going to be replaced? Is it going to be transmogrified? Where's the heartbeat going to be? I mean, what are you going to do with my body and my face when I'm dead? I don't want you to do anything with it!"

How Did Nicolas Cage Cameo in The Flash?

Cage's comments come after he made a surprise appearance in last year's The Flash movie, playing a deaged version of Clark Kent / Superman from the unproduced 1990s movie Superman Lives. Cage's cameo was among several from mostly-deceased past DC actors, which drew criticism for being computer-generated. While Cage confirmed to Yahoo Movies that his sequence was not made with AI, the massive changes that were made to the scene definitely surprised him.

"When I went to the picture, it was me fighting a giant spider," Cage revealed. "I did not do that. That was not what I did. I don't think it was [created by] AI. I know Tim [Burton] is upset about AI, as I am. It was CGI, OK, so that they could de-age me, and I'm fighting a spider. I didn't do any of that, so I don't know what happened there."

Futurama is finally coming back for new episodes later this Summer, and Futurama has shared the first poster for Season 12 ahead of its debut! Futurama made its highly anticipated return last year with Season 11, a new slate of episodes picking up from where the Comedy Central broadcast of the animated series last left off before its second cancellation. Now that this first wave of episodes has been such a success with Hulu, Futurama has been picked up for many more episodes to come. So we're about to see a new season hitting Hulu in just a couple of more weeks.

Futurama Season 12 will officially kick off its run with Hulu beginning on July 29th, and to help celebrate the premiere, Hulu is now showing off more of the new season than ever before. Together with a new trailer showing off what Fry and the rest of the Planet Express crew will be up to in the coming season, Futurama has dropped the first poster for Season 12 teasing a rather destructive new problem that they will all have to deal with before it's all over. Check it out below:

How to Watch Futurama Season 12

Futurama Season 12 will be making its premiere with Hulu beginning on Monday, July 29th. Featuring a returning staff from the previous episodes, John DiMaggio, BIlly West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr, and David Herman are all confirmed to return to reprise their respective roles. Created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen who also serve as executive producers alongside Ken Keeler and Claudia Katz, Futurama Season 12 is teased by Hulu as such:

"Following Hulu's critically acclaimed 2023 revival of Futurama, the epic sci-fi series from Matt Groening and David X. Cohen returns in 2024 with ten all-new episodes. On this orbit around the sun, our occasionally heroic crew embarks on mind-bending adventures involving birthday party games to the death, the secrets of Bender's ancestral robot village, A.I. friends (and enemies), impossibly cute beanbags, and the true 5 million-year-old story behind the consciousness-altering substance known as coffee. And, of course, the next chapter in Fry and Leela's fateful, time-twisted romance."

Futurama has also been renewed for 20 more episodes following Season 12, which means Hulu has picked up the series for Seasons 13 and 14.

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 has reached its climax, and now fans have gotten the first look at what to expect next with the teaser for Episode 9! My Adventures with Superman Season 2 has been a particularly tough one for Clark Kent as he has felt more alone than ever before. Making matters worse was the fact that reaching out to his cousin only resulted in more pain as he was betrayed and was locked in a mysterious mental trap set by the dangerous Kryptonian machine, Brainiac. But it's only going to get much worse before it can get better.

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 left things off on a huge cliffhanger with the latest episode as after Brainiac wore down Clark's mental defenses, the villain completely took over Clark's body with the intention of using it to expand the new version of the Kryptonian Empire. As for where the new season will go from this point onward, My Adventures with Superman Season 2 is teasing Lois' journey in the Black Mercy with the first look at Episode 9. Check it out below as spotted by @Swimpedia on X.

Tune into #Toonami on Saturday, July 13th at midnight to catch the next brand new episode of My Adventures with Superman Season 2, "Pierce the Heavens, Superman!"! pic.twitter.com/vrFLV2kP7L

-- Swimpedia (@swimpedia) July 7, 2024

How to Watch My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 9

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 9 is titled "Pierce the Heavens, Superman!" and the synopsis for the episode teases it as such, "Jimmy and Kara race back to Metropolis to stop Brainiac's invasion of Earth; Lois tries to free Clark from Brainiac's control, only to lose herself in an alternate reality where Superman never left Krypton." My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 9 will be premiering on Adult Swim on Saturday, July 13th at midnight EST. If you wanted to catch up with the first season and Season 2's available episodes so far, My Adventures with Superman can also be found streaming with Max the day after their initial debut.

Adult Swim teases what to expect from My Adventures with Superman Season 2's new episodes as such, "In the latest season, the three best friends face a host of new threats. Powerful foes will emerge from Clark's alien past, Amanda Waller will take aim at Superman, Lois will grapple with the future, and Jimmy Olsen will spend an unbelievable amount of money. Krypton is coming for our young heroes, and its arrival will test their strength, loyalty, and love like never before."

My Adventures with Superman Season 3 is now in the works for a future release with Adult Swim and Max.

With Sunday night's new episode in the books, House of the Dragon is officially at the halfway point of Season 2. The HBO series couldn't have arrived at that halfway point with a bigger moment than it delivered at the conclusion of "The Red Dragon and the Gold," as fans got to see a massive dragon battle that took the life of one major character, leaving another hanging in the balance. Thanks to HBO's teaser trailer for Episode 5, we've been given a glimpse of what the fallout from that enormous battle will look like. WARNING: This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2...

Rhaenys and her dragon were killed by Aemond at Rook's Rest at the end of House of the Dragon's latest episode. The Battle at Rook's Rest also left King Aegon II badly wounded and seemingly near death. In the teaser trailer for Episode 5, which you can check out below, the members of Aegon's council try to piece things together. Take a look!

In addition to some hints about Aegon's future, the teaser also shows what the next episode will hold for Daemon Targaryen, who is being consistently haunted while staying at Harrenhal. The Riverlands are of vital importance to Rhaenyra and the blacks, and Daemon continues to try and build a bigger army to mark against Aegon's forces. The voices in his head aren't stopping, though, and he will have to continue fighting them as well as his actual enemies.

Based on George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Blood" book, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with the Green and Black Councils fighting for King Aegon and Queen Rhaenyra, respectively. New episodes of House of the Dragon premiere every Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m. ET.

The cast for House of the Dragon includes Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, and Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower.

Actor Jay Johnston has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his involvement in the riot attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Bob's Burgers voice actor was arrested and charged with federal crimes over a year ago, and on Monday, July 8th he pleaded guilty to civil disorder, which falls under a felony. District Judge Carl Nichols is scheduled to sentence Johnston on October 7th, with Johnston facing a maximum prison sentence of five years. However, the estimated sentencing guidelines recommend a prison term between eight to 14 months, though the judge doesn't have to abide by those guidelines of his plea agreement.

The 55-year-old Jay Johnston was the voice of Jimmy Peston on the animated series Bob's Burgers which airs on FOX. Johnston was caught on video as part of the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, passing a stolen police officer shield around the mass of people near a tunnel on the Lower West Terrace that led to the Capitol, according to the affidavit. Johnston "was close to the entrance to the tunnel, turned back and signaled for other rioters to come towards the entrance," the agent wrote.

According to a court filing that accompanied Jay Johnston's plea deal, the actor used a cellphone to record rioters while they were breaking through barricades and engaging with police officers. The cellphone footage allegedly caught Johnson pounding his fists together and pointing. He was handed a water bottle by a rioter and then allegedly used it to help flush chemicals out of their eyes. Johnston was reportedly caught joining the rioters as they pushed against the officers who were guarding the tunnel to the Lower West Terrace.

According to the agent, Johnston was identified by current and former associates after the FBI published photos online. One of the associates reportedly gave the FBI text message evidence of Johnston acknowledging being at the Capitol during the January 6th riot. "The news has presented it as an attack. It actually wasn't. Thought it kind of turned into that. It was a mess. Got maced and tear gassed and I found it quite untastic," Johnston wrote, according to the FBI.

Jay Johnston's credits include Bob's Burgers, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross' Mr. Show with Bob and David, Arrested Development, and Anchorman, where he played one of the newsmen who participated in a street brawl. Johnston was replaced as the voice of Jimmy Pesto on Bob's Burgers by Eric Bauza.

Photo credit via Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

From projects like Stargate to Independence Day to 2012 to Midway, filmmaker Roland Emmerich is no stranger to operating at a storytelling level that is much different from his peers. Despite his many accomplishments in bombastic storytelling, his latest project is Those About to Die, a TV series set during Roman times that allowed him the chance to spread out his narrative landscape, as the ten episodes offer roughly a ten-hour run time. While this sprawling story allowed Emmerich new opportunities, it also presented him with unique challenges. Those About to Die will premiere on Peacock on July 18th.

When asked by ComicBook what the biggest challenge of the series was, Emmerich confirmed, "It was probably the horse races, the chariot races. I think they're so intricate, and they're so different. There's also great movies made about it, but there [weren't any] where you look behind the scenery, where you look behind to see what goes into it ... the trainers and the charioteers, and the horses. And then, I tell you, seven rounds on the Circus Maximus, the horses were wet at the end. It's really kind of amazing."

Those About to Die is an epic drama set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told -- the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most...blood and sport. The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics, and dynasties.

While Emmerich has delivered major spectacles chronicling all manner of subjects, the filmmaker noted how Those About to Die allowed him to spend more time with the ensemble of characters, which sets it apart from his films.

"Well, the project was really big, and you have more time to tell stories. You can pretty much analyze a character and then have him over the episodes develop," Emmerich expressed. "And that's, for me, something which I more and more got into by watching it. And so, at one point, I wanted to make my own show and then I chose Those About to Die, which just takes place in the 70s after Christ."

Those About to Die will premiere on Peacock on July 18th.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

Prime Video has annoucned that Cross, their upcoming adaptation of James Patterson's Alex Cross novels, will debut on the streaming platform on November 14. All eight episodes will drop at once, giving fans a chance to binge the series Prime hopes will be the next Reacher -- a broadly-appealing hit show with a passionate fan base made up of people who enjoyed the books. They're so confident in it that it has already been renewed for a second season. Cross stars Aldis Hodge (Black Adam) in the title role, alongside a large ensemble cast that also includes Ryan Eggold, Isaiah Mustafa, Alona Tal, Johnny Ray Gill, Juanita Jennings, and more.

This is not Cross's first trip to the screen. The character of Alex Cross was previously played by Morgan Freeman in the films Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider, both of which flopped at the time but have garnered a cult following. In 2011, Tyler Perry played the role in a movie simply called Alex Cross, but plans for a sequel never materialized.

"James Patterson is among the best at captivating audiences with his undeniably enthralling novels and we are confident that with Ben Watkins' artistic vision, Cross will do the same for our global customers," Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Amazon Studios, said in a statement. "We are proud to work with James and Ben alongside Paramount Television, Skydance, and the extremely talented Aldis Hodge, who we know will do an exceptional job of bringing Alex Cross to life."

In Cross, Alex Cross (Hodge) is brilliant, flawed, and full of contradictions. A doting father and family man, Cross is single-minded to the point of obsession when he hunts killers. He is desperate for love, but his wife's murder has left him too damaged to receive it.

Cross was ordered to series at Prime Video in October 2022 with Ben Watkins serving as showrunner and executive producer. Sam Ernst, Jim Dunn, Craig Siebels also executive produce along with Patterson and his James Patterson Entertainment partners Bill Robinson and Patrick Santa, David Ellison, and Dana Goldberg of Skydance TV, and Bill Bost. Hodge also serves as a producer.

Cross will arrive on Prime on November 14.

Agatha Harkness is tied to the Scarlet Witch in more ways than we initially realized. The Halloween spooky season is being taken over by Agatha All Along, the Disney+ series that sees Kathryn Hahn reprise her role of Agatha Harkness from WandaVision. For those who may not remember, WandaVision concluded with Wanda Maximoff trapping Agatha in a spell that confined her to Westview. The first trailer for Agatha All Along addresses his plot point in an interesting manner while also revealing a key element of how Agatha is still connected to the Scarlet Witch.

Just before the one-minute mark in the new Agatha All Along trailer we see Kathryn Hahn's titular character investigating the death of an unknown witch in a police coroner's office. The tag on the unidentified body magically fills with the name "Wanda Maximoff," with Agatha interrupted by Aubrey Plaza's Rio. "That witch is gone, leaving you trapped in her distorted spell," Rio tells Agatha. This is in reference to the events in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where Scarlet Witch went rogue after being influenced by the Darkhold. Scarlet Witch was killed in Doctor Strange 2, meaning she's unable to free Agatha from her spell. However, Rio instructs Agatha to "Claw your way out," and we get a glimpse of Agatha gaining her freedom.

Marvel changes title of WandaVision spinoff starring Agatha Harkness

If you're a close follower of all things Marvel, then you're probably aware that Agatha's WandaVision spinoff has undergone quite a few name changes. It's previous subtitles -- Agatha: Coven of Chaos, Agatha: The Darkhold Diaries, Agatha: House of Harkness, and Agatha: The Lying Witch with a Great Wardrobe -- were all red herrings, and the official title is Agatha All Along. Marvel confirmed the Agatha All Along title during its Disney Upfronts Presentation in May, as well as the streaming show debuting with a two-episode premiere on Wednesday, September 18th.

The Agatha: The Lying Witch with a Great Wardrobe title appears to be a fun ode to the fantasy novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Not long after the official Marvel Studios account on X (formerly Twitter) shared the key art, the post was quickly deleted.

What is Agatha: All Along about?

In Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches' Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they're missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road...

In addition to Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along stars Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, with Debra Jo Rupp, with Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza. The executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Mary Livanos and Jac Schaeffer. The directors for the series include Jac Schaeffer, Rachel Goldberg and Gandja Montiero.

The first two episodes of Agatha All Along premiere September 18th.

The all-new series Those About to Die marks one of Peacock's most ambitious projects to date, which tells a sprawling story about massive battles and gladiatorial combat. While it might be a new foray for the streamer, star of the series Iwan Rheon is relatively familiar with entering a historical epic, having previously starred as Ramsay Bolton for Game of Thrones. With that HBO series being a fantasy world, it still brought in some historical influences, with Rheon expressing that entering Those About to Die felt like an entirely new project though he appreciated the time he got to spend in a world of ruthless combat. Those About to Die premieres on Peacock on July 18th.

"Obviously this is a historical piece, so it's very much following real events rather than events based on various histories that have been compiled into a fantasy scenario," Rheon shared with ComicBook of how his new series compared to his previous work. "I guess every character is very, very different. You still approach the basics of the work the same. What does the script say? Try to find what motivates the character and what the truth of the character is. And then you hope for the best after that, really. But I think, obviously, any experience you have always helps. Having had that experience, luckily, I feel very fortunate. I'm quite experienced now as I get on a bit in years. It was good to have done something on quite an epic scale before stepping into this world."

Those About to Die is an epic drama set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told -- the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most...blood and sport. The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics, and dynasties.

Rheon's costar Sara Martins went on to detail how the project was appealing both for the spectacle of it but also for the compelling character dynamics.

"When I had to audition, I knew it was for an epic historical fiction, and I was on board already," Martins detailed. "I was like, 'Oh, my God, yes, let's do that.' And then it's directed by Roland Emmerich and so I wanted to be part of that. I wanted to see that man, how he works, to be part of his universe. Then I got to know more about the character I was auditioning for and the more I was reading, the more I was like, 'Oh, my God, I know this woman.'"

She continued, "And then, sometimes, you don't always have everything. But with this show, I did have everything. Working with people you respect, you admire, and you have the chance to have a brilliant character and then you know that it's going to be beautiful to watch and spectacular. It was ticking all the boxes for me."

Those About to Die premieres on Peacock on July 18th.

What do you think about the actors' remarks? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

Netflix has released the trailer for the upcoming, fourth season of Unsolved Mysteries. The series, which premiered in 2020, is a return of the OG "dark and mysterious" crime show that ran from 1987 until 2002. Unsolved Mysteries has a long history of documenting unexplained disappearances, tragic events, and bizarre occurrences, hoping that perhaps one viewer holds the key to solving these cases. Detectives, journalists, and family members offer intriguing theories in the series, from the creators of the original docuseries, Cosgrove/Meurer Productions, and 21 Laps Entertainment, the producers of Stranger Things.

Fun fact: Cosgrove/Meurer also have a weekly Unsolved Mysteries podcast! You can see the trailer for their newest TV volume below.

"This is our most unique volume yet," co-creator & executive producer Terry Dunn Meurer said in a statement. "From one of the most notorious unsolved cases of all time to all-new baffling mysteries, there's something for everyone to solve."

"Unsolved Mysteries continues to resonate with viewers in ways we could never have imagined, with some episodes leading to solving cases that were once thought unsolvable," executive producer Shawn Levy added. "It is a privilege to collaborate with Terry Dunn Meurer and her team on this iconic franchise, and we are so excited to share this next installment of compelling and fascinating mysteries with viewers around the world."

One difference baked into the premise of Unsolved Mysteries, which differentiates it from other content centering on unexplained phenomena and true crime stories is that each episode encourages viewers to do their own investigating and to reach out to the appropriate channels with any leads or tips. It was a novel idea when it launched (around the same time as the somewhat-more-murdery America's Most Wanted, which had a similar premise), but it makes sense in the age of the internet, when Reddit routinely finds people getting together to try and crack the code on any mystery that comes their way.

"I think the goal is always to see if we can solve one of these mysteries," Meurer told ComicBook.com back in 2022. "So I guess, if somebody's listening and has a clue, that's always number one. So solvability is something we look at, but I think that the bar that we always try and set for the stories that we choose is creepy. I don't know how else to describe, because there're crimes, there're lots of crimes, too many crimes, and unfortunately, we get a lot of submissions about crime stories, but looking for the creepiest stories that we can find. The ones that are haunting, I guess. Creepy and haunting are the two words that I would use. That's our bar, trying to find cases where you're just almost on the edge of your seat, like, what's going to happen next?"

Here's how Netflix describes the show: "The iconic and gripping series returns featuring more unexplained deaths, baffling disappearances, and bizarre paranormal activity. Unsolved Mysteries is from the creators of the original docuseries, Cosgrove/Meurer Productions, and 21 Laps Entertainment, the producers of Stranger Things."

Unsolved Mysteries returns on July 31.

Revenge is a witch. Marvel Studios on Monday conjured up the Agatha All Along trailer, and it shows the ancient witch Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) powerless after she attempted to steal Wanda Maximoff's magic in Wandavision. The new Disney+ series -- which is set after the chaos magic-wielding Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) seemingly sacrificed herself to destroy the Darkhold across the multiverse in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness -- returns to Westview, New Jersey, where Agatha/"Agnes" has been trapped all along.

"That witch is gone, leaving you trapped in her distorted spell," fellow witch Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza) tells Agatha in her fantasized reality as a Mare of Easttown-styled detective. "Claw your way out." More than 300 years after she betrayed her Salem coven by practicing the darkest of magic, Agatha is gathering a new coven to walk the Witches' Road.

A new plot synopsis states, "In Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness (Hahn) finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen (Joe Locke) helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches' Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they're missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road."

Hahn, Plaza, and Locke (Heartstopper) star in the MCU-set WandaVision spinoff opposite Sasheer Zamata (Saturday Night Live), Ali Ahn (Supernatural), Maria Dizzia (School Spirits), Okwui Okpokwasili (The Exorcist: Believer), Debra Jo Rupp (WandaVision), and stage legend Patti Lupone as Lilia Calderu. WandaVision head writer Jac Schaeffer created the Marvel Television series, which arrives with a two-episode premiere Sept. 18th and runs throughout the Halloween season on Disney+.

"Agatha is really fun, but it's really scary and it gets quite dramatic," Marvel Studios' head of television and streaming, Brad Winderbaum, said on the official Marvel podcast. "She's an amazing anti-hero and that show, it lures you in with the fun of Halloween. And before you know it you're crying. I'll put it to you that way: It's a Marvel brand of scary. It's a Halloween show. There are deadly stakes in this series. It's a fun ride, but it's a dangerous one."

Today, Disney+ released a new trailer and key art for the upcoming Marvel Television series Agatha All Along, which spins Kathryn Hahn's character, Agatha Harkness, out of the events of the acclaimed Marvel Studios' series WandaVision. In Agatha All Along, "Agatha sets off on a dangerous, mysterious adventure filled with trials and tribulations." That's intentionally opaque, of course, but between the trailer and the official synopsis (seen below), we can probably get a little bit of a sense for where everyone's favorite non-Scarlet witch is headed this time around. The trailer gives us something that looks more like a direct sequel to WandaVision than many probably expected: left powerless and adrift within Wanda's TV fantasies, Agatha starts the trailer as a detective on a police procedural, before being shaken out of her funk by Aubrey Plaza's Rio Vidal.

From there, it seems to be a "getting the band together" kind of story, trying to build up a coven (a "coven of chaos," so to speak) to reclaim her powers. Showrunner Jac Schaeffer, who was the creative force behind WandaVision, directs the pilot episode. Below, you can check out the poster and official synopsis for the series:

In Agatha All Along, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches' Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they're missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road...

In addition to Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along stars Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, with Debra Jo Rupp, with Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza. The executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Mary Livanos and Jac Schaeffer.

Directors for the series include Jac Schaeffer, Rachel Goldberg (Gen V), and Gandja Montiero (The Walking Dead: Dead City). The series boasts a strong lineup, which is important since they are clearly still dipping in and out of different styles of filmmaking at least at the start of the season.

Marvel Television's Agatha All Along will premiere September 18 at 6:00 p.m. PT/9:00 p.m. ET, with the first two episodes on Disney+, then debut one episode per week therafter.

The Game of Thrones spinoff series House of the Dragon draws inspiration from George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood novel about the history of House Targaryen. With Season 2 now well underway on HBO, a new collection of Funko Pops has arrived that includes Daemon Targaryen, Alicent Hightower, and a Deluxe Pop Ride of Rhaenys Targaryen with Meleys.

Pre-orders for all of these new figures are available here at Entertainment Earth (free US shipping on orders $79+ and here on Amazon now. A Ser Christon Cole Funko Pop is also available as a Target exclusive. Details on previously released Funko Pops in the House of the Dragon lineup can be found below. As you'll see, wave 2 included some pretty eye-popping Chase figures. You can also find a ton of new House of the Dragon merch here at the WB Shop.

• House of the Dragon Funko Pop Ride - Rhaenyra w/ Syrax: See at Entertainment Earth
• House of the Dragon Funko Pops - Aemond Targaryen with Chance at a GITD Chase: See at Entertainment Earth
• House of the Dragon Funko Pops- Masked Viserys with a chance at the gnarly unmsked Chase pictured above: See at Entertainment Earth
• House of the Dragon Funko Pops - Viserys on the Iron Throne: See at Entertainment Earth
• House of the Dragon Funko Pops- Crabfeeder: See at Entertainment Earth

• House of the Dragon Caraxes (Metallic) Pop! Vinyl Figure - WB Shop Exclusive
• House of the Dragon Caraxes Pop! Vinyl Figure - Target Exclusive
• House of the Dragon Daemon Targaryen with Dragon Egg Pop! Vinyl Figure - Funko Exclusive / eBay
• House of the Dragon Otto Hightower Pop! Vinyl Figure - Pre-order at Entertainment Earth (free shipping on orders $39+ using the code FALLFREE22 at checkout)
• House of Dragon Alicent Hightower Pop! Vinyl Figure - Pre-order at Entertainment Earth
• House of Dragon Alicent Hightower with Dagger Pop! Vinyl Figure - SDCC Exclusive
  
• House of the Dragon Corlys Velaryon Pop! Vinyl Figure - Pre-order at Entertainment Earth
• House of the Dragon Viserys Targaryen Pop! Vinyl Figure - Pre-order at Entertainment Earth
• House of the Dragon Daemon Targaryen Pop! Vinyl Figure - Pre-order at Entertainment Earth
• House of the Dragon Rhaenyra Targaryen Pop! Vinyl Figure - Pre-order at Entertainment Earth
• House of the Dragon Syrax Pop! Vinyl Figure - Pre-order at Entertainment Earth

What Is House of the Dragon Season 2 About?

Based on George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Blood" book, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with the Green and Black Councils fighting for King Aegon and Queen Rhaenyra, respectively. New episodes of House of the Dragon premiere every Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m. ET.

The cast for House of the Dragon includes Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, and Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower.

Hulu has released the trailer for Futurama's upcoming twelfth season. The series made its return -- following its second cancellation -- with its eleventh season in July of last year, and it reintroduced fans to the Planet Express crew ten years after its previous run came to an end. The series hails from the producers of The Simpsons and has been on TV longer than almost any other animated sitcom (although American Dad! and Family Guy have more seasons, since they haven't been cancelled and revived as often as Futrama has). The good news (or rather, "Good news, everyone")? Futurama has recently been confirmed to have many more seasons now in the works.

You can see the trailer below. It doesn't give much of a concrete sense of what to expect this season, but it does have a rapid-fire montage of jokes featuring giant disco balls, the Harlem Globetrotters, a world of coffee brewed by rain, and some truly bizarre gunfights. And of course, there's a tease for what's up with Fry and Leela's relationship status -- a key element of last year's emotional, fan-favorite season finale.

Featuring a returning staff and cast from the previous season with Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr, and David Herman all attached. If you wanted to get back into the futuristic spirit, you can check out the first 11 seasons of the series streaming with Hulu as it's the perfect time to get back up to speed.

Here's the official synopsis for Futurama's latest reboot (although remember, this came out before season 11):

"After a brief ten-year hiatus, Futurama has crawled triumphantly from the cryogenic tube, its full original cast and satirical spirit intact. The ten all-new episodes of season eleven have something for everyone. New viewers will be able to pick up the series from here, while long-time fans will recognize payoffs to decades-long mysteries - including developments in the epic love story of Fry and Leela, the mysterious contents of Nibbler's litter box, the secret history of evil Robot Santa, and the whereabouts of Kif and Amy's tadpoles. Meanwhile there's a whole new pandemic in town as the crew explores the future of vaccines, bitcoin, cancel culture, and streaming TV."

Futurama Season 12 will be launching with Hulu on July 29th.

The cast and crew of Game of Thrones have wildly diverse reactions to the prequel series House of the Dragon, with some intentionally avoiding learning anything about the project while others merely think it's too soon to attempt to watch such a familiar world just as a fan. In the case of Iwan Rheon, who played Ramsay Bolton in the original series, he hasn't watched the series yet he thinks it's merely a matter of time before he catches up with the prequel. One reason he's been too busy to watch the prequel is he's been making the TV series Those About to Die for Peacock, which premieres on July 18th.

"I haven't seen it, no. But not because of any particular reason," Rheon confirmed to ComicBook. "I will watch it, I'm sure, at some point. I just probably haven't quite had the time or whatever. But yeah, I'll give it a watch. I hear it's very, very good."

Rheon's costar in Those About to Die Sara Martins shared her endorsement of the prequel, expressing, "I've seen Season 1, Season 2 is just coming now and for some reason to find the platform where it has changed in France. But yes, I will find the time to watch it. Definitely."

Rheon's Ramsay was easily one of the most ruthless figures in Game of Thrones, and while he might not be as overtly brutal in his new series, fans will be thrilled to see him back in a historical-inspired drama.

Those About to Die is an epic drama set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told -- the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most...blood and sport. The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics, and dynasties.

The ensemble cast of Those About to Die includes Anthony Hopkins, Iwan Rheon, Sara Martins, Tom Hughes, Jojo Macari, Moe Hashim, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones, Gabriella Pession, Dimitri Leonidas, Emilio Sakraya, David Wurawa, Pepe Barroso, Gon?alo Almeida, Eneko Sagardoy, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Lara Wolf, Angeliqa Devi, Kyshan Wilson, and Alicia Edogamhe.

Those About to Die premieres on Peacock on July 18th. Season 2 of House of the Dragon debuts new episodes on HBO on Sundays.

What do you think of the actor's remarks? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

Paramount Global and Skydance Media are merging. As announced during the turn of midnight on July 7th, Paramount and Skydance have reached a definitive agreement to form "New Paramount," a conglomerate that aims to "stabilize and strengthen" Paramount as a "world-class," next-generation leader in media and technology and is described as a "creative-driven destination for storytellers dedicated to delivering top-quality content." This merger is made possible due to Skydance acquiring National Amusements, Inc., a company that holds the controlling share stakes in Paramount. Paramount and Skydance's merger is an all-stock transaction, one which values Skydance at $4.75 billion. The two media giants aim to complete the transaction in the first half of 2025.

New Paramount will be led by David Ellision (Skydance Media's founder and CEO), who takes on the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, as well as Jeff Shell (former NBCUniversal CEO), who will serve as President.

"This is a defining and transformative time for our industry and the storytellers, content creators and financial stakeholders who are invested in the Paramount legacy and the longevity of the entertainment economy," Ellison said. "I am incredibly grateful to Shari Redstone and her family who have agreed to entrust us with the opportunity to lead Paramount. We are committed to energizing the business and bolstering Paramount with contemporary technology, new leadership and a creative discipline that aims to enrich generations to come."

"In 1987, my father, Sumner Redstone, acquired Viacom and began assembling and growing the businesses today known as Paramount Global. He had a vision that 'content was king' and was always committed to delivering great content for all audiences around the world," Chair of Paramount Global and Chair, President, and CEO of National Amusements, Inc. Shari Redstone said. "That vision has remained at the core of Paramount's success and our accomplishments are a direct result of the incredibly talented, creative, and dedicated individuals who work at the company.

"Given the changes in the industry, we want to fortify Paramount for the future while ensuring that content remains king. Our hope is that the Skydance transaction will enable Paramount's continued success in this rapidly changing environment. As a longtime production partner to Paramount, Skydance knows Paramount well and has a clear strategic vision and the resources to take it to its next stage of growth. We believe in Paramount and we always will."

Paramount and Skydance will host an investors' call on Monday, July 8th at 8:30 AM ET to discuss the transaction.

It's been over a year since Peacock's Community movie was finally announced, ending years of rumors and exciting fans of the groundbreaking sitcom. Unfortunately for those same fans, production on the movie still hasn't started, but series lead Joel McHale promises it's happening "vaguely" in 2025. It comes in an interview he gave for his appearance on The Bear -- a job he got, in part, because he met showrunner Chris Storer through Community's Gillian Jacobs back when the show was still on the air and Storer wasn't famous. Given that the cult success of Community has led to busy careers for numerous actors who appeared in it, the answer to any question about delays always seems to boil down to scheduling.

McHale also disputed recent claims that the delay was the fault of Donald Glover. The superstar musician and Atlanta producer and star left Community in the series' fifth season, but has committed to appearing in the movie.

"If it's anybody's fault, it's my schedule on this one. It's not his at all. He was available," McHale told GQ. When reminded of the reports blaming Glover for the delays, he added, "I will say, and please print this. That was definitely not true. It was not Donald's schedule. We love Donald. You can fully blame my schedule."

It has been almost a decade since Community's sixth and final season aired on Yahoo! Screen, a short-lived streaming network that hoped the cult-favorite show would give it a fighting chance of competing with the likes of Hulu and Netflix. It was the third time the show had "ended," but critically for fans, it wasn't quite the ending they had hoped for.

That's because, due to a long-running joke in the fandom, the show's audience had been demanding "six seasons and a movie." The joke came from a moment in Community's second season, when Abed shouted "six seasons and a movie!" after being told that his then-favorite TV series, NBC's short-lived The Cape, was going to be quickly cancelled. In the real world, The Cape lasted only nine episodes, but the joke has been going for more than ten years. When the announcement finally came, NBCUniversal proved they were in on the joke, hashtagging the announcement with "Six seasons and a movie!" on social media.

"It hasn't been shot yet," McHale said. "It will be. And I don't have a definitive update because we thought for a moment it was going to all happen this year, and then it didn't. But we have the money, and that is a huge step. And hopefully, people still want to see it. And Peacock's paying for it. And so I can't wait to do it. I'll say vaguely next year. How about that?"

Since Community, virtually every member of the cast has gone on to great things. McHale, who was already well-known as the host of The Soup, went on to star in a number of short-lived sitcoms as well as playing Sylvester Pemberton on Stargirl and Johnny Cage in a series of animated Mortal Kombat movies. Glover, in addition to performing as Childish Gambino, has Atlanta and a couple of appearances in Spider-Man movies. Alison Brie got GLOW, BoJack Horseman, and a number of movie and TV projects. Yvette Nicole Brown has become a pop culture ambassador, appearing in dozens of projects including a recurring role on Talking Dead and roles in The Odd Couple, Inside Out 2, and Beebo Saves Christmas. Jacobs appears on Transatlantic and Invincible, and appeared in movies like Life of the Party and The Contractor. Danny Pudi has done a number of projects, including Strange Planet, DuckTales, and Powerless.

On top of all that, creator Dan Harmon went on to co-create and showrun Rick and Morty, and fan-favorite Community directors Joe and Anthony Russo helped shape popular culture with a number of Marvel movies, including Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.

Spoilers for House of the Dragon's latest episode follow! Though the episodes arrive two years after the first season, House of the Dragon season 2 takes place just weeks after that first batch of episodes. That in mind fans were a little surprised when the first episode revealed that Alicent Hightower and Ser Criston Cole have taken their working relationship to the next level and are now engaged in a full blown affair. House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 delivers an even more startling revelation about the pair, that all of their secret time together has perhaps resulted in Alicent getting pregnant.

About 11 minutes into the latest episode of House of the Dragon, Alicent receives a visitor in her quarters, Grand Maester Orwyle, who brings her something concealed in a cloth. Fans of House of the Dragon should have recognized this little clay pot immediately as being none other than Moon Tea, and if the container itself didn't give it away then the way Alicent and Maester Orwyle speak about it should. Maester Orwyle makes note of having brewed "it" himself, adding that Alicent should let him know if the "recipient" needs a remedy for any adverse effects. Alicent of course plays her part as well, noting that she will "deliver it herself." House of the Dragon viewers will recall the first instance of the moon tea in the series came after season 1's icky moment between a young Rhaenyra and her Uncle Daemon.

They're talking in circles around what's actually going on here, which is that Grand Maester Orwyle has brought her moon tea so that she might prevent/terminate a potential pregnancy that may have been conceived between she and Ser Criston Cole. Naturally the Dowager Queen becoming pregnant weeks after her bedridden husband has finally died would no doubt cause a stir in the kingdom, but especially when the crown is engaged in a bloody conflict about the true line of succession.

House of the Dragon fans, many of whom already have no love for Alicent, basked in the schadenfreude of this moment. "Cannot believe Alicent was pregnant with Criston's bastard. Greens can't say sh-t to me," one X user posted. Fans were quick to point out the irony of Alicent needing the moon tea herself as well. In season one of House of the Dragon, Alicent did not hide her feelings about Princess Rhaenyra giving birth to three "bastard" children in a row, and now she's got one herself (fathered by the Hand of the King no less).

There's another wrinkle to Alicent and her moon tea though, which is that Lord Larys Strong, the King's Master of Whispers, comes to her quarters to speak to her after she missed a meeting of the High Council. While there of course, he makes a note of the presence of the moon tea, and like a good Master of Whispers makes a mental note for later about it."Alicent over there drinking moon tea like the hypocrite she is and Larys peeping the whole thing," one user wrote about the later scene, a popular sentiment for most House of the Dragon viewers it appears.

The biggest question remaining from this scene is two-fold, is Alicent actually pregnant or was she just taking the moon tea as a preventative measure? But also, will the moon tea work as intended or is another major twist in the cards for the Dowager Queen?

Based on George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Blood" book, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with the Green and Black Councils fighting for King Aegon and Queen Rhaenyra, respectively. New episodes of House of the Dragon premiere every Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m. ET.

The cast for House of the Dragon includes Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, and Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower.

Throughout the first couple of episodes of House of the Dragon Season 2, fans have spent time getting to know new characters Alyn and Addam of Hull. Addam's future has been teased already, after he was shown watching the dragon Seasmoke flying off Driftmark. Alyn's important future, however, as been kept under wraps. That changed in Sunday's new episode, as one key conversation all but confirmed the true identity of Alyn of Hull, and what could be in store for him as House of the Dragon continues. WARNING: This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of House of the Dragon! Continue reading at your own risk...

Alyn of Hull has become known as the man who saved Corlys Velaryon's life at sea, but he's actually much closer to Corlys than he realizes. A conversation between Rhaenys and Corlys in Sunday's episode of House of the Dragon revealed (without explicitly saying it) that Alyn is Corlys' son by another woman. Rhaenys actually hints that Corlys has been keeping Alyn out of a higher position in his naval force because he knows the man's true identity.

Why is this so important? If you recall, both of Corlys' children are believed to be dead (though we know Laenor is still alive somewhere). By the end of this episode, Corlys will also be a widower. Alyn and Addam will be his only remaining family, and Corlys has talked openly this season about setting up Driftmark with a new heir.

In Fire & Blood, the book House of the Dragon is based on, Alyn ends up becoming that heir to Driftmark. After being made legitimate Velaryons, Alyn is named Corlys' successor, while Addam becomes a dragonrider.

Despite not being around in the first season, Alyn and Addam of Hull have the potential to become two of the biggest contributors to Rhaenyra's side of the war.

Based on George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Blood" book, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with the Green and Black Councils fighting for King Aegon and Queen Rhaenyra, respectively. New episodes of House of the Dragon premiere every Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m. ET.

The cast for House of the Dragon includes Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, and Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower.

Given that Sunday's episode of House of the Dragon was titled "A Dance of Dragons," which is a play on the name of the entire Targaryen civil war at the center of the series, it was safe to assume that a bloody battle was on its way. The final 15 minutes of the episode made good on that promise, pitting three of the show's biggest characters in the midst of a devastating dragon fight. At least one of them died on the battlefield, with another potentially on their deathbed as well. Let's break down what happened in that shocking ending, shall we? WARNING: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for House of the Dragon! Continue reading at your own risk...

Rhaenys & Meleys

Unfortunately, one of the best characters on House of the Dragon is dead and gone. Rhaenys, aka the Queen That Never Was, rode her dragon Meleys to Rook's Rest to take out Criston Cole's army. Queen Rhaenyra planned to go herself, but Rhaenys insisted she go instead.

Rhaenys fell into a trap set by Cole, which saw Aemond and Vhagar hiding in the woods, waiting for a dragon to fight. That plan was almost ruined, though, when Aegon showed up unexpectedly. Meleys was dominant in the fight against Aegon's Sunfyre, and the tide only turned in the king's favor when his brother showed up to save him.

Vhagar and Aemond dominated the other two dragons, even though one was mounted by Aegon. When it came to Rhaenys and Meleys, though, there was no doubt that Aemond had accomplished his mission. Meleys was killed in the air and she fell down to Rook's Rise below, landing with an explosion that clearly took the life of Rhaenys.

Just like that, Rhaenyra's smartest advisor and most powerful ally is gone.

King Aegon II

The last scene of Sunday's episode shows Aegon lying next to Sunfyre, arms crossed over his chest and not moving. It does look as if the young man in control of the Iron Throne was indeed killed at Rook's Rest. While technically anything could happen on the show going forward, it's very likely that Aegon is not dead.

In George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, Aegon is nearly killed in this very conflict. The book's version of the story tells of Aegon sustaining several injuries, including a slew of broken bones, and he spends quite a long time incapacitated and drinking milk of the poppy to try and survive.

There's a good chance the rest of House of the Dragon Season 2 continues without Aegon being a major player in the conflict, but he isn't dead just yet.

Based on George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Blood" book, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with the Green and Black Councils fighting for King Aegon and Queen Rhaenyra, respectively. New episodes of House of the Dragon premiere every Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m. ET.

The cast for House of the Dragon includes Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, and Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower.

The third episode of House of the Dragon ended with a face-to-face meeting between Rhaenyra and Alicent, as the former hoped for one last shot at peace between their two sides. Obviously, based on the fact that the series continues this week, there was no agreement between the two. The Targaryen civil war rages on in Sunday's latest edition of House of the Dragon, as the battles continue to claim substantial losses. WARNING: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for House of the Dragon Season 2! Continue reading at your own risk...

A Harrenhal Update

Things are not going all that great for Daemon in Harrenhal. He continues to experience horrifying visions as he stays in the cursed castle. At the start of the episode, he sees a young Rhaenyra again, this time taunting him with her crown. He cuts off her head before waking up from the vision with blood on his hands. Later in the episode, he sees his late second wife, Laena, serving drinks to the council, as well as a version of himself wearing Aemond's eyepatch.

Daemon's also not exactly turning the tide of the war, as he thought he could by taking Harrenhal. The crumbling castle has no army and Lord Tully is incapacitated, unable to raise the banners of the houses in the Riverlands. A conversation with Tully's young grandson doesn't do Daemon much good either, so he eventually summons Willem Blackwood, who has grown up since we saw him in Season 1.

This Harrenhal storyline is also giving us perhaps the best new character of Season 2 in Alys Rivers. After telling Daemon he would die at the castle in Episode 3, Alys spends much of her time in this episode explaining to Daemon that he's just slowly losing himself within the haunted walls.

While Daemon tries to get things together in the Riverlands, Ser Criston Cole has been doing a lot of work in the Crownlands on his way to Harrenhal. He has been victorious in multiple battles and essentially tripled his army as they march through Westeros.

Rhaenys & Corlys and Aegon & Aemond

For better and for worse, this is Rhaenys' episode. Her first time appearing in "A Dance of Dragons" sees her meeting Alyn of Hull face to face, and then confronting her husband about it. This exchange all but confirms that Alyn and his brother Addam are the secret sons of Corlys. It also sees Rhaenys tell her husband that Alyn deserves to be given a more prominent position than he has, especially since he saved Corlys' life.

Rhaenys is also acting as the voice of reason in Rhaenyra's small council until the queen returns from her secret trip to King's Landing. There's a lot done throughout the first 45 minutes of this episode to show just how important Rhaenys is to not only the Rhaenyra, but to the entire realm. She's often called the Queen That Never Was, and that leadership is on full display here.

Speaking of queens, Alicent is taking a potion to try and prevent pregnancy. Just weeks after her husband's death, it would not be good for her to be seen carrying a child.

Aegon's small council meeting shows just how unprepared he is for the throne. Everyone is operating around him and making decisions without asking him, especially Aemond. The King's brother is working closely with Cole on a battle plan, and they never bothered talking to Aegon about any of it. Aemond is clearly an expert tactician and he doesn't bother hiding it.

When Aegon finally starts to break, Alicent gives it to him straight. She tells him that he should do nothing and let the smarter, more confident men around him make the decisions they know how to make. Alicent knows that war is inevitable and knows that she will back her children no matter what, but she is also becoming more aware with each passing day that the Iron Throne should've been Rhaenyra's.

Rook's Rest

Instead of marching on to Harrenhal, Criston makes off for Rook's Rest. It's a much smaller castle but it's important to Rhaenyra's forces, as it is one of the only strongholds in the area controlled by one of her council members. Taking that could hurt her chances of gaining any momentum on the mainland. It's also, as we'll eventually learn, a trap to take out one of Rhaenyra's dragons.

With Rhaenyra now confident there will be no peace between the two sides, she agrees to send a dragon to Rook's Rest to stop Cole's army. While she initially volunteers, Rhaenys convinces the queen to let her go instead. As Rhaenys leaves for battle, Rhaenyra explains to Jace why she chose not to send him, even though he also volunteered. She tells him the story of Aegon the Conqueror's vision, the Song of Ice and Fire, just as Viserys had shared it with her.

When Rhaenys comes to attack Cole's forces at Rook's Rest, he sounds a horn. This signals Aemond, who has been waiting in the forest with Vhaegar, the massive dragon covered in brush and moss as to not be seen from the skies. Aegon shows up to the battle unexpectedly, and Aemond allows him to try his hand before releasing his monstrous dragon.

Rhaenys and Meleys are more opponent than Aegon and Sunfyre are ready for, quickly overpowering the young king. That's when Aemond and Vhaegar show up, proving their might. Aegon and Sunfyre are downed in the battle, and Aemond ultimately kills Rhaenys and her beloved dragon, dropping them onto Rook's Rest from the sky.

In the final moments of the episode, Cole finds the fallen Sunfyre, with Aemond standing in front of the beast with his sword drawn. He puts the sword away and Cole sees Aegon laying beside the dragon, burnt and potentially dead.

Spoilers follow for The Boys season 4. It's no surprise to fans of The Boys when a major character meets an early and gruesome end. Even during season 4 of the series alone there have been characters that have been thrown against the side of buildings or heat-visioned in the crotch. For a brief moment in the latest episode of The Boys it seemed like the most surprising death of the season had happened as MM shot Sister Sage in the head to prevent her from alerting Homelander to their presence. The real twist of course wasn't Sister Sage's surprise death, it's that she survived.

The genius aspect about this moment from The Boys season 4 is that the death is handled pretty matter-of-fact. MM and Sister Sage are locked in a standoff. Sage is taunting him with information about his daughter while MM is trying very hard to make sure his team isn't compromised, leading to the moment where Sage tries to sound the alarm and promptly takes a bullet to the head from MM's gun. Not only that but MM passes out from the panic attack that has been induced by the sudden killing of another person (who was taunting him with details of his private life).

Of note is that in this exact moment, immediately after being shot in the head, The Boys wastes no time confirming that Sister Sage isn't dead. As previously revealed in The Boys (just two episodes ago!), Sister Sage's super-power isn't JUST that she's the smartest person in the world, it's that her brain is regenerative. Sister Sage will routinely give herself lobotomies to make her briefly dumber, and to ease her own anxieties about being the smartest person in the world. MM shooting Sister Sage in the head is only a more extreme version of the supe lobotomizing herself in her bedroom.

As the episode continues, we see that this is absolutely the case, because not only is Sister Sage stuck in her "dumb" persona while recovering, it seems to be an even more extreme version of that too. Rather than answer any of Homelander's questions, she goes on about eating candy corn, making him realize that she's had some...brain damage. We don't see Sister Sage fully recovered by the end of the episode, but based on what we know about her recovery time we'll assume she'll be back to "normal" in next week's episode.

In The Boys season 4, Karl Urban stars once again as Billy Butcher, leader of The Boys, which also includes Jack Quaid as Hughie Campbell, Laz Alonso as M.M., Tomer Capone as Frenchie, and Karen Fukuhara as Kimiko Miyashiro. Some of the "supes" featured in the series include Antony Starr as Homelander, Jessie T. Usher as A-Train, and Chace Crawford as The Deep. Other stars of The Boys include Colby Minifie as Ashley Barrett, CEO of Vought International, and Claudia Doumit as Victoria Neuman.

The world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca's son as well as his job as The Boys' leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it's too late.

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 has reached its final couple of episodes, and it's made a big swing as Brainiac has taken over Clark Kent's body by the end of Episode 8! My Adventures with Superman has really been challenging Clark in new ways this season as while he's questioning his place within humanity, he's been feeling more alone than ever before. It's that mental weakness that Brainiac has decided to take advantage of as the newest episode of the series sees him trap Clark within a mental space and manipulate his memories and feelings.

My Adventures with Superman had Clark at his lowest yet as while he first was able to fight back against Brainiac's manipulations within the Black Mercy for the majority of it, it all started to break away when Brainiac began to use what happened to Lois against him. With Clark getting even more depressed and vulnerable, Brainiac was successful at taking over Clark's body completely. And in doing so, Brainiac unleashes his own dark new form for Clark that brings the season into its final episodes. Check it out below as shared by Adult Swim:

How to Watch My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 8

If you wanted to seek out the episode, My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 8 is titled "The Death of Clark Kent" and the synopsis for the episode teases it as such, "Lois and Jimmy confront Kara and make a plan to rescue Clark. Meanwhile, Brainiac delves into Superman's mind to figure out what makes him tick...and how to tear him apart!" If you wanted to catch up with the first season and Season 2's available episodes so far, My Adventures with Superman can be found streaming with Max the day after their initial debut. So you'll be able to check out Brainiac's takeover right now!

Adult Swim teases what to expect from My Adventures with Superman Season 2 on a whole as such, "In the latest season, the three best friends face a host of new threats. Powerful foes will emerge from Clark's alien past, Amanda Waller will take aim at Superman, Lois will grapple with the future, and Jimmy Olsen will spend an unbelievable amount of money. Krypton is coming for our young heroes, and its arrival will test their strength, loyalty, and love like never before."

George R.R. Martin, the creator of the entire Game of Thrones universe, is loving House of the Dragon's second season. The Game of Thrones prequel series on HBO is based on Martin's book, Fire & Blood, which acts as more of a historical text for the Targaryens than the Song of Ice and Fire novels that inspired the previous blockbuster series. This means that the creative team behind House of the Dragon not only has a much longer road map, but they also have fewer details for all of the major events, allowing for a little more interpretation. In a new blog post over the weekend, Martin raved about the first two episodes of House of the Dragon Season 2.

"What a great way to start the season. The directing was superb," Martin wrote. "Game of Thrones veteran Alan Taylor directed the first episode, and Clare Kilner the second. Both of them did a magnificent job. And I cannot say enough about the acting. Emma D'Arcy has only one line in 'A Son for a Son,' but they do so much with their eyes and their face that they absolutely dominate the episode; [Rhaenyra's] grief for her slain son is palpable."

Martin goes on to praise other House of the Dragon stars, like Tom Glynn-Carney, Rhys Ifans, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Fabien Frankel, Eve Best, and others. The actor he spends the most time talking about, though, is Phia Saban, who plays Queen Helaena Targaryen.

"And Phia Saban gave a wrenching, powerful, heart-breaking performance as Helaena Targaryen, Aegon's doomed, haunted queen and mother to his children. Saban's performance is especially noteworthy; very little of what she brings to the part was in my source material," Martin explained. He went on to compare Helaena's evolution on-screen to that of King Viserys in Season 1. Viserys was nothing more than a "jolly party-loving king" in Martin's texts, but House of the Dragon and Paddy Considine created something so much richer for the show.

"The [House of the Dragon] team have done the same thing here with Helaena," the author said. "In the book, she is a plump, pleasant, and happy young woman, cheerful and kindly, adored by the smallfolk. A dragonrider since the age of twelve, Helaena's greatest joy in life is to take to the skies on the back of her dragon Dreamfyre. None of the strangeness she displays in the show was evident in the book, nor is her gift of prophecy. Those were born in the writers' room... but once I met the show's version of Helaena, I could hardly take issue. Phia Saban's Helaena is a richer and more fascinating character than the one I created in Fire & Blood, and in 'Rhaenyra the Cruel' you can scarcely take your eyes off her."

At the end of his post, Martin wrote that the only potential criticism he had for House of the Dragon's second season, at least so far, is its handling of the Blood and Cheese storyline. But it doesn't seem as though those changes spoiled the writer's enjoyment of the new episodes.

"There's a lot to be said of that, but this is not the place for me to say it. The issues are too complicated," he said of the Blood and Cheese ending. "Somewhere down the line, I will do a separate post about all the issues raised by Blood and Cheese... and Maelor the missing. There's a lot to say."

Based on George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Blood" book, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with the Green and Black Councils fighting for King Aegon and Queen Rhaenyra, respectively. New episodes of House of the Dragon premiere every Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m. ET.

The cast for House of the Dragon includes Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, and Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower.

Interview With the Vampire concluded its second season last week on AMC, but the story is just getting started. Ahead of the Season 2 finale, AMC renewed the series based on Anne Rice's novels from The Vampire Chronicles for a third season set to see Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) get to tell his story. With series showrunner Rolin Jones having already said that the novel he wants to dig into next being The Vampire Lestat, fans of Rice's work already have some idea what that might entail but in an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Jones makes it even more clear: they're going for a "little pop masterpiece".

"Lestat becomes a rock star. Let's star there," Jones said when asked what Season 3 of Interview With the Vampire will look like. "We're going to do a lot with that and are excited about potentially working with Daniel Hart who's done the music for the first two seasons. We're going to try to beat Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Rocky Horror. We're about to try to make a little pop masterpiece."

He added, "The deeper I get into [Anne Rice's] books, I'm slowly catching up to the love that the people who really love the show have for these books and clutch them to their hearts. So many of the artists who worked on our show talked about how the tone of the book allowed them to think about coming out. These books are important to people. I feel very privileged and very lucky to be this person who's shepherding that to a new generation at this point."

What Will Season 3 of Interview With the Vampire Be About?

Here's how AMC describes Season 3 of Interview With the Vampire: In season three, resentful of the perfunctory portrayal in the trashy bestseller 'Interview With The Vampire,' the Vampire Lestat sets his story straight in a way only the Vampire Lestat can--by starting a band and going on tour. Gabrielle. Nicholas. Magnus. Marius. Those Who Must Be Kept. They join Louis, Armand, Molloy, Sam, Raglan, Fareed and others we can't tell you about yet on a sexy pilgrimage across space, time and trauma. No Auto-Tuning. No Trigger Warnings. All Feels Amplified.

"When you buy the rights to 18 Anne Rice novels that have sold more than 150 million copies, in your wildest dreams you hope there's a show as good as Interview on the other end," said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. "What Rolin has done with these stories and characters, working so closely with Mark, as the steward of this universe, has exceeded the loftiest version of our expectations. We can't wait to see where this creative team takes the series from here and know we are walking alongside an incredibly loyal and passionate base of fans who feel as strongly about this material as we do."

"Thank you to the brilliant casts and crews of the first two seasons that got us to this day. Thank you to the rabid, beautifully unwell fandom that scaled the castle walls to get us to this day," showrunner Rolin Jones said. "Thank you to Dan McDermott, Ben Davis for the funds and tools to continue the great work of dramatizing Anne Rice's extraordinary novels. And sincere apologies to the family and friends of actor Sam Reid, for the possession that continues to this day. Monsieur L extends his promise to return his body upon cancellation (may that evening never come.)"

My Adventures with Superman has reached its intense slate of final episodes for Season 2, and Clark is now in more danger than ever before! My Adventures with Superman Season 2 kicked off with Clark at his highest as not only was he dating Lois, but Jimmy was rich and successful. Clark then discovered that he even had a cousin who survived Krypton's destruction as well, and reached out to her in the hopes of finding someone who understood why he felt so isolated from humanity. But it all quickly went south from there with a long string of bad luck.

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 might have spent the latest episode showcasing how Lois and Jimmy ended up in space in their attempts to find and rescue Clark, it's time to get back to Clark himself as we last saw him within the clutches of Brainiac. It's going just as well as one might expect as Clark is being manipulated and challenged by his memories as the villain gets closer to taking control of Clark's body. Here's everything important that went down in My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 8, "The Death of Clark Kent."

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 8 Recap with Spoilers

• Brainiac uses a device known as the Black Mercy, a Kryptonian device that traps Clark within his mind and allows Brainiac to see and manipulate his memories. Brainiac then explains that the current housing for his mind is slowly heading towards destruction and thus wants to take Clark's body for his own. Using Clark's memories, Braniac is trying to find his weakness and kill Clark. Meanwhile, Jimmy and Lois speak with Kara.
• Jimmy invites her onto the ship so they can discuss things, much to Lois' protests. Kara's happy to see Jimmy, and it's clear there's a bit of a spark between the two of them. Kara asks them for their help because she thinks Clark's in danger...even if she's not completely clear about what's been happening with the planets and Krypton's empire thus far. Meanwhile, Brainiac takes Clark through his first fight with Livewire and is disappointed to find that Clark can't be beaten physically.
• Then taking him back to his fight with Ivo, and wonders where he manages to find last minute strength to defeat these strong foes. Taking notice of Lois and Jimmy, Brainiac starts to explore more of that connection such as when Clark was fighting against his spaceship to protect them as seen in the first season. This only makes Brainiac more curious as Clark himself can't land a hit on Brainiac while trapped within the Black Mercy.
• Meanwhile, Kara tells Lois and Jimmy that their best opportunity at getting Clark would be when Brainiac is recharging himself for maintenance. She still wants to speak with her perceived father to find out the truth of what's really going on, and will do so when Lois and Jimmy retrieve Clark. But Jimmy's also concerned about what's going to happen to Kara after as while she's been fighting for the Krypton empire in this way, there's still a whole universe she has yet to freely see.
• Heading onto the ship, they move on with the plan but Kara tries to confess something to Jimmy. She blushes and says she feels admiration for him as the leader of the planet, but it's clear that she might be feeling something more instead. Hugging him before they part, Lois hilariously pokes at Jimmy about calling himself the leader of the planet. Back in Clark's mind, he's trying his best to stop Brainiac from seeing them. But instead, Brainiac notes how Clark seems to be afraid of hurting them himself.
• He knows Clark fears about them not loving him in return for how much he protects them, and replays all of the memories he's gotten over the course of this season. Rejection from the scared humans, overhearing Lois saying he's different, Jimmy ditching him for Kara, and this is Clark's weakness. His love he has for his friends and family makes him vulnerable. Because he can't be beaten physically, he's weak mentally and Clark denies that this is the case. So Brainiac begins to manipulate his memories to make Lois say horrible things about him.
• Meanwhile, Lois and Jimmy head to the observation deck and find Clark isn't there while Brainiac's drones start to activate. It's Kara who finds him, however, and she immediately confronts Brainiac over it. She wants to know what's really going on, and Brainiac explains that she actually previously refused to destroy the planets that they discovered before. Instead arguing about each of their good qualities, Brainiac then forced her to destroy them instead.
• Kara finally understands how Brainiac has been manipulating her, and he doesn't mind as he's seeking to turn Clark into his next weapon instead. Inside of Clark's mind, he's still being tortured by Lois telling him terrible things. Having enough of this and refusing to believe this is true, Clark instead starts manipulating the Black Mercy himself and heads to his real memories of Lois offering him her love and support through their adventures so far. But Brainiac continues to push forward.
• Showing Clark more instances of Lois telling him horrible things, Clark even starts to doubt whether or not those memories actually happened. Until finally, he revisits his breakup with Lois. This one true thing that happened starts to chip away at Clark's trust of the others. While Clark is fighting on the inside, Kara is fighting Brainiac on the outside. With one final push, the both of them land decisive blows and the physical and mental Brainiac until Clark frees himself from the Black Mercy.
• Clark then has a vision of a younger version of himself on Krypton, and reunites with the rest of his family. But actually, Clark is still trapped within the Black Mercy. Brainiac has taken full control of Clark's body and morphs it into a dark kind of "Super Brainiac" look. Lois and Jimmy see this go down, and Brainiac declares that Kal-El is no more. Kara tries to fight him but fails as Brainiac explains that each generation of Kryptonians have been genetically built to be stronger than the last.
• He himself was built to be the greatest mind of Krypton meant to uphold the greatest ideals of their empire, and explains that he still has love for Kara. Even so, he completely demolishes her in a fight. Jimmy tries to interfere with the piece of Kryptonite he and Lois brought, but it's killing both Kal-El and Kara instead of Brainiac as he can just move his mind to a new body. He then flings them off into space.
• Thankfully, Mallah and Brain rescue them with the ship in time. Lost without much of a path forward, Lois reveals she's grabbed a Black Mercy device and puts it on in the hopes of going after Clark. She then enters a catatonic state like Clark was before, and the episode comes to an end.

The Apothecary Diaries overcame all the odds to become a hit with its first season, and now, we know when its second will make its debut. Today, Crunchyroll confirmed The Apothecary Diaries season two will go live next year. 2025 will usher in a new era for Maomao, and fans will be able to find the romantic drama on Crunchyroll.

The update comes straight from the streaming service as Crunchyroll took the stage at Anime Expo. The convention took The Apothecary Diaries to new heights this year as the Square Enix manga has exploded in popularity. In the aftermath of season one, The Apothecary Diaries confirmed a season two was in the works, and it seems OLM is working hard with Toho Animation Studio to bring the project to life.

If you are not familiar with The Apothecary Diaries, the hit series debuted in October 2011 under Natsu Hyuga. The novel gave way to a popular light series and manga that are ongoing. Given the series' expansion, it was hardly surprising that an anime order was given, and the title premiered in October 2023.

For those wanting to know more about The Apothecary Diaries, you can find the series easily enough. The first season is streaming subbed and dubbed on Crunchyroll. So for those that want to know more about Hyuga's beloved series, you can read its official synopsis below:

"Maomao, a young woman trained in the art of herbal medicine, is forced to work as a lowly servant in the inner palace. Though she yearns for life outside its perfumed halls, she isn't long for a life of drudgery! Using her wits to break a "curse" afflicting the imperial heirs, Maomao attracts the attentions of the handsome eunuch Jinshi and is promoted to attendant food taster. But Jinshi has other plans for the erstwhile apothecary, and soon Maomao is back to brewing potions and...solving mysteries?!"

What do you think about this update on The Apothecary Diaries? Will you be watching season two? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!a

Melissa Benoist played Supergirl for six seasons on The CW Arrowverse series and taking on the iconic role was one that didn't come without pressure. However, according to Benoist, her role on the hit series Glee helped her prepare for it. During an appearance on Collider's Ladies Night, Benoist said that the difficult workload she experienced working on Glee helped her develop the confidence that let her take on Supergirl.

"What I learned on Glee was that I was a really hard worker and that I could do really. hard things, because the schedule on that show was grueling because there were so many moving parts," Benoist said. "It was fun but tough. I'm sure if you've had anyone else from the show on here, they've said the same thing. You had to rehearse the dances, you had to prerecord the songs, then you had to film the songs, and filming the songs were a lot longer. They took hours and hours and hours. And then you also had the scene work. I knew that Supergirl was going to carry a lot of pressure, and the responsibilities were going to be immense, and I think my experience on Glee gave me the belief that I had the ability to carry Supergirl."

Benoist played Marley Rose for two seasons on Glee before going on to star in Supergirl which first debuted on CBS before making the jump to The CW where the rest of the Arrowverse shows -- Arrow and The Flash (and later Legends of Tomorrow and Black Lightning) aired. Supergirl ultimately ran for six total seasons and became the second Arrowverse series to end, concluding in 2021. During her time in the Arrowverse, the skills Benoist picked up on Glee came in handy beyond confidence, however. A crossover with The Flash saw her team up with another Glee alum, Grant Gustin in a musical episode.

As for her post-Supergirl career, Benoist most recently appeared in Max's The Girls on the Bus. The series, which was based on Amy Chozick's 2018 memoir Chasing Hilary: Ten Years, Two Presidential Campaigns, and One Intact Glass Ceiling, was cancelled earlier this year after just one season by the network. In addition to Benoist as Sadie McCarthy, the series starred Carla Gugino as Grace, Natasha Benham as Lola, Christina Elmore as Kimberlyn, Scott Foley, Tala Ashe, Mark Consuelos, Brandon Scott, and Griffin Dunne. The series is written and executive produced by Julie Plec and Amy Chozick. Rina Mimoun serves as executive producer and showrunner. Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter executive produce via Berlanti Productions. Benoist also serves as a producer. Jesse Peretz directed the pilot.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is coming back for Part 3 this October, and now fans have been given a new look at what to expect with a new trailer and poster! Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 - The Conflict is one of the many new anime releases sharing significant updates during Anime Expo 2024, and with it gave fans the best look at the new season yet. Along with confirming that the new episodes would be airing during October as part of the upcoming Fall 2024 anime schedule, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 has also released a new trailer showing off a ton of new stuff.

The preview was shared at Anime Expo as Viz Media brought Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War to the convention's biggest stage. All eyes were on Ichigo as the Soul Reaper teased what is coming in his next comeback. So if you are ready to see Ichigo take his fight with Yhwach to the next level, well - just know you are not alone! To get a new look at the anime's newest poster, you can check it out below as well.

If you are not caught up on Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, the anime is streaming on Hulu and/or Disney+ depending on your region. The series got its start in 2022 as Bleach made a long-awaited comeback to television. With creator Tite Kubo working with Studio Pierrot, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is bringing the series towards its finale. The manga rode out this epic saga years ago before wrapping, and after a long wait, the Bleach anime is finally tackling the tale.

Want to know more about Bleach? You can find the original anime streaming alongside its sequel on Hulu and/or Disney+. As for its manga, Viz Media oversees its publication in English. So for more info on the series, you can read its official synopsis below:

"Ichigo Kurosaki has always been able to see ghosts, but this ability doesn't change his life nearly as much as his close encounter with Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper and member of the mysterious Soul Society. While fighting a Hollow, an evil spirit that preys on humans who display psychic energy, Rukia attempts to lend Ichigo some of her powers so that he can save his family; but much to her surprise, Ichigo absorbs every last drop of her energy. Now a full-fledged Soul Reaper himself, Ichigo quickly learns that the world he inhabits is one full of dangerous spirits and, along with Rukia--who is slowly regaining her powers--it's Ichigo's job to protect the innocent from Hollows and help the spirits themselves find peace."

What do you think about this latest Bleach update? Are you excited for season three of Thousand-Year Blood War? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Black Butler is gearing up for another outing! It wasn't long ago the series confirmed its fourth season was in the works with the Public School arc. Now, all eyes are on the future as a season five is in production. Black Butler: Emerald Witch arc is in the works, and it is set to debut in 2025.

The update comes from Crunchyroll today courtesy of Anime Expo. The streaming service announced the big order just a year after Crunchyroll confirmed Black Butler: Public School arc was in the works. The series debuted in April 2024 to solid reviews under director Kenjirou Okada's oversight. Studio CloverWorks has earned nothing but praise for its work, and now, the team is returning to bring season five to life.

If you are not familiar with Black Butler, no sweat! The series got its start under Yana Taboos in September 2006. The manga took over Monthly GFantasy, and believe it or not, the series has been on a steady schedule ever since. In October 2008, A-1 Pictures brought Black Butler to life on the screen with an anime. The show's first season was a solid hit which led to a second season in 2010. In the years since, Black Butler has been given everything from live-action adaptations to stage productions. So when the anime's comeback was announced for 2024, all eyes turned to the Phantomhive.

Want to know more about Black Butler? No issue! You can read up about the series below courtesy of its official synopsis:

"Just a stone's throw from London lies the manor house of the illustrious Phantomhive earldom, its master one Ciel Phantomhive. Earl Phantomhive is a giant in the world of commerce, Queen Victoria's faithful servant... and a slip of a twelve-year old boy. Fortunately, his loyal butler, Sebastian, is ever at his side, ready to carry out the young master's wishes. And whether Sebastian is called to save a dinner party gone awry or probe the dark secrets of London's underbelly, there is practically nothing Sebastian cannot do. In fact, one might even say Sebastian is too good to be true... or at least, he is too good to be human..."

Are you excited for this new season of Black Butler? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

The CW has been home to many iconic teen franchises like Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries, the Arrowverse, Gilmore Girls and Supernatural. All of those series have long been cancelled by the network which is now aiming to take itself in a new direction. Gone are the days of the teenage demographic as they shift into sports like golf and wrestling with NWA and the WWE as well as purchased content. When Supernatural ended in 2020 after a 15 season run, it was the start of a downward trajectory that led to the "CW Apocalypse" when Nexstar took over.

The ending of the series has long been controversial amongst the fanbase, but series star Jared Padalecki has since revealed he may not be done with Sam Winchester just yet. Padalecki and Jensen Ackles have been candid about potentially rebooting Supernatural, something Ackles and his wife Danneel attempted to do with The Winchesters prequel that only lasted for one season. However, they aren't looking to get themselves into another long-winded project as much as they'd like to give the fans a few satisfying episodes, akin to a limited series.

Jared Padalecki Gives His Thoughts on a Supernatural Reboot

"I will say this. I don't want to do another 15 years of Supernatural. I don't want to do another 5 years of Supernatural, I am dying to do a reboot of Supernatural akin to the Gilmore Girls reboot," Padalecki said on Tommy DiDario's I've Never Said This Before podcast. "Here are four one-and-a-half-hour episodes. We'll shoot it in three months. I think Jensen [Ackles] and I both said in 2020, 'we'd love to revisit these characters, this world. Give us five years.' Which is next year. And I see him often. And we talk often. I think he and I are both really eager to do it. I'm certain I'll put the flannel on again and play Sam Winchester."

After over two decades on The CW, Padalecki's run has come to an end with the cancellation of Walker, a series that was beloved amongst its fanbase. As one of the consistently high-ranking original shows that remain on the network, Padalecki voiced his displeasure following the news. With Walker now coming to a close, Padalecki has shown interest in joining The Boys which helms from Supernatural creator Eric Kripke. Ackles joined the fray in Season 3 as the villainous Soldier Boy.

iCarly fans were devastated when Paramount+ cancelled the revival of the iconic Nickelodeon series after just three seasons last year, but if series star Miranda Cosgrove -- who played the titular Carly in the series -- has any say, she'd still like to see the story wrap up. Speaking with ET, Cosgrove, who is currently starring in Netflix's Mother of the Bride, said that she would like to complete the iCarly story with a move to "wrap up the story in some way".

"I had a great experience getting to come back and do it for a few seasons, for sure," Cosgrove said. "But I'd love to still be able to wrap up the story in some way."

She added, "Maybe, hopefully, someday, we'll still do it. I feel like it would probably be more along the lines of maybe a movie, that would kind of wrap it all up or something like that. So, that's what I'm hoping for."

For fans, wrapping up storylines would be very much appreciated, especially considering that iCarly's third -- and final -- revival season ended on a cliffhanger with Carly and Freddie (Nathan Kress) considering getting married only for Carly's long-absent mother to arrive at the venue. The mystery about Carly's mother is one that Cosgrove herself wants to see solved.

"I want to know who Carly's mother is as much as [fans do]," she said. "It seems like a lot of people were hoping to see that."

iCarly originally debuted in 2007 and ran for six seasons and a total of 97 episodes, ending 2012 on Nickelodeon. The series followed Carly Shay (Cosgrove) who, along with her best friends Sam (Jennette McCurdy) and Freddie (Kress) hosts her own web show called "iCarly". When the show becomes a hit, Carly, her friends, and her brother Spencer (Jerry Trainor) finds themselves trying to balance their real lives with the craziness of their newfound fame.

In 2020, Paramount+ announced the revival series, which debuted in 2021. The series was set nine years after the finale of the first series and sees Carly return to Seattle where she decides to relaunch the "iCarly" show with the help of Spencer and Freddie -- who are in different places in their lives now -- as well as new friends. The revival series was cancelled in 2023.

"iCarly will not be returning for a fourth season on Paramount+," a spokesperson said in a statement at the time. "The series had a great three-season run and delivered on what fans really wanted to see with Carly and Freddie finally getting together. We want to thank the entire cast, the writers, directors and producers along with the whole crew for their dedication, creativity and talent."