After floating along in development hell for the better part of three years, Lucasfilm's Lando series is back in development--and the actor originally behind the role may be teasing his involvement. Following up on an Instagram post he made earlier this month, Billie Dee Williams shared another similar tease on Monday. Though the actor was playing coy, he teased a "major" announcement involving himself would happen soon.

"I am thrilled to share that something truly magnificent is coming soon," Williams shared on Twitter. "This is a dream come true for me, on all that has sustained and carried me through a lifetime of dreams and adventure, it is my honor to share with you. Make sure to enable notifications for stories and posts to stay in the loop, you don't want to miss this... May the Force be with you all."

pic.twitter.com/P2yw5IJt3y

-- Billy Dee Williams (@realbdw) August 1, 2023

Does this mean Billie Dee Williams is going to be in the new Lando series?

Though it's always possible Williams could be cameoing in the series, it's unlikely the actor will have a major on-screen role given the series will both star and be written by Donald Glover. Glover has been attached to return to the role ever since the series was first announced back in 2020 and only recently, it was revealed he'll also be writing the series after it was presumed dead on arrival.

"I would love to play Lando again. It's a fun time to be him. It just has to be the right, it just needs to be the right way to do it," Glover said in an interview with Deadline earlier this year. "Time is precious. I think everybody's in the past couple of years, this pandemic sh-t, had people experience time in a way where they're like...People kind of realize their time is valuable, you only get so much. So like, I'm not interested in doing anything that's just gonna be like a waste of my time or just a paycheck. I'd much rather like spend time with people that I l enjoy. So it just has to be the right thing, which I think it could be. I mean like Lando is definitely somebody I'd like to hang out with. I mean we're talking about it. That's as much as I can say, you know, without Kathleen Kennedy like, hunting me down."

He added, "He also feels pulpy. The rest of those the whole Skywalker family. You can't really f--k with the cannon. You can have a pulpy, kind of like, sh--ty, Lando novel that feels like outside of the Star Wars universe, but still in it. And I think that's why people like him. He's the most elastic of the characters because you don't know where he is from or who he is or whatever. There's only really those like three little books. So yeah, it was dope to play him. It was really fun."

That said, it's possible Williams could serve as the show's narrator or provide help in a similar way.

Lando has yet to set a release date. The latest series in the Star Wars saga, Ahsoka, is set for release on August 23rd.

Futurama Season 11 is back with a new episode now streaming on Hulu, and with it has confirmed a new voice actor for Amy's father, Leo Wong. Futurama is back for a second revival following its initial cancellation on Comedy Central ten years ago, and the voice cast from the original run has returned in full for the new episodes. But while the main voice cast provided for many of the characters, there have been some changes behind the scenes for a few of the characters in the new season now streaming on Hulu as evidenced by the newest episode.

Futurama Season 11 Episode 2 has revealed the first of what could be many changes for some of the voices behind the scenes as Leo Wong (who was voiced by Billy West in both the original FOX and Comedy Central runs of the series) is now voiced by Feodor Chin (Overwatch, Uncle From Another World) as confirmed by the episode's end credits. Leo only gets a few lines in the episode itself, but there's plenty of more time for more of the Wong family as Futurama's new season continues!

What Happens in Futurama Season 11 Episode?

Futurama Season 11 Episode 2 is titled "Children of a Lesser Bog," and features the Wongs returning to the series when Kif and Amy's children were finally going to emerge from the swamp last seen during the Season 4 episode, "Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch." The Wongs were excited to finally have the grandchildren that they have been asking Amy to provide since the original runs of the series, but quickly changed their tune when actually seeing the kids themselves. Going as far as distancing themselves completely.

With Kif and Amy now having a full family unit by the end of the episode, there are likely still plenty of opportunities to use Amy's parents in future episodes as they will likely need to be involved in their grandkids' lives much more than seen in this episode. With Futurama Season 11 running for ten episodes, and another ten coming after, we'll likely see even more how the new series is changing both on and off-screen.

How do you feel about Futurama's new Leo Wong voice actor? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!

Tributes have been pouring in for Angus Cloud, after it was announced on Monday that the fan-favorite actor has suddenly passed away at the age of 25. Cloud was best known for his stint as Fezco "Fez" O'Neill on HBO's hit series Euphoria, a role he played since the show's inception in 2019, and series creator and director Sam Levinson is joining in to memorialize the actor. In a recent statement obtained by Variety, Levinson called Cloud "too special, too talented, and way too young to leave us so soon." The official Euphoria social media account also addressed Cloud's death, writing that "he was immensely talented and a beloved part of the HBO and Euphoria family."

"There was no one quite like Angus. He was too special, too talented and way too young to leave us so soon," Levinson wrote. "He also struggled, like many of us, with addiction and depression. I hope he knew how many hearts he touched. I loved him. I always will. Rest in peace and God Bless his family."

We are incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Angus Cloud. He was immensely talented and a beloved part of the HBO and Euphoria family. We extend our deepest condolences to his friends and family during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/PLqkz5Rshc

-- euphoria (@euphoriaHBO) July 31, 2023

The news of Cloud's passing was confirmed in a statement from to TMZ, revealing that the death occurred just days after Cloud's father had passed away. Cloud was perhaps best known for playing Fezco "Fez" O'Neill on HBO's Euphoria, a role he portrayed ever since 2019. The cause of death, which occurred in Oakland, CA on Monday, July 31st, is currently unknown at this time.

Who Are Angus Cloud's Movies and TV Shows?

Cloud was born Conor Angus Cloud Hickey in Oakland, California on July 10, 1998. As a teenager, he sustained a traumatic brain injury, which partially led to his distinct onscreen voice. After attending the School of Production Design at Oakland School for the Arts, he was actually scouted by Euphoria casting director Jennifer Venditti while working in a New York restaurant. Playing Fez in Euphoria would be Cloud's first onscreen, and his portrayal would go on to be one of the most tweeted-about characters of the past decade. Cloud would go on to have appearances in the 2021 movie North Hollywood, as well as the recently-released The Line. He also appeared in a trio of music videos in recent years -- Noah Cyrus' "All Three", Juice WRLD's "Cigarettes", and Becky G & Karol G's "Mamiii".

Just a few months prior to his passing, it was announced that Cloud would be among the cast of a currently-untitled Universal Monsters movie, alongside an ensemble cast that includes Kathryn Newton, Giancarlo Esposito, and Dan Stevens. The film, which is directed by the duo Radio Silence, is currently expected to hit theaters in April of 2024.

What do you think of Sam Levinson's tribute to Euphoria star Angus Cloud? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Our thoughts are with Cloud's family, friends, and fans at this time.

SAG-AFTRA has been on strike for a few weeks now, something Stephen Amell now admits he doesn't support. As SAG-AFTRA members hit the picket lines in search of fair wages and better residuals in a new digital-fueled age, the Arrow star says striking is a "reductive tactic" in the union's negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

"I feel like I'm insulated in Hollywood, because that's where I live. I feel like a lot of people in this room aren't aware of the strike," Amell said at Raleigh's GalaxyCon over the weekend. "I support my union, I do, and I stand with them but I do not support striking. I don't. I think that it is a reductive negotiating tactic and I find the entire thing incredibly frustrating. I think that the thinking as it pertains to shows, like this show that I'm on that premiered last night, I think it is myopic and I stand with my union."

#stephenamell support's his union. Let him live. All those popping up with tweets about how he chooses to do what he does,.can go suck an electrical socket. He has a right to his own opinion and how he chooses to move forward. I got his back 100%.
????????????? pic.twitter.com/OqR3N6909D

-- ??Opal Valencia??S?? ???? (@playthetape58) July 30, 2023

Why is the actors' union on strike?

According to SAG-AFTRA officials, negotiators with the AMPTP were hoping to pay actors just a day's salary to use their likeness in perpetuity, being able to digitally recreate their face at a later date without payment or consent.

"This 'groundbreaking' AI proposal that they gave us yesterday: they propose that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day's pay, and their company should own that scan their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation," SAG-AFTRA's Duncan Crabtree-Ireland revealed earlier this month. "So if you think that's a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again."

The biggest names in Hollywood have spoken out against the technology, with the likes of Christopher Nolan saying studios needed accountability if they were to continue using AI.

"The rise of companies in the last 15 years bandying words like algorithm - not knowing what they mean in any kind of meaningful, mathematical sense - these guys don't know what an algorithm is," Nolan shared. "People in my business talking about it, they just don't want to take responsibility for whatever that algorithm does."

He continued, "Applied to AI, that's a terrifying possibility. Terrifying ... Not least because, AI systems will go into defensive infrastructure ultimately. They'll be in charge of nuclear weapons. To say that that is a separate entity from the person wielding, programming, putting that AI to use, then we're doomed. It has to be about accountability. We have to hold people accountable for what they do with the tools that they have."

Adult Swim has been firing off on all cylinders this year with some new animated series that have made their debut over the course of the year, so here are some of the best shows to watch right now. Warner Bros. Animation has gone through a number of changes over the course of the last few years as Warner Bros. Discovery has announced a greater attention to animated projects, and this has resulted in plenty of fun new releases on Adult Swim. Although Adult Swim has plenty of classics to check out, the new blood has been just as fun to see.

With some of Adult Swim's funniest and most interesting new series hitting this year, it's time to catch back up and see some of the new releases you might have missed out on this year. 2023 is far from over, and Adult Swim still has plenty of new releases planned for the rest of the year, but here are a few of Adult Swim's best new shows you should check out right now.

Adult Swim's 2023 Shows You Should Binge Right Now

YOLO: Silver Destiny

• Info: "Sara and Rachel are set off to pursuit their destinies, as a gardener and a dark Empress."
• Review: Adult Swim kicked off 2023 with a bang with the second season of Michael Cusack's wild animated series, YOLO, which took on more of a serialized narrative as Sarah and Rachel started to drift apart and chase their own respective paths. And they both go to some wild places as a result.
• Where to Watch: You can now check out all episodes of YOLO now streaming on Adult Swim's official website.

Royal Crackers

• Info: "Two brothers struggle to run the family business when their father falls into a coma."
• Review: Royal Crackers is Adult Swim's wild take on Succession as a family begins to try and take their company in a new direction when their patriarch goes into a coma. Each new episode starts to reveal more of the past of the company and things are definitely moving heading into Season 2.
• Where to Watch: You can now find Royal Crackers' first season now streaming on Max.

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal

• Info: "A young girl, unwittingly infused with magical ability, discovers that she is part of a group of eternal heroes destined to fight a supernatural evil throughout time."
• Review: Genndy Tartakovsky returned for a new action animated series this year, and it happens to be the best one from the director yet with a huge and compelling new world, fun characters, and an art style that blends together years worth of effort all into one package.
• Where to Watch: You can now check out all episodes of Unicorn: Warriors Eternal now streaming on Max.

My Adventures with Superman

• Info: "Clark Kent builds his secret Superman identity and embraces his role as the hero of Metropolis, while sharing adventures and falling in love with Lois, a journalist, who also takes Jimmy Olsen under her wing."
• Review: My Adventures with Superman has introduced fans to an anime inspired spin on DC Comics' most iconic superhero, and fans have been loving the fresh energy that's been given to Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen as a result. New versions of DC Comics favorites have been seen with each episode, and it's sparked a whole new wave of fans as a result of this new avenue for these stories.
• Where to Watch: You can now find My Adventures with Superman streaming on Max.

Teenage Euthanasia

• Info: Set in a mildly apocalyptic near-future, Teenage Euthanasia centers around the Fantasy family and their inland Florida funeral home, Tender Endings. The cast of characters includes recently reanimated Trophy Fantasy, her teenage daughter, Euthanasia "Annie" Fantasy, Annie's Uncle Pete and Annie's "old country" immigrant grandmother, Baba. As a teen mom, Trophy ran away from home, leaving her infant daughter to be raised by her Baba and Uncle Pete. Fifteen years later, Trophy finally returns to Tender Endings... as a corpse. But when a bolt of lightning strikes Baba's homemade embalming fluid and one of Annie's tears magically brings Trophy back from the dead, Trophy finds herself a resurrected woman with a second chance at unplanned parenthood and a variety of powers."
• Review: After introducing a dystopian future Florida in the first season, Teenage Euthanasia's shown fans a wild take on a mother and daughter dynamic as a faulted mother gets a second chance to be closer to her teenage daughter after taking her life and being brought back to life.
• Where to Watch: You can now find Teenage Euthanasia's first season and new Season 2 episodes streaming on Max.

What are some of your favorite Adult Swim shows from this year? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments!

Cody Rhodes has had quite the journey over the past few years, and WWE pulls the curtain back on that journey in American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes documentary. The documentary stretches from Rhodes' early life all the way to his sensational return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 and beyond. ComicBook.com had the chance to speak to Rhodes all about the documentary, including what was most important to include, how his daughter changed his life in wrestling, and more. The documentary includes references to Cody's full journey, including All In and his eventual signing with AEW, and that full picture was the most important element of the documentary for Rhodes.

"When I talked to Ben Hauser and Matt Braine, who really are the architects of this documentary, I was just adamant that you don't exclude my time away," Rhodes said. "That you don't just say, 'Cody was gone on a boat ride for six or seven years. Now he's back.' I said, 'I know it's difficult and it's somewhat taboo. We're a different team here.' And I said though, The story, it all has to be in there."

"And again, you could take sections of a documentary and extrapolate on them further and get deep, deep, deep, deep into them, but I just wanted to make sure that things were covered honestly and fairly. The good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, all those things, and it's in there. So my time away needed to be included," Rhodes said.

The topic of family is a major part of the documentary, especially in regard to Brandi Rhodes and their daughter Liberty. At one point Rhodes says he hopes to make her proud to say that her dad is Cody Rhodes, something any dad can relate to, and during our discussion I asked how she had affected his approach to wrestling and his career overall.

"Well, I'd say the thing that changed most for me career-wise was I no longer had any capacity for any BS. It's not ... I have no capacity for circling, backstabbing, politicking, any of that. If anything, I'll just tell you to your face in the polite way this is how I feel, this is what I should be doing, this is what they should be doing," Rhodes said. "Whatever it might be. I thought that was the best to free me up to just be fully transparent. And in an industry for a long, long time where I had been just like everybody else in a sense that there's weird things you have to navigate in show business."

"And when she was born, it just ... My capacity for BS was that was it. I couldn't deal with it, and that was very helpful, helpful for me because also, not only are you saying, 'Hey, this is what I need for me. This is what I want to be doing'. You also are getting answers back about the level you're at and where you should be, and it's just more honest. If anything, Liberty being born and being a part of my life and having to report back to her, it freed me up to just be a hundred percent honest and not coy, not sly with anything. Here's the deal, let's go," Rhodes said.

American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes is streaming now and WWE SummerSlam streams on August 5th, only on Peacock. You can sign up for Peacock right here.

What did you think of American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb!

Futurama Season 11 has continued with new episodes in its run on Hulu, and the second episode of the reboot season has finally addressed an unresolved plot between Leela and Kif that has been hanging for over 20 years! One of the big promises made by Futurama's newest season was that it was finally going to revisit the tadpoles that Kif had given birth to back in the Season 4 episode, "Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch." With the final tease of that episode revealing that some of the kids had taken on Leela's traits, there has always been a question as to how it would all work out.

Futurama finally returned to this plot with the newest episode of the series as Kif and Amy's kids were finally revealed in full 20 years after their tadpoles were first introduced to the series. With the full reveal of these kids also comes a resolution to the fact that Leela (and hilariously, Scruffy) was also involved in their birth, and Futurama hits this head on as Amy comes to grips with the fact that she's not their biological mother but is the mother of Kif's children anyway.

How Futurama Settles Leela Getting Kif Pregnant

Futurama Season 11 Episode 2, "Children of a Lesser Bog," reveals that Leela somehow forgot that she had gotten Kif pregnant 20 years ago as the series once again explains that Kif's species reproduces by touching hands with their Smizmar (and Kif considered Amy the real mother despite Leela offering genetic material as Amy made his body react in that way in the first place). But with their kids fully introduced, Leela's thrown into the middle of it again as the youngest of them, Newt, keeps calling her "Mommy."

This led to Amy having a crisis over it as their children seemed to prefer Leela more, and this ends up with the Grand Midwife declaring a challenge to Amy's motherhood. Because Amy isn't their genetic parent, she was put through a special trial to keep the children. This ended up being whether or not she actually loved the kids, and because Amy does, she was ultimately declared to be their mother as the happy Kif and Amy family becomes complete as the episode comes to an end.

What did you think of the way Futurama brought this Kif and Leela story full circle with Amy after all these years? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!

My Adventures with Superman has been introducing fans to a brand new take on Superman and the world around him, and the Adult Swim animated series has been revealed to have faced "no interference" from James Gunn or Peter Safran's new DC Studios according to the producer behind the show! Gunn and Safran are now leading a new universe full of efforts with DC Studios that will unite its live-action and animated efforts under a single universe with certain "Elseworlds" projects also existing outside of the main canon. This had fans wondering about some of the new animated projects we're starting to see play out now.

My Adventures with Superman is showcasing an anime inspired take on Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen, and producer behind the series Jake Wyatt explained (as reported by The Direct) that the show's ordered two seasons had been in the works before DC Studios was formed and ultimately the new regime has been "very supportive" with "no interference" show for the new anime inspired series and "a lot of approval" over what had been shown to them thus far.

How My Adventures with Superman Exists Under DC Studios

"We started well before any of that took place when we were still with AT&T [previous owners of WarnerMedia]. I've been pleased that the new regime has been very supportive," Wyatt explained to The Direct. "They showed James [Gunn] the opening main titles and he really liked it. So we've been allowed to do our two seasons with no interference and a lot of approval." Wyatt then continued with revealing how the idea for My Adventures with Superman came about during WarnerMedia's time with AT&T.

"I've loved Superman my whole life. We came to making the show out of a conversation Brendan [Clogher, executive producer] and I had while directing at Nickelodeon about superhero fatigue," Wyatt continued. "Who do we still care about with all these movies and properties and newly minted superheroes every day? Superman was still great, and we realized we loved him for the same reasons. We loved the Clark and Lois romance, the awkward Clark Kent, the hope and the optimism, and almost that cringe earnestness of Superman."

So it seems that while Gunn and Safran are united the DC Studios animated efforts with the live-action ones, My Adventures with Superman impressed them so much that its production continued without interference. But what are you thinking of My Adventures with Superman so far? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!

via The Direct

Angus Cloud, an actor known for his work on Euphoria, The Line, and North Hollywood, has passed away at the age of 25. The news was confirmed in a statement from Cloud's family to TMZ, revealing that the death occurred just days after Cloud's father had passed away. Cloud was perhaps best known for playing Fezco "Fez" O'Neill on HBO's Euphoria, a role he portrayed ever since 2019. The cause of death is currently unknown at this time.

"It is with the heaviest heart that we had to say goodbye to an incredible human today," the statement reads. "As an artist, a friend, a brother and a son, Angus was special to all of us in so many ways. Last week he buried his father and intensely struggled with this loss. The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend. Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone and should not fight this on their own in silence. We hope the world remembers him for his humor, laughter and love for everyone. We ask for privacy at this time as we are still processing this devastating loss."

Cloud was born Conor Angus Cloud Hickey in Oakland, California on July 10, 1998. As a teenager, he sustained a traumatic brain injury, which partially led to his distinct onscreen voice. After attending the School of Production Design at Oakland School for the Arts, he was actually scouted by Euphoria casting director Jennifer Venditti while working in a New York restaurant. Playing Fez in Euphoria would be Cloud's first onscreen, and his portrayal would go on to be one of the most tweeted-about characters of the past decade. Cloud would go on to have appearances in 2021's North Hollywood, as well as the recently-released The Line. He also appeared in a trio of music videos in recent years -- Noah Cyrus' "All Three", Juice WRLD's "Cigarettes", and Becky G & Karol G's "Mamiii".

"I hope I did a good job," Cloud explained in a recent interview with Variety. "I ain't tryna be like no one-trick pony. But if I did sh-t, then it is what it is. I don't know how to act. I just do it. I'm in rooms with people that have been acting their whole life, and I'm like, 'Why am I here?' I got impostor-type sh-t."

Just a few months prior to his passing, it was announced that Cloud would be among the cast of a currently-untitled Universal Monsters movie, alongside an ensemble cast that includes Kathryn Newton, Giancarlo Esposito, and Dan Stevens. The film, which is directed by the duo Radio Silence, is currently expected to hit theaters in April of 2024.

Our thoughts are with Cloud's family, friends, and fans at this time.

Earlier this year, anime fans were presented with a truly wild story. A report surfaced that an anime based on Aliens vs Predator was lurking in limbo, and it didn't take long before the news was confirmed. Shinji Aramaki admitted the reports were true as he directed the unreleased Aliens vs Predator series, and now the creator is breaking their silence on the mysterious project.

The update was shared this weekend at Otakon as Aramaki hosted a panel at the event. It was there he showed screenshots and designs from the Aliens vs Predator anime. The art dates back to 2015, and fans were treated to the show's working title Aliens vs Predator: Annihilation.

During his appearance at Otakon, Aramaki told fans the anime series consisted of 10 episodes the last he knew. As for its story, the Aliens vs Predator anime took place on a massive ship used for immigration. Various predator factions were involved with the show's plot, and the aliens we first met under director Ridley Scott played a major role. But when it comes to specifics, Aramaki said he would refrain from spilling the beans should the Aliens vs Predator anime ever see the light of day.

As you can imagine, anime and movie buffs are most definitely eager for this shelved series to drop. Aliens vs Predator: Annihilation would have been spearheaded in some way by 21st Century Fox as the production company oversaw the crossover IP. In 2019, Disney acquired most of the IPs under 21st Century Fox, so we can only hope Mickey Mouse is still sitting on this adaptation. So if The Walt Disney Company wants to spotlight Disney+, it would be smart to release this adaptation ASAP.

As for Aramaki, he is keeping busy with work in Japan. Currently, he and collaborator Hideki Kakinuma are working on a series titled Genesis Breaker. From Ultraman to Ghost in the Shell and Blade Runner: Black Lotus, Aramaki has worked on a ton of top-tier projects. Hopefully, Aliens vs Predator: Annihilation will join the list soon...!

What do you think about this Alien vs Predator anime? Should the project be released or...? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

HT - ANN

Futurama Season 11 has returned to Hulu with a new episode, and it has finally followed up on a 20 year old episode with the full reveal of Kif and Amy's kids after all these years! One of the big promises that Futurama made heading into its second major reboot with Hulu was the fact that they would be using some of these episodes to follow up on unresolved plots left hanging by the original runs of the series. This has already come to pass with the second episode of the new season as it brings back Kif and Amy's tadpoles last seen in Season 4.

Kif and Amy gave birth to tadpoles during the Season 4 episode, "Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch," and now 20 years later, Futurama has shifted their status quo by bringing back these tadpoles back into the series in full. After finding a hilarious way to pare down the potential thousands of babies, they ended up with three children at different ages (due to where they spent time in the swamp) with Axl the oldest, Mandy the middle child, and Newt the youngest. Check out Kif and Amy's kids below:

Futurama: Who Are Kif and Amy's Children?

Futurama Season 11 Episode 2, "Children of a Lesser Bog," ends the 20 year wait that Kif had teased Amy about during Season 4 in which each of the tadpoles had grown arms and legs and made their way back to land. They end up with three children as a result, and each of them ended up growing at different rates due to the temperature of the water where they spent most of their time in the swamp. Although Leela was technically the one who provided the genetic material, Amy is the official Smizmar.

This ends up playing a role in the main conflict for the episode as Amy was challenged over her role as their mother, but thankfully the episode comes to an end with Kif and Amy cementing their new family dynamic in place. Now it's just a matter of seeing how Futurama uses these three new characters moving forward in future episodes of the series much like how the other kids in the series have been used so far.

How do you feel about Kif and Amy's children in Futurama's newest episode? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!

Blue Lock brought its first season to life last year, and it has put soccer on the map. The sport series has experienced a huge bump in the past year, and the latest FIFA World Cup put Yoichi Isagi on the map. In fact, the anime's rise has even reeled in a number of professional collabs, and now Blue Lock has found another football team to work with.

The update comes courtesy of Kodansha as the publisher confirmed Blue Lock's new pro partner. It seems Inter Milan is now working with the Blue Lock team on special collabs. This deal is the second Blue Lock has struck as the series teamed up with Liverpool FC last year. This original partnership has been expanded according to new reports, so Blue Lock is still bringing in lots of good publicity for football squads.

And of course, that bump is hardly surprising. Blue Lock may be a sports anime, but the genre is pretty huge. Released in 2018, Blue Lock has nearly 30 million copies in circulation, and the anime is faring just as well. In fact, studio Eight Bit has announced Blue Lock season 2 is already in the works, and a movie is on the way with supervision by creators Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura.

If you have not watched Blue Lock, you should know the show is easy to binge right now. All of season 1 is streaming on Crunchyroll. As for the manga, Blue Lock can be read on the K Manga app outside of Japan. So for more details on the thrilling sports series, you can read Blue Lock's official synopsis below:

"After a disastrous defeat at the 2018 World Cup, Japan's team struggles to regroup. But what's missing? An absolute ace striker. The Football Union is hell-bent on creating a striker who hungers for goals and thirsts for victory, so Blue Lock -- a rigorous training ground for 300 of Japan's best and brightest youth players -- is created. To survive this battle royale, the last striker standing will have to out-muscle and out-ego everyone who stands in his way!"

What do you think about this Blue Lock collaboration? Are you caught up on the sports show ahead of season two? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

1990's "Treehouse of Horror" -- the first of the annual, Halloween-themed episodes of The Simpsons -- ended with Marge assuring Homer: "They're just children's stories. They can't hurt you." But they can scare you. In keeping with the yearly "Treehouse" tradition, creator Matt Groening's Bongo Comics launched the "scarifying" first issue of Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror (later retitled The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror with issue #14) in 1995. The horror anthology spanned 23 issues between 1995 and 2017, all of which are being collected across three volumes of The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus.

The first volume, titled The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Vol. 1: Scary Tales & Scarier Tentacles, arrived in 2022. And on August 1st, 2023, fans can get their tentacles on The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Vol. 2: Deadtime Stories for Boos & Ghouls. Like the first volume, the over-sized omnibus is packaged in a deluxe, die-cut slipcase that glows in the dark. (A third and final omnibus volume collecting the remaining material from the Treehouse of Horror comics is expected to release in 2024.)

While some issues adapted the TV episodes, most told new stories written and illustrated by some of the biggest names in comics, including Kyle Baker (Why I Hate Saturn), Ian Boothby (Futurama Comics), Dan Brereton (The Nocturnals), Gerry Duggan (Marvel's Deadpool), Pia Guerra (Y: The Last Man), Peter Kuper (Spy vs. Spy), Carol Lay (Way Lay), Nina Matsumoto (Y?kaiden), Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), Brian Posehn (Deadpool), James Robinson (Starman), Tone Rodriguez (Radioactive Man), Scott Shaw! (Simpsons Comics), and Jim Woodring (Jim and Frank).

"I've been looking at comics since before I could read. I had an older brother, Mark ... who turned me onto all the great comics of the fifties: Mad, when it was still a comic, Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge, Little Lulu, Tales From The Crypt -- all that stuff," Groening recalled in a 1995 issue of Flux magazine. "He and his buddies had a secret clubhouse up in this little room in a garage down the street and you had to climb a ladder and crawl across a beam in order to get in there. That was the comics reading room, so there was definitely a taste of the forbidden just getting to this secret room to read the comics. They wouldn't let in while they were there so I had to wait until they were out shooting slingshots at squirrels until I could sneak in and read all these great comics."

That's the inspiration behind Bart's treehouse, and in turn, Treehouse of Horror.

According to Groening: "Comics are meant to be read in one of two places; either in a treehouse or under the covers late at night with a flashlight in your mouth and a little transistor radio with one of those little plastic earphones."

The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Vol. 2: Deadtime Stories for Boos & Ghouls is out August 1st.

Zachery Ty Bryan, an actor best known for starring in the hit sitcom Home Improvement, has been arrested and charged with fourth-degree felony assault. The news was first broken by TMZ on Sunday, before subsequently being confirmed by the police department in Eugene, Oregon, where the incident allegedly occurred. According to a statement from the Eugene Police Department, a physical dispute involving Bryan and an unnamed woman occurred on Friday, July 28th. People.com confirms that Bryan is still is police custody as of Monday.

"At around 6:00 p.m. on July 28, Eugene Police received report of a physical dispute between a male and adult female at a north Eugene residence," the statement reads. "The dispute was reported to have occurred several hours prior and the suspect, identified as Zachery Ty Bryan, age 41, of Laguna Beach, California, had left the location. Eugene Police subsequently contacted Bryan in the area. Bryan was lodged at Lane County Jail on a charge of Assault in the Fourth Degree APA (Abuse Prevention Act)."

This is the second time in three years that Bryan has been arrested on similar charges, after previously pleading guilty to two misdemeanor counts regarding a 2020 incident in which he strangled a woman, later revealed to be his fiancee, Johnnie Faye Cartwright. In 2021, he was subsequently sentenced to 36 months of bench probation, and additional charges, including two Class C felonies, were dropped. Bryan later claimed to The Hollywood Reporter that the event, which was sparked by the fact that he was having an affair with Cartwright while married to his first wife, Carly Matros, was "so blown out of proportion."

"We didn't even really get that physical," Bryan said at the time. "We got really loud. We were screaming and because we were in a townhome that had [thin walls], everybody could hear. Johnnie was, at the time, just really upset about my situation. At the end of the day, [the police] throw a bunch of counts at you because they ultimately want you to plead to something. I could've fought it ... but that's more stress and drama. I got two misdemeanors and called it a day."

Bryan is best known for portraying Brad Taylor, the son of Tim Allen's Tim "The Toolman" Taylor, on the aforementioned sitcom Home Improvement, as well as appearances on The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Smallville, The Game of Their Lives, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Thor: Hammer of the Gods. He most recently lent his voice to the Netflix original animated series The Guardians of Justice.

In addition to these domestic violence charges, Bryan made headlines in June of 2023 for being accused of fraud, in relation to an agriculture-technology startup. The Hollywood Reporter's article reports allegations from four separate sources that Bryan stole anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 from them. Bryan reportedly promised contracts to those who gave him money, but the contracts had no actual value.

If you love Demon Slayer, then there is no doubt you know LiSA. The artist is one of the biggest in Japan, and their work on Demon Slayer's first theme song earned them global praise. To this day, "Gurenge" is one of the best anime anthems out there, and LiSA has tons of other hits under her belt. And soon, the Japanese idol will add another to that list with help from South Korea's own Stray Kids.

Yes, that is right! LiSA is creating a single in collaboration with Stray Kids. On September 6th, the two acts will team up to release the single "Social Path", so fans of K-pop and J-pop are eager to hear the blend.

After all, LiSA and Stray Kids have formidable talent on their own. As mentioned, LiSA has been in the headlines since 2005 for their musical talent. LiSA began their career with the band Chucky before moving on to solo work. In 2010, LiSA earned fame as she wrote songs for Angel Beats as part of a duo. And in recent years, LiSA has enjoyed record sales as one of Japan's most prominent singers.

As for Stray Kids, the boy group was founded in 2017 at JYP Entertainment. The group, which features eight members, is one of the top-performing K-pop groups with international fans. With a number of songs having hit the Billboard 200, Stray Kids has sold more than 10 million albums to date and has sold out a number of world tours. So when it comes to international collaborators, LiSA could not have done better.

If you have not heard of LiSA's work on Demon Slayer, you just have to watch the intro to the anime's first season. You can watch the anime on a number of streaming services like Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Hulu. So for more details on Demon Slayer, you can read its official synopsis below:

"In Taisho-era Japan, kindhearted Tanjiro Kamado makes a living selling charcoal. But his peaceful life is shattered when a demon slaughters his entire family. His little sister Nezuko is the only survivor, but she has been transformed into a demon herself! Tanjiro sets out on a dangerous journey to find a way to return his sister to normal and destroy the demon who ruined his life."

What do you think about this LiSA x Stray Kids crossover? Do you want to see more K-pop acts team with J-pop stars? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

It is hard to fully express how huge One Piece is. The series has been around for decades, and in Japan, Luffy is as well-known as any mascot. Since the pirate hit the seas, Luffy has dominated sales in the manga field, and the One Piece anime is now a phenomenon across the globe. So of course, Japan is going all out with promos for episode 1071 now that it is on the horizon.

As you can see below, a slew of One Piece promos are now taking over areas in Japan. From massive billboards to moving ads, One Piece is everywhere. Some of the biggest transit stations in Tokyo are littered with Luffy right now, so if you are needing to catch a train this week, you better be wary of spoilers.

#Onepiece1071 #Onepiece #GEAR5

Gear 5 promotion in Japanpic.twitter.com/Vy4Y0x4piG

-- Pew (Redwan) (@PewpieceEN) July 30, 2023

And yes, there are plenty of them! Spoilers abound in this One Piece trailer! One of them goes so far as to count down Luffy's various gears in preparation for episode 1071. From first to fourth, all of them make an appearance in these promos, and another will be debuting soon. This week, One Piece teased the arrival of Gear 5 Luffy after a long wait, and episode 1071 will bring out its arrival in full.

If you are not caught up with One Piece, well - we suggest you stay off the Internet this weekend. One Piece episode 1071 will be filled with spoilers from top to bottom. As manga readers learned months ago, Luffy ends the Wano Country saga with the arrival of Gear 5. After being defeated in battle by Kaido once more, Luffy's Devil Fruit shows its true nature, and all of its secrets come to light thereafter. This revelation will come to light this weekend with One Piece episode 1071. So for those needing to catch up on the anime, you better start binging episodes ASAP.

Want to know more about One Piece? No worries! You can read all about the hit series below courtesy of its official synopsis:

"As a child, Monkey D. Luffy was inspired to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the buccaneer "Red-Haired" Shanks. But Luffy's life changed when he accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit and gained the power to stretch like rubber...at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on his adventure...one guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world..."

What do you think about this latest One Piece takeover? Are you excited for episode 1071 to go live? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Are you ready for more Bakugan? If so, then you better look over to Netflix ASAP. The IP has just confirmed it has a new anime on the way, and it will be going live on Netflix in a matter of weeks.

The report comes courtesy of Spin Master Corp. as the company announced Bakugan (2023) is happening. The new anime is slated to debut on September 1st. As of right now, Bakugan is expected to premiere in the United States, Canada, Australia, the Middle East, and the Nordics. Netflix will get access to the show first before Disney XD tackles it in late September.

If you want to know more about this Bakugan show, you are not alone! An official synopsis was just released to hype fans for what's to come, so you can read the blurb below:

"In the exciting new season of Bakugan, the VESTROIAN galaxy is made up of six planets each home to a different species of Bakugan (Avian, Dragon, Insect, Beast, Aquatic and Dinosaur). Constantly at WAR with one another, the use of experimental weaponry causes the Bakugan to be inadvertently transported to EARTH. Baku-balls rain down from the sky like meteors and crash into cities, forests, and oceans. And when the balls unroll, humans meet the 10 FEET TALL Bakugan for the very first time. Thankfully, humanity welcomes these displaced creatures, embraces their culture, and particularly falls in love with their long-standing tradition of BRAWLING. That is until teenagers start PAIRING with Bakugan and miraculously give them the ability to grow to giant KAIJU size! The world was filled with fear, and it was during this time THE CATASTROPHE happened."

This new Bakugan series has fans excited for what's next, and it turns out this show will have a rather unique debut. Its first two episodes will screen early in August on Roblox. The double feature will be available in English and Japanese for players. So if you want to check out this first look at Bakuga, then you better get familiar with Roblox.

This new Bakugan anime marks just one of many to come from the toy-media IP. Back in 2007, Bakugan was brought to life in Japan with its own anime, and the show kickstarted a crazy. To date, there have been seven Bakugan anime series, so this new one will mark the eighth. You can watch a number of Bakugan shows online through services such as Tobi, Amazon Prime, and Netflix. So if you want to know more about how Bakugan began, you can read the original anime's synopsis here for all the details: "Join Dan and his friends as they battle their Bakugan Brawlers to save Vestroia and Earth, and to restore peace throughout the two dimensions."

What do you think about this Bakugan reveal? Will you be tuning into this new series? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Paul Reubens, the comedic actor best known for his character Pee-wee Herman, has died at age 70. Reubens' passing was confirmed by the Pee-wee Herman Official Page on Facebook, which posted the following information and euology:

Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.

There was also a message from Paul Reubens included in the Memoriam post, thanking his fans while apologizing for this sudden, surprising, exit:

"Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years," Reubens wrote. "I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you." -Paul Reubens

A note on the post also instructs fans how to honor Paul Reubens: "Paul asked that any expressions of sympathy be made in honor of his late parents, Judy and Milton Reubenfeld, to Stand Up to Cancer or organizations involved in Dementia and Alzaheimer's care, support and research."

Paul Reubens was born "Paul Rebenfeld" in Peekskill, New York, in 1952. He grew up in a Jewish family, spending a lot of his time going between New York and Sarasota, Florida, where his parents Judy (a teacher) and Milton Rubenfeld (an auto salesman and combat pilot) owned and operated a lamp store. Paul was the oldest of three siblings, growing up with his younger brother Luke (a dog trainer) and younger sister Abby (an American Civil Liberties Union attorney in Tennessee).

Sarasota introduced Paul Reubens to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, whose winter headquarters were located in that city. Between the circus and I Love Lucy, Paul Reubens gained a love of entertainment and performance, putting on his first plays with his siblings starting at age 5. He became president of the National Thespian Society at Sarasota High School and gained a lot of academic acclaim for his performance skills. He went to Boston University and, after numerous acting school rejections he ended up at the California Institute of the Arts, which moved him out to California.

In the 1970s Reubens was working in comedy clubs and appearing on The Gong Show with Charlotte McGinnis, in an act called The Hilarious Betty and Eddie. That led Reubens to the famous Groundlings improv group, working with the likes of Phil Hartman, which led to appearances in films like The Blues Brothers. It was in The Groundlings that Reubens took a bit character from a 1970 play he'd done, and fully developed his Pee-wee Herman character (named after a Pee Wee harmonica Reubens owned as a child, and a boy surnamed "Herman" from his youth).

Reubens launched "The Pee-wee Herman Show" in LA's Roxy Theater in the early 1980s, after infamously getting rejected from Saturday Night Live (who gave Reubens' slot on the cast to comedian Gilbert Gottfried that year). After selling out both late-night shows (for adults) and matinees (for kids), HBO featured The Pee-wee Herman Show on their uncensored stand-up series On Location. Reubens leaned into playing Pee-wee in public outings, appearing in movies like the Cheech & Chong films before getting his own film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, in 1985. Big Adventure made $40.9 million on a $7 million budget and gained a big cult following for Pee-wee Herman, leading to CBS developing Pee-wee's Playhouse with Reubens as a live-action children's program. Pee-wee's Playhouse ran from 1986-1991 and became Reubens' biggest success and most legacy in the entertainment industry, winning 15 Emmy Awards, inspiring generations of children, and even helping launch the careers of actors like Laurence Fishburne.

Reubens suffered an embarrassing 1991 controversy where he was arrested at an adult theater in Sarasota, Florida; the resulting backlash from business partners and sponsors, not to mention public ridicule and mockery, made Reubens largely retreat from the public eye. He popped up in movie roles (Batman Returns, Matilda) and did a recurring stint on Murphy Brown. He finally became a full-fledged public figure again in the late '90s/00s, after breakout roles in films like Mystery Men and Blow - the latter of which sparked a whole new era of roles for him as "Paul Reubens," the serious actor, rather than "Pee-wee Herman."

Following another controversial case about his personal sexual memorabilia collection in the mid-2000s, Reubens went even harder with his comeback, appearing on hit shows like Reno 911!, Tina Fey's 30 Rock, FX's Dirt, and voicing numerous characters for Cartoon Network shows like Re-Animated or Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

By the 2010s, Paul Reubens had come full circle, starting a new era of The Pee-wee Herman Show for the stage, which sold out over $3 million in advanced tickets and was filmed as an HBO special that aired in 2011. He resumed work on the unproduced Pee-wee works he'd had in mind - working with Judd Apatow to launch a new film, Pee-wee's Big Holiday on Netflix in 2016.

It's now clear that Reubens found out about his cancer battle after Pee-wee's Big Holiday was released, and it likely derailed his subsequent plans for the character. Still, millions of fans around the world are both mourning and celebrating the legacy of laughter and learning that Paul Reubens (and Pee-wee Herman) left them with.

Paul Reubens would've turned 71 on August 27th. We send his family and friends our condolences in their time of grieving.

Loki Season 2 is just over three months away. As revealed by the sophomore installment's first trailer, Loki Season 2 will pick up where the widely-praised Season 1 finale left off. Last fans saw, the Time Variance Authority was under the control of a tyrannical Kang the Conqueror variant, a domino effect that was set in motion when Sylvie killed He Who Remains. Beyond being tasked with mopping up that murderous mess, Loki and Mobius also have to solve the titular trickster's new condition: timeslipping. Early in the trailer, Loki unpromptly travels both forward and backward in time.

What is Timeslipping?

Loki is seen glitching in and out of the TVA offices, which Ke Huy Quan's OB identifies as the god of mischief undergoing timeslipping, a process that should be impossible in TVA HQ. Not only that, but to OB's knowledge, there is no defined solution to timeslipping.

Timeslipping's Marvel Comics Origins

While this verb is new to Marvel vocabulary, the noun base of the word has comic ties. On the page, Timeslip is actually the name of a time-traveling character.

Introduced in 1995, Rina Patel is a mutant that possesses a variety of enhanced abilities, most notably powers related to time-manipulation. Patel can switch her current consciousness to any point in her past or future life. Patel can time travel in a traditional sense as well.

She would eventually take on the name of Timeslip in regards to her superhero endeavors. Timeslip unites with the young adult team known as the New Warriors and goes on to play a role in major Marvel Comics storylines like Civil War, Avengers: The Initiative, and Decimation.

How Timeslipping Could Bring the X-Men Into the MCU

Considering the TVA operate outside of space and time, it is possible that "timeslipping" is a term that they adopted from Rina Patel herself. Even though she has not been introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's present timeline, there is a possibility that the TVA already knows about her from either an alternate universe or a future time period.

Beyond that, Loki Season 2 appears to have at least some connectivity to Deadpool 3. The Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman team-up project has been long-rumored to be a time travel story that involves the TVA in some capacity. While Reynolds's Deadpool and Jackman's Wolverine are the only mutants from the Fox X-Men franchise confirmed to be in Deadpool 3, rumblings have hinted at a full mutant ensemble appearing in the threequel. Timeslip is a character that has not yet been adapted for live-action, but she could serve as the gateway to getting the X-Men in the MCU.

Loki Season 2 premieres on October 6th, streaming on Disney+.

Marvel Studios' resident trickster is back for more. Loki Season 2 has officially debuted its first trailer, giving fans their first look at a multitude of new characters while also reintroducing some familiar faces. Among those recognizable roles are Tom Hiddleston's Loki and Owen Wilson's Mobius. Loki and Mobius operate as the show's primary leads, with Mobius helping the god of mischief navigate this constantly evolving world of branching timelines and nexus events. While Mobius began as no more than a borderline-robotic Time Variance Authority agent, the back half of Loki Season 1 reveals that Mobius has an origin story of his own.

Part of that origin appears tied to jet skis. Mobius's TVA desk includes copies of Wake, a magazine filled with pictures of the water-based vehicle. Mobius explains to Loki that his fascination with jet skis stems from the fact that they are the perfect combination of form and function and his dream is to own one one day.

Mobius's Jet Ski Dream Coming True in Loki Season 2?

The first trailer for Loki Season 2 features Tom Hiddleston's titular trickster "timeslipping" into different periods both in the past and future. Among the places he timeslips to is a dealership called "Piranha Powersports."

The brief shot of Piranha Powersports shows Loki standing in front of two jet skis as he looks around his new location perplexed.

Considering Loki's facial expression, it's unlikely that he deliberately chose this spot, but the coincidence could be the spark that eventually ignites into Mobius taking a jet ski to the waters. Most trailers for Marvel Disney+ shows feature footage from early in the season. It's possible that this moment comes at the beginning of Loki Season 2 and serves as a reminder to Loki about Mobius's dream, which will then be revisited come the end of the season.

Loki Season 2 premieres on October 6th, streaming on Disney+.

Marvel Studios fan-favorite Tom Hiddleston stars in Loki Season 2, returning as the titular God of Mischief for another round of time-traveling hijinx on Disney+ on October 6th. Loki is once again joined by Mobius (Owen Wilson) as the two attempt to keep the timelines intact. After the events of Season 1 saw his variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) kill He Who Remains and unleash the wrath of Kang the Conqueror upon the Multiverse, Loki must once again embark on an adventure to keep reality from collapsing. Loki was last seen in the post-credits scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, where he and Mobius were keeping tabs on one of Kang's mysterious variants. Loki Season 2 will continue the story of the Multiverse Saga in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Mobile Suit Gundam has a long history, and one of its recent entries has the fandom buzzing in a big way. Gundam: The Witch From Mercury is the most recent mainline series to tackle the franchise if you didn't know. Its colorful leads and surprising storylines caught the eyes of fans in just a few episodes. These boons combined with The Witch From Mercury's LGBTQ themes left audiences eager for more. But now, Gundam is under fire for reneging an important bit of LGBTQ rhetoric.

The whole thing began this week when Gundam Ace, a monthly magazine dedicated to the franchise, posted an update. In its latest issue, the magazine holds an interview with the lead actors of The Witch From Mercury, and it was there Kana Ichinose (Suletta) said the following:

"In the epilogue, the scene where Miorine puts her head on Suletta's shoulder is so good. 3 years have passed, I could feel that the space between the two of them had become more intimate, seeing a married couple in that form, once again my heart was touched."

Of course, this confession is hardly surprising as The Witch From Mercury never shied away from Suletta's relationship with Miorine. The pair were betrothed at the start of the anime, and while Gundam didn't make romance its focus in The Witch From Mercury, Suletta x Miorine spoke for itself. Their relationship was a fundamental part of The Witch From Mercury, so fans were upset when Gundam Ace updated its contents this month to snip all talk of the girls being married.

Now, Bandai Namco is apologizing for the whole ordeal but not because of the censorship after fact. No, the publisher is sorry the content was published to begin with. Gundam Ace and Bandai Namco said the magazine's latest issue "contained statements of speculation from magazine editors". Bandai Manco's own statement went on to read, "As the work publisher, we would like to leave the anime watchers to understand the story in each of their own ways, and leave the rights of interpretations to the watchers."

Editorial mistakes happen all the time, but given how prevalent LGBTQ themes are in The Witch From Mercury, this censorship isn't sitting well with fans. Suletta and Miorine are undeniable members of the LGBTQ community, and The Witch From Mercury proves that with ease. So if the executives at Bandai Namco want to complain, well - they can go on ahead.

What do you think about this latest Gundam headline? Are you surprised by the anime's retcon or...? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

The timeline is running out in Loki season 2. On Monday, Marvel Studios started the countdown to the new season with a trailer and poster following the reveal of the October 6th premiere date. After last season ended on a cliffhanger -- the timeline-traversing Loki (Tom Hiddleston) wound up in a different reality lorded over by Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors), the consequence of Loki variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) killing He Who Remains (Majors) in his Citadel at the End of Time -- the clock is ticking on the God of Mischief. Loki is "time-slipping," glitching in and out of reality as he's "pulled through time, between the past and the present."

The official logline: "Loki Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of the shocking season finale when Loki finds himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority. Along with Mobius, Hunter B-15, and a team of new and returning characters, Loki navigates an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous Multiverse in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes, and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose."

A poster shows a multiverse of differently-dressed Lokis in a literal race against time, along with new looks at Mobius (Owen Wilson), Sylvie, Judge Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), Time Variance Authority Agent Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku), and TVA tech agent OB (Ke Huy Quan).

Eugene Cordero, Rafael Casal, Tara Strong, Kate Dickie, Liz Carr, Neil Ellice, and Jonathan Majors also star. Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead (Marvel's Moon Knight), Dan Deleeuw (second unit director, Avengers: Endgame and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), and Kasra Farahani (Tilt) directed episodes. Eric Martin (Rick and Morty) serves as head writer, replacing Michael Waldron; Waldron is executive producer along with Martin, Kevin Feige, Stephen Broussard, Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Kevin R. Wright, Benson & Moorhead, and Hiddleston.

"[Fans] are gonna be in for a real treat because the show is bolder and more surreal [in Loki season 2]," Mbatha-Raw told Entertainment Tonight. "And in many ways, goes to some bigger, bolder places than season 1, which is really exciting."

Marvel's Loki season 2 is streaming October 6th on Disney+.

Marvel Studios's time crime drama is back. The post-credits scene of Loki Season 1 back in July 2021 revealed that Tom Hiddleston and company would be back for a sophomore installment. Principal photography on Loki Season 2 began in June 2022 and extended until last fall, with filming officially wrapping this past October. While details surrounding Loki Season 2's plot have been kept close to the vest, it has been known that the next batch of episodes will deal with the consequences of Sylvie killing He Who Remains and therefore sending the Sacred Timeline into a sprawling mess of branches.

Fans got a better sense of where the narrative is going in the Loki Season 2 trailer. The fresh footage revealed that the titular god of mischief is suffering from "timeslipping," an issue that sends him both backwards and forwards in time without any control. Loki and Mobius are told this news by a new character portrayed by a familiar face.

Ke Huy Quan Makes MCU Debut

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has gained another Academy Award winner. Everything Everywhere All At Once star Ke Huy Quan makes his MCU debut as OB, a maintenance man for the Time Variance Authority.

While OB's intellect seems tapped in to all facets of the TVA, he does not necessarily hold all the answers. After identifying Loki's issue as timeslipping, he confesses that he does not have a solution for it.

His dialogue in the trailer was brief, but his "great to see you again" remarks to Mobius indicates that the two have worked together before. It's worth noting that the Mobius seen in the trailer is essentially a factory reset version of Owen Wilson's character, as he has no memory of who Loki is at the end of Season 1. This could mean that Mobius and OB's relationship is a byproduct of this new timeline created by He Who Remains's murder.

Loki Season 2 premieres on October 6th, streaming on Disney+.

Marvel Studios fan-favorite Tom Hiddleston stars in Loki Season 2, returning as the titular God of Mischief for another round of time-traveling hijinx on Disney+ on October 6th. Loki is once again joined by Mobius (Owen Wilson) as the two attempt to keep the timelines intact. After the events of Season 1 saw his variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) kill He Who Remains and unleash the wrath of Kang the Conqueror upon the Multiverse, Loki must once again embark on an adventure to keep reality from collapsing. Loki was last seen in the post-credits scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, where he and Mobius were keeping tabs on one of Kang's mysterious variants. Loki Season 2 will continue the story of the Multiverse Saga in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Loki season 2 premieres October 6th -- and the clock is ticking on the God of Mischief. Marvel Studios on Monday released the first trailer for the new season of the Disney+ series, revealing that the variant Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is "time-slipping": glitching in and out of timelines as he's pulled between the past and the present. And as shown in the second post-credits scene at the end of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Loki and ex-Time Variance Authority Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) wind up in the time of Victor Timely (Jonathan Majors) -- the alias of Kang the Conqueror.

"Time is everything," the inventor told his audience in the Victorian era. "It shapes our lives. But perhaps, we can shape it." Like his multiverse-traversing self from the 31st century, Victor Timely has his own Miss Minutes (voiced by Tara Strong): an old-timey, black-and-white version of the holographic TVA mascot clock.

"I think it's so fun because initially, we have Miss Minutes [as] kind of our introduction to the TVA. She was almost like our Mr. DNA from Jurassic Park, in that she was explaining: who are the TVA? How does the world work? What are the rules? And I think that was fun in itself," Kate Herron, who directed Loki season 1, said in a previous interview of the anthropomorphized clock who speaks with a Southern twang. "But then I think we found, as we were developing the stories more, we just kept wanting to bring her back and spend more time with her because she's such fun."

Loki Season 2 "picks up in the aftermath of the shocking season finale when Loki finds himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority," per the official synopsis. "Along with Mobius, Hunter B-15, and a team of new and returning characters, Loki navigates an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous Multiverse in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes, and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose."

Along with the returning cast members -- Hiddleston as Loki, Wilson as Mobius M. Mobius, Strong as Miss Minutes, Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Judge Renslayer, and Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15 -- season 2 features MCU newcomers Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Ouroboros, a.k.a. "OB," and Rafael Casal (Blindspotting), Kate Dickie (Star Wars: Visions), and Liz Carr (The OA) in undisclosed roles.

Marvel's Loki season 2 premieres October 6th on Disney+. Sign up for Disney+ here.

Marvel Studios has released a new trailer for Loki Season 2, the second season of its Disney+ series chronicling Loki's redemptive, multiversal adventures after his death in Avengers: Infinity War and escape from time in Avengers: Endgame. After meeting and allowing Sylvie to kill He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), a variant of Kang who had been preserving the Sacred Timeline through the Time Variance Authority (TVA), Loki must now reckon with a version of the multiverse that has been rewritten. Marvel previously released a teaser poster for Loki Season 2 that also teased the return of Miss Minutes (voiced by Tara Strong), and several Loki variants.

You can watch the new Loki Season 2 trailer above. Loki Season 2 premieres on Disney+ in October.

More Mobius in Loki Season 2

Owen Wilson's TVA agent Mobius M. Mobius became a fan-favorite in Loki Season 1. Speaking to ComicBook.com in a pre-strike interview, Wilson teased lots more Mobius to come in Loki Season 2.

"I thought I would have a good time but I really enjoyed it," Wilson says of his time on the first season of the show. "I've been lucky working on a million movies and always having a good time but on that one, I had a really great time and that continued on Season Two. Maybe even moreso because we were filming in London and being there at Pinewood but yeah, [his story] just goes deeper."

Loki Season 2 release date

According to Marvel Studios' official synopsis, "Loki Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of the shocking season finale when Loki finds himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority. Along with Mobius, Hunter B-15 and a team of new and returning characters, Loki navigates an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous multiverse in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose."

Marvel Studios fan-favorite Tom Hiddleston stars in Loki Season 2, returning as the titular God of Mischief for another round of time-traveling hijinx on Disney+ on October 6th. Loki is once again joined by Mobius (Owen Wilson) as the two attempt to keep the timelines intact. After the events of Season 1 saw his variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) kill He Who Remains and unleash the wrath of Kang the Conqueror upon the Multiverse, Loki must once again embark on an adventure to keep reality from collapsing. Loki was last seen in the post-credits scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, where he and Mobius were keeping tabs on one of Kang's mysterious variants. Loki Season 2 will continue the story of the Multiverse Saga in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

By the time AMC aired the "Tell It to the Frogs" episode of The Walking Dead TV show in 2010, Image Comics had published 78 issues of Robert Kirkman's Walking Dead comic book -- and not a single issue featured brothers Merle and Daryl Dixon. Played by Michael Rooker and Norman Reedus, the Dixon brothers were created by series developer and then-showrunner Frank Darabont for AMC's adaptation of the comic books. Daryl would go on to become one of the television show's most popular characters -- and will lead his already-renewed solo spin-off, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, premiering this fall -- so why wasn't Daryl in the comics?

"While I had a hand in creating Daryl and Merle, it was very much a team effort involving other season one writers Jack LoGiudice and Charles H. Eglee, as well as Frank Darabont (who originated and named them)," Kirkman wrote of the Dixon duo in the letters page in The Walking Dead Deluxe #67. "A cool thing in TV is that the actors also have a huge hand in who their characters become just in the way they interpret lines. Surprising line reads inspire the writers to write the characters completely differently as the series progresses. So, I'd also credit Michael Rooker and Norman Reedus with a lot of what makes those characters work."

Reedus initially auditioned for the Merle role. (While casting directors "loved" the Boondock Saints actor, he "wasn't a perfect fit" for the racist, redneck drug dealer -- so Darabont created Daryl for Reedus.)

Kirkman added that there were "logistical issues" that barred bringing TV show characters into the comics, but did not specify what those might be. "I would never have done it because it would feel wrong to bring the work of so many other people into the comic," Kirkman explained. "I never wanted the show to change the comic, since the comic is what made the show possible, and I worried it could turn into a snake eating its own tail."

The Walking Dead issue #98, published in 2012, introduced Dwight, a disfigured member of the Saviors who wielded TV Daryl's weapon of choice: a crossbow. "All that said," Kirkman wrote, "doing fun things like making comic readers think Dwight might be Daryl when introducing him? That kind of stuff is fun."

During a 2018 panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Kirkman remarked that there were "Norman Reedus likeness rights" that barred Daryl Dixon from the comic book. "I love the fact that there is something, if you read the comics, there would be an absence of Daryl and I feel like that adds to the mystery of the comic and makes it more appealing," Kirkman said at the time.

The Walking Dead Deluxe #68 is on stands August 2nd from Skybound and Image Comics.

Cartoon Network's classic shows will be making their big comeback with a new block coming to Adult Swim later this Summer, so now's the best time to go back and check out some of these huge classics that are now streaming online! Cartoon Network Studios is going through some big changes this year as the studio building shuts down this Summer, but it's far from the end of the brand as there are still plenty of new projects coming through the pipeline. That's on top of the classic library of shows that are now more popular than ever before.

Adult Swim will be launching a special new block called "Checkered Past" later this August that will feature some classics from Cartoon Network's library, but why wait when you can start checking out some of the biggest classics right now. Many of them are available for streaming, so now's the time to check out some of the biggest Cartoon Network shows to ever hit.

Best Cartoon Network Classics to Watch in 2023

The Powerpuff Girls

• Info: "The Powerpuff Girls centers on three sugar-coated superheroes, whose missions in life alternate between going to school, fighting crime, winning at hopscotch and saving the world before bedtime. The girls are frequently called upon by the town's childlike and naive mayor to help fight nearby criminals using their powers."
• Review: With a second major reboot (with the original creator in tow) now in the works, it's time to go back and see why this is still one of the most notable action animated series to ever come from Cartoon Network. Tons of goofs, big and bloody fights, and all sorts of cute fun, you should check out The Powerpuff Girls when possible.
• Where to Watch: You can now stream The Powerpuff Girls on Hulu, Netflix, and Max.

Ed, Edd n Eddy

• Info: "Ed, Edd n Eddy tells the story of three best friends, who band together to tackle life's most daunting challenge. Though they have the same first name and live on the same cul-de-sac in the suburbs, the three youths have very different personalities."
• Review: Ed, Edd n Eddy is a cartoon unlike any other. Not only is it a series notable for breaking its own boundary and having the three Eds figure out that they're in a cartoon in the first place, but it openly talks about more hilarious subjects such as scamming, trickery, and much more. It's just a fun cul de sac full of adventures with three very hilarious boys.
• Where to Watch: You can now stream Ed, Edd n Eddy on Amazon Prime Video and Max.

Dexter's Laboratory

• Info: "For Dexter, every day is an experiment in mayhem. But a true hero always masterminds his way out of trouble! This season he concocts a plan to give Dee Dee a better brain, she turns him from a quiet creator to a mad destroyer, and Mandark tries to win Dee Dee's love while plotting to take over Dexter's beloved lab. Just a day in the life of a not so average third grade grader!"
• Review: Dexter's Laboratory is also one of those Cartoon Network shows that you can't help but think of when mentioning the network overall. It's got such a prestige that series creator Genndy Tartakovsky is still making new animated hits with Cartoon Network to this day. Tons of fun references, plenty of cool action, and just packed with jokes in every episode.
• Where to Watch: You can now stream Dexter's Laboratory on Amazon Prime Video.

Courage the Cowardly Dog

• Info: "Courage the Cowardly Dog follows a frightened, pink beagle dog that lives with a married elderly pair of farmers in the Middle of Nowhere. The trio is thrown into bizarre misadventures, often involving the paranormal and supernatural.
• Review: Courage the Cowardly Dog was a certain generation's first introduction to the world of horror as it blended its cartoonish humor and wacky situations with the paranormal to create an experience unlike any other. It's in fact held up very well to this day as there has still yet to be another Cartoon Network show that's creeped out fans on this level since.
• Where to Watch: You can now find Courage the Cowardly Dog streaming on Max.

The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy

• Info: "The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy is about two young kids, happy-go-lucky Billy and cynical, deapan Mandy, who became best friends with the Grim Reaper after winning an otherworldly limbo contest against the messenger of Death."
• Review: Speaking of spooky, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy takes this to a whole new level. But rather than use its creepier elements to provide genuine scares, this show instead finds the goofier side of each of its elements to tell wacky jokes and play out even wackier situations. It's got such a wild dynamic with its main trio that fans of any Cartoon Network classic should check them out in action.
• Where to Watch: You can now find The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy streaming on Max.

Which are some of your favorite Cartoon Network classics to revisit to this day? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments!

Over the past month, one of the most popular shows in all of streaming has been a nine-season legal drama that ended its run on TV four years ago. Suits, the long-running hit for USA Network, was added to Netflix's lineup earlier this summer. Ever since its acquisition, Suits has been the biggest show on the streamer. There are eight seasons on Netflix, while Peacock has all nine seasons of the series. Between the two streamers, Suits recently racked up 3.1 billion streaming minutes in one week, the most ever for a licensed show in a seven-day frame, according to Nielsen's streaming data.

With that kind of success in the streaming era, it wouldn't be a shock if there were talks of a reboot or continuation for Suits. TVLine caught up with executive producer Gene Klein and asked about the possibility. While there's nothing official in the works just yet, Klein said he's been "expecting a call" about Suits, given its streaming success.

"You know, I've mentioned to [creator] Aaron [Korsh] that I keep, in this era of reboots and reunions and all this other stuff, that I'm expecting a call at some point," Klein explained. "But I'm not aware of any serious conversations. It's just one of those things where, in this day and age, you wouldn't be surprised if somebody called you someday. But so far, nothing that I'm aware of."

Is a Suits Reboot Even Possible?

For Klein, the most difficult part about bringing Suits back for another go-round would be getting the entire cast back together. It was already a difficult task at the end of the show's original run, keeping everyone together for as long as possible.

"As you might remember, it was a complicated dance keeping everybody involved, getting all the actors deals done and keeping them involved through the end of the show," the EP said. "I'd be surprised if we could thread that needle for a reunion, but I'd also be delighted if that happened because [when] you do a show for that long, everybody becomes such good friends. A lot of us saw each other a month or so ago because there was a Suits-themed picket at Fox one day, and a lot of the writers, some of whom didn't know each other because people were on Seasons 1 and 2, but not the later seasons, so some of the writers were meeting for the first time. But a lot of the actors came to that as well."

Even if the rest of the cast was able to figure something out, Klein doesn't believe Meghan Markle will make a return. "I would assume that's just not possible," he said.

Why Is Suits Suddenly So Popular Again?

Klein went on to explain why he believes Suits has become such a hit since arriving on Netflix.

"I think there's two different things going on, one set of things that has to do with the show itself and another that has to do with the power of a particular platform," said Klein. "On the one hand, anecdotally, people reach out to me all the time, so I know it still finds new viewers here and there. But there's also something about the show that is rewatchable. There's people who've watched it all when it was coming out and find it very comforting to watch again. And it's also, I think, a unique enough show that it's very rewatchable. You discover new things as you're rewatching it. So there's an additional set of things about the show that reveal themselves watching it again. So it's a tribute to the show, creatively. But then it's also a tribute to the power of Netflix because it's been on Peacock for a while. There's a hat tip that needs to go to Netflix and the power of their platform because it's finding people."

Billie Piper may not return to Doctor Who on television anytime soon, but that won't stop her from reprising her role as companion Rose Tyler for some new audio adventures. In 2017, Piper's Rose reunited with David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor for the second volume of Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Adventures series of audio dramas from Big Finish Productions. Since 2019, Piper has starred as Rose in her headlining series, Rose Tyler: The Dimension Cannon, which reveals more of her journey through time and space to get back to the Doctor after the duo said their goodbyes at Bad Wolf Bay, as hinted at in Doctor Who Season 4 and concluded in the Doctor Who episode "The Stolen Earth." Piper is confirmed to return for a third volume of the audio series subtitled Trapped.

Joining Piper in Trapped is her fellow Doctor Who alum Camille Coduri, reprising her role as Jackie Tyler, Rose Tyler's mother. Trapped also introduces Em Thane as Danni, a new character who forms a close bond with Rose.

The Trapped box set includes three original audio stories and is now available to pre-order as a collector's edition box set or digital download from the Big Finish website. Here's the synopsis for the box set:

"After a disastrous dimension jump, Rose is trapped in a strange and dangerous reality. Rose's mission is to save the multiverse, but first she must save herself! The three exciting audio adventures in this box set are as follows:

• "Sink or Swim" by Lizzie Hopley: Rose is trapped and alone, at sea in an unfamiliar world, where a strange entropy eats away at those struggling to survive. But she finds family, and hope, as she starts her quest to escape...
• "The Lower Road" by Tim Foley: Trekking the wastelands, Rose and Danni discover a community that seems to have made peace with the Anti-Life. But all groups have their secrets, and bargains come at a price.
• "The Good Samaritan" by Helen Goldwyn: Trying to repair her Dimension Cannon, Rose seeks out the last haven of technology on this Earth. But the utopia of the Dome hides a more desperate situation - and a storm of Anti-Life is closing in..."

In a press release, Piper says, "It's exciting to record The Dimension Cannon and play the part again but it's even more thrilling when the fans learn about it, listen to it and then discuss it with me when I meet them at conventions. It doesn't feel over. Rose Tyler has more life in her yet."

Producer Emily Cook adds, "While The Dimension Cannon - Other Worlds followed pretty much the same format as the first volume (i.e. each episode took Rose and co. to a different parallel Earth), we wanted to mix things up with volume three and do something a little different. We ended Other Worlds on a cliffhanger - what happened to Rose? - and in Trapped we pick up straight after that."

She continues, "Wherever Rose went she's now trapped there for the duration of this series... and this reality is stranger and more dangerous than anywhere she's been before. This series is essentially Rose's quest to get herself back so she can find the Doctor."

Trapped, featuring three new adventures set in the worlds of Doctor Who goes on sale in September. The previous two volumes of Rose Tyler: The Dimension Cannon are on sale now.

David Tennant returns to Doctor Who television as the Fourteenth Doctor in a three-episode Doctor Who 60th-anniversary special in November before handing the role of the Doctor over to Ncuti Gatwa in Season 14 and beyond. Doctor Who airs on the BBC in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Doctor Who will begin streaming internationally on Disney+ with the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials.

Season 2 of Good Omens is finally here, and things are still fragile between heaven and hell after their rivalry almost ended the world in Season 1. The new season sees plenty of familiar faces, including David Tennant as the demon Crowley, Michael Sheen as the angel Aziraphale, and Jon Hamm as the archangel Gabriel. There are also some fresh faces joining the ranks, including Liz Carr as angel Saraqael, Quelin Sepulveda as angel Muriel, and Shelley Conn as demon Beelzebub. ComicBook.com recently chatted with the trio of newcomers, and we asked if there were any angel vs. demon rivalries behind the scenes. Conn is also known for playing Lady Mary Sharma in Bridgerton, and she ended up comparing her costumes from each show.

"Not rivalry," Conn explained." No, because I think even on set, we're all kind of the same. We're all into the same petty politics. We've all got the same gripes. We just don't realize that when we look in each other's eyes, but off camera we do. We're like, 'Oh, are you working tomorrow? Oh, god. Shall we have lunch together?' Or, 'Oh God, what time are you finishing?'"

"Maybe just a moment of envy as a very demurely dressed angel in white, kind of thing," Carr added. "The joy of being a demon and the costumes, as you were just saying. I'm like, 'Oh, I want stuff on my face.'"

"Don't forget, though, I had spent the previous up until the day before, dressed incredibly demurely on Bridgerton," Conn explained. "Do you know what I mean? So, I do know how you feel. So it means your demon is coming, I'm sure of it. I feel very sure of it."

"I hope so. My demon is coming," Carr joked. "Yeah. It's going to get you," Conn joked.

Will Good Omens Get a Season 3?

The first season of Good Omens was based on the book of the same name by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, and while the book never got a sequel, Gaiman wrote the show's new season. Recently, Gaiman teased that the second season is actually a bridge between the first book and his original sequel idea. The new season also ends on a cliffhanger for Crowley and Aziraphale, which means fans are already eager for news about a Season 3. This week, Gaiman took to Twitter to reveal how fans can help make another season possible.

"It's planned and plotted and if there wasn't a Writers Strike on I'd be writing it right now," Gaiman replied to a fan who asked if there's hope for another season. "Ways to help make Good Omens Season 3 happen are A) watch Season 2, B) get people who know nothing of Good Omens to start watching S1, and C) encourage the studios to negotiate with WGA."

Good Omens is now streaming on Prime.

Editors note: This interview was conducted prior to the SAG actors' strike.

The never-ending streaming wars have claimed another victim. Friday, Hulu canceled Up Here after it's first season on the service. The musical comedy starred Mae Whitman and Carlos Valdes as its two leads and carried an impressive ensemble behind the camera. Oscar-winners Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (Disney's Frozen franchise) wrote original pieces for the series while it was written by Dear Evan Hansen's Steven Levenson and New Girl's Danielle Sanchez-Witzel. Other actors in the series include Sophia Hammons, Emilia Su?rez, Andr?a Burns, John Hodgman, and Scott Porter.

"Up Here is set in New York City in the waning days of 1999," a synopsis for the series reads. "It follows the extraordinary story of one ordinary couple, as they fall in love - and discover that the single greatest obstacle to finding happiness together might just be themselves - and the treacherous world of memories, obsessions, fears, and fantasies that lives inside their heads."

The show picked up a straight-to-series order from Hulu last year and release its eight episodes earlier this year. There's no word if the show will be shopped to other platforms.

What has Hulu cancelled?

In addition to Up Here, another recent cancellation for the streamer was Keegan Michael-Key and Judy Greer's Reboot. After eight episodes, the platform opted to cancel the comedy on a cliffhanger rather than ordering another season of episodes.

"There were a lot of balls in the air during the finale, and the first thing to do is to make sure that those all land in a compelling and entertaining way," Reboot creator Steve Levitan told EW last October. "But it's amazing how quickly the world expanded, there's a lot to explore. I think in season 2 we will get into the premiere of the show [the Step Right Up reboot] and all that goes into that."

Levitan continued: "As somebody who just went through a premiere, there's fresh stuff for me to delve into about what it's like in this day and age to launch a show when the whole world can comment on it. It's a pretty fascinating time. That's one of the things we'll talk about."

Both Up Here and Reboot are now streaming on Hulu.

One of the executive producers behind Futurama's new reboot on Hulu is teasing that the new seasons will have "bigger, more ambitious" episodes than fans have ever seen from the reboot series before! Futurama has made an unlikely comeback with Hulu as it has been revived for a second major time after its previous cancellation with Comedy Central ten long years ago. The first episode of this new run addressed how Futurama was going to be approaching its new slate of episodes on Hulu, and it seems that the team behind this new take is ready to take things in an even bigger direction going forward.

Futurama executive producer Claudia Katz (who returns from the previous runs of the animated series) spoke with SFX Magazine (as highlighted by The Direct) opened up how these new episodes on Hulu will differ from the previous runs of the series and teased that they will be "bigger" and that fans will be pleased with how it all plays out, "But really, the challenges are episode-based. There's much bigger, more ambitious episodes in these new batches. There's not a lot of everybody sitting around the conference room table. I'm hoping fans will be really, really pleased with that."

How Futurama Season 11 Will Be Different

As Katz explained to SFX Magazine, these more ambitious episodes are a necessary route for Futurama Season 11 to take as there are still many out there who might not have realized that Futurama has returned for new episodes, "Some are not aware the show is coming back, and when we say that we're doing new episodes, they're like, 'What? Oh my god! That's awesome.'" Katz continued. "We'll see what happens and if we can break Hulu in the best possible way." This all ties into the fact that Futurama's new seasons are also promising to fulfill long held plotlines from the old run.

One of the big teases leading into Futurama Season 11 was the fact it was going to fill in some gaps from the original series that fans still had questions about ten years later, and it seems like Hulu is already making good on that promise sooner into the new Futurama season than later. Especially if it's "bigger, more ambitious" than it was ever before.

What are you hoping to see from Futurama's new episodes on Hulu? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!

The adventures of the PAW Patrol are going to continue on Nickelodeon, as the beloved kids TV series is getting an order for yet another season. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of PAW Patrol, Nickelodeon and Paramount announced that the series had been renewed for Season 11. That shouldn't be a huge surprise to many, given just how popular PAW Patrol has become. Nickelodeon has also handed a new season to the popular PAW Patrol spinoff series, Rubble Crew.

While PAW Patrol comes back for its 11th season, Rubble Crew will be back for Season 2. Each of the two shows has been renewed for a new season that consists of 26 half-hour episodes. There is also a six-part PAW Patrol special event called PAW Patrol: Moto Pups coming to Paramount+ on August 11th.

New PAW Patrol Movie

In addition to new seasons of PAW Patrol and Rubble Crew, the popular kids franchise is also releasing a brand new feature film in theaters. PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is hitting theaters on September 29th, and it will introduce an exciting new set up abilities for the team.

This new film brings a twist to the popular PAW Patrol team, as a meteor that has crashed to Adventure City gives all of the pups superpowers. They then dub themselves The Mighty Pups, and are ready to take on a new adversary. You can check out the official synopsis below!

"When a magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City, it gives the PAW Patrol pups superpowers, transforming them into The MIGHTY PUPS! For Skye, the smallest member of the team, her new powers are a dream come true. But things take a turn for the worse when the pups' archrival Humdinger breaks out of jail and teams up with Victoria Vance, a meteor-obsessed mad scientist, to steal the superpowers and turn themselves into supervillains. With the fate of Adventure City hanging in the balance, the Mighty Pups have to stop the supervillains before it's too late, and Skye will need to learn that even the smallest pup can make the biggest difference."

Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie Cast

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie stars McKenna Grace, James Marsden, Kristen Bell, Iain Armitage, Taraji P. Henson, Dax Shepard, Christian Convery, Tyler Perry, Kim Kardashian, Yara Shahidi, Chris Rock, Lil Rel Howery, Marsai Martin, Ron Pardo, Callum Shoniker, Luxton Handspiker, Kingsley Marshall, and Fin Lee-Epp.

The film is directed by Cal Brunker, from a script co-written by Bob Barlen. Brunker and Barlen wrote the story with Shane Morris. PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is based on the series by Keith Chapman.

A Murder at the End of the World is now a murder at the end of the year. The FX series, which was set for a Hulu-exclusive premiere on August 29th, has been pushed to November. The seven-episode limited series is the first television show to move off its planned premiere date in the wake of the WGA (Writers Guild of America) and SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) work stoppages -- Hollywood's first double strike since 1960. Disney Entertainment has not yet announced when A Murder at the End of the World will premiere on FX on Hulu in November.

A Murder at the End of the World stars Emma Corrin (The Crown, Deadpool 3) as Darby Hart, a Gen Z amateur sleuth and tech-savvy hacker. Darby and eight other guests are invited by a reclusive billionaire (Clive Owen, Closer) to participate in a retreat at a remote and dazzling location. When one of the other guests is found dead, Darby must use all of her skills to prove it was murder against a tide of competing interests -- and before the killer takes another life.

Alongside Corrin and Owen, the cast includes Harris Dickinson (Triangle of Sadness), Brit Marling (The OA), Alice Braga (Queen of the South), Joan Chen (Marco Polo), Ra?l Esparza (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Jermaine Fowler (The Blackening), Ryan J. Haddad (The Politician), Pegah Ferydoni (Almania), Javed Khan (Blackbird), Louis Cancelmi (Killers of the Flower Moon), Edoardo Ballerini (The Sopranos), Britian Seibert (The Knick), Christopher Gurr (The Blacklist), Kellan Tetlow (This Is Us), Daniel Olson (Mr. Robot) and Neal Huff (Mare of Easttown).

The seven-episode limited series is produced by FX Productions and was filmed in Iceland, as well as New Jersey and Utah.

Disney's FX pushing A Murder at the End of the World to the fall comes not long after Disney's Searchlight Pictures delayed Poor Things, its awards-season drama reteaming Oscar winner Emma Stone with The Favourite filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos. Searchlight's Taika Waititi-directed Next Goal Wins, Searchlight's bodybuilder drama Magazine Dreams starring Jonathan Majors, and Disney Animation's Wish could also be potentially delayed, according to a previous report from Bloomberg.

Other high-profile delays in recent days include Sony's Kraven the Hunter, its animated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse sequel, and the untitled Ghostbusters 4.

These days, there is no denying anime. The medium is thriving, and audiences across the globe are taking notice. Once considered a niche interest, anime has become a global phenomenon with some help from streaming. So of course, you know Netflix has a top-tier catalog of TV anime ready to binge.

In the United States, Netflix has more than a hundred shows ready to binge, and there is something for everyone to watch. If you like school rom-coms, you can satisfy your itch with Komi Can't Communicate while shows like Death Note fuel your love of supernatural thrillers. From popular shonen titles to simple slice-of-life series, Netflix has tons of great picks, and we're here to spell out our favorite.

So if you are looking for a new show to binge, you can check out our list of 10 must-see anime below. All of the titles are currently available on Netflix, so subscribers can watch their favorite shows with ease. Most come with English dubs as well, so you can pick which style of watching suits you best!

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Vinland Saga: "As a child, Thorfinn sat at the feet of the great Leif Ericson and thrilled to wild tales of a land far to the west. But his youthful fantasies were shattered by a mercenary raid. Raised by the Vikings who murdered his family, Thorfinn became a terrifying warrior, forever seeking to kill the band's leader, Askeladd, and avenge his father. Sustaining Thorfinn through his ordeal are his pride in his family and his dreams of a fertile westward land, a land without war or slavery...the land Leif called Vinland."

• Reason to Watch: If you like gritty historical dramas akin to Gladiator or Vikings, then Vinland Saga has everything you need. The robust anime has everything from action to gore and political intrigue. So if you are ready to set sail with the vikings, give Vinland Saga a shot.
  

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: "In Taisho-era Japan, kindhearted Tanjiro Kamado makes a living selling charcoal. But his peaceful life is shattered when a demon slaughters his entire family. His little sister Nezuko is the only survivor, but she has been transformed into a demon herself! Tanjiro sets out on a dangerous journey to find a way to return his sister to normal and destroy the demon who ruined his life."

• Reason to Watch: There is a reason why everyone in the anime fandom is talking about Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. Known as this generation's top show, Demon Slayer has taken the mantle of hits like Naruto and My Hero Academia. Focused on family, this hit anime blends gorgeous anime with colorful characters, and its emotional moments will hit you hard.
  

Beastars: "At a high school where the students are literally divided into predators and prey, friendships maintain the fragile peace. Who among them will become a Beastar-a hero destined to lead in a society naturally rife with mistrust? One night at Cherryton Academy, an herbivore student is brutally murdered. Among the members of the Drama Club, the herbivores' suspicions naturally turn to their carnivore classmates... The prime suspect? Gray wolf Legoshi. But he wouldn't hurt a fly. Or would he? Will dwarf rabbit Haru bring out the beast in him? Or are his feelings for her...something else?"

• Reason to Watch: Beastars brings crime to life with school drama and a mix of Zootopia charm. The series is set in a world filled with anthropomorphic animals who adhere to a strict hierarchy of prey and predators. When that balance is upset, Beastars digs deep into its corrupt society, so you can think of this TV anime as a gritty take on Zootopia's vision.
  

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: "In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Their journey to restore their bodies through the power of the Philosopher's Stone begins here."

• Reason to Watch: Though not a classic by any means, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has been around the block and continues to dominate the fandom even after all this time. This anime is considered one of the best to ever leave Japan, and that is thanks to its incredible world-building. From family feels to political insurgency, you can find everything in this anime, and that includes the world's most lovable suit of armor.
  

Hunter x Hunter: "Gon might be a country boy, but he has high aspirations. Despite his Aunt Mito's protests, Gon decides to follow in his father's footsteps and become a legendary Hunter. The Hunter hopefuls begin their journey by storm-tossed ship, where Gon meets Leorio and Kurapika, the only other applicants who aren't devastated by bouts of seasickness."

• Reason to Watch: If you like traditional battle-centric shonen titles, Hunter x Hunter is what you've been dreaming of. The series is heralded as one of the demographic's best, after all. Filled with tense action and wild villains, Hunter x Hunter will keep you on the edge of your seat as Gon and the crew take on untold disasters.
  

Little Witch Academia: "Reach out your hand, and your story will begin! Those words changed young Atsuko "Akko" Kagari forever, sparking in her a lifelong dream of becoming a real witch. Now she's been accepted to the same school as her childhood hero, Shiny Chariot-the prestigious Luna Nova Witchcraft Academy. As the only student to come from a non-magical family, Akko finds herself surrounded by prodigies from around the world, but giving up isn't in her vocabulary. Whether it's making friends, proving the doubters wrong, or just flying on a broom, Akko is going to make her fantasy a reality!"

• Reason to Watch: Little Witch Academia takes the world of Harry Potter, makes it cute, and then turns the dial up to 100. Created by Studio Trigger, Little Witch Academia will mesmerize fans with its colorful palette as they watch a young girl strive to become the witch of her dreams. So if you are up for a feel-good marathon, this show has you covered!
  

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners: "A Street Kid trying to survive in a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future. Having everything to lose, he chooses to stay alive by becoming an Edgerunner, a Mercenary outlaw also known as a Cyberpunk."

• Reason to Watch: As one of Netflix's newest original anime, Cyberpunk: Edgerunner is a true prize. In fact, it may mark a rare case where the anime is better than the game that inspired it. Based on Cyberpunk 2077, this slick show by Studio Trigger brings dystopian tech to a new level, and its characters' arcs will have you on the edge of your seat.
  

Castlevania: "A vampire hunter fights to save a besieged city from an army of otherworldly creatures controlled by Dracula."

• Reason to Watch: The video game adaptation curse was broken in Hollywood courtesy of Netflix's Castlevania. The original series put Netflix on the map with anime fans, and its brutal take on the Capcom title will thrill audiences of all backgrounds. So if you have a thing for Van Hellsing or Dracula, do yourself a favor by watching this epic series!
  

Kakegurui: "Hyakkaou Private Academy. An institution for the privileged with a very peculiar curriculum. You see, when you're the sons and daughters of the wealthiest of the wealthy, it's not athletic prowess or book smarts that keep you ahead. It's reading your opponent, the art of the deal. What better way to hone those skills than with a rigorous curriculum of gambling? At Hyakkaou Private Academy, the winners live like kings, and the losers are put through the wringer. But when Yumeko Jabami enrolls, she's gonna teach these kids what a high roller really looks like!"

• Reason to Watch: What do you get when you mix Mean Girls with the thrill of Las Vegas gambling? Well, you get a school-based show called Kakegurui. The cutthroat series will leave fans reeling with its high stakes, and for amateur gamblers, you might learn a thing or two about blackjack along the way!
  

Mob Psycho 100: "What's his secret to busting ghosts while keeping prices low? Well, first, he's a fraud, and second, he pays the guy who's got the real psychic power--his student assistant Shigeo--less than minimum wage. Shigeo is an awkward but kind boy whose urge to help others and get along with them is bound up with the mental safety locks he's placed on his own emotions. Reigen knows he needs to exploit Shigeo to stay in business, yet for better or worse he's also his mentor and counselor. And he also knows whenever the normally repressed kid's emotions reach level 100, it may unleash more psychic energy than either of them can handle!"

• Reason to Watch: After coming to a close this year, Mob Psycho 100 will go down as one of the best anime series to tackle supernatural phenomena. The simple shonen has the perfect blend of awkward adolescence, real-world stakes, and internal uncertainty. To top it off, Mob Psycho 100 features some truly impressive animation, and its heartfelt hero will leave audiences hooked from start to finish.
  

What do you think about Netflix's anime catalog? Is it missing any of your top picks? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

The second season of Good Omens is now available to stream on Prime Video, and fans are thrilled to see David Tennant and Michael Sheen return as the demon and angel duo, Crowley and Aziraphale. ComicBook.com recently had the chance to chat with Sheen and Tennant, and they spoke about being less nervous about Season 2 and collaborating with Neil Gaiman. While speaking with Sheen, we asked the actor if there were any unsung heroes of the show's production, and he spoke about the "detailed design" that went into creating the show's sets.

"Well, I'm always blown away by the detailed design work that goes on in these shows, and particularly in this season because they've essentially built the Soho community and all those shops that are in this, particularly the record shop and the magic shop," Sheen explained. "The detail of work that's in there. I just used to spend hours in those shops in between takes, just looking ... Particularly, the record shop, because none of the records could be actual records."

He continued, "So, they had to make up bands and singers and album names and come up with concept art and covers. And I was just amazed by it. And it was hilarious seeing the names of these bands that they come up with. And again, the magic shop, it was like the most magical of magic shops you could ever have gone into as a child. Aziraphale's bookshop is the bookiest of bookshops you could ever go into. And the magic shop is the same for magic. So, I would say it's the people who came up with all that incredible detail."

Will Good Omens Get a Season 3?

The first season of Good Omens was based on the book of the same name by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, and while the book never got a sequel, Gaiman wrote the show's new season. Recently, Gaiman teased that the second season is actually a bridge between the first book and his original sequel idea. The new season also ends on a cliffhanger for Crowley and Aziraphale, which means fans are already eager for news about a Season 3. This week, Gaiman took to Twitter to reveal how fans can help make another season possible.

"It's planned and plotted and if there wasn't a Writers Strike on I'd be writing it right now," Gaiman replied to a fan who asked if there's hope for another season. "Ways to help make Good Omens Season 3 happen are A) watch Season 2, B) get people who know nothing of Good Omens to start watching S1, and C) encourage the studios to negotiate with WGA."

Good Omens is now streaming on Prime.

Editors note: This interview was conducted prior to the SAG actors' strike.

Netflix is gearing up for one of its most ambitious premieres to date. If you did not know, the studio has been hard at work on One Piece under the close eye of series creator Eiichiro Oda. With a carefully cast team, One Piece is set to bring the Straw Hat crew to life this fall, and now the star behind Sanji is speaking out about his stunt work on the show.

During an interview with Square Mile before the SAG-AFTRA stoke, Taz Skylar said he got into Sanji's role with gusto. If a fight scene was going down on set for Sanji, Skylar would do his best to shape up for the camera.

"Every single fight is mine. I made it my business," Skylar shared. "My official stunt double Stewey was so proud of me. He always said if you're able to do them, they're yours."

Of course, Skylar did not come into One Piece with Sanji's kicks. A number of videos surfaced on social media after Skylar's casting was revealed. It showed the star training for Sanji's fights, and Skylar says he read every comment on those videos to fuel himself. By the time filming began, Skylar was knee-deep in Sanji's world, and he made every meal and fight his business on set.

"We had a kitchen on set, so on my lunch breaks I'd get into Sanji's chef costume and I'd cook. We'd try to do high-end spins on basic dishes from the anime," he shared.

Of course, Skylar's dedication to One Piece is just one of the many things fans love about the show's cast. It is no secret that live-action anime is hard to nail, but Skylar and his co-stars are eager to break the mold. So if you want to see how One Piece fares in the real world, Netflix's live-action series is set to debut this August. In the meantime, you can watch the One Piece anime on Netflix to prepare for Luffy's big journey. You can learn more about Oda's hit series below courtesy of its official synopsis:

"As a child, Monkey D. Luffy was inspired to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the buccaneer "Red-Haired" Shanks. But Luffy's life changed when he accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit and gained the power to stretch like rubber...at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on his adventure...one guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world..."

It is a rite of passage at this point for anime. When a show gets popular, its army of critics double and so too do the fans who comment on all things animation. Now that Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 is live, there are plenty of fans detailing its sakuga, and one such essay has gone viral thanks to its AI claims. But to be clear, Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 isn't using AI by any means to cut corners.

No, that is not the case at all. AI is being used to keep viewers from having seizures, so it is time went over what the Harding Test is if you've never been introduced.

Ghosting in anime isn't AI. It's a technique used to pass the Harding Test, which is a test that determines the level of risk for epileptic seizures. Ghosting has been around since well before current generative AI technology. https://t.co/tAMY2xdycq

-- Samuel Deats ? (@SamuelDeats) July 29, 2023

For context, you can see the viral Jujutsu Kaisen video above as a TikTok blew up recently. It was there a fan suggests the anime is using AI tools in season 2 to cut corners with its frame rate and connectors. However, industry execs and animators were quick to debunk the video with help of the Harding Test.

"Ghosting in anime isn't AI," Samuel Deats, the director of Castlevania, shared on social media. "It's a technique used to pass the Harding Test, which is a test that determines the level of risk for epileptic seizures. Ghosting has been around since well before current generative AI technology."

For those unfamiliar with the Harding Test, it is a standard met in film and television to protect viewers with epilepsy. The test uses algorithms that analyze frame rates and dictate whether they contain problematic image sequencing. If a certain number of sequences are flagged, the media fails and is most often barred from broadcast. For anime and animation, these tests are taken very seriously given their wide demographic. So of course, Jujutsu Kaisen is subject to the Harding Test.

In order to create seamless image sequencing, companies like MAPPA Studio using ghosting. This artwork is often made digitally, using AI or not, and it fills in the gap between key scenes. By adding this buffer, animated images are sequenced smoothly and provide no resistance for the Harding Test. So there you have it! The more you know, right?

Of course, AI and animation is a definite concern within the industry. Everyone from artists to writers and beyond are worried about how the merging tech will impact anime's future. This worry has given AI a bad reputation within the anime fandom, and it is certainly right to be wary when creativity is at stake. But when it comes to Jujutsu Kaisen and this season 2 debacle, there is nothing to worry about.

If you are not caught up with Jujutsu Kaisen, you should know the anime is streaming on Crunchyroll. For more details, you can read the anime's official synopsis below:

"For some strange reason, Yuji Itadori, despite his insane athleticism would rather just hang out with the Occult Club. However, her soon finds out that the occult is as real as it gets when his fellow club members are attacked! Meanwhile, the mysterious Megumi Fushiguro is tracking down a special-grade cursed object, and his search leads him to Itadori..."

What do you think about this latest Jujutsu Kaisen debacle? Are you loving season two so far? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

A new update has been given in the criminal case involving Ishikawa Ennosuke IV. The hugely popular actor has been in the headlines this summer as authorities in Japan linked the star to his parents' death. The stage actor, who was born Takahiro Kinoshi, was found at his parents' home back in May alongside their bodies. And now, Kinoshi has been arrested on charges related to assisted suicide.

According to the latest reports from Japan, Kinoshi was indicted several days ago for assisting his parents' double suicide. The case dates back to mid-May as authorities believe Kinoshi gave his parents excessive sleeping medication which led to their deaths. Not long after, Kinoshi collapsed from a similar overdose, but paramedics reached the actor before he could have passed.

Reports from Japan now suggest Kinoshi also attempted to commit suicide that night as some sort of family pact; However, his attempt was unsuccessful. The kabuki star recovered after treatment, and he was arrested on June 27 on suspicion of assisting his mother's suicide. Not long after, he was handed another arrest warrant for his father's suicide. Now, the court has given Kinoshi an official indictment.

For those unfamiliar with Kinoshi, you must not be a fan of traditional kabuki theater. Kinoshi, who is better known by his stage name Ennosuke abroad, is one of the industry's top stars. His father was a kabuki actor as well, and in recent years, Kinoshi made waves by tackling stage adaptations of popular anime including One Piece and Naruto. In 2024, Kinoshi was meant to partake in the kabuki adaptation of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, but his ongoing legal issues may halt his participation.

What do you make of this latest anime arrest? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram.

HT - ANN

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 will be the final season of Star Trek: Discovery. Jonathan Frakes has revealed that he directed the first part of Star Trek: Discovery's fifth season finale without realizing it would be the first part of the series finale. Frakes has been involved with Star Trek: Discovery since the series brought the Star Trek franchise back to fans in 2017, directing episodes in each season of the Paramount+ streaming series. He returned to direct the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5. However, it seems that the cast and crew of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 didn't know it'd be the second-to-last episode of the series until after filming on the season had wrapped. Even the final episode of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 needed some updates.

"I directed the first half of the finale of Season 5, which turned out to be the real finale," Frakes told Variety in an interview conducted before the actors' striker that looks back on his long history directing Star Trek episodes. "So that was a very emotional end as well. When we did it, we didn't know it was the end. And then [Discovery executive producer and director] Olatunde Osunsanmi had to go back up and do two or three days of new stuff to actually make the finale the finale." It sounds like some extra work was needed to make the Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 finale feel appropriate as a series finale.

Frakes also reflected on his time working on Star Trek: Discovery more generally, starting with the Star Trek: Discovery Season 1 episode "Despite Yourself." He says, "That was my new home, Discovery. And that first episode, getting to know Sonequa -- she's very special, on a lot of levels. She's not only a fantastic actor, but she is a great leader and very spiritual. She was very welcoming. I was very glad to be part of that company in the beginning of the series. To a person, they said, 'So what's this going to be like? What are the conventions like?' They were all being welcomed into the family in a way. Every new show has a different reaction from fans, but we're all a big family. I mean, it sounds a little Pollyanna, but it's really true."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Cast and Synopsis

Paramount+ released a clip from Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 at San Diego Comic-Con during the Star Trek universe panel and a first look trailer before that. According to the official synopsis, "The fifth and final season will find Captain Burnham and the crew of the USS Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well ... dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it."

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 stars Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Saru), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland "Book" Booker), Blu del Barrio (Adira), and Callum Keith Rennie (Rayner). The season also guest stars Elias Toufexis (L'ak) and Eve Harlow (Moll) in recurring roles. David Cronenberg also returns in Star Trek: Discovery's fifth and final season, as seen in the clip from Comic-Con. Oded Fehr is also expected to return as Fleet Admiral Charles Vance.

CBS Studios produces Star Trek: Discovery in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth are executive producers. Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise are the series' co-showrunners.

Star Trek: Discovery's first four seasons are streaming now on Paramount+ in the U.S., the U.K., Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 and Season 3 are also available on the Pluto TV Star Trek channel in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. Star Trek: Discovery airs on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada. Fans can look forward to Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's premiere in early 2024.

One Piece has finally done it. For months and months, the entire anime fandom has been waiting for Luffy to reach the climax of his fight with Kaido. The War for Wano has been nothing short of impressive, and Luffy's bout with Kaido has been intense, to say the least. All the while, One Piece readers have been waiting on Luffy to reveal his latest form as it debuted in the manga ages ago. And at long last, One Piece has done it.

Yes, that is right. Gear Fifth is here. Luffy showed the world Gear 5 at last this week when its new episode dropped, and One Piece is now gearing up for a full reveal with episode 1071.

JOYBOY HAS RETURNED #ONEPIECE pic.twitter.com/eu2JnXAZpj

-- Artur - Library of Ohara (@newworldartur) July 30, 2023

As you can see above, One Piece shared its very look at Gear Fifth Luffy in the anime this week. Much of his face is obscured here, but episode 1070 does give us an idea of what's to come. After all, it seems like Luffy is almost glowing here, and his hair has been majorly changed. The boy is rocking cloudy white hair, and from what we've seen of the Gear 5 transformation so far, it seems Luffy's new power is unlike any we have seen before.

Of course, One Piece fans are taking over social media now that Gear 5 has stepped into the anime. It has been quite some time since the manga welcomed the form, after all. One Piece debuted Gear Fifth Luffy in chapter 1044, and we did see the form for a brief moment in One Piece Film: Red. Now, the TV anime is ready to give the beloved form its due. It is fair to say this power overhauls everything we know about Luffy's power and his Devil Fruit. So if you are ready to learn more about Luffy's fate, stay locked on the One Piece anime!

If you are not caught up with the series, no worries! You can watch the One Piece anime on Hulu and Crunchyroll. For more details, you can read the official synopsis of One Piece below:

"As a child, Monkey D. Luffy was inspired to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the buccaneer "Red-Haired" Shanks. But Luffy's life changed when he accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit and gained the power to stretch like rubber...at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on his adventure...one guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world..."

What do you think about this One Piece update? Do you think Luffy's new form is living up to expectations? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Jonathan Frakes has been a part of Star Trek's universe for a long time, starting as William T. Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation and eventually moving behind the camera to direct episodes of The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and two Star Trek movies. Many things have changed throughout Frakes' 36-year involvement with the Star Trek franchise, and that's no more evident than in the latest of the episodes he directed to release to Star Trek fans, the Strange New Worlds Season 2 crossover episode with Star Trek: Lower Decks, "Those Old Scientists."

Frakes spoke to Variety before the actors' strike and noted that guest stars Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome were allowed to improvise during filming, a freedom he and his Star Trek: The Next Generation co-stars were never afforded. He told Variety that improvisation "doesn't happen a lot on Star Trek, as you probably have heard. I mean, especially in our fucking show, they were so strict. It was like we were doing Shakespeare or Chekhov."

Frakes adds that moments of improvisation, such as Newsome's character Beckett Mariner commenting on young Spock's hotness, proved "infectious" on set. He says, "It was just fantasticl" and hopes, "Maybe this will open some eyes." Indeed, that difference may be why a purely comedic episode of Star Trek, like "Those Old Scientists," couldn't have worked until now.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Cast

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds stars Anson Mount as Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley, Ethan Peck as Spock, Jess Bush as Christine Chapel, Christina Chong as La'An Noonien-Singh, Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura, Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas and Babs Olusanmokun as Joseph M'Benga. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 also brings back special guest star Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk and adds Carol Kane in the recurring role of Pelia.

CBS Studios, Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment produced Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2. Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers are co-showrunners. Alex Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, Jenny Lumet, Henry Alonso Myers, Aaron Baiers, Heather Kadin, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth serve as executive producers.

How to watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 debuts new episodes on Thursdays on Paramount+ in the United States, the U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The second season will stream on Paramount+ in South Korea, with a premiere date still to be announced. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds airs on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada and SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and Central and Eastern Europe.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 is also streaming on Paramount+. It is also available as home media on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4k UHD.

Paramount+ has revealed the first clip from Star Trek: Strange New World's upcoming musical episode, "Subspace Rhapsody." The crew of the USS Enterprise doesn't break into song yet, but the clip (released on The Ready Room) does set the stage for the musical numbers to come. The clip sees Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), Spock (Ethan Peck), and Pelia (Carol Kane) working together in engineering on a way to improve Starfleet's subspace communications across the quadrant. Thus far, their tests haven't yielded results. However, Uhura's humming leads Pelia to suggest sending music through the subspace fold as fundamental harmonics may be the answer to their problem.

Spock lets Uhura choose which song to send through the fold. Uhura turns to the Great American Songbook, selecting the 1934 song "Anything Goes," which Cole Porter wrote for the musical of the same name. You can see the clip below.

"Subspace Rhapsody" features music and lyrics by Kay Hanley (Letters to Cleo) and Tom Polce (Letters to Cleo, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend). The episode's soundtrack is already available to pre-save on streaming music services here.

"Subspace Rhapsody" is the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2. It is releasing one week earlier than expected due to Paramount+ giving Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2's Star Trek: Lower Decks crossover episode "Those Old Scientists" a surprise release following the Star Trek universe panel at San Diego Comic-Con, where "Subspace Rhapsody" was first revealed to Star Trek fans.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Cast

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds stars Anson Mount as Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley, Ethan Peck as Spock, Jess Bush as Christine Chapel, Christina Chong as La'An Noonien-Singh, Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura, Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas and Babs Olusanmokun as Joseph M'Benga. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 also brings back special guest star Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk and adds Carol Kane in the recurring role of Pelia.

CBS Studios, Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment produced Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2. Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers are co-showrunners. Alex Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, Jenny Lumet, Henry Alonso Myers, Aaron Baiers, Heather Kadin, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth serve as executive producers.

How to watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 debuts new episodes on Thursdays on Paramount+ in the United States, the U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The second season will stream on Paramount+ in South Korea, with a premiere date still to be announced. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds airs on Bell Media's CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada and SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and Central and Eastern Europe.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 is also streaming on Paramount+. It is also available as home media on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4k UHD.

Rick and Morty is gearing up for a full anime spin-off series now in the works for Adult Swim, and one of the executive producers behind it confirmed how many episodes Rick and Morty: The Anime will be sticking around for! With Rick and Morty becoming one of the biggest original animated series on Adult Swim, the franchise has been experimenting with anime in the last couple of years. Some of these shorts were so successful with fans, in fact, that now one of the directors behind these shorts is taking up a full new anime series inspired by Rick and Morty.

Rick and Morty: The Anime was first announced to be in the works for Adult Swim last year, and revealed that it has been ordered for ten episodes at the time. Things have changed quite a lot in many ways over the last year, but thankfully Rick and Morty: The Anime's episode order has not. Executive producer for the series, Jason DeMarco (and Senior VP, Anime and Action Series/Longform at Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios) confirmed when asked by a fan on Twitter that Rick and Morty: The Anime will indeed be ten episodes.

What to Know for the Rick and Morty Anime

Rick and Morty: The Anime will be written and directed by Takashi Sano (who previously directed the "Rick and Morty vs. Genocider" and "Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil)" anime shorts) for Telecom Animation Film. It will be a ten episode long series produced by Sola Entertainment, with Maki Nagano, Max Nishi, and Takenari Maeda serving as producers. Yu Kiyozono will serve as the animation producer, Yuuki Kakizoe as the assistant producer, Jason DeMarco and Joseph Chou as executive producers, Arisa Matsuzawa as art director, and Makiko Kojima as color designer.

Rick and Morty: The Anime will also feature Sou Ki as CGI director, Kaori Kobayashi as special effects supervisor, Tatsuo Noguchi as composite director, Yoshihiro Kasahara as editor, Koichi Iizuka as sound director, and Tetsuya Takahashi is composing the music at Terra-Musica. There has yet to be a concrete release date or window revealed for Rick and Morty: The Anime yet, but the new anime series will premiere with Adult Swim and stream on Max with Japanese language audio and English subtitles.

Are you excited for Rick and Morty's new anime spin-off? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!

Futurama is now back in action with new episodes now streaming with Hulu every week, and the sneak peek clip from Episode 2 from the newest season is teasing the return of a major unresolved plot from the original run of the series as it teases we'll see a follow up to Kif and Amy's (and Leela's) tadpoles! Futurama coming back ten years after its second cancellation was already a big enough deal on its own, but one of the biggest promises leading into the newest episodes was the fact that these new episodes would finally be picking up from lingering threads from the original run.

This included a follow up to one of the bigger ideas from the original seasons as teased by the newest sneak peek clip from Futurama Season 11's next episode. Hulu has released a new sneak peek clip for Episode 2, and it reveals that Kif and Amy will finally be following up on all of the tadpoles that Kif previously gave birth to during the Season 4 episode, "Kif Gets Knocked Up a Notch." This includes a return from the fan favorite Gran Midwife too. You can check out the clip below:

How to Watch Futurama Season 11 Episode 2

Futurama Season 11 Episode 2 is titled "Children of a Lesser Bog" and will begin streaming on Monday, July 31st. Hulu briefly teases the episode with, "Amy and Kif's children emerge from an alien swamp." As teased by the clip as well, we'll see the tadpoles that had headed into the swamp in that original Season 4 episode. It seems Amy has come around to the idea of having children all these years later, but there's still the major question as to whether or not Leela's involvement with it all with impact how it all plays out.

As for what Futurama has planned for Season 11 overall, Hulu teases the season as such, "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." The biggest teases come thereafter. 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."

What are you hoping to see from Futurama bringing back Kif and Amy's tadpoles at last? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!