Star Trek: Discovery Cancelled - Is Star Trek’s New Golden Age Over?

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

Initially developed for CBS All Access, Star Trek: Discovery launched in 2017 and ushered in a new era for the long-dormant Star Trek franchise. Since then, four seasons of Star Trek: Discovery have aired and its success has launched four (five if you count Star Trek: Short Trecks) other Star Trek shows including Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Picard. For lack of a better term, Star Trek has been experiencing a new golden age. But Paramount+ decided to end its flagship Star Trek show with its upcoming fifth season, which paints a worrying picture when paired with Star Trek: Picard ending after its third season.

Star Trek: Discovery was announced in 2015 and was originally developed by Brian Fuller and Alex Kurtzman. Rumors suggest that the show was intended to be anthological in nature which meant every season would follow a new crew at various points in the Star Trek timeline. Eventually, Fuller left the project due to creative differences and was replaced by Gretchen J. Berg and Aaron Harberts. Akiva Goldsman provided support for the first season but eventually left to develop Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. After the first season, Star Trek: Discovery would see creative shuffles between almost every season. For example, Berg and Harberts were fired during the production of the second season and Alex Kurtzman replaced them as showrunner. Speculation surrounding this move suggested it was because Kurtzman knew his upcoming reboot of The Mummy was going to flop. During the third season, Kurtzman was joined by Michelle Paradise, who eventually took over as the sole showrunner for the fourth and upcoming fifth season.

Saru (Doug Jones), Captain Michael Brown (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Discovery Crew in Star Trek: Discovery.

Star Trek is well known for being an episodic adventure series that deals with philosophical and political questions but Star Trek: Discovery decided to break the traditional mold in order to bring the franchise into the streaming age. Television has changed drastically since Star Trek: Enterprise went off the air in 2005. The seasons are shorter, the budgets are higher, and serialized television has taken over streaming services. So in order to bring the series to the streaming age, Star Trek: Discovery told the story of Michael Burnham, Spock's half-sister played by Sonequa Martin-Green, who gets recruited to the USS Discovery during the first year of the Klingon-Federation war. The series was set around ten years before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series but eventually moved to the 32nd century due to some time travel shenanigans. 

During its run, Star Trek: Discovery has had to deal with a certain amount of trolling from a segment of the online Star Trek fandom. While many of the newer Star Trek show dealt with people claiming that none of it was “real Trek”, Star Trek: Discovery got the brunt of it due, in part, to it being the most progressive of the shows. At the end of every season, right-wing and spiteful YouTube personalities would claim that “inside sources” are saying the show was going to get canceled, only for the show to get renewed. Fans of Discovery also received an unfair amount of harassment just for being fans of “NuTrek”. While the “wrong” side of the Trek fandom is celebrating this cancellation, the show's fans are mourning it and preparing for a barrage of unearned victory laps.

Saru (Doug Jones), Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) in Star Trek: Discovery.

Recently Paramount announced that they were going to put less money into Paramount+, which is echoing many streaming services at the moment. It’s not hard to see that the streaming bubble may be about to pop, with almost every service bleeding money with very little coming in. Paramount+ recently lost a few subscribers just before Star Trek: Picard began its third season. All this begins to paint a pretty reasonable picture for Star Trek: Discovery’s cancelation considering it’s a particularly expensive show. These days, it’s difficult for streaming shows to make it past three seasons so Star Trek: Discovery making it to five is by no means anything to scoff at. It’s unlikely any of the current shows reach the seven seasons that the 90s shows did. 

With the news that Star Trek: Discovery will be canceled, also came the news that it will premier in 2024 and undergo a certain amount of reshoots. These reshoots are going to allow the season finale to serve as a series finale. It’s lucky that Paramount+ decided to do this since it would give fans the closure they need for these characters they’ve come to love. So many shows, especially streaming shows are left with cliffhanger endings that will never get resolved. Unfortunately, it never felt like Star Trek: Discovery lived up to its potential when it made the jump to the 32nd century. Exploring an era of the Star Trek timeline that had never been explored before should have provided the writers with plenty of new material. But it began to feel restrained by its serialized format and the 32nd century it left largely unexplored. For this reason, it’s hard not to feel upset by the news of this cancelation.

What’s more worrying is the state of the Star Trek franchise moving forward. With Star Trek: Picard ended after its third season wraps up, and now the news of Star Trek: Discovery, the franchise only has one live-action show left. The fan-favorite Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is all but guaranteed to receive a third season, but many are wondering, will Star Trek’s future ly in animation. As far as the future of the franchise, the only guaranteed new project is a scripted podcast based on scripts for a canceled Khan TV series. Other than that, there are only two rumored shows and a guarantee from Alex Kurtzman that there are more coming. Star Trek Day is coming around in April, so there may be some announcements. Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy have upcoming seasons, so all is not lost. But one wonders if this is the beginning of the end of Star Trek’s new golden age.

NIC GAUGE / Kill Chain

MOVIE: Kill Chain

STARRING: Anabelle Acosta, Angie Cepeda, Nicolas Cage, Luna Baxter, Ryan Kwanten, Pedro Calvo

RELEASE DATE: October 18th, 2019

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Araña (Nicolas Cage) in Kill Chain.

You ever watch a movie that just has a bunch of stuff happening, but yet it feels like nothing actually happened? Or that the point of the movie got lost somewhere between the script to film? 2019’s Kill Chain feels like that kind of movie.

This film’s synopsis can be summed up in one sentence; A shootout between two hitmen begins an evening of murder, betrayal, and revenge amongst a crooked gang of police, gangsters, assassins, and mercenaries. I don’t know what else to add to this. It’s one of those films where it had so many subplots that only come together at the end. By coming together, I mean they had no other way to make this film end in a reasonable manner. 

Cage’s character becomes the most important person because although he is only in the movie for approximately 30 minutes of the 1hr. 30 runtime, he set into motion all the events that lead the very specific characters to his location. Characters that are specific yet not important enough to give them all actual names. Only 5 cast members (including Cage) had names. All other supporting “important” characters had names like “The Very Bad Woman”, “The Old Sniper, “The Curious Assasin”, and “The Woman in Red”. I use quotation marks around “important” because although they have lines and progress the story, they have no significant role in this film. 

Araña (Nicolas Cage) and Gigi’s Friend (Jon Mack) in Kill Chain.

This movie was a chore to get through and even Cage could not save it. Because I don't really have much left to say about this entry, Kill Chain is listed in the lower end of “Hot Mess” on the Nic Gauge.

BOOK REVIEW / Antimatter Blues By Edward Ashton (A Mickey 7 Novel)

Antimatter Blues: A Mickey 7 Novel by Edward Ashton

Release Date: 03/14/23

Published by St.Martin’s Press/ Macmillan

By Jenny Robinson

** POTENTIAL MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD **

Last year, I had the opportunity to read and review Mickey 7, the first book in this series (you can find my review of that first book HERE). Mickey had quite the adventure communicating with the local “Creepers” while trying (and failing) to stay off Commander Marshall’s radar. As we have learned, Mickey doesn’t always think through his actions before it lands him in some interesting positions.

At the start of this book, Mickey is now a retired Expendable because Commander Marshall believes Mickey is the only one that can prevent the natives in using the bomb left behind in the first book. No more being killed and remade for this guy! Life has became pretty quiet. That is until the Dome he resides in needs the bomb back. The bomb is made from Antimatter and their small colony is in dire need of that fuel. If Mickey gives it back, there will be no reason to keep him alive. If he doesn’t, then everyone dies.

The first book was an epitome sci-fi about clones. Mickey being an Expendable, has had many clones, and our favorite protagonist, Mickey 7 made it through to the end of the first story. The moral aspect of cloning a person brings up some intriguing debates in Mickey 7, and a reason why Marshal is not a big fan of our lead character. Antimatter Blues has whispers of that original concept but switches gears to revolve more around military and diplomacy. Mickey is not proficient in either.

Although I enjoyed Mickey 7, I found Antimatter Blues to be way more engaging. I was no longer following to see Mickey (which ever rendition) sneak by while screwing something up. He has learned a lot, and his decisions are more conscious of the risks than before. Life almost has more meaning. His community has become important. I appreciate the great deal of attention some of the secondary characters received. All through the first story, I was convinced that Berto was not a stalwart supporter of Mickey. Now we are able to learn a bit more about him, and help explain his missing background. Same can be said of Nasha and Cat. This book has a more ensemble of cast than the first and adds spice where it once felt missing.

Without spoiling too much, I must say that the Niflheim natives (Creepers) made this book incredibly enjoyable. Being the first contact of communication with an alien race, I appreciated the fumbles and triumph that Mickey’s crew encountered. We are able to leave the dome and explore the planet where Edward Ashton excels in his world building.

Knowing that Mickey 7 will soon be a motion picture, I do hope that it merges both books. Mickey 7 now feels as if it was a great set up with Antimatter Blues being the exciting climax. It’ll be thrilling to see the native creatures and “Speaker” on the big screen!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Edward Ashton (Photo Credit: JustTeeJay (JustTeeJay.com)

Edward Ashton (he/him) is the author of the novels Three Days in April, The End of Ordinary, and Mickey7, as well as of short stories which have appeared in venues ranging from the newsletter of an Italian sausage company to Escape Pod, Analog, and Fireside Fiction. He lives in upstate New York in a cabin in the woods (not that cabin in the woods) with his wife, a variable number of daughters, and an adorably mopey dog named Max. In his free time, he enjoys cancer research, teaching quantum physics to sullen graduate students, and whittling. You can find him online at edwardashton.com or on Twitter @edashtonwriting.

MOVIE REVIEW / Cocaine Bear

By DeeDee Baldwin

** This article contains mild spoilers. **

There is a scene at the beginning of director Elizabeth Banks’ Cocaine Bear when a hiker’s bitten-off lower leg is flung into frame, and the viewer thinks, “Should I be laughing at this?” It’s the first of many such moments to come.

Horror-comedy is, of course, nothing new. Cocaine Bear follows in the bloody footsteps of cult classics like the Evil Dead series, Tucker and Dale vs Evil, and even, in some respects, Fargo. “What is it in the human condition,” asks author Bruce G. Hallenbeck in Comedy-Horror Films: A Chronological History, 1914-2008, “that makes us want to laugh at the darkness around us?” If we laugh in horror at a woman’s foot sticking out of a woodchipper or at a man’s dismembered body falling from a tree, is something wrong with us?

Sari (Keri Russell) in Cocaine Bear.

Not at all. "The common misconception about laughter is that laughter is, for the most part, a response to humor," researcher Diana Mahony told ABC’s Joseph Brownstein in 2008. Rather, laughter is more like “a steam gauge, where a buildup of feelings prompts an outburst.” This is why some people smile or laugh at funerals or when they’re around a friend who is crying. They aren’t sadistic, and they don’t suffer from antisocial personality disorder. In the perceived absence of other outlets—especially because so many people are extremely uncomfortable crying around others—laughter might be all they have left. Most of us have watched horror movies, even ones that are meant to be totally serious, and laughed at an intense death scene. Did young people in your movie theater laugh when Boromir wept in Fellowship of the Ring or when Katniss sobbed and screamed at her sister’s cat in Mockingjay – Part 2? Intense emotions like grief and fear can be too overwhelming for some people to process. The more effectively such intensity is conveyed, the more likely you are to hear giggles in your theater.

But laughter in movies like Cocaine Bear or Tucker and Dale isn’t only an outlet for big feelings. It is the intended response. There is obvious humor like Margo Martindale’s “dusty beaver,” the billboard advertising a glory hole, and the coked-out bear collapsing, exhausted, on top of a man. There is an ambulance sequence that ratchets up both tension and absurdity until the viewer is simultaneously hiding her eyes and laughing like a valve releasing steam. In one wry scene, a character mentions his two friends (both dead, unknown to him), and Banks cuts to a shot of their corpses that looks like a macabre Halloween yard display. 

Stache (Aaron Holiday) and Jr. (O’Shea Jackson) in Cocaine Bear.

While most of the movie’s deaths are comedic in their horror, not all are played for laughs. One character’s death is quiet, dignified, and poignant – and it is well-earned. For another towards the end, Banks goes all-in on the gore, but there’s more schadenfreude than humor in it.

Cocaine Bear is a comedy in the most classical definition of the term: a humorous take on flawed humans—Aristotle’s “inferior people”—and their foibles, with the requisite happy ending. It is also a morality play in which each of our heroes must fall and be redeemed. I use the term “heroes” lightly; one of them is, after all, a hired gun for a drug lord. Children learn not to skip school and do drugs, and career criminals ride off with a cute little dog. If it took some decapitations, stray body parts from legs to fingers, and a disemboweling, isn’t the most important thing that we’re all better humans in the end? Dante would say yes.

Oh, and I’m forgetting the most important part of this comedic, horrific morality play: it will leave you cheering for a coked-up bear family. And that’s the best part of all.

BOOK REVIEW + INTERVIEW / Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry

Matt and Jenny were joined again by author Jonathan Maberry to discuss his January 10th, 2023 release of his 2nd book in the Kagen the Damned Trilogy - Son of the Poison Rose. Watch/Listen to our interview and get an inside look at the continuation of the story, characters and future conclusion of the series.

Join the conversation in the comments and on social media.

For a recap of our previous coverage of Kagen the Damned, visit our AG Book Club post of the first book in the series: BOOK REVIEW + INTERVIEW / Kagen The Damned By Jonathan Maberry

For audio, please check out the Atomic Geekdom Podcast to listen in.

Son of the Poison Rose by Jonathan Maberry

Release Date: 01/10/2023

Published by St.Martin’s Press/ Macmillan

By Jenny Robinson

** POTIENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD FOR BOOK 1: KAGEN THE DAMNED **

In the world of geek culture, sometimes the second act out ranks the first. It can be argued that Star Wars: Empire Strikes back is better than New Hope, or that LOTR: Two Towers is superior to Fellowship of the Ring, etc. Would the second book in the Kagen Trilogy live up to those examples? I am here to tell you simply, YES.

The first book, Kagen the Damned was released in May of 2022. We were left with a cliff hanger after Kagen discovers that the nefarious Witch-King was none other than his beloved brother Herepath. We learn that Miri is gone, Ryssa is alone, sorcery is at play, and some of the Gods are awake and ready. I recall being very curious of how some of the characters would continue as the story expanded into this second book. More importantly, I became both concerned and excited that magic was back.

Unlike its predecessor, this story took some time at the start to consider the emotional toll each character now carries and where they may go in order to find either solace or vengeance. Kagen is no longer the wallowing drunk we met after the fall of the Empire. He’s becoming more calculated, and determined. His oath is reinstated when he realizes the Princess’s children, Alleyn and Desalyn by some miracle are alive. With his renewed commitment, he must save them despite their odd unexplainable alter egos with the Witch-King. With Tuke and Filia at his side, Kagen devises a plan. Even Tuke (one of my personal favorites), is less rambunctious in his support of Kagen’s goal to kill the Witch-King. He proves to be a more level-headed and confident co-advisor with Filia.

My best-loved contrivance in Maberry’s writing is how the characters come off the page and are relatable. His heroes have dark flaws and the villains have captivating nobility. This rings true to most all, but one. The Prince of Games, or as Joe Ledger fans call him - Nicodemus. His introduction in the Kagen saga is such a gift to the readers, including surprising mention of him also being called “Flagg” (for those King fans). I knew before starting that trickster would make an appearance but honestly, I was startled by how large of a roll he played in this tale. The Witch-King expected and welcomed his counsel within many of the chapters. True to his nature, he added dreadful manipulations not only for Kagen’s journey, but for the Witch-King as well.

This book is rooted in love. It poses the same question to all it’s characters. What would they do for love? Kagen has the most branches rooting from that question. He spends this book plotting his revenge for the death of his beloved family, seeking retribution for the betrayal of his once loved brother, all while also embracing his infatuation with the faerie, Lady Maralina (whom we met in the first book at the Tower of Sarsis). Tuke and Filia form a deeper and inestimable bond throughout the book, making the stakes of this journey with Kagen more uncompromising. As we follow Ryssa through the chapters, we are embraced by her grief of loosing Miri. Her heartbreak transforming her each chapter as she becomes “The Widow”. The biggest revelation of the heart I found was with Herepath. Throughout, we learn mostly about him from Kagen’s dreams and memories. We puzzle over the events of what could drive a man to this extent. This book dives into that tragedy and suggests that love may have been what changed Herepath from the man Kagen once admired to the man he now strains to kill.

Son of the Poison Rose has an incredible climax in the last chapters. A lot of the conundrums I carried over from from the first book begin to come together in a scenery of violence and epic sorcery. I want to leave the rest vague as to avoid any spoilers but Razor Knights, the Undead, The Bloody Bastards, and so much more make the last 100 pages fly by. I am left with even more anticipation for the next installment than I had after the first. This is no longer a simple revenge tale. Kagen the Damned has layers that are yet to be exposed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JONATHAN MABERRY is a New York Times best-seller, five-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, anthology editor, comic book writer, executive producer, magazine feature writer, playwright, and writing teacher/lecturer. He is the editor of Weird Tales Magazine and president of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers. He is the recipient of the Inkpot Award, three Scribe Awards, and was named one of the Today’s Top Ten Horror Writers. His books have been sold to more than thirty countries. He writes in several genres including thriller, horror, science fiction, epic fantasy, and mystery; and he writes for adults, middle grade, and young adult.

NIC GAUGE / Con Air

MOVIE: Con Air

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, Monica Potter, Danny Trejo, Ving Rhames, Dave Chappelle

RELEASE DATE: June 2nd, 1997

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Redbox, Vudu)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) in Con Air.

When you use a randomizer to pick out these movies, you are left at the mercy of what comes up. Over the past couple of rounds, it has seemed to be stuck on the late 2000s to now. And boy, it has been an interesting journey, with plenty more to go. So, it’s always a joy when you finally come across what is considered a “Classic 90’s Cage” film. This week's edition is about Con Air.

Cameron Poe (played by Cage) is a newly paroled ex-con hitching ride on a prisoner transport plane to get home to see his wife and kid. Unfortunately, this transport is also carrying some of the most vicious criminals around, including ring-leader Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom (played by John Malkovich), Nathan Jones (played by Ving Rhames), and Garland Greene (played by Steve Buscemi). Cyrus and company take over the plane and plan a daring escape. It’s up to Poe and U.S. Marshal Agent Vince Larkin (played by John Cusack) to bring them all down

Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) and Cyrus “The Virus” Grisom (John Malkovich) in Con Air.

This movie is another one that I have extremely fond memories of. Full of action and suspense, this film checks all the boxes of what can make a great action film; explosions, gun fights, fun fight scenes, and the addition of having an insanely talented cast. Cage and Malkovich work very well together. The only minor negative is that, although I love Cage, he has a terrible southern accent that sounds more like Forrest Gump at points.

Because this movie was one of the first ones I have seen next to “Face/Off” that has brought me such fond memories, I was a little nervous to see if it still lived up to the expectations. Fortunately, it still is a great film and lands right on the edge between “Bloody Awesome” and “Good”.

Lost In Linkin Park Nostalgia

If you know anything about me, you’ll know I love Linkin Park. I’ve been a huge fan since day one. Not to say I was a fan of them before they were called Linkin Park when they were called Hybrid Theory or Xero, but the first time I heard One Step Closer I was hooked. I rushed to my super old computer, dialed up America Online, booted up Napster and was ready to see what other songs I could find. Low and behold, there was a fresh debut album. I downloaded, burned the CD and popped it into my CD player stereo. I was a changed young man. The next day I was in Best Buy purchasing the actual CD and playing it loudly in my car the whole drive home and have been to this day. Since that time, the band has released seven studio albums, three live albums, two compilation albums, two remix albums, three soundtrack albums, 12 video albums, 10 extended plays, 25 singles, 20 promo singles, and 68 music videos (according to Wikipedia at least). And as of February 09, 2023, we’ve been treated to an additional unreleased track titled “Lost” that is being included on the upcoming 20th Anniversary of Meteora box set available on Linkin Park’s website.

Photo: Revolver

With the release of this new song and the box set, we get more press for the remaining members of the band. Since Chester’s passing, they haven’t said much in the way of creating new music or touring. They did one final show as a tribute to Chester by inviting friends of the band to step into singer’s role and perform. This included some great Linkin Park classics and newer songs that fans hadn’t had the chance to see performed live. Now, Shinoda and the crew are getting asked about the chance for new music. They haven’t confirmed it, but again they have made steps towards that process which begins with getting them all in the same room together and that is what happened when it came to putting things together for this Meteora box set releasing in April.

Back to the topic of a new Linkin Park song. It’s bittersweet, right? I ache for new Linkin Park music, but hearing Chester’s voice does hit me harder every time I hear it now, especially when it’s a new song with such powerful lyrics. Lyrics that are written with such care like in the new song “Lost”. The story Mike and Chester tell with their lyrics is very personal and it’s universally relatable. We’ve all felt pain, we’ve all dealt with anxiety, depression, sadness, loneliness, betrayal, paranoia. It’s all there in the songs. The songs aren’t meant to drive you to depression but to express that you’re not alone. You don’t have to go through it all by yourself. The sad story of Chester is that he appeared always so happy and fun when on stage, on camera or with his friends and family. He seemingly had found it all; Fame, fortune, success, a loving family, right? But depression is deep and no amount of money or fame can take it all away.

To many, Chester had one of the most powerful and beautiful voices in the history of modern music. Not only will his talent for singing be missed, but for relating to the masses with his words. He spoke the truth along with Mike Shinoda, writing about their lives and experiences. Take the music out of it and read some lyrics. There is pain there and we can all identify with that pain. The band was somehow able to imbue their music with these powerful feelings, instruments and led by Chester’s dynamic engine of a voice. As Mike Shinoda said, '“He was born to do this.”

So here we are. Die hard LP fans are getting a special treat with this release of fresh lyrics and music from what I feel to be one of the biggest bands of the century. From the second I heard Hybrid Theory, I made a choice to learn guitar and sing in a band. My roommate and I had dreams of what it would be like performing on the road. I have notebooks of songs and lyrics still with me to this day, writing while working various jobs in my life.

Fast forward to 2017. I never signed a record deal but I played a lot of shows with my best friends and it was a shining moment in my little life. It wasn’t until Chester passed that I realized I need help. That my depression isn’t something I’ll just pull myself out of like the generations before me would tell us to do. No, I needed to speak to someone and I did. I still talk to a professional and I am on some medicine, but I’m no longer as hopeless and alone as I had been at one time. I beg you, if you’re suffering, seek help. Talk to someone. There will always be someone there to listen and to help. Even if its a stranger like one of us through the Atomic Geekdom Twitter DM.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

If you or someone you need may be feeling depressed, hopeless, lost, alone or any of these things, here’s some information on how you can find help. Please speak with someone.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support via phone or chat for people in distress, resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Includes information on finding your local crisis center.

Phone: 988

Website: http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

COUNT DOWN #29: T’Challa Learns A Hard Truth

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• T’Challa Learns A Hard Truth •

MOMENT# 29

MOVIE: Black Panther

DIRECTORS: Ryan Coogler

WRITERS: Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole

Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) and T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) in Black Panther.

Kingsman: The Secret Service (bear with me) is about a secret organization trying to stop a man from fixing the problem of global warming. That’s a really reductive way of looking at it, especially when you consider that Valentine was going to kill most of the people of the world with the exception of the rich and famous. But Valentine was looking to stop global warming and when he was defeated, all the rich and famous people who sided with him were killed and the Kingsman went on to have another adventure. So what’s the point of this? Well, Kingsman: The Secret Service isn’t interested in fixing the problem of global warming, it just wanted to give the villain a relatable motivation.

There’s an adage in storytelling that says “villains are the heroes in their own stories.” Very often, villains will be given motivations that allow audiences to sympathize with them. However, sometimes storytellers could go too far and create a villain that is undeniably right. The only way to make a villain like that evil is to make them do something that pushes them over the line. Often time’s it’s murder. Valentine was right, but his way of fixing the problem would have killed billions of people. Ra’s Al Ghul in Batman Begins was right, but he was going to destroy Gotham. Flagsmasher from Falcon and the Winter Soldier was right, but she blew up a hospital. Over and over again, there are examples of this trend happening in films and television shows. This is where Erik Killmonger comes in.

Killmonger was introduced in 2018's Black Panther. Played by Michael B. Jordan, the character was a Wakandan whose father was killed by King T’Chaka. He spent his entire life outside the walls (or forcefield) of Wakanda and saw what kind of injustices were happening around the world. He knew that Wakanda had the means to stop all of it, but their isolationist policies forbid them from interfering. Killmonger sought to take control of Wakanda, in part to avenge his father's death, but also to supply the oppressed peoples of the world the means to rise up and dethrone their oppressors. But if all Killmonger wants to do is help oppressed people from around the world, then why is he the villain? The simple answer is that he’s also a cold-blooded killer.

T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) and Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) in Black Panther.

How are Killmonger's motivations any different than Poppy (Kingsman: The Golden Circle’s villain), who just wants marijuana to be legal, or Valentine who just wants to stop global warming? To bring it to the same franchise, how is Killmonger any different than Flagsmasher who wanted to protect the multination communities that were created during the Blip? In truth, he’s not, but he has a greater impact than all those examples and many other examples across countless franchises. He positively impacts T’Challa and changes T’Challa’s worldview.

When T’Challa was crowned king, he reserved himself to keeping Wakanda to their isolationist ways, but when confronted with the sacrifices Wakanda has had to make in order to remain isolated, he knew things had to change. Killmonger is the representation of those sacrifices. He is the embodiment of the sins of the father coming back to haunt the son. Wakanda has sacrificed too much to remain the same for all these years and it’s time for them to step out of the shadows and help the world. Not with violence like Killmonger wanted, but with support like outreach programs and sharing of technologies. 

If it wasn’t for Killmonger, T’Challa may have allowed Wakanda to remain an isolationist nation. Killmonger may have been a villain, but he was right and T’Challa knew that he had to do something. He couldn’t just defeat Killmonger and call it a day like so many heroes before him. He had to see the problem that created Killmonger and work to fix it. The handling of Killmonger is a seminal moment in the MCU and film history. The character should be looked at as a template for creating villains who want to positively change the world. The hero shouldn’t just ignore what the villain was trying to accomplish, he should work towards the same goal but the right way and with less bloodshed. It’s often said that a hero is only as good as its villain and Killmonger is one hell of a villain.

A New Dawn For DC

By Brandon T. McClure

The new Co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn promised to tell audiences what his plans are for this new era of DC in January of 2023. True to his word, on the last day of January, Gunn revealed part of the first chapter of his and Peter Safran’s new plan. This new plan is separated into chapters with the first one titled “Gods and Monsters” and looks to revitalize the DC slate with a combination of prestige television shows, animated television shows, and of course big budget blockbuster films. This new first chapter for DC’s cinematic universe is the most ambitious one yet and potentially the most exciting.

To kick things off, James Gunn talked about the remaining DC films that are releasing in 2023. Gunn and Safran had inherited four films that are meant to release this year, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and finally Blue Beatle. These films can be considered a prelude to the upcoming chapter one but Gunn was clear that they do fit in with his new vision. The Flash was always meant to reboot the DC film franchise anyway. The actors from these movies are also likely to return, especially Momoa who Safran stated is working on Aquaman 3. Gunn also put to rest the rumors that Jason Momoa would be playing Lobo.

While many characters are being recast, many are not. Gunn made it clear that The Flash would not lead to a complete reboot. The door is open for the likes of Zachary Levi, Gal Gadot, and even Ezra Miller to return. In the case of Miller, the new heads of DC Studios are willing to keep conversations open with the actor while they go through their recovery. Miller became a very controversial figure lately, so it makes sense that they would be more cautious with them going forward.

The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Supergirl (Sasha Calle) in The Flash.

Then Gunn began to talk about what the initial projects of his first chapter are going to be. He started with a new animated series called Creature Commandos. This new animated series will be written by Gunn and will feature Amanda Waller creating a team of supernatural heroes which include Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein, Rick Flag Sr, Doctor Phosphorus, Weasel, and more. When it comes to the cast of this series, the hope is to cast actors who will be able to play the same characters in live-action. Marvel attempted the same thing with What If…? but had to settle for sound-a-likes for some parts. Gunn made it clear that the hope is that the actors will remain consistent through film, television, animation, and video games.

Film, TV, and animation connected is old hat at this point. While Marvel hasn’t committed to connecting their animated shows, including the upcoming Spider-Man: Freshman Year, they are slowly developing a multimedia franchise through theatrical and streaming distribution. Connecting video games is the big question mark here. When Insomniac was developing Spider-Man for the PlayStation 4, they were not required to make sure that it was the same Spider-Man that Tom Holland played. So the question of how much these video games will connect remain. It’s possible that the output of games that Gunn wants to connect to his new franchise would be separate from “Elseworlds” games. Because DC Studios is now controlling everything DC-related, video games would just be developed through their vision and not necessarily connected to their shared universe.

James Gunn mentioned that his goal for the new DC cinematic universe was to make sure that anything not a part of the same universe, is specifically labeled as an Elseworlds. Movie franchises like The Batman and Joker were explicitly mentioned, as well as Teen Titans Go. It’s interesting that he specifically felt that Teen Titans Go needed to be mentioned since it’s very unlikely audiences think the show takes place in the same world as Peacemaker. But with so many DC shows ending, such as Doom Patrol and the entire Arrowverse, perhaps there will be fewer shows developed that will take place outside of the new “aligned continuity” that James Gunn and Peter Safran are developing. 

While they may have inherited the Elseworlds films and shows, they seem to be willing to embrace them. This could attract filmmakers uninterested in being part of a shared universe and allow them to develop moves outside of “Gods and Monsters”. Gunn and Safran are already willing to have two different actors play Batman so who’s to say how far that will go. The sky is, potentially, the limit. The same is true for the relatively popular DC original animated films that WB has been putting out for over a decade. Unlike the previous regime, everything now falls under DC Studios. This includes shows and direct to BluRay animated movies. With Gunn and Safran overseeing everything in a way that Walter Hamada was not, only time will tell how long these films continue. They don’t make a lot of money for the company and it may not be worth it to keep them up after a while.

The rest of Gunn’s plan includes a new Superman film called Superman: Legacy, a series based on Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller called Waller, a horror film centered around Swamp Thing, and many more. These projects are already exciting, and when they are paired with a live-action Green Lantern TV series centered around John Stewart and Hal Jordan, titled Lanterns, and a movie based on Tom Kings Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow mini-series, it’s clear this is a line-up of projects developed by a long time fan of comic books. James Gunn clearly reads comic books and keeps up with them. His inclusion as the head of DC Studios is every comic book fan's dream. He has the power to read a comic book and immediately green-lights a movie based on that same comic. 

Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) in Suicide Squad.

The Brave and the Bold is another movie that was announced. This film will introduce the new Batman of this continuity. Robin has been absent from Batman adaptations since 1997’s Batman and Robin and it’s time to change that. This film will introduce Damian Wayne, the biological son of Batman and the current Robin in the comics. While that is certainly exciting for fans of Grant Morrison’s seminal run on Batman, Safran went on to say that this film will also introduce characters from the Bat-Family. Batman adaptations have kept him alone for decades and it’s wonderful that there will be a Batman film that will touch on the thing that has made his comic book counterpart so endearing, his family. It’s too early to say which of his family will turn up, but at this point, they’re all on the table.

Back in the early days of Marvel Studios, there was a story group that helped develop the franchise and doctor scripts. This story group was disbanded after the very public falling out that happened when Edgar Wright left Ant-Man. Similar to those old Marvel Studios days, Gunn and Safran brought on writers to help develop chapter one including Drew Goddard (The Martian), Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight), Christina Hobson (The Flash), Christal Henry (Watchmen 2019), and Tom King (Mister Miracle). Gunn indicated that some of these writers would continue working on projects, including Henry, who is co-showrunning Waller with Jeremy Carver, who was the creator behind the recently canceled Doom Patrol series.

Damian Wayne from Grant Morrison’s Batman (illustrated by Andy Kubert).

Something that was very important for Gunn and Safran to reiterate was that the goal of all these projects is to make sure that story comes first. Gunn called out other superhero films as not having third acts written by the time they’re shooting. A problem that many fans have picked up on through the years. In Gunn’s new regime, he vows to not let this be the case. It’s telling that only Superman: Legacy has a release date in this regard. Not committing to a release date, allows them to take their time and not put pressure on writers to finish the script in time to make a date that’s only two years away. Gunn was not pulling any punches during his interviews, clearly calling out Marvel when he made his story comments. 

Gunn might have ruffled some feathers, however. Not only did he throw thinly veiled comments towards Marvel, but also the previous regime. “As everyone here probably knows, the history of DC is pretty messed up, it was fucked up,” he said. While Walter Hamada made sure that the films he produced were the visions of the filmmakers, Gunn feels that DC was just handing out IP to anyone who would smile at them. He specifically mentions Birds of Prey and Black Adam but also his own The Suicide Squad. “No one was minding the mint, they were just giving away IP like they were party favors to any creators that smiled at them,” he said. Many of the films he’s referring to are well-liked and the filmmakers put a lot of effort into making them work, so it might not have been the smartest move to throw shade their way. This is especially apparent when referring to the canceled Batgirl film as something that would “hurt the DC brand.” While that’s a little hard to believe, perhaps it’s time to let the filmmakers, who worked hard on the movie, move on.

It’s unclear what kind of shows could be coming next from DC, but Gunn mentioned the Arrowverse as part of the “messed up” history of DC. Frankly, this was an unfair jab at a series of shows that created a beloved universe for many years. But with that coming to an end, and Superman & Lois only having one or two more seasons left (according to Gunn and Safran), there are not many DC shows left (Harley Quinn remains the lone survivor from the DC Universe days) Clearly, prestige TV shows are going to be very important to Chapter 1 going forward, but could we see more unrelated shows? Besides the Penguin series, it sounds like DC shows won’t be as frequent as they used to be. Perhaps it’s fitting the Arrowverse is ending, since it could mark the end of an era of DC television, the likes of which we might not see again. For every Pennyworth: The Origins of Batman’s Butler, there was a Doom Patrol, so it wasn’t all bad, after all, many of the Arrowverse stars are iconic. Time will tell when the next Elsworlds TV series will be, but the frequency will be drastically reduced.

Robotman (Brendan Fraser), Negative Man (MattBomer), Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero), Cyborg (Joivan Wade), Elasti-Girl (April Bowlby) and Chief (Timothy Dalton) in Doom Patrol.

Something that should be apparent at this point is that Gunn is taking all the lessons he learned from the Guardians of the Galaxy films and incorporating them on a bigger scale. Marvel, for all their success, remains somewhat controversial with some of their choices of creative talent. Not in the way that they’re bad or problematic, but their insistence to hire inexperienced writers to develop their shows and sometimes movies have begun to weigh on their fanbase. This looks to be something Gunn isn’t too keen to repeat. While the creative teams behind most of the projects have not been revealed, the creative talent for Waller indicates that Gunn is looking to hire experienced creatives and not first-time showrunners.

This desire is one of the ways he’s hoping to avoid superhero fatigue, which he believes to be a real thing. Recently, studios have been more interested in making release dates that are set before creative teams have been assembled. It’s something that Marvel has become pretty adept at, but Gunn, who is primarily a writer, wants to be sure that no movie will be made before a screenplay is finished. “I’ve seen it happen again and again — it’s a mess, it’s the primary reason for the deterioration in the quality of films today, versus 20-30 years ago,” he said referring to studios being more concerned with hitting release dates. Gunn and Safran believe that if more care was put into the writing process, then they can avoid superhero fatigue, or as Safran put it “bad movie fatigue.”

This “Gods and Monsters” lineup is a dream come true for comic book fans no doubt, but it’s also DC’s last shot. This will be the third time they have set up the pieces to build a shared universe and if this doesn’t work then it’ll be very difficult to convince the general audience to care. As it stands, DC Studios already has an uphill battle ahead of them. With each regime change, the hill gets higher. Gunn and Safran are clearly very passionate about this lineup of films and believe that this is going to be the winning formula. Time will tell if that’s true, but there are a lot of big promises being made that could very well prove to be empty.

Here’s a list of the titles:

Creature Commandoes

Waller

Superman: Legacy

Lanterns

The Authority

Paradise Lost

The Brave and the Bold

Booster Gold

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

Swamp Thing

NIC GAUGE / The Old Way

MOVIE: The Old Way

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Noah Le Gros, Clint Howard, Dean Armstrong, Kerry Knuppe, Shiloh Fernandez, Abraham Benrubi

RELEASE DATE: January 6th, 2023

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Vudu, Amazon Prime, Redbox, Apple TV)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Cotton Briggs (Nicolas Cage) and Brooke (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) in The Old Way.

New year, new Cage! That’s how the saying goes, right? Anyway, sorry for the hiatus, but I am back with more Nicolas Cage goodness. Starting off with what I believe to be his first western ever that came out beginning of this year, The Old Way.

The plot of this film is Colton Briggs (played by Cage) was an outlaw and murderer. After killing the father of a young James McCallister, he unintentionally set in motion James’s revenge plot. 20 years later, James McCallister (played by Noah Le Gos) finds the home of reformed Colton Briggs, and murders his wife as a message. Briggs and his daughter, Brooke (played by Ryan Keira Armstrong) then set out to find James and his gang and take them down once and for all.

Cotton Briggs (Nicolas Cage) in The Old Way.

The plot is as simple as it can be. A revenge western that makes Briggs feel like a cowboy version of John Wick. Brooke’s character development throughout the film felt shoehorned and out of place for me personally. She is made out to be this unfeeling, emotionless child that is supposed to mirror her father. Sadly, it’s not very flushed out and was made to try to add more to this simple story. James McCallister also feels like a one-note villain, whose whole motivation is to take everything away from Briggs. It felt very old school, but not in a good way. You’ve seen this kind of plot over and over again. With a run time of 1 hour and 35 minutes, I know they were just trying to finish the story. You can already see the writing on the wall on how it will play out.

Overall, for a western, it’s fine. Cage does a decent job. But because of how simple it is as a whole, this film sits at the lower end of OK on the Nic Gauge.

Book Review / All Hallows by Christopher Golden

ALL HALLOWS by Christopher Golden

Release Date: 01/24/2023

Published by St.Martin’s Press/ Macmillan

By Jenny Robinson

All Hallows brings Halloween out early this year and will be a must reread as we get closer to October. It is a story centered around Halloween night in a small Massachusetts neighborhood and written in a style where each chapter changes character point-of-view. It quickly dives into the inner workings and dynamics between all the neighbors while hinting at a bigger and more supernatural element that lurks in the shadows.

Set in 1984, it captures such a honest nostalgia for the time. In the early 80’s when blockbusters (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, The Terminator, Ghostbusters, The Karate Kid, etc), were a social badge of honor, your pals were always just a bike ride and a street away. As a kid of the 80’s, I can confirm that this book captures what it felt like to be dressed and ready to scream “TRICK OR TREAT” at every door you could reach.

We are introduced to each of the residents chapter by chapter. The narrative is voiced by Tony (a struggling father who’s love for the holiday is locally famous), his wife Alison, 13 year old son Rick (with his best friend Billie) and his 17 year old daughter Chloe. We dive into Barb (a beguiled wife), her jack-ass of a husband Donnie, 17 year old daughter Julia and 11 year old son Charlie. We get the teenage point-of-view from the local goth Vanessa and a twisted perspective from the mind of Ruth (the very questionable next-door neighbor). Although there are more characters, these specific portrayals bring the street to life. There are a lot of people to follow, yet surprisingly the tale reads as if each are the lead to the story. It’s very easy to link the houses within the cul-de-sac and surrounding streets.

A good portion in the beginning of this book is just learning about all those back stories of each family and how they overlap. You learn a lot from the local gossip of who’s parents are set to get divorce, who may be cheating and with whom, and who has a crush on someone else. There were moments during the first quarter of the book that I felt as if a few of the characters may actually develop into real monsters. What I genuinely loved in the storytelling is that the voices of each felt honest to their age. The kids did not seem childish but real to the fears, hesitations and excitement within their view-point (which felt very familiar). The adults never seem to stand on firm ground, always second-guessing life’s decisions (which as an adult, I can relate to).

BUT… that was just the base of this horror map.

Enter…. THE CUNNING MAN.

Random new children start appearing in Tony’s haunted maze. They seek refugee with Barb and the neighborhood kids. All the new kids seem to be afraid of “The Cunning Man” yet the residents are so distracted by their own personal issues that a lot of the strangeness is passed over until it’s too late. Each supernatural event seems to get realistically lost in the drama flowing from house to house. Disguised in crowds of masked trick-or-treaters, the book picks up speed by keeping you guessing. Who is the “Cunning Man”? How do you get away? Where is he? While each character deals with personal conflicts, it’s easy to miss the odd creepiness building from house to house and especially within the forest.

I want to leave this review open ended (I know, I know. But wait…).

There is a formula a lot of scary tales take. I do not believe that this book is one of those. All Hallows twists your expectations, and punches you while you’re absorbed into the interesting lives of the nearby residents. I feel it makes the reader sad, angry, and creeped out in moments that are really unexpected. For me, the characters are immensely relatable. I don’t want to ruin that for anyone. Now… GO READ! Just beware of the time, and any new-comers in your party. This time, there really is something hiding in the shadows!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christopher Golden is the New York Times bestselling and Bram Stoker award-winning author of Ararat, Snowblind, Dead Ringers, Of Saints and Shadows, among many other novels. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of two cult favorite comic book series, Baltimore and Joe Golem: Occult Detective. Golden is also the editor of such anthologies as Seize the Night, The New Dead, and Dark Cities, and the co-host of the popular podcast "Three Guys with Beards." He lives in Massachusetts.

INTERLUDE #2: Sarah Halley Finn: The MCU’s Secret Sauce

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The Defenders Saga could generate a list of 50 defining moments all on its own, but this series isn’t about that. However, it felt like a disservice to not mention them at all since they’re so beloved. So while you wait for entry 39, here’s an interlude about one of the most exciting television endeavors in Marvel’s history. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE. 

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

Enjoy your holidays and look forward to continuing the countdown in 2023! 

• Sarah Halley Finn: The MCU’s Secret Sauce •

INTERLUDE # 2

CASTING DIRECTOR

SHOWS: Loki, Black Panther, Iron Man, Avengers, Captian America (pretty much ALL MCU - check out IMDB here.

MCU fans are intimately familiar with many names associated with the making of the franchise they love so much. Many directors and producers have become almost as popular as the characters and actors. Most notably, fans associate the franchise with Kevin Feige, the producer of almost every Marvel film since the year 2000, and the architect of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But one name might be unfamiliar to people and it’s a name that shouldn’t be. Behind the scenes, there has been one name casting every single iconic character in these films and her name is Sarah Halley Finn.

Sometimes credited as Sarah Finn, her name has been attached to all but one Marvel Studios-produced movie and show since Iron Man (The one exception being The Incredible Hulk). Finn studied theatre and history at Yale while she ran her college’s black box theater. When she graduated she worked at the Ensemble Studio Theatre with east-coast theater friend Risa Bramon Garcia. It was Garcia who encouraged Finn to go into casting and she was able to land a job at Paramount doing just that. She has mentioned that her time at the Ensemble Studio Theatre was a useful foundation since she had to serve in multiple roles. “Casting is all of those things,” she says. “It’s directing, it’s producing, it’s acting. And frankly, it’s being able…to constantly see the bigger picture and navigate it” she told Marie Claire writer Jessica M. Goldstein for a piece written in November of this year. 

Her first credited film on IMDb is a film called Paulie which is about a talking parrot who “recounts his travels looking for his original owner to a Russian janitor who helps him to the end of his journey.” Before jumping into the Marvel universe, she was casting many films like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and Crash. The 2004 film Crash, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture ended up being a major milestone for her. She told Marie Claire “I think the success of that movie and seeing the audience reaction at the time was a turning point for me.” Crash has a bit of a bad reputation these days, but the film was a major cultural hit in 2004 and sports an all-star cast with the likes of Don Cheadle, Thandiwe Newton, and Brendan Fraser.

Even though her post-Crash success can’t be denied, it was the 2003 film S.W.A.T. that proved to be her pathway to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The 2003 cop drama was produced by Louis D'Esposito, who would help build the MCU with Kevin Feige and continues to serve as producer and co-president at Marvel. She obviously impressed him and he decided to bring her in to cast Iron Man, which eventually led to the casting of Robert Downey Jr. as the title role. Downey’s casting was a controversial move for many reasons at the time and would set the tone for, not just the franchise, but her style as a casting director. She believed in him and proved all the naysayers wrong. When she was originally brought on, she was apparently unaware of Feige’s ambitious plan to build an interconnected universe of multiple franchises and heroes. It wasn’t until she was casting Captain America: The First Avengers that she heard about The Avengers. Finn now muses that if she “had any idea where this was all going, I would’ve run out the door.”

The only MCU film that Sarah Finn did not cast was 2008s The Incredible Hulk. That film's casting was done by Robin D. Cook and Laray Mayfield, which sadly creates another reason for MCU fans to write off that film. While most of the cast from that film has and will return to the MCU, the lead star notably did not return for The Avengers. Finn got the last laugh (so to speak) when Edward Norton decided not to return for The Avengers and was replaced, by Finn, with Mark Ruffolo. There is a narrative floating around the internet that suggests Ruffolo was the first choice for the role of Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk but there’s no way to know for sure if that’s true. Either way, thanks to Norton’s decision, every one of the original Avengers was cast by Sarah Halley Finn.

While she seems to be the exclusive casting director for Marvel Studios, she’s not exclusively with Marvel. She is able to work on other films and often works with Jon Favreau on films and shows like Chef and The Book of Boba Fett. Notably, she was the casting director on Everything, Everywhere, All At Once which many people believe deserves to be in the 2023 Oscar race for many of its leads and the film itself. While casting directing doesn’t get a specific award (presumably due to its history), an actor winning is certainly an award on its own. While the major Oscar inclusion battle seems to be on stunt work, the next battlefield should be casting directing.

Finn leads a casting team of 13 women, which is not unheard of in this job. Historically casting departments have been dominated by women, most likely due to the job belonging to secretaries of major movie directors in the days of old Hollywoodland. Most of the stories we take for granted now were battles she was determined to win. She, herself, recounts a story in which Chris Evans wasn’t being considered for the role of Captain America. But she likes to find an actor's unspoken strength so she knew that Evans could pull off the World War II superhero, even if the higher-ups weren’t convinced. Evans had played the Fantastic Four character Johnny Storm twice before the MCU so it took some convincing. To this day Evans is the only MCU actor who has played a pre-MCU Marvel superhero.

Like many jobs in Hollywood, being a casting director is often a thankless job. Most of the time when you see online praise for an actor in a role, it’s lobbied by the directors or the producers. How often does James Gunn get the credit for casting the Guardians or does Ryan Coogler get the credit for casting Chadwick Boseman? That’s not to say that these directors don’t have input. Casting, like everything in film, is a collaborative effort. Casting directors often have to find the right actor to match the director's vision. But Sarah Finn is uniquely positioned to see actors for one franchise and keep them in mind for another. For example, when Chadwick Boseman went out for the role of Drax the Destroyer for James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy, she knew he wasn’t right for the role, but felt he’d be right for the lead in Black Panther. Casting a film is an art in its own right and should be recognized as such. 

“Sarah’s judge of character is why these castings are so spot-on, and why fans like me continue to praise the MCU for what it is” Iman Villani told Marie Claire. With a franchise as popular as the MCU, the reason why fans keep coming back is due to the characters. If the MCU wasn’t so well cast then the films wouldn’t have the staying power they have now. Especially with more and more legacy characters coming into the franchise, Finn’s job is more important now than it ever was. “She has such incredible instincts,” Jac Schaeffer (WandaVision showrunner) tells Marie Claire, and always pushes for “the freshest take on the character.” Schaeffer continues to say that “Sarah is really great at internalizing the writer’s intention and then finding a new flavor for that: something that’s unexpected for the audience and will feel special or unique.” Schaeffer’s words are a great example of why Finn is a key ingredient to making the franchise work. Even if a film doesn’t connect with audiences, they will still be eager to see the characters again.

Having been doing this job for over 14 years now, Finn notes that it’s gotten a bit easier than it was back then. In the beginning superhero films weren’t something actors were interested in doing, so Finn had to call all sorts of actors in the hope that they would even do a screen test. But nowadays, asking about doing an MCU film is a common question during press junkets. Every actor and director is asked about whether they would do a Marvel film, which helps Finn know who she can call. Social Media has also helped since actors will drop hints as to whether or not they’d be interested or fans will throw out fan castings in the hopes that someone like Finn will see them. It may or may not be comforting to know that Finn doesn’t take fan castings too seriously. She sees them and will sometimes go with them, such as in the most recent appearance of John Krasinski as Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness but mostly she followers her own instincts. More often than not, however, she wants an unknown quantity which has been an important part of the MCU’s casting process.

 When it comes to the MCU, it’s the characters that keep people coming back over and over again. People tune in to the Disney+ shows because they want to fall in love with a new character or revisit an old friend. At the end of the day, that’s what these characters have become to fans: old friends. When they die, we mourn, when they succeed, we cheer. While Kevin Feige may be the architect of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sarah Finn is the reason fans have fallen in love with these characters in such a profound and personal way. She is the secret sauce that makes the MCU work and an important part of the ever-growing franchise. With more spotlight being given to the many behind-the-scenes jobs, it’s vital that she gets the recognition she deserves.

NIC GAUGE / Lord of War

MOVIE: Lord of War

STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Jared Letto, Ethan Hawke, Bridget Hoynahan, Eamonn Walker, Jean-Pierre Nshanian, Ian Holm, Shake Tukhmanyan

RELEASE DATE: September 16th, 2005

WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (HBOMax, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Vudu)

By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)

Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) in Lord of War.

I usually try and start each one of these articles with something funny or insightful about Nicolas Cage films and my history of them, whether it be a lifelong favorite or maddening oblivious to one that is considered a “classic”. This week is a little different because of the subject matter and with the current political climate and some current events, I’m not going to make jokes or anecdotes. The Gauge choice this week is 2005’s Lord of War.

The plot follows 20-year arms dealer, Yuri Orlov (played by Cage) serves as a window onto the end of the Cold War and the emergence of worldwide terrorism. He finds himself reassuring his more ethically challenged younger brother, Vitaly (played by Jared Leto), while adeptly sidestepping the pursuit of federal agent Jack Lawrence (played by Ethan Hawke). The globetrotting arms dealer also pursues the woman of his dreams, supermodel Ava Fontaine (played by Bridget Moynahan). Yuri’s attempts at wealth becomes a power struggle in himself to choose between his life as an arms dealer or going straight to protect his family as violence creeps closer into both of his lives.

Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke) and Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) in Lord of War.

This film is “based on actual events” and I am not here to talk about how much of this film is fact vs fiction. What I will say is, as a film, it is good. Yuri’s character development is similar to Tony Montana's in Scarface. Learning the gun trade and manipulating the system to their advantage until it blows up in their face when stuff goes wrong. The only difference is that Yuri ends up stuck in the system, forced to continue selling guns, as his world has already crumbled around him. And Yuri’s character isn’t the only interesting one. Everyone in this film is well-developed, especially when interacting with Yuri. 

The only real negative I have for this film is the content. I had a similar reaction when reviewing World Trade Center. It’s too real. I don’t support gun violence and am not the biggest gun fan overall in real life. This is real stuff that is happening as we speak, right outside your backdoor. A movie that makes you think about the world. And the timing of this film coming up on this Gauge with all the U.S. shootings that have been happening recently makes it hard to fairly judge. So, on the Nic Gauge, this falls in between “Good” and “Ok”.

In Memoriam: Kevin Conroy, Batman, Has Died

By Brandon T. McClure

Kevin Conroy, the voice of Batman for generations, passed away this week after a short battle with cancer.

Diane Pershing, who voiced Poison Ivy in Batman: The Animated Series, was the first to announce his death. She posted on Facebook “our beloved voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, died yesterday.” Shortly after this post, some of the lesser-known outlets began sharing the news to the disbelief of many fans around the world. Then the official word finally came from his representatives that yes, he had indeed passed away. The geek community mourns this passing and will continue to mourn it for days to come. A kind and gentle soul who touched the lives of actors and fans for more than 30 years has passed away. A bat-shaped hole is left in the hearts of those who loved him.

He attended Julliard where he studied alongside the likes of Christopher Reeve and his roommate Robin Williams. After leaving Julliard he pursued stage acting and received rave reviews for performances in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, and others. He starred in films and had recurring roles on television like on Cheers and Murphey Brown. But still, he struggled to find the kind of success that he was hoping for. On a whim, he answered a casting call for the character of Batman, a character he admits to having little to no knowledge of previously. He related to the character's duality and double life and found the voice through that. The rest is history.

Batman: The Animated Series is going to go down as his most influential role. He defined that character in a way few actors ever have. He was one of the first actors to bring a duality to the voice of the character, something he would refine throughout the years and something that live-action and voice actors would continue to emulate. Becoming the definitive voice for the caped crusader, Conroy would go on to voice him in shows including Justice League: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Justice League Action, and many more to list. He guested on almost every Batman show, including Batman: Brave and the Bold where he appeared as the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, the alien Batman from the planet Zur-En-Arrh. He would then gain a whole new popularity with the character when he stepped back into the role with the popular Arkham trilogy of video games from Rocksteady studios. The popularity of those games introducing a new generation of fans to Conroy’s voice can’t be overstated. His most recent turn as Batman was for Warner Bros. Games Multiversus, a game that puts together various Warner Bros. properties in a Super Smash Bros.-style fighting game. 

Conroy would continue to reprise his Batman role in many animated features, notably Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, which many claim to be one of the best Batman movies ever made. He also starred in many direct-to-DVD animated features such as Justice League: Doom and most recently Justice League vs. The Fatal Five. Conroy would finally get to portray Bruce Wayne in live-action during the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event for the CW Arrowverse. During the second part of the five-part crossover, Kate Bishop (Ruby Rose) and Kara Danvers (Mellissa Benoist) travel to the alternate Earth-99 to look for the Batman there. They find an older Bruce Wayne with an exo-suit that he needs to move. Conroy got to play the role of a broken Bruce Wayne who’s murdered his rogue's gallery and the Superman of that Earth. It was exciting to see Conroy finally play the part in live-action and even though some fans weren’t happy with how it was portrayed, Conroy spoke fondly of the experience. He was excited to do something in front of the camera again after so long and “stretch his acting chops”, as he said to Michael Rosenbaum on his podcast. When asked if he would play that version again, he happily said he would 

Before it was announced that DC Pride 2022 was going to include a story written by Kevin Conroy, many fans weren’t aware that he was gay. He had come out in 2016 during an interview with the New York Times, but it went largely unnoticed until recently. His story in DC Pride 2022, talks about his journey as a struggling gay actor and the hardships he went through with his family. He came from a devout catholic family and his father was an abusive alcoholic. The DC Pride 2022 issue details a life that many are unfamiliar with. It’s a touching story that hits even harder now. He kept his private life very personal for his entire life. It wasn’t until DC’s touching tribute to the man did fans learn that he had been married for many years to Vaughn C. Williams. Nothing is publicly known about their relationship, but it’s a comfort to know that he wasn’t alone in the end.

It’s unknown if there were any films or shows that he was working on before his death, but he was reunited with Batman: The Animated Series co-creator Bruce Timm when he was cast as Thomas Wayne in Batman: Caped Crusader. Since that show is currently looking for a new home after being removed from HBO Max, it’s unknown at this time if he recorded any dialogue. Since his passing, there has been an outpour of love for him from his friends and co-stars. The likes of Mark Hammil, Susan Eisenberg, Tim Daly, and many more have all expressed their sorrow for the loss of their friend. He was a unique talent, one that will never be seen again. 

He was Batman.

COUNT DOWN #30: A Hint Of Legacy

By Brandon T. McClure (@btmcclure @fakenerdpodcast)

The MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga (2008-2019) has meant a great deal to me, as I am sure it has for many people. What first started as a book pitch is now a series of essays of mine that will be (hopefully) published every week. The goal is to pick a specific moment within The Infinity Saga and share with you why I believe it’s a defining moment. To revisit previous posts, visit our site HERE.

Enjoy the ride as we count down from 50 of the most defining moments and share your thoughts in the comments. 

• A Hint of Legacy •

MOMENT# 30

MOVIE: Ant-Man

DIRECTORS: Peyton Reed

WRITERS: Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay,Paul Rudd

Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) in Ant-Man.

Legacy used to be incredibly important to comics. All through the 90s and early 00s, DC comics were replacing long standing characters with their sidekicks. One of the most unique versions of this was in the television series Batman Beyond; a story about Gotham in the future that once again was plagued by crime and in desperate need of a new Batman. That new Batman came in the form of Terry McGinnes who got some much-needed help from the OG Batman himself, Bruce Wayne. It was a winning formula that has been underutilized ever since. Until the MCU’s 12th film, Ant-Man.

Some people may not remember this, but Ant-Man was originally announced to be coming out in Phase 1. Before the Phase designation was in place, Edgar Wright was attached to develop a feature film based on the character. But due to many delays and “creative differences” with the, now defunk, MCU story group, Wright left the project and Peyton Reed was brought on to continue the work. Interestingly, these “creative differences” were enough for Kevin Feige to lobby Disney to restructure Marvel Studios so it no longer had to answer to the head of Marvel Entertainment, Ike Perlmutter, but that’s a story for another time.

Throughout the development of Ant-Man, most fans had assumed the story would center around the origin of the original character to have that mantle, Hank Pym. It came as a nice surprise when it was revealed that Paul Rudd had been cast in the lead role of the second Ant-Man, Scott Lang. At the time, Lang was a popular character who had taken on the mantle of Ant-Man in 1979 and had held it off and on ever since. The MCU had made a name for itself at this point by using original versions of the comic book characters and had not yet entertained the idea of a legacy for them. But the question was still asked, could there be a Scott Lang without Hank Pym?

Hope Pym (Evangeline Lilly), Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) in Ant-Man.

Most likely taking some inspiration from Batman Beyond, Hank Pym was introduced as an older man who had been the Ant-Man many years prior when he worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. Now a retired hero, he needs someone to become the Ant-Man and break into PymTech to make sure the Pym Particle doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Pym’s old protege, Darren Cross (played by Corey Stoll), has discovered a way to recreate Pym’s shrinking technology and wants to sell it to the highest bidder. It just so happens that Scott needs the money that Pym is offering him so that he can continue to see his daughter, Cassie. 

All of a sudden, Legacy became important to the MCU. Since the onset of the MCU, Marvel Comics has seen a significant increase in legacy characters. Sam Wilson became Captain America, Jane Foster became Thor, Kamala Khan became Ms. Marvel, and so on and so on. Even before the MCU, the Young Avengers were a beloved team filled with legacy characters, including Kate Bishop as Hawkeye and, of course, Cassie Lang as Stature. While these long-running comic book universes at DC and Marvel have a reputation of being static stories rarely willing to break from the status quo, they have many periods in their history where that is not the case. It was also a reputation that the MCU couldn’t afford to develop. Actors will age out of roles in a way that comic book characters will never do.

It’s worth noting that Ant-Man also helped fill in the gap between Captain America: The First Avenger and Iron Man. While it was generally assumed that there were no other heroes between the introduction of these two Avengers, that just immediately became untrue. If Ant-Man and the Wasp could be operating as unseen heroes, then that could mean that others had been as well. This certainly opened up the door to introduce characters like Captain Marvel in a unique way and hopefully some others down the road.

For the MCU to continue to succeed, it needs to continuously evolve and grow and one of the ways it can do that is through legacy. Actors age and eventually want to step away from action heavy roles, so passing along the legacy is an easy way to keep the stories going with fresh perspectives no less. Hank Pym and Scott Lang were instrumental in preparing audiences for legacy casting and proves that the Batman Beyond formula can continue to work.

HALLOWEN HAUNTS 2022

HAUNT # 1 - The Hill Has Eyes - Franklin, WI

HAUNT #2 - Cemetery Lane - Los Angeles, CA

HAUNT #3 - Shaqtoberfest - Long Beach, CA

HAUNT #4 - Knotts Scary Farm - Buena Park, CA

HALLOWEEN HAUNTS 2022 / Knotts Scary Farm - Buena Park, CA

Knotts Berry Farm is the gentler of the Southern California theme parks. Charlie Brown and his Peanuts gang welcome kids of all ages. BUT after dark during the Halloween Season, the Berry becomes Scary.
We have done a lot of haunts this year (some recorded and some not). Knotts is contender of being one of the best. They really upped their game this year. Legit jump scares and beautifully freighting props. The atmosphere can make the hairs on the stand on the back of your neck. Some walkways were so creepy in the way they were lit, it felt that average guests were zombies in front of you.
Big thumbs up for a great event this year.

DC Has Found Their Kevin Feige’s

By Brandon T. McClure

For a number of months now, there have been numerous reports about how Warner Bros. Discovery head David Zaslav was looking for a “Kevin Feige-like” figure to spearhead a new direction for the DC films. The thinking was that, despite their success, DC has been floundering without a singular voice guiding a specific direction, in the vein of Marvel Studios. THR has recently reported that that figure has finally been found in the form of James Gunn and Peter Safran. The two of them will work together as co-CEOs at DC Studios, effectively replacing former head Walter Hamada who departed the company earlier this month.

Reports of this search have been going on since the early days of the merger with WarnerMedia and Discovery. Initially, it was reported that Zaslav was looking at offering the job to the likes of Joker director Todd Phillips and even Kevin Feige himself. No formal offer was made to either man but it looked like Zaslav was barking up the wrong tree with, at least Feige. It’s difficult to imagine anyone pulling Kevin Feige away from Marvel Studios at this point or in the near future. While Joker made lots of money for WarnerMedia (Or was it TimeWarner at the time?), Phillips isn’t a comic book fan and he didn’t seem like the right fit. So the search continued. 

Fast forward a number of months when it was revealed that Walter Hamada was given the offer to stay on board the new company. Hamada, for all his faults, oversaw very successful DC films including Aquaman and Shazam. Walter Hamada had a very filmmaker-first attitude when it came to the DC films he produced. He was adamant that every DC film would be able to stand on its own as the sole vision of the director. This was a deliberate contrast to how Marvel Studios produced their films. His strategy seemed very chaotic, however, with Michael Keaton returning and replacing Ben Affleck as Batman, a film centered on Static Shock, multiple Superman projects, and many spin-off shows for HBO Max that were in various stages of pre-production. Hamada was very interested in making big-budget shows and movies for HBO Max, which Zaslav is reportedly very opposed to. When Zaslav canceled Batgirl during its post-production, Hamada decided it was time to leave the company and he declined the offer. It’s possible more of his projects were canceled than the public knows at this point (Does anyone know what happened to Static Shock?). He had his strengths, but he had also been a controversial figure in the eyes of the public thanks to his actions during the abuse investigation of the 2017 film Justice League, so perhaps his leaving was for the best.

The search appeared to be over at last when a report came out that producer Dan Lin was being considered for the role. Once again, no formal offer was made but it appeared that Warner Bros. Discovery was putting all they had into getting him onboard. Lin had a relationship with Warner Bros. after producing many films for them, including The Lego Movie and Godzilla vs. Kong. However, he has many projects in the works right now through his production company Rideback, such as Lilo & Stitch with Disney and the long-awaited third Sherlock Holmes film. In order to take on this role in DC Studios, Lin would have to leave Rideback and any projects he was associated with as well as a first-look deal with Universal Studios. By all accounts, he seems like a good man, a decent producer, and a fan of DC Comics, but it wasn’t meant to be. He denied the offer when it came, likely due to the controversial cuts David Zaslav had been making throughout the company.

After an extensive search, Warner Bros. Discovery finally announced that James Gunn and Peter Safran had signed a deal to be Co-CEOs of DC Studios, which appears to be a new division within Warner Bros. Discovery and in the same vein as Marvel Studios. Most people will know James Gunn as the director of Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, but may be unfamiliar with Peter Safran. Safran has been a producer on many Warner Bros. franchises, including the Conjuring movies and DC films, including Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad, which he did with James Gunn. In fact, Gunn and Safran’s working relationship goes even further as THR reports that Safran began his time in the film industry as a manager where James Gunn was one of his clients. 

It appears that Zaslav turned his attention to building a structure at DC Studios similar to how Pixar is run, rather than Marvel Studios. A notion corroborated by THR themselves when they say “Even though Zaslav talked about finding a Kevin Feige-style executive, over the summer the team started looking at emulating the Pixar model, in which you have producers and filmmakers working as executives. That has never been tried in the live-action space”. This could be an experiment that pays off and, if it does, could lead to an industry shift where more creative voices are put behind the scenes. Gunn, for his part, will focus more on the creative side of everything while Safran will focus on the business and production side. The two of them will oversee all of DC’s film, television, and animation endeavors, which likely means picking up the pieces that hurricane Zaslav has left them with. 

“We look forward to collaborating with the most talented writers, directors, and actors in the world to create an integrated, multilayered universe that still allows for the individual expression of the artists involved.” Gunn and Safran said in a joint statement. Since so many fans have resonated with DC’s filmmaker-first approach to their films, it sounds as though Gunn and Safran want to keep that intact while also honing in on the chaotic approach left by Hamada. While Zaslav likes to boast a new ten-year plan for DC films, Gunn and Safran’s contract is only for four years, with the likely option to sign a new contract when it’s up. For reference, Hamada was only at Warner Bros. for four years as well, so there’s certainly a lot that can be done in that time. During this time, Gunn will be exclusive to DC, which puts to bed any speculation of him directing a Marvel film after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. While he obviously has Peacemaker season 2 in the works, he will be able to also direct other DC films while he’s operating as co-CEO, something that has only been done at Pixar.

Up until now, the post-production of upcoming DC films like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Shazam: Fury of the Gods, and The Flash have been overseen by the heads of Warner’s film division Micheal De Luca and Pamela Abdy. But effective November 1st, Gunn and Safran will take over those duties and every future DC film with the exception of Joker: Folie à Deux and possibly The Batman, due to them existing in separate universes. It’s unclear at this time who will produce the sequel to The Batman and its spin-off shows on HBO Max but De Luca and Abdy will produce the upcoming sequel to Joker. That all said, Gunn and Safran will work directly with De Luca and Abdy, and other various department heads while answering directly to David Zaslav himself. By all accounts, the two of them are kind people, who know how to make good movies and are fans of the source material, so this sounds like news that should be celebrated. While this is just speculation, it would be nice if this meant the remaining DC projects in development were safe from being unceremoniously canceled by Zaslav's need to recoup his dept.

Kevin Feige is a tough act to follow. Studios have been trying to replicate what he’s done for more than a decade now to no success. Warner’s has gone through many people trying to find their own, such as Zack Snyder, Geoff Johns, and the aforementioned Walter Hamada but none have found the secret sauce that makes Feige’s approach so successful. Truthfully, DC’s most successful when they aren’t trying to replicate what Marvel has done. DC’s films have found financial and critical success despite the constant changes behind the scenes. Time will tell what a more consistent voice will do for the films. A Pixar-type structure for a live-action studio is an interesting idea, one that could pave the way for more creative voices behind the scenes of major studios. While the news is surprising, considering Gunn has never expressed interest in being in this position, it’s great to have good news come out of Warner Bros. Discovery for once.

HALLOWEEN HAUNTS 2022 / Shaqtoberfest - Long Beach, CA

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Atomic Geekdom returned to the Queen Mary this year but was greeted by Shaqtoberfest instead of the familiar Dark Harbor extravaganza. When we arrived, we walked under the huge inflatable Shaquille O’Neal walkway, loaded with skulls and smoke machines. Keeping with the nautical theme of the Queen Mary, the mazes were set up for Pirates and Monsters alike. A carnival was awaiting, equipped with the Gravitron, a carousel, and even a fun house. At 8pm, the spooky characters emerge and the event takes on a more adult theme. For example, you can purchase a glowing necklace that scores you a shot of rum in the Pirate’s Cove. Before 8pm, families are encouraged to trick-o-treat and enjoy the rides which also include bouncy houses and slides.

This was a lot smaller than the older Dark Harbor because everything was on land since the boat is under construction. This did not take away from the fun though. It felt very much like small town community carnival despite being set in the busy Downtown Long Beach area. It brought back all those memories of county fairs growing up but also a bit of scariness.

The cast of characters (ghouls) were the stars of this event. You never knew when one would come up behind you or jump in your way. This added to that crazy fun haunt mentality.

It’s so awesome that Shaqtoberfest kept the location alive this halloween with their mazes, walking through a monster, grabbing a drink near a paddy wagon and realizing the Gravitron is pretty intense the older you get. Totally worth the ride.

HALLOWEEN HAUNTS 2022 / Cemetery Lane - Los Angeles, CA

Cemetery Lane is not like Atomic Geekdom’s normal haunts BUT has so much charming spookiness. Nothing is more fun than kids of all ages dressed in their favorite costume having a candy rush.

Located in Heritage Square (a “gated, safe and secure” historical mock neighborhood), Cemetery Lane feels like you stepped back into a time where the original Twilight Zone aired. Each of the historical houses are decked out in Halloween scenes that are kid-friendly creepy.

This may be one of the best family-friendly events out there. The cast of characters worked so well with the young children to make sure they were not scared. For example, the “Spider” house had large robotic spiders that would lunge at you when you walked up. The “Sisters” who worked that house would introduce the spiders to the young kids and let them pet them (as if they were just like a cat or dog). As an adult, the props were so cool and detailed that it was a WIN for all ages.

If you do not have kids, don’t worry. This is a spectacular location for a Halloween Date-Night. Grab a taco or hot dog from one of the vendors and sit at the many picnic tables to watch the various costumes pass by.

This is a must add to your halloween event list (and the haul of candy you receive doesn’t hurt too).