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Wednesday, March 18, 2026

THE FANDOM ZONE 340: "Callback" Is Up!

 
"The world is going to fall in love with the two of you. We are going to make the last movie on Earth because no one else will have the balls to make another."
-- Von Kovak to Trevor Slattery and Simon Williams, Wonder Man -- "Callback"

Hello again, everyone! DJ Nik and I are back for another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast! This time, we discuss "Callback", the sixth episode of Wonder Man, featuring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, Zlatko Burić as Von Kovak, and Arian Moayed as Agent Cleary!

In this episode, DJ Nik and I talk about things like my getting a taste of springtime, Simon's emotional whiplash, the episode being transitional, watching Simon twist in the wind, how I got into Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Midnight Special" being a great choice to open Von Kovak's Wonder Man film, some background on the movie Pretty Woman, seeing the Mandarin audition tape, the Mandarin being Trevor's most important role, Trevor finding the Mandarin character, Simon overanalyzing a pair of shoes and falling into his own character flaws, Von Kovak showing off his "Wall of Inspiration", Simon freaking out by not being paired with Trevor, Simon disappointing Von Kovak by reenacting a scene from Pretty Woman, the improv comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Nik being shocked when Simon punched through Richard's face, the effective dream sequence fakeout, Trevor talking Simon down and giving him advice to be himself without letting his powers define him, Simon and Trevor thinking they both failed the final audition, Trevor getting scooped up by Damage Control mere seconds after Simon drops him off at the Talmadge, my preference for Robert Palmer over Chaka Khan, our favorite quotes of the episode, new Fandom Zone Fanmail by Jesse Jackson and Dave Proctor, next episode's revelation of a very big secret, and more! 

You can check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn
 -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on X/Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast
The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can pick up an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing from TeePublic HERE as well! Show your Fandom Zone fandom by posting a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week when DJ Nik and I discuss "Kathy Friedman", the seventh episode of Wonder Man, featuring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, Zlatko Burić as Von Kovak, and Lauren Weedman as Kathy Friedman!

First SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY Trailer Teases the Punisher, the Scorpion, and the Hand

 
You had us at Spider-Man vs. Hand ninjas.

Sony Pictures has released the first trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the fourth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series starring Tom Holland as Spider-Man/Peter Parker.

In the film, four years have passed since the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Peter is now an adult living entirely alone, having voluntarily erased himself from the lives and memories of those he loves. Crime-fighting in a New York that no longer knows his name, he's devoted himself entirely to protecting his city — a full-time Spider-Man — but as the demands on him intensify, the pressure sparks a surprising physical evolution that threatens his existence, even as a strange new pattern of crimes gives rise to one of the most powerful threats he has ever faced.

The two-minute, 30-second trailer opens with Spider-Man checking his phone while sitting upside down on a construction girder. As he watches his friends Michelle "MJ" Jones Watson (Zendaya) and Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) celebrate their first day at MIT without him, the depressed superhero deliberately falls backward and plummets towards the streets below.

Next, as we see Peter lamenting his decision to make his friends forget his existence, we hear him say in a voiceover, "Hi. My name is Peter Parker. You don't remember me, but we used to know each other. Something bad was gonna happen, and the only way to stop it was to make everyone forget about me..."

We see images of MJ and Ned watching Spider-Man receive the key to New York City on TV, then later see that Peter still has the key he received.

"...Because I'm not just Peter Parker," he continues, "I'm...Spider-Man."

The scene abruptly shifts to a battle taking place in Manhattan, with Spider-Man nearly being run over by the Punisher (Jon Bernthal) driving his Battle Van. "What the hell, Frank?!" exclaims Spider-Man. "You just hit me with a van!"

"Quit your whimpering," replies the Punisher, aiming a large gun in Spider-Man's direction. Spider-Man webs the gun shut, to which the Punisher remarks "Suit yourself" as he fires the weapon, blasting Spider-Man backwards until he lands on an armored vehicle directly ahead. Spider-Man uses his webs, to slingshot back at the Punisher, smashing through the Battle Van's windshield and sending the Punisher through the back doors and onto the street.

"Motherfu--" begins the Punisher before Spider-Man webs his mouth shut and tells him to go home before swinging away.

Later, as we see Peter attending a party at MJ's place, his voiceover returns. "And sometimes Spider-Man has to do the hard thing, even if it breaks Peter Parker's heart." We see Peter watching from afar as MJ gets romantically close with someone else.

This cuts into a separate scene with Peter asking himself "What is happening to me?" before passing out. He awakens a web cocoon, as we learn the cocoon is hanging outside a building above the street. Peter starts to fall, reflexively trying to use his web-shooters, but realizing he has none. As he falls, he's suddenly saved but we don't know exactly how. The scene hints that Peter saves himself with new organic webbing, similar to Tobey Maguire's version of Spider-Man.

Next, we glimpse Spider-Man in some sort of body scanning device, followed by Peter meeting up with Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) after a university lecture. "Excuse me, Dr. Banner," remarks Peter, "I need your help."

"What did you say your name was?" remarks Bruce.

We then see Spider-Man suffering from changes to his biochemistry. He holds his head in agony after hearing a drop of water and sees webbing all over his apartment. "If DNA is mutating," says Bruce, "it would be enormously dangerous."

As we see Peter laying flowers on the grave of his Aunt May, we hear a narrator (voiced by Keith David) say, "Spiders have three life cycles. When between cycles, it can leave the spider vulnerable to threats."

We see Spider-Man finding an old woman inside the armored vehicle from earlier, followed by S.W.A.T. officers being assaulted mentally by someone with telepathic powers.

The trailer cuts to an office, where a character named Bill (Tramell Tillman) says, "We are faced with a danger that we can't control. One we can't even see."

The scene shifts to the return of the Scorpion (Michael Mando), looking far more impressive in his armored suit than he did in Spider-Man: Homecoming. "Stay out of my way," remarks the Scorpion as he swats Spider-Man with his suit's large tail.

In an assortment of scenes, we see the Punisher tell Spider-Man "You're losing it, kid," followed by Spider-Man with MJ, and Spider-Man using webbing the slow down the armored vehicle from earlier, only to be sent flying into the side of a bus.

The narrator continues, "And for those spiders who make it through, it amounts to a kind of..."

Slo-mo images follow of an homage to the cover of Amazing Fantasy #15 (Spider-Man's first appearance), Spider-Man fighting Boomerang, Spider-Man fighting Tarantula, and a member of the Hand attacking a captive Spider-Man, who reveals a pair of dark, black eyes. Spider-Man blocks the ninja's attack with webbing, shattering the sword. We then see a separate slo-mo scene with Spider-Man leaving from the side of a building to face off against a swarm of Hand ninjas.

"...rebirth," finishes the narrator.

In the trailer's final scene, we go back to the party at MJ's place. "Nice flowers," MJ says to Peter.

"Oh, they're...uh...a housewarming gift," replies Peter awkwardly.

"I'm, uh, MJ," she introduces herself as Ned looks on.

"I'm just a neighbor from across the hall."

"A friendly neighbor," MJ remarks as Peter chokes briefly on his drink.

If you'd like to view the trailer, you can see it below thanks to the official accounts for Marvel Entertainment and Sony Pictures on YouTube...


Spider-Man: Brand New Day
is scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 31, 2026.

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

DRUNK CINEMA 093: "True Romance" Is Up!

 
"You're a whore?"
"I'm not a whore, I'm a call girl. There's a difference, you know!"
-- Clarence Worley and Alabama Whitman, True Romance

Hello again, movie fans!  My wonderful co-host Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Drunk Cinema! This timeXan and I watch True Romancethe 1993 romantic crime drama directed by Tony Scott and written by Quentin Tarantino, featuring Christian Slater as Clarence Worley, Patricia Arquette as Alabama Whitman-Worley, and Dennis Hopper as Clifford Worley!

This time, Xan and I discuss things like Xan trying to get Iron Maiden in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, my informing Xan of the death of the Wu-Tang Clan's Oliver "Power" Grant, my screwing up our recording schedule to take my wife out for Valentine's Day dinner, this movie having two actors from Interview with the Vampire (1994), Patricia Arquette as Renee Madison/Alice Wakefield in David Lynch's Lost Highway, Dennis Hopper as Frank Booth in David Lynch's Blue Velvet, Val Kilmer not being that good of an Elvis, Xan dissing The Fifth Element, finally watching a movie with a Hans Zimmer score, True Romance being similar to David Lynch's Wild at Heart, Xan's wedding tattoo, Drexl's bad dreadlocks and excessive cultural appropriation, Christopher Walken in The Prophecy, Tony Scott changing Quentin Tarantino's script to a linear narrative and giving it a happy ending, wanting McDonald's to bring back McDonaldland Cookies, Virgil probably being the role that got James Gandolfini the gig as Tony Soprano on The Sopranos, why it's a bad sign when Tom Sizemore is the most upbeat person in your movie, Elvis being born a twin, new Drunk Mail from Dave Proctor and Christine Peruski, finally paying tribute to the late Rob Reiner, Xan having to pee, and more!

If you'd like to check out our podcast and subscribe to us, you can find us on...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
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Drunk Cinema's Facebook Page
Drunk Cinema's Twitter Account

And in honor of our fifth anniversary, we have a NEW Drunk Cinema t-shirt, which you can find on TeePublic by clicking HERE!  This spiffy shirt looks great while you're listening to the Drunk Cinema podcast or when you're attending your favorite film festival! Or you can order all sorts of cool Drunk Cinema merch there as well!

Be sure to come back in two weeks as Xan and I pay tribute to Rob Reiner as we watch This Is Spinal Tapthe 1984 mockumentary comedy directed by Rob Reiner, featuring Michael McKean as David St. Hubbins, Christopher Guest as Nigel Tufnel, and Harry Shearer as Derek Smalls!

Sunday, March 15, 2026

FIREFLY Animated Series in Development with Original Cast Reprising Roles

 
You can't stop the signal.

Deadline has word from Awesome Con in Washington, D.C. that actor Nathan Fillion has announced that an animated series based on the 2002 Fox TV series Firefly is currently in advanced development.

According to the article, Fillion made the announcement while speaking at a panel at the event and live taping of his Once We Were Spacemen podcast, alongside co-stars Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau, all of whom are expected to reprise their roles. Adam Baldwin, who played Jayne Cobb, will also lend his voice to the project.

Firefly was a space Western drama set in the 26th century that explored the lives of a group of people, some of whom fought on the losing side of a civil war, making a living on the fringes of society aboard the transport ship Serenity. The two surviving superpowers, the United States and China, united to form the central federal government, called the Alliance.

The animated relaunch is being developed through Fillion’s production company Collision33 in partnership with 20th Television Animation, which controls the rights to the franchise. Marc Guggenheim (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow) and Tara Butters (Agent Carter, Reaper) are attached to serve as showrunners, and a script has been completed. Joss Whedon, who created the original television series, is not involved in the animated project.

The proposed series is set in the timeline between the original TV series and the 2005 feature film sequel Serenity, expanding the mythos while keeping the established canon. Early concept art, shown above, was developed in collaboration with the Oscar and Emmy-award-winning animation studio ShadowMachine. The fully assembled proposal package is expected to be sent out to buyers shortly.

Fillion, who played Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds on the series, said to Deadline, "The dedication of Firefly fans has kept this 25-year-old show relevant. Clearly, the return of Firefly is something the fans want. More importantly, it’s something they deserve."

Friday, March 13, 2026

Two Missing DOCTOR WHO Episodes of "The Daleks' Master Plan" Have Been Found

 
Two steps closer to completing the Master Plan.

The BBC has officially announced that two long-missing episodes of the 1965-66 Doctor Who serial "The Daleks' Master Plan" have been recovered. The found episodes are Episodes 1 and 3, "The Nightmare Begins" and "Devil's Planet", bringing the total to 5 episodes of the 12-part serial now recovered. This means the first three episodes, along with Episodes 5 and 10.

According to the article, the two episodes were located in "a cardboard box found in a collector's 'ramshackle' collection of vintage films. Episode 2, "Day of Armageddon", was found in 2004 by a former BBC engineer. Episode 5, "Counter Plot", and Episode 10, "Escape Switch", were discovered in 1983 in a London church basement.

Between 1967 and 1978, the BBC routinely deleted archived TV shows for various practical reasons—lack of space, scarcity of materials, and a lack of rebroadcast rights. As a result, 95 of 253 episodes from Doctor Who's first six seasons are currently missing, primarily from Seasons 3, 4 and 5, leaving 26 serials incomplete.

"The Daleks' Master Plan" is the fourth serial of the third season of Doctor Who. Written by Terry Nation and Dennis Spooner and directed by Douglas Camfield, the serial was broadcast on BBC1 in twelve weekly parts from November 13, 1965 to January 29, 1966. It was the show's longest serial and remains the longest with a single director. In the serial, the First Doctor (William Hartnell) and his travelling companions, Steven Taylor (Peter Purves) and Katarina (Adrienne Hill), become embroiled in the Daleks' scheme to design the ultimate weapon. They're joined by Bret Vyon (Nicholas Courtney) and Sara Kingdom (Jean Marsh).

Episode 1 has the TARDIS landing on the planet Kembel in search of help for Steven, only to learn the Daleks are plotting with Guardian of the Solar System Mavic Chen to conquer the Earth. By Episode 3, the Doctor has stolen a vital component needed for the conquest, but after leaving Kembel, they're forced to land on penal planet Desperus, pursued by the Daleks.

Peter Purves, who played the First Doctor's companion Steven Taylor, was invited to the Phoenix Cinema in Leicester on Wednesday under false pretenses to view the two episodes, and said, "My flabber has never been so gasted. I've never forgiven the BBC for losing those episodes, it would be really nice to get a few royalties."

Purves added, "I'm not sure I even saw those programs go out originally. I remember the stories, but having seen them, the pictures are unfamiliar to me. I didn't remember the first one when I was still almost comatose following the injury I received fighting in Troy in the wonderful 'Myth Makers', which, of course, is missing."

"The Nightmare Begins" and "Devil's Planet" are expected to be made available on BBC iPlayer sometime this April. No word yet on when these episodes will be made available in the United States.

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

THE FANDOM ZONE 339: "Found Footage" Is Up!

 
"Simon, you've got to try one. I feel like Stevie Nicks having coke blown up her bunghole."
-- Trevor Slattery to Simon Williams, Wonder Man -- "Found Footage"

Hello again, everyone! DJ Nik and I are back for another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast! This time, we discuss "Found Footage", the fifth episode of the Marvel TV miniseries Wonder Man, featuring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, Brandon Wardell as Jayden, and Carlito Olivero as Esteban!

In this episode, DJ Nik and I talk about things like my being on antibiotics, Trevor having unresolved drug debt issues, "Found Footage" being a contrast to "Doorman", some information on the box breathing technique and the condiment Chamoy, my recommendation for putting a thin ring of salt around the edge of chocolate chip cookies, Simon and Trevor going out to celebrate their callbacks, Deputy Secretary Heyerdahl acting like Bill Lumbergh in Office Space, Trevor being low-key about Simon having superpowers, the metaphor of Barnaby betraying Wonder Man in the Wonder Man script, that awkward moment when a kid with a GoPro camera records Simon using his powers in public, Simon being sad at Barnaby's betrayal of Wonder Man, Trevor having zero trust in Jayden, Esteban and his crew being excited that the Mandarin showed up at their house, Patrick Connor and his henchmen somehow tracking Simon's car to Esteban's house, Trevor having the presence of mind to ask if it's possible to upload footage directly to YouTube from a GoPro camera, the episode having a very Quentin Tarantino level of craziness, Trevor being the MVP of the episode, our favorite quotes of the episode, new Fandom Zone Fanmail by Jesse Jackson and Dave Proctor, Simon and Trevor having their final auditions for Wonder Man, and more! 

You can check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn
 -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on X/Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast
The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can pick up an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing from TeePublic HERE as well! Show your Fandom Zone fandom by posting a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week when DJ Nik and I discuss "Callback", the sixth episode of Wonder Man, featuring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, Zlatko Burić as Von Kovak, and Arian Moayed as Agent Cleary!

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 365: "The Last Days of the Powell Estate" Is Up!

 
"I'm not being funny, but are you gonna travel the universe just to meet boys?"
"Dunno. You gonna travel the universe just to meet monsters?"
"...Fair point."
-- The Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler, Doctor Who: "The Last Days of the Powell Estate"

Hello again, everyone! My partner in time Jesse Jackson and I are back for another new episode of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast! This time, we discuss "The Last Days of the Powell Estate", the second audio drama from Series 4 of Big Finish Productions' Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures range, featuring Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor, Billie Piper as Rose Tyler, and Camille Coduri as Jackie Tyler!

In this episode, Jesse and I discuss things like Jesse recovering from his recent trip to New Orleans, the Ninth Doctor and Rose Big Finish audios feeling like the Series 2 we should've gotten, writer Timothy X Atack, how this audio drama compared to "Snare", my preference for the darker tone, Dan Starkey voicing Mr. Fingers, Rose wondering why the Reapers haven't appeared, Rose also using mirrors at equidistance in "Turn Left", Rose reciting her mother's full name, the British use of the word estate, explaining to Americans what a Curly Wurly is, Rose continuing to challenge the Doctor more, Jesse going back to his childhood home, Rose seeing her childhood home as a ghost town, the Doctor being fearful of using the Moment to destroy Gallifrey again, wondering why the Ninth Doctor keeps wanting to show Rose the end of places she loves, Brainy Betty revealing why she became so educated after her daughter Abigail died, the great pairing of Jackie Tyler and Brainy Betty, the Bill & Ted style explanation for how the Ninth Doctor and Rose get the items the Doctor needed to build a basic quantum containment field, Jackie's poignant outlook on the day being too beautiful to die on, our favorite quotes from the episode, my Reverse the Polarity segment, new listener feedback from Sandi from Oregon and Holly Mac, still waiting for more Doctor Who news, "Day of the Daleks" having a similar plot to The Terminator, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
Next Stop Everywhere's Facebook page
Next Stop Everywhere's Twitter account
Next Stop Everywhere's Instagram account

We have a NEW Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, which you can find on TeePublic right HERE!  This spiffy shirt looks great when you're listening to your favorite Doctor Who podcast and travelling through time and space! Or you could order all sorts of cool Next Stop Everywhere merch there as well!

Be sure to come back in two weeks for the next episode of Next Stop Everywhere as Jesse and I discuss "Day of the Daleks", the first serial from Doctor Who Season 9 in 1972, featuring Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor, Katy Manning as Jo Grant, Nicholas Courtney as the Brigadier, and Aubrey Woods as the Controller!

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

LANTERNS Teaser Trailer Features Green Lanterns as True Detectives


In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape their sight...

HBO has released the first teaser trailer for Lanterns, the upcoming superhero drama series from DC Studios based on DC Comics' Green Lantern characters Hal Jordan and John Stewart. The series will consist of eight episodes.

Lanterns centers around Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as they investigate a murder. As Green Lanterns, the two are intergalactic peacekeepers that wear emerald rings giving them the power to create green light constructs of any shape or size. The two must use their abilities to uncover a dark mystery and a reckoning that could destroy them all.

Other cast members include Kelly Macdonald as Kerry Macon, a small-town sheriff; Nathan Fillion reprising his Superman (2025) role as Guy Gardner; Garret Dillahunt as William Macon, a modern-day cowboy who hides his "self-righteous, conspiracy-minded" personality behind a charming façade; Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe, a composed and cunning woman; Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro, a former member of the Green Lantern Corps gone rogue; Nicole Ari Parker as Bernadette Stewart, John’s mother; and Jason Ritter as Billy Macon, Kerry’s husband.

The two-minute teaser opens with Hal and Kyle driving down a lonely road. "With all due respect," begins John, "we've been training for what, two months, and I haven't even worn the ring yet."

"Don't get hung up on the jewelry, junior," replies Hal with a twang in his voice. "You're just a fuckin' substitute teacher. You're not ready to get up in front of the class until the ring says you are." Hal places his Green Lantern power ring on the dashboard, then says "But alright..." before opening the car door and jumping out before the car heads over a cliff with John still inside.

Next, we see that John has presumably mastered the ring enough to survive as he walks back up the road to a slow clap from Hal, who found a place to eat outdoors. "I could have died," John tells him.

"You wanted me to train you, I'm trainin' you," replies Hal.

Later, Hal and Kyle drive into a small town that appears deserted. "Something is off here," observes Hal. "I can feel it."

Hal and Kyle then enter a large town hall meeting that includes Sheriff Kerry Macon. "This is my town," she tells Hal, "and you're a big shot, noted..."

As we see Paul Ben-Victor as Antaan, a humanoid extraterrestrial, Sheriff Macon continues, "...but stay out of my way."

"I think she hates your guts," observes John.

"It's the way she hates 'em," adds Hal.

Later, in a bar, John remarks, "This is a stupid plan."

"It gets stupider," replies Hal.

"That I don't doubt."

Next, we see a brief shot of Hal's Green Lantern uniform hanging in a closet. "The Green Lanterns' oath is to protect people," remarks John, "and we both know I do a better job of this than you."

"This is my job," counters Hal, "and as long as I'm alive, that ain't changin'..."

We get a brief glimpse of William Macon on a horse. "...so take a deep breath, junior," continues Hal.

"You're old. You're tired..." begins John as we see glimpses of someone parachuting out of the back of a cargo plane, Hal flying off into the sky, and John holding a Green Lantern power battery to recharge his ring. "...and you're time is up."

Fleeting images follow before we see Hal talking with Billy Macon in an interrogation room. "I don't understand," says Billy. "Who are you exactly?"

Hal smiles and responds "Hal Jordan, Green Lantern" before throwing Billy into the one-way mirror and across the room before aiming his power ring. 

In the teaser trailer's final scene, Hal and John are driving at night and John asks, "Have you ever talked with the other Lanterns?"

"I'm the only human. They're aliens. One of 'em is a fuckin' squirrel," he replies, possibly referencing the Green Lantern known as Ch'p.

If you'd like to see the teaser trailer for Lanterns, you can view it below thanks to the official HBO account on YouTube...

Lanterns is expected to premiere on HBO in August.

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

THE FANDOM ZONE 338: "Doorman" Is Up!

 
"'Ding dong.' I mean, who is that? That's not me, is it? I mean, I'm much more than just a catchphrase."
-- DeMarr Davis to Earl Reed, Wonder Man -- "Doorman"

Hello again, everyone! DJ Nik and I are back for another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast! This time, we discuss "Doorman", the fourth episode of the Marvel TV miniseries Wonder Man, featuring Byron Bowers as Doorman/DeMarr Davis, Charlotte Ross as Bridget Bailey, Josh Gad as Josh Gad, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams!

In this episode, DJ Nik and I talk about things like powering through my nasal congestion, having to wait until Episode 5 to find out what happened after Episode 3, getting the explanation for the Doorman Clause, the episode being shot in black-and-white as a cautionary tale, wondering if Josh Gad's skeleton is inside DeMarr, some comics background on Doorman and the Great Lakes Avengers, Josh Gad singing "In Summer" from Frozen, Dolly Parton performing "The Johnny Carson Show" on a 1979 episode of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Bridget Bailey and DeMarr Davis having very Stan Lee character names, Doorman's secret origin of touching Roxxon's toxic waste from a dumpster, DeMarr's big superhero moment of saving Josh Gad and a bunch of clubgoers from a fire, Josh Gad seeing DeMarr's potential and hiring him as his personal valet, Josh Gad approaching DeMarr to appear in his heist comedy Cash Grab, the homage to Doorman's costume from the comics, DeMarr reluctantly going ahead with a comedic bit on the talk show Midtown Tonight, DeMarr feeling the other side of being a celebrity, the awkward moment when Josh Gad dives through Doorman's body but doesn't come out the other side, not getting an explanation if DeMarr still has his Doorman powers or not, Simon Williams learning about the Doorman Clause designed to ban superpowered individuals from film and television productions, our favorite quotes of the episode, standing up for Cleveland, new Fandom Zone Fanmail by Jesse Jackson and Dave Proctor, finally getting back to Simon and Trevor, and more! 

You can check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn
 -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on X/Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast
The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can pick up an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing from TeePublic HERE as well! Show your Fandom Zone fandom by posting a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week when DJ Nik and I discuss "Found Footage", the fifth episode of Wonder Man, featuring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, Brandon Wardell as Jayden, and Carlito Olivero as Esteban!

Thursday, February 26, 2026

THE FANDOM ZONE 337: "Pacoima" Is Up!

 
"Did bits and bobs in the West End."
"Weren't you The Mandarin?"
"Then I took a role, posing as an international terrorist to pay my drug and prostitution debts."
-- Trevor Slattery and Eric Williams, Wonder Man -- "Pacoima"

Hello again, everyone! DJ Nik and I are back for another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast! This time, we discuss "Pacoima", the third episode of the Marvel TV miniseries  Wonder Man, featuring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, and introducing Demetrius Grosse as Eric Williams and Shola Adewusi as Martha Williams!

In this episode, DJ Nik and I talk about things like recording on Valentine's Day, meeting Simon's family and getting a feel for what Simon went through growing up, some comics background on Eric Williams a.k.a. the Grim Reaper, the sources of the quotes that Trevor and Simon recite, Simon's powers manifesting at the age of 13 and making him a potential mutant, Nik's love of The Beast, Simon's decision to take up acting as a profession, the Department of Damage Control having quotas to fill up their supermax prison, Trevor having a conflict between his friendship for Simon and gathering intel on him for Agent Cleary, Agent Cleary altering Trevor's deal, Eric not seeing Simon's acting career being productive, Eric feeling resentment toward Simon, Eric berating Simon until Simon shatters his mother's kitchen island, wondering how Martha explains the shattered kitchen island to her relatives, Simon being at his lowest point and considering giving up acting, Trevor deciding that he can't wear a wire to spy on Simon anymore, Simon telling Trevor that they both got callbacks for the Wonder Man movie, our favorite quotes of the episode, standing up for Cleveland, new Fandom Zone Fanmail by Jesse Jackson and Dave Proctor, the upcoming side-trip with "Doorman", and more! 

You can check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn
 -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on X/Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast
The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can pick up an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing from TeePublic HERE as well! Show your Fandom Zone fandom by posting a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week when DJ Nik and I discuss "Doorman", the fourth episode of Wonder Man, Byron Bowers as DeMarr Davis, Charlotte Ross as Bridget Bailey, and Josh Gad as Josh Gad!

Monday, February 23, 2026

Hulu Greenlights Pilot for THE X-FILES Reboot, Danielle Deadwyler to Co-Lead

 
The truth is almost out there once again.

Deadline is reporting that Ryan Coogler's planned reboot of The X-Files has received a pilot order from Hulu. In addition, Danielle Deadwyler has been cast as the project's co-lead.

The pilot will come from Onyx Collective and 20th Television, with Jennifer Yale (The Copenhagen Test, Legion, Outlander) set as showrunner. Coogler, the director of Black Panther and Sinners, is writing and directing the pilot. Yale will serve as executive producer alongside The X-Files creator Chris Carter, as well as Coogler, Sev Ohanian and Zinzi Coogler of Proximity Media. Simone Harris is a co-executive producer.

According to the article, the pilot will feature "two highly decorated but vastly different FBI agents, who form an unlikely bond when they're assigned to a long-shuttered division devoted to cases involving unexplained phenomena."

Deadwyler, 43, has appeared in the films The Woman in the Yard, 40 Acres, The Piano Lesson, I Saw the TV Glow, Till, and The Harder They Fall. In addition, she's appeared in episodes of Watchmen (2019), Euphoria, The Bear, Station Eleven, and Atlanta.

Carter first revealed during a 2023 podcast interview that he had spoken with Coogler, who was "going to remount The X Files with a diverse cast," adding, "He’s got his work cut out for him because we covered so much territory."

Carter’s original X-Files starred David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, who investigated cases involving paranormal phenomena. The series premiered on Fox in 1993 and ran for nine seasons. It spawned two feature films, The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998) and The X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008), as well as a 2016 revival, which aired on Fox for two seasons.

Coogler confirmed the project and his involvement during a podcast appearance of his own last April. "I’ve been excited about that for a long time, and I’m fired up to get back to it. Some of those episodes, if we do our jobs right, will be really fucking scary,” he said. "We’re gonna try to make something really great and really be something for the real X-Files fans, and maybe find some new ones."

Friday, February 20, 2026

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 364: "The Romans" Is Up!

 
"All right? Of course I'm all right, my child. You know, I am so constantly outwitting the opposition, I tend to forget the delights and satisfaction of the arts, the gentle art of fisticuffs."
-- The First Doctor to Vicki Pallister, Doctor Who: "The Romans"

Hello again, everyone! My partner in time Jesse Jackson and I are back for another new episode of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast! This time, we discuss "The Romans", the fourth serial from Doctor Who Season 2 in 1965, featuring William Hartnell as the Fourth Doctor, William Russell as Ian Chesterton, Jacqueline Hill as Barbara Wright, and Maureen O'Brien as Vicki Pallister!

In this episode, Jesse and I discuss things like Jesse and I enjoying the Super Bowl and the halftime show, "The Romans" being a historical serial without any aliens apart from the Doctor, Jesse's reaction to watching "The Romans" for the first time, problems when the TARDIS doesn't land standing up, how we could discuss "The Daleks' Master Plan", Peter Diamond appearing in all of the original Star Wars trilogy and two Indiana Jones movies, "The Romans" being the first Doctor Who story with a comedic main plot, "The Romans" being intended to be the first of three historical tales, writer Dennis Spooner's original idea to spoof the 1951 film Quo Vadis, this being the second serial in a row in which the First Doctor gets a surprisingly physical fight sequence, Kay Patrick being reluctant to slap Michael Peake, the age differences between the real Emperor Nero and the actor playing him on Doctor Who, the Doctor and his companions becoming squatters in 64 A.D. Rome, the First Doctor pretending to play the lyre but very quietly, the Doctor being a hypocrite by telling Vicki not to interfere with history, that awkward moment when Barbara knocks Ian out with a jug and the two of them end up being put into slavery, The Three Stooges Meet Hercules, the Star Trek fight music theme, Tavius bidding for Barbara to protect her, Nero breaking the fourth wall, the Doctor assuming that Ian and Barbara did absolutely nothing while he and Vicki were gone, wondering if Ian and Barbara had a secret romance, our favorite quotes of the serial, my Reverse the Reverse the Polarity segment, new listener feedback from Dave Proctor, Sandi from Oregon and Holly Mac, the next Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler audio drama from Big Finish, being tired of Disney+ not putting The War Between the Land and the Sea on the schedule, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
Next Stop Everywhere's Facebook page
Next Stop Everywhere's Twitter account
Next Stop Everywhere's Instagram account

We have a NEW Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, which you can find on TeePublic right HERE!  This spiffy shirt looks great when you're listening to your favorite Doctor Who podcast and travelling through time and space! Or you could order all sorts of cool Next Stop Everywhere merch there as well!

Be sure to come back in two weeks for the next episode of Next Stop Everywhere as Jesse and I discuss "The Last Days of the Powell Estate", the second audio drama from Series 4 of Big Finish Productions' Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor Adventures range, featuring Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor, Billie Piper as Rose Tyler, and Camille Coduri as Jackie Tyler!

Sunday, February 15, 2026

THE FANDOM ZONE 336: "Self-Tape" Is Up!

 
"You suck, Joe Pantoliano. Baby's Day Out is garbage. Even that dumb baby couldn't make you funny."
-- Simon Williams to Joe Pantoliano, Wonder Man -- "Self-Tape"

Hello again, everyone! DJ Nik and I are back for another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast! This time, we discuss "Self-Tape", the second episode of the Marvel TV miniseries Wonder Man, featuring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, Arian Moayed as Agent Cleary, and Joe Pantoliano as Joe Pantoliano!

In this episode, DJ Nik and I talk about things like the 2026 Winter Olympics opening in Milan, Joe Pantoliano as Cypher in The Matrix, Agent Cleary appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home and the Ms. Marvel TV series, the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Joe Pantoliano, Wonder Man being a self-contained story under the Marvel Spotlight banner, some comics background on Damage Control, some background on the 1985 Ben Kingsley film Turtle Diary, Ben Kingsley really appearing on the British soap opera Coronation Street, the "I'm walkin' here!" crosswalk from Midnight Cowboy, learning that Agent Cleary from Damage Control is the one putting the squeeze on Trevor, Trevor caring so much about his craft, Janelle Jackson not being happy that her client auditioned for Wonder Man without her knowledge, Simon creating a big hole in his wall, the show not bogging everything down with exposition, Trevor taking his time before texting Simon back, Simon and Trevor bonding as friends, Marcy at Ahoy Tapes insisting on reading the lines for Simon's self-tape video, Trevor's one-sided rivalry with Joe Pantoliano, the criticism of some actors acting for the paycheck, Trevor placing the ring device to hack Simon's laptop, Trevor discovering the major chunk missing from Simon's wall, our favorite quotes of the episode, new Fandom Zone Fanmail by Jesse Jackson and Dave Proctor, our next episode meeting Simon's family, and more! 

You can check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn
 -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on X/Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast
The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can pick up an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing from TeePublic HERE as well! Show your Fandom Zone fandom by posting a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week when DJ Nik and I discuss "Pacoima", the third episode of Wonder Man, introducing Shola Adewusi as Martha Williams and Demterius Grosse as Eric Williams!

Thursday, February 12, 2026

THE FANDOM ZONE 335: "Matinee" Is Up!

 
"Nah, that's not my process."
"Well, your process can go blow a spider."
-- Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery, Wonder Man -- "Matinee"

Hello again, everyone! DJ Nik and I are finally back for another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast! This time, we discuss "Matinee", the the first episode of the Marvel TV miniseries Wonder Man, introducing Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams and X Mayo as Janelle Jackson, and featuring the return of Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery!

In this episode, DJ Nik and I talk about things like my being able to talk with Nik again, Nik watching one episode per week, my impressions of the first episode, the parallels with the film Midnight Cowboy, the show's love of cinema, some comics background on Wonder Man, some background on Midnight Cowboy, Ben Kingsley playing Edgar Allan Poe, the ugly but faithful Wonder Man costume featured in the fictional Wonder Man movie, the TV version of Simon Williams having more depth than the comics version, Simon discovering his love of film, Simon getting himself fired from the set of American Horror Story, Simon meeting Trevor Slattery during a screening of Midnight Cowboy, Yahya's great performance as Dr. Manhattan in the Watchmen (2019) miniseries, Vivian leaving Simon because he won't tell her who he is, Simon learning that Von Kovak is remaking Wonder Man, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley having a great dynamic, Simon having to work around his own agent to get an audition for Wonder Man, Janelle Jackson being a terrible agent, Trevor giving Simon good advice on how to give a good audition, Simon having to sign a Doorman Waiver, the revelation that Trevor is working for Agent Cleary from the Department of Damage Control, Marvel fanboys needing to lower their expectations for Simon fighting supervillains, Wonder Man addressing superhero fatigue and Marvel stepping out of its formulaic comfort zone, our favorite quotes of the episode, new Fandom Zone Fanmail by Jesse Jackson, the upcoming appearance by Joe Pantoliano, and more! 

You can check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn
 -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- RIGHT HERE
The Fandom Zone on X/Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast
The Fandom Zone on Instagram -- HERE

And if that isn't enough for you, you can pick up an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing from TeePublic HERE as well! Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week when DJ Nik and I discuss "Self-Tape", the second episode of Wonder Man, featuring Arian Moayed as Agent Cleary and an appearance by Joe Pantoliano!

Monday, February 9, 2026

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 363: "The Idiot's Lantern" Is Up!

 
"Now you listen here, Doctor...You may have fancy qualifications, but what goes on under my roof is my business!"
"A lot of people are being bundled into--"
"I am TALKING!"
"AND I'M NOT LISTENING!"
-- Eddie Connolly and the Tenth Doctor, Doctor Who: "The Idiot's Lantern"

Hello again, everyone! My partner in time Jesse Jackson and I are back for another new episode of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast! This time, we discuss "The Idiot's Lantern", the seventh episode from Doctor Who Series Two in 2006, featuring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, Billie Piper as Rose Tyler, and Maureen Lipman as The Wire!

In this episode, Jesse and I discuss things like the number of remaining Modern Era episodes left to cover, the last time we watched "The Idiot's Lantern", the way abuse is addressed in this episode not feeling like Doctor Who, Rose's daddy issues encouraging Tommy Connolly being around his abusive father, Rory Jennings voicing Young Davros for Big Finish, the source of the title "The Idiot's Lantern", Mark Gatiss originally writing the episode for Christopher Eccleston's Ninth Doctor, Mark Gatiss basing The Wire on BBC continuity announcer Sylvia Peters, Tommy Connolly originally being intended to reflect Gatiss' own experiences as a gay teenager, the episode originally being set during the dawn of rock 'n roll in America, a deleted subplot where Rose visits her aunt, the Tenth Doctor's deleted line referencing "Logopolis", all the television aerials resembling Nazi swastikas, Florizel Street being the original title for British soap opera Coronation Street, Torchwood being Season 2's "Bad Wolf" recurring reference, Queen Elizabeth II's coronation selling a lot of televisions, the Tenth Doctor getting angry that Rose was just left on the street after her face was stolen by The Wire, Rita Connolly standing up to her horrible husband, Tommy helping the Doctor defeat The Wire, Rose calling out Eddie for putting the Union flag upside down, the Wire switching from black-and-white to color, whether Mr. Magpie willingly helped The Wire, our favorite quotes of the episode, my Reverse the Polarity segment, new listener feedback from Dave Proctor, Sandi from Oregon and Holly Mac, Jesse getting to discuss a historical Doctor Who serial, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
Next Stop Everywhere's Facebook page
Next Stop Everywhere's Twitter account
Next Stop Everywhere's Instagram account

We have a NEW Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, which you can find on TeePublic right HERE!  This spiffy shirt looks great when you're listening to your favorite Doctor Who podcast and travelling through time and space! Or you could order all sorts of cool Next Stop Everywhere merch there as well!

Be sure to come back in two weeks for the next episode of Next Stop Everywhere as Jesse and I discuss "The Romans", the fourth serial from Doctor Who Season 2 in 1965, featuring William Hartnell as the Fourth Doctor, William Russell as Ian Chesterton, Jacqueline Hill as Barbara Wright, and Maureen O'Brien as Vicki Pallister!