News

Scream Factory is releasing limited edition SteelBook 4K Uhd + Blu-ray editions of RoboCop 2, The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Prince of Darkness, and Ghosts of Mars exclusively through Amazon.

RoboCop 2 will be released on July 15.

The 1990 sci-fi action sequel is directed by Irvin Kershner (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back) and written by comic book legend Frank Miller (The Dark Knight Returns) and Walon Green (Eraser).

Peter Weller returns to star with Nancy Allen, Dan O’Herlihy, Tom Noonan, Belinda Bauer, and Gabriel Damon.

Disc 1 – 4K Uhd:

4K Scan From The Original Camera Negative In Dolby Vision (Hdr-10 Compatible) Audio: DTS-hd Master Audio 5.1 Surround & 2.0 Stereo Audio Commentary With Author/CG Supervisor Paul M. Sammon Audio Commentary With The Makers Of “RoboDoc: The Creation Of RoboCop” Documentary – Gary Smart, Chris Griffiths And Eastwood Allen

Disc 2 – Blu-ray:

4K Scan From The Original Camera Negative Audio: DTS-hd Master Audio 5.1 Surround & 2.0 Stereo Audio...

The Multiverse Saga has been an interesting time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although it started on a high, it has been full of ups and downs as Marvel Studios attempted to figure out the way forward for the franchise after Avengers: Endgame, while also juggling the new mediums of television shows and one-off specials it now had at its disposal. There were some stmbles along the way as the studio had to figure out that sometimes less could be more.

One of the big positives of the Multiverse Saga, however, has been the experimentation that Marvel took on during this time. From introducing new characters we've all been waiting to see in the MCU to presenting us with different styles, stories, and shows, the franchise has offered us some very different stories this time around and it has been a thrill to experience.

However, there was one area of...

After the success of Daredevil: Born Again, everyone hopes that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will keep its momentum with the release of Thunderbolts*. The upcoming team-up movie will shine the spotlight on some of Marvel's most flawed characters, all of whom have done horrible things in their past. But while this team of misfits seems to be the perfect recipe for disaster, the movie's early reactions have been anything but.

Some are calling it Marvel's best movie in recent memory, others highlight its emotional story, and everyone praises Florence Pugh's performance. Oh, and there also appear to be some shocking post-credits scenes added to the mix as well.

Expectations couldn't be any higher heading into the Thunderbolts* premiere. But while Marvel has caught lightning in a bottle yet again with an unlikely team-up of "heroes", it seems the titular roster was set to be very different in the very early stages of development.

Marvel and DC are world-renowned for their endless stream of superhero characters, but if we're being honest, the more supernatural and horror sides of both comic book companies aren't as well-loved or even well-known by mainstream audiences, which just shouldn't be!

Two characters in particular should be counted among some of the best characters within each of their respective companies, and they are the macabre Man-Thing from Marvel and the muck-encrusted mockery of a man, Swamp Thing from DC! Both characters are alike in their own way, but they also have their own traits that make them uniquely formidable. Their similarities mean that DC and Marvel fans have compared them over the years, wondering which of the two entities would win.

Let's veg out together to see who between these two guardians of the swamp would come out on top!

Man-Thing and Swamp Thing's origins, explained

Before they were supernatural entities,...

As the last week of December approaches and viewers prepare for the upcoming animated movies of 2025, it's time to look back at the past year for the best animated movies of 2024. While a recent update about the release window of Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-verse, the current most-anticipated animated movie, practically confirms that there won't be a release date for another 2 years, 2024 has still been very exciting for animation, with the release of sequels to many beloved franchises.

Every animated movie released in 2024 didn't make as big a stir in the box office or among critics as they were supposed to, but there have been some noteworthy surprise hits. While Kung Fu Panda, Inside Out, Moana, and Despicable Me got anticipated sequels, the Transformers franchise branched out into animation, and The Wild Robot got critical and commercial success beyond what anyone had imagined it would.

Inside Out (2024) Directed by Kelsey Mann...

2024 might not have been the biggest year for cinema, but it offered Disney a success story. Following a disappointing 2023, a year the House of Mouse celebrated its 100th anniversary, Disney is now ruling other studios again.

Per Deadline, Disney has reached a major milestone as it became the only studio to reach $2 billion at the domestic box office. Last year, Disney had a string of celebratory films for its 100th anniversary, including Wish, The Haunted Mansion, Pixar's Elemental, and Marvel's Ant-Man and the Quantumania and The Marvels, as well as Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Unfortunately, last year registered more losses for Disney, but 2024 came with a lot of magic.

Related Kraven the Hunter's Dismal Thursday Box Office Is a Rough Start for Final Ssu Movie

Kraven the Hunter didn't exactly light up the box office on Thursday, hinting at a rough road ahead for Sony's final Spider-Man spinoff movie.

Disney animated movies have been known to cause tears and heartbreak because of their emotional scenes, like that of The Lion King when Simba tries to wake Mufasa after his fall. Fortunately, Disney is just as adept at bringing plenty of smiles and laughter to its viewers, specifically through the use of some hilarious characters.

Whether sidekicks or main characters, heroes or villains, there's an amusing character in almost every piece of Disney animation. However, several such characters stand out from the rest as the funniest, ranging from some of Disney's earlier movies to more recent projects.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on December 5, 2024: With Moana 2 finally in theaters, jump back into the wonderful world of Disney and its many colorful characters. This article has been updated to include more hilarious animated Disney characters and to adhere to Cbr's current formatting guidelines.

Related 10 Disney Villains Too Hard to...

After the immense success of Inside Out 2, a fan-made concept trailer imagines how the story of the franchise would play out in a live-action film. It's the latest video to utilize AI to picture what a live-action adaptation of an animated movie may look like.

The video was posted on YouTube by Multiverse of Movies. It's the same channel that has previously shared live-action movie concept trailers for animated shows like The Simpsons, South Park, and Futurama, as well as video games such as Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Other Pixar films have also gotten the treatment, including Toy Story and The Incredibles. Similarly, Inside Out has now gotten a concept trailer of its own, which was made with the assistance of AI-generated imagery.

Related 'He Was Really Fun': Inside Out 2 Writer Reveals Another Deleted Villain

Inside Out 2 almost featured another emotion to stir Riley's internal conflict alongside Anxiety and Shame.

Werewolf By Night, Marvel Studios' first ever Special presentation, debuted on Disney+ in 2022, and opened the door to a whole new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that's yet to be further explored.

The black-and-white Halloween Special really was a first for the franchise, paying homage to the classic Universal monster movies with its noirish style, creepy atmosphere and heightened levels of violence.

Werewolf By Night introduced several new characters such as Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly) Ted, aka Man-Thing (Carey Jones), and the titular lycanthrope himself, Jack Russell (Gael García Bernal), and fans have been eager for an update on their potential return.

Director Michael Giacchino previously confirmed that discussions about doing more with the characters have taken place, but it sounds like any plans for a follow-up episode have been put on the back-burner.

"There's been a lot going on in the industry and everyone sort of recalibrating. I...

In an era dominated by larger-than-life superhero flicks, sometimes a change of pace works like a charm. Marvel Studios learnt that with its first ever special, Werewolf by Night, a 53-minute long movie (some believe that it borders between the idea of a movie and a show).

Starring the likes of Gael Garcia Bernal, Laura Donnelly, Kirk Thatcher, and Harriet Sansom Harris, the special was held in high regard by both fans and critics. Given its reception, it did not come as a surprise that people want more of it. And director Michael Giacchino might have the positive update all of us were waiting for.

Werewolf by Night was the perfect special for MCU Werewolf by Night was well received by fans across the board || Disney+

At a time when any news about the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems to be revolving around how its next phase will pan out, YouTuber...

Inside Out 2's lineup of deleted emotions gets longer with new reveals from the head creatives. Writer Meg LeFauve dropped another candidate that didn't make the cut, and it's an emotion that would've paired well with Shame.

Writer Meg LeFauve revealed Inside Out 2 almost featured another villain: Schadenfreude, and he's unique because he causes other people to feel anxiety or shame. "Schadenfreude came in and out pretty quick," she told The Direct. "He was really fun. It's a German word for an emotion where you laugh at people's pain. Which is very teenager-y because you don't have a frontal lobe, and it's why we all laugh at pratfalls. Because somebody falls, we laugh; it's funny, right? But why does our brain do that? That's Schadenfreude. But he didn't make it."

Related Inside Out 2 Director Reveals New Emotion in Deleted Scene

A new emotion jumps in to stoke...

Quick Links Inside Out 2 and Eighth Grade Tackle Teen Pressure and Expectations Inside Out 2 and Eighth Grade Explore the Images We Present to the World Both Films Understand Fundamental Truths About Growing Up

Four months after its release, its clear that Inside Out 2 was the blockbuster hit that Disney and Pixar desperately needed. The once unstoppable animation studio had a rough couple of years, thanks to a mix of poor marketing, middling audience reception, and a struggle to recapture viewers conditioned to watch a new release on Disney+ rather than going out to the theater. But Inside Out 2 surpassed all expectations; not only did it please both critics and fans of the masterful original, but its now Pixars highest-grossing release ever.

And while it might not attain the utter perfection of the first installment, whats refreshing about Inside Out 2 is its subtle genre shift. As...

Inside Out 2 was not only a box office smash hit, but also a streaming sensation, bringing in record numbers on Disney+. It debuted on the streamer on September 25 after an incredible theatrical run, where it was number one at the domestic box office for three weeks. The film grossed $652 million domestically, and $1.69 billion worldwide, to become the highest-grossing movie of 2024. It was known Inside Out 2's arrival on Disney+ would be a big deal, but the Pixar sequel continues to blow past expectations.

According to Deadline, Inside Out 2 generated 30.5 million views worldwide on Disney+ in its first five days. Inside Out 2 is easily the biggest movie premiere on Disney+ in 2024, but also the largest debut since Encanto dropped on Disney+ on Christmas Eve of 2021. It is also the biggest premiere on Disney+ in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and in Latin America, continuing the film's strong...

The animated sequel Inside Out 2 continues to find great success after its recent debut on Disney+. After dominating the box office as one of the highest-earning movies ever released, the film has become an instant hit on streaming.

Per ComicBook.com, Inside Out 2 pulled in 30.5 million views on Disney+ within its first five days of availability. This is the second-biggest opening for a theatrical film on Disney+ in the streaming platform's history, behind only 2021's Encanto. Notably, Inside Out 2 still set the record for the most-watched Disney+ title in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.

Related Inside Out 2 Knocks Down Disney Remake to Become 9th Biggest Movie Ever

After its astounding box office success, Inside Out 2 has dethroned a Disney remake as one of the biggest movies worldwide.

During its run in theaters, Inside Out 2 became the highest-grossing animated film of all time.

A beloved animated franchise is turning Disney+s rankings inside out. At the time of this writing, and coming on the heels of Inside Out 2s streaming release on Wednesday, September 25, Disneys emotionally charged film series is dominating the streamers Top 5 movies. As confirmed by Flix Patrol, the long-awaited sequel Inside Out 2, the original Inside Out and the 2015 short flick Rileys First Date? rank No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 respectively. And if not for the Dwayne The Rock Johnson-led Moana (2016), the Inside Out saga would have laid claim to gold, silver and bronze medals.

Inside Out 2 3.5/5 PGAdventureComedyAnimationDramaFamily

Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. - literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought...

Animated sequels rarely live up to the standards of the original, especially since many animated classics are left as standalone movies. It's only in the 21st century that animated sequels have become more popular. Before this shift, animated movies were either left untouched or given direct-to-video sequels with little fanfare, as was the case with many Disney classics. The landscape of animated movies is much different now.

The 21st century has seen the rise of long-running animated franchises such as Shrek, Toy Story and Kung Fu Panda. Still, sequels can be tricky business, with studios struggling to come up with storylines as vibrant as those in the original movies. However, there are some exceptions where a sequel can strike upon a brilliant idea. In these cases, some sequels can even improve upon the animated classics which inspired them.

Related Why Walt Disney Didn't Make Sequels To His Animated Movies

None...

The Inside Out spin-off series Dream Productions and the Pixar original Win or Lose have set premiere dates for Disney+. With the release of Disney+, the studio has looked to use the Pixar brand to create a wide variety of series to draw in viewers. These include Monsters at Work, a sequel series to Monsters Inc., and short series like Dug Days and Cars on the Road. Dream Productions and Win or Lose are set to see Pixar expanding their long-form TV offerings.

Dream Productions, a spin-off series to the popular Inside Out film franchise, will debut all four episodes together and premiere on Disney+ on December 11, 2024, as confirmed by Deadline. The series will take place between the events of Inside Out and Inside Out 2 and explore the studio's inner workings behind Rileys dreams, first glimpsed in Inside Out. Riley's Emotions are starting to send many of her memories to Dream Productions,...

This October, Marvel Comics will reopen the crypt with a new instalment of Crypt of Shadows, the hit one-shot that spotlights the mystical, monstrous, and downright terrifying characters of the Marvel Universe.

The comic is back for another year of horrors, and this time around, Agatha Harkness plays hostess, introducing stories and adventures that it's said will keep us spooked throughout the Halloween season! Today, you can check out all three covers and learn more about the featured stories and creators.

As All Hallows' Eve approaches, the heroes of the Marvel Universe find themselves once again facing the terrors that lie in the dark.

From creatures that lurk in the deep to sinister sorcery, we'll witness our favourite heroes get put through the wringer as they're forced to face down the malevolent forces of the Marvel Universe.

Here's what we can look forward to in Crypt of Shadows:

Prepare to...

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, TVLine may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Ready to tap into your emotions? Inside Out 2 will soon be available to buy and stream online. Here’s everything you need to know about watching the Disney sequel from home.

More from TVLineHow to Watch Saturday's NFL Triple-Header OnlineWicked Gets Digital Release Date - Find Out Where and When You Can Stream It OnlineDoctor Who Season 15 Trailer Teases New Companion, Emojibots, Ruby's Return...

The latest clip from Disney and Pixars upcoming Inside Out 2 movie has been dropped, featuring a closer look at one of Rileys newest emotions. Besides Anxiety, Envy, Ennui and Embarrassing, the sequel is expected to introduce other new characters within Rileys mind.

Shared by Discussing Film on X, the Inside Out 2 clip provides fans with the first footage of the Nostalgia emotion, who is depicted in the form of an elderly lady reminiscing on previous memories. The new character is voiced by Oscar nominee June Squibb, who first collaborated with Pixar in Toy Story 4, in which she voiced an antique shop owner. The Nebraska actor will next be seen in the comedy movie Thelma, and in Scarlett Johanssons feature directorial debut Eleanor the Great.

Related It Was Very Inspirational for Me: Inside Out 2 Writer Teases Rileys Belief System Inside Out 2 creative team explains the importance behind...

Efrosians in Star Trek were originally seen in movies, but a new named character is introduced in Discovery season 5. The design of Efrosians was created by artist Thomas Blackshear and translated into prosthetics by makeup artist Brian Wade. The Efrosians have limited appearances on screen, with only 3 Efrosians appearing in Star Trek, including the Federation President.

The Efrosians in Star Trek appear twice, and only briefly, in the Star Trek movies, before a named Efrosian character debuts in Star Trek: Discovery season 5. The Efrosians are a Star Trek alien species characterized by long, flowing white or platinum blonde hair, piercing light eyes, and V-shaped cranial ridges. The first two appearances of Efrosians imply that every member of the species may be blind, but without a larger sample size, it's hard to tell if that's a universal trait among all Efrosians, or simply coincidence. It's possible -- and far more likely...

Disney and Pixars Inside Out 2 has received the first official clip from the highly-anticipated animated sequel, providing an extended look at Anxietys introduction. Rileys newest emotion will be voiced by Stranger Things star Maya Hawke, which serves as her second voice acting project since starring in an episode of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur last year.

The Inside Out 2 clip shows Hawkes orange-colored character, as she surprises Joy, Anger, Sadness, Fear and Disgust with her sudden arrival at the headquarters. She enthusiastically introduces herself to the original team as one of Rileys newest emotions, revealing that shes been a long-time fan of Joy, and is ready to help her with anything she needs. According to director Kelsey Mann, Hawkes Anxiety will be leaning into the aspect of social anxiety, as Riley begins the next chapter of her life as a teenager. "Im especially excited about Anxiety " he said. "There...

The official runtime for Disney and Pixars highly-anticipated animated sequel Inside Out 2 has been revealed. This comes ahead of its special screening at the upcoming Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

According to the Annecy Festival website, Inside Out 2 will have a total running time of 100 minutes or an hour and 40 minutes, making it a bit longer than the original 2015 movie. The sequels Annecy Festival screening will also be attended by director Kelsey Mann and producer Mark Nielsen. The film will feature returning voice members Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, Diane Lane as Mrs. Anderson and Kyle MacLachlan as Mr. Anderson. As for Fear and Disgust, Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling have been replaced by Tony Hale and Liza Lapira as the new voice actors for the said characters.

Related Inside Out 2 Was Inspired by Two Acclaimed Adam Sandler Movies...

Riley is growing up. And that brings out a whole new set of emotions to the animated sequel Inside Out 2.

The Pixar sequel to the 2015 film, which followed five personified basic emotions inside the mind of Riley, will be out in theaters on June 14. The film will follow the five original emotions who are forced to work with new feelings.

Among the new voices are Tony Hale, replacing Bill Hader as Fear, and and Liza Lapira, who will replace Mindy Kaling as disgust. Adèle Exarchopoulos will also join the cast to voice new character Ennui.

Directed by Kelsey Mann and produced by Mark Nielsen, with a score by Andrea Datzman, additional voice cast will join Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler), Anger (voiced by Lewis Black), Sadness (voiced by Phyllis Smith), Fear (voiced by Tony Hale), and Disgust (voiced by Liza Lapira) is a new group of emotions:

Maya Hawke voices Anxiety,...

New emotions are introduced and old emotions are suppressed in the official trailer for Pixar’s Inside Out 2. The trailer was accompanied by details on the new characters joining the fun inside Riley’s head for the sequel.

Maya Hawke as Anxiety: A bundle of frazzled energy, Anxiety enthusiastically ensures Riley’s prepared for every possible negative outcome. Ayo Edebiri as Envy: Envy may be small, but she sure knows what she wants. She’s perpetually jealous of everything everyone else has, and she’s not afraid to pine over it. Adèle Exarchopoulos as Ennui: Ennui couldn’t care less. Bored and lethargic with a well-practiced eye-roll, Ennui adds the perfect amount of teenage apathy to Riley’s personality when she feels like it. Paul Walter Hauser as Embarrassment: Embarrassment likes to lay low, which isn’t easy for this burly guy with a bright blush-pink complexion.

The...

Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 has dropped another teaser trailer with three new animated characters voiced by Paul Walter Hauser, Ayo Edebiri and Adèle Exarchopoulos sharing main character Riley’s (Kensington Tallman) now-teenage mind.

Joining Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness and Lewis Black as Anger are Maya Hawke as Anxiety; Edebiri’s new and perpetually jealous animated character Envy; Exarchopoulos’ bored and eye-rolling Ennui emotion; and Hauser voicing his burly, yet red-faced, character of Embarrassment.

The sequel also features new voices for fear and disgust, with Tony Hale replacing Bill Hader and Liza Lapira replacing Mindy Kaling, respectively.

“You got a real sweaty palm there, buddy,” Riley, about to begin high school, tells a cowering Embarrassment after they shake hands. The trailer has other emotions in the head of the newly minted teenager in predictable turmoil as Lilimar Hernandez voices Valentina “Val” Ortiz, a high school hockey player everyone,...

Life is about to become pure chaos thanks to every teen’s dreaded emotion: anxiety. (It’s pretty bad for grownups too.)

Maya Hawke joins Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” as Anxiety, the new voice inside tween Riley’s (Kensington Tallman) head. Join the club. Just as Riley is set to start high school, feelings of Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos) join in. Actors Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, and Liza Lapira play Riley’s preexisting feelings of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. It’s getting crowded in there….

Lilimar, Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green, and Grace Lu voice Riley’s friends, while Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan return as her parents. Yvette Nicole Brown voices Coach Roberts, who heads up a summer hockey camp. Additional voice actors include Paula Pell, Sarayu Blue, Flea, Ron Funches, Dave Goelz, James Austin Johnson, Bobby Moynihan,...

Marvel's Werewolf By Night captivated fans and critics alike, leaving everyone eagerly awaiting a sequel amidst the uncertainty surrounding its future. The recent re-release of the original special on Disney+ has reignited conversations about the film, with a new wave of viewers expected to be captivated by its allure. Werewolf By Night is a standout among Marvel projects, praised for its audacity and uniqueness in a sea of formulaic narratives, making it a beloved gem in the superhero genre.

Marvel's Werewolf By Night, originally a stand-alone Halloween special, quickly became a fan favorite, with many eagerly awaiting a sequel. The film's impact has left everyone, from its makers to its viewers, pondering over its sequel. In the ever-evolving landscape of cinematic productions, certain ventures can unexpectedly rise from the shadows to capture the attention of fans and critics alike. Michael Giacchino, the maestro behind the original project, remains candid about...

"More terrifying, more gruesome, all in color." Marvel Studios has unveiled a brand new 2023 trailer for their spin-off Halloween "Special Presentation" event called Werewolf by Night. It initially debuted last year during October as a one-off, one-hour-long B&w horror film from Marvel, directed by famed composer Michael Giacchino. It's now being re-released fully in color in 2023 (as "Werewolf by Night in Color"). The special stars the wonderfully talented actor Gael García Bernal as Jack Russell, a lycanthrope superhero who fights crime using the abilities given to him by a curse brought on by his bloodline. The great cast also includes Laura Donnelly, Harriet Sansom Harris, Eugenie Bondurant, & Kirk R. Thatcher. The film introduces a whole bunch of new monsters from the Marvel universe, most notably the big lovable tree monster "Man-Thing" aka "Ted". I thought it played just fine in B&w last year, but I guess I'll watch it again in color this year.

2022 was a big year for Disney+ and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Not only did Marvel Studios release three new shows—Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law—and a collection of animated shorts—I Am Groot—but they also premiered their first special: Werewolf by Night. This one-off story focuses on Jack Russell, a man who in the comics can turn into a bloodthirsty werewolf every three nights of a full moon due to his lycanthropic ancestry. First reported in August 2021 and officially revealed a year later during the Marvel Studios panel at the 2022 D23 expo, Werewolf By Night stars Gael García Bernal (Mozart in the Jungle) as the title character and Laura Donnelly (The Nevers) as monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone. Other cast members include Harriet Sansom Harris (Addams Family Values), Al Hamacher (Cobra Kai), Eugenie Bondurant (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It), Leonardo Nam...

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 had all the elements fans wanted from a Tng Reunion except one thing. Star Trek: Picard Season 2 offered a cautionary social warning about 21st Century American issues. Gene Roddenberry wanted Star Trek to reflect the social issues of the day, and Picard Season 2 did that more than Season 3

The final season of Star Trek: Picard gave fans of The Next Generation everything they wanted from the reunion of those characters. The story was epic, less a season of television and more a cinematic trilogy of films. However, one element Picard Season 3 lacked that Season 2 had was the sociopolitical commentary Star Trek is known for. Gene Roddenberry created this universe nearly 60 years ago to hold up a mirror to the modern day, and the time-travel story from Picard Season 2 did that incredibly well.

When Star Trek: Picard was first announced, Patrick Stewart was adamant the show not...

It has been a couple of years since we ranked every Star Trek story set in what we’re loosely going to call “the present day” (a period of just under 60 years). Since then Starfleet has paid a couple of more visits back to the age of paying for things with money and rotating doors.

We have no way of knowing why the series keeps returning to this setting that doesn’t require the manufacture of any new props, sets or costumes, but it seems like a good time to update our listings and ask “Who wore it better?”

8. Assignment: Earth

This episode would prove to be a particularly tricky one for nearly every single time travel episode that has come since, in that it shows time travel for the Federation is so easy and routine that the Enterprise can just nip back to the Cold War to see why...

"When hinges creak in doorless chambers, and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls ... wherever candle lights flicker, though the air is deathly still ... that is the time that ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight."

So runs the opening narration, provided by Paul Frees, at the entrance to the Haunted Mansion, easily the best thing Disney has ever produced as a company.

Justin Simien's new film "Haunted Mansion," due in theaters on July 28, 2023, is the third attempt to adapt the 1959 Disneyland attraction to the big screen. As Disneyland attractions go, The Haunted Mansion stands out. It's one of the few attractions that is meant to explicitly elicit fear rather than wonderment or thrills. There are ghosts and images in the Haunted Mansion that are still, to this day, genuinely scary. The Mansion is also, like many of Disneyland's early attractions, not attached to any...

Jim Henson’s Muppets mesh so well with Christmas. Crazy and chaotic as they are, the characters are just one big family. They are a collection of personalities that reflect Henson’s optimism. And what is Christmas if not a madcap holiday that promotes optimism and family? It’s no surprise that before and after Henson’s death, his felt creations have been in countless Christmas-related films and shows.

We here at Den of Geek have decided to rank these Christmas entries from worst to best. In terms of ground rules, we’re only going with the baseline Muppet stuff. There are a million Sesame Street Christmas things and we’re not touching them. Same goes for Fraggle Rock and Muppet Babies. We’re focusing on Kermit’s crew, stories where Kermit is the host, and one case where one major Muppet makes his debut.

But now let’s get things started.

Multihyphenate Kirk Thatcher has been involved with a vast range of iconic movies and television over the past 40 years. From his first job, on Star Wars: Return of the Jedi no less, Thatcher has been crafting beloved stories that reach into all corners of fandom as a writer, director, producer, actor, and visual effects coordinator. Though much of his career centers around his work with Jim Henson on the Muppets franchise, Thatcher has also worked on projects like Star Trek, Gremlins, Spiderman: Homecoming, and many more. Recently Collider's own Editor-in-Chief, Steve Weintraub sat down with Thatcher to discuss his work on the highly acclaimed smash hit MCU television special, Werewolf by Night.

Collider's own Steve Weintraub recently got the chance to sit down with legendary multi-hyphenate Kirk Thatcher to discuss his prolific career working in numerous roles throughout the industry. The Emmy-winning writer/director/actor/producer/effects whiz is now known for everything from Muppets Tonight to Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and, more recently, Werewolf By Night, but during the interview, he also elaborated on his roots rising up through Industrial Light & Magic (Ilm). It was there that Thatcher would blossom and meet a friend who would help him kick off his career - David Fincher.

Mister Creep: "Three college students stumble upon a lost television broadcast of a deceased serial killer and search for its location. They discover a nightmarish cover-up of a clown-faced man who killed hundreds and may still be around long after his death.

From writer/director Isaac Rodriguez, and starring Thomas Burke, Ali Alkhafaji, Amber Lee Solis, and Judy McMillan, come face to face with Mister Creep on digital December 5."

---

Monsters vs Madness: A Benefit Auction For Planned Parenthood - Happens Online November 11-27, 2022: "This November, fans around the world will have a chance to bid on one-of-a-kind painted figures of the most famous movie monsters ever in an online auction to benefit Planned Parenthood. The Monsters vs Madness auction is the brainchild of author, pop culture expert, producer and co-chair of the Atlanta Monsterama fan convention Anthony Taylor. Last summer, dismayed by the Supreme Court decision in the Dobbs case,...

Marvel Studios’ Werewolf by Night took us all by surprise by showing what a true horror story would look like in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and we can’t wait to have more of its amazing characters. Besides diving deep into the B-horror tradition for Werewolf by Night, director Michael Giacchino also brought a group of very talented stars to elevate his monster movie. One of these stars is no one less than Kirk Thatcher, a Hollywood legend involved with major franchises such as The Muppets and Star Trek. So, when Collider’s own Steve Weintraub sat down to talk with Thatcher about his legendary career, we used the opportunity to ask about what happened behind the scenes of Marvel Studios’ first Halloween special.

"Werewolf by Night" is the new live-action TV special, directed by Michael Giacchino, based on the Marvel Comics character, starring García Bernal as 'Jack Russell'/'Werewolf by Night', Laura Donnelly and Harriet Sansom Harris, now streaming on Disney+: 

"...a clandestine group of 'monster hunters' gather at 'Bloodstone Manor' following the death of their leader...

"...and engage in a mysterious and deadly competition...

"...for a powerful relic, ultimately bringing them face to face with a terrifying monster..." 

Cast also includes Al Hamacher as 'Billy Swan', Eugenie Bondurant as 'Linda', Kirk Thatcher as 'Jovan', Leonardo Nam as 'Simon', Jaycob Maya as 'Jake Gomez' and Daniel J. Watts. 

Click the images to enlarge...

"Werewolf by Night" is the new live-action TV special, directed by Michael Giacchino, based on the Marvel Comics character, starring García Bernal as 'Jack Russell'/'Werewolf by Night', Laura Donnelly and Harriet Sansom Harris, now streaming on Disney+: 

"...a clandestine group of 'monster hunters' gather at 'Bloodstone Manor' following the death of their leader...

"...and engage in a mysterious and deadly competition...

"...for a powerful relic, ultimately bringing them face to face with a terrifying monster..." 

Cast also includes Al Hamacher as 'Billy Swan', Eugenie Bondurant as 'Linda', Kirk Thatcher as 'Jovan', Leonardo Nam as 'Simon', Jaycob Maya as 'Jake Gomez' and Daniel J. Watts. 

Click the images to enlarge...

"Werewolf by Night" is a new live-action TV special, directed and scored by Michael Giacchino, based on the Marvel Comics character, starring García Bernal as 'Jack Russell'/'Werewolf by Night', Laura Donnelly and Harriet Sansom Harris, now streaming on Disney+: 

"...a clandestine group of 'monster hunters' gather at 'Bloodstone Manor' following the death of their leader...

"...and engage in a mysterious and deadly competition...

"...for a powerful relic, ultimately bringing them face to face with a terrifying monster..." 

Cast also includes Al Hamacher as 'Billy Swan', Eugenie Bondurant as 'Linda', Kirk Thatcher as 'Jovan', Leonardo Nam as 'Simon', Jaycob Maya as 'Jake Gomez' and Daniel J. Watts. 

Click the images to enlarge...

Stars: Gael García Bernal, Laura Donnelly, Harriet Sansom Harris, Kirk R. Thatcher, Eugenie Bondurant | Written by Peter Cameron, Heather Quinn | Directed by Michael Giacchino

On a dark and sombre night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader; the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic.

When I was much younger (probably from the time I was eight years old up until the time I was about sixteen), I thought every single thing the Marvel Cinematic Universe did was the best. I was always the one saying that they were constantly outdoing themselves with each new release. But… I was wrong. The MCU these days is just not the same as it used to be, and even some of their older projects have me questioning some of their quality. It seems as though,...

Plot: A secret group of monster hunters gather at Bloodstone Manor following the death of their leader and engage in a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic, which will bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.

Review: Billed as a special presentation, Marvel Studios’ Werewolf by Night is in fact a standalone story that is too short to be a feature film and not long enough to be a series. Instead, it is about the length of a single episode of television but packs enough material to serve as the template for Marvel Studios to pump out any number of stories that don’t quite fit the bill for a movie or a show. The experiment works as Werewolf by Night is a blast from start to finish that allows Marvel Studios to play with more unusual aspects of their comic book source material without being dependent on massive budgets.

Click here to read the full article.

At this moment, no streamer is having more fun with its combination of boundless programming real estate, boundless money and boundless IP than Disney+. Whether it’s six-hour commercials — err… “documentaries” — for Disney-adjacent properties or five-minute animated shorts built around various beloved characters, it’s never entirely clear when the thing premiering on Disney+ is going to be an ongoing series, limited series, feature-length movie or nebulously unspecified “special.”

In that latter category, Disney+ dropped the generally inconsistent Muppets Haunted Mansion last October. It continued the company’s baffling ongoing struggle to figure out smart things to do with the seemingly endlessly fungible Muppets franchise, but at only 49 minutes and still packed with appealing moments, it felt like exactly the sort of small, jeopardy-free swing Disney should be taking.

The same is true of this October’s Disney+ Halloween season special, Werewolf by Night.

The upcoming Werewolf By Night is being billed as the first Special Presentation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it likely won’t be the last. While speaking with SFX Magazine (via GamesRadar), Werewolf By Night director Michael Giacchino teased that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is eager to follow this with more “one-and-done” Marvel stories.

There have been rumours that Marvel Studios might transform some of their upcoming TV shows into these Special Presentations instead. Nothing has been confirmed at this point, but it does give Marvel another way to approach these stories. “It was perfect for me,” Michael Giacchino said of the hour-long runtime. “Because I wanted to do something in the vein of a really fun episode of The Twilight Zone or The Night Gallery.“

Related Kevin Feige says Werewolf By Night will become quite important to the future of the MCU

Werewolf By Night takes place...

With director Michael Giacchino’s Werewolf by Night arriving on Disney+ October 7th, I recently got to speak with Laura Donnelly about playing Elsa Bloodstone in the Marvel Studios special presentation. Werewolf by Night is about a secret cabal of monster hunters that meet up at the Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. The purpose of the meeting is to decide who will be their new leader and the one who will take possession of a powerful relic. Inspired by horror films of the 1930s and 1940s, Werewolf by Night explores a new corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and also stars Gael García Bernal, Harriet Sansom Harris, Leonardo Nam, Kirk R. Thatcher, and Eugenie Bondurant.

In a week where horror folks will be overloaded by the return of Pinhead ("Hellraiser"), Art the Clown ("Terrifier 2"), and Chucky ("Chucky" season 2), the people at Marvel Studios have decided to endow upon us a television special that harkens back to the days of early sound monster movies with "Werewolf by Night." Composer Michael Giacchino, otherwise known as the man behind the scores for "The Incredibles" and "The Batman," has taken it upon himself to adapt the '70s Marvel comic into a love letter to the Universal Monsters for his directorial debut.

As the first of Marvel's "Special Presentation" department, "Werewolf by Night" presents an incredible opportunity for creatives to tinker around with characters and ideas that may not have enough leg room for an entire series or feature film, but fits just nicely into this looser mold. If Giacchino is going to take a crack at taking us...

"Werewolf by Night" is the upcoming live-action TV special, directed and scored by Michael Giacchino, based on the Marvel Comics character, starring García Bernal as 'Jack Russell'/'Werewolf by Night', Laura Donnelly and Harriet Sansom Harris, streaming October 7, 2022 on Disney+: 

"...a clandestine group of 'monster hunters' gather at 'Bloodstone Manor' following the death of their leader...

"...and engage in a mysterious and deadly competition...

"...for a powerful relic, ultimately bringing them face to face with a terrifying monster..." 

Cast also includes Al Hamacher as 'Billy Swan', Eugenie Bondurant as 'Linda', Kirk Thatcher as 'Jovan', Leonardo Nam as 'Simon', Jaycob Maya as 'Jake Gomez' and Daniel J. Watts. 

Click the images to enlarge...

By this time next week, Marvel’s first Halloween Special will be upon us. Werewolf By Night may seem like a one-off, but Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige explained in a recent featurette that the world they’re introducing “will ultimately become quite important to the future of the MCU.” You can check out the Werewolf By Night featurette for yourself above!

Werewolf By Night takes place on a dark and somber night as a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster. “We wanted to explore entirely new characters and entirely new sides of the MCU with this unusual,...

"One of you is a montser… masquerading as one of our own!" Marvel Studios has revealed their first look trailer at a new spin-off Halloween "Special Presentation" streaming one-off event. Uh whoa a horror special from Marvel?! Sounds great. The official title is Marvel Studios' Special Presentation: Werewolf by Night and it seems to be an hour-long special connected to the MCU by introducing another new Marvel character - known as the "Werewolf by Night." The special stars the wonderfully talented actor Gael García Bernal as Jack Russell, a lycanthrope superhero who fights crime using the abilities given to him by a curse brought on by his bloodline. The cast also includes Laura Donnelly, Harriet Sansom Harris, Eugenie Bondurant, and Kirk R. Thatcher. It was also revealed at D23 that beloved film score composer Michael Giacchino is directing this, his first ever full-length directing gig after some shorts. This is...