Star Wars: The Acolyte heads to Disney+ soon, telling a character-driven story that will surely stand out in the Star Wars galaxy. The Acolyte's ensemble cast of characters includes a young alien Jedi named Jecki Lon, played by Logan and His Dark Materials star Dafne Keen. While speaking to ComicBook about Star Wars: The Acolyte, Keen made a connection between Jecki's journey and her own path as a young actor.

"I think I did bring a bit of my own experience into it," Keen explained in our interview, which you can check out above. "Being someone who has been working for over ten years at 19, [it] throws you in at the deep end and forces you to kind of be an adult from a very young age. And I think Jecki has that in her, and sort of this adultness that's not that common in an 18 year old, which is how old Jackie is. So there was a lot of that, and a lot of my perfectionism and her perfectionism, and just how hard-working I think we are, and also how hard on ourselves we are, and competitive. So, a lot of me and her was very similar, which was pretty easy to access."

When Is Star Wars: The Acolyte Set?

Star Wars: The Acolyte is set at the very tail end of the High Republic era, decades prior to the events of the Prequel and Original trilogies. The Acolyte marks the first time that the time period has been portrayed in live-action, after it has already been brought to life in novels, comics, and in the animated series Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures.

"We're taking a look at the political and personal and spiritual things that came up in a time period that we don't know much about," Headland explained in a previous interview. "My question when watching The Phantom Menace was always like, 'Well, how did things get to this point?' How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment?'"

"We actually use the term the Renaissance, or the Age of Enlightenment," Headland added. "The Jedi uniforms are gold and white, and it's almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about," Headland says. "The idea is that they could have these types of uniforms because that's how little they're getting into skirmishes."

What Is Star Wars: The Acolyte About?

In Star Wars: The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems.

Star Wars: The Acolyte stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner- Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. Leslye Headland created the series, based on Star Wars by George Lucas, and serves as an executive producer along with Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGrate? and Kor Adana are the co-executive producers. Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim and Rob Bredow are the producers.

The first two episodes of Star Wars: The Acolyte will debut exclusively on Disney+ on June 4th at 6pm PST. If you haven't checked out Disney+ yet and you want to give it a go, you can do that here.

Note: This is not a sponsored post, but if you purchase one of the awesome products featured above, we may earn a small commission from the retailer. Thank you for your support.

Grey's Anatomy aired its Season 20 finale Thursday night on ABC and while the long-running series is known for its cliffhanger season finales, this week's "Burn It Down" left a lot of things up in the air when it came to the fates of most of Grey Sloan's doctors -- and it could have major impact on the show's landscape in Season 21.

Warning: Spoilers for the Season 20 finale of Grey's Anatomy beyond this point. Read on only if you want to know.

A lot went down in the Season 20 finale as Grey Sloan dealt with an influx of patients from a wildfire raging just outside Seattle. Going into the episode, Teddy (Kim Raver) had already been fired by Catherine (Debbie Allen) for secretly funding Meredith's (Ellen Pompeo) Alzheimer's research and it turns out that wouldn't be the only firing by the episode's end. When Meredith shows up at Grey Sloan to present to Catherine her and Amelia's (Caterina Scorsone) research, instead of it being enough to save Teddy's job, Catherine demands that they turn the research over to another doctor claiming it's property of the Fox Foundation -- or they will both be fired.

By the end of the episode, Meredith and Amelia decided that the right thing to do would be to just publish the research in defiance of Catherine and, as a result, both they and Teddy found themselves no longer with hospital access. And they weren't alone. Owen (Kevin McKidd) found himself out of a job as well after standing up to Catherine to allow Teddy in the operating room during a dire surgeon shortage amid the fire crisis. The episode ended with the doctors' professional fates in the balance, as well as those of the interns and potentially even Miranda (Chandra Wilson) who also stood up to Catherine when it came to the fate of one of the interns.

Cast Changes Are Ahead for Season 21 of Grey's Anatomy

The cliffhanger regarding the staff situation at Grey Sloan leaves things an interesting place for Season 21. It was previously announced that both Jake Borelli, who plays Dr. Levi Schmitt, and Midori Francis (who plays Dr. Mika Yasuda) are both exiting the series, though are expected to return for a few episodes of Season 21 to wrap up their storylines. It was also previously reported that contracts for several other actors were set to expire at the end of Season 20 -- including Wilson, McKidd, Raver, Scorsone, Camilla Luddington, and James Pickens Jr.

Grey's Anatomy Has Been Renewed For Season 21.

Back in April, ABC renewed Grey's Anatomy for Season 21, continuing the drama's run as the longest running primetime medical drama in television history as well as the longest running primetime series in ABC history. The series first debuted in 2005.

"The loyalty and love of Grey's Anatomy fans has propelled us into a history 21st season, and I could not be more grateful," series creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes said at the time. "Meg Marinis' storytelling is a gift that continues to keep the show vibrant, compelling and alive, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for next season."

A recent Netflix hit is now returning for more episodes. On Thursday, Netflix confirmed that The Vince Staples Show has officially been renewed for a second season. The five-episode first season of The Vince Staples Show arrived on Netflix in February, and quickly found a following among fans of the real-life musician and rapper Staples.

"The Vince Staples Show is back!" Staples said in a statement. "The people have spoken and the most riveting, captivating, and polarizing show on Netflix is returning for Season 2. Get ready for hijinks that only a mother can love. Thank you, Netflix!"

"There are 365 days in a year, so we're able to have 365 episodes of this thing because they're all based on what it's like to just exist day-to-day," Staples continued. "Next for Vince is literally anything because anything could happen at any moment, that's just how life works."

THE VINCE STAPLES SHOW. SEASON 2.

-- vince (@vincestaples) May 30, 2024

What Is The Vince Staples Show About?

Created by Staples and executive produced by Kenya Barris, The Vince Staples Show is often funny, sometimes emotional, and always thought-provoking. Each story is a slice-of-life tale told through a satirical lens, set in a fictional version of Long Beach, California.

Executive producers for The Vince Staples Show are Vince Staples, Kenya Barris for Khalabo Ink Society, Ian Edelman, Maurice Williams, Corey Smyth and Calmatic. Edelman and Williams are co-showrunners of the The Vince Staples Show, reuniting them with Barris, as the three also executive produced Kid Cudi's animated Netflix project, Entergalactic. Additionally, Calmatic will direct the first two episodes of The Vince Staples Show.

Who Is in the Cast of The Vince Staples Show?

In addition to Staples, the cast of The Vince Staples Show includes Andrea Ellsworth, Watts Homie Quan, Vanessa Bell Calloway, and Tiberius Byrd.

"I'm grateful," Staples previously told Rolling Stone about the series' success. "I got to do something that isn't really done on that network, or just done in general, with trying to break format and conventional comedy. I'm just trying some new things. So, I'm very happy that people embraced it, and we'll see how they feel about it moving forward. We're still trying to see what's going to happen with that. But, looking forward to other opportunities in the medium."

Season 2 of The Vince Staples Show does not currently have a release date.

Star Wars: The Acolyte is debuting on Disney+ next week, and the new series features an exciting line-up of actors. The new Star Wars series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. ComicBook recently had the chance to chat with some of the show's cast, including Barnett, who talked about the origin of his Jedi character's name, Yord Fandar. Turns out, series creator Leslye Headland actually got the name from somewhere pretty fun...

"Lowkey, I just heard the story from Leslye and I don't know if she's going to beat me in the butt for saying it. But apparently, she is in a gaming group online and one of - I can't remember what game they play - but I think it's a live-action role-playing game," Barnett explained.

"The friends invented a character named Yord Fandar on the game, and she stole the name and they didn't know basically until they read the first couple scripts and they're like, 'Hey, that's our guy,' and she was like, 'Trust me, he is very Yord.' So I think I have to give credit to them. But it is the fit for his humanity... or lack of humanity," he added with a smile.

You can watch our interview with Barnett at the top of the page.

Charlie Barnett Teases Yord Fandar:

During Star Wars Celebration in London last year, Barnett had a chat with Collider and teased his character, and talked more about working with Headland.

"I am a Jedi Knight, and I've got some really cool hair. I can tell you that." Barnett joked without revealing much else about his Star Wars role. "Leslye is an incredible writer, first and foremost, and the entire team. She's a playwright so she is invested in the story. I think what's most exciting for me, and exciting about working on this, is that through the language, through the development of these characters, you realize that bad and good is at the eyes of the beholder. You know, things are so multilayered and complicated, and it takes a really talented person to write a person that you can see from all of those angles."

"It's a comment on policing, honestly, in my mind, which is why it's so exciting," he added. "We're at a point where we're at our highest, and power can be a difficult thing."

What Is The Acolyte About?

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

Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres on Disney+ on June 4th.

At the end of Criminal Minds: Evolution last season, Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) was officially apprehended by the FBI for his involvement in killing Deputy Director Bailey. We learn that there's something known as "Gold Star" and that, apparently, Voit and Bailey are the only ones that know what it is. Gilford's storyline seemed to be pretty wrapped up last season, but it was eventually announced that he would be returning as the prolific killer.

Gilford joined the cast of Criminal Minds when it was officially moved to Paramount+ more than three years ago. He discussed retuning to the series in season 17 with Comicbook and what his conversations with showrunner Erica Messer looked like. Additionally, Gilford is set to make his directorial debut on this season of the show, something that's become commonplace for the cast every season.

Gilford explains that Messer and company "really" liked him, so they decided not to kill him and instead bring him back for more episodes. Though he wasn't consulted about what his storyline would look like this season, he was up for anything.

"Well, they were twofold. One was halfway through last season, she said to me, 'I don't know what we're gonna do next season, but we really like you. So we're not gonna kill you.' And I said, 'yeah!' And then when they actually asked me that, I said, 'of course, I'll do anything.' You know, she didn't really consult me about the storylines, but I was really excited. I was really happy with how it turned out and they planted the seed of this Gold Star thing at the end of last season. And, due to the network that Voit had created, he's got a lot of information that the BAU and any sort of law enforcement doesn't have. So it's kind of his ace in the hole or whatever the expression is. It's his Trump card and he can use it and he uses it to his advantage. And as always, he tries to manipulate everyone in every situation to kind of get what he wants and what he wants obviously is to get out of prison and get his family back. And, as we all know, he's smarter than everyone. So he works the system well."

This season will see the BAU trying to get to the bottom of Gold Star once and for all but, per the synopsis, "as the conspiracy unfolds, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is met with an unexpected complication when serial killer Elias Voit negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody in the BAU's own backyard. The team faces its biggest threat yet and cannot emerge unscathed from the mind-bending consequences."

Criminal Minds: Evolution season 17 premieres on June 6 on Paramount+.

Mind-blowing news: Inside Out is officially heading to television.

Jim Morris, the president of Pixar, confirmed an Inside Out TV series is currently in production for Disney+ and will premiere on the streaming service in 2025. According to Bloomberg, which first reported the news, the series is titled Dream Productions and is "set in the Inside Out universe of Riley's dreams."

2015's Inside Out takes place inside the mind of 11-year-old girl Riley, whose anthropomorphized emotions -- Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Fear (Bill Hader) -- operate from Emotional Headquarters. Also housed in Riley's brain: Dream Productions, a full-fledged Hollywood studio that produces her dreams and nightmares, like the imaginary movies I'm Falling for a Very Long Time Into a Pit, I Can Fly!, Something's Chasing Me!, and Fairy Dream Adventure - Part 7, starring Rainbow Unicorn.

First at bat is Pixar's first-ever series, Win or Lose, which will follow a different player of a little league team on their way to the finals over its eight-episode season (premiering later this year on Disney+). Morris also revealed that Pixar is considering third installments of its Incredibles and Finding Nemo movie franchises for theaters, but the company will wait to see how its first two shows perform before greenlighting future series for Disney+.

"I hope that we will not release another feature film on Disney+," Morris told Bloomberg. "If we do more stuff for Disney+, it should be a series, and then that makes a clean demarcation between what we do for theaters and what we do for streaming."

After Disney sent three consecutive Pixar movies to streaming -- 2020's Soul, 2021's Luca, and 2022's Turning Red -- Bloomberg reports that the studio "aims to make three movies every two years, with every other title a sequel or spinoff and the rest standalone concepts or potential seeds for new franchises." Following Inside Out 2, in theaters June 14, Pixar's original Elio will release in June 2025, with the previously announced Toy Story 5 set theatrical release in June 2026.

In Inside Out 2, Poehler, Smith, and Black reprise their roles from the original movie. Tony Hale and Liza Lapira are new to the cast as Fear and Disgust (replacing Hader and Kaling, respectively), and are joined by Maya Hawke as Anxiety, Ayo Edebiri as Envy, Ad?le Exarchopolos as Ennui, and Paul Walter Hauser as Embarrassment.

Every day is about to be a beautiful day in the neighborhood for Pluto TV. The free streaming service already hosts many episodes of the beloved children's series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, but the show has only been available as an on-demand option. In June, Pluto TV is launching a brand new channel that will keep Fred Rogers' iconic series on the air 24/7.

Pluto TV recently announced the launch of a Mister Rogers' Neighborhood channel, which will arrive on the service next month. The channel will consistently air various episodes of the beloved series, allowing fans to simply turn it on and hop in without searching for a specific episode.

This will be one of two new channels hitting Pluto TV in June, alongside a Spanish edition of The Weather Channel.

Coming Soon to Pluto TV

In addition to the Mister Rogers channel, Pluto TV is set to add dozens of movies to its free streaming roster in the month of June. You can check out the full list below!

13 Going on 30
21 and Over
Accident Man
Adaptation
Adventureland
Along Came a Spider
Apocalypto
The Aviator
Bad Asses
Bad Asses on the Bayou
Baywatch
Before I Go to Sleep
Big Fish
Boogie Nights
Branded
Brick Mansions
Brotherhood of the Wolf
Center Stage
Chinatown
Close Range
Closer
Collateral
Crawl
Dark Crystal
The Disappointments Room
Double Jeopardy (1999)
Drive
Eagle Eye
Eurotrip
Event Horizon
The Faculty
Faster
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Four Brothers
Fresh
From Dusk Till Dawn
From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money
From Dusk Till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter
Galaxy Quest
Ghost in the Shell (2017)
Girl, Interrupted
Head of State
Heat
The House Bunny
Hyena Road
Identity
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
It Had to Be You (2000)
The Italian Job (2003)
Jumping the Broom
K-19: the Widowmaker
Kiss the Girls
Krull
Labyrinth
Last Action Hero
Life
Like a Boss
London Fields
Love is Strange (2014)
Machine Gun Preacher
The Mechanic
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible III
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Multiplicity
The Parallax View
Pet Sematary (2019)
Phantom
Philadelphia
Poltergeist
Postcards from the Edge
Punch-Drunk Love
Purple Rain
Rachel Getting Married
Red Heat
Rocketman
Runaway Bride (1999)
The Running Man
Safety Not Guaranteed
Salt
The School of Rock
Secret Window
Shaft
She's All That
Shooter (2007)
Showdown at the Grand
Single White Female
Sonic the Hedgehog
St. Elmo's Fire
Stardust
Stir Crazy (1980)
Super 8
Swingers
The Terminal
The Big Hit
The Infiltrator
The Lawnmower Man (Director's Cut)
The November Man
The Pursuit of Happyness
The Tourist
There Will Be Blood
Think Like a Man
Think Like a Man Too
Threesome (1994)
Titanic
Trainspotting
Transformers
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Tropic Thunder
True Grit (2010)
True Romance
Universal Soldier: Day Of Reckoning
Vanilla Sky
Vehicle 19
War of the Worlds (2005)
We Own the Night
Witness
The Wolf of Wall Street

When Star Wars: The Acolyte arrives on Disney+ next month, it is expected to play with the conventions of the galaxy far, far away. Set during the franchise's High Republic era, The Acolyte will explore a dark conspiracy among early Force users, including Mae (Amandla Stenberg). In an exclusive interview with ComicBook about Star Wars: The Acolyte, Stenberg spoke about showcasing her Force powers in an unconventional physical way.

"It is the coolest thing ever," Stenberg said in our interview, which you can check out above. "And there's so many things to think about when you think about Force wielding, because we almost get a lot of creative freedom, particularly with this character, around what that looks like for her, because she's not a Jedi and she's not strictly a Sith. So I thought a lot about my hand positioning, I talked about [it] a lot with my master Lou who taught me all my stunt choreography. For me, I thought it would be more interesting... This movement is utilized often and it's the way you're maintaining chi and balance. But I thought for Mae, having it be a little crooked, a little more twisted, would make more sense for her."

When Is Star Wars: The Acolyte Set?

Star Wars: The Acolyte is set at the very tail end of the High Republic era, decades prior to the events of the Prequel and Original trilogies. The Acolyte marks the first time that the time period has been portrayed in live-action, after it has already been brought to life in novels, comics, and in the animated series Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures.

"We're taking a look at the political and personal and spiritual things that came up in a time period that we don't know much about," Headland explained in a previous interview. "My question when watching The Phantom Menace was always like, 'Well, how did things get to this point?' How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment?'"

"We actually use the term the Renaissance, or the Age of Enlightenment," Headland added. "The Jedi uniforms are gold and white, and it's almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about," Headland says. "The idea is that they could have these types of uniforms because that's how little they're getting into skirmishes."

What Is Star Wars: The Acolyte About?

In Star Wars: The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems.

Star Wars: The Acolyte stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner- Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. Leslye Headland created the series, based on Star Wars by George Lucas, and serves as an executive producer along with Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGrate? and Kor Adana are the co-executive producers. Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim and Rob Bredow are the producers.

The first two episodes of Star Wars: The Acolyte will debut exclusively on Disney+ on June 4th at 6pm PST. If you haven't checked out Disney+ yet and you want to give it a go, you can do that here.

Note: This is not a sponsored post, but if you purchase one of the awesome products featured above, we may earn a small commission from the retailer. Thank you for your support.

It looks like Netflix is gearing up for another live-action anime adaptation. With hits like One Piece and Yu Yu Hakusho on hand, the service has another big project in mind. Today, Netflix revealed its cast for a new series BET, a live-action adaptation of Kakegurui.

According to Netflix, BET will be headed up by a solid cast including Miku Martineau, Ayo Solanke, Eve Edwards, Clara Alexandrova, Hunter Cardinal, Anwen O'Driscoll, Aviva Mongillo and Ryan Sutherland. As for the show's story, it will draw inspiration from the original Kakegurui manga and anime. Set an an elite boarding school, BET follows a group of students who navigate the school's cutthroat hierarchy and find themselves dabbling with underground gambling.

Currently, BET is in production in Toronto, Canada. No release window has been given for the live-action adaptation at this point. As for its crew, Simon Barry is directing and writing the drama. With ten episodes to its name, BET hopes to bring the world of Kakegurui outside of Japan and into a new world. So for those wanting to know more about BET, a short synopsis of the series was posted by Netflix today:

"In BET, the boarding school's hierarchy is upturned when Yumeko, a mysterious transfer student arrives from Japan with a dark secret and a gambling prowess that puts her in the crosshairs of the powerful Student Council. Ultimately, her revenge quest threatens to upend the school's status quo entirely."

If you are not familiar with Kakegurui on its own, the original series began in March 2014 under Homura Kawamoto and Toru Naomura. The manga is ongoing, and thanks to MAPPA, Kakagurui was given a hit anime adaptation starting in September 2017. A live-action drama for Kakegurui was released in Japan in 2018 which became a hit on Netflix. And now, the site is investing in a Hollywood adaptation of the high-stakes thriller with BET.

Will you be checking out Bet when it debuts on Netflix? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

HT - THR

Today marks the end of an era for the Star Trek franchise as Star Trek: Discovery, the series that brought Star Trek into the streaming age of television, says goodbye with its series finale episode, "Life, Itself." The creative team behind Star Trek: Discovery didn't know that the show's fifth season would be its last while filming it in Toronto. To ensure the ending suited the momentous occasion, they convened one last time to film the coda scenes that close the series finale. Those scenes are designed, in part, to line Star Trek: Discovery up with what's to come in another installment of the Star Trek franchise set even further into Star Trek's future than the 32nd century, and some viewers unfamiliar with that episode may have been confused about the details. We're here to explain. SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 10, "Live, Itself" - the series finale - follow.

After the mystery of the Progenitors that began with the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Chase" is resolved, and Kovich's true identity is revealed, Star Trek: Discovery jumps decades into its future to its future and finds Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), now an admiral, living in the home she shares with Book (David Ajala), surrounded by forest. Their son, now a Starfleet captain and about to take his first command, soon arrives to pick up Michael and bring her to take Discovery out for its final mission. Upon arriving, the Discovery is being retrofitted to appear as it originally did in the 23rd century, before it received an infusion of 32nd-century technology and its new designation as the USS Discovery 1031-A. She reminisces as she explains to Zora that Discovery is embarking on a Red Directive, which involves waiting alone for someone or something called Craft, and then says her goodbyes.

Who is Craft in Star Trek?

Craft never appears in Star Trek: Discovery. Rather, Discovery's downgrade and Zora's new mission are meant to set up the the Star Trek: Short Treks episode "Calypso," which occurs 1,000 years into Star Trek: Discovery's future. In that episode, Zora's 1,000 years of solitude are interrupted by the arrival of Craft (Aldis Hodge). Craft is a soldier who abandoned his family to fight in a war. After a decade of fighting, he stole a craft to try to return home but was sent adrift until he ended up on Discovery. After his respite on Discovery - during which his relationship with Zora began to verge on the romantic - Craft takes one of Discovery's shuttles and sets course for home.

That this meeting between Zora and Craft is a Red Directive means that the events of "Calypso" are not incidental but a matter of great enough importance that Starfleet felt necessary to ensure the event occurs. Why is Craft important? How does Starfleet know about him 1,000 years before "Calypso" when time travel was illegal by the 32nd century? Why did they have to revert Discovery to its original configuration before sending it to wait a millennium for Craft? These are all seemingly answers to be addressed in another place at another time.

All episodes of Star Trek: Discovery are streaming now on Paramount+.

Star Wars: The Acolyte is debuting on Disney+ next week, and the new series has gotten early praise from critics. The new Disney+ series is set to take place roughly a full century before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and Lucasfilm has been getting fans excited by sharing behind-the-scenes featurettes about the project. Today, the official YouTube account for Star Wars shared a conversation between Dave Filoni and The Acoylte's showrunner, Leslye Headland.

"Dave Filoni, Lucasfilm's chief creative officer, and The Acolyte creator Leslye Headland discuss the power and breadth of Star Wars storytelling. On June 4, don't miss the two-episode premiere of #TheAcolyte, a Star Wars Original series, only on Disney+," the video's caption reads. You can check out the video below:

Leslye Headland Teases The Acolyte:

Headland has previously spoken about the series and teased what Star Wars fans can expect.

"We're taking a look at the political and personal and spiritual things that came up in a time period that we don't know much about," Headland explained in a previous interview. "My question when watching The Phantom Menace was always like, 'Well, how did things get to this point?' How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment?'"

"We actually use the term the Renaissance, or the Age of Enlightenment," Headland added. "The Jedi uniforms are gold and white, and it's almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about," Headland says. "The idea is that they could have these types of uniforms because that's how little they're getting into skirmishes."

"The truth is that I, as a major mega fan, came to them with this idea. And I said, 'I think the best place to put this is in an era you guys have not quite explored yet,'" Headland revealed to Vanity Fair. "They were very enthusiastic. It wasn't that they didn't want to explore that [existing] world, but I think that they already were because The Mandalorian and a lot of the other television projects were really relying on legacy characters."

What Is The Acolyte About?

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

The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss.

Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres on Disney+ on June 4th.

Amazon Prime Video's Fallout TV series is a breakout success after Season 1, in terms of both streaming ratings and mainstream buzz. The TV adaptation of Fallout not only brought a whole new audience to the long-popular Fallout games - the show created its own iconic lore independent of the games - with one of the biggest successful additions being the introduction of Cooper Howard, the once-famous Hollywood actor who ended up becoming the dreaded bounty hunter known only as "The Ghoul" in the wasteland.

Goggins' portrayal of The Ghoul and his character's entire surprising turns in the story are a large part of the reason that Fallout (2024) has blown up on social media. The before-and-after comparison photos between Goggins as "Cooper" and him in makeup as "The Ghoul" have already been cemented as a meme trend that will live on for years to come.

While talking to LA Times recently, Goggins tried to express just how much Fallout's reception has exceeded what even the cast and crew hoped for: "No one imagined it would be on this scale. That is gratifying and extremely humbling," Goggins said. "People have shown up and responded to the work of 500 people that pulled this thing together."

Walton Goggins knows all too well that the prime of his career has been all about unexpected projects and roles becoming breakout successes. Goggins got even more notice in the gritty LA cop series The Shield (2002-2008), which was one of the first series to establish FX as a network for prestige original programming. Goggins then had a small villain role expand in a major way with FX's country-western crime-dama series Justified (2010-2015; 2023) where he played fan-favorite redneck crime boss, Boyd Crowder. Ever since starring in Justified, Goggins has been in higher demand as a character actor; in 2024 he has not only been a major part of Fallout but also Prime Video's hit animated series Invincible, which is based on the cult-hit comic series.

"My career has been like a stock that you want to own, that I want to own," Goggins explained. "There have been dips, but it's gradually gone up over time. I don't know, man. They say one door closes and another door opens. My life has been, one door opens and another door opens and another door opens, and you find yourself in rooms with people like Quentin Tarantino and ["Fallout" executive producer Jonathan Nolan] without questioning how you got there."

Fallout Season 1 is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video; Season 2 is in development.

On June 6, Paramount+ will release the first two episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 17, a continuation of one of the longest-running crime shows on television. The show concluded with season 15 on CBS but was quickly revealed to be in development during the pandemic. The show gained so much popularity when people were watching from home that it introduced an entirely new audience to the franchise. Season 16 of Evolution debuted in November of 2022 on Paramount+ with most of the original cast, minus Matthew Gray Gubler and Daniel Henney as SSA's Dr. Spencer Reid and Matthew Simmons, respectively.

In anticipation of the newest season, Comicbook spoke with the cast all about what season 17 has to offer. As is tradition with the cast, many of them will return to the directors chair this season -- including AJ Cook and Aisha Tyler who directed episodes two and seven. A new face is set to take on the chair this season, though, and that's Zach Gilford who plays serial killer Elias Voit.

"Yeah, no, it was my directorial debut. Every one of my cast members who directed before were so open and helpful and held my hand through it," Gilford told Comicbook when asked if he'd be making his directorial debut this season. "I shadowed Doug, the director of the opening episode. I just talked to so many directors that I've worked with in the past just because I kind of -- I didn't want to fail. And I worked my ass off, it was so fun. And like these guys, I mean, it's very intimidating directing the first time and having scenes of Joe Mantegna and Felicity Huffman. But yeah, everyone was just so kind and I learned so much. I think I'm gonna be such a better actor because of it. But it was exciting, it was one of the most exciting times I've had in awhile."

In the wake of last season's shocking finale which saw Voit get taken into custody by the FBI and a mysterious figure stepping into the room to speak to him, season 17 picks up as the FBI's elite team of profilers investigates the deadly mystery of Gold Star. Per the synopsis, "As the conspiracy unfolds, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is met with an unexpected complication when serial killer Elias Voit negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody in the BAU's own backyard. The team faces its biggest threat yet and cannot emerge unscathed from the mind-bending consequences."

Stay tuned to Comicbook for more on season 17 of Criminal Minds: Evolution.

The anime fandom is sending all its best wishes to one of its fave actors these days. Thanks to a new report, we have learned Kappei Yamaguchi has been laid low. The voice actor found himself hospitalized this week, and according to Yamaguchi, they will be needing surgery ASAP after they injured themselves working out.

"I'm going to be hospitalized for a bit starting today. It's for surgery on my shoulder because I overdid it weightlifting. I'll come back with a cyborg shoulders. Let's stay lively and energetic," the One Piece and Inuyasha star shared. Taking to social media later, Yamaguchi admitted he had reached the hospital, and he thanked fans for all of their support.

"Thank you everyone for your supportive words. I overdid it while weightlifting and ended up with a torn tendon in my shoulder. It won't heal naturally so surgery is necessary. It's not that serious, so I'm sorry for worrying anyone. From tomorrow onwards, my shoulder will be a cyborg!"

Clearly, Yamaguchi is in good spirits, and he isn't expecting to be waylaid by his surgery. This update is good as the voice actor oversees Usopp in One Piece. Beyond that, the actor oversees Shinichi Kudo and Kaito Kid in Detective Conan, so the actor stays busy. Plus, he's got quite the legacy with other hit series such as Inuyasha, Ranma 1/2, Death Note, and more.

If you are not familiar with Yamaguchi's work, you can always give One Piece a shot. The voice actor has been overseeing Usopp for decades, after all. For those curious about the anime, you can find One Piece streaming everywhere from Netflix to Hulu and Crunchyroll. So for more info on One Piece, you can read its official synopsis below:

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

What do you think about this latest One Piece update? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Star Wars: The Acolyte will soon begin streaming on Disney+, bringing Star Wars movie and TV fans into The High Republic Era for the first time. That era spans several centuries, and within its lore are stories of how the Jedi were but one of several Force-based religions, who each had their own views on how, when, and why the Force should (or should not) be used by mortal beings.

However, by the time The Acolyte takes place (in the latter part of the High Republic Era), it's clear that the Jedi are the dominant Force religion in the galaxy... until that dominance is suddenly challenged.

The story of The Acolyte will center on a Jedi Master named Sol (Squid Game's Lee Jung-jae) who investigates a warrior named Mae (Amandla Stenberg) who is hunting down Jedi on behalf of her dead sister (a former padawan), and a coven of Force witches, led by Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith).

In talking with ComicBook, Amandla Stenberg explained what the rise of a different kind of Force user does to the Jedi's sense of power:

"I think we live in a time in which there are a lot of conceptions around the Force and different communities that utilize the Force. And in our point in the timeline, the Jedi are kind of the ones dictating how the Force is utilized," Stenberg said. "And so I think it's so fascinating for there to be the introduction of this character who utilizes it in a different way, and comes from a different community - almost a different spiritual community. And because of that, she's more of a danger to them, because her kind of way of utilizing it differs from what they're used to."

What Is Star Wars: The High Republic About?

Star Wars launched The High Republic line of novels and comics in 2021; the earliest stories of The High Republic are set about 350 years before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, at a time when different groups of Force users split into opposing factions (like the Jedi and Path of the Open Hand), and how that conflict became a minor war at points, before the Jedi emerged victorious.

A century (or more) later, 200 years before the Skywalker Saga, The Republic and Jedi Order expanded into the Outer Rim territory, after having to negotiate some difficult socio-political-spiritual minefields in the region. The Republic launches "Starlight Beacon" in the Outer Rim, only to have their presence stir dark, deadly threats long dormant in the galaxy. One of those threats is the Nihil, a gang of galactic raiders who have secret technology at their disposal (like the "Path" hyperdrive), as well as ancient species of Force-consuming monsters that are set loose, like the plant monsters the Drengir, or the Force-eating monsters known as the "The Nameless" (or "Shrii Ka Rai").

In the current story arc of Star Wars: The High Republic (still ongoing at the time of writing this), The Jedi find that expansion is deeply costly: The Nihil blow up Starlight Beacon, and between their raids on Republic settlements and use of the Nameless, even some of the most powerful and prominent Jedi of the time are killed in battle. The Nihil go a step further, as their master, Marchion Ro, uses his unique tech to block off a section of the Outer Rim Territories behind a Nihil energy barrier, claiming it as "Nihil space." The Jedi are still working on infiltrating that "Occlusion Zone," hoping to free these civilians, Jedi, and allies trapped inside, while stopping the Nihil once and for all.

The Acolyte will be set 100 years (or so) after the war with the Nihil - a war the Jedi clearly manage their way through, to maintain light and peace in the galaxy. However, it's just as clear that the series will also reveal how cracks of darkness reappeared along the way - including the Sith's return.

Star Wars: The Acolyte will begin streaming on Disney+ on June 4th.

Star Trek: Discovery has completed its five-season mission, debuting its series finale episode, "Life, Itself," today on Paramount+. In addition to wrapping up this season's main mystery, which began in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the episode also shed light on the secret identity of Star Trek: Discovery's most mysterious character, Doctor Kovich. (SPOILERS follow for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 10, "Life, Itself.") Star Trek: Discovery's finale sees Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) leaping into the unknown as she plunges into the strange Progenitor technology to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Afterward, she reports on the "Red Directive" to Doctor Kovich (David Cronenberg) in his office.

Examining the shelves behind Kovichs' desk, Burnham notices a few items from the 24th century that shouldn't have much meaning to her, since she and her crew skipped that century when they jumped 800 years into the future. However, they likely stand out to fans of Star Trek from the 1990s. There's a bottle of Chateau Picard, the VISOR worn by Geordi La Forge, and the baseball that Benjamin Sisko kept on his desk in his office on Deep Space 9. Burnham realizes that "Kovich" is a code name. She asks Kovich about his true identity, and he says it is "something of a Red Directive itself." Finally, he introduces himself as "Agent Daniels, USS Enterprise and other places."

Who is Agent Daniels in Star Trek?

Agent Daniels first appeared in Star Trek: Enterprise, played by Matt Winston. A serialized arc of Enterprise revolved around the Temporal Cold War. That conflict broke out across the timeline beginning in the 28th century, after several galactic factions chose to break the Temporal Accords, meant to govern the use of time travel technology.

By the 31st century, the temporal cold war was in full swing. The Federation was involved, sending agents back in time to counter the timeline-altering activities of agents from other groups. Captain Jonathan Archer of the USS Enterprise NX-01 became vital to the conflict after meeting Agent Daniels, who had traveled back in time from the 31st century and gone undercover as a member of the USS Enterprise NX-01's crew while trying to capture a terrorist who'd also been drug into the Temporal Cold War.

The conflict continued until Archer and Daniels brought it to an end. When Kovich mentions the Enterprise to Burnham, he may be referring to the Enterprise NX-01 (though who knows what other Enterprises he may have served on during his time-hopping career).

A previous episode of Star Trek: Discovery established that all-time travel technology had been outlawed following the Temporal Cold War's conclusion in the 31st century. That is why, arriving in the 32nd century, the Discovery had to be refitted as the Discovery 1031-A, to appear like a new ship built in Discovery's honor instead of an actual vessel from the past. Kovich being Daniels, a veteran of the Temporal Cold War, helps explain his wealth of knowledge, interest in Discovery, and fondness for anachronistic items like memo pads.

All episodes of Star Trek: Discovery are streaming now on Paramount+.

Season 17 of Criminal Minds: Evolution premieres June 6 on Paramount+ and it sees the return of everybody's favorite profilers -- AJ Cook (Jennifer Jareau), Aisha Tyler (Dr. Tara Lewis), Joe Mantegna (David Rossi), Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss), Adam Rodriguez (Luke Alvez) and Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia). The most notable omissions are Matthew Gray Gubler (Spencer Reid) and Daniel Henney (Matthew Simmons) who were both written off last season "on assignment" though it's unclear when exactly they'll return.

In the wake of last season's shocking finale which saw Voit taken into the custody by the FBI after killing deputy director Bailey and Tyler Green working with the BAU, season 17 of Criminal Minds: Evolution picks up as the FBI's elite team of profilers investigates the deadly mystery of Gold Star. Per the synopsis, "As the conspiracy unfolds, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is met with an unexpected complication when serial killer Elias Voit negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody in the BAU's own backyard. The team faces its biggest threat yet and cannot emerge unscathed from the mind-bending consequences."

From watching the first two episode of the new season, it's clear that it's some of the most cinematic work the entire crew has done thus far, and Rodriguez has to agree. While speaking to Comicbook, Rodriguez broke down the cinematic differences between the CBS property and the Paramount+ series.

"Oh, man, well first of all, thank you, because we feel the same way. I mean, we're just so reinvigorated to be doing the show on Paramount+ now in more than one way. I mean, it's obviously Criminal Minds: Evolution. So it's slightly different from what Criminal Minds was. But we've got these characters that have been around for all of these years, and have built up this relationship with the audience that we now get to explore in a new way. So it lends itself to feeling more cinematic just in the amount of breath, time, and space that we have to do that kind of exploration. I think another big part of that is the addition of Anthony Pietro, who's our Director of Photography now, is amazing and just has a has a great eye and a great feel for the show. And on top of all of that fits into the culture of the show as well."

Yeah, I mean, we really just have such a great group of people there. And that starts with our boss, Erica Messer [Criminal Minds' showrunner], who is incredible, and just knows how to pick the people that are going to be invited to play in this space. Her decision making along with our feedback has really gotten us to a place that like, you just can't be more happy than we are to show up at work. It's just amazing every day. So, that I think is, of course, part of what all translates to the screen. And the fact that now our writers have the latitude that they have to be able to write on a streaming service versus writing on a network, you know, they're able to dig into their talents and their craft and do things in ways that they weren't able to do before. And we have really the pleasure of getting that kind of material to work with and doing what we do with it. I'm so happy that you feel that way because that's what we're going for. I mean, we keep saying on set, 'this is the best season of this show ever.'

We know the show has graduated, it's evolved, its Criminal Minds: Evolution. We were also resistant to the title change at first, that little edition of the subtitle, we're like, 'it's still Criminal Minds, what are they talking about?' But as we've gotten into the second season, it's really fitting because the show has truly evolved. It's evolved even in what we're getting to show, not just the look and the material that we're doing. But the way we've evolved now from wrapping up each serial killer in a 142 minute package, we're now spreading that out over the course of two seasons, and inside the mind of a serial killer for two seasons where the audience is getting to see things in a way they never have. So I know that was a long winded answer, but there's so much to be excited about."

The first two episodes of Criminal Minds: Evolution season 17 premiere June 6 on Paramount+.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is gearing up for its next cour. With two outings under its belt, the adaptation of Tite Kubo's hit manga is living large. It won't be much longer before Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War returns to the air, and now, we know the anime will make a special outing at Anime Expo 2024.

The update went live today as Anime Expo and Viz Media announced Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War has plans for the event. So if you want a special peek at Bleach's new batch of episodes, the premiere will go down on Saturday, July 6.

"BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Conflict Panel - Presented by VIZ Media. Join voice actors Derek Stephen Prince, Robbie Daymond, and Xander Mobus as they revisit Parts 1 & 2. Don't miss major announcements around BLEACH and a sneak peek of Part 3 during the panel," Anime Expo announced. "The Premiere and Panel will take place on July 6, 2024 - 10:00AM - 11:20AM at the Main Stage Events."

As you can imagine, fans of Bleach are eager to see this first look at Thousand-Year Blood War cour three. The show made its debut back in October 2022, and since its launch, Bleach has done no wrong. In its last outing, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War left fans on edge as Ichigo found himself facing Uryu. With the Quincy army pulling against the Soul King, alert has never been higher amongst the Soul Reapers, and Ichigo is no exception. Yhwach will not rest until the Soul King is destroyed, so the question now is whether Ichigo can stop the Quincy prophet.

If you are not caught up with Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, no sweat! The hit anime is streaming on Hulu and/or Disney+ depending on your region. So for more info on the series, you can read the official synopsis of Bleach below:

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

What do you think about this Anime Expo update? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

NWA owner Billy Corgan has a list of wrestlers he believes will become household names. Billy Corgan purchased the National Wrestling Alliance back in 2017, helping to bring the fledging company back to prominence with the revival of the NWA Worlds Championship, along with securing a television deal for his new reality show Billy Corgan's Adventures in Carnyland. Some iconic wrestlers have stepped foot in an NWA ring over the years, and there's a new crop of wrestlers looking to make a name for themselves. As far as names that fans should keep an eye out for, Corgan has a pretty impressive list.

Speaking to ComicBook while promoting Billy Corgan's Adventures in Carnyland, NWA owner Billy Corgan ran down the names of NWA wrestlers he thinks will be household names within five years. "Joe Alonzo, Kenzie Paige, Kerry Morton, Alex Taylor, Carson Drake, Kylie Paige, Kenzie's sister... I think we have in the neighborhood of 7-10 young talents who all have the capability to take it up to the next level," Corgan said. "Of course, when they do take it up to the higher level, I want them standing in an NWA ring. And that's why we made such a big commitment to younger talent, because I want to be there as they mature from the first stage of their wrestling career to the second stage."

He added, "Symbiotically, I want them to help the NWA grow, and in exchange, I want to help them grow as talent. If you look at who's scouting for us... Jazz, Patt Kenney, Dr. Tom Pritchard, Homicide... we've got some serious people who can look at a talent in the ring and maybe see something I can't see. I'm very grateful to them because our farm system is really starting to see the NWA turn into a new era."

You can watch the interview in the player above.

Billy Corgan comments on chance of NXT/NWA crossover

With WWE's NXT moving from USA Network to The CW this year, and Billy Corgan's Adventures in Carnyland also airing on CW, it's time to wonder if there could ever be a cross-promotional event between the two. Corgan says it's something he'd love to see happen.

"I would love that. With NXT coming [to The CW], we respect that. WWE is a huge, huge company. We've seen recently where they are reaching out to some independents," Corgan told ComicBook. "They worked recently, of course, with TNA. I would love to work with the WWE but we don't sort of thinking on it in the sense like we're waiting for the phone to ring, but I would love to work with them."

WWE has embraced the greater wrestling world since the Triple H regime took power. TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace wrestled at WWE Royal Rumble. Shinsuke Nakamura competed in a one-off match for Pro Wrestling NOAH. Karl Anderson was able to finish his NJPW commitments, including a match at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17, while on an active WWE contract.

"I've certainly interacted with them through the years, both before I was in wrestling and then of course, now being in wrestling," Corgan said of his relationship with WWE. "They've always treated me great. I have nothing bad to say about them. They're a class organization through and through as far as how they treat people like myself. My experience has been so positive. I have nothing but good feelings towards them."

Billy Corgan's Adventures in Carnyland is now streaming on The CW App.

As the series celebrates its 30th anniversary, Warner Bros. Discover Home Entertainment today announced that Friends will be getting a 4K UHD disc release. Friends: The Complete Series is coming to stores in the U.S. on 4K UHD on September 24, with a set taht features over 110 hours of content, including all 236 original broadcast episodes, now avaialble for the first time in 4K Ultra HD, plus over 20 hours of extra features including all-new bonus content. Online retailers like Amazon already have copies available for preorder, so you can snag one here.

Friends was not only one of the most popular shows of its era, but has remained incredibly popular and influential, and continues to be one of the most-rewatched shows on streaming. Max had a reunion special that allowed the cast to come together for what sadly proved to be the final time in 2021.

Here's how WB describes the set:

From Warner Bros. Television, Friends follows the lives and loves of a close-knit group of friends living in New York City: siblings Ross (David Schwimmer) and Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), along with friends Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) and Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston).

Friends was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman and aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television. Throughout its run, the show was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards(R), winning six awards including Best Comedy Series in 2002.

Friends maintains its influence among viewers. Since its launch, the series has been watched over 71 billion times in the United States alone, across all linear & SVOD platforms. On an international level, viewers spent a total of more than 1.4 billion hours with FRIENDS in 2023 across linear and SVOD internationally.

As Friends marks its 30th anniversary this year, the beloved TV series continues to hold an enduring place in popular culture and hearts worldwide. With its witty humor, relatable characters, and memorable catchphrases, Friends transcends generations with its universal appeal, making it a classic that continues to bring joy and laughter to fans around the world.

Series information:

Friends: The Complete Series Includes all 236 original broadcast episodes from the iconic 10 seasons of the beloved series, plus hours of special features which has been created over the years including two hours of all-new bonus content.

PRODUCT

4K Ultra HD
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HDMA, German 2.0 S DD, French 2.0 S DD, Japanese 2.0 S DD, Castilian-Spanish 2.0 S DD
Subtitles: English SDH, German SDH, French, Japanese, Castilian Spanish, Latin Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, Dutch, Complex Chinese
Running time: 236 (30 min) episodes. Over 20 hours of special features including all-new bonus content
Rated: PG

If there is one thing the Rick and Morty team knows how to do, it is making us laugh. Series co-creator Dan Harmon helped shepherd Rick and Morty into the hit we know today, and now, it seems the executive has a new project in the works. Harmon has teamed up with Matt Roiler on a new Netflix series, and The Undervale looks like a hit already.

Netflix announced the upcoming animated series, and The Undervale shared a poster for good measure. As you can see below, the key visual is filled with color, and it has tons of supernatural flair. After all, The Undervale is set in a world where ghosts are very much real, and we meet several who are helping run a hotel.

According to Netflix, this new animated series will tell the story of a single mother and her two kids as they move into a haunted hotel. The family begins managing the hotel with the mother's estranged and very deceased brother. With ghosts scattering the hotel, The Undervale will follow its leads as they try to make a home out of a haunted hotel, and they are bound to run into issues along the way.

Right now, The Undervale has no release window set, but Netflix is definitely eager to bring Harmon's new work to life. After all, the Rick and Morty co-creator has quite the resume. Harmon has been in the industry since 1996 but became a household name with Community as its creator and producer. In the wake of Rick and Morty, Harmon has gone on to oversee productions like HarmonQuest. And now, Harom is ready to undertake a new series with Roiler at Netflix.

What do you think about this latest Netflix announcement? Will you be watching The Undervale? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

The third season of Hacks has been a hit with critics and audiences alike, and the season finale is now streaming on Max. The Emmy-winning comedy series stars Jean Smart as an aging stand-up comedienne in Vegas, who takes on a spunky young assistant and co-writer played by Hannah Einbinder. Fans have been eager for news of the show's future, and it was announced today that the series is getting a fourth season.

"We congratulate HACKS' brilliant cast and crew, and our partners at Universal Television," Sarah Aubrey, Head of Max Original Programming, shared in a press release. "HACKS is a masterfully crafted comedy delivering laughs and sharp insights about the vulnerability and joy of sharing a dream. The creative team behind this singular show is not only brilliant but also a joy to work with. We couldn't be happier to give viewers another season with Deborah, Ava, and the rest of the HACKS family."

"Hats off to Jen [Statsky], Lucia [Aniello], and Paul [W. Downs] for crafting a world as compelling and poignant as it is clever and funny," Erin Underhill, President of Universal Television, added. "We applaud our outstanding cast, who made it easy to fall in love with these flawed, hilarious and deeply human characters, and we thank everyone at Max for a terrific partnership over the first three seasons and counting. We can't wait to deliver more HACKS to fans around the world!"

What Is Hacks Season 3 About?

You can read a description of the current season of Hacks here: "A year after parting, Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) is riding high off the success of her standup special while Ava (Hannah Einbinder) pursues new opportunities back in Los Angeles."

In addition to Smart and Einbinder, Season 2 also saw the return of Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Kaitlin Olson, Christopher McDonald, Mark Indelicato, Rose Abdoo, and Lorenza Izzo. Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs also returned, and were promoted to series regulars.

The new season also featured appearances by Helen Hunt (Mad About You), Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Dan Bucatinsky (Scandal), George Wallace (Clean Slate), and Tony Goldwyn (Scandal).

Hacks is executive produced by Downs and Aniello via their Paulilu banner, Statsky via First Thought Productions, as well as Emmy(R) Award winners Michael Schur via Fremulon, David Miner for 3 Arts Entertainment, and Morgan Sackett. The studio is Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

The first three seasons of Hacks are currently available to stream on Max. Stay tuned for updates about Season 4.

With Star Wars: The Acolyte not only being developed by female filmmakers, but also focusing on a number of female characters, select corners of the Star Wars fandom are already expressing their anger at the mere notion of the story. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has addressed these issues, which she's been having to put up with not only in her entire time at the studio but also throughout her career. Kennedy also expressed how it was "terrifying" to merely attempt to tell these stories, given the vitriolic nature of social media. Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres on Disney+ on June 4th.

"Operating within these giant franchises now, with social media and the level of expectation -- it's terrifying," Kennedy shared with The New York Times. "I think [series creator] Leslye [Headland] has struggled a little bit with it. I think a lot of the women who step into Star Wars struggle with this a bit more. Because of the fan base being so male-dominated, they sometimes get attacked in ways that can be quite personal."

She added, "My belief is that storytelling does need to be representative of all people. That's an easy decision for me."

Headland herself also weighed in on the matter, explaining not only how she has to walk a "razor's edge" of fan expectations in regards to representation, but also giving herself the freedom to tell the story that organically unfolds in front of her.

"As a fan myself, I know how frustrating some Star Wars storytelling in the past has been. I've felt it myself. I stand by my empathy for Star Wars fans. But I want to be clear. Anyone who engages in bigotry, racism, or hate speech ... I don't consider a fan," the showrunner detailed. As far as her storytelling is concerned, "You're thinking, 'This is what people want from Star Wars. This is what people don't want.' It can mess with your head. During the creative process, I had to give myself the forgiveness, as an artist, to fall off the razor - as long as I got back up. That was my promise to myself."

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

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

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

My Hero Academia season seven is working through its first few episodes, and we are on the cusp of a new release. It will not be long before the superhero shonen returns to air this weekend, and it will bring season seven episode five to life. "Let You Down" will mark the debut, and we have been given our first look at the release.

As you can see below, the first stills for My Hero Academia's new episode are tense to put lightly. In one shot, we can see Deku and Uraraka together as they look off into the distance. Their faces look rather tight which is hardly surprising. The kids of Class 1-A are preparing for war, and they just learned one of their friends is a traitor.

It wasn't long ago My Hero Academia confirmed Aoyama was the mole in U.A. High School, and we can see a shot of him here. The boy looks incredibly down as he holds a phone to his face. It seems Aoyama is about to call All For One, and the chat will spark the next phase of Japan's fight for freedom.

As for the other shots, we can see Toga and Dabi doing their own thing. It seems the League leaders are eager to fight the heroes once more. If anything, Dani has been waiting years to show up his father for good, and he will take on anyone who gets in the way of his vengeance.

If you are not caught up with My Hero Academia, season seven is now streaming on Hulu and Crunchyroll. So for more info on the series, you can read its official synopsis below:

"Izuku has dreamt of being a hero all his life-a lofty goal for anyone, but especially challenging for a kid with no superpowers. That's right, in a world where eighty percent of the population has some kind of super-powered "quirk," Izuku was unlucky enough to be born completely normal. But that's not enough to stop him from enrolling in one of the world's most prestigious hero academies."

What do you think about this My Hero Academia promo? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Netflix's One Piece has a lot on its plate right now. For weeks now, rumors have circulated that One Piece season two is gearing up for filming, and it seems those reports were right. Down in South Africa, the set where One Piece is filmed is buzzing with life once again. The Going Merry is back in business, and thanks to a new set photo, we know season two of One Piece will feature a very big crew who fans will recognize off the bat.

So be warned! There are likely spoilers below for Netflix's One Piece. Read on with caution!

As you can see below, the team at OP Netflix Fan sourced set photos from Cape Town, South Africa. This locale houses the set for One Piece, and as you can tell, the location has a new ship on hand. The massive ship may not look like much from afar, but after looking at its figurehead, well - things should become apparent.

Rumbar Pirates Ship (Brook's Crew) spotted at Cape Town Film Studios. pic.twitter.com/Yu771xHgwY

-- ONE PIECE NETFLIX FAN (@OP_Netflix_Fan) May 29, 2024

The ship photographed on set for One Piece is none other than the Rumbar Pirates' ship. It is hard to mistake the ship's skull figurehead, and of course, the ship's paint job lines up. It seems the Rumbar Pirates will be featured in One Piece season two, and fans are admittedly surprised by the whole push.

After all, the Rumbar Pirates do have quite the legacy in One Piece. The group does appear in a brief flashback during the Arabasta saga, but for the most part, the Rumbar Pirates are explored during the Thriller Bark saga. After all, the crew hosted Brook years ago, and we all know the musician becomes a member of the Straw Hat crew down the line.

As for why season two is tapping the Rumbar Pirates, well - there is reason. The crew is closely tied to a whale named Laboon that we meet during the Arabasta saga. In the manga, we get a tiny flashback of the Rumbar Pirates when the Straw Hat crew meets Laboon, but it is hardly worth noting. If Netflix took the trouble to build a Rumbar Pirates ship for season two, well - One Piece fans are thinking the manga's flashback might be expanded in live action.

What do you make of this peek at One Piece season two? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

The new featurette for The Acolyte features principal cast members Amandla Stenberg (former padawan Mae), Manny Jacinto (ex-smuggler Qimir), Dafne Keen (padawan Jecki Lon), Charlie Barnett (Jedi Knight Yord Fandar) and Carrie Anne-Moss (Jedi Master Indara) all sitting down and sharing their reflections on the production.

Keen shared how "Star Wars has always been a big part of my life," with Moss (a veteran of big franchises like The Matrix) echoing that "I'm pretty honored to be a part of something that's impacted so many people."

Stenberg got profound, talking about how "I've always loved spending time in these universes. And the concepts that Star Wars explores feel like some of the most vital ones."

In The Acolyte, The Jedi are a galaxy-spanning force in the prime of their strength. However, The Jedi do not realize (as any math-trained viewer will) that they are standing on the precipice of disastrous collapse, as the long-forgotten threat of the Sith begins again - a dark resurgence that will finally destroy the Jedi and Republic, a century later.

Even without knowing more about the details of the story, it's already clear that The Acolyte will be a timely metaphoric warning for how conflicting views on power and politics can allow darker ideologies to take hold, and push a society onto the pathway toward ruin. Everything to keep in mind in a major election year.

On a lighter note, Moss addressed the thrill of filming the action sequences of The Acolyte - a part of the series that showrunner Leslye Headland and the stunt team are already getting critical praise for delivering on.

Jacinto spoke on the longevity of Star Wars being due to its "incredible characters" who "every generation just sees themselves in them."

Why Is Star Wars: The Acolyte Set In The High Republic Era?

The Acolyte takes place during "The High Republic" era of Star Wars, when f The Jedi's power and ranks are at their respective strongest, after the Jedi-Sith War. No Sith appear in that High Republic span of 350-200 years before The Phantom Menace; but as showrunner Leslye Headland tells it, The Acolyte will track how the Sith threat secretly rebuilt itself in the final part of that era, 100 years before the Skywalker Saga begins:

"I think The High Republic is just a place where the Jedi find themselves almost a little too safe," Headland explained. "They're almost in this place where they can't imagine a threat coming at them. So I think what Mae starts with them is something that really ruffles their feathers. They definitely were not expecting someone to come at them straight-on."

"We're taking place in a part of the timeline where the Jedi have no reason to think that anybody would mess with them," Headland added. "And therefore I think you see the characters sinking into different versions of their own comfort."

Star Wars: The Acolyte begins streaming on June 4th on Disney+.

Nelson Peltz, the activist investor who lost a proxy battle with Bob Iger earlier in the year, has reportedly sold his stake in Disney. This brings to end a long-simmering feud between Peltz and Iger, with the former attempting a power grab to push Iger out at Disney and appoint himself and his colleagues to the Disney board of trustees. Back in April, Disney shareholders rejected Nelson Peltz and his Trian Fund Management partners' bid to join the Disney board. Disney shareholders backed Iger and the rest of the board, and now it appears Peltz is moving on.

CNBC reports Nelson Peltz sold his entire Disney stake, according to a person familiar with the matter. He reportedly sold his Disney stock at about $120 a share, which earned him around $1 billion. Disney stock is currently trading at around $100 per share. Part of Peltz's issue with Bob Iger's reign at Disney had to do with the company's streaming and theatrical strategy, most notably calling out feature films Captain Marvel and Black Panther. His comments called out the reasoning behind having movies that were comprised of "all women" and "all Black" casts.

"Why do I have to have a Marvel [movie] that's all women?" Peltz wondered before the proxy vote was underway in April. "Not that I have anything against women, but why do I have to do that? Why can't I have Marvels that are both? Why do I need an all-Black cast?"

Nelson Peltz's feud with Bob Iger

Some of the animosity between Nelson Peltz and Bob Iger is tied to Ike Perlmutter, the former chairman of Marvel Entertainment. Iger told CNBC about the power play's underlying dynamics during an interview. He pointed out how Trian Partners is 75% owned by Ike Perlmutter. The former Marvel executive has some complicated personal ties to both Disney and Marvel that help color the conflict that continues to play out.

"Our filings indicate that both Ike and Nelson were working together to try to encourage the board or convince the board to put Nelson on the board," he recalled. "They have a relationship that dates back quite some time. We bought Marvel in 2009. I promised Ike the job that he would continue to run Marvel after that. Not forever, necessarily. But after that."

Iger continued, "And in 2015 he was intent on firing Kevin Feige who was running Marvel's studio, the movie making [operation] at the time, and I thought that was a mistake and stepped in to prevent that from happening. I think Kevin is an incredibly, incredibly talented executive that you know, the Marvel track record speaks for itself. And so I moved the moviemaking operation of Marvel out from under Ike into the movie studio under Alan Horn."

Photo credit Marco Bello/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Minecraft is being adapted into an animated series that'll air on Netflix, the streaming platform announced this week. The show will introduce new characters beyond the likes of Steve and Alex which players have become accustomed to playing as over the years, and according to Netflix, it'll boast an original story presenting the world of Minecraft in a "new light." A release date has not yet been announced for Netflix's Minecraft series, but a teaser trailer for the show says that it's coming soon.

That teaser trailer can be seen below, though it's hard to discern any actual details from it since it's basically just Minecraft, but animated, with no new characters revealed yet. We see a Creeper creeping up to blast away the background in order to reveal an underground cave system brimming with lava until the teaser trailer confirms that this will indeed be an animated series.

It's also been confirmed that WildBrain will be working on this Minecraft adaptation for Netflix. WildBrain is the same studio that's worked on other Netflix projects in the past including the Sonic the Hedgehog series Sonic Prime as well as Ninjago: Dragons Rising. No cast members have been announced for the Minecraft series, however, nor have any names at all been attached to it beyond WildBrain. A page has been set up on Netflix's site for the Minecraft show which'll presumably offer some more info as it's released, but the page isn't working at this time.

Minecraft is already getting an adaptation other than the one that's been announced today. Minecraft is also being turned into a movie, and a live-action movie at that, though the director, Jason Hess, is very aware of how these blends of live-action and animation can turn out and is being conscious not to fall into the same trap with the Minecraft movie. Jason Momoa and Jack Black are both set to start in the Minecraft movie.

Netflix's announcement of this Minecraft series comes in the midst of Minecraft's 15th anniversary celebration that's so far given players free capes, sales on Minecraft and its spin-offs, and other incentives to hop back into the best-selling game of all time. The anniversary celebrations are ongoing, so expect more from the world of Minecraft in the near future while we wait on more news related to this animated series.

The first season of X-Men '97 recently drew to a close, and its impact on the Marvel landscape is continuing to be felt. The ten-episode first season not only continued the narrative of X-Men: The Animated Series, but it reinvigorated a lot of the conversation surrounding Marvel adaptations. In addition to its unpredictable fight scenes and its unabashed love of Marvel canon, one element of X-Men '97 has stood out -- the romances.

It's not just that X-Men '97 included romantic relationships -- it included the mess that can ensue from them. Cyclops discovers that he married and had a child with the cloned version of his childhood sweetheart, and then tried to balance his literal and psychic bond with both of them, all while said childhood sweetheart continued to express feelings for Wolverine. Rogue, Magneto, and Gambit found themselves in a surprisingly deep-seeded love triangle, which only further complicated the death and destruction of the fall of Genosha. Storm and Forge found an unlikely love story amid the "LifeDeath" arc, Jubilee and Sunspot struck up a teen romance, Beast got betrayed by his crush on newswoman Trish Tilby, and Morph broke the Internet with their implied feelings towards Wolverine. Even Professor X joined in on the trend from afar, making innuendos about his bond with his alien partner, Lilandra. These are just the canonical romances in the text of X-Men '97's first season -- and even the smallest one can't be removed from the broader storyline without impacting some part of the superhero plot, or some moment of character growth.

It's no secret that the romantic melodrama became one of the highlights of the conversation surrounding X-Men '97 -- both because it was fundamentally accurate to X-Men comics, and because it was something that differed wildly from the trend of the larger MCU. The MCU has been criticized for years for not prioritizing its romantic subplots, or for essentially shutting the door on some potential romances that fans detected through subtext. (If you were among the franchise's fandom in the time between 2012's The Avengers and 2014's Avengers: Age of Ultron, you probably heard a convincing argument for Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton's romantic past, only for the latter movie to introduce that Clint had a secret family all along. The subtext between Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes is a whole separate conversation entirely.) Sure, the franchise's early days were dotted with the occasional (exclusively cisgender and heterosexual) canon romance, ranging from short-lived adoration to long-term love stories. But even the best of the Infinity Saga's canonical love stories were built or strengthened offscreen, as opposed to using them as narrative fodder. Even Tony Stark and Pepper Potts, whose bewildered-colleagues-to-lovers arc was formed over the entire saga, still grew into a married couple with a child during Avengers: Endgame's five-year time jump. The one shining example might be Guardians of the Galaxy's Peter Quill and Gamora, whose bond formed into something unbelievably poignant in spite of their own multi-year time jump, and one of them getting killed off and resurrected in the larger Avengers crossover. There's a reason why fans spent years debating Quill's reaction to Gamora's death in Avengers: Infinity War, and why some remain verklempt about their "I bet we were fun" exchange in last year's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 -- because both moments were part of a meaningful love story that had grown before our eyes.

In addition to the Guardians franchise sticking the landing, the current Multiverse Saga has occasionally begun to turn the tide. WandaVision's most fundamental building block was the tragic love story of its two protagonists, Ms. Marvel folded Kamala Khan's teenage crushes into her larger origin story, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law centered Jen Walters' love life and sexuality in an incredibly fitting way. But in other instances, Phases 4 and 5 have continued to establish canon romantic relationships in the margins of their stories, only to do the bare minimum with them when in need of a third act emotional beat. In one way or another, Thor and Jane Foster in Thor: Love and Thunder, Marc Spector and Layla El-Faouly in Moon Knight, and Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania all fell victim to this problem in one way or another. Eternals was a different beast entirely, as the most popular relationship among its ensemble wasn't the one involved in the franchise's first onscreen sex scene, or the franchise's first gay relationship -- it was the natural chemistry felt between Druig and Makkari.

This isn't to say that every single future MCU project needs to have a romance at the core of its plot, or bend over backwards to endear audiences to the next new love story. But X-Men '97 illustrated that, more often than not, love plays a pivotal role in the actual lives of its characters, and there might be value in weaving it into the latest world-ending stakes. The pages of superhero comics have already shown this for the better part of a century -- especially Marvel Comics, which arguably built its first shared universe out of the interconnected stories of Millie the Model, Patsy Walker, and Linda Carter, Student Nurse. Luckily, the MCU does have opportunities to learn the right lessons from X-Men '97 -- both with its own X-Men movie reboot, which reportedly just hired a writer, and with the iconic romance between Reed Richards and Sue Storm in 2025's The Fantastic Four. Maybe, just as they have countless times in the comics, the X-Men can help redefine what it means to bring love into the Marvel Universe.

The end is almost here for the Hargreeves siblings. Netflix's The Umbrella Academy, based on the Dark Horse Comics series from Gerard Way & Gabriel B?, is concluding later this year with its fourth and final season. Fans are excited to see how the beloved series will come to a close, and Wednesday morning offered the first glimpse of what those final episodes will look like.

Netflix has officially released the first teaser trailer for The Umbrella Academy Season 4, which you can check out below. Netflix first announced the arrival of the trailer on Tuesday.

In addition to being the final season of The Umbrella Academy, this new installment will also be the show's shortest yet. The previous three Umbrella Academy seasons consisted of 10 episodes each. This fourth and final season will instead contain just six total episodes. This season has also extended beyond the story that was originally written in the comics, so the material will be new to longtime fans.

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

You can check out Netflix's synopsis for the final season of The Umbrella Academy below!

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

The second season of AMC's Interview With the Vampire is in full swing and with three episodes down, the series, based on Anne Rice's iconic novel of the same name, is deep into exploring Louis de Pointe du Lac's time in Paris after he and Claudia killed their maker and fled to Europe in search of others like them. Woven into the telling of Louis' history, however, is a more contemporary story, one of journalist Daniel Molloy's second interview in Dubai. This week's episode, "No Pain", brought into sharper focus that the story in Dubai might be just as interesting as the Paris of the past -- and introduced into the mix a character that has major importance in Rice's novels.

In "No Pain", Daniel (Eric Bogosian), is seen away from Armand (Assad Zaman) and Louis (Jacob Anderson) for a bit at a restaurant where he's trying to make sense of some of his interview notes. It's there that he's approached by a mysterious man who knows quite a bit about not only Daniel's interview, but seemingly about vampires and their workings on a larger scale. The man introduces himself as Raglan James (Justin Kirk) and while Daniel thinks the mystery man could be MI6 or Mossad, Rice fans know he may just belong to a very different secret organization.

By the Book: Who is Raglan James?

In Rice's The Vampire Chronicles, Raglan James is a character introduced in the fourth book in the series and is, indeed, the character the title refers to: The Tale of the Body Thief. James is a human man who has psychic abilities, particularly that he can switch bodies with people. James approaches the vampire Lestat and offers him the chance to trade bodies to experience what it is like to be human again. As it turns out, James was a former Talamasca agent who is also a kleptomaniac and conman. It's revealed that he was thrown out of the organization and that everything James has, he gained by theft -- and he may be trying to steal immortality by trading bodies with Lestat. Things end up going pretty awry when James does indeed try to steal Lestat's immortality, but things work out in the end with Lestat regaining his body and the thief being dispatched -- you'll have to read the book for the finer details.

While AMC's Interview With the Vampire has not yet fully revealed exactly what organization the mysterious Raglan James works for nor has the series given any indication that he's stealing bodies, he does seem to have some uncanny inside knowledge of the vampires and Daniel's interview and is even seen having access to Daniel's laptop, supplying him with notes and records that Armand and Louis very carefully had made sure to not give him access to. With the Talamasca established as an organization in AMC's other Immortal Universe series, Mayfair Witches, and a third series centered around the Talamasca is in development.

"We're developing three other things, at the same time, all of them different," executive producer Mark Johnson said previously about telling stories about the Talamasca. "People ask me what these shows have in common, or what these books have in common, and I actually think it's her characters, no matter how tortured or odd. Her vampires, unlike most vampires that we see all the time, are human beings. It's not humans and vampires. They are human beings who happen to be vampires, and they suffer from loss of love, lack of love, and lack of friendship. The idea that we all say, 'Wouldn't it be great to live forever?' of course, that would be terrible. You'd fall in love with your partner, your parents would die, and you'd still be there, the same age."

"Some of the themes are the same ... in Mayfair Witches, there's that whole middle section about the family and you go off to Haiti, and there's a series in there," Johnson said. "Is there a show to be made about Lasher? Is there a show to be made about the Fang Gang? There's no book that is about the Talamasca, but I think there's a great series about the Talamasca. Their job is to monitor these extraordinary events and creatures and not get involved, but to watch. So, I think that answer is yes, this will keep going."

Interview With the Vampire airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

This week's episode of Interview With the Vampire, "No Pain", gave fans of the AMC series something they'd been hoping for almost since meeting Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) in Season 1 -- a look at his own origin story. For fans of author Anne Rice's larger Vampire Chronicles novels, the episode offered the first taste of what an adaptation of The Vampire Lestat might look like, revealing Lestat's early time as a vampire and his time in Paris and how it connects to the Theatre des Vampires. But while the episode did give fans an appearance by one beloved novel character, Nicholas de Lenfent (played by Joseph Potter), there was one fan favorite and important character missing: Gabrielle de Lioncourt, Lestat's mother. But while fans may have been disappointed not to see Gabrielle, showrunner Rolin Jones says hasn't been forgotten -- and fans will get to see her if the series gets a third season.

Speaking with TV Insider, Jones explained that while we get a piece of The Vampire Lestat in "No Pain", the story is being told not by Lestat the way it is in Rice's book, but through Armand's point of view, which is why certain characters didn't appear -- including Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle -- not particularly somebody I think Armand wants [mentioned]," Jones said. "But don't worry, it's coming. If there's a Season 3, Lestat will get to tell his version of the story that will be wildly different about what happened here."

He continued, "In my head, other than Lestat, [Gabrielle is] the central character of Season 3. The important character."

Who is Gabrielle de Lioncourt?

As fans of the book know, Gabrielle is a significant character not only to Lestat as a character, but in The Vampire Lestat. Lestat's mother, Gabrielle was turned into a vampire by her son (in the late 1700s in the novel). After founding the Theatre, Gabrielle and Lestat leave Paris to travel around the world, where their relationship eventually fractures and they part ways with Gabrielle eventually going into the African jungles and exploring the world alone for two centuries.

And fans aren't the only people eager to see Gabrielle come to life in the series. Back in 2022, Jacob Anderson, who plays Louis,

told ComicBook that Gabrielle is one of the characters he's eager to interact with.

"I've already text Rolin on numerous occasions and been like, 'I just want to be in a room with Gabrielle and Marius,'" Anderson said.

What Is Interview with the Vampire Season 2 About?

You can read AMC's official description of the second season of Interview With the Vampire here: "The interview continues in season two. In the year 2022, the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Anderson) recounts his life story to journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). Picking up from the bloody events in New Orleans in 1940 when Louis and teen fledgling Claudia (Hayles) conspired to kill the Vampire Lestat de Lioncourt (Reid), Louis tells of his adventures in Europe, a quest to discover Old World Vampires and the Theatre Des Vampires in Paris, with Claudia. It is in Paris that Louis first meets the Vampire Armand (Assad Zaman). Their courtship and love affair will prove to have devastating consequences both in the past and in the future, and Molloy will probe to get to the truths buried within the memories."

Interview With the Vampire airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

To quote Yoda: "Hard to see, the dark side is."

Lucasfilm has described Star Wars: The Acolyte as "a mystery-thriller that will take the audience into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark side powers in the final days of the High Republic era." The Disney+ series is set a century before the events of The Phantom Menace, where the Jedi Council balked at Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn's suggestion that Darth Maul -- the black-clad, horn-headed assassin-apprentice of Darth Sidious -- was a Sith Lord because the Sith "have been extinct for a millennium."

So who, then, is that grin-masked murderer (pictured on the right, below) wielding a red-bladed lightsaber on their Jedi killing spree?

Series creator and showrunner Leslye Headland demurred when asked about the phantom menace pulling the strings in The Acolyte, but did offer a cryptic tease at the show's as-yet-unrevealed villain: "It's the inner-saboteur," Headland told ComicBook. "The bad guy inside all of us."

To paraphrase another Jedi Master, that's the truth... from a certain point of view. In The Acolyte, one perspective is Mae's (Amandla Stenberg), a former student of Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) turned mysterious masked assassin.

"You will discover it when you're watching the show. It will be revealed," Headland previously told The Hollywood Reporter about the identity of the titular acolyte, and whether they're an apprentice of the Sith or the Jedi. "One thing to know about the show is that we've been talking about it as a mystery-thriller. It is a serialized story, so each episode gives you more information about the story."

"We were obviously influenced by samurai films and wuxia films, but also films like Rashomon, where you see one story and then you see it done a different way," Headland added. "So, what separates [Star Wars: The Acolyte] from some of the other Star Wars series is that it's told in that particular way."

For all the talk of the light side and the dark side, The Acolyte exists in shades of gray.

"People who are good guys can be bad guys, and people who are bad guys can be good guys. There's a lot of moral ambiguity, which is why Jodie's [Turner-Smith] line in the trailer is so important: 'This isn't about good or bad; this is about power and who is allowed to use it,'" Headland explained. "And I believe, of course, that the Jedi are a benevolent, well-intentioned institution, but they are an institution and they have amassed all the power. So the question becomes when did that happen, and since we know where they're headed in Phantom Menace, what went wrong? What are the cracks in that? So you definitely get the point of view of the Jedi, especially in terms of Amandla's character and trying to stop her and hunt her down. But you also get enough of Amandla's character's perspective that you can also see how both of them exist simultaneously."

Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres June 4 on Disney+.

X-Men '97's showrunner revealed the sneaky Man of Steel inspiration for one finale moment. On Twitter, Beau DeMayo spoke about Rogue's little dance with Bastion. As a big fan of the Zack Snyder movie, the showrunner talked about the emotions running through the scene. Anyone who watched all of X-Men '97 knows that our girl Rogue was going through it over the course of those episodes. That made a lot of viewers sit up and cheer when she finally got her hands on the X-Men villain. Now, she didn't get the ultimate blow on the bad guy, but it had to feel pretty good. That cathartic moment is exactly what DeMayo and the team were shooting for. It's just really fun that a massive episode like this could take cues from Henry Cavill's take on The Man of Steel.

DeMayo typed, "I was likely subconsciously influenced by this when writing the #xmen97 finale beat of Rogue punching Bastion. That's not Superman hammering Zod. It's Clark, a son furiously defending the woman who raised and protected him. The action is driven by emotion not plot. #manofsteel"

I was likely subconsciously influenced by this when writing the #xmen97 finale beat of Rogue punching Bastion. That's not Superman hammering Zod. It's Clark, a son furiously defending the woman who raised and protected him. The action is driven by emotion not plot. #manofsteel pic.twitter.com/KiZSJcRXAZ

-- Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) May 29, 2024

X-Men '97 Enters The Wait For Season 2

X-Men '97 has sparked so much fan love on the Internet that social media is now rabidly awaiting Season 2. ComicBook recently spoke to director Jake Castorena about the finale. During that interview, we managed to get an update on how Season 2 is going. Yes, it's already in the oven. But, that doesn't mean we're going to get it this year. At the moment, we have to remain patient and see what the creative team has cooking.

"I equate it like, 'We're baking a cake right now.' Nobody wants to ruin a cake. I don't want to ruin a cake. Let us bake it," Castorena smiled. "The cake is well underway and being made, being fabricated as we speak. There is no rest for the wicked I guess. To use that phrase. We rolled right into Season 2, while we were on Season 1!"

Elsewhere in the interview, the director talked about not straying from X-Men: The Animated Series all that much. "It's all about, we're on a team. It's something we realize that we give ourselves false parameters to make sure we're checking our math," Castorena said. "Whether it's nerd math, geographical math, whatever it is. We gave ourselves false parameters to make sure to keep us in check, to make sure we're not going too far away from the original DNA that is the OG show. But, also adapting it. Fresh, but familiar."

Did you love this reference in X-Men '97? Check out the wild moments down below!

Smiling Friends is back in action with Season 2 of the animated series, and the Adult Swim original has taken the top spot on Max's Top TV Shows chart with its latest episodes! Smiling Friends was one of the most anticipated returns of the year for Adult Swim fans, and this was proven following the debut of the new episodes earlier this Spring. Each new episode of the season thus far has gone viral in one way or another, and it seems that this has further fueled both older and newer fans to check out the series as it airs.

Smiling Friends Season 2's new episodes hit Max the day after their initial broadcast with Adult Swim, and it seems like the new series is taking over as it has reached the number one spot on Max's Top TV Shows list over the likes of recently premieres hits like The Jinx Part Two, Hacks Season 3, Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter, 90 Day Fianc?: Happily Ever After? and more. Smiling Friends co-creators Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel celebrated the news with a special sketch you can check out below.

smiling friends just hit #1 on @StreamOnMax! thank you to our incredible hardworking team and everyone for watching our silly little cartoon

-michael & zach pic.twitter.com/WxAy6kdduF

-- Smiling Friends (@SmilingFriends) May 29, 2024

How to Watch Smiling Friends Season 2

New episodes of Smiling Friends Season 2 premiere with Adult Swim on Sunday evenings at midnight. If you wanted to go back and check out the first season of Smiling Friends for yourself, along with the first four episodes of the newest season so far you might have missed, you can find all currently available episodes (and "Go to Brazil" special released in between seasons) now streaming with Max (with the first season also available on Blu-ray).

As for what could be coming our way in the next season of the animated fan favorite, Adult Swim teases what to expect from Smiling Friends Season 2 as such, "In season two of 'SMILING FRIENDS,' Pim, Charlie, Zongo, Allan and Glep continue their mission to bring happiness to the world, whether it's a washed-up retro video game character, a troubled marriage, or even the president of the United States."

The series has been such a standout for Adult Swim that it was also announced that Smiling Friends will be submitted for competition as part of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival later this Summer as well. Co-creators Cusack and Hadel will be in attendance in a panel along with Unicorn: Warriors Eternal creator Genndy Tartakovsky teasing world premieres and first looks at new Adult Swim projects.

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 is teasing Superman's next power up with the first look at the next episode of the series! My Adventures with Superman's debut season introduced fans to a whole new take on Clark Kent as he starts out his career at the Daily Planet and becoming the iconic DC superhero. But with this new take, we have also seen some major switch ups in terms of what Clark has to deal with so early into his hero career. This also comes with learning about his various powers as he continues to tap into more of his strength.

Clark's beginning to see more of the abilities he has at his disposal, and it seems like he's already tapping into a new one from the first look at the next episode. My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 3 sees Clark saving someone from a burning building, only for a blue aura to activate around him like a shield to keep him safe from the flames. It's yet to be revealed what this new ability could be, but we'll likely see it explored further in the episode to come. Check out this new Superman power in action below:

When to Watch My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 3

My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 3 is titled "Fullmetal Scientist" and the synopsis for the episode teases it as such, "Clark's life falls apart as The General goes into hiding...in Clark's apartment! Meanwhile, Jimmy struggles with being a leader, and Lois goes toe-to-toe with Vicki Vale as they track down missing scientists!" My Adventures with Superman Season 2 Episode 3 will be premiering on Adult Swim on Saturday, June 1st at midnight EST. If you wanted to catch up with the first season and Season 2's available episodes so far, My Adventures with Superman can also be found streaming with Max the day after their initial debut.

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

Early next month, Disney+ subscribers will be treated to Star Wars: The Acolyte, the latest live-action series set within the galaxy far, far away. The Acolyte already stands out for being set years before the main Star Wars saga, but the franchise timeline has naturally begged the question of whether or not certain canonically older characters will make cameo appearances. While speaking to ComicBook, The Acolyte creator Leslye Headland confirmed that Yoda and other existing Star Wars characters will not factor into the series, with a handful of exceptions.

"Can you imagine?" Headland said in our interview, which you can check out above. "Can you imagine if they were like, 'No problem, you can use Yoda. Not a big deal. Go for it.' No, there is not... We are pulling characters from the High Republic and characters from EU, but that's it."

When Is Star Wars: The Acolyte Set?

Star Wars: The Acolyte is set at the very tail end of the High Republic era, decades prior to the events of the Prequel and Original trilogies. The Acolyte marks the first time that the time period has been portrayed in live-action, after it has already been brought to life in novels, comics, and in the animated series Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures.

"We're taking a look at the political and personal and spiritual things that came up in a time period that we don't know much about," Headland explained in a previous interview. "My question when watching The Phantom Menace was always like, 'Well, how did things get to this point?' How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment?'"

"We actually use the term the Renaissance, or the Age of Enlightenment," Headland added. "The Jedi uniforms are gold and white, and it's almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about," Headland says. "The idea is that they could have these types of uniforms because that's how little they're getting into skirmishes."

What Is Star Wars: The Acolyte About?

In Star Wars: The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems.

Star Wars: The Acolyte stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner- Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. Leslye Headland created the series, based on Star Wars by George Lucas, and serves as an executive producer along with Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGrate? and Kor Adana are the co-executive producers. Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim and Rob Bredow are the producers.

The first two episodes of Star Wars: The Acolyte will debut exclusively on Disney+ on June 4th at 6pm PST. If you haven't checked out Disney+ yet and you want to give it a go, you can do that here.

Note: This is not a sponsored post, but if you purchase one of the awesome products featured above, we may earn a small commission from the retailer. Thank you for your support.

When it comes to streaming, no name is bigger than Netflix. For years, the service has been at the forefront of streaming, and it has gone from simple licensing to full-blown productions. As far as anime is concerned, Netflix has become one of the field's top champions, and now a new report is breaking down how much anime was watched in 2023.

The whole breakdown went live thanks to Netflix as it released a report on what was watched in the second half of 2023. As it turns out, anime was a massive pul for the streaming service. During the latter half of 2023, Netflix users binged 3.5 billion hours of anime content, and that is up from the hours watched in the first half of 2023.

So yes, you read that right. Well over 3.5 billion hours of anime was watched at the tail end of 2023. In the first half of the year, Netflix roped in over 3.1 billon hours watched, so that leaves us with a whopping total of 6+ billion hours of anime watched in 2023.

As you can see above, Miles Thomas broke down more data about Netflix's report for Anime News Network with a clever chart. The roster highlights anime's peaks with Netflix at the end of last year. Clearly, it seems the industry is treating Netflix well, and that is hardly surprising. As anime has become more easily accessible, the medium has become a global threat, and Netflix has been investing in the industry heavily since 2018.

As we move through 2024, even more anime is slated to hit Netflix, so we will have to see what numbers for this year look like. We are about halfway done with 2024, and thanks to hits like Delicious in Dungeon, we're sure anime is treating Netflix really well.

What do you make of this latest report from Netflix? Are you one of the users who put in anime hours last year? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Scavengers Reign will be launching with Netflix in just a couple of more days, and one of the creators behind it all has shared a special poster for its release! Scavengers Reign will be making the jump to Netflix, but it's going to be very crucial for as many eyes to get on it as possible because the future of the original animated series is at stake. It was announced earlier this month that Max would not be moving forward with Scavengers Reign, but there's still hope of a potential second season thanks to its upcoming release with Netflix.

Scavengers Reign will be making its debut with Netflix on May 31st as part of a non-exclusive release deal with Max, and it was previously reported by Variety that there is still potential for a second season of the animated series despite its cancellation but that the decision won't be made until after its debut with the streamer. But with Netflix gearing up for this new animated series, Scavengers Reign co-creator Charles Huettner is getting ready for its debut with a special poster shared with fans on social media.

Season 1 of SCAVENGERS REIGN is streaming this friday on NETFLIX! pic.twitter.com/bPzpN51hbO

-- Charles Huettner (@charleshuettner) May 29, 2024

What to Know for Scavengers Reign

Scavengers Reign is an original animated series created by Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner (which is further expanding their original Scavengers short film from 2016) for Green Street Pictures and Titmouse, Inc. Releasing with Netflix on May 31st in the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland, the series currently runs for 12 episodes as of the time of this publication. The original series is teased as such, "Scavengers Reign is about the surviving crew of a damaged deep space freighter who are stranded on a beautiful yet unforgiving planet. They begin to learn the true nature of this planet as they try to survive long enough to escape or be rescued."

Scavengers Reign co-executive producer James Merrill teased ComicBook in a previous interview last year there was more to see to the story in a potential second season should the series continue, "I do feel like we tried to tell a complete story, not a puzzle box that tries to lure people back. That being said, we do have some big ideas as to what could come next. I hope that we get to do it because we want to explore what comes next. We only saw a little bit of the planet."

Studio Trigger has been an anime powerhouse for more than a decade. Created in August 2011, the studio has managed to roll out some true hits like Kill la Kill and Promare. Year after year, Studio Trigger finds itself expanding with more titles, and a recent interview saw co-founder Hiroyuki Imaishi tease a mysterious new anime of theirs.

The update comes from The River as the publication brought Imiashi in for an interview with Wes Ball, the director of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. It was there the pair talked craft and animation as Ball is a big anime fan. At some point, the pairs' schedules came up, and it was there Imaishi admitted he is working on a brand-new anime that has yet to be announced.

"I'm currently working on a comedy for the first time in a while. I can't officially reveal the title yet, but it should be available overseas," he shared.

Of course, the confession has sent the anime fandom into a tizzy. Studio Trigger has a loyal fanbase, and right now, the community is looking forward to its next release. We have already been told Panty & Stocking is returning to life with a new anime though a release date has not been set. Since we already know about the revival, Imaishi's mysterious project must concern something else. For now, netizens can only speculate what Studio Trigger is up to, but fans are eager to hear Imaishi is doing something with comedy behind the scenes.

While Studio Trigger carries on work behind the scenes, the company has plenty of front-facing publicity these days. Delicious in Dungeon made its debut on Netflix earlier this year, and thanks to its weekly release, it has become a bonafide hit. With a few episodes left in season one, Delicious in Dungeon has put Studio Trigger back on the map. And once it is done, the gang will have plenty to work on behind the scenes with Imaishi.

What do you think about this latest teaser from Imaishi? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

One Piece is a force of nature, and by now, manga readers know the series is ramping up for something big. It has been more than a year since Eiichiro Oda began work on the manga's final saga, and it seems like it is going to be massive. There is plenty to go before One Piece closes including the more thorough rundown for the Void Century. And this week, One Piece helped flesh that history out with the first appearance of its original Joy Boy.

Yes, that is right! Luffy is not the only Joy Boy we know. At last, One Piece has posted a silhouette shot of the original Joy Boy, and their profile is incredibly familiar.

As you can see above, the original Joy Boy has a striking resemblance to Luffy in shadow. We have no idea what the Great Kingdom legend looks like in detail, but when it comes to broad strokes, Luffy and the original Joy Boy are very similar. After all, their Nike forms look the same, and we have been told that this original Joy Boy had similar manners to Luffy. They were all about being free, so it seems that fixation has traversed the ages.

The manga's debut of the original Joy Boy also heralded in new info about the Void Century. The One Piece manga confirmed Joy Boy was a great power during the Void Century, and they had allies in Zunesha and the Iron Giant. However, the worlds' powers were not eager to let Joy Boy do as he wanted. The Twenty Kingdoms ended up defeating Joy Boy during a huge battle at the end of the Great Kingdom, and his fall ushered in the start of the Void Century.

Clearly, Joy Boy is a title of incredible importance, and its original bearer made quite the mark. Now, it seems Luffy is set to carry on the will of Joy Boy. The World Government is about to have a big fight on its hands, and given Luffy's infectious optimism, fans expect the pirate will fulfill the mission the original Joy Boy began centuries ago.

What do you think about this peek at Joy Boy? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

PBS Kids has provided ComicBook with an exclusive first look at "Let's Vote," a rock anthem inspired by David Bowie's "Let's Dance," which is set to appear on the series premiere of City Island Sings!, a new, educational program that PBS hopes will be this generation's answer to Schoolhouse Rock (a series so beloved and useful that it continues to be used in classrooms 50 years after it first aired). The series' songs are written and performed by Tunde Adebimpe, lead singer of the Grammy-nominated Brooklyn-based rock band TV on the Radio, along with special guest vocal performers, including Abbot Elementary's Kimia Behpoornia and Orange is The New Black's Kimiko Glenn.

In Let's Vote, "Watt's dad Frank takes the spotlight in this glitzy rock anthem all about voting! He defines voting as a way to make a fair choice and presents a number of decisions to Watt and Windy: should they go to a play or a baseball game? How about pizza or salad for dinner? They all vote, and the option with the most votes is declared the winner."

You can see the video below.

In Frank's tribute to Glam Rock, he performs an anthem all about the concept of voting. He defines voting as a way to make a fair choice and presents a number of decisions to Watt and Windy. Together, they all vote to decide the outcomes.

City Island Sings! launches PBS Kids' slate of civics-themed shows and online content, designed around the idea that everyone of any background and ability level, including kids, can be active, contributing members of society.

The musical series, which features Abbot Elementary's Kimia Behpoornia, is a spinoff of City Island. Its second season will debut on July 5. A new, music-centric Sesame Street series called Together We Can will launch in July as well, and be part of the civics programming.

Brooklyn-based animation house Augenblick Studios is the force behind many adult confections such as Comedy Central's Ugly Americans and Adult Swim's Superjail! and The Jellies. City Island marks the birth of the company's new shingle, Future Brain Media, and its first foray into the children's television sandbox.

It's official, guys. Attack on Titan is ready to bring its thrilling musical to the United States. The show has announced its stateside premiere is slated for October 2024, and tickets for the Attack on Titan musical will go up soon!

Thanks to Crunchyroll, tickets for four Attack on Titan: The Musical shows are already live. It turns out the anime play will hit New York City between October 11-13.

"The story of Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan series is heading to the stage in style in Attack on Titan: The Musical, and four performances are officially lined up for New York City this October. Ahead of that, Crunchyroll is offering an exclusive presale, giving fans a chance to score tickets in advance using a special code," Crunchyroll revealed. As for the presale code, CRUNCHYROLLNY24 can be used to buy tickets before general sales kickstart on June 3.

If you are not familiar with Attack on Titan: The Musical, the project was announced a few years back. The show premiered in Japan in early 2023 to rave reviews. With Kurumu Okamiya playing Eren Yeager, the world of Attack on Titan was brought to the stage with music in tow. Now, New York City is ready to embrace the ambitious production, and Attack on Titan fans are eager to get seats.

For those not caught up with Attack on Titan, well - it is easy to check out Hajime Isayama's series. The manga and anime are both complete, after all. You can read Attack on Titan courtesy of Kodansha stateside, and its anime is streaming in full on Crunchyroll. So if you want more info on Attack on Titan, you can read its official synopsis below:

"In this post-apocalytpic sci-fi story, humanity has been devastated by the bizarre, giant humanoids known as the Titans. Little is known about where they came from or why they are bent on consuming mankind. Seemingly unintelligent, they have roamed the world for years, killing everyone they see. For the past century, what's left of man has hidden in a giant, three-walled city. People believe their 50-meter-high walls will protect them from the Titans, but the sudden appearance of an immense Titan is about to change everything."

What do you make of this Attack on Titan announcement? Will you be checking out this stage performance? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

The Bear Season 3 served up a brand new trailer for the June 27 premiere on FX. In the new clip Jeremy Allen White's Carmy tries to get the new restaurant off the ground and he knows it's going to have to be different this time. Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach's Sydney and Richie are creative partners in The Bear Season 3. That means everyone has the power and opportuntiy to check each other when things threaten to boil over. Living up to Sydney's exacting standards and negotiating Carmy's general disposition is going to be a task for everyone in that kitchen. For folks who have missed The Bear, it's a welcome return to form. THere are plates being thrown and shouting galore.

But, FX's trademark drama also builds in some quiet moment for our favorite chefs too. As the restaurant grows and expands, so do the lives of our cast of misfits. Some of these chefs will be familiar faces as well. One thing remains the same, the commitment to serving customers and raising the standards for themselves. However, none of the chefs have ever been in an environment quite like this before. So, that's going to be quite the adjustment when they open the doors for dinner service. Can The Bear's stalwart kitchen survive after being thrown into the fire? Watch what they're serving up for yourself down below!

What's Coming In The Bear Season 3?

FX and Hulu dropped a new description of The Bear: Season three of FX's The Bear follows Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), Sydney Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) and Richard "Richie" Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they do what it takes to elevate The Bear, their beef stand turned fine dining establishment, to the highest level, all while doing their best just to stay in business. It's a losing battle every single day in the restaurant business. Carmy pushes himself harder than ever, and demands excellence from his crew, who do their best to match his intensity.

"Their quest for culinary excellence will propel the crew to new levels and stress the bonds that hold the restaurant together. As the team grows in size, each member will strive to reach a greater level of service within their role. In the restaurant industry, you're never on solid ground, and with that ever-changing landscape comes new challenges and opportunities. Our chefs have learned that every second counts, but this season we'll find out if they have what it takes to make it to tomorrow."

Will you be catching The Bear on Day 1? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!

Today, the animation fandom is rallying behind one of its beloved stars. This week, reports surfaced that Francesca Marie Smith was in need of help. The actress, who is known best for voicing Helga on Hey Arnold, is fighting a difficult diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and needs some help.

Over on SpotFund, the voice actress launched a fundraiser asking for donations to keep them afloat as they continue their fight against MS. Smith says she has been living with the condition since 2019 after a debilitating attack led to her diagnosis. But in early 2024, Smith's life with MS took a dramatic turn for the worse.

"Over the span of 4 days, I began experiencing an onslaught of rapidly growing symptoms such that, on April 12th when I was driven to Keck for MRIs, I collapsed in the lobby (always one to make a dramatic entrance) and was immediately admitted as an emergency inpatient to deal with what quickly became clear was some sort of "severe" MS event," Smith shared.

"I continued to decline while hospitalized and did not respond to initial treatments; I certainly couldn't walk, but I also could no longer eat solid foods, I was having trouble breathing, I couldn't speak (could only vaguely wail in ways that my blessed mother was, usually, able to translate due to her impressive mind-reading abilities).... We would eventually learn that the new lesions on my brain were mimicking the effects of a stroke; I also had pseudo-bulbar palsy, so my left hand had curled into a claw. I am very lucky in that I was not really in pain, but any number of other weird feelings were definitely part of the MS roulette during this time."

Thankfully, Smith says she is on her way to recovery from this recent attack, but her fragile health is making regular work impossible. As such, the actress has launched a SpotFund with the goal of using any donations to keep themselves in their home and address bills.

"I would never want to impose or make anyone feel obligated in any way, but if you find yourself with a few dollars you could willingly spare, it would so help to keep me in my home right now, and ease the transition when I've lost so much time to things outside my control, yet bills continue to accumulate," Smith shared.

"I hope that my sharing this bit of news can help increase awareness and understanding-about MS, about (dis)ability, about precarity, and so on. I retain the awe, the gratitude, and the optimism that characterized my initial diagnosis; I've learned so much, and I have so much appreciation for the many specialties that have helped me along this journey. It is with that same optimism and appreciation that I now turn to you all, hopeful that we can get through this patch together and excited about what comes next."

Currently, Smith has earned an impressive $11,000+ USD in donations, and their crowdfunding campaign is still open. Plenty of animation lovers and colleagues have already pitched in to the fund. So for more information on Smith's medical journey, you can find their SpotFund here.

With a number of paranormal TV series, witnesses to strange events are allowed to present their experiences to the camera and allow viewers at home to judge for themselves what they believe. In the all-new Discovery series Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction, two hosts use their years of investigative experience to either cast doubt on or support the claims made by witnesses, marking a new type of program in the realm of the genre. You can check out a teaser for Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction above before the series premieres on Discovery on June 19th at 10 p.m. ET.

"Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction is a fun and exciting addition to our Wednesday night line-up, taking viewers on an out-of-this-world journey with a big payoff," Howard Lee, President of Discovery Networks, shared in a statement. "As audiences listen to these intimate encounters, they can judge for themselves what they believe before our experts weigh in with facts. It packs the thrill of the unknown with a hunt for evidence, while satisfying the thirst for knowledge."

Per press release, "An all-new series will investigate the veracity behind personal accounts of otherworldly experiences when Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction premieres Wednesday, June 19th at 10 p.m. ET on Discovery Channel and Max. With reports of UAPs (unexplained aerial phenomena) on the rise, UFO experts Mitch Horowitz and Chrissy Newton use scientific data and research to dissect real-life encounters with extraterrestrial activity and determine whether or not they can be explained."

"Posting up at a local watering hole in Roswell, New Mexico, a town infamous for its UFO past, Horowitz and Newton meet with individuals who have experienced strange and unexplainable encounters. After listening to each firsthand account, the duo taps into the latest intelligence, technology, and tools to investigate the reported activity. Using recently declassified UFO documents, databases, and more, the pair closely analyze the visual and physical evidence to separate fact from fiction. They'll then render a final verdict on whether each individual experience has a verifiable explanation, or if they believe it to be a real alien encounter.

"In the premiere episode, Mitch Horowitz and Chrissy Newton meet with a farming couple from California who believe they've captured video evidence proving the afterlife is real. Then, a geologist believes he may have unearthed the most important piece of evidence to ever come from a UFO crash site -- leaving even the experts speechless. Finally, they speak with a mother who is struggling to make sense of a harrowing UFO encounter that she believes caused her neurological damage and left radiation burns on her body."

Additional stories this season include:

• A woman seeks to understand her childhood abduction experience, which yields shocking results.
• A husband-and-wife bigfoot hunting team believe they have physical proof of an alien presence on Earth.
• While miles apart from each other, a couple experiences the same UFO encounter.
• A Maine lobsterman who had a harrowing experience while camping is finally ready to relive the story.
• Two friends who believe they were abducted by an otherworldly force on a drive through the California desert.
• A woman traveling to Machu Picchu in Peru captures what might be the most critical photo of a UFO ever taken.
• Brothers uncover a piece of metal that they believe came from a crashed UFO.

Alien Encounters: Fact or Fiction premieres on Discovery on June 19th at 10 p.m. ET.

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

During its tenure, Dragon Ball has done a lot. The series is well over 30 years old now, and in that time, Son Goku has shown up competition time and again. From his early years to his latest romps, Goku doesn't known how to back down from a fight. And thanks to a recent interview, the shonen fandom learned Dragon Ball did play a role in ending one of Weekly Shonen Jump's biggest hits.

Now let's be clear. Dragon Ball was not the only reason Shonen Jump brought Kinnikuman to an end. There was a lot of drama going on behind the scenes, and as it just so happened, Dragon Ball put a final nail in the coffin for Kinnikuman co-creator Takashi Shimada.

Recently, the artist broke down the entire saga while speaking with Weekly Osakanichinichi overseas. The newspaper wanted to dig into Shimada's history as a manga creator, and of course, that means Kinnikuman would be put in the spotlight. It was there Shimada broke down the three main reasons the original Kinnikuman series ended at Shonen Jump.

The first reason falls to Shimada as the artist was experiencing chronic back pain. The second reason fell to mounting fan pressure. And finally, reason number three came courtesy of Dragon Ball and its mounting success.

"You can't take a break from Weekly Shonen Jump serialization. If you take a break, you will be fired immediately," Shimada explained, reflecting on the tough decision he made with co-creator Yoshinori Nakai to put Kinnikuman on a brief hiatus. The break did wonders for the artists, but during its absence, Kinnikuman found itself position on the Shonen Jump chart slipping. It did not take long for Dragon Ball to take the magazine's top spot, and when Kinnikuman returned, it was unable to shake Son Goku.

By May 1987, Shimada and Nakai felt more than discouraged by Kinnikuman's turn. In the face of Dragon Ball, nothing could usurp it. This disappointment pushed the creators to weigh a finale for Kinnikuman, and before long, Shimada admitted the pair were ready to part ways with the series.

"When I was at Jump, I got a one-year contract from Shueisha, so I could live well enough even if I didn't draw manga. But from the fans' point of view, they would say, "What's up with these guys? They don't draw manga at all". So suddenly Nakai-kun said, "Let's quit Jump and draw for other magazines". I was single, so it was fine, but Nakai-kun had a family to support, so I asked him, "Are you going to be OK?" I asked back. Nakai-kun said, "It's no good if readers forget about Yudetamago as a manga artist, so I'll draw for other magazines," he shared.

Of course, the story of Kinnikuman did not stay down for long. While Dragon Ball continued to lead Weekly Shonen Jump for years after 1987, Shimada and Nakai did their own thing. Eventually, the pair were asked to resume work on Kinnikuman in 2011 by Shueisha, and before then, the pair were staying current with the IP. After all, the duo kickstarted a sequel to Kinnikuman in 1998 under Weekly Playboy. So while Son Goku may have helped tip Kinnikuman into an early grave, the manga's creators found a way to revive the action comedy for a new audience.

Did you ever piece together Dragon Ball's connection to Kinnikuman? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

Young Sherlock is getting a series from Prime Video and Guy Ritchie will be directing and executive producing. Fans can look forward to 8 episodes of Hero Fiennes Tiffin as the iconic detective instead of Robert Downey Jr. as he pieces together a global conspiracy. For Young Sherlock, Matthew Parkhill is aboard as writer and showrunner. Clearly, Prime Video liked what they saw from Ritchie's original plotting and decided to bring the full vision to their platform. The series will be adapted from Andy Lane's Young Sherlock Holmes. So, fans of the famous investigator can mark their calendars for a few months when more details about the show emerge from Prime Video. Check out what the creatives have to say down below.

"In Young Sherlock we're going to see an exhilarating new version of the detective everyone thinks they know in a way they've never imagined before," Guy Ritchie said during the announcement. "We're going to crack open this enigmatic character, find out what makes him tick, and learn how he becomes the genius we all love."

"This exciting, new chapter about one of the world's best-known literary characters, will delight our global customers with its captivating storytelling" added Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios. "With the brilliant creative team, led by Guy Ritchie and Matthew Parkhill, we will explore untold mysteries of how young Sherlock found his way to a life of truth-seeking."

What Is Young Sherlock About?

This show follows the trend of having a project focus on an already famous subject in an earlier portion of their careers. Young Sherlock will assuredly benefit from the name association with some popular adaptions over the years. (See the popularity of biopics and prequels recently.) Here's what Prime Video has to say about the series so far: "With all the wit and charm of Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes features, Young Sherlock will be an irreverent, action-packed origin story of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved detective in an explosive re-imagining of this iconic character."

"At age 19, Sherlock Holmes is disgraced, raw, unfiltered, and unformed, when he finds himself caught up in a murder mystery at Oxford University which threatens his freedom. Diving into his first-ever case with a wild lack of discipline, Sherlock manages to unravel a globe-trotting conspiracy that will change his life forever."

Are you excited to see more from Young Sherlock? Catch all of our pop culture discussion at @ComicBook on social media!