The Punisher Returns For SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY

jon bernthal as the punisher frank castle

Jon Bernthal will make his big-screen Marvel debut in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Though the actor has appeared in several Marvel television series as the vigilante known as the Punisher, even headlining his own show, he has yet to appear in any of the MCU feature films.

Now, he’ll join Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the upcoming film, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. Filming is expected to begin this summer in England, with a planned release date of July 31st, 2026.

The movie is, as if often the case with Marvel projects, cloaked in layers upon layers of secrecy. The only thing we actually know is that Zendaya and Jacob Batalon will be reprising their respective roles as MJ and Ned.

Bernthal first appeared as Frank Castle/the Punisher in the Netflix series Daredevil, before starring in his own series for two seasons. He recently returned for a handful of episodes in Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again. He is set to return for season two of the show, and is also getting a stand-alone film for Disney+, which Bernthal is co-writing.

Bernthal making his big-screen Punisher debut opposite Holland is also a sweet, full-circle moment, as the pair were working together on the 2017 film Pilgrimage when they were each prepping to audition for their Marvel roles. The actors have said they had helped each other with their audition tapes.

OCTOBER Horror Thriller Reunites Jeremy Saulnier And A24

green room director jeremy saulnier reunites with a24 for october

Jeremy Saulnier, who helmed Green Room for A24 back in 2015, is back in business with the popular production company with his upcoming October. The title is being described as a Halloween-set horror action thriller.

Deadline details, “Plot details are being kept under wraps, but sources described the project as a fugitive thriller set during Halloween. Saulnier will direct from his own script, with A24 producing and financing.”

Cory Michael Smith stars in October, with further roles still being cast. Smith recently earned career-best reviews for his portrayal of Chevy Chase in Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, which goes behind the scenes in the 90-minute lead-up to the first taping of Saturday Night Live. He also recently starred in the HBO comedy-satire Mountainhead and in the Joachim Trier dramedy Sentimental Value, and will soon be seen in Famous opposite Zac Efron. He also wrapped on the pilot for Amazon’s The Nightbeast, starring Orphan Black’s Tatiana Maslany.

Producers for the film include Rich Peete, Eli Bush, and Jeremy Saulnier & Skei Saulnier, with Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie, Traci Carlson and Elliott Coley and Macon Blair.

Saulnier is also known for having directed episodes of True Detective, as well as the feature films Rebel Ridge and Hold the Dark.

SKETCH Trailer Promises Monster-Filled Family Fun

sketch film trailer image

A monster-filled, family-friendly adventure comedy, the upcoming film Sketch is being described as Jurassic Park meets Inside Out.

When a young girl’s sketchbook falls into a strange pond, her drawings come to life: unpredictable, chaotic, and dangerously real. As the town unravels, she and her brother must track down the creatures before they leave permanent damage. Their father, racing to find them through the fallout, must navigate a town in crisis to reunite his family and stop the disaster they never meant to unleash.

Arrested Development‘s Tony Hale stars opposite The Good Place actress D’Arcy Caren, as well as Bianca Belle (Swamp Thing), Kalon Cox, and Kue Lawrence (Good Girls).

This Angel Studios film hails from writer-director Seth Worley, making his feature debut. It is based on his own 2020 proof-of-concept short film, Darker Colors. Sketch made its debut in the Special Presentations program at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, where it received positive reviews.

The film is produced by Steve Taylor, Tony Hale, Kevin Downes, Daryl Lefever, and Katelyn Botsch, with Andrew Erwin, Tony Young, Bill Herren, Jon Erwin, Justin Rosenblatt, and Sean Devereaux serving as executive producers.

The film premiered in the Special Presentations program at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.

Sketch releases in cinemas on August 6th. Watch the trailer below:

Russell T Davies Gives Update On DOCTOR WHO’s Future

Russell T Davies

The latest series of Doctor Who ended on 31st May with the show in a situation it’s not been in since 1989 – no further episodes have been commissioned. Lead writer and executive producer Russell T Davies has given his update on the situation.

This comes after Various rumours have circulated as to the future of the Time Lord following Ncuti Gatwa’s exit from the series and the surprise return of Billie Piper, seemingly as the Sixteenth Doctor. But for us to know what happens next, the producers at the BBC and Bad Wolf need to get the greenlight, and it seems Disney – who have co-funded and co-produced the show since 2023’s 60th anniversary specials – are reluctant to commit to any more.

Now, Davies has addressed the situation in honest but typically optimistic fashion in his latest – and for now, last – column in Doctor Who Magazine, saying: “Doctor Who will never end! There are pathways leading to potential futures – we’ve still got the mystery of that bright and blazing ending, ‘Oh, hello,’ yes indeed, hello Billie! And there’s Susan, of course.”

He went on to say: “But we don’t know what’s happening yet, and while everyone works that out, I’ll take a pause on this page … Hopefully, we’ll have news soon, and certainly, The War Between the Land and the Sea is about to break out, so there are great things ahead. Until then.”

So, there remains no change in the situation that, currently, Doctor Who is not under production. That War Between the Land and the Sea that Davies referenced, however, is the latest spin-off in the Whoniverse (has that caught on? are people actually calling it that?). The five-part miniseries will see UNIT facing a threat from the Sea Devils and is expected to broadcast later this year.

DRAGON’S LAIR Adaptation Taps James Bobin To Direct

dragon's lair arcade game adaptation at netflix taps james bobin to direct

James Bobin, director of Disney’s The Muppets and Muppets Most Wanted, is in talks to adapt the iconic arcade game Dragon’s Lair for Netflix.

Ryan Reynolds is attached to star and produce the feature, which was first set up back in 2020. Also producing are Roy Lee via Vertigo Entertainment, and Trevor Engelson of Underground. Don Bluth, Gary Goldman and Jon Pomeroy are also producing.

Dragon’s Lair premiered in 1983 and soon became one of the most popular games in America, with views to revolutionise the arcade industry with its movie-style animation, courtesy of ex-Disney animator Bluth (now producing). Unfortunately, the technology and animated style it employed remained of its time, though it remains fondly remembered. The game centred on a knight, Dirk the Daring, as he strives to rescue Princess Daphne from the clutches of a dragon named Singe and the evil wizard, Mordroc.

Previously, Dragon’s Lair has spawned a short-lived, animated series back in 1984, with a comic book series eventually following in 2003. On the film front, the last few decades have seen numerous attempts to get a movie adaptation off the ground, though Netflix’s feature is the closest things have come to being realised.

Bobin is also known for directing 2019’s Dora and the Lost City of Gold, as well as episodes of the Disney series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

DEATH STRANDING Feature Adaptation Finds Writer

norman reedus in death stranding

Prisoners and Raised by Wolves’ Aaron Guzikowski has signed on to write the screenplay for an adult animated feature based on Hideo Kojima’s action-adventure video game Death Stranding.

The news was announced by Kojima Productions and Line Mileage. The partners say that the film, which is in development, will be of a similar tone to the recently announced John Wick animated prequel and the sci-fi horror Predator: Killer of Killers.

The unnamed film will feature an original story unfolding in the universe of Death Stranding, set in the wake of a series of cataclysmic explosions around the world that result in the dead and living becoming intimately connected.

“I love the world of Death Stranding, it’s so creatively freeing, so beautifully dark and yet hopeful; I’m so excited and honored that Hideo Kojima, whose work I’ve long admired, has invited me to dwell within his creation, to birth new stories into this fertile, mind-bending universe,” said Guzikowski. “Drawing and animation have always been near and dear to my heart, so to finally get to play in this space is a dream come true.”

Directed by Kojima and featuring performances by Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, and Guillermo del Toro, Death Stranding earned much praise from critics and the public alike. A new version of the original game, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, in which Elle Fanning was also cast, is due to release later this month.

AFRICAN KUNG FU NAZIS PART 2 UK premiere this weekend

Excellent news for those in the vicinity of the nation’s capital with a fondness for supremely silly nonsense: African Kung Fu Nazis Part 2 – the cleverly-titled sequel to one of STARBURST‘s favourite movies of 2021 – has its UK premiere at London’s Genesis cinema this coming Saturday, June 21st. We saw a not-quite-finished early cut of the film last summer, and while we’re waiting to see the fully complete version before giving a final verdict, Part 2 is just as ridiculous as its predecessor, if not more so. Fully aware of how daft it is, AKFN2 (even in its unfinished form) is one of the most joyous celebrations of stupidity we’ve seen for a long time (probably since AKFN1)! Here’s the official blurb:

Seriously? Hitler is back again? And this time he is trying to become the President of Ghana? But wait… why is he acting so strangely? Could it be? Is he really a… Robotto???

The answers to these questions are yes, yes and yes. And this time there are two heroes to stand in his way! Addo, the one-armed Kung Fu hero, is on a path of revenge for his slain brother Addae (hero of part 1). By his side is goofy foe turned friend Sek Tin, the rich son of a local Kung Fu Master and politician, Master Kwan.

After Hitler decapitates Kwan with his invincible Chi Guillotine Kung Fu style, Addo and Sek Tin join forces to stop Hitler from seizing the Presidency in Ghana and taking over the country. Together they embark on a quest to learn new Kung Fu styles, take out Hitler’s henchmen and finally face the master of evil, Adolf Robotler, at the Kumawood Reichsparteitag military parade. But they will encounter a ‘monstrous surprise’…

Writer/director/professional Adolf Hitler cosplayer, Sebastian Stein, will be in attendance, along with some as-yet unannounced cast members, to introduce the movie and take part in a post-show Q&A. The double-bill of Parts 1 and 2 kicks off at 5:30pm with drinks and a DJ, with movies screening from 6:30pm.

More info – and the all-important tickets – are available at the link below!

https://www.genesiscinema.co.uk/event/99088

THE SANDMAN Season 2 Releases Trailer

dream in the sandman season 2 trailer

The trailer for the second and final season of Netflix’s The Sandman has been released. Volume 1 of Season 2 will release on July 3rd with six episodes: “Season of Mists”, “The Ruler of Hell”, “More Devils Than Vast Hell Can Hold”, “Brief Lives”, “The Song of Orpheus”, and “Family Blood”.

Volume 2 will follow shortly after, releasing five episodes on July 25th: “Time and Night”, “Fuel for the Fire”, “The Kindly Ones”, “Long Live the King”, and “A Tale of Graceful Ends”. Then, a special bonus episode titled “Death: The High Cost of Living”, will drop on July 31st. The episode will follow the character of Death.

The dark fantasy series was cancelled after sexual assault allegations were brought against Neil Gaiman, who developed and exec produced the show, as well as having written the comic on which the series is based. However, The Sandman‘s producers have promised to bring Dream’s story arc to its conclusion with this second season.

Per Netflix’s official synopsis: “After a fateful reunion with his family, Dream of the Endless (Tom Sturridge) must face one impossible decision after another as he attempts to save himself, his kingdom, and the waking world from the epic fallout of his past misdeeds. To make amends, Dream must confront longtime friends and foes, gods, monsters, and mortals. But the path to forgiveness is full of unexpected twists and turns, and true absolution may cost Dream everything. Based on the beloved award-winning DC comic series, the second season of THE SANDMAN will tell Dream’s story arc in full to its thrilling conclusion.”

Tom Sturridge stars opposite Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park, Donna Preston, Esmé Creed-Miles, Adrian Lester, Barry Sloane, Patton Oswalt, Vivienne Acheampong, Gwendoline Christie, Jenna Coleman, Ferdinand Kingsley, Stephen Fry, Asim Chaudhry, Sanjeev Bhaskar, and Razane Jammal. Ruairi O’Connor, Freddie Fox, Clive Russell, Laurence O’Fuarain, Ann Skelly, Douglas Booth, Jack Gleeson, Indya Moore, and Steve Coogan have joined for season 2.

Showrunner Allan Heinberg writes alongside Ameni Rozsa, Alex Newman-Wise, Austin Guzman, Shadi Petosky, Jim Campolongo, Vanessa Benton, Jay Franklin, Greg Goetz, and Marina Marlens. Jamie Childs, who directed four episodes in Season 1, returns to helm all 12 new episodes.

Watch the trailer below:

CLAYFACE Movie Finds Its Lead In Tom Rhys Harries

tom rhys harries announced as dc's clayface

As you likely know by now, a Clayface movie is in the works at DC, written by horror trailblazer Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, Doctor Sleep, and the upcoming Life of Chuck) and directed by James Watkins (The Woman in Black, Speak No Evil). It’s now been reported by Deadline that Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries has landed the lead role.

The actor has appeared in shows like Jekyll and Hyde, Doctor Who, Suspicion, and Midsomer Murders, as well as film including Slaughterhouse Rulez, The Gentlemen, and The Return.

The Flanagan-written Clayface film is undergoing revisions, with writer Hossein Amini (best known for Drive) boarding the project to revise the script.

The Batman helmer Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris serve as producers for Clayface, with the movie centring on the DC character that originated as a Batman villain in 1940. With it being a DC project, James Gunna and Peter Safran are of course, also producing.

The project is a Hollywood horror tale centering on a B-movie actor who injects himself with a substance to keep himself relevant, only to find out that he can reshape his face and form, becoming a walking piece of clay. Filming is due to begin later this year.

The character of Clayface has been voiced by Alan Tudyk in the animated series Harley Quinn and Creature Commandos, and by Ron Perlman in Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures. Other appearances for the character have included Brian McManamon’s portrayal on Gotham and Lorraine Burroughs’ gender-switched version on Pennyworth.

Clayface is due to release in cinemas on September 11th, 2026.

Han Solo’s Hunt For The Falcon In New STAR WARS Comic

Star Wars: Han Solo: Hunt for the Falcon

A new comic book miniseries set in the years building up to the Star Wars sequel trilogy will follow Han Solo as he travels the galaxy in search of his iconic starship.

In 2015’s The Force Awakens, Finn and Rey found the Millennium Falcon gathering dust in a junkyard in Jakku, and promptly nicked it, drawing them to the attention of Han and Chewbacca. Han Solo: Hunt for the Falcon, a five-issue miniseries, will tell the story leading up to that point from Han’s perspective. It’s from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Ramon Rosanas, who previously worked together on the Inquisitors miniseries.

Marvel’s official synopsis says: “In the time before The Force Awakens, where is the Millennium Falcon?! Less than satisfied with a settled life, Han Solo lands on the idea of reclaiming the Falcon and returning to a life of adventure. The problem is, he can’t find it.

“After enlisting a less than enthusiastic Chewbacca, the duo embarks upon a quest to reclaim the greatest ship in the galaxy. Standing in their way are a laundry list of rogues who have staked a claim to the Millennium Falcon as well, like the villainous scoundrel who stole the Falcon, Ducain.”

The series promises to include appearances from well-known characters like Princess – sorry, General – Leia and Lando Calrissian, as well as deeper continuity cuts such as Gannis Ducain, the Nikto criminal who’s previously appeared in Star Wars Adventures comics.

Star Wars: Han Solo: Hunt for the Falcon #1 will be on sale from September 3rd, with four variant covers – take a look at them all below.