New STAR WARS Video Game ZERO COMPANY Announced

Star Wars Zero Company

Video game publisher EA has revealed their latest Star Wars title, a single-player turn-based tactics game titled Zero Company. Players will be able to recruit a ragtag band of heroes (what Star Wars gang isn’t a little ragtag?) and send them on missions, set during the Clone Wars era.

Star Wars: Zero Company is being developed by Bit Reactor – a newly-formed studio which boasts creatives who’ve previously worked on the likes of Civilization, Elder Scrolls Online, and Gears of War – with support from Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games. It will be available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

More information is due to be revealed during a panel at Star Wars Celebration Japan, this Saturday 19th April at 4:30pm local time – which is 8:30am for us in the UK.

For fans of the galaxy far, far away who aren’t into gaming, season two of the acclaimed Andor begins on Disney+ on 22nd April, while the next big-screen outing will be The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is due for release on 22nd May, 2026.

Cast Revealed for Time-Bending Thriller BEFORE YOU SET OUT

Before You Set Out poster

If you could change your past to save your future, would you? Before You Set Out follows a time-travelling renegade on a high-stakes mission to reset her future’s timeline before relentless government agents close in.

This gripping sci-fi short, written and directed by Andrew ‘Griff’ Griffin, serves as the proof-of-concept for the upcoming feature film, Keeping Time. Griff “wanted to make a film about the amorality of technology and the impact of unintended consequences. Before You Set Out explores these in a short love letter to the science fiction writers of the ‘60s and ‘70s.” The team is set to film in Northampton and Towcester later this year. 

STARBURST Magazine has an exclusive first look at the cast and the character posters designed by artist Amanda Fullwood.

Producer and actress Francesca Louise White (Best Performance winner at the STARBURST Fantasy Awards in 2018) said of the project: “From the moment I read Griff’s script, I was captivated. I knew I had to do everything I could to bring this extraordinary sci-fi story to life, both as a short and eventually as a feature. As a lifelong sci-fi fan, it stood out immediately.”

Meet the Cast 

• Francesca Louise White (Walking Against The Rain, King of Crime, Ship of the Damned) takes on the role of Nikki, a woman determined to rewrite her future. 

• Jacob Anderton (Ship of the Damned, Lore, Paramount+’s Curfew) plays Frank, a down-and-out character caught in time’s unravelling threads. 

• Gloria Adereti (Netflix’s The Witcher, The Kitchen, and the upcoming Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning) steps into the role of Maya, a force to be reckoned with.

Up-and-coming British actor Jacob Anderton said of the project: “It’s an ingenious exploration of the possibility of time travel and how human nature would exploit that innovation…the research and the world building are incredible.”

Before You Set Out isn’t just a short film; it’s a platform for Keeping Time, a feature film with major franchise potential. A teaser has already been filmed and will be released soon.

First Guests Announced for Festival of Fantastic Films 2025

Festival of Fantastic Films 2025

The annual Festival of Fantastic Films has revealed the first two guests for the 2025 edition, which takes place in Manchester from October 24th to 26th.

Artist Graham Humphreys and actor James Swanton will join in the fun at the Pendulum Hotel.

Graham should need no introduction. He’s painted posters for The Evil Dead and A Nightmare on Elm Street and too many video and Blu-ray covers to mention. He’s also done a couple of covers for STARBURST, and his work graces STARBURST—The Album.

James is best known for his creature parts, appearing in Apartment 7A, The First Omen, Dashcam, Walking Against the Rain, and more on the big screen and plenty of small-screen roles, including Lot No. 249 (Mark Gatiss’ Ghost Story for Christmas) and Inside No. 9. James is also an accomplished stage performer and will treat festival audiences to a one-man show that’s guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.

You can buy festival passes for the Festival of Fantastic Films 2025 here. For more information, visit the Festival website.

Mike Flanagan’s CARRIE Series Gets Green Light

carrie series by mike flanagan gets green light. still from brian de palma film starring sissy spacek

Prime Video has confirmed a series green light for an eight-episode adaptation of Stephen King’s 1974 novel Carrie, to be written and showrun by Mike Flanagan. He will also be directing select episodes for Amazon MGM Studios.

This marks Flanagan’s fourth King adaptation, following Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, and the forthcoming The Life of Chuck. Curse of Chucky actress Summer H. Howell is in negotiations to star in the titular role, with Resident Evil‘s Siena Agudong in the role of Sue Snell.

Described as “a bold and timely reimagining” of the story, the show is executive produced by Flanagan and longtime producing partner Trevor Macy. “Carrie is an iconic story that has withstood the test of time with continued cultural relevance,” said Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios. “With Mike Flanagan at the helm and the accomplished team assembled including executive producer Trevor Macy, this provocative series is sure to captivate our global customers.”

King’s novel tells the story of a misfit high-school girl, Carrie White, who gradually discovers she has telekinetic powers. Repressed by a domineering, ultra-religious mother and tormented by her peers at school, her efforts to fit in lead to a dramatic confrontation during the senior prom. Carrie was previously adapted by Brian De Palma in 1976, David Carson in 2002, and Kimberly Peirce in 2013.

Production on the Carrie series is expected to begin in Vancouver this summer.

DUNE: MESSIAH Eyeing Robert Pattinson As Villain

robert pattinson circling role of villain in dune: messiah

Once again proving himself to be one of the hottest actors working in Hollywood today, rumours have emerged that Robert Pattinson has been circling the role of the main villain in the upcoming Dune: Messiah.

Though THR reports no offer has been made to Pattinson, his streak working with such high-profile directors as Christopher Nolan (including his upcoming epic The Odyssey) and Mickey 17 filmmaker Bong Joon-ho likely makes Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune film an attractive project for Pattinson.

Published in 1969, Frank Herbert’s Messiah picks up 12 years after the events of Dune, with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) ruling as Emperor, and married to Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), while maintaining a relationship with his concubine, Chani (Zendaya). If Villeneuve’s third film in the franchise follows the books, the main villain will likely be Scytale, a Tleilaxu Face Dancer (a shapeshifter) who executes a plot to dethrone Paul Atreides.

The current synopsis for Messiah, though brief, states the film “follows Muad’dib, heir to unimaginable power, as he brings to fruition the ancient scheme to create a superbeing ruler among men, not in the heavens.”

Dune: Messiah is expected to begin filming this summer ahead of a December 18th, 2026 release date. Villeneuve has stated this will be his final Dune film before turning his attention to other projects.

Secret PREDATOR Project Revealed As Animated Anthology KILLER OF KILLERS

predator: killer of killers animated anthology trailer releases

Just days after Predator: Badlands star Elle Fanning unveiled new details on her upcoming entry into the sci-fi franchise, the top-secret second Predator project releasing this year has been revealed as Predator: Killer of Killers, an animated anthology.

Per the logline, it is an “anthology story [that] follows three of the fiercest warriors in human history: a Viking raider guiding her young son on a bloody quest for revenge; a ninja in feudal Japan who turns against his Samurai brother in a brutal battle for succession; and a WWII pilot who takes to the sky to investigate an otherworldly threat to the Allied cause. But while all these warriors are killers in their own right, they are merely prey for their new opponent — the ultimate killer of killers.”

Dan Trachtenberg, who also directs Badlands, helms Killer of Killers with Josh Wassung of the animation company The Third Floor. The screenplay hails from Micho Robert Rutare, from a story he wrote with Trachtenberg.

On June 6th, Predator: Killer of Killers arrives on Hulu in the United States and on Disney+ everywhere else. Watch the trailer below:

Later, Predator: Badlands will release in cinemas on November 7th, 2025. Expect that trailer to drop online soon.

AFRICAN KUNG FU NAZIS II Is Going on Tour!

Following the cult success of African Kung Fu Nazis (as seen in STARBURST #488 – available here), director Sebastian Stein has come up with African Kung Fu Nazis II and it’s even crazier! This is one film every fan of exploitation cinema must see!

Here’s the official synopsis:

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 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’.

If those words don’t sway you to check out the film (and the first instalment), we don’t know what will!

Lucky audiences will get the chance to see African Kung Fu Nazis II on the big screen as the film goes on tour. Here’s where you can catch the movie:

May 27th – July 2nd / Nippon Connection Festival in Frankfurt, Germany (European Premiere)

July 6th / Naruby Festival (Czech Premiere)

June 8th / Genesis Cinema, London (UK Premiere)

This will be followed by a UK tour in various locations (to be confirmed)

July / full theatrical release in Japan in 30-50 locations.

Check out the amazing trailer:

Nuclear Winter Drama THREADS Gets TV Series Adaptation

still from 80s film Threads

The production company behind Netflix’s acclaimed drama series Adolescence, Warp Films, is adapting 1984’s docudrama Threads into a TV series.

Threads was a British made-for-TV film notable for being the first to depict nuclear winter on screen, showing the effects of a nuclear attack on the working-class city of Sheffield as civilisation itself starts to unravel. The original Threads was directed by Mick Jackson and written by Barry Hines.

“Renowned for its ground-breaking portrayal of a fictional apocalypse, Threads offers a harrowing depiction of life in nuclear war-era Britain, set in Sheffield,” Warp tells THR. “This adaptation will explore prescient issues through rich, character-driven storytelling. The original film’s chilling account immerses viewers in the struggles of ordinary people facing unimaginable hardship.”

“Threads was, and remains, an unflinchingly honest drama that imagines the devastating effects of nuclear conflict on ordinary people,” said Warp founder and CEO Mark Herbert. “This story aligns perfectly with our ethos of telling powerful, grounded narratives that deeply connect with audiences. Reimagining this classic film as a TV drama gives us a unique opportunity to explore its modern relevance.”

“Threads is clearly a deeply impactful story and right now, it feels more relevant than ever. This adaptation will allow us to uncover fresh interpretations in light of today’s world,” added Warp CCO and executive producer Emily Feller. “We imagine highlighting how resilience and connection can offer hope even in the most challenging of times. Through this lens, an adaptation of the incredible film can re-examine its significance for then and for now — allowing us to engage with a modern audience.”

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING Trailer Flies In

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning trailer sees tom cruise dangling from airplane

Tom Cruise is back to hanging off airplanes – one-handed and upside down, as one does – in the first official trailer for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.

The feature is the eighth instalment in the long-running movie franchise, which began back in 1996 with Mission: Impossible. Cruise has remained coy as to whether this will be his final appearance as IMF agent Ethan Hunt in the action film series.

At the end of 2023’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (to which Final Reckoning was, at the time, billed as a Part Two), Ethan is trying to stop an ultra-powerful AI program called The Entity from falling into the wrong hands and sewing chaos in the world.

Christopher McQuarrie, who has helmed the franchise since 2015’s Rogue Nation, returns to direct Final Reckoning from a screenplay he co-wrote with Erik Jendresen. Also returning to the screen are Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby, Hayley Atwell, Esai Morales, Shea Wigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Henry Czerny, Angela Bassett, and Pom Klementieff. Newcomers to the franchise include Hannah Waddingham, Nick Offerman, Lucy Tulugarjuk, Katy O’Brian, Tramell Tillman, and Stephen Oyoung.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning releases in cinemas from May 23rd. Watch the trailer below:

New THE SURFER Trailer Sees Nic Cage Rage

nicolas cage in the surfer trailer

The psychological thriller The Surfer, starring Nicolas Cage, has debuted a brand-new trailer. The feature hails from Vivarium and Nocebo filmmaker Lorcan Finnegan, who directs from a screenplay by Thomas Martin.

Per the synopsis, when a man (Cage) returns to his beachside hometown in Australia, many years since building a life for himself in the U.S., he is humiliated in front of his teenage son by a local gang of surfers who claim strict ownership over the secluded beach of his childhood. Wounded, he decides to remain at the beach, declaring war against those in control of the bay. As the conflict escalates, the stakes spin out of control, taking him to the edge of sanity.

Julian McMahon, Nic Cassim, Miranda Tapsell, Alexander Bertrand, Justin Rosniak, Rahel Romahn, Finn Little and Charlotte Maggi star opposite Cage. The project is from Lionsgate and Roadside Attraction.

“Lorcan’s movie is a stunning visual experience with an incredible palette, coupled with Nicolas Cage at his absolute best,” Lionsgate’s Lauren Bixby said in a recent statement. The film had its world premiere at the 77th Cannes International Film Festival, where it received a six minute ovation.

Watch The Surfer trailer below, ahead of its release in UK and Irish cinemas from 9th May.