Peter Cullen, voice of Optimus Prime, dies

40 years ago, Optimus Prime (often viewed as a surrogate dad) died in Transformers: The Movie! Hasbro's controversial decision to sell new toys by killing off fan favourite characters traumatised a generation of kids (myself included).

Peter Cullen, the voice of Optimus Prime, recalled hearing the stories that prompted the return of the heroic leader of the Autobots:

"I did Optimus Prime up until the movie in 1986, where I was put to rest. 'There lays Optimus Prime. See ya, kid!' And I didn't come back, I wasn't resurrected until the first Michael Bay film. So, there's a lot of time in between; however, I did come back to do two or three shows because a lot of kids evidently had trouble with that scene, and they were not coming out of their rooms and hiding under beds, I was told."

On a personal note, my late mum bought me the original Optimus Prime toy - as a surprise gift - whilst I was off sick from school in 1984. The Transformers, combined with the Marvel Comics tie-in, would soon become one of my all-time favourite toy lines, which I still collect.

Cullen, who voiced Optimus Prime for almost 4 decades, has died aged 85.

He died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, a statement said.

"Peter Cullen passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family - and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide.

"His family asks that you honour his remarkable legacy by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity, and loyalty and always remember 'be strong enough to be gentle'."

Cullen's other roles included the evil KARR in Knight Rider, Monterey Jack in Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, and he voiced characters in 1980s and 1990s animated series including Spider-Man, Donkey Kong, Alvin & the Chipmunks, Dungeons & Dragons, My Little Pony, Duck Tales and Adventures of the Gummi Bears.

Like many Transformers fans, I will be forever thankful for Cullen's contribution to my life.

'Til all are one.

Grand Theft Auto VI shines on PS5

After days of leaked gameplay footage, which I avoided like the bitcoin plague, Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto VI extended look on Netflix left me overwhelmed and even more hyped for the November release!



GTA VI heads to the state of Leonida, home to the neon-soaked streets of Vice City and beyond, in the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) series yet. With a reported budget of over a billion dollars and a female protagonist (Lucia), GTA VI was originally due to release in 2025.

The footage was captured on a base PlayStation 5 (PS5) and looks phenomenal...

IGN's Ryan McCaffrey said GTA VI "might be the best-looking game I've ever seen." The soundtrack includes inspired use of Cliff Richard's Devil Woman, and I've fallen in love with Lucia before even downloading the Ultimate Edition for PS5 and picking up a controller. Even with GTA VI locked at 30FPS, the PS5 Pro is selling out everywhere.

Rockstar Games has confirmed to Kinda Funny Games that GTA VI will launch without microtransactions or generative artificial intelligence (AI).

Pre-order Grand Theft Auto VI at Amazon (affiliate link).

What did you think of the extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI? Have you pre-ordered the game? Let me know in the comments below.

LEGO Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer

On Wednesday, the LEGO Group unveiled the LEGO Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer (75457), a spectacular 6,130-piece building set designed for adult fans. This highly detailed Ultimate Collector Series (UCS) model invites builders to recreate the legendary flagship of Darth Vader, capturing the vessel’s vast scale and razor-sharp silhouette as seen in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Designed as a tribute to one of the saga’s most recognisable ships, the set gives fans a striking display piece worthy of a galaxy far, far away... Builders can showcase the completed flagship on its built-in minimal stand alongside a companion Star Destroyer built to scale, complete with a tiny Millennium Falcon on a 1x1 round tile as a playful nod to the Executor’s colossal proportions.

Measuring over 53.5 inches (136 cm) in length, this is the longest LEGO Star Wars brick-built model to date. To achieve this impressive feat, the design team engineered a LEGO System core with slender LEGO Technic outriggers that anchor the exterior panels, delivering strength without bulk.

Authenticity and detail are at the heart of this set, which features dense central greebling contrasted against sleek side panels. Among the 6,130 elements is a newly designed decorated tile graphic used 60 times to recreate the tiny hull lights and central detailing. The graphic works across multiple orientations and overlaps, allowing the repeated tiles read as organic "random lights". Controlled inversions are utilised to switch building orientation mid-build, exposing both stud and tube sides for richer detailing on the center spine and underside.

The set includes seven Minifigures: Darth Vader and, for the first time in a single set, all six bounty hunters: Boba Fett, Dengar (featuring a refreshed backpack build), Bossk, IG-88 (featuring a brand-new moulded head), 4-LOM, and Zuckuss. The model includes a detailed Minifigure-scale scene of the Executor's bridge, where builders can recreate the legendary moment these characters meet.

LEGO Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer is available from LEGO AU, CA, UK and US (affiliate links).

What do you think of the LEGO Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer? Will you add this to your collection? Let me know in the comments below.

Spider-Man swings towards Star Wars

Spider-Man: Brand New Day disproves superhero fatigue by passing Avengers: Endgame at the US box office as the beloved webslinger swings towards Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

“The press talks a lot about that, but right now, on anything, the theatrical audience demands greatness,” Sony Pictures chief Tom Rothman told The Hollywood Reporter (THR). “If it’s only OK, they can stay home and see ‘only OK’ all day long on television. If we’re going to ask them make a trip out of it, it’s got to be great. The answer is as simple as that.”

The Tom Holland-led Marvel Studios blockbuster has taken $2.22 billion worldwide.

Have you seen Spider-Man: Brand New Day? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Alien director says he's an influencer

Sir Ridley Scott, the 88-year-old director of seminal sci-fi movies Alien and Blade Runner, told The Times of London how his legacy has inspired others:

"Every time, you are vulnerable. Also, I never want to repeat myself and all my films have been on the money. I've been ahead of the game frequently and, if you're ahead of the game, you're an influencer. So I'm not a filmmaker, I'm an influencer."

Scott is one of the highest-grossing directors of all time – winning two Golden Globes and two Emmys – as well as being nominated for four Oscars, eight Baftas and a Grammy.

Like many, I watched the original Alien on home video far too young and the titular xenomorph has stalked my nightmares and woven itself into the fabric of fragmented memories of a life-changing childhood trauma featuring creepy hospital corridors, flickering neon lights and faceless adults.

Do you agree that Ridley Scott is an influencer, not a filmmaker? Let me know in the comments below.

Harrison Ford and Cookie Monster team up

The cast of Shrinking on Apple TV visited the set of Sesame Street earlier this year, where Harrison Ford and Cookie Monster teamed up.

The odd couple hummed composer John Williams' Raiders March from the Indiana Jones franchise in a viral clip that has broken the internet! As a kid growing up watching Sesame Street, Star Wars and Indiana Jones, this made my day.

Shrinking is streaming exclusively on Apple TV.

LEGO DC Batman: Batman Returns Batmobile

The LEGO Group, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, unveils the LEGO DC Batman: Batman Returns Batmobile (76355). The 2,269-piece set, inspired by the legendary vehicle from the 1992 film Batman Returns, recreates the sleek silhouette, intricate details and unforgettable transformation sequence of one of cinema's most recognisable Super Hero vehicles.

The latest in a series of LEGO Batman display models, this set brings the distinctive vehicle from Tim Burton's Batman Returns to LEGO brick form for the very first time. Featuring authentic details, an innovative transformation function and hidden references from the film, the model celebrates one of Batman's most memorable on-screen appearances.

From its elongated bodywork and jet turbine rear engine to the opening canopy and detailed cockpit, every element has been carefully recreated to reflect the Batmobile as seen on screen. Builders can also discover several hidden details throughout the model, including The Penguin's tracking device, inspired by memorable moments from the film.

LEGO DC Batman: Batman Returns Batmobile is available from LEGO AU, CA, UK and US (affiliate links).

What do you think of the LEGO DC Batman: Batman Returns Batmobile? Will you add this to your collection? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who legends launch the Pondcast!

Doctor Who legends Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) and Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams) have officially launched their new podcast, The Pondcast!

The duo, who played fan-favourite companions of the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), will be featuring guests from the beloved BBC sci-fi series, including former showrunner Steven Moffat.

Whilst the date of the first episode hasn't been confirmed, the former co-stars launched their show on Monday with an Instagram account, with Darvill explaining: "We're going to be doing some chatting."

"And drinking tea," Gillan added. "Telling stories..."

You had me at drinking tea.

"And reminiscing," Darvill went on. "And generally having an absolutely lovely time."

Darvill and Gillan first appeared in The Eleventh Hour and remained on Doctor Who until their heartbreaking exit in The Angels Take Manhattan.

What are your favourite episodes featuring the Ponds? Will you be listening to The Pondcast? Let me know in the comments below.

Star Wars: Starfighter at D23

During the Disney Studio Showcase panel at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, director Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine) and actor Ryan Gosling (Project Hail Mary) took to the stage with Lucasfilm co-president Dave Filoni to promote Star Wars: Starfighter.

“I owe a lot to Disney,” Gosling, a former member of the Mickey Mouse Club who is playing Kade Auberon, said. “Had they not looked far and wide and come to my hometown, I would not be here today. And now here I am 30 years later... I’m back, and it’s changing my life again.”

D23 attendees got an exclusive first look at the upcoming Star Wars movie along with its retro-inspired logo.

“I am so honored to release this film on the same weekend that the original film opened 50 years earlier,” Levy said.

Like Star Wars creator George Lucas, Levy was inspired by American car culture and films like The Outsiders and Lucas’ American Graffiti.

“Starfighter embodies the themes of hope, family and adventure that have always been core to Star Wars, but our story takes place in a period of time that has never been seen before, which has been a privilege to create and explore."

Star Wars: Starfighter, a standalone story set 5 years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, is due for release on 28th May 2027 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of George Lucas' space opera.

Are you looking forward to Star Wars: Starfighter? Let me know in the comments below.

Ahsoka brings the Force to D23

During the Ahsoka Spotlight panel at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Star Wars fans (myself included) got a first look at Ahsoka season two on Disney+. Creator and Lucasfilm co-president Dave Filoni and stars Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano), Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker), and Eman Esfandi (Ezra Bridger) were on stage to tease the next chapter for Ahsoka Tano.



Read the official synopsis:

"As Ahsoka and her Jedi apprentice Sabine Wren travel across a mysterious and perilous world to find their way home, their friends Hera, Ezra, Zeb, and Chopper, must face the powerful Grand Admiral Thrawn and his sinister allies, who seek to plunge the New Republic into war."

It looks like the 3-year wait was worth it, with Lucasfilm pulling no punches for the 50th anniversary of Star Wars.

Season two of Ahsoka, streaming on 20th January, 2027 on Disney+.

Are you looking forward to the second season of Ahsoka on Disney+? Let me know in the comments below.