Saturday, 28 December 2024

50 years of the Fourth Doctor



50 years ago, Robot was the first story of the twelfth season of Doctor Who, beginning Tom Baker's iconic era as the Fourth Doctor.

Following on from Jon Pertwee's action-orientated Third Doctor, Baker's eccentric and enigmatic tenure at the controls of the TARDIS would witness an unprecedented level of popularity for the BBC's beloved sci-fi series both in the UK and overseas, and the launch of Marvel UK's Doctor Who Weekly. The fan-favourite publication went monthly and continues to this day.

Dad was a fan of Pertwee's Third Doctor, and the Sonic Screwdriver was passed from generation to generation.

My earliest memory of watching Doctor Who is The Sontaran Experiment and the Fourth Doctor is my favourite incarnation. From shapeshifting Zygons to an android Sarah Jane Smith (Lis Sladen) to the bubbling brain of Morbius, Doctor Who was a Saturday teatime staple watched with my dad.

This was an era before the widespread adoption of home video recorders. If we missed an episode, there was little chance of seeing it unless there was an omnibus edition repeat. Revenge of the Cybermen was the first VHS tape I owned in 1983.

When I was hospitalised in the wake of an unreported head injury in primary school, vintage annuals, Denys Fisher's Fourth Doctor, Cyberman and Giant Robot action figures gifted by family, and eating Jelly Babies, took my mind off of a life-changing childhood trauma as I began years of rehabilitation having undergone a regeneration - the ingenious key to the sci-fi series’ longevity - of my own.

On Christmas Day 1979, Santa Claus completed my collection by leaving a much-wished-for Denys Fisher TARDIS and K9 under the tree.

Considered by many fans (myself included) as one of the greatest seasons of Doctor Who, Season Twelve is available on Blu-ray from Amazon (affiliate link).

What are your memories of watching the Fourth Doctor? Let me know in the comments below.

Thursday, 26 December 2024

Doctor Who teaser trailer for 2025



A teaser trailer for Doctor Who season two dropped following Joy to the World on Christmas Day. The holiday special saw the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) aid Joy (Nicola Coughlan) in an emotionally resonant Steven Moffat-penned seasonal story.



Read the official synopsis:

"There are forces beyond this universe... It's all a game to them!"

The teaser trailer teases the return of Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) and the introduction of a new TARDIS companion, Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu). Sethu first appeared as Mundy Flynn in season one's Boom!

Doctor Who returns in 2025 on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland.

Have you watched the teaser trailer? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Monday, 23 December 2024

Rose Ayling-Ellis MBE joins Doctor Who



Only two more sleeps until the Doctor Who Christmas special, Joy to the World. Fans (myself included) can watch a colourised omnibus edition of The War Games, which marked the end of an era for the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton), and Doctor Who at the Proms 2024 while waiting.

As anticipation builds for season two of Doctor Who on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland, Rose Ayling-Ellis MBE will be a guest star in 2025.

Russell T Davies, showrunner says: “We always want guest actors on Doctor Who to have fun, but Rose takes it to a whole new level. She storms in with an astonishing performance of terror, anger and bravery in one of the most frightening episodes we’ve ever made.”

Rose Ayling-Ellis is a longtime fan of Doctor Who.

Ayling-Ellis, says: “I loved Doctor Who when I was growing up, so being cast in the show was a dream come true. My inner child is ecstatic with excitement! Working with Russell and filming alongside the talented cast and crew has been an incredible experience. Ncuti is a wonderful Doctor, and I can’t wait for audiences to see what we have created together.”

This is exciting news and a wonderful way to wrap up 2024. May I wish all our readers a happy holiday season and see you in 2025.

Friday, 20 December 2024

LEGO Icons Blacktron blasts off!



Growing up, LEGO Space was my jam!

When the LEGO Group announced the Galaxy Explorer, based on the iconic 1979 spaceship I vividly remember building on Boxing Day, many brick fans (myself included) hoped there would be more nostalgic sets based on the fan-favourite theme.

Now it's the turn of the Blacktron baddies, which I missed out on back in the day.

Here’s the press release from LEGO:

"Today, the LEGO Group reveals a cosmic tribute to the iconic LEGO® Blacktron Future Generation series with the new LEGO Icons Blacktron Renegade Set.

First introduced in the 1980s, the Blacktron Renegade was a fan-favourite spaceship from the classic LEGO Space era, known for its distinctive black and yellow design and unsymmetrical shape. Combining nostalgia and a modern design, this collectible spaceship model recreates the Blacktron Renegade in staggering detail, offering fans a chance to rediscover the thrill of building classic LEGO space adventures.

Designed for adult builders, this modular masterpiece includes exciting new features such as a planet-rover drop pod, retractable landing gear, and two wing-mounted space speeders. Fans can bring the set to life with the three Blacktron minifigures, a droid figure, and online instructions to rebuild the Renegade into an amplified version of the 1980s Blacktron Alienator.

This set is the ultimate gift for collectors and LEGO space-themed enthusiasts. Rediscover the magic of LEGO space and create galactic adventures with new LEGO Icons Blacktron Renegade Set!


Discover LEGO Star Wars and more on LEGO AU, CA, UK and US (affiliate links).

The LEGO Icons Blacktron Renegade building set ships in time for my birthday in January and will look great next to the Galaxy Explorer.

Will you be adding the LEGO Icons Blacktron Renegade building set to your collection? Let me know in the comments below.

Thursday, 19 December 2024

Superman teaser trailer soars



46 years ago, Superman: The Movie, starring Christopher Reeve as the titular Kryptonian superhero, was in cinemas. My parents took me to see it following a visit to Santa's Grotto in the hopes of Star Wars toys on Christmas Day. Like Luke Skywalker, Superman became a beacon of hope and inspiration in the darkest times.

Directed by Richard Donner (The Goonies), Superman: The Movie was the third film in a formative theatrical trifecta including Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind! All of these films feature soundtracks composed by the legendary John Williams.

It's impossible to overstate how important these movies are to me.

I was in the early years of recovery from a life-changing head injury at primary school, which had left me partially paralysed and wheelchair-bound in 1977. Cinema was my fortress of solitude, and silver screen tales of heroism would aid in my resolve to walk again with the help and support of family, friends and amazing healthcare professionals working in the NHS.

My 82-year-old dad and I still discuss seeing Superman: The Movie and Superman II with my late mum all those years ago. Reeve will always be the definitive Clark Kent/Superman. In a tragic twist, Reeve would suffer a life-changing injury of his own.

Warner Bros. Pictures has dropped an official teaser trailer for James Gunn's Superman featuring Williams' iconic theme. Dad and I loved Guardians of the Galaxy and I wish my mum was alive to see this.



"I mean, the John Williams scores… it's one of the greatest scores of all time. And you know, it's the thing I loved when I saw the movie as a child," said Gunn at a press conference for the launch of the Superman teaser trailer. "If that was the thing I liked the most, was the score, I wanted to pay tribute to that."

Gunn's Superman flies onto cinema screens on 11th July 2025.

What did you think of the teaser trailer? Are you looking forward to Superman? Let me know in the comments below.

Monday, 16 December 2024

Silo to conclude after fourth season



An early Christmas gift for Silo fans (myself included). Silo has been renewed for two more seasons on Apple TV+.

The sci-fi series follows the last 10,000 people on Earth, all of whom live in a massive underground bunker to escape the seemingly toxic and deadly world outside. The people are unaware of why the titular silo was built, and those who seek the truth face deadly consequences.

“We’ll be shooting all of 2025 into early 2026,” confirms Graham Yost to Empire magazine on the set of Silo at Hoddesdon Studios in Hertfordshire. “There's a big location that we're going to introduce toward the end of Season 3 that plays a very big role in Season 4. And because we shoot all 10 episodes [of each season] at the same time, we had to write Season 3 and then basically go right into writing season 4.”

Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette Nichols, an engineer who attempts to unravel the mysteries surrounding the silo following a loved one's murder. The sci-fi series is based on Hugh Howey's best-selling book series.

“I’ve loved every minute of bringing Juliette to the screen and am immensely proud of what we’ve all created with Silo since the first episode,” adds star and executive producer Ferguson. “I have always felt passionately about telling the entire story contained within Hugh Howey’s books, so I couldn’t be happier that audiences around the world have enthusiastically embraced the show. Alongside our parters at Apple, Graham, and the entire cast and crew, I cannot wait to dive into these final two thought-provoking seasons that will beautifully conclude this dystopian tale.”

If you’ve yet to slip into Silo’s dystopian embrace, now's the time to start as the second season is currently streaming with new episodes every Friday on Apple TV+.

Apple TV+ has become a home for prestige sci-fi series from For All Mankind to Dark Matter.

Are you watching Silo on Apple TV+? Let me know in the comments below.

Saturday, 14 December 2024

Skeleton Crew is festive fun!



Skeleton Crew is streaming on Disney+ and Star Wars hasn't been this much fun since The Mandalorian! Lucasfilm has dropped an official clip from episode 3.



The Star Wars live-action spin-off series starring Jude Law, created by Spider-Man Homecoming director Jon Watts and writer Christopher Ford, who also serve as the showrunners, follows along as the kids get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy and have to find their way home, meeting unlikely allies and enemies along the way.

The soundtrack, composed by Mick Giaccino (son of Michael Giaccino), deftly fuses The Goonies' DNA with adventures in a galaxy far, far away.

Join Jod (Jude Law), Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), and SM-33 (Nick Frost) on a rollicking journey among the stars.

Individual episodic directors are Jon Watts, David Lowery, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Lee Isaac Chung. The season was written by Christopher Ford and Jon Watts, with two episodes by Myung Joh Wesner. The series is executive produced by Christopher Ford, Jon Watts, Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, and Colin Wilson, along with co-executive producers Chris Buongiorno, Karen Gilchrist, Carrie Beck and producers Susan McNamara and John Bartnicki.

Pre-order Star Wars The Black Series Skeleton Crew action figures on Amazon (affiliate link).

Are you watching Skeleton Crew on Disney+? Let me know in the comments below.

Tuesday, 10 December 2024

Palitoy Death Star designer has died



Growing up, Christmas was a time for Star Wars toys such as the AT-AT and Millennium Falcon if you were lucky. I always wanted the Palitoy Death Star and was saddened to hear the news of designer Brian Turner's passing.

Bob Brechin, chief designer at Palitoy, shared the sad news online.

"It is with great sadness I announce the passing of Brian Turner who died on the morning of Friday 6th December 2024.

For collectors and fans of Star Wars toys Brian did most of the design work on the Star Wars card Death Star by Palitoy.

I first got to know Brian when he came to Palitoy around 1970 to be Display Manager and we became good friends and colleagues. The previous display manager had left and prior to Brian joining us I was deputising with the Packaging Manager on setting up the Palitoy stand at the British Toy Fair. So when Brian joined I would go out with him to show him the ropes whilst he settled in. He was soon into his stride and reorganised the whole way the toy fair stand was designed using modular octonorm system. It was a big financial outlay at the start but enabled him to use the system to design smaller regional shows throughout the year. Before that every British Toy Fair stand and regional shows by Palitoy were one-off designs that were broken down and destroyed.

Brian also put in some very exciting dioramas into large department stores, particularly one at Blackpool and produced smaller dioramas that sales reps could transport around in the back of their estate cars.

When he was in the office, which was rarely, he would talk with Design Director Bill Pugh’s secretary June and the conversations grew into something bigger. Brian and June got married in December 1973 and last year we were there with the family and friends at the care home where they both lived to celebrate their golden wedding.

When June married Brian Bill decided she had to move so she took on the position of manager of the Palitoy canteen and later part of the sales team, and Brian decided that his job as Display Manager, which involved many days away from home, was not for him and June, so he came to work with me as a toy designer. That was a good move for Palitoy and the public. As well as helping to create one of the most iconic toys in the Star Wars universe Brian also worked on other great toys including Action Force. The Sealion, which is highly regarded by Action Force collectors was one of Brian’s creations.

Condolences to his family and friends."


This weekend's Farthest From event, featuring pipeline reveals from Hasbro's Steve Evans for the Star Wars Retro Collection, was dedicated to the memory of Brian.

Thursday, 5 December 2024

The Two Doctors on Christmas Day



Doctor Who returns on Christmas Day and a new trailer has materialised teasing two Doctors (Ncuti Gatwa).



Read the official synopsis for Joy to the World:

"Joy checks into a London hotel in 2024, only to discover that her quiet stay is anything but ordinary. When Joy opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel, she discovers danger, dinosaurs and the Doctor. But a deadly plan is unfolding across the Earth, just in time for Christmas.

Where has the Doctor been? What is going on in Joy’s hotel room? An old enemy of the Doctor’s is lurking in the wings and all of human history hangs in the balance. Can the Doctor save Christmas, everywhere, all at once?"


Doctor Who: Joy to the World is available for pre-order (affiliate link).

Doctor Who: Joy to the World premieres on Christmas Day on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ where available.

Are you looking forward to Joy to the World? Let me know in the comments below.

Wednesday, 4 December 2024

Doctor Who brings Joy to the World



Doctor Who fans (myself included) are in for a bumper festive season featuring the colourised omnibus edition of The War Games, Doctor Who at the Proms 2024 and the holiday special, Joy to the World.

Doctor Who returns on Christmas Day with Joy to the World, a time-hopping trip through the history of Earth written by former series showrunner Steven Moffat and starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Nicola Coughlan as Joy.



Read the official synopsis for Joy to the World:

"Joy checks into a London hotel in 2024, only to discover that her quiet stay is anything but ordinary. When Joy opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel, she discovers danger, dinosaurs and the Doctor. But a deadly plan is unfolding across the Earth, just in time for Christmas.

Where has the Doctor been? What is going on in Joy’s hotel room? An old enemy of the Doctor’s is lurking in the wings and all of human history hangs in the balance. Can the Doctor save Christmas, everywhere, all at once?"


Doctor Who: Joy to the World is available for pre-order (affiliate link).

Doctor Who: Joy to the World premieres on Christmas Day on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ where available.

Are you looking forward to Joy to the World? Let me know in the comments below.

Tuesday, 3 December 2024

PlayStation turns 30!



This blog began 20 years ago and I've reviewed PlayStation hardware across generations. So it's only right I share my memories on the 30th anniversary of Sony's game-changing console.

I wouldn't own Sony's upstart console with a bundled copy of Tomb Raider from EB Games until 1996. However, I first played a friend's Japanese import PlayStation and then a university housemate's for a daily dose of Destruction Derby, Ridge Racer and WipEout (when I should have been writing my third-year dissertation).

In the mid-to-late nineties, saying you owned a PlayStation during work water cooler conversations was fashionably cool. The console was featured on newsstands everywhere, from Edge to FHM, nudging Nintendo and Sega off the top spots forever.

Without the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), there would be no PlayStation.

Sony's 32-bit console began life as an aborted SNES CD-ROM add-on in 1988. However, Nintendo shunned Sony at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and partnered with Philips in 1991. The rest is gaming history.

Sony brings back the original PlayStation boot screen to celebrate this milestone with the PlayStation 5 (PS5) anniversary update! No matter which generation of PlayStation you grew up on, that old-school PS1 boot screen hits differently! I will turn my PS5 on and off throughout the holidays to remember what it felt like to play Tomb Raider for the first time!

What are your PlayStation memories? Let me know in the comments below.

Monday, 2 December 2024

Hasbro Toyland on Amazon



Hasbro, in collaboration with Amazon, invites families to a wonderful, FREE holiday pop-up event in New York City, for a merry afternoon bursting with toys, games, and activities.

Taking place December 6-8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the High Line at Chelsea Market Passage – located between 15th and 16th street – this immersive experience will showcase the best of Hasbro Toyland. The enchanted pop-up brings Hasbro’s iconic brands to life, offering a fun-filled destination for families to celebrate the season together.

At Hasbro’s Holiday Pop-Up Event, parents and kids can look forward to the following FREE activities:

Hasbro Product Showcase: Explore and play with a variety of toys from Hasbro brands, including BABY ALIVE, BEYBLADE, FURBY, HASBRO GAMING, MONOPOLY, MY LITTLE PONY, NERF, TRANSFORMERS, PEPPA PIG, POTATO HEAD, and PLAY-DOH, plus premier collaboration brands including Star Wars™ and Marvel. All battery-operated toys will be powered by Duracell for countless hours of play!

Photo Opps with Santa and Hasbro Characters: Capture lasting memories with Santa and Hasbro characters, including Peppa Pig, Izzy Moonbow, Sunny Starscout, and Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head. Complimentary photo frames will be provided (while supplies last).

Letter to Santa Station: Send letters to the North Pole first class! Use your best penmanship to share wishes and hopes with Santa at his special mailbox.

Giveaways & Snacks: Grab a tote bag filled with holiday goodies including a $25 Paramount+ gift card, Duracell batteries with Power Boost ingredients, picture frame, stickers and other delightful gifts. Get cozy with delicious cookies and hot cocoa!

Shop Hasbro Toyland (affiliate link).

Saturday, 30 November 2024

Get an early look at Skeleton Crew



Lucasfilm has released an official clip from Skeleton Crew on Disney+. The upcoming Star Wars live-action spin-off series is set after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.



Join Jod (Jude Law), Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), and SM-33 (Nick Frost) on a rollicking journey among the stars.

Individual episodic directors are Jon Watts, David Lowery, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Lee Isaac Chung. The season was written by Christopher Ford and Jon Watts, with two episodes by Myung Joh Wesner. The series is executive produced by Christopher Ford, Jon Watts, Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, and Colin Wilson, along with co-executive producers Chris Buongiorno, Karen Gilchrist, Carrie Beck and producers Susan McNamara and John Bartnicki.

Skeleton Crew starts streaming with a two-episode series premiere in the UK on 3rd December on Disney+.

Are you looking forward to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on Disney+? Do you think there will be cameos from fan-favourite Star Wars characters? Let me know in the comments below.

Friday, 29 November 2024

Skeleton Crew lands early on Disney+



Star Wars: Skeleton Crew arrives a day early on Disney+, and fans can watch the two-episode premiere on the big screen in selected theatres.

The Star Wars live-action spin-off series starring Jude Law, created by Spider-Man Homecoming director Jon Watts and writer Christopher Ford, who also serve as the showrunners, follows along as the kids get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy and have to find their way home, meeting unlikely allies and enemies along the way.



“If we’re talking about ’80s movies, I feel like every single one of them is somehow the inspiration,” Watts says of the ’80s vibe in Skeleton Crew. “We were so immersed in that world that you can’t help it. We’re never consciously referencing any of that stuff. It just is part of our DNA.”

Among myriad pop culture influences, Skeleton Crew draws inspiration from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Goonies, Gremlins and Explorers.

“We didn’t go into this trying to write an AI prompt of combining cool things,” Ford says. “We just were trying to write a good story, and these are the things that have been drummed into our imaginations.”

Join Jod (Jude Law), Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), and SM-33 (Nick Frost) on a rollicking journey among the stars.

Individual episodic directors are Jon Watts, David Lowery, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Lee Isaac Chung. The season was written by Christopher Ford and Jon Watts, with two episodes by Myung Joh Wesner. The series is executive produced by Christopher Ford, Jon Watts, Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, and Colin Wilson, along with co-executive producers Chris Buongiorno, Karen Gilchrist, Carrie Beck and producers Susan McNamara and John Bartnicki.

The series has all the trappings of a Marvel Star Wars adventure and I'm here for it with a pack of Reese's Pieces during the holiday season.

Skeleton Crew starts streaming with a two-episode series premiere in the UK on 3rd December on Disney+.

Are you looking forward to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on Disney+? Let me know in the comments below.

Tuesday, 26 November 2024

LEGO Black Friday is coming!



LEGO Black Friday is coming! Preview the special offers and deals from popular brands including Marvel, Disney, Star Wars, and Harry Potter starting on 29th November.

Now is the perfect time to make a list of Christmas gift ideas or add to your wish list. LEGO Insiders members receive special offers including a LEGO Creator Winter Holiday Train gift with purchase while stocks last, and it's free to join!

Discover LEGO Star Wars on LEGO AU, CA, UK and US (affiliate links).

Which LEGO sets are you getting on Black Friday? Let me know in the comments below.

Sunday, 24 November 2024

Doctor Who classic The War Games in colour



Oh, my giddy aunt! The BBC announced a new colourised version of The War Games on Doctor Who Day!

Originally aired in 1969, The War Games marked the end of an era for the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton). It follows the cosmic hobo and his companions, Zoe (Wendy Padbury) and Jamie (Frazer Hines), as the TARDIS materialises on a battlefield in World War I.



Russell T Davies series showrunner, says: “From the day I arrived back on Doctor Who, this was the plan. To colourise old stories and bring them back to life. And on Doctor Who Day itself, it’s great to announce this, celebrating the show’s wonderful heritage with an all-time-classic. It looks so vivid and new - and for fans of black-and-white, the story in its original form will stay on BBC iPlayer, so everyone wins! I actually watched this transmit in 1969, at 6 years old, terrified of the Roman soldiers, fascinated by villains with glinting spectacles, and in awe of the Doctor’s brand new origin. Now fans old and new can enjoy it all over again."

I remember reading Malcolm Hulke's Target novelisation of The War Games in the summer of 1985 and playing Beach Head II on my Commodore 64. The War Games quickly became one of my favourite classic serials and I'm intrigued to see an updated 90-minute omnibus edition for the TikTok generation.

In addition to updated special effects, music and sound, The War Games will also feature the Second Doctor's never-before-seen regeneration into the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee), alongside recovered footage not seen since the original broadcast.

The War Games is the second time that a classic Doctor Who story has been colourised, following The Daleks in 2023, which was updated to commemorate the franchise's 60th anniversary.

Doctor Who: The War Games is available for pre-order from Amazon (affiliate link) and will be on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer on 23rd December.

Are you looking forward to seeing The War Games in colour? Which classic serials would you like to see colourised in the future? Let me know in the comments below.

Friday, 22 November 2024

Skeleton Crew: Galactic Adventures



Lucasfilm has released a behind-the-scenes look at Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, which is coming soon to Disney+.



The Star Wars live-action spin-off series starring Jude Law, created by Spider-Man Homecoming director Jon Watts and writer Christopher Ford, who also serve as the showrunners, follows along as the kids get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy and have to find their way home, meeting unlikely allies and enemies along the way.

Skeleton Crew starts streaming with a two-episode series premiere in the UK on 4th December on Disney+.

Are you looking forward to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on Disney+? What did you think of the behind-the-scenes footage? Let me know in the comments below.

Wednesday, 20 November 2024

Mother Earth is expecting in Alien: Earth



The Alien franchise has witnessed a rebirth with Alien: Romulus on the big screen and Alien: Earth is coming to Hulu on Disney+ in the summer of 2025.

FX has released a new teaser trailer for Noah Hawley's (Fargo) live-action spin-off series, Alien: Earth, set two years before Alien.



Read the official synopsis:

“When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat. As members of the crash recovery crew search for survivors among the wreckage, they encounter mysterious predatory life forms more terrifying than they could have ever imagined. With this new threat unlocked, the search crew must fight for survival, and what they choose to do with this discovery could change planet Earth as they know it.”

The cast for Alien: Earth includes Sydney Chandler (Don't Worry Darling), Alex Lawther (Andor), Samuel Blenkin (The Sandman), Kit Young (Shadow and Bone), Essie Davis (Assassin's Creed), Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger) and Timothy Olyphant (The Mandalorian).

Alien: Earth premieres only on Hulu and Disney+ in 2025.

Are you looking forward to Alien: Earth? Let me know in the comments below.

Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Captain Kirk returns for Generations' 30th anniversary



30 years ago, Star Trek: Generations passed the big screen baton from The Original Series to The Next Generation! As much as I prefer Star Trek: First Contact, it was fun seeing iconic captains, Kirk (William Shatner) and Picard (Patrick Stewart), on screen together battling Soran (Malcolm McDowell)!

To celebrate Captain Kirk's swansong, the Roddenberry Archive and their technology partner OTOY (in co-operation with Paramount) have released 765874: Unification.



765874: Unification was directed by award-winning Spanish filmmaker Carlos Baena, from a story by Jules Urbach and features original music by Academy award-winning Star Trek composer Michael Giacchino. Production design was provided by Star Trek: Picard production designer David Blass.

The VFX-heavy short film is available as an immersive experience for Apple Vision Pro.

What did you think of 765874: Unification? Let me know in the comments below.

Monday, 18 November 2024

Unboxing Star Wars The Ghost HasLab



The wait is almost over. The Star Wars The Vintage Collection The Ghost HasLab will land under the Christmas trees of backers this holiday. Hasbro Pulse shared an unboxing video by product design manager Chris Reiff.



Read the official synopsis:

"For all the dedicated STAR WARS collectors and backers of this incredible HasLab project, this is the unboxing you’ve been waiting for! Join Chris, product design manager, as he takes you through the final production sample of STAR WARS The Vintage Collection The Ghost. In this video, you’ll see everything included with this massive ship—over 28 inches by 34 inches and standing 13 inches tall—the largest STAR WARS ship since Jabba’s Sail Barge.

Chris walks through the detailed assembly process, revealing all the exciting features, like the opening front ramp, removable landing gear, multiple interior panels, and the docking bay for the Phantom II. He also showcases the exclusive STAR WARS Rebels cardback figures—Hera Syndulla, Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, and Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios.

This is a must-watch for any collector who backed this project and is excited to see what’s coming their way soon this December!"


I mentioned to Steve Evans, design director for fan product for Marvel and Star Wars, how it evoked the magic of unwrapping Star Wars toys on Christmas morning. Evans and his Star Wars team at Hasbro wanted to recapture that nostalgic feeling of unboxing an AT-AT or the Millennium Falcon. They've achieved that goal with aplomb.

Did you back the Star Wars The Vintage Collection The Ghost HasLab? What future Star Wars HasLabs would you like to see? Let me know in the comments below.

Friday, 15 November 2024

Transformers One rolls out on Paramount+



Transformers One was released in cinemas last September to celebrate the franchise's 40th anniversary. The acclaimed fully CG-animated movie, featuring an all-star cast, comes home on Paramount+ today!

Read the official synopsis:

"TRANSFORMERS ONE is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever."

In 1986, Transformers: The Movie traumatised a generation of fans (myself included) with the death of Optimus Prime. All because Hasbro wanted to sell more toys. Like many fans, I missed Transformers One at the cinema, but I am looking forward to watching the best Transformers movie since Bumblebee.

Are you looking forward to watching Transformers One on Paramount+? Let me know in the comments below.

Thursday, 14 November 2024

Unseen footage from Doctor Who



Doctor Who celebrates its 61st anniversary on 23rd November.

Whilst this year doesn't have the gravitas of the 60th anniversary, garnering three specials and much more, the BBC will share unseen footage from season one, starring Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who) and Millie Gibson (Ruby Sunday).

In related news. Speaking to BBC South East, Steven Moffat revealed a little more about Joy to the World: "I can tease something about the Christmas special. Imagine in the far, far future, imagine that a hotel chain got hold of the idea of time travel. What's the first thing a hotel chain would do if they had time travel? They'd realise they had an opportunity to sell all the unsold nights in their own hotels in history."

Doctor Who will return later this year with a holiday special on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland.

Wednesday, 13 November 2024

Gift the Galaxy this holiday season!



'Tis the season again. Gift the Galaxy is a celebration that reveals and highlights Star Wars toys, apparel, and more, helping fans find a gift for everyone on their list. Or, if you’re a fan (myself included), maybe you’ll find something new for your wishlist!

As with previous Gift the Galaxy holiday campaigns, new products will be released on a weekly basis, in this case on Tuesdays through 17th December with pre-orders opening up on the following Wednesday. Expect weekly releases in Hasbro’s Star Wars: The Black Series and Vintage Collection along with new product drops from other brands.

Discover even more epic gifts at Amazon (affiliate link).

Tuesday, 12 November 2024

Coming in 2025 on Disney+



In celebration of its fifth anniversary, Disney+ unveiled an action-packed special look at its upcoming slate, including highly-anticipated series from Marvel, Star Wars, Hulu, and FX and featuring never-before-seen footage from upcoming new and returning original series for both Disney+ and Hulu in 2025.



Alien: Earth, Andor season two and Daredevil: Born Again have piqued my interest. “There’s something about seeing a xenomorph in the wilds of Earth with your own eyes,” teases Noah Hawley about the long-awaited FX TV series, Alien: Earth, based on the Alien franchise. “What was really fun for me was to really engage with the creature, bring some of my own thoughts to the design while not touching the silhouette, because that’s sacrosanct,” he continued. “But some of the elements as we know, whatever the host is, informs what the final creature is,” said Hawley, “I just wanted to play around a little bit to make it as scary as it should be.”

In related news. Deadpool & Wolverine debuts on Disney+ today.

What are you looking forward to watching in 2025 on Disney+? Let me know in the comments below.

Saturday, 9 November 2024

Alien: Romulus bursts onto Hulu



Alien: Romulus starts streaming on Hulu on Disney+ on 21st November and internationally on Disney+ on 1st January.

Director Fede Álvarez's (Don't Breathe) Alien franchise instalment, set between Alien and Aliens, has been a box office smash and a sequel is in development. Not too shabby for a movie that was originally a straight-to-streaming sequel.

In his review, our US-based film and television critic Nick Smith wrote, "Alien: Romulus is really aimed at 18 to 25-year-old moviegoers who haven’t seen those creaky old Alien movies and want to take a ghost train trip to the future."

Pre-order Alien: Romulus from Amazon (affiliate link).

Have you seen Alien: Romulus? Are you looking forward to seeing it on Hulu on Disney+? Let me know in the comments below.

Friday, 8 November 2024

New Star Wars trilogy from X-Men writer



According to Deadline, a new Star Wars trilogy is being developed by Lucasfilm and X-Men’s Simon Kinberg.

The trilogy takes place after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker with Kinberg writing. It will be produced by Kinberg and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.

Kinberg co-created fan-favourite Star Wars Rebels, so I'm optimistic.

Whilst we wait for official confirmation and further details, multiple movies are in development at Lucasfilm including The Mandalorian and Grogu, and the spin-off series Skeleton Crew is on Disney+ this holiday season.

Are you looking forward to a new Star Wars trilogy? Let me know in the comments below.

Wednesday, 6 November 2024

Hasbro’s Women Innovators of Play Challenge



Our friends at Hasbro have sent over exciting details of their second annual Hasbro Women Innovators of Play Challenge.

Hasbro is inviting women innovators to submit their own ideas for toys or games to Hasbro, where a panel of judges will select winners based on various factors such as innovation, mass marketability, fun factor, and more.

Selected winners will win a $10,000 cash prize, mentorship and trip to Hasbro World Headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island for a “Day at Hasbro.”

The second annual Challenge is part of Hasbro’s larger Women Innovators of Play initiative. In fact, women account for 70% of toy purchases but only represent 29% of C-Suite roles in the industry.

It is Hasbro’s commitment to inspire and elevate more women’s involvement in the toy and game industry.

This year also saw the return of Hasbro’s Women Innovators of Play virtual event, which took place in October with a full lineup of speakers from Hasbro and other industry leaders and influencers.

It would be inspiring to see a female Star Wars fan win! Follow the link here for further details and to submit your idea.

Submissions close on 12th November. May the Force be with you.

Will you be submitting an idea to the Hasbro Women Innovators of Play Challenge? Let me know in the comments below.

Tuesday, 5 November 2024

Watch the first 5 minutes of Silo season two



Juliette lives. Entertainment Weekly (EW) exclusively shared a sneak peek at Silo season two on Apple TV+.



Read the official synopsis:

"Silo is the story of the last ten thousand people on earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside. However, no one knows when or why the silo was built and those who try to find out face fatal consequences. Ferguson stars as Juliette, an engineer who seeks answers about a loved one’s murder and tumbles onto a mystery that goes far deeper than she could have ever imagined, leading her to discover that if the lies don’t kill you, the truth will."

In addition to Rebecca Ferguson, Silo season two stars new addition Steve Zahn, alongside returning stars Tim Robbins, Common, Harriet Walter, Chinaza Uche, Avi Nash, Alexandria Riley, Shane McRae, Remmie Milner, Clare Perkins, Billy Postlethwaite, Rick Gomez, Caitlin Zoz, Tanya Moodie and Iain Glen.

Silo season two premieres on 15th November on Apple TV+.

Are you watching Silo on Apple TV+? Are you looking forward to season two? Let me know in the comments below.

Saturday, 2 November 2024

Skeleton Crew is an Amblin adventure



Lucasfilm dropped a new official trailer for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on Friday.



The Star Wars live-action spin-off series starring Jude Law, created by Spider-Man Homecoming director Jon Watts and writer Christopher Ford, who also serve as the showrunners, follows along as the kids get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy and have to find their way home, meeting unlikely allies and enemies along the way.

Drawing inspiration from the movies of Richard Donner and Steven Spielberg, this is The Goonies and Stranger Things in a galaxy far, far away...

“Amblin always stands out to me because there was a feeling that they took the kids seriously", said Watts.

"They didn't feel like kids’ movies when you watched them as a kid, and even now looking back, they feel like grown-up films that just happened to star kids.”

It captures Star Wars-themed childhood adventures with friends including my trusty Tomy Omnibot, nicknamed "Chumbley" (fellow Whovians will get the reference to Galaxy 4).

“It’s the story of kids who happen to live on what they think of as a boring planet — it seems like the suburbs and nothing ever happens,” says series co-creator Ford. “And one day they find an old spaceship and it blasts them off, out into the galaxy.” But finding their way back quickly becomes complicated. “They realize once they’re out there that no one’s ever heard of their home planet,” Ford says. “Unfortunately, along the way they attract the attention of a bunch of pirates and other space criminals.”

Individual episodic directors are Jon Watts, David Lowery, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Lee Isaac Chung. The season was written by Christopher Ford and Jon Watts, with two episodes by Myung Joh Wesner. The series is executive produced by Christopher Ford, Jon Watts, Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, and Colin Wilson, along with co-executive producers Chris Buongiorno, Karen Gilchrist, Carrie Beck and producers Susan McNamara and John Bartnicki.

Skeleton Crew starts streaming with a two-episode series premiere in the UK on 4th December on Disney+.

Are you looking forward to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew on Disney+? What did you think of the trailer? Let me know in the comments below.

Friday, 1 November 2024

Doctor Who and Ruby action figures



Just in time (pun intended) for the holiday season, Character Options and BBC Studios have announced the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) action figures based on their appearances in Doctor Who season one on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+.

Kathryn Ludlam, Character Options' brand manager, commented:

“Since their first appearance at London Toy Fair, we have been inundated with requests about the release of the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday figures. We are delighted to confirm that the figures will be available in two formats; an exclusive bundle pack from Character-Online and as individual packs with alternative decoration at mass retail, both launching later in the year."

These Gen 3 figures feature a higher specification decoration for extra detail and features include internal pivots on the neck and ankles, ball-jointed waist and shoulders as well as internal pins on the arms and legs.

It is surprising how little merchandise there is for season one given Disney's involvement! However, I can see this selling in the Disney Store and Disney Parks.

You can pre-order the Fifteenth Doctor (affiliate link) and Ruby Sunday (affiliate link) action figures.

Doctor Who will make its return later this year with a holiday special on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland.

Will you be adding the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday action figures to your collection? Which figures would you like to see released in the future? Let me know in the comments below.

Thursday, 31 October 2024

Star Tracks: Deadly Blessing



This edition of Star Tracks is suitably spooky for Halloween with James Horner's score for Deadly Blessing.

Before director Wes Craven introduced the world to Freddy Krueger, a fedora-wearing predator stalking teenage dreams in A Nightmare on Elm Street, he directed low-budget horror movies: Deadly Blessing, The Hills Have Eyes and The Last House on the Left.

Nick Smith, our resident US-based horror aficionado, ditches modern-day technological trappings with the blessing of the fine folks at Intrada.

Guest post by Nick Smith

The Intrada record label can be relied on for three things: the quality of its recordings, with scrupulous attention paid to cleaning up older soundtracks; its range of curios, from Bernard Hermann noir classics to John Powell’s Solo: A Star Wars Story; and its devotion to James Horner.

Over 20 of the late maestro’s scores, including Cocoon, The Rocketeer and The Land Before Time, have been released.

At 27, Horner poured all his time and resources into composing, conducting and producing movie music. He had a handful of Roger Corman productions under his belt, including Battle Beyond the Stars. Since Corman’s budgets were notoriously small and his only other income was from Teaching Assistant work at UCLA, it was time for Horner to branch out.

Fortunately for his wallet and our ears, he connected with Peter Guber and Jon Peters, who would later bring us Batman; they needed a creepy score for a modest-budget horror flick called Deadly Blessing.

The movie, about demonic goings-on in a rural town of tech-shunning people, called Hittites, starred upcoming actress Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct) and was directed by the scrappy and creative Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street). Guber and Peters bet their spooky farm on Horner, Stone and Craven, all unknown on the Hollywood circuit – and even the recognizable face of Ernest Borgnine (The Black Hole) was hidden behind a bushy Amish-style beard.

The bet paid off. Craven and Horner took their tiny budget and made a memorable film. "It came off looking pretty good," Craven said a year after release, "as if it cost a lot of money."

The score sounds pretty good too, with a sense of impending doom (as in the second track, ‘Incubus’), contrasting with tootling pastoral flute tunes (‘Martha and Jim’). Tracks like ‘Unwelcome Visitor’ are precedents to Horner’s Aliens, with its clicking percussion and glissandi strings. ‘Trouble in the Convertible’ starts out like a Harry Manfredini Friday the 13th track before veering into Omen territory, with Ancient Latin lyrics and dark chorals.

Horner exceeds the sensationalism with his passion for medieval melodies and jarring, clanging trills that he marries so well in his orchestral music. Imagine a xenomorph bursting out of The Omen and you’ll get the idea behind the score.

Intrada’s version of the Deadly Blessing score has everything a completist could ask for, down to an 11-second ‘Snake Stinger’ which is over quicker than you can hiss. A labour of love produced, edited and mastered by Douglass Fake, this album offers enjoyable early access to Horner’s ‘80s horror scores, showing how essential music is when building up suspense and feelings of fear.

Special thanks to Roger Feigelson at Intrada for providing a copy for review.

Nick Smith's new audiobook, Undead on Arrival, is available from Amazon (affiliate link).

Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Alien: Romulus spawns sequel



Alien: Romulus is a box office smash and a sequel is in the works for the reborn chest-bursting franchise.

"We're working on a sequel idea now," 20th Century Studios boss Steve Asbell said via THR. "We haven't quite closed our deal with [Romulus director] Fede [Álvarez], but we are going to, and he has an idea that we're working on."

"The two survivors, Rain and Andy, played by Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson, were real highlights of the film," Asbell said of Alien: Romulus' sibling duo. "And so I always think of it like, 'Wow, where do people want to see them go next?' We know there's going to be aliens. We know there's going to be great horror set pieces. But I fell in love with both of them, and I want to see what their story is."

Pre-order Alien: Romulus from Amazon (affiliate link).

Have you seen Alien: Romulus? Are you looking forward to a sequel? Let me know in the comments below.

Tuesday, 29 October 2024

Hasbro MCM Comic Con and 1027 Reveals



Our friends at Hasbro have sent over details regarding announcements at MCM Comic Con and 1027.



As a Star Wars fan, the standout is Star Wars: The Black Series Savage Opress. The fan-favourite character was introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Star Wars: The Black Series Savage Opress

(HASBRO | Ages 4 years & up | Approx. Retail Price: $33.99 | Available: Summer 2025)

Star Wars: The Black Series includes 6-inch action figures, vehicles, and roleplay items from the 40-plus-year legacy of the Star Wars Galaxy, letting fans create galactic scenes with a faithfulness to Star Wars comic books, movies, and series. This Star Wars Hasbro action figure is detailed to look like Savage Opress from Star Wars: The Clone Wars. With exquisite features and decoration, The Black Series embodies the quality and realism that Star Wars devotees love. May the Force be with you! Available for pre-order on October 28 at 1PM EST on Hasbro Pulse for Premium members and all fans beginning at 2PM EST, including fan channel retailers.

In addition at MCM Comic Con in London, the Star Wars team unveiled new additions to the Star Wars: The Black Series line including Sebulba, Luminara Unduli and Shaak Ti. The Star Wars: The Vintage Collection line will add Aurra Sing, and Lieutenant Callahan. These will be available for pre-order on Wednesday, October 30 at 1PM EST on Hasbro Pulse and fan channel retailers.

Shop Star Wars at Amazon (affiliate link).

Which Hasbro reveal at MCM London Comic Con and 1027 is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below.

Friday, 18 October 2024

Transformers x Star Wars: The Mandalorian



Our friends at Hasbro have sent over details regarding Transformers Collaborative Star Wars: The Mandalorian N-1 Starfighter announced at New York Comic Con (NYCC).

The iconic N-1 Starfighter from STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN is now a converting TRANSFORMERS toy! Inspired by the N-1 Starfighter from the STAR WARS galaxy, this 7.5-inch figure converts from character mode to N-1 Starfighter alt mode in 37 steps. Comes with 6 blast effects that can attach in both modes, 2 blasters, and a shield and cape that convert to a display stand for the figure in N-1 Starfighter mode.

TRANSFORMERS robots have always been — More Than Meets the Eye — but now, through the TRANSFORMERS Collaborative, fans can experience these larger-than-life characters as they team-up, mash-up, and meet up with other characters, teams, and people who share this same special quality. Available for pre-order on October 17 at 10AM ET exclusively at Walmart.com for $54.97. It will be released in spring 2025.

As a fan of both Transformers and Star Wars, I can't wait to add this to my collection. It's a Walmart exclusive and is available in limited quantities on Hasbro Pulse.

Shop Star Wars at Amazon (affiliate link).

Will you be adding Transformers Collaborative Star Wars: The Mandalorian N-1 Starfighter to your collection? What Transformers x Star Wars would you like to see? Let me know in the comments below.

Wednesday, 16 October 2024

James Gunn teases Krypto in Superman



Director James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) took to social media to share a first look at Krypto the Superdog in his upcoming Superman movie.

“Krypto was inspired by our dog Ozu, who we adopted shortly after I started writing Superman,” Gunn wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “Ozu, who came from a hoarding situation in a backyard with 60 other dogs & never knew human beings, was problematic to say the least. He immediately came in & destroyed our home, our shoes, our furniture - he even ate my laptop. It took a long time before he would even let us touch him.”

Gunn then remembers thinking, "Gosh, how difficult would life be if Ozu had superpowers?

“And thus Krypto came into the script & changed the shape of the story as Ozu was changing my life,” he continues. “What better time to debut the not-so-good-good-boy Krypto than #AdoptAShelterDog month. Btw, Ozu today, is, fairly often, a very good boy.”

Gunn's Superman flies onto cinema screens next summer.

Are you looking forward to seeing Krypto in Superman? Let me know in the comments below.

Monday, 14 October 2024

The truth is out there in Silo season two



Apple TV+ has released an official trailer for Silo season two.



Read the official synopsis:

"Silo is the story of the last ten thousand people on Earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside. However, no one knows when or why the silo was built and any who try to find out face fatal consequences. Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette, an engineer, who seeks answers about a loved one’s murder and tumbles onto a mystery that goes far deeper than she could have ever imagined, leading her to discover that if the lies don’t kill you, the truth will."

In addition to Ferguson, Silo season two stars new addition Steve Zahn, alongside returning stars Tim Robbins, Common, Harriet Walter, Chinaza Uche, Avi Nash, Alexandria Riley, Shane McRae, Remmie Milner, Clare Perkins, Billy Postlethwaite, Rick Gomez, Caitlin Zoz, Tanya Moodie and Iain Glen.

Whereas Foundation was a shiny macOS screensaver that failed to resonate with this sci-fi fan, Silo’s a prestige drama filled with conspiracy and clawing claustrophobia, themes I’ll never tire of since The X-Files’ heyday!

Featuring a stellar cast surviving day-to-day in a detailed lived-in universe reminiscent of 10 Cloverfield Lane and Fallout, I can’t wait to discover the mysterious dark secrets of a labyrinthine Silo.

Silo season two premieres on 15th November on Apple TV+.

Are you watching Silo on Apple TV+? Are you looking forward to season two? Let me know in the comments below.

Thursday, 10 October 2024

Alien anniversary



Alien vs. Predator (AVP) was released twenty years ago. It marked the first time the fan-favourite franchises clashed on the big screen, which was teased in Predator 2 and explored in the pages of Dark Horse Comics.

Nick Smith, our resident US-based xenomorph expert, goes on a bug hunt in the spooky season.

Guest post by Nick Smith

It’s not just bullied school kids who spend their time hiding in lockers.

If you’ve played Alien: Isolation and survived, you’re doubtless adept at cowering from savage xenomorph beasties. If you haven’t played the Sega survival game, I highly recommend it; with its creepy atmosphere, sympathetic heroine, terrifying jump scares and highly detailed space-bound setting, it’s truer to Ridley Scott’s original movie than any of the movie sequels.

Since it landed in 2014, Alien: Isolation has left its acid mark on several games, including last year’s Jurassic World Aftermath. Some of the locations in Alien: Romulus were eerily reminiscent of Alien: Isolation’s Sevastopol space station, adding an extra layer of fascination for gamers.

Alien: Isolation has been hailed as one of the best Alien video games, but I would go one better – it’s one of the best survival games! No wonder UK-based development studio Creative Assembly is working on a sequel, announced on the tenth anniversary of the original game. It will be years before we see this as-yet-unnamed follow-up, but in the meantime, there are several excellent Alien: Isolation DLCs and another anniversary to celebrate.

October 10th, 2004 is the day that aliens fought predators in the Antarctic, according to director Paul W. S. Anderson’s celluloid fightfest, Alien vs. Predator (AVP). Inspired by a comic book, this ambitious film does not measure up to its classic predecessors.

However, the cast alone makes AVP worthy of a watch (or rewatch) this Halloween. Sanaa Lathan is a worthy, charismatic heroine. Lance Henriksen – Bishop in Aliens – gets a well-deserved major role as bazillionaire Charles Bishop Weyland, the template for some future artificial persons. Brits Colin Salmon, Ewen Bremner (Spud from Trainspotting) and Tommy Flanagan (Cicero from Gladiator) all give memorable performances, and Raoul Bova (Emily in Paris) makes great amuse-bouche for the leading lady. There’s plenty of action, some Ancient Aliens-level myth-building, and the predators get more screen time than ever.

So watch the movie, watch the skies, and don’t spend all your time in isolation. There’s safety in numbers, right?

What are your memories of watching Alien vs. Predator and playing Alien: Isolation? Let me know in the comments below.

Nick Smith's new audiobook, Undead on Arrival, is available from Amazon (affiliate link).

Friday, 4 October 2024

Star Wars Reads this October



The annual Star Wars Reads event, to encourage fans around the world to read from their favourite Star Wars comics, novels and activity books whilst promoting literacy, is running throughout October.

"Books, comics, and magazines are a treasured and timeless way for readers all over the world to immerse themselves in the excitement of a galaxy far, far away. By collaborating on Star Wars Reads with organizations like First Book, Blue Star Families and New York Edge, we can share the joy of reading with fans of all ages," said Michael Siglain, creative director, Lucasfilm Publishing.

Are you organising a Star Wars Reads event? Let me know in the comments below.

Wednesday, 2 October 2024

Music By John Williams on Disney+



John Williams needs no introduction. The Oscar-winning Star Wars composer's stellar career is explored in a new documentary on Disney+.



"It’s no exaggeration to say that John Williams is the greatest film composer of all time," Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy says. "His music has transcended cinema and become a part of our global culture, touching the hearts of billions, both young and old. John’s music has done as much to keep classical music alive as it has to shape the world of film."

Williams' soundtracks are synonymous with the movies of George Lucas (Star Wars) and Steven Spielberg (Jaws). His scores have been the beating heart from Jaws to E.T. and Jurassic Park to The Fabelmans. Then, there are sensational soundtracks for the Star Wars saga, Superman, Harry Potter, and many more.

Williams had a profound impact on my childhood in the wake of a life-changing trauma in 1977. His music, played in isolation, inspired in times of tribulation - years of rehabilitation were my Jedi trials.

Music By John Williams is streaming on 1st November on Disney+.

Are you looking forward to Music By John Williams on Disney+? Do you have a favourite movie or television soundtrack? Let me know in the comments below.

Tuesday, 1 October 2024

Peanuts holiday specials free on Apple TV+



The holidays are coming and fans of classic Peanuts specials can watch them for free on Apple TV+.

To catch your favourite Charlie Brown holiday special at no cost, mark these dates on your calendar:

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Saturday, 19th October and Sunday, 20th October
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: Saturday, 23rd November and Sunday, 24th November
A Charlie Brown Christmas: Saturday, 14th December and Sunday, 15th December

Reruns of the beloved holiday specials, on the BBC, were a childhood staple in the run-up to Christmas. A cousin gifted me a Snoopy soft toy when I was in a children's hospital and it remains a cherished gift.

Are Peanuts specials part of your holiday traditions? Let me know in the comments below.

Thursday, 26 September 2024

The Last of Us Day



It's The Last of Us Day and HBO has released the first official teaser trailer for The Last of Us season two. This is expected to adapt The Last of Us Part II video game from 2020.



Read the official synopsis:

“After five years of peace following the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie’s collective past catches up to them, drawing them into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.”

Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal and Gabriel Luna are back and we also see Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Danny Ramirez as Manny, and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac. Catherine O’Hara also guest stars.

Season one of The Last of Us is an intense, character-driven story, and there’s a haunting beauty to its rustic depiction of America in the wake of an incurable pandemic. Heightened by a real-life pandemic we’re emerging from. Our shared trauma is explored in HBO’s live-action adaptation of Naughty Dog's award-winning PlayStation 3 (PS3) video game from 2013.

The Last of Us returns in 2025 on HBO and Sky Atlantic.

Are you looking forward to the second season of The Last of Us? What did you think of the first teaser trailer? How are you celebrating The Last of Us Day? Let me know in the comments below.

Wednesday, 25 September 2024

Buffy free on Tubi in time for Halloween



It’s the spooky season and according to Comicbook Buffy the Vampire Slayer starts streaming for free on Tubi from Friday.

All seven seasons of the beloved supernatural series created by Joss Whedon (Firefly) and starring Sarah Michelle Gellar (Star Wars Rebels) as the titular vampire slayer are available on Disney+. Buffy alumni Emma Caulfield stars in the WandaVision spin-off Agatha All Along. Award-winning composer Christophe Beck (Frozen) composed music for Buffy, WandaVision and Agatha All Along.

Along with The X-Files, I adored the adventures of Buffy (Heat magazine printed my letter) and have cherished memories of watching the series with my late mum. Since she died in 2007, I haven't been able to watch The Body, which was in memory of Whedon's mother.

Tubi, a free ad-supported streaming service owned by the Fox Corporation, relaunched in the UK in the summer and hosts Halloween scares.

Are you looking forward to watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Tubi? Let me know in the comments below.

Tuesday, 17 September 2024

LEGO Star Wars Jabba’s Sail Barge



Today, the LEGO Group reveals the launch of the LEGO Star Wars Jabba’s Sail Barge display set. This iconic Ultimate Collector Series (UCS) model is perfect for any Star Wars fan, packed with intricate details and LEGO Minifigures.

Aboard the barge, LEGO senior designer César Carvalhosa Soares notes that fans will notice some artistic license that adds elements beyond the vessel’s interior as seen in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. “The entire top deck has several features like hatches and stairs, cannons, and blasters and, of course, the huge textile sails that give the barge its iconic silhouette,” Carvalhosa Soares tells the official Star Wars website.

Throughout 2024, the LEGO Star Wars team plans to celebrate the 25th anniversary with fans front and centre of it all.

Discover LEGO Star Wars on LEGO AU, CA, UK and US (affiliate links).

Will you be adding the LEGO Star Wars Jabba’s Sail Barge to your collection? Let me know in the comments below.

Saturday, 14 September 2024

Alien: Romulus



Prey successfully rebooted the Predator franchise on Hulu and Star on Disney+ in 2022. Can Alien: Romulus do the same for the Alien franchise on the big screen in 2024?

Nick Smith, our resident US-based xenomorph expert, discovers a derelict space station harbouring a deadly cargo. Will it be enough to scare the TikTok generation?

Guest post by Nick Smith

“How many different ways do you want me to tell the same story?”

This is the question Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) posed to a roomful of heartless corporate execs in the 1986 movie, Aliens. The answer is a lot, as long as it makes them money.

After a steady trickle of special editions, sequels and rip-offs, a glossy new $80 million Alien movie (originally intended to go straight-to-streaming on Hulu and Star on Disney+) is filling Fox’s coffers. Although it’s directed by hot shot horror director Fede Álvarez (Don’t Breathe, 2013’s Evil Dead), Alien: Romulus fails to tell that same old story freshly.

Álvarez knows how to tell a suspenseful story – Don’t Breathe was an exquisite update of the ‘old dark house’ movies of yore, and Evil Dead’s female-centric cast and grave tone made it a worthy remake. Álvarez ratchets up the fear factor in Alien: Romulus, and there are some great set pieces, including a scene where protagonists are trapped in a lab with facehuggers, another with an alien in an elevator shaft, and a twist where the Weyland-Yutani Corporation places profit over human lives.

If these scenes sound familiar, it’s because you’ve seen them before in previous Alien instalments. Which is all fine and dandy if those story elements build on what has gone before to show something new.

James Cameron had the right idea with Aliens, raising the stakes and using Ridley Scott’s original as a foundation, not a photocopy. In the first movie, Ripley puts herself in danger to save a cat; in the sequel, she saves a young girl (it would be a shame if anything bad happened to her). In Alien, Ripley dons a protective spacesuit; in Aliens, she climbs into a load lifter. You get the idea. The moments are similar but different, reminding audience members of what has gone before while simultaneously satisfying them with an extra layer of imagery and theme.

Alien: Romulus does not take that extra step where it really matters. It’s the movie equivalent of a remix, taking sequences and dialogue from its predecessors and reusing them to tell a not-so-new story.

The law of diminishing returns has never been so diminishing.

Alien: Romulus is really aimed at 18 to 25-year-old moviegoers who haven’t seen those creaky old Alien movies – Scott’s initial instalment celebrates its 45th birthday this year – and want to take a ghost train trip to the future. The mumbly young characters are endearing (it’s Gen Z versus Gen Xenomorph), and the off-planet setting is wonderfully dingy, in keeping with Alien’s lived-in look.

Weyland-Yutani is ruthless from the outset. Life is tough and unfair for these feckless heroes in a way we can all relate to; they feel powerless in the face of capitalist greed. Any worker who’s been sponsored by a company or hired under unscrupulous pretences will sympathize with the dispossessed kids, especially the heroine, little orphan Rain (Cailee Spaeny), who desperately wants to escape her grim, repetitive lifestyle, dreaming of a better world. Spaeny and her castmates give believable performances, with David Jonsson a standout as Rain’s non-biological brother, Andy.

The film also brings an original cast member back, ignoring the nuances of a great British actor, smoothing over his subtleties with de-ageing CGI. Another nod to the first film denigrates Ripley’s victory, telling us that she did not slay her dragon after all.

There are problems of logic – aliens can survive a shuttle rocket blast, but not a gunshot – and pacing, where a tight 90-minute rollercoaster ride has an extra half hour of rickety track bolted on.

Nevertheless, if sheer visceral thrills are what you came for, you’ll get your movie ticket’s worth. Álvarez is great at evoking feelings in the audience, keeping them on the edge of their seat, grossing them out, and encouraging them to care about the characters. He taps into primal fears regarding pregnancy, genetic research, tight spaces, high spaces and losing a loved one, to name just a clawful. All underscored by composer Benjamin Wallfisch's (Blade Runner 2049) lush orchestrations filled with creepy callbacks to previous Alien movies.

There’s enough sick body horror and sexual symbolism to make even the notoriously gloomy H.R. Giger smile from beyond the grave.

As French film director Robert Bresson once said, “I’d rather people feel a film before understanding it. I’d rather feelings arise before intellect.” Turn off your phone, mind and memory, soak up the scares, and you’ll be on tenterhooks like I was.

Ultimately, franchises like Alien are damned if they try something different (as with David Fincher’s Alien 3 and the bleak ending of Scott’s Alien: Covenant), and damned if they don’t, keeping in mind that Alien wasn’t original in the first place, inspired by 1958’s It! The Terror from Beyond Space.

Episodic series offer a possible solution, with enough running time to tell a similar story with new ideas added. Netflix’s anime Terminator Zero is the perfect example of a show that refers to its source material, using it to tell a story of its own (the Battlestar Galactica reboot is another great example of this, so say we all). Hopefully, Alien: Earth, from Noah Hawley (Fargo), will perform a similar feat when it bursts onto Hulu on Disney+ in 2025.

While we wait, we have the derivative Alien: Romulus to watch as it drifts by like a sleek cryotube, a time capsule of older, better movies with a shiny new shell. Without the copied bits, this movie could have been a true sci-fi horror classic; instead, it feels like the company has interfered too much, insisting on a greatest hits package to maximise its profit. Judging by the box office returns, the company is right and audiences are eating this up with a bigger appetite than John Hurt at the breakfast table.

Despite the gripes, it’s great to see xenomorphs alive and killing, frightening a new generation of fans while acknowledging what has come before. As Bill Paxton’s character Hudson says in Aliens, “Hey, if you like that, you're gonna love this ...”

Have you seen Alien: Romulus? Let me know in the comments below.

Nick Smith's new audiobook, Undead on Arrival, is available from Amazon (affiliate link).