Hasbro extends Star Wars deal

Star Wars: The Black Series and Star Wars: The Vintage Collection collectors (myself included) can rejoice.

Hasbro has extended its long-running Disney partnership, securing Star Wars and Marvel licenses for years to come.

"It’s an honor to be able to deepen our relationship with Disney Consumer Products to create even more magical play experiences for consumers across the globe," said Tim Kilpin, Hasbro's President, Toys, Board Games, Licensing and Entertainment. “Star Wars and Marvel provide an extensive array of captivating content that gives us an unlimited trove of fresh ideas to create from. Our collaboration spans more than half a century, and we look forward to strengthening our relationship by bringing consumers everywhere brand-new play experiences tied to the exciting universes and characters of Star Wars and Marvel.”

With this extension, Hasbro doubles down on fan-favourite franchises and deepens its powerhouse partnership with Disney.

"We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Hasbro to evolve our expansive portfolio of Star Wars and Marvel toys that bring these iconic adventures into daily life,” said Paul Gitter, Executive Vice President of Global Brand Commercialization at Disney Consumer Products. "From must-have collectibles to Lightsaber toys, we aim to push the boundaries of creativity to deliver innovative products and engaging play experiences that bring our fans closer to their favorite stories and characters.”

Growing up as an only child with a disability in the wake of a life-changing injury, Star Wars toys were a welcome distraction from years of rehabilitation. My favourite toys included a 12" Boba Fett action figure, All Terrain Armoured Transport (AT-AT), Millennium Falcon, Jabba the Hutt action playset and an Imperial Shuttle. Special mention for R2-D2 as that little droid was the first Star Wars action figure I owned before seeing the movie in 1978.

Let's pretend Star Wars Bend-Ems never happened in the early nineties!

30 years ago, following the purchase of Kenner, Hasbro launched Star Wars: The Power of the Force. These were the first new toys worth collecting after Kenner ended the original vintage toy line in 1985.

2027 marks the 50th anniversary of Star Wars, so expect to see plenty of action-packed products to celebrate.

Are you happy Hasbro has extended its deal with Disney to produce more Star Wars products? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who: The Well

The Well, a chilling sequel to Midnight, is a masterclass in tension, drawing parallels with one of my all-time favourite classic serials, Earthshock. Like that seminal story featuring the shock return of the Cybermen after almost a decade, The Well has a squad of ill-fated troopers on a mission into darkness, and there is no happy ending.

Returning Doctor Who series showrunner Russell T Davies has brutal form; look no further than Years and Years. The Well is the antithesis of Space Babies.

There are homages to another sequel, Aliens. A famous quote from Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is used, and the troopers’ weapons are inspired by the iconic M41-A Pulse Rifle used by the Colonial Marines. Apt, as The Well dropped on Alien Day.

Rose Ayling-Ellis MBE takes centre stage as Aliss (a play on Lewis Carroll's Alice), and her performance is profoundly moving. Her repeated plea, not to stand behind her, works on myriad levels. Personally, I was reminded of family and friends who are deaf or have hearing loss and their fight to be heard and accepted by mainstream society (something I can empathise with as a disabled person with a brain injury). Also, a teenage memory of a deaf student signing to her tutor how much she loved my artwork during an A-level Fine Art class brought me to tears. I’ve been critical of too many tears in season one of Doctor Who, but here we are. These tears are earned.

Shaya Costallion's (Caoilfhionn Dunne) selfless sacrifice reminded me of Commander Shepard in the original Mass Effect trilogy and Ripley's death in Alien 3. But it was all for nothing, and the enigmatic threat, first faced by the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), escaped.

The rich dynamic between Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) and the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) defines the second season in a way that season one squandered with Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). Sethu, appearing in Doctor Who and Star Wars on Disney+ in the same week, is the new first lady of sci-fi!

What has happened to the Earth, and why do I have a bad feeling about Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson)? Since her introduction in The Church on Ruby Road, I'm convinced she's the Rani, a renegade Time Lord first played by Kate O'Mara! The Rani had a penchant for dressing up as previous companions, and Mrs Flood has borrowed clothes from Clara Oswald and Romana Mk I's wardrobes.

Doctor Who season two continues to deliver some of the best episodes since the revival in 2005. The Well is one of the all-time greats since the BBC's beloved sci-fi series began in 1963.

New episodes of Doctor Who drop every Saturday on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland. Season two is available for pre-order from Amazon (affiliate link).

Have you watched The Well? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Alien: Earth delivers monster crate on Alien Day

Alien fans (myself included) are eating well on Alien Day. FX has released a new teaser trailer for Noah Hawley's (Fargo) live-action spin-off series, Alien: Earth, set two years before the ill-fated crew of the Nostromo encountered the titular Alien.



Read the official synopsis:

"When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat in FX’s highly anticipated TV series Alien: Earth from creator Noah Hawley.

Alien: Earth is set in 2120 when five corporations – Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic and Threshold – wield the power of nations, and proprietary advancements in technology provide the promise of a new tomorrow.

Lead by Chandler, the series showcases an expansive international cast which includes Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant, Essie Davis, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, David Rysdahl, Adrian Edmondson, Adarsh Gourav, Jonathan Ajayi, Erana James, Lily Newmark, Diem Camille and Moe Bar-El."

Alien: Earth premieres this summer only on Hulu on Disney+.

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

Predator: Badlands teases Alien vs. Predator

On Wednesday, 20th Century Studios dropped a teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands from the director of Prey.



Read the official synopsis:

"Predator: Badlands, which stars Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, is set in the future on a remote planet, where a young Predator (Schuster-Koloamatangi), outcast from his clan, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary."

The film is directed by Dan Trachtenberg and produced by John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt, and Brent O’Connor.

Like Prey, the design of the titular Predator has been met with derision on social media. It looked goofy out of context, but like Prey before it, I'm sure Predator: Badlands will become an acclaimed entry in the fan-favourite franchise.

The trophy wall, a franchise staple since Predator 2, reveals a T-Rex and an alien from studio stabelmate Independence Day. A xenomorph is conspicuous by its absence.

Thia is a Weyland-Yutani synthetic android. Is Trachtenberg teasing an Alien vs. Predator reboot in all but name? Both Alien and Predator franchises are experiencing a renaissance since Disney took over. Alien: Earth and Predator: Killer of Killers are coming to Hulu on Disney+ later this year.

Predator: Badlands opens exclusively in cinemas on 7th November in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, Cinemark XD, 4DX, ScreenX, and premium screens everywhere.

Have you watched the teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands? Let me know in the comments below.

50th anniversary of Star Wars in Los Angeles

For the first time since 2006, Star Wars Celebration returns to Los Angeles for the 50th anniversary of Star Wars.

The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025.

Star Wars Celebration Los Angeles 2027 will run from 1st to 4th April, 2027. Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, will be in cinemas on 28th May, 2027.

Are you hoping to attend Star Wars Celebration Los Angeles in 2027? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who: Lux

After The Robot Revolution, Doctor Who goes meta in a Silly Symphony filled with creepy animated magic that plays as a sequel to The Devil's Chord.

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) promises to take Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) home, but they find themselves in 1950s America during an era of racial segregation. They become hostages of Mr Ring-a-Ding (voiced with glee by Alan Cumming) inside an abandoned picture house and transformed into cartoon characters who need the help of Whovians to escape a trap set by Mr Ring-a-Ding AKA the titular Lux, one of the same pantheon of gods as the Toymaker, Maestro and Sutekh.

Like many fans, I amusingly likened the two-part season one finale to Scooby-Doo, and there are overt references to the beloved franchise. Returning series showrunner Russell T Davies doesn't miss a trick in the driving seat of his mystery machine as he leans into the negative narratives surrounding the long-running sci-fi series.

In a timey-wimey twist of perfect synchronicity, there’s a reference to Somewhere in Time. Last week, I stumbled across the cult classic time travel romance starring Christopher Reeve (Superman: The Movie) and Jane Seymour (Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman) on Prime Video. A rewatch of Battlestar Galactica on Pluto TV had rekindled a childhood crush on Ms Seymour that culminated in a tale from the TARDIS. Who knew?

Sometimes, silence is golden.

Lux is an ambitious adventure that is one of the best episodes since the revival began twenty years ago. If there are any flies in the technicolour ointment, it's the seemingly rapid resolution of the conflict between Belinda and the Doctor and the use of Murray Gold's music (love the Easter eggs), which feels misplaced during scenes such as those in the all-night café.

Let there be light.

Minor misgivings aside, the fourth wall breaking exploration of Whovians as a found family had me misty-eyed. Tears are a recurring motif. Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson) is a harbinger of doom with her warning the show ends on 24th May!

New episodes of Doctor Who drop every Saturday on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland. Season two is available for pre-order from Amazon (affiliate link).

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

The Force is with Star Wars Celebration Japan

Star Wars Celebration Japan is underway this weekend, and I'm living vicariously via friends' social media posts.

There are enough announcements for Star Wars fans (myself included) to fill a Corellian light freighter.

Sigourney Weaver (Alien) is joining the cast of The Mandalorian and Grogu, directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man), which is the first new Star Wars movie since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.



And Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord from Lucasfilm Animation is coming to Disney+ with Sam Witwer reprising the iconic villain for animation. Darth Maul was seemingly killed by a young Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, but returned in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. Both stellar spin-offs drop in 2026.



The biggest surprise announcement so far is Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy (Stranger Things). The upcoming standalone movie, which stars Ryan Gosling (Barbie), will be released in 2027. This coincides with the 50th anniversary of the original Star Wars.



Speaking at Star Wars Celebration Japan in Tokyo, Gosling said: "The reality is that this script is just so good. It has such a great story with great and original characters. It’s filled with so much heart and adventure, and there just really is not a more perfect filmmaker for this particular story than Shawn."

In related news. Our friends at Hasbro have shared the latest product reveals for Star Wars: The Black Series and Star Wars: The Vintage Collection. Whilst collecting is a luxury during a cost of living crisis, I've pre-ordered the Bantha & Tusken Raider 2-Pack as part of Hasbro's return to Tatooine campaign in 2025. This set will pair with Luke's Landspeeder for toy photography.

Are you excited for The Mandalorian and Grogu, Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord and Star Wars: Starfighter? Let me know in the comments below.

LEGO Star Wars celebrates May the 4th

Star Wars Celebration Japan starts today, and there are nine new LEGO Star Wars sets for May the Fourth.

Sets include UCS Jango Fett's Starship, Kylo Ren’s Command Shuttle, Rebel U-Wing Starfighter and Chopper (C1-10P).

"We're thrilled to unveil our latest LEGO Star Wars collection just in time for May the 4th, offering new and exciting sets for fans. Our talented team have outdone themselves, creating a wide range of models from across the galaxy. There's something for every fan to enjoy - from the most detailed collector's items for display to fun, adventurous sets inspired by the galaxy far, far away.... We can't wait to see LEGO Star Wars fans first impressions at Star Wars Celebration in Japan very soon!" said Mike Ilacqua, Head of Product, LEGO Star Wars Products at the LEGO Group.

Order the LEGO Star Wars UCS Jango Fett’s Starship set from 1st to 5th of May and receive a free LEGO Star Wars Kamino Training Facility minibuild gift with purchase (GWP) while stocks last. LEGO Insiders will also receive a free Jango Fett's Starship keyring while stocks last.

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

What are your favourite LEGO Star Wars sets announced? Are you looking forward to Star Wars Celebration Japan? How will you be celebrating Star Wars Day? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who: The Robot Revolution

Doctor Who and Star Wars are back on television, and Varada Sethu is starring in both sci-fi franchises on Disney+.

Given an unconfirmed third season of Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa’s second season at the helm of the TARDIS has been preceded by months of speculation regarding the series' cancellation or hiatus. As it's the 20th anniversary of the revival, returning series showrunner Russell T Davies will surely have some big surprises in store for Whovians (myself included).

The Robot Revolution delivers a much stronger opening episode than season one’s divisive Space Babies, introducing us to a new companion, Belinda Chandra, played brilliantly by Varada Sethu, with a refreshingly different dynamic challenging the Doctor in a way that recalls Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding), a classic companion of the Fourth and Fifth Doctors.

The Doctor is searching for Belinda in a London hospital where she works as a nurse. However, he's too late, red robots rock up to her home and take her away to their homeworld to resolve a conflict overseen by artificial intelligence (AI) - a theme explored in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

Introduced in The Church on Ruby Road, Anita Dobson reprises the enigmatic role of Mrs Flood as Belinda's nosey neighbour. Who is she? An ally, an enemy or someone or something else?

The retrofuturism of Missbelindachandraville pays homage to Forbidden Planet, Dan Dare, and Cloud City from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Once the big bad is defeated with the help of Scoot, a cute cleaning robot, Belinda resists the Fifteenth Doctor's clarion call for a timey-wimey adventure aboard the TARDIS, insisting the Time Lord get her home immediately! However, the TARDIS seemingly malfunctions, and that's where the fun begins.

It is a season opener that balances adventure, character development, social commentary and intriguing mystery (why does the Doctor tell Belinda about her familial connection to Mundy Flynn in Boom?) in a way that bodes well for the season ahead, regardless of the series' future. That being said, please have fewer tears from the Doctor!

New episodes of Doctor Who drop every Saturday on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland. Season two is available for pre-order from Amazon (affiliate link).

Have you watched The Robot Revolution? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

BFI to screen original Star Wars

This will be a screening long remembered by Star Wars fans (myself included).

The British Film Institute (BFI) will screen the original Star Wars from 1977 this summer at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX from 12th to 15th June.

"An unmissable treat for Star Wars fans. A long time ago, George Lucas’s original space fantasy set in a galaxy far, far away was released in 1977, captivating countless imaginations for generations to come and forever shifting popular culture. Film on Film presents Star Wars exactly as experienced by audiences on its original release, screening from one of the precious handful of dye transfer IB Technicolor prints produced for the first British release, preserved in the BFI National Archive.

On display to coincide with the opening night screening there is also a rare opportunity to view material from the original continuity script for Star Wars, which includes rare on-set Polaroids, annotations and deleted scenes. The script is from the collection of Ann Skinner, script editor on the original film, and is now cared for by the BFI National Archive."

Before the special editions, prequels, and social media.

The last time I saw the theatrical releases of the original Star Wars trilogy on the big screen was with college friends at The Elstree Star Wars Day in 1994. I regret not taking a camera with me to capture the memories. However, there were film props, and I met David Prowse (Darth Vader) and Warwick Davis (Wicket). This was one of Davis' earliest appearances at a Star Wars-related event before the first Star Wars Celebration in 1999.

Star Wars is the defining film of my life, and June marks the 18th anniversary of my mum's death. It's going to be emotional.

Tickets go on sale on 9th May.