We're already on the final day of Amazon's October Prime Day — aka Prime Big Deal Days — and the good news is that there are still plenty of deals to be found.

The shopping event, exclusive to Prime members, is packed with discounts across plenty of categories. And here we're focusing on Lego sets, and the discounts are across many, many themes, including Botanicals, Technic, Disney, Star Wars, and Harry Potter. You'll even find some Creator 3-in-1 sets that make great gifts if you're already holiday shopping.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Probably the most surprising Lego discounts this October Prime Day would be on Star Wars Smart Play sets. The Lego Smart Brick was only introduced in January 2026, and it's been hard to find at a discount, so if you've been waiting, now's a great time to score one.

As TechRadar's resident Lego expert, I've been scanning the sale for the best of the best, and ahead, I'm sharing over 30 deals across many themes that are worth adding to your cart.

Today's best Lego deals under $10

Today's best Lego Star Wars deals

Today's best Lego Botanicals deals

Today's best Lego Harry Potter deals

Today's best Lego Technic deals

Today's best Lego Disney deals

Today's best Lego Creator deals

One of the best-known facets of the Harry Potter world is Hogwarts, and its houses. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw; you know the animals, the colors, the characters, the traits. You've probably even been sorted yourself, or have self-prescribed a house.

But which really are you? No, I don't mean which do you want to be, or even which one another tool like Pottermore has sorted you into. There's an even more reliable system, which exceeds even the Sorting Hat in its prescience and accuracy.

That's right: a personality quiz. Not any old personality quiz, but a tech one — this is TechRadar, after all — which will sort you into your accurate Hogwarts house. It's like you're living through the events of Harry Potter, but all based on whether you prefer Windows, MacOS or Linux, or what kind of robot vacuum you'd buy.

We've sorted questions into three batches. First up, we'll start with some simple buying decisions. Then, we'll investigate how you make such buying decisions. Finally, we'll put you into some real-world scenarios, to see how you'd act in certain tech situations.

All of these will help you know once and for all: which Harry Potter Hogwarts house do you belong to? Or, at least, which house do your tech habits point you towards?

Big fan of the franchise? We've also got a 30-question Harry Potter quiz, to prove it. And if you need to use your tech decisions as a horoscope to further refine your personality, we also have a Beatles personality quiz to see which member of the famous band you're in.

Or, you could stick to Harry Potter, and find a way to enjoy the franchise more:

If you ever need a sign that AI is coming for Hollywood then it must be that Jeffrey Katzenberg, the veteran Hollywood executive who co-founded Dreamworks, has just announced that he’s launching an AI-focused studio.

Crucially, he told The Wrap that AI output was “slop” until very recently, but that in the last couple of months something has changed. Now he wants to make feature films and TV with AI, arguing that falling production costs will mean more films and new forms of storytelling.

At the same time The Gifted, an AI-generated trailer, has just won a competition that puts $2.5m towards turning it into a proper feature film. Future Vision XPRIZE is one of the world's largest film competitions for hopeful and optimistic science fiction filmmaking that answers the question: what does a future worth building actually look like?

You can watch the trailer for The Gifted here.

Unfortunately, the industry focus on AI seems to be happening at exactly the same time that the audience is being turned off by it.

Filmustage, a movie production planning platform, analyzed Google Trends data and found searches rising on both sides of the AI debate. It found that the phrase “movies with no AI” was up 345% in the past month, while “movies made with AI” was up 112% in the same period.

Google Trends percentage increases can often be massive, so we shouldn't read too much into the numbers themselves, but the overall trend is upwards. The motivations behind those searches may be very different, but both suggest audiences increasingly want to know one thing before they watch: was AI involved?

I don't think it's hard to understand why. You only have to look at an AI film to understand why people have reservations.

You can judge the trailer for The Gifted yourself, but while it may be a stunning technical achievement that AI has made this three-minute video, if I’m judging it as a movie trailer… then I don’t want to watch the movie.

The flaws are obvious. AI is clearly very good at spectacle: lightning, explosions, collapsing buildings and impossible camera angles. Not to mention lead characters who look almost like famous actors you know, but not quite. (Is that Amy Adams in The Gifted's poster? No, it's not quite Amy Adams.)

The harder test is whether it can sustain believable characters, performances and emotional continuity for two hours rather than three minutes. If it does, then it's going to need much better dialogue than what's presented here.

I remember watching the pure-AI film Hell Grind in a theater recently, and that just about kept my attention for its 90-minute duration, but I was ready for it to be over by the end. It also played to AI’s strengths, by not trying to make its world look ‘real’. It's when AI pretends to be real life that I think it falls down the most.

Pure AI films... still look like AI

Actors, perhaps seeing a future in which their skills are not as widely appreciated, are famously against AI, but even they seem to have accepted the overall trend towards it now.

As Deadline reports, Tom Cruise earned spontaneous applause for a six minute speech during a recent BAFTA “Life in Pictures” conversation in London. Cruise talked about how AI “is coming”, but “people want to see real things”.

“There is nothing like human” said Cruise, citing a summer of blockbuster films as proof that “people want human experience.”

From what I've seen of AI movies, I'd say Cruise is exactly right. AI still can't produce an experience that looks human and the connection to the audience that goes along with that. But with even Tom Cruise acknowledging that AI is coming, and executives like Katzenberg jumping on board, AI movies seem almost inevitable now, especially with the saving in production costs that they bring with them.

But while AI might be economical, it definitely has its problems, and if people are already searching for “movies with no AI” then Hollywood has a branding problem before the AI movie era has even properly begun.

AI as another tool for filmmakers

But perhaps before we assume that AI in films means the end to human actors and an influx of AI slop, let’s talk to one of the AI studios making waves at the moment, Utopai Studios, who creates original films and television series using their own proprietary PAI software.

I talked to Kevin Chong, Chief Operating Officer at Utopai Studios.

“We don’t think of AI films as a separate genre”, explains Chong. “AI is another tool filmmakers can use to tell stories, just as visual effects, digital cinematography and virtual production became part of the filmmaking process. It can help filmmakers create worlds, achieve a level of scale that might otherwise be difficult or prohibitively expensive, and give creators more choices.”

And what about the end of human actors? “At Utopai Studios, we don’t see AI as a replacement for human actors, and that isn’t the future we’re building toward”, Chong explains. “There may be stories where a completely synthetic character makes sense creatively, just as animation has always created characters that don’t physically exist. But that is very different from saying audiences are going to stop wanting human performances.

“Performance is one of the most human parts of filmmaking”, Chong continues. “Actors bring interpretation, emotion, instinct and life experience to a character in ways that are fundamental to storytelling. AI can become another part of the filmmaking toolkit — including helping extend performances, create environments or enable things that would be difficult to achieve traditionally — but the creative decisions still need to come from people.”

Tom Cruise is right: there is nothing quite like human, but perhaps there will be a way for humans and AI to coexist in the future of movies after all.

• Avengers: Secret Wars might not make its December 2027 release date
• Various leakers suggest filming on the Marvel movie won't begin in late 2026
• Any delays would have a knock-on effect for future MCU projects

Avengers: Secret Wars might not make its December 17, 2027 launch date amid claims that its shooting schedule has been delayed by two months.

According to multiple insiders, the cameras won't start to roll on 2027's only Marvel movie until next January. X/Twitter user Apocalyptic Horseman, who has a very reliable track record when it comes to breaking comic book movie-specific news, was the first industry insider to warn fans to brace themselves for a filming delay announcement. Other leakers with more spotty track records, including DanielRPK and Alex P, quickly jumped on the bandwagon to say they'd heard the same.

In a follow-up post, Apocalyptic Horseman expanded on what they'd heard to say that a release date delay was not inevitable.

However, according to the same leaker, filming wouldn't likely wrap until late April/early May next year, meaning post-production would have to be completed in a seven to eight month timeframe if Secret Wars is to make its current December 17, 2027 launch date. With reshoots on its forebear Avengers: Doomsday being prioritized ahead of its December 18, 2026 release, I get the feeling that Secret Wars' shooting schedule and launch date will be pushed back.

I've approached Marvel and Disney for comment on this rumor, and I'll update this article if I receive a response.

Why an Avengers: Secret Wars delay would be really bad news for Marvel

If the rumors are true, Secret Wars wouldn't be the first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie or Disney+ show to suffer a production and/or release date delay. Indeed, myriad other projects from the comic book giant have endured similar problems, especially in recent years.

Ordinarily, production and/or launch delays wouldn't be a bad thing for Marvel. Sure, fans have been disappointed to learn about such issues. However, if it means that a production's cast and crew aren't being run into the ground, and forced to crunch, to get it over the line to meet a set release deadline, you won't hear me or many others complaining.

That said, any delay to the sixth Avengers flick would be problematic for two major reasons.

For starters, pushing Secret Wars out of its late 2027 release slot would be a huge blow. Not only would Marvel miss out on being the biggest movie of next year's holiday season, but it would also only be the third time in the comic titan's history that it hasn't released a single movie in a calendar year — the other instances being 2009 and 2020.

There's also the inevitable knock-on effect that Secret Wars' release delay would have on future MCU films.

If the final Marvel Phase 6 movie is pushed into 2028, fans would be forced to wait around 18 months for the concluding chapter of the Marvel Multiverse Saga. That would have a significant impact on Ghost Rider, X-Men, and Black Panther 3, all of which are lined up to premiere in 2028.

So, does Marvel give Avengers: Secret Wars the breathing room it deserves to bring the Multiverse Saga to a close, and move the aforementioned trio into 2029, thereby delaying the start of MCU 2.0? Or, does it only allow fans to take stock of Secret Wars — and the last 20 years of MCU storytelling — for a few months before officially kickstarting Marvel Phase 7 in late 2028?

Admittedly, all of these 'what if?' scenarios are based on some online conjecture that Marvel and Disney have yet to officially comment on, so your guess is as good as mine. If Secret Wars has suffered production and release setbacks, though, I'm sure we'll get a proper announcement sometime soon.

In the meantime, find out everything we know so far about Avengers: Secret Wars. Then, get the full lowdown on Avengers: Doomsday ahead of its late 2026 debut.

September was a surprisingly stacked month for horror. I was spoiled for choice when putting together this month's horror movie recommendations, and I've got a real mixed bag to cover here too.

Most notably, September saw new entries into the Creep and Silent Hill franchises. This means there's some familiarity here for fans keen to dive into these well-established horror worlds. But, as always, Shudder had a good helping of new originals to keep us entertained too.

I spent much of this month with the following three titles, and here's what I thought of each one.

TV — The Creep Tapes season 3

Where to watch: Shudder, AMC+
Lucy's verdict: Scream

Mark Duplass can do no wrong, in my opinion. After making an appearance in the hugely successful Backrooms this year, he's gone back to his original horror roots. Indeed, The Creep Tapes season 3 is the latest installment in his found footage nightmare, and it's incredibly good.

If you're keen to deep dive into Peachfuzz's character, season 3 does exactly that. Josef's (Duplass) serial-killer alter ego is front and center here, and this feels like it's going back to the Creep we know and love. We're uncomfortably up-close to Josef here, seeing many things from his point of view, making for an effective third season which might sit with you for a long time.

It's well worth checking out the first two Creep movies if you haven't already, which are available on Prime Video in the US and Netflix in the UK.

Movie — Parasomnia

Where to watch: Shudder
Lucy's verdict: Skip

Shudder's new movie Parasomnia has an interesting premise, but it ultimately didn't do enough to keep me engaged. The movie follows a woman who has recurring night terrors — and each time they happen, awful things happen around her in the real world.

When she struggles to keep these terrors at bay, a threat emerges and terrorizes her, which makes up much of the movie's 85-minute runtime. Unfortunately, Parasomnia suffers from an over-reliance on jump scares teamed with some predictable narrative beats, so I wasn't a huge fan of this movie.

It is on the shorter side, so you may want to try it anyway, or check out the line-up of new Shudder releases to find something new.

Game — Silent Hill: Townfall

Where to play: PS5, PC
Lucy's verdict: Scream

Silent Hill has a new spin-off game starring Welcome to Derry's Jovan Adepo. It's set in the coastal town of St. Amelia, and I spent my weekend getting lost in this creepy new world.

It's important to note that Silent Hill: Townfall is separate from the main storyline, so you won't find well-known characters like Pyramid Head here. Instead, you play as newcomer Simon in a slow-burn narrative that encourages you to explore in first-person. Despite a few initial glitches like the map not loading in, I did settle nicely into Silent Hill: Townfall, and I was particularly impressed by the central location, which is modeled off a quiet Scottish town.

Silent Hill: Townfall is a relatively short game which is easy to complete in a weekend, and I recommend giving it a go.

I've been waiting impatiently to watch The Celebrity Traitors season 2 on BBC iPlayer... and finally, the wait is almost over.

Our new cast heading to the Scottish Highlands is as follows:

• Amol Rajan, Journalist and Broadcaster
• Bella Ramsey, Actor
• James Acaster, Comedian and Podcaster
• James Blunt, Singer/Songwriter
• Jerry Hall, Model and Actress
• Joanne McNally, Comedian
• Joe Lycett, Comedian
• Julie Hesmondhalgh, Actor
• King Kenny, Content Creator
• Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Singer/Songwriter
• Maya Jama, Broadcaster and Entrepreneur  
• Michael Sheen, Actor and Presenter
• Miranda Hart, Actor and Author
• Myha’la, Actor
• Professor Hannah Fry, Broadcaster and Mathematician
• Richard E. Grant, Actor and Author
• Rob Beckett, Comedian
• Romesh Ranganathan, Comedian
• Ross Kemp, Actor and Presenter
• Sebastian Croft, Musician and Actor
• Sharon Rooney, Actor

As ever, we've got to expected the unexpected, and the below trailer teases that host Claudia Winkleman definitely has some new tricks up her sleeve.

But when will The Celebrity Traitors season 2 episodes 1 and 2 be arriving on BBC iPlayer?

What time can I watch The Celebrity Traitors season 2 episodes 1-2 on BBC iPlayer?

There are no batch uploads to BBC iPlayer this year! The Celebrity Traitors seasons 2 will have two episodes dropping this week as follows for UK fans:

• Episode 1: October 1, 8pm BST
• Episode 2: October 2, 8pm BST

Fans in the US, Australia and other international territories will have to wait for another designated streaming service to pick up episodes at a later date (e.g. Peacock in the US, or Paramount+ in Australia).

If you're a BBC licence-fee payer, you can use one of the best VPNs to stream iPlayer from anywhere in the world — check out our How to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad guide for more information.

When do new episodes of The Celebrity Traitors come out?

New episodes release on Thursdays and Fridays each week until the season 2 finale, giving us the below series schedule:

• Episode 1: October 1
• Episode 2: October 2
• Episode 3: October 8
• Episode 4: October 9
• Episode 5: October 15
• Episode 6: October 16
• Episode 7: October 22
• Episode 8: October 23
• Episode 9: October 29
• Episode 10: October 30

• Spider-Man 4's digital release date has been revealed
• It'll be available to watch at home in early October
• The record-breaking Marvel movie is the highest-grossing film in US history

Update: Sony has officially confirmed that Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be available to rent and/or buy at home starting Tuesday, October 6.

Additionally, it'll go on physical sale on Tuesday, December 14, with 4K UHD, Blu-Ray, and DVD options available to purchase.

Original story follows.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to swing onto premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms very soon.

That's according to the ever-reliable WhenToStream website, whose sources have indicated that the record-breaking Marvel movie will be available to rent or buy on October 6, 2026.

Currently, digital stores, such as Amazon, Fandango, and Apple TV, have placeholder webpages for the latest Spider-Man film, but they make no mention of an impending release date, or simply say that its digital launch is "coming soon".

Nonetheless, WhenToStream has a fantastic track record when it comes to movie-based PVOD launch date announcements, so there's no reason to doubt the aforementioned at-home release date for Brand New Day.

I've approached Marvel and Sony Pictures for comment on what WhenToStream has reported, and I'll update this article if I receive a response.

SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY (2026)Streaming: October 6, 2026PVOD (Apple, Amazon, Fandango, etc.)#SpiderManBrandNewDaywhentostream.com/spider-man-b...

— @whentostream.bsky.social (@whentostream.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-09-29T13:37:51.426Z

Whenever Spider-Man 4 makes its PVOD debut, every rental or permanent purchase will only add to the eye-watering amount of money it's already made.

At the time of writing, the Marvel Phase 6 flick has made a staggering $2.495 billion at the global box office. $950 million of that figure has been in the US alone, which is enough to make it that nation's highest-grossing movie of all-time. Star Wars: The Force Awakens had been the holder of that particular mantle, with the seventh Star Wars film making $936.6 million in the US between December 2015 and early 2016.

How long will that record last? It's hard to say. The iconic webslinger's latest big-screen adventure, which sees A-listers (and married couple) Tom Holland and Zendaya star in their fourth Spidey movie, has been lauded by pretty much everyone.

I wasn't as big on it as many others were — read my Spider-Man: Brand New Day review to find out why. Nevertheless, there's no denying that the aforementioned pair's star power, plus Spider-Man's enduring popularity, helped it to swing to unprecedented new heights.

Still, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) highly-anticipated next team-up film in Avengers: Doomsday set to hit theaters on December 17, it'll be fascinating to see if Spider-Man 4 can hold of its fellow comic book-inspired flick and retain its position as the biggest money-spinning movie in US history.

When might Spider-Man: Brand New Day be released on Netflix?

That's another tough question to answer, especially in light of the new 'Pay-1' worldwide agreement that Netflix and Sony announced in January 2026.

Currently, Sony-developed movies typically premiere on one of the world's best streaming services around four months after their initial theatrical release. Using that as a barometer, Brand New Day wouldn't come out on Netflix until late November, which would be an incredibly timely, well, time to arrive, as it coincides with Thanksgiving in the US.

However, things are more complicated than that. For one thing, Sony has various licensing agreements with numerous streamers that means its films have different streaming homes in different parts of the world.

For instance, Spider-Man: No Way Home, aka Brand New Day's predecessor, has regularly been available on Starz in the US. Overseas, the Spider-Man movies have come to Sky and Prime Video in the UK, and Stan and Binge in Australia. Further complicating matters is that the live-action Spidey flicks have occasionally joined Disney+ in multiple territories.

Things won't be that way for much longer, mind you. As I mentioned above, a new 'Pay-1' deal between Netflix and Sony means the latter's films will exclusively stream worldwide on Netflix following their theatrical and digital releases.

Per Netflix's blog announcing the agreement, the streaming titan said that "the new global Pay-1 arrangement will roll out gradually starting later this year as individual territory rights become available, with full global availability on Netflix in early 2029."

What does that mean for Spider-Man: Brand New Day? Theoretically, it could make its Netflix debut in the US and other countries before the end of the year.

Sure, much will depend on when Sony's current licensing deals with other streamers expires in certain parts of the world. Given Netflix's wording above, though, I wouldn't be surprised if Netflix users in multiple nations suddenly see Spider-Man 4 appear on their home page before 2026 is over, whenever that date will be.

For now, read my Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending explained piece for more on its biggest talking points. Once you're done, see why Spider-Man 4's post-credits scene might not mean what you think it does.

Calling NFL Week 3 crunch time might seem a touch dramatic, but since 1990 only 38 of 288 teams that have got off to a 0-2 start have gone on to make the playoffs. Three of them – the 1993 Cowboys, 2001 Patriots and 2007 Giants – went on to win the Super Bowl.

The Buccaneers, Texans and Colts are three of eight teams staring down the barrel of an excruciatingly long season, and unlike many of the other five, Tampa Bay, Houston and Indianapolis held serious Vince Lombardi Trophy aspirations at the start of the campaign.

Scroll down for our pick of the top five NFL Week 3 games – and who's showing them.

• 🏈 Unlock your stream with IPVanish (save up to 83%)

Bengals vs Steelers

• Sunday, 1pm ET, CBS/Paramount+ (US) | FREE on TVNZ+ (NZ)

Things could get real ugly at Acrisure Stadium, as the Steelers, who failed to score a touchdown in a 3-20 defeat by the Patriots last week, host their AFC North rivals the Bengals, who shut out the Texans in a 20-6 beatdown. The Black and Gold defense might actually give Joe Burrow a few problems, but will Aaron Rodgers be able to capitalise? Pittsburgh's offense ranks dead-last in the NFL for points scored, and he's already been sacked six times.

Texans vs Colts

• Sunday, 1pm ET, CBS/Paramount+ (US)

Both the Texans and Colts entered the campaign with playoff expectations, but the AFC South rivals are yet to win a game between them. Although Houston squeaked in despite getting out to a 0-3 start a year ago, Indianapolis missed the cut despite an 8-2 start. That effectively makes this an early do-or-die clash, and although CJ Stroud still looks way off it, Indy rank dead-last in the NFL in total defense. He's got to hand the reins to David Montgomery.

Vikings vs Buccaneers

• Sunday, 4.05pm ET, Fox/Fox One (US)

The Vikings are 2-0 and the Buccaneers are 0-2 and coming off a humiliating defeat by the Browns, but Kyler Murray's impending return has the potential to stall Minnesota's momentum. How Murray will fit into Kevin O'Connell's system was the subject of endless speculation in the offseason, and we're yet to get any answers because he suffered a concussion minutes into his debut. This could be the slice of luck Todd Bowles so desperately needs.

Ravens vs Cowboys

• Sunday, 4.25pm ET, CBS/Paramount+ (US) | FREE on 5 (UK) & Virgin Media Play (IRE)

We don't know what it is about Brazil, but NFL International Series games in the land of samba almost always turn into shootouts, and we're expecting the Ravens' meeting with the Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro to be another high-scoring affair. Even if Zay Flowers' hamstring isn't up to scratch, Baltimore should have the edge seeing as Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are the worst matchup imaginable for one of the most hapless rush defenses in the league.

Rams vs Broncos

• Sunday, 8.20pm ET, NBC/Peacock (US)

The Rams bounced back from their horrorshow Down Under by destroying the underhanded Giants, but the Broncos represent a step up in competition. Bo Nix and Jaylen Waddle hit things off in an impressive victory over the Jaguars last weekend, and with home-field advantage at altitude, there's a real possibility the preseason Super Bowl favourites fall to 1-2 for the season under the Sunday Night Football lights.

Use a VPN to watch NFL Week 3 live streams

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual streaming services. One of our favourites is IPVanish – it does everything and comes with up to 83% off.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• A new trailer has been released for DC Studios' Clayface
• The body horror movie will take shape in theaters worldwide this October
• It features a really cool Easter egg that's renewed hope over a Batman cameo

DC Studios has release one final trailer for Clayface — and it contains a specific Batman reference that's set tongues wagging among comic book fans.

Revealed yesterday (September 24), the movie's latest teaser offers a fresh look at its body horror vibes, slick cinematography, and Matt Hagen's tragic villain origin story. Thankfully, the DC Universe (DCU) film's latest round of footage doesn't reveal the titular character's final, grotesque form, meaning audiences will have to check it out in theaters if they want to see Clayface in all of his gruesome, malleable glory.

The comic book flick's new trailer arrives five months after Clayface's first "super freaky" teaser. Two months later, Clayface trailer #2 was unleashed upon the world and left fans with many, many questions — the most pressing of which was whether the shapeshifting villain's primary foe Batman would appear.

Even if the Caped Crusader does show up in the DCU Chapter One movie, Clayface's cast and crew are doing their best not to give away what would be one of the film's biggest surprises. That said, fans have spotted a very specific Batman Easter egg in Clayface's final trailer that's sparked new hope that the Gotham City-based vigilante will make an appearance — even if it's just as a silhouetted cameo — in the James Watkins-directed feature.

Why a musical motif in the new Clayface trailer has excited Batman and DC Comics fans alike

So, what's this big Batman reference that some DC fans noticed in Clayface's newest teaser? Skip to the 1:30 mark of the trailer and you might recognize a very familiar motif that plays as the forthcoming film's title card appears on the screen.

Batman fanatics won't need me to explain this Easter egg to them. For those not in the know, though, the brief musical snippet we hear is an exact replica of Clayface's theme from fan-favorite 1990s TV show Batman: The Animated Series (B:TAS), which you can watch right now on HBO Max.

Now, this doesn't give any indication that the Dark Knight will have a walk-on part in DC Studios' next big-screen offering. After all, despite reports that studio co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran have cast an unlikely star as the DCU's Batman, the pair have consistently denied that anyone has been hired to play Bruce Wayne and his superhero alter-ego in their nascent cinematic franchise.

Nevertheless, the use of Clayface's theme from B:TAS has captured some fans' imagination — and with good reason. Clayface's story is heavily inspired by 'Feat of Clay', a two-part tale from B:TAS that's viewed as some of the best storytelling in the beloved cartoon's four-season run.

If nothing else, fans are excited about this musical nugget because, if Clayface is half as good as 'Feat of Clay' is, it could be the best DCU movie so far. Throw a Batman cameo into the mix, though, and it'll generate even more headlines than many of us expected when it's released on October 23.

For more on the upcoming comic book film, find out everything else we know so far about Clayface.

Since 1998, we've been enjoying the feature films and TV shows of one Guy Ritchie. A man who arguably defined the British gangster sub-genre, cult hits like Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels have stood the test of time.

Fast-forward to 2026, and streaming hits like Netflix's The Gentlemen and Paramount+'s MobLand are all anybody wants to talk about... and rightly so. And that's all without scratching the surface of the projects Ritchie has worked on in between.

But can you fill in the gaps? I've created the ultimate quiz for any and all Guy Ritchie fans, focusing on his feature-length movies and TV shows over the last three decades.

I didn't say it was going to be easy, though... so do your worst.

Of course, all of this is up to the time of writing — we already know that we've got plenty more Ritchie projects to look forward to.

Young Sherlock season 2, The Gentlemen season 3 and MobLand season 3 have all either been greenlit or are in development. There's a few more titles to add to this list... but that would be giving away the quiz questions.

Much like Ritchie-style gangster, I'm just not that nice.

• New details about Avengers: Endgame Encore's post-credits scenes have been shared online
• Descriptions of four end credits stingers show how it'll directly lead into Avengers: Doomsday
• The footage has also leaked now

Fresh details about Avengers: Endgame Encore's new post-credits scenes have leaked online — and they show how elements will directly lead into Avengers: Doomsday.

For those who don't know, Avengers: Endgame Encore is a re-released version of the 2019 Marvel cultural phenomenon that made over $2 billion at the worldwide box office.

The updated film, which arrives in theaters this Friday (September 25), is being promoted as a direct prequel to Avengers: Doomsday ahead of the penultimate Marvel Phase 6 flick's own theatrical debut on December 18, 2026. As such, Endgame Encore includes never-before-seen footage — scenes believed to total an additional six minutes — that'll position it as an immediate predecessor to Doomsday.

That way, fans who fell off the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) bandwagon after Endgame's initial launch won't need to watch every single film and Disney+ show that's been released since. That said, Marvel has created a Disney+ watchlist of 15 must-see MCU projects to catch you up on the franchise's main storylines heading into the next Avengers movie.

But, I digress. With Endgame Encore's own launch fast approaching, fans have wondered what new footage will be included in the re-release that'll directly tie it to Avengers 5. As it happens, Endgame Encore has already premiered in South Korea, and some lucky fans have taken to various social media platforms to share what they saw at their showings.

Now, there's no leaked footage to speak of, so we can't verify the following descriptions (Update: footage of all four scenes have leaked online, but I'm not posting them here).

There's also some confusion over the order in which these end credits scenes were shown and people's interpretations of said clips. Nevertheless, potentially huge spoilers immediately follow for Endgame Encore, so click away now if you don't want the experience ruined before you see it yourself. Even better, go and find out everything we officially know so far about Avengers: Doomsday.

Avengers: Endgame Encore's end credits scenes show a Doom-Hulk meeting, Loki visiting Steve and Peggy, and the multiverse collapsing

According to Reddit user ARST_ARSW, Endgame Encore has three post-credits scenes. The first sees Loki visit Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter in the alternate timeline that Steve (aka Captain America) stayed in after he returned the Infinity Stones to their original timelines, before Loki tells them he can help them with… something.

Then, the second round of footage reunites us with Bruce Banner. He's in solitary confinement after the events of Spider-Man: Brand New Day and is experimenting with a new way of controlling his gamma irradiated alter-ego. However, his tests are suddenly interrupted by Doctor Doom, who apparently says "I'm here to adapt you" before appearing to absorb Hulk's superhuman abilities.

Lastly, the final end credits stinger takes us to the Time Variance Authority (TVA), and shows O.B. say "the Multiverse is collapsing" as he watches numerous realities collide with one another.

So, how accurate are the above Redditor's descriptions? According to X/Twitter use and semi-reliable leaker SukunaOnFN1, the Hulk-Doom meeting isn't entirely correct.

Indeed, SukunaOnFN1 has claimed that the Hulk-Doom scene is the first one we see at the end of Endgame Encore. Furthermore, they said that we only hear Doom speak (i.e. he doesn't appear on the screen), and actually tell Banner "I've come to collect you". Then, we hear Hulk, well, hulk out, and see a flash of green light before the camera pans down to some Latverian symbols burned into the ground.

But wait, there's more. On r/LeaksandRumors, another fan in brewstew07 says the TVA scene was shown first in their screening, and that the Hulk-Doom one appeared after it. Brewstew07 doesn't mention the Loki, Steve, and Peggy scene at all.

Thankfully, another Redditor in KostisPat257 has rounded up all of the available information on not three, but four end credits stingers.

Where the Loki scene — which is the first one that most viewers seem to have seen — is concerned, KostisPat257 says Peggy and Steve are dancing, before a knock at the door spooks them and forces Steve to go hide. Peggy answers the door and asks someone "Can I help you?", with the latter replying "No, but I can help you". Steve emerges from his hidey hole and is stunned to see Loki standing in front of him.

Scene 2, aka the Hulk-Doom one, plays out exactly as SukunaOnFN1 says it does. Meanwhile, the third round of footage shows flashes of Doom making his mask interspersed with the sound of Tony Stark's hammer hitting metal when he created his super-suit in 2008's Iron Man.

The fourth and final scene, i.e. the TVA one, sees Ms. Minutes reminding its employees to prevent people from traveling outside of their universe. Mobius is then informed by Casey that Earth-10005 (the FoX-Men one) and Earth-1127 are about to collide.

As Mobius asks why this didn't make the report he read, the two realities start firing missiles at each other. As a shocked O.B. says they're trying to destroy each other, the camera pans to other TVA monitors that show multiple universes have already been destroyed, including Earth-400083 (the Eric Bana Hulk-Verse), Earth-15886 (the 2015 Fantastic Four-Verse), and Earth-82111 (the What If...? Universe).

With Endgame Encore out now in some parts of the world and set to debut everywhere else by the end of this week, I suspect leaked footage will be widely shared across the internet in the days ahead. Until they do — and, let's be frank, they will leak online — the above descriptions are all we have to go on in terms of knowing how the aforementioned film will set up the plot of Doomsday and its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars.

What do you think of these post-credits scenes? And will you be seeing Endgame Encore? Let me know in the comments.

Whether it's at work or with my family, all I've been talking about recently is shocking six-part ITV crime drama The Blame.

Led by Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth, it follows the murder of a teenage skater, which not only draws detectives down a dark, treacherous path, but also forces them to investigate their own team.

The call is coming from inside the house, as the kids say. DI Emma Clare (Keegan) is not just the only member of the force to work out what's really going on, but she's the only person brave enough to call out (the fictional) Wakestead police force on its biggest issue: misogyny.

I won't lie to you, it's a really difficult watch. The Blame's approach to its subject matter is incredible heavy-handed, but I think it needs to be. However, if you need some time out — or to swap to a crime drama that doesn't feel as bitingly real — I've got you covered.

In fact, Keegan and Booth are the ones that have you covered. If you're looking for more of the same vibe, they've got the perfect recommendation for you to stream next. Not only can you watch it for free, but there's a hidden link between the two shows.

The Blame on ITV is secretly linked to BBC's Happy Valley — and it's what you need to stream next

"That's a hard question," Booth responded, before he added: "Just because it's my favourite one and Nicola [Schindler] produced it, Happy Valley, but they're obviously very different. It has another great female lead at the heart of it."

To me, that's an understatement. The UK market is flush with cimpeccable crime dramas, but Sally Wainwright's Happy Valley might just be the best of the 21st century so far (at least, it is according to me).

Available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer or on Netflix internationally, we follow West Yorkshire police sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) as she balances local crime in Calderdale with her fierce pursuit of Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton), the violent criminal she holds responsible for her daughter's suicide.

It's fast-paced, quintessentially Yorkshire, and gritty at every turn — to the point where it's almost unbelievable what one woman can physically and mentally endure.

What's even better is the hidden link that Happy Valley has with The Blame.

"We had Lisa Farrand, who was a police advisor," Keegan explained. "She was with us for the interrogation and investigation scenes, where we were out looking for the body, things like that. She was brilliant. Very matter of fact, and if something wasn't working, she would pull it up straight away, speak to the director, and sort of steer us and help navigate the scene.

"She worked on Happy Valley and actually Catherine Cawood was loosely based on her. She's a real character... a tough cookie."

If Catherine Cawood herself isn't a good enough sign of a crime drama being unmissable, I don't know what is. Maybe give yourself some breathing space in between them both, though.

Spoilers for Outlander: Blood of my Blood season 2 episode 1 ahead.

Outlander: Blood of my Blood season 2 has officially kicked off on Starz (US) and MGM+ (international)... and boy, is it off to an explosive start.

Alongside some great Easter eggs (IYKYK), we've picked the action back up with Claire and Jamie's parents: Brian (Jamie Roy), Ellen (Harriet Slater), Julia (Hermione Corfield), and Henry (Jeremy Irvine).

The lovers are separated once again as the Scottish Highlands are split in two by the 1715 Jacobite Rising in season 2, with Julia and Henry split when their plan to travel back to the 1920s goes wrong at the last minute.

It was brutal, but somehow Henry has found himself in a psychiatric asylum in 1924, while Julia stays trapped in 1715... with no idea what's happened or how to fix it.

We see Henry undergo electric shock therapy after it's revealed that he was found on the street by a local policeman, incoherently babbling about time travel enough to cause concern.

It's a brutal scene to watch, but how was it to film? Irvine gives us a full breakdown... and it might actually have been worse than it looked.

'It really jumps in at the deep end'

"It's great. I got to do a load of research into something that I didn't know much about," Irvine tells me. "I'd watched some footage of people having it done, and that was a good excuse to sort of really jump in at the deep end... go for quite a big performance and um, see if we got away with it."

If you ask me, it certainly does. As I tell Irvine, season 2 episode 1 largely feels less like Outlander and more like an episode of American Horror Story or Ratched. For the tonal shift alone, I'm hooked — there's nothing like keeping us on our toes right from the get-go.

"I remember it being exhausting to film," he continues. I think I basically had a seizure for two days on a gurney. I really enjoyed the wacky way they went inside Henry's mind. I think that it's the part of the character that I enjoy playing the most, his fragile mental state and his warped view on reality.

"It's a great obstacle for him to have to try and work through. It's unsettling for me to watch back, which I think is a good, good thing."

If you've been following my Blood of my Blood coverage since season 1, you might remember that Irvine told me shortly after starting production that season 2 would be "wildly not what we expect." But now that we're all seeing it, were the actors as surprised when the drama picked back up?

"I remember before I read the scripts, I went for a costume fitting and had a vicar's outfit and a straitjacket to try on... that's when my suspicions were first aroused," Irvine adds. "For Henry, it's a completely different world to go into, which is great.

"We filmed episode 1 in that first month, which was nice because you don't always get to film in order. It was great to see how everybody just came back and hit the ground running pretty much from that first step."

But if you think this means that things are slowly down from episode 2 onwards, think again.

For the past couple of weeks we’ve been seeing how Reality Fracture will conclude the multiverse-tearing Omenpath saga of Magic: The Gathering’s story. Jace’s domination of his Echoverse rings through his presence on seemingly every other card as the Empower Jace mechanic — which brings forth a Planeswalker token of himself, as a sort of simulacrum of the popular Amass mechanic.

But before Jace attempted to break the multiverse, Wizards of the Coast was already dabbling in powers beyond their control with Universes Beyond. This sees non-native IP break into the Magic: The Gathering game, and it has proven itself both incredibly popular and divisive.

One setting that has managed to unite both sides of the aisle, however, is Middle Earth: the land of hobbits, elves, dwarves, and dark forces attempting to enact Sauron’s corrupting plans on the world.

We recently returned to this setting through The Hobbit set, a return which felt much more like a return to a classic Magic world such as Ravnica, Lorwyn, or Dominaria rather than a return to a UB world like… New York City, which we experienced through both Marvel Super Heroes and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles after first swinging through with Spider-Man.

Through his YouTube channel Good Morning Magic, Gavin Verhey (Principal Magic Designer at Wizards of the Coast) details the design philosophy and origins of cards from throughout Magic’s history, including its most recent releases. At Gamescom, I got some time to chat with him, deep diving into Wizards’ approach for The Hobbit — and its approach to Universes Beyond more generally.

A return to a Magic plane normally means the return of mechanics associated with that world. Case in point, after debuting a variant of Amass with Amass Orcs in its Lord of the Rings: Tales from Middle Earth set, another variation appeared with Amass Goblins in The Hobbit — enabling players to assemble a Goblin Army, one of the five armies that battled in the book’s climax.

However we didn’t see the return of The Ring Tempts You, not even as a cameo on a Bilbo or Gollum game piece (a term designers use to denote a mechanic we see on only a couple of cards rather than as a core feature).

Verhey explained the team did look into including it, but ultimately decided against it.

“The Ring Tempts You was a mechanic that did not play out super great, and was quite complicated, and doesn’t make a lot of sense because the Ring is such a small part of The Hobbit,” says Verhey.

He explained that it could have fit as a one-off cameo, but “There’s no reminder text on the card for what The Ring Tempts You does, that’s on an entirely different card you have to track. Maybe it could have worked as a Jumpstart card, but we decided it would be a lot of work for a little gain so we didn’t bring it back.”

At least my Food and Fellowship precon deck got a couple of food token and lifegain support pieces in the set.

There, and back again?

Now that we have returned to Middle Earth, a question I’ve had rattling through my brain is which UB plane could we planeswalk back to next? Gavin Verhey wasn’t about to spoil anything, but I did ask if the possibility of returning meant Wizards of the Coast was more cautious about what it did or didn’t use from a partner’s IP.

The Lord of the Rings set only included one The Hobbit reference through the card There and Back Again, meanwhile The Last Airbender didn’t include any ties to The Legend of Korra — not even as a Secret Lair.

“In general we want our designers to use everything they can, because there’s no guarantee we’ll ever make another set in that world. So you should make as much as you can, and what makes sense. But we’re often making them based on very specific properties.

“So with Avatar: The Last Airbender the set was Avatar: The Last Airbender not Avatar: The Legend of Korra. So Korra was off the table for that set. The same for The Lord of the Rings set, The Hobbit was off the table.

“It’s a bit of preservation for the future, but also just a bit of what we have access to.”

Verhey adds this is contrasted by sets like Final Fantasy or Doctor Who where the designers knew they had access to the whole franchise’s history for one set.

The Marvel collab is also a bit different as Wizards of the Coast knew there would be multiple sets from the get go: “So we actually figured out, before we did anything else, how we were going to divvy all of those sets up to make sure cards ended up in the right place.”

Riddles in the dark

Gavin Verhey explained there are plenty of positives that come from working in a Universes Beyond set — chiefly the distinct characters the worlds are filled with are a delightful design puzzle to bring to life in MtG. But what are the challenges?

“The place that you get into the most trouble is figuring out how the characters translate into colors — because a well-written character is usually many different colors over the course of their lifecycle.”

Verhey explained players have different expectations of the characters. Someone will reasonably see Bilbo as Blue for his riddles expertise, another person sees him as Black as he embraces thievery, another as Green for hobbits’ embrace of food and nature in the Shire — we’ve seen him represented across all five colors in fact across both Middle Earth-based sets.

We’ve seen how the designers solve this: make multiple versions of the same character at different points throughout their story. This prevents every legend becoming five-color soup, and keeps things simple and accessible for newcomers — who are more likely to open a card belonging to a popular character if there’s multiple of them, and cards with fewer colors are usually less complex as they don’t need to mechanically justify why they’re multi-disciplined.

That said, Verhey said there do need to be multi-color legends to encompass other similar legends so folks can play them all in the same deck more easily if they want — “For example, we make sure there’s a Red-White Dwarf lord that all other Dwarves can go into a deck for.” (Note: A lord is a term for a card which offers a static benefit to all cards of a certain creature type).

This doesn’t just account for creatures in The Hobbit. The designers also try to make sure the cards pair well with the Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, and Hobbits they’ve released before.

Universes Beyond can also create almost the reverse challenge for the designers: not having enough characters in each color.

Verhey explained. “You know, this is not the case for The Hobbit but a funny Universes Beyond problem is usually most worlds have heroes — that makes for easy White characters — and they have villains which tend to want to be Black characters. Then there’s usually someone who’s a little aggressive or impulsive, so our Red characters. And there’s always the smart people so that’s the Blue. But Green?”

For The Hobbit Elves, Bears and other nature-aligned figures fill this slot, but that’s not always the case.

“Figuring out what Green means in a world without Elves, growth, or lots of nature is really challenging — that’s what many Universes Beyond can live or die on.”

A Warm Welcome

Universes Beyond has been a standout success for Magic: The Gathering. It makes perfect sense, therefore, that Wizards of the Coast would want to apply this to its other world-famous brand: Dungeons and Dragons.

So far it has announced collaboration plans with World of Warcraft and Star Wars — partnerships which will bring iconic characters, worlds, items and archetypes (as classes and subclasses) into the tabletop roleplaying game.

However no Universes Beyond property has yet to feature in both games, so I asked Verhey if any rivalry or jealousy has developed between the teams — Star Wars fans on the Magic side or The Last Airbender lovers on D&D wishing they could be building inside those worlds.

Unsurprisingly Verhey said there’s nothing but excitement around the office, “It’s honestly very cool to see D&D be like ‘Hey this thing’s been great for Magic, Let’s have us give that a try as well’. I’m stoked to see what they do with it.”

The Last Stage

There’s only a few months left of 2026, but we have a lot more Magic: The Gathering to enjoy. Verhey says reality is “huge. It’s the capstone event of the current story arc, and like nothing we’ve made before.”

Previews have showcased dozens of alternate reality pairings — showing original and Echoverse versions of characters from across Magic’s worlds — and in Verhey’s words the team has done “a heck of a lot better a job than we did with Planar Chaos” in terms of warping Magic characters and mechanics without warping the color pie in ways designers regret later.

We also have Star Trek, another Universes Beyond property. This may seem like an odd inclusion for a fantasy focused game, however space has featured in several sets now — Unfinity, Doctor Who, and Edge of Eternities — and Star Trek actually featured all the way back when MtG was still in early testing. Spock performing a Vulcan salute was placeholder art for a card called Blessing.

Verhey also said we can expect a set filled with the new Dilemmas — a new mechanic for the set related to mimic the tough choices characters face — and for us to “try an experience that’s a little different than normal”. Verhey mentioned combat isn’t a massive part of the Star Trek shows, so perhaps we’ll see Limited games play out very differently when this set rolls around.

Finally, there’s Mystery Booster Commander Edition. This event-exclusive set has been filled with exciting Commander cards, including several brand new game pieces that break the rules of the format, and harken back to Magic’s past in creative ways — Verhey is currently explaining these callbacks on his YouTube channel.

“I cannot wait for folks to start playing it at MagicCon Atlanta, it’s a blast.” As a Commander lover, I can’t wait either.

It's a legendary fantasy franchise, which has influenced pop culture for almost 90 years now. But how well do you know The Lord of The Rings?

Ever since the first-published story back in the 1930s, the franchise has become a giant. We've seen video games, TV shows, board games, radio plays and, of course, one of the most famous movie trilogies ever made. It's safe to say that The Lord of The Rings is something any fantasy fan should know about.

But do you? To figure out, we've compiled a 30-question The Lord of The Rings quiz, to see if you're a smart elf or a bumpkin Hobbit. These won't pick your brain about the story: you don't need to know about the comings and goings in Rhun, what Beregond does, or what Ancalagon the Black did. Instead, it's about the franchise itself; all the media based on the books (and the books themselves).

The questions are organized by difficulty: we'll start with 10 easy ones (to make sure you're not better suited for our Harry Potter quiz), then 10 medium ones, and finally 10 harder ones.

So let's dive in, to see how much you know about The Lord of The Rings.

Need to brush up on your Middle-earth knowledge? Maybe this will help:

I'm sure that you'll be looking for some soothing escapism to stream this weekend, but ITV has other ideas. From September 20, new crime drama The Blame hits our screens, with episodes available to stream en mass on ITVX.

Led by Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth, the six-part series follows the murder of a teenage skater, which not only draws detectives down a dark, treacherous path, but also forces them to investigate their own team.

The call is coming from inside the house, as the kids say. DI Emma Clare (Keegan) is not just the only member of the force to work out what's really going on, but she's the only person brave enough to call out (the fictional) Wakestead police force on its biggest issue: misogyny.

From the moment The Blame begins, the murder investigation becomes shockingly intertwined with just how prevalent casual misogyny is across multiple officers involved in the case. It's a heavy-handed approach, which includes text messages from real officers discovered through whistleblowing operations. They're hideous, and it's tough to watch.

I quickly wondered whether the series needed to be so blatant with the issue to get its point across (in my view, yes it does). But Keegan and Douglas Booth don't just think that this creative decision leads to an "even deeper" storyline, but the original opening to episode 1 was so explicit that it had to be re-filmed.

'If you've done nothing wrong, what would you be worried about?'

"It was a deliberate choice to start with that," Booth, who plays 'nice guy' DI Tom Radley in the series, tells me. "It's on the nose, but I think even if it wasn't that blatant, the effect would be the same. As you go through the story, it goes much deeper.

"You're trying to solve a crime, but the way that men talk to you, the way they interfere or get in the way, even the compliments... this is all explored through many facets," Keegan adds. "But starting with the base of something seeming harmless immediately drops you into the right place."

When we first meet Clare and Radley, they're talking over the day's events in the local pub — before anyone knows that a murder has taken place. Other officers are also scattered around, talking about the best way to try to pick up an attractive woman at the bar. It's a subtle yet all too familiar reminder of the social culture that's become ingrained.

The more grisly action doesn't begin for another 10 minutes or so, but this wasn't always the case. "There were actually a couple of different versions of that scene," Booth adds. "There was a much more explicit one that [creators] decided not to go with. It was explicit... I won't go into what. But they didn't start with it. As you see them, things are still blunt and direct, but things are later dissected from there."

It's this constant moral back-and-forth experience you have as a viewer that I think is the most poignant part of watching The Blame. You don't feel as though you can believe any part of what you're seeing, including the texts that you know for a fact are real. We naturally want to believe that decent human behavior is something more frequent than it actually is.

But is anybody worried about potential public backlash? "When we spoke to police, they understand that there are issues. I don't think anyone can say otherwise," Booth explains. "But you also see all of the brilliant work that the police do. They're doing a really difficult job out there, all the time.

"That doesn't mean that there aren't systemic issues, and a certain institutional rot that is portrayed in this show. But I'm not really worried. Because if you've done nothing wrong, what would you be worried about?"

Black Panther 3 is already primed to round out Marvel's 2028 line-up on the big screen. Indeed, with its launch set for December 2028, we know it'll be one of three movies the comic book giant will release in just over two years' time.

What do we know so far about our next trip to Wakanda? Below, I've rounded up all the latest information on the forthcoming Marvel film, including its official release date, confirmed cast, and more. Let's dive in, then — altogether now: Yibambe!

Black Panther 3 release date

Black Panther 3 is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters worldwide on December 15, 2028. That launch date was revealed during Marvel's Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2026 in late July.

There's no word on when filming might begin or how much of the script has been written. However, it's highly unlikely the cameras will start rolling until principal photography has wrapped on Avengers: Secret Wars, aka the final film of the Marvel Multiverse Saga.

The reason? Some of Black Panther 3's confirmed cast (more on them shortly) will appear in the sixth Avengers movie, so it won't enter full production until they're available to shoot it.

Black Panther 3 trailer: is there one?

No — and it's going to be a long time before a teaser for the next Black Panther movie is publicly released.

If I had to guess, I expect its first trailer will be unveiled at SDCC 2028. That's a good 18 months away, so don't expect me to update this article section for some time.

Black Panther 3 confirmed cast

Per Marvel.com, here's the confirmed cast so far:

• David Jonsson as T'Challa II
• Letitia Wright as Shuri
• Winston Duke as M'Baku

Jonsson (Alien: Romulus, The Long Walk) was officially announced as T'Challa II — FYI, his legal name is Toussaint — at SDCC 2026.

We first met T'Challa's son in the final scene of 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but it was unclear if he'd ever succeed his father and become the technologically advanced African nation's new protector-in-chief.

Indeed, speaking exclusively to TechRadar back in February 2025, Black Panther producer Nate Moore suggested that the eponymous hero wouldn't be played by a third actor. The first two being, of course, the late Chadwick Boseman, who played T'Challa before his passing in August 2021, and Letitia Wright, whose Marvel character Shuri assumed the mantle in Wakanda Forever.

Now, though, we know that Jonsson will play the grown-up version of T'Challa II. Chatting to Empire magazine, Marvel President Kevin Feige revealed Jonsson was cast after a secret meeting in February 2026, so Moore wasn't pulling the wool over our eyes 12 months earlier.

Meanwhile, Wright told Entertainment Weekly that she's happy for Jonsson to take ownership of the role, although there's no word on whether Shuri will have passed the torch by the start of this movie, or whether it'll happen as part of its plot.

Jonsson won't be the only Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debutant in Black Panther 3.

Speaking on The Today Show in late 2025, multi-award-winning actor Denzel Washington dropped the bombshell that he'll appear in the threequel. Per Variety, Washington personally called director Ryan Coogler to apologize for jumping the gun on that announcement, but everything's been smoothed over now. Indeed, Coogler doubled down on Washington's casting during a chat with people.com, though he declined to reveal the identity of the A-lister's character.

As for other stars who might feature, it's possible Danai Gurira might return as Okoye, the former head of Wakanda's Dora Milaje. Lupita Nyong'o could be back as Nakia, aka T'Challa II's mom, too. Until Marvel announces their returns, I'll keep them off the confirmed cast list.

Black Panther 3 plot rumors

Predictably, there are no story details for Black Panther 3. Marvel is fully focused on Avengers: Doomsday, which arrives in cinemas this December, and its Secret Wars sequel, which comes out in December 2027. With the MCU's future being dictated by what happens in these films, we won't have any concrete information about Black Panther 3's plot until the Multiverse Saga has drawn to a close.

That said, there are a couple of things we can speculate on.

For starters, if T'Challa II adopts the Black Panther mantle and also plans on ruling Wakanda, M'Baku — the leader of the Jabari Tribe and the African nation's current monarch — would need to step aside. Will he do so willingly, or will T'Challa II have to fight him in ritual combat for that honor?

Then, as I mentioned earlier, it'll be interesting to see if T'Challa II is already the new Black Panther by the time this Marvel Phase 7 movie starts. The alternative is that he'll replace Shuri at some point during its runtime. This might be a better way of introducing T'Challa II to audiences and giving him a traditional hero's journey to embark on before he becomes the Black Panther's latest custodian.

On top of all that, we'll eventually learn if Washington's character is an ally or enemy of Wakanda's aristocracy, and what role the fictional kingdom will play in version 2.0 of the MCU (I'll circle back to this in a moment). Furthermore, we should find out whether Boseman's legacy as T'Challa, and his untimely death, will loom as large over proceedings as it did in Wakanda Forever. Once more has been discussed by those involved in the movie's production, I'll update this section.

How will Black Panther 3 impact the MCU?

In short: nobody knows. As I said earlier, we've got to get through Doomsday and Secret Wars before we know what version 2.0 of the MCU will look like. Once we do, we'll have a better understanding of how Black Panther and Wakanda fit into Marvel's streamlined cinematic universe.

While we wait, find out everything we know so far about Avengers: Doomsday and then get the full lowdown on Avengers: Secret Wars.

Once you're done, learn all there is to know about VisionQuest before getting the complete scoop on Daredevil: Born Again season 3 ahead of both projects hitting Disney+.

An opening act that was chock-full of shocks – we're looking at you Jets and Giants and, for very different reasons, Rams, Chargers and Packers – has given NFL Week 2 a completely different feel.

It's probably why the slate is so wonky, with many of the best games set to play out simultaneously during Sunday's early-afternoon window. You've got some tough choices to make (unless you give up entirely and go with RedZone), but whichever game you go with, the outlook looks promising.

Scroll down for our pick of the top five NFL Week 2 games – and who's showing them.

• 🏈 Unlock your stream with IPVanish (save up to 83%)

Bengals vs Texans

• Sunday, 1pm ET, CBS/Paramount+ (US) | FREE on 5 (UK)

We stand to learn a lot from the Bengals' early-window clash with the Texans – specifically if Cincinnati's defense has gone from bad-to-good, and if Houston's has somehow gone the other way. The Texans ranked No.1 in the NFL for yards allowed last season and the Bengals No.31 (of 32), but you wouldn't have guessedit from their opening-day showings.

Packers vs Jets

• Sunday, 1pm ET, Fox/Fox One (US)

It took the Jets eight weeks to claim their first win last year. This time, they've done it straight out of the gate. No.2 pick David Bailey registered a sack on debut as New York embarrassed the Titans, while the Packers were all kinds of awful in a blowout by the Vikings, squandering a 12-point lead as just 21 of Jordan Love's 42 passes found their target. Green Bay have now lost six straight games – but this would take the biscuit.

Vikings vs Bears

• Sunday, 1pm ET, Fox/Fox One (US) | FREE on 7Plus (AU) & TVNZ+ (NZ)

Bears coach Ben Johnson raised eyebrows in preseason by stating his aim to break the NFL scoring record, and Chicago duly kicked off with a monster 59-point showing. The Brian Flores-run Vikings defense will provide a sterner test. However, while Minnesota's defense ranked at No.2 against the pass last season, it struggled to stop the run – and Williams, D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for 291 yards and six touchdowns on the ground last week.

Raiders vs Chargers

• Sunday, 4.05pm ET, CBS/Paramount+ (US)

Chargers fans definitely won't want to miss this one, because they might not get a sniff of victory again until late November. The Bolts' schedule from Week 3 to Week 10 is horrendous, but on the bright side there's no possible way they could lose either of their first two fixtures... The Cardinals, who are projected to be at the very bottom of the pile come the end of the season, wiped the floor with them last weekend, and Justin Herbert was utterly lost in Mike McDaniel's new-look offense.

Giants vs Rams

• Monday, 8.15pm ET, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN Unlimited (US)

The Rams were so bad in their opener they've gone from Super Bowl favorites to a potential bust in record time. The one saving grace from their atrocious showing in Melbourne is that they only flew out a day before the game, but with three tough fixtures set to follow this MNF meeting with the Giants, Sean McVay's men need to get a W on the board. Unfortunately for them, Big Blue look transformed under new coach John Harbaugh.

Use a VPN to watch NFL Week 2 live streams

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual streaming services. One of our favourites is IPVanish – it does everything and comes with up to 83% off.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

If you're an Outlander fan like me, you've probably been at a bit of a loss since the emotional season 8 finale back in May.

But while the main series might have finished for good, prequel Outlander: Blood of my Blood is only just getting started.

With season 2 set to debut on September 18 on Starz (US) and September 19 on MGM+ (international), we'll be picking the action back up with Claire and Jamie's parents: Brian (Jamie Roy), Ellen (Harriet Slater), Julia (Hermione Corfield) and Henry (Jeremy Irvine).

The lovers are separated once again as the Scottish Highlands are split in two by the 1715 Jacobite Rising in season 2. While Brian must fight alongside his father, Julia and Henry are split when their plan to travel back to the 1920s goes wrong at the last minute.

In short, we're in for a lot of twists and turns. But if Outlander fans have yet to tune into the prequel, now's the time — especially because of the Easter eggs the cast is teasing.

'Things shape him into the man we see in Outlander'

"Firstly, I don't think you need to have seen Outlander for this," Irvine begins. "I wasn't familiar with Outlander going into [the prequel]. I like that the scripts just stand alone, but there's a lot of great Easter eggs. Some very familiar characters are showing up."

No spoilers here, but if you've either read the original book series or see the main series, you might have a pretty good idea of what — or who — is to come. My advice? Don't assume any introductions or cameos will only happen towards the beginning of season 2... be ready to stay invested.

"There's lots of things for if you've got a favorite character from the original series, which I think is so great," Roy adds. "Mine is Murtagh from the original series... it's just so great seeing what Rory Alexander does with the character in this series. We saw little things through last season, but in this season, things really shape him to become the man we see in Outlander. I think if you're a fan of the original show, you'll really appreciate that too."

Grown-up Murtagh, for want of a better term, was played by Duncan Lacroix in Outlander seasons 1-5. He's Jamie's (Sam Heughan) godfather and companion, though things don't exactly end up well for him as his time on the show draws to a close.

It's these kind of links between the main series and prequel that make Outlander: Blood of my Blood feel extra special, and the devil truly is in the detail. Take this as your sign to catch up if you haven't already — you've got less than three days until new episodes arrive.

• You can watch Forever Home for free on Channel 5 now
• Traveling outside the UK? Use NordVPN to watch from anywhere

Channel 5’s new six-part thriller Forever Home adapts Graham Norton’s bestselling novel, with Downton Abbey's Amy Nuttall starring as Carol Crottie and Shetland favorite Douglas Henshall as her older partner, Robert.

When Robert’s dementia worsens, Carol begins questioning why he refuses to leave their home – and what really happened to his first wife, Joan, who supposedly disappeared 20 years earlier. A gruesome discovery soon reveals the family’s dark past.

Denise Welch, Kevin Whately, Samantha Bond, Lewis Cope and Jenny Walser also star in the British mystery-drama.

Forever Home premiered September 14 at 9pm, and all six episodes are streaming no on Channel 5. Outside the UK? Here's how to watch Forever Home online and from anywhere with a good VPN.

Unblock any stream with a VPN

If you're keen to watch Forever Home but you're away from home and access to the show is geo-blocked, then you could always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course). You may be surprised by how simple it is to do.

Use a VPN to watch Forever Home from anywhere:

Can I watch Forever Home (2026) in the US?

As yet, Forever Home hasn’t arrived on any US streaming services. However, as Graham Norton is well known in the States for his talkshow, we'd expect to see it arrive at some point in the next 12 months.

A UK fan in the US? You’ll need a good VPN to unblock Channel 5 and watch your usual shows from anywhere.

How to watch Forever Home for FREE in the UK

Graham Norton's Forever Home season 1 dropped on Monday, September 14 at 9pm BST. There will be six episodes in total, broadcast across two consecutive Monday-to-Wednesday runs on Channel 5.

Streaming: watch all six episodes of Forever Home now at Channel 5.

Outside the UK? To access Channel 5 from abroad, you'll need to download a good VPN, as detailed below.

Can I watch Forever Home in Canada?

No is the short answer. We've not seen any news of Forever Home's US or Canadian release dates.

However, British citizens in Canada could simply purchase a VPN and enjoy the drama just like they would back home.

Can I watch Forever Home online in Australia?

We’re still waiting on Forever Home's release date Down Under.

If you’re out of the country – say, a British citizen abroad – sign up to our No.1 VPN to use Channel 5 as if you were back in the UK.

Can I watch Forever Home season 1 in New Zealand?

Sadly, Kiwis can’t watch Forever Home online yet.

Traveling away from home? Don’t forget that if you’re abroad, you can use a VPN to tune into Channel 5 when visiting other countries.

Forever Home cast

• Amy Nuttall — Carol Crottie
• Douglas Henshall — Robert Barrie
• Denise Welch — Moira Crottie, Carol’s mother
• Kevin Whately — “Silent Dave,” Carol’s father
• Samantha Bond — Joan Barrie, Robert’s first wife
• Lewis Cope — Kaden Barrie, Robert’s son
• Jenny Walser — Sally Barrie, Robert’s daughter
• Shane Zaza — Dan Evans, Kaden’s husband
• James Baxter — Patrick Tanner
• Aimée Kelly — Martha
• Anna Leong Brophy — Anna Tanner
• Ricky Shah — DCI Isaac Taylor

VPN services are evaluated and tested by us in view of legal recreational use. For example:a) Access to services from other countries, (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).b) Safeguarding your online security and making your online privacy more robust when abroad.Future plc does not support nor condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. We do not endorse nor approve of consuming pirated content that is paid-for.

Ghost Rider is gearing up to ride on the big screen once more. Fourteen years have passed since Nicolas Cage portrayed the titular anti-hero for the second and final time, but with Marvel set to release a new movie starring the Spirit of Vengeance in July 2028, a whole new audience will soon get to meet the supernatural figure.

So, what do we know about the forthcoming film ahead of the character's addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)? Below, I've rounded up the biggest and latest news on Ghost Rider, including its full launch date and who's involved in its production. So, start revving your demon-fuelled motorcycle, and let's dive in together.

Ghost Rider release date

Ghost Rider will put pedal to the metal in theaters worldwide on July 28, 2028.

Initially, Marvel only announced — at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2026 — that it would arrive sometime in 2028. However, Variety has since reported that Disney has locked in a formal release date.

Of course, it's possible, depending on how development progresses, its launch could be delayed or brought forward. For now, it'll be the second of three MCU movies to drop in 2028 — the others being X-Men (May 5, 2028) and Black Panther 3 (December 15, 2028).

Ghost Rider trailer: is there one?

Unsurprisingly, no. Ghost Rider's existence was only confirmed in July, and currently, there's no word on when filming will begin. Long story short: it'll be a long time before a teaser is with us.

My best guess for when it could arrive? Sometime in early 2028. Marvel won't want attention drawn away from Avengers: Secret Wars, which arrives on December 17, 2027, and will cap off the Marvel Multiverse Saga, so there's no chance of a Ghost Rider trailer coming out before then. Whenever one is shared online, I'll update this section.

Ghost Rider confirmed cast

Right now, Ghost Rider's confirmed cast totals one, but it is one big-name star in the form of Ryan Gosling.

Gosling, who has starred in myriad popular movies including Project Hail Mary, Barbie, Drive, The Place Beyond the Pines, and The Notebook, has long been rumored to play Ghost Rider in the MCU.

Reports first emerged of Gosling joining the cinematic juggernaut in 2022. The actor responded by saying he'd be up for following in Cage's footsteps as the so-called Hell King. Weeks later at SDCC 2022, Marvel president Kevin Feige told MTV that he'd "love" to find a place for Gosling in the MCU.

With speculation continuing to mount in the years since, Gosling told the Happy Sad Confused Podcast in March that "some discussions" had taken place with Marvel. Cut to the comic giant's Hall H presentation at this year's SDCC, and Gosling's addition to the MCU was officially confirmed.

As of September 2026, no other cast announcements have been made. Hopefully, we won't have to wait too long for the rest of its ensemble to be rounded out.

Ghost Rider plot rumors

Given that it's still in early development, Ghost Rider doesn't have a story synopsis yet. Nonetheless, Feige and company have given us some information about who was the driving force behind this Marvel Phase 7 production, and it sounds like Gosling is a major reason for it getting made.

"It was Gosling who had the vision," Feige told Empire Magazine. "It was Gosling who had the pitch that won over Shawn, that had them come and pitch us this idea, which led to us on stage today."

"Literally six minutes into him [Gosling] telling me about it, I’m like, 'Yeah, let’s go. We’re doing that,'" Levy also told People Magazine. "We walked it to Kevin, and here we are."

Some fans might be understandably concerned about Ghost Rider. After all, in a similar situation, Marvel greenlit a film centered on another of its iconic supernatural characters, Blade, after Mahershala Ali pitched an idea to the comic giant in 2019. Seven years on, that flick has not only all but been canceled, but seen Ali officially walk away from it. Here's hoping Ghost Rider won't go the same way.

As for what its story will be about, that'll depend on which version of the skeletal superhuman Gosling will portray. Johnny Blaze and Robbie Reyes are arguably the most well-known iterations of the character, but have already been portrayed in live-action projects by Cage and Gabriel Luna. If Marvel wants to go in a different direction, Danny Ketch would be the most obvious choice. However, I wouldn't discount Blaze or Reyes as the character Gosling is eventually revealed to be playing.

Who is Ghost Rider? The Marvel anti-hero's comic book history explained

The information up until now is all well and good, but who is Ghost Rider exactly?

For the uninitiated, Ghost Rider was originally created by Roy Thomas, Gary Friedrich, and Mike Ploog. The first iteration of the character — Johnny Blaze — made his comic book debut in Marvel Spotlight #5 in August 1972. Blaze gained his superhuman abilities after making a deal with the demon lord Mephisto in exchange for curing his father figure Crash Simpson's cancer.

Eighteen years later, Howard Mackie and Javier Saltares reimagined the character as Danny Ketch. Introduced in Ghost Rider volume #1 in May 1990, Ketch assumed the mantle after coming across a motorcycle bearing a mysterious sigil. Then, in March 2014, Robbie Reyes — devised by Felipe Smith and Tradd Moore — became the new Ghost Rider, revived by the spirit of a man named Eli Morrow after being gunned down by mercenaries.

Other Marvel characters have also held the Ghost Rider mantle, including Alejandra Jones, Kushala, Sal Romero, and Parker Robbins, but Blaze, Ketch and Reyes are the most well-known iterations.

Abilities-wise, most Ghost Riders possess similar power sets, including — but not limited to — superhuman strength, reflexes, stamina, and speed, immortality, invulnerability, pyrokinesis, teleportation, occultism and magic, and reality-bending powers. The bikes ridden by Blaze and Ketch, plus the Challenger car driven by Reyes, are also imbued with various supernatural abilities that allow them to travel at high speeds and/or across dimensions, to name just two.

How will Ghost Rider impact the MCU?

Nobody knows. However, there's the very real possibility that Ghost Rider could breathe new life into the supernatural corner of the MCU, especially with the cinematic franchise set to undergo a soft reboot once the Multiverse Saga draws to a close.

Marvel has already dabbled in otherworldly projects and characters, such as the Doctor Strange films, Moon Knight show, and its Werewolf by Night TV special on Disney+. If Ghost Rider is successful in renewing fans' interest in this side of the new-look MCU, we might not only be reunited with these characters, but also see the likes of Blade finally enter the fray with their own solo projects or — whisper it quietly — give us that long-overdue Midnight Sons movie.

For more Marvel coverage, find out everything we know so far about Avengers: Doomsday, get the full lowdown on VisionQuest, learn all there is to know about Daredevil: Born Again season 3, and the very latest on Marvel's new X-Men movie.

Crystal Lake is the highly anticipated Friday the 13th prequel series coming to Peacock and Sky. Horror fans around the world, including me, have been counting down the days to this one as we dive into some famous slasher lore.

The series will put the spotlight on Jason's mother, Pam (Linda Cardellini), raising her son alone near Crystal Lake, where she worked. So those curious about Jason's, and indeed his mother's, origins should not miss Crystal Lake when it debuts on October 15.

Ahead of this, I thought it would be fun to revisit the classic Friday the 13th movie franchise and put your knowledge to the test. Since it's among the best horror movies, I'm sure many of you are very familiar with Jason Voorhees and his reign of terror.

With 12 movies in the franchise, this is no easy task, and only true horror fans will get all of these questions right. Are you brave enough to take on the challenge?

Scroll down and enjoy my Friday the 13th quiz...

How did you find the quiz on Friday the 13th? Was it a bit too niche in places, or a good test of your knowledge? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to let me know what other quizzes on horror movies we could try; I'm always up for making more!

• A new trailer for Tom Cruise's forthcoming film Digger was released on September 9
• It's spawned a wild new theory about the dark comedy movie
• The hypothesis has drawn myriad reactions from social media users

A fierce fan debate has erupted online over Tom Cruise's next movie Digger — and it's all thanks to a bizarre new fan theory.

With the forthcoming black comedy due out in theaters worldwide on October 2, Warner Bros. Pictures released one final teaser for the Cruise-fronted vehicle on September 9. You can check it out below if you haven't seen it yet:

The latest trailer for one of late 2026's most anticipated new movies arrived two months after Digger's initial teaser gave us our first look at Cruise's wildest on-screen transformation yet.

And, while both rounds of footage highlight what the film will be about, a new fan theory, which has quickly gained traction online, implies we might be in for a major surprise when Digger is eventually released.

Indeed, in the wake of its most recent teaser's release, X/Twitter user and John Dies at the End author Jason Pargin hypothesized that Digger's marketing campaign is pulling the wool over our eyes. The reason? Pargin believes that, while it's been billed as a dark comedy, it'll actually be a musical.

Outlandish as that sounds, it's not a theory we can immediately discard. After all, Pargin provides some visual evidence in his tweet that indicates that Digger could contain a musical number or four.

Additionally, mystery-laced comments from Cruise earlier this year — ones in which he said that it's taken him 40 years to prepare to play the film's lead — only add further fuel to the fire. Is Cruise really saying, then, that he need four decades' worth of acting experience to pluck up the courage to sing on-screen? I wouldn't be stunned if that's the case.

What are fans saying about this wild fan theory about Digger?

At the time of publication, Pargin's post has been viewed over four million times — and, suffice it to say, it's drawn all kinds of reactions from his fellow X/Twitter users.

"[I've] been following this the last couple of days," Larry Matovina said. "I swear, if I walk into Digger and it’s secretly a musical… I’m gonna be so stoked."

"The way that congressional hearing scene is staged screams musical to me (once I heard about this theory, to be fair)," DankChains opined. "But, everything else I could go either way."

"It's going to take an Oh Brother Where Art Thou level of musical, calling it," I'mma Duck posted. Elsewhere, waynesfury said: "I’m sorry, but the concept of seeing Tom Cruise do a musical makes Digger way more interesting to me", while Regelgorilla simply wrote: "Best theory."

"If I pay to watch this at the cinema and this turns out to be true, very bad things will happen," dharnyyoung fired back. "I'm gonna be so f*****g annoyed if this is true," blameitonyou chimed in, before inceptstellar stated: "To me it'll go from 5/5 to 2.5 instantly [if it's a musical]."

"I lowkey believe that theory," Tanner_Slavin wrote. "But, I also think that it’s such a stupid marketing idea to market musicals as if they aren’t musicals, cause people who don’t like musicals won’t like it. If a film is a musical they should own up to that because there IS an audience for that."

Luvkaters perhaps summed things up best, though, saying: "God, I hope Digger is a musical. Could you imagine an end of the world musical with fat balding southern Tom Cruise?". I certainly can — and, on that description alone, I'm all-in on this theory now.

What do you think about Digger secretly being a musical? Let me know in the comments.

Spoilers for The Paper season 2 ending ahead.

Regardless of whether you love or loathe Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore), you can't deny that she's made The Paper season 2 ending incredibly memorable.

While Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) comes to Mare's (Chelsea Frei) rescue at The Cincinnati Chronicle, Esmeralda is on a mission of her own. Distraught by the news that her son has got C on his latest school exam, she undertakes an undercover investigation to get to the bottom of the "injustice."

As Oscar (Oscar Nuñez) tells us, these Esmeralda specials tend to be a regular occurrence. She's donned a fat suit to protest weight restrictions at a local playground, and disguised herself as a balding, older man to work out why those who "aren't attractive" are having problems dating.

This time, Esmeralda's transformation comes in the form of a teenage boy, dressing up in a short brown wig, baggy football jerseys and a backwards cap — much like a member of N*SYNC — to infiltrate Matteo's (Zak Messinger) class, though she's immediately detected.

While Matteo is willing to indulge her ridiculousness (albeit for a short time), the sheer stupidity of it all makes it the best moment in the entire season. But which disguise did Impacciatore find the most uncomfortable?

'I was shocked when I looked in the mirror'

"I had so much fun with that," Impacciatore tells me. "The most uncomfortable was the woman.... but the older man was horrible.

"I felt so shocked looking at myself in the mirror, and that shock remained for a good few days. I didn't recognize myself... just a very shocking experience. It's literally just for a few seconds in the show, but the experience of it lasted."

Personally, I'd enjoy an entire episode dedicated solely to Impacciatore's old man, who tells a group of attractive younger women at a bar that just because he doesn't look like Marlon Brando — already an outdated reference — doesn't mean that he should be ruled out.

While Esmeralda is probably the least predictable character of the bunch, these episode 10 transformations do set her up for future undercover investigations if The Paper season 3 is greenlit.

If her more direct exposé has almost cost Esmeralda her job and status at the Toledo Truth Teller, then why not try alternative methods to do exactly what she wants to? Watch this space, is all I'm saying.

• Marvel has seemingly cast a Gen V alumnus as Angel in its new X-Men movie
• Asa Germann is said to have signed on to play the winged mutant
• For the most part, MCU fans have reacted positively to the news

Marvel has reportedly tapped Asa Germann to play Angel in its new X-Men movie.

The Hollywood Reporter (THR) first broke the news, with the trade publication's sources claiming that the former Gen V star has signed on to play the winged mutant in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Interestingly, THR suggests that Germann was a major contender to portray Scott Summer/Cyclops in the forthcoming flick. However, while Marvel decided to hire Kit Connors to play Cyclops in its X-Men reboot, the comic giant's top brass were so impressed by Germann's audition, they offered him the role of Angel instead.

At 28 years old, Germann is on the older side of the Marvel Phase 7 movie's cast, with many of his fellow stars in the 20 to 25 bracket. Nonetheless, Germann fits the bill as an actor under the age of 30 who, as long as he's signed a multi-picture deal, could feature in numerous X-Men and MCU movies over the next decade.

Real name Warren Worthington III, Angel is a founding member of the X-Men in Marvel Comics. As his mutant alias implies, he's defined by a pair of giant, white feathered wings that protrude from his upper back. Unsurprisingly, these allow him to fly, but Angel also boasts the usual superhuman abilities — super-strength, reflexes, stamina, and durability — that keep him in the fight for longer than ordinary people.

Germann won't be the first actor to embody Angel on the big screen. Indeed, Ben Foster portrayed the Marvel character in 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand, while Ben Hardy played the same individual 10 years later in 2016 movie X-Men: Apocalypse. For more on those films and other mutant-led flicks, find out how to watch the X-Men movies in order.

What have Marvel fans said about Asa Germann's casting as Angel in the MCU's first X-Men film?

In the main, MCU fans have lauded Germann's casting. Indeed, threads on r/MarvelStudios, r/MarvelStudiosSpoilers, and the ResetEra forums are filled with comments from people excited to see what Germann will bring to the table as part of his portrayal.

Funnily enough, as one eagle-eyed fan pointed out, Germann's first name actually means 'wing' in Portuguese, too. It's almost as if this was planned, isn't it!

While the vast majority are pleased with this hiring — shout out to long-time MCU casting director Sarah Halley Finn for yet another great pick, by the way — a couple of fans are giving themselves a well-earned pat on the back for previously suggesting that Germann would be their top choice for Angel. Not exactly the proven leaks we're used to, but I'll allow it.

Anyway, what do you think of Germann's casting? Let me know in the comments, and if you want to read more on the first MCU movie he'll star in, find out everything else we know so far about Marvel's new X-Men movie.

While I was rewatching season 1 ahead of diving into The Paper season 2, one thing quickly became apparent: the internet was incredibly divided on Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore).

Self-centered, brash and oblivious, she's usually found tearing though the office of the Toledo Truth Teller like a bull in a China shop. She's incredibly hesitant to absorb (or even listen to) other people's ideas, and that comes back to bite her in new episodes.

Without giving anything away, Esmeralda is set up to face more than one brutal reality check across the 10 season 2 episodes, which all land on Peacock on September 9. But perhaps the damage has already been done — some fans think she's too overpowering and narcissistic, although others fully buy into her unique brand of silliness.

Has any of this affected how Esmeralda appears in The Paper season 2? According to Impacciatore herself, she's very much still "a work in progress."

"I don't think so," Impacciatore tells me when I ask her if fan opinion has affected how we see Esmeralda in season 2. "I think Esmeralda, like every other character, is a work in progress. The show itself is so alive. It's something that changes every day. Somehow, we keep exploring new things, and that direction changes day by day.

"We talk a lot with [the show's creators] Greg (Daniels) and Michael (Koman), going to the writer's room. I think we all enjoyed things more this year because we felt more relaxed. But I'm still figuring out how Esmeralda is perceived. I surprise myself when I watch the series... things sound new to me. It's an interesting process."

In my opinion, what will be even more interesting is whether fan opinion of Esmeralda will change following the events of The Paper season 2 — and for now, you'll have to trust me when I say that her upcoming storyline certainly has the power to do just that.

Don't get me wrong, though: in many ways, she's still as annoying as she ever was. If The Paper does get picked up for a third season and beyond, which we're yet to find out, I'm still doubtful that she'll ever fully leave her self-obsessed ways in the past.

• The first trailer for Neon's Sam Altman biopic Artificial has been revealed
• The Andrew Garfield-led movie will be released in late 2026/early 2027
• It covers Altman's controversial rise to prominence as OpenAI's co-founder

The first trailer for Artificial, a movie about controversial OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, has been revealed.

Unveiled yesterday (September 8), the teaser for the Neon-distributed film strikes an unusually sinister tone for what's being billed as a biographical comedy-drama.

Indeed, from the gun-laden room that lead star Andrew Garfield, who'll portray Altman, visits, to Garfield's unsettling voiceover that plays over Artificial's publicly-released footage, it's certainly foreboding in nature. I get the feeling, then, that it'll be a dark-comedy dramatization of Altman's rise of prominence, the launch of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT, and his brief and somewhat disputable ousting as OpenAI CEO in late 2023.

Artificial will initially debut in US theaters on December 25, 2026, before receiving a wider international rollout in early 2027. UK viewers, for example, will have to wait until January 22, 2027 to catch one of many new movies that'll arrive in the months ahead.

Artificial cast and crew: who's involved?

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (Challengers, Call Me By Your Name) is on directing duties, while Saturday Night Live writing alumnus Simon Rich has penned its screenplay. Meanwhile, Blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn has also created original music and songs for Artificial.

Where the movie's cast is concerned, Garfield, who impersonates another Silicon Valley techbro following his portrayal of Eduardo Savarin in The Social Network, aka the 2010 dramatization about Facebook's creation, is arguably its most recognizable star — and based on what little footage we've seen thus far, he appears to have Altman's mannerisms, vernacular, and other unique traits down to a tee.

Here's who else you'll see in Artificial:

• Yura Borisov (Anora) as Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI's chief scientific officer and co-founder
• Monica Barbaro (Crime 101) as Mira Murati, OpenAI's chief technology officer
• Cooper Hoffman (The Long Walk) as Greg Brockman, OpenAI's chairman
• Ike Barinholtz (The Studio) as Elon Musk
• Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies) as Geoffrey Hinton, the so-called 'Godfather of AI'
• Jason Schwartzman (The Grand Budapest Hotel) as TBC
• Chris O'Dowd (The IT Crowd) as TBC

What is the plot of Artificial?

Here's the official logline for Artifical: "[The movie] chronicles the incredibly consequential days leading up to the sudden firing and reinstatement of Sam Altman, as the fate of who gets to control the technology at the centre of an AI arms race hangs in the balance."

It's unclear how much of Altman's backstory, his various relationships with his OpenAI colleagues, and ChatGPT's launch and subsequent sociopolitical impact will be covered as part of Artificial's story. One thing is for sure, though: given that it dramatizes events concerning Altman and OpenAI, the discourse that will surround Artificial's release will be impossible to ignore.

Minor spoilers for Practical Magic 2 ahead.

"I like this... your molecules next to my molecules. It's chemistry," is a verbatim line from Practical Magic 2 that sent a wave of groans around my screening room in a way that I've never experienced collective groaning before. This, in a nutshell, sums up the experience of watching a legacy sequel that hasn't delivered.

Of course, we're living through an industry spike of dusting off old IPs for a box office resurgence, which in itself is frustrating. But in the main — think Top Gun: Maverick, Freakier Friday and The Devil Wears Prada 2 — these have been successful replicas. I've no doubt that Practical Magic 2 will do big theatrical numbers over the next few weeks... but where is the actual magic?

Whereas my three examples stayed largely true to the essence of their original stories, Practical Magic 2 has veered too far away from what made it so special to begin with. This time around, Sally Owens' (Sandra Bullock) daughters, Kylie (Joey King) and Antonia (Maisie Williams), are all grown up, but magic is no longer a part of their lives.

But when Kylie's boyfriend has a fatal accident, the Owens curse returns to the surface. It's up to Sally and Gillian (Nicole Kidman) to work together to make things right, which is where the sequel transforms from whimsical nineties Massachusetts vibes into a knockoff Harry Potter film.

It's a pretty underwhelming setup, and that's before we dissect the continually poor narrative choices that the creative team makes. Pretty soon, the action is split between the US and UK, and that's only bad news for everybody involved.

Practical Magic 2 comes too far away from what makes the original special

Before I get too carried away with the faults of Practical Magic 2, let's start with the good. When they're left to their own devices, the Owens sisters are as loving, mischievous and playful as they ever were, and those moments are a portal straight back to 1998. Their house is exactly as we left it, and spending time in their hometown is a bittersweet reminder of the cosy 90s whimsy we've left behind.

But the real stars of the show are Dianne Wiest (Aunt Jet) and Stockard Channing (Aunt Franny), for whom this sequel feels like an extension of who they were 28 years ago. When the storyline strays too far from what we want (more on that later), Practical Magic 2 still proves that the greatest love story ever told is between these two sisters... and by God, how lucky we are to have them, characters and actors alike.

From here, it's all downhill. It's almost difficult to critique the movie in exactly the way I want to, because in doing so, I'd spoil absolutely everything about it. So you're going to need to trust me when I say that at every conceivable turn, it lets the original down.

Let's start with the fact that Practical Magic 2 feels nothing like its predecessor — and reliving the feeling of the first is the number one reason why people will be buying a ticket. Yes, there are nods to the moments that put the first film on the map (such as the midnight margaritas), but they feel as though they've been included disingenuously.

Then there are the narrative decisions that made me wonder why a sequel was even being made in the first place (obviously for the money, Jasmine). 25 minutes in, there is a choice so catastrophic that the rest of the movie felt sullied, and the story only gets further from the events of the first film from there. We're trying to break a generational curse for a boy who means nothing to us? And not Sally's two lovely, but dead, husbands? Okay then.

The men somehow find themselves at the center of the drama, despite how much the dialogue vapidly thrusts the importance of sisterhood onto us. Aside from the haphazard CGI, our final showdown is bafflingly boring, with the real curse being having to listen to how a man we've never met before feels wronged because he can't have something that doesn't belong to him.

Joey King gets a huge slice of the action throughout all of this, but I can't help feeling sorry for Maisie Williams. We know how brilliant she is, yet she's incredibly underused... to the point where you might forget that she's actually in the movie. If I was an Owens, I'd be kicking off purely because of the huge sibling favouritism, put it that way.

It's a particularly hilarious watch if you're British

My favourite part — because it's so badly done — is the transition of Practical Magic 2 to UK soil. This shouldn't be too much of a surprise given how widely publicized their filming across the city was, but as a Brit, things take on an entirely different meaning.

We start with the introduction of sorcerer Ian Wright (Lee Pace), who the Aunts recommend to the Owens sisters to help Kylie. If you aren't from the UK, then you might not know that this is also the name of a very famous footballer and sports pundit, making every use of his full name (which is surprisingly a lot) leave me chanting his signature "Ian Wright Wright Wright!" heckle under my breath instead of staying rooted in the dwindling story.

As a friend of mine put it, "I'd have given this five stars if Wright had played this as himself," as seriously as Michael Caine in The Muppets Christmas Carol. Frankly, everything else that's happening is so woefully disconnected from the Practical Magic I know and love that I'd have genuinely enjoyed him running up to Bullock and booting a ball into the back of a net as a distraction.

But alas, Hollywood has given their view of England the Notting Hill treatment. If you didn't know better, you'd think that Agatha Christie-style trains could be picked up with ease between Paddington and North Weald stations, and that small aesthetic buses with charming drivers can drop you off in a town resembling the set of The Sheep Detectives.

The most offensive choice, in my opinion, is the insinuation that Brits eat savory pies with... custard. Served out of gravy boats, no less. I see it as my public duty to highlight that if you watch Practical Magic 2 before visiting England and try to ask for this in a local pub, you will be laughed out of there, and rightly so. The fact that this is the detail I feel most about in the entire movie tells you how low the mighty has fallen.

The cherry on the cake, however, is the unexpected casting of British comedic actor of Ghosts and Taskmaster fame, Katy Wix. She's not boozing in the background in UK scenes, but has instead inserted herself into the heart of the Owens' community back home. She plays a pivotal part in the party scene with a drunken auntie aura that I can only feel immensely proud of. Her face also suggests she has no idea how she's ended up starring alongside Bullock and Kidman. No notes.

Take my wittering on about bodged Britishisms that don't matter as a stark warning: if you are a true fan of the original, avoid Practical Magic 2 at all costs. Look what it has done to its legacy, and to me in turn. If this were the end of a war movie, I'd be telling you to save yourselves while I lay bleeding to death on a scenic European beach. Don't make my sacrifice be for nothing.

• The Legend of Zelda Movie's full title has been revealed
• It was announced during September 2026's Zelda-dedicated Nintendo Direct
• Its name ends a long-standing tradition for the iconic videogame franchise

The Legend of Zelda Movie's official title has been revealed — and it breaks a long-standing tradition for the incredibly popular Nintendo video game series.

Announced today (September 8) during the September 2026 Nintendo Direct, the forthcoming film's full name is — drumroll, please — The Legend of Zelda.

Okay, so Nintendo and film studio partner Sony Pictures won't be winning any creativity awards for that name. That said, it's a clean, subtitle-less name that's not only fitting for the game franchise's forthcoming big-screen debut, but also an homage to the series' first-ever entry — that being, the identically-titled 1986 game The Legend of Zelda.

The movie adaptation's title is even more appropriate when you consider that the beloved game series is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, too. The aforementioned game is the only one that doesn't have a subheading, either, so it makes sense why Nintendo would want to honor one of its longest-running series by giving it the same name as the game that started it all.

As much as I was hoping for an actual teaser and/or more official cast reveals — right now, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth's Link and Bo Bragason's Zelda are the only characters confirmed to appear — I might not have to wait too long for those wishes to be granted.

Indeed, speaking during today's dedicated Legend of Zelda Direct, Nintendo President Shigeru Miyamoto said "We'll share more details at a later date". Hopefully, there'll be another Nintendo Direct before the end of 2026 that lifts the lid on its cast and plot, and finally gives us some footage to pore over.

It's been a while since Nintendo revealed anything new about this flick. Apart from Ainsworth and Bragason's casting in May 2025, the release of The Legend of Zelda Movie's first official images last September, and confirmation of The Legend of Zelda Movie's revised release date in May, the Japanese video game titan has been tight-lipped on its next film offering for some time.

That's not to say there haven't been leaks. Just last month, reports emerged that The Legend of Zelda Movie had found its Ganondorf and Impa, with the former being played by an unlikely choice. Meanwhile, the late Sam Neill is also seemingly set for one final big-screen outing — the Jurassic Park star and Yvonne Strahovski being linked with supporting roles in one of 2027's most anticipated new movies. Let's hope Nintendo has the courage and wisdom to tell us more shortly.

The Legend of Zelda Movie will launch in theaters worldwide on April 30, 2027. In the meantime, find out everything else we know so far about The Legend of Zelda Movie.

• A new teaser trailer for the forthcoming Musk documentary has landed
• It features footage of SpaceX rockets and spicy quotes about Musk
• Musk will be in theaters from October 16 before an HBO release

A new teaser trailer for the documentary Musk has landed on YouTube ahead of the much-anticipated film's premiere today at the Venice Film Festival.

The 48-second teaser (below) provides a taster of the documentary's likely divisive reflections on the world's richest man. It contrasts quotes calling him "the real-life Iron Man" and "the greatest capitalist in history" with some less complementary reactions — with one stating that "in a science fiction novel, he would not be the hero".

The documentary's Academy-Award winning director, Alex Gibney, has a strong track record with pieces about powerful people and corporations, having previously made classics like Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief.

His Musk documentary has been over three years in the making, with Gibney revealing that he'd started work on it back in March 2023. Elon Musk isn't particularly happy about the documentary's release, posting on X back on August 6 that "it’s a hit piece" and that "Gibney is incapable of anything else".

Musk says director is trying to 'bore people to death'

Aside from its polarizing subject, the Musk documentary is notable for another reason – its run time is almost four hours. That's something that Musk himself also poked fun at on X, stating "is he trying to bore people to death?"

The trailer doesn't give a huge amount away about its conclusions, but Alex Gibney did reveal a little more in a chat with AP earlier this week. "In some ways it’s a simple story (with) a lot of complicated details," he told AP.

"I think his genius, if there is a genius, is that he is not an inventor, he’s an investor. His genius is stock pumping," he added. We can expect the documentary, like the trailer, to stir a lot of controversy then, particularly as it also delves into Musk's relationship with Trump.

So does Musk himself appear in the documentary, or did he try to prevent it from reaching screens? "He didn’t really except in so far as the fact that people were terribly afraid to speak to me on the record, or at least on camera," Gibney told AP. "They were just terrified of Elon. And these were people in his companies. These were people who knew him well. These were supporters and critics," he added.

The Musk documentary will be released theatrically in the US on October 16. There's currently no confirmation of a UK release, but it's also expected to stream on HBO Max later this year.

“I've seen AIs of me sitting with Obama talking about insane things that we never did”.

George Clooney is clearly concerned about the power that AI has to produce deepfakes that are so real you can’t tell that they’re fake, especially when they contain images of world leaders.

“We were never there having a conversation. It is me doing it. And okay, that's a joke for people. But what happens if you see a video of Putin saying he's launched the first nuclear strike [against] the United States — how do you discern it?”

Clooney was raising his concerns in Venice at the ‘The Future of... Creativity’ symposium presented by Finch & Partners and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). George Clooney and Maggie Gyllenhaal were among the international group of artists, filmmakers, musicians, cultural thinkers and technology leaders who gathered to discuss how technology is changing creative work, and the people who produce it.

The panel discussions were moderated by the journalist and broadcaster Emily Maitlis, who asked Clooney, “is there a fear of replacement, as an actor?”

Clooney acknowledged the risk, but also the problem inherent with AI actors, which is that it’s going to be hard to create an AI movie star: “Well, there's two different conversations we're talking about. As an actor, there will be some portion of that that will be replaced. AI will have the exact same problem that I have as a director, and that we all have as filmmakers, which is how you make a star, because that’s hard to do.”

‘And it fundamentally did not work’

Actor and filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal cited a recent experience with AI on her upcoming short film Flesh Impact about Marilyn Monroe, commenting: “I did try working with AI on this project […] I have a 100-year-old Marilyn Monroe, and then I also have flashbacks to Marilyn Monroe when she's in her 30s. I have Dakota Johnson playing her, who is an incredible artist in my opinion. And the people who commissioned this project asked me to use AI […] and I went for it. I was like, 'All right, I'm curious. I don't know. Let's see.' And it fundamentally did not work.”

Ultimately, Gyllenhaal found that AI was not able to replicate the nuances of human performance and emotion.

“The idea was that we trained it on her. We then put her face on Dakota's face; we worked very hard at it, and in the end, they threw it away because [… ] Dakota playing Marilyn Monroe, was so much more moving, human, alive. All the reasons we decided to make this project to begin with”.

It’s perhaps reassuring to hear filmmakers say that while a fabricated AI clip can be convincing enough to mislead someone, it can’t deliver the emotional depth a director wants from a performance. Gyllenhaal’s experience offers a reason for creative optimism, even as Clooney’s raises concerns about what audiences will believe.

Backrooms is one of 2026's best horror movies, as well as being A24's highest grossing movie to date. So it's no surprise that we're about to venture back into the Creepypasta universe, following on from its huge success.

Backrooms found a streaming home on HBO Max, but it sounds like we're not stopping there. According to reports via Dread Central, Kane Parsons has signed on to do a Backrooms sequel, which is simply being referred to as Backrooms 2.

A24 has not officially confirmed this in a press release or social media post, so we will have to wait patiently to see what the studio has to say about it.

So right now, Backrooms 2 is still considered to be in very early stages. But there's plenty of opportunity to develop the story considering how big The Backrooms is. I'm actually feeling quite hopeful about a new follow up movie.

In my Backrooms review, I struggled to find any flaws with the first movie because personally, I thought it was really well done. Kane Parsons had the opportunity to bring his YouTube series and take on the lore to life, alongside some well-known actors like Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve, and I'm sure he has plenty more ideas to unleash.

Backrooms and Obsession both dominated the box office for a while, proving that audiences are still excited about horror movies. If another Backrooms movie is in the works, I'm keen to see how well it performs against its predecessor.

Recently, Backrooms has inspired other upcoming movies, with studios and directors now diving back into classic Creepypastas for inspiration. One of these is the upcoming Warner Bros movie Siren Head, which is set to adapt Trevor Henderson's creation.

Creepypasta stories and online lore seem to be a huge inspiration for horror movies at the moment, and there's plenty for us to look forward to over the coming months.

If you're looking for something to watch right now, I recommend checking out my feature on horror movies to stream in September 2026.

The first episode of The Real Housewives of London season 2 is now streaming exclusively on Hayu — and as one of the lucky few who got to watch the premiere with the Housewives themselves, I can confirm that it's an absolute riot.

It goes without saying that arguments and ever-changing alliances are part and parcel of the format, but fans are likely to be incredibly surprised with just who is chummy with who when season 2 picks up.

Amanda Caroline Cronin and Juliet Angus' infamous "back to Paddington" feud has held strong, but #Lipgate, a clash stemming from Panthea Parker getting lip treatments done at Amanda's clinic and being unhappy with the result, seems to have been smoothed over.

Nobody is more shocked at the seemingly stable Amanda-Panthea friendship than Parker herself, who initially teased that fans would be shocked at just how much friendships have changed between seasons on the Hayu Presents... podcast.

After speaking to her and fellow Housewife Karen Loderick-Peace, I'm surprised they've kept up with who is and isn't getting on.

'You have to take us for who we are here and not listen to gossip'

"Very," Parker responds when I ask her if she's as surprised by what happens in season 2 as fans are set to be. "Especially between me and Amanda. We left the season and I thought I really got to know her, and when at the reunion, she had said, 'You have to take us for who we are here, and not listen to gossip, but not listen to everything that you've heard,' we then really built on that friendship. I think me and her got very close throughout when we weren't filming.

"Coming back, I was a bit shocked at that. Now... I'm just in a place where I think, 'Well, actually, everything everybody said was true, and why should you take people as they are?' If you go to get a plumber, or a good school, you would go and fine one with good recommendations."

"Sadly, that's not how it works in a friendship group," Loderick-Peace adds.

From episode 1, you might think this remark is a little strange. In the season 2 premiere, we see Panthea and Amanda as thick as thieves, even going so far as to go out to lunch with fellow Housewife Nessie Welschinger without so much as a harsh word shared between them. Jokes and non-alcoholic cocktails are flowing, and the vibes are good.

But while we haven't seen the real of RHOL season 2 yet, the trailer alone tells us that the tide is going to turn once again. In my favorite clip of the reality TV series that's been released yet, we see Amanda and Panthea having lunch in a rooftop restaurant, with Panthea saying, "You have Ryanair customer service, and I'm used to flying first class."

When other diners look over to where the pair are loudly arguing, Panthea apologises before adding, "The lady is a tramp." Oof.

What got us to this point is something that I do not know, but if Real Housewives is anything to go by, the catalyst could literally have been anything. Strap in for a turbulent time, is my advice.

All right everyone, back to the Toledo Truth Teller we go. It's been a year since we last saw the gang, and surprisingly, not too much has changed in The Paper season 2.

Editor-in-Chief Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) is still desperately searching for the stories that will take his team to the next level, while Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore) rarely thinks about anybody's reputation but her own. Nicole (Ramona Young) is still giving Kelly Kapoor vibes in a majorly inferior way, while Mare (Chelsea Frei)... well, she's just trying her best.

Okay, so maybe there are a few big changes, but you'll have to wait to find out what they are. So, when does The Paper season 2 land on Peacock?

What time can I watch The Paper season 2 on Peacock?

For US viewers, we're expecting The Paper season 2 to be available on September 9 at 12am PT / 3am ET.

Internationally, look out for the below times:

• US – 12am PT / 3am ET
• Canada – 12am PT / 3am ET
• India – 12:30pm IST
• Singapore – 3pm SGT
• Australia – 5pm AEST
• New Zealand – 7pm NZST

In the UK, you can catch season 2 on both Sky TV and NOW. Episodes should be released around 8am BST.

When do new episodes of The Paper season 2 come out?

All 10 episodes of this season will be released at the same time. Unlike weekly drops on the likes of Prime Video, Apple TV, and Disney+, then, you won't need to wait around for new installment of The Paper season 2.

As for the series' future, there's currently no public word on whether a third season has been greenlit. Hopefully, we won't be made to wait much longer.

Does every existing IP need a movie adaptation? The answer is no, of course, but I'm quietly confident in the upcoming live-action version of hit Hideo Kojima franchise, Death Stranding.

Why? Well, let's start with the concept. In the game, courier Sam must reconnect a broken America after an apocalyptic event merged the worlds of the living and the dead. Add in distributor A24 and the man who directed Pig and The Death of Robin Hood — which is now in UK cinemas after its June US release — and you've surely got gold.

However, there's one immediate snag. While we don't know much, we do know that the new movie won't follow the same premise as the existing Death Stranding games.

In fact, according to director Michael Sarnoski, not only is it a standalone movie, but will be made with a lot of creative freedom — and something about the way he explains this makes me nervous.

'I need the space to find authorship and find the things that I really believe in'

"I actually like to make things difficult for myself," Sarnoski tells me. "I like to do projects where the initial instinct is 'Oof, that could be a really bad idea.' Another Robin Hood movie? A prequel to a horror franchise? I like things where it could be easy to miss the mark."

This in itself is a concerning statement. I prefer it when my movie directors don't go into an adaptation thinking that things could potentially go horribly wrong. Whatever happened to positive mental attitude?

"I like the challenge," he continues. "I like finding the humanity in things that otherwise could not work. On Death Stranding, they're giving me a lot of freedom to tell the story that I want to tell separate from the core video game stories. It's its own standalone thing. I need the space to find authorship and find the things that I really believe in... I'm really excited about it."

Playing devil's advocate here, creative freedom could be a good thing. If fans expect a movie to replicate its original source material exactly, nobody ends up winning. But with so few details to go on, we've got to keep our fingers crossed that good decisions are made in the meantime.

But is Sarnoski concerned about appealing to existing fanbases, or is he happy to stick to his guns? "A little bit of both," he responds. "I feel the pressure, but I have to set that aside and focus on what creatively excites me. I can't make stuff as a reaction to what I think someone else wants — it has to come from a place of love and fascination."

Make of that what you will, folks... and watch this space.

I shouldn't still be on the fence about a show's existence as it enters its second season, but here we are. The Paper season 2 returns to Peacock on September 9 — but out of its 10 new episodes, I'd say that only half are worth watching.

Why? Because The Office spinoff is still suffering from the same overarching issue as it did in season 1: everything is just that little bit underwhelming. Exactly a year after we left the writers of the Toledo Truth Teller, not much has changed in terms of the big picture.

Editor-in-Chief Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) is still desperately searching for the stories that will take his team to the next level, while Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore) rarely thinks about anybody's reputation but her own. Nicole (Ramona Young) is still giving Kelly Kapoor vibes in a majorly inferior way, while Mare (Chelsea Frei)... well, she's just trying her best.

Without giving anything away, there are enough major dramatic plot points to steer the drama away from journalists despairing in an office. However, some of these are short-lived, and worse, give off trying-too-hard energy.

In Mean Girls, Regina George tells Gretchen Wieners to "stop making fetch happen. It's not going to happen," and I almost want to shake Peacock by the shoulders and explain that the same thing is happening here. The Paper season is being forced into existence, rather than having having a natural evolution.

Still, you can grab laughs where you can in some places, but for Brits, there's a lot more reason to be smiling. Tim Key and Gbemisola Ikumelo are easily the strongest players in this wayward cast, and they alone would be enough reason for me to keep watching if season 3 is given the green light.

The Paper season 2 is trying (and mostly failing) to make fetch happen

I think we can all agree that The Paper is far more similar to Parks and Recreation than it ever has been to The Office. This awkward resemblance only becomes more noticeable in season 2, as Ned's eagerness to become a pillar of the community (which incidentally seems to hate him) only increases.

I think the key difference here is how easy and natural the camaraderie, and sense of community, comes in Parks and Rec. None of that is genuine in The Paper, to the point where I'm almost rooting for Ned to fail. With the exception of Esmeralda, everyone is better off spending their time elsewhere — something that is directly explored as season 2 continues.

Some fans have critiqued The Paper's 10-episode bursts, arguing that seasons should rival the 25 episodes a piece we used to get for such shows back in the glory days of the early 2000s. However, I'd argue that the season already struggles to fill those 10 episodes, with some feeling like stagnant filler content in between the more intriguing storylines.

I can also see how Esmeralda was so divisive in season 1, and in bad news for critics, I think creators have doubled down on her grating personality traits this year. From the moment episode 1 kicks off, her extroverted vanity is on display in full force, and it hits pantomime levels of performance.

While there are points in season 2 where I enjoy this, her temperament does risk overshadowing the rest of the ensemble cast... and I've come away wishing that I felt a more invested in their stories as a result.

Tim Key Supremacy

But never fear! There are two heroes in our midst in the form of Tim Key and Gbemisola Ikumelo. Where Esmeralda is spiralling into chaos, Key's character Ken is the only one able to use this to his advantage. Esmeralda becomes the sidekick in their compelling (and genuinely hilarious) double act, which hits its peak between episodes 2 and 3.

A sharp, witty British man who is always armed with thinly-veiled criticism is exactly what this show needs, and Key plays his part to perfection. In fact, his scenes made me feel ashamed that I'd forgotten how good a comedic actor he is — since The Ballad of Wallis Island, I'd filed him in the director directory part of my brain.

Then there's Ikumelo. I couldn't believe that this quietly sassy and genius American accountant was the same woman who found Diane Morgan's fake farts on Last One Laughing UK season 2 so funny that she screamed her tears out. Metamorphosis is an incredible (and incredibly rare) skill to have as an actor, meaning she should never be underestimated. Now she just needs more bookings on UK comedy shows, please.

I know I may have made it sound like it's the case, but The Paper season 2 is far from the worst TV show, or comedy series, in 2026. But don't think it will be gracing my 'best of the year' lists, either.

Arguably the most well-known band in the world, The Beatles still command headlines over 50 years after they first crashed onto the music scene. The surviving members are still releasing music on the best music streaming services, there's a massive four-movie biopic coming out in a few years, and personality quizzes are still popping up.

We know loads about The Beatles, including the temperament and differences of each of the band's members: George Harrison, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. And it means we can work out which of the performers you're most like.

Using just your tech decisions (because we are, of course, TechRadar), we're going to work out just which of the band members you are. We'll ask you about phone buying decisions, how you decide which earbuds to buy, and what you'd do in some sticky tech situations.

All of these will lead to the ultimate answer: which of The Beatles are you? This 30-question quiz will help us find out.

The first 10 questions are simple buying decisions, while the second 10 take things deeper to work out how you make such decisions. Finally, the last 10 will dive into specific lifestyle circumstances for some 'field work'.

If you're still gripped by Beatlesmania, here's some catch-up you can do:

A Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and TechRadar collaboration? I never saw it happening either, but I cannot avoid — nor stop thinking about — the already-viral social media clips coming out of Bozoma Saint John's Ghanian wedding.

The marketing guru, who joined the RHOBH cast full-time back in season 14, has made her wedding to Keely Watson into a cross-continent affair, with dual ceremonies taking place in Ghana (August 21) and Los Angeles (November).

Logically, you'd think that if other cast members were invited, they'd be attending the LA ceremony (though as of writing, the LA wedding guestlist has yet to be revealed). But Kyle Richards, Dorit Kemsley, Kathy Hilton, Jennifer Tilly, and Sutton Stracke all made the trip abroad.

To state the obvious, this means part of RHOBH season 16 will now take place in Ghana, with a camera crew spotted with the cast both before and during the ceremony. Unsurprisingly, the reality TV side of Instagram and TikTok have been enthralled by the updates.

Notably, they're becoming something even bigger after a matter of days. After all... how did the clips find me, a reality TV ignoramus who's never seen the most famous Real Housewives iteration of the lot?

Even from the outside looking in, I can tell that the significance of Saint John's wedding being streamed on Bravo goes far beyond social media curated shock. In fact, I think it gives me a legitimately fulfilling reason to tune into season 16.

Bozoma Saint John's Ghanaian wedding marks a turning point in Real Housewives culture

Don't get me wrong: like everyone else, I am fascinated with the superficially hilarious and intriguing details packed into these viral clips. Kathy turning up to the ceremony seemingly in slippers from her hotel. Jennifer living her best life on the dance floor. Kyle making sure that Dorit is included, which in itself feels watching the Treaty of Versailles being written.

Even though I Shazam'ed the song being played in the background (it's Unfiltered Vibe Mix by DJ Talented, by the way), what's really stayed with me is what's happening when the cameras are put down.

Look across the wedding crowd and you'll see a diverse mix of people, dress and cultures. Our RHOBH girls are adorned in (frankly, stunning) modern Kente dresses, and it's clear from the clips that they're completely embracing everything that Ghana has to throw at them — the only drama is between themselves, not with what's around them.

Read the comments and you'll see Black fans both in a state of pleasant shock and equally as embracing of the Real Housewives' latest adventure. You'll see others say that this will be exceptionally good news for Ghana's tourism and representation... and therein lies what matters the most.

RHOBH is the summit of reality TV Mount Everest. In the Western world at least, there is no bigger platform in the genre, and soon, in season 16 — likely towards the beginning of 2027, though nothing is confirmed — a Ghanian wedding is going to be center stage.

I imagine that this is exactly what you dream of when you don't see your home country represented (well, or at all) on TV: a homecoming that's so glorious, all the best parts of the culture are blooming in full. And this is all before taking into account just how impressive and remarkable Saint Johns is herself.

I really hope that this does what fans want it to, rather than devolve into menial arguments and petty drama that we already have far too much of as it is. If the Kyle-Dorit dancefloor reconciliation is anything to go by, the spirit of Ghana truly is something magical.

It's a book series which has taken over the world, but how knowledgeable really are you on Harry Potter? Let's find out.

Ever since the first books in the childrens' fiction series became a massive smash hit, Harry Potter fever has taken over the world. We all know the movie adaptations but we've also seen video games, TV shows (no, not just that famous upcoming one), Lego sets, audiobooks and a lot more.

Harry Potter fans have taken over the world too, with massive queues for the stage play, people playing Quidditch in tournaments and fans sorting themselves into Hogwarts' houses. And there's a lot more to love about the series — make sure to read our how to watch the Harry Potter movies in order guide if you're keen for a rewatch.

But how good a fan really are you? To find out, we've designed this 30-question quiz. It'll test you on every facet of the media empire that's sprung out from the books, though won't go into detail on the specific fictional world. So you don't need to know your Hufflepuff from your hippogriff (though it'll help).

We'll start with 10 easy questions, and then move into 10 medium ones, and finish with 10 difficult ones for the experts. So let's find out just how much you know:

If you need to brush up on all things Harry Potter, let's find you some schoolwork:

Insidious, we meet again. For the sixth time, in fact. It's become one of the world's biggest horror franchises but the new horror movie is making me question whether or not it needs to carry on at all.

I should preface this largely negative review by saying that I was a huge fan of the first Insidious movie, and have been a fan of James Wan's ever since Saw. So it truly does pain me to say I did not have a good time with Insidious: Out of the Further, because I went in hoping to see an intriguing new entry, but what followed was almost entirely predictable.

Recently, we have seen some good horror sequels. Take a look at Saw X for example, which is infinitely better than some of the movies that came before it (I still can't get over how bad Jigsaw is). But Insidious: Out of the Further feels like a way to profit from the popular franchise without really adding much to it.

It's a shame, because it did have potential. Here, Alice Eve plays Gemma, a young mother who is raising her daughter in her childhood home. She lives a normal life until she discovers she can travel into The Further, which is a purgatorial realm of lost souls. Gemma realizes she can bring what lives in The Further back to the real world, which is great news for demonic entities who use Gemma to their full advantage. Cue carnage unfolding in our realm, and plenty of evil round the corner.

I first saw Alice Eve in Netflix's The Haunting of Bly Manor, and she is undoubtedly the best thing about Insidious: Out of the Further. As a new arrival to the Insidious franchise she's front and center of this sequel, and does a great job in the role.

Unfortunately, Eve's strong performance can't make up for the movie's many flaws. Insidious: Out of the Further is the scariest of the franchise due to the sheer number of jump scares, many of which have extremely loud audio to go along with it.

But the fact it was able to make me jump in my seat multiple times does not make it a good movie. The special effects and makeup feel really off, and not at all on the same level as previous movies. A lot of the narrative decisions frustrated me too, and I think it tries to take itself too seriously by stuffing loads of new lore into its runtime, making it feel bloated.

It's essential to see the other Insidious movies first, which may seem obvious, but I would encourage you to rewatch (or at least read up on them) before you go and see Insidious: Out of the Further, otherwise you might end up feeling lost. This really is for die-hard Insidious fans who know their stuff, so casual fans might be left scratching their heads.

Insidious: Out of the Further does not come close to the quality we've seen in a wave of recent great horror movies. It pales in comparison to fresh horror hits like Obsession and Backrooms, despite the fact the trailer repeatedly reminds us that it's produced by the same people; Blumhouse and Atomic Monster.

Having said that, if you want to go just to be startled by a carousel of jump scares, it's a great choice. I'd recommend this for those who want to test their nerve, and it's best seen with a crowd for this reason. I would advise against buying any popcorn in case you throw it all over yourself, because the scares are certainly in abundance here.

But it's not a necessary addition to the Insidious franchise at all, and doesn't live up to the 2010 movie that started it all. After 16 years, perhaps it's time to put this franchise to bed for good.

• Stream all 380 Premier League games for $1.55/month with JioHotstar (India)
• Unlock your stream with NordVPN (save up to 75%)

Up there with Eric Cantona's £1.2m move from Leeds to Man Utd, Patrick Vieira's £3.5m switch from AC Milan to Arsenal and Vincent Kompany's £6m transfer from Hamburg to Man City, we've found the cheapest way to stream all 380 Premier League games this season.

With coverage shared between Peacock, USA Network and NBC in the US, fans need to fork out a minimum of $437 to watch every game live. It's significantly less expensive in Canada, where a year-long subscription to Fubo costs CA$230.99, and in Australia, where Stan Sport comes in at AU$299.90 for the duration of the season.

Spare a thought for fans based in the UK, who have to fork out at least £440 for a two-year Sky Sports subscription, plus a minimum of £309.90 to get TNT Sports through HBO Max. And even then, they can't watch every game live.

It's far more affordable to watch the Premier League pretty much everywhere else, but the two options we've listed below – JioHotstar in India and Setanta Sports in Ukraine – might just be the cheapest. Read on for all the details.

▶︎ Read More: Full Premier League streaming guide for 2026/27

The cheapest way to stream Premier League 2026/27

Use a VPN to watch Premier League from anywhere

A VPN is handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual service. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with up to 75% off.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• Stream Premier League free with DirecTV Stream / Hulu+Live TV / YouTube TV (US)
• Unlock your stream with NordVPN (save up to 75%)
• Premier League 2026/27: Friday, August 21 – Sunday, May 31

Marcos Senesi, Harry Wilson, Jordan Henderson, Andy Robertson and Thomas Meunier each have something in common: they were all free transfers over the summer. We've unearthed three better freebies, however – free trials that will let you watch some Premier League games for nothing.

The start of the 2026/27 Premier League campaign feels like appointment viewing, because of the sheer scale of change we've seen in the offseason. Liverpool, Man City, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, Chelsea, Bournemouth and Fulham are all taking their first steps under new managers, as are newly promoted Ipswich.

While some partnerships will be a match made in heaven, others are bound to run into problems early. Enzo Maresca, for instance, is already feeling the heat after Man City's pasting by Arsenal in the Community Shield. Xabi Alonso may be one of the hottest properties in football, but a noxious environment did him in at Real Madrid and he's walked straight into another at Chelsea.

You'll want to see how these play out. Read on as we explain how to stream Premier League 2026/27 for free with trial offers.

Use a VPN to watch Premier League free trials from anywhere

Free trials that will unlock Premier League coverage are only really available in the US, which means you'll be stumped the moment you leave the country on vacation or for work.

A VPN is handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual service. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with up to 75% off.

Stream Premier League 2026/27 free with trial offers

In the US, select Premier League games are being televised on USA Network, NBC and NBCSN, which are carried by YouTube TV and Fubo, which both offer free trials.

Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream are other services with free trials, but they only carry USA Network and NBC.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Considering that in 2024 the Disney Experiences panel at D23 delivered the news that Disney would be bringing new lands to parks across the globe, expansions on the high seas, attraction updates, and entirely new attractions, the bar was set high for D23 2026's Horizons: A Carousel of Progress keynote.

Even more so, many of these projects already have shovels in the ground. At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, construction is well underway for Piston Peak — a new Cars-focused area — and Villains Land. Nearby, at Hollywood Studios, there's Monstropolis, while Animal Kingdom has Tropical Americas being built. Across the coast at Disneyland, work is underway on the expansion of Avengers Campus.

With many of these projects already in motion, the question heading into this year's showcase wasn't necessarily whether Disney would deliver more announcements, but what updates we'd get on the already-announced projects and whether there would be a few surprises.

It was a wide-ranging, two-hour-plus show hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and featuring many of Walt Disney Imagineering's brass, along with Thomas Mazloum, head of Disney Experiences. Here are some of my favorites from the night.

Piston Peak will bring two new Cars attractions to Magic Kingdom

I'm a pretty big fan of Cars, and it's likely no surprise that Piston Peak was the highlight for me.

The main off-road racing attraction will be called Cars: Ridge Run Rally, and like Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure, guests will race against other ride vehicles, each with its own personality. Disney is also introducing a brand-new ride system designed to give guests a stronger sense of the bumps, dips, and other road elements as they race through Piston Peak.

It also won't be the open road of Route 66. Since Piston Peak is a national park, guests will encounter a variety of landscapes throughout the race. At one point, you'll race toward the top of the mountain for a snow-filled scene before heading back down through bumps and high-speed moments in the desert. Eventually, you'll encounter geysers before reaching two familiar faces at the end of the track: Lightning McQueen and Mater.

Because it will be outdoors in Orlando, Disney says the attraction will be designed to operate in both sun and rain. Of course, lightning will likely shut it down.

There will also be a second attraction, Miss Fritter's Daredevil Spin-Along, which takes its name from the character from Cars 3. Guests will board a vehicle and spin around as they make their way through the attraction, making it suitable for a wide range of ages.

There's still no timeframe for when Piston Peak will open. If we had to guess, 2028 seems like a reasonable target, but construction is already well underway.

Monstropolis will open in 2027 with a show, food, and shops

I've already been behind the walls of the Monsters, Inc. land being built at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and even a few months ago, I noted that construction in the former Muppets area seemed to be moving quickly.

D23 brought confirmation that a portion of Monstropolis will open in 2027. It will include the Glob Theater show, Welcome to Monstropolis, Harryhausen's restaurant, and a pizza eatery named Archie's Scare Pig Pizza.

Those will be the main components when the area first opens, with the much-anticipated Door Coaster arriving later. It appears Disney wants to open the rest of the land as quickly as possible while the signature attraction continues development. At D23, Disney did tease that the suspended Door Coaster will lift you 40 feet in just four seconds right before you venture into the iconic door vault.

We're still waiting for more details on the theater, but the concept art gives us a few hints. A laugh canister appears to jet out into the audience, while monsters can be seen on the main stage, in the crowd, and on elevated stages on either side. It also appears there will be a live monster band, potentially playing the new original song, Welcome to Monstropolis, written by Randy Newman.

Then there's Harryhausen's, which will likely be a dream come true for many Monsters, Inc. fans. Guests will actually be able to step inside the restaurant from the film, complete with an impressive animatronic of Roz.

While we still have plenty more to learn, Disney has now given us a much clearer picture of what will be ready when Monstropolis first opens in 2027 — and what will keep us waiting.

Tropical Americas brings Indiana Jones and Encanto to Animal Kingdom

Next up was Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom, where we got new details on both the Indiana Jones and Encanto attractions.

The Indiana Jones attraction now has an official name: Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent. Perhaps the biggest news here is that, for the first time, Harrison Ford himself is being used as the model for the Indiana Jones Audio-Animatronic.

The ride will use the same ride system as the popular Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland, but with a completely new story, scenes, and animatronics.

Disney also revealed the name of the Encanto attraction: Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto. The ride will take place on Antonio's gift day, with you invited into Casita to celebrate his new ability.

We got to see the moment guests enter Casita, as well as the ride vehicles, which are designed to feel like pieces of furniture brought to life by the house.

One of the more interesting elements shown was how the attraction will handle elevation changes. Disney appears to be using a new ride system that makes it feel as though the vehicle is moving up or down without the track physically raising or lowering.

The ride will eventually take guests upstairs into Antonio's room, which has been transformed into a rainforest filled with a bevy of animals including a capybara, a toucan, and a donkey.

Interestingly enough, Disney didn't announce an opening date during the panel. The company has already announced that Tropical Americas is expected to arrive in 2027, so for now, that remains the target.

Fans of Expedition Everest will be thrilled with this news — the Yeti will finally be returning to its original form on the rollercoaster after years of the legendary creature being stuck in its B mode. Simply, the Yeti won't be frozen for much longer.

Villains Land will bring Disney's biggest villains together

The other active construction site in Magic Kingdom right now — or should we say just outside the current edges of the park — is Villains Land. While D23 2024 confirmed that the land was coming, we finally got more details at D23 2026.

The land will actually be named Villains Land, and Imagineering is touting it as something unlike any other land Disney has developed. The focus will be squarely on the characters, bringing together some of Disney's most infamous villains, including Dr. Facilier, Maleficent, and Cruella de Vil.

The main attraction will be a Maleficent-themed coaster that sends guests racing around her mountain fortress before eventually coming face-to-face with the villain herself. The ride will feature tight turns, potentially some tipping-track elements, and a very energetic feel throughout.

The other attraction will be a dark ride themed around the Magic Mirror. Guests will travel into the Mirror Realm and encounter several of Disney's villains along the way. Among those shown so far are Cruella de Vil, Ursula, Jafar, and Mufasa, but Disney is keeping the specific details of the story under wraps for now.

With two attractions on this scale, Villains Land could end up being one of the most ambitious additions ever made to Magic Kingdom.

EPCOT's Spaceship Earth and Figment will get reimagined

Over at EPCOT, Disney also gave us a look at two projects that have been in the works for some time: the reimagining of Spaceship Earth and the return of Figment and Dreamfinder to the Imagination pavilion.

Spaceship Earth will be receiving a major update, expanding the attraction's story while retaining the optimism and wonder that have defined it for generations.

Figment and Dreamfinder, meanwhile, are getting ready to embark on a new journey into imagination at EPCOT. Disney didn't reveal too many details about the new experience, but just the return of Dreamfinder alongside Figment is enough to get plenty of EPCOT fans excited.

Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab will open in 2028

At Disneyland, the biggest update came from Avengers Campus, which is undergoing a massive expansion that will ultimately double its size. Disney confirmed that both Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab will open in 2028.

Avengers Infinity Defense will put guests in the role of new recruits tasked with helping reassemble the Avengers to take on King Thanos. The attraction will travel across locations including Asgard, Wakanda, and New York City, blending massive physical sets with large-scale media.

Perhaps the biggest casting news is that several heroes will be portrayed by their original on-screen actors, including Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man.

Downey Jr. will also appear in Stark Flight Lab, alongside Mackie and Brie Larson. Guests will board two-person pods, then be grabbed by a giant robotic arm and thrown into a simulated flight experience inspired by Iron Man and the other Avengers.

More details for Coco at Disney California Adventure

Disney also shared more about the upcoming Coco attraction, the first ride based on the Pixar film at a Disney park. The story will take place one year after the original film, beginning in a "casa museo" dedicated to Héctor's music before guests board a boat and travel with Miguel through his memories of the Land of the Dead.

The attraction will feature Miguel, Dante, Héctor, and plenty of other familiar characters, with Disney and Pixar working together to ensure the ride celebrates both the original film and the upcoming Coco 2. There will also be no height requirement, which will make this a family-friendly option at California Adventure.

Disneyland's Tomorrowland set for a major change

Finally, Disney announced that Disneyland's Tomorrowland is set for a major reimagining. There aren't many specifics yet, but Imagineering says the transformation will honor the legacy of the original land while introducing new attractions, more open spaces, and new places for guests to experience the future.

Looking at the updates coming to Disneyland and Walt Disney World, there's more happening across the parks than we've seen in quite some time. With so many of the projects announced in 2024 now actively under construction, it's clear that Disney wanted to use this year's showcase to give fans a much closer look at what's actually being built.

Could we have gotten a few more details on Tropical Americas, Coco, or even more on Avatar at Disneyland? Absolutely. But overall, Horizons: A Carousel of Progress gave us plenty to be excited about, while showing just how much detail Imagineering is putting into these new lands and attractions.

And perhaps most importantly, there was a sense that Disney is recommitting to some of its longtime fans. The return of Dreamfinder and Figment at EPCOT, the reimagining of Tomorrowland at Disneyland, and even the return of the Yeti to Expedition Everest show that Disney isn't only looking toward what's next. It's also looking back at some of what made these parks special in the first place.

It took a while, but Marvel has officially unveiled the first cast members for its forthcoming X-Men movie — and it raises questions about the credibility of many so-called industry insiders.

Revealed last Friday (August 14), the announcement was one of six big Marvel and Star Wars stories to emerge from D23 Expo 2026. Thankfully, the reveal was worth the wait, too, because a wealth of acting talent has been assembled for the X-Men's latest big-screen reboot.

Indeed, joining the already confirmed Sadie Sink (Jean Grey) on the cast list are Christopher Abbott (Professor X), Kit Connor (Cyclops), Samara Weaving (Emma Frost), Inde Navarrette (Rogue), and Maya Boyd (Storm). They'll share the screen with none other than Adam Driver as Nathaniel Milbury — or, as comic book fans will know him, Nathaniel Essex/Mister Sinister.

It's a stacked cast that I'm incredibly excited to see breathe new life into characters we've seen in previous X-Men movies, as well as animated offerings like X-Men '97 on Disney+. More than that, though, I'm glad to see the back of what became a head-spinning cast rumor mill in the weeks leading up this reveal, while also taking some pleasure in witnessing those supposedly 'in the know' trying to save face over their incorrect scoops.

I'm going to preface the rest of this piece by saying I bare no ill will towards anyone who hears things on the grapevine. I also understand why they share their leaks online, because everyone wants to be the person to break a big story. Heck, I'm guilty of it myself — you get the scoop, write and/or post about it, everyone uses your story as the original source, and you become a trusted industry source.

Furthermore — and this is probably the most important point of all — things change. The entertainment business is a fast-paced beast at the best of times, so when someone hears that an actor is in talks to star in a film or TV show, posts about it, and then that star walks away from a project, it doesn't mean that insider's information was incorrect or that they were simply chasing clout by posting a fake rumor.

What isn't okay — to me, anyway — is when scoopers desperately try to backtrack on what they were told without saying sorry for being wrong, or claim Marvel gave their contacts false information to make these leakers look bad (go figure that one out). The same principle applies to insiders who jumps on the bandwagon when someone shares something that ends up being accurate, but their fellow leakers were too unsure/afraid/scared/delete as applicable to raise their head above the parapet and post that information first.

Now, I'm not going to name names because they don't need the additional exposure or a baying mob at their door. If you operate in spoiler-filled Reddit circles, you'll already which unreliable insiders I'm referring to, anyway.

Nonetheless, of those who claimed to have dirt on the Marvel Phase 7 movie's confirmed cast and/or who they'd be playing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) over the past month, I've only seen one apologize for getting things wrong. Ironically, that scooper is not only one of the most reliable around, but also got called out for owning up to their mistake. In an era where fake news is rampant and there are less trustworthy sources than ever before, it's bizarre that this individual was criticized for holding themselves accountable.

But, I digress. If this X-Men movie casting saga — and, lest we forget, the soap opera that surrounded who would play the MCU's Fantastic Four — has reminded me of anything, it's that age old adage of not believing everything you read on the internet. And, unless one of the established trades like The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, or Variety report on something, it's worth taking it with a giant helping of salt because, right now, leak culture is frankly broken.

For more on the forthcoming film, find out everything we know so far about Marvel's new X-Men movie.

I'll go ahead and say it: anime is hugely addictive. I don't mean that in a bad way, either — from the moment the first episode of a new series completely grips me, I want to consume as much of it as possible.

In general, anime have figured out a winning formula that blends archetypal, classic storytelling with cutting-edge action and visual craft, and it's why IPs such as One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, Solo Leveling and Demon Slayer have continued to do well.

Thanks to Crunchyroll, we get to enjoy a bombastic range of smaller titles, too. Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon, That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime and, most recently, BLACK TORCH are just some of the unmissable titles (and with those names, how could you overlook them?).

However, the missing detail that I've been intrigued about the most is how a typical day-in-the-life of recording works as one of the industry's many voice artists. Even more so because each series will have two separate casts: the original Japanese cast, and an English dub cast.

Luckily, I asked BLACK TORCH's AJ Beckles (Jiro) and Ryan Colt Levy (Ryosuke Shiba) to help fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle. As part of the English dub cast, they're already arguably behind the curve of the show's creation, but one detail of their day-to-day lives still really surprised me.

'You're learning as it is happening'

"It depends episode to episode," Levy begins. "How many scenes or moments your character may have can be different, day to day. I usually will make sure I am caffeinated and hydrated, and that I'm super scratchy. Sometimes these sessions will be early in the morning, so I'll wake up a few hours before so that my voice is primed.

"There's, there's such a cool factor to Shiba's presence that I never wanted to sound tired. I want him to sound like he's in a calm space... so there's there's a fine line there."

All incredibly logical and sound advice — but it's Brackles' admission that scripts aren't received until the second that they enter the recording booth that surprises me the most.

"You go into the studio, say hi to everybody, get in the booth, and be ready to work," he adds. "We get the scripts on the day, and you're learning about what's happening in the episode as you go. There's back and forth between yourself and the director. Like Ryan said, making sure you're hydrated, that you can show your mouth doesn't make too many slappy, clicky noises. Don't wear a leather jacket, because it's too squeaky.

"Being professional in that way, but a lot of it just comes down to really doing the work in the booth."

If we think about Disney and Pixar projects as a comparison, normally some semblance of a script will be needed to either get the project itself greenlit, or to get talent (especially the high-profile kind) to sign on.

Anime shows tend to have the safety net of the original manga to achieve both of these, but not only do voice actors tend to operate differently (as Brackles has confirmed), the manga itself can't necessarily be relied on.

With scripts being received so late on in the process, I'd like to think that animators and producers are being given more creative scope to play around with the original material. Sure, we want to see the anime hit the same big beats that we see in the manga, but the interim is surely up for grabs.

Perhaps I'm naive in thinking this might be how things work, but I still can't hide my surprise that the voice cast are having to achieve so much with so little notice. If anything, it's a testament to just how good they actually are.

BLACK TORCH is available to stream now on Crunchyroll every Saturday at 6AM PT / 9AM ET in the US.

Disney's epic D23 2026 festivities might be over in Anaheim, CA — the convention ended with its Disney Legends Ceremony last night, and it's on Disney+ right now — but thanks to the Disney Store, a few of the most exciting product drops are up for grabs online.

Leading the pack for me, as a big fan of Imagineering and animatronics as well as Toy Story and Pixar at large, are two very cool limited-edition grabs. First is the Pixar Lamp at $99.99, which, in fact, doesn't light up, but it more than makes up for it.

It's true to scale with what the Pixar Lamp would be in our world, but it's also motion-activated, so it can bop around, move its arm to change the overall height, and even skid around on a surface for a bit. It's pretty fun, and while I do wish it would illuminate, it is a nice celebration of 40 years of Pixar.

Even neater is the fact that it will respond to motion and sound via two built-in sensors, which also means it might have a mind of its own. This one was pretty popular on the show floor at D23, and I suspect this won't last too long at the Disney Store. If it does sell out, though, I'd highly recommend the LEGO Pixar Lamp, which is even a bit cheaper and not a limited edition. Amazon has it for just $55.99, a 20% savings off the $69.99 MSRP.

Shop D23's Pixar Lamp

This next one lets you bring a bit of Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room right into your home. The $249.99 José Animatronic Figure is a delightful recreation of the attraction's show host, who's led it since 1963. You'll find José perched on his porch, and with the press of a button, those iconic moments from the attraction will be brought to life with this mini animatronic. José will move, lights will illuminate, and a few bars from the song "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room" will roar to life.

Beyond these two, there's a whole host of D23 drops that are up while supplies last on the Disney Store right now. You can shop the full collection, which includes retro Disney tees, treasures from a Galaxy Far, Far Away, and even some collectibles fit for superheroes here.

Shop D23's José Animatronic Figure

D23 Expo 2026 has come and gone — and, like past editions of the Ultimate Disney Fan Experience, there were plenty of big announcements concerning Marvel and Star Wars.

As the dust settles on the aforementioned fan convention and said reveals, there's no better time to take stock of what was shown, and rank each announcement based on how exciting they were. So, read on for my take on all six reveals — and, once you reach the end, let me know if you agree with my ranking by leaving a comment!

6. Ryan Gosling's Star Wars: Starfighter character name revealed

I feel bad putting Star Wars: Starfighter at the bottom of my ranking because it's a film I'm really looking forward to seeing next May. Nevertheless, Lucasfilm only offered us the tiniest of crumbs about its next big-screen offering, which is why it doesn't feature higher on this list.

So, what was revealed? The name of leading man Ryan Gosling's character, which is Kade Auberon. As names go in the hugely popular sci-fi franchise, that's a pretty cool one to have, but it's still small fry in comparison to the announcements I've yet to cover.

Interestingly, a first teaser for Starfighter was also unveiled at the fan convention — and, if it had been officially released online, I'd have placed this entry higher. For what it's worth, the teaser has been leaked, but I won't be sharing any links because I don't want to get in trouble with Lucasfilm or Disney.

While we wait for it to properly hit the internet, find out everything we know so far about Star Wars: Starfighter.

5. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 2 release month and first-look details

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (YFNSM) might not everyone's cup of tea. However, aside from its unusual animation and art style, which took me a long time to get used to, I actually enjoyed the Disney+ animated show's debut season.

So, even though every other Marvel announcement at this Year's D23 was better and/or more exciting to a lot of people, I'm really looking forward to YFNSM season 2's launch in January 2027.

Based on the above artwork and first-look footage, there's a lot to get excited about, including Spider-Man bonding with the symbiote and getting his iconic black suit, confirmation that new and returning villains will appear, and the revelation that Spider-Gwen is set to join the show.

4. Star Wars: Ahsoka season 2 release date and first trailer

Three years have passed since Star Wars: Ahsoka's first season premiered on Disney+, one of the world's best streaming services. But, while it's been plenty of months since filming wrapped on its sophomore installment, we've still got a long wait on our hands for it to arrive. That's because Star Wars: Ahsoka season 2 won't arrive until January 20, 2027.

Disappointing though that is, Lucasfilm has sought to appease us by releasing season 2's first trailer — and, I don't know about you, but it looks much, much better than its sluggish forebear did. Okay, trailers can be deceiving, but if Ahsoka season 2 marries huge space battles with more intimate sci-fi drama, I'll be very happy.

While we wait for it to be released, get the lowdown on Star Wars: Ahsoka season 2.

3. VisionQuest first trailer and story details unveiled

The final part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) only TV trilogy to date, VisionQuest will wrap up the story that began with hit series WandaVision and continued with 2024's Agatha All Along.

With VisionQuest set to come out on October 14, it's high time we saw some actual footage from it. It was kind of Marvel to not only oblige at D23 Expo 2026, then, but knock our socks off with what appears to be a cracking third act to this Wanda Maximoff and Vision-led narrative.

That's not all we've learned about the Paul Bettany-fronted show, either, because the Marvel Phase 6 TV show's official story synopsis has also been revealed.

"Vision, rebooted and having escaped from those who sought to weaponize him, has been in hiding," the plot brief reads. "Searching for new meaning, he consults the AI personas embedded in his programming, including F.R.I.D.A.Y., E.D.I.T.H., J.A.R.V.I.S., and the infamous Ultron.

"His discreet existence ends when a bounty placed on his head thrusts him on the run with Thomas Shepard, a mysterious boy who may be Vision’s son, reincarnate. As Vision evades capture, he must confront his nature, resist Ultron's influence, and unravel the enigma that is his young companion if he’s to survive."

For the full scoop on the final MCU TV project of the year, find out what we know so far about VisionQuest.

2. Avengers: Doomsday trailer #2

You wait months for an Avengers: Doomsday trailer and, like London buses, two arrive in quick succession. Less than a month after the first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday broke the internet, Marvel has released another one for the hotly anticipated team-up movie — and it's further raised our collective hopes that the fifth Avengers film will be as epic as the three of its four predecessors (sorry, Avengers: Age of Ultron...) were.

There's plenty in this new teaser to excite fans ahead of one of 2026's most exciting new movies, too. From a fresh look at Doctor Doom's duel with Thor, and more teases concerning the former's backstory and motivations, to the gravity of the situation that our heroes face and their desperate attempt to delay the inevitable — that being, Doom's likely victory in Avengers 5 — and December 18 can't come soon enough.

1. Marvel's new X-Men movie cast reveal and release date announcement

Quite frankly, there was only one thing that could top Avengers: Doomsday's new trailer release at D23 Expo 2026: some official news on Marvel's new X-Men movie.

After weeks of speculation that included numerous casting rumors and gossip that Marvel would unveil the stars of the MCU's first mutant-led film at D23 Expo 2026, the comic titan did just that, too.

We already knew that Sadie Sink's Jean Grey would be joined by Kit Connor's Cyclops and Samara Weaving's Emma Frost in the Marvel Phase 7 flick. Meanwhile, Obsession star Inde Navarrette had all but teased her involvement after confirming she'd met X-Men movie director Jason Schreier.

As always, though, Marvel had a few surprises up its sleeve. Not only did it officially announce Navarrette would portray Rogue, it also confirmed Christopher Abbott (Girls) would feature as Charles Xavier/Professor X, and that Maya Boyd (Merrily We Roll Along) is on board as Ororo Munroe/Storm. Perhaps the biggest shock of all, though, was that none other than Adam Driver would finally join the MCU as Nathaniel Millbury — or, to give his proper name, Nathaniel Essex, aka the villainous Mister Sinister.

Oh, and did I mention that the MCU's first X-Men film was confirmed to be releasing on May 8, 2028? No? Well, it will. Can someone invent time travel, so we can fast-forward to 2028, please?

For more on the forthcoming mutant flick, read up on everything we know so far about Marvel's new X-Men movie. Again, be aware that some information, especially in the cast section, will be out of date until I update it.

Disney and Epic Games have been promising a ‘persistent, open and interoperable’ universe since February 2024, when Disney took a $1.5 billion equity stake in Epic Games, and Bob Iger called it the company's biggest foray into games ever. Two and a half years and a handful of Fortnite islands later, we're finally getting something that behaves like what was actually promised: a Disney park experience that connects, mechanically, to Fortnite itself.

Most of what's arrived since that 2024 announcement has been a slow drip of standalone content rather than anything tied to the parks. Disneyland Game Rush launched in November 2025 as a Creative island celebrating Disneyland's 70th anniversary, dropping players into mini games modeled on Space Mountain and Haunted Mansion — fun, but built entirely inside Fortnite, with nothing connecting back to an actual park visit. A Percy Jackson: Siege of Monsters island followed that December, timed to the Disney+ show's second season.

On the parks side, Imagineering has been running its own parallel experiments with a lot of the same underlying tech. Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin at Magic Kingdom now uses Unreal Engine to power real-time scoring.

And this past June, I exclusively got an early look at the next-generation animatronic system that debuted at Pirates of the Caribbean in Disneyland. This pirate transforms into a skeleton in real time, driven not by traditional animatronic mechanics but by a projection pipeline built on Unreal Engine-based rendering tools.

It's proven to be a divisive addition among park fans. Still, it's also more proof that the line between "ride system" and "game engine" has been blurring inside Imagineering for a while now, well before Fortnite entered the picture.

What none of those individual pieces actually did was talk to each other. That changes now, though, as Disney and Epic have unveiled Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run | Fortnite. It's not the most original name, but it essentially combines Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run — the ride inside Galaxy's Edge at both Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, FL, and Disneyland Park in Anaheim, CA — with a new Fortnite island called Smugglers Gambit. And it's the first time riding a physical attraction produces something you bring into Fortnite — not just a shared theme, but an unlockable reward tied to a specific action you took inside the park.

According to Julia Humphreys, VP of Production at Disney Digital Entertainment, who walked me through the thinking in an exclusive interview, that's exactly the point. "Smugglers Gambit is definitely a first step and not a finish line," Humphreys told me.

"With this foundational experience we wanted to prove out something that we've believed for a long time: that a story doesn't have to end when you leave the park, and it doesn't have to start over from zero when you pick up a controller." Progress, discoveries, and relationships with characters, she said, are meant to actually carry over between the ride and the game rather than resetting every time a guest switches from one to the other.

Starting August 16, 2026, guests entering Galaxy's Edge can accept Hondo's mission through the Disneyland or Disney World’s My Disney Experience app, then ride Smugglers Run as usual. Finish it, and you'll get word — in the app or by email — that Hondo's waiting on the Smugglers Gambit island in Fortnite with, fittingly, "your cut of the profits." If you link an Epic Games account to your MyDisney equivalent, the reward will automatically unlock. If you can’t link or choose not to, they'll email you a redeemable code. It's free with park admission, and Fortnite is, of course, still free to play.

I haven't gone hands-on with Smugglers Gambit myself, but between the screenshots Disney shared and my conversation with Humphreys, the game puts players in the role of a smuggler working the Outer Rim. Environment art shows a hazy, sun-bleached Mersa Veta Station, freighters docked along exposed gangways with towering scrap-metal walkers looming in the fog, and ships like the Quadjumper parked in dim, blue-lit hangars. Quests run across a location called Ord Ryla, and combat screenshots show players in flooded, fire-lit corridors, consistent with the co-op missions, class and leveling system, and run-ins with pirates, Imperial remnants, and hostile wildlife Disney has described.

Graphically, it's a noticeable step down from the ride's own visual bar — but that tracks with what you'd expect from a Star Wars experience running in Fortnite rather than on Imagineering's custom multi-GPU hardware. Whether the Falcon itself shows up as a flyable or interactive ship in Smugglers Gambit remains to be seen.

The technical connection between the two experiences is where my own time on Smugglers Run at Disney World comes back into play. Back in June, I covered Imagineering's overhaul of the ride, including the engineer role that lets guests pick between three different planets and steers the whole mission depending on how they play — powered, Imagineering confirmed, by a heavily customized, multi-GPU build of Unreal Engine 5.

Smugglers Gambit, on the other hand, was built in UEFN — Unreal Editor for Fortnite, Epic's own related but distinct toolset that sits on top of the same underlying engine. That shared foundation, Humphreys said, meant the teams "didn't have to start from a blank page": ships, characters, and environment objects originally modeled for the physical ride were translated directly into the Fortnite experience rather than rebuilt from scratch.

Getting the two sides to actually talk to each other wasn't simple. Humphreys described it as "a team effort across Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Digital Entertainment, and so many other teams across Disney, Lucasfilm, and Epic Games" — everything from new physical signage in the park queues to the backend account-linking infrastructure to the Fortnite ecosystem work needed to make the in-game rewards possible.

It's also a bet backed by real numbers. This new experience builds on the Star Wars IP Toolkit, the creator toolset that powered a wave of Star Wars content in Fortnite this past May, shortly before The Mandalorian and Grogu hit the big screen. Disney says it pulled in close to 8 million players in its first 72 hours — not a small feat.

This new experience feels like the start of something we've been promised and have been waiting to see for a while. Will it drive more people to the parks just to unlock the Fortnite tie-in? My guess is that the impact will be minimal — the broader investment in parks and the kind of full-ride retheming Imagineering did with the Falcon itself make a far more compelling case for a visit than a Fortnite reward does.

The real impact is this: the experience you have flying the Falcon with Mando and Grogu over Endor or Coruscant can now carry beyond your time at the park. And that spreads the Star Wars story — your story — farther.

That's a long wait for a promise this specific — but Humphreys sounded like she'd have waited even longer. "As someone who loves both theme parks and games, this is the start of a collaboration I've wanted to see for years," she said. "It's very much the opening chapter with Epic Games, and I can't wait for people to experience where this relationship goes next."

Taken together, this is a cool first step — not because any single piece of it is groundbreaking on its own, but because it's the first time Disney has actually wired the reward loop between a park and Fortnite, instead of just theming a Fortnite island around a park. The ride itself is genuinely better than it was even a few months ago; my June story covered how the three-planet, choose-your-own-adventure overhaul already made Smugglers Run more replayable. Now that same ride experience feeds into a Fortnite island that, if it delivers at scale, could become a real destination on its own — one where Hondo is voiced by the same actor as on the ride, for what it's worth.

The redemption structure is a nice touch, too: finish the mission, and you get a Fortnite reward of an exclusive outfit for taking the ride. I'd expect Disney and Epic to keep tuning that loop over time, the same way Imagineering has kept iterating on the ride itself; more skins, more unlocks, deeper crossover content wouldn't be a heavy lift if this lands with players.

What I'm more curious about is where the "connected" half of this idea goes next. If riding the Falcon can unlock something in Fortnite, there's no obvious reason Disney stops at Star Wars. A Toy Story Mania tie-in wouldn't be a stretch, and we’ve already seen a version of WEB-Slingers in Fortnite, so why not give that attraction a similar tie-in?

Now that the plumbing between a ride and a persistent game world actually works, the list of places Disney could point it next gets long fast.

August was lacking in new horror releases, but I still found three interesting titles to dive into — two of which will no doubt be familiar to you, as we have some returning franchises in the lineup.

The other is an indie game that popped up on my Steam Discovery Queue, and was indeed perfectly suited to what I enjoy best. This one was a free demo ahead of its release, but I played enough of it to come to a conclusion.

Without further delay, here's what horror media I tried out throughout August and what I thought of them. As always, I'm keen to hear your thoughts!

Movie: The X-Files: I Want to Believe — Vrach Frankenshteyn

Where to watch: Hulu (US); Disney+ (internationally)
Lucy's verdict: Scream

OK, yes, The X-Files is not strictly horror and is billed as a sci-fi series. But hear me out, the director's cut of The X-Files: I Want to Believe features all the body horror scenes that were removed to give it a PG-13 rating, meaning it's a worthwhile watch for horror fans this month.

Now, considering The X-Files: I Want to Believe performed poorly when it was released, don't expect Vrach Frankenshteyn to miraculously make you love it. If you weren't a fan of the original 2008 cut, you probably won't like this either. I, however, really enjoyed the movie and got a lot out of this version of it too.

Vrach Frankenshteyn tells the story how Chris Carter wanted, blood and gore included. It certainly packs a punch, adding a lot to the movie if you already happen to like the story. This one will likely be the most divisive of my three picks this month.

TV show: The Walking Dead: Dead City

Where to watch: AMC+ (US); Sky / NOW TV (UK); Stan (AU)
Lucy's verdict: Skip

I think I'm suffering from The Walking Dead fatigue, because I just can't get on with this show. I was hopeful it might get me back on board with the franchise because Negan is one of my favorite characters, but I was left feeling underwhelmed.

At the time of writing we're three episodes into season 3, with the season set to conclude on September 13. Seth Hoffman is the new showrunner after Eli Jorné, and we've started relying on recycled plotlines and the same tired dynamic between Negan and Maggie. It's started feeling a bit stale, and for me, this is one of the weaker Walking Dead spin-offs.

I recommend trying out The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live instead, as it has better pacing and stories.

Game: Something Strange Tonight — The Lurker

Where to play: PC
Lucy's verdict: Scream

Thank you to my Steam Discovery Queue for suggesting the demo of Something Strange Tonight — The Lurker, because I am now very excited to play the full game when it releases. We don't have a confirmed date for that yet, but I've got it wishlisted for when it does.

I love creepy, low-poly games (as evidenced by my Mouthwashing review), so the trailer for Something Strange Tonight — The Lurker immediately freaked me out. The game follows that stereotypical slasher movie trope of a babysitter who is terrorized at night, but it's full of creepy twists.

Your goal is to survive the night and keep both yourself and the kid you're looking after alive. You'll be approached by numerous visitors, but can any of them be trusted? It's up to you to figure that one out.

If you're a seasoned anime fan, you'll understand the unique sense of excitement that comes with binging a brand-new show — and it's exactly how I feel about Crunchyroll's breakout series, BLACK TORCH.

As of writing, we're now six episodes into the epic adventure, following high-schooler Jiro, who just also happens to be a ninja descendant who can talk to animals. He's rescued an injured black cat named Rago, who is actually a powerful mononoke, or demon spirit.

I'll let Crunchyroll explain the next part: "After Jiro is mortally wounded protecting Rago from hostile spirits, Rago fuses with him, creating a human-spirit hybrid. Jiro is then recruited by Japan's covert Bureau of Espionage into a special unit called 'Black Torch' to fight rogue mononoke."

It's a classic anime storytelling format with a new twist, and so far, its six episodes have successfully blended high-intensity action with a strong emotional core. Even the intro song feels a cut above the rest, and I'm not surprised that anime fans are lapping it up.

With six episodes left to go, what can we expect from the second half of BLACK TORCH? According to English dub cast AJ Beckles (Jiro) and Ryan Colt Levy (Ryosuke Shiba), you're best off expecting the unexpected.

'It's more of what we've had... but bigger'

"Expect the unexpected," Beckles tells me. "It's more of what you've got, but bigger. As we reach the end of the season and these episodes start to come out, there more high-octane, serious moments. There's a lot to look forward to, for sure."

It's a vague response, but this doesn't surprise me. Even the above trailer showed almost no signs of what was to come in the actual series, which was a refreshing decision. Of course, we can expect the drama to follow the original manga, but this can't be assured as a given.

But has there been any pressure for either actor knowing that these episodes are airing to a pre-existing fanbase?

"I don't know if it's necessarily like a pressure... I like to think of it as a responsibility," Levy says. "No matter what, there are people out there that you are making this for, and where we may never get to have that face-to-face feedback, we have access. People will put so much passion into that.

"We approach this no matter what with the intention to make sure that people who love it feel seen, and feel like they are spending time with the characters that they want."

"We've been cast and It's a ginormous responsibility, because it could have gone to anybody," Beckles agrees. "So the fact that it went to us means that we have a duty to do a good job. We're not necessarily thinking about the end result. The focus should be on, 'Am I thinking as Jiro is thinking? Am I serving this character?' Because if I do so to the best of my ability, someone will resonate with that."

I've got no idea how I'm going to feel about the upcoming second half of BLACK TORCH, but hearing the sheer passion that the voice cast has for its craft fills me with hope — and the joy that my initial burst of anime excitement seems set to continue.