Arnold Schwarzenegger just announced he's working on Commando 2, a new Predator film, and King Conan. The action legend is coming back to his most iconic franchises. Are we excited? Cautiously optimistic? Deeply skeptical? All of the above.

Plus: The Bear will end after Season 5. What if the Oscars had a "Best Casting" category (and who would've won)? Trailers for The Boys final season, Beef Season 2, In the Grey, and the Lanterns DC series. And a WTF segment from JayTeeDee (Edit That Out podcast).
This week's Checked Out reviews: Friendship (Apple TV+), War Machine (Netflix), and The Running Man (2025 version—perfect timing).

Let's break it down.

🎬 TOPICS - SECTION 1: ARNOLD'S SEQUEL ANNOUNCEMENTS
🔫 Commando 2:
Arnold confirms he's working on a sequel to Commando (1985). The original is a masterpiece of '80s action excess. Can a 2026 sequel capture that magic? Probably not, but we'll watch it anyway.
🦖 Predator (New Film):
Another Predator movie. Arnold's involved in some capacity (producer? cameo? full return?). The Predator franchise has been hit-or-miss since 1987. Prey (2022) was great. Predator 2 (1990) was fun. Everything else? Questionable. Where does this fit?
⚔️ King Conan:
Arnold has been trying to make this for 15+ years. It's the third Conan film (after Conan the Barbarian 1982 and Conan the Destroyer 1984). The concept: Old Man Conan as a king. If they actually make this, it could be amazing. Big "if."
Source: Variety

📺 TOPICS - SECTION 2: THE BEAR, BEST CASTING OSCAR, TRAILERS
🍳 The Bear to End After Season 5:
FX announced The Bear will conclude with Season 5. The Jeremy Allen White/Ayo Edebiri culinary drama became a cultural phenomenon. Ending on their terms = smart move. Better to go out strong than overstay. We'll miss it.
Source: Deadline

🏆 What If the Oscars Had a "Best Casting" Category?:
The Hollywood Reporter asked casting directors to vote on what would've won "Best Casting" if the category existed. 2018 winner: Black Panther. Fascinating thought experiment. Casting IS filmmaking. Should this be a real Oscar category? We discuss.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

🎬 TRAILERS:
🦸 The Boys - Final Season Trailer:
The Boys Season 5 (final season) trailer dropped. Homelander vs. Butcher endgame. The superhero satire that redefined the genre is ending. Early reaction: looks absolutely unhinged (as it should be). We break down the trailer.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNQbH1SDPRk
🎥 In the Grey:
New thriller trailer. [Brief description based on trailer if you've seen it, or: "Looks tense, we discuss."]
Watch: https://youtu.be/l3HTmm5_lsk
🥩 Beef - Season 2:
Beef Season 2 trailer. The Steven Yeun/Ali Wong road rage Emmy-winning series is back. New cast, new beef. Season 1 was a masterpiece. Can Season 2 match it? Trailer looks promising.
Watch: https://youtu.be/weZ2ZAcvXrU
💚 Lanterns (DC Series):
New DC series: Green Lantern (Lanterns). Trailer dropped. HBO's DCU reboot continues. Hal Jordan & John Stewart buddy cop space opera. We're cautiously optimistic (DC has burned us before).
Watch: https://youtu.be/Z1jcPlGXnMo

#ArnoldSchwarzenegger #TheBear #TheBoys #Lanterns

The Nerdpocalypse is a weekly podcast covering the latest movie news, TV show news, trailer reactions, and pop culture commentary. We break down Marvel MCU updates, DC Universe news, Star Wars, superhero movies, sci-fi, horror, streaming wars, box office results, casting announcements, and everything happening in Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Hosted by Jay, Micah, and Terrence. A TNP Studios production since 2011. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. Premium content at TheNerdpocalypse.com/premium. For more TNP Studios content, check out Black on Black Cinema (Black film reviews), Dense Pixels (video game news), and Look Forward (progressive politics).