The leading box office movies of the past month have all been adaptations of either books or a video game: "Sonic the Hedgehog"; "The Call of the Wild"; "The Invisible Man".  But if you've been paying attention, this is not a recent trend.

Host Andy Farnsworth is joined by Kristian Odland, GeekTyrant.com writer and "One Minute Critic" on Instagram, to discuss these three recent movies, as well as Hollywood's apparent shift away from writing screenplays and creating imaginative movies about original characters. Is it Hollywood's fault...or are they just reacting based on our consumer choices?  They also argue whether you should read the book first...or see the movie first!

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The future of "Star Wars" outside of Disney Plus is no longer a secret with the announcement of "The High Republic" crossover series of books and comics.  Starting in August 2020, publishers will explore the world of the Jedi that existed 200 years before the movie series takes place.

Host Andy Farnsworth is joined by Deseret.com entertainment editor Herb Scribner to break down the details of the announcement, talk about what fans can expect, and gauge the reaction to the announcement from around the internet.

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A supposed first draft script for Star Wars Episode IX that Colin Trevorrow wrote before he was fired as director in 2017 is now on the web and has many fans asking... would this movie have been better final chapter in the saga than what we got in "The Rise of Skywalker?"

Host Andy Farnsworth and Deseret.com entertainment editor Herb Scribner recap what was in the script, talk about the timing of the leak, what our reaction to it could say about us as fans, and why the continued fracturing among fans could have a more simple explanation than we might have thought.

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Star Wars' first live-action TV series, "The Mandalorian," is an unquestioned success, as it quickly became one of the most in-demand streaming shows after its launch on day one of Disney Plus.

Fan Effect host Andy Farnsworth is joined by Deseret.com entertainment editor Herb Scribner and KSL Radio reporter Mary Richards to break down what we got from the eight episodes of season one, how the series came to be, background on the characters introduced and that big spoiler at the end of the final episode.

Oh, and #BabyYoda.  Did we mention that already?

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There's an old saying about having too much of a good thing.  It implies that at some point, we could get tired of even things we love.  Eating one doughnut can be a delicious experience, but eating a dozen doughnuts at once can make you sick and maybe make you not want one for a long time.  But is it true for all good things? Say, for instance...Star Wars?

"Fan Effect" host Andy Farnsworth and Deseret.com entertainment editor Herb Scribner got to watch all 9 (IX?) Star Wars saga films in a row during a 24-hour marathon at Megaplex Theaters leading up to and including the premiere of "The Rise of Skywalker".  Now they're here to talk about the experience, including new observations on each of the trilogies and new appreciations for moments in that galaxy far, far, away.

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The wait is over and "Star Wars- The Rise of Skywalker" has brought an end to the 42-year film saga.  The Fan Effect team of Andy Farnsworth, Tysen Webb, Adam Thomas and Ryan Meeks go in-depth on their thoughts on both Episode IX and the sequel trilogy overall.  They also talk about what they'd like to see from the "Star Wars" universe going forward.

(NOTE: Massive Spoilers in this podcast episode.  DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS UNTIL AFTER YOU SEE "RISE OF SKYWALKER")

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We're just days away from the release of "Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker" and we know you are bouncing off the wall with excitement and anticipation.  So, to scratch the itch, Fan Effect host Andy Farnsworth and DeseretNews.com's Herb Scribner decided to give their completely non-insider, fanboy opinions of what they *think* they'll see, and what they'd *like* to see in the conclusion to the 40-year, nine-movie saga.  NOTE: No spoilers are contained herein, because they just don't know any.

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Disney Animation's "Frozen 2" is dominating the box office as fans, parents and kids eat up the long-awaited sequel.  Andy Farnsworth is joined by KellieAnn Halvorsen of KSL NewsRadio's Movie Show and Disney D23 insider Matthew Hansen for some SPOILER TALK as they break down why "Frozen 2" seems to be resonating with so many viewers, and what things it did right to avoid looking like just a cynical cash grab.  Also, they debate whether it's the intent of, or the result of, a character's personal sacrifices in a story that makes those sacrifices meaningful.

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Back in 1984 Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator said he'd be back, and "Terminator: Dark Fate" is the fifth time he's kept that promise. But this new entry into the movie franchise hasn't had the success that the studio had hoped for, despite Linda Hamilton's and original creator James Cameron's returns, and decent critical reviews.  Fan Effect host Andy Farnsworth and GeekTyrant.com writer Kristian Odland discuss their puzzlement at why other Terminator fans didn't enjoy the movie as much as they did, break down why they thought it was an excellent sequel to 1991's "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" and look into the future to see if there are any more Terminators there.  Plus, hear thoughts from Hamilton, Cameron and Schwarzenegger themselves!

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Now that we have the final trailer for "Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker" we have to talk about what we SAW, what we DIDN'T SEE, and how we feel about the saga coming to a close.  Host Andy Farnsworth, Tysen Webb and Herb Scribner of DeseretNews.com react to the trailer, rehash old arguments (cough--The Last Jedi--cough) & even reveal a possible new order to watch all the Star Wars movies for those who haven't seen them.

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