Geek Freaks Headlines

HBO Max and Paramount+ are staying separate apps when Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merge under the Skydance name on October 6. James Gunn and Peter Safran are staying in charge of DC Studios.

Frank runs through what changes when the Skydance merger closes on Tuesday. The streaming apps stay apart for now, with a bundle expected before any combined service and no word on the Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max bundle. DC Studios keeps its leadership while other executives head out and layoffs are expected. He closes with the scrapped Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover and the 30-film theatrical requirement, which he doubts the company can hit.

Chapters

• 0:00 HBO Max and Paramount+ Stay Separate
• 0:14 Why the Apps Aren't Merging Yet
• 0:29 Bundles and the Disney+ Question
• 0:41 James Gunn and Peter Safran Stay at DC
• 1:02 Executive Exits and Layoffs
• 1:28 G.I. Joe Splits From Transformers
• 1:42 The 30 Movie Rule

Key Takeaways

• HBO Max and Paramount+ remain separate apps after the October 6 close. A bundle of the two is expected first, and no price has been announced.
• James Gunn and Peter Safran continue to lead DC Studios, and DC gets its own spot in the Skydance branding video next to HBO and Warner Bros.
• Paramount dropped the Transformers and G.I. Joe crossover in favor of a standalone G.I. Joe movie.
• The settlement requires at least 30 theatrical releases a year, with a $30 million penalty for each film the company falls short.

Quotes

• "HBO Max and Paramount+ are not becoming one app on Tuesday. James Gunn's not fired." - Frank

• "I currently have Disney+, Hulu and HBO, and I don't know if that bundle is going to still exist." - Frank

• "They have to put out at least 30 movies a year for theaters or be fined $30 million. Yeah, $30 million per movie." - Frank

Sources

Variety, Deadline, CNBC, TheWrap, Fortune. More geek news at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

Share the Show

Send this one to the friend who pays for the Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max bundle, and follow Geek Freaks Headlines for daily geek news. #GeekFreaksPodcast

Follow Geek Freaks

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcast
• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcast
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast

Questions for You

• Would you pay for an HBO Max and Paramount+ bundle, or do you want one combined app?
• Can Skydance release 30 movies a year in theaters?

Episode Summary

Futurama is canceled again, with the season 14 finale now streaming on Hulu and no season 15 ordered. Three specials are still on the way, starting with a Robot Santa Christmas special in 2027, and Matt Groening says the show will rise again.

I run through where Futurama stands after the Hulu finale, including the three specials still in production and why I take Groening's promise of a return with some caution after how many times this show has ended. From there I try to fit Futurama onto the Mount Rushmore of adult animation, compare its 180 episodes to shows like The Great North and Father of the Pride that got far less time, and make a realistic call on whether this is the last season we get.

Chapters

• 0:00 Futurama Ends Again on Hulu
• 0:18 Groening Vows a Return
• 0:34 The Adult Animation Mount Rushmore
• 0:49 180 Episodes and Shows Cut Short
• 1:06 One More Revival

Key Takeaways

• Season 14 is the last regular season of Futurama on Hulu, with no season 15 ordered.
• Three extra-long specials are coming, led by a Robot Santa Christmas special in 2027.
• Futurama sits at 180 episodes after runs on Fox, Comedy Central, and Hulu.
• My call is to treat this as the end of regular seasons and be glad if Groening proves me wrong.

Pull Quotes

• "Feels like a tradition at this point, but Futurama is canceled, kind of, again." (Frank)

• "The Mount Rushmore of adult animation, it's really hard to narrow it down to four. If it was eight heads, it'd be on there for sure." (Frank)

• "Matt, if you prove me wrong, I will be very happy and an avid watcher once again." (Frank)

Sources

Variety, TVLine, GeekFreaksPodcast.com

Share This Episode

Send this one to the friend who still quotes Bender, and tell me which four shows make your adult animation Mount Rushmore. #GeekFreaksPodcast

Follow Geek Freaks

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcast
• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcast
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast

Listener Questions

• Does Futurama make your adult animation Mount Rushmore, and which show gets bumped for it?
• Do you remember Father of the Pride, the John Goodman lion sitcom? Let me know if you watched it.

Simon Kinberg is writing a new Star Wars trilogy, and Jon Watts is attached to direct the first film. It picks the Skywalker saga back up after The Rise of Skywalker, with Daisy Ridley's Rey expected back in a smaller role.

Lucasfilm is reopening the Skywalker saga for what would be Episode X, and I walk through the reporting from The Hollywood Reporter and Knight Edge Media. Rey is reportedly stepping back for new male and female leads, while her standalone movie sits on hold again after several writers. Kinberg co-created Star Wars Rebels and Watts co-created Skeleton Crew, so I look at what each brings to a trilogy that has to follow the messiest stretch of the franchise, and whether this is finally the story Rey deserved.

• 0:00 Kinberg's New Star Wars Trilogy

• 0:31 Back to the Skywalker Saga

• 0:45 Rey's Smaller Role

• 0:52 The Rebels and Skeleton Crew Track Record

• 1:24 Rey Fans' Best Shot

• 1:36 Cautiously Optimistic

• Simon Kinberg is writing the trilogy, and Jon Watts, director of the three Tom Holland Spider-Man movies, is attached to direct the first film.

• The trilogy continues the Skywalker saga with new male and female leads, and Rey is expected back in a smaller role.

• Rey's standalone movie is on hold again, which makes this trilogy the likeliest place to see her next.

• Kinberg's work on Rebels and Watts' work on Skeleton Crew are the reason I'm cautiously optimistic.

"The sequel trilogy was such a mess, and it's a shame because there's so many brilliant elements. It's just not woven together well at all." Frank

"Let's be honest, I'm a sucker for Star Wars. I'm gonna watch all of them." Frank

"A character I feel like was very cool, but deserved good writers in a proper story that didn't reinvent every movie." Frank, on Rey

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Knight Edge Media | GeekFreaksPodcast.com

Know a Rey fan who has been waiting on that standalone movie? Send them this one so they can see where she's headed next. #GeekFreaksPodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcastThreads: https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast

Should Rey carry Episode X, or hand the saga over to the new leads?Does Skeleton Crew make you trust Jon Watts with a Skywalker movie?

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is heading back to theaters with an extended cut. The new footage restores Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple, the nurse from Daredevil and Luke Cage who was cut from the original release.

Brand New Day is now the highest-grossing movie ever at the domestic box office, and Sony is following Avengers: Endgame Encore with a re-release of its own. Claire Temple's scene is the headline addition, though more footage is expected alongside it. Frank thinks the extended cut would land better as a streaming debut than as another theatrical run, with Avengers: Doomsday arriving in December and fans already locked in for it.

Chapters

• 0:00 Brand New Day Returns to Theaters
• 0:17 Theaters or Streaming
• 0:33 Waiting on Avengers: Doomsday

Key Takeaways

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day is getting an extended cut in theaters, with no release date set yet.
• The added footage includes Rosario Dawson's Claire Temple, whose scene was cut from the theatrical version.
• The re-release follows Avengers: Endgame Encore, which put extra footage tied to Avengers: Doomsday back in theaters.
• Frank is skipping the theatrical run and waiting for the extended cut to hit streaming.

Pull Quotes

• Frank: "Of course, they want to rake in all the cash they can, so theaters makes a bunch of sense, but this feels a little repetitive at this point."

• Frank: "We are sufficiently hyped. Avengers: Doomsday, you've only got a couple more months."

Sources

GeekFreaksPodcast.com, Collider, CBR

Share the Episode

Send this one to the friend who still wants a Defenders reunion, because Claire Temple is headed to the big screen. #GeekFreaksPodcast

Follow Us

• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcast
• Threads https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcast
• Patreon https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast

Listener Questions

• Are you going back to theaters for the Brand New Day extended cut, or waiting for streaming?
• Should Claire Temple's scene have stayed in the original cut?

Mark Hamill is the new voice of Darkwing Duck, with Seth Rogen as Launchpad McQuack and Lizzy Caplan as a grown-up Gosalyn Mallard. The Disney+ revival hands the title role to Luke Skywalker, and Jim Cummings, the original Darkwing, isn't thrilled about it.

Disney+ ordered a new Darkwing Duck series from Seth Rogen's Point Grey Pictures, and the voice cast is out. This episode walks through the three leads: Hamill's history voicing the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Rogen pulling double duty as producer and Launchpad, and Caplan coming off her run as Reagan on Netflix's Inside Job. Then it's on to the new names on the roster and the question of why Disney passed on Cummings for a star who isn't any younger.

• 0:00 Mark Hamill Is Darkwing Duck

• 0:12 Seth Rogen as Launchpad

• 0:25 Lizzy Caplan as Gosalyn

• 0:43 The Rest of the Cast

• 0:58 Jim Cummings and the Recast

• Mark Hamill voices Drake Mallard, the role Jim Cummings originated in 1991.

• Seth Rogen voices Launchpad McQuack and produces through Point Grey Pictures.

• Lizzy Caplan plays Gosalyn Mallard, now older than the kid from the original show.

• New characters join the cast, including Duckie (Lilimar), Firecracker (Kathryn Newton), Pondsy (Tyler Dean Flores), and two cops voiced by Katie Rich and Nat Faxon.

"He's not intelligent, but he has a golden heart. Don't miss that just because you're trying to crack jokes." (Frank)

"Mark Hamill is not a younger man, so it's a bit of an interesting choice." (Frank)

"Jim's got plenty of clout. I think he would have been fine." (Frank)

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline. More at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

Know someone who still yells "Let's get dangerous!" at the TV? Send them this one and tell us with #GeekFreaksPodcast whether Hamill or Cummings should be wearing the purple hat.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcastThreads: https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast

Did Disney make the right call giving Darkwing to Mark Hamill instead of Jim Cummings?Can Seth Rogen play Launchpad without turning him into a stoner comedy bit?

Daredevil: Born Again ends with season 3 on Disney+ in 2027, and the cast got the call two months after cameras stopped rolling. Showrunner Dario Scardapane is also off the show in the middle of post-production, with Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Kingpin all set for the final run.

Season 3 wrapped filming before anyone knew it was the last one, so the finale was likely written with a season 4 in mind. Frank looks at what that means for Matt Murdock's ending, what we know about a season that opens with Matt in jail and the Defenders back together, and how losing a showrunner during the edit echoes the reset that reshaped season 1. He also takes stock of Marvel on Disney+, with Wonder Man losing its second season and VisionQuest closing out a trilogy.

• 0:00 Born Again Ends With Season 3

• 0:15 What We Know About Season 3

• 0:32 Showrunner Exit

• 0:45 The Season 1 Reset

• 0:59 Season 2 Stuck the Landing

• 1:13 Marvel's Thin Disney+ Slate

• 1:34 What's Next for Daredevil

• Season 3 is the last season of Daredevil: Born Again, arriving on Disney+ in 2027.

• Filming wrapped about two months before the cast was told, so the story was probably built to continue.

• Dario Scardapane exits mid post-production, and no one has been named to finish the season.

• Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist return alongside Kingpin, with Matt starting the season behind bars.

• After VisionQuest this fall and Born Again in 2027, Marvel has no other live-action Disney+ series on the calendar.

"I think the second season was fantastic. I think it had a complete arc, and it really felt like a good conclusion." (Frank)

"Right now we have more questions than answers." (Frank)

"There's no way they're not going to use the character, but it's all about where and how." (Frank)

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Variety, TheWrap. More geek news at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

Send this to the friend who has been waiting on a Defenders reunion since 2017, so they hear season 3 is the end before the finale sneaks up on them. #GeekFreaksPodcast

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcast
• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcast
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast

With Matt starting season 3 in jail and the Defenders back, what does a proper Daredevil finale need to include?

Where should Charlie Cox's Daredevil show up next once Born Again is done?

The 12 states suing to block Paramount's takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery have settled, which leaves the Writers Guild of America lawsuit set for March 2, 2027 as the last challenge standing. Frank runs through the terms, including a 30-film theatrical minimum, a $1.5 billion California production commitment, and a third-party editorial adviser for CNN and CBS News.

Paramount has to release 30 movies a year in theaters or pay a penalty for every film it misses, and missing the target also puts its Miramax stake on the line. The company can't move operations out of California after threatening to leave, and it has to keep both the Paramount and Warner Bros. studio lots. Frank still hates the merger, but he thinks the terms are solid for California film workers. Starting October 1, Paramount owes $7 million a day until the deal closes.

• 0:00 The States Settle

• 0:14 The 30 Film Rule

• 0:34 Paramount Stays in California

• 0:46 An Adviser for CNN and CBS News

• 0:58 $1.5 Billion and Both Studio Lots

• 1:08 Miramax on the Line

• 1:30 The $7 Million a Day Clock

• 1:43 The WGA Lawsuit

• The 12-state antitrust case against the Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merger is settled, and the WGA suit going to trial March 2, 2027 is the last legal challenge.

• Paramount has to release 30 theatrical films a year, and Frank thinks the penalty is sized so that making smaller, arthouse-style films in the A24 mold pays off more than skipping them.

• Paramount stays in California, keeps both studio lots, and commits $1.5 billion to California productions across both studios.

• CNN and CBS News get a third-party editorial adviser.

• Paramount owes $7 million a day after October 1 if the deal hasn't closed, and $7 billion if it falls apart.

"As much as I hate this merger and think it's going to be a real detriment to creativity and to jobs and to unions, these are pretty solid terms." Frank

"Younger generations are going out for lower budget, more arthouse films. Those kinds of movies are tailor made for that deal." Frank

"The last bastion of hope that we have to stop this merger is the WGA lawsuit." Frank

Sources: Nerdist, Variety, CNN, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wall Street Journal. Full story at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

If you know someone working in California film or TV, send them this one so they know what Paramount just promised to keep in the state. #GeekFreaksPodcast

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcast
• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcast
• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast

Did the states get enough out of Paramount, or should they have taken it to trial? Can the Writers Guild lawsuit still stop the merger in March?

Batman Day lands on September 19, and Warner Bros. is putting three Batman movies back on big screens for the weekend. Tim Burton's Batman, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, and The LEGO Batman Movie are all screening at Regal, AMC, and Cinemark.

I go through all three and make the case for each one. Michael Keaton's 1989 Batman is the live action version everything after it got measured against. Mask of the Phantasm came out of Batman: The Animated Series with Kevin Conroy in the cowl, and it carries a twist I am not spoiling here. The LEGO Batman Movie is the one people argue about, and I will defend it, Joker included. I also get into why catching a rerelease on a weekday beats a normal showtime.

Chapters:

• 0:00 Batman Day and the Theater Rerelease
• 0:05 Tim Burton's Batman and Michael Keaton
• 0:13 Mask of the Phantasm and Kevin Conroy
• 0:22 Defending The LEGO Batman Movie
• 0:30 Dates, Showtimes, and Rerelease Crowds
• 0:44 Which One You Can Bring Kids To

Takeaways:

• Screenings run September 18 through September 20 at Regal, AMC, and Cinemark, with Batman Day itself on the 19th.
• Mask of the Phantasm has only ever had one theatrical run, which makes this a rare chance to see it projected.
• The LEGO Batman Movie earns its spot in the lineup, and its Joker is the part that gets skipped over.
• Animation does not mean kids movie. Phantasm hinges on a love story that goes to dark places.

"Yes, Lego Batman is a good Batman movie. Well, it's a good movie, and I will stand on this. Very underrated Joker." - Frank

"It's nice because the vibes are different. It's very chill, it's very relaxed. You can go on a Tuesday and it's not a big rush." - Frank

"If you have kids, don't assume Mask of the Phantasm is for them. It's an adult movie." - Frank

Sources: Warner Bros. Discovery Batman Day 2026 announcement, plus showtime listings from Regal, AMC, and Cinemark. More at GeekFreaksPodcast.com.

Send this to the friend who still says The LEGO Batman Movie does not count as a Batman movie, then make them buy the ticket. #GeekFreaksPodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcastThreads: https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast

Which of the three are you buying a ticket for? And if you are seeing Mask of the Phantasm, is this your first time watching it in a theater?

Paramount is developing a Hawaii Five-O movie with Destin Daniel Cretton attached to direct and Bad Boys for Life writer Chris Bremner on the script. Cretton grew up on Maui and is coming off Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which means he can pick almost any job he wants right now.

The project is in the packaging phase, so nothing is closed and no cast or date exists yet. Paramount gets the first swing because CBS made both the 1968 original and the 2010 remake, and the studio has been promising a 30 film theatrical slate, which makes a recognizable action property an easy yes. I get into why hiring a filmmaker from Hawaii matters after the pay fight that hit the remake, where this lands if Paramount passes, and which other old TV shows deserve the same treatment.

• 0:00 Cretton Developing a Hawaii Five-O Movie
• 0:15 Why Paramount Gets It First
• 0:30 The Remake's Pay Problem
• 0:47 Maverick and the Case for TV to Film Revivals

Key takeaways:

• Cretton is developing to direct with Chris Bremner writing. No cast, no release date, no closed deal.
• Paramount is the natural home because CBS produced the 1968 series and the 2010 remake, and the studio is trying to fill a much bigger theatrical slate.
• A director born and raised on Maui reads as a direct answer to the pay equity fight that pushed cast members off the remake.
• Frank's call is that Disney picks this up if Paramount lets it go.

"He's actually from Maui, so he knows Hawaii well." - Frank

"If Paramount is stupid enough to let this pass, Disney will take it." - Frank

"You take a Western and add a Sherlock Holmes, but a scoundrel in the mix. It's a blast." - Frank

Sources: Deadline, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter. Episode notes at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

Know somebody who still hums the Hawaii Five-O theme? Send them this episode and see how they feel about a Cretton version. #GeekFreaksPodcast

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcastThreads https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcastPatreon https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast

Who should play Steve McGarrett? And which old TV show do you want turned into a movie next?

Gen V's Asa Germann is joining Marvel's X-Men as Angel after screen testing for Cyclops. The new mutants probably sit out Avengers: Doomsday, but Sadie Sink, Kit Connor, and Inde Navarrette are strong bets for Secret Wars.

Asa Germann tested for Cyclops before Kit Connor landed the part, and Marvel offered him Warren Worthington III instead. His run as Sam Riordan on Gen V showed he can play a psychologically broken hero, which sets him up well if the MCU gets to Angel's Archangel storyline with Apocalypse. From there the talk turns to where the new X-Men show up first, with Secret Wars looking far more likely than Doomsday, plus some love for Gen V after its cancellation.

• 0:00 Asa Germann Cast as Angel

• 0:17 X-Men in Doomsday or Secret Wars

• 0:30 Gen V Deserved More

• Asa Germann is playing Warren Worthington III, aka Angel, in Marvel's X-Men after testing for Cyclops

• His work as Sam Riordan on Gen V makes him a strong fit for an Archangel storyline with Apocalypse

• Expect the new X-Men to skip Avengers: Doomsday, with Sadie Sink, Kit Connor, and Inde Navarrette the likeliest Secret Wars appearances

• Gen V never matched The Boys but had a lot of potential left when it ended

"We already know that he plays the psychologically broken person well from Gen V, so once Angel does the whole Archangel storyline with Apocalypse, I think he's going to be an extra good fit there." Frank

"I don't think anybody's going to show up in Doomsday, but I bet we're going to get a few of these guys in Secret Wars." Frank

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline. Full story at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

Send this to the Gen V fan in your group chat who still isn't over the cancellation. #GeekFreaksPodcast

• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcast
• Threads https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcast
• Patreon https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast

Is Asa Germann a better fit for Angel than he would have been for Cyclops?Which of the new X-Men do you think turn up in Avengers: Secret Wars?