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About This Episode

David has been drifting on the Covenant colony ship for nine years, and Ridley Scott is finally going back to him. A new Alien movie is in development that picks up after Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, with Prisoners and Raised by Wolves writer Aaron Guzikowski on the script.

Frank breaks down the new Alien project at 20th Century Studios, where Ridley Scott is producing and no director is attached yet. The Hollywood Reporter ties the story back to Michael Fassbender's android David, though Fassbender himself has not signed on. Frank also checks in on the Alien: Romulus sequel, which is sitting in limbo even after Romulus pulled in about $350 million worldwide, leaving David's story as the franchise's next move on the movie side.

Chapters

• 0:00 Ridley Scott's New Alien Movie
• 0:22 Will Fassbender Return as David?
• 0:33 The Romulus Sequel in Limbo

Key Takeaways

• Aaron Guzikowski is writing a new Alien movie that connects to Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, with Ridley Scott producing.
• No director is attached, and Michael Fassbender is not confirmed to return as David.
• The Alien: Romulus sequel is stalled, and this project is separate from it.

Pull Quotes

• "David's been sitting on that colony ship for nine years. Ridley Scott's finally getting back to him." (Frank)

• "Hopefully they get Fassbender back, because I think he does a really good job playing David." (Frank)

• "If Fassbender comes back, I will be very, very happy." (Frank)

Sources

The Hollywood Reporter, GeekFreaksPodcast.com

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Listener Questions

• Should Ridley Scott direct this one himself, or hand David's story to a new director?
• Would you rather see David's next chapter or the Alien: Romulus sequel first?

Jonathan Hickman wrote Time Runs Out and Secret Wars, the comics Marvel Studios is adapting for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Now he says he's been reading the scripts too.

Frank breaks down the Hickman news for anyone who saw the name on Threads and had no idea who he is. Kevin Feige has named Time Runs Out and Secret Wars as the comics behind both films, and Hickman wrote both of them. He says he's been reading Doomsday scripts since early 2024, months before the Russos and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom were announced. Frank also covers his Doom and Fantastic Four work, the comic fan reaction, and how close December 18 is.

• 0:00 Who Is Jonathan Hickman

• 0:19 Hickman and Doctor Doom

• 0:34 Fan Reaction and Release Dates

• Kevin Feige named Time Runs Out and Secret Wars as the comics behind both films, and Hickman wrote both

• Hickman says he's been reading Doomsday scripts since early 2024, months before the Russos and Downey's Doom were announced

• Hickman wrote Fantastic Four and the 2024 Doom one-shot, so he knows the two pieces these films are built around

• Avengers: Doomsday opens December 18, and Avengers: Secret Wars follows on December 17, 2027

• "Jonathan Hickman wrote the comic books that they are basing these movies off of." Frank

• "Hickman knows Doom. He really knows Fantastic Four." Frank

• "For the comic book readers out there, we're like a couple months away, guys." Frank

Sources: Bleeding Cool, Cosmic Book News, GeekFreaksPodcast.com

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Which Hickman book should a non-comic fan read before December: Time Runs Out, Secret Wars, or his Fantastic Four?

Does having the writer of Secret Wars reading the scripts make you more excited for Doomsday?

A live-action Poison Ivy series is in the works with HBO as its target, and The Penguin showrunner Lauren LeFranc is in talks to produce. It won't be set in Matt Reeves' Batman universe, and it lands the same week Clayface hits theaters.

The project is early. No writer or cast is attached yet, and LeFranc would produce rather than write, so Frank pegs it as a 2028 project at the earliest. From there he lays out why Ivy fits the run of Batman villains getting their own stories, from The Penguin and Joker to Clayface, and why the modern eco-terrorist version of Ivy works better than the cartoony plant villain from the old animated series and the 90s movies.

• 0:00 Poison Ivy Series in the Works
• 0:15 Batman Villains Get Their Own Stories
• 0:40 What's Next for Ivy

Key takeaways:

• Lauren LeFranc is in talks to produce the Poison Ivy series, not write it
• The show won't be part of Matt Reeves' Batman universe
• No writer or cast is attached yet, and Frank expects a 2028 arrival at the earliest
• Ivy follows The Penguin, Joker, and Clayface as Batman villains with their own projects

"Poison Ivy is easy. Slam dunk." - Frank

"The current version of Ivy is the best version." - Frank

"This is a great DC character to get a story." - Frank

Source: Deadline

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Who would you cast as a live-action Poison Ivy?

Should her series stay outside Matt Reeves' Gotham, or would you rather see her in it?

Sony Pictures picked up the live-action film rights to D'Orc, Brett Bean's breakout Image Comics series about a half orc, half dwarf the whole world wants dead. Bean is writing the script himself, and I break down how this one could end up on Netflix.

D'Orc launched in February, sold out before its first issue hit shelves, and is now on an eighth printing of issue one. I walk through who D'Orc is, why Bean adapting his own book is the best part of the announcement, and how Sony's pay 1 deal with Netflix puts the movie on the streamer after its theatrical run. Then the hard part: a talking eyeball shield and a ghost chicken in live action, and why Netflix's record with Locke & Key, Sweet Tooth, and The Umbrella Academy gives me some confidence.

• 0:00 Sony Lands D'Orc

• 0:13 Brett Bean Writes the Script

• 0:32 Can Live Action Work?

• 0:49 Netflix and Quirky Comics

• Sony owns the live-action film rights to D'Orc, and creator Brett Bean is attached to write the screenplay.

• Sony films go to Netflix after their theatrical and home video windows, and that deal expands worldwide starting later this year.

• No director, cast, or release window has been announced yet.

"He's the one who wrote the book, so it's in the creator's hands." Frank

"Live action D'Orc is going to be really hard to do. There's this shield with an eyeball, there's a ghost chicken." Frank

"You are talented and I cannot wait to see what you do with this opportunity." Frank

Sources: Deadline, ComicsBeat, Image Comics. More at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

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Should D'Orc be live action at all, or would animation serve the book better?Who would you cast as the voice of the shield?

EA is closing BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Knights of the Old Republic. The next Mass Effect is cancelled, and nobody is left to make another Dragon Age.

EA announced the closure today as part of a restructuring that cuts about 3% of its workforce, roughly 400 jobs. It is the company's first big move since going private this summer. BioWare was already down to a small team working only on Mass Effect, after the Dragon Age crew moved over to it. The closure follows a year of shutdowns that took Anthem's servers offline in January and ended Dragon Age: Inquisition's co-op in April. I also get into whether Mass Effect and Dragon Age could land with another developer, and how long that might take.

• 0:00 EA Is Closing BioWare
• 0:10 Mass Effect Cancelled, Dragon Age Stranded
• 0:21 EA Cuts 400 Jobs
• 0:36 Anthem, Inquisition, and What's Next

Key takeaways

• BioWare is closing along with its Edmonton office.
• The next Mass Effect, still in early development, is cancelled.
• EA is laying off about 3% of its staff, around 400 people, in its first major move since going private.
• Mass Effect and Dragon Age stay with EA for now, with no word on a sale or a new studio.

"This is a legendary game studio. Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Knights of the Old Republic." (Frank)

"Mass Effect and Dragon Age are really successful titles. They could find new developers." (Frank)

"I just don't think we're going to see anything like that for ten years." (Frank)

Source: Variety, EA internal memo from Cam Weber and David Tinson, October 21, 2026. More at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

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Which studio would you hand Mass Effect to if EA sold it?What was the first BioWare game you played?

Ryan Coogler's X-Files is going to series at Hulu, with Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel leading as two brand new FBI agents. Frank runs through the logline, clears up the Mulder and Scully question, and tells the story of the kid who changed the channel every time that theme song started.

Episode Summary

Coogler, the director behind Black Panther and Sinners, wrote and directed the pilot, and Hulu has now ordered the full series. Deadwyler and Patel play two highly decorated FBI agents with very different styles who get stuck together in a long-shuttered division for unexplained cases. They are new characters, not recasts. Frank also remembers watching the original on a 13 inch TV in his bedroom, and why Coogler's promise of truly scary episodes sounds better to him now than it would have back then.

Chapters

• 0:00 Coogler's X-Files Lands at Hulu
• 0:11 New Agents, Not Mulder and Scully
• 0:25 Scared Off by the Theme Song
• 0:37 Coogler Promises Scary Episodes

Key Takeaways

• Hulu ordered Ryan Coogler's X-Files to series, with Coogler writing and directing the pilot.
• Danielle Deadwyler and Himesh Patel play new FBI agents assigned to a shuttered division for unexplained cases.
• Coogler has said some episodes will be "really f***ing scary" if the team does its job right.

Pull Quotes

• "I had a 13 inch TV in my room, which was pretty good at the time, and when I heard that theme song I was like, nope." (Frank)

• "That's what I want to hear. As an adult, I'm very much on board with the scary episodes now." (Frank)

Sources

GeekFreaksPodcast.com, TheWrap, The Playlist

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Listener Questions

Which X-Files episode scared you the most as a kid? Would you want Mulder and Scully to show up in Coogler's version, or should the new agents carry it on their own?

Constantine 2 is still in development, with Keanu Reeves, Francis Lawrence and Akiva Goldsman attached since 2022 and no release date in sight. I make the case for DC moving on from Keanu and handing John Constantine to the team behind The Sandman.

The update out of New York Comic Con keeps Constantine 2 alive, but four years without a date has me calling it DC's version of Marvel's Blade. I liked the 2005 movie and don't need a sequel to it. The NBC series got closer to the character, and a new take could open up the magic side of DC with Etrigan, Zatanna and Doctor Fate. For anyone who wants Constantine now, I point to Tom Taylor's Dark Knights of Steel, where he plays Merlin to Prince Superman and Prince Batman.

• 0:00 Constantine 2 Is Still Happening

• 0:10 Attached Since 2022

• 0:19 Moving On From Keanu

• 0:30 Give It to the Sandman Team

• 0:40 Etrigan, Zatanna and Doctor Fate

• 0:55 Dark Knights of Steel

• Constantine 2 is confirmed as still in development, with no release date.

• Keanu Reeves, Francis Lawrence and Akiva Goldsman have been attached since 2022.

• I'd rather see a recast Constantine built alongside Etrigan, Zatanna and Doctor Fate than a direct sequel to the 2005 film.

• Dark Knights of Steel by Tom Taylor casts Constantine as a Merlin figure balancing warring kingdoms.

"I have a feeling this is DC's Blade. It's going to be still happening until eventually it's not happening anymore." (Frank)

"I like that first movie. I don't need another one. But I do want more Constantine." (Frank)

"Think of Constantine as your Merlin character in a Middle Ages type story where Superman and Batman are princes." (Frank)

Sources: New York Comic Con 2026, Inverse, The Independent. More at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

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Are you holding out for Keanu Reeves in Constantine 2, or is it time for a new actor?Who should DC cast as John Constantine if they recast?

Craig Zobel, who directed the first three episodes of The Penguin, is making Something Is Killing the Children for Blumhouse. Erica Slaughter is headed to live action, and the script is being described as a "firehose of blood."

Blumhouse named Zobel as director of its Something Is Killing the Children film at its Blumfest panel during New York Comic Con. He already made The Hunt with the studio, and his Penguin episodes built the grimy, rotten Gotham that a story set in Archer's Peak needs. Netflix had the property first and walked away, so Blumhouse decides where the movie lands, and a theatrical run before streaming looks likely. If your comic pull list stops at Marvel and DC, the James Tynion IV and Werther Dell'Edera series has plenty of issues to catch up on.

• 0:00 Craig Zobel Directs
• 0:12 A Firehose of Blood
• 0:30 Netflix Out, Blumhouse In

Key takeaways:

• Craig Zobel directs the live-action Something Is Killing the Children film for Blumhouse.
• Zobel directed the first three episodes of The Penguin and made The Hunt with Blumhouse.
• The script is being described as a "firehose of blood," so expect a grimy, visceral R-rated horror movie.
• Netflix dropped its version, and Blumhouse is expected to take the film to theaters before finding a streaming home.

"He's got the ability to set up that grimy world." Frank

"If you're looking for a really interesting story in comic books that's not Marvel or DC, Something Is Killing the Children has many issues out. Check it out." Frank

Sources: TheWrap, Variety, A.V. Club, Bloody Disgusting. More at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

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Is Craig Zobel the right director to bring Erica Slaughter to the screen?Would Something Is Killing the Children work better as a theatrical horror movie or as the series Netflix passed on?

VisionQuest premieres on Disney+ October 14 with two episodes, and I'm catching you up before it drops. I walk Vision from Ultron's lab in Age of Ultron through WandaVision and Agatha All Along, then lay out my theory for how White Vision gets his emotions back.

Ultron built the body, Jarvis and the Mind Stone made Vision, and Infinity War took him out for that stone. S.W.O.R.D. rebuilt him as White Vision while Wanda's hex gave him a home and two sons, Billy and Tommy. Agatha All Along confirmed both boys found bodies, and the VisionQuest trailers show Tommy searching for his father. With Ultron stored away in Vision's mind, I think the series turns on fatherhood, and protecting Tommy is the moment his memories and emotions finally connect.

• 0:00 Release Schedule
• 0:17 Ultron Builds Vision
• 0:34 White Vision and WandaVision
• 0:56 Billy and Tommy Return
• 1:13 Ultron in Vision's Mind
• 1:33 Fathers and Sons Theory
• 1:54 Possible Cameos
• 2:15 Premiere Night

Key takeaways

• VisionQuest releases two episodes a week on October 14, 21, and 28, then single episodes November 4 and 11.
• Ultron is in Vision's mind, either left over from the upload into the body or absorbed at the end of Age of Ultron.
• Tommy is looking for his dad in the trailers, while Billy and Agatha are out looking for Tommy.
• Wanda is supposed to be dead, and Frank expects her back in Avengers: Doomsday more than in VisionQuest.

"Ultron being the father of Vision, and Vision being the father of Tommy and Billy. I actually think that's going to be the crux of the entire series." Frank

"The thing that will finally connect emotion to memory is when he's going to innately want to protect Tommy, probably from Vision himself." Frank

"He's going to click, like, oh yeah, I would only do that if I loved my son." Frank

Sources: Disney+ and Marvel Studios release schedule announcements. More at GeekFreaksPodcast.com

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Does Wanda show up in VisionQuest, or is Marvel saving her for Avengers: Doomsday?What finally brings White Vision's emotions back, Tommy or Ultron?

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

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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?