The Geek Generation

Host: Rob Logan

316 – Felicia Day

Show notes:

Host: Rob Logan

315 – San Diego Comic Con and D23 Expo 2019

Show notes:

News/discussion:

Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been revealed

The Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic Con delivered in a major way with announcements for the bulk of Phase 4, including release dates and casting.

D23 Expo reveals more details about upcoming Marvel projects

Additional announcements included Eternals, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, WandaVision, Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, She-Hulk, and Black Panther 2.

CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths gets even bigger with casting announcements

Guest stars include Tyler Hoechlin, Elizabeth Tulloch, and Jon Cryer reprising their roles as Superman, Lois Lane, and Lex Luthor, LaMonica Garret as the Monitor and Anti-Monitor, Tom Cavanagh as Pariah, Brandon Routh as the Kingdom Come version of Superman, Cress Williams as Black Lightning, Burt Ward in an unspecified role, and Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne from the future.

Ewan McGregor confirmed for Obi-Wan series on Disney+

Ewan McGregor has confirmed that he will be reprising the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi for a Disney+ series centered around the iconic Jedi. While shooting is set to begin in 2020, no release date has yet been set for its premiere.

Season three of The Orville to stream exclusively on Hulu in 2020

Seth MacFarlane’s homage to Star Trek, The Orville, will make the jump from traditional television to Hulu for the show’s upcoming third season. MacFarlane explained that as the show has evolved and become more ambitious, he wouldn’t be able to deliver the third season until 2020, which was inconvenient for FOX.

DC Universe renews Young Justice and Doom Patrol

The live-action series Doom Patrol has been renewed for a second season on DC Universe, but will also simultaneously release on WarnerMedia’s forthcoming streaming service, HBO Max. Young Justice has also been renewed, with the fourth season to release exclusively on DC Universe.

Season 4 of The Expanse will premiere on December 13th

Amazon has revealed that Season 4 of The Expanse, the first since acquiring the show from Syfy, will premiere on Prime Video on December 13th, 2019. Additionally, it was announced during the Television Critics Association summer press tour that the show has already been renewed for Season 5.

Garfield getting a new series on December 13th

Following the acquisition of Paws, Inc., the rightsholder to the beloved lasagna-eating cat, Viacom has announced that a new series surrounding the long-running comic strip character Garfield is in the works at Nickelodeon.

Originally created by Jim Davis in 1978 as a comic strip in newspapers, the orange cat has become a media phenomenon in the years since, with numerous TV series and specials being spawned featuring Lorenzo Music voicing the titular character, as well as two live-action/CGI hybrid films with Bill Murray lending his voice. While the animated series is in the works, Davis will continue to produce the syndicated comic strip.

Disney reveals Raya and the Last Dragon

Walt Disney Animation Studios has revealed their next feature film as Raya and the Last Dragon, a new story inspired by the culture of Southeast Asia and regions including Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Laos. Directed by Paul Briggs & Dean Wellins and written by Crazy Rich Asians screenwriter Adele Lim, the film stars Cassie Steele as the voice of Raya with Awkwafina voicing the dragon Sisu.

In the film, a lone warrior from the fantasy kingdom of Kumandra teams up with a crew of misfits in her quest to find the Last Dragon and bring light and unity back to their world. Raya and the Last Dragon will be released in theaters on November 26, 2020.

Host: Rob Logan

314 – Jonesing for the Fractured Throne

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Batman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Getting a star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of the highest honors that someone in the entertainment industry can achieve. Even fictional characters can be recognized for their contributions to pop culture. Current stars in this category belong to Snoopy, Godzilla, Kermit the Frog, and The Simpsons. Next year, on the heels of his 80th anniversary, Batman will be the first comic book superhero to receive a star. He’ll join other 2020 inductees like Julia Roberts, Spike Lee, Chris Hemsworth, Laurence Fishburne, and Andy Kaufman, among others.

Paul Rudd joins the cast of Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters

Sony Pictures has announced that Paul Rudd will star in Jason Reitman’s upcoming Ghostbusters movie. Official plot details have not yet been released, but according to Variety, the story will be an extension of the original Ghostbusters and focus on a single mom and her family, with Carrie Coon as the mother, Finn Wolfhard playing her son, and McKenna Grace playing her daughter.

Additionally, Sigourney Weaver recently said that she would be reprising her role of Dana Barrett, and the original cast would also return for the sequel, though it’s unknown how prominent their roles will be.

Tom Holland’s Uncharted movie set for December 2020 release

Uncharted, the movie adaptation of the hit video game franchise starring Tom Holland as Nathan Drake, has been given a December 18, 2020 release date. The movie will serve as a prequel to the game series, taking its basis from the sequence in Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception wherein the young thief first encounters his partner Victor Sullivan and, in essence, sets up the events of the entire game franchise.

Pixar announces new animated feature titled Soul

Pixar has announced their next animated feature, titled Soul. Set to hit theaters in June of 2020, the official tagline reads, “Ever wonder where your passion, your dreams, and your interests come from? What is it that makes you… YOU? In 2020, Pixar Animation Studios takes you on a journey from the streets of New York City to the cosmic realms to discover the answers to life’s most important questions.”

Soul will be hitting theaters just four months after the next Pixar release, Onward, which is due out March 6, 2020 and is the studios first original film since 2017’s Coco. Onward stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt, who play teenage elf brothers who embark on a quest to find the last remaining magic in the world in the hopes of spending time with their dead father.

John Cena joins the cast of Fast and Furious 9

Universal has officially announced that John Cena has been cast to join Fast & Furious 9. While character details are currently under wraps, the only word is that he’ll be playing “a badass.” The film is set for release on May 22, 2020.

Final Fantasy being adapted for television

The long-running, role-playing video game franchise Final Fantasy is being developed for television. Sony Pictures Television, Square Enix, and production company Hivemind will produce the live-action TV series, which will center on an original story set in the world of Eorzea, first introduced in the online game Final Fantasy 14. Hivemind produces The Expance for Amazon and is currently working on Netflix’s upcoming series The Witcher.

The new show will incorporate characters and elements from across the Final Fantasy franchise, which spans 32 years, 15 numbered entries in the main series, and over three dozen individual titles. While specific details about the plot remain under lock and key, it will explore “the struggle between magic and technology in a quest to bring peace to a land in conflict.” Final Fantasy hallmarks such as magic, airships and, of course, Chocobos, will all be included in the upcoming series. Familiar faces and names (including a version of Cid) will make appearances.

Punky Brewster sequel series in development

Universal is currently developing a sequel series to the 80’s television hit Punky Brewster, with Soleil Moon Frye on board to reprise the title role. The original series ran from 1984 to 1988 and starred Frye as a young girl growing up with foster father Henry Warnimont. In the potential follow-up series, Punky is now a single mother of three trying to get her life back on track when she meets a young girl who reminds her a lot of her younger self.

Host: Rob Logan

313 – Troy Baker and Nolan North, Retro Replay

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Star Trek: Picard is the title of Patrick Stewart’s upcoming Trek series

CBS has revealed, at their recent upfronts, the title for Patrick Stewart’s upcoming series, Star Trek: Picard. Reprising his role as the venerable Captain Jean-Luc Picard, which he played for seven seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation, the series will follow the iconic character in the next chapter of his life.

The CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths will unite 5 shows

Originally announced at the tail-end of last year’s crossover event, The CW has given more details on its upcoming Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. This time, the entire Arrowverse will take part in the story. Of course, Arrow and The Flash will be included, in addition to Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and the recently ordered Batwoman who debuted in last year’s Elseworlds event. Three episodes will air in December with the two concluding episodes arriving in January.

Ghost Rider series coming to Hulu

Gabriel Luna is once again suiting up as Marvel’s Ghost Rider, but this time for Hulu in the character’s own series. Despite Luna having previously played Ghost Rider on Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, sources stress that this will be a completely new iteration of the character in no way connected to the Agents of SHIELD storyline.

The Orville renewed for Season 3 by FOX

Though they waited till what seemed like the last possible minute, Seth MacFarlane’s sci-fi series The Orville will return for a third season on Fox. The renewal was not unexpected, as the third season was approved for a $15.8 million tax credit, as well as receiving strong support from the network. Created, written by, and starring MacFarlane, the show, set 400 years in the future, follows the adventures of the USS Orville, as its human and alien crew tackles the battles, politics, and workplace drama of galactic travel.

Rick and Morty set for season 4 this November

Adult Swim has announced that Rick and Morty are… well… I’ll just let them tell you. Co-creators Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon will return for the fourth season, of which no other details have been released.

Masters of the Universe set for 2021 release

Originally slated for this year’s Christmas season, Sony Pictures and Mattel Films have set a release date of March 5, 2021 for Masters of the Universe. Noah Centineo is set to play He-Man in the live action adaptation to be directed by Adam and Aaron Nee.

Mortal Kombat reboot set for 2021

Warner Bros. has announced that the upcoming James Wan-produced reboot of Mortal Kombat will be released on March 5, 2021.

Host: Rob Logan

312 – Avengers: Endgame

Show notes:

Host: Rob Logan

311 – Welcome to the Network

Show notes:

News/discussion:

Disney reinstates director James Gunn for Guardians of the Galaxy 3

After previously being fired for comments on social media made over a decade ago, Disney has reversed their prior decision and has reinstated James Gunn as the writer-director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Marvel Studios has agreed to commence production on Guardians of the Galaxy 3 after Gunn completes Suicide Squad 2, a job he took when he was initially released from the project

Idris Elba to replace Will Smith in Suicide Squad sequel

Idris Elba is in talks to replace Will Smith in the Suicide Squad sequel being put together by filmmaker James Gunn and Warner Bros. This follows the recent news that Smith had to back out due to schedule conflicts.

The CW announces that Arrow will end with Season 8

In a surprise announcement, The CW has revealed that Arrow’s upcoming eighth season will be its last. Lead actor Stephen Amell reflected on the news in a recent tweet, saying,

The announcement was followed by an official statement from series producers Greg Berlanti, Marg Guggenheim, and Beth Schwartz: “This was a difficult decision to come to, but like every hard decision we’ve made for the past seven years, it was with the best interests of Arrow in mind. We’re heartened by the fact that Arrow has birthed an entire universe of shows that will continue on for many years to come. We’re excited about crafting a conclusion that honors the show, its characters and its legacy and are grateful to all the writers, producers, actors, and — more importantly — the incredible crew that has sustained us and the show for over seven years.”

Marvel Studios producing “What If” animated series for Disney+

According to SlashFilm, Marvel Studios will be producing a new animated television series for Disney+ based on the popular What If comic book series. Like the comics, this animated anthology series will provide stories that explore how the Marvel Cinematic Universe might have unfolded if key moments in its history had not occurred as they did in recognized canon. For example, one of the episodes will adapt What If? Vol.1 #47, which explored the idea of “What if Loki had found the hammer of Thor?”

The idea is that they could potentially have some of the main actors from the live-action MCU movies reprise their roles in the animated series, which would imagine alternate possibilities from another dimension. The time commitment for voice acting is a whole lot less than for live-action productions, which could accommodate some of the biggest Marvel talent. The series would function as an anthology, just like the comic book series, with each episode tackling a different premise

Amazon confirms the setting of its Lord of the Rings series

A recent tweet from Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings series has confirmed the time period it will take place in, saying, “Welcome to the Second Age.” The Second Age is also known as “The Age of Númenor,” and the island of the same name is shown in the bottom left corner of the map included in the same tweet.

Númenor is considered a mythic lost city of men in the world of Middle-earth, one established on an island in the Great Sea that had been destroyed for thousands of years by the time of Frodo and Aragorn. In The Second Age, according to Tolkien lore, it was said that the island was brought up from the ocean as a gift to men by the Valar (the gods of Middle-earth). The kingdom would later fall after they defy the laws of the deities.

The Second Age also sees the development of the Elven City of Rivendell, the Dark Lord Sauron famously forging the dark Ring of Power, and the races of elves, men, and dwarves all uniting to fight him for the first. This period spans about 3,441 years, so there’s a lot of ground to potentially cover

HBO cancels Crashing

HBO has decided not to renew the Pete Holmes-starring comedy series Crashing for a fourth season. The news, which was officially confirmed by HBO on Friday, was initially announced by executive producer Judd Apatow on a recent episode of Conan.

Host: Rob Logan

310 – Don’t Shame Me

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Jason Reitman to direct Ghostbusters

Academy Award nominee Jason Reitman will direct and co-write a new Ghostbusters movie, which will be set in the same universe as the first two films, ignoring 2016’s attempt at a Ghostbusters movie. Ivan Reitman, Jason’s father and director of the first two Ghostbusters movies, will produce. Reitman said of the movie, “I’ve always thought of myself as the first Ghostbusters fan, when I was a 6-year-old visiting the set. I wanted to make a movie for all the other fans. This is the next chapter in the original franchise. It is not a reboot. What happened in the ‘80s happened in the ‘80s, and this is set in the present day.” The film is set for release on July 10, 2020.

The Punisher and Jessica Jones canceled at Netflix

Marvel’s The Punisher and Jessica Jones has unsurprisingly been canceled at Netflix. The announcement follows in the footsteps of the previous cancellations of Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Daredevil. The upcoming third season of Jessica Jones will still be released, serving as the show’s final season and ending Marvel’s multi-series run on the streaming service that began in 2013.

Chris Hemsworth to play Hulk Hogan in upcoming biopic

Chris Hemsworth is set to portray wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan in a biopic that reunites director Todd Philips and writer Scott Silver of the upcoming DC Comics movie The Joker. The film will focus on the rise of the wrestling icon and is described as an origin story of the Hulkster and Hulkamania. Wrestling fans will be happy to know that Terry Bollea, aka Hulk Hogan himself, will act as a consultant and executive producer on the movie, as will Eric Bischoff.

Will Smith not returning for Suicide Squad sequel

According to Variety, Will Smith will not be returning for the upcoming Suicide Squad sequel. Sources say scheduling was the ultimate factor and that the decision was made on amicable terms between both sides with no hard feelings. Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, who was brought on the project after being dropped by Disney for past tweets, is hoping to start production this fall. The release date is currently set for August 6th, 2021.

Star Trek: Discovery renewed for Season 3

Star Trek: Discovery has been renewed for a third season at CBS All Access. Michelle Paradise will serve as a new co-showrunner alongside producer Alex Kurtzman for Season 3. Kurtzman said of his co-showrunner, “Michelle joined us midway through season two and energized the room with her ferocious knowledge of Trek. Her grasp of character and story detail, her drive and her focus have already become essential in ensuring the Trek legacy, and her fresh perspective always keeps us looking forward.”

Another Walking Dead spin-off in development at AMC

During a quarterly earnings call with Wall Street Analysts, AMC COO Ed Carroll confirmed that the network is actively developing another spin-off of The Walking Dead. Carroll stated, “We’re not at a stage where we’ll be announcing its plans to premiere. But we have hired creative people that have pitched story outlines. We feel very good about the development of that series. We’re not in a position to talk about partnerships in terms of other territories or ancillary windows, other than that there’s a healthy appetite for it and we’ve had a number of conversations with a lot of players in the space.

Into the Badlands canceled at AMC

AMC has also announced the cancelation of its post-apocalyptic series Into the Badlands. The show will conclude its run after the final eight episodes of its current third season.

Host: Rob Logan

309 – Die Hard Christmas Debate

Show notes:

Host: Rob Logan

IMDBabble – Bruce Willis w/ Silenced_Knight

In this special bonus episode, Rob is joined by Silenced_Knight to discuss the film career of Bruce Willis.

Follow along with us on Bruce Willis’s IMDb page.

Get more bonus episodes like this by becoming a supporter on our Patreon page.

Host: Rob Logan

308 – Venomous Titans

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Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jurnee Smollett-Bell join Birds of Prey

Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jurnee Smollett-Bell have joined the cast of Warner Bros. Pictures’ Birds of Prey movie. Winstead has been cast as Huntress, while Smollet-Bell will play Black Canary. The two join Margot Robbie, who is set to reprise her role of Harley Quinn as the film’s antagonist. Birds of Prey is currently scheduled for a release on February 7, 2020.

Boba Fett film cancelled by Lucasfilm

According to Critics Choice Association reporter Erick Weber, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has confirmed that there are no longer plans to move forward with the Boba Fett movie. Rumored to be a result of the underwhelming box office for Solo, efforts are shifting to focus on Jon Favreau’s upcoming series The Mandalorian, which is set to hit Disney’s streaming service in 2019.

CBS All Access orders Star Trek: Lower Decks cartoon

CBS All Access has given a two season order to Star Trek: Lower Decks, a half-hour cartoon series from Mike McMahan. The series will focus on the support crew serving one of Starfleet’s least important ships. Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman said of McMahon, “Mike won our hearts with his first sentence: “I want to do a show about the people who put the yellow cartridge in the food replicator so a banana can come out the other end.” McMahon said of the announcement: “As a life-long Trekkie, it’s a surreal and wonderful dream come true to be a part of this new era of ‘Star Trek. ‘While ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ is a half-hour, animated show at its core, it’s undeniably ‘Trek’ — and I promise not to add an episode at the very end that reveals the whole thing took place in a training program.”

Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans will bring back the original animated team

A mid-credits scene in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies hinted at the return of the original animated incarnation of the team, leading many to wonder if a resurgence of the beloved series was on the way. That may or may not be the case, but what we do know is that they’ll at least be back for the upcoming project titled Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans. Earlier this week, a brief teaser trailer leaked and made the rounds on the internet, purporting to be from the upcoming Blu-ray and DVD release of Go! To the Movies. io9 confirmed with Warner Bros. that Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans will launch in 2019, though we don’t know what form that will take – whether it’s a second animated movie, a crossover episode of Go!, a direct-to-video release, or something else entirely.

Michael B. Jordan to star in Tom Clancy film series

Michael B. Jordan has signed on for a leading role in Paramount Pictures’ upcoming film adaptations of Tom Clancy’s thriller novels Rainbow Six and Without Remorse. Also set to serve as a producer, Jordan will play the role of Clancy hero John Clark, a recurring character in Clancy’s novels. Clark is an ex-Navy Seal who became a CIA operations officer. At first, he was a secondary character who helped Jack Ryan’s missions, but the novel Without Remorse made him the lead and told his origin. Clark has since appeared in over 17 novels.”

Brec Bassinger cast as Stargirl for the DC Universe series

Brec Bassinger, best known for her role in School of Rock, has been cast as Courtney Whitmore, aka Stargirl, for the forthcoming Stargirl series on DC Universe. Executive produced by Geoff Johns – who created the character in 1999 and based her on his sister, who died in a plane crash in 1996 – the series follows Courtney, a high school sophomore, as she inspires a group of young heroes to fight villains from the past.

The character description for the series is as follows: “Courtney Whitmore is smart, athletic and above all else kind. This high school teenager’s seemingly perfect life hits a major speedbump when her mother gets married and her new family moves from Los Angeles, California to Blue Valley, Nebraska. Struggling to adapt to a new school, make new friends and deal with a new step-family, Courtney discovers her step-father has a secret; he used to be the sidekick to a superhero. “Borrowing” the long-lost hero’s cosmic staff, Courtney becomes the unlikely inspiration for an entirely new generation of superheroes.”

Clueless remake in development

A remake of Clueless is in the works at Paramount with Glow writer Marquita Robinson penning the script. With the movie in early development, details are minimal in regards to the direction it will take and whether cast members from the original will make an appearance. The 1995 film is a cult Gen X classic that provided a satirical window into the Beverly Hills high school scene of the day. The movie put a number of young actors on the map, including Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Breckin Meyer, Jeremy Sisto, Stacey Dash, and Brittany Murphy. In the past, the movie had spawned a TV series that initially launched on ABC for one season before moving over to Paramount’s former UPN network for two seasons.

The news follows the recent headlines about the Clueless musical making its debut on Off Broadway. Previews of the musical begin on November 20th and it opens shortly after on December 11th.

Friday the 13th reboot in development from Lebron James

Friday the 13th is up next on the chopping block for potential rebooting, with Vertigo Entertainment and LeBron James’ SpringHill Entertainment producing the new iteration. There are a number of potential problems however, as a recent legal decision returned rights of the original screenplay to Victor Miller. Miller successfully retained all the elements to his original screenplay, save for one scene involving a motorcycle police officer. There were also some legal hiccups involving ownership of the Jason Vorhees character who appeared in the sequels, but was absent from the original film. In any event, Miller will control the rights in the U.S. while the producers of the series and Warner Bros. control certain international territories. No writer or director is currently on board.

Pokemon Go will track your activity without launching the app

Niantic is launching a feature for Pokemon Go called Adventure Sync, which will allow users to sync with Google Fit and iOS’s HealthKit to translate steps into game progress without having the Pokemon Go app open or using a smartwatch. The feature will be available soon, allowing players to get more Pokemon candy, see more efficient egg hatching, and earn weekly milestones.