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Articles by Justin Carter
DC Drops Variant Cover Artist After Alleged AI Use
If you read comics, you know the market is partially built on issues with variant covers drawn by different artists to entice collectors to snatch up any issue they can. This is particularly true for Marvel and DC Comics, and it’s now that latter that’s found itself pulling some of those variants entirely. Last week, DC released its full solicitations for the month of September, and many noted the lack of covers from Francesco Mattina.
Thank God(zilla) the MonsterVerse Exists
This year’s a big one for Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures’ MonsterVerse: the Godzilla film that kicked off the whole shebang turned 10 earlier in May, andits direct sequel Godzilla: King of the Monsters has now hit the five-year mark. The newest MonsterVerse entry, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, came out in late March and is both 2024’s second-highest grossing film so far and also the highest-grossing film for the entire Godzilla brand.
Kerry Condon Had a Blast Making Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
It’s been a minute since we’ve last heard anything about Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, hasn’t it? The series from Spider-Man: Homecoming director Jon Watts was first teased in 2022, and save for details and footage provided during last year’s Star Wars Celebration, there’s been no real mention of it since. But according to star Kerry Condon, it was a pretty fun show to make. In a recent interview with Variety, she was briefly asked about it.
Frozen Empire's Surprise Star on Changing the Series' Ghost Rules
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empirehas a lot of characters it’s juggling, and one of the most important wasn’t even actually in the film’s marketing. That would be Melody, played by Gossip Girl’s Emily Alyn Lind, a 16-year-old who quickly strikes up a friendship with McKenna Grace’s Phoebe Spengler. The twist? She’s a ghost forced to stay on Earth until she finds a way to reunite with her family on the other side.
Kristen Stewart is Pretty Sure She Doesn't Have a Future in the MCU
In the last couple of years, it feels like more big name actors have come into the MCU rather than relative unknowns and rising stars. From Harrison Ford to Oscar Isaac and Aubrey Plaza, anyone’s up for grabs these days—unless you’re Kristen Stewart, that is. Guesting on the “Not Skinny but Not Fat” podcast, the Love Lies Bleeding star was pretty frank in not having any interest in suiting up anytime soon. “It sounds like a fucking nightmare,” she said.
My Adventures With Superman Will Fly to Comics in June
Adult Swim’s My Adventures with Superman was a pleasant surprise when dropped in last year, and one of DC’s best animated outings in some time. Audiences really seemed to get on board with the romcom antics of Superman and Lois Lane, and DC’s taking advantage of that momentum by giving it its own comic miniseries. Revealed earlier in the week, the similarly titled comic will be set after the finale of season one and the premiere of the eventual second season.
Jurassic League, a Movie-Ready Concept, May Be DC's Next Animated Film
Over two years ago, DC Comics revealed a new miniseries titled Jurassic League from Daniel Warren Johnson and Juan Gedeon. The idea is right there in the title—what if the Justice League were anthropomorphic dinosaurs and fought their classic villains, who are also dinosaurs? It sounds like an idea perfect for a movie at some point, and now that might be coming in the near future. Per Jeff Sneider, Warner Bros.
Batman Beyond Shouldn't Have to Beg for a Movie
Earlier in the week, My Dad the Bounty Hunter creator Patrick Harpin and Yuhki Demers, a visual artist on Sony Animation’s Spider-Verse films, revealed their concept art for an animated Batman Beyond movie they’re trying to get made. They’re both fully aware nothing might come of this, and talks are still happening.
Evan Rachel Wood, Like Most of Us, Wishes Westworld Got a Proper Ending
The cancellation of Westworld in 2022 came as a shock for multiple reasons. HBO’s marquis lineup of prestige dramas have generally gotten to end on their own terms, and the sci-fi show seemed like it was hoping for one last season to tie everything together. Instead, we’re left with questions about how things could’ve gone, something even its cast is still wondering about.
Despite Scream Firing, Melissa Barrera Wants More Horror in Her Life
Just a few months ago, actor Melissa Barrera was fired from Scream 7 over her pro-Palestinian stance in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The shockwave of that firing has basically upended that franchise in various ways, while Barrera herself has been focused on doing promo for her next film, the upcoming horror musical Your Monster. At Sundance earlier in the week to premiere her new flick, she told the Associated Press she was glad for the experience, in a way.
Daredevil's New Show May Reunite Its Original Trio
The upcoming Daredevil: Born Again series may have been fully reborn on a casting level. Along with leading man Charlie Cox, both Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson may be set to reprise their respective roles as his friends/coworkers, Karen Page and Foggy Nelson. Per Jeff Sneider, both of the Netflix Marvel actors will be coming back for Born Again, though it’s presently unclear as to what capacity.
Midnight Suns Is Marvel Messiness Worth Coming Back To
Firaxis and 2K’s Marvel’s Midnight Suns was one of my favourite games of 2022, but it ended up falling by the wayside in 2023. Amid a deluge of great games and a busy year, it was hard to carve time out for the tactical RPG. But as 2023 wound down and with 2024 just days into being, I’ve come back to the game and found myself easily re-charmed by what seemed like a fairly unconventional game.
Batman Returns Writer Talks Plans for Scrapped Catwoman Spinoff
Before and particularly after the movie starring Halle Berry, it appears to be a rule that you don’t have Catwoman in a live-action movie without Batman getting top billing. But that wasn’t always the case—back in 2018, we learned the thief very nearly got her own spinoff film where she would’ve been played by Michelle Pfeiffer after the release of Batman Returns in 1992. During a recent Q&A, Returns writer Daniel Waters shed some light on his plans for the scrapped movie.
Twitter Was 2023's Best Movie Theater
Whatever else you can say about X, previously known as Twitter, it’s never really boring. The 17-year-old social media site that we’ve stuck around with always has something going on; in the best cases, it can be either funny or so odd that you can’t help but laugh. Case in point: throughout 2023, Twitter users decided to post entire movies on the site. Sometimes they were split into multiple parts, other times it was an entire movie in a single post.
Survivor's Writers on Giving Cal a Scene-Stealing Counterpart
Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi games are firmly embedded in the years before the original trilogy, and keep the focus on a core cast of wholly new heroes and villains. It’s what made Star Wars Jedi: Survivor from earlier this year so excellent: the games take advantage of that relative freedom from the timeline and offer up an interesting array of original characters for audiences to love.
Honoring the Inspiring Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Luminaries Lost in 2023
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Every year, io9 pays solemn tribute to actors, directors, artists, composers, writers, creators, and other icons in the realms of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy that have passed. Let us celebrate their everlasting impact on genre together. Here are the luminaries whose work has impacted the lives of so many and will live on through their legacies.
By Sabina Graves Verified, James Whitbrook, Justin Carter, Germain Lussier Verified, Cheryl Eddy Verified
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Yahoo Entertainment
Verified
io9's Favorite Rewatches (and Replays and Re-Reads) of 2023
Sometimes, you need a little comfort food—and at io9, that can mean “re-watching a favorite Star Wars show” or “guzzling midnight margaritas while watching Sandra Bullock play a witch” or “picking up a book and rediscovering the joy of reading.” We love new releases, don’t get us wrong, but we also dig revisiting past favorites.
Year in Review: io9 Staff Picks
There have been so many words written about the expanse of genre here at io9, and 2023 was a wildcard of a year for entertainment (including Marvel Studios, Star Wars, DC Studios, and Max), theme parks, and games. We covered a lot of ground, from union-strong solidarity during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes to creatively discussing our love for pop culture while highlighting the voices that make it happen.
Year in Review: io9 Staff Picks
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Gaming 2 days ago I must've played at least 100 retro games this year—these are the 5 I'd still recommend to everyone today pcgamer.com - Kerry Brunskill • 2d All of these games from the '80s, '90s and 2000s have aged like fine wine.
By Sabina Graves Verified, James Whitbrook, Justin Carter, Germain Lussier Verified, Cheryl Eddy Verified, Rob Bricken
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Flipboard
Disney Sues Florida as Willow Star Ralph Ineson Sues Disney
Earlier this year, Disney filed a lawsuit against Florida governor Ron DeSantis and the state’s other elected officials. The corporation apparently isn’t done hitting the state quite yet, as it’s now suing Florida again while also facing a lawsuit from one of its recent actors. As far as the former’s concerned, ClickOrlando reveals Walt Disney Parks & Resorts filed a suit this past Friday.
Open Channel: Tell Us What You Thought About Rebel Moon and Aquaman 2
It’s Christmas weekend, and Hollywood still has gifts to give. This weekend saw the release of two big sci-fi epics, both of which are unified by their connection to filmmaker Zack Snyder, who previously spearheaded the DC Extended Universe. In the first corner, we’ve got Netflix’s Rebel Moon.
The OG Mickey Mouse Finally Hits the Public Domain Next Week
January 1, 2024 won’t just be the start of a new year. It’ll also see Mickey and Minnie Mouse enter the public domain. Come that date, Disney’s exclusive copyright on the two iconic characters’ Steamboat Willie incarnations from 1928 will have run out, after which anyone can do anything they want with them. So if you’ve got a song, cartoon, movie, whatever, starring one or both of those characters that you’ve been sitting on for some time? Get ready to stand up and let that thing out into the world.
Final Fantasy VII Advent Children is Returning to Theaters
Before there was a PlayStation 4 remake that blew the doors off its own canon, Final Fantasy VII lived on through various spinoffs that expanded the world of the classic RPG. One of those was Advent Children, the 2005 CG film which followed on from the events of the original game. If you’ve never seen it, or it’s been forever since you have, you’re in luck—it’s getting a brief return to theaters next year.
Rogue Squadron Should've Existed This Weekend
Ever since The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, Disney has struggled with getting more Star Wars movies off the ground. In the years since, Lucasfilm has had a nasty habit of announcing things for the series and then not making them, if they ever actually existed at all. And it all dates back to December 10, 2020, where Disney’s Investor Day livestream saw a plethora of new Star Wars projects get revealed.
40 Most Memorable Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Movie Moments of 2023
A moment can make a movie. You’re sitting there, you’re watching something, it’s fine, and then boom: a scene or shot happens, and instantly something you thought was just okay becomes amazing. That’s the level we were aiming for in the annual rundown of our favorite moments from sci-fi, fantasy, and horror films this year. Moments that stand out among the rest. Moments that elevate a film.
Avatar's VFX Artists Prepare to Unionise
2023 has been a union-heavy year, and in the case of Disney, it’s seen the formation of entirely new unions. VFX artists at both Marvel Studios and Disney overall successfully unionized this year, in what some referred to as a “hot labor summer.” Turns out, it’s more of a hot labor year, because the team behind James Cameron’s Avatar movies are aiming to make it three for three.
Author Loses Book Deal After Blaming Star Wars Fans for Bizarre Review-Bombing Scheme
Late last week, the YA fantasy/sci-fi book scene found itself in disarray following allegations of an author review bombing several other authors in the community. The end result has seen writer Cait Corrain lose her deal with Del Rey Publishing, and other partnerships she had in the works also canceled.
Twisted Metal Revs Up for a Second Two
A lot happened this summer, so it’s easy to forget that Twisted Metal aired on Peacock in the U.S. (Stan in Australia) over the Winter. Based on the now classic car combat PlayStation series, the show got decent reviews and was nominated at the recent Game Awards for Best Adaptation. Ultimately it lost out to—and got overshadowed by—HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us, but it sounds like it was overall good, disposable fun on a weekly basis.
The Marvels May Be The MCU’s Shortest Film Ever
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The Musical For You to Blast Into Your Ears
You usually go to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a lot of things, but memorable original music isn’t really one of them. But Rogers: The Musical—a corny Hamilton-alike that told a very condensed story of Chris Evans’ Captain America—is one of the more successful attempts at musically spicing things up for the films, if only because people seemed to like its brief appearance in the first episode of Hawkeye.
Immortals of Aveum is One of 2023’s Most Pleasant Surprises
More than in recent years, 2023 has been extremely busy for video games. That even extends to the summer, as giants like Final Fantasy XVI and Street Fighter 6 have occupied a season that’s normally dry in terms of big releases.
Ahsoka to Theaters
Like other big Disney shows before it, Star Wars: Ahsoka has been the big point of TV discussion for the last several weeks. And now that it’s hit the halfway mark of its story, Disney’s taking an extra step to make the show feel more of a big event series than it already was. Billed as a “midseason fan celebration,” next week’s episode will see Ahsoka cross paths with her ex-master Anakin Skywalker, played by once again in live action by Hayden Christensen.
Don’t Think Of Superman: Legacy As A ‘Young Superman’ Film, Says James Gunn
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Ahsoka Tano Is Star Wars’ Biggest Paradox
Star Wars is a franchise with a lot of characters, but all of them all feel rooted in a particular place in time. You can feel that the Skywalker twins and Han Solo are products of the late 1970s to some degree or another. Similarly, you can see that someone like Din Djarin or Mace Windu is born out of the late 2010s and early 2000s, respectively.
Transformers and G.I. Joe Unite for Skybound's Energon Universe
Transformers and G.I. Joe are two of Hasbro’s biggest properties, and the pair have crossed over numerous times over the decades. Coming off the heels of the recently released Transformers: Rise of the Beasts movie, Hasbro is going all in on mixing its two brands together, and throwing them into a shared universe. IGN revealed that Skybound Entertainment, the media company from Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Invincible) is heading up the effort on the comics front.
Beyond the Spider-Verse Will Be a Gwen Stacy Jamboree
Both of Sony’s animated Spider-Verse movies have helped to turn Miles Morales into a household name, and Spider-Gwen isn’t far behind. The alternate reality version of Peter Parker’s old flame Gwen Stacy has gotten real boost thanks to these movies, and the recently released Across the Spider-Verse is as much about her as it is Miles.
Across the Spider-Verse Swings Into Winter with Multimillion-Dollar Box Office
The month of June is packed with blockbuster movies, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is leading the charge. Per Deadline, Sony Animation’s sequel has started well above expectations with a $US208.6 million worldwide start. In the U.S., it’s opened to $US120.5 million, currently the best start of the region’s ‘summer’ season (surpassing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.
Bleach’s Endgame Reaches The Halfway Point In July
Late last year, the anime adaptation of Bleach returned after being off the air for over a decade. With the new subtitle of Thousand-Year Blood War, the series aimed to adapt the final arc of Tite Kubo’s beloved supernatural manga, and many would say that it was more than worth the wait. After taking the first half of 2023 off, the series is set to return over the winter.
WSB gets inside look at Amazon’s new disaster relief hub
(UNION CITY, Ga.) — As the hurricane season gets underway one company is making sure Georgians are prepared. WSB got an inside look at Amazon’s new disaster relief hub. The company told WSB-TV′s Justin Carter it comes down to being prepared. “We’ve deployed more than 20 million disaster relief items to impacted communities,” Amazon spokeswoman Shemeeka Johnson said.
Mutant Mayhem's Music
Paramount’s Teenage Mutant Ninjas Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is set to hit theatres in a few months, and everything about it revealed so far looks and sounds like a good time. The movie has a lot of talent behind it: beyond Seth Rogen serving as an executive producer and voicing classic villain Bebop, the cast is headlined by big stars like John Cena, Rose Byrne, Paul Rudd, and Ayo Ediberi. And it sounds like that same big talent appears to extend to the movie’s music, as well.
Mortal Kombat II Snags Netflix Star Adeline Rudolph for Fan-Favourite Kitana
Mortal Kombat II is still on track to start production this summer, and Warner Bros. has been gradually revealing new castmates for the upcoming film. The sequel to the 2021 reboot flick appears to have more fan-favourite characters from the games this time around, with Karl Urban and Tati Gabrielle on hand to play Johnny Cage and Jade, respectively. And the newest addition is one of the franchise’s most enduring characters.
Netflix's Skull Island Brings King Kong and the MonsterVerse to Animation
Since 2014, Legendary Pictures has been gradually building out its MonsterVerse. Though it’s still planning to have Godzilla and King Kong clash a second time, it’s also making sure both beasts can stand on their own. In the same way Godzilla’s getting a TV spinoff on Apple TV+, so too is Kong with an animated series on Netflix.
Spider-Woman & Spider-Man India Steal the Show in Across the Spider-Verse Promos
Like its predecessor, the upcoming Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is set to introduce audiences to a brand new pack of Spider-heroes they otherwise might not have known about. Beyond Oscar Isaac’s Spider-Man 2099 (aka Miguel O’Hara), two of the more prominent faces are Pavitr Prabhakar, aka the Spider-Man of India in Earth-50101, and the Spider-Woman Jessica Drew.
Universal's Cryptic Monster Movie Brings In Ant-Man's Kathryn Newton & More
Directors Tyler Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin, the directing duo known as Radio Silence, have had a good run as of late with Scream 5 and Scream VI. Though they plan on returning to the series at some point, their very next project will be a Universal Monsters movie that they’re being veeeeeery secretive about, to the point where it’s not even sure which Monster they’re tackling. That hasn’t stopped them from building out that mysterious movie’s cast.
Add Lockwood & Co. to the List of Cancelled Netflix Shows
Netflix has opted to pull the plug on Lockwood & Co. Per Variety, the show from Attack the Block director Joe Cornish won’t be returning for a second season. Based on the popular YA series from Jonathan Stroud The series premiered back in January and starred Ruby Stokes, Ali Hadji-Heshmati, and Cameron Chapman as a trio of teenage supernatural investigators. Along with scoring solid reviews, it appeared to be quite popular.
Superman: Legacy May Have Found Its Leads
Though James Gunn’s Superman movie is a ways off, the new co-head of DC Films has been fairly open about his plans for the character and what he’s looking for in an actor to play him. Historically, playing the Man of Steel has been a bit of a mixed bag, and names are frequently floated out there (either true or not true), and he’s had no trouble shutting down rumours and stressing that no one’s been found yet.
Kathleen Kennedy Wants Star Wars Movies to Feel Like Events Again
There comes a point in every movie franchise where new installments don’t feel quite as special as they usually do. Maybe it’s because the series has become annualized, or maybe it’s just that so many entries have diminished the magic — either way, this has happened before, and Star Wars was one of its most recent victims. But with new movies planned to start up again fairly soon, the hope is that those movies can feel special once more.
Unicorn: Warriors Eternal Is Genndy Tartakovsky Unleashed
Since his 1996 series Dexter’s Laboratory premiered on Cartoon Network, Genndy Tartakovsky has become a household name in animation. His new show, Unicorn: Warriors Eternal, feels like a natural extension and endpoint of his previous work up to now. Because of the success of the Hotel Transylvania movies and TV works like the 2D version of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Tartakovsky has built up enough goodwill to do whatever he pleases in the animation space.
Andor is Also Resuming Production During the Writers Strike
Earlier this week, the Writers Guild of America voted to go on strike after negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) fell through. Because the WGA represents TV and film writers in Hollywood, most shows and films have halted production entirely in a move of solidarity with the organisation.
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