James McAvoy's Picard Wish
Send us Fan Mail We bounce through the biggest sci-fi and comic book headlines of the week, from Star Trek reveals and fan tourism to Star Wars publishing plans and a stacked slate of TV and movie updates. Along the way, we dig into a near-miss Young Picard idea, celebrate the Galileo shuttlecraft’s new home, and close by honoring Star Trek actor Michael Forrest. • Starfleet Academy season two teasers and new cast reveals • James McAvoy’s pitched Young Picard prequel set on the S...
We bounce through the biggest sci-fi and comic book headlines of the week, from Star Trek reveals and fan tourism to Star Wars publishing plans and a stacked slate of TV and movie updates. Along the way, we dig into a near-miss Young Picard idea, celebrate the Galileo shuttlecraft’s new home, and close by honoring Star Trek actor Michael Forrest.
• Starfleet Academy season two teasers and new cast reveals
• James McAvoy’s pitched Young Picard prequel set on the Stargazer
• The restored Galileo shuttlecraft installation in Ticonderoga, New York
• Our plans to visit the Star Trek set tour and how listener support helps
• Star Wars 50th anniversary publishing lineup including books and comics
• Mr. Miracle adult animated series details and where it fits for DC fans
• The Batman Part II update and James Gunn’s next-script momentum
• Marvel TV Zodiac plus Marvel Zombies and Spider-Man animated news
• The Mummy: Book of the Dead title reveal and legacy-sequel direction
• Ryan Coogler’s X-Files reboot ordered at Hulu
• Jay and Silent Bob’s joint venture farm sim game announcement
• Grant Morrison’s new James Bond comic for IDW
• Dungeons and Dragons Star Wars expansion tease
• Remembering Michael Forrest, Star Trek’s Apollo
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Multiverse Tonight is a production of Half-Baked Genre Productions. Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved
00:00 - Cold Open And Welcome
00:32 - Solar Power And Voting Reminder
01:43 - Starfleet Academy Season 2 Updates
03:13 - McAvoy’s Young Picard Prequel Pitch
05:29 - Galileo Shuttlecraft Finds A New Home
09:15 - Ticonderoga Trip Plans And Support
10:40 - Star Wars 50th Anniversary Books
14:02 - Mr. Miracle Animated Series And DC Films
17:47 - Marvel TV Zodiac And Animation Slate
19:35 - Mummy 4 Title And Geek News Roundup
30:44 - Remembering Actor Michael Forrest
36:31 - Social Links And Sign-Off
Cold Open And Welcome
SPEAKER_02Tonight, young Picards of Futures Past, 50 Years of Star Wars Books, Mr. Miracle, the Animated Series, and remember Star Trek's Apollo, Michael Forrest, all then more in this edition of Multiverse Tonight. Welcome to Multiverse Tonight, your source for Geek News. We dissect films, games, comics, and much more, bringing you entitled commentary on Pop Hom. This is Multiverse Tonight. Now here's your host, Thomas Townley.
Solar Power And Voting Reminder
SPEAKER_02Hello and welcome to episode 276 of Multiverse Tonight. I'm of course your host, Thomas Townley. And uh, well, it's a lovely fall day. It's nice, it's cool, sun's shining. We recently got solar installed on the on on the house, and so right now I'm running off solar, solar power. So it's a good solar day, as we say. It's a good solar day, as we say, but uh it just to remind you, we're about two weeks away from the midterm elections. So uh if you're ready, you know, if you're registered to vote, great. Be sure to go out and vote. You know, I'd prefer you vote for the blue brand, but uh you know, your it's your vote, it's your choice. Just be sure to vote, because this is an important election. But uh anyway, let's go out to the Star Trek News.
Starfleet Academy Season 2 Updates
SPEAKER_02And Star Trek News begins looking into the future. Star Trek Starfleak Academy, one of one of the uh final shows remaining on the Paramount Plus uh streaming service alongside Strange New Worlds. Uh and it shared some of its teases for the upcoming season at and final season at the New York Comic-Con with uh two big guest stars, Bill Nye and Rosemary DeWitt. Now, Nye will be playing uh Nike Aki, the strange father of Holly Hunter's Nahala Aki. Uh DeWitt is will be playing Latha Zadal, the first lady of BetaZed, and mother of Zoe Steiner's cadet character Dreema Zadal. And uh quote from the Paramount Press release: season two of Star Trek Star of the Academy follows our cadets into their second year aboard the USS Athena. There, their friend ideals of leadership, friendship, romance, and morality are put to the test as they navigate butting out rivalries, shaky diplomatic negotiations, a fiercely competitive school-wide tournament, and the arrival of a mysterious new cadet whose existence raises questions that could have consequences far beyond the classroom. The uh mysterious new cadet was announced at San Diego Comic-Con. His name is Keith. He's played by Arita Allington. And now Paramount Plus shared some uh season two images and glimpses of uh nine to wit. You can find those online by just uh, you know, doing the Google.
McAvoy’s Young Picard Prequel Pitch
SPEAKER_02Doing your Google. Anyway, playing Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men prequel films, a role passed down from Patrick Stewart before the two co-starred in 2014's Days of Future Past, remains one of James McAvoy's most defining performances. However, expanding on the backstory of Juan Picard, uh Patrick Stewart's characters was apparently not enough for McAvoy. The actor recently revealed that he also aimed to play a younger Jean-Luc Picard in a concept set prior to Star Trek The Next Generation. During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast with Josh Horowitz, McAvoy detailed his pitch for a one-off standalone season focused on a mutiny on the U.S. Stargazer. He brought the proposal to the Star Trek people, likely a formal meeting with Paramount, that this prequel series would have explored the secret that Picard has been holding his entire career, though providing answers to long unresolved details about that era of Picard's life. Now McAvoy intended to star as Picard himself, and while Paramount was initially well into it, the project ultimately collapsed due to logistical issues. The Scottish actor shared that he remains deeply passionate about the pitch, knowing he still goes to bed thinking about it every night. For fans who have long wondered about Picard's era aboard the Stargazer, hearing about McAvoy's vision only makes those uncharted stories even more intriguing. What we already know about Picard's time aboard the Stargazer was mentioned in canon, but was uh kept kind of shrouded in mystery, at the few confirmed details offered a meaningful insight into his character. Most nobly, the Stargazer marked his initial his first command. So uh what kind of story do you think McAvoy uh intended to tell here? Is it something where, you know, he has to save the ship from mutiny, or is he the mutineer? And it all ends up going going well, he ends up as captain of the Stargazer. Who knows? I guess the world may never know. Nostalgia
Galileo Shuttlecraft Finds A New Home
SPEAKER_02is a hell of a thing, especially when it comes to sci-fi. For Star Trek fans wanting to mark the franchise's 60th anniversary this year, a Kiki pilgrimage to upstate New York should be in the cards. Why? Well, besides the splendid autonomo colors of the leaves, they can steer over towards Ticonderoga, New York to behold the newly installed Galileo shuttlecraft. After a complete two-year restoration project in 2012 head by Supervan and collector Adam Schneider, this iconic fictional spacecraft, seen by millions in seven episodes over three seasons of the original series, was recently relocated from its former home at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. It's a non-permanent loan to James Callaway and his Star Trek original series set tour in historic downtown Ticon Road, New York, where it joins a family of painstakingly detailed sets based on the official Star Trek blueprints. Schneider told Space magazine, quote, Galileo is still the property of the Space Center, and it was on display there since 2013. It went to the USS Intrepid for the 50th anniversary of Star Trek displayed under the Enterprise Space Shuttle. You had the Enterprise with Enterprise's little shuttle, Galileo adjacent, which was an extraordinary picture. Now it went back to Space Center, but it takes up an enormous amount of room and they took it off display for eight years. Unquote. Now it seemed a shame to have a shuttle at the shuttle out of sight, so Snyder got to work finding a new home for the shuttle. Quote. Since I was on the board, I tried to figure out a place where it would be aimed. The Star Trek tour made the most sense, so I worked with Space Center to relocate it and then arrived a couple of years ago, unquote. Hoping to give the restored relic its own private docking bay due to its enormity, faithful fans raised hundreds of thousands of dollars by a Kickstarter campaign led by Brian Mix and David Harvey, and built a beautiful building edition for Galileo to be safely asconced in. It's an extraordinary thing to see in person, if you have not. It's the size of a chair, it's the size of a bus. It's the size it looks gorgeous in its new space. But if you're a space affectionado or Star Trek Afectionado, that's even more reason to get involved with this thing. Opening tours for the general public at Star Trek Tours to see the newest member of the museum was September 18th through 20th. And the Galileo was a star attraction. Branded Tyque, Trek Conderoga weekend, the unveiling ceremony was attended by Simplyman Dan Steck and Dan Stimson, and Trek Luminaries George DeKai, George Frakes, Jonathan Frakes, and Brent Spiner. Galloway told Space.magazine, we're close, we're certainly thrilled that we were able to work with Adam and NASA to get here permanently. Then it got to on display properly and shared and shared with all the fans and make sure that's on exhibit for many years to come. We're just outside the village of Lake George, so we're part of the Greater Lake George tourism region. You've seen it on television, and now with the caretaker of it, with what an honor it is to be able to do that. It's the simplicity of the Galileo that makes it so unique. Matt Jeffrey's whole design aesthetic for the entire original series, less is more. It catches your eye in a specific way as a blocky type silhouette and actually complements the enterprise because you really see the shape difference. Everything has that mid-century modern aesthetic. It's just timeless.
Ticonderoga Trip Plans And Support
SPEAKER_02For uh prices, hours, and more information on the Star Trek Original Series 2 set tour, Dicot and Roga, visit Star Trek.com or call 81518-503-5497. You can see also see the Galileo in Action in the original series on well, wherever you get it. Paramount Plus, you know, DVDs, the internet. Anywhere. And uh personally myself, I'm planning on going uh next year to Ticonderoga, New York to check check out the uh bridge in the Galileo now. Also visit you know a c uh a relative of mine. And if you'd like to help me get there, I would be oh so grateful if you'd uh go over to our uh to our uh fundraising go to uh multiverstonight.com and see how you can support us. There's a ko fi, there's all sorts of ways you can you can uh help us ra help me raise money to go there because yeah it's a a lot of money. Anyway, enough about me. Let's go on to the Star Wars News. Roger,
Star Wars 50th Anniversary Books
SPEAKER_02Roger. Star Wars News begins in with uh 2027, marking the 50th anniversary of Star Wars. You just know it's going to be a big year for the franchise. We already know that there's a live-action movie coming out, Star Wars Starfighter, the re-release of A New Hope, the second season of Ahsoka, another Star Wars celebration convention, and that's just the start of it. At New York Comic-Con, Lucasfilm took to the stage to reveal a big chunk of what the 50th anniversary means for the publishing side. Uh, specifically what books and comics are coming out to mark the occasion. Well, there's a lot, and uh, we'll note some of the you know a few of the big ones. Of course, there's Star Wars Starfighter. There's and uh there it also comes in a kid's book. As with any big new release, Lucasfilm is going all out for Starfighter. There'll be an art of book by Phil Sostak, a visual dictionary by Pablo Hidalgo, a novelization by Delilah Dawson, and a slew of children's books and very intriguing titles like Rumble with the Rock Pirate, Outdoor Out Outer Rim Outcast, and The Rock Pirate of Kaninen. Of course, the covers won't be revealed until it gets closer to the film's debut. The uh 50th Matter of Free will also be uh looking at Target. Uh, if you want to spend the 50th anniversary looking back at the legacy of Star Wars, these books have you covered. Star Wars celebrating 50 years of New Hope by Christian Baver uh features a star-stead lamp of actors, astronauts, athletes, and innovators that trace the seismic shift and resonant impact of the original Star Wars film had on individuals and industries. There's also the previously announced Star Wars A Celebration by Pablo Vidalgo that chronicles 50 years of Star Wars, and uh there's also a Target exclusive edition of the book. There's uh more too. Uh there's the 50th anniversary shooting script, a special edition of by George Lucas himself, having just and uh apparently it's you know hey, you can produce your own. No. They'd come after you for that. Maybe, kinda. In the comic book side, the Star Wars Ahsoka Escape from Thrawn number one is on the on its way. Uh Dave Faloney co-wrote a five comic series that tells the story of what happened to Ezra on Thrawn's ship as he traveled back from Paridia. The perfect lead-in to Ahsoka Season 2. There's Star Wars Princess of the Rebellion. Claudia Gray has written this, has written some of the best Star Wars novels out there. And this time she's joined Princess of the Rebellion, which is set between the events of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Bag. As Leia recruits her new friends Lou Skywalker and Han Solou to help her uncover secrets left behind by her father, Bale Organa. And uh that's just a few of the books that are headed out next year. Uh, there's also a collaboration with Dungeons and Dragons, a manja re-release, a Funko coloring book, and much more. So get ready for Star Wars Mania next next year. Sure it'll be bigger than what they did for Star Trek. Anyway, let's go on to the DC Comics News.
Mr. Miracle Animated Series And DC Films
SPEAKER_02Or yeah, DC Comics News. DC's next Animated couple has a lot more to worry about than keeping their marriage together. Mr. Miracle will be bringing Scott Free and Big Barta to into the DC Universe, adapting Tom King and Mitch Gerard's claimed comic about the superhero escape artist whose greatest challenges follow him home. Josh Hutcherson will be voicing Scott and Mackenzie Davis will be voicing Barta. The series has an especially exciting pair leading it. The adult animated adaptation also has King himself overseeing the story alongside uh giving him another project other than lanterns. His Mr. Miracle comic puts Scott Bar Scott and Barta's relationship alongside the enormous conflicts of the new gods, making room for domestic life in the middle of an interplanetary war. Fans waiting to see the combination on screen now have a clear idea of how the series is coming together. And me, myself, I'm I'm a big uh Mr. Miracle and uh the and fourth world DC comics fan. I have you know I have uh run of the original comics. Yeah. I love to see the fourth world done up in something. So I'm looking forward to that. Also, but uh that's uh still you gotta wait till at least 2028 to see the new series. And now for some uh stories for the movie side of things. First uh up, the Batman part two is paused. Matt Reeves stepped away for Family Matter back on October 5th, and uh per USA Today, this is a personal pause, not production pause. The important part, the February 18th, 2028 release date is unchanged. So nobody panic. This is a human moment, a director dealing with life, and the studio holding the date instead of rushing him back. Now, to the opposite side of that, James Gunn revealed that on threads that he has already written his next film, not the next thing after Superman, uh After Man of Tomorrow, which uh wrapped filming in August as due on July 9th, 2027. So before the next Superman film even hits the theaters, Gunn already has a new one in his pocket. And uh that's a great contrast. You know, one corner of the DC world, the director steps back, everyone holds a line and the date for him. The other corner, the studio head who is the machine, is chugging along, putting out that next script. So uh, you know, everything looks good to be in DC land so far. Let's head on over to the Marvel news. Uh
Marvel TV Zodiac And Animation Slate
SPEAKER_02past Thursday, Marvel TV announced its upcoming spy thriller series, Zodiac, targeting a 2028 debut. But to begin production next year, the live action title is one of five projects previously reported by the Hollywood Reporter to be in development. The series was previewed with a logo hinting at potential ties to uh Agents of Shield. There are also new some new Animed projects coming from Marvel Television. Uh, Marvel Zombies is returning for the first of three all-new Halloween specials next year. In 2027, fans can expect Marvel Zombies, the Worm Soldier, followed by The Fist of Konshu in 2028 and The Last Guardian in 2029. The Animed projects began last year as a four-episode series, which a slew of MCU actors lent their voices to their respective roles. The series also brought the brought Blade to the MCU, voiced by Todd Williams. Marvel Zombies was created by Brian Andrews and Zeb Wells. The series was executive produced by Kevin Feige, Luz Desposito, Brad Windenbaum, Dana Vack has Ebber Ephart, Brian Andrews, and Zeb Wells. Also, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is swinging its way back onto Disney Plus next year. Season two is set to premiere on January 13th, 2027. The first 10-episode season of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man hit the streamer last year. The voice cast includes Hudson Thames as Peter Parker, as well as Coleman Domingo, Eugene Bird, and uh Charlie Cox. Now let's go on to the Geek News. The
Mummy 4 Title And Geek News Roundup
SPEAKER_02Mummy Four has yet to wrap filming, but we've got a great pyramid-sized update on the upcoming Legacy Horror sequel. The film is set to hit theaters in one year, and its official social media accounts have unveiled one important piece of information, the movie's title, which contains an homage to the franchise's past and a hint to its future. It will be released on October 15th, 2027. The film is in its fourth entry in the saga that began in 1999 with The Mummy, continued in 2001's The Mummy Returns, and seemingly concluded with 2008's The Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. The new film will reunite Brandon Fraser, Brendan Fraser and Rachel Wees, as adventurers Rick and Eve O'Connell both starred in the first two films, but Wise was recast with Maria Bello for Dragon Emperor, which will be disregarded by the new film. The new movie is now titled The Mummy, Book of the Dead. It's appropriate because The Book of the Dead was the basically the plot device for the first two movies. And uh so uh what will we what will be done with the Book of the Dead this time? Now the new film is being directed by Matt Bettinelli Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the directing collective known as Radio Silence. They've previously held horror hits like Ready or Not and 2022's Scream. The script is by David Cogswell, who wrote Orphan First Kill. Returning alongside Frazier and Weiss are John Henna as Evie's Gadabot brother Jonathan, Oded Farrir as Mystic Warrior Ardeth Bey, and John Kevin J. O'Connor as Helpless Henchman Benny Gaber. Michael Johnson and Newman Ackhar have also joined the cast. Brian Kugler's Long Justing The X-Files reboot, starring Emmy nominee Amy Shil Patel and Danielle Deadweiler, has been ordered to series at Hulu. From Onyx Collective and 20th Century Television, the reimagining follows two highly decorated but vastly different FBI agents played by Deadweiler and Patel, who form an unlikely bond when they are assigned to a long shattered division devoted to cases involving unexplained phenomena. Sinners filmmaker Kugler wrote, directed, and exec produced the pilot by. His proximity media and exec he execut produces it with showrunner Jennifer Yale. The exec producers also include Zinzi Kogler and Zev Owen Honan for Proximity Media and the X-Files creator Carter. Co-execut producers are Simon Harris for Proximity Media along with Did Weiler and Patel. Kugler said in a statement, quote, I've loved the X-Files for a long time, so getting the chance to write and direct the pilot has meant a great deal to me, with Chris Carter created special, and we want to honor everything that made the original series connect with so many people, while also finding our own way into that world. Danielle and Hamish, alongside the rest of the cast, have brought such original perspectives and performances to these characters, and watching that come together has been one of the most rewarding parts of the experience. I wouldn't have asked for better collaborators than my crew colleagues at Proximity Media, our partners at Onyx Collective in 2012. I'm grateful for the trust and support they've given us as we take on this new chapter. The series order caps a three-year journey for the project, uh, which fell under Kugler's initial five-year exclusive Delgion deal with Disney. So uh brand new X-Files. You know, I want to believe. I really do. Also, New York Comic on Thursday, Nitrate Games debuted the initial footage and fresh insights for Jay and Silent Bob's joint venture, its forthcoming farm simulation title. IGN had the first uh trailer available to stream. Uh, well, go ahead and go online and look at it. Putting a humorous adult spin on the cozy farming genre, Jay and Silent Bob's joint venture follows creator Kevin Smith's legendary duo as they set out to establish the ultimate weed farming business in town. Players are tasked with constructing, growing, and scaling their operation, connecting with recognizable characters, and following a brand new narrative crafted by screenwriter Ernie Altbacker. Both Jason Meese and Kevin Smith are heavily involved as the creative partners since the project's inception. In a statement with uh to IGN, Kevin Smith said, quote, Since Jane Son and Bob are the stars of this hilarious growing game, I cannot wait to play with myself. Many thanks to Nitrite Games for taking my little animals to this crossing and making them stars do a valley. Unquote. Also, the developers confirmed that several fan favorite figures will from across the new ski universe will appear in the game, including Dante Randall and Veronica, Brody and T.S. Quint, Holden, Bankey, Hooper, and Alyssa, Azrael and Serendipity, Becky and Elias, and Moobie. Moobie Cow. Moobi Cow. Jane Sunt Bob's joint venture is nearing its playtesting phase and is targeted for launch on PC via Steam in late spring 2027, with a console edition planned for later that same year. Grant Morrison is set to bring a fresh take to the James Bond franchise as IDW publishing acquires the comic book license for 007. In partnership with Andre Fleming Production Publications, IDW secured the rights to create new comic adventures featuring the iconic British Agent. The publishers selected acclaimed writer Grant Morrison, or celebrate for work on All-Star Bratman, All-Star Superman, as iconic Batman Run, and groundbreaking titles like Animal Man and Doom Patrol, the Helm the Project. IDW CEO David Jonas highlighted the significance to the Hollywood reporter. Quote, during a renowned franchise like James Bond, the visionary writer Grant Morrison is a perfect example of IDW doing what it does best with licensed properties. Our goal isn't to simply provide supplemental and optional stories. We strive to take radical swings which celebrate and stay true to the very qualities that make the franchise special while also reinventing it for the modern comic book landscape. Morrison said also, quote, I've been a James Bond fan for as long as I can remember, and this opportunity to put my own stamp on a British character as iconic as King Arthur, Robin Hood, or Sherlock Holmes was too good to miss, unquote. Now, while an artist and premiere date have yet to be revealed, the six-part debut storyline is titled Sunbreaker. Morrison promises to introduce cutting-edge gadgets, fresh vehicles, and modern villain drawn from current events. Quote, our opening six-part adventure, Sunbreaker, attempts to create a definitive Bond story featuring everything fans love about the character in his world, while adding a whole lot more. Expect to see James Bond in an unfamiliar situation, facing unfamiliar foes in a world very much like our own, as reflected in a deadly funhouse mirror. A world of intrigue, violence, double cross, and deception. A world through which James Bond glides like a killer shark among minnows, charismatic, ruthless, unstoppable. Wizards of the Coast is currently in its crossover bag right now across Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering. The former is dipping into World of Warcraft next month, and that's being followed with summer 2027 Star Wars expansion that'll kick off the Season of Rebellion. At the New York Comic-Con, Wizard released artwork for the Tyro Squadron campaign. Narratively players are members of the Secret Rebel crew during the original trilogy. Like other rebellion cells, Tyro will fly daring missions, explore new corners of the galaxy, and help shape the rebellion story with a new core rule book flavored specifically for the sci-fi universe. Tyro's exploits go down away from Luke, Leia, and Han, but as the art shows, that probably doesn't apply to Darth Vader. Wizards didn't reveal the exact changes and tweaks to come with the Star Wars reskin, but its handling the WOW, uh its handling of WoW may suggest how the universe's popular archetypes could fit into DD's many popul many player classes and subclasses. There have been several official and unofficial RPGs and modules for Star Wars over the decades, so wizards and longtime players have a lot to look back on. Dungeons and Dragons will reveal more at Star Wars Celebration, which will run April 1st to the 4th, 2027 in Los Angeles. The new Sky Dance, formed with from the merger of Paramount and Warner Brothers, Discovery, has consolidated its publishing and consumer products teams into one group, Sky Dance Products and Publishing, led by Josh Silverman. Josh Silverman joined Paramount Skydance in 2025 as president of Global Products and Experiences and now serves as president of Global Products and Publishing for Skydance. Robert Olberschlepp, president of Global Consumer Products at Warner Brothers, Discovery is remaining there for now with News Skydance reporting Silverman. According to Skydance, the combination of Paramount and Warner Brothers, the company is now the world's second largest media and entertainment licensor after Disney, with an estimated $22.5 billion in global retail sales. DC Comics will come under Silverman's leadership alongside Paramount Global Publishing, Paramount and Warner Brothers Discovery Licensed Publishing, Warner Brothers Discovery's Consumer Products, and Paramount Consumer Products, as well as brand partnerships, retail and e-commerce, and other commercial initiatives across the companies, portfolio, and brands. Skydance would do better if they sold off some IP, say Star Trek. You know? That way Star Trek doesn't languish, you know. Sell it to Rod Roddenberry or Disney or something. You know? Get rid of that get rid of some of the the you know IP that they don't seem to know what to do with. Or they keep trying to turn into Star Wars. Start stop trying to make Star Trek Star Wars. It doesn't work. It's not the same. Anyway. Finally
Remembering Actor Michael Forrest
SPEAKER_02tonight, Michael Forrest, the strapping actor who starred in Beast from Haunted Cave and her B Pictures for Roger Corman and made memorable guest appearances on classic episodes of The Twilight Zone, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and Star Trek has passed away at the age of 97. Forrest was living in a senior facility in Sparks, Nevada, and died this past Wednesday, according to his friend James A. Brown. A native of North Dakota, Forrest also made more than 20 movies in Spain, France, and England, among them 100 Rifles starring Jim Brown and Raquel Welch, and was a very busy voice actor and was fluent in Italian, dubbing more than 500 films while living in Rome from 1968 to 1978. At 6'3 and 215 pounds in his prime, Forrest reached Forrest had moved to Los Angeles when he met Roger Corman in an acting class and was hired to play the whipcracking barbarian Zarko in the saga of the Viking Women and their voyage to the waters of the Great Sea Serpent, starring Richard Devon, Abby Dalton, and Jonathan Hayes. This led him to the snowy Deadwood, South Dakota, and a turn as a local guide. Gil Jackson in the Horror Heist movie Beast from a Haunted Cave, 1959, produced by Roger's brother Gene Corman, and featuring Chris Robinson as the monster. Monty Hillman, who lived in the same apartment building as Forrest at the time, made his featured directing debut in the film. One day, after finishing work on Beast from a Haunted Cave, Forrest was back at it, starring as an American soldier in the Roger Corman-directed war flick Ski Troop Attack. And after that, he quickly headed to Athens to portray the title hero in Atlantis, with Corman seeking to horn in on the popular Hercules pictures starring Steve Reeves. Forrest also played one of the three motorcycle writing brothers from another planet sent to wipe out humans on Earth on the Twilight Zone episode Black Leather Jackets, which starred Shelly Fabres and premiered on January 22nd, 1964. Nine days later, he was on the CBS slot again on the Dick Van Dyke show as a former love interest of Laura, who was now a priest, getting set up with Rosemary Sally Rogers for Great Laughs on the episode The Life and Love of Joe Coogan. On the second season Star Trek episode Who Mourns for Adonis, that first aired in September of 1967, forced portrayed the Greek god Apollo, who demanded that the crew of the Enterprise worship him as he falls for Lieutenant Caroline Palmas. In 2013, he returned as Apollo in the fan-produced series Star Trek Continues to work alongside his late wife, Diane Hale, as Athena. Born Gerald Michael Charleboys, he was born on April 17, 1929, in Harvey, North Dakota, and moved with his family as a youngsterist to Seattle, where he said he decided to pursue acting instead of boxing after seeing a friend perform at the Seattle Red Bellet House. After he attended the University of Washington, San Jose State, he moved to LA in 1955 and appeared on an episode of Highway Patrol and started acting for the Players Ring Theater Company in West Hollywood. There he first met Roger Corman in an acting class, and both were taking notes from Jeff Corey. Quote, one day he said to me, Look, Mike, do you want to do this picture of Viking women? Horace recalled in an interview for Tom Weaver's 2021 book, I Was a Monster Movie Maker. I'd be nothing more than kind of a glorified stunt man, but if you want me to do it, fine, I said, sure. He spent five weeks in South Dakota on Beast from Haunted Cave and Ski Trooper Attack and told Weaver he was paid $2,500. I got $500 a week. I think at that time minimum weekly was $350, and I got $500. I held off for big bucks. Unquote. Also in 1960, he reoccurred as French Canadian rogue Pierre Draran, alongside Roger Moore on the Warner Brothers ABC Adventure series, The Alaskans. He wound up under contract of Warner's and Larry Universal and worked on everything from Zorro, Bat Masterson, Maverick, Bonanza, Have Gun Will Travel, La Man, The Rifleman, Death Valley Days, and Wagon Train to Dr. Kildare, and Gomer Pyle, USC, as well as the outer limits, Prairie Mason, the man from Uncle Gunsmoke Combat, Hilligan's Island, and Get Smart through the end of the 1960s. Meanwhile, Forrest was doing lots of Shakespeare, playing Othello three times and appearing as Petrucchio in the Taming of the Shrew at the Old Globe in San Diego. He landed his Star Trek gig after someone at the theater recommended him. Back from Europe, he lived in New York while playing Nick Andropoulos, owner of the Greek restaurant The Placca, on the CBS soap As the World Turns from 1980 to 1982. He later portrayed the wealthy older millionaire who has a fatal heart disease after an intense sadomasochistic encounter with Madonna's Rebecca Carlson in Body of Evidence, and was a pilot in the Tom Hanks movie Castaway. Ian Hale were married for 52 years until her death in 2022. He once said, quote, I look back and it's certainly what hasn't been what you might call a distinguished career, but on the other hand, it hasn't been bad. Some of the days that I've done, uh some of the things I've done, I take a great deal of pride in. But like all actors, you do work in material and situations that are not what you want. And you try to make it the best you can. Acting has its ups and its downs. Unquote. Michael Forrest was 97 years old.
Social Links And Sign-Off
SPEAKER_02And with that, that concludes today's episode of Multiverse Tonight. Now please head on over to our social media. You can follow us at Blue Sky and Twitter at multiverse Tom, or find us on Threads, Facebook, and Instagram at Multiverse Tonight. If you've enjoyed the show and want to support our work, please visit Multiverse Tonight to access our Patreon and Kofi pages, explore our show notes, browse our Tea Public merchandise shop, and so much more. We also welcome your ratings and reviews for those tuning in for the very first time. We extend a warm welcome and sincere thank you. Be sure to subscribe and pass the show along to others. Special thanks to Hot Dope for the intro music and Lobo Loco for the outro theme music. Thanks for watching this edition of Multiverse Tonight. We'll be back in two weeks with more sci fi and comic book news goodness. Now, please exit the universe in an orderly fashion. Good night. Multiverse Tonight is a production of Half Big John Productions Copyright 2026. All rights, reserve.
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