PeeWee's Playhouse In The Sky

Tonight the Spider-Verse swings back, a crisis gets animated, hope for Prothegy's future and remember Inga Swanson and Paul Rubin. All that and more on this edition of Multiverse tonight. Comic books, sci-fi, fantasy and more. If you're looking for a roundup of geeky news, you're in the right place. This is Multiverse Tonight. Here's our host, thomas Townley. Well, hello everyone and welcome to Episode 194, multiverse Tonight, the podcast for all the geeky news out there that's to be had right now. Anyway, again, being in the middle of this pandemic of Hollywood strikes news is kind of slow out of Hollywood. So there's a fair bit of comic book news, paul. So I'd like to talk about the top of the show. This is the venture brothers' radiant is the blood of the baboon heart, the new venture brothers finale movie that just came out this past week, and I gotta say it is perfect. They couldn't have done a bare job ending the show. It probably would have been even better if this had been stretched out into a season-long arc. The get-where ends. But no, this is Doc Hammer, and the gang over there did an excellent job of wrapping things up, trying to plug as many plot holes as they could. Of course, there's plot holes that will never be able to really be filled, but you do get information about where characters came from, about where characters are going, and it all just kind of wraps it up in a nice neat bow and we finally find out basically who the parents of the venture brothers are, who the mother is and someone you won't be able to guess. Anyway, onto some box office news, of course, if you want to. Box office this weekend and after a blockbuster second weekend at the box office, barbie has earned a huge $774 million globally, earning a spot in the top 20 highest grossing movies ever from Warner Bros. Now, this puts in pretty rarefied air with only the three big franchises the Harry Potter series, the DC series and the JR Token series taking up the spots at it that are above it on the charts. But it's also now the highest grossing Warner's has put out since 2019's, joker being out the Batman, which earned $766 million during its global theatrical run. Now this makes it, at least for the time being, warner's biggest hit of the 2020s and then increases the studio's odds that the studio will make a sequel or continue working with Mattel on other IP. Now to go over to the top 10, spider-man across the spider-verse came in at number 10 with a total $37.9 million gross, and CDS, red Door's next elemental, comes at numbers 8 with $145 million, and Dan Jones in the Dial of Destiny is still hanging in there. It now is up to $167 million. Talk to me. This was its first week of release. It earned a nice $10 million. The new Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1 earned $11 million to make a total gross $139 million, which earned it number 5. Sound of Freedom, which doesn't earn its top spot. If you've seen the news about that, frankly I would love to see news reporters. Just you know, can we look inside this theater and count how many people you say you've sold out the showing? Let's count the people, shall we? You know? Basically this it's kind of a box office scam, but it comes at number 4, making $149 million. A Hunt Mansion debuts at number 3, which I'm sure Bob Iger is furious as all get out that it only came at number 3, it earned $24 million. Oppenheimer came at number 2 for the second week in a row, grossing $174 million. And of course, barbie in second week, today's at number 1, making $93 million with total gross $351 million. So you know, more power to them. They want to make Barbie 2, electric Boogaloo. Go right ahead, you get your pink on. Anyway, let's go on to the Marvel News, and we begin Marvel News with the dual Hollywood strikes having an effect on movie schedules. Sony has moved several pictures, including taking Spiderman Beyond the Spiderverse completely off its Spring 2024 date, so now it's just floating out there in the ether until the situation has resolved. The studio also shifted its release plans for the August racing pick Gran Turismo, as it scrambled to figure out another way to market the movie without Orlando Bloom and David Harbour promoting it. It will now open screen-wide on August 25, with sneak previews on August 11th and August 18th. Further out, the studio relocated the Craven the Hunter movie from October and gave two dates for the first time for Bad Boys 4, which will open June 14th next year, and Venom 3, which will open June 12th next year. Your mileage may vary At the last week's San Diego Comic-Con of course not. You know Hollywood wasn't there, but Marvel Comics was, and they unveiled artwork for two unannounced Rob Liefeld comic series that will debut next year. Not much information was released, but they did release two teaser images, one featuring Cable, labeled First Contact, 2024, and the other featuring Major X, labeled Time to Kill 2024. Marvel also announced they knew character, a retired Shield Black Ops agent by the name of Joe Garrison will be stepping into the mantle of the Punisher. Garrison's adventures in the mantle will be told in a new the Punisher series written by David Peppose and drawn by Dave Watcher with covers by Rod Rice. The Punisher number one is set to be released wherever comics are sold on November 8th. Marvel is also heading back into the Crypt of Shadows for another go-around. The House of Ideas announced another mini-entality featuring characters from the publisher's horse table. Brought back after the multi-era hiatus last Halloween, this year's Crypt of Shadows will receive first issue, numbering once again, and this time the extended one-shot will include five stories. Kicking things off are Al Ewing and Paul Davidson tackling the framing story involving Victor Strange, the long-lost brother of Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme. Outside of that, the Deadpool and Scarlet Witch each receive their own stories, while team up tales featuring Werewolf by Night and the Incredible Hulk, as well as man Thing and Daredevil are included. This issue is set to hit store shelves on October 18th, just in time for Halloween. And now onto the DC Comics News. And we begin DC Comics News with Givet Entertainment announcing a new interactive streaming series DC United Heroes, which was licensed by Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment, is being made in partnership with DC. According to the pitch for the series, fans will determine what the fate of characters and what kinds of DC superheroes and supervillains they will become. Fans determine how Superman, wonder Woman and Batman work together and whether they succeed or fail, leading up to the very formation of the Justice League. The entire canonical story of DC Heroes United is set up to the participant audience to decide, and the outcomes of their choices will be forever imprinted in DC canon. When the story of Earth 212 begins, our favorite superheroes and supervillains remain in the shadows, largely known to one another and mostly serving as legend and rumored to civilians. The appearance of the magical Tower of Fate in Gotham City thrust these fluttering heroes into the spotlight, together and in opposition. As DC Heroes United unfolds, the audience will make choices of morality, leadership and sacrifice. On behalf of its leads, players will decide whether the Dark Knight and the man of Steel work well together, where they trust one another and how much Batman responds to Wonder Woman and Superman fighting crime in Gotham City, whether Lex Luthor gives into his darker desires and, ultimately, who fights for good, evil or themselves and why. A story whose decisions become a mutable DC Multiverse canon. Dc Heroes United will feature a plethora of DC comic superheroes and supervillains beyond the Trinity. Jen Vidd also teamed up with the renowned artist Terry Dodson to bring this epic origin story to life. Now no release date or platforms have been announced. Dc is turning the epic Crisis on Infinite Earth crossover event into an animated movie. Warner Bros Discovery DC announced the Justice League Crisis on Infinite Earth movie during the San Diego ComCon panel for its newest animated movie, the R-rated Justice League War World. Dc announced Justice League Crisis on Infinite Earth alongside the R-rated adaptation of Watchmen. Justice League Crisis on Infinite Earth and Watchmen were released in 2024. The announcements came after DC teased some big announcements ahead of San Diego ComCon. Most DC fans would likely agree that adaptations of Crisis and Watchmen meet the hype. Given the state release date, those fans don't have long to wait before they can experience these adaptations. Justice League Crisis on Infinite Earth's details are sparse. Dc announced the film and debuted the logo at the panel, but did not name any creative staff or voice talent. So again, who knows if they had all the lines recorded before the strike began, you see? So just put a pin there. Anyway, let's talk a little bit about Star Wars news. There's not much there, but I got something, roger Roger. Star Wars news begins and ends with Star Wars Ahsoka Star, with Sarah Dawson saying that watching Star Wars Rebels before the Disney Plus series might be a good idea. Before the Han Mansion premiere, the Hollywood Reporter spoke to the Lucasfilm actress about the show. Dawson said oh my goodness. Yes, natasha said something to that effect and there was some fanfare about it, but it's important. With Star Wars fans. There's folks who really just watched the films, but now, and especially with the Mandalorian, more and more people are watching the live-action shows. And then there are people who watch the animated shows. There's even a tier beyond that with all the books and fan fiction. So there's different levels to the Star Wars family. It's always been a very highly considered to make sure everyone can watch it. So in order to get more out of it, you should watch the show, but if you don't, you're still going to be able to get it through context. Anyway, let's finalize with some Star Trek news, and hope Springs Eternal for fans of Star Trek Prodigy. In fact, paramount vice president of Star Trek brand development, john Van Kitters took a moment to talk about Prodigy at Comic-Con and how the company is still committed to the future of the series. First and foremost, I don't think we could have a panel celebrating Star Trek animation without addressing kind of the 800 pound rock talk in the room Star Trek Prodigy. We all know that Prodigy is not currently available on Paramount Plus, but this isn't the end of the story for Prodigy. Season two is still in production. The creative team is working hard to finish what is a great storyline and we're working to find Prodigy a new home. I personally love Star Trek Prodigy, having known what the Haguemans and everyone have been working on for years. This won't be the end of Dol Guinn, rock Talk, zero and especially Murph. As you know, he is indestructible. They're still part of Star Trek, they're part of the canon. They always will be. Star Trek. Fans are always full of surprises. This is the universe that is filled with hope and possibility and the crew members of the Prodigy Star are absolutely perfect examples of that. This will not be the end of that crew Now. It was first announced in June that Paramount Global would be removing a number of series from Paramount Plus. The company says it's trying to find a new streaming home for both the first and second seasons of Prodigy. Now again, you still have to kind of take that with a big grain of salt. Perhaps what they'll do is to just have like a showing on Nickelodeon, maybe slap it into a blue ray and call it good, we'll see. So anyway, onto other Star Trek series. Lower Dex is having a good time. At San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that Lower Dex is head to the big screen on Star Trek Day, which this year is Friday, september 8th 2023. These screenings will be held both domestically and internationally and, according to John Van Kitter's, more Details on the Plan for Star Trek Day will be announced soon. He did say quote we're very excited about the opportunity to put Lower Dex up on the big screen for fans to experience, as cartoons are meant to be on the 70-foot screen, luminescent. It's going to be great. Now, during the IDW publishing Star Trek comics panel at the con, heather Heter Antos announced that they are doing another tie-in to use Star Trek Lower Dex to follow their widely praised Lower Dex comic miniseries from 2022. The new project is called Lower Dex Warp your Own Way and it's a 200-page Choose your Own Adventure graphic novel written by Ryan North, who wrote the Lower Dex miniseries, with art provided by Chris Fingello. Antos gave some insight into the development of the new original graphic novel, saying, quote it may be the most insane art taking I've ever done as a comic trader, and Mike McMahon, the creator of the show, has just been one-fold letting us play with his toys and his children and do incredible things to them. At the panel they offered this bit of info, quote, and I will say Ryan is insane. He wrote this whole 200-page script, I think, in like two weeks and it's perfect. You're able to play through it and without giving too much away. It's not your traditional Choose your Own Adventure story. There is a correct path and a way to win the book. The new Lower Dex book is set for release in the fall of 2024. Also announced were mini statues of Mariner Boymler and Badgey from X06, and a Badgey ornament from Hallmark. Now let's have a good day with some geek news, and we'll start the geek news with Comic-Con International's annual tradition of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Award winners, which happened a special night in a special ceremony. Now, rather, James Tinney, in the fourth, won his third best Writer Eisner Award in a row, celebrated for his work on a slew of titles, including Something is Killing the Children, that Nice House on the Lake and the Department of Truth. Dc's Nightwing fan-tavor walked away with two awards, including Best Continuing Series for Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo and Best Cover Art for Redondo, with creator Chip Zodarski also walking away with an Eisner Award for his best new series for his comic Public Domain. Dc's Batman also walked away with another popular candidate, batman One Day the Riddler. One Shot from Ryder Tom King and RS Mitch Gerards walked away with the Best Single Issue One Shot and the story Finding Batman by late Kevin Conroy and Jay Bone, and the DC Pride 2022. One Shot won the Best Short Story. The 2023 Eisner Awards judging panel gave out the list of winners and will have that list in the show notes. Could a double strike postpone the Emmy Awards? Yep, pretty much. The National Television Academy of Arts and Sciences is weighing options regarding this year's biggest event of the year. In a new report that surfaced recently, it's said that the 2023 Emmy Awards will be pushed back until next year due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and Ryder's Guild of America strikes. Initially, the event would have taken place on September 18th, and a report from Variety's, however, suggests that they're looking to push the awards gala back to November at the earliest, with a potential day of January should the strikes continue to go? Because what good is an award show if the recipients can't come to pick up their awards? Ahead of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon movies opening the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles computer-generated movie on August 2nd, it was announced a follow-up from director Jeff Rowe and Point Great Pictures is in the works. Also in development is a two-season series for Paramount Plus with the title Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Point Great Pictures is producing, with Chris Yost and Alan Wynn serving as executive producers and showrunners. Now Lucas Williams will be overseeing both the series and the sequel for Point Great saying quote reinvigorating this franchise has been years in the making and we are thrilled to continue expanding the beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe and bring new adventures to families and fans. Now reprising their roles from the film to the planned TV series are Micah Abbey, shaman Brown Jr, nicholas Cantu and Brady Noon as the four Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the Turtles Leo, raph, donnie and Mikey each will go it alone for the first time, faced with new threats and teeming with old allies, the Turtles will discover who they really are when they don't have their brothers at their sides. Later this year, taco Bell launched a coordinate effort to free the Taco Tuesday trademark owned by Taco Johns. Though the legal battle was expected to take years, taco Johns, a regional tax mix chain in Wyoming, relented and released ownership of the saying, effectively throwing it to the public domain for anybody to use. Pam White, the founder of TacoTuesdaycom, praised both Mexican restaurants for their work in the matter. He said I am grateful to all parties involved. I believe Taco John did the right thing and I deeply respect that. Taco Tuesday belongs to everyone. Now restaurants across the United States can freely celebrate Taco Tuesday without fear of retribution. Restaurants depend on Taco Tuesdays to help their bottom line and millions of people love celebrating it. When something becomes as popular as Taco Tuesday, it cultivates a sense of familiarity and happiness among Taco fans. So there you go, folks. Your free to celebrate Taco Tuesday. I will not. I don't care for tacos, but you're free to do whatever you wish. Kevin Smith there's a name we haven't talked about in a while is teaming up with Tops to launch a new line of garbage pill kids cards themed around characters from the Views universe, the Air Connected World featured in Smith's movies like Clerks, chasing Amy and Dogma. Views Q is the name of Smith's production company, which debuted when he made Clerks for around $300,000 and got premiered in 1994, making Smith the instant star of the 90s in the film space. Now a couple of minor supporting characters in the film Jane Sinalbaugh have gone on to have hoped to be in four films by themselves. Now there are some deep cuts in this collection, which is currently available on the Tops website and retails for $50. Examples examples examples seen on the site include Apre-Headed Alyssa, featuring the Romantic lead of Chasing Amy trapped in a giant finger trap puzzle. Rental Randall with a copy of Happy Scrappy Hero Pup on VHS and Ryan Randall and much, much more. So you know, if garbage pill kids and a mashup with Kevin Smith's Views Q universe interests you, well, there you go. Personally, as a child, I was never interested in garbage pill kids. Ryan Reynolds and his company, maximum Effort have joined the Cells Biker Mice From Mars animated series, a new inspiration of the cult classic series. The Cells plans to co-produce with Maximum Effort and Fubo. Reynolds in the statements said some people know that I am a motorcycle enthusiast, so it was only natural for us to jump on board Biker Mice From Mars. Maximum Effort and Fubo look forward to putting a new spin on this cult classic with our friends at Nacelle. The Biker Mice From Mars story is simple. On the plant Mars there exists a race of anthropomorphic mice who enjoyed motorsports and had a very similar culture and society to the human beings. Maybe they were all but wiped out by the Plutarchians, an alien race of obtuse, foul-smelling worm eating fish like humanoids who plunder other plants for their natural resources. Three survivors, throttle, modo and Vinny, managed to find a spaceship and escape the Plutarchian takeover. They find themselves crash-lining on Earth in Chicago and, along with the charming female mechanic named Charlene Charlie Davidson, the Biker Mice must defend Earth from the felons Plutarchians in an attempt to finally return to their homeland of Mars. The new Biker Mice From Mars comes 27 years after the original animated series created by Rob Unger aired its final episode. Nacelle company obtained the rights to the Biker Mice From Mars property and rolled out a new toyline featuring the characters earlier this year. Bikermize From Ours will be the first animated series on the Maximum Effort channel, which is home to the original and classic TV series and movies. The premiere date has yet to be announced. Rick and Morty held a San Diego Comic Con panel at the con, where the Adult Swims shows team gave an update on the casting process following Justin Roylings' exit amid felony domestic abuse charges that have since been dismissed, producer Steve Levy said quote we are closing in on the end of our process of the recast. It's going to be great. I am thoroughly impressed with everything that's going on, including all the work on season 7. Roylings, who co-created the show, dan Harmon, had voiced Rick Sanchez and Morty since the show's premiere in 2013. Now Levy said that he didn't want to discuss the recasting of. The discussion of the recasting take away from the work that the rest of the team has been doing for the upcoming 7th season, which does not have a premiere date. Later, a fan asked whether the new voices would be similar to Roylings' versions and Levy clarified quote it's sound likes. The characters are the same characters. No change. So best hopes, friends, sue. Marion Comics today announced that they plan to launch a comic book series following up after the events of the movie American Psycho, the 2000 cult classic horror satire movie from filmmaker Mary Harron. The movie, based on the novel by Brett Easton Ellis, centered on Patrick Bateman, an investment banker who hid his dark side from the world, but privately revealed and riffled in fantasies about sex and murder. The movie is open-ended, leaving audiences wondering how much of the violence seen on-screen actually happened or was just a fantasy in Patrick Bateman's mind. In 2002, a sequel was made, without the involvement of Harron or Kristen Bale, a set on a criminology student, played by Milla Kunis, who became obsessed with Bateman, confirming that he was actually a murderer and also that he had been caught, his crimes documented. The movie was originally not planned to be a sequel to American Psycho at all, but the studio shoehorned the connections in, resulting in a final product that frustrated its original creators, the filmmakers and most audiences. American Psycho no 1 will be released in comic book stores and online on October 11, 2023. And now we end with those who have gone on before. Next up, inka Swanson, the versatile actress best known for her memorable portrayals of combat women on the TV shows Soap and Benson, has passed away. Her son confirmed the news to TMZ. She was 90 years old Now. Swanson's involvement in the shows began with a multi-episode arc on Soap in 1978 as the conniving, revenge-seeking ingrid Swanson, the Swedish-born mother of Karine Tate. That led to a new role on the show's spin-off Benson as Gretchen Krauss, the autocratic and combative German cook. Swanson was Emmy-nominated three times for the role in 1980, 1982, and 1985. A year before her first TV credit, an episode of 1957's Goodyear Playhouse, she made a Broadway debut in New Faces of 1956. Among the year's other new faces were Maggie Smith, billy Hayes and Jane Connell. Connell appeared in Broadway six times over the years, including as a standby for Julie Andrews and Camelot in 1960. And a starring role in 1963's 110 in the Shade. Her final Broadway credit was 1965's Baker Street, the Sherlock Holmes musical, whose book writer, jerome Coopersmith, died last week. She was Tony-nominated twice for Best Actress in the Musical for 110 in the Shade and Baker Street. Additional TV credits included Mod Hazard on ABC's event miniseries North and South in 1985, and the sequel North and South, book 2. Swanson also appeared in two episodes of Bonanza in the early 60s and on such shows as Playhouse 90, hotel, the Golden Girls and Newhart. Her film work consisted of, among other things, roles in Columbia's Advise and Consent, ua's the Miracle Worker, paramount's Lipstick and Columbia's the Mountain Men. So she was 90 years old and I remember her well, especially from Benson. I watched that show. That was one of the shows that I remember well from the 80s and she was an interesting character. And finally, and this just hit just an hour or so ago, finally, paul Rubens, the actor best known for portraying Peewee Herman, passed away Sunday night after a private bout of cancer. Rubens wrote in a statement posted on Instagram after his death, quote Please accept my apologies for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years. I've always felt a huge amount of love and respect for my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you", rubens' state in the caption wrote quote Last night we said farewell to Paul Rubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character, peewee Herman, led generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacine, wit, a gift and prolific talent. He will forever live in the comic pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and a man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit. Rubens joined the LA troop, the groundlings, in the 1970s as Sardis careers in improvisational comedian and stage actor. In 1982, rubens began appearing in a show about character he had been developing for years. The show was called the Peewee Herman show and ran for five sold out months. Hbo saw this and decided to produce a successful special about it, and Peewee became an instant cult feature figure and for the next decade Rubens was completely committed to his character, doing all of his public appearances and interviews as Peewee. His feature film Peewee's Big Adventure in 1985, directed by Tim Burton, was a financial and critical success and soon developed into a classic film. The sequel, big Top Peewee in 1988 was less successful and between 1986 and 1990 Rubens starred as Peewee in the CBS Saturday Morning Children's program Peewee's Playhouse. Thereafter, rubens decided to take a sabbatical from Peewee and in July of 1991 Rubens was arrested for decent exposure in an adult theater in Sarasota, florida. The arrest set off a chain reaction of national media attention that changed the public's views of Rubens and Peewee. The arrest postponed Rubens' involvement in major projects until 1999, when he appeared in several big budget projects, including Mystery Men and Blow, and then Rubens started giving interviews as himself rather than as Peewee After 2006,. Rubens made cameos and appearances in numerous projects such as Reno, 911, 30 Rock, pushing Daisies, life During Wartime, the Blacklist, axel Love and Mosaic, and he played the voice of Pavel on Disney XD's television series Tron Uprising. Since the 90s, rubens worked on two possible Peewee films One Dark and Adult, dubbed the Peewee Herman story, and the other a family-friendly epic entitled Peewee's Playhouse, the movie. In 2010, he starred on Broadway in the Peewee Herman show and in 2016, rubens co-wrote and starred in the Netflix original film Peewee's Big Holiday, reprising his role as Peewee Herman. Peewee's Paul Rubens was 70 years old and, though I was never a fan of Peewee Herman, he was a character that I saw. It's positive and I loved. His role as a spleen in Mystery. Man is an excellent movie. If you haven't seen it, I believe it's available somewhere online, so go and check it out anyway. That brings us to the end of another edition of the show. Now please be sure to check us out on social media. We're at Twitter, at Multiverse Tom. We're also on Facebook and Instagram as well, as well as Threads at Multiverse Tonight. Now you can find me on Threads at Multiverse Tonight, and if you find value in the show and you know why not, feel free to contribute to the show, you can head on over to MultiverseTonightcom. There you'll find our show notes, our T-Public store. You can donate directly through the Ko-fi and Buy Me a Coffee, links and so much more. If you're a subscriber, thank you very much. Be sure to share with your friends and if you're brand new to the show, please share that. Hit that subscribe button and, if possible, on your app of choice that leads to feedback. Let me know how we're doing. I can't change if I don't know. Special thanks to Shane Ivers 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 and eventually we'll have an edition of the Spinner Rack soon. It's just, you know, with things I've been having, you know, a back and forth finding the time to do it, but we will eventually have that second, have that third edition of the Spinner Rack. Now, please exit the universe in an orderly fashion. Good night. Multiverse Tonight is a production of half-baked genre productions operating 2023, alright, guys, thanks for watching and I'll see you guys in the next one.