New ‘The Walking Dead’ And ‘Rogue One’ Funko Pop! Vinyls Announced

They’re the figures taking the world by storm. Possessing collectors and casual fans alike. Now Funko is adding a slew of new Pop! Vinyls to their collection, from arguably two of the worlds biggest franchises, ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘Star Wars’.

I haven’t latched on to this particular craze yet, the number of characters and franchises on offer make it difficult to know where to begin, yet ‘The Walking Dead’ figures have been appealing to me more and more. With this latest line I figure I might just cave in. Adding four new characters to the lineup, and two alternate/updated ones, these latest additions bring some fan favourites to the series. The new figures include Rosita, Father Gabriel, Negan and Jesus, whilst the alternate figures include Carl Grimes (Walker Disguise) and Daryl Dixon (With RPG Launcher).

The new additions mean that most of the main characters from the show now have a figure, with the only ones left to go being Eugene, Sasha and Tara. Hopefully then we don’t have to wait much longer for these other characters, and I imagine there will be some potential additions from the upcoming 7th Season too.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Also announced were a series of ‘Star Wars: Rogue One’ figures. This series includes 9 completely new characters, in addition to several variants. Given ‘Rogue One’ is set to be one of the biggest film releases of the year, it’s no wonder Funko has jumped at the opportunity to develop the figures, though I expect they’ll sell better once the film actually releases and people hone in on their favourite characters. In the US, several of the figures are store exclusives, so be sure to watch for that.

The figures announced were Jyn Erso, Captain Cassian Andor, K-2SO, Chirrut Imwe, Baze Malbus, Saw Gerrera, Director Orson Krennic, Scarif Stormtrooper, Imperial Death Trooper and C2-B5.

The updated and alternate versions announced were Darth Vader, Darth Vader (Force Grip), Imperial Death Trooper (Chrome), Scarif Stormtrooper (Striped), Captain Cassian Andor (Brown Jacket), Jyn Erso (Hooded) and Jyn Erso (Imperial Disguise).

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

That’s plenty to go at then. Not to mention 3 more ‘Rogue One’ figures will be released into the new ‘Wobbler’ line, that Funko have said “Combine the style of contemporary vinyl figures with the traditional collectability of bobbleheads!” These include Jyn Erso, Captain Cassian and Scarif Stormtrooper.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

So if you’re out to collect all the Funko Pops out there then I certainly do apologise to you, as these latest releases might just break the bank. At the end of the day though they look awesome, so it’s money well spent.

The figures are all expected to be released toward the end of September.

Jon Favreau Confirmed for ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Appearance

The all-star cast for Spider-Man: Homecoming just keeps growing, with Jon Favreau confirmed to reprise his role as Happy Hogan for Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Jon Favreau last played Happy Hogan, good friend, security and driver for Tony Stark in Iron Man 3 (2013) – we last saw him waking up from a coma, after he was seriously injured in an explosion resulting from the unstable Extremis.

As we haven’t seen him since, we don’t know the extent of his injuries or if there’s been permanent damage caused – judging by the fates of others caught up in those blasts, it’s likely that could be the case.

Jon Favreau will also, more than likely be joining Robert Downey Jr. for his cameo in the movie. Downey will be reprising his role as Iron Man. It’s more than likely they’ll both be paying Peter Parker a visit to assist with updates to the suit that Iron Man created for Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War.

Spider-Man: Homecoming will star Tom Holland as the leading web-slinger, and is due to hit theatres July 17th, 2017.

Scream Queens Season 2 Preview Released

Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk are busy guys. The People vs OJ Simpson is likely to be up for all the awards going, American Horror Story 6 is due to air in less than a week, and every day appears to bring a new Scream Queens promo video. The tongue-in-chic horror show returns to Fox in the USA on 20th September (UK air date TBC) and the  teaser videos are coming up thick and fast.

Season 2 is moving away from the university campus and will be set in a hospital run by crazy former college dean Cathy Munsch (Jamie Lee Curtis – Trading Places). Season 2 will also see the return of Emma Roberts (Wild Child), Keke Palmer (Ice Age: Continental Drift), Abigail Breslin (Zombieland), Billie Lourde (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Lea Michele (Glee). It will also introduce Taylor Lautner (Twilight:Eclipse) and John Stamos (Full House) as handsome comedy doctors.

Scream Queens Season 2 airs in the US on Fox 20th September 2016

Follow me on Twitter @pixiewose

iZombie Season 3: Rob Thomas Teases Zombie Speakeasy

If you like a little extra Tabasco in your Bloody Mary, the latest gossip about season 3 of iZombie could be music to your ears. Showrunner Rob Thomas revealed to Entertainment Weekly that a new zombie speakeasy would be a focal point in the next season. Thomas told EW “The number of zombies in Seattle is going up at an alarming rate, and it’s high time someone capitalised on the undead’s desire to socialise with their own kind.” Season 2 ended with the arrival of badass Vivian Stoll (Andrea Savage) who promised to make Seattle ‘the capital of the zombie homeland’. This means ample opportunity for business folks to cash in on the walking (and drinking!) dead.

Thomas continued “It’s a speakeasy where one needs to be able to eat a ghost pepper without flinching to be allowed in, but once inside, brains and hot sauces from around the world are available for the discriminating zombie,” which sounds like a great idea for a venue in the real world to be honest! The speakeasy, called The Scratching Post (as just a scratch will turn you in the world of iZombie), was originally pegged to be called Coldcock’s (snigger) but that plan was scuppered when the team found out that it was already a brand of whiskey. Unlucky dudes!

Liv (Rose McIver) is already struggling to fit in with both team human and team zombie, so how will she cope once Seattle starts to resemble a Romero movie? And also, if it’s a zombie only bar, will this mean less screen time for Ravi? If it does, I’m not feeling it!

Follow me on Twitter @pixiewose

Captain Cheesecake Is Getting A New Spinoff! – Big Finish Announces The Lives Of Captain Jack

Okay, first thing’s first: Captain Cheesecake? Mickey Smith‘s words, not mine (see the Series 4 episode Journey’s End).  Captain Jack is actually one of my favourite Doctor Who characters and I’m disappointed that he hasn’t returned in the Moffat Era yet. Jack alongside the 11th Doctor would have been a perfect combination.

In the meantime, at least we have Big Finish providing new adventures for everybody’s favourite Time Agent. Big Finish Productions have produced two audio series of the popular Jack-fronted spinoff Torchwood, with a further series and three box sets announced (Torchwood: Outbreak starring John Barrowman as Captain Jack, Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto Jones, Eve Myles as Gwen Cooper, Kai Owen as Rhys Williams and Tom Price as PC Andy Davidson, The Torchwood Archive including a whole host of names such as Rowena Cooper as Queen Victoria and David Warner as The Committee and Torchwood One: Before The Fall starring Tracy-Ann Oberman as Yvonne Hartman and Gareth David-Lloyd as Ianto). Yesterday, Big Finish Productions announced a second spinoff for the fan-favourite character: The Lives of Captain Jack.

The Lives of Captain Jack sees four new audio dramas set during various points in Jack’s life:

1. The Year After I Died by Guy Adams

Set in the year 200,101, on an Earth ravaged by the Daleks, Jack (John Barrowman) struggles to save humanity from its oldest enemy.

2. Wednesdays For Beginners by James Goss

Jack and Jackie Tyler (Camille Coduri) must unite to rescue the Powell Estate from a force whose name Jackie can never say.

3. One Enchanted Evening by James Goss

Captain Jack and Alonso Frame (Russell Tovey) have only just met. But why did the Doctor want them to be together?

4. Month 25 by Guy Adams

He’s the young star of the Time Agency, and his whole life is about to fall apart. But that’s not going to stop him winning.

The new audio dramas are directed by Scott Handcock (Big Finish Torchwood) and executive produced by Jason Haigh-Ellery (The Sixth Doctor: The Last Adventure) and Nicholas Briggs (The War Doctor: Only The Monstrous).The cast list includes John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness, Russell Tovey as Midshipman Alonso Frame, Camille Coduri as Jackie Tyler), Sarah Douglas as Vortia Trear, Shvorne Marks as Silo Crook, Scott Haran as Malfi Pryn, Aaron Neil as Gorky Sax, Katy Manning as Mother Nothing, Ellie Heydon as Ginny, Jonny Green as Station Computer, Hannah Barker as Female Passenger, Conor Pelan as Male Passenger, Ellie Welch as Bay Guard, Kristy Philipps as Colby, Joe Wiltshire Smith as Pods, Sakuntala Ramanee as Maglin Shank, Kieran Bew as Krim Pollensa, Alexander Vlahos as The Stranger,Chris Allen as The Council, Christel Dee as The Council and James Goss as The Council.

The Lives of Captain Jack will be released through the Big Finish site in June 2017. You can pre-order the CD now for £25 – or alternatively a download copy for £20: https://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-lives-of-captain-jack-1519. The cover art by Lee Binding (the man behind many of the classic series Doctor Who DVD covers, including The Green Death) is below:

 

More Supernatural S12 Casting News

Pretty Little Liars alum Kara Royster has been cast in a guest role in the 12th Season of The Show.  She’ll be playing Alicia, a young woman raised by a witch that now does the whole saving people, hunting things gig with her brother Max.  Royster joined PLL in Season 6, and in the Season 7 summer finale they left her in a car crash … bloody and maybe dead.

Recently, the muckity mucks at The CW and The Show have announced that they’re still open to the idea of a spin-off of The Show, but aren’t planning anything at this time.  I’m paraphrasing here, but basically they don’t want to do anything that would take away from The Show.  I don’t see how Wayward Daughters would “take away from The Show”, but since that unicorn is still running across that beautiful open field, I hope they’re not going to trip it with a spin-off about Alicia and Max (yeah, I’m turning up my nose at that one just like I did Bloodlines).  In case The Suits don’t realize it… The Fandom wants Wayward Daughters, anything less is really just tripping that unicorn.

Royster has had other guest roles on shows like The Mentalist and Scream Queens before ending up on Pretty Little Liars.

With all the recent casting announcements, it looks like S12 is going to be one helluva star packed season.  Is October here yet?

Daredevil SN2 EP2 – ‘Dogs To A Gunfight’

After that explosive season premiere, Matt is feeling the effects. After needing to be rescued by Foggy, he skulks around his apartment with noise affecting him more than ever and dropping glasses. His double identity is beginning to catch up with him as Karen has a hard time believing Matt’s excuses any more and thinks he has another problem. Speaking of Karen, she and Foggy have a little more story again as they are helping someone in witness protection trap the Punisher. Foggy’s one-liners provide a little comic relief to what could be an all-too serious story.

Speaking of the Punisher, after lurking in the shadows, we see much more of him in this episode. His personality is fleshed out much more. We see how cold and calculating he can be but he has a code of honor – we see these traits in just one scene. He coldly buys weapons he needs in a shop – just walks in, gets what he needs and tries to walk out. However, as soon as he finds out the shop owner runs underage prostitution, it’s game over. We don’t see the violence, we just see him replace the open sign to closed. Despite the TV-MA rating, a lot of the violence is implied. There’s a scene where the Punisher is wiping out members of a garage – we seem some bloodshed, but much of the action is heard through gun shots one attendant is ignoring until it’s too late. Even with the violence implied, this is still effective – letting us see the Punisher in action without becoming too gory.

There is still plenty of action. There is a pretty intense fight scene between the Punisher and Daredevil toward the end. Daredevil spends much of the episode out of action because his helmet is damaged. He tries to investigate out of costume. These scenes are pretty good – they are quiet and the lurking feeling that something could go wrong at any minute – such as when he gets busted by a dog – creates suspense. Even with action and suspense, the episode slows down for a few big ideas. After making vigilante justice acceptable, is it Daredevil’s fault the city now has the Punisher to deal with?

For bringing some suspense, action, all major characters in action and even a few big ideas, “Dogs to a Gunfight” is a top notch episode.

First Avengers: Infinity War Set Photo Released Shows Josh Brolin As Thanos

So the Production of The Avengers: Infinity War is not set to start until November but The Russo Brothers are already busy getting Pre-Production under way. They have shown this by way of a on set photo to show there rehearsal time with Josh Brolin in his role as The Mad Titan Thanos.

There is not much to see from this picture for those of you who were hoping for any kind of big reveal. The image shows Brolin in a Purple motion capture suit likely allowing the actor to get into character for the role.

The last time we saw Thanos was in the credits cut scene after The Avengers: Age Of Ultron where he removed the Infinity Gauntlet minus the infinity stones whilst clearly annoyed that another one had slipped out of his grasp and says “Fine. I’ll do it myself”

The battle with Thanos has been a long time coming after he attacked New York via the way of Loki and a Chitauri army. It will be interesting to see if he tells The Avengers that it was him who orchestrated the whole thing and as we know when the team are angered it can go either of two ways.

We know that Thanos does not currently have any of the Infinity Stones to place on his gauntlet so he still has plenty of work to do to obtain them all and it will be interesting to see how he manages this and how much chaos and destruction is caused to do this as they are all over the galaxy. We will have to wait some time to see how he manages to do this as we still have Doctor Strange, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther movies to come first before this movie is released on May 4th 2018.

As always for all your Mad Titan needs stick with @Deadpool_1984 only at skatronixxx.com

 

Amazing World of Gumball SN5 EP3 -‘The Guy’

The Amazing World of Gumball’s semi final season is good, just as good as Gumball has ever been. They really have found a way of doing things that works. The characters have all grown in just the right way that the show is always able to do something new.

This episode focuses on Anais trying to make and keep a friend. Anais is a troubled genius four year old and the sister of Gumball. She has trouble trying to make friends and it is rather funny as in this episode she is seen as a monster. In a predator prey situation, she runs around the school trying to make people her friends but to no avail.

Suddenly she sees a new character and when she asks him to be friends he readily accepts. Gumball always the one to put a damper on anyone’s parade because he is pretty egocentric points out something might be wrong with the guy.

Anais tries not to let this bother her and keeps hanging out with Josh. But soon enough Gumball gets into her head as she realizes that nothing is wrong with Josh. So if nothing is wrong with Josh, could something actually be wrong with her? This is such a real plight especially for a young person. People are always unsure about making new friends especially when it really can be so hard to do so.

Gumball wants to make sure nothing is wrong with Josh and sets up humorous tricks to test him. When Josh realizes what is going on he leaves Anais in the dust and storms off.

Gumball and his fish brother Darwin realize that something needs to be done and they try to think of  a way to fix things. Gumball and Darwin are imaginative to say the least and their ideas all would end up in failure. So finally they decide to grovel.

Josh realizes that they love their sister and that is enough to make him forgive her. But then he shows his true colors by revealing he is giving all his money to a frog that will send them to the future. Gumball was right all along Josh, is a weirdo.

Honestly Gumball is a show that often time reaches such a beautiful and real end. The episodes can even teach things if you listen.

Ben Affleck’s Live By Night Trailer Is Here

 

Ben Affleck is one of the best recent directors. His three films all hold no less than a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score. His last epic, Argo won Best Picture at the 2013 Academy Awards. By the end of 2016 he’ll have appeared in four movies, namely Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, Suicide Squad, The Accountant and Live by Night. The latter will receive a limited release to qualify for an Oscar run next year.

Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for Ben Affleck‘s next directorial effort, Live by Night. It is just pure awesomeness. Though it does make me wonder who would win between Joe Coughlin and Batman.

You can see the trailer below.

 

The film is set in the roaring `20s when Prohibition hasn’t stopped the flow of booze in an underground network of gangster-run speakeasies. The opportunity to gain power and money is there for any man with enough ambition and nerve and Joe Coughlin, the son of the Boston Police Superintendent, long ago turned his back on his strict upbringing for the spoils of being an outlaw. But even among criminals there are rules and Joe breaks a big one: crossing a powerful mob boss by stealing his money and his moll. The fiery affair ends in tragedy, setting Joe on a path of revenge, ambition, romance and betrayal that propels him out of Boston and up the ladder of Tampa’s steamy rum-running underworld.

Leonardo DiCaprio will produce the epic alongside Jennifer Davisson, under the Appian Way banner, with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Todd producing under Pearl Street films. Chris Brigham, Chay Carter and Dennis Lehane will serve as executive producers.

The film stars Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning (Maleficent), Chris Messina (Argo), Sienna Miller (American Sniper) Zoe Saldana (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Chris Cooper (Adaptation, The Town). The cast also includes Max Casella, J.D. Evermore , Remo Girone , Robert Glenister , Anthony Michael Hall , Matthew Maher, Miguel J. Pimentel, Chris Sullivan and Titus Welliver .

Live by Night will arrive in cinemas  on January 13, 2017.