Category: Movies

Superman Movies Ranked

Published on by Kyra1 Comment

The DCU launches later this week with James Gunn’s Superman. We’re getting prepared by ranking all the Superman movies up to this point. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here, Geekly Gang. As you’ll find out, I haven’t watched some of these movies in years, if not decades.

Many of these Superman movies are “products of their time.” That happens when a film was released in the ’70s and you’re watching it almost half a century later. We’ll have some exclusions on this list. We won’t include 1997’s Steel or 1984’s Supergirl because those were offshoots, not mainline Superman movies. We also won’t include team-up movies like 2016’s Batman v Superman or 2021’s Justice League; we’ll just cover the solo Superman films. Besides, Jim and I discussed our thoughts on Batman v Superman when it first released. Wow! That was a long time ago.

Let’s rank all the Superman movies, starting with sixth place and counting down to number one.

6) Man of Steel (2013)

From a technical standpoint, Man of Steel may be the most polished Superman movie (Superman Returns may have something to say about that), but that’s expected from the most recent Superman solo movie. And a sound Superman movie from a technical standpoint doesn’t necessarily make a great or even good Superman movie. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s talk about the good elements within Man of Steel.

Man of Steel puts much time and effort into building up Krypton. Perhaps this is why we received a Krypton television series that no one wanted and few watched. Zod is fleshed out in this version of Superman more than he will be in our next entry, Superman II. Man of Steel gives more of a reason why Krypton has fallen into disrepair. That’s good.

In principle, I also like the idea of Superman needing to hone his skills and Ma Kent giving him the guidance he needs. I even like how the fight scenes incorporate the ground more than most recent superhero films. More on this point in Superman II. Can you tell I’m running out of steam for nice things to say? I could be missing a point or two, but let’s rip off the band-aid.

Man of Steel is the most disappointing Superman movie. It easily takes our sixth spot because it’s not a Superman movie. To be clear, I don’t blame Henry Cavill or any other cast member for this assessment. They did what they could with the material. Man of Steel has problems at the story and direction level.

Man of Steel hammered home Superman’s trauma. They do so at the narrative structure. Non-linear stories are the hallmark of a trauma story (like the Sweet Here After), so much so that writers will refer to non-linear storytelling as the trauma storytelling method. Superman seldom lends himself to trauma. Sure, he has issues he must overcome, but the level Man of Steel stoops to is worthy of Batman. Not every superhero is Batman. Superman is nothing like Batman. Supes has issues, yes. He doesn’t necessarily have trauma. Certainly not the deep-seated trauma Man of Steel presents. I half expected Superman to turn into Martian Manhunter. That person has trauma.

Man of Steel also ushered in the reluctant and darker version of heroes in the DCEU. The DCEU did this so much that the reluctant hero went from being a trope to a cliche. There isn’t much difference between a trope and a cliche, except that tropes can often be done well and cliches usually can’t. Man of Steel set the DCEU on a collision course with failure. Superman isn’t a reluctant hero. Wonder Woman usually isn’t a reluctant hero. Batman going over the edge–actually makes sense–but from a character standpoint, little else in the DCEU made sense.

I know I said that Zod and Krypton were fleshed out well in Man of Steel. That’s both a good and bad thing. Man of Steel relies too much on Krypton and builds it up so much that it neglects Kal-El’s relationship with Earth. Outside of Martha Kent, Superman has no connection with Earthlings. This was the worst possible move. I blame writer David S. Goyer. He turns everyone, including Leonardo da Vinci (Da Vinci’s Demons, which I don’t suggest watching), into Batman. Again, Superman is nothing like Batman.

I’ll end with Man of Steel’s wanton destruction. Many people have mentioned this before, but I’ll add my two cents. Superman doesn’t even attempt to draw Zod and the others to an unpopulated location. Superman does exactly that during his fight with Zod in Superman II. Why didn’t you do your homework, Davey? While it’s true Zod may have taken the battle back to a city or town, Superman should’ve attempted to draw fire away from humans. But this is a Superman who has no connection with Earth or humans. Man of Steel’s Superman isn’t really Superman.

Man of Steel would’ve claimed our fourth spot because it’s the fourth best movie of this bunch, but it’s not a Superman movie. They never call him Superman. Perhaps this is a movie about Skibidiman.

5) Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

I’ll try to stay positive at first while discussing every Superman movie, but Superman IV: The Quest for Peace makes that difficult. But not impossible. With an hour and a half runtime, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is the shortest Superman film by at least thirty minutes. If another movie is eighty percent as bad as Superman IV: The Quest for Peace and runs thirty minutes to an hour longer, does that make the other movie worse? That’s a real debate for the next film on this list. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is self-aware enough to know it should waste as little of a viewer’s time as it can, and I’ll say the movie’s pacing is good. Not great, but good.

There’s even a hint at a good story in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. The Kryptonian judges, whom Superman asks for advice about ridding the world of all its nuclear weapons, warn him against Earth putting all their faith in one man, even if that man is Kal-El. Lex Luthor espouses this logic numerous times in the comics. I wonder if a version of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace’s script includes Lex worrying that Superman is too powerful. Instead, Superman IV leans heavily into “the threat of nuclear war is good for business.” While that’s a good motivation for Lex, he’d most likely spin that underlying desire as Superman is overreaching by ridding the world of its most dangerous weapons. But that’s Lex saying the quiet part out loud, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace’s creatives had some naked political agendas.

The script and direction aren’t subtle with their politics. Even the tertiary story gets in on the action. A greedy businessman, Warfield (again, subtle), takes over the Daily Planet. He commodifies the news, and in the end, he gets his comeuppance. While I agree with Lacy Warfield’s (the man’s daughter) sentiment that a newspaper’s business should be journalism, not money, the message is ham-fisted at best. This exact scenario has played out in modern reporting, but that doesn’t mean the message wasn’t cranked to the highest volume and the nob yanked.

Any scene with the kid asking Superman to rid the world of nuclear weapons gives a bad name to saccharine. It’s beyond the term. The entire nuclear weapon storyline is a product of the Eighties. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace would look a lot different in today’s climate. And that brings us back to capitalism needing the threat of war to survive. Lex Luthor becomes a stand-in for capitalism, not caring where the money comes from so long as the money flows. In short, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is over the top with its messaging.

Before I get into the horrid action sequences, let’s discuss that awkward double-date scene with Superman, Lois, Clark Kent, and Lacy Warfield. It’s the definition of cringe. Fortunately, the scene doesn’t last long, but leads to some eye-rolling situational comedy.

Yep. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace has some of the worst special effects in superhero cinema. What’s worse is that some of the head-scratching superpowers introduced in Superman II (more on that film later) return in Superman IV. Amnesiac kisses? Check. Telekinetic vision? Double check; Superman and Nuclearman use this ability. And Superman IV adds poisonous fingernails, which age Superman for some reason, for Nuclearman. What’s worse is that Superman IV reuses old footage. Many of the fight scenes repeat, and Lex even uses his dog whistle trick from the original Superman. Yikes!

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace takes the fifth spot for all these reasons, but it’s still a Superman movie. And because of Superman IV’s brevity and pacing, I watched this movie in fewer sittings than the next film on this list.

4) Superman III (1983)

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace may be the worst movie in the Superman franchise (I don’t include Man of Steel as a Superman movie), but Superman III is disappointing. If it wasn’t for the existence of Man of Steel, Superman III would be the most disappointing Superman movie. I’ll try to say some nice things about Superman III before I list the numerous ways the movie failed.

An internal Superman struggle is a good direction for a story. Superman III introduces a synthetic Kryptonite, and the synthetic Kryptonite turns Superman evil. Not bad. It’s a little hokey that Clark Kent physically walks away from the Nega-Superman to fight himself, but this scene may have inspired Black Kryptonite (Smallville “Crusade” in 2004 and eventually the comics), which does just that. An exposed Kryptonian splits into two identities, one good and one evil. An internal Superman struggle is a solid foundation. Unfortunately, Superman II also had a hint of internal struggle, so the series was already getting repetitive.

I also liked Clark’s return to Smallville. Superman is a small-town kid at heart, and he often returns to Smallville in the comics. Heck. One of the most recent Superman stories features Lois and Clark moving to Smallville and starting a family. The Lana Lang love story felt forced, but I can see why the Superman film series wanted to shake things up from the status quo of Lois and Clark. And Lana is canonically one of Superman’s love interests, one of the few outside of Lois Lane.

Oh, what could’ve been. Here comes the disappointment. Early drafts of Superman III’s script included Bizarro and Brainiac. While watching the final fight sequences, you can see Bizarro and Brainiac’s influence. Superman III’s second conflict centers around Richard Pryor’s character, who can somehow speak to computers (a stand-in for Brainiac), asking a billionaire to construct a killer computer (a second stand-in for Brainiac), and this supercomputer transforms a woman (Vera) into a Bizarro-like monstrosity. And the fight I mentioned prior between Superman and himself is yet another Bizarro stand-in. Just use Brainiac and Bizarro.

Not gonna lie, Robot Vera gave me nightmares as a kid. But here’s where we get into the not-so-nice points. Richard Pryor was shoehorned into this movie. Superman II leaned into slapstick and camp (more on that movie in a little while), so Superman III felt it had to market itself as a comedy. Pryor is a big name. Let’s squeeze him into Brainiac’s shoes. That’s not speculation. The studio has admitted they felt as if they “had to market Superman III” as a comedy. To his credit, Pryor wasn’t as annoying as I remembered. He can be annoying, but the script gave him little to work with, and the skiing sequence was stupid.

In general, the script stank. One could almost see what Superman III tried to do with its story (Brainiac and Bizarro) and changed course to match what they believed audiences wanted. And everything was about computers. Superman has powers, but we have computers. What powers the world? Computers. What can defeat Superman? Brainiac…I mean, computers. I cringed every time Robert Vaughn spoke about technology. He came off like Grandpa trying to explain the interwebs to the youngins, who, you know, grew up with computers. And don’t get me started on some of the graphics. I may have played the missile scene (a pixelated Superman dodges heat-seeking missiles) in an ’80s video game or two. Superman III wasn’t entirely bad, but it disappointed.

3) Superman II (1980)

I went into this rewatch of Superman movies thinking I’d put Superman II at number one, but the remaining movies on this list narrowly edge out Superman II. I’ll discuss those two movies in a moment. Before I go into Superman II’s shortcomings, let’s discuss what it gets right. Superman II does one thing modern superhero movies should adopt: gravity.

Literal gravity. Because Superman II had technical limitations, the movie’s four flying characters (Superman, General Zod, Ursa, and Nan) must occasionally land. This roots the viewer in what’s up and what’s down. It grants each blow more impact. The one I think of specifically is when Ursa mockingly calls for Superman, he turns to face her, and she throws a manhole cover into Supe’s midsection. Superman flies backwards, and while this is a dated (and comical) action sequence, it looks like it hurts. Black Panther is overall a better movie than Superman II, but the battle where Black Panther and Killmonger tumble in what looks like weightlessness doesn’t have the same impact.

I’ll add another bright spot for Superman II before listing some nits. I liked the character’s origin (and a few highlights from the previous movie) being recapped during the opening credits. I forgot Superman II did this. The MCU would be easier to keep up with if it did something similar. This wouldn’t work all the time, but I wouldn’t mind a refresher to cut down on MCU homework, and studios can stop force-feeding us character origins. Consider sliding an origin story into the movie’s opening credits.

Okay. We’ve reached the nitpicks. While Superman: The Movie has hints of comedy, Superman II includes actual slapstick comedy moments (Otis during the prison break). It isn’t too distracting, but these moments show what the movie franchise would become. Superman II leans more into camp. Again, the movie is still good, but this also shows the franchise’s direction. And then there are the powers. What is going on with these odd one-off superpowers? Superman: The Movie had Kal-El reverse the Earth’s rotation to turn back time. This is odd, but it makes Bizarro-World sense. Superman II says, Hold my beer.

Odd powers include: Saran wrap Superman logo, General Zod (and company) using telekinesis vision, a pod (ray) that turns Kryptonians into humans (which got switched off-camera into shielding a Kryptonian), and Superman having amnesic kisses. Most of these powers are very convenient for the plot, which is rather thin.

At its core, Superman II is a love story between Lois and Clark. I like this idea. Unfortunately, Superman II’s execution of this story was as clumsy as a Clark aw, shucks moment. Pair this with some other baffling choices (like why did Clark have to walk back to the Fortress of Solitude instead of bumming a ride from Lois? I didn’t understand this when I was a child and still don’t), and Superman II doesn’t shine quite as bright as our next two entries.

2) Superman Returns (2006)

I wasn’t expecting Superman Returns to be this watchable. I had to get over the cringe of seeing Kevin Spacey’s name (and watching him on-screen), but the man does a brilliant job as Lex Luthor. His performance is close enough to Gene Hackman’s while deviating until he made the character his own. The remaining cast followed suit, except for Frank Langella’s Perry White. Langella blends a hard-nosed, hard-working journalist with an editor who wants to sell numerous copies of the Daily Planet. Langella’s performance is a perfect marriage of Warfield (who took over the Planet in Superman IV) and the original Perry White. I’m impressed with Superman Returns’ acting and direction.

Even though Superman Returns’ runtime is the longest of all six movies ranked, it has good pacing. Were there a few moments that dragged a hair too long? Sure. But every Superman movie has those moments; Superman Returns may have the fewest of these moments. But many of the movie’s cool moments or story beats look and feel familiar. That’s because we’ve seen them in Superman: The Movie. This is why Superman Returns doesn’t take the top spot. Unlike Star Wars: The Force Awakens did with Star Wars: A New Hope, Superman Returns doesn’t lift all of Superman: The Movie’s story threads. The movie makes enough alterations.

But here are the similarities I found. Lex wants beachfront property and will murder millions of Americans to get it; he just switches coasts and the means. Lex’s woman accomplice grows a conscience and foils his plans at the last moment. Lex uses Kryptonite again, which didn’t happen as much as one might think in previous Superman movies, but it did in Superman: The Movie. These are major story beats and almost all of them came from the original, but Superman Returns, like the movie’s actors and their portrayals, it does take enough liberties to make the movie feel fresh.

I’ve waited long enough to mention the one plot point most people hated in Superman Returns: Lois and Clark’s son. The passage of time has softened my response to this storyline, but this doesn’t bother me. I can’t remember if Lois and Clark’s child bothered me in 2006. Recently, the two had a child in the comics. I mentioned this series in the Superman III write-up above, but I’ll reiterate it here. The story where Lois and Clark have a child and set roots in Smallville is one of the better Superman runs of the past decade to decade and a half. Had Superman Returns been released after this comic book run, more fans could’ve bought into Superman having a biological son with Lois. Regardless, I didn’t mind this story. It wasn’t handled the best–I would’ve tweaked a few things like Clark knowing he had a son–but it wasn’t a deal breaker.

But I do have a gripe that almost was a deal breaker. When is Superman Returns supposed to be set? Superman Returns takes place between ten and fifteen years after Superman II, so that would make the movie’s timeframe 1990 to 1995. Why does everyone have cellphones? Didn’t that happen in the early 2000s? Cellphones and other advanced technology may be the biggest head-scratchers, but Superman Returns holds a lot of anachronisms. The movie doesn’t know when it wants to be set. Still, Superman Returns is a good watch. Just turn off the switch in your brain that asks what time this is and allow the shock of Lois and Clark having a kid together to wane. Years later, Superman Returns is a surprisingly watchable movie.

1) Superman: The Movie (1978)

Yes! We have the original Superman (1978). I haven’t watched Superman: The Movie in years, decades perhaps. I forgot how the movie opens. A kid leafing through an issue of the Daily Planet is quaint. It made me smile. I got the vibe of a storybook mixed with the iconic newspaper where Clark and Lois work. The same can be said of the opening theme.

John Williams’ soundtracks always put me in a great mood. And then we’re treated to Jor-El (Superman’s birth father, portrayed by Marlon Brando) sentencing General Zod and his cronies to the Phantom Zone. Surprisingly, Superman: The Movie had the foresight to introduce the potential villain of its sequel. That didn’t happen often before the 2000s. In that sense, Superman: The Movie was ahead of its time.

Unlike Pa Kent’s death scene in Man of Steel, John Kent’s death of a heart attack in Superman: The Movie makes sense. Despite all Superman’s powers, he can’t save everyone, not even the ones closest to him. Pa Kent’s death scene in Superman: The Movie humanizes Clark Kent; it reminds him of the fragility of human life. I also like that Pa Kent’s death doesn’t serve to set up Kal-El as a reluctant hero like it did in Man of Steel. I hope 2025’s Superman abandons the reluctant superhero cliche.

I won’t go into a blow-by-blow for the remainder of Superman: The Movie. I was just shocked by how little I remembered from the movie’s opening and how groundbreaking some of these scenes were. Superman: The Movie may have flaws and be a product of its time, but it legitimized superhero movies. Oddly, it took over a decade for another major superhero film (Batman 1989) other than a Superman movie to grace the silver screen. No. I don’t count 1984’s Supergirl; unfortunately, it was a cash grab on the Superman movie franchise. I’m looking forward to a better Supergirl film.

Superman: The Movie takes a while to get going. Most of its early runtime revolves around Superman’s origin, but the movie does a great job telling this story. Movies like Superman 1978 do such a great job of showing a superhero’s origin that including an origin for well-known characters in modern superhero movies is a turnoff. I may like Superman II’s action more, but it does venture more into camp, and Superman Returns borrows more than a little of Superman: The Movie’s sugar to claim this top spot. Sometimes the original is the best.

That’s our list. How would you rate the previous Superman movies before this year’s film releases? Let us know in the comments. I can’t wait for Superman to release later this week. Except for Man of Steel, I had fun rewatching these movies. Yes. I even enjoyed rewatching Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. RIP, Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, and Margot Kidder. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Skye’s 5 Pride Month Movies

Published on by SkyeLeave a comment

Happy Pride, Geekly Gang! What better way to celebrate Pride Month than with movies? Being a member of the LGBTQ+ Community myself, it was fun to curate this list for y’all. My favorite part was seeing how film evolved in its coverage of LGBTQ+ themes. Sometimes heartwarming. Sometimes depressing. Sometimes downright cringeworthy. But what’re you gonna do? Regardless of content, these movies serve as great time capsules for how far we’ve come with discussing LGBTQ+ concepts. We still have a long way to go, but these movies are still cool.

I’d like to clear one thing up real quick. I don’t mean to imply that, as a member of the LGBTQ+ Community, only I can determine the best LGBTQ+ movies. Not at all. I’m one person, and these are some of my favorites I watched this month. There are also several other movies I saw and didn’t mention. Feel free to mention them in the comments. As always, thanks for your understanding. With that said, these are my picks for 5 LGBTQ+ movies for Pride Month.

The Birdcage

I’ll start with a goofy one. That’s mostly what The Birdcage is: goofy. Even with The Birdcage‘s simple premise, it managed to get some good laughs out of me. If you haven’t seen The Birdcage, here’s the run-down. A young man with gay fathers is getting married to a woman whose parents are deeply conservative. So, the whole movie is trying to convince the girl’s parents that the boy has straight parents. With a star-studded cast including Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, and Christine Baranski, how could I not recommend The Birdcage?

Also, I truly underestimated the comedic potential with Hank Azaria in The Birdcage. His role as Agador Spartacus had me rolling on multiple occasions.

The Kids Are All Right

Let’s take it down a bit. We go from off-the-wall humor to a more heartfelt premise in The Kids Are All Right. Two children with lesbian parents discover their sperm-donor father and try to connect with him. Another simple yet effective premise. The Kids Are All Right results in some complicated emotions and difficult relationship questions being raised. The mothers are worried about the sperm donor, Paul, taking their children away from them. Meanwhile, with the kids getting older, they’re already having conflicting feelings about their parents. It’s a cute coming-of-age film wrapped in an LGBT blanket.

If you’re in the mood for something more realistic and personal, I recommend The Kids Are All Right, if for no other reason than to remind yourself that Mia Wasikowska has emotions. I was shocked, too.

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

Here’s where it gets more complicated. While I really enjoyed The Adventures of Priscilla, it elicited a wide variety of emotions from me. As three drag queens make their way across the Australian Outback, they have several misadventures along the way. That doesn’t seem like much on its face, but it results in all sorts of interactions. The upsides, downsides, and everything else that comes with being a drag queen in the 90s are put on display here, and it’s not always easy to watch. However, y’all may know that movies like that are the kind that attract me.

Sure, The Adventures of Priscilla can be difficult to get through, but I recommend it only for Terence Stamp. Yeah, it’s fun seeing General Zod as a drag queen.

Paris is Burning

Paris is Burning is a classic. While the creation of the film raises some ethical questions, what’s detailed in it is unlike anything else I’ve seen. Paris is Burning outlines the intricacies of Ballroom culture in New York City at the height of the AIDS crisis. This month was my first time watching it, and it raised several difficult emotions. I found myself reflected in each of the folks on-screen and relating to their struggles to an unhealthy degree. We will survive, and Paris is Burning shows us how they do it in “Gay World.”

Paris is Burning also does a fantastic job of highlighting the difficulties of combining LGBTQ+ issues with race issues. This is still an issue today, but if we don’t talk about it, it’ll never change.

Disclosure

Of the movies on this list, the ones I would consider “must-watches” in today’s climate are Paris is Burning and Disclosure. While Paris is Burning has proven to maintain relevance after 35 years, Disclosure was released 5 years ago, and its importance is already striking. Disclosure takes an elaborate and detailed look at the coverage of transgender people in the public eye over the years. From as far back as the 1910s, Disclosure shows us how transgender people have been humiliated from the start. As the world continues to grow and evolve, especially now, we need movies like Disclosure.

Even thinking about Disclosure now, I can’t help but feel emotional. For me, Disclosure hits too close to home, but that’s also why it’s important.

So those are my 5 movies for Pride Month this year. What do y’all think? Are there any movies I mi – Yes. I couldn’t even finish that sentence, but yes, share your favorite LGBTQ+ movies in the comments with us. We always love to hear from you! Now go out there and show the world how you’re not afraid to live your life on your terms. 😉

Thunderbolts* Review

Published on by Kyra2 Comments

Thunderbolts* takes a familiar MCU formula and adds deep themes, allowing its characters to shine. Yes! The Geekly Gang has had a chance to watch Thunderbolts* on the big screen. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Happy Friday. Today we’ll be covering Geekly’s thoughts on the latest Marvel film to release, Thunderbolts*.

Thunderbolts* is indeed the sleeper hit I was hoping for at the beginning of the year (during our MCU preview). I’d even say it’s one of the better recent Marvel projects. We’ll get to some of the goodness here after a while, but I wanted to start by saying that I appreciated not needing to do MCU homework for this movie. Because Sentry can tap into others’ past trauma, the audience got a good introduction to most of the characters. No hundreds of hours of viewing necessary.

That alone was a relief. Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova was an excellent choice for a primary point-of-view character. Thunderbolts* does bounce a little bit, but Yelena is the character the audience shares the most time. Thunderbolts*‘ Yelena isn’t the jovial Yelena from previous projects (like Hawkeye or Black Widow). This is a woman struggling with the loss of her sister (and by extension, her family). She’s lost and trying to find her place in the world. I said this during Geekly’s preview several months ago, and I’ll reiterate here: Yelena is relatable.

So many of the Thunderbolts* are relatable. They’ve fallen short of glory. They’re haunted by their demons. They find a way to endure and persevere. It’ll be difficult not to get preachy with this response, but I’ll try and restrain myself. In short, Thunderbolts* is about mental health.

I’ll try to stay as spoiler-free as I can. It’ll be difficult. I love how Thunderbolts* introduced Sentry. This could’ve handled Sentry’s introduction poorly, but Bob’s inclusion was handled with care. He battles demons of his own, and like I said prior, he can draw people into their past trauma. This will come back to bite the Thunderbolts in the future because every member has trauma. Sentry forces the team to face their past, and eventually, the Thunderbolts help Sentry battle his own self-loathing. Bob views it as an ever-present void. Again, for someone dealing with depression, this is relatable.

I don’t want to get into any further detail; it’ll get too spoilery. How the Thunderbolts assemble has shades of the Guardians of the Galaxy. It worked for the Guardians; it works for the Thunderbolts. There are a few exceptions, but most Thunderbolts are tasked with assassinating one of the other future members. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s character (Valentina) is in the throes of impeachment trials and uses the various members to cover up her tracks. Her final loose ends are the Thunderbolts. Okay. That was kind of a spoiler. Thunderbolts* may use familiar tactics, but the way the movie executes these tactics feels fresh.

Thunderbolts* even manages to introduce small details earlier in the film that end up mattering more than the audience may have thought. That’s always fun. It’s like watching a puzzle piece fall into place. And Thunderbolts* does a good job of managing those puzzle pieces.

My only gripe is that I wish we had seen more of certain characters. To be fair, that’s a good problem to have. This is a minor spoiler, but one of the Thunderbolts dies early in the movie’s runtime. I see why Marvel did it. Fans didn’t care for this interpretation of the character, and knowing the multiverse, the character could return (even with the same actor) in some other form, hopefully one closer to the comic book.

And I wish we had gotten more screen time with Ghost. Again, I understand why Marvel went this direction. Ghost’s past is similar enough to Yelena’s (suffering from a childhood where she must do bad things). Thunderbolts* had a lot of characters to juggle, so someone had to draw the short stick. Ghost still had plenty of moments.

I don’t want to continue and risk spoiling any more of Thunderbolts*. It’s a great watch, one of the MCU’s better releases in recent years. Just be prepared with a box of tissues. Thunderbolts* covers some heavy topics.

I’m so glad Thunderbolts* was the first MCU movie I watched this year. I can’t wait for Fantastic Four: First Steps to release. Thank you for reading. Like Thunderbolts* tells us, be kind to yourself, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Thunderbolts Characters Ranked

Ranking Thunderbolts* Characters Before Watching the Movie

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Thunderbolts* was released the other day. Geekly hasn’t yet watched the movie, to the best of my knowledge. There is a chance that while you’re reading this, we’re watching Thunderbolts*, but that got me thinking, which Thunderbolts* characters interest me the most before watching the movie?

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re trying something a little different with this post. It’s a pre-viewing post of Thunderbolts* where we’ll cite which characters on the Thunderbolts roster interest us the most. This list will be subjected. I fully expect people to leg-wrestle me to move a character up or down a spot. Without further ado, here’s our ranking of which Thunderbolts* characters are the most interesting before watching the movie.

Unranked: Bob/Sentry

I know Sentry from the comics. He can be the most interesting character on this list. If I were to rate him ahead of Thunderbolts*, I would’ve struggled with putting him at 1 or 2. Yes. Sentry can be the most interesting character in this lot. He’s also making his MCU debut.

The MCU’s version of Sentry may not be as intriguing as what occurred in the comics. I’m playing it safe and leaving him unranked, but make no mistake, if Sentry were included in this list, he’d be high. I don’t want to spoil any potential plot points (I haven’t seen the movie, so I don’t know particulars about the MCU Sentry), but Sentry can be a lot of fun.

6: Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian

I liked David Harbour’s portrayal of Red Guardian in Black Widow. I also don’t think there’s much left for the character to explore. I hope I’m wrong.

Red Guardian serves as comic relief and little else. Going back to Sentry, there’s little chance that the Thunderbolts encounter Sentry, and everyone survives. There’s a good chance Red Guardian becomes a martyr. I could see the loss of Red Guardian deepening Yelena Belova’s storyline (the loss of a mentor/father figure). I could also see the death of one or more Thunderbolts reminding viewers that no one’s safe.

5: Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster

I considered not ranking Taskmaster either. The character’s a blank slate. No longer brainwashed by her father (in Black Widow), Antonia Dreykov’s character could go in any direction. Heck. She suffered an accident (bombing) and became brainwashed by her father at a young age. Her character could go in multiple directions at once, while she tries to find herself.

This fact also made me want to raise her ranking. I want to see who she is in a different setting. She has plenty of trauma for Thunderbolts* to mine.

4: Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier

Stop me if this sounds familiar. I like Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier, but I don’t think there’s much left for his character to explore. I hope I’m wrong.

Okay. There may be more for the MCU to explore with Bucky than there is with Red Guardian. Bucky is an iconic character and there are plenty of Bucky stories to tell that don’t include Steve Rogers and some of those stories include the Thunderbolts. But if you know much about the Thunderbolts, you know that they don’t keep leaders for long, and the Winter Soldier is the team’s de facto leader. I can see the team getting a change in leadership at the end of the movie. A change in leadership may be necessary.

3: Yelena Belova/Black Widow

Florence Pugh is too electric as Yelena for her not to show up multiple times in the MCU. I also liked Pugh’s voice-over as Yelena during the second trailer. She shares that there’s something wrong with her, an emptiness. She’s just drifting. She doesn’t have a purpose, so she throws herself into her work. This shows how human Yelena is as a character.

There are a couple of other characters who narrowly edge out Yelena Belova. Seriously, you could rearrange these top three, and I’d be okay with it. I can’t wait to watch Yelena in Thunderbolts*.

2: John Walker/U. S. Agent

Wyatt Russell’s John Walker lives a disgraced life as the man who tarnished Captain America’s name. That has some depth. Throw in the fact that someone else (Sam Wilson) wears Captain America’s uniform, and Walker must be a bundle of emotions.

I could see Walker finding his redemption story. Does that mean that he has a story beyond this one? Perhaps. Does that mean that he could sacrifice himself for the good of the team? Maybe. There’s a high probability that Walker doesn’t survive the events of Thunderbolts* either. I’m not kidding. One or more members of the Thunderbolts could die before the credits roll. Sentry is no joke.

I can’t imagine a group of assassins and super soldiers will fare well against Marvel’s version of a psychologically unstable Superman. Oops. Spoilers. Sentry has a power set like Superman’s.

1: Ava Starr/Ghost

Ghost was the best thing out of Ant-Man and the Wasp. She deserved another vehicle, and I’m glad that Thunderbolts* is giving her that vehicle. Starr gained the ability to render herself intangible and generate extreme amounts of power following a quantum accident that killed her parents. The United States government took advantage of her powers and turned her into an assassin in return for a cure for her condition. They lied.

After Janet van Dyne heals Starr, she’s free to forge her own path. Unfortunately, it looks as if old habits die hard. Ghost only knows how to be an assassin. I can’t wait to see her fight against her training.

Did we get the list right? Let us know who you would rank where. Thank you for reading and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly Casting: X-Men in the MCU

Published on by Kyra19 Comments

Another day, another new series for JK Geekly. The X-Men will feature in the MCU’s upcoming Mutant Saga, so we’ll be discussing who could play Marvel’s mutants during this MCU Phase.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. The Geekly Gang will divide duties here with the discussion. Since Skye is our resident movie geek, she’ll cast her favorite actors for each role. I have an interesting job this week. Geekly Casting is an idea that came from one of our site’s commenters, Harper Ross. Thank you, Harper. I’ll discuss the picks Harper Ross suggests for Marvel’s Merry Mutants. Thank you again, Harper Ross.

Harper Ross’s Picks | Kyra’s Commentary

Thank you again, Harper Ross. Keep the cast suggestions coming.

I’ll preface all these lists (not just Harper Ross’s) by saying that I prefer actors who haven’t yet had their big breaks in blockbuster roles. This probably stems from watching Christopher Reeve as Superman. But we’ll most likely get more established names in these lists because actors who haven’t yet had their big break are unknown. Without further ado, let’s get to the X-Men cast.

Scott Summers/Cyclops: Sam Nivola

Yowza! Harper Ross has some great picks for potential MCU X-Men actors. Sam Nivola is on the young side, but I think that works, considering who Harper has to portray Jean Grey. Let’s face it. Whoever plays Scott Summers/Cyclops will most likely commit to ten or so films. The Summers family could and should be at the center of a Mutant Saga. While the Fox X-Men films had fun moments, the biggest shortcoming was how they treated Scott. Casting Sam Nivola in the role and giving him more to work with than James Marsden’s Cyclops will go a long way to make Cyclops cool again. I haven’t seen season three of White Lotus yet, but I’ve heard Nivola gives an amazing performance.

Jean Grey: Rhea Norwood

I love Harper Ross’s choices. Rhea Norwood is building a name for herself in Heartstopper as Imogen Heaney. She made her theater debut at London’s Playhouse Theatre as Sally Bowles in Cabaret last year. I like it when an actor is a triple threat (singing, dancing, and acting). One must be all three to portray Sally Bowles. Our next entry will continue this trend. And I like that Rhea Norwood would portray a younger Jean Grey. She, along with Nivola, could anchor the X-Men movies for a long time.

Other actors who Harper suggested include: Phoebe Dynevor, Eve Hewson, Grace Van Dien, Katherine Langford, Madelyn Cline, Sophie Thatcher, Josephine Langford, Imogen Waterhouse, Hannah Dodd, Emma Mackey, Lucy Doynton, Emma Laird, Kristine Froseth, Freya Allan, and Meg Bellamy

Wolverine: Taron Egerton

Taron Egerton has been in a lot of rumors to portray Wolverine. He’s on my personal shortlist to play the character, too. Like Hugh Jackman, Egerton is a triple threat. He can sing, dance, and act. I loved him in Rocket Man (the Elton John biopic), and he has a history of action films. Heck, he has experience portraying a comic book character in The Kingsman. Unlike Jackman, Egerton is closer to Wolverine’s canonical height. It’ll be difficult to find an actor who’s under five feet tall. At five feet, nine inches, Egerton is considerably shorter than the six-foot-tall Jackman. Egerton is also young enough to play Wolverine for a couple of decades.

Storm: Masali Baduza

Yes! Masali Baduza fits the bill of an actor who’s been close to breaking out and hasn’t yet done so. She had a significant role (Fumbe) in the great film The Woman King and guest-starred in a few Bridgerton episodes. Baduza has the acting presence for Ororo/Storm. She can play the role for a lengthy period, and she’s shown range, specifically when it comes to period-pieces. Storm should cross between the X-Men and Black Panther franchises. Whoever portrays Storm should be able to adapt. Baduza has proven she has that range.

Other actors who Harper suggested include: Denee Benton, Sophie Wilde, Kiki Layne

Rogue: Mikey Madison

Make no mistake. Mikey Madison is a phenomenal actor. Her breakout role in Anora netted her a BAFTA and an Academy Award for Best Actress. She’s the first Generation Z actor to have earned either award. Because she’s Gen Z, she’s young. She’d make a fantastic Rogue, but I’d like an older actor as Rogue. I noticed that Harper didn’t mention an actor to portray Gambit; that could mean that Channing Tatum will reprise his role. Tatum is eighteen years older than Madison. Furthermore, I like the idea X-Men ’97 explored last year of a Gambit-Rogue-Magneto love triangle. Rogue may have to be closer in age to Magneto for this love triangle to make it to the big screen.

I love Madison as an actor. She’d be amazing as Rogue. But if she were to take on the role, Marvel may need to age down Gambit and possibly Magneto.

Kwannon/Psylocke: Anna Sawai

I have heard nothing but great things about FX/Hulu’s Shōgun series, and from what I’ve heard, Anna Sawai is brilliant. Clearly, she has the gravitas to pull off Kwannon/Psylocke. The name Psylocke is better known in Marvel Comics, and the MCU could go in the direction of Betsy Braddock’s consciousness inside Kwannon’s body, but I like Harper’s idea of casting Kwannon, sans Psylocke. While Psylocke physically showed up in an X-Men movie or two, Kwannon has yet to be explored.

Jubilee: Kiawentiio

Kiawentiio aligns with my thoughts on an actor who hasn’t yet had their break. Another great pick, Harper. I also like that she’s Native American (Mohawk Wolf Clan specifically). The only sticky point I can see is that Kiawentiio voiced Whata in the season two episode of What If “What If… Kahhori Reshaped the World?.” Usually, Marvel doesn’t mind if an actor voices a different character in an animated feature than the one they portray in live-action. Kiawentiio could portray Jubilee. But Marvel could also bring Whata into the mainline MCU.

Sage: Marion Cotillard

Marion Cotillard’s Talia Al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises left a lot to be desired, but the fault lies more with how the Nolan brothers struggled to develop her character. Marvel Comics’ Sage shares some similarities with Talia. There’s a chance for a double-cross or two. So long as Cotillard has the screen time and a good script, she can easily pull off Sage. You know what, she’d kill as Sage. Make that happen.

Professor X: Daniel Day-Lewis

Ah! I’d love to see Daniel Day-Lewis as either Professor X or Magneto. He could pull off either role. Unfortunately, Day-Lewis has retired from acting. I don’t know if an MCU role would coax him out of retirement. Knowing Daniel Day-Lewis, he’s probably in some exotic corner of the world learning a niche skill. I do agree with Harper that Day-Lewis would be amazing as Professor X.

Lilandra Neramani: Michelle Monaghan

I know a lot about Michelle Monaghan’s work (she’s featured in the Mission: Impossible series), but I’ll admit that I haven’t watched too many of her more prominent roles. Monaghan is one of those actors I’ve seen in plenty of TV shows and movies. She’s a consummate character (True Detective, The Path, and The White Lotus) and could easily take on Professor X’s main squeeze Lilandra.

Magneto: Ralph Fiennes

Fiennes is another great choice to portray Magneto. Fortunately, he’s very much active. He’ll star in the follow-up to 28 Days Later, 28 Years Later in 2025. He was also excellent in the Netflix adaptation of Roald Dahl’s short stories: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More. Fiennes has the acting chops to pull off Magneto. It also helps that he’s a similar age to Day-Lewis.

Mystique/Raven Darkholme: Rosamund Pike

I see the vision here. Rosamund Pike could portray a Mystique with a focus on espionage. The Fox X-Men series’ Raven Darkholme dabbled with infiltration but never committed. While I think Jennifer Laurence could reprise the role (and there are some rumors that she could), Rosamund Pike has taken on plenty of layered roles like Gone Girl and I Care a Lot. I’d like to see Pike’s take on the character. Great pick.

Emma Frost (White Queen): Samara Weaving

I like Harper’s call of Samara Weaving playing Emma Frost. First off, she looks the part. Emma Frost has a distinct look that comic fans expect to see. Secondly, Weaving has been involved in a ton of great and award-winning ensemble casts. She’s an actor’s actor. She’s able to fit into just about any cast, and she’s ready to break out. Emma Frost could be that breakout role for Weaving. I also like that Weaving and the actor who Harper suggested should portray the Black Queen (next on this list) have an age difference, but it isn’t as significant as one might think. Weaving should be capable of holding her own while also showing the White Queen to be the upstart to a more established Black Queen.

Selene Gallio (Black Queen): Demi Moore

Demi Moore has had a career resurgence with the body horror flick The Substance. She showed a vulnerability to the role that gave The Substance weight and parodied her former image as a Hollywood star. Oddly, Selene Gallio could continue that trend. Forever in the White Queen’s (Emma Frost’s) shadow, Moore could grant the role of Gallio some much-needed nuance.

Mystique/Raven Darkholme: Rosamund Pike

I see the vision here. Rosamund Pike could portray a Mystique with a focus on espionage. The Fox X-Men series’ Raven Darkholme dabbled with infiltration but never committed. While I think Jennifer Laurence could reprise the role (and there are some rumors that she could), Rosamund Pike has taken on plenty of layered roles like Gone Girl and I Care a Lot. I’d like to see Pike’s take on the character. Great pick!

That’s all we have from Harper Ross in terms of MCU X-Men roles. This is by no means the only casting thoughts we received. We’re well on our way to an Inhumans and Alpha Flight movie/show for next month. Thanks again for submitting your thoughts, Harper.

Skye has made some fan castings of her own. She insists that she has a surprise or two. I can’t wait to see what she has in store.

Skye’s Picks

Thanks again to Harper Ross for suggesting this post. I hadn’t thought about this topic much until you brought it up. Ever since the release of the MCU, I’ve been wondering when the X-Men will show up in the MCU. I don’t watch movies for specific actors, but there are some actors I think would be great fits.

To clarify, these are actors I’d like to see. Just for fun, I will include actors who have passed away. Bottom line: if I think an actor would’ve been a good fit, I’mma mention it. Cool? Cool.

Wolverine: Charlton Heston (Posthumously)

Whaddya know? I’m starting off with an actor who’s passed. Don’t you tell me who I can and can’t pick. Rewatching both The Ten Commandments and Ben-Hur for my Christian films post made me think, “Wow, Charlton Heston was shredded back in the day.” That aside, not only did Heston have the physique for Wolverine, his acting would’ve been a great match. Charlton Heston has had plenty of experience with characters with tragic and complex backgrounds like Wolverine. He’s got the looks, the personality, and the beard. Nuff said, bub.

Professor X: Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman may not be English (like Patrick Stewart or James McAvoy), but personality-wise, he’s spot-on for Professor X. Morgan Freeman hasn’t made it to the MCU yet. That has to change! If y’all have ever seen a Morgan Freeman movie before, you probably know how much he exudes Professor X energy.

This shouldn’t be a choice I have to defend. Come on, y’all. You see it, right?

Cyclops: Tye Sheridan

Tye Sheridan has played Cyclops before, but I’d like to see him again. He deserves a second chance after a less-than-stellar performance as Cyclops. He and James Marsden in the original X-Men film series didn’t have great scripts that represented their acting ability. I decided to go with Tye Sheridan due to his age. While I believe James Marsden could’ve done better as Cyclops the second time, he’s already in his 50s. If Marvel intends to keep the love triangle with him, Wolverine and Jean Grey, it’d be hard to do if Cyclops was already over 50. Tye Sheridan could be a great Cyclops if he had a better script.

Jean Grey: Elle Fanning

Elle Fanning would be a good fit since I expect Marvel to keep the love triangle (Jean Grey-Cyclops-Wolverine) going. While Fanning wouldn’t be most folks’ first choice, she has potential. She’s played several innocent and loving characters, which could translate to a proper cinematic Jean Grey. Previous Jeans have flubbed this aspect. All of them were setting up The Phoenix first before trying to get a good Jean Grey. If you want a good Phoenix, you must get a good Jean Grey. Because of that, Elle Fanning could be sympathetic, realistic, and relatable.

Storm: Viola Davis

I shouldn’t have to defend Viola Davis as Storm. If you’re familiar with Viola Davis, you know what I mean. After her amazing performance in The Woman King, it’s hard to see anyone else filling the role of Ororo Munroe with as much passion, confidence, and leadership. Honestly, my first choice was Danai Gurira, but she’s preoccupied playing Okoye in the MCU. Viola Davis is by no means a downgrade.

What more can I say? Fight me! …Please don’t.

Gambit: Channing Tatum

After Channing Tatum’s performance as Gambit in Deadpool and Wolverine, it’s hard for me to imagine anyone else portraying Gambit in the MCU. He wasn’t the best Gambit I’ve ever seen, but he’s the most authentic in a film. You know what, no, Channing Tatum is the best Gambit I’ve ever seen. What am I basing that on anyway? X-Men Origins: Wolverine? I hate that I said that. I’m sorry for reminding you that X-Men Origins: Wolverine exists.

Rogue: Debbie Reynolds (Posthumously)

We have another actor who’s passed. I’ve wanted an authentic Rogue in film. Debbie Reynolds is a classic film alumna. She’s gone through several film roles and character personality types, has a strong resemblance to Rogue in comics, and is all around cool. I could easily imagine Debbie Reynolds as the take-charge, no-nonsense, badass Rogue from both the comics and the original X-Men Animated Series.

Beast: Kelsey Grammer

I’ve adored Kelsey Grammer as Beast since X-Men: The Last Stand. From minute one, I felt less like he was an actor playing a role and like Beast come to life. Despite the other issues with X-Men: The Last Stand, Beast was the one element they nailed.

I love it when the MCU pays homage to what came before. As Marvel changes, it’s important to remember where it began, for better and worse. Sorry, I got philosophical there for no reason. Where was I? Oh yeah, Kelsey Grammer would be a great Beast.

Magneto: Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington’s Magneto would be a great contrast to Morgan Freeman’s Professor X. I’ve learned (from Geekly News) that the MCU may be considering Denzel Washington for the part of Magneto. If this is the case, that’s absolutely genius.

Not only does Denzel Washington have experience with dark, conflicted roles, but Magneto’s personality was originally based on Malcolm X. This is too perfect because Denzel Washington has already portrayed Malcolm X. The idea that this could come around full circle is too much for me to resist.

Emma Frost: Samara Weaving

Harper, you nailed this one. I’m familiar with Samara Weaving from her role in Ready or Not, so I know she can be elegant, selfish, powerful, and intimidating. After seeing your suggestion, I can’t imagine any other actress in this role. Thanks again for your suggestions, Harper. I hope Marvel is listening.

Mr. Sinister: Robert Pattinson

Considering Robert Pattinson’s increasingly dark film roles, he could pull off Mister Sinister. Since his Twilight days, Pattinson has scored some solid film roles: The Lighthouse and The Batman. Pattinson has lent himself to suspenseful and dark themes. Enter Mister Sinister. First, there’s never been a cinematic Mr. Sinister. That needs to change. Second, if that does happen, make him like a horror movie monster. That would be memorable and unique to his character. Given those requirements, Robert Pattinson’s career turnaround is dying for this surefire blockbuster hit.

Juggernaut: John Cena

This is less what I want, and more what I’ve accepted modern Hollywood will likely do. What’s the deal with John Cena? Why is he in so many movies now? Maybe I should be asking the same question about The Rock, but I don’t want to give Marvel any more ideas. For whatever reason, Hollywood has started putting Cena in everything. With Marvel, I feel like it’s only a matter of time.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle again. Those were some interesting picks, Skye. You may have given Marvel more than one idea. Since you mentioned Charlton Heston and Debbie Reynolds, I expect Marvel to superimpose their faces on other actors’ bodies, Rogue One style. Samara Weaving may have competition with Marilyn Monroe. Real soon, we’re going to see Marilyn in everything.

JK…I hope. Thank you again, Harper. Keep the casting ideas flowing, and if anyone else wants to participate, join the party in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Skye’s Favorite Christian Films

Published on by Skye1 Comment

Hello, and happy Easter. I’m not Christian, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy Christian movies, and I can respect the value of their beliefs.

Not only do some of these stories hold enduring morals, but some have been made into (what some would consider) the greatest films ever made. I’m inclined to agree. I’d also like to clarify that these aren’t objectively the best Christian films. As a non-Christian, I feel it’s only fair to mention these films as my favorites. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

With that said, let’s start Easter weekend off right with my favorite Christian movies.

1. The Ten Commandments

I’m a classic film lover. Even though The Ten Commandments might be a cliché choice, I can’t deny that I loved every minute. The Ten Commandments has everything you’d expect from an “epic” film. By the time I finished watching it, not only did it feel like I had marched to Jericho with Moses and company for 40 years. The Ten Commandments makes me question my reality days after viewing.

On top of that, the acting is stellar, the story is gripping and well-paced, the morals are strong, and The Ten Commandments sticks with you. If I had to nitpick anything, I’d say it’s a bit too long. The Ten Commandments is a three and a half-hour long movie, so shaving off a few minutes wouldn’t make much of a difference. Either way, The Ten Commandments reminds us that what we’re promised will always be ours in time.

2. Ben-Hur

Wow, Charlton Heston really got around back in the day, didn’t he? While technically not a Christian film, Ben-Hur does have many hallmarks of one. Similar to The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur is another three and a half hour epic. It has characters experiencing crises of faith, takes place in a biblical setting, and of course, includes everyone’s main man: J. Crizzle. Despite having clear similarities to The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur manages to be a distinct story with a definitive message to convey. What’s the price of revenge?

When a Jewish man, Judah Ben-Hur, is betrayed by his Roman childhood friend, Messala, he dedicates the next five years to regaining what he had lost and killing his new arch-rival. In the process, Ben-Hur poses some interesting questions when Judah becomes consumed by his goal. Despite coming into contact with Jesus Christ himself on multiple occasions, Judah never heeded Jesus’s words of forgiveness. Judah becomes more cruel to the point where there’s no difference between him and Messala. Ben-Hur asks the question, Was it worth it?

3. The Prince of Egypt

The Prince of Egypt might be cheating since I already put The Ten Commandments on here (which is based on the same biblical story), but screw it. The Prince of Egypt is awesome. Not only was it the first Christian film I ever watched, but it also contains some of the most awe-inspiring and epic hand-drawn animation I’ve seen. During my childhood, Disney had this system called “The Disney Vault.” Certain films in the vault wouldn’t be available in stores to increase their value. Because of that, my family never owned The Lion King on DVD. Instead, The Prince of Egypt was my Lion King.

Looking back, The Prince of Egypt didn’t go all out like The Ten Commandments with the epic tone of the story. It wanted to hit a wider audience. In doing so, The Prince of Egypt maintained a solid dedication to film-making and craftsmanship while paying homage to the greats that came before it. Honestly, The Prince of Egypt resonates with me more than The Ten Commandments. While The Ten Commandments is amazing, The Prince of Egypt explores the humanity of its characters, and that’s powerful. If you haven’t seen The Prince of Egypt, I highly recommend it.

4. Barabbas

After watching a variety of Christian films, I realized something important. While I love Jesus (I mean, how can you not?), it’s difficult for me to get invested in his story. Like I mentioned with The Prince of Egypt, what’s always resonated with me more is connecting with characters on a personal level. When it comes to Jesus, however, he’s perfect. At least, he’s always portrayed as perfect. Because of that, he’s hard to relate to as a character. So, what’s more powerful to me is exploring the power Jesus has over other people. That led me to Barabbas.

If you’re familiar with the story of Jesus Christ, you may remember that the citizens of Jerusalem were allowed to choose one prisoner to walk free during the Passover season. Instead of making the obvious choice (Jesus), they decided to free a man named Barabbas, a thief, ruffian, and overall criminal. This movie follows Barabbas’s life after he was set free and the struggles he experiences. While not a sympathetic character (especially in the beginning), Barabbas goes through several crises of conscience and faith.

Initially, Barabbas doesn’t believe in Jesus and demands answers from Jesus’s Apostles, Lazarus, and many others. In the process, Barabbas realizes the meaning of the life he’s been granted and wishes that he had been sentenced to death instead. Barabbas is a powerful film, and one I think more folks should watch regardless of religion.

5. Monty Python’s Life of Brian

This is a bit of a curveball, but let me explain. Like Ben-Hur, Monty Python’s Life of Brian technically isn’t a Christian film, but it does deal with Christian themes. Also, Life of Brian is hilarious. Even if it doesn’t always make sense, Life of Brian gives the movie-going public a lighthearted reminder that we should never take religion too seriously. That is probably the most enduring part of this movie. If you try to apply logic (or “bizarro-world”) to religion, you start to realize how silly it can be sometimes. That’s essentially what Life of Brian is: the perfect balance of both sense and nonsense that results in comedy.

As a long-time fan of Monty Python myself, it’s only natural that I’d feel attached to Life of Brian. Similar to Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian is one of those movies my family likes to refer to as “infinitely quotable.” Any line from it, either in or out of context, can get a huge laugh if you quote it among friends and loved-ones. If you need a pick-me-up this Easter, pop in Monty Python’s Life of Brian and experience one of the best Christian comedies ever made.

Those are my picks for my favorite Christian films. What are your favorite Christian movies? Feel free to let us know in the comments, and maybe one day I’ll get around to watching some Pure Flix. When it comes to movies, I’m like a Pokémon Trainer. Gotta watch ’em all! Thank you for joining us this Easter season, and always look on the bright side of life.

Black History Month Movies

5 Movies for Black History Month

Published on by SkyeLeave a comment

Hello, one and all! First of all, I love you. I’m sorry I missed you on Valentine’s last week, I promise to buy you something next year, babe. In the meantime, let’s talk about something different. What else is February known for? Black History Month.

I usually make “Top” lists for the posts I make on this site, but I won’t be doing that here. Since I’m as White as an albino moth in a snowstorm, I don’t think it’s my place to judge the “Top” 5 Black History Month Movies. Instead, I made a list of 5 movies about Black experiences that I watched and enjoyed this month. I hope you understand.

Without further delay, let’s discuss some movies about one of America’s most commonly misrepresented, underappreciated, and deeply resilient minority communities.

These films aren’t in any particular order. All are worth a watch, I promise

Marshall

Starring everyone’s favorite Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman (R.I.P., legend), Marshall is a story about America’s first Black Supreme Court Justice: Thurgood Marshall. While not the story of how he became a Supreme Court Justice, it goes into detail about one of the landmark cases he oversaw: The State of Connecticut vs. Joseph Spell.

Featuring fantastic acting while outlining Marshall’s quick wit and ability to navigate a system that’s stacked against him, it really kept me invested. The courtroom drama aspect was compelling. Granted, one of my favorite movies is 12 Angry Men, so take that for what it’s worth. This film will keep you on the edge of your seat, just don’t Google anything. Spoilers!

12 Years a Slave

Y’all knew this was gonna get heavy at some point. While not for the faint of heart, 12 Years a Slave is certainly a gripping story that makes you want to see the main character escape with his life. Detailing the real-life experiences of a man named Solomon Northup (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor), he was originally free until he was sold back into slavery for, you guessed it, 12 Years.

Going through different masters with varying levels of cruelty on his quest for freedom, Northup can never be safe until he makes it back to his family in the North. If you’re up for the brutality portrayed in the film, I’d say this is a great one to watch detailing both Black struggles and Black triumphs. Also, be prepared for an incredibly racist song to be stuck in your head until you die. I said that and now it’s back in my head. Frick.

13th

I wanted to put one documentary on this list. I was torn between this film and I Am Not Your Negro for the longest time, but I went with 13th because it details problems that actively face the Black community today and outlines ways we should approach fixing them. If you have the time, I still recommend I Am Not Your Negro, but for now, let’s talk about 13th.

As the title suggests, this film documents the impact the 13th Amendment to the Constitution has had on our society. The same Amendment that banned slavery in this country is the same that made it okay as punishment for a crime. And we wonder why there are so many Black people incarcerated. This film explains it far better than I could, and the facts it contains are far beyond what any White person is prepared to face. I know I wasn’t, but that’s why I’m recommending it.

Malcolm X

In case you couldn’t tell, I’m a big fan of provocative films that challenge the way I see the world. What better way to do that than with one of the most controversial Civil Rights Leaders in history? Spike Lee’s 1992 biopic about the life and times of Malcolm X is an emotional powerhouse. Denzel Washington gives a career-defining performance as the titular historical figure, and it’s just as epic as it sounds.

You’re gonna need a huge chunk of time to watch this one, but I promise it’s worth it. Despite being 3 and a half hours long, Malcolm X never left me bored. This film has everything including the good, the bad, and the ugly of a great orator’s life. My favorite part is how the film portrays him as an imperfect human who managed to make a huge impact on society through his experiences. If you like that kind of stuff, I bet you’ll love Malcolm X.

Shaft

I know I exude a distinguished film historian demeanor. At least I think I do. I’m cool, right? That doesn’t mean I don’t like to have fun. That’s what Shaft is to me. Fun. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of racial themes in this film as well, but it mostly focuses on the star power of everyone’s favorite NYC Private Investigator from the early 70’s, John Shaft. I’m tellin’ y’all, this cat, Shaft, is a bad mother–

What? I’m just talking about Shaft.

This month, revisit the awesomeness of Gordon Parks’ cinematic adaptation of Shaft. Bumpy Jonas’ daughter has been kidnapped and it’s up to John Shaft to find her. Will he be able to do it? Is it possible Ben Buford was behind it? And how many women will John have sex with? All these questions and more in Shaft. You’re with Shaft every step of the way, and it’s an unforgettable ride. I love this movie, and if you haven’t seen it, I hope you’ll dig it, too.

With that said, those are my 5 movies for Black History Month. Are there any I missed? Absolutely. If I were to list each of my favorite Black films here, this post would be essay-length. If there are any y’all would like to discuss, let us know your favorites in the comments. We’d love to hear from you! Or if you’d just like to discuss movies, I’d be more than happy to oblige. Have a great rest of your Black History Month and always keep an open mind. 😉

MCU 2025 Preview

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) 2025 Preview

Published on by Kyra1 Comment

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We covered the DCU earlier this month because we didn’t know when Harley Quinn Season 5 would be released. Who knows? Perhaps I finally broke down and purchased Max and I’m binge-watching DC Comics movies and television shows right now. But we know that the MCU’s 2025 will kick off in a couple of days. We’re getting our preview of the upcoming year’s MCU movies and television shows in the nick of time.

Marvel didn’t release too many projects in 2024, but the ones it did release were well received. Echo, the X-Men ’97 cartoon series, Deadpool and Wolverine, Agatha All Along, and What If? Season 3 were at least fun. You can let us know which one of these 2024 MCU projects was your favorite. 2024 was a good year for Marvel, a recovery year of sorts. 2025 has a much larger slate of projects. Almost double last year’s projects. Looks like I’ll be busy. Real busy.

This will be a big year for Marvel and not only because the MCU has nine projects that will be released in 2025. The fate of the MCU’s future rests in the hands of two specific projects: Daredevil: Born Again and Fantastic Four. Like Superman: Legacy for the DCU, these two projects must succeed. We’ll get to both projects soon enough, but let’s discuss each project in release date order.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (On Disney+ Starting January 29, 2025)

I’ll be honest. I don’t care for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s animation, but I’m glad the showrunners are going in a different artistic direction. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man doesn’t copy the Spider-Verse’s homework. It also doesn’t mimic the art style of the 1990s Spider-Man cartoon, even though X-Men ’97 was a triumph; that would’ve been an easy path to take. Nope. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man forges its own path, and that deserves respect.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will focus on Spidey’s origin story and early days as a crimefighter. I’m not a huge fan of retelling Spider-Man’s origin story—most people know Spidey’s origin by this point—but this should only take up an episode. I’m more forgiving of this with a series. Charlie Cox voicing Daredevil is my big highlight in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. We don’t know if the new Marvel Animated Multiverse will tie into the greater MCU, but anything to link these two properties together is fantastic. Cox’s appearance as Daredevil could also raise interest in the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again.

Captain America: Brave New World (In Theaters February 14, 2025)

Some may say that Captain America: Brave New World is the third Marvel project that must succeed this year. I can see their perspective; Captain America films grounded the first few phases of the MCU. Respectfully, I disagree.

The MCU is pivoting to other characters—too many characters, in my opinion—and the new Captain America is one of several potential “anchor characters,” if you will. There are plenty of other Marvel projects this year. Captain America: Brave New World is the first of three films and the second of nine—that’s NINE—Marvel projects for 2025.

Plenty of issues have plagued Captain America: Brave New World. Test audiences have seen the film and disliked it. Reportedly, these audiences believed Brave New World was too boring. That’s not good. After the test screenings, reshoot after reshoot occurred. That doesn’t mean that the final movie will stink. Not all reshot movies end up like the original Suicide Squad. I’m still trying to block out that one.

Captain America movies don’t have the same cache they did with the first three Marvel phases. The big threat of the Multiverse Saga may be Doctor Doom, and he’s a Fantastic Four villain. And this Captain America film isn’t a huge crossover film—that we know of yet—or a glorified Avengers film like Civil War. I’ll let them cook with the new Cap.

General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross as President of the United States is an interesting choice. Thunderbolt Ross would fit better with the upcoming Thunderbolts* movie. Ross is a member of the Thunderbolts in the comics. Harrison Ford’s Ross may make an appearance in that film, too. Tim Blake Nelson reprises his role as The Leader over a decade and a half after The Incredible Hulk (2008). Liv Tyler returns as Bruce Banner’s love interest Betty Ross after the same hiatus. It might be best Hulk doesn’t show up in the one; he may have some explaining to do after his romance with Natasha Romanov. Is that canon?

The Leader and Ross are usually Hulk villains, so there’s another connection with Hulk. Throw in Giancarlo Esposito as Sidewinder (the leader of the Serpent Society) and Shira Haas as a former Black Widow and high-ranking US government official Ruth Bat-Seraph (who is also the mutant Sabra in the comics), and there are plenty of directions Captain America: Brave New World could go. And that’s where the movie may have lost test audiences; there may be too much going on at once. But I trust the team trimmed down the final project to a point where Captain America: Brave New World will be good. It could even be a sleeper hit. Let ‘em cook.

Daredevil: Born Again (On Disney+ Starting March 4, 2025)

In my opinion, Daredevil: Born Again must succeed. The Netflix Daredevil series has a built-in audience. Several fans claim it to be the best Marvel television show, and Daredevil: Born Again brings back most of the original cast. They brought in the showrunner Dario Scardapane from the original Daredevil spin-off series The Punisher to head the Born Again project. And the series title “Born Again” references a classic Daredevil comic book story arc of the 1980s that the third season of the Daredevil Netflix MCU television series loosely adapted. Daredevil: Born Again is also the first Disney+ Marvel television show that uses their new method of producing shows (a leaner and more focused production plan). Yeah. Daredevil: Born Again has a lot to live up to and sets the tone for future Marvel shows. It must be good.

But many of those elements I mentioned above are also reasons why Daredevil: Born Again has an advantage. Returning more than 75% of the original Daredevil cast is a boon. Bringing in a showrunner with Marvel Netflix experience is another feather in Daredevil: Born Again’s cap. And I’ve heard that we’ll see more of the courtroom in this series. That makes sense as Matt Murdock (Daredevil) and Wilson Fisk (Kingpin) barrel toward an inevitable showdown both legally and on the street. I can’t wait.

Thunderbolts* (In Theaters May 2, 2025)

Thunderbolts* doesn’t have the same colorful cast as the comic book team of the same name. Even Winter Soldier’s variant of the team had its Moonstone and MACH-X and Kobik, who is a Cosmic Cube (the MCU renamed the Cosmic Cube to the Tesseract) shard in human form. What? The asterisk may make sense. This may not be the first iteration of the Thunderbolts. There have been numerous variants in the comics. Interestingly, Bucky’s Thunderbolts take place between Thunderbolt Ross’s and Mayor Wilson (Kingpin) Fisk’s iterations. Given the previous two projects on this list, is that a coincidence?

Wild speculation aside, the Thunderbolts in Thunderbolts* are a combination of super soldiers and assassins. These characters are mostly cast-offs.

Here’s a quick breakdown of each of them:

Yelena Belova (from Black Widow and Natasha’s sister and a Black Widow herself) needed another vehicle; Florence Pugh is too electric as the character.

David Harbour’s Red Guardian (Black Widow) is funny.

Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster (Black Widow) will no longer be under her father Dreykov’s control, so she’s a blank slate. I wonder what the writers/director will do with her.

Sebastian Stan is good as Bucky/Winter Soldier.

Wyatt Russell’s John Walker/U.S. Agent (from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) lives a disgraced life as the man who tarnished Captain America’s name; that has some depth.

And Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost was the best thing from Ant-Man and the Wasp; I’m glad she’s getting more to do in Thunderbolts*.

Phew! That’s a large cast. And it still ends up as a list of B-list heroes.

Still, Thunderbolts* could deliver more than just a superhero movie. Pugh’s Yelena (through a voice-over) in the second trailer shares that there’s something wrong with her, an emptiness. She’s just drifting. She doesn’t have purpose, so she throws herself into her work. This may be the most human and relatable a superhero has sounded in years.

And then I saw that the director was Jake Schreier and one of the writers was Lee Sung Jin; both worked on the Netflix series Beef, and that makes sense. Thunderbolts* may have the least pressure of any of the three Marvel movies. It can also be a surprise hit.

The premise: The Thunderbolts run into Bob at a secret facility. Turns out this “Bob” is Sentry. I won’t spoil it here, but Sentry can be a lot of fun, especially with the prospect of him entering the MCU. And he should be more than what a team of super soldiers and assassins can handle. Me thinks someone will die.

Ironheart (On Disney+ Starting June 4, 2025)

Dominique Thorne reprises her role as Riri Williams/Ironheart from the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Ironheart has been on the schedule and then off the schedule and for a time, folks thought the idea had been scrapped. Nope. Marvel returned to Ironheart after the writers’ strike. From what I’ve heard, the series got reworked.

I don’t know much about Ironheart as I was writing this post. Many of the actors assigned to the project have undisclosed roles and given the premise, I can see why. Following the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Williams returns home to Chicago where she becomes entangled with the enigmatic Parker Robbins/The Hood, discovering secrets that pit technology against magic. The Hood, which is short for neighborhood (he doesn’t wear a hood, but I think he should), has often been linked to one of two mystical beings: Loki and Dormammu. He also controls a massive Crime Syndicate. Confirmed actors with unconfirmed roles (like Shakira Berrera, Paul Calderon, Cree Summer, and Sacha Baron Cohen to name a few) could play any number of colorful characters. I’d love to see Cohen portray Armadillo. Armadillo is a guy dressed in a massive Armadillo costume. Think of the LOLs.

The special effects for Ironheart intrigue me, too. For those of you who think the MCU’s painted-on CGI armor was getting stale, Ironheart’s armor may be what the doctor ordered. Riri doesn’t have the resources Tony Stark has. Most of her armor looks more lived-in and low-tech. Ironheart’s use of more practical effects, its premise, and its varied cast pique my interest.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps (In Theaters July 25, 2025)

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is another big one. This film must succeed. You don’t have to take my word for it. Look at what Marvel has done with this movie. Most—if not all—of the main cast have won Academy Awards or Emmys or Golden Globes or have been nominated for one. The main antagonist for the upcoming Avengers movie, Doctor Doom, is the archenemy of the Fantastic Four; there should be a Robert Downey Jr. post-credit scene as Doom, so that’s another Academy Award-nominated actor in the cast. Marvel brought in Matt Shakman, the showrunner of WandaVision, one of the MCU’s better projects of the last phase, to direct. And The Fantastic Four: First Steps marks the first film and the beginning of the MCU’s Phase Six. Marvel knows a lot is riding on this movie.

All that said, I don’t know too much about the film at the time of writing this post. Marvel’s playing this one close to the vest, and I don’t blame them. What I do know is that The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be a 1960s-inspired retro-futuristic Earth, and the Fantastic Four will go up against Galactus and the Silver Surfer. I also sense a little montage as we may get vignettes of the Fantastic Four’s previous exploits. This will be a Fantastic Four that has had many adventures. I prefer that to the Fantastic Four’s origin story. Again.

I don’t know what more there is to say except I hope this Fantastic Four movie lives up to the name. We haven’t had a “fantastic” Fantastic Four movie. When the idea of Marvel making a Fantastic Four movie was still theoretical, folks kept saying to wait until Marvel made its own Fantastic Four movie. Well. That time is now.

Eyes of Wakanda (On Disney+ Starting August 6, 2025)

Eyes of Wakanda is another Marvel project that I didn’t know too much about at the time of writing this post. Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler will direct this animated television miniseries. That’s a great start. Many cast members from the Black Panther film franchise will reprise their roles as voice actors. This show sounds phenomenal.

Initially, the series was supposed to have eight episodes, but it got pared down to four. This could be another sign of the MCU tightening its releases. And Eyes of Wakanda will explore the various people who have donned the Black Panther mantle. There’s even an Iron Fist sighting. Hopefully, we’ll get a better interpretation of the character.

I’ve seen Eyes of Wakanda’s sizzle reel several times. It looks fabulous. I imagine we won’t get much more than this reel for some months. There’s a chance Marvel intends to see how well-received Eyes of Wakanda will be. That’s part of why I watched the sizzle reel several times. If you like what Eyes of Wakanda offers, watch it several times. Perhaps we’ll get the other four episodes.

Marvel Zombies (On Disney+ Starting October 3, 2025)

Marvel Zombies functions as a sequel to the What If? animated series of sorts. I didn’t know there was enough story for Marvel Zombies to have its own series, so I always thought a couple of episodes of What If? made sense for that story. Marvel Zombies will release in October 2025, just in time for Spooky Season.

Disney/Marvel has been good about releasing a horror-adjacent project in October most years. Werewolf by Night was released in October 2022 and Agatha All Along hit Disney+ in October 2024. I’ll probably give Marvel Zombies a watch.

Wonder Man (On Disney+ Starting December 2025)

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II portrays Simon Williams in Wonder Man. Like so much of Marvel’s later slate of 2025 releases, I don’t know much about Wonder Man. Williams auditions for the lead role in a superhero television series—most likely named Wonder Man—but I don’t know if Simon Williams already has powers or if he’s faking that he has superpowers. Either way, Wonder Man should be hilarious.

Andrew Guest show runs Wonder Man, and he’s written some of the greatest Community episodes (“Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” and “A Fistful of Paintballs,” to name a couple). Wonder Man is in great hands. And the character Simon Williams has done a lot of things in the Marvel Universe. He’s even been an actor for more than one stint in the comics, so this premise works for the character. Wonder Man is also Vision’s brain brother. Wasn’t VisionQuest releasing soon, too? There might be a reason Marvel wants to introduce Simon Williams.

Wonder Man’s supporting cast includes Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, the man who pretended he was the Mandarin in Iron Man 3. Slattery will serve as Williams’ acting coach. That should be good. Demetrius Grosse will portray Simon’s brother Eric, who becomes Grim Reaper, Wonder Man’s archnemesis and persistent thorn in the side of the Avengers. So, there may be more going on in Wonder Man than a goofy comedy. But I wouldn’t mind a goofy comedy.

That’s all I have for now. Let us know which Marvel Cinematic Universe has you the most excited this year. See you soon. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

DCU 2025 Preview

DC Universe (DCU) 2025 Preview

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Geekly hasn’t covered any movies or television series recently and it’s the new year, so let’s talk about the properties being released by DC Comics Studios in 2025. Full disclosure: I haven’t purchased a Max account yet; I’m woefully behind on most DC Comics-related television series. But I plan on signing up for Max soon, and there’s plenty of a back catalog to watch. Yay!

Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be as much for the DCU on Max in 2025 as in 2024. Our first property on this list was supposed to be released in late 2024 but was pushed back to January 2025. Let’s see what I’ll be binging as soon as I sign up for Max.

Harley Quinn (Season 5) (On Max Starting January, 16 2025)

Harley Quinn has lasted five seasons? My goodness!

Harley Quinn looks like a show I’d enjoy. It follows Harley’s exploits after she breaks up with The Joker. She discovers who she is without Mr. J and meets a lot of Arkham’s colorful characters along the way. The cast elevates this premise even more. Kaley Cuoco (of The Big Bang Theory) portrays Harley, while long-time voice actor Lake Bell takes on the role of Poison Ivy. Throw in Alan Tudyk as the Joker, Ron (Bunches of) Funches as King Shark, Tony Hale as Doctor Psycho, and Jason Alexander as Sy Borgman, and you’ve got yourself a party.

As I said, Harley Quinn’s Season 5 was supposed to be released in December 2024. The DCU must’ve thought that would make Max’s end-of-year schedule too tight. Creature Commandos began airing on December 5, 2024. I’ll have to add Creature Commandos to my laundry list of shows to binge.

Unlike the MCU, which shows its roadmap of titles for the following five or six years (mild exaggeration), the DCU keeps its schedule a mystery. Max didn’t even announce that Harley Quinn Season 5 was pushed back. It just vanished from Max’s December lineup with no warning. Mid-way through December 2024, it popped back up with a January, 16 2025 release. This will be a recurring issue with the DCU.

Superman: Legacy (In Theaters July 11, 2025)

As of December 14, 2024, Superman: Legacy was the only 2025 DCU release with an official release date of July 11, 2025. I’ve got a second one that I know the exact release date for. XD

The new DC Universe rides on the success of its first entry, Superman: Legacy. No pressure.

Fortunately, Superman: Legacy has a lot going for it. I trust James Gunn as a writer and director of comic book movies. Gunn used All-Star Superman as inspiration for the film. That’s another vote of confidence. (Note: Jim Plath made a Superman Starter Stories post several years ago, and All-Star Superman made his list; see what other stories made his list.) DC Studios cast a relative no-name to portray Superman/Clark Kent; I’m glad they resisted the urge to cast a big name. And the rest of the cast holds plenty of accomplished actors. My favorite may have to be Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner. This ought to be fun.

Superman: Legacy also precedes any other major DCU release. Man of Steel followed in the footsteps of The Dark Knight (not even the first movie of the Dark Knight Trilogy) and felt as if it had to mimic the Nolanverse’s vibe. The rest of the DCEU kept that same energy for too long. I know that The Dark Knight didn’t officially take part in the DCEU, but the DCEU maintained the Nolanverse grit, whether the characters warranted it or not. Superman: Legacy is a much better choice to anchor the DCU.

I’m excited for Superman: Legacy. I hope it goes well and that the DCU can become more than an afterthought to the MCU. DC Comics has way too many great characters to be overshadowed for long. But I’m also nervous about Superman: Legacy. It needs to be a hit.

Peacemaker (Season 2) (On Max Starting August 2025)

Peacemaker Season was a huge success. Like many other titles on this list, I have yet to watch it. More binging! John Cena returns as the titular Peacemaker. Season one’s premise sounds interesting. Peacemaker joins a black ops squad, “Project Butterfly,” as it identifies and eliminates parasitic butterfly-like creatures who have taken over human bodies around the world.

Peacemaker served as a “soft reboot” for the 2021 DCEU movie Suicide Squad. Showrunner James Gunn postponed the second season because of his involvement in the Superman movie. This time, we have a month for Peacemaker Season 2’s release, and we know that Peacemaker’s second season can’t be released until after Superman in July 2025 because the events in Peacemaker Season 2 directly follow Superman. Think of this season as the bridge between the old DCEU and the new DCU. Fingers are crossed for a great DCU one-two punch.

Sandman (Season 2) (On Netflix Sometime in 2025)

We have no idea when Sandman Season 2 will be released, but it will most likely be released sometime in 2025. And there may be a good reason for this delay: Sandman writer Neil Gaiman’s allegations of sexual assault. Gaiman denies any wrongdoing. He’s innocent until he is proven guilty. I don’t want to get into detail about his legal issues here.

I don’t know exactly why Netflix has delayed Sandman Season 2’s release or given it a month for its release, but I wager it’s because Netflix wants to wait and see how Gaiman’s legal battle goes. Netflix canceled Dead Boy Detectives, another show based on a Gaiman-penned DC comic book, shortly after the allegations in July 2024, but that was because Dead Boy Detectives didn’t get enough viewers. Sandman Season 1 received plenty of viewers.

I was looking forward to Sandman Season 2, but that was before these allegations came to light. It’s difficult to separate art from the artist. It’s even more difficult to ignore allegations when (as of this writing) five women have accused Neil Gaiman of sexual assault.

Deep breath.

Let’s get back to Sandman. Despite what some viewers claimed, Sandman’s first season stayed true to the source material. Kirby made an excellent Death, likewise for Mason Alexander Park as Desire. The rest of the cast was fantastic. I didn’t think anyone could effectively pull off Morpheus. Tom Sturridge gives a solid performance. Did the first season take some liberties? Yes. But the heart of the story remained the same. Sandman Season 2 was my most anticipated DC Comics project for this year, and that includes a year with a Superman movie.

Okay. I was stoked about Superman: Legacy, too.

That’s all I have for now. Let me know your thoughts on the upcoming DCU movies and television shows. See you soon. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.