By the time you’re reading this, I’ll be finishing up with Protospiel Kansas City. I wrote this post before I left, so there may be some major news stories that aren’t discussed. I apologize for that. Without further ado, let’s get to some geek news.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Even though I wrote this post early, we have some geek news.
Coyote vs. Acme Movie Saved
Ketchup Entertainment has officially secured the rights to Coyote vs. Acme from Warner Bros. Pictures. The film features Will Forte and John Cena acting beside the animated character Wile E. Coyote. Warner Bros. had permanently shelved the completed movie in favor of a tax write-off in 2023, but it’s far from the only movie Warner Bros. shelved over the past several years. A Scooby Doo animated film and Batgirl saw similar fates.
During an official statement, Ketchup’s CEO said, “Coyote vs. Acme is a perfect blend of nostalgia and modern storytelling, capturing the essence of the beloved Looney Tunes characters while introducing them to a new generation. We believe it will resonate with both longtime fans and newcomers alike.” Ketchup Entertainment must believe in the project. They secured the global rights to Coyote vs. Acme for an undisclosed amount. That amount would have to defray some of the film’s original budget of $70 million.
Coyote vs. Acme was one of the shelved Warner Bros. movies that intrigued me the most. I’m glad it’ll get a theatrical release.
Zendaya Will Appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
First, the fourth Spider-Man film series breaks away from the “Home” branding (Homecoming, Far From Home, and No Way Home) of its entries with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This title has been confirmed. I support this change. Peter Parker is headed to college. Dr. Strange’s spell robbed Peter of his childhood friends Ned and MJ. Brand New Day is a fitting title. It also goes with Captain America: Brave New World.
Second, with Zendaya’s MJ no longer knowing Peter and Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) set to costar, there was some confusion about whether Zendaya’s role of MJ had been recast. Then, news broke that Sink will portray a mutant (to tie Spider-Man into the Mutant Saga). Sink denied rumors that she’d play Jean Grey. Another rumor cropped up that Sink would take the role of Spider-Queen (another mutant with ties to Spider-Man), but Marvel stated that they wanted an older actor (than Sink) for Spider-Queen. Even though Sink won’t portray Spider-Queen, that doesn’t mean that Spider-Queen won’t make an appearance. Before both rumors were debunked, I half-joked to Season that Sadie Sink as a live-action Firestar could happen. At the time, I thought there was a twenty-percent chance Sink would portray Firestar. Those odds may have risen significantly.
What we do know is that Sadie Sink will portray a mutant who isn’t Jean Grey or Spider-Queen and has a connection to Spider-Man. I’m not gonna lie. I will squee if we get a live-action Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. That cartoon’s premise was Peter Parker going to college and making new friends. Could this happen?
A Message from Steve Jackson Games
We’ve discussed the impact recent tariffs by the United States government has had and will have on the board game industry. This week, the CEO of Steve Jackson Games, Meredith Placko, wrote a message to fans and customers addressing the issue. She does an excellent job breaking down the many roadblocks these tariffs create. We’re sharing what Meredith Placko had to say.
On April 5th, a 54% tariff goes into effect on a wide range of goods imported from China. For those of us who create board games, this is not just a policy change. It’s a seismic shift.
At Steve Jackson Games, we are actively assessing what this means for our products, our pricing, and our future plans. We do know that we can’t absorb this kind of cost increase without raising prices. We’ve done our best over the past few years to shield players and retailers from the full brunt of rising freight costs and other increases, but this new tax changes the equation entirely.
Here are the numbers: A product we might have manufactured in China for $3.00 last year could now cost $4.62 before we even ship it across the ocean. Add freight, warehousing, fulfillment, and distribution margins, and that once $25 game quickly becomes a $40 product. That’s not a luxury upcharge; it’s survival math.
Some people ask, “Why not manufacture in the U.S.?” I wish we could. But the infrastructure to support full-scale board games production—specialty dice making, die-cutting, custom plastic and wood components—doesn’t meaningfully exist here yet. I’ve gotten quotes I’ve talked to factories. Even when the willingness is there, the equipment, labor, and timelines simply aren’t.
We aren’t the only company facing this challenge. The entire board game industry is having very difficult conversations right now. For some, it might mean walking away from titles that are no longer economically viable. And, for what I fear will be too many, it means closing down entirely.
Tariffs, when part of a long-term strategy to bolster domestic manufacturing, can be an effective tool. But that only works when there’s a plan in place to support manufacturing for the types of products we made. This isn’t about steel and semiconductors. This is about paper goods, chipboard, wood tokens, plastic trays, and color-matched ink. These new tariffs are imposing huge costs without providing alternatives, and it’s going to cost American consumers more at every level of the supply chain.
We want to be transparent with our community. This is real: Prices are going up. We’re still determining how much and where.
We’ll keep making games. But we’ll be honest when the road gets harder, because we know you care about where your games come from—and about the people who make them.
Thank you, Meredith Placko, for your transparency about this situation. The new tariffs have rocked the board game industry. Time will tell how much of a hardship these tariffs will cause.
Good Puppers, Too! Launches on Kickstarter
One hundred new pups join the deck with the stand-alone sequel to Good Puppers. Just like the original, you’ll gather a bunch of dogs who share an important goal: bury a nice pile of bones in the yard. Good Puppers, Too! accommodates 1-5 players. It sports two solo modes. Not one, two.
Good Puppers, Too! cards are double-sided. On one side, you can play the card as a pup. The other side counts as bones. Each game takes about thirty minutes to play, and Good Puppers, Too! appeals to a wide range of gamers. The game deploys easy to learn game mechanisms that have strategic depth. And I’m a sucker for multi-purpose cards. Check out Good Puppers, Too! on Kickstarter.
Till5AM Launches QUARZ on Gamefound
QUARZ takes the simple concept of Capture the Flag to a board game. 16 unique monsters battle for the Crystal Idol in this high-energy, competitive game for 2-4 players. Snatch the Crystal Idol from the altar and race back to your base.
Each of the 16 monsters has unique powers and personalities. The Book Worm (pictured above) is one of my favorites. Who wouldn’t want to become a bookworm with your favorite bookshelf strapped to your back? QUARZ has multiple pledge options. Go for their base game (€54) or go all-in (€129). Check out their page on Gamefound.
This week’s geek news is a little light. Hopefully, some good games will be played. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
jkgeekly.com 