Geekly News: March 30, 2025, Blade Movie Cancelled

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’ll go lighter on Geekly News for the next few weeks. Protospiel Kansas City is next weekend. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we don’t miss a News post.

MCU Cancels Blade Movie

On one hand, the MCU cancelling Blade comes as a surprise. A trusted insider announced a day prior that Blade had a new director, but then another trusted insider, World of Reel, made the announcement that Blade was nixed. No one has questioned World of Reel’s claim…yet. Blade has had the worst luck in the past few years. Actors have committed and then de-committed. The same goes for directors. And the script has been chopped up and rewritten so many times that it looks like someone tried to reconstruct a ream of paper from the confetti dumped on Times Square during New Year’s. In short, the MCU’s Blade was cursed.

I’m glad Marvel ended the failing production. Blade should return. He’s a popular character, and I’d like to see the MCU’s take on Blade. Rumors persist that Blade will appear in a team-up movie like Avengers: Doomsday or Midnight Sons. But if Blade were to get his own vehicle, perhaps Marvel could give him a Special on Disney+. Marvel hasn’t released a Special on the streaming platform since 2022’s Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special. I didn’t care for the Christmas Special; it played like the Star Wars Christmas Special. Yuck! But Marvel’s previous special, October 2022’s Werewolf By Night, was among the best productions in the MCU’s Phase Four.

Werewolf By Night saw even more success after it became part of 2023’s Huluween. This proves that the format works and has legs. An annual (or a series of annual) Marvel After Dark Special(s) could also work to organize the MCU’s release schedule. Spectacles get movie releases. Street-level heroes receive a TV series. Horror/macabre characters feature in Marvel Specials. Blade would fit in with Werewolf By Night, Man-Thing, and Elsa Bloodstone. We’ll see many of these characters (including Blade) in Midnight Sons, but I’d like to see more of Marvel’s darkest corners. Even though Blade won’t get a solo movie, and that’s disappointing, it could lead to something special.

Black Panther 3 to be Released February 2028

Ryan Coogler, director of the first two Black Panther films, said in an interview (with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Ochocinco) that Black Panther 3 is closer than movie-goers think. The MCU plans to introduce Prince T’Challa, Chadwick Boseman’s character’s son, in the upcoming movies. Avengers: Doomsday is a little soon, but Prince T’Challa could make an appearance in Avengers: Secret Wars.

Two Marvel comic book crossover series have been named “Secret Wars,” one in 1984 and another in 2015. The Russo brothers have stated that they will pull from both comics. T’Challa plays a pivotal role in the second “Secret Wars,” so it would make sense if Prince T’Challa is in play for that movie or both films: Doomsday and Secret Wars.

In a previous Geekly News post, we shared that Denzel Washington will feature in Black Panther 3. We mentioned a few characters Washington could portray. Here’s a quick recap. Achebe is a brilliant and unhinged adversary from the Black Panther comics. The First Black Panther Bashenga could explore Wakanda’s lore. Or perhaps he could play the Shadow King, a powerful telepathic mutant villain.

But (in that same interview with Sharpe and Ochocinco) Coogler teased that Washington could portray a role that could shake the entire MCU. He dropped a few hints, and internet sleuths have deduced that Coogler could be alluding to Denzel Washington playing Magneto. This wouldn’t be the first time that Wakanda went head-to-head with a leader who only wants what’s best for their people and may take drastic measures to protect them. 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s Namor strikes a similar chord. Washington would be a great choice for Magneto. Regardless of Washington’s role, we can’t wait for Black Panther 3.

Six Sojourns: An Eight-Minute Empire Game

Red Raven Games revisits one of their earliest designs, Eight-Minute Empire. Six Sojourns builds on the short area control game. The original game’s title is a misnomer. It takes about forty minutes to play Six Sojourns, not eight minutes, but forty minutes is a short game for the game type. Six Sojourns features tough choices, allows for creative strategies and tactics, and promotes high player interaction.

Ryan Laukat serves as the illustrator and game designer of Six Sojourns. He’s had board game hits like Above and Below, Near and Far, Sleeping Gods, and Now or Never. Six Sojourns showcases Laukat’s unique artwork. My favorite feature from Six Sojourns is its three double-sided maps: Red Rock Islands, Volcano, and Northern Seas. Six Sojourns is available now on Gamefound.

G.I. Joe: Operation Cobra

OC Games launched G.I. Joe: Operation Cobra this past week. The game features cooperative tactical action and has plenty of miniatures. OC Games was founded last year, so G.I. Joe: Operation Cobra is one of their first releases. The company focuses on adapting intellectual properties from the 80s and 90s into board games. I can’t speak to the quality of their games yet, but they did capture the look of G.I. Joe from the 80s.

The character cards look like the cards one could cut out from the back of a G.I. Joe toy. OC Games has a knack for tapping into nostalgia. At one point, OC Games had posted G.I. Joe: Operation Cobra on Tabletop Simulator (TTS) so players could demo the game. OC Games’ website has loading issues, I’ll post their update on Gamefound for their Tabletop Simulator announcement. If you’d like to see the game’s pretty miniatures, check out the game’s page on Gamefound.

Funko Bitty Pop Arcade

Funko Pop expands its number of collectible series with Funko Bitty Pop Arcade. Classic cabinet arcade systems inspire these collectibles. The first series of Funko Bitty Pop Arcade will include Wreck-It Ralph, Sonic the Hedgehog, Tron, and Five Nights at Freddy’s. The Five Nights at Freddy’s collectible is the oddball of the bunch as it resembles a claw machine. At $8 apiece, Funko Bitty Pop Arcades are a frugal way to start a collection. These items will be released in early July 2025, and you can pre-order them from Amazon.

That’s all the geek news we have for this week. Hopefully, we’ll have a news post next week. Until next time, thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Daredevil: Born Again, “Excessive Force” Review

Daredevil: Born Again’s second episode this week, “Excessive Force,” ties several loose ends, and Daredevil makes his triumphant return in costume. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I apologize for the delay this week. Everything ran smoothly with the family issue on Wednesday, so we’re back with more Daredevil: Born Again.

This week’s tandem of episodes had a similar feel to Daredevil: Born Again’s debut. If Disney+ had only released “With Interest,” fans may have been miffed (the first episode didn’t go far with the main storyline), but the streaming service dropped two episodes this week with “Excessive Force,” and I can see fans happier with the second offering. I enjoyed “Excessive Force.” As I said in the intro, it ties up several loose ends. That’s always appreciated. Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock’s journey to find their true selves, their inner Kingpin and Daredevil, mirrors each other’s journey.

The inevitable fight sequence at the end has choreography that harkens to the original Daredevil Netflix series. Kingpin unleashes his baser instincts on Adam, the man with whom Fisk’s wife, Vanessa, cheated on him, while Daredevil rescues Angela Del Toro, Hector Ayala’s (White Tiger’s) niece, from Muse. Both scenes are earned. Earlier in “Excessive Force,” Vanessa and Wilson have an exchange that suggests Kingpin has Vanessa’s okay to revert to his mob boss ways, while Del Toro approached Murdock for help, letting him know where her uncle thinks a serial killer (Muse) is hiding, and Murdock has the idea to “f*** it” and rescue Del Toro himself as Daredevil. Since the police killed her uncle, Del Toro doesn’t trust the police.

I liked that Daredevil: Born Again brought back Angela Del Toro. In the comics, Del Toro dons her uncle’s White Tiger costume, and there’s a chance that Camila Rodriguez (who portrays Del Toro) could do the same. Del Toro does a good job of giving Murdock the kick he needs in the hindside. Running parallel to Del Toro’s mistrust of the police is that Fisk runs the police, and he’s formed a task force of dirty cops to find Muse. As I said, plenty of loose ends. Hamish Allan-Headley’s Officer Powell joins the newly formed task force. Powell has been one of the better side characters introduced in Daredevil: Born Again, but that’s because he’s had a handful of pivotal scenes. And that’s where Daredevil: Born Again has had issues.

Matt’s love interest (Heather Glenn) asks him if he knows any vigilantes he could introduce her to for a book she plans to write about vigilantes. While this could’ve worked, it came out of nowhere. We’ve met Heather Glenn more often than Officer Powell, and this is the first we’ve heard of this intention. Officer Powell’s motives are better developed. Angela Del Toro approaching Matt Murdock to help stop Muse makes sense (her character is well developed despite this episode being her second appearance), but Cherry (Matt’s ex-cop friend/employee) serves little more than a plot device when he warns Murdock against fighting Muse as Daredevil. We know next to nothing about Cherry. Even though he’s physically been in the series three times as much as Del Toro, I forgot he existed.

I mentioned the vlogger vignettes in a previous review. The shaky-cam on the street works better in a Spider-Man property. It’s out of place in Daredevil: Born Again, but further than that, it doesn’t do enough to show New York’s citizens. I don’t know if the audience should know who the vlogger is and follows them as another character (perhaps a friend of Murdock’s) or if the vlogger could attempt to interview Mayor Fisk, which could serve double-duty as a scene transition, or omit those scenes and show Murdock serve more citizens (than the one Fiddle Faddle thief) as a lawyer. Personally, I’d choose the latter. Showing Murdock trying to fix NYC’s issues as a lawyer, but needing to do more, would further the idea that the city needs Daredevil.

Those couple of sticky points aside, Daredevil: Born Again is a great Marvel show. “Excessive Force” saw the return of Tony Dalton’s Jack Duquesne/Swordsman. He’s an underused superhero (last seen in 2021’s Hawkeye as Kate Bishop’s wealthy stepfather), and I’m glad he gets another chance to shine. Thank you, MetalAusten (on BlueSky), for straightening out Geekly’s misunderstanding of Daredevil: Born Again’s schedule. The show WILL return next week, and we can’t wait. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Daredevil: Born Again, “With Interest” Review

Brief schedule alert: Geekly will cover the first of the Daredevil: Born Again two-episode finale today and the second episode on Friday. Kyra, who covers Daredevil: Born Again, has a family issue on Wednesday morning and will need another day or two to cover the second episode. With that said, let’s discuss the first of Daredevil: Born Again’s finale, “With Interest.”

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Daredevil: Born Again nears the close of its first season break. I’m still unsure how the program plans to continue after this. The last I heard, Daredevil: Born Again will have another four or six episodes next year, hopefully near the beginning of next year. Will this be the second half of season one? Since there’s a year gap in release, wouldn’t that make those next four or six episodes season two? Anyway, “With Interest” serves as a divergence if you’re charitable. It’s a filler episode if you’re less charitable. I lean more towards the former, but I was left wanting. “With Interest” shows Matt Murdock continuing down the crime-fighter path, and weaves his story into the greater MCU, and it’s the weaving of Daredevil: Born Again into the greater MCU that chafes.

Yusuf Khan, Kamala Khan’s (Ms. Marvel’s) father, makes a guest appearance in “With Interest.” This episode’s story revolves around Khan and the bank where he works. Bank robbers begin a heist immediately after Khan denies Murdock a loan for Murdock & McDuffie (Matt’s new law firm). Convenient. Before then, Khan talks about his daughter Kamala, Jersey City, and Jersey City’s own superhero Ms. Marvel. He spills the tea about what Kamala is up to (visiting friends in California, which could be Kamala recruiting Kate Bishop in San Francisco), and I half-expected him to brag that his daughter and Ms. Marvel were one and the same when he dug out his Ms. Marvel Funko Pop.

Matt chuckles at Khan’s antics. He gives him an annoyed chuckle that mirrors my own. Don’t get me wrong. I like Mohan Japur’s portrayal of Yusuf. He does a good job of conveying a doting father. My issue is with Khan’s inclusion. It felt forced. While a solidly written, acted, and directed episode, “With Interest” isn’t needed. One could’ve omitted “With Interest,” and season one of Daredevil: Born Again would’ve remained the same. It felt like a bottle episode that didn’t need to happen. I felt the showrunner marking time for the final episode.

The only two things I can say that “With Interest” adds to this season’s story are that Murdock’s law firm matches his (eventual) crimefighting, and Daredevil: Born Again exists within the MCU. Thank you for making it abundantly clear that Daredevil: Born Again exists within the MCU. Other nods occurred earlier this season to suggest that, but perhaps some viewers in the back row needed to be force-fed that information. As Yusuf says in this episode, Murdock takes on a lot of cases that don’t make enough money to sustain his business. That reinforces the idea that Matt does things because they’re the right things to do, kind of like his crimefighting. From a storytelling standpoint, the latter has more merit.

But I could’ve seen this played out in a smaller or different scene. I know it sounds like I didn’t care for “With Interest.” The opposite is true. Taken by itself, “With Interest” is a fun romp. Matt Murdock thwarts a group of bank robbers and saves the hostages within the bank. There may be something I didn’t catch with the bank robbers themselves. The one who orchestrated the heist gets away. I hope she plays a bigger role later. My opinion of “With Interest” could change slightly if that’s the case. But until that happens, I’m viewing “With Interest” as a fun diversion before the main meal.

That main meal will have to wait. I won’t be reviewing the second episode of Daredevil: Born Again’s finale until Friday, March 28th. Until then, feed me some fake or real spoilers for the final episode. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Daredevil: Born Again, “Sic Semper Systema” Review

Daredevil: Born Again released another episode last night, “Sic Semper Systema,” and Geekly’s here to share their thoughts. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Daredevil: Born Again approaches its season finale (or at least the cliffhanger before its break for the second half of the season), and the show manages to turn up the heat.

With four episodes in, Daredevil: Born Again proves it can build off the previous show’s success. The new series works best when it centers on Murdock and Fisk. With a few exceptions, the best moments are rooted in characters who originate from the original Netflix series. Wilson and Vanessa scenes have me hooked. I feared for Vanessa’s well-being whenever she and Wilson discussed her infidelity. That mistrust is rewarded in “Sic Semper Systema’s” closing. I won’t spoil it here, but there’s a great payoff.

Is it me or does Matt Murdock’s love interest Heather Glenn work better as the Fisk’s therapist than she does Daredevil’s lover? I love Margarita Levieva’s performance with the Fisks. I don’t know if Daredevil: Born Again has done enough to establish her as Murdock’s significant other. And I think that’s an issue with the new series. Again, four episodes in, and patterns emerge. Daredevil: Born Again had to rid itself of Karen Page and Foggy Nelson because they knew Murdock’s secret identity and would eventually support his vigilante work. Heck. Karen suggests that Matt don the cowl in the first episode. The new series wanted Murdock to fight returning as Daredevil. But it hasn’t done enough to build the new recurring characters in Murdock’s life. There are some exceptions.

As I said, I do like Heather as the Wilson’s therapist. Mayor Fisk’s advisors Daniel and Sheila are fantastic. “Sic Semper Systema” shows Kingpin’s former “business” peeking through his day-to-day as mayor. You know how the old Fisk would’ve handled Daniel’s mistake. Daredevil: Born Again does a great job of building this tension. And then throwing in a dark comedic moment. After Mayor Fisk says he won’t fire Daniel for his incompetence and Daniel insists that he’ll never be able to make amends, Sheila tells Daniel, that’s nice, now shut up. She put her job on the line for him and I saw in Sheila’s reaction to Fisk and Daniel’s “talk” that she feared for her and Daniel’s lives. Zabryna Guevara (Sheila) and Michael Gandolfini (Daniel) give great performances.

I also enjoyed one of “Sic Semper Systema’s” one-off characters. Charlie Hudson III’s Leroy Bradford works to show Murdock as a lawyer and the corruption of the legal system. Hudson is only on-screen for around ten minutes, but these moments are powerful.

Hamish Allan-Headley’s Officer Powell has been a standout for this young series. The scenes that include Officer Powell illustrate NYPD’s corruption. Powell serves as a great foil. He doesn’t factor into White Tiger’s murder (that we know of), but someone with connections to the NYPD is behind White Tiger’s death. Evidently, The Punisher has fans within the NYPD. The scene where Matt finds the casing from the bullet used to murder White Tiger is pitch-perfect. I don’t want to spoil it here, but moments like this hint at Murdock’s return as Daredevil. Sure, we physically see Murdock practice martial arts toward the end of “Sic Semper Systema,” but his investigative skills impressed.

Daredevil: Born Again handled The Punisher’s inclusion well. As I suspected, he wasn’t behind White Tiger’s murder. I’m glad he doesn’t steal too much screen time, and Frank Castle pushes Murdock’s buttons. Again, I’ll try not to spoil the scene, but The Punisher gives Murdock the push he needs to dust off his Daredevil attire. Jon Bernthal is a fan favorite for good reason. He embodies The Punisher. Daredevil: Born Again does a great job of hinting that The Punisher continues to fight the good fight. I can’t wait to see him in a future series.

And that brings us to this season’s main villain Muse. Our featured image above is one of Muse’s murals. You can see his name at the bottom right. I may be heading into mild spoiler territory here. Beware. We don’t see much of Muse. Daredevil: Born Again is holding him back for the final two episodes before it goes on break, and that’s a good choice.

In the comics, Muse is active while Wilson Fisk is mayor (Daredevil comics, circa 2016). He paints his murals with human blood, so the red “paint” above (and in this week’s featured image) derives from the blood of his victims. Also in the comics, Muse had superpowers like heightened strength and increased reflexes. He’s an inhuman and also targeted other inhumans. This could be a way to tie Muse (and Daredevil) into the greater MCU and potentially reintroduce the Inhumans. I wouldn’t be surprised if Muse was a standard-issue human, but I’d be a little disappointed if he didn’t have the last and most significant of his superpowers: imperceptibility.

People don’t notice Muse is around because his body is a sensory void. This ability also works on Daredevil. Daredevil: Born Again mentions Spider-Man repeatedly and one of Spidey’s greatest enemies is Venom. Low key, Venom’s best ability is that he doesn’t trigger Peter Parker’s spider-sense. Muse plays a similar role to Daredevil, and the series (specifically the scene when Matt does detective work) is building up to a reveal that no one can sense Muse.

“Sic Semper Systema” generates a lot of speculation. That’s a great thing for Daredevil: Born Again. The series had a rocky start, but there’s hope for a strong cliffhanger next week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Daredevil: Born Again, “The Hollow of His Hand” Review

Daredevil: Born Again continues this week with a single episode, “The Hollow of His Hand.” The show focuses on the courtroom drama surrounding the White Tiger. While I think this is a good choice, the pacing for a storyline like this would play out better for a full 13-episode season (like the previous Daredevil series) instead of the 9-episode season, split in two, that Daredevil: Born Again has scheduled. Daredevil: Born Again is fated for getting rushed.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I’ve had more time to digest Daredevil: Born Again’s first two episodes from last week, and they leave me wanting. Everything felt rushed. And while I understand that Daredevil: Born Again wants to get Matt Murdock into his Daredevil suit as soon as possible because the show only has three episodes remaining before it goes on hiatus, I can’t help but think that the original show would’ve taken its time and not rush through White Tiger’s trial. The showrunners must not be used to shorter seasons.

What remains does a good job of pitting Matt Murdock against Kingpin from an ideological standpoint. The sparing between Murdock proving vigilantes as necessary (even helping police) and Kingpin’s decree to the media that vigilantes operate outside and above the law works. The lack of scenes with White Tiger doesn’t work as well. Through witnessing on the stand, the life of White Tiger is told. We don’t see White Tiger in action. We don’t even see how his magical amulet works. I’m reminded of the writing adage: show don’t tell. Daredevil: Born Again does a lot of telling because they don’t have time or money.

Daredevil: Born Again marks the first Disney+ Marvel series when the production attempts to cut costs. I hope that scenes with White Tiger weren’t cut for time or budget. Puerto Rican actor Kamar de los Reyes who portrays White Tiger passed away from cancer on Christmas Eve 2023. He delivers a fantastic performance.

We get into spoiler territory here. You’ve been warned. After a short trial sequence, White Tiger gets gunned down days later by someone who may be The Punisher. I don’t know if the could be Punisher works for Fisk. The sequence where White Tiger dies occurs during a voiceover with Wilson Fisk, explaining how vigilantes should not exist. In the comics, the Punisher began as a mercenary for hire. It would make sense if he was behind White Tiger’s death, but Fisk has been distancing himself from crime as much as Murdock distances himself from crimefighting. The Punisher could also be exacting vigilante revenge against a vigilante for (accidentally) killing a crooked cop. That’d be an interesting twist.

End of spoilers.

Despite the swiftness of these events, Daredevil: Born Again does a great job of honoring White Tiger’s death. Like Foggy’s death in episode one, White Tiger’s death is sudden. But the twist of who may have killed him leaves the episode on a cliffhanger, and “The Hollow of His Hand” ends with a quiet moment. The only sound the audience hears is the coquis (a small frog native to Puerto Rico) whistling against the surf.

White Tiger had shared with Murdock that he only felt at peace when he sat on a bench by the ocean and could hear the coquis. This moment was well done. It’s a wonderful tribute to Kamar de los Reyes.

I want more moments like this one. The previous series would sprinkle in heart-felt beats in between the action. I have hope for the remainder of Daredevil: Born Again’s initial six episodes, but I’ve heard that Muse could become a main antagonist. How does Daredevil: Born Again hope to juggle the introduction of the Punisher, Muse, and the inevitable Kingpin showdown? Muse could’ve disguised themselves while they killed White Tiger. We’ll have to see. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: March 2, 2025, Marvel Picks Television Series Direction

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here, and we’re back with some Geekly News. We don’t have as many stories to cover this week as we did the week before and we’re still figuring out how to present Geekly News. Let’s start with a standby.

Marvel Picks Television Series Direction

Marvel picked a new direction with their Disney+ shows. After the abject failure of Secret Invasion, rumors flew around Marvel’s television projects. Television shows like the upcoming Okoye (from the Black Panther franchise) series and the Nova series got canceled. Even some movies like Armor Wars got nixed. Marvel announced these cancelations in a whirlwind, leaving fans wondering why some shows got canceled and others didn’t. We’ve gotten some clarification. The following is a quick overview of the situation.

Overview of Marvel Reorganization

First, Marvel used to film an entire television series and drop it on the Disney+ platform with little outside input. There are a few shows that follow this method that have yet to be released, specifically Ironheart. But all future shows will film shorter pilots and test screen the pilot to gauge audience interest before filming the series in its entirety.

Second, Marvel pivoted to television shows featuring street-level heroes like Daredevil and Punisher, while making Marvel films larger spectacles, to reduce cost. The studio has confirmed that they want to bring back the rest of the Defenders (Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist), but only after Daredevil: Born Again releases and they can see how the show is received. No pressure, Daredevil. If all goes well, these street-level heroes will need a Thanos-type big bad that they must collectively overcome. Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin should fit that bill.

Third, Marvel does plan on starting a Marvel Animated Universe (an MAU). Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will serve as a jumping-off point if they do plan on an MAU. Keep an eye on any upcoming Marvel animated projects.

Cancelled Marvel Projects

Getting back to what I said about Okoye’s show getting canned. That’s disappointing, but Marvel will release a Black Panther-themed animated show later this year. She could feature in that show (Marvel often uses their live-action actors as voice actors in their animated content) or a future Black Panther animated show, since Black Panther isn’t exactly a street-level hero. Okoye will undoubtedly return in the next Black Panther movie, which will include Denzel Washington in its cast. We still don’t know who Washington will play but here are a few options.

Achebe is a brilliant and unhinged adversary from the Black Panther comics. The First Black Panther Bashenga could explore Wakanda’s lore. Or perhaps the Shadow King. Amahl Farouk (Shadow King) is a powerful telepathic mutant who’s been a frequent Wakdandan antagonist and could bridge the gap with the X-Men. Could we get a Storm sighting in Black Panther 3?

The rest of Marvel’s cancellations include Armor Wars (film) and Nova (television show. Armor Wars’s plot was tied too closely to the failed Secret Invasion. War Machine will have to wait for his first solo movie after Marvel brass reworks the plotlines. It doesn’t look good, but a revamped Rhodie story could still happen. Robert Downey Jr. could don Iron Man’s armor during the Mutant Saga in Iron Man 4. Why couldn’t Don Cheadle do the same? While Armor Wars’s cancellation upset me, Nova stung a little more. The show doesn’t fit Marvel’s new roadmap. Okoye may or may not be a street-level hero. Nova is by no means a street-level hero. The Nova television show planned to introduce Annihilus, ruler of the Negative Zone with aspirations to control every known galaxy. We may have to wait until the Fantastic Four’s second film before meeting the villains, but there have been rumors that he could sneak into a project before Fantastic Four 2.

Final Thoughts on Marvel (for this week)

Daredevil: Born Again needs to succeed. Marvel’s roadmap makes more sense, and it’s a good thing when studios are transparent with their plans. I would’ve liked to have seen the three projects I listed that got canceled, but Marvel made their cancellation make sense.

Wonder Woman Game Canceled, Studios Closing

Speaking of a project getting cancelled and not making any sense, we have Warner Brothers’ video game branch. Warner Bros. hasn’t made too many sound decisions with their video game projects in years. They produced Multiversus, making the game stand out from Smash Bros. by making speed its core tenant, only to suspend the game for over a year and then rerelease it as a slower, more of a Smash Bros. clone game. Great. Then, there was whatever Suicide Squad: The Justice League Must Die was. Suicide Squad was meant to play as a multiplayer, online version of the Arkham series because “gamers want live service games” and failed. Okay. And then Warner Brothers refused to see Hogwarts Legacy as the smash hit it was because it wasn’t a live service game. What?

At least Avalanche Software (the developer of Hogwarts Legacy) got to keep their jobs. Player First Games (Multiversus) closed as well as Warner Bros. Games San Diego, which planned more online games. Monolith Productions who made the well-received Shadows of Mordor games and who were working on Wonder Woman also got shuttered this past week. Warner Brothers states that they’re keeping their focus on Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC Comics. That’s funny. Didn’t they just cancel Wonder Woman? Wonder Woman wasn’t a free-to-play online-only game. Maybe that was why, but then the publisher also canned Player First Games and Warner Bros. Games San Diego. Warner Bros. could take a page from Marvel Studios and produce a roadmap. Make it make sense.

Monster Hunter Wilds Released

The wait is over. Monster Hunter Wilds is out. I haven’t had a chance to play yet, but the game has received overall ratings of 90/100 from critics. Monster Hunter Wilds features a shorter main campaign than the last two Monster Hunter games. I don’t mind that. One seldom plays Monster Hunter for the main storyline. There’s also a major update coming in April. Capcom hasn’t said what the update will include, but I agree with waiting a month before a major update. Players will have a chance to play the game for a month before adding more fun.

World’s Largest Dungeon Returns

Have you ever wanted to play the largest Dungeons & Dragons dungeon? You’ll soon get your chance when The World’s Largest Dungeon returns with its 20th Anniversary Platinum Edition for 5th Edition. The crowdfunding campaign launches on May 13th. (Here’s a link to the BackerKit.)  

Originally published in 2004 by Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG), The World’s Largest Dungeon earned a Guinness World Record for its size and scope. The campaign was designed to take players from level 1 to 20, feature every monster from the System Reference Document (SRD), and offers an interconnected, inescapable dungeon experience.

The World’s Largest Dungeon’s updated edition will include 16 new boss miniatures, curated miniature sets from Reaper Miniatures, and 16 poster-sized maps with new detailed maps. Over 1,600 original encounters have been fine-tuned for 5th edition, and the new dungeon will feature exclusive Fanroll dice, an audiobook by AudioRPG, and stretch goals of course.

Aspiring RPG designers may submit their own dungeon encounters, with fan-voted winners earning a spot in the Secret Doors book which will be alongside the core books. The Platinum Edition will be released as a four-book set. Each book will feature fantasy artwork, immersive page layouts, and rich world-building details, making it easier for game master to navigate this massive dungeon’s encounters and secrets.

Ernie Gygax Has Passed Away

Ernest “Ernie” Gygax Jr, son of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) co-creator Gary Gygax, passed away this week. Ernie was one of D&D’s earliest playtesters. The Gygax family confirmed the news via Gary Con’s website on Friday (February 28). His cause of death was not given, but Gygax had been hospitalized several times in recent years. Gygax is best known for creating Tenser, the first magic-user character in D&D. Tenser’s name appears on several D&D spells in D&D’s current editions.

Our condolences to the Gygax family.

Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.