Thursday, September 12, 2024

This Episode is INSANE!

 


Hello, NERDS! Buckle up, because this week's entertainment news is nothing short of explosive. From music comebacks to gaming shake-ups, comic revivals to TV drama, we've got it all. Let's dive into the chaos!


## Music Scene: Resurrections and Legal Battles


The music world is buzzing with excitement and controversy this week. Here's what you need to know:


1. **Linkin Park's Phoenix-Like Rise**: Just when we thought we'd seen the last of them, Linkin Park has announced not just a new vocalist (Emily Armstrong) and drummer (Colin Brittan), but also a new album titled "From Zero" and an upcoming tour. Talk about a comeback! Their new single, "The Emptiness Machine," feels like a throwback to their Meteora days, with lyrics that cut deep.


2. **New Releases Galore**: The metal scene is on fire with new releases:

   - Spiritbox dropped "Soft Spine," another heavy banger that's sure to please fans.

   - Filter's "Burn Out The Sun" proves they've still got what it takes in the radio rock arena.

   - Chris Adler's new band, Shallow Rising, released "Remorse Code." It's definitely a departure from Lamb of God, but is it better? You decide.

   - Opeth's "Paragraph 3" has us excited for their upcoming album.


3. **Tour Updates**: 

   - Heart's "Royal Flush 2025" tour is back on track after Ann Wilson's cancer treatments. The rescheduled dates run from February 28 in Las Vegas to April 5 in Quebec.

   - Linkin Park's six tour dates are already sold out. Blink and you missed it!


4. **Legal Drama**: Jack and Meg White are taking Donald Trump's campaign to court over the unauthorized use of "Seven Nation Army." This follows Jack's threat in August over a campaign video using the song.


5. **Super Bowl Halftime Show**: Football season just kicked off, but we already know who's headlining the halftime show - none other than Kendrick Lamar!


## Gaming & Tech: AI Takeover and Destiny's New Direction


The gaming and tech world is seeing some significant shifts:


1. **AI Innovations**: 

   - Amazon's Alexa is getting a brain boost, now powered by Claude AI from Anthropic instead of Amazon's own Titan models.

   - YouTube is developing AI detection tools for music and faces, aiming to give creators more control over AI training.


2. **Destiny 2's Bold New Path**: Bungie has unveiled a major roadmap for Destiny 2, including:

   - Two expansions annually instead of one

   - Non-linear campaign formats and new gameplay styles like roguelikes and survival shooters

   - Four free major updates per year

   - The first expansion, codenamed Apollo, launches in Summer 2025


3. **Mortal Kombat 1**: Fans are buzzing about the Noob Saibot trailer (or was it just a teaser?). Either way, it's got the community excited.


## Comics: Revivals and New Beginnings


The comic book world is seeing some exciting developments:


1. **Elseworlds Returns**: DC's beloved Elseworlds imprint is making a comeback with both new stories and fresh printings of the classics. Time to revisit those alternate realities!


2. **Marvel's New Offerings**: 

   - A new Iron Man series, written by Spencer Ackerman with art from Julius Ohta, hits shelves in October.

   - "Exceptional X-Men" by Eve L. Ewing and Carmen Carnero is now on sale.


3. **Comics for Dummies**: The famous "For Dummies" series is tackling Marvel Comics, with books on The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Captain America, and a general Marvel guide on the way.


## TV Land: Suspensions, Comebacks, and Schedule Changes


Television news is a mix of ups and downs this week:


1. **Production Halts**: Neil Gaiman's "Good Omens" has suspended production on its final season due to allegations against its creator.


2. **Anticipated Releases**: 

   - "Creature Commandos" is set to premiere on December 5.

   - "Arcane" Season 2 is coming this November.

   - Adult Swim's adaptation of Junji Ito's "Uzumaki" will premiere on September 28.


3. **Late Night Shakeups**: NBC is pulling back on "The Tonight Show," making Fridays a rerun night. It's part of a larger trend of cuts in late-night programming across networks.


4. **South Park's Strategic Move**: The irreverent animated series is set to return in 2025, purposefully skipping the election year.


## Movie Buzz: Trailers, Tributes, and Tough Breaks


The film industry has its share of exciting news and setbacks:


1. **Trailer Bonanza**: 

   - "Wolf Man," directed by Leigh Whannell and starring Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner, looks promising for January 2025.

   - Francis Ford Coppola's star-studded epic "Megalopolis" finally dropped its real trailer.

   - "The Apprentice" and a peculiar "Minecraft" movie also released trailers.


2. **Farewell to a Legend**: James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Darth Vader, passed away at 93, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy.


3. **Box Office Woes**: Kevin Costner's "Horizon" sequel has had its theatrical release scrapped after the first movie's significant financial loss. However, Costner remains committed to releasing all four parts.


## Rumor Mill: Speculation and Whispers


As always, the rumor mill is churning out some intriguing possibilities:


- A Silver Surfer special presentation might be coming to Disney+.

- Henry Cavill is once again rumored for the role of Wolverine.

- A live-action Wakanda series is supposedly in pre-development.

- The Green Lantern project might have found its stars in Matthew McConaughey and Ewan McGregor.

- Several Final Fantasy games, including the VII remake and XVI, are rumored to be coming to Xbox.


That's it for this week's roundup! Remember, in the world of entertainment, things can change in the blink of an eye. Stay tuned, stay nerdy, and we'll see you next week for another dose of pop culture madness!


Music


Follow-ups/Corrections

Linkin Park - With the issues last week’s episode had i probably could have added an addendum to it. The band not only announced a new vocalist, Emily Armstrong, but also new drummer, Colin Brittan, PLUS a new record, From Zero, and a new tour.


New Music/Video

Spiritbox - Soft Spine https://youtu.be/tiIjetn31VA Another heavy banger!!

Filter - Burn Out The Sun https://youtu.be/3vbDbTqiJoM Filter’s version of Radio Rock works. Really good songwriting.

Shallow Rising - Remorse Code https://youtu.be/8Shy17_Shto Chris Adler’s NEW band. DEFINITELY different from LoG. But better?

Opeth - Paragraph 3 https://youtu.be/7Ph5o3xpJ_8 This record is going to be great.

Vígundr - Grógaldr   https://youtu.be/BX5jRQAYfq4 another Heilung clone… this one seems much better.

Entheos - A Thousand Days https://youtu.be/rttDAatSAIc much more blasty than their last outing… it will grow on you.

Linkin Park - The Emptiness Machine https://youtu.be/SRXH9AbT280 Feels very Meteora. Those lyrics just CUT though.

Memphis May Fire - Infection https://youtu.be/W87MonbrKnU Mostly bland with an ok breakdown that falls short.

Jinjer - Rogue https://youtu.be/9Uaecbh8ta0?si=WBdQbMC-d7RBWafr definitely still one of the best in metal right now.

Billy Morrison, Corey Taylor, Steve Vai - Incite The Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AjEYcYsiyo Not terrible, but not super noteworthy either.


Tours/Festivals

Heart - Royal Flush 2025. These are the rescheduled dates that had been previously postponed for Ann Wilson’s cancer treatments. Previous tickets will be honored. Feb 28 in Las Vegas through Apr 5 in Quebec. https://www.heart-music.com 

Linkin Park - 6 dates, tickets are all sold out. Sept 11, 16, 22, 24, 28, Nov 11.

Unto Others - DROPPED from the WASP tour. The reason given by WASP being that Unto Others never provided a marketing plan. Which the band disputes.

Childish Gambino - Speaking of postponed tours. Donald Glover’s music project is postponing the remaining dates on his current tour so he can focus on his physical health “for a few weeks.” All tickets will be honored once the remaining dates are rescheduled.

https://variety.com/2024/music/news/donald-glover-postpones-childish-gambino-farewell-tour-physical-health-1236138459/ 



Reg ‘ol News

Jack White V Trump - Jack and Meg White are suing Donald Trump’s campaign over the usage of their song Seven Nation Army. The suit seemingly stemming from a threat from White in late August over the usage of the song in a video on X. The threat involved long debunked story about Trump calling veterans names at Arlington cemetery. White resorting to calling Trump “DonOLD” even.

https://variety.com/2024/music/news/jack-white-sues-donald-trump-unauthorized-use-of-music-1236138745/ 

Superbowl - Football season just started and we already know who is going to perform at the halftime show. Kendrick Lamar.

https://variety.com/2024/music/news/super-bowl-2025-halftime-performer-1236136777/ 


Suggests

The Crow Soundtrack - The soundtrack to the superhero film The Crow was released in 1994.


Gaming/Tech


Trailers

Mortal Kombat 1 - Noob Saibot trailer… or just teaser?


Reg ‘ol News

Amazon's Alexa - New voice assistant will use Claude AI from Anthropic, not Amazon's Titan models.

YouTube AI developments - Developing AI detection tools for music and faces. Working on creator controls for AI training

Destiny 2 - Bungie's new roadmap for Destiny 2 outlines major changes, including two expansions annually instead of one. These expansions will feature more non-linear campaign formats and gameplay styles, like roguelikes and survival shooters. Alongside expansions, four free major updates per year will introduce activities, events, and rewards. The first expansion, codenamed Apollo, launches in Summer 2025 and will follow a non-linear story approach. The current expansion, The Final Shape, was delayed due to recent studio layoffs.

https://www.engadget.com/gaming/heres-bungies-roadmap-for-destiny-2-163138384.html 


Suggests

MK1 - one last chance before everything changes in Khaos Reigns.


Comic Books/Books


Follow-ups/Corrections

Elseworlds - with the return of the imprint for DC with new stories, the classics are getting fresh printings. https://comicbook.com/comics/news/dc-elseworlds-superman-batman-comics-volumes-trade-paperbacks/#1 


Trailers

Iron Man - https://youtu.be/ccBQ9WfR2kU on shelves in October. Written by Spencer Ackerman. Art from Julius Ohta. That SWORD tho!!

Exceptional X-Men - https://youtu.be/ws6aj2muRmo W- Eve L Ewing, A- Carmen Carnero. On sale now.


Reg ‘ol News

Comics For Dummies - The “For Dummies” series of books is now attempting to tackle comic books. Written by  Troy Brownfield. The series will feature books on The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, a general Marvel related book, and Captain America. The latter 2 to start things off.

https://www.gamesradar.com/comics/marvel-comics/marvel-for-dummies-book-announcement/ 


Suggests

The Crow - a haunting tale of love, loss, and revenge. Eric Draven, brutally murdered alongside his fiancée, is resurrected by a supernatural crow to avenge their deaths. James O’Barr’s gothic comic blends dark, visceral artwork with a deeply emotional story, perfect for fans of tragic antiheroes and supernatural horror. With its moody atmosphere and powerful themes, The Crow is a must-read for anyone craving a chilling, emotional ride this spooky season. 1989, Caliber Comics.


TV Shows


Follow-ups/Corrections

Good Omens - Neil Gaiman series suspends production on the final season due to the allegations against its creator. https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/good-omens-halts-production-neil-gaiman-allegations-1236138923/ 

Creature Commandos - Dec 5.


Trailers

High Potential - Sept 17 https://youtu.be/2ml5VsUElEM Kaitlin Olsen finally playing a different character other than Sweet D? Could be cool.

Arcane - Season 2 Nov https://youtu.be/hsffPST-x1k 

Uzamaki - https://youtu.be/2ivmweJQaco Sept 28 on Adult Swim, next day on MAX


Reg ‘ol News

Tonight Show - NBC to pull back on their staple late-night show. Fridays will now be reruns. Just the most recent move in a line of similar cuts. Seth Meyers band got cut, and the other networks late night shows have all already made this move in recent years. And the media thinks it is simply due to streaming competition.

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/tonight-show-jimmy-fallon-four-nights-per-week-nbc-1236135343/ 

South Park - Set to return in 2025. Purposefully skipping the election. Also waiting for Paramount to figure their future.

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/south-park-2025-return-skipping-presidential-election-1236131691/ 



Suggests

From - Done it a few times before, but to kick off spooky season AND to catch up before season 3 starts, do it THIS WEEK!


Movies


Follow-ups/Corrections

Horizon - Second movie’s theatrical release get scrapped after the first movie loses almost $90M. Costner still dedicated to releasing all 4 parts. https://variety.com/2024/film/festivals/kevin-costner-horizon-2-scrapped-theatrical-release-reaction-to-box-office-not-overwhelming-success-1236133084/ 



Trailers

Wolf Man - https://youtu.be/ZZ2xPwXJpLM Leigh Whannell directed Invisible Man. Starring Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner. January 2025

The Apprentice - https://youtu.be/0tXEN0WNJUg Oct 11

Minecraft - https://youtu.be/PE2YZhcC4NY good lord what is this?

Megalopolis https://youtu.be/pq6mvHZU0fc?si=ngRYWS5jMHVzMAgK The REAL trailer for Francis Ford Copolla’s star-studded epic.


Reg ‘ol News

James Earl Jones - Passed at 93. 


Suggests

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice - a 2024 American dark fantasy comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. A sequel to Beetlejuice (1988) and the second film of the Beetlejuice franchise, the film stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara reprising their roles alongside new cast members Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, and Willem Dafoe.

Rumor Mill


New Sources

Silver Surfer - Special presentation on Disney+.

Wolverine - Henry Cavill is ONCE AGAIN being rumored for the Wolverine moving forward. “Cooking” posts on his socials.


New Rumors

Wakanda - Live-action series supposedly in pre-development.

Man-Thing - Special Presentation on Disney+

Blade - Director found? Chad Stahleski (John Wick)?

Green Lantern - Matthew McConaughey and Ewan McGregor now rumored to have been cast. McGregor said to be up for John Stewart, McConaughey too. So obviously not along side Brolin.

Final Fantasy - The OTHER games said to be coming to Xbox (aside from MMO XIV) are VII remake, XVI, and the Pixel Remasters.

Venom: Last Dance - Knull to make an appearance. Secret Wars appearance for Tom Hardy.

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