It’s that time of the week again where we dive into all the latest happenings across the universes we love. From major gaming comebacks and shifts in the music scene to exciting comic book crossovers, big-screen shake-ups, and the ever-churning rumor mill, there's quite a bit to unpack. Let’s get into this week's comprehensive nerd news update.
Music Updates: New Tracks, Tours, and Somber News
The world of aggressive music has been buzzing with new releases. Avatar dropped their "Captain Goat" song, while A Killer’s Confession released "Hollow," the first taste of their upcoming Victim 2 record. Fans can also look forward to Stray From The Path's Clockworked album this Friday, produced by Will Putney, and Psycho-Frame's debut album, Salvation Laughs in the Face of a Grieving Mother, set for a July 25th release via Sharptone Records. Even Converge is debuting new live music, with "We Were Never The Same" making the rounds on bootleg channels. Blackbraid also offered a first look at "III" with "Wardrums at Dawn on the day of My Death," due August 8th.
Tour announcements are heating up the summer and fall. Crowbar and Eyehategod are co-headlining the US from August 8th to 30th. Whitechapel is hitting the road with their Rituals of Hate tour, performing Hymns in Dissonance in full, with support from Bodysnatcher, Angelmaker, and Disembodied Tyrant, kicking off November 12th. Avatar also announced their In the Airwaves USA tour with Alien Weaponry and Spiritworld, starting November 5th.
On a more somber note, the music community mourns the tragic loss of former Devil Wears Prada drummer Daniel Williams and his friend Dave Shapiro, owner and agent of Sound Talent Group, who were killed in a plane crash. We also saw Nik Nocturnal announce a temporary break to avoid burnout, focusing on "figuring things out" without a set return date. In lighter news, after earlier reports of creative blocks, Slipknot's Jim Root has reportedly found his muse again, bringing six new song ideas to the writing table for the band's next studio album.
Gaming & Tech Buzz: Epic Comebacks, AI, and Summer Hype
Big news for mobile gamers: after five years, Fortnite has officially returned to the Apple App Store, a decision compelled by a recent court order. This is a significant development for both Apple and Epic Games. In RPG news, the official release date for Dragon Quest 1&2 HD-2D Remake has been announced for October 30th across Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Series, and Steam, which is exciting for classic fans.
The anticipation for Summer Games Fest (June 6th-8th) is palpable, with many hoping for updates on Hollow Knight: Silksong, a release date for Skate Story, or even Nintendo Switch 2 reveals.
In the tech world, Amazon is testing AI "hosts" to guide customers through product features, an intriguing, if slightly unsettling, development. Microsoft is also heavily investing in AI, integrating it into Notepad, Paint, and the Snipping Tool. Notepad is getting text generation, Paint can generate stickers, and Snipping Tool gains "Perfect Screenshot" and a color picker. These features, however, often require Microsoft 365/Copilot Pro subscriptions or Copilot+ PCs.
Google I/O unsurprisingly had AI as its central theme, introducing "AI Mode" for Search in the US and updates to Gemini 2.5, including a new "AI Ultra" plan. Other announcements included Android XR developments, Google Beam for 3D video conferencing, and Chrome's password manager gaining automatic password changing for compromised sites.
For those eager to jump into a new shooter, the Splitgate 2 Open Beta is happening now, so dive in and have some fun! New trailers also dropped for TMNT: Tactical Takedown (turn/card-based RPG, May 22 Steam release), TMNT: Empire City (VR, 2026), and an updated opening cinematic for Metal Gear Delta (August 28th).
Comic & Book Nook: Iconic Returns and Unlikely Alliances
Comic book fans have some exciting news. Marvel has announced a new Punisher book in the Red Band line, featuring the classic Frank Castle and his original logo, arriving in September. This should please long-time fans of the character.
But perhaps the biggest buzz comes from a truly unexpected crossover: Batman VS Deadpool. This will be a two-part story, with one-shot issues published by Marvel (September 17th, by Zeb Wells and Greg Capullo) and DC (November, by Grant Morrison and Dan Mora). This is the kind of event that rarely happens and is sure to generate a lot of discussion.
If you’re looking for a quick, fun read involving the Merc With The Mouth, I’d suggest the Deadpool VS Omega Red collection, which includes Deadpool #42 and #43 from 2015. It's a great representation of both characters.
On the Small & Big Screen: Castings, Cancellations, and MCU Delays
In TV news, fans of Robert Jordan’s world have some mixed emotions. The Wheel of Time has been canceled after its third season on Amazon Prime Video, a surprise given its popularity. On a happier note, the upcoming Harry Potter HBO Max series has officially cast its main trio, with newcomers Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, and Alastair Stout as Ron. This is a huge step for the highly anticipated adaptation. Plus, fans of the live-action One Piece series can look forward to a special Season 2 announcement at this year’s Tadum event.
Amazon has also ordered "Esports World Cup: Level Up," a five-part docuseries directed by RJ Cutler, documenting the inaugural Esports World Cup from 2024, premiering June 6th. For those who enjoy animated anthologies, Love, Death + Robots Vol 4 is now streaming on Netflix.
The movie world has seen some significant date changes: Avengers: Doomsday is moving from May 1st to December 18th, 2026, and Secret Wars from May 7th to December 17th, 2027. This shifts the MCU timeline considerably.
Exciting news for video game adaptation enthusiasts: Alex Garland is confirmed as the writer and director for the Elden Ring movie by A24. Given his work on films like Civil War and 28 Years Later, this is a compelling choice.
A long-rumored cinematic artifact has surfaced: the Schumacher Cut of Batman Forever reportedly exists. However, a planned screening in Santa Monica was unfortunately canceled due to a cease-and-desist order from Warner Bros.
The next Hunger Games movie, Sunrise on the Reaping, has made significant casting announcements, with Kieran Culkin joining as the new host, Caesar Flickerman, alongside Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, and many other familiar names.
New trailers were released for Piglet, Bambi: The Reckoning, and a new Stephen King adaptation, The Long Walk. Additionally, David Sandberg, the visionary behind Kung Fury, has moved on to a new "fantasy punk" film called Dragonlord, described as a mashup of Star Wars, Mad Max, Lord of the Rings, and He-Man.
If you haven't seen it yet, Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning is still a cultural moment worth experiencing in theaters.
The Rumor Mill: Unconfirmed Whispers and Wild Speculation
Finally, let's peek into the ever-active rumor mill. There are supposed leaks from a Disney Blockbuster Consumer Products Presentation claiming Deadpool will indeed be in Avengers: Doomsday, along with the Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, and some X-Men characters. The story is rumored to start in Wakanda, with Sentinels as tools of Dr. Doom.
For Spider-Man 4, the same leak source suggests Savage Hulk as the main villain, with other villains including Scorpion, Boomerang, Tombstone, and Tarantula. There are also heavy rumors of the Symbiote suit appearing, and even The Punisher. While it's easy to get caught up in the hype, it's worth remembering that Marvel movie rumors are often more exciting than the final product.
Other whispers include Jocasta reportedly being cast in the Vision series (T’Nia Miller), a very shocking rumor about Ncuti Gatwa reportedly being fired from Doctor Who, and wild Street Fighter casting rumors with Jason Momoa as Blanka, Roman Reigns as Akuma, Andrew Koji as Ryu, and Noah Centineo as Ken Masters. As always, take these with a grain of salt until official announcements are made.
That’s a wrap on this week’s comprehensive nerd news update. What are you most excited or concerned about? Let us know in the comments below!
SHOW NOTES:
Music
New Music/Video
Avatar - Captain Goat song released.
A Killer’s Confession - Hollow track released. This is the first song from the upcoming Victim 2 record. No release date for the record yet, but Victim 1 was released in September of last year.
Stray From The Path - New record to be released this friday, Clockworked. Produced by Will Putney (Knocked Loose, Body Count).
Psycho-Frame - Releasing their debut album, Salvation Laughs in the Face of a Grieving Mother, on July 25 through Sharptone Records. Pre-orders: https://bfan.link/blueprints-for-idol-genocide
Converge - Debuting new music live. New song, We Were Never The Same, making the rounds on bootleg channels. https://youtu.be/AEOO-ULKw1Q
Blackbraid - First new taste of “III” in the video of Wardrums at Dawn on the day of My Death.” Record due August 8th.
Tours/Festivals
Crowbar/Eyehategod - Co-headlining the US this summer. August 8 in Tampa FL through August 30 in NOLA.
Whitechapel - Rituals of Hate tour. Performing Hymns in Dissonance in full. Support from Bodysnatcher, Angelmaker, Disembodied Tyrant. Starts Nov 12 in Norfolk VA through Dec 14 in Knoxville TN.
Avatar - In the Airwaves USA tour announced. Support from Alien Weaponry and Spritworld. Starts Nov 5th in Phoenix AZ, runs through Dec 7 in Dalla TX.
Reg ‘ol News
Devil Wears Prada - former drummer Daniel Williams and his friend Dave Shapiro, owner agent of Sound Talent Group, were killed in a plane crash.
Nik
Nocturnal
-
bowing out for a while to avoid burnout. Focusing on “figuring
things out,” and no return planned
yet.
https://youtu.be/1ZvUD2tooOU?si=BQBRfZ2W6J2tVQM6
Slipknot - Jim Root was recently quoted as saying that his creative juices weren’t flowing. But now we have him in an interview with podcast Turning Wrenches talking about the 6 songs he is ready to bring to the writing table with the rest of the band, and four more that are still brewing. https://blabbermouth.net/news/jim-root-says-he-has-six-song-ideas-for-next-slipknot-studio-album-and-four-more-that-he-is-working-on
Suggests
Callous Daoboys - I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven - the third record from the Dillinger Escape Plan’s art-school little brother. We have covered the singles up to this point and all of them are worth your time. Even the “filler” tracks are worth your time. This is just a killer record, from an amazing band.
Gaming/Tech
Follow-ups/Corrections
Fortnite - after 5 years, Fortnite has returned to the Apple Store. After a judge has forced Apple to make a decision in a hearing about their malicious adherence to a previous court order in the matter.
Dragon Quest 1&2 HD-2D Remake - Official release announced for Oct 30th for Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Series, and Steam.
Summer Games Fest - June 6th to the 8th. Whatever will we get? Hollow Knight: Silksong? Release date for Skate Story? Switch 2 reveals?
Amazon AI - Now testing AI “hosts” that talk customers through product features. Yeah, this doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all… to be fair though, the AI pulls from the internet at large, as well as actual reviews on the product as well, not just what the poster has in the description. https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazon-is-testing-ai-generated-hosts-that-talk-customers-through-product-features-153112886.html
Trailers
TMNT: Tactical Takedown - https://youtu.be/saSwAHuNlQA?si=eJ2h2uXmhka3Wj-q Turn/card based RPG. set for release on Steam May 22.
TMNT: Empire City - https://youtu.be/bDLvlDY7ETI?si=vkZkoEn3QVqaCFBw VR Game coming in 2026
Metal Gear Delta - Updated opening cinematic https://youtu.be/4wgH4szXiqU?si=gKoeY2xB6vjeObA4 Aug 28.
Splitgate 2 - https://youtu.be/FB6lTW04oWM Open Beta NOW!
Reg ‘ol News
Microsoft Notepad - Microsoft is adding AI to Notepad. Not just that, but Paint and Snipping Tool as well. This is the second AI upgrade for Notepad in the last year. The previous upgrade was the Rewrite Tool, which allows users to refine existing text using AI. This upgrade is allowing users to generate all new text from AI. Paint is getting the ability to generate stickers from prompts and the ability to isolate specific parts of an image for editing. Snipping is getting what they call “Perfect Screenshot” which can auto resize a screenshot to minimize any cropping in post. Also, adding a color picker tool that can provide the HEX, RGB, and/or HSL values of any color you see on your screen. The Notepad tools are only for those with a Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro subscription. Paint’s new features are only coming with Copilot+ PCs. Snipping Tool’s snapshot feature is also only on Copilot+ PCs, but the color picker seems to just be coming with the app on any platform.
Google I/O - The big theme, unsurprisingly, was AI, with Google announcing "AI Mode" for Search in the US, which is a new chatbot experience. They also rolled out updates for their AI model, Gemini 2.5, including a new "AI Ultra" subscription plan that's pretty steep.[1] Beyond just AI, there was news on Android XR, with Xreal announced as a new hardware partner, and Google's 3D video conferencing tech, formerly Project Starline, is now called Google Beam and will be available for enterprise customers. Chrome's password manager is also getting an upgrade to automatically change compromised passwords for supported sites.
Suggests
Splitgate 2 - Beta is now open. Go. Play. Have Fun.
Comic Books/Books
Reg ‘ol News
Punisher - Marvel has announced a new Punisher book in the Red Band line of books, that will feature the Frank Castle we know and love, original logo and all. (W) Benjamin Percy (A) Julius Ohta, coming out in September.
Batman VS Deadpool - Technically 2 one-shot issues, one published by Marvel the other by DC for this story. The Marvel book is set for release in September, and the DC book in November. Marvel book September 17 by Zeb Wells and superstar artist Greg Capullo. DC book written by Grant Morrison, and drawn by Dan Mora.
https://cosmicbook.news/batman-vs-deadpool-grant-morrison-dan-mora-dc-marvel-crossover
Suggests
Deadpool VS Omega Red - It’s a short collection, just 2 books (Deadpool #42 and 43 from 2015) but it is definitely fun! Written by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn, you get a good representation of the Merc With The Mouth, and a pretty decent taste of Omega Red too.
https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/51694/deadpool_2012_42
TV Shows
Follow-ups/Corrections
Wheel of Time - Canceled after third season. For the first time in the series’ history the second half of the season didn’t chart on the Nielson charts. https://cosmicbook.news/wheel-of-time-canceled-amazon-season-3
Harry Potter - The HBO Max series has cast the main 3 characters. Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter, with Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. All three are newcomers to the screen. https://cosmicbook.news/harry-potter-tv-series-cast-hbo
Trailers
One Piece - https://youtu.be/jWIW8A0G99Y?si=YxOmg_Q21IitrCIi Special announcement at this year’s Tadum event for season 2.
Reg ‘ol News
Esports World Cup: Level Up - Amazon has ordered a Docuseries directed by RJ Cutler to document the inaugural Esports World Cup from 2024. It will be a 5-part series, premiering June 6. Season 2 is currently in production for the 2025 World Cup which happens in July.
https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/amazon-esports-world-cup-docuserise-rj-cutler-1236396911/
Suggests
Love, Death + Robots - Vol 4 now streaming on Netflix.
Movies
Follow-ups/Corrections
Avengers - Doomsday is moving from May 1 to December 18 of 2026, and Secret Wars is moving from May 7 to December 17 of 2027.
Elden Ring - Alex Garland is confirmed to be the writer AND director for the movie, as confirmed by A24. Garland responsible for Civil War and Warfare AND writer on 28 Years Later. https://cosmicbook.news/a24-alex-garland-directing-elden-ring-movie
Batman Forever - The Schumacher Cut EXISTS! And there was going to be a screening in Santa Monica, but WB sent the theater a cease and desist order.
Hunger Games - The next movie going to be called Sunrise on the Reaping, and they just cast Kieran Culkin as the host of the games, Caesar Flickerman. Culkin joins previously announced cast members Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, Lili Taylor as Mags, Ben Wang as Wyatt, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket and Ralph Fiennes as President Snow. MollyMcCann will also appear as Louella, while Iona Bell will portray her Capitol-assigned lookalike Lou Lou. https://variety.com/2025/film/news/kieran-culkin-caesar-flickerman-hunger-games-sunrise-1236366799/
Trailers
Piglet - https://youtu.be/5ArvBZ3Nt9E?si=tNyZKdXZZlLq7SJU
Bambi: The Reckoning - https://youtu.be/45Q5L9zqeK0?si=FE55v6ZsmgI96d1h
The Long Walk - https://youtu.be/vAtUHeMQ1F8?si=Klz_GmzRk5fRn0N9 New Stephen King
Reg ‘ol News
Dragonlord - New movie from the crazy man that brought us Kung Fury. David Sanberg has moved along to another movie while he waits for the legal issues to be sorted with his other feature length movie. This new movie is being billed as “fantasy punk,” which is described as Star Wars, Mad Max, Lord of the Rings, and He-Man mashed up into one.
Suggests
Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning - In Theaters but totally a cultural moment in history.
Rumor Mill
New Rumors
Avengers: Doomsday - Supposed leak (Disney’s Blockbuster Consumer Products Presentation) claims that Deadpool WILL in fact be in the movie. Also, the Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, and some X-Men characters. The story will start in Wakanda. Sentinels will be featured as tools of Dr Doom.
Spider-Man
4
-
Savage Hulk leaked as “Main Villain.” Same as the Doomsday leak.
Plus the other villains will reportedly be Scorpion, Boomerang,
Tombstone, and Tarantula.
PLUS
The Symbiote suit has been
heavily rumored now too, along with The Punisher.
Vision - Jocasta has reportedly been cast in T’Nia Miller (House of Usher: Tell Tale Heart). In the trades.
Dr Who - Ncuti Gatwa now reportedly fired from the show.
Street Fighter - Casting rumors have Jason Momoa as Blanka, Roman Reigns (WWE) as Akuma, Andrew Koji (Storm Shadow in GI Joe: Snake Eyes) as Ryu, Noah Centineo (Atom Smasher in Black Adam) as Ken Masters.
SPECULATION
Spider-Man 4 - These rumors are a nothing burger. Jeremy at Den of Nerds makes the observation in one video about how the rumors for Marvel movies are always better than the actual movies, but then in the next video he starts buying into the hype?
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