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Marvel Comics Release Calendar for December 31st — Collections
Lunar Distribution confirmed list of comics and collections shipping December 31st
Lunar Distribution of DC Collections shipping December 30th – nope, nothing DC this week
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‘Batman,’ Absolute Universe Comics Power DC to Super Year – Hollywood Reporter
The publisher reveals sales numbers exclusively with The Hollywood Reporter, including some surprising statistics about ‘Batman.’
It was just days before Christmas, and all through the house, not an executive was stirring, not even to grouse.
Well, almost no one was stirring — except for the number crunchers at DC. This year, these fine folks are pouring the egg nog and toasting cheers, with nary a piece of Kryptonite in sight.
That is due to Burbank-based DC having a banner year, maybe even one for the modern record books, thanks to the muscular showing of Batman and the company’s year-old Absolute Universe imprint. The success is not just sales, it is also critical. Under its senior vp and general manager, Anne DePies, and president, publisher and chief creative officer, Jim Lee, the company is also enjoying a creative renaissance that is winning accolades. It is a rare feat in modern, digital times.
The Absolute line launched in the fall of 2024 and revamped some key heroes — Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, on top of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman — in a pocket dimension. It allowed writer and artists, under the aegis of superstar comic author Scott Snyder, to turn concepts upside down or revamp them for modern times. Bruce Wayne, for example, had a father who was a simple teacher who saved his class from a mass shooting while on a trip to the zoo.
According to figures shared with The Hollywood Reporter, the Absolute Universe line of monthly comics has sold over 8.2 million units in total, not accounting for December sales. Absolute Batman, the flagship title, makes up around 35 percent, close to 3 million, of that total. The first issue of Absolute Batman continues to sell well and is now in its 10th printing, while the latest issue, Absolute Batman No. 15, has orders of over 300,000.
The comic, written by Snyder with art by Nick Dragotta, earned a best new series Eisner Award nomination this year, losing out to rival title Absolute Wonder Woman, by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman. The line also racked up numerous other nominations.
But while Batman grabs the lion’s share of the spotlight, the success of the Absolute line has been broad. Insiders say that five of the six titles have outpaced and outperformed DC’s previous relaunches and reboots, 2011’s New 52 and 2016’s Rebirth. Even Absolute Martian Manhunter, focused on a hero who was never top tier, received orders in the six figures. The title from Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez is an artistically bold and risky take on the character.
“If you change things too much, it’s unrecognizable. Change it too little, then fans go, ‘What was the point of it?’” noted Lee. “What they did struck a chord with the readership. They did the impossible.”
Batman remains by and far the company’s most popular character, guarding the DC slate perched on high. Four of the company’s top five titles were Bat-related. September’s Batman No. 1, a main line relaunch of the Caped Crusader by writer Matt Fraction and artist Jorge Jiménez, has sold over 500,000 copies. Sales of first issues are almost always the highest of a title, but the book has continued to surprise and outperform expectations, with sales rising, not dropping, as the book swings along at a monthly clip.
While DC did not provide additional numbers, the company’s top five titles also included Batman No. 158, which featured the return of executive Lee to art duties; Absolute Batman No. 15; Batman Deadpool, DC’s inter-company venture with Marvel combining the two popular characters (Marvel Comics put out their version of the initiative, Deadpool Batman, a month earlier, in September). Also in the top five is DC K.O. No. 1, a miniseries centering on battle royale featuring many of the company’s heroes, including, of course, Batman. Most of the titles were published this past fall.
DC has also found success in finding new ways to attract readers using nontraditional formats and settings. Its line of Compact Comics, paperback collections of key stories or creative runs, is such a hit that other publishers have emulated the format. It has also struck up partnerships with supermarket chains to have certain comics, usually first issues, available for sale, bringing titles to locations that haven’t been seen in decades.
Some of this year’s triumphs can be attributed to how the company approaches the creation of its comics. Under Lee, who became sole publisher when co-publisher Dan DiDio left in 2020, the company spends more time planning its book launches and publishing initiatives. Even the Absolute line is just part of an overall plan.
“Absolute wasn’t just, ‘Hey, let’s do a crazy idea,’” says Lee, “but something that speaks to our creative planning with editorial and the creatives. It’s not an outlier, it’s part of the DC grand plan.”
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Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell launches Hail Mary bid to wipe away her conviction – CNN
Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, is making another effort at overturning her conviction for child sex trafficking and other crimes, with new court filings Wednesday claiming evidence has emerged showing that she did not receive a fair trial.
Maxwell’s latest maneuver faces extremely long odds and comes after her previous bids to challenge her conviction were rejected by courts, including the Supreme Court.
Having run out of the typical avenues for appeal, Maxwell is now using an unusual legal mechanism known as a habeas petition, which seeks extraordinary relief from a court. Her submissions with the federal court in Manhattan were also filed pro se, meaning that they were filed by Maxwell herself, rather than by her attorneys.
She argued that there were a number of flaws in her prosecutions that have not been addressed by courts, pointing to evidence she claims has newly surfaced with the various investigations, legal cases and media reports surrounding the Epstein saga.
She also alleged that lawyers for Epstein’s victims “conspired and colluded” with government investigators, while also claiming the some jurors were biased.
“The newly discovered evidence referenced above is such that when taken as a whole it constitutes a miscarriage of justice in that, the Petitioner did not receive a fair trial by independent jurors coming to Court with an open mind,” she wrote.
Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking minors in 2021. She was held at a low-security prison in Tallahassee, Florida, but moved to a less restrictive minimum-security prison in Bryan, Texas, following a two-day interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche this summer. The transfer ignited controversy over whether she was receiving preferential treatment to help the Trump administration.
The court filings were first reported by ABC News.
The Justice Department declined to comment on the new petition. It faces a Friday deadline to release a collection of documents related to its Epstein investigations.
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DC Compact Comics has lots of nice priced gifts/stocking stuffers.
Lots to choose from and more coming:Batman: Under the Red Hood: DC Compact Comics Edition
384 pgs. – June 16th
collects the full original Red Hood saga from Batman #635–641, #645–650, and Batman Annual #25.
Batman: White Knight: DC Compact Comics Edition
216 pgs. – Feb. 16th
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow: DC Compact Comics
504 pgs. Jan. 6th
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DC got these smaller trade formats
Yup, DC Compact Comics.
Putting a story in your hands at a very reasonable price.There’s about 35 of them, and they’re always adding more.
Frequent the Trades thread, we’ll keep you updated.Awesome for young people, you and me just need a magnifying glass.
(Actually, a couple of years back I gave magnifying glasses to friends (similar age) and they love and use frequently.
Best stocking stuffer idea ever!) -
Disney to Invest $1 Billion in OpenAI in Major Deal That Boosts Sora In Hollywood – Hollywood Reporter
Users of the AI video creation platform will now be able to create clips of 200 characters from Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars franchises.
In what may prove to be a milestone move for major Hollywood studios, Disney has decided to partner with OpenAI and invest $1 billion in the Sam Altman-run artificial intelligence juggernaut as well as ink a licensing deal that would allow users of its AI video creation platform Sora to create clips using iconic characters from Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars franchises.
The three-year deal signals that studios may look to embrace, rather than fight, AI startups that already allow users to infringe on their intellectual property. By this thinking, at least Hollywood companies are able to monetize their IP with lucrative licensing deals rather than see their businesses entirely disrupted with nothing to show for it. Whether that ultimately destabilizes the production and content creation side of the entertainment industry may be the big question.
For now short-form video creation is the deal of the day and Disney+ will now allow “fan-inspired Sora short form videos” on its platform, a product add that studio chief Bob Iger hinted at on a November 13 earnings call. In examples, Disney included images of a fan with a lightsaber in Star Wars garb, another fan surfing on a big wave with Stitch at the edge of the surfboard and another fan at the starting line of a race next to a Pixar vehicle from Cars. The licensed character product launches on Sora and ChatGPT images will debut in early 2026.
The move immediately may start to legitimize Sora around the industry, given Disney’s brand-cautious approach. It’s an about-face from the scorn and hostility that Sora faced upon its October invite-only launch, where Altman’s product debuted features — like allowing users to create videos using celebrities likenesses to have them say or do whatever a user liked — before walking back those features after backlash.
At the time, all of Hollywood’s major talent agencies were particularly vocal about the destructive elements of Sora and WME, CAA and UTA signaled that they stood with their clients against the product. WME opted out all of its clients from Sora, CAA called it a “misuse” of emerging technology and UTA called it “exploitation, not innovation.”
The actors union, SAG-AFTRA, meanwhile made a one-off deal with OpenAI that appears to serve as a potential model for dealing with star likenesses, putting in place guardrails on the use of Bryan Cranston’s voice and likeness after an initial wave of user-generated videos appeared. The Disney integration with Sora hypothetically could lead to a new batch of deals with OpenAI to put in place similar guardrails.
“Technological innovation has continually shaped the evolution of entertainment, bringing with it new ways to create and share great stories with the world,” stated Disney CEO Bob Iger in unveiling the deal. “The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence marks an important moment for our industry, and through this collaboration with OpenAI we will thoughtfully and responsibly extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works. Bringing together Disney’s iconic stories and characters with OpenAI’s groundbreaking technology puts imagination and creativity directly into the hands of Disney fans in ways we’ve never seen before, giving them richer and more personal ways to connect with the Disney characters and stories they love.”
Prior to Disney’s move, the biggest studio partnership with an AI firm was arguably Lionsgate’s deal with Runway inked in September of last year. That pact was a training data agreement, allowing Runaway access to titles from Lionsgate’s 20,000-title library in order “to develop cutting-edge, capital-efficient content creation opportunities.” The Disney investment in OpenAI sidesteps the library training question but puts the studio firmly on the side of seeing AI as a growth opportunity for licensing deals to further monetize its treasure trove of IP.
Disney is the global gold standard for storytelling, and we’re excited to partner to allow Sora and ChatGPT Images to expand the way people create and experience great content,” said Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI. “This agreement shows how AI companies and creative leaders can work together responsibly to promote innovation that benefits society, respect the importance of creativity, and help works reach vast new audiences.”
From a dealmaking perspective, the move from Iger reminds of a $1.5 billion equity investment into Epic Games last February to bring Disney characters in to Fortnite in a multiyear effort to court audiences where they’re at. At the time Iger described the epic deal as “an important step when you look at the demographic trends and look at where Gen Alpha and Gen Z and even Millennials are spending their time in media.”
Disney’s embrace of OpenAI stands in contrast to its blistering lawsuit the studio leveled against its competitor, Midjourney, which it sued in July along with Universal in a suit that described the David Holz-run generative AI firm as a “bottomless pit of plagiarism.” (Warner Bros. Discovery later joined the legal battle as well.) Midjourney essentially allowed users to create, say, Darth Vader images based on Disney IP without compensating the studio at all. Now, armed with a deal in place with OpenAI’s Sora, there’s a big blueprint for studios to start inking deals with other AI companies.
Disney to Invest $1 Billion in OpenAI in Major Deal That Boosts Sora In Hollywood
Users of the AI video creation platform will now be able to create clips of 200 characters from Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars franchises.Now users of OpenAI’s Sora will be able to create short clips of ‘Star Wars’ characters like Darth Vader. Lucasfilm/Disney+
In what may prove to be a milestone move for major Hollywood studios, Disney has decided to partner with OpenAI and invest $1 billion in the Sam Altman-run artificial intelligence juggernaut as well as ink a licensing deal that would allow users of its AI video creation platform Sora to create clips using iconic characters from Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars franchises.
The three-year deal signals that studios may look to embrace, rather than fight, AI startups that already allow users to infringe on their intellectual property. By this thinking, at least Hollywood companies are able to monetize their IP with lucrative licensing deals rather than see their businesses entirely disrupted with nothing to show for it. Whether that ultimately destabilizes the production and content creation side of the entertainment industry may be the big question.
For now short-form video creation is the deal of the day and Disney+ will now allow “fan-inspired Sora short form videos” on its platform, a product add that studio chief Bob Iger hinted at on a November 13 earnings call. In examples, Disney included images of a fan with a lightsaber in Star Wars garb, another fan surfing on a big wave with Stitch at the edge of the surfboard and another fan at the starting line of a race next to a Pixar vehicle from Cars. The licensed character product launches on Sora and ChatGPT images will debut in early 2026.
The move immediately may start to legitimize Sora around the industry, given Disney’s brand-cautious approach. It’s an about-face from the scorn and hostility that Sora faced upon its October invite-only launch, where Altman’s product debuted features — like allowing users to create videos using celebrities likenesses to have them say or do whatever a user liked — before walking back those features after backlash.
At the time, all of Hollywood’s major talent agencies were particularly vocal about the destructive elements of Sora and WME, CAA and UTA signaled that they stood with their clients against the product. WME opted out all of its clients from Sora, CAA called it a “misuse” of emerging technology and UTA called it “exploitation, not innovation.”
The actors union, SAG-AFTRA, meanwhile made a one-off deal with OpenAI that appears to serve as a potential model for dealing with star likenesses, putting in place guardrails on the use of Bryan Cranston’s voice and likeness after an initial wave of user-generated videos appeared. The Disney integration with Sora hypothetically could lead to a new batch of deals with OpenAI to put in place similar guardrails.
“Technological innovation has continually shaped the evolution of entertainment, bringing with it new ways to create and share great stories with the world,” stated Disney CEO Bob Iger in unveiling the deal. “The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence marks an important moment for our industry, and through this collaboration with OpenAI we will thoughtfully and responsibly extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works. Bringing together Disney’s iconic stories and characters with OpenAI’s groundbreaking technology puts imagination and creativity directly into the hands of Disney fans in ways we’ve never seen before, giving them richer and more personal ways to connect with the Disney characters and stories they love.”
Prior to Disney’s move, the biggest studio partnership with an AI firm was arguably Lionsgate’s deal with Runway inked in September of last year. That pact was a training data agreement, allowing Runaway access to titles from Lionsgate’s 20,000-title library in order “to develop cutting-edge, capital-efficient content creation opportunities.” The Disney investment in OpenAI sidesteps the library training question but puts the studio firmly on the side of seeing AI as a growth opportunity for licensing deals to further monetize its treasure trove of IP.
“Disney is the global gold standard for storytelling, and we’re excited to partner to allow Sora and ChatGPT Images to expand the way people create and experience great content,” said Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI. “This agreement shows how AI companies and creative leaders can work together responsibly to promote innovation that benefits society, respect the importance of creativity, and help works reach vast new audiences.”
From a dealmaking perspective, the move from Iger reminds of a $1.5 billion equity investment into Epic Games last February to bring Disney characters in to Fortnite in a multiyear effort to court audiences where they’re at. At the time Iger described the epic deal as “an important step when you look at the demographic trends and look at where Gen Alpha and Gen Z and even Millennials are spending their time in media.”
Disney’s embrace of OpenAI stands in contrast to its blistering lawsuit the studio leveled against its competitor, Midjourney, which it sued in July along with Universal in a suit that described the David Holz-run generative AI firm as a “bottomless pit of plagiarism.” (Warner Bros. Discovery later joined the legal battle as well.) Midjourney essentially allowed users to create, say, Darth Vader images based on Disney IP without compensating the studio at all. Now, armed with a deal in place with OpenAI’s Sora, there’s a big blueprint for studios to start inking deals with other AI companies.
Altman himself has hinted that he’s been approached for more IP licensing deals for Sora. In his Oct. 3 walk back note conceding that he’d give rightsholders “more granular control over generation of characters,” the OpenAI chief also outlined his forecast for deals. “We are hearing from a lot of rightsholders who are very excited for this new kind of ‘interactive fan fiction,” Altman wrote, “and think this new kind of engagement will accrue a lot of value to them.”
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Superman and Spider-Man’s big crossover will bring in some of the biggest names in the comic industry for a new Marvel/DC anthology – Newsarama/GamesRadar
Doctor Octopus and Brainiac will team up against Spider-Man and Superman in the next big Marvel/DC crossover
Superman/Spider-Man is on the horizon this spring, and we now know the story details and creative teams of DC’s side of the big crossover event with Marvel.
The main story by writer Mark Waid and artist Jorge Jiménez will feature the two lead characters teaming up against a pair of their arch-enemies as Doctor Octopus and Brainiac, while a slew of back-up stories will bring together different iterations of Spider-Man, Superman, and their allies.
“When journalists Clark Kent and Peter Parker find themselves chasing the same story, the conspiracy they uncover could change the world – especially if Brainiac and Doctor Octopus have anything to say about it. (And we bet they do!)” reads DC’s official description of Superman/Spider-Man #1. “Good thing our intrepid newshounds are secretly Superman and the amazing Spider-Man. To bring this clash of reporters‑turned‑heroes to life, Mark Waid and Jorge Jiménez join forces to headline DC’s Superman/Spider-Man #1 with an unforgettable lead story.”
Here’s DC’s rundown of the rest of the stories and creative teams in their side of the crossover, which will also include a number of reprint stories:
Tom King and Jim Lee tell a tale of Lois Lane and Mary Jane Watson
Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber revisit Superman’s pal Jimmy Olsen…and Carnage
Sean Murphy takes us to the future with Superboy (Legion) and Spider-Man 2099
Gail Simone teams up with Belén Ortega for a look at what happens when Power Girl meets Punisher
Christopher Priest and Daniel Sampere show us a time when Superboy Prime (who reads all the comics!) decided to visit Spider-Man right after he got the black suit
Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott take us on an exciting race between the Daily Planet and the Daily Bugle
Plus, we finally get to answer the age-old question of who would win in a fair fight: Pa Kent or Uncle Ben! (Just kidding, those guys are too nice to fight each other, but Jeff Lemire and Rafa Sandoval will take us deep into the past to see the two men bond in the face of adversity).
And here’s a gallery of covers for the event by Jorge Jiménez; Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair; Daniel Sampere and Tomeu Morey; Dave Johnson; David Nakayama, Gabriele Dell’Otto, Mikel Janín; Raphael Albuquerque; Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, David Talaski, Clayton Crain, and Raphael Albuquerque:
The one-shot will also feature more yet-to-be-revealed covers by Arthur Adams, Chrissie Zullo, Josh Middleton, Scott Koblish, Olivier Coipel, Adam Hughes, Mitch Gerads, Jeff Spokes, Evan “Doc” Shaner, Steve Lieber, J. Scott Campbell, Rafael Sandoval, and more.
Superman/Spider-Man #1 goes on sale March 25. For more, check out the best Marvel stories ever, and the best DC stories of all time.
ALm3m6gC2q7pdVdbRjBRCi-1024-80.jpg
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The second DC Finest Peter David Supergirl book is confirmed.
DC Finest: Supergirl: Die and Let Live
576 pgs. – May 26th ’26
Supergirl faces her most dangerous mission yet in Die and Let Live, a thrilling chapter of DC’s Finest collection. Packed with high-stakes action, emotional depth, and bold storytelling, this volume showcases Kara Zor-El’s resilience as she battles powerful enemies and uncovers shocking truths about her destiny.
In DC Finest: Supergirl: Die and Let Live, Kara Zor-El takes center stage in a gripping saga of survival and identity. From cosmic clashes to personal reckonings, Supergirl must confront deadly threats and make choices that will define her legacy. A must-have for fans of DC’s most fearless heroine.
Collects Adventure Comics 80-Page Giant #1, Resurrection Man #16–17, Supergirl #19–35, Supergirl #1 ML, Supergirl/Prysm Double-Shot #1, Team Superman #1, and Team Superman Secret Files #1.
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Comet 3I/ATLAS shows activity in Juice navigation camera teaser – European Space Agency
During November 2025, ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) used five of its science instruments to observe 3I/ATLAS. The instruments collected information about how the comet is behaving and what it is made of.
In addition, Juice snapped the comet with its onboard Navigation Camera (NavCam), designed not as a high-resolution science camera, but to help Juice navigate Jupiter’s icy moons following arrival in 2031.
Though the data from the science instruments won’t arrive on Earth until February 2026, our Juice team couldn’t wait that long. They decided to try downloading just a quarter of a single NavCam image to see what was in store for them. The very clearly visible comet, surrounded by signs of activity, surprised them.
Not only do we clearly see the glowing halo of gas surrounding the comet known as its coma, we also see a hint of two tails. The comet’s ‘plasma tail’ – made up of electrically charged gas, stretches out towards the top of the frame. We may also be able to see a fainter ‘dust tail’ – made up of tiny solid particles – stretching to the lower left of the frame. More on the structure of a comet.
The image was taken on 2 November 2025, during Juice’s first slot for observing 3I/ATLAS. It was two days before Juice’s closest approach to the comet, which occurred on 4 November at a distance of about 66 million km.
We expect to receive the data from the five scientific instruments switched on during the observations – JANUS, MAJIS, UVS, SWI and PEP – on 18 and 20 February 2026. The delay is because Juice is currently using its main high-gain antenna as a heat shield to protect it from the Sun, leaving its smaller medium-gain antenna to send data back to Earth at a much lower rate.
Though Juice was further from 3I/ATLAS than our Mars orbiters were back in October, it observed 3I/ATLAS just after the comet’s closest approach to the Sun, meaning that it was in a more active state. We expect to see clearer signs of this activity in the data from the science instruments. This includes not only images from JANUS – Juice’s high-resolution optical camera – but also spectrometry data from MAJIS and UVS, composition data from SWI, and particle data from PEP.
For the latest updates and FAQs related to comet 3I/ATLAS, see esa.int/3IATLAS.
Click here to download an annotated version of the image.
[Image description: Grainy space image, with white dots on a dark background. At the centre of the image is a larger, bright white blob with a faint white line stretching towards the top of the frame.]
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Board ate my post (or at least I can’t see it anymore). Basically just posted some links about todays news. I’ll try again.
What does Netflix buying Warner Bros mean for DC Comics? Comics Beat
Riddle Me This: What Happens to DC After the Netflix Buyout? Hopefully Nothing – IGN
Netflix Buys Warner Bros: How DC Comics, Shows And Movies Power Up The Streamer – Forbes
Netflix to ‘Shrink’ DC Comics? Insiders Fear the Worst (Exclusive) – Cosmic Book
Netflix Will Be the New Owner of DC (What Does That Mean for James Gunn?) – Comic Book
And then there’s Bleeding Cool.
I wasn’t thinking about Netflix owning Millarworld, but I am now wondering…As Netflix Buys Warner Bros/DC Comics, Mark Millar Quits Social Media – Bleeding Cool
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For fuck’s sake. At this point I’m ready for the Catholic Church to be forcibly removed from Ireland.
Would love it if Ireland, Canada, and many other harmed countries all served warrants (at the exact same time) to the Roman Catholic Church using the RICO Act (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act).
It fits, and it’s overdue.
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Hey great! My favorite HBO shows can be cancelled even sooner!
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Mofo got “drunk as a skunk…”
Drunk raccoon found passed out in Virginia liquor store – The Guardian
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How’s this for a click-bait title?
Karl Urban Hints At Massive The Boys Season 5 Deaths In Episode 1 – Screen Rant
…deaths will be coming as early as the season premiere. Urban began by saying, “I think we throw you in the deep end, but in a good way, because the stakes are as high as they can possibly be.”
The star stressed that, “I think the real thing to look out for in season 5 on an emotional level, as far as the characters go, and your attachments to characters, there’s going to be some big hits early on in the very first episode.”
Urban concluded by adding, “That’s probably what is going to make you realize, “Oh, this s–t is for real.” The stakes couldn’t be higher, and anybody’s fair game.”
________________Willing to bet Black Noir bites it and that’ll be it for episode 1.
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Scarlett Johansson to Star in New ‘Exorcist’ Horror Movie for Blumhouse, Universal – Hollywood Reporter
Mike Flanagan, who previously tackled Stephen King adaptations ‘Gerald’s Game’ and ‘Doctor Sleep,’ is writing and will direct the feature film.
Scarlett Johansson will star in Mike Flanagan’s “fresh, bold” take on The Exorcist.
Blumhouse and Universal are behind the latest attempt to revive the horror franchise, which follows the companies’ ill-fated effort to launch a franchise with 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer.
Flanagan wrote the script and is directing and producing the new feature that is not a remake nor a sequel but set in the Exorcist “universe,” whatever that entails.
The original Exorcist, based on the novel by William Peter Blatty and directed by William Friedkin, focused on the demonic possession of a young girl and the priests that try to save her. The film was nominated for 10 Oscars. The various follow-ups mostly featured stories centered on the girl (now grown-up), the back stories of the priests or other demonic cases detectives from the first movie investigated.
…more in link…
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Hell, he could pay for them himself with all his Netflix money. All of it feels really icky.
Yup! Why is it the more you make the more of an asshole you become.
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Aaron Paul Won’t Return to ‘Invincible’ Because Powerplex Was So Dark – Gizmodo
In a recent episode of the Kinda Funny podcast, the actor said he turned down an offer to come back for future seasons. His reason? It was “too grueling” on him, and he “didn’t feel comfortable” putting himself back in the animated skin of ol’ Scott Duvall. While a fan of the show and its team, he just simply “didn’t want to do it anymore. What it did to me, I didn’t like.”
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Dana White Can’t Believe Rabbits Still Getting Beneath Octagon Fence – The Onion
Pesky Critters Continue To Burrow Under Chain-Link Enclosure, Disrupting UFC Headline Bouts
LAS VEGAS—Shaking his head in frustration after staff pulled yet another wriggling cottontail from the canvas mat, UFC president Dana White expressed disbelief Friday that rabbits were still somehow managing to get beneath the Octagon fence. “We’ve tried everything—chicken wire, garlic spray, motion-triggered sprinklers—but the little bastards just keep scratching their way under there,” said White, gesturing to a UFC official attempting to lure out a pair of bunnies with a celery stick just moments before the start of a welterweight bout. “Every time we think we’ve sealed up all the gaps, nope—there’s another goddamn rabbit chewing on a cutman’s rag, or a pile of rabbit turds under [Kamaru] Usman’s stool. They’re cute, but man, they’re distracting. And they reproduce like crazy.” At press time, White was reportedly on the phone with a pest control company to see if they could “come out and spray some chemicals or put up an electric dog fence or something.”
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SUNDAY AM UPDATE: Universal’s Wicked: For Good is sticking to a 3-day domestic opening of $150M and global debut of $226M. This is easily the best box office openings ever for Wicked 2 stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, director Jon M. Chu, and even producer Marc Platt (his previous global opening record being 2019’s Aladdin at $213M).
There are significantly more box office records being broken with Wicked: For Good literally beating the first half of itself, that being last year’s Wicked. The first Wicked debuted to $112.5M stateside, $164M global. As we mentioned, it’s the second biggest U.S./Canada opening of the year behind A Minecraft Movie‘s $162.7M. After weathering a recessionary period at the box office this fall, Wicked: For Good is a reminder that if you want a stampede at movie theaters in the post Covid/post strikes world, the package and the buzz have to be perfect.
“When it comes to the success of Wicked: For Good, Wicked paved the yellow brick road,” explains Universal Domestic Distribution President Jim Orr this morning.
There was a tonal shift in the marketing campaign reflecting that Glinda and Elphaba aren’t girls in school anymore, they’re grown women. The key to blockbuster success stems from feeding the campaign constantly, which exactly what Universal did with Wicked: For Good.Next to say Jurassic World, the Wicked fan ship is unique: The franchise is an identifying statement for many and the connection to something deeper. With Jurassic, people aren’t going to theaters dressing up as dinosaurs. Wicked fans also scoop up a ton of merch.
Hence in terms of promotional partners, Wicked: For Good had 400 of them, who delivered more than $330 million in media and promotional value across the Comcast empire, global partnerships, licensing and retail. That promo partner campaign is the second highest for any motion picture studio behind Wicked‘s $350M a year ago.
Yes, Universal, executed a full bodied 360-degree global marketing campaign in over driver, but what’s amazing here is how even how rival owned brands wanted in on the cultural milestone, i.e. ESPN Sportscenter discussed NFL trends in being ‘Wicked: For Good‘ or not against a pink and green set. There was also a team-up with Dancing with the Stars for a full-episode integration which featured Chu as guest judge, an opening number choreographed by Christopher Scott, and every dance set to songs from the world of Wicked. The episode helped Wicked: For Good reach Dancing with the Stars’ biggest audience of adults 18-34 since 2015 and generated 57 million TikTok views in 24 hours. ESPN and Dancing With the Stars are Disney owned brands!
You could say that the Oscar campaign for part two began at the Oscars itself when Erivo and Grande sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, “Home” for The Wiz and “Defying Gravity”. That was the first time that the duo ever sang any portion of Wicked in public during the first part of the franchise’s campaign.
But if you want to talk about the golden egg in the Wicked: For Good marketing campaign, what was old was new for Universal: That variety show Wicked: One Wonderful Night. That stunt was a page out of the old 1980s movie marketing playbook, however, keep in mind, studios hardly produce movie-related specials anymore, and if they do, they’re a BTS segment hidden on a streaming menu. Wicked: One Wonderful Night racked up 3.6M viewers across platforms after its Nov. 6 air during its first three days, per Nielsen, making it NBC’s second best special of the year, coming in behind only February’s SNL50: The Anniversary Special. Uni saw a spike in advance ticket sales after that special (remember, Wicked: For Good on Fandango had the best advance ticket sales of any PG movie ever). Also, the Grande, Erivo, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth performances went viral.
Box Office stat org EntTelligence reports that Wicked: For Good brought in 10 million people in U.S./Canada versus Wicked‘s traffic of 8 million admissions. There was mostly matinee business with 57% of all people yesterday coming before 5PM (which is very similar to Wicked‘s 56% admissions prior to 5PM a year ago).
Saturday stateside rang up $43.3M for Wicked: For Good, -37% from Friday/previews of $68.9M. However, if you back the $30.8M previews out of Friday, then that day was really $38.1M. Hence Saturday really posted a +14% boost over Friday, which is great news. Wicked: For Good‘s Saturday was higher than Wicked‘s (which was $35.4M), but when you back $19.2M previews out of Wicked‘s first day of $46.2M, that predecessor saw a higher jump in its pure Friday-to-Saturday of +31%.
Highest grossing location for Wicked: For Good was AMC Lincoln Square in NYC with $407K so far, followed by AMC Empire NYC ($378K), AMC Universal City Walk ($326K), AMC Orlando Disney Springs ($298K), AMC Burbank ($241K), AMC Century City ($227K), AMC LA Grove ($222K), Salt Lake City Larry Miller’s Megaplex Theater ($220K), Regal Union Square NYC ($212K) and Regal Irvine Spectrum ($210K). Wicked: For Good also popped in Nashville, Knoxville, Boston, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. Essentially even play coast to coast I’m told from several sources. No region is underindexing.
Added Orr, “From the moment tickets went on sale it was very clear that the audience for Wicked: For Good was beyond eager to come out and see what has truly become more than just a movie, rather a cultural event that continues to defy expectations, as well as gravity. Our producer Marc Platt, our director Jon Chu, and the incredible cast led by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have delivered an experience that folks were desperately looking forward to, an epic adventure that is the very essence of theatrical.”
Said ComScore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian, “This is the absolute perfect outcome for Wicked: For Good but more importantly for the industry at large and after a decade’s low grossing month of October the industry needed a morale and box office boost and Wicked has provided the magic spell that theaters were waiting for in the post summer period. With the domestic box office sitting at $7.5 billion year to date we are $1.5 billion away from hitting the $9 billion mark and this is a threshold that seems within reach given the huge holiday season that’s on tap with a strong lineup of family films, awards contenders, and franchise films that are on the way in the coming weeks.”
Comscore reports that Wicked: For Good will land this weekend at $190M for all titles, about -7% to -8% off from last year’s Comscore reported $204.8M (that pre-Thanksgiving frame including the $55M opening of male skewing, R-rated Gladiator II).
1) Wicked: For Good (Uni) 4,115 theaters, Fri $68.9M, Sat $43.3M Sun $37.8M 3-day $150M/Wk 1
2) Now You See Me: Now You Don’t (LG) 3,403 theaters, Fri $2.66M (-68% vs. previous Friday) Sat $3.8M Sun $2.66M 3-day $9.1M (-57%), Total $36.8M/Wk 2
3) Predator: Badlands (Dis) 3,100 (-625) theaters, Fri $1.7M (-51%) Sat $2.8M Sun $1.75M 3-day $6.25M (-50%), Total $76.2M/Wk 3
4) Running Man (Par) 3,534 theaters, Fri $1.66M (-75%) Sat $2.4M Sun $1.74M 3-day $5.8M (-65%), Total $27M/ Wk 2
5) Rental Family (Sea) 1,925 theaters, Fri $1.2M, Sat $1.2M Sun $885K 3-day $3.3M/Wk 1
6) Sisu: Road to Revenge (Sony) 2,222 theaters, Fri $1.2M, Sat $795K Sun $560K 3-day $2.6M/Wk 1
7) Regretting You (Par) 1,754 (-955) theaters, Fri $480K (-61%) Sat $650K Sun $390K 3-day $1.52M (-59%), Total $47.2M/Wk 5
8) Nuremberg (SPC) 1,010 (-820) theaters, Fri $330K (-54%) 3 day $1.234M (-49%)/ Total $11M/Wk 3
9) Black Phone 2 (Uni) 1,227 (-1192) theaters, Fri $290K (-62%) Sat $440K Sun $270K 3-day $1M (-62%), Total $76.3M/Wk 6
10) Sarah’s Oil (Amz MGM) 1,347 (-1063) theaters, Fri $217K (-67%) Sat $336K Sun $218K 3-day $772K (-66%), Total $10.3M/Wk 3
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North Carolina loses to Duke, clinches losing record in Bill Belichick’s first season – NBC Sports
Bill Belichick will not go bowling.
North Carolina lost 32-25 to Duke today, falling to 4-7 on the season and clinching a losing record in the Tar Heels’ first season under head coach Bill Belichick.
That means North Carolina can’t be bowl eligible. The Tar Heels had gone to six straight bowl games under Belichick’s predecessor, Mack Brown, but this season they struggled to compete with major-conference opponents.
And they struggled today against their biggest rival — a rival so big that when Belichick was introduced as North Carolina’s head coach, he claimed his first words were “Beat Duke” because his father had been a North Carolina assistant coach when he was a young child.
In his first year as head coach at North Carolina, Belichick didn’t beat Duke, and he hasn’t won enough. His program has a lot of work to do, and after back-to-back losing seasons to end his tenure as head coach of the Patriots, Belichick now has three straight losing seasons on his record.
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Most Valuable Comic Ever: ‘Superman No. 1’ Sells for a Record $9 Million – Hollywood Reporter
The 1939 comic smashed the old record held by Action Comics No. 1, the issue that introduced the Man of Steel.
A comic found in an attic has just become the most expensive comic of all time.
A copy of Superman No. 1, the 1939 issue that introduced the Man of Steel in his first solo title and astonishingly in near pristine condition, sold for $9.12 million Thursday at an auction run by Heritage.
That price handily beats the previous record, set only in 2024, when Action Comics No. 1, the comic that first introduced the Kryptonian hero to the world, sold for $6 million. Before that, a copy of Superman No. 1 held the record with a sale of $5.3 million in 2022 while a copy of 1962’s Amazing Fantasy No. 15, the first appearance of Spider-Man, sold for $3.6 million in 2021.
While comic book prices have not been climbing as fast or as far as they had in the early 2020s – in fact, a lot of comic prices have fallen by a third or more in some cases – this copy has several factors going for it, according to those in the rare comic book world.
For a comic being 86 years old, it is in excellent condition, and it graded a 9.0 out of 10 by the Certified Guaranty Company, the leading third-party grading service for comic books.
Then there is the attic backstory, which enhances the comic’s pedigree. The comic was discovered by three brothers in the attic of their late mother’s house, in a box of yellowed newspaper clippings.
Their mother bought the comic, along with several others, when she was nine and living in Depression-era San Francisco. Over the years, the mother occasionally insisted to her sons that she had “rare comics somewhere.” But she could never remember where, and the boys assumed it was just a family legend. The mother died just before the pandemic, and the house sat untouched until the brothers were ready to go through it earlier this year.
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A friend says:
“Wasn’t this supposed to come out like 10 years ago but disappeared off the release schedule?”
I kinda remember something about that.
Or was it the second Deluxe HC?Truth is, anything through Image can be yanked at anytime (although I hope that doesn’t happen).
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‘Task’ Renewed for Season 2 at HBO With Mark Ruffalo Returning – Variety
This is good news as season I really enjoyed season 1.
Helps that it had a great cast and story. -
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Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg Omnibus
1056 pgs. – Oct 27th/’26 – Image Comics
Welcome to the future as only Howard Chaykin could imagine it: loud, sexy, violent, and razor-sharp. Bursting onto the comics scene in the 1980s, American Flagg! redefined the medium with its fearless mix of political satire, biting humor, kinetic storytelling, and unapologetic style.
Now collected in its entirety, this landmark series follows Reuben Flagg, former TV star, reluctant hero, and accidental revolutionary, as he battles corrupt corporations, media manipulation, and cultural decay in a fractured America where the government has fled to Mars and the real power lies in entertainment and advertising.
Provocative, prescient, and dripping with Chaykin’s signature bravado, American Flagg! is more than just a cult classic—it’s a visionary work that predicted the absurdities of our modern age. Explosive, irreverent, and impossible to ignore, this is the definitive edition of the series that changed comics forever.
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Found this funny:
“I’m excited to see what the series could do with a budget that doesn’t require every alien planet to look like Vancouver…”
Yes, count me in!
As soon as I sent out to like minded friends, it took seconds to get a response:
“I really liked Stargate, but I need a Babylon 5, or a Battlestar Galactica reboot”
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Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons: Absolute Edition
296 pgs. – August 11th/’26
Each chapter of this Absolute Edition is a gallery of visual splendor: Phil Jimenez’s ornate myth-weaving, Gene Ha’s lush allegory, and Nicola Scott’s grounded drama coalesce into a timeless origin for Themyscira. This is more than a Wonder Woman prelude—it’s a foundational myth rendered in gold.
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I always liked the Expo’s logo.
I didn’t know the details and found the documentary fascinating. It covers the creation all the way to the end. They also interviewed a lot of the people involved.
After you’ve watched it, come back here and share your thoughts. I’d like to discuss it.
I’m 10 minutes in. Already tugging on heart strings.
Immediately engaged.1 user thanked author for this post.
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Woke up during Green Room.
If Trump did the same, maybe why that’s why he hates Portland.
Honestly, that’s a movie that stands up.
5th watch in 10 years.
Indie? Tons of faces I like and recognize, almost too starry, but it’s heart is it’s truth.And also makes me realize I need a Blue Ruin rewatch.
But before that, maybe you could’ve saved some problems if the first song in your set wasn’t a cover of Dead Kennedys “Nazi Punks Fuck Off”?
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So, trying to make it through FF: First Steps.
First, kinda half treating it as a background thing (so thats unfair), but it is drawing my attention.
However, I’m just not feeling it. They just met Galactus in space.
Not hating it, just the cute humor can go, and the retro.
Lady Silver Surfer another CGI fail.I’m Team Superman. Always have been, always will be.
Supes easily won this showdown (although, fuck all that bullshit, build each other up).The casting is, just not right.
I just don’t get Reed from Pedro Pascal.I wouldn’t hit the panic button, but wouldn’t make this a major part of my universe either.
Edit didn’t hate it.
Stand by what I said.
But it would be nice if you just made it better.Ooh! A Snyder Cut!
Now that would be awesome! -
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“Happy Partially Muscled Skeleton Day!”
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