News

What can we say? It's only February and it already feels like we've lived through half the year. Strangely enough, the same seems to be true for TV, and it once again underlines the massive shift from film to shows: in just a few weeks since New Year's, we've already seen quite a few hot Emmy contenders. Alongside the absolutely fantastic banger that was »Fallout« season 2, perfectly delivering the exact feelings the games have always triggered in us (and by the way, the season finale dropped today on Amazon Prime Video), our very own Tim was so blown away by the first three episodes of »A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms« that he immediately sat down and wrote a small midterm review.
Three episodes are still to come, airing on the next three Mondays on HBO Max – and honestly, the roughly €6 for the subscription is more than worth it for this show alone.

“I'll try to keep it short, and to keep the spoilers to an absolute minimum: »A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms«, based on George R. R. Martin's »Tales of Dunk and Egg«, is BY FAR the best thing we've gotten from Westeros since at least season four of »Game of Thrones«. I genuinely didn't expect that a dramedy with a dramedy with some very lowbrow toilet humor would, after barely an hour and a half of total runtime, deliver this much depth, emotional impact, and above all, acting that simply blows »House of the Dragon« out of the water.
To tell Martin's stories, we don't need any million-dollar CGI dragons – a man-tall dragon puppet and a lively, lovable and delightfully flawed ensemble of characters with some proper quirks and shortcomings is entirely enough. And what an ensemble it is! Peter Claffey is wonderfully naive as Ser Duncan, and Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon radiates so much hedonistic joy that you just want to party with him.
But the real standout has to be Dexter Sol Ansell – only 10 years old during filming – who embodies Egg so unbelievably well. Child actors can be very hit-or-miss and you can often feel their lack of experience … but not here. He absolutely holds his own alongside performances like Macaulay Culkin as Kevin, Natalie Portman in »Léon: The Professional«, or his distant series heir Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon.

The tight setting also works in the show's favor: every episode covers a single day of the tournament with only minimal flashbacks. You can feel how much love for detail and time went into the sets and production design. That's how they make you finally understand so much better what life must be like for the ordinary people of Westeros – ruled by ‘incestuous, silver-haired aliens from a city of ash’ (Raymun Fossoway's words to Dunk).
I'm insanely excited for the remaining episodes – and for the judgment of the Seven. May Ser Duncan the Tall and Egg leave the field as victors!”

Our selection of new trailers today is truly a wild mix, or as Monty Python would say: "And Now for Something Completely Different"!

Let's start with the new trailer for »Michael«, the blockbuster biopic about the musician. We're quite amazed by everything the director is trying to cover, from the sweet, young Michael with the Jackson Five to the iconic milestones of his superstar career. It's no easy task for the film if it wants to go beyond simply ticking off the stages of Michael Jackson's career. Jaafar Jackson (Michael's nephew) certainly impresses us. The trailer focuses heavily on the tyrannical father, Joe Jackson, a role in which Colman Domingo already shines. But how far will the film go? Will it limit itself to the veneration of the brilliant artist, or will it also address the darker aspects of Michael Jackson's life? We're certainly very curious to see what awaits us in theaters on April 24th. Here's the trailer:
https://youtu.be/mbtgEE6rkxw

From blockbusters, we jump to a smaller movie. »Sew Torn« is the feature film debut of director Freddy Macdonald. A seamstress stumbles upon a botched drug deal. Seeing the bikers lying on the ground, the weapons, and the suitcase, she's torn. She has three options: commit the perfect crime, call the police, or drive away. The trailer really piques our interest and makes us hope for an imaginative film:
https://youtu.be/DRu8hLsgODo
The flick was successful at several festivals and will be available for download on March 12th and on DVD and Blu-ray on April 2nd.

As for the creativity of »Whistle« on the other hand, we're still a bit skeptical. With its mysterious artifact, the trailer is very reminiscent of »Talk to Me« and really lays it on thick, showing off the other horror films the creators have worked on. But name-dropping doesn't automatically guarantee originality. The fact that Dafne Keen (»Deadpool & Wolverine«), Michelle Fairley (»Game of Thrones«), and Nick Frost (»Sean of the Dead«) are on the cast list speaks in the film's favor. We can see for ourselves whether the movie is any good starting February 6th: https://youtu.be/eIkIp4L865M

Lobo was already briefly visible in the recently released trailer for »Supergirl«, but it was definitely a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance by Jason Momoa. In this new short clip (not strictly a trailer), we see a little more of Lobo to entice us, and it works:
https://youtu.be/Et4clt5xdI4
The look and dirty laugh got us really excited for this character! We're already hoping for some cool Lobo collectibles with his bike.

Almost everyone knows the blond hero in the green tunic and pointed cap, wielding the Master Sword and protecting Hyrule from evil. We are clearly talking about Link from Nintendo's »The Legend of Zelda«! However, his latest reincarnation has cast aside the iconic outfit to embark on an adventure more significant than ever before.

Link succeeded in fighting Calamity Ganon and sealing the curse with the Sword that Seals the Darkness. Yet, after a presumed era of peace, he and Princess Zelda witness the resurrection of Ganondorf. The seal that kept the Demon King submerged in sleep shatters. As our hero faces the enemy with his sword, the dark substance known as Gloom eats through the blade and up into Link's shoulder. Within seconds, he loses not only Zelda and the power of the sword, but also his right arm. Although all seems lost now, he receives help from a time long past. Rauru, the first King of Hyrule, lends Link his ethereal arm to put Ganondorf back in his place once more.

The 7” PVC statue by First 4 Figures shows that Link does not hesitate to use the power of Rauru's arm. The pose should look familiar to Zelda fans, as it was inspired by official artwork for »Tears of the Kingdom«. Even if it appears to be a rather simple collectible at first glance, the manufacturer delivers on all the important details. Link carries the Master Sword on his back, the right sleeve of the Champion's Leathers is destroyed by the Gloom, and Rauru's arm features an ethereal shimmer, just as we know it from the game.

But the loving realization is not the only reason why we are naming the Link PVC Statue by First 4 Figures our 💥 Product of the Month 💥 February 2026. The »The Legend of Zelda« series celebrates its 40th anniversary this month – on February 21st, to be exact. According to Nintendo, »Breath of the Wild« and »Tears of the Kingdom« are the two most successful Zelda games to date. Therefore, this statue represents the ultimate peak in the evolution of Hyrule's hero. Its sight allows us to look back on a wonderful era and a truly iconic Link!
https://bit.ly/sf_pdm_feb26

The trailer for the new »Masters of the Universe« movie sparked a huge hype after its release last week – and the first collectibles for the film were quick to follow! Mattel's Man-at-Arms and Evil-Lyn action figures made their world premiere at the manufacturer's booth at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, where we were already able to admire them on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Entertainment Weekly exclusively revealed the first images of the remaining figures – and they look really promising! The new toy line for the film, officially titled »Masters of the Universe: Chronicles«, includes figures of He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine), Battle Cat, Man-at-Arms (Idris Elba), Teela (Camila Mendes), Tri-Klops (Kojo Attah), Skeletor (Jared Leto), Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie), and Trap Jaw (Sam C. Wilson). Galitzine, Mendes, and Brie were also able to proudly hold their own action figures. But take a look at the pictures yourselves:
https://ew.com/nicholas-galitzine-camila-mendes-alison-brie-masters-of-the-universe-action-figures-first-look-exclusive-11894012

The figures appear to be 6-inch scale and, according to the article, are scheduled for official release on April 25th. We're excited!

Right now, Sam Raimi's »Send Help« opens in cinemas worldwide. Our Mick had the opportunity to see the film last weekend in a Midnight Special. Here are his thoughts on the movie:

As is often the case, the trailer for »Send Help« piqued my interest, but unfortunately, it reveals a bit too much for my taste. So, if you haven't seen the preview yet, do yourself a favor and skip it.

Linda Liddle, brilliantly portrayed by Rachel McAdams, works in the strategy and planning department of a modern company. She excels at her job and is eagerly awaiting the promotion that the late senior boss had already promised her. Linda is somewhat socially awkward and has little contact with her colleagues. She isn't even invited to karaoke nights. She comes across as a wallflower, and her style of dress is anything but hip or fashionable. She leads a solitary life, spending her evenings in front of the television with only her cockatiel as company. Her favorite program is the reality show »Survivor«. She even applied for it with a video. When junior boss Bradley Preston (Dylan O'Brien) takes over the company, he gives the promised leadership position to his friend Donovan. Although his argument that Linda lacks leadership skills isn't wrong, his chauvinism is the main motivation for favoring his golfing buddy. Because of her professional qualifications, Linda is supposed to accompany her boss and his team on a business trip to Bangkok. Afterward, he plans to fire her. But the company jet is caught in a storm and crashes. Linda manages to reach a deserted island and finds her injured jerk boss Bradley on the beach. In this new situation, the power dynamic quickly reverses …

After Rachel McAdams previously worked with director Sam Raimi on the Marvel film »Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness«, »Send Help« marks their second collaboration. McAdams and her co-star Dylan O'Brien carry the film for the most part and do a very good job. Raimi consistently manages to subvert our expectations for his thriller-horror-comedy Robinson Crusoe-esque tale. Just when a predictable rom-com cliché seems about to unfold, the plot takes another unexpected turn. Unfortunately, other twists are entirely formulaic. This is where the script shows some weaknesses.

The scenes that truly shine through are those where Sam Raimi's signature style is evident: his close-ups, effective tracking shots, a few precisely placed jump scares, and, of course, a healthy dose of blood and other bodily fluids. The score is once again written by Danny Elfman, with whom Raimi frequently collaborates. Elfman is a fantastic composer, but I must confess that his score here didn't particularly stick in my mind.

The film is certainly entertaining, but it occasionally feels like it's treading water and could have been considerably more impactful. I honestly expected a bit more escalation from Sam Raimi. A film that focuses entirely on its two main characters lives or dies by those characters. They can certainly be a bit over the top. Bradley is a textbook jerk boss, born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Anyone who's ever had dealings with such yuppie superiors will love to hate him. So, at the beginning, our sympathies lie with Linda, even though she's a bit odd. On the island, she's finally in the right place and can live her survivor dream. But she becomes increasingly unlikeable as the story progresses, so that ultimately we can't identify with either protagonist. When two assholes are at each other's throats, we don't really care about the outcome of the fight.

Despite some weaknesses, I did enjoy »Send Help«, but don't expect another Sam Raimi masterpiece.

As of today, you can watch all episodes of a new superhero series on Disney+ that sits more on the fringes of the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe and will probably feel less "must-see" to many fans in terms of overall importance.

Unfairly so, critics agree: »Wonder Man« is reportedly one of Marvel's most exciting projects of the last few years in terms of storytelling and acting. Superpowers are mostly secondary here. Instead, it's a laid-back love letter to epic Hollywood stories. In this dramedy, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Simon Williams, an unsuccessful actor with (to him) unwanted powers, who meets Trevor Slattery during auditions for the in-universe superhero film »Wonder Man«. Trevor is played by Ben Kingsley, who returns in his role from »Iron Man 3« and »Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings«. Out of this encounter grows an unlikely friendship, at the heart of the miniseries is the personal growth of the two.
Watch the trailer here:
https://youtu.be/wHuWmjXsReU

Another great MCU story is also heading into its next round soon, as »Daredevil: Born Again« Season 2 was just announced with a new teaser:
https://youtu.be/sBVjIlTjoIk
A big reason to celebrate is the return of a familiar face: Krysten Ritter will be back in her signature role as Jessica Jones for the first time since her own series ended… and for the first time since »The Defenders« she'll share the screen with Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil again. And even if the Defenders show really wasn't a high point in Marvel's catalog, the chemistry of those two street level crime fighters was always spot-on!

Today, the annual Nuremberg Toy Fair kicks off – for the 75th time! Not that we've been there every single time for the past 75 years, but of course, the world's largest trade fair for the toy industry is a must-attend event for us.

Accordingly, we'll be in Nuremberg for the rest of the week. So please bear with us if our usual operations are a little limited these days, especially regarding shipping, email communication, and our availability. To make up for it, we'll be sharing some stories from the show floor on Instagram and then a full-length ON THE ROAD video on YouTube next week. So stay tuned for the Spirit of Play!

A few days ago, the highly anticipated first teaser trailer for »Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord« was released:
https://youtu.be/oonACDq89BY

The series was announced last year at Star Wars Celebration Japan, and attendees of the panel were treated to a trailer. Now, we've finally gotten our first look at it on our home screens. And with its stunning animation and epic battle scenes, it looks incredibly promising!

»Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord« is set after »The Clone Wars« and follows the eponymous former Sith Lord, who seeks to rebuild his syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire.

Starting April 6th, two new episodes of the ten-part series will be released weekly, so you can watch the grand season finale on May the Fourth to celebrate!

On Saturday night, the Dragon Ball Genkidamatsuri took place near Tokyo. The event celebrated the anime's 40th anniversary with a large-scale festival, during which several projects were announced and confirmed.

After a long (very long!) wait, the »Dragon Ball Super« anime will continue with the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Arc. Someone must have gathered all seven Dragon Balls and asked Shenron for it. 😉
The earlier episodes of the »Battle of Gods« saga are also being reworked and re-released as »Dragon Ball Super: Beerus«. This reworking will adhere more closely to the original story by Akira Toriyama, improve the animation quality, and include new cuts. The first trailer is enjoyable, even if the basic storyline will likely remain unchanged. But let's wait until autumn, when »Dragon Ball Super: Beerus« is scheduled to premiere in Japan. The release date for the Galactic Patrol arc is still unknown.

Gamers also had reason to celebrate, as there was news for them as well. Not only was a new DLC with additional playable characters announced for »Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO«, but also a completely new game codenamed »AGE 1000«, which the late Dragon Ball creator himself worked on and which has been in development for years. Much about the content is still unknown, but it is slated for release in 2027 – we're excited!

The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The nominations were announced yesterday:
youtube.com/live/ZaLpXqSoTlE

Ryan Coogler's »Sinners« received 16 nominations, more than any other film before it. This is all the more astonishing because it belongs to the usually rather neglected horror genre. With this record, it has already made Oscar history, regardless of how many awards it actually wins.

Let's take a quick look at the nomination statistics for the other Best Picture nominees: With 13 nominations, Paul Thomas Anderson's »One Battle After Another« is also in the running and will almost certainly take home a few of the golden statuettes. Guillermo del Toro's »Frankenstein«, »Marty Supreme« and the Norwegian film »Sentimental Value« each received nine nominations. Chloé Zhao's »Hamnet« was nominated eight times. Giorgos Lanthimos' »Bugonia«, »F1«, the Brazilian film »The Secret Agent«, and »Train Dreams« each received four nominations.

We were pleased by a few underdog nominations: »The Ugly Stepsister« was nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Amy Madigan from »Weapons« is in the running for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Aunt Gladys – in our opinion, the film certainly deserved more.

In the Best International Feature Film category, the German film »Sound of Falling« (»In die Sonne schauen«) made the shortlist but wasn't nominated in the end.

The musical »Wicked: For Good« went home empty-handed. »Avatar: Fire and Ash« was only nominated for costume and visual effects. Paul Mescal didn't receive a nomination for Best Supporting Actor for »Hamnet«. Chase Infiniti deserved a Best Actress nomination for »One Battle After Another«, and we would have loved to see Guillermo del Toro nominated for Best Director for his film »Frankenstein«.

Here's an overview of all the nominations:
oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2026
What are your Oscar favorites?

At least as far as a first look at the upcoming live-action remake of »Masters of the Universe« is concerned. By the Power of Grayskull – here's the trailer FINALLY:
https://youtu.be/ZmEx7wQI6RY

After it was already announced yesterday with a short teaser clip, many MOTU fans probably had a sleepless night. ;) We're very curious to hear about your first impressions. We actually have goosebumps!

The theatrical release in early June isn't that far away anymore.

One more tip: If you want to really get into the He-Man hype with the new movie, you should grab a ticket for the Los Amigos Convention on June 13th. This year it's being held in Heidelberg, Germany, at the Luxor Cinema, where you'll have the chance to experience both Masters of the Universe movies (not just the new one, but also the 1987 live-action film) on the big screen with an evil horde of like-minded fans. And yes, we'll be there, too! :)

Let's take a look at what's opening in theaters today!

»Hamnet« tells the story of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife Agnes (Jessie Buckley), and their grief over the death of their son Hamnet, who succumbs to the plague at the age of 11. The film has won two Golden Globes and is sure to be a strong contender for Oscar nominations, which will be announced today. Jessie Buckley is widely considered the frontrunner for the Academy Award for Best Actress. For us, that's reason enough to see it!

In the sci-fi thriller »Mercy« LAPD Detective Chris Raven (Chris Pratt) is accused of murdering his wife. He has only 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the AI ​​judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson). The premise sounds promising, and the setting is somewhat reminiscent of »Minority Report«. However, the initial reviews range from lukewarm to negative. Some reviewers are even calling it the first big stinker of the year. Since it was produced by Amazon MGM Studios, it probably won't be long before it's available for streaming on Prime Video. Perhaps we can save our ticket money and watch it from the comfort of our couches soon.

Over the past few days, four exciting new film trailers have crossed our path, all of them definitely worth taking a closer look at.

Let's start with »The Dreadful«, a historical horror film by Iranian-American horror and thriller director Natasha Kermani (»Abraham's Boys«): Young Anne (Sophie Turner) lives with her very strict mother-in-law Morwen (Marcia Gay Harden) on the fringes of a brutal society during the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century, when a man from Anne's past (Kit Harington) returns with news of her husband's death and throws existing structures into disarray. The film is based on the same source material as the Japanese horror classic »Onibaba«, and especially the on-screen relationship between Sophie Turner and the intensely captivating performance of Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden could turn this film into a hidden gem of the 2026 movie year.
Watch the trailer here:
https://youtu.be/KPBqxZPvYS0

Polish-British co-production »Heel« (also released as »Good Boy« or »The Good Boy«, depending on the release territory) takes a very different approach to psychological horror, in which a married couple (Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough) kidnap 19-year-old violent criminal Tommy in order to “re-educate” him into becoming a better person using draconian methods. Reviews for this film have been overwhelmingly positive, frequently highlighting both its absurdity and its parallels to »A Clockwork Orange«.
See for yourselves:
https://youtu.be/qWkPjI-Brkc

Things get absurd as well in the new film by cult director Gore Verbinski. The trailer for the sci-fi action comedy »Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die«, starring Sam Rockwell as a time-traveling hobo, is already so off-the-wall that it immediately reminds us – in the best possible way – of »Everything Everywhere All at Once«. There's really not much more to say but: will this ragtag diner crowd actually manage to save the world?
https://youtu.be/Nm4WbapDzDQ

And last but not least, we've finally been given a proper, in-depth look at »The Bride!«, the gothic crime thriller by Maggie Gyllenhaal. It's still somewhat unclear how strongly the film actually leans into the musical aspect originally reported, as the trailer only shows a single dance scene and no songs or similar elements. What is clear, however, is that the 1930s setting and the production design are absolutely stunning. With Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale starring as the Bride and Frankenstein's Monster, the film boasts a first-class cast. Following Guillermo del Toro's »Frankenstein« last year, this could be the next iteration of Mary Shelley's masterpiece to firmly establish itself on the year's best-of lists.
Click here for the trailer:
https://youtu.be/IhgcUArO3Uo

What has been rumored for weeks, even months, and eagerly anticipated by many Star Wars fans, is now official: Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as president of Lucasfilm! And before some of you say, “Kathleen Kennedy, a legend?! She ruined Star Wars…,” we should at least acknowledge that she has certainly accomplished a great deal in her over 50-year career. As a producer alone, she has been nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture eight times, co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and her husband, Frank Marshall, and has simply worked on countless films of immense importance to pop culture. But yes – some of Kennedy's decisions within the Star Wars universe are certainly debatable, or even questionable. So perhaps it's better to say: Every generation has its time. And now it's time for the next generation.

Dave Filoni, George Lucas's creative protégé, the heart of the Lucasfilm Animation Department and mastermind behind »Clone Wars« and »Rebels«, and of course the man who, along with his buddy Jon Favreau, brought us »The Mandalorian«, will succeed Kathleen Kennedy as both President and Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Lucasfilm. He will be supported by Lynwen Brennan in her role as Co-President.

With this duo at the helm, Lucasfilm is entering its next era. Could there have been a better candidate for the position than Filoni? Probably not – at least not for many Star Wars fans, and likely not for George Lucas himself. We are absolutely positive about this decision and, frankly, are even more excited for »The Mandalorian and Grogu«, which hits theaters in May. Whether Dave Filoni will still have time to direct with his new responsibilities remains to be seen. Ultimately, he was supposed to, or rather wanted to, present us with his first feature film as a kind of crossover finale to the Mandoverse.

In any case, we're excited, and in our opinion, Filoni definitely understands Star Wars better than many others who have been in charge of creative decisions at Disney in recent years. So maybe he is the one who brings balance to the Force …

We've discussed the new Maestro Line from Kaustic Plastik and Infinite Statue & Collectibles quite a bit in the past. At last year's San Diego Comic Con, the first three figures – Eric Draven from »The Crow«, Conan from »Conan the Barbarian«, and Jareth from »Labyrinth« – were presented as promising high-end releases in their then-current work-in-progress stage. We showed you these figures in our special back then:
https://youtu.be/d6U1euk_k-w
A few months later, Sven spoke with Kaustic Plastik mastermind Fabio Varesi at Lucca Comics & Games Convention in Italy, and was able to see the progress of the work firsthand:
https://youtu.be/04T2_2ajQPw

Now the time has finally come – Eric Draven from »The Crow« opens the Maestro Line!

Maestro is the new flagship in the 1:6 scale figure range from the two Italian manufacturers. Eric features separately movable eyes that were created with the newly developed RCES technology (Realcrystal Eyes System). Starting with the Deluxe Edition, the figure has implanted hair made of Tibetan Lamb Wool, as well as genuine leather clothing, authentic props, and, in the Deluxe Gold Edition, a fantastic diorama base depicting the gravestones of Eric and his great love, Shelly. The resemblance to the tragically deceased actor Brandon Lee is simply breathtaking. Many photos almost look like stills from the movie. We can hardly wait to finally get our hands on this collectible. Since it's a strictly limited edition, you'd be wise not to wait too long to pre-order.

By the way, Kaustic Plastik is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year! It all started in 2011 with Roman legionaries and gladiators. In 2020, Kaustic and Infinite joined forces and have since presented us with numerous licensed figures from film history. Ever since their Roman figures from antiquity, Kaustic has consistently strived for innovation, whether it's legendary historical helmets made of metal or bodies with interchangeable arms featuring single or double elbow joints. With their film figures, the Italian company was among the first to use magnetic bases. With Maestro, Kaustic's figure artistry has now reached a new pinnacle. We are excited to see how the journey continues and are already looking forward to the next 15 years – and to Nuremberg Toy Fair next week, where we'll be able to take a look at the current progress of the Maestro figures. Stay tuned!

We'll likely have to wait until summer for the third season of »House of the Dragon«, but another series from the world of »Game of Thrones« might sweeten the wait. Starting today, you can watch the first episode of »A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms« on HBO Max!

The series takes place about 100 years before the events of the original series, at a time when the Targaryens still firmly sit on the Iron Throne. After the death of his master, the young hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall (called Dunk) travels through the Seven Kingdoms. He wants to participate in a tourney, hoping to become a knight of a great house. On his journey, he meets a boy named Egg, who desperately wants to become his squire.

»A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms« is based on George R. R. Martin's hedge knight trilogy and focuses less on grand intrigues surrounding royal houses and more on the duo of Dunk and Egg. It's also somewhat more humorous and less dark than the other two series set in the world of Westeros. Compared to its predecessors, it's significantly shorter, with only six episodes, which are released weekly. A second season is already in production.

The streaming service HBO Max has only been available globally for a few days and features some exciting films and series from the Warner and HBO catalogs. In the future, new productions from the network (like this series) will be shown exclusively on the streaming service. Previously, HBO series in Germany generally aired on Sky/WOW. Now, only sequels will be released there (such as season 3 of »House of the Dragon«). Whether HBO is doing itself a favor with this arrangement and whether HBO Max can gain international traction remains to be seen.

Exactly 30 years ago today, »From Dusk Till Dawn« premiered in US cinemas. Directed by Robert Rodriguez from a screenplay by his buddy Quentin Tarantino, the film quickly became a modern cult classic.

The movie begins as a bloody gangster road movie, depicting the Gecko brothers' escape to Mexico. Tarantino himself plays the psychopathic Richard Gecko. His brother Seth is portrayed by George Clooney. Before we saw the film in theaters back then, we only knew Clooney as the charming intern in »ER«. We had never seen him as cool as he was in »From Dusk Till Dawn«.

The brothers kidnap the doubtful priest Jacob Fuller (Harvey Keitel) and his children Kate (Juliette Lewis) and Scott (Ernest Liu) to cross the border in their RV. The journey ends at the trucker and biker bar "Titty Twister", where they plan to meet a contact.

An unforgettable highlight is the snake dance scene performed by Santanico Pandemonium (Salma Hayek) to »After Dark« by Tito & Tarantula. Her performance marks the surprising transition to a completely different genre, and we suddenly find ourselves in a vampire splatter comedy. It's a shame the trailer already gives that away. But the film is still fun – with plenty of blood and lots of often-quoted, cool dialogue.

The supporting roles of Chet Pussy (Cheech Marin), Razor Charlie (Danny Trejo), Frost (Fred Williamson), and special effects legend Tom Savini as Sex Machine also deserve special mention.

What better way to celebrate the film than with Santanico's dance?
https://youtu.be/WICfa8Fjaj4

It's unbelievable that all our well-known collectible manufacturers have so far missed the opportunity to secure a license for this cult classic! It's about time, and the 30th anniversary of its theatrical release would be a perfect opportunity.

The cat is out of the bag – or should we rather say: The god has fallen from Olympus. Ryan Hurst is taking on the role of Kratos in the live-action adaptation of »God of War«. Fans of the brilliant video game series by Santa Monica Studios are already very familiar with him and his voice. After all, Ryan was the voice actor for Thor in »God of War Ragnarök«. So, he is transforming from the God of Thunder in the game to the God of War on the big screen. We are excited to see how he will portray the aged and grumpy Kratos.

The series, produced by Amazon, will be based on the latest installments of the franchise, so it will have a Norse mythology setting. From a purely physical standpoint, we can easily imagine Ryan Hurst as an older Kratos. That might have been one reason for this casting choice. Or the fact that he – fittingly enough – was born in Santa Monica. 😉

We are definitely hyped and eagerly awaiting the release. How about you? Are you happy with the casting, or did you have someone else in mind?

Today, two films are opening in theaters that are sure to draw us to the big screen:

It's only been a little over six months since we saw »28 Years Later« by director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland. The sequel, »28 Years Later: The Bone Temple« was filmed back-to-back, but with Nia DaCosta at the helm this time. The story picks up where the first film left off and follows two narrative threads. Spike (Alfie Williams) encounters Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell) and his cult and is drawn into a nightmare from which he cannot escape. The second story focuses on Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), who finds himself in a shocking new relationship – with consequences that could change the world as they know it. The film takes some new directions and offers some interesting shifts in perspective. We're very excited to see where the franchise goes next. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a bit longer for part 3.

Do you remember the roommate thrillers of the early 1990s? Films like »The Hand That Rocks the Cradle«, »Single White Female«, »Sliver« or »Malice«? »The Housemaid« creates a very similar situation, where people with secrets meet. Millie Calloway (Sydney Sweeney) has been released from prison and is living in her car. She finds a job as a housemaid for Nina (Amanda Seyfried) and Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar). Millie can hardly believe her luck, but she quickly realizes that something isn't right and that a dark secret lies hidden behind the elegant facade.
Paul Feig's film is based on the successful novel by Freida McFadden and had a dream opening at the US box office, so a sequel, based on the second novel in McFadden's bestselling trilogy, is already a done deal. Critics are largely unanimous in their praise: while the thriller isn't a masterpiece, it's full of twists and turns, well-paced, and simply fun to watch!

Arrr! Pirate action films and series have been leading a strange parallel existence for years now. It's hard to pinpoint what actually makes a great swashbuckling adventure on the high seas … and how a Disney theme park attraction ended up becoming the blueprint for freedom under the black flag. This week we've got two salt-wind-weathered trailers for you that couldn't be more different.

On one side we have the action thriller »The Bluff«, produced by the Russo Brothers and directed by Caribbean filmmaker and writer Frank Ewen Flowers Jr. (»Haven«, »Bob Marley: One Love«). The film follows retired pirate Ercell Bodden (Priyanka Chopra), who must protect her family from her former associate, Captain Connor (Karl Urban).
The trailer feels like a thrilling but delightfully unhinged mix of extremely cheesy 1980s splatter and modern high-budget spectacle. Despite being set in the 19th century, this film has somehow more in common with the »John Wick« and »Taken« franchises than with »Pirates of the Caribbean«. »The Bluff« will be released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on February 25.
https://youtu.be/uUYMqRjNxhM

Standing opposite is the trailer for the second season of the live-action adaptation »One Piece«. This one goes full blast in colorful, over-the-top fashion! It somehow brings back memories of those old Playmobil pirate sets we all had as kids. After the Straw Hat Crew was formed in the first season, they now plunge into the chaos of the Grand Line. The trailer focuses almost entirely on their encounter with the assassins of Baroque Works. It's honestly astonishing how closely the live-action version sticks to the outrageously exaggerated characters of the anime original (When was the last time you saw such a meticulously detailed, machine-gun-armed, vulture-riding otter?).
https://youtu.be/OBDJgW-TJKc