News

This year, Capcom is celebrating not only the most successful release since its inception with »Resident Evil Requiem«, but also the 30th anniversary of the legendary video game series. It all began on March 22, 1996, with the very first »Resident Evil«. Some of you surely remember the original graphics, squeezed into fixed camera perspectives as you played as Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield – it was and remains an absolute cult classic! The series' success since then has been remarkable: the remake of »Resident Evil 2« is the current frontrunner with approx. 16.8 million copies sold, closely followed by »Resident Evil 7: Biohazard« at approx. 16.4 million. The fanbase continues to grow year after year. In particular, the groundbreaking launch of the ninth main installment, which sold an incredible five million copies in just five days, has attracted numerous newcomers and brought long-time veterans back into the fold.

The franchise's future looks just as promising, with new releases on the horizon. Just a few days ago, Capcom announced a story-driven DLC expansion for »Resident Evil Requiem«. While not yet officially confirmed by the developers, insiders have leaked several upcoming projects, primarily focused on remakes. Rumors point toward »Resident Evil Code: Veronica« for 2027 and »Resident Evil Zero« for 2028. Furthermore, the tenth main installment is reportedly already in pre-production for a 2029-2031 window. It remains to be seen which of these details Capcom will eventually confirm. Due to the current hype surrounding the franchise, numerous rumors and fan requests for specific remakes and story developments are circulating online. Some developer statements on social media have already been faked to generate clicks, so caution is advised!

Over the years, the »Resident Evil« franchise has expanded far beyond video games. Today, there is an impressive selection of movies, series, books, manga, and more. However, it is important to distinguish which works belong to the official canon. For example, the well-known »Resident Evil« film series starring Milla Jovovich stands on its own and deviates from the games' plot. In contrast, CGI films like 2023's »Death Island« continue the story of beloved characters such as Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Chris Redfield within the video game timeline. Additionally, a live-action reboot directed by Zach Cregger is slated for release in September 2026 and will take place in its own »Resident Evil« universe.

Hardcore fans will also find plenty to love in our shop! Feel free to browse our »Resident Evil« category, where you'll find the dark ladies of »Resident Evil Village«, and Leon from the »Resident Evil 4« remake, among others. Manufacturers like Prime 1 Studio and PureArts have perfectly captured their passion for the series through high-quality, stunning statues:
https://www.space-figuren.de/Games/Resident-Evil:::4684_5093.html?language=en

Sven and Eva present a selection of current stock highlights live and in color in our new episode 💫 NEUES AUS DEM FIGUREN UNIVERSUM 💫! Among them are a bloodthirsty shark from McFarlane Toys, a sexy vampire lady from Kotobukiya, and an adventurous archaeologist from Iron Studios. On top of that, we also have the most exciting new announcements from the past few weeks – including a cuddly reindeer from Hot Toys and a formidable villainess from Sideshow. 👊

See the latest gems from our shop in NADFU Episode 36 – available now on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/uvE4WC3HnUw

»Project Hail Mary« is hitting cinemas. Mick had the opportunity to see the film at a preview screening last weekend. Here are his impressions:

»Project Hail Mary« is based on the book of the same name by Andy Weir, whom you'll likely know from his novel »The Martian« or its film adaptation by Ridley Scott. The overwhelming success of »The Martian« quickly led Hollywood to secure the rights to »Project Hail Mary« even before its publication.

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are directing, and they're no strangers to the industry. They're the writers of the »Spiderverse« films and have made a name for themselves as directors of »21 Jump Street«, »22 Jump Street« and the animated film »The Lego Movie«.

The film stars Ryan Gosling and Sandra Hüller. The acclaimed novel, the directors, and, not least, the actors ensured that the film launched with considerable advance praise and a healthy dose of hype. Some very enthusiastic reviews raised expectations immensely. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a critics' score of 95%, and the audience rating is a staggering 98%. With such breathtaking ratings, I was naturally looking forward to the film, but I tried to temper my excitement to avoid falling into the trap of inflated expectations.

Ryan Gosling plays scientist and science teacher Ryland Grace, who awakens on a spaceship with no recollection of who he is. His memories return only slowly. A second narrative thread reveals the backstory of these events. Some time ago, a substance was discovered that gradually dims the sun and all other stars. Due to his unconventional scientific publications from the past, he is recruited by research director Eva Stratt, played by Sandra Hüller, for Project Hail Mary. Time is running out; a new ice age is imminent, and the survival of humanity is at stake. Since a sun has been discovered in the universe unaffected by the dimming phenomenon, humanity collaborates and arranges an interstellar mission to that sun, hoping to find the solution to the threatening problem. Shortly before reaching his destination, Grace encounters an alien spaceship and meets an extraterrestrial creature whom he nicknames Rocky because of his appearance. Rocky's sun is also affected by the problem. The two scientists learn to communicate with each other and search for a solution to save their worlds.

We learn all of this in the first trailer for the film. This led to quite a bit of discontent, as many moviegoers felt badly spoiled by this information. However, it must be said that the contact between Grace and Rocky is the central element of the film, around which everything revolves. The knowledge from the trailer doesn't spoil anything, because there's still plenty to discover and uncharted territory to explore. Nevertheless, I often long for the innocence of seeing a film without any prior information and simply being able to marvel at it.

»Project Hail Mary« is a film you absolutely should see in the cinema, because visually it's a real feast for the eyes. The spaceship set is fantastic and feels incredibly real. The cinematography was in the experienced hands of Greig Fraser, whom we know, among other things, for the fantastic visuals in »Rogue One: A Star Wars Story«, »Dune: Part One«, »Dune: Part Two«, and »The Batman«. Visually, the film is a great treat, made for the very big screen.

For a film about the potential downfall of humanity and the end of all life, it's surprisingly optimistic and told with a great deal of humor. At times, I might have wished for a bit more seriousness. But the lightheartedness suits Gosling's character quite well, portrayed as a brilliant and slightly clueless perpetual student. It's a bit like »The Odd Couple« in space, where one of the roommates is a sympathetic rock. At its core, it's a film about friendship and connection, ultimately a feel-good movie through and through, and perhaps that's exactly what we need in these dark times.

Some fans of the novel have criticized the film for significantly cutting the scientific aspects. Andy Weir is apparently quite the science nerd who likes to underpin his stories with plausible scientific evidence. This aspect is somewhat neglected in the film, but even though I couldn't fully grasp some things, the film kept me engaged and entertained me very well. 

I can't yet say how long it will stay with me, but I fear that the film's lightheartedness might also prevent it from being included in the pantheon of great philosophical science fiction works. But be that as it may, the film is definitely worth seeing in the cinema.

It's time for gamers to reclaim what's rightfully theirs – in »Crimson Desert«. Pearl Abyss' open-world action-adventure releases today for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Originally conceived as an MMORPG prequel to »Black Desert«, the developers decided to create a purely single-player experience. Even the trailer promises a grand fantasy adventure in a visually stunning world:
https://youtu.be/YHhwdyWkwTQ

The story centers on Kliff, a mercenary and leader of the Greymanes. His faction is ambushed and almost completely wiped out. The remaining members are scattered across the continent of Pywel, so he sets out to find them and restore the Greymanes to their former strength. On his journey, Kliff must confront corrupt rulers, the misery of the population, forge new alliances, and grapple with his own past. This tale of betrayal and inner conflict, combined with the vibrant world and multi-faceted combat system, could truly set a new standard.

Are you also excited to see what »Crimson Desert« has to offer?

33 years ago today, »Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III« hit US theaters. Since then, Turtles fans have celebrated this day annually as an unofficial holiday for Leo, Mikey, Donnie, and Raphie – ideally with a big pizza! 🍕

As the icing on the cake, or rather, the extra cheese on the pizza, we've got a great deal for you this time:
For today only, you'll find an exceptional 51st item in our current sale: the 4-piece bundle of Movie Turtles Art Scale Statues from Iron Studios. Grab it for the unbeatable price of €450! 🐢🥳

Any time is the perfect time to celebrate our favorite mutant reptiles, but March is especially so! Because tomorrow, March 19th, is the unofficial TMNT Day, and fittingly, our postcard this month features The Last Ronin. 🥳

The image comes from Markus, who captured the lone turtle for us in a scene that is as dark as it is epic. Clad in his Ronin armor, he stands armed to the teeth in the pouring rain, ready for his quest for revenge. The model for the photo is the Ultimate The Last Ronin in the Armored version from NECA, who proudly presents the result here. 😄🐢
Markus has recently started posting his toy photography on Instagram – be sure to check it out!

A copy of this card is included in every package we send out this month. So take a look in our shop! You might find something you like, for example, in our big March sale. Or you can take advantage of our Turtles promotion – more on that tomorrow. 😉

📸 by @cowabungatoy

Things are coming at us fast right now. We've only just finished one news piece on an absolute trailer highlight, and the next one has already dropped. And when it comes to your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, being dropped really seems to be the central theme this time around.

In »Spider-Man: Brand New Day«, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is truly and completely alone four years after the events of »Spider-Man: No Way Home«. His friends MJ (Zendaya once again – and honestly, with how many blockbusters she's showing up in this year, respect!) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) have forgotten him. To the people of New York, he is now either a masked, crime-fighting spider, OR just an unremarkable student.

And apparently, something fundamental seems to be changing inside him… mutating, perhaps? The trailer doesn't exactly hint subtly that Tom Holland's Spider-Man may, for the first time, be able to spin organic webs without web-shooters. Combined with the rumor that Sadie Sink could be playing Jean Grey, this might be the starting signal for the Mutant Saga in the MCU. To answer that question, though, we'll probably have to wait until the film's release this July.

What we do get to see already, however, is a street-level Spider-Man. Exactly the version fans have been wanting for such a long time. And the first interactions with Punisher (Jon Bernthal) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) also feel absolutely right. The hype is real:
https://youtu.be/8TZMtslA3UY

2026 is shaping up to be the year of the big science-fiction blockbuster. »Project Hail Mary« is hitting cinemas this Thursday, we already covered and praised »Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die« in detail last week, and in the months ahead we can look forward to »The Mandalorian & Grogu«, »Supergirl«, »Avengers: Doomsday«, and »Dune 3«. It is only fitting, then, that the grand master of the genre himself, Steven Spielberg, is returning to the big screen with a battle of fictional technology for the first time since 2018's »Ready Player One«. In his new epic »Disclosure Day«, Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor set out to prove to the world that we are not alone in the universe (perhaps not even on our own planet?) – something the government and antagonist Colin Firth (it's a delight seeing him as an evil character instead of the lovable geeks he so often plays) are trying to keep hidden at any cost.

The trailer presents Spielberg in a mystical mode, very much in the tradition of »Close Encounters of the Third Kind«, with grand imagery, subliminal messages, gripping action, and a strong lead cast.

The involvement of now 94-year-old film composer legend John Williams also promises the perfect popcorn atmosphere, sweeping cinematic emotion, and the ideal reason to put your phone and streaming services aside this June to sink into a big, soft red velvet cinema seat.

Watch the action-packed new trailer here:
https://youtu.be/SCYT8vb2siQ

Last night, the 98th Academy Awards ceremony took place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Conan O'Brien once again served as host. The show opened with a very funny video clip in which O'Brien, wearing the Aunt Gladys mask from »Weapons«, is chased by children through sets of various nominated films. A later clip from a reworked version of »Casablanca« perfectly illustrates the absurdity of modern screenplays, where dialogue is tailored to second-screen behavior (when viewers are glued to their phones while watching the film). O'Brien didn't land every joke during his hosting duties, nor did every presentation hit the mark. Overall, the Oscars gala felt somewhat joyless and less glamorous than usual. Aside from a few minor jabs, the event was relatively tame in terms of commentary on current events.

The annual In Memoriam segment, honoring those who passed away, was somewhat longer than usual due to the many deaths. Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were given special tribute in a eulogy by Billy Crystal. Rachel McAdams paid tribute to Claudia Cardinale, Diane Ladd, Catherine O'Hara, and especially Diane Keaton. Barbra Streisand's eulogy for Robert Redford was rather awkward and cringeworthy, as it focused more on her than on Redford.

The musical portion of the gala was relatively short. Only »I Lied to You« from »Sinners« and »Golden« from »K-Pop Demon Hunters« were performed live on stage.

But now to the awards:

The big winner of the evening was »One Battle After Another«. The film received 13 nominations and won six Oscars, including BEST PICTURE, BEST EDITING, and the newly created award BEST CASTING. Sean Penn, who was not present, was awarded BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, and Paul Thomas Anderson finally won for BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY and BEST DIRECTOR.

The 16-time nominee »Sinners« took home four Academy Awards. Ryan Coogler won for BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY. Ludwig Göransson received his third Oscar for BEST ORIGINAL SCORE. Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the golden statuette for BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY. Michael B. Jordan was awarded the Oscar for BEST ACTOR. Timothée Chalamet in »Marty Supreme« had long been considered the favorite in this category. However, the film, which received nine nominations, went home empty-handed that evening.

»Frankenstein« went into the competition with nine nominations as well, and won three awards for its visual spectacle: BEST COSTUME DESIGN, BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING, and BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN.

The two Oscars for »K-Pop Demon Hunters« came as no surprise: BEST ANIMATED FEATURE and BEST ORIGINAL SONG for »Golden«.

»Avatar: Fire and Ash« won the award for BEST VISUAL EFFECTS, which was also unsurprising. Jessie Buckley's Oscar for »Hamnet« was considered a sure thing, too. The film received eight nominations, of which only Buckley won for BEST ACTRESS, accepting the award with a very emotional speech. We were somewhat surprised, but delighted, by Amy Madigan's Oscar for BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS in »Weapons«. The Norwegian film »Sentimental Value« went into the competition with nine nominations and won BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM. »F1« took home the award for BEST SOUND.

Besides »Marty Supreme«, »Bugonia«, »The Secret Agent«, »Train Dreams«, and »Blue Moon« also went home empty-handed.

Here's a look at all the winners and nominees:
https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2026

Are you happy with the Oscars? How many did you predict correctly?

After 10 years, Gore Verbinski returns to the big screen. In »Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die« he takes us on a wild ride. Mick saw the film in a preview – here's his impression:

One evening, a down-and-out guy (Sam Rockwell) walks into Norm's Diner in Los Angeles. He claims to be from the future and says he needs to recruit volunteers to join him on a mission to save the world. The diner guests don't believe him and think he's just a crazy homeless person. The man from the future explains that this is already his 117th try and that he needs to find the perfect combination of customers to save the world from the deadly threat of artificial intelligence. He also threatens to blow up the entire diner with a bomb he's wearing. Finally, a motley crew of volunteers gathers: single mother Susan (Juno Temple), the relationship-troubled teacher couple Mark (Michael Peña) and Janet (Zazie Beetz), cake lover Marie (Georgia Goodman), assistant scout leader Bob (Daniel Barnett), Uber driver Scott (Asim Chaudhry), and children's birthday princess Ingrid (Haley Lu Richardson)...

The first ten minutes of the film are a true tour de force from Sam Rockwell. It's a delightful pleasure to follow him and his monologue as he whirls through the diner like a hurricane. With this scene alone, the film had me completely hooked.

As they work toward fulfilling their mission, Verbinski intersperses flashbacks from the backstories of some of the volunteers. We witness teachers Mark and Janet's last day of school, a traumatic event in Susan's life, and a few glimpses into Ingrid's past. The individual flashbacks are strongly reminiscent of episodes from »Black Mirror«. They begin in a slightly exaggerated everyday life scenario and then escalate into the absurd and surreal. The matter-of-factness of the absurd, for example in the behavior of the Fashionable Moms, even reminded me of Buñuel's »The Phantom of Liberty«.

One is also inevitably reminded of other time-travel dystopias. The time traveler's costume, with its transparent raincoat and all the retro-futuristic gadgets and tubes, is reminiscent of »12 Monkeys«, and there are also some parallels to Terry Gilliam's film in its resolution. Elements from »The Matrix« will also be recognizable. Last but not least, »The Terminator« served as inspiration, where the antagonist is also an artificial intelligence threatening the world. The fact that the hero of our story is such a down-and-out guy and not a superhero only underscores how badly humanity has screwed up the future. The time-loop concept from »Groundhog Day«, or, more closely related, from »Source Code«, also reappears. While we only experience one loop, the behavior of the nameless man from the future allows us to draw conclusions about all the missions that have already failed.

The film highlights the dangers of technology. Even in today's world, we clearly see the problems: how technology and the internet all too often alienate us from one another, and how all the swiping on our smartphones is making us increasingly stupid, with AI as the kraken controlling everything at its center. Admittedly, the critique of society is rather heavy-handed, but that doesn't detract from the fun. I loved it, especially the fact that the plot is unpredictable and that Verbinski unleashes his pent-up creative energy, ultimately going completely off the rails.

Better late than never, here's our slightly different Valentine's Day greeting! We actually wanted to show you our February postcard right on time for Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, the postal service decided to send the card itself on a little journey through the galaxy first. 🚀📦
In short: It arrived at the photographer's too late – and therefore too late for our usual postcard post. But for the sake of completeness, we're making up for it now. The card itself is already history and no longer in the current packages.

The image is by Gabriel, and poses an important question: How do Ewoks actually celebrate Valentine's Day? Instead of sending flowers or writing love letters, this Ewok was apparently a little too enthusiastic with a bow and arrow – and was probably a bit rougher than Cupid. The result: two fewer Stormtroopers – and even General Grievous sadly didn't survive the day of love. Romance on Endor apparently looks a little different. 💘
Of course, such things don't go unpunished in the Empire. For the presentation photo, Gabriel imagined how the famously merciful Darth Vader might react. His solution: The Ewok is promptly frozen in carbonite. In the background, Stormtroopers are already transporting the culprit away – along with a framed picture, presumably for redecorating the Death Star.
Various figures from Hasbro's Black Series (some specially repainted and customized) were used for the photos. This includes the Ewok in the Valentine's Day version, which has recently been wreaking havoc in our warehouse as well. You can find the figure in our shop:
https://www.space-figuren.de/Filme/Star-Wars/6-Ewok-Valentines-Day-Version-Star-Wars-The-Black-Series::29731.html

Many thanks to Gabriel for this wonderfully morbid Valentine's Day scenario!

📸 by @gbalda

Set sail, it's time again! Season 2 of the live-action adaptation of »One Piece« premieres today on Netflix.

The eight new episodes pick up right where the first season left off and take us to new waters, as the Straw Hat Pirates Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy), Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu), Nami (Emily Rudd), Usopp (Jacob Romero), and Sanji (Taz Skylar) head for the legendary Grand Line, the most dangerous sea route in the world. Their journey takes them to places like Loguetown, Little Garden, and Drum Island. Along the way, they encounter not only ruthless adversaries like Buggy and the assassins of Baroque Works, but also other great dangers such as whales, giants, and dinosaurs – Season 2 seems to be raising the bar even higher than the first. Hardly any absurdity from the source material is left out, and that's precisely what makes the series so captivating. Eiichirō Oda's work is continued here with heart and attention to detail – and we're so excited to set sail again with our favorite pirate crew!

But we don't just get new stuff from the »One Piece« series on screen – just in time for the second season, Hot Toys has announced an adorable and plush Chopper figure, which you can pre-order from us now. On the other hand, you don't have to wait any longer for Zoro and Luffy in 1/6 scale, which we recently added to our stock. You can find these and other cool collectibles in our »One Piece« category:
https://www.space-figuren.de/Serien/One-Piece:::4682_5570.html

Superhero stories are always at their most compelling when they explore how deeply human, flawed characters handle near-limitless power and the ability to turn themselves into gods among men. This week, we got trailers for two series that offer very different answers to that question.

The fifth and final season of »The Boys« premieres on April 8 with its first two episodes. In a series that has never shied away from explicit content, it is safe to assume that the finale will outdo everything that came before. There have never really been many truly lovable characters here anyway, only a spiral of violence and a grotesque mirror of our society. With Homelander at the height of his power as a fascist quasi-deity – seen in this trailer sitting in the Oval Office and being worshipped by his followers – Butcher and Kimiko God knows where, and Hughie, Mother's Milk, and Frenchie locked away in a concentration camp, all hope now rests on the resistance founded by Starlight and the recently redeemed A-Train, which, since the end of »Gen V«, also includes Marie as yet another powerful Supe. The trailer promises an incredibly bombastic ending to a series that has delivered insane quality from the very beginning:
https://youtu.be/XNQbH1SDPRk
We are certainly not expecting a happy ending, but according to showrunner Eric Kripke, at least one that will permanently change the entire world order of »The Boys«.

John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), on the other hand, is only at the very beginning of his story in the new DCU series »Lanterns«, launching this August, in which he joins his mentor Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) to investigate a mysterious murder in Nebraska. Starting the Green Lantern story this time as a grounded crime series is probably the best possible way to finally erase the 15-year-old live-action disaster from people's minds. Instead of CGI costumes, we see two investigators trying to solve a case in true »True Detective« fashion. This teaser trailer is barely even green at all and aside from one brief shot of Hal Jordan flying, there are hardly any superpowers on display:
https://youtu.be/Z1jcPlGXnMo
By the way, also confirmed for the series is a third Green Lantern: Nathan Fillion will reprise his role as Guy Gardner from »Superman« and »Peacemaker«, further tying the show into the larger shared universe.

40 years ago tomorrow, a film premiered in American cinemas whose incredible success no one at the time would have predicted: »Highlander«, starring Frenchman Christopher Lambert as the Scottish Connor MacLeod (who barely spoke a word of English at the time) and Scotsman Sean Connery as an Egyptian with the melodious Spanish name Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez.

The story revolves around several immortals, of whom, for whatever reason, there can only be one, and who therefore behead each other with swords. This doesn't prevent them from being friends, however, allowing Ramírez to become a mentor to the Highlander MacLeod.

The film's plot begins in New York City in 1985. In the underground parking garage of Madison Square Garden, we witness the first sword duel between Connor MacLeod and another immortal named Iman Fasil, who ultimately loses his head.

When we rewatched the film after a long time, we couldn't help but wonder why Iman Fasil (stunt coordinator Peter Diamond) prefers to move forward using back handsprings. The fact that all the car headlights come on and all the engines start after MacLeod decapitates him also seems a bit cheesy by today's standards. But the film doesn't dwell on questions. If you can accept that, you can have a lot of fun with this 80s fantasy action flick.

The film was directed by Australian Russell Mulcahy, who previously made his living directing music videos. This influence is clearly evident in the film. Mulcahy has a knack for lighting, flashes of light, fog machines, and elegant editing, including some very effective match cuts that connect the different timelines the movie takes us through. The episodes of MacLeod's long life begin in 1536 in the Scottish Highlands, continue through 1541, 1587, Boston in 1783, through World War II in 1943, and finally to New York in 1985.

Also worth mentioning is the story's antagonist, Victor "The Kurgan" Kruger, whom the young Clancy Brown portrays wonderfully over-the-top with memorable one-liners: "Hi. I'm Candy." – "Of course you are..."

Then, of course, there's the soundtrack by Michael Kamen and the songs by Queen. In »Who Wants To Live Forever«, the beauty of the Scottish landscape and the tragedy of immortality culminate when the aging Heather (Beatie Edney) dies in MacLeod's arms.

The film received mixed reviews at the time, but it performed very well at the box office, and, true to its immortal Highlander roots, it enjoyed further success, first on VHS, and later on DVD and Blu-ray.

Several sequels followed: »Highlander II: The Quickening« in 1991, »Highlander III: The Sorcerer« in 1994, and the spin-off series »Highlander« (1992–1998) starring Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod, an immortal from the same clan as Connor. »Highlander: Endgame« with Duncan and Connor hit cinemas in 2000, and finally, »Highlander: The Source« was released in September 2007 on the SciFi Channel.

A »Highlander« remake, directed by Chad Stahelski (»John Wick«), is currently in production, starring Henry Cavill as MacLeod, Russell Crowe as Ramirez, and Dave Bautista as Kurgan.

MacLeod and Kurgan action figures were released by NECA in 2005 in 7-inch scale. Around the same time, Sideshow released Connor in his New York trench coat outfit as a 1/6 scale figure. In 2017, he appeared in a kilt in a 1/6 scale release by Kaustic Plastik. Of course, all of these are long sold out or only available on the secondary market. But the good news is that you can currently pre-order a state-of-the-art Connor MacLeod in 1/6 scale from Iconiq Studios:
https://www.space-figuren.de/Movies/Highlander/1-6-Scale-Connor-MacLeod-Highlander::28743.html

Have fun, and don't lose your heads!

Sven and Joanna take you to the S.P.A.C.E Studio for a new episode of 💫 NEUES AUS DEM FIGUREN UNIVERSUM 💫! This time, the Witch of the Woods, a truly magical Sideshow Original, awaits you. Also featured are our February Product of the Month, the Link PVC Statue from First 4 Figures, two awesome 1/6 scale figures from Hot Toys, and a fantastic highlight from Doctor Collector for fans of »Stranger Things«. We've also picked out some amazing collectibles from our pre-order section – most notably, of course, Kaustic Plastik's and Infinite's interpretations of Eric Draven. 🐦‍⬛

We present to you these and other wonderful collectibles in NADFU episode 35 – available now on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/4xCo7xtlM68

If you don't find our Mick at home in the evening, chances are he's at the cinema again. That was the case yesterday, when he saw a preview screening of Maggie Gyllenhaal's »The Bride!«. Let's hear it, Mick, what did you think of the film?

In James Whale's »Bride of Frankenstein« from 1935, Dr. Frankenstein and Dr. Pretorius create a companion for the monster (Boris Karloff). Tragically, the creature recoils from the monster, his love remains unrequited. And so, there is only one memorable scene with the bride before the monster blows up the laboratory. Even though we only see her in this one scene, she has become an icon of classic horror cinema. Elsa Lanchester plays the bride and, in a prologue to the story, also the author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.

We find this dual role, albeit in a modified form, in Gyllenhaal's film as well. Jessie Buckley portrays both characters. In Gyllenhaal's film, the bride is finally allowed more space and to emancipate herself.

The film opens with Mary Shelley, who addresses us theatrically in a high-contrast black-and-white close-up. She introduces herself as the creator of »Frankenstein«, explains that she still had many plans, but illness and her death prevented them, and that she is searching for a way to escape her grave. This is terribly pretentious, and the film had already lost me before it even really began, even though I had been really looking forward to it.

Mary introduces us to Ida at a Mafia ball in Chicago in the early 1930s. Ida is suddenly possessed with Mary, torrents of words pouring out of her with an English accent as if she had Tourette syndrome. Ida also levels serious accusations against the leading Mafia boss, thus sealing her fate, and she quickly meets her death.

Christian Bale embodies Frankenstein's monster. His makeup is somewhat reminiscent of Karloff's mask. Bale portrays him as a lonely, sympathetic, and sensitive character. He loves the cinema, especially the dance films of that era. His on-screen hero is Ronnie Reed, played by Maggie's brother, Jake Gyllenhaal (somewhat underutilized in the role). When Frank fantasizes himself into a movie in a tailcoat and top hat, it reminds me of similar scenes from Mel Brooks's »Young Frankenstein«, and I wondered: Perhaps it's all not meant to be taken seriously?

Frank suffers immensely from loneliness and longs for a companion. He asks the brilliant scientist Dr. Euphronius, solidly portrayed by Annette Bening, for help. They exhume Ida's body and bring it to Euphronius's laboratory, where the Bride is revived. She has no memory of her life, and she is told that she is Frank's Bride and that she has suffered an accident.

Jessie Buckley as the Bride is truly a force of nature. I recently saw her in her Oscar-nominated role in »Hamnet«, and now her brilliant portrayal of the Bride, in which she unleashes an incredibly wide range of emotions – vulnerable at times, unleashed, freaky, brutal. She practically bursts off the screen.

Then there are the detectives Jake Wiles, played by Gyllenhaal's husband Peter Sarsgaard, and Myrna Mallow , portrayed by Penélope Cruz. The two are hot on the trail of the monsters, with Myrna being the clever one, but as a woman in the 1930s, she doesn't have much say.

Technically, the film is brilliant. The cinematography, set design, costumes, and overall production are all top-notch. Bale and Buckley also deliver compelling performances, and there are some truly great scenes. However, the film tries to do too much and feels somewhat disjointed. There's a truly great dance scene, but it seems to be more of an end in itself. As expected, the theme is female empowerment, which is presented for much of the film as a punky »Bonnie and Clyde« ballad, ultimately veering into »Joker« and (even worse) »Joker: Folie à Deux«.

Maggie Gyllenhaal takes a risk, but to me, the whole thing feels overambitious and, despite its undeniable quality, quite cumbersome. Ultimately, it feels like style over substance. I couldn't fully enjoy the film. Some aspects, like Penélope Cruz's role, are simply too on the nose for my taste, causing the film to undermine itself and its message. I'm not saying »The Bride!« is a bad movie, but it didn't hook me and was, unfortunately, disappointing. However, I've also read and seen reviews that praise it, so it's best to form your own opinion. Let me know in the comments how you experienced the film!

Today, the new series »Young Sherlock« premieres on Prime Video, exploring, as the title suggests, the origins of the young Sherlock Holmes.

The show is a loose adaptation of Andrew Lane's »Young Sherlock Holmes« book series, which in turn is based on the works of Arthur Conan Doyle. In the eight episodes, we follow Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Sherlock through his time at Oxford University, where the rebellious and undisciplined student befriends James Moriarty. When he becomes embroiled in a murder case and falls under suspicion himself, he must uncover a conspiracy – Sherlock Holmes' first case and the birth of the master detective!

Guy Ritchie, who already has experience with the source material, was on board as director and executive producer. His two Sherlock Holmes films starring Robert Downey Jr. in the title role are by no means masterpieces and focus more on action than complex detective work, but they are certainly entertaining. The trailer for »Young Sherlock« gives a similar impression:
https://youtu.be/rXMrTALO2ME

Will you be watching the series?

The latest Disney Pixar production, »Hoppers«, is hitting cinemas. Our Mick had the opportunity to see the 30th Pixar film at a preview screening last weekend. Here are his thoughts:

Even as a child, Mabel Tanaka loved animals more than anything. She shares this love of nature with her grandmother. Together, they spend a lot of time at a small forest lake in a clearing. Mabel promises her grandmother that she will always protect this place.

She has since grown into a rebellious nineteen-year-old, and the lake is threatened by the popular mayor, Jerry Generazzo, who wants to build a highway right through the clearing. Mabel protests the project and collects signatures as the highway takes shape. She confronts the mayor, as it ultimately affects the habitat of many animals. "What animals?" Jerry retorts. "There aren't any animals left." And indeed, the entire landscape seems deserted. If only a beaver, as a keystone species, would settle there, other species would follow.

At night, Mabel observes a beaver being loaded into a van and taken to the university. There, Mabel discovers that university lecturer Dr. Sam has developed a technique to transfer human consciousness into an animal robot, a process called 'hopping'. Mabel uses this technique, and in the form of a beaver, she meets the emigrated animals, including George, the king of the mammals. In her avatar form, she is able to communicate with the animals. However, in doing so, she also threatens the natural order, and true to her rebellious nature, she instigates a rebellion...

The film is full of endearing and beautifully animated characters who blend seamlessly into their surroundings, whether the laboratory or the forest. On the human side, the scenes between Mabel and her grandmother are the most emotional. The film relies on its visual language without explicitly stating everything. The interaction between the two forms the emotional anchor for Mabel's motivation. The animals are also wonderfully animated and a lot of fun. One clever device is the different way the animals are portrayed, depending on whether they are viewed from a human perspective or from the animal's point of view through the avatar. The film doesn't shy away from the fact that nature is brutal and a matter of predator and prey, which provides material for some decidedly dark humorous scenes.

The major themes are the destruction of animal habitats and the struggle to preserve them. The lovable beaver King George sums up the core message perfectly: "We're all in this together." The film ends on an optimistic, conciliatory note. If we only learn to look and listen, we can gain clarity and insight.

Mabel Tanaka is undoubtedly a character we can't help but care about, but beyond her relationship with her grandmother and her love of animals, we learn nothing about her, and so she unfortunately remains somewhat one-dimensional.

The film offers a number of witty ideas, but doesn't reach the originality and gag density of other Pixar or Disney productions, such as »Inside Out« or »Zootopia«. With a few exceptions (Avatar, King's Paw), the humor is aimed more at a younger audience. I also missed the pop culture references, such as the film quotes in »Zootopia«, which are geared toward an adult audience, like the scene references to »The Silence of the Lambs« or »The Shining«. 

The film is pleasant and entertaining, but it certainly won't stay with me for long. However, I'm also somewhat outside the primary target audience.

Over the past few days, we've stumbled across a handful of trailers, all promising humorous and action-packed entertainment:

Last week, Warner dropped a second trailer for the video game adaptation »Mortal Kombat II«:
https://youtu.be/b24oG7qCwp4
After Johnny Cage was absent from the first film, the fan favorite is now being recruited for part two. The washed-up action star, played by Karl Urban, is set to fight to the death alongside far more battle-hardened warriors for the fate of the world. It all looks like slightly trashy, but entertaining popcorn cinema with epic battles, which we can see on the big screen this May.
Mortal Kombat fans should also definitely check out our shop, as we have some great collectibles from the franchise on offer:
https://www.space-figuren.de/Games/Mortal-Kombat:::4684_5049.html

They're baaaaaack! 13 years after the last part, Anna Faris, Regina Hall, and Marlon Wayans return in »Scary Movie 6«! As usual, no one is spared in this new installment of the series. And over the years, the horror genre has gained several films and characters that the filmmakers can use for their parody. See for yourselves if you can spot all the references:
https://youtu.be/0fZ58S-7QP0
The film opens in theaters in June.

We won't have to wait quite that long for season 2 of the »One Piece« live-action series! The eight new episodes will be released on Netflix on March 10th – and the final trailer is seriously exciting!
https://youtu.be/-sKjdYceH04
Just in time for the release, the 1/6 scale Roronoa Zoro figure from Hot Toys is now in stock, which you can find in our shop along with Luffy:
https://www.space-figuren.de/Serien/One-Piece:::4682_5570.html

With »Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice«, Disney+ will be releasing a time-traveling, double-crossing, ass-kicking comedy on March 27th! Vince Vaughn and James Marsden play Nick and Mike, two gangsters who, along with Alice (Eiza González), get caught up in a complicated web of organized crime and time travel. The trailer certainly looks fun, even if it might already reveal a bit too much:
https://youtu.be/_p2w5G1StzA