News

There's exciting news about the upcoming Gollum film! »The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum«, the current working title, is scheduled to hit theaters in December 2027. As already announced, for the film, produced by Peter Jackson, Andy Serkis will not only slip into the motion capture suit again and bring Gollum to life, but will also serve as director.

On August 16 and 17, the »For the Love of Fantasy« convention took place in London. Among the stars from the »Lord of the Rings« trilogy in attendance was Ian McKellen. During a panel, the 86-year-old actor confirmed that he will reprise his role as Gandalf in »The Hunt for Gollum« and further hinted at Elijah Wood playing Frodo Baggins once again.

In the past, Orlando Bloom (Legolas), Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), Cate Blanchett (Galadriel), and John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) have also expressed interest in participating. It's quite possible that we'll see more old acquaintances again.

Speaking of old acquaintances, our friends at Weta will also be taking care of the special effects again (and will surely provide us with new Middle-earth collectibles as well 🙂).

The eagerly awaited second season of »Peacemaker«, arguably one of the best superhero series around, premieres today.

James Gunn has repeatedly proven that he has a knack for quirky heroes. What makes his scripts so unique is the delicate balance of raw action, and a keen eye for the absurd, paired with anarchic humor, an unerring sense of timing and the right choice of music. His stories are always imbued with sympathy and a great deal of heart for the characters. As with »Guardians of the Galaxy«, we can sense Gunn's love for his fucked-up heroes in »Peacemaker«, and that translates to us as well. In season 2, the master directed episodes 1, 6, and 8.

A few days ago, Gunn, along with lead actor John Cena, presented the red band trailer for the new season:
https://youtu.be/4JNGVohd9fE

That definitely fuels the hype for the series! We're also very excited about the new dance intro, this time to Foxy Shazam's »Oh Lord«.

In 2021, »Nobody« became a surprise hit. Always looking for a sure bet, »Nobody 2« is hitting theaters right now – what worked once is sure to fill the box office a second time.

Bob Odenkirk once again plays Hutch Mansell, a suburban bore with a history as a hitman. With his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen), the kids, and Grandpa David (Christopher Lloyd), Hutch travels to a small, run-down resort for a nice family vacation. Naturally, trouble's not far away, de-escalation unfortunately doesn't work, and Hutch finds himself tangling with crime boss Lendina (Sharon Stone).

If you enjoyed the first film and are in the mood for plenty of over-the-top punch-ups and even more cool one-liners, this might be just the movie for you. The trailer shows quite well what to expect:
https://youtu.be/-5X2pt95cIo

The success of the »Fallout« series adaptation last year was a very positive surprise – especially how well the production team around sci-fi masters Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy (»Westworld«) seemed to understand the source material and the retrofuturistic dystopian world of the games. The main characters Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell), Maximus (Aaron Moten), and especially The Ghoul (Walton Goggins) radiated a great deal of charisma and immersion as well. 

The series has been named alongside »The Last of Us« as one of the best game adaptations. So it was no coincidence that Amazon announced a second season only a few days after the premiere. This one will already launch on December 17 – an unusually fast turnaround for a show of this production scale – and yesterday the first teaser trailer was released, already promising more of what made the first season so great:
https://youtu.be/7TsP09cZA7o

The needle danced wildly across the seismograph's paper roll. The scientists looked at each other with concern. The head of research was the first to find his voice:
"That was a 10 on the open-ended geek scale, and rising."
His assistant breathed heavily and added tonelessly:
"We've identified Castrop-Rauxel in the Ruhr region as the epicenter. If our calculations are correct, we're expecting a toyplosion of enormous proportions on Saturday."
"Do we have a team nearby?"
"Yes, fortunately. The S.P.A.C.E Crew has been rehearsing this emergency for weeks!"

The transporter with emergency rations from Mattel, Mondo, Four Horsemen, NECA & Co. is packed. S.P.A.C.E Headquarters is on RED alert all week. Preparations are in full swing until we cover the mere 500 kilometers on Friday and travel with a host of old and new retro heroes into the eye of the storm for Toyplosion 3.2.

Hold on, dear toy addicts! Help is on the way. We look forward to seeing you!

Those who can't make it to Toyplosion will need a little patience over the next few days. Since much of our team is either in Castrop-Rauxel or on a well-earned vacation, we won't be able to respond to inquiries or process orders on Friday. In the days following the convention, there may also be slight delays in communication and shipping as we catch up with the aftermath of Toyplosion. We ask for your understanding.

Our SDCC 2025 special of 💫 NEUES AUS DEM FIGUREN UNIVERSUM 💫 is coming to an end! In this final issue, Sven and Eva dedicate themselves to a few manufacturers and collectibles that weren't mentioned in previous installments. We'll show you selected highlights from well-known brands like Dark Horse, Mattel, Mondo, and Four Horsemen, as well as some real surprises like two fantastic statues by Superkraft and Rebellion 🤩. But in addition to the awesome new figures, the lively hustle and bustle of Comic Con outside the showroom is a must. That's why we'll also take you to panels, present trailers, chat about great cosplays, and report on curious appearances and anecdotes from the exhibition halls (and beyond) 😅.
Check out NADFU episode 34 – now on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/B1iQOMf-Y2w

This week, three iconic films are celebrating their anniversaries. Who better to give a laudation than our in-house film encyclopedia on two legs? And with that, we hand over to Mick:

I always struggle with the word "cult film" because it's simply overused in marketing, but for our birthday kids this week, the term fits perfectly.

We're starting off with »Black Sunday« by Mario Bava, which hit Italian cinemas 65 years ago – not a milestone birthday, but we just had to include it. The original Italian title was »La maschera del demonio«, which alludes to the execution scene at the beginning of the film. Here we see the witch Asa having a mask with sharp spikes driven into her face. What a scene! This was my first encounter with Mario Bava, and I immediately fell in love with his art. »Black Sunday« was cinematographer Bava's first official directorial work. And hell! What images he created: the rich black and white, the nightmarish atmosphere, and then, of course, there's Barbara Steel, who exudes so much sex that the British Hammer Films looked downright old-fashioned in comparison. 

Mario Bava can claim to be the creator of two Italian horror subgenres. »Black Sunday« symbolizes Italian Gothic like no other film, and just a short time later, Bava created the blueprints for the Giallo with »The Girl Who Knew Too Much« and finally »Blood and Black Lace«. Bravo, Mario! We horror fans owe you a lot.

By the way, I've been wanting a 1/6 scale figure of Barbara Steel as Asa for years, which has only been available as a garage kit so far. Kaustic Plastik would be the manufacturer of my choice, and I hope that one day they'll hear my plea.

Birthday kid number two is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary. »The Rocky Horror Picture Show« can safely be called the mother of all cult films and one of the founders of the "midnight movie". Tim Curry's performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter is particularly memorable, and the songs are indelibly burned into my ear canals. When I first heard the opening track »Science Fiction/Double Feature« as a young fellow, the movies mentioned in the lyrics meant nothing to me, with the exception of »King Kong« maybe. I've since seen them all, and that's certainly partly thanks to »The Rocky Horror Picture Show«.

You can currently watch the film on Disney+. I'm already getting ready to throw rice.

Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Riff Raff, and Columbia made their way into the world of collectibles at the turn of the millennium in the form of 7.5-inch-tall figures released by the manufacturer Vital Toys. A second wave with three more figures was planned but never realized. The film's 50th anniversary would be a good opportunity for a manufacturer to take on the license. They would certainly end up on my shelf. With that in mind: "Don't dream it..."

»The Return of the Living Dead« celebrates its 40th screen anniversary this week. The film was written and directed by Dan O'Bannon, whom most of you probably know as the screenwriter of »Alien«. The title of the film, of course, is a reference to »Night of the Living Dead« by George A. Romero. And the prominent predecessor and founder of the modern zombie genre is also mentioned in the film's first act. »The Return of the Living Dead« doesn't take itself seriously for a single minute, although that doesn't mean it's stingy with splatter scenes, and it expands the zombie lore to include talking zombies. All I can say is: "Send more cops."

Even if the film hasn't aged well in every respect, it's still a lot of fun and has a lot of brains (in both senses of the word). If you have a subscription to the MGM+ channel on Prime Video, you can stream the film there.

The Tarman zombie and the US Army security container with a zombie were released not too long ago by Trick or Treat Studios. The Tarman also appeared as a Toony Terrors figure by NECA, and the zombies Trash & Suicide from the film's poster are available for pre-order as a Figural Dolls 2-Pack and are expected soon.

Greetings to all film fans out there
Yours, Mick

2025 is a great year for the horror genre. It got off to a good start in January with Roger Eggers' »Nosferatu«. More gothic horror will be on the horizon this fall with »Dracula: A Love Tale«, Luc Besson's take on the famous bloodsucker. Guillermo del Toro will then turn his attention to »Frankenstein« in November (unfortunately, it will likely only be available on Netflix).

A whole series of long-standing franchises received late sequels, with »28 Years Later« and »Final Destination: Bloodlines« doing particularly well with both critics and moviegoers. Even less old film series will continue in late summer and fall. The Conjuring series will get a fourth installment with »The Conjuring: Last Rites« and »Black Phone 2« kicks off a second round of the Grabber.

What's particularly pleasing this year is the large number of original films that don't follow a franchise formula and the associated overly repetitive genre patterns – »Companion«, »Sinners«, and »The Ugly Stepsister«, just to name a few.

Today, the third remarkable elevated horror film is releasing in a very short space of time. So, if you're headed to the cinema and are in the mood for horror, you'll be spoiled for choice, with »Together«, »Weapons«, and the newest addition, »Bring Her Back«, the second film by twins Danny and Michael Philippou. The young Australians already caused quite a stir with their debut, »Talk to Me«. Many critics even speak of a significant improvement, praising the direction, the actors, and, last but not least, the film's grit. We're very excited and looking forward to our visit to the cinema. To whet your appetite, here is the trailer:
https://youtu.be/1I15ttCedfY

What's your favorite horror film of 2025 so far?

In 1979, director Ridley Scott landed a massive hit with »Alien«, creating one of the most influential sci-fi horror films of all time and laying the foundation for one of the genre's biggest franchises, which is now getting a new addition, as the hotly anticipated series »Alien: Earth« launches today on Disney+!

The prequel series is set in the year 2120, two years before the events of the original 1979 film. Earth is ruled by powerful megacorporations – most notably Prodigy, which is experimenting at the cutting edge of science to achieve immortality by transferring human consciousness into synthetic bodies. One of the first success stories of this research is Wendy, a child whose mind was transferred into an artificial, adult body.
After a 65 year expedition, a spaceship called Maginot, sponsored by the rival company Weyland-Yutani, crashes on Earth. Wendy and a team of soldiers set out to investigate the situation – and come into direct contact with an existential threat. Similar to the first films, the series combines classic alien horror with depth, addressing questions of artificial intelligence, consciousness, human identity, and the power of corporations.
The trailer gives a first glimpse of the oppressive atmosphere:
https://youtu.be/ZbsiKjVAV28

The first two episodes of »Alien: Earth« are available today on Disney+. A new one follows every Wednesday until the season culminates with episode 8 on September 24. If you need to catch up, you can also watch all the films in the »Alien« franchise on the streaming service.

Once again, an indie developer is celebrating the release of a promising action-adventure game today, called »Echoes of the End«. Despite its small team, Myrkur Games offers you a picturesque fantasy world and cinematic scenes with graphically appealing characters using Unreal Engine 5. In fact, the structure and gameplay are reminiscent of titles like »God of War« or »Uncharted«. The developers focus on varied levels instead of an open world and present you Ryn as a strong protagonist who knows how to use her combat skills well.

In »Echoes of the End« the world of Aema is on the brink of war. During those uncertain times, Ryn sets out to rescue her brother from the machinations of a ruthless empire. In this adventure, she meets Abram Finlay, a wise explorer. Together, they embark on a journey that will determine the fate of all. More on that in the trailer:
https://youtu.be/nZLL2ZXAvFs

What do you think of this indie game title?

Like every Monday, we've been checking out the new trailers that have popped up the last few days. While nothing really made us jump for joy, these two films definitely seem to have great potential.

The poster for »Eenie Meanie« screams GRINDHOUSE. Whether the film can live up to its promise remains to be seen, although the R rating makes us optimistic. And we simply love watching Samara Weaving again and again. The production will be available on Hulu and Disney+ starting August 22nd. Here's the trailer:
https://youtu.be/qH6SqkWS9WA

In »Cold Storage« a mutated, highly contagious fungus escapes from a sealed facility. Two young employees, played by Georgina Campbell (»Barbarian«), and Joe Keery (Steve Harrington from »Stranger Things«), together with an experienced bioterror operative, portrayed by Liam Neeson (currently in »The Naked Gun«), must survive the wildest night shift of all time to save humanity from extinction.
Sounds pretty fun, even if the threat of a toxic fungus inevitably reminds us of »The Last of Us«. The trailer already shows some pretty gut-splattering shots and seems to have well earned its R rating. Here's a taster:
https://youtu.be/cSeXZTKeHOI
The film is expected to hit theatres sometime in 2026.

This Sunday marks exactly 75 years since »Sunset Boulevard« premiered in New York. We took the date as an opportunity to put the film back in our player and praise this masterpiece.

The very first scene, in which failed screenwriter Joe Gillis' (William Holden) lifeless body floats in a swimming pool, sets the tone for the film. We hear the voice of the off-screen narrator: "Nobody important really, just a movie writer with a couple of B pictures to his credit. The poor dope. He always wanted a pool." Little by little we realize that the dead man himself is the narrator.

By chance, Gillis, fleeing his creditors, wandered into the estate of silent film diva Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). Long forgotten by the world, the former star lives with her butler, Max von Mayerling (Erich von Stroheim), in the dilapidated but still magnificent villa. Norma has never stopped dreaming of a comeback and persuades Gillis to help her rework a screenplay. As their collaboration progresses, she proves increasingly possessive, leading him to eventually try to break away from her – an attempt for which he pays with his life.

»Sunset Boulevard« is Billy Wilder's grandiose reckoning with the merciless Hollywood system. Featuring Erich von Stroheim, the once celebrated eccentric director, silent film diva Gloria Swanson, and Cecil B. DeMille, who plays himself, as well as cameos by former silent film stars such as Buster Keaton, H. B. Warner, Anna Q. Nilsson, and gossip journalist Hedda Hopper, the film conveys a sense of authenticity and ambiguity.

If you haven't watched this classic yet, you definitely should. We are always amazed by the polished dialogue and one of the best film endings ever. Please only click the link if you have already seen the film:
https://youtu.be/SHT6cMzByjs

For today's International Cat Day, we're celebrating our beloved furry friends with a very special treat: Until Sunday, you can get 10 select 1/6 scale cat figures from JXK Studio for half price! 😺

Whether you need a fluffy sidekick for your figures or a charming addition to your 1/6 scale scene – grab your favorite feline at 50% off!
space-figuren.de/sale

»Weapons« is hitting cinemas. Last night, our Mick attended a preview screening of the film to share his thoughts on Zach Cregger's (»Barbarian«) latest work.

One night, the unthinkable happens in the small town of Maybrook. At exactly 2:17 a.m., 17 children disappear from their homes. Security cameras document them running out into the darkness. From then on, they are never seen again. The next morning, elementary school teacher Justine Gandy (Julia Garner) finds a nearly empty classroom. Only little Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher) is sitting at his desk. At the school assembly, the teacher is verbally attacked by the distraught parents. The angry father, Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), stands out in particular, accusing Justine severely. How is it possible that only the children in her class have disappeared? Surely she knows something. She may even be responsible for the students' disappearance ...

That's essentially what the film's first trailer revealed:
https://youtu.be/OpThntO9ixc
That was enough to entice us, because we naturally wanted to know immediately what lay behind this mystery. And that's all you need to know before your visit to the cinema.

I'm a huge fan of the horror genre and have seen around 1,000 horror films so far, unfortunately often with unsatisfying results. All too often, horror films tread the same, well-trodden paths, rehearse genre conventions, are unoriginal, predictable, and thus, unfortunately, rather boring.

»Weapons« is refreshingly different. At no point did I know where the story would go or what twists the next point of view change would bring. It's all masterfully constructed; I mostly didn't even see the well-placed jump scares coming. There are outbursts of explosive violence and some wonderfully absurd scenes that provide liberating comic relief. And the cast couldn't be any better.

After the film, I wanted to watch it again immediately to appreciate the subtle details in the masterful interweaving of the different narrative perspectives, and I'm sure a second and third viewing of the film will be immensely satisfying. »Weapons« is already one of the best horror films of the year for me. A must-see!

It's Wednesday – and what better way to celebrate this deliciously gloomy day than with the return of our favorite Addams offspring? After nearly three years of waiting, the iron gates of the Nevermore Academy are finally swinging open once again: Netflix is releasing the first half of the highly anticipated second season of »Wednesday« today.

Created by writing duo Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (»Spider-Man 2«, »Smallville«), and produced under the creative direction of master of the macabre Tim Burton (»Batman«, »Beetlejuice«) – who once again directed four of the eight new episodes – the series whisks us back into a world of gothic chills, high school dramedy, and supernatural Sherlock-Holmes-style sleuthing. Jenna Ortega (»Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice«) returns not only in her breakout role as the titular teenage medium Wednesday Addams, but also steps behind the camera this season as a producer.

Season 2 brings a breath of fresh (and slightly eerie) air for fans: Wednesday is joined by her younger brother Pugsley, who now also walks the hallowed (and haunted) halls of Nevermore Academy. But that's not all – the rest of the famously infamous Addams family will be stepping further into the spotlight, adding even more morbid charm and familial chaos to the mix. Looks like it won't just be lonely cello solos this time around.

Music will once again play a major role: Chris Bacon’s score – inspired by Danny Elfman’s theme – masterfully drifts between haunting music box melodies and dramatic organ-driven pathos. Bombastic classical compositions, performed by Wednesday on her cello, underscore her frustration whenever she hits a dead end in a case. And familiar songs from the past 60 years are given a modern, eerily glamorous Addams-Family makeover. Which brings us to the final question: will there be another pop culture moment that breaks the internet – just like Jenna Ortega’s iconic dance in Season 1? TikTok is waiting, fingers poised.

The first trailer for »Shelby Oaks«, the feature film directorial debut of YouTube film critic Chris Stuckmann, dropped! Check it out here:
https://youtu.be/uIptaJR3v08

When we think of film critics who switched sides, prominent names like Peter Bogdanovich and Paul Schrader immediately come to mind, and of course, we think of the authors of the Cahiers du cinéma, such as François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, who significantly influenced cinema with the Nouvelle Vague.

Oh, wait a minute. Time out! Let's press the pause button here for now. Of course, film reviews on YouTube can hardly be compared to the film analyses of Cahiers du cinéma. Only rarely are they in-depth analyses. In the YouTube film bubble, we primarily encounter opinion videos – some more, some less competent and well-founded. Many, and Chris Stuckmann is undoubtedly one of them, are driven by their love of cinema. They are approachable, and we don't experience them as aloof, but rather as guys and girls next door who share our passion for films, and who are open to communicating with their followers.

Leaving aside the topic of film criticism and thinking of YouTubers who make films, we are reminded of, on the one hand, horrifying examples – films like the unspeakable German »Kartoffelsalat – Nicht fragen!« (IMDb rating: 1.3). But on the other hand, there are also great talents like the Australian Philippou twins, who, after their highly acclaimed debut »Talk to Me« are proving with their second film »Bring Her Back«, which came out this summer, that they are a force to be reckoned with in the future and much more than just a one-trick pony.

Chris Stuckmann has been working on his passion project, »Shelby Oaks«, since the mid-2010s. The audience at the 2024 Fantasia International Film Festival received the crowdfunded film very positively, and we admit that we're quite biased – as a film and horror fan, Chris is one of us.

We're very pleased that Mike Flanagan (»The Life of Chuck«) is listed as executive producer and that NEON has been found to distribute it. The film will be released in the US on October 3rd. Where, when, and how it will be released internationally has not yet been announced. Of course, we hope to see »Shelby Oaks« here as well and get stuckmanized!

No worries, dear action-figure connoisseurs: Of course, we haven't forgotten about NECA in our SDCC 2025 special of 💫 NEUES AUS DEM FIGUREN UNIVERSUM 💫! In this episode, Sven and Mick discuss in detail all the new releases from the manufacturer's booth at this year's San Diego Comic Con. And as always, NECA has managed like no other to transport us back to our childhoods with wonderful new figures of the Turtles, Garfield, and the inhabitants of Sesame Street 🥰. Horror fans will also get their money's worth, with spooky new collectibles from »Terrifier«, »Scream«, the Universal Monsters, and many other horror franchises 😱. And last but not least they had a special highlight from the new »Predator« film in store ... Check out NADFU episode 33 – now on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/zBuDaUGyAUE

A few days ago, Warner Bros. dropped a trailer for »The Conjuring: Last Rites«:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMgfsdYoEEo

When »The Conjuring« was released in 2013, both fans and critics were equally thrilled. The film, centered around the paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga), impressed with its outstanding sound design and gripping cinematography. As a viewer, it was nearly impossible to escape the steadily rising tension. The film became a huge success and spawned not only sequels but also a number of spin-offs.

While the spin-offs (»Annabelle«, »The Nun«) from the Conjuring universe have always been met with mixed reviews, the main series maintained a consistently higher standard. Still, even here, a downward trend became noticeable – especially with the third installment, which drew considerable criticism from reviewers.

Now, the fourth Conjuring film is just around the corner. It's expected to mark the end of this influential franchise. Naturally, we're hoping for a glorious finale and a horror experience that will leave a lasting impression.

The film focuses on the case of the Smurl family, who live in Pennsylvania and have long been plagued by shocking, supernatural phenomena. The events grow increasingly threatening – and at some point it becomes clear: Ed and Lorraine Warren must step in. During their investigation, they discover they're facing a demonic presence they've encountered before.

»The Conjuring: Last Rites« will hit cinemas this September. The film is once again directed by Michael Chaves, who was also responsible for the third installment.

Due to minor server issues, some of our confirmation emails and responses are bouncing off the virtual walls of our fortress. We apologize if you haven't received an email from us today or in the past few days – we're working on resolving the issue, and you should receive a response later this week.

Weta, of course, couldn't be left out of our Comic Con highlights reviews. That's why Sven and Tobi dedicate the fifth installment of our SDCC 2025 special of 💫 NEUES AUS DEM FIGUREN UNIVERSUM 💫 to the New Zealand manufacturer and present to you the biggest eye-catchers from the Weta booth – most notably the impressive 1:6 scale Fellowship Masters Collection statue and their amazing Lara Croft renditions 😍. The two also take you on a quick visit to the Elite Creature Collectibles booth, where you'll find some seriously awesome dinosaur collectibles and great pieces for fans of »Jaws« and »Hellboy« 🦖. Be sure to check out NADFU Episode 32 – now on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/yoFXukuj2rI