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Exactly 40 years ago today, »Ghostbusters« came to cinemas in the US 👻! That's why June 8 is being celebrated as the annual »Ghostbusters Day« - this year though for a very special anniversary.

We are pretty sure that something strange will be going on at the firehouse in Manhattan - and we are absolutely excited to find out what manufacturers of toys and collectibles will be dropping this weekend. Maybe NETFLIX will give us a first teaser on the upcoming animated series? And how about a 1/6 Phoebe Spengler figure, finally - why not by Blitzway 😍!

We from the S.P.A.C.E Crew are extremely grateful for this wonderful franchise and we are looking forward to everything there is to come. Let's send some really special congrats for the 40th birthday and a huge THANKS for these stunning movies that accompany so many of us until this day to heaven, to Harold Ramis und Ivan Reitman 💖!

There are two great options for tonight - depending on the weather: either roast some marshmallows or watch »Ghostbusters« - or best both 😜! Happy GHOSTBUSTERS DAY 🥳!!!

"Pop quiz, hotshot. There's a bomb on a bus. Once the bus goes 50 miles an hour, the bomb is armed. If it drops below 50, it blows up. What do you do? What do you do?"

Sometimes it's a very simple premise like this one that makes for a really exciting film. The whole thing takes place in the murderous traffic of Los Angeles, but that's not all - the script throws a few nasty obstacles in the way on top of that. And of course, there's the enchanting Sandra Bullock as a passenger and reluctant bus driver; Keanu Reeves as a SWAT officer who tries to save the day for her and the other passengers; and Dennis Hopper as a brilliant and unpredictable bomb builder with a psychopathic charm. These are the ingredients for a film that celebrated its Hollywood premiere 30 years ago today. The title »Speed« said it all and the film is still a gem of action cinema with an Oscar-worthy performance by Dennis Hopper.

As a throwback, here's the original trailer from 1994:
https://youtu.be/8piqd2BWeGI

And if you're really keen on the film now, you can find it streaming on Disney+. Buckle up!

Do you already have plans for your weekend film program? If not, we have a Netflix tip for you. A few days ago, the streaming service added »Godzilla Minus One« to their program. Mick watched the film a few days ago and was completely blown away. Let's hear it, Mick!

Well, who would have thought that I would one day praise a Godzilla film to the highest degree? Anyone who knows me knows that I don't really get much out of the franchise. I do recognize the historical significance of the original film and that the film is to be understood as a metaphor and reflects the Japanese trauma of the war and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When I think of all the later films, however, I mainly think of men in rubber suits stomping around, destroying model cities or gigantic CGI monsters that punch each other in the face and degrade the human actors to extras.

»Godzilla Minus One« is completely different. The film goes back to the roots, setting its story in post-war Japan and placing its human protagonists at the centre of the plot. The characters are as likeable as they are relatable. Toho Studios shows the western Monsterverse blockbuster makers how to do it right. It's not about wasting gigantic budgets on a soulless spectacle and limiting yourself to just tickling our retinas, but about telling good stories that grab us emotionally. We understand the inner conflict of the kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima, his survivor's guilt, his grief. We care about him, we connect with him and empathize. And the good story didn't stop the film from bringing the Oscar for best visual effects to Japan. In my opinion, this is the best Godzilla since 1954. May Hollywood take a lesson from this! 

We were also blown away by the Godzilla Ultimate Diorama Masterline Statue by Prime 1, a congenial masterpiece from the Japanese high-end statue maker:
https://www.space-figuren.de/Movies/Godzilla/Godzilla-Ultimate-Diorama-Masterline-Statue-Bonus-Version-Godzilla-Minus-One::27406.html

With »The Acolyte, the next STAR WARS show launches today on Disney+ - again right away with two episodes. There was a big buzz up front around showrunner Leslye Headland and also the trailers have been accepted by fans with a very subdued ehtusiasm ...

It has to be clear to every STAR WARS fan that we are facing only novelties in »The Acolyte«: all new, never encountered before characters, a totally different epoch and a new person as the mastermind of the project. This of course can be a hit, but it can also be a total miss.

Sven took the afternoon off to immediately watch episode 1 & 2. His first review in short:
Hmmmm! There's definately more to come - or less, because especially at the beginning things went unexpectedly, well almost dissapointingly, fast. The look is good, the music by Michael Abels is almost even better - but the rest? Let's wait for the next episode next week. We will give the show enough time, of course. But so far, it probably blew away only some very few viewers.

The one and only bad boys are back! The new movie »Bad Boys: Ride or Die« is currently bringing lots of action to cinemas. The well-known duo Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are on screen again in the fourth part of the »Bad Boys« series. As always, the two actors want to win the viewers over with a lot of charm and humor. For a warm-up we recommend the latest trailer:
https://youtu.be/ZTQyMmz-cQE

Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett go from hunters to hunted. Within the Miami Police Department a corruption scandal is uncovered, which causes the two to get tangled up in an intrigue. Now they are forced to flee and solve the case with less-than-legal methods.

Last weekend, the MONSTERPALOOZA took place at the Pasadena Convention Center in California and simultaneously celebrated an anniversary. For 15 years, the convention has presented us with the best of horror!

More than 450 exhibitors were present at Monsterpalooza, including many make-up artists, cosplayers, sculptors and of course collectibles manufacturers. Among them were Elite Creature Collectibles, who presented not just their well-known Hellboy statues at their booth, but also the life-size E.T., which is currently pending approval. They also showed a new creation by artist Akihito Ikeda, the insanely detailled and fascinating Sallasenien statue. Premium Collectibles Studio did not have their own booth but a few of their pieces could be admired by visitors at the Monsterpalooza museum. One of them was the new »The Howling« Werewolf statue in 1/3 scale, which is definitely impressive with its fur application. We were very surprised by the new manufacturer Reventure Studios, who presented their very first statue at the convention: the Egyptian Queen, based on the famous artwork by Frank Frazetta. On the YouTube channel Secret Sanctuary you can find a short interview with one of the founders of Reventure Studios, Dave Igo, who has already worked for Gentle Giant, Sideshow and Tweeterhead before, as well as videos with pieces by the aforementioned manufacturers: 
https://www.youtube.com/@thesecretsanctuary/videos

Gabriel Garcia uploaded some great photos of various exhibits and cosplayers on his Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10229181072304453&type=3

Of course, some guest stars were present as well, who provided fans with autographs and photos. Among them were Giancarlo Esposito (»Breaking Bad«), Matthew Lillard (»Scream«), Melissa Barrera (»Scream«), Tony Todd (»The Candyman«) und Linda Blair (»The Exorcist«). Director Fede Alvarez was there too and answered many questions regarding his new film »Alien Romulus« together with special effects masters Shane Mahan and Alec Gillis. You can watch a recording of this panel here:
https://youtu.be/tTiov2nDrnk

After the second part of the »Venom« series in 2021 and the announcement at the CinemaCon in 2022, Sony Pictures finally dropped the trailer to make us anticipate the third movie. Since lead actor Tom Hardy already confirmed before the first »Venom« movie, that he signed a contract with Sony for three movies, it was only a matter of time for the release date of »Venom: The Last Dance« to be announced. The grand final will debut in cinemas this October. Just like the previous parts, the movie was directed by Kelly Marcel, who also wrote the screenplay in cooperation with Tom Hardy.

Eddie and Venom prepare for their last dance. They are on the run and the circumstances force them to make a decision, which has serious consequences. We are looking forward to seeing what the finale will bring and what will happen to the anti-heroes in the end. The trailer definitely promises suspense, the typical »Venom« humor and emotions! Take a look by yourself:
https://youtu.be/__2bjWbetsA

From April 27th to June 2nd, the Hot Toys travelling exhibition »Star Wars: The Power of The Dark Side« was on display at Cityplaza in Hong Kong. Other stops will be Shanghai, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea and the Philippines. As the motto of the exhibition makes clear, the focus is on the Dark Side of the Force and the manufacturer presents Sith, villains and henchmen from the ever-expanding Star Wars universe of films, series, comics and video games.

The exhibition also included May 4th, the worldwide holiday for all Star Wars fans. That's why there was a hail of Star Wars collectibles in May, including Kit Fisto, Darth Sidious, Darth Maul with Sith Speeder and a Luke Skywalker that's based on the »Dark Empire« comic. Discover our Star Wars pre-orders by Hot Toys:
https://www.space-figuren.de/Hot-Toys:.:8.html?language=en&filter%5B2%5D%5B0%5D=23&filter%5B0%5D%5B0%5D=40

A whole series of exclusive figures were also shown at the event, such as Triple Zero, Obi-Wan Kenobi in Mandalorian armor and an Imperial Commando figure from »The Bad Batch«. Not all of the figures exhibited in Hong Kong are available for pre-order yet. Unfortunately, Hot Toys is also known for showing prototypes that don't always find their way into production and ultimately to collectors. As always, we'll have to keep our fingers crossed. We were particularly excited about a Death Trooper from »Ahsoka« with a battle-damaged helmet that reveals a gruesomely beautiful zombie head.

Of course, Hong Kong and the next stops of the travelling exhibition are far away, so we can't just fly over there. Luckily, YouTube exists and we recommend Justin's Collection's commentary on a tour of the exhibition:
https://youtu.be/6cGKBcl9nq8

Have fun and may the Force be with you!

Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot is one of the most well-known opponents of Gotham City's Dark Knight. His love of ornithology as well as his prominent appearance and demeanor have lended him his nickname PENGUIN.

The Penguin is a cunning villain and fancies himself a Gentleman of Crime with a love for technical gadgets in his umbrella, which is always ready to hand. Batman often has to get in his way to protect the people of Gotham from his plans. He is definitely one of the most beloved bad guys from the DC universe.

Hence it's no surprise to anyone, that quite a few top-notch actors have dared to wear Oswald Cobblepot's costume. The last one was Colin Farrell, who played the role in Matt Reeves' »The Batman« and is also going to portray him again in the mini-series »The Penguin«, which will premiere on Max this fall. Here's a teaser:
https://youtu.be/DQghiGQi6Lo

It's all the more surprising that there haven't been very many collectibles of him. That's why we're especially happy that we finally received this incredibly detailled The Penguin Premium Format Figure by Sideshow (the very first Premium Format Figure of the Penguin, in fact)!

The whole S.P.A.C.E team has come together in the Iceberg Lounge to discuss the 💥 Product of the Month 💥 in June. Unanimously, we decided that Mr. Cobblepot had secured the throne. We promise, there have been no bribes 😇!

James Maury Henson aka Jim Henson was a director, producer, puppeteer and one of the creative masterminds behind the Muppets and TV and film classics such as »Sesame Street«, »The Dark Crystal« and »Labyrinth«.

Director Ron Howard is dedicating the documentary »Jim Henson: Idea Man« to his life's work, which portrays his career, his creations and his close collaboration with his wife Jane Henson. Family members and colleagues of Henson get a chance to remember and speak about their time with the visionary, who passed away in 1990.

The curious among you can watch the trailer here:
https://youtu.be/iyGFV6VIxkI

The film is available on Disney+ as of today.

We are back with 🚀 ABGESPACED 🚀 - after a small break, we can now finally present to you episode 37 🥳!

This time, Joanna and Sven got together in the S.P.A.C.E Studio to show you the most exciting new collectibles, to chat about interesting news from Middle-earth and the Star Wars Universe and to take a look at the hottest trailers 🤩. We also grant you an extensive look at our current product of the month, the amazing Captain Future statue by Fariboles Productions. On top of that, we once again have new postcards, a great goodie and a very special first look 😉!

Don't miss out - now on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/Kcs84K1H_cQ

»Late Night with the Devil«, a film that was already celebrated by audiences at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2023 is finally being released in cinemas.

Talk show host Jack Delroy, played by David Dastmalchian, is the eternal number 2 behind talk show legend Johnny Carson. Delroy had withdrawn for a while after a personal tragedy. When he returns, the ratings of his late night show »Night Owls« have dropped. His star is sinking and a spectacular Halloween special is supposed to fix it and become his big comeback. The guests on his show are people with paranormal abilities, debunkers who want to expose the tricks and a girl who was the sole survivor of a cult's mass suicide and is allegedly possessed by the devil.

The recording of the show from 1977 is presented in found footage style, but is also repeatedly broken. We think that sounds like an interesting setting and a fresh idea - exorcism with a twist! And even if the horror is somewhat limited according to critics, we are definitely interested. Take a look at the trailer:
https://youtu.be/cvt-mauboTc

The 77th Cannes International Film Festival took place on the French Côte d’Azur from May 14th to 25th. After the final gala and awards ceremony at the main venue in Cannes on Saturday, we would like to summarize the winners of the competition and other exciting events here.

The first honorary prize was awarded at the opening ceremony on May 14th. Meryl Streep received this award for her life's work. She also opened the gala with Juliette Binoche. The awards from the official competition were then presented on the last day of the festival. The main prize for "Best Film" was won by »Anora«, a romantic dramedy by director Sean Baker. The "Grand Jury Prize" and "Jury Prize" went to Payal Kapadia for »All We Imagine as Light« and Jaques Audiard for »Emilia Perez« respectively. Four women, Adriana Paz, Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez, were awarded "Best Actress" for their acting skills in Audiard’s musical comedy. Jesse Plemons won "Best Actor" for his performance in Giorgos Lanthimos' latest work, »Kinds of Kindness«. Miguel Gomes won the award for "Best Director" for his historical drama »Grand Tour«, while Coralie Fargeat was honored for the script of the body horror film »The Substance«, which she also directed. The jury awarded its special prize to the Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasulof, whose film »The Seed of the Sacred Fig« deals with the ongoing protests against the authoritarian government in his home country. Two more palms of honor were awarded at the closing ceremony. In addition to the Japanese animation studio Ghibli, George Lucas was given the honor of accepting a lifetime achievement award. In a sense, this brought Lucas full circle, as his feature film debut »THX 1138« was shown at the film festival in 1971.

Another highlight of the event was certainly the premiere of Kevin Costner's »Horizon: An American Saga«. The first film of the four-part western epic celebrated its premiere in Cannes and was applauded by the audience with an eleven-minute standing ovation. This summer, we will be able to see the film for ourselves in cinemas. And yes, now it has definitely made our "must see list" this year!

In just a few weeks we are expecting the 1/6 Terence Hill figure by Kaustic Plastik from the film »They Call Me Trinity«, that you and we have longed for. Our Mick already had cause for celebration thanks to an early copy. And of course he couldn't keep his hands off the figure even during his vacation. Well, typical when someone turns his hobby into a job. He made use of the time to take extensive photos of Terence and Bud in the self-made saloon and to describe his impressions of Terence Hill alias "Trinity" in a detailed review. You can find it in the Action Figure District:
https://action-figure-district.de/kaustic-plastik-infinite-statue-collectibles-terence-hill-they-call-me-trinity/

For everyone who pre-ordered, we have a little update: Since most ships currently still have to take the "detour" via South Africa, the arrival of the container will take until around mid-June. But that is now finally foreseeable :)

After recently enjoying the teaser trailer for »Beetlejuice Beetlejuice«, we have now been surprised with the first full trailer. Of course, the output is already being discussed in detail online and is largely received very favorably. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the film could become a generational event: on the one hand there are the nostalgics, who fondly remember their childhood and the first contact with the Bio-Exorcist. And then we have the younger »Wednesday« fans, who celebrate Jenna Ortega as the top of the scream queens and are equally excited about the upcoming film.

While the teaser trailer was mainly aiming at creating the old Beetlejuice magic through atmospheric cuts and music, we can draw more conclusions about the story from the new trailer: An important aspect seems to be the mother-daughter conflict between Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) and her daughter Astrid Deetz (Jenna Ortega). Of course, as a teenager, Astrid is committed to the spirit of rebellion. When she comes across a trail of the ghost Beetlejuice, she apparently dismisses all warnings from mother Lydia and decisively contributes to the manifestation of the Bio-Exorcist.

Watch the trailer here:
https://youtu.be/CoZqL9N6Rx4

Are you going to check out »Beetlejuice Beetlejuice«? The movie will be released in cinemas this September. By the way, we're not just excited for the film, but also for the 1/6 Beetlejuice figure by Sideshow, which you can pre-order in our shop:
https://www.space-figuren.de/Filme/Beetlejuice/1-6-Scale-Beetlejuice-Beetlejuice::27063.html

Today, we're returning to the post-apocalyptic wasteland created by George Miller from the world of »Mad Max«, which has captivated viewers since 1979 with the release of the first film in the series.
»Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga«, which is hitting theaters right now, tells us the backstory of the titular character, who we got to know in 2015 in »Mad Max: Fury Road«, then played by Charlize Theron. In the prequel she is now played by Anya Taylor-Joy, while the young Furiosa is portrayed by Alyla Browne. After she is kidnapped as a child by a horde of warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), she finds herself caught between the fronts of his power struggle with Immortan Joe as she tries to fight her way back home to freedom.
The trailer already got us in the mood for the film and we are excited to see the events surrounding Miller's heroine from the previous part of the series. »Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga« promises us an epic, action-packed spectacle and brilliant performances from the actors. Will you take a trip to the cinema for this?

Many of us are children of the 80s. What a great decade for cinema! If we look back 40 years, the year 1984 is no exception and brought us films like »Ghostbusters«, »Terminator«, »A Nightmare on Elm Street«, »Gremlins«, »The NeverEnding Story«, »Beverly Hills Cop« and »Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom«, which celebrates the 40th anniversary of its US theatrical release today.

After »Raiders of the Lost Ark« in 1981, this was the second Indiana Jones film and it was the first time that Steven Spielberg made a sequel, or rather a prequel, because the film takes place a year before the story of the Ark of the Covenant. And Spielberg wouldn't be Spielberg, if he hadn't done many things completely differently than in the previous movie. Instead of copying himself, he dared to do a lot of new things. And so the film became a lot darker than its predecessor.

Looking at the reception of the original trilogy, the »Temple of Doom« did worst. It was also controversially received by large parts of the audience due to its depiction of violence. Child slaves and a torn out, pulsating heart was simply too much for many parents when they went to see the flick with their kids and expected entertainment for the whole family. The film led to the introduction of the PG-13 category in the MPA film rating system. In India, the film was even banned for a while due to its negative portrayal of the country. And Spielberg himself also considers the film to be the weakest of his four Indiana Jones films. For him, the best thing about the film was that he met actress Kate Capshaw during filming, whom he has been married to since 1991.

But let's be honest, even if the film doesn't quite live up to »Raiders of the Lost Ark« and »Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade«, it is definitely better than »Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull«. We think Steven is judging himself a bit too harshly. The first 20 minutes of the film alone provide such a breathless tour de force that makes the majority of modern action films pale in comparison. And many filmmakers would certainly be happy if they were able to pull off such a masterpiece.

Here we are experiencing a directorial work by Spielberg in which he doesn't have the editing room in mind and we like this lack of compromise, where violence can also be entertainment. The film represents a turning point in Spielberg's work. Although there are depictions of violence in his later films, they are always much less drastic and embedded in a more serious context.

We love Indiana Jones. The man with a fedora and a whip is one of our great cinema heroes from one of the most exciting decades of cinema - a love that is also reflected in many great collectibles:
https://www.space-figuren.de/Filme/Indiana-Jones:::4681_4972.html

»Longlegs« will be released in cinemas this summer. The psychological thriller by Oz Perkins with massive horror influence is about the FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe). Harker is a newcomer, but gets involved with a case that has it all: A serial killer is spreading havoc. During her investigation, Harker comes across a network of occult motifs that need to be unraveled in order to track down the killer. But the closer she gets to the secret, the clearer it becomes that the young agent also has a personal connection with him.

Judging by the trailer, we can expect an atmospherically dense thriller reminiscent of »Sinister« or the first season of »True Detective«. Strange letters in transparent envelopes, yellowed Polaroid photos and the Book of Revelations: If that doesn't make you feel like exploring the dark secrets of »Longlegs«, you probably don't belong to the target audience.

By the way: the film is causing a sensation, among other things, because the legend Nicolas Cage is part of the cast. He plays the titular serial killer Longlegs. Are we going to see the most disturbing Nicolas Cage of all time here? We are excited and looking forward to another highlight in this bloody cinema summer (»Alien: Romulus«, »MaXXXine«).

Here is the trailer:
https://youtu.be/OG7wOTE8NhE

A few days ago, the streaming service Max (formerly HBO Max) released a trailer that takes us on a journey far into the past. The series »Dune: Prophecy« takes place approximately 10,000 years before the birth of the film protagonist Paul Atreides and acts as a prequel to the first part of Denis Villeneuve’s »Dune« film series. The show tells of the founding of the Bene Gesserit by the sisters Valya and Tula Harkonnen, who want to try to protect humanity. We're excited to see how the powerful sisterhood with its supernatural powers got its start. The trailer promises a show full of power struggles and intrigue:
https://youtu.be/EEoQAoEGLhw

»Dune: Prophecy« is scheduled to premiere in the US on Max in autumn 2024. When and where exactly the series will be shown here is still unclear.