News

The flood of new trailers just doesn't seem to stop. Since our summary yesterday, two new previews have been dropped, which we definitely don't want to leave unmentioned here.

Almost three years after the first season, which broke several records on Netflix, we can finally enjoy »Wednesday« season 2 this summer! The teaser fuels our anticipation for Wednesday's return to Nevermore Academy - even if she doesn't seem all that enthusiastic herself. In any case, we're really looking forward to sarcastic remarks, macabre humor, and supernatural adventures again. The wait for the first episodes will end on August 6th, and Part 2 of the new season will follow on September 3rd.
https://youtu.be/uQx8jKiIDTI

Fans of the Predator franchise will have to wait a little longer. The film »Predator: Badlands«, for which the first teaser has been released, is scheduled to hit theaters in November. In Dan Trachtenberg's film, a young Predator must fend for himself after being cast out by his clan before finding an unexpected ally in Thia, an android from the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, in the fight against a major threat. You can watch the dark and atmospheric teaser here:
https://youtu.be/oFkbsEKaoSE

Today, the prequel to the prequel enters its second round, as season 2 of the Star Wars series »Andor« finally launches on Disney+ with the first three episodes!

We will learn more about how the crook Cassian Andor became the celebrated rebel leader we saw in »Rogue One«. This time, the focus is primarily on his espionage activities. The new and final season is divided into four acts, each consisting of three episodes. Disney releases a block of three episodes every week, so you can enjoy each act as a whole. There's a time jump of one year between each act. Through this structure, we will see a huge development in Andor himself, but also in his fellow rebels as well as the Empire and the Dark Side.

For many fans and critics alike, »Andor« - alongside the first two seasons of »The Mandalorian« - is considered the best that the flood of Disney's Star Wars series has to offer: it boasts a gripping story, Diego Luna as the title hero is an exceptionally charming protagonist and we root for truly well-developed, impressive supporting characters like Stellan Skarsgård as Luthen Rael or Genevieve O'Reilly as Mon Mothma. The second season also promises action-packed depth and is already highly praised by critics.

We wish all Star Wars fans loads of fun with »Andor: A Star Wars Story« - May the Force be with You!

In recent days, studios have rolled out a big bunch of new trailers. Here are the most important ones with a few notes from us:


The preview for »Him« reminds us of Jordan Peele's »Nope« in terms of visual language, and that's probably not a coincidence, as Peele is one of the producers for this film. Even though the trailer remains somewhat cryptic, it certainly caught our attention:
https://youtu.be/ccmQETThJgs

The teaser for »Eddington«, Ari Aster's new film, also seems cryptic. But Aster, A24, and a cast list that includes Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone are enough for us to put the film on our watchlist:
https://youtu.be/lIpxO4KRV98

And while we're on the subject of A24, the second teaser for »Bring Her Back« by Danny and Michael Philippou, the twins who brought us the surprise hit »Talk to Me«, is once again gripping us by the guts.
https://youtu.be/G8FYzbOMatA

Mike Flanagan, whom we greatly admire, already has a place in our hearts. Add to that a Stephen King script, and that's more than enough for us to remember »The Life of Chuck«:
https://youtu.be/dOyXdwXt8d4

When it comes to major franchise films, the second trailer for »The Fantastic Four: First Steps« really makes us want more. We were particularly impressed by the retro 1960s charm.
https://youtu.be/pAsmrKyMqaA

The second trailer for »28 Years Later« is also a real banger. We're really looking forward to what the dream team of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland will present with the late sequel to their infection horror this summer:
https://youtu.be/IYGG55qwQZQ

We're still a bit skeptical about »I Know What You Did Last Summer«. The sequel/reboot, including legacy character Jennifer Love Hewitt, already smacks of an uninspired cash-grab, but let's wait and see:
https://youtu.be/9QABNfDhSxs

The teaser for the remake of »The Toxic Avenger« starring Peter Dinklage already exudes some nice Troma vibes - a piece of cultural heritage that we definitely won't want to miss:
https://youtu.be/6ADneULHxhM


Which of these will you watch in cinema?

The Force was strong this past weekend ... especially in Tokyo, where Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025 was held from April 18 to 20. After 2008, the convention made its second stop in Japan – and that was a good thing, because in the land of the two rising suns (Easter egg ;)), Star Wars is just as loved and celebrated as it is in the rest of the world. And of course, thousands of fans from all over the globe made the pilgrimage to the celebration to enjoy three wonderful days with like-minded people.

Of course, the breaking news and trailers unveiled by Lucasfilm are always eagerly awaited. There didn't seem to be quite as much of that this time, but what Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Jon Favreau announced was a very pleasant surprise for us fans:
With »Star Wars: Starfighter«, scheduled to hit theaters on May 28, 2027, we're treated to the next feature film, directed by none other than Shawn Levy (»Deadpool & Wolverine«). The incredibly talented Ryan Gosling will be on board in one of the lead roles. During his interview at Celebration, he was visibly impressed by how warmly and enthusiastically he was welcomed into the Star Wars family by the crowd of fans in the hall.
https://youtu.be/uJ97kvnA3Yw

The same thing happened to the second superstar among the Star Wars newcomers, Sigourney Weaver. She was on stage with her director, Jon Favreau, to chat about »The Mandalorian and Grogu«, which is currently in post-production and will hit the big screen on May 22, 2026. A first teaser with a few scenes was unfortunately only shown behind closed doors, exclusively to the fans in attendance at the panel. But maybe the rest of the fandom will be treated to the clip on May 4th, who knows ...
https://youtu.be/b68nrxVDsMY

Otherwise, the focus was, of course, on the two most popular TV series at the moment: »Andor« and »Ahsoka«! The stars and fan favorites around Diego Luna, Rosario Dawson, Adria Arjona, and Genevieve O'Reilly gave very pleasant interviews. A real highlight was once again Hayden Christensen, who celebrated his 44th birthday at Celebration and - yesss - was confirmed for the second season of »Ahsoka«! Filming is supposedly set to begin next week.
As expected, the fans there were of course able to see the first episode of the second season of »Andor« a few days earlier than the rest of the world. That must have been a great community experience. And Diego Luna is also just a really likeable guy, one you've definitely taken to your Star Wars heart by now, right?

In a highly emotional 3-minute clip on YouTube, and of course, an extensive panel, Dave Filoni recounted the last 20 years of Lucasfilm Animation. A fantastic retrospective, which, of course, marked its milestone with »Clone Wars«. Surprise guest Sam Witwer (the voice of Darth Maul in virtually all animated series and video games) then let the cat out of the bag:
There will be a new Disney+ animated series, already in production and set to launch next year: »Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord«! Nobody expected that, right?

Speaking of games - a very atmospheric trailer has been released for the upcoming single-player turn-based tactics game »Star Wars Zero Company«, which you should definitely check out:
https://youtu.be/rcxnRaZ6slU
The title will be released next year for PC, PlayStation5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Parallel to the convention, »Light and Magic: Season 2«, the second of three parts in the documentary series about Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm's visual effects company, launched on Disney+. It's also really worth watching - here's the trailer:
https://youtu.be/fQ_wc82dHeI

In summary, it sounded from afar like Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo was really well organized. And there was no question that the atmosphere was fantastic. The halls were not only packed with people, but also with countless booths from exhibitors and vendors offering merchandise, collectibles, memorabilia, and much more. Cosplayers proudly showcasing their passion at conventions are always a feast for the eyes at such events. There were, of course, countless classic cosplays to see - but also many costumes modified with Japanese influences, which perfectly underscored the Far Eastern feeling. Be sure to check out the »Closing Ceremony« video on the official Star Wars YouTube channel to get a few impressions - 6 minutes of goosebumps are guaranteed:
https://youtu.be/TtbeLsvYG3U

The next Star Wars Celebration will take place in the USA again, over four days, from April 1 to 4, 2027. This is where the 50th anniversary of »A New Hope« will be celebrated - well, if that's not a reason to book a ticket ;).

🐇🤯🔥☢🥚🐇 Tiny Tina and the S.P.A.C.E Crew wish you lots of colorful eggies, cozy get-togethers and hopefully not too many exploding easter bunnies! HAPPY EASTER! 🐇🤯🔥☢🥚🐇

Again it's time for a little journey to the past. Today, one of the greatest movies of the golden age of horror films celebrates its 90th birthday. We're talking about »Bride of Frankenstein«, a direct sequel to »Frankenstein« from 1931. British theater director James Whale once again took over the direction. After »Frankenstein«, »The Old Dark House«, and »The Invisible Man« Whale feared he'd be too confined to horror films. So he was initially unenthusiastic when he was asked to direct »Bride of Frankenstein«. However, he quickly recognized the tremendously artistic, satirical, and subversive possibilities the material offered. »Frankenstein« was a magnificent movie, surpassed in 1935 in many ways by »Bride of Frankenstein«.

Colin Clive returned in his role as Dr. Frankenstein, and Boris Karloff once again portrayed the monster. Valerie Hobson took over the role of Elizabeth from Mae Clarke. Ernest Thesiger gave a remarkably campy performance as Doctor Pretorius. Elsa Lanchester played both Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley and the Bride. And although she only appears in this role for a few minutes, she became one of the great icons among the classic Universal Monsters.

»Frankenstein's Bride« has lost none of its power 90 years after its premiere, and the themes it addresses are more relevant than ever. The monster as an outcast, disparaged by society because of his otherness, his longing for love and acceptance, and ultimately his rejection by a being of his own kind are heartbreaking. And on the other hand, the human hubris, that equates itself with God in the act of creation, can still be found today in an autocrat and tech mogul, albeit in a slightly different form.

The film struggled with censorship at the time. The story was considered offensive and blasphemous. This makes it all the more astonishing and amusing what James Whale has gotten away with everywhere. We recommend this classic as a triple feature with »Frankenstein« and the James Whale biopic »Gods and Monsters«. The latter is currently available in the original English version on Amazon Prime Video.

The enduring popularity is also demonstrated by the fact that two productions are currently in the pipeline reworking the classic story. We're particularly excited about Guillermo del Toro's »Frankenstein«, which is scheduled for release in November. Maggie Gyllenhaal's »The Bride« is planned for March 2026. Since it's a musical, we're still somewhat sceptical about this project, but let's wait and see.

With so much love for the Frankenstein films, we're naturally especially excited to see Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster and Elsa Lanchester as Kaustic Plastik's Bride of Frankenstein. Boris is already available for pre-order on our website, and we expect to see the first pictures of Elsa by San Diego Comic Con at the latest. Take a look at our Frankenstein section:
https://www.space-figuren.de/Filme/Frankenstein:::4681_4899.html

Starting today, you can catch a film in theaters that we at the S.P.A.C.E Headquarters have been excited about for quite some time: »Sinners« brings us Michael B. Jordan in a vampire-hunting outlaw double role as the twins "Smoke" and "Stack", who want to leave their criminal past behind by opening a juke bar in Ku Klux Klan-ridden Mississippi in 1932 ...

The trailers for this horror drama give off a bit of a »From Dusk till Dawn« vibe — with 1930s coolness and a socio-political edge rooted in the Jim Crow segregation era. »Black Panther« director Ryan Coogler once again proves that he’s got fast pacing, drama and swagger down to an art.

A unique aspect of the movie is that it was shot on analog film, using large-format 70mm cameras from the '60s and '70s, giving it a handcrafted, vintage blockbuster aesthetic that’s rare in today’s cinema. The reviews are already overwhelmingly positive, and we can imagine this might be one of the absolute cinematic highlights of 2025.

As your trusted collectibles dealer, we send packages out to the world every day, carefully packed with your eagerly awaited figures, busts, and whatever else your collector's heart desires. We're always very pleased when we hear back from you. Your joy over the new treasures definately is an incentive for us. And since we've all been infected with the collecting virus for years, we can absoluetly feel it ;).

We also find it exciting when we get to play eavesdropper and have the chance to see your collections in their entirety.

This happened again on YouTube just yesterday :). On the Lutastic channel, Nico visited our long-time customer Florian and filmed his permanent living room exhibition: The guys chatted about the passion for collecting Hot Toys figures, life-size busts of movie heroes and villains, and three-dimensional recreations of legendary movie scenes.

Collecting movie figures goes hand in hand (almost logically) with collecting and enjoying movies. Florian has also set up an extensive film archive and cinephile playback options there. Of course, proper nerdy reading material may not be missing - and it rounds up this stunning mancave.

Thank you for the insights into your hobby and passion, dear Flo. That's a wrap! And also of course a big thanks to you, dear Nico, for the good 40 minutes of nerdgasm. Here's the link to the video:
https://youtu.be/rfr3pWvN29c

»The Super Mario Bros. Movie«, »Five Nights at Freddy’s«, »Fallout«, »A Minecraft Movie« ... Movies and series with stories out of game universes dominate the box office and the streaming market. And one of the best of these creations comes in for a second round, today!

The new season of the acclaimed adaptation of Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic game »The Last of Us« has finally dropped — as of tonight, it's streaming on WOW and airing on Sky in Germany and on MAX world wide. Season 2 is based on the second part of the game series, though it’s still unclear how much of the story will actually be shown. One thing is certain: even though there are currently only »The Last of Us Part I & II« as games, a third season of the show has already been confirmed.

The second season will include at least one of the most shocking and emotionally intense plot twists in all of gaming history. A twist with the potential to deeply traumatize an entire new generation of fans. And here’s the thing — »Part II« delivers not just one, but two of these gut-punching twists. This story is definitely not for the faint-hearted. And as we’ve come to expect from HBO: "Nobody is Safe."

The trailers have already teased a new twist: a certain ability of the "Infected" — that’s what zombies are called in-universe —, which fans of the games will recognize, but which has yet to appear in the show. We're talking about spores. A new threat, but also a new opportunity for Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who’s immune to the Cordyceps fungal infection, that plays an important part in the story. Besides, Ellie has grown from a teenage girl into a young woman and a true fighter.

Pedro Pascal also returns as Joel and Gabriel Luna as Tommy. And for the first time, we’ll meet the powerful new antagonists Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and Isaac — played by Jeffrey Wright, who reprises his role from the game itself.

The seven episodes will be released in Germany weekly — starting today, April 14, and continuing every Monday morning through May 26, in the US they release Sunday evening. Here's, once more, the trailer:
https://youtu.be/_zHPsmXCjB0

And by the way, on Friday, the »Complete« edition of both games was officially announced. Which makes this feel like the tenth re-release of these games, first launched in 2013 and 2020:
https://youtu.be/AE67zDoBd7s

Sven and Eva have traveled deep into the halls of the Dwimorberg, into an enchanted forest, to Hell's Kitchen, and even into the future to bring you the hottest new collectibles in Episode 27 of 💫 NEUES AUS DEM FIGUREN UNIVERSUM 💫. Alongside Weta's epic King of the Dead Statue, the stunning Witch of the Woods by Sideshow, the badass 1/6 Daredevil by Hot Toys, and probably the coolest ride in movie history - the DeLorean time machine from BTTF2 by Blitzway - we've got plenty more exciting new releases lined up for you 🤩. Don't miss out!

Watch NADFU episode 27 on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/xq7nlJqsojc

»The Amateur« opens in theaters today, starring Rami Malek.

Charlie Heller is a brilliant but introverted decoder working for the CIA in Langley. His life falls apart after his wife is killed in a terrorist attack in London. When he receives no support from his superiors, he takes matters into his own hands and embarks on a quest for revenge. His intellect becomes his most powerful weapon.

This seems like a refreshing twist on the revenge thriller. Charlie Heller is a seemingly harmless nerd and anything but a James Bond or Jason Bourne, but you shouldn't underestimate him - brains over brawn! The trailer alone has made us really excited for the film:
https://youtu.be/DCWcK4c-F8Q

So, off to the cinema!

Today marks the long-awaited premiere of the seventh season of Netflix’s acclaimed dystopian anthology series »Black Mirror«. For the past 14 years, the show has been dissecting the dangers of our media consumption - especially through smart technology - across a wide range of genres, from horror and pitch-black satire to sci-fi dramas, crime thrillers, and more. It’s one of the longest running productions on the streaming site and also one of its most successful. The show continues to rack up Emmy wins, and the trailer for the new season already promises another spectacular ride!
https://youtu.be/1iqra1ojEvM

This time around, the cast includes Awkwafina; Paul Giamatti; Peter Capaldi in a role that eerily and bizarrely evokes Weird Al Yankovic; Emma Corrin, who was the acting highlight in »Deadpool & Wolverine«, »The Crown«, and »Nosferatu«; as well as many, many other acclaimed stars.

We stumbled across a trailer on YouTube that really blew our minds. We can already say this much: Fans of the »Predator« franchise definitely have something to look forward to this year!

Before the »Prey« successor, »Predator: Badlands«, is set to premiere in November, another film in the series will be released this summer. »Predator: Killer of Killers« is set in various locations at very different times in human history: the Viking Age, feudal Japan, and during World War II. The story follows three powerful warriors who become prey themselves in the face of the ultimate killer.

You can watch the bloody, epic preview here:
https://youtu.be/eWzPKrNoSyM

The film is scheduled to premiere on June 6th on Hulu and internationally on Disney+.

Last night, Netflix released a teaser for the fourth season of »Love Death + Robots«. The compilation of glimpses from the 10 new episodes reflects the variety of very different styles, from classic 2D animation to hyper-realistic CGI worlds, which has always been a trademark of the anthology format. This promises another wild ride through sci-fi, horror, and fantasy. We're definitely hooked! And the other good news: The new episodes will premiere in a month's time - on May 15th.

To whet your appetite, here's the promising teaser:
https://youtu.be/fnvke44Rps4

Two new trailers caught our attention in the last few days.

»One Battle After Another« is the new film by Paul Thomas Anderson starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio Del Toro, and Sean Penn. Any further information about the dark comedy thriller beyond the trailer is still quite sparse.

When their evil enemy reappears after 16 years, former revolutionaries join forces once again to save the daughter of one of their comrades.

Since it's a film by Paul Thomas Anderson, it's a no-brainer for us to watch it. The release is scheduled for September. Here's the trailer:
https://youtu.be/feOQFKv2Lw4

The western »Rust« starring Alec Baldwin gained notoriety during filming when cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed on set in a fatal accident. Baldwin fired a revolver, wrongly assuming the gun was loaded with blanks. The release of the film is not without controversy due to these tragic events.

The story takes place in 1880s Wyoming: The newly orphaned Lucas Hollister accidentally kills a rancher and is sentenced to death by hanging. By a twist of fate, his estranged grandfather, the notorious outlaw Harland Rust, frees him from prison and takes him on the run to Mexico. On their journey through the unforgiving wilderness, they must evade the determined U.S. Marshal Wood Helm and the ruthless bounty hunter "Preacher".

The film is scheduled to open on May 1. Take a look at the trailer:
https://youtu.be/q95B6Ys5h_8

Over the course of this year's CinemaCon in Las Vegas last week, we got a glimpse of what the blockbuster business of the seven biggest studios will bring us in the coming years. As expected, the menus were packed with remakes, reboots, sequels and spin-offs. However, there were also a few surprises - especially newcomer Amazon-MGM, which was represented for the first time this year and showed some genuinely exciting, fresh-looking projects. But more on that later.
Here's a selection from the presentations:

SONY
The convention kicked off with Sony on Monday, and the Japanese company set the bar high for the rest of the week.
The absolute highlight was arguably the announcement of the title of the fourth Tom Holland Spider-Man film: »Spider-Man: Brand New Day«. The unveiled logo and title point toward a soft reboot of the series after the end of the »Home Trilogy« and we could even be getting a brand-new trilogy. We'll get to see »Spider-Man: Brand New Day« in July 2026, between »Avengers: Doomsday« and »Avengers: Secret Wars«.
But that wasn't all - Sony had some real surprises up its sleeve like an »Anaconda« reboot with Jack Black and Paul Rudd and not just one, but four (!) Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes. Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson, Barry Keoghan and Joseph Quinn will portray Paul, John, Ringo and George respectively in the films of the same names, premiering simultaneously in April 2028.
We finally also got a release date for the long-anticipated sequel »Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse«: On June 4, 2027, Miles Morales will face off against himself - as Spider-Man and as The Prowler.
Other interesting announcements included »Klara and the Sun«, an adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's dystopian novel directed by Taika Waititi with Jenna Ortega in the lead role, and »Grandgear«, the first English-language film by »Godzilla Minus One« director Takashi Yamazaki. Lastly, new footage from the upcoming film »Karate Kid: Legends« was shown - and early buzz suggests it may very well live up to the 1980s classics.

LIONSGATE
Lionsgate had a clear central theme: John Wick! That the spin-off »From the World of John Wick: Ballerina« with Ana de Armas in the lead role would be coming soon was expected - but the revelation that Keanu Reeves would play a significantly bigger role than just a cameo was not. In addition, »John Wick 5«, an animated prequel series about the killer's origins, and another spin-off focusing on Caine were announced.
We were also intrigued by the presentation of the sequel »Now You See Me: Now You Don't«, continuing the action-packed magician heist franchise. A remake of »American Psycho« was also announced, which we approach with great skepticism in view of Christian Bale's iconic portrayal of Patrick Bateman. Also in the pipeline: another prequel to the »Hunger Games« franchise titled »Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping«, which will focus on Haymitch Abernathy's backstory.

WARNER BROS.
Warner Bros. didn't have a true showstopper this year, but there were still some interesting presentations. As expected, James Gunn's »Superman« was the centerpiece - though no major new details about the film or the rest of the DC universe were revealed. A cool announcement was the animated film »Dynamic Duo«, which will explore the stories of the two Robins Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, and features a unique animation style that mixes live-action/motion capture, puppetry/marionettes, and CGI.
A potentially exciting remake is »The Bride!«: Maggie Gyllenhaal is directing a horror musical based on »Bride of Frankenstein« (1935) - with Christian Bale, Jessie Buckley, and Penélope Cruz in the lead roles. The first images radiate a punk atmosphere reminiscent of the Sex Pistols.
In this context, we'd also like to mention »One Battle After Another« - a thriller-comedy by star director Paul Thomas Anderson, in which Leonardo DiCaprio shines with a kind of hobo-coolness. We'll give you a closer look at the first trailer tomorrow.

UNIVERSAL
Universal treated CinemaCon guests to an early full screening of the live-action remake of »How to Train Your Dragon«, set to hit theaters this summer - and reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. For fans of Hiccup and Toothless, the good news kept coming: the sequel is scheduled to release just two years after the first installment.
The rest of Universal's panel revolved around the number two: The surprise 2021 action hit »Nobody« starring Bob Odenkirk is getting a sequel. Teasers and trailers were also revealed for »Five Nights at Freddy's 2«, »M3GAN 2.0«, »The Black Phone 2«, »The Bad Guys 2« and »Wicked for Good«.
Speaking of »M3GAN 2.0«: While the main film sees the robot girl pull a »Terminator 2«-style turnaround to become the vigilante heroine of an action comedy, the spin-off erotic splatter film »Soulm8te« promises to be much more "adult" and bloody.

AMAZON-MGM STUDIOS
As mentioned earlier, the Amazon-MGM panel was bursting with surprises!
The biggest highlight was undoubtedly the live-action blockbuster »Masters of the Universe«. Director Travis Knight, who previously scored a hit for Mattel with »Bumblebee«, is at the helm. The cast includes Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms, Camila Mendes as Teela, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man and, most notably, Jared Leto as Skeletor. Early costume footage shown at CinemaCon was widely praised.
»Project Hail Mary« is the adaptation of author Andy Weir's (»The Martian«) third novel. Ryan Gosling and Sandra Hüller star in this absurd philosophical sci-fi story involving imminent doom, unlikely friendship, memory loss, and loads of quantum physics fantasy. We're definitely curious about this one - especially since cinematographer Greig Fraser (»The Batman«, »Dune«) is behind the camera. Epic space imagery is pretty much guaranteed!
We were particularly impressed by Amazon's thriller lineup: With »Verity«, »After the Hunt«, »Mercy«, »Crime 101«, and »Is God Is«, Amazon is serving up five thrillers that all seem fresher and bolder than most of what mainstream cinema usually delivers.

PARAMOUNT
The highlight of Paramount's panel was definitely the announced remake of »The Naked Gun« starring Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., the son of the legendary character played by Leslie Nielsen. The first short teaser is already packed with slapstick and dark humor.
Also featured: new material from the upcoming »Mission: Impossible« franchise finale »The Final Reckoning«, which could end up being one of the year's biggest films. Other announced highlights included a remake of Arnold Schwarzenegger's classic »The Running Man«, an animated theatrical film based on the »Avatar: The Last Airbender« series, and a sequel to »Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem«.

DISNEY
As we approach the release of »Thunderbolts*« and »The Fantastic Four: First Steps«, it's becoming increasingly clear that these two films might represent some of the best MCU material in years. That's likely due in part to the fact that, after »Avengers: Endgame«, Kevin Feige's team found itself in a kind of limbo without a clear direction. Now, with the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doom, it seems like a solid plan is finally taking shape - and this year, we'll begin to see that plan materialize.
Outside of the MCU, Disney's biggest upcoming stories include the live-action remake of »Lilo & Stitch«, which is already being received far better than the recent »Snow White«, as well as »Tron: Ares« featuring Jared Leto in a major role, and the third installment of James Cameron's »Avatar« series titled »Avatar: Fire and Ash«, which will show us a fire tribe and an air tribe of the Na'vi.

Today we want to take you on a little journey back in time, to 1960. Looking back, it was a very good year for horror films since four groundbreaking masterpieces of the genre were released. Mario Bava's »Black Sunday« gave Italian Gothic its first major exclamation mark, and Barbara Steele emerged a female icon. Georges Franju's »Eyes Without a Face« brought the poetry of horror to the screen, and Alfred Hitchcock's »Psycho« is arguably one of the most influential horror films in film history. Today, however, we want to talk about »Peeping Tom«.

Today, Michael Powell's film is considered a masterpiece, but things were very different in the days of its release. There were more than just bad reviews. Critics practically hated it. They said it was a film best flushed down the toilet. And audiences were also shocked. »Peeping Tom« quickly disappeared from theaters, and Michael Powell's career was virtually over. The same applies to its leading actor, Karlheinz Böhm. Seeing Sissi's Emperor Franz Joseph in the role of a psychopathic serial killer was probably just too much for audiences in 1960.

Böhm plays the shy Mark Lewis, who works as a camera assistant in a film studio. No one suspects that he was abused as a child by his father for psychological experiments. The psychology professor regularly woke his son up at night, terrified him and documented his reaction with a camera. The trauma caused by this did not go without consequences. Mark Lewis makes his own films now. He lures prostitutes or extras from his day job in front of the camera under various pretexts and places a blade against the neck of the defenseless victims. During this scenario he captures their agony and their final look, facing their death.

We experience a sympathetic serial killer, for whom we feel empathy, while the subjective camera puts us in the place of the murderer. As we sit in the darkness of the cinema, we are not just voyeurs, but become accomplices. Michael Powell himself played Mark's father and Columba Powell, the director's son, embodied the young Mark. Thus, the abuse in the story was also attributed to Powell, although nothing happened to the son of course. However, the unpleasant scenes and the brilliant production led many to project the fictional character's behavior onto the director, seeing him as the monster he portrayed. In this way the celebrated director of »The Red Shoes«, »Black Narcissus« and »The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp« almost became persona non grata.

But the film's story did have a happy ending, all thanks to Martin Scorsese. He loved »Peeping Tom«, showed it at the 1979 New York Film Festival and arranged a re-release. That's the reason it finally became known to a wider audience and found its place in the pantheon of great horror films.

Yesterday, Universal Pictures released the first full-length trailer for »M3GAN 2.0«. In line with the usual practice of modern trailers, these 2¾ minutes once again reveal far too much of the plot. If you want to be surprised, don't watch the trailer - and don't keep reading, to avoid spoilers.
https://youtu.be/IYLHdEzsk1s

After M3GAN was shut down at the end of the first film, her consciousness is now housed in a harmless, talking plastic toy. In the previous installment, she slaughtered Gemma's coworker Kurt in the elevator. We learned in passing that he had been selling trade secrets to the competition. This idea now seems to be picked up, as there's a rogue android named Amelia who was built using M3GAN's blueprints. This android is killing everyone involved in her creation, putting Gemma and Cady in danger as well. To protect them, M3GAN is brought back with an upgrade …

The plot structure is strongly reminiscent of »Terminator 2«, and visually, the film borrows heavily from »Alita: Battle Angel«. Is M3GAN the good android now? And is it really a good idea to make her stronger, faster, and bigger - given that it was already difficult to take down the small version?

The blatantly borrowed plot elements don't exactly make »M3GAN 2.0« look original. And the philosophical underpinnings seem to be as flat as a slice of toast. But the trailer has a solid pace, the story doesn't seem to take itself too seriously, and so we're expecting a piece of easily digestible popcorn cinema with plenty of slashing.

How time flies! Today marks exactly 50 years since »Monty Python and the Holy Grail« premiered in British cinemas. We take this as an opportunity to pay tribute to the brilliant comedy troupe Monty Python.

The group, consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam, produced four seasons of the BBC series »Monty Python's Flying Circus« from 1969 to 1974. The show featured sketches and animated sequences, and the world had never seen anything like it before. In many ways, Monty Python's sketches were revolutionary. Their humor was absurd, subversive, often pitch-dark, and they didn’t bother with punchlines. The comedy lay in the absurdity of the situation itself.

After their Flying Circus years, the troupe turned to filmmaking. While »And Now for Something Completely Different« (1971) was produced during the show's run and consisted of re-enacted scenes from the first two seasons as a best-of anthology, »Monty Python and the Holy Grail« (1975) was their first work with a continuous storyline. It tackled the legend of King Arthur and the quest for the Holy Grail, parodying medieval films with typical Monty Python humor.

Their masterpiece came with »Life of Brian« (1979). This tale of mistaken identity during the time of Jesus satirized religious and political dogmatism, angering both Christian and Jewish groups, who vehemently protested its release.

In 1982, »Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl« followed, and the next year saw the release of »The Meaning of Life«. That same year, the group temporarily disbanded. Their last performance with all six members took place in 1989 for the anniversary compilation »Parrot Sketch Not Included – 20 Years of Monty Python«.

Graham Chapman succumbed to cancer on October 4, 1989. The remaining Pythons attended his funeral, where Cleese and Palin gave moving eulogies. The gathered mourners then sang »Always Look on the Bright Side of Life« from »Life of Brian«.

In 2014, the surviving members reunited one final time, though they didn't present any new material. With their last show on July 20, 2014, the group officially disbanded for good. Terry Jones passed away on January 21, 2020.

Monty Python's influence on subsequent generations of comedians remains undeniable. We say thank you for all the crazy ideas — and, last but not least, for some wonderful songs that still echo in our ears today.

And as a final note for collectors: In 2002, Sideshow released a cool 1/6 scale series featuring 14 characters from »The Holy Grail« and two figures from »Life of Brian«. With a bit of luck, these figures can still be found on the secondary market today.

This week sees the release of two films worth mentioning. But let's be upfront: neither of these new releases has truly captivated us so far. Originally, the second part of Kevin Costner's epic Western opera, »Horizon: An American Saga«, was also set to premiere today, but the release was canceled at short notice. According to our information, there is no new release date yet.

The live-action adaptation of the cult game »Minecraft«, aptly titled »A Minecraft Movie«, transports Jason Momoa and Jack Black into a CGI-heavy blocky world. Unfortunately, the trailers didn't win us over at all, and Momoa's pink leather jacket almost gave us a mild retinal burn. Then again, we have to admit that we're probably not the target audience for this flick. We've read here and there that it's supposed to be quite funny, but we'll likely skip this one. For all the gamers and fans out there – here's the trailer:
https://youtu.be/wJO_vIDZn-I

Even though the preview clips for »Eden«, Ron Howard's new film, already gave away a bit too much for our taste, the cast — featuring Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, Daniel Brühl, Sydney Sweeney, and Ana de Armas — has definitely piqued our interest. »Eden« tells the mysterious true story of eight expatriates who, in the 1930s, attempted to live out their personal utopia on the uninhabited Galápagos island of Floreana — an endeavor that ended fatally for some. So if you don't mind being spoiled by the trailer — here you go:
https://youtu.be/3EVXjJWauko