Fans will be excited to hear that Charlie Cox is returning as Daredevil for season 2, and he’ll be wearing his iconic red suit! It’s a welcome bit of nostalgia, especially in this animated series which presents a different take on the Marvel universe than the live-action movies starring Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. It’s nice to see familiar elements in this alternate world.
Released in 2014, *The Maze Runner* kicked off a popular film series, followed by *Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials* and *Maze Runner: The Death Cure*. Based on James Dashner’s books, the movie stars Dylan O’Brien as Thomas, a teenager who finds himself in a mysterious maze with no memory of who he is. Along with other boys known as the Gladers, Thomas works to escape, quickly realizing the maze is dangerous and part of something much larger. Directed by Wes Ball, *The Maze Runner* was a huge hit around the world and remains a highly-regarded young adult science fiction film.
The fact that this list of truly great science fiction movies is relatively short speaks volumes about the quality of the genre. Many sci-fi films remain beloved decades after their release. Attempts to remake these classics often fall flat, lacking the original’s personality and appeal – think of the 2008 version of *The Day the Earth Stood Still* or the 2012 *Total Recall*. However, the four movies below are exceptional – they’re not just remakes, they actually surpass the originals, often making the earlier versions less well-known.
The Avengers have had a lot of members over the years, and while most were great, some just didn’t quite fit in. A few were actively harmful to the team, and one or two caused so many problems it’s best not to dwell on their time with the Avengers. While they usually meant well, good intentions aren’t always enough to make a successful team member.
The *Saved By the Bell* episode “Wrestling with the Future,” which first aired on October 10, 1992, focuses on the group’s anxieties about college. Slater (Mario Lopez) is torn between a wrestling scholarship to the University of Iowa and his father’s desire for him to attend West Point. Typical for the show, Zack (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) tries to help by pretending to be Slater during a visit from a congressman. Meanwhile, Jessie (Elizabeth Berkley) worries she hasn’t been accepted to any colleges. The episode also featured a guest appearance by Michael Jai White, who later became known for his roles as Spawn and Bronze Tiger in *Arrow*.
The actor strongly defended the show against criticism about its place in the established Marvel timeline, bluntly telling those who disagreed, “Go f yourself – we’re proud of what we did.” The response on X (formerly Twitter) was varied, with some viewers calling the show only average. However, others, like one user who praised actor Clark Gregg, supported it, saying, “Well said! I really enjoyed SHIELD, and despite some issues with the final seasons, I still consider it part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”
I’m so excited for the premiere of Wonder Man! Simon Williams, the man behind the Wonder Man, is going to be amazing. It all starts January 27th at 6 PM Pacific Time, exclusively on Disney+! I’ve already marked my calendar.
If you’re not familiar with it, *King of the Hill* has done Halloween episodes before, with two stories set during the holiday in the town of Arlen, Texas. These episodes, “Hilloween” from season four and “Pigmalion” from season nine, both offer a unique take on spooky season. What sets these apart from Halloween episodes on *The Simpsons* is that they focus on the everyday lives of the characters in their own town, rather than placing them in parodies of famous movies or trends. The characters of Hank, Peggy, Bobby, and their friends could certainly work in a parody setting, but these episodes capture the spirit of Halloween in a more grounded and authentic way.
Many great horror movies start with a fantastic idea, but don’t have enough time to fully develop it or the deeper stories hinted at within. A TV series, however, can take that initial idea and build it out in all directions, turning a simple story into a much larger, more detailed world. It allows for iconic villains to be given compelling backstories, making them even scarier, and for the characters who survive to deal with the long-term consequences. The most successful adaptations use the extra time that television offers to create something that honors the original while also becoming richer and more impactful.
MachineGames, the studio behind the *Wolfenstein* series and the recent *Indiana Jones and the Great Circle*, recently celebrated its 15th anniversary with a thank you message to fans on X (formerly Twitter). Along with the message, they shared a graphic showing all the games they’ve made. The lineup is mostly *Wolfenstein* titles, with *Indiana Jones* being the most recent release. Notably, there’s an empty box with a question mark after *Indiana Jones*, strongly suggesting a new game is in development.