I just heard back from CinemaCon – they showed a rough cut of DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island on Wednesday, April 15th, and the buzz is really good! Everything I’m seeing suggests DreamWorks might have another hit film on their hands. I’ve been checking out the initial reactions, and I’ll share some of the highlights below.
I recently learned that a new take on the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory story is coming to Netflix in 2027! It’s called Charlie Vs. The Chocolate Factory and it sounds really interesting. Apparently, this film explores what happens after the original story, with Willy Wonka facing the consequences of his actions during that first factory tour. He’s trying to reopen his factory, but Charlie, now a teenager played by Kit Connor, might not be too happy about it. Taika Waititi is taking on the iconic role of Willy Wonka, and Jared Stern (who directed The LEGO Batman Movie) and Elaine Bogan (Netflix’s Trollhunters) are directing. They just released a first look image, and it gives a great feel for the animated style of this new version.
The latest update, patch 3.00.02, is actually quite significant. It includes major adjustments to character balance, and addresses many previously overpowered moves.
Haneda Girl first launched for PC via Steam on May 23, 2025.
A well-known Twitch clip demonstrated players hiding from a Leaper in tunnels, exploiting the ARC’s difficulty seeing in tight spaces. Embark Studios addressed this by giving Leapers better vision, allowing them to pursue players into narrow corridors. It appears flying ARCs have received comparable upgrades.
Stickman Mayhem
You probably know that SAROS is being made by Housemarque, the team behind Returnal. It’s worth mentioning again because SAROS feels very much like a follow-up to Returnal – it’s essentially Returnal 2, even if it doesn’t have that name.
The film opens with the attack on Eternia, a scene we’ve seen bits of in the trailers. This exciting sequence features action-packed moments with Ram-Man, Fisto, and Mekaneck as they defend the palace. Man-At-Arms realizes the royal family needs to reach Castle Grayskull for safety. While fighting off Skeletor’s forces during their escape, they’re blocked by Trap Jaw. Man-At-Arms bravely stays behind to fight him, allowing King Randor, Queen Marlena, Prince Adam, and Teela to continue on. The battle is impressive, but it looks like Trap Jaw overpowers Man-At-Arms, taunting him with “You failed” before the clip ends.
IDW Publishing is gearing up for a fantastic summer! They have major releases planned for popular franchises like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sonic the Hedgehog, Godzilla, and Hello Kitty, as well as their new lines, IDW Dark and IDW Crime. The publisher has been doing incredibly well with both original stories and licensed properties – several books, including Event Horizon and Exorcism at Buckingham Palace, have already needed to be reprinted due to high demand. With sales already up, the summer releases are especially promising. Get ready for a summer packed with action, adventure, and thrills from IDW!
In episodes 3 and 4 of Shadow Lord, Maul works on two things at the same time: strengthening his criminal organization and trying to convince a young Jedi to join him and become his apprentice. He doesn’t quite succeed in turning the Jedi (not yet!), but he does make significant progress in rebuilding his criminal empire, securing a key component for his return to power.