Just like the headline says, Harley Quinn is running for Mayor of New York City. Maybe she heard what a dumpster fire the subways have become over the last year there. Then again, that's not even the Mayor's job. Anyway, I digress.

"To tie in with the actual race in New York, Harley Quinn is going to run for Mayor," Jimmy Palmiotti revealed to reporters at San Diego Comic-Con. The NYC mayoral election takes place on November 7th this year, and once Harley's 25th anniversary celebration in September concludes, they're throwing her right into politics. This will surely go over really well with many of our commentors.

"She's had enough with what's going on," Palmiotti says, without explaining exactly what that is. I can only assume it's the subways, because seriously, they're terrible, but that might just be me projecting. "She has a beef with the mayor and she figures out a way to run against him."

Her running mate? Why, Poison Ivy, of course. "While she's running you'll be seeing a lot of members of the Batman family coming in and having their say about what's going on."

The results of Harley's run will come in right around Election Day (which is a Tuesday), so maybe that issue will arrive on Wednesday the 8th.

"If we have a President who can get away with anything, imagine what Harley can do," Palmiotti said. Under ordinary circumstances this would be an amusing joke, but since we now live in a nightmare world where facts don't matter and there are no consequences for the actions of a real life grotesque clown with the power to kill all of us, it seems almost wistful.

"Vote Harley" by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti kicks off with Harley Quinn #27 on September 6th, and will conclude in November with #29. Just in time for Election Day. If she can do anything about the subway problem, she'll have my vote.

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

In the world of comics, licensed properties are usually very nomadic. A video game or TV show can move from company to company over the course of several years. It shouldn’t be shocking when one of these agreements end, but there are some relationships that go on for so long that the property and publisher and synonymous with each other. For instance, it was a big deal when Dark Horse lost the rights to Star Wars comics, even if it was an understandable change due to Disney’s role.

Now it’s the end of the long-running partnership between Archie Comics and SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Universe, and Sonic Mega Drive have all been cancelled out of nowhere. Well, almost nowhere. It's been months since the last release of any Sonic-related comics. A real shame, since Sonic the Hedgehogwas only a few issues away from hitting #300.

Here’s the word from Sonic’s Twitter:

After 24 years of memorable storytelling, SEGA of America will conclude their Sonic the Hedgehog publishing partnership program with Archie Comics. This does not mark the end of Sonic in comics, but signifies SEGA of America’s decision to take a different direction for the series that will be announced at a later date. SEGA would like to thank Sonic’s amazing fans for their loyalty and passion over all the years. SEGA looks forward to providing more information soon.

That’s pretty harsh. Archie has been releasing Sonic comics so far back that the early issues were based on the Jaleel White-voiced cartoons to the point that Sonic even fought a robot Steve Urkel in one issue. Over the years, fans had to endure the dark period where Ken Penders was in charge of the creative process, followed by Ian Flynn taking over and turning the series into something truly enjoyable. In the end, there were roughly 500 Sonic-related comic issues released until the sudden end and that’s nothing to laugh at.

Fittingly, they didn't waste any time. SEGA have announced a partnership with IDW Publishing, known for doing comics based on such properties as Transformers, Ghostbusters, My Little Pony, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Considering the Turtles made a cameo during the earliest Sonic comic days, it amuses me that they'd end up under the same umbrella so many years later. No word yet on the creative team(s), but IDW has mentioned speaking to fan-favorites in order to make plans.

The new series will begin in 2018.

Gavin Jasper is pouring out a chili dog in remembrance. Follow him on Twitter!

It's officially time for San Diego Comic-Con. And despite the fact that SDCC has morphed into a multimedia juggernaut over the last decade or so, make no mistake, comics have their biggest night of the year there. The 2017 Eisner Awards took place on Friday night to celebrate the best creators in comics, as well as the best books of the year. 

Among the list of this year's nominees were some of the usual suspects, such as Brian K. Vaughn, Fiona Staples, Jeff Lemire, as well as some newer entrants, such as Tom King, who's had an incredible run of books in the last two years. Here's a complete list of this year's nominees, courtesy of their official site.

Without further ado, here are the 2017 Eisner Award winners:

Best New Series: Black Hammer, by Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston

Best Limited Series: The Vision, by Tom King and Gabriel Walta

Best Continuing Series: Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Best Graphic Album—Reprint: Demon, by Jason Shiga (First Second)

Best Reality-Based Work: March, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell

Best Graphic Album—New: Wonder Woman: The True Amazon, by Jill Thompson

Best Writer: Brian K. Vaughan (Paper Girls, Saga)

Best Writer/Artist: Sonny Liew (The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye)

Best Penciller/Inker—Individual or Team: Fiona Staples (Saga)

Best Coloring: Matt Wilson (Cry Havoc, Paper Girls, The Wicked + The Divine; Black Widow, The Mighty Thor, Star-Lord)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist: Jill Thompson (Wonder Woman: The True Amazon; Beasts of Burden: What the Cat Dragged In)

Best Lettering: Todd Klein (Clean Room, Dark Night, Lucifer; Black Hammer)

Best Digital Comic: Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover

Best Webcomic: Bird Boy, by Anne Szabla

Best Cover Artist: Fiona Staples (Saga)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material: Moebius Library: The World of Elena, by Jean “Moebius” Giraud et al.

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia: The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, by Sonny Liew

Best Humor Publication: Jughead, by Chip Zdarsky, Ryan North, Erica Henderson, and Derek Charm

Bill Finger Award: William Messner-Loebs and Jack Kirby

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism: The AV Club

Best Comics-Related Book: Krazy: George Herriman: A Life in Black and White, by Michael Tisserand

Best Academic/Scholarly Work: Superwomen: Gender, Power, and Representation, by Carolyn Cocoa

Best Publication Design: The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, designed by Sonny Liew

Best Short Story:“Good Boy,” by Tom King and David Finch, in Batman Annual #1

Best Single Issue/One-Shot: Beasts of Burden: What the Cat Dragged In, by Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, and Jill Thompson

Best Anthology: Love Is Love, edited by Sarah Gaydos and Jamie S. Rich

Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award: Anne Szabla, writer/artist of Bird-Boy

Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: Joe Ferrara, for work in prostate cancer awareness, and Mark Andreyko, for the Love Is Love anthology.

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 8): Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea, by Ben Clinton

Best Publication for Kids (ages 9-12): Ghosts, by Raina Telgemeier

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17): The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, by Ryan North and Erica Henderson

Hall of Fame: Judges’ Choices: Milt Gross, H.G. Peter, Antonio Prohias, Dori Seda Voters’ Choices: Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez, George Perez, Walter Simonson, James Starlin

Will Eisner Spirit of Retailer Award: Comicazi, Somerville, MA

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips: Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy, Colorful Cases of the 1930s, edited by Peter Maresca

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books: The Complete Wimmin’s Comix, edited by Trina Robbins, Gary Groth, and J. Michael Catron

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

Announced on Friday at Marvel's Secret Empire panel at SDCC, Mark Waid and Chris Samnee, the writer and artist pairing who have done critically acclaimed work on Black Widow and Daredevil, will be taking over creative duties on Captain America starting with the renumbered #695 later this year.

The series, according to Waid, will focus on a Captain America trying to find his place in the Marvel Universe following the events of Secret Empire, where at least one version of Steve Rogers is an actual Nazi. This formation strongly implies that the events of the controversial crossover won't be handwaved away by a cosmic cube, and that at the very least Rogers himself will remember the horrifying actions taken by him, someone with his name, or a cosmically separated piece of himself.

Waid and Samnee pick up Steve's story in November's Captain America #695. For more on Cap, or Marvel's desperate hunt for a messaging win following their drubbing at DC's hands this past November, or for any other big news from San Diego Comic Con, stay with Den of Geek.

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

Steven Spielberg's first science fiction adventure since the last Indiana Jones picture is taking shape. Previously intended to come out in time for this Christmas, Ready Player One is now slated fo March 30, 2018, and as it adapts Ernest Cline's popular novel of the same name, it is definitely one we're watching with interest like a gamer waiting for his turn at the arcade.

Here's what we know about the casting decisions that have come to light over the past few months and the film's amusing, retro gaming premise.

Ready Player One Trailer

The first trailer for Ready Player One is a pop culture extravaganza. Whether it's the Back to the Future DeLorean speeding through virtual city streets filled with famous vehicles or Freddy Krueger being incinerated by a giant mech, Ready Player One is starting to look like an overwhelming cinematic experience. We can't wait to see more. 

Latest Ready Player One News

Just in time for San Diego Comic-Con, WB has graced us with its first image of Tye Sheridan in Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One. And he looks prepared for the game in the image released via Entertainment Weekly. In it, we're offered a close-up of the would-be boy hero. EW also helpfully called out real pop culture items from that set drenched in '80s nostalgia, including a He-Man lunchbox and Garbage Pale Kids and Garfield stickers.

Ready Player One Cast

The cast of Ready Player One is of course being spearheaded by Tye Sheridan. Sheridan hails from the indie scene where he made a splash in Jeff Nichols'Mud as a child actor. He also appeared as Cyclops in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse and will reprise the role in 2018's X-Men: Dark Phoenix. In Ready Player One, he portrays Wade Owen Watts (alias Parzival), an orphan living in the stacks with a deep passion for '80s culture and video games... which will aid him in his virtual reality quest throughout the film. He enters this world due to the contest of the long-dead James Donovan Halliday, here played by frequent Spielberg collaborator Mark Rylance.

Somewhat of a VR Steve Jobs crossed with Willy Wonka, Rylance's character leaves a trail of digital breadcrumbs for a potential gamer to one day inherit his VR kingdom. He will appear in the film through digital projections he has created in his OASIS program.

Joining them are Olivia Cooke as Art3mis, a fellow game competitor, and Ben Mendelsohn as Nolan Sorrento. The film will likewise feature Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Star Trek) as Ogden Morrow, the co-founder of OASIS. Also in the cast is T.J. Miller of Silicon Valley fame as a forum troll who irritates Parzival and others by being very much like today's trolls.

Also boarded on the project is Japanese boy band pop star, Win Morisaki, one of the gunters that Wade will eventually compete against.

Ready Player One Story

Adapted from the popular 2011 sci-fi novel by Ernest Cline, Ready Player One is set about 50 years in the future where the world is a dystopian wreck. The only refuge is the virtual reality distraction of OASIS, a futuristic melding of augmented reality and VR with retro '80s gamer love. Its creator is long dead, but he will bequeath his company to anyone who can find a treasure he has hidden within the depths of OASIS. Many years later, no one has achieved this, including the corporations who are playing simply to takeover OASIS and turn it into a luxury for the rich. In this context, orphaned Wade Watts is a kid with plenty of nostalgia himself for the 20th Century, even his online handle of "Parzival" is a play on Percival the Arthurian knight who found the Holy Grail... as well as the preferred name (as opposed to Galahad) used by the '80s cult classic, Excalibur.

He will enter OASIS... but will he win? Here is the official synopsis.

When the creator of an MMO called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all Oasis users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune. Wade Watts finds the first clue and starts a race for the Egg.

Ready Player One Development

Warner Bros. has been very interested in getting a top-tier talent to direct Ready Player One. Just last December, word came out that they offered adapting the Ernest Cline cult classic to Christopher Nolan. As first reported by Deadline, they eventually found their blockbuster auteur to bring their vision to the screen… Steven Spielberg.

In this story of virtual reality, a game creator offers his entire company to the man that can discover an Easter Egg he has paced in a virtual reality wonderland called “OASIS.” Thus in 2044, teen gamer Wade Watts will attempt to succeed at this virtual sword in the stone quest after many have failed over several decades—by immersing himself into video game and pop culture trivia of the 1980s and ‘90s.

Spielberg appears to be working more closely with Warner Bros. these days after a near-15 year absence from the studio following 2001’s A.I. Spielberg also landed the chance to adapt Lynsey Addario’s war journalist memoir, A Photographer’s Life of Love and War, at the studio with Jennifer Lawrence set to star as Addario. Ready Player One is being fast tracked ahead of the Addario film, though Spielberg’s line-up is already very crowded. He is still scheduled to adapt Roald Dahl’s The BFG as his next film. Ready Player One is slotted to be adapted directly after that production.

The most recent script for Ready Player One was written by Zak Penn (X-Men: The Last Stand, The Avengers) with earlier drafts turned in by Eric Eason and the Ready Player One author himself, Ernest Cline.

Assuming all the rights can be acquired from the book’s gamer paradise of references, this should be quite the nostalgia trip. Perhaps Spielberg can even find space to give a nod to the buried landfill of E.T. Atari cartridges, which by 2044 might have great archeological worth all on their own.

We also recently learned exclusively that Ernest Cline is working a sequel to Ready Player One.

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

This article contains a Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice spoiler. You've been warned.

The Flash Movie News

It was announced at SDCC 2017 that the Flash movie is now called Flashpoint and will adapt Geoff Johns' famous and controversial storyline, which saw Barry Allen go back in time to save his mother from being killed by Reverse-Flash. The change had huge ramifications for the future of the DC Universe, altering many things and eventually leading to a brand new timeline known as the New 52 in the comics. 

This movie will give DC a good opportunity to refresh some of the more questionable parts of the DCEU and perhaps even explain why Ben Affleck won't be playing the Batman anymore. 

We'll keep you updated as we learn more!

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

The Flash Movie Release Date

The Flash was once scheduled to open on March 16, 2018, we can kiss that release date goodbye. Warner Bros. has reserved other dates on their release calendar for DC movies, including June 14, 2019 and November 1, 2019. Maybe one of those will end up being the finish line for The Flash.

The full schedule of DC superhero movies can be found here.

The Flash Movie Director

The Flash movie was supposed to go into production soon, but after losing its director late in 2016, that is now in doubt. Rick Famuyiwa, who replaced previous director Seth Grahame-Smith left the project last year, apparently over the old, reliable "creative differences." Famuyiwa did a revision of the script that Grahame-Smith had written after work by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, and now Joby Harold is working on a "page one rewrite" of the project. 

So who is going to direct? Back in April, Screen Junkies, were the first to report that Robert Zemeckis (the Back to the Future trilogy, for one thing) has been in Warner Bros. orbit for the director's chair, and now Variety has doubled down on that, saying that not only is Mr. Zemeckis a leading candidate for the job, there's at least one other big name competing for the job. 

That competition? That would be Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman, X-Men: First Class), who is not only no stranger to comic book adaptations, but whose name has appeared in rumors about DC superhero movies recently, particularly in regards to Man of Steel 2. 

These aren't the only two candidates, but they appear to be the studio's preferred choices. The Hollywood Reporter adds Sam Raimi's name to this mix, making this perhaps the most intriguing group of directors we've yet seen circle a DC superhero movie. I reached out to representatives for Warner Bros. but they had no comment at this time.

While both Zemeckis and Vaughn are perfect choices for the material, both come with some scheduling conflicts, though. Zemeckis is about to go into production on Marwencol with Steve Carrell this summer (scheduled for a 2018 release), while Vaughn has already made noises about a potential Kingsman 3 (the second film in the series arrives this September). There's no rush, though, as star Ezra Miller will be shooting Fantastic Beasts 2 in the meantime.

We have some more info on the movie on page 2...

This article contains some Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice spoilers.

This is the one that the DC Extended Universe is building towards. Five years after The Avengers showed us that it was possible to pull off a non-mutant superhero team on the big screen, we'll finally see a JusticeLeaguemovie. Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice director Zack Snyder has wrapped filming on Justice League, from a script by Batman v Superman's Chris Terrio. 

There's going to be a HUGE Warner Bros. presentation in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, and that's when we expect to get a new trailer, and a slew of other DCEU announcements. We'll update this with all that info when it happens. Until then, here's everything else we know...

Justice League News

Here's the new Justice League trailer!

Ahead of the Warner Bros. SDCC panel, DC Films dropped a new poster for Justice League, and it's incredibly awesome. You'll even notice a bit of color! Check it out below:

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

Justice League Trailer

Here's all the footage that has been released so far...

And here's a look at the first footage that arrived at SDCC 2016! This was our first glimpse of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman working together on the big screen.

We did a full analysis on this footage right here.

Justice League Movie Release Date

Justice League is scheduled for a November 17th, 2017 release. The complete DC superhero movie release calendar can be found here.

Justice League Movie Villain

In order for the Justice League to form, they need a threat with power levels that only a team of heroes could take down, right? 

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice made it pretty explicit that Darkseid is on his way to this world, and there were several visual cues for those who are interested. We broke those down (along with lots more comic references in the movie) right here. But he isn't the villain of the Justice League movie. A deleted scene from Batman v Superman released online offered a look at a monstrous creature on a Kryptonian ship, who turned out to be another Fourth World related despot (and Jack Kirby creation), Steppenwolf.

Steppenwolf is basically Darkseid's cousin, a powerful warrior from Apokolips who wields a pretty crazy energy axe. 

Ciaran Hinds (you may know him as Mance Rayder on Game of Thrones which makes him a particularly cool choice for this part) is playing Steppenwolf in the film, and the actor spoke about how they got him into character. "Basically they’re going to construct something, digitally, and then they will use my eyes and mouth,"the actor told The Independent. Hinds describes Steppenwolf as "old, tired, still trying to get out of his own enslavement to Darkseid, [but] he has to keep on this line to try and take over worlds.”

Here's what Steppenwolf looked like in that Batman v Superman deleted scene:

And here's Ciaran Hinds as Mance Rayder. You may start your Photoshop engines accordingly...

It's still inevitable that we'll see Darkseid in these movies, and he'll probably still be a presence in the first one. DC Comics used him as the catalyst for the formation of the Justice League in the current comic book series. He's a pretty big gun to burn this early, though, so holding him back for Justice League Part Two sound about as logical as anything else we've heard.

Hit the next page for more info on the cast and story!

The idea of exploring the legacy of Krypton in a television series is a fascinating one. Not least of all because every Superman origin film to date has featured thrilling prologues set in a fantastic sci-fi society—utopian in Superman: The Movie and feudal and flawed in Man of Steel. However, there is always the challenge of how do you make viewers invest in characters, even if it’s about Kal-El’s great-grandfather named Seyg-El, when the planet all goes boom in a few centuries?

Well what if it didn’t? Or more precisely, what if there is a chance Superman was never born? That appears to be the time traveling hook at the heart of Krypton, which the producers and stars told Den of Geek a little bit about before the Krypton panel at San Diego Comic-Con.

“I will say that the story begins with a conspiracy on Earth in 2017 where—I can’t tell you who, but they’re familiar—launches a plot to prevent Earth’s greatest hero, Superman, from ever being born,” Krypton star Cameron Cuffe tells me. Clearly excited about being at SDCC and finally getting to reveal the basics of his new show, the vaguely Clark Kent-esque actor sees this tale as a sci-fi epic unlike anything audiences might be expecting.

He continues, “So while there are political intrigues and stakes on Krypton that exist 200 years ago, the ramifications of every choice Seyg makes will affect the legacy of Superman directly here in the present day. So there’s a lot going on here in the show. So it’s an epic high-concept sci-fi story that branches time and space.”

While speaking with Krypton showrunner and executive producer, Damian Kindler, he likened the choice to how time travel was used to reinvent the Star Trek timeline with J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot.

“In the pilot episode, we will immediately change everything you think you know about the end of the story,” Kindler says. “It’s very important to us to make the stakes of Krypton speak directly to the present, otherwise why are we telling it? I think, by the way, a good corollary is what J.J. did with Trek. In the first 10 minutes, this just wipes it all clean. We’re in it for a similar, high impact thing from the get-go. This is not just sort of a weak ass prequel. It is about here and now, it is about rewriting the fate of Krypton, rewriting the fate of Superman.”

Part of that is changing up the traditionally expected tone. While the 10-episode season will draw heavily from the Superman comic book story “The Battle of Kandor City,” the aesthetic of the production is carving its own path, one in which Krypton is a dystopia suffering under a theocracy. And it is in this setting the House of El will take a fall, likely due to time traveling shenanigans.

Says Kindler, “It’s definitely less of that blue sky look, the Berlanti Verse. It has its own voice and tone. We are seeking our own tone, which is a bit more cable, skews a bit more adult.”

When I ask executive producer Cameron Welsh about the tone of the show, and whether Krypton will be more like Richard Donner’s vision of a crystalized utopia in 1978, or a darker dystopic setting worthy of George Orwell, he replies, “It’s a little bit of both. Part of the story we’re telling is our hero Seyg-El, who is Superman’s grandfather, he’s tasked with the job of ushering in that golden age of Krypton that everyone is more familiar with, sort of the Jor-El generation.”

In this context, the El family will be one of revolution.

Says Welsh, “So there’s a sense of that utopia in the kind of gilded area, but down below it’s not. And I think Seyg’s job is to almost lead a revolution that will usher in that golden age. Because it’s from that golden age that the kind of bloodline that eventually becomes Superman, is born out of. So when we start the show, the political landscape of Krypton is more like a totalitarianism, it’s a fundamentalist theocracy. If Kal-El’s rocket ship left from that world, we would have a very different Superman to the one we have.”

Indeed, things appear to be imminently in decline due to time travel for the House of El since Cuffe confirmed for us that his character will be forced to fight his way up from the bottom.

“Very early on in the story, his family is shamed and goes from the very top of its own society right down to the bottom,” Cuffe says. “So he’s living rough and just trying to make ends meet, and these lofty things like truth and justice just seem very, very far away. So he’s a very, very different person. And the story is about how he grows into that role.”

Families will rise and fall, and one man may just soar in the political sense, when Krypton premieres on Syfy this fall.

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

Batman Day comes but once a year. In this case, it comes on September 23, 2017. The annual celebration of Batman seems pretty unnecessary, doesn't it? After all, DC Entertainment pretty much celebrates ol' pointy ears every single day of the year, whether you want them to or not. He's as inescapable as the impossibly embarrassing nightmare currently occupying the Oval Office.

But this year, it turns out that another member of the extended Bat-family is going to steal Bruce's thunder. This year's Batman Day is going to be taken over by Harley Quinn. Why? Well, why the hell not? It's her 25th anniversary, and she'll annoy Batman if she wants to.

The news was accidentally revealed to a group of journalists at DC's SDCC press breakfast, but we were sworn to secrecy under pain of getting whacked over the head with an oversized hammer if we broke the news before the Harley Quinn 25th Anniverary panel at SDCC. The only thing we want to do less than piss off Harley (or her boyfriend) is get DC Editorial after us.

When Harley Day was finally announced at the Harley Quinn 25th Anniversary panel, we learned that DC will give out a free comic through retailers. The comic will see Harley interrupt a Batman story and take over. 

"We love the idea of putting Batman in his place!" said Harley Quinn writer Jimmy Palmiotti during the panel. 

"Every day should be Harley Day!" said voice actress Tara Strong in her Harley Quinn voice.

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

Announced back in December of 2014, Syfy's Kryptonwill take the Gothamroute, and tell a pre-Superman story. So if Smallvilledidn't go far enough back for you, Krypton should do the trick. Syfy has ordered Krypton to series. The pilot will be directed by Colm McCarthy, and written by David S. Goyer (Man of Steel) and Ian Goldberg (Once Upon a Time). Sleepy Hollow's Damian Kindler is on board as series showrunner. 

While the trailer that was leaked a few months ago was promptly taken down, I did a detailed analysis of it with screengrabs that you can read by clicking here. Despite the prominent mention of the name Kal-El, and the repeated use of the House of El crest (you know, Superman's "S") this trailer at least looks like Krypton is going to forge more of its own path than other notable TV prequels like Gotham or Smallville.

What might be the most interesting development here is that it at least appears to take place in the same universe as the DC superhero movies, rather than the TV shows. The aesthetic on display here is heavily influenced by what we saw in Man of Steel, from the color scheme of Krypton itself, to the design of the House of El crest, to the overall texture of the costumes and sets.

Here's everything we know so far:

Krypton News

It was revealed at the Krypton SDCC panel that a couple of big name DC characters will be appearing on the show: Brainiac, Doomsday, Hawkwoman, and Adam Strange.

"It's a show that, although it takes place centuries ago on Krypton about the House of El, it's about a conspiracy from the present that has traveled back in time to to Krypton to prevent Superman's legacy from ever happening," DC president Geoff Johns said during the panel.

"Adam Strange and Hawkwoman come to Krypton trying to stop the conspiracy and save Superman's legacy," Johns revealed. "Doomsday will be in the show. Brainiac is long overdue to be on screen like that."

It was also revealed during the panel that main character Seg-El will have a romantic storyline with a member of House of Zod. A bit Romeo and Juliet there, huh?

More on Kryptonas we learn it!

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

Krypton Trailer

A new teaser trailer has arrived for Krypton! Check it out below:

Krypton News

The Krypton panel at San Diego Comic-Con will take place on Saturday, July 22, at 1:15 pm. Here are the details...

Set two generations before the destruction of the legendary Man of Steel's home planet, Krypton follows Superman's grandfather (Cameron Cuffe of The Halcyon, FlorenceFoster Jenkins)-whose House of El was ostracized and shamed-as he fights to redeem his family's honor and save his beloved world from chaos. Based on DC characters, Krypton is from Warner Horizon Scripted Television and is executive produced by David S. Goyer (Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Dark Knight trilogy) through his Phantom Four banner. Damian Kindler (Sleepy Hollow) will serve as executive producer and showrunner. Krypton, based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, published by DC, will debut in 2018 on SYFY.

Krypton Release Date

You can expect Krypton to arrive on Syfy in early 2018.

Krypton Story

Here's the closest thing to an official synopsis we have right now.

Set two generations before the destruction of the legendary Man of Steel’s home planet, Krypton follows Superman’s grandfather (Cameron Cuffe, The Halcyon) — whose House of El was ostracized and shamed — as he fights to redeem his family’s honor and save his beloved world from chaos.

Krypton Cast and Characters

Camerone Cuffe (who recently appeared in Florence Foster Jenkins) will play Superman's grandfather, Seg-El. Varietyhas some character details:

"Seg-El is the scion of the once prosperous El family and is blessed with an intuitive brilliance for all things technical. He is now living in Krypton’s lowest caste after his family was stripped of its rank."

In addition to Mr. Cuffe as Seg-El, Georgina Campbell will play Lyta Zod, who is, as you expect, an ancestor of Superman villain General Zod. According to Deadline, Lyta Zod "is a member of Krypton’s military caste and the daughter of a general, Alura Zod. Lyta Zod serves as a cadet — and has also been having a clandestine, forbidden romance with Seg-El (Superman's paternal grandfather)."

Ian McElhinney (Barristan Selmy on Game of Thrones) will play Seg-El's grandfather, Val-El. According to Deadline, Val is "a rogue genius who believes that space exploration is a basic form of self-defense, and he has tried, without success, to warn the Kryptonian elite about the arrival of an ancient threat." Could that be Brainiac? An earlier TV Line description said "Seg’s genius grandpa defied death by going into the Phantom Zone, and is a staunch believer in space exploration." 

Elliot Cowan is Daron Vex, "the Chief Magistrate of Kandor. His real business is defending Krypton’s established oligarchy against heretics and dissidents." 

Ann Ogbomo (World War Z) is Primus Alura Zod, "Lyta Zod’s mother and a leader of Krypton’s military guild. She is an extremely tough and demanding training officer." 

Rasmus Hardiker (Your Highness) is Kem, "a brilliant engineer as well as Seg-El’s best friend and partner in an underground tech-repair business." 

Wallis Day (The Royals) is Nyssa Vex, "a junior magistrate and the daughter of Daron Vex." 

Aaron Pierre (Tennison) is Dev-Em, "a cadet under the command of Primus Alura Zod." Incidentally, Dev-Em is from the comics, and is one of the Phantom Zone criminals who periodically ends up on Earth to annoy Superman. Dev-Em was a background character in Man of Steel, for example.

(thanks to Deadlinefor the casting descriptions above)

We'll get you more on Kryptonas we hear it.

At their enormous Hall H panel at this year's San Diego Comic Con, Warner Bros. brought a new trailer for November's Justice League. The world's greatest heroes unite to fight a new Apokoliptian threat known as Steppenwolf. More on him in just a bit.

In keeping with tradition, Den of Geek has gone through the new trailer frame by frame for any easter eggs, references, or clues about the meta narrative of the DCEU. 

Before we get started, did you miss the trailer? Check it out below:

Okay, so let's talk about what we found:

It kicks off with that horrible nu-metal cover of "Come Together" (and I think it's actually a cover of Aerosmith's version, not the Beatles one.  Uuugh *shivers*). But on the plus side, it also starts with Wonder Woman doing Wonder Womany (Wonder Womannish?) things, like dodging bullets and doing that sliding sweep kick on a guy holding a museum class trip hostage for their robbery. From story hints and this trailer, it looks like the Amazons have a huge role to play in the movie.

We get a look at the world in mourning after Superman's death in Batman v. Superman, including what looks like some love for Kal-El on London Bridge.

And we jump to Themyscira, where Diana's people (including Connie Nielsen's Hippolyta) are guarding what looks like a Mother Box in their armory when a pretty spiffy boom tube effect pops in. 

And that's when Steppenwolf, the Apokaliptian villain of the movie, shows up. Steppenwolf was created by Jack Kirby back in 1972. He's Darkseid's uncle, and leader of Apokalips' military. He's a pretty bad dude, and he wields a pretty baller axe.

The New Gods and their Apokaliptian counterparts occupy an odd place in current continuity. Basically, they exist separate from and outside of the Multiverse, but they appear different in each alternate universe, like facets of their true selves projected down on them. 

We also get a look at Aquaman underwater in Atlantis. The hair effects must have cost a fortune.

Every trailer makes Cyborg look better and better. He's now well past N64 polygon mapping, and into something resembling motion capture.

As we move through these looks at each Leaguer, we get voice over from someone (possibly Steppenwolf, but it sounds a little too old) that says, "No protectors here. No lanterns. No Kryptonian." We know from past SDCCs and this one that the Green Lantern Corps is a priority. This is the first time we've had a sense of where they'd fit in, though.

This is actually a shot from what's my biggest concern about this movie. The TV version of Flash has some pretty outstanding effects. For TV. Here, though, Ezra Miller's Flash goes through a window at super speed and it looks like he's splashing a pond with one finger as he starts to go through it. This is just cool. 

Steppenwolf brings his axe down on bare ground and causes lava to spider out from it, almost like he's making an Apokolips-esque fire pit on Earth. Apokolips is a pretty awful place to live, where after a hard day making fire at the fire pits, the peasants get to come home to worship their tormentors. 

Nothing terribly revelatory here. It's just a group of Parademons waiting on orders from Steppenwolf. The Parademons are Darkseid's foot soldiers, disposable flying monsters with little brains who die easily.

The Parademons attack, and that's when we get to see Batman's fun Batcrawler in action. At some point, apparently Cyborg takes it over and controls all its functions using some Borg tubes or something.

This shot is notable because it means we're going to get an underwater fight scene as Steppenwolf crashes Atlantis. Pretty interesting that two of the locations he hits up are two of the most magically charged in the DCU - Themyscira, deeply connected with the Greek gods, and Atlantis, a country full of magicians that got sunk into the ocean for hubris.

Good close up look at a Parademon's face as it gets its ass beat by Batman.

Interestingly, this is the closest we get to a look at any villain's face. This trailer does a good job of putting the focus squarely on the heroes, which complements the message pushed in the dialogue: the heroes bring us hope and will save the world.

Batman in front of a red sky. Red skies in DC comics ALWAYS means something's going wrong with the multiverse - first in Crisis on Infinite Earths, then in every subsequent Crisis event. It makes sense that the Flash movie is going to adapt Flashpoint if they're already screwing with the multiverse four movies in.

The trailer closes with Alfred in the cave talking to someone he was "told would come." If you look really close (and my screen cap is garbage, so I apologize), in the bottom right corner of the screen it looks like a reddish cape on the shoulder of the person talking to Alfred. WHO COULD THAT BE?

For more news from SDCC 2017, or for a breakdown of any Aristotelian implications of MCU trailers, be sure to stick with Den of Geek all weekend.

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

Ant-Man, released in 2015, represented the culmination of nearly a decade of delays, directorial shake-ups and numerous script revisions. Showcasing a most unlikely of cinematic centerpieces with a version of Marvel’s proportionally protean Avenger team member, the payoff would be substantial, yielding a $519.3 million global gross.

Now, director Peyton Reed returns behind the camera for sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp with star Paul Rudd as the insect-size-shrinking hero, joined atop the marquee by Evangeline Lilly, who – as revealed in the first film’s mid-credits scene – will assume the role of the sequel’s co-titular Wasp in a scale-shattering team-up blockbuster.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's smallest (and biggest) superhero(es) will be back in front of cameras in July and there are no surprises when it comes to the shoot location for the sequel - Atlanta's Pinewood facility, which has been the home of many-a-Marvel production to date.

Ant-Man and the Wasp News

It was revealed at the Marvel Studios SDCC panel that Michelle Pfeiffer has been cast as Janet van Dyne, the mother of Evangeline Lilly's Hope van Dyne. Janet is the original Wasp. Hope received her mother's suit at the end of Ant-Man. 

Other castings were also announced:

Hannah John-Kamen (Killjoys) is playing a character called the Ghost.

Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight) is playing Sonny Burch.

Randall Park (The Interview) is agent Jimmy Woo of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix) is Dr. Bill Foster.

Ant-Man and the Wasp Release Date

Ant-Man and the Wasp opens on July 6th, 2018.

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

Ant-Man and the Wasp Cast

Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly and Michael Peña will all reprise their Ant-Man roles, as will their characters' sagely overseer Michael Douglas, who revealed the state of his goatee on Facebook in his confirmation for the production's July 2017 kickoff

Additionally, the nigh-ubiquitous David Dastmalchian returns, as will rapper/actor T.I.

Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat) will play Jimmy Woo, a SHIELD agent familiar to fans of Marvel's Agents of Atlas series (via The Tracking Board). The character of Woo has actually been around since the pre-SHIELD days of the 1950s, although he became a SHIELD agent when characters from the earlier comics were absorbed into the Marvel Universe in the 1960s.

Hannah John-Kamen will join the cast of Ant-Man and the Wasp for what will apparently be a “key role” in the film, reports Variety. For now, that is the extent of what is known about John-Kamen’s casting in the Marvel cinematic sequel.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is one of the increasingly prestigious projects booked for the U.K.-born Hannah John-Kamen, known for her role on the space-set Syfy ensemble series Killjoys. John-Kamen has been notably seen in two separate episodes of the popular horror anthology series Black Mirror, fielded a recurring role on Game of Thrones in 2016’s Season 6 and played a nameless First Order officer in 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

However, bigger prospects lie ahead for John-Kamen with a role in director Steven Spielberg’s 2018 video game-centric sci-fi thriller Ready Player One and a supporting role in director Roar Uthaug’s 2018 Tomb Raider reboot film, which stars Alicia Vikander as the new Lara Croft.  

Ant-Man and the Wasp Villain

Mr. Reed confirmed at a press event for the Ant-Man Blu-ray last year (with Den of Geek's Don Kaye in attendance) that they already have a "definite take" on who the villain will be this time around. That's all they said.

Marvel released a new trailer for Thor: Ragnarok at their big Marvel Movies panel at SDCC 2017, and we dug through it to see what we could glean from the screenshots for you! 

A word of warning: the best way to watch this trailer is with someone who has read and committed to memory Walt Simonson's legendary run on Thor. It is factually and provably the greatest run with the character of all time, and one of the best superhero comics ever. If you have the opportunity to read it, do so ASAP.

Watch the trailer here in case you haven't seen it yet...

Here's what we saw!

The trailer opens on what is likely the Grandmaster's world, where Hulk and Thor fight in gladiator combat. In addition to drawing heavily from Walt Simonson's Thor, the movie looks like it will also draw extensively from Greg Pak, Carlo Pagulayan, and Aaron Lopresti's Planet Hulk, where Hulk gets shot off into space by the Illuminati for being too dangerous and ends up taking over a planet through gladiator fights. If you'll recall, at the end of Age of Ultron, Hulk takes himself out of the game for the same reason.

Thor himself lays out the start of the story, talking presumably to Hulk, who promptly pastes him...

...in full Planet Hulk gladiator gear.

Hela, the goddess of death and ruler of Hel, invaded Asgard and messed some stuff up, including Mjolnir. Hela is played by Cate Blanchett in the best casting in the entire MCU so far. Behind her is Karl Urban's Skurge the Executioner. More on him soon.

Hela faces down an army of Valkyries. Hel is the Asgardian realm where the common dead are sent after they pass. The Valkyries' job is to guide honored dead who fall in battle to Valhalla, where Hela has no power. They fight a bunch. Thor explains to Hulk (probably) that he's putting together a team to fight back against Hela, who is trying to bring about Ragnarok, the end of Asgard.

That team includes Thor, Hulk...

The Valkyrie, played by Tessa Thompson - Brunnhilde, the leader of all Valkyries - and...

Loki, last seen at the end of Thor: The Dark World posing as Odin and ruling Asgard. You can catch a glimpse of him leading Asgard's army against Hela's initial invasion a little earlier in the trailer.

Loki actually has a role to play in Ragnarok of myth. Get ready for a bunch of likely spoilers.

In Norse mythology, Fenrir is one of Loki's three children (along with SURPRISE! Hela, though that relationship isn't made explicit in the comics). Fenris, as he's known in Marvel, is a wolf who is prophesied to kill Odin during Ragnarok. This is probably Fenris, who gets unchained by Hela to help spur Ragnarok. For more on this part of the myths, check out Michael Avon Oeming's arc writing Thor, back during Thor: Disassembled.

This is Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster, a cosmic entity like the Collector from Guardians of the Galaxy. He runs games on his planet, rumored to be Sakaar from Planet Hulk. With him is The Valkyrie and someone I can't pin down, but also likely a valkyrie, which makes sense, what with the whole "dying in combat" schtick they have going and this being a gladiator game.

A bunch of stuff flashes by real quick now.

Skurge and his two favorite M-16s in a shot lifted pretty much straight from the best moment in Simonson's tale. It was a really emotional moment - Skurge had been a thrall of the Enchantress, but eventually realized she didn't love him back so he left and made a hero turn.

In the comics, he was already dead when he helped Thor and a huge group of unjustly claimed human souls cross the bridge out of Hel and away from Hela. He held the Gjallarbru bridge alone, just him and his axe and his two M-16s, long enough for everyone to escape before he eventually fell. It was awesome. I hope they can do that justice here.

And that's Korg, a member of Hulk's warbound (his fellow gladiators who joined the uprising against their masters in PlanetHulk).

The final easter egg, the one that made me scream in a room full of coworkers, is Hulk getting ready to punch Surtur, the fire giant ruler of Muspelheim and the reason anyone who's read Simonson's run gets excited when they see "DOOM" sound effects on a comics page.

For more information on Thor: Ragnarok, or for more Dad-ish lectures on how good comics used to be back in my day, or for any more information from this year's San Diego Comic Con, be sure to stick with Den of Geek.

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

The past few years have seen a darkness come to the pages of Archie Comics, thanks to the inspired horror writing of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. First came Afterlife with Archie, a collaboration with artist Francesco Francavilla that turned the industry on its head by mashing up the classic Archie characters with zombie terror. Comparisons to Afterlife and The Walking Dead came quick, but in reality the book owed more to Romero and Lovecraft than Robert Kirkman.

After the title's immediately success, the Archie Horror imprint was born, and a follow-up title, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, was soon commissioned. Again featuring scripts from Aguirre-Sacasa and featuring suitably creepy and autumnal art from rising comics star Robert Hack, this ongoing series took a more psychological terror approach -- which isn't to say that there wasn't heaps of gore to be found.

Soon, the writer who was once issued a cease-and-desist from Archie due to an amateur production that utilized the characters, found himself as the company's Chief Creative Officer. Then came Riverdale. His ongoing show-running duties for the series means that fans of Afterlife and Sabrina have found themselves enduring long waits between the issues (from a fan's POV though let me tell you, much rather this than the titles get cancelled or replace Aguirre-Sacasa as writer). Meanwhile, Archie has recently announced a new title, Jughead: The Hunger under their new horror imprint, Archie's Madhouse.

All of this context isn't even getting into the freaky fun of the short-lived Chilling Adventures in Sorcery in the '70s, or how Archie books of the era regularly featured otherworldly weirdness. The point here is, that Riverdale has been a weird place for awhile. So it only makes sense that this strangeness would eventually rear its creepy head on Riverdaletoo.

In the past, Aguirre-Sacasa has hinted that elements of Afterlife with Archie may turn up on Riverdale. That, coupled with the fact that Sabrina the Teenage Witch's arrival was hinted at throughout the show's first season means that plans to get a bit supernatural on the series are underway.

Or are they?

Our Chris Longo spoke with Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa today at San Diego Comic Con to find out. Here's what Archie's horror master had to say:

I love horror stuff, and I'm always trying to get horror imagery and beans in that. We've talked a lot about it. We've started a pretty aggressive suspenseful noir storyline that has definite horror elements. It's not specific to Afterlife but it very much is a suspense kind of thing. so there are different kinds of horror, I think there's also some psychological horror in this season. But no elements of Afterlife so far. But we're only on episode 5.

That's a decidedly non-committal answer to be sure. But our money is on the fact that you'll eventually see Riverdalegetting supernatural. When exactly? Well, that's the question isn't it. Try to figure it out...if you dare. Bwahahahaha. 

“There is nothing more sacred than story,” Kevin Spacey’s Whit Burnett tells a young J.D. Salinger, played by Nicholas Hoult, in the trailer for Rebel in the Rye.  Fiction may be more truthful than reality, but IFC Films will explore the fantastic facts behind the education Salinger got before he created Holden Caulfield for his novel Catcher in the Rye.

Rebel in the Rye tell the story of the writer as a young man as he is beginning to write his iconic masterpiece The Catcher in the Rye. Starting from his mentorship under professor Whit Burnett (Kevin Spacey) at Columbia University the film moves through his experiences during World War II to his relationship with Oona O’Neill (Zoey Deutch) who dated Salinger before she married Charlie Chaplin in 1943.

“The film sheds light on the events that shaped the young author, and some of the influential people who he meets in his pursuit of success – namely his mentor Whit Burnett,” IFC said in a statement.

“I like it when somebody gets excited about something,” says teen rebel Holden Caulfield in the book Cather in the Rye. “It's nice.”

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

Rebel in the Rye is based on the book J. D. Salinger: A Life by Kenneth Slawenski. The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in late January. was written and directed by Danny Strong. The film also Sarah Paulson as Salinger’s first literary agent; Victor Garber as Salinger's father, along with Hope Davis, and Brian d'Arcy James.

“I don't exactly know what I mean by that, but I mean it.”

Rebel in the Rye will hit theates on September 15, 2017

SOURCE: VARIETY

Following on the success of the animated Vixenseries (which is headed for its second season), CW Seed will debut Freedom Fighters: The Rayin 2017 and produced by Warner Bros' Blue Ribbon Content digital wing. The Ray has been a part of the DC Universe since 1973, and is historically associated with the Freedom Fighters, a team of superheroes from an alternate world where World War II continued on through the 21st century with the Axis gaining the upper hand. 

The CW has been ahead of the curve with introducing openly gay or bisexual heroes, anti-heroes, and supporting characters on their live action superhero shows, none have been series leads. The Ray will change all that as the title character is a gay man.

Check out the first trailer, which was unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con...

Fans of the Vixen animated series will certainly recognize the animation style on display here. It's modern, with hints of anime influences, although it doesn't approach the lush, rendered feel you get from DC's best recent animated offerings (Young Justice and Batman: The Brave and The Boldspring to mind, as well as some of their better animated features). The Ray himself is a really dynamic visual, and his light-based power set is perfect for animation. 

Here's the official word on The Ray:

Raymond “Ray” Terrill was a reporter who discovered a group of government scientists working on a secret project to turn light into a weapon of mass destruction. But before he could report on his findings, the project head exposed Ray to a “genetic light bomb.” The bomb failed to kill him and instead gifted Ray with light-based powers. With these abilities, Ray realized he could go beyond reporting on injustice – he could take action to help stop it. Calling himself The Ray, he was recruited by Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters to fight violence and oppression wherever it exists.

Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim (you may know them from all of the other great DC superhero shows on CW) will serve as executive producers.

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

Well, another San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone, and it was, as usual, incredibly eventful. From a new look at the Justice League movie to trailers and interviews from every TV show you can possibly imagine, not to mention plenty of killer cosplay long the way, we saw it all...and covered it all.

So here, all in one place, is your convenient guide to everything we covered at SDCC 2017. Keep coming back to this page, too, because we're still updating it with all the amazing interviews we did!

SDCC 2017 NEWS

Here's every tidbit of important news we caught at SDCC 2017 so far...

Will Riverdale Get Supernatural In Season 2?

Riverdaleshowrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa takes how weird and otherworldly the series might get.

Riverdale Season 2: Jughead's Evolution And Archie's Spiral

Hear what to expect from Riverdale's next season from Archie and Jughead themselves.

Riverdale Season 2: First Trailer Is Here

Don't worry, it's renewed. RiverdaleSeason 2 will be back on the CW before you know it, but on a new night.

Arrow Season 6 Trailer, Michael Emerson Joins Cast

Get your first look at the sixth season of Arrow, plus casting news.

Thor: Ragnarok Has a New Trailer

There's a new trailer for Thor: Ragnarok and it's going to Ragna-rock your world!

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Michelle Pfeiffer Is Janet van Dyne

Ant-Man and The Waspwill feature Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet van Dyne. Plus, more casting news!

Captain Marvel Movie Villains Revealed

The Skrulls will be villains of the Captain Marvel movie! The film is set in the 90s and will feature Nick Fury...

Syfy's Happy: New Trailer Drops

The first trailer for SyFy's Happy! is a slice of hard boiled insanity.

The Flash Season 4: Trailer and New Character Details

Here's the first trailer for The Flash season 4 along with everything else you need to know...

New Sizzle Reel Reveals Gotham Season 4 Footage

Get a brief look at Gotham's next season courtesy of this new hype video.

Legends of Tomorrow Season 3 Trailer

Legends of Tomorrow season 3's first trailer is a wild trip through time.

Supergirl Season 3: First Trailer

Here's the first trailer for Supergirlseason 3! Plus, a plethora of new characters join the cast...

Wynonna Earp Season 3 Confirmed

Earpers are a force to be reckoned with - they've got themselves a Wynonna Earp season 3 from Syfy!

The New Stranger Things Season 2 Trailer Is Here and It's Perfect

Check out the new Stranger Things season 2 trailer, plus, everything else we know about the coming season...

American Horror Story Season 7 Is Called 'Cult': First Teaser Trailer

American Horror Story Season 7 will be called "Cult". Here's the first teaser trailer...

Breaking Down the New Justice League Trailer

We pored over the new Justice League trailer for hints, clues, and speculation. Here's what we found!

Syfy's Krypton TV Series Unveils Trailer & New Character Details

Kryptonwill introduce Brainiac and Doomsday to the small screen, and will also feature Hawkwoman and Adam Strange! Plus, a new trailer!

We're Officially Getting Wonder Woman 2

Wonder Woman 2 is happening. As if we ever had any doubt!

Harley Quinn Will Take Over Batman Day This Year

In honor of her 25th anniversary, Harley Quinn is going to take over Batman Day this year. Possibly by force.

Arrow Season 6 Will Feature Flashbacks About Other Characters

Oliver’s five-year flashback story on the island may be over, but that doesn’t mean ArrowSeason 6 has ditched flashbacks altogether.

A New Justice League Trailer Is Here

Get a new look at the Justice League movie with this brand new trailer!

Ben Affleck Shuts Down Rumors That He's Leaving Batman Role

Rumor has it that Ben Affleck is leaving the cowl behind after Justice League, but the actor says he's not going anywhere.

The Flash Movie Will Adapt Flashpoint Storyline

The Flash movie will adapt one of the most famous and controversial Flash storylines of all time: Flashpoint.

The First Trailer for Ready Player One Arrives

Holy pop culture references, Batman! Check out the newly released trailer for Steven Spielberg's first science fiction adventure since the last Indiana Jones picture.

Robot Chicken Will Parody The Walking Dead in New Special

Seth Green's animated sketch show has The Walking Dead in its sights.

This Year's Eisner Award Winners Are Announced

Spend the next few months catching up with all the amazing work by this year's Eisner Award winners!

Marvel's Defenders: New Trailer & Clip

Here's a new trailer for Marvel's The Defenders. Plus, everything else you need to know...

Archer Season 9 Is Going to Danger Island

Archer's creators are gearing up for a lighthearted season 9 set in a tropical paradise.

The Death of Superman Is Getting an Animated Movie

The Death and Return of Superman is finally going to get the animated movie treatment it deserves.

Batman: Gotham By Gaslight Animated Movie Announced

Get ready for Batman vs. Jack the Ripper in the Gotham by Gaslight animated movie.

Vikings Season 5 Release Date and Trailer

Here's when you can expect Vikingsseason 5, plus the first trailer!

The Gifted Will Not Feature The X-Men, Takes Place in Its Own Timeline

The Gifted showrunner confirms for us that "the X-Men are gone" in the series, and that it takes place in its "own universe."

Iron Fist Season 2 Is Happening with a New Showrunner

Marvel's Iron Fist Season 2 is definitely happening!

The Gifted Has a New Trailer

The Gifted, the new X-Men show coming from Fox and Marvel TV, has just dropped a substantial new trailer at SDCC!

Alan Moore Will Write One More League of Extraordinary Men Story

Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill close out their time with the League in grand fashion.

Jeff Lemire Returns to DC for The Terrifics

Jeff Lemire returns to DC to eat Marvel's lunch with The Terrifics.

The Spawn Movie Reboot Is Definitely Happening

Todd McFarlane's long-gestating Spawnmovie reboot is finally becoming a reality, thanks to Blumhouse.

The New Hey Arnold! Footage Is Amazing

Childhood nostalgia trumps as everyone gathered around to celebrate Hey Arnold! at Comic-Con.

There's a New Black Lightning Trailer

The new trailer for Black Lightning is electrifying! Watch it here...

The Walking Dead Season 8 Debuts First Trailer

The first trailer for The Walking Dead season 8 is here!

Trailer Drops for the Second Half of Fear the Walking Dead Season 3

Here's your first look at the second half of Fear the Walking Deadseason 3! Plus, everything else we know...

Classic Doctor Who Lost Episodes Coming to BritBox

BritBox will be bringing multiple reconstructed lost Doctor Who episodes to its streaming platform, starting in September.

Freedom Fighters: The Ray - DC Unveils Footage For New Animated Series

DC unveiled footage from Freedom Fighters: The Ray, the new animated series coming to CW Seed at SDCC.

Doomsday Clock: Details Revealed for DC Universe Watchmen Event

A few more details about Doomsday Clock, the massive Justice League and Watchmen DC Comics story coming this fall.

Stargate: Origins - New Digital Series Announced

Stargate is making a comeback! Ten episodes of Stargate: Origins will arrive online this autumn.

Fox Is Making a Dr. Doom Movie

Fargoand Legioncreator will bring the Fantastic Four's most powerful villain, Dr. Doom, back to the big screen for Fox.

Marvel's Inhumans Drops a New Trailer

Here's a new look at Marvel's Inhumans! Plus, everything else we know about the show...

Spider-Man Joins Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite

Spider-Man joins a few Capcom characters as the latest additions to Infinite's roster.

New Clip from Netflix's Death Note Features Creepy Ryuk

Death Note, Netflix's adaptation of the popular manga series, has unleashed a new clip. It's very creepy...

Grant Morrison Is Writing a Sequel to Arkham Asylum

Grant Morrison will return to Batman with a sequel to his classic graphic novel, Arkham Asylum.

What We Learned About the New Rocko's Modern Life & First Footage

Nickelodeon brought Rocko to Comic-Con. Here's what we learned!

The Ghostbusters Animated Movie Is Still Happening

At the SDCC Ghostbusters panel, Ivan Reitman reveals that the animated Ghostbusters movie will be from a ghost's POV.

Voltron Season 3 Trailer Arrives

The Legendary Defender is needed once more, Voltron Season 3 hits Netflix in August. Check out the trailer!

Steven Moffat on Sherlock Season 5, The Future of Sherlock

Sherlock showrunner Steven Moffat says he's not currently working on a new season, but also gives us some hope for the future...

Call of Duty: WWII Reveals First Zombies Trailer

Call of Duty's next zombie mode has finally received a trailer! Check out the bloody carnage...

First Fahrenheit 451 Movie Photo Revealed

Here's your first look at HBO's adaptation of Fahrenheit 451 along with everything else we know.

Marvel's Runaways Premieres in November on Hulu

We finally have a premiere date for Marvel's Runaways. Check out our hub for everything else we know...

The New Kingsman 2 Red Band Trailer Is Here

Kingsman: The Golden Circle is shaping up to be just as epic as the first movie.

Jigsaw: The Eighth Saw Movie Trailer Arrives

All the bloody pieces are fitting into place as Jigsaw, formerly Saw: Legacy, releases its first trailer.

The Shazam Movie Will Begin Filming in Early 2018

Shazam is the next DC movie to go before cameras. The film is expected to begin shooting in early 2018 with director David Sandberg at the helm.

Pacific Rim 2: Uprising Trailer & Release Date

The first teaser trailer for Pacific Rim: Uprising, featuring John Boyega, is here!

SDCC 2017 PICTURES

Take a look at some of the most memorable moments we captured at San Diego Comic-Con this years (with more photos to come)!

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While much of the DC Entertainment portion of Warner Bros' Hall H presentation at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con focused on the next two movies on the DCEU slate, Justice League and Aquaman, one key detail about their other movies stood out. The Flash movie will be an adaptation of the famed Flashpoint comic book story.

For those who don't know, Flashpoint was a 2011 comic from Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert which saw Barry Allen travel back in time to prevent his mother's murder by Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash. As a result, a Butterfly Effect-esque "flashpoint" causes the DC Universe to develop in a radically different way. But the roots of Flashpoint go even further back, to another Geoff Johns written Flash tale.

The Flash: Rebirth was a 2009 story by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver that brought Barry Allen back from the dead. While its focus was finding Barry a place in a DC Universe that he had been absent from for over 20 years, it also revisted his origin story. Rebirth was the first time the now familiar elements about his mother's murder and his father being imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit were added to the Flash mythos. Rebirth and Flashpoint are the two bookends that have defined Barry Allen's journey since then, not only in comics, but in TV and animation.

So it's really not all that surprising that we're going down this road again with The Flash movie. It was already established in the first trailer for the Justice League movie that Dr. Henry Allen (played by Billy Crudup) is doing time for the murder of his wife, and with Rebirth and all its attendant elements considered the definitive Flash origin story, there's no reason why Ezra Miller's interpretation of the character should be any different. But making his first big screen adventure Flashpoint is raising some eyebrows.

For one thing, it was only last year that The Flash TV series did its own version of Flashpoint, and the broad strokes of that story and its repercussions accounted for a significant chunk of the show's second season. The key difference there was that the repercussions of Barry's actions were, compared to the comics, fairly minor. The TV Flashpoint was used to tell a more intimate, personal story, and the results weren't as world-changing as the ones in the comics. And that larger scale potential for Flashpoint is where the movie comes in.

In the comics, after saving his mother's life, Barry wakes up in a world where Atlantis (led by Aquaman) and Themiscyra (led by Wonder Woman) are waging war on each other. Bruce Wayne never became Batman, but Thomas Wayne did, in order to avenge the murder of his son (the less said about what happened to Martha Wayne in the Flashpoint reality, the better, but needless to say, the DCEU may be headed toward an even more cringeworthy "Martha" moment if they decide to do a really faithful adaptation). Kal-El's rocket was found by the government, who raised a tortured, frightened, frail alien child in an underground bunker to keep his powers from manifesting in the light of the yellow sun.

In other words, the first big screen Flash movie has the potential to double as an alternate reality Justice League film. Keep in mind that the Justice League movie was originally announced as a two-parter, back during that brief period where splitting major blockbusters (like the final Harry Potter and Hunger Games films) into two movies was the fashion. Then it was revealed that Justice League and Justice League 2 would be standalone films. Then Justice League 2 lost its release date. Meanwhile, The Flash movie, which had long been scheduled for March 2018, has gone through a parade of directors and scripts, with Warner Bros. clearly struggling to find the right approach for one of their key characters.

Complicating things further, the The Flash TV series has a devoted fanbase, and there's going to be perceived competition between the two interpretations, despite the best intentions of Warner Bros and DC Films. The TV series was able to execute Flashpoint because they waited until the show had two full seasons under its belt, and audiences already had a deep connection to Barry, his struggle to come to terms with the fate of his parents, and his battle with Reverse-Flash. By the time the Flashpoint movie comes around, moviegoers will only know Ezra Miller's Barry Allen from the time they spend with him in Justice League.

But let's set that aside for the moment and give the suddenly resurgent DCEU the benefit of the doubt. Based on the little we've seen of him in the trailers for Justice League, Ezra Miller's Barry Allen looks like a lot of fun and it should be easy for fans to warm up to him. There are some visual tricks on display that certainly couldn't be executed on a TV budget. So let's just take a minute to consider what a big screen version of Flashpoint could look like.

While both Wonder Woman and the footage released so far from Justice League indicate a shift away from the unintenional hilarity of the constipated Batman v Superman, the DCEU still strikes a more somber, serious tone than chief competitor Marvel Studios. Flashpoint, with the almost (but not quite) dystopian elements like the threat of a war between two mythical kingdoms that could engulf the globe, and the impossible choices Barry has to make between saving his loved ones and doing what's right for all of reality, are all elements that would feel right at home in the DCEU.   

Flashpoint allows the studio to explore elements of Barry Allen's origin story without falling into the traditional "first superhero movie" structure. And its potential for notable superheroic guest stars also sets it apart from the TV series, which will help negate those concerns about having a piece of intellectual property competing against itself. No superhero movie has yet dealt explicitly with alternate timelines or realities, and that would help distinguish itself even further from the competition.

Conveniently, Flashpoint could serve as something of a placeholder for Justice League 2, with roles for Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, Ray Fisher (Cyborg was a major part of at least one pre-Flashpoint draft of the movie, and he features in the comic version of the story), and even Henry Cavill if they really want to explore that world.

But what about Batman? After all, Batman remains the world's most bankable box office superhero, and putting him in a superhero movie seems to be something of a safety valve for Warner Bros when testing out new franchises (Suicide Squad) or giving a shot in the arm to a character they deem is underperforming (Superman).

While Bruce is taking a dirt nap in the Flashpoint reality, we do already have a big screen Thomas Wayne, in the form of The Walking Dead's Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The idea of putting Mr. Morgan in a modified Batman suit and teaming him up with Ezra Miller's Barry Allen seems pretty appealing, and it would certainly sell some tickets.

DC Films has mostly chosen to establish the broader DC Universe with films like Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League rather than focus on traditional origin stories and standalone films (Wonder Woman is an exception, because after 75 years, she deserved a proper introduction on screen). Flashpoint broadens the scope further, and allows for the introduction of time travel and Multiverse theory, both of which are key components of the DC Universe. It's another bold choice, and with the right director (names like Robert Zemeckis and Matthew Vaughn have been connected to the project), it might just work.

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Many things have been written about Grace Marks. Some called her a human female demon, others an innocent victim forced against her will and in danger for her own life, but the 19th century murders she is accused of has kept the public guessing forever.  The 1843 double murder was one of Upper Canada’s most notorious crimes.  Netflix will explore the possibilities in Alias Grace, a six-hour miniseries based on Margaret Atwood’s book on convicted 19th century murderer Grace Marks, to the streaming movie service.

“Grace Marks, as captured by Margaret Atwood, is the most complex, riveting character I have ever read,” Noreen Halpern, President of Halfire Entertainment, said in a statement. “I’m thrilled that Mary Harron has taken the project on. I know that her ability to create suspense, tension, and delve into the dark, unknowable aspects of her characters will bring this piece alive. I can’t wait for us to bring the many versions of Grace’s gripping story, and the questions they raise, to television audiences.

Alias Grace is written and produced by Sarah Polley (Looking for Alaska, Take This Waltz, Away from Her) and directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol).  The book and the adaptation both add the fictional Dr. Simon Jordan, a researcher who becomes obsessed with Grace and falls in love with her.

“Sarah Polley wrote a stunning six-hour script, based on Margaret Atwood’s award-winning novel, and we are thrilled that CBC and Netflix have joined forces to co-commission this miniseries.”

PLOT DETAILS

According to the official synopsis:

“The story of Alias Grace follows Grace Marks, a poor, young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who, along with stable hand James McDermott, was convicted of the brutal murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery, in 1843. James was hanged while Grace was sentenced to life imprisonment. Grace became one of the most enigmatic and notorious women of 1840s Canada for her supposed role in the sensational double murder, and was eventually exonerated after 30 years in jail. Her conviction was controversial, and sparked much debate about whether Grace was actually involved in the murder, or merely an unwitting accessory.”

CAST

Canadian actress Sarah Gadon will play Irish immigrant Grace Marks, a maid who was convicted with stable hand James McDermott, of a double murder in 1843. Gadon most recently co-starred as a Texan librarian opposite James Franco in Hulu's Stephen King limited series 11.22.63. She was also featured in David Cronenberg’s films A Dangerous Method, Cosmopolis, and Maps to the Stars. 

Anna Paquin will play the amnesiac victim Nancy Montgomery, a housekeeper who was the secret lover of her boss Thomas Kinnear. Paquin who made her Academy Award winning breakthrough in 1994’s The Piano, played Sookie Stackhouse on HBO’s True Blood, and was featured in the X-Menfilm series.

Kerr Logan plays James McDermott.

Trailer

Netflix released a 45-second teaser trailer that introduces a poor, young Irish immigrant who is a servant to a wealthy family in upper Canada. The trailer lets the convicted murder ponder whether she is a not-so-innocent victim “I am cunning and devious. How can I be all of these different things at once? I'd rather be a murderess than a murderer — if those are the only choices."

Release Date

Netflix will release Alias Grace globally on Friday, Nov. 3. The series will first broadcast on Canada's CBC.

The X-Men universe, whether it be in comics or on film, has always been one that can be somewhat intimidating for folks to enter for the first time. Thus it’s usually best to have a friend introduce you to this world. Still, it’s doubtful few have ever had as unique a guide as Stephen Moyer did when he was cast in The Gifted pilot, which begins a new X-Men based television series on Fox this fall. After all, he is married to Anna Paquin who played Rogue in four of the six mainline X-Men movies.

Indeed, during The Gifted San Diego Comic-Con panel, Moyer joked he “married a Rogue” to a crowd of fans. They first met on HBO’s popular eight-year batch of vampire gumbo, True Blood. On that series, Paquin played a half-fairy psychic, and Moyer was her vampire beau. And when I met him for a roundtable interview on Saturday, he joked that he was relieved he has no superpowers at all.

“A welcome change for me,” he laughs about playing a character with no superpowers on The Gifted. “We’re not the ones—” he trails off while gesticulating the types of hand motions he used to lure prey to their doom on premium cable.

Whereas in True Blood, he played a vampire who depending on the season could fly, in The Gifted he portrays Reed Strucker, a U.S. prosecutor who goes after mutants on behalf of the American government until the day he discovers his own children are also “gifted.” Awkward. It’s a setup rife with dramatic potential and one that X-fans might be familiar with, so it’s worth wondering whether he received any advice from Paquin about joining the world of mutants.

“I did,” Moyer told me. “You know Anna’s done four of these movies, so she knows the world backwards. She’s worked with Bryan [Singer] three of those occasions, so she knows Bryan extremely well and she’s a big fan of Bryan and everything he brings to the table.”

Moyer refers to Bryan Singer, who helped create the cinematic image of X-Men by directing X-Men and X2 in the early 2000s, and returning for X-Men: Days of Future Past, which Paquin also appeared in. Now things come close to home too since Singer also returned one more time to this universe to direct The Gifted pilot.

Moyer also credited his wife with helping him find the best X-Men stories to read and immerse himself in. “She’s a big believer in doing a bunch of research, so she showed me a few places she had gotten information from, not just comics. You know, the internet, as an actor, is an amazing resource. We used to have the Encyclopedia Britannica on our shelves. But you know, it’s amazing for us to just go down the rabbit hole for research in a way, and Marvel made the comic books available through Marvel Unlimited, which was wonderful.”

Moyer and the cast seemed pleased about the results, and fans will likely be curious too when The Gifted premieres on Oct. 2 on Fox.

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