Newstime: The Stories You Might Have Missed This Week

From film to TV, gaming to comics and everything in between, here’s what you might have missed in pop culture news this week.

TV

The first full-length trailer for Game of Thrones season eight has landed, giving us two minutes of footage. A bloody-eyed Arya Stark running scared, dragons over Winterfell, a passionate kiss and an army descending into certain death are just some of the things we see in this action-packed teaser.

The upcoming Picard-focused Star Trek series has cast Santiago Cabrera (Merlin, Transformers: The Last Knight, Dexter, The Musketeers) and Michelle Hurd (Blindspot, Ash vs Evil Dead, Lethal Weapon, Jessica Jones, Daredevil). The possibilities are endless in terms of plot, but rest assured the series has begun production.

Beloved actor Luke Perry, known for his roles in Beverly Hills, 90210 and Riverdale, passed away earlier this week at the age of 52, following a stroke. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this time.

The official trailer for Good Omens has been released, featuring Aziraphale and Crowley, an angel and demon who must team up to prevent Armageddon. With plenty of laughs and awesome action on the cards, the series is looking to be a treat. Good Omens is scheduled for release May 31.

It’s time to say farewell to Arrow, which will end after season eight airs over 2019-2020. Originally premiering in 2012, the series has had a successful run, with high ratings leading to spin-offs and development within the DC TV universe. Lead actor and Supa-Star Stephen Amell took to Twitter to express his appreciation for his role.

Playing Oliver Queen has been the greatest professional experience of my life… but you can’t be a vigilante forever.

Arrow will return for a final run of 10 episodes this Fall.

There’s so much to say… for now I just want to say thank you.

— Stephen Amell (@StephenAmell) March 6, 2019

FILM

Another trailer for upcoming superhero drama/thriller Brightburn has been released, featuring Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, Jackson A. Dunn, Matt Jones and more (warning: eye trauma!). The film will open in Australian cinemas this May.

Ruh roh! Scooby Doo is making his way back to the big screen in a new animated feature, but live-action Shaggy actor Matthew Lillard isn’t happy about it. Since starring in the live-action Scooby Doo films, Lillard has gone on to voice Shaggy in over 17 direct-to-DVD films, 113 TV episodes and five video games, but that hasn’t stopped producers of the new film from casting The Last Man on Earth’s Will Forte in the role.

Well this sucks.
What a crappy way to find out…. thanks Hollywood.  You never sense to amaze me. https://t.co/QDdlMAqlrZ

— matthew lillard (@MatthewLillard) March 2, 2019

From cowardly dogs to adorable cats, New Line Cinema has reportedly wrapped up a deal which will give them film rights to the instantly recognisable Japanese brand Hello Kitty, the first movie deal for the iconic character outside of Japan in its 45 year history.

With only a month left until Shazam! hits the big screen, DC has dropped a second trailer.

Speaking of April releases, fans of Hellboy were also gifted with a second look at the new reboot of everyone’s favourite demonic hero.

In a new interview with Den of Geek, Mark Hamill has said that the late Carrie Fisher would have gotten a “real kick” out of the idea of appearing as a posthumous Princess Leia in Star Wars: Episode IX. Fisher’s last onscreen appearance will be reconstructed from previously unused footage filmed during production of The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.

Jared Leto has teased a look at his character Morbius the Living Vampire in a new behind-the-scenes image from the first week of filming.

1 week down…11 to go…🧛‍♀️🧛‍♀️
Get Ready 💪#MORBIUS @MorbiusMovie pic.twitter.com/3Tm9CGGKFz

— JARED LETO (@JaredLeto) March 5, 2019

Fans of Robert Downey Jr.’s take on the infamous consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, will have to wait an extra year for the third instalment in the franchise, with Warner Bros. pushing the the release date for Sherlock Holmes 3 back from December 25, 2020 to December 22, 2021. It is also not expected that director Guy Ritchie will return to complete the trilogy.

However, while Holmes has been pushed back, Disney are pushing up the May 2020 release of the sequel to the Angelina Jolie led Maleficent to October this year. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil will hit cinemas on October 18.

Angelina Jolie returns in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Coming to theaters October 18, 2019. pic.twitter.com/85tmXuotjq

— Disney (@Disney) March 6, 2019

Meanwhile, Harry Potter’s Emma Watson is reportedly being eyed by Marvel Studios to join Scarlett Johansson as the second lead in the solo Black Widow outing currently in development.

This week also saw the release of a second trailer for Tolkien (starring Nicholas Hoult), offering a glimpse at iconic author J.R.R. Tolkien’s early life, prior to writing Lord of the Rings.

Idris Elba is in talks to replace Will Smith as Deadshot in the new Suicide Squad film. With a current premiere date lined up for August 6, 2021, it is still unclear whether the squad of characters will be updated with new arrivals, or if fans should expect to see the original gang of super-villains from the first film.

GAMING

Nintendo is branching out into VR territory with its announcement of a new addition to the Labo line, a cardboard construction set that will allow for players to engage with simple VR mechanics through a set of VR goggles.

Experience a new dimension with the latest #NintendoLabo kit! With more games & creations than any previous kit, Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit is a unique first VR experience kids & families can build themselves! Arriving 4/12, only on #NintendoSwitch.https://t.co/PCxm9sZSed pic.twitter.com/B21Fa2FLCQ

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) March 7, 2019

Gearing up for an April 23 release, PlayStation has unveiled a new story trailer for Mortal Kombat 11, featuring just as much blood and action as you’d expect.

Fans of The Witcher’s featured card game, Gwent, will be excited to know that it’s getting its first expansion pack in late March. With an addition of more than 100 new cards, this is sure to shake things up for future matches.

ANIME

It’s been a big week for anime, with a new round of reboots, sequels, and adaptations for classic properties announced or teased.

First up, the big one, One-Punch Man finally has a confirmed date for season two! The series was teased months ago, but since that imposing teaser that simply featured a big number 2, fans have been left in the dark. New animation studio J.C Staff (taking the reins from Madhouse) have now confirmed that a special will air on April 2, with the first episode coming to AnimeLab on April 9.

Gundam continues its confident stride through its 40th anniversary year with a new announcement, this time, of a Hollywood film adaptation. Yep, Gundam is getting the Western treatment on the big screen. The screenplay will be handled by comic book author Brian K. Vaughan, the mind behind Y: The Last Man, Saga, Runaways, and more.

The ‘newest’ Pokémon movie, Mewtwo Strikes Back Evolution, a 3DCG-animated remake of the original classic, got its website updated this week, with more details for the upcoming film added. While it is comforting to know that the director of the original film (and all the subsequent Pokémon movies) is returning, the visuals are proving to be the most divisive aspect of the movie so far.

DigiDestined were also treated to some exciting news, this week, as Toei Animation released visuals and a new PV for the Digimon Adventure 20th anniversary film. Taichi, Agumon and friends will be returning to screens next year – from the looks of things, goggles and all.

The next evolution begins. 2020. #DigimonAdventure pic.twitter.com/xaBiEmhN3V

— Toei Animation (@ToeiAnimation) March 6, 2019

Ultraman, THE ultimate Sentai show, is coming to Netflix very soon, but not as you may remember. With the original Ultraman’s job done, his legacy as a hero lingered on for many years with a world at peace… but now, a new threat emerges, and a new generation’s Ultraman must rise to meet the challenge!

COMICS

While Arrow is wrapping up in the TV world, DC co-publisher Dan DiDio ensures that there is plenty more in store for Oliver Queen. As the titular character wraps up his 50 issue comic run by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing and Javier Fernandez this week, it’s been confirmed that not only will a new series featuring the character be developed, but it also seems that writers are keen to have him be more involved in the wider DCU.

New Dark Horse series Berserker Unbound is reportedly a “deeply emotional story of friendship seen through multiple dimensions”. Written by Jeff Lemire and illustrated by Mike Deodato, Jr., the four-issue miniseries tells the story of a barbarian warrior who finds himself stranded in the modern-day, whilst the threat of an evil wizard looms across all of reality.

This news follows Deodato Jr.’s announcement to leave the Marvel franchise upon completion of his upcoming project, Savage Avengers.

I succeeded.

And I’ve been living my dream with those characters for 24 years!

⁰I’ve loved every second of it.

⁰Now I’m 56 and I have a new dream: to be a creator-owned artist. I wanna dedicate my full time to create my own books and characters.

— Mike Deodato, Jr. (@mikedeodato) March 4, 2019

In other Marvel news, the universe is continuing to expand, so much so that characters will soon be accessible in serialised audiobook form. In a deal with digital book platform Serial Box, fans are guaranteed new chapters each week, with an approximate 10-16 chapters per book. Each book will be focused on a different character from the MU, with Thor scheduled as the debut, written by Aaron Stewart-Ahn. No news on when the books will hit the audiobook listener’s ears, but it’d be a good idea to keep them open for further news.

THIS WEEK’S PICKS

Ronin Island #1 – Set in 19 century post-apocalyptic Japan, Korea, and China, Hana and Kenichi, unlikely allies, must work together when their home is invaded, and the threat of a mutated horde promises destruction. Written by Greg Pak, and illustrated by Giannis Milonogiannis. 

Astro Hustle #1 – By Jai Nits, Tom Reilly, Chris Crank, and Ursula Decay, Astro Hustle follows the misadventures of Chen Andalou, a cosmic criminal, following his brother’s appointment as the President of the Galaxy.

Obey Me #0 – Vanessa Held, along with her Hellhound companion Monty, completes missions assigned to her by the Archduke of Greed, in the midst of a war between Heaven and Hell. By Mario Mentasti, Ben Herrera, and Emmanuel Ordaz, Obey Me is based on the action game of the same name.

Six Million Dollar Man #1 – 1970s cyborgs and madmen with missiles, Christopher Hastings, David Hahn, and Michael Walsh bring you a tense and action-packed retelling of the 1970s TV series featuring Steve Austen and Agent Niko Abe.

Meet the Skrulls #1 – Robbie Thompson and Niko Henrichon bring us a five issue comic depicting a day-in the-life of a family of undercover Skrull agents.