Another slight bump for the weekly pop culture news recap, but this time due to illness. Gotta put the health of our tiny team first.
Anyway, before we jump into the various standout stories from film, series, comics and the convention scene, the most notable passing this past week belongs to comedian Bob Newhart. Known for his deadpan comedic style, Newhart had two self-titled sitcoms in the 70s and 80s, running for several years each, although younger audiences will likely remember him most for his Emmy-winning performance as Professor Proton in The Big Bang Theory. He also had a key role in Christmas classic Elf. Newhart died aged 94. His wife of 60 years, Ginnie, passed last year.
Lifestyle
It’s San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) this coming weekend in California. Closer to home, but still convention related, South African pop culture fans can look forward to Comic Con Africa 2024 in just over 2 months, taking place at the JHB Expo Centre from 26 – 29 September (that’s after the usual included Heritage Day public holiday, please note).
There have been a steady stream of CCA 2024 guest announcements already, but now the big drawcard celebrities are starting to be revealed… beginning with comedic actor Dan Fogler. Appearing Friday to Sunday at the con, Fogler is probably best known for his starring role in Harry Potter spin-off film series Fantastic Beasts (playing Muggle baker Jacob Kowalski), as well as Balls of Fury, The Walking Dead, and recent Netflix series Eric.
Comics & Books
Given their frequency these days, and how little lasting impact they have, normally we roll our eyes at big, typically crossover, events from Marvel and DC. That said, the just officially announced DC All In has caught our attention.
Launching in October is a new line-wide initiative that introduces a new “Absolute” Universe of DC Super Heroes alongside the existing, but refreshed, core line of comics. Why the Absolute Universe is intriguing is that is positions the world’s greatest heroes as underdogs in a much darker Darkseid-shaped reality, where they are deprived of the resources and guiding figures that have always previously shaped their journey.
Things kick off with the 64-page flipbook DC All In Special #1, co-written by Scott Snyder (Absolute Batman) and Joshua Williamson (Superman). Out on 2 October, the book features art by Wonder Woman artist Daniel Sampere when read in one directionc, and Deadly Class co-creator and series artist Wes Craig when read in the other direction.
After All In, the Absolute comics kick off, starting with DC’s Big Three:
Snyder launches this new universe with the release of Absolute Batman #1, featuring art by Nick Dragotta. In this iteration, fans will be introduced to a version of the Dark Knight that doesn’t have the money, mansion, or butler of his core-line counterpart. Readers will quickly find out what makes this the “Absolute” version of Batman when the debut issue arrives at participating comic book shops and digital retailers Wednesday, October 9.
For Diana, there is no island paradise, no sisterhood to shape her, nor a mission of peace—so what is the purpose of an Amazon warrior in this new universe? Eisner Award-winning writer Kelly Thompson and breakout artist Hayden Sherman reinvent her from the ground up in Absolute Wonder Woman #1, on sale October 23.
Writer Jason Aaron and artist Rafa Sandoval join forces to present a new Man of Steel with the launch of Absolute Superman #1. This Superman has no family, no Fortress of Solitude, and no home. Will he still stand for truth, justice, and a better tomorrow in this new universe? Readers can find out when Absolute Superman #1 hits participating comic book shops November 6.
Speaking of SDCC, the gathering is famous for its show exclusive prints, merchandise and other goodies. Right now, if we had to get our hands on just one thing, it would be the special The Goon, Hellboy, and Usagi Yojimbo Anniversary Print available at the Dark Horse Comics booth.
Limited to 300 copies, and priced at $50, the 18 inches x 24 inches print features original artwork by the characters’ creators, Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, and Stan Sakai, with Powell on painting duties.
The Dark Horse stand will also have plenty of 30th Anniversary Hellboy items on sale, including a Hellboy Seed of Destruction #1 30th Anniversary Convention Exclusive Variant, Pinfinity Set, and Letterpress Set.
Film
It’s probably time to stop watching trailers for horror comedy sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. That is, if you don’t want everything spoiled before the movie even releases. Director Tim Burton returns for the follow-up to his first blockbuster smash hit, reuniting with original stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, and bringing Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe into the franchise mix.
Set decades after the 1988 film, Lydia Deetz (Ryder) is still tormented by her encounter with poltergeist Beetlejuice during her teens. Her own teenage daughter Astrid (Ortega) is dismissive of the supernatural, although things change when the family must return to Winter River due to a tragedy, and Astrid finds the portal to the Afterlife contained within the Deetz family home.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice releases on 6 September.
For a complete tonal change of pace, there’s World War II biographical drama Lee, which centres on rule-breaking photographer Lee Miller (Kate Winslet). Having been a model and artist’s muse, Lee assumed the role of Vogue Magazine’s war correspondent, setting out to document the truth of the Nazi regime and putting herself on the front lines alongside Life Magazine photographer David E. Scherman (Andy Samberg). All at great personal cost.
Directed by cinematographer Ellen Kuras, the star-studded cast of Lee includes Alexander Skarsgård, Marion Cotillard, Challengers’ Josh O’Connor and Andrea Riseborough.
Having premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Lee finally enjoys a wider release starting from 13 September.
Winner of the Cannes Film Festival’s highest honour, the Palme d’Or, in May (making it the first American film to do so since 2011), raunchy and raw comedy drama Anora is now gearing up for a broader release. In Sean Baker’s film, Mikey Madison plays Ani, a young exotic dancer who ends up in a complicated romance with Vanya, the son of a Russian oligarch. Will a fairy tale ending be possible?
Anora hits cinemas starting on 18 October.
Your big movie news tidbit for the week: The Russo Brothers are being courted to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Having already helmed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Civil War and the two-part saga Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, the Russos are being lined up to direct the next two Avengers blockbusters. These films will cap the currently unfolding MCU Multiverse storyline, until now centred on Kang the Conqueror.
Series
Didn’t we just have the Emmy Awards? Last year’s Hollywood Writers’ and Actors’ Strikes did confuse things a little, forcing the 2023 ceremony (for the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards) to take place only in mid January this year.
But now the 76th Emmys are on the horizon (combining the Creative Arts Emmys and broadcast main ceremony), with winners set to be announced on 7-8 September and 15 September respectively.
The leading nominees for this year are:
- Shogun (25 nominations)
- The Bear (23 nominations)
- Only Murders in the Building (21 nominations)
- rue Detective: Night Country (19 nominations)
- The Crown (18 nominations)
- Fallout (16 nominations)
The three main scripted series categories are as follows:
| Outstanding Comedy Series | Outstanding Drama Series | Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series |
| Abbott Elementary (ABC) The Bear (FX) Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) Hacks (Max) Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) Palm Royale (Apple TV+) Reservation Dogs (FX) What We Do in the Shadows (FX) | The Crown (Netflix) Fallout (Prime Video) The Gilded Age (HBO) The Morning Show (Apple TV+) Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Prime Video) Shōgun (FX) Slow Horses (Apple TV+) 3 Body Problem (Netflix) | Baby Reindeer (Netflix) Fargo (FX) Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+) Ripley (Netflix) True Detective: Night Country (HBO) |
After being shut out for years in favour of traditional network television, streamers are enjoying a strong showing with Netflix leading the pack thanks to 107 nominations.
For the record, to be eligible for the 2024 Emmys, programming had to air between 1 June 2023, and 31 May 2024.
Continuing to look very “House of the Dragon in space” is Dune: Prophesy, a spin-off series set in the same universe as Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films. Set approximately 10,000 years before the events of the movies, and drawing on the sci-fi novels of Frank and Brian Herbert, Dune: Prophesy focuses on the origins of the Bene Gesserit, an exclusive and powerful sisterhood that seeks to safeguard the future of humanity… through whatever means necessary. Emily Watson and Olivia Williams lead the cast as the Harkonnen sisters instrumental in setting up the women-only sect.
Dune: Prophecy premieres this November.
Wrapping up this week’s recap, here are three more TV tidbits:
- Rian Johnson’s mystery-of-the-week series Poker Face, starring Natasha Lyonne has lined up some more big names for its upcoming second season. Look out for Giancarlo Esposito, Katie Holmes, Gaby Hoffmann, and Kumail Nanjiani as future guests (and possible suspects) of the week.
- After two seasons, live-action video game adaptation Halo has been cancelled at Paramount+. The show will reportedly be shopped around to other potential platforms.
- Filming is currently underway on the fifth and final season of supernatural horror coming of age series Stranger Things. It also marks eight years of teen tangles with secret government agencies, the Soviets and various terrifying creatures from the Upside Down. To celebrate, Netflix has released this behind-the-scenes clip, and revealed that Stranger Things returns, one final time (in its current iteration), starting in 2025.