Happy Spider-Man and The Witcher release day! If you’re a fan of either franchise, you’re in for a treat. If you missed it, read our spoiler-free review of The Witcher Season 2 here, and Kervyn’s similarly spoiler-free look at Spider-Man: No Way Home here.

As for other pop culture news and releases, here’s what made the headlines – and caught our eye – over the past week.

Film

Proving that Marvel and DC don’t solely own the multiverse concept is trippy upcoming interdimensional action movie Everything Everywhere All At Once. From filmmakers Daniels and indie studio A24, Everything Everywhere All At Once centres on exhausted middle-aged Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh), a Chinese immigrant who runs a laundromat and just wants to get her taxes sorted. But it turns out only Evelyn can “save the world by exploring other universes connecting with the lives she could have led.”

Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jenny Slate, James Hong and Jamie Lee Curtis also star. Everything Everywhere All At Once releases on 25 March 2022.

The first trailer – and images – dropped for romantic comedy adventure The Lost City. Sandra Bullock plays massively successful romance author Loretta Sage, who is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe) who believes Sage can lead him to the jungle treasure in her latest novel. Coming to our heroine’s rescue is romance novel cover model Alan (Channing Tatum), and, in a cameo appearance, Brad Pitt’s rugged adventurer.

The Lost City hits cinemas 15 April 2022.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent promises to be the “most Nicolas Cage movie ever.” Playing himself in this action comedy, Cage accepts a $1 million offer to attend the birthday of a dangerous superfan (Pedro Pascal). Things take an unexpected turn when the actor is recruited by a CIA operative (Tiffany Haddish) and forced to live up to his own legend.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent releases 22 April 2022.

Streaming television

That’s quite some cast. Big and small screen horror maestro Mike (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass) Flanagan has announced 21 cast members for his The Fall of the House of Usher project. The eight-episode Netflix miniseries is a modern remix of some of the most iconic works of writer Edgar Allan Poe, the father of Gothic horror.

Just some of the returning Flanagan collaborators are Michael Trucco, Henry Thomas, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, Kate Siegel, Carla Gugino and Annabeth Gish. Meanwhile, of the actors working with the filmmaker for the first time, arguably the biggest names are Frank Langella, Mark Hamill and Mary McDonnell.

There’s not just a Gotham Knights game on the horizon. The CW is developing a series as well, with three Batwoman writers steering the project. The plot? In the aftermath of Batman’s apparent death, his misfit former charges must step up to protect Gotham City and clear their names. More here.

Gaming

It’s very early days, but a Splinter Cell remake is in development over at Ubisoft Toronto. More on the announcement here, including an 8-minute clip where its developers (past and present) pinpoint the significance of the pioneering stealth game franchise.

Splinter Cell fans aren’t the only ones frothing at the mouth about an Ubisoft franchise right now. Out of nowhere came the announcement of Assassin’s Creed Crossover Stories, featuring AC Valhalla’s Eivor and AC Odyssey’s Kassandra. Both 2-3-hour playable stories are available for free right now for owners of the respective base games.

For the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla crossover story, A Fated Encounter – which features players’ chosen Eivor and Kassandra – players must have reached Settlement Level 4 and completed the quest “A Wise Friend,” where Eivor helps Valka establish herself in Ravensthorpe.

For the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey crossover story, Those Who Are Treasured – again featuring players’ chosen misthios – players will need to have completed Chapter 1 and reached Megaris to access the content, but it’s recommended that players finish the main game’s three story arcs (Family, Cult of Kosmos and Mythology) to avoid spoilers.

Meanwhile, coming 10 March next year is the next major expansion for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Dawn of Ragnarök. Not included with any season pass or version of the game, the 35-hour Dawn of Ragnarök will be available as a separate purchase, and centres on Eivor embracing their destiny as Odin, the Norse god of Battle and Wisdom. More here.

Books and comics

This past week saw the passing of novelist Anne Rice, arguably the most influential vampire writer of the 20th Century. Rice died aged 80 as a result of complications from a stroke. The news was announced on social media by her son Christopher Rice. Production is currently underway on AMC’s Interview with a Vampire TV adaptation (which Rice was executive producing), while her final novel – co-written with her son – Ramses the Damned: The Reign of Osiris, will be published in February 2022.

More on Rice’s life and professional accomplishments here and here.