First looks. A catch-up on already known projects. New film, series and comic con guest announcements. And a surprise gaming showcase lined up for next Monday. Time to catch up with this week’s pop culture news.
Film
We’re actually not leading with a trailer this week. Rather, we’re starting with the news that custodians of the James Bond movie franchise, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, are stepping aside after decades in the role. From this point, Amazon MGM Studios has complete creative control of the iconic espionage series… make of that what you will.
We’re also unsure about our feelings when it comes to the confirmed casting of Matt Damon as Odysseus in Christopher Nolan’s next: The Odyssey, which releases on 17 July 2026. It’s just that other current on-screen Odysseus Ralph Fiennes (in The Return) seems like a much better fit for the smarts-driven hero.
Anyway, there are loads of unofficial set pics circulating the web right now, but below is the first official image from the all-star Ancient World epic, which includes the likes of Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, Corey Hawkins, Mia Goth, Himesh Patel, and Samantha Morton in its cast.
Bring Her Back is the next unsettling horror film from Talk To Me filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou, and this week a one-minute teaser for the film dropped, oozing Heritage-style atmosphere. Sally Hawkins leads the cast of this Australia-set tale, where siblings uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their foster mother.
Released under the A24 banner, you can look forward to Bring Her Back in cinemas from 30 May.
Two more movie news tidbits from this week:
- If you were excited for Daniel Craig playing DC Comics’ dogged soldier Sgt. Rock in live-action form, we have some bad news. The star has exited Luca (Challengers) Guadagnino’s upcoming WWII actioner. The title character will now need to be recast.
- An adaptation of fighting video game Sifu is edging closer to reality. Netflix has officially thrown their weight behind the project, while unofficially John Wick’s Chad Stahelski and his stunt services company 87Eleven Entertainment are now helping to produce. What makes Sifu different? In this revenge actioner, the kung-fu fighting hero is continually resurrected on death, but ages in the process.
Series
HBO and Max’s The Last of Us Season 2 has long been listed as returning in April. Now we know the exact date: 13 April. The seven-episode second season of this dystopian survival drama will reportedly cover the first half of video game The Last of Us Part II, on which it’s based. There are multiple new faces in the cast for Season 2, although the biggie is Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby, who is out for revenge after Joel’s actions in Season 1.
Along with the premiere date, three artistic character posters were revealed, showing Pedro Pascal’s Joel, Bella Ramsey’s Ellie and Dever’s Abby.
For the record, South Africans will be able to watch The Last of Us Season 2 express from the US through Showmax.
So many rumours, but finally we know what’s next for The Last Airbender franchise on the small screen – in animated form. Show creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko return for Nickelodeon’s Avatar: Seven Havens. Set after the death of Korra, the world has experienced a cataclysm and blame falls on the Avatar. This isn’t good news for the young Earthbender who discovers that she’s Korra’s replacement. With her twin, our heroine is hunted by both human and spirit enemies, while trying to save civilization’s last stronghold from collapse.
Avatar: Seven Havens will consist of 26 half-hour episodes spread across two seasons.
Finally, here’s an upcoming project to keep an eye on, though this could go either way given the franchise’s adaptation history…
Netflix is working on a live-action Dungeons & Dragons series in The Forgotten Realms setting.
Gaming
It’s been a while. The last Annapurna Interactive Showcase was back in June 2023, although the entire Annapurna Interactive team walking out (in September last year) probably was quite a spanner in the works when you want to put together a stream talking about the indie games the company is releasing.
Well, things are clearly on track again, as indicated by the announcement of the Annapurna Interactive Showcase 2025. Taking place on Monday, 24 February, at 9 AM PST / 12 PM EST / 5PM GMT and 7PM South African time, the (likely 30-minute) segment promises to cover upcoming titles like Skin Deep, Wheel World, Faraway, Lushfoil, and next month’s Wanderstop (out 11 March), along with a few surprises.
Lifestyle
The next international comic guest has been announced for Comic Con Cape Town 2025, and it’s another returning artist from Europe… and another woman to boot (joining Italy’s Laura Braga). Look out for French creator Stephanie Lavaud (last seen at Comic Con Africa in 2023) on all four days of CCCT, running 1 to 4 May at CTICC 2.
