March 10, 2025 • 35 mins
We track major industry shifts with Star Trek Strange New Worlds already filming season 4 without a release date for season 3, plus a documentary in development about comic legend Jack Kirby's life, and Kathleen Kennedy expected to retire from Lucasfilm at the end of 2025.
• Strange New Worlds season 3 set for 2025 release with season 4 already in production
• "Kirby Vision" documentary in development, exploring Jack Kirby's groundbreaking comics career
• Marvel's Spidey and his Amazing Friends renewed for fifth season before season three airs
• Superman co-creator's nephew files new lawsuit against Warner Bros and DC Comics
• Neil Gaiman facing legal battle with former babysitter over serious allegations
• Kathleen Kennedy expected to step down as Lucasfilm president when contract expires in 2025
• HBO's Harry Potter series casting Janet McTeer and Papa Esiedu as McGonagall and Snape
• Jon Favreau developing animation-live-action hybrid about Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
• Hasbro reveals app-based Monopoly banking game, replacing paper money and banker
• FX's Alien Earth prequel series adds 11 names to growing cast
• Remembering George Lowe (Space Ghost), David Johansson, Gene Hackman, and Michelle Trachtenberg
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tonight, strange New World Season 4, jack Kirby's
life story, a new Supermanlawsuit, kathleen Kennedy
retires and remember George Lowe, david Johansson, jacket Gene
Hackman and MichelleTrachtenberg.
All that and more in thisedition of Multiverse Tonight.
Welcome to Multiverse Tonight,your source for geek news.
We dissect films, games, comicsand much more, bringing you
(00:24):
insightful commentary on popculture.
This is Multiverse Tonight.
Now here's your host, thomasTownley.
Well, hello and welcome toepisode 235 of Multiverse
Tonight.
I'm, of course, your host,thomas Townley.
And well, spring has seemed tohave arrived.
Finally.
The weather outside today is 70degrees.
(00:47):
I mean, it's nice, it's warm.
I have a Comic-Con coming upthis next weekend here, the
Kansas Comic-Con, the first everone in Kansas City, which just
happens to fall a week beforePlanet Comic-Con, which I'm not
going to this year.
I just don't have it in thebudget.
I mean they just added HelenHunt today, like that's just,
(01:12):
you know, I just have no moneyto give.
I mean you got to book a hotelroom, you got to figure out
which autographs you're going toget.
That fall within your budget.
I mean it's, it is somethingelse.
Anyway, let's go on to the StarTrek news.
(01:48):
Star Trek news.
Star Trek news begins with StarTrek Strange New World Season 4
, which is now in production,even though Season 3 still
hasn't gotten its premiere date.
The official Star Trek socialmedia accounts broke the news on
Monday, along with a photo ofthe main cast on set.
The update alarmed manycommentators who thought they
must have missed on some newsabout the third season.
(02:08):
Now they're eagerly awaitingmore details, noting just how
long it's been since we last gotan update.
Paramount Plus has said thatseason three will debut sometime
in 2025, but nothing more.
In the meantime, production isgetting ahead and is ultimately
a good thing for the show andits future release schedule.
Let's go on to the Marvel news.
(02:31):
Marvel News begins with KirbyVision, a definitive feature
(02:58):
documentary about legendarycomic book artist and creator
Jack Kirby, which is indevelopment with acclaimed
filmmaker Ricky Stern, who didJoan Rivers' A Piece of Work.
Ufos Investigating the Unknown,among others, as set to direct.
Emmy-winning producers DanBraun and Josh Braun of
Submarine Entertainment willproduce under their Submarine
(03:18):
Deluxe banner, alongside MikeCatticino, ron Fogelman and
Chris Longo.
Widely regarded as one of themost innovative and influential
creators in comics history,kirby co-created Captain America
with Joe Simon in 1941,famously depicting the superhero
punching Adolf Hitler on thefirst issue cover months before
the US entered World War II.
(03:39):
Now, throughout the nearly66-decade career of Kirby, he
went on to co-create numerousiconic Marvel characters,
including the Avengers, blackPanther, fantastic Four, hulk,
iron man, silver Surfer, thorand the X-Men many of those.
With co-creator Stan Lee At DCComics, kirby created the
ambitious Fourth World saga, asprawling cosmic epic featuring
(04:01):
characters like Darkseid, mrMiracle and OMAC, who remain
central to DC's publishing andscreen projects today.
I don't know about OMAC, butyes, the rest of those.
Yes.
Stern said in a quote Jack.
Jack was not only one of thegreat comic book creators of all
time, but a true visionarygenius.
(04:23):
In this new feature-lengthdocumentary, we actively
campaign for the recognition hefinally deserves.
The documentary has securedcooperation from the estate of
Jack Kirby, as represented bythe Rosalind Kirby Family Trust,
with access to personaldocuments, home movies and
(04:43):
creative materials, most ofwhich have been unseen by the
public until now.
The documentary will exploreKirby's remarkable journey from
poverty during the GreatDepression to frontline service
in World War II and hisgroundbreaking career spanning
various genres, from superheroesto romance, war westerns,
science fiction and horror.
(05:03):
Superheroes to romance, warwesterns, science fiction and
horror.
Caccino serves as executiveproducer on Does it Fly from
Rydberg Entertainment and is atrustee of the Jack Kirby Museum
.
Fogelman is director andco-founder of the London Action
Festival, while Chris Longo ischief creative officer of pop
culture media company Dan ofGeek.
Randolph Hope, director of JackKirby Museum and Research
(05:25):
Center, which is collaboratingon the project stated quote.
Now is the perfect time to tellthe complete story of the man
whose imagination and craftcontinue to ignite and shape the
dreams of new generations.
We're delighted to work withRicky and the whole production
team to unlock the life story ofa true legend.
Unquote.
(05:47):
Marvel's Spidey and his amazingfriends have been renewed for a
fifth season by Disney-brandedtelevision.
The news comes ahead of seasonthree, which will air on Disney
Junior, and ahead of seasonfour's summer debut.
Per Nielsen.
In the last quarter of 2024,marvel's Spidey and his amazing
friends was the second mostwatched streaming show among
kids aged two to five andremained number two with Ice
(06:10):
Lang for boys two to five Inthat demographic.
It beat popular preschoolseries Paw Patrol and Coco Milan
, usurped only by smash hitBluey.
Overall, the series has reachedone billion hours watched on
Disney Junior and Disney Plusand on YouTube, and has hit 2
billion views across DisneyJunior and Marvel's HQ channels.
(06:31):
Marvel's first ever full-lengthpreschool series follows Pierre
Parker, gwen Stacy and MilesMorales as they learn about
teamwork, problem solving andhelping others by working with
other superheroes to defeattheir foes.
Disney Junior and MarvelStudios produce in association
with Atomic Cartoons, with theFall Out Boy's Patrick Stump
(06:55):
serving as the show's composerand songwriter and performs the
theme song.
Now let's go on to the DC ComicsNews.
Dc Comics News begins with MarkPerry, the nephew of the late
(07:20):
Superman co-creator, jerrySchuster, who has initiated a
lawsuit against Warner Bros andDC Comics.
The lawsuit centers aroundallegations of copyright
infringement related to theforthcoming Superman film.
Perry contends that the movie'sproduction and release violate
copyright laws pertaining to theSuperman character and related
elements.
However, warner Bros and DCComics maintain a contrasting
(07:42):
stance.
They argue that the copyrightissues raised by Perry may have
already been resolved in priorcourt cases.
Specifically, they point to thefact that Perry's mother, who
is Schuster's sister, signedaway all rights to the Superman
character following Schuster'sdeath.
Now this agreement, they assert, transferred the ownership of
the character and relatedintellectual property rights to
(08:03):
the companies, granting them thelegal authority to produce the
film.
Despite the previous legalagreements.
The Schuster estate,represented by Perry, is seeking
to block the film's release incertain countries and are
pursuing financial damages forWarner Bros and DC Comics.
The estate's legal strategyseems to be focused on
challenging the validity orscope of the previous arguments,
potentially arguing that theydo not cover or scope of the
(08:24):
previous arguments, potentiallyarguing that they do not cover
all aspects of the Supermancopyright or that they signed
under duress or misinformation.
In response to the lawsuit,warner Brothers has expressed
confidence that the film willreceive its full global release
as planned.
The company believes that thelawsuit lacks legal merit and
will ultimately be dismissed bythe court.
(08:44):
Now, this confidence likelystems from the company's belief
in the strength of theirprevious legal arguments and
their conviction that they havethe full ownership and control
over the Superman character andrelated intellectual property.
Now the lawsuit represents acomplex legal battle over the
ownership and control of one ofthe world's most iconic and
(09:05):
lucrative fictional characters.
The outcome of this case mayhave significant implications
for the future of the Supermanfranchise and could potentially
set precedent for similarcopyright disputes in the
entertainment industry.
Neil Gaiman, the renowned authorof the acclaimed comic book
series Sandman and numerousother works, has found himself
(09:25):
embroiled in a legal battle withhis former babysitter, scarlett
Pavlovich.
Pavlovich has accused Gaiman ofsexual assault and trafficking,
allegations that Gaimanvehemently denies.
Gaiman's defense asserts thathis encounters with Pavlovich
were consensual and he hasprovided WhatsApp messages as
evidence to support his claim.
And he has provided WhatsAppmessages as evidence to support
his claim.
He contends that Pavlovich isbeing manipulated by external
(09:47):
forces to propagate a falsenarrative of abuse.
Gaiman's legal team has filed amotion to dismiss the lawsuit,
arguing that the allegationslack merit and that a US court
lacks jurisdiction over eventsthat allegedly occurred in New
Zealand.
The lawsuit has sparkedsignificant controversy and
media attention.
Given Gaiman's prominence inthe literary world, the
(10:09):
allegations against him areserious and the legal
proceedings will likely beclosely watched by the public.
The outcome of the case couldhave significant implications
for both Gaiman and Pavlovich,as well as for the broader
conversation around sexualassault and consent.
Let's go on to the Star Warsnews.
Kathleen Kennedy, the longtimepresident of Lucasfilm, is
(10:35):
expected to step down at the endof 2025.
She intends to retire after hercurrent contract expires,
according to a source withknowledge of her plans.
A separate source close toKennedy, however, dismissed the
initial report by Puck News aspure speculation and said
nothing has been decided.
Kennedy joined Lucasfilm in2012 as co-chair alongside Star
(10:58):
Wars creator George Lucas.
Shortly after Lucas exited hispost, as Disney required the
company for $4 billion, kennywas elevated to the role of
president.
Now she's been credited withreviving the property by
launching the sequel trilogy,beginning with 2015's Star Wars,
the Force Awakens, as well asthe critically acclaimed 2016
(11:18):
spinoff, rogue One.
Kenny has also charted a futureof the franchise on streaming
with television series such asthe Mandalorian and Andor.
However, her future with thecompany behind Star Wars has
been a source of speculationover the years.
The Force Awakens remains thehighest-cursing film in domestic
box office history, with $936million and $2 billion globally,
but the triad ofSkywalker-centric blockbusters
(11:41):
experienced diminishing returns,with Rise of Skywalker capping
off the trilogy in 2019 with astill impressive $1 billion,
albeit half as much as the ForceAwakens earned a few years
earlier.
Now that may have been as bit,not big, a much of a big of a
deal, but it came a year afterthe financial failure of 2018's
Solo, a Star Wars Story, whichbecame the first Star Wars movie
(12:02):
to ever lose money in thetheatrical run At Lucasfilm.
Candy also oversaw 2023'sIndiana Jones and the Dial of
Destiny, the fifth and finalfilm in the Harrison Ford-led
series.
The action-adventure whichrelaunched the property after 15
years with a catastrophicfailure, generating only $383
million globally against a $295million budget, ultimately
(12:25):
losing around $140 million forthe studio.
Star Wars has struggled toreturn to the big screen since
the Rise of Skywalker, althoughnot for lack of trying.
In the years since, lucasfilmhas announced several Star Wars
projects with filmmakers likeJames Mangold, charmaine Obad
Chinoy, taika Waititi and DonaldGlover, but none have come to
(12:46):
fruition.
Meanwhile, new takes on theseries from Wonder Woman
director Patty Jenkins, marvel'sproducer Kevin Feige, the Last
Jedi director Rian Johnson andGame of Thrones creators David
Benioff and DB Weiss wereshelled for various reasons.
Lucasfilm has plans toeventually reintroduce itself to
(13:07):
movie theaters the Mandalorianand Grogu.
A continuation of the DisneyPlus series about the
helmet-wearing bounty hunter isset for theatrical release in
2026, while X-Men alum SimonKinberg is reportedly developing
a brand new Star Wars trilogy.
Let's go on to the geek news.
Geek News begins with HBO'sforthcoming Harry Potter series,
(13:42):
which is taking shape with newcasting news.
The network is close tofinalizing deals with acclaimed
actors Janet Metier and PapaEsuado to portray two iconic
Hogwarts professors MinervaMcGonagall and Severus Snape
respectively.
They'll join the previouslyannounced John Lithgow, who will
take on the role of belovedheadmaster Albus Dumbledore.
(14:05):
The series has long beenplanned as a long-term project
which will span a decade, andaims to be a meticulous and
loyal adaptation of JK Rowling'sseven original Harry Potter
novels.
This will allow for a deepexploration of the wizarding
world and its characters thatwas not possible in the film
series.
Asueto, who is in his 30s, willportray a younger version of
(14:29):
Snape than the one depicted inthe movies, offering a fresh
perspective on the complexcharacter, and McTeer's casting,
meanwhile, aligns with the ageof Maggie Smith when she was
cast as McGonagall, ensuring asense of continuity with the
film series while also bringinga new interpretation of the role
.
One of the key goals of theHarry Potter TV series is to
(14:50):
create a more inclusive anddiverse wizarding universe than
reflects the world we live in.
This commitment torepresentation will be evident
in both the casting and thestorytelling.
The series is slated to debuton HBO in late 2026 or early
2027, and fans are eagerlyawaiting their return to
Hogwarts Now.
Mcteer has been nominated forboth Academy Awards and Emmy
(15:11):
Awards, showcasing herversatility and talent.
She will next be seen in thehighly anticipated action film
Mission Impossible, the FinalReckoning.
Svito, meanwhile, has beennominated for BAFTA and Emmys,
and his upcoming project is thefilm the Scurry.
Over the last decade, jonFavreau has been a linchpin of
Disney Plus' original seriesslate, with flagship the
(15:34):
Mandalorian and its offshoots,while also taking on classic
Disney animated characters onthe feature side with the
live-action photorealisticanimated the Jungle Book and
photorealistic the Lion King.
Now he is combining the twowith a new series in development
at Disney Plus.
The animation-live-actionhybrid is about Oswald the Lucky
Rabbit, a saucy, self-absorbedbunny Favreau is writing and
(15:59):
producing the project from WaltDisney Studios.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is veryimportant to the Walt Disney
Company.
The creation, which bears aclose resemblance to Mickey
Mouse, has a fractured historywith the company and played a
pivotal role in the creation ofDisney's most famous animated
character.
Oswald was created in 1927 byWalt Disney and was featured in
27 animated shorts, but afterUniversal took control of the
(16:21):
character in 1928, disneycreated a new character as a
replacement Mickey Mouse.
Bringing Oswald home has been apriority for Disney CEO Bob
Iger, and the Walt DisneyCompany acquired the trademark
in 2006.
The character aired the publicdomain in 2023.
Favreau created, wrote andexecs produced Mandalorian,
(16:42):
which aired on Disney Plus from2019 to 2023, and also execs
produced the Disney Plusspinoffs, the Book of Boba Fett,
ahsoka and Star Wars SkeletonCrew.
Additionally, favreau producedand directed the upcoming
feature offshoot, lucasfilms'the Mandalorian and Groku set
for release in May of 2026.
(17:02):
Hasbro revealed a new digitalversion of Monopoly, called
Monopoly App Banking at theNorth American International
Trade Fair in New York City.
This new version modernizes theclassic board game as it
celebrates its 90th anniversary,replacing paper money and the
banker with a mobile app thatwill handle all transactions.
Players scan their bank andproperty cards into a smartphone
(17:24):
or tablet, which will track themoney and automate the
transactions.
This update aims to makegameplay faster and easier by
limiting cash counting andreducing the opportunity to
cheat.
However, it also removed thetraditional math element of
Monopoly, which some parents andteachers might cause
(17:45):
consternation over.
The game board has beenredesigned with a kid-friendly
theme, replacing the AtlanticCity-based properties with
locations like a rocket launchpad, a chocolate factory and a
dinosaur park.
The app will also includemini-games to keep younger
players engaged.
Monopoly app banking will beavailable at most major
retailers in August for $24.99.
(18:07):
Your mileage may vary, however,with any tariffs that might be
imposed.
Lionsgate and Lucky Chap'sMonopoly movie is also getting
momentum, as the studio iscornering the market on one of
the town's hottest writing duos.
Sources have told Deadlinecomthat Lionsgate has closed a deal
(18:28):
for John Francis Daly andJonathan Goldstein for a
screenplay based on Hasbro'sclassic board game.
The project is being producedby Lucky Chap, the award-winning
production company, and HasbroEntertainment.
So do you really want to seeMonopoly the movie?
Anyone, anyone, I'll leave itup to you.
(18:51):
Fx has added 11 names to thegrowing cast of Alien Earth
Richie Morjana, karen Eldridge,enzo Cliente, max Reinhart, amir
Boutrous, victoria Mosoma, tomMoya, andy Yu, michael Smiley,
jamie Bisping and TanipolChusrada.
They join previously announcedcast members Sydney Chandler,
(19:14):
timothy Oliphant, alex Lothar,sc Davis, david Reichdahl,
samuel Blutkin, adresh Gurdwarv,babu Sazay, jonathan Adyei,
ariana James, lily Nemark, diemKamali and Adrian Edmondson.
Alien Earth is a prequel seriesto Ridley Scott's classic 1979
(19:38):
Alien, the first of nine filmsin the franchise.
With the official logline forAlien Earth reading quote when a
mysterious space vessel crashlands on Earth, a young woman
played by Chandler and a ragtaggroup of tactical soldiers make
a fateful discovery that putsthem face-to-face with the
planet's greatest threat.
Unquote.
Ooh Ah.
(20:00):
Jared Padalecki and MishaCollins have joined the fifth
and final season of AmazonPrime's the Boys as guest stars,
reuniting with their fellowSupernatural, alum Jensen Ackles
.
Details of the roles are beingkept under wraps.
The Boys creator, eric Kripke,has long expressed a desire to
cast Padalecki on the satiricalsuperhero drama, telling Variety
(20:23):
last year, quote I feel like Ihave to complete my game of
Supernatural Pokemon and I havemy one big one, very big one,
left to catch.
Unquote.
He later told Variety that hewas talking to Padalecki about a
role in the final season,saying, quote I love him and you
try to work with people thatyou love.
Unquote.
Zendaya is taking her talentsto the swamp.
(20:47):
Taking her talents to the swamp.
The mononymous in demand actorhas joined Shrek 5 as Felicia,
the daughter of Shrek and Fiona.
Universal and DreamWorks, thestudios behind the anime
adventure set in the land of Far, far Away, released a teaser
along with the updated castingnews.
(21:07):
In the clip, shrek's trustysidekick Donkey asks hey, magic
Mirror, who's the fairest ofthem all?
Magic Mirror you know the onefrom Snow White responds why?
Shrek, of course.
But this Magic Mirror appearsto have a distinctly 21st
century twist allowing the GreenOgre to swap between various
Gen Z-ified looks at Shrek.
This prompts very differentreactions from Felicia and Fiona
(21:31):
, as Shrek raises the questionof the hour who is making this
stuff?
Just then Pinocchio pops up totell a nose-growing lie,
declaring Not me, yeah, shrek 5.
Hard pass.
I think they've done the Shrekuniverse to death, literally.
(21:53):
I mean each one from Shrek 1 toShrek 4, just dropped off in
quality and storytelling.
So I don't know where they'd gowith Shrek 5.
It almost seems like Back tothe Future.
2.
It's your kids, marty.
(22:13):
It's your kids.
Anyway, some sad news.
George Lowe, the veteran actor,voice actor and comedian best
known for his work as SpaceGhost on the cult favorite
series Space Ghost Coast toCoast, has died.
He was 67 years old.
A rep for Lowe confirmed hisdeath to Rolling Stone.
A cause of death has not beenreleased yet.
(22:34):
Lowe's friend, the radio hostMarvelous Marvin Boone, said
Lowe died after a long illness.
Boone added he was a supremelytalented actor, artist and voice
actor, a truly warm-heartedgenius.
Funniest man on Earth too.
I've stolen jokes from him fordecades.
He sold some of mine".
(22:55):
Lowe began his career in radiobefore slowly moving into voice
acting during the 80s and 90s,he landed the role of Space
Ghost in 1994, taking a 60s-eraHanna-Barbera cartoon and
reviving him as the host of alate-night talk show on Space
Ghost Coast to Coast.
The show premiered on CartoonNetwork, but was very much a
template for the adult-orientedprogramming that would come to
(23:17):
define Cartoon Network's AfterDark affiliate, adult Swim.
When it debuted the followingyear, space Ghost Coast to Coast
offered a novel take on theclassic talk show format with
its mix of live-action animation.
The interviews between SpaceGhosts and the very real
celebrity guests were oftenchopped up and edited in
irreverent ways, like when SpaceGhosts got Michael Stipe to say
(23:38):
of REM's shiny, happy people Ihate that song, space Ghosts to
which Space Ghosts solemnlyreplies oh, me too, michael, me
too.
When the show began, loweadmitted he often found himself
trying to imitate the originalvoice of Space Ghost, gary Owens
, before eventually finding hisown take on the character.
While much of the show wasscripted, lowe was also allowed
(23:59):
to add lib, which further helpedsolidify the show's off-kilter,
edgy sense of humor.
Lowe told Under the Radar in2020, quote we'd do everything
that now would get usplace-sanctioned, outlawed and
move to Sri Lanka.
It's almost like people embraceall the naughty stuff that
you're not supposed to do, so wegot away with a lot.
Unquote.
Space Ghost Coast to Coast ranfor 11 seasons, with the final
(24:22):
episodes airing in 2008.
Lowe also voiced Space Ghostand other characters on spin-off
shows like Cartoon Planet andthe Brack Show, as well as other
adult swim favorites like AquaTeen, hunger Force and Robot
Chicken.
He recently reprised his rolein Space Ghost in the most
recent episode of Jellystone.
During his career, lowe alsolent his voice to shows like
(24:46):
Celebrity Deathmatch,squidbillies and American Dad,
as well as numerous video games,commercials and TV and radio
stations.
Again, george Lowe, the voiceactor behind Space Ghost, dead
at the age of 67.
David Johansson, the charismaticfront man of the proto-punk
(25:07):
band New York Dolls, whorevended himself as the lounge
singer, buster Poindexterenjoyed a diverse acting career,
has died at the age of 75.
His daughter, leah Hennessy,confirmed his passing, saying he
died peacefully at his New Yorkhome on Friday.
On Friday, a family statementreleased on the following
(25:28):
Saturday revealed that Johanssonhad battled profoundly
compromised health for a decade,succumbing to stage 4 cancer
and a brain tumor diagnosed in2020.
He passed away surrounded byloved ones, including the hands
of his wife, marie Hennessy, hisdaughter Leah, with music and
flowers filling the room.
His health had deterioratedfurther after a fall in November
(25:49):
which resulted in a broken backand confined him to bed.
The family expressed gratitudefor the outpouring of support
following their publicannouncement of Johansson's
health struggles.
Knowing that he was able toreconnect with many friends and
family before his death, theypromised future events to
celebrate his life in artistry.
Johansson's later years saw aresurgence of action, thanks to,
(26:09):
in part, to the 2023 Showtimedocumentary Personality Crisis
One Night Only, co-directed byMartin Scorsese and David
Tedeschi.
The film captured his finalfull performances at New York's
Cafe Carlisle just before thepandemic lockdown.
Johansson's musical career beganin Staten Island with the
(26:29):
Vagabond Missionaries in the1960s.
He joined the New York Dolls in1971, quickly becoming a
central figure in the band'sgroundbreaking sound and image.
Their 1973 self-titled debut,produced by Todd Rundgren,
showcased their unique blend ofglam rock and raw energy, with
songs like Personality Crisisinfluencing generations of punk
and rock musicians.
Despite critical acclaim, theband struggled commercially and
(26:52):
disbanded in 1976.
After the Dolls, johanssonpursued a solo career before
transforming into BusterPoindexter in the late 1980s,
achieving mainstream successwith Hot Hot Hot.
He also built a notable actingresume, appearing in films like
Scrooged and Car 54, where Areyou?
And the HBO series Oz.
(27:14):
The New York Dolls were unitedin 2004 at the behest of
Morrissey, leading to furtheralbums and tours.
Johansson also hosted DavidJohansson's Mansion of Fun on
Sirius XM Radio, which caughtthe attention of Scorsese and
inspired the documentary.
Johansson's versatility andenduring influence were evident
(27:35):
throughout his career and heembraced diverse musical styles
from punk to lounge, and foundsuccess in both music and acting
.
He was known for his wit andunfiltered personality, which
shone through in hisperformances and interviews.
His daughter, leah, hadpublicly shared his health
struggles linked to afundraising effort through the
Sweet Relief Foundation.
The family expressed deepappreciation for the support
(27:56):
they received.
Johansson's death marks thepassing of the last original
members of the New York Dolls,following the deaths of Sylvian
Sylvian, arthur Kane, jonathanThunders, jerry Nolan and Billy
Marcia.
He is survived by his wife,marielle Hennessy, and their
daughter Leah.
Again, david Johansson dead atthe age of 75.
(28:21):
Two-time Oscar winner GeneHackman, age 95, and his wife
Betty Arakawa, 64, were founddeceased in their Santa Fe, new
Mexico, home on February 26,2025.
Santa Fe County Sheriff AideanMendoza confirmed the deaths,
along with that of one of theirdogs.
Deputies responded to a welfarecheck at the residence on Old
(28:41):
Sunset Trail in Hyde Park around1.45 pm after a neighbor
expressed concern.
A statement from the Santa FeSheriff's Office indicated that
foul play was not suspected butthe exact cause of death was
under investigation.
The New Mexico Office of theMedical Investigator stated that
a final medical examiner'sreport typically takes four to
(29:01):
six weeks.
An autopsy conducted onFebruary 27th, however, revealed
that Jean Hackman died from acombination of advanced
Alzheimer's disease and severeheart disease.
Dr Heather Jarrell, the NewMexico chief examiner, indicated
that Hackman likely died onFebruary 18th, noting he was in
poor health and had not eatenfor several days.
(29:22):
His heart issues were welldocumented.
Betsy Arakawa's cause of deathwas determined to be hantavirus
pulmonary disease, a raredisease spread by rodents.
She likely passed away aroundFebruary 11th.
Sheriff Mendoza providedfurther details stating that
Arakawa was seen on securityfootage shopping at a local
(29:43):
Sprouts farmer's market around3.30 pm on February 11th and
entered their neighborhoodaround 5.30 pm.
No further action, activity orcommunication from her was
recorded after that time.
The couple's bodies werediscovered in separate rooms of
their home alongside a deceaseddog.
Another healthy dog was alsopresent.
Pills found at the scene wereidentified as diltelazime,
(30:06):
tylenol and thyroid medication.
Gene Hackman, born on January 30, 1930, had a long and
celebrated acting career.
He won Oscars for the FrenchConnection in 1971 and
Unforgiven in 1992, and receivednominations in 1967 for Bonnie
and Clyde, 1974 I Never Sing formy Father and 1988 for
(30:27):
Mississippi Burning.
He was also known for his roleas Lex Luthor in the Superman
films and had extensivefilmography, including the
Poseidon Adventure, theConversation Hoosiers, the Firm,
the Birdcage, edmure, the Stateand Runaway Jury.
He retired from acting in 2004after starring in Welcome to
Mooseport.
Hackman's early life was markedby instability.
(30:49):
He enlisted in the Marine Corpsat 16 and served until 1951,
where he later pursued acting,finding success on Broadway and
in film.
Hackman and Arakawa had beenmarried since 1991 and lived a
private life in Santa Fe.
He has survived by threechildren from his previous
marriage to Faye Maltese,christopher, elizabeth Jean and
(31:11):
Leslie Ann, again two-time Oscarwinner, gene Hackman, dead at
the age of 95, and his wife,betsy Arakawa, dead at 64.
And finally, tonight, michelleTrachtenberg, an actress beloved
by millennials for roles inBuffy, the Vampire Slayer,
disney's Ice Princess, gossipGirl and more, died this past
(31:33):
Wednesday at the age of 39.
Police responded to a 911 callshortly after 8 am at Luxury
Resortial Tower in Midtown,where officers observed a
39-year-old female unconsciousand unresponsive.
According to a New York policestatement, paramedics pronounced
her dead at the scene.
No foul play was suspected andthe New York medical examiner
(31:56):
was investigating the cause ofthe death.
A spokesperson forTrachtenberg's family
corroborated the news, saying itis with great sadness to
confirm that MichelleTrachtenberg has passed away.
The family respects privacy fortheir loss.
There are no further details atthis time, unquote Now.
Per ABC News police sources,trachtenberg was discovered by
her mother at her New Yorkapartment, who called police.
(32:18):
She said that she had recentlyhad a liver transplant.
Born on October 11th 1985 in NewYork City, trachtenberg was a
lifelong actor who made hertelevision debut in commercials
at the age of three beforelanding a recurring role as Lily
Montgomery on the longtime soapopera All my Children.
She gained further recognitionwhile starring in Nickelodeon's
(32:40):
the Adventures of Pete and Peteand was nominated for a Daytime
Emmy for her role in DiscoveryChildren's series Truth or Scare
, for a daytime Emmy for herrole in Discovery Children's
series Truth or Scare, beforelanding her breakout feature
role as Harriet M Welsh in the1996 Paramount film Harriet the
Spy, based on the classicchildren's novel.
Trachtenberg joined Buffy theVampire Slayer in the cult WB
(33:02):
fantasy series' fifth season In2000 has Dawn Summers, the
younger sister to Cher MichelleGellar's Buffy.
Subsequently, the actressgarnered further notice with
roles in the raunchy 2004 cultcomedy Euro Trip and the Disney
sports drama Ice Princess, whereshe played a bookish teen
discovering her passion forfigure skating.
(33:24):
One of Trachtenberg's othermost memorable roles came in
2008, when she joined GossipGirl as Georgina Sparks, a
manipulative and unpredictabletroublemaker who frequently
threw the lives of the UpperEast Side elite into chaos.
Around that time, she starredopposite Zac Efron and Matthew
Perry in Warner Brothers' Comedy17, again playing the daughter
of Perry's Mike O'Donnell, whomagically gets the chance to
(33:47):
relive his teenage years.
Trachtenberg later continued towork steadily and intelligent,
with guest appearances on showslike House, weeds, ncis, los
Angeles and Sleepy Hollow.
Additionally, she lent hervoice to anime projects,
including Robot Chicken, mostrecently reprising her role in
Max's Gossip Girl sequel seriesin 2023.
(34:10):
Again, michelle Trachtenberg,dead at the age of 39.
And that brings us to the endof the show for today.
Now please be sure to check usout on our social media.
We're on Blue Sky and Twitterat Multiverse, tom threads,
facebook and Instagram, as wellat Multiverse Tonight.
(34:31):
If you've gotten some value outof the show and like to pay it
back, head on over tomultiverstenightcom and where
you'll find our Patreon andKo-fi links.
Check out our show notes, visitour TeePublic store.
You can leave some feedback andso much more.
And if this is your first timelistening, thank you and welcome
.
Go ahead and hit that subscribebutton and share us with others
(34:53):
.
Now, thanks to Hot Dope for theintro music and Lobo Loco for
the outro theme music.
Thanks for watching thisedition of Multiverse Tonight.
We'll be back in two weeks withmore sci-fi and comic book news
.
Now please exit the universe inan orderly fashion.
Good night All.
(35:16):
First Night is a production ofHalf-Baked John and his brothers
.
Copyright 2025.
All rights reserved.
This podcast is brought to youby the Populous Culture Podcast
Network.
Tonight, strange New World Season 4, jack Kirby's
life story, a new Supermanlawsuit, kathleen Kennedy
retires and remember George Lowe, david Johansson, jacket Gene
Hackman and MichelleTrachtenberg.
All that and more in thisedition of Multiverse Tonight.
Welcome to Multiverse Tonight,your source for geek news.
We dissect films, games, comicsand much more, bringing you
(00:24):
insightful commentary on popculture.
This is Multiverse Tonight.
Now here's your host, thomasTownley.
Well, hello and welcome toepisode 235 of Multiverse
Tonight.
I'm, of course, your host,thomas Townley.
And well, spring has seemed tohave arrived.
Finally.
The weather outside today is 70degrees.
(00:47):
I mean, it's nice, it's warm.
I have a Comic-Con coming upthis next weekend here, the
Kansas Comic-Con, the first everone in Kansas City, which just
happens to fall a week beforePlanet Comic-Con, which I'm not
going to this year.
I just don't have it in thebudget.
I mean they just added HelenHunt today, like that's just,
(01:12):
you know, I just have no moneyto give.
I mean you got to book a hotelroom, you got to figure out
which autographs you're going toget.
That fall within your budget.
I mean it's, it is somethingelse.
Anyway, let's go on to the StarTrek news.
(01:48):
Star Trek news.
Star Trek news begins with StarTrek Strange New World Season 4
, which is now in production,even though Season 3 still
hasn't gotten its premiere date.
The official Star Trek socialmedia accounts broke the news on
Monday, along with a photo ofthe main cast on set.
The update alarmed manycommentators who thought they
must have missed on some newsabout the third season.
(02:08):
Now they're eagerly awaitingmore details, noting just how
long it's been since we last gotan update.
Paramount Plus has said thatseason three will debut sometime
in 2025, but nothing more.
In the meantime, production isgetting ahead and is ultimately
a good thing for the show andits future release schedule.
Let's go on to the Marvel news.
(02:31):
Marvel News begins with KirbyVision, a definitive feature
(02:58):
documentary about legendarycomic book artist and creator
Jack Kirby, which is indevelopment with acclaimed
filmmaker Ricky Stern, who didJoan Rivers' A Piece of Work.
Ufos Investigating the Unknown,among others, as set to direct.
Emmy-winning producers DanBraun and Josh Braun of
Submarine Entertainment willproduce under their Submarine
(03:18):
Deluxe banner, alongside MikeCatticino, ron Fogelman and
Chris Longo.
Widely regarded as one of themost innovative and influential
creators in comics history,kirby co-created Captain America
with Joe Simon in 1941,famously depicting the superhero
punching Adolf Hitler on thefirst issue cover months before
the US entered World War II.
(03:39):
Now, throughout the nearly66-decade career of Kirby, he
went on to co-create numerousiconic Marvel characters,
including the Avengers, blackPanther, fantastic Four, hulk,
iron man, silver Surfer, thorand the X-Men many of those.
With co-creator Stan Lee At DCComics, kirby created the
ambitious Fourth World saga, asprawling cosmic epic featuring
(04:01):
characters like Darkseid, mrMiracle and OMAC, who remain
central to DC's publishing andscreen projects today.
I don't know about OMAC, butyes, the rest of those.
Yes.
Stern said in a quote Jack.
Jack was not only one of thegreat comic book creators of all
time, but a true visionarygenius.
(04:23):
In this new feature-lengthdocumentary, we actively
campaign for the recognition hefinally deserves.
The documentary has securedcooperation from the estate of
Jack Kirby, as represented bythe Rosalind Kirby Family Trust,
with access to personaldocuments, home movies and
(04:43):
creative materials, most ofwhich have been unseen by the
public until now.
The documentary will exploreKirby's remarkable journey from
poverty during the GreatDepression to frontline service
in World War II and hisgroundbreaking career spanning
various genres, from superheroesto romance, war westerns,
science fiction and horror.
(05:03):
Superheroes to romance, warwesterns, science fiction and
horror.
Caccino serves as executiveproducer on Does it Fly from
Rydberg Entertainment and is atrustee of the Jack Kirby Museum
.
Fogelman is director andco-founder of the London Action
Festival, while Chris Longo ischief creative officer of pop
culture media company Dan ofGeek.
Randolph Hope, director of JackKirby Museum and Research
(05:25):
Center, which is collaboratingon the project stated quote.
Now is the perfect time to tellthe complete story of the man
whose imagination and craftcontinue to ignite and shape the
dreams of new generations.
We're delighted to work withRicky and the whole production
team to unlock the life story ofa true legend.
Unquote.
(05:47):
Marvel's Spidey and his amazingfriends have been renewed for a
fifth season by Disney-brandedtelevision.
The news comes ahead of seasonthree, which will air on Disney
Junior, and ahead of seasonfour's summer debut.
Per Nielsen.
In the last quarter of 2024,marvel's Spidey and his amazing
friends was the second mostwatched streaming show among
kids aged two to five andremained number two with Ice
(06:10):
Lang for boys two to five Inthat demographic.
It beat popular preschoolseries Paw Patrol and Coco Milan
, usurped only by smash hitBluey.
Overall, the series has reachedone billion hours watched on
Disney Junior and Disney Plusand on YouTube, and has hit 2
billion views across DisneyJunior and Marvel's HQ channels.
(06:31):
Marvel's first ever full-lengthpreschool series follows Pierre
Parker, gwen Stacy and MilesMorales as they learn about
teamwork, problem solving andhelping others by working with
other superheroes to defeattheir foes.
Disney Junior and MarvelStudios produce in association
with Atomic Cartoons, with theFall Out Boy's Patrick Stump
(06:55):
serving as the show's composerand songwriter and performs the
theme song.
Now let's go on to the DC ComicsNews.
Dc Comics News begins with MarkPerry, the nephew of the late
(07:20):
Superman co-creator, jerrySchuster, who has initiated a
lawsuit against Warner Bros andDC Comics.
The lawsuit centers aroundallegations of copyright
infringement related to theforthcoming Superman film.
Perry contends that the movie'sproduction and release violate
copyright laws pertaining to theSuperman character and related
elements.
However, warner Bros and DCComics maintain a contrasting
(07:42):
stance.
They argue that the copyrightissues raised by Perry may have
already been resolved in priorcourt cases.
Specifically, they point to thefact that Perry's mother, who
is Schuster's sister, signedaway all rights to the Superman
character following Schuster'sdeath.
Now this agreement, they assert, transferred the ownership of
the character and relatedintellectual property rights to
(08:03):
the companies, granting them thelegal authority to produce the
film.
Despite the previous legalagreements.
The Schuster estate,represented by Perry, is seeking
to block the film's release incertain countries and are
pursuing financial damages forWarner Bros and DC Comics.
The estate's legal strategyseems to be focused on
challenging the validity orscope of the previous arguments,
potentially arguing that theydo not cover or scope of the
(08:24):
previous arguments, potentiallyarguing that they do not cover
all aspects of the Supermancopyright or that they signed
under duress or misinformation.
In response to the lawsuit,warner Brothers has expressed
confidence that the film willreceive its full global release
as planned.
The company believes that thelawsuit lacks legal merit and
will ultimately be dismissed bythe court.
(08:44):
Now, this confidence likelystems from the company's belief
in the strength of theirprevious legal arguments and
their conviction that they havethe full ownership and control
over the Superman character andrelated intellectual property.
Now the lawsuit represents acomplex legal battle over the
ownership and control of one ofthe world's most iconic and
(09:05):
lucrative fictional characters.
The outcome of this case mayhave significant implications
for the future of the Supermanfranchise and could potentially
set precedent for similarcopyright disputes in the
entertainment industry.
Neil Gaiman, the renowned authorof the acclaimed comic book
series Sandman and numerousother works, has found himself
(09:25):
embroiled in a legal battle withhis former babysitter, scarlett
Pavlovich.
Pavlovich has accused Gaiman ofsexual assault and trafficking,
allegations that Gaimanvehemently denies.
Gaiman's defense asserts thathis encounters with Pavlovich
were consensual and he hasprovided WhatsApp messages as
evidence to support his claim.
And he has provided WhatsAppmessages as evidence to support
his claim.
He contends that Pavlovich isbeing manipulated by external
(09:47):
forces to propagate a falsenarrative of abuse.
Gaiman's legal team has filed amotion to dismiss the lawsuit,
arguing that the allegationslack merit and that a US court
lacks jurisdiction over eventsthat allegedly occurred in New
Zealand.
The lawsuit has sparkedsignificant controversy and
media attention.
Given Gaiman's prominence inthe literary world, the
(10:09):
allegations against him areserious and the legal
proceedings will likely beclosely watched by the public.
The outcome of the case couldhave significant implications
for both Gaiman and Pavlovich,as well as for the broader
conversation around sexualassault and consent.
Let's go on to the Star Warsnews.
Kathleen Kennedy, the longtimepresident of Lucasfilm, is
(10:35):
expected to step down at the endof 2025.
She intends to retire after hercurrent contract expires,
according to a source withknowledge of her plans.
A separate source close toKennedy, however, dismissed the
initial report by Puck News aspure speculation and said
nothing has been decided.
Kennedy joined Lucasfilm in2012 as co-chair alongside Star
(10:58):
Wars creator George Lucas.
Shortly after Lucas exited hispost, as Disney required the
company for $4 billion, kennywas elevated to the role of
president.
Now she's been credited withreviving the property by
launching the sequel trilogy,beginning with 2015's Star Wars,
the Force Awakens, as well asthe critically acclaimed 2016
(11:18):
spinoff, rogue One.
Kenny has also charted a futureof the franchise on streaming
with television series such asthe Mandalorian and Andor.
However, her future with thecompany behind Star Wars has
been a source of speculationover the years.
The Force Awakens remains thehighest-cursing film in domestic
box office history, with $936million and $2 billion globally,
but the triad ofSkywalker-centric blockbusters
(11:41):
experienced diminishing returns,with Rise of Skywalker capping
off the trilogy in 2019 with astill impressive $1 billion,
albeit half as much as the ForceAwakens earned a few years
earlier.
Now that may have been as bit,not big, a much of a big of a
deal, but it came a year afterthe financial failure of 2018's
Solo, a Star Wars Story, whichbecame the first Star Wars movie
(12:02):
to ever lose money in thetheatrical run At Lucasfilm.
Candy also oversaw 2023'sIndiana Jones and the Dial of
Destiny, the fifth and finalfilm in the Harrison Ford-led
series.
The action-adventure whichrelaunched the property after 15
years with a catastrophicfailure, generating only $383
million globally against a $295million budget, ultimately
(12:25):
losing around $140 million forthe studio.
Star Wars has struggled toreturn to the big screen since
the Rise of Skywalker, althoughnot for lack of trying.
In the years since, lucasfilmhas announced several Star Wars
projects with filmmakers likeJames Mangold, charmaine Obad
Chinoy, taika Waititi and DonaldGlover, but none have come to
(12:46):
fruition.
Meanwhile, new takes on theseries from Wonder Woman
director Patty Jenkins, marvel'sproducer Kevin Feige, the Last
Jedi director Rian Johnson andGame of Thrones creators David
Benioff and DB Weiss wereshelled for various reasons.
Lucasfilm has plans toeventually reintroduce itself to
(13:07):
movie theaters the Mandalorianand Grogu.
A continuation of the DisneyPlus series about the
helmet-wearing bounty hunter isset for theatrical release in
2026, while X-Men alum SimonKinberg is reportedly developing
a brand new Star Wars trilogy.
Let's go on to the geek news.
Geek News begins with HBO'sforthcoming Harry Potter series,
(13:42):
which is taking shape with newcasting news.
The network is close tofinalizing deals with acclaimed
actors Janet Metier and PapaEsuado to portray two iconic
Hogwarts professors MinervaMcGonagall and Severus Snape
respectively.
They'll join the previouslyannounced John Lithgow, who will
take on the role of belovedheadmaster Albus Dumbledore.
(14:05):
The series has long beenplanned as a long-term project
which will span a decade, andaims to be a meticulous and
loyal adaptation of JK Rowling'sseven original Harry Potter
novels.
This will allow for a deepexploration of the wizarding
world and its characters thatwas not possible in the film
series.
Asueto, who is in his 30s, willportray a younger version of
(14:29):
Snape than the one depicted inthe movies, offering a fresh
perspective on the complexcharacter, and McTeer's casting,
meanwhile, aligns with the ageof Maggie Smith when she was
cast as McGonagall, ensuring asense of continuity with the
film series while also bringinga new interpretation of the role
.
One of the key goals of theHarry Potter TV series is to
(14:50):
create a more inclusive anddiverse wizarding universe than
reflects the world we live in.
This commitment torepresentation will be evident
in both the casting and thestorytelling.
The series is slated to debuton HBO in late 2026 or early
2027, and fans are eagerlyawaiting their return to
Hogwarts Now.
Mcteer has been nominated forboth Academy Awards and Emmy
(15:11):
Awards, showcasing herversatility and talent.
She will next be seen in thehighly anticipated action film
Mission Impossible, the FinalReckoning.
Svito, meanwhile, has beennominated for BAFTA and Emmys,
and his upcoming project is thefilm the Scurry.
Over the last decade, jonFavreau has been a linchpin of
Disney Plus' original seriesslate, with flagship the
(15:34):
Mandalorian and its offshoots,while also taking on classic
Disney animated characters onthe feature side with the
live-action photorealisticanimated the Jungle Book and
photorealistic the Lion King.
Now he is combining the twowith a new series in development
at Disney Plus.
The animation-live-actionhybrid is about Oswald the Lucky
Rabbit, a saucy, self-absorbedbunny Favreau is writing and
(15:59):
producing the project from WaltDisney Studios.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is veryimportant to the Walt Disney
Company.
The creation, which bears aclose resemblance to Mickey
Mouse, has a fractured historywith the company and played a
pivotal role in the creation ofDisney's most famous animated
character.
Oswald was created in 1927 byWalt Disney and was featured in
27 animated shorts, but afterUniversal took control of the
(16:21):
character in 1928, disneycreated a new character as a
replacement Mickey Mouse.
Bringing Oswald home has been apriority for Disney CEO Bob
Iger, and the Walt DisneyCompany acquired the trademark
in 2006.
The character aired the publicdomain in 2023.
Favreau created, wrote andexecs produced Mandalorian,
(16:42):
which aired on Disney Plus from2019 to 2023, and also execs
produced the Disney Plusspinoffs, the Book of Boba Fett,
ahsoka and Star Wars SkeletonCrew.
Additionally, favreau producedand directed the upcoming
feature offshoot, lucasfilms'the Mandalorian and Groku set
for release in May of 2026.
(17:02):
Hasbro revealed a new digitalversion of Monopoly, called
Monopoly App Banking at theNorth American International
Trade Fair in New York City.
This new version modernizes theclassic board game as it
celebrates its 90th anniversary,replacing paper money and the
banker with a mobile app thatwill handle all transactions.
Players scan their bank andproperty cards into a smartphone
(17:24):
or tablet, which will track themoney and automate the
transactions.
This update aims to makegameplay faster and easier by
limiting cash counting andreducing the opportunity to
cheat.
However, it also removed thetraditional math element of
Monopoly, which some parents andteachers might cause
(17:45):
consternation over.
The game board has beenredesigned with a kid-friendly
theme, replacing the AtlanticCity-based properties with
locations like a rocket launchpad, a chocolate factory and a
dinosaur park.
The app will also includemini-games to keep younger
players engaged.
Monopoly app banking will beavailable at most major
retailers in August for $24.99.
(18:07):
Your mileage may vary, however,with any tariffs that might be
imposed.
Lionsgate and Lucky Chap'sMonopoly movie is also getting
momentum, as the studio iscornering the market on one of
the town's hottest writing duos.
Sources have told Deadlinecomthat Lionsgate has closed a deal
(18:28):
for John Francis Daly andJonathan Goldstein for a
screenplay based on Hasbro'sclassic board game.
The project is being producedby Lucky Chap, the award-winning
production company, and HasbroEntertainment.
So do you really want to seeMonopoly the movie?
Anyone, anyone, I'll leave itup to you.
(18:51):
Fx has added 11 names to thegrowing cast of Alien Earth
Richie Morjana, karen Eldridge,enzo Cliente, max Reinhart, amir
Boutrous, victoria Mosoma, tomMoya, andy Yu, michael Smiley,
jamie Bisping and TanipolChusrada.
They join previously announcedcast members Sydney Chandler,
(19:14):
timothy Oliphant, alex Lothar,sc Davis, david Reichdahl,
samuel Blutkin, adresh Gurdwarv,babu Sazay, jonathan Adyei,
ariana James, lily Nemark, diemKamali and Adrian Edmondson.
Alien Earth is a prequel seriesto Ridley Scott's classic 1979
(19:38):
Alien, the first of nine filmsin the franchise.
With the official logline forAlien Earth reading quote when a
mysterious space vessel crashlands on Earth, a young woman
played by Chandler and a ragtaggroup of tactical soldiers make
a fateful discovery that putsthem face-to-face with the
planet's greatest threat.
Unquote.
Ooh Ah.
(20:00):
Jared Padalecki and MishaCollins have joined the fifth
and final season of AmazonPrime's the Boys as guest stars,
reuniting with their fellowSupernatural, alum Jensen Ackles
.
Details of the roles are beingkept under wraps.
The Boys creator, eric Kripke,has long expressed a desire to
cast Padalecki on the satiricalsuperhero drama, telling Variety
(20:23):
last year, quote I feel like Ihave to complete my game of
Supernatural Pokemon and I havemy one big one, very big one,
left to catch.
Unquote.
He later told Variety that hewas talking to Padalecki about a
role in the final season,saying, quote I love him and you
try to work with people thatyou love.
Unquote.
Zendaya is taking her talentsto the swamp.
(20:47):
Taking her talents to the swamp.
The mononymous in demand actorhas joined Shrek 5 as Felicia,
the daughter of Shrek and Fiona.
Universal and DreamWorks, thestudios behind the anime
adventure set in the land of Far, far Away, released a teaser
along with the updated castingnews.
(21:07):
In the clip, shrek's trustysidekick Donkey asks hey, magic
Mirror, who's the fairest ofthem all?
Magic Mirror you know the onefrom Snow White responds why?
Shrek, of course.
But this Magic Mirror appearsto have a distinctly 21st
century twist allowing the GreenOgre to swap between various
Gen Z-ified looks at Shrek.
This prompts very differentreactions from Felicia and Fiona
(21:31):
, as Shrek raises the questionof the hour who is making this
stuff?
Just then Pinocchio pops up totell a nose-growing lie,
declaring Not me, yeah, shrek 5.
Hard pass.
I think they've done the Shrekuniverse to death, literally.
(21:53):
I mean each one from Shrek 1 toShrek 4, just dropped off in
quality and storytelling.
So I don't know where they'd gowith Shrek 5.
It almost seems like Back tothe Future.
2.
It's your kids, marty.
(22:13):
It's your kids.
Anyway, some sad news.
George Lowe, the veteran actor,voice actor and comedian best
known for his work as SpaceGhost on the cult favorite
series Space Ghost Coast toCoast, has died.
He was 67 years old.
A rep for Lowe confirmed hisdeath to Rolling Stone.
A cause of death has not beenreleased yet.
(22:34):
Lowe's friend, the radio hostMarvelous Marvin Boone, said
Lowe died after a long illness.
Boone added he was a supremelytalented actor, artist and voice
actor, a truly warm-heartedgenius.
Funniest man on Earth too.
I've stolen jokes from him fordecades.
He sold some of mine".
(22:55):
Lowe began his career in radiobefore slowly moving into voice
acting during the 80s and 90s,he landed the role of Space
Ghost in 1994, taking a 60s-eraHanna-Barbera cartoon and
reviving him as the host of alate-night talk show on Space
Ghost Coast to Coast.
The show premiered on CartoonNetwork, but was very much a
template for the adult-orientedprogramming that would come to
(23:17):
define Cartoon Network's AfterDark affiliate, adult Swim.
When it debuted the followingyear, space Ghost Coast to Coast
offered a novel take on theclassic talk show format with
its mix of live-action animation.
The interviews between SpaceGhosts and the very real
celebrity guests were oftenchopped up and edited in
irreverent ways, like when SpaceGhosts got Michael Stipe to say
(23:38):
of REM's shiny, happy people Ihate that song, space Ghosts to
which Space Ghosts solemnlyreplies oh, me too, michael, me
too.
When the show began, loweadmitted he often found himself
trying to imitate the originalvoice of Space Ghost, gary Owens
, before eventually finding hisown take on the character.
While much of the show wasscripted, lowe was also allowed
(23:59):
to add lib, which further helpedsolidify the show's off-kilter,
edgy sense of humor.
Lowe told Under the Radar in2020, quote we'd do everything
that now would get usplace-sanctioned, outlawed and
move to Sri Lanka.
It's almost like people embraceall the naughty stuff that
you're not supposed to do, so wegot away with a lot.
Unquote.
Space Ghost Coast to Coast ranfor 11 seasons, with the final
(24:22):
episodes airing in 2008.
Lowe also voiced Space Ghostand other characters on spin-off
shows like Cartoon Planet andthe Brack Show, as well as other
adult swim favorites like AquaTeen, hunger Force and Robot
Chicken.
He recently reprised his rolein Space Ghost in the most
recent episode of Jellystone.
During his career, lowe alsolent his voice to shows like
(24:46):
Celebrity Deathmatch,squidbillies and American Dad,
as well as numerous video games,commercials and TV and radio
stations.
Again, george Lowe, the voiceactor behind Space Ghost, dead
at the age of 67.
David Johansson, the charismaticfront man of the proto-punk
(25:07):
band New York Dolls, whorevended himself as the lounge
singer, buster Poindexterenjoyed a diverse acting career,
has died at the age of 75.
His daughter, leah Hennessy,confirmed his passing, saying he
died peacefully at his New Yorkhome on Friday.
On Friday, a family statementreleased on the following
(25:28):
Saturday revealed that Johanssonhad battled profoundly
compromised health for a decade,succumbing to stage 4 cancer
and a brain tumor diagnosed in2020.
He passed away surrounded byloved ones, including the hands
of his wife, marie Hennessy, hisdaughter Leah, with music and
flowers filling the room.
His health had deterioratedfurther after a fall in November
(25:49):
which resulted in a broken backand confined him to bed.
The family expressed gratitudefor the outpouring of support
following their publicannouncement of Johansson's
health struggles.
Knowing that he was able toreconnect with many friends and
family before his death, theypromised future events to
celebrate his life in artistry.
Johansson's later years saw aresurgence of action, thanks to,
(26:09):
in part, to the 2023 Showtimedocumentary Personality Crisis
One Night Only, co-directed byMartin Scorsese and David
Tedeschi.
The film captured his finalfull performances at New York's
Cafe Carlisle just before thepandemic lockdown.
Johansson's musical career beganin Staten Island with the
(26:29):
Vagabond Missionaries in the1960s.
He joined the New York Dolls in1971, quickly becoming a
central figure in the band'sgroundbreaking sound and image.
Their 1973 self-titled debut,produced by Todd Rundgren,
showcased their unique blend ofglam rock and raw energy, with
songs like Personality Crisisinfluencing generations of punk
and rock musicians.
Despite critical acclaim, theband struggled commercially and
(26:52):
disbanded in 1976.
After the Dolls, johanssonpursued a solo career before
transforming into BusterPoindexter in the late 1980s,
achieving mainstream successwith Hot Hot Hot.
He also built a notable actingresume, appearing in films like
Scrooged and Car 54, where Areyou?
And the HBO series Oz.
(27:14):
The New York Dolls were unitedin 2004 at the behest of
Morrissey, leading to furtheralbums and tours.
Johansson also hosted DavidJohansson's Mansion of Fun on
Sirius XM Radio, which caughtthe attention of Scorsese and
inspired the documentary.
Johansson's versatility andenduring influence were evident
(27:35):
throughout his career and heembraced diverse musical styles
from punk to lounge, and foundsuccess in both music and acting
.
He was known for his wit andunfiltered personality, which
shone through in hisperformances and interviews.
His daughter, leah, hadpublicly shared his health
struggles linked to afundraising effort through the
Sweet Relief Foundation.
The family expressed deepappreciation for the support
(27:56):
they received.
Johansson's death marks thepassing of the last original
members of the New York Dolls,following the deaths of Sylvian
Sylvian, arthur Kane, jonathanThunders, jerry Nolan and Billy
Marcia.
He is survived by his wife,marielle Hennessy, and their
daughter Leah.
Again, david Johansson dead atthe age of 75.
(28:21):
Two-time Oscar winner GeneHackman, age 95, and his wife
Betty Arakawa, 64, were founddeceased in their Santa Fe, new
Mexico, home on February 26,2025.
Santa Fe County Sheriff AideanMendoza confirmed the deaths,
along with that of one of theirdogs.
Deputies responded to a welfarecheck at the residence on Old
(28:41):
Sunset Trail in Hyde Park around1.45 pm after a neighbor
expressed concern.
A statement from the Santa FeSheriff's Office indicated that
foul play was not suspected butthe exact cause of death was
under investigation.
The New Mexico Office of theMedical Investigator stated that
a final medical examiner'sreport typically takes four to
(29:01):
six weeks.
An autopsy conducted onFebruary 27th, however, revealed
that Jean Hackman died from acombination of advanced
Alzheimer's disease and severeheart disease.
Dr Heather Jarrell, the NewMexico chief examiner, indicated
that Hackman likely died onFebruary 18th, noting he was in
poor health and had not eatenfor several days.
(29:22):
His heart issues were welldocumented.
Betsy Arakawa's cause of deathwas determined to be hantavirus
pulmonary disease, a raredisease spread by rodents.
She likely passed away aroundFebruary 11th.
Sheriff Mendoza providedfurther details stating that
Arakawa was seen on securityfootage shopping at a local
(29:43):
Sprouts farmer's market around3.30 pm on February 11th and
entered their neighborhoodaround 5.30 pm.
No further action, activity orcommunication from her was
recorded after that time.
The couple's bodies werediscovered in separate rooms of
their home alongside a deceaseddog.
Another healthy dog was alsopresent.
Pills found at the scene wereidentified as diltelazime,
(30:06):
tylenol and thyroid medication.
Gene Hackman, born on January 30, 1930, had a long and
celebrated acting career.
He won Oscars for the FrenchConnection in 1971 and
Unforgiven in 1992, and receivednominations in 1967 for Bonnie
and Clyde, 1974 I Never Sing formy Father and 1988 for
(30:27):
Mississippi Burning.
He was also known for his roleas Lex Luthor in the Superman
films and had extensivefilmography, including the
Poseidon Adventure, theConversation Hoosiers, the Firm,
the Birdcage, edmure, the Stateand Runaway Jury.
He retired from acting in 2004after starring in Welcome to
Mooseport.
Hackman's early life was markedby instability.
(30:49):
He enlisted in the Marine Corpsat 16 and served until 1951,
where he later pursued acting,finding success on Broadway and
in film.
Hackman and Arakawa had beenmarried since 1991 and lived a
private life in Santa Fe.
He has survived by threechildren from his previous
marriage to Faye Maltese,christopher, elizabeth Jean and
(31:11):
Leslie Ann, again two-time Oscarwinner, gene Hackman, dead at
the age of 95, and his wife,betsy Arakawa, dead at 64.
And finally, tonight, michelleTrachtenberg, an actress beloved
by millennials for roles inBuffy, the Vampire Slayer,
disney's Ice Princess, gossipGirl and more, died this past
(31:33):
Wednesday at the age of 39.
Police responded to a 911 callshortly after 8 am at Luxury
Resortial Tower in Midtown,where officers observed a
39-year-old female unconsciousand unresponsive.
According to a New York policestatement, paramedics pronounced
her dead at the scene.
No foul play was suspected andthe New York medical examiner
(31:56):
was investigating the cause ofthe death.
A spokesperson forTrachtenberg's family
corroborated the news, saying itis with great sadness to
confirm that MichelleTrachtenberg has passed away.
The family respects privacy fortheir loss.
There are no further details atthis time, unquote Now.
Per ABC News police sources,trachtenberg was discovered by
her mother at her New Yorkapartment, who called police.
(32:18):
She said that she had recentlyhad a liver transplant.
Born on October 11th 1985 in NewYork City, trachtenberg was a
lifelong actor who made hertelevision debut in commercials
at the age of three beforelanding a recurring role as Lily
Montgomery on the longtime soapopera All my Children.
She gained further recognitionwhile starring in Nickelodeon's
(32:40):
the Adventures of Pete and Peteand was nominated for a Daytime
Emmy for her role in DiscoveryChildren's series Truth or Scare
, for a daytime Emmy for herrole in Discovery Children's
series Truth or Scare, beforelanding her breakout feature
role as Harriet M Welsh in the1996 Paramount film Harriet the
Spy, based on the classicchildren's novel.
Trachtenberg joined Buffy theVampire Slayer in the cult WB
(33:02):
fantasy series' fifth season In2000 has Dawn Summers, the
younger sister to Cher MichelleGellar's Buffy.
Subsequently, the actressgarnered further notice with
roles in the raunchy 2004 cultcomedy Euro Trip and the Disney
sports drama Ice Princess, whereshe played a bookish teen
discovering her passion forfigure skating.
(33:24):
One of Trachtenberg's othermost memorable roles came in
2008, when she joined GossipGirl as Georgina Sparks, a
manipulative and unpredictabletroublemaker who frequently
threw the lives of the UpperEast Side elite into chaos.
Around that time, she starredopposite Zac Efron and Matthew
Perry in Warner Brothers' Comedy17, again playing the daughter
of Perry's Mike O'Donnell, whomagically gets the chance to
(33:47):
relive his teenage years.
Trachtenberg later continued towork steadily and intelligent,
with guest appearances on showslike House, weeds, ncis, los
Angeles and Sleepy Hollow.
Additionally, she lent hervoice to anime projects,
including Robot Chicken, mostrecently reprising her role in
Max's Gossip Girl sequel seriesin 2023.
(34:10):
Again, michelle Trachtenberg,dead at the age of 39.
And that brings us to the endof the show for today.
Now please be sure to check usout on our social media.
We're on Blue Sky and Twitterat Multiverse, tom threads,
facebook and Instagram, as wellat Multiverse Tonight.
(34:31):
If you've gotten some value outof the show and like to pay it
back, head on over tomultiverstenightcom and where
you'll find our Patreon andKo-fi links.
Check out our show notes, visitour TeePublic store.
You can leave some feedback andso much more.
And if this is your first timelistening, thank you and welcome
.
Go ahead and hit that subscribebutton and share us with others
(34:53):
.
Now, thanks to Hot Dope for theintro music and Lobo Loco for
the outro theme music.
Thanks for watching thisedition of Multiverse Tonight.
We'll be back in two weeks withmore sci-fi and comic book news
.
Now please exit the universe inan orderly fashion.
Good night All.
(35:16):
First Night is a production ofHalf-Baked John and his brothers
.
Copyright 2025.
All rights reserved.
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