September 22, 2025 • 38 mins
Thomas talks about his upcoming surgery, Plus
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is approaching its end with a shortened fifth season, intended to lead into The Original Series.
Showrunners Henry Alonso Myers and Akiva Goldsman aim for the series to conclude with Kirk's "first day on the job," focusing on the strongest elements of The Original Series rather than remaking "The Man Trap."
Akiva Goldsman has pitched a spinoff concept called "Star Trek: Year One," which would explore Kirk's initial year as captain, though the immediate focus is on concluding Strange New Worlds.
The series is expected to end with a significant reference or nod to an event from The Original Series, possibly the completion of the bridge crew.
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is at the center of intensified sale speculation, with Paramount reportedly preparing a bid.
Industry analysts believe a bid for WBD could trigger a bidding war, potentially involving Comcast, Amazon, and Netflix.
WBD had planned to split into "Discovery Global" and "Warner Bros." in early 2026, a plan that could be disrupted by an acquisition.
A Netflix acquisition of Warner Bros. is rumored, potentially leading to job losses and a negative impact on theatrical distribution due to Netflix's focus on streaming.
Mark Hamill explains his return as Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian Season 2 was to portray Luke as a Master Jedi at the "peak of his powers," a period not fully explored in the original films.
Hamill praises Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni for their understanding of Star Wars.
An Andor writer discusses the parallels between the show's theme of fascist takeover and real-world political pressures affecting Hollywood, citing the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel.
Stan Lee will appear as an AI-powered hologram at L.A. Comic Con (September 26-28), allowing fans to interact and converse with him.
The technology behind the hologram aims to ensure fidelity to Lee's known statements and spirit.
Zach Cregger is directing a new adaptation of Resident Evil for Sony Pictures, with Paul Walter Hauser and Austin Abrams attached.
Amazon MGM Studios is developing a live-action movie based on the '80s animatronic toy, Teddy Ruxpin, with Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia's Seven Bucks Productions involved. The film is described as "'Sonic the Hedgehog' meets 'Elf.'"
Sean Astin has been elected as the new national president of SAG-AFTRA, succeeding Fran Drescher. Michelle Hurd is the new secretary-treasurer.
Voter turnout for the SAG-AFTRA national election saw a decline compared to previous years.
Astin's term will involve upcoming contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, particularly concerning technological advances in artificial intelligence.
Christopher Nolan has been announced as the new president of the Director’s Guild of America (DGA).
Polly Holliday, the Tony-nominated actress best known as Flo from Alice and for popularizing the catchphrase "Kiss my grits," passed away at 88.
Holliday was the last surviving principal cast member of Alice and had a diverse career in TV, film, and theater, including roles in Gremlins and Mrs. Doubtfire.
Thanks for listening! Come visit the podcast at https://www.multiversetonight.com/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Tonight.
What's the next series for StarTrek?
Will Warner Brothers find a newdaddy, virtual Stan Lee?
And remember actress PollyHolliday, all and more on this
edition of Multiverse Tonight.
Welcome to Multiverse Tonight,your source for geek news.
We dissect films, games, comicsand much more, bringing you
(00:25):
insightful commentary on popculture.
This is Multiverse Tonight.
Now here's your host, thomasTownley.
Hello and welcome to episode249 of Multiverse Tonight.
I'm, of course, your host,thomas Townley, and well, we'll
start out with a littleprogramming note, if you will.
(00:46):
I don't know how I'm going torecord in November, because I
have surgery coming up Now.
This isn't a really serioussurgery.
Well, all surgeries are more orless serious because they're
opening you up, but in this caseit's foot surgery.
I have what's called anaccessory navicular, which is
(01:09):
I'm a mutant.
There's an extra bone in myfoot and, fortunately, there's a
tendon that goes right underthat bone, right over that bone,
that is getting rubbed and it'scausing me pain If I, you know,
walk a great, you know walk along distance.
And since I'm in retail, ofcourse I'm standing on concrete
(01:32):
on my feet for up to eight hours.
So you know, I need to get thistaken care of.
So I chose a surgery date atthe end of October, right before
Halloween, and so I'll be onbed rest for nearly a month and
(01:52):
then I'll have light duty forabout two months after that.
So that you know, that leavesin question you know how I'm
going to record in November.
I'm probably not going to beable to do it from my computer
here.
I'll have to set my laptop upto do the show so it might sound
(02:17):
different.
It might not have all thelittle sound clips, bells and
whistles, stuff like that, but Imight put out something, or I
might.
Who knows?
Maybe I'll put kind of a bestof kind of the interviews I've
had in the past that areinteresting, who knows.
Anyway, beyond that, I hopeyour freedom of speech has been
(02:43):
good and we'll talk about thatin a few minutes with the Star
Wars news.
But first off, let's go to theStar Trek news.
Star Trek news begins withstrange new worlds nearing its
(03:06):
end and Captain Kirk's eraapproaching.
Now Star Trek Strange NewWorlds recently concluded its
third season, bringing theseries to its anticipated
conclusion.
There will be a shortened fifthseason and the showrunners aim
to align the series ending withthe beginning of the original
series.
Beginning of the originalseries.
A key element of thistransition will be Kirk's
(03:27):
command of the Enterprise, andfans are eager to learn the
specifics to this shift.
Cinemablend spoke withshowrunners Harry Alonzo Myers
and Akiva Goldsman, who providesome insight into the future of
Strange New Worlds, Whilemaintaining the original tone.
They offer details about theupcoming seasons and the show's
ultimate resolution.
Akiva Goldsman's vision for theend includes that his goal is
(03:52):
to lead directly into theoriginal series.
Now, this would imply variousending points, such as Pike's
accident, which occurs, ofcourse, after Kirk's command, or
another significant date.
When pressed for specifics,goldman revealed his current
thinking quote I think that whenwe are leading to is Kirk's
first day on the job.
The truth is that it isn'treally in TOS, it's the TOS era,
(04:16):
it's Captain Kirk Kirk'sEnterprise.
But how that got to?
Let's call it the Enterprise ofwhere no man has gone before,
just because I'm just short ofgo in that version of continuity
, not man trap.
He said that Goldman'sintention is to avoid revisiting
the man trap, often consideredone of the weaker Star Trek
(04:37):
episodes.
Instead, he aims to focus onthe strongest, most enduring
elements of the original series,acknowledging the social and
cultural changes since the 1960s.
Interestingly, a Star TrekStrange New Worlds storytelling
approach was suggested byDeForest Kelly many years ago.
Now, of course, we're talkingabout a Star Trek Year One
(04:59):
spinoff, with Star Trektelevision currently in a
holding pattern.
Kiva Goldman has proposed aspinoff to Strange New Worlds,
tentatively titled Star Trektelevision, currently in a
holding pattern.
Kiva Goldman has proposed aspin-off of Strange New Worlds,
tentatively titled Star TrekYear One.
This concept will exploreKirk's initial years as captain
and the early stories of hisEnterprise tenure.
Goldman, however, emphasizedthat Year One is merely a pitch,
that the primary focus remainson concluding the current series
(05:20):
effectively.
Quote.
That's the wiggle room we haveright, which is that there is an
interval there wheretransitions can happen.
Year one is a dream and the endof a show is a promise.
We're going to end it in a waythat we feel is indicative of
completion and is satisfying,and that does bring us into the
TOS era.
(05:40):
So that's a vague way of sayingwe're going to come pretty
close to something you recognize, unquote.
Now it's likely that StrangeNew Worlds will conclude with a
significant reference or nod toan event from the original
series.
One possibility is thecompletion of the bridge queue
with the arrival of Sulu,chekhov and Bones, although,
frankly, chekhov wouldn't bethere yet.
(06:02):
Chekhov wouldn't show up untillater, so it would just be Sulu
and Bones, unless you're goingto have Chekhov be somewhere
below Dex.
Now the idea of Star TrekStrangest New Worlds remaking a
classic original series episodeisn't that far-fetched.
The season one finale, aQuality of Mercy, was an
(06:23):
alternate timeline remake ofBalance of Terror featuring Pike
in command of the Enterpriseinstead of Kirk.
So, you know, should they?
You know, I actually think StarTrek year one would be
interesting is if year one youknow that you get a, it would be
(06:43):
like a limited series.
You'd get, like his first fewmissions under his belt.
And then you, you know, reshootyou could, for like the second
and third season, you couldreshoot several episodes.
Or maybe, like you, reshootwhere no man has gone before
(07:06):
episodes, or maybe, like you,reshoot where no man has Gone
Before and then you put in a newepisode that takes place where,
from where no man has GoneBefore, to say, the man trap,
and so you don't have to showall the all those episodes.
You just show, like you know,like certain ones, you know one
here, have a new episode, newstory.
One here, new episode, newstory, one here, and you could
(07:29):
basically do that where you'renot just remaking the original
series, you're remaking piecesof the original series and
anything they don't show youknow you can go and watch, but
that may be too far-fetched.
Anyway, let's go on to DCComics News.
(08:04):
Long-standing speculation aboutsale of Warner Bros Discovery
has intensified, with the WallStreet Journal reporting that
Paramount's new owners arepreparing a bid for the rival
company.
Analysts believe this potentialoffer would trigger a bidding
war for Warner Bros Discovery,though any deal would be complex
and protracted.
Though any deal would becomplex and protracted.
Now, shares of Warburg'sDiscovery, the parent company of
(08:26):
CNN and other networks, surged29% to a three-year high, nearly
fully rebounding to itspost-murder level from 2022,
while Paramount shares also roseover 15%, reflecting investor
enthusiasm for these major mediacompanies.
Bank of America SecuritiesSenior Media and Entertainment
(08:47):
Analyst, jessica Reif-Ehrlich,noted that the industry's need
for consolidation, stating theonly surprise is the timing.
She also predicted thatParamount would not be the sole
bidder for Warner Bros Discovery.
Now, warner Bros Discovery hadbeen planning to split into two
entities in early 2026,discovery Global, which would
include CNN and its RTV networks, and Warner Bros, which would
be HBO, max, hbo and the WarnerBros Studio.
(09:09):
However, paramount reportedlyis seeking to acquire the entire
company before the split.
Now, other potential biddersfor all or part of Warner Bros
Discovery include Comcast,amazon and Netflix.
Wells Fargo analysts hadearlier identified Warner Bros
Discovery include Comcast,amazon and Netflix.
Wells Fargo analysts hadearlier identified Warner Bros
Discovery's streaming serviceand movie studio, as quote an
attractive M&A candidate, withNetflix being the most
(09:33):
compelling buyer.
Paramount's interest is notunexpected, given the ambitious
new CEO, david Ellison'sexpressed desire for further
deals.
Ellison, son of Oraclebillionaire Larry Ellison,
previously led Skydance Mediaand spearhead Paramount's recent
takeover of its TV and moviestudio assets.
He has since focused onsteering the merged Paramount
(09:55):
Skydance onto a digitally nativepath.
John Malone, chairman emeritusof Warner Bros Discovery's board
and a mentor to David Zaslav ofWarren Burr's Discovery,
confirmed discussing furtherconsolidation in the media
industry with Elson expressingconfidence in him.
Representatives for bothcompanies declined to comment on
the report bid Now, despite theacquisition rumors, warren
(10:19):
Burr's Discovery is proceedingwith its corporate breakup plans
and Zaslav has reiterated thateverything's on track for the
split, although he has alsospoken about the industry's need
for consolidation.
Some observers speculate thatthe two post-split WBD entities
might become buyers rather thansellers.
The prospect of furtherHollywood consolidation,
particularly with Skydance'sDavid Ellison reportedly aiming
(10:41):
for Warner Bros Discovery, iscreating a new round of awful.
Now Netflix is also rumored tobe interested in acquiring
Warner Brothers, covering itsvaluable library and ancillary
components.
However, the financialviability of such a deal is
questionable.
Warner Bros Discovery iscurrently burdened with over $35
billion in debt, against a $41billion valuation.
(11:02):
Ceo David Zaslav isimplementing an aggressive
reorganization plan to achieveprofitability.
For a sale to occur now, warnerBros Discovery's board would
need to abandon Zaslav'sstrategy and deem a sale more
beneficial.
The rising stock price ofWarner due to acquisition
speculation further complicatesmatters requiring a substantial
cash offer.
(11:23):
Paramount, skydance and Netflixare considered the most likely
candidates with the financialcapacity for such a large
acquisition.
Netflix's potential acquisitionof Warner Brothers would grant
it the prestige of a century-oldmovie studio, something money
cannot buy.
A recent public appearance byNetflix co-CEO, ted Zerandos
with Dave Zaslav at Boxing Matchhas fueled speculation about
(11:45):
the possible takeover.
Such a Netflix takeover couldlead to job losses within the
industry, reduce the number ofpotential buyers in the market
and negatively impact theatricaldistribution.
Netflix's prime focus issubscriber acquisition and
retention, not cinematic events.
If Netflix were to absorbWarner Bros, it is likely to use
it as a robust theatricaldistribution arm.
Instead, it would leverageWarner's legendary library and
(12:08):
intellectual property, raisingconcerns about the accessibility
of classic films.
Furthermore, the overlap ofexecutives, assistants and
departments would result inwidespread layoffs, hindering
the expansion of Hollywood andlimiting opportunities for
writers and directors.
So what do you think of thispotential?
I think it's, personally, it'sa bad idea.
(12:30):
It's too much consolidation,you know it's, you know,
narrowing down a huge field into, basically, you know, a smaller
and smaller number, and that'sterrible.
You see what that does in otherindustries.
So even if this you know, ifthey bought their acquisition of
(12:58):
the Security and ExchangeCommission or, you know, the
government, whoever you know,this might hurt the industry as
a whole.
On one hand, we could end upwith Warner Brothers, so you
could have Star Trek, looneyTunes, things like that, but it
(13:20):
might just be a bad way.
I think they'd be better off ifthe company split into two and
just went off from there.
But that's just my personalopinion.
Let's go on to the Star Warsnews, roger roger.
(13:40):
Roger roger, so if you've seenthe trailer for Star Wars,
mandalorian and Grogu that theyjust released today, two days.
I'm recording this.
It was interesting.
I have a feeling it's not goingto do as well as they've hoped.
(14:03):
The people who've seen theMandalorian are going to see it.
People who just go to see StarWars stuff and have not seen the
Mandalorian are going to bejust scratching their heads at
what this is.
That's kind of the problem withthis is going from TVs to
movies.
(14:23):
You cannot.
You know, going from TVs tomovies always, you know, your
group of people kind of thin,going from movies to TV, I think
goes wider because you knowit's easier to transition one to
the other, I don't know.
Anyway, in Star Wars, theMandalorian, season 2, din
(14:46):
Djarin embarked on a new missionto reunite Grogu with the Jedi,
so that the adorable youngstercould train in the ways of the
Force and hone his abilities.
It took Djarin the entireseason to accomplish that task
and, as none other than LukeSkywalker arrived in the Season
2 finale to defeat Moff Gideon'sforces and take Grogu to his
(15:08):
temple, star Wars fans werethrilled to see Luke at the peak
of his power.
Even more so, they liked thelikeness of a young Mark Hamill
bringing the character to life.
Rather than recast the role.
Of course, they digitallyde-aged Hamill and put his face
over a body double and his voicewas used for dialogue.
Now Hamill shares what drew himto the Mandalorian.
(15:29):
Speaking with the HollywoodReporter, hamill explained why
he came back for thefan-favorite series.
Quote.
The reason I did Mandalorianwas that Luke had a beginning
and an end.
There was no middle, he said.
Comparing it to making atrilogy of James Bond movies
that ends just as he gets hislicense to kill.
You never got to see Luke as amaster Jedi in the peak of his
powers unquote.
(15:50):
He continued quote.
He was the most idealisticcharacter in that series.
He was someone who would takeadversity and double down and
come back and counter hissetbacks.
We didn't see any of that.
So when I got the chance, Ithought geez, this is wonderful.
I think Mandalorian writers anddirectors Jon Favreau and Dave
Filoni boy, do they get StarWars?
(16:10):
They get it.
They're speaking the samelanguage that George did in a
way that I questioned in thesequels.
Unquote.
As one of the writers on theDisney Plus drama, andor uh,
emmy Award winner and or writer,dan Gilroy has candidly
discussed the parallels betweenthe hit Star Wars show and the
(16:33):
controversy over the partialcancellation of Jimmy Kimmel
Live Now.
Andor first premiered in 2022on Disney+, serving as a prequel
to the beloved movie Rogue One,and is widely regarded as one
of the greatest Star Wars TVshows ever made.
Tony Gilroy served as ashowrunner and worked closely
with his brother, who wrote sixepisodes of the acclaimed series
(16:54):
.
Though Andor only ran for twoseasons, the show became popular
for its exploration ofimportant social themes and
portrayal of a fascistgovernment, and Dan Gilroy is
liking this to the currentsituation with Kimmel.
For Deadline, gilroy talkedabout how Andor thematically
mirrored the situation withKimmel and the suppression of
free speech and expression.
(17:14):
He discussed how Disney isfaced with a big discussion
surrounding Kimmel and talkedabout how governments fear
artists because they speak theirmind.
Quote as one of the writers onthe Disney Plus drama Andor, we
spent six years thinking about afascist takeover of a galaxy
far, far away.
Six years thinking aboutordinary beings as anover of a
galaxy far, far away.
Six years thinking aboutordinary beings as an
authoritarian regime comes infor the kill.
Now, many people saw parallelsbetween Andor and the real world
(17:37):
.
I see them as well,particularly in the events of
the last week.
Unquote Now.
Gilroy went on to acknowledgethat he saw parallels between
his show and the real world andreferenced Andor's fascist
takeover and authoritarianregime and the similarities in
how President Donald Trump isruling the country.
Donald Trump's tools ofgovernance, coercion and
intimidation have found focus onHollywood.
(17:59):
Faced with a social mediafirestorm, fear and an FCC head
threatening, they can do thisthe easy way or the hard way.
Disney suspended Jimmy Kimmelfor speaking his mind.
I deeply disagree, butacknowledge it was a difficult
decision.
If you believe otherwise, waituntil fate knocks on your door
and demands you choose betweenconscience and hardship, because
(18:20):
if you work in this industry,that day is coming.
The suspension bought time, butnot much.
Disney now stands at acrossroads.
Terminate Kimmel's contract andbecome pavement for the road to
a brave new Trumpian world, orstand for the First Amendment
and take the onslaught.
There's not much at stake, justfree speech, the oxygen that
sustains life in this town.
(18:40):
Following his note of Disneybeing a crossroads, gilroy
sharply criticized the way Trumpwas going after comedians like
Kimmel, expressing his concernsthat the First Amendment is at
stake if Kimmel and others areno longer allowed to make
comments about real-world eventson their shows.
Quote Trump's aim is to controlwhat we make and say the
(19:02):
concept seems far off andabstract.
Neither is true.
Is it hard to conjure a newoversight office or cabinet seat
?
Is it difficult to pictureTrump toadies deplaning LAX with
binders of banned topics andmandate alternatives?
You'll meet them when you haveto pitch for approval or get
grilled about subversiveco-workers.
Regardless of how the JackBooted attack on Jimmy Kimmel
(19:24):
was resolved, this isn't askirmish, it's a siege.
The first thing Putin did aftertaking power was silence.
Shows that criticized him.
Artists are censored firstbecause they fear us most.
Yeah, yeah, to speak on that,jimmy Kimmel has the First
(19:58):
Amendment behind him.
First Amendment says nogovernment shall not abridge the
freedom of speech With havingan FCC chair threatening to go
after affiliates, for what JimmyKimmel says is stupid.
Okay, it's taking away yourfreedom of speech, and so I
(20:24):
don't care whether you're on theright, on the left, in the
center, a libertarian, whateveryou should be all for freedom of
speech.
And true, there areconsequences to freedom of
speech.
But you know the consequencesshouldn't be just taking that
(20:49):
down.
You know, fine him.
You know, slap him on the wrist.
You know they suspended him.
You know they could justsuspend him for, you know, a
week and that's it.
But his comments were benign.
Okay, he didn't call for, youknow, murdering people.
(21:10):
He didn't, you know, yell firein a crowd theater.
He spoke his mind about what hethought, about the way they're
lionizing Charlie Kirk.
Fight for the freedom of speech.
If you don't have the freedomof speech, the freedom to own
(21:32):
your gun is next.
Okay, let's put it that way theSecond Amendment is never going
to be gone unless the freedomof speech is gone first.
So, just you know, take amoment and think about it.
I'll wait For decades.
(22:24):
Stan Lee was the king of comicbook conventions.
Now, nearly seven years afterhis death at the age of 95, he
will once again be a presence atthe LA Comic Con, this time as
a hologram that will use AI tohave conversations with fans.
Now fans will be able to speakwith the hologram at the Stanley
Experience section of the con,a 1,500-foot enclosed booth
(22:45):
which costs between $15 and $20to enter, depending on whether
you buy tickets or have time Now, like meeting a celebrity or
getting holographs, there willbe paid opportunities to take
photos with a hologram or have athree-minute one-on-one
conversation with it.
Quote We'll never put words inhis mouth that aren't in line
with things he spoke about inhis lifetime, said Bob Sabuni,
(23:08):
head of the Stanley LegacyPrograms for Cartoon Studios and
former Marvel executive.
Unquote quote.
Fortunately, with decades offootage capturing his thoughts
on so many subjects, we canbuild a voice that stays true,
not always word for word, butalways faithful in spirit,
context and intent.
Unquote.
Now, the hologram hails fromProtoHologram, the company that
(23:29):
recently helped launch aninteractive mirror from the
Conjuring in 47 malls, as wellas HyperReal, a company known
for creating realistic avatars.
Stan Lee, who co-createdcharacters like Spider-Man, iron
man and Daredevil, was the mostvisible face for comic book
culture of all time.
Known for his fan circlesthanks to his cameos in Marvel
movies.
Known for his fan circlesthanks to his cameos in Marvel
movies.
(23:49):
According to the organizers,the Lee hologram may also pop up
in different parts of theconvention as a surprise,
perhaps to introduce a top-tierpanel or two.
In 2016, lee spoke to theHollywood Reporter about LA
Comic-Con, which, at the time,was undergoing a name change.
Quote, he said Quote LosAngeles is, to me, the center of
(24:13):
the world's entertainment.
It has to have a Comic-Con, hesaid.
Now, this year's conventionruns from September 26th through
the 28th, and this has beencontroversial.
There are people you know peoplefor this and against this.
My thing is unless it's hurtingsomeone, it's, I have no
problem with it.
You know it's, it's.
(24:37):
How should I put this?
In Star Trek, majel BarrettRoddenberry, before she died,
recorded the phonetic alphabet.
You know A-E-I-O-U, pho na pho.
You know all the phoneticalphabet.
You know A-E-I-O-U, pho ne pho.
You know all the phonics sothat her voice could be used in
(25:05):
the future for the computer.
But after she died, that hasn'tcome to be.
They've gone and hired otherpeople to be the computer, which
is just a complete waste.
I mean, if you have, basically,if we know that they had
permission to make this hologramand use his words for him, I
(25:28):
would be perfectly fine with it.
Just as long as they havepermission, that's all I care
about.
But don't make him like this isStan Lee for Trojan condoms or
something like that.
That's a little outside thebounds.
But anyway, let's go on to thegeek news.
(26:18):
Following the success of Weapons, writer-director Zack Krager is
getting the wheels in motionfor his next horror thriller.
Sources tell Deadline that PaulWalter Hauser is set to join
Austin Abrams in Krager's newadaptation of Resident Evil for
Sony Pictures.
Krager is directing the film,which is based on the horror
video game made by Capcom, andwill also co-wrote the script
(26:40):
with Shea Hayden.
Constantine Film is producingand co-financing the picture.
Now, constantine Film isproducing and co-financing the
picture.
Constantine's Robert Kulslerwill produce, as will Vertigo
Entertainment's Roy Lee and MaryYoon, and PlayStation
Productions' Asad Krizalbash andCarter Swan, constantine's
Oliver Burbain and Davis' film'sVictor Hadaray are producing,
(27:04):
with TriStar Pictures' presidentNicole Brown overseeing it for
Sony.
The plot details of the pic are, of course, under wraps, it
being brand new and all.
But if the previous ResidentEvil movies were a mix of horror
, sci-fi and action and followthe adventures of a heroine who
fights zombies and the UmbrellaCorporation, the biowarfare
(27:25):
company that lets loose themonsters?
Sony Pictures is releasing thefilm theatrically on September
18, 2026, and Sony distributedall the previous Resident Evil
films, which have grossed morethan $1.2 billion worldwide,
making it one of thehighest-grossing video
game-based movie franchises inhistory.
Now, hauser is best known forstarring in Apple TV Plus' crime
(27:48):
drama limited series Blackbird,for which he received Emmy,
golden Globe and Critics ofChoice awards, in addition to a
SAG-AFTRA nomination.
He has also had himself a busy2025, starring in three films
this past summer alone in theFantastic Four, first Steps as
audience favorite Mole man.
In Paramount's Naked Gun as EdHawken Jr, the straight man's
(28:09):
partner to Liam Neeson, and anuanced performance playing a
military veteran in Liongate'smodern-day Western Americana.
Early this year, hauser starredin IFC films the Luckiest man
in America, which premiered atTIFF in 2024 to rave reviews for
the actor's performance.
Up next he will be in 20thCentury's Bruce Springsteen
(28:30):
biopic Deliver Me From Nowhereopposite Jeremy Allen White.
A live-action movie based on theiconic animatronic 80s toy
Teddy Ruxpin is in the works atAmazon MGM Studios.
According to Variety, the filmabout Teddy Ruxpin, who is
canonically not a bear but abear-like creature known as an
(28:51):
Iliop, is set to be produced byDwayne Johnson and Danny
Garcia's Seven Bucks Productionsand Dimitri M Johnson and
Michael Lawrence Goldberg'sStory Kitchen, with Chris Hazard
and Mike Fontana writing thescript.
While details about the filmare being kept under wraps,
sources tell Variety that theproject, which was won by Amazon
in a competitive bidding war,was pitched with a Sonic the
(29:13):
Hedgehog meets Elf tone.
Created by former DisneyImagineer Ken Forsey, teddy
Ruxpin was launched by toycompany Alchemy 2 in 1985 as the
world's first animated talkingtoy and went on to sell more
than 8 million units worldwide.
Named one of Time Magazine's100 greatest toys of all time,
teddy Ruxpin expanded to a $7billion franchise including
(29:35):
animated TV series, theAdventures of Teddy Ruxpin,
dozens of books, interactivegames and other projects.
Sean Ashton has been elected toserve as the next national
president of SAG-AFTRA, theactors' union.
The actors' union announced theresult Friday night, revealing
that Ashton was elected tosucceed Fran Drescher, with
(30:01):
79.25% of the vote.
He will serve a two-year termalongside Michelle Hurd, who was
elected for secretary-treasurer, with 64.77% of the vote.
He will serve a two-year termalongside Michelle Heard, who
was elected forSecretary-Treasurer with 64.77%
of the vote.
Both began their termsimmediately.
Runner-up Chuck Slevin received20.75% of the votes for
President, while his runningmate, peter Antico, received
35.23% of the votes forSecretary-Treasurer.
(30:23):
Per about 17 percent of seg,aftra has 117 000 plus eligible
members to mid ballots in thisyear's national election.
Now that's quite a decline from2023, when 23 percent of the
union voted overwhelmingly tore-elect drescher when she was
first elected.
In 2021, more than 26 percentof the national memberships made
ballots the local, los angelesand new york election results
(30:45):
were also revealed fridaydrescher's mid-ballots the local
, los Angeles and New Yorkelection results were also
revealed Friday.
Drescher's 2021-2023 runningmate, jolie Fisher, who had been
the nationalsecretary-treasurer, won her bid
for Los Angeles' localpresident, being Antico and
Brian Krause with 66.64% of thevote.
Stack After Us says 7,406 ofthe 5,656,651 eligible members.
(31:08):
Just 13% of the Los Angeleslocals submitted ballots.
Lisa Ann Walter was electedfirst vice president and David
Joliffe was elected second vicepresident of the Los Angeles
local.
Unopposed National Board membercandidate Dan Navarro also
secured his seat.
As for the New York chapter,ezra Knight was elected local
(31:31):
president with 72.88% of thevote, compared to Ken Cannon's
27.12%.
Linda Powell was elected firstvice president, with Anthony
Rapp elected second vicepresident, jim Kerr elected
third vice president and LizZazie was elected fourth vice
president.
Janice Pendervaris, who ranunopposed, will officially get
(31:51):
the New York National Boardmember seat.
The turnout was slightly betterin New York, with 16% of the
27,737 eligible voters castingballots Now.
This national presidency forAston falls in the footsteps of
his mother, patty Duke, whobecame the second woman to ever
(32:13):
run the then Screen Actors Guildin 1985.
She held a position for threeyears.
The Oscar nominee and Lord ofthe Rings alum will have quite
the task ahead of him at the topof the next year, as SAG-AFTRA
returns to the negotiating tablewith the Alliance of Motion
Picture Intelligent Producers,which collectively bargains on
behalf of the major Hollywoodstudios.
This will be the first contractnegotiation cycle since the
(32:35):
2023 strike, regarding anindustry that has been hit hard
by the global productioncontraction that has resulted in
far less work.
There still are some concernsthe union is seeking to address,
primarily regardingtechnological advances in
artificial intelligence over thepast three years.
On the flip side, the DirectorsGuild of America has announced
(32:55):
Christopher Nolan as its newpresident during Saturday's
biannual national convention.
The two-time Oscar winner forOppenheimer was appointed to
succeed Leslie Linka Glatter.
Among a new slate of officersand new members of the DGA's
National Board of Directors,chosen by 167 delegates
(33:16):
representing 19,500 strong unionof directors Saturday were
Laura Blessie as National VicePresident, paris Barkley,
re-elected asSecretary-Treasurer, tom Holland
, todd Holland as First VicePresident, ron Howard as Second
Vice President, gina PriceBythewood as Third Vice
President, seth Mann as FourthVice President, milton Shelton
(33:39):
as Fifth Vice President, lilyOslovsky as Sixth Vice President
and Joyce Thomas as AssistantSecretary treasurer.
So I wonder if that means thatat the meetings there'll be more
explosions and people running.
Well, I guess we'll see.
Anyway, to close on our sad news, polly Halliday, the
(34:02):
Tony-nominated stage actressbest known for her role as the
witty waitress Flo on the CBSsitcom Alice, passed away on
Tuesday September 9th at her NewYork City home.
She was 88 years old and thelast surviving principal cast
member of the comedy.
Her theatrical agent, dennisAsplund, confirmed her death to
the New York Times.
Holly's portrayal of the fiery,irreverent gum-chewing diner
(34:25):
waitress was a significantsource of the show's humor.
With Deadpan's southern drawl,her character Flo popularized
the national catchphrase Kiss mygrits, often directed at the
gruff owner of Mel's Diner,played by the late Vince Tabak
Pick Tabak.
Born Polly Dean Holiday inJasper, alabama, on July 2, 1937
, she pursued theater arts atthe Alabama College for Women
(34:47):
and Florida State University.
Her professional acting careerbegan at the Azolo Theater
Company in Sarasota, florida.
After relocating to New YorkCity, she secured a role at the
Public Theater off of Broadwayin 1972.
Soon after Holiday appeared inthe Broadway hit All Over Town,
directed by Dustin Hoffman, shereunited with Dustin Hoffman in
(35:09):
the 1976 film All thePresident's Men.
The same year she was cast asFlorence Jean Flo Castleberry in
Alice.
Holly remained with Alice until1980, when she departed to star
in her own short-lived spinoffseries, flo.
Diane Ladd, who had played Floin Martin Scorsese's 1974 film
Alice, doesn't Live here Anymore.
The inspiration for the sitcomtook her place on Alice as a new
(35:33):
character, belle Dupree.
Flo was canceled in 1981.
Years later, holiday joined thecast of CBS's short-lived
Private Benjamin, replacingEllen Brennan who had been
injured in a car accident.
On television, holiday alsoappeared as Lily, the blind
sister of Betty White's RoseNyland, in the Golden Girls, and
had roles in Tim Allen's HomeImprovement and the 1995 John
(35:55):
Grisham legal thriller seriesthe Client.
Her final TV credit was in anepisode of Homicide Life on the
Street in 1996.
Beyond All the President's Men,where she played a protective
secretary almost thwartingDustin Hoffman's attempts to
interview her boss about theWatergate scandal, holliday's
filmography includes WW and theDixie Dance, kings Gremlins, mrs
(36:17):
Doubtfire, the Parent Trap from1998, and the Heartbreak Kid
from 2007.
Her last film was Fair Game in2010.
On Broadway, in addition to AllOver Town, halliday appeared in
Arsenic and Old Lace andreceived a Tony nomination for a
portrayal of Big Mama in the 99revival of Cat on a Hot Tin
Roof.
She returned to Broadway in the1994 revival of Picnic and 2000
(36:39):
appeared in the Lincoln Centerrevival of the Time of the
Cuckoo.
Halliday was the last survivingmember of Alice Linda Lavin died
last year, vince Tabak in 1990,beth Howland in 2015, and
Philip McKeon in 2019.
Halliday left no immediatesurvivors Again Polly Halliday,
(37:02):
dead at the age of 88.
And with that we end our showfor, and with that we end our
show for today.
Now please head on over tomultiversecom and, while you're
there, check us out on socialmedia.
We're at Blue Sky and Twitterand at Multiverse Tom Threads
(37:25):
Blue Sky and Twitter and atMultiverse Tom Threads Facebook,
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If you've gotten some value outof the show, just head on over
to multiversetonightcom.
Check our Patreon and Ko-filinks, check our show notes,
visit our T-Bulbic store and somuch more.
Leave some feedback like howmuch I screw things up.
Check us and if this is yourfirst time listening, thank you.
(37:49):
Please head on over and hitthat subscribe button and share
us with others.
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
.
Goodness, now please exit theuniverse in an orderly fashion.
Good night All the Universe.
(38:14):
Tonight is a production ofHalf-Baked Jonathan Fletcher,
copyright 2025.
All rights reserved.
Go out and protect that, firstand foremost.
Tonight.
What's the next series for StarTrek?
Will Warner Brothers find a newdaddy, virtual Stan Lee?
And remember actress PollyHolliday, all and more on this
edition of Multiverse Tonight.
Welcome to Multiverse Tonight,your source for geek news.
We dissect films, games, comicsand much more, bringing you
(00:25):
insightful commentary on popculture.
This is Multiverse Tonight.
Now here's your host, thomasTownley.
Hello and welcome to episode249 of Multiverse Tonight.
I'm, of course, your host,thomas Townley, and well, we'll
start out with a littleprogramming note, if you will.
(00:46):
I don't know how I'm going torecord in November, because I
have surgery coming up Now.
This isn't a really serioussurgery.
Well, all surgeries are more orless serious because they're
opening you up, but in this caseit's foot surgery.
I have what's called anaccessory navicular, which is
(01:09):
I'm a mutant.
There's an extra bone in myfoot and, fortunately, there's a
tendon that goes right underthat bone, right over that bone,
that is getting rubbed and it'scausing me pain If I, you know,
walk a great, you know walk along distance.
And since I'm in retail, ofcourse I'm standing on concrete
(01:32):
on my feet for up to eight hours.
So you know, I need to get thistaken care of.
So I chose a surgery date atthe end of October, right before
Halloween, and so I'll be onbed rest for nearly a month and
(01:52):
then I'll have light duty forabout two months after that.
So that you know, that leavesin question you know how I'm
going to record in November.
I'm probably not going to beable to do it from my computer
here.
I'll have to set my laptop upto do the show so it might sound
(02:17):
different.
It might not have all thelittle sound clips, bells and
whistles, stuff like that, but Imight put out something, or I
might.
Who knows?
Maybe I'll put kind of a bestof kind of the interviews I've
had in the past that areinteresting, who knows.
Anyway, beyond that, I hopeyour freedom of speech has been
(02:43):
good and we'll talk about thatin a few minutes with the Star
Wars news.
But first off, let's go to theStar Trek news.
Star Trek news begins withstrange new worlds nearing its
(03:06):
end and Captain Kirk's eraapproaching.
Now Star Trek Strange NewWorlds recently concluded its
third season, bringing theseries to its anticipated
conclusion.
There will be a shortened fifthseason and the showrunners aim
to align the series ending withthe beginning of the original
series.
Beginning of the originalseries.
A key element of thistransition will be Kirk's
(03:27):
command of the Enterprise, andfans are eager to learn the
specifics to this shift.
Cinemablend spoke withshowrunners Harry Alonzo Myers
and Akiva Goldsman, who providesome insight into the future of
Strange New Worlds, Whilemaintaining the original tone.
They offer details about theupcoming seasons and the show's
ultimate resolution.
Akiva Goldsman's vision for theend includes that his goal is
(03:52):
to lead directly into theoriginal series.
Now, this would imply variousending points, such as Pike's
accident, which occurs, ofcourse, after Kirk's command, or
another significant date.
When pressed for specifics,goldman revealed his current
thinking quote I think that whenwe are leading to is Kirk's
first day on the job.
The truth is that it isn'treally in TOS, it's the TOS era,
(04:16):
it's Captain Kirk Kirk'sEnterprise.
But how that got to?
Let's call it the Enterprise ofwhere no man has gone before,
just because I'm just short ofgo in that version of continuity
, not man trap.
He said that Goldman'sintention is to avoid revisiting
the man trap, often consideredone of the weaker Star Trek
(04:37):
episodes.
Instead, he aims to focus onthe strongest, most enduring
elements of the original series,acknowledging the social and
cultural changes since the 1960s.
Interestingly, a Star TrekStrange New Worlds storytelling
approach was suggested byDeForest Kelly many years ago.
Now, of course, we're talkingabout a Star Trek Year One
(04:59):
spinoff, with Star Trektelevision currently in a
holding pattern.
Kiva Goldman has proposed aspinoff to Strange New Worlds,
tentatively titled Star Trektelevision, currently in a
holding pattern.
Kiva Goldman has proposed aspin-off of Strange New Worlds,
tentatively titled Star TrekYear One.
This concept will exploreKirk's initial years as captain
and the early stories of hisEnterprise tenure.
Goldman, however, emphasizedthat Year One is merely a pitch,
that the primary focus remainson concluding the current series
(05:20):
effectively.
Quote.
That's the wiggle room we haveright, which is that there is an
interval there wheretransitions can happen.
Year one is a dream and the endof a show is a promise.
We're going to end it in a waythat we feel is indicative of
completion and is satisfying,and that does bring us into the
TOS era.
(05:40):
So that's a vague way of sayingwe're going to come pretty
close to something you recognize, unquote.
Now it's likely that StrangeNew Worlds will conclude with a
significant reference or nod toan event from the original
series.
One possibility is thecompletion of the bridge queue
with the arrival of Sulu,chekhov and Bones, although,
frankly, chekhov wouldn't bethere yet.
(06:02):
Chekhov wouldn't show up untillater, so it would just be Sulu
and Bones, unless you're goingto have Chekhov be somewhere
below Dex.
Now the idea of Star TrekStrangest New Worlds remaking a
classic original series episodeisn't that far-fetched.
The season one finale, aQuality of Mercy, was an
(06:23):
alternate timeline remake ofBalance of Terror featuring Pike
in command of the Enterpriseinstead of Kirk.
So, you know, should they?
You know, I actually think StarTrek year one would be
interesting is if year one youknow that you get a, it would be
(06:43):
like a limited series.
You'd get, like his first fewmissions under his belt.
And then you, you know, reshootyou could, for like the second
and third season, you couldreshoot several episodes.
Or maybe, like you, reshootwhere no man has gone before
(07:06):
episodes, or maybe, like you,reshoot where no man has Gone
Before and then you put in a newepisode that takes place where,
from where no man has GoneBefore, to say, the man trap,
and so you don't have to showall the all those episodes.
You just show, like you know,like certain ones, you know one
here, have a new episode, newstory.
One here, new episode, newstory, one here, and you could
(07:29):
basically do that where you'renot just remaking the original
series, you're remaking piecesof the original series and
anything they don't show youknow you can go and watch, but
that may be too far-fetched.
Anyway, let's go on to DCComics News.
(08:04):
Long-standing speculation aboutsale of Warner Bros Discovery
has intensified, with the WallStreet Journal reporting that
Paramount's new owners arepreparing a bid for the rival
company.
Analysts believe this potentialoffer would trigger a bidding
war for Warner Bros Discovery,though any deal would be complex
and protracted.
Though any deal would becomplex and protracted.
Now, shares of Warburg'sDiscovery, the parent company of
(08:26):
CNN and other networks, surged29% to a three-year high, nearly
fully rebounding to itspost-murder level from 2022,
while Paramount shares also roseover 15%, reflecting investor
enthusiasm for these major mediacompanies.
Bank of America SecuritiesSenior Media and Entertainment
(08:47):
Analyst, jessica Reif-Ehrlich,noted that the industry's need
for consolidation, stating theonly surprise is the timing.
She also predicted thatParamount would not be the sole
bidder for Warner Bros Discovery.
Now, warner Bros Discovery hadbeen planning to split into two
entities in early 2026,discovery Global, which would
include CNN and its RTV networks, and Warner Bros, which would
be HBO, max, hbo and the WarnerBros Studio.
(09:09):
However, paramount reportedlyis seeking to acquire the entire
company before the split.
Now, other potential biddersfor all or part of Warner Bros
Discovery include Comcast,amazon and Netflix.
Wells Fargo analysts hadearlier identified Warner Bros
Discovery include Comcast,amazon and Netflix.
Wells Fargo analysts hadearlier identified Warner Bros
Discovery's streaming serviceand movie studio, as quote an
attractive M&A candidate, withNetflix being the most
(09:33):
compelling buyer.
Paramount's interest is notunexpected, given the ambitious
new CEO, david Ellison'sexpressed desire for further
deals.
Ellison, son of Oraclebillionaire Larry Ellison,
previously led Skydance Mediaand spearhead Paramount's recent
takeover of its TV and moviestudio assets.
He has since focused onsteering the merged Paramount
(09:55):
Skydance onto a digitally nativepath.
John Malone, chairman emeritusof Warner Bros Discovery's board
and a mentor to David Zaslav ofWarren Burr's Discovery,
confirmed discussing furtherconsolidation in the media
industry with Elson expressingconfidence in him.
Representatives for bothcompanies declined to comment on
the report bid Now, despite theacquisition rumors, warren
(10:19):
Burr's Discovery is proceedingwith its corporate breakup plans
and Zaslav has reiterated thateverything's on track for the
split, although he has alsospoken about the industry's need
for consolidation.
Some observers speculate thatthe two post-split WBD entities
might become buyers rather thansellers.
The prospect of furtherHollywood consolidation,
particularly with Skydance'sDavid Ellison reportedly aiming
(10:41):
for Warner Bros Discovery, iscreating a new round of awful.
Now Netflix is also rumored tobe interested in acquiring
Warner Brothers, covering itsvaluable library and ancillary
components.
However, the financialviability of such a deal is
questionable.
Warner Bros Discovery iscurrently burdened with over $35
billion in debt, against a $41billion valuation.
(11:02):
Ceo David Zaslav isimplementing an aggressive
reorganization plan to achieveprofitability.
For a sale to occur now, warnerBros Discovery's board would
need to abandon Zaslav'sstrategy and deem a sale more
beneficial.
The rising stock price ofWarner due to acquisition
speculation further complicatesmatters requiring a substantial
cash offer.
(11:23):
Paramount, skydance and Netflixare considered the most likely
candidates with the financialcapacity for such a large
acquisition.
Netflix's potential acquisitionof Warner Brothers would grant
it the prestige of a century-oldmovie studio, something money
cannot buy.
A recent public appearance byNetflix co-CEO, ted Zerandos
with Dave Zaslav at Boxing Matchhas fueled speculation about
(11:45):
the possible takeover.
Such a Netflix takeover couldlead to job losses within the
industry, reduce the number ofpotential buyers in the market
and negatively impact theatricaldistribution.
Netflix's prime focus issubscriber acquisition and
retention, not cinematic events.
If Netflix were to absorbWarner Bros, it is likely to use
it as a robust theatricaldistribution arm.
Instead, it would leverageWarner's legendary library and
(12:08):
intellectual property, raisingconcerns about the accessibility
of classic films.
Furthermore, the overlap ofexecutives, assistants and
departments would result inwidespread layoffs, hindering
the expansion of Hollywood andlimiting opportunities for
writers and directors.
So what do you think of thispotential?
I think it's, personally, it'sa bad idea.
(12:30):
It's too much consolidation,you know it's, you know,
narrowing down a huge field into, basically, you know, a smaller
and smaller number, and that'sterrible.
You see what that does in otherindustries.
So even if this you know, ifthey bought their acquisition of
(12:58):
the Security and ExchangeCommission or, you know, the
government, whoever you know,this might hurt the industry as
a whole.
On one hand, we could end upwith Warner Brothers, so you
could have Star Trek, looneyTunes, things like that, but it
(13:20):
might just be a bad way.
I think they'd be better off ifthe company split into two and
just went off from there.
But that's just my personalopinion.
Let's go on to the Star Warsnews, roger roger.
(13:40):
Roger roger, so if you've seenthe trailer for Star Wars,
mandalorian and Grogu that theyjust released today, two days.
I'm recording this.
It was interesting.
I have a feeling it's not goingto do as well as they've hoped.
(14:03):
The people who've seen theMandalorian are going to see it.
People who just go to see StarWars stuff and have not seen the
Mandalorian are going to bejust scratching their heads at
what this is.
That's kind of the problem withthis is going from TVs to
movies.
(14:23):
You cannot.
You know, going from TVs tomovies always, you know, your
group of people kind of thin,going from movies to TV, I think
goes wider because you knowit's easier to transition one to
the other, I don't know.
Anyway, in Star Wars, theMandalorian, season 2, din
(14:46):
Djarin embarked on a new missionto reunite Grogu with the Jedi,
so that the adorable youngstercould train in the ways of the
Force and hone his abilities.
It took Djarin the entireseason to accomplish that task
and, as none other than LukeSkywalker arrived in the Season
2 finale to defeat Moff Gideon'sforces and take Grogu to his
(15:08):
temple, star Wars fans werethrilled to see Luke at the peak
of his power.
Even more so, they liked thelikeness of a young Mark Hamill
bringing the character to life.
Rather than recast the role.
Of course, they digitallyde-aged Hamill and put his face
over a body double and his voicewas used for dialogue.
Now Hamill shares what drew himto the Mandalorian.
(15:29):
Speaking with the HollywoodReporter, hamill explained why
he came back for thefan-favorite series.
Quote.
The reason I did Mandalorianwas that Luke had a beginning
and an end.
There was no middle, he said.
Comparing it to making atrilogy of James Bond movies
that ends just as he gets hislicense to kill.
You never got to see Luke as amaster Jedi in the peak of his
powers unquote.
(15:50):
He continued quote.
He was the most idealisticcharacter in that series.
He was someone who would takeadversity and double down and
come back and counter hissetbacks.
We didn't see any of that.
So when I got the chance, Ithought geez, this is wonderful.
I think Mandalorian writers anddirectors Jon Favreau and Dave
Filoni boy, do they get StarWars?
(16:10):
They get it.
They're speaking the samelanguage that George did in a
way that I questioned in thesequels.
Unquote.
As one of the writers on theDisney Plus drama, andor uh,
emmy Award winner and or writer,dan Gilroy has candidly
discussed the parallels betweenthe hit Star Wars show and the
(16:33):
controversy over the partialcancellation of Jimmy Kimmel
Live Now.
Andor first premiered in 2022on Disney+, serving as a prequel
to the beloved movie Rogue One,and is widely regarded as one
of the greatest Star Wars TVshows ever made.
Tony Gilroy served as ashowrunner and worked closely
with his brother, who wrote sixepisodes of the acclaimed series
(16:54):
.
Though Andor only ran for twoseasons, the show became popular
for its exploration ofimportant social themes and
portrayal of a fascistgovernment, and Dan Gilroy is
liking this to the currentsituation with Kimmel.
For Deadline, gilroy talkedabout how Andor thematically
mirrored the situation withKimmel and the suppression of
free speech and expression.
(17:14):
He discussed how Disney isfaced with a big discussion
surrounding Kimmel and talkedabout how governments fear
artists because they speak theirmind.
Quote as one of the writers onthe Disney Plus drama Andor, we
spent six years thinking about afascist takeover of a galaxy
far, far away.
Six years thinking aboutordinary beings as anover of a
galaxy far, far away.
Six years thinking aboutordinary beings as an
authoritarian regime comes infor the kill.
Now, many people saw parallelsbetween Andor and the real world
(17:37):
.
I see them as well,particularly in the events of
the last week.
Unquote Now.
Gilroy went on to acknowledgethat he saw parallels between
his show and the real world andreferenced Andor's fascist
takeover and authoritarianregime and the similarities in
how President Donald Trump isruling the country.
Donald Trump's tools ofgovernance, coercion and
intimidation have found focus onHollywood.
(17:59):
Faced with a social mediafirestorm, fear and an FCC head
threatening, they can do thisthe easy way or the hard way.
Disney suspended Jimmy Kimmelfor speaking his mind.
I deeply disagree, butacknowledge it was a difficult
decision.
If you believe otherwise, waituntil fate knocks on your door
and demands you choose betweenconscience and hardship, because
(18:20):
if you work in this industry,that day is coming.
The suspension bought time, butnot much.
Disney now stands at acrossroads.
Terminate Kimmel's contract andbecome pavement for the road to
a brave new Trumpian world, orstand for the First Amendment
and take the onslaught.
There's not much at stake, justfree speech, the oxygen that
sustains life in this town.
(18:40):
Following his note of Disneybeing a crossroads, gilroy
sharply criticized the way Trumpwas going after comedians like
Kimmel, expressing his concernsthat the First Amendment is at
stake if Kimmel and others areno longer allowed to make
comments about real-world eventson their shows.
Quote Trump's aim is to controlwhat we make and say the
(19:02):
concept seems far off andabstract.
Neither is true.
Is it hard to conjure a newoversight office or cabinet seat
?
Is it difficult to pictureTrump toadies deplaning LAX with
binders of banned topics andmandate alternatives?
You'll meet them when you haveto pitch for approval or get
grilled about subversiveco-workers.
Regardless of how the JackBooted attack on Jimmy Kimmel
(19:24):
was resolved, this isn't askirmish, it's a siege.
The first thing Putin did aftertaking power was silence.
Shows that criticized him.
Artists are censored firstbecause they fear us most.
Yeah, yeah, to speak on that,jimmy Kimmel has the First
(19:58):
Amendment behind him.
First Amendment says nogovernment shall not abridge the
freedom of speech With havingan FCC chair threatening to go
after affiliates, for what JimmyKimmel says is stupid.
Okay, it's taking away yourfreedom of speech, and so I
(20:24):
don't care whether you're on theright, on the left, in the
center, a libertarian, whateveryou should be all for freedom of
speech.
And true, there areconsequences to freedom of
speech.
But you know the consequencesshouldn't be just taking that
(20:49):
down.
You know, fine him.
You know, slap him on the wrist.
You know they suspended him.
You know they could justsuspend him for, you know, a
week and that's it.
But his comments were benign.
Okay, he didn't call for, youknow, murdering people.
(21:10):
He didn't, you know, yell firein a crowd theater.
He spoke his mind about what hethought, about the way they're
lionizing Charlie Kirk.
Fight for the freedom of speech.
If you don't have the freedomof speech, the freedom to own
(21:32):
your gun is next.
Okay, let's put it that way theSecond Amendment is never going
to be gone unless the freedomof speech is gone first.
So, just you know, take amoment and think about it.
I'll wait For decades.
(22:24):
Stan Lee was the king of comicbook conventions.
Now, nearly seven years afterhis death at the age of 95, he
will once again be a presence atthe LA Comic Con, this time as
a hologram that will use AI tohave conversations with fans.
Now fans will be able to speakwith the hologram at the Stanley
Experience section of the con,a 1,500-foot enclosed booth
(22:45):
which costs between $15 and $20to enter, depending on whether
you buy tickets or have time Now, like meeting a celebrity or
getting holographs, there willbe paid opportunities to take
photos with a hologram or have athree-minute one-on-one
conversation with it.
Quote We'll never put words inhis mouth that aren't in line
with things he spoke about inhis lifetime, said Bob Sabuni,
(23:08):
head of the Stanley LegacyPrograms for Cartoon Studios and
former Marvel executive.
Unquote quote.
Fortunately, with decades offootage capturing his thoughts
on so many subjects, we canbuild a voice that stays true,
not always word for word, butalways faithful in spirit,
context and intent.
Unquote.
Now, the hologram hails fromProtoHologram, the company that
(23:29):
recently helped launch aninteractive mirror from the
Conjuring in 47 malls, as wellas HyperReal, a company known
for creating realistic avatars.
Stan Lee, who co-createdcharacters like Spider-Man, iron
man and Daredevil, was the mostvisible face for comic book
culture of all time.
Known for his fan circlesthanks to his cameos in Marvel
movies.
Known for his fan circlesthanks to his cameos in Marvel
movies.
(23:49):
According to the organizers,the Lee hologram may also pop up
in different parts of theconvention as a surprise,
perhaps to introduce a top-tierpanel or two.
In 2016, lee spoke to theHollywood Reporter about LA
Comic-Con, which, at the time,was undergoing a name change.
Quote, he said Quote LosAngeles is, to me, the center of
(24:13):
the world's entertainment.
It has to have a Comic-Con, hesaid.
Now, this year's conventionruns from September 26th through
the 28th, and this has beencontroversial.
There are people you know peoplefor this and against this.
My thing is unless it's hurtingsomeone, it's, I have no
problem with it.
You know it's, it's.
(24:37):
How should I put this?
In Star Trek, majel BarrettRoddenberry, before she died,
recorded the phonetic alphabet.
You know A-E-I-O-U, pho na pho.
You know all the phoneticalphabet.
You know A-E-I-O-U, pho ne pho.
You know all the phonics sothat her voice could be used in
(25:05):
the future for the computer.
But after she died, that hasn'tcome to be.
They've gone and hired otherpeople to be the computer, which
is just a complete waste.
I mean, if you have, basically,if we know that they had
permission to make this hologramand use his words for him, I
(25:28):
would be perfectly fine with it.
Just as long as they havepermission, that's all I care
about.
But don't make him like this isStan Lee for Trojan condoms or
something like that.
That's a little outside thebounds.
But anyway, let's go on to thegeek news.
(26:18):
Following the success of Weapons, writer-director Zack Krager is
getting the wheels in motionfor his next horror thriller.
Sources tell Deadline that PaulWalter Hauser is set to join
Austin Abrams in Krager's newadaptation of Resident Evil for
Sony Pictures.
Krager is directing the film,which is based on the horror
video game made by Capcom, andwill also co-wrote the script
(26:40):
with Shea Hayden.
Constantine Film is producingand co-financing the picture.
Now, constantine Film isproducing and co-financing the
picture.
Constantine's Robert Kulslerwill produce, as will Vertigo
Entertainment's Roy Lee and MaryYoon, and PlayStation
Productions' Asad Krizalbash andCarter Swan, constantine's
Oliver Burbain and Davis' film'sVictor Hadaray are producing,
(27:04):
with TriStar Pictures' presidentNicole Brown overseeing it for
Sony.
The plot details of the pic are, of course, under wraps, it
being brand new and all.
But if the previous ResidentEvil movies were a mix of horror
, sci-fi and action and followthe adventures of a heroine who
fights zombies and the UmbrellaCorporation, the biowarfare
(27:25):
company that lets loose themonsters?
Sony Pictures is releasing thefilm theatrically on September
18, 2026, and Sony distributedall the previous Resident Evil
films, which have grossed morethan $1.2 billion worldwide,
making it one of thehighest-grossing video
game-based movie franchises inhistory.
Now, hauser is best known forstarring in Apple TV Plus' crime
(27:48):
drama limited series Blackbird,for which he received Emmy,
golden Globe and Critics ofChoice awards, in addition to a
SAG-AFTRA nomination.
He has also had himself a busy2025, starring in three films
this past summer alone in theFantastic Four, first Steps as
audience favorite Mole man.
In Paramount's Naked Gun as EdHawken Jr, the straight man's
(28:09):
partner to Liam Neeson, and anuanced performance playing a
military veteran in Liongate'smodern-day Western Americana.
Early this year, hauser starredin IFC films the Luckiest man
in America, which premiered atTIFF in 2024 to rave reviews for
the actor's performance.
Up next he will be in 20thCentury's Bruce Springsteen
(28:30):
biopic Deliver Me From Nowhereopposite Jeremy Allen White.
A live-action movie based on theiconic animatronic 80s toy
Teddy Ruxpin is in the works atAmazon MGM Studios.
According to Variety, the filmabout Teddy Ruxpin, who is
canonically not a bear but abear-like creature known as an
(28:51):
Iliop, is set to be produced byDwayne Johnson and Danny
Garcia's Seven Bucks Productionsand Dimitri M Johnson and
Michael Lawrence Goldberg'sStory Kitchen, with Chris Hazard
and Mike Fontana writing thescript.
While details about the filmare being kept under wraps,
sources tell Variety that theproject, which was won by Amazon
in a competitive bidding war,was pitched with a Sonic the
(29:13):
Hedgehog meets Elf tone.
Created by former DisneyImagineer Ken Forsey, teddy
Ruxpin was launched by toycompany Alchemy 2 in 1985 as the
world's first animated talkingtoy and went on to sell more
than 8 million units worldwide.
Named one of Time Magazine's100 greatest toys of all time,
teddy Ruxpin expanded to a $7billion franchise including
(29:35):
animated TV series, theAdventures of Teddy Ruxpin,
dozens of books, interactivegames and other projects.
Sean Ashton has been elected toserve as the next national
president of SAG-AFTRA, theactors' union.
The actors' union announced theresult Friday night, revealing
that Ashton was elected tosucceed Fran Drescher, with
(30:01):
79.25% of the vote.
He will serve a two-year termalongside Michelle Hurd, who was
elected for secretary-treasurer, with 64.77% of the vote.
He will serve a two-year termalongside Michelle Heard, who
was elected forSecretary-Treasurer with 64.77%
of the vote.
Both began their termsimmediately.
Runner-up Chuck Slevin received20.75% of the votes for
President, while his runningmate, peter Antico, received
35.23% of the votes forSecretary-Treasurer.
(30:23):
Per about 17 percent of seg,aftra has 117 000 plus eligible
members to mid ballots in thisyear's national election.
Now that's quite a decline from2023, when 23 percent of the
union voted overwhelmingly tore-elect drescher when she was
first elected.
In 2021, more than 26 percentof the national memberships made
ballots the local, los angelesand new york election results
(30:45):
were also revealed fridaydrescher's mid-ballots the local
, los Angeles and New Yorkelection results were also
revealed Friday.
Drescher's 2021-2023 runningmate, jolie Fisher, who had been
the nationalsecretary-treasurer, won her bid
for Los Angeles' localpresident, being Antico and
Brian Krause with 66.64% of thevote.
Stack After Us says 7,406 ofthe 5,656,651 eligible members.
(31:08):
Just 13% of the Los Angeleslocals submitted ballots.
Lisa Ann Walter was electedfirst vice president and David
Joliffe was elected second vicepresident of the Los Angeles
local.
Unopposed National Board membercandidate Dan Navarro also
secured his seat.
As for the New York chapter,ezra Knight was elected local
(31:31):
president with 72.88% of thevote, compared to Ken Cannon's
27.12%.
Linda Powell was elected firstvice president, with Anthony
Rapp elected second vicepresident, jim Kerr elected
third vice president and LizZazie was elected fourth vice
president.
Janice Pendervaris, who ranunopposed, will officially get
(31:51):
the New York National Boardmember seat.
The turnout was slightly betterin New York, with 16% of the
27,737 eligible voters castingballots Now.
This national presidency forAston falls in the footsteps of
his mother, patty Duke, whobecame the second woman to ever
(32:13):
run the then Screen Actors Guildin 1985.
She held a position for threeyears.
The Oscar nominee and Lord ofthe Rings alum will have quite
the task ahead of him at the topof the next year, as SAG-AFTRA
returns to the negotiating tablewith the Alliance of Motion
Picture Intelligent Producers,which collectively bargains on
behalf of the major Hollywoodstudios.
This will be the first contractnegotiation cycle since the
(32:35):
2023 strike, regarding anindustry that has been hit hard
by the global productioncontraction that has resulted in
far less work.
There still are some concernsthe union is seeking to address,
primarily regardingtechnological advances in
artificial intelligence over thepast three years.
On the flip side, the DirectorsGuild of America has announced
(32:55):
Christopher Nolan as its newpresident during Saturday's
biannual national convention.
The two-time Oscar winner forOppenheimer was appointed to
succeed Leslie Linka Glatter.
Among a new slate of officersand new members of the DGA's
National Board of Directors,chosen by 167 delegates
(33:16):
representing 19,500 strong unionof directors Saturday were
Laura Blessie as National VicePresident, paris Barkley,
re-elected asSecretary-Treasurer, tom Holland
, todd Holland as First VicePresident, ron Howard as Second
Vice President, gina PriceBythewood as Third Vice
President, seth Mann as FourthVice President, milton Shelton
(33:39):
as Fifth Vice President, lilyOslovsky as Sixth Vice President
and Joyce Thomas as AssistantSecretary treasurer.
So I wonder if that means thatat the meetings there'll be more
explosions and people running.
Well, I guess we'll see.
Anyway, to close on our sad news, polly Halliday, the
(34:02):
Tony-nominated stage actressbest known for her role as the
witty waitress Flo on the CBSsitcom Alice, passed away on
Tuesday September 9th at her NewYork City home.
She was 88 years old and thelast surviving principal cast
member of the comedy.
Her theatrical agent, dennisAsplund, confirmed her death to
the New York Times.
Holly's portrayal of the fiery,irreverent gum-chewing diner
(34:25):
waitress was a significantsource of the show's humor.
With Deadpan's southern drawl,her character Flo popularized
the national catchphrase Kiss mygrits, often directed at the
gruff owner of Mel's Diner,played by the late Vince Tabak
Pick Tabak.
Born Polly Dean Holiday inJasper, alabama, on July 2, 1937
, she pursued theater arts atthe Alabama College for Women
(34:47):
and Florida State University.
Her professional acting careerbegan at the Azolo Theater
Company in Sarasota, florida.
After relocating to New YorkCity, she secured a role at the
Public Theater off of Broadwayin 1972.
Soon after Holiday appeared inthe Broadway hit All Over Town,
directed by Dustin Hoffman, shereunited with Dustin Hoffman in
(35:09):
the 1976 film All thePresident's Men.
The same year she was cast asFlorence Jean Flo Castleberry in
Alice.
Holly remained with Alice until1980, when she departed to star
in her own short-lived spinoffseries, flo.
Diane Ladd, who had played Floin Martin Scorsese's 1974 film
Alice, doesn't Live here Anymore.
The inspiration for the sitcomtook her place on Alice as a new
(35:33):
character, belle Dupree.
Flo was canceled in 1981.
Years later, holiday joined thecast of CBS's short-lived
Private Benjamin, replacingEllen Brennan who had been
injured in a car accident.
On television, holiday alsoappeared as Lily, the blind
sister of Betty White's RoseNyland, in the Golden Girls, and
had roles in Tim Allen's HomeImprovement and the 1995 John
(35:55):
Grisham legal thriller seriesthe Client.
Her final TV credit was in anepisode of Homicide Life on the
Street in 1996.
Beyond All the President's Men,where she played a protective
secretary almost thwartingDustin Hoffman's attempts to
interview her boss about theWatergate scandal, holliday's
filmography includes WW and theDixie Dance, kings Gremlins, mrs
(36:17):
Doubtfire, the Parent Trap from1998, and the Heartbreak Kid
from 2007.
Her last film was Fair Game in2010.
On Broadway, in addition to AllOver Town, halliday appeared in
Arsenic and Old Lace andreceived a Tony nomination for a
portrayal of Big Mama in the 99revival of Cat on a Hot Tin
Roof.
She returned to Broadway in the1994 revival of Picnic and 2000
(36:39):
appeared in the Lincoln Centerrevival of the Time of the
Cuckoo.
Halliday was the last survivingmember of Alice Linda Lavin died
last year, vince Tabak in 1990,beth Howland in 2015, and
Philip McKeon in 2019.
Halliday left no immediatesurvivors Again Polly Halliday,
(37:02):
dead at the age of 88.
And with that we end our showfor, and with that we end our
show for today.
Now please head on over tomultiversecom and, while you're
there, check us out on socialmedia.
We're at Blue Sky and Twitterand at Multiverse Tom Threads
(37:25):
Blue Sky and Twitter and atMultiverse Tom Threads Facebook,
instagram, multiverse Tonight.
If you've gotten some value outof the show, just head on over
to multiversetonightcom.
Check our Patreon and Ko-filinks, check our show notes,
visit our T-Bulbic store and somuch more.
Leave some feedback like howmuch I screw things up.
Check us and if this is yourfirst time listening, thank you.
(37:49):
Please head on over and hitthat subscribe button and share
us with others.
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
.
Goodness, now please exit theuniverse in an orderly fashion.
Good night All the Universe.
(38:14):
Tonight is a production ofHalf-Baked Jonathan Fletcher,
copyright 2025.
All rights reserved.
Go out and protect that, firstand foremost.
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