August 11, 2025 • 34 mins
We dive into the latest film industry happenings with James Gunn writing and directing the next Superman film, Matt Reeves completing The Batman Part II script for a 2027 release, and major announcements across Marvel and Star Wars franchises.
• Box office rundown reveals how superhero movies like Fantastic Four and Superman perform in today's theater climate
• James Gunn will write and direct the next Superman film while expanding DC Universe with Clayface, Supergirl, and other projects
• Matt Reeves' Batman sequel begins filming spring 2026 with a policy of completed scripts before production
• Sony developing Spider-Punk animated feature with Daniel Kaluuya returning to voice Hobie Brown
• Mark Ruffalo reportedly in talks to appear as Hulk in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
• Star Wars planning 50th anniversary theatrical re-release for April 2027
• Matt Smith joining Star Wars: Starfighter alongside Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth
• Gina Carano and Lucasfilm reach settlement in discrimination lawsuit
• HBO Max removes several animated series as Warner Bros Discovery shifts focus away from children's content
• Disney announcing full integration of Hulu into Disney+ by 2026
• Remembering Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell who passed at 97
• Tribute to WKRP in Cincinnati star Loni Anderson who died at 79
Please check us out on social media at Multiverse Tom on Blue Sky and Twitter, and Multiverse Tonight on Threads, Facebook, and Instagram. Support the show through our Patreon and Ko-fi links at multiversetonight.com.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tonight Gunn working on the next super movie,
Spirepunk, the movie Star Warsat 50, and remember Jim Lovell
and Lonnie Anderson.
All that and more on thisedition of Multiverse Tonight.
Welcome to Multiverse Tonight,your source for geek news.
We dissect films, games, comicsand much more, bringing you
insightful commentary on popculture.
(00:21):
This is Multiverse Tonight.
Now here's your host, thomasTownley.
Well, hello everyone, andwelcome to episode 246 of
Multiverse Tonight.
I'm, of course, your host,thomas Townley, and I'm feeling
a lot better, thank you.
The past couple of weeks hasbeen a little hard on me.
(00:44):
That Canadian wildfire smokethat came down really kind of
did me a number, gave me arespiratory problem, so I was
saying pretty bad the pastcouple of weeks.
My wife even got too, so she'sstill on her way to recovery.
(01:06):
Other than that, things havebeen going well.
I have a problem with mystomach.
It produces too much acid, sowe found out, and I also have
what's it called hyaluronia too,and that's part of the problem
(01:28):
as well.
So I had to change my diet,which is, you know, it's not
good, but it's not bad either.
You know, I'm doing a lotbetter now with my bodily
functions and I've also lost afew pounds, I'm down to drinking
(01:49):
like two mini cans of Pepsi aday, so you know doing much
better.
Anyway, let's quickly cover thebox office for this past weekend
.
At number 10, sketch arrivedwith $2.5 million, together
(02:09):
dropped from $6 to $9 with $2.6million.
F1, the Movie, dropped from $7to $8 with $2.8 million.
Jurassic World Rebirth droppedto number 7 from number 5,
making $4.7 million.
It has $326.8 million at thebox office.
Superman dropped down fromnumber four to number six with
(02:32):
still $7.8 million.
It's made $331 million $243,139.
The Naked Gun dropped fromthree to five with $8.3 million.
That's about half of what madethe week before.
It's got $33 million in thebank.
The Bad Guys 2 dropped from 2to 4 with $10.4 million and
(02:57):
that's about half, with itsgross total of $43.4 million.
The Fantastic Four First Stepsdropped from number one to
number three with $15.5 million.
That's about 60%, but still has$230.4 million.
Freakier Friday, theunnecessary sequel to Freaky
(03:18):
Friday, debuts at number twowith $29 million, and Weapons
debuts at number number one with42.5 million.
Now a lot of people arenaysaying, oh look fantastic
four and first steps drop down.
Oh, superman, drop down well,box office is a lot different
than it was a decade ago.
Even box office.
(03:40):
Nowadays, you know, people gosee it once, maybe twice, and
then they don't go see itBecause going to the movies is
expensive.
You know it, I know it it's.
I mean, it's a $20 trip almostevery time.
If not, you know $40.
(04:02):
If not, you know 40.
So you know there's a reasonwhy you're you're not seeing
movies.
Get to number one and then staythere for weeks and weeks on
end.
It's because everyone whowanted to see it saw it in week
one or week two, maybe even weekthree, and then it drops off
precipitously.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Um, so dolls naysayers out there who are like
oh, they did this.
Oh, they changed the sex effectof the silver surfer, oh, they
made Superman, you know, weakerit's like no, they made it great
.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
My personal review of Superman it was a great movie,
I loved it.
I had a great time.
It's on IMAX, so it was a greatmovie to see, really loved it.
Same thing with Fantastic FourFirst Steps.
I went and saw that in a 21plus theater over in Wichita so
(05:03):
there was very few people in thetheater with me.
That's perfectly fine with me,because I wanted to sit
somewhere with good recliningseats and I thought it was great
.
I thought they finally gotJohnny Storm correct.
He's not just a big flaminga-hole, he actually has
(05:23):
personality, he actually cares.
So I still recommend going tosee it.
But anyway, let's get on withthe DC Comics News.
And dc comics news begins withwarner burr's discovery ceo
(05:53):
david zazlav, confirming thatjames gunn will write and direct
the next film in the superfamily franchise.
Previously, gunn had hinted hewas working on a new movie
featuring David Cornsweth'sSuperman, but he remained vague
about whether it was astandalone sequel.
Zaslav's announcement clarifiedGunn's dual roles, both writer
and director, a position he heldfor the first Superman.
(06:15):
The franchise's upcomingprojects include Peacemaker
Season 2, followed by theSupergirl movie and the Lanterns
television series in 2026.
Clayface is also set to beginfilming this year.
Gunn has emphasized that eachentry will have a distinct
flavor and tone akin to comicbooks.
You know that Clayface will bea complete horror film,
(06:36):
highlighting the studio's desireto avoid a uniform company
style and prevent audienceboredom.
Now James Gunn and PierceSaffron were appointed in 2022
to revitalize DC Studios, whichhas historically struggled to
compete with Disney's moresuccessful MCU.
Now, beyond Superman starringDavid Cornswet, gunn and Saffron
(06:56):
have ambitious plans for adecade of interconnected sequels
and spin-offs, includingClayface, supergirl and the new
Wonder Woman adaptation.
Zaslav has lauded Gunn andSaffron for breathing new life
and excitement to one of themost iconic storytelling
franchises in the world.
Despite Superman's promisingstart, dc faces challenges with
(07:17):
Supergirl and Clayface, whichfeature less recognizable
protagonists compared to theglobally known Superman.
Zaslav, however, is remainingoptimistic, declaring quote the
DC vision is clear.
The momentum is real.
Quote unquote.
Following Superman's theatricalrelease, good news for fans of
Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight.
Warner Bros Discovery recentlyannounced that Matt Reeves'
(07:40):
highly anticipated the BatmanPart II will begin filming in
this upcoming spring 2026, withan October 2027 theatrical
release.
Pattinson, who has been busythis year, followed Christopher
Nolan's the Odyssey and theneven used Dune Part III, will
reprise his role as Batman.
Now Warner Bros Discovery'sshareholders, in their yearly
(08:04):
letter, also celebrated thesuccess of James Gunn's Superman
, which launched the DC Universeacross film and television.
The film has already grossednearly $555 million worldwide,
and the company stated that DCStudios' universe of characters
represents not only one ofWarner Bros Discovery's most
valuable pieces of intellectualproperty, but one of the most
valuable assets in entertainment.
(08:25):
Now, in film, james Gunn iscurrently developing Supergirl,
clayface and Wonder Woman.
The Batman 2 is also preparingto shoot.
The 10-year vision for the DCuniverse extends to television
with projects such as thePenguin, the new season of
Peacemaker and the debut ofLanterns.
The DC franchise will also beincreasingly integrated across
(08:45):
these two's efforts, includingfilm, tv, consumer products,
games, experiences and socialmedia.
Now fans have eagerly awaitedthe sequel to the Batman, which
was released in March of 2022,and earned $772 million globally
.
The sequel's development hasbeen lengthy, with Warner Bros
delaying its release fromOctober 2, 2026 to October 1,
(09:06):
2027.
Warner Bros confirmed toVariety on June 27 that Reeves
had finally completed the script.
While the Batman sequel will bereleased more than five years
after the original, james Gunnhas defended the delay, noting
that the long gaps betweensequels are common.
He cited examples such as Alienand Aliens, which has a
seven-year gap, incredibles andIncredibles Part II and
(09:28):
Incredibles 2, which had a14-year gap, and Terminators the
first two movies also had aseven-year gap.
Now Gunn also explained thatMatt Reeves is committed to
making the best film he possiblycan, and no one can accurately
guess exactly how long a scriptwill take to write.
He added that once a script isfinished, there's around two
years for pre-production,shooting and post-production on
(09:50):
big films.
James Gunn's policy at the newDC Studios is that no movie will
begin pre-production orproduction until the screenplay
is complete, unlike MarvelStudios, where scripts often
evolve during production.
In an interview withEntertainment Weekly, gunn
advised fans to be patientregarding sequels, stating,
(10:10):
quote people should get offMatt's nuts because it's like
let the guy write the screenplayin the amount of time he needs
to write it.
That's just the way it is.
He doesn't owe you somethingbecause you like his movie.
I mean you like his moviebecause of Matt, so let Matt do
things the way he does.
Unquote.
Further said, quote I amirritated by people.
(10:32):
I mean it's just that thingpeople don't need to be entitled
about.
It's going to come out when hefeels good about the screenplay,
and Matt's not going to give methe screenplay when he feels
good about the screenplay, andMatt's not going to give me the
screenplay until it feels goodabout the screenplay Unquote.
Now let's go on to the MarvelComics News.
(11:15):
Sony Pictures Animation isdeveloping an animated feature
centered on Spider-Punk, withDaniel Kaluuya will reprise his
role as Spider-Punk, a characterhe voiced in 2023's Spider-Man
Across the Spider-Verse and isset to voice again in the
upcoming Spider-Man Beyond theSpider-Verse.
Spider-punk, also known asHoppy Brown, was created by
writer Dan Slott and artistOliver Coppiel.
(11:36):
This version of Spider-Manhailing from Earth-138 embodies
a more anarchistic andanti-establishment stance
compared to Peter Parker, drivenby a strong desire to dismantle
corrupt systems.
His first appearance was in theAmazing Spider-Man no 10 in
2015, during a Spider-Versecrossover event.
This new film builds on thesuccess of Sony Pictures
(11:57):
Animation's acclaimed Spider-Mananimated trilogy, which
explores Spider-Man's adventuresacross the multiverse.
The first installment,spider-man Into the Spider-Verse
, was a critical and commercialtriumph, earning over $394
million globally and an Oscarfor Best Animated Feature.
Its sequel, across theSpider-Verse, also received an
Oscar nomination and surpassedits predecessor at the box
office with over $690 millionworldwide.
(12:19):
The final film in the trilogyBeyond the Spider-Verse is
scheduled for release on June25th 2027.
Mark Ruffalo is reportedly intalks to reprise his role as the
Incredible Hulk in the upcomingfilm Spider-Man Brand New Day.
Tom Holland, who is returningas Spider-Man, will be joined by
Sadie Sink in a new,undisclosed role and John
Barenthal, who will play thePunisher.
(12:40):
Marvel and Sony have notcommented on the casting news.
Spider-man Brand New Day willbe directed by Destin Daniel
Cretton, with Amy Pascal andMarvel president Kevin Feige
producing.
Chris McKenna and Eric Somersare writing the script.
The plot details are currentlyunder wraps, but the film is
slated for release on July 31,2026.
(13:02):
Now Ruffalo's previous Marvelappearances include Avengers,
age of Ultron, thor, ragnarok,avengers, infinity War, avengers
Endgame, she-hulk, attorney atLaw and a cameo at the end of
Shang-Chi and the Legend of theTen Rings.
Let's go on to some Star Warsnews.
Roger roger.
(13:25):
Matt Smith, known for his rolein House of the Dragon and
Doctor who, is reportedlyjoining the cast of Lucasfilm's
Star Wars Starfighter.
Sources indicate that he willstar alongside Ryan Gosling and
Mia Goth, with Sean Levydirecting and Jonathan Troper
penning the script.
Near Lucasfilm North, smith'srepresentatives have commented
on the casting.
Production for Star WarsStarfighter is scheduled for
(13:47):
this fall, with a release dateset for May 28, 2027.
While specific characterdetails are under wraps, sources
suggest that Smith will portraya significant villain.
Casting has begun activelyunderway for several weeks, with
executives ultimately choosingSmith for this pivotal role in
the Star Wars universe.
The film's details were firstrevealed in April at the Star
(14:07):
Wars Celebration in Tokyo.
Starfire takes place five yearsafter Star Wars Episode IX,
rise of the Skywalker, whichmarked the end of the Skywalker
saga and is currently thechronologically last film in the
Star Wars timeline.
Now, smith recently completedthe second season of House of
the Dragon, with the thirdseason slated for production
(14:28):
this next year.
His upcoming projects includethe Sony and Darren Aronofsky
thriller Caught Stealing, wherehe stars opposite Austin Butler,
and the limited series theDeath of Bunny Monroe.
Disney has dated the 50thanniversary re-release of Star
Wars for April 30, 2027.
Now no other news was madeavailable as to whether it will
(14:50):
reverse engineer George Lucas'97 edits and additions or keep
the 20th anniversary printintact.
Recently the British FilmInstitute screened the original
1977 print, which is noted onsite that the pic's color is
gloriously unfaded.
That print was also one of theprecious handful of dye transfer
(15:11):
IB Technicolor prints produceduniquely for the first British
release.
Star Wars Episode IV A New Hopecounts a lifetime box office of
461 million domestic, 775.3million globally, and it's the
movie that started it all themulti-billion dollar grossing
space opera franchise spanningfilms, streaming services and
(15:33):
merchandise.
The 1997 re-release waslucrative, calling on then-DVD
audiences to re-watch theclassic for the first time in a
long time on the big screen.
The edition alone grossed$138.2 million domestically and
$160 million box office globally.
The reissue was also served asa tee-off for episodes 1 through
(15:53):
3, which Lucas was prepping atthe time.
And uh, I was there, folks, I'mthat old.
And I was there, folks, I'mthat old.
Disney and Lucasfilm havereached a settlement in the
lawsuit filed by Gina Carano,who alleged discrimination and
wrongful termination after herdismissal from the Mandalorian.
(16:14):
In a joint statement, lucasfilmexpressed optimism about future
collaborations with Ms Carano,saying.
With this lawsuit concluded, welook forward to identifying
opportunities to work togetherwith Ms Carano in the near
future.
We have reached an agreementwith Gina Carano to resolve the
issues in her pending lawsuitagainst the companies.
Ms Carano was alwayswell-respected by her directors,
(16:35):
co-stars and staff, and sheworked hard to perfect her craft
while treating her colleagueswith kindness and respect
unquote.
Now Carano confirmed theagreement in her own statement,
calling it the best outcome forall parties involved and
reaffirming her dedication tothe arts.
The terms of the settlementannounced Thursday were not
disclosed.
Carano's lawsuit, filed lastyear, claimed she was fired for
(16:56):
expressing right-wing politicalviews on social media.
She saw a court order to forceLucasfilm to reinstate her.
Elon Musk, fulfilling hiscommandment to financially
support users who claimdiscrimination based on their
activity on the platform,provided funding for the lawsuit
through X.
Carano extended her deepest,most heartfelt gratitude to Elon
.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Musk, a man I've never met, who did this good
smirking deed for me".
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Now the legal action followed Lucasfilm's 2021
announcement that Corona wouldnot return to the popular series
.
This decision came after asocial media post in which she
compared the trimming of Jews byNazis to the hatred for
individuals for their politicalviews, saying quote Most people
today don't realize that theyget to the point where Nazi
soldiers could easily round upthousands of Jews.
The government first made theirown neighbors hate them simply
(17:41):
for being Jews.
How is that any different fromhating someone for their
political views?
This post was one of severalthat drew criticism from social
media users due to right-wingstances on various contentious
issues.
Carano, who was subsequentlydropped by UTA and did not
comment on the settlement, hadpreviously ridiculed government
mask mandates during theCOVID-19 pandemic and spread
(18:02):
false claims of voter fraud inthe 2020 presidential election.
According to her complaint,disney and Lucasfilm allegedly
harassed and defamed Carano, whois paid $25,000 per episode as
a guest actor and later receivesa $5,000 bonus for refusing to
align with her views on topicssuch as Black Lives Matter,
preferred pronouns and disprovenclaims of election interference
(18:23):
.
She contended that, while shewas fired for cultural and
religious beliefs, her maleco-stars, such as Pedro Pascal,
who made a 2017 post comparingPresident Trump to Hitler were
not disciplined for allegedlymaking offensive remarks against
Republicans.
Corona was terminated from theMandalorian, as well as other
Star Wars projects.
Corona was terminated from theMandalorian, as well as other
Star Wars projects, includingRangers of the New Republic,
(18:45):
shortly after refusing to meetwith Lucasfilm president
Kathleen Kennedy and 45 LGBTQplus employees.
According to the lawsuit, lastyear, the court rejected
Disney's motions to dismiss.
Disney had argued that it hadthe right to disassociate with
talent whose views wouldalienate fans from the Star Wars
franchise.
Potential witnesses in the caseinclude Pedro Pascal, jon
Favreau, bear Grylls, lucasfilmpresident Kathleen Kennedy and
Lynn Hale, the architect of theStar Wars publicity campaign.
(19:06):
Should I comment here?
I think it's better not to, butI think if you associate with
people who are trying to bringthe downfall of the United
States government, yeah, you area Nazi, gina, sorry.
Anyway, let's go on to the geeknews.
(19:28):
Well, you know, you associatewith hate, you get hate.
(19:54):
That's just that.
Anyway, as Doctor who plots areturn with the eponymous Time
Lord, seemingly taking on theform of Billy Piper, is
reacquainting herself with thesecrets of the universe
Following the season 15 finaleof the reviewed BBC One Disney
Plus series, in which NakudiGatwa's 15th Doctor, regenerated
(20:15):
to the form of Piper's BruceTyler.
The actress recently recalledhow she came to return to the
TARDIS, quote.
This is such a minefield.
I have to really engage withhow I answer this.
All I can say is I wasapproached at the very last
minute and I can't talk about inwhat capacity and I found it
very emotional to film and Ithink it's a really great ending
.
She told fans at the FloridaSupercon, knowing she had to
(20:43):
keep the finale twist a secret.
She explained, quote I justfound it quite moving and it was
really fun to film because Ihad such a sort of cloak and
dagger feeling about getting itmade.
So, yeah, I have to lie a lotabout anything to do with Doctor
who.
It seems unquote.
Since her original run in thefirst two seasons in 2005 and
2006, piper has reprised therole of Rose on several
occasions, most recently the2013 episode, the Day of the
(21:05):
Doctor, as well as the podcastseries Doctor who the Tenth
Doctor Adventures in 2017.
Following Piper's return in theMay finale of season 15, gatwa
announced his exit from the show, explaining that the role was
really a pleasure and an honor,but the departure quote felt
like the right timing and theright energy, and it felt quite
melancholy and bittersweet.
It was always the plan to dothis amount of seasons, because
(21:28):
it's a role that demands a loton you physically and
emotionally and mentally.
The actors playing the doctorare only actors playing the
doctor.
Unfortunately, we are meremortals.
(22:00):
So time will tell.
Hbo Max recently removed Courage, the Cowardly Dog and what's
New?
Scooby-doo on July 31st, aftertheir licensing agreements
expired and were not renewed Now.
This action is part of theWarburst Discovery's ongoing
strategy to prioritize adult andfamily programming, shifting
away from children's content onthe HBO Max streaming platform.
This isn't the first time HBOMax has adjusted its approach to
kids' content.
In 2022, the platform, withaccess to Cartoon Network and
(22:25):
Warner Bros animation libraries,first signaled a decreased
reliance on children'sprogramming by removing a slate
of animated series.
However, after being rebrandedas Max a year later, there's
renewed focus on children'scontent with projects like Pier
and the Wolf, gremlin's Secretsof the Mogwai and Tiny Toons
University.
Late last year, max ended itsdeal for Sesame Street original
(22:45):
episodes and most librarycontent, and now, with HBO
restored to the platform's name,the focus is once again moving
away from children's fare.
Sources indicate that theseshows were considered lower
priority for license renewal.
Sources indicate that theseshows were considered lower
priority for license renewal.
Despite these shifts, newanimated series will premiere on
Cartoon Network, will continueto be available on HBO Max,
including Toad Friends, sillySundays, all of which are set to
(23:10):
be released on the streamerlater this month.
Hulu will integrate with DisneyPlus in 2026, phasing out the
standalone app.
Disney has announced that theHulu app will be phased out in
2026 as the company integratesthe streaming service fully into
Disney Plus.
This move will create a unifiedDisney Plus and Hulu streaming
app, though customers will stillhave the option to purchase
separate subscriptions for eachservice.
(23:32):
Disney CEO Bob Iger and CFOHugh Johnston stated that this
integration is a major stepforward in strengthening our
streaming offering, and theybelieve it will also create an
impressive package ofentertainment combining top
brands, general entertainment,family programming, news and
live sports in a singleapplication.
This unified approach isexpected to boost profitability
(23:56):
and margins through increasedengagement, reduced churn and
new advertising revenueopportunities.
Alongside operationalefficiencies, the integration
aims to provide a better userexperience by combining both
services on one technicalplatform, which is also expected
to result in cost synergies Fornational audiences.
Hulu's content will replace thestar title on Disney+ starting
(24:17):
this fall, with a specific dateyet to be announced.
Additionally, hulu's live TVsubscribers will be migrated to
Fubo, a Disney-majority-ownedservice.
Work on these changes isalready underway, with new
features expected to beimplemented in Disney+ in the
coming months.
This integration followedDisney's complete acquisition of
Hulu in June.
(24:38):
After years of holding amajority stake, disney has
already begun incorporating Hulucontent into Disney Plus last
year to attract more subscribers.
The decision to integrate Huluinto Disney Plus is seeing a
strategic move to improve DisneyPlus' performance, which hasn't
matched the success ofcompetitors like Netflix,
despite the strength of MarvelStudios and Lucasfilm Originals.
In related news, disney will nolonger report screaming
(25:04):
subscriber numbers for Hulu,disney+ and ESPN+, following
Netflix's precedent.
The impact on existing bundles,such as the one offering
Disney+, hulu and Max, remainsto be seen.
And finally, tonight, astronautJim Lovell celebrated for his
leadership during thenear-disastrous 1970 Apollo 13
(25:25):
mission, passed away Thursday inIllinois at the age of 97.
His story, a highlight of theUS space program, was famously
depicted in Ron Howard's filmApollo 13.
Lovell's family released astatement through NASA
expressing immense pride in hislife's work and career,
particularly his pioneering rolein human spaceflight.
They fondly remembered him asdad, granddad and the leader of
(25:48):
our family and their hero.
They will miss his unshakableoptimism, his sense of humor and
the way he made each of us feelwe could do the impossible and
the way he made each of us feelwe could do the impossible.
Born on March 25, 1928 inCleveland, lovell joined NASA as
an astronaut in 1962.
After serving as a naval airtest pilot, he was a finalist
for the Mercury 7, the firstgroup of US astronauts, and was
(26:10):
later selected for the secondgroup.
Alongside Neil Armstrong,lovell achieved several
distinctions, including beingthe first person to fly to the
moon twice, the first person toventure into space four times
and one of the only two dozenindividuals to have flown to the
(26:32):
moon.
The Apollo 13 mission, love 4spaceflight, following Gemini 7,
gemini 12, and Apollo 8,launched on April 11, 1970, with
the goal of a moon landing.
However, an oxygen tankexplosion two days into the
mission crippled criticalelectrical systems.
Commander Level, alongsidefellow astronauts Jack Swigert
(26:53):
and Fred Hayes, ingeniously usedbackup systems to execute a
dramatic and successful returnto Earth by looping around the
moon.
This incident, known for theoften misquoted line Houston
we've had a problem, has beenportrayed in numerous films,
documentaries and TV series.
The most famous depiction isHoward's 1995 film where Tom
Hanks played Lovell.
While the film was praised forits accuracy, it took some
(27:16):
creative license with the iconicphrase.
Although the film shows Hanks'Lovell speaking the line first,
it was actually Kevin Bacon'sportrayal of Swigert who
initially said okay, houston,we've had a problem here.
Lovell then repeated the phraseafter Mission Control requested
clarification.
Tom Hanks paid tribute to Lovellon Instagram stating, quote
there are people who dare, whodream and who lead others to the
(27:39):
places we would not go on ourown.
Jim Lovell on Instagram stating, quote there are people who
dare, who dream and who leadothers to places we would not go
on our own.
Jim Lovell, who for a long timehad gone further into space and
for longer than any otherperson on our planet, was that
kind of guy.
Unquote.
Now Lovell was portrayed by TimDaly in the 1998 HBO miniseries
From the Earth to the Moon,co-produced by Ron Howard.
Brian the Moon, co-produced byRon Howard, brian Grazer and
Hanks with Michael Bostick.
Last year, the Netflixdocumentary Apollo 13 Survival
(28:06):
also recounted the tale.
Acting NASA Administrator SeanDuffy extended condolences on
that level's life, and workinspired millions.
Duffy praised Lovell'scharacter and steadfast courage
for helping the nation reach themoon and transforming a
potential tragedy into a successfrom which we learned an
enormous amount.
Lovell retired from the Navy andthe space program in 1973.
He was survived by his children, barbara Harrison, james Lovell
(28:26):
III, susan Lovell and JeffLovell, along with 11
grandchildren and ninegreat-grandchildren.
His wife of 71 years, marilynLovell, portrayed by Kathleen
Quinlan in Apollo 13, passedaway in 2023.
Again, jim Lovell was 97 yearsold.
Lastly, lonnie Anderson, thetwo-time Emmy-nominated actress
(28:48):
celebrated for her role asreceptionist Jennifer Marlowe on
WKRP in Cincinnati, passed awayon Sunday at the age of 79.
Her publicist, cheryl Kagan,announced that Anderson died at
noon in Los Angeles due, toquote, an acute prolonged
illness.
Born Lonnie K Anderson on August5, 1945, in St Paul, minnesota,
her father, clayton, was anenvironmental chemist and her
(29:10):
mother, maxine, was a model.
Naturally dark-haired, andersoninitially preferred her
brunette look, finding it exoticand mysterious.
Naturally dark-haired Andersoninitially preferred her brunette
look, finding it exotic andmysterious.
She graduated from AlexanderRamsey Senior High School in
Roseville in 1963 and was arunner-up in the 1964 Miss
Minnesota pageant.
While studying art at theUniversity of Minnesota In 1964,
(29:31):
she eloped with BruceHasselberg, with whom she had
daughter Deidre.
Their marriage, however, wasshort-lived.
Anderson's acting career tookoff after she donned a blonde
wig to play Billy in aMinneapolis stage production of
Born.
Yesterday, veteran actor PatO'Brien encouraged her to go try
Hollywood.
She moved to Los Angeles in1975 with her then-husband Ross
Bickle, dyed her hair platinumblonde and began securing steady
(29:54):
TV roles, including aguest-starring role on the Bob
Newhart Show In and begansecuring steady TV roles,
including a guest-starring roleon the Bob Newhart Show.
In 1978, anderson auditionedfor WKRP in Cincinnati.
She initially had reservationsabout the role of Jennifer,
viewing her as merewindow-dressing.
However, careerer Hugh Wilsonpersuaded her by saying let's
make her look like Lana Turnerand be the smartest person in
the room.
Defying the dumb blondestereotype, jennifer refused to
(30:16):
take dictation or make coffee.
Anderson starred in all but oneof the show's 90 episodes
during the four-season run until1982, earning Emmy nominations
in 1980 and 1981.
She also auditioned for therole of Chrissy Snow on Three's
Company but was deemed quote toobeautiful, too savvy by John
Ritter to convincingly play astruggling character.
Her autobiography my Life inHeels from 1995, revealed an
(30:39):
affair with Gary Sandy, whoplayed Andy Travis on WKRP.
After she was hired In thesummer of 1980, she successfully
negotiated a significant raisefrom WKRP's producers.
Beyond WKRP, anderson portrayeddoomed Hollywood sex irons in
television films like 1980's theThank you policewoman, barnaby
(31:00):
Jones and Phyllis.
In 1984, she starred with LindaCarter in NBC's Partners in
Crime and appeared as herself inSteve Martin's the Lonely Guy.
(31:21):
She reunited with Hugh Wilsonin 1986 on NBC's Easy Street.
In 1991, she briefly returnedto the new WKRP in Cincinnati
for two episodes, joined thefinal season of NBC's Nurses in
1993, and later roles includeTerry Carson on Melrose Place,
terry Spelling's mother in soNotorious and work on Sabrina,
the Teenage Witch, clueless, theMullets, my Sister is so Gay
(31:44):
and the Night at the Roxbury.
Anderson's personal life,particularly her marriage and
acrimonious divorce from BurtReynolds, often made headlines.
They met in 1981 on the MervGriffin Show and began dating a
year later.
On April 29, 1988, theyexchanged vows at Reynolds,
florida Ranch.
He presented her with a 7-karatcanary yellow diamond ring.
They appeared together in the1983 film Stroker.
(32:06):
Ace, voiced characters in AllDogs Go to Heaven and appeared
in an episode of his series BLStriker.
Their attempt to co-star inEvening Shade was thwarted when
NETCORP executives cast Mary LouHenner instead.
Their highly publicized divorcebegan in June of 1993, with
Reynolds publicly accusing herof infidelity and being an unfit
mother to their adopted sonQuentin.
(32:27):
Anderson countered, alleginghis infidelity, painkiller
addiction and abuse.
The divorce was finalized inDecember of 1994, and their
financial ties concluded inSeptember of 2015 when Reynolds
wrote her a check for $154,520.
Despite the contentiousseparation, anderson said that
they occasionally met with theirson and she spoke at Reynolds'
(32:50):
funeral in September 2018,keeping his ashes.
Anderson is survived by herdaughter Deidre and son Quentin.
Her fourth husband, folk singerBob Flick, whom she married in
May of 2008 after first meeting45 years prior, grandchildren
Megan and Mackenzie, stepsonAdam and step-grandchildren
(33:11):
Felix and Maximilian.
A private service will be heldfor her Contributions and her
memory can be made to theNational Lung Health Education
Program or the American CancerSociety.
Again, lonnie Anderson was 79years old.
And that brings us to the endof the show for today.
(33:32):
Now please be sure to check usout on social media.
We're on Blue Sky and Twitter,at Multiverse Tom Threads,
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you'll find our Patreon andKo-fi links.
Check our show notes, visit ourTeePublic store and so much
(33:52):
more.
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Now go ahead and hit thatsubscribe button and share us
with others.
Now.
Thanks to HotDope for the intromusic and LoboLoco 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 universein an orderly fashion.
Good night.
(34:13):
Multiverse Tonight is aproduction of Half Good night.
Tonight Gunn working on the next super movie,
Spirepunk, the movie Star Warsat 50, and remember Jim Lovell
and Lonnie Anderson.
All that and more on thisedition of Multiverse Tonight.
Welcome to Multiverse Tonight,your source for geek news.
We dissect films, games, comicsand much more, bringing you
insightful commentary on popculture.
(00:21):
This is Multiverse Tonight.
Now here's your host, thomasTownley.
Well, hello everyone, andwelcome to episode 246 of
Multiverse Tonight.
I'm, of course, your host,thomas Townley, and I'm feeling
a lot better, thank you.
The past couple of weeks hasbeen a little hard on me.
(00:44):
That Canadian wildfire smokethat came down really kind of
did me a number, gave me arespiratory problem, so I was
saying pretty bad the pastcouple of weeks.
My wife even got too, so she'sstill on her way to recovery.
(01:06):
Other than that, things havebeen going well.
I have a problem with mystomach.
It produces too much acid, sowe found out, and I also have
what's it called hyaluronia too,and that's part of the problem
(01:28):
as well.
So I had to change my diet,which is, you know, it's not
good, but it's not bad either.
You know, I'm doing a lotbetter now with my bodily
functions and I've also lost afew pounds, I'm down to drinking
(01:49):
like two mini cans of Pepsi aday, so you know doing much
better.
Anyway, let's quickly cover thebox office for this past weekend
.
At number 10, sketch arrivedwith $2.5 million, together
(02:09):
dropped from $6 to $9 with $2.6million.
F1, the Movie, dropped from $7to $8 with $2.8 million.
Jurassic World Rebirth droppedto number 7 from number 5,
making $4.7 million.
It has $326.8 million at thebox office.
Superman dropped down fromnumber four to number six with
(02:32):
still $7.8 million.
It's made $331 million $243,139.
The Naked Gun dropped fromthree to five with $8.3 million.
That's about half of what madethe week before.
It's got $33 million in thebank.
The Bad Guys 2 dropped from 2to 4 with $10.4 million and
(02:57):
that's about half, with itsgross total of $43.4 million.
The Fantastic Four First Stepsdropped from number one to
number three with $15.5 million.
That's about 60%, but still has$230.4 million.
Freakier Friday, theunnecessary sequel to Freaky
(03:18):
Friday, debuts at number twowith $29 million, and Weapons
debuts at number number one with42.5 million.
Now a lot of people arenaysaying, oh look fantastic
four and first steps drop down.
Oh, superman, drop down well,box office is a lot different
than it was a decade ago.
Even box office.
(03:40):
Nowadays, you know, people gosee it once, maybe twice, and
then they don't go see itBecause going to the movies is
expensive.
You know it, I know it it's.
I mean, it's a $20 trip almostevery time.
If not, you know $40.
(04:02):
If not, you know 40.
So you know there's a reasonwhy you're you're not seeing
movies.
Get to number one and then staythere for weeks and weeks on
end.
It's because everyone whowanted to see it saw it in week
one or week two, maybe even weekthree, and then it drops off
precipitously.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Um, so dolls naysayers out there who are like
oh, they did this.
Oh, they changed the sex effectof the silver surfer, oh, they
made Superman, you know, weakerit's like no, they made it great
.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
My personal review of Superman it was a great movie,
I loved it.
I had a great time.
It's on IMAX, so it was a greatmovie to see, really loved it.
Same thing with Fantastic FourFirst Steps.
I went and saw that in a 21plus theater over in Wichita so
(05:03):
there was very few people in thetheater with me.
That's perfectly fine with me,because I wanted to sit
somewhere with good recliningseats and I thought it was great
.
I thought they finally gotJohnny Storm correct.
He's not just a big flaminga-hole, he actually has
(05:23):
personality, he actually cares.
So I still recommend going tosee it.
But anyway, let's get on withthe DC Comics News.
And dc comics news begins withwarner burr's discovery ceo
(05:53):
david zazlav, confirming thatjames gunn will write and direct
the next film in the superfamily franchise.
Previously, gunn had hinted hewas working on a new movie
featuring David Cornsweth'sSuperman, but he remained vague
about whether it was astandalone sequel.
Zaslav's announcement clarifiedGunn's dual roles, both writer
and director, a position he heldfor the first Superman.
(06:15):
The franchise's upcomingprojects include Peacemaker
Season 2, followed by theSupergirl movie and the Lanterns
television series in 2026.
Clayface is also set to beginfilming this year.
Gunn has emphasized that eachentry will have a distinct
flavor and tone akin to comicbooks.
You know that Clayface will bea complete horror film,
(06:36):
highlighting the studio's desireto avoid a uniform company
style and prevent audienceboredom.
Now James Gunn and PierceSaffron were appointed in 2022
to revitalize DC Studios, whichhas historically struggled to
compete with Disney's moresuccessful MCU.
Now, beyond Superman starringDavid Cornswet, gunn and Saffron
(06:56):
have ambitious plans for adecade of interconnected sequels
and spin-offs, includingClayface, supergirl and the new
Wonder Woman adaptation.
Zaslav has lauded Gunn andSaffron for breathing new life
and excitement to one of themost iconic storytelling
franchises in the world.
Despite Superman's promisingstart, dc faces challenges with
(07:17):
Supergirl and Clayface, whichfeature less recognizable
protagonists compared to theglobally known Superman.
Zaslav, however, is remainingoptimistic, declaring quote the
DC vision is clear.
The momentum is real.
Quote unquote.
Following Superman's theatricalrelease, good news for fans of
Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight.
Warner Bros Discovery recentlyannounced that Matt Reeves'
(07:40):
highly anticipated the BatmanPart II will begin filming in
this upcoming spring 2026, withan October 2027 theatrical
release.
Pattinson, who has been busythis year, followed Christopher
Nolan's the Odyssey and theneven used Dune Part III, will
reprise his role as Batman.
Now Warner Bros Discovery'sshareholders, in their yearly
(08:04):
letter, also celebrated thesuccess of James Gunn's Superman
, which launched the DC Universeacross film and television.
The film has already grossednearly $555 million worldwide,
and the company stated that DCStudios' universe of characters
represents not only one ofWarner Bros Discovery's most
valuable pieces of intellectualproperty, but one of the most
valuable assets in entertainment.
(08:25):
Now, in film, james Gunn iscurrently developing Supergirl,
clayface and Wonder Woman.
The Batman 2 is also preparingto shoot.
The 10-year vision for the DCuniverse extends to television
with projects such as thePenguin, the new season of
Peacemaker and the debut ofLanterns.
The DC franchise will also beincreasingly integrated across
(08:45):
these two's efforts, includingfilm, tv, consumer products,
games, experiences and socialmedia.
Now fans have eagerly awaitedthe sequel to the Batman, which
was released in March of 2022,and earned $772 million globally
.
The sequel's development hasbeen lengthy, with Warner Bros
delaying its release fromOctober 2, 2026 to October 1,
(09:06):
2027.
Warner Bros confirmed toVariety on June 27 that Reeves
had finally completed the script.
While the Batman sequel will bereleased more than five years
after the original, james Gunnhas defended the delay, noting
that the long gaps betweensequels are common.
He cited examples such as Alienand Aliens, which has a
seven-year gap, incredibles andIncredibles Part II and
(09:28):
Incredibles 2, which had a14-year gap, and Terminators the
first two movies also had aseven-year gap.
Now Gunn also explained thatMatt Reeves is committed to
making the best film he possiblycan, and no one can accurately
guess exactly how long a scriptwill take to write.
He added that once a script isfinished, there's around two
years for pre-production,shooting and post-production on
(09:50):
big films.
James Gunn's policy at the newDC Studios is that no movie will
begin pre-production orproduction until the screenplay
is complete, unlike MarvelStudios, where scripts often
evolve during production.
In an interview withEntertainment Weekly, gunn
advised fans to be patientregarding sequels, stating,
(10:10):
quote people should get offMatt's nuts because it's like
let the guy write the screenplayin the amount of time he needs
to write it.
That's just the way it is.
He doesn't owe you somethingbecause you like his movie.
I mean you like his moviebecause of Matt, so let Matt do
things the way he does.
Unquote.
Further said, quote I amirritated by people.
(10:32):
I mean it's just that thingpeople don't need to be entitled
about.
It's going to come out when hefeels good about the screenplay,
and Matt's not going to give methe screenplay when he feels
good about the screenplay, andMatt's not going to give me the
screenplay until it feels goodabout the screenplay Unquote.
Now let's go on to the MarvelComics News.
(11:15):
Sony Pictures Animation isdeveloping an animated feature
centered on Spider-Punk, withDaniel Kaluuya will reprise his
role as Spider-Punk, a characterhe voiced in 2023's Spider-Man
Across the Spider-Verse and isset to voice again in the
upcoming Spider-Man Beyond theSpider-Verse.
Spider-punk, also known asHoppy Brown, was created by
writer Dan Slott and artistOliver Coppiel.
(11:36):
This version of Spider-Manhailing from Earth-138 embodies
a more anarchistic andanti-establishment stance
compared to Peter Parker, drivenby a strong desire to dismantle
corrupt systems.
His first appearance was in theAmazing Spider-Man no 10 in
2015, during a Spider-Versecrossover event.
This new film builds on thesuccess of Sony Pictures
(11:57):
Animation's acclaimed Spider-Mananimated trilogy, which
explores Spider-Man's adventuresacross the multiverse.
The first installment,spider-man Into the Spider-Verse
, was a critical and commercialtriumph, earning over $394
million globally and an Oscarfor Best Animated Feature.
Its sequel, across theSpider-Verse, also received an
Oscar nomination and surpassedits predecessor at the box
office with over $690 millionworldwide.
(12:19):
The final film in the trilogyBeyond the Spider-Verse is
scheduled for release on June25th 2027.
Mark Ruffalo is reportedly intalks to reprise his role as the
Incredible Hulk in the upcomingfilm Spider-Man Brand New Day.
Tom Holland, who is returningas Spider-Man, will be joined by
Sadie Sink in a new,undisclosed role and John
Barenthal, who will play thePunisher.
(12:40):
Marvel and Sony have notcommented on the casting news.
Spider-man Brand New Day willbe directed by Destin Daniel
Cretton, with Amy Pascal andMarvel president Kevin Feige
producing.
Chris McKenna and Eric Somersare writing the script.
The plot details are currentlyunder wraps, but the film is
slated for release on July 31,2026.
(13:02):
Now Ruffalo's previous Marvelappearances include Avengers,
age of Ultron, thor, ragnarok,avengers, infinity War, avengers
Endgame, she-hulk, attorney atLaw and a cameo at the end of
Shang-Chi and the Legend of theTen Rings.
Let's go on to some Star Warsnews.
Roger roger.
(13:25):
Matt Smith, known for his rolein House of the Dragon and
Doctor who, is reportedlyjoining the cast of Lucasfilm's
Star Wars Starfighter.
Sources indicate that he willstar alongside Ryan Gosling and
Mia Goth, with Sean Levydirecting and Jonathan Troper
penning the script.
Near Lucasfilm North, smith'srepresentatives have commented
on the casting.
Production for Star WarsStarfighter is scheduled for
(13:47):
this fall, with a release dateset for May 28, 2027.
While specific characterdetails are under wraps, sources
suggest that Smith will portraya significant villain.
Casting has begun activelyunderway for several weeks, with
executives ultimately choosingSmith for this pivotal role in
the Star Wars universe.
The film's details were firstrevealed in April at the Star
(14:07):
Wars Celebration in Tokyo.
Starfire takes place five yearsafter Star Wars Episode IX,
rise of the Skywalker, whichmarked the end of the Skywalker
saga and is currently thechronologically last film in the
Star Wars timeline.
Now, smith recently completedthe second season of House of
the Dragon, with the thirdseason slated for production
(14:28):
this next year.
His upcoming projects includethe Sony and Darren Aronofsky
thriller Caught Stealing, wherehe stars opposite Austin Butler,
and the limited series theDeath of Bunny Monroe.
Disney has dated the 50thanniversary re-release of Star
Wars for April 30, 2027.
Now no other news was madeavailable as to whether it will
(14:50):
reverse engineer George Lucas'97 edits and additions or keep
the 20th anniversary printintact.
Recently the British FilmInstitute screened the original
1977 print, which is noted onsite that the pic's color is
gloriously unfaded.
That print was also one of theprecious handful of dye transfer
(15:11):
IB Technicolor prints produceduniquely for the first British
release.
Star Wars Episode IV A New Hopecounts a lifetime box office of
461 million domestic, 775.3million globally, and it's the
movie that started it all themulti-billion dollar grossing
space opera franchise spanningfilms, streaming services and
(15:33):
merchandise.
The 1997 re-release waslucrative, calling on then-DVD
audiences to re-watch theclassic for the first time in a
long time on the big screen.
The edition alone grossed$138.2 million domestically and
$160 million box office globally.
The reissue was also served asa tee-off for episodes 1 through
(15:53):
3, which Lucas was prepping atthe time.
And uh, I was there, folks, I'mthat old.
And I was there, folks, I'mthat old.
Disney and Lucasfilm havereached a settlement in the
lawsuit filed by Gina Carano,who alleged discrimination and
wrongful termination after herdismissal from the Mandalorian.
(16:14):
In a joint statement, lucasfilmexpressed optimism about future
collaborations with Ms Carano,saying.
With this lawsuit concluded, welook forward to identifying
opportunities to work togetherwith Ms Carano in the near
future.
We have reached an agreementwith Gina Carano to resolve the
issues in her pending lawsuitagainst the companies.
Ms Carano was alwayswell-respected by her directors,
(16:35):
co-stars and staff, and sheworked hard to perfect her craft
while treating her colleagueswith kindness and respect
unquote.
Now Carano confirmed theagreement in her own statement,
calling it the best outcome forall parties involved and
reaffirming her dedication tothe arts.
The terms of the settlementannounced Thursday were not
disclosed.
Carano's lawsuit, filed lastyear, claimed she was fired for
(16:56):
expressing right-wing politicalviews on social media.
She saw a court order to forceLucasfilm to reinstate her.
Elon Musk, fulfilling hiscommandment to financially
support users who claimdiscrimination based on their
activity on the platform,provided funding for the lawsuit
through X.
Carano extended her deepest,most heartfelt gratitude to Elon
.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Musk, a man I've never met, who did this good
smirking deed for me".
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Now the legal action followed Lucasfilm's 2021
announcement that Corona wouldnot return to the popular series
.
This decision came after asocial media post in which she
compared the trimming of Jews byNazis to the hatred for
individuals for their politicalviews, saying quote Most people
today don't realize that theyget to the point where Nazi
soldiers could easily round upthousands of Jews.
The government first made theirown neighbors hate them simply
(17:41):
for being Jews.
How is that any different fromhating someone for their
political views?
This post was one of severalthat drew criticism from social
media users due to right-wingstances on various contentious
issues.
Carano, who was subsequentlydropped by UTA and did not
comment on the settlement, hadpreviously ridiculed government
mask mandates during theCOVID-19 pandemic and spread
(18:02):
false claims of voter fraud inthe 2020 presidential election.
According to her complaint,disney and Lucasfilm allegedly
harassed and defamed Carano, whois paid $25,000 per episode as
a guest actor and later receivesa $5,000 bonus for refusing to
align with her views on topicssuch as Black Lives Matter,
preferred pronouns and disprovenclaims of election interference
(18:23):
.
She contended that, while shewas fired for cultural and
religious beliefs, her maleco-stars, such as Pedro Pascal,
who made a 2017 post comparingPresident Trump to Hitler were
not disciplined for allegedlymaking offensive remarks against
Republicans.
Corona was terminated from theMandalorian, as well as other
Star Wars projects.
Corona was terminated from theMandalorian, as well as other
Star Wars projects, includingRangers of the New Republic,
(18:45):
shortly after refusing to meetwith Lucasfilm president
Kathleen Kennedy and 45 LGBTQplus employees.
According to the lawsuit, lastyear, the court rejected
Disney's motions to dismiss.
Disney had argued that it hadthe right to disassociate with
talent whose views wouldalienate fans from the Star Wars
franchise.
Potential witnesses in the caseinclude Pedro Pascal, jon
Favreau, bear Grylls, lucasfilmpresident Kathleen Kennedy and
Lynn Hale, the architect of theStar Wars publicity campaign.
(19:06):
Should I comment here?
I think it's better not to, butI think if you associate with
people who are trying to bringthe downfall of the United
States government, yeah, you area Nazi, gina, sorry.
Anyway, let's go on to the geeknews.
(19:28):
Well, you know, you associatewith hate, you get hate.
(19:54):
That's just that.
Anyway, as Doctor who plots areturn with the eponymous Time
Lord, seemingly taking on theform of Billy Piper, is
reacquainting herself with thesecrets of the universe
Following the season 15 finaleof the reviewed BBC One Disney
Plus series, in which NakudiGatwa's 15th Doctor, regenerated
(20:15):
to the form of Piper's BruceTyler.
The actress recently recalledhow she came to return to the
TARDIS, quote.
This is such a minefield.
I have to really engage withhow I answer this.
All I can say is I wasapproached at the very last
minute and I can't talk about inwhat capacity and I found it
very emotional to film and Ithink it's a really great ending
.
She told fans at the FloridaSupercon, knowing she had to
(20:43):
keep the finale twist a secret.
She explained, quote I justfound it quite moving and it was
really fun to film because Ihad such a sort of cloak and
dagger feeling about getting itmade.
So, yeah, I have to lie a lotabout anything to do with Doctor
who.
It seems unquote.
Since her original run in thefirst two seasons in 2005 and
2006, piper has reprised therole of Rose on several
occasions, most recently the2013 episode, the Day of the
(21:05):
Doctor, as well as the podcastseries Doctor who the Tenth
Doctor Adventures in 2017.
Following Piper's return in theMay finale of season 15, gatwa
announced his exit from the show, explaining that the role was
really a pleasure and an honor,but the departure quote felt
like the right timing and theright energy, and it felt quite
melancholy and bittersweet.
It was always the plan to dothis amount of seasons, because
(21:28):
it's a role that demands a loton you physically and
emotionally and mentally.
The actors playing the doctorare only actors playing the
doctor.
Unfortunately, we are meremortals.
(22:00):
So time will tell.
Hbo Max recently removed Courage, the Cowardly Dog and what's
New?
Scooby-doo on July 31st, aftertheir licensing agreements
expired and were not renewed Now.
This action is part of theWarburst Discovery's ongoing
strategy to prioritize adult andfamily programming, shifting
away from children's content onthe HBO Max streaming platform.
This isn't the first time HBOMax has adjusted its approach to
kids' content.
In 2022, the platform, withaccess to Cartoon Network and
(22:25):
Warner Bros animation libraries,first signaled a decreased
reliance on children'sprogramming by removing a slate
of animated series.
However, after being rebrandedas Max a year later, there's
renewed focus on children'scontent with projects like Pier
and the Wolf, gremlin's Secretsof the Mogwai and Tiny Toons
University.
Late last year, max ended itsdeal for Sesame Street original
(22:45):
episodes and most librarycontent, and now, with HBO
restored to the platform's name,the focus is once again moving
away from children's fare.
Sources indicate that theseshows were considered lower
priority for license renewal.
Sources indicate that theseshows were considered lower
priority for license renewal.
Despite these shifts, newanimated series will premiere on
Cartoon Network, will continueto be available on HBO Max,
including Toad Friends, sillySundays, all of which are set to
(23:10):
be released on the streamerlater this month.
Hulu will integrate with DisneyPlus in 2026, phasing out the
standalone app.
Disney has announced that theHulu app will be phased out in
2026 as the company integratesthe streaming service fully into
Disney Plus.
This move will create a unifiedDisney Plus and Hulu streaming
app, though customers will stillhave the option to purchase
separate subscriptions for eachservice.
(23:32):
Disney CEO Bob Iger and CFOHugh Johnston stated that this
integration is a major stepforward in strengthening our
streaming offering, and theybelieve it will also create an
impressive package ofentertainment combining top
brands, general entertainment,family programming, news and
live sports in a singleapplication.
This unified approach isexpected to boost profitability
(23:56):
and margins through increasedengagement, reduced churn and
new advertising revenueopportunities.
Alongside operationalefficiencies, the integration
aims to provide a better userexperience by combining both
services on one technicalplatform, which is also expected
to result in cost synergies Fornational audiences.
Hulu's content will replace thestar title on Disney+ starting
(24:17):
this fall, with a specific dateyet to be announced.
Additionally, hulu's live TVsubscribers will be migrated to
Fubo, a Disney-majority-ownedservice.
Work on these changes isalready underway, with new
features expected to beimplemented in Disney+ in the
coming months.
This integration followedDisney's complete acquisition of
Hulu in June.
(24:38):
After years of holding amajority stake, disney has
already begun incorporating Hulucontent into Disney Plus last
year to attract more subscribers.
The decision to integrate Huluinto Disney Plus is seeing a
strategic move to improve DisneyPlus' performance, which hasn't
matched the success ofcompetitors like Netflix,
despite the strength of MarvelStudios and Lucasfilm Originals.
In related news, disney will nolonger report screaming
(25:04):
subscriber numbers for Hulu,disney+ and ESPN+, following
Netflix's precedent.
The impact on existing bundles,such as the one offering
Disney+, hulu and Max, remainsto be seen.
And finally, tonight, astronautJim Lovell celebrated for his
leadership during thenear-disastrous 1970 Apollo 13
(25:25):
mission, passed away Thursday inIllinois at the age of 97.
His story, a highlight of theUS space program, was famously
depicted in Ron Howard's filmApollo 13.
Lovell's family released astatement through NASA
expressing immense pride in hislife's work and career,
particularly his pioneering rolein human spaceflight.
They fondly remembered him asdad, granddad and the leader of
(25:48):
our family and their hero.
They will miss his unshakableoptimism, his sense of humor and
the way he made each of us feelwe could do the impossible and
the way he made each of us feelwe could do the impossible.
Born on March 25, 1928 inCleveland, lovell joined NASA as
an astronaut in 1962.
After serving as a naval airtest pilot, he was a finalist
for the Mercury 7, the firstgroup of US astronauts, and was
(26:10):
later selected for the secondgroup.
Alongside Neil Armstrong,lovell achieved several
distinctions, including beingthe first person to fly to the
moon twice, the first person toventure into space four times
and one of the only two dozenindividuals to have flown to the
(26:32):
moon.
The Apollo 13 mission, love 4spaceflight, following Gemini 7,
gemini 12, and Apollo 8,launched on April 11, 1970, with
the goal of a moon landing.
However, an oxygen tankexplosion two days into the
mission crippled criticalelectrical systems.
Commander Level, alongsidefellow astronauts Jack Swigert
(26:53):
and Fred Hayes, ingeniously usedbackup systems to execute a
dramatic and successful returnto Earth by looping around the
moon.
This incident, known for theoften misquoted line Houston
we've had a problem, has beenportrayed in numerous films,
documentaries and TV series.
The most famous depiction isHoward's 1995 film where Tom
Hanks played Lovell.
While the film was praised forits accuracy, it took some
(27:16):
creative license with the iconicphrase.
Although the film shows Hanks'Lovell speaking the line first,
it was actually Kevin Bacon'sportrayal of Swigert who
initially said okay, houston,we've had a problem here.
Lovell then repeated the phraseafter Mission Control requested
clarification.
Tom Hanks paid tribute to Lovellon Instagram stating, quote
there are people who dare, whodream and who lead others to the
(27:39):
places we would not go on ourown.
Jim Lovell on Instagram stating, quote there are people who
dare, who dream and who leadothers to places we would not go
on our own.
Jim Lovell, who for a long timehad gone further into space and
for longer than any otherperson on our planet, was that
kind of guy.
Unquote.
Now Lovell was portrayed by TimDaly in the 1998 HBO miniseries
From the Earth to the Moon,co-produced by Ron Howard.
Brian the Moon, co-produced byRon Howard, brian Grazer and
Hanks with Michael Bostick.
Last year, the Netflixdocumentary Apollo 13 Survival
(28:06):
also recounted the tale.
Acting NASA Administrator SeanDuffy extended condolences on
that level's life, and workinspired millions.
Duffy praised Lovell'scharacter and steadfast courage
for helping the nation reach themoon and transforming a
potential tragedy into a successfrom which we learned an
enormous amount.
Lovell retired from the Navy andthe space program in 1973.
He was survived by his children, barbara Harrison, james Lovell
(28:26):
III, susan Lovell and JeffLovell, along with 11
grandchildren and ninegreat-grandchildren.
His wife of 71 years, marilynLovell, portrayed by Kathleen
Quinlan in Apollo 13, passedaway in 2023.
Again, jim Lovell was 97 yearsold.
Lastly, lonnie Anderson, thetwo-time Emmy-nominated actress
(28:48):
celebrated for her role asreceptionist Jennifer Marlowe on
WKRP in Cincinnati, passed awayon Sunday at the age of 79.
Her publicist, cheryl Kagan,announced that Anderson died at
noon in Los Angeles due, toquote, an acute prolonged
illness.
Born Lonnie K Anderson on August5, 1945, in St Paul, minnesota,
her father, clayton, was anenvironmental chemist and her
(29:10):
mother, maxine, was a model.
Naturally dark-haired, andersoninitially preferred her
brunette look, finding it exoticand mysterious.
Naturally dark-haired Andersoninitially preferred her brunette
look, finding it exotic andmysterious.
She graduated from AlexanderRamsey Senior High School in
Roseville in 1963 and was arunner-up in the 1964 Miss
Minnesota pageant.
While studying art at theUniversity of Minnesota In 1964,
(29:31):
she eloped with BruceHasselberg, with whom she had
daughter Deidre.
Their marriage, however, wasshort-lived.
Anderson's acting career tookoff after she donned a blonde
wig to play Billy in aMinneapolis stage production of
Born.
Yesterday, veteran actor PatO'Brien encouraged her to go try
Hollywood.
She moved to Los Angeles in1975 with her then-husband Ross
Bickle, dyed her hair platinumblonde and began securing steady
(29:54):
TV roles, including aguest-starring role on the Bob
Newhart Show In and begansecuring steady TV roles,
including a guest-starring roleon the Bob Newhart Show.
In 1978, anderson auditionedfor WKRP in Cincinnati.
She initially had reservationsabout the role of Jennifer,
viewing her as merewindow-dressing.
However, careerer Hugh Wilsonpersuaded her by saying let's
make her look like Lana Turnerand be the smartest person in
the room.
Defying the dumb blondestereotype, jennifer refused to
(30:16):
take dictation or make coffee.
Anderson starred in all but oneof the show's 90 episodes
during the four-season run until1982, earning Emmy nominations
in 1980 and 1981.
She also auditioned for therole of Chrissy Snow on Three's
Company but was deemed quote toobeautiful, too savvy by John
Ritter to convincingly play astruggling character.
Her autobiography my Life inHeels from 1995, revealed an
(30:39):
affair with Gary Sandy, whoplayed Andy Travis on WKRP.
After she was hired In thesummer of 1980, she successfully
negotiated a significant raisefrom WKRP's producers.
Beyond WKRP, anderson portrayeddoomed Hollywood sex irons in
television films like 1980's theThank you policewoman, barnaby
(31:00):
Jones and Phyllis.
In 1984, she starred with LindaCarter in NBC's Partners in
Crime and appeared as herself inSteve Martin's the Lonely Guy.
(31:21):
She reunited with Hugh Wilsonin 1986 on NBC's Easy Street.
In 1991, she briefly returnedto the new WKRP in Cincinnati
for two episodes, joined thefinal season of NBC's Nurses in
1993, and later roles includeTerry Carson on Melrose Place,
terry Spelling's mother in soNotorious and work on Sabrina,
the Teenage Witch, clueless, theMullets, my Sister is so Gay
(31:44):
and the Night at the Roxbury.
Anderson's personal life,particularly her marriage and
acrimonious divorce from BurtReynolds, often made headlines.
They met in 1981 on the MervGriffin Show and began dating a
year later.
On April 29, 1988, theyexchanged vows at Reynolds,
florida Ranch.
He presented her with a 7-karatcanary yellow diamond ring.
They appeared together in the1983 film Stroker.
(32:06):
Ace, voiced characters in AllDogs Go to Heaven and appeared
in an episode of his series BLStriker.
Their attempt to co-star inEvening Shade was thwarted when
NETCORP executives cast Mary LouHenner instead.
Their highly publicized divorcebegan in June of 1993, with
Reynolds publicly accusing herof infidelity and being an unfit
mother to their adopted sonQuentin.
(32:27):
Anderson countered, alleginghis infidelity, painkiller
addiction and abuse.
The divorce was finalized inDecember of 1994, and their
financial ties concluded inSeptember of 2015 when Reynolds
wrote her a check for $154,520.
Despite the contentiousseparation, anderson said that
they occasionally met with theirson and she spoke at Reynolds'
(32:50):
funeral in September 2018,keeping his ashes.
Anderson is survived by herdaughter Deidre and son Quentin.
Her fourth husband, folk singerBob Flick, whom she married in
May of 2008 after first meeting45 years prior, grandchildren
Megan and Mackenzie, stepsonAdam and step-grandchildren
(33:11):
Felix and Maximilian.
A private service will be heldfor her Contributions and her
memory can be made to theNational Lung Health Education
Program or the American CancerSociety.
Again, lonnie Anderson was 79years old.
And that brings us to the endof the show for today.
(33:32):
Now please be sure to check usout on social media.
We're on Blue Sky and Twitter,at Multiverse Tom Threads,
facebook and Instagram, as wellat Multiverse Tonight.
And if you've gotten some valueout of the show and would like
to pay it back, head on over tomultiversetonightcom where
you'll find our Patreon andKo-fi links.
Check our show notes, visit ourTeePublic store and so much
(33:52):
more.
Now if this is your first timelistening.
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Now go ahead and hit thatsubscribe button and share us
with others.
Now.
Thanks to HotDope for the intromusic and LoboLoco 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 universein an orderly fashion.
Good night.
(34:13):
Multiverse Tonight is aproduction of Half Good night.
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