Saturday, April 18, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 12th to 18th, 2026 - UPDATE #6

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

MOVIES - From THR:  David Harbour will join actor Noah Centineo in the latest "Rambo" film, "John Rambo."  Centineo will play John Rambo.  Harbour will apparently play "Major Trautman," Rambo's commanding officer, a role originated by the late Richard Crenna in the film, "First Blood" (1982).

AMAZON - From DeadlineAmazon MGM Studios is developing a live-action remake of the 1992 animated film, "FernGully: The Last Rainforest."  Marielle Heller is set to direct the film from her own script.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Over 1000 Hollywood figures sign an open letter opposing the merger of Skydance Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.  The signees include J.J. Abrams, Glenn Close, Bryan Cranston, Jane Fonda, Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Kristen Stewart, and Ben Stiller, to name a few.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 4/10 to 4/12/2026 weekend box office is Universal/Illumination Entertainment's "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" with an estimated take of 69 million dollars.

STREAMING - From FangoriaHBO's popular horror anthology series, "Tales from the Crypt" (1989-96) is finally coming to streaming.  The service, "Shudder," will carry all seven seasons, beginning May 1st, 2026.

OBITS:

From THR:  Canadian television creator, writer, and puppeteer, Sid Krofft, has died at the age of 96, Friday, April 10, 2026.  With his younger brother, the late Marty Krofft (1937-2023), Sid formed the production company, Sid and Marty Krofft Pictures, through which they made numerous children's television and variety programs.  The best known were "H.R. Pufnstuf" (1969), "The Banana Splits" (1968-70), "Lidsville" (1971), "Sigmund the Sea Monsters" (1973-75), and "Land of the Lost" (1974-76), to name a few.  In 2018, both brothers received an "Lifetime Achievement" Emmy Award.  Previously, Sid shared three Daytime Emmy Award nominations with his brother and their collaborators.

From THR:  The stage, film, and television actor, Carl W. Crudup, has died at the age of 79, January 10, 2026 after a battle with prostate cancer it was recently reported.  Over a five decade career, Crudup appeared in such TV series as PBS's "Great Performances," "The Six Million Dollar Man," "The Rockford Files," "ER," and Marvel's "Agent Carter," to name a few.


Sunday, April 12, 2026

Comics Review: "DC/MARVEL: SUPERGIRL/BLADE #1" vs the Mojoworld

DC/MARVEL SUPERGIRL/BLADE
DC COMICS/Marvel Comics

STORY: CRC Payne
LAYOUTS: Mikel Janin
FINISHES: Hugo Petrus
COLORS: Marcelo Maiolo
LETTERS: Pat Brosseau
EDITOR: Katie Kubert
COVER: Mikel Janin
36pp, Color, $0.00 U.S., (June 2026)

Supergirl created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino; Blade created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan

Marvel and DC Comics have been publishing crossover comic books blending their favorite heroes in all-new adventures.  Titles published by Marvel are labeled “Marvel/DC,” and DC Comics' side is “DC/Marvel.”

The latest DC/Marvel title is DC/Marvel: Supergirl/Blade, a digital-first comic book that is available to read for free at “DC Universe Infinite” website and on the “DC Go” app.  The story is written by CRC Payne; drawn by Mikel Janin (layouts) and Hugo Petrus (finishes); colored by Marcelo Maiolo; and lettered by Pat Brosseau.  In the story, the “Girl of Steel” and “the Daywalker” find themselves in clutches of Mojo, the master of the “Mojoverse,” who wants Supergirl and Blade to star in one of his new gladiator-like television series?

DC/Marvel: Supergirl/Blade opens on Mojoworld, where its ruler, Mojo, the meta television show tycoon is looking for his next TV hit.  In the hopes of entertaining the denizens of Mojoworld, Mojo has come up with a new idea.  How about a romance series starring a strong female?

He kidnaps Supergirl and pits her against a trio of vampires.  That's more than enough reason to bring in the male lead – Blade the vampire slayer.  Trapped on Mojo's sound stage, Supergirl and Blade will be forced to battle bloodsucking foes, engage in melodramatic tropes, and take on Mojo himself.  Now, this unlikely duo must team up to fight their way to freedom before the show’s final twist becomes their series finale and the end of their lives.

THE LOWDOWN:  I have been mostly ignoring the Marvel-DC Comics crossovers, but I love me some Blade.  I was excited by the recent, surprise news about Supergirl/Blade, and I became even more excited when I learned that it would be free to read.

Supergirl/Blade is a totally unexpected team-up, and while this comic book does not feature an intense struggle against evil in support of continuity, it is still a charming digital comic.  I must give writer CRC Payne credit for finding a way to create a delightful tale featuring two mismatched characters that is also an appropriate for comics readers of all ages.

The art team of Mikel Janin (layouts), Hugo Petrus (finishes), and Marcelo Maiolo (colors) delivers straightforward storytelling that grounds the weirdness of this team-up.  This is straightforward entertaining weird fiction.  Pat Brosseau's classic lettering puts the finishing touches on this comics tale that makes it seem as timeless as it is unusual.

Dear readers, I suggest taking a trip over to “DC Universe Infinite” and enjoying Supergirl/Blade.  It isn't monumental, but I had fun reading it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of DC/Marvel crossovers will want to read DC/Marvel Supergirl/Blade.

B

Sunday, April 12, 2026

"DC/Marvel: Supergirl/Blade" will be collected in the collection, "DC/MARVEL: THE COSMIC KISS CAPER AND OTHER STORIES," which will be available in hardcover and paperback editions from Amazon in September 2026.


https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/
https://www.dccomics.com/
https://x.com/DCComics
https://www.facebook.com/dccomics
https://www.youtube.com/user/DCEntertainmentTV
https://www.pinterest.com/dccomics/
https://www.periscope.tv/DCComics/1ZkKzezXwZdxv


The text is copyright © 2026 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).


Saturday, April 11, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from April 1st to 11th, 2026 - UPDATE #13

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

-------------------

NEWS:

DISNEY - From WSJ:  New Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro's opening salvo is to layoff at least 1000 employees.

From WorldofReel:  The fallout of Pixar's cancelled animated film, "Be Fri," has come to include word that executives were concerned that the story would emphasize (shudder, gasp, choke)... "girl power!"

MOVIES - From THRCinema United, the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, confirmed the formation of a "Filmmaker Leadership Council" that will provide “meaningful support” for theatrical exhibition of movies. It will be led by blockbuster veteran, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Oscar winning producer, Emma Thomas. as chair and vice chair respectively.  Rounding out the council will be Oscar winners Ryan Coogler and Brad Bird, and Oscar nominees Jason Reitman and Celine Song.

SCANDAL - From VarietyJeff Shell has exited his role as president of Paramount Skydance due to a controversy.  He stepped down as CEO of NBCUniversal in 2023 because of an inappropriate relationship.

MOVIES - From WorldofReelHBO Max has begun show "Alien 3: The Assembly Cut."  This is a 2 hour and 25 minute-version of director David Fincher's 1992 "Alien" sequel, "Alien 3."  It is 31 minutes longer that the original release.  Fincher chose not be involved with the new release.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 4/3 to 4/5/2026 weekend box office is Universal/Illumination's "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" with an estimated take of $130.94 million dollars.

STREAMING - From WorldofReel:  Disgraced movie star, Jonathan Majors, was injured on the set of a film for "The Daily Wire," and the Wire's response is "we don't negotiate with terrorists."

DISNEY+ - From VarietyDisney+ has greenlit an "Animorphs" television series.  It is in early development and is executive produced by Ryan Coogler through Proximity Media. Writer Bayan Wolcott is penning the scripts. The project is an adaptation of the 1996-2001 Scholastic books series by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant.  The books focused on kids who fight the parasitic "Yeerks" invading Earth.  The series blended action, body horror, and moral depth over its 54 volumes that sold over 35 million copies.

APPLE - From WorldofReelDavid E. Kelly is adapting Tom Wolfe's 1987, "The Bonfire of the Vanities" for Apple TV+Matt Reeves ("The Batman") is set to direct the series.  The novel was previously adapted in to film by director Brian De Palma. Starring Tom Hanks and released in 1990, the movie was and still is considered a disaster.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Sisters Lilla and Nora Zuckerman are writing "Scream 8."  They were recently showrunner for Peacock's streaming series, "Poker Face."

MOVIES - From Variety: Sony Pictures is developing a biopic about famed CBS anchor and journalist, the late Walter Cronkite. The film will be an adaptation of Douglas Brinkley's 2012 biography, "Cronkite."

BUSINESS - From VarietyJ.J. Abrams is downsizing his production company, "Bad Robot," and is moving it from Los Angeles to New York.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  The critically-acclaimed and hit horror film, "Weapons," will get a prequel film.  Entitled "Gladys," it will focus on Weapons' villain, "Aunt Gladys," who was portrayed by Amy Madigan, who, in turn, was a "Best Supporting Actress" Oscar for her performance.  Zach Cregger, creator of "Weapons," will write the screenplay with Zach Shields. There is no word as to whether or not Cregger will direct, "Gladys."

TELEVISION - From EWHBO's teen drama, "Euphoria," returns April 12, 2026, but it won't be about teens...


Friday, April 3, 2026

Review: "MADEA'S DESTINATION WEDDING" is the Best Netflix "Madea"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 7 of 2026 (No. 2055) by Leroy Douresseaux

Tyler Perry's Madea's Destination Wedding (2025)
Running time:  102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
Rating: MPA – PG-13 for strong language, crude/sexual material, drug material, and some violence
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Tyler Perry
PRODUCERS:  Tyler Perry, Angi Bones, and Yolanda T. Cochran
CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Justyn Moro (D.o.P.) and Michael Wilson (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Larry Sexton
COMPOSER:  Jongnic Tontemps

COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring:  Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis, David Mann, Tamela J. Mann, Taja V. Simpson, Diamond White, Jermaine Harris, Xavier Smalls,Walnette Carrington, and Brandon Sutton
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SUMMARY OF REVIEW:
Madea's Destination Wedding is a true return to form for the “Madea” film series. Everything that Madea films do well, this film does exceptionally well

The film's beautiful locations make this movie the best-looking “Madea” movie to date. Between the comedy and pretty locations, I felt like I wanted to be there

Madea's Destination Wedding is a long-deserved gift to Madea fans, but it can also work as a good introduction to this series for newcomers
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Madea's Destination Wedding is a 2025 American comedy-drama film from writer-director Tyler Perry.  It is the 14th film in the “Madea” film series.  The film is also a Netflix original and began streaming on service July 11, 2025.  In Madea's Destination Wedding, Madea travels to the Bahamas for her granddaughter's wedding, but tensions, strangeness, and suspicions abound.

Madea's Destination Wedding finds U.S. Attorney Brian Simmons (Tyler Perry) having dinner with his daughter, Tiffany (Diamond White); son, “BJ” (Jermaine Harris); and their mother, Brian's ex-wife, Debrah (Taja V. Simpson).  Tiffany and Debrah surprise Brian with the introduction of Tiffany's boyfriend, Zavier (Xavier Smalls)... and with the news that Tiffany and Zavier are getting married.  The surprises don't stop; the nuptials will happen as a “destination wedding” in the Bahamas.

Now, Brian is forced to lead a caravan of relatives to the Bahamas.  That includes his aunt, Mabel “Madea” Simmons (Tyler Perry); his father and Madea's older brother, Uncle Joe Simmons (Tyler Perry); Madea's daughter, Cora Simmons (Tamela J. Mann); Cora's supposed father, Mr. Brown (David Mann); Madea's cousin, Aunt Bam (Tamela J. Mann), and BJ.  They arrive to find that the Bahamas are beautiful and the hotel is luxurious and opulent.

However, there is more to Tiffany and Zavier's wedding than what appears on the surface, and the results may lead to disaster, heartache, and a canceled wedding.  Meanwhile, Madea and company are enjoying the idea of “put it on the room” too much.

Madea's Destination Wedding is the best Madea movie since 2019's A Madea Family Funeral (which was originally supposed to be the final film in the series).  It is certainly much better than 2022's Netflix original Madea film, A Madea Homecoming.  Madea's Destination Wedding picks up story elements from Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016) and Boo 2! A Madea Halloween (2017), which largely dealt with the melodrama surrounding Brian Simmons' daughter, Tiffany, who is engaged to be married in this new film.

I thoroughly enjoyed Madea's Destination Wedding.  I felt so good after watching it that I didn't want it to end.  It reminds me of the run of Madea films beginning in the 20-10s with Madeas Big Happy Family (2011), which all offered a delightful mix of Christian moralism, family reconciliation and forgiveness, redemption, and lots of yucks from Madea and company.  If Tyler Perry can't make future Madea movies like Madea's Destination Wedding, then, he should retire the series.

I had forgotten to watch Madea's Destination Wedding when it first arrived last year, but I recently watched it in preparation for the new “Uncle Joe” film, Joe's College Road Trip (2026).  I am happy that I got around to watching this.  Madea's Destination Wedding is true to the spirit of the best Madea films, with smatterings of Christian spirituality, faith, forgiveness, redemption, and a great deal of broad comedy and slapstick.  And Madea's Destination Wedding does it well enough to make me feel good about watching it.

7 of 10
A-
★★★½ out of 4 stars


The text is copyright © 2026 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Thursday, April 2, 2026

Comics Review: "CABRA CINI: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #1/2" is All Good

CABRA CINI: VOODOO JUNKIE HITWOMAN #½
(A Prelude to  Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman Vol. 1)

ACTUALITY PRESS
STORY: Sam Johnson
ART: Bruno Letizia with R.D. Ricci; Nathan Ramirez; R.D. Ricci
COLORS: Harwan Stia Yoga; Mark Dodson; D'Anthony Mathenia; Aljosa Tomic
LETTERS: Bruno Letizia; Nathan Ramirez; Chas! Pangburn; Micah Myers
COVER ARTIST: Carlos Villas
42pp, Color, (March 2026)

Suggest for mature readers

Cabra Cini created by Sam Johnson

Cabra Cini is a comics character created by writer Sam Johnson.  He is best known as the writer and creator of the sexy superhero, Geek-Girl.  Cabra Cini is a former sex worker who used “voodoo magik” to free herself of her abusive pimp/boyfriend.  Now, she is a hit woman addicted to voodoo.

Cabra Cini is about to get her first trade paperback collection, Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman Vol. 1.  Sam Johnson has launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the collection.  To help promote the campaign, Johnson compiled a special digital comic book that offers some of the stories that will be found in the trade.  He sent me a copy the PDF, Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #½.

Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #1/2 opens with a “Prologue” written by Johnson and drawn by Bruno Letizia with R.D. Ricci.  “Prologue” asks the question, what would you do if the clumsy antics of a young werewolf interrupted your sex life.  If you're Cabra Cini, you fix him...

The next story is “White Out.”  It is set in Detroit and is written by Johnson and drawn by Nathan Ramirez.  There is a new killer in town, “White Out.”  He's dressed in white from head to toe and he likes to kill Black men; plus, he has plans for the neighborhood.  All Cabra Cini wanted to do was prepare dinner for her man, Geoff, but now she is forced to face a dangerous, enigmatic stranger.

The Ballad of La Chica Cabra,” written by Johnson and is drawn by R.D. Ricci, opens in Detroit in Cabra's apartment.  Her lover, Geoff, has a few questions, and Cabra explains the origins of her name, “Cabra,” and the origins of her identity.  Meanwhile, White Out is looking for her.

“Sliding in the Wreckage,” written by Johnson and drawn by R.D. Ricci, opens five weeks later.  Cabra is traveling through “Limbo” and “The Infinite.”  The Infinite's ruler, “the Rook,” grows angrier with each of Cabra's intrusions, so he has planned his cruelest response yet.  But is Cabra really as vulnerable as she seems?

THE LOWDOWN:  Sam Johnson has been sending me PDF review copies of his comic books for over a decade.  In that time, he has gradually developed into one of the most original voices in superhero comic books.  Most of you, dear readers, have not heard of him because he does not write for Marvel or DC Comics.  Recently, some fans have been lamenting their relatively late discovery of Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley's superhero comic book series, Invincible (Image Comics).  Eventually, many of you will be offering the same lamentations about Johnson's Geek-Girl and also his delightfully weird Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman.

Two of the stories included in Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #1/2 also appeared in Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #1, which offered its delightfully weird wares back in 2022.  The two newer stories in this digital comic book, “The Ballad of La Chica Cabra” and “Sliding in the Wreckage,” are not so much weird as they are edgy and dark.  To me, Johnson is at his most self-assured in spinning tales of Cabra Cini to date.  He can shift the mood from strange and surreal to down and gritty in a seamless flow.

In the newer stories, artist R.D. Ricci takes Johnson's scripts and turns them into comic book storytelling that is both polished and potent.  We get professional chops, but the art ain't too proud to offer some enjoyable ultra-violence.  Ricci makes me feel the threat and danger of Cabra Cini's adversaries, and he left me wanting more of this fear and dread.

In the earlier stories, “Prologue” and “White Out,” five artists: Nathan Ramirez, Bruno Letizia, R.D. Ricci, Pablo Zambrano, and Jorge Oliveira use their diverse talents and approaches to graphical storytelling to pull these stories together.  The change in artists isn't jarring because they seem to share a similar aesthetic.  In fact, having several artists helps to make Cabra Cini come across more like a multifaceted character and less like a mere clever name and idea.

My opinion of Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #1/2 is about the same as it was for the 2022 Cabra Cini one-shot.  Both are certainly excellent enough to make me heartily recommend that readers consider contributing to the crowdfunding campaign for Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman Volume 1.  However, I want to say that this new one-shot is better at declaring that Cabra Cini is something truly unique and undeniably entertaining.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of writer Sam Johnson's comic books will want to fund Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman, Vol. 1.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman Vol. 1 is available on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/geekgirlcomics/cabracini. There is also a YouTube trailer for the Kickstarter campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UP-bO-UXa8


https://x.com/daSamJohnson
https://samjohnsoncomics.wixsite.com/geekgirlcomics


The text is copyright © 2026 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Review: "GHOST IN THE SHELL" is Still a Stunning Feat

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 147 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Kokaku kidotai (1995) – anime
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Japan
Ghost in the Shell (1996) – U.S. English dub release
Running time:  83 minutes (1 hour, 23 minutes)
MPAA – R
DIRECTOR:  Mamoru Oshii
WRITER:  Kazunori Ito, based upon the graphic novel by Masamune Shirow
PRODUCERS:  Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, Ken Iyadomi, Ken Matsumoto, and Yoshimasa Mizuo
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Hisao Shirai (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Shuichi Kakesu
COMPOSER:  Kenji Kawai

ANIME/SCI-FI/ACTION

Starring:  (English dub voices) Mimi Wood, Richard Epcar, Christopher Joyce, William Frederick, Ben Isaacson, Abe Lasser, and Hank Smith

Kokaku kidotai is a 1995 sci-fi, cyberpunk, and action-thriller anime film from director Mamoru Oshii.  It is best known by its English title, Ghost in the Shell.  This animated film is based on the manga, Ghost in the Shell, from creator, Masamune Shirow.  Ghost in the Shell the film follows a cyborg policewoman and her partner as they hunt a mysterious and powerful hacker called “the Puppet Master.”

Some aficionados consider the film, Ghost in the Shell, to be the second greatest anime (Japanese animation) film of all time behind the venerable Akira.  However, at the time of its release, Ghost in the Shell so stunned audiences with its futuristic look and dazzling blend of traditional and computer animation that some people considered it to be the future of anime and also the top achievement in the history of anime.

Ghost in the Shell opens in the year 2029.  A female cyborg cop, Major Motoko (Mimi Woods), and her partner, Batou (Richard Epcar), hunt a mysterious and powerful computer hacker called “The Puppet Master” (Abe Lasser).  In the year 2029, society is information driven, and humans are connected on a mass basis to an omnipresent interactive information network.

Sophisticated criminals are hacking into the network, so the government forms “Section 9,” which is led by powerfully advanced cyborgs like Motoko, who hunt the hackers.  But in order to discover the secrets of the Puppet Master, Motoko will have to unravel the secrets of “Project 2501.”

Ghost in the Shell's story can get a little confusing at times.  The writer of the manga upon which this movie is based put a lot of thought and research into his project.  The “ghost” of the title is a soul or psyche, and the “shell” of the title is the body of the cyborg.  I would suggest, dear readers, that you pay close attention and follow the dense social, political, and philosophical ideas of the film.  In fact, this Ghost in the Shell anime was one of the smarter, science fiction movies of its time, granted that it does occasionally get ahead of itself and spews too many ideas.

As good as the story and script are, the grand achievement of this film is its animation.  Anime filmmakers have been ahead of everyone else in animating the human figure in a dramatic context.  No one really approaches the grace and the artistry of movement in the animated humans in Disney film, but Japanese animators have done excellent work in creating animated figures that move with fantastic bursts of energy during action sequences that depict sword duels, gunfights, martial arts and hand to hand combat, and wielding great arcs of eldritch and magical energy.

The quality of Ghost in the Shell’s car chases and gunfights rival those found in big, budget live action films, which makes this film feel bracing and invigorating.  The beauty of both the hand rendered animation and computer animation totally captures the power of action and movement.  Ghost in the Shell is explosive eye candy; imagine the artistry of Disney matched with the intensity of a James Cameron action flick.

Fans of anime and of science fiction love this film, but it is something special,  So it should be enjoyed by people who love film and spectacular cinematic achievement.

8 of 10
A
★★★★ out of 4 stars


EDITED:  Wednesday, April 1, 2026


The text is copyright © 2026 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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A Negromancer April 2026

Welcome to April 2026. Welcome to Negromancer 2.0.  This is the rebirth of the Negromancer, the former movie review site, as a movie review and entertainment and culture news blog.

All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademarks of their respective owners.

While you're at it, have AnotherCookie.

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Also, my first original graphic novel, THE WRATH OF KARAPACE: A BIG SPIRITS EPIC, which is published by Candle Light Press.  Co-created by Carter J. Allen, (Warning Comics), The Wrath of Karapace is now on sale at Amazon and Barnes and Noble online.

Other online shops that are selling "The Wrath of Karapace" include the following:

- AmazonUK;

Bookshop.org;

- ElmStreetBooks;

- the German book shop, OrrellFussli;

- Powells.com;

- Russell Books.com;

- SuperBookDeals.com;

Walmart online.

Of note, The Wrath of Karapace is also available on eBay from a few different sellers.

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"The Wrath of Karapace" also a "Google Books" listing.




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Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).


Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 22nd to 31st, 2026 - UPDATE #11

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

-------------------

NEWS:

NETFLIX - From WorldofReel:  Netflix will apparent not release "The Adventures of Cliff Booth" this summer.  The film is set immediately after the events depicted in director Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (2019).  Brad Pitt, who won a "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar for the film will reprise his role of "Cliff Booth."

AMAZON - From EWSophie Turner, the star of Amazon's highly anticipated "Tomb Raider" series, has been injured on the series' set, causing a halt in production.  Turner, who starred in "Game of Thrones," plays heiress and adventurer, Lara Croft.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 3/27 to 3/29/2026 weekend box office is Amazon-MGM Studios' "Project Hail Mary" with an estimated take of 54.5 million dollars.

HULU - From Deadline:  Actor Himesh Patel will join actress Danielle Deadwyler in Hulu's reboot of the former FX sci-fi drama, "The X-Files."  Oscar-winner Ryan Coogler will write and direct the pilot and will produce.  Jennifer Yale will serve as the series showrunner, and Chris Carter, creator of the original series, will serves as one the reboot's executive producers.  Deadwyler and Patel will not play Agents Scully and Mulder; they will reportedly play new characters.

MUSIC - From VarietyPaul McCartney has released his first new music in five years, a single entitled "Days We Left Behind."  McCartney has a new album, "The Boys of Dungeon Lane," which is due May 29th, 2026.

MOVIES - From Variety:  In one of the stranger recent news items in entertainment comes word that talk show host, Stephen Colbert, and his son, Peter McGee, will join "Lord of the Rings" franchise veteran, Philippa Boyens, will write a new LOTR film, "The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past."  That film will go into production after "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum."

TELEVISION - From WorldofReelQuentin Tarantino is set to write and co-direct, with Sylvester Stallone, a 1930s-set gangster series. Described as a six-part series, it will be shot in black and white using 1930s cameras. The series featuring gangsters, showgirls, boxing, but there are no cast details.  Apparently, Stallone will not be acting on screen, only directing.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 3/20 to 3/22/2026 weekend box office is Amazon/MGM's "Project Hail Mary" with an estimated take of 80.58 million dollars.

OBITS:

From THR:  American film and television actor, James Tolkan, has died at the age of 94, Thursday, March 26, 2026.  Tolkan was best known for playing "Principal Gerald Strickland" in "Back to the Future" (1985) and "Back to the Future II" (1989), and "U.S. Marshall James Strickland" in "Back to the Future III" (1990).  Other notable film roles include "Serpico" (1973), "Top Gun," and "Masters f the Universe" 1987), to name a few.  Tolkan appeared in multiple episodes of such TV series as "Mary" (starring the late Mary Tyler Moore), "Remington Steele," and "Nero Wolfe," among others.

From DailyMail:  The veteran animator, director, and storyboard artist, Barry Caldwell, has died at the age of 60, March 2026.  A groundbreaking Black artist and animation veteran, Caldwell directed five episodes of "Tiny Toon Adventures" and 16 episodes of "Animaniacs."  Beginning his career at Filmation in 1979, Caldwell was a storyboard artist on such series as "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids," "The New Adventures of Zorro," "Blackstar," and "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe," to name a few.  He would move on to other animation companies, including Warner Bros. and Disney, where he worked on such series as "The Smurfs" (1981), "Alvin and the Chipmunks" (1983), "Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers" (1989), and "Pinky and the Brain," to name a few.  Caldwell won a "Daytime Emmy Award" and was nominated two other times for his work on "Animaniacs."

From Variety:  American actress, Valerie Perrine, has died at the age of 82, Monday, March 23, 2026.  Perrine may be best known for playing Lex Luthor's girlfriend, Miss Teschmacher, in "Superman: The Movie" (1978) and in "Superman II " (1980).  She earned as Academy Award nomination in the category of "Best Actress" for "Honey Bruce" in "Lenny" (1974), the biopic about comedian Lenny Bruce.  She also won the "Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress" (1975) and earned a BAFTA nomination and an award for the role of "Honey Bruce."  Her other notable film appearances include roles in "Slaughter-Five" (1972) and "The Electric Horseman" (1980).  Perrine appeared in a number of TV films and series, and that includes "Sweet Bird of Youth" (1989), ER (1995), and "Nash Bridges" (1996).

From Deadline:  Canadian actress, Carrie Anne Fleming, has died at the age of 51, Thursday, February 26, 2026 of complications related to breast cancer.  Fleming was best known for her recurring roles on two television series from The CW, "iZombie" and "Supernatural."  She also appeared in such TV series, as "Smallville," "Supergirl" and "The 4400."


BANDAI Releases First Key Visual Image from "THE GHOST IN THE SHELL" Anime Series

Bandai has announced a new anime adaptation of Masamune Shirow's classic manga, Ghost in the Shell, which was first serialized from 1989 to 1990 in Japan's manga anthology, Young Magazine.  The first adaptation was 1995's Ghost in the Shell anime film.

This new adaptation, an anime series entitled THE GHOST IN THE SHELL, debuted earlier this year in Japan.  It is due in the U.S. via Amazon's Prime Video in June 2026.

Bandai released a 1st key visual image from the new anime, which I have posted below.  Since then, there has been a 2nd key visual image release.

On YouTube, there is a 1st Promotion Video and a 2nd Promotion Video.

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1st Key Visual from "THE GHOST IN THE SHELL":



Sunday, March 29, 2026

Comics Review: "THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN #1" is a Classic Action Comic Book

THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN VOL. 1 #1
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Jason Aaron
ART: Kewbar Baal
COLORS: Jorge Sutil
LETTERS: Taylor Esposito
EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt
COVER: Michael Cho
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Joseph Michael Linsner; Francesco Mattina; Bjorn Barends; Rob Liefeld; Michael Cho
32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (February 2026)

Rated “Teen”

“Thundarr the Barbarian” created Steve Gerber and Joe Ruby and Ken Spears; developed by Steve Gerber

“Thundarr the Barbarian” was an American Saturday morning animated television series.  The series ran for two seasons on ABC from October 4, 1980, to October 31, 1981 for a total of 21 episodes.  The titular hero, Thundarr, is a muscular warrior who wields the “Sunsword.”  With his companions, Princess Ariel, a formidable young sorceress, and Ookla the Mok, a mighty lion-like biped, he travels a post-apocalyptic world on horseback and fights injustice.

“Thundarr the Barbarian” is set in a future (circa 3994), a post-apocalyptic wasteland in which Earth has been divided into kingdoms and territories.  The majority of these places are ruled by wizards, and these ruined places are recognizable as cities and locations in the United States.  The passage of a runaway planet between the Earth and the Moon in 1994 created this apocalyptic situation that destroyed human civilization.  The back story is that Earth has been reborn as a world of “savagery, super-science, and sorcery.”

Dynamite Entertainment recently began publishing a comic book series based on “Thundarr the Barbarian,” the first ever such series.  Entitled Thundarr the Barbarian, it is written by Jason Aaron; drawn by Kewber Baal, colored by Jorge Sutil; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.

Thundarr the Barbarian #1 opens in the “Windless City” where the River Pirates are holding a slave market with captured humans for sale.  Enter the motorcycle-riding Ratman of the Badlands, and they are ready to purchase all the humans.

Among the slaves for sale, however, is one man who breaks the bonds that restrain him.  Enter Thundarr the Barbarian.  With his faithful companions, Ariel the sorceress and Ookla the Mok, and with the power of his mystical blade, “the Sunsword,” Thundarr is on a mission to liberate his world from the forces of evil.  Meanwhile, Lord Gemini has plans to stop Thundarr...

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  Thundarr the Barbarian #1, Volume One is the latest.

In its promotional material for Thundarr the Barbarian #1, Dynamite refers to series writer, Jason Aaron, as a “visionary comics author.”  Aaron is good, but if there are modern visionary modern comic book authors, they are not plying their trade at either Marvel and DC Comics.  Still, Aaron offers a sensational first issue of Dynamite's Thundarr the Barbarian.  It's rough-and-ready, dark, and full of kick-ass action.  Aaron really captures the attitude and mood of the 1980s animated original; he makes this first chapter genuinely fit in with the temper of the source material.

Artist Kewbar Baal has steadily been making his way, climbing the ladder of comics publications over the better part of the last two decades.  You can see Baal grow from Approbation Comics' Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #11 to Dynamite's Jeepers Creepers #1 (2018) to the recent Elvira in Monsterland #1 (2023).

In Thundarr the Barbarian #1, Baal only partially borrows from the aesthetic of the “Thundarr the Barbarian” Saturday morning cartoon.  The rest of Baal's graphical storytelling for this first issue offers his own post-apocalyptic expression, which recalls the art from classic science fiction and fantasy comic book magazines such as Heavy Metal and Marvel Comics Epic Illustrated.

I recommend this first issue, dear readers.  I'm certainly ready to see where this goes.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of the “Thundarr the Barbarian” animated show will want to read Thundarr the Barbarian Volume 1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://x.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2026 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Negromancer's Marvel Studios Link-o-Rama 2026 - UPDATE #4

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: Looking for a delicious treat? Try AnotherCookie.

NEWS:

WONDER MAN - From THR:  The Disney+ Marvel Studios streaming series, "Wonder Man," will return for a second season.  Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will return as "Simon Williams/Wonder Man and Sir Ben Kingsley will return as "Trevor Slattery."

SPIDER-MAN - From ComicBookMovie:  A trailer of some sorts for the upcoming Sony/Marvel Studios film, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," may debut as soon as next week.

AVENGERS DOOMSDAY - From YouTube:  The latest "Avengers: Doomsday" (#4) teaser trailer is now on YouTube.  This one features Shuri, M'Baku, Namor and others from the world of the "Black Panther" and also Ben Grimm of the "Fantastic Four."  "Avengers: Doomsday" arrives December 18, 2026.

From YouTube:  The latest "Avengers: Doomsday" (#3) teaser trailer is now on YouTube.  This one features Professor X, Magneto, and Cyclops.  "Avengers: Doomsday" arrives December 18, 2026.

From YouTube:  The latest "Avengers: Doomsday" (#2) teaser trailer is now on YouTube. It focuses on the Avenger, "Thor."  The film arrives in theaters December 18, 2026.

From YouTube:  The first of four "Avengers: Doomsday" teaser trailers is now officially on YouTube. This one focuses on Steve Rogers/Captain America.

BLADE - From DarkHorizons:  Rumors abound that Marvel is no longer developing a solo feature film starring its vampire hunter, "Blade," who was supposed to be played by Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali. Rumors also say "Blade" will make his debut in a "Midnight Sons" feature film.

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AVENGERS - From CinemaBlend:  Rumors abound that Disney/Marvel will release four teaser trailers for "Avengers: Doomsday."  Each one will appear at the head of "Avatar: Fire and Ash" on a rotation of one week each.

From ComicBookMovies:  After joining "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," actress Sadie Sink will reportedly joining "Avengers: Secret Wars," according to various reports and rumors.

SPIDER-MAN - From Deadline:  Sources tell "Deadline" that actor Marvin Jones III has been tapped for the role of "Tombstone" in Sony/Marvel's 2026 film, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."  He also performed the voice of Tombstone in "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (2018) and will reprise the role in "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse" (2027).  Jones is also known as the rapper, "Krondon," a member of the rap trio, "Strong Arm Steady."

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MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU):

Review: Iron Man (2008)

Review: The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Review: Iron Man 2 (2010)

Review: Thor (2011)

Review:  Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Review:  Marvel's The Avengers (2012)

Review: Iron Man 3 (2013)

Review: Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Review: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Review:  Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Review: Ant-Man (2015)

Review: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Review: Doctor Strange (2016)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Review:  Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Review: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Review:  Black Panther (2018)

Review:  Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Review:  Captain Marvel (2019)

Review: Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Review:  Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Review: Black Widow (2021)

Review: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Review: Eternals (2021)

Review: Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Review: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Review: Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Review: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 (2023)

Review: The Marvels (2023)

Review: Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Review: Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

Review: Thunderbolts* (2025)

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Click here for the 2025 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2024 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2023 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2022 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2021 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2020 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2019 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2018 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

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Sunday, March 22, 2026

Review: Netflix's "WAR MACHINE" is an Action Movie Thrill Machine

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 6 of 2026 (No. 2054) by Leroy Douresseaux

War Machine (2026)
Running time:  106 minutes (1 hour, 56 minutes)
Rating:  MPAA – R for strong violence, grisly images, and language
DIRECTOR:  Patrick Hughes
WRITERS:  Patrick Hughes and James Beaufort; from a story by Patrick Hughes
PRODUCERS: Patrick Hughes, Rich Cook, Todd Lieberman, Greg McLean, and Alexander Young
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Aaron Morton (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Andy Canny
COMPOSER:  Dmitri Golovko

SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER

Starring:  Alan Ritchson, Stephan James, Blake Richardson, Jai Courtney, Alex King, Keiynan Lonsdale, Jack Patten, James Beaufort, Joshua Diaz, Esai Morales, and Dennis Quaid

SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW:
War Machine is a pulp sci-fi all gussied up as an intense military thriller slash melodrama, and it works quite well

War Machine is an awesome action movie spectacle and virtually every minute of it is entertaining in some way

Alan Ritchson makes the most of this film, which is really an Alan Ritchson vehicle, and Ritchson gives it his all, meaning he would be lucky to have other vehicles as absolutely entertaining as War Machine is


War Machine is a 2026 science fiction film and action thriller from director Patrick Hughes.  A co-production of the United States and Australia, the film was released in Australia before it began streaming on Netflix on March 6, 2026.  War Machine follows an unnamed Army staff sergeant who becomes an Army Rangers recruit just in time to battle a mysterious and deadly machine.

War Machine opens in Kandahar, Afghanistan sometime during the prolonged conflict known as the “War in Afghanistan” (2001-21).  An unnamed Staff Sergeant (Alan Ritchson) has just arrived t help his brother's broken down convoy.  Then, tragedy strikes, leaving the unnamed Staff Sergeant wounded and broken.  He is awarded the Silver Star for his actions, but leaves Afghanistan broken and feeling that he failed.

Two years later, the Sergeant attends the "Ranger Assessment and Selection Program" (RASP) in the hopes of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger with the 75th Ranger Regiment.  He is given the candidate number “81,” but refuses the request of two officers, Sergeant Major Sheridan (Dennis Quaid) and First Sergeant Torres (Esai Morales), that he take on the role of team leader with the new recruits.  Eventually, the final RASP exercise requires 81 and the remaining recruits to enter a nearby forest for a simulated mission.

During the mission, 81 and his team find a mysterious object that they mistake for their target.  After they try to destroy the object, it transforms into a giant walking machine, and the killing and destruction begin.  Now, 81 will have to be what he no longer wants to be, and that is both a leader and a savior of his his servicemen and servicewomen.

War Machine is one of those pure, old-fashioned science fiction film that is not afraid to be a rollicking, good-time alien-invasion movie.  War Machine give me (and also you, dear readers) what I want; it pits a brave human hero battling his inner demons while simultaneously battling an alien baddie for his life.  War Machine is Predator (1987) meets Transformers (2007), except that the Transformers here are homicidal, relentless killing machines.  The result is a movie that is an absolutely thrilling and entertaining film, which I enjoyed from start to finish.

War Machine's director, Patrick Hughes, has experience delivering muscular action movies, as seen in his work directing The Expendables 3 (2014).  Hughes shines up this pulpy sci-fi scenario and delivers an action film that seems as if it could have a timeless appeal (which I can also say about the preposterous Adam Driver sci-fi monster movie, 2023's 65).

I heartily recommend War Machine because I really enjoyed it.  Alan Ritchson shows that he certainly has the acting chops to carry a movie as the lead.  Ritchson just does his thang because he is both an actor and an entertainer.  He shows that in War Machine.

7 of 10
B+
★★★½ out of 4 stars

Sunday, March 22, 2026


The text is copyright © 2026 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site or blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Saturday, March 21, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from March 15th to 21st, 2026 - UPDATE #11

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

PIXAR - From VarietyDisney has announced that "Lilo & Stitch 2" is set to be released May 26, 2028, and "Incredibles 3" is set for June 16, 2026.

OSCARS - From Variety:  The winners for the 2026 / 98th Academy Awards have been announced.  "One Battle After Another" won six Oscars, including "Best Picture of the Year" and "Best Director" (Paul Thomas Anderson).

From Truthout:  "In Era of Book Bans and War on History, 'Sinners' Reveals What US Tries to Forget" by Jesse Hagopian of "Truthout," in which he writes about director Ryan Coogler's four-time Oscar-winning film, "Sinners."

From Variety:  One of the moments of history made at the 98th Academy Awards is that Autumn Durald Arkapaw, the director of photography for "Sinners," became the first woman to win the "Best Cinematographer" for her work on the film.
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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 3/13 to 3/15/2026 weekend box office is Disney/Pixar's "Hoppers" with an estimated take of 28.5 million dollars.

HULU/ANIMATION - From DeadlineFox has greenlit a two-season spin off of its long-running animated series, "Family Guy."  The new series will star "Stewie Griffin," who will be navigating a new preschool and new inventions. Created by "Family Guy creator, Seth MacFarlane and Kirker Butler, the series is set for a 2027-28 season debut on Fox, and it will stream the next day on Hulu.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  Film and television actor, Nicholas Brendon, has died at the age of 54, Friday, March 20, 2026.  Brendon was best known for the role of "Xander Harris" on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" from 1997 to 2003.  Brendon also had a recurring role on "Criminal Minds" (2007-14).

From Variety:  The American author, martial artist, and film and television writer, producer, and actor, Chuck Norris, has died at the age of 86, Thursday, March 19, 2026.  Norris starred in numerous films over an almost 60 year career, and that includes a role in the 1972 Bruce Lee film, "The Way of the Dragon."  Norris' first lead role was in the 1977 film, "Breaker! Breaker!"  Among Norris' most famous films are "The Octagon" (1980), the "Missing in Action" trilogy (1984-88), and "The Delta Force" (1986).  However, Norris may be best known for the role of "Sergeant Ranger Cordell Walker" in his long running CBS action-crime series, "Walker, Texas Ranger" 1993-2001).

From Deadline:   Australian film director and film composer, Jamie Blanks, has died at the age of 54, Monday, March 16, 2026.  In the U.S., Blanks was best known for directing the cult slasher-horror film, "Urban Legend" (1998) and "Valentine" (2001).  He later directed the Australian horror film, "Storm Warning" (2007) and "Long Weekend" (2008), a remake of the 1978 Aussie film.

From RivieraRadio:  The French actor, comedian, and voice performer, Bruno Salomone, has died at the age of 55, Sunday, March 15, 2026  Salomone was best known for his French television comedy, "Fais pa ci, fais pa ca" (2007-17).  Salomone also provided the voice for "Syndrome," the villain in Pixar's "The Incredibles." [Jason Lee voiced Syndrome in the English-language original film].  Salomone also provided voice performances for such animated films as the Oscar-nominated "A Cat in Paris" (2010), "A Monster in Paris" (2011), and "Yellowbird" (2014).

From THR:  American film and television actor, Matt Clark, has died at the age of 89, Sunday, March 15, 2026.  Clark is best known for his numerous appearances in Westerns.  His best known Western roles occured in such films as "The Cowboys" (1972), "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean" (1972), "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973), and "The Outlaw Josey Wales" (1976).  He also had memorable roles in "White Lightning" (1973), "Brubaker" (1980), and "Back to the Future Part III (1990), to name a few.  He    Clark also made numerous parts in various TV series, including "Little House on the Prarie," "Grace Under Fire," and "The Jeff Foxworthy Show," to name a few.  He also had a guest role in one of my favorite episodes of "Walker, Texas Ranger," Season 4's "The Siege" (1996).

From THR:  American film and television actress, Judy Pace, has died at the age of 83, Wednesday, March 11, 2026.  After making her debut in William Castle's "13 Frightened Girls," Pace became the first Black female villain in the final season of ABC's prime time soap, "Peyton Place" (1968-69).  She became a mainstay of TV in the 1970s.  She appeared in such TV series, as "Good Times," "Sanford and Son," "Shaft," "That's My Mama," "What's Happening," "The Young Lawyers," and the TV movie, "Brian's Song" (1971).  Her films appearances include "The Fortune Cookie" (1966), "Three in the Attic" (1968), "Cotton Comes to Harlem" (1970), "Cool Breeze" (1972), and "Frogs" (1972), 

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OSCARS:

From Variety:  "Variety" offers its final Oscar winner predictions in every category at the 2026 / 98th Academy Awards.

From THR:  The nominations for the 2026 / 98th Academy Awards have been announced.  Director Ryan Coogler's Sinners leads with history-making 16 nominations, including for "Best Picture," "Best Director" (Coogler), and Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan).  The winners will be announced March 15, 2026.

From Truthout:  Directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, the 2025 documentary film, "The Alabama Solution," is one of five nominees in the category of "Best Documentary Feature."  The film chronicles the horrific conditions inside the state of Alabama's prisons.  The incarcerated men who produced footage for "The Alabama Solution" were abruptly transferred to solitary this month (January).

From TheGuardian:  Director Ryan Coogler's "Sinners" earned 16 Oscar nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, the most in the 98-year history of the awards.  The previous record is 14, held by "All About Eve" (1950), "Titanic" (1997), and "La La Land" (2016).

From Variety:  With her fifth Oscar nomination, for "Best Costume Designer" for "Sinners," Ruth E. Carter is now the most Oscar-nominated Black woman in the history of the Academy Awards.

From Truthout:  One of the five nominees for this year's "Best International Feature" Academy Award is "The Voice of Hind Rajab."  Representing the nation of Tunisia, the film is a mix of drama and documentary, and it tells the story of Hind Rajab, a five-year old girl who was killed January 29, 2024 by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza strip.

From YahooEntertainment:  At the age of 73, actor Delroy Lindo finally gets his first Oscar nomination - in the category of "Best Supporting Actor" for "Sinners."  The actor also talks about being "profoundly disappointed" by previous Academy snubs.

From EW:  Oscar-nominee Kirsten Dunst is not pleased that her husband, previous Oscar-nominee, Jesse Plemons, was not Oscar-nominated for his work in the recent acclaimed film, "Bugonia."

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Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Negromancer's "STAR WARS" Link-O-Rama 2026 - UPDATE #5

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon.

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.
--------------------------------------

NEWS AND RUMORS:

DARTH MAUL - From YouTube:  Disney+ has released the first official trailer for its new animated series, "Star Wars: Darth Maul - Shadowlord." The first two episodes debut April 6th.

THE MANDALORIAN - From YouTube:  Disney has released an official trailer for "The Mandalorian and Grogu" film.  It is due in theaters and IMAX May 22, 2026.

DARTH MAUL - From StarWars:  Disney+ has released the first teaser trailer for its upcoming Lucasfilm animated series, "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord."  The series set for an April 6th debut on Disney+.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics unveils "Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge - Echoes Of The Empire," a five-issue comic book miniseries launching April 2026.  Set on Batuu, the comic connects to Disney’s "Galaxy’s Edge Park," and also expands the "Star Wars" timeline with classic heroes.  Readers should expect appearances from Luke Skywalker, Leia, and Chewbacca facing the Empire over a dangerous relic.  It is written by Ethan Sacks and drawn by Jethro Morales and Roi Mercado.

DAVE FILONI - From TheWrap:  As Kathleen Kennedy steps down as President of Lucasfilm and Dave Filoni becomes Chief Creative Officer comes a report that Filoni did not like Lucasfilm's Emmy-winning hit, "Andor." Lynwen Brennan is also announced as co-president.

From Forbes:  Reports state that Lucasfilm, Chief Creative Office (CCO), Dave Filoni, will become president of Lucasfilm when current president Kathleen Kennedy steps down.  A director, producer, and screenwriter, Filoni is known for directing the 2008 animated film, "Star Wars: Clone Wars" and the upcoming live-action film, "The Mandalorian and Grogu."  Filoni was also the writer, director, and executive producer on Lucasfilm/Disney+ television series like "The Mandalorian," "The Book of Boba Fett," and "Ahsoka."

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  "Star Wars: Shadow of Maul" is a five-issue comic book miniseries that will act as a prequel to upcoming Disney+ animated series, "Maul - Shadow Lord."  The comic book is written by Benjamin Percy and drawn by Madibek Musabekov, and the first issue arrives March 2026.

FRANCHISE - From YahooTotalFilm:  Despite working on Star Wars properties since "The Phantom Menace," Lucasfilm design director Doug Chiang says that only George Lucas truly knows what Star Wars design is. "I don’t always get it 100 per cent right."

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Artist Taurin Clarke is Marvel Comics' "Star Wars Black History Month" cover artist for February 2026.

From BleedingCoolAhmed Best, the voice actor best known for the role of "Jar Jar Binks" in the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy, will co-write an official Star Wars Jar Jar Binks comic book for Marvel Comics.  The one-shot comic book is due February 2026 and will be co-written by Marc Guggenheim and illustrated by Kieran McKeown and Laura Braga.

From FlickeringMythDark Horse Comics has announced that it will return to the High Republic era of "Star Wars" next year with the six-issue limited series, "Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures – Pathfinders."  The series will be written by George Mann ("Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories – Qui-Gon") and drawn by Partha Pratim, Jagdish Kumar, and Michael Atiyeh ("Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch").  The first issue is scheduled to arrive March 11, 2026.

THE MANDALORIAN - From YouTubeLucasfilm has released the first official trailer for "The Mandalorian and Grogu," which is due in theaters May 22, 2026.

STARFIGHTER - From IGN:  Lucasfilm offers a new set photo from "Star Wars: Starfighter," featuring cast members, Ryan Gosling and Flynn Gray. The film is due May 28, 2027.

From THR:  The latest Star Wars movie, "Star Wars: Starfighter," started shooting on Thursday (Aug. 28th) in the U.K.  Lucasfilm marked the ocassion by releasing an image of star Ryan Gosling and new cast member, Flynn Gray, in front of a speeder.  Lucasfilm also revealed the latest additions to the cast.  Including Flynn Gray, they are Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, and Amy Adams.  The film is being directed by Shawn Levy and stars Ryan Gosling. Mia Goth and Matt Smith were already revealed to be in the cast, playing villains.

From DeadlineMatt Smith ("Doctor Who") will star alongside Ryan Gosling as a villain in the "Star Wars" film, "Star Wars: Starfighter," which is scheduled for a 2027 release.

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Link-o-Rama 2025.
Link-o-Rama 2024.

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STAR WARS Movie Reviews:

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars"
From Negromancer:  "The Empire Strikes Back"
From Negromancer:  "Return of the Jedi"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace"
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones"
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Force Awakens
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"
From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"

From Negromancer:  "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008 animated film)
From Negromancer:  "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"
From Negromancer:  "Solo: A Star Wars Story" 

I Reads You "Star Wars Central" comics and graphic novel review page is here.

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