TRASH IN MY EYE Reviews

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Review: Pixar's "HOPPERS" Surprises and Amazes

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 9 of 2026 (No. 2057) by Leroy Douresseaux

Hoppers (2026)

Running time: 104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)

Rating: MPA – PG for action/peril, some scary images and mild language

DIRECTOR: Daniel Chong

WRITERS: Jesse Andrews and Daniel Chong; from a story by Jesse Andrews

PRODUCER: Nicole Paradis Grindle

CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Jeremy Lasky and Ian Megibben

EDITOR: Axel Geddes

COMPOSER: Mark Mothersbaugh

SONG: “Save the Day” sung by SZA and written by SZA, Ben Lovett, and Rob Bisel

ANIMATION/FANTASY/FAMILY and ADVENTURE/COMEDY

SUMMARY OF REVIEW:

Disney/Pixar's Hoppers has some of the best chase sequences and action scenes that I've ever seen in a Pixar film. They're better than what audiences find in a lot of live-action films

The characters are an utter delight. I think most viewers of Hoppers will see themselves in Mabel Tanaka, and the animal characters memorable in the way many Disney/Pixar animated characters tend to be

The science fiction elements in Hoppers are as charming as the magical elements found in the best fantasy films. This movie is made to delight adults and children of many ages because it is one of Disney/Pixar's best

Starring: (voices) Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Eduardo Franco, Aparna Nancherla, Tom Law, Sam Richardson, Melissa Villasenor, Isiah Whitlock, Jr., Steve Purcell, Ego Nwodim, Nichole Sakura, Meryl Streep, Karen Huie, Lila Liu, Carlos Alazraqui, Grey DeLisle, Jorden Wyrick, and Secunda Wood

Hoppers is a 2026 American animated science fiction, action, and comedy film from director Daniel Chong. It was produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. The film follows an animal-loving college student who transfers her mind into a robotic beaver in a bid to save a beaver habitat from destruction, actions that only lead to disaster.

Hoppers is set in and around the city of Beaverton. The story introduces Mabel Tanaka (Piper Curda), a 19-year-old college student and an intense animal-lover. When she was a child, Mabel and Grandmother Tanaka (Karen Huie) found solace in a glade in a nearby forest. After her grandmother passes, Mabel takes it upon herself to care for the glade.

However, Beaverton's Mayor Jerry Generazzo (Jon Hamm) has announced his new “Beaverton Beltway,” a highway system that will encircle the city in order to better connect it. Mayor Jerry's plan includes routing the beltway through Mabel's glade mainly because he says that the animals have abandoned it.

While trying to lure the animals back to the glade, Mabel discovers that her biology professor, Dr. Sam Fairfax (Kathy Najimy), and her colleagues, Nisha (Aparna Nancherla) and Conner (Sam Richardson), have developed the “Hoppers” program. It is a new technology that allows them to transfer their minds into robotic animals. Mabel transfers her mind into a robotic beaver that will allow her to communicate with the beavers that once inhabited the glade. Mabel then discovers a world of animals beyond her imagination, but her activities will lead to one disaster after another.

I won't waste my time or yours, dear readers, preaching about the quality of the animation in a Pixar film. I'd rather wait until there is a day I can complain when I find a Pixar film that visually looks inferior. However, I will do something I have done in almost all of my reviews of Pixar films, praise this movie a lot. Not only does Hoppers have that magical Pixar charm and heartwarming storytelling, but it also has a really strong message. I know some people claim films should not have messages, and they are right. If a studio is making fast food-like entertainment, if the studio is making yet another movie featuring characters running away from CGI-generated weather phenomena, then, yeah, there probably is no message that it could deliver in an interesting fashion.

However, Hoppers isn't mere entertainment product, so it does have a message. Mabel wants to save the glade so badly that she her advocacy becomes interference and turns as disastrous and practically as destructive as Mayor Jerry's plans. Mabel is certainly one of those Pixar characters that is both lovable and has universal appeal, but she is more than just a heartwarming character. With here as the lead, Hoppers manages to have a message and also be a wonderful tale of friendship and redemption filled with Pixar's usual eye-popping action set pieces. The scenes with Diane (Vanessa Bayer), the great white shark, are... well, I think they the stuff of cinematic magic.

Hoppers represents peak Pixar storytelling, and I wish that I'd seen this grand, inventively-visual cinematic gem on a theater's big screen. Hoppers makes me want to invent adjectives to describe and to praise it, but I can simply highly recommend it.

9 of 10

A+

Saturday, September 5, 2026

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from September 1st to 5th, 2026 - UPDATE #7

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:

HARRY POTTER - From Variety: HBO Max has released the first trailer for its "Harry Potter" television series. The first episode is due December 26, 2026.

MOVIES - From Deadline: Angel (Angel Studios) has acquired the worldwide rights to director Michael Keaton's Western film, "Road to Ruin." Keaton also stars in the film with Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman.

From Deadline: Michael Keaton is set to direct and to star in the Western film, "Road to Ruin." Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman will star opposite Keaton.

NETFLIX - From Variety: Netflix's three-part docuseries about the late "Friends" star, Matthew Perry (1969-2023), entitled "The One About Matthew Perry," will debut Oct. 27th, 2026.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel: Acclaimed director Mike Leigh says that "Tender Loving Care" is "almost certainly" his final film because he is "somewhat handicapped" due to the muscle-wasting condition, "miyositis."

OBITS:

From NPR: American author, activist, and journalist, Gloria Steinem, has died at the age of 92, Wednesday, September 2, 2026. She is nationally recognized as the leader of "second-wave feminism." Starting in the 1960s, Steinem challenged gender stereotypes and championed feminist ideals like equality, sisterhood, and reproductive freedom. At a time when women were largely limited to domestic roles, this made Steinem an inspiration to generations of women to do the same. In 1971, Steinem was one of the founders of "Ms." magazine. In 1971, Steinem also cofounded the National Women's Political Coalition," which provided training and support for women who sought elected and political office. Among the honors Steinem received was the "Presidential Medal of Freedom" in 2013. Steinem was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Award nominations and one News & Documentary Emmy Award nomination for her work in television.

From Deadline: American film and television writer and author, Victor Miller, has died at the age of 86, Monday, August 31, 2026. Miller was best known for writing the screenplay for the 1980 slasher film, "Friday the 13th," creating the characters, "Pamela Voorhees" and her son, "Jason Voorhees." Miller was also a longtime writer for daytime soap opera from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. He worked on such soap operas as "All My Children," "One Life to Live," and "Another World," to name a few. Miller was nominated at the Daytime Emmy Awards 11 times, and won three Emmys for his work on "All My Children."

From Deadline: American stand-up comic and television writer and producer, Marty Nadler, has died at the age of 80, Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Nadler was best known for his four-decade with legendary TV writer and creator Garry Marshall. For Marshall, Nadler worked on the former ABC sitcoms as "Happy Days" and "Laverne & Shirley," among others. As a producer, script consultant, and story consultant, Nadler contributed to such TV series as "Amen," "The Carol Burnett Show," "Chico and the Man," "That's My Mama," and "The Red Foxx Show," to name a few.

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

A Negromancer September 2026

Welcome to September 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).

Monday, August 31, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 23rd to 31st, 2026 - UPDATE #14

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

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

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NEWS:

MOVIES - From Deadline: Jason Momoa, Tenoch Huerta, Adria Arjona, and Kiefer Sutherland join star Miles Teller in Black Label Media's thriller, "Copperhead."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 8/28 to 8/30/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 22.2 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Variety: Anne Hathaway is joining Tom Cruise for "Days of Thunder 2," the sequel to the 1990 film, "Days of Thunder." The film is currently set for a Summer 2028 release.

DISNEY - From Deadline: Disney+ has greenlighted "Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu." It is a new stop-motion series that is part of a new global distribution deal between The Pokémon Company International and Disney. The new series is created by the animation studio, Aardman Animations ("Wallace & Gromit"), and will debut on Disney XD and stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2027.

MOVIES - From Variety: Ridley Scott's new film, "The Dog Stars," is out this week. One of his next projects may be a third film in his "Alien" prequel series, which began with "Prometheus" (2012) and continued with "Alien: Covenant" (2017).

AMAZON - From Deadline: Actor Dan Stevens has been picked to headline Amazon MGM Studios' Prime Video series, "Robocop," based on the 1987 film, "Robocop."

MOVIES - From THR: Warner Bros. is developing a live-action film based on the classic Hanna-Barbera animation franchise, "The Flintstones." Ryan Gosling is a producer on the project. Universal Pictures released a live-action film, "The Flintstones," in 1994 and its sequel, "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas" (2000).

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 8/21 to 8/23/2926 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 39 million dollars.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel: Woody Allen will begin shooting his next film in Madrid on October 5, 2026. The financing deal dictates that the name "Madrid" must be in the title.

OBITS:

From Deadline: American film and television actor, Samuel Monroe, Jr., has died at the age of 52, Wednesday, August 26, 2026, after battle meningitis and pneumonia. Monroe was best known for his roles in such films as "Menace II Society"(1992), "Tales from the Hood" (1995), and "Set It Off" (1996). He appeared in such TV series, "Out All Night," "NYPD Blue," and "Black Jesus."

From THR: Canadian voice actor, Peter Cullen, has died at the age of 85, Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Cullen's six decade career saw him provide voice performances film film, television, and video games. However, Cullen was best known for providing the voice for the "Tranformers" character, "Optimus Prime," across "Transformers" media, beginning with "The Transformers" 1984-87 animated syndicated television series. Cullen would also voice Optimus Prime in 1986's "The Transformers: The Movie" and Paramount's eight-film series, that began with 2007's "Transformers," to name a few. In 2023, Cullen received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the "Children's and Family Emmy Awards."

From Variety: The English stage, film, and television actor and singer, Tim Curry, has died at the age of 80, Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Curry is best known for the role of "Dr Frank N Furter" in the 1973 West End musical, "The Rocky Horror Show," and in the 1975 film adaptation, which became a cult and midnight movie sensation. Curry's other notable film roles including "Legend," Clue," "Oscar," Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," and "Congo," to name a few. Curry appeared in numerous TV series, miniseries, and movies, including "Wiseguys," "It," "Roseanne," and "Will & Grace," to name a few. Curry won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1991.

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From RollingStone: American singer-songwriter, recording artist, and actress, Dolly Parton, has died at the age of 80, Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Called the "Queen of Country," Parton released almost 70 albums, including solo works; duets with her former partner, Porter Wagoner; collaborations; live albums; and soundtracks. She wrote over 3000 songs, including the 1973 song, "I Will Always Love You," which became a massive hit for the late Whitney Houston in 1992. Other hit songs included "Coat of Many Colors" (1971), "Jolene" (1973), "9 to 5" (1980). She had 25 #1 singles on "Billboard Magazine's" country music chart.

As an actress, Dolly appeared in multiple films, including "9 to 5" (1980), "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (1982), "Steal Magnolias" (1989), and "Joyful Noise" (2012), to name a few. She made guest appearances on such television series as Disney's "Hannah Montana," "Reba" and "Grace & Frankie," in addition to twice having her own variety show "Dolly!" (1976-77) and "Dolly" (1987-88).

Dolly Parton was nominated 50 times at the Grammy Awards, winning 10 competitive awards and the 2011 "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award." She was twice nominated for the "Best Original Song" Oscar, and she received the Academy's "Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award." Parton was nominated four times at the "Primetime Emmy Awards," sharing a win in 2021 in the category of "Outstanding Television Movie" for Netflix's "Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square."

Parton was also an author, businesswoman, and philanthropist. Among her ventures was the theme park, "Dollywood."

From YahooEntertainment: Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, and tributes pour in from around the world.

From Billboard: According to "Billboard Magazine," Dolly Parton had a brief battle with cancer before she died.

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From Deadline: American actress and singer, Shelly Fabares, has died at the age of 82, Saturday, August 22, 2026. She was best known for the role of "Christine Armstrong" on ABC's former sports sitcom, "Coach" (1989-97). However, Fabares was also a child actor of the former ABC domestic sitcom, "The Donna Reed Show" (1958-66), playing the daughter, "Mary Stone." Fabares was Elvis Presley's leading lady in the 1965 film, "Girl Happy." She also appeared in two more of Presley's films, "Spinout" (1966) and "Clambake" (1967). She also had a "Billboard Hot 100" #1 hit with the single, "Johnny Angel" (February 1962). Fabares received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her work on "Coach." Fabares had been married to actor Mike Farrell, best known for his role on the former CBS sitcom, "M*A*S*H," since 1984.

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Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Comics Review: "RED SONJA NOIR: THE PRINCESS & THE PLUNDER" is a Winner

RED SONJA NOIR: THE PRINCESS AND THE PLUNDER

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ARTIST: Edson Enn

COLORS: Adriano Augusto

LETTERS: Jeff Eckleberry

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Lesley “Leirix” Li

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Robert Hack; Lesley “Leirix” Li; Molly Stewart cosplay

40pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (July 2026)

Rated: Teen+

Red Sonja created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith, from the character created by Robert E. Howard

Red Sonja Noir: “The Princess & the Plunder”

Red Sonja is female high fantasy and sword and sorcery heroine. She first appeared in Marvel Comics' Conan the Barbarian #23 (cover dated February 1973) and was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith. Red Sonja is loosely based on “Red Sonya of Rogatino,” a female character that appeared in the 1934 short story, “The Shadow of the Vulture,” written by Conan the Cimmerian's creator, Robert E. Howard.

In 2005, Dynamite Entertainment began publishing comic books featuring the character. One of the recent titles is the one-shot title, Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder. It is written by David Avallone; drawn by Edson ENN; colored by Adriano Augusto; and lettered by Jeff Eckleberry. The one-shot finds Red Sonja plying her mercenary trade at an enclave for the rich and wealthy merchant class where a wedding turns nefarious thanks to thieves, dark magic, and monsters.

Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder opens on the island of Zaralina. Red Sonja has been hired by Elder Zaralin, the island's patriarch, as extra security for the wedding of his daughter. Sonja is mainly at the Elder's estate to protect the extravagant wedding gifts.

Events soon take a turn for the dark and nefarious as Sonja finds herself in the middle of ill-natured wedding guests, a bevy of thieves, dark magic, and a monstrous plot that could leave the local town and most of the island in ashes.

THE LOWDOWN: In July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles. One of them is Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder, which is not the first David Avallone Red Sonja comic book that I have read.

Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder is the second long-form Red Sonja story written by David Avallone that I have read. The first was 2025's Red Sonja Noir One-Shot (“The Crimson Calypso”). Thus far, this new story is Avallone's crowning Red Sonja achievement. Pure sword-and-sorcery adventure, slick action set pieces, sparkling dialogue, skanky villains deserving of their fates, and magic that falls on the story like a shower of golden sugar on my favorite deserve. This story made me say “Uhh! Na nah na nah!”

The art and storytelling by Edson ENN (Edson Novaes Neves) makes the story move in ways that keep the readers guessing. ENN brings this story to life with passion; this isn't another swing of the sword. It's a thriller offering energetic sword thrusts with a sense of mystery worth engaging.

In order to praise colorist Adriano Augusto's work, I have to reveal that there is a dragon in this story, beautifully and amazingly drawn by ENN. Augusto lights the story on fire in several pages. However, there is a page with the dragon that Augusto makes so bright and vivid that I could almost feel the heat n my face. Jeff Eckeberry's lettering has a classic style that recalls the best old school Red Sonja comic books.

Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder is worthy because the creative team brought the gifts to this wedding.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of Red Sonja comic books will want to read Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux aka "I Reads You"

A Kindle edition of "Red Sonja Noir: The Princess & the Plunder" is available at Amazon.

https://www.deviantart.com/edsonenn/gallery

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

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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 to join Prime Video, or shop my BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

Saturday, August 22, 2026

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 16th to 22nd, 2026 - UPDATE #9

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

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

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NEWS:

NETFLIX - From WorldofReel: Netflix will give director Peter Berg's “The Mosquito Bowl,” a U.S. theatrical release on October 30, 2026 before moving it streaming on November 25th. The film tells the story of four of America’s most celebrated college football players who put their athletic careers on hold to enlist in the Marines after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They take part in a legendary football game featuring some of the greatest players in college football history, which would turn out to be the last football game for many of them.

DISNEY - From Deadline: ABC filed an unprecedented "First Amendment" lawsuit against the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. ABC claims that the FCC's investigations and regulatory actions against the network are part of a Trump administration's “retaliatory campaign” to curb ABC’s free speech.

From Deadline: "Deadline" has posted a copy of ABC's lawsuit for your reading pleasure

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 8/14 to 8/16/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 70 million dollars.

From WorldofReel: “The Odyssey” hit the $1.34 billion milestone today, making it the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. It has now surpassed 2024’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which finished with $1.33 billion worldwide.

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DISNEY - From Deadline: Disney+ is not moving forward with its live-action "Power Rangers" series. The project was written and executive produced by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz, who are the executive producers and showrunners of the Disney+ series, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians." According to "Deadline," the reason for the cancellation of this project was budgetary.

OBITS:

From Deadline: The American film and television actor, Michael Wright, has died at the age of 70, Wednesday, August 19, 2026. His best known role was that of "Eddie King Jr" in "The 5 Heartbeats" (1991). His other well-known roles include such films as Robert Altman's "Streamers" (1983), "The Principal" (1987), and "Sugar Hill" (1994) Wright appeared in such TV series as NBC's former sci-fi franchise "V," HBO's former prison drama, "Oz," and The CW's former superhero drama, "Back Lightining"

From Variety: American actress and singer, Hayden Panettiere, has died at the age of 36, Sunday, August 16, 2026. Panettiere's best known roles were as Clair Benneton the former NBC superhero television series, "Heroes" (2006-10) and as Juliette Barnes on the former ABC/CMT musical drama series, "Nashville" (2012-18). Panetteire's best known film roles were as "Kirby Reed" in the "Scream" horror film franchise and as "Dot" in Disney/Pixar's "A Bug's Life" (1998). She earned a "Grammy Award" nomination for her work on the spoken word album, "A Bug's Life Read-Along."

From Deadline: Hayden Panettiere: a career and life in photos from "Deadline"

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From ESPN: Former American professional baseball player and Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, Tommy John, has died at the age of 83, Saturday, August 15, 2026. John played in the MLB for 26 seasons for six teams, including playing for the Yankees for eight seasons over two stints with the team. John was a four-time "MLB All-Star." John pitched in three World Series contested between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees: 1977 and 1978 playing for the Dodgers and 1981 for the Yankees. John was on the losing end of all three of those World Series. He has the second most wins (288) of any pitcher since 1900 who is not in the "National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum." John is also known for the "ligament replacement surgery" that bears his name, the "Tommy John surgery."

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Saturday, August 15, 2026

Disney Debuts a "Special Look" Video at "AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY"

The stars of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday took the stage at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event on Friday, August 14, 2026 to reveal a special look at the upcoming film, teasing the impending showdown between Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) and a multiverse worth of heroes.

The film is due in theaters December 18, 2026. To the left is the new teaser poster. Below is the "Special Look" video:

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