Julian, Daniel, and Jeremy sit down to discuss what turned out to be a VERY busy week in nerdy news. It all started with the Captain Marvel teaser and only got more exciting as the news kept rolling in. The Joaquin Phoenix Joker reveal would have been enough but on top of that there was also an interview with Disney CEO, Bob Iger, that had him spilling the beans on the future of the MCU and Star Wars, as well as the James Gunn firing. Oh and did we mention that Emmy awards winners were announced, and that there’s a live action Avatar: The Last Air Bender in the works at Netflix? Yea, that happened too! All that and so much more on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!

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NOTE: There were technical difficulties during this week’s recording that weren’t discovered until after the show was recorded. I’ve done my best to clean it up but unfortunately the audio still doesn’t sound great. I apologize for the inconvenience and I promise we will be returning to our regular high fidelity audio next week.

Show Notes

Movies

Captain Marvel teaser trailer
Joaquin Phoenix Joker teaser
Cary Fukunaga announced as new director for Bond 25.
Bob Iger, Disney CEO, interview:
- Confirms that Kevin Feige will oversee the Fox characters as they make their way into the MCU.
- That he still supports the firing of James Gunn, but also shies away from taking much accountability for the decision.
- They are slowing their roll-out of Star Wars films.
Jon Hamm says he’s open to playing Batman.

TV

Emmy Award Winners
Live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series is in the works at Netflix.
Kristen Bell announced that she’ll be returning to the roll of Veronica Mars in a new series coming to Hulu.
HBO’s Watchmen to be scored by Nine Inch Nails duo Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Marvel is talking about making separate Loki and Scarlet Witch shows for their Disney streaming service.
Daredevil season 3 is coming to Netflix on Oct 12th.

What We've Been Watching

Bojack Horseman season 5
The Death of Superman
The Predator

Apr 9, 2026

SSSW - Maul: Shadow Lord - Chapter 1 & 2

It's been some time since we've been able to sink our pointy teeth into a meaty Star Wars animated project. Since the finale of 'The Bad Batch' all the way back in May of 2024, all we've had to tie us over were anthology installments of varying quality. Praise the Force, that wait is finally over with the release of 'Maul: Shadow Lord', the latest full length series from Lucasfilm Animation. The series marks another technical leap forward for the animation studio, taking their patented visual style and adding another layer of detail and artistry that jumps off the screen. The story follows the titular, Maul shortly after the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire, he's looking for revenge and the series wastes no time dropping us right into the thick of things (3 car/speeder chases in 40 mins is impressive). And while we know much of Maul's criminal dealings (and most of the rest of his life actually), the introduction of a new Padawan into the mix, another apprentice-to-be for Maul, adds a layer of intrigue to an otherwise underworld focused story. Join Julian and Rachel as they unpack Chapter 1: "The Dark Revenge" and Chapter 2: "Sinister Schemes", in intricate detail.

Apr 8, 2026

Bonus Episode - ToB Film Club - Slap Shot (1977) - Review + Commentary Track

In honour of Matt strapping on the goalie pads again for the first time in many years (and not completely pulling his groin), it only made sense to revisit the classic hockey comedy, 'Slap Shot' from 1977. This isn't the first time seeing the movie for either Julian or Matt but it's been a long time so there are plenty of questions still to answer. Here's a few examples: How well shot are the hockey scenes? Does the movie feature more or less actual hockey than 'Heated Revelry'? Does the plot and/or humour hold up all these years later? All these questions are answered in time, but we're also trying something new this month. Instead of a traditional movie review, Julian and Matt decided to go a layer deeper and add a full commentary track for the movie as well. So enjoy the full review, which takes place, before, during, and after the movie itself, and sync up your own copy of the movie (there's a countdown before we start) to get the full experience!

Mar 20, 2026

Bonus Episode - 2026 Oscars Recap

Matt and Julian are back to unpack the results from last Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony. While the show itself had few surprises (there was a tie though so that's something!), between Conan's bits, the winners, and the losers, there is plenty to discuss. Congrats to 'One Battle After Another', PTA and all the winners ('Sinners' probably deserved a better fate, but respect to MBJ for his ascension)! Plus, I still can't believe the bit about making Leo into a meme actually made another meme. Join us for the full deep dive!

Mar 14, 2026

Bonus Episode - 2026 Oscars Preview Show

Julian is back from vacation just in time or the 98th Academy Awards! Airing tomorrow (Match 15th), hosted once again by Conan O’Brien, it’s the most prestigious night in Hollywood (after the Tobies of course). This is Matt’s first time on the preview show, so the format is tweaked a bit from our traditional reviews of Oscar noms, though there is still some of that. A broader approach is taken, with a larger focus on the ceremony itself, a peak at the front runners in each category, as well as the betting odds. It’s not all new-school though, find Julian’s traditional “will win”/’want to win” ballots below (Matt will put his together privately) for those curious. Lastly, look for a follow-up show discussing the ceremonies, unpacking the winners, and scoring the ballots next week. Until then, grab your tux, hit the red carpet, rub elbows with the celebs, and enjoy the 2026 Oscars!

Episode 121 - Captain Marvel, Joker, and Bob Iger

Show Notes

Movies

TV

What We've Been Watching

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