With Daniel stuck at work it's up to Julian and Jeremy to carry the load and discuss the latest in film and television news. The guys discuss the latest trailer for Tom Hardy's Venom and whatever else Sony has up their sleeve for their non-Spider-Man, Spider-Man universe, catch up on the latest developments in the James Gunn situation and talk Star Wars Episode IX as they begin produ... What's this? Dan has arrived and he's brought with him beer? It's a miracle! The three continue the discussion by talking about Patrick Stewart's surprise Star Trek announcement, the budget for the live-action Star Wars show and review Alex Garland's Annihilation. All this, and so much more, on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!

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Show Notes

Movies

Trailers:
- Venom
Sony hired writers for a Kraven the Hunter movie.
Sam Jackson and Cobie Smulders join cast of Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Dave Bautista speaks out regarding the James Gunns firing.
Star Wars: Episode IX starts filming. Full cast revealed.
Plans for a Die Hard prequel film and a Sand Lot prequel film are in the works.
DC
- DC looking at Marc Maron to the Jouquen Phoenix Joker movie.
- A Supergirl movie is in the works from one of the writers of 21 Jump Street.
- Black Mask is revealed to be the villain in Birds of Prey film.
- Ruby Rose, a notable LGBTQ actress from Orange is the New Black, has been cast as Kate Kane AKA Batwoman in this years CW’s crossover event with the possibility for her own show.

TV

Patrick Stewart announces new Jean Luc Picard series coming to CBS All Access.
The budget for the upcoming live-action Star Wars show rumoured to be around $100 million for 10 episodes. Further rumours suggest the series will be set on Mandalor following the events of Return of the Jedi.
The synopsis for the first episode of the upcoming animated series Star Wars Resistance has appeared online:
- "Resistance fighter Poe Dameron tasks young pilot Kazuda “Kaz” Xiono with spying on the First Order. At the time, little was known about the secretive organization and its strength.
  In order to fulfill his mission, Kaz travels to the space station Colossus, which is being used by many ships as a port to refuel and do repairs. However, there are also dangerous races taking place there. After Kaz bragged with his piloting skills at his arrival there, he is soon drawn into one of the races…"

What We've Been Watching

Mission Impossible: Fallout
Annihilation

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 118 - New Star Trek, More Star Wars

Show Notes

Movies

TV

What We've Been Watching

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