We're into the full swing of blockbuster season. With 'Obsession' breaking box office records, 'The Odyssey' now filling IMAX theatres, and 'Spider-Man' right around the corner, movies feel very "back" right now. Plus, with Comic-Con next week Marvel released their first full-length 'Avengers: Doomsday' trailer. Julian and Matt try to decide if the hype is there, which feels crazy when considering it's an Avengers movie after all, but that might speak more to the situation Marvel currently finds themselves in. Meanwhile, DC doesn't want to be left behind, releasing a new trailer for 'Clayface' , which is shaping up to be a sneaky hit in the body-horror space (despite still not Batman). This all leads to Matt's idea that comic book movies should be treated like jury duty. Plus, a news rundown covering the passing of Sam Neil, Netflix updates (they're bad), some box office updates, and more!
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Episode 199.5 - Marvel/DC News Roundup
For the most part, genre entertainment news has been relatively light. Yes we’ve had a round of castings for DC projects, and Kevin Fiege is slowly opening the kimono for X-Men info, but on the whole nothing earth shattering (who knows, we might see a planet shatter whenever the ‘Superman’ trailer finally comes). This makes for a perfect time to defer the 200th episode of the show and take a look at the state of things over at DC and Marvel. They are both looking to emerge from a slump, despite taking very different approaches (though I’m sure DC would have loved a $1B hit that allowed them to have their cake and eat it too). The guys unpack the similarities and differences and sprinkle in a few different news bits along the way. All that and so much more on this week’s Tower of Babble Podcast!
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Episode 199 - That Tom Holland is Full of Shit!
Julian and Jeremy sit down to discuss the surprisingly good Menendez Brothers series on Netflix, and try to better understand the draw of true crime content. Later they get into the HBO hit 'The Penguin', as well as the state of the 'Terminator' franchise. The guys also get into it about what exactly is going on with Tom Holland and his mixed messaging around 'Spider-Man 4' and the situation with the 'Blade' movie. All that and so much more on this episode of the Tower of Babble Podcast!
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ToB Interlude - Deadpool & Wolverine
There haven't been many Marvel movies of late that have had the level of anticipation of 'Deadpool & Wolverine'. Not only is it capping of a Deadpool trilogy, it is introducing Deadpool to the MCU, AND it it's bringing back who else but Hugh Jackman as Wolverine for the cherry on top. Plus, with the less than ideal reception to the direction the MCU has taken of late, the expectations were very high for this movie, to say the least. And though we typically preach keeping expectations in check when going into a movie like this, even we had a hard time containing it. Julian and Jeremy unpack every spoilery detail in an in-depth review that covers everything from THAT cameo (you know which one), to whether the movie "saved the MCU", and everything in between.
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Episode 192 - The 2023 Tobie Awards (7th Annual) - TV
The prestigious Tobie Awards returns for it's 7th annual ceremony. In a bit of a change from tradition, the decision has been made to split the show into two parts. Part one, today, will cover the best of television from 2023. There was a lot of great shows to chose from, but your hosts, Julian, Jeremy, and special guest, Vince, deliver a varied list that has something for everyone. Of course the breakout hit from HBO, 'The Last of Us', gets it's fair share of love but outside of that, I dare you to guess where all the pieces fall. Next week, we dive into the best in film!
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Episode 191 - Take Me Back to 2018
As the ToB Crew kickoff 2024, we begin by lamenting what we lost. If only we could return to the simpler times, pre-pandemic. Alas, this is not to be, so instead Julian and Jeremy rely on "ol' faithful", which of course means reviewing the latest news concerning film and television. Unfortunately, they immediately lose focus, perhaps subconsciously staying true to the nostalgic undertone that accompany the start of a new year, and enjoy a fun sidebar discussion about the state of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars in the early 2000s (We didn't know how good we had it back then). All of which was of course an offshoot of the news of John Williams un-retirement. Next the guys unpack some Star Wars news, and then lean into Marvel. Specifically the fresh legitimacy the Netflix 'Defenders' saga shows have received as Daredevil is pulled further into the MCU. They also save some time to review the Golden Globe winners and look ahead at the Emmys (which were happening live during the recording). All that and so much more on this week's episode of The Tower of Babble Podcast.
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Episode 178 - Batgirl Shelved & Marvel Comic-Con
The turmoil at Warner Brothers Discovery continues, this time in the form of bloodletting. News broke early this week that the HBO Max original ‘Batgirl’, which was finished shooting and in late stages of post production. was going to be cancelled by the studio. Shortly after, an official statement was released and the outcry online was loud. This comes amongst rumours of further shakeups coming to the studio, specifically around their HBO Max streaming service, as they apparently look to pivot away from scripted programming nearly across the board, in favor of cheaper unscripted options. Naturally, Julian and Jeremy break down all the details surrounding this unprecedented decision and what it means for the future of DC on the big and small screens. Meanwhile, on the fun side of the news, over at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel held no punches as they discussed the next 2 phases of the MCU, and announced A LOT of new movies and shows, while finding time to drop a spectacular trailer for ‘Black Panther 2’, amongst a whole pile of other announcements. Oh and a new trailer for ‘Andor’ dropped. The show looks stunning, but you’ll have to wait an extra 3 weeks as they have pushed the premiere to September. That pretty much takes up all the time this episode, but trust us, it’s more than enough.
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ToB Interlude - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Julian and Jeremy sit down to discuss the first Marvel movie of the year with 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness', which kicks off the summer movie season (hallelujah!). Doctor Strange 2 continues what was started in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home ' and takes us even deeper into the mulitverse (which incidentally also continued Marvel's ability to completely lap DC at these ideas o the big screen). This inevitably brings some mind bending action brought to you by non-other than the legend himself, Sam Rami, with music from Danny Elfman! It's a match made in heaven, that largely delivers on the hype. You could argue that the pacing was a little quick, and it could have done with probably another 30 min of runtime, but when all said and done, Marvel's undefeated streak continued (I guess maybe discounting 'Eternals' for those haters out there), with another very solid entry into their cinematic universe (616!).
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Episode 173 - Obi-Wan Kenobi Trailer, Netflix Havoc, and DC Delays
How long have we been waiting for trailer for the Obi-Wan show? It feels like an eternity. Well the wait is finally over and Julian and Jeremy are here to break it all down, along with some other exciting teasers for 'The Boys' season 3, a new alien themed horror comedy from Jordan Peele, 'Nope', and even Marvel's exciting new addition to their Disney+ series lineup, 'Ms Marvel'. But that's not all, there's also a metric tonne of news to cover as well. Including, Netflix's controversial move toward limiting password sharing, or in a similar vein, Disney adding an ad-supported tier to Disney+, all while WB announces another set of delays for their DC films. On a lighter note, announcements of new projects include a surprising sequel to Will Smith's 'I Am Legend', a reboot of Charlie Cox's 'Daredevil' on Disney+, a sequel series to ‘Blade Runner 2049’ with Ridley Scott attached at Amazon, and even a 'Sonic' spin-off series starring Idris Elba's Knuckles in the works. All this and so much more on this week's Tower of Babble Podcast!
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ToB Interlude - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Although Shang-Chi as a comic book character may be fairly obscure, the pressure to deliver on a film for the character is immense. Bringing the first Asian lead to MCU is no small feat, and the path is laid with many traps, but Feige and team were undeterred, and managed to deliver yet another winner. The film is fast, fun, and the action is stunningly choreographed, all of which is executed with precision and style. The fight scenes, which are heightened by amazing scores, are worth the price of admission alone. But most of all, ‘Shang-Chi’ tells a compelling story about family and what it means to grow up, all while mixing in the fantastical. It feels right at home in the MC.
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