The Recap: Entertainment News for the week of /22 – 7/27

During SDCC 2024, The Penguin panel brought the house down with an impressive new trailer for the upcoming Batman series, along with confirmation of a September 19, 2024 premier date on HBO/Max.

Starring Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb (aka “The Penguin”), the eight-episode DC Studios limited series continues filmmaker Matt Reeves’ The Batman epic crime saga that began with Warner Bros. Pictures’ global blockbuster “The Batman.” Developed by showrunner Lauren LeFranc, the series centers on the character played by Farrell in the film.

Dark Horse Direct opened up pre-orders for their new limited edition (only 1,000) bust, featuring Ellie and her iconic switchblade from The Last of Us.

Remaining silent as she maneuvers through a dangerous landscape, Ellie clutches her signature switchblade, standing 7.5” tall on a 3.5” base. Sculpted by Mat Brouillard with prototyping and paint by Substance Model Works, this polyresin bust includes a Certificate of Authenticity as well as hand-numbered base art.

Lionsgate brought the long-gestating The Crow reboot to SDCC 2024, revealing a new poster and the first clip from the upcoming film.

Soulmates Eric (Skarsgård) and Shelly (FKA twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right.

During SDCC, Hasbro revealed a new Star Wars Black Series release that will be exclusive to their own Pulse Con event later this year. Tapping back into The Phantom Menace 25th anniversary, this release (and packaging style) brings the nostalgia in full force. This Pulse Con exclusive will be available during the event this Fall for $50.

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES features 6-inch action figures, vehicles, and roleplay items from the 40-plus-year legacy of the STAR WARSGalaxy, letting fans create galactic scenes with a faithfulness to STAR WARScomic books, movies, and series. This STAR WARSset is detailed to look like a STAP & Battle Droid from STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE. Pose the figure and vehicle on your shelf with the included stand or with the window box packaging that celebrates 25 years of the film. Comes with 3 accessories, including a removable backpack and back antenna.

The upcoming multiplayer mech shooter, Mecha BREAK, is getting it’s first open beta (for PC players) early next month: from August 10 to August 13, 2024. The primary focus of the test will be on the 6v6 mode, and players can get pre-registered for it over on the game’s official site.

As proof we’re living in the end of days, Variety revealed this week Michael Bay himself in early development on a film/potential TV series about Skibidi Toilet. Development is super early and pretty much still “in talks” so we shouldn’t panic just yet.

During SDCC, NetherRealm and WB Games revealed Mortal Kombat 1: Choas Reigns. The expansion will bring an all new storyline to the game, along with a host of new kombatants, including the T-1000 and Ghostface. Even better (depending on your nostalgia for them), Chaos Reigns is bringing back Animalities! The Chaos Reigns expansion arrives on September 24, 2024.

After repelling the invaders who endangered Fire God Liu Kang’s New Era of peace, Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns expands the story campaign with an all-new cinematic narrative. When a perilous threat arrives from an alternate timeline, led by the ruthless Titan Havik whose sole mission is to throw the realms into khaos, Liu Kang must rally his champions and put faith in his enemies to defeat this grave danger. If they fail, the New Era will be reduced to anarchy.

 

Adding to the growing roster of playable fighters, Kombat Pack 2 features returning kombatants Noob Saibot, voiced by Kaiji Tang; Cyrax, voiced by Enuka Okuma; and Sektor, voiced by Erika Ishii, all with unique backstories as part of the reimagined Mortal Kombat 1 Universe. As Sub-Zero, Bi-Han was the Lin Kuei’s ruthless Grandmaster, but his soul was stolen by Titan Havik to create the perfect henchman, Noob Saibot, who is now dedicated to fomenting anarchy. Born into the Zaki, one of the Lin Kuei’s many sub-clans, Cyrax became a martial arts prodigy with an independent streak and untamed desire to serve the clan on her terms, or not at all. Growing up immersed in Lin Kuei culture under the tutelage of her parents, Sektor becomes a master armorer, skilled warrior, and Sub-Zero’s most trusted lieutenant, committed to advancing the clan’s future at all costs.

 

Kombat Pack 2 also brings a new batch of guest fighters into the mix with Ghostface, the recurring identity donned by antagonists from the Scream horror movie franchise, voiced by Roger L. Jackson; T-1000, the liquid metal-based Terminator and deadly cybernetic assassin from the Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) film featuring the voice and likeness of actor Robert Patrick; and Conan the Barbarian, the towering warrior from the Conan the Barbarian (1982) film featuring the likeness of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony also gave audiences their first look at Peacock’s upcoming series, The Day of the Jackal. Starry Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch, the series kicks off on November 7, 2024.

An unrivaled and highly elusive lone assassin, the Jackal, (Eddie Redmayne) makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. But following his latest kill, he meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer (Lashana Lynch) who starts to track down the Jackal in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving destruction in its wake.

Hopefully this helps you get caught up on the news you may have missed. Of course, SDCC is still going on and we’ve got lots of Marvel news to share as well. Keep it here on Cinelinx for all the updates!