The Baby Bunch
The MCU takes its First Steps into Phase Six by bringing comic's premiere family, The Fantastic Four, back into the fold. But was newborn Franklin also mutated by the cosmic storm that stretched the talents of Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), disappeared Vanessa Kirby (The Crown), got Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear) rock hard, and made Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) so hot? And how well does Silver Surfer Julia Garner (Ozark) herald the arrival of big boss Galactus (Ralph Ineson)? Hear “The Terrific Trio” of Arnie, Justin, and Stuart break it all down for you now!
--------
2:03:24
--------
2:03:24
Thunderbolts*
What About Bob?
Marvel Studios turns to treacherous CIA director Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld) to help them identify New Avengers to replace their most iconic superheroes, and carry the franchise forward. But will longtime MCU fans buy a ticket (or even a box of Wheaties) for a ragtag assembly of antiheroes known as the Thunderbolts? Listen Now to find out if former Black Widow Florence Pugh, her drunken surrogate father David Harbour, newly elected Congressman Sebastian Stan, bitter super soldier Wyatt Russell, and barely there Hannah John-Kamen can pull it off.
--------
1:43:45
--------
1:43:45
Superman (2025)
At last, I finally understand the dangers of investing in Krypto
Director James Gunn leaves Guardians of the Galaxy behind to launch DC Studios, starting with the 2025 resurrection of Superman. But can David Corenswet be a Man of Steel to Metropolis after Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) smears his good name in a social media campaign that questions why dad Bradley Cooper sent him to Earth? And is the narrative even harder to control when reporter-girlfriend Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) challenges the way “Big Blue” protects foreign countries from invasion? Get the full scoop as the Now Playing Gang reunites.
--------
1:53:08
--------
1:53:08
Species: The Awakening
Chariots of Desire
Now Playing Podcast closes out the Species retrospective with The Awakening, a made-for-Sci-Fi Channel entry that trades franchise continuity for a new setting, new characters, and the same familiar formula. Set in Mexico, this fourth installment brings in Chariots of Fire’s Ben Cross and Star Trek: Enterprise’s Dominic Keating but can they add class to this low-budget fourquel? Join Now Playing Podcast’s hosts as they dissect the final chapter in a franchise that refuses to die quietly.
--------
1:25:48
--------
1:25:48
Species III
College hook-up culture meets the world’s worst grad school project.
Natasha Henstridge cashed a big check for a tiny role in Species III, a bargain-bin sequel that trades theaters for dorm rooms and solid science for sci-fi nonsense. Sil’s alien legacy lives on through her daughter, but with less money to burn, things get even dumber. There’s still plenty of aliens, skin, and bad choices to go around. Join Now Playing Podcast as we dissect how this straight-to-Sci-Fi Channel sequel keeps the Species name twitching.
Three playful movie reviewers break down a wide variety of film franchises by dedicating a podcast to every single sequel, remake, reboot, and spin-off in a series. Conversations are in-depth and cover production history, literary sources, gossip, merchandising, and good old fashioned personal opinion with loads of humor and critical insight. No cinematic universe is too obscure or sacred!