PETA Needs Therapy

We break down James Gunn's Superman coming to VOD early, new Star Trek games, Kumail Nanjiani's revelations about what would have been for Eternals, and remember the legacy of Terrence Stamp who passed away at 87.

• Superman hitting VOD on Friday, with James Gunn explaining the release is timed to coincide with Peacemaker season 2
• John Cena confirming Peacemaker season 2 will continue the DCU narrative throughline
• Two new Star Trek games announced: Star Trek Voyager Across the Unknown (survival game) and Star Trek Infection (VR horror experience)
• Kumail Nanjiani revealing he signed for six Marvel movies, a video game, and a theme park ride for his Eternals character
• Doctor Who confirmed to stay on BBC despite declining ratings, with the upcoming "War Between Land and Sea" spin-off
• PETA's controversial request to remove the nose ring from Cow character in Mario Kart World
• HBO's Harry Potter adaptation casting nearly complete, set to launch in 2027
• Terrence Stamp's passing at 87, remembering his iconic roles from Billy Budd to General Zod

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome and Introduction
• 1:32 DC News: Superman Coming to VOD
• 4:16 Star Trek: New Games Announced
• 9:42 Marvel: Eternals' Unrealized Future
• 13:08 Doctor Who and Gaming News
• 23:05 Remembering Terrence Stamp

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Tonight, superman comes to VOD early, star Trek has new games, nijani reveals what would have been eternally, and we remember Terrence Stamp. All that and more in this edition of Multiverse Tonight. Welcome to Multiverse Tonight, your source for geek news. We dissect films, games, comics and much more, bringing you insightful commentary on pop culture. This is Multiverse Tonight. Now here's your host, thomas Townley.

Speaker 1: 0:33

Well, hello and welcome to episode 247 of Multiverse Tonight. I'm, of course, your host, thomas Townley. And well, I just got back from the dentist. Everything checks out. I have a little chip in my bottom, on my front tooth here, that I'm going to have to get fixed, but other than that, I'm fine and my diet's working out well. Well, I actually have lost a few pounds from this diet. So you know, everything's going fairly well right now.

Speaker 1: 1:08

But other than that, let's go on to the DC Comics News, and DC News begins with James Gunn's Superman. It's set for a digital release this Friday, a swift virtual arrival that the director attributes to the upcoming second season of Peacemaker. Now the DCU film, which premiered in theaters on July 11th, will be likely to be available to buy or rent on platforms like Amazon Prime, apple TV and Fandango at home just over a month after its theatrical debut and Gunn explained to StreamingRantcom that the rapid streaming release was driven by the timing of Peacemaker season two saying quote Well, it's very complicated but the truth is because of Peacemaker, he had initially expected Peacemaker to launch next month. Due to a lot of things that were beyond their control, peacemaker is now being released sooner, prompting Gunn to ensure that quote everyone to be able to see Superman that wanted to, even those people who couldn't get to a theater before Peacemaker. At the New York premiere of the DCU series, gunn informed the Hollywood Reporter that his David Cornswet-led superhero movie quote leads directly into Peacemaker and that the second season of the show will, in turn, quote set up all of the rest of the DCU. Now Gunn emphasized the interconnectedness quote set up all of the rest of the DCU. Now Gunn emphasized the interconnectedness quote. Now, regarding expectations for this second season, gunn added quote John Cena, who stars in the show, echoed Gunn's enthusiasm, telling the Hollywood Reporter that season two is quote is about furthering the narrative instead of standalone properties. All the DCU is now connected. As you saw Peacemaker show up in Superman. I think what you see in season two is just a forward to that narrative, that whole DCU through line. It takes the 11th Street kids through their next adventure, but it also has a lot to do with the DCU going forward. Unquote. Yeah, and I've seen the first episode of Peacemaker. It's good. It's good Even if you missed, even if you don't watch the first season of Peacemaker, you can watch the second season of Peacemaker and be right there, because they start out, of course, with a previously on the DCU tag. So definitely, you know, tune into it.

Speaker 1: 4:16

Warner Brothers recently unveiled details and a trailer for the new Lego Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight video game at Gamescom. The LEGO Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight video game at Gamescom. A Batman, a fan favorite among DC Comics characters, is finally receiving the full LEGO video game treatment. This new open-world action-adventure game will immerse players in the Batman universe, compiling iconic moments from comics, video games, tv shows and films. The trailer highlights pivotal scenes from Batman films, including Bruce Wayne's training reminiscent of Batman Begins, a confrontation with the Joker, the Dark Knight and the glimpse of the Penguin from the Penguin from the Batman. Furthermore, batman's combat and gadget usage in the trailer echoed the popular Batman Arkham series. According to the official synopsis quote Lego Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight invites players on Bruce Wayne's epic journey to become the hero of Gotham City. Inspired by decades of Batman films, television, comic books and games, and jam-packed with Batman nostalgia, dc lore and TT Games' signature brand of fun-filled Lego humor, unquote.

Speaker 1: 5:21

Now, lego games have consistently been popular as fans. A recent example of a successful open-world LEGO title featuring beat-em-up action was the LEGO Star Wars the Skywalker Saga game released back in 2022. And it is a great game. I still pick that up every once in a while just to find different characters that I haven't found yet. Find different characters that I haven't found yet. But that said, let's go on to the Star Trek news.

Speaker 1: 5:54

Star Trek news begins with Daedalic Entertainment announcing Star Trek Voyager across the unknown at Gamescom. This was held in Cologne, germany. Now this story-driven survival game puts players in the role of the captain of the USS Voyager, after the ship has flung 70,000 light-years from the Alpha Quadrant to the uncharted Delta Quadrant. Now players must repair the ship, acquire and manage resources and embark on away missions to explore the Delta Quadrant and find a way home Across the Unknown. Allows players to rebuild Voyager's internal systems, research ways to adapt Delta Quadrant and find a way home Across the Unknown allows players to rebuild Voyager's internal systems, research ways to adapt Delta Quadrant technology for the journey and manage crew morale, even incorporating Borg technology if players dare. The game features key decisions inspired by the TV series, now ship combat, team management for away missions and ship duties, and roguelike elements to test how long players can lead Voyager. Now, while the Star Trek franchise has often struggled with video game adaptations across the unknown show's incredible potential, it masterfully combines a below Star Trek premise one the show itself often strained to fully explore due to its episodic nature with engaging video game mechanics. Players will face tough decisions and manage complex systems, with combat encounters as an option. Star Trek Voyager Across the Unknown will be available on PC in the future, allowing players to truly embody Voyager's captain. The game is currently able to wishlist on Steam, but the release date has not been announced.

Speaker 1: 7:24

Also from Gamescom in Germany, a surprise Star Trek VR game, star Trek Infection, was announced. This full-body narrative survival experience is set to launch later this year on MetaQuest and SteamVR. The announcement trailer for Star Trek Infection invites players into an unsettling world. The story is that players assume the role of a Vulcan Starfleet officer on a special mission aboard the USS Lumen. The ship is deserted and an unknown entity has infested it, now residing within the player's body.

Speaker 1: 7:59

This infection causes physical mutations, granting dangerous new abilities, but at the cost of sanity and renowned Vulcan composure. The goal is to explore the USS Lumen, fight or embrace the infection and confront both the darkness within the ship and within oneself. The key features tend to your VR body utilizing a medical tricord to monitor your condition, treating the infection with a hypospray or embracing the mutations. You meld with dangerous DNA, manage or exploit mutations to unlock powerful yet unstable abilities. You face the horrors in your mind as a rational and disciplined Vulcan. Players must contend with faltering sanity as something on board learns and exploits their fears. Set phasers to stun and scan for life. Use a phaser stealth or the Vulcan Nerve Pinch to handle threats. The Tricorder can be used to scan for dangers and locate vital resources. You will interact with the ship using VR hands, crafting essential tools and weapons for survival. Star Trek Infections developed by Broken Mirror Games and played with Fire.

Speaker 1: 9:02

The visions of Bloober Team, a Polish publisher known for horror titles such as the Blair Witch, layers of Fear and the Silent Hill 2 remake. More details are expected as the release date approaches. Now let's go on to the Marvel news. Marvel News begins with. Marvel News begins with.

Speaker 1: 9:44

While Marvel Studios had significant plans for the Eternals prior to its release, new details have emerged about what could have been. Kamil Nanjiani, who played Kingo, recently disclosed the extensive scope of his contract, which included future video game, future film appearances, a potential video game and even a theme park ride. Nanjiani shared these insights with a guest on the Working it Out podcast, with fellow comedian Mike Birbiglia. He revealed that he is currently developing stand-up material about his external experience, noting that the project ultimately led him to therapy and a re-evaluation of his approach to work.

Speaker 1: 10:18

Quote I was in this movie that was like a big movie and it came out right after COVID. I had a year and a half at home to be just like, oh, when this thing comes out. And it came out and it got really bad reviews and it didn't go do that well, it shattered me too much and that's why I was like, oh, I need to go like go to therapy to figure this out. Nanjiani also readily admitted quote it's a movie called Eternals, you know big Marvel movie. I was like, oh, this is going to be my job for the next 10 years. I signed on for six movies, I signed on for a video game, I signed on for a theme park ride. They make you sign up for all this stuff, and so you're like, oh, this is the next 10 years of my life, so I'll be doing Marvel movies every year, and then in between I'd like to do my own little things, whatever I want to do. And then none of that happened unquote.

Speaker 1: 11:09

So what was the plan for the Eternals? The revelation that Nanjiani expected to appear in six movies did, with a decade, spark considerable speculation. Marvel might have had a clear vision for the team's future appearances and their integration into the MCU. However, it's also plausible that they aim to secure as many movie appearances as possible from the outset to avoid costly contract renegotiations, a challenge that's been seen with stars like Robert Downey Jr. Now he is keeping hope that he might one day return to the Marvel Universe.

Speaker 1: 11:45

Despite its critical reception, eternals was a commercial success, especially considering its release amidst the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on movie theaters. The film's eventual shelving by Marvel was primarily the result of negative fan and critic reactions. Critics argued that the movie reintroduced too many new concepts too quickly, contrasting sharply with the gradual build-up to the Avengers crossovers in previous films. Nevertheless, the directing and performances in Eternals garnered praise and even won notable awards. And if you haven't seen Eternals, sit down, pull up Disney+, watch it. It's, you know, a good movie. I actually went out to a theater to see it, so you know it is not that bad. It's all lengthy, I think you know, because they have a lot of exposition about these characters and their life story, but you know it's worth watching. Anyway, let's go on to the geek news.

Speaker 1: 13:08

Season 15 of Doctor who concluded with Gatwa, the Kootie Gatwa, regenerating into Billy Piper's Rose Tyler. This set the stage for the upcoming spin-off series, the War Between the Land and the Sea, produced by Bad Wolf. Now, despite recent viewing figures, bbc's director of scripted, lindsay Salt, reaffirmed the corporation's commitment to Doctor who, knowing it's continued popularity with young audiences. Similarly, philips, speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, assured fans that Doctor who is going nowhere. Disney has been a great partnership and it continues with the War Between the Land and the Sea next year. But going forward, with or without Disney, doctor who will still be on the BBC. The TARDIS is going nowhere, however.

Speaker 1: 13:53

An analysis of official seven-day viewing figures for season 15 by Deadlinecom painted a concerning picture. The show averaged 3.2 million viewers across its eight episodes, a decline of half a million viewers from Gotwa's debut season last year. The decline is even more pronounced when compared to Jodie Whittaker's final season, as the time lowered in 2021, which averaged 4.9 million viewers, representing a 1.7 million viewer decline. Now these figures, sourced from Barb, the UK's official ratings body, included an on-demand and streaming viewing on televisions, but did not encompass the full viewing landscape. While broadcasters and streamers typically prefer more comprehensive 28-day figures, the seven-day trend strongly suggests a continuing decline in Doctor who's overall ratings. So you know, just expect more Doctor who, don't worry about the numbers. Bbc, this is a cash cow. Still, you know. All they have to do is just, you know, tweak it, change direction and they'll be fine.

Speaker 1: 14:59

Peta, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals I hate this story recently contacted Nintendo president Shintaro Furukawa to express concern over the depiction of the character Cow in Mario Kart World, which was released in June on the Switch. 2. Bartlett, peta's SVP of marketing and engagement, wrote a letter requesting the removal of the nose ring from the character. Bartlett stated that PETA was delighted by cow's popularity but troubled by the nose ring, which they believed quote glosses over real-world violence and cruelty to animals. Unquote the letter emphasized that nose rings are crudely stabbed through the sense of septum of cows and bulls in the meat and dairy industry, causing lasting pain and discomfort and even drag animals to their deaths. Now PETA urged Nintendo to quote show empathy towards bovines by removing the nose ring, allowing cows to race freely without any painful reminders of the industries that treat animals like profit-making machines. The letter concluded with a plea to leave the rings to Sonic and let Cow breathe free.

Speaker 1: 16:08

Fans of the game, however, largely dismissed PETA's complaint on social media. One user commented the hell. Is PETA of all organizations telling them this now? The Moo Moo Cow has always had a nose ring in the Mario Kart universe and it's not even a real animal. Another question does PETA have anything better to do with their time than complain about the Mario Kart World cow design? Like, maybe get companies to treat their actual livestock better before you ask Nintendo to change a fictional cow? A humorous response to a headline read Breaking news Mario Kart World was called for PETA to remove the stick from their paid-to-play arse. Now, this is not PETA's first grievance with Nintendo. They have previously criticized Animal Crossing, new Horizons for its fishing and bug-catching elements, and have released parody games such as Mario Kills, tanooki and Pokemon Black and Blue. Yeah, um, it's hard to get people on your side when you're going after fictional creatures. Beta, stick the real ones, leave fictional characters alone. It doesn't breathe. It's insanity.

Speaker 1: 17:18

Anyway, the awards for the 2025 Astounding Lodestar and Hugo Awards were given out at the Seattle Worldcon this year, and there's some interesting winners here. A War of Words by Marie Brennan got Best Poem. Best Fan Artist was Sarah Felix. Best Fanzine was Black Nerd Problems Editors William Evans and Omar Holman. Best Professional Artist was Alyssa Wynandz. Best Game or Interactive Work was Caves of Quid by Freehold Games. Best Dramatic Presentation Short Form went to Star Trek Lower Decks for the new Next Generation, and Best Dramatic Presentation Long Form went to Dune Part 2. Best Story or Comic Book went to Star Trek Lower Decks, warp your Own Way and Best Series was Between Earth and Sky by Rebecca Roanhorse. And Best Novel went to the Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. If you want to look up these awards, go to seattlein2025.org and look for yourself.

Speaker 1: 18:44

The upcoming HBO adaptation of Harry Potter, set to launch in 2027, has almost completed its casting, with many key roles now filled. The latest additions include most of the Weasley children, a family integral to the books and original films. The mischievous Fred Weasley will be played by Tristan Harland, while Gabriel Harland takes the role of George Weasley. Rory Spooner was cast as Percy Weasley and Gracie Cochran as Ginny Weasley. These actors join Alistair Stout, who will play Ron Weasley, harry's best friend. Other confirmed main characters include Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter himself, arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, katherine Parkinson as the Weasley Monarch, molly and Arthur and Brother Charlie have yet to be cast. Papa Usuidu is set to play Potions Master Snape, john Lithgow will be Headmaster, albus Dumbledore, janet McTeer will be Minerva McGonagall and Nick Frost is cast as Rubius Hagrid. The series is written and executive produced by Francesca Gardner. Mark Molloy will also executive produce and direct multiple episodes. Executive producers include JK Rowling, neil Blair and Ruth Kinley-Lutz of Bronte Films and TV, alongside Dave Heyman of Heyday Films. The show is a collaboration between HBO, bronte Films and TV and Warner Bros Television.

Speaker 1: 20:17

Prime Video's limited series Blade Runner 2099, a sequel to the 2017 film Blade Runner 2049, is set to premiere in 2026. The updated timeline was announced by Laura Lancaster, head of USSVOD TV Development Series Productions at Amazon MGM Studios. An internal memo that included exact promotions for Kara Smith and Tom Leiber. The series, which stars Michelle Yeoh, was greenlit in September of 2022. Its debut, initially anticipated for late 2025 or early 2026, was delayed by nearly a year due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes. Blade Runner 2099 is currently in post-production.

Speaker 1: 20:57

Warner Bros Pictures and Warner Bros Pictures Animation have rescheduled the release of the Cat in the Hat from February 27, 2026 to November 6, 2026. This film marks the first production under the relaunched Warner Bros Pictures Animation banner, led by Bill Domaski, written by Alessandro Carloni and Erika Reveneau. The animated adaptation of the beloved children's book was ready for its original February release. However, the studio opted for a pre-holiday November release, a slot already reserved for an event film. To maximize global reach, november has been a successful month for family event franchises like Harry Potter, home Alone, frozen, the Grinch, wreck-it Ralph and Trolls.

Speaker 1: 21:43

The previous live action adaptation of the Cat in the Hat, starring Mike Myers, premiered on November 21, 2003, earning $38.3 million domestically and ultimately grossing $101.1 million in North America and $134 million worldwide. The voice cast for the film includes Bill Hader as a titular character, alongside Chical Gomez, matt Berry, quinta Brunson, paula Pell, tiago Martinez, giancarlo Esposito, america Ferreira, bowen Yang and Titus Burgess, daniela Moscato and Jared Stern are producing, with Susan Brandt and Bill Haderader serving as exec producers. Warner Brothers Animation is co -producing with Dr Seuss Enterprises and DNEG Animation is the animation studio partner. The move shifts the cat and the hat away from Scream 7 and into a new corridor that currently lacks major studio releases. Disney has an untitled film on hold for the same November 6, 2026. Date For next February. Warner Bros will release Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elrondi on February 13, 2026. And finally tonight, terrence Stamp, the magnetic British actor known for his diverse film roles, passed away on Sunday at the age of 87. His family confirmed his death but did not disclose the location or cause.

Speaker 1: 23:10

Stamp's career spanned decades marked by a range of memorable appearances. He first gained widespread attention at 24 in Billy Budd in 1962, a film based on Herman Melville's novella. His portrayal of the naive 18th century merchant, seaman Gron, earned him an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer. Critics highlighted his heartbreak blue eyes and tousled blonde hair, which became synonymous with his character's frequent provocations. Three years later, stamp transformed his image to play a dark-haired psychopath in the Collector, 1965. His startling blue eyes, once seen as innocent, became terrifying. Judith Christ of the New York Herald Tribune praised his brilliance in its gauge of madness, and he received the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for the performance In Far Away from the Maddening Crowd, 1967, based on the Thomas Hardy novel. Stamp sported a sinister black mustache as the sadistic Sergeant Troy. While reviews were mixed, roger Ebert called his performance subtly vile. A writer for the Guardian in 2015 remarked that Stamp displayed an animation and conviction in this role that he never equaled elsewhere.

Speaker 1: 24:23

After a nearly decade-long hiatus, stamp returned to acting as a character actor this time. His powerful entrance in Superman II 1980, crashing through the White House roof, reintroduced him to audiences. He played General Zod, an alien supervillain with a burning desire to rule the world, a role he held briefly in the first Superman movie. Stamp also continued to have a busy career for the next half century. One of his most noble roles was Bernadette, a middle-aged transgender nightclub entertainer in the Adventures of Priscilla, queen of the Desert, in 1994. He adopted a new on-screen look, complete with dangly earrings, a gracious blonde pageboy and subtle makeup. In a 2019 Reuters interview, he explains his connection to the role stating quote I've got a kind of more developed feminine side of my nature, so it was a chance to knowingly explore that unquote. He also reflected on an experience of to be born into the wrong body and born into a body that wasn't the same as one's emotions.

Speaker 1: 25:23

Born Terence Henry Stamp on July 22, 1938 in London, he was one of five children of Thomas Stamp, a tugboat stoker, and Ethel Stamp. Growing up in the low-income East End, stamp recalled modest career change, with suggestions like bricklaying or a Woolworths manager. Despite working at advertising agencies after school, he secretly pursued acting lessons at the Weber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. While Billy Budd is often cited as his debut Term of Trial, where he appeared alongside, laurence Olivier, was released a month earlier in England. Stamp had a brief and unsuccessful Broadway experience, playing the title role in Alfie in 1964, which closed after three weeks, and he later turned down the same role in the 1966 film version which went to his flatmate Michael Caine, launching Caine's Stardom. Other noble roles in the 60s include a cockney sidekick in Modesty Blaze, a sensitive working-class guy in Ken Loach's Poor Cow and a mysterious stranger in Pier Paolo Pasolino's Theorem. Federico Fellini also directed him in Spirits of the Dead in 1968. Stamp later moved into an ashram in India and became a swami, citing a lack of acting work despite being in his 30s. About eight years later, he accepted the Superman role, reportedly just to work with Marlon Brando.

Speaker 1: 26:43

Between 1978 and 2019, stamp appeared in over 50 films. He received particular acclaim for his role in Steven Soderbergh's the Limey in 1999, where he played an ex-con seeking revenge. His diverse filmography also included Legal Eagles, wall Street, young Guns, alienation and Star Wars Episode I, the Phantom Menace, where he played Chancellor Valorum of the Galactic Republic. In the film Unfinished Song in 2012, he portrayed a gruff pensioner. After being a Superman villain, he later voiced the superhero's noble Kryptonian father in the television series Smallville. His final film was the horror-thriller Last Night in Soho in 2021, whereas Entrance Alone was deemed a masterclass in minimalist menace by a Times review.

Speaker 1: 27:28

In the 1960s, stamps' highly publicized romances included British supermodel Jean Shrimpton and actress Julie Christie. In 2002, at 64, he married 29-year-old Australian pharmacist Elizabeth Rourke. They divorced in 2008. Information on survivors was not available. Reflecting on his life in 2017, stamp told the Telegraph the thing that has been constant is that, from the very beginning, I always seem to be the opposite to everybody else. Turns Stamp, the magnetic British actor, passed away this Sunday at the age of 87. And that brings us to the end of our show for today.

Speaker 1: 28:07

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