Naruto is now celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the anime's original premiere in Japan, and Japan's most famous cosplayer is really going all out for the occasion by taking on Naruto Uzumaki's wildest jutsu, the Sexy Jutsu! Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto franchise has been at its peak this year because while the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations sequel anime and manga has been in the middle of a hiatus, the original Naruto series has made a major comeback to help celebrate the anime's 20th Anniversary. It's got all sorts of projects in the pipeline for the young version of Naruto fans were introduced to all those years ago.

One of the ways that Naruto immediately stood out from all of the other shinobi in the Hidden Leaf Village was not only his status as an outcast, but the fact that he had a very unique take on the transformation jutsus that often caught his opponents by surprise. It's led to one of Naruto's most infamous yet iconic looks overall, and now Japan's most famous cosplay Enako (with over two million followers on Twitter) has shared their take on Naruto's wildest jutsu with some bold cosplay! Check it out below:

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What's Coming for Naruto's 20th Anniversary?

As part of the celebration for Naruto's 20th Anniversary, original Naruto manga creator Masashi Kishimoto briefly returned to the franchise with a new manga one-shot story all about Naruto's father, Minato Namikaze, while he developed the Rasengan technique. This is far from the only celebration for Naruto's anime, however, as the original run of the series is actually returning later this Fall with a special new anime taking the younger Naruto and the rest of the original Team 7 on a new mission.

Kicking off on September 3rd in Japan, Naruto's original anime will be returning for four new episodes in the pre-Shippuden timeline as fans will get to see a higher resolution take on the classic designs after all this time. It's the perfect time to catch up with the original Naruto anime before the new episodes hit as it's now streaming its entire run on both Crunchyroll and Hulu. There's also the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations anime and manga (which will be returning from its latest hiatus soon) if you're itching for more of the franchise's story overall.

What's your favorite Naruto jutsu? Let us know all of your thoughts about it and everything Naruto in the comments!

Jeopardy! Season 39 faced difficulties in its final weeks earlier this year after the Writers Guild of America strike forced series co-host Mayim Bialik to temporarily depart from her duties on the show. Given the strike is still ongoing and there's virtually no end in sight, the long-running trivia show will be reusing questions from earlier seasons in its touchstone 40th season. Not only that, but the series will also bring back previous contestants, with showrunner Michael Davies saying it "it would not be fair to have new contestants making their first appearance on the Alex Trebek Stage, doing it with non-original material" on the latest episode of Inside Jeopardy!.

Furthermore, Davies confirmed Season 40 would us "a combination of material that our WGA writers wrote before the strike, which is still in the database, and material that has been re-deployed from multiple seasons of the show."

Currently set to premiere on September 11th, the series will feature a tournament from contestants who previously lost matches in Season 37. Following that, additional contestants from both Season 37 and Season 38 will be featured.

"We decided that, really, we needed to invite back and give a second chance in general to players who probably thought that their chance to come back and play on the Alex Trebek stage had gone forever," Davies said.

Given Bialik left the show at the onset of the strike, it's likely her co-host Ken Jennings will be handling the majority, if not all, of the tapings for the forceeable future.

Why is the WGA striking?

The WGA strike began at the beginning of May, after the Guild was unable to come to a consensus with representatives from studios. This is the second time that the WGA has gone on strike in fifteen years, after striking for 100 days from 2007 to 2008.

"Though we negotiated intent on making a fair deal -- and though your strike vote gave us the leverage to make some gains -- the studios' responses to our proposals have been wholly insufficient, given the existential crisis writers are facing," the WGA said in a statement on May 1st. "We must now exert the maximum leverage possible to get a fair contract by withholding our labor."

The statement continued: "The WGA Negotiating Committee began this process intent on making a fair deal, but the studios' responses have been wholly insufficient given the existential crisis writers are facing. The companies' behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing. From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a 'day rate' in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership."

Bryan Randall, photographer and the longtime boyfriend/co-parenting partner of actress Sandra Bullock has died at the age of 57 after a private battle with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis).

In a statement from Bryan Randall's family (via PEOPLE), they say the following in his remembrance:

It is with great sadness that we share that on Aug. 5, Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a three-year battle with ALS. Bryan chose early to keep his journey with ALS private and those of us who cared for him did our best to honor his request.

We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses who became our roommates, often sacrificing their own families to be with ours.

At this time we ask for privacy to grieve and to come to terms with the impossibility of saying goodbye to Bryan. --His Loving Family.

Sandra Bullock started a relationship with Bryan Randall in 2015. Bullock had divorced her former husband, motorcycle culture star Jesse James in 2010 while adopting her first child a, son named Louis; she met Randall when he was working as the photographer for Louis's birthday in January of 2015, and went public with the relationship later that year. By the end of 2015, she adopted a three-year-old daughter, Laila; Randall also had a daughter who was regularly in their lives.

While never married, Bullock told Jada Pinkett Smith during a 2021 episode of Red Table Talk that the family she had built with Bryan Randall was everything she ever wanted out of life:

"I found the love of my life. We share two beautiful children- three children, [Randall's] older daughter. It's the best thing ever. I don't wanna say do it like I do it, but I don't need a paper to be a devoted partner and devoted mother."

In the same interview, Bullock spoke highly of Randall as a father and role model, saying; "He's the example that I would want my children to have," and noting how he had come to fit into her life as a complete partner: "He is an example even when I don't agree with him. I'm stubborn but sometimes I need to sit back and listen and go, 'You're saying it differently but we mean exactly the same thing.' It's hard to co-parent because I just want to do it myself."

We send our condolences to Bryan Randall's family, friends, colleagues and fans. His family requested that anyone seeking to honor him do so by making donations to ALS Association and the Massachusetts General Hospital.

Marvel VFX crews have voted to unionize. According to Vulture, a supermajority of more than 50 on-set employees petitioned to be represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) with the National Labor Relations Board. This petition asks for an election for representation with workers asking for the election to be held as early as August 21st of this year. This move is the first time that VFX professionals have come together to demand the same rights, protections, and professional oversight that other segments of the entertainment industry have via union representation. IATSE represents more than 170,000 artisans, technicians, stagehands, craftspeople, and more in television, film, and theater in the U.S. and Canada.

"For almost half a century, workers in the visual-effects industry have been denied the same protections and benefits their coworkers and crewmates have relied upon since the beginning of the Hollywood film industry," VFX organizer for IATSE Mark Patch said in a statement. "This is a historic first step for VFX workers coming together with a collective voice demanding respect for what we do."

This move by Marvel's VFX crew comes on the heels of various reports in the past year of troubling working conditions for crews at the studio, reports that have claimed issues of overworking and underpayment. In January of this year there were reports that VFX artists for the studio were considering pursuing unionization.

"Turnaround times don't apply to us, protected hours don't apply to us, and pay equity doesn't apply to us," VFX coordinator Bella Huffman said. "Visual effects must become a sustainable and safe department for everyone who's suffered far too long and for all newcomers who need to know they won't be exploited."

VFX Workers Are Just the Latest in Entertainment to Unionize

Earlier this year, workers at Sega of America voted in favor of forming a union. Plans were announced by the group back in April, creating the Allied Employees Guild Improving Sega (AEGIS-CWA). At the time, management at Sega of America had declined to voluntarily recognize the union. In a statement from April, Sega QA lead Mohammad Saman talked about the potential improvements for employees.

"By creating our union, AEGIA-CWA, we'll have a say in the decisions that shape our working conditions and ensure the job security and working conditions that we deserve," Saman said in a statement provided to Axios.

Nickelodeon workers also moved to unionize, voting to unionize at the end of 2022. In January it was reported that the company had agreed to work with The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839.

Labor Relations is a Major Ongoing Issue in Hollywood

Marvel VFX workers moving to unionize comes as labor relations continue to be a major ongoing issue in Hollywood and entertainment. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) since May 1st and while talks recently briefly resumed, they quickly stalled due to multiple issues. The actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, has also been on strike since mid-July with the dual strikes effectively resulting in a complete shutdown of Hollywood.

What do you think about Marvel Studios' VFX artists moving to unionize? Let us know in the comment section.

Last month, three retired members of the United States Armed Forced testified before a House Oversight subcommittee regarding UAP or unidentified anomalous phenomena. While under oath, the likes of Ryan Graves, David Grusch, and David Fravor spoke to their experience with UFOs, with Grusch even going the length to say the United State government "absolutely" has nonhuman space craft in its possession. Now, Graves says what he said during the hearing was just the "tip of the iceberg."

Graves, a former pilot in the Air Force, said he personally witnessed a UAP/UFO with no visible means of propulsion nearly 10 years ago. According to the pilot, the craft was able to "remain motionless" amid Category 4 hurricane winds. Furthermore, the craft was able to accelerate at supersonic speeds and operate all day without refueling or charging.

"Today, these same UAP are still being seen; we still don't know what they are; and our government has no idea of the scope of the problem. That's because pilots, both commercial and military, are encountering UAP, and the majority of these cases are going unreported," Graves now says in a new op-ed in Newsweek.

The retired pilot now oversees Americans for Safe Aerospace, a non-profit looking to destigmatize the reporting of UAP and other unidentified craft.

"The majority of UAP witnesses I talk to are commercial pilots at major airlines. Often, they are veterans with decades of flying experience," Graves continued. "Pilots are reporting UAP at altitudes that appear to be above them at 40,000 feet, potentially in low earth orbit or in the grey zone below the Karman line, making inexplicable maneuvers, like right hand turns and retrograde orbits, or j-hooks. Sometimes these reports are recurring, with numerous recent sightings north of Hawaii and the North Atlantic. Our most recent report was from Tuesday."

He added, "Why then is our government turning its back on the UAP reports from credible eyewitnesses who are responsible for the safety of millions and are motivated to protect our national security? If commercial pilots are routinely observing new foreign drones north of Hawaii, why wouldn't we want to track those reports? Why would the FAA not want to assess potential safety of flight implications? Why does our government want to leave open a domain awareness gap that could pose a flight risk and national security risk?"

Though steps have been taken forward by members of Congress through the use of hearings, new reporting procedures have yet to surface. Now that there's been considerable momentum regarding the subject, however, more Congresspeople are turning their eyes to the topic.

For additional space and cosmic stories, check out our ComicBook Invasion hub here.

Natalie Portman (42) has reportedly separated from her husband, French dancer/choreographer Benjamin Millepied (46), after eleven years of marriage. News of Portman's separation is coming just a month after the Thor star and her husband were making scandalous headlines for reports of Millepied having an alleged affair with climate activist Camille ?tienne (25). Portman was recently spotted and photographed on her 11th wedding anniversary without her ring on her finger; she and Millepied have two children together, a son Aleph (12), and daughter Amalia (6).

"After news of his affair came out, they've been trying to work on their marriage but are currently on the outs," a source allegedly told US Magazine.

When rumors of Millepied's affair first broke, a source told the following to US:

"Natalie believes Benjamin's affair was a brief and stupid liaison that means nothing to him," the source said, adding that Natalie was "willing to see if she's capable of rebuilding her trust," so that their children don't "grow up in a broken home."

A second source said that "Right now, they are talking and working on it together for the sake of their children."

Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied first met on the set of Darren Aronofsky's film Black Swan in 2009, in which they both starred. Portman won an Oscar for her performance as Nina Sayers, a mentally-troubled ballet dancer who lands a lead role in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, in the New York City Ballet Company. Millepied played the Prince Siegfried character in the performance, creating an odd mirror to the real-life romance that eventually unfolded between Portman and Millepied. The two were married in 2012. s

"I met my husband on it [Black Swan], so I think I was in, like, dreamland," Portman said of the movie during a SiriusXM interview back in 2018. "He was teaching me to dance. You know, one of those romantic [stories] ... It was definitely exciting and fun. It was beautiful. I don't know about instant. It was like I really got to know him and that was when it seemed like, 'Oh this is the person.'"

Millepied raised eyebrows back in Spring of this year when he responded to a question about collaborating with his wife by saying "We're like two artists with different ambitions and interests." Although Millepied did acknowledge he and Portman were always aware of what the other was working on, and even had a possible collab project coming up, the comment still held an odd undertone that felt validated when rumors of the affair started swirling weeks later. Millepied released a feature-film re-imagining of Carmen starring Melissa Barrera (Scream) and Paul Mescal (The Lost Daughter), and Elsa Patakay (Fast Five) last year; it received mixed reviews, got little exposure, and took in just $565K at the box office.

McDonald's is loving the fact that its brand is making a big featured appearance in Marvel's Loki Season 2. If you haven't (been the one person who hasn't) seen the Loki Season 2 trailer, there is a sequence in it that has really caught on with fans: Loki (Tom Hiddleston) visits a reality where his cohort variant Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) is working in a vintage-style McDonald's restaurant.

The Loki Season 2 McDonald's connection has been teased since filming began on the second season, as fans wondered what could possibly bring the Gods of Mischief to the golden arch.

Well, McDonald's wouldn't give away even a single spoiler to help explain what's going on with Loki Season 2 - but their cryptic teaser certainly got a lot of attention (over 213K reached, and counting...). The teaser features a variety of different TV programs from sitcoms (Seinfeld, The Office) to anime (The Devil Is a Part-Timer!), to classic films (Coming to America, The Fifth Element) which each make mention of McDonald's or some parody of it.

More importantly: The McDonald's ad promises some kind of big surprise opening coming on August 14th - but the opening of what, we do not know. Loki Season 2 won't premiere on Disney+ on October 6th; presumably, McDonald's has some kind of tie-in promotion with the show: could we see a McDonald's meal inspired by Loki?

Right now, Marvel Studios needs whatever creative marketing solutions they can find to promote their new TV shows and movies. The ongoing Writers' and Actors' Strike has shut down pretty much any of the traditional PR/marketing strategies that studios use to promote their works. Cast members cannot do any premieres, talk shows (which are not even running right now anyway), or other promotional events, making it hard to drum up awareness of new film or TV show's arrival. Sponsors like McDonald's may be the go-to avenue for studios' promotional needs in the near future, which will be interesting to measure. If promotional campaigns double as successful marketing campaigns, then actors could see at least one aspect of their job being lost for good.

Loki Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of the shocking season finale when Loki finds himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority. Along with Mobius, Hunter B-15 and a team of new and returning characters, Loki navigates an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous multiverse in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose.

Loki Season 2 will premiere on Disney+ on October 6th.

When The Exorcist, based on the best-selling book by William Peter Blatty, was released, it became a cultural phenomenon, changing horror forever, breaking box office records, and scooping up a shocking 10 Academy Award nominations, becoming the first horror film ever nominated for Best Picture.

Friedkin didn't just redefine horror, though; in 1973, the filmmaker made The French Connection, which remains one of the most acclaimed crime films ever made, and is still discussed for its iconic car chases. Over the years, he would make a wide variety of films, from mainstream popcorn fare to TV to arthouse movies, and later in life lamented the way that the superhero takeover of the box office had limited the types of movies that were able to get theatrical distribution.

In the 1970s, he also made the acclaimed thriller To Live and Die in L.A., and while he didn't direct as regularly for about a decade after that, his name is now associated with everything from Blue Chips and Killer Joe to TV shows like Tales From the Crypt and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Early in his career, before becoming a household name for cinemaphiles, Friedkin actually did a good deal of TV, himself estimating he made hundreds or even thousands of hours of content for the small screen. His documentary The People vs. Paul Crump helped elevate the profile of a famous murder case. Crump was convicted for killing a security guard during the armed robbery of a Chicago meatpacking plant in 1953, but later converted to Christianity in prison and became a model prisoner. He wrote a fictionalized version of his life as the novel Burn, Killer, Burn, after which his cause was taken up by anti-death penalty activists in the 1960s. They argued that if the real intent of incarceration was to reform, rather than punish, Crump had proven himself reformed. Ironically, the Friedkin documentary was never aired, although a few years later, there would be another -- The Chair -- that was part of the process that eventually got Crump a commutation of his death sentence.

Friedkin is survived by his children, Jackson and Cedric Friedkin, as well as his wife, film executive Sherry Lansing. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, collaborators, and fans.

Just days after NASA lost contact with Voyager 2, the space agency reconnected with the interstellar spacecraft. Friday, NASA officials revealed they'd officially reestablished a connection with the craft, which successfully returned transmitted data to officials with the Voyager mission.

"The agency's Deep Space Network facility in Canberra, Australia, sent the equivalent of an interstellar 'shout' more than 12.3 billion miles (19.9 billion kilometers) to Voyager 2, instructing the spacecraft to reorient itself and turn its antenna back to Earth," NASA wrote in a blog update. "With a one-way light time of 18.5 hours for the command to reach Voyager, it took 37 hours for mission controllers to learn whether the command worked. At 12:29 a.m. EDT on Aug. 4, the spacecraft began returning science and telemetry data, indicating it is operating normally and that it remains on its expected trajectory."

After scheduled maintenance accidentally tilted Voyager 2's antenna too far from Earth in July, NASA said it likely wouldn't be able to "speak" to the craft prior to additional maintenance in October.

"A series of planned commands sent to NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft July 21 inadvertently caused the antenna to point 2 degrees away from Earth. As a result, Voyager 2 is currently unable to receive commands or transmit data back to Earth," a statement from NASA said earlier this month.

"Voyager 2 is programmed to reset its orientation multiple times each year to keep its antenna pointing at Earth; the next reset will occur on Oct. 15, which should enable communication to resume," the statement added. "The mission team expects Voyager 2 to remain on its planned trajectory during the quiet period."

Voyager 2 is roughly 12.3 billion miles from Earth, just under its sibling craft Voyager 1, which is approximately 15 billion miles from the planet.

"[Glitches] happen from time to time," Glen Nagle, Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex outreach manager, said in a new chat with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "It's always interesting when you have a spacecraft which is coming up to its 46th anniversary in a space mission only designed to last 12 years... It is aging and getting farther away from us every single day. We do know we'll lose contact with the spacecraft sometime toward the end of this decade."

For additional space and cosmic stories, check out our ComicBook Invasion hub here.

The Battle of the Billionaires may not happen after all. Despite Elon Musk suggesting he's planning on streaming the fight on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Mark Zuckerberg says the world's richest man hasn't been responsive about a suggested fight date. In a Threads post Sunday evening, Zuckerberg not only said he's ready to fight at a moment's notice, but his prospective opponent hasn't been responsive to his suggestions.

"I'm ready today. I suggested Aug 26 when he first challenged, but he hasn't confirmed. Not holding my breath," Zuckerberg said on the new Meta-owned social platform.

Post by @zuck

View on Threads

In a separate post on Threads, Zuckerberg poked fun at the stability of X since Musk took over, responding to one of Musk's Sunday morning tweets in hilarious fashion. "Shouldn't we use a more reliable platform that can actually raise money for charity?" the Facebook executive said in response to Musk's suggestion the fight would be streamed on X.

The Zuckerberg and Musk bout has gained serious traction online, with UFC boss Dana White saying he'd be willing to help promote.

"Just to give some clarification, what he said was Mark Zuckerberg responded with send me location, which is something Khabib Nurmagomedov says when people challenge him. So that's what send me location meant, and I was talking to both Elon and Mark last night. Both guys are absolutely dead serious about this," White told TMZ earlier this summer.

He added, "Because they both said 'yeah, we'll do it' (laughs). They both want to do it. Mark Zuckerberg hit me up and said 'is he serious?' And I said I don't know, let me ask him. I asked him and he said 'I'm dead serious.' And I agree with you Harvey. This would be the biggest fight ever in the history of the world."

The longtime UFC boss says the fight has the potential to be "bigger than anything that's ever been done" and believes it could break any standing pay-per-view records.

"If these guys are serious, I make fights that people want to see. That's what I do for a living. If they really want to do it and they're serious and we can figure it out, figure out a way to pull this off, I would absolutely positively do this", White said. When asked if they would do the fight for charity, White said, "I don't think either one of them need any money. I don't think it would be a money thing for either one of them. They've both talked about what they could raise for charity. It would be a massive number. They both pick a charity they care about, and crazy money."

August may have just begun but don't let the warm weather fool you; summer may technically still be in full swing but fall has unofficially arrived -- at least according to 7-Eleven. The convenience store chain launched their seasonal fall coffee flavors on August 1st, including their Pumpkin Spice Latte, and more fall treats are on the way.

According to Chewboom, available now at 7-Eleven, fans can get the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Pie Coffee, and Pumpkin Syrup. You can check out their descriptions below.

? Pumpkin Spice Latte: Sip on the classic with its seasonal spices atop a creamy pumpkin flavored latte all autumn long.

? Pumpkin Pie Coffee: Upgrade your traditional black coffee with a little bit of pumpkin pie. Pro tip: Try the brand's Pumpkin Somethin' recipe hack by adding a dash of pumpkin spice and two sweet cream-flavored creamer packets to any hot or iced coffee.

? Pumpkin Syrup: Double up on pumpkin by mixing in pumpkin-flavored syrup to your cup of Joe.

As for more fall-oriented items, beginning on August 30th, the Pumpkin Muffin and Apple Cider Donut will be joining the lineup, as well as other apple-flavored items, like the Apple Sack Pie and Apple Danish.

Starbucks is Reportedly Launching Their Fall Menu August 24th

7-Eleven isn't the only brand getting in on the flavor of fall. According to food blogger Markie Devo, Starbucks' fall menu was supposed to launch on Tuesday, August 29th, but has since been updated to Thursday, August 24th. It's said to run through November 1st. The menu will see the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte and the popular Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Apple Crips Oatmilk Macchiato but will also see the addition of the new Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte and new Iced Apple Crips Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. On the snack side of things, the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin is returning, as is the Owl Cake Pop and they will be joined by the Baked Apple Croissant (at warming stores only). It's important to note that this is all just a report at this time; Starbucks has yet to make an official announcement.

In Other Pumpkin Spice News

Starbucks isn't the only brand getting ready for Pumpkin Spice Season. Nestle Toll House recently revealed that they are bringing back two fan-favorite cookies as well as introducing a brand-new seasonal treat. The brand recently announced that not only are both Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough and M&M's Ghoul's Mix Sugar Cookie Dough returning this year, but they are also launching the new Hot Cocoa & Marshmallow Morsels just in time for holiday baking.

Returning for the fall is fan-favorite Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough. The treat is described as a mix of sweet pumpkin spice flavor and premiere White Morsels and is a great way to embrace all things pumpkin spice and kick off the fall season. It's available in 14 oz packages with a suggested retail of $4.40, though price may vary by retailer.

Also returning is the beloved M&M's Ghoul's Mix Sugar Cookie Dough. Just in time for trick or treat season -- though heavy on the "treat" -- the deliciously spooky cookie dough is also returning in 14 oz packages with a suggested retail of $4.40. As for the new offering, this fall, Toll House is putting a new twist on a classic with Hot Cocoa & Marshmallow Morsels. The morsels combine strong, rich hot cocoa and light sweet marshmallow flavor in morsels that are the perfect addition to your baked goods but are just as delicious straight form the bag. They are available in 9 oz packages for a suggested price of $3.79. All three seasonal offerings are set to start rolling out this month.

Will you be trying 7-Eleven's Pumpkin Spice Latte? Let us know in the comments.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is gearing up to come back later this month with the Shibuya Incident arc, and one awesome cosplay is helping Satoru Gojo get ready for what's coming his way! The anime's newest season started out the Summer with a special flashback into a very important time in Gojo's past. The Hidden Inventory and Premature Death arcs from Gege Akutami's original Jujutsu Kaisen manga not only revealing how Suguru Geto ultimately chose his villainous path seen in Jujutsu Kaisen 0, and more importantly, they also help to set up some big reveals coming in the future episodes.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 will be taking a couple of weeks off for a break while the anime gets ready to start the Shibuya Incident arc in full later this month, and Gojo is just one of the major characters in the crosshairs for what's coming. But fans are readying Gojo for the next wave of episodes by taking matters into their own hands with the likes of artist yaizaperezs on TikTok showing off a cool new look for the fan favorite Gojo with some perfect cosplay to celebrate the strongest sorcerer! Check it out:

@yaizaperezs

?Gojo Satoru? #jujutsukaisen #gojousatoru #gojosatorucosplay #gojousatorumakeup #ZoomLento

? ?????? - ?5

Where to Watch Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

If you wanted to catch up with the anime before the Shibuya Incident arc gets started, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is now streaming its episodes exclusively with Crunchyroll along with the first season and Jujutsu Kaisen 0 movie. They begin to tease the first half of the new season as such, "This is the innocent spring that the two strongest lost forever. Itadori Yuji took Ryomen Sukuna into his own body in June 2018. Okkotsu Yuta freed Orimoto Rika from her curse in December 2017. And now it's spring 2006. Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru, two peerless jujutsu sorcerers from Jujutsu High, have been given two missions by Tengen, an immortal known as the cornerstone of the jujutsu community."

The synopsis continues with, "One mission is the escorting and erasure of the 'Star Plasma Vessel', Amanai Riko, the girl chosen as the best match to merge with Tengen. So the two of them set out on their escort mission in order to keep the jujutsu community going, but an assassin calling himself Fushiguro interferes in an attempt to assassinate the Star Plasma Vessel. The pasts of Gojo and Geto, the ones who would later be known as the most powerful jujutsu sorcerer and the most evil curse user, are about to be revealed..."

How are you liking Gojo in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 so far? Let us know all of your thoughts about it and everything anime in the comments!

August has arrived and while summer isn't quite over just yet, the change in the calendar has people looking towards fall. For many across the U.S., August means that school is starting up for the year and we've already seen fall and Halloween decor arriving in shops as well as all things pumpkin spice beginning to make their way back to store shelves -- and it seems that Starbucks' beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte may not be too far behind. A new report suggests that Starbucks will debut its Fall 2023 menu, including the beloved PSL, on August 24th.

According to food blogger Markie Devo, Starbucks' fall menu was supposed to launch on Tuesday, August 29th, but has since been updated to Thursday, August 24th. It's said to run through November 1st. The menu will see the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte and the popular Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Apple Crips Oatmilk Macchiato but will also see the addition of the new Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte and new Iced Apple Crips Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. On the snack side of things, the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin is returning, as is the Owl Cake Pop and they will be joined by the Baked Apple Croissant (at warming stores only). It's important to note that this is all just a report at this time; Starbucks has yet to make an official announcement.

It's also of note that 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. The beloved fall beverage was first offered by the chain in the fall of 2003 after the beverage began development in January of that year following the brand's success with winter seasonal drinks. It quickly became a sensation and remains the brand's most popular seasonal beverage and is credited for starting the pumpkin spice trend which has gone on to expand into virtually every imaginable category -- food and otherwise -- during the fall. In 2015, Starbucks made a change to the original recipe of the drink to remove artificial colors and include real pumpkin.

In Other Pumpkin Spice News

Starbucks isn't the only brand getting ready for Pumpkin Spice Season. Nestle Toll House recently revealed that they are bringing back two fan-favorite cookies as well as introducing a brand-new seasonal treat. The brand recently announced that not only are both Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough and M&M's Ghoul's Mix Sugar Cookie Dough returning this year, but they are also launching the new Hot Cocoa & Marshmallow Morsels just in time for holiday baking.

Returning for the fall is fan-favorite Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough. The treat is described as a mix of sweet pumpkin spice flavor and premiere White Morsels and is a great way to embrace all things pumpkin spice and kick off the fall season. It's available in 14 oz packages with a suggested retail of $4.40, though price may vary by retailer.

Also returning is the beloved M&M's Ghoul's Mix Sugar Cookie Dough. Just in time for trick or treat season -- though heavy on the "treat" -- the deliciously spooky cookie dough is also returning in 14 oz packages with a suggested retail of $4.40. As for the new offering, this fall, Toll House is putting a new twist on a classic with Hot Cocoa & Marshmallow Morsels. The morsels combine strong, rich hot cocoa and light sweet marshmallow flavor in morsels that are the perfect addition to your baked goods but are just as delicious straight form the bag. They are available in 9 oz packages for a suggested price of $3.79. All three seasonal offerings are set to start rolling out this month.

Are you looking forward to the return of Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte? Let us know in the comment section.

Barbie director Greta Gerwig marked a personal milestone last Friday with the filmmaker celebrating her 40th birthday. But a birthday of that magnitude calls for more than just cake and ice cream and that's where Barbie star Ryan Gosling comes in. The movie's official Instagram account shared a video in which Gerwig gets surprised by a flash mob of Kens dancing to "I'm Just Ken" from the film -- as well as a group of Barbies dancing to Dua Lipa's "Dance the Night", all orchestrated by Gosling.

"Ken Ryan sent these special Barbies and Kens to start Greta's birthday with all the feelings!!" the post reads. You can check the video out for yourself below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BARBIE (@barbiethemovie)

Barbie Has Hit $1 Billion at the Box Office

Gerwig has a lot to celebrate for her birthday weekend -- Kenergetic flash mob notwithstanding. On Sunday, the film not only won its third weekend in a row at the box office, but it also officially crossed the $1 billion worldwide threshold at the box office, making Gerwig the first woman to solely direct a billion-dollar grossing film. The Barbie Instagram celebrated the milestone with a new celebration video as well.

"Here's to our incredible Barbies and Kens from all around the world for making our Barbie dreams come true. We're excited to share that #BarbieTheMovie has hit $1 Billion at the Global Box Office. ?," the Barbie movie shared.

Barbie Star Margot Robbie Predicted The Film's Massive Success

In a sense, Barbie's huge success isn't a total surprise. Star Margot Robbie predicted that Barbie had billion-dollar potential in her pitch to the studios.

"I think my pitch in the green-light meeting was the studios have prospered so much when they're brave enough to pair a big idea with a visionary director," Barbie star Margot Robbie previously told Collider. "And then I gave a series of examples like, "dinosaurs and [Steven] Spielberg," that and that, that and that - pretty much naming anything that's been incredible and made a ton of money for the studios over the years. And I was like, "And now you've got Barbie and Greta Gerwig." And I think I told them that it'd make a billion dollars, which maybe I was overselling, but we had a movie to make, okay?!"

In Barbie, to live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you're a Ken. From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig comes Barbie, which hit theaters on July 21st. Barbie stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel.

Barbie is in theaters now.

Dwayne Johnson wants to be in a musical -- at least that's what it sounds like in the Black Adam's comments with Kevin Hart in a new clip from his interview for Season 3 of Hart to Heart. In the conversation, Hart, who starred with Johnson in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level, asks The Rock what else he would like to do in his career which prompted a somewhat surprising answer: musicals.

"Figuring out as we go that works sometimes for guys like you and me. But also, you want to make sure, you are sharp and focused. So, I would say there are things out there that I haven't done. There are genres that I haven't worked in yet, that might include some song, might include some choreography," Johnson said.

Hart cracked that Johnson can't actually dance which might make things a bit interesting, but Johnson had a comeback for that, too.

"Why do you say it like that? As if I can't dance. What are you talking about? I can boogie oogie oogie," Johnson said.

While Hart might not be the only person with some questions about Johnson's dancing ability, fans do know that he can sing. Johnson offered his voice to Maui in Moana and performed his own vocals on the song "You're Welcome".

Johnson Also Commented on Black Adam's Future in the DC Universe

Also, during his conversation with Hart, Johnson commented on Black Adam. A follow up to Black Adam wasn't announced as part of James Gunn and Peter Safran's plans for the new DC Universe, something that saw Johnson forced to exit the role. Johnson told Hart that he feels like Black Adam was caught in a "web of new leadership".

"I think that Black Adam got caught in a vortex of new leadership, and at that time we were creating Black Adam, developing it, shooting Black Adam, getting knocked back down because of COVID, the shutdowns, got back up," Johnson said. "There was so many changes in leadership, and, as you know, anytime you have a company of that size and magnitude that's a publicly traded company, and you have all of those changes in leadership. You have people coming in who, creatively and fiscally, are going to make decisions that you may not agree with."

"So, I think Black Adam was one of those movies that got caught in that web of new leadership, and you know, that will always be one of the biggest mysteries, I think. Not only for me on our end but also throughout our business because that's a Kevin [Hart] question, but that was a question out of Wall Street; that was a question out of Hollywood. Like, 'Wait a second. You had the biggest opening of your career'--sure, no China; that could have been 100, maybe 200 more million dollars. You're establishing a new superhero. You want to grow out the franchise. You bring back Superman and Henry Cavill. The world went crazy, and we also created a diverse superhero movie. We had just men and women of color in Black Adam 2 as well." The Black Adam star added.

Black Adam starred Johnson and also featured Aldis Hodge (Underground, The Invisible Man) as Hawkman, Noah Centineo (To All the Boys I Love Before, Charlie's Angels) as Atom Smasher, Quintessa Swindell (Trinkets, Euphoria) as Cyclone, Sarah Shahi (The L Word, Sex/Life) as Adrianna Tomaz, Pierce Brosnan (GoldenEye, Mamma Mia!) as Doctor Fate, and Sarah Shahi as Adrianna Tomaz. Uli Latukefu, Marwan Kenzari, Mohammed Amer, James Cusati-Moyer, and Bodhi Sabongui also appear in the DC film.

Even though James T. Kirk has been all across the cosmos, the actor behind the pop culture icon isn't that big a believer in extraterrestrial life. In one recent interview, William Shatner called recent UFO claims "ridiculous," suggesting if aliens were in fact on Earth, they wouldn't be hiding from members of the human race.

"You mean, some highly intelligent being goes 10,000 light years with advanced technology, arrives here and hides?" Shatner recently told NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas. "It doesn't make any sense. If they're going to make that journey all the way here, it just beggars the imagination that they would hide and make it, like, 'Peekaboo, I'm here, no I'm not.'"

Shatner went on to double-down on his idea, suggesting if aliens have arrived, they shouldn't (and wouldn't) be afraid to unveil themselves.

"I mean, what could we want more than to realize that there are other life forms in the universe that have the same yearnings," the actor continued. "What's the universe about? What's after death? I mean, the monumental questions would abound, and they would be asking the same questions, but they're not here. If they were, they would make their presence known."

UFOs, UAP, and extraterrestrial life has been in the news increasingly over the past year, with things coming to a head earlier this summer when former Air Force Major David Grusch came forward with a complaint filed with the Intelligence Community Inspector General. In his complain, Grusch suggested the government is in active possession of "non-human" crafts and biologics.

"As I've stated publicly already ... biologics came with some of these recoveries, yeah," Grusch said in response to a question from Rep. Nancy Mace (R-NC). When pressed on if those biologics were human or extraterrestrial, the official confirmed "non-human" biologics are what have been recovered from certain UFO crashes.

Grusch was one of the three witnesses to testify before a subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee in July. Since then, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has said he hopes to introduce legislation that would force defense officials to declassify certain UFO/UAP documents.

"For decades, many Americans have been fascinated by objects mysterious and unexplained and it's long past time they get some answers," Schumer said in a statement released by his office. "The American public has a right to learn about technologies of unknown origins, non-human intelligence, and unexplainable phenomena."

For additional space and cosmic stories, check out our ComicBook Invasion hub here.

Over the weekend, the Barbie movie crossed a major milestone. The Greta Gerwig directed film became the first ever live action film with a solo female director to cross the $1 billion mark at the global box office. With the film only in its third week at the box office, it's anyone's guess just how much further the Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling starring film will go in terms of ticket sales, but the movie has already become a cultural phenomenon that continues to surprise analysts and observers. Simultaneously in another pocket of entertainment and culture, Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour is also well underway and breaking record after record, including the most tickets sold by an artist in a single day during the first day of its U.S. presale last year, and is well on track to be the biggest concert in history with a projected gross of $1.4 billion -- a number that keeps rising as Swift adds more and more dates.

The similarities between Barbie and The Eras Tour aren't just economic, however. Sure, both the film and the tour are billion-dollar juggernauts, but a glimpse at the audience at a Taylor Swift concert this summer looks an awful lot like the audience at a Barbie movie screening as well: massive crowds decked out in pink and glitter and costumes and, frankly, a sense of joy at being absolutely at home and at ease. It's a place where the compliments and the camaraderie flow -- as does the spending -- in a way we've never really seen before. It makes 2023 the Year of the Girl and Hollywood needs to be taking notes.

If You Build It, We Will Come

In very broad strokes, popular media and entertainment isn't about, for, or geared towards women. A look at the top 10 lifetime grossing films at the box office reveals a landscape that is generally considered more masculine: Avengers: Endgame, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, etc. That's not to say that women don't turn up for and enjoy comic book entertainment and Star Wars or even action films because we absolutely do and spend plenty of money on them, but even a glance online at the cultural discourse around these movies will show a landscape that is often lacking in female voice and sometimes, full of outright hostility towards women who try to be part of the conversation. There is frequent narrative inequity in the popular media Hollywood produces, with women's stories rarely being the stuff of big screen blockbusters or, when it is, it's crafted by male voices and male perspective often to serve male stories.

Barbie is an anomaly in that regard. It's a film drenched in pink, centered around a doll that is synonymous with traditional girlhood, directed by a woman, and presented in a way that unabashedly shows the stereotypically feminine aspect of things without shying away from the darker elements of what presenting as female means in this world (not to mention how gender-based inequality hurts women and men as even Gosling's Ken is not immune to pain and struggle in Barbie.) And because the film, on the surface, seems to come from a very gendered place because it's about Barbie, it opens the door for women - both cisgender and transgender women - in particular. When the film first opened, there were numerous anecdotal accounts online of people going to showings where it was just women and girls in the audience -- and nearly all of them dressed in pink or as their favorite Barbie, a pastel and neon-tinged echo of the way comic book fans show up for the latest Marvel film in their superhero t-shirts or, where allowed, cosplays. And men showed up too, something that was reflected in the Barbenheimer phenomenon that saw audiences make an unlikely double feature of Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.

"From Barbie's massive box office opening to Taylor Swift's sold-out Eras tour, 2023 has been a major marketing success to female audiences," Laura Pellegrini, producer and vice president of Rosso Films International, told Newsweek. "In large part, the success stems from the desire to see more films and hear more music that is focused on intelligent and inspiring female stories. When done skillfully, this type of art has the ability to merge both male and female audiences alike, rather than pit them against each other. For example, director Greta Gerwig did not intend Barbie to be an anti-male film; instead, she uses the story to raise thoughtful questions around gender stereotypes. This is why the film has been a success across the board."

The takeaway here is that when given the same space and opportunity as male audiences get regularly, women of every type will show up at the box office in droves and not just once, but for numerous repeated viewings. If you build it -- or in this case, if you make the movie and put it on the big screen -- women will come and they will bring others with them.

Women Want to Spend Their Money on Things That Serve Them

Barbie hitting a billion at the global box office makes it clear that women are willing to shell out the money to see the movie, but Barbie's financial success is just one piece of evidence that the female presenting population is not only willing but excited to spend their money on things that serve them. According to MarketWatch, Taylor Swift fans -- also referred to as Swifties -- spent an average of $1327.74 on The Eras Tour. That sum includes tickets, outfits, travel, food and drink, and merchandise. It's spending power that, along with the impact of the Barbie movie and its related merchandising opportunities that fans are snapping up, is even being cited by some analysts as preventing a recession. That impact might even grow with Beyonce's Renaissance tour kicking off in the U.S. in July as well, because this isn't just a "white" phenomenon. It crosses racial demographics as well. In Sweden, Renaissance may have caused an increase in inflation due to spending according to Axios because the spending -- for Beyonce in this particular example, but also for Swift in the larger view -- goes beyond just the event itself. It's everything that goes with it, creating economic booms in every city impacted by these tours. And, as with Barbie, the primary audience here is female-identifying, coming at a time when a record number of working-age women are employed.

The takeaway? Women across every demographic have the money to spend and if you give them something they want to spend it on, they will and not just on the thing they are targeting -- movie tickets, concert tickets, etc. -- but all of the things surrounding it. For the female consumer, it's bigger than the event; it's the experience.

Women Are Tired of Blending In

Beyond the money, the biggest note Hollywood and culture writ large needs to take away from the Barbie and Taylor Swift 2023 of it all is that women are tired of blending in. They're ready to stand out -- and it's not going to be so easy to put things back in the box at this point. One of the impacts, particularly of the Barbie movie, has been a surge in so-called Barbiecore style: pink, sparkly, anything but subtle. It's an aesthetic shift that has become cultural, starting a movement that is unlikely to stop anytime soon.

"Barbiecore is a fierceness to say, 'I am here, and I'm here for all of these important reasons,'" stylist and author Lauren Rothman told Insider. "I dress a lot of women who are in men's worlds, whether that's in finance or in law, and who are, many times, the only woman in the room, and the woman who holds a lot of power. Traditionally, there's this feeling that you don't always want to be standing out, and that is something that is changing. And I think with Taylor Swift and Barbie, the concept is to say, 'Be you, don't be afraid to stand out. In fact, get creative with glitter, sparkle, have this vibrancy, and use style as an expression to get there.' In the more conservative career paths, we may not see it to that extent, but I do see women saying, 'I don't have to just blend in. I am ready to be seen.'"

Barbie star America Ferrera, however, may have put it a bit better, telling etalk that women in particular are required to grow up too soon and walk away from the things that they love while men are allowed to be children, in a sense, forever -- and the Barbie movie asks people to really look at that and reject that double standard.

"Growing up is about leaving behind childish things, particularly for women," Ferrera said. "Men get to have their man caves and play their video games forever. And women, it's like, 'Toys away, do the chores, grow up.'"

She continued: "That's what really touched me about Gloria as a character. This woman somehow made it to adulthood holding on to the value of play and the value of aspiration and imagination. It's, in a way, counterculture -- that we can be a lot of things at once, that we can be joyful and playful and imaginative and childlike and be a grown woman professional taken seriously."

So, Hollywood and the larger culture, take note; women have made it clear in 2023 that we're an eager audience. We want movies and entertainment made for us at the same level we're used to seeing (and supporting) for men. We have the money to spend and will do so freely, on tickets, on merchandise, and everything in between. And now that we've had a chance to stand out, we're not going to be easily dismissed again. To partially paraphrase Swift, give us back our girlhood.

You might just be surprised what you get in return.

Both Swift and Beyonce are on tour now. Barbie is now in theaters.

If you've ever wanted to become a professional monster hunter, you may now have your chance. Scotland's Loch Ness Centre is looking for "monster hunters" to take part in what's believed to be the biggest search for the Loch Ness Monster in recent history. Using drones capable of taking thermal images of the loch the legendary cryptid is said to live in, the Centre says it's never held a search for Nessie with such modern technology.

"It's our hope to inspire a new generation of Loch Ness enthusiasts and by joining this large scale surface watch, you'll have a real opportunity to personally contribute towards this fascinating mystery that has captivated so many people from around the world," Loch Ness Exploration's Alan McKenna said in a press release.

Set to take place on August 26th and 27th, the Loch Ness Centre is leading a coordinated effort of scouring the lake for any signs of the fabled beast.

"As part of the weekend of activities, the Loch Ness Centre and LNE are looking for volunteers to take part in a giant surface watch of the Loch, keeping an eye out for breaks in the water and any inexplicable movements," the center's statement reads. "Each morning, Alan McKenna from LNE will brief volunteers live from the Loch Ness Centre on what to look out for and how to record findings; each day there will also be a debrief from the reimagined centre to go through the day's findings."

It adds, "Over the weekend, surveying equipment that has never been used on Loch Ness before will be enlisted to uncover the secrets of the mysterious waters. This includes thermal drones to produce thermal images of the water from the air using infrared cameras, as observing heat from above could provide a crucial component for identifying any mysterious anomalies. Finally, a hydrophone will be used to detect acoustic signals under the water, listening for any Nessie-like calls, as well as further technology in the hunt for the truth."

You can read more about the expedition on the Loch Ness Centre website.

One Piece will be ushering in a whole new era for Monkey D. Luffy with his next major transformation, and one awesome cosplay is helping to hype up Gear 5 Luffy's anime debut by bringing it to life in anticipation! The One Piece anime is now in the true climax of the Wano Country arc as after Luffy took his latest loss to Kaido, he was pronounced dead. But this is far from the end of the war across Onigashima as Luffy is only getting started and has started to unlock a brand new transformation before the end of the anime's latest episode.

Gear 5 is such a significantly different transformation for Luffy than any of the previous Gear forms seen previously, and that's why it's been the most anticipated One Piece anime episode of the year overall. With Luffy now reaching this new level of power and bringing the fight against Kaido to its proper end in the coming episodes, artist xeplay_cosplay on TikTok has brought Gear 5 Luffy to life with some awesome cosplay ahead of the new form's big introduction in the One Piece anime! Check it out:

@xeplay_cosplay

Luffy gear 5 ????? #luffy #luffyonepiece #luffygear5 #gear5 #onepiece #onepiececosplay #onepieceluffy #kaido #mugiwara #mugiwaranoluffy

? original sound - visionhaki

How to Watch Gear 5 Luffy in One Piece Anime

One Piece Episode 1071 is titled "Luffy's Peak - Attained! Gear Five" and will officially be streaming with Crunchyroll on Saturday, August 5 at 9PM (as long as schedule permits). Toei Animation's previous promo for One Piece Episode 1071 teases the episode as such, "An amusing heartbeat unleashed! Both his allies and enemies got involved and are astounded. Is that free and flexible power a ridiculous thing or a token of freedom?! Fortune comes in by a merry gate...of Nika. Here comes the Warrior of Liberation who transcends all imagination!"

If you wanted to watch more of One Piece, you can now stream the entire series so far (along with an English dub, specials, and movies) with Crunchyroll. They tease the One Piece anime as such, "Monkey D. Luffy refuses to let anyone or anything stand in the way of his quest to become the king of all pirates. With a course charted for the treacherous waters of the Grand Line and beyond, this is one captain who'll never give up until he's claimed the greatest treasure on Earth: the Legendary One Piece!"

What are you hoping to see from Gear 5 Luffy in the One Piece anime? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments!

A fan-favorite chicken sandwich is returning to Burger King for a limited time. According to Chewboom, the Italian Original Chicken Sandwich is back on the menu at participating Burger King locations nationwide. The price of the sandwich varies by location, with some reports indicating that it costs $5.29 compared to $7.09 for the Italian BK Royal Crispy Chicken sandwich, which is also on the menu.

The Original Italian Chicken Sandwich is a variant of Burger King's popular Original Chicken Sandwich and features a long, lightly breaded chicken patty with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese on a sesame seed bun. The Original Italian Chicken Sandwich was originally introduced as part of the International Chicken Sandwich lineup in 1988 as part of a group of three sandwiches building on the Original Chicken Sandwich, each with different toppings from various international regional cuisines. The original lineup included the Italian sandwich along with the French Chicken Sandwich which featured mayonnaise, ham, and Swiss cheese, as well as and American, which featured mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, and American cheese.

Earlier this year, Burger King launched a new version of its International Original Chicken Sandwich lineup. That lineup included the American, the Italian, and the all-new Mexican Original Chicken Sandwich. The Mexican Original Chicken Sandwich is described as featuring a lightly breaded chicken patty layered with spicy queso sauce and crispy jalapenos on a long sesame seed bun. It's unclear when or if that version of the Original Chicken Sandwich will return to menus.

The return of the Italian Original Chicken Sandwich is just the latest in food news from Burger King. Recently, Burger King Brazil revealed a Barbie-themed meal. The Burger King Barbie Combo includes a cheeseburger topped with bacon bits that is dressed with a pink smoky-flavored sauce that looks like it was made in Barbieland. The combo also includes a pink vanilla milkshake with strawberry Nesquik powder that also comes with a pink frosted donut.

"Barbies from all over Brazil, check out this news that arrived straight from Barbie Land(TM) to our kingdom! ?? It's real, NOW you can come running to BK to try the BK Barbie(TM) Combo," the official account for Burger King Brazil shared. "The Pink Burger with delicious smoky pink sauce, Ken's Potato - which comes in this special shell-shaped packaging - and the Barbie(TM) Donut Shake. No they are not plastic... they are real food and AWESOME! ?Check out that the BK Barbie(TM) Combo and dessert, sold separately, are available from July 12th in all BKs and BK Drives throughout Brazil, and also through BK Delivery. Don't waste time because it's limited edition."

What do you think about the return of the Original Italian Chicken Sandwich? Let us know in the comment section.

Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens passed away this week at the age of 70 following a private, years-long battle with cancer and now, fans are paying tribute to the beloved entertainer by leaving bouquets of flowers outside the South Pasadena home used as a filming location for the film Pee-wee's Big Adventure. According to People, fans have been placing flowers in the white picket fence outside of the Oxley Street home.

The home is currently owned by William Young, who told The New York Post recently that he has no plans to sell the home and intends to move into it himself at some point, calling the home a "blessing" since the Tim Burton film came out in 1985.

Fans Leave Flowers Outside of Real 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure' House After Death of Paul Reubens https://t.co/xJgznon88A

-- People (@people) August 4, 2023

"It's been a blessing since the movie came out in the '80s," he said. "Our house was listed on some sites of famous movie homes and had fans taking selfies in front of the house."

He continued, "It seemed such a long time ago when they filmed outside our house. It was an unknown director Tim Burton [at that time] who worked with Pee-wee for the exterior set. The props in the front yard had [seemed] so strange. Of course, back then we didn't know the character of Pee-wee Herman."

Reubens' passing was confirmed by his rep on Monday on the Pee-wee Herman Official Page on Facebook.

"Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer, and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness. Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit. A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit."

The post also contained a message from Reubens himself thanking his fans and apologizing for his passing as well as keeping the secret of his illness for the past six years.

"Please accept my apology for not going public with what I've been facing the last six years," Reubens wrote. "I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans, and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you," - Paul Reubens.

A note on the post also instructs fans how to honor Paul Reubens: "Paul asked that any expressions of sympathy be made in honor of his late parents, Judy and Milton Reubenfeld, to Stand Up to Cancer or organizations involved in Dementia and Alzheimer's care, support and research."

Paul Reubens was born "Paul Reubenfeld" in Peekskill, New York, in 1952. He grew up in a Jewish family, spending a lot of his time going between New York and Sarasota, Florida, where his parents Judy (a teacher) and Milton Reubenfeld (an auto salesman and combat pilot) owned and operated a lamp store. Paul was the oldest of three siblings, growing up with his younger brother Luke (a dog trainer) and younger sister Abby (an American Civil Liberties Union attorney in Tennessee). He is best known for his character Pee-wee Herman, launching "The Pee-wee Herman Show" in LA's Roxy Theater in the early 1980s where he sold out shows both for adults and for kids. That led to the 1985 feature film Pee-wee's Big Adventure and the CBS series Pee-wee's Playhouse, a live-action children's program starring Reubens which ran from 1986-1991. Reubens also appeared in a number of films as a more serious actor over the years.

The world of The Lord of the Rings has inspired countless adaptations and fan works -- and now, it has officially influenced the world of fish. According to a new study in the Ichthyology & Herpetology journal, scientists have discovered a brand-new species of suckermouth catfish along West Africa's Niger River, which shares some similarities with the franchise's fictional Hobbits. In particular, the fish are seen as "diminutive travelers" who were separated a great distance from their fellow catfish, much like the Hobbits are in J.R.R. Tolkien's stories. As a result, the brown and white fish has now officially been named Chiloglanis frodobagginsi, a reference to protagonist Frodo Baggins. A second "sister" species of suckermouth catfish, the Chiloglanis micropogon, has also been discovered in Liberia.

According to their findings, the C. frodobagginsi is a small- to medium-sized catfish that can range in size from about 0.75 inches long to 1.5 inches long. It is usually medium brown, with light brown spots on its back and a yellow-cream colored front side and face.

It's true! The description of two new species of suckermouth catfishes is out! It has it all. A new species named after a character from the Shire, and a species described from just one specimen!https://t.co/SwjrOVZWwD

Here is Chiloglanis frodobagginsi ! pic.twitter.com/mevU2aw66k

-- Ray Schmidt, PhD (@AFRfreshH2O) August 1, 2023

Who Owns the Lord of the Rings Rights?

Last August, the IP rights for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were purchased by Embracer Group, with plans to extend the franchise even further. Prior to that purchase, Prime Video developed the first season of a television show in the franchise, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which has already been greenlit for a second season. Additionally, Warner Bros. Discovery has announced plans to create new Lord of the Rings movies, which will debut at a later date.

"I am truly excited to have The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, one of the world's most epic fantasy franchises join the Embracer family, opening up more transmedia opportunities including synergies across our global group," said Lars Wingefors, Founder and Group CEO Embracer Group, at the time. "I am thrilled to see what lies in the future for this IP with Freemode and Asmodee as a start within the group. Going forward, we also look forward to collaborating with both existing and new external licensees of our increasingly stronger IP portfolio."

What Will the New Lord of the Rings Movies Be About?

Plot details are currently unknown about the new Lord of the Rings movies, especially with the general story of The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit being told onscreen in films helmed by Peter Jackson. In a recent statement to Deadline, Jackson, as well as his co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, revealed that they are "in the loop" with these new plans.

"Warner Brothers and Embracer have kept us in the loop every step of the way," the Oscar-winning trio said. "We look forward to speaking with them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward."

What do you think of this new Lord of the Rings-inspired fish? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

After starring in Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid over the summer, Halle Bailey is making a splash in a new way. On Friday, Bailey officially released her first solo single, "Angel", as well as an accompanying music video directed by Wendy Morgan. "Angel" marks Bailey's first-ever solo single, after previously having hits in the music world through Chloe x Halle, her duo with her sister Chloe Bailey.

"This song for me is so very special and near and dear to my heart," Bailey said in a statement. "With everything I've gone through the past 3-4 years, suddenly finding myself in this bubble of all these eyes and new opinions, it was easy for me to feel doubt in myself and who I was. This song for me was my climb out of those feelings, a mantra and promise to myself that the work I'm doing here on earth matters and that I matter. I wanted to be able to embrace and be proud of myself and who I am naturally through and through. I hope other brown and black girls and everyone in general feel embraced, respected, and inspired hearing the words of this song."

What Is The Little Mermaid Remake About?

The Little Mermaid follows Ariel, the youngest daughter of the kingdom Atlantica's ruler King Triton, who is fascinated with the human world but mermaids are forbidden to explore it. After saving Prince Eric from a shipwreck and falling in love with, she becomes determined to be with him in the world above water. These actions lead to a confrontation with her father and an encounter with the conniving sea witch Ursula, making a deal with her to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water and impress Eric. However, this ultimately places her life (and her father's crown) in jeopardy.

The Little Mermaid is directed by Rob Marshall (Mary Poppins Returns), with a script from David Magee and Jane Goldman. The cast also includes Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina, Jonah Hauer-King, Javier Bardem, and Melissa McCarthy. The film is expected to feature original songs from the 1989 animated blockbuster, as well as new tracks composed by Alan Menken and Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda.

"This moment means everything to me," Bailey revealed in a recent interview. "I'm so grateful to be here. I just feel really honored, and I'm happy the day has finally come where we can all watch it."

"It means the world to me, this moment," Bailey continued. "Especially for the beautiful babies to be able to see a reflection of themselves. I am just honored to be a part of this, and be one of the princesses now. Because for me, it was Brandi as Cinderella, and Anika Rose as Princess Tiana. So the fact that I'm getting to continue this and live on this kind of legacy is really exciting, and I'm just grateful."

What do you think of Halle Bailey's first solo single? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

The latest meeting between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers has reportedly stalled due to multiple issues. On Friday, a report from Variety revealed that the meeting was held that afternoon in the AMPTP's Sherman Oaks headquarters, and involved WGA chief negotiator Ellen Stutzman and WGA West general counsel Tony Segall. This was the first meeting between the two groups since the strike first began on May 1st. According to the reporting, the biggest issues to remain after the meeting concern episodic television, particularly minimum staffing levels and a guaranteed minimum number of weeks of employement. The AMPTP reportedly still views the WGA's proposals on those topics "non-starters."

The reporting also reveals that the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike, which began last July, is further complicating the negotiations. Reportedly, Stutzman and Segall told the AMPTP that even if a deal is closed with the WGA, the writers will not start work until both strikes are resolved. That being said, sources cited in the report say that both sides expect to continue communicating in the next few days, after communicating with their respective groups.

Why Are the WGA Striking?

The WGA have cited a slew of reasons for the strike, which began on May 1st and has had a domino effect on how the larger industry operates, shutting down countless film and television productions months before the SAG-AFTRA strike led to the stoppage of many others. The union hopes to see improvements in residuals from media streamed online, as well as additional benefits and safeguards against artificial intelligence potentially being used to write stories instead of real writers.

"Though we negotiated intent on making a fair deal -- and though your strike vote gave us the leverage to make some gains -- the studios' responses to our proposals have been wholly insufficient, given the existential crisis writers are facing," the WGA said in a statement on May 1st. "We must now exert the maximum leverage possible to get a fair contract by withholding our labor."

The statement continued: "The WGA Negotiating Committee began this process intent on making a fair deal, but the studios' responses have been wholly insufficient given the existential crisis writers are facing. The companies' behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing. From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a 'day rate' in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership."

What do you think of the latest update regarding the Writers Guild of America strike? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

It's been just over a year since prog-rock band Coheed and Cambria debuted their latest album. 2022's Vaxis - Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind is the tenth album from the fan-favorite group, and which saw several major new Coheed tracks get released. Ahead of the album singles including "The Liars Club," Comatose," Shoulders," and ""Rise, Naianasha (Cut the Cord)" were all released, but another song from Vaxis Act II has been making waves in another way. Speaking with ComicBoook.com in an interview at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, we asked Coheed and Cambria frontman Claudio Sanchez if there's been a track from "A Window of the Waking Mind" that has received some surprise popularity.

"Well, 'Our Love' for one, is a small, like, sort of segue type song. And the way it's being received, it's becoming a favorite amongst the weddings. You know, it's like the first dance song, the coming down the aisle song. And I knew when, when writing the lyrics that it could potentially have that, that pull. Um, but not as much as, uh as we're sort of receiving. But, I think Liar's Club is probably a big one in terms of the energy that the crowd gives off. It's, you know, very much like, it's got an energy that I don't know if I've seen before in the live set."

Previous Coheed and Cambria albums have included softer songs like "Our Love," ranging from "Mother Superior" off 2007's No World for Tomorrow and "2's My Favorite 1" from 2013's The Afterman: Decension, but Coheed songs becoming wedding anthems has previously seldom heard of.

Almost all of Coheed and Cambria's albums fit into a larger tapestry called The Amory Wars, with each album telling a chapter in the expansive sci-fi story, sometimes across different eras. The narrative has been adapted into comic books along the way, with a few prose releases as well, and considering the plethora of characters available it seems like it would be waste to not have action figures of them all. A pair of toys of the characters Coheed and Cambria were released by NECA a few years ago, but Sanchez is still on the hunt for more.

"For a while we've been talking about this," Sanchez added. "We've been talking with NECA, we just met, not met. I just happened to stumble upon some uh friends over at Mondo. We have this broad concept with The Amory Wars. There's so many characters and we're really lucky because our audience both, whether they enjoy the music or not, really have gravitated towards certain characters that are their favorites. You know, we did a cruise a couple of years ago and fans had come dressed up as their favorite characters, whether it was Al the Killer or Gibney, Ambellina."

He continued, "I think there is so much potential for that. For me I think it needs, it's all about price point. I don't want them to be too expensive... You know, I played with the 3.5 inch toys as a kid. I want that. I want like, you know, Star Wars. GI Joe sized and, you know, the cheaper they are, the more you can get. And like, and then the collection looks kind of cool when they're on the shelf."

(Cover Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

James Wan (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, The Conjuring franchise) took to his Instagram account in a since deleted post to reveal that he had a recent medical scare that landed him in the hospital for a few days. In the Instagram story, we see Wan in his hospital bed alongside a vague caption that thanks the hospital staff for taking care of him. No further details have been provided as to why the director was admitted to the hospital.

Aquaman 2 Director James Wan Reveals Recent Hospital Stay

Multiple fans have since taken a screenshot of the now deleted post and posted it to their pages in support of the director. You can check out Wan's full comments about his hospital stay below:

"It has been an extremely rough and scary couple of days and nights," the now taken down Instagram story read. "You never want to rush to ER in the middle of the night and then have to stay in the hospital. Cedars Sinai is truly the best!! The best doctors, nurses, technicians, just the most wonderful people. James is safe now and on the mend."

You can also check out the post below.

Prayers up for James Wan ? pic.twitter.com/3JxG2SvypF

-- Home of DCU (@homeofdcu) August 3, 2023

What is James Wan Releasing Next?

James Wan has been pretty busy with the upcoming sequel to 2018's Aquaman, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which will act as the final installment of the DC Extended Universe. The sequel has been in the news a lot lately due to the large number of reshoots that it has undergone, an inflating budget and poor test screenings. Wan has also been very busy with his Atomic Monster production company which recently released M3GAN and will release The Nun 2 next month. With no details given about why Wan was in the hospital, we can only hope that this is a small hiccup that won't slow the creator down.

DC Studios describes Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom as follows, "When an ancient power is unleashed, Aquaman must forge an uneasy alliance with an unlikely ally to protect Atlantis, and the world, from irreversible devastation. The film will see the return of Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Patrick Wilson as Orm, Amber Heard as Mera, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, and Randall Park as Stephen Shin. Game of Thrones alum Pilou Asbaek has also joined the cast in an unknown role, while Jani Zhao will play new character Stingray, Indya Moore will play Karshon, and Vincent Regan will play Atlan, who was previously portrayed by Graham McTavish in Aquaman."

Stay tuned for more updates on James Wan, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and The Conjuring franchise as we learn it!

The ComicBook Nation Crew breaks down the Loki Season 2 trailer, talks about that Fantastic Four casting rumor and Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman 3 announcement, then we look at Sony's Spider-Man Universe release date changes, review the new TMNT movie, and discuss the Barbie Movie in full spoilers! PLUS: Futurama is BACK, and we talk new TV shows worth watching, including Special Ops: Lioness, and Harley Quinn Season 4!

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Each episode has a deep dive into the current biggest discussion topics and debates within geek culture: movies, tv, comics, and video games are regular features, with genres like sci-fi, anime, and wrestling also featured regularly. The ONLY show covering ALL THINGS Geek Culture!

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Former cast members and writers of DC's Arrow TV series are announcing a very special reunion - they wiill come together on the picket lines of the Writers/Actors Strike, which is currently taking place in Hollywood and other key locations like NYC.

In a tweet (an x?) Arrow producer Marc Guggenheim shared a promotional flyer for the "Arrow Reunion Picket" event. In a humorous callback to the catchphrase growled by Stephen Amell's Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, the promo reads: "THE AMPTP HAS FAILED THIS CITY!"

"Join us for a special Arrow reunion of writers, actors & fans, on the picket line" the promo continues.

To incentivize fans, there is a tease of an Arrow merchandise collector's item being sold at the event: "Limited edition Arrow bucket hats will be available for purchase with all proceeds going to the healthcare for industry crewmembers through the union solidarity coalition."

This is a somewhat ironic turn of events: Arrow has been making headlines during the WGA and SAG Strike for very different reasons. Arrow star Stephen Amell set off a wave of controversy, after voicing his frustrations with how the process of the strike was affecting actors trying to promote their hard work - like Amell's Starz series Heels, which had just premiered its second season when the strike was called.

Amell has done some additional "clarification" since his original statements were made, before deciding that it would've been better just to keep the whole matter 'in-house':

"We live in a time right now ... Where, you know, people want you to vote as long as you're voting for their candidate. And I can support my union... I just think that this has been done in a very black and white, all or nothing sort of way and I'm talking about shows and movies that were about to come out before the strike. I'm specifically talking about shows that, you know, I and a bunch of other people pour their heart and soul into that happened to be coming out within a certain window after the strike... I should have done a better job of taking up in private with the leadership of my union people that I greatly respect and admire."

The actor concluded by saying "I'm going to take a little bit of a quiet time and try to unplug all little bit... I don't consider myself to be a martyr, and frankly, I would have preferred that these comments never been made public, but they did. And here we are and hopefully it can just lead to a broader discussion and we can get people back to work."

Where & When The Arrow Reunion Picket Is Happening

The Arrow Reunion Picket is taking place on Friday, August 11th, between 9 am-11 am, at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's long-awaited follow-up to Hamilton may be set. According to a new report from The New York Post, Miranda is developing a stage musical adaptation of The Warriors, the 1965 novel from Sol Yurick which was later adapted into a cult-classic film in 1979. If this comes to fruition, it will be the first stage musical Miranda has made since Hamilton, which became a colossal hit both in live performances around the world, and in a filmed version on Disney+. Hamilton was subsequently nominated for and won Tonys, Grammys, and a Pulitzer Prize.

"It forever demolishes the idea that a beautifully shot version of your show diminishes the demand to see it live," Miranda previously said of the Disney+ release. "In all of our estimates, it's only amplified the demand to see Hamilton live. To have more pro shots, to have those out in the world, I think is a win. I would love to see more of that going forward."

What Is The Warriors About?

Directed by Walter Hill, The Warriors movie revolved around on a fictitious New York City street gang who must travel 30 miles, from the north end of the Bronx to their home turf in Coney Island in southern Brooklyn, after they are framed for the murder of a respected gang leader. The film starred an ensemble cast including Michael Beck, James Remar, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, Marcelino S?nchez, David Harris, Tom McKitterick, Brian Tyler, Dorsey Wright, Terry Michos, David Patrick Kelly, Roger Hill, Edward Sewer, and Lynne Thigpen.

The film subsequently inspired multiple video game and comic adaptations, and was set to be adapted into a television series from Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo in 2016.

What Has Lin-Manuel Miranda Directed?

Miranda recently stepped into the director's chair with tick, tick... BOOM!, the film adaptation of Jonathan Lerson's semi-autobiographical musical that hit Netflix in the fall of 2021. In tick, tick... BOOM!, an aspiring theatre composer (Andrew Garfield) endures a midlife crisis as he approaches 30 and does not feel close to his dream. The film also stars Alexandra Shipp as Susan, Robin de Jesus as Michael, Joshua Henry as Roger, Judith Light as Rosa Stevens, Vanessa Hudgens as Karessa Johnson, and Bradley Whitford as Stephen Sondheim.

The musical first originated as a "rock monologue" performed by Larson in the early 1990s, with theatre producer Jeffrey Seller making plans to adapt it to Broadway following early productions of Rent in 1995. Following Larson's death in 1996, the project was restructured by author David Auburn into a three-actor musical, and premiered Off-Broadway on May 23, 2001. Over the years, the cast of various productions of tick, tick... BOOM! has included Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Wilson Cruz, Neil Patrick Harris, Molly Ringwald, and Ciara Renee.

What do you think of Lin-Manuel Miranda possibly adapting The Warriors into a musical? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Last month, the negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP officially broke down with no deal in place, which means most film and television productions have halted. Actors with upcoming projects are unable to promote their new work, but some big stars are speaking out about the current strike. This week, Haunted Mansion and Ahsoka star Rosario Dawson joined a group of volunteers for the Shiseido Blue Project beach clean-up at the 2023 US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California. The actor spoke with ABC News about the environmental clean-up and also addressed the current strike.

"You know I think that when you hear the things that people are sharing and you know their experiences they've been having... I don't know that I actually would have continued being an actor. I started out really young and those residual checks that came in were small, but they were significant enough that I could have fresh food versus ramen," Dawson explained. "That was a very real thing and now you have these huge, successful shows on these streaming platforms and young actors coming up and there's no money for them."

"I think it's [a] beautiful kind of reckoning of humanity, and that's why I feel like it scales in the same way we're talking about climate change," Dawson continued. "There's just like a lot of confluences coming together of people realizing we've just gone into hyperdrive for so long and all our toys and gadgets and things, acceleration of these past decades, as someone who straddles the centuries ... it's incredible what I've seen in my lifetime. But I think we need to take a second, and that's what's happening with workers across every industry, to go, 'What does the future look like?' If we don't figure that out now it's going to be very dire for our children."

What Is Ahsoka About?

Fan-favorite Star Wars hero Ahsoka Tano returns in the brand new series on Disney+. Rosario Dawson stars in Star Wars: Ahsoka, premiering in August on the streamer. The series picks up after the events of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, in which we saw the former Jedi searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and helping Luke Skywalker train Grogu. Ahsoka will be joined on her new mission alongside longtime allies Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as they attempt to track down Thrawn, who was last seen disappearing to the far reaches of space after a confrontation with Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). Star Wars: Ahsoka is the latest live-action series from Lucasfilm's creative duo of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.

After the phenomenon of Barbie, Mattel definitely won't be slowing down on movies and TV shows inspired by their recognizable brands anytime soon. The company has already begun to partner with a number of film studios on upcoming projects -- and it looks like one of their most infamous board games is now joining that list. On Thursday, reports revealed that Lionsgate has officially acquired Entertainment One (or eOne) from Hasbro, for a total of $500 million. In and amongst the news was the confirmation that Hasbro is working with Lionsgate on a Monopoly movie, a collaboration that has been reported in one way or another since 2015. No cast members or directors are currently attached, although previous incarnations have had Tim Story and Ridley Scott attached at different points.

"This sale fully aligns with our strategy, and we are pleased to bring the process to a successful close," Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said in a statement. "Lionsgate's management team is experienced in entertainment and adept at driving value, and we're glad to have found such a good home for our eOne film & TV business. We look forward to partnering with them, especially on a movie adaptation of Monopoly."

"Entertainment remains a priority for Hasbro. Hasbro will continue to develop and produce entertainment based on the rich vault of Hasbro-owned brands. We will also bring to life new original ideas designed to fuel all areas of Hasbro's blueprint including toys, publishing, gaming, licensed consumer products, and location-based entertainment. As part of the sale, we expect to move to an asset-lite model for future live action entertainment, relying on licensing and partnerships with select co-productions."

How Many Hasbro Movies Are In the Works?

According to a new report from The New Yorker, there are a total of 45 Mattel-related movies in the process of getting made, including (but not limited to) Barney, Hot Wheels, Polly Pocket, and He-Man. Other projects that have been announced to be in development over the years include American Girl, Big Jim, Chatty Cathy and Betsy Wetsy, Magic 8 Ball, Matchbox, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, Uno, View-Master, and Wishbone.

"Barbie is one of the most iconic franchises in the world and we are excited to partner with Warner Bros. Pictures and Margot Robbie to bring her to life on the big screen," Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and CEO of Mattel, said in a statement when the film took shape. "We look forward to building on this collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures as we tell the stories of our beloved brands. Mattel Films is on a path to demonstrate the enormous potential of our brand portfolio, as we continue to execute on our strategy of transforming Mattel into an IP-driven, high performing toy company."

Will There Be a Barbie Sequel?

While Mattel has expressed a desire to return to the cinematic world of Barbie, director and co-writer Greta Gerwig has indicated that she currently does not have any ideas for a sequel film.

"At this moment, it's all I've got," Gerwig revealed. "I feel like that at the end of every movie, like I'll never have another idea and everything I've ever wanted to do, I did. I wouldn't want to squash anybody else's dream but for me, at this moment, I'm at totally zero."

Bucket Listers, the media brand behind some of the biggest pop-up restaurants and events, is teaming up with Superfly for a new Family Guy experience. Fans of the animated comedy, which has been on the air for 24 years, can now experience "Giggity Golf." The new pop-up will transform downtown Los Angeles in Quahog, Rhode Island to become an "immersive putt-putt experience." The pop-up will feature "a custom putt-putt course that takes fans across the show's storied universe, recreating some of its most iconic and beloved moments along the way."

"Bucket Listers is stoked to join forces with Superfly and bring the world of Family Guy to life with Giggity Golf," Head of Experiences, Derek Berry, explained. "We pride ourselves on creating experiences that our community of 15 million + fans won't find anywhere else. The opportunity to partner up on the creation of this concept was a no-brainer. There couldn't be a better dream team."

"Just call us an experiential Voltron. We can't wait for this talented team to bring to life one of the great animated series in Family Guy - we know the evil monkey is watching!" Superfly Co-Founder, Kerry Black, added.

The Giggity Golf Experience Details:

The Giggity Golf experience costs $29 a ticket and will be located at 613 Imperial Avenue in Los Angeles. Every ticket purchase will include a guaranteed window of time to golf. There is also a VIP ticket option, which includes a welcome drink as well as additional food and drinks options that will be available for purchase. There will also be golf cart replicas, photo ops, and opportunities to test both your putt-putt skills and Family Guy knowledge. Tickets are available exclusively through Bucket Listers, and you can join the waitlist for tickets here. You can also follow @familyguyminigolf and @losangelesbucketlist for more information.

When Does Family Guy Season 22 Premiere?

Family Guy Season 22 was previously confirmed to be in the works as Fox renewed the animated sitcom for new seasons through 2025 (along with other Animation Domination hits The Simpsons and Bob's Burgers). Fox announced last month that Family Guy will be returning with new episodes this starting Sunday, October 1st at 9:30 PM EST. This will be the same night The Simpsons and Bob's Burgers also return with new episodes.

Will you be checking out Giggity Golf in Los Angeles? Tell us in the comments!

The ComicBook Nation Crew discusses Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem in FULL SPOILERS, before talking about where the future of the TMNT franchise goes from here!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Review

In his review of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, guest-host Evan Valentine was not as thoroughly impressed as host Kofi Outlaw and guest host Chris Killian:

The animation used for this new take on the Turtles is unlike anything that you might have seen before, which can be either a good or bad thing, depending on the viewer's tastes...the Turtles and their mutant cohorts look outstanding, though humans can often look more monstrous than creatures bathed in the "ooze." Fortunately, the action set-pieces of the film, and the directorial tricks used in conveying the beatdowns, work quite well here.

The movie's humor can be hit or miss... Mutant Mayhem is a product of its time, making references and nods to recent pop culture tidbits that might seem out of place even a year into the future. This feels like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that was specifically made for "Gen Z," which again, has its own unique strengths and weaknesses.... and it's certainly not within striking distance of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

However, it does justify this new take on the Turtles while also giving old and new fans quite a bit to enjoy should they venture to theaters to take in this animated enterprise. These new Turtles are able to earn their existence and I'm looking forward to this new take on the sewer-centric universe.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Subscribe to ComicBook Nation

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Each episode has a deep dive into the current biggest discussion topics and debates within geek culture: movies, tv, comics, and video games are regular features, with genres like sci-fi, anime, and wrestling also featured regularly. The ONLY show covering ALL THINGS Geek Culture!

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August is here and while it is technically still summer, it's officially time to start looking towards fall. After all, we're already starting to see Halloween decor and items arriving in stores so now is also the perfect time to start talking fall snacks -- and Nestle Toll House is getting ready for the season with the return of two fan-favorite cookies as well as the introduction of a brand new seasonal treat. The brand recently announced that not only are both Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough and M&M's Ghoul's Mix Sugar Cookie Dough returning this year, but they are also launching the new Hot Cocoa & Marshmallow Morsels just in time for holiday baking.

Returning for the fall is fan-favorite Pumpkin Spice Cookie Dough. The treat is described as a mix of sweet pumpkin spice flavor and premiere White Morsels and is a great way to embrace all things pumpkin spice and kick off the fall season. It's available in 14 oz packages with a suggested retail of $4.40, though price may vary by retailer.

Also returning is the beloved M&M's Ghoul's Mix Sugar Cookie Dough. Just in time for trick or treat season -- though heavy on the "treat" -- the deliciously spooky cookie dough is also returning in 14 oz packages with a suggested retail of $4.40. As for the new offering, this fall, Toll House is putting a new twist on a classic with Hot Cocoa & Marshmallow Morsels. The morsels combine strong, rich hot cocoa and light sweet marshmallow flavor in morsels that are the perfect addition to your baked goods, but are just as delicious straight form the bag. They are available in 9 oz packages for a suggested price of $3.79.

All three seasonal offerings are set to start rolling out to retailers this month.

In Other Snack News

August is a big month for other snacking news as well, particularly for ice cream. On Tuesday, Baskin-Robbins debuted their new Flavor of the Month for August, Game Night ice cream. The flavor features salted caramel ice cream with M&M's Minis chocolate candies, crunchy buttered popcorn flavored clusters, and a sweet and savory caramel pretzel flavored swirl. Additionally, to help bring the flavor to life, Baskin-Robbins is set to host their own Game Night on Friday, August 4th at The Grove in Los Angeles from noon to 10 p.m. PT where guests can enjoy games, prizes, and free ice cream.

"Baskin-Robbins is all about bringing people together to celebrate yay-worthy moments and our August lineup is the ultimate embodiment of that," said Hannah Suits, Director of Brand Marketing for Baskin-Robbins. "Classic cake layers paired with guests' favorite ice cream flavors is what makes a Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake so special, and we're thrilled to sprinkle in an all-new cake option with the Confetti Cake Layer. We're also taking things to the next level with Game Night by featuring Mars M&M(R) MINIS chocolate candies to bring the perfect balance of sweet and salty in a scoop full of everyone's favorite game night snacks."

The Billboard charts are officially feeling the Kenergy. On Wednesday, it was announced that the Barbie soundtrack has officially debuted at the #2 spot on the Billboard Hot 200 list, which tracks the best-selling albums of a particular week. The full Barbie soundtrack, which premiered on the same day as the film's theatrical release in the US, sold a total of 126,000 units in a single week. The Barbie soundtrack was beaten out by Get Up, an EP from the Korean all-girl group NewJeans, which ended up selling only 500 more units.

Still, the Barbie soundtrack has now officially broken the record for the biggest opening week for a theatrical film soundtrack in the 2020s, and in more than four years.

Who Is on the Barbie Soundtrack?

As was announced back in May, Barbie features new songs from Ava Max, Charli XCX, Dominic Fike, Dua Lipa, FIFTY FIFTY, Gayle, HAIM, Ice Spice, Kali, KAROL G, Khalid, Lizzo, Nicki Minaj, PinkPantheress, Sam Smith, Tame Impala, and The Kid LAROI, as well as "I'm Just Ken", an original power ballad sung by Ken actor Ryan Gosling. Ronson based his pitch for the album on the reception and backlash around Disco music.

"You just see the Bee Gees so crestfallen and thinking, 'Wait, why does everyone hate us so much?' Which is such a strong parallel to Barbie," Ronson explained in the same interview. "In the film, she just wants to make everybody happy and can't understand why she's so problematic or why people hate her."

Why Was Matchbox Twenty in Barbie?

In a recent interview with USA Today, Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas revealed that although he was originally skeptical of agreeing to include Gosling's cover of their song "Push" in Barbie, his love for director and co-writer Greta Gerwig helped convince him.

"I want to preface this by saying that I thought it was hilarious. But in Bring It On, (Kirsten Dunst's character) has this douchey boyfriend. And there's a scene where he was in his dorm room with a Matchbox Twenty poster in the background. There was a whole period during the '90s where the more successful we got, the bigger target we were. We were an easy takedown," Thomas told USA Today after Barbie was released on Friday, July 21. "When I got the call for "Barbie," they told me, "Ken's by the fireside, he's playing the song and it's his favorite band." So I did this thinking I'd be the butt of the joke, and I was fine with that. I'm pretty thick-skinned. But Julie Greenwald (from Atlantic Records) came to the Hollywood Bowl a month or two ago. She had just seen the movie and was like, "You come out of it loving Ken and loving 'Push.'" And I was like, "Aww. Alright, really good!" Also, Greta Gerwig has been one of my crushes forever, to the point where I was on a plane one time and I called my wife, like, "Baby, Greta Gerwig just came on the plane, oh my god." So just the fact that it didn't diminish my crush of Greta, that's even better."

What Is the Barbie Movie About?

In Barbie, to live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you're a Ken. From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig comes Barbie, which hits theaters on July 21st. Barbie stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel.

In the ongoing actors' strike, one of the main sticking points on the side of SAG-AFTRA is the studio's continued insistence on using artificial intelligence and the perpetual usage of actors' likeness. While picketing Wednesday, Scrubs actor Donald Faison revealed his thoughts on the matter, saying he hoped if studios used his likeness after his death, they'd be contractually obligated to pay royalties and residuals to his family.

"I'm trying not to get emotional about it and get upset about it and everything like that, but I don't want to die and then all of a sudden still be in movies and my family not seeing the money from that or I don't want people saying things for me that I probably wouldn't want to say or wouldn't say," Faison told the Associated Press. "If you are going to put me in a movie, I want to have stipulations and I want my family to see money from that."

Former "Scrubs" co-stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison explain what SAG-AFTRA members are fighting for while picketing in LA. pic.twitter.com/iU0IuzFoEi

-- AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) July 26, 2023

Shortly after SAG-AFTRA opted to strike, it was revealed the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers wanted the rights to use actor's likenesses in perpetuity with the use of digital scans.

According to SAG-AFTRA officials, negotiators with the AMPTP were hoping to pay actors just a day's salary to use their likeness in perpetuity, being able to digitally recreate their face at a later date without payment or consent.

"This 'groundbreaking' AI proposal that they gave us yesterday: they propose that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day's pay, and their company should own that scan their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation," SAG-AFTRA's Duncan Crabtree-Ireland revealed last month. "So if you think that's a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again."

As if this writing, SAG-AFTRA members have been on strike since July 14th, or a total of 18 days. While the Writers Guild of America is expected to host its first meeting with AMPTP officials later this week, there's been no word on when the actors' guild and producers group will meet to negotiate a new deal.

In July, the actor's guild SAG-AFTRA went on strike after negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers broke down with no deal in place. There are many reasons SAG is striking along with the Writers Guild of America, and one major topic is the use of AI. Right before the SAG strike, it was revealed that studios wanted AI background actors for their projects, which would leave film and television extras' likenesses to be used in perpetuity. This week, background actor Alexandria Rubalcaba spoke to NPR about her time working on WandaVision and revealed Marvel Studios scanned her and dozens of other extras.

"Have your hands out. Have your hands in. Look this way. Look that way. Let us see your scared face. Let us see your surprised face," Rubalcaba explained of the instructions she was given while being scanned. Rubalcaba said her face and body were scanned for about 15 minutes before a digital replica of her was created. However, Rubalcaba was not told how or if her digital avatar would be used in future projects. If Marvel does end up using Rubalcaba's digital scan, she probably won't be informed, and she won't be paid for future use of her likeness.

"What if I don't want to be on 'MarioVision,' or 'SarahVision]?" Rubalcaba explained. "I fear that AI is eventually going to weed out background actors. They won't have any use for us anymore."

Considering Agatha: Coven of Chaos is coming soon and will feature many actors from WandaVision, this is a real concern for actors such as Rubalcaba, who makes the SAG-AFTRA union rate of $187 a day working as a background actor.

SAG-AFTRA recently held a press conference in which President Fran Drescher and National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland detailed the reasons the union had chosen to strike and AMPTP's background actor proposal.

"This 'groundbreaking' AI proposal that they gave us yesterday: they propose that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day's pay, and their company should own that scan their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation," Crabtree-Ireland revealed. "So if you think that's a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again."

Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for updates on the ongoing actors' and writers' strikes.

Former The OC star Adam Brody is telling the story of how he auditioned for the part of Star-Lord/Peter Quill in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - and clearly did not get the part. Brody has a new movie out with his wife Leighton Meester, Taran Killam and writer/director (and friend) Ben Ketai: a remake of the 1994 Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon and David Strathairn rafting trip thriller, River Wild. Before the Actors' Strike, Brody spoke about the twists and turns in his career since the 2000s - including his would-be brush with Marvel fame.

"I wanted that one," Brody said about Guardians of the Galaxy, before admitting that Chris Pratt was a "better fit. He is bigger, stronger, but tonally, I really dug it."

This would be the second big strikeout for Adam Brody in the superhero movie genre; the actor was part of DC and Mad Max creator George Miller's now-infamous Justuce League movie, Justice League: Mortal, in the late-2000s. Brody was set to play Barry Allen/The Flash in that DC franchise starter, which fell apart early in production - ironically due in part the 2000s WGA Strike. It sounds like he missed his shot with Marvel just a few years after that.

Ouch.

Everybody Auditioned for Star-Lord

There have been numerous stories about the race to land the role of Star-Lord in James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy. Shazam! star Zachary Levi has revealed he took a shot, and It's Always Sunny star Glen Howerton came infamously close, making it to the final rounds of consideration alongside Pratt.

Smallville's Michael Rosenbaum has explained his own failed audition to play Peter Quill, explaining that "I was nervous as sh*t. You're sitting there with one of your best friends who's directing a huge movie, who knows your ability and said, 'I wanna see your take on Peter Quill.' Now the pressure's on... I didn't know anything about the Guardians comics. I just wanted to do a good job for James."

For Rosenbaum, there was no disappointment, just the honor of being considered. "The way I look at it...I was privileged to be one of the few people that got to screen test," the actor explained. "I was so honored and grateful that James had me audition."

Ironically, Guardians of the Galaxy casting director Sarah Finn recently revealed that, originally, "[Chris] didn't want to audition, and James [Gunn] didn't want to see him." However, both Gunn and Pratt have long since stated that when they finally did click, it was bond that would last a lifetime, and produce one of the greatest Marvel movie trilogies there is.

Source: Variety Podcast

Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney's post have each received over ten million likes from fans, who clearly needed to hear from the two high-profile actresses. In Euphoria, Cloud played "Fez," a drug dealer who had a complicated relationship with Zendaya's main character, Rue, over Seasons 1-2. It was a multi-layered performance that pointed at Cloud's depth and talent as an actor, making the loss sting that much more.

Zendaya Remebers Angus Cloud

In her eulogy to Angus Cloud, Zendaya wrote: "Words are not enough to describe the infinite beauty that is Angus (Conor). I'm so grateful I got the chance to know him in this life, to call him a brother, to see his warm kind eyes and bright smile, or hear his infectious cackle of a laugh (I'm smiling now just thinking of it) I know people use this expression often when talking about folks they love..."they could light up any room they entered" but boy let me tell you, he was the best at it. I'd like to remember him that way. For all of the boundless light, love and joy he always managed to give us. I'll cherish every moment."

Zendaya also made a bid to ask fans for their patience in looking for deeper explanations about what happened: "My heart is with his mother and family at this time and please be kind and patient as grief looks different for everyone."

Sydney Sweeney Remembers Angus Cloud

In her post remembering Angus Cloud, Sidney Sweeney wrote: "Angus you were an open soul, with the kindest heart, and you filled every room with laughter. This is the hardest thing ive ever had to post, and im struggling to find all the words. You will be missed more than you know, but I'm so blessed to have known you in this lifetime, and I'm sure everyone who has ever met you feels the same. This heartache is real and I wish we could've had one more hug and 711 run. All my love is with you."

We offer condolences to Angus Cloud's family, friends, fans, and colleagues in their time of mourning.

In the closing moments of July, the James Webb Space Telescope captured a stunning photo of a nebula in the process of birthing new stars. While the photo is a tremendous achievement in technology in and of itself, eagle-eyed stargazers noticed a perplexing mark in the image. Located near the nebula in question is a group of stars, or maybe even a distant galaxy perhaps, that's shaped exactly like a question mark.

According to members of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, the question mark-looking object could be a galaxy that's being distorted by other nearby galaxies.

#PPOD: @NASA_Webb discovers a cosmic question mark mirroring the SETI Institute logo while snapping highly detailed infrared images of actively forming stars Herbig-Haro 46/47, located 1,470 light-years from Earth in the Vela Constellation. Credit: @NASA @esa @csa_asc @stsci pic.twitter.com/G6KIxO5e6m

-- The SETI Institute (@SETIInstitute) August 1, 2023

"It is probably a distant galaxy, or potentially interacting galaxies (their interactions may have caused the distorted question mark-shape)," representatives of STScI told Space.com. "This may be the first time we've seen this particular object. Additional follow-up would be required to figure out what it is with any certainty. Webb is showing us many new, distant galaxies -- so there's a lot of new science to be done!"

Illinois State University physical professor Matt Caplan echoes the sentiment, saying it could be two galaxies in the process of merging, thus resulting in the distortion.

"The two distinct features could easily be merging galaxies in the background, with the upper part of the question mark being part of a larger galaxy getting tidally disrupted," Caplan told the website. "Given the color of some of the other background galaxies, this doesn't seem like the worst explanation. Despite how chaotic mergers are, double lobed objects with curvy tails extending away from them are very typical."

What is the Webb Space Telescope?

In short, the Webb observatory is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. Using its new technology, scientists have been able to examine parts of the known universe previously unobservable.

"If you think about that, this is farther than humanity has ever moved before," NASA administrator Bill Nelson previously said of the JWST. "And we're only beginning to understand what Webb can and will do. It's going to explore objects in the solar system and atmospheres of exoplanets orbiting other stars, giving us clues as to whether potentially their atmospheres are similar to our own."

"Our goals for Webb's first images and data are both to showcase the telescope's powerful instruments and to preview the science mission to come," astronomer Klaus Pontoppidan, Webb project scientist at STScI, added of the images. "They are sure to deliver a long-awaited 'wow' for astronomers and the public."

For additional space and cosmic stories, check out our ComicBook Invasion hub here.

With August having arrived, that means it is back to school time for millions of kids across the country and for Lunchables, that means it's the perfect time to roll out a new offering in their beloved lineup. On Tuesday, Lunchables announced their entry into the produce aisle for the first time in partnership with Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. for their new fresh fruit offering including pineapple, clementines, grapes, and apples as part of their much-loved snack trays. The new product line is designed to offer a delicious and convenient solution for kids, getting them used to eating fruits by adding them to a product they already know and love.

The new Lunchables with Fresh Fruit arrive just in time for back to school and feature two of the brand's best-selling varieties: Turkey and Ham Cracker Stackers, each paired with the different fruit offerings.

"At Kraft Heinz, we are transforming through innovation by making bigger bets to fuel growth and create new products for our fans," said Naor Danieli, Director of Marketing, Lunchables. "Lunchables with Fresh Fruit is a ripe example of how we are quickly moving to introduce new offerings rooted in real consumer needs. Teaming up with Fresh Del Monte helps accelerate the innovation our brand strives for, lending its expertise in fresh produce to expand the delicious, buildable and real food experience we provide for kids."

The launch of Lunchables with Fresh Fruit is just the latest in the brand's updates to its nutrition profile. Earlier this year, the brand announced its entrance into schools with two products meeting National School Lunch Program guidelines as well as updates to products by reducing sodium, sugar, and saturated fats. Lunchables also recently reduced the salt and oil ingredients in their crackers.

"We see the partnership to introduce this evolution of Lunchables as a true game changer for children's nutrition," said Melissa Mackay, Vice President, Marketing of Fresh Del Monte. "By bringing together the freshness and quality that Fresh Del Monte fruits are known for with the convenience and fun of Lunchables, we have a real opportunity to change kids' perspectives around fruits, ideally helping to make fruit consumption second nature to younger generations. It aligns closely with our mission to inspire healthy lifestyles and provide wholesome and convenient products to everyone."

The new Lunchables with Fresh Fruit are set to roll out to select grocery stores in the South-Central region of the United States starting this month and will be located in the produce section. Fans can find out more about Lunchables with Fresh Fruit by visiting the brand's Instagram page here.

Will you be checking out the new Lunchables with Fresh Fruit? Let us know your thoughts in our comment section!

Wednesday, August 2nd is National Ice Cream Sandwich Day and to celebrate, M&M's Ice Cream is bringing out their first ever late-night ice cream truck -- the M&M's Ice Cream Night Freeze Truck -- to bring the fan-favorite M&M's Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich to New Yorkers. The truck is set to travel throughout New York City on August 2nd where it will hand out ice cream cookie sandwiches in three flavors (vanilla, chocolate, and cookies and cream) until 11 p.m.

"Between projects, passions, and side hustles, we know hard work doesn't always end after a nine to five job," said Jayesh Shah, Mars Ice Cream Marketing Director. "The M&M'S Ice Cream Night Freeze Truck celebrates those who do it all, by inspiring more moments of happiness with a craveable late-night snack that has it all - creamy ice cream, chewy cookies, and sweet M&M'S."

For ice cream sandwich fans interested in catching up with the truck, here are the M&M's Ice Cream Night Freeze Truck's planned stops:

o 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. at Hearst Tower (8th Ave. between 56th and 57th St.)

o 1:15 p.m.-2:45 p.m. at Paramount Plaza (Broadway between W. 51th and W. 50st St.)

o 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. at M&M'S New York (W. 48th St. between Broadway & 7th Ave.)

o 4:45 p.m.-6:15 p.m. at Grace Building (W. 42nd St. between 5th and 6th Ave.)

o 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at Union Square (Union Square W. between E. 17th & E. 16th St.)

o 9:30 p.m.-11:00 p.m. (or until supplies last) at Astor Place/St. Mark's (Corner of Cooper Sq. & Astor Pl.)

For those not in New York, you can still get in on the fun. M&M's Ice Cream is offering fans a chance to visit this website to share their passion project for a chance to win a freezer filled with a summer supply of M&M's Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches.

In Other Ice Cream News

On Tuesday, Baskin-Robbins debuted their new Flavor of the Month for August, Game Night ice cream. The flavor features salted caramel ice cream with M&M's Minis chocolate candies, crunchy buttered popcorn flavored clusters, and a sweet and savory caramel pretzel flavored swirl. Additionally, to help bring the flavor to life, Baskin-Robbins is set to host their own Game Night on Friday, August 4th at The Grove in Los Angeles from noon to 10 p.m. PT where guests can enjoy games, prizes, and free ice cream.

"Baskin-Robbins is all about bringing people together to celebrate yay-worthy moments and our August lineup is the ultimate embodiment of that," said Hannah Suits, Director of Brand Marketing for Baskin-Robbins. "Classic cake layers paired with guests' favorite ice cream flavors is what makes a Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake so special, and we're thrilled to sprinkle in an all-new cake option with the Confetti Cake Layer. We're also taking things to the next level with Game Night by featuring Mars M&M(R) MINIS chocolate candies to bring the perfect balance of sweet and salty in a scoop full of everyone's favorite game night snacks."

Will you be checking out M&M's Ice Cream Night Freeze Truck? Let us know in the comments.

Stephen Amell (Arrow, Heels) has been in the hot seat for the past 24 hours after he commented on the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, and there has been a lot of talk about said comments. Amell revealed yesterday that he doesn't actually support the ongoing actor's strike and that he thinks that it is a "reductive negotiation tactic". Since then, the actor has clarified his comments in a Facebook post and revealed that he does indeed support his fellow union members. There was also a video from a recent fan event that surfaced where he violated the rules of the strike and spoke about his former series, Arrow. He has since appeared on a new segment of TMZ, where he is once again clarifying his comments and regretting what he said at the recent event.

You can check out his comments below.

"We live in a time right now and I don't want to wax too poetic here. Where, you know, people want you to vote as long as you're voting for their candidate. And I can support my union, but there was an authorization vote for a reason," Amell said. "And listen, it was overwhelmingly in favor of striking. It was 98% and I think that there was a lot of people who frankly it was a vote, but I think that it was just kind of the complete that we were willing to authorize that. I just think that this has been done in a very black and white, all or nothing sort of way and I'm talking about shows and movies that were about to come out before the strike. I'm specifically talking about shows that, you know, I and a bunch of other people pour their heart and soul into that happened to be coming out within a certain window after the strike. I don't think that some of the consideration that was given to other projects leading up to the strike, and the delay of the strike was given to some other projects that came on the other side, and that's something that retrospectively, I should have done a better job of taking up in private with the leadership of my union people that I greatly respect and admire."

Stephen Amell appeared on TMZ to let everyone know he didn't vote yes for the strike authorization and that the strike is inconsistent to movies and shows that are releasing in July and afterwards.#SAGAFTRAstrike #SAGstrike #sagaftramembers #StephenAmell #HeelsSTARZ pic.twitter.com/zmFhGc4F36

-- Dana Abercrombie #AmplifyBlackVoices (@sagesurge) August 1, 2023

"I'm going to take a little bit of a quiet time and try to unplug all little bit. But, I'll tell you what... I will do anything in my power and if that's being the first one across the line, no pun intended, if that is going to help this process, then I am more than happy to take those slings and arrows. I don't consider myself to be a martyr, and frankly, I would have preferred that these comments never been made public, but they did. And here we are and hopefully it can just lead to a broader discussion and we can get people back to work." The Arrow and Heels star added.

Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for more updates on the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike as we learn them!

What do you think about the Stephen Amell situation? Do you agree or disagree with his comments on the ongoing strike? Let us know in the comments below or by hitting up our writer @NateBrail on Twitter!

Update: Stephen Amell is okay with crossing the picket line and really wishes the public comments he made at #GalaxyConRaleigh stayed private. #HeelsSTARZ #SAGAFTRAstrike #SAGstrike #SAGAFTRA #sagaftramembers #StephenAmell pic.twitter.com/xHVFxa7sM8

-- Dana Abercrombie #AmplifyBlackVoices (@sagesurge) August 1, 2023

After three months on the picket lines, the Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers may soon be heading back to the negotiating table. In a statement released by the WGA Tuesday night, it was confirmed chief negotiators on either side will be meeting this week to see if earnest talks can take place in the coming days.

"The AMPTP, through Carol Lombardini, reached out to the WGA today and requested a meeting this Friday to discuss negotiations," the WGA shared in a statement (via Variety). "We'll be back in communication with you sometime after the meeting with further information. As we've said before, be wary of rumors. Whenever there is important news to share, you will hear it directly from us."

It's expected a one-on-one meeting between Lombardini and WGA chief negotiator Ellen Stutzman will take place on Friday. The meeting is said to assess how both sides feel talks should proceed.

As Variety points out, other members of the WGA leadership have said they don't expect talks to proceed unless initiated by the AMPTP, which now appears is the case.

"The plan is for them to call us on the phone and ask us to sit down," Mike Schur, a member on the WGA negotiating committee, told the trade last month. "We're not calling them."

"We have made it clear that the things we're asking for are absolutely necessary," added David Goodman, co-chair of the negotiating committee. "Until they agree with that premise, there isn't going to be a conversation that's going to be fruitful."

The WGA has been on strike since May 1, which means it will soon pass 100 days on the picket lines within the next 10 days. The longest work stoppage of screenwriters took place during the 1988 strike, which found writers striking for 154 days straight.

Interestingly enough, previous trade reporting suggested the AMPTP was willing to wait to negotiate until they were able to "break" the WGA.

"The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses," the report cites an executive as telling Deadline. Another insider called the strategy "a cruel but necessary evil." One executive told the outlet that strategy was agreed to "for months, even before the WGA went out" while another said that the studios are determined to "break the WGA".

August has arrived and with it, a new flavor of the month from Baskin-Robbins. The brand announced on Tuesday that for August, they're debuting the brand-new Game Night ice cream as well as their new Confetti Crazy Cake, featuring the new Confetti Cake Layer which fans can be added to any custom ice cream cake ordered online or in-shop. Both the Confetti Crazy Cake and the Flavor of the Month, Game Night are available now.

According to Baskin-Robbins, the new Confetti Crazy Cake features a layer of the new Confetti Cake, your favorite ice cream flavor, decadent frosting, dark dipping chocolate, and rainbow sprinkles.

"Baskin-Robbins is all about bringing people together to celebrate yay-worthy moments and our August lineup is the ultimate embodiment of that," said Hannah Suits, Director of Brand Marketing for Baskin-Robbins. "Classic cake layers paired with guests' favorite ice cream flavors is what makes a Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake so special, and we're thrilled to sprinkle in an all-new cake option with the Confetti Cake Layer. We're also taking things to the next level with Game Night by featuring Mars M&M(R) MINIS chocolate candies to bring the perfect balance of sweet and salty in a scoop full of everyone's favorite game night snacks."

As for Game Night, the flavor features salted caramel ice cream with M&M's Minis chocolate candies, crunchy buttered popcorn flavored clusters, and a sweet and savory caramel pretzel flavored swirl. Additionally, to help bring the flavor to life, Baskin-Robbins is set to host their own Game Night on Friday, August 4th at The Grove in Los Angeles from noon to 10 p.m. PT where guests can enjoy games, prizes, and free ice cream.

Will you be trying Baskin-Robbins new August Flavor of the Month? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!

Fans of both McDonald's and Squishmallows, it's time to get excited -- at least in Canada. On Tuesday, McDonald's Canada launched the new Squishmallows McFlurry treat, available for a limited time. The launch comes alongside that of the new Squishmallows Happy Meal, which is currently available as well while supplies last. The new McFlurry flavor is described as being a vanilla soft serve blended with pink popping candy and delicious blueberry flavored syrup, according to Yahoo!. It will be available in Canadian restaurants in both regular and snack sizes.

We took inspiration from the vibrant and fun spirit of the Squishmallows when developing this new McFlurry and looked to bring that to life with a colorful and unique flavor combination," said Chef Jeff Anderson, Culinary Innovation Lead at McDonald's Canada. "The result is a delightful sensory experience for our guests, with unconventional ingredients that complement each other, like the pink popping candy and the sweet, fruity blueberry flavored syrup."

All About the McDonald's Squishmallows Happy Meals

Announced earlier this year, McDonald's also has Squishmallows Happy Meals. McDonalds and Jazwares announced that they are teaming up for a new collaboration that brings Jazwares' wildly popular Squishmallows plush figures to McDonald's iconic Happy Meals around the world for a limited time starting this spring. The new collaboration will feature a total of 24 iconic Squishmallow plush toys overall, with each participating McDonald's market running 10-12 designs, including exclusive and seasonally themed characters. The meals are now available in Canada, though it's not clear when they will come to the United States.

"This Happy Meal campaign brings the worlds of McDonald's, Squishmallows and music together to elevate the fan experience and evolve our iconic Happy Meal brand in culture. Adding exclusive music playlists to our toys is a first for Happy Meal and we are extremely proud to collaborate with Jazwares' Squishmallows, the #1 plush brand worldwide, and Universal Music Group on this initiative," said Jennifer DelVecchio, Senior Director Global Campaigns and Alliances at McDonald's.

Squishmallows, which first launched in 2017, are currently the number 1 plush property in the United States and are the second best-selling toy brand overall, having sold more than 100 million units. Their popularity makes the toy a perfect fit for the Happy Meal, which has featured numerous beloved and iconic brands over the course of its history.

McDonald's Recently Had A Viral Sensation With the Grimace Shake

While it remains to be seen how popular the Squishmallows McFlurry will be, McDonald's is just coming off of the massive success of the Grimace Shake, which was part of the Grimace Birthday Meal the brand rolled out in June.

"Our fans have amazing childhood memories of their birthdays at McDonald's...and Grimace's Birthday is all about paying homage to the amazing, fun moments we all share," McDonald's chief marketer Tariq Hassan said in a press release. "We're excited to put a modern spin on these memories to continue to drive McDonald's relevance with a new generation. Grimace is the perfect lovable icon to have McDonald's meet our fans at the intersection of nostalgia and culture."

Dragon Ball might have had its previous shot a live-action adaptation in the past with Dragonball: Evolution, but one awesome cosplay has gone beyond that by imagining what a truly realistic Piccolo would look like! Piccolo's live-action debut alongside Goku and the others are the hilarious snowball that ended up bringing back the Dragon Ball franchise as a whole, but all these years later it's still hard for many fans to forget how Piccolo and the rest of Akira Toriyama's characters were treated in one of the most infamous live-action adaptations of all time. So fans are taking things into their own hands.

Piccolo has one of the more notable designs in the Dragon Ball franchise overall, but it seems like there's still a way for the fan favorite Z Fighter to make it in the real world if enough care is put into making it happen. That's especially the case with artist imprincedeguzman on TikTok, who has really taken off with Dragon Ball fans for a Piccolo cosplay that puts a cool realistic spin on the famous Namekian. Now it's just a matter of following this look if Dragon Ball ever goes live-action again. Check it out below:

@imprincedeguzman

Debuted my Piccolo Cosplay in Pre-Tanabata Festival at Ayala Malls Manila Bay! I had so much fun at the @PUBG MOBILE Philippines booth and enjoyed the meet and greet on the main stage! #dbz #dragonballzcosplay #dragonballgt #dragonballcosplayer #goku #friezagold #piccolo #piccolocosplay #dragonballz #goku #gokucosplay

? original sound - Prince De Guzman - Prince De Guzman

Where to Watch Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

If you wanted to see Piccolo in action right now, you can now check out Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero now streaming with Crunchyroll as the Namekian takes the center stage in the big fight alongside Gohan! Directed by Tetsuro Kodama for Toei Animation with an original story, screenplay, and new character designs from original Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, Crunchyroll teases Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero as such, "The Red Ribbon Army was once destroyed by Son Goku. Individuals, who carry on its spirit, have created the ultimate Androids, Gamma 1 and Gamma 2. These two Androids call themselves 'Super Heroes'. They start attacking Piccolo and Gohan... What is the New Red Ribbon Army's objective? In the face of approaching danger, it is time to awaken, Super Hero!"

The Japanese voice cast for Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero includes Masako Nozawa as Gohan, Goku and Goten, Toshio Furukawa as Piccolo, Yuko Minaguchi as Pan, Ryo Horikawa as Vegeta, Mayumi Tanaka as Krillin, Aya Hisakawa as Bulma, Takeshi Kusao as Trunks, Miki Ito as Android 18, Bin Shimada as Broly, Koichi Yamadera as Beerus, Masakazu Morita as Whis, Hiroshi Kamiya as Gamma 1, Mamoru Miyano as Gamma 2, Miyu Irino as Dr. Hedo, Volcano Ota as Magenta, and Ryota Takeuchi as Carmine.

What are some of your favorite Piccolo moments in Dragon Ball so far? Let us know all of your thoughts about it and everything Dragon Ball in the comments!

Move over, Barbie, there's another dreamy house is being listed on Airbnb. On Tuesday, Gwyneth Paltrow took to Instagram (via Variety) to announce that she is listing her Montecito guest house on Airbnb and two lucky fans will get the opportunity to stay at the home for one night, complete with a variety of luxurious amenities as well as dinner with Paltrow herself. The listing goes live on Tuesday, August 15th at 10 a.m. PT.

"Loneliness is a human condition, but in the past few years, increased isolation and our lack of community has made our lives even more fragmented," the caption to Paltrow's video announcement reads. "@airbnb had the brilliant idea of doing something to make the world a little less lonely, which is why I'm inviting you to come stay at my Montecito guesthouse for a night. While we may begin as strangers, I hope we'll find connections and commonalities over a delicious meal. Lay by the pool, go on one of my favorite hikes and of course you'll have a bathroom stocked with my favorite @goop products for a truly luxuriating stay."

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Guests hoping to stay at the house will need to visit this link. Booking opens on August 15th at 10 a.m. PT and the stay is only open to two guests for one night on September 9th only. According to the listing, Paltrow will be on hand to greet guests on arrival to "ensure you have all the necessities for a comfortable and rejuvenating stay."

Barbie's Dreamhouse Also Was Recently Listed on Airbnb

Paltrow is just the latest celebrity to offer a listing on Airbnb. Last month, ahead of the release of the Barbie movie, the real-life Malibu Dreamhouse that had previously been listed back in 2019 was available once again, with a Ken-ified twist.

"I've decked out the place with a little more...well, me! I'm more than just beach! My cowboy stuff is great. And horses! Guitars, games and more. And of course, rollerblades, because I literally go nowhere without them. Now, guests can live it up Ken-style for a neon night in Barbie Land - six-pack not included," the listing read.

Gwyneth Paltrow Thinks She's Done With the MCU

While Paltrow is listing her guest house on Airbnb, the recent release of the trailer for the second season of Loki on Disney+ has many fans once again wonder what is next for the franchise as well as some of its actors -- including Paltrow, who plays Pepper Potts. However, during a conversation earlier this year on Paltrow's The goop Podcast, Black Widow actor Scarlett Johansson said she is done with her time in the MCU and Paltrow agreed -- though she did leave the tiniest of doors open.

"I think so. I mean, I didn't die so they can always ask me," Paltrow responded when asked if she was done with the MCU.

Paltrow's Airbnb listing goes live on August 15th.

After accidentally cutting communication with the Voyager 2 spacecraft in July, NASA officials remain optimistic the craft will soon return contact. Over the weekend, those on the Voyager 2 mission used the global Deep Space Network (DSN) to detect a "heartbeat" from the decades-old craft, meaning it's still fully functional and operating, NASA just has to reconnect with it.

"A series of planned commands sent to NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft July 21 inadvertently caused the antenna to point 2 degrees away from Earth. As a result, Voyager 2 is currently unable to receive commands or transmit data back to Earth," a statement from NASA reads.

It's believe dVoyager 2 will be able to communicate and return data to NASA by the end of the year because of automatic programming aboard the craft.

"Voyager 2 is programmed to reset its orientation multiple times each year to keep its antenna pointing at Earth; the next reset will occur on Oct. 15, which should enable communication to resume," NASA's statement adds. "The mission team expects Voyager 2 to remain on its planned trajectory during the quiet period."

Even though it was only expected to last 12 years, Voyager 2 is currently approaching its 46th anniversary in the furthest corners of space. Just over five years ago, the craft even left the part of space included in our solar system, officially making it an interstellar craft in a neighboring star system.

Voyager 2 is roughly 12.3 billion miles from Earth, just under its sibling craft Voyager 1, which is approximately 15 billion miles from the planet.

"[Glitches] happen from time to time," Glen Nagle, Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex outreach manager, said in a new chat with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "It's always interesting when you have a spacecraft which is coming up to its 46th anniversary in a space mission only designed to last 12 years... It is aging and getting farther away from us every single day. We do know we'll lose contact with the spacecraft sometime toward the end of this decade."

For additional space and cosmic stories, check out our ComicBook Invasion hub here.

Marvel is launching a series of adult crime novels. According to Publisher's Weekly, Disney Publishing Worldwide's Hyperion Avenue imprint will launch three original novels with the first expected to debut in 2024 and the other two following in 2025, each one set to focus on a different Marvel character and falling into what the publisher describes as "a hard-edged crime-fiction program for adults". The novels will be written by best-selling crime and mystery authors Lisa Jewell, S.A. Cosby, an Alex Segura.

"We are always looking for new ways to tell stories about Marvel's beloved superheroes, and working with Hyperion Avenue on the Marvel Crime novels will showcase these characters in an exciting new light," Sven Larsen, VP of licensed publishing at Marvel said in a statement. "We know that lifelong Marvel fans and crime fiction enthusiasts alike will enjoy this inventive new series."

The series will kick off with a story featuring Jessica Jones and will be written by Jewell. Jewell has previously written 19 novels, including Then She Was Gone and None of This is True. Crosby will take on Luke Cage in his novel. Crosby has written novels such as Razorblade Years and All the Sinners Bleed previously. Segura, who has previously worked with other Disney Publishing Group imprints on YA novels including Star Wars Poe Dameron Free Fall and Ara?a and Spider-Man 2099: Dark Tomorrow, will feature Daredevil in his novel.

"I'm writing a DAREDEVIL CRIME NOVEL," Segura wrote on Twitter. "So thrilled to be part of @hyperionavebook's new series of @Mavel Crime books, kicking off with Jessica Jones by @lisajeweluk and Luke Cage by my great friend, @blacklionking73!"

Jewel also reacted to the news, writing on Twitter "Well here's an announcement and a half! I've written a novel for Marvel! It features the brilliant Jessica Jones and will be published this time next year, followed the year after by two more novels by the amazing @blacklionking73 and @alex_segura."

Cosby, however, may have had the best reaction: "Sweet Christmas!!! (that won't' be in the book lol).

Marvel Has Another Adult Novel Series Coming in 2024

Back in June, Marvel announced that they were teaming up with Penguin Random House's Random House Worlds for an adult novel series expanding on the What If...? concept. The series will feature Spider-Man, Loki, Moon Knight, and more with the series kicking off sometime in 2024 with What If... Loki Was Worthy? That book is expected in March, followed by What If... Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker Were Siblings? in July and What If... Marc Spector Was a Host to Venom? in October.

What's Next for the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

While the world of Marvel stories is expanding in the world of prose and publishing, it's also continuing on screen as well. Recently, Marvel Studios released the trailer for Season 2 of Loki, continuing Loki's multiversal adventures. The series is set to debut on Disney+ on October 6th and will see the series pick up after the aftermath of Season 1 "when Loki finds himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority. Along with Mobius, Hunter B-15 and a team of new and returning characters, Loki navigates an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous multiverse in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose."

Are you excited about the upcoming Marvel novel series? Let us know in the comment section!