THE MANDALORIAN Casts Pedro Pascal as Title Character

He's no good to us dead.

Deadline has word that the upcoming Disney+ streaming service's live-action Star Wars TV series The Mandalorian is in final negotiations with actor Pedro Pascal to star.  Pascal will play the show's unnamed title character from the planet Mandalore, home to the bounty hunter known as Boba Fett.

The Mandalorian was revealed last month by writer and executive producer Jon Favreau and described as "After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe.  The Mandalorian is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order.  We follow the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.…"

Pascal, 43, is a Chilean-American actor best known as Oberyn Martell on the HBO series Game of Thrones and as Agent Whiskey in the movie Kingsman: The Golden Circle.  Pascal's other films include the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984, The Equalizer 2, The Great Wall, and The Adjustment Bureau.  His additional TV appearances include episodes of Narcos, Homeland, Nikita, Charlie's Angels (2011), The Good Wife, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Graceland, Nurse Jackie, The Mentalist, and NYPD Blue.  In another Wonder Woman connection, he played Ed Indelicato in the failed 2011 Wonder Woman pilot starring Adrianne Palicki.

According to the article, the first episode of the series will be directed by Dave Filoni (Star Wars: The Clone Wars), while other directors of early episodes include Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Deborah Chow (Jessica Jones) and actress Bryce Dallas Howard, whose previous directorial work has been limited to short films.

HBO's WATCHMEN Casts Jeremy Irons as an Older Ozymandias

He doesn't mind being the smartest man in the world, he just wishes it wasn't this one.

Slashfilm has revealed that the upcoming HBO series based on DC Comics' Watchmen has cast veteran actor Jeremy Irons as an older version of Adrian Veidt, better known to Watchmen fans as the superhero (or supervillain) Ozymandias.

Irons was announced for the Watchmen cast several months ago, when it was revealed he would be playing an "aging and imperious lord of a British manor."  According to a report back in June, Ozymandias is officially declared dead in the show's first episode, so Irons may be playing the role in flashbacks, or those reports of Ozymandias' death have been greatly exaggerated.

Irons, 70, is best known as Alfred Pennyworth in the DC Extended Universe movies Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, as the voice of Scar in Disney's The Lion King, and as Simon Gruber in the action film Die Hard with a Vengeance.  His other films include Red Sparrow, Assassin's Creed, Eragon, Inland Empire, Kingdom of Heaven, The Time Machine (2002), and The Man in the Iron Mask.  Irons' television appearances include episodes of The Borgias, The Simpsons, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Saturday Night Live, and The Civil War.

Created in 1986 by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons as a modified version of Charlton Comics' superhero Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt, Ozymandias first appeared in Watchmen #1 as Adrian Veidt, the son of wealthy German-American immigrant parents.  As a child, he received high grades in school, and it was noted that he was very intelligent.  He then hid this information from his elders and peers by deliberately achieving average marks.  After his parents' deaths, he inherited their substantial fortune at age seventeen, but chose to give it all to charity as he wanted to make something of himself on his own.  Veidt embarked on a vision quest, following the route of his childhood idol Alexander the Great.  During an excursion into the Middle East, Veidt consumed a ball of hashish and saw visions of the past.  As he finished his travels in Egypt, he realized that Alexander was a pale imitation of Ramesses II, who became Veidt's new hero.  Returning to the US, he began training himself to achieve peak physical condition, becoming a world-class gymnast in the process.

At age nineteen, Veidt named himself Ozymandias (the Greek name for Ramesses II) and became a costumed vigilante, earning a reputation as "the smartest man on the planet” and using his physical skills to non-violently incapacitate opponents.  He debuted in early 1958 by exposing a drug ring in New York City.  An early attempt at his “bullet catch” trick worked, though it deprived him of the first three fingers of his right hand in the process.  Undeterred, Veidt had his entire hand replaced with a bionic prosthesis.  In 1966, he was invited by former Minuteman and adventurer Captain Metropolis to become a member of the Crimebusters, but the group never came to fruition due to the Comedian breaking up the meeting.  It was at this moment that Veidt began to believe superheroics were not enough to save the world, and began plotting to think of a method that could.

Due to the increasingly negative perceptions of vigilantes by the media, Veidt predicted that the public would turn away from them.  Two years before costumed heroes were banned by the Keene Act, Veidt revealed his secret identity, retired from superheroism and marketed his image.  He became very wealthy and was known as a great humanitarian, and used this to bankroll his secret scheme of creating a catastrophic event to deceive the world into uniting against a common enemy and thus avert nuclear war.  Upon completion of his project, Veidt planned to murder all of his (unwitting) accomplices and arrange the psychological deterioration and self-exile of the presumably invincible Doctor Manhattan.  Fellow vigilante Edward Blake, a.k.a. the Comedian, stumbled upon Veidt's plans.  This led Veidt to personally murder the Comedian at the beginning of Watchmen.

Veidt was first seen when Rorschach visited him to get his opinion on Blake's murder and to warn about a possible serial killer targeting superheroes.  Rorschach was unconvinced of Veidt's theory that Blake was assassinated by a bitter arch-rival.  Veidt was one of the few people attending Blake's funeral, at which he reminisced about the failed Crimebusters meeting.  Later, Veidt narrowly escaped an assassination attempt that left his assistant dead.  The would-be assassin died from an unseen cyanide capsule before Veidt could interrogate him.

Rorschach and Nite Owl deduced that Veidt was behind the whole plot, after they linked one of Veidt's shell companies to a plot to discredit Manhattan.  The duo realized that Veidt exposed Manhattan's former lover, colleagues, and an enemy to radiation and deliberately monitored them for cancer, so Manhattan would flee Earth out of either guilt or public enmity.  When Rorschach and Nite Owl arrived at Veidt's Antarctic retreat, he easily overpowered both of them and explained his plan to save humanity from itself -- teleporting a biologically-engineered, telepathic creature to New York, which would kill millions and convince the world that they were under extraterrestrial attack.  The US and the Soviet Union, on the brink of nuclear confrontation, would then join forces against the supposed alien invaders.  He also admitted to framing Manhattan. killing the Comedian. framing Rorschach for the murder of Moloch, and staging the attempt on his own life, killing his attacker in the process.  When Rorschach and Nite Owl asked him when he planned to execute his scheme, Veidt revealed that it was completed before they arrived, saying, "I did it thirty-five minutes ago."

When Doctor Manhattan and Silk Spectre confronted Veidt, he attempted to disintegrate Manhattan, but he soon reformed himself.  Silk Spectre attempted to shoot him, but he caught the bullet and knocked her out.  Realizing that exposing Veidt's plan would undo the early stages of world peace, most of the heroes agreed to remain silent on the plot. Rorschach, a moral absolutist, prepared to return to the US and reveal Veidt's plan to the world, but ultimately let Manhattan kill him.  Before Manhattan left Earth to create life in another galaxy, Veidt asked him if he "did the right thing in the end."  Manhattan replied that "nothing ever ends", leaving Veidt in doubt about how long the peace would last.  Unbeknownst to Veidt and the other characters, Rorschach previously mailed a journal to a newspaper detailing his findings about Veidt's plan.  It was left ambiguous whether the newspaper ultimately published its contents.

Irons will be the second actor to portray Ozymandias in live action, after Matthew Goode in the 2009 Watchmen film adaptation by Zack Snyder.

Watchmen is expected to debut on HBO sometime in 2019.

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 123: "The Tsuranga Conundrum" is Up!

"While you've been mucking about on YouTube, I've been learning useful life skills."

-- Graham O'Brien to Ryan Sinclair, Doctor Who: "The Tsuranga Conundrum"

With Karen Lindsay on the Disabled List this week, I'm joined once again by my other partner in time, Jesse Jackson, for a new episode of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast!  This time, we review "The Tsuranga Conundrum", the fifth episode from Doctor Who Series Eleven, featuring Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, Tosin Cole as Ryan Sinclair, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan, and Bradley Walsh as Graham O'Brien!

In this episode, Jesse and I discuss things like Karen being the star of our show, how we divide our show responsibilities, Doctor Who being a positive series, Jesse not getting so-called "fans" not getting Series 11, calling episodes like we see them, Chris Chibnall not being a great writer or a horrible writer, McDonald's being consistently mediocre, the Pting being reminiscent of Stitch and Nibbler, why it's sometimes better to have the Sonic Screwdriver off the table, the Doctor geeking out over an antimatter drive, Yaz inventing the game of Pting Ptong, the Doctor becoming famous again, Ryan and Graham helping deliver Yoss' baby, guys knocking out pregnancy in just a week, learning what happened to Ryan's mom, Yoss naming his baby Avocado Pear, Graham watching Call the Midwife, our favorite lines of the episode, a quick Reverse the Polarity segment, some feedback from Isaac from Michigan, Holly from Wisconsin, and Paul from Australia, whether Donald Trump is evil or not, Doctor Who always being a political show, and more!

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And hey, if you'd like to pick up the officially official Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week as Jesse, Karen and I review "Demons of the Punjab", the sixth episode from Doctor Who Series Eleven, featuring Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, Tosin Cole as Ryan Sinclair, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan, and Bradley Walsh as Graham O'Brien!  Look for more of Next Stop Everywhere on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

Grant Morrison Inks Deal to Develop THE INVISIBLES for TV

Get ready for the ultimate conspiracy.  Which side are you on?

Deadline has word that comics writer Grant Morrison has inked a deal with Universal Cable Productions to develop and produce premium original content for television networks as well as streaming platforms.  Morrison's newest project with UCP is developing and writing the TV adaptation of his long-running DC Comics/Vertigo creation, The Invisibles,

Morrison, 58, is a Scottish comic book writer and playwright best known for his surreal and countercultural style on numerous series for DC Comics and its Vertigo imprint, including The Invisibles, Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, JLA: Earth 2, All-Star Superman, Action Comics, Batman, Batman Incorporated, Batman and Robin, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, Wonder Woman: Earth One, The Flash, 52, Kid Eternity, The Multiversity, Seven Soldiers, Final Crisis, Sebastian O, Flex Mentallo, We3, Seaguy, and The Filth.  His other notable comics projects include New X-Men, Marvel Boy, and Fantastic Four: 1234 for Marvel Comics, and he currently writes the new series The Green Lantern for DC Comics.

His Image Comics limited series with artist Darick Robertson, Happy!, was adapted for the Syfy network by Universal Cable Productions and was renewed for a second season.  In addition, Morrison’s nonfiction book Supergods was published by Random House in 2011, and in 2012, he was presented with an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by the Queen for his services to film and literature.

Created in 1994 by Morrison along with various artists, The Invisibles introduced Dane McGowan, an angry teen from Liverpool, who attempted to burn down his school. Abandoned by his father and neglected by his mother, Dane took out his anger and frustration through destruction.  In the first issue of the series, Dane was approached by the Invisibles, a ragtag band of freedom fighters led by King Mob, a charismatic, cold-blooded assassin.  After being abandoned by the team, Dane tried to survive on his own in London and was mentored by Tom O'Bedlam, an elderly homeless man who was secretly a member of the Invisibles.  Tom showed Dane the magic in the everyday world and helped him realize that his anger prevented him from experiencing real emotions.  While wandering with Tom, Dane had a partially remembered alien abduction experience and was transported into a different dimension.  Eventually, Dane returned to the Invisibles, taking the codename "Jack Frost".

The Invisibles operated as a single cell of The Invisible College, a secret organization battling against physical and psychic oppression using time travel, magic, meditation, and physical violence.  For most of the series, the team included leader King Mob; Lord Fanny, a transvestite Brazilian shaman; Boy, a former NYPD; Ragged Robin, a telepath with a mysterious past; and Jack Frost.  Their enemies were the Archons of the Outer Church, interdimensional alien gods who had already enslaved most of the human race without their knowledge.

In the final volume of the series, the Invisibles prepared to stop the Moonchild, a monstrous being destined to be crowned the next King of England, from being used as a host for Rex Mundi, the extra-dimensional ruler of the Outer Church.  Jack Frost single-handedly defeated Rex Mundi and learned that the dimensions the Outer Church and the Invisible College both inhabited were one and the same.  Afterwards, King Mob retired and devoted the rest of his life to non-violence, while Jack Frost and Lord Fanny were left to start their own Invisibles cell.  Years later, on December 21, 2012, the world was about to end, just as predicted.  Ragged Robin returned and was reunited with King Mob.  Jack Frost then broke the fourth wall and addressed the reader, stating that, “OUR SENTENCE IS UP.”  At that moment, the world ended and humanity transformed into its next stage of existence, guided by Jack Frost.

Andrew Lincoln to Continue as Rick Grimes in THE WALKING DEAD Movie Series

Relax, Rick Grimes fans...Rick is still walking and isn't dead.

Deadline has reported that actor Andrew Lincoln will continue playing Rick Grimes, his leading character on the AMC series The Walking Dead, in a series of AMC Studios original films, written by Chief Content Officer Scott M. Gimple.  The films are planned to continue the story of Rick Grimes, with the first expected to begin production as early as 2019.

After playing Rick Grimes for eight seasons on The Walking Dead, Lincoln made his final TV appearance as Rick in "What Comes After", which was written by Matthew Negrate and Gimple.  In the episode, Rick Grimes was mortally wounded and was last seen being flown away by helicopter to an unknown destination.  According to the article, the first film will "explore the story of where Rick is taken and what he faces in a new corner of the zombie apocalypse."

On the Talking Dead aftershow, Lincoln remarked, "It’s not the beginning of the end, it’s the end of the beginning.  And I like the idea that we get to tell a bigger story, maybe with a sort of wider vista.  And I’ve always been interested in what’s going on out there, you know, whether or not there is contact with the wider world.  I want to know the meta of it all.  And I suppose to be able to kind of touch upon that in a contained story for me is a very exciting proposition…Maybe it’s the start of a bigger story."

The article also states that the Rick Grimes movie series is just one of a series of projects in development from Gimple as part of a multi-year plan for The Walking Dead Universe, which also includes additional films, specials, series, digital content and more.  According to Gimple, the former showrunner of The Walking Dead who was made Chief Content Officer for the brand in January, some stories will relate to what we know about The Walking Dead, while others will be standalone stories in new creative territory.

"We have a lot on the horizon – starting with a new epic featuring one of the greatest leading actors in television history and one of the best people I’ve ever met," said Gimple.  "These films are going to be big evolutions of what we’ve been doing on the show, with the scope and scale of features.  We’re starting with the first part of the continuing story of Rick Grimes, and there is much more on the way, featuring yet-unseen worlds of The Walking Dead and faces from the show’s past, as well as new characters we hope to become favorites, told by TWD veterans and emerging voices.  We want to break new ground with different, distinct stories, all part of the same world that’s captured our imagination for nearly a decade of the Dead."

The Walking Dead airs Sunday nights on AMC at 9 p.m. EST.

TITANTALK 011: "Doom Patrol" is Up!

"You do realize this is supposed to be a secret, right?  No, let me get this straight – You want the Chief, who just learned to walk again, to walk into your dumbassery."
"I thought, maybe Chief could help her."
"Ooh, you hate her that much?"
-- Robotman and Beast Boy, Titans: "Doom Patrol"

Hello again, Titans fans!  My fellow TitanTalker Jesse Jackson and I are back with another new episode of TitanTalk: The Titans Podcast!  This time, we discuss "Doom Patrol", the fourth episode of the new DC Universe series Titans, featuring Bruno Bichir as The Chief, Brendan Fraser & Jake Michaels as Robotman, April Bowlby as Elasti-Woman, and Matt Bomer & Dwain Murphy as Negative Man!

TITANS TOGETHER!

In this episode, Jesse and I discuss things like Jesse's fondness for Geoff Johns' stories, cast changes for the upcoming Doom Patrol spinoff series, my being a huge Doom Patrol fan, Grant Morrison and Richard Case's definitive Doom Patrol run, the Doom Patrol as the Addams Family of the DC Universe, The X-Men being a ripoff of the Doom Patrol, the full introduction of Beast Boy, the Doom Patrol being a family, Beast Boy and Robotman's interaction being reminiscent of the Human Torch and the Thing, Rachel describing fried chicken to Robotman, Raven doing the robot dance, the Chief being manipulative and controlling, Beast Boy standing up to the Chief, the Doom Patrol wanting Beast Boy to leave with the Titans, Frank Sinatra singing "We'll Meet Again", Jesse not being a fan of the Doom Patrol from the comics, the Chief being the jerk team member that creates conflict, the Doom Patrol being in an abuse cycle with the Chief, wondering if the Chief will become a threat as he was in Grant Morrison's run, wondering how old the Doom Patrol members actually are, my seeing a Doom Patrol series as the DC Universe's version of Twin Peaks, not seeing any of the Doom Patrol use their powers, the debut of Raven's healing ability, Negative Man being a culinary master, Titans viewers liking the Doom Patrol better than the Titans, Dick and Kory's contentious Moonlighting-esque interaction, the unnecessary scene of Dick beating the crap out of a hunter right in front of his kid, Geoff Johns' penchant for gratuitous violence, Dick finally reaching out to Rachel, our favorite lines of the episode, new feedback from DJ Nik in Milan, Italy, and more!

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Be sure to come back next week for Episode 012 as Jesse and I discuss "Together", the fifth episode of the new DC Universe series Titans, featuring Brenton Thwaites as Robin, Anna Diop as Starfire, Teagan Croft as Raven, and Ryan Potter as Beast Boy!  Look for more of TitanTalk: The Titans Podcast on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

GHOSTWOOD 044: "The Man Behind Glass" is Up!

"Now, you listen to me…While I will admit to a certain cynicism, the fact is that I’m a naysayer and hatchetman in the fight against violence.  I pride myself in taking a punch, and I’ll gladly take another, because I choose to live my life in the company of Gandhi and King. My concerns are global.  I reject absolutely revenge, aggression, and retaliation.  The foundation of such a method…is love.  I love you, Sheriff Truman."

-- Albert Rosenfield to Sheriff Harry S. Truman, Twin Peaks: "The Man Behind Glass"

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  This time, we continue our commentary tracks as we watch "The Man Behind Glass," the third episode from Twin Peaks Season Two, featuring the introductions of Lenny Von Dohlen as Harold Smith, Ian Buchanan as Richard "Dick" Tremayne, and Michael Parks as Jean Renault!

LET'S ROCK!

In our latest episode, Xan and I discuss things like David Warner as Thomas Eckhardt, Jack Palance being the gentle version of Gary Busey, Everett McGilll in Silver Bullet, how to do a Sarah Palmer face removal Halloween costume, Senorita Dido eye makeup, Donna driving Harold Smith to rake his face with a small garden rake, Harold being strangely calm when Laura's face went demonic in Fire Walk with Me, where Deputy Chad ranks among the most evil and horrible characters in Twin Peaks, whether Walter Olkewicz or Michael Parks has the worst French-Canadian accent, Ronette's Windex-filled IV, the Doctor Who episode "Love & Monsters", Albert telling Harry he loves him, Hawk having no time for designer menswear, another round of "Leland or BOB?", Dick making Lucy go dutch at the Double-R diner, Donna freaking out over Maddy holding James' hand, wondering what insurance money smells like, Philip Gerard turning into Mike, Ben Horne's fashion faux pas, Jean Renault feeding drugged Audrey caramels, Doc Hayward being into bondage, Big Ed singing to comatose Nadine, the first and only appearance of Dr. Jacoby's wife Eolani Jacoby, Donna's graveside conversation with Laura Palmer, the second deleted scene of James' mom, Condition Chad, Maddy getting upset that everyone thinks she's Laura, Harold being an observer and a listener, Donna taking advantage of Harold being mentally ill, the futility of investigating Laura Palmer's death, having The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer while watching the show live in the '90s, Nadine literally breaking Mike from being a jerk, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

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Be sure to come back in two weeks as Xan and I continue our commentary tracks as we watch "Laura's Secret Diary," the fourth episode from Twin Peaks Season Two, featuring the introductions of Royal Dano as Judge Clinton Sternwood, Claire Stansfield as Sid, and "Fumio Yamaguchi" as Mr. Tojamura!  Look for more of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 122: "Arachnids in the UK" is Up!

"You can't be President if you fire Yaz's mum."

-- The Thirteenth Doctor to Jack Robertson, Doctor Who: "Arachnids in the UK"

That's right, I'm joined once again by my partners in time, Jesse Jackson and Karen Lindsay, as we review "Arachnids in the UK", the fourth episode from Doctor Who Series Eleven, featuring Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, Chris Noth as Jack Robertson, Shobna Gulati as Najia Khan, and Tanya Fear as Dr. Jade McIntyre!
 
In this episode, Jesse, Karen and I discuss things like an appearance by Karen's kitty Chuck, my Sex Pistols t-shirt, Karen not being too frightened by CGI spiders, my wife Lori watching "Arachnids in the UK" through a blanket on our couch, my wanting a connection with the Eight Legs from "Planet of the Spiders", entomologist Dr. Bambi Berenbaum from The X-Files, Jodie Whittaker becoming Karen's second favorite Doctor, the Thirteenth Doctor looking for any excuse not to travel by herself, feeling sorry for the mutated spiders, the Doctor actually warning her companions before traveling with her, #TeamTARDIS, Jesse stepping away for a moment, my being a fan of classic punk music, the introduction of Yaz's family, Yaz's family compared to Martha Jones' family, hints that Yaz may be bisexual, Ryan getting a letter from his estranged dad, hints that Ryan and Graham may be bonding, wondering if Graham hallucinating his dead wife Grace was caused by something extraterrestrial, Jesse coping with losing his parents, Jack Robertson as a version of Donald Trump, Doctor Who always being political, wondering if we're going to see Jack Robertson again, wondering if Chris Chibnall is planning a master story arc connecting various Series 11 episodes, fans who wanted Moffat and Capaldi gone suddenly wanting them back, our favorite lines of the episode, a quick Reverse the Polarity segment, some feedback from YouTube user Geof Thompson, Holly from Wisconsin, and Paul from Australia, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Google Play Music -- RIGHT HERE

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE

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Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn --  RIGHT HERE

Next Stop Everywhere's Facebook page

Next Stop Everywhere's Twitter account

Next Stop Everywhere's Instagram account (NEW!)

And hey, if you'd like to pick up the officially official Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week as Jesse, Karen and I review "The Tsuranga Conundrum", the fifth episode from Doctor Who Series Eleven, featuring Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, Tosin Cole as Ryan Sinclair, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan, and Bradley Walsh as Graham O'Brien!  Look for more of Next Stop Everywhere on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

Naomi Watts to Lead GAME OF THRONES Prequel THE LONG NIGHT

The night is long and full of prequels.

Deadline is reporting that after lengthy negotiations, actress Naomi Watts has signed on as the lead for The Long Night, HBO's pilot for a proposed prequel series to Game of Thrones.

According to the article, The Long Night is from writer and Jane Goldman and A Song of Ice and Fire creator and author George R.R. Martin.  The pilot is written by showrunner Goldman, based on a story by her and Martin, which reportedly "takes place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones.  It chronicles the world’s descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour.  And only one thing is for sure: from the horrifying secrets of Westeros’ history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East to the Starks of legend…it’s not the story we think we know."

Watts' character has not been revealed, but the article claims she will play "a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret."

Watts, 50, is an English actress best known as Janey-E Jones in the 2017 revival of Twin Peaks, as Betty Elms/Diane Selwyn in David Lynch's film Mullholland Drive, and as Rachel Keller in The Ring and The Ring Two.  In addition, Watts has appeared in the films Inland Empire, Tank Girl, King Kong (2005), Eastern Promises, J. Edgar, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), The Divergent Series: Insurgent, The Divergent Series: Allegiant, and The Sea of Trees.  Watts has also received two Academy Award nominations for Best Actress, for the 2003 film 21 Grams and for the 2012 film The Impossible.

Martin apparently confirmed the prequel's title, The Long Night, via a post from his official Twitter account:

Casting is now underway for THE LONG NIGHT, the first of the GAME OF THRONES successor series to ordered to film. HBO has just announced the first cast member: NAOMI WATTS is coming on board as one of our stars. https://t.co/n0XkxsJG03 pic.twitter.com/uNF5mjPNte

— George RR Martin (@GRRMspeaking) October 31, 2018

Goldman will serve as showrunner and will executive produce alongside Martin, as well as fellow Game of Thrones co-executive producer Vince Gerardis, and Damages and Bloodline co-creator Daniel Zelman.  Former BBC Studios executive James Farrell and Jim Danger Gray (Orange Is the New Black, Hannibal) are executive producers and Chris Symes (The Alienist) is a co-executive producer.

TITANTALK 010: "Origins" is Up!

"Hey!  You stole my car!  I like my car."
"How did you find me?"
"There’s an app for that."
-- Dick Grayson and Kory Anders, Titans: "Origins"

You guessed it, Titans fans!  My fellow TitanTalker Jesse Jackson and I are back with another new episode of TitanTalk: The Titans Podcast!  This time, we discuss "Origins", the third episode of the DC Universe series Titans, featuring featuring Reed Birney as The Messenger, Tomaso Sanelli as Young Dick Grayson, and Meagen Fay as the Nun at St. Paul’s!

TITANS TOGETHER!

In this episode, Jesse and I discuss things like Jesse playing with his Twilight Zone pinball machine, getting a text from former TitanTalker and DC Comics editor Michael McCalister, more of Starfire's disco soundtrack, wondering why Starfire hasn't changed her clothes since Vienna, Starfire speaking and reading Tamaranean without understanding it, Kory training with the Warlords of Okaara, Trigon using Raven as a gateway to our dimension, Dick Grayson having to earn Rachel's trust back, Raven and Beast Boy's awkward first meeting, Greta Van Fleet sounding like Led Zeppelin, Young Dick Grayson not being allowed to interact with Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth, the car-stealing homage to Batman Forever, figuring out Dick Grayson's age, the rather sudden death of Amy Rohrbach, wondering how Dick Grayson keeps his job with the Detroit PD, the tease of Tony Zucco, Dick Grayson's wonderful toys, the actual Coolville, Ohio and proximity to Columbus, the Nuclear Family being androids, the Messenger making omelettes, Nuclear Sis convincing the Messenger to not deactivate them, our favorite lines of the episode, some Titans Tower news about the series, feedback from DJ Nik in Milan, Italy, and more!

If you'd like to check out episodes of TitanTalk, you can find us on...

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Be sure to come back next week for Episode 011 as Jesse and I discuss "Doom Patrol", the fourth episode of the new DC Universe series, featuring Bruno Bichir as The Chief, Jake Michaels as Robotman, April Bowlby as Elasti-Woman, and Dwain Murphy as Negative Man!  Look for more of TitanTalk: The Titans Podcast on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

THE FANDOM ZONE 151: "Resurrection" is Up!

"I'd rather die as the Devil, than live as Matt Murdock."

-- Matt Murdock, Daredevil: "Resurrection" 

That's right, Karen and I are back with another new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast!  This week's reviews of comics on television include:

Supergirl 4x01: "American Alien"  (Season Premiere)

Arrow 7x01: "Inmate 4587"  (Season Premiere)

Black Lightning 2x02: "The Book of Consequences: Chapter Two: Black Jesus Blues"

Daredevil 3x01: "Resurrection"  (Season Premiere)

In this episode, Karen and I talk about things like my Daredevil Funko figure, Karen being on paid meds again, Agent Liberty resembling the Voice of Rao, Agent Liberty in the comics, Rhona Mitra as Mercy Graves, Otis finally getting a last name, Dreamer being the first transgendered superhero on television, Nia being the Season One Kara, Lillian and Lena playing chess, Bruno Mannheim and Intergang, enjoying Karen's stream of consciousness, Colton Haynes returning as the older Arsenal, Wooden William being much more interesting as an adult, Semi-Goth Felicity working as a barista, Wild Dog's duct-taped punching bags, Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary", wondering when Painkiller is going to find out that Jennifer has Lightning powers, Jefferson's students standing behind him, Windfall from the Outsiders comics, Daredevil surviving the collapsed building at the end of The Defenders, the importance of the comics storyline "Born Again", wondering who Bullseye is going to kill, Sister Maggie's important connection to Matt Murdock, Kingpin trying to have a nice quiet dinner in prison, Matt as a Jesus Christ metaphor, some new feedback from Justina, everyone loving Karen on Next Stop Everywhere, and more!

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And if that isn't enough for you, you can also check us out on YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!  Oh, and if you're interested in an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing, you can get those on TeePublic HERE as well!  Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week, as Karen and I review the Season 4 premiere of The CW's Legends of Tomorrow, along with new episodes of  Netflix's Daredevil and The CW's The Flash and Black Lightning, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 121: "Rosa" is Up!

"I get called a Paki when I’m sorting out a domestic, or a terrorist when I’m coming home from the mosque.  But they don’t win those people.  I can be a police officer now because people like Rosa Parks fought those battles for me.  For us.  And in fifty-three years, they’ll have a black president as leader.  Who knows where they’ll be fifty years after that?  That’s proper change."

-- Yasmin "Yaz" Khan to Ryan Sinclair, Doctor Who: "Rosa"

That's right, I'm joined once again by my partners in time, Jesse Jackson and Karen Lindsay, as we review "Rosa", the third episode from Doctor Who Series Eleven, featuring Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, Vinette Robinson as Rosa Parks, and Josh Bowman as Krasko!
 
In this episode, Jesse, Karen and I discuss things like the TARDIS jiggling on my Doctor Who t-shirt, Malorie Blackman being the first black writer on Doctor Who, "Rosa" and "Vincent and the Doctor" making Jesse cry, "Rosa" being the first classic of the Jodie Whittaker era, the awkwardness of taking your black and Pakistani-descent companions to 1955 Alabama, uncool "woman driver" jokes about the Thirteenth Doctor, the TARDIS console being an ATM machine, wanting Graham O'Brien to get a spinoff series, the Doctor's inner conflict about letting Rosa Park get arrested, Ryan fanboying over Rosa Parks and MLK, the Partners in Time still finding their rhythm, Ryan getting slapped by an Alabama racist while trying to return a dropped handkerchief, the great casting of Vinette Robinson as Rosa Parks, emotionally-stunted fans thinking the episode was "boring", why it's okay to like both Doctor Who and Timeless instead of just one or the other, Krasko being the Anti-Captain Jack and being imprisoned in Stormcage, speculating on the return of Krasko and if he's the "Timeless Child", wondering if Krasko telling Ryan about "his place" was a reference to his race or his humanity, Asteroid 284996 Rosaparks, our favorite quotes from the episode, my quick Reverse the Polarity segment, the Meddling Monk, new listener feedback from Holly from Wisconsin, Fred from Long Island and Paul from Australia, the quality of British Alabama accents, the Sex Pistols, and more!

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And hey, if you'd like to pick up the officially official Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week as Jesse, Karen and I review "Arachnids in the UK", the fourth episode from Doctor Who Series Eleven, featuring Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, Tosin Cole as Ryan Sinclair, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan, and Bradley Walsh as Graham O'Brien!  Look for more of Next Stop Everywhere on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!