The synopsis has been released for season 2, episode 4 of Tracker. The episode is titled “Noble Rot”, and is set to air on Sunday, November 3.
Here’s the synopsis:
“Noble Rot” – Reenie gets Colter to take a case involving a woman missing from a high-end wellness retreat in Napa designed for CEOs, on the CBS Original series TRACKER, Sunday, Nov. 3 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+*(live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Michael Rady guest stars as Elliot, Reenie’s plus one for the retreat.
The episode was written by Alex Katsnelson and Amanda Mortlock, and was directed by Aprill Winney.
Funko has announced two new Hocus Pocus-themed Pop! figures, just in time for Halloween!
If you’re a fan of the classic Hocus Pocus, you can now pre-order the Pop! Allison & Binx figure as well as Max with the baseball cap.
Funko
Hocus Pocus is a beloved Halloween film released in 1993. The story revolves around Max, Allison, and his sister Dani, as they accidentally free the Sanderson sisters, and try to stop them from becoming immortal.
Both figures are $15 each, and pre-orders are only open through Friday, November 1. You can pre-order them on Funko’s website, here.
Atsuko, the premiere brand for Japanese anime and manga fans, had a busy weekend at New York Comic Con 2024 as attendees lined up to peruse and purchase the brand’s epic new One Piece and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba apparel lines.
Featuring hats, bags, outerwear, sweatshirts, tees, and more, Atsuko’s latest items from these two massively popular, award-winning series provide fans with cool, wearable fashion to show off their favorite characters.
Atsuko apparel feels and looks different from your run-of-the-mill anime wear, which undoubtedly is a huge attribute of their success. “I feel like the team recently, we’ve really just kind of tried to create our own world and really make the pieces the thing that stands out, like the actual bodies that you’re wearing, versus just plastering the characters onto anything, because I feel like we’ve seen that a million times for the past 5 to 10 years,” Jonathon Smith detailed when we spoke to him at New York Comic Con this year.
“We want people to feel good in what they’re wearing. At the end of the day, that’s what’s most important to us, and showcasing your fandom is an important part of that.”
Smith also gave some insight into what to expect next from Atsuko, including a collection for the hit Kaiju No. 8 arriving later this year!
Watch our on-site interview with Atsuko spokesperson Jonathon Smith below!
New York Comic Con 2024 marked the debut of Thrilljoy, a new company focused on creating premium and limited-edition collectibles across pop culture — including sports, music, and gaming. Thrilljoy enters the collectible landscape touting a commitment to innovation and quality by way of its meticulously designed items, unparalleled packaging, and a vibrant community.
Thrilljoy consists of former Funko CEO Brian Mariotti, who partnered with powerhouse industry veterans Eric Peng Cheng, owner of Undefeated and Bait, MD Young, owner of MINDstyle International and Funko’s former SVP of licensing and emerging brands, Dolly Ahluwalia.
“We want to do something different,” Mariotti stated of Thrilljoy’s main goal, “We want to do something that felt very fan-centric. But it was not just toys — it’s collectibles meets fashion meets, you know, pop culture and streetwear.” He went on to add, “We’re not going to do spreadsheet analysis, we’re going to just make great, great stuff.”
The Thrilljoy booth left its mark on New York Comic Con, as lines of excited fans filtered in continuously throughout the weekend to ogle at the impressive displays and purchase new collectibles and clothing.
Fans will be a huge part of Thrilljoy’s future, with the company assembling a Fan Advisory Board to help find the best IPs to create for. Mariotti explained the intention, to help steer quality collectibles into the hands of the fans, but it won’t just be the most popular IPs running. “That’s why we need that fan advisory board,” he said when asked about what collaborations may be down the line, “They can scour everything. And I’ve already heard some amazing ideas so far that I know we’re going to bring to fruition that I would have never thought of on my own. And when I heard it, I’m like, ‘Yeah, yeah, we should do that. I mean, why didn’t I think of that?'”
Check out our on-site interview with Mariotti below!
Today, Netflix released the trailer for season 6: part 2 of Cobra Kai. Season 6, which is set to be the show’s last season, premiered part 1 over the summer on July 18. Part 2 will premiere in less than a month, on November 15, 2024.
There will also be The Final Event, which will premiere in 2025, concluding the series.
Cobra Kai stars Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Martin Kove, Xolo Maridueña, Jacob Bertrand, Mary Mouser, Tanner Buchanan, and Peyton List. The show is written and executive produced by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg via their production company, Counterbalance Entertainment. Will Smith, James Lassiter, and Caleeb Pinkett executive produce for Westbrook Inc. alongside Susan Ekins in association with Sony Pictures Television. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka also serve as executive producers.
Yuji Kaku’s international hit manga series, Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku, has officially made its debut on WEBTOON‘s English-language platform and is now available for the first time in full color in a vertical scroll format!
Readers can access the first three episodes now for free on WEBTOON, with seven additional episodes available via Fast Pass. Three additional episodes will then roll out weekly.
Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku debuted on Shōnen Jump+ in 2018 and became the most popular series on the platform in its first year. The anime adaptation later premiered in 2023, and a second season is on the way.
“Gabimaru, once renowned as the most powerful ninja, finds himself captured after attempting to flee his village. Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, his executioner, offers him a deal: to be exonerated of all crimes by the Shogunate, he must locate the Elixir of Life in Shinsenkyo, a realm rumored to be paradise. The man who claims to be devoid of all human emotions and attachments must now embark on a journey to return to his wife and explore the meaning of life, death, and humanity!”
Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, season 1, will be heading to DVD and Blu-ray on November 19. It’s arriving just in time for the holidays and would make a perfect gift!
Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock features celebrity guest stars such as Daveed Diggs, Ed Helms, Cynthia Erivo, Patti LaBelle, Kanan Thompson, and Foo Fighters. It stars a cast of puppet characters from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
Here are some details on the release:
3-DISC DVD SET INCLUDES
All 14 episodes from Season 1, presented in standard definition.
English 5.1 Dolby Digital
3-DISC BLU-RAY™ SET INCLUDES
All 14 episodes from Season 1, presented in high-definition
English 5.1 DTS-HD MA
Special Features:
3 Episodes Featuring Commentary with Puppeteers John Tartaglia and Karen Prell
Blooper Reel
4 Sing-Alongs
Make sure to check it out when it releases on November 19!
Those familiar with the world of crime novels would be well familiar with the Alex Cross series of books written by New York native and author, James Patterson. Since 1993’s Along Came A Spider, Alex Cross, the brilliant detective, psychologist, and devoted family man, has appeared in more than 30 of the over 200 books penned by Patterson, with each Cross book building on the last. The next installment, The House of Cross, is due for release on November 25, 2024.
Premiering November 14, Prime Video’s new series, Cross, brings Patterson’s character to the small screen. Developed by Ben Watkins via his Blue Monday Productions – with Watkins also serving as showrunner and co-executive producer – the series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios, CBS Studios and Skydance Television.
Aldis Hodge (Black Adam, Hidden Figures, Leverage) stars as Alex Cross, and is joined by, among others, Isaiah Mustafa (Shadowhunters), Alona Tal (Seal Team, Supernatural), Samantha Walkes (Murdoch Mysteries), and Ryan Eggold (The Black List, New Amsterdam).
Previously adapted for film with Morgan Freeman in the lead (1997’s Kiss The Girls and 2001’s Along Came A Spider) and again with Tyler Perry (2012’s Alex Cross), at the New York Comic Con press conference this weekend, Hodge shared that the new series is, “a re-imagining, a refreshing new take,” with Watkins taking the opportunity of the new series to update it make it relevant to today.
Aware of the passionate following for the Cross universe, Watkins acknowledged the danger of creating a superhero. “I felt it was important that I don’t create a superhero. We need a hero. And the difference to me is, a hero struggles and sometimes doesn’t win. But we can all relate to the struggle – and that will make him accessible.”
Of that relationship, for Hodge and Mustafa it has its roots off-screen. “We hold each other down off-camera. So the fact that we can bring that together on-screen, is amazing.” As he gestures towards Mustafa, Hodge is emphatic: “That’s my guy. That’s my guy!”
Those familiar with the novels and the film adaptations would be aware the subject matter is often dark. But how do the cast and crew manage to separate from it at the end of the day?
Samantha Walkes, whose Elle Montiero has a close relationship with Cross, suggests the characters can serve as a surrogate for the audience, navigating how you can provide the support for those who confront the darkness, how you can connect? But as an actor, Walkes has nothing but praise for the support provided during the series’ production. “I’ve never been on a production as storytellers and actors where our sister companies provided therapy, provided spaces of counseling where we could be as instruments to the artform, very healthy, and do our job well. We can talk about suicide and talk about social justice issues, and we can be a whole person coming to that work.”
As well as bringing different storylines across the season, Watkins shared that season one will also plant some seeds.
“We have some characters that you meet in season one, and if you’re fans of book series, you’re going to recognize some things, and we have plans for that. It is a real opportunity to be able to tell a story over 8 episodes, instead of having 90 minutes to tell that story.”
With season 2 already confirmed, the plan is to continue to bring original stories to the Alex Cross universe as, per Watkins, “partly because we felt like that would give us the chance to stay more timely, deal with some things that are happening… being able to reflect what is happening in our world today.”
Reflecting on his character – a behind-the-scenes character, an ambitious (Washington) DC elite in a world of greed and power, Eggold raises the question of how you get to a place like that? “Be it a killer or… whatever… it’s the complete absence of love and community, and it highlights everything that this show is about, which is being a good father and a good detective and that sense of community.”
For the audience, the delightful warning from Hodge is simply this: “There are breadcrumbs. You’ve got to keep your eyes open and pay attention to everything. And don’t get comfortable. We don’t let you get comfortable.”
On November 14, all eight episodes will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. In advance of its first-season debut, the series was renewed for a second season.
The cast and creative team behind the HBO Original The Franchise were at New York Comic Con, and Nerds and Beyond had a chance to sit down and chat about the new comedy series at the convention following its recent premiere.
The Franchise follows the crew of an unloved franchise movie fighting for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The comedy series shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking to ask: How exactly does the cinematic sausage get made?
Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Nerds and Beyond: Daniel, did you have anything to do with the Ron Howard joke?
Daniel Brühl: No. No, no, no. I asked Sam Mendes if we could change the director. And he said, “No, no.” So I was totally blaming Sam Mendes. I then went to Australia to shoot with Ron Howard, and I chose the right moment to tell him that I was making a joke. He said, “Oh, why would you do that?” I said, “Well, because it’s a comedy, it’s a show.” And he went, “Ahhh.” And I said, “It’s all Sam Mendes. You know the Brits. You know how they are. I would never do that to you.”
Nerds and Beyond: Throughout the course of your careers, you’ve probably encountered different types of pressure going into different roles. What was it like taking on the pressure of literally being the people that are filming you?
Himesh Patel: You feel a certain responsibility to reflect them correctly. So I had a conversation, when we shot the pilot, with our first AD, just to get an idea of what it takes to be a first AD, and how he got to where he got to, but also his experiences working on big franchise movies as he had done. And that was invaluable to me and also ongoing. We had more or less the very people we were trying to represent in front of us at all times.
Nerds and Beyond: The show is obviously a comedy, it’s very funny. But there’s also a lot of heart — there’s depth to your characters. What is the main takeaway that you want audiences to get from this series?
Lolly Adefope: I think it’s a love letter to people who make the art that we consume. There are so many people involved, and they all work so hard. Each one of them, individually, is so valuable to the creation of these films. It’s about people who are working hard. The dysfunction doesn’t come from a lack of talent or a lack of creative ambition. It’s often from too many people being involved or a corporate presence that is kind of unhelpful. It’s just trying to celebrate all of their work, especially people whose work doesn’t often get highlighted.
The cast and creative team behind the HBO Original The Franchise were at New York Comic Con, and Nerds and Beyond had a chance to sit down and chat about the new comedy series at the convention following its recent premiere.
The Franchise follows the crew of an unloved franchise movie fighting for their place in a savage and unruly cinematic universe. The comedy series shines a light on the secret chaos inside the world of superhero moviemaking to ask: How exactly does the cinematic sausage get made?
Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Nerds and Beyond: [To Aya] There’s a fun irony in you coming over to The Franchise from The Boys. That’s satire as well, but a different kind of satire. So what was this experience like for you, going from that world into this one?
Aya Cash: I mean, clearly I have a judgmental face. I get to dig a cast in things that are making fun of other things. No, it was great. Look, all the sets are bonkers, and I think that’s kind of what we’re showing. I feel like I got to send up my former co-workers, which is really fun, and they also all have a great sense of humor. So yeah, it’s been fun to be part of both. I love that it feels like there’s some crossover.
Nerds and Beyond: [On ‘The Franchise] You’re pretending to be working behind the scenes, so it looks like you’re on a film set … when you’re on a film set. How did you compartmentalize that to not confuse yourself and be able to stay in character?
Aya Cash: Well, I’m super method, so I was controlling everything. No. I don’t think about staying in character. But it definitely was confusing before you got to know everyone’s names, who was who. So you go up to someone and say, “Hey, where’s the bathroom?” to someone who you thought was a runner, and it turns out they’re just playing a runner. They had to do different lanyards. I wanted to watch the oner, and they put me on the set video village, not the actual video village. And I’m not allowed to be seen at that point, because I’m not in there, so I’m like trying to sneak off the actual set.
Nerds and Beyond: Did you feel any pressure portraying the people that were filming you?
Darren Goldstein: Just self-consciousness that you have as an actor, period. We always want to please the people that are employing us. I think that’s always what the first concerns deal with. But I don’t think it went past that into whether it’s authentic.
Aya Cash: Yeah, I also just had trust that people are pretty direct. People will tell you if you’re doing wrong. It would come back. You gotta assume, if nobody’s saying anything, it’s all going okay.
Nerds and Beyond: The show is a comedy, but there’s also a lot of heart. What are some of the key takeaways that you were hoping people — be it fans, film or television crews — would get out of it?
Aya Cash: I guess I don’t normally think about what people are going to take away. It’s more like (1) this should be entertaining as hell and (2) this is our real world. Even if some of it’s a little hyperbolic, some of it’s underplayed. Some of it, the truth is stranger than fiction. Anytime anyone makes any movie that is about something, and you are from that world. And you’re like, “Yeah, but her forehand sucks.” Like a tennis movie. So it’s fun for me to be like, “Oh, no, no, we come from this world. And now we’ll show you behind the curtain.”
Isaac Powell: I hope people take away that nothing is made poorly on purpose. Nobody sets out to make a bad thing. There’s always a cause-and-effect chain. There’s a reason the VFX might have sucked in that movie, or there’s a reason that the script might have been shit or something. But everybody’s trying to make the best thing possible.
Darren Goldstein: I don’t think this is ingested enough about how bad the people of Bat Girl felt. I mean, what are you talking about? From the business side, they do what they have to do. But the fact is, people pour in their heart and soul. It’s hard enough to have poor reviews or audiences don’t respond, but to not even get out there. That is just unbelievable. And it’s sitting there somewhere. There’s a finished movie somewhere.
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![Interview: Atsuko’s Jonathon Smith On What Sets the Brand Apart & What’s Coming Next [EXCLUSIVE]](https://i0.wp.com/www.nerdsandbeyond.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Atsuko-Cover.jpg?fit=696%2C392&ssl=1 "Interview: Atsuko’s Jonathon Smith On What Sets the Brand Apart & What’s Coming Next [EXCLUSIVE]")
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