We start this week’s pop culture news recap with the announcement that British actor Terence Stamp has died aged 87. Bursting onto the screen back in 1962 with an Oscar-nominated performance in Billy Budd, Stamp is probably best known to more contemporary audiences for his portrayal of Kryptonian villain General Zod in Superman and Superman II, and drag queen Bernadette Bassenger in Aussie road trip comedy The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. His last award-contending effort was Steven Soderbergh’s The Limey (1999) while his final onscreen appearance was in 2021’s Last Night in Soho.

Lifestyle

No KFC and Kentucky Town at Comic Con Africa this year, but when it comes to exclusive deals from major retailers, CCA 2025 is going all out with the introduction of a CONllector’s guide to spotlight show specials. These are in addition to the offers from individual vendors in Artists Alley.

In summary, you can pick up all kinds of bargains, on everything from comics and limited edition collectible figurines to tech, board games, and stationery. A number of stands are also offering daily freebies to the first X number of visitors to drop by. Below is just a fraction of what you can look forward to picking up.

In addition, on the main stage daily will be a Battle of the Bids live auction, run by Bob Shop, where collectors and fans can sell and bid on all manner of pre-approved pop culture memorabilia.

Comic Con Africa 2025 takes place next week at the JHB Expo Centre, 28 to 31 August. Tickets are sold out for Saturday and the same goes for four-day passes.

Film

A break from franchises today as we spotlight two promising upcoming thrillers – one grounded, and one sprinkled with the supernatural.

The first is British folk horror film Rabbit Trap, which comes with a dash of period flavour to boot. Dev Patel and Rosy McEwan star as a married couple of musicians, Darcy and Daphne, who, in 1973, relocate to the Welsh countryside to find inspiration and finish their new record. While collecting audio samples in the woods, Darcy inadvertently disturbs a fairy ring at the same time he records a mysterious sound. That act leads to a young, enigmatic stranger (Jade Croot) arriving at the couple’s door.

Rabbit Trap debuts in cinemas next month, from 12 September.

There aren’t nearly enough movies with badass older women leads, which makes us very excited for Dead of Winter, previously known as The Fisherwoman. Emma Thompson plays Barb, a grief-stricken loner, who not only has to contend with a brutal Minnesotan blizzard, but is forced into a no-holds-barred battle for survival when she realises that a young woman has been imprisoned by two desperate, dangerous kidnappers (Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca).

Dead of Winter is also out next month, debuting on the big screen on 26 September.

Let’s wrap this section with streaming release dates for two big, and solid, superhero movies of 2025.

Gaming

It’s gamescom week so expect plenty of gaming and gaming adjacent news in the coming days, especially as the German expo opens with livestreamed show gamescom Opening Night Live on Tuesday evening, 19 August, at 8pm CEST (also 8pm South African time). Regardless of whether you care about the gamescom line-up or not, with Geoff Keighley hosting, gaming fans can expect brand-new game reveals and trailers during ONL.

P.S. We already know that the trailer for Season 2 of Prime Video’s Fallout adaptation will debut during the show. This announcement was paired with the reveal of a teaser poster for the retro-futuristic post-apocalyptic adventure, which is shot in Namibia. Fallout returns this December.

Finally, speaking of returning game adaptations, will there be news of Netflix animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft at the event? Showrunner Tasha Huo posted this Instagram story over the weekend. Yes, or no, it feels safe to say that the show will be back on screens before the end of 2025.