You know the drill by now: all the week’s biggest pop culture stories crammed into a single recap post. But before we get to the film, series, and lifestyle news that caught our eye, let’s look at star obituaries of the past few days.
After living with breast cancer for 20+ years, Three’s Company and Step By Step actress Suzanne Somers (who also wrote dozens of books and hosted various TV shows) has died aged 76. This week also saw the passing of two character actors with signature roles.
Piper Laurie will probably be best remembered for playing Carrie’s deranged mother in the 1976 adaptation of Stephen King’s novella (a role that earned her a second Academy Award nomination), but she was also Oscar nominated for Paul Newman’s The Hustler (1961) and, decades later, Marlee Matlin’s Children of a Lesser God (1986). Laurie, who also appeared in Twin Peaks, passed aged 91 after being unwell for some time.
Finally, boxer and Marine turned actor Burt Young has died aged 83. Young is perhaps best known for his Oscar-nominated work as Paulie, Rocky Balboa’s brother-in-law, in the six original Rocky films. That said, he also appeared in the likes of Chinatown, Once Upon a Time in America, The Sopranos, and MAS*H.
Series
Netflix’s Geeked Week is making a return in November. From 6 to 12 November, Netflix’s social channels will be full of surprise announcements about some of the streamer’s biggest shows and movies, while Thursday to Saturday (9 to 11 November) will include daily livestreams at 1PM PST (that’s 10PM South African time). The week caps off on Sunday, 12 November with a 4:30PM PST dive into Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon.
Look out for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, 3 Body Problem, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, Damsel, Devil May Cry, Leave the World Behind, Umbrella Academy, One Piece and more. You can find the week-long schedule here.
To build hype for Geeked Week, Netflix paired its event announcement with the first official image set showing the primary Fire Nation characters as they appear in the upcoming, live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender. We’ve already seen Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko, but now we’ve had a peek at Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as General Iroh, Elizabeth Yu as Princess Azula, and Ken Leung as Commander Zhao. The series arrives in 2024.
You need more sci-fi series in your life? On 12 November, Beacon 23 premieres on MGM+. Based on the short story series of the same name by Silo’s Hugh Howey, in this space-set thriller, two people, Aster (Lena Headey), and Halan (Stephan James), find themselves trapped together inside one of the many Beacons that serve as a lighthouse for intergalactic travelers. A tense battle of wills unfolds as neither trusts the other.
Two seasons are already lined up for Beacon 23, with Season 1 comprising of eight episodes.
One final TV news tidbit: A live-action Gargoyles seems to be happening after all. Following debunked rumours earlier this year that Kenneth Branagh was working in a flesh-and-blood film version of the beloved 1990s animated series, now it’s been revealed that Annabelle writer Gary Dauberman will serve as the showrunner for a live-action series that’s been given the thumbs up by Disney+. The series will be developed by James Wan’s Atomic Monster production company, so fans can likely anticipate a darker tone, in keeping with the source material.
In case you need a reminder, Gargoyles centres on a clan of gargoyles who return to life after the Scottish castle they’re bound to, is relocated to New York City. Led by Goliath, and aided by human police officer Elisa Maza, the band protects the city by night, while turning to stone every day when the sun rises. Gargoyles sits alongside Batman: The Animated Series and X-Men: The Animated Series as more mature-themed cartoon fare that emerged during the 90s, and developed cult popularity.
Film
The Boy and the Heron, the first feature in 10 years from acclaimed animator and Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki, has racked up an all-star cast for its English-language version. The actors providing their voices for the dubbed release include Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson and Florence Pugh.
In the semi-autobiographical The Boy and the Heron, 12-year-old Mahito Maki is sent to live in the countryside with his aunt, following the death of his mother during WWII fire-bombing. It’s here that Mahito spots a mysterious heron, and follows it into a secret world shared by the living and dead.
The Boy and the Heron begins is wide cinema release, including IMAX, on 8 December. You can watch the Japanese teaser trailer (with English subtitles) here.
Halloween is likely to be a subdued affair in Hollywood this year. With the Actors’ Strike ongoing, union SAG-AFTRA has advised members on what are, and aren’t, acceptable costumes. Characters from popular live-action movie and TV shows are out; but characters from “non-struck content” like animated series, and, presumably, games, are in the clear.
Union members have been recommended to “Choose costumes inspired by generalized characters and figures (ghost, zombie, spider, etc.),” and be careful about what they post on social media.
Lifestyle
For decades now, the Barbie range of dolls has been ever-expanding, to ensure children can see themselves reflected, and have Barbie better represent the world’s diversity. So we have dolls of different nationalities, ethnicities, professions and physical abilities. The newest addition to Mattel’s range is a Barbie doll with Down syndrome, developed in close collaboration with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS).
The Barbie doll with Down Syndrome is also available in South Africa, launched ahead of National Down Syndrome Day on 20 October (today). It’s available at leading retailers nationwide, at a RSP of R279.00.
Gaming
It’s done. After a couple of messy back-and-forth years of legal challenges and approval battles, Activision Blizzard is now officially part of Microsoft’s Xbox. Watch this space for that actually means for gamers, as nothing is yet confirmed in terms of platform exclusivity, and Activision Blizzard titles coming to Game Pass. However, in the meantime, you can read the merger announcement, courtesy of Xbox head Phil Spencer, here.
Speaking of keeping your eyes on something, here’s an upcoming narrative adventure to pin on your radar. Indika is set in a strange, parallel 19th Century Russia, where a young nun leaves her restrictive monastery and sets off on a mind-bending journey of self-discovery with a certain, horn-headed companion by her side.
Just as heroine Indika explores the duality of good and evil, and develops an understanding that nothing is absolute, Indika the game defies convention. Straight out of the press release: “Steeped in themes of sin, sorrow, and moral dilemmas, Indika transcends traditional gaming, resembling an art-house film that challenges societal norms rather than offering simple amusement.” Mixing dark comedy and tragedy, the game promises a blend of exploration, environmental puzzles and a touch of platforming.
There’s something Hellblade-ish about this one, which comes from publisher 11 bit studios and Russian developer Odd Meter, who relocated their entire team from Moscow to Kazakhstan after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Indika is currently set for release on PC and consoles in Q1 2024.