Mission: Impossible — Fallout (Podcast Review)
Tom Cruise recovers from the Fallout of recent flops, and a shattered ankle, by leaping back to the top of the box office with his tried and true Mission: Impossible franchise. The daredevil actor saves the world for the sixth time by once again teaming with techie Benji (Simon Pegg), hacker Luther (Ving Rhames), and markswoman Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) to stop plutonium-wielding terrorists. Listen now to find out if a tagalong CIA superman (Henry Cavill) and captive criminal mastermind (Sean Harris) compromise their mission to entertain.
Sea of Love – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Al Pacino took a four year break from movie stardom before diving into Sea of Love in 1989. The steamy thriller has Detective Frank Keller – Al’s third incarnation as a New York cop – pursuing a female serial killer who stalks men that advertise in singles magazines. Is it poetic justice that the lonely divorcee falls for mysterious MILF Ellen Barkin, or will partner John Goodman convince Al to stop looking at suspects through beer goggles? Qualify for breakfast with the Yankees when you Donate at the Platinum Level this summer.
Sea of Love – A Podcast Preview
Al Pacino took a four year break from movie stardom before diving into Sea of Love in 1989. The steamy thriller has Detective Frank Keller – Al’s third incarnation as a New York cop – pursuing a female serial killer who stalks men that advertise in singles magazines. Is it poetic justice that the lonely divorcee falls for mysterious MILF Ellen Barkin, or will partner John Goodman convince Al to stop looking at suspects through beer goggles? Qualify for breakfast with the Yankees when you Donate at the Platinum Level this summer.
Need For Speed
Electronic Arts was eager to get racing game Need For Speed into multiplexes after watching Vin Diesel’s family of car thieves make bank. But can Aaron Paul break box office records with rapper Kid Cudi, Mr. Robot, and hottie Imogen Poots in his pit crew? They’ll all burn rubber crossing the country in a bid to land a spot in Michael Keaton’s exclusive street race, thereby getting the chance to show up rival driver Dominic Cooper. Find out if this shift in gears in the Now Playing Arcade works for Justin, Stuart, and Arnie when you Listen Now!
The Untouchables – Patron Exclusive Review
Treasury Officer Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) creates an elite task force of axe-wielding Prohibitionists, set on bringing down murderous bootlegger Al Capone (Robert De Niro), in the 1987 blockbuster The Untouchables. Will Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob find director Brian DePalma’s second movie about a hood nicknamed Scarface – now made “the Chicago way” – to be as violent and entertaining as his 1983 Al Pacino cult classic? Become a Now Playing Patron this July and enjoy a podcast that’s much more diverting than accounting.
Scarface – A Podcast Preview
Al Pacino was back in full gangster mode in 1983, starring as Cuban “political refugee” Tony Montana… better known as Scarface! The Brian De Palma cult classic charts the rise and fall of a cocaine kingpin – from his arrival in America and first job burying a Castro commie, to a final standoff with Bolivian guerrillas raiding his lavish Miami mansion. Are viewers f*cking with the best, or do pussycats Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie need to take a chainsaw to all this excess? The podcast is yours when you donate at the Gold Level!
Scarface – For Annual Subscribers
Al Pacino was back in full gangster mode in 1983, starring as Cuban “political refugee” Tony Montana… better known as Scarface! The Brian De Palma cult classic charts the rise and fall of a cocaine kingpin – from his arrival in America and first job burying a Castro commie, to a final standoff with Bolivian guerrillas raiding his lavish Miami mansion. Are viewers f*cking with the best, or do pussycats Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie need to take a chainsaw to all this excess? The podcast is yours when you donate at the Gold Level!
NOTE: This listing is for annual subscribers to our show. You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Scarface
Al Pacino was back in full gangster mode in 1983, starring as Cuban “political refugee” Tony Montana… better known as Scarface! The Brian De Palma cult classic charts the rise and fall of a cocaine kingpin – from his arrival in America and first job burying a Castro commie, to a final standoff with Bolivian guerrillas raiding his lavish Miami mansion. Are viewers f*cking with the best, or do pussycats Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie need to take a chainsaw to all this excess? The podcast is yours when you donate at the Gold Level!
It Came From the Desert (Movie Review)
Cinemaware turned to 1950s monster movies for inspiration when developing a 1989 computer game about giant ants attacking small town America. Now It Came From The Desert comes full circle as a 2018 feature film! An arrogant motocross racer and his shy mechanic must stop genetically modified insects from feasting on friends attending their victory kegger. But have these fanboys seen too many B-flicks to make an original mark on the genre? Listen now to find out if Arnie, Justin, and Stuart must burn down another freak game-adaptation-gone-wrong.
Episode 504: SDCC 2018 Pre-Game Show
San Diego Comic-Con starts tomorrow! So be prepared for a deluge of news and reveals from your favorite toy and collectible companies. Arnie, Marjorie, Justin, Daryl, and Berent will be there bringing you all the Star Wars news there is.
To prepare for the con Marjorie and Arnie bring you this SDCC Pre-Game show. They look at all the Star Wars convention exclusives, discuss the new SDCC lottery system, and provide hands-on reviews of Hasbro’s SDCC exclusives including the Black Series Han Solo and The Vintage Collection Dr. Aphra 3-Pack.
With Brock reviewing the novelization of The Last Jedi and more, it’s all in this brand new episode of the Star Wars Action News podcast!
SDCC 2018 Exclusives:
- IDW
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- Star Wars Adventures 10 comic w/Variant Cover. 500 copies. $10
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- DKE:
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- Baby Fuzzball by Flat Bonnie (Chewbacca — 100 made, $20)
- BunEwok Wall Art by Flat Bonnie (10 made, $100)
- Weekend Dad Trooper 3.75-in figure (25 made, $55)
- Jumbo Art Trooper Andy (12-in figure, 15 made, $165)
- No Toys 4 Us Geoffrey Giraffe Figure (40 made, $65)
- Worst Gift Ever 2-1B (40 made, $45)
- Ewokalypse Now figure (30 made, $55)
- MANY MORE FIGURES
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- Toynk Booths 815, 4437, 5245
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- Super Blitz Plush Chewbacca (2,000 made, $10)
- Super Blitz Plush Chewie with Goggles (2,000 made, $10)
- Super Blitz Lando (2,000 made, $10)
- Super Blitz Qi’ra (2,000 made $10)
- Super Blitz Han Solo (2,000 made $10)
- Star Wars Movie Poster Pins — only $1,000 made. $25
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- Super 7: Booth 4945
- Entertainment Earth: (Pre-order now online, ships after con if stock available)
- LEGO
- Sideshow/Hot Toys: “Dark Side Anakin” (also put online 7/9)
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- Solo Print by Russell Walks – $35
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- Funko:
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- AT-AT Backpack Set $60
- Han Solo Backpack Set $50
- Han Solo Handbag Set (Rebel symbol) $50
- Endor Scout Coach’s Jacket $60
- Endor Commando Coaches Jacket $60
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- Bluefin
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- Jumbo Return of the Jedi Fett on ROTJ card $80
- McQuarrie Yoda Mini-Bust (750 made, $100)
- Jedi Luke Mini-Bust with light-up saber ($120)
- Left Coast Graphics Cantina Adventure Pin Set $24, limited to 1500
- Left Coast Graphics Collector Enamel Pins, blind box. Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, Han Solo (small head), Chewbacca and one MYSTERY CHASE character. PG members can buy whole set, including chase for $100.
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- Lando & Lobot Keepsake Ornaments (2,975 made, $35)
- Boba Fett itty bitty on Vintage Card (2,500 made)
- Golden BB-8 Perpetual Calendar (1,200 made)
- PXL8 Boushh and Han in Carbonite Pins
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- Porg mini-backpack (limited to 500, and also shared with Think Geek)
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- Mattel: Booth 2945
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- Porg and Falcon Hot Wheels
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- Egg Attack Boba Fett – 140 sets made. $80
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- No Character Key
- Empire Strikes Back Darkness Shines Metallic Variant : $65
- Other silkscreen pritns
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- Hasbro:
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- Forces of Destiny Porg/Porglings and Chewbacca ($49.99)
- Black Series Centerpiece Rey (Starkiller Base) & Kylo Ren Figure ($109.99)
- Black Series Han Solo & Mynock $34.99
- Vintage Collection Dr. Aphra Comic Set $49.99
- Has Dr. Aphra, Triple Zero, and BT-1
Episode 503: The ORIGINAL Star Wars Collecting Podcast is back!
After a short break, Star Wars Action News is back with Arnie and Marjorie looking at the state of collecting. They discuss why Star Wars sales are down, why Barge sales were up, and what’s coming with SDCC and SWCC! Hear this show to catch up, and then join them TUESDAY July 17th for a SDCC pre-game show!
Issue 189: Is This the Train to San Diego?
Justin, Marjorie, and Arnie are back with a brand new Marvelicious Toys! On this show we recap where we’ve been, and then talk about where we’re going: San Diego! SDCC is next week. What are the must-haves? Listen to find out about all the Marvelicious goodness!
SDCC Exclusives:
- Kotobukiya: Nothing
- Deadpool 2: Booth 3529
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- Exclusive SDCC shirt given to first 1,200 people each day Thurs – Sun
- Deadpool 2 Super Duper Cut pre-order — get SDCC exclusive Trucker Hat! (While supplies last)
- 25 people each day win a set of 18 Fox Blu-rays with the Deadpool box art.
- Deadpool Dream Suite on Saturday evening (modeled after Deadpool’s apartment) — have to enter to win
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- Fox TV
- Marvel Booth: Only announced more pin sets THERE IS A MODOK PIN
- Mondo
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- MCU 10th Anniversary Print – Lotto already over. $70
- Also Souvenir Book Cover
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- Toynk: Booths 815, 4437, 5245
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- Avengers Thanos Gauntlet Pin with Jewel – 1,000 made, $15
- Deadpool on Unicorn Pin – 2,000 made. $10
- Daredevil and Punisher Tiki Cup Set – 400 made, $40
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- NECA
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- Baby Groot Chia Pet – $30
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- Monogram International:
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- Thor Ragnarok Pewter Key Ring 2 Piece Set (300 pieces, $20)
- Thor/Hulk Foam Magnet Set (limited to 300 pices, $10)
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- Entertainment Earth: (Pre-order now online, ships after con if stock available)
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- Push Puppet Deadpool (8.99)
- Infinity Gauntlet Push Puppet (8.99)
- Squirrel Girl Whittles Wooden Doll ($12)
- X-Men Pin Mates 3-Pack ($14.99)
- Scarlet Witch
- Cyclops
- Wolverine
- Infinity Gauntlet Pin Mate 16-pack ($99.99)
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- Ban Dai – booth 3535
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- Scottie Young Deadpool X-Force Finders Keypers – $25
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- Jakks Pacific (Booth 3349)
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- Infinity Gauntlet Tsum Tsum Set – $19.99
- Gauntlet lights up!
- Also giving some away on Twitter week of SDCC
- Infinity Gauntlet Tsum Tsum Set – $19.99
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- LEGO (booth :
- Sheriff Deadpool Minifigure (Saturday. Enter the lotto)
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- Ant-Man & Wasp Set (Saturday, $40. Enter lotto)
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- Funko
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- Also Conan O’Brien Ant-Man POPs
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- Quantum Mechanix Inc. Booth 4145
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- Deadpool Maximum Effort Q-Fig Max ($29.95)
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- Mini Egg Attack Deadpool and Pony (X-Force Version) – 1,000 made, $30
- Life Size Iron man Mk 43 Pewter Finish. Only 30 made! $20,000
- Egg Attack Deadpool (Marvel Comic) – 140 made. $80
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- IDW (Pre-order now for guaranteed pick-up at the show)
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- Jack Kirby’s Marvel Heroes & Monsters Artist’s Edition w/Variant Cover (1,000 copies, $150)
- Joe Jusko’s Marvel Masterpieces Hardcover — SDCC Variant (150 pieces, $75)
- Jack Kirby’s Marvel Heroes & Monsters Artist’s Edition, SDCC Monsters Cover Variant (100 copies, $150)
- Jack Kirby’s Marvel Heroes and Monsters Artist’s Edition Cover Variant (100 made, $150)
- Jim Starlin’s Marvel Cosmic Artifact Edition–Signed and Numbered SDCC Variant (100 copies, $150)
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- Diamond Select Toys
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- Grey Hulk PVC Diorama (11-in tall, 5000 made)
- White Phoenix PVC Statue (10-in tall, 5000 made)
- Unmasked X-23 Wolverine (4000 made)
- Funko POP Teleporting Lockjaw & GITD Black Bolt (15000 made)
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- Avengers PXL8 Ornaments, Cap Iron Man & Thanos (1500 made)
- Dr. Strange PXL8 rnament
- Ant-Man and Wasp PXL8 Pins
- PXL8 Thanos Pin
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- Mattell: Booth 2945
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- Thanos Copter Hot Wheels
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- Gwenpool Animated Statue $64.99
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- Mezco (Booth 3445)
- Essential Sequential (booth 4507, 4606, 4505)
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- Adi Granov Iron Man Giclee – 16×20. Signed. $100
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- Hasbro:
Cruising – A Podcast Preview
Exorcist director William Friedkin pushed the boundaries of what an R-rated movie could show when he ordered cop Al Pacino to start Cruising the leather bars of New York City in this notorious slasher. Will the Serpico star have any better luck earning a detective shield, or keeping a girlfriend, now that he’s posing as a gay S&M enthusiast intent on catching the eye of a like-minded serial killer? Who’s here… Jakob, Stuart and Arnie are here… and you’re here when you donate for the Platinum Level Pacino series!
Cruising – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until August 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Spring 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
Exorcist director William Friedkin pushed the boundaries of what an R-rated movie could show when he ordered cop Al Pacino to start Cruising the leather bars of New York City in this notorious slasher. Will the Serpico star have any better luck earning a detective shield, or keeping a girlfriend, now that he’s posing as a gay S&M enthusiast intent on catching the eye of a like-minded serial killer? Who’s here… Jakob, Stuart and Arnie are here… and you’re here when you donate for the Platinum Level Pacino series!
Cruising
Exorcist director William Friedkin pushed the boundaries of what an R-rated movie could show when he ordered cop Al Pacino to start Cruising the leather bars of New York City in this notorious slasher. Will the Serpico star have any better luck earning a detective shield, or keeping a girlfriend, now that he’s posing as a gay S&M enthusiast intent on catching the eye of a like-minded serial killer? Who’s here… Jakob, Stuart and Arnie are here… and you’re here when you donate for the Platinum Level Pacino series!
Deep Blue Sea – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $50 or more. This podcast will only be available until December 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Spring 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
Originally Released April 22, 2011
Arnie, Stuart, and Brock go back into open water for one last shark tale–Deep Blue Sea, a bonus addendum to our Jaws retrospective series. Ostensibly based on an unused plot for Jaws 5 based on Richard Dreyfuss’ Matt Hooper at the Aurora station, the film as made stars LL Cool J and Thomas Jane squaring off against genetically altered “smart sharks”. With such a B-movie plot and directed by Renny Harlin, has Now Playing’s Jaws series sunk to new depths after Jaws: The Revenge? Donate to Now Playing to find out!
Ant-Man And The Wasp
The box office for 2015’s Ant-Man might be considered small in comparison to other Avengers films, but Marvel banks that the second Paul Rudd adventure will make a bigger impact on the big screen thanks to The Wasp. Are the two pint-sized superheroes simply chasing a Ghost when they shrink to a subatomic level and hunt for long lost scientist Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer)? Podcasters Stuart, Arnie, and Justin don’t need truth serum to tell listeners what they really think of the 20th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Listen now!
The First Purge – A Podcast Preview
How do you convince New Yorkers to vote for a chaotic night of mass death, theft, and vandalism? Tell ‘em it only hurts Staten Island. The fourth Purge film traces the origins of the 12-hour “murder holiday” back to the neglected borough. Will shrink Marisa Tomei allow the New Founding Fathers to turn her psychological experiment into sanctioned ethnic cleansing? Can he-man drug dealer Dmitri (Y’lan Noel) protect a public housing highrise from psycho purger Skeletor (Rotimi Paul)? Time is running out to Donate for this Silver Level series!
The First Purge – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until August 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Spring 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
How do you convince New Yorkers to vote for a chaotic night of mass death, theft, and vandalism? Tell ‘em it only hurts Staten Island. The fourth Purge film traces the origins of the 12-hour “murder holiday” back to the neglected borough. Will shrink Marisa Tomei allow the New Founding Fathers to turn her psychological experiment into sanctioned ethnic cleansing? Can he-man drug dealer Dmitri (Y’lan Noel) protect a public housing highrise from psycho purger Skeletor (Rotimi Paul)? Time is running out to Donate for this Silver Level series!
The First Purge
How do you convince New Yorkers to vote for a chaotic night of mass death, theft, and vandalism? Tell ‘em it only hurts Staten Island. The fourth Purge film traces the origins of the 12-hour “murder holiday” to the neglected borough. Will shrink Marisa Tomei allow the New Founding Fathers to turn her psychological experiment into sanctioned ethnic cleansing? Can he-man drug dealer Dmitri (Y’lan Noel) protect a public housing highrise from psycho purger Skeletor (Rotimi Paul)? Time is running out to Donate for this Silver Level series!
Why Now Is the Best (and Worst) Time to Remake ‘Child’s Play’
Chucky the killer Good Guys doll is having one helluva third act.
On the heels of two well-received VOD sequels, an announced television series, and the best cameo in Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One, the iconic Child’s Play villain has seen his stock rise among his 80s-era slasher movie counterparts.
Now, Chucky (a.k.a Charles Lee Ray) is getting the remake treatment, according to The Hollywood Reporter, courtesy of Norwegian director Lars Klevberg.
The announcement surprises for a few reasons, not the least of which is the aforementioned television series conceived by series steward Don Mancini, whose name has appeared in the writing credits of every Child’s Play film and who has directed the last three sequels.
After seven films, there’s a case to be made that it’s time to reboot Child’s Play. However, an examination of how far Chucky has come shows an equally strong case for staying the course.
The Case for a Remake
In his first act, an era that spans 1988’s Child’s Play to 1991’s Child’s Play 3, Chucky (voiced by Brad Dourif) had charisma but never enjoyed the success – in popularity and box office – of A Nightmare on Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger and Friday the 13th’s Jason Voorhees.
The character’s breakout moment finally arrived with 1998’s Bride of Chucky, which debuted a new scarred and stitched facial design for the doll, ditched his pursuit of former owner Andy Barclay, and paired him with Jennifer Tilly’s fan favorite Tiffany.
With its self-referential approach (a must in the era of Scream), Bride at last put Chucky in the conversation with Krueger, Voorhees, Halloween’s Michael Myers, and Texas Chainsaw’s Leatherface – a quintet of modern slashers on par with Universal Studios’ monsters.
While each of those villains saw their respective series’ rebooted in the horror remake craze of the 2000s, Chucky’s comeback came in the form of another sequel, doubling down on meta commentary until the soufflé collapsed with 2005’s Seed of Chucky.
The second act was short-lived. Fans waited nine years for a new film, and while Curse of Chucky and 2017 sequel Cult of Chucky were both well-received, Chucky was now a straight-to-video villain.
Those same fans might be eager to see Chucky back on the big screen, with industry-changing advancements in CGI and motion capture that could bring a more realistic, more agile, and more frightening iteration of the doll to life.
At the same time, Klevberg may be inclined to continue the original film’s commentary on consumer culture.
The Chucky doll that debuted in 1988 was an obvious play on Hasbro’s My Buddy line of dolls, with Mancini and company also satirizing the Cabbage Patch craze years before Jingle All the Way.
A new Child’s Play could see Chucky enter a world in which kid culture has embraced smartphones over dolls, and the Good Guys franchise could be just another failed attempt to compete.
Chucky could find himself fighting not for the thrill of the kill, but for Andy’s love and attention!
Perhaps an introspective Chucky isn’t top of mind for Klevberg and screenwriter Tyler Burton Smith, but Child’s Play works best when the wit and satire is at its sharpest.
What better time for a remake than right now, with Chucky fresh off two acclaimed sequels and enjoying a peak in popularity he hasn’t experienced in 20 years?
The Case Against a Remake
Most arguments against a film’s remake include a reading of the popular “Why can’t Hollywood come up with original ideas?” monologue.
In the case of Chucky and Child’s Play, there’s a much better reason: The last two films are among the best in the series.
Mancini kicked off Chucky’s third act with Curse, which introduced a new protagonist in Fiona Dourif’s Nica and gave the character a personal connection (via retcon) to killer Charles Lee Ray.
Nica went on to appear in Cult, a film that [SPOILER ALERT] sees Chucky posses his new nemesis while being hunted by his old nemesis, Andy (played by original series star Alex Vincent). In the finale, the possessed Nica rides off into the sunset with Tilly’s Tiffany, with the promise that Andy and Child’s Play 2’s Kyle (a returning Christine Elise) would be hot on their trail in the next adventure.
Despite being the sixth and seventh films in a franchise that had faded from the big screen to VOD, Curse and Cult are the most critically lauded entries, with Rotten Tomatoes scores of 83 percent and 82 percent, respectively. The next highest rated film in the series is the original Child’s Play, with 69 percent on the review aggregator.
Is it wise to reboot a series just when it’s getting good? Fans hoping to see the next film tie up its various plot threads will now be treated to an entirely new canon, possibly without Tiffany, Nica, Kyle, or even Andy.
And what of the television series? While Child’s Play hasn’t made it to air, genre fans can point to the well-regarded Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles as an example of a show that deserved extended life rather than face abrupt cancelation in favor of a subpar theatrical film (in Chronicles case, 2009’s Terminator Salvation).
Fortunately, the fate of Mancini’s Child’s Play show hasn’t been determined, and it’s worth pointing out to worried fans that 2013’s Evil Dead reboot didn’t prevent that series’ original canon from continuing on the small screen with Ash vs. Evil Dead.
While there are arguments for and against a remake, at the end of the day, fans should rejoice that Chucky will live on in some form or another. Perhaps two versions will even grace our theater and television screens simultaneously, and eventually treat us to a “Chucky vs. Chucky” collision of both canons.
That would be a very Child’s Play thing to do.
The Now Playing Podcast Child’s Play Retrospective Series debuted in September 2010, and the reviews can be accessed via the show’s archives.
Alone in the Dark II (Movie Review)
Podcasters Justin, Arnie, and Stuart are still shooting daggers at notorious filmmaker Uwe Boll, this time for making them watch a sequel to reviled video game movie Alone in the Dark. Christian Slater dodged a bullet when he passed off the role of paranormal investigator Edward Carnby to Die Another Day villain Rick Yune. Can the new star muster the strength to leave his sick bed and track down the witch that had him stabbed in a Central Park urinal? And what tricks will occultist veterinarian Lance Henriksen pull from his medicine bag? Listen and find out!
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