(L to R): Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau, Sean Maher, Nathan Fillion, Morena Baccarin, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Jewel State and Ron Glass in ‘Firefly’. Photo: 20th Century Television.
Preview:
An animated revival of cult series ‘Firefly’ is in the works.
Nathan Fillion revealed the news.
The original show, created by Joss Whedon, ran for one season.
The original series, as created by Whedon in 2002, ran for all of one season before being unceremoniously cancelled by the Fox TV network. It returned in movie form with ‘Serenity’ in 2005, but the film didn’t do well enough at the box office spawn sequels.
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Now, Fillion –– who has been teasing fans via social media videos featuring his former castmates –– has revealed that a revival of the show is in development in animated form.
(L to R): Nathan Fillion and Gina Torres in ‘Firefly’. Photo: 20th Century Television.
All we really know at this point that the narrative would pick up between the end of the show and the movie. Set 500 years into the future during a global civil war, ‘Firefly’ charted the whereabouts of spaceship Serenity and its nine crew members in the year 2517.
When will the ‘Firefly’ animated series be on screens?
With this new show still in early development, and no official studio/streamer home announced (though surely Hulu is the natural place for it), there’s no word on when or even if it’ll land. You can’t stop the signal!
The spaceship Serenity in ‘Firefly’. Photo: 20th Century Television.
Selected Movies and TV Shows Featuring Nathan Fillion:
Roald Dahl is one of those authors whose controversial views nevertheless don’t stop companies looking to adapt his work. We’ve already had two cinematic versions of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and Wes Anderson had brought several books and short stories to screens.
‘The Twits’ could perhaps be considered second-tier Dahl compared to the likes of Willy Wonka and co., but it nevertheless has enough of the writer’s trademark oddness blended with moral lessons that animation feels like the best medium for it.
Script and Direction
(L to R): Margo Martindale as Mrs. Twit, Johnny Vegas as Mr. Twit, in ‘The Twits.’
Writing with Meg Favreau (‘Barbie: It Takes Two’), main director Phil Johnston clearly seems to be enjoying freedom from the restraints of working on bigger-budget Disney releases. Here, he truly lets his freak flag fly, building a decent if rarely needed narration and making enough changes to have the story work at feature length without sacrificing what fans of the books might expect.
The inclusion of orphan heroes, however, does feel somewhat off-the-peg for this sort of movie, even in the characters are engaging enough.
As director, Johnston (working alongside co-directors Todd Kunjan Demong (‘The Addams Family’) and Katie Shanahan (‘Wild Kratts’) and their animation team, brings the characters to life in fresh fashion, the various personalities looking like a blend of stop-motion and CG, and giving the madness of the story its own visual flare.
Johnny Vegas and Margo Martindale are the standouts, voicing the main characters, but there are also good performances from the likes of Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (who voices one of the orphans) and Jason Mantzoukas (as local official Mayor Wayne John John-John).
The Twits tells the story of Mr. and Mrs. Twit, the meanest, smelliest, nastiest people on the face of the earth, and their epic battle against a family of magical Muggle-Wumps and two brave children who refuse to let the Twits’ cruelty win.
(Left) Elizabeth Henstridge and Tom Rhys Harries in ‘Suspicion’, now streaming on Apple TV+. (Right) DC Comics’ Clayface. Photo: DC Comics.
Preview:
Tom Rhys Harries has won the lead in the Clayface movie.
James Watkins is in the director’s chair.
The movie is set for a September 2026 release date.
With the current cinematic incarnation of DC Studios, run by James Gunn and Peter Safran launching with Gunn’s take on the Man of Steel, another developing movie from the company took a positive step forward by narrowing in on its lead.
If you’re not up to date on the muddy man-monster, here’s your basic briefing on Clayface as a character.
Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the original Clayface, Basil Karlo, appeared in Detective Comics #40, published in June 1940, as a B-list actor who began a life of crime using the identity of a villain that he had portrayed in a horror film.
Kane stated that the character was partially inspired by the 1925 Lon Chaney version of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’; and that his name was derived from Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone.
The character only appeared twice in the Golden Age but was the inspiration for the shape-shifting Silver Age version. And, as is usual in comic books, the name has been used for a number of similar takes on the character.
In the late 1950s, Batman began facing a series of science fiction-inspired foes, including Matthew Hagen, a treasure hunter given vast shapeshifting powers and resiliency by exposure to a pool of radioactive protoplasm, who became the second Clayface. He retained the title for the next couple of decades of comic book history.
In the late 1970s, Preston Payne became the third Clayface. A scientist suffering from hyperpituitarism, Preston Payne used the second Clayface’s blood to create a cure for his condition, but instead became a clay-like creature that needed to pass his new condition on to others to survive.
Sondra Fuller of Strike Force Kobra used the terrorist group’s technology to become the fourth Clayface, also known as Lady Clay. She formed the Mud Pack with the original and third Clayfaces. During this era, the original Clayface used the DNA of Payne and Fuller to become the Ultimate Clayface (talk about bragging!)
Sometime after the Mud Pack event, Payne and Fuller had a son named Cassius “Clay” Payne, who, as the fifth Clayface, also had metahuman shapeshifting powers.
That’s just a selection of the character’s alternates, who have appeared over the years in various films, series, animated works, video games and other forms of media.
Gunn and Safran have previously said that actors who play roles in the animated sphere for their DC Studios will also take on the live-action version, but we don’t know if that means Tudyk will return for the movie.
As for the tone of the movie, Deadline’s sources have heard that the Clayface movie is rumored to be a horror-thriller-tragedy, with the lead protagonist not expected to be portrayed as the notorious villain he’s usually seen as.
Where else have I seen Tom Rhys Harries?
(L to R) Kunal Nayyar and Tom Rhys-Harries in ‘Suspicion’, now streaming on Apple TV+.
Gunn’s big re-launch of DC-based movies kicks off next month with the launch of the aforementioned ‘Superman,’ featuring David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Supes and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. It’ll be in theaters on July 11th.
Batman, as played by Robert Pattinson in Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’ is staying around (a sequel, despite delays, is still being scripted), but he’s as part of the extended “Elseworlds” stories, which exist outside of the DC continuity.
Gunn and Safran’s original announcement also included mention that ‘Batman: The Brave And The Bold’, was in development, adapting Grant Morrison’s run comics run.
It features yet another Bruce Wayne who tries to keep his son, Damien Wayne, in line as Robin. It’s intended to launch the “Bat-family” into the movie universe, but has been hit with scripting issues and delays.
Finally, we have ‘Dynamic Duo’ — an animated feature about Batman’s Robin sidekicks Dick Grayson and Jason Todd — which is tentatively scheduled for June 2028.
“We have to treat every project as if we’re lucky. We don’t have the mandate to have a certain amount of movies and TV shows every year. So we’re going to put out everything that we think is of the highest quality. We’re obviously going to do some good things and some not-so-good things, but hopefully on average everything will be as high-quality as possible. Nothing goes before there’s a screenplay that I personally am happy with.”
When will the Clayface movie be in theaters?
With a director and star now aboard, and production plans for a UK shoot at Leavesden Studios in place, Warner Bros. and DC Studios are confirming a September 11th, 2026 release for this one.
(L to R) James McAvoy (as Dalton) and Director James Watkins on the set of ‘Speak No Evil’.
Returning to Disney+ with the first three episodes of Season 2, ‘Star Wars’ series ‘Andor’ once more follows the struggle of the Rebel Alliance as it ramps up its conflict with the Galactic Empire as seen through the lens of rebel agent Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and an assortment of characters of both sides of the battle.
Season 2 has an interesting release pattern –– the 12 episodes are split across four batches of three, and there is a time jump between batches, covering the four years leading up to the events of ‘Rogue One,’ moving from 4 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin, as seen in ‘Star Wars’) to the immediate events of the movie.
With the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the first season of ‘Andor,’ the pressure on Season 2 is naturally huge, the expectation built further by the delay between seasons (the first run of episodes was all the way back in 2022).
But by any real metric, the new season handily maintains the quality level of the first, bringing real stakes, incredibly layered shades of gray and genuine humanity to the galaxy far, far away.
Still a much more mature take on the world of ‘Star Wars’ (which is to take nothing away from the entertainment value of shows such as ‘The Mandalorian’), ‘Andor’ represents top quality television.
Tony Gilroy leads a writing team that also includes Beau Willimon and Dan Gilroy, and the assembled staff has crafted a thrilling, politically astute, emotional and superb second season.
While it has to handle various time jumps to accommodate the sheer breadth of its storytelling, the series does so with aplomb, managing to say a lot about the personal cost of rebellion and the banal efficiency of pure evil.
This is very far from a basic battle of good vs. bad, and if the action quotient is lower than other shows, when it does feature set pieces, they’re of similar quality.
On the directorial front, Ariel Kleiman, Janus Metz and Alonso Ruizpalacios bring the same high quality in terms of scope, scale and style to the new episodes. Largely eschewing shooting on a volume stage and bringing many locations to life practically, ‘Andor’s visuals are entirely supportive of its high quality scripts.
Confidently recreating looks and locations we all know and love from the original ‘Star Wars’ while also introducing us to more new worlds, the lived-in feel of the galaxy is entirely present and correct.
Diego Luna is once more the heart and soul of the show, whether he’s on a mission, fighting for his life or spending time with Adria Arjona’s Bix Caleen, figuring out how to make a relationship work with such pressure upon them both.
Arjona is similarly great, handed an impressive PTSD storyline as Bix, still recovering from her treatment at the hands of Imperial torturers, reckons with her place in the resistance.
Also excellent? Stellan Skarsgård, who can turn any speech into a must-watch moment and remains superb as the morally slippery Luthen Rael. And Genevieve O’Reilly, while largely siloed in her own storyline, walks the line of political glad-handing and rebellious plotting without missing a beat.
And we’d be remiss if we didn’t praise the contributions of Alan Tudyk, who once more brings the world’s snarkiest droid to life with a combination of performance capture and the most endlessly frustrated attitude this side of ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide’s Marvin the Paranoid Android.
His buddy comedy chemistry with Luna is as great as ever, and he’s got a great line in putdowns.
Also? Ben Mendelsohn sweeps in and steal scenes as Orson Krennic, the hissable, cape-happy villain of ‘Rogue One,’ here an even more petty bureaucrat dedicated to getting the Death Star finished.
Some sequels feel unearned, but ‘Andor’s new run absolutely matches the sterling quality of the first and, even, in a few places, surpassing it. There might not be anything quite as memorable as the prison storyline from the original season, but it’s all still truly impressive.
Our only other gripe? Not enough of sarcastic reprogrammed Imperial Droid K-2SO, but that’s just a personal bugbear.
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What’s the plot of ‘Andor’ Season 2?
The second season takes place as the horizon of war draws near and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) becomes a key player in the Rebel Alliance.
Everyone will be tested and, as the stakes rise, the betrayals, sacrifices and conflicting agendas will become profound.
‘Andor’ sets the clock back five years from the events of 2016’s ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ to tell the story of the film’s hero and his transformation from disinterested, cynical nobody into a rebel hero on his way to an epic destiny.
It’s just the latest effort from the filmmakers, who haven’t exactly had a warm critical reception for the work they’ve put out since ending their ‘Avengers’ run (they’re back on that particular duty with the next twomovies), and unfortunately won’t do all that much to change the perception of them.
While the source material offers a basic spine for the plot –– an alternate 1990s where humanity and robots have been locked in a conflict after the latter revolted against being employed to do all the grunt work people don’t want to –– and some of the visual inspiration, the movie takes those ideas and runs with them.
Yet what the team chooses to make its focus doesn’t always work that well. And to add to the feel of borrowed acclaim, chunks of the score sound like composer Alan Silvestri using discarded cuts from his ‘Avengers’ music.
Markus and McFeely have brought us well-thought-out stories before, even ones that must juggle multiple characters.
But in ‘The Electric State,’ the central character is Millie Bobby Brown’s Michelle, whose life is shattered when her parents and genius younger brother are killed in a car crash. At least, she thinks her brother is dead –– but when she’s visited unexpectedly by a robot based on his favourite childhood cartoon, she comes to believe he might actually be alive.
So begins a quest to find him, one that will take Michelle, smuggler Keats (Chris Pratt) and his robot sidekick Herm (voiced by Anthony Mackie) into what is known as the Exclusion Zone, a walled-off corner in the desert where robots were banished following the war.
The plot offers the opportunity for plenty of amusing robo-characters, but the sheer number just makes the film feel busy and underfocused, while the endless quips from the various robots don’t always land. The narrative is also locked into a fairly predictable progression –– you’ll likely guess where it’s all headed before too long.
‘The Electric State’. Photo: Netflix.
Still, there is some genuine emotion infused towards the end of the story.
As directors, the Russos have proved they can handle these big movies, but their more recent efforts on that front, including ‘The Gray Man’ have been blandly reductive releases despite the talent involved both on screen and behind the camera.
For ‘The Electric State’ that means a starry cast (most of them are on voice duty) and some very impressive visual effects, but with a $320 million budget, you’d expect that.
Millie Bobby Brown continues to prove she can anchor genre work, but the role of Michelle, the young woman at the center of the movie, doesn’t always offer her too many chances to prove it. She’s perfectly fine in the role, but little more than that.
Chris Pratt, meanwhile, is largely doing a riff on characters of this type he’s played before –– the lovable rogue we’ve met in the likes of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and ‘Jurassic World,’ and Keats is very much a watered-down version of those.
Stanley Tucci is somewhat lumbered with a basic villain role, a tech mogul with shades of Elon Musk who claims to want to help humanity but is only too happy if there’s collateral damage.
(L to R) Giancarlo Esposito and Stanley Tucci in ‘The Electric State’. Photo: Netflix.
Giancarlo Esposito is also an antagonist, the hard-nosed drone pilot and robot deactivation specialist Colonel Bradbury, but the part is very much another scowling villain role for the actor, who might want to look into some different parts.
Woody Norman as Michelle’s super-smart brother Chris has some nice notes to play, though he is naturally off screen for much of the running time. Still, if there is genuine emotion to be found at all, it’s in the human connection between Chris and Michelle.
Another Woody, this time Harrelson, plays Mr. Peanut, the southern-fried promotional robot of the snack treat. He’s decent, but mostly speaks in platitudes.
Elsewhere, the voice cast is a mixed bag –– Jenny Slate and Mackie are among the highlights, while Brian Cox is saddled with a one-joke character in Pop Fly, a baseball bot.
‘The Electric State’ seems unlikely to change many peoples’ opinion about the Russo’s non-MCU work. It’s certainly a sweeping story with some fun to be found, but it rarely leaves a mark on the level of movies it has been inspired by.
It’s a shame, as the creative team have clearly poured their hearts into it –– if only the results were better.
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What’s the plot of ‘The Electric State’?
‘The Electric State’ is set in an alternate, retro-futuristic version of the 1990s. Millie Bobby Brown stars as Michelle, an orphaned teenager navigating life in a society where sentient robots resembling cartoons and mascots, who once served peacefully among humans, now live in exile following a failed uprising.
Everything Michelle thinks she knows about the world is upended one night when she’s visited by Cosmo, a sweet, mysterious robot who appears to be controlled by Christopher — Michelle’s genius younger brother whom she thought was dead. Determined to find the beloved sibling she thought she had lost, Michelle sets out across the American southwest with Cosmo, and soon finds herself reluctantly joining forces with Keats (Chris Pratt), a low-rent smuggler, and his wisecracking robot sidekick, Herman (voiced by Anthony Mackie).
As they venture into the Exclusion Zone, a walled-off corner in the desert where robots now exist on their own, Keats and Michelle find a strange, colorful group of new animatronic allies — and begin to learn that the forces behind Christopher’s disappearance are more sinister than they ever expected.
(Left) Director James Watkins on the set of ‘Speak No Evil’. (Right) DC Comics’ Clayface. Photo: DC Comics.
Preview:
James Watkins will direct the ‘Clayface’ movie for Warner Bros.
Mike Flanagan wrote the script.
The movie would land in theaters in 2026.
With its revamped cinematic universe set to take flight this July with James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ (and with ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ in the works from Craig Gillespie as a follow-up), DC Studios –– run by Gunn alongside Peter Safran –– is making moves to hire another filmmaker.
Yet while he’s long accomplished as both a writer and director, he wasn’t expected to take up the main job on the Clayface movie, since he has commitments elsewhere, including to Universal’s continuing ‘Exorcist’ franchise.
But though DC Studios and parent company Warner Bros. have already been putting feelers (presumably dripping with clay) out about potential casting, the sharper focus has been on finding a director to bring Flanagan’s script to life.
According to the Reporter’s sources, DC co-chief Gunn met with Watkins last Thursday for a final presentation that led to the nod. But that’s just one stage –– a deal for Watkins to handle the movie will now be hammered out.
If you’re not up to date on the muddy man-monster, here’s your basic briefing on Clayface as a character.
Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the original Clayface, Basil Karlo, appeared in Detective Comics #40, published in June 1940, as a B-list actor who began a life of crime using the identity of a villain that he had portrayed in a horror film.
Kane stated that the character was partially inspired by the 1925 Lon Chaney version of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’; and that his name was derived from Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone.
The character only appeared twice in the Golden Age but was the inspiration for the shape-shifting Silver Age version. And, as is usual in comic books, the name has been used for a number of similar takes on the character.
In the late 1950s, Batman began facing a series of science fiction-inspired foes, including Matthew Hagen, a treasure hunter given vast shapeshifting powers and resiliency by exposure to a pool of radioactive protoplasm, who became the second Clayface. He retained the title for the next couple of decades of comic book history.
In the late 1970s, Preston Payne became the third Clayface. A scientist suffering from hyperpituitarism, Preston Payne used the second Clayface’s blood to create a cure for his condition, but instead became a clay-like creature that needed to pass his new condition on to others to survive.
Sondra Fuller of Strike Force Kobra used the terrorist group’s technology to become the fourth Clayface, also known as Lady Clay. She formed the Mud Pack with the original and third Clayfaces. During this era, the original Clayface used the DNA of Payne and Fuller to become the Ultimate Clayface (talk about bragging!)
Sometime after the Mud Pack event, Payne and Fuller had a son named Cassius “Clay” Payne, who, as the fifth Clayface, also had metahuman shapeshifting powers.
That’s just a selection of the character’s alternates, who have appeared over the years in various films, series, animated works, video games and other forms of media.
Gunn and Safran have previously said that actors who play roles in the animated sphere for their DC Studios will also take on the live-action version, but we don’t know if that means Tudyk will return for the movie.
As for the tone of the movie, Deadline’s sources have heard that the Clayface movie is rumored to be a horror-thriller-tragedy, with the lead protagonist not expected to be portrayed as the notorious villain he’s usually seen as.
What else has Watkins worked on?
(L to R) Director James Watkins and Mackenzie Davis (as Louise Dalton) on the set of ‘Speak No Evil’.
In addition to ‘Speak No Evil,’ (which made more than $76 million at the worldwide box office on a $15 million budget), Watkins has a history with horror on the big screen and drama on TV.
On the small screen, he co-created the crime drama ‘McMafia,’ and directed episodes of ‘Black Mirror’ and 2022’s TV take on ‘The Ipcress File.’
When will the Clayface movie be in theaters?
This is one directing deal that will need to come together quickly –– Warner Bros. has already handed out a September 11th, 2026 release date for the movie, so Watkins will likely be putting the pieces together and rolling cameras this year.
(L to R) Alix West Lefler (as Agnes Dalton), Mackenzie Davis (as Louise Dalton), Scoot McNairy (as Ben Dalton), Director James Watkins and Aisling Franciosi (as Ciara) on the set of ‘Speak No Evil’.
(L to R) Nina Mazursky, GI Robot, The Bride, Rick Flag Sr., Dr. Phosphorus, Weasel in ‘Creature Commandoes’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
Launching with its first two episodes (of seven) on December 5th on Max, ‘Creature Commandos’ marks the start of filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran’s run in charge of DC Studios, the arm of Warner Bros. Discovery intended to adapt its sprawling DC Comics properties.
It faces quite the challenge, since Warners has seen some truly mixed fortunes with the likes of Superman, Batman and the rest, and particularly in combining them via one cohesive cinematic universe.
Gunn certainly brings some experience to the table, having spent a few years with the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ characters in the MCU (and a wealth of other genre work), plus getting a solid ‘Suicide Squad’ effort into cinemas and, possibly even more importantly, impressing audiences with his take on the Peacemaker character spun off from that on to TV.
(L to R) Dr. Phosphorus, GI Robot, The Bride, Nina Mazursky, Rick Flag Sr. in ‘Creature Commandoes’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
This very much has the feel of Gunn’s work –– it’s chatty, funny in a dark, sometimes sarcastic way, but is also filled with moments of humanity (even if they’re for characters who are decidedly non-human).
Here, he’s able to indulge in even more of what he enjoys, including deconstructing tropes (while also using them when needed), poking fun at stalwart concepts such as heroism and moral gray areas and letting a talented cast. That much-aimed for cohesiveness is already showing up, since Frank Grillo, who voices Rick Flag Sr. here, will be bringing the character to live-action for ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Dr. Phosphorus, The Bride, Nina Mazursky, Rick Flag Sr., GI Robot, Weasel in ‘Creature Commandoes’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
Gunn, in typically busy form, wrote all seven episodes, adapting the comics originally created by Pat Broderick and J.M. DeMatteis.
The story across the episodes follows one mission –– taking down the threat of sorceress Circe (Anya Chalotra) who has tasked what is effectively an incel army obsessed with the all-female island of Themiscyra (AKA Wonder Woman’s home) with attacking a small fictional Eastern European country in the hopes of using its resources to conquer the island, which Circe believes is her right.
Amanda Waller (Viola Davis, who has played the role across the two ‘Suicide Squad’ movies and ‘Peacemaker’ has to gather who she can to send on the mission to stop them, her resources severely depleted since the disastrous assignment in Gunn’s ‘Squad’ movie.
(L to R) GI Robot, Dr. Phosphorus, The Bride, Rick Flag Sr., Nina Mazursky, Weasel in ‘Creature Commandoes’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
It’s a compelling set up for a misfit mission movie, the various characters quickly proving to be oil and water in their outlooks, and Flag trying to keep them unified (or at least not killing each other… or him).
The result is an entertaining brew that is filled with plenty of action and drama and also manages to explore the backstories of the various characters (yes, even Weasel has a tragic past).
Yves “Balak” Bigerel is the show’s supervising director, and he and his team certainly find a style that fits with Gunn’s writing. The animation brings to mind more recent efforts such as ‘Harley Quinn,’ and its dynamic enough for what it needs.
Performances
Gunn has recruited an impressive voice cast for the show, with a few standouts…
Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.
(L to R) Rick Flag Sr., Amanda Waller in ‘Creature Commandoes’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
While Flag, pressed into service to lead the team, is more of a straight man to the wilder personalities that make it up, he’s not without depth and a proper storyline. Grillo lends him the appropriate amount of gruff weariness and shows the man’s layers particularly when talking about his late son (in one of several references to ‘The Suicide Squad’).
The Bride in ‘Creature Commandoes’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
The Bride of Frankenstein is one of the more interesting characters on the team, filled with rage and sadness at her creation (or re-birth) purely to serve the interests of a man. It’s one that needed a sure touch, and between Gunn’s writing and Varma’s sensitive, full-throated performance, it works well.
(L to R) Nina Mazursky, GI Robot, Dr. Phosphorus in ‘Creature Commandoes’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
The team’s aquatic mutant, she’s the nerdy, nervier member who has to find her backbone to really fight alongside them. Chao does good work voicing both sides of a character who has one of the more interesting arcs.
(L to R) Princess Ilana, Rick Flag Sr. in ‘Creature Commandoes’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
Gunn veteran Bakalova (who voiced Cosmo in the third ‘Guardians’ movie), here voices the princess of the country that Flag and the rest are sent to help. Initially attracted to the old soldier, she reveals some hidden depths and Bakalova is good playing the layers.
Other notable characters
(L to R) GI Robot in ‘Creature Commandoes’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
This being a Gunn production, it surely would be complete without at least one member of his family, and Sean Gunn is back playing both the slavering Weasel (who, as mentioned, gets a convincingly sad backstory) and World War II relic creation G.I. Robot, who is obsessed with slaying Nazis. Sean Gunn brings them both to vibrant vocal life.
David Harbour, meanwhile, scores a decently meaty role as Eric Frankenstein, the creature created by the literary doctor, who has his own reasons for keeping track of our heroes (and obviously factors into the Bride’s story).
Final Thoughts
(L to R) GI Robot, Dr. Phosphorus, Rick Flag Sr. in ‘Creature Commandoes’. Photo: Courtesy of Max.
Not every filmmaker would choose to have the story of a group of violent, strange creatures be the beachhead for their new, linked comic book adaptation universe. But James Gunn is not every filmmaker, and while ‘Creature Commandos’ certainly won’t be to everyone’s taste, it’s quite the calling card.
His take on Superman will be with us next year and that might give us more an idea of how he handles the traditional hero’s story. For now, though, this group are entertaining and emotional in equal measure.
And those who are big DC Comics fans will find plenty of references –– not that you have to know them to understand the story –– bringing flavor to the show.
‘Creature Commandos’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Creature Commandos’?
The new DC animated series tracks a secret team of incarcerated monsters recruited for missions deemed too dangerous for humans.
When all else fails… they’re your last, worst option.
Directed by Jason Hand, Dana Ledeoux Miller, and David Derrick Jr., the follow-up to 2016’s ‘Moana’ is ready to sail into theaters on November 27, 2024. Auli’i Cravahol and Dwayne Johnson return to voice Moana and Maui once again as they dive into a brand new adventure.
‘Moana 2’ takes the audience on a brand new adventure as Moana and her crew venture into uncharted waters. While the new characters bring some excitement to the sequel, the movie truly shines when Moana and Maui are on screen together, which doesn’t come until later on in the film. The friendship and chemistry between the tattooed demi-god and Wayfinder is truly the glue and heartbeat of the film.
The animation is gorgeous and seems to be even more colorful than the first. It should also mentioned that the representation of the Pacific Islanders is even more so highlighted in this. ‘Moana 2’ starts strong but loses its pacing in the second act. However, the third act brings the excitement right back, with quite a few heartfelt and emotional moments.
The movie opens with Moana exploring an unknown island, searching for any traces of life, past or present. With her trusty, but not exactly helpful, animal sidekicks Pua and Heihei by her side, Moana stumbles upon a partially broken pottery with a motif depicting people next to a mountain – eluding that there are other inhabited islands out there.
As Moana sails home with her new discovery, she’s welcomed back by her village with open arms. This is where the film introduces Moana’s little sister Simea. Though there is a pretty large age gap between Moana and Simea, the two have an extremely close-knit relationship.
That evening, Moana is to receive her title as Chief, but the ceremony is interrupted by a powerful lightning that nearly strikes Moana, sending her a vision from her ancestor, Matai Vasa. She sees her ancestors looking for Motufetu – the island that was depicted on the pottery she found. The vision also shows Moana what will happen if she fails to find Motufetu, her own island will meet its demise.
The vision also tells Moana that Motufetu once had channels that connected people across the ocean, but the Storm God Nalo wanted more power and put a curse upon the island, therefore separating the people of the ocean. To break the curse, Moana must travel beyond the waters that she knows and find Motufetu.
In the meantime, Maui is seen standing in front of a purple portal, as he mentions that the powerful Storm God Nalo has started something sinister. Maui is interrupted by Matangi – a mysterious figure who is shrouded in shadow and bats. Turns out that Matangi works for Storm God Nola and will do anything to prevent Maui or anyone else from reaching Motufetu to break Nalo’s curse.
From there, the adventure kicks off as Moana and her crew – Kele, Moni, and Loto, sail across the ocean in search of Motufetu. On the way, they encounter several ferocious sea monsters and the fearsome Kakamora. The stakes feel even higher for Moana this time around as the film explores the close relationship between Moana and Simea. The little sister has a hard time seeing Moana leave, not knowing when she’ll return. Moana shows Simea that they are always connected by the ocean, no matter how far apart they may be.
As for Moana and her crew, while they prove to be helpful in the journey to Motufetu, there is little emotional attachment to these characters. Moni seems to be the most highlighted out of the group as he is a self-proclaimed Maui superfan, which became a hilarious running gag throughout the movie. Kele has a bit of a character arc as he sheds a little of his initial grumpy persona towards the end. Loto, as brilliant of an engineer as she was, was not given more to do other than making improvements on their boat.
The same can be said about the villain, who has incredible character design and animation (and a really awesome song) but falls flat. Matangi is initially presented as a dangerous and powerful adversary to Maui and Moana but is barely used to her full potential.
The film was at its strongest when Moana and Maui shared the screen during an action-filled third act. Despite showing the close connection between Moana and Simea earlier, it is really the friendship between Moana and Maui that’ll give you a lump in your throat.
‘Moana 2’ is a fun sequel and has gorgeous animation. It clearly shows Moana’s growth since the last movie. She is comfortable in her skin and is on her way to becoming a capable leader to her people. This new adventure puts difficult challenges before her that’ll make her question her abilities but will also see her find her footing in unfamiliar situations. The movie has a strong first and third act but loses steam in the second act due to little character development between Moana and her crew, and it felt like there were pieces of story or scenes missing.
How Do the Songs of ‘Moana 2’ Compare To the First?
(L to R) Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow. Photo: Walt Disney Animation.
Songwriters Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear are tapped to pen new songs for ‘Moana 2’, with composers Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina also returning. Songs like ‘Beyond’ and “Get Lost” were the two most memorable, with “Can I Get A Chee Hoo” and “We’re Back” being a close second. As much as the new songs have the flavor from the first film, it doesn’t quite capture the magic that was created by Lin Manuel-Miranda.
A fun sequel to the 2016 film. It’s great to see Moana’s story continue and to see the representation of the Pacific Islanders’ culture on screen. The film starts off strong by building up the anticipation for the journey to Motufetu. However, it loses its footing in the second act, and aside from the excitement of seeing the army of Kakamora and the sea monsters, it felt much to be desired. Moni, Kele, and Loto’s characters could have been fleshed out a bit more, and at times, it felt like too much was cut out of a scene to meet the 1 hour and 40 minutes run time.
The movie does regain momentum in the final act, where Moana and Maui share the most screen time. The friendship and chemistry between the two is unmatched. This movie is a great way to continue Moana’s journey. It shows there are more stories to be told and places to explore. With that said, make sure you stay all the way through the credits for an extra surprise.
‘Moana 2’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Moana 2’?
Following the 2016 movie, ‘Moana 2’ will reunite audiences worldwide with Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) as she embarks on an all-new adventure with a new crew of seafarers. After Moana receives an unexpected call from her ancestors, she sets out on an expansive journey to the far seas of Oceania – exploring dangerous and uncharted waters..
(L to R) Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow. Photo: Walt Disney Animation.
Walt Disney Animation’s upcoming sequel ‘Moana 2’ will see the journey of Moana and her newfound crew of seafarers as they venture into uncharted waters after receiving an unexpected message from her ancestors.
During the long lead day presentation at the Walt Disney Animation Building in Burbank, California. Moviefone, along with a group of journalists, got a closer look at what it takes to create the sights and sounds of ‘Moana 2’, including presentations on character animation, foley, music, recording booth sessions, and more.
Following the popularity of songs like “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome”, the filmmakers knew it was vital to find the right songwriters and composers for the sequel. They enlisted the help of Grammy Award-winning songwriting duo Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear (known as Barlow & Bear) to tell the story of Moana through music. Composers Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina also returns for the sequel.
Director David Derrick Jr. talks about meeting with the duo for the first time:
David Derrick Jr: “We actually had a piano in our story room, and they came in, and they would play “We’re Back,” the opening song for us, that was the first song that they wrote for the film. To hear that song and to actually be transported back into the world of Moana in a musical way was so exciting.”
Director Dana Ledeoux Miller talks about how the songwriters’ own life experience mirrors what Moana experiences in the movie:
Dana Ledeoux Miller: “Moana is growing up and she’s learning that there are consequences to her actions and that the choices she makes actually affect other people. (Barlow and Bear) were like, “Yeah, we’re living that right now, we got it. So you know, there’s a shorthand that just comes from their experience in it, but they’re also huge musical fans, and they understood what this needed.”
(L to R) Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. Photo: Walt Disney Animation.
The duo performed a song from the new film before sharing their own sentiment on how close and connected they felt to Moana’s growth and journey:
Emily Bear: “She’s a young woman trying to find her way in the world, and we were weirdly going through a lot of similar struggles ourselves, so it was easy to imagine ourselves in her shoes. I mean, we’re not fighting lava monsters, but it’s the core of the issues we felt so connected to.”
In terms of Barlow and Bear’s approach and process for writing new songs for ‘Moana 2’, the pair talk about the motivation and reason why a song would start in the movie and how it should feel intentional. That when words alone are no longer enough, the music takes over to carry the message through.
Emily Bear: “Our last nightmare is a “Stop, drop, and sing”. There has to be a reason why you’re singing. It needs to be a moment when words are no longer enough, and music needs to carry the message through. We worked really closely with the filmmakers and they prioritized that – which is amazing because sometimes that’s not the case. We all worked together to make sure the musical moments felt really earned, and there was a reason and intent behind every song.”
The pair speaks about the fun they had with creating new songs for ‘Moana 2’, where each song they wrote was a different storytelling process, “I felt like I grew as a songwriter just by sheer nature of the process,” said Barlow.
The Oceanic Cultural Trust also helped the duo with the songwriting process and research, as well as working closely with composers Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina.
Abigail Barlow: “We wanted to keep it rooted in the Moana world while also bringing our songwriting style to it. We also worked with Opetaia Foa‘i and Mark Mancina, and they lived in this world for so long. They’re just magical.”
The song list for ‘Moana 2’ includes:
“Tulou Tagaloa (Sei e Va’ai Mai)” Performd by Olivia Fao’i, Te Vaka
“We’re Back” Performed by Auli’i Cravalho and cast
“Tuputupu (The Feast)” Performed by Te Vaka
“Beyond” Performed by Auli’i Cravalho
“My Wish For You (Innocent Warrior)” Performed by Olivia Fao’i, Sulata Foa’i-Amiatu, Matatia Foa’i, Matthew Ineleo, Opetaia Foa’i
“Finding the Way” Performed by Olivia Foa‘i, Te Vaka
“What Could Be Better Than This?” Performed by Auli‘i Cravalho, Hualālai Chung, Rose Matafeo, David Fane
“Get Lost” Performed by Awhimai Fraser
“Can I Get A Chee Hoo?” Performed by Dwayne Johnson
“Mana Vavau” Performed by Dwayne Johnson, Opetaia Foa‘i, Rachel House
“Beyond (Reprise)” Performed by Auli‘i Cravalho
“Nuku O Kaiga” Performed by Te Vaka
“Finding The Way (Reprise)” Performed by Te Vaka
“We Know The Way (Te Fenua te Malie)” Performed by Auli‘i Cravalho, Olivia Foa‘i, Opetaia Foa‘i, Te Vaka
“Beyond (End Credit Version)” Performed by Auli‘i Cravalho
“We’re Back (Te Vaka Version)” Performed by Olivia Foa‘i, Te Vaka
During the long lead day at the Walt Disney Animation Building, journalists were invited to various presentations involved in the making of the movie – from character animation, to foley, to voice recording and ADR. Typically, when an actor first steps into the booth at the beginning of the recording process, there is no animation for them to watch and follow. The actors solely rely on the script and the directions of the filmmakers. Once the voice recording is complete, the animators begin their work based off the recorded audio and performance of the actors. Once animation is finished, there will be an ADR (automated dialogue replacement) session which often deals with small changes to the script or leaning further into a certain emotion for the scene.
Star Hualālai Chung (voice of Moni) steped back into the recording booth to help coach the journalists through the technicalities of ADR and breakdown the emotions of scene. The scene used for this particular presentation is when Moana and her crew encounters the Kakamori – a group of small but ruthless pirates with coconut armors.
During ADR, there are a series of beeps that play along with the scene to cue the actors in on when they can start their lines. The actors then try to match the animated scene as much as possible. The sound engineers will go through various takes to find the one that best fits the intension and emotion for the scene. However, ADR isn’t just for re-recording a line in a scene. Actors will also record “efforts”, which is acting out certain actions like running and jumping with grunts and sounds. Inside the booth is a “efforts bar” that is used to help specifically with this portion of ADR.
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What Is the Plot of ‘Moana 2’?
Following the 2016 movie, ‘Moana 2’ will reunite audiences worldwide with Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) as she embarks on an all-new adventure with a new crew of seafarers. After Moana receives an unexpected call from her ancestors, she sets out on an expansive journey to the far seas of Oceania – exploring dangerous and uncharted waters.
The upcoming Walt Disney animated feature ‘Moana 2’ will be in theaters on November 27, 2024. Moviefone was invited to the Walt Disney Animation Building in Burbank, California, along with a group of journalists to preview the first 25 minutes of the film and see just how far the animators will go to continue Moana’s story.
Moviefone had the pleasure of screening the first 25 minutes of ‘Moana 2’, presented by directors Dana Ledoux Miller, David Derrick Jr., and Jason Hand.
Derrick, who is of Samoan heritage, spoke of his time on the 2016 film and discovering Moana’s history and heritage:
“Working on the first film was an absolute gift. Continuing her story has been one of the true honors of my career.”
Ahead of viewing the footage, the directors spoke of the new characters who are introduced in this movie. Aside from returning talents such as Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, ‘Moana 2’ boasts a slew of new characters, including a band of adventuring seafarers who will accompany Moana on her journey, as well as her little sister, Simea.
The crew includes Kele, a farmer whose character is based on real-life farmers who took part in voyages. Loto, an engineer who proves to be Moana’s right-hand woman. Finally, Moni, the inspirational storyteller and a Maui superfan, rounds out the group. Each one of them proves to be an essential part of Moana’s adventure.
The footage begins with Moana running and parkouring on an unknown island, seemingly being chased. As she clears a a cliff, it is revealed that it is Pua who was running after her. “You wanted to come this time,” said Moana to Pua, eluding to how the adorable pot-belly pig missed out on the action in the previous film. As Moana approaches the peak of the mountain, she blows into a shell to alert her presence – and listens for a call back – but no one answers. The island is uninhabited. As Moana and Pua begin to make their way off the peak, they take a tumble where Moana discovers a piece of broken pottery with a motif depicting people next to a mountain – a sign that people once lived on this island.
Sailing home with her new discovery, Moana breaks into a song about how she’s “Back Where We’re Meant To Be.” The music continues as she sails onto her home island. It is also used as an instrument to introduce the audience to Kele, Loto, and Moni. Breaking through the crowd, Moana’s little sister Simea runs to welcome back her sister. Later, Moana and Simea visit the ancestors’ cave, sharing a sweet moment much like the one shared between Moana and Grandma Tala.
In the next scene, Maui mentions that the powerful Storm God Nalo has started something, as he is seen standing in front of a large portal. We’re introduced to the mysterious Matangi, who works for Nalo. She’s not seen quite clearly in the footage as she’s shrouded in darkness and bats.
Back on the island, the village is in celebration mode as Moana is about to receive the title of Chief. Before the ceremony can finish, lightning strikes through the roof, launching Moana into the side of the hut. She received a vision about a “fire in the sky” that would guide her to the mysterious island depicted on the pottery she had discovered earlier – Motufetu. The island has the power to connect all the people of the sea, but Moana must break the curse placed by Nalo, who wanted to separate the people to weaken the sea.
A comet appears in the sky, one that Moana must follow to find Motufetu. The song “What Lies Beyond” begins as Moana prepares for her journey. It also conveys the sadness she feels about leaving her family and little sister behind. You can catch a glimpse of Grandma Tala in this song as well. Moana explains her mission to her village and chooses her crew – Kele the farmer, Loto the engineer, and Moni the storyteller. Before she sets sail, she shares an emotional moment with Simea, who gives Moana a tiny starfish to keep inside her necklace “so you can take a piece from home.”
Moana debuts a brand new outfit for her journey as the village sends her off with a chant.
The story returns to Maui, who has been caught and bound by a new and mysterious villain. Without his hook, he’s unable to use his powers and pleads with a group of sucker fish to retrieve his hook, to no avail. Mini tattoo Maui gestures that they should call Moana for help.
Finishing off the footage presentation, we see Moana and her crew encounter the fearsome Kakamora, and later on, a giant sea monster as big as an island, with multiple rows of teeth and eyes.
Aside from Moana and Maui, other fan favorites like Hei Hei and Pua are returning for the sequel, as well as Moana’s parents, Chief Tui and Sina. The small yet fierce coconut-like pirates Kakamora will also return.
Director Jason Hand said the following about working with Cravalho:
“There’s a quality that she alone brings to this character—Auli‘i is a leader, she’s kind, she’s funny —she really cares deeply for this character.”
On the dynamic between Moana and Maui, director David Derrick Jr. said:
“We love these two characters together—they make each other better.”
He went on to explain the growth the Demi-god has since the 2016 film:
“Maui has evolved—he’s grown and changed. But he’s still the same Maui that we love. He sets out to defeat this terrible curse all by himself—which is very Maui of him. But we all know that Maui and Moana will have better luck if they team up. It’ll take Maui’s strength and bravery—he can lasso the sun and lift up an island—along with Moana’s selflessness and empathy to unite the people of the ocean.”
New characters include the aforementioned seafarers Kele, Loto, and Moni, Moana’s little sister Simea, Kotu, the Kakamora warrior, the mysterious Matangi, and the fearsome storm god Nalo.
The Music of ‘Moana 2’
(L to R) Emily Bear and Abigail Barlow. Photo: Walt Disney Animation.
For the sequel, Disney called upon Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear to create new music for ‘Moana 2’. Barlow and Bear received the Best Musical Theater Album award at the 2022 Grammy’s for their work on ‘The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical.’
Producer Yvette Merino said that the writing duo hit the ground running, and by the time they had the meeting, Barlow and Bear were ready with a song:
“We listened to what became our opening song, ‘We’re Back.’ It takes you right back into Moana’s world.”
Opetaia Foa‘i. Photo: Walt Disney Animation.
Three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancino will also be a part of the musical sound of ‘Moana 2’ and Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa’i, who worked on the 2016 movie.
Director Dana Ledoux Miller talked about working closely with Barlow and Bear and how the music will be a tool to convey Moana’s growth and journey:
“I’m like, ‘well, so Moana is growing up and she’s learning that there are consequences to her actions and that the choices she makes actually affect other people.’They’re like, yeah, yeah, we’re living that right now, we got it. So, you know, there’s a shorthand that just comes from their experience in it, but they’re also huge musical fans, and they understood what this needed. With the help of Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa’i, they’ve really been intentional about making sure the music in this film speaks the language of the music in the first film. It’s very much an immersive experience when you watch that first film. We were intentional about making sure we weren’t reinventing that wheel, but we were expanding on it.”
What Else Did We Learn About Moana 2?
‘Moana 2’ co-director Dana Ledoux Miller. Photo by Evan Mulling.
Following the footage presentation, directors David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller held a press conference with journalists.
During the Q&A, Ledoux Miller talked about ‘Moana 2’ being her first animated film and how much she sees her culture represented on screen:
“I was a huge fan of the first time. I very distinctly remember sitting in the theater. The lights come out, and over the bumper, the first sounds, the first voices are Samoan. I realized in that moment, this film, which ended up becoming one of the biggest Disney properties ever, that that film would forever change the way people saw Pacific Islanders.”
Ledoux Miller was hired to co-write the live-action ‘Moana’ with Jared Bush and was brought onto the sequel to direct alongside Derrick Jr. and Hand.
David Derrick Jr, who is also of Samoan heritage, talked about his excitement to continue Moana’s story:
“When we were asked to come back and continue her story, I was so thrilled because I believe I felt like Moana when she entered that cavern of the Wayfinder. I have Samoan heritage, I’m very proud of it, but I didn’t understand the depths of it. It was the navigators of the Pacific Ocean who found the last discoverable land on earth. They were able to navigate from, you know, Rapa Nui all the way to Aotearoa, all the way to Hawaii. It’s one-third of the earth. These islands are spread out like tiny jewels across a vast ocean that doesn’t divide. It connects. Going forward with this story, we really wanted to show how far the people of the Pacific would go. So for me, I love celebrating that culture, and I hope everyone sees that and appreciates that.”
The film will also cover personal relationships, such as the one Moana has with her little sister Simea – a name inspired by an ancestor of Derrick’s. This storyline was inspired by the director’s personal life.
“My eldest daughter is 21 years old, and her name is Samea, and she’s 21. We have a little son, and his name is Quentin. He’s seven years old. The two of them are the closest siblings I’ve ever seen. During COVID, he would sleep in her bed; they’d go camping together. They’re kindred spirits. There was a very difficult moment when he realized she was going to college and not coming back home. That this pillar of joy in his life was suddenly not always gonna be there.”
Derrick Jr. also discussed the themes of growing up and taking on responsibility:
“Those moments when you’re forced to grow up in certain ways. We wanted to show a maturity to Moana. We wanted to show that she could be even more invested and connected to her people and to her Island. I love that we gave her a sister to show that connection and show that love.”
Director Jason Hand said that they aim to stay true to the first film while moving forward to the next chapter.
“There’s something left to be done in her story. I think that was the kernel of this idea, this idea of connection. But through that, her own personal growth, she still has somewhere to grow. She’s still a young person who’s growing up and finding out more about herself. That’s the kind of stuff that energizes the story, but it also energizes the storytelling through the songs because you can sing about things that are personally in your own life. So a song like “Beyond” that you heard earlier is from Moana’s personal journey that’s starting to change. She’s starting to grow. That’s a really powerful place.”
Ledoux Miller added:
“The first film was about Moana reconnecting to the past and who her people were meant to be. This film is really about Moana looking towards the future.”
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What is the plot of ‘Moana 2?’
Following the 2016 movie, ‘Moana 2’ will reunite audiences worldwide with Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) as she embarks on an all-new adventure with a new crew of seafarers. After Moana receives an unexpected call from her ancestors, she sets out on an expansive journey to the far seas of Oceania – exploring dangerous and uncharted waters.
