MARVEL ANIMATION’S “X-MEN ’97” RETURNS TO DISNEY+ FOR SECOND SEASON ON JULY 1

 

Marvel Animation’s Emmy®-nominated series “X-Men ’97” returns to Disney+ for a second season on July 1. A trailer and poster are available now to download and share. The first season of “X-Men ‘97” is one of the most-watched Disney+ Original animated series (based on hours streamed globally), and a hit with fans and critics alike. It is currently “Certified Fresh” with a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes as of today.

 

“X-Men ’97” Season 2 continues with the heroic mutant team of X-Men, divided and thrown across different eras in time as they struggle to navigate their return home. Meanwhile, back in the 1990s, suspicious foes and new strains of mutant intolerance are on the rise in the wake of the X-Men’s absence. The second season of the original animated series features 9 episodes, and the voice cast includes Ross Marquand as Professor X, Matthew Waterson as Magneto, Ray Chase as Cyclops, Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, Cal Dodd as Wolverine, Lenore Zann as Rogue, and George Buza as Beast.

 

The series is executive produced by Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, Julia Lewald, Eric Lewald, Larry Houston, and Beau DeMayo. The supervising producer is Jake Castorena. Episodes written by JB Ballard, Beau DeMayo, Bailey Moore, Antony Sellitti, Brian Ford Sullivan, and Mariah Wilson. The episodic directors are Emmett Yonemura and Chase Conley.

Final Trailer and Tickets for Toy Story 5 now on sale

 

Tickets to see Disney and Pixar’s highly anticipated animated adventure “Toy Story 5” in theaters are on sale wherever tickets are sold. A final trailer – featuring Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the gang as they reunite on a mission to confront Lilypad, a new smart tablet with her own ideas about the best way to help their kid Bonnie make new friends – is now available along with a series of brand-new posters.  

Joining the voice cast is genre-defying, multi-platinum global recording artist and 6x GRAMMY® Award winner Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio – known professionally as Bad Bunny – who has a voice cameo in the upcoming film as the new character Pizza with Sunglasses. Effortlessly cool and mysterious, Pizza with Sunglasses is a member of a small but mighty community of forgotten toys that live in an abandoned backyard shed.

 

Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning actor Alan Cumming (“The Traitors,” “The Good Wife,” “Cabaret”) has also joined the voice ensemble in a cameo as Evil Bullseye – Bullseye’s playtime alter ego in the new film. While Woody’s trusty steed still lacks the power of speech in the world of “Toy Story,” Cumming provides Bullseye’s voice during a funny playtime sequence in the film.

 

The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” and this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (voice of Tim Allen), Jessie (voice of Joan Cusack) and the rest of the gang's jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilypad (voice of Greta Lee), a brand-new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie. Will playtime ever be the same? “Toy Story 5” is directed by Academy Award® winner Andrew Stanton, co-directed by Kenna Harris, produced by Lindsey Collins, p.g.a., and written by Stanton and Harris from a story by Stanton. The film features an original score by Oscar® winner Randy Newman, who returns to score his fifth “Toy Story” feature. “Toy Story 5” is rated PG and releases exclusively in theaters June 19, 2026.

Link to purchase movie tickets for Toy Story 5

4K Digital Review of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

 

Ready or Not 2: Here I come is the sequel to the 2019 Ready or Not. Taking place several years after the event of the first movie, we once again find Grace (Samara Weaving). She has found out that the game of the first movie isn't over. Her surviving the night of the first movie has caused a new game to begin. The rest of the devil-worshiping families from around the world have sent members of their family to hunt down Grace. 

Hunting Grace is a pair of insane siblings named Ursula and Titus (Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy). Grace's sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) has shown up at the wrong time and is forced into the game with her sister. Will the two sisters survive?

While there is a lot of familiarity to the sequel, it is still a lot of fun. The first movie took place within the confines of a mansion and this one is on the grounds of a casino resort. Sarah and Shawn do steal the movie in the scenes they are in. 

Video:

The streaming 4K video is stunning. Unlike the first film that created a huge sense of claustrophobia, there is a lot more open space in this one and much of it takes place during the day. The bloody scenes are shown here in top-notch detail. The blood, the organs and body parts are all shown in extreme detail. 

Audio:

The Dolby Atmos audio track pulls no punches. The dialogue is crystal clear from the front channels. The ambient sounds literally surround you. It is everything you wanted for a horror movie. 

Bonus Material:

• The Game Goes On: The Making of Ready of Not 2 - a 4-part behind-the-scenes featurette featuring filmmakers, talent, designs, and the practical effects 

1. Part 1: Written in Blood - The directors and cast discuss what sets the sequel apart from the first film, and how the team expanded the story in a meaningful way
2. Part 2: Casting the Chaos - A spotlight on the film's main cast and what they each brought to their roles
3. Part 3: Designing for Destruction - Dive deeper into the design and execution of the film's finale with a look at the set construction, practical effects and the bloody aftermath left behind
4. Part 4: Blood, Guts and Practical Mayhem - Explore how the film's explosive deaths and blood gags were created with this breakdown of the practical effects and innovations, highlighting how the team built and expanded upon the techniques from the first film  

• Rules of the game - learn the rules of this deadly game of Hide and Seek, from the contained family ritual to the expanded high-stakes hunt 
• Gag Reel
• Audio Commentary - Directors/Executive Producers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, Samara Weaving and Kathryn Newton
• Audio Commentary - Directors/Executive Producers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, executive producers/writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy, producers James Vanderbilt and Tripp Vinson, and editor Jay Prychindny

Conclusion:

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is not quite as entertaining as the first one but it is still a wild ride. With solid video and audio plus a wealth of bonus material that is generally lacking on most releases, this is a welcomed addition to your horror library.

Ready of Not 2: Here I Come is now available on digital with a Blu-ray and DVD release on June 16th.

*The movie was provided by Walt Disney Home Entertainment for this review but the review is strictly my own opinion*

PHOTOS FROM THE WORLD PREMIERE OF “STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU” IN HOLLYWOOD

 

Cast and filmmakers from Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” walked the massive red carpet on Hollywood Blvd. Thursday evening, before heading inside the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX for the film’s world premiere. In attendance were Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jonny Coyne, Steve Blum, Hemky Madera, Brendan Wayne, Lateef Crowder, Jon Favreau (director/co-writer/producer), Dave Filoni (co-writer/producer), Noah Kloor (co-writer), Kathleen Kennedy (producer), Ian Bryce (producer), Ludwig Göransson (composer), John Knoll (visual effects supervisor), Andrew L. Jones (production designer) and Doug Chiang (production designer). They were joined by a number of guests, many from the Star Wars Universe, including Ming-Na Wen, Manny Jacinto, Timothy Olyphant, Katee Sackhoff, Clancy Brown, Ahmed Best, Eman Esfandi, and Emily Swallow, among numerous others. The all-new Star Wars film opens exclusively in theaters May 22.

 

The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu. Directed by Jon Favreau, “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” is written by Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni & Noah Kloor, and is produced by Kathleen Kennedy, p.g.a., Ian Bryce, p.g.a., Jon Favreau, p.g.a., and Dave Filoni, p.g.a., with Karen Gilchrist, John Bartnicki, and Carrie Beck serving as executive producers. The music is composed by Ludwig Göransson.