Episode Summary

In this blockbuster episode of Geek Freaks, Squeaks, Frank, and Thomas dive into the massive shakeup at Lucasfilm. We discuss the breaking news of Kathleen Kennedy stepping down and what the new leadership duo of Dave Filoni and Lin-Wen Brennan means for the future of Star Wars. We also roll out our "We're So Back vs. Stuck" segment, analyzing why Dune is the current heavyweight champion of cinema while franchises like Star Trek and Jurassic World are struggling. Plus, we react to Sophie Turner being cast as Lara Croft, give our first impressions of the new tone in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and break down a mind-bending MCU time code theory.

• 00:00:00 – Intro: The "We're So Back" vs. "Stuck" Era

• 00:01:08 – Dune: The undisputed heavyweight of event cinema

• 00:02:49 – Jurassic World: Is the franchise stuck in a loop?

• 00:03:42 – Tomb Raider: Sophie Turner cast as the new Lara Croft

• 00:04:36 – Star Trek: Why the final frontier feels stuck in neutral

• 00:06:24 – Alien and Predator: The massive resurgence of sci-fi horror

• 00:07:07 – Star Wars Breaking News: Kathleen Kennedy steps down; Dave Filoni and Lin-Wen Brennan take the lead

• 00:22:18 – A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: Initial reactions to the humor and tone of the new Westeros

• 00:42:43 – MCU Theory: Do the new teaser time codes link back to Avengers: Endgame?

• 00:58:10 – Network Updates: A final farewell to our sister show, Challenge Accepted

• 01:02:58 – Comic Book Quick Hits: Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman

• New Star Wars Leadership: The shift to Dave Filoni (Creative) and Brennan (Business) mirrors the James Gunn/Peter Safran model at DC, signaling a fan-focused future for the franchise.

• Westeros Gets a New Voice: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (The Hedge Knight) moves away from the heavy political drama of House of the Dragon to introduce a refreshing, almost comedic tone.

• MCU Hidden Clues: Fans have identified time codes in recent Marvel teasers that appear to sync perfectly with the Ancient One's multiverse explanation in Endgame, suggesting a massive "reboot" or "multiverse" event is imminent.

• The Dune Standard: The crew agrees that Dune has replaced Avatar as the definitive "must-see" theatrical experience of the decade.

• "We have two Star Wars fans that are making Star Wars now. That feels good to me." — Speaker 3

• "I think [Dune] is the undisputed heavyweight right now. The energy's right." — Speaker 1

• "It's good to be in Westeros again... just the beautiful panning shots and the dirtiness of the fairground." — Speaker 3

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Apple Podcast Tags: Star Wars, Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, Lin-Wen Brennan, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Game of Thrones, MCU theories, Avengers Endgame, Sophie Turner, Lara Croft, Tomb Raider, Dune, Absolute Batman, Geek Freaks Podcast, Movie News, Marvel Rumors

This week on Geek Freaks, we break down the latest Avengers: Doomsday chatter and what the teaser strategy might be hinting at for the MCU's next big swing. We also hit the latest Tangled live-action conversation, dig into Netflix's theatrical strategy, and wrap with quick recs you can jump into right now.

• Avengers: Doomsday teaser rollout and what it suggests about the movie's tone and focus

• Doctor Doom and X-Men speculation, what feels likely vs what feels like fan fuel

• Tangled live-action updates and why casting discourse is always a battlefield

• Netflix's theatrical window approach and what it means for studios and audiences

• Quick recs and what's worth your time this week

• 01:46 Question of the week: Geek New Year's resolutions
• 05:55 Network update: Why Challenge Accepted is being put to rest
• 08:12 Are Disney live-action remakes still worth it?
• 16:52 Sebastian Stan rumored for Harvey Dent in The Batman: Part 2
• 17:40 Netflix and Warner Bros. talk, plus the 17-day theatrical window idea
• 25:33 Avengers: Doomsday marketing strategy: four teasers vs one trailer
• 50:25 Weekly recommendations: comics, movies, and a Taskmaster pitch
• 54:41 Network shout-outs and wrap-up

• The way Marvel markets Doomsday may tell you as much as the footage does.

• Doctor Doom only works if the story earns his presence instead of rushing him in.

• X-Men teases hit harder when they support the main plot, not replace it.

• Live-action remake casting always turns into a referendum on the whole idea.

• Netflix's theater strategy keeps changing, and that uncertainty affects everyone.

• Recs are still the best part of a news-heavy week when you just want something fun to watch or play.

• The "teaser strategy is the story" point for Avengers: Doomsday

• The "Doom needs to feel inevitable, not sudden" take

• The Tangled casting reality check on fan expectations

• The Netflix theatrical window conversation and why it matters beyond one movie

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Apple Podcast Tags: Marvel, MCU, Avengers, Avengers Doomsday, Doctor Doom, X-Men, Tangled, Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros, Movies, TV, Pop Culture, Geek Culture, Entertainment News, Trailer Discussion

Frank and Jonathan are officially back for 2026 after a hectic but fun holiday break, including the Geek Freaks Network Christmas party and a little self-awareness about how often podcasters say "you know." From there, they hand out their personal "best of 2025" picks across movies, TV, superhero projects, and games, plus run through the community poll winners.

Then it's full speed into 2026 hype: a family-friendly movie calendar, the big "adult list" blockbusters (including the absolute chaos of Avengers: Doomsday and Dune 3 landing the same day), and the TV slate they're most excited to keep on the radar. They close with a spoiler-heavy talk on the Stranger Things finale and what the show stuck the landing on, especially character growth, the goodbye energy, and how cinematic the final battles felt.

• 00:00 Welcome back, holiday break recap, and the Geek Freaks Network Christmas party
• 01:45 "Best of 2025" picks: movies, TV, and what surprised them
• 04:26 Superhero movie and superhero show poll results (plus some spicy takes)
• 10:16 Game of the year voting and falling back on comfort games
• 11:38 Best villain debate and why Pennywise took over the conversation
• 14:50 2026 family movie calendar (kid-friendly theater picks)
• 20:22 2026 blockbuster calendar: 28 Years Later, Project Hail Mary, Ready or Not 2, and more
• 26:43 The "event day" problem: Avengers: Doomsday and Dune 3 on the same date
• 28:22 2026 TV hype: The Boys, Game of Thrones spin-offs, Star Trek, One Piece, Lanterns, and more
• 38:46 Stranger Things finale review: the goodbye, the battle, and what hit hardest
• 47:15 Dungeons and Dragons sidebar and why they need binders like Stranger Things
• 50:01 "Most cinematic finale" talk and the Abyss/Dimension X discussion

• Sinners was Frank's clear movie of 2025, with major praise for the craft and the left-turn genre surprise.

• Superman won the community superhero movie vote, but Thunderbolts got real respect for performances and exceeding expectations.

• Andor is still the "tell your friends they're missing out" show, even if Stranger Things owned the bigger pop culture moment.

• The superhero show vote was tight, and the conversation around Daredevil: Born Again came with real critiques about structure and payoff.

• 2026 is stacked across both "take your kid to the movies" picks and big-ticket IMAX events.

• Stranger Things earned its goodbye, especially by bringing the focus back to friendship, growing up, and the reality that life moves on.

• "You realize how much you say 'you know' when you're podcasting."

• "It felt like a finale divided in two."

• "This is about friends and not just this big brand fight."

• "Don't let Disney brush it off. Watch it and enjoy this fresh idea from Marvel."

• "As much as they're saying bye to each other, they're saying bye to us as well."

• Best superhero movie vote: Superman took the top spot (with Thunderbolts close behind in their personal debate).

• Best superhero show vote: Daredevil: Born Again edged out Peacemaker in a near tie.

• Game of the year vote: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 came out on top.

• Best villain talk: Pennywise (Welcome to Derry) dominated the conversation, with shout-outs to other standouts.

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Got a take on the Stranger Things finale, or a most-hyped 2026 movie pick you're already planning your opening weekend around? Send it in, and we'll read and react on a future episode.

Apple Podcast Tags: Geek culture, Pop culture news, Stranger Things, Stranger Things finale, Movies 2026, TV 2026, Marvel, DC, Star Wars, Andor, Superman, Thunderbolts, Avengers Doomsday, Dune 3, Gaming news, One Piece, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, The Boys