Monthly Archives: April 2019

FRONT

Barbie’s new incarnations to possibly include Princess Leia and Dark Phoenix

it looks like Barbie is set to get her superhero on again with some rumblings that several characters in the X-Men and Star Wars franchises are to be given the Barbie treatment.

Spain based, family owned toy and pop culture shop “Toys Damaso SL” have listed pre-orders for six brand new dolls that include some surprising additions to the Barbie catalog.

Three characters from X-Men’s upcoming Dark Phoenix have been listed for pre-order – Jean Grey, Storm and Mystique along with three characters from Star Wars – Princess Leia, Darth Vader and strangely enough R2-D2.

It’s a surprising announcement considering FOX’s staunch stance on any kind of toy/action figure merchandise for it’s X-movies.

Each pre-order states the following:

WE DO NOT HAVE PHOTOS. WE DO NOT KNOW THE DATE OF RECEPTION, IT MAY TAKE MONTHS TO RECEIVE

The Star Wars collection are currently listing for $220 AUD while the X-Men collection for $103 AUD

Currently, there is no official word from Mattel on these releases and Toys Damaso SL is the only site online with this information.

While this may be the first time Barbie has gotten her pristine plastic hands on these characters, it’s not the first time they have been immortalized in plastic. Princess Leia and Darth Vader have been produced in doll form numerous times over the years through Hasbro. Storm, back in the late 90’s got the 12″ doll treatment thanks to ToyBiz while Tonner doll company released two version’s of it’s 16″ Jean Grey/Phoenix doll. Mystique is the only character never to have been released in any kind of doll format before.

As stated, no official word as yet on release date, availability worldwide or price point.

Drama, FRONT

90210’s original bad girl is back!

She created headlines in the 90’s then left the hugely popular series only to return for its first reboot in 2008 and then faced a massive and brave battle against breast cancer but where was Shannen Doherty when news dropped the original Peach Pitt Pals were once again reuniting?

Her name, along with teen heartthrob, the late Luke Perry were major omissions the news with fans wondering was the blood really that bad between Doherty and the rest of the gang? But no need to worry as Doherty herself dropped the news that she is infact coming back the the iconic 90’s zipcode.

//www.instagram.com/embed.js

So yes!! Brenda Walsh, 90201’s original bad girl is back!!

Here’s the official synopsis of the reboot is as follows:

Having gone their separate ways since the original series ended 19 years ago, Shannen, Jason, Jennie, Ian, Gabrielle, Brian and Tori reunite when one of them suggests it’s time to get a ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ reboot up and running. But getting it going may make for an even more delicious soap than the reboot itself. What will happen when first loves, old romances, friends and frenemies come back together, as this iconic cast – whom the whole world watched grow up together – attempts to continue from where they left off?

No word as yet if the show will acknowledge the existence of the 2008 reboot and as it stood, Perry had not signed on for any involvement with the show prior to his death.

The 90210 reboot is slated to air later this year on FOX in the USA

Streaming TV

Love, Simon Series Coming to New Disney+ Streaming

A TV series based on last year’s breakout romcom movie hit Love, Simon has been given a straight-to-series order on Disney’s new streaming service called Disney+.

While the movie Love, Simon came direct from author Becky Albertali’s best selling Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda book, this new series will take place from the third book in Albertali’s ‘simonverse’ trilogy titled Leah on the Offbeat which follows Simon’s best friend Leah and takes place only a short while after the end of Simon’s story.

In the book, while Bram is trying to navigate the perfect promposal to Simon, Leah goes off on a road trip with newly single Abby to scout out perspective collages. The book that sits between Simon and Leah is titled “The Upside of Unrequited” and takes a huge sidestep from Simon and his friends and focuses on Abby’s cousin Molly Peskin-Suso.

While the series will continue the Love, Simon story line, principal cast including Katherine Langford (Leah) and Nick Robinson (Simon) are not attached to the series, though Love, Simon screenwriters Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker will return to serve as showrunners on the Disney+ series. It should also be noted that director Greg Berlanti will not be involved due to his deal with Warner Bros Television.

The right’s to Albertali’s Simonverse characters are now in the hands of Disney after their acquirement of 20th Century Fox.

Update: April 13th 2019

Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda author Becky Albertali took to Instagram to not only share the news of the Love, Simon series but to also clarify some major misinformation that is being attached to the series. According to Albertali, the Love, Simon series is not a remake of the movie nor is it going to follow the book sequel Leah on the Offbeat. The series will in fact be a spin-off and will be set within the world of Simon. No word on casting though of yet.