Although it was once infallible, lately Pixar has become a studio that can hit the mark completely or fail relentlessly. Since the arrival of the pandemic, the animation studio has experienced a string of successes and failures, both critically and with audiences, allowing sequels to take the place that original films always should have had. Fortunately, this year the fate of original Pixar films has taken a turn. Or rather, a little jump. The Lord is my beaver, I lack nothing Hoppers, which premiered hoping to have box office numbers […]
Although it was once infallible, lately Pixar has become a studio that can hit the mark completely or fail relentlessly. Since the arrival of the pandemic, the animation studio has experienced a string of successes and failures, both critically and commercially, allowing sequels to take the place that original films always should have had. Fortunately, this year the fate of original Pixar films has taken a turn. Or rather, a little leap.
The Lord is my beaver, I lack nothing
Hoppers, which premiered expecting to have average box office numbers leaning towards mediocre, ended its box office run with 386 million dollars, providing profits to a Pixar that would not have to later seek justification for its investment with the release on Disney+. The facts are as they are: it is so fun, so unique and wonderful that it has all the cards to become a new obsession for kids worldwide.
If you want to see your kids obsessed with beavers or enjoy it shamelessly in solitude, we now have a date for the arrival of Hoppers on Disney+: it will be on June 3 when Daniel Chong’s film lands on the streaming service, and it has all the cards to become a hit while the world holds its breath before Toy Story 5 takes the box office by storm.
Although its success was cited as an example of the potential of original films, the truth is that no one is opposed to a sequel. In fact, no one should be too surprised if, in a decade, we see our favorite mechanical beavers causing mischief again.
It doesn’t matter whether you have children or not: Bluey is a fantastic series for all ages (yes, really) that has inevitably become a merchandising empire of all kinds. And Disney, obviously, has not put any barriers: if you want Bluey, you will have it in all forms and colors: everything looked incredible and the future was bright… Until its creator, Joe Brumm, released two episodes, The Cartel and Surprise!, which worked perfectly as a series finale. Right after, he announced that there would be a movie on August 6, 2027, and that’s it.
It doesn’t matter whether you have children or not: Bluey is a fantastic series for all ages (yes, really) that has inevitably become a merchandising empire of all kinds. And Disney, obviously, has not put up any barriers: if you want Bluey, you will have it in every form and color: everything looked incredible and the future was bright… Until its creator, Joe Brumm, released two episodes, The Cartel and Surprise!, which worked perfectly as the series finale. Right after that, he announced that there would be a movie on August 6, 2027, and that’s it. It’s over.
Bingo!
It’s over… for their part, of course. The rights to the series are held by Disney, and it doesn’t seem likely that once Brumm has finished telling his story, they won’t make more and more episodes, even if it means losing much of what made it incredible, accessible, and sensitive in the first place. No one has announced anything official, and that’s why everyone was left not knowing how to react when Disney+ unexpectedly uploaded new Bluey shorts last weekout of the blue. Who created them? Where did they come from? Why didn’t they launch a big promotional campaign about it? Fortunately, there are solutions to the mysteries.
Things, as they are: these shorts of one to three minutes are what anyone who hasn’t seen Bluey thinks the series is. That is, children’s songs, silly lessons, and very simple plots, not so different from a CoComelon or what can be found on YouTube Kids. And the reason for this neglect uncharacteristic of the series is that… they are small shorts, once called Bluey Bits, designed and created directly for YouTube, which were uploaded over the years and now, with the regular episodes finished and the movie on the way, have been released on Disney+ so that no one forgets the brand. As if that were possible, really.
As one might expect from this kind of vague and uncharismatic animation, there is no real signature. Of course, there have been animators and screenwriters behind it, but all authorship belongs to Ludo Studios, the production company of the show. In other words: they haven’t even wanted to provide exact details about who made these little shorts that -this is the good part- can be watched in ten minutes. No one knows if this will be all or if there will be more before the movie comes out, but it is to be expected that Brumm and his team will prepare new surprises by then, although a season 4 seems completely distant now.
If you’re curious and your kids are too eager for Bluey, you should know that in addition to the shorts, this year a new CD has also been released, featuring instrumental songs that play in the series, and a new video game with an original story created by Brumm. Ah! And also, a Minecraft DLC. I suppose they are saving the Fortnite thing for the movies, but being the most-watched television series in recent years, easily surpassing infinitely more expensive productions, it wouldn’t be surprising if Disney started making new episodes like that, without the original creator’s permission and without fully capturing the tone of the series, doing exactly the opposite of what Bluey preaches: treating children as fools.
Disney has acknowledged that they are having trouble reaching the young audience. Star Wars appeals to the audience over 30 years old, but it seems that it no longer captures the attention of children as it used to. If we add to that the fact that the series are performing much worse than they expected, it seems they have a creative crisis on their hands. Especially considering that it has been seven years since we had a new Star Wars movie, leading to the thought that this very, very distant universe may be in crisis. Especially because The Mandalorian and Grogu have been openly despised by the […]
Disney has acknowledged that they are having trouble reaching the young audience. Star Wars appeals to the audience over 30 years old, but it seems that it no longer captures the attention of children as it used to. If we add to that the fact that the series are performing much worse than they expected, it seems they have a creative crisis on their hands. Especially considering that it has been seven years since we had a new Star Wars movie, leading one to think that this very, very distant universe may be in crisis. Especially because The Mandalorian and Grogu has been openly despised by critics.
A Movie with Little Sense
The Mandalorian is a series that, upon its release, was highly appreciated. Directed by Jon Favreau, it knew how to do everything a science fiction franchise needs today to be relevant. Having a charismatic character, an adorable pet that people want to cuddle, making an intelligent mix of genres, and having a hopeful tone more anchored in adventure than anything else. A winning formula that has systematically worked in recent years, as Project Hail Mary has demonstrated.
In fact, the first two seasons were a great success. Both critics and audiences greatly enjoyed the adventures of the Mandalorian and Grogu, affectionately dubbed Baby Yoda by the public. The problem is that in the third season, things started to go awry. The critics were less than enthusiastic about an erratic season that seemed unclear about where it wanted to go, and the audience responded in a similarly lukewarm manner: the numbers were not terrible, but they were not those of the first two seasons. And the public discourse was not as enthusiastic as in the first two seasons, beginning to show signs of fatigue.
The Mandalorian and Grogu is a conclusion for the series in the form of a movie. With everyone involved in it, it aims to be a big celebration for the fans. But the question is, are there still fans of The Mandalorian to justify it? And above all, does it make sense as a movie?
It seems that the answer, especially for the second part, is no. The critics have slammed the movie, accusing it of being like an extended episode, but worse produced, without really being satisfying in any possible sense. Except for the aspects where there have never been complaints. The Mandalorian is great, Grogu is adorable, and the music is excellent, but the CGI, the action, and the aesthetics do not seem like those of a movie, with a quality far below what one would expect from a high-budget film. Not to mention a production from Disney. Especially from a series that stood out precisely for the care of all these aspects.
A galaxy far, far away that does not excite
That criticism and the audience do not always go hand in hand is not something unknown. But with The Mandalorian and with Star Wars, in general, there tends to be some overlap. Something that is not good news for Disney, even with extremely pessimistic projections from experts.
According to analysts, the movie will make 80 million dollars in its first four days of screening. An excellent figure for any other movie, but disastrous for a Star Wars film: no movie in the franchise has ever made less than 100 million. Some of them have been considered failures because of this. Something that suggests that The Mandalorian and Grogu may be the beginning of something that was already being noticed in the series. People may not be as into Star Wars as they were ten years ago.
The numbers after its premiere, in any case, have been somewhat better than expected. With 12 million dollars on its first day, forecasts have now increased to 90 million. Does this mean that The Mandalorian and Grogu is on its way to being a surprise success? No. It means it could be a smaller failure than expected. But unless it ends up making much larger numbers, it seems that it will spawn a conversation that no one wants to have. That perhaps Disney is exhausting its franchises.
Perhaps the audience is no longer there. They are tired of Star Wars. It has been decades of the same franchise, of cultural supremacy, and not always quality that lives up to the myth. It is possible that it just needs a break or to find the right key. It is impossible to know. Perhaps, yes, Star Wars is exhausted and is no longer as interesting as before. But what seems evident is that The Mandalorian and Grogu are no longer as captivating as in their first two seasons. And Disney must start to consider what they are doing with Star Wars.
Punisher is a fascinating character. As a superhero, he not only lacks any powers, but he also has a very different personality from all the others. He doesn’t mind killing, mutilating, and torturing, as long as it’s to the bad guys. This makes him an interesting, albeit controversial, character. He is as violent as he is just, and his moral compass, although well-tuned, makes him very dependent on being well-written to avoid falling into problematic areas. But that character is what makes his new special interesting. A violent and straightforward special The Punisher: One Last Kill us […]
Punisher is a fascinating character. As a superhero, he not only lacks any powers, but he also has a very different character from all the others. He doesn’t mind killing, mutilating, and torturing, as long as it’s to the bad guys. This makes him an interesting, albeit controversial, character. He is as violent as he is just, and his moral compass, although well-tuned, makes him very dependent on being well-written to avoid falling into problematic areas. But that character is what makes his new special interesting.
A violent and simple special
The Punisher: One Last Kill presents us with a more reclusive and paranoid Frank Castle after the events of the two seasons of the series. Something that is not helped by the fact that New York is plunged into chaos, forcing him to act even at a time when he does not feel capable of doing so. This is the premise for a 50-minute special of pure action and emotional intensity where the series seeks to offer us two things: an unadulterated Punisher and exactly the character we should expect to see assisting Spider-Man in his new movie, Brand New Day. It achieves both, although not without compromises.
The story is violent, brutal, and puts Castle in precarious situations, but at all times it feels like his enemies are underdeveloped. They are undoubtedly evil, but their motivations and reasons for committing crimes or attacking him seem to be little more than the fact that they can. It’s something that works, but it is still a bit disappointing.
Especially because the character of Ma Gnucci is fascinating. In the comics, she is one of the Punisher’s historical enemies, and here she is artfully portrayed by Judith Light. The problem is that, as a villain, she barely has any development beyond her monologues to justify actions that hardly hold up to demonstrate the character development of the only one that matters: Frank Castle. This is where this special truly shines.
The Punisher of Spider-Man
The Punisher: One Last Kill does not aim to tell a deep story. It seeks to establish a tone. To demonstrate who Castle, The Punisher, is here and now, both as a person and as a superhero, and it achieves that with flying colors.
More tortured, more weary, no less violent, but with more empathy and more fragility, that is the character heading to the Spider-Man movie. Someone who is starting to truly feel the weight of what they do. Who is beginning to feel like a superhero and not just a vigilante, even if it’s only in occasional flashes and, due to the simplicity of the script, in a somewhat clumsy and simple way.
But that is the purpose of this special. To act as a bridge between the series and the new movie. Between the MCU and the Spider-Man movies as well. Something that makes us dream of the possibility of seeing not only more Spider-Man in the MCU but also more Punisher, something we will have to see if it ends up happening. But to know, we will have to wait at least until after Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which premieres on July 31. And in the meantime, we can watch The Punisher: One Last Kill, now available on Disney+.
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third installment of the popular James Cameron franchise, will arrive on streaming exclusively on Disney+ on June 24. This falls within the normal window for any popular release, allowing movies the opportunity to perform well at the box office before being released in home format or streaming. In fact, Cameron’s film has performed extraordinarily well at the box office. Grossing $1.485 billion, the only downside that can be pointed out is that it has earned well below its predecessors. Both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, […]
Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third installment of the popular franchise by James Cameron, will arrive on streaming exclusively on Disney+ on June 24. This falls within the normal range for any popular release, allowing movies the opportunity to perform well at the box office before being released in home format or streaming.
In fact, Cameron’s movie has performed extraordinarily well at the box office. Grossing $1.485 billion, the only downside is that it has earned well below its predecessors. Both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, the first and second installments, managed to surpass $2 billion by a wide margin with practically half of their budget. This could very well lead to a reassessment by Disney for future sequels.
Well, although it hasn’t performed as well as previous films, it is far from being a failure. Avatar 4 and 5 already have scheduled release dates for December 21, 2029, and December 19, 2031, respectively. Therefore, it seems that Disney continues to bet heavily on Cameron’s blue aliens, although with a series of conditions: they must be cheaper and shorter films. Something that Cameron does not agree with.
As it seems difficult for both parties to reach an agreement, it is likely that we will have Avatar for a while. And for now, we have to wait just over a week to be able to watch the movie again from the comfort of our home.
Star Wars returns to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu, and analysts do not expect it to be a big success. Forecasts suggest it could have an initial box office of 80 million dollars in its first four days, a very good figure, but absolutely disastrous for a Star Wars franchise film. Especially considering that no franchise release has dropped below 100 million dollars, even those considered failures. A franchise that operates on different levels. The least successful case for Star Wars so far has been that of Han Solo: a […]
Star Wars returns to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu, and analysts do not expect it to be a big success. Forecasts suggest it could have an initial gross of 80 million dollars in its first four days, a very good figure, but absolutely disastrous for a Star Wars franchise film. Especially considering that no franchise release has dropped below 100 million dollars, even those considered failures.
A franchise that operates on other levels
The least successful case for Star Wars so far has been that of Han Solo: a Star Wars story, which made 103 million dollars in its first four days. Although it made an acceptable box office of almost 400 million dollars worldwide, a production filled with problems and virtually no enthusiasm from fans led to it being an unmitigated failure for Disney.
In contrast, the last movie released on these same dates, the live-action film of Lilo & Stitch, was an absolute success. Making 182 million dollars over the same four-day holiday weekend, this is the figure they would aim to achieve with Star Wars, given the popularity of The Mandalorian over the years, which has turned both the titular character and Grogu, the wrongly named Baby Yoda, into some of the most popular characters in the franchise.
At Disney, they are confident that they can reverse these numbers before the upcoming May 22, the official worldwide release date of the movie. But perhaps both the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda, after all these years, have simply lost the appeal they once had with the audience.
Although it is not usually remembered with much affection, the second Star Wars trilogy has many valuable and memorable things. The Phantom Menace has many remarkable elements that have aged notably well. The pod races, the Jedi battles, and of course, an antagonist that no one understood at the time why he was killed off when he was introduced: the incredibly charismatic Darth Maul. Since his introduction in The Phantom Menace, Star Wars has been returning again and again to the figure of this mysterious Sith who, despite his evident evilness and connection to the […]
Although it is not usually remembered fondly, the second Star Wars trilogy has many valuable and memorable things. The Phantom Menace has many remarkable elements that have aged notably well. The pod races, the Jedi battles, and of course, an antagonist that no one understood why he was killed at the moment of his introduction: the incredibly charismatic Darth Maul.
Since his introduction in The Phantom Menace, Star Wars has repeatedly returned to the figure of this mysterious Sith who, despite his evident evilness and connection to the underworld, has continued to fascinate a significant portion of the audience. A significant part of movies, animated series, and video games, at Disney have decided that it is time to give him the main focus. And they have done so with a miniseries that, although still airing, seems to have captured exactly what people like about the character: he hasn’t come here to make friends.
A director with a knack for animation
Maul: Lord of Shadows, premiered on April 6 on Disney+ and, at the time of publication of this article, two episodes have been aired. Created by Dave Filoni, the series is everything fans expected not only from the character but also from its creator.
What did you expect? Well, considering that Filoni is known for being the director of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, as well as the creator of Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars Resistance, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and Star Wars: Tales, a series that pays great attention to animation. With a clear inspiration from anime, where heroes are not white and pure, nor villains lack reasons for their actions, and where the action is spectacular, interesting, and tremendously visceral. Exactly everything that Maul: Lord of Shadows offers us.
Because for this journey, he is not coming alone. He has decided to enlist Matt Michnovetz, who has honed his skills in The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Bad Batch, creating a perfect tandem to tackle the most beloved character by fans. The most charismatic bad boy in the history of Star Wars.
Darth Maul is evil, and that’s the point
The premise of the series is based on the fact that Darth Maul is anything but an angel. After the Clone Wars and having been betrayed by those he thought were his allies, he begins to rebuild his crime syndicate and seeks, on the planet Janix, a Force user who can be his disciple. He discovers one in Devon Izara, a padawan of the Twi’lek species, who has serious conflicts not only with her future as a Jedi but also with the concepts of good and evil.
With the police chasing him, the series has a simple premise. Darth Maul may be a bad person, but those who oppose him are, in this case, worse. And the whole series will revolve around that. Finding himself in conflict with the police, other crime syndicates, and everything points to much more powerful forces that will want to hunt him down, the series knows how to walk that sweet spot where the protagonist doesn’t do the right thing, but it’s interesting to see him pursue his ambitions. Even if it’s evident that it will lead him down a path where he will increasingly commit more ignoble acts.
The animation is, as expected, excellent, and the music by Kevin, Sean, and Deana Kiner complements the almost hardboiled storytelling style of Maul: Son of the Shadows. Something that makes it unsurprising that it is exciting not only among the audience but also among critics: with a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 71 on Metacritic, it has received an extremely positive rating so far.
With eight episodes left, it seems that Maul: Lord of Shadows has everything to become one of the must-watch series of the year for Star Wars fans. Not to mention the fans of Darth Maul. So all that’s left is to sit back and enjoy the ride.
April 10 marks the return of one of the most beloved comedies of the 2000s on Disney+: Malcolm: From Bad to Worse, a sequel that picks up the story of Malcolm and his chaotic family, presenting four new episodes that promise to capture the original spirit of the series. Created by Linwood Boomer, Malcolm in the Middle stood out for its clever humor and its sincere portrayal of family and economic issues, which resonated with audiences of all ages. Dewey has not joined The original series, aired by FOX, consists of seven seasons and 151 episodes, […]
April 10 marks the return of one of the most beloved comedies of the 2000s on Disney+: Malcolm: From Bad to Worse, a sequel that picks up the story of Malcolm and his chaotic family, featuring four new episodes that promise to capture the original spirit of the series. Created by Linwood Boomer, Malcolm in the Middle stood out for its clever humor and its sincere portrayal of family and economic issues, which resonated with audiences of all ages.
Dewey has not joined
The original series, aired by FOX, consists of seven seasons and 151 episodes, where the young protagonist, played by Frankie Muniz, struggles to navigate between his exceptional intelligence and his tumultuous family life. Alongside him, fans will remember mother Lois, played by Jane Kaczmarek, and father Hal, portrayed by Bryan Cranston, who faced various challenges as a couple and parents in their daily lives. Although almost the entire original cast returns for this new installment, Erik Per Sullivan, who played Dewey, will not participate and his role will be taken over by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark.
After 20 years since the last episode of the series, the landscape has changed significantly. Bryan Cranston has established himself as one of the most influential actors of his generation thanks to his acclaimed role in Breaking Bad, while Frankie Muniz, who stepped away from acting to pursue motorsports, returns to the screen to reprise the character that catapulted him to fame.
Malcolm: From Bad to Worse is a nostalgic product ideal for fans who want to relive cherished moments. With the seven episodes of the original series available on Disney+, this new installment promises to be an afternoon full of laughter and memories for those who grew up with Malcolm’s family.
A brief teaser for The Punisher: One Last Kill, the upcoming Disney Plus special, has been released, generating great anticipation among fans of the popular character. Despite its short duration, the teaser promises a good dose of the characteristic action of Frank Castle, once again played by Jon Bernthal, which is a relief for those who have been waiting for his return since his last appearance. The upcoming companion of Spider-Man will not only return in The Punisher: One Last Kill, which will premiere on May 12, 2026, but will also participate in Spider-Man: Brand New […]
A brief teaser has been released for The Punisher: One Last Kill, the upcoming special on Disney Plus, generating great anticipation among fans of the popular character. Despite its short duration, the teaser promises a good dose of the characteristic action of Frank Castle, played again by Jon Bernthal, which is a relief for those who have been waiting for his return since his last appearance.
The next Spiderman companion
Not only will he return in The Punisher: One Last Kill, which will premiere on May 12, 2026, but he will also participate in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, scheduled for July 31, 2026. This crossover between both works highlights the growing interconnectedness of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which promises to enrich the narrative of both projects.
In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it is anticipated that Frank Castle will develop an interesting relationship with Peter Parker, which has generated excitement among the actors involved. Tom Holland, who plays Spider-Man, has expressed his enthusiasm for Bernthal’s performance, stating: “He comes from a very different world, you know, the R-rated one, and we basically brought him into our world. And he really shines in this movie. It’s amazing.”
So far, details about The Punisher: One Last Kill are limited, leaving fans speculating about which aspects of the story will be explored. However, the teaser has already generated renewed fervor for the character and his apparent integration into a broader superhero universe. With Daredevil: Born Again still airing and these upcoming projects on the horizon, the summer of 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting time for Marvel followers.
Disney+ has announced the renewal of its successful series ‘Paradise’ for a third season, a move that confirms the strong performance of this post-apocalyptic thriller. Season 2 has accumulated an impressive 30 million hours of viewing, complementing the 25 million hours reported by the first season. In total, ‘Paradise’ has amassed 12 billion minutes played since its premiere. Is it the end after the third season? Despite the success, the series is still behind ‘Love Story’, another Disney+ production that continues to lead the global ranking on the platform. This situation has generated some interest among the […]
Season 2 has accumulated an impressive 30 million viewing hours, complementing the 25 million hours reported by the first season. In total, ‘Paradise’ has amassed 12 billion minutes played since its premiere.
Is it the end after the third season?
Despite the success, the series is still behind ‘Love Story’, another Disney+ production that continues to lead the global ranking on the platform. This situation has generated some interest among ‘Paradise’ fans, who are wondering how the plot will develop in the upcoming season.
The current season follows Xavier, played by Sterling K. Brown, as he searches for his wife, who has been trapped in Atlanta for three years, while also trying to keep the bunker running after the dramatic events of the previous season. The narrative has captured the audience’s attention, as evidenced by the high viewing figures.
With the series on everyone’s lips and viewers eager to see the outcome, Disney+ seems to have a continuous success in its catalog of original series, thus consolidating its position in the growing streaming war.
