There’s a lot happening in the entertainment world. The first season of Ahsoka came to a close, the second season of Loki is just beginning, and all kinds of cool creations have made their way into the world. But amidst all of that, there are some other fun (and some not-so-fun) things you should probably know about.
Here are some of our favorite pop-culture news odds & ends from this week.
This Week’s Odds & Ends in News:
- Animal Crossing and LEGO Announce Collaboration
- James Gunn Confirms Peacemaker Season Two Is in His DCU, Currently Writing Season
- Hayao Miyazaki Is Already Working on his Next “Final Movie”
- The Barbie Movie Releases on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD on October 17
- Discovery+ Announces First Price Hike, Raises Cost of Ad-Free Tier
- $400 Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic Collection Comes with Foil Original Starters
- The Boys‘ Spinoff Gen V Creates Its Own In-World Social Network, “V”
- One Piece‘s Monkey D. Luffy Will Become a Float in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
- Dunkin’ Donuts Releases Inflatable Spider Donut Decoration
Animal Crossing and LEGO Announce Collaboration
Get ready to tend to your LEGO garden! Nintendo has officially teased a collaboration between Animal Crossing and LEGO. Both playing Animal Crossing and building LEGO masterpieces are two extremely calming activities, so we can only imagine how much fun they’ll be when they combine. Rumors of a collaboration have been floating for some time, and we can’t wait to see which official sets we’ll receive.
For more soothing LEGO builds, check out the latest LEGO Ideas set.
James Gunn Confirms Peacemaker Season Two Is in His DCU, Currently Writing Season
Rejoice, Peacemaker fans, Peacemaker season two is not only in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe, but it is actively being written. A little while ago, Gunn noted Peacemaker season two would be his next project after Superman: Legacy. This news, of course, heavily implied that Peacemaker season two would be in the new DC Universe, but it’s always nice to hear some confirmation. In response to a fan question on Threads that read, “Will season 2 of Peacemaker take place in the new DCU/ new continuity?” Gunn replied, “Yes and Yes.” We saw this news via IGN.
Additionally, James Gunn revealed he is currently writing season two of Peacemaker and he’s “having so much fun.” We can’t wait to hear more about the future of the series.
To see what else is in store for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe, check out our article, here:
Hayao Miyazaki Is Already Working on his Next Movie Despite “Final Movie” Buzz
Soon, Hayao Miyazaki’s latest “final movie,” The Boy and the Heron, will release in the United States. This movie was greatly touted as the last work by the animation genius. However, Hayao Miyazaki has announced many “final movies” before. So we were not very surprised to read that The Boy and the Heron would most likely not hold the title of the last Miyazaki movie.
French publication Libération recently spoke to Studio Ghibli President Toshio Suzuki. And Suzuki said, “He’s constantly thinking about his next project. I can’t stop him, in fact, I’ve given up. Suzuki adds, “He started talking about a new project, so I’m not stopping him. As long as he’s working, I won’t be able to retire.”
This fits in with news that came from the Toronto International Film Festival. Studio Ghibli executive Junichi Nishioka noted to the CBC, “Other people say that this might be his last film, but he doesn’t feel that way at all… He is currently working on ideas for a new film. He comes into his office every day and does that. This time, he’s not going to announce his retirement at all. He’s continuing working just as he has always done.”
To this, we say, bring on the next Miyazaki movie.
You can watch the trailer for Studio Ghibli’s latest movie, The Boy and the Heron, here:
The Barbie Movie Releases on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD on October 17
It is time to say “Hi, Barbie!” once again. After an incredible theatrical run this summer, Barbie headed over to streaming to continue her reign of excellence. But now, she’s driving on back to the physical world. Life in plastic is fantastic! And also life in Blue-ray and DVD. The Barbie movie will release for purchase on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on October 17. Alongside the movie, purchases of Barbie on physical media will see some special features, six featurettes to be exact. Plus, the 4K UHD, Blu-ray case is so pink and sparkly; how could anyone resist?
To learn more about we thought of the Barbie movie, check out our review, here:
Discovery+ Announces First Price Hike and Raises Cost of Ad-Free Tier, Netflix Rumored to Also See Price Increase
No streaming service is safe right now. From price hikes to ad-tiers to password-sharing crackdowns, streaming is becoming more costly and less welcoming than it used to be. The latest to throw their hat into the fray is Discovery+. Discovery+ recently announced its first price increase ever, focusing on its ad-free tier. In a change that became immediately effective, Discovery+ announced that in the United States, “the price of a new Discovery+ ad-free monthly subscription in the U.S. will increase from $6.99 to $8.99 plus applicable taxes. The ad-lite subscription will not change and remains $4.99/month.” Meanwhile, “Existing subscribers will see their monthly rate increase on their next billing cycle on or after November 2.” As always, the streamer frames the price increase as necessary for continued quality programming.
Elsewhere, The Wall Street Journal reports Netflix is also considering a price hike for its ad-free tier. Seems like basically every streamer wants to push subscribers to ads… Or have them pay the price. Good luck to all subscribers out there.
For more on the latest streamer shenanigans, check out what Disney+ is doing.
$400 Pokemon Trading Card Game Classic Collection Comes with Foil Original Starters
Pokémon Trainers of a certain age will soon be able to get a second chance at owning certain cards they coveted as a child. A brand new Pokémon set titled the Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic collection is on sale, and for $400, it will bring all your Pokémon dreams to life. This collector’s item, which we first saw on GameSpot, includes three 60-card Pokémon decks, comes in snazzy packaging, and promises the three original Pokémon starter cards in foil form. You may not get all the hours you spent hunting for a shiny Charizard back, but you will get the satisfaction of finally having the creature in hand. The Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic collection also features a two-player game board, toolbox case with randomizer, and more.
For even more Pokémon adventures, learn more about the upcoming Pokémon live-action series:
The Boys‘ Spinoff Gen V Creates Its Own In-World Social Network, “V”
Can’t get enough of The Boys‘ spinoff, Gen V? Well, you’re in luck because Gen V and Prime Video have teamed up with gaming browser Opera GX to create a Gen V in-universe social network called V. Obviously, this is a bit of a play on Twitter’s new name—and that’s The Boys‘ universe for you.
A release shares:
Super-powered by Opera GX, V is the new social media arm of the fictional Vought International. V allows users to get to know the supes featured in Gen V, and interact with in-world profiles of their favorite members of The Seven, including characters from The Boys such as Homelander, A-Train, and dozens of other official characters from Gen V and The Boys.
V users can also explore the official in-world Godolkin University, and catch up with some of its most popular students. Users will be able to keep up with Godolkin University’s latest student rankings as students battle for the top position and the opportunity to join The Seven, as well as access an array of exclusive Gen V content.
V will be continuously updated with new content throughout the season, echoing the hum of a real-world social network.
Sounds like a super fun way to get the most of your Gen V viewing experience. You can learn how to log-on to V, here.
Gen V is now available to watch. Check out our guide to all the new Supes and their powers, here:
One Piece‘s Monkey D. Luffy Will Become a Float in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
You know him, you love him, and now you’ll see him float in a parade. One Piece‘s Monkey D. Luffy is the latest nerdy character to become a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. On November 23, Luffy will set sail on his latest, biggest adventure yet, down the streets of New York City. The One Piece Monkey D. Luffy balloon will be 43-feet long, 39-feet wide and 50-feet tall. We bet this balloon Luffy eats A LOT. And while he won’t have his typical crew with him, we’re told “he will be led the entire way by his own pirate crew of skilled marchers—all honorary Straw Hats for the day.” We bet they’ll wear straw hats, too, and that’s honestly delightful. It’s truly what Luffy deserves.
It’s been a big year for One Piece as the series made the leap into live-action. Check out why we thought the series was truly successful.
Dunkin’ Donuts Releases Inflatable Spider Donut Decoration
It’s October, the best month. There are many ways to decorate for the season, but Dunkin’ Donuts wants you to consider a new unique piece of Halloween fun. The coffee chain recently released an inflatable version of their iconic spider donut. No, you can’t eat it, but if this is your favorite Halloween treat, why not take it home?
As the description for the Dunkin’ inflatable spider donut aptly shares, “For everyone that’s ever said “Man, my yard could really use a 6-foot-tall, lit up Inflatable Spider Donut to turn my Halloween decor game up a notch,” this is for you*.
*It’s also for everyone that’s never said that, too.”
Cheers to that! This fun inflatable is available at the Dunkin’ Shop for $99. Happy pumpkin spice season!
Dunkin’ recently released a line of hard iced coffees and teas. Check out what we know about Dunkin’ Spiked, here.