Star Trek:The Lego Generation

A whirlwind of geek headlines spans V for Vendetta at HBO, a fresh Star Trek film without the Kelvin cast, and Black Panther 3 moving forward with Denzel Washington. We weigh nostalgia against novelty, call out pricing shifts, and honor the legacy of Dan McGrath.

• HBO developing a V for Vendetta series with a modern political edge
• Oscar Isaac signals openness to return as Poe with caveats
• Paramount retires Kelvin Trek and greenlights a new standalone film
• Lego reveals a $400 Enterprise‑D packed with TNG details
• Court confirms Rod Roddenberry owns the original Enterprise model
• Coogler confirms Black Panther 3 and Denzel Washington’s role
• Gremlins 3 dated with Columbus writing and Spielberg producing
• Highlander remake expands its starry cast
• The Mummy sequel talks aim to reunite Fraser and Weisz
• Bad Fairies adds Ncuti Gatwa to its animated musical
• Paramount+ announces a price increase and UFC value pitch
• Lucas Museum sets opening date and outlines massive collection
• Sony acquires Labubu rights amid a blind‑box toy boom
• Remembering Emmy‑winning Simpsons writer Dan McGrath

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Chapters

• 0:00 Cold Open: Headlines Preview
• 0:18 Welcome And Host Health Update
• 3:33 Personal Finance Tip: Short‑Term Disability
• 3:53 DC: V For Vendetta Series In Development
• 6:10 Star Wars: Oscar Isaac’s Stance Softens
• 7:45 Star Trek: Kelvin Films Conclude
• 9:02 Lego TNG Enterprise Breakdown
• 10:58 New Standalone Star Trek Film Plans
• 13:28 Legal Ruling: Original Enterprise Model
• 15:08 Marvel: Black Panther 3 Confirmed
• 16:36 Gremlins 3 Dated And Team Announced
• 18:43 Highlander Remake Casting Expands
• 20:15 The Mummy Sequel Talks With Original Stars
• 22:03 Animated Musical: Bad Fairies Casting
• 23:04 Paramount+ Price Hike And Value
• 24:05 Lucas Museum Opening Details
• 25:26 Labubu Toy Rights Acquired By Sony
• 27:12 Remembering Simpsons Writer Dan McGrath
• 29:05 Sign‑Off And Ways To Support

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:04

Tonight, vendetta of the series, Oscar Isaac, might want back in, Star Trek the new movie Frontier, and remember Simpson's writer Dan McGrath. All then more in this edition of Multiverse Tonight. Welcome to Multiverse Tonight, your source for Geek News. We dissect films, games, comics, and much more, bringing you insightful commentary on pop culture. This is Multiverse Tonight. Now here's your host, Thomas Townley. Hello and welcome to Multiverse Tonight. I believe this is episode 252. I'm, of course, your host, Thomas Townley, and uh, well, uh, you didn't actually see me in the past two weeks because I aired that uh special interview. But uh if you'll look on camera here, there's my foot. I have a nice bright red cast on my right foot now. Uh surgery was surgery, it went great. Apparently the uh bone was wrapping around the t the tendon was wrapping around the bone. So, you know, there was no way that that bone that tendon was gonna get better if it was just wrapped around the bone. So it was, you know, I guess surgery was the only way. But uh I've been doing okay. I've been uh you know trying to catch up on movies and TV I've missed, you know, trying to sit down and read a little. You know, trying to just uh you know keep keep my mind busy. I might be um hopefully we'll get back we'll get released to go back to work, you know, maybe in the middle of next month. But if not, it's probably going to be you know middle or end of January. So I'm gonna be off for I might be off for a long time. I'm so grateful. Um by the way, if if your workplace offers this uh and and you know sign up for it, it's uh short-term disability. There's a premium version that you pay a little extra a month and instead of getting half of your pay, you get sixty percent. So you know you're you're saying difference ten percent that's not much. Well it's you know, that when you're when you're starting to get up and and money, it it does add up. So that's you know, ten percent I don't have to cover, I just have to you know work on my savings for the other 40% or just you know cut back 40% on what I spend, which is you know when you're stuck at home, that's actually pretty easy to do. You know, there's you're not buying food at you know, you're not or you're not gonna you know buying food for work, you're not paying gas for work, or just I don't pay for gas, I have an electric car. But yeah, you know, it it's worth it. So if you if you uh have an opportunity to sign up for you know an X and X you know an X enhanced version of uh disability, sign up for it, especially if you're you know over age 40, because you're getting up there and break frankly you're gonna start breaking down sooner or later. Anyway, uh we got some news to go to, so let's start with the DC Comics News. And DC Comics News begins with a new report saying that HBO is developing a TV series based on the classic graphic novel V for Vendetta. Now, who's writing this? According to uh listening's Pete Jackson, who was nominated for BAFTA for Somewhere Boy, is attached to write the series with Xex Producers James Gunn and Pierce Saffron from DC Studios Xex Producing, along with Ben Stevenson and Leanne Klein, uh, with uh Warren Burris Telgian producing the show. Now, so far, both HBO and DC Studios haven't actually commentated, but uh Jackson's reps haven't responded yet, either. Now, the original V for Vendetta starred as a comic serial in 1982 by writer Alan Moore and artist David Lloyd, published first in Warrior and later by DC. Now it's a dark dystopian feature set in the UK where the country is run by the oppressive Norse Fire Party and follows V in an archist in a guy Fox Mask who is trying to take down the government. He finds an unexpected ally in a young woman named Evie Hammond. Now, if this series moves forward, it would join a list of other DC live-action shows like The Penguin, uh, which is doing great, got nine Emmy wins, Watchmen, which uh you know did great, and that was, of course, that was before Gun and Saffron. Saffron took the reins of DC. Now, coming up also is uh Lanterns, the upcoming drama series featuring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as Hal Jordan and Jon Stewart, which is expected to debut in early 2026. Now, Pete Jackson is the guy who wrote the 2022 Channel 4 series Summer Boy, which got him a BAFTA TV Award. And he's running the upcoming Sky Atlantic series The Death of Bunny Monroe, based on the Nick Cave book. Now, of course, there was the 2005 movie uh V for Vendetta starring Hugh Weaving and Natalie Portman. That movie was written by the Wachowskis and made over 130 million worldwide and set to return to theaters in November 2026 for its 20th anniversary. So uh V for Vendetta, the series. Okay. Uh I uh I can see although although I don't know how you can find someone with a g who can Hugo Weaving's voice was perfect for the character. So hopefully they'll find someone just as as powerful as that. Anyway, let's go to the Star Wars news. Roger, Roger. Oscar Isaac, who played X pilot X-Wing pilot Poe Damron in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, is now saying a no to a return to the franchise, although he has expressed reservations about working again with Disney. In a recent interview, the Frankenstein actor admitted he is open to reprising his role as Poe Damron, the character he first played in 2015's Star Wars, The Force Awakens. This marks a shift from his previous stance where he jokingly said he would only return if he, quote, needed another house. Quote, yeah, that was a real likable quote. Jesus Christ. You know, people ask you things, you say stuff you don't really think about that much. I said a slightly dickish thing, unquote. Open, despite his newfound openness to the role, Isaac also stated to GQ, quote, although right now it's not so open to working with Disney, he then added a condition for his return, quote, but if they can kind of figure it out and, you know, not succumb to fascism, that would be great, unquote. Now the publication noted that the interview took place before Jimmy Kimmel was reinstated as host of his late night show, following the brief suspension by ABC and Disney. Now, Isaac's involvement with Star Wars includes The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and Rise of the Skywalker, as well as voicing the character in Star Wars of Resistance, Beyond Star Wars. Isaac is already part of the Disney family, having starred and as well as served as executive producer on the MCU series Moon Knight on Disney Plus. Let's go to the Star Trek news. It appears the adventures of Captain Kirk, played by Chris Pine and his Enterprise crew from the reboot booted Kelvin Timeline, are definitively finished. After almost a decade of failed attempts to launch another film, this report from Variety indicates that Paramount's new leadership is playing more Star Trek films, but they will not be involving the J.J. Abrams reboot. This means Star Trek IV is off the table. Despite various scripts and directors being attached to it over the years, including Quentin Tarantino and Matt Shackman, Paramount was never able to find a cohesive direction. The original report confirms this shift, saying, quote, the hope is to have a fresh Star Trek movie, though the studio has moved on from the idea of bringing back Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and the rest of the ensemble from the JJ Abrams reboot. Unquote. Yeah, I think that's for the best. I think, you know, they did three, three movies, you know, at least two of which were good. One was just decent. You know, I think you know, they've gotten you know all the mileage they can out of that off the offshoot of the prime universe. So yeah, let's let's do something else. Let's do a Star Trek movie without the main without you know name brand, name brand cast, so no Kirk's box, the card, whatever. And just say in the universe of Star Trek. And, you know, see where that see where that hits us. Or heck, you know what? Do Star Trek New Frontier as a movie. That would be excellent. The Lego icon Star Trek USS Enterprise NCC 171D set number 103 10356 is a massive 3,600-piece detailed replica of the starship from the next generation. Now, key features of the model include a detachable command saucer, secondary hull, and warped nacelles, and open shut bay an opening shuttle bay with two mini shuttle pods inside, and comes with a display stand, an information plaque, and a Star Trek Next Generation minifigure display tile. The main set includes nine figures. There's Captain Picard with his teacup, Commander Riker with his trombone and stand, a Lieutenant Wharf with a phaser, Lieutenant Commander Data with a tricorder, Lieutenant Commander Dory LeForge with an engineering case, Councillor Deanna Troy with a bottle. Why a bottle? Who knows? Bartender Gainen with a portable tractor beam generator, and Wesley Crusher with Spot the Cat figure. Okay, that makes no sense. I think they got those uh mixed up there. A total of 10 minifigures are available if you acquire the type 15 shut you if you acquire the type 15 shuttle pod gift with purchase, which adds Ensign Rolarin. The Lego icon Star Trek USS Enterprise NCC 171D is priced at$399.99. And officially launches on November 28th at 9 p.m. Pacific time or midnight Eastern Time on the night of November 27th and 28th. It'll be available to order directly from the Lego shop without any Lego Insiders exclusivity window. Now customers who purchase the set between November 28th and December 1st will receive that type 15 shuttle pod. Now be aware that the gift with purchase may sell out before the December 1st cutoff date. So I gotta ask, is is anyone out there going to buy this? I would if it wasn't$400. You know, and and if you've seen pictures, it looks okay. It doesn't look like great, because unfortunately, though the way, you know, it's a saucer section, so it's around, so it's an oval saucer saucer. So they had to kind of work around that so it doesn't look you know look as as refined as say a Star Wars ship. Because Star Wars ships are tend to be angular. So, you know, it it looks okay. I would rather have just a little minifigs. You know, if anyone wants to get me something, there you go. Find me those minifigs. I'd love to have those. Anyway, we do have some new Star Trek movie news. Uh, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daly, known for revitalizing major franchises like Spider-Man and Dungeons and Dragons, are now attached to the right to produce and direct the brand new Star Trek film for Paramount. They will produce the movie under their Gold Day banner. The new project is described as a completely original take on the Star Trek universe and will not be connected to the previous movies, current TV series, or prior film development projects. This aligns with recent comments from Skydance founder David Ellson, who stated that the next Star Trek movie would be a standalone project with new actors moving away from the Chris Pine lid series. Sources suggest it is likely that this version will feature entirely new characters. Now, Goldstein and Daly have a proven track record of delivering fresh, witty, and fun scripts that successfully update existing IP. Their works on films like Spider-Man Homecoming, which they wrote, and the quickly acclaimed Dungeons ⁇ Dragons Honor Among Thieves, which they wrote and directed, earned them high praise from both fans and critics. The duo also has strong existing relationships with both Paramount and Skydance. Dungeons ⁇ Dragons was one of Paramount's highest-rated films of 2023, and they recently collaborated with Skydance and Apple on the original Cold Wars action comedy Mayday, starring Ryan Reynolds, which is slated for release next year following stellar early test screenings. So there you have it. A new Star Trek movie. An original Star Trek movie. So they better it, you know. It would probably be best for them to, you know, really fully advertise this thing when it comes around. And you know, you know Kirk, you know Picard, you know Sisko. Now know Fred. Really introduce us to these characters, make us want to see this movie. And at the very least, probably have have like a you know uh name brand Star Trek character. Yeah. Michael Dorne's always available, I guess. Whorf, show up and and you know, uh shepherd these new characters. So uh yeah, maybe that. Anyway, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge Daniel Murphy has ruled that Gene Rod Roddenberry Jr. is the rightful owner of the original Starship Enterprise model, not the two men who sued an auctioneer over its sale. The judge's Monday ruling followed arguments heard on Friday. Judge Murphy concluded that Paramount Pictures gave the model to the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, and his son Rod Roddenberry subsequently inherited it. Quote, in sum, Rod has established as a matter of fact, matter of law that Gene owned the model. It is otherwise undisputed that Gene bequeathed all of his property to his wife Majel, and that Majel bequeathed all of her property to Rod. Therefore, Rod has established his ownership of the model as a matter of law, unquote. Now, Dustin Reich and Jason Revaz, the plaintiffs, filed their suit back in May of 2024, claiming that they discovered the model and hired heritage auctioneers and galleries to sell it. They alleged, however, that the auction house breached its duties by selling the model to Rod Roddenberry at discount to encourage future business. While ruling in favor of Rod Roddenberry as the model's sole owner, the judge also denied the plaintiff's motion to dismiss Rod Roddenberry's one claim of quiet title. Reich and Revis had contended that Rod Roddenberry's quiet title cause of action violated the Statute of Limitations and that they were immune to such a claim because they bought the model without notice of any convening claim. George Roddenberry, uh Gene Roddenberry, excuse me, died in October of 1991 at the age of 70 years old. So there you go, Rod. You know, Rod Rottenberry is master of the original Starship Air Prize. Let it be known throughout the galaxy. Now let's go on to the Marvel News. Ryan Kugler, fresh from his work on Sinners, a film that saw him tackle vampires in the KKK in the Mississippi Delta, is preparing for his return to the Marvel Cinemac Universe to complete his Black Panther trilogy. Kugler, the two-time Oscar nominee, confirmed to Deadline that uh the at the Sinners panel that Black Panther 3 is officially his next project, telling Deadline's Mike Fleming Jr., quote, if it was anybody but you, I would say I can neither confirm or deny, adding, but we're working on it hard. Yeah, it's the next movie, unquote. Now the third installment is set to feature Academy Award winner Denzel Washington. Washington first hinted at his involvement in November of 2024 while promoting Gladiator 2 in Australia, revealing that Coogler was, quote, writing apart for me, unquote. The director has since confirmed the news. The Black Panther series began in 2018 with Chadwick Bozeman's debut as T'Challa in 2016's Captain America Civil War. Bozeman then reprised the role in 2018's Infinity War and 2019's Endgame. Following Bozeman's death from colon cancer in August of 2020, the sequel Black Panther Will Cond of Forever was released in 2022 and was dedicated to his memory, and Salah Tisha writes, Suri assumed the mantle of the Black Panther after the end story death of Tatala. So, are you ready for the next Black Panther movie? Yeah. To tell you the truth, I have I never really watched the second one. I just, you know, was not that interested in it. You know, it's that second one kind of fell into that black hole of of you know MCU stuff that no one really, you know, we all kind of lost our appetite after the pandemic, didn't we? Well. Anyway, let's go on to the geek news. Warner Brothers is moving full steam ahead with a new feature installment, now officially dated, for November 19th, 2027. The studio has tapped the directing duo Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, fresh off their success from this summer's hit Blood Death Final Destination Bloodlines, to join forces with original writer Chris Columbus to pen the new script. Lipovsky and Stein's edition has provided a quote, electric charge to the project, which has been development since at least 2017. Now, Chris Columbus, who wrote the 1984 originals, slated to direct this new chapter, with Steven Spielberg returning to produce it. Columbus expressed his passion for the return to Gremlins, telling the Hollywood reporter, quote, I am filled with a tremendous surge of inspiration and passion as I embark on this cinematic journey. It's an honor to reunite with Steven Spielberg and Warner Brothers as we bring this latest chapter of Gremlins to a brand new generation of moviegoers who will experience all the thrills of this grand adventure on the big screen, unquote. Now, Jesse Iser uh Jesse Ehrman, Warner's president of development and production, echoed this settlement set sentiment, saying, quote, Few titles are as beloved and iconic as Gremlins, and we're both excited to bring it back for both lifelong fans and the whole new generation, unquote. Now, the original 1984 film introduced audiences to Gizmo, the cute furry creature that came with three essential rules Avoid light, don't get wet, never feed after midnight. And of course, the rules all are broken, causing uh the Mogwai transformation into the Gremlins. The franchise has been largely dormant for decades, though the talk of a third movie has well persisted. More recently, HBO Max released the animated series Gremlins The Wild Batch in 2023, with uh Joe Dante directing coming last year, quote, on the prospects of a third quote film, quote, the fact is that it's too big a property for somebody not to make something. But it's been difficult for people to wrap their heads around. Exactly how are we going to do this? So now that we have our answer, are you prepared for Gremlins 3? I'm I think the the two Gremlins films are more than enough. You know what what do you get? What what can you do with the Gremlins that you didn't do in the first two films? You know, that's what they should be asking themselves. What didn't we do? Yeah. The only thing I can think of is is there's a creature out there that eats gremlins. That's the only thing you can do. But uh maybe you have some suggestions. Right in. Give me some suggestions. Uh the cast for Amazon MGM's remake of the cult classic Highlander continues to expand with Shaban Cullen, Joe Junjoangseo, Nassim Lies, and Kevin McKidd being the latest editions. Now the remake boasts a star-studded lineup led by Henry Cavill, who will be the titular character, Connor McLeod, the medieval Scottish Highlander who discovers he is an immortal warrior. The ensemble already includes Russell Crowe playing Ramirez, uh, Marissa Abella, Dave Batista, Karen Gillian, uh Jeremy Irons, Damon Hansu, Mak Zong, and Drew McIntyre. The action fantasy is being directed by Chad Solitsky. Under Amazon MGM's United Artist Banner, Slade for theatrical release, uh production, which was initially planned for the fall, was postponed after Cavill sustained an injury during pre-production, and it's now scheduled to begin work in early 2026. So Yeah. Again, I'm just I'm waiting to see, you know, see proof of of life, if you will. Proof of concept. You know, what what will this movie do, you know, other than updating the special effects? Yeah. And speaking of what will it do for the for what will it do for the franchise, Universal's beloved The Mummy franchise, which first thrilled audiences at the turn of the century, is being resurrected. I like how the phrase turn of the century is now being thrown out, thrown out there. Turn of the century. Yep, 25 years ago. Congratulations. Original stars Brendan Frazier, who headlined the three films from 1999 to 2008 with Rachel Wise, who appeared in the first two installments, are currently in talks to return for a new sequel. Now, the filmmaking collective Radio Silence, consisting of uh Matt Banal Opton and Tyler Gillett, is slated to direct the new movie, Radio Silence, first gained react recognition, who uses the successful 2019 horror comedy Ready or Not, and has since been credited with revitalizing the Scream franchise through their 2022 and 2023 entries. Sean Daniel, who produced the original movies alongside his late partner James Jacks, is back as producer. He will be joined by Project X's entertainment team William Sherrick, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein, all frequent collaborators with Radio Silence on films like Abigail, Scream 5, and Scream 6. The 1999 original, directed and co-written by Steven Summers, successfully infused the classic Universal Monsters line with an Indiana Jones spirit. The film blended action adventure, romance, and horror in a period setting, following Fraser's Treasure Hunter and Weiss's spirited librarian as they traveled to 1920s Egypt and accidentally awakened a powerful high priest. The movie was a major success for Universal, grossing over 422.5 million, and launching a reliable franchise for the studio in the early 2000s. It submitted Brandon Fraser's status as a leading man and a listener, and also expanded was expanded to a prequels series starring the Scorpion King, which was an early role for Dwayne The Rock Johnson, an anime series and a popular ride at Universal Studios Hollywood. Maria Bellow replaced Wise for the third movie, which also introduced Luke Ford as the son of the two main characters. So you know, I'm I'm I guess I'm willing to see what's there. You know, again, you are then updating the the the mummy effects, which let's let's face it, turn of the century, computer-generated effects do leave something to be desired. Of course, that always leaves the question, why not just you know re-engineer the effects and re-release the original movie? But hey, I'm not in Hollywood. Anyway, and Nakudi Gatwa, known for uh Doctor Who, has uh joined the cast of Bad Fairies, an upcoming anime musical for Wonder Birds Animation and Locksmith Animation. Now Gatwa will uh lead his voice to the original musical comedy, which centers on a group of delightfully subversive fairies shaking up their magical world. He joins Cynthia Revo, who has previously cast as the trailblazing rebellious fairy Jane Stapledon. Details about Gatwa's specific character have not been announced. The film is currently in production in London and scheduled to premiere in theaters on May 27th, or May 21st, 2027. Bad Fairies is the first feature film released under the first look deal between Warner Brothers and Locksmith. Well, bad news, folks. Paramount Plus is set to increase its subscription price by$1 per month starting January 15th. The ad support tier will rise to$8.99 and the ad-free tier will rise to$13.99, according to a source familiar with the pricing details, who told uh deadline.com. Paramount CEO David Elson has defended the price hikes, which are scheduled for early 2026, by highlighting the addition of UFC bouts to Paramount Plus at no extra cost to subscribers. During a Monday earnings call with Wall Street Analysts, he argued this offers, quote, real significant value, knowing that for approximately one pay per view, you basically can access all of UFC across Paramount Plus. And said it was a great value to consumers, unquote. You know what's a great value for consumers? Uh Walmart Plus, where you can get Paramount Plus as part of your Walmart Plus subscription.

unknown: 27:37

It's a much better deal.

SPEAKER_00: 27:42

Anyway, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will be set to open on September 22nd, 2026 in Los Angeles' Exposition Park. Co-founded by George Lucas and his wife Melody Hobson, the museum is an 11-acre campus featuring a 300,000 square foot building. This structure, designed by Ma Yun Yan Song of MAD, involves 35 galleries totaling 100,000 square feet, two theaters, a library, a restaurant, a cafe, a retail store, and community spaces. These grounds were designed by Mia Larer of Studio MLA. The museum's permanent collection will hold over 400,000 works, with uh featuring art by renowned figures such as Norman Rockwell, Judy Baca, Frida Kahlo, and Maxfield Parrish, alongside comic art legends like Windsor McKay, Jack Kirby, and Alston Bechtel. Photographers like Gordon Parks and Dorothea Lange are also representative. Additionally, the Lucas Archives will contain models, props, concept art, and costumes from George Lucas' filmmaking career. George Lucas emphasized the power of illustrated storytelling, stating, quote, stories are mythology, and when illustrated, they help humans understand the mysteries of life. The museum was built on the belief in illustrated storytelling as a universal language. Unquote. Now Hobson echoed this segment, calling it a museum of the people's art, and expressed the hope that visitors would see themselves and their humanity reflected back in the galleries. Now, this location was selected in 2016 following the abandonment of previous plans for sites in San Francisco and Chicago due to community opposition. The museum's grandbreaking ceremony took place on March 14th, 2018. In the really file, Sony Pictures has acquired the screen rights to Laboo Boo, the Chinese line of scruffy, cute, ugly monster plush dolls, with the intention of developing a movie and potential franchise. The studio, known for the Jumanji films and the animated feature K pop Demon Hunters, has not attached a producer or filmmaker to as yet. The deal was only finalized this past week, and remains undecided where the adaptation will be live action or animated. Laboo Boo was created by a Hong Kong born European based artist Gai Sing Lung, initially produced as monster figurines by How to Work. The brand's popularity skyrocketed after Chinese retailer Pop Market took over production and sales in 2019. The recent explosion in Labubu's popularity is attributed to two main factors. First, the blind boxes. Pop Market's use of blind boxes means buyers don't know what doll they're purchasing until they open the package, fueling high demand. This has led to a superheated secondary market where collectors pay exorbitant fees online at pop at pop-up events and public and public stores for desired dolls, with limited edition items and auction prices reaching the six figures. Second, celebrity adoption. In 2024, the toys were adopted by as accessories by celebrities, mostly the K-pop group Blackpink member Lisa, boasting their profile. The toys initially became a sensation in Southeast Asia before gaining global traction, reportedly causing pop markets profits to soar by 350% early this year. Labubu is the name of the main monster doll, with the other characters including leader Zimbomo, Champion Companion Mokoko, and boyfriend Taikoko. It is uncertain where Labubu will prove to be a short-lived frit craze like Beanie Babies or lasting phenomena like Hello Kitty. The trend of toys inspiring movies is an inversion of the past of past Hollywood practice. Over the last decade, particularly toy brands have become a major source of major studio productions. The Lego movie, of course, and more recently, Barbie, which replicated the feat earning over$1 billion worldwide in the Oscar nominations. Now, following this trend, Sony and Mattel films recently announced the development of a feature film based on The Viewmaster. Click. And finally tonight, Dan McGrath, the Emmy-winning comedy writer, celebrated for his work on animated classics such as The Simpsons and Mission Hill, passed away on November 14th at the age of 61. Born on July 20th, 1964, in Brooklyn, New York, McGrath was a graduate of Regis High School and Harvard University, while Harvard was president of the influential humor publication, The Harvard Lampoon, and uh and an active theater director, according to his online autobiography. Or obituary, excuse me. The obituary noted, quote, his prodigious talents and singular personality will be missed by his must many devoted friends, unquote. Now his sister, Gil McGrath Garbadin, announced the loss on Facebook, writing, quote, We lost my brother my incredible brother Danny yesterday. He was a special man, one of a kind, an incredible son, brother, uncle, and friend. Our hearts are broken. His cause of death was a stroke. McGrath's career also included writing for Saturday Night Live, where he earned an Emmy nomination in 1992 while working with cast members like Amph Sandler and Chris Farley. He later secured an Emmy win for the Simpsons 1997 episode, Homer's Phobia. Now, this episode featured guest voice actor John Waters, was critically acclaimed, praising uh receiving praise and accolades from uh organizations like GLAD for its anti-homophobic message. He penned numerous noble episodes in the long-running sitcom, including Time in Punishment, Bart of Darkness, Tree House of Horror 4, and Boy Scouts in the Hood, and accumulated 50 credits as a writer and over 20 as producer on the show, though he famously stated he was fired twice from the series. McGrath is survived by his mother Eleanor, his brother Michael and his wife Carolyn, and Peter, his sister Gail, his nephew Dylan, and his nieces Kylie and Emma. Again. Mr. McGrath was 61 Dan McGrath was 61 years old. And that brings us to the end of the show for today. Now uh please be sure to uh hit that uh like and subscribe button. And uh you can find us on our social medias. We're on Blue Sky and Twitter at uh blue sky or on blue sky and twitter at blue sky wow at multiverse multiverse tom threads, Facebook and Instagram as well at multiverse tonight. Uh if you'd like to pay it back, head on over to Multiverse Tonight where you'll find our Patreon and Kofi links. Check our show notes, visit our T Public store, and so much more. Now, if you'd like to leave some feedback as well, Groovy, now this if it's your first time listening, thank you very much, and welcome. Go ahead and hit that subscribe button and share us with others. Now, thanks to Hot Dope for the intro music and Lolo Loco for the Actur theme music. Thanks for watching this edition of Ultiours Tonight. We'll be back in two weeks with more sci-fi and comic book news goodness. Now please exit the universe in an orderly fashion. Good night. Copyright 2025.