A Very Speedy Podcast Episode

We break down a quiet news week with big implications: Lucasfilm leadership plans, DC’s careful path for Batman and Robin, Invincible’s return date, and Speedy Gonzalez sprinting back under Jorge R. Gutierrez. Quick personal updates, then straight to the stories that matter.

• Lucasfilm succession with Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan
• Kennedy’s stance on AI and artist protections
• Preference to produce over executive leadership
• The Brave and the Bold scripting by Christina Hodson
• Damien Wayne’s arrival and tonal differentiation from Reevesverse
• Release calendar shifts and Invincible Season 4 date
• Speedy Gonzalez feature with Jorge R. Gutierrez
• Cultural debate around legacy characters and reframing

Please be sure to check us out on social media. We’re at BlueSky @multiversetom or on Threads, Facebook, and Instagram @multiversetonight. If you’ve gotten some value out of the show and would like to pay it back, please head on over to multiversetonight.com where you can find our Patreon and Ko-fi links. Check our show notes, visit our TeePublic store, leave some feedback and more. I have a new review of the first two episodes of Star Trek Starfleet Academy—head on over there and read it for yourselves. Go ahead and hit that subscribe button and share it with others.

Chapters

• 0:00 Cold Open And Episode Setup
• 0:17 Host Welcome And Personal Updates
• 2:28 Star Wars: Kennedy’s Succession And Tech
• 4:06 DC: The Brave And The Bold Writing Update
• 7:17 Release Calendars And Invincible S4
• 8:20 Speedy Gonzalez Film And Culture Debate
• 11:18 Wrap-Up And Calls To Connect

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:04

Tonight, Kennedy Out, Falloony Inn, The Brave and the Bold, and the Speedy Gonzalez movie. All then more on 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 Popology. This is Multiverse Tonight. Now here's your host, Thomas Townley. Well, hello out there, friends and family and other occasional people. My name is Thomas Townley, and this is, of course, Multiverse Tonight, episode 257. Recorded 126-26. And uh, well, we got some good news today. Good news today, I guess it's kind of good news. Um, I got the okay to go back to work. So next week, or a week from tomorrow, actually, uh, I'll be headed back to Walmart for my day job. The first two weeks, thankfully, will be just half days, so you know that's that's a relief. Uh you know, because it's a lot standing on concrete, so I'm gonna you know take some time to re you know kind of rebuild my stamina and everything. But uh other than that, we had uh about between four and six inches of snow here. Uh no places you know east got way worse, so you know I suppose that's lucky. It's also very powdery snow, which you know ain't good for a snowball, but uh it's pretty good for uh if you if you're uh trying to shovel. You know, I had to shovel yesterday. I was like not that hard. Weighed basically nothing. Well, this will be a short show today. There's not a lot of news yet in the uh in the cycle. I won't be even becoming be covering the Emmys because there was nothing really in the Emmy news to cover. Yeah. Very little little that you know interests me. And you know, it's basically how I decide what's what to put in the news does interest me. Anyway, let's go on to the Star Wars News. Roger, Roger. Roger, Roger. Star Wars News begins with Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy in an interview with Deadline.com, discussed her succession plan, the future of Star Wars, and her views on new technology. Kennedy confirmed that a transition plan is in place to hand over leadership to Dave Faloney for creative direction and Lynwyn Brennan for business operations. She dismissed the notion of an Iger style return, stating her desire to step away and produce a broader range of films. Regarding technology, she expressed excitement about AI's potential for visual storytelling, comparing it to past innovations like Jurassic Park, while stressing the need for responsible exploration and the protection of artists' rights. Candy also mentioned the standalone nature of the recent film Starfighter, praised its young star Flynn Gray, and noted her oversight of the upcoming Mandalorian movie. Finally, she reflected on her career, emphasizing her preference for the collaborative process of filmmaking over the executive role. So, uh, you know, again, there's been a lot of ballyhoos, oh candy's out, oh great, oh yeah. Whatever. You know, it she did a good job. Like her, I hate her, she was a good manager. You know. And I don't think Dave Falloony's gonna exactly change things up. Dave Falone's, you know, been working with Kathleen Kennedy for years, so yeah. Don't worry about it. Anyway, let's go on to the DC Comics News. And DC Comics News begins with Christina Hodson, known for her work on major intellectual property and action films. She is confirmed to be writing DC Studio's new Batman feature, The Brave and the Bold, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The project centers on Batman and Robin, specifically introducing Damon Wayne, Damien Wayne as Robin. Damien is portrayed as a murderous teen raised by assassins, who is also the previously unknown son of Batman, well, with Tally Al Ghoul. The film's development is proceeding with a measured approach as the studio is not rushing its release. While the exact stage of the writing process is unclear, one source indicates Hodson has been working on the script since at least the fall, and a definitive draft is not expected soon. DC Studios offered no comment on Hodson's involvement. The Brave and the Bold faced previous uh development challenges. DC heads James Gunn and Pierre Saffron announced the film upon launching the superhero division in 2023 with Andy Machete on board to develop and direct. However, finding a writer and a compelling take on the material proved difficult. Machete remains attached, but his ultimate involvement depends on factors like timing and availability, especially given his current high demand following the success of HBO's Welcome to Dairy series. Now, the studio is also mindful of Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson's established Batman movie, which is currently in pre-production. DC is giving Reeves project ample room and is focusing on showing the brave and the bold has a distinct enough tone and look to stand apart from whatever it from whenever it is eventually released. Now Hodson has a strong reputation among peers and executives for her scripts. She has previous experience in the DC universe, having penned and praised a praised but ultimately unproduced Batman Beyond feature, her other DC credits, working with Machete on the Flash and working the Margot Robbie led Birds of Prey. Beyond DC, she wrote the 2018 Thunder Transformers movie Bumblebee. Hudson's involvement in The Brave and the Bold was first reported by the Insider newsletter. Now that's all the you know news we have for that. Let's go on to the Geek News. The studio had originally set a Friday the 13th, March 13th, that is, 2026 release date for the new take on the franchise, but had undated it this past June, according to sources. The pick from Bloomhouse Atomic Monster and Morgan Creek still takes a prime spring break spot in the 2027 release calendar that Universal had previously pegged for an event film. The only other movie on that date is Sony's Animated Buds. Prime Video has set March 18th for the season 4 premiere of Invincible, the streamer announced this past Thursday. It also released the official trailer for the upcoming season of the Adult Animated series, which sees Mark and Omniman reunite and gives us our first look at Lee Pace's Fierce Throg. Season 4 will be available exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. Warner Brothers is developing an animated feature film centered on the classic Looney Tunes character Speedy Gonzalez, the fastest mouse in all Mexico. Jorge R. Gutierrez has been set to direct the project. Gutierrez hinted at his involvement last month via social media, posting a photo with a Speedy Gonzalez figurine and wearing the character's signature straw hat and red bandana, captioned, guess what movie I might be developing a Warner Brothers Pictures animation? Plot specifics and a writer aren't not aren't currently undisclosed. Speedy Gonzalez, a popular Looney Tunes personality for decades, made his debut in the 1950s. His 1955 Merry Melody short of the same name won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. The character is known for his incredible speed, sharp wit, and charm with the Lady Mice. Most recently, Gabriela Glacius voiced Speedy in Warner Brothers 2021 feature of Space Jam, A New Legacy. Now, Warbur's picture animation president Bill Damaski expressed excitement about the choice, staying, Jorge is a singular storyteller whose voice, artistry, and cultural perspective make every project he touches feel both timeless and completely new. We couldn't be more excited to have him reimagining Speedy Gonzalez, one of our most beloved Looney Tune characters for today's global audience. So uh a little bit about the Gutierrez's background. He was a talented animator, writer, director, producer, and voice actor. He was a Mexican-born, Tijuana raised, and created the Emmy-winning series El Tigre, The Adventures of Manny Riviera, and the Emmy-winning Limited Series Maya and the Three for Netflix. His feature directorial work includes 2014's The Book of Life, an animated movie produced by Guillermo del Toro and released by 20th Century Fox. Now, Warner Bros has previously attempted a big-screen Spieganz film over a decade ago with Eugene Derbez, reported as the voice star in 2016. Derbez, however, stated in a 2024 interview that the project was unlikely to proceed, citing concerns from Studio Brass that the property might be seen as politically incorrect. Derbez uh countered the long-standing criticism of the character presenting a Mexican stereotype, saying, quote, the only ones offended are the Americans, but we love Spieganzals. He's smart, he outsmart the cats, he's a hero, he gets cheese for his people, he's fast. So uh Spagensal is is uh coming back. Now, can we get Peppy Le Pew back? You know, I've I've never seen anything wrong with him other than you know, he's a Lothario, but he never wins. So I don't get the deal there. You know, maybe that maybe that's just you know 49 and and 360 days old me. But uh, you know, it's a cartoon, folks. Anyway, that brings us to the uh end of this edition of the show. Now uh please be sure to uh check us out on social media. We're at blue sky at multiverse uh multiverse tom or on threads, Facebook, and Instagram at multiverse tonight. And if you've gotten some value out of the show and would like to pay it back, please head on over to multiverstonight.com where you can find our Patreon and Kofi links. Check our tea our show notes, visit our Tea Public store, leave some feedback and more. And in fact, I have a new uh new uh review of the first two episodes of Star Trek Starfleet Academy. You know, my thoughts on my take on it. So uh head on over there and uh read it for yourselves. Now, uh, if this is your first time listening, thank you very much. Uh thank you and welcome. Go ahead and hit that subscribe button and share it with others. Special thanks to Shane Ivers and for the intro music and Lobo Loco for the outro theme music. Thanks for watching this edition of Multiverse Tonight. We'll be back in two weeks with more sci-fi and comic book news. Now, please exit the universe in an orderly fashion. Good night. Multiverse Tonight is a production of Half Big Genre Productions Copyright 2026. Alright, readers.