The Mandalorian was the first Star Wars series to debut in the Disney+ streaming era. In many ways it was fitting that it became the first series to cross-over into the realm of the feature film. In this episode we take a look at The Mandalorian and Grogu. We talk about the main characters as well as guest star Rotta the Hutt. We delve into the performances and the use of the characters in the story. We also discuss the plot and pacing of the story. Along the way we discuss the trajectory of the Star Wars franchise, whether a film or series works better for The Mandalorian as a character and concept, and what we’d like to see from Mando and Grogu in the future.
Our five-minute controversy this week asks if anyone wants to see performances of dead celebrities generated by A.I.
In this episode Ryan, Anji, and Stephen join the cast.
Show Notes:
Stan Lee’s voice and likeness to be utilized by A.I. for commercial use.
Mandalorian and Grogu’s production budget
Mandalorian and Grogu’s box office take
America: Birth of a Nation (Stephen’s satirical documentary)
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After the initial wave of Avengers film, people started wishing that Marvel had the Fantastic Four film rights, so that they could apply the same MCU formula to the first family in comics. Years later, Disney obtained those rights as part of their overall acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Fantastic Four: First Steps is the result. For this episode we dive deep into the story. We talk about the characters, the choices that were made in the depictions, and how we feel those resonate. We debate some of the story decisions and how well those worked for us. We discuss whether origin stories are necessary, the pros and cons of shorter films, and how we think that this movie will fit into the overall MCU storyline. Give it a listen and let us know what you think!
Before Disney announced approximately 312 new Star Wars series that would debut at some point on Disney+, they gave us The Mandalorian. The Mandalorian ticked all of our boxes in season 1, providing compelling drama in fun innovative ways that only Star Wars can. In this season they built on the formula bringing back fan-favorites from the first season, characters from across the Star Wars universe, and providing new locations and situations. In this episode we examine season 2 and assess if the series heading in the right direction. We also talk about the potential with the Book of Bobba Fett spinoff as well as what we think will happen in The Mandalorian season 3. 
Wonder Woman was a smash success at the box office. DC wanting to capitalize on the success of the film quickly greenlit a sequel that was soon named Wonder Woman 1984. The movie was due for release in June of 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic pushed that release date back. Instead, Warner Media decided to make this the flagship of it’s new policy of releasing films straight to the HBO Max streaming service and theaters at the same time.