TAGGED AS: movies, Netflix, streaming, TV
After several days of in-person events and teases on its various social media platforms, Netflix’s Geeked Week returned to its traditional trailer show format on video platforms Thursday and continued over the weekend. Although recorded before the end of the 118-day SAG-AFTRA strike, it was an opportune moment for the streamer to tease many of its upcoming geeky offerings. Take a look at the projects teased or trailed across the event.
Netflix continues to find gold in adaptations of comic books, animated programs, and video games. One of the key highlights of the Thursday stream was a featurette and key art reveal for the fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy.
In typical Umbrella Academy style, the video features cast members like Elliot Page and David Castañeda talking about the final run of episodes. Although, as Aidan Gallagher admitted, they have to do so without actually talking about what’s happening to the team. Season 3 resolved with the Hargreaves clan stopping the apocalypse (again), but at the cost of their abilities, which means the possibilities for season 4 are wide open. Nevertheless, as Emmy Raver-Lampman noted, classic “nonsense and shenanigans” will occur. Although, we think Robert Sheehan wins the video’s mission statement with his declaration: “Expect nothing and you will gain everything.”
The series returns for one last adventure in 2024.
Of course, the big reveal of the day was a teaser for Avatar: The Last Airbender, based on the beloved Nickelodeon animated series created by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino. Gordon Cormier stars as Aang, the generational Avatar who can bend each of the four elements to his command, but when he disappears 100 years before the tale begins, the Fire Nation attacks the rest of the world and sets the stage for a conflict only Aang can resolve by embracing the power of the Avatar.
If nothing else, those shots of Appa and Ba Sing Se look amazing.
Thanks to the series’ dedicated fans, the live-action version has been one of the most anticipated Netflix adaptations for some time. It also faces some trepidation, as the last time someone attempted to bring the story to the live-action realm, it was the ill-regarded M. Knight Shamalyan film, The Last Airbender (a dismal 5% on the Tomatometer). Of course, hope springs eternal that executive producer Albert Kim will balance faithfulness to the source with a flair for new imagery. He has even gone on record stating part of the appeal is to treat the element-bending in a new visual way. We do have one request for him, though: Please tell the waterbending scroll story properly.
Avatar: The Last Airbender comes to Netflix on February 22, 2024.
One surreal adaptation in the coming months is Squid Game: The Challenge, a reality competition series based on the Korean drama sensation in which desperate people face the brutal gauntlet of a reality series competition. Now, it is real – although we hope the contestants fare better than the fictional characters of the drama series. But to add to the surreal level of the proceedings, Netflix released a video during Thursday’s Geeked Week show of Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk touring the sets (above), which recreate Squid Game to a startling degree.
Also terrifying: Hwang’s declaration that he must top the sleeping quarters set in season 2 of the main Squid Game series.
Squid Game: The Challenge debuts on November 22.
Turning to animation, a trailer for the 2024 film Ultraman Rising puts new Ultraman Ken in a difficult position, carrying for an infant of the sort of monster he usually fights. But with Ultraman’s powers limited to a certain amount of time, will Ken be able to handle the responsibility in and out of costume?
Ultraman Rising debuts next year.
Netflix’s relationship with all things Jurassic continues in Jurassic World: Chaos Theory. The animated series follows the events of Jurasic Park: Fallen Kingdom and Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous with an older Darius from the Camp Cretaceous crew preparing to take on the latest dino-centric chaos.
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory unleashes in 2024.
On Friday, adaptations continued to be featured with a highlight being the first clip from 3 Body Problem.
Based on the novel series by Liu Cixin, the science fiction adaptation centers on a group of people facing down the greatest threat to humanity ever encountered. But, somehow, it all resonates from the choice of a Chinese woman conscripted into that nation’s army in the 1960s. How it relates to the mysterious VR headset in the clip above is anyone’s guess, though we imagine those who have read the book may have some ideas.
3 Body Problem launches March 21, 2024.
As weird as it is to think of Masters of the Universe: Revolution as an adaptation, it continues the story begun in Masters of the Universe: Revelation and, of course, takes its cues from the Masters of the Universe toy line of the 1980s. Teela (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and the other heroes unite to face the threat of Hordak (Keith David!). But the trailer revealed during Geeked Week on Friday suggests the forces of good will have to start a revolution to stop the Horde. And will Skeletor (Mark Hamill) be part of the rebels?
The series debuts in 2024.
Leave the World Behind, based on the book by Rumaan Alam, stars Mahershala Ali, Julia Roberts, and Kevin Bacon. Two strangers upend a family vacation as a cyberattack destabilizes the world. But in a clip from before all hell breaks loose, a father played by Ethan Hawke discovers their vacation home’s satellite service has gone bad. Maybe the stupendous amount of deer invading the backyard had something to do with it.
It premieres December 8.
Akuma Kun, based on a 1960s manga, sees a character trying to make the world a better place. But if the above clip is anything to go by, demonic forces will stand in his way.
The anime is available to stream now.
Yu Yu Hakusho, a live action series based on a popular manga from the 1990s, finds the recently deceased Yusuke (Takumi Kitamura) taking a new job as a “spirit detective.” And as seen in the teaser above, the work returns him to the land of the living, but it makes his life far more complicated.
Yu Yu Hakusho launches December 14.
Oh, and how about another Witcher animated film? In The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, Doug Cockle — voice of Geralt in the The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt video game — takes over as the character once more as Geralt faces a group of sirens in a story set during the first season of Netflix’s live-action series. Of course, as the teaser reveals, the story requires animation to tell its tale. Joey Batey and Anya Chalotra voice Jaskier and Yennefer.
The film comes to Netflix in late 2024.
Saturday added The Archies to the steady stream of adapted works. Based on the Archie Comics gang who also fueled Riverdale, the film transposes Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, Reggie, and the rest to 1960s India for a musical coming of age tale. Releasing a trailer earlier in the week, Netflix used the Geeked Week time to introduce western audiences to the cast.
The Archies launches on December 7.
Comics fans will be happy to hear that Dead Boy Detectives is finally nearing release. Originally developed for HBO Max, the program takes its cues from an issue of The Sandman and a subsequent comic book focusing on two British schoolboys who discover they are dead, but decide to solve mysteries instead of moving on to whatever comes next. But as the teaser above reveals, the TV show amps the concept up with some positively modern aesthetics and aged-up leads. Oh, but as an added bonus, Netflix now states the series is part of their Sandman universe alongside The Sandman itself, which will reportedly resume production at the end of the month.
Dead Boy Detectives arrives in the near future.
A clip from the upcoming third season of Sonic Prime sees Nine mad, but in control of enough power to generate Alpha Grim Sonic. Sonic and Shadow may have the strength, speed, and coordination to stop the dark doppelgänger, but will their alliance last as Sonic attempts to rebuild the universe?
Sonic Prime returns in January 11, 2024.
Considering how well Castlevania worked out for the service, it is no surprise they’ve found more video games to adapt. Devil May Cry takes the intense action of the video game into an anime setting where Dante, an orphan turned demon hunter, fights infernal forces unaware the fate of the world hangs around his neck. And in the above behind-the-scenes featurette, executive producer and showrunner Adi Shankar offered an update on the long-in-the-works project.
Devil May Cry will debut in the fullness of time.
Netflix also announced it is bringing The Terminator to anime. A soldier is sent back to 1997 to protect a scientist whose revolutionary AI may stop the threat of Skynet. The scientist, for his part, starts to doubt the wisdom of his creation as he flees from a Terminator. But as the video is just an announcement trailer, it will be some time before you can learn what fate the scientist and soldier make for themselves.
Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the popular manga One Piece was a surprise success and earned itself a second season on Netflix, but as anything in regard to that is far off on the horizon, Geeked Week celebrated One Piece‘s eventual return via a season 1 blooper reel.
Although Scott Pilgrim Takes Off launches on Friday, Geeked Week still showcased one last trailer for the series — this one focused on Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and her reaction to her first date with Scott (Michael Cera). But it still leads to the mix of emotions and video game action the graphic novel series and feature film were both known for.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off on November 17.
And in one of the more unconventional adaptations, Exploding Kittens is based on a card game and the art style of The Oatmeal‘s Matthew Inman. But as the trailer reveals, the show centers on God (Tom Ellis) as he negotiates life in the form of a house cat. The Devil is also now a feline, so expect their ancient conflict to take on a new form.
Exploding Kittens comes to Netflix soon.
Animation has been a big driver for Netflix, so its no surprise they continue to support it — whether adapted from a preexisting brand or presented as an original concept. It can also be quite varied, as the following clips and trailers prove.
This clip from the animated film Leo leans more on the traditional, family-friendly side of animation. Directed by Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel, and David Wachtenheim, the film stars Adam Sandler as the titular lizard trapped in a Florida elementary school for decades who learns he has one year left to live and plots an escape. But as seen above, the modern world has different plans for him.
Leo launches on November 21.
Life on Our Planet, meanwhile, uses animation and other techniques to tell the tale of Earth’s ancient past and “life’s epic battle to conquer and survive on planet Earth.” From the following featurette, it is clear even LEGO can help to tell the story.
The documentary series is available to stream now.
Orion and the Dark, meanwhile, sees an adolescent boy (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) facing his fears in ways only Dreamworks Animation can deliver. But what will it mean when he starts to befriend the literal embodiment of the Dark (Paul Walter Hauser)?
Based on the book by Emma Yarlett with a script by Charlie Kaufman, the film debuts February 2, 2024.
In a somewhat similar vein, My Daemon chronicles what occurs when a lad from Tokyo raises a daemon after the world collides with Hell in the fallout of a nuclear blast. Nevertheless, the boy and his daemon must face hatred and other challenges to save his mother. Will they be up to the task? And will the world survive?
My Daemon launches November 23.
Netflix also offered an update on The Dragon Prince‘s sixth season. The book for the season will be called “Stars” and it will launch in 2024.
On Friday, Geeked Week also played host to a spotlight on Powerhouse Animation, the company behind the current Masters of the Universe and Castlevania programs and upcoming shows like Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft and the new season of Blood of Zeus. The latter even got its own featured moment: a clip from Season 2.
Onmyoji is an anime series featuring two boys solving supernatural mysteries. In a clip presented at Geeked Week on Friday, an empty but well-maintained garden is the setting for an uncanny introduction.
The series debuts November 28.
Blue Eye Samurai, already available on Netflix, got another round of support thanks to a Geeked Week clip. Lead character Mizu (voiced by Maya Erskine) is a mixed-race samurai on a mission of revenge who uses brutal fighting prowess in her quest. And in a clip shared during the live show on Friday, director Jane Wu discussed forming a real martial arts stunt team to choreograph the animated fight scenes.
Korean creature drama Sweet Home returns on the first day of December. But if this teaser is anything to go by, it is not a holiday confection, as the Green Home survivors and Hyun-su (Song Kang) fight to survive in new places as the monster invasion continues. And just to sweeten the deal, other mysterious beings and phenomena emerge.
Friday focused on several new, live-action concepts, like The Brothers Sun. Michelle Yeoh stars as the matriarch of a Los Angeles family who are unaware she is a highly capable assassin. But when her older son comes to town after his father is murdered, her younger child gets a crash course in what it means to be part of this particular family. Justin Chien and Sam Song Li also star.
The series, created by Brad Falchuk and Byron Wu, launches on January 4, 2024.
From the creators of Cobra Kai, Obliterated is a new action series centering on an elite team tasked to stop a terrorist attack on Las Vegas. Succeeding, they party the rest of the night away, only to discover the threat is still very real. Now hungover, they must regroup and run the mission again. And based on this clip, it will be a curious mix of car chases and comedy.
Obliterated, starring Nick Zano and Shelley Hennig, comes to Netflix on November 30.
Code 8 Part 2 sees the Amell Brothers, Stephen and Robbie, protecting a teen from a corrupt cop in a world where superheroes are heavily regulated. And as the teaser reveals, this is not an Arrowverse retread.
The film hits Netflix in 2024.
On Saturday, Netflix used Geeked Week to highlight the upcoming film Damsel. Starring Netflix stalwart Millie Bobby Brown, it centers on a woman who has agreed to marry a prince but discovers her true value to the royals is as a sacrifice to a dragon. Will she be resourceful enough to survive its cave-filled domain?
Damsel comes to Netflix in 2024.
GyeongSeong Creature centers on a hospital in GyeongSeong, where two young people face down a creature made of human greed. Park Seo-jun (who just appeared in The Marvels) and Han So-hee star together for the first time.
GyeongSeong Creature Part 1 joins Netflix on December 22.
On Sunday, Geeked Week was exclusively dedicated to Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon and opened with a new trailer for the first part of the film – A Child of Fire (above). In it, a runaway-turned-farmer named Kora (Sofia Boutella) faces an invasion of her world by the galactic military of Motherworld. Revealing to her community that she has fought them before, she prepares for war and begins assembling a crew to defend her world from the incursion. Oh, and it turns out she is the most wanted fugitive in the universe.
After the trailer, Snyder broke down elements of the preview. He calls the film a “David and Goliath” story with the Motherworld Empire invading Kora’s planet with a plan to steal their food and feed the army. He also broke down where practical sets end and the CG extensions begin, and he teased some of the characters in the film, the most interesting of whom may be the Bloodaxe siblings. Darrian (Ray Fisher) is the “spirit” of the revolution happening elsewhere in the galaxy, while his sister Devra (Cleopatra Coleman) possesses the intelligence to manage the rebellion. The film also features Charlie Hunnam, Michiel Huisman, Staz Nair, Doona Bae, Djimon Hounsou, and the voice of Anthony Hopkins as the robot seemingly narrating the whole Rebel Moon tale.
During a brief fan Q&A, the director also mentioned the characters Kora recruits are all broken in some way, adding they “have to find something in themselves” by joining up to defend a planet under siege. Some want redemption, while others have different objectives.
Rebel Moon: Part 1: A Child of Fire comes to Netflix on December 22.
Geeked Week was also a showcase for the platform’s move into the video game space. On Thursday, the service revealed teasers for Chicken Run: Eggstraction, Shadow and Bone: Enter the Fold, Money Heist, and The Dragon Prince: Xadia — the latter three based on Netflix series. Friday added an inside look at Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, and trailers for Death’s Door and Katana Zero. Saturday saw previews from Slayaway Camp 2, Hades, and Braid: Anniversary Edition, which both come to mobile platforms via Netflix.
Thumbnail images by ©Netflix
