Fanboys Anonymous

Want to know what happened the past few days in nerd culture? WEEK IN GEEK is your quick fix to catch up with the rest of the Fanboys out there.

MOVIES

DC Has 10 Movie Release Dates.

My take: This is hot off the press today, so I don't have a lot of details. DC seems to be calling everyone's bluff and now has movie release dates booked through 2020. Launching into a series of films was something Marvel was able to do only after the huge success of Iron Man, and DC hasn't had that yet. Man of Steel was met with a lukewarm reaction and only the hype of its so-called sequel is driving their plans forward. If this movie doesn't turn things around, DC/WB will be stuck with a movie franchise in need of another reboot before it's even truly begun. Speaking of which....

Sony Announces Female Superhero Movies.

My take: Over at Marvel, they're getting a lot of heat for taking so long to feature Black Widow in her own film. With excuse after excuse, Sony is jumping on the bandwagon of public shaming. They technically have access to other Spider-related characters, such as Spider-Woman and The Black Cat, and have announced their intentions to give them their own movies. This is bad news for fans of The Amazing Spider-Man franchise as their plans continue to zig-zag on just which direction to go. That being said, I'm far more excited for female-lead films than I am for The Sinister Six and Venom.

Guardians of the Galaxy is a Hit.

My take: Most of us saw this coming a mile away. Without the same story restrictions as other Marvel films, this was destined to be a fun movie. It has passed $100million and has an approximate 44% female fanbase.

The Fantastic Four is in Pre-Production.

My take: Sony is already planning a sequel to this upcoming reboot and I couldn't be less excited. As these movies continue to be made by studios that aren't Marvel, we're losing out on some great stories and character interaction. Although I'm curious to see what they've done, these movies will always feel limited when compared to the full world that Marvel is creating.

TELEVISION

The Office Movie.

My take: Ricky Gervais will be doing a movie follow-up to the original UK series set 15 years after the final, special episode. The fans of the UK and US versions are split, but I certainly appreciate the UK series, both for it being the original series, and also for knowing when to quit.

Scream TV?

My take: I wasn't aware this film franchise was coming to MTV as a series, but I'm sure not interested. I liked the first film and hated every sequel they offered. Is this series going to be tongue-in-cheek comedy or is MTV looking for its own True Detective?

Young Justice / Teen Titans Go! Crossover?

My take: With DC constantly playing with alternate universe ideas with their huge push on the multiverse, I guess it should come as no surprise when it creeps into animation. I'm not sure exactly how they're going to pull off a believable mix of the drama-focused teens with the comedy-focused teens but it will certainly get my eyeballs.

VIDEO GAMES

Destiny Limited Edition Pre-Order Sold Out.

My take: Copies are showing up on Ebay for up to $1000, and this game had better deliver on the hype. After the huge sales numbers for recent games like Titanfall and Grand Theft Auto V, I think video game release days will soon make movie premieres seem like childish events. I think this game looks way too much like Mass Effect, so it had better have some pretty unique weapons, gameplay, and backstory to impress this old curmudgeon.

Grand Theft Auto V Sales Continue.

My take: Speaking of which, this game just passed 34 million copies and it hasn't even come out on PC, PS4 or Xbox One yet. It came out last September and keeps on selling. The sales numbers, if you do the math, surpass those of the biggest movie blockbusters: Easily in the billion dollar zone after less than a year. As awesome as the recent rash of superhero movies has been, someone (possibly DC) is going to take over this industry soon in that market. If Marvel owns the theatres, DC should look at owning the console wars.

CELEBRITIES

In a campaign I can really get behind, visit the petition page to have Weird Al Yankovic headline the Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show. His recent album Mandatory Fun hit #1 on Billboard and he deserves this time in the spotlight. He's gained popularity in recent years, and you may not realize he's been doing this since the early '80s. I have several of his original cassette tapes, because yes, I'm that old.