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HBO Max and Cartoon Network Bring A Jam-Packed Kid & Family Lineup For This Year’s San Diego Comic-Con

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Celebrating the momentous return to an in-person event after two years, HBO Max and Cartoon Network announced a jam-packed kid & family lineup of panels for this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. The four panels will include special guests, signings, interactive fun for all ages, sneak peeks, and first looks at fan-favorite and upcoming series.

On Friday, July 22, check-in with the Looney Tunes Looni-verse for an all-star panel and enjoy sneak peeks of the new series Bugs Bunny Builders, Tiny Toons Looniversity, and a new season of Looney Tunes Cartoons. Then, meet the creatives and voice talent behind the highly anticipated animated series, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.

The following day, dive deep into Cartoon Network originals with a can’t-miss game show panel on Saturday, July 23. Join the cast and crew of fan-favorites Craig of the Creek, Teen Titans Go!, and We Baby Bears as they go head-to-head during a winner takes all round of trivia to cement their status as the biggest Cartoon Network fan of all. Find out as each team tests their knowledge during an interactive quiz format where the audience helps unlock answers, reveal surprise guests, and super sneak peeks.

Also on Saturday, roll by DC’s Comics Are Fun for Everyone panel to catch an exclusive sneak peek at DC’s first-ever preschool series, Batwheels, premiering this fall on Cartoonito on HBO Max and Cartoon Network..

Plus, don’t miss an action-packed Sesame Street Mecha Builders panel on Sunday, July 24, to learn how Cookie Monster, Elmo, and Abby Cadabby were re-imagined to expand the Sesameverse as robo superheroes-in-training.

Outside the convention center, snap a pic outside the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego with a Bat-tastic inflatable display. Plus, attendees can enjoy photo opportunities with Cookie Monster at a supersized Sesame Street Mecha Builders inflatable located near the Omni San Diego Hotel from Thursday, July 21 through Sunday, July 24.

Finally, don’t forget to stop by the Sails Pavilion at the San Diego Convention Center for autographs from all kids and family panelists on series posters exclusive to Comic-Con. Plus, look out for exclusive news and special messages with HBO Max air drops available at various locations throughout the weekend.

See below for the full HBO Max and Cartoon Network kids & family schedule:

FRIDAY, JULY 22

That’s NOT All, Folks! Looney Tunes for Everyone!
10:00 a.m., Indigo Ballroom
Don’t forget that left turn at Albuquerque on your way to the Looniest panel at San Diego Comic-Con! Take a look at all the latest from the Looney Tunes Loon-iverse, including the new season of Looney Tunes Cartoons, the new series Bugs Bunny Builders, the new Tiny Toons Looniversity , and bonus surprises!  Join Eric Bauza (voice of Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Daffy Duck, and more) as he moderates an all-star panel with Alex Kirwan (Supervising Producer – Looney Tunes Cartoons), Abe Audish (Supervising Producer – Bugs Bunny Builders), Nate Cash and Erin Gibson (Co-Executive Producers of Tiny Toons Looniversity) and more surprise guests! Stick around for sneak peeks, giveaways, and looney games!

Autograph Signing:
That’s NOT All, Folks! Looney Tunes for Everyone! 
Friday, July 22 1:00pm – 2:00pm

The Origin Story You’ve Been Waiting For…Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
11:00 a.m., Indigo Ballroom
Magic, mystery, mayhem, and Mogwai! Join the talented cast and crew of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai as they answer your burning questions about the upcoming HBO Max animated prequel series. Executive producers Tze Chun and Brendan Hay join Tara Rueping (Art Director), Izaac Wang (voice of Sam), AJ LoCascio (voice of Gizmo), Gabrielle Neveah Green (voice of Elle), and more surprise guests to unveil the first clues to unlocking the secrets of the Mogwai that will leave you hungry for adventure (just don’t eat after midnight!). Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation.

Autograph Signing:
The Origin Story You’ve Been Waiting For…Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
Friday, July 22 2:00pm – 3:00pm

SATURDAY, JULY 23

Cartoon Network: Winner Takes All 
10:00 a.m., Indigo Ballroom
Cartoon Network fans come on down! Be the first in line to test your knowledge of all things Cartoon Network! This multi-show panel will determine which panelists (and audience members!) are the most discerning fans as they are quizzed on their favorite series for a chance to unlock first looks, sneak peeks, and more inside scoop! Play along with the casts and crew of Craig of the Creek (Philip Solomon, voice of Craig; Najja Porter, supervising director; Dashawn Mahone, supervising director), Teen Titans Go! (Pete Michail, executive producer; Tara Strong, voice of Raven; Khary Payton, voice of Cyborg), and We Baby Bears (Calvin Wong, showrunner; Connor Andrade, voice of Grizz; Amari McCoy, voice of Panda; Max Mitchell, voice of Ice Bear). Why settle for second? Come get your first look at everything Cartoon Network! Craig of the Creek and We Baby Bears are produced by Cartoon Network Studios. Teen Titans Go! is produced by Warner Bros. Animation.

Autograph Signing:
Cartoon Network: Winner Takes All
Saturday, July 23 11:30am – 12:30pm

Comics Are Fun for Everyone
12:30 p.m., Room 6DE
No matter if you are a casual fan, a YA fan, completely new to comics or a weekly warrior, comics are meant to be fun and for everyone! We’ll be highlighting comics and graphic novels from across the DC Multiverse, as well as animation and more in this fun-filled panel. DC Senior Editor Katie Kubert will be joined by Daniel Warren Johnson & Juan Gedeon (Jurassic League), Kami Garcia (Constantine: Distorted Illusions), Becky Cloonan & Michael Conrad (Batgirls) and more!

SUNDAY, JULY 24

Sesame Street Mecha Builders
1:45 p.m., Room 5AB
From feathered and furry friends to robo superheroes-in-training, find out how the iconic Sesame Street Muppets got supersized into CGI animated characters for the newest series Sesame Street Mecha Builders. Join Olexa HewrykFrank FalconeDavid RudmanRyan Dillon, and Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as they discuss how Cookie Monster, Elmo, and Abby Cadabby were re-imagined to expand the Sesameverse. The panel will be moderated by Alan Muraoka from Sesame Street.

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Midnight Mass: The Blood of Life

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The isolated island community of Crockett receives a mysterious new head priest, full of secrets and a brand new testament under a very unusual Messenger of God. 

Meet poor Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford), freshly released from prison and wracked with guilt over what got him there, a stupid drinking accident that caused the death of his ex-girlfriend. The last thing he wants to do is go back to Crockett and the judgment of the mostly religious community there, his disappointed family, and the nightmares of his ex’s death that plague him. But where else would have him? Resignedly on the ferry, he goes. 

Riley’s dad Ed (Henry Thomas) isn’t the kind of man who talks very much at all, much less about his feelings, or his very real disappointment in his elder son. Riley’s teen brother Warren (Igby Rigney) has no idea what to say to him either, and just generally keeps mum. Riley’s mom Annie (Kristin Lehman) is accepting and loving, hesitant in how to help her eldest son but never wavering in her faith in the help of our lord Jesus. Mom seems to think a good heaping dose of the Church would set Riley right but is surprised to learn that the old priest of the Parish, Pruitt, has taken an extended leave of absence from the island, and his newcomer replacement Father Paul (Hamish Linklater) is young, charismatic, and bursting at the seams to tell the whole island about the gifts he brought them, most especially what he claims as a new testament under a messenger of God. 

We’ll get back to that whole ball of issues in a moment, the other interesting characters of Crockett Island. Bev Keane (Samantha Sloyan) is the nightmarish overly polite and gently, almost lovingly condescending neighbor Christian woman you’ve ever loathed, the kind of person who explains away every last thing her Church may do wrong or contradictory because, after all, God works in mysterious ways. Pfft. Of course, Bev immediately ingratiates herself as the second to the new Father Paul in their services and is the first to start covering up his transgressions as they become more rampant. 

Newcomers to Crockett Sheriff Hassan (Rahul Kohli) and his son Ali (Rahul Abburi) present a burgeoning problem to the plans of Father Paul and his shadowy companion, for they are both practicing Muslims. The practical side of investigating these so-called ‘miracles’ and strange happenings falls on Hassan’s shoulders, as he already struggles with barely-concealed racism and suspicion from his fellow islanders, and of course his son is being wooed away from him by the promise of actual, tangible miracles, but from a different whole faith and God. Father Paul definitely does not practice a traditional Christian faith and relies far too much on making use of the eucharist, the ceremony of the blood and flesh of Jesus Christ turning into bread and wine and, well, consumed. 

Wade (Michael Trucco) and his wife Dolly (Crystal Balint) are lifers of the island and both in general interested in one thing, the advancement of their own family, specifically their daughter Leeza (Annarah Cymone), who happens to be in a wheelchair. And that happens to be the canny Father Paul’s first real miracle-with-a-cost that he demonstrates to the astonishment of the parishioners, after a heartfelt and rousing sermon, Father Paul commands Leeza to rise, to stand, and to walk. And lo, she does. What parents wouldn’t wholly dedicate themselves to a cause after seeing this happen to their beloved precious daughter? The fringe benefits of healing, and power, the ones that come at a mighty, currently unnamed, cost, are simply a nice bonus. 

Joe Collie (Robert Longstreet) is the town drunk, and while his reasons for drowning his sorrows in the sauce might be understandable, absolution wears a very different face when it comes from Father Paul. While Leeza might be willing to forgive Joe, and even as Joe begins attending the newly-formed Al-Anon meetings on the island of course hosted by Father Paul, redemption might’ve been better sought from medical professionals, and not this newfound method of religious worship. 

Dr. Sarah Gunning (Annabeth Gish) is the islands’ kind of all-around medic, and this is how she and Riley’s old friend Erin (Kate Siegel), also newly returned to the island, a few months pregnant but traveling quietly alone, met when Erin comes to the Doc for obstetrics. Sarah’s older mother Mildred Gunning (Alexandra Essoe) has many medical and mental issues, and Sarah struggles in their shared home, to take care of her addled mom and balance her own life. Then Father Paul takes it upon himself to visit one of his oldest parishioners, bringing the sacred host and wine with him to give directly to Mildred, who starts looking and acting so much better under his loving care. 

The show is very much a slow slow burn, with a lot of the actual action taking place in the last two episodes. Much of the beginning and middle episodes feature two people just sitting alone, having quiet and seriously in-depth conversations about heavy subjects – grief and repentance, what happens when we die, the disasters that come as a result of addictions, how our actions’ consequences reverberate to those we love around us, faith and the foibles of man, and of course, the giving of oneself over to a higher power, for strength, and guidance, and love. 

Except, for the higher power that Father Paul brought back with him, to share with his beloved flock of Crockett Island, while it may be extremely powerful and full of what could be considered miraculous magic, everything comes at some kind of a cost. And when the Messenger of God is finally revealed to the shocked denizens of Crockett at Easter Mass, with Father Paul rapturing on about rebirth as the bloody massacre begins in earnest, it’s faith, not in any kind of God or religion, but faith in each other, that may save a few hardy souls. 

Question the wisdom of your religious leaders along with the rest of us in a fine slow-burn addition to the Flanaverse, Midnight Mass is on Netflix now! 

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Saw X: It ain’t brain surgery!

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Legendary executioner Jigsaw returns to exact revenge on a cadre of scam artists who promised him a bogus cure for his cancer! 

First off, be aware, that this is what I call an interleaved sequel, a movie set between previous films in the franchise. In this case, Saw X occurs after the events of the very first Saw film, and before Saw II. Everybody got where we are? Good! Into the madness, we dive! 

So, as we all know, John Kramer’s been diagnosed with cancer, very aggressive brain cancer, and likely doesn’t have much time left. And he’s tried everything under the sun, doing a ton of meticulous research, we’d expect nothing less from our master of the art of murder, and not one thing has worked. Yet one man from the support group for cancer sufferers, Henry (Michael Beach), offers an off-the-books supposed miracle cure, and John jumps at the chance. 

Why does this nonsense always sound too good to be true? Because it is. Deleted scenes from the first Deadpool movie already told us why traveling to Mexico for any kind of medical cure is a sublimely stupid move, but Kramer is desperate. And while he might be sick and dying, John Kramer has never been what anyone could call stupid. So the villa out in the Mexican countryside, the affable cab driver Diego (Joshua Okamoto) professes surprise at Kramer being highjacked for his good, the nervous muttering from assistant Valentina (Paulette Hernandez), the side-eyeing from little housekeep Gabriela (Renata Vaca) and her tequila, and most especially the smooth and smarming reassurances of head “doctor” Cecilia Pederson (Synnove Macody Lund), all leave a kind of sour taste in John’s mouth. 

The whole cluex4 scene is done in the style that the Saw films are known for, where we the audience are treated to cut-together explanatory scenes in a flip-flash fashion of usually about two minutes, for poor John when he realizes he’s been hoodwinked and just how badly, seems a little contrived. But then it’s entirely possible that we the audience truly expected our genius mastermind of the infamous Jigsaw murders to have realized what was happening sooner, and got enraged along with Kramer. And cheered as he prepared to take his bloody and ultra-violent revenge! 

First up in our grand guignol of executions is the return of Jigsaw’s first protégé, Amanda (Shawnee Smith). And despite her avowed reverence for Jigsaw and his proven “therapy”, Amanda does waver a bit when the scammers are put through the paces of their specially-made Saw traps, and they shriek and blubber and bleed out. The appearance of the ringer of the bunch, Parker (Steven Brand), doesn’t even slow our beloved engineer of the damned down, because we knew Jigsaw would have his other apprentice waiting just off stage, the deliciously vicious Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor). Even the monkeywrench of involving little-boy soccer fan Carlos (Jorge Briseno) in the traps, is just another cog in the machine that is the brilliantly plotting mind of John Kramer. 

A fine addition to the Saw legends, showcasing a return to the beloved style and panache of the original Tobin Bell-starring Jigsaw films, Saw X is splashing gore and gallons of blood in theaters now! 

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Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

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“Scott Pilgrim Takes Off,” Netflix’s latest series, is a rollicking journey through the world of video game culture, blending nostalgic references with a fresh narrative twist. Centered around Scott Pilgrim, portrayed with magnetic charisma by Michael Cera, the show skillfully integrates gaming elements into its storytelling, creating a delightful homage to the video game subculture.

The series cleverly employs pixelated graphics, power-up animations, and game-like sound effects to bring the virtual world to life. These visual cues, reminiscent of classic video games, enhance the storytelling and resonate with audiences familiar with the gaming landscape. The attention to detail in recreating iconic gaming moments is commendable, creating a visual and auditory treat for enthusiasts.

The exploration of video game culture goes beyond mere aesthetics; it becomes an integral part of the characters’ identities and interactions. The script intelligently weaves gaming terminology and tropes into the dialogue, effectively blending the real and virtual worlds. The series navigates the challenges and triumphs of the characters through the lens of gaming, making it a unique and engaging experience for both gamers and general audiences.

The ensemble cast, including standout performances from Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong, and Chris Evans embraces the gaming theme with infectious enthusiasm. The chemistry between the characters is palpable, adding emotional depth to the series.

“Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” successfully taps into the zeitgeist of video game culture, offering a nostalgic yet contemporary take on the gaming phenomenon. It’s a must-watch for those who cherish the pixelated roots of the gaming world while providing an accessible and entertaining narrative for a broader audience. The series takes off not only in its title but also in its ability to soar within the ever-expanding realm of Netflix originals.

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