Peter Cullen, the legendary voice actor best known as the voice of Optimus Prime in the Transformers franchise for over 40 years, has died at 85. Born July 28, 1941, Cullen became one of the most recognizable voices of a generation as the leader of the Autobots. For Disney fans, he was also the beloved voice of Eeyore in many Winnie the Pooh projects, as well as Monterey Jack in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers and Captain Nathaniel Flint in Treasure Planet. Hasbro issued the following statement: Peter’s award-winning career spanned six decades of work in animation, film and broadcast.

-------------- NEW PRE-ORDERS -------------- Peacemaker joins the One:12 Collective! Based on the HBO Max series Peacemaker, Peacemaker is outfitted in his iconic costume and helmet. Included is Peacemaker’s unlikely feathered companion, Eagly, featuring interchangeable wings for a variety of display options. Discover a universe that shatters everything you know about the Transformers robots, an upside-down world where the bad guys are good, and the good guys are bad. Welcome to Shattered Glass, an alternate universe where the heroic Decepticons battle the evil Autobots. Wait…what? Fans can explore this topsy-turvy reality with the Transformers Shattered Glass Collection, featuring classic Transformers characters, with a twist!

New DLC Trailer for Critically Acclaimed LEGO® Batman™: Legacy of the Dark Knight Showcases DC’s The Joker & Harley Quinn as Playable Characters in Upcoming Story Mission, Mayhem Mode, and More   New Mayhem Collection DLC Arrives on Sept. 18 for PlayStation®5, XBOX Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch™2 Deluxe Edition Owners New “Absolute” Difficulty Option Available as Free Update for All Players on Sept. 18   Get ready for Mayhem! Warner Bros. Games today revealed the latest trailer for the critically acclaimed LEGO® Batman™: Legacy of the Dark Knight…

MATTEL TRANSFORMS UNO INTO A COMPETITIVE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE WITH UNO CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES $50,000 Grand Prize and All-New UNO Championship Series Products Take Game Play to the Next Level EL SEGUNDO, CA – August 19, 2026 - Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) today announced UNO Championship Series, a competitive live event that transforms the world's #1 traditional card game into an adrenaline-fueled tournament with the unpredictable, chaotic fun that has made UNO a true cultural phenomenon. Through in-person and digital qualifiers, the series will culminate with the UNO Championship Series Tournament on Wednesday, November 11 in Los Angeles, California, where UNO players from across the globe will compete for the title of 2026 UNO Champion and a $50,000 grand prize.

Just in time for Sean Connery's birthday I finally got around to rewatching The Name of the Rose on Second Sight's excellent new 4k UHD transfer. My previous experience watching this film was on DVD on a smaller TV. This was certainly quite the upgrade, with the film filling up my 55 inch screen beautifully in a fantastic presentation that allows Tonino Delli Colli's medieval cinematography to shine. I loved the film grain on this with the contrast of shadows playing wonderfully against the actors' faces. Speaking of faces, the casting here is pitch perfect with tons of unique faces on screen and that's even before Ron Perlman enters the picture.

Are the KPop Demon Hunter’s HUNTR/X songs also on repeat in your house? The songs from KPDH have taken on a life of their own, and now fans can collect a golden piece of the movie’s biggest music moments with Kayou’s officially licensed KPDH trading cards — available now at Amazon and GameStop! With KPop Demon Hunters becoming Netflix's most-watched film ever, Kayou is giving fans a new way to celebrate the hit franchise with one of its most unique trading card rarities yet… The newly released Golden SE cards feature HUNTR/X in the same outfits they wore while performing one of the movie’s biggest soundtrack songs and Grammy-winning hit, “Golden.”

Goldin’s Summer TCG Auction Showcases Fan Favorites Across a Variety of Blue-Chip Cards August 11, 2026 – Goldin, an internationally recognized auction house known for rare and record-breaking collectible sales, closed its Summer TCG Auction on Sunday, August 9. Continuing this year’s celebration of the Pokémon franchise’s 30th anniversary, the trading card game auction featured highly coveted 1999 Pokémon Base Set cards and Promo 64 cards alongside collectibles tied to the dominant One Piece brand. With six items achieving over half a million dollars each, Goldin’s Summer TCG Auction record-breaking sales were led by the 2024 One Piece Chinese Year One World Championship 1st Place Money D.

Coming soon to 4k, Rob Zombie's epic Horror Firefly Trilogy will be available October 13th! This 8-disc Firefly Trilogy set is the ultimate collectorʼs gift from Rob Zombie to his fans, and includes House of 1000 Corpses on 4K for the first time, art cards and a collectible poster, a Zombie-curated photography book, artwork by Vance Kelly, and a host of legacy content. Also included are the documentaries 30 Days in Hell: The Making of The Devilʼs Rejects and To Hell and Back: The Making of 3 from Hell.Ð'dHouse of 1000 Corpses introduces the cannibalistic Firefly family, who cross bloody paths with a group of teens touring America's backroads.

Universal City, CA, August 9, 2026 – Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood adds even more frights to its iconic 2026 line-up including “Terror Tram starring Art the Clown,” the return of fan-favorite haunted house “Killer Klowns From Outer Space” and original houses “KILLceañera: Music by SLASH” and “Dead, Deader, Deadest.” Fiery stunt show “The Purge: Dangerous Waters,” multiple scare zones and street experiences round out the popular event starting on Thursday, September 3 and continuing select nights through Sunday, November 1. The infamous Terror Tram returns with an all-new host, Art the Clown in 

Halloween is approaching fast and for some people is already here! HalloweenCostumes.com is ready for your Animatronic needs with some of the coolest licensed products ever. Check out their launch video: I've compiled a quick list of some of the coolest ones currently available and that's just the tip of the iceberg: 5FT Poltergeist Clown Animatronic Decoration 7.75FT Lord of the Rings Witch King Animatronic Decoration 6.25FT Poppy Playtime CatNap Animatronic Decoration 7FT Texas Chainsaw Massacre Leatherface Animatronic Decoration 6FT Nightmare Before Christmas Life Size Mayor of Halloween Town Animatronic Decoration…

EVERETT, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Funko, Inc. (Nasdaq: FNKO), a leading pop culture lifestyle brand, today announced the appointment of Kristin Hamilton as Chief Commercial Officer. Hamilton joins Funko from Crunchyroll and will lead the company’s global commercial organization, with responsibility for driving revenue growth, market expansion and strengthening customer engagement across the Funko, Loungefly, and Mondo brands. Hamilton will oversee Funko’s commercial performance across markets and channels, working closely with Funko’s Product, Brand, Licensing, Supply Chain, Finance, and Operations teams. She officially joins on August 24 and will report to Funko CEO Josh Simon.

Starting today, Toniebox Lite - a mini version of tonies’ beloved Toniebox is now available for pre-order exclusively at Walmart and tonies.com! And it’s arriving just in time for back-to-school and ahead of the holidays! With a NEW compact design, Toniebox Lite empowers kid-guided listening that is accessible to more families with simple tactile controls that let kids ages 1+ independently enjoy stories, songs, and educational content. Available in Sleep Set and My First Story Set options, it easily connects to the tonies app for parent controls and digital library access, while remaining compatible with the full Tonies collection for seamless play across Toniebox Lite and Toniebox 2.

Billy Dee Williams and Clare Kramer Join John Carter of Mars®: The Audio Series SAN DIEGO, CA, July 24, 2026 -- Legendary actor Billy Dee Williams of has joined the cast of Pocket Universe Productions' John Carter of Mars: The Audio Series as Tardos Mors, Jeddak of Helium, opposite Wasé Chief as his granddaughter, Dejah Thoris. Williams brings seven decades of stage and screen work to the role, debuting on Broadway at age seven. Audio drama is familiar ground for him: in addition to originating Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back…

CRYBABY, POP MART’s beloved emotional character known for embracing the full spectrum of feelings, is teaming up with Care Bears, a beloved nostalgic symbol of comfort, to launch the new CRYBABY x Care Bears Vinyl Plush Pendant Blind Box. Now available for pre-sale, the new collection brings together CRYBABY’s emotional world with the Care Bears’ message of kindness, friendship, and healing. Each plush pendant features a Care Bears face on CRYBABY’s back, symbolizing that no matter what you’re feeling, the Care Bears are always behind you with a little extra comfort.

AUTOBOTS, ROLL OUT!   TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY 4K THEATRICAL RETURN OF THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE   Tickets Available for Purchase Now at the Fathom Entertainment Website   Hasbro, a leading games, IP and toy company, in collaboration with Fathom Entertainment, the leading specialty distributor of content to theatrical partners worldwide, today announced that tickets are now on sale for the 4Ktheatrical return of the original The Transformers: The Movie. Beginning, September 17, 2026, in celebration of Transformers Day, the event gives fans the chance to experience the 40th anniversary of the landmark film on the big screen and stay through the credits for a brand-new post-credits cinematic chapter created exclusively for this release.

JNL TOYS  is back with a new Kickstarter campaign, and this one is going to be ICONIC. JNL TOYS is thrilled to work with MIFUNE PRODUCTIONS and Sygnite Tokyo to produce the first-ever officially licensed 1:12 scale TOSHIRO MIFUNE action figure. The TOSHIRO MIFUNE action figure is the first offering in the brand-new collector-focused line: THE ICON COLLECTION. Featuring legendary icons of the silver screen, these 1:12 scale figures are meticulously detailed with premium soft goods, life-like portraits, loads of accessories and articulated for ultimate poseability. The Icon Collection: Toshiro Mifune action figure stands 6.5in/16.5cm high and includes:

The Skeleton Warriors are bad to the bone and back once again! Join Four Horsemen Studios and Lay-Carnagey Entertainment this Friday, August 7 starting at 7:30pm EDT as we bring the classic Skeleton Warriors toy line back from the dead! The fun begins at 7:30pm EDT on our YouTube channel with the premiere of the short documentary, “Skeleton Warriors Rise Again”. This 30ish-minute film will detail some of the history of the 1990s toy line and reveal what led it to become Four Horsemen Studios’ latest collaborative Infinite Legions project.

“RETRO READS” BRINGS CLASSIC STAR TREK SCRIPT TO THE STAGE FOR WRITERS GUILD FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER IN CELEBRATION OF STAR TREK AND THE WGF’S 60TH ANNIVERSARY   The Pitt Stars Noah Wyle, Katherine LaNasa, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Shabana Azeez, and Ayesha Harris to Perform a Live Reading of “The Man Trap,” the First Episode of Star Trek to Air   LOS ANGELES - The Writers Guild Foundation celebrates its 60th anniversary with a live reading of the classic Star Trek episode “The Man Trap,” on Sunday, August 30, 2026, at 7 p.m. at the Lodge Room in Highland Park.

-------------- NEW PRE-ORDERS -------------- New figures are now live from the Masters of the Universe: Origins 200X Cartoon Collection! threezero has new exclusives from Mega Man, Transformers, Robotech and more! From the TV anime JUJUTSU KAISEN, CHOSO is now available in S.H.Figuarts. Bring the excitement and wonder of the Marvel Universe to your collection with the Hasbro Marvel Legends Maximum Series Symbiote Spider-Man figure! From Valaverse comes the new action figure brand Extras! The One:12 Collective welcomes Dr. Fate, the most powerful heroic sorcerer on Earth. The next wave of Cosmic Legions, Mortal Thorn, are now available to pre-order!

      Gen Con Indy 2026 drew a record-breaking, sold-out crowd of over 74,000 attendees and nearly 800 vendors.  The annual four-day convention generated an estimated economic impact of more than $83.5 million for local businesses. INDIANAPOLIS (August 4, 2026) — Gen Con, the largest and longest-running tabletop gaming convention in North America, packed the halls of the Indiana Convention Center (ICC) last week with over 74,000 gamers and fans, setting an all-time attendance record and generating an estimated economic impact of more than $83.5 million for Indianapolis hotels, restaurants, and other local businesses.

Magic loves all critters, from Fleem to Loot to Jimothy, who has stolen our hearts and lives near our Washington office! In his honor, we're releasing a special Jimothy bundle on MTG Arena and making a $10,000 donation to PAWS, a local charity dedicated to animal welfare. Open the Arena app to pick up your Jimothy bundle! This exclusive bundle will cost 350 gems / 1,750 gold and is available through August 10. About Magic: The Gathering    Magic: The Gathering’s compelling characters, fantastic worlds, and deep strategic gameplay have entertained and delighted fans for more than 30 years.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) today announced the promotion of Roberto Stanichi to President, Chief Marketing and Brand Officer. Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mattel, said: “Roberto has made significant progress establishing Mattel’s brand-centric organization and operating model. We have further aligned our brands, marketing, and demand creation capabilities to manage our portfolio more holistically and advance our strategy to grow our IP-driven play and family entertainment business. We look forward to building on this momentum under Roberto’s leadership.” Stanichi oversees Mattel’s world-class portfolio of global brands including Hot Wheels, Barbie, Fisher-Price, and UNO, leading brand and business strategy, marketing, consumer insights, and product design.

Additionally, Classic Settings Return to Form with Dragonlance and Greyhawk Content Announced RENTON, Wash. & INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), tonight introduced the next era of Dungeons & Dragons™ in front of a packed, live audience and streaming fans at Gen Con 2026. The night of announcements included the introduction of a new Universes Beyond initiative that kicks off this November with the launch of Dungeons & Dragons: World of Warcraft. Other Gen Con announcements spanned an array of D&D classics, including the return of the brutal and mature Dark Sun setting; D&D Icons, a new creative initiative helmed by some of the game's original stewards; a brand new mobile experience for D&D Beyond; and updates across D&D's digital and video game platforms, charting a wide-ranging future for D&D fans old and new to come together at the table.

Today I'll be taking a look at three Arrow Video film releases from July, giving a quick lot at another notable TV release from this month, and providing information on the ongoing 50% off sale going on over at Barnes & Noble. First up is my review of Red Sun: Toshiro Mifune starring in a Spaghetti Western feels like a no-brainer considering he starred in the film that served as the template for them. His chemistry with Charles Bronson is fantastic, carrying the bulk of the movie's runtime on that electricity alone with the weakest parts of the film happening when they are not together.

-------------- NEW PRE-ORDERS -------------- The One:12 Collective brings the unstoppable Solomon Grundy to life in towering detail. The undead behemoth emerges from the muddy waters of Slaughter Swamp to wreak havoc, featuring a massive, hyper-articulated body, weathered attire, and a haunting likeness inspired by the DC Comics powerhouse. Doctor Doom from the upcoming Avengers film is now available in S.H.Figuarts! New to the G.I. Joe Classified Series line, Mad Marauders Footloose, Mutt, & Junkyard comes ready for adventure, with multiple points of articulation for high poseability. Ever since its first title, released in the U.S.

Pixel Arcadia Strengthens Showcase with Prestigious Retro-Gaming Sponsors LONDON, UK — 28 July 2026 - Following the overwhelming industry and community reception to the announcement of Pixel Arcadia, Pixel Helix is proud to unveil sponsors supporting the debut showcase on 24 August 2026. This prestigious group of retro-gaming leaders unites under a shared vision: to celebrate the heritage of gaming, support independent creators, and ensure retro games are given the dedicated spotlight they deserve. Pixel Arcadia is proud to welcome the following segment sponsors for the event: GOG.com: GOG is a leading European DRM-free digital distribution platform and champions game preservation through the GOG Preservation Program, ensuring iconic titles remain accessible and playable for future generations.

Today, ATLUS and Hiya Toys announced the newest character to join the Hiya Toys EXQUISITE BASIC series, Fox from Persona 5 Royal! This brand-new EXQUISITE BASIC Series Fox action figure stands 15.4 cm tall, faithfully capturing the Phantom Thief’s iconic appearance from Persona 5 Royal. Dressed in his signature suit, blue gloves, white boots, and equipped with his distinctive fox-tail tassel, Fox is recreated with remarkable screen accuracy through finely layered paint applications and carefully sculpted details. The detachable kitsune mask allows collectors to switch between his masked and unmasked appearances.

On Friday, July 24, Amazon MGM Studios skipped ludicrous speed and went straight to plaid in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con as the cast and filmmakers of SPACEBALLS: THE NEW ONE sat down for a galactic panel. Following a heartfelt and hilarious video message from the legendary Mel Brooks, moderator Kevin Smith welcomed stars Daphne Zuniga, Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman, Josh Gad, director Josh Greenbaum, and screenwriters Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit to the stage. As the crew arrived on stage, Spaceballs Troopers combed the audience looking for Dark Helmet impersonators only to uncover Dark Helmet himself, Rick Moranis, hiding amongst the fans.

Hasbro announced The Legend of Zelda Heroes of Hyrule 6-Inch action figures, featuring Ganondorf, Princess Zelda, and Link, inspired from 2017's The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom! This collection will launch in Spring 2027

Introducing The Auction by Google Play, coming to Comic-Con® in San Diego on July 23-25, with a live auction taking place on July 25 at 5pm PT. Join us at ICON for this first-of-its-kind experience for Google Play Points members to redeem exclusive, extraordinary rewards, like a Gemagotchi Emerald Necklace, a Transparent Turntable & Crunchyroll Vinyls, a Backbone One | DEATH STRANDING 2 Limited Edition, and a Herman Miller Vantum Gaming Chair. Attendees can earn tokens with gachas, grab personalized merch and discover other exciting rewards from MARVEL Strike Force and Crunchyroll.

DARK SKY FILMS AND EXURBIA FILMS ANNOUNCE A HAND-ANIMATED ROTOSCOPED REIMAGINING OF THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE IS CURRENTLY IN PRODUCTION New Interpretation of the Landmark Horror Classic to Debut in 2027 As A Fully Hand-Animated Feature Without The Use of AI Austin, TX — July 21, 2026 — More than five decades after forever changing the horror genre, one of cinema's most influential films is being reimagined through one of animation's rarest artistic disciplines, without any use of artificial intelligence. Dark Sky Films and Exurbia Films today announced that a hand-animated rotoscoped version of THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE is currently in production, the pioneering animation technique used in early Disney classics (Snow White, Cinderella) and animated features including The Lord of the Rings, Heavy Metal, and Fire and Ice). 

SDCC is right around the corner, and Funko is bringing con attendees all-new Spider-Man Pop! Yourself experience to the con floor! Designed as a one-of-a-kind opportunity for fans to cosplay as Spider-Man in Funko Pop! form, the bundle lets SDCC attendees create a personalized Pop! Yourself figure by selecting custom features such as hairstyle, skin tone, and glasses, then suiting up their figure in the Spider-Man: Brand New Day- inspired suit. Fans can take their collectible even further with exclusive Spider-Man-inspired accessories and special collaboration items available only through this SDCC experience.

As of this week I’m all caught up on the latest offerings in their wonderful Micronauts ReAction+ line. I got a nice care package from my friends at Super7 that included the new #SDCC exclusive Barron Karza and Biotron in their original Japanese inspired boxes (remember Micronauts were originally part of the Takara Microman line in Japan before Mego imported it to the states.) While these figures are the same as the original releases in new packaging, the original run of the carded figures are sold out at several retailers, so these releases are perfect for anyone that missed out on the first 2 figures and want to get in on this great line.