Cosmic Circus Podcasts (The Cosmic Circus)

In the first episode of The Cosmic Cafe, Julia chats with actor, voice actor, and podcaster Thomas Carter Rochester about his history growing up with Star Wars and venturing into the notorious Fandom Menace.

Thomas Carter Rochester on LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/tcrochesteract

On Twitter: @TCRochesterACT / @RecklessRebels (podcast Twitter) / @LTApodcasting (podcast Twitter)

AppleTV recently released a new series The Essex Serpent, based on a novel by Sarah Perry, and starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston. Ayla Ruby (writer for The Cosmic Circus) sat down with executive producer/screenwriter Anna Symon and costume designer Jane Petrie to discuss the series' characters and costumes. 

You can listen to the full audio of our chat below. After an interview with producer/screenwriter Anna Symon, an interview with costume designer Jane Petrie starts at 16:45.

Transcripts available here:

https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/essex-serpent-interview-with-anna-symon/

https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/essex-serpent-costume-designer-jane-petrie/

After a long wait, the Guardians of the Galaxy are back. This past weekend, James Gunn delivered the third and perhaps most emotionally resonant entry in the cosmic saga, titled Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3. Star-lord aka Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldana), and the team is adjusting to their new place in the cosmos. After an attack on their celestial haven of Knowhere, where one of their own is threatened, the Guardians must face off against a wicked and new foe in the High-Evolutionary, played by Chukwudi Iwuji. 

In the newest Cosmic Circle podcast episode, host Ayla Ruby and writers Anthony Flagg and Brian Kitson discuss their favorite and least favorite moments from the new movie including some epic action sequences. They cover the exciting and sad reveal of one guardian's origins, cameos, the post-credit scene, and whether this movie is the end of the ride for the Guardians of the Galaxy as we know it. 

SPOILER WARNING FOR GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3!

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

Anthony Flagg

Ayla Ruby

Brian Kitson

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 05/07/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

In this episode of The Cosmic Circle, Host Ayla, along with Emily, Drew, and Uday, review the best and worst of Marvel and DC in 2021, and then talk about what they are looking forward to in 2022 as far as TV, film, and gaming. 

Join host Ayla Ruby and fellow writers Brian Kitson and Wiktor Reinfuss as they discuss Shazam: Fury of the Gods. The trio talks about what worked for them and what didn’t in this latest DC Studios adaption. They discuss cameos, post-credit scenes, and even the somewhat controversial product placement. And if that wasn’t enough, the writers also answer questions from the Cosmic Circus community and more.

Ep. 24: Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Timestamps:

00:20 - Intros

01:15 - First and pre-viewing impressions on Shazam! Fury of the Gods, going in. Did you expect to like it? What did you like?

11:02 - Do you want to see more of Shazam in future?

14:15 - Spoiler alert! Talking about what they did and didn't get right with tone and whether or not there should be a reboot for the characters

17:09 - Discussion about bringing in Peacemaker characters, and talk about the difference in tone between Shazam! and that show.

20:40 - What did you really like about the movie?

27:45 - Praising Lucy Liu's performance

29:45 - What did you not like about the movie?

36:15 - What is going on with the end credits scene anyway? 

38:30 - Discussing the dragon and VFX

41:00 - Discussing product placements in the film.

44:18 - Did you like Steve?

46:00 - Final thoughts on Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Vic's theory... is Shazam's world going to be connected to The Flash film coming up?

49:45 - Outros

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

Brian Kitson

Ayla Ruby

Wiktor Reinfuss

Executive Producer/Editor Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 03/19/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

full article at: https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-circle-ep-25-shazam-fury-of-the-gods-discussion/

In this podcast episode, The Cosmic Circus writers Uday, Julia, Brian, and Drew review and discuss the latest Marvel movie - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Along with discussion about the movie as a whole and its lead character Doctor Stephen Strange played by Benedict Cumberbatch, there's significant discussion about Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff. This includes the film's handling of the character's mental health in this episode by psychologist Brian and the others.

The Illuminati, America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), and Wong (Benedict Wong) as the Sorceror Supreme, are also discussed.

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via The Cosmic Circus Patreon!

Timestamps

00:45 Intros

01:33 How did you feel about Wanda's turn to the dark side?

06:13 Regarding the handling of Wanda's mental health, in Multiverse of Madness and WandaVision

11:30 Michael Waldron quote about Wanda from Julia's interview (linked below)

12:30 Do you think Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness regresses Wanda's character after so much growth in WandaVision?

16:05 Opinions on the writing in the movie

19:50 Multiverse of Madness trying to be two things at once and not enough multiverse in it

31:39 Discussion about the Illuminati appearances and more from Julia's Michael Waldron interview about those rumored cameos

46:14 America Chavez discussion 

50:37 Discussion about Wong and whether or not he's depicted as a terrible Sorceror Supreme in the film

57:00 what the writers are working on right now and sign off

Podcast credits and show notes

Host/Director/Writer

• Uday Kataria (Author Page, Twitter @goldenninja3000, YouTube)
  

Contributors/Writers

• Brian Kitson (Author Page, Twitter @kitson301)
  Drew Reed (Author Page)
  Julia Delbel (Author Page, Twitter @juliadelbel)
  

Executive Producer/Editor

• Lizzie Hill (Author Page, Twitter @mslizziehill)
  

Recorded on 5/14/22. 

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Julia Delbel’s interview with Michael Waldron

If there's one show that people can't seem to stop talking about recently it's The Last of Us. HBO build another hit, which audiences can't get enough of. That includes us here at The Cosmic Circus, so of course we had to jump on Zoom for The Last of Us discussion podcast, capping the end of an excellent season.

Join host Brian Kitson and fellow writers Ayla Ruby and Anthony Flagg as they break down what they liked, how The Last of Us compares to other video game adaptations, and what they hope to see in future seasons!

Timestamps (SPOILER WARNING for The Last of Us season 1 and the game)

00:20 - Intros

02:20 - General thoughts on The Last of Us season 1

05:45 - Audience reception

10:45 - What parts of season 1 did we like the most?

20:41 - What didn't we like?

28:00 - Where do we think this ranks as far as game adaptations? Do we have hope for future game adaptations to be this good?

32:00 - Commenting on Ashley Johnson's appearance on the show, and how similar she looks to Bella Ramsey.

34:20 - Theories for next season (more spoilers discussed for the game and possibly future seasons)

37: 20 - Would the cure have worked?

41:40 - Outros

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

• Anthony Flagg
  Ayla Ruby
  Brian Kitson
  

Executive Producer/Editor

• Lizzie Hill
  

Recorded on 03/13/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Full article available at: https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-circle-ep-24-the-last-of-us-season-1-discussion/

Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com talks with EP and co-showrunner of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur Pilar Flynn about the new Disney Marvel animated series.

Read the full article at: https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-cafe-interview-with-pilar-flynn-from-moon-girl-and-devil-dinosaur/

For a comics reading guide to Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur go to: https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/moon-girl-and-devil-dinosaur-reading-guide/

Time Stamps:  

00:00 - Intro 

00:34 - Interview with Pilar Flynn begins, introduction 

01:35 - What does a producer do? 

04:00 - What's the story of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur? 

05:50 - Talk about the shows writing, sophisticated and fun, a show for adults and kids. 

08:05 - Talk about the decision to "age up" Lunella Lafayette from 9 to 13 years old. 

09:48 - They are in contact with the creators of the original comics Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder. They are "so excited" and "on board." 

10:21 - Talk about animation influences for the show. 

12:54 - Talk about cast and crew and the importance of diversity. 

16:35 - About Diamond White casting as Lunella 

18:05 - Where were you when you got the call about season 2 being greenlit? 

19:30 - Anything else you'd like people to know about the show? 

20:35 - Does this show fit into the larger MCU at all? 

20:12 - If Moon Girl could team up with any Avenger, who would it be? 

21:56 - Outro

Cosmic Cafe credits:

Host: Ayla Ruby
Theme: “Coffee and You” by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.
Recorded: 12/07/2022

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse has finally arrived in theaters, continuing the adventures of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), and all our other favorite spider-people from Marvel Comics. Following the events of 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Miles steps out of his universe into a larger spider-web of the multiverse, where danger is around every corner. With this animated film smashing box-office records, we couldn't wait to get together and talk about every juicy detail from the film and what's to come next in the Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse Discussion.

In the latest episode of The Cosmic Circle, host Brian Kitson and fellow Cosmic Circus writer Alex Perez break down every exciting moment and what the crazy ending of Across the Spider-Verse means for the future of Sony's Marvel films. This is definitely a podcast you don't want to miss, as our resident Spider-Expert Alex Perez shares plenty of insight and quite a few bits of information, for fans of Spider-Man as well as one juicy Scarlet Witch drop. 

[Warning: Spoilers from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse are within the podcast!] Podcast credits and show notesContributors/Writers

• • Alex Perez
  • Brian Kitson

• • Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 06/04/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Executive Producer/Editor

For a full article on this podcast visit: https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-circle-ep-30-spider-man-across-the-spider-verse

In the latest episode of The Cosmic Circle, Brian, Ayla, and Anthony discuss Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and the Wasp's (Evangeline Lilly) journey to Quantumania. The trio looks back at the Ant-family journey, beginning with Ant-Man through their last appearance in Avengers: Endgame, as well as speculate about what to expect from these pint-sized heroes in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania when it hits theaters.

Join along as The Cosmic Circle looks towards the past and makes predictions of the future for Ant-Man and the Wasp. And keep an eye out for a review episode of Quantumania, which will include our own Alex Perez as we talk about the latest Ant-man film and what may happen next.

[Warning: This episode contains spoilers for Ant-Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Avengers: Endgame.]

For email updates to The Cosmic Circle and Cosmic Cafe podcasts subscribe here!

What are your thoughts on Scott Lang's journey so far through the MCU? What do you think will happen with him and the rest of the Ant-Family during and after Quantumania? Let us know on social media. And if you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with friends and supporting it via The Cosmic Circus Patreon, following us on Twitter @cosmicpodcasts, or joining our Discord.

Episode 19: Journey to Quantumania

00:20 - Intros

00:54 - Ant-Man is the best Avenger, right?

02:00 - Looking forward to Quantumania

04:35 - Memories of seeing the first Ant-Man film

08:40 - What was the first MCU film you saw in theaters?

12:50 - Ant-Man in Captain America: Civil War

20:13 - Discussing the Ant-Man and the Wasp movie

35:00 - Walton Goggins as Sonny Burch, and the Benefactor talk. When might we see Sonny Burch again?

38:30 - Intro of Kang in the Loki series

40:00 - Ant-Man in Avengers: Endgame

42:21 - Expectations for Quantumania

47:40 - Talking about MODOK and what happened to Darren Cross

51:20 - Missing Luis in this film

53:00 - Cassie in Quantumania

56:30 - Any more thoughts on the upcoming film?

58:00 - Thoughts on why Scott Lang would take up Kang's offer?

1:00 - Outros

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

• Anthony Flagg
  Ayla Ruby
  Brian Kitson
  

Executive Producer/Editor

• Lizzie Hill
  

Recorded on 01/29/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

If you have kids and an Apple TV+ subscription, the chances you’ve seen the movie Luck are pretty high. It’s an Apple Original movie with a tremendous amount of heart. Last week, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, the Luck universe grew. We sat down with director Matt Youngberg from Skydance Animation to discuss his short Bad Luck Spot from the same Luck universe. Bad Luck Spot features the Hazmat Bunnies that had an adorable but short appearance in the movie.

Matt Youngberg has an impressive career. Before he joined Skydance, he spearheaded the Ducktales reboot for Disney Television Animation. (As part of Ducktales, he even brought this writer’s favorite hero, Darkwing Duck, back to the screen!) Youngberg is both Emmy and Annie nominated, and he’s worked on other beloved franchises, like Batman Beyond, Teen Titans, and Ben 10.

Cosmic Cafe credits: Host: Ayla Ruby Theme: “Coffee and You” by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

Recorded 3/14/2023

other links: ⁠https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/

The Bad Luck short: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLpFAOQyAKw&feature=youtu.be

In this episode, Brian, Ayla, and Anthony discuss Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock aka Daredevil, and his future appearances in the MCU such as in Disney+ series Echo and Daredevil: Born Again!

[Warning: This episode contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again, Echo, Hawkeye, and She-Hulk.]

You can listen to the podcast below, or directly on Spotify, or via most sites that host podcasts. For email updates to The Cosmic Circle and Cosmic Cafe podcasts subscribe here!

What do you think about Charlie Cox's stint as Daredevil so far or the other characters in his stories? Let us know on social media. And if you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with friends and supporting it via The Cosmic Circus Patreon, following us on Twitter @mycosmiccircus, or joining The Cosmic Circus Discord! Please don't forget to check out the previous Cosmic Circle podcast discussing Daredevil as he's been seen in live action and comics so far. 

Episode 17: Daredevil - The Story Continues (SPOILER WARNING)

• 00:18 - Intros
• 01:05 -  Daredevil: Born Again to have 18 episodes!
• 03:45 - Are Karen Page and Foggy Nelson returning? (Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Hensen)
• 10:30 - She-Hulk and Daredevil discussion
• 14:07 - What to expect from Kingpin moving forward. Comparing how he was in Hawkeye to the Daredevil Netflix series.
• 21:04 - How "mature" will Daredevil: Born Again be vs previous versions, including the comics.
• 26:00 - New cast members coming to Daredevil: Born Again discussion (Michael Gandolfini)
• 28:43 - Where is Vanessa? Will she return?
• 30:35 - More new cast members talk (Sandrine Holt and Margarita Levieva)
• 31:33 - Matt Murdock as a lawyer and his "lawyering" in the show vs comics.
• 35:00 - Will Matt leave NY in Daredevil: Born Again? What does the Out the Kitchen (working title) mean?
• 38:00 - Daredevil and the Echo series discussion
• 41:00 - Questions from listeners #1 Will we see Matt and his mom more in the new series?
• 42:56 - Q #2 What if Matt has a child in the MCU?
• 44:25 - Q #3 Are there more Defenders returning or new Defenders?
• 48:10 - Q #4 Will Bullseye return?
• 49:40 - Final thoughts, outros

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

• Anthony Flagg
  Ayla Ruby
  Brian Kitson
  

Executive Producer/Editor

• Lizzie Hill
  

Recorded on 01/01/23...

The Cosmic Circle is the official podcast of The Cosmic Circus website. Here the site's writers get together and talk about Marvel, DC, and other sci-fi and fantasy movies and TV series. In this episode, leading up to Spider-Man: No Way Home being released, Cosmic Circus writers Vin, Alex, Tucker, and Ayla discuss Spider-Man films of the past including Raimi's 3 Spider-Man films, The Amazing Spider-Man films, and Spider-Man in the MCU so far.

SHOW NOTES:
Visual references - https://imgur.com/a/2dAI8xu / https://youtu.be/xAbkVL8Yu9w?t=80 / https://youtu.be/1phEAcpxXiE / https://youtu.be/0RrXWovex8I

Timestamps
00:00 Intros
01:40 Our journeys to Spider-Man
06:10 Spider-Man 1 (2002)
16:40 Spider-Man 2 (2004)
24:35 Harry, Norman, and Peter
29:15 Spider-Man 3 (2007)
38:10 The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
46:00 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
55:50 Alex's thoughts on MCU Spider-Man and the future after NWH
63:00 Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
69:45 Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
78:45 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) hopes and fears
87:50 Lingering thoughts
90:30 Outros

Episode was recorded on 12/10/2021

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay

In this episode, Brian, Ayla, and Anthony discuss 2022's Marvel films and series such as She-Hulk, Wakanda Forever, and Moon Knight, and what they're looking forward to in the MCU's Phase 5. 

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via The Cosmic Circus Patreon, following us on Twitter @mycosmiccircus, or joining our Discord. 

Timestamps

0:16 - Intros

1:50 - Moon Knight

5:28 - Dr. Strange in the multiverse of madness

12:50  - The changing structure of MCU productions

13:52 - Ms. Marvel

18:12 - Thor: Love and Thunder

25:41  - She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

34:44 - Werewolf by Night

40:58 - Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special

43:17 - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

49:16 - MCU projects we're looking forward to in Phase 5

53:00 - Outros

Podcast credits and show notes

Host/Director/Writer

Brian Kitson

Contributors/Writers

Ayla Ruby 

Anthony Flagg 

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 12/11/22.

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Thank you to our guest science fiction author Jessie Mihalik for joining host Ayla Ruby for a chat about writing and creating her science fiction stories. Jessie Mihalik is the author of several book series in the space opera & romance genres - the Rogue Queen series, the Consortium Rebellion starting with Polaris Rising, and most currently the Starlight's Shadow series. The newest book in the latter series is titled Capture the Sun and is expected to release mid-2023. 

For more on Jessie Mihalik's books please visit her website at https://www.jessiemihalik.com/

Timestamps

00:35 - Intros

00:53 - Jessie Mihalik tells Ayla a bit more about her background and books.

05:07 - Advice on dealing with writer's block

06:26 - Q: Pantser or plotter?

07:02 - Talking about creating characters

08:14 - About releasing serials on her blog, and how to build an audience

11:33 - Q: If you could live in any of your created universes, which would you want to live in?

13:00 - Threading the needle between sci-fi and romance

14:40 - Writing action into stories

15:56 - Q: What is your favorite action movie?

17:34 - Jessie Mihalik describes her writing process

20:56 - Research and world building

23:25 - The Rogue Queen series and The Queen's Gambit

26:25 - Jessie Mihalik's advice to aspiring writers

27:44 - Outros

Host: Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

Recorded 10/19

It's been over two years since the last season of The Mandalorian, but finally, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu are back. Join host Brian Kitson, along with fellow Cosmic Circus writers Anthony Flagg and Wiktor Reinfuss, as they break down the Mandalorian season 3 premiere and share their predictions for the rest of the season.

What are your thoughts on The Mandalorian season 3 premiere? Is there anything you liked? What would you have liked to see differently? Let us know on social media. And if you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with friends and supporting it via The Cosmic Circus Patreon, following us on Twitter @cosmicpodcasts, or joining our Discord.

Recorded on 03/05/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

We are so excited to welcome Leah Jones from the She Will Rock You podcast @shewillrockupod to the Cosmic Cafe for a discussion on the Disney Channel show Phineas and Ferb and the good vibes surrounding it. Follow Leah at @leah_elizabethj on Twitter! 

FMI about She Will Rock You Podcast visit shewillrockyou.com

In this episode The Cosmic Circus writers Brian, Ayla, Drew, and Uday discuss the first two episodes of Marvel's Moon Knight series. 

Show notes: This episode was recorded on 4/10/2022 

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay

In this episode, Brian, Ayla, and Anthony discuss the past, present and future of DC films now that James Gunn has taken charge. 

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via The Cosmic Circus Patreon, following us on Twitter @mycosmiccircus, or joining our Discord.

Episode 14: James Gunn and the State of the DC Universe

00:18 – Intros

00:56 - James Gunn taking over

04:00 - DC's previous plans

7:25 - The Arroverse

8:41 - What Gunn brought to DC films

10:10 - Where does DC go from here?

15:30 - Shazam: Fury of the Gods

17:20 - What upcoming films have the most promise?

26:00 - Where do these miscellaneous movies fit in the new DC?

28:55 - What creative would want to work with WB after Batgirl?

35:56 - Recasting Superman

40:21 - Do we need individual films for the Justice League again?

42:36 - Superman For All Seasons

44:23 - Superman and Lois

47:31 - New villains, but not Lex

49:40 - Recasting for a younger Superman

53:40 - James Gunn and Twitter

55:34 - General thoughts on DC

59:37 - The Batman, Matt Reeves, and James Gunn

1:11:00 – Outros

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

Ayla Ruby

Anthony Flagg

Brian Kitson

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 12/18/22.

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Guardians of the Galaxy was one of the first entries in the MCU to take fans to the stars, bringing the cosmos into the spotlight. With humble beginnings as a rag-tag team of A-holes thrust together by fate and bad luck, the group grew into a family full of love and harassment. The Guardians have faced some tough moments together, but have always come out closer than ever though perhaps a bit battle-scarred. So with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 almost here, we couldn't wait to discuss the team's journey from Vol. 1 to their Holiday Special.

Host Brian Kitson, along with fellow writers Ayla Ruby and Anthony Flagg discuss some of their favorite memories from the previous Guardians of the Galaxy films as well as things they wish were a bit different from their journey through the MCU. Listen to see if listener's question gets answered, such as which scenes or songs are their favorites, or who their favorite Guardian is from across the many entries. And stay tuned, as a follow-up podcast reviewing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will arrive alongside the release of the film in theaters in early May. Let us know your favorite Guardians moments on Twitter or in the Cosmic Circus discord!

Podcast credits and show notesContributors/Writers

Anthony Flagg

Ayla Ruby

Brian Kitson

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 04/16/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Full article available at: https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-circle-ep-27-journey-to-guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-3/

Prehistoric Planet is a documentary series on Apple TV+ that combines state-of-the-art realistic animation with stunning cinematography to transport viewers back to the Cretaceous period, 66 million years ago. The series features never-before-seen "footage" of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures in their natural habitats. Sir David Attenborough, the legend of documentary series like Planet Earth, even narrates it. Executive Produced by John Favreau, Prehistoric Planet uses tech from hit shows like The Book of Boba Fett to bring these animals to life. 

On Tuesday, The Cosmic Circus had the opportunity to sit down over Zoom with the show's executive producer Mike Gunton and showrunner Tim Walker. Both are highly accomplished filmmakers in the world of natural history. Gunton is known for his work on the Emmy and BAFTA-winning Planet Earth II, as well as  Galapagos, Yellowstone, Madagascar, and Life. Walker has a similarly impressive career, with 20 years of bringing natural history to the screen. 

There are five episodes in the new season, each tied to a different habitat and the animals that lived there. In our interview, we chatted about dinosaurs (of course!) but also how they built on the technology from season 1, creating empathy for these prehistoric characters and more.

Host: Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com
Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.
Recorded 5/16/2023

Thank you to our guest Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko, costume designer for season 2 of The Mysterious Benedict Society for joining us. Read the full article at: https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-cafe-interview-costume-designer-chrisi-karvonides-dushenko/

Host: Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com 

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay. 

Now that the Infinity Saga has come to a close, Marvel Studios is ready to expand its cinematic universe in some big ways, by creating a multiverse. The Marvel Cinematic Multiverse is as confusing as it is epic, with rules and layers that are just becoming apparent. Don't worry though, co-host Brian and Ayla are joined by The Cosmic Circus writer Alex Perez, who is more than ready to dive deep and explain the Multiverse in detail.

Join along as The Cosmic Circle looks back through Phase 4 for the beginning of the multiverse and looks forward to Phase 5 and beyond, as the multiverse prepares to explode onto the screen. Coming just after the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantuamania will be our review episode, where Alex will join Ayla and Anthony breaking down the film and what comes next.

What are your thoughts on Marvel Cinematic Multiverse so far? Which Alex Perez tidbit was your favorite? Let us know on social media. And if you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with friends and supporting it via The Cosmic Circus Patreon, following us on Twitter @cosmicpodcasts, or joining our Discord.

For full article and podcast with timestamps visit: https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-circle-ep-20-the-marvel-cinematic-multiverse/

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

Alex Perez

Ayla Ruby

Brian Kitson

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 02/04/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

The Cosmic Circle is the official podcast of The Cosmic Circus website. Here the site's writers get together and talk about Marvel, DC, and other sci-fi and fantasy movies and TV series. In this episode, Uday, Brian, Emily and Ayla discuss Marvel's Hawkeye on Disney+, mainly focusing on the finale, with a little bit of Spider-Man No Way Home thrown in. SPOILER WARNING!
Episode 5 was recorded on 12/27/2021
Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay

In this episode, Brian, Anthony, and Drew discuss the recent unveiling of the new DC Slate by James Gunn! These three were super excited to break down and discuss all eleven announced projects from the beginning part of the first chapter of the DCU: Gods and Monsters.

Join them as they explore these newly announced DC films and movies, as well as other tidbits from the slew of information provided by James Gunn and Peter Safran during their presentation!

You can listen to the podcast below, directly on Spotify, or via most sites that host podcasts. For email updates to The Cosmic Circle and Cosmic Cafe podcasts subscribe here! And if you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with friends and supporting it via The Cosmic Circus Patreon, following us on Twitter at @cosmicpodcasts, or joining The Cosmic Circus Discord!

Episode 18: New DC Slate Discussion - Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters

00:20 - Intros

01:07 - General thoughts on the new DC slate

05:10 - Creature Commandos discussion

09:40 - Waller and Peacemaker series discussion

12:50 - Superman: Legacy

16:31 - Lanterns, Green Lanterns series

20:17 - The Authority discussion

22:28 - Wonder Woman: Paradise Lost

27:00 - Batman: The Brave and the Bold

29:14 - Booster Gold

32:00 - Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

36:14 - Swamp Thing

40:27 - Shazam, The Flash, and Aquaman, what the reset means for these franchises

47:10 - Questions from listeners: What is something that wasn't on the new slate that disappointed you?

50:17 - Questions from listeners: If actors like Jason Momoa are staying, should the Supergirl movie star Sasha Calle? (IMO it would be unfair to recast her if others are staying)

51:34 - Questions from listeners: How do you feel about James Gunn doing a soft reboot here? Who should stick around?

53:00 - Outros

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

• Anthony Flagg
  Brian Kitson
  Drew Reed
  

Executive Producer/Editor

• Lizzie Hill
  

Recorded on 01/31/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Sara Edwards, podcast producer and co-host of This Is the Waycast over at The Boardwalk Times, stops by the Cosmic Cafe to chat with Julia Delbel about #Arthur25 and the most iconic characters and moments from the long-running PBS series.

Show Notes: 

You can find Sara on Twitter at @sedwards380

Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com interviews Jared Gerrizen and Sophia Leader of Illfonic about the Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed game.

Cosmic Cafe credits: Host: Ayla Ruby Theme: “Coffee and You” by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

Recorded 2/15

other links: https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/

https://www.illfonic.com/

Watch out for spoilers from season 3 and the season finale of The Mandalorian!

Season 3 of The Mandalorian concluded on Wednesday with Chapter 24: The Return. Expectations were high for the finale, which continued the story of The Mandalorian, aka Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal/Brendan Wayne/Lateef Crowder), and adorable found family, the Child, aka Grogu, as they worked with Bo Katan (Katee Sackhoff) and Axe Woves (Simon Kassianides) to defeat Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) and restore Mandalore. 

Host Ayla Ruby and writers Anthony Flagg and Drew Reed chat about their favorite and least favorite moments from the season finale. They take listener questions and share their thoughts on whether or not Moff Gideon is really dead, Bo Katan's growth over the season, and whether there will be a Season 4 of The Mandalorian. 

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

Anthony Flagg

Ayla Ruby

Drew Reed

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 04/21/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Full article at: https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-circle-ep-28-the-mandalorian-season-3-finale/

In the second episode of The Cosmic Cafe, host Julia Delbel chats with Richard Nebens of The Direct and The Illuminerdi about all 10 of the classic animated movies that make up the "Disney Renaissance". Richard can be found on Twitter at @RichardNebens.

The Cosmic Circle is the official podcast of thecosmiccircus.com. Here the site's writers get together and talk about Marvel, DC, and other sci-fi and fantasy movies and TV series. In this episode, Cosmic Circus writers Vin, Emily, Brian, and Ayla have a lively discussion, reviewing and reacting to seeing Spider-Man: No Way Home, as well as give their personal rankings for all of the Spider-Man appearances in films so far.

Show notes:

Articles mentioned: 

• 
  
• https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/treatment-of-women-in-spider-man-no-way-home/
  
• https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/spider-man-no-way-home-spoiler-review/ 
  

This episode was recorded on 01/16/2022


Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay

Listen in on episode 8 of The Cosmic Circle podcast as host Uday, along with Ayla, Anthony, and The Cosmic Circus' Editor-In-Chief Lizzie Hill discuss the first season of James Gunn's Peacemaker series, now streaming on HBOmax! (SPOILERS!!)

As always, we hope you enjoy this content. You can find out more about supporting thecosmiccircus.com and content like this by visiting our Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/cosmiccircus or by searching for us on Patreon.

In this episode, Brian, Ayla, and Uday discuss the latest Marvel movie to hit theaters Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. (Coming to Disney+ February 1, 2023.)

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via The Cosmic Circus Patreon, following us on Twitter @mycosmiccircus, or joining our Discord.

Episode 14: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Discussion (SPOILER WARNING)

00:25 – Intros

01:00 - Uday is VERY excited to talk about Wakanda Forever

03:45 - The high emotional stakes in this film

06:45 - Shuri as the lead and her emotional journey. The fate of Queen Ramonda.

15:13 - Solutions to bring back Angela Bassett after a performance of a lifetime.

16:10 - Attempts at humanizing Namor. Namor's journey.

20:30 - It's all about Riri (or not)

22:24 - What if Shuri had killed Namor?

26:40 - Ramonda and Okoye relationship. The "Queen Mother."

30:00 - Val, Ross, Vibranium, and other plans and implications.

37:20 - Where will be we see Val next?

39:10 - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever final thoughts. Killmonger thoughts.

40:53 - Creating 3-dimensional women in the MCU

41:49 - Riri as a well-rounded character, and excitement about the Ironheart series.

44:02 – Outros

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

Ayla Ruby

Brian Kitson

Uday Kataria

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 12/18/22.

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Thank you to our guest Cynthia Charette, Production Designer for season 2 of The Mysterious Benedict Society for joining us. 

Host: Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

Cosmic Cafe host Ayla Ruby sits down with Steve Loter and Rodney Clouden, Executive Producers of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, to talk about the new Marvel/Disney show. The series is now airing on Disney Channel and Disney+. 

Timestamps:

00:30 - Intros

01:20 - What is Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur?

02:11 - What inspired you to bring these characters to TV?

03:10 - How did you get introduced to Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur?

04:50 - What was the inspiration for the art style of this series?

07:25 - What was the process for pairing the music with visuals?

10:23 - Pitching the series to Raphael Saadiq

13:10 - What can you tell me about Lunella's journey in season 1?

17:20 - Ayla's daughter asks, "Does Lunella's parents know she is a superhero, will they find out later?"

18:05 - Guest stars on the series, Mae Jemison, Cobie Smulders, and May Calamawy

21:20 - Anything else you'd like to share about the show this season?

23:30 - Outros

Are you a fan of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur? Please join the conversation and share your thoughts on Twitter @MyCosmicCircus or @CosmicPodcasts.

Cosmic Cafe credits:

Host: Ayla Ruby
Theme: “Coffee and You” by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.
Recorded: 1/20

Full article available at : https://www.thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-cafe-interview-with-moon-girl-and-devil-dinosaur-eps-steve-loter-and-rodney-clouden/

It's a great time to be a Star Wars fan! Not only has The Mandalorian returned to our screens over on Disney+, but this past weekend the biggest gathering in the galaxy happened in London, with the 2023 Star Wars Celebration. Across the four days, tons of announcements and trailers dropped for what's to come to a galaxy far, far, away. So of course some of the writers at The Cosmic Circus couldn't wait to break down every juicy detail from the long weekend of out-of-this-world fun.

Host Ayla Ruby, along with head writer Brian Kitson and fellow writer Wiktor Reinfuss come together in their Millennium Falcon and jet off to explore all the excitement. Join them as they discuss the three new films announced at the Star Wars Celebration, their joy or disappointment around the updates on some of the Disney+ series, and what they wished they saw at this year's convention.

We also have a short discussion about that The Marvels trailer that just dropped to open all the fun!

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

Ayla Ruby

Brian Kitson

Wiktor Reinfuss

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 04/11/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

In this episode, The Cosmic Circus writers Brian, Ayla, and Drew discuss Marvel's Moon Knight series overall and what they think might happen going forward with the characters.

Show notes: This episode was recorded on 5/7/2022

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay

We're big animation fans at The Cosmic Circus and always love getting the chance to sit down with the creators behind these fantastic stories. Earlier this week, Cosmic Cafe host Ayla Ruby chatted over zoom with Bill Motz and Bob Roth from Disney's fantasy show The Ghost and Molly McGee. 

The Ghost and Molly McGee is about a young girl named Molly McGee who is an optimist and always sees the brighter side of things. There's always something to have joy about. When Molly's family moves to a new home and town, she discovers their house is haunted by a grumpy ghost named Scratch. Awesome, right? When Scratch's attempts to haunt Molly go wrong, the two are bound together forever. The show follows them through this unlikely and sweet growing friendship. 

The show is Emmy-nominated, and for a good reason - it's a joy to watch. The talented cast includes Ashly Burch (as Molly), Dana Snyder (as Scratch), Jordan Klepper, Sumalee Montano, Michaela Dietz, and Lara Jill Miller. 

Bill Motz and Bob Roth are equally as talented as their cast. The duo has been writing partners for 30 years, working on things like Darkwing Duck, LEGO Star Wars, and The Penguins of Madagascar. They're the creators and executive producers of The Ghost and Molly Mcgee and were so much fun to speak with. 

Full article available on https://www.thecosmiccircus.com⁠

Timestamps:

• • 00:25 - Intros
  • 02:20 - Bill Motz and Bob Roth tell us more about The Ghost and Molly McGee
  • 04:00 - Talk about season 2 and the introduction of autistic character June Chen, and the importance of representation.
  • 08:10 - More will be revealed about Scratch's past in the second season
  • 09:05 - Guest stars in season 2
  • 10:10 - Discussing the detailed work of the designers and the Mega City game from season 1
  • 11:40 - Roth and Motz talk about the process of going from a kernel of an idea to a script.
  • 15:25 - What is the status of The Ghost and Molly McGee season 3?
  • 16:15 - The show is about "humor, heart, and hope."
  • 17:30 - Ayla asks what Motz and Roth are working on next.
  • 18:35 - Outros

Host: Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com
Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.
Recorded 3/23/2023

In this episode, host Ayla Ruby, along with fellow podcasters Brian Kitson, and Anthony Flagg delve into everything from Jonathan Majors' Kang to our thoughts on Cassie Lang's future. And although he couldn't be on the podcast in person, cosmic writer Alex Perez answered some of those curious inquiries in writing.

(SPOILER warning for Ant-man and the Wasp: Quantumania)

Timestamps

00:20 Intros

01.10 Will we ever see Hope and Scott married with kids?

03:25 Will Cassie and Peter Parker ever meet and become friends?

05:35 Comments on audience response to MODOK

07:50 If Janet had those discs then why didn't she escape before?

11:25 Was Kang planned for way back when Ant-Man and the Wasp came out?

12:40 What are they planning ahead now?

13: 30 Alternate ways to defeat Kang and what is Kang without his suit?

16:00 Why does Scott act sort of immaturely? Why doesn't he tell people about his worries?

19:00 What did you think of Cassie Lang in this film?

24:44 Questions for Alex Perez

25:15 When will we see Kang next in the MCU?

28:50 Should Peyton Reed return for Ant-Man 4 or Secret Wars?

32:01  What was your favorite part of Quantumania?

33:20 What is the future of the Quantum Realm in the MCU? Was this a one off?

36:10 Will Kang always be the main antagonist when he shows up?

39:14 Will Scott and Hope mentor the Young Avengers in Ant-Man 4?

41:09 How many Kangs will we see as main characters? Will there be new MCU Kang variants?

42:40 What is the plan for Janet and Hope going forward? (this was briefly talked about by Alex in our previous Quantumania episode)

44:17 Outros

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

• Anthony Flagg
  Ayla Ruby
  Brian Kitson
  

Executive Producer/Editor

• Lizzie Hill
  

Recorded on 03/05/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay

In honor of The Batman's imminent release, host Julia Delbel talks with Elijah Boxhill (@OpticalCinema) all about the Caped Crusader's 80+ year history.

Show Notes:

Elijah Boxhill is with @Fandomwire and @GeekVibesNation, and also hosts the @ComicBookSaga podcast.

In this week's episode of The Cosmic Cafe, Julia Delbel discusses the Twilight Saga, both the good and bad, fandom and fan fiction, with Elizabeth Pfeiffer of The Boardwalk Times and Right This Minute.

Show notes: 

Elizabeth Pfeiffer can be found on Twitter at @elizabethpfeif. She is a digital producer for rightthisminute.com and senior editor/podcast host at theboardwalktimes.net. Visit her Linktree FMI.

Here is the link to the Twilight Fanfiction mentioned in this episode. 

In this episode, Brian, Ayla, and Anthony discuss Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock aka Daredevil, from the Netflix series to his recent appearances in the MCU. A future episode will discuss what lies ahead for Daredevil in the MCU, so follow us and stay tuned!

WARNING: This episode contains spoilers for Netflix's Daredevil, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Hawkeye, and She-Hulk. 

You can listen to the podcast below, or directly on Spotify, or via most sites that host podcasts. For email updates to The Cosmic Circle and Cosmic Cafe podcasts subscribe here!

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting it via The Cosmic Circus Patreon, following us on Twitter @mycosmiccircus, or joining our Discord.

Episode 16: Daredevil - The Story So Far

00:17 – Intros

01:00 - Introduction to Daredevil and other Defenders series on Netflix

07:20 - What in the Daredevil Netflix series stuck out for you or did you enjoy the most?

14:08 - Overall impressions on the villains in Netflix's Daredevil series.

19:30 - Team Daredevil (Foggy Nelson, Karen Page, other friends and allies)

28:15 - Save Daredevil and Charlie Cox

29:45 - The return of Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil in No Way Home. Is this the same universe?

34:94 - Did Matt disappear in The Snap?

39:07 - Kingpin's appearance in Hawkeye

57:00 - Matt Murdock/Daredevil in the She-Hulk series. Seeing a different side of the character.

49:38 – Outros

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers

Anthony Flagg

Ayla Ruby

Brian Kitson

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 01/01/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

After a decade since it was first announced, The DCEU's The Flash has finally arrived in theaters. It's been a long journey to bring Barry Allen and his powers of lightning speed to the silver screen, but fans of the witty speedster are excited to finally see the final product. With the arrival of The Flash, the beginning of the end has begun for the DECU, with just two more films left to close out the chapter. So in honor of this new DC film, we couldn't wait to break it all down in our The Flash discussion.

Join host Brian Kitson, along with fellow writers Drew Reed and Wiktor Reinfuss as they break down the highs and lows from The Flash. Listen as they tell you their favorite parts, what didn't work for them, and just what cameo in the film is their favorite. They also speculate about the future of the DC films and how the DCEU can reach a proper swan song. All this and more can be heard in this newest exciting episode of The Cosmic Circle!

For email updates to The Cosmic Circle and Cosmic Cafe podcasts subscribe and follow us for updates on Twitter at @cosmicpodcasts!

• • Brian Kitson
  • Drew Reed
  • Wiktor Reinfuss

• • Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 06/17/23

Secret Invasion has finally arrived on Disney+, ending our dry spell of Marvel Studios content on the streaming service. This six-episode series sees the return of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) as you've never seen him before. The world has changed so much after the Snap, so much so that Fury doesn't know what to expect anymore. Secret Invasion has only dropped one episode, but already the excitement for this series has been building, so of course we have to get together and talk about it in our Secret Invasion premiere discussion!

Join host Brian Kitson, along with fellow writers Alex Perez, Anthony Flagg, and Uday Kataria as they discuss every exciting detail and disappointment from the first episode of Secret Invasion. These four discuss which new character is their favorite, the impact that a certain death has on the series and MCU, and where they think the show will end up. 

• • Alex Perez
  • Anthony Flagg
  • Brian Kitson
  • Uday Kataria

• • Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 06/25/23

Ayla Ruby

Brian Kitson

John Dotson

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 07/02/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Full article with timestamps at: https://thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-circle-ep-33-2023-movie-discussion/

Outlander crackles with tension in the latest episode of the hit show “Death Be Not Proud,” as Fraser’s Ridge and Jamie, Claire, and Ian are put to the test. Hugh Ross and Sarah Collier, who play Mr. and Mrs. Bug in the time-traveling historical drama, sat down with Cosmic Cafe host Ayla Ruby over Zoom for an exclusive interview to discuss the episode and what the shocking events, including that big death from the scorcher of an episode, mean moving forward. 

[Warning: This interview contains spoilers for Outlander. Proceed at your own risk.]

Host: Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

For the full article for this interview visit: https://thecosmiccircus.com/exclusive-sarah-collier-and-hugh-ross-on-the-shocking-last-episode-of-outlander/

The year is already half over, and it has been a cosmically wild ride. It feels like just yesterday we were all warming up a cup of eggnog for our Hawkeye rewatch and gearing up for the new year. New films and television shows have been released at a breakneck pace in 2023, and it's been hard to keep up with all the good stuff. (We've tried! Our Letterboxd accounts are proof.) But fear not, dear reader, for we here at The Cosmic Circus have done the hard work for you. We've scoured the airwaves and streaming services to bring you a list of the must-watch television shows of 2023. 

On this episode of the Cosmic Circle, host Ayla Ruby is joined by writers Anthony Flagg and John Dotson to discuss their top five television shows of 2023 (so far). They'll also be sharing some honorable mentions. What do you think will make it to number one? Will your favorite be on the list? Tune in to hear what the Cosmic Crew says about the year's best television.

Ayla Ruby

Anthony Flagg

John Dotson

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 07/09/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Full article available at: https://thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-circle-ep-34-the-best-2023-television-series-so-far/

With Superman & Lois finishing its third season, My Adventures with Superman on Max now, and Superman: Legacy beginning to assemble its cast, now is the perfect time to reflect on the greatest hero of them all: SUPERMAN! Featuring in 85 years of comics, radio, TV, film, animation, and live action, no character has had a greater impact on comic book culture than the gentle giant Superman and the mild-mannered Clark Kent.

Join host Vin, Vic, and Anthony as they look back on the Man of Tomorrow, their favorite adaptations, and what they hope to see in the future. What are the best Superman storylines? What makes a good Superman adaptation? Do the red undies matter?? Tune in for all this and more!

(SPOILER WARNING for past Superman comics, shows, and movies)

Anthony Flagg

Vin

Wiktor Reinfuss

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 07/16/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Read full article at: https://thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-circle-ep-35-superman-discussion-past-and-future/

After months of buzz, the live-action Barbie movie finally hit theaters this weekend, and we're diving deep into this episode of the Cosmic Circle. The world's most famous doll has been brought to life by writer-director Greta Gerwig and her professional partner Noah Baumbach. After seeing the massively successful box office, it's safe to say we're in a Barbie world.

On this episode of the Cosmic Circle, we're joined by writers John Dotson and Uday Kataria to discuss the live-action Barbie film. Our cosmic conversation included everything from the pink world of Barbieland and the star-studded cast (including Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling) and awards buzz. We also discuss the film's true villain, the cultural phenomenon that is Barbieheimer, and why this movie has an important message for kids everywhere. So whether you're a lifelong Barbie fan or just curious about the hype and love listening to us talk, tune in for this fascinating discussion.

Contributors/Writers

Ayla Ruby

John Dotson

Uday Kataria

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 07/24/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Ep. 36 Timestamps: Barbie movie discussion (Spoilers)

00:18 - Intros

01:00 - Spoiler alert for the Barbie movie!

01:10 - First impressions on Barbie and it's themes.

08:30 - America Ferrera's monologue, hit or miss?

13:27 - Barbenheimer

19:30 - What was your movie-going experience?

21:19 - What does Barbie's massive box office success mean for movies in general?

32:41 - Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling's performances. 

39:32 - Was Ken the villain of the story or was it someone or something else?

45:00 - Favorite Easter eggs or things that made you laugh

48:00 - Thoughts on the ending of the Barbie movie.

52:00 - Outros

Read the full article at: https://thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-circle-ep-36-barbie-movie-discussion/

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been serving up some chef’s kiss episodes that will surely be on “best of” lists for years to come. (And that’s not just because we see Captain Pike and Spock in the kitchen!) We recently had the chance to sit down over Zoom with director Jordan Canning, who helped bring the recent and hilarious season 2 episode “Charades” to the screen. Canning’s insights into the creative process behind “Charades” and her passion for Trek were, to quote Spock, “fascinating.” 

[Warning: This podcast interview contains spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Proceed at your own risk.]

Host: Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

For the full article for this interview visit: https://thecosmiccircus.com/exclusive-interview-jordan-canning-on-directing-the-funniest-star-trek-strange-new-worlds-episode/

Six weeks ago, Secret Invasion began its journey on Disney+. The first Marvel Studios series of 2023 has come and gone, and it has left quite an impression on fans of the MCU. Whether you've loved it or hated it, Secret Invasion has definitely left people talking. So with so many differing thoughts and opinions on this divisive show, The Cosmic Circus writers couldn't wait to get together on a Secret Invasion wrap-up discussion!

Join host Brian Kitson and fellow writers Anthony Flagg, Ayla Ruby, and Uday Kataria as they break down every moment from Marvel's Secret Invasion! Which characters are their favorites? Which moments were they disappointed in? And where exactly do they think the MCU is headed in the aftermath of this series? All that and more can be found in this podcast!

Contributors/Writers

Anthony Flagg

Ayla Ruby

Brian Kitson

Uday Kataria

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 06/25/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

 Read the full article at: https://thecosmiccircus.com/cosmic-circle-ep-37-secret-invasion-wrap-up-discussion/

Xolo Maridueña stars as the scarab-tactic superhero Blue Beetle, which buzzed onto the big screen this past weekend. Blue Beetle, directed by Ángel Manuel Soto and written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, is the first live-action comic book film with a Hispanic lead. The long-anticipated picture is the third DC Studios release this year after Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Flash.

It's all about family in The Fast and the... er... Blue Beetle, and on this episode of The Cosmic Circle, we are joined by some fantastic family members. Writers Anthony Flagg and Wiktor Reinfuss swarmed in for our chat about the celestial scarab-powered superhero Jaime Reyes.

We talked about the movie's meaning on a cultural level, our favorite parts, including the charming and talented Xolo Maridueña, and our thoughts on the nefarious Victoria Kord, portrayed by screen legend Susan Sarandon. We even talked about that mid-credits scene and whether or not Jason Sudeikis really is Ted Kord.

And dear listeners, you won't want to miss our discussion of just how many times Wiktor has seen The Flash. So whether you're a lifelong DC Comics fan or someone who's just getting into the world of DC after James Gunn took over the studio, this podcast is for you.

You can listen to the podcast below directly or on most sites where you listen to podcasts. For email updates to The Cosmic Circle and Cosmic Cafe podcasts, subscribe here and follow us for updates on X (formerly Twitter) at @cosmicpodcasts!

[Warning: Spoilers from Blue Beetle are within the podcast! Avert your eyes and return to Gotham, Central City or Metropolis lest you be spoiled. ]

While Ahsoka may have lived a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, you don't have to jump into your X-Wing and fly off to Tatooine to see what she's up to, because Ahsoka, the new Star Wars series has arrived on Disney+! The series stars Rosario Dawson as the ex-Jedi knight as she and Sabine (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) search the galaxy for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). So our writers couldn't wait to get together and break it all down in our Ahsoka Discussion!

Join head writer Brian Kitson, along with fellow writers Drew Reed and Emily Maack as they talk about all the exciting scenes from Disney+'s Ahsoka! What did they like? What would they have changed? Why is Sabine the best? All that and more you can find in this exciting discussion about all things Ahsoka and Star Wars as a whole!

Brian Kitson

Drew Reed

Emily Maack

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 08/26/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Jules, written by Gavin Steckler and directed by Marc Turtletaub, is a quirky indie sci-fi comedy about aging, aliens, and friendships. It's charming and endearing; this should be no surprise given the incredible actors that helped bring it to life, including Sir Ben Kingsley, Harriet Sansom Harris, Zoë Winters, Jade Quon, and Jane Curtin. We had the great pleasure of sitting down over Zoom to chat with the movie's director, Marc Turtletaub.

Jules follows Milton, played by Kingsley, a widower with a quiet life in a rural town in Pennsylvania. Everything changes after a UFO crashes in his backyard, complete with an alien passenger named Jules. Jules and Milton become friends, but when Milton's well-meaning neighbors discover the alien, things get tricky. The movie is a joy. It has science fiction, family, and a lot of endearing comedy.

Jules premiered to much fanfare at the Sonoma International Film Festival in March of this year. It was quickly acquired for US distribution by Bleecker Street Films, which has had a big year with releases including Mafia Mamma and Golda. The film has been a winner with audiences as it makes its way through the film festival circuit.

Host: Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com

See the official website for a full article and more information

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

As anyone can attest, representation of any kind is important in the media that we consume. With the makeup of our population being so diverse, between ethnicities, skin colors, genders, and sexualities, the characters and stories we see on screen and in books should represent that as well. While there's still a ton of work to be done for proper visibility for so many minorities, one that has a bit of an awakening is proper LGBTQ+ representation in films and television. With a thought that began with Red, White & Royal Blue, host Brian Kitson wished to look back at the past representation of Queer representation and the current landscape for this long-looked-over and misrepresented group.

Join Brian Kitson, along with Izzy Friedman and Uday Kataria as they explore some important landmarks in Queer representation in television and films. Listen as they share their oldest memories with a queer character and how new media feels like a step in the right direction for proper LGBTQ+ visibility. These three deep dive into a few new projects, such as Heartstoppers, Interview With The Vampire, Killing Eve, and so much more, as they explore the impact these films and shows have on the population as a whole and individually for each one of them.

[Warning: Spoilers from some Queer content, such as Red, White & Royal Blue, Interview With The Vampire, Heartstopper, etc. are within the podcast! Listen at your own risk.]

Brian Kitson

Izzy Friedman

Uday Kataria

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 09/02/2023

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Follow us on social media @cosmicpodcasts or @mycosmiccirus and you can find a full article on this podcasts at https://thecosmiccircus.com

Erik Henry has an impressive career as a VFX supervisor in creating stellar stories. Not only did he work on season 1 and 2 of Invasion but Henry has also helped bring titles like The Abyss (which we talk about in the interview!), Watchmen, Black Sails, Jack Ryan, and so much more to life. He has several Emmy awards for his work and tons of other accolades. If you’re a sci-fi fan, you’ve probably seen his work.

In this interview, Henry sits down to chat with host Ayla Ruby to talk his most recent project now streaming on Apple TV, Invasion. 

Host: Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com

See the official website for a full article and more information

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

Earlier this year, Keanu Reeves returned to the big screen as the titular assassin in John Wick: Chapter 4, arguably the most stylish and high-octane action franchise of our time. Directed by the talented Chad Stahelski and written by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch, the film sees our dog-avenging anti-hero facing off against the High Table in another thrilling installment.

On this action-packed John Wick podcast episode, The Cosmic Crew discusses why you should never mess with a man and his dog. We share our thoughts on John Wick: Chapter 4, including the seemingly final scene, rank the movies, and debate whether The Matrix or John Wick is Keanu Reeves' more iconic franchise. (Secretly, we all know it's The Lake House.) We also explore potential John Wick universe crossovers, such as Atomic Blonde, and debate the merits of John Wick and James Bond.  The crew dives deep into the beautiful cinematography of the movie, as shot by Dan Laustsen. We also chat about the upcoming series The Continental, and whether or not we'll be watching. So rev up your motorcycle...or your horse and listen in!

• Ayla Ruby
• John Dotson
• Wiktor Reinfuss

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 09/18/2023

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

For a full article on this podcast and more visit https://thecosmiccircus.com/

The first season of Ahsoka has reached its conclusion on Disney+, delivering a strong season from the Lucasfilm property. After eight episodes, the adventures of Rosario Dawson's Jedi and her compatriots have concluded with a bigger threat now looming on the sidelines. With huge ramifications and the excitement of what's to come for these characters, we had to hash it out in our Ahsoka season 1 finale discussion!

Join head writer Brian Kitson and fellow writers Drew Reed and Emily Maack as they talk about all the excitement from across all eight episodes of Disney+'s Ahsoka! What stood out to them? Where do they think the story is headed from here? You can find all those answers and more in this exciting Ahsoka finale discussion!

Contributors/Writers

Brian Kitson

Drew Reed

Emily Maack

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 10/07/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @cosmicpodcasts

Visit for the full article: https://thecosmiccircus.com

 The God of Mischief has returned, bringing his signature chaos with him in Loki Season 2! Tom Hiddleston picked up the not-quite-horned mantle again, returning as Loki Odinson this past week in an appropriately twisty sci-fi episode called "Ouroboros" written by Eric Martin. It's been two years since we left off on that dramatic scene with Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) from season 1, and this episode promises so much more drama and heart for the season. Owen Wilson's Mobius is back, joined by Marvel newcomer Ke Huy Quan's O.B. as Loki and crew work together to prevent Kang (Jonathan Majors) from taking over everything at the TVA and beyond. 

The Cosmic Crew is back, too, and has many temporal and existential questions about Loki's return to screen. Join us in this episode as we chat about Loki season 2. We do a deep dive into the episode, including what we loved about the TVA and some of the new tech, like the temporal loom. We talk about Kang and THAT recording with Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and whether or not it hints at anything more. We even chat about our dream ending for the season, and a few of us have very Deadpool-inspired hopes. So slip on your headphones (and make sure you're staying awake like Eugene Cordero's Casey) as you listen to the newest Cosmic Circle podcast episode. 

You can listen to the podcast below directly or on most sites where you listen to podcasts. Follow us for updates on X at @cosmicpodcasts!

[Warning: Spoilers from Loki are within the podcast! Listen at your own risk or you may get pruned.]

Contributors/Writers

Ayla Ruby

Anthony Flagg

Uday Kataria

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 10/07/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Cosmic Cafe host Ayla Ruby talks with Sy Islam and Gordon B. Schmidt about their book Leaders Assemble! Leadership in the MCU (Exploring Effective Leadership Practices through Popular Culture).

(This book is available on Amazon and most places books are sold)

The book covers what we can learn in the real world about leadership based on the characters, films, and shows within the MCU from Marvel Studios. 

Timestamps:

• 00:10 - Intros
• 00:45 - How did you come up with the idea for the book?
• 04:50 - What was your journey to your fandom? How did it start?
• 11:55 - What was your prep for Leaders Assemble! Leadership in the MCU ?
• 13:55 - What has been the response from colleagues and students?
• 18:00 - Was there anything surprising you found about the Marvel Cinematic Universe as you worked on this book? (Black Widow and "The Glass Cliff")
• 23:35 - Leadership lessons in Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk
• 26:00 - Talk about The Eternals
• 30:25 - Talk about Secret Invasion
• 34:50 - What is the biggest lesson in leadership people should use in their everyday lives?
• 38:00 - What's next for you? Next books they're working on.
• 39:45 - Outros

Host: Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

Cosmic Cafe host Ayla Ruby is at NYCC 2023! In this episode, she has an EXCLUSIVE interview with Helluva Boss creator Vivienne Medrano about her upcoming animated series in the same universe Hazbin Hotel. The series releases on Amazon's Prime Video in January 2024, and has a lot of fans excited. 

Timestamps

• 00:00 - Intro
• 01:00 - How did you go from using Patreon and YouTube to finance your work to A24 picking it up?
• 02:12 - Working on a pilot vs an entire season
• 03:20 - What is the status of Hazbin Hotel season 2? (currently writing)
• 04:00 - Charlie Morningstar's story in season 1
• 05:00 - The music in Hazbin Hotel, every episode has more than one song.
• 05:37 - The delay from a release last summer to next January on Prime Video
• 06:22 - Did you ever expect the fan reaction you've had for Hazbin Hotel?
• 07:22 - Which character would you be and why?
• 07:42 - Why does this show resonate with people?
• 09:07 - What's next for the Helluva Boss / Hazbin Hotel Universe?
• 10:12 - Would you like to see a live-action version? Medrano talks about wanting a broadway musical of Hazbin Hotel.
• 11:00 - Differences between the pilot and new version
• 12:22 - Vivienne Medrano on her writing process
• 13:32 - Inspirations and influences for the series
• 14:38 - Anything else?
• 15:30 - Outro

Host: Ayla Ruby of thecosmiccircus.com

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

Join host Brian Kitson and fellow Cosmic Circus writers John Dotson and Wiktor Reinfuss (Vic) as they share some of their favorite films and television series that are perfect for the Halloween season! From Chucky to Scream, Dracula to Supernatural, these three discuss a wide array of scary films and shows that are sure to fill you with terror. Plus listen to each of their stories of their first experiences with horror films!

Visit https://thecosmiccircus.com for the companion article for this podcast

Scary Halloween Movie and Show Recommendations

Brian's recommendations

Rose Red

Skeleton Key

Chucky/Child’s Play

The Descent

Marble Hornets

The Shining Rope

Psycho/Bates Motel

One Missed Call

Shining Vale

Goosebumps

John's recommendations

Host (2020)

Scream

Lake Mungo

Audition

Trick 'r Treat

The Girl With All the Gifts

Vic's recommendations

Sleepy Hollow

Halloween

Supernatural

The Ritual

Dracula (Francis Ford Coppola)

Contributors/Writers

Brian Kitson

John Dotson

Wiktor Reinfuss

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 10/22/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Two long years after Omni-Man's betrayal, the season 2 premiere of Invincible, "A Lesson for Your Next Life," is here to mess with our heads even more. Mark Grayson, aka Invincible, is still trying to pick up the pieces and come to terms with the reality of his horrific dad, and we're all here for the doozy of a dimension-hopping ride.

The Cosmic Crew, including host Ayla Ruby (hey, that's me!), John Dotson, Izzy Friedman, and Anthony Flagg delved into everything Invincible. In this spoiler-heavy discussion, we dissect that doozy of an opening sequence and our reactions after the long Invincible drought. We debate the ethics of Angstrom Levy (Sterling K. Brown) and explore Mark Grayson's (Steven Yeun) complicated relationships with his mom, Debbie (Sandra Oh), and Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs). We also go deep on grief, the show's complex themes, and its subversion of the superhero trope, specifically the traditional Superman archetype. And, of course, we share some predictions for the next three episodes. We're so excited to chat about it on this week's podcast, so tune in to hear us unpack all the twists, turns, and gore.

Contributors/Writers

• Ayla Ruby

• Izzy Friedman

• John Dotson

• Anthony Flagg

Executive Producer/Editor

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 11/03/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

For a full article on this podcast and more visit https://thecosmiccircus.com

Last Thursday, the final page in the book of Loki season 2 closed to a perhaps sacred timeline-shifting ending. The God of Mischief, as portrayed by Tom Hiddleston, sprouted horns and finally fulfilled his glorious purpose. Join host Ayla Ruby, along with Alex Perex, Uday Kataria, and Drew Reed, as they chat all things Loki season 2 finale. 

The Cosmic Circle crew had a ton to unpack on this episode of the podcast, but we only strayed into Ant-Man territory once or twice. We discussed their thoughts on "Glorious Purpose" and whether it met our expectations. We also chatted about the reversed Marvel intro sequence, Kang the Conqueror and his variants, that ending, and the future of Loki characters, including Ravonnah Renslayer, and more.

Contributors/Writers

Ayla Ruby

Uday Kataria

Alex Perez

Drew Reed

Executive Producer/Editor

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 11/11/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Full article and more at https://thecosmiccircus.com

It's another episode of Sloth Baby Productions... just kidding. The Cosmic Circle podcast is back, and we saw The Marvels just like (hopefully) all of you and had some thoughts about the return of Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Their first big screen team-up featured Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), an interesting villain named Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), and a whole lot of flerkens. Join host Ayla Ruby, along with Uday Kataria, Emily Maack, and Drew Reed, as they chat all things The Marvels in this spoilerific podcast episode.

The Cosmic Crew shared their impressions of the film, including what worked and didn't work for them. They chatted about Dar-Benn as a villain and all the bad-ass action scenes that director Nia DaCosta brought to life. We even talked about the ending moments of The Marvels, including that homage to a classic Avengers kickoff. And, of course, we chatted about the post-credit scene and what it means going forward for the MCU. So come on in towards the shiny hex jump point, where universes collide, and listen to the podcast.

Contributors/Writers

• Ayla Ruby

• Uday Kataria

• Emily Maack

• Drew Reed

Executive Producer/Editor

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 11/19/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

For a full companion article to this podcast visit thecosmiccircus.com

Have you ever wondered if your family is cursed? Apple TV+'s CURSES! is a family animated show that explores the idea of what if a family was cursed because of an artifact-stealing Great Great Great Grandfather. In the pilot, the kids Pandora (Gabrielle Nevaeh), Russ (Andre Robinson), and Sky (Lyric Lewis) in the family Vanderhouven learn that their dad has been keeping a secret from them about their family's past. 

It's a ton of fun with age-appropriate awesome scares, adventure, a treasure trove of secrets, and oh so many ancient artifacts. One of the best parts about CURSES! is that the whole family can watch together. We recently had the chance to sit down over Zoom to talk with creators Jeff Dixon and Jim Cooper, and director Leo Riley to talk about the series. 

You can tune in to CURSES! on Apple TV+. Have you checked this series out already? Let us know what you think about it or this interview on social media @mycosmiccircus or The Cosmic Circus Discord.

Host: Ayla Ruby

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

 Los Angeles Comic Con 2023 featured many celebrity guests, including someone I wasn’t expecting! Janeshia Adams-Ginyard is a stunt performer, voiceover artist, and actress who starred as Nomble, a member of Wakanda’s Dora Milaje, in several MCU projects.

I noticed her booth on the convention floor thanks to a large Black Panther: Wakanda Forever poster. I was fascinated by the different aspects of her career and love Wakanda Forever, so I jumped at the chance to speak with her for a few minutes about her MCU role. 

Host: Uday Kataria

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is the newest entry into the MonsterVerse franchise and takes us to the heart of things: Godzilla and more terrifying creatures. Apple TV+'s new Godzilla series continues this Friday with the sixth episode, "Terrifying Miracles", which picks up after the 2014 Legendary Godzilla film. Created by Chris Black and Matt Fraction, the show delves deeper into the monster-filled world of that universe. We sat down over Zoom for an exclusive interview with Mari Yamamoto and Anders Holm, who play Keiko Miura and Bill Randa in the streaming show. 

The duo shared what it was like filming the show and a story about a huge and scary four-legged visitor they encountered in the Canadian Forest. Anders Holm shared whether or not he got advice from John Goodman before taking up the mantle of his character from Skull Island. Mari Yamamoto opened up about her fear of heights and how filming a challenging scene in the first episode, which involved being quite high up, unintentionally served as exposure therapy for her. Listen to the interview to learn more, but beware, mild spoilers are ahead. 

Host: Ayla Ruby

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

Apple TV+'s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters series roars back this Friday with "Terriyfing Miracles", the sixth episode that deepens the dive into the Monsterverse's primordial depths. There are action-packed clashes and mystery ahead as the legacy of the 2014 film unfolds, unleashing secrets and Godzilla-sized thrills. We sat down over Zoom for an exclusive interview with Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski, who play Monarch operatives Tim and Duvall in the streaming show. 

In this spoiler-lite conversation, Tippett shared some insight into the Monarch "desk jockey" named Tim that he embodies and the character's interest in going more into the field. Lasowski talked about working with stunts to film the dramatic car crash scene where we meet her character. And both Tippett and Lasowski shared how they got the role on Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and their favorite Godzilla version from across history. 

Host: Ayla Ruby

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

A companion article for this interview can be found at thecosmiccircus.com (https://thecosmiccircus.com)

Another year has gone by, and we've completed another revolution around the sun. 2023 was a fantastic year for movies, so The Cosmic Crew was excited to sit down and rank their top 5 of the year. From Barbie to The Color Purple to Bottoms and John Wick: Chapter 4, it was a lively chat, and an hour just isn't long enough for The Cosmic Circle. 

There were surprises, including why we liked certain comic book movies, to the last-minute shuffling of our rankings as the year progressed, and more movies came out; this podcast had it all and was a delight. Host Ayla Ruby was joined by head writer Brian Kitson and all-around movie king John Dotson to discuss what worked for them this year. There was heartbreak, musicals, action, and so much more. Listen below for our full thoughts on the best movies of 2023. 

Contributors/Writers

• Ayla Ruby

• Brian Kitson

• John Dotson

Executive Producer/Editor

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 12/28/23

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

For a full companion article to this podcast visit thecosmiccircus.com

Welcome back, campers, to another year at Camp Half-Blood, and the latest episode of The Cosmic Circle! We're big fans of the world of Percy Jackson over here and have been following along with the exciting adventure on Disney+'s Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The series stars Walker Scobell as Percy, the Demi-god son of Poseidon, who must venture across America with friends Annabeth (Leah Jeffries) and Grover (Aryan Simhadri). Together, this trio of heroes must find Zeus' missing lightning bolt before an all-out war between the Gods breaks out.

Join host Brian Kitson, along with writers Ayla Ruby and Anthony Flagg, as they discuss all the highs and lows of the first 5 episodes of Percy Jackson & The Olympians. Find out how they got started in Rick Riordan's world, what they've enjoyed in the series, and what God they'd be born to!

What do you think of the series so far? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus

• Anthony Flagg
• Ayla Ruby
• Brian Kitson

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 1/14/24

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

A full article of this podcast can be found on https://thecosmiccircus.com

Echo, the first-ever entry into Marvel’s new Spotlight banner, starring the mega-talented Alaqua Cox, dropped last week with a full five episodes. In this very special 50th episode of the Cosmic Circle podcast, Ayla Ruby, Brian Kitson, John Dotson and Alex Perez discuss Marvel's Echo. Maya Lopez as well as Kingpin Wilson Fisk are discussed, as well as that Daredevil cameo. 

Alex Perez

Ayla Ruby

Brian Kitson

John Dotson

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 1/17/24

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Find the full companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

Lunella Lafayette (Diamond White), aka Moon Girl from Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, is a super-genius who just wants to help and protect her community. Season 2 of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur hits the airwaves on February 2 on the Disney Channel and Disney XD and the next day on Disney+. Last week over Zoom, we chatted again with executive producer Steve Loter and co-executive producer Rodney Clouden, two of the creative minds who have helped bring the amazing Lunella to the screen. 

It was exciting to talk to the duo about this upcoming season, and we learned a lot about what to expect for Lunella and her family. Loter and Clouden shared some of how Lunella's superhero life would clash with her family life, and what that would mean for both of them. We talked about one of the new big villains this season, Molecule Man (Edward James Olmos), and some other guest voices.

Host: Ayla Ruby

Theme: "Coffee and You" by Vladislav Kurnikov via Pixabay.

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

Stefan L. Smith is a talented composer who lent his talents to the animated Batman film Batman: The Doom that Came to Gotham last year. He's back with another set of superhero compositions, this time for PBS. Smith scored Super Why's Comic Book Adventures, a show geared towards helping young children improve their reading skills, with a superhero twist. The music is catchy and has a great purpose, so we were excited to chat over Zoom with him about bringing this project to life. 

Host: Ayla Ruby

Theme: "Coffee and You" via Pixabay.

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

It's never the wrong time to watch a horror film, right? While so many I know wait until October and stockpile their scary movies to marathon for Halloween (peak spooky season vibes), I'm in the wheelhouse that horror is perfect for any reason and any season. While the snow piles up outside my window and the wind roars throughout the sky, it smells like the perfect time for a new horror film. So if you're like me, there's a new horror film that's just having its premiere! Thorns begins its limited release in theaters on February 23 and opens with a wider release on March 13. I was able to sit down with director/writer Douglas Schulze and one of the stars Doug Bradley (who you may know as Pinhead from Hellraiser) about the experience with this film!

In our conversation, Schulze discusses how he developed the story of Thorns, how the monster came to be, how the practical effects and 80s vibes came to be, and the positives of filming in Michigan. Bradley speaks on what drew him to the film and role and why it's important to support indie films in an industry of superhero blockbusters!

Thorns arrives in theaters for a limited release at Emagine theaters on February 23 and opens with a wider release on March 13. https://www.emagine-entertainment.com/movies/thorns/

Host: Brian Kitson

Theme: "Coffee and You" via Pixabay.

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

Ayla Ruby

Uday Kataria

John Dotson

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 3/8/2024

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Find the full companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

The Titan-sized box office hit Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire popped up from the depths of Hollow Earth into theaters last week. The movie, the latest from director Adam Wingard, is the 38th Godzilla film and the newest entry into Legendary's MonsterVerse.

The film brings together Apple TV+'s Monarch in expanding the world and also gives us the impossible not-to-meme visual of Godzilla sleeping in the Coliseum like a giant Cat. With impressive acting from Rebecca Hall, Kaylee Hottle, Dan Stevens, and The Eternals' Brian Tyree Henry, the movie left us at The Cosmic Circus with many monstrous thoughts on this post-Mechagodzilla universe.

Join host Ayla Ruby, Brian Kitson, Uday Kataria,  as they discuss Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Beware, spoilers for the city-smashing Titan story, as well as Monarch, are discussed within and below. 

Ayla Ruby

Uday Kataria

Brian Kitson

Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 4/4/2024

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Find the full companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

The Cosmic Circus' Editor-In-Chief Lizzie Hill steps in for an interview with voice artists Megan Shipman and Natalie Van Sistine, who play Anya and Yor Forger in the hit anime series Spy x Family on Crunchyroll. The three chat about the audition process for the show, the preparation they go through when they dub the anime, and their new movie Spy x Family CODE: White which is now in theaters!

Host: Lizzie Hill

Theme: "Coffee and You" via Pixabay.

You can find the companion article to this podcast at https://thecosmiccircus.com/spy-x-family-code-white-interview-anya-yor-forger/

The Fallout series has been an astounding hit for Prime Video, still holding spots at the top of the charts on the streaming service. The renewed interest has even made physical copies of the game, harder to find, speaking to the success and reach that the show has brought forth. We were corralled into a vast world with three intertwined stories, from Ghouls, to Vaulties, to the Brotherhood of Steel. Luckily, a second season has already been ordered, giving everyone plenty of time to play the games while we wait for the show to begin filming again. 

Join host Anthony Flagg (X/Twitter: redovah_) and his guests Drew Reed (X/Twitter: drewreed1099) and Cameron Brook (X/Twitter:: camandfilm) as they discuss their favorite facets of Fallout. In this episode, we get the varied context from some of the guests who have not played the games previously! Also, there are discussions about what they want to see in Fallout season 2, and their plans to play the major game franchise in the future.

• Anthony Flagg
• Drew Reed
• Cameron Brook

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 5/5/24

Superhero theme by HumanoideVFX on Pixabay.

Doctor Who is a global phenomenon, and we have an international group today on The Cosmic Circle to talk about it. Join host Brian Kitson, along with writers Wiktor Reinfuss and Cameron Brook, as they break down all the exciting bits from Ncuti Gatwa's reign as The Doctor, beginning with his first appearance in "The Giggle" all the way to the two-episode premiere of his first season ("Space Babies" and "The Devil's Chord"). Find out how Brian, "Vic" and Cam's journey into the Whoniverse began, what they are enjoying about the newest Doctor and companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), and which Doctor is their favorite!

Warning: Spoiilers for past seasons of Doctor Who and for the new episodes which just premiered last week

• Brian Kitson
• Wiktor Reinfuss
• Cameron Brook

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 5/15/24

 The companion article for this podcast can be found at https://thecosmiccircus.com/doctor-who-season-premiere-podcast/

It’s been a wonderful yet sad couple of weeks without new episodes of X-Men ‘97, the revival of the animated TV series that introduced many of us to the merry band of mutants. It was a breakout hit, and ushered in new fans to the classic Saturday morning cartoon, that had so many elements of these iconic comic book characters. The interest and popularity dominated conversations weekly as we hurdled towards that shocking 3-part finale. Finale reveals and shockers will have to hold us for a while until we see the second season.

Join host Anthony Flagg (X: redovah_) and his guests Alex Perez (X: alexfromcc) and Uday Kataria (X: GoldenNinja3000) as they navigate the past and present of X-Men ‘97. This episode recounts each person's history with the original series, favorite episodes and characters, and hopes for the future seasons of X-Men ‘97. Insider Alex Perez also provides some hits about what we might expect in season 2 and hints at an answer to one burning question surrounding Jean Grey and Madelyne Pryor.

Podcast credits and show notes for this episode of The Cosmic Circle

Contributors/Writers:

• Anthony Flagg
• Alex Perez
• Uday Kataria

Executive Producer/Editor

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 5/25/2024

Find the companion article to this podcast and more at https://thecosmiccircus.com/category/cosmic-circle/ and follow on X for updates at @cosmicpodcasts or @mycosmiccircus

Sydney Freeland is an impressive director with an eye for detail. Not only did she direct an episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, but she also lent her talents to Marvel's Echo, helming four of the series' five episodes along with executive producing it.

The series helped introduce viewers to the world of Maya Lopez, played by Alaqua Cox, who made her first on-screen appearance in Hawkeye. Echo broke barriers when it was released by featuring Marvel's first deaf and Indigenous character. Unlike the usual Marvel fare, the series was grittier and had a TV-MA rating. (And ahem, an appearance by little-known Marvel character Daredevil, too.) The show pretty much immediately shot to the top of the Disney+ charts and is a massive success for the streamer.

Several weeks ago, we had the chance to sit down with Freeland over Zoom and discuss everything Maya Lopez and more. The director shared that it was the hardest and most rewarding thing she's ever done. Freeland discussed the vision for the project, including how the heart of the series was the relationship between Maya and Kingpin, along with bringing the character home to Oklahoma. She talked about how she got on board with Echo, and it started with an e-mail from fellow directors Bert and Bertie. Read ahead for the full interview. But if you haven't seen Echo yet, beware, there are some spoilers ahead. (And what are you waiting for, anyway?)

Host: Ayla Ruby

Theme: "Coffee and You" via Pixabay.

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

Happy Pride Month dear readers! It's that time of year to celebrate everything Queer! Over here at The Cosmic Circus, we're excited to share in the celebration with a very special podcast featuring some of our Queer contributors to the site, highlighting some of the LGBTQ+ media they've consumed since last Pride!

Join host Brian Kitson and fellow writers Cameron Brook and Izzy Friedman as they discuss some of their favorite Queer media. The trio discusses Challengers, Interview With the Vampire, Heartstopper, Dead Boy Detectives, Our Flag Means Death, All of Us Strangers, Saltburn, Doctor Who, Star Wars, and more!

• Brian Kitson
• Izzy Friedman
• Cameron Brook

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 6/9/24

Find the companion article to this podcast at https://thecosmiccircus.com

Bruce Willis is a name synonymous with Hollywood blockbusters and almost every genre of projects you can think of. Yet, for many, accessing the full spectrum of his cinematic achievements can be as challenging. Thankfully, Sean O’Connell’s new biography focused on Bruce Willis and his acting past, offers a comprehensive and engaging journey through the star’s illustrious career. From his early days and successes to more recent projects. 

In his insightful biography titled Bruce Willis: Celebrating the Cinematic Legacy of an Unbreakable Hollywood Icon, Sean O’Connell delves into Willis’ rise from humble beginnings to his status as a global icon, providing fans with a rich and detailed story about his acting life. Through exclusive interviews and meticulous research, O’Connell explored Willis’ most iconic roles, his personal life, and the impact he had on the film industry. This book is a must-read for anyone eager to fully appreciate the legacy of Bruce Willis.

Find this book on Amazon or most places books are sold.

Host/Interviewer: Wiktor Reinfuss

Theme: "Coffee and You" via Pixabay.

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

I've had the immense privilege of knowing Monique Asher for over a decade, having met her through some friends, one of whom was her younger sister. Throughout the years, she has worn many hats, such as mother, wife, and therapist. However, one hobby and passion that she kept coming back to was writing, which began at such a young age (as you learn in the interview!). Not one to give up on her dreams easily, she's pushed through and her debut novel, Don't Eat the Pie, comes out September 24, 2024, with more novels already on the way! I was able to sit down with Asher to discuss this novel as well as various other topics.

In the interview, listen to when Asher got her start with writing and how it developed into her budding career as a published author, what her developmental process has been for Don't Eat the Pie, and what else she has in the pipeline writing-wise over the next few years. She also discusses how her time as a therapist has helped to foster her writing, and talks about her spooky podcast Stay the Night (@Staythenightpod), which she hosts with her sister. And like the true horror fanatic that she is, Asher shares some of her current favorite scary novels. Check out the interview!

Monique Asher's novel, Don't Eat the Pie, is available for preorder most places books are avaiilable! Let us know on social media @mycomsiccircus if you plan on checking out this upcoming novel!

Find this book on Amazon or most places books are sold.

Host/Interviewer: Brian Kitson

Theme: "Coffee and You" via Pixabay.

You can find out more about the author and upcoming books at her official website, www.moniqueasher.com/

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

I recently spoke with Executive Producer, Director, Writer Liz W. Garcia about her new film Space Cadet, a comedy about second chances, chasing your dreams, and what it takes to become NASA astronaut! The hilarious new comedy releases on Prime Video next month July 4, 2024 and stars Emma Roberts, Gabrielle Union, and Tom Hopper.

Host/Interviewer: Lizzie Hill

Theme: "Coffee and You" via Pixabay.

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

You can find the video to this interview on The Cosmic Circus YouTube channel https://youtu.be/B_Ghz288oMI?si=lPFuw27llGq2pMN7

• Brian Kitson
• Wiktor Reinfuss
• Cameron Brook

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 6/29/2024

Find the companion article to this podcast at https://thecosmiccircus.com

Audible has been one of the leaders in the industry for audiobooks, with a one-stop shop for any title you can imagine. They've also branched out into original programming, such as Impact Winter from Travis Beacham (Pacific Rim) and executive producers of The Walking Dead. I sat down with actress Christina Chong (La'an Noonien-Singh in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) about her role in Impact Winter's third season.

In this interview, Christina Chong discusses what drew her to this series and how her mysterious new character factors into the larger mythos of this Audible original. Chong discusses how recording an audio drama differs from acting on screen, how she gets into character, and the challenges and rewards she experienced with recording her first audio drama. Also, find out just how she would fare if she lived in the world of Impact Winter! Check out the interview below!

Host/Interviewer: Brian Kitson

Theme: "Coffee and You" via Pixabay.

Find the companion article to this podcast on thecosmiccircus.com

After seven weeks of mystery, The Acolyte has wrapped up its first season on Disney+. Set during the end of the High Republic era, this Star Wars series was the first live-action show to break out of the Skywalker-dominated time period viewers often find themselves in. Between secret twins, sexy Sith, and the Jedi Order’s shockingly poor decision-making, The Acolyte was never a dull time! 

Join host Uday Kataria (X: @GoldenNinja3000) and his guests Vic (X: @Eridrexalkee) and Cam (X: @camandfilm) as they dive into the secrets uncovered in The Acolyte and what they mean for the past and future of Star Wars. This episode discusses everyone’s favorite parts of the show, what we could see in a potential Acolyte season 2, and what we all thought of Osha, Mae, Sol, and Qimir by the end of this breakneck series. 

• Uday Kataria
• Wiktor Reinfuss
• Cameron Brook

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 7/21/2024

Find the companion article to this podcast at https://thecosmiccircus.com

Deadpool and Wolverine has finally arrived, and we're beyond excited about this film. Not only does it have the responsibility of furthering the story of the MCU, but it also serves as a closing chapter of the 20th Century Fox universe of Marvel characters. So naturally, we had to have a podcast about it! (Spoiler warning!)

Join host and head writer Brian Kitson and fellow writers Anthony Flagg and Alex Perez as they discuss every exciting detail of this newest Marvel Studios offering. Did they think Deadpool and Wolverine was a good movie? What were some of their favorite parts? And just where do they think we'll see these two mutants again in the MCU? This is definitely not a podcast you want to miss, as Alex Perez shares some juicy details about what's next for our favorite merch with the mouth and his newfound family. Enjoy!

• Brian Kitson
• Anthony Flagg
• Alex Perez

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 7/28/2024

Find the companion article to this podcast at https://thecosmiccircus.com

San Diego Comic-Con is one of the most significant pop culture events of the year, and this year's celebration was especially hot if you are a Marvel fan! It feels like forever since the last Hall H presentation from the studio back in 2022, so it was electric to have Marvel front and center once again. Marvel's Hall H panel this year focused mainly on three of their upcoming projects: Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and Fantastic Four: First Steps and also had some big reveals for Avengers 5 and 6.  In episode 61 of The Cosmic Circle, podcast host Brian Kitson with fellow writers Anthony Flagg and Alex Perez discuss reveals from the panel.  Insider Alex Perez also shares some of what he knows about the future of the MCU and how the Multiverse Saga will come to a close, so beware of spoilers in this podcast!

• Brian Kitson
• Anthony Flagg
• Alex Perez

• Lizzie Hill

Find the companion article to this podcast at https://thecosmiccircus.com

John Dotson of The Cosmic Circus reviews Love Lies Bleeding starring Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian and Ed Harris.

Find the video of this review at our YouTube channel @thecosmiccircus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvMGTKokla4

For more reviews and interviews from The Cosmic Circus visit https://thecosmiccircus.com

John Dotson of The Cosmic Circus reviews Monkey Man from producer Jordan Peele and directed by and starring Dev Patel.

The video review can be found at our YouTube channel @thecosmiccircus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXf8HeBEfZY

For nerdy news, reviews, interviews, and more visit The Cosmic Circus at https://www.thecosmiccircus.com !

New Neon thriller/horror film Longlegs staring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage and was written and directed by Osgood Perkins. Find out what John had to say about this new film here.

For Max's review of Longlegs visit https://thecosmiccircus.com/longlegs-review-neon/

Find the full video review on YouTube @thecosmiccircus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFMu4Yaws6U

For more nerdy pop culture coverage, including movie and TV news, reviews, and interviews by The Cosmic Circus contributors visit https://www.thecosmiccircus.com

Twisters starring Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones and directed by Lee Isaac Chung! Check out Vin and John's thoughts on the sequel film, what worked and what didn't, and comparisons to the original Twister film (1996). 

Find the video review on YouTube @theCosmicCircus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMvSpoQ8tEU

For John's review of Twisters: https://thecosmiccircus.com/twisters-review-universal/

Brian's review of Twisters and his ScreenX experience: https://thecosmiccircus.com/review-twisters-screenx-experience/

Vin's review of the Twisters 4DX experience https://youtu.be/ZWMx448WIbk?si=hE2nI4THQ1lJ6B_I