Yung Phil and Jen tackle the week’s loudest geek stories—live with a crowd. We kick off with Stranger Things spin-off chatter (possibly with a Twin Peaks vibe), Rey leading a new Jedi Order, and a Gotham tale about a low-level goon who might accidentally take down Batman. Spider-Man rumors swirl—Scorpion suit sightings, Punisher crossovers, Venom possibilities—plus animated plans for R-rated Venom and Spider-Woman, a TV-MA Marvel Zombies run, and hopes for a Maximum Carnage arc.

Casting buzz: Dave Bautista in Highlander, Sebastian Stan in a Romanian Frankenstein, Matt Smith in Starfighter with Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth, and Demon Slayer’s Infinity Castle arc with Channing Tatum and Rebecca Wang. In news, Netflix revives TJ Hooker, AMC trims pre-show ads, Disney+ cancels Goosebumps, and Gina Carano settles with Disney. We close with a bigger industry talk on the Skydance-Paramount deal, Disney’s IP strategy, and whether studios are truly funding new stories.

Episode flow:

00:00 Live show disclaimer & cold open

00:51 Show intro / where to listen

04:00 Geek Freaks Network shoutouts & binges

09:02 Stranger Things final season & spin-off rumor

13:02 Star Wars—Rey’s Jedi Order, clone lore, Luke’s hand

19:19 DCU—Henchman story nod to “The Man Who Killed Batman”

22:12 Spider-Man street saga: Scorpion, Punisher, Venom, Hand

28:12 Animated Venom & Spider-Woman with Seth Rogen; Maximum Carnage hopes

33:01 Marvel Zombies TV-MA led by Scarlet Witch

38:02 Highlander update; Road House 2

41:24 Frankenstein with Sebastian Stan

42:10 Starfighter casting news

43:30 Demon Slayer dub casting & release

48:16 Netflix’s TJ Hooker movie

49:59 AMC trims pre-show ads

52:33 Disney+ cancels Goosebumps

53:56 Gina Carano settlement

60:33 Darth Vader lightsaber hilt auction

62:08 Jon Bernthal wraps Punisher special

64:08 James Marsden returns as Cyclops in Avengers: Doomsday

67:02 Lanterns’ Sinestro update

68:40 Peacemaker S2 ties to new DCU

70:28 Industry zoom-out on Skydance, Paramount, Disney

Hot takes & themes:

• A moody Stranger Things spin-off could lean into cryptic vibes.

• Rey’s New Jedi Order may finally define a post-Skywalker era—if it embraces moral grey areas.

• A Gotham goon tale works if it channels Sid the Squid without copying it.

• Spider-Man’s street-level era could test Peter’s optimism against Punisher’s brutality.

• Animated Spider projects can push tone further than live action.

• Marvel Zombies TV-MA is a safe horror testbed for Marvel.

• Casting news shows momentum across fandoms—from Highlander to Demon Slayer.

• AMC’s ad cuts score points with moviegoers.

• The Carano settlement sparks debate on studio guardrails.

• Big picture: Bold IP roadmaps mean nothing if new stories don’t get greenlit.

Pull quotes:

• “We are here to nerd together.”

• “Are we entering a cryptic era of Hawkins, or is this smoke with no upside down fire?”

• “Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.”

• “I want to see an unhinged, monstrous Carnage.”

• “If he doesn’t monologue about fear while floating, is he even Sinestro?”

• “This is going to get dark. Really dark.”

If you enjoyed the episode, follow or subscribe, leave a quick five-star review, and share with a friend. Post your takes with #GeekFreaksNetwork for a feature on the next show.

News hub & show notes: ⁠https://geekfreakspodcast.com⁠

More from us: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Distancenerding⁠ | ⁠https://gfpods.com/distance-nerding/⁠

Apple Podcasts Tags: Geek Freaks, Distance Nerding, Stranger Things, Twin Peaks, Star Wars, Rey, Jedi Order, DCU, Batman, Joker, Spider-Man, Venom, Scorpion, Punisher, Daredevil, Marvel Zombies, Highlander, Dave Bautista, Henry Cavill, Sebastian Stan, Frankenstein, Matt Smith, Starfighter, Demon Slayer, Channing Tatum, AMC Theatres, Goosebumps, Gina Carano, Darth Vader lightsaber, Jon Bernthal, Punisher, James Marsden, Cyclops, Sinestro, Lanterns, Peacemaker, Paramount, Skydance, Disney, A24