Our monthly round-up of the buzziest entertainment releases. This month: Venom: The Last Dance, Wicked, and more.

Movies

Venom: The Last Dance

Eddie Brock/Venom (Tom Hardy) is one of the most popular comic book villains/anti-heroes and, alongside Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus, among the biggest foes in Spider-Man’s rogues gallery. So it was only a matter of time before he made the way to the big screen.

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) began in 2018 with Venom, and after a sequel in 2021, the symbiote and his human host are back for one last go-round.

Eddie and Venom have formed an inseparable bond, but this is tested when they become fugitives and must evade multiple parties. Scientists working with the military are tracking Eddie to capture the symbiote while the Klyntar, aliens from Venom’s home planet, ramp up their invasion of Earth. Our beloved anti-hero pair must defeat threats, both terrestrial and extraterrestrial, in their biggest adventure yet.

Carnage, the titular villain of the previous movie Venom: Let There Be Carnage, was a formidable villain, but the stakes are even higher as this movie delves deeper into the rich comic book lore surrounding the symbiotes. Director Kelly Marcel, who co-wrote the script with Hardy, tells IGN: “Carnage was one bad symbiote and definitely a classic Venom rival, but the comics are rife with villains. We knew we wanted to step up our game with the threat in this movie, so we brought out the big guns to bring a much bigger challenge, not only to Eddie and Venom but to our world.”

While Hardy says this will be his last time playing Eddie/Venom, story points that are set up in this movie could well lead to further symbiote-centric SSU movies, especially since the evil symbiote deity Knull makes an appearance.

Wicked

For over two decades, the stage musical Wicked has been captivating audiences on Broadway, the West End, and international tours. Featuring a book by Winnie Holzman, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and based on Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the musical is a prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. After years of development, a feature film adaptation, directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights), has finally materialised.

Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a young woman who is ostracised for her green skin, meets the privileged and popular Galinda (Ariana Grande) at Shiz University in the Land of Oz. While initially disliking each other, Elphaba and Galinda (who becomes Glinda the Good) form an unlikely friendship. After meeting the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum), their paths diverge as they find themselves playing roles in an Oz-wide conspiracy. The movie also stars Jonathan Bailey as the dashing prince Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Shiz headmistress Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as the Munchkin Boq, and Marissa Rose as Elphaba’s sister Nessarose.

At the time of writing, some online commenters have noted, just based off the trailer, that Grande seems to be imitating Kristin Chenoweth (who played Glinda in the Wicked Broadway musical), and others have criticised an early/teaser version of “Defying Gravity”, performed by Erivo in the film, as off-pitch. But many reactions to early screenings of the film have been positive.

Wicked will be followed by Wicked Part Two, due for a November 2025 release.

Red One

You better watch out; you better not cry. Better not pout; I’m telling you why. Santa Claus … has been kidnapped! And there’s only one man who can save him. Well, two men and a polar bear.

In this holiday action movie, Santa Claus (J. K. Simmons), codename ‘Red One’, gets abducted by mysterious forces. Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson), who heads the North Pole’s E.L.F. (Extremely Large and Formidable) security task force, recruits bounty hunter Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans) to help him track down Santa. E.L.F. Agent Garcia (Reinaldo Faberlle), a giant polar bear man, is none too fond of Jack, but he’s the best shot they have at saving Christmas. The cast also includes Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, and Kristofer Hivju.

Red One is directed by Jake Kasdan, who previously worked with Johnson on Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level. The movie could be the first in a potential franchise, with future entries based around the mythology of other holidays.

TV

The Penguin

When the 2022 Matt Reeves-directed reboot of the Batverse, The Batman, first came out, the audience was blown away by Colin Farrell’s take on the iconic villain, the Penguin. Farrell, thoroughly transformed by spectacular makeup, embodies the role right down to a suitably fitting NYC/North Jersey mob accent.

This isn’t your typical comic book cartoon villain show, either. Like the film it was spun off from, The Penguin is set in a gritty Gotham where anarchic violence rules the streets. Farrell’s portrayal of the Penguin might just be the best iteration of the role. His Penguin is full of shades of grey, an under-loved and underdog crime lord who reveals glimpses of possible goodness that conflict with his violent desires. Often, the penchant for violence wins out, resulting in several gruesome scenes.

While Farrell puts up a terrific performance, it is Cristin Milioti who steals the show. She plays Sofia Falcone, the serial killer daughter of deceased mob boss Carmine Falcone (Mark Strong plays the younger version of the character, replacing John Turturro from the film). Sofia is unhinged but struggling for control, and Milioti makes full use of facial expressions, voice, body language, and presence to portray a truly ruthless and creepy villain.

Dune: Prophecy

Can’t get enough of Dune? We don’t blame you. Denis Villeneuve’s rousing two-part sci-fi (Dune and Dune: Part Two) blockbuster, based on the classic Frank Herbert book of the same name, was a critical and commercial success, proving that it is possible to marry smarts with mass appeal. Good news, then, that a TV spin-off will be premiering later this month.

Villeneuve is not attached to Dune: Prophecy, but the production company behind the films, Legendary Entertainment, is backing the project. So you can expect massive sets, grand spectacle, and political intrigue.

Set 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet in the films), Dune: Prophecy follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit.

While the series is inspired by the novel Sisterhood of Dune, written by Frank Herbert’s son, Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson, it takes creative liberties where needed and contains events not included in the books. Will it be able to stay true to the source material while fleshing out a story that’s not depicted in the books? We’ll just have to tune in to find out.