What to know

• Ridley Scott confirms Alien and Blade Runner TV series in the works… We already knew Alien was on its way (from FX and Noah Hawley(!)) but word of a Blade Runner show is news. Scott confirms a pilot and show bible have been written. I think some of the mystique of Blade Runner is in its simplicity and what it doesn’t reveal or over explain about its world — so it will be interesting to see how it converts to a longer format. 👽

• Delroy Lindo joins Marvel’s Blade… Lindo has been turning out stellar performances for decades, but between The Good Fight, Da 5 Bloods, and The Harder They Fall, it feels like he’s entering a new stage of his career and awareness as a household name. Fitting then that Marvel should come calling. 🧛🏾

• Natasha Liu Bordizzo to play Sabine Wren in Ahsoka series… Ahsoka is the number one Star Wars thing I’m most looking forward to in the next few years. Let this be your motivation to watch Rebels and learn why confirmation of Sabine in the Rosario Dawson-led series is a big deal. ✨

• Peacock drops 6-minute MacGruber promo, Dec 16 release date… He’s back! The MacGruber series, an apparent sequel to the hilarious 2010 film, is coming to Peacock Dec. 16. Rather than a traditional trailer, the NBCU streaming platform has a released an extended prologue of sorts. It’s very funny and very dirty, you’ve been warned. 🦚

• Trolls 3 sets exclusive theatrical run for 2023… Remember when Universal announced Trolls World Tour would skip theaters and everyone lost their damn minds believing it was the harbinger of the end of cinemas? Yeah, me neither. The next Trolls movie is will be in theaters and only theaters in 2023. 🎞

• We Are Lady Parts renewed for second season at Peacock… It’s a Thanksgiving miracle! This is delightful news and hopefully motivates more people to go check out season one. 🎸

• Kathleen Kennedy says there are plans for Star Wars sequel trilogy characters… Outside of Lego specials and theme park tie-ins? I’ll believe it when I see it. 🌌

• A Power Rangers cinematic universe of movies and TV series is coming to Netflix… They just keep trying to make the Power Rangers happen. 🍿

For more pop culture news, discussion, and what-to-watch recommendations subscribe to my pals over on the Kickball Friends podcast. 🎙

What’s new this week:

• Jonas Brothers Family Roast — Nov 23 Netflix comedy special | 🍅

• Hawkeye — Nov 24 Disney+ Marvel series | 🍅

• True Story — Nov 24 Netflix drama series with Kevin Hart | 🍅 60%

• House of Gucci — Nov 24 in theaters drama film | 🍅

• Encanto — Nov 24 in theaters Disney animated musical | 🍅 94%

• The Beatles: Get Back — Nov 25 Disney+ music doc series | 🍅

• South Park: Post Covid — Nov 25 Paramount+ animated special | 🍅

• 8-Bit Christmas — Nov 25 HBO Max holiday comedy movie | 🍅

• How to With John Wilson s2 — Nov 26 HBO Max comedy series | 🍅

• Licorice Pizza — Nov 26 limited theaters drama film | 🍅 94%

What to watch:

There are three clear reasons to watch Lin-Manuel Miranda’s startlingly good directorial debut tick, tick… BOOM!, now on Netflix. The first is Andrew Garfield. Garfield is a tour de force as Jonathan Larson. He is 6 feet deep into the late Rent writer’s psyche, fully inhabiting the man’s disquieting genius and relentless passion. He is commanding and confident—especially when required to sing Larson’s songs—but equally vulnerable and grounded in the story’s very real emotions. This being an autobiography of sorts, it’s obvious to say the movie (and the appropriate telling of Larson’s life) rested on Garfield’s shoulders. He carries it with care and verve.

The second reason is how it serves as an overstuffed love letter to musical theater and Larson’s contributions. Lin-Manuel Miranda was the perfect person to direct this movie, not only because of the direct influence Jonathan Larson left on him, but because of his proven devotion and encyclopedic knowledge of musical theater and its place in New York culture. Never one to shy away from an easter egg or fifty, Lin-Manuel Miranda packs the movie with references, cameos, and winks big and small. All those nods are fun for fans, gives the movie added authenticity, and smartly acknowledge Larson’s importance in the Broadway canon. Miranda also directed the hell out of this thing, proving once again how annoyingly talented he is. It’s a truly remarkable directorial debut. And maybe Hollywood should let him remake the Rent movie?

The third reason is what the story has to say about the creative process and following your dreams. These themes are all over Larson’s work, and serve as the pre-existing backbone of tick, tick… BOOM!, but Miranda and screenwriter Steven Levenson do a phenomenal job portraying them. If you’ve ever found yourself at the crossroads of following your passion or taking a safer, more convenient route, you will find this movie relatable. It does an excellent job of capturing the difficulties of following your dreams and failing hard before you make it. But the movie’s real genius is how it puts that struggle up against life’s ticking clock, which of course complicates our choices (a familiar theme for Miranda). By confronting dreams vs. reality in multiple characters, tick, tick… BOOM! brings nuance not usually seen in movie musicals.

2021 has been a banner year for movie musicals, 4 of which involved Lin-Manuel Miranda. In The Heights was wonderful and it appears Spielberg’s West Side Story will satisfy — but when it all shakes out, I’d put money on tick, tick… BOOM! standing above all the rest.

For all past ‘what to watch’ recommendations, see the full list here!