SFX

captain’s log

Honestly, you spend all summer waiting for a blockbuster series to come along and then four – or more – turn up at once. We can barely move for them now, and it shows no signs of slowing down over the next couple of months. Which is brilliant! And that’s before we’ve even looked at the films being released in the run-up to Christmas. So we’ve redecorated slightly to allow more space for as much feature content as we possibly can. The Witcher, His Dark Materials, Watchmen, Harley Quinn, The Mandalorian, they’re all here – we’re the world’s number one sci-fi, fantasy and horror magazine for a reason, after all. We’ve even got a long-delayed on-set feature for The War Of The Worlds. No, really, it’s finally landing on BBC One…

first contact

HE-MAN LOVE-IN Andrew James Magowan, email I was thrilled to see Darren Scott’s love for the Masters Of The Universe movie in your latest issue. I was never that into the cartoon but after catching the movie on VHS in the late ’90s I was hooked. Langella is a highlight, as is man-mountain Dolph Lundgren as He-Man. The score by Bill Conti is just sublime and the supporting cast from Jon Cypher to James Tolkan all make this movie into more than the sum of its parts. It definitely deserves more love than it gets. It’s made with enough competence that you can like it, and enough incompetence that you can love it. And I love it. SFX Darren would bump fists with you but he’s currently gazing in rapture at his Castle…

sfx

December 2019 | Issue 320 Future PLC, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA Editor Darren Scott (DS) darren.scott@futurenet.com Deputy Editor Ian Berriman (IB) ian.berriman@futurenet.com Art Editor Jonathan Coates jonathan.coates@futurenet.com Production Editor Iain Noble iain.noble@futurenet.com Editor-at-large Nick Setchfield US Editor Tara Bennett (TB) Contributors Sam Ashurst, Kimberley Ballard, Jim Blakey, Dave Bradley, Saxon Bullock, Dom Carter, Nick Chen, Nicola Clarke, Paul Cockburn, Sarah Dobbs, Penny Dreadful, Rhian Drinkwater, Richard Edwards (RE), Rosie Fletcher, Dave Golder, Stephen Jewell (SJ), Stephen Kelly, Catherine Kirkpatrick, Russell Lewin, James Mottram (JM), Jayne Nelson, Steve O’Brien, Andrew Osmond, Tanavi Patel (TP), Richard Purden, Brian J Robb, Will Salmon, Kenny Smith (KS), Jack Shepherd, Jamie Tabberer, Adam Tanswell (AT), Heather Wald, James White, Josh Winning, Jonathan Wright Film Group, London Group Editor-in-Chief Jane Crowther Deputy Editor Matt Maytum Art Editor Mike Brennan Reviews Editor Matthew Leyland News Editor Jordan Farley Production Editor Erlingur Einarsson Cover images The Witcher: © Netflix. His Dark Materials: © BBC/HBO The…

red alert

DECEMBER 2019 HARRY CHRISTMAS Build that festive anticipation to breaking point with this Funko Harry Potter Pocket Pop! Advent Calendar (say it out loud and savour those exploding consonants). Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the Hogwarts massive are hiding behind the doors, recreated as 24 ickle plastic figures. Count down to Christmas with the knowledge this is JK Rowling’s Wizarding World – we just live in it… £39.99, popinabox.co.uk GREY POWER Bruce Banner’s trouser-tattering alter-ego is immortalised in a Marvel Legends Series 80th Anniversary Exclusive Grey Hulk. Standing a mighty 8.5 inches high – plenty big enough to duff up Ant-Man – this limited edition articulated figure is authentically grey, matching the gamma-powered behemoth’s comic book debut. He comes complete with a crushed pipe accessory and a removable torn shirt. Suave! £33.99, hasbropulse.com TO SHELL…

rants & raves

DARREN SCOTT EDITOR RAVES → Joker was a masterpiece. I was completely blown away by it, which I wasn’t expecting at all. → I’ve really been enjoying Creepshow on Shudder – there’s some properly creepy stories and it’s great fun. RANTS → There are so many big new shows and films coming that we can hardly fit them all in the magazine! IAN BERRIMAN DEPUTY EDITOR RAVES → Honoured to have met Malcolm McDowell on the set of Truth Seekers, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s new Amazon TV show. → Drooling slightly at the prospect of Criterion’s 15-film Godzilla box set (due 25 November). → Doctor Who discovery of the month: turns out that in Japan, “Mara” is slang for penis. JONATHAN COATES ART EDITOR RAVES → That new Star Wars trailer. Hello Palpatine, goodbye Threepio, sniff! → Was great to see the puppets…

aerial assault

→ Body horror king David Cronenberg adapting his 2014 debut novel Consumed for Netflix. → Rogue One’s Tony Gilroy writing the pilot of spin-off Cassian Andor and will direct multiple episodes. → Heather Graham joining the CBS All Access adaptation of Stephen King feelgood fave The Stand. → The Walking Dead lurches on – it’s been renewed for an eleventh season in autumn 2020. → Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon to headline Marvel’s occult series Helstrom. It’ll also star Elizabeth Marvel. What are the odds? → Netflix to adapt Jeff Smith’s graphic novel series Bone as an animated kids’ show. → Years And Years’ Maxim Baldry joining The Lord Of The Rings. → James Wan producing Gideon Falls, an urban horror thriller based on the Image Comics title. → Lost In Space season two set to hit Netflix…