Author

Julian Cannon

Julian Cannon is a seasoned entertainment editor with a keen eye for capturing the pulse of the industry. With a career spanning over a decade, he has become a trusted voice in the realm of TV, movies, events, conventions, and red carpets. Julian's expertise lies in delivering insightful commentary on the latest trends, exclusive interviews with industry luminaries, and comprehensive coverage of high-profile events. Twitter: @Julianexcalibur Instagram: @Julianexcalibur Contact: Julian.theknockturnal@gmail.com

EntertainmentThe LatestTV

Exclusive: Powerbook II: Ghost Cast and Executive Producer Talk Season 2

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

STARZ’S Powerbook II: Ghost is set to premiere their second season in a number of weeks. Picking up immediately after the cliffhanger from the previous season, we will now see how Tariq St. Patrick (Michael Rainey Jr.) will handle covering up the murder he committed.

That along with the other stories that we will see on Powerbook II: Ghost that will play out. This includes Davis MacLean (Method Man) and Cooper Saxe (Shane Johnson) forming an unlikely partnership, Monet (Mary J. Blige) trying to keep her family safe and together, Cane (Woody McClain) encountering a new character named Mecca, and much more. There is enough story, politics, violence, and crime that will be furthered explored on this upcoming season.

I recently got the chance to speak with the entire cast of Powerbook II: Ghost as they all dished out the details and what to expect for the upcoming season. I also spoke with executive producer Courtney A. Kemp as she provided details about the filming progress for the second season. Courtney A. Kemp also provided a small update of Powerbook IV: Force as that series will focus on Tommy Egan (Joseph Sikora).

Powerbook II: Ghost will return on November 21, 2021 on STARZ.

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EntertainmentThe LatestTV

Exclusive: Cast and Crew of ‘Animaniacs’ Talk The Second Season [Video]

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

Tom Ruegger created Animaniacs for Fox Kids block in 1993 and moved it to The WB in 1995 until its cancellation in 1998 as part of its Kids’ WB afternoon programming block. In association with Warner Bros. Animation, it is Steven Spielberg’s second animated series produced by his company, Amblin Entertainment. Originally, it had 99 episodes and a feature film titled Wakko’s Wish. There is a large cast of characters on Animaniacs, which is a variety show

The first season of the Animaniacs relaunch streamed on Hulu in 2020. In that same year, it got picked up for a second season. Ahead of the season two premiere of Animaniacs, The show got green-lit for a third season!

Animaniacs on Hulu provided Knockturnal with an opportunity to interact with the cast and crew. Cast members of Animaniacs, which stars gene-spliced lab mice and Warners of whatever kind, help bring the series’ cast to life. 

Voice actors Gabe Swarr (Co-Executive Producer), Tress MacNeille (“Dot Warner”), Jess Harnell (“Wakko Warner”), Rob Paulsen (“Yakko Warner” & “Pinky”) & Maurice LaMarche (“The Brain”)  spoke with us about the enduring legacy of their famous roles. 

As the series has just been renewed for a third season, they discuss their excitement about returning to these characters.

 

 

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EntertainmentThe LatestTV

Exclusive: ‘The Walking Dead World Beyond’ Cast Talk Season 2 [Video]

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

AMC premiered the second season of The Walking Dead: World Beyond on October 3. Season 2 of World Beyond will serve as the series’ final season, which has always been the setup.

A lot of fans of the franchise have mixed reviews for World Beyond’s first season. The flagship series is always compared, but this series is very different from the flagship series. A group of young people discovering life in the aftermath of the apocalypse is the subject of this series. Moreover, they are not in the thick of things, but rather hidden away and protected by walls. After finally venturing out, they are unprepared for what they find.

It has been several months since The Walking Dead: World Beyond’s season 1 finale, but in the show’s timeline it has been as short as a few minutes. In comparison to other series, the cast of World Beyond hasn’t had the opportunity to “grow” in the traditional sense, although the revelations from the end of Season 1 have impacted them in many ways.

In addition to filling in the gaps of what’s happening in other parts of the Walking Dead universe, The Walking Dead: World Beyond was developed as a two-season limited series. With their helicopters and their clandestine missions, Civic Republic (CR) and Civic Republic Military (CRM) have been in focus in this spinoff.

I caught up with cast members Joe Holt, Natalie Gold, Nico Tortorella, Jelani Aladin, and Alexa Mansour as we talked about the second season. With the second season coming to a close soon, everyone is wondering how this will tie in with the unannounced Rick Grimes Movies!

 

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EntertainmentEventsThe Latest

Exclusive: WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam and His Wife Katie Forbes Talk New York Comic Con

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

Rob Van Dam’s twenty five plus year career in the world of professional wrestling speaks for itself. His first break came in Extreme Championship Wrestling back in 1996 when he made his debut. RVD’s unique high-flying style and his character resonated with the hardcore fans. This lead him to win the ECW Television Championship in May of 1998. He held the championship until the year 2000. What is fortunate for him, is that he signed with WWE (Then WWF) in 2001.

His success did not stop there as Rob Van Dam headlined several WWE shows and won numerous of championships on the grand scale. He won his first WWE Championship in 2006 when he defeated John Cena at WWE’s version of ECW One Night Stand.

In early 2021, WWE announced that Rob Van Dam would be an inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame! With his career going from ECW, to WWE, to Impact Wrestling, Rob Van Dam is a perfect candidate for this prestigious honor. Rob Van Dam was officially inducted during the week of WrestleMania 37!

This past week at New York Comic Con, I followed up with RVD and his wife and occasional wrestler Katie Forbes as we talk about New York Comic Con, his action figure collection, and his induction. It was RVD’s first appearance at New York Comic Con and he and Katie Forbes were excited to see the fans!

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EntertainmentThe Latest

Exclusive: Cast and Showrunners Talk Y: The Last Man at New York Comic Con

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

Y: The Last Man’s cast and crew describe the feeling they get when talking about their experiences together in a single word, which would be community. Each member of the cast, crew and showrunners repeated how close they felt to their fellow cast members.

As you know, The Last Man is based on the hit Vertigo comic by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. The post-apocalyptic show was set to begin recording in April of 2020, but was delayed due to the pandemic. This is how actor Ben Schnetzer, who plays Yorick Brown, Y of Y: The Last Man, described it: “I remember the first call. They’re going to delay it for two weeks. Cut to seven months later.” Julianna Canfield, who portrays Beth Deville in Y: The Last Man, said: We were supposed to start on April 13, 2020, but then we didn’t know if we’d get to make the show at all. All of us were just so happy to be working and be on set after all this time sitting and wondering if we ever would.”

A lengthy quarantine was required once cast and crew had arrived on set due to quarantine requirements and travel restrictions.Nina Jacobson, the Executive Producer on Y: The Last Man explained, “We were trapped in Toronto for the entirety of the shoot. If you left, you had to quarantine.” We asked what it was like to be stuck in Toronto, actress Ashley Romans had this to say: “I didn’t feel constricted by the city of Toronto, but did feel constricted about the border being closed. It felt claustrophobic.” However, Nina Jacobson added: “The pandemic created an incredibly close camaraderie” along with the benefits of filming during the pandemic.

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

As Juliana Canfield explains, she was worried about disappointing long-time fans, saying “Going into a property with such a dedicated fan base, I was worried. But I’ve seen such a thumb’s up from the fans.” She had never read the original source material and won’t begin until the show is over. As she explained, “I never read the comics before I got the part. I went into the audition very context free. I’m just going to stick to the scripts and when we’re finished, then I’ll go and read them as a fan out of pure interest.”

On the other hand, showrunner Eli Clark has definitely read the comic. Even though it was her favorite comic, she felt it needed an update for today’s audience. She added, “I think the conversation about gender diversity is different in 2021.” Half the population dying doesn’t mean the patriarchy or white supremacy will disappear. Although gender is altered, it still sheds light on what it is.”

Y: The Last Man was also influenced by current day politics. Eli said, “I was thinking about the conspiratorial mindset of America right now.” Eli is happy that comic book fans won’t know what to expect.

 

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EntertainmentEvents

The Beauty of Blackness in Pro Wrestling Panel at New York Comic Con

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

There is one panel that I wanted to cover at New York Comic Con. That is, The Beauty of Blackness in Pro Wrestling.

The panelists were Abdullah Malik, Cameron Hawkins, Faye Jackson, Jordan Rose, and Kazeem Famuyide. The major topic of discussion pertained to bringing awareness to the lack of diversity in the professional wrestling industry. This ranges from bookers who are non-white, promoters, agents, and much more.

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

My biggest takeaway from this event was to see the panel’s audience made up of different backgrounds. I could tell that the audience was not just there to wait for another panel. The crowd wanted to be there, as it was important for them to hear the panelists discuss what they have seen personally happen to themselves and other African American wrestlers in the large scale of the WWE or on the independent circuit. I was happy to witness this.

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

While the panel was going on, AEW superstar Maxwell Jacob Freidman interrupted the panel and even asked the audience for questions. He was in character the entire time and I must say, the panelists automatically disapproved of him crashing their panel. He did not stay for long. Faye Jackson, Jacob Rose, and even Cameron Hawkins were not thrilled to see him. Luckily, the panel continued after this brief interruption.

The beauty of Blackness in Pro Wrestling panel is available online. It is a must-watch as the most important black voices in wrestling talk about why black wrestling and wrestlers matter!

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Events

The Best Cosplay From New York Comic Con 2021

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

The Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan was flooded with pop culture fans of all ages for New York Comic Con 2021 after it was canceled due to pandemic restrictions last year. Despite the decreased crowd this year for safety, there was still plenty of fun and amazing cosplay to go around.

During the week of New York Comic Con, I did some searching for cosplayers to be in this featured piece. Here are photo highlights of the incredible cosplay I found at New York Comic Con.

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

 

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Wonder Woman is here! And in style! Even with a lack of DC presence at New York Comic Con, the cosplay is still strong. You can follow this one on Instagram @tayamillerr.

 

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Speaking of the DC Universe, this cosplayer did her take on Harley Quinn. This look is based on the 2020 film Birds of Prey. That includes the jacket and the hammer!

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

One of the most iconic characters of Mortal Kombat is Liu Kang. This version of Liu Kang is based on Mortal Kombat 3! No dragons were hurt at the time this photo was shot.

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Marvel’s What If…? premiered on Disney+ back in the summer. Their first episode featured a story about Agent Carter. This cosplayer brought the character to life with the costume and shield. You can follow her on Instagram @darthjuliet

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Even though AMC’s The Walking Dead did not have a panel at this year’s New York Comic Con, that did not stop The Walking Dead family from bringing out the cosplay. From the left to the right is Fear The Walking Dead’s Virginia, The Walking Dead: World Beyond’s Huck and Felix, and Negan from the main show. If you are wondering why Felix is holding a Mountain Dew, it is because one of the episodes of World Beyond featured an unexpected product placement spot for the beverage. The cosplayers here are @kaitehardenofficial, @spoonanza, @soonengartens, and @jessicatcos.

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

It is rare to see female cosplayers as male wrestlers. This one however, is awesome. Cactus Jack is one of the personalities created by Mick Foley. The cosplayer here, @marj.jpg, got it from the top to the bottom with the blood, flannel shirt, and even the bat. This person is also a professional cake sculptor, as she produced several cakes that are wrestling related. One of her cakes appeared on the 25th anniversary of Monday Night RAW!

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

The amount of work done on this Steampunk Batman cosplay is beyond flawless. I was stunned to see this in front of my eyes. No words can describe what is displayed here!

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

X-Men’s Cable is here! The cosplayer @scottyb_cosplay told me it took nearly 40 hours to get the material done for his Cable outfit. I love the detail on this costume!

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Supergirl and Arrow are here representing the Arrowverse! The cosplayer in this photo is @beccatab

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Dr. Strange and Clea are here! What I like about this cosplay the most is the accuracy to their appearance in the 1960’s.

We will be back for the 2022 edition of New York Comic Con for more cosplay like this!

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EntertainmentThe Latest

The Cast of Doom Patrol Appears at the HBO MAX Activation Site at New York Comic Con

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

HBO Max had an activation site to open  New York Comic Con today. It was themed as DC Universe’s Doom Patrol.

As part of its promotion for Season 3 of Doom Patrol, which premiered on September 23, HBO Max staged a carnival-themed activation at the New York Comic Con from October 7 – 10.

Under the 18-foot-high big top tent, you can play four interactive carnival games. You can choose from Cliff’s Slot Car Speedway with custom slot cars featuring characters from Doom Patrol, Larry’s Negative Energy Maze, Vic Stone’s Cyborg Claw Machine, and Rita Farr’s Elasti-Mirrors. 

In addition to the Doom Patrol t-shirts, a comic book, a stuffed giraffe, and Doom Patrol pins, there are a variety of Doom Patrol prizes available during the convention week at this activation. On the first day of New York Comic Con however, attendees were in for a treat. 

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Cast members of Doom Patrol Joivan Wade (Cyborg), April Bowlby (Elasti-Girl), and Michelle Gomez (Madame Rouge) made a surprise appearance at the activation, exciting many fans. Twitch streamer ManvsGame interviewed the three today and the topic of discussion was the current season of the show. After the interview, the cast signed autographs for fans and even played some of the games at the activation.

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Photo Credit: Julian Cannon

Be sure to check out the Doom Patrol activation at New York Comic Con! You do not want to miss all of the games.

Doom Patrol’s third season is currently streaming on HBO Max.

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EntertainmentThe LatestTVVideo

Exclusive: Stephen Amell, Alexander Ludwig & Cast Talk ‘Heels’ on STARZ [Video]

by Julian Cannon
written by Julian Cannon

As the world of professional wrestling is slowly going back to the level of the pre-pandemic days, STARZ network decided to make their way into the squared circle with Heels. Heels is STARZ’s take on the high and lows of the industry as a whole. The story follows Jack Spade (Stephen Amell) and his younger brother Ace (Alexander Ludwig), as they face the challenges of upholding their father’s legacy in professional wrestling after he passes away suddenly.

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