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The official trailer for the third installment of the Deadpool franchise has just dropped, and Hugh Jackman's beloved Wolverine is not the only familiar face popping up. Let's get into all the exciting details you may have missed in this action-packed teaser. WARNING: This review contains spoilers for X-Men '97. The Return of Wolverine We open with Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) approaching Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in a bar, with a shot that seems to be a nod at the upcoming videogame Marvel's Wolverine by Insomniac Games. The bartender tells Logan, "You're not welcome here. You're not welcome anywhere." This remark could either be in reference to his mutant status, or rather be hinting at something this Logan has done in the past. In this film, it appears Deadpool is facing the destruction of his universe, including all the people he loves and cares about. Wolverine, (in Wolverine fashion) exclaims that's not his "f***** problem". Logan has frequently been jaded and slow to action, but Paradox played by Matthew Macfadyen clues us into what happened to this Wolverine. Apparently he let down his entire world, likely resulting in the death of all the mutant family he has grown to love. Connections to Marvel's Loki In the trailer, we see not one, but two nods to Marvel's time-jumping series, Loki. In the trailer, we first see Wolverine and Deadpool fighting in the Void. Previously seen in Loki Seasons 1 and 2, the Void is a point at the end of time where things pruned by the TVA (Time Variance Authority) end up. Additionally, we see the return of Alioth, the trans-temporal entity that is the Void's guardian. Our Antagonist Emma Corrin is our villain, Cassandra Nova. If you aren't an avid comic reader, this name may be unfamiliar. Cassandra Nova made her mark in New X-Men (2001). She is the twin sister of Charles Xavier, and his spiritual and moral opposite. Xavier recognized her evil and attempted to kill her in the womb, (yes, in the womb) but she survived. As an adult, she would go on to unleash deadly Sentinels on Genosha, slaughtering the mutant population—as similarly seen in episode 5 of X-Men '97. Like Xavier, she has telekinetic abilities, which we see as she faces off against Wolverine with embarrassing ease. New and Familiar Faces If you have a keen eye, you likely caught the return of a number of familiar faces. Firstly, we find out that Cassandra Nova has made her home in a decomposed skull of beloved hero, Ant-Man/Scott Lang. This is a confirmation that Cassandra Nova will be as casually cruel as she is in the comics. It wouldn't be a Deadpool and Wolverine movie without some mutants. There are a number of returning mutants we see standing before Cassandra Nova's skull base. From left to right in the establishing shot, we are able to make out the return of Callisto, Lady Deathstrike, Azazel, and Toad. Previously, we saw the return of Pyro (Aaron Stanford), which goes to show this movie is filled with deep cuts that will please fans of Fox's X-Men films. Additionally, Punisher villain, the Russian, also makes an appearance in the trailer. While fans may remember Kevin Nash's portrayal of the character in The Punisher (2004), the Russian we see in the trailer is portrayed by someone else. It is quite possible that this is just a variant, and this Russian variant is portrayed by the stunt actor Billy Clements per his resume, who has worked on several Marvel productions as a stunt performer. Other Easter Eggs Dogpool is an animal version of Wade Wilson, first appearing in Prelude to Deadpool Corps #3 (2010). In the comics, Wilson the dog obtains the same powers as Deadpool after acting as a test subject for what was supposed to be a self-replenishing mascara. In a quick shot, we see the Red Skull's Coupe from Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), but with the Hydra logo replaced with an Iron Man one. Could we see the return of either the crimson supervillain or Avenger, respectively? As Wolverine and Deadpool walk out to an upcoming threat, we see a nod towards one of Deadpool's co-creators, Rob Liefeld. Behind them, a storefront reads "Liefeld's Just Feet", a reference towards the running joke that Liefeld can't draw feet. The glorious final shot of the trailer shows Deadpool and Wolverine jumping into a magical portal. Those familiar with the MCU's mystical side will recognize that this means a sorcerer will be appearing. Doctor Strange has already dealt with the multiverse in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). Could we see him popping up to help out this dynamic duo? Or will another sorcerer be debuting? Even with all the details we've uncovered from this trailer, there's likely to be even more surprises when Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26.

(Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) WARNING: This review contains spoilers for X-Men ‘97: Season 1, Episode 6! The fifth episode of X-Men ‘97 left viewers in a craze as one of the X-Men’s most prominent members is killed off following a gruesome battle with the deadly Godzilla-like Sentinel on the mutant island Genosha. This week's episode returns to Storm and Forge in the desert as they work together on restoring the mutant abilities Storm lost during episode three. This episode also reveals that Charles is alive and living among the Shi'ar in space acting as an Emperor consort to Lilandra, Empress of the Shi’ar. The beginning of this episode takes place in space with Deathbird, sister to Lilandra, taking on a fleet of Kree space-ships led by Ronan the Accuser (and man does this guy get his ass beat much like his MCU counterpart ). Suddenly, an announcement from Lilandra is broadcasted that she is seeking Charles Xavier's hand in marriage and is set on making him the Emperor of the Sh’iar Empire which Deathbird does not approve of. Deathbird speaks out against Charles and Lilandra marrying and becoming one. She vocalizes her distaste for Charles and mutants by referring to Earth as "Milky Way ghetto" (which got a few laughs out of me). This scene is important because it highlights that even creatures in space view mutants as inferior. Creator and Head Writer Beau DeMayo doesn't shy away from showing how the fear and disgust for mutants go far beyond that of Earth. Deathbird takes things a step further by telling Charles that to marry Lilandra and become Emperor, he must purge all memories of Earth including all memories of his X-Men, and Lilandra must be the one to do it. This sets up an interesting conflict for the character, will he erase the memories of his life, his family, his X-MEN to be with his star-crossed lover? Charles initially agrees, but has a change of heart at the last minute that we will not undergo the erasure of his X-Men from his memories. Instead, he decides to teach the Sh’iar counsel a lesson (literally) by using his psychic powers and taking them all to the Astral Plane. He gives a compelling lecture on the hypocrisy of the Sh’iar Empire and the genocide they have taken part in with other races and intergalactic species. As we hear him speak of his “Children of the Atom,” he is terrifyingly interrupted by a psychic vision of the massacre that occurred on Genosha that we saw in the previous episode. He makes a vow that he will not abandon his kind and says that “it is time, I return to my X-Men,” setting up long awaited reunion with the members of the team back on Earth. (Storm and The Adversary. Image: Courtesy of Marvel Animation) The other half of this episode focuses on Storm as both she and Forge take on a demonic owl named The Adversary. Forge was bitten by this creature back in episode 4 and we see that the bite was poisonous and is spreading throughout his body. A powerless Storm, despite the horrors of this demon playing with her mind, sets off on a quest to save Forge. Upon their arrival on the location to a remedy that could save Forge, we see Storm have to face her greatest fear… being enclosed in a small space. Similar to how we have seen in the comics and other adaptations, she is able to overcome her fears and becomes stronger than ever (she even gets her classic back uniform from Uncanny X-Men). I have to call out that I feel this moment could have been more epic had Marvel not spoiled this in a promotional ad a few weeks ago and if writers had given us a chance to see Storm powerless for a little longer during this first season. Myself and many fans alike felt like although the scenes with Forge and Storm are important to this particular storyline, we did not get to see their relationship develop as much as it did in the comics which could have done it more justice in ‘97. However, the story itself works pretty nicely and will leave fans feeling satisfied. We get to see Storm finally conquer her fears and hearing her proclaim "LET THEM THUNDER, FOR I AM LIGHTNING” really does bring tears to your eyes. It is a powerful and pivotal moment for the character and you honestly cannot do anything but smile. “It is time, I returned to my X-Men,” hints at both Storm and Charles returning to their family in the upcoming episodes of X-Men ‘97. This feels like the first step in the buildup for the 3-part season finale which is titled Tolerance is Extinction, which creator Beau DeMayo is already teasing as being next level compared to episode five. Will we see another X-Men member fall at the hands of the mastermind, Mr. Sinister who was revealed to be behind the attack on Genosha… Stay tuned. Rating: 3.5/5

As Dune: Part Two continues to screen in cinemas worldwide, Zendaya further solidifies her ascent within the new wave of Hollywood actors in Luca Guadagnino's latest feature film, Challengers. Two budding tennis players, Patrick Zweig (Josh O'Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) fall in love with the talented Tashi Duncan, played by Zendaya, who also has all it takes to succeed and become one of the leading figures in women's tennis. However, an injury is set to disrupt her future and, more importantly, mark a turning point in this love triangle. In Challengers, Luca Guadagnino isn't interested in tennis as a sport but rather in the complexity of human relationships and sexuality. We get to discover the duo 'Fire & Ice' composed of Patrick and Art, the two best friends in the world. They are so close that their relationship almost resembles a brotherhood. Nevertheless, their relationship appears ambiguous with homoerotic hints casting doubt on the nature of their friendship. In a humorously depicted story, we learn that Patrick taught Art how to masturbate for the first time. A detail reinforcing this idea is when the two friends eat phallic-shaped food: bananas, hot dogs, and churros... Furthermore, when they eat churros, Patrick & Art fiercely and almost sensually take a bite from each other's food. Their friendship is so strong that when they both fall in love with Tashi and try to win her over, it happens in a healthy and joyful competition that doesn't undermine their relationship. But, as the young players become professionals and adults, the rematch takes place under different circumstances. The entire strength of the film lies in tennis, a very intense sport where competition is extreme, used as a means to convey the competition between the two brothers to win over the charming Tashi. She declares that tennis is a "relationship" and that "for a moment, I am in love with my opponent." All of this echoes the bromance shared by the two brothers. Despite the playful tone, there is a strong undertone during the entirety of the film and they almost seem to hate each other. The tension is electric from start to finish. For a very first screenplay, Justin Kuritzkes excels. The dialogues in the film are crafted with precision. Despite being sexy and hot, this love triangle allows for the exploration of each character's motivations and flaws. Tashi, forced to give up her athletic career due to injury, lives vicariously through her husband Art while he, lacking in self-assurance and confidence, constantly seeks his wife's approval. Patrick, on the other hand, is an immature and presumptuous bad boy who seems to be stuck in his adolescence. In such a toxic relationship, the film doesn't aim to point fingers at anyone but rather to highlight the complexity of human relationships. Filled with flashbacks, the film is almost edited like a tennis match with back-and-forth movements between the past and the present. The ball exchanges are filmed from various angles: wide shots, slow-motion, close-ups, players' point of view, or even the ball's point of view... Thanks to this immersion, the match doesn't seem repetitive or boring, quite the opposite. The eye contact and smiles almost seem sensual, but the breakdowns and frustrations serve as reminders of the competitive spirit of this match and the ambiguous relationship maintained by Patrick and Art. The film wouldn't be what it is without the explosive and insane chemistry of the cast. Zendaya is fascinating and captivating. She plays with mischief a woman who is desired and who alone manages to define the atmosphere of an entire scene. Josh O'Connor exudes stunning self-confidence, and the actor steals the show. Mike Faist, by the nature of his character, delivers a sober performance but is equally convincing as his counterparts. Music plays a very essential role in this film. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross produced an EDM-oriented soundtrack, with house music alternating between disco and techno. The high-tempo electro soundtrack underscores the dynamic rhythm of the film and its tennis matches. The director asked the artists to compose music as if it was a rave party to give it energy and make people dance. Luca Guadagnino delivers something very bold with Challengers. This erotically charged film with a frenetic pace and electric atmosphere is coming out this Friday, April 26th, in theaters. Rating: 4/5