Once Upon a Time… Scratch that—RIGHT NOW: the artist applications for our newest, folktale-themed anthology are open!
Our Queer Fanworks Inspired By… anthologies take classic public-domain works and give them the queer makeovers they (and we!) deserve. For this, the fourth anthology in the collection, we’re focusing on queerifying folktales and fairy tales. Specifically, we are asking creators to choose a folktale or fairy tale with personal significance, and then make it queer. So bring your personal faves and your inspiration, and fill out an application showing us what you can do and telling us what you’d like to do next!
This is a paid arting opportunity; artists will be asked to complete one full-page (A4/210 mm x 297 mm), full-color piece, and we may have space for some artists to complete more than one page and/or short comics. Base pay is $50 per page, with the potential for raises up to $400 per page depending on our success during the eventual crowdfunding campaign.
Applications close on July 15th, so don’t hesitate and join us! Ready to apply?
If you’ve never done art for a past Duck Prints Press project —-> use this form
If you’ve done art for a past Duck Prints Press anthology or merch item —-> use this form
Interested in writing for this anthology? Unfortunately, author applications are only open to writers already involved with Duck Prints Press. Sorry! If you’re on our private Discord server, be on the lookout for the announcement with sign-up forms there.
Eager to see how this project develops, read sneak peeks and see art previews, and more? Back us on Patreon!Patrons also selected this anthology theme – you can have a say in our future anthology themes, too, just by backing us at any level!
The reception was fun. And posh!!! Took place at the Dashings (not their real name) mega-ginormous Pennsylvania horse farm:
They'd pay someone $75,000 a year plus benefits just to mow all this, I thought. And the Dashings are only here one month out of the year now! Mostly they live in Santa Barbara these days.
The other guests were mostly people I'd known long ago and oh so far away when they were a lot unhappier and a lot more conflicted. But, of course, they'd had to be unhappy and conflicted then since they'd all been supporting players in the unhappy and conflicted Drama of Ben & Patrizia.
In this present tense, there was a strong sense that they were all actors at some kind of wrap party. They were all jovial and having a good time now.
People I didn't remember were positively overjoyed to see me.
Here's something I didn't remember:
Sixteen years ago, Lew got me a gig tutoring the Dashings' son, Tucker who did not know how to write a college essay & was on the verge of flunking his SATs. I tutored Tucker long distance via phone & email from the Squalid Cement Bungalow in Freeville, so I never actually met him or his parents in the flesh.
So at the reception, I am approached by a handsome young man in his early thirties who greets me by staring deep into my eyes and declaring, "You changed my life!!!"
"I did?" I said.
"Yes! And it's very rare to be able to identify the influence of a single person in those kinds of things, but without you, I would never have gotten into college. And college was the best thing that ever happened to me!"
It was Tucker.
Huh!
(That's Tucker on the right with mega-rich Pops)
I was also apparently the best dressed person there since various members of the catering staff kept scurrying up to me, trays of prosciutto-wrapped figs and steak crostini be damned, to exclaim, You! You look amazing!
It wasn't my clothes! I was wearing $20-dollar pants from Marshalls, an ancient bathing suit, an oversized man's white Oxford shirt, and a thrift-store leopard-spotted scarf:
So, I guess I've still got it. At least from a distance.
Excellent for my vanity!
###
The blessed couple were very sweet:
And very shy! They kissed behind Lew's baseball hat:
###
TSWSOITC and his wife stayed at the same hotel I did. They live in Georgia—Republic Of, not Last Train To—& I've always been rather fascinated by her since TSWSOITC disapproves of me, & yet I'd say Keti and I have more similarities than dissimilarities. (TSWSOITC saw me primarily as Ben's accomplice.)
I got to know her a little bit over the abysmal Comfort Inn coffee when she'd come out in the morning to smoke:
Keti is one of those women who is beautiful without being pretty. Very, very smart—an economist by training, speaks Georgian, Russian, Ukrainian, English, & French. Has lived through three civil wars. Very knowledgeable about what's really going on with the Ukraine War.
During the time I'd known him best, TSWSOITC was first married to Rachel and then—as a newly divorced man—the harbor master of Rockland, Maine. I'd begun writing a novel about him: The Harbor Master! As near as I can remember now, the plot had something to do with smuggled Ukrainian sex slaves! (Prophetic? Keti is Ukrainian.) I think I had a wee bit of a crush on TSWSOITC.
Anyway, this was my first time meeting Keti, and I found her very intriguing, and went about ingratiating myself to the best of my ability because I longed to be her BFF For-EVAH!!! Although, of course, I won't be.
###
And I see I am wayyyy over the writing time I alotted myself this morning! I have a busy schedule today. Nothing fun! All draggy, practical shit that must get done.
But I would be remiss not to mention:
• Day after the reception I met up with egg_shell:
We had a fabulous time chatting & sauntering about Edinboro in the sweltering heat, but the real magic was when egg_shell let me look at one of her art notebooks.
Now! I happen to think egg_shell is an artistic genius. The creative impulse is very, very strong in her. And looking through her notebook, I got the same sense I got when I visited that barn in Vermont where all those fabulous Bread & Puppet Theater puppets are stored or when I saw Michaelangelo's Prisoners In Stone at the Accademia in Firenzi so very long ago—that I was viewing the creative source, the pure, untrammeled heart of the creative process.
The hackles on the back of my neck actually stood up while I flipped through her pages.
• In Ithaca, I stayed in the most enchantingly beautiful AirBnB:
• And RTT & I had a really, really good time hanging out together:
It might be a bit late to the party, but Threads finally has a dedicated DM feature that’s independent from Instagram. The problem is, it's really basic.
For now, you can only message people who you follow, and who follow you. It will also work for your mutual followers on Instagram even if you don’t follow each other on Threads—a reminder that Threads is really an Instagram product.
Starting a DM on Threads
After updating the app on iPhone or Android (or accessing the site on the web), you’ll see a new Messages icon in the bottom toolbar next to the Home button. Once you're in the new Messages page, you can tap the "new message" button in the top right to start a chat. You can search for a profile, or choose one of the recommended options to start the conversation.
This Messages tab is the only way to start a new chat right now. You can’t DM someone directly from their profile, even if you both follow each other. However, you can now share a Threads post with any of your followers directly in a DM. When I share a Threads post with a friend, it shows up in the Threads DM window, instead of Instagram DM.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak
Once you send a message, you can long-press it to Unsend it. You can also long-press messages to react to them, reply in-line, or copy them. But that's about it. There's no support for images, voice messaging, chat themes, or many of the common features baked into DMs and messaging apps these days.
Threads DM still needs a lot of work
As it stands, Threads DMs are quite limited. But there are a series features in the works you can look forward to, including:
Message Controls: The upcoming moderation feature will let you decide who can send you messages, and you can choose to limit DMs only to people who follow you on Threads or Instagram.
Message requests folder: A dedicated message requests folder for new messages will make sure that spam doesn't land directly in your DMs.
Group messaging: Threads will enable group conversations in a later update.
Filters: Threads will also provide filters to find and respond to messages.
July is the month you're supposed to get a break from your garden. With most of the planting already finished, you should be sitting back, enjoying a fresh berry margarita in the garden as your plants fulfill their destiny all around you.
But the cycle of summer gardening never truly stops, which means you also need to fit in some weeding and harvesting in between heat domes. Here's what you should focus on this month.
The daily survey
No, *you* have a weed problem. Credit: Amanda Blum
Take a daily lap around the garden (I try to do mine before the sun gets too high in the sky). Each morning, I do a circuit with my garden hod and a bucket. Take note of how things are doing and what needs more water or perhaps a fertilizer boost, and look for infestations. If you see a weed, pick it and chuck it into the bucket (spoiler: You'll see many weeds). If something needs to be harvested, add it to the hod. Top up your water features and bee stations and try to spend a few moments appreciating all the hard work over some raspberries or the last of the snap peas.
Water, water everywhere
The headline for this month is bringing in irrigation, since it’s likely the first time this year you'll really need it on a consistent basis. As temperatures climb, it’s imperative to have consistent water at the root of your plants. If you do this, they will grow resiliently, forming strong roots and stems that won't need babying under shade.
Test your irrigation or watering systems if you haven’t yet and get them turned on. Check in for the first week or two and make sure the ground is getting moist about six inches under the topsoil, and adjust the water as necessary. It’s never too late to mulch to conserve water and protect plant roots. Remember that you want a nice thick layer of mulch—an inch isn’t going to do much—but make sure to keep that mulch away from the stems of your plants.
Deadhead to create stronger and more prolific blooms
Sweet peas forming pods, ready to be retired so something else can be planted. Credit: Amanda Blum
Most of the summer blooming flowers are “cut and come again” blooms. Your snapdragons benefit from a good chop; they'll branch and grow two blossoms in the same place. If you stay on top of your sweet peas, you might be able to stretch them into late July, but if they start to set pods, don't be afraid to pull them out to make room for another climbing vegetable or flower. You should be seeing the start of your echinecea, dahlia and daisies at this point of summer, so be sure to stay on top of deadheading so they last into fall. Some flowers, like sunflowers, are single bloom (they bloom only once, on one stem, so one chop and it’s over), so be sure you know which of your flowers are single bloom so you don't cut away the only bloom you'll get.
Delphiniums are single bloomers and shouldn't be deadheaded. Credit: Amanda Blum
Turn over peas and other spring vegetables
These yellowing peas are coming to the end of life, and should be pulled and replaced. Credit: Amanda Blum
At some point around now, your peas will start going yellow and crispy from the bottom up. This just means it’s time to turn over the space for summer—hopefully you have some climbing beans or something else to go into the space. I use mine to plant green beans and sugar pumpkins, which will climb up the trellis and hang from the arches. Your spinach, boy choy, and spring broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage have all also flowered by now, so those spaces are ready to turn over for summer or fall as well. Consider bolt resistant lettuce, tomatillos, beans, cucumbers, melon or squash in their place.
Pumpkins and green beans growingCredit: Amanda Blum
Sometime this month, garlic is going to be ready to come out of the ground too. Wait for three or four brown leaves and then harvest with a hand spade (do not try to just pull them out of the ground). Your garlic needs to be dried in order for it to last until winter.
If you got potatoes into the ground in spring, you can start harvesting them as soon as the plants begin to flower. Use a spade to turn over the earth and then use your hands to find all the baby potatoes. You can let really tiny seed potatoes fall back into the bed, which will help it perennialize.
Succession plant flowers, lettuce, radish, scallions, beets, kohlrabi and other greens
Kohlrabi in the gardenCredit: Amanda Blum
In the newly empty spaces, remember to keep succession planting going. Get seeds in routinely or plant starts from the nursery. If you go with seeds, you’ll need to work harder to keep them hydrated so they germinate once they’re in the ground.
Harvest your berries
Raspberries in the gardenCredit: Amanda Blum
It is berry season, so be sure you’re getting all of your berries harvested as they’re ready. Raspberries should be coming to an end, with blueberries in full swing. At some point this month, strawberries will be dunzo too, which means you can cut them back fully so they can focus on roots for next year instead of growing runners. (I run the lawnmower over them to accomplish this.)
It's also time for early fall planting
You should have your fall starts started by the end of July, if you’re growing from seed. These starts won’t go in for a month or two, which gives you enough time to get a tray of seeds going now.
Duck Prints Press’s monthly “created works round-ups” are our opportunity to spotlight some of the amazing work that people working with us have done that ISN’T linked to their work with Duck Prints Press. We include fanworks, outside publications, and anything else that creators feel like sharing with y’all. Inclusion is voluntary and includes anything that they decided “hey, I want to put this on the created work’s round-up!”
Check out what they’ve shared with us this month…
A Realization that slithers upon you by Katia_Anyway
fiction || one piece || f/f, f/m || boa hancock/rindo (one piece), boa hancock/monkey d. luffy || explicit || no major warnings apply || 1,386 || complete
summary: During the Kuja Pirates’ latest journey, Hancock found a really lovely dildo. As she uses it, the hands she imagines coursing over her skin slowly change. From soft fingertips and hard knuckles to soft knuckles and rough fingertips. The voice she hears changes too, from a carefree “Shishishi” laugh to a reverent “My Queen”…
Before she knows it, Boa Hancock is not exactly fantasizing about Monkey D. Luffy anymore.
other tags: Vaginal sex, Sex toys, Sexuality Realization
fiction || original work || m/m || teen & up || creator choses not to use warnings, graphic depictions of violence || 25,862 || work in progress
summary: You are the ghost of a murder victim haunting a mirror on the school stairs. One night, another evil spirit appears in the building, chasing a living student. In a moment of strength, or perhaps weakness, you pull the other monster into the mirror with you.
Fortunately, the process seals Homura’s full power and memories. He’s become a relatively sweet amnesiac who’s easy to take care of… or torment. Unfortunately, he’ll regain both very soon.
Now you have three days to seduce, intimidate, or succumb to an amnesiac evil spirit.
fiction || dragon age: the veilguard || m/m || rook/lucanis dellamorte || mature || no major warnings apply || ongoing series
summary: With the world hanging on by a thread, two elven gods running rampant on Thedas, and a third one haunting his mind, you’d think there would be no time for heartache, vulnerability, and romance.
You’d also think Rook would know better than to cuddle a demon, but, as they say, life finds a way.
fiction || the scum villan’s self saving system || m/m || yue qingyuan/original shen qingqiu|shen jiu || explicit || creator choses not to use warnings || 2,853 || complete
summary: Yue Qingyuan will do anything to be polite, especially if it gets him Shen Qingqiu’s attention. Yue Qingyuan drinks tea with a mild poison in it and Shen Qingqiu is the only one he allows to cure him.
other tags: Plot what plot/porn without a plot, male lactation, biting, slapping, masochism, top shen qingqiu, bottom yue qingyuan, blood, dry sex, anal sex, broken bones, verbal humiliation, bdsm,
The premiere season of the Apple TV+ series Invasion (read our review HERE) started airing in October of 2021 and wrapped up its ten episode run in December of that year. The same week the season finale aired, it was announced that a second season of the show had been ordered. Invasion season 2 finally made its way to the screen in August of 2023 and wrapped up in October. Several months later, Apple TV+ officially confirmed that they had renewed Invasion for season 3 – and now a teaser trailer for the new season has arrived online! You can check it out in the embed above. Invasion season 3 is scheduled to premiere on Apple TV+ on August 22nd.
Created by Simon Kinberg and David Weil, Invasion is set across multiple continents and is described as a sweeping, character-driven science fiction drama series that follows an alien invasion through different perspectives around the world. Season 2 picked up 121 days after the invasion started.
The cast includes Golshifteh Farahani, Shioli Kutsuna, Shamier Anderson, India Brown, Billy Barratt, Azhy Robertson, Paddy Holland, Tara Moayedi, Enver Gjokaj, Nedra Marie Taylor, and Naian González Norvind.
Kinberg had this to say about season 3: “I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to do with our first two seasons of the show with our partners at Apple TV+ and our cast and crew. This new season will continue to build on the scale, stakes, and propulsion of the Invasion, while keeping our characters front and center, bringing them together in ways that will hopefully surprise and most importantly move our audience, who have been so incredibly supportive and inspiring since day one.“
Invasion is produced for Apple TV+ by Boat Rocker. Kinberg and Weil serve as executive producers alongside Audrey Chon, David Witz, Alik Sakharov, Andrew Baldwin, Dan Dietz, Katie O’Connell Marsh, and Boat Rocker’s Nick Nantell. Kinberg is best known for writing and/or producing multiple X-Men films (and directing X-Men: Dark Phoenix). Weil previously created the Amazon series Hunters, which was executive produced by Jordan Peele. He also wrote an episode of Peele’s version of The Twilight Zone.
Are you a fan of Invasion, and are you glad to hear that season 3 will premiere soon? Take a look at the teaser trailer, then share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.
2025 marks the 50th anniversary of one of the greatest movies ever made, director Steven Spielberg’s classic shark thriller Jaws, which first reached theatres on June 20, 1975. To mark the occasion, Jaws will be getting an IMAX release beginning on August 28th. It will also be getting a theatrical re-release on non-IMAX screens beginning on August 29th. You can check out the IMAX trailer in the embed above. Tickets are available at THIS LINK.
Directed by Spielberg from a screenplay by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb that was based on a best-selling novel by Benchley, Jaws has the following synopsis: When a young woman is killed by a shark while skinny-dipping near the New England tourist town of Amity Island, police chief Martin Brody wants to close the beaches, but mayor Larry Vaughn overrules him, fearing that the loss of tourist revenue will cripple the town. Ichthyologist Matt Hooper and grizzled ship captain Quint offer to help Brody capture the killer beast, and the trio engage in an epic battle of man vs. nature. The film stars Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton, and a shark called Bruce.
The movie recently aired during a three-hour block on NBC, and it was the most-watched primetime telecast of the night. Jaws is also on the Peacock streaming service through July 14th, accompanied by its three sequels and a Spielberg introduction. It can be found paired with other “Trouble in the Water” movies like Piranha, 47 Meters Down, Night Swim, and Captain Phillips. Plus, there’s the new 4K UHD and Blu-ray release, which includes the never-before-seen documentary, Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story. New Jaws products in fashion, toys, publishing, collectibles, and more are also in the works.
Have you been celebrating the 50th anniversary of Jaws, and will you be catching an IMAX screening of the film in August? Let us know by leaving a comment below. I won’t be able to see it in IMAX, but I will definitely be watching it at home on July 4th. I watch the movie on July 4th every year.
South Park‘s season 27 premiere was originally scheduled to broadcast on Comedy Central on July 9, but Deadline is now reporting that the date has been pushed back to July 23. This rescheduling is a response to the show’s $500 million exclusive streaming licensing contract recently coming to a close with HBO Max a week ago and a new exclusive or non-exclusive streaming contract has not yet been put into place. However, Comedy Central is still promoting the new season of the popular animated satire from Trey Parker and Matt Stone. They have recently released a poster, which is a class picture showcasing the main characters, plus the return of Jesus.
The network’s press release for the season premiere reads, Comedy Central today announced that South Park’s 27th season premiere has moved to Wednesday, July 23rd at 10:00pm ET/PT.
The hit animated franchise, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022, debuted on Comedy Central on August 13, 1997. Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny were first seen in the animated short “The Spirit of Christmas,” and from there were launched into television history. Co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are executive producers, along with Anne Garefino and Frank C. Agnone II. Eric Stough, Adrien Beard, Bruce Howell and Vernon Chatman are producers. Christopher Brion is the Creative Director of South Park Digital Studios. South Park’s website is SouthPark.cc.com.
Deadline reports that South Park is likely to strike a deal that involves multiple non-exclusive streaming contracts for other services. The show is housed on the platform of Comedy Central’s parent company, Paramount, with special longer episodes made exclusively for Paramount+. However, previous episodes of the show are also available on HBO Max. Series creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, are partnered with Paramount Global with their studio, South Park Digital Studios and have stated that they want the show on Paramount+.
South Park‘s streaming rights are reportedly being shopped around to other companies for more non-exclusive streaming. However, there is an extension deal with Warner Bros. Discovery where the existing 26 seasons are still available on HBO Max while negotiations for future rights are being settled.
Co-creators Parker and Stone are executive producers, along with Anne Garefino and Frank C. Agnone II. Eric Stough, Adrien Beard, Bruce Howell and Vernon Chatman are producers. Christopher Brion is the Creative Director of South Park Digital Studios.
28 Days Later was a surprise hit with critics, audiences, and the box office alike because it came out of nowhere and felt like no film ever before it. An astounding feat all on its own, but even more so when you consider it did all this as a zombie movie. Well, they aren’t zombies. But you get what I mean. When it was over, and that plane flew over Jim, Selena, Hanna, and their handmade HELL sign… nope… HELP sign, everyone wanted to know what happened next. Not only to them… but to the rest of the world. Which left director Danny Boyle and company in quite a predicament. How do you follow up a one-of-a-kind hit film that feels like no other when there is no surprise element anymore, your lead actors, and even you yourself aren’t available due to scheduling issues? It’s a hard ask to make lightning, or in this case, mass infection, strike twice. Especially on a reasonable budget. It sounds like a recipe for disaster. But it wasn’t. This is what happened to 28 Weeks Later.
When you have a wide-scoping story like 28 Days Later with so many possible stories to tell, making the choice of what to follow it up with can be difficult. A sequel is inevitable. Probably a franchise. But the wrong direction could lead to a sophomore slump and kill that potential franchise. Just look at Sinister 2 as one of many examples. One idea, according to producer Allon Reich, was a film called 29 Days Later that would pick up right where the first film ended. Another featured a prequel that told the story of the first 28 days and a group of British Marines trying to save the Prime Minister and the Queen. In 2005, Danny Boyle announced he would NOT be returning to direct because of his schedule directing Sunshine with Cillian Murphy. But that he would stay on the project as an Executive Producer. Boyle hired Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo for the job after being impressed by his 2001 film Intacto; a Max Von Sydow starrer based in a world where luck can be stolen with a touch from someone even luckier. Boyle wasn’t the only one impressed with Intacto, as it led to Fresnadillo being hailed as a new talent in Hollywood. The director had offers for multiple American remakes of foreign films, including The Eye (later remade in 2008 starring Jessica Alba), and an earlier version of The Departed (which we all know Scorsese turned into a classic). Rather obsessive about what projects he chose and the work that went into them, the director instead spent the next five years doing a filmmaker’s version of “this and that.” He directed TV commercials and a short film before Danny Boyle came calling.
Boyle and 28 Days Later producer Andrew Macdonald sent the director and his writing partner Enrique López-Lavigne the first draft of a script written by Before I Go to Sleep writer Rowan Joffe. At the time, neither of them came away feeling as though the original script had reached its full potential. The pair offered to rewrite the script, homing in on the idea of a family trying to start over after the horrors of the pandemic. Writer Jesús Olmo joined the writing team, with Garland and Boyle providing their expertise when needed. One particular early draft of the script, though unclear at what point in the writing process it was exactly, seems to have multiple changes that reflect this. Instead of the film opening with Don abandoning his wife at the countryside cottage, the script shows a group of survivors escaping a horde of infected via boat, only to be killed by a military missile strike. Another major difference is that the virus in the script had gone airborne, meaning throughout the film, characters would turn infected on a whim. Which is quite frightening to consider but does change the rules set in place by the original quite a bit. The final film we received definitely focuses more on ethical dilemmas and personal responsibility, more so than the original, more action-oriented script. The choice, in the end, was to tell this daunting story through the eyes of a small family and a select few thespians with the ability to relay the humanity of their characters to the audience. Even though they were participating in a bigger, more action-packed sequel than its predecessor.
Actor Robert Carlyle was offered the role of Don after working with Danny Boyle on Trainspotting and The Beach. He accepted the role, thinking Boyle would be directing the project. But stayed on anyway because of how impressed he was with Fresnadillo after the two had a conversation where the director explained his empathy for the infected, which ultimately, his character would become. Don as a character has to do some despicable things: he leaves his wife behind to save his own ass, lies to his kids about how she died, and ultimately restarts the apocalypse by trying to gaslight his half-infected wife with some tongue. But these were the very types of moral dilemmas and WTF moments in the script that finally persuaded Carlyle to join the film.
A pre-Hurt Locker Jeremy Renner was cast in the role of American military sniper and ultimate shepherd for our half-immune survivors. We don’t learn much about Doyle as a person, but it’s his actions that mostly translate his humanity and bravery to the audience. He’s a total badass here, and this is likely the first time for many of us that we sat up and took notice, “Hey, this guy could be a leading man in a lot of cool movies.” The role was a challenging one because with everything going on, no one had an especially large amount of screen time to hash out their characters. The talents of Rose Byrne, Idris Elba, and Harold Perrineau also make appearances in the film as members of the American military trying to help stabilize the new disinfected zone. They all feel a touch underutilized, if only because we all now know how talented they are.
Our two possibly immune kids saddled with a father with loose morals at best, Andy and Tammy, are played by newcomer with a cool name Mackintosh Muggleton and Imogen Poots (who would later star in another kick-ass horror movie called Green Room). You might remember Don’s extremely unimpressed wife Catherine McCormack as William Wallace’s love interest in Braveheart. Talk about two completely different sides of the spectrum. William Wallace wouldn’t have run from her. He would’ve single-handedly Liam Neeson’ed every last infected using nothing but rocks from the ground if needed. Anyway.
It was important to the director to have a Spanish-speaking cameraman, and The Faculty director of photography Enrique Chediak was chosen. The job was a difficult one and featured a myriad of challenging shots, from shooting London at night to trying to keep the frenetic energy of the original while also capturing it on a larger scale. Filming began on September 1st of 2006 in London. Whereas the original film had an “old London” feel to it, 28 Weeks Later was quite the opposite and mostly filmed with a newer, cleaner vibe meant to portray a fresh start.
Most of the filming took place at Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs, which was the disinfected area in the film where England was to try and start anew. This was before they moved production to various other locations, including 3 Mills Studios and Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, which stood in for Wembley when it wasn’t available due to restorations. The airport shown is the Stansted Airport, which is also featured in Spider-Man: Far From Home and The Dark Knight Rises. The underground scenes were filmed at Charing Cross Station in an area with unused escalators and platforms. The site is not in use for commuters but instead used to try out new design ideas and train buskers, making it an ideal location for films such as The Bourne Ultimatum, Skyfall, and of course, 28 Weeks Later.
Visual effects supervisor Sean Mathiesen (who also worked with Boyle on Sunshine) oversaw the special effects on a film that, though it had a modest budget, featured over 400 VFX shots with a ten-week prep time and four months of post-production.
Though Danny Boyle was not able to direct 28 Weeks Later, he was clearly a hands-on producer and even helped direct the pivotal opening sequence of the film. The sound was a major necessity in a believable return to this dark world, as they were able to bring back John Murphy for the sequel. As well as his full-on banger In the House – In a Heartbeat from the original. In pure sequel fashion, the song is used much more often here, and you won’t hear us complaining. It’s killer.
The downer ending of 28 Weeks Later features Flynn’s apparently abandoned helicopter with a French distress call coming out of his radio. It’s unclear what happened to the helicopter or where our survivors are. Next, we see the infected running like crazed Black Friday shoppers and descending on the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Which might as well be a giant sign that says, “We’re all f*cked.”
The signifying of a global pandemic wasn’t always the case. The original ending was to take place as Andy and Tammy are whisked away in the helicopter. A bittersweet but ambiguous ending because Andy and Tammy survive but could be carriers of the rage virus. The decision to add the final ending, of the horde descending globally, wasn’t made until they were editing the film and wanted a more effective ending. So, they took a group of extras to Paris and filmed the scene guerrilla-style at 5 AM. This scene is shot in such a way as to bring the feel of the story back to its original, with the nastiness of the infected descending on another iconic and previously peaceful area.
A graphic novel written by Steve Niles detailing the events between 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later was released by Fox Atomic in 2007. The story featured four interconnected stories that detailed how the rage virus spread beyond the initial outbreak. The graphic novel gives interesting detail into the origins and escalation of the virus and is a nice link-up point between the intimate horror of the first film and the national catastrophe in the sequel.
As far as marketing goes, the film didn’t need much considering the hit that 28 Days Later was. But still, in a moment of marketing ingenuity, they projected a giant biohazard graphic onto the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent with the words “Contaminated: Keep Out” underneath.
28 Weeks Later was released on May 11th, 2007, and proved itself to be a concept folks were still fascinated by four years later. Opening up against Spider-Man 3 in its second week, the sequel still managed to land a number two spot. With nearly $10 million in its opening week, on its way to a worldwide finish of $64 million. Obviously, this was enough to prove the franchise could use another sequel with its previous creators in tow. Even if it did take what felt like 28 years to come to fruition. However, not eye-bulging enough for them to approve all three films Boyle now has planned. Financiers are waiting to see the box office numbers for 28 Years Later this June before greenlighting the follow-up to its companion, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple in 2026. We’ve got a pretty good feeling it will. Spider-Man 3 may have won the day at the box office, but it was taking a Red Foreman-sized boot in its ass in the papers. Unlike 28 Weeks Later, which received a mostly positive reception, despite being the bigger budget follow-up to a breakout indie film. And it’s arguably even more respected as a sequel today than upon its initial release.
Though it seems as though 28 Years Later and its follow-ups aren’t set to acknowledge the events of 28 Weeks Later, the film works as a standalone storyline and still holds up quite well. Not only does it provide the audience with several interesting moral questions, but also some interesting ideas when it comes to military intervention and a society in a rush to get back to normal life after a cataclysmic event. There are some genuinely scary set pieces such as the night vision holy-shit-fest in the tunnels, and intense chase sequences involving both the infected and the army. Both collide during an all-time moment when Floyd turns a helicopter’s rotors on a horde of infected and a glorious mess ensues unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Like someone took a weed whacker to a bowl of spaghetti.
It’s official. This movie is quite different from 28 Days Later, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a certified banger. And that, my friends, is what happened to 28 Weeks Later.
A couple of the previous episodes of the show can be seen below. To see more, head over to our JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!
Sadly, I am still slogging my way through Cultish. As a dyslexic reader, I get into these weirdly stubborn things. I am SO freaking close to being done with this book that, even though I'm no longer enjoying it, I refuse to give up. Admittedly, this is incredibly stupid. Life it too short for books you aren't enjoying! But, here I am, anyway. To be fair to me, I did take a break to read the first several issues of a 1980s American comic book called American Flagg. I talked my co-host into reading this for our podcast and, I'm going to be honest. I kind of regret that. I had a VERY DIFFERENT memory of these comic books than what is apparently the reality. Oof, they do not stand the test of time! I have literally never seen the n-word (spelled out!) so many times in a mere 12 issues, holy shit.
It should be an interesting podcast, though!
Also, when I was volunteering out at Pride, Jason Tucker who is a comic book affectionado turned to me when I told him what I'd been reading, "Huh. Is American Flagg cyberpunk, though?" Not to spoil the upcoming episode because this is a question we regularly ask of whatever we're reviewing or discussing, but I do think I now know why I thought so having re-read them, at least. I mean, this is hardly a spoiler to the episode or the comics since it is revealed in the literal first panel, but Rueben Flagg did lose his acting job to AI, actually, so I mean, that's kind of prescient, in a way, cyberpunkly-speaking.
But, wow, also a hard read, albeit in a completely different way than Cultish.
Part of my absence here is due, in part, to the fact that we've gotten some really bad news from my brother-in-law, Keven. Keven's test results have come back and the cancer has spread to his bones. The doctors informed him that its incurable and have given him about a year, year and a half to live. I don't even know how to cope with this? I was telling Shawn that you always hear people asking the hypothetical, "What would you do if you found out you only had a year left to live?" But, like that's supposed to be a fun thought-experiment, not Real Life. And, as I have reported previously, Keven is the sibling of Shawn's that my family interacts with the most. He lives within striking distance of our house--just on the other side of the Mississippi in Minneapolis. So, we see him often. Mason has been Keven's odd job man for hire now and most of his in-between college summers. And, like, our relationship with Keven is, like with a lot of family, somewhat fraught? We've had some terrible fights in the past. However, for better or for worse, Keven has been a constant in our lives.
Yesterday, when we found out, Shawn was already at work. She decided that she was just not functional after talking to Keven and so I picked her up and brought her home. We spent much of the day yesterday just trying to wrap our heads arounds this--alternating between crying/staring into the middle distance and doing distracting things like, for her working on her quilt and watching mindless British detective shows, and me randomly coming up with panel ideas for Gaylaxicon (I wrote about ten yesterday! It was kind of soothing in a weird way?)
William Gibson, author of science fiction classic Neuromancer, likes the first look Apple TV offered of its forthcoming show based on the novel: "I imagined the Chatsubo in 1984. 41 years later I opened its door. Neuromancer is in production." — Read the rest
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Summer is DIY season, and if you have some projects planned, you might have noticed that the price of tools can add up quickly. Luckily, whether you’re working on a vehicle or a rain collection system, there are some good deals from Amazon on tools ahead of Prime Day.
Cordless tools
A good cordless tool set will make DIY projects easier to accomplish and save you some time as well. If you already have a set and are looking to expand, or you want to start a tool set, these will keep your DIY momentum going through the summer.
The DeWalt 20-volt cordless drill set is on sale for $99, 38% off its regular price. This set comes with a drill, a 2-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a perfect starter set, as this tool can be used for drilling holes as well as driving hardware, and it comes with a battery so it’s ready to use straight out of the box.
The DeWalt 20-volt cordless impact driver set is on sale for $99, 38% off its usual price. This set comes with a quarter-inch impact driver, a 2-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a good addition to your cordless set if you already have a driver, as it allows you to drive fasteners into tougher material with less effort because of the impact assistance. You can also use this tool as a drill with a bit designed for a quarter-inch impact chuck, making it a versatile tool for a home DIY kit.
The Makita 12-volt material cutter is on sale for $98, 58% off its typical price. The set comes with a material-cutting multitool, a 12-volt, 2-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag. This tool can be used to cut rubber, vinyl, and carpet, making it great for flooring, heavy-duty upholstery, and arts and crafts projects.
The Milwaukee cordless 18-volt random orbital sander is on sale for $102.20, 37% off its regular price. This is a “bare tool” deal, so it doesn’t come with a battery or charger, but it does have a dust collection attachment and a couple of medium-grit sanding discs to get you started. This is a good tool for finishing woodworking projects.
The DeWalt 20-volt cordless tire inflator/compressor is on sale for $109.94, 39% off its typical price. It’s a tool-only deal, so it doesn’t come with a battery. This is a good addition to a home garage shop or roadside emergency kit, and can be used to inflate car and bike tires.
Bits, wrenches, and drivers
You never truly appreciate the power of having the right-sized wrench or socket until you’ve gotten 90% of the way through removing a panel on your HVAC system to perform some maintenance, only to discover that you can’t undo the last three nuts. A good socket set can help you get through most common home and vehicle maintenance, and is indispensable if you want to save money on handyman costs by tackling chores yourself.
The Craftsman 159-piece mechanics tool set is on sale for $99, 41% off its regular price. It comes with three ratchet handles, a set of metric sockets and wrenches, a set of SAE sockets and wrenches, a hand driver with an assortment of bit types, a set of bit extensions and adapters, and a toolbox. This is a good set to start out with for most DIY auto maintenance, as well as for projects around the house like changing filters or assembling furniture.
The Craftsman 230-piece mechanics tool set is on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price. This set comes with a range of both metric and SAE sockets, a set of metric and SAE wrenches, three ratchet handles, a hand driver with an assortment of bits, ratchet extensions and adapters, a set of socket-drive fastener bits for screws, a set of hex wrenches, and a three-drawer tool box. This is a good set to build a top-notch DIY tool kit for your home shop, and can work for driving most types of fasteners.
The Craftsman two-driver set is on sale for $4.98, 50% off its typical price. This set is just one Philips head and a flat head screwdriver. This is a basic set, good for building a home maintenance kit or a go bag for when you want to DIY on the road.
The Makita 100-piece impact driver bit set is on sale for $24.99, 55% off its regular price. The set comes with a variety of driver bit types, including Phillips, flat head, and star tip, as well as a bit extension for reaching into tight spaces. This is a good set to cover most common hardware types and sizes you will come across for woodworking, repair, and maintenance projects.
Charlize Theron is back in The Old Guard 2 from Netflix. However, one of her most iconic characters would be presented to the world in 2015 with Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road. Since the release of the film and the subsequent reaction, George Miller would be developing a Furiosa solo prequel, which Theron would not be in consideration for. Theron reacted by saying, “Yeah, it’s a little heartbreaking, for sure. I really love that character, and I’m so grateful that I had a small part in creating her. She will forever be someone I think of and reflect on fondly. Obviously, I would love to see that story continue, and if he feels like he has to go about it this way, then I trust him in that manner. We get so hung up on the smaller details that we forget the thing that we emotionally tap into has nothing to do with that minute thing that we’re focusing on.”
Theron is on the promotional circuit for Old Guard 2 and has spoken with The Hollywood Reporter, where she also talks about how she feels about Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Since the former Furiosa actress had been vocal about how heartbreaking it was that she was recast in a solo film after a long development period, THR asked if she had seen the movie. Theron answered,
I watched it, and I think it’s a beautiful film. I am a massive fan of Anya [Taylor-Joy]. She’s an incredible actor. There’s nothing around [the recasting] that, to me, felt malicious. It was something that just dragged out for too long, and I totally understand it. It still doesn’t make it feel any better. I probably lived in [Furiosa’s] body the longest out of any of my characters, and it was challenging. It was really challenging. But I am so supportive of what ended up happening, and I think the movie is absolutely beautiful.”
Meanwhile, Greg Rucka wrote the screenplay for The Old Guard 2 with Sarah L. Walker and serves as executive producer. The sequel is being produced by David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger of Skydance, Theron, Beth Kono, and AJ Dix of Denver and Delilah, and Marc Evans of Marc Evans Productions. Prince-Bythewood is also on board as producer, but passed the helm over to Victoria Mahoney, who has previously directed episodes of multiple TV shows, including You and Lovecraft Country, and was also the second unit director on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Theron is joined in the cast by fellow returning Old Guard cast members KiKi Layne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Luca Marinelli, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Veronica Ngo, as well as new additions Uma Thurman and Henry Golding. The sequel has the following logline: Andy and her team of immortal warriors return to protect humanity from a formidable new enemy who threatens their existence. Here’s the full synopsis: Andy (Charlize Theron) and her team of immortal warriors are back, with a renewed sense of purpose in their mission to protect the world. With Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) still in exile after his betrayal, and Quynh (Veronica Ngô) out for revenge after escaping her underwater prison, Andy grapples with her newfound mortality as a mysterious threat emerges that could jeopardize everything she’s worked towards for thousands of years. Andy, Nile (KiKi Layne), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) enlist the help of Tuah (Henry Golding), an old friend who may provide the key to unlocking the mystery behind immortal existence. Directed by Victoria Mahoney, and also starring Uma Thurman, The Old Guard 2 is an emotional, adrenaline-pumping sequel, based on the world created by Greg Rucka and illustrator Leandro Fernandez.
The Old Guard 2 streams on Netflix starting July 2.
With so much chaos and overhaul behind the scenes of Daredevil: Born Again, we had no idea just how it would all turn out. And while it was by and large well-received – we gave it an 8/10 and season one holds an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcorn meter gauging fan reactions – some still have plenty of criticisms about the revival series. But they might not want to tell Kingpin, as Vincent D’Onofrio is having none of the hating.
Vincent D’Onofrio recently took to social media to respond to a follower who said that Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin was “nerfed” and that Disney botched the character. And while D’Onofrio could have completely blown it off, he has made a habit of using social media to engage in a mature way, doing exactly that here. Replying directly to the follower, “I have to say i disagree with all that you say. To be honest my performances have been called many things but never nerfed. Lol. Yet i don’t play the part just for you and you don’t watch tv just for me. So we are even and i accept your criticism. No matter the lack of good sportsmanship, fairness and legitimacy.”
I have to say i disagree with all that you say. To be honest my performances have been called many things but never nerfed. Lol. Yet i don't play the part just for you and you don't watch tv just for me. So we are even and i accept your criticism. No matter the lack of good…
— Vincent D'Onofrio (@vincentdonofrio) June 28, 2025
When the same follower replied that he wasn’t slighting Vincent D’Onofrio’s acting but rather the writing itself – especially of Kingpin – the actor added, “I control my characters performance. You are a bit green when it comes to your knowledge on making a show. The detail, the writing, the technologies and the overall structure and architecture in laying out the storyline and executing performances. You keep saying it’s the writing that is the problem. You may not like it. Many do though. We can’t please everyone but we can please millions and they’ve said so. Our fans are very loud…” D’Onofrio would go on to encourage the poster (essentially a proxy considering the eagerness for so many fans to criticize) to remain positive and supportive, especially considering the amount of work that goes into any creative endeavor.
Good on Vincent D’Onofrio not just for standing up for Kingpin’s handling by Disney+ compared to Netflix but also for practically any production. We may not always need to take into account the blood, sweat and tears that goes into making a TV show or movie when we criticize it, but sometimes it’s important to let others enjoy what they do. And plenty of people have dug Born Again, at least to the point where it has been renewed for a second season, currently slated for a March 2026 release…assuming it doesn’t hit the snags that delayed season one for so long.
What do you think of Kingpin in Born Again compared to the first Daredevil series? Did Disney+ “nerf” him?
What Fresh Hell is This? Perimenopause, Menopause, Other Indignities, and You by Heather Corinna: my Libby loan on this ended with me about 50% through, so I've moved it to paused. I'm actually a little dubious on how helpful I'm finding it but meh. I put a new hold on it and I guess I'll decide if I'm gonna keep going when I get it again.
Babel by R. F. Kuang: finally started this and am kinda kicking myself for waiting so long to start it.
XXXHolic Omnibus vol. 3 by CLAMP: started this yesterday, not much else to say.
天官赐福 manhua vol. 3 by 墨香铜臭: I've been waking up obnoxiously early this week, which has at least had the positive effect that I've managed to read a chapter of this a day the last few days.
2. What have you recently finished reading?
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine: ended up with decidedly mixed feelings about this. I have the kind of frustration toward it that I usually get toward things I feel were so close to being fantastic but missed in little ways.
Kaiju No. 8: Exclusive on the Third Division by Keiji Ando and Naoya Matsumoto: this is a light novel canon-insert between events shown in some of the novel volumes. Ultimately pointless, but I like this 'verse enough that it was nice to get to spend more time with the characters.
Ogi's Summer Break vol. 2 by Koikawa: (modern BL, gender nonconforming mc) I reserved judgement on this after volume 1 but now that I'm done with the duology... this was a mess.
Is This the Kind of Love I Want? vol. 1 by Kouki: modern BL with an established relationship between a gay man and a "straight" man. I'm always here for characters who are solidly adults. I'm hoping the second vol. wraps things up nicely (I've got a hold on it on Libby).
Kaiju No. 8 vol. 13 by Naoya Matsumoto: of course grabbed this as soon as I saw it at the local library and finished it within a few hours.
Witch Hat Aterlier vol. 9 by Kamome Shirahama
Renegade Girls by Nora Neus: cute historical wlw that I was judging harshly on a few points up until I found out the main characters were both based on real historical figures. So like. It's just history that middle class white women took the mantle that should have belonged to others, sigh.
The Science of Ghosts by Lilah Sturges: very interesting ghost story with a wlw trans woman lead that I was enjoying until the end. I seem to have stumbled on a run of "main character has to give up everything they enjoy doing/have poured their passion into for the sake of a partner" stories. This is my third in like two weeks. Ugh.
Yona of the Dawn vol. 14 by Mizuho Kusanagi: I'm almost out of volumes the library has (again) and sigh.
FANGS vol. 3 by Billy Balibally: (modern vampire BL) there's no volume 4 yet and I take that as a personal attack.
Demon Slayer/Kimetsu no Yaiba vol. 18 by Koyoharu Gotouge
Blue Exorcist vol. 1 by Kazue Kato: this was recommended to me on Tumblr after I put up a post asking what I should read. I was kinda meh on it, honestly; there are no more volumes of it available from my libraries at this time and I think I'm fine with that.
3. What will you read next?
I'm leaving on a family vacation next Tuesday, which involves flying across the country, so I'll probably get a lot of reading done. I'm debating what to bring, honestly, as lots of books will be heavy but not having anything in print will mean I rely too heavily on my phone and the battery might not last. I'm leaning toward bringing either Lip and Sword or the first couple volumes of Yuwu. For graphic novels, I've got three from the local library I want to finish before we leave (Rainbow vol. 2 and vols 2 and 3 of What did you eat yesterday?). On Libby, I'm decently caught up right now - nothing due in the next week - so idk. Oh, also, I have Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch on Libby, with the plan of reading it during the trip, and a couple other novel holds likely to come between now and then. (Yes, I will be bringing about 4x more books than I can possibly read in a week).
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