This week on Checkin' the Gate, Owen Rogers checks in after returning from Fanatics Fest NYC, reflecting on the intersection of sports, entertainment, fandom, and pop culture while diving into another packed week of Hollywood news. In The Check-In, Owen recaps Fanatics Fest, his trip to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail, and breaks down the biggest industry headlines—from new Marvel trailers and franchise announcements to biopics, comedy projects, and major casting news. From Batman Part II getting delayed to new Deadpool developments, it's another busy week across the entertainment landscape. This week's featured review spotlights Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Mixtape, a cameo-filled comedy that blends absurd humor, celebrity satire, and sketch comedy sensibilities while introducing several rising stars worth keeping an eye on. Then it's time for Checking the Gate, where Owen dives into the latest episodes of X-Men '97, Rick and Morty, Raising Kanan, My Adventures with Superman, and Silo, breaking down storylines, comic book lore, character development, and what's working across television. The Black Indie Spotlight highlights Back on the Strip, a Las Vegas-set comedy featuring an all-star ensemble led by Wesley Snipes, and explores how independent Black comedies continue carving out their own lane. Finally, Owen wraps with this week's box office report, including The Odyssey, Moana, and Toy Story. If you love movies, television, comic books, Black cinema, and conversations from the perspective of a working actor, welcome to Checkin' the Gate.
This week's entertainment headlines include:
Recap from Fanatics Fest NYC
to Tales in New Orleans
Ali G returns with Who Iz I?
New directorial project from Chris Rock
New workplace comedy inspired by The Cable Guy starring Damon Wayans Jr.
Feature film based on AND1 legend The Professor
Snoop Dogg biopic slated for 2027
Euphoria retrospective announced
New trailers for Avengers and Spider-Man: Brand New Day
New Deadpool project in development
First look at Clayface
The Batman Part II delayed until 2028
Zosia Mamet joins Industry
Casting changes for Scrubs Season 2
Johnny Depp attached to Ebenezer
🎬 Spotlight Review
Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Mixtape
This week's featured review explores an ensemble comedy packed with celebrity cameos and sketch-comedy energy.
Topics include:
Satire of celebrity culture
A modern twist on fantasy storytelling
Comedy in the spirit of Movie 43 and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Performances from John Slattery, Zoey Deutch, Ben Wang, and Miles Gutierrez-Riley
Which newcomers steal the show
📺 CHECKING THE GATE
X-Men '97
A deep dive into one of Marvel Animation's strongest series.
Discussion includes:
Building on the original animated series
Polaris storyline
Apocalypse mythology
Onslaught teases
Wolverine's emotional arc
Jubilee's continued growth
Gambit's return
Expanding the larger X-Men universe with X-Factor, X-Force, New Mutants, and X-Corp
Omega Red and the "Danger" episode
Rick and Morty
Six episodes in
Bigger science fiction ideas
Mental health themes
Rick and Morty's evolving relationship
High-concept storytelling
Body-swapping and memory concepts
The "confidence worm" episode
Raising Kanan
Kanan's evolution
Family betrayals
Marvin's influence
Jukebox's future
Tommy and Ghost speculation
The mystery surrounding Breeze
My Adventures with Superman
New takes on Connor Kent and Jon Kent
Jimmy Olsen's role
Superman mythology expansion
Silo
Memory loss mystery
Lucas storyline
Timeline reveals
The importance of Vitamin D and underground society
Building toward the season's larger mystery
🎥 Black Indie Spotlight
Back on the Strip
This week's featured indie film stars:
Wesley Snipes
J. B. Smoove
Kevin Hart
Tiffany Haddish
Faison Love
Gary Owen
Spence Moore II
Topics include:
Independent comedy filmmaking
Las Vegas as a backdrop
Wesley Snipes' return to leading comedy
Ensemble chemistry
Directed by Chris Spencer
Why the film deserves another look
🎟️ Box Office Report
This week's numbers include:
The Odyssey opens with over $123 million
Moana earns $17 million in Week 2
Toy Story adds $13 million in Week 3, reaching over $429 million worldwide