This week on Checkin' the Gate, Owen Rogers checks in live from Japan with another packed episode covering Marvel, television, film industry news, and the latest from the world of independent Black cinema. In The Check-In, Owen runs through a major week in entertainment, including Wonder Man being canceled, Spider-Man crossing the $1 billion mark, an upcoming Linkin Park documentary, and major casting news surrounding God of War, Ghost Rider, Black Panther, and more. The main spotlight this week is Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Owen breaks down the trailer, the growing number of cameos, the introduction of characters and mythology connected to the mutant world, and what Marvel may be setting up for the future of the MCU. From Jean Grey and the Punisher to Hulk, Yelena, Scorpion, and the Hand, there is a lot happening beneath the surface. Then it's Checking the Gate, with Owen diving into X-Men '97, Rick and Morty, Silo, and Lucky, looking at everything from Onslaught and Magneto to portal guns, shifting timelines, memory loss, cryptocurrency, and the expanding Apple TV+ lineup. The Black Indie Spotlight revisits Charm City Kings, the Baltimore-set coming-of-age drama starring Jahi Di'Allo Winston and featuring Meek Mill, exploring its bike culture, independent production, and journey to release during the COVID era. Finally, Owen closes with the box office, including Spider-Man, The Odyssey, Toy Story, Minions, and Moana. From Japan to the MCU, from prestige television to independent Black film, this is Checkin' the Gate.
📰 THE CHECK-IN
Life of a Working Actor + Industry Updates
Owen checks in live from Japan and breaks down the latest industry news:
Wonder Man canceled
Spider-Man crosses the $1 billion mark
Upcoming Linkin Park documentary
Dave Bautista circling God of War
Jafaar Jackson joins Super Max with Will Smith
Samara Weaving reportedly tapped for Emma Frost
Ryan Gosling linked to Ghost Rider
David Johnson connected to the Black Panther role
Martin Lawrence guest stars on The Varnell Hill Show
Keke Palmer takes over hosting duties on The Voice
Higher Ground project featuring Aubrey Plaza
President Curtis renewed for Season 2
🕷️ SPOTLIGHT: Spider-Man: Brand New Day
This week's main conversation is all about Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Owen breaks down:
The trailer's heavy use of cameos
How Marvel is blurring the line between Spider-Man and the mutant side of the MCU
Jean Grey and her connection to the story
The Punisher
Hulk and Yelena
Jean Grey's sister
Zendaya's appearance
Hulk's size and presentation
Trailer misdirection
Scorpion
Tarantula
The Hand
The possibility of a major post-credit setup
Questions surrounding the ending
What Marvel could be building toward next
Big question: Is Brand New Day actually a Spider-Man movie, or is it becoming a larger bridge into the MCU's mutant era?
🧬 CHECKING THE GATE
What I'm Watching
X-Men '97
The X-Men universe continues to expand:
Apocalypse storyline
Onslaught teased
"Magneto was right"
Exodus reveal
Nightcrawler, Rogue, and Creed relationship dynamics
Continued expansion of the X-Men mythology
Rick and Morty
Morty gets a portal gun
New developments in Morty's abilities
The sunglasses/eye storyline
Continued experimentation with the show's high-concept storytelling
Silo
Memories begin returning
The mayor's status
New character motivations
The mysterious "Pez dispenser" discovery
Connections to the previous season
Timeline shifts
The car hijacking storyline
Lucky
A look at Apple's upcoming series featuring:
Anya Taylor-Joy
Annette Bening
Timothy Olyphant
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
Clifton Collins Jr.
Owen digs into the show's cryptocurrency storyline, deaths, ensemble cast, and why Lucky could be another interesting addition to Apple's growing television slate.
🎬 BLACK INDIE SPOTLIGHT
Charm City Kings
This week's Black Indie Spotlight goes back to Charm City Kings, the Baltimore-set coming-of-age story centered around the city's dirt-bike culture.
Talking Points
Baltimore's bike culture
Coming-of-age storytelling
Meek Mill in the cast
Produced by Will Smith
Jahi Di'Allo Winston
The film's COVID-era release
Independent-film economics
Music and culture as part of the storytelling
The film's connection to Baltimore's youth culture
🎭 BOX OFFICE
This week's numbers:
Spider-Man: $360M domestic
The Odyssey: $51M in Week 3, approaching $900M worldwide
Toy Story: $6M, crossing $1B globally
Minions: $6M
Moana: $5M in Week 4