News Magic: the Gathering Jim Henson Company Unleashes a Wild Music Video for Magic: The Gathering‘s Next Expansion Enjoy this wonderfully unhinged music video By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on January 6, 2026 Screenshot: Magic: The Gathering Comment 0 Share New Share Screenshot: Magic: The Gathering Wizards of the Coast’s Magic: The Gathering has come out with a new expansion called Lorwyn Eclipsed: Return to the Land of Light and Shadow. To celebrate the news (and encourage people to buy it), Wizards partnered with Jim Henson Company to create a bombastic and inspiring music video, which includes characters created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. The clip is a fun watch, even if you’ve never played Magic: The Gathering. It features one creature from sunny Lorwyn named Squen who’s a little bit dark, and a vibrant monster named Cragg from always-dark Shadowmoor. Their lands are divided by a purple sparkly fog, and they each look longingly at each other’s half of a single plane of existence. Cragg wants to see Lorwyn and sniff all the flowers to death, while Squen wants to find Shadowmoor’s darkest depths, where anarchy will set him free. (Fun!) There are more delightful lines in the video that I won’t spoil here, but the song also hints that the divide between their two worlds may come undone. Will the two become whole (perhaps literally) when it does so? Perhaps, if they play their cards right. Lorwyn Eclipsed is now available for preorder and is set to come out on January 23, 2026. Check out the impeccable music video/trailer below. [end-mark] The post Jim Henson Company Unleashes a Wild Music Video for <i>Magic: The Gathering</i>‘s Next Expansion appeared first on Reactor.

News The Batman: Part II Sebastian Stan in Talks to Join The Batman Part II Cast in Unknown Role The long-awaited sequel is set to start filming this spring By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on January 6, 2026 Photo Credit: Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios Comment 0 Share New Share Photo Credit: Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios Sebastian Stan, of course, is no stranger to comic book movies; he’s starred in several Marvel Cinematic Universe films as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier/a halfhearted member of Congress (pictured as the latter, above). It looks like he’s now considering joining another comic book franchise: According to Deadline, Stan is in talks to play a part in Matt Reeves’ upcoming feature, The Batman Part II, the Robert Pattinson-starring sequel to Reeves’ 2022 film, The Batman. What role Stan will be taking on is unknown. He could be Batman’s pal, he could be a villain, he could, for all we know, just be some dude on the street who gets mad when Batman double parks in front of his car (probably not the last one). Stan also isn’t the first MCU star to join the film. Back in December, reports came out that Scarlett Johansson was also joining the film in some capacity, though the details on her character are also completely under wraps. My guess for her role, with nothing to back me up, is that she’s playing Poison Ivy. Because why not? Here’s what we do know about The Batman Part II. Pattinson is back as an emo Bruce Wayne, along with Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb/The Penguin, Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner James Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and Barry Keoghan as the Joker. The script comes from Reeves and Mattson Tomlin and is set to start production this spring, with a release date of October 1, 2027. [end-mark] The post Sebastian Stan in Talks to Join <i>The Batman Part II</i> Cast in Unknown Role appeared first on Reactor.

Movies & TV Watchlist Here Are All the Genre Movies Premiering in January! This month’s releases feature a variety of zombies, an alien time loop, and a super-powered dog… By Petrana Radulovic | Published on January 6, 2026 Comment 0 Share New Share There is a lot of entertainment out there these days, and a lot of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror titles to parse through.  So we’re rounding up the genre movies coming out each month.  January is apparently a great month for bloody horror and post-apocalyptic sci-fi. The sequel to 28 Years Later hits theaters, along with movies about vampire cops, murderous chimpanzees, and haunted nursing homes. There are also two horror video game adaptations: Return to Silent Hill and Iron Lung.  The Home — in theaters January 1 Pete Davidson stars in this psychological horror film, playing Max, a troubled graffiti artist who works at a retirement home as part of court-ordered community service. Max is cautioned not to go to the fourth floor of the home. But he soon starts to notice disturbing things happening to the residents and begins to investigate.  We Bury the Dead — in theaters January 2 A grieving woman searches for her husband in a military disaster zone. She joins a body retrieval unit, still hoping to find him alive. But things begin to take a terrifying turn when some of the corpses she’s retrieved start to stir. They become more and more violent as the mission goes on.  Greenland 2: Migration— in theaters January 9 Five years ago (in 2020’s Greenland) a comet destroyed most of Earth. Now the survivors, including the Garrity family, must leave the safety of their shelter in Greenland and trek across the wastelands of what was once Europe in order to find a new home.  Primate — in theaters January 9 After being bitten by a rabid animal, a pet chimpanzee named Ben goes on a violent rampage, turning a tropical vacation into a bloody fight for survival. Ben is smarter than the average chimp and can use his tablet to communicate, which leads to some chilling moments in the trailer with the repeating robotic voice. Starbright — in theaters January 9   During an eclipse, a star crashes to earth and a young woman becomes its guardian. The trailer shows the star as a small fairylike creature and the footage starts off like a typical fantasy, with the young woman twirling around in a fancy dress and dancing with a handsome stranger. But things take an action-packed turn with various shoot-outs and explosions. Apparently guarding a star isn’t for the fainthearted.  28 Years Later: The Bone Temple — in theaters January 16 Like the rest of the movies in the post-apocalyptic horror 28 Days series, The Bone Temple takes place in a world where a virus induces homicidal rage and eventually causes the collapse of society. Characters from the previous installments return—including Cillian Murphy’s Jim from the 2002 original movie. Killer Whale — on VOD January 16 While on a tropical vacation, two young women take a getaway to a secluded lagoon. But their blissful retreat takes a bloody turn when a vengeful orca finds them and decides that it wants revenge for years in captivity. Orcas aren’t usually violent towards humans in the wild, but this one has an agenda.  All You Need Is Kill — in select theaters January 16 In this surreal animated sci-fi action flick, adapted from a Japanese light novel of the same name, a young woman is caught in a time loop. Every morning she wakes up and battles monstrous alien creatures, dying in the process. And then she wakes up again and again. She’s not sure how to escape till she crosses paths with a young man also trapped in the same time loop. If this sounds familiar, All You Need Is Kill was previously adapted in the 2014 live action movie Edge of Tomorrow. The Confession — in theaters January 16 A musician returns to her childhood home only to find a taped murder confession from her late father. Dead animals start showing up around her home and her son starts acting erratically. What links them might be a strange town folktale about a man who lured children like the Pied Piper.  Charlie the Wonderdog — in theaters January 16 Owen Wilson voices a dog who gets abducted by aliens and then gains superpowers. His human family is understandably surprised—but also concerned about his safety. But Wonderdog just wants to save the day. And when an evil cat starts plotting for world domination, he’ll need to step up his hero game.  Night Patrol — in theaters January 16 An LAPD officer learns that one squad of officers is hiding a dark supernatural secret: they’re vampires who prey on unsuspecting victims in poor neighborhoods. He must team up with some of the street gangs from his childhood neighborhood in order to fight the vampire cops.  Cosmic Princess Kaguya! — on Netflix January 22 Cosmic Princess Kaguya! is a modern musical reimagining of The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. In this version, the mysterious (and very hyperactive) princess crashlands from the moon into a regular high school student’s apartment. The two bond over music in a virtual world, where they’re able to pursue their dreams away from the stress of day-to-day life. Mercy  — in theaters January 23 In the near future (the scary year of 2029), a detective must prove to an AI judge that he did not murder his wife. Chris Pratt stars as the wrongfully convicted detective, with Rebecca Ferguson as the advanced artificial intelligence overseeing the trial.  Return to Silent Hill  — in theaters January 23 Return to Silent Hill specifically adapts the second Silent Hill game. It will be the third movie based on the popular horror video game franchise. In this one, a widower named James receives a letter from his deceased wife which urges him to go to the mysterious town of Silent Hill. While there, he learns the town has been clouded in a strange supernatural fog, with monsters lurking within.  Mother of Flies — on Shudder January 23 After being diagnosed with a terminal illness, a young woman seeks out a strange witch in the woods of the Catskills, who claims she can trick death. But the price of her cure is high—will it be worth the supernatural costs? Mother of Flies comes from the Adams family, a family of indie horror directors who also star as the main characters in the movie. Iron Lung — in select theaters January 30 The feature film debut of popular YouTuber Markiplier (real name Mark Fischbach), Iron Lung is based on a sci-fi horror game of the same name. In a distant post-apocalyptic future, a convict (played by Markiplier) is sent to explore an ocean of blood on a distant moon in a tiny, poorly constructed submarine.[end-mark] The post Here Are All the Genre Movies Premiering in January! appeared first on Reactor.

Books Young Adult Spotlight Most Anticipated Young Adult SFF/H for January & February 2026 A new year means new books! By Alex Brown | Published on January 6, 2026 Comment 0 Share New Share The new year means we have a new crop of young adult science fiction, fantasy, and horror novels. Despite the short days and long, cold nights, horror is in a downswing for the time being, replaced mostly by thrillers. Vampires are (temporarily?) out, dragons are in. And, as I have had to type on every Most Anticipated list for the last year or so, the stranglehold romantasy has on publishing continues unabated. There are also some intriguing queer stories coming in January and February that seem tailor made specifically to my interests, so thank you very much for that! Science Fictional If All the Stars Go Dark by S.G. Prince (Godwin Books; January 20, 2026) Upon graduation, Keller lands his dream job as a gunner for the Legion. His pilot partner, Lament, keeps him at arm’s length, but as much of a bummer as it is, Keller throws himself into his work anyway. He and his new crew get into hot water when they investigate a strange space substance that attacked the last gunner. Space opera plus romance equals lots of adventure-y fun. Postscript by Cory McCarthy (Dutton Books for Young Readers; February 17, 2026) In sharp contrast to the HEAs/HFNs that dominate in romantasy, this is a true dystopian story. The world West and Emil live in is hard and getting worse by the day. There is no deus ex machina or Chosen One to save the day. Six years ago the apocalypse happened and now these two young men are pretty much all that’s left of the human race. They wander the Massachusetts coastline with Emil’s dog, searching for dwindling resources and trying to survive as long as they can. It’s a love story at the end of the world.  Magic with a Twist Soul of a Gentleman Witch by David Ferraro (Page Street YA; January 20, 2026) Stuck as a seventeen-year-old forever, Callum will only be free after performing 666 tasks for Lucifer. One day, Lucifer agrees to wipe Callum’s debt clean and free his soul, all for the price of transporting an alchemist across the pond. But of course, once Callum gets to know Auggie, trading his own life for Auggie’s becomes an impossible choice. A necromancer hunting Auggie, an undead witch, and a winged cat complicate matters. Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean (Love Me Tomorrow #1 — Sarah Barley Books; February 3, 2026) After making a wish at the Tanabata festival, Emma, who doesn’t believe in love, starts receiving mysterious letters. The anonymous author claims to be her true love writing from the future. At first she doesn’t believe them, but they quickly become impossible to ignore. Who is this mysterious suitor? Is it someone she already knows or someone she hasn’t yet met? Call of the Dragon by Natasha Bowen (Call of the Dragon #1— Random House Books for Young Readers; February 10, 2026) In a world of dragon gods, Moremi finds herself unexpectedly claimed by both Yida and Dam, something that isn’t supposed to be possible. It’s a good thing she is, because the king and his wicked advisor Addaf launch a coup to overthrow the dragon gods. Now Moremi, her friend Nox, and her nemesis Zaye have less than a week to save the world with a cleansing ceremony… if Addaf doesn’t catch them first. Outcasts, Outlaws, and Rebels A Wild Radiance by Maria Ingrande Mora (Peachtree Teen; January 20, 2026) A queer and neurodivergent romantasy reimagining of the War of the Currents was not on my 2026 bingo card, but I’ll take it. Josephine, imbued with the power of radiance (electricity magic), leaves the orphanage where she was raised, House of Industry. As punishment for constantly breaking rules, she’s packed off to the distant countryside town of Frostbrook to work as a Conductor. There she meets Julian and Ezra, two young men who tug on her heart.  Queen of Faces by Petra Lord (Queen of Faces #1 — Henry Holt and Co.Books for Young Readers; February 3, 2026) In Caimor, people can transfer their souls into fake bodies. To save her from a terminal illness as a child, Ana’s parents put her in the only one they could afford, a defective model. Eight years later, the male body Ana’s trapped in is falling apart. Her last hope of stealing a better form is lost when she’s captured by the principal of an elite magic school. Either she works for him as a mercenary, dispatching rebels trying to take down the oppressive political system, or he has her arrested and executed.  Thrills & Chills To the Death by Andrea Tang (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers; February 10, 2026) Sam vows revenge on the man who killed her brother in an illegal duel. That man also happens to be the father of Tamsin, a young woman who will do whatever it takes to win his respect. Their mutual desperation puts them on opposite sides of a duel, with Tamsin taking on dueling master Lysander Rook and Sam acting as Rook’s assistant. This Wretched Beauty: A Dorian Gray Remix by Elle Grenier (Feiwel & Friends; February 17, 2026) Do you want a trans remix of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray? Of course you do! It’s 1867 and Dorian is miserable as the sole heir to their family’s estate. They meet the artist Basil who paints a stunning portrait of Dorian, displaying them in a light they’ve never seen themselves in before. Basil offers Dorian the confidence to explore the queer underbelly of London, and take to it like a fish to water. The deeper they sink, the more Basil’s painting changes. Competitive Streak The Swan’s Daughter: a Possibly Doomed Love Story by Roshani Chokshi (Wednesday Books; January 6, 2026) Two cursed teens work together to break destiny. Demelza is a veritas swan, a young woman with the ability to sing the truth out of her audience but also doomed to never be able to fall in love without losing her heart or freedom. Prince Arris is doomed to be murdered by his bride thanks to a curse from a sea witch, and his only way out is to find his true love. They meet at the palace and form an alliance—she’ll weed out the murderous suitors competing to marry him and he’ll protect her from a wicked wizard—in this fairy-tale-esque fantasy.  Heart’s Gambit by J.D. Myall (Heart’s Gambit #1 — Wednesday Books; February 3, 2026) In the 1860s, two teens tried to escape their enslaver, the witch Sabine, but she captured and cursed them instead. While they now have their freedom, they cannot be around each other without wanting to fight. While they have magical powers and the ability to travel through time, in every generation one child from each family must fight to the death with their life feeding Sabine’s immortality. This year, it’s Emma and Malcolm’s turn at the Gambit. Can their love defeat systemic oppression? Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow (Feiwel & Friends; February 3, 2026) Immortal teens Calamity and Darling are competing for a mentorship from the prestigious Mortal Outcome Council. Calam guides clients to tragic endings while Darling dabbles in happily ever afters. Whoever exerts the most influence over mortal client Lucy wins the mentorship, but after a series of unlucky events they must pose as an engaged couple and win her over without magic. This is comped as The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella. Immediate preorder. Immediate.  Death Is Not the End It Lurks in the Night by Sarah Dass (Rick Riordan Presents / Disney Hyperion; January 27, 2026) A high school senior takes her friends on an adventure that turns deadly. Every year, Erica, Lystra, Pearl, and Maya sail around the Caribbean, leaving their cares behind them for a few days. Tragedy strikes when they’re grounded on a haunted island and Erica winds up dead. Or so they thought. A few days later, Erica returns home seemingly alive but very much not well. If you know anything about Caribbean folklore, you know Maya is about to have the fight of her life. They Call Her Regret by Channelle Desamours (Wednesday Books; February 17, 2026) Horror-obsessed Simone plans a rager for her 18th birthday. At a cabin near Doll’s Head Lake, she anticipated scary stories around a campfire and creepy pranks. Instead she accidentally murders her best friend Kira. The ghost who haunts the lake, a witch called Regret, offers Simone a deal she cannot refuse: break the curse binding her spirit and she’ll resurrect Kira and erase all of Simone’s many regrets; fail within the two-week time limit and Kira’s life is forfeit. The post Most Anticipated Young Adult SFF/H for January & February 2026 appeared first on Reactor.

News Tomb Raider The Tomb Raider Prime Video Series Cast Is Shaping Up Quite Nicely Do you think Jason Isaacs ever longs to just play a really nice guy? By Molly Templeton | Published on January 6, 2026 Screenshot: HBO Comment 0 Share New Share Screenshot: HBO As was announced last fall, Sophie Turner—who has already played the iconic roles of Sansa Stark and Jean Grey—is our new Lara Croft, action-loving archaeologist star of the Tomb Raider franchise. Prime Video’s Tomb Raider series comes from showrunners Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) and Chad Hodge (Good Behavior), which automatically makes it somewhat intriguing. Now that the show has revealed its full supporting cast, the intrigue factor has jumped up several levels. Sigourney Weaver has gone from “in talks” to “in the cast,” and she’ll be playing Evelyn Wallis, described by The Hollywood Reporter as “a mysterious, high-flying woman who is keen to exploit Lara’s talents.” Three existing characters from the Tomb Raider universe have been cast, including Jason Isaacs (The White Lotus, pictured above) as Atlas DeMornay, Lara’s uncle. Atlas—whose name alone does not suggest he’s the most upstanding of characters—has appeared or been mentioned in two games and a Tomb Raider comic, and was the executor of the Croft estate after his sister Amelia’s death. Bill Paterson (House of the Dragon) will play Winston, the Crofts’ butler; Martin Bobb-Semple (One of Us Is Lying) has been cast as Zip, who provides tech support (surely his activities are all above-board). The rest of the new cast includes the always-excellent Celia Imrie (The Thursday Murder Club), who THR says is “the head of advancement at the British Museum, focused solely on raising funds and glasses of champagne.” The also always-excellent Paterson Joseph (Avenue 5) is “a senior government official brought in to clean up an almighty mess.” Lara will have a pilot “and snack collector,” Gerry, played by Pennyworth star Jack Bannon, and a “deeply competitive new adversary,” Sasha, who is played by Sasha Luss (Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets). There’s also an “exhausted government official” played by John Heffernan (A Gentleman in Moscow); a “by-the-books curator at the British Museum” played by Juliette Motamed (We Are Lady Parts); and “an illegal raider who shares history with Lara.” The latter role has been filled by German actor August Wittgenstein, whose cheekbones suggest a sultry sort of history. No premiere date has been announced for the Prime Video series, which is of course based on the long-running series of games originally created by Core Design.[end-mark] The post The <i>Tomb Raider</i> Prime Video Series Cast Is Shaping Up Quite Nicely appeared first on Reactor.