The first week of 2024 is over, and we celebrated by looking ahead—with what to read, what to watch, and what Lego to buy, of course, as well as a celebrating just how weird 2024 is in Star Trek’s timeline. There’s all that, Doctor Who continuing to ride its current high, and what to expect out of a public domain Mickey Mouse. Come take a look at what you might have missed!—James Whitbrook

James Mangold on his Future Star Wars Film | io9 Interview

2024 Is a Hell of a Year in Star Trek History

Image for article titled Star Wars Drama, Doctor Who Complaints, and 2024 Previews in the Culture News of the Week

Screenshot: Paramount


Doctor Who’s New Streaming Home Has Been a Huge Success

Image for article titled Star Wars Drama, Doctor Who Complaints, and 2024 Previews in the Culture News of the Week

Image: BBC

To celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary last year, the BBC made a huge, unprecedented move: for the first time, almost the entirety of Doctor Who, from episodes from 1963 all the way up to the then-airing anniversary specials, would be made available to stream in the UK in one place, on the BBC’s own streaming platform iPlayer. And it turns out doing so has helped the BBC break streaming records over the festive period. - James Whitbrook 

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10 Sci-Fi Movies to Stream on Netflix Instead of Hatewatching Rebel Moon

John Boyega as Fontaine, Teyonah Parris as Yo-Yo, and Jamie Foxx as Slick Charles in They Cloned Tyrone.

John Boyega as Fontaine, Teyonah Parris as Yo-Yo, and Jamie Foxx as Slick Charles in They Cloned Tyrone.
Photo: Parrish Lewis/Netflix

Zack Snyder’s homage-a-thon Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire came out with a bang for Netflix, but as of today it’s barely clinging to the streamer’s top 10. If you’ve been holding out on watching (maybe you’re waiting for a binge when Part Two: The Scargiver releases April 19?), here are 10 other Netflix sci-fi selections to consider. - Cheryl Eddy

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BBC Responds to Anti-Trans Doctor Who Complaints: Lol, Lmao, Etc.

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Screenshot: BBC

Doctor Who viewers are willing to accept a lot of things—fascist pepperpots, farting skinsuit aliens, children-kidnapping goblins with Christmas number 1 ambitions, the existence of travel in time and space in general. But some of them just couldn’t deal with a singular trans character appearing in recent episodes. To which, the BBC says: tough, you’ve gotta deal with it anyway. - James Whitbrook 

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The Culture War Is Already Coming for Star Wars’ Rey Movie

Daisy Ridley, Kathleen Kennedy, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Photo: Jeff Spicer (Getty Images)

Somehow toxic fandom has returned and at the mere mention of Star Wars and women, no less. Nonsensical virulent misogynistic notions abound as Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy and the director of the studios’ upcoming Rey film Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy have found themselves in the crosshairs of troll pundits and anti-woke platformers over women playing in the Star Wars sandbox. Mind you, the sandbox wouldn’t still be there if not for Kennedy. - Sabina Graves 

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Steven Yeun Drops Out of Marvel’s Thunderbolts

Steven Yeun as Glenn in AMC's The Walking Dead.

Image: AMC

What you’ve heard is true: The Walking Dead alum Steven Yeun is no longer in the cast for Marvel’s upcoming Thunderbolts movie.

The un-casting was officially confirmed via the Hollywood Reporter. Though an official reason wasn’t given, it’s worth pointing out that Thunderbolts had been heavily impacted by the Hollywood strikes from last year, and was in fact originally meant to come out this upcoming July. Eventually, things got to the point where production was paused indefinitely. While his inclusion in the film was never outright confirmed by Marvel in any official sense, it’s been known for some time, and Invincible creator Robert Kirkman recently let it slip that Yeun would be playing the Sentry, a Marvel hero with an eclectic array of powers. - Justin Carter 

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Start 2024 Off Right With New Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Books

Crop of the cover art for Kinning

Image: Tor Books

Is “read more books” on your list of New Year’s resolutions? If it isn’t, you’ll surely be tempted to make room for it—and form a new habit that’ll last through 2024—once you see all the new sci-fi, fantasy, and horror titles hitting bookshelves in January. - Cheryl Eddy 

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Ring 2024 In With All the Amazing New Lego Sets Out In January

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Image: Lego

New year, new... Lego? That’s how that saying goes, right? After a few quiet months to round out 2023, Lego is starting 2024 with a bang with tons of new sets. Marvel! Star Wars! Sonic! Jurassic Park! Bouquets and Polaroids! Truly, something for everyone. - James Whitbrook 

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Is Netflix’s Daredevil Canon to Echo?

Is Netflix’s DareDevil Canon to Echo?

io9 chats with Echo executive producer Richie Palmer about the new Marvel Studios series on Hulu and Disney+.


Everything You Need to Know About Mickey Mouse’s Public Domain Debut Today

Image for article titled Star Wars Drama, Doctor Who Complaints, and 2024 Previews in the Culture News of the Week

Screenshot: Disney... but not really?

Mickey Mouse is finally in the hands of the public, to do whatever they want with him. Well, in part. After Disney infamously helped delay the moment, today is the day Steamboat Willie, the first Disney animated short to star Mickey and Minnie Mouse, become public domain. But what does that mean? Simultaneously a lot and not much. - James Whitbrook 

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