All posts by World War Joe

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Apple’s $250 Million Pit Stop: The F1 Movie That Forgot the Finish Line

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When a studio sets out to make a movie, the logic should be simple: spend modestly, earn big. But Apple’s latest cinematic detour with F1—a racing drama starring Brad Pitt—is a reminder that Hollywood still hasn’t mastered that math.

F1 has now become the highest-grossing original film of the year… with a box office haul of just $410 million. That might sound like a win until you realize the budget was reportedly $250 million, with some estimates ballooning closer to $300 million—and that’s before adding “significant marketing costs.” What marketing, exactly? The speaker hasn’t seen a single trailer, ad, or even whisper of the film’s existence in mainstream promo channels.

Let’s break this down. It’s a racing movie. Not Avatar. Not a CGI-heavy space opera. A film that, in theory, shouldn’t need hundreds of millions in digital effects. Yet here we are.

Brad Pitt remains a respectable name in film, but is he still a box office draw worth that kind of paycheck? The speaker raises the very real question: Could this movie have been made for hundreds of millions less without him? Probably.

And this isn’t an isolated incident. The pattern continues with big studio releases that “make” hundreds of millions and still somehow lose money. Quantum Mania, The Marvels, Thunderbolts—all examples of massive box office totals paired with even more massive losses.

Apple, flush with iPhone profits, seems to be treating its streaming service like a tax write-off. Movies like Napoleon appeared in theaters for a blink before heading to streaming, making one wonder: Why would anyone pay to see these in theaters if they’ll be online in a week?

Bottom line? F1 is the most profitable original movie of the year. And still, it’s a disaster. The math doesn’t add up—but then again, neither does most budgets today. 

World War Joe 

Movies and Shows

Netflix’s Assassin’s Creed: A Stealth Game Franchise That Can’t Escape Its Own Mistakes

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Netflix is officially moving forward with a live-action Assassin’s Creed series—and somehow, they’ve learned absolutely nothing.

Remember the 2016 movie with Michael Fassbender? No? Exactly. Instead of delivering the assassin-centered story fans craved, we got a convoluted mess obsessed with the Animus and the “Apple of Eden.” That same misguided philosophy is likely creeping into this series, too—along with what seems to be a strategy focused more on headlines than quality storytelling.

I imagine the show would be more interested in scoring diversity points than in actually crafting a good narrative. There’s a growing trend where projects brag about their inclusive casting, then weaponize backlash to deflect from the real problem: the content just isn’t good.

You can already predict the PR cycle: puff pieces praising the vision, accusing audiences of bigotry for not tuning in, followed by a quiet flop and no season two.

Ubisoft, once a juggernaut of banger releases, now clings to fading relevance while the Assassin’s Creed games drift further from what made them popular in the first place—stealth, intrigue, and historical immersion. The newest games feel like off-brand Ghost of Tsushima clone, and now the Netflix series might follow suit. A better idea? Start small. Build interest with compelling side characters or spinoff content—then develop from there. But instead, it looks like they’re chasing social media impressions and bracing for bankruptcy.

At this point, fans can only hope for a miracle—or at least for Netflix to step aside and let Assassin’s Creed quietly vanish into the shadows where it belongs.

World War Joe

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Jake Paul in Creed 4?

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Jake Paul in Creed 4? Please No.

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Hollywood has a bad habit of chasing trends without understanding what actually makes something work. Case in point: the swirling rumor that Jake Paul might appear in Creed 4. Whether he’ll show up as a villain, a cameo, or a full-on opponent for Adonis Creed hasn’t been confirmed—but even as a whisper, it’s a bad idea.

Let’s break this down.

Jake Paul is a former Disney Channel star who pivoted to boxing—not through traditional routes, but by handpicking opponents like retired UFC fighters, ex-NBA players, and past-their-prime boxers. The man’s entire boxing career has been built more on spectacle than sport. And that’s not even touching the allegations that some of his fights are rigged, with slow-motion footage suggesting clear pre-arranged signals before knockouts.

So why inject that kind of circus energy into a franchise that, up to this point, has been about legacy, struggle, and legitimate athletic drama? The Creed series built itself as a worthy continuation of the Rocky saga—stories rooted in grit, growth, and real emotion. Jake Paul undermines that.

Some might argue it’s just a cameo. A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment. But even then—why? What’s the point of putting a divisive internet personality in a franchise built on authenticity? It doesn’t boost credibility. It doesn’t honor the sport. It doesn’t add anything, except maybe headlines from the kind of sites that confuse buzz for quality.

Let’s hope this stays a rumor. Because if Creed 4 wants to keep swinging with heart, it shouldn’t be shadowboxing with YouTube gimmicks.

World War Joe

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Spiderman 3 Will Flop

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Ahsoka Season 2: Leia to the Rescue? Or Just Another Star Wars Rehash?

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On this episode of “Why Weren’t You in Season One?” I tackle the latest from Screen Rant, who boldly declare that Ahsoka Season 2 “must finally make one heartbreaking recast.” And by heartbreaking, they mean recasting Princess Leia—again. But… didn’t that already happen?

Let’s rewind a bit. Remember Rogue One? That final scene with Leia that led right into A New Hope? Yeah, that wasn’t actually Carrie Fisher. It was CGI. They even brought Grand Moff Tarkin back from the dead using digital sorcery—and the world kept turning. So why all the hand-wringing now?

The truth is, Ahsoka Season 1 already felt like it was missing half the galaxy. Where were Luke, Han, Leia? If we’re pretending Admiral Thrawn is the next Thanos-level threat, where were the actual big players? When Ewan McGregor’s wife asked for backup, the New Republic practically laughed in her face. Wouldn’t that have been the perfect time for Princess Leia to show up and lend some real weight to the mission? You know—troops, authority, relevance?

But no. Instead, we got a ragtag team trying to save the galaxy while the rest of the characters seemingly just scrolled past the group chat.

Now, Ahsoka Season 2 is somehow greenlit. Yes, one of the lowest-rated shows on Disney+—a series that most fans, especially the ones who care about Star Wars lore, universally panned—is getting a second season. It’s a move that feels less like a creative decision and more like a stubborn refusal to read the room.

And here’s the kicker: Screen Rant’s article argues that Leia “needs to be shown as the hero Carrie Fisher should have gotten to be.” That sentence alone is confusing enough, but the irony is worse. This same outlet has already published multiple articles claiming Leia was already the real hero of Star Wars. One in 2021: “10 Reasons Leia Was the Original Trilogy’s Real Hero.” Another in 2024: “Leia Was the Real New Hope in the Original Trilogy.”

So which is it? Leia was already the real MVP… or we need to force her into Ahsoka Season 2 to prove it all over again?

Disney seems dead set on rewriting the mythos, show by show. And now, it looks like Ahsoka Season 2 is shaping up to be less about Ahsoka and more about Leia 2.0—probably a CG version, because let’s be real, they’re not going to recast her. Much like Luke in The Mandalorian, we’ll likely get a face-mapped digital Leia, slapped onto a body double and run through some AI filters. It’s not about the story anymore—it’s about keeping IPs on life support with nostalgia cameos and legacy-brand cameos.

At this point, does it even matter when the show comes out? Will anyone notice? Season 1 already came and went with all the fanfare of a whisper. So what’s Season 2 supposed to fix?

Let me know what you think. Should Leia have been in Season 1? Will Season 2 turn the ship around? Or are we just watching Disney dig a deeper hole in a galaxy far, far away?

Movies and Shows, Podcast

Daredevil Born Again: A Reality Check for Disney+

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Daredevil Born Again was supposed to be the show that brought back the Netflix-era magic of Marvel’s most beloved street-level hero. But now? It’s struggling to even match Agatha All Along in viewership numbers.

Disney+ was once an unstoppable force, delivering hit after hit, but those days are gone. Shows like Loki, WandaVision, and Falcon and the Winter Soldier had intrigue, but Daredevil had something more—an existing, passionate fanbase. After all, the Netflix Daredevil series is widely considered one of the best superhero shows ever made.

Yet, Daredevil Born Again premiered with only 7.5 million views in its first five days, compared to Agatha All Along’s 9.3 million and Loki Season 2’s 10.9 million. That’s an embarrassingly low number for a franchise that once dominated. Even The Acolyte, which Disney immediately canceled, had better numbers.

So, what went wrong?

Disney promised a fresh start, a return to form after scrapping their initial episodes and hiring new talent. Yet, signs of forced messaging and political themes crept back in. The leaked plot about corrupt cops tattooing The Punisher’s symbol had already turned fans off before release. And when the actual show confirmed those fears, many fans checked out.

The biggest issue? Fans simply don’t care anymore. After years of letdowns, Disney burned through goodwill, and now even a Daredevil revival can’t reignite interest.

Movies and Shows

One of the Greatest Mysteries of Our Time: Vulture in Morbius

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Michael Keaton recently admitted that even he doesn’t understand his cameo as Vulture in Morbius. And honestly, who does? This post-credits scene is one of the most confusing in cinematic history.

Let’s break it down:

  • In Spider-Man: No Way Home, villains who knew Peter Parker’s identity were transported back to their original universes.
  • But for some reason, Vulture—a villain from Tom Holland’s universe—was transported into the Morbius universe instead.
  • Somehow, he also got his high-tech flight suit back… even though it was created using alien tech from The Avengers battle in New York.
  • And despite all this, Vulture immediately decides that Spider-Man is responsible for his situation and randomly seeks out Morbius, even though Morbius was just a doctor-turned-vampire with no major presence in the city.

None of this makes sense.

Michael Keaton himself admitted he had “no idea” what was happening, and that Sony just pitched him a vague idea, probably alongside a big paycheck. Sony clearly wanted to set up a Sinister Six team-up, but they had no plan. Now, years later, there’s still no follow-up, leaving this scene as nothing more than a bizarre cliffhanger with no resolution.

Was Morbius hinting at something bigger? Or was this just another example of Sony scrambling to connect a universe that doesn’t actually fit together?

Videogame Reviews, Videogames

Why Spider-Man 3 Will Flop

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Predicting the future of video games can be tricky, but based on recent trends, Spider-Man 3 is headed for trouble. Spider-Man 2 rode the success of its predecessor, yet it introduced elements that divided players. While the first game delivered strong combat, a gripping storyline, and stayed clear of controversy, its sequels progressively leaned into social messaging.

The Miles Morales spin-off was generally well-received, but Spider-Man 2 brought in what some consider unnecessary political symbolism, self-insert characters, and forced inclusivity. Interestingly, the Middle Eastern version of the game omitted these elements, sparking debates on whether such changes impact sales.

Now, with Spider-Man 3 placing Miles as the sole protagonist, the game’s success will no longer be buoyed by Peter Parker’s popularity or pre-order momentum. If trends continue, pre-order numbers will decline, and defenders of the game will be quick to attribute criticism to race rather than consumer disinterest. Just like The Marvels, expect a campaign to shield it from failure.

Will Spider-Man 3 defy expectations, or will it crumble under its own weight? Time will tell.

Movies and Shows

Rey the Robot? The Star Wars Script That Almost Was

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In the ever-evolving world of Star Wars lore, there are always surprising revelations and intriguing what-ifs that keep fans buzzing. One of the more astonishing tidbits involves a script for the sequel trilogy where Rey was not just the scavenger-turned-Jedi we know, but a robot. Yes, you read that correctly – a robot.

One of the writers for the Star Wars sequel trilogy apparently penned a script where Rey was revealed to be a robot. This revelation might leave you scratching your head, much like it did me. According to sources, including Jenny Nicholson, this script envisioned Rey as a secret robot throughout the events of The Force Awakens. This concept, however, was ultimately shelved and reimagined, leading to the Rise of Skywalker we saw in theaters.

Imagining Rey as a robot certainly adds a new layer of complexity to the storyline. How would it have changed the dynamics between characters? Would it have provided a more logical explanation for her incredible abilities? Some argue that it might have made more sense than the infamous “Somehow, Palpatine returned” plot point. A Rey created in a lab, infused with midi-chlorians, could have offered a more grounded rationale for her rapid ascent as a Jedi.

The concept of Rey as a robot has received mixed reactions from the fan community. Some believe it could have provided a richer, more cohesive narrative, especially considering the somewhat divisive reception of the sequel trilogy. Others feel that it might have detracted from the human element that Rey brought to the story – her struggle, her growth, and her ultimate victory.

As always, the success of such a bold narrative choice would hinge on the execution. A good writer has the power to turn even the most outlandish ideas into compelling stories. The key is in crafting a plot that resonates with audiences and stays true to the essence of the characters and the universe they inhabit. Unfortunately, if handled poorly, it could easily have been dismissed as “the one where Rey was a robot.”

While we will never see this version of the story on the big screen, it’s an intriguing thought experiment. Could Rey as a robot have been the key to a more universally acclaimed sequel trilogy? Or would it have been another controversial decision in a saga that has seen its fair share of highs and lows?

In the end, the idea of Rey as a robot is one of those fascinating “what ifs” that keep the Star Wars fandom alive with speculation and debate. It’s a testament to the enduring allure of the galaxy far, far away that even the unrealized scripts can spark such interest and discussion. Whether you think it’s a brilliant missed opportunity or a dodged bullet, it’s clear that the world of Star Wars will never stop surprising us.

What are your thoughts on this potential storyline? Would Rey as a robot have made for a better trilogy, or are you glad it remained just a script? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Video Discussion https://youtu.be/-odomSnPKL4

World War Joe