This week on Geek Freaks, we break down the latest Avengers: Doomsday chatter and what the teaser strategy might be hinting at for the MCU's next big swing. We also hit the latest Tangled live-action conversation, dig into Netflix's theatrical strategy, and wrap with quick recs you can jump into right now.

• Avengers: Doomsday teaser rollout and what it suggests about the movie's tone and focus

• Doctor Doom and X-Men speculation, what feels likely vs what feels like fan fuel

• Tangled live-action updates and why casting discourse is always a battlefield

• Netflix's theatrical window approach and what it means for studios and audiences

• Quick recs and what's worth your time this week

• 01:46 Question of the week: Geek New Year's resolutions
• 05:55 Network update: Why Challenge Accepted is being put to rest
• 08:12 Are Disney live-action remakes still worth it?
• 16:52 Sebastian Stan rumored for Harvey Dent in The Batman: Part 2
• 17:40 Netflix and Warner Bros. talk, plus the 17-day theatrical window idea
• 25:33 Avengers: Doomsday marketing strategy: four teasers vs one trailer
• 50:25 Weekly recommendations: comics, movies, and a Taskmaster pitch
• 54:41 Network shout-outs and wrap-up

• The way Marvel markets Doomsday may tell you as much as the footage does.

• Doctor Doom only works if the story earns his presence instead of rushing him in.

• X-Men teases hit harder when they support the main plot, not replace it.

• Live-action remake casting always turns into a referendum on the whole idea.

• Netflix's theater strategy keeps changing, and that uncertainty affects everyone.

• Recs are still the best part of a news-heavy week when you just want something fun to watch or play.

• The "teaser strategy is the story" point for Avengers: Doomsday

• The "Doom needs to feel inevitable, not sudden" take

• The Tangled casting reality check on fan expectations

• The Netflix theatrical window conversation and why it matters beyond one movie

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Send us your thoughts and topics you want covered next week. If you've got a hot take, keep it tight and we'll read a few on the next episode.

Apple Podcast Tags: Marvel, MCU, Avengers, Avengers Doomsday, Doctor Doom, X-Men, Tangled, Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros, Movies, TV, Pop Culture, Geek Culture, Entertainment News, Trailer Discussion

Frank and Jonathan are officially back for 2026 after a hectic but fun holiday break, including the Geek Freaks Network Christmas party and a little self-awareness about how often podcasters say "you know." From there, they hand out their personal "best of 2025" picks across movies, TV, superhero projects, and games, plus run through the community poll winners.

Then it's full speed into 2026 hype: a family-friendly movie calendar, the big "adult list" blockbusters (including the absolute chaos of Avengers: Doomsday and Dune 3 landing the same day), and the TV slate they're most excited to keep on the radar. They close with a spoiler-heavy talk on the Stranger Things finale and what the show stuck the landing on, especially character growth, the goodbye energy, and how cinematic the final battles felt.

• 00:00 Welcome back, holiday break recap, and the Geek Freaks Network Christmas party
• 01:45 "Best of 2025" picks: movies, TV, and what surprised them
• 04:26 Superhero movie and superhero show poll results (plus some spicy takes)
• 10:16 Game of the year voting and falling back on comfort games
• 11:38 Best villain debate and why Pennywise took over the conversation
• 14:50 2026 family movie calendar (kid-friendly theater picks)
• 20:22 2026 blockbuster calendar: 28 Years Later, Project Hail Mary, Ready or Not 2, and more
• 26:43 The "event day" problem: Avengers: Doomsday and Dune 3 on the same date
• 28:22 2026 TV hype: The Boys, Game of Thrones spin-offs, Star Trek, One Piece, Lanterns, and more
• 38:46 Stranger Things finale review: the goodbye, the battle, and what hit hardest
• 47:15 Dungeons and Dragons sidebar and why they need binders like Stranger Things
• 50:01 "Most cinematic finale" talk and the Abyss/Dimension X discussion

• Sinners was Frank's clear movie of 2025, with major praise for the craft and the left-turn genre surprise.

• Superman won the community superhero movie vote, but Thunderbolts got real respect for performances and exceeding expectations.

• Andor is still the "tell your friends they're missing out" show, even if Stranger Things owned the bigger pop culture moment.

• The superhero show vote was tight, and the conversation around Daredevil: Born Again came with real critiques about structure and payoff.

• 2026 is stacked across both "take your kid to the movies" picks and big-ticket IMAX events.

• Stranger Things earned its goodbye, especially by bringing the focus back to friendship, growing up, and the reality that life moves on.

• "You realize how much you say 'you know' when you're podcasting."

• "It felt like a finale divided in two."

• "This is about friends and not just this big brand fight."

• "Don't let Disney brush it off. Watch it and enjoy this fresh idea from Marvel."

• "As much as they're saying bye to each other, they're saying bye to us as well."

• Best superhero movie vote: Superman took the top spot (with Thunderbolts close behind in their personal debate).

• Best superhero show vote: Daredevil: Born Again edged out Peacemaker in a near tie.

• Game of the year vote: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 came out on top.

• Best villain talk: Pennywise (Welcome to Derry) dominated the conversation, with shout-outs to other standouts.

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Got a take on the Stranger Things finale, or a most-hyped 2026 movie pick you're already planning your opening weekend around? Send it in, and we'll read and react on a future episode.

Apple Podcast Tags: Geek culture, Pop culture news, Stranger Things, Stranger Things finale, Movies 2026, TV 2026, Marvel, DC, Star Wars, Andor, Superman, Thunderbolts, Avengers Doomsday, Dune 3, Gaming news, One Piece, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, The Boys

It's a year end, clocked out episode with Burke joining the show for holiday traditions, Christmas movie rotations, and why Christmas Vacation hits different the older you get. Then it's straight into the biggest geek headlines: the Avengers: Doomsday chatter around Steve Rogers, Christopher Nolan taking on The Odyssey (and why it feels built for IMAX), and the latest Superman casting talk with Lars Ettinger reportedly stepping in as Brainiac.

The back half is a full, spoiler heavy review of Avatar: Fire and Ashes, covering the new faction dynamics, how the family story lands this time, Varang's presence as a villain, Quaritch's shifting loyalties, and what the ending sets up for what's next.

• 00:00:00 Intro and holiday vibe check with Burke

• 00:00:51 Christmas decorating habits, movie rotation, and Vacation franchise talk

• 00:03:49 Avengers: Doomsday discussion and the Steve Rogers reaction

• 00:08:59 Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey trailer breakdown and IMAX hype

• 00:14:04 Superman talk, Lars Ettinger as Brainiac, and story hopes

• 00:17:34 Avatar: Fire and Ashes review begins (full spoilers)

• 00:27:35 Varang breakdown, motivations, and the darker mirror of "I see you"

• 00:33:27 Kiri's bigger role, the spiritual threads, and what it could mean next

• 00:41:44 Nitpicks, repetition talk, and the voice casting complaint

• 00:46:09 Scores, theater recommendation, and looking ahead

• The episode starts relaxed and holiday coded, then shifts into big franchise conversation fast.

• The Avengers: Doomsday segment focuses on bringing Steve Rogers back without flattening Sam Wilson's space in the story.

• The Odyssey trailer has the crew excited for Nolan going mythic on a massive, grounded scale made for premium screens.

• Brainiac feels like a smart follow up villain for Superman, especially if the story ties power to personal stakes and Krypton lore.

• Avatar: Fire and Ashes hits harder emotionally this time, with Spider's place in the family and Neytiri's growth standing out.

• The main knocks are a few familiar Avatar beats repeating, even if the spectacle still wins.

• "This is very much Christmas Vacation. We are clocked out."

• "At the end of the day, I'm just happy to have Steve Rogers back."

• "How do they keep making perfect movies?"

• "You're basically following a dead man's memories."

• "I see you in that mirror."

• "I felt like the Colonel when I was just sitting there staring at her."

If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe, leave a quick review, and share it with a friend using #GeekFreaksPodcast.

Geek Freaks Podcast's website is the source for all news discussed on the show.

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Send your questions, hot takes, or topic requests via DM on Instagram, Twitter, or Threads, and we'll hit the best ones in a future episode.

Apple Podcast tags: Geek Culture, Pop Culture, Movie News, Trailers, Marvel, Avengers, Avengers: Doomsday, Captain America, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Secret Wars, Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey, IMAX, DCU, Superman, Brainiac, Krypton, Avatar, Avatar: Fire and Ashes, James Cameron, Film Review, Sci Fi, Fantasy