The Midnight Boys are back and recording from San Diego to give you all of the news and reactions from the floor of San Diego Comic-Con. They discuss all of the major panels from Hall H, including 'Project Hail Mary', 'Alien: Earth,' 'Tron: Ares,' and so much more. They also talk about the Ringer-Verse panel and getting to meet all of you at the meet and greet. (1:32) Project Hail Mary (4:12) Alien: Earth (7:10) Tron: Ares (8:41) Predator: Badlands (11:55) Peacemaker (20:03) Charles’ Weeb Weeken...
Jul 29, 2025•38 min
The Ringer-Verse takes stock of IP in 2025 live at San Diego Comic-Con. In a busy year, what's been the best and worst in IP so far? San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC) owns the SDCC trademarks used in this episode and are used under license. Hosts: Joanna Robinson, Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Eduardo Ocampo and Aleya Zenieris Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi...
Jul 26, 2025•53 min
The Boys are back to give you all of their thoughts on one of the most highly anticipated films of the year: ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps.’ They talk about the newest portrayal of the beloved Fantastic Four characters, give you a bit of comic book context, and dive into questions they had after seeing the film. (0:00) Intro (11:27) Spoilers ahead (13:45) Instant reactions to ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ (48:00) Jomi the Explainer Corner (58:05) The villains (1:13:08) Questions about the...
Jul 25, 2025•1 hr 57 min
Ben Lindbergh and Jessica Clemons begin with a roundup of game adaptation news, covering the ‘Mortal Kombat II’ trailer, Netflix’s live-action ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series, the ‘Legend of Zelda’ casting announcements, and an apparent animated ‘Donkey Kong’ movie. Then they dive deep (both in game and on mic) into new Nintendo masterpiece ‘Donkey Kong Bananza,’ touching on the history of the Donkey Kong character, the lineage of Nintendo 3D platformers, what makes the latest game great, why the Swit...
Jul 23, 2025•1 hr 35 min
Junior Mints, lock in — Comic-Con season is here! Steve and Jomi are back with a special San Diego Comic-Con preview, breaking down everything you need to know before the convention kicks off. From 'Tron' to 'Alien: Earth' to 'Peacemaker' to 'Coyote vs. Acme,' they cover what to expect and what they're most excited about. Plus, get a sneak peek at the Ringer-Verse panel and much more. Intro (0:00) Comic-Con preview (6:00) The Ringer-Verse panel (51:32) Outro (54:20) Hosts: Jomi Adeniran and Stev...
Jul 22, 2025•58 min
The boys are back and they’re here to give you more ‘Superman’ takes but this time, they’re live! The Midnight Riders have questions, and we’re here to answer them! Don’t forget, The Ringer-Verse is going to Comic-Con! We'll be hosting our very own panel at 6 p.m. PT on Thursday, July 24, at Grand 10 & 11, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina for all badge holders. We’ll also be holding a meet and greet at Whiskey Girl in the Gaslamp Quarter at 8:30 pm! Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi A...
Jul 22, 2025•1 hr 5 min
Ben Lindbergh and Van Lathan huddle up to discuss ‘EA Sports College Football 26,’ the sequel to last year’s bestselling comeback for the ‘College Football’ franchise, focusing on the depths of Van’s obsession, the series’ transition to an annual release schedule, and whether college basketball games will be the next to return. Then, Ben, Van, and Devon Renaldo discuss ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4,’ the best ‘THPS’ games, and gaming as a gateway to skating (32:50). Finally, Ben catches some air...
Jul 14, 2025•1 hr 20 min
Look up in the sky! The Midnight Boys are here to give their reactions to the long-awaited James Gunn–directed ‘Superman.’ They break down what they loved about the film from Lex Luthor, Krypto, and more. They also speak on how they think this entry can mark the beginning of a new DC Cinematic Universe informed by Gunn’s vision. Will the superhero genre be saved by the Man of Steel? The Midnight Boys are here to find out. Also, The Ringer-Verse is going to Comic-Con! We'll be hosting our very ow...
Jul 11, 2025•2 hr 13 min
The Boys are back in court to debate the two hottest films of the nerd universe in 2025: ‘Superman’ vs. ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps.’ Here to decide which legal team gave the best argument is the honorable judge Sean Fennessey. (0:00) Intro (2:26) Opening Statements (8:45) Cross-Examination (44:45) Closing Statements (49:03) Verdict Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Guest: Sean Fennessey Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Jade Whaley Additional Production Support...
Jul 04, 2025•53 min
The Boys are back to give you their reactions to 'Jurassic World: Rebirth', plus their thoughts on the 'Ironheart' season finale. They even sneak in a little bit of fresh Nerd News as well! (0:00) Intro (10:19) Spoilers ahead (11:51) Instant reactions to ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ (50:37) 'Jurassic World' Midnight Meter (1:08:15) Instant reactions to 'Ironheart' Finale (2:15:23) ‘Ironheart’ Midnight Meter (2:16:31) Nerd News (2:21:06) Outro (2:22:50) Post credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes...
Jul 03, 2025•2 hr 27 min
Jomi and Steve are joined by Daniel Chin and Matthew James for their Summer Franchise “Retooling” Draft! With DC, the MCU, and ‘Jurassic World’ all looking to put their pasts behind them with new films this month, they’ll be taking a look back at the movies that caused these franchises to retool. They’ll each draft one movie from each franchise’s most recent era and one wild card! (00:00) Intro (05:00) Rules (08:24) Round 1 (19:15) Round 2 (32:23) Round 3 (45:12) Round 4 (01:03:24) Honorable men...
Jul 01, 2025•1 hr 18 min
Was June slow? Not so! Let Ringer-Verse Recommends tell you what to know. Sit back and enjoy the show. Join your favorite Ringer-Verse and House of R hosts as they salute unsung nerd culture content in the latest installment of the monthly mini-pod about fandom favorites from TV, anime, movies, video games, books, comics, and beyond that were released recently but not yet covered in-depth on a full-length episode. Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Jomi Adeniran, Steve Ahlman, Arjuna Ramgopal, Charles ...
Jul 01, 2025•32 min
Ben and Justin Charity have a spoiler-free discussion about Hideo Kojima's acclaimed PlayStation 5 sequel to 2019's 'Death Stranding,' 'Death Standing 2: On the Beach.' Then, after their brief reaction to casting news about the upcoming 'Street Fighter' film, Matt James joins to reflect on the year in gaming. The two construct joint top-10 lists of his and Ben's favorite games of the year so far, as well as their most anticipated games for the rest of 2025. Intro (0:00) ‘Death Stranding 2: On th...
Jun 27, 2025•1 hr 47 min
The Midnight Boys suit up to take on the newest Disney+ show, 'Ironheart,' reacting to the big three-episode premiere and diving into how they think the character of Riri Williams is served in this opening. Later, they take a look at the final trailer for 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' and debate how strong Johnny can be and how handsome Pedro Pascal really is. (0:00) Intro (6:42) Spoilers ahead (8:35) Instant reactions to 'Ironheart' Episodes 1-3 (1:17:45) Instant reactions to the final 'The...
Jun 26, 2025•2 hr 1 min
The boys are back to answer your call-in questions for all things coming up in the summer of content! They discuss James Gunn, Superman, the new Batman, and much more! They also answer questions like "Is Marvel hiding 'Ironheart'?" and "What are your favorite movies, games, and comics?" Intro (0:00) Spoilers Ahead (11:02) Nerd News (11:35) Mail Bag (24:06) Outro (2:00:13) Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Steve Ahlman Additional Prod...
Jun 18, 2025•2 hr 5 min
The Mint Boys are back, and this time they’re joined by the amazing Jessica Clemons to dive into the 'How to Train Your Dragon' live-action remake! From stunning visuals to emotional beats, they break down what worked, what didn’t, and what this means for the future of live-action adaptations. Heads up: Full spoilers ahead for the remake—skip ahead if you haven’t taken flight yet. They also discuss the exciting 'Predator: Killer of Killers' and what makes the 'Predator' films and lore so enjoyab...
Jun 13, 2025•1 hr 5 min
The Boys are back to react to the newest release in the 'John Wick' series, ‘Ballerina.’ They then dive into the latest nerd news, the final trailer for the highly anticipated ‘Superman.’ (0:00) Intro (6:31) Spoilers ahead (8:35) Instant reactions to 'Ballerina' (1:25:19) Midnight Meter (1:29:43) Nerd News Minute: new 'Superman' trailer (1:37:59) Outro (1:39:30) Post Credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Steve Ahlman Additional P...
Jun 12, 2025•1 hr 43 min
Ben and Matt put down their Pro Controllers long enough to react to a landmark weekend in gaming. First, they discuss the launch of Nintendo’s Switch 2, their at-home experiences with the system, and whether it's worth getting now. Then they share their thoughts on ‘Mario Kart World’—as a sequel to one of the bestselling games of all time, as a reinvention of the franchise, and as a Switch 2 launch title and system seller. Then they break down the top trends and announcements from gaming’s summe...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 27 min
The Boys are back to draft the most racist characters in film history, featuring five categories: action, comedy, Oscar, Tarantino, and wild card. (0:00) Intro (16:45) The draft (1:42:53) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Jonathan Kermah, and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jun 04, 2025•1 hr 48 min
Ben, Matt, and Steve party up for a three-person podcast about a three-player game! First, they discuss what the cancellation of Electronic Arts' Black Panther project portends for the future of superhero games and Triple-A licensed games. Then they have a spoiler-free discussion of FromSoftware's fascinating 'Elden Ring' spinoff experiment, 'Nightreign,' focusing on its difficulty, its genre-spanning appeal, and its technological drawbacks. After that, they react to the news that Alex Garland i...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 20 min
It's been a busy month in nerd culture—so stacked, in fact, that some quality releases could have slipped through the cracks were it not for Ringer-Verse Recommends! Join your favorite Ringer-Verse and House of R hosts and friends as they gush about geek content in the latest installment of the monthly mini-pod about fandom favorites from TV, anime, movies, video games, books, comics, and beyond that were released recently but not yet covered in-depth on a full-length episode. (And yes, Ben's am...
May 31, 2025•33 min
Ringer-Verse listeners let Ben and Daniel live, and they don't waste it! First, they give their reviews of Season 2, Episode 7, "Convergence," and then they break down the episode's departures from and additions to the game before assessing the season as a whole. Then they forecast when to expect Season 3 and what it could look like, and they conclude by answering audience emails. Intro (0:00) Reactions to Episode 7 (3:50) Season 3 Predictions (1:10:00) Audience Emails (1:28:13) Outro (1:40:50) ...
May 29, 2025•1 hr 44 min
'Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning' Reactions | The Midnight Boys The Boys are back and they’re diving into their thoughts on the final (?) installment of the franchise: ‘Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning.’ (0:00) Intro (10:00) Spoilers Ahead (11:56) Instant Reactions to 'Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning' (35:13) Criticisms of 'Mission: Impossible' (1:05:51) Midnight Meter (1:08:36) 'Mission: Impossible' Rankings (1:17:39) Outro (1:18:52) Post Credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charle...
May 28, 2025•1 hr 25 min
The Midnight Boys are back to give all of their hot takes on and instant reactions to the season finale of 'The Last of Us.' They take a look at where Ellie's revenge tour leads and discuss what they can look forward to in Season 3. Later, they also react to the news of a delay to 'Avengers: Doomsday' that could clash with 'Dune,' and they talk about whether things are all right in the house of Marvel. (00:00) Intro (04:28) 'The Last of Us' reactions (01:12:27) 'Doomsday' delay Hosts: Charles Ho...
May 26, 2025•1 hr 47 min
Jomi and Steve jump into the world of ‘Murderbot’ with instant reactions to the first three episodes! Later, the guys look at the news of Avatar, Hunger Games, and other series in fandom. (00:00) Intro (05:00) Murderbot (37:00) Nerd news Host: Jomi Adeniran and Steve Ahlman Producer: Jonathan Kermah Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
May 23, 2025•58 min
Ben and Daniel "do it all over again." First, they give their reviews of Season 2's penultimate 'TLOU' episode, "The Price," and then they break down the episode's departures from and additions to the game. Then they speculate about what could be coming in the season finale and beyond. Finally, Ben talks to Chris Rondinella, the musician who performed "Future Days," "Take On Me," and other songs in 'The Last of Us Part II,' about how he played Joel and Ellie. Intro (0:00) Reactions to Episode 6 ...
May 22, 2025•1 hr 36 min
Ben, Matt, and Steve share their (non-spoiler-y) impressions of the new first-person shooter 'Doom: The Dark Ages,' focusing on the ever-evolving nature of the franchise, whether the series' latest experiments improve upon its tried-and-true formula, how they'd rank the three most recent 'Doom' games, and more. Then, Ben brings on video game writer and screenwriter Tom Bissell, who wrote the three-part finale of 'Andor,' to talk about the 'Andor' writers room; working within story constraints an...
May 20, 2025•1 hr 46 min
The Midnight Boys dive into Joel and Ellie’s father-daughter relationship in their instant reactions to the penultimate episode of Season 2 of ‘The Last of Us.’ Later, they turn their focus to the ‘Superman’ and ‘Ironheart’ trailers in the latest edition of Nerd News. Hosts: Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, Steve Ahlman, and Van Lathan Social: Jomi Adeniran Producers: Chris Thomas, Jamie Yukich, Jonathan Kermah, and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 34 min
Ben and Daniel got here from Jackson just in time to talk about Episode 5, "Feel Her Love." They discuss the specifics of the action and the pivotal closing scene, then pull back a bit to comment on how the effort to adapt the game is going before forecasting what could be coming next. Then, Ben talks to longtime Naughty Dog game developer Almudena Soria Sancho, lead animator on 'The Last of Us Part II,' about her thoughts on the 'TLOU' adaptation, bringing the Stalkers and other infected to lif...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 35 min
The Boys are back, and they’re diving into ‘Andor’ Season 2, Episodes 10-12, the season’s final episodes. (0:00) Intro (3:30) Spoilers ahead (6:10) Initial reactions (1:43:05) Outro (1:45:26) Post-credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Jonathan Kermah, Chris Thomas, and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 55 min
