Exploring Humanity Through Sci-Fi

Explore Monthly — January Edition

Episode 1: A New Year of Stories, Surprises, and Sci‑Fi Sparks

Welcome to the first Explore Monthly of the new year, where we kick off 2026 with a packed slate of genre news, casting shake‑ups, behind‑the‑scenes revelations, and a few unexpected delights from across film, TV, audio, and fandom. January wastes no time delivering big stories, and neither do we.

🎥 Spotlight Stories

Variety Rings in the New Year With Horror

Variety opens 2026 by highlighting a wave of New Year’s horror projects

Assassin’s Creed & Tomb Raider: Casting Heats Up

Two iconic game franchises are back in the spotlight as new casting news emerges for both Assassin’s Creed and Tomb Raider.

Avatar Dominates Ireland’s Box Office… Again

James Cameron’s blue‑skinned juggernaut continues its reign overseas, reclaiming the top spot in Ireland.

Walton Goggins Reunites With a White Lotus Alum for Fallout

The Fallout series continues to build buzz, and now Walton Goggins is teaming up with a familiar face from The White Lotus.

Daisy Ridley Digs Into We Bury the Dead

Ridley returns to genre storytelling with a new thriller that blends survival, mystery, and emotional grit. 

Warwick Davis Praises the New Harry Potter TV Series

The beloved actor shares his early impressions of the upcoming series, offering a hopeful note for fans eager to see how the Wizarding World is reimagined for television.


James Gunn Talks DC Studios

Gunn sits down talking Superman and the projects that he likes to do.

Ryan Coogler’s Original Black Panther Vision

New insights emerge about Coogler’s earliest plans for the first Black Panther film. 

Kristen Stewart Would Love to Direct a Twilight Movie

Stewart shares her surprising enthusiasm for returning to the franchise—this time behind the camera. 

New Documentary: Disneyland Handcrafted

A new doc celebrates the artistry, engineering, and imagination behind the park’s most iconic handmade elements. 

2001: A Space Odyssey SFX Supervisor Passes at 91

We honor the life and legacy of one of the visionary artists behind 2001’s groundbreaking effects


Jessica Chastain Returns for The Space Within Season Two

Audible’s hit audio thriller brings back Jessica Chastain for another season of cosmic mystery and psychological tension.

🛸 On Sci‑Fi Talk

Over on scifitalk.com, a look at the Stranger Things finale (spoilers included)

📚 First List of the Year: Most Overrated Stephen King Stories

We kick off our annual list tradition with a provocative one: the most overrated Stephen King stories. Whether you agree or disagree,

 

Rewind Stargate Universe

From SDCC, a look back at season one with Robert Carlyle, David Blue, Brian J Smith, Alaina Huffman and more.

Icarus Down Revisited

I disccused this film with director Paul Nicoletos and his star Tedi Nicoletos as they tried to get financing. The film met it's goal and a short was produced.

Cory Doctorow on Radicalized

In this episode, Tony sits down with award‑winning author, activist, and digital rights advocate Cory Doctorow to explore his acclaimed story collection Radicalized — four near‑future novellas that channel our deepest cultural anxieties into sharp, human‑centered speculative fiction.

Doctorow’s work has always lived at the crossroads of technology, power, and personal agency, and Radicalized distills those themes into four unforgettable narratives:

• “Unauthorized Bread” — a tale of immigrant resilience in a world where even your toaster is locked behind DRM.

• “Model Minority” — a superhero story that interrogates complicity, policing, and the myth of the “good immigrant.”

• “Radicalized” — a darkly empathetic look at healthcare injustice and the online communities that form around desperation.

• “The Masque of the Red Death” — a survivalist fantasy turned moral reckoning.

#corydoctorow

Mattie Do Takes On A Long Walk In Lao

In the Long Walk, Director Mattie Do talks about her film that is difficult to put in one box alone. Is it science fiction, fantasy, are there horror elements ? Lots of layers to explore in this interesting film. Not the Stephen King adaptation.

#thelongwalk

 

The Human Element: The Science Of Mars

A dive into the captivating world of space exploration and the challenges faced by those who venture into the unknown. Leland Melvin shares his unique perspective on leadership in hostile environments, shedding light on the life-or-death decision-making processes astronauts encounter in space. Stephen Petranek, Lucianne Walkowitz, and Dr. Michio Kaku discuss the complex relationship between government funding and private enterprise in the space industry.As we peel back the layers of romanticism surrounding space travel, Leland Melvin gives us a glimpse into the everyday realities of life on the space station, highlighting the mundane tasks and the profound collaboration among diverse individuals.

#mars

Steven Price Scoring Memorable Gravity

Talented composer who has worked with Edgar Wright plus Howard Shore on the Lord Of The Rings original trilogy as well. He won an Oscar for his original score for the film Gravity. 

#gravity

 

Keith David's Audio Journey on Flight 008

Happy New Year as we start yet another year of episodes. Welcome to a series of episodes starting with Keith David, followed by the Oscar Winning Composer for Gravity, And a look at the Human Element Of Mars

Great actor and narrator talks about his SF audio drama, Flight 008. I ask him the question Was Childs a Thing in that movie at the end ? He tells me his theory. 

#thething

Eric Leland's Inhuman

A military veteran and author tells me about his book, Inhuman. Set in 1969, and Captain Brandon Doran is made an  offer he can't refuse. Take the government deal, and his tarnished military record is wiped clean. The mission: North Vietnam, to find out what happened to a unit. But there is more than meets the eye that they come face to face with.

 

Trek Tuesday John de Lancie

Actor talked to me about a new way for fans to get autographs and we chat Q's getting older on Star Trek Picard, and how Q original plan didn't work for the actor.