> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.theomnicosm.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The Monthly October 2025 - URL: https://www.theomnicosm.com/the-monthly-october-2025/ - Published: 2025-10-26T14:00:38.000Z - Updated: 2025-10-26T18:16:08.000Z - Description: Three things to know. Two trailers to watch. One article to read. Here’s what you need to know for this month. - Author: Bill Kuchman - Tags: Popculturology • The Monthly, Popculturology, Fast and Furious, Vin Diesel, Disney, Tangled, Star Wars, Adam Driver, Marvel, Wonder Man, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Zootopia We’ve reached the best part of the year, **Popculturology** friends. It’s my birthday weekend. (Yay, 40.) Halloween is almost here. Next month we get to eat way too much for Thanksgiving. And before you know it, it’ll be Christmastime. But for now, we’re closing out October with the biggest stories in pop culture from the past month. Let’s jump into this edition of **The Monthly**, with the three things you need to know, two trailers you need to watch and one story you need to read. ## Sign up Join the hundreds of ****Popculturology** subscribers who already get free editions including the Friday newsletter, The Box Office Report, Deep SNL Thoughts, The Monthly and special editions. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. ➕ Already a ****Popculturology** subscriber? ****Please consider becoming a supporter** by [****upgrading your account**](https://www.theomnicosm.com/account/). 🌃🍪 Wanna add ****Deep SNL Thoughts** and ****Snackology** to your subscription? ****Update your email preferences** [****on your account page**](https://www.theomnicosm.com/account/). --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f4/8b/f48be8ca-23c6-4d81-b0cf-da2fb0785911/content/images/2025/10/102625-cards.jpg) ****Vin Diesel**, Mother Gothel and Kylo Ren. / Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Lucasfilm ## 3 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ### Fast and Furious: Budget Drift As the *Fast and Furious* movies have become bigger and bigger spectacles, their budgets have grown too — and now Universal Pictures is reportedly slamming the brakes on the next installment unless costs can come down. According to *The Wall Street Journal*, Universal isn’t interested in spending the $340 million it cost to produce *Fast X*, instead eyeing a $200 million cap on the budget on the next film in the franchise. [***(The Wall Street Journal)***](https://www.wsj.com/business/media/fast-furious-sequel-news-1150f159?ref=theomnicosm.com) - **“We got it solved”:** *Fast and Furious* star **Vin Diesel** (who often seems to believe that he’s the one calling the shots on the franchise?) posted a video on social media of himself with **Michael Moses**, Universal’s chief marketing officer, after the *WSJ* story. “I’m drifting with Dom Toretto, planning everything,” Moses says in the video. “We got it solved.” [***(Vin Diesel)***](https://www.instagram.com/p/DQAIB%5FrEmqF/?ref=theomnicosm.com) • • • ### Gotta remake ’em all Welp, Disney’s live-action remake machine is revving back to life. After it looked like *Snow White*’s $205.7 million worldwide box office haul had killed Disney’s push to turn every one of its animated classics into live-action movies, this year’s *Lilo & Stitch* remake and its $1.038 billion worldwide haul convinced the studio otherwise. We learned earlier this month that not only is the studio’s remake of *Tangled* back in the works, the studio is in talks with **Scarlett Johansson** to play Mother Gothel in the film. [***(Deadline)***](https://deadline.com/2025/10/tangled-scarlett-johansson-resumes-development-1236574770/?ref=theomnicosm.com) • • • ### I guess Disney doesn’t want to make a good *Star Wars* movie? The folks running Disney were fine explaining the return of Palpatine in *Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker* with the half-assed “somehow, Palpatine returned” line, but don’t ask them to wrap their heads around how a movie could further the story of Ben Solo after his death in the final film in the Skywalker Saga. **Adam Driver**, who portrayed Ben Solo/Kylo Ren in the sequel trilogy, told *The Associated Press* that he pitched Lucasfilm and Disney on *The Hunt for Ben Solo*, a movie that would explore what happened to the character after *Rise of Skywalker* and had director **Steven Soderbergh** on board. Lucasfilm said yes. Disney said no. What a shame. This could’ve been so cool, possibly exploring Ben Solo’s journey through the Force and even the World Between Worlds. I guess we’ll just have to be happy with [Season 4 of *The Mandalorian* reheated as *The Mandalorian and Grogu*](https://www.theomnicosm.com/the-mandalorian-and-grogu-are-contractually-obligated-to-be-here/)... [***(The Associated Press)***](https://apnews.com/article/adam-driver-star-wars-soderbergh-jarmusch-4e08164d0419759f1b5b50d69864975d?ref=theomnicosm.com) - **“Paid more than any screenwriter in Lucasfilm history”:** We got additional reporting on *The Hunt for Ben Solo* on Friday, with the news that Lucasfilm had actually given the project the green light before Disney killed it. On top of that, **Scott Z. Burns** “was paid more than any screenwriter in Lucasfilm history” for the screenplay. [***(The Playlist)***](https://theplaylist.net/the-hunt-for-ben-solo-steven-soderbergh-adam-drivers-secret-star-wars-movie-was-greenlit-before-disney-pulled-the-plug-exclusive-20251024/?ref=theomnicosm.com) --- 💰 Like what you’re reading on ****Popculturology**? [Send ****a one-time tip to show your support** for the newsletter](https://www.theomnicosm.com/#/portal/support). --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f4/8b/f48be8ca-23c6-4d81-b0cf-da2fb0785911/content/images/2025/10/102625-cards2.jpg) ****Yahya Abdul-Mateen II**, Nick Wilde and Judy Hops. / Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios ## 2 TRAILERS YOU NEED TO WATCH ### Wonder Man I loved **Yahya Abdul-Mateen II** in HBO’s *Watchmen* series, and I can’t wait see to what he’s going to do in this limited series that also brings **Ben Kingsley** back into the MCU fold after his *Iron Man 3* and *Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings* appearances. • • • ### Zootopia 2 Walt Disney Animation Studios has had three films that crossed the $1 billion mark over the past decade: *Moana 2* ($1.059 billion), *Frozen II* ($1.452 billion) and *Zootopia* ($1.019 billion). And if you take *Moana 2* — a film that was never supposed to exist, cobbled together from a Disney+ streaming series — out of the equation, the studio’s recent releases have not done anywhere that level of business at the box office. (*Encanto* grossed $231 million worldwide during the omicron phase of the pandemic.) *Zootopia 2* is Disney’s chance to finally land another massive theatrical hit. --- 📱 Follow me on [****Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/profile/billkuchman.bsky.social?ref=theomnicosm.com) and [****Instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/popculturology/?ref=theomnicosm.com). --- ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f4/8b/f48be8ca-23c6-4d81-b0cf-da2fb0785911/content/images/2025/10/102625-cards3.jpg) ## 1 ARTICLE YOU NEED TO READ ### How Sam Altman Played Hollywood I dunno, it seems bad that one of the major players in the push to make generative AI happen just declared that copyrights no longer matter. I’m sure Disney and every other studio believed that they didn’t need to let these tech companies know that, yes, they still wanted those copyrights honored. [***(The Hollywood Reporter)***](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/sam-altman-openai-sora-agencies-talent-1236401618?ref=theomnicosm.com) --- ## CATCHING UP Here’s what you might have missed from **The Omnicosm** this month ... ### Friday Newsletter - [Adam Driver pitched a Ben Solo ‘Star Wars’ movie. Disney said no.](https://www.theomnicosm.com/adam-driver-pitched-a-ben-solo-star-wars-movie-disney-said-no/) - [Whoops, Jared Leto killed the ‘Tron’ franchise](https://www.theomnicosm.com/whoops-jared-leto-killed-the-tron-franchise/) - [Excellent ... ‘The Simpsons Movie’ sequel is finally happening](https://www.theomnicosm.com/excellent-the-simpsons-movie-sequel-is-finally-happening/) ### Deep SNL Thoughts - [The universe finally lets Sabrina Carpenter host ‘SNL’ — and she brings Domingo with her](https://www.theomnicosm.com/the-universe-finally-lets-sabrina-carpenter-host-snl-and-she-brings-domingo-with-her/) - [Miles Teller, Nikki Glaser and Glen Powell to host ‘SNL’](https://www.theomnicosm.com/miles-teller-nikki-glaser-and-glen-powell-to-host-snl/) - [‘Sorry, hun, I prefer a strong end’](https://www.theomnicosm.com/sorry-hun-i-prefer-a-strong-end/) - [Amy Poehler, Tina Fey and Seth Meyers challenge Colin Jost and Michael to a Joke Off](https://www.theomnicosm.com/amy-poehler-tina-fey-and-seth-meyers-challenge-colin-jost-and-michael-to-a-joke-off/) - [‘I thought I was coming into this building to get a mammogram’](https://www.theomnicosm.com/i-thought-i-was-coming-into-this-building-to-get-a-mammogram/) - [‘Should’ve called it at 50, right?’: Bad Bunny kicks off ‘SNL’ Season 51](https://www.theomnicosm.com/shouldve-called-it-at-50-right-bad-bunny-kicks-off-snl-season-51/) - [‘I can’t tell if he’s, like, too comfortable’](https://www.theomnicosm.com/i-cant-tell-if-hes-like-too-comfortable/) ### The Box Office Report - [‘Black Phone 2’ answers the call with $26.5M opening weekend](https://www.theomnicosm.com/black-phone-2-answers-the-call-with-26-5m-opening-weekend/) - [‘Tron: Ares’ fails to load](https://www.theomnicosm.com/tron-ares-fails-to-load/) - [Taylor Swift tops the box office with ‘The Official Release Party of a Showgirl’](https://www.theomnicosm.com/taylor-swift-tops-the-box-office-with-the-official-release-party-of-a-showgirl/) - [‘One Battle After Another’ fights its way to a $22.4M weekend](https://www.theomnicosm.com/one-battle-after-another-fights-its-way-to-a-22-4m-weekend/) ### Snackology - [Boo Buckets are back to scare up some McDonald’s Halloween fun](https://www.theomnicosm.com/boo-buckets-are-back-to-scare-up-some-mcdonalds-halloween-fun/) - [It’s easy being green when you’re Retro Diet Coke Lime](https://www.theomnicosm.com/its-easy-being-green-when-youre-retro-diet-coke-lime/) - [Taco Bell is feeling spicy with its Frank’s RedHot Diablo Sauce menu](https://www.theomnicosm.com/taco-bell-is-feeling-spicy-with-its-franks-redhot-diablo-sauce-menu/) - [The candy corn-iest ranking of everyone’s favorite Halloween treat](https://www.theomnicosm.com/the-candy-corn-iest-ranking-of-everyones-favorite-halloween-treat/) - [Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters are uncharted snacking territory](https://www.theomnicosm.com/nerds-juicy-gummy-clusters-are-uncharted-snacking-territory/) - [Ghoulish! Spooky! Shriek-y? It’s a Halloween candy roundup](https://www.theomnicosm.com/ghoulish-spooky-shriek-y-its-a-halloween-candy-roundup/) - [Chicken tenders? No. These are Wendy’s Tendys.](https://www.theomnicosm.com/chicken-tenders-no-these-are-wendys-tendys/) - [I made the Taylor Swift-inspired Funfetti Sourdough Bread (Pillsbury’s Version)](https://www.theomnicosm.com/i-made-the-taylor-swift-inspired-funfetti-sourdough-bread-pillsburys-version/) ### Podcast Appearances - [Breaking down ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ trailer with ‘Hoth Takes’](https://www.theomnicosm.com/breaking-down-the-mandalorian-and-grogu-trailer-with-hoth-takes/) ****Popculturology** is written and produced by ****Bill Kuchman**. Copyediting by ****Tim Kuchman**. 💰 Like what you’re reading on ****Popculturology**? 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You can also follow me on [****Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/profile/billkuchman.bsky.social?ref=theomnicosm.com) and [****Instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/popculturology/?ref=theomnicosm.com). ![The Omnicosm](https://storage.ghost.io/c/f4/8b/f48be8ca-23c6-4d81-b0cf-da2fb0785911/content/images/size/w1000/2025/05/the-omnicosm-wordmark-new-1.png) **Popculturology** is a publication of The Omnicosm. ***Issue No. 384*** Want to remove the **The Monthly** from your **Popculturology** subscription? **[Please click here](mailto:popculturology@gmail.com?subject=The%20Monthly%20unsubscribe&body=Please%20remove%20the%20The%20Monthly%20from%20my%20Popculturology%20subscription.)** to notify **Popculturology** via email.