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Challenge AcceptedAuthor: Geek Freaks
Join hosts Thomas and Frank on their weekly podcast 'Challenge Accepted' as they take on the ultimate challenge of watching and reviewing a different movie, show, comic, or game each episode. From the latest in geek TV to classic favorites, no challenge is too big for these two friends. Tune in for their hilarious banter and insightful critiques on all things pop culture. Challenge accepted Language: en-us Genres: Film Reviews, TV & Film, TV Reviews Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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2025 Year in Review: Superman Takes the Crown, Thunderbolts Surprises, and Big 2026 Hype (Supergirl, Doomsday, Odyssey)
Thursday, 1 January, 2026
Thomas and Frank look back on the movies and TV that defined their 2025, from why Superman hit so hard to how Marvel's three-film run landed with Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, and Captain America: Brave New World. They also talk about the stuff that disappointed them, why TV felt like it "won" this year, and the shows they could not stop thinking about, including IT: Welcome to Derry, Alien: Earth, and Andor. To close it out, they shift into 2026 mode: what's got them genuinely excited again, which upcoming releases feel like "event" movies, and how they want to evolve Challenge Accepted next year by being more personal and more present on social. Timestamps and Topics 00:00 – Welcome back, what this episode covers (2025 favorites + 2026 hype) 00:33 – Thomas check-in and the newborn update 01:32 – The baby's first Marvel movie (yes, really) 03:31 – Quick run through the 2025 movie list 03:55 – Why Superman was the movie of the year 04:02 – F1 as the surprise hit 07:15 – What worked in Superman (comic-book storytelling and trusting the audience) 10:56 – "I needed that movie this year" 11:03 – Marvel's 2025 slate starts: Brave New World, Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts 11:56 – Why Thunderbolts is the one that felt different 18:12 – Sinners and the hunger for original stories 22:25 – Weapons (and the conversation spirals into other watchlist picks) 24:56 – K-Pop Demon Hunters love and why it clicked 28:38 – Disappointments and missed watches, including Star Trek: Section 31 30:24 – "TV shows dominate" and why this year proved it 30:53 – TV highlights sprint: Welcome to Derry, Stranger Things, Daredevil, Alien: Earth, and more 32:04 – Andor praise and why the release format worked 35:01 – Frank's top TV list: Chief of War, Paradise, Player Base 36:03 – Alien: Earth reactions (including the ending debate) 37:08 – Next year's challenge (Fargo Season 4) 39:10 – Revisiting Marvel 2025: what each movie represents and what Marvel should learn 41:33 – The big disappointment: Chair Company (plus Ironheart) 45:03 – Quick plug: Survivor 49 coverage and Survivor 50 excitement 46:11 – 2026 hype begins: Supergirl and the DCU momentum 50:02 – The Odyssey and why it feels like an "event" movie 51:15 – Marvel needs to "earn" the hype again 52:51 – Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping and why it could be huge 53:16 – Rapid fire 2026 watchlist: Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Project Hail Mary, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple 55:01 – Why seeing Spider-Man filmed "for people" matters 55:55 – The Mandalorian and Grogu as a real theatrical Star Wars moment 57:54 – What they want to improve on Challenge Accepted next year 58:40 – Social media mindset: be natural, be present, stop over-polishing 59:52 – Outro + how to send in your challenge Key Takeaways Superman landed because it played like an actual comic-book story and trusted the audience to keep up. Marvel's 2025 trio felt like three different "versions" of the brand, and Thunderbolts was the one that showed the most heart and restraint. Sinners is a great example of why original stories can still feel like a must-watch cultural moment. 2025 was stacked for TV, and the list of standouts is honestly longer than most years' movie lists. Andor remains the gold standard for prestige franchise storytelling, and the release strategy helped it stick. 2026 looks like it could swing back to a movie-forward year with multiple "event" releases on the calendar. They want the show to feel more personal in 2026, including more natural social posts and more listener involvement. Quotes "Talking about you, some of our favorite movies and shows from 2025 and what we're hyped for in 2026." "Yeah it was I needed that movie this year. Like I needed it." "They gave a director a chance to tell their story." "Right now, welcome to dairy. Holy cow. These last couple episodes have been so damn fire." "It makes me cry that it's the finale." "You don't necessarily need to make a polished post." "It's for people, not just, you know, for box office numbers." Call to Action If you enjoyed this year-in-review episode, subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next. Reviews help a ton, so please rate the show and leave a quick note. And if you share the episode on social, tag us with #ChallengeAcceptedPodcast. Links and Resources GeekFreaksPodcast.com is the source of all news discussed during our podcast. Follow Us Instagram: @challengeacceptedlive TikTok: @challengeacceptedlive Twitter: @CAPodcastLive Listener Questions Got a movie or show you want us to cover, or a challenge you want to throw at us? Email challengeacceptedgfx@gmail.com with your pick and why it's worth the watch. Apple Podcast Tags Movies, TV, Pop Culture, 2025 Year in Review, 2026 Preview, DCU, Superman, Supergirl, Marvel, Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, Captain America Brave New World, Andor, Stranger Things, IT Welcome to Derry, Alien Earth, The Odyssey, Spider-Man Brand New Day, The Mandalorian and Grogu
