FOLLOWING FILMS

In an era dominated by reboots, sequels, and cinematic universes, it’s rare to see an original property arise with the potential to reshape genre storytelling from the ground up. That’s exactly what’s happening with HYDE, a daring new graphic novel series and multimedia property co-created and co-owned by none other than Johnny Depp, legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott, and creator Jesse Negron through his innovative imprint, Mechanical Cake. Premiering this week at San Diego Comic-Con, HYDE picks up where Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde leaves off—but with a dark twist. In Negron’s vision, Mr. Hyde has triumphed over Dr. Jekyll, leaving his conscience and moral tether behind. Now unchallenged, Hyde takes up residence in the sewers beneath London, where he expands his horrific experiments using the infamous serum—corrupting others and creating new versions of himself in a disturbing new underground dominion. “HYDE is a full-throttle descent into darkness,”...

B lade Runner is a futuristic noir set in a dystopian 2019 Los Angeles. It follows Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a “blade runner” tasked with “retiring” rogue replicants—bioengineered humanoids created by the Tyrell Corporation. As Deckard hunts down a group of escaped replicants led by Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), he grapples with increasingly blurry lines between human and artificial life. The film’s conclusion—particularly in its Final Cut —is poetic, haunting, and enigmatic. Rather than wrapping up the story with clear resolution, it poses more questions than it answers. The Narrative Context: The Final Hunt By the film’s final act, Deckard has killed all of the fugitive replicants except for Roy Batty, the group's leader. The final confrontation between Deckard and Roy in the rain-drenched, crumbling building is less a battle than a moral reckoning. Roy, nearing the end of his four-year lifespan, turns the tables: instead of killing Deckard, he saves him. As Deckard dangles...

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.