The year is beginning to take shape and so is the Hollywood scene.  Time for a round-up!

The proxy fight between The Walt Disney Company and Nelson Peltz’s Trian Partners, now backed by former Marvel owner and CEO Ike Perlmutter (see "Perlmutter Pledges Shares to Peltz"), has officially begun, with Trian Group announcing that its now officially soliciting proxies for its proposed board slate in a filing last week.  Trian also laid out some of its objectives, including changes to corporate governance, targeting Netflix-like margins on streaming, committing to a path to profitability on ESPN streaming, Improving studio performance, and increasing investment in Parks and Experiences.  The date for the shareholders’ meeting has not been announced; last year’s was in early April.

Marvel Entertainment released new posters for the upcoming Madame Web movie (see gallery below).  This movie hits theaters on February 14, 2024 (see "Best in Shows -- 2024").

Fox is developing an Elfquest animated series based on the comics by Wendy and Richard Pini, according to Deadline.  Susan Hurwitz Arneson, who was the showrunner for The Last Amazon on Netflix, is writing the adaptation and will be showrunner for the series if produced, according to the report.  Elfquest comics, which were first published in 1978, were self-published (WaRP Graphics) by the Pinis for decades, were published by both Marvel Comics and DC Comics for periods of time, and are currently published by Dark Horse Comics (see "'Elfquest: Stargazer's Hunt'").  We last heard of a media development deal in 2008, when the property was set up as a movie at Warner Bros. (see "Elfquest at Warners").

BBC has replaced Millie Gibson after one season as the Doctor's companion, according to Variety.  She played Ruby Sunday who starred opposite Ncuti Gatwa, the Fifteenth Doctor (see "'Doctor Who' Announced"), in the newest iteration of the Doctor Who series.  She is being replaced by Varada Sethu, who was in Jurassic World Dominion.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians has passed 26 million views on Disney+ and Hulu, according to Deadline.  This series launched on December 20, 2023 (see "'Percy Jackson'"), and has more than doubled its viewership since its first week.

The new Highlander movie has been greenlit at Lionsgate, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  This will be next feature for John Wick director Chad Stahelski, and star Henry Cavill (see "'Highlander' Reboot").

Scout Comics has teamed up with Oren Segal's Management Production Entertainment to develop a Distorted TV series.  Distorted is a comic series, created by Salvatore Vivenzio and Gabriele Falzone, about a private investigator who tracks down other "distorted" individuals like himself.  However, things go sideways on a gig, and he ends up being hunted by a serial killer that believes killing other distorted people makes him stronger.

For more information on geek movie releases, check out ICv2's Best in Shows Geek Movie Calendar.  Currently, our calendars show releases running through 2027.

Click Gallery below for Madame Web posters!