Meet the cast of Manhunt: The Night Stalker
ITV true crime drama Manhunt is finally back on our screens once more. The series, which originally aired in 2019, is now airing on ITV1 and ITVX during June 2023. The police procedural ran for two seasons in the past, with the first focusing on the hunt for serial killer Levi Bellfield and the second focusing on efforts to catch notorious serial rapist Delroy Grant. Doc Martin star Martin Clunes leads the cast of the series as DCI Colin Sutton, while Claudie Blakely (Lark Rise to Candleford) plays Sutton’s wife, Louise. But who else stars in the series? Read on for everything you need to know about Manhunt's characters and cast members. Manhunt: The Night Stalker cast - Full list of stars for ITV1 drama The following are the cast members of Manhunt: The Night Stalker. Claudie Blakley as Louise Sutton Martin Clunes as Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton Jude Akuwudike as Delroy Grant Matt Bardock as DS Simon Morgan Sule Rimi as DS Neville Hilton David Witts as DC Adam Spier Guy Williams as DCS Hamish Campbell Diveen Henry as DC Patricia Henry Bally Gill as DC Jim Corgan For more about the major players in the Manhunt: The Night Stalker cast, read on... Claudie Blakley plays Louise Sutton Who is Louise Sutton? Louise Sutton is Colin’s wife who works as a police analyst. The cases her husband works on often take over his personal life, which causes him to miss out on family events due to his determination to solve the case. Because of the underfunded, under-staffed nature of Operation Minstead, Louise is worried about Colin wearing himself out in The Night Stalker. Where have I seen Claudie Blakely before? Claudie Blakley reprises her role as Louise from the first Manhunt series, but before then she had roles in Cranford, Lark Rise to Candleford, Midsomer Murders and Grantchester. Blakley also appeared in 2005’s Pride & Prejudice and 2019’s The Kid Who Would Be King. Martin Clunes plays Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton Who is Colin Sutton? Colin Sutton is a London Metropolitan Detective Chief Inspector who spent 30 years on the force, where he worked on a number of high profile cases, including the murder of Amélie Delagrange in 2004. After Sutton retired, he wrote about his experiences catching Levi Bellfield and Delroy Grant in his memoirs, titled “Manhunt”. Where have I seen Martin Clunes before? Martin Clunes is reprising his role as Colin Sutton after previously playing the DCI in the first series of Manhunt, which follows the Amélie Delagrange case. But he’s also best known for starring in ITV’s Doc Martin as the titular doctor who moves out of London to start a practice in the quiet town of Portwenn. Clunes also had a main role in Men Behaving Badly as Gary Strang opposite Neil Morrisey’s Tony Smart. Jude Akuwudike plays Delroy Grant Who is Delroy Grant? Delroy Grant is a convicted serial rapist and burglar who committed over 100 assaults between 1992 and 2009. He primarily attacked elderly women who lived alone. Where have I seen Jude Akuwudike before? Jude Akuwudike has starred in the likes of Friday Night Dinner, Death in Paradise and Kiri. He also has a recurring role in Gangs of London and has appeared in several Royal Shakespeare Company productions. Matt Bardock plays DS Simon Morgan Who is Simon Morgan? Detective Superintendent Simon Morgan is the Senior Investigating Officer overseeing Operation Minstead. Morgan has worked on the case for a decade by the time Colin is brought onboard, so he’s not exactly keen on handing the reins over to someone new when he already knows all the finer details of the numerous attacks carried out by the Night Stalker. Where have I seen Matt Bardock before? Matt Bardock has appeared in a lengthy list of British shows like Midsomer Murders, Judge John Deed, The Bill, Casualty, New Blood and The Coroner. So he’s no stranger to crime dramas! Sule Rimi plays DS Neville Hilton Who is Neville Hilton? Detective Sergeant Neville Hilton is one of the officers who has worked on Operation Minstead under Detective Superintendent Morgan. He helps Colin Sutton realise the reasons behind the investigation’s failure, which is largely due to understaffing – which meant the team cut corners where they could. Where have I seen Sule Rimi before? Sule Rimi has been working since 2002, and has starred in The Story of Tracy Beaker, Casualty, Strike Back, Black Earth Rising and Death in Paradise. He also appears in Starter For 10, Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection, Pink Wall, and Ashens and the Polybius Heist. David Witts plays DC Adam Spier Who is Adam Spier? Detective Constable Adam Spier is another one of the officers working on Operation Minstead, and he has access to informants on the streets who could have leads the team can use. One of those informants takes the investigation to a dubious pawn shop which deals in stolen items, including jewellery. Where have I seen David Witts before? David Witts is a little younger than some of his co-stars, but he’s already appeared in EastEnders as Joey Branning, Recovery Road, Doctors, and I Ship It before joining Manhunt: The Night Stalker. Guy Williams plays DCS Hamish Campbell Who is Hamish Campbell? Detective Chief Superintendent Hamish Campbell is in charge of reviewing Operation Minstead, which is tasked with catching the Night Stalker, with the goal of finding out why the team have failed in its enquiries so far. DCS Campbell is the one who brings Colin Sutton on board as a way of getting a pair of fresh eyes on the long-running case. Where have I seen Guy Williams before? Guy Williams is a prolific TV star, appearing in the likes of Father Brown, Mr Selfridge, Peaky Blinders, Downton Abbey, and The Crown. He’s also worked with Guy Ritchie on the 2009 version of Sherlock Holmes and 2015’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E., before also starring in London Has Fallen and Peterloo. Diveen Henry plays DC Patricia Henry Who is Patricia Henry? Detective Constable Patricia Henry is Operation Minstead’s Family Liaison Officer, and she’s the go-between for the victims and the officers directly investigating the various cases linked to the Night Stalker. She often has the difficult job of supporting the families of the victims, and sees the true extent of the criminal’s horrific actions. Where have I seen Diveen Henry before? Diveen Henry has appeared in a number of critically acclaimed British shows like The Thick of It, Luther, Misfits, Black Mirror, and The Enfield Haunting. She’s also starred in other crime dramas like The Bill, Law and Order: UK, and Death in Paradise. Bally Gill plays DC Jim Corgan Who is Jim Corgan? Jim Corgan is a Detective Constable working under Colin Sutton during the Night Stalker Case, he assists the DCI in the investigation into the serial burglar and rapist. Where have I seen Bally Gill before? Bally Gill is relatively fresh faced, but he played Romeo in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Romeo and Juliet, before also appearing in Netflix’s Wanderlust as Michael Green. After Manhunt he’ll next appear in Slow Horses, Sherwood, and This Is Going to Hurt. Manhunt will air on ITV1 from Wednesday, 7th June at 9PM and continue nightly on Thursday, 8th June and Friday, 9th June at 9PM. You can order <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Stalker-Colin-Sutton/dp/1789462258/?tag=radtim0b-21&ascsubtag=radiotimes-1356227" target="_blank" rel="sponsored" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Stalker-Colin-Sutton/dp/1789462258/ref%3Dtmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1631799691%26sr%3D1-1&source=gmail&ust=1632213180322000&usg=AFQjCNE0zhYg17mmW1DDudwr1CbnGako6A" data-id="iframe-0-anchor-10">Colin Sutton’s Manhunt: The Night Stalker from Amazon. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Umbrella Academy season 3 review: A riotous return
The offbeat superhero-pocalypse series returns in style.
When Netflix first announced it was adapting Dark Horse Comics’ The Umbrella Academy, fans were uneasy. Could it really capture the unique tone of the series from writer Gerard Way and artist Gabriel Bá? But after two brilliantly bizarre seasons, the Academy is showing no signs of wear and tear – if anything, it doubles down on the weirdness for season 3. It’s a welcome return for the Umbrellas after the surprising cliffhanger at the end of season 2, picking up right after the gang think they’ve fixed the timeline, until they return home. They find that they’ve only made things worse, and they don’t exist in this world. Instead, they’re faced with their resurrected father, Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) and a new class of heroes: The Sparrow Academy… Oh dear. Unsurprisingly, the huge divide between the Umbrellas and the Sparrows is the focus of the season, mainly because of how different they all are. While the Umbrellas are a rag-tag gang of misfits, the Sparrows are a well-oiled team – they’re everything our heroes could’ve been if Ben (Justin H Min) hadn’t died when he was younger, splintering the group. It’s a riot to watch the two sets of heroes clash in a truly inventive manner which highlights just how powerful these newcomers are. The show could easily just use them as foils for the Umbrellas, but thankfully the story fleshes the Sparrows out with their own arcs. It’s particularly great to see Justin H Min get more of the spotlight as the Sparrows' version of Ben Hargreeves, after spending two seasons as a ghost that only Klaus can see. To say more about the other team would ruin what makes them great, but it's safe to say that audiences are in for a treat with them – they’re wonderfully odd. With the Sparrows in their old home, the Umbrellas have to find somewhere else to hang their hats while they grapple with a new apocalyptic event: a swirling mass of world-eating energy called a Kugelblitz. They make their base at the Hotel Obsidian, a wonderfully idiosyncratic location full of bizarre guests and secrets hidden within its walls. It’s here that season 3 really flourishes, because the real heart of the story comes from the characters just being allowed to live a bit. Yes they’re trying to stop the Kugelblitz, but there’s magic in the quieter moments, whether that's an unlikely love story, odd conversations pondering the possibilities of alternate timelines, or Viktor (Elliot Page) coming out as transgender to his family. View oEmbed on the source website It’s refreshing to see Viktor’s story treated with enough grace and focus, because this is a pivotal moment for both the actor and the character – but the show knows not to exploit it either. The writers don’t turn his story into a season-long struggle, nor is it up for debate among his siblings – he just is who he is, and they instantly accept that. The Umbrella Academy has always had a solid dramatic story under the science-fiction comic book nature of it all, but everything is turned up a notch for season 3: action, drama, and dazzling plot twists. Don’t worry though – all of it is carefully plotted so that it doesn’t ruin the emotional core about a family struggling to stick together through adversity. Sure, their adversity is multiple apocalypses and alternate timelines, but still – it’s a captivating family drama nonetheless. In fact, the alternate timeline only elevates how the Umbrellas try to reckon with their lives in the wake of all the apocalypses they’ve faced over the years. They yearn to make amends with people they’ve hurt, while also looking for closure in other difficult relationships. Anything more specific? Well, let’s face it – we’re talking about you, Reginald. Yes, the Umbrella/Sparrow Academy founder has a huge role this season, and much of his involvement sees the heroes deal with their respective issues surrounding their shoddy adoptive father. Although this version of Reginald isn’t the one who emotionally abused them all, they still use the opportunity to deal with their daddy issues. In fact, Sir Reginald's role actually leads to some of the best scenes in the season, including a strange dynamic with Klaus Hargreeves (Robert Sheehan), who gets to bond with his father in a surprisingly wholesome fashion (the former Misfits star is the best he’s ever been). It isn’t a completely slick season, as it sags around the mid-point where some of the spoilery elements of the plot haven’t come into play yet. Generally speaking, these characters are interesting enough that the audience can just have fun hanging out with them, but it does lose its way every so often. Still, once The Umbrella Academy dives into the meat-and-bones of the Kugelblitz (and beyond), it kicks things into overdrive with a stunning cosmic conclusion. The Umbrella Academy season 3 streams on Netflix from Wednesday 22nd June. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight. The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Jurassic World Dominion review: Dino epic is a fun but frustrating beast
The final trip to the park is packed with inventive action but a very messy plot.
Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World: Dominion picks up four years after the events of Fallen Kingdom, where young clone Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) released dinosaurs into Northern California to save them from being auctioned off to the highest bidder. Now, she lives in a remote cabin with adopted parents Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) who keep her hidden from a nefarious genetics company, BioSyn. But when mercenaries kidnap Maisie and baby Velociraptor Beta, Claire and Owen race across the world to find them. After the disappointing reception to 2018’s Fallen Kingdom, it's understandable why audiences might be a little cautious about Jurassic World Dominion. Annoyingly, the story never quite hits the redemptive high bar that it's aiming for, as a handful of half-baked storylines clash together in a paint-by-numbers adventure. A large amount of time is spent looking at the corrupt ethics at BioSyn as well as its Zuckerbergian villain, Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott), but it never manages to say anything meaningful about corporate corruption aside from it being, you know, bad. It’s more of an afterthought excuse to tie the villain to the original 1993 movie – and to be fair, the scheming CEO has come a long way from his early days of spying on Jurassic Park itself. Read more: Jurassic World: Dominion is different to predecessors in a crucial way The script leaves plenty to be desired too, with exposition dumps written solely to move characters from one place to the next, as well as explaining BioSyn’s plot to get control of a vital global market. They should just be honest and call themselves BioSinister at this point – it’s about as subtle as a T-Rex. But let’s face it, although the Jurassic Park/World franchises have always revolved around the dangers of corporations and messing with genetics, the real draw is seeing dinosaurs cause havoc on the big screen. And Jurassic World Dominion dishes out plenty of exhilarating dino-mayhem. Claire and Owen’s hunt for Maisie takes them to Malta and when their investigation predictably goes south, it leads to a thrilling chase with raptors hurtling after Pratt’s hero through the narrow streets at break-neck speed. It even briefly borrows from the Bourne movies in an inventive piece of stuntwork that works a treat. Moments like this really make Dominion worth seeing, because it’s incredibly fun when it just lets itself be in the moment, rather than getting bogged down with the plot. Another stand-out moment sees Owen and DeWanda Wise’s pilot, Kayla, go up against a mean-spirited Pyroraptor which just won’t leave them alone - as Wise delivers a scene-stealing performance with her sarcastically brilliant energy. The She’s Gotta Have It star holds her own against the rest of the cast, and proves that she should be getting much more attention from Hollywood. If Universal really feels the need to make more Jurassic World movies after this, a Kayla spin-off movie wouldn’t be a bad idea. Claire also nabs the spotlight for a quietly tense moment as she carefully flees from a new dinosaur - adding some welcome horror-tinged action into the mix. The original trilogy was never afraid to get a little scary at times, and Trevorrow leans into that hard thanks to some well-placed jump scares and roaring dinos. But does it deliver on its promise of dinosaur-chaos in the real world? It’s the idea that’s always been at the heart of the franchise as a whole, and Trevorrow briefly shows how society would adapt to the arrival of Jurassic beasts. From black markets and smugglers, to the effect on the economy, there’s an interesting approach to dinosaurs living amongst us. Sadly, it’s not used to its full effect outside of a couple of key scenes and some montage clips. What do cities look like with giant Brachiosaurus’ lumbering through the streets and Pterodactyls soaring between the skyscrapers? There’s also an entire horror movie that could have been played out for the Mosasaur’s attack on a fishing trawler in the film’s opening minutes. This is all to say that there’s so much potential with the concept of dinos roaming free, and the sequel doesn’t always make the most of it – which is a shame. Thankfully, the return of the original cast is a welcome salve, as Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Satler (Laura Dern) instantly settle back into their lovable dynamic, while Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) is aptly more chaotic than usual. Goldblum seems to be acting in a completely different movie to everyone else, which gets a little irritating during a tense moment towards the finale, but the original trio are still a welcome dose of nostalgia, and the film uses them without overstepping the mark. So, while Dominion does make a few missteps with its middling plots and cloning shenanigans, it also has plenty of enjoyable action sequences, fun comedic beats and an imaginative flair. Could it do with a shorter runtime? Sure. But who cares when there’s an intimidating Pyroraptor, a beastly Giganotosaurus, and a horde of venom-spitting Dilophosaurus’ causing chaos at every turn? It’s definitely a fitting end to the franchise, so maybe the studio should leave it encased in amber for now. Jurassic World Dominion arrives in UK cinemas on Friday 10th June 2022. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight. The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Who is Khonshu in Moon Knight? Marvel character explained
Moon Knight's boss is the Egyptian God of the moon, and he is based on a real deity.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe just got a little weirder thanks to the Moon Knight series on Disney Plus. Helmed by writer Jeremy Slater and directed by Mohamed Diab, the show introduces Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector AKA Steven Grant AKA Moon Knight AKA the Fist of Khonshu. For anyone not familiar with the Marvel Comics hero, he was originally created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin and has been fighting the good fight since “Werewolf By Night” #32 back in 1975. Spector is a former mercenary with dissociative identity disorder, and he has several personalities that he uses in his crusade to protect the streets from criminals, supervillains and various supernatural threats. But his fight actually got started when he was betrayed and left for the dead in the Egyptian desert. Luckily, he crawled into a ruined temple and made a deal with Khonshu: the God of the Moon. The ancient deity saves Spector’s life, but in return, the half-dead soldier has to become Khonshu’s avatar on Earth. It’s a fair deal and not one that Marc can pass up on. But is Khonshu a real figure in Egyptian mythology? How does he use Marc in the comics? And who plays him in the series? If you're still a little confused about who or what Steven's new boss is all about, we’ve got you covered. Who is Khonshu in Moon Knight? Marvel character explained Well, Khonshu really is the God of the Moon Yes, Khonshu is inspired by a real figure from mythology. This obviously isn’t the first time Marvel has pulled from legendary characters to pad out its universe - Thor, Odin, and Loki are all pulled from Norse mythology after all! But the ‘real’ Khonsu (spelt without the h!) is an interesting figure: he is the God of the Moon, and he also protects anyone who travels at night. It’s also worth knowing that he was powerful against “evil spirits” - according to Study.com, so it all makes sense why Moench and Perlin were inspired to create Moon Knight all those years ago. Unfortunately he was also quite ruthless, as the site points out that the Pyramid Texts call him “bloodthirsty” as he hunted other gods and ate their hearts. So he hasn’t always been the benevolent protector he makes himself out to be. Khonshu is a powerful God in the Marvel Universe Khonshu and the rest of the Egyptian gods exist in a completely different plane of reality to our own, and because of that, they can’t physically enter our world. But they can visually appear to people and help manifest physical objects - like costumes, or weapons - if they need to. Because of the barrier between Marvel’s main 616-universe and the gods, they use avatars to carry out their will on Earth, like Marc Spector. Much like his live-action/CGI counterpart voiced by F Murray Abraham, Khonshu always appears to Marc as a towering being with a giant bird skull. His outfits differ depending on the setting, but he’s typically dressed in flowing robes adorned with golden ankhs. Khonshu uses Marc Spector for his own ends in Moon Knight The vigilante often gets seriously injured or even killed carrying out his missions for Khonshu, though the god ensures that he always heals quickly or resurrects him. This usually comes with some sort of prophetic warning to Marc not to take Khonshu’s abilities for granted, because the lunar god doesn’t have much patience. It’s important to know that Marc isn’t the first Moon Knight, as Khonshu has used various different avatars over the years. In fact, the hero met a number of them during Cullen Bunn’s 2019 ‘Moon Knight’ run when he travelled through time to stop Kang the Conqueror. And in the first few episodes of the Disney Plus series, Khonshu makes a point to tell Marc that he’s used different avatars in the past. It’s very clear his benevolent streak is something to keep an eye on. In the 2016 series by Jeff Lemire, Khonshu locks Marc up in an imaginary mental institution to try and inhabit his physical body for himself and even says he picked the hero because of his “weak mind” (referring to his dissociative identity disorder). Ouch. Khonshu even forces Moon Knight to steal the powers of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in the 2020 series “Avengers: Age of Khonshu” after the god has visions of Mephisto bringing about an apocalypse using infinite versions of himself. Comics! He believes that by taking over the world using the ‘Cult of Khonshu’, he can save everyone from the end of the world. But this causes Moon Knight to turn on his master, and he helps the Avengers imprison the moon god in Asgard. Again, comics. Basically, Khonshu is a very complex character, and although he gives Marc the abilities to protect the streets he also has no qualms in belittling him or abusing their dynamic for his own ends. It remains to be seen just how sinister the TV version will be, and whether he'll go quite so far in his quest for justice. Read more: What are Moon Knight’s powers? Moon Knight releases new episodes on Disney Plus on Wednesdays – sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year now. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight. The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Oscar Isaac's new Marvel hero has a comic-book history of vague and varying abilities - but what are they?
A brand new hero is about to swoop onto Disney Plus – Moon Knight, also known as Marc Spector, also known as Steven Grant. Played by Star Wars alum Oscar Isaac, the white-robed vigilante is about to expand the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a very unique way as he works with the ancient Egyptian god, Khonshu. Spector has dissociative identity disorder, which means he has several different personalities that can take over and live their own separate lives. Spector himself is a mercenary who is a highly skilled fighter, while Steven Grant works in a gift shop and lives a very mundane lifestyle. The new TV adventure kicks off when Grant realises the truth about his condition and certain trouble Spector has landed him in, as he’s pulled into the world of ancient gods, sinister cults, and the supernatural. Steven isn’t the main personality in the comics, but the show understandably uses him to introduce the audience to the character for the first time. But when Marc eventually steps into the impressive costume, his skillset gets a little ambiguous. So, what are Moon Knight’s powers? Marc Spector is a martial arts expert The hero made his debut in the comics back in 1975 in Doug Moench’s “Werewolf By Night” #32 where he hunts the titular lycanthrope when working for a group called the Committee. But Moon Knight didn’t get his own ongoing series until 1980, with Moench returning to expand his story. On the page, Marc Spector is a former-soldier-turned-mercenary who is left for dead in the Egyptian desert by his future-nemesis Raul Bushman. As he’s dying he crawls into a temple and communes with Khonshu, the God of the Moon, who saves his life in return for becoming his avatar on Earth. Because of Marc’s time in the Marines, he’s a perfect candidate to be Khonshu’s latest warrior. He’s got an Olympic level of fitness, and he’s trained in different martial arts, which when combined with his skills as a lifelong boxer make him truly formidable in hand-to-hand combat. Of course, Spector’s also pretty handy with a number of different weapons – and while he tends to favour crescent-shaped throwing knives, he’s a talented marksman with any weapon. Notably, Marc is much more aggressive with his approach to fighting crime than the likes of Spider-Man or Daredevil. He's racked up a hefty body count over the years, and while he’s not quite as bad as the Punisher he’s not far off either. Comics readers will definitely remember the time that he carved Bushman’s face off in 2006’s “Moon Knight” #2 by Charlie Huston. Yikes. That’s probably not going to make it into the Disney Plus series. Still, Moon Knight's violent approach to superheroism definitely makes him more interesting, because his guilt over his actions often impacts his mental state, as well as his relationship with Khonshu. What abilities does Khonshu grant Moon Knight? Luckily for Marc, being Khonshu’s avatar on Earth does come with a few perks, like the fact that he’s basically immortal. Anytime Marc is severely injured or even killed, the Moon God resurrects him to fight again. With that said, whenever he’s hovering between life and death, Khonshu often takes the chance to warn Marc about his limitations. Their relationship is strained, because obviously Marc and his various identities would like to live their own lives – but they also realise they have a duty to protect the innocent. There are a few other abilities that Marc gets as the Fist of Khonshu, including enhanced strength - but only under the light of the full moon. Fandom states that when he’s at full power he can lift up to two tonnes - which is quite impressive for someone who doesn’t have flashy superpowers like some of his fellow Avengers. Moon Knight is also resistant to telepathic attacks thanks to his dissociative identity disorder, with his alternate identities making it a little complicated for telepaths to get inside his head. The Disney Plus series takes a few liberties with Moon Knight’s powers, mainly when it comes to his costume. In the comics, the suit is a physical thing Marc actually has to put on, but in the series he ‘summons’ it from within himself. The traditional robes are something that Khonshu bestows on someone when he chooses them as his avatar, but it can also change to fit the wearer's needs. It also appears that any and all of Moon Knight's powers in the show come from the suit itself (including super-healing and strength), rather than being something Marc/Steven has access to at all times. This is a handy work-around for the globetrotting adventure in the live-action show, as it means Marc/Steven doesn’t have to cart all of the Moon Knight equipment around with him. But it’ll be interesting to see whether he gets an upgrade in future appearances… Come on Kevin Feige, you know you want to give him the giant Moon glider! Moon Knight releases new episodes on Disney Plus on Wednesdays – sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year now. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight. The latest issue of Radio Times is on sale now – subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
The Batman ending explained: The Riddler, Catwoman mysteries solved
Who was that mystery character, and what was the Riddler's plan? We break down the conclusion to Matt Reeves' new Batman movie. **CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Matt Reeves’ The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the iconic Caped Crusader, is finally here. It picks up with Bruce Wayne in his second year of crime-fighting in Gotham when a menacing serial killer called the Riddler (Paul Dano) starts a deadly game that targets the city’s institutional corruption. Don’t worry – this isn’t an origin story, so we’re spared from yet another slow-motion shot of Martha Wayne’s pearls cascading to the floor in Crime Alley. Instead, Bruce is already an effective vigilante on the streets, but this new threat forces him to become something more than a brawler to unravel the mystery behind the killer. The gripping tale takes its cues from classic thrillers like William Friedkin’s The French Connection and David Fincher’s Se7en thanks to its many twists, as well as the noir take on the Caped Crusader. But how does it all play out for Bruce, the Riddler, and Gotham? Read on for everything you need to know about the ending of The Batman. Be warned, full spoilers are ahead – so if you haven't seen The Batman yet, look away now. The Batman ending explained Who is el rata alada? At the centre of the Riddler’s twisted machinations is a mysterious figure he calls ‘el rata alada’ AKA the rat with wings. This person is the anonymous informant inside the mob that’s responsible for giving the police information to put notorious mobster Salvatore Maroni in prison, which was a crushing blow to Gotham’s drug trade. Although Batsy suspects Penguin (Colin Farrell) at first, he simply doesn’t know enough to be the rat. Selina Kyle (Zoe Kravitz) is ultimately the one to figure this one out as she desperately investigates the death of her best friend, Annika, who had a secret affair with Mayor Mitchell (Rupert Penry-Jones). The Mayor told her all about the Renewal money becoming a criminal slush fund, as well as the truth regarding Sal Maroni – as the GCPD and the Mayor worked with another gangster, Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) to put Maroni away. Falcone even took over the narcotics business while the GCPD was applauded for the huge drug bust, even though it didn’t really have an effect whatsoever. Unfortunately, this gives Falcone a lot of power over the city, because he can blackmail anyone involved with the scheme to do as he pleases. He even views himself as the real Mayor of Gotham. When Gordon and Batman arrest Falcone, the Riddler shoots him with a sniper rifle, effectively cutting out the city’s rotten core. Why does the Riddler target corrupt officials in Gotham? So what’s Riddler’s whole plan about anyway? Paul Dano’s twisted killer leads Batman and the GCPD on a merry chase around the city as a way of proving that the corrupt wealthy elite are the true cause of Gotham’s rotten core. When Batman and James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) lock the Riddler up in Arkham following Falcone’s death, the killer is revealed as Edward Nashton. He grew up in Gotham’s poorly funded orphanages before becoming a forensic accountant, where he stumbled on the financial records of the Renewal project. Renewal was originally founded by Thomas Wayne and was intended to help the poorer citizens in Gotham, orphanages included, but after the Waynes were murdered this money disappeared. As the media’s attention turned to the tragedy surrounding the newly orphaned Bruce Wayne, officials worked with gangster Sal Maroni to line their own pockets as the billion-dollar Renewal fund was quietly repurposed. This obviously meant that orphans like Nashton were doomed to live in poverty, all because of the greedy, corrupt elite. He even explains that it led to babies dying every year in the winter because the orphanages simply had no money to properly house the children. To make matters worse for Bruce, he has to grapple with the true nature of the Wayne legacy and his father’s Mayoral campaign. The Riddler reveals that Martha Wayne was part of the Arkham family, and she struggled with mental illness over the years which led to her being briefly institutionalised. The Riddler insinuated that Thomas had a journalist killed so Martha’s past wouldn’t come out and ruin his run for Mayor. But as Alfred (Andy Serkis) reveals, Thomas only wanted to keep the story quiet so his wife’s struggles would be kept quiet, and he was heartbroken that Falcone had killed the journalist instead of scaring him off. The interesting thing is that the Riddler was actually inspired by Batman’s own war on crime because he saw that someone could actively make a difference to the city by taking matters into their own hands. It’s that old “two sides of the same coin” approach, where the hero and villain are similar in different ways. But where Bruce forges his pain into a force for good, Riddler’s warped personality transforms him into a sadistic serial killer. Unfortunately, he also has a devastating plan to flood Gotham as a way of cleansing the city of its endless list of sins. How does Catwoman fit into the film? The Batman met Selina Kyle in the Penguin's club, the Iceberg Lounge, where she works, but her investigations into the death of her friend Annika reveal another twist: Selina is the neglected daughter of Carmine Falcone. Selina's mother used to work beneath the Iceberg Lounge and was the lover of Falcone. When Falcone's actions are revealed to have been responsible for Annika's death, Selina confronts Falcone with the plan to kill him. Despite a struggle, Bruce eventually persuades Selina into not taking revenge and Falcone is arrested. However, he is ultimately murdered regardless due to the machinations of The Riddler. Selina departs but later saves Bruce's life from the cronies of The Riddler. Despite a strong romantic connection, Selina ultimately leaves Gotham at the end of the film, going her separate ways to Bruce. How does Batman save Gotham? Surprisingly, the Riddler actually manages to go through with his plan, using seven bombs to destroy Gotham’s sea wall, flooding most of the city and causing mass chaos. Although he misses out on the carnage because he’s locked up in Arkham, a small group of his online fans show up at the Gotham Arena where thousands of citizens are seeking shelter. They start shooting from the rafters, even wounding the new Mayor, Bella Reál (Jayme Lawson). But thankfully Batman and Catwoman swoop in and start beating the living snot out of the Riddler’s gunmen. Although Gotham is devastated in the floods, the tragedy makes Bruce realise that he can become something more meaningful than just a brutal vigilante. The way he helps the survivors out of the wreckage and into the light proves he can be a watchful protector. Although Bruce’s quest for “vengeance” was born out of pain and tragedy, he ends the film knowing he’s transforming into a symbol for hope. Unfortunately, he also sacrifices any chance he has at happiness with Selina Kyle, who leaves Gotham for Blüdhaven (hello, Nightwing!) at the end of the film. Given the huge personal journey he’s just gone through, it’s understandable that he wants to stay and fulfil his duty to the city. Is Barry Keoghan playing The Joker? OK, let’s touch on the Clown in the room. When Riddler weeps over being thwarted by Batman, he’s comforted by a sinister inmate in the adjacent cell in the Arkham Correctional Facility. This unknown individual has a grisly smile and a frightening voice, as he tells Nashton: "You know what they say, one day you're on top of the world and the next day you're a clown." Well, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that this implies the Joker is already in Gotham just waiting to cause havoc – although it’s not clear why he’s in Arkham, or if he’s already crossed paths with the Bat in the two years since Bruce first donned the cape and cowl. Eternals star Barry Keoghan is the man behind the clown for this new version of the Batman mythos, which is a little surprising given the huge success surrounding Joaquin Phoenix's 2019 film Joker. But by introducing their own Clown Prince Of Crime, Matt Reeves and co-writer Peter Craig have complete creative control rather than having to work around Phoenix’s character and the timeline that film set up. Will we get The Batman 2? Matt Reeves has already teased the possibility of The Batman 2, telling The Independent “we have started talking about another movie", so it’s highly likely Keoghan will reprise the role in the future. With that said, the director also told Collider that he’d love to explore a grounded version of Mr Freeze, saying: "I think there's actually a grounded version of that story, which could be really powerful and could be really great.” So give it a few years and we might see Robert Pattinson go up against a gritty version of Victor Fries – assuming Warner Bros gives Reeves the green light for The Batman 2, anyway. Is there a post-credits scene for The Batman? Well, it's not quite a full scene but there is a slight tease connected to The Riddler. Read More: Meet the cast of The Batman: Full list of DC Comics characters Read More: How to watch Batman movies in order and where to stream Read More: The Batman producer reveals there are “inevitably” ideas for sequels Read more: Where was The Batman filmed? Read more: The Batman soundtrack - full list of music in DC Comics film The Batman is in UK cinemas now. For more, check out our dedicated Movies page or our full TV Guide. 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Dexter recap: What you need to know before New Blood
Need a refresher? We've got you covered...
By: Eammon Jacobs The Bay Harbor Butcher is no more. Dexter: New Blood picks up a decade after the titular killer left Miami in the divisive season 8 finale, with Dexter (Michael C Hall) settling down in the sleepy town of Iron Lake, New York under an alias: Jim Lindsay. Gone are the days of plastic sheets and slides of blood; hello line-dancing and date night. But Iron Lake isn't as sheltered as Dexter initially thinks, and he soon learns a wealth of secrets about some of the town's wealthier residents. It's interesting that no matter where he goes, he always manages to sniff out another murderer – the man is practically a bloodhound, but we'd expect nothing less from a former blood-spatter analyst. It's not the first time Dexter has seemingly found happiness, but his violent escapades always put a stop to him enjoying a peaceful existence in the past. With New Blood on the way, let's take a look at the most devastating deaths in Dexter's life, as well as exploring how he navigated his way to a new life. View Riddle on the source website How did Rita die in Dexter? Oh Rita, she deserved better. Back in season 4, Dexter crossed paths with Arthur Mitchell (John Lithgow) AKA the Trinity Killer. He'd managed to evade the authorities for 30 years and had killed nearly 300 victims by the time Dexter put an end to him. The FBI thought his kill cycles included three victims, but Dexter discovered that Arthur kicked off his sprees with a secret fourth victim. Dexter initially thought he could learn something from Arthur, who seemed to balance being a serial killer with having a family life. Unfortunately, Arthur’s violent tendencies mean his family are also subject to his cruelty – he even breaks his son’s (Brando Eaton) little finger for breaking the car’s windshield. Arthur eventually figures out who Dexter is, and unbeknownst to the titular killer targets Rita while she’s home alone. Arthur kills Rita in the same method that his sister died, by slicing her femoral artery in the bath so that she bleeds out. Dexter only finds out what happened to her after he kills Arthur, coming home to find Rita in the bath while Harrison sits crying in a pool of blood. It’s a parallel to Dexter’s own bloody beginnings as a child when he was left with his mother’s dismembered body in a shipping container. The cycle of violence continues… How did Deb die in Dexter? Dexter might deal with a killer instinct in the Showtime series, but Debra Morgan struggles with her fair share of inner demons during the initial eight seasons too. In Season 8, she’s crippled by the guilt of killing Maria LaGuerta to save Dexter, and has resigned from her high-ranking job as a Lieutenant. But it seemed like she was on the road to recovery, and redemption, when she started going to therapy with Doctor Vogel (Charlotte Rampling). She even helped Dexter apprehend Season 8’s serial killer, Oliver Saxon AKA The Brain Surgeon at an abandoned hospital. The dynamic duo tie Saxon up, but the killer manages to get free when US Marshal Max Clayton frees him, thinking he’s a victim. He doesn’t live long enough to regret his decision because Saxon quickly kills the Marshal, and steals his gun before waiting for Debra to walk into the room. He shoots her in the stomach, and although it looks pretty dire - the season finale lulls audiences into a false sense of security. The doctors tell Dexter that she’s going to pull through, and the surgery to save her wasn’t too risky. The siblings have a heart-to-heart and they reminisce about their childhood, with Deb thanking him for keeping her safe as a kid. This was a pseudo-goodbye between the two, because when Dex returns to the hospital Quinn (Desmond Harrington) tearfully tells him that Debra has fallen into a vegetative state because of a blood clot that formed during surgery. Realizing that his sister will never have a normal life again, Dexter tells her he loves her before he makes the heartbreaking decision to turn off the life-support. It’s an unceremonious end for the fan-favourite Lieutenant. What happened to Saxon in Dexter? Oliver Saxon is the main villain in Season 8, and he’s shown to be a truly twisted individual who doesn’t even think twice about killing his own mother. But after he shoots Deb - Dexter has to figure out a way of killing him that doesn’t involve bringing more attention to himself. The blood spatter analyst already struggles with keeping Hannah McKay (Yvonne Strahovski) away from the authorities so they can escape Miami with Dexter’s son Harrison - he doesn’t need to out himself as a serial killer in the process. Luckily Saxon’s own psychopathic rage gets the better of him, as he goes to the hospital looking to finish Debra off but the police are waiting for him and he’s hauled into custody. It’s here where Dexter gets his revenge on Saxon for causing Deb’s death. He goads the killer into stabbing him with a pen he leaves on the table, and stabs him in the neck during their brief scuffle. Because Saxon is an unhinged serial killer who literally scoops bits of his victims' brains out, the police don’t charge Dexter with murder because it looks like self-defence. Of course, that’s exactly what Dex wanted it to look like. How did Dexter fake his death? After killing Oliver Saxon, Dexter struggles to find a way out of Miami for himself, Hannah, and Harrison. Hurricane Laura is causing havoc for the city, so the airport and the docks are all locked down to keep civilians safe. He persuades Hannah to take Harrison on a bus and head to Jacksonville where they can fly to Buenos Aires - it’s a little strange that he’s resigned to leaving his son with his new girlfriend but to be fair he’s dealing with an incomparable loss. After switching off Deb’s life support, he sneaks her body out of the hospital onto his boat as he decides to drop her body out at sea. Deb was always something of a tortured soul, so at least she’s at peace. The killer with a conscience then sails his boat right into the hurricane, and the wreckage is found days later - and the world thinks Dexter Morgan is dead. But the final moments of the series confirm that he actually escaped, and is living in Oregon as a lumberjack. It’s not clear whether he planned to die in the hurricane and just happened to survive, or if he intended to leave Miami behind. When Dexter: New Blood picks up, he hasn’t killed anyone in a long time, so the old Dexter is metaphorically dead at the very least. What happened to Harrison in Dexter? Harrison is one of the only characters who gets something of a happy ending in Dexter season 8, with him and Hannah escaping to Jacksonville by the end of the finale. The last time we see the pair they're in Buenos Aires, with Hannah reading about Dexter's "death". It'll be interesting to see what his life in Argentina is like when the new series starts. He didn't grow up with Dexter for a dad, but let's not forget that Hannah is a deadly serial killer in her own right. Thankfully, she has a conscience, but she's not exactly a good person. Harrison is (mostly) shown as a relatively happy child in the series, and doesn’t display any inner demons like his dad’s Dark Passenger. But who knows how he’ll change and grow as a teenager? Perhaps Dexter will have a new serial killer protégé on his hands in New Blood. Read more about Dexter: New Blood: Who's the ultimate Dexter villain? Vote for the best baddie in seasons 1-8 Dexter's Michael C Hall hints at possibility of more new episodes after revival Dexter revival might not be bad news, but a chance to redeem a once-beloved series Dexter: New Blood is available to watch in the UK on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW. Visit our Drama hub for more news and features, or find something to watch with our TV Guide.