The 80s Weekly - Issue 31

Stranger Things animated series on Netflix, Return of the Jedi returning to theaters, Super Mario theme preserved, and a Trapper Keeper Giveaway.

Jason Gross
April 16, 2023

This week’s sponsor is 80sTees.com, one of the largest online retailers of officially licensed retro t-shirts. Click the banner above to shop now!

Editor’s Note

One of the best aspects of curating this newsletter is seeing the news cycle over the course of several issues. The first headline in Issue 1 back in August 2022 was Zach Galligan joining the voice cast of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. More announcements about the cast were released later and now 8 months later, we get to watch the first trailer here in Issue 31. Soon we’ll be in the final stretch of watching the series and forming our opinions. Good or bad, the journey is what I enjoy as an editor and what keeps me motivated to immerse myself (and you) in 1980s pop culture.

Have a great week and stay rad, everyone! - Jason

Gnarly News

‘Stranger Things’ Animated Series Set at Netflix

Stranger Things will be concluding after five seasons on Netflix, but the universe is expanding. An untitled animated series has been greenlit at Netflix, with Flying Bark Productions and executive…

RETURN OF THE JEDI Is Coming to Theaters for 40th Anniversary

Return of the Jedi is coming back to theaters for a limited time to so Star Wars fans can celebrate its 40th anniversary.

How Ben Affleck’s 1984 Playlist Inspired ‘Air’ Movie’s Soundtrack

“Air” music supervisor Andrea von Foerster received a music playlist from Ben Affleck titled 1984. “It was literally my childhood,” she says of the song collection that feat…

Eddie Munson Gets STRANGER THINGS Prequel Novel

Eddie Munson will get a Stranger Things origin story in the form of an official prequel novel. But we still just want Eddie to actually live.

A house that seemingly contains a hidden shrine to Ghostbusters II's Vigo the Carpathian goes viral

A real estate listing has gone viral after photos of the home's interior revealed a secret hidden room that seemingly serves as a shrine to Ghostbusters II's Vigo the Carpathian.

‘Robocop,’ ‘Stargate’, ‘Legally Blonde’ & ‘Barbershop’ Among Titles In Works For Film & TV As Amazon Looks To Supercharge MGM IP

MGM’s extensive film & TV catalogue, built over the past century, was the main driver behind Amazon’s $8.5B acquisition of the storied Hollywood studio. For the past year…

Mario's Theme Song Is Being Preserved Alongside Led Zeppelin, Madonna Albums

The Library of Congress' National Recording Registry is adding its first ever video game tune.

Rediscover '80s Pop Culture

40 Beautiful Photos of a Young Jennifer Connelly in the 1980s

Born 1970 in Cairo, New York, American actress Jennifer Connelly began her career as a child model before making her acting debut in the...

Video: The Dukes of Hazzard at Hills

I've talked about Hills department store in the past, but if you've missed those ramblings, let me sum up all you need to know about Hills: It was awesome! The entire time they were in business, and ever since they went out of business, it's been my favorite department store.

Joe Namath and Farrah Fawcett Reprise Their Classic Noxema Shaving Cream Commercial in Towels, 1981

Joe Namath and Farrah Fawcett during filming of a TV ad for Fawcett’s hair shampoo and hair conditioning products in 1981. This was a...

10 Facts About The Police's 'Synchronicity'

With their fifth and final album, 1983’s 'Synchronicity,' The Police were on the verge of something big.

Collectibles

ALF Saxophone Toony Classics Action Figure

ALF joins the Toony Classics line, NECA's fun take on beloved characters from film and television. Your favorite Melmacian stands approximately 5-inches tall with saxophone in hand. The blister card packaging has a bonus cutout backdrop.

Arcade1Up Releases Deluxe Edition Arcade Cabinets

Did you miss out on a specific Arcade1Up cabinet? The company has started producing Deluxe Edition models of previous titles.

NECA Reveals Batman 1989 Utility Belt Prop Replica Bundle Set

Become the Dark Knight with the help of NECA as they debut their new Batman 1989 Utility Belt Prop Replica Bundle that fans won’t want to miss.

Funko Games Announces Multiple Indiana Jones Tabletop Games

Funko Games revealed four new Indiana Jones games today, three of which you can get now, with a fourth coming this June.

bleedingcool.com/games/funko-games-announces-multiple-indiana-jones-tabletop-games

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Force Ghost 3-Pack Revealed by Hasbro

Hasbro has revealed an impressive amount of new reveals during Star Wars Celebration including some iconic Force Ghosts.

GIVEAWAY ZONE

Congrats to Robert Y. from Florida for winning the Goonies themed prize pack from Issue 30! The Goonies Illustrated Storybook and The Goonies: Escape With One-Eyed Willy’s Rich Stuff game are available on Amazon if you’d like to bring a little of the “Never Say Die” attitude into your home.

The giveaway for Issue 31 is another Trapper Keeper giveaway! And as usual, I’ve stuffed plenty of vintage goodies inside like packs of trading cards, 45 record singles, a comic book and more. And don’t forget to enter the monthly giveaway for Just Free Stuff which is a box of nostalgic 80s candy!

REMINDER: Subscribers are not automatically entered in the weekly giveaway. You must click over and use the Rafflecopter widget to earn your entries. Subscribing to The 80s Weekly is a requirement and then connect with RD80s socials to earn bonus entries.

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