Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 143

IMAX CEO Teases 8 CHRONICLES OF NARNIA Movies From Greta Gerwig and Netflix

Move over Barbie Land, Greta Gerwig is set to tackle another intensely popular world, Narnia. According to The New Yorker, Gerwig “has a deal with Netflix to write and direct at least two films based on C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia.” This confirmation came straight from Gerwig herself, and recently, a deal with IMAX, shed some light on a release schedule for the first of the films. Even more interesting, IMAX’s CEO teased there may be as many as EIGHT Chronicles of Narnia movies on the horizon from Netflix.

Warner Bros./ Walt Disney PicturesWhen Will Gerwig’s Netflix Narnia Movies Begin to Release?

Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia movie will head to IMAX, giving us a date for its initial release in theaters. Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia movie has set an IMAX release date of Thanksgiving Day 2026 where it will play for two weeks. That means Gerwig’s first Chronicles of Narnia movie will release in IMAX theaters on November 26, 2026. It will run until December 10th. Of course, this is a Netflix movie. So when can we expect the streamer to release Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia? The trades indicate Netflix will release the film “during the Christmas period that year.”

In March of 2024, Gerwig herself shared with Deadline that the Narnia movies are in “the very early stages of pre-production in the UK.” The publication additionally adds that “Narnia more than likely won’t be ready to go before cameras until late this year or possibly early next. It’s yet to be determined, plus Gerwig has yet to appoint key department heads who will create the magical land where animals behave as equals with humans, witches wage war and dragons and horses fly.”

What Can We Expect From Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Movies? (Apparently, Rock and Roll)

For now, very little information is available about these new Greta Gerwig Chronicles of Narnia movie adaptations. We don’t know which parts of the series will get adapted or even in what format we’ll see them come to life. The Chronicles of Narnia received a big-screen adaptation in the 2000s, with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader all receiving live-action movies. However, the series did not take as well as hoped. (Although the movies did launch Ben Barnes, for which we appreciate them.)

Recently, we got a small but strange update on Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia Netflix film. This new bit of information came from from producer Amy Pascal, who is working on the upcoming movie. Pascal revealed, Gerwig would bring to life “a very new take on Narnia. It’s all about rock and roll.” We personally do not really remember rock and roll being a huge feature of any of the Chronicles of Narnia books, but hey, if Mr. Tumnus wants to get his shades on do a dance number, we’re not against it. Jadis the White Witch does have some pretty rocking vibes, we’ll give them that. And lions have been dancing and singing all over recently, so, okay, punk rock Aslan with a mohawk mane, here we came.

How Many Chronicles of Narnia Movies Will We See From Netflix (And Maybe Greta Gerwig)?

Just how many Chronicles of Narnia movies will we see, though? It sounds like at least one movie for every book and then some. Talking about IMAX’s deal to screen Gerwig’s first Chronicles of Narnia movie, IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond shared, “This was a really great movie [for us] because I think there are like eight movies planned … and what Imax does best is launch franchises and launch events, [and] this is the kind of movie that is very conducive to an Imax release.”

“Like eight movies” planned is news to us. In total, there are seven Chronicles of Narnia books, and this would mean Netflix plans to make one movie for every book and then some. Of course, it could be that Gelfond means seven Chronicles of Narnia movies when he says “like eight,” or perhaps one of the books will see two movies made about it. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Silver Chair have all been made into movies before. But some Chronicles of Narnia books have never been adapted. It certainly would be fascinating to see The Magician’s Nephew finally on our screens. Or could these eight Chronicles of Narnia movies dive into only one of the stories instead? Only time will tell.

What we do know is that Greta Gerwig is set to write and direct at least two of these movies. But could she bat for all eight? We wouldn’t be against it.

Could We See a Deeper Take on the Chronicles of Narnia?20th Century Studios

The idea of a Chronicles of Narnia movie done by Gerwig is a fascinating one. The books by C. S. Lewis are dense and heavily philosophical and religious. While the latest Narnia movies leaned more heavily into broad fantasy themes, a Gerwig-helmed Narnia series could get deeper and more existential. But for now, we’ll just have to imagine the possibilities and hope the movies do indeed come to pass. Long live Aslan, hopefully, he’s more than just a Ken.

Originally published on July 5, 2023.

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THE BATMAN – PART II Release Date Delayed By One Year, Filming to Begin at the End of 2025

Although it will not belong to the main on-screen DC Universe, we were very happy to hear that The Batman – Part II will continue on in DC’s new world order. Under James Gunn and Peter Safran, The Batman – Part II will belong to DC’s Elseworlds Projects. These projects will take place in TV, movie, or game form but will not factor into the main universe story. Still, they play a critical role in keeping the DC Universe varied and interesting.

But what is the current state of The Batman – Part II? Unfortunately, the film has been delayed once more. Although The Batman – Part II was originally meant to arrive in 2025, it will now be released on October 1, 2027, after two delays. James Gunn confirmed the news on Threads, revealing, “The only reason for the delay is there isn’t a full script (those of you who follow me here probably know that already). Matt is committed to making the best film he possibly can, and no one can accurately guess exactly how long a script will take to write. Once there is a finished script, there is around two years for pre-production, shooting and post-production on big films.”

Warner Bros.

This latest release date delay means there will be five years between The Batman‘s release and The Batman – Part II‘s release onto our screens. But Gunn feels that this is pretty normal, noting, “To be fair, a 5 year gap or more is fairly common in sequels. 7 years between Alien and Aliens. 14 years between Incredibles. 7 years between the first two Terminators. 13 years between Avatars. 36 years between Top Guns. And, of course, 6 years between Guardians Vol 2 and Vol 3.” We guess we’ll have to see what this latest delay means for the sequel movie and for the audience’s enjoyment of it.

For now, at least progress is somewhere on the horizon. Robert Pattinson recently confirmed that filming for Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part II would begin at the end of 2025. He wouldn’t share much about the plot but noted, “it’s cool, though, it’s cool.”

#Mickey17 star Robert Pattinson on shooting #TheBatman sequel at the end of this year: "It's cool" pic.twitter.com/uencAfmEBN

— Deadline (@DEADLINE) February 13, 2025

Here’s everything we know about The Batman – Part II.

Title

For now, the sequel to The Batman carries the descriptive title of The Batman – Part II.

The Batman – Part II‘s Plot

We don’t know much yet about The Batman – Part II‘s plot. But we do know that a cinematic universe is building for The Batman. Next up, we’ll see a Penguin series on HBO Max, and that will tie directly into the coming sequel.

Warner Bros.

One thing is clear about The Batman – Part II; its focus will stay on Batman, a.k.a Bruce Wayne. Reeves shares:

To me, the thing that I really feel is that I also believe that Rob [Pattinson] is so special in the role. My goal has always been to do these point-of-view stories that allow the character to always be the emotional center of the story. Because a lot of times what happens is, after you do the first one, then suddenly other Rogues Gallery characters come in, and they kind of take over, and then Batman takes a backseat sort of character-wise, or emotionally.

The Batman – Part II‘s CastWarner Bros.

For now, we know Robert Pattinson will return as our Bruce Wayne/Batman. It just wouldn’t be a The Batman movie without him. In addition, an article in GQ notes that Matt Reeves has confirmed Andy Serkis’ return as Alfred Pennyworth in The Batman – Part II.

A February 21, 2024 interview on Vanity Fair also confirmed Barry Keoghan—who had a brief cameo in the first film as the Joker—will return, presumably in a much bigger role, for The Batman – Part II.

Warner Bros.Behind the Scenes

Matt Reeves is returning to write the sequel to The Batman. But this time, he will find a co-writer in Mattson Tomlin. We assume Reeves will also direct The Batman – Part II.

The Batman – Part II Release Date

The Batman – Part II will release on October 1, 2027.

Originally published on February 8, 2023.

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Jennifer Love Hewitt Reveals Julie’s Location in I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER Sequel Post

In the ‘90s, Scream led to a swath of teen ensemble horror franchises like Final Destination and I Know What You Did Last Summer. It’s now officially back into the game with last year’s hit movie and another film coming soon. So, it is not surprising that the franchise is inspiring others to dust off their dormant universes and return back for more gore. Deadline reports that an I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel will release on July 18, 2025 and, in an Instagram post, Jennifer Love Hewitt confirmed her return as Julie James. The film is currently in production.

More recently, the actress posted a letter with that infamous plain scribble to Instagram. There are a few things to glean from here.

First, it could indicate that Julie James has more of a leading role than we initially thought she would. It is possible for her to be helping the next generation but perhaps she interacts with a younger group of people because she’s a teacher or working with them in some capacity. Second, the envelope has “Julie James” on it, which means that she may not have married Ray Bronson. Of course, not every married woman takes her husband’s last name but it has also been many years since last film. People break up and maybe its another killer with a hook who brings them back together, like Gale and Dewey from Scream.

The final observation is that Julie is living in North Carolina, but not in her small town. While the address is fictional, Raleigh is very much so a real city and the capital of NC that’s centrally located in the state. The first film takes place in Southport, NC, which is a coastal town, and the second film showed in her college in Boston. What made Julie move back to her home state? What’s going on with her family? It is all very interesting.

Freddie Prinze, Jr. is also officially returning for the I Still Know What You Did Last Summer sequel and reprising his role as Ray Bronson. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Brandy basically says “I wanna be down” with the upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer action. We do love us some Karla Wilson, who survived the events of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. But, we haven’t heard any word of her being on set and filming as Karla. It has been years since the events of that movie and perhaps Karla did the smart thing and got far, far away from Julie and Ray.

“I need them to give me a call because I survived in that movie!” Brandy affirmed. “I came out in the end, bloodied up, ready to go. I did not die in that film… Jennifer, Freddie, hit me up.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers and Jonah Hauer-King are all in talks to star in the movie. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is set to direct this sequel.

Columbia Pictures

The I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel could follow a format similar to what we saw in Scream (2022). Legacy characters like Julie James and Ray Bronson will return to help newer people get through a horrific antagonist is a win for longtime fans and new ones, too. It would be interesting, though, considering that the last time we saw these I Know What You Did Last Summer characters, it seemed that the hooked killer was about to murder them. Of course, this could have simply been Julie’s bad dream.

Thankfully, a canceled fourth film with their confirmed deaths didn’t take place. We will see how it all goes down this summer when the film hits theaters.

Originally published on February 7, 2023.

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Everything We Know About Mike Flanagan’s THE DARK TOWER TV Series

Stephen King’s The Dark Tower fantasy novel series is a certified literary classic that didn’t have great live-action success. The 2017 film of the same name starring Idris Elba as the protagonist gunslinger Roland Deschain didn’t capture the hearts of critics nor fans. Fast forward to 2022 when Prime Video announced that it was developing a TV series based on The Dark Tower with Mike Flanagan steering the ship. What can we expect from this series? 

Simon & Schuster

Here’s everything we know about Mike Flanagan’s The Dark Tower TV series at Prime Video. 

Title

We don’t have an official title yet but it would be nice to not have yet another thing named The Dark Tower. That gets super confusing after a while. For now, let’s just call it The Dark Tower. 

The Dark Tower’s Plot 

There are eight novels following Roland Deschain’s quest to find the Dark Tower and many, many adventures and characters along the way. While the aforementioned film mashed up several aspects of the novels, it is not clear how Flanagan will adapt this story in a series. He’s previously said that he will remain faithful to the novels, which indicates that there are several seasons in mind for this series. However, we do put our faith in him, especially considering his recent Netflix works like The Fall of the House of Usher. 

Here’s what Flanagan had to say about the novel series and his task in adapting it: 

“It is what it is, what it is is perfect. It’s just as exciting as all of those things and just as immersive. It’s a story about a tiny group of people, all the odds in the whole world are against them, and they come together. As long as it’s that, it’ll be fine and there won’t be a dry eye in the house.”

Behind the Scenes

Obviously, Mike Flanagan is developing and writing this series. We assume he will be the showrunner here as well. Recently, Stephen King himself revealed that he is involved in the writing process for The Dark Tower TV series. “All I can say is it’s happening,” King revealed to IGN. “I am writing stuff now and I think that’s all I want to say because the next thing you know, I’ll stir up a bunch of stuff I don’t necessarily want to stir up yet. I’m in process right now, and to say too much feels like a jinx.”

The Dark Tower’s Cast 

There is no casting news at this time. The show is in development with scripts being written, so hopefully we will get casting information soon. 

The Dark Tower’s Release Date 

There is no release date for The Dark Tower TV series at this time. 

The post Everything We Know About Mike Flanagan’s THE DARK TOWER TV Series appeared first on Nerdist.

Wanderer’s Fortune (w/ Becca Scott) | Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode | Episode 18

Far beneath the Earth’s surface, the Terror Squad have unwittingly freed a powerful forgotten deity from her prison. Together, with their new ally Barigneas, played by special guest Becca Scott (Good Time Society, Dimension 20), they will make a decision that could alter the fate of Fitfettle Delve forever. Find out for yourself on the latest episode of Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode!

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#goblinmode #geekandsundry #rpg #ttrpg #sagasofsundry

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Luke Skywalker’s Medal from A NEW HOPE Will Soon Go Up for Auction

A lot of classic movie memorabilia goes up for auction these days. Yet few ever get as much attention as props originating from the Star Wars films. Especially if we’re talking about screen-used pieces from the original trilogy. Now, via Gizmodo, we’ve learned that a very significant piece from A New Hope is up for sale, as Luke Skywalker’s medal, awarded to him on Yavin IV by Princess Leia, is going up for auction via the Propstore this March. It’s expected to sell for $300,000-$600,000. You can check out an image of this iconic piece of Star Wars history down below:

The Propstore

Here’s the official description of Luke Skywalker’s Star Wars: A New Hope medal from the Propstore:

This medal originates from the collection of prop man Gerard Bourke. This and Harrison Ford’s medal, held in a private collection, are the only two examples of this prop known to exist and presumably the only two made for the film. This is the first and only medal to be offered for public sale.

Lucasfilm

Some slight wear in the upper corner confirms this medal is Luke’s, and not Han’s. Quite famously, only Mark Hamill as Luke and Harrison Ford as Han received medals after the Death Star’s destruction. Chewbacca honored Princess Leia in the throne room, but his noble acts did not earn him a medal. (Who did they think convinced Han to go back and help Luke?) Sure, he finally got a medal in The Rise of Skywalker, but that was Han’s old one. It’s just not the same. Speaking of Chewie, the iconic Wookiee’s bowcaster from the original trilogy is also going up for sale during this auction, for a hefty $250,000-$300,000.

The Propstore

To see these and other iconic movie props that are a part of this auction, head over to the Propstore official site for details.

The post Luke Skywalker’s Medal from A NEW HOPE Will Soon Go Up for Auction appeared first on Nerdist.

Marvel and DC Comics Have Announced First Crossover Event in Decades

It’s been over two decades since the last significant crossover between comic book giants Marvel and DC. Since that time, Marvel became a subsidiary of Disney, while DC became an important IP for its owner, Warner Bros. So the prospect of another crossover between universes happening again seemed like a pipe dream. But thanks to Comics Beat (via Comic Book) we’ve learned that at the ComicsPRO retailer summit in California, DC Editor-In-Chief Marie Javins and Marvel Editor-In-Chief CB Cebulski announced a new 2-part crossover, over two one-shots. Marvel will publish Marvel/DC, with DC publishing DC/Marvel. Both publishers revealed no other details at this point.

DC Comics/Marvel Comics

The last major DC/Marvel crossover event was JLA/Avengers, written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by the late George Perez. This four-part series marked the end of an era. From the mid-70s to 2004, DC and Marvel crossovers were semi-regular events. In the ’90s, the Marvel Versus DC mini-series even led to Amalgam Comics, which saw DC and Marvel heroes mashed up together. But recently, the ice started to thaw on the idea of a new crossover. After years of being out of print, the old crossovers received a reprint in omnibus format. Fans started to wonder if something was up. Turns out, something was indeed going on behind the scenes.

We have no idea who the creative teams will be for DC/Marvel and Marvel/DC. Much less what the length of each one shot will be. We imagine big-name creators will jump at the chance to see the Avengers face off against the Justice League again, or the X-Men take on the Teen Titans once more. Heck, this means DC President Jim Lee might even draw the X-Men again. That alone is worth the cover price. We expect more news in the months ahead, particularly at Comic-Con in San Diego this coming summer. With Superman and Fantastic Four both hitting theaters this July, it’s guaranteed to be a joint summer for the “Big Two.” Now, it looks like that synergy will extend onto the printed page for the second half of 2025.

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You Can Watch These Classic Warner Bros Movies on YouTube for Free

There are a lot of free movies available on YouTube, and Warner Bros. conveniently put out a playlist with all their free full-length classic films. Included in the playlist is the Dungeons & Dragons film from 2000 starring Jeremy Irons and Marlon Wayans. You can check out below along with many other films on the playlist.

“Watch your favorite full movies here from Warner Bros. Entertainment! All your favorite legends are here including Jackie Chan, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine O’Hara, Tarzan, Liam Neeson, Julia Roberts, Eugene Levy, and more! Keep an eye out for more feature length films for free, right here.,” reads the playlist’s description.

The playlist involves films from all different genres, from action to horror to comedy to straight-up classics like The Wind and the Lion with Sean Connery. Suppose you’re in the mood to watch something that will send a shiver down your spine. Check out Return of the Living Dead Part II below, which came out in 1988. Funnily enough, this film has little to do with the first film except for the toxic chemical that brings the dead alive. Although Thom Mathews is in it, he plays a different character. For other horror options, check out creature feature Critters 4 or Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane. If you want even more options check out Nerdist’s list of spooky films available to stream for free.

For some more comedic films, check out Mr. Nice Guy, starring Jackie Chan. It has the perfect amount of action mixed in with laughs. It follows Chan as a Chinese chef who accidentally meets a reporter who supposedly has video footage of a drug bust gone wrong. He needs to protect both himself and the reporter from the gangs chasing after them. For a film more funny (arguably) and less action sci-fi comedy, The Adventures Of Pluto Nash with Eddie Murphy.

Warner Bros.

With over 38 movies to choose from, this is a surefire way to find something to watch. And, of course, the best part is that it’s FREE.

The post You Can Watch These Classic Warner Bros Movies on YouTube for Free appeared first on Nerdist.

YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN Confirms Gwen Stacy/Spider-Gwen in Season 2

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has just concluded its excellent first season. And already we’re getting a reveal of a major character to come in season two. Series showrunner Jeff Trammell revealed on his Instagram that iconic Marvel character Gwen Stacy will join Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in season two. And she won’t just be one of Peter Parker’s supporting cast. She’ll be a superhero herself. This is far more in keeping with Gwen’s role as Ghost Spider/Spider-Gwen in modern Marvel Comics. This is in contrast to her original version, where she was Peter Parker’s girlfriend, who eventually tragically died.

Gwen’s new costume design has some similarities to her comic book counterpart, as well as her costume from the Spider-Verse films. They’ve kept her pink, black, white, and blue color scheme, but she’s now wearing a jacket as part of the ensemble. With the confirmation that this Gwen Stacy is herself a superhero, it probably answers the question of “Where did the spider go that bit Peter Parker?” In the first episode of the series, we saw it crawl into another student’s backpack. We just didn’t know which student. We suppose Gwen could receive her powers another way, but we suspect that spider is the culprit.

Marvel Animation

Gwen being a Spider-hero alongside a young Peter Parker is a departure from most versions of the character. In the mainstream 616 Earth, the Green Goblin kills Gwen Stacy. A different Gwen Stacy emerged from another universe in 2014 from Earth-65. In that reality, the radioactive spider bit her instead of Peter Parker. That is more or less the same version of the Into the Spider-Verse Gwen, voiced by Hailee Steinfeld. Only the Spidey and His Amazing Friends cartoon, which is aimed at pre-school age kids, has Gwen getting her powers alongside Peter and Miles Morales, who are all the same age. We look forward to Jeff Trammell’s spin on the character when the series returns for season two.

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AGATHA ALL ALONG’s Jac Schaeffer to Direct Disney+ HOLES TV Show Pilot

If you were a teen or pre-teen in the mid-2000s (shoutout to us Millennials!) then you probably remember Holes. The 2003 comedy, based on the 1998 book of the same name, starred Shia LaBeouf as a teenager who is wrongfully accused of theft and ends up doing 18 months of hard time at a juvie detention center where he, well, has to dig holes. And let’s just say some weird stuff happens throughout the movie. It holds a special place in many folks hearts and now a new generation will get to experience this adventure. Variety reports that Disney+ has picked up the pilot for a gestating Holes TV series. 

Additionally, CBR reports that Agatha All Along creator and showrunner Jac Schaeffer will direct the pilot for the Holes reboot.

Walt Disney Pictures

Here’s the logline for the show for now: 

“In this reimagining of the beloved 1998 book from Louis Sachar, a teenage girl is sent to a detention camp where the ruthless Warden forces the campers to dig holes for a mysterious purpose.”

Outside of a gender swap with the main character, it seems this Holes Disney+ TV show will mostly follow the same beats. But we can expect some twists to keep things fresh… if the show actually happens. Ordering a show’s pilot certainly doesn’t mean that a series is absolutely greenlit. We will have to see if Disney+ makes the final call to bring Holes to the small screen. For now, let’s hold off any fan casting and hope that we get to see Camp Green Lake once again.

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