Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 159

Will 2025 Be One Piece’s BIGGEST Year Yet?

Happy New Year, One Piece fans! 2024 was a major turning point for the Straw Hat crew, but could 2025 somehow be even BIGGER?? Nerdist’s resident scholar of Ohara, Alison Mattingly, is here to break down everything on the horizon for One Piece across manga, anime, live action and more!

Check out Mr Morj: https://www.youtube.com/@MrMorj

Why One Piece Will End in 2032: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=967oR...
Why Blackbeard Will Kill Loki For His Sun God Fruit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoE1T...

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro
02:11 – Oda’s Jump Festa Letter
02:33 – Chapter 1: Franky
03:27 – Chapter 2: Live Action S2
05:50 – Chapter 3: New Movie
06:30 – Chapter 4: Anime
10:23 – Chapter 5: The One Piece Remake
11:38 – Chapter 6: Manga
15:18 – Chapter 7: The End of One Piece
19:41 – Outro

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Christopher Nolan’s THE ODYSSEY Reveals Even More New Cast

What is a director, even one of Hollywood’s best, supposed to do after delivering an epic Best Picture winner? For Christopher Nolan, the answer is making one of the most famous epics ever. After some wild speculation and some big name casting news, we finally know exactly what story he will after Oppenheimer. Universal Pictures announced Nolan’s next movie is an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey.

Christopher Nolan’s next film ‘The Odyssey’ is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology. The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026.

— Universal Pictures (@UniversalPics) December 23, 2024

The Latest Casting News From Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey

The latest casting news from Deadline reveals that Oppenheimer‘s Benny Safdie will reteam with Christopher Nolan on The Odyssey. In Opphenheimer, Safdie played physicist Edward Teller. But there’s no telling yet who the actor will play in this upcoming adventure.

Christopher Nolan Is Heading to Real-Life Odysseus Stop, Goat Island

Christopher Nolan isn’t known to do anything by halves, and for his latest movie, The Odyssey, he’s taking his crew to the real-life location that Homer supposedly imagined Odysseus visited, Goat Island in Siciliy—also known as Favignana island. Reports indicate the movie will also film in Sicily’s Eolian islands, U.K. and Morocco.

But what could measure up to a real-world location that Odysseus wandered through in his epic tale, cooking goats and gathering supplies? Nothing, if you ask us.

More About Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan is moving on after Oppenheimer by going back. Way back. Described as a “mythic action epic,” his version of the ancient epic poem The Odyssey will rely on cutting edge technology to bring the story to life. Universal Pictures said the longtime IMAX enthusiast will be using “brand new” tech to shoot for the large-scale format.

But how he will shoot the film isn’t nearly as interesting as to what the film is actually about. It’s hard to imagine anyone would have guessed Nolan would adapt The Odyssey even if they had 20 years to figure it out. (If you don’t get that reference, this movie will be very educational for you!) Even then, there’s still so much we don’t know about the project. Will this be a traditional, faithful adaptation? Will it be a modern take on the story? And will Armand Assante and George Clooney appear for a Spider-Man: No Way Home style crossover?

Universal Pictures

While we don’t know any setting or style specifics, we can guess who is playing Odysseus. Matt Damon is set to lead the star-studded film. Nolan’s The Odyssey will also feature Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Jon Bernthal, and Charlize Theron. We also know the movie will arrive in theaters on July 17 2026.

Netflix

That gives us plenty of time to start guessing which legendary characters from Homer’s epic everyone is going to play. (Theron as Circe, Calypso, Penelope, or Athena? She’s perfect for literally all of them.) It also gives us time to wonder just how good this movie will be. No one delivers epics live Christopher Nolan. What’s he going to be capable of when he makes one of the most famous epics ever?

Originally published January 2, 2025.

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LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE Reboot Is Coming to Netflix

Readers beware, the reboot train of the 2020s continues in 2025. The next property to get this treatment is Little House on the Prairie, whose original TV run lasted from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s. For those who aren’t familiar, the show followed the very traditional and Christian Ingalls family, who lived on a small farm in rural Minnesota in the late 1800s. Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s popular book series of the same name, the live-action adaptation became a hit among viewers. Now, Little House on the Prairie is set for a reboot at Netflix.

NBC

According to Variety, Rebecca Sonnenshine (The Boys, Archive 81) will be the show’s executive producer and showrunner. It is an interesting choice considering the rather chaotic state of our world and the ongoing push for “traditional/old-school values” that aims to put people into heteronormative social boxes in the name of upholding religious standards that not everyone believes in. The original series was indeed into church, faith, etc., even when it tackled controversial topics within its idealized nuclear family. 

Sure, this Little House on the Prairie reboot could go down an unexpected and more liberal-minded pathway, but then it would not quite be the same. A period drama based around these characters could be fun if it is willing to take some big swings, subvert expectations, and challenge period norms while examining trials and tribulations of living off the land. (Seriously, people need to see that the most, since everyone thinks they want to be homesteaders these days.) We shall see which way it sways under Sonnenshine’s oversight. 

Anyway, here’s the official logline for this series: 

“Part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, this fresh adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s iconic semi-autobiographical ‘Little House’ books offers a kaleidoscopic view of the struggles and triumphs of those who shaped the frontier.”

Of course, this recent greenlight means there isn’t much more information at this time. Until then, those who want to watch the original series can watch it on Peacock.

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NOSFERATU’s Robert Eggers Reveals How BATMAN RETURNS Inspired the Film

Robert Eggers’ remake of Nosferatu was the horror hit of the winter season. It received rave reviews from critics and fans, and made over $166 million at the global box office. But did you know that the Gothic vampire tale drew inspiration from a Batman movie? It’s ok if you didn’t know, because the director himself didn’t realize it himself until not too long ago. During an interview with the Happy Sad Confused podcast (via Cinemablend), he said it only dawned on him when he recently popped on Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. Only then did he see a clear connection to his own film. Here’s what he had to say:

I was watching on one of these flights… I threw on Batman Returns and, like, snowy, gothic, atmosphere of that movie is, it’s quite like, shockingly similar to a lot of the stuff we were doing here, which is something that I never really considered at all. But Wayne Manor, like, doesn’t look a hell of a lot different than Grűnewald Manor. I have got to say except for falling apart. So that was kind of interesting.

Focus Features/Warner Bros.

Queue up the art house cinema double features of Nosferatu and Batman Returns we’ll see for all time now. Tim Burton’s second Batman movie was extremely controversial in its day. With his second time at the helm, Burton really leaned into his Gothic sensibilities. Parents complained that it was “too dark,” and McDonald’s yanked their Happy Meal toy promotions. Funnily enough, there’s actually a direct link from the original 1922 Nosferatu to Batman Returns. Tim Burton named Christopher Walken’s villainous CEO character Max Shreck after the actor who first portrayed Count Orlok.

All of that aside, German expressionist cinema of the ’20s, like Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari clearly inspired Batman Returns‘ art direction. So it makes perfect sense that Batman Returns would influence Eggers’ Nosferatu in return. Based on his recent comments about having no desire to direct a film set in modern times, we’ll likely never see a Robert Eggers Batman film. But these comments sure make us daydream about an adaptation of the 19th-century Victorian-era Batman comic Gotham by Gaslight, directed by Eggers. Set in snowy winter this time, of course. We can dream.

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Make Count Orlok Come to You With Heretic Parfum’s NOSFERATU Candle

Do you want Count Orlok to come to you? If so, you can certainly lure him in with the Nosferatu Heretic perfume. We think that cold, chilling scent smells pretty darn inviting. And we weren’t the only ones. Apparently, the waitlist for the once sold-out perfume was 30K. So, it is only natural that Heretic Parfum and Focus Features are expanding their popular scent and putting it into candle form. Nosferatu The Candle will drench your home with a smell that apparitions and vampires will love. 

Heretic Parfum/Focus Features

Honestly, I cannot get enough of how this candle looks. It would be the perfect addition to an altar.

Here’s more from Heretic Parfum about Nosferatu The Candle: 

A scent as atmospheric as the film, the perfume transports the wearer into the dark spaces inhabited by Count Orlok himself. The Eau de macabre opens with top notes of lilac and ambrette seed that fall into a heart chord of violet, orris root and petrichor. The mysterious dry-down is woven around vegan ambergris and Oud absolute. Described as, cold, pale and pellucid, the fragrance evokes the uneasy chill of encountering an apparition.

The Nosferatu scented candle will be available on February 1 just in time for a haunting Valentine’s Day. The price of $175 is quite steep. But can you really put a price on your home smelling good enough for Count Orlok to consume you?

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New PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN Movies Will Be Reboots, Orlando Bloom Open to Return

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been one of the most lucrative of all time for Disney. In the era before the company owned Marvel or Star Wars, it was easily the studio’s biggest live-action franchise. But it’s been seven years since Dead Men Tell No Tales. Will the Jolly Roger flag ever fly again on the big screen? According to series producer Jerry Bruckheimer, it will. Only this time, Pirates of the Caribbean will receive the complete reboot treatment. During an interview with ComicBook, Bruckheimer said “We’re gonna reboot Pirates, so that is easier to put together because you don’t have to wait for certain actors.”

But wait, there’s more. Apparently, there are two movies coming out and one will hopefully star Margot Robbie. According to IGN, Bruckheimer said that Disney still wants to make at least one of them with Robbie portraying the lead character.

Disney

That comment seems to put the final nail in the coffin for any return of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Frankly, we probably won’t see Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbosa again either. Or any of the original cast, unless we’re talking cameos. A few years back, reports circulated that Margot Robbie was a possibility to lead a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. However, that was before her star went supernova after the success of Barbie. Although, we’re still not opposed to the idea—especially if she can bring some of that Harley Quinn energy to it.

The Last of Us creator Craig Mazin developed the story for a Pirates reboot alongside the first film’s original screenwriter, Ted Elliot. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Mazin described their new Pirates as “weird.” He said, “We pitched it and thought there’s no way they’re buying it, it’s too weird. And they did! And then we wrote a fantastic script and the strike happened, and everyone’s waiting around.” With the strikes over, it seems only a matter of time before we hear something about this new reboot.

Walt Disney Pictures

When asked if he would return to the franchise, original star Orlando Bloom had this to say, “Listen, it was a wild and fun experience so, you know, never say never. I have a lot of respect for that experience, and Jerry, and the whole thing.” Ultimately though, it’s not on the forefront of Bloom’s mind. He notes, “I mean, it’s sort of one of those things I really haven’t thought about it, really. I’m happy that I got to be a part of something that feels like it’s standing the test of time, which is cool.”

Bloom did chime in with a slight update that work on the new Pirates of the Caribbean movies are still well underway, sharing, “I’ve heard [producer Jerry Bruckheimer is] pretty excited about it.”

What is unclear is if this reboot will take place in the same continuity as the original films or not. The first five films created a vast pirate mythology, one that got a bit unwieldy. But they might want to keep certain elements of the original films—mainly, the iconic ship, the Black Pearl. Maybe the movie could utilize the pirate ship from the original Disneyland attraction, the Wicked Wench, placing the action there? It will be interesting to see if Pirates can grab hold of audiences without Captain Jack Sparrow, or if another character can fill those iconic boots.

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It’s All About Maui in Exclusive MOANA 2 Deleted Scene

Disney’s Moana 2 cleaned up at the box office over the holidays, reconnecting kids (and adults) with their favorite Polynesian Disney Princess. It became the fourth billion-dollar grossing Walt Disney Animation Studios project, joining Zootopia, Frozen, and Frozen II. Now, the megahit film is coming to home viewing. Moana 2 is now available on digital, and will arrive on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on March 18.

Among the many Moana 2 special features are several deleted scenes that didn’t make it to the final cut. One of those deleted scenes is titled “Late to the Party.” It showcases Maui arriving on Motunui to join Moana on her new adventure, but missing her by a hair. Other Moana 2 deleted scenes included are “Crew’s In for a Bruisin,” “Help Wanted,” “Odd Birds,” “Reunited,” and “Simea’s Chant.” You can watch an exclusive clip of “Late to the Party” above.

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Here’s the official synopsis from Walt Disney Animation Studios for Moana 2:

Moana 2 reunites Moana and Maui, played by Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, respectively, three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Other special features on the Moana 2 disc include a Full Length Sing-Along, and meeting some real-life navigators from the Polynesian Voyaging Society in “Call of the Wayfinder.” There’s also a deep dive with the filmmakers taking charge of Moana’s continuing story in “A New Voyage.” And we get an exploration of the new music in the film with “Songs of the Sea.” In “The Kakamora Chronicles,” Moni, the Motunui historian, tells stories and legends of real Solomon Island folklore. This feature details the myths surrounding the mysterious beings called the Kakamora.

You can now own Moana 2 on digital, with the DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray arriving on March 18.

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Dropout’s DIMENSION 20 Brings FANTASY HIGH to Webcomics on WEBTOON

It’s a great time to be a fan of Dungeons & Dragons. Actual play TV series for the tabletop role-playing game have never been hotter. On the one hand, there’s Critical Role, which continues to sweep fans up into its fantastical realm by the hundreds. And on the other, there’s the quickly growing Dimension 20 from the comedy streaming platform Dropout. Combining the fantastical world of Dungeons & Dragons with hilarious performances and genres such as sci-fi, ’80s teen classics, and more, Dimension 20 has made quite a name for itself. It even recently sold out a live show at Madison Square Garden. And now, Dimension 20 is rolling its dice even further and taking one of its most beloved campaigns into a whole new medium. Yes, Dimension 20‘s Fantasy High campaign is about to become a webcomics series on the WEBTOON comics platform.

WEBTOON

A release shares more about this WEBTOON comic collaboration with Dropout, noting, “The Fantasy High Dimension 20 webcomic will capture the humor, drama, and heart that have made the webseries a cult phenomenon, delivering a dynamic visual experience across 61 episodes.” For those who aren’t familiar with Fantasy High, Dimension 20‘s Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan has shared that it’s an “answer [to] the age-old question of ‘What if John Hughes ran a tabletop RPG game?'” Basically, think the heartwarming dynamics and romance of Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club meets the drama of sword-fighting, magic, and more that Dungeons & Dragons usually brings to the table.

The official description of the upcoming Dimension 20 webcomics series further shares, “Fantasy High follows a group of misfit teens as they navigate the high-stakes drama of high school and the perils of a magical world. When students at their school mysteriously go missing, the ragtag group bands together to uncover a sinister plot, embarking on an unforgettable adventure filled with intrigue, humor, and heartfelt moments.”

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As mentioned, Dimension 20‘s Fantasy High webcomic will have 61 episodes on WEBTOON. It is slated to release in spring 2025, bringing Dropout’s actual-play series to life in a whole new way.

David S. Lee, Head of US at WEBTOON Entertainment sums the Fantasy High webcomic collaboration up best, sharing, “Just like the most compelling comic storytelling, tabletop role-playing games offer incredibly rich worlds, dynamic characters, and boundless creativity. “We’re thrilled to bring Dimension 20’s magic, humor, and adventure to WEBTOON, delivering immersive world-building and a visual experience fans will love.” 

Rotem Rusak is the Editor-in-Chief at Nerdist. She loves a fantasy adventure accompanied by beautiful illustrations.

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George R.R. Martin Loves ‘Faithful’ A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS HBO Series

Last year, George R.R. Martin went full fire and blood on House of the Dragon. He wrote a stunning, impassioned post laying out his many issues with the show. But whatever problems he has with HBO, they seem limited to just the Dance of the Dragons. He’s beyond happy with the network’s next Game of Thrones spinoff series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. The author took to his Not a Blog with a very different kind of post after seeing the recently completed first season. Martin says he couldn’t be happier with this “faithful” take on his beloved boys.

HBO

George R.R. Martin says the six-episode first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is done. Even more important is that he “loved” what he saw. In a Not a Blog post titled “Dunk, Egg, a Few Random Mutterings,” he praised the show’s creators and cast for bringing his first Dunk and Egg novella “The Hedge Knight” to life. He also explained why the duo is so important to him personally. He said they were crucial to making his A Song of Ice and Fire book series grow in popularity, as some they introduced all-new readers to his fantasy world.

But the biggest news, especially for readers, is what he said about how the show treats his story. If you love faithful adaptations, praise the old gods and the new. Martin says A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is “as faithful as adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for (and you all know how increedibly (sic) reasonable I am on that particular subject).”

Good line, George. Good line.

Max

As for when the rest of us will get a chance to see this faithful adaptation Martin isn’t totally sure. He said it will arrive at HBO later this year and he’s hoping that means the fall.

As for what happens next, both for the spinoff series and him, Martin finished with this:

Meanwhile, we’ll be moving on to “The Sworn Sword,” the second tale of Dunk & Egg.   And once I finish THE WINDS OF WINTER, I will need to get hopping on “The Village Hero,” and all the other tales that await the lads.  Don’t worry, I am sure you folks will remind me.

You know what? We’re so happy with this update that for a brief moment we’re going to enjoy it by having “faith” he will finish The Winds of Winter. And until he does we’ll just re-read The Hedge Knight to get ready for the show.

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SCREAM 7 Casts Mark Consuelos in Mystery Role

Despite a slew of controversy over the past two years, the Scream franchise is moving forward with its seventh installment. The previous film left the Core Four and Gale Weathers (we assume, considering she didn’t die) in a relatively good place, with Sam finally moving towards healing and peace after killing Richie’s remaining family. (It’s wild but true.) In an Entertainment Weekly interview, Neve Campbell confirmed a bit about the film’s storyline, saying that it would follow Sidney Prescott as the main character once again.

The cast announcements continue to fly in with Deadline revealing that Mark Consuelos will be in Scream 7 in some undisclosed role. Many may know him from Riverdale, where he played Hiram Lodge, or their moms perhaps watch him now on Live With Kelly & Mark.

The next film will be interesting, to say the least. Who will don that infamous mask next? Here’s what we know about Scream 7. 

Title

For now, we will call this film Scream 7. It’s likely this will be the title, which could be stylized as Scream VII. As seen on this script from Campbell’s Instagram post, the film does not have an official title yet. 

Scream 7’s Plot Paramount Pictures

As stated above, Sam and Tara’s story came to a neat conclusion in Scream VI. And Sidney is living a happy life with her husband Mark and her daughters. It seems like there was no one else hiding in the shadows who would want to kill Sidney. Her story was complete and she found peace. So, the plot of Scream 7 is really up in the air. Depending on this film’s release, someone from 30 years ago could decide to celebrate the events of Scream (1996) in a sinister way. We shall see. 

Neve Campbell says she expects to get the final script sometime in August, so hopefully nothing will leak before they are ready to tell.

Behind-the-Scenes

Kevin Williamson, the writer of Scream (1996), will direct Scream 7. He is replacing Christopher Landon, who left the film after Melissa Barerra’s controversial (and very upsetting) firing and Jenna Ortega’s exit. Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt, who wrote the last two installments, will pen this sequel. The Radio Silence team will step back from directing duties to executive produce Scream 7. 

In an IndieWire interview, Campbell confirmed that filming will start in December 2024.

“We were supposed to start in September, but we’re going to start in December now because of some scheduling stuff with Kevin and myself and having that all aligned,” she shared. “And actually, I think it’s a good thing, because we’re going to be able to have the time to get it really right. So I’m very excited about it.”

It seems that filming is relatively on schedule. In early January, director Kevin Williamson posted an IG photo raving about having a good time on set with the cast and crew. The clapperboard said that it was day one of filming.

Scream 7’s Cast 

Right now, we know that Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Mason Gooding are returning from the previous film. The latter two are interesting considering Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin’s stories are closely tied to the Carpenter sisters, neither of whom will be in Scream 7. We don’t know if they will just make a quick cameo or if their stories will tie closely into Sidney’s in some fashion. We assume Roger L. Jackson will return as the voice of Ghostface.

Deadline reports that Scream 7 added Joel McHale to its cast as Sidney’s husband Mark, which means that she is not married to Patrick Dempsey’s Mark Kincaid from Scream 3. Most fans assumed that when she referred to Mark, she meant that character. They did seem to have some flirtation and were last seen hanging out at her house with Dewey (RIP) and Gale. Welp.

Paramount Pictures/NBC

When asked if he might return as Mark Kincaid, Patrick Dempsey previously said it was possible. Dempsey noted of reprising his role in Scream 7, “I’m waiting on the script, “There has been a conversation about it. I haven’t seen anything yet, so we’ll see what happens. … It’s always good to have a job.”

Unless this story involves Hollywood in some way, there’s no reason for Mark Kincaid to return.

We do know that at least one of Sidney’s kids is making an appearance. Deadline reports that Isabel May (1883) will portray Sidney’s currently unnamed daughter in Scream 7. It is not clear if she will be a main target like her mom was back in 1996. Considering the film releases in February 2026, it is possible that someone wants to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original killings by targeting Sid’s kid. She would be at least 14 years old by that time, according to the universe’s timeline.

Philippe Bossé/Paramount Pictures

Deadline reports that Asa Germann, who is currently known for his role as Gen V‘s Sam Riordan, will join the cast of Scream 7 in some unknown role. Maybe he will be one of the next killers. We certainly know he’s not above taking someone out onscreen. In December, Deadline also reported genre staple McKenna Grace has joined the cast in an undisclosed role. Possibly another Sidney kid, or just fodder for Ghostface.

Scream 7 Release Date 

Scream 7 will arrive in theaters on February 27, 2026. The cast and crew shared the release date on social media.

Originally published on March 13, 2024.

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