Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 167

Visionary Filmmaker David Lynch Has Died, Age 78

David Lynch, filmmaker, visual artist, musician, and author, has passed away at the age of 78. His death came just days before his 79th birthday. No official cause of death was given, but Lynch had been struggling with emphysema in recent years, after many years of smoking. The news came via his family, from his official Facebook page. The news was confirmed by Deadline. In the post, his immediate family stated the following:

It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch,” the post reads. “We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.’ It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.

Showtime

Although he only had 10 feature films under his belt and just a handful of television series, David Lynch absolutely changed the face of filmed entertainment. He joined a small club of film directors, like Hitchcock, whose style was so singular that their very names became an adjective. The term “Lynchian” is now in the Oxford Dictionary, as “Characteristic, reminiscent, or imitative of the films or television work of David Lynch.” That’s no small feat.

Born on January 20, 1946, in Missoula, Montana, Lynch began his career making experimental short films in the late 1960s. An Eagle Scout who grew up in different idyllic American suburbs, he saw the strange and bizarre behind the All-American 1950s veneer at a young age. All things he funneled into his future art. His first feature film, which took years to complete, was the surrealistic masterpiece Eraserhead. Along with John Waters’ Pink Flamingos and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, it became a staple of the midnight movie circuit for years. This cult success led to his first mainstream feature film, the biographical film The Elephant Man. That film earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Director.

Universal Pictures

After the success of The Elephant Man, George Lucas offered Lynch a chance to direct Return of the Jedi. He turned it down to adapt Frank Herbert’s sci-fi classic Dune instead. The production was a nightmare, and Lynch did not have the final cut. The film flopped upon release as well. But from this failure, Lynch’s career truly blossomed. As an “I’m sorry” to Lynch, Dune producer Dino De Laurentis offered him a small budget to direct whatever he wanted. He cast his Dune star Kyle MacLachlan in the lead opposite a young Laura Dern. Blue Velvet was a thriller drama about the secrets people keep behind the white-picket fences. (Among other things). The film was a sensation, earning Lynch his second Oscar nomination. It was also his first of many collaborations with composer Angelo Badalamenti. The Lynch style was cemented.

MGM

After Blue Velvet, Lynch did something totally unexpected, something that changed the face of TV forever. Together with writing partner Mark Frost and his star Kyle MacLachlan, they developed the murder mystery soap opera Twin Peaks. At the time, serious filmmakers stayed far away from network television. However, ABC took a chance on Lynch and Frost’s vision, and somehow, Lynch’s surrealistic series captured the American consciousness. Twin Peaks‘ first season was a genuine pop culture phenomenon. Everyone around the country was obsessed with the question “Who killed Laura Palmer?” Somehow, America’s strangest filmmaker found mainstream success. At the same time Twin Peaks was on the air in 1990, his trippy road movie Wild at Heart, starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, won the Palme d’Or at Canne. The man who made Eraserhead in 1977 was somehow now on the cover of Time Magazine.

Viacom

Twin Peaks was ultimately too weird to sustain itself on network TV. After the second season, it was canceled, and the feature film prequel Fire Walk With Me was met with poor box office and general hatred from the mainstream audience that had embraced the series. (Most today recognize it as a horror masterpiece.) Lynch continued on with films like Lost Highway, and the surprisingly wholesome The Straight Story, which earned him another Academy Award nomination. ABC asked him to produce a new pilot for them in the same vein as Twin Peaks, with a mystery series set in Hollywood. Lynch shot the pilot in 1999, with a young unknown actress named Naomi Watts. But ABC passed on it. Similar to Dune, however, this lemon produced lemonade.

Universal Pictures

A French company provided Lynch with the funds to film a new ending for the pilot to release it as a theatrical feature. The result was the 2001 masterpiece Mulholland Drive, which earned Lynch his fourth and last Best Director nomination. Many consider Mulholland Drive one of the greatest films of the 21st century, and it continues to be hailed as revolutionary. After Mulholland Drive, Lynch reunited with his muse Laura Dern for a three-hour experimental film called Inland Empire. It’s his most challenging work yet, and even the most die-hard Lynch fan often has a hard time with it. Yet without a doubt, it displayed Lynch’s commitment to putting his vision on screen, totally uncompromised.

Viacom

For much of the next decade, David Lynch painted and recorded albums, and many wondered if we’d ever get a Lynch movie again. In 2014, David Lynch announced that he and Mark Frost would reunite to continue Twin Peaks as a Showtime limited series, set 25 years after the original. The 18-episode Twin Peaks: The Return aired in 2017. Even though it was a television series, many hailed it as the best movie of that year, seeing it as a very long film. Some fans didn’t take to it, but many saw it as a brilliant continuation of the series. It fulfilled the promise Laura Palmer made at the end of the original series—“I’ll see you again in 25 years.” Twin Peaks The Return wound up as the last long-form David Lynch project he produced.

DAVID LYNCH THEATER

Many younger folks only know Lynch from his quirky appearances, more or less playing himself, in series like The Cleveland Show. Also, they might know him from his daily weather reports, which he filmed from his home until 2021. But David Lynch was so much more than the quirky old man with the funny voice. His style literally changed the face of cinema and television. Much of modern independent film wouldn’t exist today without Lynch’s example. And there is almost no modern “prestige television series” that doesn’t have the mark of Twin Peaks on it somewhere. David Lynch was an American original, who will never be forgotten or replicated. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.

The post Visionary Filmmaker David Lynch Has Died, Age 78 appeared first on Nerdist.

Osgood Perkins’ THE MONKEY Horror Movie Trailer Drums Up Screams and Streams of Blood

Neon’s The Monkey movie starring Theo James is bringing yet another chilling Stephen King story to life. The film is almost guaranteed to be a smash considering it is directed by horror auteur Osgood Perkins and produced by James Wan. What happens when an old evil toy from your childhood comes back for more blood? That’s exactly what The Monkey’s violent trailer depicts. 

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We get all sorts of brutality from this little drummer monkey. From slicing off heads to electrocuting people and more, he’s certainly down to drum up some screams and streams of blood. It really sparked joy and laughter for me but I am just that kinda person.

Here’s a brief synopsis for The Monkey to go along with this trailer: 

When twin brothers find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.

What Is the Release Date for The Monkey? Neon

Well, that’s certainly a horror story. The Monkey will curse theaters on February 21.

The post Osgood Perkins’ THE MONKEY Horror Movie Trailer Drums Up Screams and Streams of Blood appeared first on Nerdist.

Curious to Collect BALDUR’S GATE 3 Miniatures for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS? Here’s Everything to Know About WizKids’ Booster Brick Product Line

The success of Baldur’s Gate 3 created an exciting burst of energy in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Longtime D&D players were moved to once again explore worlds they may not have revisited in a while, and those who had never played before were encouraged by the video game to explore the tabletop game for the first time. As WizKids shares, “We expect there will be many a Baldur’s Gate 3 fan looking to craft Dungeons & Dragons campaigns set in Baldur’s Gate using concepts and characters they grew to love from playing the game.” To help Dungeons & Dragons fans out in this quest, WizKids has created a collection of its miniatures that appeals directly to Baldur’s Gate 3 fans: the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate collection, which comes both in Booster Brick and Single Booster form.

WizKids

But what does all this mean exactly? Which Baldur’s Gate characters can you collect as miniature figures? What can you expect if you purchase a D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick Set? What does a Dungeons & Dragons Booster Brick mean anyway? We’re here to offer you some answers and get you well on your way to collecting the Baldur’s Gate 3 Dungeons & Dragons miniatures of your dreams.

Jump to: What Is WizKids’ Dungeons & Dragons Booster Brick Product? // What Do You Need to Know About the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick? // When Does the Set Release? // Every Baldur’s Gate 3 and Baldur’s Gate Figures You Can Collect From WizKids’ Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Line

What Is WizKids’ Dungeons & Dragons Booster Brick Product, and What Does It Contain?

Let’s start off with the basics. Before we get into Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate 3-related offerings, what is WizKids’ Dungeons & Dragons Booster Brick product? Well, in short, it is a collection of table-ready Dungeons & Dragons miniature blind boxes. The component part of the collection is called a Booster Box, and that typically contains four miniatures in total and prices out to around $25. A WizKids Booster Brick is a collection of 8 booster boxes sealed together that typically offer you 32 miniatures at once and retails for around $200. This is a great deal for those hoping to collect a large portion of the particular line of Dungeons & Dragons miniatures on offer.

WizKidsHow Many Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Might You Find in a WizKids Booster Brick Collection?

Booster sets typically contain between 40 to 50 miniature Dungeons & Dragons figures, so receiving 32 at once is a pretty good way to get most of the collection at once. (and gives you better odds at snagging your favorites.) While you might get some repeat commons within a brick, WizKids does its best to make sure likely repeats are of miniatures you’ll want many of as the Dungeon Master of your gaming table.

WizKid Booster Brick RaritiesWizKids

The WizKids Dungeons & Dragons miniature figures do also have relative rarities, although these vary from set to set. Some denotations of rarity include common, uncommon, large uncommon, rare, large rare and the very elusive secret rare. You can scroll to the end of this article to understand what rarities you’ll find in the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick set.

Why Buy WizKid Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures?

Worth noting, WizKid’s Dungeons & Dragons miniatures come pre-painted and table-ready. Not everyone has the time or desire to paint minis, and this range offers players an option for table-ready miniatures right out of the box.

There have also been some fun collections from WizKids so far, proving the team knows what they’re doing. WizKids shares, “The 50th Anniversary boosters have been received quite well by the fans, and we were enormously grateful to be able to take part in such a milestone event for D&D.”

Jump to: What Is WizKids’ Dungeons & Dragons Booster Brick Product? // What Do You Need to Know About the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick? // When Does the Set Release? // Every Baldur’s Gate 3 and Baldur’s Gate Figure You Can Collect From WizKids’ Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Line

What Do You Need to Know About the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick?WizKids

We at Nerdist are particularly excited about the upcoming D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate collection so we can continue to celebrate our Baldur’s Gate 3 love on the tabletop. The official description of this Dungeons & Dragons miniature set reveals:

Bring your Baldur’s Gate adventures to the table with the new D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate – 8 Ct. Mixed Booster Brick, featuring fan favorite creatures and characters from the award-winning Baldur’s Gate 3 video game and the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop roleplaying game.

Collect all 40 miniatures in our newest set of randomly sorted monsters and characters from Baldur’s Gate 3. These miniatures include several never-before-sculpted figures from the popular video game series as well as common enemy types (like goblins and githyanki) perfect for expanding your collection.

WizKids

For this Baldur’s Gate 3 and Baldur’s Gate-inspired set specifically, the combination of randomly sorted miniatures found in each Booster Box is one large miniature and three small and/or medium miniatures. The large Dungeons & Dragons miniature comes on a 50mm base, and the three minis that can either be small or medium come on 20mm and 25mm bases, respectively. The figures themselves can all vary a bit in size, as WizKids strives to scale them all accurately to each other based on their in-game Baldur’s Gate 3 and D&D-universe depictions.

Importantly, the Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick set features a mix of characters and creatures from both the core Dungeon & Dragons’ RPG Baldur’s Gate game content and Baldur’s Gate 3, the video game.

Jump to: What Is WizKids’ Dungeons & Dragons Booster Brick Product? // What Do You Need to Know About the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick? // When Does the Set Release? // Every Baldur’s Gate 3 and Baldur’s Gate Figure You Can Collect From WizKids’ Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Line

How Many Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate 3 Figures Are a Part of the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Set?WizKids

As mentioned, the Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick collection has a range of 40 figures. If you want a complete listing of the figures that you may collect from this line, you can click here for the full line-up.

We should note that in addition to these 40, there are four very elusive “Secret Rare” figures in the mix. They aren’t listed below, but you may unveil one if the gods smile upon you. For a taste of these Secret Rare figures, you can check out our exclusive reveal of the white-haired Shadowheart miniature from this line.

Which New Miniatures Will Baldur’s Gate 3 Fans Be Especially Excited to See in this Collection?

We can only speak for ourselves, but we cannot wait to get our hands on Halsin, Dame Aylin, Minthara, and Jaheira miniatures from this Baldur’s Gate 3 miniatures line.

When Does D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick Release?WizKids

The D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick sets are currently on pre-order. They are expected to release online and in local game stores in February 2025.

Will There Be More IP-Specific Dungeons & Dragons Miniature Sets from WizKids?

WizKids notes mysteriously, “All we can say is stay tuned.”

Jump to: What Is WizKids’ Dungeons & Dragons Booster Brick Product? // What Do You Need to Know About the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick? // When Does the Set Release? // Every Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate 3 Figure You Can Collect From WizKids’ Adventures from This Baldur’s Gate Line

Are There Any Other Baldur’s Gate 3 Miniatures Available for Purchase?WizKids

In addition to the above collection, WizKids also has a D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 – Character Boxed Set available for pre-order. This collection contains seven Baldur’s Gate 3 pre-painted miniatures of Astarion, Karlach, Gale, Shadowheart, Wyll, Lae’zel, and Withers.

WizKids

Please note, the D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate Character Boxed Set miniatures are NOT found in the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick.

Every Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate 3 Figure You Can Collect From WizKids’ D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Line

You can find the full list of all 40 Dungeons & Dragons miniatures available in the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick below. Please note there are 41 items below because Dark Justiciar and Justiciar Avenger are a/b options of the same figure. The four Secret Rare figures are also not listed.

Click To View Gallery WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids WizKids NameSizeRarityGoblin SharpshooterSmallCommonGoblin NoviceSmallCommonBugbear AssassinMediumCommonDuergarMediumCommonImpSmallCommonIntellect DevourerTinyCommonDoppelgangerMediumCommonGithyankiMediumCommonFlaming Fist SoldierMediumCommonReaper of BhaalMediumCommonNecromite of MyrkulMediumCommonFist of BaneMediumCommonOmeluumMediumUncommonSovereign GlutMediumUncommonPriestess GutMediumUncommonDror RagzlinMediumUncommonMerregonMediumUncommonGnollMediumUncommonDark JusticiarMediumUncommonJusticiar AvengerMediumUncommonHollyphantSmallUncommonBuletteLargeLarge UncommonMinotaurLargeLarge UncommonLump the EnlightenedLargeLarge UncommonWorgLargeLarge UncommonShambling MoundLargeLarge UncommonStrange OxLargeLarge UncommonBrown BearLargeLarge UncommonSpectatorMediumRareHalsinMediumRareZevlorMediumRareRaphaelMediumRareMintharaMediumRareJaheiraMediumRareDame AylinMediumRareUlder RavengardMediumRareVoloMediumRareSarevok AnchevMediumRareYurgirLargeLarge RarePhase SpiderLargeLarge RareSlayer of BhaalLargeLarge Rare

The post Curious to Collect BALDUR’S GATE 3 Miniatures for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS? Here’s Everything to Know About WizKids’ Booster Brick Product Line appeared first on Nerdist.

‘Secret Rare’ White-Hair Shadowheart D&D Miniature Joins WizKids’ BALDUR’S GATE 3 Collectibles (Exclusive)

Larian Studios may no longer create new Baldur’s Gate 3 content, but the excitment around the world and characters of the game has only begun. Recently, we were thrilled to see a set of official Dungeons & Dragons Baldur’s Gate 3 miniatures popping up to grace our collections. WizKids released a fully painted, ready-to-enjoy set of BG3 minis to add the perfect fannish note to our tabletops. But WizKids has even more up its sleeves. An upcoming release titled D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate brings 40 plus new miniatures from the core Dungeon & Dragons’ RPG Baldur’s Gate world and the Baldur’s Gate 3 video game for you to collect and add your epic quests. In among the rest are some incredibly rare figures that we know you’ll be dying to unearth. As big Baldur’s Gate 3 fans ourselves, it’s our pleasure to reveal a “Secret Rare” white-haired Shadowheart figure—one of the rarest finds in this collection of Dungeons & Dragons miniatures.

WizKids

At Nerdist, we have your exclusive look at this special (and did we mention rare) Shadowheart miniature, and some insight and details into her that you can only find here. So take a minute to say your prayers to Selûne and let’s get into all this Baldur’s Gate 3 (and plain old Baldur’s Gate) Dungeons & Dragons miniature fun.

Anyone and everyone who wants to include Shadowheart in their Dungeons & Dragons game or miniatures collection can pre-order her normal form right now. A dark-haired Shadowheart is available in WizKids’ D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 – Character Boxed Set! But this special Shadowheart will only come to the lucky few who manage to collect her as a part of D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick. And to us, it makes a lot of sense that Shadowheart would not only feature in the main Baldur’s Gate 3 set, but appear again for a unique second version.

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After all, Larian shares that Shadowheart is the most popular romance option in Baldur’s Gate 3, with an astounding 51.3% of players reaching her final romance scene. That’s worth a second miniature in our opinion. But why did the team at WizKids decide to feature Shadowheart as a Secret Rare figure from the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick set? They share, “We featured Shadowheart in the character boxed set in her default black-haired look, but her *spoiler alert* personal journey in the game revolves around whether she chooses to embrace her Sharran conditioning, or to reject what has been done to her and return to her Selûnite roots. Changing her hair in Act 3 of the game was an outward expression of her rejection of Shar, and we wanted people to have the chance to have this version of her as well.”

WizKids

It’s a beautiful reasoning, after all Shadowheart before and after her Baldur’s Gate 3 transformation is a very different character. One version of the character might work for your Dungeons & Dragons adventure, and the other might not be right at all. As to what’s changed between Shadowheart miniature and Shadowheart miniature, Wizkids notes, “The boxed set version’s pose was taken from one of the main Baldur’s Gate 3 publicity images of Shadowheart. For this version we wanted to show a bit more action with Selûne’s Spear of Night that she’s wielding — almost as if she’s raising it to the moonlit sky to call for Divine Intervention from her goddess.” Additionally, the Secret Rare version of Shadowheart from the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick “does have gold base text to denote its status as a chase mini.”

WizKids

But just how rare is this Shadowheart miniature, and is she the only rare find you might draw if you purchase a D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick? Well, it turns out Shadowheart shares her Secret Rare status with three others. WizKids notes, “We’ve chosen three others to join her in the upper echelon of rarity within the set.” When asked which other Secret Rare figures exist in the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Brick collection, WizKids demure, but joke about “a version of Lae’zel to attempt to stab her in her sleep?” But they’re only kidding… we think. (Because honestly, we would feel obsessed with that figure.)

WizKids

And how rare is the white-haired Shadowheart Baldur’s Gate 3 miniature exactly, well “she and the other three will be a bit elusive.” But we know that Dungeons & Dragons players love to quest for rare artifacts.

Ultimately, this means that though the main line of the D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate Booster Bricks contain 40 Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate 3 Dungeons & Dragons miniatures, there are actually 44 total figures you might encounter if you include the Secret Rare figures in the mix.

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Ultimately, the Secret Rare Shadowheart miniature will be a gift from Selûne to any Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dungeons & Dragons lover. But regardless of which figures you unwrap in your Booster Bricks or Boxes, you can adventure forward knowing they were a labor of love. WizKids leaves us with this thought, “Baldur’s Gate 3 was a phenomenal game, and were excited to be able to bring it into our Icons of the Realms line along with other Dungeons & Dragons Baldur’s Gate content. It’s brought a ton of new fans into D&D, and for a lot of them, it’s their first foray into the Forgotten Realms. We expect there will be many a fan looking to craft campaigns set in Baldur’s Gate using concepts and characters they grew to love from playing the game, and we’re excited to help them craft new stories at the game table!”

You can try your luck at collecting Shadowheart by pre-ordering D&D Icons of the Realms: Adventures from Baldur’s Gate 8 Ct. Booster Brick today. This will come with 32 miniatures in total and cost $199.92. WizKids slates the pre-order item to ship around February 2025. Alternatively, single Booster Boxes will also be available for $24.99. May Selune’s light guide you.

The post ‘Secret Rare’ White-Hair Shadowheart D&D Miniature Joins WizKids’ BALDUR’S GATE 3 Collectibles (Exclusive) appeared first on Nerdist.

Bluesky Will Launch Flashes, a Photo Sharing App and Potential Alternative to Instagram

Another great social media migration could be upon us. First, there was the massive move from X (which I will forever call Twitter) to Bluesky following the results of the 2024 Presidential election and the ongoing decline on the app overall. It’s a move that’s made many folks much happier, myself included. The TikTok ban news is also sending people to Xiaohongshu a.k.a. RedNote, a Chinese social app that centers on video content. Now, in the wake of Meta’s fact-checking, moderation, and hate speech changes that will no longer offer certain protections, quite a few people are ready to walk away from Facebook and Instagram. While there isn’t a replacement for Facebook, TechCrunch reports that Bluesky will offer a potential one for Instagram called Flashes. 

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Developer Sebastian Vogelsang is building the Flashes app using Bluesky’s AT Protocol. Posts added to Flashes will also appear on a Bluesky user’s account and photos that they post on Bluesky will come over to Flashes. The app will not focus on posts with texts but solely photos and videos no longer than one minute. Users will be able to do slides up with up to four pictures. So, Flashes is not a direct replacement of Instagram because it will not have a lot of the bells and whistles that we are used to. But, for those who just want a vibes place for their photos, Flashes could be the place to go. 

Bluesky

Flashes is expected to launch in the coming weeks. For now, you can follow the Flashes account on Bluesky for more information. 

The post Bluesky Will Launch Flashes, a Photo Sharing App and Potential Alternative to Instagram appeared first on Nerdist.

UNTIL DAWN Trailer Brings the Game to Life With Horrific Deaths on a Sinister Loop

Video game adaptations are truly having their moment in the sun. TV shows like The Last of Us, Fallout, and Twisted Metal are just a few recent ones that have thrilled fans and critics alike with second seasons on the way. Now, the latest one, Until Dawn, will hit the big screen and bring the horror survival game to life. We cannot wait to see how this film builds on the PlayStation game’s mythology. If the trailer for Until Dawn is any indication, we are in for a good time, indeed. 

In the clip, we meet Clover and her friends. A year after Clover’s sister Melanie disappears, they are in a remote area trying to find answers about her disappearance. We aren’t sure why they waited a whole year, but whatever. Either way, they end up somewhere they should be and all sorts of bad things start happening. They soon end up in a very video game situation where they die and then can reset the game to try once again. The only way they can survive is—you guessed it!—to make it until dawn. 

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Here’s a synopsis from Sony to bring the Until Dawn trailer into clearer focus: 

One year after her sister Melanie mysteriously disappeared, Clover and her friends head into the remote valley where she vanished in search of answers. Exploring an abandoned visitor center, they find themselves stalked by a masked killer and horrifically murdered one by one…only to wake up and find themselves back at the beginning of the same evening. Trapped in the valley, they’re forced to relive the nightmare again and again – only each time the killer threat is different, each more terrifying than the last. Hope dwindling, the group soon realizes they have a limited number of deaths left, and the only way to escape is to survive until dawn.

What Is the Release Date for the Until Dawn Movie? Sony Pictures

Until Dawn is directed by David F. Sandberg and written by Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman. It will hit theaters on April 25.

The post UNTIL DAWN Trailer Brings the Game to Life With Horrific Deaths on a Sinister Loop appeared first on Nerdist.

Nintendo Reveals Switch 2 and 2025 Release Date, Teases New MARIO KART

Nintendo isn’t switching things up, but they are making their signature console both bigger and more powerful. The company revealed the first look at the Nintendo Switch 2 with a new promo trailer highlighting the console’s upgrades and functions. And while we still don’t know exactly when we’ll get our hands on one, we do know it’ll be sometime in 2025.

That’s also when we might be getting a new Mario Kart, too.

The rumors were true. Nintendo is supersizing its Switch. Nintendo’s announcement trailer for the console’s next iteration highlights an increase in physically size and . It’s Joy-Con controllers will also seemingly connect to the screen’s side via magnets. And players will also be able to prop up the Nintendo Switch 2 with a built-in kickstand.

As for games, it will have some backward compatibility with both physical and digital Nintendo Switch games. On the console’s new official site the company writes, “Certain Nintendo Switch games may not be supported on or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2.” We’ll get more details on which games that will apply to “at a later date.” But Nintendo Switch Online members can rest easy already, as they can “continue using the service on Nintendo Switch 2.”

Nintendo

We’re also going to find out a lot more about the hybrid console this spring. Nintendo says “stay tuned for a closer look” at the Switch 2 “in a Nintendo Direct presentation on April 2, 2025.” That’s also when fan events around the world will let gamers actually use it.

What does that mean for the actual release date, which will be sometime in 2025? It could possibly this summer or even late spring. But if nothing else it will definitely be out just in time for the holiday season. No matter when it arrives it will be one of the most in-demand gifts of the year.

Nintendo

Hopefully it will be paired under the tree with an all-new Mario Kart. The Nintendo Switch 2 announcement trailer ends with a sneak peak at the next version of the iconic game. The footage shows slightly different karts and an original track. Technically that could be a remaster or update to an older version, but we doubt Nintendo would announce the long-awaited Switch 2 by featuring a remade or updated older game.

Nintendo

We’ll have to wait for sure to find out, though. We’d prefer not to, but at least we’ll have answers this year.

The post Nintendo Reveals Switch 2 and 2025 Release Date, Teases New MARIO KART appeared first on Nerdist.

Who is the DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN Villain Muse? His Marvel Comics History, Explained

In terms of comic book characters, the supervillain known as Muse is very recent creation. Created by writer Charles Soule and artist Ron Garney, the character debuted in Daredevil Vol. 5 #11 back in 2016. The idea behind Muse is that he’s a superpowered serial killer who sees himself as an artist. Instead of paint or sculpture, he uses his murder and mayhem to create what he sees as his “art.” Marvel killed the character off a mere two years later, but death is but a minor inconvenience in comics. Thanks to his upcoming MCU debut in Daredevil: Born Again, he’ll return to the pages of Marvel Comics in 2025. Here’s what you need to know about one of Marvel’s most psychotic villains.

Marvel Studios/Marvel ComicsThe Marvel Comics Debut of Muse

In his first appearance, Muse created a mural in the streets of New York, painted with the blood of over a hundred victims. Muse, wearing a creepy mask, had super speed and limited super strength. He could also create a sensory vortex around his person making him nearly impossible to track. In Muse’s twisted thinking, he believed the lives of his victims were worthless. But only worthless until the moment they became a part of his so-called art. As his second big “art instillation,” Muse took the dead bodies of six Inhumans, posing them to emulate mundane chores.

Marvel Comics

As Muse prepared his next murder/art piece, where he took an entire courtroom hostage, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen and the vigilante Blindspot confronted him. It was during this encounter that he gouged out Blindspot’s eyes. Daredevil removed Muse’s mask, seeing his true face was almost identical to his disturbing mask. This only served to make him come across as more unhinged. Muse was truly a complete psychopath in the Joker tradition, with no regard for human life whatsoever. The authorities incarcerated him after his courtroom, but this was not the end of Muse.

Muse Becomes a Pawn for Wilson Fisk, the KingpinMarvel Comics

During the time Muse was in prison, Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin became the Mayor of New York City, running largely on a platform of anti-vigilantism. Muse escaped from prison during this time, even though it was a prison in which the superpowered race of Inhumans were in charge. With the vast majority of vigilantes in New York now branded as criminals, Muse defiled many New York landmarks with graffiti honoring them. He even honored the ones who once fought him.

When he was creating a tribute to the Punisher, local police confronted and tried to arrest him. He then murdered the officers, and then turned their bodies into part of his art. Mayor Fisk used this act to further his extreme anti-vigilante laws. Not long after, Muse fought Blindspot again, this time committing suicide rather than being caught. He let himself become consumed by a raging fire. That was seemingly the end of Muse. Yet in comics, few stay dead for very long.

Muse’s Backstory Remains a MysteryMarvel Comics

We know very little about Muse’s true nature. And his backstory before encountering Daredevil and Blindspot remains a mystery. We don’t even know his real name, although in the Marvel Comics Universe, the media gave the serial killer the nickname “Vincent Van Gore.” We don’t even know how he got his powers. He might be a mutant, given that he targeted several members of the Inhuman community during a time when mutants and Inhumans were at war. But he could just as easily have been an Inhuman with a grudge against his own people.

The MCU Version of Muse in Daredevil: Born Again

In the MCU, Muse looks very similar in design to his comic book counterpart, as evidenced by the Daredevil: Born Again trailer. We know that Wilson Fisk is the newly elected Mayor of New York in the series. This is just like the comics at the time of Muse’s debut. We also see the Punisher in the trailer. Could Muse’s murderous art actually be used to implicate Frank Castle in more heinous crimes? That’s a possible direct link to the comic stories from the MCU. The only thing they likely won’t address is any Inhumans, as they are not really a thing yet in the MCU. We’ll know for sure when Daredevil: Born Again hits Disney+ on March 4.

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New GREMLINS and GOONIES Sequels Reportedly in Development at Warner Bros.

Put the cap on your water bottle and satiate your appetite before midnight, because a certain mogwai might soon be back in our lives. A new report says Warner Bros. is developing Gremlins 3 with the original film’s writer Christopher Columbus. That’s not the end of the studio’s plans to appeal to ’80s nostalgia, though. Warner Bros. is also said to be waiting on a treatment for a The Goonies sequel.

Warner Bros.

In a lengthy piece at Deadline about Warner’s new movie strategy, Anthony D’Alessandro slipped in a small nugget full of big possibilities. Here’s what he wrote:

Franchise hopes abound down the road in Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, Practical Magic 2, DC’s Clayface and Supergirl, Drew Goddard’s incoming script for a new Matrix, a new Gremlins from Christopher Columbus and a Goonies treatment.

A new Gremlins. From Christopher Columbus? The person who wrote the beloved 1984 film. Oh, is that all?

Obviously not, because right after that enormous bit of news is the tidbit that Warner Bros. is also in the early stages of finally making a long-discussed Goonies sequel. That one seems much further away than this reported Gremlins 3 project, but IP is King and nostalgia sells. If that treatment is everything the studio hopes it will be, a Goonies 2 will become a lot more likely.

Warner Bros.

Gremlins 3 has long been a topic of speculation, too. (And not just because of Nick Lutsko’s unsanctioned masterpiece.) Gremlins: The New Batch came out in 1990, and after decades of waiting for a third film, it seemed like we might be on the verge of getting one in 2017. That’s when Columbus revealed he’d already written a script, which he called “twisted and dark.” Is that the same screenplay Warner Bros. is preparing to make? Or did he revise or even start anew on one?

We don’t know yet. But we do know we’ll start making sure not to leave any random cups of water out. We’ve waited a long time for Gremlins 3, but we still remember the rules.

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How You Can Help LA Wildfire Victims and Firefighters

The wildfires currently raging in Los Angeles, CA, have made national news and devastated a huge swath of the city. As many of you know, Nerdist is based in LA. Specifically our main offices are in Burbank. We’re a part of Legendary Entertainment, and while Nerdist is but a small team, the Legendary family is pretty large. Many of our friends and colleagues have had to evacuate, and some have entirely lost their homes. Thousands of people in the city have had to do so and have lost everything in the process. But the city is banding together to help.

So we thought we’d share a list of resources for anyone out there who’d like to help in the form of time or donations. Horrendously, many are attempting to scam potential donors with fake organizations, but the following have all been vetted.

World Central Kitchen is feeding people displaced by fires and first responders. The LA Food Bank is taking food and money donations as well as volunteers for food drives. Pasadena Humane Society is helping to provide food and shelter to the many pets and animals left behind in evacuation zones or people evacuating. They desperately need funds for medicine and food. Direct Relief is distributing medications, N95 respirators, and more to impacted communities.Both the LA Fire Department Foundation and the California Fire Foundation provide supplies to firefighters and support to the families of fallen firefighters. Mutual Aid of Los Angeles Network has a great directory of on-the-ground support initiatives including food kitchens, shelters, and donation drives in the greater LA area.

It’s an incredibly scary time in the city as high winds and exceedingly dry conditions can possibly lead to the spread of these fires or even the outbreak of new fires. Knowing all of these resources are available makes a great deal of difference.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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