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Everything That’s Coming (and Not Coming) to San Diego Comic-Con 2018

Ah, San Diego Comic-Con. Like Christmas morning for the nerds of the world. Every year we flock by the thousands to America’s Finest City to see all of the best announcements, trailers, and panels that pop culture has to offer. If you can brave the crowds and fend off the Con-Flu, it can be a truly magical experience that releases your inner geek in full force. For those who are attending the holy grail of comics, TV, movies, and more this year, below is your complete guide to all of the best panels and events. Be sure to bookmark this page and keep checking back, as we’ll be updating frequently with more news of what’s to come! You can also check out the official Comic-Con website!

What’s Coming

Doctor Who Panel

This year’s Doctor Who panel will being formally introducing the Thirteenth Doctor, Jodie Whittaker! Her co-stars Tosin Cole (who plays Ryan) and Mandip Gill (who plays Yasmin), series showrunner Chris Shibnall, and executive producer Matt Stevens will all be joining as well. With comedian and Nerdist founder Chris Hardwick moderating, this is looking like it’s going to be an epic event!

Nightflyers Panel

Legendary Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin will be attending a panel for the television adaptation of his 1980 novella Nightflyers, along with executive producers Jeff Buhler and Gene Klein and star Jodie Turner-Smith. We’re looking forward to hearing more about Martin’s venture in the sci-fi genre.

And What’s Not

Game of Thrones and Westworld

Neither of the two wildly popular HBO shows will be hosting a panel at SDCC this year. With Westworld‘s second season concluding only a few weeks before the convention, and with Game of Thrones in the middle of producing its heavily safeguarded eighth and final season, it doesn’t look like there will be anything for them to show fans. We’re pretty bummed about the lack of panels, but on the bright side it means that there is more content on the horizon!

Marvel

Yup, you read that right. While Marvel usually dominates at the event, they won’t be making an appearance at SDCC this year. According to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, this is mostly because they’re not planning on announcing any more movies until after Avengers 4 is out. At least we have Captain Marvel, a Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel, and Guardians of the Galaxy 3 to look forward to, right?

Be sure to check back—more information is on the way!

Images: Syfy, BBC America, HBO, Marvel Studios

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Someone in Idaho Has the Bubonic Plague Right Now

You read history books as a kid and you hear about something called the “Black Death” and it reminds you of how lucky you are to be living in a time that isn’t the Middle Ages. The bubonic plague wiped out 50 million people in the world during the 14th Century, including somewhere between 25 and 60% of the entire population of Europe (record keeping was spotty back then), and it’s a particularly nasty disease. And you think, “well, at least it’s 2018 and not 1350,” and while yes your knowledge of what year it is is correct, it doesn’t change the fact that the plague is still here, and one young boy in Idaho is being treated for it currently.

According to CBS News (via Teen Vogue), a boy is recovering from the disease currently, the first human case in the state of Idaho in 26 years. The report says it’s unclear if he picked up the disease in Idaho or during a recent vacation to Oregon. Eight cases of plague have occurred in Oregon since 1990 and two in Idaho.

The bubonic plague is characterized by buboes, or a swelling of the lymph nodes that can rupture if untreated. Scientists have determined the bacteria Yersinia pestis, which is usually found in small mammals and their fleas, and transmitted through bites or inhaling of infected respiratory droplets, which is a very gross phrase.

Luckily, despite wiping out millions a few hundred years ago, the plague is incredibly treatable today, and preventable in most cases. Around 650 cases are reported every year and of those, around 120 result in death. Most of these cases and deaths are found in Africa, which sadly still lacks access to basic medical preventative measures and treatments.

So no need to run for the hills or anything, but, yeah. The plague. Still a thing.

Image: Python (Monty) Pictures

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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Our First Look at AQUAMAN Is Very Wet

The soon to be released DCEU Aquaman movie has left many fans wondering what’s happening in Atlantis as we’d yet to see any teasers or official images for the film. But that changed on Thursday as Entertainment Weekly (EW) has an Arthur Curry focused issue that is full of as much wet Jason Momoa as you can possibly fit in one issue of a magazine. The internet has lost its collective mind over the images, and we’ve gathered the photos right here for your perusing pleasure.

Ready to dive in? We have an exclusive first look at #JasonMomoa’s #Aquaman! Go inside the ambitious attempt to bring a former pop culture punchline to the big screen: https://t.co/xK1aNHqf7r pic.twitter.com/KNpsbgtYVn

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) June 14, 2018

DC clearly knows what the biggest selling point of the upcoming movie is, as there is a lot of smoldering Momoa action.

You can pick up the #JasonMomoa cover on newsstands starting 6/15, and the group cover exclusively at @BNBuzz starting 6/19. You can purchase both #Aquaman covers here: https://t.co/xdubWvhoyP pic.twitter.com/6L5pWDfnSQ

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) June 14, 2018

Let’s not forget the two hot and wet women who will be starring alongside Momoa, Nicole Kidman as his mother Atlanna and Amber Heard as his love interest Mera. We are slightly concerned by Arthur’s under the sea double denim and jeans chain look; it doesn’t look like sensible ocean attire.

Behold Patrick Wilson's glorious AQUAMAN hair pic.twitter.com/46qkCtdSCV

— Chris Evangelista (@cevangelista413) June 14, 2018

We also got our first look at Patrick Wilson’s Ocean Master, a.k.a. King Orm. He’s Aquaman’s brother and antagonist, and he apparently has some very luscious golden locks.

BLACK MANTA FIRST IMAGE!! #Aquaman pic.twitter.com/LPcONgVAwi

— DC Films Universe (@DCFUniverse) June 14, 2018

BLACK MANTA! This is our first glimpse at Aquaman’s most famous nemesis; he will be brought to life by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in the James Wan helmed film. The helmet looks incredible and definitely harks back to the classic Aquaman comics.

James Wan and the cast behind the scenes #Aquaman pic.twitter.com/4lM5pdSc4a

— DC Films Universe (@DCFUniverse) June 14, 2018

Possibly the most exciting picture of the bunch is this behind the scenes shot that reveals the crew are shooting the under the water sequences utilizing lighting to create the ocean, rather than the over CGI’d Atlantis we saw in Justice League.

Splash: Arthur Curry storms a Russian sub! #Aquaman pic.twitter.com/1W9xGDTEHO

— The Aquaman Shrine (@AquamanShrine) June 14, 2018

We’re sure you can imagine the NSFW responses to this pic of Momoa’s Aquaman.

The Queen of Atlantis and her Prince! #Aquaman pic.twitter.com/JYBcSv6xnk

— The Aquaman Shrine (@AquamanShrine) June 14, 2018

Hey! It’s baby Arthur Curry and his mum Atlanna. We can only assume they’re joined by his dad Tom Curry, played by iconic New Zealand actor Temura Morrison.

Arthur

“Weird Al” Yankovic Covers 77 Songs in a Single Video

Since the 1994 release of “Polkas on 45,” “Weird Al” Yankovic has proven time and again that he has a knack for polkafying popular songs, ranging from random samplings of the Rolling Stones’ catalog (“The Hot Rocks Polka”) to the rap, garage rock, and nu metal of the early zeroes (I maintain that “Angry White Boy Polka” is still his masterwork, polka-wise). His most recent polka outing was the endlessly delightful “Hamilton Polka” (no explanation required).

Yankovic’s Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, which drew to a close earlier this week, was mostly a spotlight for original material and deep cuts. However, he and his band did fit in at least one cover a night, as non-concertgoers learned when Yankovic released this 26-minute video. It’s a compilation of clips from the 77 covers he and his band performed as encores over the course of the tour, and it’ll guarantee you start (or end) your day (or week) on a high note.



Given that the tour’s setlist shifted from one evening to the next, there are no repeats here, which is staggering given the quality of the covers across the board. Most fall into the extremely broad category of classic rock, from the Beatles and the aforementioned Stones to the Foo Fighters, the Presidents of the United States of America, and Smash Mouth (one guess which one Yankovic opted for there). It’s well worth listening straight through the compilation, but if you’d rather laugh first and give the rest a listen later, then skip straight to 23:50. You’ll thank me later.

Which of the 77 renditions is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

Featured Image: slgckgc

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Drake Has a DEGRASSI Reunion in the Music Video for “I’m Upset”

In case you haven’t been keeping up with hip-hop drama over the past few weeks, here’s what’s been going down: Pusha T dissed Drake on his new album Daytona, which prompted a similarly combative response from Drake in the song “Duppy Freestyle.” Pusha T fired back with another diss track, “The Story Of Adidon,” which also featured a controversial photo of Drake on its cover art (for which Drake had a reasonable explanation). Drake reportedly had one more diss song in his arsenal, but he decided to not release it instead, and now, Pusha T says the feud is over.

In the midst of this spat, Drake released a new single, “I’m Upset.” Now, instead of dropping a scathing song about Pusha T, he decided to share a music video for the song that will definitely please fans of Drake’s acting career. In the “I’m Upset” clip, Drake wakes up (in a bed at center court of the Air Canada Centre, where Drake’s hometown Toronto Raptors play their games) to a notification on his phone, reminding him of his high school reunion. After getting fitted for some fancy threads, Drake heads to Degrassi Community School… yes, the video is a Degrassi: The Next Generation reunion (although Jimmy Brooks, Drake’s character, isn’t in a wheelchair this time around).

Basically everybody is back: Stacey Farber, Adamo Ruggiero, Lauren Collins, Jake Epstein, Christina Schmidt, Andrea Lewis, Melissa McIntyre, LinLyn Lue, Stefan Brogen, Ephraim Ellis, Jake Goldsbie, Marc Donato, Dalmar Abuzeid, A.J. Saudin, Miriam McDonald, Cassie Steele, Nina Dobrev, Sarah Barrable-Tishauer, and Paula Brancati all appear in the video. Jay and Silent Bob are even here, selling weed to the principal: In case you forgot, they had an arc in the show’s fourth season.

Does this satisfy your thirst for a Degrassi reunion, or are you still itching for a full-blown new season, TV special, or something of that ilk? Let us know what you think down in the comments!

Featured image: OVO Sound/YouTube

Is George Lucas’ Idea for STAR WARS Sequels What You Expected?

Some Star Wars fans have questioned whether Disney has taken the sequel trilogy into directions never intended by George Lucas. But now that Lucas has revealed his idea for the sequels involved microscopic lifeforms, perhaps the nostalgia effect won’t be quite as intense going forward. Today’s Nerdist News Talks Back dives into the Star Wars trilogy that could have been.

Amy Vorpahl guest hosts today’s show and welcomes her guests: managing editor Amy Ratcliffe, associate editor Kyle Anderson, and producer Derek Johnson. The first item on the agenda was the return of Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman 1984. How is this guy not dead? Because comics. That’s really the only answer anyone needs, but we do love some of the wilder theories floating around.



Tim Burton’s live-action update of Dumbo is also on the way, and the first trailer has taken flight. Could this be Burton’s best remake? Or even his best film?

Nerdist News Talks Back airs live on our YouTube and Alpha channels at 1PM PT every Monday through Thursday. Starting next Monday, June 18, we’re changing the start time to 11AM PT from Monday to Thursday. On Fridays, we end the week in pop culture with our hour-long Nerdist News What the Friday at 1PM PT, exclusively at Alpha. It’s the best daily talk show on the internet, and no topic is too big or too small for us to breakdown.

What did you think of today’s topics? Let us know in the comment section below.

Featured Image: Lucasfilm

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4 Amazing Games You Might Have Missed at E3 2018

It’s hard to not be distracted by E3 2018‘s huge announcements and dazzling trailers for upcoming games that are the next installments of beloved series or based on your favorite superheroes. (Spider-Man looks spectacular, though, doesn’t it?) Nestled among those bright lights and earth-shattering presentations were brief looks at smaller indie titles that PlayStation and Xbox seemed just as excited to feature.

Here are four indie games spotlighted during E3 that might not have gotten some of the same attention as the big titles you’re looking forward to, but are colorful, quirky, and just as exciting.

Knights and Bikes

It’s easy to get a Goonies vibe from Foamsword Games’ Knights and Bikes. PlayStation featured the adventure game, set on a British island in the 1980s, during their livestream early into E3. Players take control of girls Nessa and Demelza on a quest to explore, meet (and save) the locals, and of course, look for a hidden, mysterious treasure. And you’ll take care of a pet goose named Captain Honkers—what else do we need to say?

Knights and Bikes will be available on Steam and PlayStation 4 with an unannounced release date.

Ooblets

If you were dismayed that a new Animal Crossing title wasn’t announced during Nintendo’s E3 presentation, Ooblets can turn that frown upside down. In this upcoming indie game published by Double Fine, you’ll take over a farm and take it from dilapidated to delightful. Customize your character, collect adorable ooblets, grow crops, sell goods, and more in this colorfully cute game. At E3 2018, the Ooblets development team (of just two people!) announced a new dance-off system that replaces a traditional battle system for capturing ooblets.



Ooblets will be available on Steam and Xbox One later this year.

Tunic

During the Xbox presentation at E3 2018, a little fox made a big splash. Tunic is an isometric action adventure that takes the adorable character through lush, sunlit forests and dark, mysterious ruins on a quest to unlock an enigmatic glyph language and defeat the rampaging monsters. (The glyphs are even part of the game’s text, making their translation a vital part of your adventure.) The calming colors and soothing soundtrack immediately make the game stand out, but don’t let them lull you into thinking Tunic will be a laidback lark around the island.



Tunic is coming to Xbox One and Steam in 2019.

Vacation Simulator

Owlchemy Labs stopped by the PlayStation Live stream to talk about their upcoming sequel in spirit to 2016’s Job Simulator, Vacation Simulator. It’s the year 2050, and robots have made a vacation simulation to help entertain the bored humans of the future. Hang out in the water, build sandcastles, play sports, and more in this whimsical and irreverent VR experience. While the beach is heavily featured in the first looks at the game, Owlchemy teased that you might also need some hiking boots during your VR vacation.

Vacation Simulator is coming to PlayStation VR, Oculus, and Vive in late 2018/early 2019.

Which title caught your eye at E3 this year? Tell us about it in the comments.

Featured Image: Finji

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First Look at Steve Trevor in WONDER WOMAN 1984 is Destroying the Web

Wonder Woman 2 is all about the 1980s. Earlier this month, director Patty Jenkins and former DC entertainment president Geoff Johns teased Wonder Woman 1984, and now it’s confirmed as the sequel’s title. Of course, Gal Gadot is back as the Amazon superheroine, but she’s not the only returning cast member. Jenkins has revealed that Chris Pine is reprising his role as Steve Trevor despite his apparent death in the first Wonder Woman. Today’s Nerdist News investigates the mystery of Steve’s resurrection.

Join guest host and third alternate Cheetah Amy Vorpahl as she offers up a few theories about how Steve Trevor could make his return. It should be noted the Wonder Woman TV series from the ’70s found a way to use Lyle Waggoner as both Steve Trevor Sr. and Jr. over the course of the show. But considering the nearly seven decades between the first film and its sequel, Pine would have to be playing Steve’s grandson in Wonder Woman 1984.

Another possibility is that it could be a trick. While Cheetah doesn’t tend to use illusions, those are the preferred weapons of another Wonder Woman villain: Circe. The ancient witch hasn’t been confirmed or rumored for this sequel, but she’s bound to show up eventually. But what if this really is Steve Trevor back from the dead? It’s not unheard of in the comic book realm, and the gods may be able to return Steve to Wonder Woman years after he sacrificed himself.

What are your theories about Steve Trevor’s return? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Warner Bros. Pictures

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STRANGER THINGS Video Game Is Coming from Netflix and Telltale Games

Stranger Things fans are eagerly awaiting the third season of Netflix‘s breakout series, and now they have something else to look forward to. Telltale Games and Netflix are joining forces to create a Stranger Things video game that may offer a new way to explore Hawkins, Indiana and the Upside Down.

Tech Radar was the first outlet to break the story about the Stranger Things game, which has since been confirmed by both Netflix and Telltale. The game, which will be available on computers and consoles, will presumably be similar to Telltale’s signature story based games that force players to make hard choices as they shape the narrative around them. The Stranger Things game doesn’t have a set place on the series’ timeline yet, but it could be set in the past or between seasons. Tech Radar‘s report suggested the game was originally intended to launch with Stranger Things 2 last year.

That’s not the only collaboration between Netflix and Telltale on the horizon. The two companies also confirmed they will bring an adapted version of Minecraft: Story Mode to Netflix this fall. The Minecraft Netflix series is said to be an interactive show that places the viewer/player in the leading role. We’re not quite sure how that’s going to work through Netflix’s interface, but it is an intriguing idea that could lead to more interactive series in the near future.

Are you excited about the Stranger Things game and Minecraft‘s arrival on Netflix? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

Images: Netflix/Telltale Games

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This CRAYOLA Makeup Line Will Bring Out Your Inner Child

When we were kids, Crayola products dominated classrooms and playdates and became a staple of our collective childhoods. Everyone knows whoever had the 64 pack of crayons with the built-in sharpener was easily the coolest kid in school. Now, you can relive your younger years with the new Crayola makeup line, via Laughing Squid, created in collaboration with the online fashion and beauty retailer ASOS.

The complete line is 58 pieces, none of which include talc or animal products. It includes eyeshadow palettes, a face palette, a lip palette, mascara, blush, brushes–you know, all of the classic stuff you expect to find in a line of beauty products.

The fun part comes in with the face crayons, which can be used on the eyes, lips, and cheeks and come in dozens of colors. Many of the crayons are the reds, pinks, and nudes you would traditionally see from a makeup line, but some of the colors also include purples, blues, metallics, and even a bright yellow. If you can get over the fact that you’re drawing on your face with what appears to be a straight up crayon, these look like they could be a lot of fun.

Even better, the packaging is the classic yellow and green box we’ve all come to know and love. I’ll be honest, this is not a collaboration I ever expected. But now that it’s here, it’s the makeup I never knew I needed. You can peruse the entire collection at ASOS.

Would you consider trying any of these products? Do you think you could untrain yourself from being told not to draw on yourself with crayons for all of those years? Let us know in the comments!

Images: ASOS

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