Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1735

ONRUSH Could Combine the Best of OVERWATCH and ROCKET LEAGUE

With everything from sweeping stories like Shadow of the Colossus, to imaginative puzzle games like Braid, to the battle royale extravaganza that is Fortnite, it feels like everything has already been done in gaming. It’s hard to imagine developers could make something we haven’t seen before. But Codemasters has done something special with Onrush. The newly released vehicular combat game by the British developer combines the best aspects of both Rocket League and Overwatch.

In Rocket League, players use cars to score the ball in a giant game of soccer. The goal in Onrush is to slam into opponents, slalom through courses, and earn boosts. Like Overwatch, it’s played online with two teams of six. It’s also similar in that the various vehicles serve different roles, much like Overwatch’s heroes. Some cars are more support oriented, providing extra shields for teammates for example, while others deal more damage, and so on. As a long time support player with way too many hours on Mercy in Overwatch, it could be cool to see how those skills transfer to a racing game.

Onrush has multiple game modes too, including a race against the clock where players increase their time by driving around the map, a battle mode, and king of the hill. With so many shooters and combat-based games on the horizon, Onrush could be a much-needed change of pace, pun intended. While it may not be an entirely novel idea, the game has the potential to become a new favorite by creatively combining aspects of others we already love. We have seen other vehicular combat games like Twisted Metal, but Onrush seems to be doing something unique. It’s available now for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Images: Codemasters

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Which JURASSIC PARK Character Would Best Help You Survive? The Definitive Ranking

Over the last 25 years I’ve watched Jurassic Park roughly 25 dozen times, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned from repeated viewings it’s this: if I were on that island I would definitely be eaten by a dinosaur. But what if I had someone to help me survive? Which character from the film would be most likely to get me out of there alive? And who would guarantee I ended up as a giant dino dung pile?

To answer that very important question I’m breaking down their pros and cons based on two-and-a-half decades of intense study, to rank them from worst to best. (Note: We’re imagining them all in the same situation–stuck with me in the middle of the park–and not their circumstances in the movie.)

Mr. D.N.A.

Pros: Lightweight, informative, fun

Cons: Not an actual person, absolutely no help whatsoever, might even be worse than being alone because it’s possible I’d have to carry around an oversized computer from 1993.

Verdict: Mr. D.N.A. means being D.O.A.

The Stupid Lawyer (Possibly Not His Real Name)

Pros: Can rock a hat, would be able to sue a dinosaur in some sort of prehistoric court

Cons: All of them, especially being greedy, cowardly, shortsighted, naive, weak, stupid…

Verdict: All he has to offer is the hope that your last moments on this planet will be knowing him and his stupid face were also eaten by a dinosaur.

Dennis Nedry

Pros: Good with computers so he could help reboot the system, values good manners

Cons: Out of shape, conniving, bad sense of direction, struggles in bad weather, very loud

Verdict: Being polite counts for a lot, but not as much as being able to flee. You’d be better off without Dennis, which means you’re still dead.

Lex Murphy

Pros: Young, healthy, rises to the occasion, good with both computers and their systems that should definitely be far harder to crack

Cons: Scared of dinosaurs, knows little about dinosaurs, hates dinosaurs

Verdict: Lex is underrated; she’s far braver than she first appears. The big problem is I’m no Dr. Alan Grant, and I’d likely sacrifice her to survive for the extra 90 seconds it would take for her to be eaten. Am I a terrible person? Without question, and having a dino-phobic kid with me would only highlight my worst tendencies.

John Hammond

Pros: Genius, knows the park better than anyone else

Cons: He’s older and walks with a cane, stubborn, slow to recognize the gravity of the situation

Verdict: The goal is to get off the island alive, right? Well who would get me to the hidden tunnels and passageways of the park better than he would. The problem is getting to them. What if we can’t find a jeep fast enough? What if I have to carry him on my back? That’s easy–some lucky dinosaur gets two helpings of out-of-shape white guy for dinner.

Tim Murphy

Pros: Young legs, knows everything about dinosaurs, isn’t afraid of them

Cons: Suuuuuuper annoying, doesn’t understand the concept of a countdown or “high voltage,”

Verdict: Tim would be a sneaky good option to make it out alive. His broad dino knowledge would be a huge help, he wouldn’t need a lot of food, it wouldn’t be too difficult to carry him when he got tired, and little kids always have a lot of energy. The problem is you shouldn’t be secretly rooting for your partner to get eaten so he’ll stop talking.

Dr. Henry Wu

Pros: Knows the dinosaurs intimately, very smart

Cons: Huge nerd. “Oooh, look at me and my stupid lab coat. I use it to help raise dinosaur eggs, which is about as dangerous as making an omelette.”

Verdict: Just based on Jurassic Park we have no idea he’s evil, so all we can go on is the little we see of him at work here. I don’t know, I guess he’d be helpful, but when you’re trapped in an actual jungle of actual dinosaurs, do you want an actual geek who might not be able to climb over a pebble as your best hope of survival?

Ray Arnold

Pros: Looks to be in good shape, willing to venture into dangerous places to help others, computer savvy, coolest guy in the park

Cons: Forgets to say please, thinks it’s a good idea to travel alone, a computer nerd

Verdict: Bigger and stronger than Dr. Wu and less of a geek, but he’d probably be relying on me just as as I would be on him, which is NOT what I am looking for. At least he’d probably say something witty right before we got devoured by a T-Rex.

Ian Malcolm

Pros: Brave, intelligent, tall, courageous, witty, damn sexy

Cons: Shortsighted, cynical (even if he is right about everything), relentlessly a pain-in-the-ass, impossible to carry if he gets hurt, too damn sexy

Verdict: Nobody was in better shape than Dr. Ian Malcolm, which earns him such a high ranking, since he is physically the best bet to navigate a jungle and outrun the man-eating creatures. But that’s the problem–who can focus on survival when you’re distracted by the world’s sexiest mathematician?

There are definitely worst people to be stuck in a dinosaur’s digestive system with, but I’d still like to avoid that entirely.

Dr. Alan Grant

Pros: Leading dinosaur authority, smart, brave, naturally protective, in better shape than you’d think

Cons: Can’t operate a seat belt, can be kind of mean

Verdict: Maybe not the best choice as a dinner date, but there are few people you’d want by your side more if you are trying to outsmart a dinosaur. That handkerchief around his neck is a little distracting though.

Dr. Ellie Sattler

Pros: Leading dinosaur authority, smart, brave, protective, waaaay more more likable than Dr. Grant, able to do Jurassic Park-our, can still move quickly even after being injured

Cons: Fondness for ice cream

Verdict: It’s no surprise Ellie Sattler survived, since she had almost everything you’d want from someone stuck on the island. And that’s exactly why she’s only in the second spot.

Robert Muldoon

Pros: Park expert, doesn’t trust the dinosaurs, courageous, can handle high-powered weapons

Cons: Overconfident, a poor man’s Crocodile Dundee vibe

Verdict: You know why Ellie survived the velociraptors? Cause this guy told her to run while he hunted that “clever girl” down. Sure, it got him eaten in what might have been the single worst death in the movie, but that’s exactly what I’m looking for!

I don’t care if anyone else survives, just me.

What do you think though? Who would help you make it out of the park alive? Tell us in the comments below who you’d pick as your Jurassic Park partner.

And be sure to check Alpha Book Club soon on Alpha for a discussion about Michael Crichton’s original Jurassic Park.

Images: Universal

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Keanu Reeves Just Can’t Escape Russia in New SIBERIA Trailer

Thanks to the John Wick movies, Keanu Reeves is currently enjoying a resurgent career as an action star. But not every role taken by Reeves can be as deadly or as capable as Mr. Wick. In the upcoming thriller, Siberia, Reeves plays Lucas Hill, a diamond merchant who has traveled to Russia in order to close a deal with Boris Volkov (Pasha D. Lychnikoff); a man who may be a powerful figure in the local criminal underworld. If Lucas can’t deliver on his promises than he may not make it out alive. In the trailer below, Lucas gets some very bad news about his rare blue diamonds, and it could cost him everything.



It seems clear that Lucas didn’t initially intend to scam Volkov, but his friends left him high and dry with high quality fake diamonds that he needs to pass off as the real thing. Fleeing the country may seem like a good option, but Lucas has also formed a romantic relationship with Katya (Ana Ularu), the owner of a local cafe. If Lucas runs, Volkov and his men will almost certainly kill Katya before pursuing him as well. The trailer teases Lucas’ decision to stay and fight for his life, but he appears to be badly outmatched from the start.

Molly Ringwald, Rafael Petardi, and Aleks Paunovic round out the cast of Siberia; which was directed by Matthew Ross. It will be released on Friday, July 13.

What do you think about the new trailer for Siberia? Let us know in the comment section below!

Image: Saban Films

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HIS DARK MATERIALS Series Casts James McAvoy as Lord Asriel

BBC’s adaptation of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy has found another star from the X-Men universe; Deadline reports James McAvoy will join Logan‘s Dafne Keen in the fantasy meets science fiction series. McAvoy’s set to play Lord Asriel, the father of Keen’s Lyra Belacqua, a.k.a. Lyra Silvertongue. Asriel is a powerful man, an explorer, and a questionable father–I mean, he leaves Lyra orphaned. It’s easy to picture McAvoy in the intense role, perhaps moreso than Daniel Craig, who played the character in the film The Golden Compass. This gives me hope that they’ll find someone fierce as hell to play against him as the villainess Mrs. Coulter.

Clarke Peters (Jessica Jones, The Wire) is also set to board the series as the master who raises Lyra. The series centers on her journey through a parallel universe that isn’t hugely different from ours, except for the presence of Dust, particles attracted to consciousness, magical witches, and dæmons, animals that are manifestations of a person’s soul…okay, maybe it is hugely different. Lyra’s quest for answers about Dust and Lord Asriel leads her into myriad dangerous, often fantastical situations.

The show also stars Lin-Manuel Miranda as aeronaut Lee Scoresby. The King’s Speech‘s Tom Hooper is set to direct the eight-part series. And if you’re curious about the books the series is based on, Alpha Book Club recently read The Golden Compass and you can watch their discussion on Alpha.

What do you think of these casting choices? Who should play Mrs. Coulter? More importantly, have you taken our quiz to learn which animal your dæmon would be? Share your results in the comments.

Images: Fox, Scholastic

Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist. Follow her on Twitter and keep up with her Disney food adventures on Instagram.

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WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? Is a Glorious Reminder of the Power of Kindness (Review)

It’s become increasingly hard to believe that good exists in the world. The oppressive cloud of strategic non-truths and hatred masquerading as political ideology has made each day a struggle for grownups. I can only imagine what it’s like for children, who shouldn’t have to deal with such things so early in life. It makes me wish more than ever we had someone like Fred Rogers to talk to the younger generation and make them understand that there’s always someone trying to help. Rogers, the writer/director/host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, was a pure force for positiveness, and seeing Morgan Neville’s documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? truly cements how important his legacy is.

Between 1968 and 2001, the world was all the better for the existence of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, a show that essentially saved PBS from government cuts early in its infancy, and one that, to quote a speaker in the documentary, was the opposite of everything that typically makes good television: it was slow, it was quiet, it had a host who was not particularly suited to public speaking. Yet the series gave children an outlet for their feelings, and someone telling them it was okay to feel that way. The documentary explores the birth of that series, and in doing so propels the ethos Rogers himself believed in so strongly. I defy anyone to watch it without tearing up at least once.

The film deftly flows between beautiful original footage of the series and archival interviews with Rogers, castmates, and friends to weave a picture of the man’s life and times. We learn how the different beloved characters in his Neighborhood of Make Believe were born, starting with Daniel Striped Tiger. Rogers did the voice of just about every puppet on the series, and the little morality plays they enacted five days a week gave children different examples of how to cope with various emotions, including in several cases the fear of war and murder—whatever was going on in the real world.

Rogers’ inherent kindness is palpable in every frame, as is the passion with which he believed children needed a safe place, not one populated by fictional accounts of violence when the real world was already so dark and dangerous. Neville certainly doesn’t sugarcoat the man, and it’s actually rather heartening to hear of his downfalls in certain areas, but to know that he was at heart trying to do right by the kids watching, to whom he felt he had a duty of care, and was enraged when children were mistreated by television programs, it’s endlessly endearing.

The doc also deals a bit with the backlash against the Mister Rogers ethos towards the end—that he was somehow responsible for the “snowflake”-ifying of the world—but comes down fully on the side of his show and that approach to rearing children is a net positive for the mental health of the young and impressionable.

Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is a beautiful documentary about a man who seemed anathema to the idea of television entertainment at the time, and I can only imagine how he’d be viewed today. But we need a Mister Rogers today, a tiny ray of hope and understanding in the midst of so much frothing anger and persecution. Anyone under the age of 17 was born into a world without Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and that’s a truth I certainly wish were make believe.

4.5 out of 5 Burritos

Images: Focus Features

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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NERDIST AFTER | MARVEL’S CLOAK AND DAGGER Hints at the Series’ Long Game

Every week Nerdist brings you the aftershow for Freeform’s Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger, Nerdist After. Join hosts Hector Navarro and Aliza Pearl each week after a new episode airs for answers to your questions, Easter eggs you might have missed, interviews with the show’s cast and crew you won’t find anywhere else, and much, much more.

The second episode of Cloak and Dagger, “Suicide Sprints,” introduces faces familiar to readers of the original comic miniseries, Father Delgado and Detective Brigid O’Reilly, along with exploring the relationships Tandy and Tyrone have with their parents. These conflicts and relationships lend real-life authenticity to a superhero show, said guest and Nerdist Editor-in-Chief Rachel Heine.

Showrunner and executive producer Joe Pokaski joined the hosts again this week to give the inside scoop on the show’s second episode. While he can’t say much about the nature of the superpowers they’re showing in these early episodes, Joe hints that they are telling a long-form story in which everything will come to a head near the end of the season.

COMICS TO LIFE

In this week’s look at the influence of Bill Mantlo’s 1983 Cloak and Dagger series for Marvel Comics, Hector draws parallels to Cloak’s view on vigilantism and Tyrone’s obsession with vengeance.

Tune in to find out what other comic book Easter eggs are hiding in the shadows (or in the light) in this week’s episode of Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger.

Do you have a question for Nerdist After’s hosts or future guests? Tweet it to @Nerdist with the hashtag #CloakandDagger, and you might just see answered on the show.

Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger airs on Freeform, Hulu, and the Freeform app Thursdays at 8 PM ET/PT/7PM Central.

What do you think of how the show flips elements of the comic book on their head? Tell us in the comments.

All Images: Marvel / Freeform

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NERDIST AFTER | MARVEL’S CLOAK AND DAGGER Sheds Light on the Show’s Premiere

This week is the premiere of Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger on Freeform, and Nerdist is here with the aftershow to shine a spotlight on every episode. Join hosts Hector Navarro and Aliza Pearl each week after the episode airs for answers to your questions, Easter eggs you might have missed, interviews with the show’s cast and crew you won’t find anywhere else, and much, much more.

On the first episode of Nerdist After| Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger, Hector, Aliza, and Nerdist’s Rachel Heine are joined by showrunner and executive producer Joe Pokaski to chat about reading the original comic books and how they were eventually turned into a television series. It wasn’t a quick process–the first script was written five years ago–but now is the right time to tell the story of Tandy and Tyrone.

Joe also talked about moving their story from Hell’s Kitchen in New York City to the dark and gritty New Orleans, and how these young heroes represent the challenges that real teenagers face today.

Comics to Life

And, perhaps most exciting for comics fans, Nerdist After also explores how Joe and his team look to the comics for inspiration, and their efforts to bring it to life week after week on Freeform.

The first episode of Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger is heavy influenced by the original 1983 limited comic book series by Bill Mantlo and Rick Leonardi. Hector and Aliza walk you through the origin story it tells of how Tandy and Tyrone first met, and how the TV series flips some of those elements for a timely, compelling narrative.

Do you have a question for Nerdist After‘s hosts or future guests? Tweet it to @Nerdist with the hashtag #CloakandDagger, and you might just see answered on the show.

Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger airs on Freeform, Hulu, and the Freeform app Thursdays at 8 PM ET/PT/7PM Central.

What did you think of the premiere of Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger? Tell us in the comments.

Images: Marvel / Freeform

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How Will ANT-MAN AND THE WASP Connect to AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR?

New images for Ant-Man and the Wasp gave us our best look yet at Michelle Pfeiffer‘s Janet van Dyne, but will we also see her in Avengers 4? On today’s Nerdist News Talks Back we tried to figure out how the movie will fit in with the events of Infinity War, along with the latest from Top Gun 2, and a possible new amusement park from Cartoon Network.

Joining Jessica Chobot today were producers Jason Nguyen and Jesse Gill, as well as Nerdist News writer Joey Clift. They went big by going small, with the latest look at the Ant-Man sequel. The new posters for the movie finally gave us the Michelle Pfeiffer image we’ve been waiting for, but are we more excited for the movie now? Does the unconfirmed promo art for Avengers 4 reveal exactly when this movie takes place? And how will it tie in with Infinity War? Which characters will survive Thanos’ finger snap?



This week we also got a big update on Top Gun 2, as Val Kilmer will return as Iceman. Do we like when these delayed sequels bring back lots of the original cast, or would we prefer more new characters? Which popular musician should help Kenny Loggins record an updated version of “Danger Zone?” And are we still on board with these long-delayed franchise revivals, or have we had enough of these decade old sequels?

Finally, Cartoon Network could be opening an amusement park in Bali. Do we think this is a good idea for a new park, or is this a little too weird? Could its very small size be a sign they are merely dipping their toe in the amusement park game? Which cartoons need to have their own rides? And which IP or franchise most deserves its own park? Which one definitely doesn’t?

Nerdist News Talks Back airs live on our YouTube and Alpha channels at 1PM PT every Monday through Thursday, and tune in tomorrow as 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–or Ant-Man related–for us to breakdown.

What did you think of today’s topics? Talk back to us about them in the comments below.

Images: Marvel, Cartoon Network

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Marvel’s ASGARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Will Defend the Universe After INFINITY WARS

Later this summer, the Guardians of the Galaxy will co-star in the new Infinity Wars event miniseries as they attempt to keep the Infinity Stones out of the wrong hands. Marvel has broadly hinted that major characters may be killed off during Infinity Wars, and more recently, the company has indicated that the Guardians will be “no more.” In their place, a new team will rise: the Asgardians of the Galaxy!

Marvel has announced that writer Cullen Bunn and artist Matteo Lolli will be the creative team behind Asgardians of the Galaxy. As the name implies, most of the characters on the team are either Asgardian or they share an association with Thor. However, the only direct link to the Guardians of the Galaxy is Angela, Thor’s sister, and the only person who has been on both teams.

Joining Angela is Marvel’s original Valkyrie, Brunhilde, and her human host, Annabelle Riggs. Bunn merged Valkyrie and Annabelle during his previous series, The Fearless Defenders. And for the first time in years, Skurge the Executioner is fully back among the living and out of Hel.

Another member of the team is Thunderstrike a.k.a. Kevin Masterson, a young man from Earth who inherited the power and the mantle from father, original Thunderstrike Eric Masterson. There’s also the Destroyer armor, but it’s not currently known who will be in control of it. Rounding out the team is Throg…who is basically Thor as a frog. More specifically, Throg is Puddlegulp, a frog who befriended the real Thor when he was turned into a frog. Yes, this really happened.

Asgardians of the Galaxy #1 will launch in September.

What do you think about Marvel’s newest cosmic team? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Marvel

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BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE Trailer Shows Chris Hemsworth as a Cult Leader

The Martian screenwriter and former Daredevil showrunner Drew Goddard is getting a tune up before heading into the X-Force movie. Goddard is writing and directing Bad Times at the El Royale, a ‘60s period thriller that will take viewers back to one blood-soaked night at a rundown hotel crossing into five different states. The first trailer has arrived, and it offers a glimpse of Goddard’s powerhouse cast, which includes Chris Hemsworth, Jeff Bridges, Dakota Johnson, and Jon Hamm.



Most of the trailer follows Bridges’ Father Daniel Flynn, a priest who has fallen on hard times. And if the footage is any indication, Father Daniel may not even be a real priest. A young singer played by Cynthia Erivo is also thrust into the spotlight as she steps into a bad situation at the very worst possible time. Johnson is playing a criminal who has literally roped up her sister, as played by Cailee Spaeny; while Hamm is portraying a vacuum cleaner salesman who doesn’t seem to know when he should stop talking.

Hemsworth is playing a “charismatic cult leader,” and the trailer presents him as the biggest threat to his fellow “guests.” But there is also a hint that the hotel is more than it seems, as each room is designed to hide a secret passageway where the guests can be spied upon. “Management” apparently dictates who is watched and who isn’t, and the secrets of the guests are about to be revealed.

Lewis Pullman, Nick Offerman, and Mark O’Brien round out the cast of Bad Times at the El Royale. It will hit theaters on Friday, October 5.

What do you think about this trailer? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

Images: 20th Century Fox

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