Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1784

Who is the Screenslaver in the INCREDIBLES 2 Trailer?

Warning: There are potentially big spoilers ahead for Incredibles 2 !

This summer, Disney and Pixar are giving fans the sequel to one of the greatest superhero movies that isn’t based on a comic book. The Incredibles gave movie lovers the best Fantastic Four-like film we’ve seen so far, and Incredibles 2 is keeping the tradition alive 14 years later. But who is the mysterious new villain, the Screenslaver? Today’s Nerdist News may hold the answers.

Join guest host Amy “No capes!” Vorpahl, as she pulls the metaphorical mask off of the Screenslaver to reveal…Bob Odenkirk? Wow, Saul is really breaking bad this time! Odenkirk’s character, Winston Deavor, is a telecommunications mogul who throws his support behind Elastigirl and the rest of the superheroes to make them popular again. As you can see in the trailer, superheroes are still outlawed and the Parr family is put in handcuffs after their battle with the Underminer.

But doesn’t Winston’s agenda clash with the Screenslaver’s goal to use television and computer screens to enslave the minds of helpless people? Not at all. In fact, by using Elastigirl to build up good will and a sizable audience, Winston could simply draw in more people at once. It’s not too different from the way Syndrome used the heroes and Mr. Incredible to perfect the Omnidroid. We believe the Screenslaver is using the same tactic against Elastigirl.

There is also a chance that Winston is innocent, even if he is behind the Screenslaver’s mask. Catherine Keener is providing the voice of Evelyn Deavor, Winston’s tech genius sister. She could not only be the creator of the Screenslaver’s technology, but also the real power behind the mask. Evelyn could simply enslave her brother and use him as the perfect fall guy. We’ll know for sure when Incredibles 2 hits theaters on June 15.

What do you think about our Incredibles 2 theory? Let us know in the comment section below!

Need More Incredible News?

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Images: Disney/Pixar

We Finally Know When WESTWORLD Will Head to Shogun World

Season two of Westworld is destined for more violence—that much we already knew. And after hinting at it for over a year, we also know (thanks Entertainment Weekly!) that Shogun World is for sure happening with an entire episode done in Japanese. In that interview with creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, they also explained that we’ll get to “glimpse some of the other worlds” run by Delos—since we know Westworld is one of at least six parks they have. And now, we have episode descriptions for the first five episodes of season two, so we’re learning a little more. Namely: we’re finally heading to Shogun World in episode five.

In a press release on Friday from the it’s-not-TV network, the series’ first five episodes don’t give us too much of insight beyond the usual cryptic potential of dread to come. If anyone learned anything from Mad Men, it was definitely that HBO description writers, who are keeping synopses as ominous and vague as possible.

Episode 11 (season 2, episode 1): “Journey into Night”

“The puppet show is over, and we are coming for you and the rest of your kind. Welcome back to Westworld.”

Written by Lisa Joy and Roberto Patino; directed by Richard J. Lewis.

Episode 12 (season 2, episode 2): “Reunion”

“Why don’t we start at the beginning?”

Written by Carly Wray and Jonathan Nolan; directed by Vincenzo Natali.

Episode 13 (season 2, episode 3): “Virtù e Fortuna”

“There is beauty in who we are. Shouldn’t we, too, try to survive?”

Written by Roberto Patino and Ron Fitzgerald; directed by Richard J. Lewis.

 Episode 14 (season 2, episode 4): “The Riddle of the Sphinx”

“Is this now? If you’re looking forward, you’re looking in the wrong direction.”

Written by Gina Atwater and Jonathan Nolan; directed by Lisa Joy.

Episode 15 (season 2, episode 5): “Akane No Mai”

“ショーグン・ワールドへようこそ (Welcome to Shogun World)”

Written by Dan Dietz; directed by Craig Zobel.

Other than confirmation of exactly which episode will be the one in Japanese in Shogun World, the only other big hint seems to be that we may be getting a major origin story flashback in episode two. Of course knowing Westworld that could just be a red herring for one of the 852 (approximately) timelines we see in any given episode. Which is to say: we’re very very very excited to speculate ourselves into an early grave, Nolans.

Now: can we get back to wondering what all the OTHER parks must be like? Because that’s the MOST fun.

Are you excited for season two of Westworld? Let us know in the comments below.

Images: HBO

Alicia Lutes is the Managing Editor, creator/host of Fangirling, and resident Khaleesi of House Nerdist. Find her on Twitter!

Need More Nerdy News?

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And finally, 6 mysteries that need to be solved.

George R.R. Martin’s “Not A Blog” Has Left LiveJournal

Anyone who desperately worries about when George R.R. Martin will, if ever, finish writing the last two books in his A Song of Ice and Fire series knows the number one place to go for updates from the author himself has always been his “Not A Blog” LiveJournal page. And that’s despite the fact it has long been the definitive source to not get any information about the books, but plenty of thoughts about the NFL’s Giants and Jets. But in a shocking move befitting his novels, Martin has killed it by abandoning LiveJournal–ten years after everyone else did.

To mark this sad occasion we wanted to say goodbye to the internet’s most frustrating blog with a eulogy befitting everything it gave us over the years.

Fellow readers, fans, and entertainment writers looking for some of that sweet #content, we are gathered here today to mourn the passing of a LiveJournal account that never gave us what we really wanted, but always kept us coming back for more, like Charlie Brown thinking this time Lucy wouldn’t pull the football away.

But before I continue, I just want to say the Indianapolis Colts are in a great position in this year’s quarterback-heavy draft because they don’t need a QB, so they trade off that number six pick for a ransom and restock their roster with extra picks, or stay and draft the best non-QB, allowing them to still get great value.

Sorry, where was I? Oh, yes. I have no idea when The Winds of Winter will be coming out, and if anyone asks about it in the comment section it will be promptly deleted.

What won’t be deleted is any question about what awesome excursion or swanky party George R.R. Martin will be attending next. Or what other, totally NOT A Song of Ice and Fire project he will be adding to his very busy schedule. And feel free to inquire about any movie festivals he might be organizing in New Mexico.

As for LiveJournal, it’s not actually going anywhere. Don’t worry about it deleting all of those embarrassing high school poems you wrote years ago. And in fact, Martin’s “Not A Blog’ isn’t even really gone, he just moved it to it’s own domain, where we are confident it will continue to be about…hold on, let me just check. Yup, the last thing he wrote was about the NFL.

As those on the Iron Islands say, what is dead may never die, but rises again harder and stronger. And that’s why we still know where to go to NOT find out when the ****ing books will be done.

How will you remember Martin’s LiveJournal page? Tell us in the comments below.

Images: NBC, HBO

More from Westeros!

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Listen to GOD OF WAR’s Soundtrack for Free on Spotify

Kratos is making his comeback in the new God of War sequel for PlayStation 4 next week. Early reviews are in, and we absolutely loved it. Kratos and his son, Atreus, are going to win over fans and chart a new course for the franchise. Another major change for the series is veteran film and television composer Bear McCreary has stepped in to provide the game’s entire score. But you won’t have to wait until the game’s April 20 release date to listen to it. The soundtrack is on Spotify for free right now.



There are 21 tracks in all, including the reinvented main theme. The second track, “Memories of Mother,” is devoted to Kratos’ wife and Atreus’ mother. Within the game, the father and son duo are attempting to honor her last wishes by scattering her ashes at a specific location. This is the hauntingly sad piece of music that will follow them on their emotional journey.

The track titles also provide a glimpse of the dangers ahead, including the “Witch of the Woods,” giants, Valkyries, and at least one dragon. The Norse gods are all too aware of who Kratos is and what he did to the gods of Olympus. Their battles with Kratos and Atreus are also reflected in the soundtrack, but the heart of the story is about the father and son coming to terms with each other. McCreary shared his thoughts about the soundtrack at the PlayStation Blog, which you can read here.

What do you think about God of War‘s soundtrack? Let us know in the comment section below!

Image: Sony

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We Ranked Every FRIDAY THE 13TH Movie

It’s Friday the 13th, which means two things: avoid stuff like black cats, walking under ladders, doppelgangers, and hanging a horseshoe with the ends pointing down; and also it’s the perfect excuse to revisit the fantastic hit horror series focused on the masked menace Jason Voorhees. If you’re getting ready to marathon the movies on this special spooky day, then you’re in luck as we’ve ranked all 12 films (including the 2009 remake) for your delectation. So strap on your hockey mask, head to your local cabin in the woods and get ready to look back at one of the most strange and successful horror franchises of all time.

12. Friday the 13th (2009)

Though this ’00s remake is a serviceable slasher flick with a good level of tension and suspense, the decision to essentially make it a recap of the first four Jason movies combined with its slick oversaturated visuals make it an empty experience for a Friday the 13th fan. Creating a new, slicker and quicker Jason, this is also the only post New Blood movie that doesn’t star Kane Hodder as Jason Voorhees, and his menacing, lumbering form is sorely missed.

11. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

Intended to start a new trilogy with a new villain, the fifth entry was the first to move away from Camp Crystal Lake’s creepy cabin, focusing on an adult survivor of Jason. It begins with a classic slasher movie trope–someone dies in a dangerous prank–and continues to rack up the body count until the final disappointing reveal. The first movie since the original to have a killer other than Jason, though fun, A New Beginning never quite hits the heights of the other films in the franchise.

10. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

One of the biggest critiques of this film is a fair one: Jason only actually makes it to Manhattan at the very end of the movie, but even so, it’s still a ridiculous romp set on a boat. After being resurrected via some dodgy underwater wiring, Jason returns and stows away on boat filled with graduating students. It’s as fun as it sounds, and includes some pretty great kills including DEATH BY GUITAR!!

9. Freddy vs. Jason (2003)

Over a decade in the making, this killer coupling was hinted at in the credits of Jason Goes to Hell and finally came to fruition in the early ’00s. This is a peak 2000s movie with corny CGI and a nu metal soundtrack, but it’s undeniably fun to see the two horror icons team up to take down some local teens who’ve forgotten about Freddy, before taking each other down.

8. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

The first of the franchise’s many “final” films, this entry stars Corey Feldman as the only kid who can truly kill Jason… well, until the next movie. As always, the young victims are heading to Camp Crystal Lake, and after a questionable decision by a local authority figure to take Jason’s body to the morgue, he magically comes back to life ready to kill some badly behaved kids!

7. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

The most supernatural of the series, this was New Line’s first Jason movie, and it’s truly a wild ride. Picking up after the end of Jason Takes Manhattan, this film includes many wonderfully weird moments, including Jason getting blown up by an FBI bomb, Jason’s spirit possessing a lot of people, and one of Jason’s blood relatives finding a magical dagger that only she can wield to kill him.

6. Jason X (2001)

Jason in space! Yup, this high concept sequel really delivers on the wild premise, and it’s one of the most fun franchise entries. Here we join a group of strangely dressed future teens who discover the frozen corpse of Jason floating in space and decide to thaw him even though he’s holding a massive machete! This includes one of my fave deaths, as Jason beats two CGI girls to death in a sleeping bags inside a virtual reality machine!

5. Friday the 13th Part III (1982)

Most notable for the fact that it introduced Jason’s now iconic hockey mask, this sequel also replaced E.T. at the top of the box-office! Sticking pretty close to the formula that made the first two films so popular, we see Jason terrorizing some coeds who’ve made the very bad decision to vacation at Camp Crystal Lake. It does feature some classic deaths, including a good ol’ murder by burning hot poker!

4. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)

In this entry Jason Voorhees magically gets brought back to life by electricity setting up the more supernatural, superpowered killer that we see in the rest of the films. Though Corey Feldman doesn’t return, it’s his character Tommy Jarvis (now played by the beefy Thom Mathews) who goes to Jason’s grave and inadvertently resurrects him, having to stop him all over again. Its fourth wall breaks and meta-humor make Jason Lives an obvious precursor to later slashers like Scream.

3. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

In the wake of supernatural movies like Carrie, Poltergeist and Firestarter this late entry to the franchise sees a young telepath accidentally wake Jason from the watery depths of Camp Crystal Lake… with her mind! This eerie oddity is a total trip, and it subverts your expectations at every turn, as well as having a great “evil doctor” that you’ll love to hate. A total hidden gem in the Friday the 13th series.

2. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

As Drew Barrymore learnt in Scream, Jason isn’t the killer in the original Friday the 13th movie, but he is in this sequel! Yup, after the death of his murderous mother in the original film, Jason returns to wreak havoc on the people he deems responsible for the murder of his mom. A perfect introduction to a horror icon, the opening of this film leaves you in no doubt about whether or not Mrs. Voorhees has returned, and from then on it’s all-out teen killing carnage.

1. Friday the 13th (1980)

The iconic film that started it all! It’s hard to overstate the reach and impact of this classic horror flick. Originally made to cash in on the unexpected success of Halloween, this movie’s low-budget brilliance and visceral gory deaths made it a smash hit. It still has one of the best and least expected killer reveals of all time, and the fantastic final scene is arguably one of the most famous in horror history.

What’s your favorite Friday The 13th film? Are you more of a Freddy fan? Shocked at our rankings? Let us know below!

Images: Warner Bros., New Line, Paramount 

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It’s a Family Affair With THE INCREDIBLES 2 Funko Line

Avengers and Mercs aren’t the only superheroes ruling summer box office in 2018. After 14 years, the Incredibles are returning to the big screen in the aptly named Incredibles 2. Picking up where the last movie ended, Incredibles 2 follows Elastigirl as she works to make superheroes legal again while Mr. Incredible plays the role of stay-at-home dad. If Disney/Pixar is your fandom, then Funko is ready to help you out with their Incredibles 2 line of toys.

The Super Cute Plush line includes Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Edna Mode, and three (yes, three) versions of Jack-Jack. It makes sense. When the toy is called Super CUTE Plush, you should probably make the most of your movie’s cutest character.

If you are not much of a cuddler, and would rather write about how much you love these characters, the Pop! Pens set is perfect. You can choose from the same four characters as the Plushes, but this time there is only one version of Jack-Jack. We assume too much Jack-Jack can cause your brain to melt.

It’s a mother-son affair for the Pop! Keychains. Elasticgirl and Jack-Jack are ready to be part of the adventure when you walk around your entire apartment looking for your keys only to realize they were in your pocket the whole time. If you have any Hot Topic Hot Cash to spend, you can pick up the exclusive chrome version of Jack-Jack.

Much like Pokemon Card packs (or baseball card packs depending on how old you are when reading this), the Mystery Minis sets are blind boxes, so you don’t know which character you are going to get. Mystery Minis are a great opportunity to either have fun trading with your friends or make some of your money back via eBay.

You can check out more of what Funko has to offer in the gallery below.

The Incredibles 2 opens in theaters June 15th.

Images: Funko

Mystery Minis

Target Exclusives

Pop! Vinyls

Chase Variant

Target Exclusive

Funko Shop Exclusive

Target Exclusive

Hot Topic Exclusive

FYE Exclusive

Rock Candy

FYE Exclusive

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We Kinda Want to Eat This Cheeseburger Encased in French Fries?

A burger and fries is as American as the Super Bowl, Doogie Howser, and overpaying for coffee. And so is cooking up massive dishes loaded with thousands of calories that look like they were brought to life in Dr. Frankenstein’s kitchen. That’s why it feels like someone should be playing the Star Spangled Banner as we watch this enormous culinary concoction prepared, because it’s made up of multiple cheeseburgers encased in french fries and deep fried.

The YouTube channel HealthyJunkFood visited Comfort Kitchen in Saratoga Springs, New York with a dream–to try and turn a regular meal into something that could simultaneously repulse while also being totally intoxicating. But they didn’t just limit themselves to trying to create a burger and fries….pie?….cake?….free standing casserole? (shrug), they also built a humongous tater tot and loaded the inside with patties and cheese. But this isn’t just about the end result, this is about the journey, because it turns out making absurd frankenfoods isn’t as easy as throwing them into a deep fryer, they take actual planning and lots of trial and error.



If YouTube were around in the ’90s McDonald’s absolutely would have stolen this idea and added a massive “cheeseburger-inside-a-french-fry-bomb”  to their menu. And it would have sold like crazy. However consumers are a little more sophisticated in 2018 and we don’t value these gargantuan, fatty, diet-busting monstrosities any more.

And I’m still going to need to eat one right now. Not only because it strangely looks freaking awesome (well, not the tater tot one), it’s my civic duty. Because if there’s one thing more American than having a cheeseburger and some french fries, it’s having way too many of them deep friend and served all at once.

Would you eat this? Tell us why by serving up your answer in the comments section below.

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Featured Image: HealthyJunkFood

The JV Club #282: Rachael O’Brien

Attention Dillards shoppers: Episode 282 with Rachael O’Brien (Be Here For A While podcast) brings lots of embarrassing tidbits about both Rachael and JV’s earlier years, though Rachael arguably walks away with more dignity overall! This episode could aptly be enjoyed on a long walk through Los Angeles, if you’re in the neighborhood.

Follow @janetvarney and @jvclubpodcast on Twitter!

Subscribe to The JV Club on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

BATMAN #45 Promises an Epic Team-Up (Exclusive Preview)

Though it only began two years ago, Tom King’s splendid Batman run is closing in on 50 issues. Batman #45 starts a brand new arc which introduces not only a new artist in superstar creator Tony Daniel–colored brilliantly by Tomeu Morey–but also a fan favorite character in Booster Gold. This issue looks like a wild ride, and our exclusive lettered preview pages give you a taste of what you’re in for as Booster returns to enlist the help of Selina and Bruce in a time-travelling caper to kidnap a younger version of himself.

Daniel is a DC Comics stalwart and was recently a part of the publisher’s flagship New Age of Heroes line with his creation Damage; it’s no surprise he’s really excelling with these exciting new pages. He drew the seminal Batman R.I.P. arc alongside writer Grant Morrison, and later became both writer and artist for many issues of Batman and Detective Comics, so fans will surely be excited to see him return to the world of Gotham.

King’s run has been lauded for it’s fun, fresh and adventurous look at Gotham, and this new storyline looks to turn that up to 11 with some good old fashioned time-travelling, world bending, team-up action! Especially as these pages reveal we’ll also be seeing another famous DC hero in Green Lantern as well as the least famous Robin, Tim Drake. Whaaat? We’re stoked to see the crew unite in comic shops on Wednesday, April 18.

Scroll below to view all the pages.

Are you excited for this brand new vision of Gotham? Can’t wait to see how this affects Selina and Bruce’s upcoming nuptials? Just happy Booster is back? Let us know below!

Images: DC Comics

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Did GAME OF THRONES Just Film Its Final Battle?

Nobody in Hollywood ever has more projects cooking than Dwayne Johnson, so on today’s Nerdist News Talks Back we wanted to smell—and discuss—everything he has going on these days in the latest edition of our segment known as “Rock Talk.” But we also tried to figure out what Game of Thrones record shoot could mean for the final season, and our reactions to the latest trailer for Ocean’s 8.

Host Jessica Chobot was back in the big chair today, and she was joined by editors Alicia Lutes and Kyle Anderson, as well as producer Jason Nguyen, and they kicked things off with all things The Rock, beginning with the very mixed reactions for his latest film Rampage. What did Kyle who reviewed it like about the popcorn flick? Can it overcome its worse, most negative reviews to still be a hit at the box office? Are we excited about his announcement of a Jumanji sequel? Do we hope he eventually does make a Doc Savage movie with Shane Black? And finally, he actually responded to our poll about whether he is a “dad” or a “daddy,” but what do we think is the better moniker?

We also learned this week Game of Thrones shot one battle for an insane 55 days, so what does resident Nerdist Khaleesi Alicia make of it? Who could be fighting here? Does this actually have us worried the final season could have too much spectacle and not enough story and characterization? And is there anyway way the show can have an ending that satisfies everyone?

Finally we got another stylish trailer for Ocean’s 8. What do we make of it? How excited are we for the film? Which character is sporting the best coat? Is it weird to see Rihanna’s character going to the MET Gala where the real Rihanna has shined? And of all the celebrity cameos we expect to see there, could George Clooney—not Danny Ocean—be among them?



Remember Nerdist News Talks Back airs live on our YouTube and Alpha channels Monday through Thursday at 1 p.m. PT, and tomorrow make sure you tune into Nerdist News What the Fridays, our hour long recap of the week’s biggest pop culture stories that airs at 1 p.m. PT exclusively at Alpha. It’s the place where you can always discuss what The Rock is cooking.

What did you think of today’s show? Talk back to us about it in the comments section below.

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Featured Image: HBO