Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 180

DAN DA DAN Season Two Is Coming to Crunchyroll in July 2025

After a wildly successful first season, Crunchyroll’s DAN DA DAN is coming back for another round. That’s right, there will be a DAN DA DAN season two dropping in July 2025 for the summer anime season. Check out the below visual to celebrate this awesome news. 

©Yukinobu Tatsu/SHUEISHA, DANDADAN Production Committee

Of course, there are no trailers nor any details about season two at this point. But, here’s a description of the image above and what it captures in terms of what is coming next. 

The newly unveiled Season 2 announcement visual captures a sense of tension and unease, while the ominous presence of Evil Eye, fixated on Jiji standing at the center, commands attention with its unsettling gaze. The deep purple hues that fill the background heighten the anticipation of the intense and merciless battles that await Momo, Okarun, Jiji, and Turbo Granny. Adding to the intrigue, the artwork features portraits of renowned classical composers and a small kaiju, hinting at the bizarre and unpredictable adventures still to come in DAN DA DAN.

For now, you can stream the first season on Crunchyroll and enjoy it again… or for the first time!

The post DAN DA DAN Season Two Is Coming to Crunchyroll in July 2025 appeared first on Nerdist.

Poe Dameron and BB-8 Return to STAR WARS in STAR WARS: HYPERSPACE STORIES (Exclusive Cover Reveals and More)

Do you need more Poe Dameron and BB-8 in your life? We bet you absolutely do. After all, who can resist this dynamic duo that first captured our hearts in Star Wars: The Force Awakens? Can you believe it’s been almost ten years since they first came onto our screens? We can’t either. But what we can believe is that we have not gotten nearly enough Poe Dameron and BB-8 adventures in that time. And that’s where a brand new Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories tale comes in. To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, we’re getting an all-new comic mini-series starring Poe Dameron and BB-8: Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories—Codebreaker. And, like, we said, we couldn’t think of a better team to celebrate with.

At Nerdist, it’s our pleasure to exclusively reveal the main cover, cover variant, and more from the upcoming Poe Dameron comics. Here are all the exciting details of what’s coming our way.

[image error]Dark Horse Comics

Check out the incredible cover for Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories—Codebreaker #1. It makes it clear that the time has come to once again blast off with Poe Dameron and BB-8. There’s no connection like the one between a man and his droid, that’s for sure. And it sounds like we’ll be getting Poe Dameron in all his heartthrob glory in this comic series. As a bonus, this mini-series is written by someone who is a true, true fan of the characters, so we know their stories are in good hands. Aces! Just looking at this first artwork, we know we’re going to be on a high-octane adventure that will bring our excitement into hyperdrive.

Here’s the official synopsis of Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories—Codebreaker:

Poe Dameron is a confident, hotshot ace Resistance pilot. He and his outspoken droid companion, BB-8, have seen plenty of action against the First Order. Now, they are sent on a mission to investigate a piece of First Order tech used to decode Resistance messages, but standing between them and their objective is an infamous TIE fighter pilot. Can Poe out-fly his enemy, or will the mission go down in flames before it begins?

Can he?! Well, if he doesn’t get too caught up in his own excellence. Hopefully, BB-8 can keep him focused. But if anyone can out-fly the enemy, it’s Poe Dameron.

[image error]Dark Horse Comics

Dark Horse and Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories—Codebreaker is written by Star Wars: Bounty Hunters writer Ethan Sacks, and joined by artists Marc Yarza (Werewolf Frankenstein), Jose Marzan Jr. (Y The Last Man), and colorist Nicola Righi (Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories), with letterer Comicraft. This mini-series will feature covers by Diego Galindo (Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons: The Rise of Hellfire), with issue #1 featuring variants by Pye Parr (PETROL HEAD) and Sean Gordon Murphy (Chrononauts). You can take a look at Sean Murphy’s variant cover for the first issue of Codebreaker, above. Once again, we’re getting action in full force.

Meanwhile, writer Sacks shares, “A decade ago, I sat in a Hollywood theater for the world premiere of ‘The Force Awakens’ as a reporter for the New York Daily News. I remember being as captivated by Oscar Isaac’s performance as Poe as I was of that charming, rolling astromech at his side. Little could I possibly have dreamed that I would get a chance to add to their stories as part of the 10-year anniversary celebration.”

Getting to actually create the story of one of your favorite characters is the true dream of any fan. But the second truest dream is getting to see excellent new stories come to life for your favs. So, everyone is getting their wishes granted. We can’t wait to get our hands on this new Poe Dameron comic mini-series.

Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories—Codebreaker #1 releases at local comics retailer on April 9, 2025. You can pre-order it from your local comic shop now for $4.99. Visit Comic Shop Locator for more details and stores near you. There will be four total issues in this space-tacular mini-series, so there’s a lot to look forward to this spring. So strap on your helmets, and let’s all take off with the ace space pilot, Poe Dameron, and, of course, the true star of the show, BB-8.

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CREATURE COMMANDS Episode 4 Gives Us Our First Glimpse of Major DCU Characters

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The fourth episode of Creature Commandos on Max, “Chasing Squirrels,” gave us a look at several iconic heroes in their first DCU appearance. Well, in a way. In the episode, the captured Amazon witch Circe gives Amanda Waller a vision of the future, a vision that displays Princess Ilana as the true threat to the world. In that vision, we see a bloodthirsty Ilana and her army waging war against the world, and taking over America. We see a bloody battlefield, with the corpses of various heroes impaled, and skeletons littered around them. It looks almost like Vlad the Impaler defeated Earth’s superheroes — among them Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Hawkgirl, and Peacemaker.

DC Studios

Superman is the only character not impaled, but crucified. Since Superman: The Movie in 1978, Kal-El has been presented as something of a Christ allegory. This image only cements that further. But technically, this is our first glimpse of Batman. And he looks pretty much like every movie Batman we’ve had for 30 years. His cape obscures his costume, so there are no details as to how his DCU outfit will look. As for Wonder Woman, certain costume details are visible. She has her classic boots, and the stars on her skirt are back (something Gal Gadot’s DCEU Diana didn’t have). Her classic comic book tiara lies in the foreground, with blood spattered on it. Does this mean this will be her DCU Costume? Not necessarily, but it gives us an idea that they’re leaning more into the comics for her look.

DC Comics

Two comic book characters that DC Studios has not announced are in this prophecy sequence, which hints at possible future projects. Among the impaled heroes is Starfire from the Teen Titans. We know a Teen Titans movie is in development for DC Studios, and this seems to confirm Starfire as a member. (Robin, appears among the dead too. But we already know he’ll be a part of Batman: The Brave and the Bold). The other surprise revelation is that Princess Ilana stands with Gorilla Grodd at her side. The hyper-intelligent ape from Gorilla City is a primary Flash villain. We’re not sure when the Flash will appear, but now we know one of his main enemies exists in the DCU. Hey, Clayface will have a movie before Batman does. Maybe Grodd will feature in something before the Flash ever runs across our screens. This new DCU is doing things differently.

Creature Commandos drops weekly on Max.

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A Beren and Lúthien Movie Is Philippa Boyens’ Dream THE LORD OF THE RINGS Film

The world of The Lord of the Rings is growing. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim has galloped to life in anime form to tell the tale of Rohan. And up next, we have The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which will put everyone’s favorite slithering creature back in the spotlight. But most likely, this is only the beginning. Nerdist has the chance to sit down with long-time Percy Jackson collaborator Philippa Boyens, who has been a writer and producer on many The Lord of the Rings movies, to talk about her work. When asked if there was a Tolkien tale that was her Middle-earth White Whale, The Lord of the Rings movie she’d most want to make, Boyens answered that there was. And what is it, you ask? Well, Philippa Boyens would most love to make a The Lord of the Rings movie telling the tale of Beren and Lúthien. And we have to say, we would love that too.

William Morrow

Here’s what The Lord of the Rings‘ Boyens shared about her dream Beren and Lúthien movie:

Yes, yes, yes, there is [a The Lord of the Rings movie she’d most like to make]. It has, my heart always has. I think the story of Beren and Lúthien is just magnificent. It is like the precursor of so much that comes after. But listen, I completely understand and respect the estate, and I think it may end up being other minds who may have to tell that story. And if they do, I’ll be the first in line to see it.

The Lord of the Rings fans would probably be very much in agreement with Boyens when it comes to wanting to see a Beren and Lúthien movie. The story of Beren and Lúthien, as Boyens notes, is one of the most beautiful, the most romantic in The Lord of the Rings universe. And, as noted, it sets up so much that comes later in the world, and so many other relationships call back to it. A Beren and Lúthien movie seems like it would be an obvious choice when it comes to picking new The Lord of the Rings films. But, of course, making movies is a complex process.

New Line Cinema

The story of Beren and Lúthien is one of the three Great Tales of Tolkien’s Legendarium. Tolkien himself considered it to be one of the most important stories of The Lord of the Rings‘ world. While there is deep nuance to the tale, the crux of it is that Beren is a mortal man and Lúthien an immortal elf, and so, of course, their romance is steeped in the specter of tragedy. But beyond the trials of their love, Beren and Lúthien are also part of the story of the Dark Lord Morgoth, who rose before Sauron, and the powerful Silmarils, which he stole from the elves. I think we can already see how a Beren and Lúthien movie would be one worth tuning in for. Love, adventure, danger, what more could you want in a film?

It’s clear Boyens loves the subject matter, so we’d fully support her getting to tell this great tale. But as Boyens herself notes, whoever does make the Beren and Lúthien movie, we’ll be seated to see it.

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Courteney Cox Is Returning as Gale Weathers in SCREAM 7

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

Now, we officially know that Courteney Cox is coming back as Gale Weathers, thanks to Variety. She survived a near-fatal attack from Ghostface in her home, so it will be interesting to see what she is up to now.

Paramount Pictures

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

Title

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

Scream 7’s Plot Paramount Pictures

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

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

Behind-the-Scenes

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

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

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

Scream 7’s Cast 

Right now, we know that Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and Mason Gooding are returning from the previous film. The latter is interesting considering Chad Meeks-Martin’s story is closely tied to the Carpenter sisters, neither of whom will be in Scream 7. We don’t know if he will just make a quick cameo or if his story will tie closely into Sidney’s in some fashion. There’s no word on if Jasmin Savoy Brown will reprise her role as Mindy Meeks-Martin, but it would not be shocking at this point.

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

Paramount Pictures

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

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

Scream 7 Release Date 

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

Originally published on March 13, 2024.

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Philippa Boyens Would Feature Glorfindel or Celebrían in a LORD OF THE RINGS Elf Movie

For years, there’s been much disappointment among The Lord of the Rings fans that Glorfindel was removed from the movie version of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings. His role was famously taken over by Arwen instead. When chatting to Philippa Boyens about what The Lord of the Rings movies she’d love to see in the world, Boyens noted that narratively, this change made sense in the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy of films, but it didn’t mean that she wouldn’t love to tell Glorfindel’s story in a movie. For context, the question posed to Boyens was whether she’d ever consider making a The Lord of the Rings movie about the elves, given that they haven’t fully featured in a movie yet. In addition to Glorfindel, Boyens named Galadriel’s daughter, Celebrían, as The Lord of the Rings elf whose story she’d most like to tell in a movie.

New Line Cinema

Here’s what Boyens shared when it came to her opinion on the best candidates for an elf-centric The Lord of the Rings movie:

Well, I knew why we swapped out Glorfindel for our women and why we needed to do that because he would’ve just appeared and kind of gone nowhere in the storytelling. But he’s an interesting character.

Oh yes, yes. Celebrían, her story. That would be an interesting story because she’s kind of a mystery; exactly what happened there, right?

Right!

For the curious, Glorfindel has quite a fascinating story in Middle-earth. In The Lord of the Rings’ lore Glorfindel is a powerful elf and a fierce warrior. In the First Age, he was the lord of the house of the Golden Flower in Gondolin. And this is an era that many wish to see explored in film. Glorfindel then dies once while fighting a Balrog but is resurrected by Manwë, as his time in Middle-earth is not yet done. Glorfindel even prophecizes that the Witch-King cannot be killed by a man, which, in fact, holds—and thus sets up Éowyn’s epic takedown of the wraith himself. He spans the ages of Middle-earth and would surely make for an exciting The Lord of the Rings movie adventure.

New Line Cinema

Celebrían, meanwhile, is a tragic, romantic figure in The Lord of the Rings universe and would make for a lovely movie indeed. Galadriel’s daughter has an epic romance with Elrond, the Lord of Rivendell, and she is even Arwen’s mother. But, alas, Celebrían is captured and tortured by the enemy and is never the same again in body and spirit after that. Eventually, she retreats west to Valinor, leaving her daughter and husband. We’re crying our eyes out just thinking about a Celebrían movie.

Of course, this isn’t to say that a new The Lord of the Rings movie about Glorfindel or Celebrían will happen, but with The Lord of the Rings cinematic world continuing to expand, it’s not out of the question either. We certainly would be incredibly excited if Boyens got the chance to tell either of these stories.

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Matt Reeves Says THE BATMAN – PART II Script Is Almost Finished, Filming Set for Early 2025

Although it will not belong to the main on-screen DC Universe, we were very happy to hear that The Batman – Part II will continue on in DC’s new world order. Under James Gunn and Peter Safran, The Batman – Part II will belong to DC’s Elseworlds Projects. These projects will take place in TV, movie, or game form but will not factor into the main universe story. Still, they play a critical role in keeping the DC Universe varied and interesting.

But what is the current state of The Batman – Part II? Well, James Gunn just gave a little status update on Threads. When asked, “You said you haven’t gotten a draft of the Batman part 2 yet but Matt Reeves said in an interview 3 months ago he gave big portions of The Batman part 2 script to DC. what’s going on?” Gunn replied, “It seems like you answer your own question! Both those things are true.” To us, that makes it sound like The Batman — Part II is well underway, but does not yet have a fully finalized script.

And, based on what Matt Reeves said in an interview with Variety recently, that The Batman – Part II script is indeed almost done. “Yeah, we’re finishing the script,” he revealed. “We’re going to be shooting next year.” Considering the film comes out in October 2025, it is assumed that filming will take place early in 2025.

Here’s everything we know about The Batman – Part II.

Warner Bros.Title

For now, the sequel to The Batman carries the descriptive title of The Batman – Part II.

The Batman – Part II‘s Plot

We don’t know much yet about The Batman – Part II‘s plot. But we do know that a cinematic universe is building for The Batman. Next up, we’ll see a Penguin series on HBO Max, and that will tie directly into the coming sequel.

Warner Bros.

One thing is clear about The Batman – Part II; its focus will stay on Batman, a.k.a Bruce Wayne. Reeves shares:

To me, the thing that I really feel is that I also believe that Rob [Pattinson] is so special in the role. My goal has always been to do these point-of-view stories that allow the character to always be the emotional center of the story. Because a lot of times what happens is, after you do the first one, then suddenly other Rogues Gallery characters come in, and they kind of take over, and then Batman takes a backseat sort of character-wise, or emotionally.

The Batman – Part II‘s CastWarner Bros.

For now, we know Robert Pattinson will return as our Bruce Wayne/Batman. It just wouldn’t be a The Batman movie without him. In addition, an article in GQ notes that Matt Reeves has confirmed Andy Serkis’ return as Alfred Pennyworth in The Batman – Part II.

A February 21, 2024 interview on Vanity Fair also confirmed Barry Keoghan—who had a brief cameo in the first film as the Joker—will return, presumably in a much bigger role, for The Batman – Part II.

Warner Bros.Behind the Scenes

Matt Reeves is returning to write the sequel to The Batman. But this time, he will find a co-writer in Mattson Tomlin. We assume Reeves will also direct The Batman – Part II.

The Batman – Part II Release Date

The Batman – Part II will release on October 2, 2026.

Originally published on February 8, 2023.

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Philippa Boyens Offers THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM Status Update, Teases Plot of THE LORD OF THE RINGS Movie

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is only the beginning of our cinematic return to The Lord of the Rings‘ cinematic universe, as imagined by Peter Jackson. Up next, we’ll be getting The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, a highly anticipated new entry into The Lord of the Rings‘ world. In celebration of The War of the Rohirrim, Philippa Boyens, a writer on the movie, also chatted to us about the status of The Hunt for Gollum and teased some of the plot points and The Lord of the Rings mysteries it might go into.

New Line Cinema

When asked about The Hunt for Gollum, here’s what Boyens had to say about the upcoming The Lord of the Rings film.

We are actually, as I speak to you, we’re in the midst of writing The Hunt for Gollum. It’s actually been a lot of fun. It’s really interesting. It’s in bits and pieces at the moment, just so you know. It’s spread out literally over my dining table. But it’s interesting how much story is left to be told, which is number one. And two, when you excavate some of those moments, when you go into them, because it’s a few lines that Professor Tolkien provides us with, or a few clues that he provides us with in the text. And when you go into them, it’s like, we know Aragorn/Strider captures Gollum in the Dead Marshes. How does he pick up his scent? How does he find his trail, how does it happen? Do you know? I don’t know at the moment.

We don’t know ourselves, but we promised Boyens we’d have a think. But if you know, it might be a good time to share your ideas with the class. We love the thought of The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum spread all over Boyens’ dining table, though. The process of putting together a new The Lord of the Rings movie sounds like a ton of fun. And we love even more hearing a tease of some of the moments and plot we’ll revisit in the film. Sign us up for more Aragorn, especially in his Strider form. We just didn’t get enough of that in the original The Lord of the Rings‘ trilogy, so it’s fun to imagine we might see a few new scenes of Aragorn in his fully Ranger form in The Hunt for Gollum.

This The Hunt for Gollum tease is also an interesting one because it focuses us in on at least one time period that the new The Lord of the Rings movie will explore. Of course, it makes sense that some of The Hunt for Gollum might take place during the time period after his torture in Mordor and before Aragorn finds him (when Gandalf and Aragorn are, as they say, hunting for him). But that hadn’t been explicitly confirmed. Of course, the movie is in early stages and things could still change, but knowing we’ll explore the time when Aragorn captures Gollum and takes him to Mirkwood (not too much before The Fellowship of the Ring forms) is definitely interesting to note.

New Line Cinema

We also very much enjoy the thought of The Hunt for Gollum filling in new pieces of The Lord of the Rings lore where canon left question marks, that’s the mark of a great adaptation in our opinion.

In previous, Boyens shared of The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, “Gollum’s story is one of the most compelling to us in terms of a character that we couldn’t go as deeply into as we wanted to before, which sounds strange when you say that, given how familiar he is to everybody. Gollum’s life span takes place in such an interesting period of Middle-earth. When the question was first asked, this was the first story we thought of. Because I can tell you, and people might not believe this, but we had zero expectations of going back to this. It wasn’t something we were looking to do, particularly. So when the question was asked, it was, what would draw you back? And it was about working with the people we we’re working with. It was also about the chance to work with Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy at the studio. Alan Horn is now back at the studio. It just felt right.”

We can’t wait to hear more about the new The Lord of the Rings movie as it comes to life.

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DC Comics Reunites Batman Creators Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee for HUSH Sequel

Back in 2002, the writer/artist duo of Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee rocked the world of the Dark Knight with their 12-issue storyline called Hush. It has since become a modern Batman classic. Not only did it introduce a new iconic member of the rogues’ gallery in the titular Hush, but it featured nearly every major Bat villain and ally in one epic mystery. It originally ran in the pages of Batman (vol.1) #608-619, and was one of superstar artist Jim Lee’s first ongoing Batman projects.

DC Comics

Now, over two decades later, the same creative team of Loeb and Lee is reuniting for the long-awaited sequel, Hush 2 (or H2SH). This six-part story begins in the pages of DC Comics’ Batman #158 in March. Loeb and Lee, with collaborators Scott Williams, Alex Sinclair, and Richard Starkings, are keeping story details under tight wraps, but have revealed an inked preview page from Batman #158 to give fans a taste. You can check it out below, along with Lee’s cover for Batman #159, showcasing Jason Todd/Red Hood:

DC ComicsDC Comics

Batman #158, written by Jeph Loeb with art and main cover by Jim Lee, Scott Williams, and Alex Sinclair, will feature variant covers by J. Scott Campbell, Gabriele Dell’otto, Dan Mora, Lee Bermejo, Simone Di Meo, Tony S. Daniel, and Sean Gordon Murphy, in addition to several new variant covers by Lee, Williams and Sinclair. You can check them all out in our gallery below:

Batman #158 H2SH Variant Covers Click To View Gallery DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics

DC will also publish a series of Hush-themed variant covers throughout the month of February by artists Mitch Gerads, Kaare Andrews, Dustin Nguyen, Leirix, Jorge Fornés, Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Tyler Kirkham. These celebrate the original Hush storyline from back in the day. These variants will feature in issues of Batman, Detective Comics, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, Superman, Nightwing, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn. You can preview those right here:

Hush Homage DC Comics Variant Covers Click To View Gallery DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics DC Comics

Batman #158 will be available at retail for $4.99 US (40 pages), and will also feature a foil variant cover by Jim Lee, Scott Williams, and Alex Sinclair, a “Courtside” card stock variant cover by Tony S. Daniel, and a blank sketch variant cover. Card stock variants will retail for $5.99 US, foil variants will retail for $7.99 US, and the connecting card stock gatefold will retail for $7.99 US. DC will also offer a foil wraparound DC Showcase variant by Sean Gordon Murphy (below), available from local comic book shops and online retailers, limited to 2500 copies for $24.99 US.

DC Comics

Batman #158 goes on sale at comic book shops and digital retailers Wednesday, March 26, 2025

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Nerdist’s Best Features and Articles of 2024

In 2024, Nerdist’s mighty collective of editors, staff writers, and freelancers came together once again to deliver exceptional coverage of all things genre entertainment and pop culture related. In every single feature article, we strive to uphold and honor our media values. We’ve built a powerful journalistic foundation based on four principles: impassioned, irreverent, inclusive, and informative. 

Whether we are discussing the winding and complicated history of a comic character or riffing about a delightfully illogical aspect of our fave TV show, Nerdist never shies away from research and facts. Every Nerdist feature is all about trying to give readers some new knowledge to add to their mental Rolodex and share with fellow fans. 

We love a great debate but we do not subscribe to aggravating clickbait nor mean-spirited verbal teardowns. Sometimes our best op-eds are ones that provide critical discourse alongside acknowledging progress because that’s how balanced reporting works. We are a passionate group here at Nerdist but we are also guided by honor. 

A24/Hasbro/Pop Tarts Bowl

When we aren’t in our educational or perspective shifting modes, we find great joy in cultivating good feels for others. We all need it, right? Fandom is meant to be FUN and we know how to whip up something fun for you to read. The weird production backstory of an obscure film? Yeah, we know about it. An ode to a character who isn’t at the top of everyone’s swoon list? Sure, we can do that. 

Nerdist strives to be a champion of geeky and nerdy TV, film, comics, gaming, and more in a way that makes all fans feel welcome. There are no gates to climb over nor parameters any of us have to meet to label ourselves a fan of anything. We simply have to enjoy the thing. And there’s more than enough room in our universe—and every fictional one, too—for everyone to be included and celebrated. Period. 

To cap off yet another successful year, we are sharing some of our best features with you. Enjoy the recap and see you in 2025! 

Jump to: Features // Lists // Reviews // Interviews // Weird News // Explainers // Gaming Love // Horror // Honoring Creatives 

Nerdist’s Shining Features of 2024

From Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to Echo to 1984 (the glorious year, not the George Orwell book), we had plenty of things muse on throughout the year. We went back in time to celebrate some foundational aspects of pop culture that are wonderfully relevant today, wrote odes to our favorite characters who are no longer with us, and so much more.

The Movies of 1984 and Their Enduring Pop Culture Influence

1984 was a major movie year with franchises that still resonate forty years later. Staff writer, super geek, and comic book expert Eric Diaz takes us back down memory lane to revisit everything from Nightmare on Elm Street to Ghostbusters to Purple Rain.

An Ode to Akira Toriyama and the Enduring Global Legacy of Dragon Ball

Unfortunately, every year comes with a slate of significant losses. It is incredibly hard to lose those who shaped us as geeks and nerds and changed our lives. But it is an honor to write an ode to their contributions to pop culture. Freelancer Eric Francisco penned a brilliant feature to honor the life and enduring legacy of Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball.

Celebrating the Toys, Cartoons, and Comics of 1984

Eric Diaz is back once again to travel to 1984 and dive into all the cool toys, comics, and cartoons that Gen X kids couldn’t get enough of.

Marvel Comics/Hasbro/Nickelodeon A Brief(ish) History of Blaxploitation Horror Movies

Black History Month and horror are often an unexpected duo, but the truth is they are often intertwined. Black horror aligns with the history of Black people, documenting social ills, frustrations, fashion trends, joys, and so much more. This is exceptionally true with the wave of Blaxploitation films. Features Editor Tai Gooden details the history of Blaxploitation horror movies, from their themes to the behind-the-scenes woes.

Disney Didn’t Turn Me Into a ‘Disney Adult,’ But It Helped Me Understand Them

This personal essay by Staff Writer Mikey Walsh is a heartfelt expression of his relationship with the happiest place on Earth. During a press trip for Disney’s video game-inspired Level Up! event, Mikey reflected on Disney’s important place in his life and how much it meant to his beloved late sister Kayla.

Echo Is the MCU Story X-Men Fans Have Always Wanted

Echo is one of our favorite TV shows of 2024 for many reasons. It’s worldbuilding, interpersonal relationships, and sheer action are certainly worthy of many rewatches. In this feature by freelancer Jules Greene, he details why Echo is actually the MCU story that X-Men fans wanted.

An Ode to Bleach’s Yoruichi Shihōin

There’s nothing quite like pruning on and on about one of our favorite characters. Honestly, can you really call yourself a bonafide fan of anything without being completely enamored with at least one character, whether they are good or bad? Freelancer DarkSkyLady penned a brilliant ode to one of the most prominent Black characters in anime.

Nerdist Loves a List, Especially One That’s Not About Things to Do

From ranking items to a random rundown of something that we love, lists are truly life. We don’t do them super often at Nerdist but, when we do, our lists are all about celebration, information, and loads of fun.

The Best Doctor Who Historical Episodes: The Classic Era Edition

In no particular order, our Senior Editor Kyle Anderson made a handy dandy list of the best Doctor Who historical episodes from the show’s classic era. There are some great gems here, including the iconic “Horror of Fang Rock” to “The Time Meddler” along with some unexpected choices.

BBC The Best Superhero TV Cartoons Ever, Ranked

The arrival of X-Men got the creative juices flowing among our editorial team. And, as always, Eric Diaz was up to the task of not only naming the best superhero television shows of all-time, but daring to rank them. This list stirred up much healthy debate among our readers, which is what we love to see.

10 Best Seasons of Kamen Rider, Ranked

Sometimes, our lists can get very specific. Once again, Kyle Anderson is on the job and covers the best seasons of Kamen Rider that exist. We are always here to do the typical major properties like Star Wars but, like you, our tastes and knowledge extend far and wid.

Nerdist‘s Remarkable Reviews of 2024

It is not possible for us to review every single thing that falls under our nerdy jurisdiction. But, when we do reviews, we go far beyond surface level observations. We remain firm yet fair in our observations, whether we are examining a film or game.

Disney Lorcana’s Illumineer’s Quest: Deep Trouble Is a Challenging Adventure

When it comes to tabletop gaming, our beloved friend Amy Ratcliffe’s expertise is unmatched. She’s well-known for her reviews of Disney Lorcana‘s many decks, and her thoughts are always respected by our readers.

The Vourdalak Gives Us a Vampire Folk Tale with One Major Selling Point

Reviewing the big movies of 2024 was fun, but it is the smaller offerings that give us room to explore and play. Kyle Anderson’s reviews have been a constant staple on our website for many years and 2024 was no different. While we could easily include all of them here, this review of The Vourdalak captures his unique writing voice and wit as he digs into what made this movie a fantastic watch.

Late Night With the Devil’s Enthralling Found Footage Story Is a Satanic Panic-Laden Stunner

Late Night With the Devil was certainly one of the best films of 2024, in our humble opinions. Tai Gooden had the pleasure of being the first in the Nerdist crew to see it and whip up a review. And boy, did she really love this ’70s soaked scary movie.

Kinds of Kindness Is a Weird, Captivating, and Frustrating Experience

We love a weird yet completely engaging film. And one of the year’s weirdest offerings was Kinds of Kindness. Mikey Walsh’s review echoes general sentiment among our staff, from praising its performances to our shared frustrations that somehow didn’t dampen our overall viewing experience.

Nerdist‘s Engaging Interviews of 2024

We don’t like to brag, but we honestly believe we do some of the best interviews in genre entertainment. Nerdist isn’t afraid to get those weird questions in that spark hilarious answers and then shift pace to talk about the finer points of cinematography, worldbuilding, character arcs, and more.

Jasper Savage/Prime Video The Boys’ Susan Heyward on Sage’s Machiavellian Mindset, Ulterior Motives, and Her Season 5 Hopes

Susan Heyward’s Sister Sage is one of our favorite characters of 2024, so it was a treat for Tai Gooden to get a chance to dig into this character’s mindset. Heyward offered some true gems about her preparation process, like studying chess players, to her ultimate hopes for Sage in The Boys season five.

Ron Howard on Exploring Jim Henson’s Relentless Creativity for Jim Henson Idea Man

Amy Ratcliffe got to interview the legendary Ron Howard about his documentary centered on another legend, Jim Henson. Learning more about his research and film development process was fascination.

Deadpool & Wolverine’s Dafne Keen on Her Favorite Deleted Joke

Mikey Walsh caught up with Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Dafne Keen, who played X-23, to chat about her filmed scenes that didn’t make the cut, funny things on set, and so much more.

Tomi Adeyemi on Ending Her Orïsha Trilogy with Children of Anguish and Anarchy

Our talented and beloved freelancers get to do more than pitch articles and write a feature of their choice. Sometimes, we challenge them to expand themselves as journalists, like we did with Odochi Ibe. This wonderful writer put on an interview cap to speak with iconic author Tomi Adeyemi about the third book in her orïsha trilogy and now they are basically besties.

Moana 2’s Filmmakers Talk Expanding the Magic and Adventure of the First Film

It’s no secret that Moana 2 made a huge splash at the theaters this year. So it was only right that Eric Diaz took a special trip to Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California to participate in a roundtable Q&A and sneak peek screening of the film. These are the adventures that make our jobs even cooler.

Aaron Stanford Talks Pyro Through the Ages, From X2 to Deadpool & Wolverine

Longtime Pyro fanatic Ro Rusak’s dream came true when she got to speak with Aaron Stanford about his character. It was an awesome journey through the character’s history, both onscreen and in live-action.

Nerdist‘s Weird News Recaps and Funny Features of 2024

While our typical “wheelhouse” is for all things genre, action, etc., our readers also love to hear about strange happenings in the world. While these fall a bit outside of the typical “features” bounds, they are a vital part of our coverage cycle. Nerdist and weird go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Criston Cole’s Stupid Haircut Is Another Reason to Hate Him

There is no person on Earth who hates House of the Dragon‘s Ser Criston Cole more than Mikey Walsh. It is, in fact, a huge part of his identity as a nerd. His hatred stems back from the books but it became amplified in House of the Dragon season two when Criston made a baffling decision to cut his hair. We all agreed that 1) his hair was the only good thing about him and 2) that new cut sucks. Mikey was all too happy to put our frustrations into words.

Theo Whiteman/HBO Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey Launching Poohniverse Crossover Movie with Bambi, Pinocchio, and More

Unfortunately for all of us Gen Xers and Millennials who grew up watching Disney movies, we now have to deal with an entire universe of horror movies that will feature our fave characters as murderers. Thanks a lot, public domain. Ro Rusak has had the pleasure (???) of covering this growing “Poohniverse” and we hate it.

The Pop-Tarts Bowl ‘Toasted’ Its Pop-Tart Mascot So the Winning Team Could Eat It

There’s really not much more we can say about this. You have to read it to believe it. Thank you Mikey for being brave enough to cover this truly bizarre news story.

Fireball Whisky Makes New Variety, Infused with Actual Football Fans’ Tears

This Fall, we had the pleasure of bringing on a fabulous intern to learn all the inner workings of Nerdist. Vishu Reddy not only spent time with our video team, but also had a chance to write about some truly weird things, like this new Fireball whisky that had fans’ tears in it.

Nerdist Explains It All

Explainer and prediction posts are our bread and butter. We have comics and TV experts on tap to make sure that readers have all the vital information they need to truly enjoy what they are watching or reading.

Here’s How DC’s Justice League Should Return After a Two Year Comic Absence

Eric Diaz is not only our comics expert. He’s also somewhat of a psychic, often predicting the road that certain franchises will take. What he writes about in this feature literally starting coming true in 2024. Sensational.

Who Is Sutekh, the Villain of Doctor Who Season 1

Classic Who fan Kyle Anderson got to flex his history muscle when an old foe showed up to face the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday. His Sutekh explainer helped a ton of newer fans understand the background between this ancient villain and the Doctor.

Agatha All Along’s Tarot Card Meanings Were Mostly Accurate

Agatha All Along was the sleeper hit that we did not see coming at all. But, our general consensus is that Agatha’s trip down the Witches’ Road with her makeshift coven was fantastic. This season included an entire episode full of tarot interpretations, which Tai Gooden couldn’t resist writing about as a tarot card fan.

Marvel Studios Star Wars: The High Republic Timeline, Explained

The arrival of The Acolyte meant that fans would be exploring a new era in the Star Wars timeline. It was only right that we got freelancer Riley Silverman to do a very in-depth explainer (and video!) to break down this entire timeline for fans.

The X-Men Comics History of Rogue and Magneto’s Relationship, Explained

X-Men ’97 was by far one of the best shows this year. It gave us some heartbreak and also lots of nods to the comics, one of which is a romance between Rogue and Magneto. Eric Diaz dug into the pair’s history with each other to bring more content to the animated series.

The History of Adamantium in the Marvel Universe and Movies, Explained

Our freelance pal and dear friend Joshua Yehl gave us a rundown of everything we need to know about Adamantium in the MCU. This is going to come in handy with future projects like Captain America: Brave New World.

Nerdist Has Gotta Get That Gamin’ Love In

We admit that we aren’t super heavy on the gaming coverage. But when we do cover games, it is super special because we only talk about what truly speaks to us as nerds. From tabletop love to the beloved Power Rangers, we had a few great features about games.

Go On an Adventure with Geek & Sundry’s Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode

Our favorite gaming news/launch of the year was no doubt Geek & Sundry’s Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode. We we thrilled to announce the arrival of this actual play podcast series!

Square Enix’s Two Moons Rising Transforms Life Is Strange Universe Into a TTRPG Series

Speaking of Geek & Sundry, it was lovely to have the two-part TTRPG series from the Life is Strange universe debut on that channel. We love Two Moons Rising and this adventure was one for the books.

The 7 Best Power Rangers Games of All-Time

Who doesn’t love the Power Rangers?! Gaming guy and freelancer Eric Francisco honored those mighty and morphin’ heroes by taking a look at the best games of all-time.

Disney Lorcana: Azurite Sea Trove and Starter Decks Sail with Adventure

Amy Ratcliffe had so much fun exploring the Disney Lorcana: Azurite Sea decks. And we love it any time our reviews and overall thoughts can extend into the gaming realm.

We Roam the Halls of Horror

The Nerdist team (well, most of us) is wild about all things scary. Covering horror, especially for Nerdoween, is one of the highlights of our year. While we cannot choose every single spooky post we have done this year, this is a taste of what we got to explore.

Longlegs Director Oz Perkins Has a Horror Movie History Worth Exploring

Oz Perkins is truly a horror movie maestro with some great films under his belt. Tied to the success of Longlegs, horror film lover Lindsey Romain whipped up a brilliant feature to explore Perkins’ film history.

10 Best Horror Movie Remakes, Ranked

Ranking lists are almost always controversial. But Kyle Anderson simply doesn’t care about that. He took on the great task of naming the best horror movie remakes in existence.

The History of How Television Plays Into Horror Films

The presence of a TV in horror films goes way, way back and, even in our more digital age, still shows up now. Tai Gooden got to check a feature off her ultimate horror bucketlist and dive into the relationship between horror and TV, from social themes to common tropes.

Continental Distributing/MGM UA Entertainment/A24Nerdist Tips Its Hat at Fantastic Creatives

It is always our aim to uplift and put a spotlight on creatives who are making really impactful and cool things in our sphere. We love chatting with writers, podcasters, artists, and more about their ventures.

Nightlight Podcast Crafts Chilling Audio Horror Stories by Black Creatives

Tai Gooden caught up with Tonia Ransom to talk about Nightlight Podcast, which features a litany of stories written and voiced by Black people. From breaking down the entire creator process to talking about her relationship with the genre, it was a grand conversation between the pair.

Check Out These Gorgeous LGBTQ+ Graphic Novels and Keep Pride Month Going Past June

Pride is truly worldwide and year-round, especially here at Nerdist. We celebrate the many, many queer creatives that are making excellent things in the world. Ro Rusak put together this wonderful piece about LGBTQ+ novels that truly spark joy.

The post Nerdist’s Best Features and Articles of 2024 appeared first on Nerdist.