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THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM’s Writers Delve Into Bringing Tolkien to Anime Fans and More

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohrrim has ridden into the world to the sounds of the mighty horns of Rohan. The story, which focuses on Tolkien’s Helm Hammerhand, but also his previously unnamed daughter, now called Héra, brings to life a brand new cinematic The Lord of the Rings journey. Of course, it’s also an anime. Nerdist sat down with the writers of the film, Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou to take a full dive into the creation and story of the The War of the Rohirrim. Among other things, we chatted about bringing Tolkien to anime fans, The Lord of the Rings Easter eggs in the film, making slight deviations from Tolkien’s lore, and building a new kind of hero in Héra.

You can read the full interview below.

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Nerdist: I read in your notes that you felt it was really fun to dive into Tolkien’s writing with a historian’s lens. What was the most interesting fact about Rohan that you learned from your deep dive into the lore for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim?

Phoebe Gittins: Off the top of my head, possibly not the most interesting, but something that we really leaned on and wanted to weave into the storytelling was how the Rohirrim culture verbally pass on their stories and how they use song. And I always picture sitting around a fire, and so they weren’t people who wrote, it was all in song oral traditions. And so we really embraced that. We wanted Éowyn obviously to come and be our narrator in that tradition and open the film with her and end the film with her as bookend as if she is, has inherited this story in that tradition, and is passing it on.

Arty Papageorgiou: And it sort of plays into this idea of Helm Hammerhand being a larger-than-life character and the mythology behind him and sharing that rich history and learning from your ancestors.

Warner Bros.

What was your favorite original edition to the world of Rohan in The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim?

Gittins: I have a soft spot for Old Pennicruik, the character, because I think what she brings is a blend of anime and The Lord of the Rings. She sits really nicely in this unique space that’s been created, and I just love her because she is an old gossip, and she was really, really fun to write.

Papageorgiou: Sort of an oral, traditional, maybe steeped with a little bit less mythology and reverence.

Gittins: And she brought some liberty in very dark, grim times was important.

RELATED ARTICLE

Christopher Lee’s Return as Saruman in THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM Uses a Line Originally Said to Galadriel, Reveals Philippa Boyens

I found the writing of the movie to be dense in a really lovely way and very literary, very Tolkien esque. Were you consciously trying to blend your styles with Tolkien’s, or did writing in his world just create that kind of prose for you?

Papageorgiou: I think just being such fans of the films, and then I mean having Tolkien’s rich use of language, masterful use of language, and sort of blending those two things together really informed the voice of this film. I think growing up on those films and running round sort of listing off quotes from them, it’s like you can’t help but have the films in your head as you’re writing them.

Gittins: It is really interesting. Truthfully, I wasn’t too conscious of it as we were doing it because I knew we were in such good hands. I knew anything would be flagged immediately by Philippa [Boyens]. So yeah, I wasn’t sort of letting any of that weigh us down, but we certainly went to that part of the Appendices and we really wanted to incorporate what few lines that were there. We really wanted to do our best to get as much of what was on the page actually in the film.

Warner Bros.

Phoebe, as a young woman, writing a young woman voiced by a young woman, what was really important to you to feature in Héra’s character?

Gittins: Honestly, something that we drew from Éowyn is that we really wanted Héra to be able to be vulnerable and wear her fear openly, have her heart on her sleeve, and not feel like she immediately has it all together or knows how to charge into war. It was very important that she process and be real, be human, have these moments of “I can’t do this.”

A few times in The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, Héra proclaimed sentiments like “I am a bride to no man.” I know these are echoes of Éowyn, “I am no man,” but to me, pronouncements that have this feeling of elemental queerness to them. Was there ever any discussion of that with Héra?

Gittins: Oh, that’s so interesting. Again, not something we were conscious of probably, but I can see it certainly. Yeah.

I really loved that Héra killed Wulf at the end. I feel that, often, women are expected to turn the other cheek or grant some clemency in the end and are not allowed to kill the way men are. Why was this conclusion important for those two characters?

Gittins: It was important, and it is a departure from the text, a very purposeful one. We felt that it had to be Héra very strongly to see that relationship through to its conclusion. And we really liked the idea that it was ultimately the shield for a few symbolic reasons. We sort of wanted to set that up with Olwyn, the broken shield, the jagged edge. That’s the thing that Héra ultimately uses to take Wulf down. That was all very intentional.

Warner Bros.

I also loved the dynamic between Héra and Olwyn; they became kind of the past, and the present of Shieldmaidens and Éowyn was the future. How did you build that character and that trinity of Shieldmaidens?

Gittins: Always we were looking to Éowyn for inspiration, and that’s where the shieldmaidens came from, but being able to look at the type of women that paved the way for Éowyn, so, retrospectively, building back was really fun in The War of the Rohirrim. Who led to her being the character that she is?

Papageorgiou: I mean, sort of in developing that character very early on, we were sort of discussing what type of character Olwyn could be. Philippa Boyens mentioned, “You know who would be good if we were lucky enough to get her? Lorraine Ashbourne. And the moment she said that, all these light bulbs started popping off for all of us. So in writing that character, it wasn’t only just “What’s the purpose in the film?” It was almost thinking about what Lorraine could bring to the role.

Gittins: And there is this amazing sort of tradition in some of the lines that we wanted to get in. Again, it’s a piece of storytelling that gets handed down, even within the context of the film, from Héra to Lief. And it shares, in the darkest hours, in the most desperate times, it was the women who held the line. It was the women who took up arms when all the men are slain. And really bringing that to the forefront of the storytelling was something that initially drew us to the project. Getting a chance to do that for the women was what pulled me in, honestly.

Warner Bros.

Yeah, I thought it was really interesting. There were a lot of different kinds of men and masculinity running around in The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, but they all seemed to get taken out by some hubristic flaw that they possessed, even the good ones, in a sense. That was really interesting, that set up and then Héra just rising to the occasion. I felt it was really lovely.

Papageorgiou: We were sort of interested in a different type of leadership. We wanted Héra to be a different type of protagonist, and I think we sort of wanted to show that she’s not leading her people as a power grab. She’s leading her people to ensure their survival, and what different type of leader would that take? And I think her journey is a unique one compared to all the sort of hotheads around her.

Gittins: Yeah, she’s rising to the challenge, but she’s doing it in her own way—and that’s part of Helm Hammerhands’s journey and what he learns in realizing he needs to allow her to make her own choices.

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Which THE LORD OF THE RINGS Movies Could We Soon See? THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM Producer Teases the Tolkien Stories He’d Like To Tell

Aside from the orcs we see briefly and our glimpse of Saruman, we didn’t see any of Tolkien’s other races in the The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim except for man. Did you ever consider including elves or dwarves or any other denizens of Middle-earth, or was it really important for it to be just a tale of man?

Papageorgiou: I wouldn’t say it was super important to just be a tale of man, but it didn’t really seem quite right. I feel like this story could hold its own without delving into other types of characters or creatures. This was sort of an extended family drama in terms of the extended family of the people of Rohan. It was sort of like a story about people tearing themselves apart, and apart from a few sort of cameos from some well-loved creatures or orcs or whatever else, it didn’t feel like it needed anything extra. There was enough sort of tension and drama and spectacle and awe within those parameters.

Warner Bros.

Speaking of Saruman, did you always know you would include him in that scene of Fréaláf’s coronation at the end of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim? And when did you know you would add in Christopher Lee’s voice?

Gittins: That was, I’m going to say, a Philippa Boyens decision as well. As fans we were like, oh, that’s a good one. That made perfect sense within the storytelling, the lore, and in that moment in time.

So that was a really good one. And what was so, so cool for us, with the blessings of his family, was to be able to, and again, this was Philippa Boyens, this was not us, was to be able find a line. She’s like a Rolodex. We could never have done that. But she sort of constructed a baseline of what it could be. And then incredible people went off and went through the behind-the-scenes stuff. They just went through the archive and painstakingly put this thing together.

Papageorgiou: It’s a special moment.

Gittins: It’s his voice. And that was really special. Amazing.

Papageorgiou: There’s two special moments in The War of the Rohirrim. There’s that, and also the dedication to Bernard [Hill] at the end of the film.

Warner Bros.

Of course, there will be no small excitement to hear the name of Gandalf spoken in The War of the Rohirrim. How did you decide on that reference, and do you think Héra actually gets to go meet him after she rides off?

Gittins: This is funny—I feel like we’re just constantly saying it was Philippa, but we did inherit a lot. That’s another one that we thought made perfect sense. She’s so good with those Easter eggs and she knows what’s appropriate to bring in.

Papageorgiou: The lore master.

Gittins: The lore master. We lent on her for all of those kind of things. But that was very much as you say about setting up a possibility for this character who can now embrace her freedom and go on these adventures and where is she going to go? Who is she going to see?

Did you imagine any story in Tolkien’s world where maybe there’s a secret Héra running around?

Gittins: I would love to see it.

Warner Bros.

I really loved that epic fight between the Mumakil and the Watcher in the Water in The War of the Rohirrim. Did you always plan to have a creature fight? And how did you settle on that sort of matchup?

Gittins: That was driven by Kamiyama, and that’s really bringing the anime in, I think. So that was cool for us to lean on him and really kind of get a sense of his vision for all of that. And that was, I think, driven by, “This is one for the anime fans, as well, but how do you make it Tolkien?” There were a lot of things surrounding that. And also, for us, we were focused on Héra. That’s what we thought we could bring to the segment, and absolutely, how would Héra deal with the situation? And how can she use her brain?

Papageorgiou: But also her love of nature.

Gittins: Yes, we wanted her to bring something to the table and to lean on her characteristics. We wanted to give her this love for the natural world, so what would she know? What’s in her skillset? How would she react?

Papageorgiou: But also her love of storytelling and sort of knowing, having that knowledge passed down to her research, that there was Watcher in the Water around there. So yeah, we sort of tried to embed the fight into the storytelling as well as, on top of just being a really cool moment.

Warner Bros.

And so now that you’ve immersed yourselves in Tolkien so thoroughly, do you have a kind of white whale of The Lord of the Rings stories? Is there a story that you’d love to tell if you could tell anything from the lore?

Gittins: Many. So many, but I don’t think we should give any of them away.

Papageorgiou: We’ll see what’s bubbling.

Gittins: But there really are, there are so many. It’s endless. The world-building, the mythology that comes with this is never-ending, honestly.

Ultimately, what do you hope viewers take away from The War of the Rohirrim?

Papageorgiou: At least for me, it’s just that excitement that I had when I first saw these films in the cinema. I mean, if we can sort of impart that sense of joy and wonder in anyone who gets to see the film, that’s a job well

Gittins: Yeah, and I sort of like the idea that it will bring anime fans into The Lord of the Rings… because I have a younger brother, he’s 15 years old, he’s super into anime, all his friends are, and what Arty’s talking about, I hope that it can bring that for these younger generations as well and steer them towards Tolkien.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is now playing in theaters.

The post THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM’s Writers Delve Into Bringing Tolkien to Anime Fans and More appeared first on Nerdist.

Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Confirms BLACK PANTHER 3

The MCU is definitely going back to Wakanda. And we don’t just mean via animation. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige himself has officially confirmed Black Panther 3 is coming to theaters. And one of the most important figures behind-the-scenes is sticking around to work on the franchise’s next installment.

Marvel Studios

A new report at Deadline provided unexpected but welcome news about the Black Panther series future in theateters. Longtime executive Nate Moore is departing Marvel Studios in 2025. He’s making the move to produce films outside of Marvel Studios. In a comment praising Moore’s time at the company, Kevin Feige revealed they’ll be working together on at least one more new MCU film. “Although we’ll miss him a great deal,” Feige said, “We look forward to watching what he does next while also having the good fortune of working with him in a new way on our next Black Panther movie.”

That’s good news for Black Panther fans. Moore played a big role in developing and producing the original movie. He was also involved with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which in some ways was an even harder film to make. The sequel saw Letitia Wright’s Shuri take over the mantle of her country’s protector after the passing of Chadwick Boseman. But while the MCU has a new Black Panther, Boseman’s death will always be felt in the franchise. Having an experienced member of the development and producing team who was with the series from the start is a huge boon for Black Panther 3.

Paramount Pictures

Moore might also want to stick around for one more movie for another great reason. None other than Denzel Washington could star in the film. The Academy Award winning legend previously said director Ryan Coogler is writing a role specifically for him in Black panther 3. That was our best sign yet the franchise would get a third installment. But maybe it was also the moment we should have known it was a guarantee.

If you have a chance to bring Denzel Washington to Wakanda, you definitely take it.

The post Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige Confirms BLACK PANTHER 3 appeared first on Nerdist.

Kenji Kamiyama Dives Into the Beautiful Death Scene in THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim has now galloped into theaters. We at Nerdist loved this new The Lord of the Rings anime movie and its beautiful, skillfully-told tale. In celebration of the film’s release, Nerdist was able to sit down with director Kenji Kamiyama to ask a couple of questions about creating the movie. Kamiyama filled us in on what’s at the core of the tale, and the beautiful death scene that he feels really encapsulates his work on the movie. Take a look at what he had to say below.

Warner Bros.

Nerdist: What is truly at the heart of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim?

Kenji Kamiyama: So this film basically adapts the story of Helm Hammerhand, the famous king of Rohan and the legendary character that everybody loves, and you get a glimpse of him as a statue in The Two Towers. And so, basically, this film is about his tragic story and how there might be a redemption because of the character that I have created with Philippa Boyens named Héra. And it’s the hero’s journey of that character and the events of Tolkien’s original text that are basically seen through the eyes of the character Héra.

Warner Bros.

And what was your sort of favorite scene to bring to life in The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim? The one moment that you feel is the pinnacle of the movie.

Kamiyama: So there’s a scene, I mean, this might be a little spoilery, so that the readers who read might want to skip this one if they haven’t watched The War of the Rohirrim yet, but there’s a character of Helm, obviously Helm Hammerhand from The Lord of the Rings, and then there’s the original character Héra.

Well, I mean, basically, we gave a name to a nameless daughter that was in the text, and Helm dies, as is in the text. So there’s a scene where they’re forced to say goodbye to each other. And that death scene was a very moving scene in The War of the Rohirrim, and it’s something original that we had to imagine for the movie. But that sequence, that whole scene, is something that really moved me as a storyteller as well. But at the same time, it’s a very significant scene of Héra’s turn as a character. And so that’s something that I would love for the audience to see.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is in theaters now.

The post Kenji Kamiyama Dives Into the Beautiful Death Scene in THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM appeared first on Nerdist.

Give the Gift of Luffy’s Straw Hat to the ONE PIECE Dreamer in Your Life

One Piece is a beautiful series. It’s full of epic adventures, exciting encounters on the high seas, and glorious friendships. More than anything else, though, One Piece believes in the glorious power of dreams. One Piece elevates dreams to something more than fond fantasies that might fill your head and makes them true and powerful callings that make you the person you really want to be. And, undoubtedly, the signature symbol of One Piece‘s gorgeous belief in dreams is Luffy’s straw hat. They don’t call them the Straw Hat Pirates for nothing! Luffy’s hat now exists in many incarnations; it lives in manga, anime, and even the live-action. But getting it right in the real world can be something of a challenge. Real-life versions of Luffy’s hat can be too yellow, or too gaudy, or too cartoonish for true wear as you go about fulfilling your own dreams. But thankfully, Crunchyroll’s store is here to say, no more bad hats! Thanks to Crunchyroll, you can now buy the dreamer in your life the best gift ever: a perfect replica of Luffy’s straw hat from One Piece.

Nerdist

I’ve personally thought about buying Luffy’s One Piece hat many times before. I craved to add it to my collection of fannish accessories. But every hat I saw just was not right. But I’m pleased to say that Crunchyroll’s rendition of this piece of pirate booty is exactly right. The Crunchyroll store’s version of Luffy’s hat is actually made of real straw, for one. You might think this is a funny thing to say. But if you’ve tried to buy Luffy’s straw hat before, you’ll know it’s actually a rarity. And the straw of it makes all the difference. The use of real material helps the hat feel like a hat that’s ready to see you off on some true-heart adventures… and not like a badly made piece of costume jewelry.

Additionally, Luffy’s hat is a hat! Yes! It does those great hat things. It will protect you from the sun, it will stay on your head, and it will let you tilt its brim down so you can look extra cool. Once again, this makes all the difference in making this One Piece hat feel like Luffy’s very own and not just an overly stylized rendition no one can really wear. While Luffy is an optimist and a dreamer, he’s also a pretty practical fellow in many ways. He wants to be King of the Pirates, and his hat needs to survive the seas, the marines, the Emperors of the sea, and more. This hat can’t be flimsy or blowing away. Crunchyroll’s take on One Piece‘s straw hat is very simply that, and that makes it worthy of being called Luffy’s own.

Nerdist

The hat, of course, carries Luffy’s signature red band and chin strap. It’s a nice color, neither too light, nor too dark. (And not yellow!) It’s also nicely rounded, matching the original versions of the hat pretty well. We’re also obsessed with the product description, which reads, “Cap off your One Piece collection with the iconic Luffy straw hat. More than just headwear, it represents the dreams and freedom of the Straw Hat crew. It’s almost like wearing it makes you part of a grand adventure on the high seas… just without the risk.” We know this hat was made by fans for fans.

Nerdist

Finally, and this is important, Luffy’s straw hat is very reasonably priced at the Crunchyroll store. It costs $19.99. That’s a great price for a hat that actually makes us feel like our dreams are coming true. Other takes on Luffy’s straw hat are more expensive, and some are cheaper, but much less dreamy.

Crunchyroll Store

And so, if you’re looking for a great gift for your favorite adventurer/the huge One Piece fan in your life, let us recommend Crunchyroll’s take on Luffy’s straw hat. I’ve just put it on and, ahoy! It’s time for adventure.

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7 Hidden TV Gems From 2024 (AKA Shows You Should Check Out ASAP)

At Nerdist, we already shared some “Best of 2024 Lists,” and those have included the “Best of TV,” the “Best of Movies,” and the “Best of Characters” from the year. But now, we’re super excited to share one of the most important 2024 lists of all—a list that features some incredible hidden gems of TV from this year that you need to be watching as soon as possible. These shows definitely raised a buzz, but in a year that was jam-packed with releases, you may not yet have gotten the chance to give them a watch just yet. But we’re here to tell you that you’re missing out. From incredible animated offerings to multi-lingual series and shows not in English to important portrayals of diverse communities, you do not want to miss out on these hidden TV gems of 2024.

English Teacher (FX/Hulu)FX

Actor/writer/comedian Brian Jordan Alvarez’s new sitcom English Teacher debuted on FX this year, and was a delight from start to finish. The show centers on the titular Millennial gay male English teacher, and his daily highs and lows in an often thankless job. The show mainly follows Alavarez’s character, Evan Marquez, and the rest of his dedicated (but always exasperated) colleagues at the faculty of Morrison-Hensley High School in Austin, Texas. English Teacher wrings comedy out of the palpable frustration of teachers trying to do what’s best for their students with little money and support, all while trying to navigate complicated personal lives. This show gets major props for being an extremely accurate portrayal of LGBTQ life in modern America, while still being highly relatable to everyone. There are only eight episodes total, and you should check them out on Hulu as soon as possible. Trust us, it’s that good. Hands down one of the brightest hidden gem of TV in 2024.

Where to Watch English Teacher: 

All eight episodes of English Teacher season one are currently streaming on Hulu.

You Would Do It Too (Apple TV+)Apple TV+

If you limit yourselves to shows that are only in English, you’ll really be missing out. On Apple TV+, you can watch one of 2024’s best mystery-thrillers of the year, You Would Do It Too. When you first dive into this Spanish production, you might think you know what you’re getting into. But trust us, you absolutely do not. You Would Do It Too is an absolutely absorbing ride, with twists and turns that keep on coming, leaving you at the edge of your seat as you watch. In fact, we had a hard time turning it off when it was time to go to bed and had to watch just one more episode every time. Happily, the episodes are all under 30 minutes each making it just the right size to enjoy at any time.

The synopsis of the series shares, “A bus is hijacked by three robbers—who end up dead before they can get away. Every passenger’s story is the same: A hooded man saved the day. As the case unfolds, the line between hero and criminal begins to blur.” We have chills just reading You Would Do It Too‘s description. And, of course, it will leave you asking… “Would you do it too?” Find out now on Apple TV+ and join us in crossing our fingers for a season two of the show to come our way sooner rather than later.

Where to Watch You Would Do It Too: 

All eight episodes of You Would Do It Too are streaming on Apple TV+.

The Dragon Prince Season 6 (Netflix)Netflix

If you’re not watching The Dragon Prince, then what are you doing? This incredible Netflix TV show released its sixth season in 2024. (Amazingly, it will also release its seventh and final season in 2024.) And The Dragon Prince/The Dragon Prince: Mystery of Aaravos is one you ought to be watching. The Dragon Prince follows in the tradition of other great fantasy series and movies, including Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Vox Machina, and The Lord of the Rings, to name a few, and gives us a found family worth cheering for as they embark on many epic quests that are filled with incredible magical worlds, wild fantastical creatures, the wonder of friendship, real stakes, and much, much more. The Dragon Prince also absolutely nails character development, taking us on massive emotional journeys of both growth and decay with our heroes and villains, each one as intensely resonant as the next.

The series also has some of the most gorgeous animation out there right now. Seriously, it is so beautiful. And the voice acting is unparalleled. If you want to immerse yourself in something wonderful, check out The Dragon Prince.

Where to Watch The Dragon Prince: 

All six seasons of The Dragon Prince are currently streaming on Netflix. The show’s final season (season 7) will release on December 19.

Drops of God (Apple TV+)Apple TV+

Drops of God was just named “Best Drama Series” at the 2024 International Emmy Awards, so you know it’s one good TV show. This manga-based series is actually a multilingual drama that was filmed in French, Japanese, and English. That, on its own, is pretty incredible. Like we said before, limiting yourself to fully English-language programming is a pretty good way to miss out on some true gems of TV. This manga-based series brings tension to the table and really dreamy surreal imagery, which serves to heighten its underlying story. And isn’t it always fun to watch sharp minds face off against one another in a battle of wills? You’ll also learn a ton about wine, that’s bonus!

Where to Watch Drops of God: 

All eight episode of Drops of God season one are currently streaming on Apple TV+. Drops of God has already been renewed for season two.

Shrinking Season 2 (Apple TV+)Apple TV+

Ted Lasso was an overwhelmingly beloved phenomenon that peaked early and kinda burned out. This is why we were a bit wary of Bill Lawrence’s follow-up, Shrinking, co-created with Brett Goldstein and Jason Segel. The series deals with overcoming grief in all its forms and boasts an impressive cast of Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Harrison Ford, and more, and the first season won us over. But we weren’t expecting the second season to take what worked about the first, altogether solidify the character relationships, and foist upon them topics like infidelity, forgiveness, health deterioration, and especially parent-children disharmony. It’s also incredibly funny amid all the serious topics. Season one is good; season two is pushing toward greatness. Don’t miss this 2024 hidden gem of a TV show.

Where to Watch Shrinking: 

Season one and season two of Shrinking are currently available to watch on Apple TV+. Season two is still airing.

Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (Netflix)Netflix

If you’re a fan of the Tomb Raider game or film series and you didn’t check out Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, then you are truly missing out. This animated series, which debuted in October and swiftly got a season two renewal, picks up where the Shadow of the Tomb Raider film left off. Showrunner Tasha Huo is a big fan of the games, and it shows. It explores the more vulnerable and reflective side of this famed hero (voiced by none other than Hayley Atwell) as she goes on an epic, globetrotting adventure while parsing through grief. Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is brilliantly paced, reflective, and respectful of other cultures, with gorgeous animation and snappy action to boot. With only 10 episodes so far, it is perfect for Saturday marathon watch and will leave you wanting more.

Where to Watch Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft: 

All 10 episodes of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft are available now to stream on Netflix.

Under the Bridge (Hulu)Hulu

You might remember Lily Gladstone’s much-talked-about turn in Killers of the Flower Moon, but very shortly after she nearly scored a “Best Actress” Oscar for the role, Gladstone actually appeared in another very good Hulu series, Under the Bridge. Co-starring with Riley Keough, Gladstone leads the 2024 TV show with a somber, though sincere, performance and both actresses shine. Under the Bridge is a hard watch; it deals with the story of the real-life murder of Reena Virk, and it doesn’t shy away from the aching tragedy of the tale. Delving deep into grief, the cruelty of children, the difficulties of poverty, and the pain difference can bring, the series is no simple viewing. But it is well worth your time.

Where to Watch Under the Bridge: 

All eight episodes of Under the Bridge are currently available to watch on Hulu.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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Animated Anthology Series SECRET LEVEL Receives a Season 2 Renewal

One of Prime Video’s biggest animated hits just got an early season two renewal. According to Variety, Prime Video has renewed Secret Level for season two after its debut episode posted the biggest viewership ever for an animated series on Prime Video. Viewers watched 155.3 million minutes of Secret Level during its first week. For those who may not know, the series is an adult animated anthology of short stories, taking place in the world of iconic video games. Among these games are notable franchises like Pac-Man, Warhammer, Mega Man, and Dungeons & Dragons. Ten episodes of Secret Level season one have dropped so far, with another seven soon on the way.

Prime Video

A murderer’s row of big-name actors contributed their voices to the first season of Secret Level. Among them are Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves, Temuera Morrison, Ariana Greenblatt, Heaven Hart, Emily Swallow, Gabriel Luna and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. Other notable names that fans might recognize among the cast include Ricky Whittle, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Merle Dandridge, Claudia Doumit, Clive Standen, Laura Bailey, and Michael Beach. We imagine some of those voice actors might return for a second season, although probably in different roles.

We still don’t know which well-known video game franchises will get the Secret Level treatment in season two. The first season’s success likely makes some game companies significantly less nervous about licensing their IP to the show. So when exactly will Secret Level season two come out? Well, we should remind everyone that animation for a series takes an excruciatingly long time to create. So it might be a long wait for season two of Secret Level to hit Amazon Prime. Remember how long we had to wait between the first two seasons of Invincible on the same streaming service? We can possibly expect more of the same here. Our fingers remain crossed for a shorter wait.

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The Ruby Slippers From THE WIZARD OF OZ Sold for a Whopping $28 Million at Auction

With Wicked-mania sweeping the globe, everyone in an Oz state of mind. Apparently, some folks are so much in an Oz state of mind they are willing to put down $28 million dollars for a pair of Judy Garland’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. According to The Hollywood Reporter, that’s exactly how much someone paid for them this past weekend. This makes them the most expensive piece of movie memorabilia ever. Heritage Auctions handled the sale. This far outpriced the previous most expensive item of movie memorabilia, Marilyn Monroe’s iconic white dress from The Seven Year Itch. That one sold for $5 million.

The buyer of this pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in 1939 chooses to remain anonymous, but we’re dying of curiosity to know who this mega-rich person is who is this much of an Oz fan. Considering that this particular pair of ruby slippers was once stolen and remained undiscovered for 13 years, it does make sense that the new owner wouldn’t want anyone to know they had them in their possession. Besides, people who own those shoes also tend to have houses dropped on them from out of nowhere. Maybe it’s best not to let everyone on Earth know you have Dorothy’s sparkly shoes.

MGM/Warner Bros.

Three other pairs of Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz are still in existence. One is on display in the Smithsonian. A consortium of buyers including Steven Spielberg and Leonardo Dicaprio purchased another pair back in 2012. An anonymous collector owns the last pair. Dorothy’s ruby slippers weren’t the only Wizard of Oz piece of memorabilia sold at this auction. A pointy witch hat worn by Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West also sold for $2.93 million. Who knows, maybe in 85 years, Cynthia Erivo’s witch hat from Wicked will go for that much at auction? Actually, we think someone would spend that much for it now. Wicked fans are that level of dedicated.

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Nerdist’s Best TV and Movie Moments of 2024

This year’s slate of TV shows and films kept us beyond entertained in many ways. Some of them brought tears to our eyes as we said goodbye to beloved characters. Others made us squee with joy or literally lol at our favorite characters. While there are a plethora of memorable TV and film moments that stick out in our minds at any given time, these ones are truly the cream of the crop, in our opinion.

Here are Nerdist‘s Best TV and movie moments of 2024:

The Rings of Power – Adar Gives Galadriel Her Ring and Returns to Uruk FormPrime Video

It’s no secret that I love The Rings of Power’s Adar and think he is well and truly a hero of the series. But that became a clearer picture, I think, to everyone when Adar chose of his own volition to give up a Ring of Power and return it to its rightful owner Galadriel. This scene in The Rings of Power season two’s final episode is critical for several reasons. First, it makes Adar an elven ring bearer, cementing his place in Tolkien lore and history in a powerful way. Second, it makes him one of the few, maybe only people to have put on a Ring of Power and willingly taken it off again. The draw of the rings is enormous and they are often are to let go off without great personal fortitude.

Seeing Adar’s strength and true goodness of heart enshrined in such a way was incredibly meaningful for the series and the character. Finally, Adar seeing a kind of “healed” version of himself, but forgoing to for the version of himself that he’d earned—scars, stigma, and all—was very beautiful. In a way it showed that Adar needed no healing from the truth of his existence, that he was whole and healed exactly as he was. Galadriel’s awed reaction is apt to the way I think we all felt, watching this one of the best TV moments of 2024 take place. -Selected by Ro Rusak

The Boys – Hughie Bids His Father a Heartbreaking FarewellPrime Video

Like its previous rounds, The Boys fourth season did not lack its share of weird, gross, and plain disturbing moments. While many of them support the show’s tone with a dose of shock value, sometimes this series has a way of tearing your heart to shreds. The events leading up to Hughie’s father’s death hit my heart hard as someone who lost my mom in 2023. Hughie’s ill-fated attempt to use Compound V to save his father’s life goes horrifically awry with his father’s uncontrollable powers killing others in the hospital. Hughie has to reconcile with his decision and accept that he must let his father go. Simon Pegg and Jack Quaid absolutely nail every second of fear, horror, and overwhelming sadness, especially when Hughie gives his father a fatal dose of drug so he can die peacefully. It’s a heartbreaking episode that is, in my opinion, one of the strongest scenes in The Boys and across TV as a whole. -Selected by Tai Gooden

The Substance – The Final Act (That We Won’t Spoil)

The Substance from director Coralie Fargeat is more than a horror movie. It’s a satire, a balls-to-the-wall body horror, and a serious statement on how women are viewed in our culture when they start aging. But for all its virtues, nothing beats its final act, when…well, we won’t spoil it for you here. Let’s just say there’s a crowd of people and a big, bloody, and glorious mess. We believe the end of The Substance will go down in horror history as one of the best scary movie endings ever, along with Brian De Palma’s Carrie. Demi Moore kills it in this scene, and deserves every award she’s nominated for. The ending of The Substance is forever etched into our minds now. -Selected by Eric Diaz

Doctor Who – Fifteen Body Rolls to Kylie Minogue in “Rogue”

Doctor Who’s first season with Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteen Doctor had a ton of great moments. How could it not? He’s absolutely electrifying as the brave and comedic time traveling hero. It was hard to narrow it down to one moment but there’s one scene in “Rogue” that I’ve watched an unhealthy amount of times. The Fifteenth Doctor finds himself on bounty hunter Rogue’s bad side as they enter his ship. He’s preparing to launch him into an incinerator, but Fifteen is feeling rather frisky and starts to poke fun at his super serious counterpart in his rickey spaceship.

He uses the sonic screwdriver to reveal the music that’s playing Rogue’s ship and it is Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.” Fifteen does a perfect body roll as a look of shame comes over Rogue’s face and their back and forth of turning the song on and off is fantastic. It’s a perfect Doctor moment that shows this character’s cheekiness and cleverness all at once. -Selected by Tai Gooden

Agatha All Along – Lilia’s Great Sacrifice Marvel Studios

It’s hard to do time-skipping well in fiction. It’s an inherently difficult storytelling device full of logical and narrative pitfalls. Relying on prophecy is just as challenging, especially in modern pop culture where fan theories often end up being better than what we get. Tantalizing visions and engaging cryptic words can easily disappoint in underwhelming payoffs. But Agatha All Along nailed both devices with one of the best episodes of 2024, the show’s seventh installment “Death’s Hand in Mine.” And that episode delivered one of the single best moments this year when Patti LuPone’s Lilia sacrificed herself for her coven.

The Sicilian Divinations witch spent her whole life hiding from others because she couldn’t protect them. No matter what she saw coming it wasn’t enough to save the people she cared about, so she decided to stop caring about anyone. That was also the only way to stop the episodes that made her experience her life out of order.

We didn’t know exactly what was happening to Lilia before “Death’s Hand in Mine,” but it perfectly pulled together the strings of her own story in a moving moment when a true acting legend helped Lilia finally take back her life in the most heroic way possible. She loved being a witch, and we loved that in her final moment she got everything she always wanted. -Selected by Mikey Walsh

Interview with the Vampire – Daniel Exposes Armand’s Messiness and Lies AMC

Interview with the Vampire season two truly delivered this year and it had MANY best moments. For me, Daniel Molloy, as played by Eric Bogosion and Luke Brandon Field, and Armand, as played by Assad Zaman, featured in a great many of those. It was a tough toss up for me between the scene where Armand tortures Daniel in the past and this one, but in the end, I had to give it Daniel Molloy’s ultimate powerplay. With help from the mysterious Talamasca, Daniel Molloy lets his interview with the vampire crest to a peaceable end… before really going in for the kill. Poor Armand, he thought he’d made it to the end of this trial with all his ducks and lies in a row. But it was not to be.

This ultimate climactic series of revelations brings incredible performances from Bogosion, Zaman, and Jacob Anderson’s Louis de Pointe du Lac as finally, finally the Dubai house of lies comes crumbling down in an explosive conclusion. I am also obsessed with the scene of newly turned vampire Daniel Molloy having the time of his life at the very end of the series. And when Daniel revealed Armand was his maker. Well, I cheered. All in in all, the final stretch of Interview with the Vampire was an epic one. We can’t wait to see what season three has in store. -Selected by Ro Rusak

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SPIDER-MAN: BEYOND THE SPIDER-VERSE Sets Directors, But Still No Release Date for Spidey Movie

When Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse came out in spring 2023, they promised a sequel just one year later. However, that didn’t quite work out. Sony took Beyond the Spider-Verse off the schedule for 2024 before indefinitely delaying it. Rumors then started to surface that Sony had scrapped almost everything so far for the third chapter. Furthermore, the film would not see the light of day until 2027. That’s a full four years since Across the Spider-Verse hit theaters and left a cliffhanger ending. But earlier in the year, two creatives involved debunked this rumor. Of course, there is still no release date in sight for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, although the movie has set directors for its final outing. It seems like there ought to have already been directors, but what do we know?

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse Sets Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson Directors

In important signs of life for the movie, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse has named Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson as its directors. Both Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson have been involved in the Spider-Verse series since its inception. Persichetti was a part of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse‘s directorial team and was also an executive producer on its sequel movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Meanwhile, Thompson was a production designer on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and he helped to craft the much-lauded visuals of the Spider-Verse franchise. He was a member of the directorial team on Across the Spider-Verse.

Sony Animation

Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson share in a statement, “We have had the immense privilege of being part of Miles’ journey from the very beginning, and directing the conclusion to his story is beyond exciting. The creativity and care poured into every minute of this project has been truly inspiring. We have crafted what we feel is a very satisfying ending, and we can’t wait for fans to experience it – we’re bringing everything we’ve got!”

Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Amy Pascal, and Avi Arad will return as producers. Additionally, Lord and Miller wrote the script along with David Callaham. The creative duo share, “Bob and Justin’s fingerprints are woven into the DNA of these films, and their passion for Miles’ journey shines through in every frame of his last adventure. There is nothing more rewarding than collaborating with creative partners with bold vision and brilliant execution like Bob and Justin.  We are thrilled to work with them once again to create a beautiful and satisfying conclusion to this story.

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse Does Not Yet Have a Release Date, But It’s Not Starting From Scratch

Nothing has been scrapped. The reels are coming along nicely.

— Christopher Miller (@chrizmillr) September 10, 2024

Don’t really ever want to weigh in on this sort of stuff BUT would you ever believe there could sometimes be stuff on the internet that might not always be particularly accurate? Hmmmm…

🤔 https://t.co/OfXXZKvled

— Daniel Pemberton (also on BluSky same name) (@DANIELPEMBERTON) September 10, 2024

Regarding the progress of Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, Chris Miller said the following via social media. “Nothing has been scrapped. The reels are coming along nicely.” Meanwhile, composer Daniel Pemberton said “Don’t really ever want to weigh in on this sort of stuff, BUT would you ever believe there could sometimes be stuff on the internet that might not always be particularly accurate? Hmmm.” Both creators are assuring the fans that they are not starting from scratch with the third part of this trilogy.

Sony Animation

Of course, Beyond is still not on any schedule. While it may be true that they’re not starting over as rumors suggest, there are clearly changes going on. When Across the Spider-Verse did significantly larger box office than Into the Spider-Verse, as well as getting similar critical praise, the pressure was on to stick the landing. So we might not be waiting to find out what happened to Miles Morales until 2027. Yet, it might still be 2026. It would be quite a coincidence if the MCU’s Multiverse Saga and Sony Animation’s Spider-Verse saga both ended within months of each other. Regardless, a recent report suggests that Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse will definitely not be arriving in 2025. But that might not be a bad thing, as the report also notes that Sony is “taking a lot of tender loving care with the next Spider-Verse animated movie.”

Hopefully soon, we’ll get concrete information from Sony Animation on when Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse officially hits theaters.

Originally published September 10, 2024.

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Jennifer Love Hewitt Will Return for I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER’s New Sequel

In the ‘90s, Scream led to a swath of teen ensemble horror franchises like Final Destination and I Know What You Did Last Summer. It’s now officially back into the game with last year’s hit movie and another film coming soon. So, it is not surprising that the franchise is inspiring others to dust off their dormant universes and return back for more gore. Deadline reports that an I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel will release on July 18, 2025 and, in an Instagram post, Jennifer Love Hewitt confirmed her return as Julie James. The film is currently in production.

In news that shouldn’t surprise anyone who has watched the first film, Sarah Michelle Gellar will not reprise her role as Helen Shivers in the new I Know What You Did Last Summer film. Gellar spoke to People and gave the very obvious reason why, saying that Helen is dead. And that’s what we indeed saw when the killer took her out in an alley as a parade marched by. Just because this film is a reboot doesn’t mean it will rewrite this universe’s history.

But, her hubby Freddie Prinze, Jr. is officially returning for the I Still Know What You Did Last Summer sequel and reprising his role as Ray Bronson. And Brandy also wants in on this movie.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Brandy basically says “I wanna be down” with the upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer action. We do love us some Karla Wilson, who survived the events of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.

“I need them to give me a call because I survived in that movie!” Brandy affirmed. “I came out in the end, bloodied up, ready to go. I did not die in that film… Jennifer, Freddie, hit me up.”

Camila Mendes of Riverdale fame will no longer be in the I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot. According to Deadline, she’s going to be very busy with her new role as Teela in Masters of the Universe and the production dates between the two projects do not work.

Netflix/CW/Columbia Pictures

We will have to wait and see what this next terrible summer includes. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers and Jonah Hauer-King are all in talks to star in the movie. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is set to direct this sequel.

Columbia Pictures

The I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel will likely follow a format similar to what we saw in Scream (2022). Legacy characters like Julie James (I guess) and Ray Bronson will return to help newer people get through a horrific antagonist is a win for longtime fans and new ones, too. It would be interesting, though, considering that the last time we saw these I Know What You Did Last Summer characters, it seemed that the hooked killer was about to murder them. Of course, this could have simply been Julie’s bad dream.

Thankfully, a canceled fourth film with their confirmed deaths didn’t take place. If both Julie James and Ray Bronson come back for an I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel, it will be interesting to see if they are still together and what their lives are like decades later.

Originally published on February 7, 2023.

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