Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1812

Nathan Fillion Returns to His FIREFLY Roots for AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE

With everything and anything getting a reunion or reboot these days, it’s strange Joss Whedon’s Firefly hasn’t received a call from the dugout. Its popularity never seems to lessen even though Fox only released 14 episodes and a feature film. Though we can’t say if we’ll ever seen Captain Mal Reynolds in the skies again, we will see Nathan Fillion don the character’s outfit again on  ABC’s American Housewife, where he’ll appear as a guest star in two episodes.

Hmm. That’s… familiar. #americanhousewife

A post shared by Nathan Fillion (@nathanfillion) on Mar 14, 2018 at 1:53pm PDT

Reported over at io9, Fillion posted photos on Instagram of him getting ready to suit up once again as the captain of the Serenity, Malcolm Reynolds. While we aren’t sure why he’ll be in his Captain Mal gear, we do know he will be playing himself on American Housewife, so please don’t get any hopes up for what would be the most random crossover of all time (which we most definitely would watch). From the pictures released, we can assume Katie (Katy Mixon) is a huge fan just like the rest of us, and some sort of shenanigans ensue (Possibly tomfoolery. We can’t really tell at this juncture).

Oh, yeah. Things are really starting to fall into place. #americanhousewife

A post shared by Nathan Fillion (@nathanfillion) on Mar 14, 2018 at 2:17pm PDT

Hey look, it’s @NathanFillion with @KatyEMixon & @ImMegDonnelly on the set of @AmericanWifeABC! Stay tuned for more information on Nathan’s upcoming guest starring role (as himself!) in two upcoming episodes of #AmericanHousewife #ABCPublicity pic.twitter.com/PAc6aRusGS

— ABC Publicity (@ABC_Publicity) March 14, 2018

This isn’t the first time Fillion has dressed up in his old gear for an ABC show. He brought it to his own show, Castle where he dressed as a “space cowboy” for a Halloween episode.

Firefly is a favorite among many sci-fi fans, and if this appearance gets us even a little closer to its return, we are all for it.

American Housewife airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. on ABC. Be sure to follow Fillion on Instagram for any more updates!

What do you think? Are you excited for the “return” of Captain Mal? Are you still clamoring for Firefly‘s return? Let me know on Twitter at @donnielederer or just try and take the sky from me in the comments below.

Image: Fox

No power in the ‘verse can stop these stories!

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Nathan Fillion describes a Firefly scene that was never filmed.

BLACK PANTHER’s Angela Bassett Reads Killmonger’s Lines and Nails It

Actress Angela Bassett is, quite simply, a national treasure. How awesome is Ms. Bassett? Well, the folks over at BuzzFeed News recently got the actress to  “audition” for the part of Erik Killmonger in Black Panther, instead of the part she actually played in the film, Queen Ramonda. And as you can see below, she kicks ass–as she always does. She can’t help it.

We asked Angela Bassett to audition as Killmonger and IT’S. SO. GOOD. #WakandaForever pic.twitter.com/3XKWBGsXpR

— AM to DM by BuzzFeed News (@AM2DM) March 15, 2018

As great as Michael B. Jordan was as the villain, I actually wouldn’t mind travelling to the alternate universe where Bassett plays Killmonger. Although first, I’d want to travel to the alternate universe where she was cast to play Storm in the X-Men franchise back in the day, because who wouldn’t want that?

For those of you only now discovering her awesomeness thanks to her role as T’Challa’s mother in Black Panther, then you should all complete some Bassett-focused homework right away and watch her amazing performances in  several seasons of American Horror Story, Strange Days, and her Oscar nominated turn as Tina Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It. Her performance as Tina Turner will change your life.

In all seriousness however, here’s hoping Kevin Feige gives her more to do in future Black Panther or Avengers films, because it would be a crime to waste someone who has so much talent. And if they want to break the rules and also cast her as Storm in the eventual MCU version of the X-Men, I will totally pretend not to notice she’s playing another role in the same franchise. It would be worth it.

What’s your favorite Angela Bassett role? Be sure to sound off in the comments.

Images: Marvel Studios

Make yours Marvel!

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Student Builds His Own Prosthetic Arm…with LEGOs!

The creativity of LEGO builders never ceases to amaze us, but David Aguilar is taking things to another level. David is a teenager living in Andorra who was born with a deformed right arm. However, David didn’t let that get in the way of his passion for LEGO. As a child, David built vehicles and toys with the world famous interconnecting blocks. From there, David went on to create his own LEGO prosthetic limb, and he hasn’t stopped improving upon it.



Great Big Story posted a profile about David and his LEGO arm. According to David, he first attempted to make a LEGO prosthetic when he was only nine years old. Unfortunately, the LEGO bricks available during that time simply weren’t strong enough to withstand the rigors of David’s daily life. Several years later, David used a LEGO helicopter kit to make a brand new arm out of much stronger material. It was such a success that David upgraded his LEGO arm with another model kit earlier this year. This time, he used the parts from a LEGO jet plane.

David’s engineering ability goes far beyond the surface of these builds. He also utilized a battery to act as a bicep muscle and rigged a fishing line within the arm to let him manipulate the limb beyond his body’s capabilities. Outside of his passion for LEGOs, David is also an EDM musician who goes by the name “Hand Solo.” You can check out his YouTube channel here.

What do you think about David Aguilar’s LEGO arms? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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Images: Great Big Story

You Can Now Learn Klingon Online

Have you ever wanted to speak Klingon? The Star Trek franchise’s most famous constructed language has existed for over three decades, and yet there are very few people who are actually fluent in Klingon. That may be about to change, because Duolingo has set up a free online course which offers to teach fans Klingon “in just five minutes a day.”

Via io9, Duolingo’s officially licensed Klingon course has been in the works for over three years. Duolingo’s techniques involve “game-like lessons” which are tailored for each user’s learning style. It’s estimated that thousands of people have already learned basic Klingon in the past few decades, and over 170,000 fans signed up for the Klingon Duolingo course prior to the launch. It’s currently available online and as a part of Duolingo’s Android app.

Although the Klingons date back to the original Star Trek series, the first lines of the language weren’t spoken onscreen until Star Trek: The Motion Picture. James Doohan (the actor who played Scotty) and producer Jon Povill came up with the Klingon lines for Mark Lenard to perform onscreen. For Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Marc Okrand was hired to further develop the Klingon language. Okrand went on to write the official Klingon dictionary in 1985.

The Klingon language and culture were given a much larger spotlight in Star Trek: The Next Generation with the introduction of Worf as a member of the crew. The official artwork for the course acknowledges this by incorporating Worf and another Klingon (possibly Worf’s son, Alexander) as they appear alongside Geordi and Data.

In addition to the online courses, Duolingo will also sponsor Klingon meet up events. The first meeting will take place in Chicago on March 22.

Are you going to take the free online Klingon lessons? Respond using the Klingon language in the comment section below!

More Star Trek? We’ve Got That:

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The history of the mirror universe.

Images: CBS/Duolingo

TOYS ‘R’ US is Closing All Its Stores

Although rumors have been swirling around for weeks, it is now, sadly, official: Toys “R” Us, maybe the most iconic and beloved toy store chain—an American institution since 1957!—is closing all of its stores according to a report on CNN. That is some 800 stores in the United States alone, and about 33,000 jobs that will disappear. Back in September, Toys “R” Us filed for bankruptcy, hoping that might help save the company in the long run. But it was too little, too late. Toys “R” Us apparently had not made full-year profit since 2012 and has lost $2.5 billion since. So the writing was on the wall.



Nevertheless, if you were a kid anywhere from the 1970s to the 199os, chances are you were a Toys “R” Us kid. We all had the catchy jingle memorized. When your family took you to Toys “R” Us, it was almost the equivalent of going to Disneyland. I was a kid in the ’80s heyday of afternoon cartoons as 30 minute commercials for toys, so going to Toys “R” Us was like going to the promised land. He-Man, Cabbage Patch Kids, Transformers, Barbie, GI Joe, My Little Pony—whatever toy line was your poison, they didn’t just have their own section, they had their own massive aisle. It was toy heaven. And chances are, if your parents were taking you there, even if it was to shop for someone else, you weren’t coming out empty handed.



The loss of Toys “R” Us marks the end of an era of a type of American consumerism, and this news probably means more to adults right now than it means to young kids, who have a different relationship to toys than previous generations. For them, toys are something that arrives in a brown Amazon box, or maybe something you get at a Walmart or Target. But for us, Toys “R” Us is where the toys lived, and getting to go there and wander its aisles was a rare treat that we all cherished. So R.I.P., Toys “R” Us, you made generations of kids very happy.

Do you have fond memories of going to Toys “R” Us as a kid? Be sure to share them down below in the comments.

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Images: Toys “R” Us

Chucklefish’s STARDEW VALLEY Meets HARRY POTTER Magic RPG Gets a Name

Imagine combining the ideas of Stardew Valley and Harry Potter. That’s a comparison Chucklefish CEO Finn Brice has made when talking about the developer’s new magic school RPG. Previously known as Project Spellbound, Brice confirmed on Twitter, via , the game’s official name is Witchbrook. It has a 2D aesthetic like Stardew Valley and is built upon the idea that of course we all want to go to magic school.

So, project Spellbound finally has a proper name… pic.twitter.com/4UwUy5rpH0

— Tiy (@Tiyuri) March 14, 2018

Witchbrook won’t have a Hogwarts-like experience though. Brice recently told Red Bull the magic in Witchbrook is practical, “taking inspiration from Terry Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching series, Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom Series, Studio Ghibli animations, and even the cartoon show Steven Universe at times.”

Uhh, yes please.

The narrative of the game follows the player as they complete tasks, advance through school, and build relationships–including some awkward teenage dating. Activities will include potion making, magical farming, and crafting. Don’t get overly excited yet though, because Brice cautions the release “is still quite a way off.”

Just so everyone knows, Witchbrook is still quite a way off, but we wanted to get the real name out there and include you all more.

— Tiy (@Tiyuri) March 14, 2018

But given the rest of his tweet, here’s hoping we see more screens and learn about gameplay details as they continue developing. I don’t know about you, but I’m crossing everything that they release Witchbrook on some consoles, specifically the Switch. Stardew Valley has been quite successful on Nintendo’s latest system, so hopefully those numbers will encourage Chucklefish.

Are you looking forward to playing Witchbrook? On a scale of one to Stardew Valley, how addictive do you think it will be?

Images: Chucklefish

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

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CATWOMAN Getting a Purr-Fect New Collector’s Figure

She’s one of DC Comics‘ leading ladies since 1940, and an icon of feminine power for generations, and she’s about to marry Batman in a few months time. I’m talking about Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman. The jewel thief extraordinaire has had many action figures over the years, and even a Barbie doll or two. But this new collector’s figure may be the finest Catwoman figure yet produced, as Mezco Toyz welcomes Gotham’s most notorious cat burglar, Catwoman, into their One:12 collective line of figures.

The One:12 Collective Catwoman figure flaunts three exquisitely detailed head portraits: a flirty smile, a hissing snarl, and an unmasked Selina Kyle portrait. In addition to Catwoman’s classic form-fitting suit, she comes complete with a whip, waist belt with an opening tool kit, removable backpack, and goggles that fit both masked heads.

Morally ambiguous, stealthy, and agile, Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman, started out as a cat burglar to survive and protect those closest to her. Utilizing a cat mask, this furtive femme fatale is known to steal from Gotham City’s rich and corrupt. Although she often came into conflict with the Batman, she nevertheless ended up stealing the Dark Knight’s heart. But be wary, and do not cross this cat or bad luck is sure to follow.

The One:12 Collective Catwoman figure features: One:12 Collective body with over 30 points of articulation, and three head portraits (smiling head, snarling head, unmasked head). She also comes with hand painted authentic detailing, and stands at approximately 16cm tall. She comes with six interchangeable hands. Her costume is tailored stretch catsuit, which comes with a waist belt with tool kit and mid-calf work boots.

Among Catwoman’s accessories are a pair of goggles, a removable backpack, a waist belt with cat burglar tool kit, and, of course, Selina’s signature whip. Each One:12 Collective Catwoman figure is packaged in a collector friendly box, designed with collectors in mind. There are no twist ties for easy in-and-out of package display.

The One:12 Collective Catwoman is available for pre-order athttp://mezcotoyz.com/one-12-collective-catwoman and will claw her way into stores September – November 2018. You can check out images of Mezco’s latest masterpiece down below in our gallery.

What do you think of this latest deluxe figure? And who do you want to see in the line next? Be sure to let us know down below in the comments.

Images: Mezco Toyz

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DEADPOOL Mystery Minis Can Break the Fourth Wall Without Busting Your Budget

It’s hard out there for a Deadpool collector. Amazing, but hard. There’s just so much stuff that on one level it’s a great time to be a fan, but if you’re a completist (hi, Rob Liefeld!), it can get expensive trying to grab every single exclusive version of a character who at this point is so versatile he can be anything.

Funko‘s Deadpool Mystery Minis serve both the collector and the casual fan. For the casual buyer, it’s a way to get a super-affordable li’l Deadpool—and in keeping with the chaotic nature of the character, you don’t know which one you’ll get. For the collector, it’s an epic journey, as three separate retailers have three exclusives each (though said retailers will NOT include King Deadpool, bellboy Deadpool, and bear-skewering Deadpool, which will be available everywhere else). GameStop, for example, has a Bozo-style clown, a Gandalf-like wizard, and a cheerleader.

Hot Topic gets feudal on your butts with a samurai, a knight, and Robin Hood. (But why did the knight behead Wade’s beloved plush unicorn? Oh well, it’s not the first time he’s horribly abused one.)

Target’s Hula dancer, boxer, and old lady variant answer the all important question of whether you can give Deadpool a black eye that’s visible through his mask. Evidently you can, but it looks pink instead. Hell, maybe he has conjunctivitis. Can he get that? And should we even talk about this eye-logic when half of these show a mouth through his mask that normally doesn’t have a mouth-hole? Like we said upfront, Deadpool can do or be anything.

Deadpool Mystery Minis will hit stores in May. If you’re dedicated enough to try to snag them all, let us know your strategies for doing so in comments below.

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Images: Funko

Key and Peele Reunite For Stop-Motion Animated Feature Film

Earlier this month, Jordan Peele took home the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for Get Out and teased his upcoming horror projects. But Peele isn’t leaving comedy behind altogether, as he’s already signed on to star in Wendell and Wild, a new stop-motion animated feature film which will reunite Peele with his frequent collaborator, Keegan-Michael Key.

According to Deadline, Peele and Key will provide the voices for Wendell and Wild’s title characters, a duo described as “two scheming demon brothers.” Peele co-wrote the script, which will pit the brothers against Sister Helly, a “demon-dusting nun” and her teenage goth acolytes. The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline director Henry Selick came up with the concept for the film, and he also co-wrote the script with Peele and Clay McLeod Chapman.

This project has been in the works for several years, but it is finally going forward with Netflix providing the financing and the distribution. It’s unclear if Netflix will also theatrically release Wendell and Wild, or if it will exclusively premiere on the streaming service.

This will be the first time Peele and Key have teamed up since the film Keanu in 2016. Their association goes back 15 years to their time on Mad TV before they became the breakout stars and creators of Comedy Central’s sketch series, Key and Peele. It’s good to see that the duo will still work together in the near future.

Are you excited to see Key and Peele’s new animated adventure? Let us know in the comment section below!

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Images: Comedy Central

Why Are JESSICA JONES Fans Googling Octopus DNA?

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for Jessica Jones season 2! 

Last week, Netflix dropped the second season of Jessica Jones, and we’re still processing the latest misadventures of our favorite Marvel private investigator. But even Jessica herself couldn’t have foreseen the strange response from fans, many of whom have excessively googled octopus DNA within the past few days. Today’s Nerdist News is reaching out with our tentacles to explain what’s going on!

Join guest host and radioactive spider-bite victim, Hector Navarro, as he walks us through some of the major Jessica Jones revelations that awakened a real interest in science. In episode five, “AKA The Octopus”, viewers were told some amazing things about octopuses, including the statement that they are essentially considered to have “alien DNA” because their DNA is so dissimilar to anything else on the planet. Apparently, fans were very eager to confirm the truth behind octopus biology, and it quickly became a trending search topic.

The @JessicaJones effect. pic.twitter.com/5mkK3W7sEe

— Adam Holisky (@AdamHolisky) March 13, 2018

Within the context of the show, octopus DNA experiments allegedly paved the way for Jessica’s superhuman powers. This led many fans to wonder why Jessica didn’t gain four extra limbs when she was empowered. It’s a fair question, but remember, Spider-Man doesn’t have eight legs either!

Another thing to keep in mind is that octopus DNA is not alien. It’s simply unique, but it made for an amusing rabbit hole for fans of the show. Hopefully they’ve been able to somewhat expand their scientific knowledge in the process.

What do you think about Jessica Jones‘ bizarre octopus connection? Use at least two of your eight limbs to leave a comment below!

Images: Marvel/Netflix

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