Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1829

Fantastic Fan Trailer For VENOM Imagines LIFE as a Prequel

While comic book readers have high hopes this fall’s Venom movie starring Tom Hardy will atone for the character’s lone, disappointing cinematic appearance in Spider-Man 3, they weren’t exactly thrilled about the first teaser for the film. Mostly because it didn’t actually have, you know, Venom in it. But now one fan has given the superhero world the trailer it hoped for, by imagining the sci-fi horror movie Life was the prequel that introduced the Symbiotes to Earth.

We came across this fantastic fan-made video at The Real Stan Lee, and it’s the work of YouTuber Billy Crammer. In addition to Life it also uses footage from films like The Cloverfield Paradox, IT, Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man: Homecoming with Tom Holland (who might actually appear in Venom), as well as Alien: Covenant and the upcoming Jurassic World sequel Fallen Kingdom.

Uh, is Sony’s Venom going to be as good as this trailer? Because we would definitely line up to see this version of the film. And if it’s not, can we just treat Life as an in-canon prequel if it makes us like Venom more? Sort of like we’re creating our own cinematic universe.

As for the first real, underwhelming look at the movie, we understand studio’s tend to start slow with teasers that don’t give much away before building up to their big trailers, but it’s still strange when a fan can put something together that gets us way more excited for the film.

Not that I’m complaining, because I’m glad to have this trailer in my life.

What do you think of this trailer? Crash land in our comments section below and let us know.

Featured Image: Sony

THE WALKING DEAD’s Theme Song Lyrics Are Really Sad

The Walking Dead is like, a really depressing show. How depressing is it? Well, for starters, only four cast members from the first season are still alive on the show, and pretty soon here, it’s going to be three (Spoilers!) Watching this show is like a countdown to when and how your favorite character is going to die horribly, because if they’re not named Rick, Carol, Michonne or Daryl, then I hate to tell you, but there’s a ticking clock on them. The Walking Dead is the show where everyone on it is like a red shirt from Star Trek. And in a demented kind of way, that’s part of the fun.



Now, thanks to the funny folks over at The Warp Zone YouTube channel, via The Laughing Squid, we’ve learned of a lovely little video where they give lyrics to the intense and nerve wracking theme music from the series. They do a great job of reminding you that ever single place Rick Grimes and his group of survivors go, no matter how tranquil and zombie/psycho free said place seems to be at first, it’s guaranteed to eventually all go to hell. Because obviously Rick and company bring horrible juju with them wherever they go.

So when The Walking Dead returns for its mid-season season 8 premiere this weekend, you can now sing along to that theme song instead of fast forwarding through it. And if you enjoyed that video, the Warp Zone guys also have given lyrics to other famous wordless tunes from popular culture, like the cantina music from Star Wars, and even the theme from Stranger Things, and they’re all equally funny and worth checking out too. You’ll need to laugh to keep yourself from crying after this weekend’s Walking Dead episode anyway. Just sayin.’

What did you think of this latest video from the Warp Zone guys? Let us know what you think down below in the comments.

Images: AMC

How Marvel’s Retcon of the Infinity Stones Could Change the MCU

It’s no coincidence that Marvel’s Infinity Gems have become more and more like the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s Infinity Stones during the extended build up to Avengers: Infinity War. In the comic book realm, Marvel’s currently running an Infinity Countdown event miniseries that features an even wider array of Marvel’s heroes and villains who are chasing down the stones. But this week’s issue of Infinity Countdown has redefined how the Infinity Stones work together, and today’s Nerdist News is examining what that could mean for the MCU.

Join guest host and the last known survivor of the Infinity Watch, Amy Vorpahl, as she explains the biggest changes to the Infinity Stones. Essentially, Marvel has added a pseudo-science breakdown of the stones which suggests combinations of certain stones will make them more powerful than others. For example, the Power Stone will increase the strength of the Space Stone, because they’re closer together in the cosmic circuit of the assembled Infinity Gauntlet. The one thing that hasn’t changed is that anyone who has all six stones is basically going to be god.

How will that change affect the MCU? According to Marvel editor, (and the wielder of an awesome mustache) Jordan White, it won’t change anything at all for the movies. That might be the official line, but we think there’s more to it than that. Marvel’s comic book universe has been taking its cues from the movies for almost a decade now, and even the MCU isn’t immune from the influence of its counterpart. The filmmakers have always taken aspects of the comics to fill out the stories of their movies.

We could potentially even see some of this reflected in Infinity War, if Thanos’ powers expand exponentially based upon which stones he acquires. Alternately, some of the stones may prove to be powerful weapons for the heroes themselves as they attempt to save the universe from the Mad Titan.

What do you think about Marvel’s new explanation for the Infinity Stones’ power? Unleash your god-like might on the comment section below!

Images: Marvel

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Glass Potato Chips Are (Kind Of) A Real, Delicious Thing

Have you ever wanted to eat something clear, crunchy, and flash-fried to perfection? Well, now’s your chance, provided you have the time, the ingredients, the supplies, and the desire to whip up a batch of “glass” potato chips.

The chips (or crisps)—which are made primarily of baked potatoes and homemade potato stock, and not actual glass—were prepared and popularized by Barry Lewis (a.k.a. My Virgin Kitchen). After making a how-to video for a lemon meringue pie with clear filling, Lewis was bombarded with requests to attempt an Instructables recipe for clear chips, and he was clearly (get it?) game for it. You can try his step-by-step instructions for yourself.

The good news is you only need six ingredients. The not-so-good news is if you decide you want some glass chips of your own right now, you’ll need to wait a little longer, because it can be a multi-day process. There are ways to minimize that time, but you’re still going to be doing a lot of baking, chilling, whisking, and waiting—at least eight hours of drying the chips out in the oven before flash frying.

Basically, glass potato chips are a daunting, delicious undertaking. At least, I suspect they are. If anyone would like to confirm my suspicion and mail some clear crisps my way, I won’t stop you. (Also, Lewis seems to enjoy puns as much as I do, and he has a couple pugs, so I guess I have to like and subscribe.)

Which foods do you want to see turned transparent? Let us know in the comments!

Images: MyVirginKitchen

Source: Foodbeast

BLACK PANTHER 2 Could Mean Doom for the MCU

In just one week, Black Panther has made more than half a billion dollars at the box office, shattering box office records and giving us one of the MCU’s greatest villains in the process. A sequel is all but guaranteed, but a Black Panther sequel could mean doom for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Specifically Doctor Doom.

Allow Markeia McCarty to explain what could be coming down the pipeline for the MCU in Phase IV and beyond.

With Disney’s looming acquisition of 20th Century Fox, Marvel could soon have a whole host of characters to bring into the MCU: the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and iconic villains like Doctor Doom, to name a few. Conveniently, all of those characters intersect to fight for the fate of Wakanda in a 2010 Marvel Comics storyline called “Doomwar,” which would be absolutely perfect for a Black Panther sequel.

In “Doomwar,” Doctor Doom overthrows the Wakandan government, seizes the country’s Vibranium reserves, and he even manages to win the favor of the Panther God Bast through his sheer dedication to villainy. And that is just the tip of the evil iceberg. Doctor Doom is basically a perfect villain for Black Panther. He’s ruthless, iron-willed, and ferociously intelligent. Plus he’s the king of Latveria. Who better to challenge a king than another king?

However, in order to stop Doctor Doom and his army of magically enhanced Doombots, Black Panther is going to need a little help. If T’Challa wants to save the day, he’s going to need another Black Panther–his sister Shuri–as well X-Men like Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Psylocke; the Fantastic Four; Deadpool; and an elite strike force of the Dora Milaje known as the Midnight Angels.

Can’t you just picture that? With the rest of the world’s superheroes dealing with other threats, who can Black Panther turn to? The newly arrived cavalry, fresh off of their stint studying abroad at 20th Century Fox. Not only would this give the Black Panther sequel an epic sense of scale in order to follow up its tremendous debut, but it would be a seriously savvy way to meaningfully integrate these Fox-owned characters into the MCU. Seeing Deadpool slicing and dicing his way through Doombots with the Dora Milaje’s best and brightest is the stuff of which comic book dreams are made.

But perhaps most importantly, “Doomwar” isn’t a story of brute force or spandex-clad slugfests. It is a story of political intrigue, intellectual one-upsmanship, and hard choices, Case in point—and spoiler alert for those of you who don’t want to know what happens—in order to save the lives of his people, Black Panther must sacrifice their economic livelihood by rendering all of the world’s Vibranium inert. Plus, “Doomwar” even features Black Panther inventing a new branch of science called shadow physics that combines alchemy and quantum physics. When’s the last time Tony Stark invented an entire scientific field?

But what do you think? Do you agree that “Doomwar” would make for a killer Black Panther sequel? What storyline do you think Black Panther 2 should follow? Let us know in the comments below.

Images: Marvel Comics

Sources: Marvel; Wikia; Comic Vine

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Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter (@DanCasey).

Jordan Peele Explains How Hitchcockian His Next Film Will Be

In a couple weeks Jordan Peele might get a permanent name change to “Oscar winning director Jordan Peele” for his smash hit Get Out. But while the biggest accolades for his first behind the camera foray might still be ahead of him, we’re already looking to what he plans to do next, that’s why when we got the chance we had to ask him what he has planned as a followup. And while he wasn’t ready to get into specifics, the type of movie he told us he wants to make might provide even more exciting insight into what comes next.

Peele was a guest on Nerdist podcast Maltin on Movies, where Leonard and Jessie wanted to know if he already has an idea on what he’ll do next, and while he said he “can’t really say anything about it” yet, he did say he is currently working on a script and hinted at the types of movies he loves and wants to make, which was better than if he had told us an actual plot.

“I want more Hitchcockian tales, I want more Brian De Palma, I want more Kubrick, I want more Spielberg,” he said, titillating movie buffs like us everywhere. He added he hopes to continue pushing in the direction of genre. “Specifically I love B-movie premises that are executed—and as elevated a way—as possible. That’s what Jaws is to me. The best movies of all time are that. Alien, things that you could read in a pulp magazine.”

He says he wants to be like Hitchcock, who did B-movie premises “with finesse and as much artistry as possible.” That might mean his next film is another horror movie like Get Out, but considering he is citing Jaws, Alien, Hitchock, Kubrick, De Palma, and Spielberg as his inspirations we don’t need to hear much more.

Honestly it doesn’t matter what he makes next, because after Get Out we’re going to see whatever movie he makes. Especially since, whether it’s next month or not, someday he’s going to be known as “Oscar-winning director Jordan Peele.”

You can listen to the entire Maltin on Movies podcast with Jordan Peele here.

What type of movie do you expect him to make next? Our comments section is much safer than the Sunken Place, so share your best idea with us there.

Need More Jordan Peele? Get Out of Here!

Read up about the brief history of horror at the Oscars.
Listen to Jordan on  Talking with Chris Hardwick !
And finally, read about Jordan’s upcoming nazi-killing TV show!

Images: Universal Pictures

See How THE LAST JEDI Created Its Epic Bombing Run

Lucasfilm could walk away from next month’s 90th Academy Awards with a Visual Effects Oscar for The Last Jedi, which was full of stunning sequences like Holdo’s hyperspace sacrifice and the Battle of Crait. A big reason for its nomination also includes its incredible opening bombing run sequence, when Poe Dameron led the Resistance on a Pyrrhic victory to bring down a Dreadnought. And Lucasfilm has shared a behind-the-scenes VFX reel to show how they brought one of the best space battles in franchise history to life.

Industrial Light & Magic shared a new short video to YouTube that reveals how they used art, CGI, and green screen to create the massive bombing run. It also includes a brief look at when the Resistance’s hanger was blown up just as Poe Dameron was rushing with BB-8 to his ship.

When I saw The Last Jedi for the first time, I thought this scene might have been the best looking space battle in franchise history. When I saw it a second time I was convinced it is. (And no, I wasn’t upset by bombs “falling” in space without gravity, because I assumed there was something that was making them move that way. If I can accept the Force is real—which I honestly do—I think I can accept that they can figure out magnets.)

We hope Lucasfilm shares a lot more of these VFX reels, because this was just the first of many amazing sequences. And whether it wins the Oscar or not, the people who helped make the movie look so good deserve to have their work recognized.

Which scene would you most like to learn more about the making of? Fly into our comments section to let us know.

Get More Star Stuff In Your Noggin’!

J.J. Abrams has finished Star Wars: Episode IX‘s script, and filming begins in July.
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Images: Lucasfilm

Mondo’s New BATMAN: TAS Figure Jumps Right Out of the Cartoon

When it comes to ranking the “best Batman,” Kevin Conroy is always towards the top of any list. Since 1992, he has voiced the Caped Crusader throughout cartoons, movies, and video games. With the help of Mondo, you can now own a 1/6 scale version of the Batman that started it all for Conroy from Batman: The Animated Series.

Now, it may look like the Dark Knight is wearing some new high-tech gloves, it’s actually the attention to detail artists Ramirez Studios, Jason Wires Productions, and Joe Allred put into the figure. That blue is the same shading used for Batman in the cartoon. This figure truly is Batman: The Animated Series come to life.

If you like to display your figures with a little more action to them, Batman’s cape can be switched out with a “wind-swept” version so he can look just as menacing as he did on either weekday afternoons or Saturday mornings. Add this to the 30 points of articulation and you can make Batman look as fear-inducing or as stoically awesome as you like.

If there’s one thing we here at Nerdist can’t get enough of, it’s .gifs. Thanks to this figure, we get to see a .gif in real life. thanks to the interchangeable face and hand of the caped crusader, we can now recreate THIS classic:

via GIPHY

The figure also comes with a H.A.R.D.A.C. head, a grappling hook, goggles and mask, an assortment of batarangs, and a bat-symbol stand. You can check out more pics of this amazing figure below, and can pre-order it from Mondo’s site for $150 here.

So what do you think? Does this version of the Dark Knight earn a place on your shelf? What other figures from the series deserves their own 1/6 scale figure? Let me know on Twitter @donnielederer or sound off in the comments below.

Images: Mondo

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FROZEN: The Broadway Musical’s All-New Song is a Real “Monster”

2018 marks the fifth anniversary of Frozen, still one of the most successful animated films of all time. Thanks to the movie’s instantly memorable songs, it was inevitable that Disney would bring Frozen to Broadway. And it’s happening sooner than you may think! The Mouse House recently dropped a preview for “Monster,” one of the twelve all-new songs that have been added for the staged production. It’s a song that forces Elsa to ask some very uncomfortable questions about herself as she openly wonders if the world would be better off without her.



All of the new tunes were written by Frozen‘s original songwriting team, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez—though the voice of Elsa this go-around is Broadway actress Caissie Levy rather than Idina Menzel. The duo also offered a brief commentary on “Monster,” which is taken from the second act of the musical, when Elsa hears the villagers coming to confront her after she’s thrown Anna out of the castle.



As alluded to in the video, Disney will release a new song from the Frozen Broadway musical every week for three consecutive weeks. It’s not immediately clear which song will be the next one to hit, but EW noted there’s a new duet between Anna and Kristoff called “What Do You Know About Love?,” while Anna and Elsa will both have new solo tunes, with “True Love” and “Dangerous to Dream,” respectively.

Disney will open the Frozen musical later this spring, but an official opening date hasn’t been announced yet.

What do you think about “Monster?” Sing us a song in the comment section below!

More Frozen Content!

Watch Kristen Bell play an r-rated Elsa.
We’ve got new songs from Olaf’s Frozen Adventure , too.
And finally, peep the cast in costume!

Image: Disney

Jim Henson’s LABYRINTH is Coming Back to Theaters (with New Bonus Content)

It’s been over thirty years since director Jim Henson shared his dark fantasy, Labyrinth, with the world—and fans are still as eager as ever to break out in a goblin dance! Case in point: Labyrinth is heading back into theaters later this year for a three-day event, and fans are strongly encouraged to come out in costume.

Via Entertainment Weekly, Fathom Events will host special Labyrinth screenings on April 29, May 1, and May 2 in movie theaters across North America. Labyrinth star Jennifer Connelly has filmed a new introduction for the story, which was one of her first major roles in 1986. Connelly portrayed Sarah, a young girl who thoughtlessly invoked the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie) to take away her baby brother, Toby. To save her brother, Sarah journeys into the Labyrinth itself and faces the strange and bizarre creatures that live there.

Henson’s son, Brian Henson, has also created a new introduction for Labyrinth that will include an excerpt from his father’s fantasy TV series, The Storyteller. Henson’s intro will reportedly focus on the special effects in Labyrinth, as well as “Solider and Death,” an episode of The Storyteller.

Although Labyrinth was considered to be a failure upon release, it has amassed a passionate fan following in the ensuing decades. Jareth has also proved to be one of Bowie’s most memorable film roles, and a favorite among cosplayers. We’re eager to see the costumes that fans will inevitably wear to these screenings. But if that’s not enough Henson for you, Fathom is also bringing The Dark Crystal back to theaters starting this Sunday.

Are you excited to see Labyrinth on the big screen? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: The Jim Henson Company/Sony Pictures

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