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Should Jon Hamm Become the New Batman?

This week decided to go out with a big bang of pop culture goodness, and on today’s loaded Nerdist News Talks Back we covered all of it, from the first trailer for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, to whether Jon Hamm could replace the Batfleck, the chances Patrick Stewart could play Captain Picard again in Quentin Tarantino’s Star Trek, the first images of Jason Momoa from the standalone Aquaman, and if we want to see Mel Gibson and Danny Glover return for a fifth Lethal Weapon.

Helping host Jessica Chobot close out the week were Nerdist News writer Joan Ford, Director of Development Brendon Schulze, and Mothership writer Amy Vorpahl. They began with that first look at a dinosaur rescue mission on an exploding volcano, after the full trailer for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom dropped last night. What did we think of it? What’s the one word we’d use to describe it? Besides the obvious callbacks like the return of Jeff Goldblum, what other tidbits from past films did we spot? What was so important Andrew Bowser asked us to read a note about it? Do we hope the influence of Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow will be seen in it, or would that be a bad sign? Will Bryce Dallas Howard character and her lack of high heels this time mean she will get a better deal in this movie? And what’s the current best Jurassic Park sequel?

There are also reports Ben Affleck will wrap up his time as Batman after Flashpoint, and Jon Hamm is looking to steal the role of the Caped Crusader. Would we be excited for the Mad Man to take on the Dark Knight, or would we prefer someone else play Batman?

But while the Batfleck might be on his way out, Sir Patrick Stewart said he would be willing to return to the captain’s chair as Jean Luc-Picard for Quentin Tarantino’s R-rated Star Trek movie. Are we on board with this idea? Does it have us more excited for this madness, or is all of this just too weird? And would we prefer Tarantino use established characters or do something totally new?

They then went from space to the sea, as the panel looked at the first image of Jason Momoa as Aquaman in his standalone film. What do we think? Is “my man” really rocking a chain wallet? Is this a sign the movie will be a prequel set in 2005, or do the latest style trends take a lot longer to make their way underwater?

Finally, Lethal Weapon director Richard Donner said Mel Gibson and Danny Glover are up for returning for a fifth movie and they just need the studio to give it the green light to make it happen. Are we excited by this possibility, or are they (nope, we’re making this joke, we don’t care) “too old for this shit?” Do Mel Gibson’s off-screen issues make us want to pass on this idea? And what’s the best buddy cop comedy ever?

Remember Nerdist News Talks Back airs live every weekday at 1:00 p.m. PT on our YouTube and Alpha channels. We always love when you tune in with us so you can be a part of the conversation, especially at the end of a long week when Hollywood decided to drop all of the news for us to breakdown.

But we still want to hear what you thought of today’s many topics, so talk back to us in the comments below to share your reactions and insights into everything.

Images: Universal Pictures, CBS Television, Warner Bros. Studios,

AMC TV

More of the latest nerd news!

How Fallen Kingdom will fix The Lost World!
Alita: Battle Angel ‘s teaser gives us a cyborg like we’ve never seen!
Ben Affleck may retire as Batman after Flashpoint!

WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE is Coming To Television

Ah, Night Vale. A friendly desert community where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful, and mysterious lights pass overhead as we all pretend to sleep. Yes, Welcome to Night Vale is a wonderfully weird podcast that first came into our lives way back in 2012. The tiny desert town has survived a brutal takeover by a neighboring city, the constant barrage of animals dropping from a glowing, all-knowing Glow Cloud/school board president (all hail), the ominous hooded figures skulking about the dog park, and the well-known horrors of Street Cleaning Day, just to name a few. But now the citizens of Night Vale will be embarking on their most daring mission yet: television.

According to Deadline, FX and Sony have made a development deal to bring the podcast right into our living rooms. Better Call Saul executive producer, Gennifer Hutchinson, will adapt the podcast for television, with creators Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor serving as executive producers. Welcome to Night Vale is a unique and almost impossible to describe podcast, so it might be concerning to see the show jump from our speakers to our televisions.

After all, how will the fandom deal with finally having a 100% official, canonical look for Night Vale Community Radio Host, Cecil Gershwin Palmer (not to be confused by the voice actor who plays Cecil, Cecil Baldwin)? Will we still get Night Vale-style weather reports every episode? And most importantly, can anyone EVER recreate the unbridled perfection that is Carlos’ hair?! Fink and Cranor seem to think so, and had only glowing things to say about Hutchinson,  “We’ve never met anyone in the industry who understands our world and approach to storytelling better than Gennifer does.”

After all, this isn’t the first time that Welcome to Night Vale has transcended the podcast medium. The show regularly tours around the globe with their amazing live shows, and they’ve recently released two original novels and two volumes of Welcome to Night Vale scripts (with two more on the way) from Harper Perennial. So while the stakes may be high (especially regarding Carlos’ hair), we have faith that the show will be awesome and the absolute weirdest.

What do you think of Welcome to Night Vale‘s journey to TV? What do you hope to see in the show? Do you hope it’s original stories, or a re-working of previous podcast episodes? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Feature Image: Welcome to Night Vale

More from the world of nerd news!

9 actors who should play Batman if (and when) Ben Affleck steps down!
Merriam Webster defines “Dad Bod” using Stranger Things‘ David Harbour!
Death Stranding‘s bizarre preview raises more questions than answers!

How JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM Will Fix THE LOST WORLD

After a seemingly endless week of teasing, the first trailer for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has arrived…and it looks awfully familiar. The sequel to Jurassic World appears to have more than just a few passing similarities to The Lost World: Jurassic Park, the second film in the franchise. Today’s Nerdist News is exploring the hints that Fallen Kingdom may actually be a second chance to get The Lost World right.

Join host and paleontology-adjacent adventurer, Jessica Chobot, as she looks back at The Lost World and compares clips from the new trailer to several scenes from the original. While there wasn’t an exploding volcano in The Lost World, both films seem to share a plot about a rescue team heading to the island to save the dinosaurs. In fact, there’s even a potential explanation for the volcanic activity in Michael Crichton‘s books. The theme park was supposedly powered by tapping into the volcano flows beneath the island, which may be why it’s so suddenly active in the present.

It’s fitting that Jeff Goldblum‘s Ian Malcolm is back for this film, since he hasn’t been a part of the franchise since The Lost World. It’s also easy to see the parallels between John Hammond’s attempt to recruit Ian for the rescue mission with Owen Grady convincing Claire Dearing to return. It even appears that a rival team is attempting to poach dinosaurs from the island, which was pretty much the whole plot of The Lost World.

We have to wonder whether The Lost World is even still in continuity with this film, since Jurassic World really only seemed to acknowledge the first Jurassic Park. If Fallen Kingdom is simply improving upon that sequel’s ideas then we’re all for it. Especially if it means setting a T-Rex lose in San Diego or any other major U.S. city.

What do you think about the similarities between Fallen Kingdom and The Lost World? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

Images: Universal Pictures

Enjoy more great nerd news!

9 actors who should play Batman if Ben Affleck leaves!
Patrick Stewart says he’d return to Star Trek for Tarantino!
Alita: Battle Angel ‘s trailer shows us a cyborg like we’ve never seen before!

12-inch GHOSTBUSTERS Ecto-1 Is Perfectly Realistic

If there’s $1400…that you wanna spend…What’cha gonna buy? This Ecto-1! (Probably.)

Screen accurate Ecto-1 vehicles for action figures are hard to come by. Mattel tried to crowdfund one for 6-inch figures, and couldn’t make the numbers work, but somehow Blitzway has managed to make one scaled to 12-inch figures, and it is a beauty. Check out the reveal video they put together just to make sure you see all the light-up features first, and the sheer size of the thing second.

Yes, yes, like the rest of you we have at times gotten excited for insane 12-inch-scaled vehicles that ultimately never get made, but that’s not the case here. This Ghostbusters-mobile is already available to preorder. Because of the nature of something this fancy, you’ll need to place a down payment now, and the rest in first quarter 2019. That’s right: you have more than a year to raise the funds. What are you waiting for? The magic word?

No, we’re not going to say please. But we’ll show you some of the detail work.

How about some of the 45 individual LEDs?

Want proof it can seat all four 12-inch Ghostbusters? Here ya go:

If you don’t yet own said ‘busters, by the way, they’re still available as a four-pack for $896 (which includes Slimer and light-up bonus accessories) or individually for $225 at most online collectible toy retailers.

Ecto-1 is over 40 inches long, and while it probably costs as much as the real one Stantz would have bought in 1984 (unadjusted for inflation), it’s also much nicer. We seriously doubt Ray went out of his way to chrome the engine before every sliming mission.

If you earn the bragging rights to own one before we do…it’s okay. We ain’t afraid of no boasts!

Are you buying one, though? Tell us in comments!

Images: Blitzway/Bluefin

9 Actors Who Should Play Batman if Ben Affleck Leaves

Hark, Bat-Fans! Commissioner Gordon (Variety) has lit the Bat-Signal with an article about the state of the DCEU. There’s a lot to break down in the article, but one of the most interesting hidden gems is this quote about Ben Affleck and his future as the Caped Crusader: “While Ben Affleck is expected to appear as Batman in a standalone Flash movie, it is highly unlikely he will don the cape and cowl in Matt Reeves’ planned standalone Batman movie. The director is said to want to cast the role with fresh talent, according to sources.”

This confirms what many fans have been thinking since the appearance of sad Batfleck in the aftermath of BvS, that we may soon have a new Batman to feast our hungry eyes upon. But who could play the Dark Knight in Matt Reeves’ one-off noir tinged detective tale? We’ve consulted our Bat-Computer and collected the best, brightest, and most unexpected choices for you right here!

Ruth Negga

Anyone who’s seen Ruth Negga in AMC’s Preacher will see this casting choice as a given. She’s tough, she can kick ass, and she’s suave. Obviously casting a woman as Batman would be a jump from canon, but Matt Reeves has consistently talked about this being an Elseworlds-style story. Negga as a noir-inspired femme fatale version of Bruce Wayne’s vigilante would immediately make Reeves’ Gotham stand out from the crowd.

Josh Hutcherson

Since his breakout role in The Hunger Games, Josh Hutcherson has continuously proven himself a funny, talented actor and producer whose work on projects like Detention, Final Girls, and Future Man have moved him out of the realms of YA movie star. Hutcherson would fit into Reeves’ wish for “fresh talent” and would also be a classic Batman franchise undercasting, the kind of which has led to iconic franchise performances from Keaton, Ledger, and Bale.

Avan Jogia

Probably most well known for his time in SYFY’s Ghost Wars, Jogia is a stunningly handsome actor with a whole lot of soul. It’s about time he gets his true breakout, and if Matt Reeves is looking for fresh talent then he’d be hard pressed to find better than Avan. He’s shown us he can play a complex character hiding secrets. What more do you need to play Bruce? Well, other than looking smashing in a suit, which Jogia clearly has covered.

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Chiwetel is like an unlikely choice due to his role as Karl Mordo in the MCU, but we’ve seen actors transfer between worlds before and Ejiofor is just too perfect a choice for us to leave out. He could kill in a Philip Marlowe inspired detective heavy noir Batman movie. With gravitas, style, and substance, he’d probably be the first Oscar nominated Bruce Wayne.

Michelle Pfeiffer

This is what we’d call the legacy Batman choice. Imagine the scene: it’s a dark (k)night in Gotham, rain slashing down in sheets, and we see Batman beating some villainous henchies. It’s the ’20s so they’re probably gangsters, and Gordon yells from the side, “Bruce, stop! That’s enough.” Batman turns toward Gordon and says, “I’m not Bruce.” IT WOULD BE SO GOOD. It’s TDKR meets Mad Max: Fury Road and we’re here for it.

Keanu Reeves

This is the choice where we all go keanu.woah.face.gif WHY HASN’T THIS HAPPENED ALREADY?! John Wick is essentially the best Batman/Punisher film ever made, so why not make it official? The Keanu renaissance has been upon us and Mr. Reeves would make a splendid Bruce Wayne as well as a devastating Batman. So come on Matt, cast your fellow Reeves!

John Cho

The connoisseur’s choice, John Cho is an obvious contender for the King of Gotham’s crown. Suave, stylish, and looks fantastic in a suit; this one’s a no brainer. Cho has proven himself time and time again as a great actor with the most important thing for a great Batman: comedy chops! No one wants a wholly serious Dark Knight, we know that gets tired really quickly. Cho could be the hero we all need but surely none of us deserve.

Joseph Gordon Levitt

Ever since he wandered into the Batcave to take on the mantle of Robin, or maybe Nightwing, fans have longed to know what would’ve happened if Nolan’s world had been allowed to continue. Now that the follow up DCEU is floundering, maybe we could finally see Levitt wear the cowl after all? We know Reeves’ movie will be a standalone flick, so this would be a nice nod to the Nolan trilogy, also giving fans a wholly new version of Batman.

Cole Sprouse

Now listen to us. Chill out for a second. Matt Reeves wants new blood. Cole Sprouse is already Riverdale’s hottest detective, plus he’s already in at Warner Bros. because of The CW. So maybe this choice isn’t as wild as it first seems. Though Riverdale is undeniably teen-centric, Sprouse is a great actor with masses of talent who has the background and attitude to deal with fronting a franchise. Plus, he’s always on Insta-stories working out, so maybe he’s already preparing for the role of a lifetime…

What do you think of our suggestions? Are you excited to see a fresh take on ol’ Bats? Sad to see sadfleck depart? Let us know in the comments!

Images: The CW, Warner Bros, BBC, AMC, DJ Snake, Fox, ABC, Thunder Road 

Read more stories about Batman!

Ranking every live-action Batman movie.
What it’s like to train like Batman for a month.
Batman to star in new Brave and the Bold comic with Wonder Woman.

Merriam-Webster Makes STRANGER THINGS’ David Harbour the Definition of “Dad Bod”

As someone who could maybe/possibly/kinda/sorta/definitely afford to get in better shape, I can’t tell you how much I love the whole “dad bod” phenomenon. In a world where Hollywood is overrun with incredibly good-looking men named Chris who in impeccable shape, it’s nice to know even those of us who aren’t chiseled out of handsome marble can be still be appreciated for what we have to offer. And yet, I still would really prefer not to be the literal definition of the look, which is exactly what just happened to Stranger Things actor David Harbour.

Merriam-Webster tweeted about the term, and as a visual example they included the fantastic GIF of Harbour’s Chief Hopper dancing from Stranger Things 2.

In 'dad bod,' the word 'dad' is technically still a noun. 'Daddest bod,' however, would make it an adjective. https://t.co/m7CyzRLgnH pic.twitter.com/2LnmL1SBnT

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) December 8, 2017

It’s unclear if they meant that as a compliment or not—since the phrase “dad bod” refers to someone who is not in shape—but it doesn’t feel like it was. However, because he’s the best, Harbour had the perfect reaction.

Holy hell @MerriamWebster .

The old joke. When you look up ______ in the dictionary you see his face.

Now I am living in this joke. https://t.co/Bi5mXHLyBi

— David Harbour (@DavidKHarbour) December 8, 2017

Who would have ever considered the possibility they would one day become the actual answer to that joke and it would be shared with the entire world. It’s a strange new world we live in.

But don’t feel too badly for Harbour, because our bet is the dictionary used that GIF because after Stranger Things 2  the internet was complimenting him by saying he was the best “dad bod” around.

I can’t believe you assholes wasted “dad bod” on a bunch of absolute chumps BEFORE @DavidKHarbour had his moment

— Danielle Henderson (@knottyyarn) November 12, 2017

And that was a sentiment he had no problem embracing.

danielle, go easy on them. there's no way they could have known that i would emerge from brief character appearances in movies you never saw and come jiggling and flapping with all my excess midsection into the limelight. i stand on the soft shoulders of great dad bods before me https://t.co/4hwfhDtolY

— David Harbour (@DavidKHarbour) November 12, 2017

There are worse things than being considered the best looking member of a certain type. Still, when it comes to being the official dictionary definition of the “dad bod,” better him than me.

What “definition” would you hate to be the most? Which one would you love to be? Tell us why in the comments below.

Need More Stranger Things?

Watch this amazing fan film set in the UK.
Watch Gaten Matarazzo and Joe Keery answer the internet’s questions.
And finally, here’s what the gang would look like as X-Men.

Featured Image: Netflix

SOULCALIBUR VI Trailer Reintroduces Classic Characters

It’s been five years since the last installment of the Soulcalibur series graced consoles, but at The Game Awards, Bandai Namco promised fans of the series that Soulcalibur VI would finally arrive next year. To go with the announcement, the first trailer for Soulcalibur VI teased a return to the past, as Mitsurugi and Sophitia battled it out on the stage of history. The ending of the trailer also teased the introduction of a character we’ve never seen before, in addition to the return of the cursed blade known as Soul Edge.

Soulcalibur VI will reportedly turn the clock back and revisit the events of the very first Soulcalibur, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year. That explains the youthful appearances of Mitsurugi and Sophitia, but not necessarily why they have new powers to go along with their fighting skills. The rest of the characters are currently under wraps, but the title is said to have a roster of new and returning fighters.

Like the recently released Tekken 7, Soulcalibur VI is running on the Unreal Engine, and it will feature upgraded gameplay, dynamic camera movements, and “Reversal Edge,” a new ability that will allow players to deflect an opponent’s attack and immediately counterattack with their weapon. That should add even more cinematic touch to the battles.

The Soulcalibur series has a history of bringing in some of the wildest guest characters, including Link, Darth Vader, Yoda, and Spawn. It’s far too early to know if Soulcalibur VI will continue that tradition, but we wouldn’t bet against it. Soulcalibur VI will hit Playstation 4, Xbox One, and Stream in 2018.

What do you think about the first trailer for Soulcalibur VI? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Bandai Namco

Patrick Stewart Says He’d Return for Quentin Tarantino’s STAR TREK Movie

Earlier this month, word broke that Quentin Tarantino had pitched an idea for an R-rated entry into the Star Trek film universe. And while there are some Trekkers who might object to the franchise heading into the uncharted territory of Tarantino’s vision, the director has at least one prominent cast member’s support: Patrick Stewart.

According to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Stewart indicated that he has long wanted to work with Tarantino and expressed a willingness to reprise his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard if Tarantino wants him in the movie.

“One of my dreams is to work with Tarantino,” said Stewart. “I admire his work so much, and to be in a Tarantino film would give me so much satisfaction. So, if he is going to direct something to do with Star Trek and there was the possibility of dear old Jean-Luc showing up again and doing that for Mr. Tarantino, I would embrace it.”

It may not be out of the question. Tarantino has previously indicated that the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” is one of his favorites. But it’s unclear if the premise of Tarantino’s idea would allow Stewart to seamlessly return to the live-action franchise for the first time since Star Trek: Nemesis in 2002.

While speaking with Variety earlier this week, Stewart also suggested that he would possibly return “if someone came up with a brilliant idea, I’d do it. One thing that might interest me would be to bring all the existing casts of Star Trek from the last 50 years together for one big story.”

Would you prefer to see Picard in Tarantino’s Star Trek or a classic cast team up movie? Share your picks in the comment section below!

Want to Know More About Tarantino’s Trek?

Here’s what we know so far.
And here’s more info on the Mirror Universe (because it seems handy).
And just because, an oral history of “The Inner Light,” Stewart’s favorite episode.

Images: CBS Television

ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL’s Trailer Gives Us a Cyborg Like We’ve Never Seen Before

The idea of waking up one day with absolutely no memories sounds terrifying, but imagine having no recollection of what it even meant to be alive. What it would be like to experience every wonder of life for the first time—what would you do? Where would you go? Who would you love? But now try to imagine what that would feel like if you were also a cyborg living in a corrupt world where other cyborgs are hunting you down for reasons you don’t understand, and you have the premise for the incredible-looking new sci-fi movie Alita: Battle Angel.

Friday gave us the first trailer for the adaptation of the Japanese manga series Gunnm by Yukito Kishiro, set several hundred years in the future. It follows the story of an abandoned cyborg who is brought back to life by a “cyborg-doctor” (future jobs sound awesome!), but with a blank slate for who or what she is or was. And while she tries to make sense of it all while becoming acquainted with the “harsh world” where the powerful prey on the weak, something she must uncover from her past makes her a danger that leads other very powerful cyborgs to hunt her down. She might be someone “very special,” and based on this first teaser it would appear that has something to do with her amazing fighting skills.

The film, directed by Robert Rodriguez, is produced by James Cameron and Jon Landau, and has an all-star cast. Rosa Salazar stars as Alita, who stands out in part because she doesn’t look exactly like her fully human counterparts the way the machines of Ex Machina and the live-action Ghost in the Shell did. It also features Christoph Waltz as the cyborg-doctor, along with Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley, and Keean Johnson.

You know, if you’re going to wake up with no memory of who you are and where you come from, you could do a lot worse than possibly being the world’s strongest cyborg.

Alita: Battle Angel hits theaters next summer, July 20, 2018

What do you think of this trailer? Have you read the manga series it’s based on? Be someone special and share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Want to Know More About Alita?

Meet Rosa Salazar, its star.
Learn more about Christoph Waltz’s casting.
And finally, more details about Robert Rodriguez and James Cameron’s vision.

Images: 20th Century Fox

JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM Trailer Explodes on to Our Screens (Literally)

Finally the moment we’ve all been waiting for is here! The first trailer for director J.A. Bayona’s Jurassic World sequel, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, has been unleashed on the viewing public and it’s ACTION-PACKED!

The trailer not only delivers some pretty outrageous dinosaur action, but it also confirms the plot that the cast and crew have been hinting at over the last few days. It looks like we’ll be following Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) back to Isla Nublar on a mission to save the creatures who’ve now overrun the remains of the ill-fated park. They’ll be joined by Justice Smith and Daniella Pineda, both of whom are still yet to be named, and from the looks of it they’ll be right in the center of the action. We also see another beloved cast member return too in the shape of the classic T-Rex from the OG Jurassic Park.

Though director Bayona is best known for his simmering horror effort The Orphanage, he does also have a big budget back catalogue that includes true story tsunami tale The Impossible and the criminally underrated A Monster Calls. This first look at the movie confirms that Bayona won’t be holding back when it comes to spectacle, with huge set pieces that include massive amounts of dinosaurs–likely more than we’ve seen in any of the previous films, including a particularly epic moment that focuses around an erupting volcano.

The trailer also gave us more of an idea of what role Jeff Goldblum’s Dr. Ian Malcolm will play as he seems to be testifying at some kind of deposition, discussing whether or not the dinosaurs should be saved. After all, Jurassic Park always needs a good corporate government foe. Could this hint that our team have entered the island after going rogue? With no backup? Uh oh!

We cannot wait to check out more from Fallen Kingdom, but what do you think of the trailer? Happy to see the return of Ian Malcolm? Excited to see some badass dinosaur fights? Or just want to see 1,000 dinosaurs running away from a volcano? Let us know in the comments!

Images: Universal Pictures

Can we actually bring back extinct animals?

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