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Will X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX Get the Story Right the Second Time Around?

Today we got our first look at X-Men: Dark Phoenix, but will the second go round with the story be the charm for the franchise? We talked about how much we’re looking forward to the film on today’s Nerdist News Talks Back, along with what kind of Star Wars movie we’d love to see from Taika Waititi, our reaction to Ryan Reynolds as Detective Pikachu, and a full video game roundup.

Nerdist senior editor Dan Casey, Nerdist producer Jason Nguyen, and Mothership producer Derek Johnson joined Jessica Chobot to discuss the biggest top pop culture stories of the day, and they began with the first images from next year’s X-Men: Dark Phoenix movie. Are we excited to see the franchise revisit the story after the disappointment of Brett Ratner’s X3? Are we surprised Jennifer Lawrence is back as Mystique? How excited are we she finally has her vibrant red hair? And who could Jessica Chastain possibly be playing?

There’s also a report Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy would love to see Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi join the galaxy far, far away. What story or character would we love for him to tackle? Does his comedy background mean he could run into the same problems ex-Young Han Solo directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord had, or does his current success with Disney mean it wouldn’t be an issue? And as much as we love him, when will Star Wars hire a female director?

Yesterday we also got word Ryan Reyndolds will play Detective Pikachu. Are we surprised by this? Excited? Confused? All of the above? And while the internet is upset Danny DeVito didn’t get the role, was there an even better option?

Finally we have a video game roundup, including news Square Enix has plans for a new Tomb Raider game. Where do we hope the franchise goes next? What do we make of Ubisoft delaying some of their games next year? Does it matter at all they won’t patch Russia out of it’s Winter Olympics game after the country was banned from the real one? And as 2017 comes to a close, what game was our favorite of the year?

Make sure to tune in every weekday when Nerdist News Talks Back airs live at 1:00 p.m. PT on our YouTube and Alpha channels and be a part of the conversation.

We still want to hear what you thought about today’s show though, so let us know what you think in our comments below.

Want More Talks Back?

Could Luke’s role in The Last Jedi have anything to do with lightsaber colors?
And what about that Disney/Fox merger?
Finally: is Snoke the most powerful Star Wars villain ever?

Images: 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate

THE SIMPSONS’ Latest Christmas Couch Gag and 4 Others We Love

If the rumored $68 billion Fox deal goes through, this may be the last holiday season before The Simpsons (and everything else produced by Fox) become Disney characters. But we don’t expect Springfield’s most famous residents to change too drastically. After nearly three decades on Fox, The Simpsons isn’t likely to make major changes any time soon. And that means we’re bound to get even more couch gags in the future.

For the holiday season, this year’s Simpsons Christmas couch gag will make its TV debut on Sunday, December 10th on Fox. But it has already premiered online—and you can watch it below.

Naturally, this is far from the first time The Simpsons have embraced the season. And it’s only fitting, since the very first episode that was broadcast was actually a Christmas story. Last season, the show parodied Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol by casting the family as a few of the characters from that novel.

Sharp eyed viewers may notice that the current Christmas couch gag is a variation on one that the show has used a few times before. For this version, there are different messages on the chalkboard and on the sign behind Homer, while Willie finds himself being used as a ball by two polar bears.

We particularly like this Simpsons opening because the board messages were even snarkier than usual.

And now for some really old school Simpsons Christmas love. This one comes from season 20, and it still has the classic Simpsons template that was used prior to the modern opening. It even ends on a more “Christmas” note than some of the other couch gags.

What’s your favorite Simpsons Christmas couch gag? Share your picks in the comment section below!

Need More of The Simpsons?

Here’s our ranking of every Treehouse of Horror episode.
We spoke with comedian Hari Kondabolu about the trouble with Apu.
And finally, see how  Rick and Morty and The Simpsons will get, well, saucy.

Image: Fox

Veronica is a Vampire in Archie Comics’ Latest Horror Book, VAMPIRONICA

Afterlife with Archie kicked off an Archie renaissance, placing Riverdale‘s famous residents in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. The comics house continued its horror line with the supernaturally charged Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Jughead’s turn as a werewolf in Jughead: The Hunger. Now, it’s Veronica’s turn to step into the supernatural spotlight—and she’s going full blood-sucker!

Archie Comics’ latest horror title is Vampironica, which follows the adventures of Veronica Lodge after she encounters an ancient vampire who transforms her into a member of the undead. But dead or alive, Veronica is still Veronica, according to co-writers Greg and Megan Smallwood. If anything, this should finally give Veronica the permanent edge over her perennial frenemy, Betty Cooper.

While Veronica will almost certainly use her new powers and abilities for her own purposes, the Smallwood siblings hint that becoming a vampire may actually make her a better person in the long run. “Greg and I were both very interested in exploring the concept of a vampire Veronica without getting rid of what makes Veronica such a special character,” explained Megan Smallwood. “Ironically, Vampironica humanizes Veronica in a way that only horror can. Becoming a vampire is a humbling experience for her and she’s forced to open up and expose a little vulnerability.”

Greg Smallwood will also be the artist on this title, which will feature a number of variant covers from the first issue. We particularly like this cover by Afterlife with Archie artist Francesco Francavilla, which features Vampironica striking a very Vampirella-like pose. Now there’s a crossover that’s begging to happen.

Vampironica #1 will be unleashed on March 14, 2018.

Are you intrigued by Veronica’s vampire makeover? Take a bite out of this concept in the comment section below!

Catch Up on the Rest of Archie Comics’ Horror Happenings:

Did you know the  Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is heading to Netflix?
The Riverdale gang also met the lead singer of Chvrches in a new installment.
And finally, read about Jughead the werewolf.

Images: Archie Comics

How the Disney and Fox Merger Sets Up the MCU’s Future

Everyone in Hollywood knew that 20th Century Fox wasn’t likely to send the X-Men or the Fantastic Four back to Marvel/Disney without getting anything in return. But the upcoming Disney and Fox merger/buyout changes the game in a way that no one saw coming. If the deal goes down, and it looks like it will, then everything we knew about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is going out the window. Today’s Nerdist News is exploring how the merger may set up the future of the Marvel’s movie slate.

Join host and the Trish Tilby of the MCU, Jessica Chobot, as she runs down the ways that this may play out. According to Deadline, Marvel’s Kevin Feige is particularly eager to get his hands on the X-Men and bring them into the MCU. Feige was a producer on the first three X-Men movies and the first two Fantastic Four films as well. Integrating those characters into Marvel’s continuity would be a homecoming for him, and offer up some enticing possibilities and challenges.

This may explain why Marvel has been so quiet about its Phase 4 plans. We’d be willing to bet that Feige has two plans on the board: one that incorporates the FF and the X-Men, and one that would stick to the established MCU heroes. If everything falls into place and the Disney/Fox deal crosses any regulatory hurdles, it would still be a year or more before the studios could officially merge. So don’t expect any mutants in Avengers: Infinity War. But maybe the comics will undo the silly retcon that revealed Magneto wasn’t the father of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch.

Another complicating factor is that there are several X-Men films already in various stages of development, and we doubt that the Disney/Fox super giant would simply abandon them. It would be easier to introduce the Fantastic Four with a brand new take and cast, after Fox’s last version was rejected by audiences. It may take longer to work the X-Men into the MCU’s continuity short of making a Secret Wars style crossover film that ends with the two universes combining into one.

We think the most likely scenario is that Feige would introduce the Fantastic Four in Phase 4, or “Fantastic Phase Four” and slowly lay the groundwork for the mutants to emerge in Phase 5 after the current round of X-Men films have been finished. It would also mean that there would be less of a need for Inhumans to serve as X-Men substitutes, which is a good thing in the wake of the ill-fated Inhumans TV series.

How do you think the X-Men and FF will fit into the MCU if the deal goes down? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Marvel/20th Century Fox 

Quentin Tarantino’s STAR TREK Movie Will Be R-Rated

When news broke this week that Quentin Tarantino had struck a deal with J.J. Abrams and Paramount to make a new Star Trek movie, based on an idea that wowed Abrams apparently, the wheels of punditry were spinning as to how Tarantino would play in the Roddenberry sandbox. Turns out, he’s not really; instead, he’ll mostly be bringing Roddenberry’s creations to his sandbox. Deadline is reporting that after meeting with a writers room containing Mark L. Smith (The Revenant), Lindsey Beer (Godzilla vs. Kong), and Drew Pearce (Iron Man 3), Tarantino’s ready to go…provided it’s an R-rated Star Trek movie.

While evidently leaning toward Smith to actually write the screenplay based on his idea, the stipulation for Tarantino to direct the film is that it gets that 17 and under rating, to which Abrams and Paramount seem to have agreed. Tarantino has only ever directed R-rated films, and has made them hard-R at that, so that is apparently very important to him, but I certainly don’t need to tell you that the Star Trek films have never gone to that level of content, staying firmly in the PG and PG-13.

Most tentpole franchise movies need to adhere to the PG-13 rating to maximize butts in seats, but with the unprecedented success of Deadpool and the strong showing both financially and critically for Logan as well, more Hollywood execs are open to the idea of pushing the envelope. I would hasten to add that the success of both of those X-Men franchise films were in keeping with their respective source materials.

Star Trek began as the brainchild of Gene Roddenberry who wanted to show a utopian future where Earth had become a united and peaceful place and universal exploration and diplomacy were key. While the later series and films certainly got a lot more grown up, and often fairly violent (Star Trek: Nemesis is a particularly dark, and altogether unsuccessful, outing), the brand succeeds when Roddenberry’s core tenets remain intact. It seems pretty unlikely that Tarantino would be able to adhere to those, especially if he’s insisting on an R rating. A “dark and gritty” Star Trek is maybe not what the world needs right now.

Obviously we’ll have to wait and see, but it certainly sounds like this’ll be a Tarantino movie far more than a Trek movie.

Image: TWC/Paramount/CBS

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist. He is the writer of 200 reviews of weird or obscure films in Schlock & Awe. Follow him on Twitter!

More of the latest nerd news!

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We get our first look at X-Men: Dark Phoenix!

STAR WARS Sex Toys Are a Real Thing You Can Buy Right Now

Pretty much all of us who call ourselves nerds love Star Wars to some degree—but there are some of us out there who really love Star Wars. And I don’t just mean love it in a “you had alone time with a picture of Carrie Fisher in a metal bikini back in eighth grade” kind of way. I mean you’re Jedisexual, literally turned on by all things Star Wars. Now, thanks to io9, we’ve learned of a company called Geeky Sex Toys who is capitalizing on the Star Wars sex fetish, and they are making exactly what their company name implies.

The company recently unleashed a new line of Star Wars-themed sex toys, ranging from butt plugs to dildos to bondage gear. There are lightsaber vibrators—a no brainer—as well as some Dark Side of the Force bondage gear, for whenever you want to play out “Fifty Shades of Rey.”

A long time ago, in a fantasy far far away…. STAR TOYS! Available now! https://t.co/qAK6moJIoU We’ve spent many many moons working on these products and are absolutely thrilled with the final results. Go check em’ out! #handsolo #darthvibrator pic.twitter.com/m0VakOG1Fg

— Geeky Sex Toys (@Geeky_Sex_Toys) December 4, 2017

Ok, so I made up the word “Jedisexual” just now, and it probably won’t stick, but someone needs to make a name for it. Because clearly there is a demographic of people who think nothing is hotter than Darth Vader’s shiny polished helmet.

For all you bot enthusiasts (we see you Kyle Hill), there are a C-3PO butt plug and Yoda dildo. And the girth of that Yoda dildo? It looks bigger than that cane he carries around. So much for “size matters not.”

We are not sure how any of this is actually legal, because these are definitely images of Han Solo and Darth Vader on these things, so if you’re thinking of getting them for Christmas for that special someone in your life, I would get them soon, before Disney institutes Order 66 on this company, so we never see a Han Solo in Carbonite fleshlight again.

What do you think of these Star Wars sex toys? And what other geeky properties do you think need to get made next? Sound off in the comments below.

KEEP THE FORCE STRONG WITH MORE STAR WARS STORIES!

The Last Jedi has an alien version of Carrie Fisher’s dog.
Laura Dern tells BB-8 how much she loves him.
Learn all about the Unknown Regions.

Images: Geeky Sex Toys / Lucasfilm

The GREMLINS Return for Holiday Horror in New Fan Film

In 1984, the town of Kingston Falls was overrun by Gremlins in Joe Dante‘s classic horror comedy. Gremlins 2 brought the mutated Mogwai to Manhattan. Now, a new fan film, Gremlins: Recall, is starting three decades after the original film with an intriguing hook: what if the Mogwai were fully domesticated? In this world, almost everyone knows the three rules of the Mogwai: Don’t get them wet, don’t expose them to bright lights, and never, ever, feed them after midnight. The Wing corporation is claiming to have solved those problems, but as you’ll see, it’s far from a perfect solution.

Filmmaker Ryan Patrick wrote and directed this short, which utilizes practical effects to bring its Gremlins to life. Katherine Rodriguez stars in the short as Claire, a lonely waitress working for her aunt, Deb (Sarah Lilly), in a diner. They soon encounter a Mogwai driver named Owen (Randy Irwin), and his traveling companion, Trink. Unfortunately for everyone, Claire assumes that the Mogwai rules are no longer in effect or she simply doesn’t know them. Either way, the Gremlins make their return and it just so happens to be their favorite time of the year.

Patrick and his collaborators did an excellent job on this short, and it ends on a note that suggests a larger story beyond the events depicted here. While we’d still welcome an official Gremlins 3, we’d also be up for more adventures with Claire, Trink, and Owen if the Gremlins: Recall team decides to keep the narrative going.

What did you think about Gremlins: Recall? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Ryan Patrick

Get into the nerdy holiday spirit!

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Rian Johnson Names Female Directors He’d Like to See Helm STAR WARS

Since Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2014, the Star Wars universe has expanded by leaps and bounds, particularly on the big screen. Though I’ve enjoyed the films released so far and am immensely looking forward to the upcoming movies, it’s time to get a different perspective behind the camera. So, to that end, we asked The Last Jedi writer and director Rian Johnson which female directors he’d like to see helm a Star Wars movie.

Johnson mentions Ava DuVernay first, who is someone J.J. Abrams championed in 2015 when we asked him the same question. As an added bonus, Disney already has experience with her through A Wrinkle in Time, too. As for his other choices: Gina Prince-Bythewood, Karyn Kusama, and Agnès Varda.

Keep in mind Johnson saying which female directors he thinks would be great for Star Wars isn’t any kind of commitment or contract. But yeah, I’d be on board for all of those options for movies in Johnson’s upcoming trilogy or for future standalone films (if Lucasfilm and Disney continue doing those). This list is, of course, a starting place. Let’s hope Lucasfilm starts diversifying their directors on the sooner side and does so in the realms of animated and live-action television as well as on the big screen.

Which female directors would you like to see at the helm of a Star Wars movie? Share your picks in the comments.

Keep the Force strong with more Star Wars stories!

The Last Jedi has an alien version of Carrie Fisher’s dog.
Laura Dern tells BB-8 how much she loves him.
Learn all about the Unknown Regions.

Does Luke’s Role in THE LAST JEDI Have Anything to Do with a New Color of Lightsaber?

What role will Luke Skywalker play in The Last Jedi, and could it be connected to an all new lightsaber? On today’s Nerdist News Talks Back we discussed the latest from Star Wars, along with the return of Dr. Ian Malcom in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the next season of Black Mirror, and the possible return of Vine.

Host Jessica Chobot was joined by Mothership writer Amy Vorpahl, Nerdist managing editor Alicia Lutes, and producer Jesse Gill on today’s show, and they started with the latest from the galaxy far, far away, which includes a new commercial for The Last Jedi where Rey clarifies Luke Skywalker’s role in the movie. What do we make of this latest tidbit? What do we think Luke’s deal is? What about that new hue of lightsaber director Rian Johnson hinted at? What color could it be and who might be its owner? And now that we’re so close to the film’s release, are we already in full spoiler-avoidance mode?

We also, uh, got our first, uh, look at Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom today, and Dr. Ian Malcom is looking quite dapper as a silver fox. Does this have us more excited for a movie we haven’t exactly been super excited for?

There’s also a new, extra strange (even for the show) promo for Black Mirror that has everyone scratching their heads. What do we make of it? What insights can Alicia give us into the new season? And how can the upcoming Jordan Peele-produced reboot of The Twilight Zone announced by CBS All Access separate itself from Black Mirror?

Finally, it looks like Vine could be coming back. Are we happy about this possibility, or does its culpability in the rise of people like Jake Paul mean we should stop this resurgence at all costs? If nothing else, this was a great excuse to look back on some of the most famous Vines ever.

Nerdist News Talks Back airs live every weekday at 1:00 p.m. PT on our YouTube and Alpha channels, so tune in with us and be a part of the discussion. And please do, because we’ll need your help saving mankind if the world is about to unleash an all new generation of “Viners.”

We still want to hear from you about today’s topics, so talk back to us in the comments below and let us know what you think.

Images: Lucasfilm, Universal

Catch up on the latest The Last Jedi stories!

A tribute to Carrie Fisher’s dog is in Episode VIII.
Could Snoke be the most powerful Star Wars villain?
The Last Jedi cast trains in a new featurette.

Ryan Reynolds Is DETECTIVE PIKACHU in the New POKÉMON Live-Action Movie

Detective Pikachu has finally tracked down the man who will provide his voice in the upcoming live-action Pokémon movie from Legendary Pictures. Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds has reportedly signed on to portray Detective Pikachu with a motion-capture performance, alongside his fellow cast members Justice Smith and Kathryn Newton.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the story, and the report went on to explain that Detective Pikachu is no ordinary Pikachu. He is described as “a self-styled investigator who is good at finding things,” and he will soon find himself on the biggest case of his career. Detective Pikachu will be called upon to search for the missing father of Smith’s character, while Newton will portray a journalist who gives them a much needed assist.

Pikachu is most likely to be a CGI creation in this film, but we’d love to see the role as played by Reynolds while wearing a ridiculous Pikachu costume…some time before Halloween when he would intentionally do that for fun. And now that Detective Pikachu has been cast, we can’t help but wonder what Deadpool himself would say about all of this. Given Reynolds’ affinity for his Marvel character, we’d be shocked if this didn’t come up in the PR campaign for Deadpool 2.

Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch and Guardians of the Galaxy co-screenwriter Nicole Perlman wrote the current script for Detective Pikachu. The film is being distributed by Universal, but a North American release date has not yet been announced. Presumably it will debut in Japan before making its way to this country.

What do you think about Reynolds as Detective Pikachu? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Lionsgate/Nintendo

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

Catch more Pokémon with these stories!

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