Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 190

HAWKEYE Blu-ray Deleted Scene: Clint and Kate Bishop Go Shopping for Arrows and Boomerangs

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and this holiday season Disney has an all-new way for MCU fans to watch one of the franchise’s best shows. It’s a show that just so happened to take place during Christmas. Hawkeye is the among the latest batch of Disney+ series getting its very own collector’s edition 4K UHD Blu-ray. And with the home release hitting stores today, Nerdist is getting into the festive spirit, too. We have an exclusive look at a bonus Hawkeye Blu-ray deleted scene. It features a very recognizable Clint and a lot less famous Kate Bishop shopping for arrows. And, because someone refuses to give up on one very specific dream, they’re also in the market for boomerangs.

Our favorite sharpshooting duo is back in this entertaining Hawkeye deleted scene. This bonus from the show’s new 4K UHD Blu-ray home release features Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton and Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop popping into a big box store to purchase every arrow in stock. That takes way more time (and aggravation) than the famous Avenger would like when the cashier starts fanboying out.

At least he does over Hawkeye. Kate’s slightly desperate efforts to be acknowledged as Clint’s partner don’t exactly work.

Marvel Studios

What does work in this fantastic little scene is the final joke. It ends with Kate saying she’s not willing to give up on her idea for a “boomerang arrow.” That’s a reference to a previous moment on the show when the two discussed the merits of that type of novelty arrow. It was also a great Easter egg. In Marvel Comics’ Clint has long and enthusiastically used a boomerang arrow. The MCU flipped the characters’ opinions on such a seemingly ridiculous weapon much to our delight.

Disney

We love these two. That cashier might only love Hawkeye, but we love both of them. Just like we love home releases of our favorite shows. Especially ones that include great deleted scenes.

Loki Season Two, Hawkeye Season One, Ahsoka Season One, and The Mandalorian Season Three will be released on 4K UHD Blu-ray for the first time on December 3.

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Watch CRITICAL ROLE’s ‘Twelve Days of Grogmas’ Music Video for Delightful Holiday Chaos (Exclusive First Look)

The holidays are coming. And if you’re one of Critical Role‘s loyal fanbase, affectionately known as Critters, then you’re getting ready to celebrate Winter’s Crest. To help bring something special to this festive season, Critical Role is gifting its fans with a whole Winter’s Crest holiday album. Winter’s Crest (A Holiday Album) contains 11 holiday-themed tracks from Scanlan Shorthalt Music, performed by the cast of Critical Role. Of course, cheery love fills all these songs to the brim—a perfect set of tunes for making any communal gathering brighter. But our personal favorite is the earworm, “Twelve Days of Grogmas,” which stars Travis Willingham as Grog and Ashley Johnson as Pike from Vox Machina. If you think listening to Critical Role‘s carol is a hilariously chaotic experience… Well, just wait until you see the music video for the “Twelve Days of Grogmas.”

And so, as our Winter’s Crest gift to you, it’s our pleasure at Nerdist to share an exclusive first look at the “Twelve Days of Grogmas” music video—a true piece of Critical Role delight.

Critical Role Presents the “Twelve Days of Grogmas” Music Video

Ah, Winter’s Crest. This joyous holiday is celebrated throughout the corners of Tal’Dorei. The festive occasion commemorates the alliance that defeated the ice elemental Errevon the Rimelord. It’s the perfect time for community, lights, great feasts, and many games. Winter’s Crest should create joy and warmth. It’s the ideal celebration for… nine naked ladies, eight maids to wash you, two GoFiBePos (that’s goat, fish, beef, and pork bowls… also known as meat salad), and a thousand pints of ale. Well, it is if you’re Critical Role‘s Grog, at any rate.

Critical Role

In “Twelve Days of Grogmas,” Critical Role gives us a unique spin on the traditional Christmas carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” And honestly, we love a partridge in a pear tree… but Grog’s vision of the holidays is one that we’d love to be a part of. And in “Twelve Days of Grogmas” music video, Grog and Pike’s vision of Winter’s Crest comes to full chaotic life, complete with all the hilarious visuals you could ask for. Just listening to this song was super fun, but we’re absolutely obsessed with watching its music video. It is guaranteed to leave you cackling in confused delight… Much as Pike and Grog’s best adventures often do.

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Of course, for all you Critters out there, keep a weather eye out for Critical Role Easter eggs in the mix of the “Twelve Days of Grogmas” music video. And, you won’t want to miss the sneak peek at another holiday hit for Grog buried in this music video… “Dingle Berries” (to the tune of “Jingle Bells.”)… (Oh Dingle Berries, Dingle Berries, hanging on my bum.”) Hey, there’s nothing like the holidays with Grog and Critical Role.

Critical Role

Honestly, we just love to hear our favorite characters come to life in this festive way. Travis Willingham Grog and Ashley Johnson’s Grog and Pikey singing voices just make us smile to hear. And, of course, you can add your voice to the Winter’s Crest stew pot. The handy subtitles at the bottom of the “Twelve Days of Grogmas” music video will let you sing right along. Being a Critter during the holidays and receiving so many gifts is the absolute best.

More About Winter’s Crest (A Holiday Album) from Critical Role

To increase our Winter’s Crest delight after the transcendent experience of watching the “Twelve Days of Grogmas” music video, here are a few more details about Critical Role‘s full-length holiday album Winter’s Crest (A Holiday Album). This holiday outing marks Critical Role‘s third album under the Scanlan Shorthalt Music label. It features 11 delightful tracks that honor the Tal’dorei holiday, bringing festive cheer and Critical Role‘s signature storytelling and worldbuilding to your ears just in time for the holidays.

Winter’s Crest (A Holiday Album) can be streamed digitally and purchased on all major platforms. It is also releasing in standard and deluxe vinyl editions (which will ship in Spring 2025, but you’ll have them for the holiday season next year!) The deluxe vinyl edition of Winter’s Crest (A Holiday Album) comes signed by the cast of Critical Role and features the following extras: variant cover art, a collectible postcard, a vinyl sticker pack of cast member portraits framed in ornaments, and a pack of festive polaroid-style photos. The standard vinyl costs $49.99, while the deluxe edition costs $249.99. You can stream the album or pre-order your vinyl now at scanlanshorthaltmusic.com

As mentioned, Winter’s Crest (A Holiday Album) features performances by the Critical Role cast as themselves and as their iconic characters from Vox Machina, Mighty Nein, and Bells Hells. You can check out the full Winter’s Crest (A Holiday Album) tracklist below to get a sense of what gifts lie in store.

Winter’s Crest (A Holiday Album) Tracklist:

Winter’s Crest Welcome – Matthew MercerWinter’s Crest Festival Time – Matthew Mercer (as Pumat Sol)Silent Mind – Laura Bailey (as Imogen)Naughty & Nice – Sam Riegel (as Scanlan)Nothin’ Under the Tree – Taliesin Jaffe (as Ashton)O Mighty Nein – Liam O’Brien (as Caleb)Twelve Days of Grogmas – Travis Willingham (as Grog), Ashley Johnson (as Pike)Cold Inside – Marisha Ray (as Laudna), Laura Bailey (as Imogen Temult), Sam Riegel (as Fresh Cut Grass), Travis Willingham (as Chetney), Matthew Mercer (as Pâté)Winter Anymore – Ashley Johnson (as Yasha)Deck the Bear – Ensemble Cast (Vox Machina)It’s Critmas! – Ensemble Cast

Make sure to listen to all the new Critical Role holiday songs and add them to your party playlist this year. Just also make sure to have a plate of GoFiBePos left out with Santa’s Cookies… In case Grog hears you playing his song and comes to have a Critical Role sing along. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be streaming this album on repeat, with breaks to play the “Twelve Days of Grogmas” music video over and over again.

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DISNEY’S SNOW WHITE Trailer Reveals Original Song and a Journey to Save the Kingdom

The original 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarves changed both animated movies and Disney forever. Now the Mouse House is changing up one of its most important and beloved films by bringing that magical cartoon world to live-action. What will that transformation look like? We now have our best glimpse (and listen) yet at what to expect from the film starring Rachel Zegler as the titular icon and Gal Gadot as her Evil Queen stepmother. The trailer for Disney’s Snow White reveals a weird combination of memorable moments recreated in vivid color on a grand scale alongside CGI that some definitely won’t be bashful about how much they dislike.

Disney and director Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man) definitely made some Choices with a capital “C” here. They stand by them, too. In the official press release for this Snow White promo, Disney writes, “The new trailer showcases the scale and beauty of the lavish production design, the beloved characters Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy, and a first look at the power ballad Waiting on a Wish, one of the all-new original songs from EGOT winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman, Wish).”

Lavish, we’ll give them after watching this Snow White trailer. Scale and beauty, we’re going to need some convincing. We also will never understand why the Seven Dwarves are computer-generated when a live-action adaptation should have cast people of short stature.

Disney

We are at least excited to hear one of the film’s new songs in the Snow White trailer. The movie’s music comes from two of our favorites. Wish wasn’t among our best films of 2023, but its soundtrack was. And we are unapologetically The Greatest Showman superfans. We also love Disney isn’t shying away from what this film actually is. Too often, modern musicals don’t actually acknowledge what they really are in trailers. That is not the case here.

If this live-action “reimagining” delivers some great songs, a great story, and great performances, we’ll probably get over the parts we like less as we heigh-ho our way home from the theater.

Well, maybe. Maybe not. We won’t find out how we really feel about them until next year. Disney’s Snow White works its way into theaters on March 21, 2025.

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Ella Purnell Will Kill Again, Thanks to SWEETPEA Season Two Renewal

When it comes to today’s rising actresses to watch, Ella Purnell certainly needs to be in the conversation. After her turn as the ill-fated Jackie on SHOWTIME’s smash series Yellowjackets, Purnell’s career has been anything but dead. She starred in one of our favorite TV shows this year, Fallout, as well as Starz’s dark comedy Sweetpea, which just scored a season two renewal.

Starz/Sky

For those who aren’t familiar with the series, Ella Purnell plays Rihannon Lewis, who is often ignored and disrespected. She basically spirals and decides to make everyone pay by murdering them. As Variety reports, season two of Sweetpea will see “Lewis return with a vengeance as her killer secret continues to spiral, and she becomes more twisted than ever.” Very, very interesting. In a world where far too many shows don’t get their fair shake, it is nice to see this one making a return.

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Nerdist’s Best TV Shows of 2024

The 2020s have been quite the chaotic decade and, as 2024 comes to a close, we accept that we are only halfway through what feels like one long surreal season of reality TV. While life is doing a lot, thankfully TV continues to do the most in the best way. From Rick Grimes triumphant return to The Walking Dead universe to leaving Vault 33 with Lucy to explore a wild world with a hot ghoul who lacks a nose, television continued to give us nerds all the witchy drama, shocking moments, laughter, and downright excellent storytelling we need to get through the tough times. New offerings and returning shows brought our favorite comic books and novels to life in live-action and animation. So, without further delay, here are Nerdist‘s best TV shows of 2024.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (Streaming on AMC+)Gene Page/AMC

This series starring Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne Grimes (Danai Gurira) was the ultimate payoff for The Walking Dead fandom, especially Richonne lovers. After years of wondering what happened to Rick, The Ones Who Live took us on a heartbreaking journey of a man who’d nearly given up on ever seeing his family again and the badass woman who was determined to find her man. Every aspect of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live was pitch-perfect, from its intense verbal sparring scenes between Richonne to their steamier moments.

Together, this pair got the happy ending they both so richly deserved after falling in love and fighting arduously in this apocalyptic world. Other shows try to duplicate this chemistry and adventure, but they simply cannot match the sheer power of Richonne. This is undoubtedly one of the best TV shows of 2024.

The Boys Season 4 (Streaming on Prime Video) Prime Video

Once again, The Boys continues to prove why it is one of the greatest—and painfully relevant—TV shows right now. This Prime Video series kept doing what it always does best with tightly paced storytelling, nuanced characterization, expertly layered worldbuilding, lots of filthy language, and even filthier scenes. The exploration of Butcher and Homelander’s psyches, expansion and rapid changes of the Seven with new members like the very diabolical Sister Sage and “God Bless ‘Murica” Firecracker, and the ongoing trials of the Boys in this universe’s rapidly shifting and perilous sociopolitical climate is quite the spectacle to see. With only one season left and spinoffs on the horizon, The Boys is poised to etch its name into TV history as one of the best series of all-time.

Interview With The Vampire Season 2 (Streaming on AMC+)AMC

The first season of Interview with the Vampire was hit and miss-for quite a few Anne Rice fans, including a couple of us at Nerdist. But season two, which covers the second half of Rice’s novel, easily surpassed season one. Taking the action away from New Orleans to post-WWII Europe, year two delves into Louis’ (Jacob Anderson) relationship with the ancient vampire Armand (Assad Zaman), while his undead daughter Claudia (now played by Delainey Hayles) tries to break away from their toxic love affair. New characters like Santiago and Madeleine became welcome additions to the show, providing new dramatic tension. And everything in the Parisian Théâtre des Vampires gave us juicy melodrama. Sam Reid’s Lestat, despite just being a figment of Louis’ imagination most of the season, also brought his sarcastic charm in spades. We can’t wait for season three.

X-Men ’97 Season 1 (Streaming on Disney+)Marvel Animation

Almost everyone thought X-Men ’97 was just going to be a fun nostalgia trip into the era of the Spice Girls and dial-up modems. And it was that, but also so much more. Picking up where X-Men: The Animated Series left off, X-Men ’97 explored parts of the rich Marvel Comics lore the original series didn’t get around to, but also found something new to say about the themes of racism and hatred that X-Men is famous for through harrowing events including a mutant genocide. We expected the show to be a good time, but the writing was truly next-level great. X-Men ’97 is not just one of Marvel Studios’ best offerings this year, but some of the best TV out there, period.

Batman: Caped Crusader Season 1 (Streaming on Prime Video) Prime Video/Warner Bros. Animation

We are SO glad this show saw the light of day without falling victim to the trashing epidemic that has befallen far too many a WBD project. With the likes of Bruce Timm, Matt Reeves, and J.J. Abrams attached to produce a new animated Batman series, even you know who would have been dumb to junk it. Lucky for all involved, it’s great. Batman: Caped Crusader takes as many risks as a series based on am 85-year-old comic can. The action takes place in an idealized version of the 1940s, with Batman appearing in his original costume look. The villains are all redone riffs on the old favorites, with particular standouts like the Penguin and Harley Quinn causing as much controversy as applause. We really loved it and hope we get many more seasons. Gotta see what this version of the Riddler will look like!

The Penguin (Streaming on Max) HBO

Matt Reeves’ The Batman is a supreme live-action version of everything Gotham City. It was darn near perfect. And even based on that, we were not expecting much more than a “yeah, that was pretty good” from the HBO spinoff The Penguin. Boy were we wrong, and happy to be so! Even less a typical “superhero” story than the movie, the series delves into Oz Cobb’s history, pathos, and ruthlessness that somehow still endears the audience to him. Colin Farrell is of course astounding under heaps and gobs of makeup prosthetics, but the show also gave us a phenomenal depiction of Sofia Falcone in Cristin Milioti who ends up as much more the typical “Batman villain” than even the guy in the title. It’s a tough call, but this ranks #1 for a few Nerdist folks, especially our Senior Editor Kyle Anderson.

Agatha All Along (Streaming on Disney+)Marvel Studios

“Who’s been messing up everything?” Definitely not Agatha All Along. The Disney+ spinoff starring WandaVision’s annoying neighbor turned out to be one of the best MCU shows yet. A fantastic cast, sharp writing, a dedication to episodic storytelling that made every installment feel like an event, and some truly incredible production helped this show about witches as magical as them. It also managed to pull off some shocking deaths and big important twists without any of them feeling manipulative or unearned. Agatha All Along simply did everything well, and that included giving us an original song that was so good it worked in every possible musical genre. The Witches’ Road, whether the actual place or the song, was a place we wanted to visit every chance we got.

Echo (Streaming on Disney+)Marvel Studios

Yes, Agatha All Along was the surprise Marvel TV show hit that captured everyone’s attention this year. But the comic giant started out 2024’s TV slate strong with Echo, a compelling series about Maya Lopez, a Deaf hero, leg amputee, and former Tracksuit Mafia member with a major chip on her shoulder. Echo dove into the intricacies of her life story, from exploring her Choctaw heritage to her complex relationship with Wilson Fisk while offering up all the action one would expect from the MCU. Watching her journey towards unlocking the depth of her powers and building a bond with her ancestors and family was an incredibly heartfelt experience.

House of the Dragon Season 2 (Streaming on Max) HBO

House of the Dragon’s second season might seem like an unlikely choice for a best tv series of 2024 list since George R.R. Martin himself wouldn’t include it on his own. But despite the split reaction to its sophomore outing the show still managed to deliver a lot of what makes Westeros so compelling. Nothing on TV can match the production quality found in the Realm, which looks as good as ever. No other show also features so many dragons, and those creatures of fire made their very large presence felt all year. That included when the show delivered an amazing battle of dragons going head-to-head high above the Seven Kingdoms. House of the Dragon season two wasn’t perfect, but it still gave us a reason to turn in every week.

Fallout Season 1 (Streaming on Prime Video)Prime Video

A lot could have gone wrong in Fallout’s creation—the series had to balance a ton of (sometimes dissonant) tones together, it had to account for the player-choice-based conceit of the game, it had to mix in real history, fictional history, and rich annals of complex lore. And, of course, the Fallout series had to contend with the high expectations of the games’ ardent fanbase. A lesser series would have bowed under this tall order, but Fallout not only rose to the occasion but truly delivered.

From the corny but slightly sinister world of the vault dwellers to the hardened but hilarious domain of surface folk to the vicious but not totally devoid of feeling sphere of the Brotherhood of Steel, every note Fallout tried to strike, it hit perfectly. Its story felt tight, enhanced but not distracted by the many Easter eggs and intense world-building it aimed to deliver. The brilliant Ella Purnell is the perfect beating heart for Fallout. She truly captured Lucy’s good heart, rose-colored glasses, and slow, painful transformation into a person actually living in reality. Flanking Purnell, Aaron Moten and Walton Goggins also brought their A-game, creating a trio worth cheering for. In the end, regardless of which storyline an episode focused on, every episode of Fallout delivered something heartfelt, human, and resonant. And that, partners, is worth a big thumbs up from us. 

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 1 (Streaming on Netflix) Netflix

Another adaptation series that scored big for us this year was Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender series. Like with game adaptations, anime/cartoon adaptations that turn animation into live-action can be a tall order. How does one capture the spirit of something so fantastical and successfully turn it into more realistic fare? It’s a hard road to walk. It also doesn’t help that Avatar: The Last Airbender’s cartoon series is lauded as one of the best series to have ever been made. What could any kind of adaptation add to that? 

In the end, the gift Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender series gave to fans was simply more. More time with the characters we love, more space to develop scenes, more opportunities to complicate relationships, and more life to the show we hold dear. It understood the heart of Avatar: The Last Airbender and its story of friendship, survival, and love. But it also went deeper into its themes of war, rebellion, and redemption. New canon ideas presented in the series, such as Zuko’s men being the very troops he saved from death at great cost, are ones fans will no doubt carry into their hearts. For us, the series also did the impossible and enhanced the already incredible relationship between Zuko and his Uncle Iroh. Sometimes an adaptation is best not separated from its source material, but beautifully enhancing it.

The Rings of Power Season 2 (Streaming on Prime Video) Prime Video

The Rings of Power was one of our best shows of 2022 when it first premiered. So, we were very excited to see the series return for more in 2024. While season two of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power went to a darker place, undercurrents of that earnest hope still chimed through, creating a more tragic, but equally lovely season of TV. Season two of The Rings of Power was also characterized by some incredible performances, especially by Charlie Vickers as Sauron/Annatar and Charles Edwards as Celebrimbor. The words “award-worthy” are often tossed around, but the psychological dance between these two fellas really brought everything to another level.

In a different storyline, another complex dance won many hearts and minds this year, as Galadriel, played by Morfydd Clark, and Adar, newly played by Sam Hazeldine, battled against and succumbed to their differences and similarities in incredible scenes that could have honestly filled eight more episodes with ease. The Rings of Power season two also delivered a truly epic, episodes-long battle, a siege filled with dynamic character moments that could rival any cinematic offering on the big screen. The Rings of Power was one our best TV shows of the year and we can’t wait for season three.

Arcane Season 2 (Streaming on Netflix) Netflix

The first season of Arcane was a lavishly animated adaptation of the mega-popular video game done with thoughtfulness, intensity, and maximalist flair. Its story of sisters, star-crossed lovers, and terrified citizens raging against the dying of the light in a city on the verge of civil war struck a resonant chord and shattered all conceptions of any so-called “video game curse.”

Three years later, Arcane’s second season proves it was worth the wait and reports of a massive $250 million budget. In an era where very few stories get to end on their own terms, Arcane’s second and final season does so in dazzling fashion with stellar performances from Hailee Steinfeld (Vi), Ella Purnell (Jinx), and Katie Leung (Caitlyn), as well as some of the most ambitious and visually stunning animated sequences of the year. It’s a case study in exactly what happens when you give passionate storytellers the runway, resources, and creative license necessary to translate a game about mighty warriors battling in a virtual arena into a heart-wrenching story of economic disparity, generational trauma, and the hollow pursuit of vengeance at any cost.

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SKELETON CREW Pays Homage to a Classic Disney Parks Attraction

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Star Wars has been full of references to other parts of pop culture since the very start. You can even say Star Wars itself is one giant reference, from everything from Flash Gordon to samurai films to about a hundred other things. Well, you can now add “theme park rides” to that list. In the second episode of Skeleton Crew on Disney+, the creators found a way to pay homage to the iconic Disneyland and Walt Disney World attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean. However, this Easter egg was an aural one, so you’ll have to listen carefully to catch it.

In episode two of Skeleton Crew, our main group of kids find themselves on a distant space pirate outpost. The kids are promptly thrown into a dingy prison cell. In the distance, we hear a very specific whistling sound. Fans of Disney theme parks recognize it as the sound of the imprisoned scoundrels from Pirates of the Caribbean attempting to get a key-holding dog to get them out of jail. If you haven’t been on Pirates of the Caribbean in a minute, it’s this scene in the video above.

Disney

This isn’t the only Disney theme park Easter egg in Skeleton Crew either. In the first episode, the kids have a droid bus driver that takes them to school. The model of that droid is the exact same one as the original Star Tours pilot, RX-24, nicknamed “Captain Rex.” The voice of the original Starspeeder 3000 pilot was none other than the late Paul Reubens, a.k.a. Pee-wee Herman. Although C-3PO replaced Rex, you can still find an RX model as the DJ in Oga’s Cantina in Galaxy’s Edge. Will we see (or hear) other Disney theme park homages in Skeleton Crew? We’re kind of hoping for the kids to go to Lightspeed past a space station that looks like Space Mountain.

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SKELETON CREW Episode 1 References a Very Weird Moment in the STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL

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Viewers who watched the first episode of Skeleton Crew might have noticed an Easter egg that refers to one of the most infamous parts of Star Wars lore—the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. One of the main characters from the series, Neel, is the blue alien kid who looks like the Ortolan keyboard player from Jabba’s band in Return of the Jedi. (He’s actually from a different species, but clearly that guy was the inspiration.) One scene shows Neel’s younger siblings watching a very weird holographic circus performance. This performance looks almost identical to the one Chewbacca’s song Lumpy watched back in the day. You can watch that scene from the Holiday Special right here:

So, does this mean the Star Wars Holiday Special is canon to the galaxy far, far away? Well, not so fast. George Lucas famously hated it, so we’re not sure its events will ever be canon out of respect for “The Creator.” And we’ve already seen several other Easter eggs from the Holiday Special over the years, none of which canonized it. The first episode of The Mandalorian saw Mando use a fork-like weapon, just like the one Boba Fett used in the Holiday Special. And the first episode of The Mandalorian also referenced Life Day for the first time in canon. This was a shout-out to the Wookiee holy day, also introduced in the Holiday Special.

Lucasfilm

For creators who were young kids when Star Wars first came out, like Skeleton Key executive producers Dave Filoni and Jan Favreau, the Star Wars Holiday Special retains a special place in their hearts. Yes, it’s quite terrible. Staggeringly so, in fact. Even the biggest Star Wars fans have a hard time sitting through the whole thing. However, in an era when there was only one Star Wars film, and an assortment of Kenner action figures, it was all they had. So the nostalgia for it is real. If even more Holiday Special Easter eggs pop up in Skeleton Crew, we would not be the least bit surprised.

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DISNEY LORCANA: AZURITE SEA Trove and Starter Decks Sail with Adventure

The tide is rising in Disney Lorcana and all signs point to sailing into the unknown. With its latest release, Azurite Sea, Lorcana heads out to the water with pirates. The Disney-inspired trading card game from Ravensburger has taken players for a ride since it launched in 2023. We’ve gone from learning about the Great Illuminary, to stopping an ink flood, to fighting Ursula. And now? We’re riding treacherous waves. Ravensburger sent us the Azurite Sea Starter Decks, Ilumineer’s Trove, and Stitch Gift Set, and we can’t get enough of piracy—the Disney Lorcana variety only, of course.

Disney Lorcana: Azurite Sea Illumineer’s TroveNerdist

The Azurite Sea Illumineer’s Trove comes with a storage box, eight booster packs, a lore counter, card dividers, and six dice. I think Azurite Sea is my overall favorite Disney Lorcana release so far. Putting aside the new characters and mechanics aside, I adore this set’s design. The deep teal used as the accent color makes you think of swirling, welcoming seas. It evokes the feeling of being on a ship, cutting through foaming waves. The ice blue of the damage dice complement the overall theme too.

As ever, the Illumineer’s Trove is a solid retail value, but the Azurite Sea one is extra special because of the art and design. Pirate Stitch adorns the top of the lore counter; the spinner looks like faux wood. The ink divider cards feature characters this time instead of graphic art or solid colors. It’s a small detail but one that makes the dividers stand out. All of these features mean this Illumineer’s Trove storage box is going to see the most use out of any in my collection.

Disney Lorcana: Azurite Sea Stitch Gift SetNerdist

Stitch is one of the best characters in Disney animation. This is not an opinion; it is fact. He’s about as well. Stitch in outfits? Somehow even better than best. The Azurite Sea gift set is all about the blue fuzzy alien. The Stitch Gift Set comes with four booster packs, a fancy Stitch pirate promo card, and a portfolio. The latter features art of cute Stitch glimmers (or character cards). It’s a quality portfolio with thick pages and sturdy pockets. It would be fun to go all in with the Stitch theme  and store all your Stitch glimmers in it. Since the portfolio can hold over 200 cards, that’s no problem.

Disney Lorcana: Azurite Sea Starter Decks

The Azurite Sea Starter Decks are such a (cannon) blast. This time they’re an Amber and Ruby deck and an Emerald and Sapphire deck. Like usual, the starter decks are meant to play right out of the box. To fit in with the whole adventure on the ocean theme, various characters done pirate ensembles. It is as delightful as it sounds—especially the Winnie the Pooh glimmers in pirate gear! This set also introduces Big Hero 6 and Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.

I found the Amber and Ruby deck offered more in the way of brute strength, while the Emerald and Sapphire has more of an emphasis on leveraging challenges to your characters. I noticed the overall Azurite Sea theme was woven throughout the decks rather than the individual decks having themes of their own. It made the story aspect of Lorcana feel more cohesive, which I enjoyed.

Disney Lorcana: Azurite Sea is now available at local game stores and mass market retailers.

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Now We Know the One Joke Disney Said Had to Be Cut From DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE

This past summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine cleaned up at the box office, becoming one of the biggest Marvel Studios hits in years. Back when Marvel was developing the film, many fans believed they’d tone down the signature raunchy aspects of Deadpool’s humor. Especially as this was the first Deadpool film from Disney. And for the most part, that wasn’t the case. The first trailer made a pretty R-rated joke, letting the fans know that Ryan Reynolds was still giving us a foul-mouthed Wade Wilson. But according to Variety, at least one joke proved to be too much for the Walt Disney Company. Now we know what that joke was.

Marvel Studios

While doing press for the movie, Ryan Reynolds confirmed Disney deemed one joke as too much. But he never specified what the joke was. However, since then, Disney’s FYC online portal has released the official script, where the original lines remain. After learning that Magneto is dead, Deadpool angrily breaks the fourth wall, saying: “FUCK! What, we can’t even afford one more X-Man? Disney is so cheap. I can barely breathe with all this Mickey Mouse cock in my throat.” I guess the suggestion of the company mascot of nearly a century even jokingly having sexuality of any kind was a big no-no for Disney.

Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy previously confirmed that Disney asked for that one cut as well. At the time though, he wouldn’t say what the line actually was. Levy stated “We have made a pact, Ryan and I, to go to our grave with that line, but I will say that it was replaced with an equally dirty line of dialogue about Pinocchio shoving his face up Deadpool’s ass and starting to lie like crazy.” Look, we get it. Pop culture may strongly identify Pinocchio with Disney, but he’s not the company mascot. It’s “The House of Mouse,” not “The House of Geppetto.” In the final analysis, it’s still shocking that as many raunchy jokes made it into the theatrical cut as they did.

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DUNE: PROPHECY: Who is Vorian Atreides and How Did He Start the Harkonnen/Atreides Feud?

Dune: Prophecy‘s third episode went back decades to show why Raquella Berto-Anirul took young Valya Harkonnen under her personal tutelage. Valya only joined the Sisterhood in the first place, though, because her family forced her. They banished their daughter because she sought to restore their disgraced family name. She also sought revenge against the same man who branded them cowards, the “hero” who also murdered her brother. But who is Vorian Atreides and how did he set in motion a feud that would last 10,000 years? Dune: Prophecy only hinted at the true story behind the galaxy’s most infamous clash.

Who Is Vorian Atreides?HBO

Vorian Atreides was born on Earth in 223 BG (roughly 250 years before Dune: Prophecy). He is the first member of the legendary family that bears his name, which was founded in Vorian’s honor. He was also a great hero and leading commander of the Butlerian Jihad, the war against the Thinking Machines. Vorian rose to his position despite being the son of a Titan, one of the cyborg tyrants that oppressed humanity.

The Great Machine Wars ended with the Battle of Corrin in 88 BG. (About 116 years before the present day timeline on Dune: Prophecy.) Vorian Atreides led humanity’s decisive victory over the machines, forever etching his name into the history books, a true giant in the galaxy’s history. He also ensured his best friend and fellow general in mankind’s army, Abulurd Harkonnen, would also be remembered for his actions at the Battle of Corrin. Only history would mark Abulurd a coward.

What Really Happened During the Battle of Corrin with Vorian Atreides and Abulurd Harkonnen?HBO

More than a century of warfare had changed Vorian. He became more determined and single-minded. When he led the army to Corrin, last remaining outpost of the machines, he found the machines has placed two million human slaves in cargo pods around the planet. If the human fleet crossed “the Bridge of More than a century of warfare had changed Vorian. He became more determined and single-minded. When he led the army to Corrin, last remaining outpost of the machines, he found the machines has placed two million human slaves in cargo pods loaded with explosives around the planet. If the human fleet crossed the “Bridge of Hrethgir” all two million slaves would die.

Vorian didn’t care. He would stop at nothing to defeat the machines once and for all. But that callous disregard for human life horrified Abulurd Harkonnen, who tried to stop the coming genocide even after his friend and mentor stripped him of his rank and duties and had him jailed. Abulurd broke out and disabled the weapons of the entire fleet. The “Bridge of Hrethgir” did not explode (unknown to the humans a robot had disabled the explosives in the pods), but the lack of normal weapons led Vorian to use Pulse-Atomic weapons instead, resulting in a massive loss of human life anyway.

What Did Vorian Atreides Do to Abulurd Harkonnen After the Battle of Corrin?Max

History is written by the victors, and Vorian Atreides, great hero of the Battle of Corrin, wrote the story of what happened that day. He branded Abulurd Harkonnen a coward.

For his supposed treachery Abulurd was sentenced to death. But that wasn’t good enough for Vorian. He convinced Abulurd’s own brother, Faykan Butler—who adopted the name Corrino and became the first Padishah Emperor after the war—to instead exile Abulurd to the isolated planet Lankiveil. It was a world rich in snow and whale fur. Vorian also forced Abulurd to keep the now disgraced name Harkonnen so his ancestors would live with his shame. Vorian also promised his descendants would always hate and look down on any member of House Harkonnen.

The final insilt that proved to be truly unforgivable to Valya and Tula came almost 90 years later when Vorian killed their brother Griffin when the young Harkonnen went to confront Vorian about restoring their family’s name. (We won’t spoil exactly what happened during their confrontation because it might prove to be an important plot point on Dune: Prophecy.)

HBO

Valya’s long-standing rage at her family’s unfair plight boiled over after Griffin’s death, so her exiled her to learn under the Sisterhood, a group Valya couldn’t fully commit to until her sister Tula got revenge for their brother. Tula wooed Vorian’s great-great grandson Orry and killed him after murdering a score of other Atreides men. Tula then joined her Valya in the Sisterhood, where years later they came to rule it.

But even centuries after his birth the powerful sisters must still contend with Vorian Atreides.

How Is Vorian Atreides Still Alive During Dune: Prophecy?HBO

When Vorian was a young man he was totally loyal to his millennia-old cyborg father. He also wished to one day become a cymek like his dad.. When Vorian was around 20 King Agamennon imbued his son with a life-extending treatment that dramatically slowed down Vorian’s natural aging process. (This procedure was mostly lost to time, but eventually humans would learn how to extend their lives via spice.)

One hundred years after his father’s treatment later—still a century before Dune: Prophecy—Vorian was said to look like he was only in his 30s. Despite being two hundred years older than Valya Harkonnen, Vorian will look younger if the two meet.

Max

The question will be if her old rage at the great hero of House Atreides, the man who unfairly maligned her family and set off a feud we know will last 10,000 years, will be reborn if she comes face-to-face with Vorian. When Tula got their revenge Valya was finally able to fully commit to the Sisterhood she now leads. But just like Vorian, some grudges live for a very long time.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist with no relation to Vorian Atreides. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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