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THE LAST JEDI’s New Trailer May Change What We Know About Luke

During Game 7 of the World Series, Star Wars fans were given a post-Halloween treat when a new teaser trailer dropped for The Last Jedi. And while some of the footage has been seen in previous trailers, the new clips may force us to reconsider everything we thought we knew about Luke Skywalker‘s role in the movie. Today’s Nerdist News is breaking down our theory about what this means for The Last Jedi.

Warning: there are potentially big spoilers ahead, if this theory pans out. Either way, it’s time to head to the escape pods if you don’t want to know any details.

Join host and baby Porg wrangler, Jessica Chobot, as she spells out some very specific ideas about what may unfold within the movie. It was hard not to get chills when was saw Luke back on the Millennium Falcon for the first time since The Empire Strikes Back. One thing we never got in the original trilogy was Luke at the controls of the Falcon. The ending of The Force Awakens suggested that Rey was going to inherit the Falcon, and her absence here is very conspicuous. But that may be the very reason that Luke came on board the ship.

We think Kylo Ren and the Knights of Ren will probably succeed in kidnapping Rey from Ach-Too, leaving Luke behind under the assumption that he’s already dead. So with no other way off of the planet, Luke will have to take over the helm of his brother-in-law’s ship to save Rey. Now that we know this possible turn of events, some of the earlier trailer cuts make more sense. That infamous shot of the Porg in the Millennium Falcon’s cockpit seemed to deliberately hide the identity of the pilot. Since it wouldn’t be a surprise if Rey was there, it almost certainly means that Luke is flying the ship in that scene.

Additionally, this leads us to believe that all of those shots of the Falcon in action may also feature Luke as well. We expected Luke to take part in the film’s climatic lightsaber duel, since it’s a family tradition. But what if Luke is meant to play a big role in the final space battle instead? It would be a different path, and possibly a way for Luke to redeem himself after his long absence.

What do you think about our Luke Skywalker on the Falcon theory? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

Images: Lucasfilm

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Jessica Chobot Upgrades Nerdist’s Computers and Destroys the Old Ones

Despite recently killing many of her coworkers on Halloween, Jessica Chobot‘s actually a pretty great colleague with her heart (usually) in the right place. That’s why when she noticed so many of her fellow office mates gaming with older, far-too-slow computers with outdated graphics, she decided to take it upon herself to get an upgrade for them. Although since Jessica has her own unique way of doing things, that also meant destroying the old ones in a needlessly aggressive manner.

With Dan Casey, Kyle Hill, and Andrew Bowser all in desperate need of much faster, better-looking gaming systems (at Nerdist, playing games at work IS work), Jessica headed to Dell and took matters into her own hands. And then she did away with the tired old computers and laptops Chobot-style, a.k.a. in the most absurd, destructive way possible.

Yes, our HR director will definitely be speaking to Jessica about abusing the “vat of science chemicals” budget again. But at least Kyle got a sweet new laptop out of it, and with all the money she saved at Dell it was probably a wash.

Can’t say the same for our paver budget though. Jessica has really got to stop renting one every week.

But at least she didn’t try using it on Andrew this time around. Like we said, she’s a really great colleague when she isn’t trying to murder everyone in the office.

Which upcoming game would you love to have a new system for? Hit play in our comments below with your thoughts.

Special thanks to Dell Gaming for sponsoring this video! Get early Black Friday deals on select Dell Gaming gear at Dell.com/gaming.

THE TWILIGHT ZONE Revival Heads to CBS All Access (UPDATE)

UPDATE, 11.2.17: It’s happening! CBS has greenlit their Twilight Zone revival for CBS All Access, Variety has confirmed. Only…it’s not Ken Levine’s baby anymore, but rather Jordan Peele’s and Marco Ramirez (Netflix/Marvel shows The Defenders and Daredevil), who is set to pen the script and serve as showrunner. We had previously speculated the network would send this genre favorite to its streaming service, and now Les Moonves has confirmed it. CBS themselves, for the record, declined to comment on the matter.

We will update this post as more information becomes available!

PREVIOUSLY. 4.18.16: As the opening narration of The Twilight Zone often noted, “You unlock this door with the key of imagination.” BioShock creator Ken Levine knows a lot about unlocking doors to other worlds, and he’ll be one of the key figures behind the upcoming revival of The Twilight Zone!

The Wrap is reporting that CBS and Interlude are bringing The Twilight Zone back as an interactive experience. Essentially, the new Twilight Zone will give viewers a “choose your own adventure” approach to the story by allowing them to make choices that affect the narrative. According to CBS, the new incarnation “will honor the original series” while also allowing fans to revisit the story to explore multiple outcomes. This Twilight Zone sounds more like a game than a TV series, which makes sense given Levine’s background in game development.

Although CBS didn’t say where the new Twilight Zone would run, it seems like a natural fit for CBS All Access, the streaming service that already has a new Star Trek series lined up to debut next year. Adding The Twilight Zone to that package could make CBS All Access more enticing for genre fans.

The Twilight Zone was created and hosted by Rod Serling in 1959, and it became widely acclaimed as one of the greatest television series of all time. The Twilight Zone has previously been revived twice as a TV series, and once as a feature film.

Are you excited about the return of The Twilight Zone as an interactive experience? Let us know what you’re thinking in the comment section below!

Image: CBS

Scientists Just Discovered a Huge Hidden Area in The Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramids of Egypt have been around for something like 5,000 years now and they’ve been an endless object of human fascination, so you’d think that after generations and generations of life between then and now, we would have discovered pretty much everything there is to know about these ancient triangular structures.

But guess what? It turns out that we don’t! New research that was published in the Nature science journal reports that scientists have confirmed that there is a large empty space in Khufu’s pyramid.

With the use of cosmic particles researchers have detected a 100-foot-long void within the Great Pyramid of Giza. https://t.co/GZ1TKjJflF

— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) November 2, 2017

The team, led by Mehdi Tayoubi from the HIP Institute in France and Kunihiro Morishima from Nagoya University in Japan, determined there is a void in the pyramid that’s at least a hundred feet long. They did this by studying the density of and imaging the pyramid through the use of “muons,” which are byproducts of cosmic rays that are not totally absorbed by solid objects. It’s somewhat similar to how x-ray imaging works, in that it lets us see what’s inside a solid object.

Saying that this large empty space is a hidden chamber would only be speculation at this point, but Tayoubi and Morishima seem to believe that the void is “deliberate architectural feature of the pyramid.”

Learn more about this fascinating discovery here, and let us know in the comments below what you think might be in that chamber right now. Priceless ancient artifacts? Reanimated mummies waiting to terrorize unsuspecting intruders? Five thousand years of dirt and dust? Yes to all three, probably!

Featured image: Keith Yahl/Flickr

Jonathan Groff and Stephen Colbert Sing MINDHUNTER: THE MUSICAL

Last month, Netflix debuted its newest crime drama, Mindhunter, which depicts the early days of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit in the late ’70s. Broadway star and Frozen voice actor Jonathan Groff plays the lead role in this David Fincher produced series that offers a very bleak look at the worst of humanity. But during his guest appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Groff was able to show off some of his vocal range as he performed a song from Mindhunter: The Musical, which we wish were a real thing.

Stephen Colbert couldn’t resist joining in on the song as well, and we have to admit, it’s really catchy! It’s almost enough to make us want a real Mindhunter: The Musical, with the original cast from the show reprising their roles. While the music and the dark subject matter may seem like an odd fit, Collider points out that this isn’t the first time that Mindhunter has been given some hilariously out of place music. Comedian Paul F. Tompkins posted his own “alternate” take on the theme song in October, and we loved it.

Finally got the go-ahead to post my rejected theme song for “Mindhunter.” IT’S THEIR LOSS. pic.twitter.com/ao9pNbeYYF

— Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) October 25, 2017

While Mindhunter was somewhat overshadowed by Stranger Things 2, the early indications are that a second season order is likely. Hopefully we’ll get more of these amazingly off-the-wall Mindhunter musical mash ups.

What did you think about Groff and Tompkins’ Mindhunter inspired themes? Sing a tune for us in the comment section below!

Image: CBS

STRANGER THINGS 3 Will Feature A Lot More Erica, Lucas’ Sister

Read on with caution if you haven’t watched Stranger Things 2 yet! Mild spoilers ahead! 

Stranger Things 2 was an amazing follow-up to a crazy-successful first season. The universe expanded, characters developed in exciting and often endearing ways (looking at you, Steve Harrington), and we got to meet several new friends along the way. One of those new faces was of Lucas’ younger sister, Erica (Priah Ferguson).

And she was arguably the best new addition to Hawkins, Indiana.

While Erica didn’t get to accompany Lucas and the rest of the party on their adventure to stop the Mind Flayer, close the gate, and save Will, she made a lasting impression on the fans and the Duffer Brothers. As Yahoo! reports, the Duffers quickly fell in love with Erica as they filmed Stranger Things 2.

And while it was too late to really integrate Erica more into the story, Ross Duffer confirmed we’ll definitely see more of her in Stranger Things 3. He went on to explain that incorporating her more in the coming season was one of the first things discussed in the writer’s room. Matt Duffer also commented on how gif-able her performance was—something we absolutely agree with.

Though we’re stoked for more Erica and another fantastic performance from Ferguson, this is isn’t the first time the Duffers have been pleasantly surprised by one of their actors. For instance, everyone’s favorite bad boy turned babysitter extraordinaire, Steve Harrington, was originally supposed to die way back in the show’s first season. However, Joe Keery’s amazing performance kept him on the show and gave us delightful character development we saw in Stranger Things 2.

We’re glad that the Duffers are quick to recognize the talent in their actors, and give them more screen time. We can’t wait to see what adventures Erica gets into in Stranger Things 3! Let us know how you’d like to see Erica’s role evolve next season in the comments!

Want even MORE Stranger Things?

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All the easter eggs you missed in season 2!

Feature Image: Netflix

GIFs: Giphy, Giphy

Darkness Rises in the New STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Teaser Trailer

Never let it be said that Star Wars doesn’t know how to make an entrance! During the seventh game of this year’s epic world series, Lucasfilm dropped a new teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, with some new footage as well. The First Order and the Resistance are about to resume their intergalactic conflict, but the fate of the galaxy may hinge upon the choices made by Rey and her reluctant mentor, Luke Skywalker.

There’s definitely a powerful sense of nostalgia when Luke steps back into the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. The last Jedi is heading back into war, whether he wants to or not. Perhaps one of the most chilling aspects of this trailer is the way that Supreme Leader Snoke appears to have foreseen the rise of both the darkness “and the light to meet it.” Kylo Ren even seems to have his own agenda, as he appears to offer Rey the guidance she needs to find her place in the universe.

The trailer also includes a few scenes that we’ve glimpsed before, including Captain Phasma’s highly anticipated rematch with Finn. Somehow we don’t think that Finn will be able to easily dispatch his former commanding officer. But perhaps we’ll see if Rey isn’t the only hero with a strong connection to the Force.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi will hit theaters on Friday, December 15.

What do you think about the latest trailer for The Last Jedi? And who do you think will walk away intact after this film? Share your theories in the comment section below!

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Images: Lucasfilm

Love, Alexi #88: April Richardson

Comedian April Richardson joins Alexi to talk dating horror stories, Chelsea Lately, Morrisey, Vampires, Harvey Weinstein & MORE! Follow her on instagram @AprilRich & Twitter @Apey

Follow @alexiwasser on instagram & twitter, send emails for Alexi to read on air: DearLoveAlexi@gmail.com!

Will AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Work as a Heist Film?

The Russo Brothers say Avengers: Infinity War is basically a heist movie. Was that the right approach for Marvel, or should they have stolen a different genre for the film’s premise? We discussed that–while playing some Overwatch–on today’s Nerdist News Talks Back, along with more from the MCU and Henry Cavill‘s comments about the DCEU fixing some previous mistakes.

After yesterday’s murder mystery extravaganza, things were back to their normal level of absurdity today, as host Jessica Chobot was joined by Nerdist managing editor Alicia Lutes, Geek and Sundry‘s Amy Vorpahl, and Nerdist News writer Joan Ford. (Everyone survived!) And while they were breaking down the biggest pop culture topics of the day, The Dan Cave‘s Dan Casey hunkered down at his Dell PC to play some Overwatch.

First up were the comments from the Russo brothers saying Avengers: Infinity War is a kind of heist film, with Thanos trying to steal all of the Infinity Stones. With so many characters, was this a smart approach for the movie or should they have gone another way? Since it is about a theft, could they have come up with a better title for the film (Thanos’ Eleven, anyone)? And with Mark Ruffalo’s comments about Hulk and Rocket Raccoon becoming BFFs in the film, will Groot be jealous of their new friendship? Or will it be a My Two Dads situation?

There was a lot more from the MCU though, including the first look at Michelle Pfeiffer in Ant-Man and the Wasp as Janet Van Dyne, Hank Pym’s lost wife. With her older-looking clothing, do we expect she’ll only appear in flashbacks? Do we hope to see the former Catwoman doing some action stunts? And what about another fierce Marvel lady, Squirrel Girl, and the New Warriors pilot not having a home on Freeform? Could this streaming limbo put the whole show in danger?

Michelle Pfeiffer and Michael Douglas were spotted working on #AntManandtheWasp! https://t.co/rmpEtgn4GN

— JustJared.com (@JustJared) October 31, 2017

Finally, Henry Cavill gave a pretty candid interview about some of the mistakes the DCEU has made, but that he thinks they’re on the right track to fix them now. Was this shocking, or did he say a bunch of things we already know? Have they done anything right so far (besides Wonder Woman)? Will using Danny Elfman’s Batman theme from the Tim Burton era help?

Nerdist News Talks Back aired live at 1:00 p.m. PT on our YouTube and Alpha channels, just like it does every weekday. Tune in and join the conversation. It’s a talk show that will never steal your time…but if it did we’d call it Chobot Day Afternoon.

We still want to hear your thoughts on today’s topics, so talk back to us in the comments below.

Images: Marvel,  Warner Bros.

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Jeff Goldblum Critiquing Jeff Goldblum Tattoos Is Comedy Gold

The many characters Jeff Goldblum has portrayed over the years inspire countless tattoos. Okay, maybe not countless, but the number’s definitely in the hundreds and probably the thousands. We’ll add that question to the next census to get an official number. Anyway, in a new sit-down with GQ (via Boing Boing), Goldblum took a look at 11 different tattoos featuring none other Jeff Goldblum. His reactions are priceless. Priceless, I tell you.

Goldblum’s Jurassic Park character, Dr. Ian Malcolm, is unsurprisingly featured in more than one of these tattoos. In fact, the tattoo featuring Dr. Malcolm sharing pizza with a velociraptor was featured on Nerdist in Inked Wednesday in spring. It belongs to Becky Cousineau and was inked by Tom Beste at Eternal Tattoos. As Goldblum explains, “It’s a whimsical representation of the relationship that I would have with a velociraptor.” Because, obviously, real raptors wouldn’t want to get pizza–unless the pizza tastes like human flesh.

I realize the video is seven minutes long, but I promise you, it is one hundred percent worth sticking around until the end. Goldblum’s clever commentary isn’t only limited to the topic of tattoos; it also includes fashion advice for adult men who like to wear sandals.

Do any of you have Jeff Goldblum tattoos? We want to see them! Leave links to images in the comments or send them to us on Twitter at @nerdist and @amy_geek.

Image: GQ

Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. She has no Jeff Goldblum tattoos for Jeff Goldblum to critique. Follow her on Twitter.

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