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October 27, 2017

Taika Waititi Says a WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS TV Show Is in Development

If you find yourself considering a look that is dead but delicious, then this What We Do in the Shadows development is going to make your day. We already know a sequel to the film is on the way, and as the movie’s director Taika Waititi said on Nerdist News Talks Back on Thursday, it’s called We’re Wolves. But that’s not the only project set in the world of Viago, Vladislav, Deacon, and Petyr on the horizon. While speaking with Fandango, Waititi discussed the spin-off series we already know about and said a What We Do in the Shadows television series is also on the table


Waititi said, “We’re trying to develop a U.S. version of What We Do in the Shadows. You know, set here in the states, but a TV show.”



He didn’t detail what the U.S. show would look like, but that’s okay, because I have my imagination. I would love to see Viago, Vladislav, Deacon, and Petyr set up house in a medium-size city somewhere in middle America. Los Angeles or New Orleans would work, too; those locations would probably make for some particularly hilarious situations. I hope that even if it’s not the exact same characters that the relationship dynamics will be similar. I would pay dollar bills to see Viago try to keep his roommates in line for an entire season of television.


As for the TV series spinoff, Waititi confirmed it’s still happening and they’re “trying to start shooting in New Zealand.” The show, as we reported in 2016, is focused on the two cops from What We Do in the Shadow, Mike and Karen. The story would follow the duo as they try to protect citizens from the supernatural.


What would you want to see in a What We Do in the Shadows TV series? Take a bite out of the comments and let me know.


Images: Madman Entertainment


Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. Follow her on Twitter and keep up with her Disney food adventures on Instagram.


Read more from Taika Waititi!

Waititi and Thor 3 stars define Ragnarok.
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Waititi plays a key role in Thor 3.

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Published on October 27, 2017 15:30

6 Things You Need To Know Before Playing SUPER MARIO ODYSSEY

Super Mario Odyssey is here, and by all accounts, it is a freakin’ masterpiece. Nintendo‘s creative team has done it again with another instant classic, and this game may be the only thing that could possibly tear us away from Stranger Things 2 this weekend. But before you take a deep dive into Mario’s latest adventure, today’s Nerdist News has six tips that you should know ahead of time.


Join host and the mayor of New Donk City, Jessica Chobot, as she walks us through the fundamentals of Super Mario Odyssey. The first two things that you need to know are that the coins actually have value in this game, and you should immediately practice jumping. Mario’s leaping abilities have been significantly upgraded, thanks in part to his new magic hat, Cappy. And there are many new secrets to find once you’ve mastered your jumps. As for the coins, you’ll be able to purchase different upgrades and costumes, which will make them more than worth your time to collect.



While Cappy can allow Mario to possess some enemies, NPCs, and inanimate objects, its mind control possession powers are useless against anyone who is already wearing a hat. For example, Mario wouldn’t be able to jump into the mind of the gentleman pictured above. But almost anyone else is fair game.


In Super Mario Odyssey, collecting moons may be the only thing more important than saving the princess from her wedding date with Bowser. These crescent shaped collectibles are the key to unlocking new worlds and powering the Odyssey itself. Some of the moons won’t be available until late in the game, or even until after you beat it, so get ready for some backtracking.



If you’re stuck while on the hunt for moons, don’t worry. Nintendo has included numerous ways to help you find them. That includes the “Hint Toad” who can mark the moon locations on your map, as well as a friendly Nintendog, and a Cockatoo who shouts out a few helpful tips. A good rule of thumb is that if something seems strange or worth exploring, it probably means that there are moons nearby.


Finally, and this is important, the Amiibos can give Mario a coin boost at the start of every level. And the game also introduces players to “Uncle Amiibo,” a new character who will hunt down moons for you once you plug him into an Amiibo. As Nintendo used to say in the ’90s, “Now you’re playing with power!”


What are your early impressions of Super Mario Odyssey? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.


Images: Nintendo


Get caught up with the latest Nerdist News!

What we learned from the Justice League soundtrack.
Do Avengers 4 pics show a new hero?
What new character bios mean for The Last Jedi.
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Published on October 27, 2017 15:15

An Animal Shelter Has Been Sorting Its Dogs into Hogwarts Houses

Though gawking at cute animals and taking (and retaking) Hogwarts Sorting Hat quizzes have held an unrelenting duopoly on the way most Americans spend their free time (and business hours) for quite a while now, it wasn’t until the visionaries at Pet Alliance Orlando came along that humankind figured out how to bring these disparate passions together. Icing on the cake—rather, maggots on the haggis/peanut butter on the Kong: it’s for a good cause.


As first reported by The Dodo, via Mental Floss, the Florida-based animal shelter has taken to sorting its dogs into Hogwarts houses. Not just for fun—although there’s no purer joy than seeing the a slobbery smile of a chipper pitty when you tell him he’s won a seat in House Hufflefluff—but to give prospective adopters a better idea about the personality of the pups they may be taking home.




via GIPHYThe impetus for the move, per The Dodo’s interview with Pet Alliance Orlando’s executive director Stephen Bardy, was to deter visitors from relying on breed alone in making their adoption decisions. As any seasoned canine lover knows, dogs’ personalities can be as diverse and unpredictable as humans’. Though breed can tell you a few valuable things about a given pooch, it can’t tell you everything you may want or need to know when selecting a new best friend, and this on top of the fact that it winds up proving difficult to designate the breeds of many a shelter mutt anyhow.


So how does the Pet Alliance Orlando sort its four-legged students? As it turns out, on-staff animal behaviorist and affirmed Harry Potter fan Diane Andersen devised a personality test better suited to a pup’s attention span than Pottermore’s 500-question quiz might be. Via toys, physical obstacles, interactions with humans and fellow canines, and monitoring of the dogs’ independent demeanor, the test looks to identify the dominant personality trait in any of its entrants: the bravest and most resilient of the barkers wind up in Gryffindor; the quickest to learn tricks or figure out puzzle games are named Ravenclaw; the most ambitious in tackling new challenges are given to Slytherin; and the friendliest, most affectionate pooches? ‘Puff pride, baby. (The shelter’s website does offer a digital quiz, but that’s more for human fun.)




via GIPHY
Not only is a sorted dog gifted with official record of their Hogwarts house, but the corresponding scarf to boot… at least until they chew it to bits, but that’s no sillier a tradition than throwing your hard-earned (and point-pronged) graduation cap into the air.


As you might expect, the stunt has earned the shelter a fair deal of attention, which is likewise good news for the dogs seeking new friends and forever homes. Though the practice was pioneered at Pet Alliance Orlando, we wouldn’t be surprised to see other shelters across the country adopting the task of Hogwarts House sorting to give their own clientele a better appreciation for the personalities of the dogs they’ve come to meet. But even if your local animal shelter doesn’t pick up the habit, it’ll no doubt have staff members on hand able to field questions about any given dog’s sense of character. So be like Hermoine and find out as much as you can learn!


Featured image: Petful/Flickr


More on Harry Potter (and dogs)!

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Halloween parades for dogs? Sign us up!
A small-town Harry Potter festival attracted thousands of fans this fall.

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Published on October 27, 2017 15:00

STRANGER THINGS’ Theme Gets a Classical Guitar Cover

Happy Stranger Things 2 day! The second season of Netflix’s breakout hit has arrived, and we’re all trying to sneak in episodes throughout the day. It’s been a long wait for the new season, and we’ve heard and seen countless covers of the Stranger Things theme in that time. At this point, the covers have to stand out to really grab our attention. And this guitar cover by Nathan Mills not only fits the bill, it turned our world Upside Down.



This cover was first spotted at Mashable, and we were immediately impressed by the classical flavor that Mills brought to the music of Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein.  And rather than simply sticking to the main theme, Mills extended his video to include covers of four additional tracks from the soundtrack: “Kids,” “Heroes,” “Elegia,” and “Kids Two.” And just to cap things off with a fun note, Mills closed out the video with a cover of The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” which memorably played during the first season.


Mills also went through the effort of recreating Joyce Byers’ wall of Christmas lights and letters from the first season, while adding a touch of Halloween with the carved pumpkins and the blinking lights that briefly left him enshrouded by darkness. Even the closing credits of the video feature a fun nod to the show and its obsession with Eggo waffles. Or possibly, Mills is calling in sick to watch the new season. It’s what we should have done!



For more of Mills’ classical guitar covers, you can check out his YouTube channel, Beyond the Guitar.


What did you think about this cover? Let us know in the comment section below!


Images: Beyond the Guitar/Nathan Mills 


These things are equally strange!

Our look at Stranger Things 2‘s first episode !
And our look at the second episode !
A delightful Stranger Things parody by the folks at Sesame Street!
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Published on October 27, 2017 14:00

Was It Okay for WONDER WOMAN to Retcon BATMAN V SUPERMAN?

It’s a big day in the nerd world with both Stranger Things 2 and Super Mario Odyssey being released to the masses. On today’s Nerdist News Talks Back we discussed which we’re bingeing this weekend, along with asking we have a problem with Wonder Woman retconning Diana’s story, whether Disney is working on a live-action Star Wars Rebels series, and what the end of LEGO Dimensions means for collectible figure games.


Nerdist News writer Joan Ford, Nerdist associate editor Kyle Anderson, and Geek and Sundry‘s Amy Vorpahl joined host Jessica Chobot  to share which of the two big releases is getting priority in their homes this weekend. Then they discussed Gal Gadot’s comments explaining why it was necessary for the ending of Wonder Woman to change her backstory from Batman v Superman. Was that the right move? Should they have cared more about continuity? Did we have a problem when Marvel did it? And does Gadot’s comments give us more hope for Justice League?



Then they discussed reports Star Wars Rebels showrunner Dave Filoni might be developing a live-action version of the series. Is this a good idea, or is there already enough of the galaxy far, far away in our lives? Would Disney give a TV show the budget it would need to look like Star Wars? If they do make it, what era and characters should they focus on? What about those rumored 50 hours of old scripts from George Lucas? Any chance they could be used?



Finally, the creators of LEGO Dimensions announced there won’t be anymore expansions released. Did we ever get into any of the collectible figure games? And with it going the way of Disney Infinity, is there a future market for this type of game?


Remember Nerdist News Talks Back airs every weekday at 1:00 p.m. PT on our YouTube and Alpha channels, so you can get in on the conversation with us. And you can still vote in today’s Monster Madness poll!



We're down to our last match-up in the semi-finals of #MonsterMadness. Who would win in a fight: #GameOfThrones' Drogon or #Cthulhu? Vote:


— Nerdist (@nerdist) October 27, 2017



Join us on Monday, we’ll be discussing whether we ended up binging Stranger Things or Super Mario Odyssey this weekend. (Spoiler: we’ll be doing both. Who needs sleep?)


But we still want you to talk back to us about today’s topics by sharing your thoughts in the comments below.


Images: Warner Bros, Lucasfilm


Lasso more Wonder Woman stories!

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Published on October 27, 2017 13:30

VERONICA MARS Gets FROZEN as Elsa, Not Anna, on Ryan Hansen’s New Show

It’s not every day you get to see Kristen Bell, a.k.a. Veronica Mars, dress up like Elsa from Frozen. But that’s the kind of quality content you’ll find in the new YouTube Red series Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television*. Star Ryan Hansen stopped by Nerdist News Talks Back this week to discuss the show, in which the LAPD pairs homicide detectives with actors so the latter group can use their “actor skills” to investigate crime. It sounds like a great idea, right?


Clips from the new series prove it is actually the best idea ever because Bell drops by in an Elsa, not Anna, outfit. She faces off against Samira Wiley, who’s dressed as Tiana. Watch:



It doesn’t matter what Bell does. I couldn’t inflict any harm upon her either. In fact, I’d probably resort to fisticuffs if anyone else tried to harm her.


If you thought the above video painted Elsa in a weird light, just you wait. A kid sees Elsa’s darker side in another clip from the show.



I bet Elsa also has that kind of reaction when someone asks her to sing “Let It Go” for the millionth time. And I wouldn’t blame her.


Have you checked out Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television*? Does this clip make you want to tune in? Let me know in the comments.


Featured Image: YouTube Red


Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. Follow her on Twitter and keep up with her Disney food adventures on Instagram.


Read more about Veronica Mars!

A Veronica Mars miniseries is totally happening.
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A marshmallow’s thoughts on the Veronica Mars movie.

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Published on October 27, 2017 13:00

October 26, 2017

Sideshow Collectibles’ Life-Size K-2SO Figure is a Beautiful Thing

With all the awesome things Rogue One: A Star Wars Story brought us last year (Darth Vader being the badass we all knew he could be? C’mon!), arguably the best part was the introduction of K-2SO, the reprogrammed Imperial droid played brilliantly by Alan Tyduk. From his dry wit to his accidental yet hilarious slapping of Cassian, K-2SO definitely won fans’ hearts. Sideshow Collectibles has designed a figure that is directly proportional to the love fans have for him.



That’s correct. This is a life-size figure of K-2SO. Standing 7 feet, 8 inches tall, he looks 100% ready to help the Rebellion. Well, maybe 75%. Some of that goes towards complaining about it.



The figure comes with weathered armor, and the paint job is done so well one would think it’s about to rust off. He also comes with a stand so you don’t have to worry about making sure his feet are placed in JUST the right spot so he doesn’t tip over. His head is completely poseable and his eyes light up, so you’ll be able to activate him when showing off to your friends, or shut him down when he’s just being unbearably negative. You don’t need that energy, you know?


Sideshow does an amazing job with their attention to detail with all their statues and figures regardless of the scale. To see the hard work put into a life-size figure is nothing short of amazing.


You can check out more pictures of this fantastic K-2SO figure in the gallery below and will be available for pre-order from Sideshow for $8900.00 starting October 26.


Will you be pre-ordering K-2SO? Or are you holding out for the life-size Death Star to hold ALL your life-size collectibles? Let me know on Twitter @donnielederer or sound off in the comments below.


Images: Sideshow Collectibles/Lucasfilm



















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How science can can help you beat carnival games!
9 horror icons that make comics way scarier !

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Published on October 26, 2017 17:00

Turn Your Wardrobe Upside Down with This STRANGER THINGS Line from Loungefly

If you weren’t at SDCC and couldn’t get your hands on the con-exclusive Stranger Things Loungefly backpack before its price skyrocketed online, fear not: a new Loungefly line is launching tomorrow, and it’s totally rad (that’s an ’80s term, right?).



Tees, bags, and even a footfull of skateboards abound in the carefully curated collection. None of the individually pieces are particularly subtle, unless you count the Hawkins High gym shirt and bag; if you’re sporting the mini backpack, “Leggo My Eggo” tee, or the ever-reliable ugly Christmas sweater, you’re outing yourself as a Stranger Things fan. Granted, you’re in good company, but get ready to hear references to the Upside Down or debate whether Nancy should give Brother another chance. (For the record, no, she shouldn’t. And Barb wasn’t that great, either.)



Depending on design, the shirts — primarily t-shirts, with a long-sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt, and the aforementioned holiday sweater thrown in for good measure — are available in men’s or women’s sizes. Hopefully we’ll see some extended sizing for both genders; Loungefly is primarily in the accessories game, and it’d be great to get another specialty retailer with plus size-friendly clothing.



There are some great individual pieces here. It’s hard to say whether or not the skateboards would fit adult-size feet, but they’re so snazzy that they’d work just as well simply as wall décor, if not better. There are a couple cute homages to ’80s styling — the women’s tee with a Choose Your Own Adventure­-inspired graphic of the boys playing D&D is particularly adorable. We’ll see what pricing looks like tomorrow. In the meantime, think about moving your ColecoVision funds into a Stranger Things swag account. The Duffer Brothers will thank you. (Probably.)


Which t-shirt are you already scouring the Internet for? Let us know in the comments!


Images: Loungefly


Binge on More Stranger Things!



Is the “Upside Down” possible?
11 last-minute Halloween costumes inspired by Stranger Things and more
Our favorite Dopplegangers reunite


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Published on October 26, 2017 16:00

Man Wants to Race Around the World…in a Balloon-Powered Flying Chair

In Pixar’s Up, Carl Fredricksen managed to use helium balloons to fly his house to South America. In South Africa, a British adventurer named Tom Morgan is trying something similar on a much smaller scale. Instead of lifting a home, Morgan and his team at the Adventurists are attempting to fly using 100 helium balloons and a simple camping chair—and maybe even turn it into a race.


But as you can see in this test flight video, it isn’t as easy as it looks.



The Telegraph chronicled Morgan’s initial attempts to make his dream a reality. The original plan was to launch the balloons from Botswana, before disagreeable weather convinced Morgan and his team to retreat to Johannesburg. From there, Morgan was successfully able to travel 15 miles while harnessed to the balloons.


“It was a fairly indescribable feeling, wafting across Africa on a cheap camping chair dangling from a load of balloons,” Morgan told The Telegraph. “Sort of peaceful and terrifying in equal measure.” And if Morgan has his way, he won’t be the only one attempting to make the somewhat perilous flight while journeying around the globe.


Basically: this is much more serious than George Bluth Sr.’s escape from prison in Arrested Development.



“I came here to see if we could organize the world’s most ridiculous air race and after that flight, I’m more convinced than ever that we can,” shared Morgan. This type of travel may not be for the faint of heart, and it probably shouldn’t be attempted by anyone who doesn’t have any relevant experience with daredevil stunts. But we have to admit, it does look fun!


What do you think about Morgan’s attempts to go Up in the air? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!


Images: The Adventurists

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Published on October 26, 2017 15:30

Taika Waititi Talks THOR: RAGNAROK, Rey’s Parents, AKIRA, and WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS Sequel

We’re so excited to see Thor: Ragnarok we’re bursting at the seams like a pair of Bruce Banner’s pants when he gets angry, but today we found a way to help ease the pressure of having to wait for it hit theaters next week. How did we do that? Oh nothing big. We just had the film’s director Taika Waititi stop by Nerdist News Talks Back to tell us all about the movie.


….Oh yeah we did.



On today’s very special (mainly spoiler-free) episode, Waititi told Jessica Chobot and senior Nerdist editor Dan Casey how he’s handling the hype for one of the most anticipated Marvel movies ever, and why he wanted to make a fun, action-comedy Thor. And while the hilarious tone of the film definitely has Waititi’s signature touch—including lots of on-set improvisation—was there anything he wanted to include that didn’t make it in?


He also answered some viewer questions, like what challenges he faced trying to get his vision of the film to fit into the larger MCU, and if the tough New Zealand “Skux life” chose Thor or he chose it. But we also wanted to know if he thinks Korg (who he voices in the film) could get his own spin-off, how much of the movie was inspired by Walt Simonson’s Thor run (a lot), what it was like on set every day, and if the movie has any Infinity Stones. (We didn’t expect him to answer that one! It never hurts to ask!)



We also had some non-Ragnarok questions, including whether he now has the cache to get us another season of Flight of the Conchords which he worked on (a possible movie is being worked on!), the status of the sequel to What We Do in the Shadows (so far it just has a title: We’re Wolves), and the reports about his live-action Akira movie for Warner Bros. (which would adapt the books rather than the anime!) which, Waititi explained that though “they may be right,” so far they’ve just been discussions.


What does he thinks the next big fashion trend might be? We also asked what other movies he’d love to do for Disney. (A live-action Fantasia would be hard, but we say let the man try.)



But since he has now entered the top tier of big budget Hollywood directors, we fired off a whole slew of questions to test his movie knowledge…and maybe also to see if we could trip him up into giving us some big juicy Marvel spoilers—and even some DCEU and Star Wars spoilers…you never know.


When that didn’t work though (Marvel has really trained their people well—except Mark Ruffalo that is), we just straight up asked him to tell us some news nobody else has yet. (You have to tune in for that one, that’s what makes it cool.)



Today’s a perfect reminder why you should always tune in live with us when Nerdist News Talks Back airs every weekday at 1:00 p.m. PST on our YouTube and Alpha channels. But even if you missed today’s big show, you can still vote in today’s Monster Madness poll and help decide the best, baddest, big beast around!



We're onto the semi-finals of #MonsterMadness! Today's match-up is EPIC.

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Published on October 26, 2017 15:00

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