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The Real Jean Grey Will Return in X-MEN Comic PHOENIX RESURRECTION

Casual comic book fans may not realize it, but the X-Men‘s Jean Grey has been dead for over a decade in the Marvel Universe. Jean was killed off at the tail end of Grant Morrison’s New X-Men run in 2003, which seemed to be a thematic tie-in to X-Men 2. For the last few years, Jean’s past self has been trapped in the present, and that’s the version currently starring in her own ongoing series. Now, the original Jean Grey is finally getting a comeback, and she may owe it to the next X-Men movie!

Marvel has officially announced Phoenix Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey, by writer Matthew Rosenberg and artist Leinil Francis Yu. In 2005, Jean was briefly resurrected in the Phoenix: Endsong miniseries, where she evolved into the White Phoenix of the Crown. But judging from the first cover image by Yu, it certainly looks like she’s going back to her Dark Phoenix look.

Unlike the last time she came back from the great beyond, many of Jean’s friends and family are now dead themselves. Wolverine, Cyclops, and Professor Xavier have all been killed off within the last few years, although Old Man Logan and Teen Cyclops are filling those respective voids. The Phoenix Resurrection teaser is also missing two key characters who should and probably will appear: Rachel Grey, Jean’s daughter from an alternate timeline, and Teen Jean. In fact, the ghost or spirit of the real Jean has recently been appearing within the pages of the Jean Grey ongoing series to help her past self prepare for the return of the Phoenix. That can’t be a coincidence.

The real Jean’s resurrection is almost certainly happening because she’ll once again play a large role in the next X-Men movie, X-Men: Dark Phoenix. Jean has actually been dead in the comics for longer than she was after her first demise in The Dark Phoenix Saga back in 1980. There are two big questions now: Does the Marvel Universe have room for two Jeans? And is Jean’s adult self is truly back for good? We’ll learn more when Phoenix Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey #1 is released on Wednesday, December 27.

Are you excited about Jean’s return from the grave? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Marvel Comics

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Are the Avengers Going Back in Time for INFINITY WAR?

Through nearly a decade of films, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has kept its distance from time travel, even though it’s a fairly common superhero plotline. Who doesn’t love a good story that sends the heroes and villains all over time? Considering Marvel Studios treats its Asgardians as if they’re aliens instead of Norse Gods, it’s not all that surprising. But now, a casting call from the still untitled post-Infinity War film has signaled a potentially significant shift. Today’s Nerdist News is looking at the clues to tell you if the Avengers are going back in time!

There are potential spoilers ahead for Infinity War! If you turn back now, you won’t even need the Mind Stone to wipe away your memories.

Join host and the only graduate of the Black Order, Jessica Chobot, as she tells us all about Marvel’s plans to recreate the swinging ’60s! Apparently Marvel has put out the official call to women in their 20s to 50s to play engineers and secretaries for a scene that takes place in the ’60s. So there’s definitely going to be some time spent in that decade, but the big question is how long and whether the Avengers will directly play a part in that sequence. With the Infinity Stones looming, especially the Time Stone, it’s not out of the question for a few Avengers to get misplaced in time.

It’s too bad that Marvel and Fox aren’t up for true MCU style collaboration, since the ’60s would be a great place to put the next version of the Fantastic Four. Their origin wouldn’t even need to change that much, and the characters could thrive as the only superhero celebrities around. Too bad that’s just a pipe dream, but there is another Marvel team that could potentially debut in the past: the original members of S.H.I.E.L.D., including Howard Stark and Peggy Carter. Perhaps we’ll finally see what happened when the elder Stark recovered the Tesseract.

What do you think about the Avengers’ trip back in time? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

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KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE is a Fun But Safer Sequel (Review)

The surprise hit is something Hollywood doesn’t really know how to handle. The practicing of giving anything slightly off-kilter the budget to actually get made (and hoping it might turn a profit) is falling by the wayside, but once in awhile these films do make it to cinemas, and every once in a while those movies are great. But what do you do with them after that initial success? If it’s Kingsman: The Secret Service, the 2014 movie which took a Mark Millar comic and made a very raunchy, hyper-violent send-up of the James Bond oeuvre that grossed $414 million worldwide, you put a sequel in the works right away. Now, three years later, the sequel is here and the result is spending more time with characters you like, but losing a fair amount of the original’s edge.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle wastes no time in getting back to the action, proving director Matthew Vaughn’s knack for giving audiences frenetic, well-choreographed fight sequences. The sequel opens with our hero Eggsy (Taron Egerton) having a slobber-knocker with Charlie (Edward Holcroft), a washed-out Kingsman recruit from the first film who has now broken bad, in the back of Eggsy’s taxi cab. To prove just how much fun a sequence like this could be, we get the diegetic use of Prince’s seminal “Let’s Go Crazy” as the fight ensues and Charlie’s cohorts follow in heavily armed sedans. It’s certainly a great way to start the film.

Almost immediately, the story sets about to upend everything from the first movie. We find Eggsy is in a committed relationship with Princess Tilde (Hanna Alström), the character who was at the center of the first film’s controversial ending, and shortly thereafter this film’s villain–a ’50s Americana-obsessed drug magnate played by Julianne Moore–destroys pretty much all of Kingsman. This, in turn, forces Eggsy and Merlin (Mark Strong) to travel abroad and find allies in the form of Kingsman’s American counterpart, Statesman, whose cover is a Kentucky bourbon distillery headed by characters with names like Champagne (Jeff Bridges), Tequila (Channing Tatum), Whiskey (Pedro Pascal), and Merlin’s opposite number Ginger (Halle Berry).

The plot from there follows the same screwed-up 007-type scheme as the first movie: Moore has laced all of her drugs–which includes pot, cocaine, heroin, meth, etc.–with a poison that starts by giving people pronounced blue veins on their hands and face and ends with a violent, bloody death. The aim is to hold the world ransom in order to make all drugs legal, and therefore taxable, but the Good Ol’ Boy American president (Bruce Greenwood) sees the death of all drug users (almost all of them nonviolent) as a good thing. Obviously there is some social and political satire here, which is welcome.

So it’s up to Eggsy and his new American friends to save the world again, and it’s all entertaining enough, but the movie ultimately can’t live up to the gonzo nature of the first installment. The Secret Service was a massive hit despite and because of how bananas it was and how over-the-top it went in every area, but that also means the sequel has to cater to a wider audience. It’s still R-rated, so it has the violence and swearing you’ve come to expect, but it really feels like everything is pulled back. There is hardly any blood, the raunchiness was toned down a bit, and everything just feel a lot sweeter.

The success the original Kingsman, especially in America, has necessitated the inclusion of Statesman, evidently, and while we add in doing so, we also lose what I and many other people liked about the first film, which was its inherent Britishness. They couldn’t commit to doing another movie about a staunchly British spy agency, so they had to blow it up in favor of adding cowboy-hatted swagger. Why did we care about anything in the first movie then? It couldn’t even commit to the bravest thing the first one did, which was keep Galahad (Colin Firth), the first film’s mentor figure, dead. If you’ve seen any sort of advertisement for The Golden Circle, you know he’s back, and I couldn’t help but feel like he maybe didn’t want to be.

Despite a whole lot of bet-hedging, there’s still a lot to enjoy about Kingsman: The Golden Circle, including a very hilarious extended cameo and some suitably bombastic set pieces. I’d certainly be happy with more Kingsman movies, because Egerton is a winning leading man and Vaughn’s action direction remains fantastic, but this movie feels like a victim of its unanticipated success. If the first Kingsman left you going “Wow!” this one leaves you saying “Hmm…cool.” And while it doesn’t reach the same hyperbolic heights as the first film, there are certainly worse things than being entertained for two hours.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Burritos

Images: 20th Century Fox

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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See How Arya and Brienne Trained for their Duel on GAME OF THRONES

Game of Thrones‘ seventh season was overloaded with jaw-dropping moments, but the one that earned that reaction without anyone dying or Kit Harington’s caboose was the incredible training session between Brienne of Tarth and Arya Stark. Two of the most talented fighters of the Realm faced off in a duel where the championship belt for best warrior of Westeros was on the line, and it did not disappoint. But making that impromptu fight happen required a lot of training from the two actresses, as well as their stunt doubles

In this clip from the fourth episode of the The Game Revealed, HBO’s behind-the-scenes series exploring the last season of Game of Thrones, we see some of the work that Maisie Williams and Gwendoline Christie put in to making one of the greatest sparring sessions in television history a reality.

Somehow watching this duel slowed down makes us appreciate it even more, especially watching Williams flip that dagger from one hand to the other. Also, when watching this originally we never even thought about it involving stunt doubles, which is a testament both to their incredible work as well as the editing on the show.

The vast differences in size and style between these two made this a remarkable fight visually, but knowing the two characters as intimately as we do made it special.  And now knowing how they made it happen has only made it better.

Hopefully, the next time they are both fighting it is side-by-side. The Night King won’t know what it hit him.

What other fights from the show would you love to learn more about how they filmed it? Square off in our comments below with your thoughts.

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Images: HBO

Relive Morty’s Mind Blowers with Our RICK AND MORTY T-Shirt Giveaway

As demonstrated in tonight’s Rick and Morty episode, the titular duo have been on more adventures than we previously knew about. There were so many wild and unsettling tales that “Morty’s Mind Blowers” displaced this year’s installment of “Interdimensional Cable” and gave us some of the craziest things that we’ve seen all season. And we mean crazy!

Poor Morty just couldn’t handle having the Truth Tortoise’s knowledge in his head, but as this week’s Rick and Morty t-shirt illustrates, some experiences are better off forgotten.

After tonight, there are only two episodes left in Rick and Morty season three. Until we reach the very end of the season, we’ll be teaming up with Spencers to give away 10 t-shirts that capture the spirit of each individual episode. To win this week’s shirt, you must gaze into the Truth Tortoise’s eyes and tell us all you see. Or you could just get it for free! All you have to do to enter our weekly giveaway is to click here and tweet. You must be following Nerdist on Twitter and based in the U.S. to win.

So far this season, we’ve given away a fantastic lineup of shirts, including Morty Pride 2017, Toxic Rick and Morty, Spiritual Leader Rick,  the Vindicators logo, Pickle Rick, and Mad Morty. And unlike Morty’s surgically removed memories, these shirts are not lost to you. You can still purchase those t-shirts from Spencers. They have an extensive collection of Rick and Morty merchandise, which you can buy here.

What do you think about the latest Rick and Morty t-shirt? Let us know in the comment section below.

Images: Adult Swim, Spencers

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EMMY AWARDS 2017 Winners List, Updated Live

It’s safe to say a number of folks here at Nerdist are into television. We watch, we theorize, we write, and if it’s Game of Thrones, we theorize some more. That’s why we’re keeping our eyes on the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards hosted by Stephen Colbert tonight on CBS. It’s time to look back at the small screen offerings we’ve been blessed with in the past year and see which series and people receive awards. Entertainment like the Stranger Things kids singing “Uptown Funk” is the icing on the Emmys cake.

Who will win? Maybe Westworld will take home best drama. Maybe Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will claim top marks in the comedy category. Maybe Claire Foy will receive a nod for her performance as Queen Elizabeth in The Crown. We’ll find out soon enough and we’ll be updating the list of winners live. The winner for each category will be in bold below.

We’re also live tweeting and GIFing the event, so follow us on Twitter to keep up with every exciting moment from the Emmys.

Supporting Actor in a Drama

WINNER – John Lithgow (The Crown)

Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul)

Mandy Patinkin (Homeland)

Michael Kelly (House of Cards)

David Harbour (Stranger Things)

Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us)

Jeffrey Wright (Westworld)

Yesssss, go Kate McKinnon!!!

Black Metal Cats Twitter Combines Kitties with Heavy Metal Lyrics

If the internet was destined for anything beyond communication and commerce, it had to be cat pictures. It turns out that sharing pics of our ridiculously amusing feline companions is one of the most addictive online activities. The only way that the onslaught of endless cat pictures could get any better is if some brave soul took the funniest pics and combined them with lyrics from heavy metal songs. And because the internet is always prepared, that already exists with the Black Metal Cats Twitter account!

We first came across Black Metal Cats via Bored Panda, and it’s already become our new obsession. We’ve been examining the recently posted pics, and our favorite is the now famous image of a cat swimming through the flood waters in Houston during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey paired with lyrics from Mutiilation’s “No Mercy for Humans.” The expression on the cat’s face is about as metal as it gets.

You tried to push me to the coffin, now I’m here to make you suffer. No mercy for humans. pic.twitter.com/1iSzIqMx7l

— Black Metal Cats (@evilbmcats) September 4, 2017

There’s also something about cats in snow that adds another layer of epic to the following two pics.

Beasts of prey from the north arise, spread by winter, hate and storms. pic.twitter.com/EmL4CIE5N5

— Black Metal Cats (@evilbmcats) August 31, 2017

I am the founding evil, bearer of all plagues, the Antichrist malefactor, manifestation of your fears. pic.twitter.com/KGmoIRZTq7

— Black Metal Cats (@evilbmcats) August 26, 2017

Of course, snow isn’t the only backdrop that works well with Black Metal Cats’ ongoing theme.

I enter my homeland—the forests, caves and mountains—to rule once again. pic.twitter.com/NxbEEGB7NM

— Black Metal Cats (@evilbmcats) September 5, 2017

I cannot help you. The world will die now, we all will perish, our lives are over. pic.twitter.com/4my6ozpiXg

— Black Metal Cats (@evilbmcats) September 13, 2017

Cold mountain winds blow through the trees. There is hell on earth in the northern Carpathians. pic.twitter.com/MDia2IIfL5

— Black Metal Cats (@evilbmcats) September 12, 2017

And finally, we’re including this one for no other reason than the way it made us laugh at the combination of the ominous text from Ragnarok’s “Time Before the Birth of Light” and the intent expression of the cat in question.

Hate more pure than water of a mountain source. He was born when the sun was black. Let his destiny fall upon us. pic.twitter.com/sEnPgHAILJ

— Black Metal Cats (@evilbmcats) September 10, 2017

You can follow the Black Metal Cats twitter account here, but be warned–you may lose a lot of hours going through the backlog of nearly 900 posts.

Featured Image: Flickr/cuatrok77

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High School Seniors Wear the Best Pop Culture Costumes for ID Photos

High school can be a tough time for teens, but one establishment is taking the time to add a touch of brightness to every school year. North Farmington High in Farmington Hills, Michigan lets their senior class students take their ID pictures while wearing costumes, most of which are inspired by pop culture. The annual senior tradition is a way for the North Farmington High attendees to celebrate their final year.

Members of the class of 2018 took to Twitter to share photos of their IDs alongside pictures of the characters or memes that influenced their outfits. Browsing the #NFID18 hashtag will bring you joy and probably a few a laugh out loud moments. I applaud the creativity on display. Look at all the seniors who participated:

Awesome job by all that participated in #NFID18 today! You all looked great

Attention Disney Fans: SNOW WHITE Inspired Cottage for Sale

Disney fans are some of the most loyal, passionate fans around, and some of them have taken their fandom to extreme heights. Case in point: One Disney loving family in Olalla, Washington was so enchanted by the seven dwarfs’ cottage from Walt Disney’s classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that they reproduced it as a family residence, where they lived until 2005.  

The person to which they sold it kept going with the Disney theme, and continued to enhance the interior. Thanks to Top Ten Real Estate Deals, we’ve learned that after 12 years of whistling while she worked, she is now offering her Snow White cottage for sale.

The so-called “Snow White home” is located on five wooded acres on a dead-end street behind a gated entry. The sprawling main house consists of 2,800 square feet with extreme high pitched and deeply sloped roofs, reminiscent of those in the classic film.  The four bedroom, five bath house also has a walk through indoor tree trunk, a twisted wooden bridge, and a tree house in the garden that has a small room with its own fireplace.

So, tell us magic mirror, just how much will it set you back to live in the ultimate Disney fan’s dream home? If you have $775,000 to spare, the Snow White house can now be yours. Assorted adorable woodland creatures eager to help out with chores are not included–you’ll have to find those on your own. You can check out images of the Snow White house in our gallery below. 

Would you be down to live the fairy tale life in the ultimate Disney fan’s dream home? Be sure to let us know in the comments.

Images: Top Ten Real Estate

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LORD OF THE RINGS Fire Pits Hold the Flames of Mordor

Peter Jackson‘s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings trilogy is celebrating its sixteenth anniversary this year, and those three movies are still among the most beloved cinematic fantasy films. Whenever we think about J.R.R. Tolkien‘s epic series, we can’t help but see Jackson’s interpretation of that world, including the infamous Eye of Sauron. Now, one fan has taken two of the most memorable designs from the Lord of the Rings movies and turned them into astonishingly beautiful fire pits.

#firepit#lordoftherings #eyeofsauron#tower#photooftheday#imaginemetalart#weldporn#instacool#unique#artist#metalart#etsy

A post shared by Imagine Metal Art (@imaginemetalart) on May 4, 2016 at 2:35pm PDT

Via Geek Girls, this Eye of Sauron fire pit was created by Etsy seller Imagine Metal Art. It’s not inexpensive, but it’s no wonder since it’s about five feet high and two feet wide and made from heavy gauge steel. It’s a truly impressive work of art, and it’s not the only Lord of the Rings firepit from this seller. Behold the Witch-King of Angmar, leader of the Nazgûl.

No fire can kill me#imaginemetalart#firepit lotr#witchking#metalart#viral#epic

A post shared by Imagine Metal Art (@imaginemetalart) on Jul 21, 2015 at 8:41pm PDT

As amazing as that is, you really do need to see it without the flames to fully appreciate the craftsmanship.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHAOMZjIfmJ

Imagine Metal Art also offers other geeky fire pits for sale, which are inspired by Star Wars, Game of Thrones, and other fantasy creatures like dragons. You can find those designs , and the seller will craft custom creations upon request.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BODtkb6hxru

What do you think about these Lord of the Rings fire pits? Cast your thoughts into the fires of our comment section below.

Images: New Line Cinema

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