Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1957

BREAKING BAD Incense Holder Makes Walter White’s Bad Choices Smell Good

It turns out you don’t have to make meth in an RV to get it smoking. While Breaking Bad came to an end in 2013, its fandom is still strong. Strong enough, in fact, to warrant what is possibly one of the most on-point pieces of licensed merchandise any TV fan could want — a Breaking Bad RV incense burner.

That’s right, you can now own a miniature version of the RV lovingly dubbed The Crystal Ship by Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) that will not only become a great conversation piece in your living room, but make everything smell better. All you have to do is open the bullet hole-ridden door, slip in your favorite scent of cone incense, and watch the smoke pour out of an air vent on top.

While the smoke may not be the blue smoke fans will remember ebbing from Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) special Blue Sky methamphetamine recipe, this alternative is much safer than building a cooking lab in your own home — it’s also a much more legal option. If you so choose, you can still pull a Walter White, and stand next to it without pants. Just queue up Crystal Blue Persuasion by Tommy James and The Shondells on your smartphone and your ultimate Breaking Bad tribute is complete.

This little reminder of one of the greatest TV shows of all time is $29.99 and makes a fantastic gift for the Breaking Bad nerd in your life, even if that happens to be you. You can pick it up at ThinkGeek!

Image credit: ThinkGeek

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Stephen King Picks His 8 Favorite Movies

Stephen King certainly has good reasons to be happy about the success of It. The updated adaptation of It is already tracking to win its second box office weekend in a row, and it could conceivably be the highest grossing horror film of all-time before the end of the month. That’s fitting because King has been a lifelong movie fan, and many of his preferred films fall in the horror genre. Recently, the British Film Institute asked King to share his thoughts about his personal favorite movies, and the master of horror didn’t disappoint.

As part of that request, King wrote a column for BFI’s official site that unequivocally named Sorcerer as his absolute favorite movie. It’s a 40-year old film that was directed by William Friedkin, and it was about four drivers in South America who found themselves doing dangerous work for an oil company. It’s more of a thriller than a horror film, but King insisted that it is even better than Henri-Georges Clouzot’s The Wages of Fear; which was the first movie to adapt the same story that Sorcerer was based upon. That said, King named Clouzot’s Les Diaboliques as his next favorite, and followed by Peter Medak’s understated horror movie, The Changeling, and Jacques Tourneur’s Night of the Demon.

Did you know that even Stephen King finds the creepy and malevolent kids from Village of the Damned to be unsettling? He specifically called Wolf Rilla’s film “beautiful” and praised George Sanders’ performance as the schoolmaster forced to teach the kids from Hell. King also had strong praise for Duel, Steven Spielberg‘s very first film, as well as Robert Harmon’s The Hitcher, which was released in 1986.

For his final favorite, King’s named Joseph Ruben’s The Stepfather. That was one of Terry O’Quinn‘s breakout performances nearly twenty years before Lost. As King succinctly put it, O’Quinn’s Henry Morrison was a “murderous (but charming) psycho looking for a family to love him.” He just returned that love with horrifying violence.

You can read the full text of King’s BFI essay here.

Do you agree with King’s cinema choices? Unleash a deep cut in the comment section below!

Images: Universal/MGM

More from Stephen’s favorites!

A look at the classic horror flick Night of the Demon
We are the scariest monsters in It
Every Stephen King miniseries, ranked

THE VENTURE BROS. Will Return, But Probably Not Until Late 2018

The Venture Bros. has been one of our favorite Adult Swim series for almost 15 years, but the wait between seasons seems almost infinite. However, if a new bumper from Adult Swim is to be believed, we can start counting down the days.

Via io9, an Adult Swim viewer named Kiki Canon managed to record and post the following video.

We’re not gonna lie. It’s extremely depressing to be reminded that 543 days have passed since the sixth season finale of The Venture Bros. aired. The good news is that Adult Swim has once again confirmed that the series is still in production. But it also said that season 7 is 422 days away?! That would put the new season premiere some time in late 2018! Although if we know Adult Swim, we can easily see that getting pushed back to 2019; which would be almost three years between seasons.

The worst part is that Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer really left us hanging in the sixth season with the Monarch’s storyline. Throughout the season, the Monarch figured out a way to reclaim his rights to menace Doctor Venture by eliminating everyone above him in the Guild of Calamitous Intent while disguised as a superhero. As the Blue Morpho, Monarch inadvertently uncovered his father’s ties to the original Doctor Venture (which he seemingly ignored) and made a mortal enemy out of his wife, Doctor Mrs. The Monarch. That story didn’t give us the closure that we wanted. But it did give us a hilarious Saw parody and a guest appearance by the great Clancy Brown.

In the past, Publick and Hammer have released special episodes between seasons to make the wait more bearable. That may be in the cards again, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

Can you make it through the long drought between new Venture Bros. seasons? Sound off in the comment section below!

Images: Adult Swim 

RICK AND MORTY’s “Terryfold” Song Debuted High on The Billboard Charts

Stan Lee says Marvel will eventually get the rights to both the X-Men and the Fantastic Four back, but will that ever actually happen? That’s what we discussed on today’s Nerdist News Talks Back, along with Rick and Morty hitting the Billboard charts, and Jon Hamm signing on to voice Boba Fett.

Mothership‘s Amy Vorpahl sat in the pilot’s chair today, and she was joined by Nerdist News writer Joan Ford, producer Jason Nguyen, and editor Kyle Anderson. Our very own Fantastic Four started with Stan Lee’s comments about how he’s sure Marvel will get back two of its lost franchises, but is there any reason to think this will really happen? Even if they did, could either comfortably fit in to the already massive MCU? Are there other Marvel characters more obscure than the Fantastic Four and X-Men we’d rather see join Marvel’s Cinematic Universe instead?

One thing we don’t have to speculate on is the fact Rick and Morty‘s song “Terryfold” from this season’s “Rest and Ricklaxation” really did debut at #33 on the Billboard charts. Of all the songs from the show, was this the one that deserved this kind of recognition? And how many people even know what “terryfold” means? Is that number more or less than the number who realized Pickle Rick’s rat-killing spree was a Breaking Bad homage?

Finally, we geeked out over the announcement that Jon Hamm will voice Boba Fett in the audiobook for the Star Wars short story collection From A Certain Point of View. Is this casting news good enough that Hamm should also play the bounty hunter in a live action film too? And what other side characters from the galaxy far, far away would we like to learn more about?

Oh, and in a little bit of Nerdist kismet, the author of the Boba Fett short story, titled “Added Muscle,” is Paul Dini, who we just spoke to on Alpha about Batman: The Animated Series, so make sure you check that out.

And make sure you check out Nerdist News Talks Back every weekday at 1:00 p.m. PST live on our YouTube and Alpha channels, so you can get in on the conversation too. No matter how fantastic our group is, it’s always better when they are part of a bigger universe.

You can still talk back to us about today’s topics though, right here in the comments section.

Want more Marvel?



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Images: Adult Swim

David Bradley Will Play the First Doctor in DOCTOR WHO Audio Plays, Too

When David Bradley, the veteran British actor behind such memorable roles as Argus Filch in the Harry Potter films, was cast as William Hartnell in the 2013 TV movie, An Adventure in Space and Time, it was an inspired choice. Watching that film, he had Hartnell’s mannerisms down pat. So the next, natural step would be for Bradley to play the First Doctor, in-continuity, which he will in the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special. But, one little ol’ episode can’t possibly be enough when you have the First Doctor himself, right? Audio drama producers Big Finish agree, and on Friday have announced a short series of First Doctor audio plays, starring Bradley.

The announcement was made on Friday via Big Finish’s blog, sharing the above artwork for the first set of two adventures, which will drop in January 2018 (presumably to capitalize on the First Doctor Frenzy that will no doubt happen at Christmas). Those stories are called “The Destination Wars” by Matt Fitton and “The Great White Hurricane” by Guy Adams. The second set of two (“The Invention of Death” by John Dorney and “The Barbarians and the Samurai” by Andrew Smith) will drop in July.

What’s additionally cool about this—besides getting Bradley to play the First Doctor some more—is that his companions Ian, Barbara, and his granddaughter Susan, will be played by Jamie Glover, Jemma Powell, and Claudia Grant, respectively, who also played actors original William Russell, Jacqueline Hill, and Carole Ann Ford in An Adventure in Space and Time. That’s a really great way to capitalize on people who’ve already a.) played those characters, really, and b.) did a great job at it.

Now if we could just get a series of Third Doctor adventures with Jon Pertwee’s son Sean Pertwee (Gotham) playing his father’s iconic role, I’d REALLY be a happy camper.

Images: BBC/Big Finish

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor and the resident Whovian for Nerdist. Follow him on Twitter!

More Doctor Who!

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A brief history of Time Ladies.
The Doctor’s daughter Jenny is getting her own adventures, too.

Listen to Björk’s Pretty New Single “The Gate”

When last we heard from Icelandic artist Björk, she was dabbling in the world of virtual reality and making music videos that were filmed inside her mouth – both very Björk things to do.

Well, as fun as all that kooky stuff she is so well know for is, the greatest thing about Björk has always been her genre-pushing music. There is simply no one else in the music business like her.

Not accompanied by any bells and whistles this time, Björk has just announced her new single, “The Gate.” This will be the lead single from her forthcoming album Utopia, which is currently due to hit in November. You can have a listen to the song down below:

Björk’s previous album, the critically acclaimed Vulnicura, was all about the ending of a long relationship. But according to the singer, she recently said (via Pitchfork), “this new album is about a love that’s even greater. [I]t’s about rediscovering love—but in a spiritual way, for lack of a better word. The last album, we sort of call it ‘hell’—it was like divorce! So we are doing paradise now. Utopia. We have done hell, we have earned some points. It’s about being in love. Spending time with a person you enjoy on every level is obviously utopia.”

Björk also went on to describe her new album as “her Tinder album.” I don’t know about you, but I’m having fun imagining just what a Björk Tinder profile reads like. You can check out images of the digital cover and the vinyl cover for “The Gate” single down below:

What do you think of Björk’s latest song? Be sure to let us know your thoughts down below in the comments.

Images: Sony Music

LEGEND OF ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD Mipha Cosplay is Worthy of the Zora Champion

Prince Sidon may have received a lot of attention when The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was released, but he’s not the only Zora in the game. Mipha’s both the Princess of the Zora and the Zora Champion. Cosplayer Lara Wegenaer was inspired to make a costume depicting Mipha as soon as she learned about the character. She already did a Zora cosplay in 2016, so dressing as another Zora was an obvious choice. Wegenaer’s finished costume makes her look like she’s directly from the game:

She spent about six weeks crafting her Mipha costume, and as with any Zora build, she said making the head was the trickiest part. It took a long time to shape. To make Mipha’s head, she used soft foam mattress material and added it in layers until she got the size right. Then she covered the head with fabric. She shared a tutorial on her website.

Scroll below to see more photos of the completed costume. Then, check out more of Lara’s work–including her amazing Twilight Princess Zora cosplay–at her Facebook page or at Instagram.

Do you cosplay or take photographs of cosplayers? If so, I want to see your work so we can talk about highlighting your creations in a future Cosplay Friday gallery. If you’re interested, please get in touch with me at alratcliffe@yahoo.com and send photos you’d like me to feature–the more high-res the photos, the better. Be sure to provide credits for the cosplayers or photographers for each image because giving credit is good manners–bonus points if you include links to relevant Facebook pages or websites. I don’t know all about every nerdy franchise, so please let me know who or what is being cosplayed.

Images: Lara Wegenaer Arts, Nancy Napalm

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

Dress up with more cosplay!

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The Real Magic of HARRY POTTER’s Will Take Focus in a New BBC Documentary

Sure, the wizarding world of Harry Potter isn’t exactly, um, real. But that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t inspired by, or analogous to, some very real things in our world. There’s a relationship between magic, belief, and science that J.K. Rowling‘s creation navigates with whimsy and aplomb, and it’s about to be celebrated in Harry Potter: A History of Magic–a new BBC Two documentary honoring the 20th anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

The documentary actually serves a dual purpose, as it also documents the creation and execution of an exhibit at the British Museum with the same name that opens October 20th, 2017. Featuring an interview with Rowling and behind-the-scenes looks at the curation of the exhibit, the exhibit and documentary hope to unveil the rare books, manuscripts, and magical objects (both from Rowling’s personal collection and beyond) that inspired the traditions of folklore and magic at the heart of the Harry Potter stories.

“From the Anglo-Saxon spells that cure MRSA,” the BBC’s announcement reads, “to the so-called witches who pioneered contemporary medicine; to the ancient stargazers who first mapped the wonders of the night sky,” all of this helps the audience “discover modern magic’s counterparts (from real life wandmakers to Quidditch enthusiasts)” and the unexpected relationships that helped shape Rowling’s wizarding world.

The documentary will also feature readings from famous fans, recreations of some of the best loved spells, potions, and magical moments from the books, and more. Exploring the subjects studied at Hogwarts, the exhibition includes original drafts and drawings lent by J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter illustrator Jim Kay from their personal archives, which will be on display for the first time, ever.

There’s no release date yet, but naturally we are deeply excited about Harry Potter: A History Of Magic. Are you? Let us know in the comments below!

Alicia Lutes is the Managing Editor, creator/co-host of Fangirling, and resident Khaleesi of House Nerdist. Find her on Twitter!

Accio more Harry Potter!

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Image: Warner Bros.

Is Marvel Secretly Working to Get the X-Men and Fantastic Four into the MCU?

It’s long been a pipe dream for Marvel fans to see the Fantastic Four and the X-Men share the silver screen with the rest of Marvel’s heroes in the MCU. Blame it on the horrible movie deals that Marvel made in the ’90s that had no reversions unless the studios stopped making Marvel movies within an extended period. Even the colossal disappointment of the last Fantastic Four movie hasn’t been enough to get Fox to pull a Sony and ask for shared custody. But today’s Nerdist News is offering up a ray of hope from the co-creator of Marvel’s greatest superheroes: Stan Lee!

Join the only host who was recently retconned into an Inhuman, Jessica Chobot, as she examines Lee’s recent assertion that Marvel is already working to bring the FF and X-Men into its grand live-action franchise. “Sooner or later, they’re going to get the rights back to all our characters,” Lee said. “They’re working on it, and they’re still making X-Men movies and stuff. Don’t worry about it. You’ll get more Marvel superheroes than you’ll have time to look at in the next few years.”

This is the kind of talk that yields more Kevin Feige memes. Remember the look on Feige’s face when Amy Pascal suggested that Sony’s off-brand Marvel pics would still be connected to the MCU? Yeah, that’s not Feige’s happy place. Earlier this year, Feige suggested that a crossover with the FF and the X-Men could happen on the big screen. But then he trolled us all by suggesting it was about as likely as getting DC to lend out Superman for a guest appearance.

In the immortal words of Jim Carrey: “so you’re saying there’s a chance?!” Sure, let’s go with that. But there’s probably a stronger chance that the rumors are true that Fox is using Mark Millar’s Kindergarten Heroes as the basis for the next Fantastic Four movie. That’s definitely not our happy place either! We really want to see these characters in the MCU, but absent any proof from the studios, we’re afraid that Stan Lee’s remarks are more like wishful thinking than a firm prophecy about the future.

Would you want to see the X-Men and the Fantastic Four enter the MCU? Unleash your thoughts in the comment section below!

We Celebrated HARRY POTTER’s “19 Years Later” By Teaching Oliver Wood Magic

September 1, 2017 was an auspicious date for many Harry Potter fans. It was on this date that a grown-up Harry Potter saw his children off on their inaugural trip to Hogwarts, bringing Rowling’s epic sorcery saga to a close in the epilogue to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, succinctly titled “19 Years Later.” While many fans took to the Internet to share their favorite Harry Potter memories or, in my case, shake their fist at the heavens that J.K. Rowling thought “Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy” wasn’t the single dumbest name in a series of arguably dumb names, Nerdist decided to celebrate in style by sending one of the biggest Harry Potter fanatics we know, Erika Ishii, to MuggleNet’s “Nineteen Years Later” event at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando. The best part is that we filmed the entire thing, so peer into our Pensieve above to see what a magical time was had by all.

The spellbinding evening brought together superfans from all over the world with stars like Chris Rankin (“Percy Weasley”), Christian Coulson (“Tom Marvolo Riddle”), Luke Youngblood (“Lee Jordan”), Sean Biggerstaff (“Oliver Wood”), and many more to celebrate their shared passion for all things Harry Potter. From reminiscing with the cast about what it means to be a part of the series to riding the Hogwarts Express to teaching Oliver Wood how to properly cast spells, Erika did it all and more than earned an “Outstanding” on her O.W.L.s and made us wish that there were more Harry Potter books and movies coming out soon. Sure, we have more Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to look forward too, but what about a TV show while we’re at it? Fingers crossed it’ll happen before another 19 years passes.

How did you celebrate Harry Potter’s “19 Years Later” anniversary? Let us know in the comments below!

What else is happening in the world of Harry Potter?

Didn’t get into Hogwarts? You can own Harry Potter’s actual acceptance letter.
We had the voice of Bart Simpson read scenes from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Here’s how to make your own alcoholic butterbeer

Is Dumbledore secretly the incarnation of Death itself?

Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter (@DanCasey).

Editor’s note: Travel and lodging for this event were provided by MuggleNet.