Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1967

THE LAST JEDI Connections in the New Young Leia Novel

Warning: spoilers follow for Leia: Princess of Alderaan. Proceed at your own risk.

I will never say no to an opportunity to learn more about Leia Organa, princess, senator, general. She’s a Star Wars character with a rich history. If a story about her also happens to include more of Alderaan and Breha (Queen!) and Bail Organa, it’s icing on the jogan fruit cake. Claudia Gray‘s Leia: Princess of Alderaan is set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Leia is 16 years old and learning about the existence of the rebellion and the roles her parents play in it.

As if the exploration of Leia at that time period isn’t enough, the novel is part of the Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi publishing program. Titles in this series have connections to Episode III in ways big and small. Leia: Princess of Alderaan has two elements that could add more depth to The Last Jedi.

Crait

The mineral world of Crait is a safe haven for the Resistance in The Last Jedi. The salt-covered planet with bright red soil is important to Leia’s past. In the novel, she started to become curious about her parents’ odd behavior. She traced shipments to Crait and took it upon herself to travel to the planet in secret. But she got busted and captured. When she demanded the mysterious individuals take her to their leader, she was shocked to learn their leader was her father.

Crait is more than a former outpost for the Rebel Alliance. It was where Leia first learned of Bail’s involvement with rebel activities. This excursion was a pivotal point for Leia’s development.

Amilyn Holdo

Amilyn Holdo, played by Laura Dern in The Last Jedi, was a pal of Leia’s way back when. They were part of the Apprentice Legislature at the same time. Amilyn is from the planet Gatalenta, and she is the Luna Lovegood of the Star Wars universe. Her hair changed colors throughout the book, she put glitter on things, and she was kind of spacey. She talked so abstractly that Leia called it Holdo-speak. On her homeworld, Amilyn stood out as different.

But like Luna, Amilyn was there when things got serious. She was fascinated by dangerous situations and never hesitated to put herself by Leia’s side, regardless of the risk. Amilyn learned valuable secrets about the rebellion against the Empire alongside Leia. Their friendship was forged in the most risky circumstances possible.

AHEM.

Laura Dern has purple hair in Star Wars. https://t.co/GS5jUsLtq5 pic.twitter.com/CCzUY70Wyl

— kateyrich (@kateyrich) May 24, 2017

When we get to The Last Jedi, Leia is a general and Amilyn is a vice admiral. They’re both working with the Resistance, but their relationship could be strained. Episode VIII director and writer Rian Johnson told Entertainment Weekly, “Everybody is put in a pressure cooker right away, and relationships crack and strain under that pressure. That was really interesting to me, the notion of putting this small army under a lot of external pressure and showing some of the results within the Resistance itself.”

One more minor thing. Leia mentions citizens of Gatalenta often dress plainly “except for those scarlet cloaks.” Lucasfilm and Disney released a series of posters that featured The Last Jedi characters with scarlet overlays on their outfits. It was visually striking and different, sure, but maybe (emphasis on maybe) it could be a hint about Gatalenta. Or they all roll around in Crait’s dirt.

Have you read Leia: Princess of Alderaan? Head to the comments and let me know your thoughts about the book.

Images: Disney Lucasfilm Press, Lucasfilm, Disney

Want to read more The Last Jedi?

See Luke Skywalker’s new dark look.
New vehicles for The Last Jedi.
Porg memes!

GAME OF THRONES’ Clip Shows the Building of Euron’s Giant Ship

If you’re going to build the largest armada Westeros has ever seen, you might as well go all out and build yourself the largest ship too. In this sneak peek from HBO‘s behind-the-scenes series about the making of Game of Thrones season seven, we get to see just how big Euron Greyjoy‘s boat really was and how they brought his stunning nighttime naval attack to the screen.

This clip is from the second episode of The Game Revealed, HBO’s inside look at the show’s most recent season (and a great way to scratch our Game of Thrones itch). “Battling the Silence” explores the massive ship and how the show didn’t only rely on CGI to bring it to life.

If they ever open a Game of Thrones amusement park (which they definitely will someday), they should recreate this entire ship so you can pretend you’re a crazy pirate with a fondness for eyeliner and axes.

But remember, this is just a clip from the seven-part series. The Game Revealed is only available to HBO subscribers on HBO NOW, HBO GO, and HBO On Demand. Although you can watch the entire first episode even if you aren’t a subscriber.

Hopefully in the rest of this episode they’ll explain where Euron got the wood needed to build a ship this big, since the Iron Islands are pretty much just stone. Especially now that we know only some of the trees they used were CGI.

What sequence from this past season are you most interested in learning more about? Set sail for our comments section below to let us know.

Want more Game of Thrones?

Drool over a handmade dragon purse.
Be amazed by tiny Game of Thrones pencil carvings.
Learn about a new Game of Thrones mobile game.

Images: HBO

Nerdist Comics Panel #116: Alice Cooper

Welcome to the Nightmare as Heath Corson (Detective Chimp, Justice League Action) summons Alice Cooper, the dark prince of rock to discuss music, vaudeville, theatrical stunts gone awry, Wayne’s World 25th anniversary and… Burt Bacharach?  Recorded at Emerald City Comic Con, March 3, 2017.

Follow @BenBlacker and @HeathCorson on Twitter!

Photo Credit: Cindy Ord / Stringer

IT is a Faithful, Frightening, and Fun Stephen King Adaptation That Will Leave You Wanting More (Review)

Whether you read Stephen King’s original 1986 novel, watched the 1990 miniseries through your fingers, or avoided the whole thing entirely, you know one thing about It: Pennywise the Clown. The killer clown is what everyone thinks of when they think of It, thanks to an electric performance by Tim Curry, but the true nature of It is so much more than that. Yes, It is horror, and yes, Pennywise the Clown is terrifying no matter which way you slice (and dice) it, but the power of the original story stems from The Losers Club, a ragtag group of young misfits who band together to destroy the evil taking over their town. So while the demonic beast and its vicious circus clown form might be the most memorable images from IT, the newest iteration of Stephen King’s classic novel puts The Losers Club center stage for one of the best Stephen King adaptations to date.

This It, after losing True Detective’s Cary Fukunaga and gaining director Andy Muschetti, is an adaptation of Stephen King’s book, not the miniseries, set in the 1980s instead of the 1950s. It (It?) focuses entirely on the kids of Derry, Maine (the fictional setting for other Stephen King stories like Pet Sematary, Insomnia, The Dark Tower VII, and Under the Dome), who discover that something is amiss in their seemingly ideally small town. Children are going missing, disappearing from backyards and on rainy walks ‘round the neighborhood, and no one seems to notice or care. When sweet, stuttering Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) loses his little brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) to such a fate, he and his friends begin to see horrifying creatures out of their worst nightmares everywhere they look. And while the so-called Losers Club bands together to fight the ancient evil consuming their town from within, they also have the cold realities of life to deal with: Beverly (Sophia Lillis) and her abusive father; Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor) and Mike (Chosen Jacobs), bullied for the way they look; hypochondriac Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer) trapped at home with his cloying, clinging mother.

Though the film is satisfyingly scary (more on that and Pennywise later), it’s the kids who really steal the show here. Evoking childhood favorites like Stand By Me or Now and Then, the Losers Club is filled with characters who feel so real it makes your heart ache. They’re scrappy and raw, silly even while scared out of their minds. But mostly, they’re a joy to watch, and make the moments around IT’s terror something you wouldn’t expect from a big budget horror movie: a ton of fun. The whole troupe of young actors is primed for Stranger Things breakout success, including a second round for Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard. His hilarious performance as Richie, the attention-seeking class clown known as “Trashmouth Tozier,” is a complete 180 from the moody, determined Mike Wheeler of Stranger Things. Jaeden Lieberher plays Bill as the solemn, brave leader of the gang all on his own terms, and while all the boys play their parts with that rare honesty kids have, Jack Dylan Grazer’s flabbergasted, frustrated Eddie – who just wants to go HOME and get away from all this disgusting nonsense – was a clear favorite.

But it’s Beverly who I was most excited to see, Beverly who truly lives in fear all day every day, Beverly whose home is the nightmare. As the one girl in the group, Beverly could easily be lost on a pedestal (and no, THAT disturbing book scene is not in the movie – thank goodness). But while the boys of the Losers Club look on Beverly with awe and amazement, she is firmly her own character, brave despite having every reason not to be. Because at its core of dead lights and lost souls, IT is about the monster who feeds on fear, yes, but it’s also about the danger and debilitating loneliness of childhood. Derry seems like the perfect small town before Pennywise the Clown gets his polka dot mitts on it, but something even more insidious lives there. It’s the evil of human nature; of abuse and neglect; of parents ignoring their children’s pain or worse yet, causing it. There’s a reason the adults can’t see Pennywise the Clown or any of his cruel tricks, and it’s because the kids of Derry – the Losers Club especially – are all alone to fend for themselves, against the world and against the monster.

And what a monster It is. Casting the role of Pennywise the Clown seemed like an impossible feat; how could anyone live up to Tim Curry’s iconic performance? Thankfully, It is the best kind of adaptation – one that stays true to the themes of the source material but also creates something new. And Bill Skarsgard takes Pennywise and makes him his own – delightfully devious, at times truly terrifying, playing with his body language like he’s his own puppeteer. For those of you looking for the thrills of It, be assured that there are plenty of jump scares, spooky set pieces, and gore that absolutely earns that R rating. My only complaint, which is honestly just personal preference, is that the film shows quite a bit of Pennywise from the get-go, rather than teasing him out and building suspense. But thankfully, that does not take away from some of the scarier scenes at the film’s climax.

Horror films are always hit and miss… horror adaptations even more so. But It not only made me fall in love with The Losers Club all over again, it made me excited for a sequel! Who would play these kids as adults? Can we get another installment with the kids before their grown-up selves reunite in Derry? Yes, I crawled out of my skin and yes, Pennywise is still scary as all get-out, but the real strength of this film lies in The Losers Club and that incredible cast. If you’re looking for a ton of frightening fun after a long summer movie drought, just lean into the nightmare and go see IT.

4 out 5 horrifying burritos

Images: New Line

Rachel Heine is the Editor-in-Chief of Nerdist and lover of all things spooky. Chat with her on Twitter or join Alpha Book Club to hang out and talk about books! 

Do you want… a balloooon?

Every Stephen King film adaptation, ranked.
IT sequel will explore the origin of Pennywise.
Professional clowns are blaming IT for fewer jobs.

Do We Even Need INDIANA JONES 5?

We’re getting a fifth Indiana Jones movie, but Shia LaBeouf won’t be a part of it. Are either of those things good news? That’s what we tried to answer on today’s Nerdist News Talks Back, along with breaking down the new trailer for The Magic School Bus Rides Again, and celebrating 25 years of Batman: The Animated Series.

Nerdist editors Alicia Lutes, Kyle Anderson, and Amy Ratcliffe went digging with host Jessica Chobot on today’s show. They were on the hunt for what we can learn from Indiana Jones 5 screenwriter David Koepp’s announcement that LaBeouf’s Mutt Williams won’t appear in the fifth movie, even though he wasn’t necessarily part of fans’ problems with the last movie.

But did The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull have any elements that made us want a fifth Indiana Jones, featuring an almost 80-year-old Harrison Ford? That’s how old he’ll be when the film hits theaters in 2020. Or should the franchise leave the action-adventure corner to other media, like the Uncharted games? They also talked about who might take up Indy’s mantle after this film, since LaBeouf doesn’t seem to be an option, and whether that person should use a whip.

From there they jumped on the Magic School Bus to break down Netflix’s new trailer for the reboot. But are today’s kids ready for Ms. Frizzle and her super irresponsible field trips? Will they like Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s songs or understand why a bus running on magic is so focused on real science? And if they like this classic kid’s show, what other series should also be brought back?

Finally, on the 25th (25th!) anniversary of Batman: The Animated Series, they tried to answer where Kevin Conroy ranks all-time on the best Batman list, and whether the series would have been as good if the Joker had been played by Tim Curry instead of Mark Hamill, which almost happened. Since plenty of you are likely to celebrate by watching the show, what are the series’ best and must-watch episodes?

(Note: This week on our Alpha series Talkin’ Toons, Andrea Romano, who was a casting and voice director on Batman: The Animated Series, will reveal some of the behind-the-scenes decisions that led producers to go with Hamill over Curry. And next Tuesday on Alpha’s Comic Book Club, B:TAS producer and creator of Harley Quinn, Paul Dini, will be coming by to talk Batman: Year One. So keep your eyes out for lots more great Batman talk, because we’re just getting started.)

And don’t forget, you can join the conversation with us every weekday when Nerdist News Talks Back airs live at 1:00p.m. PST on our YouTube and Alpha channels. Because if you won’t speak up for Shia LaBeouf, fedoras, and whips, who will?

Are you looking forward to another Indiana Jones movie? Or did The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull prove to you that the franchise has run its course? We want to hear what you think about that, and the rest of today’s topics, in our comments section below.

Want more Indiana Jones 5 news?

Indiana Jones 5 gets an official release date.
George Lucas won’t be involved with the movie.
Indy isn’t going to die in the fifth movie.
Probably because Disney says a sixth movie is already planned.

Images: Paramount Pictures, Fox, Netflix

Nerdist Podcast: ID10T Hostful

It’s a nerdist hostful live from ID10T festival! Chris, Matt and Jonah are back to talk about what everyone has been up to, Matt talks about drinking too much caffeine and Jonah talks about MST3K. Chris also talks about planning the festival, Matt doesn’t know what Round Table Pizza is and they take some quemments!

HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE Gets Animated for Kindle Edition

Twenty years ago, J.K. Rowling‘s first Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was released in the United Kingdom before making its way to the United States the next year. That book captured the collective imaginations of readers around the world, and the series continues to pick up new fans to this day. But now there’s a brand new way to enjoy Harry Potter’s first adventure, if you own an Amazon Kindle.

Via Entertainment Weekly, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone has been released an animated ebook on the Amazon Kindle. It should be noted that this is not a fully animated rendition of the story, but wouldn’t that be awesome? Instead, Amazon’s Kindle in Motion technology has been used to add limited animation to Jim Kay’s artwork from the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone illustrated edition.

The experience of reading this story with the animated additions has been likened to the way that the characters read the magical newspaper, The Daily Prophet. Some of the animated sequences include Harry and Hagrid traveling in a boat, the train scene at the famous Platform 9 and 3/4, as well as the moving portrait of Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

Judging from the early glimpses of the Kindle edition, the new animation does add a lot of charm to the story. We may never get to see Harry Potter’s saga make the full leap into animation, but this is the next best thing.

What do you think about the new Kindle edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone? Cast your spells in the comment section below!

Images: Amazon Kindle/Jim Kay/Pottermore

STAR WARS: EPISODE IX Parts with Director Colin Trevorrow

Well THIS is certainly a plot twist bigger than the Death Star itself: Colin Trevorrow, the Jurassic World director slated to direct the next episodic Star Wars film has been removed from the directors’ chair, according to a statement from Lucasfilm posted in StarWars.com. Nerdist has confirmed the news with Disney.

The statement reads as follows:

Lucasfilm and Colin Trevorrow have mutually chosen to part ways on Star Wars: Episode IX. Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ. We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon.

The news comes as a shock to many, and a welcome surprise to others who were concerned about Trevorrow’s spotty track record following acclaim from his work directing the indie time travel flick, Safety Not Guaranteed. As Trevorrow was also working on the script, it’s likely his work will not be completely erased, no doubt nabbing him a story by credit if nothing else.

However, it is important to note that Trevorrow’s firing is completely reasonable (and for some, expected). Even though it made money at the box office, Jurassic World was largely derided by critics, and his follow-up, Book of Henry, followed suit (without the added benefit of making any sort of profit). Given the recent events—Rogue One‘s major reshoots, the firing of Phil Lord and Chris Miller from the Untitled Han Solo Film—Disney, frankly, made a solid choice to reconsider its personnel choices when it comes to helming the Star Wars universe.

The news is still developing, so keep it locked as we further update the story…

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

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

More from a far-away galaxy!

Droids and Aliens get their own Royal Mail stamps
A wampa snow globe
Check out the new trailer for the final season of Rebels

IT Sequel Will Explore History of Pennywise

By most early accounts, the new feature adaptation of Stephen King‘s horror novel masterpiece It is exactly as scary and upsetting as a demonic clown menacing children ought to be. Director Andy Muschietti, the children cast, and Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise have been garnering great reviews thus far, and that means the second part is almost assuredly going to happen. And according to Skarsgård in an interview with Metro UK, the sequel will delve into the secret origin of Pennywise, and that’s going to color a lot of what happens.

Most people who are fans of the book and the 1990 TV miniseries (i.e., not a movie, so the upcoming flick isn’t a remake. Point of order.) recognize that the first half—focusing on the main characters as children—is much more compelling than the second half when they’re adults. Perhaps this is why the makers of the film have chosen to hone in on Pennywise himself/ITself to add some much needed depth.

Says Skarsgård, “We’re in the early stages and I’m talking to Andy about it and figuring out what It will be… It’s a different story, but I’m excited to delve in deeper to the character as there’s more exploration for who Pennywise is…And I think that’s what I wanted and that’s where I want to go for the second one, to delve into the psychological and metaphysical spaces of this transdimensional being.”

While I definitely don’t think every villain needs their origins directly spelled out on screen, it worked with the sequel to Hellraiser—which detailed the origins of Pinhead Lead Cenobite—and it actually made him much more scary going forward. So, an ancient transdimensional being that currently looks like clown must have some crazy beginnings.

What do you think about seeing Pennywise when he was Pennynaive? Let us know in the comments below!

Images: New Line

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist and the host of the horror documentary series One Good Scare. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

Get scared with these other stories!

Ranking every Stephen King film adaptation
Experience It VR
Review of the internet-age horror film Friend Request

Is This Our First Look at Superman’s Black Suit From JUSTICE LEAGUE?

Warning: there are potential spoilers ahead for the Justice League movie. This is your only chance to turn back and remain unspoiled!

While the marketing team behind Justice League has demonstrated remarkable restraint by not showing Superman‘s presence in the trailers, it’s not exactly a secret that Henry Cavill‘s Man of Steel is coming back from the dead. Even Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice didn’t pretend that Clark Kent’s alter ego was gone forever, but there are still some questions about how and why he will make his return. Today’s Nerdist News is examining what may be the first look at Superman’s black costume, which played a key role in his comic book resurrection!

Join host and the protector of New Genesis, Jessica Chobot, as she shows off a leaked photo from Mattel’s upcoming Justice League line that features two Superman figures. In the first figure, the Last Son of Krypton is wearing his traditional red and blue costume, while the second figure features Kal-El in a black costume with a silver “S” on his chest. During the famous Death and Return of Superman storyline from the ’90s, the black costume was worn by Superman when he was brought back to life via Kryptonian technology. He also also came back with a Super-Mullet, but we’re trying to forget that part.

It has to be noted that both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman were both given Superman in black costume figures for their respective toy lines. That could mean that Justice League‘s black costume Superman action figure isn’t indicative of anything in the movie. But if there was ever a time to use that costume in live-action, it’s right now. Plus, it can serve two purposes within the film: the black costume is either a part of the technology that will be used to save Superman, or it will be used to illustrate his corruption by the forces of Apokolips.

Are you looking forward to seeing Superman wearing his black outfit in live-action? Call upon your Mother Boxes to leave comments below!