Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 198

MONARCH Season 2 Has Begun Production

When you go up against some massive underground, extradimensional titans and a shady tech company, you need a robust team. Season one of Apple TV+’s Monsterverse series, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, had the likes of Kurt Russell (and Wyatt Russell), Emmy winner Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, and Ren Watabe. Pretty good team if you can get ’em. But with both Godzilla and Kong out there, not to mention Apex Technologies, a bigger cast is all but guaranteed. According to Variety, the upcoming second season of the series will bring in Prey star Amber Midthunder.

Midthunder will play Isabel, described as “an intelligent and powerful businesswoman.” Variety also describes her role as “heavily recurring,” which to me (with zero idea other than the word “businesswoman”) means she’ll be on the baddies’ side. But I could be wrong!

20th Century Studios

In addition to Prey, in which Midthunder played the lead character Naru taking on an 1800s version of the Predator, she had roles in FX’s Legion and Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Apple officially greenlit a second season in April of 2024, a few months after the first season’s finale. Additionally, Apple and Legendary struck a multi-series deal with that includes multiple spinoff series based on the franchise. 

Morgan Wandell, head of international development for Apple TV+ said in a release at the time:

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has left an indelible imprint on the hearts, minds and imaginations of audiences around the world, led by the brilliance of Chris, Matt, Kurt, Wyatt and the incredibly gifted talented cast and creative team. We couldn’t be more excited for viewers to not only have the chance to experience even more thrills in season two, but to embark on epic, new journeys in the franchise, as we expand Legendary’s Monsterverse.

As of November 2024, the series has begun production on season two. The official Apple TV Twitter account shared the following intriguing image.

Greetings from Skull Island. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 is in production. pic.twitter.com/1o3E5DwsPE

— Apple TV (@AppleTV) November 18, 2024

We see the discarded dimension-hopping sphere our heroes used to enter Axis Mundi. Ominously, we also see two Apex Technologies vehicles next to it. And of course we have the even more ominous Skull Island jungle behind them. No characters and it conveys all the mood you need.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season two is executive produced by Chris Black, Matt Fraction, Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell from Safehouse Pictures, Matt Shakman, Andrew Colville, and Jen Roskind. Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character.

We’ll let you know more casting and news about Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season two as it develops!

Originally published October 8, 2024.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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Into The Abysseum | Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode | Episode 11

Deep beneath the ocean, the Terror Squad must infiltrate the deadly cult known as the Scythe of Aurelia and rescue their missing friends before they’re sacrificed to resurrect an ancient demon king. What could possibly go wrong? Find out for yourself in a shocking new episode of Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode!

Content Warning: This episode contains depictions of violence and body horror that some viewers may find disturbing.

Goblin Mode is also available wherever you get your podcasts: https://lnk.to/goblinmodepod

Learn more and sign up for the Geek & Sundry newsletter at https://www.geekandsundry.com/!

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Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode is a Geek & Sundry production made in partnership with Realm.

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Hot Pockets Produced Ugly Christmas Sweater That Has Zip-Off Sleeves

There aren’t any rules about who can design an ugly Christmas sweater. Any company can get in on the festive fun and a lot of them do. But this year Hot Pockets has come up with a creative twist on festive clothing that is absolutely delicious. Hot Pockets is heating up the holiday season with an ugly Christmas sweater that features zip-off sleeves so you can look like a real-life Christmas Hot Pocket.

Hot Pocket

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year because Hot Pockets has announced the upcoming release of an all-new limited-edition ugly Christmas sweater. It is so fire it might burn the roof of your mouth just to look at it.

This red soft knit-sweater features a melting snowman underneath a “hot” caution warning. If that was the entirety of this sweatshirt it would be fun-but-typical fare for this style of seasonal ware. What makes this specific sweater so much more than that, though, is that the sleeves come off. You can unzip them to reveal your arms, in a design that takes its inspiration from the little sleeve in which you microwave Hot Pockets.

Hot Pocket

Does this qualify as a Christmas miracle? No. But it’s close. Getting one might require exactly a small miracle, though. Either that or good planning and a reliable internet connection. Hot Pockets Zip-Off Holiday Sweater ($40) will only go on sale at the company’s web shop twice. The first time you can buy one of these limited shirts is November 19 at 12 PM EST. Our guess is that they will (rightfully) sellout very quickly. Those who miss out will during the first sale will get a second and final chance on December 3 at 12 PM EST. After that you and your arms are on their own.

Good luck finding one an ugly Christmas sweater that cooks like this, though. Anyone can make an ugly Christmas sweater, but most of them don’t make you look like you just got out of the microwave.

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Fireball Whisky Makes New Variety, Infused with Actual Football Fans’ Tears

If the football season is exceptionally hard for you or your loved ones, you might need Fireball’s new whisky bottled with the literal tears of football fans after hard losses. Yeah, you read that right. It isn’t even an exaggeration. The limited-edition version of the famous cinnamon whisky hits shelves next Fall. Fireball? No, Crierball.

Sazerac

Okay, if you’re like me, the first thing you thought about is the logistics of this whole thing. I mean, is collecting people’s tears and putting them in whisky even hygienic? Well, it looks like Fireball also expected these concerns, so on their Instagram, they described the tear-collecting process.

“Every drop shed and shared will be captured and stored in sealed, sterile jars, then safely transported to a secure facility for storing and distillation. All watery eyes are welcome,” it said on Fireball’s Instagram. Does this make sense…kind of? Am I still skeptical…yes.

“In football, few things – aside from Fireball, of course – are better than the sweet taste of victory, especially when that W comes at the expense of your biggest rivals,” said Danny Suich, Global Brand Director for Fireball. “Our brand is all about embracing that competitive spirit, but amping it up with a little more spice. We’re on a mission to capture the soul of rivalries – aka the tears of losers – at this season’s biggest games. The expected result? A one-of-a-kind whisky bottling that is sure to become the ultimate showpiece allowing for supreme bragging rights next season.”

“Fireball Tear Collectors” will be stationed at different football games across the country between teams with big rivalries. Fans on the losing side will be asked to donate their tears to make Crierball. There’s a diversity in football tears, with both NFL and college football fan tears, so maybe they’ll expand this venture to other sports soon. The tear collectors will be stationed at different games across the country in November.

The schedule is as follows:

November 2: Florida Gators vs. Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, GA
November 10: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys in Dallas, TX
November 17: Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears in Chicago, IL
November 17: Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, PA
November 30: Auburn Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, AL
November 30: Michigan Wolverines vs. Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, OH

One can’t help but wonder if Crierball will be slightly saltier because of the tears, or maybe it depends on the poignancy of the batch of tears. Either way, this idea has me crying with laughter. If Michigan loses against Ohio, it will be straight tears, though.

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Blake Lively Majorly Changed the Ending of DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE

Blake Lively made quite the impression as Lady Deadpool in Deadpool & Wolverine. Even though we never saw her face, speculation that Lively would be involved emerged almost as soon as our first glimpse of the character did. And it turns out, everyone was right. (Although we will note that Lively only gave voice to Lady Deadpool in Deadpool & Wolverine while stuntwoman Christiaan Bettridge physically played the role.) But it also turns out that Blake Lively had a major impact on Deadpool & Wolverine beyond just giving Lady Deadpool her iconic sound. Lively actually majorly changed the ending of the movie. You can check out all the details below.

Marvel Studios

In the Deadpool & Wolverine filmmakers’ commentary, director Shawn Levy revealed that Blake Lively gave him the perfect note, one which altered the ending of Deadpool & Wolverine in just the right way. Levy reveals of the film’s ending, “It used to be that there was no suspense, that the power room blew up, and our heroes had survived. And it was Blake Lively who said to us, ‘You know, I’ve been with you this whole movie. I want to sit in the fear that they’re lost. Let me be in that place of suspense so the triumph of their survival is more emotional and visceral.'” Levy continues, “That was a Blake [Lively] note, and it really opened up a new way of thinking about this part of the movie, and it’s why we did this reshoot… and, here, the payoff is so much more satisfying.”

In all, Deadpool & Wolverine only had about a day-and-a-half of reshoots, but production brought Blake Lively’s note to life during that time. Fans will likely agree that her suggestion made the ending of Deadpool & Wolverine resonate that much more emotionally.

You can check out some more of Shawn Levy’s insights on the making of Deadpool & Wolverine in our exclusive commentary clip below.

Deadpool & Wolverine has released in physical media form. You can now purchase it on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Limited Edition Steelbook. Additionally, it is streaming on Disney+.

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DUNE: PROPHECY Deaths: Who Dies in the DUNE Series?

It’s morbid, but when it comes to sprawling fantastical worlds filled with betrayal and conflict, death is sure to come. We don’t feel like HBO’s Dune: Prophecy will be any different. After all, we have tension between the Great Houses, tension between the Imperium and the Sisterhood, tension within the Sisterhood itself, and tension between the Sisterhood and enemies that it might not even yet know it has. That’s a lot of enmity. To help keep track of what casualties come to behalf our favorite new characters, we’re going to keep a running list of who dies on Dune: Prophecy. You can check out the Dune: Prophecy deaths so far below.

HBODune: Prophecy Episode One Deaths

Here’s who died in Dune: Prophecy‘s first episode.

Mother Superior Raquella Shares a Prophecy Before Her Dune Death

Mother Superior Raquella is the founder of Dune’s Sisterhood. She participated in the wars against the Thinking Machines and cultivated the original Truthsaying powers of the Sisterhood. Mother Superior Raquella was a huge proponent of Dune‘s genetic archive and longed to put a Sister on the throne of the Imperium in order to better control the decisions of man. Mother Superior Raquella saw that Valya Harkonnen agreed with her thinking, which is why she enshrined her with power on her deathbed. But before her Dune: Prophecy death, Mother Superior Raquella told Valya of a terrifying prophecy that she had seen, one of Arafel, or doom, would come to the world. Unfortunately, Raquella left a spilt Sisterhood behind after she died, with some sisters believing in Valya’s desire to control man and others following Raquella’s daughter Dorotea.

Dorotea Crossed Valya in Dune: Prophecy and So She Had to Die

Dorotea wanted to keep the Sisterhood “pure,” a separate religious organization that did not seek to endanger its sanctity. Dorotea did not want the Sisterhood to interfere with the affairs of the Imperium and so came into conflict with Valya. After her mother’s death, Dorotea sought to destroy the genetic archive on Dune: Prophecy. Unfortunately for Dorotea, Valya was secretly strengthening her powers, and she created an ability called The Voice, well known in Dune‘s world, which she could use to order almost anyone to do her willing. When Dorotea refused to bend to her will, Valya ordered Dorotea to stab herself to death. Under Valya’s control Dorotea stabbed herself in the neck at the end of Dune: Prophecy and died.

Pruit Richese Burns to Death From the Inside OutHBO

Oh Pruit Richese—the unlikeable child of the Richese House was set to marry Princess Ynez Corrino to cement a political alliance. Instead, Pruit Richese met his Dune: Prophecy death at the end of episode one, which was at the hands of Desmond Hart. Desmond Hart used some kind of unknowable power to incinerate Pruit Richese from the inside out, powers he seemed to have acquired on Arrakis from a sandworm. We’re on guard for Desmond’s terrifying powers but not too sorry to see Pruit go. It will be interesting to see how much Pruit Richese‘s inclinations toward the thinking machines had to do with his death on Dune: Prophecy.

The Emperor’s Truthsayer Reverend Mother Kasha Also Dies by Fire in Dune: ProphecyHBO

We quite liked Reverend Mother Kasha. She seemed to have a beautiful connection with Ynez and she wanted the Sisterhood to really think through their stubborn desire to have Ynez wed Pruit Richese, as Valya claims the genetic archive stipulated must happen. But, alas, none of this saved Reverend Mother Kasha from dying at the hands of Desmond Hart. It’s shocking Desmond was able to arrange for Reverend Mother Kasha’s death from afar, but she appeared to burn to death just like Pruit Richese in Dune: Prophecy‘s first episode.

It seems no one is safe.

Dune: Prophecy Will Likely Bring Even More Deaths in its Episodes

Four deaths and it’s only episode one of Dune: Prophecy? Phew, we’ll just have to hope our favorite stay safe. Dune: Prophecy will release episodes weekly on Sundays on Max.

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What Is the Actual ‘Prophecy’ of DUNE: PROPHECY?

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What does the “prophecy” of Dune: Prophecy refer to? Before the show’s first episode, the answer seemed obvious and easy. The prequel series takes place 10,000 years before the birth of Paul Atreides. That long ago era marked the early days of the Sisterhood that put in motion a grand plan to breed the super being of Frank Herbert’s seminal novel. But—fittingly considering the nature of prophecy—dark visions, conflicting objectives, a fearsome power, and the prescience of what awaits the galaxy makes divining the true meaning of the show’s title less clear.

Warner Bros. Discovery

Raquella Berto-Anirul, a hero of the wars against the thinking machines, founded the Sisterhood that will become the Bene Gesserit. She wanted her group to help “govern the future.” To bring about “transformation” she began a secret breeding program via royal unions with the goal of creating “better leaders” the Sisterhood would control. We know that plan, carried on at all costs by Valya Harkonnen, will eventually become focused on bringing about the Kwisatz Haderach. Yet, Dune: Prophecy‘s first episode raised serious questions about whether or not its own title specifically refers to that project.

On her deathbed, Mother Raquella saw an ominous vision of the future. “It’s coming,” she said as she saw red dust, a sandworm on Arrakis devouring buildings from other planets, blood, fire, and lights—maybe eyes? maybe lights of a spaceship?—among the stars. “Tiran-Arafel” she named the ominous forewarning. Her most devoted followers called that a “reckoning,” a “holy judgement brought on by a tyrant.” That unimaginable darkness could destroy the Sisterhood and all of humanity completely.

Max

Raquella trusted Valya with ensuring her vision did not come to pass. The dying Mother Superior made Valya her successor. “You will be the one to see the burning and know the truth,” she told Valya. By episode’s end that burning became quite literal.

Reverend Mother Kasha guided the group’s choice to rule the Corrino Empire, Princess Ynez, from the time she was a child. She was also instrumental in pushing Ynez to agree to marry the young Richese boy, which the Emperor was willing to gobecause of his vulnerability on Arrakis. (A position he’s in because the Sisterhood is weakening his forces on the vital planet full of spice melange.) Days before their promise ceremony, though, Kasha had her own nightmarish vision. She saw Ynez wearing a gown of blood, the Princess and herself both swallowed by a sandworm, a rotten pomegranate representing a rotten marriage union, and the same lights in space Raquella had seen on her deathbed. The episode did not explore the full meaning of Kasha’s horrible vision, but it did validate her fears.

Warner Bros. Discovery/Legendary Television

Desmond Hart sees the Sisterhood for what it is. Thinking machines might be outlawed, but “the witches” are controlling mankind same as machines once had. And more than anyone else alive he might be able to stop the Sisterhood. On Arrakis, during an attack caused by the Sisterhood, a sandworm ate him. Only, somehow, he survived. And when he was “reborn” from the sands of Arrakis he emerged with a fearsome ability and a sacred purpose. Using only his mind he burned the young Richese boy alive from the inside out. As he did, across the galaxy on Wallach IX. Kasha suffered the same fate.

When Valya found the dying Kasha said had her own vision, which she called “the burning truth,” the one Raquella had spoken of.

What does it all mean? Is Desmond Hart the burning truth Raquella warned against? While inside the sandworm did he imbibe the Water of Life—as Paul Atreides will one day—long before anyone even knew what that liquid could do? If so could Desmond create or even be ‘the tyrant” who might bring about a holy judgement? Or is he the one who will try and stop this prophecy of doom? He did stop a wedding Kasha herself came to view as ruinous for all involved.

Max

Or does the show’s name refer to Kasha’s warning to Valya, that the Sisterhood’s plan to create a supreme leader could “cause the very thing” they seek to prevent? We know that will happen. Ten thousand years later billions will die because the Kwisatz Haderach the Bene Gesserit created will launch a holy war on the galaxy.

Even if Dune: Prophecy‘s title is as obvious as we thought before the first episode and it does refer to the Kwisatz Haderach, it’s not nearly as simple. Even those responsible for putting mankind on a path that leads to Paul Atreides don’t yet know exactly what prophecy they should fear.

Editor’s Note: Dune: Prophecy is a Legendary Entertainment production. Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The Fascinating History and Horror Legacy of NIGHT OF THE COMET

Two valley girls against the world. That’s the central plot of Night of the Comet, a 1984 sci-fi horror comedy that has grown to become one of the most beloved cult classics of the decade. Reggie and Sam wake up one morning to discover that almost all of humanity is gone, thanks to a nearby comet. They then navigate a spookily empty Los Angeles, populated only by the occasional bloodthirsty zombie. From its clever dialogue to its captivating lead performance and overall loving ode to B-Movies of generations past, Night of the Comet is a pure gem with a history and legacy that deserves its own ode.

First, let’s travel back in time to the film’s production era, which was not without its share of difficulties. When Thom Eberhardt set out to write the script for Night of the Comet, he had his eyes on the science-fiction films of his childhood. He was specifically interested in tales where characters woke up one day to find themselves alone in a massive, seemingly abandoned city. “I always liked empty city movies, and there were quite a few of them around when I was a kid,” he explained on the Jed Talks podcast. In particular, he drew inspiration from a 1954 film called Target Earth. “The first 10 minutes is riveting,” he said. “They shot in city streets, downtown LA, and this young lady wakes up, there’s nobody around, and it’s like this ‘Where is everybody?’ growing panic. I just liked the haunted feel of an empty city.” 

Eberhardt was able to use what he called “student filmmaker tricks” to make the small $700,000 budget of Night of the Comet stretch as far as it could. The film is filled with scenes of a chillingly empty Los Angeles – and surprisingly, they were able to accomplish this without actually having to shut down streets, an extravagance well beyond their financial means.

“We shot first thing in the morning on Christmas morning,” remembers Stewart in Valley Girls at the End of the World. “We had to shoot during a time where nobody would be there – it helped our performances because it was a little eerie.” Eberhardt singles out one wide angle shot of the city as being particularly serendipitous. Because of the film’s limited budget, his director of photography Arthur Albert was sharing a hotel room with the camera equipment, and he happened to capture a great shot at sunrise out the window of his hotel room.  

Atlantic Releasing Corporation

Makeup effects designer David B. Miller recalls working out of his one-car garage to create all the prosthetics and character designs for the zombies in the film. Crawford and Lane’s previous film, Valley Girl, which spent a large chunk of its budget licensing the rights to popular songs. But Night of the Comet had to create a similarly trendy feel on the cheap. Music supervisor Don Perry worked with several artists to produce 19 original songs for the film, as well as a cover version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”

“I’m very proud of the quality of the artists and songs and remain disappointed that we couldn’t make a deal with a major record company. I still think Learn to Love Again could have been a hit with a major release,” he said on the Night of the Comet Facebook group page.  

But despite the guerrilla-style filmmaking approach of Night of the Comet, the shoot itself seemed to go relatively smoothly. “Working with Thom Eberhardt was great because he was very calm,” said Miller in the documentary short Curse of the Comet. “I had worked with directors before who were not so calm when things didn’t go right, he was very calm and he seemed very professional about everything.” 

But if production went well, that didn’t mean their post-production experience was without a few bumps in the road. “At a certain point, the producers were trying to decide whether they wanted it to be a serious horror movie or as written, which was much more tongue in cheek,” said Maroney at Iconicon 2021. 

Atlantic Releasing Corporation

Eberhardt maintains that Atlantic Releasing was always nervous about the fact that the film mixed genres. This would seemingly make it more difficult to promote. “They thought it was the kiss of death.” His intention was always to make the film an homage to the B-Movies he grew up watching, something he claims his producers didn’t get. “Luckily, nobody had any money for reshoots, so they were stuck with what I gave them.” 

Although Night of the Comet didn’t achieve the fame of other 1980s films of the same genre, it was far from a disaster. It earned $14.4 million at the box office, making it a moderately successful film if only because it cost so little to make. In fact, the biggest stumbling block for Night of the Comet’s success actually had nothing to do with the film itself. It simply had the bad luck to come out two and a half weeks after The Terminator, a defining science fiction classic that sucked up all the oxygen in the genre space. It “played on double bills with Terminator at drive-ins,” Eberhardt explained. “Guess which picture was on the bottom half of the bill.” 

“It kind of went into a black hole in the late ‘80s, and I assumed it was forgotten,” said Eberhardt of the film. But many film critics responded positively to it. Siskel and Ebert even included it in their 1984 wrap-up episode of “At the Movies.” Siskel especially expressed fondness for the film, despite his weariness with the science fiction genre as a whole, calling it “a real pleasure” and “a buried treasure” that would continue to find new audiences in the years to come. 

Siskel’s comment ended up being right on the mark, because Night of the Comet has developed a cult following over the years that never fails to stun its stars. “I loved it very much, but if you were to tell me, ‘OK, it’s going to be 2023 and you’re going to be talking about Night of the Comet all the time’…I would not have believed you,” Maroney told The Nightwatch Zone.

It found a new life on cable, where it was put in front of a new generation of viewers, and then later on the internet. “Maybe people watch it for the camp value,” Eberhardt mused when asked about its reappraisal. “It would be nice to think that the sweetness of the movie is engaging, because at its heart, it is a very sincere, sweet little movie.” You can see the fingerprints of Night of the Comet on popular culture, especially in its nuanced depiction of horror’s final girl trope. Samantha, in her now iconic cheerleader outfit, is a blueprint for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. “I was walking down Hollywood Boulevard back in the day and I saw that [Buffy] ad on a bus and I went, ‘That’s me! They ripped me off!” Maroney said laughingly. 

It’s a testament to the film’s likeability factor and cultural impact that for years, there have been rumors of a new Night of the Comet movie or television series. In fact, Eberhardt claims that he was approached by the Fox Family Channel to adapt Night of the Comet for television, not realizing that he had actually directed the original film.

“I asked if the original writer-director might have some sort of deal concerning sequels and remakes. They said whoever he was, they were sure they could buy him off and get rid of him.” But a remake or sequel is something the cast and crew are wary of. “Remakes always make me very nervous, because they’ll never be anything like the original,” Stewart said at Iconicon 2021. “What makes these ‘80s movies so charming is the kind of innocence of the time and the relatability. I can imagine a remake would be some superhero girls going out shooting zombies somewhere – that’s not what it’s about.” Eberhardt concurred: “Part of the charm of Comet is its funkiness and tackiness. I can’t conceive of anyone pumping big bucks into something like Comet II.” 

Still, the concept of a new Night of the Comet continues to persist. In 2018, Orion Pictures hired Roxanne Benjamin to begin work on a potential screenplay for a remake of the film. It is a project that is – ironically enough – not quite alive or dead. In an interview with Slashfilm, Benjamin said that the version of the script she originally submitted to Orion would not be moving forward. But the idea for the project was in a “weird limbo [but] still out there.” 

Whether or not Night of the Comet ever sees new films or TV shows added to the lore, it remains a seminal example of the endlessly charming 1980s B-Movie. And its legacy means a lot to director Thom Eberhardt. “I have a vision of myself on my deathbed just before I’m about to check out with friends and relatives around me,” he said in the film’s audio commentary. “And just as everything is going dim, I hear a voice in the back of the room saying, ‘Wait a minute—he directed Night of the Comet!” 

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Elmo is the Latest Guest on CHICKEN SHOP DATE

After last month’s crazy episode of Chicken Shop Date with Andrew Garfield, I didn’t know if I was prepared for another episode. By the way, just like the rest of the internet, I am still not over the chemistry between Garfield and host Amelia Dimoldenberg, but luckily, the newest episode is not with another human. I was ecstatic to see that Chicken Shop Date‘s newest guest was everyone’s favorite New York native. The outspoken, rock-hating, three-and-a-half-year-old red monster: Elmo!

You can watch the full episode below!

Dimoldenberg’s newest episode of her popular talk show, where she and her guest eat fried chicken together, is charmingly sweet as she sits down with the muppet Elmo. Highlights from the episode include when Elmo’s archnemesis, Rocco, makes a surprising appearance. Of course, as usual, Rocco is useless and just tries to take away the spotlight from Elmo. We also got confirmation that Elmo does, in fact, blink, but it’s so quick you can’t see it with the naked eye.

Amelia Dimoldenberg

My biggest takeaway from this episode is that for a three-and-a-half-year-old, Elmo is insanely profound. Amelia asks Elmo, “What’s more important to live, to laugh, or to love?”

And what’s Elmo’s answer? Well, it is something that we could all be reminded of once in a while. “They’re kind of all the same thing…You can’t live if you don’t love, you can’t laugh if you don’t live, and you can’t love if you don’t laugh,” said Elmo.

I have to say I agree with Elmo. It really is Elmo’s World.

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Use Your PlayStation to Keep Your Pizza Warm with Pizza Hut’s PIZZAWRMR

“The hottest console upgrade is here,” according to Pizza Hut. They’ve delved into the gaming field, which is strange, to say the least. Did they make a pizza-inspired game? Nope, they created a gaming accessory that doesn’t improve the game, but improves your pizza. The PIZZAWRMR is a 3D-printed case for Sony’s PlayStation 5 that keeps your pizza warm.

The PIZZAWRMR works by using the heat exhaust of the PlayStation 5 to keep your pizza and cheese sticks toasty. In the model, there is a tunnel that channels the heat of the warm air pipe to the pizza. However, note that you can’t buy this funny gadget in stores. Instead, Pizza Hut has given users 3D printing instructions to create the product by themselves.

I don’t have my own 3D printer, so I’m a little disappointed that I won’t be able to test this product myself, but I do have something called a microwave, so hopefully that can keep my pizza warm. All jokes aside, but not really, I wouldn’t want to get up to where my console was to go get Pizza and then get my greasy hands all over my controllers. OMG! Thats it; that is what they should fix next: nasty pizza grease on controllers because that oily shine seems to never leave once it’s on there.

Pizza Hut International

PIZZAWRMR’s design actively incorporates intricate details, including an exterior featuring a red roof that mirrors the iconic Pizza Hut roofs. The roof or lid of the design is able to open on a hinge like a laptop, allowing for easy access to your pizza. Your PlayStation will fit securely in the model, which has room for several pizza slices.

Pizza Hut has been killing it with their international promotions recently, like this Halloween-inspired pizza from Taiwan. All information about the PIZZAWRMR, including its downloadable design, can be found on its website.

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