Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1988

David Tennant and Michael Sheen Star in GOOD OMENS as Angel and Demon Duo

Neil Gaiman’s first novel (that he wrote with the late Terry Pratchett) has found its angel and demon at the end of the world and we couldn’t have fan-casted a better pair for the roles of Aziraphale and Crowley on the hunt for the Antichrist, who seems to have gone missing. We hate to sound like a cornball but these are some good omens for the Good Omens TV series Amazon is doing with Gaiman. (I’m sorry.)

According to Variety, Michael Sheen—of Passengers, Frost/Nixon and “Handsome Andy Serkis” fame—is slated to play the obtuse and persnickety angel Aziraphale, while David Tennant (of Doctor Who fame) will immediately go from playing one sorta demon (Kilgrave on Netflix and Marvel’s Jessica Jones) to another, more literal one, in the Amazon series.

“I first read Good Omens as a teenager and it’s been one of my favourite stories ever since,” Sheen explained in a statement to Variety. “To be part of the team entrusted with bringing it alive on screen is a bit of a dream come true to be honest. To work alongside Neil, who I think is one of the greatest storytellers of all time, is incredibly exciting. And, just like the rest of the world, I’m a huge fan of David’s so I relish trying to save it with him.”

Anyone else feeling like this is the perfect complement series to AMC’s Preacher and that gang’s hunt for a missing god? Fingers crossed Tennant’s nephews on DuckTales, where he’s the voice of Scrooge McDuck, don’t fall into the k-hole of crossovers though, because there actually is such a thing as having “too much of a good time.”

What do you think of the casting? Want to read our thoughts on who else should join the adaptation? (If so, click here!) Let us know in the comments below.

Featured Image: Columbia Pictures; Netflix

No Magic Mirror Required for SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS Funkos

Don’t make your other toys jealous. Don’t let them know you’ve learned Funko‘s upcoming Snow White Pop! and Pint Size Heroes figures are the fairest of them all. They’ll find out soon enough when you add the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs collection to your shelves. Hopefully they don’t take drastic action and try to eliminate Snow White with a poison apple while you’re sleeping. To avoid this, don’t leave poison apples around your house unattended.

That caution out of the way, let’s take a look at Pop! figures. Funko’s offering up toy versions of the first Disney princess and the dwarfs to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the animated film. Eighty. Years. Dear goodness. It’s the movie that helped catapult Disney to the studio it is today.

Honor it with cute as pie versions of Snow, the Evil Queen, Sleepy, Grumpy, Happy… you know the rest.

I want the Evil Queen just for her miniature deadly fruit.

Jump into the wishing well and to the gallery below to view individual shots of each and every dwarf and Snow White variant coming in October from wherever you go to expand your Funko collection. You’ll spot some chase figures, as well as figures exclusive to places such as Books-A-Million, Hot Topic, and Toys R Us. Be sure to take a look at the precious Pint Size Heroes while you’re in the gallery.

If you’re planning to get the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs toys, will you go completist and buy each and every figure? Tell us in the comments.

Images: Funko

5 Ways [SPOILER] Could Return for JESSICA JONES Season 2

There are major spoilers ahead for Jessica Jones season 2! You’ve been warned!

Nearly two years ago, Jessica Jones became the second Marvel live-action TV series on Netflix and introduced fans to Krysten Ritter‏’s titular heroine. As played by Ritter, Jessica was a tortured soul whose sarcasm and ferocity instantly made her compelling. Another major factor for the success of that series was the casting of former Doctor Who star, David Tennant, as Kilgrave, Jessica’s nemesis. Tennant was so convincingly creepy that it blew viewers away. His time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe came to a natural conclusion in the season finale, when Jessica finally killed Kilgrave. But that may not be the end of their story.

Entertainment Weekly debuted a first look at Tennant’s surprising return to set for the second season of Jessica Jones. This is something that we welcome, since his performance made Kilgrave into one of the best villains in the MCU. But how could Kilgrave make a comeback after getting his neck snapped by Jessica in the first season finale? That was about as definitive as a death scene ever gets! But there are a few ways that could allow Kilgrave to seamlessly return. Here are a few potential explanations.

Mind Games

The most obvious choice would be for Kilgrave’s appearances to be in Jessica’s mind as he continues to torture her even from beyond the grave. We’re not suggesting a supernatural event, but Jessica was clearly haunted by Kilgrave’s presence even when he was alive. That probably won’t stop now that he’s dead, and it would give us some potentially powerful moments between Jessica and her greatest enemy.

Flashbacks

Another alternative—and perhaps most likely—would be to bring Kilgrave back for a flashback or a series of flashbacks that depict Jessica’s time as his prisoner. We already have a pretty good understanding of what happened between them and how he forced his will upon Jessica. But it’s not something she has completely gotten over, despite the catharsis of killing him. New scenes could expand our understanding of what Jessica went through. Potentially, there could even be something in Kilgrave’s past that connects with Jessica’s newest nemesis, Typhoid Mary.

The Purple Children

Within the pages of Marvel’s comic book universe, Kilgrave has fathered many children, some of whom share his powers to bend the will of other people. Kilgrave’s daughter, Kara, became a heroine called Persuasion and joined Alpha Flight. More recently, a group of Kilgrave’s children encountered Daredevil and demonstrated their powers on a much larger scale. Tennant’s appearance in Jessica Jones season 2 could set the stage for Kilgrave’s children to emerge in the MCU and become new threats. Alternately, Jessica could try to take Kara or another one of Kilgrave’s children under her wing and give them the moral compass their father lacked.

Back From the Dead

There is always the potential for resurrection within superhero fiction. Dead doesn’t always mean dead—especially in this world. It’s unfortunate that Kilgrave’s parents were killed off in the first season, as they would be the most likely suspects if he was actually brought back to life. But that doesn’t mean that someone else wouldn’t step up and bring Kilgrave back. It’s a bit of a stretch, but not impossible, all he would have needed to do was compel someone to resurrect him before he died.

The Fake Out

Finally, there’s the simplest explanation: Kilgrave never actually died at all. In the comics, Kilgrave has had a few brushes with death that were passed off as if they never happened. The official explanation was that Kilgrave used his powers to fake his death. And during Kilgrave’s most recent death, he came back to life because of a healing factor. But if the show’s creative team decides to go in that direction, it would not be the most satisfying way to handle it. And it would also rob the first season finale of its most powerful scene. Jessica’s triumph over Kilgrave was real, and we don’t want to see that moment taken away from her. That said, we’re definitely excited to see Kilgrave make his return and eager to know how it will play out.

How do you think Kilgrave’s return will play out in Jessica Jones season 2? Share your theories in the comment section below!

Images: Netflix/Marvel Comics

How GAME OF THRONES’ Rhaegar Reveal Changes Everything for Jon Snow

One of the first things we ever learned about Jon Snow was that he was “the bastard of Winterfell,” and the illegitimate son of Ned Stark. Game of Thrones‘ subsequent seasons have gone beyond the events of George R.R. Martin‘s A Song of Ice and Fire novels to depict Jon’s return from the dead and his true parentage. But the reveal in last night’s episode caught almost everyone off guard, and today’s Nerdist News is exploring how this new piece of information could completely reshape Jon’s role on the show.

There are potentially major spoilers ahead, especially if you happened to miss last night’s Game of Thrones. Seriously, this is your last chance to remain Unsullied. You’ve been warned!

Join the host that was promised, Jessica Chobot, as she explains why last night’s revelation not only legitimizes Jon Snow, it could eventually put him on the Iron Throne. Buried beneath Sam’s rant on excrement, Gilly came across the official record that Jon’s father, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, annulled his marriage to Elia Martell so that he could marry Jon’s mother, Lyanna Stark. That means that Jon is not a bastard, and his real name is Jon Targaryen.

That is a gamechanger! For starters, it could be that Robert’s Rebellion was based upon a lie. Lyanna may have been promised to Robert Baratheon, but if she married Rhaegar out of love then maybe she wasn’t kidnapped. The Mad King, Aerys Targaryen, would still have been a problem, but there could have been considerably less bloodshed if the rebellion had been averted.

In the present day, Jon is now an unexpected challenger for the Iron Throne, even if he doesn’t realize it yet. While his aunt, Daenerys Targaryen, is the daughter of the Mad King, the Targaryen line has typically given male children the priority. It’s a patriarchal society, which is why the Mad King’s grandson would potentially have a stronger claim to throne. Would we expect Daenerys to simply let Jon take power? Absolutely not! In fact, this may be the key piece of information that drives them apart at the moment when they need each other the most. We’ve always assumed that Jon and Daenerys would unite against Cersei and the White Walkers. But what if the main event of the series will be the battle between Jon and Daenerys for the fate of the seven kingdoms?

How do you think that Jon Snow’s new status will play out on the show? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!

Images: HBO 

HOT TOYS’ Grand Moff Tarkin Figure Will Have You Destroying Planets in No Time

As the summer draws to a close, we can begin to look forward to The Last Jedi, which hits theaters this December. What better way for Hot Toys to help celebrate by releasing the newest 1:6 scale figure in their Star Wars line? When it comes to one-and-done characters, the kick-ass Darth Maul doesn’t hold a candle (or lightsaber) to the arrogance of Grand Moff Tarkin.

First shown over on Kotaku, it’s obvious how Hot Toys steps their game up with each figure they produce. Am I looking at pictures of an action figure or a 4K transfer of A New Hope?

The figure comes with a cloth costume, his conference room chair, three sets of hands for maximum finger-wagging at underlings who try to convince him to evacuate the Death Star “in their moment of triumph,” a collectible stand, and four items that look like David Tennant‘s sonic screwdrivers.

As the Star Wars universe continues to grow, Grand Moff Tarkin is a perfect fit into any collection. Check out more pics in the gallery below. You can purchase Tarkin at Sideshow Collectibles here, or as a set with Darth Vader here.

What do you think? Will you be picking up this Grand Moff Tarkin figure? Will you question why they didn’t just use this figure, Robot Chicken–style, in Rogue One instead of that arguably regrettable CGI recreation? Let us know all your Tarkin thoughts on Twitter or write in one swift stroke in the comments below.

Images: Sideshow Collectibles/Hot Toys

Batman Gets Major Twist in DARK KNIGHTS: METAL with the Return of [SPOILER]

There are major spoilers ahead for this DC’s Dark Nights: Metal #1. And we mean “major,” especially since the book won’t be out until later this week. You’ve been warned!

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo‘s Dark Nights: Metal event has already set up the arrival of several new heroes and villains to the DC multiverse. But the first issue of the series will reunite Batman with a character who has only rarely been seen since his debut two decades ago. Via the Washington Post, DC has revealed that the Dark Knight will come face-to-face with Neil Gaiman‘s Dream of the Endless. In other words, the Sandman is back!

According to Snyder, Dream plays a critical role in the Dark Nights: Metal story, for which he reached out to Gaiman to receive his blessing for Dream’s appearance. While speaking to the Washington Post, Snyder related Gaiman’s reaction to his pitch for the character: “’I love it. Go for it.’” Synder added that Gaiman’s approval was “one of the greatest days of my professional life.”

As readers of The Sandman may recall, Dream is actually Daniel Hall, the successor to Morpheus, the original star of that series. Dream is also the son of two superheroes, Lyta and Hector Hall, which gave him a greater connection to the DC Universe. Daniel’s incarnation of Dream has previously appeared outside of the Vertigo Comics line in Grant Morrison’s Justice League run, as well as within the pages of Geoff Johns’ Justice Society, where Dream brought his parents into the Dreaming after their untimely demise.

If we were to make a guess about Dream’s appearance in Dark Nights: Metal, it seems likely that the Dark Multiverse will have some sort of connection to the Dreaming. Synder has previously hinted that the Dark Multiverse is fluid and like a nightmare given form, and he may have meant that literally.

Dark Nights: Metal #1 will be released this Wednesday, August 16.

Are you excited about the return of Dream? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: DC Comics

VINDICATORS 3 Proves This Season of RICK AND MORTY Is About Us

After Morty and Summer had a chance to get out their divorce-fueled angst, and Beth botched a chance to heal with her family (she wanted to get drunk with Rick instead), “Vindicators 3: The Return of Worldender” was a sedate episode that turned the spotlight on us. Loyal fans. The biggest enablers.

The episode in which Rick’s .10 blood alcohol level faced off against Justice League rejects took a broadly cynical view to narrowly defined heroism. A dig at the homogeneous mob of superheroes at our fingertips? Sure. But the jab underneath the parody was a diarrhea-slathered version of the old warning never to meet your heroes.

The cocky Captain America-lite, floating star system woman, sentient ant colony, robo-croc, and ghost of John Henry all had deep personal flaws and conflicts they needed to purge from their systems (including the destruction of an entire planet, which they felt necessary because Rick wasn’t there to save them). Realistically, they were all versions of Rick. The only thing that distinguished them was generic comic book spandex and uniform vests that identified them as “the good guys.” They even treated Noob-Noob like a total Morty.

The episode tears down classic hero archetypes and doesn’t bother replacing them with anything. Whatever the philosophical leanings of the Vindicators or Rick, nihilism prevails over any moral construct. That means it’s not really about heroes or villains at all. Rick saves the universe on the reg because, like he says, he has the ability to do anything, but only whenever he wants. There is no noble underpinning, but the universe gets to go on existing. With Rick going full Jigsaw, this episode is the most explicit example yet of him sliding back and forth between the Hero and Villain distinctions while trashing the too-easily labeled saviors.

The downward spiral of moral relativism continues forever if you let it, and slaughtering heroes once again leads back to Morty, who is our conscience (at least for this installment). Like the other episodes this season, it grabs a megaphone to ask its characters (and us) why they stand by Rick. If you wondered why Beth ignored her children’s plaintive remarks about therapy and wanted to get hammered with her dad at the end of “Pickle Rick,” this episode asks why you’re being a Beth about watching Rick and Morty. With everything you’ve seen him do, and the way he treats other people, why do we still cheer for him?

What’s most impressive about the episode beyond the shift from wacky comedy to giggling despair is all the attention to detail. Every element comes back into play. The first big wedge between Morty and Rick is the discovery that the Vindicators went on an adventure without them because they hate Rick. It turns out they asked him back because they committed genocide when his intellect wasn’t there to help. Noob-Noob (who totally gets it) laughs at two of Rick’s jokes, which becomes the underpinning for his booze-swimming mind to find something happy in the world. It becomes a hurtful punchline, but it also allows Rick to say what he really feels to Morty in the safe space of logic and sarcasm.

Of course, the best tiny detail is Rick’s slipshod third test where he punts and asks them to shoot three-pointers (aloha!) “and try to make it a lesson about [themselves], like how selfish they are.” And Hawaii. It’s a lazy, drunken move that Jigsaw would slap his forehead at, but then Supernova, Alan Rails, and Million Ants actually make it a lesson about themselves and how selfish they are. Rick wins again.

Rick’s promise was that this would be the darkest season yet, and it’s living up to that threat with each episode. “Vindicators 3” went ahead and made Rick the literal bad guy with full horror villain credentials, and we’re still in his corner. Why? Maybe because he throws a hell of a party. And probably because we don’t have to live with him. By the end of this season, Morty may not want to live with him either.

I get the feeling that Justin Roiland, Dan Harmon, and this season’s writers will use each episode to test our affection for Rick in increasingly intense ways. This is just the beginning.

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Want to know how Ricky And Morty trolled us all with Pickle Rick? Click here.

Curious which version of Rick is the most deadly Rick? Click here to find out.

Images: Adult Swim

GAME OF THRONES Fan Video Explores Robert’s Rebellion in Great Detail

One of the most enticing aspects of George R.R. Martin‘s A Song of Ice and Fire novels is the detailed history and lore of the books. Martin spent a great deal of time creating the world and its characters, which has also been one of the most rewarding parts of the saga’s TV adaptation, Game of Thrones. Over the past seven seasons, viewers have come to a better understanding of Robert’s Rebellion, the uprising that threw the seven kingdoms into turmoil, ended the Targaryen reign, and set in motion several key events of the series. We may never see the entirety of Robert’s Rebellion onscreen, but a new video has given fans a deeper understanding of that conflict and its most decisive moment: the Battle of the Trident.

The YouTube channel BazBattles has previously established itself by posting animated videos about real historical battles. For the channel’s newest video, that same approach was used for Robert’s Rebellion, and it’s a fascinating dive into some of the lesser known aspects of the series. For example, it covers the early friendship between Tywin Lannister and Aerys Targaryen, while also explaining how the king lost his sanity by giving into his paranoia and jealousy.

This video draws upon both the books and the TV series, and it also features a few subtle moments, including the late arrival of the Frey army. The video also sets the stage for the Battle of the Trident, where Robert Baratheon led his forces against the army of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. That led to a decisive victory for Robert, and paved the way for Tywin’s betrayal at King’s Landing as well as the moment Jaime Lannister became the Kingslayer.

Even though the video is new, it isn’t quite up-to-date, especially given the major revelation that was made in the most recent episode of the series. But short of a live-action prequel series, this may be the best telling of Robert’s Rebellion that we’re ever going to get.

For more on this, we have full essays about the Mad King, Aegon’s Conquest, and the short life of Rhaegar Targaryen!

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

Images: HBO / BazBattles

GAME OF THRONES’ Rhaegar Revelation Might be the Show’s Most Important Yet

Seven bloody warnings to you dear reader, for this post contains major, major spoilers for tonight’s Game of Thrones , “Eastwatch.” So if you haven’t seen the episode yet and hope to avoid them best not cross into the dangerous lands beyond this Wall.

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Holy ****.

After years of theories and fan speculation, Game of Thrones gave us an answer to a monumental question, and the ramifications are Wun Wun sized: Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark were legally married.

And that means Jon Snow is not a bastard, and is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.

Additional Reading: Rhaegar Targaryen’s Short Life and Lasting Legacy

If you missed it, Gilly was reading the recordings of High Septon Maynard–the highest official in the Faith of the Seven, so those were not the writings of a maester, which is a monumental difference–she asked Sam what “annulment” means. “It’s when a man sets aside his lawful wife,” Sam answered. Only a septon could do that, and for a royal wedding it seems unlikely anyone but the High Septon could. Plus, the Targaryens followed the Faith of the Seven (minus the whole incest thing).

Gilly then says High Septon Maynard recorded this:

“Maynard says here that he issued an annulment for a Prince Rhaegar and remarried him to someone else at the same time in a secret ceremony in Dorne.”

She mispronounced Rhaegar’s name (she said “Rah-gar” not “Ray-gar”), which is partly why it didn’t register to the distracted Sam, but that’s clearly who she was reading about. Which means Rhaegar got the highest priest in the land to put aside his marriage to Elia Martell, and he then he married Lyanna Stark right away, most likely at or near the Tower of Joy where Jon was born. The Tower of Joy was located on the northern edge of the Red Mountains of Dorne.

Rhaegar had to go fight against Robert’s Rebellion, and since we know Lyanna was pregnant when he left, that probably necessitated the urgency in getting an annulment to Elia and his new marriage to Lyanna. Rhaegar was obsessed with the prophecy about the Prince That Was Promised, and likely imagined Lyanna (ice) and him (fire) would give birth to that Prince. Making sure his son was a legal Targaryen instead of a bastard would have been very important to Rhaegar.

Additional Reading: Why Rhaegar Targaryen Fell in Love With Lyanna Stark

So Jon is not a bastard; he is legally the son of Rhaegar Targaryen. Jon is officially a Targaryen, and as Rhaegar’s last remaining son he is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.

His claim is far greater than Daenerys’s claim, because throughout the Targaryen Dynasty men were always crowned over daughters (a civil war broke out when that was ignored). So even though Daenerys is the daughter of the Mad King and Jon is just his grandson, the history of Westeros shows quite overwhelmingly how in this scenario Jon would be crowned and not her.

Like we said, holy ****.

It’s been long theorized that Rhaegar and Lyanna did get married in secret, and maybe Rhaegar got an annulment since polygamy isn’t allowed by the Faith of the Seven, but knowing it for certain is still bonkers. What’s even crazier is that the High Septon wrote it down and there is documented evidence. This won’t just come down to Bran saying he saw it in a vision, there’s real proof. The King in the North could quickly gain followers all over Westeros if this gets out (the common people loved Rhaegar, and many lords hate Cersei). Especially if Jon manages to become a dragonrider for one of the the two dragons in the world who currently need one.

We did see how much Drogon liked him…

(Side note for book readers: Like many others I have always thought that “Young Griff” is not really Rhaegar’s lost son Aegon, but is instead an impostor. But if this revelation about Jon is also true in the books, and Rhaegar’s marriage to Elia was annulled, that means if Aegon truly is Rhaegar’s son, he would now be a bastard and not have nearly as strong a claim to the Iron Throne. This really changes the potential for that plot in the novels.)

In some ways this is an even bigger revelation than when we learned the truth about Jon’s mother, because even then a bastard is still a bastard. Instead Jon Snow, right now, is really Jon Targaryen, and he has a greater claim to the Iron Throne than anyone else has ever since Jaime killed the Mad King.

Now hopefully Jon doesn’t get killed–again–while north of the Wall because he wasn’t smart enough to ride a horse to face the army of the dead.

For being the legal son of a prince he sure is stupid sometimes.

What do you think of this revelation? What does it mean going forward? Be like Maynard and record your thoughts in the comments below.

Images: HBO

Join the Vindicators with Our RICK AND MORTY T-Shirt Giveaway!

The Vindibeacon is lighting up, and who are we to ignore a literal call to adventure? This week’s Rick and Morty episode debuted the Vindicators, a more badass version of the Avengers…or possibly the Guardians of the Galaxy. They’re kind of a mishmash, really. While the episode was called “Vindicators 3: The Return of Worldender,” this is the very first time that we ever met Supernova, Alan Rails, Crocubot, Million Ants, and their very Star-Lord like leader, Maximus Renegade Starsoldier. Together with Morty Smith and (very reluctantly) Rick Sanchez, they are the Vindicators!

While it probably would’t be a good idea to actually join the Vindicators, wearing the Vindicators’ logo on a T-shirt is the next best thing! Also, it’s 100% less fatal!

To celebrate Rick and Morty‘s epic third season, we’re joining forces with Spencers to give away 10 t-shirts every Monday that capture the essence of each individual episode. Last week, it was Pickle Rick’s time to shine, and the week before that, Mad Morty was on a rampage. This week’s shirt is a bit more subtle with its Rick and Morty-ness, but it’s still a pretty sharp design that we’d be proud to own.

This shirt can be yours for free, and all you have to do to enter our weekly giveaway is to click here and tweet. But you don’t have to win our contest or even fight Worldender to walk away with a Vindicators T-shirt of your own. Spencers has 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