Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 1997

Taika Waititi Considers THOR: RAGNAROK a Standalone Film

Though Thor: Ragnarok is the third Thor film, director Taika Waititi doesn’t consider it a sequel. Before we get to that, though, we have to introduce the show! Today on Nerdist News Talks Back Host Jessica Chobot is joined by Mothership writer Amy Vorphal, Nerdist director Andrew Bowser, and managing editor Alicia Lutes as they talk about Ragnarok, Karate Kid, and Dodgeball.

As is nearly always the case in our nerdy world, we have to talk about Marvel. In an interview with io9, Taika Waititi admitted that he doesn’t consider Ragnarok a sequel to the other two Thor movies. Instead, he thinks of his film as a standalone, albeit with characters the audience already knows. Based on what we’ve seen, this certainly seems true. Ragnarok‘s tone is vastly different than previous movies, and even Thor himself acts like a changed god. Either way, the movie looks awesome.

Speaking of changing tones, The Karate Kid is returning as a comedy series for Youtube Red. Called Cobra Kai, the show follows the reopening of the Cobra Kai Dojo 30 years after the events of the film. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka will both return as their respective characters. After the 2010 Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith wasn’t very well received, we’re curious to see how this one will do. A sequel series is probably a better idea than a reboot at this point, so hopefully it succeeds.

13 years after the debut of Dodgeball, ESPN will transform into The Ocho on August 8, according to Deadline. The fictional branch of ESPN, The Ocho delivered some of the movie’s funniest lines and even featured Chuck Norris. What exactly ESPN will show on the Ocho remains to be seen, but hopefully the channel will lean into the goofiness. If it’s almost a sport, the Ocho should have it.

You can watch and interact live with Nerdist News Talks Back every weekday at 1:00pm PST on YouTube and Alpha, and catch up with the archives just after the show!

Image: Marvel, Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox

DIABLO Meets Nintendo in These Cosplay Photos by Mineralblu

Minerablu Photography acquired his first DSLR and started learning about photography in 2009. Fast forward a few years later, and a cosplayer in his city set up a photo shoot with him at Anime Matsuri. “It was there that I met a number of other cosplayers to shoot, which has led to a snowball effect over the years to this day of meeting countless cosplayers and friends,” he told Nerdist.

He travels to a number of conventions and recently went to Anime Expo in Los Angeles. There, he photographed a group of cosplayers bringing fan art combining Nintendo and Diablo to life. The art was executed by Zach Fischer Illustration. Behold Wizard Zelda (Friscoblondie), Demon Hunter Samus (Danielle Beaulieu), and Crusader Peach (Jessica Nigri).

If you’ve ever tried to take a photo of cosplayers at conventions, you know it can be tricky to get a shot without a people-filled background. Mineralblu’s a pro though. He said, “My goal is always to be as efficient as possible with the cosplayers’ time while maximizing my ability to shoot and move on to cover the rest of the convention.”

To accomplish that goal for the Diablo and Nintendo shoot, they found a secluded spot in the hotel property and Minerablu captured the photos before approaching the convention crowds.

See photos showcasing the individual costumes in the gallery below. To view more of Mineralblu’s work, follow him on Facebook and subscribe to his YouTube channel. Also! If you want a print of Fischer’s Diablo meets Nintendo art, you can purchase one on Etsy.

Do you cosplay or take photographs of cosplayers? Then I want to see your work so we can talk about highlighting your creations in a future Cosplay Friday gallery. If you’re a photographer, maybe we could focus on your images from a single convention. 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. Though I wish I knew all the nerdy franchises, I don’t, so please let me know who or what is being cosplayed.

Images: Mineralblu Photography

Halloween Home Decor Puts the Focus on HOCUS POCUS

We may be in the height of summer but those of us obsessed with all things spooky know that we’re about 80+ days out from Halloween. It’s time to start thinking about wearing costumes and running amok! Amok, amok, amok, amok, amok!

Fans of the classic 1993 Disney movie Hocus Pocus have been waiting longingly for some sort of themed merchandise to make an appearance, and now—24 years later—all the bewitching spells have worked because you can fully decorate your home with the help of the Sanderson Sisters thanks to a new line of Hocus Pocus Halloween decor!

If you consider yourself a kindly old spinster lady who enjoys spending a quiet evening at home sucking the lives out of little children, there are accent pillows featuring the sisters’ iconic hairstyles. Framed art and candles with Binx the cat are just a few of the items available to brighten up your home. Decorating with Winnie, Mary, and Sarah will make you feel just like the fourth Sanderson sister.

To quote Winifred, if you’ve always wanted a child, now you can have one…on toast! While I’m still disappointed there’s no ungodly cookbook (booooooook) kitchen items with the witches’ images are available on tea towels, wine glasses, and more. What conjurer couldn’t use a glass of wine to get through the evening?

These new home items will definitely get you in the mood for Halloween and help you bring the spirit of the Sanderson sisters home.

See some of our favorites from the Hocus Pocus collection in the gallery below. All items will be available exclusively at 1300 Spirit stores nationwide and on SpiritHalloween.com.

When will you start decorating for Halloween? Let us know in the comments and tag @nerdist and @justjenn on twitter to show us your spooky decor!

Images: spirithalloween.com

Who is GAME OF THRONES’ Prince That Was Promised?

Winter has come to Game of Thrones, and the long night might be coming with it. There may be a Wall between the Night King’s army of the dead and the seven kingdoms, but it would be foolish to think that the White Walkers won’t make it into Westeros. Fortunately the show has been foreshadowing a savoir since the second season: the prince that was promised. But who will the prince be? Today’s Nerdist News is narrowing down the suspects and offering the odds?

Join host and everyone’s favorite fire wight, Jessica Chobot, as she tells you everything you need to know about the story of Azor Ahai. A mere 8,000 years before the events of the series, Azor was a legendary warrior with a flaming sword called Lightbringer, and he held back the White Walkers from their previous attempt to overrun the continent. It was prophesied that Azor would be reborn when the darkness returned to the land. Melisandre thought it was Stannis Baratheon, but ever since his defeat and demise, she’s turned her eye to a new prince.

Jon Snow is definitely the early favorite, and his resurrection from the dead does seem to indicate the Lord of Light has plans for him. But we can’t count out Daenerys Targaryen. As we recently learned, the translation of the “prince that was promised” was not gender specific. That means it could easily be the Mother of Dragons who leads the seven kingdoms through their darkest hours. But we’re willing to bet that both Jon and Daenerys will jointly fill the role.

However, there are a few dark horse candidates, and we wouldn’t put it past this show to surprise us with a final season swerve. There are strong arguments that could be made for Jaime Lannister, Davos Seaworth, and even Jorah Mormont. But we think we can safely rule out Gendry!

Who do you think is the Prince that was promised? Share your theories below!

RICK AND MORTY Family Therapy Clip Asks “Why Did Grandpa Turn Himself into a Pickle?”

This Sunday’s new Rick and Morty will give the world Pickle Rick (PICKLE RICK!), but this sneak peek from Adult Swim shows the episode will also continue to explore the fallout from the divorce, when Beth, Morty, and Summer seek some family counseling.

Following the long-coming separation of Beth and Jerry at the end of season three’s premiere, the biggest story line from last week’s second episode, “Rickmancing the Stone” was the various ways each member of the family was dealing–or rather not dealing–with the split. In this clip a highly defensive Beth goes with her two kids to see Dr. Wong, voiced by Susan Sarandon.

We imagine there aren’t too many psychiatrists who specialize in family therapy and “Coprophagia Recovery,” since coprophagia is about eating feces, but in the world of Rick and Morty it’s probably a little more common than we’d think.

While this scene further illustrates how the divorce will be this season’s biggest story (I thought it was far and away the best part of last week’s Mad Max: Fury Road parody), the final question asked by Dr. Wong gets to arguably the biggest question of the entire series: why does Rick do anything he does?

Because while Beth is clearly hurting, Summer and Morty are obviously working through their parents’ divorce in their own ways, and Jerry is being mocked by the wind, at least none of them turned themselves into an anthropomorphic pickle.

Pickle Rick definitely has some issues to work through. But at least one of them isn’t coprophagia.

What do you think this clip tells us? Use your portal gun and tell us in the comments below.

MR. ROBOT: First Season 3 Trailer And A Look At Bobby Cannavale’s Character

It’s been nearly a year now since the second season finale of USA’s Mr. Robot, and while it was a strong episode (check out our review here), it sure did leave us with a lot of questions, and therefore a big hole in our hearts during all this time we’ve waited for these mysteries to be resolved. Thankfully, though, we won’t have to wait all that much longer, since it was revealed on Friday that the show’s third season is set to premiere on October 11.

After an online scavenger hunt that took place across the show’s social media accounts, fans also got a taste of the upcoming season in the form of a new 60-second trailer. It has everything you’d expect out of a world in a state of chaotic meltdown: trash can fires in the street, pillaged office buildings, and of course, people in creepy masks wielding guns.

The old world is dead. It’s time to create a new one.

season_3.0. #MrRobot. 10.11. @USA_Network. pic.twitter.com/abr7zEEWiK

— Mr. Robot (@whoismrrobot) August 4, 2017

Perhaps most interestingly, the trailer offers up a first look at Irving, a new character played by Bobby Cannavale. He’s a dynamic screen presence who livens up every scene he’s in, so we’re uber curious about what his role will be this time around.

Our message is spreading. @bobbycannavale has joined us: https://t.co/eza1Trc6Ax

Are you prepared? Something is coming: 1 PM ET. #MrRobot pic.twitter.com/fOTYihKCQy

— Mr. Robot (@whoismrrobot) August 4, 2017

What do you think the show’s third season has in store? How do you think Cannavale’s character factors into everything? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Featured image: Michael Parmelee/USA Network

Disney Tea Cups Meet the Whimsical and the Grim in This New Art Exhibit

When you think of the Mad Tea Party ride at Disney Parks with its spinning teacups, you might associate it with words like fun or exciting. I think of words like nauseating and unhappiness—the Alice in Wonderland attraction doesn’t do it for me. And that kind of ties in with the whimsical and grim illustrations in artist Nicole Gordon’s Dehydrated Rainbow exhibit.

Currently on view at the Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles through August 12, the exhibit includes a handful of pieces featuring the teacup motif. They’re part of landscapes that have bright colors but are at odds with the usual scenes one finds at amusement parks. Gordon said in a release, “The spinning teacup ride is something so joyful and so innocent, but also so terrifying and sickening. I think it is something most people can relate to visually.”

“Night Start”

Yep. This artist gets me.

You can view a sampling of other teacup pieces from the exhibit in the gallery below. Visit Gordon’s website to view more of her creations.

Do you create any sort of pop culture-inspired art? If so, I want to see it. Whether you focus on a specific fandom or pull inspiration from multiple stories and mediums, I’d like to highlight what you do. If you’re interested in being featured in a future edition of Fan Art Friday, get in touch with me at alratcliffe@yahoo.com with examples of your work. If you’re not an artist, feel free to email me with recommendations for Fan Art Friday!

Images: Nicole Gordon

Become the Robot Child of Jeff Goldblum in the VR Film MIYUBI

There’s no question that we here at Nerdist love anything and everything Jeff Goldblum. As the world’s biggest Blum-heads we are more than delighted that we can now step inside a world where Jeff Goldblum not only created us but–more importantly–looks directly at us with a look of love in his eyes. That wonderful world is the VR film Miyubi.

Via a recent article on No Film School, we now have a good idea of what this VR film actually entails. VR creators Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël teamed up with Funny Or Die and the folks at Oculus to create a 40 minute comedy from the perspective of a toy robot. The film–that’s available to download for free–puts you in the the perspective of a robot that’s gifted to a young boy in 1982 suburban America.

An additional video on the Oculus site hints at a more sinister story than the trailer initially lets on. It jumps between video footage of birthdays, tea parties, and late-’80s teenage hang time, and it appears that Miyubi’s creator (and our surrogate dad) played by Jeff Goldblum has installed something special into the robot. Are we talking covert robot mission? Information the ’80s government doesn’t want us to know? The secret to robot life that always boiled down to getting hit by lightning in the ’80s? We’ll have to watch Miyubi to find out.

Miyubi is available to download for free from the Oculus store and is rated as a comfortable watching experience.

What do you think of Miyubi? Is your weekend now planned out like ours pretending Goldblum is really talking to us in his scenes? Let’s discuss in the comments below!

Image: Funny Or Die

GAME OF THRONES Makeup Brushes Are Here to Change Your Face

Joining the ranks of the Faceless Men is way more complex than using a set of fancy makeup brushes, but the fancy makeup brushes don’t hurt, right? You can put the idea to the test, because The Catch 96 has a set of limited edition Game of Thrones makeup brushes perfectly suited for makeovers from the subtle to the extreme. Put your eyeballs upon these stunners:

The set includes eight brushes to use all over your face, and even though I only know how to use maybe three of these brushes because applying makeup is like a mystical art to me, I’m all in. The handles come in plated metal finishes of rose gold, silver, bronze, or copper and pay homage to the Great Houses of Westeros with their sigils and house words. There’s even a nod to the Hand of the King.

Any makeup you apply with say, a three-headed dragon, is automatically amazing. It is known.

The sculpts of the house sigils and the handles are so detailed that these brushes are also suitable for decor. It’s not the best idea to store your brushes bristle down, but you could lay them flat in a tray or box on your vanity. They are too damn pretty to be kept in a makeup bag.

If you need to add these regal AF brushes to your collection, hop on over to The Catch 96 and add them to your cart. The sets are currently half off, so don’t delay. You can browse Harry Potter-inspired makeup brushes while you’re there.

Did you order the Game of Thrones brushes? Are you planning to pit them against each other in a battle for the Iron Throne? Let us know in the comments.

Images: The Catch 96

Go on the Hunt for These BLADE RUNNER 2049 Funkos

As we ready to return to the dystopian future of Blade Runner with Blade Runner 2049, many of us have wondered: where are the Funkos? We love a good movie tie-in toy—of which there are none as prolific as Funko—so it pleases us to see 2049 represented in such an adorable, big-eyed way. This fall, we’ll be getting both Pops and Dorbz (which is the name of my neo-funk band), so whether you’re in the mood for happy or serious toys, Funko’s got you covered.

Particularly when it comes to emotional range. For example, here we have happy and serious Ryan Gosling:

And similarly emotive Harrison Ford dolls, too:

 

Both actors have been immortalized by Funko before (and one by carbonite) but these POPs are much more grizzled and ready-for-anything than we’ve seen them. Also revealed? A better look at Jared Leto’s villain Wallace.

Significantly less menacing as a DORB than a POP (it’s the eyes).

And while Ana De Armas’ Joi will not be getting a DORB figure (boo!), her POP looks pretty cool (yay!), so we’ll let it slide.

Though these figures are not replicants, they were engineered by humans to provide a service (lining our shelves) to humans, so they basically fit the bill. Which means we can semi-accurately call ourselves Blade Runners when we hunt these guys down.

How do you feel about these figures? Are you going to emerge from hiding to pick them up? You can check out the rest of the figures in the gallery below, and as always let us know what you think in the comments below and on Twitter.

Image: Funko