Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 201

Y2K Trailer Takes Us From Partying Like It’s 1999 to Global Technological Despair

Anyone who was over the age of ten in 1999 certainly remembers the panic of Y2K. We all knew that the world was going to go through an apocalyptic technological crash because computers wouldn’t register the “00” at the end of 2000. I was 13 that year and my mom made us all stay at home in the living room, surrounded by flashlights and other survival items just in case we were heading for disaster. Thankfully, that did not happen… but sometimes I wonder about what would’ve happened if Y2K actually went down. Well, A24 has a humorous and rather disturbing answer to that question in the trailers for Y2K, a film that takes us from partying like it’s 1999 to destruction. 

In the clips, we meet two high school dudes who sneak their way into a popular kids’ party on New Year’s Eve in 1999. The objective is simple: one of them wants to kiss a pretty girl named Laura at midnight. This soon becomes the least of his problems when the room goes dark and Y2K actually happens. The tech goes wild and death begins to ensue, including a Tamagotchi drilling through a girl’s head. Oof. The tech issue brings down society as the kids try to survive. I personally love this. There aren’t enough movies that celebrate early 2000s culture, much less ones that depict a dial-up disaster.

And what better song to have in the Y2K trailer than “Tubthumping” by Chumbawamba? You literally could not escape that tune in the late 1990s, just like they cannot escape murderous tech.

What Is the Release Date for the Y2K Movie? A24

Y2K is written and directed by Kyle Mooney. The film stars Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison, The Kid Laroi, and Fred Durst. It will hit theaters on December 6.

Originally published August 20, 2024.

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SECRET LEVEL Trailer Teases Dark PAC-MAN, WARHAMMER, D&D Shorts and More

Secret Level is about to reimagine your favorite video game series into an anthology of animated shorts, and it’s about to do so in style. In a huge collaborative effort, the upcoming Prime Video series takes 15 of your favorite video games and spins out original stories in their worlds. But if Secret Level‘s trailer is anything to go by, these aren’t simple retellings, but heartfelt reconceptions that take the games and their characters into epic worlds that are by turns tragic, humorous, heartfelt, and beyond. There’s real emotion and a lot of love in the Secret Level trailer. You can really tell the creators deeply cared about all these games. There’s also creepy dark Pac-Man.

Take a look at the Secret Level trailer below.

Yes, this guy is Pac-Man. No, a game about a voracious creature is probably not going to end up pretty in a creepy, fantastical retelling of it. At NYCC, the creators of Secret Level teased their Pac-Man episode was going to disembowel people’s childhoods. And that it was really Pac-Man way off the rails. Looking at the Secret Level trailer, we can already tell we’ll be getting Pac-Man like we’ve never seen him before.

Prime Video

In addition to Pac-Man, the Secret Level trailer teases clips from its Warhammer, D&D, Sifu episodes, and more. And everything looks absolutely amazing. In among the rest are glimpses of the Secret Level episode dedicated to Concord, a team-based shooter game from Sony which was heavily hyped and then suddenly canceled due to its lack of success. Of course, the Secret Level episode dedicated to Concord was already completed. And the series could not have guessed the video game would no longer exist by the time it released.

Prime Video

Speaking about the Concord episode, Secret Level creator Tim Miller noted, “I don’t feel bad that it’s a part of the show, because I think it’s an episode that turned out really well, and you can kind of see the potential of this world and the characters… If it’s the remaining vestige of that product, I hope the developers feel that it’s in some way worthy, just a little bit, of the blood, sweat, and tears they put into it.”

In addition to the incredible animation work in this Secret Level trailer, we also hear the voice work of many iconic actors. Among those starring in Secret Level are Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves, Temuera Morrison, and Ariana Greenblatt. You can check out the full list of incredible talent, here.

Which Video Games Does Secret Level Showcase in its Trailer and Beyond?

Here is the full list of the 15 games that feature in Secret Level first anthology of episodes:

Armored CoreConcordCrossfireDungeons & DragonsExodusHonor of KingsMega ManNew World: AeternumPAC-MANVarious PlayStation Studios gamesSifuSpelunkyThe Outer WorldsUnreal Tournament Warhammer 40,000. Click To View Gallery Prime Video Prime Video Prime Video Prime Video Prime Video Prime Video Prime Video When Does Secret Level Release?

Secret Level releases on Prime Video on December 10. For those who don’t want to wait that long for more Secret Level after this iconic trailer, Prime Video will be dropping exclusive episode-specific content on the Secret Level social media handles on 11/18.

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Oops, Amazon IS Shutting Down Freevee Now That Prime Video Has Ads

We’re not very surprised to hear Amazon is shutting down Freevee now that Prime Video has ads. In fact, Amazon had to go out of its way to say it would not do so earlier in the year. But it did seem kind of inevitable. Amazon’s free ad-supported video streaming service is no more. RIP, Freevee.

In a statement, Amazon shared of Freevee’s shutdown, “We have built Prime Video into a first-stop entertainment destination where customers can personalize their viewing experience by streaming exclusive Prime member entertainment produced by Amazon MGM Studios, licensed movies and series, content from other services as an add-on subscription, live sports, blockbuster movies and series to rent or buy, FAST [free, ad-supported streaming TV] channels and the complete Amazon Freevee content offering.”

Amazon

Additionally, the platform noted that despite the shutdown of Freevee (emphasis on “Free”) most things would remain free to consumers, Freevee or not. Amazon shared, “To deliver a simpler viewing experience for customers, we have decided to phase out Freevee branding. There will be no change to the content available for Prime members, and a vast offering of free streaming content will still be accessible for non-Prime members, including select originals from Amazon MGM Studios, a variety of licensed movies and series, and a broad library of FAST channels – all available on Prime Video.”

“A vast offering of free streaming content will still be accessible for non-Prime members” sounds good in theory. But how long before that aspect of it shuts down, too, like Freevee before it? We suppose we can’t worry about that now. Those missing Freevee but not subscribed to Prime Video can find this free content in the “Watch for Free” section of Prime Video.

The now-defunct Freevee brought us original series like Jury Duty, Bosch: Legacy, Neighbors, and Alex Rider. We salute it for its service.

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Creature Commandos Will Have a 2 Episode Premiere on December 5, Plus Full Release Schedule

Get ready for double the fun. We recently learned that Creature Commandos set its release date for December 5. But now, we’ve learned that it won’t just be one episode coming for us on that date. Nope. Creature Commandos will premiere with two episodes on December 5. And that means we’ll get a double dose of the DCU right away. Here’s what we know about Creature Commandos and its release schedule.

Max

In total, Creature Commandos will have seven episodes in its first season. After releasing its first two episodes at once, the DCU-opener will drop one episode weekly until January 9. You can check out the full Creature Commandos release schedule below.

Creature Commandos Full Release Schedule:Creature Commandos Episodes 1 & 2: December 5Creature Commandos Episode 3: December 12Creature Commandos Episode 4: December 19Creature Commandos Episode 5: December 26Creature Commandos Episode 6: December 2Creature Commandos Episode 7: January 9

How is that for a very merry holiday season? We don’t yet have confirmation on the specific time that Creature Commandos will drop, but HBO and Max usually stick to a 9pm ET/PT schedule. So we’re assuming it will be something like that this time around.

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Christopher Nolan Returning to Universal for Next Movie in 2026—Tom Holland, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o to Star

How do you follow up an all-time great movie like seven-time Oscar winner Oppenheimer? It was a Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, box office juggernaut. How do you live up to something that good?That’s a classic case of not our problem. It’s Christopher Nolan’s. The director is the one who has to figure out what do after reaching the peak of his industry. What we know is where he’ll try to do just that. Nolan is going back to Universal to see if that partnership can find movie magic again in the summer of 2026.

He could be going back to the studio with a familiar face. Oppenheimer and Interstellar‘s Matt Damon is reportedly in talks to star in the film along with Spider-Man actor Tom Holland. Deadline reported that another former Nolan collaborator, Anne Hathaway, and Tom Holland’s co-star in life Zendaya are also joining the cast. Additionally, Lupita Nyong’o is now onboard to star in what is being billed as a “top secret feature.”

Universal Pictures

Variety reports Christopher Nolan is sticking with Universal for his next film. The director produced Oppenheimer with the studio after ending his decades long partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures. However, it seemed possible he might end up back at his old home. Warner Bros. was said to be trying to mend things with him in hopes of luring Nolan. Clearly they will have to wait at least one more movie for a reunion.

Universal has already lined up a prime spot for Nolan’s unnamed film, which he is also writing. It will arrive in theaters on July 17, 2026. While details, subject matter, or even genre are unknown at this time, the movie will reportedly get an IMAX release. That’s no surprise for a Christopher Nolan release.

Universal

Also not a surprise is that Matt Damon could potentially star in it. The two have worked together previously and Damon has talked about how much he loves Christopher Nolan. The director also found incredible success elevating one of his longtime supporting stars, Cillian Murphy, to a lead role.

Will turning one of his supporting actors into a main role for a movie at Universal guarantee Christopher Nolan finds Oppenheimer-level success again? Of course not. But we wouldn’t rule it out, either.

Originally published October 9, 2024.

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George R.R. Martin Shares Post About His Problems with HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, HBO Responds

In July, George R.R. Martin told fans he would soon share his thoughts on “everything that’s gone wrong” with House of the Dragon. That tantalizing tease suggested he was ready to spill a whole lot of Moon tea. Well, he sure was. The author did more than just discuss his issues with the adaptation’s divisive second season. Martin spit fire and blood about his concerns in an already deleted blog post where he explained why he’s worried about what showrunner Ryan Condal has planned for the series’ final two seasons, in a screed that was the literary equivalent of the Night King bringing down the Wall. Below, we detail what Martin shared about House of the Dragon and how exactly HBO responded.

HBO

In a quickly deleted post titled “Beware the Butterflies” at his Not a Blog, Martin opened up talking about the split reaction to House of the Dragon‘s “Blood and Cheese” sequence from season two’s first episode. Some readers thought the show’s version came up far short of the more emotionally wrenching one found in Martin’s Fire & Blood. (I wrote the series “botched” the sequence entirely.) Martin was far kinder in his assessment, which included a lot of praise for the series’ take, even though he agrees book readers are right “the scene in the book is stronger.”

Martin also wrote about how Ryan Condal explained the practical reasons behind these changes, along with how the show would later introduce a missing character cut from that vital scene.

HBO

The author’s analysis of House of the Dragon‘s “Blood and Cheese” comes across as tough but fair. Martin has real, well-founded criticism, but understands why certain changes were made. His assessment reads as wholly diplomatic.

“Diplomatic” does not describe the rest of what he wrote. At best it read as highly critical. At worst it came across as downright antagonistic and angry.

Martin explained he only briefly argued about the changes to “Blood and Cheese” because Condal shared his plan to introduce a missing character later. In Fire & Blood Aegon and Helaena have a third child, a younger son named Maelor. His presence (or lack thereof) greatly alters the nightmarish sequence for everyone involved. That’s also true of Maelor’s future role in the story.

HBO

While not a major character himself, two-year-old Maelor is a major impetus for important future events. Except Condal apparently later changed his mind and decided to never introduce Maelor to the show. That has clearly (CLEARLY) displeased Martin.

In his post he went into a spoiler-heavy explanation of the massive “Butterfly Effect” the “Missing Maelor” will cause going forward. (If you haven’t read Fire & Blood and don’t want anything from House of the Dragon spoiled we’re going to keep them to a bare minimum here. Martin’s post does not, so tread lightly if you seek out a copy.)

Warner Bros. Discovery

Martin made no attempt to hide his frustration—if not downright anger and disappointment—with Condal, the show, and even HBO whose budget limits he insinuated are causing problems. Here are some of the standout lines from his post (emphasis our own):

…Could maybe make Maelor a newborn instead of a two year old, but that would scramble up the timeline, which is a bit of a mess already. I have no idea what Ryan has planned — if indeed he has planned anything…From what I know, that seems to be what Ryan is doing here. It’s simplest, yes, and may make sense in terms of budgets and shooting schedules. But simpler is not better.In Ryan’s outline for season 3, (character) still kills (themself)… for no particular reason. There is no fresh horror, no triggering event to overwhelm…What will we offer the fans instead, once we’ve killed these butterflies? I have no idea. I do not recall that Ryan and I ever discussed this, back when he first told me they were pushing back on Aegon’s second son. Maelor himself is not essential… but if losing him means we also lose (multiple major moments) well… that’s a considerable loss.Max

Forget coming in hot. Martin came in on Balerion the Black Dread. And that was true before his final line went full scorched Westeros. He delivered a preemptive shot across the bow at Ryan Condal and House of the Dragon.

And there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if HOUSE OF THE DRAGON goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4…

…Yeah. Yeah.

That’s as subtle as Bronn and as diplomatic as a Dothraki. This was George R.R. Martin making clear he thinks House of the Dragon is heading to the same fate as Game of Thrones, which completely fell apart during its panned final two seasons.

HBO

How much of this post is a result of Martin’s frustration with the prequel itself versus how much is this a response to Game of Thrones‘ ending? Only he knows that. But he has previously talked about how he wasn’t as involved with the original show’s latter seasons. And since it seems he’s been unable to prevent fundamental changes he feels strongly about during House of the Dragon‘s first two, this might be the only way he thought he could help the series course correct before it’s too late.

Will it work? Or will this deleted post backfire on him? Will it ostracize him from HBO, Condal, and the show even more? And if it does, will it hurt other spinoffs, including the currently in-production A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

Well, very quickly, HBO issued a statement defending Condal and his choices for House of the Dragon. Later, Condal himself appeared on House of the Dragon‘s official podcast, From Book to Screen, sticking to his adaptorial guns.

“I stand behind the adaptation of how the plot unfolded,” Condal said. “I have talked about this quite a bit, but I will just say it in plain text: the children that we had in the story were simply too young to be able to construct that narrative exactly as laid out in the book. Period. I have lots of experience working with very young performers. To ask two four-year olds to play through that level of drama, it’s just not a realistic expectation.”

He continued: “There’s also a practical element around the things that you can expose young children to on a film set. Yes, you can do clever cutaways, and dummies, and all those things. We wanted this to be a very visceral, subjective experience, not something that was very cut-y, and with closeups. And when you start actually breaking apart what happens in that room, and the things that are said, and the things that are done, it became such a challenge to think about and mount that we started looking for—what are the base elements of this story, that Daemon and Rhaenyra send assassins into the Red Keep, and as a result the king’s child and heir [is] murdered—and how do we dramatize that in a way that’s exciting, and visceral, and horrifying, and do it in the best way possible?”

Most recently, HBO chief Casey Bloys also chimed in on the clash between Martin and House of the Dragon, noting, “We love George… Obviously, I will say George and ‘Game of Thrones’ really changed the course of HBO. So I want him to be happy. He’s very important to me, to us. But when we put shows together, you know, you’re putting a marriage together and marriages can be difficult, especially when Ryan Condal is making creative decisions, adapting work. It can be fraught, and like any marriage, sometimes it gets rocky. Would I prefer that everybody get along and it goes well? Of course. But it’s a creative process. It’s it’s always going to have its bumps, and it’s to be expected.”

CBS

Martin didn’t feel he was being heard in private so he aired a whole lot of dirty laundry out in public. We’re not sure Meslidandre herself could divine in her flames what that will lead to.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who agrees entirely with George R.R. Martin on this matter. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

Originally published September 4, 2024

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Ariana Grande Begs Disney to Keep TWILIGHT ZONE Tower of Terror in Orlando

Pop superstar Ariana Grande is hoping to channel a little of her Wicked character Glinda’s magic, and cast a spell to save a Disney Parks icon. We’ve learned, via Entertainment Weekly, that while Grande was appearing on Bowen Yang and Matt Roger’s Las Culturistas podcast, she made an impassioned plea to Disney. Ariana Grande is asking Disney to not re-theme the iconic Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in Orlando. Disney re-themed the Tower of Terror in Disney’s California Adventure to Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! back in 2017. Referring to the attraction as “An absolute masterpiece,” Grande said the following in an open letter to Disney:

Perhaps this message comes prematurely, but I would be remiss if I did not reach out with a potential matter of grave concern. In the wake of the most recent alterations that have befallen your historic park in California — yes, I’m referring to the calamitous loss/makeover of the Tower of Terror ride here — I humbly implore you to not follow suit. Please allow the iconic and tremendous Tower of Terror to stand tall, permanently in the name of historical preservation, spooky honor, and good, old-fashioned fun. I hope that you’ll consider this humble plea from a passionate fan.

Universal Pictures/Walt Disney Company

The original Twilight Zone Tower of Terror opened in 1994 in Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the Walt Disney World Resort. An instant hit with park guests, they replicated the ride in Disney’s California Adventure a decade later. However, when plans for Avengers Campus started taking shape at DCA, Disney rethemed the attraction to Guardians of the Galaxy. Hence, the singer’s valid concerns over its long-term future.

While we share Ariana Grande’s passion for the original version, we have a feeling it’s safe in Orlando for now. Disney already has a different Guardians attraction there. And because of pre-existing contracts with nearby Universal Studios/Marvel Islands of Adventure, they can’t have an Avengers Campus of their own. We do think the Twilight Zone brand name might one day go away, because it’s not a Disney IP. But we have a feeling the spooky old hotel is there to stay. Then again, Rivers of America is leaving the Magic Kingdom soon, so nothing is 100% sacred in the Disney parks.

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Kingpin Wonders About Matt Murdock’s Darker Half in DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN Clip

When the Netflix Marvel shows moved to Disney+, fans hoped they might see some familiar faces incorporated into the MCU’s world. Although there were many good iterations of Marvel characters in the Netflix shows, one hero that fans particularly hoped would return for a solo show or movie was Charlie Cox’s Daredevil. Happily, Marvel Studios didn’t make us wait very long. At San Diego Comic-Con 2022, the studio announced that Daredevil would receive a new MCU series on Disney+, Daredevil: Born Again. Since that announcement, the series had some ups and downs, including an overhaul of its creative team.

Recently, we got another peek at Daredevil: Born Again in a Disney+ “Coming in 2025” video. In it, Kingpin and Matt Murdock meet at a diner where the former observes that the latter has “come up in the world.” But he also questions whether Matt’s vigilante alter ego Daredevil would feel the same way. It looks like we will see the lawyer continue to grapple with the duality of his life.

Another clip from Daredevil: Born Again offers a quick teaser that shows Muse, the Punisher, Kingpin, and even Kamala Khan’s father.

The first teaser for ‘DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN’ has been released.

Premiering March 4 on Disney+ pic.twitter.com/qm6fetImYO

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 30, 2024

Now, after a long wait and lots of changes, we know exactly when the show will premiere. At New York Comic Con 2024 Marvel Studios announced Daredevil: Born Again will debut at Disney+ on March 4.

Drop into Hell’s Kitchen, head down the Witches’ Road, and swing by the Marvel booth (#2153) at #MarvelNYCC! pic.twitter.com/HZmKfUZUEZ

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) October 17, 2024

What can we expect when it does? Here’s everything we know about Daredevil: Born Again.

Marvel StudiosTitle

The title of the MCU Daredevil series will be Daredevil: Born Again. This is also the title of one of Daredevil‘s famous comic arcs.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s PlotMarvel Comics

We don’t yet know much about the exact plot of Daredevil: Born Again. But in the comics, Born Again is a very dark tale for Daredevil. In it, the man without fear faces down Kingpin, who manipulates Matt Murdock’s feelings for a struggling Karen Page in his attempts to destroy the hero. Whether this storyline will find its way into the MCU, we can’t say for sure. What we do know is that Daredevil: Born Again will have eighteen episodes, leaving a lot of room to explore the MCU version of the hero.

According to a report by Variety, Marvel is planning to overhaul the direction of Daredevil: Born Again. The publication shares that “Marvel Studios has recently parted ways with head writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman and is currently seeking new writers to revamp the show. Ord and Corman will still be credited as executive producers.” Additionally, Marvel has released the directors for the series episodes that have not yet already been filmed. Variety reveals that less than half of Daredevil‘s 18 episodes were filmed before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. And that “Some elements of the already shot material will be used going forward, but Marvel is looking to take the show in a new creative direction.”

Marvel Studios

Brad Winderbaum, the head of streaming, television, and animation at Marvel Studios, spoke at D23 about the upcoming Daredevil series on an ABC panel. The video for that panel hit the internet recently and he had something quite interesting to say.

“Imagine if New York City was as intricate and problematic and scary as the world of Game of Thrones,” he said. “All these forces vying for control, and it can be really hopeful at times, and really violent at times, and dark-but also there’s light at the end of the tunnel if you could just fight for it.”

For now, a new video celebrating Marvel’s 85th anniversary gives us our first look at Daredevil from Daredevil: Born Again. Check it out above. Additionally, Winderbaum teases us about the brutal action in store.

He offers, “I’ll tell you, some of the most brutal action we’ve ever brought to the screen is coming in Daredevil: Born Again, which isn’t a horror show, but really it packs a lot of power and there’s a lot of visceral action, to say the least.”

Behind the ScenesNetflix/Marvel Studios

Originally Daredevil: Born Again was written and executive produced by Matt Corman and Chris Ord. According to Deadline, Clark Johnson was meant to direct two episodes. However, Variety recently reported that Corman and Ord were released from the show and Marvel is seeking new writers and directors for the series.

The Hollywood Reporter shared the superhero crime series has added Dario Scardapane as its showrunner. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead will direct the rest of the episodes for the first season. Scardapane has experience with The Punisher, while Benson and Moorhead directed episodes of Loki season two.

While Marvel will apparently retain some episodes and other material that was already filmed, Scardapane will add new episodes and new scenes. It’s unknown how many episodes season one will have.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s CastMarvel Studios

So far, Charlie Cox, who, of course, returns as Daredevil, and Vincent D’Onofrio, who will play Kingpin, have signed onto the new series. In addition, Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as Punisher in the MCU series, and Deadline shares that Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye will also make the leap. Additionally, Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson will return as Karen Page and Foggy Nelson.

Also joining the Daredevil show are Nikki M. James, Michael Gandolfini, Margarita Levieva, Sandrine Holt, and  Lou Taylor Pucci. Their roles remain unknown. In addition, Deadline recently cited Carnival Row‘s Arty Froushan as part of the cast. And Genneya Walton will reportedly play “a young journalist with connections to a character from the original series.” Clark Johnson, in addition to directing, reportedly has a recurring role in the series.

Marvel Comics

At D23, we learned a male White Tiger is coming onto the scene in Daredevil: Born Again. We glimpsed White Tiger in a sneak peek from the series, but no casting information was yet revealed. This White Tiger is likely Hector Ayala who uses ancient amulets to transform into White Tiger, a “master of martial arts.” Perhaps we will see Daredevil defend him this season, as White Tiger is often mistaken for a criminal and gets into tight spots.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Release Date

Daredevil: Born Again will debut at Disney+ on March 4, 2025.

Originally published January 5, 2023.

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Netflix Hints at More Price Increases, Complete Removal of Basic Tier

The canary in the coal mine is singing loudly today. Recently, Netflix removed its “Basic” tier from its line-up of offerings in Canada. And now, Netflix has also axed the cheapest ad-free plan in the US and UK. The “Basic” plan was Netflix’s $10/month offering, allowing users to retain an ad-free experience relatively cheaply.

But now, new Netflix users have a choice between ads or a sharp cost increase when they subscribe to the platform. This move widens the gulf between Netflix’s ad-free and ad-supported tiers, pushing users to decide where their priorities lie.

Netflix’s Latest Updates on Retiring the Basic Plan and Price IncreasesNetflix

In early 2024 outreach to shareholders, Netflix touched on phasing out its once cheapest plan. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “With the growth in the ad tier, the company repeated its plans to phase out its Basic membership tier in the coming months. It will retire the plan — currently the cheapest ad-free subscription option — for all subscribers in Canada and the U.K. in the spring “and tak[e] it from there.” Take it from there ended up meaning take it to everyone. In July 2024, the Basic Plan was also completely ended for users in the US and France.

Additionally, Netflix noted, “As we invest in and improve Netflix, we’ll occasionally ask our members to pay a little extra to reflect those improvements, which in turn helps drive the positive flywheel of additional investment to further improve and grow our service.” Basically, more price increases are a’coming.

Netflix’s Current Subscription Options Make an Ad-Free Experience ExpensiveNetflix

So, which options are left for users who want to stream their favorite shows and movies on Netflix right now? After the removal of the Basic plan, Netflix US features three tiers. First up, the Standard with Ads plan costs $6.99/month. This is less than Netflix’s Basic plan used to cost; however, now ads are involved. Netflix’s “Standard” plan costs $15.49/month, a sharp jump. The streamer’s “Premium” plan costs which previously cost $20/month, will now see an increase in price. Netflix’s Premium plan will cost $22/month, double the cost of the defunct Basic tier.

Netflix’s Standard and Premium options are both ad-free but, among other things, support different amounts of devices. These tiers also differ in how many “extra members” you can add to your account as part of Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown.

Is Netflix’s Basic Ad-Free Plan Fully Gone?Netflix

As mentioned, Netflix’s Basic ad-free plan was no longer an option for any new subscribers for quite some time. However, users who were grandfathered in were still able to retain it. That, however, appears to be over now. Netflix’s ad-free Basic plan is gone for users in the United States. In July of 2024, users who were still on the ad-free Basic plan had to select between Netflix’s new ad-free and ad-tier plans instead.

The Streaming Landscape Sees Cost Increases, and Ads EverywhereNetflix

Netflix shared with Variety, “Our starting prices of $6.99 in the US and £4.99 in the U.K. [for Standard With Ads] are lower than the competition and provide great value to consumers given the breadth and quality of our catalog.”

Value is a hard measure to define with accuracy. Ultimately, beyond Netflix, the world of streaming as a whole is currently rife with price increases, ads, and other changes that complicate things for consumers. Of course, it doesn’t help that there are so many streamers to choose from out there—and that everyone is competing for more or less the same users. More than ever, it seems like the streaming world is moving closer to the previous cable experience it once tried to disrupt. We guess we’ll just have to see what comes in to disrupt this disruption.

Originally published on July 19, 2023.

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Denzel Washington Says Ryan Coogler Is Writing BLACK PANTHER 3 Role for Him

The MCU is gearing up for many new stories and adventures in the next couple of years. From TV shows that bring back fan favorites like Daredevil to the very shocking news about Robert Downey, Jr. returning to play Doctor Doom, there’s so much to look forward. Another thing we can apparently add to the future MCU project list is Black Panther 3, according to Denzel Washington. In a recent interview, the iconic actor dropped some big news about him coming to the MCU. Denzel Washington says Ryan Coogler is writing a part for him in a third Black Panther movie. 

Marvel Studios/Paramount Pictures

As The Hollywood Reporter states, Washington slipped the big news during the Today show on Australia’s Channel 9 while promoting Gladiator II. He said that he’s not ready to retire quite yet but he’s only interested in working with elite creatives at this point and do new things. Appearing in the MCU would be a new and lucrative move for Washington and Wakanda is the place to be, indeed. 

“I played Othello at 22, I’m now going to play it at 70,” he said. “After that, I’m playing Hannibal. After that, I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that, Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next Black Panther.”

Whoa. You cannot just drop big Black Panther news on us so casually, Denzel Washington. Especially considering Marvel has yet to confirm a third film. Will be a friend or a foe to Wakanda? What can we expect as Shuri continues to lead the way after losing her beloved brother and mom. We will see what happens in the future.

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