Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2031

The SMURFS Are Joining The Funko Family This Summer

In a simpler time, before Pogs and even Garbage Pail Kids, the collecting obsession of America’s children were none other than the Smurfs. The “three apples high” blue gnomes from Belgium were Saturday morning TV stars, who won their way into the hearts of children with their nauseatingly repetitive theme song and their ability to replace both nouns and verbs with the word “smurf,” so everything was always just so smurfily smurfy. Oh, and they were also a line of highly collectible little PVC figurines that kids bought by the millions.

You could buy little plastic Smurfs doing just about anything — name a sport or an occupation, there was a Smurf version of it — and the build your own little Smurf village in your backyard, complete with mushroom houses. I know, because I had one. It was my most favorite thing ever, until He-Man and Thundercats came along, and then I forgot all about the Smurfs. Anyway, my point is this: the Smurfs have a long, long tradition as adorable plastic figures.

Now the good folks at Funko are bringing the denizens of Smurf village to their Funko POP! Animation line with their first wave of Smurfs figures. Included in Wave 1 is the leader of the tribe, the “gentle and wise” Papa Smurf, along with the original female Smurf, Smurfette, the know-it-all Brainy Smurf, and Astro Smurf, who is apparently also known as Dreamy Smurf. Also in this first wave is the Purple Smurf, who has been “infected by the Bzz fly” (don’t ask), and of course the evil wizard Gargamel and his mangy cat Azrael, whose dreams of catching all the Smurfs so he can eat them, which even as a kid really disturbed me.

The first wave of six Smurfs POP! vinyl figures are scheduled to hit in August. You can check out images of the complete series in our Smurftastic gallery down below.

Are you excited about the prospect of starting your own Funko Smurf village? Be sure to let us know down below in the comments.

Images: Funko

You Can Now Buy a Bikini Made of Actual Pizza, But Please Don’t

Proud though I may be to sing loud the “judge not lest ye be judged” maxim, I’ve rolled my share of eyes at the occasional overzealous fedora, out-of-season Hawaiian shirt, or all-too-in-character pair of Sperrys. But when it comes down to brass tacks, I’d never deign to think it my right to tell another soul how they should or shouldn’t present their body. Your own are the only standards necessary to satisfy by the way you dress; what others wear should be understood solely as a communication of their preferred patterns and fabrics. In short, dress and let dress.

So if you really do want to wear a bikini made entirely from the ingredients of pizza—an opportunity now at your disposal courtesy of a New York-based franchise called Villa Italian Kitchen—well, by all means. Go for broke. Live the life you fancy. I’d never tell you not to, and I’ll do my very best not to fester with absolute disgust if I catch sight of you soaking in solar radiation while entangled in two fleshy husks of baked dough and dairy coagulate.

There is, however, one catch (well, one catch beyond whatever bacterial cataclysm might result from encasing your organic form in dual sleeves of molded yeast and melting mozzarella, and topping off this considerably adhesive recipe with a healthy sum of beach sand–which, really, is just a cozy word for “nightmarish universe of unknown microscopic horrors”–and the litter that such realms so eagerly attract): a single suit will run you 10 grand.

“For just $10,000,” as Villa Italian Kitchen posts on their new press release advertising what some cultures herald as the seventh sign of the apocalypse, “we’ll set you up with our food stylist and help you get fitted for your own suit made from only the freshest ingredients, including homemade, hand-braided dough, 100-percent whole milk mozzarella cheese, sauce made from fresh California tomatoes and delicious pepperoni – all in honor of #NationalBikiniDay.” Legitimate though the offer may sound, if you ask me, this is just another indication that #NationalBikiniDay has gotten way too commercial.

But if you’ve got enough cash, harbor in your heart so indomitable a love for both pizza and abbreviated swimwear, and have committed to ignoring what is the most paralyzing question that should face anyone upon consideration of this issue–WHAT ABOUT SEAGULLS?!?!?!?–then what can I say? Go nuts. Slap on two slabs of agronomic puddy and buffalo lactate and enjoy some beach volleyball and a copy of Swing Time. Do what makes ya happy.

…Okay, please don’t. Wear anything else. Just not this.

Images: Villa Italian Kitchen

Will Arya’s Long-Lost Friend Return to GAME OF THRONES This Season?

Poor Arya Stark. She’s lost friends and family members from the very beginning on Game of Thrones. And all that tragedy went a long way towards making Arya into the killer she is today. While the youngest living Stark didn’t go full Faceless Man last season, she’s probably going to offer up more victims to the Many-Faced God in the final two seasons (if she lives). But there is hope ahead that Arya may finally be reunited with someone for the first time years that’ll help her stay alive. Today’s Nerdist News is sending a raven with the details!

Naturally, there are potential spoilers ahead for Game of Thrones season 7. You could stop reading now and wait for the show to spring a surprise on you. Or you can discover the possibilities. It’s on you, really.

Assuming you’re still here, then it’s time to join host and Hot Pie’s favorite customer, Jessica Chobot, as she shares the first word on who might be making a return. Will it be Arya’s former dancing master Syrio Forel? Or is it her good friend, Gendry? We think his arms have probably fallen off from all of that rowing.

As much as we’d like to see them both again, a report from Time Magazine—the same one that hinted at a major Northern movement we wrote about earlier today—hints that a direwolf may be making a comeback. That’s right—Nymeria may be on her way back to the Starks! (You may recall Arya had to drive Nymeria away to save her life after she was set to be put down for attacking Joffrey—totally justified, btw.) A nice bonus, given that Ghost appears very rarely on the show and the rest of the pack are dead.

In the novels, Arya has had dreams or visions that suggest that she’s still connected to Nymeria, who went on to have pups and formed a new pack of direwolves. It may even mean that Arya has the latent ability to warg into animals as well. If Nymeria really has returned, then perhaps we’ll finally see this side of Arya onscreen.

Which direwolf do you think is making a comeback? Howl at the moon and share your thoughts below!

Hasbro’s THOR: RAGNAROK Movie Figures Are Godly

Normally, I’d be very, very sad about the exclusion of Jeff Goldblum from anything. But when a lineup of movie-based action figures looks this great, well, I accept that Marvel will have to find room for the ‘blum in a later assortment. Because the Thor: Ragnarok figures are already going to include:

Only the greatest, most Hiddleston-y Loki figure ever…

A two-headed, hella good Hela, who looks more than a match not only for Thor, but even Cate Blanchett‘s previous action-figure incarnation as Lord of the Rings‘ Galadriel…

Oh yeah, and Tessa freakin’ Thompson! (Available only in a two-pack with variant Thor, but who’s complaining?)

Along with an additional arena Thor, these figures round out a wave that also includes comic-based figures of Jane Foster Thor, Odinson, and Marvel’s Ares. Collect them all and you’ll gain the pieces you need to build a large, movie-based “Planet Hulk,” or whatever they’ll be calling him specifically in the film…

Hasbro smartly revealed this prior to Comic-Con, thereby allaying any suspicions fans might have had that the Battle for Asgard set might all be repaints; you’ll still need to grab one if you want Bor, Malekith, and Ulik.

All Thor: Ragnarok figures should hit stores this fall, with the Thor/Valkyrie two-pack being a Target exclusive…and incidentally, since this is the first of the Thor movies to get its own line of Marvel Legends, you might say it’s a…Banner year for the Odinson.

Check out the packaged pics below, and tell us in comments which one would win your makeshift gladiator battles!

Images: Hasbro, CBS

Play ‘Where’s Worf’ with These STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION Posters

Star Trek: The Next Generation is arguably the reason most of us still care about Star Trek. The ’60s series was great, and the follow-up movies were mostly great, but without the syndicated science fiction series–which focused much more on scientific concepts than its predecessor–the franchise might have ended after the fifth movie (because Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country used the TNG sets as a cost-saving measure). Next Gen introduced us to so many amazing characters and scenarios in its seven seasons, and to commemorating it turning 30 this year, Roddenberry.com has commissioned a pair of Where’s Waldo-esque character posters.

From artist Dusty Abell, you can purchase the set of two posters and a key for $100. One poster shows off the heroes and good-guy characters seen in the series…

This one has all your favorite Enterprise crew members–and even ones like Tasha Yar who were technically characters–as well as memorable guest characters like the reformed Borg Hugh, Klingon leader Gowron, and Mark Twain. There are quite a few holodeck-costumed versions of our main characters, and even original series characters Spock, Scotty, and Sarek show up since they guest starred. See if you can name all of the characters and ships. And can you spot the version of Picard from “The Inner Light?”

But also! There’s the flip side poster, featuring all of the major antagonists on the show…

Interesting how many Starfleet officers show up on this one (I’m looking at you Captain Jellico, Admiral Pressman, and Captain Maxwell), but there’s definitely a lot of Romulan and Klingon representation as well. I love that Locutus and Lore are front and center and, true to form, Q (in his get-up from both “Encounter at Farpoint” and “All Good Things” garb) is hiding in the corner.

You can buy the set (which also includes a key to both) from either Roddenberry, or from Abell’s personal site, which also includes his earlier TOS poster of the same type.

Is this the kind of thing you love? If not, why the hell not? Let us know in the comments below!

Images: Dusty Abell

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

Tom Holland Beats Up Thor with a Spider-Man Action Figure

Playing with action figures is a time honored tradition for young nerds–at least, it certainly was for those of us who grew up in the heyday of Marvel ToyBiz figures and could act out all the stories we saw on X-Men: The Animated Series every week (guilty as charged). But today’s kids are truly spoiled. Not only have the Avengers officially taken over the toy aisle, but even the superheroes themselves love playing with them. Even better, as Chris Hemsworth and now Tom Holland have proved, they like to do it in front of cameras so we can all join in on the excitement.

While on the set of Avengers: Infinity War, Chris Hemsworth had some fun messing around with figures of his co-stars, whacking Spider-Man over because he’s “just a kid.” Now, international treasure Tom Holland has attempted to one-up him during a hangout with Entertainment Weekly to promote the premiere of Spider-Man: Homecoming. Who’s the kid now, Thor?

As adorable as it is to watch Holland delighting in a bit of make-believe, I’ve got to ask: what’s the problem with Black Widow, my dude? How come you’re tight with Ant-Man and not with her? Is it spider-jealousy? Fear that she might try to marry you and then eat you? Or did you and Paul Rudd bond over your shared use of the hyphen in your superhero names? All I’m saying is, she’s probably a much better mentor for you than Scott Lang is and you should reconsider your A-team just a little bit.

So, now that the gauntlet’s been thrown (so what if the gauntlet attached to a tiny plastic figure, it still counts), who do you think would actually win in a fight: Spider-Man or Thor? Let us know in the comments!

Image: EW

This Amazing Spider Might Be the One That Bit Peter Parker

We are not suggesting it is possible for you to become a superhero if you are bitten by a spider like Peter Parker was. All we are saying is that if you really want to give it a shot anyway, we think being chomped on by this amazing little spider, who can shoot its web an amazing 25 meters, is the way to go.

In this video from BBC Earth’s “The Hunt,” a Darwin’s Bark Spider (fittingly described as a “real-life Spider Woman”) builds a beautiful — but deadly — two-meter orb web over a massive river. The spider can can produce this tremendous amount of silk consistently and constantly, despite no bigger than a thumbnail.

It’s hard to believe that something so small can build something like this across such a large area. Even more remarkable is how strong this spider’s silk is, since it’s not merely tougher than steel (by cross sectional area), it is the toughest natural fiber in the world.

That’s why when we watch it it’s hard not to think about Peter Parker pulling falling buildings back together. Although in fairness to Spider-Man, we don’t remember him conserving his used webs by eating them. Maybe something to add in an after-credits scene?

Scientists don’t fully understand how this spider is capable of producing the prodigious amount of silk that it does, so that makes it really hard to imagine that a regular person like you or I will be able to harness its powers just from a bite…Just let us know if it actually does work.

What other real life animals remind you of fictional comic book superheroes? We hope to snag your thoughts in the web of our comments section below.

Images: BBC Earth

Nerdist Podcast: Will Ferrell Returns

Will Ferrell returns to the Nerdist podcast! Will and Chris talk about bad imitations of actors, his work with Funny or Die and being a parent. Will also talks about performing on stage and he talks about his new movie The House!

Image: Jamie McCarthy / Getty

James Gunn Shuts Down Rumors of HOWARD THE DUCK Movie

The last few years have seen Marvel experiment with relatively unknown characters like the Guardians of the Galaxy and see wild success. However, a recent rumor of Howard the Duck receiving a similar treatment has proven to be unfounded. Science Editor Kyle Hill and Associate Editor Kyle Anderson (they’re twins because that’s how names work) discuss today’s nerdy news with host Dan Casey on Nerdist News Talks Back. Avatar 2 will show in 3D without the need for glasses, Jabba the Hutt might appear in Han Solo, and James Gunn shuts down rumors about a Howard the Duck movie.

Avatar made waves when it came out in 2009 thanks to its beautiful 3D visuals, and Cameron intends to make a similar leap with Avatar 2. It’s been 8 years since James Cameron’s Avatar began a new wave of 3D movies and $16 tickets, and now the sequel may usher in a new era of 3D and $25 tickets. Using a new technology that I can’t even begin to understand but is explained here, moviegoers will be able to watch the sequel in 3D without wearing glasses. Well, if you can’t see you should probably wear your glasses, but they won’t have to be red and blue. Such an advancement might be difficult to implement, since theaters would need to alter either their screens or their projectors to screen the film. Here’s hoping it won’t be a gimmick, and the 3D will truly be revolutionary.

The Han Solo anthology film might portray the first confrontation between the young smuggler and the big bubbly gangster known as Jabba the Hutt. We may finally learn what Han did to deserve Jabba’s ire (even though it’s probably because Han is a smuggler who brags about smuggling). Jabba is reportedly going to be a mix of CGI and practical effects and animatronics. Other than that, though, we assume we’ll see some of Han’s famed exploits, the most likely being the Kessel Run.

Rumors of Marvel Studios producing a movie starring Howard the Duck directed by James Gunn were shut down by Gunn himself. The rumors themselves were not incredibly well-founded, but fans latched on and would not let go. Howard the Duck appeared in both of Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, but after the 1986 Howard the Duck failed to make its money back it is unlikely we’ll see another.

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: 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm, Universal

Iron Man’s New AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Armor

“Stark…you always wear such nice suits.” General Ross’ words have never been more true, now that we’ve seen Iron Man‘s newest armor in the latest leaked photos from Avengers: Infinity War. It’s far from a definitive view, but Tony Stark’s costume appears to have undergone a significant upgrade for the Avengers’ greatest battle. Today’s Nerdist News is breaking down the intriguing possibilities about what it all means for the hero who kicked off the MCU a decade ago.

There are potential spoilers ahead for Avengers: Infinity War! And if you watch the video, you are gonna see the new Iron Man armor. So, this is your last chance to turn back!

Join Senior Editor and guest host, Devastator Dan Casey, as he walks us through the new Iron Man armor from Just Jared. As you can see, it’s an obvious departure from the bulkier designs from Stark’s earlier armors and its appearance has an almost organic musculature and a more natural fit on Stark’s body. It’s likely that more elements of the armor will be added in post-production, but it really does seem to bring out the man in Iron Man.

If Stark’s armor in Spider-Man: Homecoming is the Mark 47, then is this the Mark 48 Iron Man? And what can this armor do that Stark’s previous armors could not? We also have some healthy speculation about the arc reactor hole spotted on Robert Downey Jr.’s shirt last week and whether it means we’ll see Doctor Strange use his Infinity Stone to pay a house call on Stark…in the past!

What do you think about the newest Iron Man design? Armor up in the comment section below!