Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2047

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’s Ronald D. Moore Admits: Cylons Did NOT Have a Plan

“The Cylons were created by man. They rebelled. They evolved. There are many copies. And they have a plan.”

If you watched Battlestar Galactica, Ronald D. Moore’s groundbreaking reboot of the 1970s science fiction series, you are intimately familiar with those words. From the very first episode that sprung from the Syfy (formerly SCI FI Channel) miniseries, the credits opened with the basic premise of the show. Decades after the giant robots rebelled against their makers in a devastating war, the Cylons returned from deep space disguised as humans, integrated themselves into society and destroyed it from within. With the last remaining vestiges of the human race on the run, the men and women on Battlestar Galactica had no idea there were Cylon spies within their midst. And they had a plan…

Or so we thought.

Last weekend at the ATX Television Festival, the gang got back together to look back on the series and its legacy on genre television. There, Edward James Olmos (Admiral Adama), Mary McDonnell (President Laura Roslin), Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck), James Callis (Gaius Baltar), Tricia Helfer (Number Six), Grace Park (Boomer/Number Eight), Michael Trucco (Sam Anders) were joined by executive producer Ronald D. Moore, who revealed that the Cylons never had a plan at all! Nope, according to The L.A. Times‘ account of the panel, those iconic words were dreamed up by co-executive producer David Eick, who thought they “sounded cool.” Moore added that he thought they would figure it out by the end of the series, but, as we know, they didn’t.

We’re going to give you a moment to pick your jaw up off the floor, since we’re sure you’re as flummoxed by this news as we are.

Look: No matter where you stand on Battlestar Galactica and its controversial ending, it ultimately doesn’t matter that the Cylons didn’t have “the perfect plan.” As we learned in the series, the Cylons are imperfect beings — just like humans. What really matters is that the show was a brilliantly written, impeccably acted story that wove together political and social commentary together as all great science fiction should. Were there some slip-ups along the way? Sure. Do we wish we’d learned more about how angels potentially tie into all this robot stuff? ABSOLUTELY. Do we still inexplicably loathe Gaeta with every fiber of our being? YOU BETCHA. But that doesn’t mean we’re not going to keep loving Battlestar Galactica, flaws and all. It’s just that good.

All we can do now is start our annual rewatch of the series and admit that yeah, that intro is still pretty cool.

But what do you think? Are you upset that the Cylons/writers didn’t have a plan, or are you numb to the pain after everything we went through with Lost? Let us know in the comments below!

Images: Syfy

GIFs via Giphy

Rachel Heine is the Editor-in-Chief of Nerdist and the world’s biggest Gaius Baltar apologist. Chat with her about BSG, Lost, and James Callus’ excellent turn on 12 Monkeys on Twitter!

One New Detail We Found in the BLACK PANTHER Trailer

“What do you know about Wakanda?” After the teaser trailer for Marvel’s Black Panther, there’s quite a few people who know about the homeland of T’Challa; which is one of the most advanced countries within the MCU. Wakanda has a technological edge on the rest of the world thanks to its abundance of vibranium. However, Wakanda also has traditions steeped in mysticism that may hint at another aspect of Black Panther’s path. Today’s Nerdist News is taking the heart-shaped herb as we talk about the one detail in the Black Panther trailer that you may have overlooked.

Join Science editor, and the other man with an adamantium skeleton, Kyle Hill, as he explores a myth not commonly associated with Black Panther: the legend of El Dorado. Ulysses Klaw’s dialogue in the trailer may not simply be a throwaway line. And if his belief that Wakanda is the source of the El Dorado myth turns out to be true, than it may add some context to a pivotal sequence in the trailer.

The El Dorado legends are believed to have referred to have come from the Muisca tribe in Colombia. Every time they established a new king, he underwent a ceremony in which his skin was covered by mud and gold dust before he submerged himself in a lake. We couldn’t help but notice that T’Challa does something very similar to that in the teaser. And if the people of Wakanda value vibranium in the way that the Muisca tribe valued gold, then wouldn’t it make sense for T’Challa to be covered in vibranium for his ceremony as well?

We already know that vibranium will play an indirect role in giving T’Challa even greater powers when he consumes the heart-shaped herb that was grown in vibranium-laced soil. Marvel’s Kevin Feige has also confirmed that there is a spiritual aspect to the herb as well; which may lead to Black Panther and Wakanda becoming players on an even grander scale than we previously imagined.

Are you excited about Black Panther’s approach to the mythology of Wakanda? Let us know in the comment section below!

 

Who is MR. NEGATIVE? A Primer On SPIDER-MAN’S Latest Video Game Nemesis

Most Spider-Man inspired movies, televisions shows, and video games tend to only use “classic” villains from Spidey lore—meaning mostly characters from the ’60s through the ’90s. But at Sony’s E3 2017 presentation, Insomniac showed off an extended look at the gameplay for the upcoming Spider-Man game for the Playstation 4, and it featured a villain who is a little more current — Mr. Negative.

The character was first introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #546 (January, 2008), and was created by writer Dan Slott and artist Phil Jimenez. Introduced first as Martin Li, we later learn that Martin Li wasn’t Mr. Negative’s true name, it’s one he stole. He was actually an unnamed human trafficker who was under the employ of the Chinese crime boss Silver Fang. At one point, when a freighter full of undocumented Chinese immigrants nearly collides with a port in New York Harbor, the man who would become Mr. Negative is able to escape,  and when he does, he steals the real Martin Li’s identity, as the real Li died in the crash.

Because he’s assumed the identity of an undocumented person, he becomes easy pickings for the local crime family the Maggia, headed up by longtime Spidey villain Silverman. Martin Li, as he’s now known, is exposed to the highly dangerous drug D-Lite as part of the Maggia’s experiments on humans—the same tests which gave powers to Marvel heroes Cloak and Dagger. Like those two, this gives Li a connection to the Darkforce and Lightforce dimensions, and also gives him something of a split personality.

His Martin Li side remains mostly intact and more or less a nice guy (for a human trafficker that is), but his Mr. Negative persona is a lunatic, and one who happens to have crazy superpowers to boot. Before too long, the new Kingpin of Chinatown in New York is none other than Mr. Negative. Meanwhile, “Martin Li” operates a soup kitchen in Chinatown, the F.E.A.S.T. Project (Food, Emergency Aid, Shelter, and Training), where Peter Parker’s Aunt May volunteers.

Power and Abilities

Mr. Negative has some pretty formidable powers, all which come from his connections to the Lightforce and Darkforce. He has a degree of superhuman strength—enough to kick Spider-Man around and send him tumbling through walls with concussive force. He has the ability to heal others as Martin Li and can power up inanimate objects to make them stronger with dark energy as Mr. Negative. He can also bring out both extreme good and evil in someone with a single touch. As his name suggests, when in bad guy mode, his appearance resembles that of a photographic negative.

Major Storylines

Brand New Day (2008)

In the story that introduced him to Spider-Man’s world, Mr. Negative acquired a special tablet that contained the formula for a powerful poison called Devil’s Breath. Negative then kidnapped members of the Maggia families, who tortured him and gave him his abilities in the first place. Spider-Man arrived at Mr. Negative’s hideout as he was in the process of getting his revenge on the Maggia. Mr. Negative escaped with the poison and attempted to kill the other Maggia families with it, and although Spidey did his best to stop him, he wasn’t able to save the Maggia crime bosses.

New Ways To Die (2009)

In this storyline, Mr. Negative encountered the former Venom Eddie Brock, and once he learns of Brock’s tragic history, Martin Li offers him a job at his soup kitchen. It was while working there that a single touch from Li cured Eddie Brock of his cancer, but that touch’s side effect mutated what remained of the Venom symbiote in his body.

These mutating remnants bonded with Brock’s white blood cells, and they transformed him into a new being called Anti-Venom.

Shadowland (2010)

Mr. Negative plays a part in the Shadowland storyline, which had Daredevil take control of Hell’s Kitchen and unleash the ninja army known as The Hand on its inhabitants. During all of this, Mr. Negative takes advantage of The Hand takeover to expand his crime empire. He squares off against a group of Hand ninjas, until Spider-Man & Master of Kung-Fu Shang-Chi intervene. This is one of the first times that Mister Negative’s exploits have taken his beyond just being a Spider-Man baddie.

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What do you think of Mister Negative stepping into the big leagues of mass media representation? Could he be the next Doc Ock or Green Goblin and transition from games to movies? Let us know your thoughts down below in the comments.

Images: Marvel Comics

Queens Of The Stone Age Tease New Album with a Mysterious Website

It’s been a few moons now since we’ve heard from Queens Of The Stone Age: The sixth and most recent album from Josh Homme and pals, …Like Clockwork, came out in 2013, and they’ve been pretty quiet about their goings on since then. We know they have a new album on the way, and that’s really about all the info we have. However, the band finally started to show its hand with a mysterious new website that may or may not hold clues about the band’s upcoming seventh album (via Spin).

https://t.co/10f1q187t8 @b0neface

— QOTSA (@qotsa) June 12, 2017

The band’s new website, featuring art created by artist Boneface, features a TV that can be tuned to eight channels that are mostly static. On the TV and its channels, phrases that could potentially be song titles or other sorts of identifying phrases appear, including “Mumbo Jumbo,” “13,” “Tutti Frutti,” “Reclaim Everything,” “It’s a ‘Beautiful’ Day in the U.S.A.,” “Askew,” “Gold Standard,” “Enteen,” “1976 Evil,” and “All My Confusion Is Waving Goodbye.”

Based on social media posts from April, though, it looks like the album just might be called Twentyfive. Whatever the album is called and whenever it’s coming, it looks like it’s at least finished or pretty close to it. In April, Burbank, California’s Lurssen Mastering posted a photo with the band captioned “Something new brewing,” and the same photo was also posted on Instagram with the caption, “An album just got mixed…”

Do you think we’re getting our first album post-…Like Clockwork soon, or is Homme just trying to ruffle some feathers? Let us know what you’re thinking in the comments below!

Featured image: Nasty Little Man

Talking SONY, NINTENDO, and UBISOFT Announcements at E3 2017

If you’re like the gang at Nerdist News Talks Back, then E3 2017 is likely the only thing you’ve been paying attention to these past couple of days. (Please remember to eat and keep hydrated!) On yesterday’s episode, we covered a number of the hot button items to come out of this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, roping in revelations from Microsoft and Bethesda, as well as news about Star Wars: Battlefront 2. Today, Nerdist News Talks Back dives once again into the video gaming world, dragging up news from E3 featured presenters Sony, Nintendo, and Ubisoft.

Host Kyle Hill leads guests Amy Vorpahl and Joan Ford in analyzing the big reveals to come out of Sony’s panel last night. Chief among them: the trailer for PlayStation 4’s forthcoming Spider-Man game, which introduces surprising characters and packs a distinct vibe. Sony also earned attention for revelations of new material and expansions for games like Horizon Zero Dawn and Uncharted: Lost Legacy, as well as the announcement of an HD remake of Shadow of the Colossus for the PlayStation 4. (The absent Jessica Chobot is particularly excited about that last one.) The gang will discuss all these new games, plus their thoughts on the HD remake trend that’s got such a tight hold on the video gaming world right now.

via GIPHY

Next, we move onto Nintendo, which announced a slew of new titles coming to the Switch: Super Mario Odyssey (complete with DINOSAURS and BODY SNATCHING!), Metroid Prime 4, and a still mysterious Pokémon game.

After delving into each of these exciting new games, we move onto the news out of Ubisoft’s press conference, which introduced new information about Far Cry 5, which sets its sights on American soil this time around, and a still developing open world pirate game per Skull and Bones.

What do you think of Spider-Man’s new baddies, Super Mario Odyssey’s sprawling look, or Far Cry’s upping the ante of political merit? Let us know!

Images: Nintendo

Tom Holland Says There’ll Be 2 More SPIDER-MAN Movies

This news is no less exciting for how obvious it may be to us. In a new interview with AlloCine (via Slashfilm), Tom Holland made mention that there are two more Spider-Man movies coming up following next month’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. This comes in direct contrast to what Kevin Feige said about the possibility of more Marvel Studios/Sony team-ups, saying Homecoming would be “as far as it goes for now.” Curiouser and curiouser!

Holland said:

“There is still a lot of room for Peter Parker and Spider-Man especially to grow in the next two movies. He’s definitely not the finished article by the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming and I really look forward to exploring the different ways he can grow up and go through puberty I guess. It’s going to be an exciting couple of movies… Yeah, there’ll be Spider-Man 2 and 3, it won’t be Homecoming 2 and 3.”

This hadn’t been officially reported anywhere else (though sequel discussions have been going on for awhile), and Holland quickly went ducking for cover from the Marvel snipers the actors are always joking about. (Sidebar: the frequency with which actors in MCU movies talk about snipers taking them out if they share any spoilers makes me concerned that it’s true.) At any rate, it appears to be genuine, at least as far as Holland knows.

On the one hand, of course there are two more Spider-Man movies planned. Sony finally got some of that much-needed Spider-love back in Captain America: Civil War, considering their last three features—going from 2007’s Spider-Man 3 to 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2—were underwhelming at best. If Homecoming can get people stoked for the webslinger again, then Sony’s definitely going to want to strike while the iron is hot.

The flipside of that, though, is that Sony seems fairly uneasy about the prospect of a continued relationship with Marvel Studios, and the fact that they pretty much needed the universally beloved Tony Stark played by Robert Downey Jr. to give their new movie that franchise cred. The fact that they’re prepping a solo Venom film, and a Silver Sable/Black Cat team-up movie, evidently free of MCU control, means that they’re trying as much as possible to blaze their own trail, and not have to split the box office results. And even Holland’s words (“it won’t be Homecoming 2 and 3“) makes me think that the line of deviation is very important to Sony.

That said, there are plenty of awesome Spidey stories from the comics that would make excellent fodder for more Holland movies. One that I’d love to see is “Kraven’s Last Hunt” by J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck published in 1987. We’ve never seen Kraven the Hunter on the big screen and now’s the time. That storyline gave us Spidey’s ultimate showdown with the villain, but since baddies tend not to return in these movies (unless it’s Loki), it’s probably well worth introducing the character just to finish him off in grand style.

Another, a bit off the beaten path, would be the 2002-2003 limited series, “Spider-Man: Blue” written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Tim Sale. It’s much more of a romantic story about Spidey feeling sad about Gwen Stacey on Valentine’s Day, and implying that some of his most upsetting and traumatic events were actually the machinations of…Kraven the Hunter! So, actually, I’d love to see “Blue” be the second Holland film and “Last Hunt” be the third one.

What do you think? Is it time Kraven became a movie star? Will these movies have nothing to do with the MCU? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Images: Sony/Marvel

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

The Best Memes from Nintendo’s E3 Announcements

Dang, it sure has been a busy morning for Nintendo. They shared a new Super Mario Odyssey trailer, which shows that Mario can possess a T. rex and pretty much everything else, we learned more about the DLC for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and it’s confirmed: we’re officially getting Metroid Prime 4 for the Switch.

Each of these news reveals brought with them a variety of meme-able moments, and you know that if you throw a pitch that slow and straight, the internet is going to knock it right out of the park. Yes, the world wide web’s citizens responded to news as it always does: with glorious memes. Some of you guys really cracked us up, and without inflating my own ego too much, I gave myself a quick laugh as well:

You vs. the guy she told you not to worry about #NintendoE3 #SuperMarioOdyssey pic.twitter.com/shJ20E7S9P

— Derrick Rossignol (@drossignol_) June 13, 2017

I am far from the best or only memer out there, though, so check out a few of our favorite finds below, and hit us up on Twitter with any other hilarious ones you’ve made or come across.

When there’s a party in New Donk City #SuperMarioOdyssey #NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/sDqj99C5HI

— Nerdist (@nerdist) June 13, 2017

me eating up everything nintendo announced today pic.twitter.com/1OUhRjvZSS

— sploggles (@sploggles) June 13, 2017

I fought the Nightman, lived as Dayman, now I’m here to ask for your hand… #NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/fNpt24ad0U

— Ryan John Butcher (@ryanjohnbutcher) June 13, 2017

Me before Nintendo’s E3 presentation vs. me after Nintendo’s E3 presentation #NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/5uTbHm9mPc

— °˖ ✧◝(○ ヮ ○)◜✧˖ ° (@TheShinyJirachi) June 13, 2017

Me right now after Nintendo announced Metroid Prime #NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/BDjbqKe4rk

— Island Arcade (@IslandArcade) June 13, 2017

Now I’m not a scientist, but is it accurate to say that if you give your hat to someone, you become that person? #NintendoE3 #E32017

— Dan Casey (@DanCasey) June 13, 2017

ME

RIGHT

NOW#NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/8DZXO5WMDE

— Manu (@PlayExperienze) June 13, 2017

me watching the #NintendoE3 like pic.twitter.com/9n3MKVYhv0

— Allie (@allisonsbeggs) June 13, 2017

“You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain” #nintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/mX3blXS5jC

— Chase Harrison (@Chase_Harrison) June 13, 2017

Hands down the best feature of Super Mario Odyssey. #NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/9Cgg2gmeIZ

— exisD (@exzisd) June 13, 2017

Metroid fans right now #NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/TyovveBMnp

— Tony Coffey (@The__Goomba) June 13, 2017

#NintendoE3 saving E3 pic.twitter.com/pf0WiHj8Sn

— Maximilian Uriarte (@TLCplMax) June 13, 2017

Wow they’re finally releasing Super Paper Mario amiibos #NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/AhIEvfOC6b

— Genowhirl (@Genowhirl70) June 13, 2017

can’t wait to use Super Mario Odyssey amiibos on my wedding cake #NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/z2n7vyrlpc

— Lopuii☆ Ramadan (@LopuiiArt) June 13, 2017

Can’t wait to see this tomorrow #NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/w0BBX94olu

— Dark ☄ (@DarkMoom_) June 13, 2017

Mario possesses hat, hat possesses dinosaur, viewer becomes conflicted by the ethical implications of ALL this. #E32017 #NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/Hp3wHNFvDu

— Jim RESISTerling (@JimSterling) June 13, 2017

Mario can inhabit people and objects with his hat. It is clear what we need him to use this power for. #NintendoE3 pic.twitter.com/t2jzXuJRrK

— Jeff Brenneman (@brennemania) June 13, 2017

Featured image: Nintendo/YouTube

The Writers Panel #338: Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz, Lindsey Allen and Heather V. Regnier

Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz (People of Earth; Brooklyn 99); Lindsey Allen (MacGuyver; Agent Carter); Heather V. Regnier (Sleepy Hollow; Falling Skies).

Follow @BenBlacker and Like the show on Facebook!

A Gorgeous SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS Remake is Coming to PS4

The full-throated screams of joy that echoed throughout the Shrine Auditorium during Sony’s E3 press conference were a constant fixture at the event, but rarely were they louder than when it was revealed that Team Ico’s critically acclaimed Shadow of the Colossus isn’t just getting an HD remaster, but what appears to be a full-fledged remake for the PlayStation 4. One of the greatest games ever made, Shadow of the Colossus was one of the most surprising reveals of the entire show thus far.

Shadow of the Colossus is an exquisite, awe-inspiring experience of a game. You play as a young man named Wander who must venture across the realm atop your trusty steed and defeat sixteen gigantic, lumbering beasts known as colossi in order to bring a girl named Mono back to life. Imbued with outsized emotion and teeming with inspired design–both gameplay-wise and aesthetically–Shadow of the Colossus is often (and rightly so) held up as an example of video games as art. Team Ico’s masterpiece was given a graphical facelift when it was remastered for the PS3 back in 2011 in a double-pack with Ico, but this new trailer for the PS4 version sent a shiver up my spine. Now a new generation of gamers will get to experience the wonder of Shadow of the Colossus when it makes its way to PlayStation 4 consoles in 2018.

What did you think of the Shadow of the Colossus trailer? What other games deserve a PS4 remake? Let us know in the comments below.

Image: Sony/Team Ico

Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter (@Osteoferocious).

The GOD OF WAR E3 Trailer Delivers Myths, Monsters, and a Massive Serpent

What started as Kratos row, row, rowing his boat gently down the stream during PlayStation’s E3 press conference quickly turned into one of the most epic game trailers we’ve seen at this year’s show so far. The God of War trailer wowed the audience assembled at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium with a sweeping, story-driven trailer that featured Kratos and his son Atreus, who still looks uncomfortably like Olly from Game of Thrones, venturing deep into the frigid Norse wilds.

Developed by Sony Santa Monica Studio, creative director Cory Balrog and his team seem to going the Logan route with Kratos, forcing the Ghost of Sparta to not only contend with bold new evils, but also reconcile raising a son with his bloodthirsty ways. With vengeful gods dogging their steps, undead warriors blocking their way, and a towering yet surprisingly friendly “World Serpent,” Kratos and Atreus’ adventure looks like one of the most epic in Gods of War‘s storied history.

In addition to world-building narrative moments, the trailer showed off some of the series trademark combat, which looks as fast-paced and brutal as its predecessors, albeit much prettier thanks to the PS4’s 4K graphics. Because Jörmungandr, the World Serpent who grew so large its tail encircled the Earth and whose presence portends Ragnarok, wasn’t meant to be seen in anything less than blistering 1080p.

God of War comes to PS4 in early 2018.

What do you think of the new God of War trailer? Let us know in the comments below.

Image: Sony

Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter (@Osteoferocious).