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THE PENGUIN’s Clancy Brown On Playing Sal Maroni and the Show’s Explosive 7th Episode

Sal Maroni was an afterthought in The Batman, but The Penguin made him a major player in Gotham’s criminal underworld once again. What’s it been like playing a forgotten figure who goes from sitting in a jail cell to being out on a mission of revenge? We asked Sal himself, Clancy Brown, when we got to talk to the beloved actor about the HBO spinoff and the show’s explosive seventh episode. He also told us about making the move from DC’s animated side to live-action, how that compared to doing the same with Star Wars, what it was like working with an unrecognizable Colin Farrell, why Cristin Milioti reminds him of a legendary actor, and more.

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Note: This interview contains major spoilers for The Penguin season one, including for episode seven.

HBO

Nerdist: You have voiced a lot of Batman characters, so you knew this world really well even before joining The Penguin. What was it like moving from the animated side of the franchise to a realistic live-action version?

Clancy Brown: In my snobbery I had always thought the comic book characters, the animation, really lives best in animation. The characters that were created for DC, that lived in comic books, their best realization was always in animation.

Then the movies start coming out and they get better and better with each iteration. And when The Batman came out, I thought, “Gosh, how many times can they tell this story and tell it freshly?” It was kind of eye-opening how (director Matt) Reeves interpreted this world and really made it about more than the comic book. The metaphors were really right up there. The themes and the lessons, the moralities and the ethics, were very reflective of what was going on in society, as were the Nolan ones, in a more highbrow kind of way.

Every iteration of this world I think gets better and better, especially Gotham. Metropolis is kind of a different thing. And Central City is kind of a different thing. But Gotham really lends itself to a much more naturalistic and impressionistic kind of telling. I don’t know if I’m using the right “istics,” but the stories seem to get better and better, at least in Gotham.

HBO

This is not your only move from the animated side of a franchise. How did this compare to your transition from the animated side of Star Wars to live-action?

Brown: That was almost the same thing, because (Dave) Filoni was really involved with the live-action. He was in it from the beginning of The Mandalorian and then into the other series they did. So that was a logical extension.

Plus, Star Wars started out as live-action, so it’s all the same world. I don’t know that it compares to Gotham, and I don’t know that it compares certainly to (The Penguin). I don’t think you can get the Star Wars galaxy any more dirty than it already is. Maybe you can, I don’t know. Maybe they will. I mean, The Mandalorian was an attempt at that. They did pretty well with that. But it’s not Once Upon a Time in the West. It’s more a Pale Rider type of thing.

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We’re talking about DC and Star Wars, but when you also consider Gen V, Invincible, Transformers, and so much more, you’ve done a lot of genre films and movies. What is it you find so appealing about these kinds of franchises and stories?

Brown: Those kind of franchises and stories are what they’re making. Pop culture has taken over during my career in a way that you could only hope happens, because I always enjoyed comics and I always enjoyed animation. And I’m right in the Star Wars wheelhouse. And I loved Adam West’s Batman when I was growing up. It was sort of candy, and the candy has kind of taken over and has been transformed into full meals during my career. So I don’t have any regrets about having a career take place when the geeks took over. I don’t dunno how else to say it. The nerds have won and I’m a beneficiary. :laughs:

HBO

You spent half of the season on The Penguin sitting at a table presenting yourself as cool and collected and the other half walking around like an active volcano that couldn’t stop going off. Which of those is more challenging as an actor?

Brown: They’re both challenging in their own way. The early scenes you had to convey a sense of character and what he was doing there, all that stuff. But really the mission of those scenes was very expositional. You had to keep the exposition alive in order for Oz to develop his plans and realize them, how (the plans) mess up, and how he improvises his way out of them. It was really fun writing that is basically scenes of exposition, but they had a lot underneath to support that exposition. So it didn’t seem like exposition.

Later on, the volcano…which is a great metaphor. I used a bear. I said he’s a bear in hibernation, and then he’s out of hibernation and he’s hungry and he wants to murder and kill and eat and satisfy himself. But I like the volcano imagery better. That part is also expositional, but only in a way that motivates us through from episode four or five through to the end. It sets us on a course. And Sal is almost out of control. He’s just barely in control. Sofia barely has him under control, and then ultimately when he spins out of control, he dies. He dies because he’s out of control. Sal doesn’t die because somebody kills him. He dies because he’s out of control.

HBO

Was there anything you shot for The Penguin that didn’t make it into the show?

Brown: There were a few things that we did not shoot that were in the scripts, but that happens all the time. The only thing that I missed was in the final. When I’m fighting (Oz) there’s also a fight going on in the lab. We weren’t able to shoot any of that, unfortunately, because Oz has that great speech after he dumps my body out. “You fought for each other, you fought for your turf, you stood up for yourselves, and that’s what we got to do.” It would’ve been nice to see that part of it, the little battle. But we didn’t shoot it and we didn’t need it. It was not necessary.

I don’t think there was anything that was shot that wasn’t used. I’m sure there is something that wasn’t used, but I can’t think of anything in Sal’s world.

I wanted to ask about that fight. You and Oz have a real brutal fight in a very tight space. How long did it take to shoot that sequence and how physically demanding was it?

Brown: It was super demanding for me. And as demanding as it was for me, it was an order of magnitude more demanding for Colin because he was in that suit and in that makeup.

HBO

I got to tell you, there wasn’t a moment that I wasn’t worried about him, because I’ve been in makeups before and it can kill you. I mean, you got to be careful. Core temperature goes up and it never really goes down because you can’t cool yourself off. You’re covered. Your skin can barely breathe. I was very worried about him. That said, he was very well taken care of. They were taking care of him really well. But when you’re acting in it, you’re given everything that you can give. And I know that instinct, and I know Colin is that kind of an actor, where he gives 110, 120, 150%, and that can wear you out.

He didn’t wear out. He was very active in the choreography and in the activity of it. We would help each other through different phases of the fight. It was good that it was in a confined space, because at least we didn’t have to run around and they could blow in air in between takes. But it was a brutal and taxing fight. Like I said, as bad and as tired as I got, and as worried as I got about it, it was so much harder for Colin to do. He did a great job, and I thought it was pretty good. It’s one of the best fights that I’ve ever been in, and I hope you enjoyed it. And I’m glad his makeup didn’t lead to a cardiac arrest.

My brain struggles to believe I’m watching Colin Farrell every week.

Brown: Oh, yeah.

What was it like working with him when he’s essentially a totally different human being as Oz Cobb?

HBO

Brown: The only time that you ever knew it was Colin was in between takes when he spoke in his natural voice and his natural accent and he was as charming as he always is. But yeah, it’s weird. It’s weird. I really never met Colin until the screening we had in New York. When I finally went up to him and gave him a hug and held him I had to hold him a little longer just because he was so much smaller than Oz. He wasn’t Oz. It was a little cognitive dissonance. It was a very dissonant experience to talk to this man about working together and never actually having seen his face. Or even having seen his physicality, his body. It was weird.

Penguin was very doughy. He was big and he was round. He wasn’t un-human. It wasn’t spongy. It was just that he was thicker. And then Colin, he just ran a marathon for crying out loud. He’s a fit guy and he’s much smaller than I. It was just very weird. It was very weird. It’s still weird. It’s still weird to talk about. What they did is amazing. It’s amazing.

HBO

Cristin Milioti is really a force of nature on this show. What was it like filming with both her as an actress and being on screen with Sofia Falcone?

Brown: I wish I could work with her more. She has a thing I’ve seen before only once when I was working with Sidney Poitier, where you’re working with him and you don’t really see what he’s doing. Even when he is right in front of you, you don’t really appreciate the subtleties and the choices he’s making because you’re doing your own stuff. But the way she reacted, you don’t really notice until you see it cut together on film. Sidney was the same way in that you don’t appreciate how much power the camera gives to him. Cristin does the same thing. She has the same power on the camera. It’s a magical thing that not many actors have, where the camera just shows every little thought in their brain and decision that they make is magnified.

And she’s delightful to work with, a very giving actress. She only responds honestly, so we were able to play honestly together. When you can play honestly with somebody you can start taking risks. That’s when it gets really fun. We started to go down that path, and I would’ve loved to have shot every one of those scenes for an entire month. We could’ve just dug everything out of them. She was such a delight to play with. She’s great as a person, she’s lovely as a person. I’ve been a fan of hers as an actress for a long time, and now I’m totally a fan of her as a fellow actor. I would work with her again in a second. She’s spectacular and wonderful and has been that way for a long time. It’s really great she’s getting the notice she deserves for this. Good on her.

HBO

I’m very interested in the craft and how you bring these characters to life. When your character is having a fatal heart attack, what are you think about as an actor in that moment? Is Sal Maroni thinking about how he’s dying? That he’s losing? What’s going on in your head as an actor to make that moment real?

Brown: It’s funny, I don’t know what a heart attack feels like, of course. Thank goodness. I tried to look it up and I got to a point where it’s like, “Should I click on this dark web thing where I can see somebody actually having a heart attack or not?” And I decided not to because it’s a movie heart attack.

So the important thing in that heart attack is to have the heart attack. I looked it up and I read about the descriptions of what’s going on physically and where the pains are and stuff like that, so we did that. I tried to do that. Then it was just all about being frustrated that I can’t kill this guy. I just want to kill him and I can’t kill him. In the script, it said something like, “Sal has a look of fear in his eyes, that he knows he’s dying and he’s afraid,” which I think is really appropriate. I don’t know if I did that. I don’t know if it was on me that long, because when we shot it I was just really trying to power through the pain and death to get to Oz and choke him.

That would be what Sal would try to do. And then he ends up at the Pearly Gates and he’s like, “What happened? Send me back. I got to kill that guy.”

HBO

The scene isn’t really about Sal dying, anyway. It’s really about Oz being cheated out of killing him himself. Because all these characters are just horrible beasts, and they want the satisfaction of killing their enemies and their competitors. They want to be the apex predator. They want to be the alpha. And if you don’t get the satisfaction of that alpha, then there’s something still empty inside you. That’s really the point of that scene. It’s just unsatisfying for both of us, but mostly for him. Because he goes on and then tries to fill that hole with other atrocities that he’s going to commit later in the limited series. I dunno.

Does that make any sense to you? Did that make any sense?

It made perfect sense. And I think everything you said about what you were trying to do comes across completely in that moment, which is why I asked about it. It’s such a different type of death scene than we’d normally get for these kinds of payoffs. I was really fascinated by it.

Brown: Right. No matter what decision or what technique I’ve decided in my brain I’m going to do, when we’re in the fight, it becomes its own thing. And you just got to kind of surrender to what’s going on. Like when I talked about with Cristin, it’s that way. You just surrender to what is actually going on in the room with that person. So any decision I made was shared with Colin by what he was doing. It was a dance and it ended up the way it ended up. So no matter what was written in the script, no matter what erudite thing I decided I was going to try to do, it ends up being the tango that we did together.

HBO

Now that you’ve bid farewell to Matt Reeves’ Gotham right before James Gunn’s DCU gets underway, I have to ask: Have you ever thought about or wanted to play a live-action version of Lex Luthor?

Brown: Ooooh, I’d love to. Yeah. :laughs: Oh yeah. Yeah, that would be fun. That would be really fun.

Have you had any conversations about it?

Brown: Nobody’s ever asked me to do that.  No, no, no. I would love to.

Maybe they’re waiting for you to call.

Brown: No, they don’t wait for me to call. At all. :laughs:

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who would have liked to try Sal Maroni’s cooking. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post THE PENGUIN’s Clancy Brown On Playing Sal Maroni and the Show’s Explosive 7th Episode appeared first on Nerdist.

Iconic STAR WARS Poster Artist and Fantasy Illustrator Greg Hildebrandt Dies, Age 85

One of the most iconic fantasy and sci-fi artists of all time, Greg Hildebrandt, has sadly passed away at age 85. We learned the news via the folks at Gizmodo. Together with his twin brother Tim, the prolific artist drew illustrations for the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, Marvel and DC Comics, and a number of iconic movie posters. But he is perhaps most famous for the poster he did way back in 1977, for the original Star Wars. Although A New Hope had many posters, Fox licensed this one for merchandise all over the world. It eventually became synonymous with the film.

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Back in 1977, Michigan-born artists Greg and Tim Hildebrandt were approached by 20th Century Fox to produce poster art for the UK release of Star Wars. The studio had already produced a poster in the US by artist Tom Jung, but Fox executives considered this poster artwork “too dark.” So with only 36 hours, brothers Greg and Tim had to produce a new image to promote the film. The poster art they came up with took great liberties with the actor’s appearances. Luke Skywalker had an open shirt revealing a buff physique, while Princess Leia posed in a provocative way. Neither version really resembled the actors, yet this image wound up on everything from bedsheets to t-shirts.

Sadf to report news of the passing of Greg Hildebrandt ot the age of 85.
Greg and his brother Tim, who died in 2006, produced some of the greatest fantasy and sci fi illustration in the world! pic.twitter.com/HC9CnqjX6V

— Blast Action 💥 📽📼📀💥 (@Blast_Action) November 1, 2024

The brothers Hildebrandt did many illustrations together for decades. In the fantasy realm, they did a series of Lord of the Rings calendars and posters in the ’70s. They followed those up with Illustrations for Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Harry Potter. They also illustrated a popular series of Marvel Masterworks trading cards in the ’90s. In later years, after his brother passed away in 2006, Greg did a series of Star Trek covers for IDW. And all that is just the tip of the iceberg. This means there are very few major sci-fi and fantasy properties he didn’t contribute to artistically in his lifetime. Greg Hildebrandt left an indelible mark on how we view heroic fantasy characters for all time.

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Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Almost Switched Names in THE PHANTOM MENACE

It’s been 25 years since Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace hit theaters, and yet we’re still learning new things about its production. And the latest tidbit would have been a major shock to moviegoers had they gone through with it. In an interview with StarWars.com, via Variety, longtime Lucasfilm concept artist Iain McCaig revealed that George Lucas originally planned one heck of a twist for the first of the prequel films. Lucas originally swapped out Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and Liam Neeson’s Qui-Gon Jinn as characters. Or at least, they swapped names.

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Neeson was going to play Obi-Wan, the older mentor Jedi who discovers Anakin Skywalker. Meanwhile, McGregor would have been Qui-Gon, his padawan learner. Obi-Wan would have still died in battle, and upon his death, his student Qui-Gon would have assumed his name. The idea is that Obi-Wan’s death would have come as a total surprise. Every fan of the original trilogy would have just assumed that Neeson was playing a younger version of Alec Guinness’ Jedi from A New Hope. According to McCaig, this idea went pretty far along into pre-production. Lucas only changing his mind rather late in the game.

McCaig elaborated further, saying “It was very poignant that at the end, Obi-Wan dies and Qui-Gon defeats Darth Maul and stays with his Master as he passes away. He not only takes on his Master’s quest, but he takes on his name. Qui-Gon becomes Obi-Wan.” George Lucas has always loved the concept that there is rhyming between his trilogies. And it certainly would have been a shocking rhyme, if someone named Obi-Wan died in the first chapters of trilogies. If they had gone through with this twist, that would have meant Obi-Wan would have had three names throughout his life, once you include Ben. Even Lucas probably realized that’s just one name too many.

The post appeared first on Nerdist.

AGATHA ALL ALONG Shares Close-Up Look at Aubrey Plaza’s Lady Death Makeup

In WandaVision, it was Agatha all along. And now it really will be all about Agatha Harkness. Kathryn Hahn’s MCU witch will soon star in her own Disney+ Marvel series, Agatha All Along While we don’t have too many details yet about what this series will entail, we can already tell it will serve up some delightfully magical fun.

Although Agatha All Along has now been released fully, there are still new tidbits to discover. One of Agatha All Along‘s makeup artists recently shared a close-up look at the makeup effects used to transform Aubrey Plaza into Lady Death in the MCU. It’s some pretty cool stuff.

Here’s everything we know about Agatha All Along.

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The series also gave us a few new Agatha All Along posters that look incredibly cool. The one with the fingers that have witches dancing from strings is a vibe and I need it now.

Marvel StudiosMarvel StudiosTitleMarvel Studios

Although the first title we heard for Agatha’s MCU series was Agatha: House of Harkness, and the second was Agatha: Coven of Chaos, it seemed the series would actually be called Agatha: Darkhold Diaries. But now a fourth title has emerged, just Agatha. But in the end, the actual title is Agatha All Along.

Agatha All Along‘ Plot

Marvel Studios has finally revealed plot details and a trailer for Agatha All Along. You can check them out above and below.

The series focuses on Kathryn Hahn’s character, Agatha Harkness, from the acclaimed Marvel Studios’ series “WandaVision,” as she sets off on a dangerous, mysterious adventure filled with trials and tribulations. Showrunner Jac Schaeffer, who was the creative force behind “WandaVision,” directs the pilot episode.

In “Agatha All Along,” the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…

The last time we got to see Agatha, the witch lost in a fight to Wanda Maximoff. And then Agatha ended up trapped in her Agnes persona.

Marvel Studios

We imagine the show will reveal to us how Agatha breaks out of the spell she’s under and then follow her along on some exciting shenanigans. And it seems like we’ll get to meet a number of witches from the pages of Marvel Comics. And we do love a witch.

“Witches are defined by deception, treachery, villainy and selfishness,” said creator Jac Schaeffer previously. “What do you do when you have a group of witches who [demonstrate] those notions and you need them to work together?” We’d imagine things would get very dark and chaotic.

Whatever helps happens, we hope that Agatha gets yet another catchy jingle to her name. “Agatha All Along” needs a successor.

Behind the Scenes

WandaVison‘s Jac Schaeffer returns as executive producer and head writer on Agatha All Along. Additionally, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Schaeffer, alongside Wednesday‘s Gandja Monteiro and Resident Evil‘s Rachel Goldberg, will direct different episodes of the show.

Agatha All Along‘ CastMarvel Studios

We’ve learned about quite a number of potential coven members cast so far. Of course, Kathryn Hahn returns to play the titular MCU witch Agatha Harkness. Joining her is Emma Caulfield Ford, who will reprise her role as Dottie for the Disney+ show. Dottie was one of the women Wanda trapped in her Westview fantasies. Could Dottie be another secret witch? Only time will tell. Variety also reports Heartstopper‘s Joe Locke has joined the cast in an undisclosed role. However, many fans speculate Locke will play the role of  Billy Kaplan, a.k.a. Wiccan, the son of Scarlet Witch and Vision. Mashable further notes that Miles Gutierrez-Riley will play “Billy’s boyfriend, Hulkling.”

Aubrey Plaza will also star in the series, potentially as a more villainous character on the Agatha show. Ali Ahn and Maria Dizzia have reportedly joined the cast as well, as has Patti LuPone. LuPone revealed she will play the role of Marvel Comics’ Lilia Calderu. Debra Jo Rupp is reportedly in the cast, too, presumably reprising her role of Mrs. Hart from WandaVision. Sasheer Zamata, meanwhile, is confirmed to play the role of sorceress Jennifer Kale. Ahn will play the role of Alice.

Agatha All Along‘ Release Date

For now, Agatha All Along will be a part of the MCU’s Phase Five. According to Mashable, it will be nine episodes long, a bit longer than the typical Disney+ Marvel show. Agatha All Along will be released on September 18 with a two-episode premiere.

Originally published on November 4, 2022.

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RSVLTS x STRANGER THINGS Collection Brings Hellfire Club, Scoops Ahoy, and Upside Down Fashion to Life

The time has almost come for Stranger Things 5 to arrive. With production well underway and our first teasers out in the world, it’s only a matter of time before we see the final season of Stranger Things on our screens. It’s honestly almost unbelievable. It feels like Stranger Things has always been there and will always be there. But alas, all good things must draw to a close. To help us get ourselves ready for the momentous occasion, though, we have a new collection from RSVLTS that puts the spotlight on all the best parts of Stranger Things. RSVLTS is known for its wide array of nerdy fashion (that’s comfortable and stylish), but we feel like the clothing company has really outdone itself for Stranger Things.

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No matter who your favorite character is, or what you love most about the series, there’s something incredible for you to try on. So, it’s time to take your wardrobe into the Upside Down. Here’s everything the RSVLTS x Stranger Things collection has to offer.

RSVLTS x Stranger Things: “Gimme an H” Crewneck SweatshirtRSVLTS

Give me an H! Hawkins High may have cheerleaders just like any other, but you’d better beware of yelling too loudly about your school spirit, or you might find yourself Vecna-ed on the ceiling. But at least you’ll look cool doing it in this fabulous (and fabulously soft) crewneck sweatshirt from RSVLTS and Stranger Things. We love the way the Upside Down creeps into the cheery normalcy of Hawkins and its symbols here. It is a perfect complement to the story of the show.

RSVLTSRSVLTS x Stranger Things: “Class of ‘86” Reversible Bomber JacketRSVLTS

’86 Baby! It was going to be Eddie Munson’s year. That didn’t turn out exactly as planned for poor Eddie on Stranger Things, but his many, many fans can celebrate their love for him with this amazing reversible bomber jacket from RSVLTS. One side of it is purely Hellfire Club love, complete with the now-famous devil face and some other D&D fun. It’s an awesome way to fly your freak flag. But flip Hellfire Club inside out, and you can become a bona fida Hawkins High jock instead. That’s the beauty of a reversible jacket. We like to think this jacket symbolically pays homage to Steddie (that’s the Steve/Eddie ship to the uninitiated.) But regardless, it’s a fun way to indulge in your fannish fashion.

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We’re also personally happy to vouch for the warmth and utility of RSVLTS’ bomber jackets—and are excited to see this Stranger Things version emerge.

RSVLTSRSVLTSRSVLTS x Stranger Things: Button-Ups and Crewneck T-Shirts

RSVLTS is, of course, known for its button-ups—and its Stranger Things collection does not disappoint. We have a shirt that celebrates our main characters (“Something Is Coming”), shirts that celebrate the Upside Down (“Demogarden” and “R… U… N…”) , a shirt that celebrate the show’s many symbols (“Dimensions Collide”), and a shirt that celebrates the best Stranger Things character Eddie Munson. (“Most Metal Ever!”)

Click To View Gallery RSVLTS

There’s even an RSVLTS button-up shirt that homages the famous opening sequence of Stranger Things. How delightfully nerdy is that? We’re obsessed. (This one is a limited edition variant, though, so don’t delay in snagging it. It comes only in classic (unisex) sizes.)

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These shirts are all made in RSVLTS signature KUNUFLEX™ material, which is soft and lovely.

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Additionally, this RSVLTS Stranger Things collection features two crewneck shirts, “Hawkins, Indiana” and “Scoops Ahoy.”

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The “Scoops Ahoy” shirt, we must say, is hilariously unhinged. We need twenty.

Other Items in the RSVLTS x Stranger Things Collection

In addition to the above, the line features a performance hoodie titled “Palace Arcade”—this one is all about The Party.

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The collection also features two hats, one to help you show your Hawkins pride and one to help you show your Demogorgon pride. You decide which one works for you.

RSVLTSRSVLTSMore Details About the Line

The RSVLTS x Stranger Things Collection is now live on RSVLTS’ website. Each button-down shirt retails for $70; $87 for the bomber jacket, $82 for the hoodie, $75 for the crewneck; t-shirts are $32; $32 for the standard hat; $30 for the dad hat. 

We’ll see you on the other side of your shopping experience.

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Heidi Klum’s Elaborate E.T. Costume Wins Halloween 2024

It’s been over 40 years since E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial captured the hearts of the world. But then, it seemed his popularity waned. Maybe he didn’t leave a big enough Star Wars-esque cultural footprint. Well, for Halloween 2024, we can say the Phone Home guy made a roaring comeback. First, singer Janelle Monae debuted a screen-accurate (and truly creepy) E.T. costume on October 30. Then, one day later, model Heidi Klum and her husband Tom Kaulitz both came in very elaborate E.T. costumes for Klum’s annual Halloween party. Klum was “E.T. in Drag,’ while her musician hubby was “Standard Issue E.T.” Both looks were absolutely phenomenal, however.

.@HeidiKlum has done it again! 👏

Check out her and Tom Kaulitz's perfect E.T. costumes at the 23rd Annual #HeidiKlumHalloween Party. 👽

Presented by @Butterfinger, @Mattel, @PrimeVideo, and @HardRockHotels NYC and featuring @skrewballwhsky pic.twitter.com/fQGxtEIVBI

— TheWrap (@TheWrap) November 1, 2024

The supermodel is famous for her incredibly detailed costumes for her annual Halloween events. And unlike most glamourous celebs who use Halloween as an excuse to just look even more glamourous, the former Project Runway host almost always goes the opposite way. Oh, in the first few years of her annual Halloween parties, she went more traditional. Sexy vampire, sexy snake, etc. But then she decided around 2008 to get wild with it, and never looked back. One year, she was a rather icky-looking worm. Another year, she was an ape, with Planet of the Apes-worthy makeup. Every year since, she just kept getting more and more elaborate.

The Independent

Klum’s E.T. look was actually worthy of being an animatronic in some kind of Universal Studios attraction. That’s how good it looks. Hey, maybe this surge in E.T. popularity will make Universal Studios Hollywood consider bringing back the beloved E.T. attraction. Right now, it only exists in the Orlando theme park. We can’t ever guess what Klum is going to dress as for Halloween in advance, but this one is certainly going to be difficult for her to top. Hopefully, if she’s Chewbacca or the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man or something, another celebrity won’t steal her thunder early next Halloween.

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Toho Greenlights GODZILLA MINUS ONE Follow-Up

Once a perennial staple of the Japanese film industry, the Toho-produced Godzilla franchise saw a whopping 28 films in a span of 50 years, from 1954 to 2004. That, of course, leaves out any of the other kaiju films the studio produced in that same period. After 2004, however, Toho licensed the characters to Legendary Pictures for their Monsterverse, but only produced two of their own live-action films. 2016’s Shin Godzilla was a radical departure and was unlikely to get a true follow-up. But 2023’s Godzilla Minus One looks poised to bring back the franchise in a big, big way.

EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT pic.twitter.com/YhfztQgu0Z

— GODZILLA.OFFICIAL (@Godzilla_Toho) November 1, 2024

Toho announced (and we saw via Deadline) that a sequel to the Oscar-winning reboot is on the way. In a brief “Emergency Announcement” video on Twitter, Toho shared they have greenlit a follow-up to Minus One, bringing back writer, director, and VFX supervisor Takashi Yamazaki. Yamazaki and his effects team won well-deserved Academy Awards for their work on the modestly budgeted giant monster movie. Achieving what they did at all is remarkable, but doing so with a fraction of the budget and team as the likes of Marvel and Paramount is the biggest triumph.

Toho

Godzilla Minus One was also a massive international hit. At least massive for Japanese film standards these days. It scored a worldwide gross of $116 million, which compared to U.S. blockbusters is pretty light, but is a monumental achievement for films from other countries.

The ending of Godzilla Minus One teased that the king of the monsters might come back. However, it’s unclear at this early stage if the next movie will take place a couple of years after the first, or decades. Minus One focused on the aftermath of World War II, when the Japanese national identity was in tatters. Its people had to band together to stave off Godzilla, not look to government aid. Would another movie in the late ’40s or early ’50s make sense? Or will Yamazaki shift to new characters and setting? Only time will tell, but we’re jazzed to find out.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW Casts Eve Ridley as Ruthye Mary Knolle

James Gunn’s new DCU is getting ready to launch in cinemas all over the globe next year with the release of Superman. But just one year later, Kal-El’s cousin Kara, a.k.a Supergirl, is hitting the big screen as well, in the character’s first feature film in over 40 years.

This film will star House of the Dragon‘s Milly Alcock as the titular Supergirl and now, according to Deadline, Eve Ridley will also star in the film as Ruthye Mary Knolle. This character is central to the comics that the film is based on, in which this alien girl discovers the death of her father by a villain named Krem. Her quest for vengeance leads to a team up with Kara for justice.

DC Comics/Ed Miller/Netflix

Here’s everything we know so far about DC Studios’ upcoming movie about the Girl of Steel, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

TitleDC Comics

Like the comic book upon which it is based, the title of the film is Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. It will be the second film in James Gunn’s Chapter 1 of his new DCU, titled “Gods and Monsters.”

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’s PlotDC Comics

Based on the 2021-2022 series of the same name by Batman writer Tom King and artist Bilquis Evely, the film will be a grand intergalactic adventure. In this story, Kara Zor-El, Superman’s young cousin, will embark on a journey through space on her 21st birthday. Joining her on this adventure is Krypto the Superdog. In space she meets a young alien girl named Ruthye who asks Kara for her help in getting revenge for the killing of her family by a man known as Krem of the Yellow Hills. Kara is far more jaded than her cousin Kal-El, who came to Earth as a baby. In stark contrast, this version of Kara witnessed the destruction of her home planet at age 14, changing her outlook on life going forward.

Behind-The-Scenes

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is directed by I, Tonya and Cruella director Craig Gillespie, from a script by Ana Nogueira. Although she has written screenplays before, most know Nogueira from her role in the CW series The Vampire Diaries. DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are producing. Of Nogueira, Gunn said “Ana is an amazing writer whose screenplay adaptation of Woman of Tomorrow is above and beyond anything I hoped it would be.”

DC Comics

He later said (via The Hollywood Reporter) “[Writer] Anna [Nogueira] came in, and she pitched the story to me of Supergirl, and it was just one of the best pitches I’ve ever heard, and she immediately wrote it. She came in with the first draft that was great, and it’s just gotten better and better. Then [director] Craig [Gillespie] has been incredibly easy to work with, and I can’t wait for that to come out.”

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’s CastHBO/DC Studios

Our titular woman of tomorrow is none other than House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock. As fans probably know, she played the younger Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the first season of that series. Joining her is Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts, famous for his role in Netflix’s The Old Guard. Here, he’s the antagonist of the film, Krem of the Yellow Hills. Although not confirmed, we imagine there will be some kind of smaller role for David Corenswet as Kara’s cousin Superman.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow Release Date

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is set to release in theaters worldwide on June 26, 2026.

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YELLOWJACKETS Drops Season 3 Cast Photos, Promises Answers to At Least Two Big Questions

Yellowjackets season two left us at the edge of our seats. Natalie, of course, took center stage, making a splash in both timelines. In the wilderness era, Natalie seemingly took on the role of the Antler Queen, while in the future/adult timeline, she met her death. There was also a ramp of cannibalism, and a huge fire sprung up, destroying the team’s only shelter the snow. Phew! But it looks like it will be a while before we return to the wilderness. Yellowjackets season three has shared its release window, and the show won’t resurface until 2025. However, to tide us over, we’re getting behind-the-scenes tidbits and quotes from the cast about the future of the show.

As 2025 draws near, the Yellowjackets cast and crew gave fans a few morsels to devour via a Vanity Fair interview. Cast photos pairing the teens with their adult counterparts are a delight. But what was even more exciting was a promise that a few of our burning Yellowjackets questions will get answers in season three. “There are at least two very big questions with very clear answers,” co-creator Ashley Lyle said.

There’s still not a lot that #Yellowjackets cocreator Ashley Lyle can say about the third season of her hit series, but she does want to make one thing clear: Answers are coming.

Take an exclusive first look at season three of the Emmy-nominated show: https://t.co/3fYQ758GPc pic.twitter.com/gvaemjYtNI

— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) October 31, 2024

There are things that will get obvious answers, like who torched the cabin at the end of season two. It seemed like Coach Ben but we know this show loves to deliver a twist. The more likely questions that will get answers are about who dies in the pit and perhaps if Natalie is the Antler Queen that we saw in the show’s opening scene.

Showtime

Hilary Swank Joins Yellowjackets Season Three

According to Deadline, Hilary Swank has joined the hive, aka Yellowjackets season three. Swank will appear in Yellowjackets as a recurring guest star, however Deadline writes, “there is an option for her to become a series regular should the hit series get a fourth season.”

Showtime/Warner Bros.

There are no details currently available about the character Hilary Swank will play on Yellowjackets, however, Deadline notes that she “will be introduced later in the season.” Very mysterious.

Joel McHale Joins Yellowjackets Season Three

Variety reports that Joel McHale has joined Yellowjackets as a guest star in season three. There is no word yet on the specifics of the role he will play.

ShowtimeElijah Wood’s Walter Will Return in Yellowjackets Season Three

In a new behind-the-scenes look from the set of Yellowjackets season three, we learned that Elijah Wood’s Walter would be back for more wilderness fun. We’re glad to hear it because we absolutely loved Wood’s turn in the series and Walter’s hilariously wonderful dynamic with Misty.

You can check out the full Yellowjacket season three tease below. Who knows what you might see.

Yellowjackets‘ Season Three 2025 Release Window

According to Deadline, Yellowjackets season three will not release until 2025. The publication reveals, “Following the writers and actors strikes that delayed production for most scripted series, the writers room for the Showtime psychological thriller reopened in September. Pre-production for the series was shut down just one day after the WGA strike began last May.”

Although work on Yellowjackets quickly resumed, Deadline notes, “The third season of Yellowjackets will not be premiering until 2025.” No further specifics on the release are currently available.

Yellowjackets‘ Bonus Season Two Episode

In June of 2023, Yellowjackets‘ showrunner Ashely Lyle teased a bonus, secret episode that would take place between seasons two and three. At the time, Lyle indicated the episode would release closer to season three. Of course, that was before the height of the Hollywood strikes truly hit. Since this tease, we haven’t heard anything more about the release date of the secret episode. But we’ll certainly have our ears open.

Juliette Lewis on Returning as Adult Nat in YellowjacketsShowtime

Although we’ll have to wait a little longer for more Yellowjackets, comments from the cast and crew will hopefully sate our hunger until the series can return to our screens. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Juliette Lewis, who plays the now-dead Natalie, kept the door open for more from the chaotic character in adult form. The publication notes that “Lewis seemed open to the idea of her character returning in a flashback or some other way.” The actress further shared, “I don’t know anything, but I think that’s a good idea. We’ll see what happens.”

Yellowjackets is a show where the surreal happens every day, after all. If a man with no eyes can be running around causing trouble and Shauna can give a makeover to her frozen friend in ghostly form, then Natalie could certainly pop up in some form or another.

The Rest of the Cast Tease Yellowjackets Season Three

But Lewis wasn’t the only cast member to recently tease the future of Yellowjackets. Here’s what we gleaned from other cast members about the series’ future.

Samantha Hanratty Talks Misty’s RelationshipsShowtime

First up, Samantha Hanratty, who plays teen Misty, spoke to Entertainment Tonight and The Hollywood Reporter about Yellowjackets season three. She offered about Adult Natalie’s death, “Juliette Lewis is such a fantastic actress that [it] really breaks my heart. They’re such a big part of the show. I think that with that grief, it’s gonna bring out a lot of interesting levels of the other characters and I’m really excited to see that. Sophie Thatcher (teen Natalie) is gonna keep Natalie’s legacy living.”

And then, turning to the wilderness timeline, Hanratty shrewdly notes, “The first year is this chaotic mess. The second year was almost this creepy stillness of winter. And now, it’s like the defrosting; the meltdown… We might be entering into another season, I’m thinking possibly spring. The snow will melt and our messes will show. That’s what I’m thinking.” It is important to note that Hanratty has not yet seen a season three script, but her speculation is likely as informed as possible.

Showtime

Additionally, Hanratty hopes that Misty will find some sort of closure after killing her friend Crystal in the woods. And she’s excited to see where the fascinating character’s relationship with Coach Ben will go should he have been the one to burn down the team’s cabin. She notes, “Finding out that he did that [possibly burning down the cabin] after she saved him, I feel like she has something in store for him. It would be fun to see that.” We hope Coach Ben is ready.

Steven Krueger Envisions Blood on the Horizon

Speaking of Coach Ben, the actor who plays the sole adult in the wilderness, Steven Krueger, believes there’s lots of blood on the Yellowjackets season three horizon. He revealed, “I think season 3 will probably be the wildest, bloodiest season that we have. Granted, we don’t know anything to be fair. Granted, we don’t know anything to be fair. I’m just guessing that’s where it’s going.” 

The Yellowjackets Are Buzzing for Season ThreeShowtime

The rest of the team also echoed these sentiments. Courtney Eaton, who plays teen Lottie, shared, “I feel like we’re going downhill for the characters. I don’t think there’s much light or happiness going on.” Meanwhile, teen Shauna’s actress, Sophie Nélisse, concluded, “We’re going definitely very feral. Like it’s getting feral.”

Given all that, we feel hungry for Yellowjackets season three all over again—2025 can’t come soon enough.

Originally published on January 16, 2024.

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GAME OF THRONES Movie Is Reportedly in Early Development

Westeros is a big place, and yet it’s just a small part of George R.R. Martin’s larger world of A Song of Ice and Fire. His fantasy realm is massive, with countless heroes and villains spread out across both the world and millennia. All those people, places, dragons, and ice demons are why Warner Bros. can make as many Game of Throne spinoffs as it wants forever. Sometimes it seems like they are trying to do exactly that, but so far Martin’s world has only ever come to life on HBO. Now that might finally be changing. A new report says Warner Bros. Discovery is in “early development” on a potential Game of Thrones movie.

HBO

Deadline‘s Matt Grober reports that Warner Bros. Discovery executives have had “preliminary discussions” on bringing a Game of Thrones story to the big screen. These discussions are very, very early, though. There are no specific ideas or creatives attached to the project, and studios talk about doing a lot of things that never make it past that stage, so this far from a guarantee. However, there’s a dragon-sized reason to believe it could happen. IP is king in modern cinema and Westeros is a very valuable franchise for WBD. That alone could make this happen.

HBO

This is not the first time someone has wanted to bring A Song of Ice and Fire to theaters. At one point Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss wanted to finish their hit show with theatrical films. Warner Bros. and HBO wouldn’t let them. (Without checking my notes, I think that went just fine so no reason to talk about the end of Game of Thrones ever again.) But obviously making a standalone movie (or movies) is very different from abandoning the television format for films.

If the studio does go forward with a Game of Thrones spinoff movie the big question will become “what it will be about”what story will they tell?” Good luck guessing. The possibilities in Westeros and beyond are as endless as they have been for all the possible spinoff shows HBO has tried developing, too.

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