Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2108

A Swinging Robot Named Tarzan is the Future of Farming

Farming, or any job that mandates you get some dirt under your fingernails, might seem old-fashioned to some, but since the agricultural industry is where a good amount of our food originates, our future really depends on it. That’s why technological advances are made in farming every day, and like a lot of new technologies, they sure are fascinating. Take Tarzan, for example. It’s a brand new robot that could just be the future of farming (via Engadget).

Growing crops is a lot more than just planting seeds then waiting for the harvest. Like anything that grows, plants need attention and to be checked on to make sure that they’re on the right track. That’s where Tarzan, a sloth-inspired robot developed by researchers at Georgia Tech, comes in. The way it works is actually pretty simple on the surface level: The robot swings along wires stretched parallel over a field of crops and takes photos of the plants, so farmers can inspect their crops without having to actually walk the fields as much.

Tarzan is a prototype now, but as development continues, its creators are hoping to make it energy-efficient, most likely through solar power, to the point where it won’t need any human input for charging or refueling. The robot will get its first real test this summer, when it’ll roam a soybean field in Athens, Georgia and take photos for a different team of researchers studying soybeans.

What do you think about Tarzan? Is it the real deal, or could a drone do this job better? Head to the comments and let us know what you think!

Featured image: Georgia Tech/YouTube

ORPHAN BLACK’s Final Trip Begins in New Teaser Trailer

Since 2013, there’s only been one sestrahood to rule them all—the cell phone wielding multiple Maslanys that make up the genetic identicals of Clone Club. But unfortunately, things change and reigns must end: and with the fifth season of Orphan Black we’ll finally understand the motivations behind the crazy science that keeps everyone’s favorite cloned humans alive. And the latest trailer for the BBC America series reminds us of just that: the crazy ride will have a conclusion—one that hopefully leaves all our favorite clones alive.

After all, Tatiana Maslany’s many mantles have faced assassinations, medical maladies, monitors, murders (accidental or otherwise), kidnappings, drug kingpinning, and so much more (to say nothing of their pesky mayfly brothers in Project Castor). It’d be nice to imagine a world wherein the sestras are done with this Neolution ‘ish, able to live out Helena’s babka cake-laced dream of normalcy from the beginning of season four. And, clearly, the women seem hell-freakin’-bent on getting their lives back, regardless of whatever that creepy old P.T. Westmoreland might want.

Now, we’ve been lucky enough to see the premiere of season 5 already—we know, we’re the worst—and though we cannot give away any spoilers, we can tell you: ho-ly doodle does it set us up for one hell of a final fight. With Rachel back in the loving arms of Neolution, the table has been reset for a sestra-on-sestra-on-sestra-on-sestra battle for bodily autonomy and control of a biological innovation previously unseen the world over—and sure to change the game for everyone, clone or no clone.

But that’s all you get from us until the final season premieres on Saturday, June 10th on BBC America. Are you going to tune in? Let us know in the comments below!

Images: BBC America

And here’s how everyone wants the series to end:

Alicia Lutes is the Managing Editor of Nerdist, president of our local Clone Club faction, creator/host of Fangirling, and far-too-obsessive Twitter user!

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is Now the Highest Grossing Live-Action Movie Musical Ever

It’s a tale as old as time, and one that has racked up more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Disney announced in a press release that director Bill Condon’s live action musical remake of Beauty and the Beast is the first film to cross the $1 billion in 2017. Moreover, the Emma Watson and Dan Stevens starrer is the highest grossing live-action movie musical of all time. Looks like an awful lot of people took that sexy man-candle Lumière and his backup cutlery up on that invitation to be their guest.

While the monetary milestone may seem par for the course for Disney, which released five of the top 10 highest-grossing films of 2016 (and four that made more than $1 billion worldwide), it is particularly impressive for Beauty and the Beast when compared to other live-action movie musicals. The film was clearly meant for more than this provincial life as it effectively dunked on the competition by earning $600 million more than its closest competitor, Grease. Sure, La La Land may have all those Oscars (except, you know, Best Picture), but Beauty and the Beast has more than double its $438 million global box office.

But it is important to note “live-action” qualifier. For example, Frozen has Beauty and the Beast beat with a $1.2 billion worldwide gross, and if you adjust 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for inflation, it’s somewhere in the vicinity of $1.6 billion worldwide.

So what does this mean for you–the handsome, smart, impossibly charismatic Nerdist reader? Well, it means that you’d better get used to seeing your childhood repurposed, remixed, and reimagined in live action on the big screen because time is a flat circle at the House of Mouse, and that circle is full of cash. Considering that Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book made nearly $1 billion worldwide last year and Beauty and the Beast crossed that threshold this year, Disney won’t stop remaking its animated classics in live action anytime soon. With Jon Favreau helming an adaptation of The Lion King, Guy Ritchie directing Aladdin, Niki Caro tackling Mulan, and Tim Burton making what is presumably an even spookier version of Dumbo, Disney is going to need another Scrooge McDuck-worthy vault for all the sweet, sweet cash they’re making off of our nostalgia addiction.

What other live-action Disney remakes are you excited for? What other films do you think will cross $1 billion? Let us know in the comments below.

Images: Disney

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

Our Beauty and the Beast-meets-Migos parody SHOULD be the highest-grossing live action musical though…

Indie Game FEZ Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary with iOS Announcement

We’ve lived through a lot of amazing video games in just the last decade alone, with Zelda: Breath of the Wild proving to be the most recent gem among many. But today we celebrate the five-year anniversary of Fez—one brave platformer that dared to be refreshingly clever, devastating beautiful, and at the same time wildly nostalgic. To celebrate the anniversary, developer Polytron Corporation released this short video announcing a release to iOS, which astonishingly makes it available to basically everything, including PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, and–the system where it all began–Xbox 360. Happy Birthday, little guy!

Of course, Fez wasn’t launched without a few road bumps along the way. The five-year long process was notably featured in the documentary Indie Game: The Movie (2012) which followed the creative team of designer Phil Fish, sound designer Brandon McCartin, composer Rich Vreeland, and programmer Renaud Bédard. Development difficulties aside, once Fez was unleashed to Xbox Live on April 13, 2012, there was no going back. It was quickly praised as the one of the best indie video games ever created, selling 20,000 copies in its first day and picking up a handful of prestigious game awards. Many indie games today have Fez to thank for paving the way.

For those new to Fez, the plot is simple–you control a little pixel guy named Gomez who has to save his two dimensional world after discovering a mysterious third dimension, all while wearing a tiny red fez (spoiler: you get a rad pair of sunglasses too, upon completion). Instead of battling bosses and enemies, you explore the world and collect various anti-cubes, codes, and glyphs to solve super difficult but satisfying puzzles while interacting with a few NPCs, including adorable owls and chirping seagulls. The magic of Fez is that there’s nothing simple about it– there’s never a dull moment in any of its levels.

I first played this game in college a year after its release, and let me just say, Fez hit me like a ton of bricks. From the clever fake-out opening scene to the contemplative ending, everything about Fez makes me nostalgic for the days of my youth playing Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda with my brothers, completely absorbed for hours. Before Internet guides and forums, games didn’t hand everything out to players, meaning you had to get lost in the wonder of the puzzle and talk to your friends about its secrets in order to unlock that 100%. Fez has that same frustratingly charming spirit to the extent that it even includes an entirely unexplained ciphered alphabet and QR codes for an in-game language, which might be the only downside for less patient gamers.

It’s hard to not be blown away by the dazzling environments and brilliantly crafted ambient 8bit original score by Disasterpeace (the composer for a similar indie game, Hyper Light Drifter). I was trapped in one particular level–the secret puzzle “Sync” room under the waterfall–for what seemed like days, but because that level’s particular Tetris-inspired gameplay was paired with engaging lo-fi synth melodies, I felt like returning to it long after I completed the game and even turned that track into my ringtone.

Fez is a big game bundled up in a little package with so many intriguing details to pick up during first run-throughs and multiple replays. It’s the perfect time to check out or revisit this bit-sized masterpiece, so what are you waiting for? And if you’re fans of the game already, let us know some of your favorite levels from Fez below!

Images: Polytron Corporation

Samuel L. Jackson Wants Mace Windu Back in STAR WARS

One of our favorite parts of the Star Wars prequels was Mace Windu, the badass, purple lightsaber-wielding Jedi Master played by none other than the world’s coolest man, Samuel L. Jackson. In Revenge of the Sith, Mace even briefly overpowered Darth Sidious before Anakin Skywalker disarmed him, and Mace took the big plunge from the Chancellor’s office. But that may not have been the end of Mace, if Jackson has anything to say about it. Today’s Nerdist News is all about how Mace Windu could make a big comeback!

Join host and Jedi outcast, Jessica Chobot, as she examines Jackson’s video message for the fans at Star Wars Celebration Orlando. Jackson gave the fans celebrating Star Wars‘ 40th anniversary something to really get excited about as he made the case for Mace’s survival. And when you think about it, Jackson is right! If Darth Maul can survive getting cut in half and falling down a shaft then surely a Jedi played by Shaft can wave off a fall and the loss of a hand!

But where could Mace Windu reappear? We certainly wouldn’t be against a Mace Windu solo film, especially if he got a rematch against Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. That might be worth the price of admission alone! It would be a little trickier getting Jackson into the new trilogy, which takes place at least 50 years after the prequels. Mace may be a formidable warrior, but even he can’t defeat time…or can he? We’ve got a theory that could help Mace bridge the gap between the prequels and the sequels!

Do you want to see Jackson reprise his role as Mace Windu in a future Star Wars movie? Ignite your lightsabers in the comment section below!

Animated SPIDER-MAN Movie Finds Miles Morales in DOPE Star

In Marvel’s multiverse, there are many Spider-Mans, but only one Miles Morales! Back in January, Sony confirmed the rumor that Miles Morales will headline the upcoming animated Spider-Man movie. Now, Miles’ voice has been found!

Heat Vision is reporting that The Get Down star Shameik Moore has been signed to play Morales in the animated Spider-Man. Nerdist has reached out to Sony for confirmation of this news, but we are still awaiting an official reply. Moore would actually be only the second actor to voice Miles, as Donald Glover originated the voice for the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon.

It was actually Glover who helped inspire Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli to create Miles after there was a backlash against the rumors tying Glover to the part of Peter Parker on the big screen. In response, Bendis and Pichelli introduced a new Spider-Man who was biracial. Following the death of Parker in the Ultimate Marvel Universe, Miles Morales headlined his own Ultimate Spider-Man comic and he quickly proved to be popular among fans. So much so that Miles is now fully incorporated in the Marvel Universe as both Spider-Man and Peter Parker’s protégé. Miles has even joined the Avengers and co-founded the new iteration of the Champions.

The report from Heat Vision also suggests that former Sabretooth, Liev Schreiber, has been cast in the animated Spider-Man as the villain of the movie. There’s currently no word on who he might play, but we think that Schrieber would be a great Kraven the Hunter!

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are producing Sony’s animated Spider-Man with a script by Lord that will be directed by Bob Persichetti and Peter Ramsey. It will be released on December 21, 2018.

Are you excited about the potential casting of Miles Morales and his main villain? Spin a web in the comment section below!

Images: Marvel/Netflix

We look at the Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer right here!

Meet WONDER WOMAN’s New Comic Book Creative Team

Although Wonder Woman fans everywhere were bummed out yesterday by the news that writer Greg Rucka would be leaving the title this summer, we now have something new and exciting to look forward to. Announced via the Hollywood Reporter, for the first time in her 75 year history, the regular ongoing Wonder Woman series will be written and illustrated by a pair of women creators.

Writer Shea Fontana, best known for her work on DC Superhero Girls, has signed on to write five issues of the twice-monthly Wonder Woman, starting with July’s issue 26. On art duties will be Mirka Andolfo, at least on the first two issues of the five issue run. Andolfo already has quite an amount of experience on the ladies of DC, having illustrated the retro-flavored DC Bombshells comic. You can see Jesus Merino’s cover for issue 25 below:

DC Comics has not committed to more issues from the creative team at this time, but Fontana’s work on DC Superhero Girls, of which a young Wonder Woman is a main character, will continue alongside the monthly Wonder Woman book. Fontana has already written two graphic novels based on the DC Superhero Girls product line to date—Summer Olympus and Finals Crisis—and she’s also written animated adventures like Hero of the Year, as well as a digital comic series. All of these feature the high school versions of DC’s greatest female heroes and villains. In a statement, Fontana said the following about getting to write the adventures of the Amazing Amazon:

“Having worked on DC Super Hero Girls for the last few years, I have a great sense of Wondy, a teenage Wonder Woman in a high school setting, and it’s an honor and an adrenaline rush to be writing her now ‘all grown up.’ Many of her core characteristics continue to remain routed in peace, justice and equality, but as an adult she’s seen a lot more war and tragedy, and is dealing with her world from a wiser, more experienced point of view.”

The Superhero Girls version of Princess Diana is a much brighter, less complicated version of the character, but if Fontana can bring that sense of optimism from the young adult version into the mainstream Wonder Woman title, then DC has a winner on their hands. As part of her story arc, Fontana will get to introduce a new villain into the DC Universe who seeks to prove that Amazon DNA could change the world and hunts to capture Wonder Woman, dead or alive. This will “challenge Wonder Woman’s notion of strength and what it means to be a warrior.”

The first issue from the new creative team will arrive in comic stores and digitally July 12, with No. 27 released July 26.

Are you excited for Wonder Woman’s new direction? Be sure to let us know your thoughts down in the comments.

Images: DC Comics

Check Out Hot Toys’ New Undercover Jyn Erso and ‘Alien Girl’ Figures

It was the most memorable hero shot in the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story trailer. It was the perfect meshing of new heroine with familiar Star Wars iconography. And thanks to Hot Toys, it is finally a figure.

Behold Jyn Erso in Imperial Disguise:

Based somewhat on the iconic Death Star Gunners, this Imperial uniform belongs to the ground crew, who have the thankless job of waving lit batons to guide spacecrafts to their landing pads. We’re hoping they get combat pay, or at least that surviving family members get military pensions, because frankly, they all ended up dead on Scarif. But knowing how much Darth Vader likes to alter bargains, he probably adjusts the benefits clauses after death and nobody dares say anything about it.

This version of Jyn is “an exclusive item only available in selected markets,” one of which being Sideshow Toys’ website, where you can preorder her now. Here’s hoping a Hasbro Black Series version follows–Jyn looks way cooler as an infiltrator in this armor than in the more generic Jedha outfit that’s become her default action figure attire so far.

While Jyn represents very much the modern female action figure model–tactical, practically adorned, and ready to beat the boys at anything they can do–Alien Girl is an odd throwback to figures of the late ’90s and early aughts, when scantily clad and super-powered “Bad Girls” were the trend in comics and designer figure lines. It’s hard to know how to discuss this particular odd mashup in this day and age, but I think I can go this far: H.R. Giger‘s iconic xenomorph design was always loaded with subconscious erotic subtext. Alien Girl makes it conscious, and text.

At age 15 I would have wanted this figure above all others. At [undisclosed current age], I raise an eyebrow and go, “Huh. Wonder who thought that up?” The answer: “Hong Kong multimedia artist Mr. Elphonso Lam.” She comes with a base that resembles an alien queen head carapace and a gun that looks like the Engineer’s cockpit, and she’s also up for preorder at Sideshow Toys. The figure features two different, interchangeable face sculpts, one realistic and one anime-style. That’s an option we’d like to see more often and on a wider range of figures, frankly.

You can check out many more images of both lethal ladies in our gallery below. Whichever you prefer, the sculpting on both is impeccable.

Who’ll be your Hot Toys heroine du jour? Is there room for both on your shelves, and if so, who would win in a firefight? Leave us some comments, because in cyberspace, we can hear you scream.

Images: Hot Toys

What does Snoke’s new look tell us about Star Wars: The Last Jedi?

STAR WARS FORCES OF DESTINY Launches with Animated Shorts and Adventure Figures

If you have ever looked at a new line of Star Wars toys and thought to yourself, “I really wish Hasbro would include more female characters and also include them in the first wave of releases,” you’ll be excited to hear what I have to share with you about a new initiative from Lucasfilm and Disney: Star Wars Forces of Destiny. Ooh. Aah.

Star Wars Forces of Destiny is a multifaceted program centered around original, animated shorts. They’ll focus on acts of everyday heroism from characters such as Rey, Jyn Erso, Sabine Wren, Princess Leia, Ahsoka Tano, and more. And yes, all those characters will be voiced by actors you already know and love. That means Daisy Ridley as Rey, Felicity Jones as Jyn, and even Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata, and of course Tiya Sircar and Ashley Eckstein will voice Sabine and Ahsoka. Take a look behind the scenes of the animated shorts:

The Forces of Destiny animated micro-series will air on Disney’s YouTube channel in July, and the shorts will be followed by a two-part TV special on Disney Channel in the fall, as well as book releases (you can see the book covers in the gallery below).

I like the focus on everyday acts of heroism. I think it’s important to see how even small decisions or actions can make a difference in shaping a character’s destiny.

But where does Hasbro fit in, you ask? They’re making 11 inch “adventure figures” featuring the characters seen in the animated shorts. They’ll be offering Rey, Jyn, Sabine, Leia, and some sidekicks (little BB-8!) and villains, oh my. The toys are getting a different name because they aren’t the traditional action figures or dolls you’re thinking of. They’re highly poseable with many points of articulation and have soft clothes and rooted hair. Oh, and they’re going to have some role play gear, including Rey’s staff!

The whole toy line sort of reminds me of what DC did with DC Super Hero Girls, and frankly, I’m glad the trend is catching on. I’m also glad to see Hasbro marketing these toys to everyone, because hey, Star Wars is for everyone.

What do you think about the look of the adventure figures? Are you intrigued by Forces of Destiny? Sound off in the comments.

Images: Hasbro

THE EXPANSE Recap: Earth’s Real Gravity

Fair warning: this recap includes spoilers for The Expanse that may cut you while shaving—don’t say we didn’t warn you ahead of time!

On the penultimate episode of this season, “The Monster and the Rocket,” Captain Holden (Steven Strait) went full Ahab, Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) left Earth for the first time in a long time, and Errinwright (Shawn Doyle) violently put his foot down. So close to the end. Gird your loins.

Let’s start with our bifurcated battle crew on Ganymede. For Holden, it was the Hunt for Red Proto-Monster, a mission that exposed the growing rift between the ever-sterner captain, who took to the hunt like a neck-scratching junkie desperate for a fix, and Dr. Meng (Terry Chen), who thought the weapon beast might be his daughter, or, if not, at least something stolen from humanity, with a soul, confused about what’s happened to it.

Holden’s obsession also rattled Alex (Cas Anvar), piloting through the increasing danger of the busted agriculture building despite Dr. Meng’s ethical warnings and the structural warnings of the building itself. There was no tactic at play besides bloodlust.

Meanwhile, still mourning the death of her husband, Somnambulist captain Melissa (Valerie Buhagiar) unloaded goods and set to ship out, but Naomi (Dominique Tipper) talked her way into rebuilding the drive panel (it’s the least they could do after getting her husband killed, right?) in order to get the doomed population of Ganymede safely off the dying moon. To help with crowd control, Melissa dragooned an imposing brute named Champa (Gugun Deep Singh), whose loyalty only extended to his own survival.

Like any group of animals on the verge of a crowded death, panic spread when Melissa wouldn’t let anyone on the ship while they made repairs. Distrust and rumor spread quickly, and a fight broke out that saw Amos (Wes Chatham) trading punches (and with a wounded wing no less). Of course the real fight was between Naomi and Melissa when they learn that the oxygen tanks aboard are trashed, meaning they could only hope to take half of the people scrabbling outside for their lives. As time grew short, and the station deteriorated, even Champa grew suspicious that he was placating the herd solely so that the Somnambulist could blast off without a hitch.

So what’s the one thing you want when a hundred mortally terrified people are all packed together in a mosh pit of space death? A huge object falling from the sky, shaking the station. The second ship sent to secure the Proto-killer fell right out of orbit. Was it shot down? Seems like it.

In the midst of the amped up prisoner’s dilemma where half of the people can sacrifice their lives for the other half, or all of them can die, Naomi defied Melissa and then stabbed Amos full of tranquilizers so that she could reach the docking gates and convince Champa to help save at least some of the damned. His speech rallied the ragged masses, talking about dying a tough death after living a tough life. It was the opposite of uplifting, but it sold strangers on the prospect of saving the person next to them. It was also a perfect, tear-wrenching scene where a small child ran back from the line to his mother, and a wife got separated from a husband who was one body away from being onboard. All in silent order. Even though Naomi promised Champa her spot, he sacrificed himself (his name isn’t in the opening credits, okay?) and stood proudly with so many facing their deaths with dignity.

Why does it matter how someone falls? When the fall is all that’s left, it matters a great deal.

After all that, the MCRN threatened to destroy the Somnambulist for docking, and while Holden’s hunt was largely a bust, he faced the decision of helping his friends as the refugee ship took off or to try again to kill the Proto-weapon.

The MCRN fired a torpedo at the Somnambulist despite knowing they were a refugee ship, but the Roci came to the rescue just in time. Somehow, Holden’s murder fever broke. They locked onto every single frakking MCRN ship and sent out a lone warning that destroying the Somnambulist meant self-destruction for the Martian group. You gotta be willing to die when you threaten to all go down together, but the Martians folded their cards and let both ships through. Crises averted.

Back on earth, Errinwright spun through every human emotion in the span of a day, opening the morning with a strained conversation with his son about making difficult choices (although he was really speaking to a younger version of himself, warning of the paths you have to go down to achieve real change). He then insisted to Avasarala that the UN has to seek peace with Mars because they already have the Protomolecule and wouldn’t hesitate to use it. All the while, Avasarala tried to glean whether Jules-Pierre Mao (François Chau) is planning to scam her during their risky face-to-face meeting.

That mismatched contingent–made up of Avasarala, newly-minted political refugee Bobbie Draper (Frankie Adams), and Avasarala’s scuzzy right hand thug Cotyar (Nick E. Tarabay)–blasted off to meet with the wealthy weapons maker. While in orbit, Avasarala theorized that they would have leverage over Mao because he wouldn’t be able to resist Earth’s real gravity: the hold it had over his memories, his life there, and his mental/emotional home. Is this a bit of naivete from the weather-worn diplomat? Seems so.

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Errinwright topped off his evening with the golden vial and a 107-year-old scotch. He shared both with the Martian Minister of Defense, Korshunov (Jeff Seymour), but before either could take effect, he argued that their next war shouldn’t be their last, evoking a sense that the Protomolecule is a powerful enough force to obliterate Earth, and offering that there can be no peace if only one entity has the Protomolecule weapon. The question here, too, is whether all technology is just a weapon. What if the Protomolecule is the key to terraforming Mars a century faster? What if Mars really needs its power?

Unfortunately, Koshunov had no time to deliver more rhetorical questions because he fell to the ground, dying of heart failure brought on by an enzyme developed to kill people taking the gravity-aiding drug. The new liver didn’t help him at all. Errinwright’s pessimistic point? That if you give a monkey a stick, he’ll inevitably beat another monkey to death with it. This was also a strong bit of fearful shadowing before Avasarala met with an obviously-scheming Mao.

They had cucumber sandwiches, and Avasarala demanded Mao to get to the fucking point, which is always a delight. They haggled over his family and the questionable loyalty of playing both sides for mutually assured destruction, but none of it mattered, because Errinwright crashed the party with a message of destruction and total victory. He shot down the ship on Ganymede sent to control the Proto-beast. He killed the Martian Minister of Defense. All that’s left for Mao is to work with Earth.

SOME STRAY THOUGHTS:

Kushunov should have built up an immunity to Iocane Powder.
Turns out the monster from the title…was Errinwright. Fun!
This season has done its best to cast a dark pall over even the best of intentions. Naomi’s heroism has brought a lot of light into a dark place, especially as a parallel to Holden’s pointless, mentally debilitating obsession. Destruction cannot be all that these people know.

Images: NBC/SyFy