Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 232

WHO Kissed on THE RINGS OF POWER? (And Why LOTR Lore Indicates It’s Not Romantic)

For a little while now, Morfydd Clark, who plays Galadriel, has teased that this season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will feature an unexpected kiss. Of course, when fans heard that, every single ship and its mother claimed that the mystery kiss involved their favorite pair. Haladriel/Saurondriel shippers (Galadriel x Sauron fans), you bet they claimed it. Adariel shippers (Adar x Galadriel fans), I know for a fact they claimed it because I did it on our behalf. Even Celebrimbor x Galadriel truthers got in on the action. But, at the end of the day, The Rings of Power season two’s mystery kiss really did belong to the last expected people on earth it might have belonged to. But even though this kiss might shock The Rings of Power fans, The Lord of the Rings lore indicates that this kiss was less romantic and more strategic. Let’s take a look at The Rings of Power‘s kiss-gate and break down: who kissed, why the kissed, why we don’t really think it means anything deep, and what The Lord of the Rings has to say about it.

[image error]Who Kissed on The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 7? Galadriel and Elrond That Shared a KissPrime Video

Yep. That’s what happened. All of those shippers, with all of their feelings, and in the end, the people who kissed are two characters who have almost no shippers at all. (Although, I would never say never.) But the fact remains that it was Elrond and Galadriel who kissed on The Rings of Power. The pair shared a kiss in Adar’s tent as Elrond prepared to leave Galadriel to her captivity and potential death, shocking viewers everywhere.

Why Did Elrond and Galadriel Kiss on The Rings of Power Season 2?Prime Video

Okay, but hold up. Does a kiss mean that Galadriel and Elrond have romantic feelings for one another on The Rings of Power? Almost certainly not. If we examine the circumstances, Adar wanted to trade Galadriel for her elven Ring of Power. But Elrond, of course, will not do that. He can’t simply leave Galadriel to her fate, though. So, we must intuit that Elrond kissed Galadriel in order to distract Adar and the Uruk (who were so shocked that two characters who have no business kissing were kissing they forgot to pay attention) from the rest of what he was doing. Indeed, it seems Elrond used this The Rings of Power kiss not to admit his true feelings for Galadriel but so that he could slip her a pin from his cloak. Galadriel, being the crafty elf she is, of course knows how to pick a lock.

Did the Kiss Reveal Anything to Us About Galadriel and Elrond?Ross Ferguson/Prime Video

Not really. Although it does show a bit more of a crafty side to Elrond than we normally see. Personally, I just added this section in so I could say that I feel like this The Rings of Power kiss actually reveals a little bit more about Adar than Galadriel or Elrond. Elrond totally knew Adar would cave and let him say goodbye to Galdriel because, well, Adar is soft at heart. I said it.

Why The Lord of the Rings Lore Rules Out Romance Between Galadriel and Elrond on The Rings of Power Despite Their KissPrime Video

Of course, the biggest reason why the kiss between The Rings of Power‘s Elrond and Galadriel can’t be romantic comes from Tolkien’s lore itself. If you don’t want to know anything beyond what the show has in store look away. But, of course, Elrond will eventually marry Galadriel’s daughter, Celebrían. Elrond’s wife, Celebrían, is also the mother of Arwen, the future queen of Gondor, man, and Middle-earth. While this eventual romance with Galadriel’s daughter doesn’t mean the pair couldn’t share a romantic kiss on The Rings of Power, it means it’s not very likely. That might make things awkward for Elrond when he’s kissing Celebrían later on in life, and we’re pretty sure it would be kind of weird for Galadriel, too.

Who Is The Lord of the Rings‘ Celebrían?New Line Cinema

As mentioned, The Lord of the Rings‘ Celebrían is Galadariel’s daughter. Celebrían’s parents are Galadriel and Celeborn. Eventually, Celebrían weds Elrond, and together, they have twins, Elladan and Elrohir and a daughter, Arwen. Sadly, Celebrían’s story is a tragic one in The Lord of the Rings‘ world. On a trip to visit Galadriel and Celeborn in Lórien, their kingdom, she is captured by orcs. The orcs then torture and poison her. Although she is rescued by her sons and healed physically by Elrond, her mind and spirit remain broken after the attack. In her sadness, she leaves Middle-earth, sailing west instead long before the time of The Fellowship of the Ring. In time, she is likely reunited with her entire family in Valinor.

Of course, Celebrían’s tragic story takes place during the Third Age of Middle-earth, which is beyond the scope of the Prime Video series. In the Second Age, the time during which The Rings of Power takes place, Celebrían first meets Elrond and they love one another secretly. They don’t wed until the Third Age, however.

It will be interesting to see which, if any, parts of Celebrían’s The Lord of the Rings story are adapted into The Rings of Power.

Where Is Celebrían on The Rings of Power?Amazon Studios

Where IS Celebrían on The Rings of Power? So far, the only member of Galdriel’s family we’ve heard about is Celeborn on the Prime Video series. And all we know there is that Celeborn went missing during the War of Wrath, before the Second Age began in this narrative. That either means Galadriel has already borne Celebrían, and she exists in The Rings of Power‘s world… Or it means that she hasn’t yet and perhaps we’ll see a time skip in season three. We probably will need to find Celeborn first though if Celebrían isn’t already born. Although time works differently for elves, it will be interesting to see how the series navigates the dynamic between Elrond, Celebrían, and Galadriel, considering that Galadriel and Elrond are so close here, if not romantically entangled. But, we guess if Elrond is to kiss anyone on The Rings of Power, Celebrían makes the most sense.

Many people thought Mirdania was secretly Celebrían, but given Mirdania’s death in season two, episode seven, it appears that is not so. We’ll have to wait and see if Celebrían surfaces on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

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Celebrimbor’s Farewell to Galadriel on THE RINGS OF POWER Captures the Best of Tolkien

[image error]

Celebrimbor now knows Annatar the Lord of Gifts is really the Dark Lord Sauron. Eregion’s true leader also knows his time in Middle-earth is coming to an end. In The Rings of Power season two’s penultimate episode he bid his old friend Galadriel “Namárië.” The elven smith said he will distract Sauron long enough for her to escape with the rings of men. But he sent her off with more than his just his final works. During his darkest moment he also sent her off with words that will shape the future of Middle-earth. In a beautiful and moving moment that stands as one of the show’s best testaments to J.R.R. Tolkien, Celebrimbor told Galadriel it’s not strength that will defeat the darkness, it is light, an idea we know she will one day literally pass on to Frodo.

Prime Video

As Eregion fell around them, Galadriel told Celebrimbor, “I’m sorry I brought [Sauron] here. I’m sorry I wasn’t stronger.” Even while the beautiful city he built crumbled around him, Eregion’s lord told his friend strength has nothing to do with it. Neither is it how they will stand against Sauron. For that they will need something far more enduring and powerful. It’s what binds all of The Lord of the Rings, from the creation of the universe until Frodo’s journey to Valinor. Amid death, destruction, and his own failure, Celebrimbor remembered what will always endure.

Neither of us were strong enough. There might not be anyone in Middle-earth who is. But perhaps the elves need only remember that it is not strength that overcomes darkness, but light. Armies may rise, hearts may fail, yet still light endures, and is mightier than strength. For in its presence all darkness must flee.

Prime Video

Tolkien’s epic tale has always been a battle between light and dark. The world’s first and greatest Dark Lord, Morgoth, sought to bring darkness to the world. He extinguished the two Great Lamps the Valar had made for the coming of the elves. Morgoth might have succeeded, too, if not for Celebrimbor’s grandfather Fëanor. The famed, notorious elf smith had captured the light of Valinor from the Lamps in his famed Silmarils. Thanks to them the light of the Two Trees of Valinor endured even when they were darkened.

On The Rings of Power the fading of the light has been an ill omen, just as its resurgence has brought life. Even Adar mourned its loss when he created the darkness his children needed. But Galadriel herself has shunned the light, both metaphorically and literally. She refused to enter Valinor, land of the Valar themselves. She’s also allowed herself to be consumed by hatred and vengeance. Her embrace of the dark blinded her to Halbrand’s true identity and motivations. It also kept her from telling the truth about him. If she had Celebrimbor and Eregion never would have fallen prey to Annatar’s deceptions.

Prime Video

Celebrimbor did not let the darkness consume him. He didn’t let it hide his shame the way she had. Instead his speech to her embraced the light and everything it represents. The scene captures the show at its best because it both elevates the series own story while deftly tying it into one J.R.R. Tolkien’s most meaningful and enduring themes.

We know Galadriel will take Celebrimbor’s words to heart and carry them with her forever. Thousands of years later, when the darkness returns to Middle-earth she will meet a Hobbit tasked with the most impossible of journeys. He will be asked to bear the greatest power the world has ever know, a ring imbued with the very strength of Sauron and evil itself. But she will not give Frodo a weapon. Galadriel won’t give him anything to make him stronger, either, because she will know Frodo will not manage to carry the One Ring to Mordor because he is stronger than it or its creator. He will do it by holding on to light. To hope.

New Line Cinema

That light will live on in his friend’s heart. Sam will tell him, when Frodo is at his weakest, that “even darkness must pass.” And the two will also rely on actual light itself, because that is what Galadriel will give Frodo before he leaves Lórien. She will gift him a crystal phial that carries the light of Eärendil’s star, which itself is a Silmaril of Fëanor. Galadriel will give Frodo the enduring light of the Two Trees of Valinor, the very place he will go to with her after defeating Sauron for good.

Without the Phial of Galadriel, Sam and Frodo never would have made it to Mount Doom. It will save their lives when all hope seems loss. Light will save Middle-earth from eternal darkness.

Galadriel will know that phial will keep Frodo—and with him the entire world—safe because even during his darkest moment, long ago her friend Celebrimbor reminded her that darkness won’t flee from strength. It will only flee from light. That has always been, and always will be, the one idea no Dark Lord will ever extinguish in Middle-earth.

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SALEM’S LOT Offers Vampire Horror to Sink Your Teeth Into

Like the classic depiction of a vampire, the film adaptation of Salem’s Lot from Warner Bros. almost didn’t see the light of day. Its initial announcement happened over five years ago in March 2019 and filming didn’t commence until over two years later. Salem’s Lot was set for a September 2022 release, then April 2023, then no release date at all after being pulled from the company’s theatrical schedule. Now, the film is heading straight to Max on October 4. Some people may believe this move is a reflection of the film’s quality, or lack thereof. But that’s not the case. Salem’s Lot brings the intensity, gore, and scares that one desires in a vampire story and uses the skeleton of Stephen King’s source novel to craft new elements that you’ll want to sink your teeth into. 

Salem’s Lot—written and directed by Gary Dauberman of The Conjuring Universe fame—follows Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) on a chaotic journey. He’s writer who returns to the sleepy Maine town of Jerusalem’s Lot where he lived until he was 9. It is 1975 and Mr. Mears is looking for inspiration to craft a book that will garner better reviews. He soon meets a few key residents in “the Lot,” all of whom are curious about his unexpected appearance. Sparks fly between Ben and Susan (Makenzie Leigh), a real estate assistant with a sexist boss. She dreams of leaving home, but her lonely and controlling mother Anne (Debra Christofferson) doesn’t want that.

Meanwhile, eleven-year-old Mark Petrie (Jordan Preston Carter) is also new to town and trying to adjust with his mother June (Fedna Jacquet) and father Henry (James Milord). He makes quick friends with ill-fated brothers Danny and Ralphie Glick (Nicholas Crovetti and Cade Woodward, respectively). They are fascinated by how he’s not afraid of school bullies, vampires, monsters, or anything else that haunts kids. Mark also loves magic, clearly displaying a propensity to believe in what others do not. Ben Mears may be the main character, but Mark Petrie is the true star of the show. That kid consistently stands on business! He’d fit in really well with the kiddos from Vampires vs. the Bronx. Carter holds his own against heavyweight talents like Pullman and Alfre Woodard. His future in any genre is as bright as the sunrise. 

New Line Cinema/Max

Everyone’s having a relatively good time until things go awry. This is thanks to Kurt Barlow (Alexander Ward) and Richard Straker (Pilou Asbæk), a new European duo who live in the formerly abandoned Marsten House. Interestingly, Barlow & Straker’s Fine Furnishing store seems to only have the latter in the building during the day. Why? Well, Barlow is a vampire and Straker is his human familiar. Ralphie’s disappearance and Danny’s subsequent death send the town into a slow downward spiral. Teacher Matt Burke (Bill Camp), Ben, Sarah, Mark, resident medical expert Dr. Cody (Woodard), and others soon arrive at the same horrifying conclusion. Barlow is a vampire who’s slowly turning the Lot into a deadly haven. (Sidenote: I love it when people quickly buy into the absolutely wild thing that’s clearly happening to them. All of these characters do it well and are so wonderfully imaginative and bold.) 

Salem’s Lot is exactly what a vampire movie should be: engaging and fun with some genuinely spine-chilling moments. It doesn’t get so caught up in establishing lore and answering every single question that it falls on its face. There are a few well-placed zingers, jump scares and shocks that don’t feel cheap, and tense action moments. If you’re trying to see a lot of vamps in your vamp movie, they are there. And boy do they look creepy. If you want to see some serious bloodsucking action, you will find it here. Salem’s Lot’s characters are vibrant and the dialogue is witty and snappy. The film’s nearly two hour runtime doesn’t fall victim to the typical horror plague of plot sagging and padding. The buildup isn’t rushed but it is steady. Once the story locks into the main action, it is time to hold on for the ride. 

Quite a few intense moments will probably resonate with viewers, thanks to deft direction and lovely cinematography from Dauberman and Michael Burgess, respectively. Witnessing Ralphie’s abduction and eventual death partially from his panicked perspective is delightfully disturbing. The idyllic setting cleverly shifts with each passing day. Newspapers pile up on lawns and full bottles of milk sit on the porch. Death and quiet hang in the air. And, at one point, there’s a stake through a vampire’s heart with a sign attached that says “The Show Starts at Sundown.” Truly chef’s kiss material. 

Max

I must say, it would have been nice to experience this film on the big screen. But something about it coming to a small screen speaks more to its old-school horror heart. Salem’s Lot already has its fanbase and this film feels primed to gain a fresh following that could make it a beloved seasonal fave.

There’s much to be said about its themes of small towns’ facades, secrets, and their metaphorical and social grips on residents. Their subsequent fading often goes unnoticed by larger society. The concept of outsiders being both the detriment and the saviors of a small town’s status quo plays well here. That grip which won’t allow someone to leave resonates through a couple of deaths. There’s one specific demise of someone who nearly makes it out alive, only to die in a brutal fashion. I don’t like it.

The kill certainly isn’t illogical. However, the optics of that moment, taking the Lot’s very obvious lack of diversity into consideration, leave a nasty taste that dampens the third act. It’s very much so giving sacrificial lamb.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Surely some book purists will not like several of the creative liberties taken. But those who aren’t familiar with its source material or choose to engage with Salem’s Lot as a unique offering will enjoy the film’s ingenuity and very meta nature.

Nevertheless, Salem’s Lot is quite good, actually. Not every horror film (or any other genre, for that matter) needs to always produce something that is radical or culture shifting. Things can simply be entertaining and have qualities that make them rewatchable. So if that’s what you’re looking for, fire up Max and get ready to stream Salem’s Lot on October 4.

Salem’s Lot ⭐ (4 of 5)

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The History of How Television Plays Into the Horror Films

Over the past 100 years, televisions have played a critical role in human history. These devices revolutionized how we receive vital information, discover products/services, and consume various forms of entertainment. TV played a key role in the formative years of the last couple of generations, crafting a novel content area with the development of TV shows and eventually made-for-TV films, which began to accompany and then slowly replace radio dramas. The similar thrills of stage plays and motion pictures were now in a format designed for home consumption. Soon, programs like sitcoms, cartoons, music videos, soap operas, and more came straight to living rooms. TV’s impact on all areas of pop culture is immeasurable. However, there’s one genre that boasts a special relationship with it: horror. 

As we know, horror is often a reflection of society’s glaring fears, deepest prejudices, morality woes, and religious climates, for better or worse. As horror began to take its most recognizable form and rise to mainstream popularity in the late-1960s, the TV set became a part of the genre’s storytelling makeup. At this point in history, TV ownership was continuing to rapidly rise despite the devices’ hefty price tag. Watching TV was a communal experience as people gathered for their favorite weekly programs. Sometimes, the occasion was somber. For example, countless people have witnessed Earth-shattering and generation-defining news, like the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968.

Continental Distributing

This same year, the seminal film Night of the Living Dead marks the first notable usage of television in horror. The film’s writer, producer, and director, George Romero, brought his previous professional TV experience in the mix. Romero wanted to show how the medium would play a critical role in an unthinkable apocalyptic situation. The broadcasts in the film mimic the guerilla, “boots-on-the-ground” filming style seen during the era’s coverage of the Vietnam War. 

In this film, TV is used to not only swiftly spread dire warnings and updates to the viewing audience. It is also a gateway to inciting chaos among some and seeding further doubt in others. Yes, doubt in the midst of what they are experiencing. As is the case in many apocalyptic narratives, the greatest horror often stems from humanity’s willful ignorance and/or the violence that ensues when conventional structures are crumbling. The results are predictably grim, leading to deadly battles for safety and resources. The space between what’s broadcast into homes and the truth was, and continues to be, a topic of debate. It is explored in Night of the Living Dead via the panic that ensues among a small group of survivors. 

Many people’s distrust of media happens for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, the message is clearly propaganda to sway the viewer towards a specific decision or feeling. Other times, it comes from social influences like a religious organization or a generation’s collective norms. There has always been a sector of society, religious or not, that views TV as, at worst, a portal for evil and/or misinformation to seep into a person’s mind and tamper with their soul. Or, at best, it is a technological device that negatively affects how people interact with each other. Horror naturally plays off of this fear in movies that are reflective of social attitudes of its time. 

In fact, I have two words that will set up a film that does exactly this: They’re here. 

MGM

That infamous phrase still sends a thrilling shudder down many late Boomer, Gen-X, and Millennial spines. Many of us horror-loving nerds can remember this entire scene from Poltergeist (1982) easier than we can recall what we ate for breakfast two days ago. Little Carol Anne is sleeping in bed with her family before the TV suddenly turns on. The white screen crackles and flickers with post-broadcast static (which feels ancient now), flooding the room with light as she crawls from her bed and towards the glowing screen.

Soon, malevolent spirits filter into the room, causing it to shake with the wrath of an earthquake as her family awakens in horror. Carol Anne turns to them and utters that classic line, setting off a chain of bizarre happenings. What was supposed to be a family’s American Dream became a nightmare that’s largely attributed to—you guessed it!—that evil device that signifies materialism and disconnection among a household. (They throw the TV in the trash in the end, and I understand why.) The attitude that “Hey, maybe TV is a bad thing!” is the horror way of early ‘80s films like Videodrome (1983). That lovely film is about evil being spread through broadcast waves that control a man’s mind to the brink of insanity.

It asks the question of how technology, specifically television, toys with our grip on reality as well as our overall senses. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors famously features a scene where Jennifer, who wants to be a TV actress, is pulled through a literal TV screen and killed by Freddy Krueger. Prior to her death, Max, an orderly at the hospital, warns her about watching too much TV and says she should read a book instead. She insists on watching to keep her entertained and awake but her tiredness gets the best of her. Jennifer’s desire to be on, engage with, and profit off of TV indirectly leads to her demise, which is a pointed message among the film’s humor. 

And who can forget the oft-panned Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1983)? This standalone installment leaves Michael Myers behind for a story about witchcraft and a TV commercial with a little jingle that activates a killer microchip in Halloween masks. (I know, haha.) There have long been beliefs that Halloween is 1) tied to Satanic/evil and 2) is when the veil between this life and the afterlife is thinnest. Coupling these with a film that makes an advertisement the channel for terror is brilliant. In fact, there’s even another commercial within this film about the original Halloween (1978) film! This further distances Halloween III from the franchise and provides a nice Easter egg back when the concept was still relatively new to TV and film.

This era of horror also coincides with the Satanic Panic era, which lasted throughout the ‘80s and into the ‘90s. The collective moral panic that Satanic rituals and general evil were hiding in plain sight, thanks to entertainment mediums like movies and even D&D, stood on the foundation of controversial films like The Exorcist (1973) and the real-life Manson family murders. Conspiracy theories, some broadcast via television, ran rampant. Fears of child abuse cults, supposedly hellacious symbolism, and other things took over America and eventually went global. So, it is easy to see why horror kept leaning into the “TVs are portals for evil!” mantra.

Of course, the usage of television in horror films is not always about bolstering a sinister plot. Television is primarily for our entertainment, after all. Halloween (1978) depicts this with Tommy Doyle and Lindsay Wallace. These two young kids spend much of their time glued to the tube watching The Thing From Another World (1951) and Forbidden Planet (1956). Meanwhile, their teenage counterparts are literally fighting for their lives. There are obvious connections to be made between the horrors of the films-with-a-film and the ways they bleed into reality. For example, these films give Tommy a fear of a lurking boogeyman that comes to life as Myers. But overall, it was a normal Halloween night with them doing what many kids do: entertaining themselves with a movie!

Years later, Halloween itself would get the film-within-a-film treatment with Scream (1996). Horror geek Randy and others watch it on screen right before murderous mayhem hits Stu Macher’s house. The rules and guidelines of horror movies become a part of their lives in the most tangible way. And, it’s rather poetic to see final girl Sidney Prescott defeat Macher, a killer who has seen one too many scary movies, by barbequing his head in a television. There’s still that subliminal messaging of TV reflecting the real world while also depicting it as a form of community and entertainment. 

The Scream franchise continues to prominently weave in television in its subsequent sequels. Scream 2 (1997) and Scream 3 (2000) both feature scenes where Sidney is learning about Ghostface killings on screen as a casual TV watcher. In the latter film, the killer calls her to force her into watching news about Hollywood murders to lure her out of hiding. However, the most infamous use of TV in a horror flick during the early 2000s is The Ring (2002), the American remake of the Japanese supernatural horror thriller Ringu (1998).

In the vein of Poltergeist, this movie 1) is a relic of its time and 2) utilizes TV as a literal two-way street and very evil portal. There wasn’t a horror fan alive then who wasn’t familiar with its story of a journalist investigating (and watching) a videotape with strange imagery that kills the viewer seven days later. The impact of television and its often disturbing imagery and how that affects viewers is a broad message that gets a horror twist. It comes complete with its own version of how chain letters and urban legends go hand in hand.

The film even shows Samara, a supernaturally powered child, locked in a barn by her adoptive parents with only a television for companionship. That detachment from family and society at large in favor of television is the crux of Samara’s turn towards evil. She uses the very thing that brings her comfort to reach out (and kill) others. 

There’s an obvious relationship with VHS tapes and television because, well, you use one to watch the other. The V/H/S film franchise uses TV very heavily as the events of different found footage nightmares unfold. As we go into these terrors alongside various characters, it once again feels like there’s a blurred line between our worlds and what we are witnessing.

Years later, TV continues to play closely with the horror genre. Recently, Late Night with the Devil (2023) explored concepts of greed, spectacle, and a desperation for attention and viewership. The David Dastmalchian-led found footage flick depicts a demonic possession nightmare on live television. I Saw the TV Glow (2024) follows a duo who watch a weird defunct series that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality for them. To a lesser degree, TV takes a small role in Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2018) as the protagonist Chris watches a recorded video of the racist body horrors that await him. His subsequent films, Us and Nope, are more, ahem, tethered to TV’s influence and our preoccupation with spectacle.

The former’s antagonist (but not really a baddie) Red/the real Adelaide’s entire plan is heavily influenced by her seeing a “Hands Across America” promotion shortly before being replaced by her doppelganger in 1986. Nope begins its narrative with a popular TV show starring a chimp. We quickly see the animal goes back to his wild nature and kills those around him. That event isn’t enough to teach Jupe to not play with and exploit nature, a decision that leads to his demise when a hungry UFO-like alien swallows him up.

Deeper connections aside, the usage of TV for Easter eggs a la Halloween (1978) continues in movies like Scream (2022). The film features a scene with Tara watching Dawson’s Creek, which stars Scott Foley, who played killer Roman Bridger in Scream 3. And, horror comedy film The Blackening (2023) humorously uses a TV set for a blackface killer to play mind games. He stalks and tortures a group of Black friends gathering for a Juneteenth weekend of fun. They witness live-footage (some of which is deceiving) as well as pre-recorded things that add to the terror.

Lionsgate

The future of horror keeps shifting in many ways as viewer attitudes change. But, even in a world where many turn to their phones, tablets, and laptops to watch shows and movies, the television set will continue to be a staple in the genre. Whether the device’s purpose is fun nods to other franchises, a source of information, or a portal for sinister spirits, TV and horror are always a match made in hell.

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A ROBOCOP Series Is in Development at Prime Video, James Wan to Produce

A year or so back, it was reported that Prime Video was developing several series based on MGM properties. Now, via Variety, we know that at least one of those will be based on the classic sci-fi film RoboCop. Peter Ocko is developing a RoboCop TV series, along with James Wan under his Atomic Monster banner. The official synopsis for the upcoming RoboCop show is the following: “A giant tech conglomerate collaborates with the local police department to introduce a technologically advanced enforcer to combat rising crime — a police officer who’s part man, part machine.” That pretty much sounds like the premise to Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 film.

MGM

RoboCop is an iconic property, but it hasn’t fared well creatively outside the original film. But that has not stopped creative powers from trying to make their ventures successful. Star Peter Weller returned as the title character Alex Murphy for RoboCop 2 in 1990, but the film was a disappointment at the box office and critically. Nevertheless, another RoboCop arrived in 1993, with actor Robert Burke taking over for Weller. In 2014, a reboot hit theaters, but again, failed to light the world on fire. In between, there have been several animated series and video games. Much like the Halloween franchise, most of them acknowledge the original 1987 film’s continuity, but ignore other parts of the franchise.

There’s currently no word on whether or not this will be a complete reboot, or a legacy sequel to the original. The latter is something that might renew fan interest would be the return of Peter Weller in the role. Especially after bowing out of it after two films back in the day. But in various interviews, he doesn’t seem too interested in returning to play the part again. A large part of what made the original work so well was that it was a satire of consumerist American culture. This is something other sequels and TV series have forgotten to lean into. We’ll see if the Prime Video iteration can finally recapture what made the original RoboCop so great.

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THE LAST OF US Season 2 Teases ‘Backstory Scene’ Game Fans Will Love

The Last of Us ended its first season on HBO with Joel and Ellie returning to the commune in Colorado. Sure, Joel might have doomed all mankind to save one young girl, but at least they have a place nice to live. For now. Fans of Naughty Dog’s popular video game franchise know new terrors and sadness await the pair in the years to come, and we’ll see all of it come to life when the hit series begins adapting the sequel game in its second season. What else can we expect from the show after a lengthy wait?

HBO

Speaking to Variety, creator Neil Druckmann recently teased The Last of Us season two, noting, “There’s stuff in this season that I’m really excited about — stuff that we hinted at — one scene in particular comes to mind that I think fans of the game will eat up, because it really kind of tells you a lot of backstory of this important character that there wasn’t really a way for us to even do that in the game.”

What scene could that be? We’ll have to stay tuned to find out.

Here’s everything we know about The Last of Us‘ second season so far.

The Last of Us Season 2 PlotLiane Hentscher/HBO

HBO has not yet shared an official synopsis for The Last of Us season two. We still have some idea what to expect. The franchise’s second video game will provide the source material for the TV series. Showrunner Craig Mazin has said the show will take more than one season to adapt the sequel game, but like with the television series’ first season they are not making a direct adaptation. Fans will once again see some major changes alongside some major moments and stories taken directly from the game. That might very well include a huge—though temporary—change for one character. (We won’t risk spoiling it for those who don’t know what that means.)

One thing that won’t change is the importance of The Last of Us Part II‘s Abby Anderson. She will debut during the second season and play a significant role in Ellie’s story. And like the video game sequel, the HBO series will also feature a time jump.

New footage from season two promises that it will definitely be explosive. Joel is tearful and Ellie is going through some sort of horrific challenges of her own. We also get a look at Catherine O’Hara and Jeffrey Wright in their new roles. It is not totally clear who Catherine is playing, but Jeffrey is reprising his role as the game character Isaac. According to Entertainment Weekly, he is “the quietly powerful leader of a large militia group who sought liberty but instead has become mired in an endless war against a surprisingly resourceful enemy.”

These new images also have us super hype.

Season 2. pic.twitter.com/YooeHDxaJk

— The Last of Us (@TheLastofUsHBO) August 5, 2024

Behind the Scenes

The Last of Us‘ second season was in pre-production before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes put the show on hold. The first episode had already been written at the time. With both unions finally getting fair deals, the show is now expected to begin filming in Vancouver in early 2024.

Co-creators, writers, and executive producers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann are back for season two. Writers Halley Gross (The Last of Us Part II) and Bo Shim worked with Mazin and Druckmann on season two. Deadline additionally reports that The Last of Us season two has set its slate of directors, both new and old. These include four new directors: Succession‘s Mark Mylod, Perry Mason‘s Nina Lopez-Corrado, Watchmen‘s Stephen Williams, and Loki‘s Kate Herron. They join returning director Peter Hoar, who directed the incredible season one episode “Long, Long Time,” and the show’s creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann.

The series comes from Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, and Naughty Dog.

The Last of Us Season 2’s CastHBO

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will return as Joel and Ellie. Also expected back is Gabriel Luna. He plays Joel’s younger brother, Tommy. As is Rutina Wesley. She plays Tommy’s wife Maria.

Netflix/Naughty Dog

Regarding new casting news, The Last of Us season two has cast Kaitlyn Dever as Abby. Abby is an important character from The Last of Us Part II game. Additionally, Isabela Merced has joined the season as Dina, who also hails from the second The Last of Us game. Dina is described as “a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit.”

Most recently, Isabela Merced, who will play Dina on The Last of Us season two, shared, “I’m so excited for people to see my chemistry with Bella. Bella and I have so much chemistry. From the first day, it was there. There’s no work to be done. I really respect Bella. I just saw Catherine Called Birdy, and Bella has such range and just an honesty about their work. I’m learning so much. I’m very honored to be here.”

Max/Naughty Dog

We’re glad to hear it because we can’t wait to see Dina and Ellie’s complicated romance come to life. Currently, The Last of Us season two describes Dina as “a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit.”

Netflix/Naughty Dog

The Last of Us season two has also cast Beef‘s Young Mazino as Jess. Jess is described, per Variety, as “a pillar of his community who puts everyone else’s needs before his own, sometimes at a terrible cost.” That sounds ominous. Generally speaking, from Jess’s role in The Last of Us Part II, we can assume he and Ellie will build a friendship.

Finally Danny Ramirez, Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, and Spencer Lord have all come aboard the second season of The Last of US, they will all feature as characters from The Last of Us Part II.

Naughty Dog/Paramount Pictures/Netflix

Variety reveals:

Ramirez will play Manny, described as “a loyal soldier whose sunny outlook belies the pain of old wounds and a fear that he will fail his friends when they need him most.” Barer will play Mel, said to be “a young doctor whose commitment to saving lives is challenged by the realities of war and tribalism.”

Gabrielle has been cast as Nora, “a military medic struggling to come to terms with the sins of her past.” And Lord will appear as Owen, “a gentle soul trapped in a warrior’s body, condemned to fight an enemy he refuses to hate.”

The Last of Us Season 2’s Release DateHBO

The Last of Us‘ second season wasn’t expected to premiere until the start of 2025 before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Even with production delayed, HBO is still reportedly targeting a 2025 return for the show. However, there is not yet an official date in place.

Max

Casey Bloys, the CEO of HBO and Max Content, recently gave an updated release window for The Last of Us season two. Bloys offered the following answer to the question, “What can you say about premiere dates for the new seasons of White Lotus and The Last of Us?” He noted, “All I’ll say now, generally first half of the year, I expect them to be in the Emmy window.” The Emmy window means that The Last of Us season two’s release date will likely be anytime before late May of 2025.

Originally published on December 29, 2023.

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This Monster Size Comparison Video Compares Totoro to King Kong

It is easy to look up the height of an actor online and compare it to your own because we all have a frame of reference. But what is the reference for fictional monsters like Sully from Monsters Inc. or King Kong from Kong: Skull Island? Gorillas do not normally take down helicopters, so it would be helpful to compare them to other creatures. Have you ever wondered how the Mind Flayer from Stranger Things is compared to the Colossal Titan from Attack on Titan? How about if you could step on Kirby? Are you taller than a Minecraft Creeper? Could Totoro from My Neighbor Totoro could be in the NBA? If you were then you’re in luck! The video below has you covered for questions related to the actual sizes of fictional characters and monsters.

This video from the YouTube channel MetaBallStudios compares the real-life sizes of monsters from popular TV, film, and video game series. Their videos use 3D animations to illustrate things like how massive Godzilla is at 120 meters. The channel makes a variety of videos comparing the sizes of fictional characters, items, and vehicles. Other interesting size comparisons from MetaBallStudios include Mechas, video game maps, and types of dragons. Some videos, including the one above, offer a first-person view for a more up close and personal perspective of the real size of these creatures.

MetaBallStudios

The video begins with little Sackboy from the Big Little Planet platforming game series, who is only eight centimeters long. The video goes all the way to Super Shenron from Dragon Ball Super, which is bigger than the galaxies. The final creature is Yog-Sothoth, which is an immeasurable cosmic entity created by horror fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft.

The video helps us understand the sizes of the monsters in the real world. Because we will, thankfully, or in the case of Totoro, not so thankfully, will never be able to stand near them.

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YU-GI-OH! Keycaps Will Make Your Keyboard Set-Up Adorable

What could be more adorable than Kuriboh keycaps? Well, from the image below, it seems like nothing. Eminent Crafts has released a set of officially licensed Yu-Gi-Oh! keycaps, which are now available for pre-order and will ship in December. Eminent Crafts partnered with the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game manufacturer, Konami, to make keycaps and LED Dioramas.

Eminent Crafts

There are five varieties of keycaps in the collection. Every keycap is made from PVC, a synthetic plastic with flexibility and thermal resistance. The keycaps are compatible with Cherry MX and Clone switches. The set of Kuriboh monsters above costs $59.99, whereas a single Kuriboh keycap costs $19.99.

Eminent Crafts

The other three keycaps are of the Toon card archetype. Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon, Toon Dark Magician Girl, and Toon Dark Magician are the remaining styles of keycaps. Due to current licensing rights the collaboration is only available in the United States, Canada, and European Union. The LED dioramas are not available for preorder yet.

Eminent Crafts

Eminent Crafts produces keycaps, figures, dioramas, etc. that relate to pop culture and anime franchises. The company recently announced an upcoming collaboration with Kodansha to create Attack on Titan inspired PVC figurines, keycaps, and LED Dioramas.

This is not the first collaboration for Yu-Gi-Oh! this year. Earlier this year Viz Media relased a Yu-Gi-Oh! fashion capsule on the Shonen Jump store in limited quantities. The collection includes hoodies and shirts inspired by the series’ Duelist Kingdom arc. Prices for the collection range from $40 – $90.

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Dive Into These 8 Spine-Tingling Horror Anthologies This Fall

Spooky season is upon us and what better way to get in the spirit than by cuddling up with a good book? Horror novels are the perfect way to imbibe in Halloween time. When they’re good, they’re fully immersive and mind-altering. Scary movies are great, but scary books have a way of creeping into every crevice of the mind. It’s core-level fear, the kind you can’t escape even in your dreams. 

But while horror novels follow a singular, long-form narrative, horror short stories pack another kind of punch. They’re able to convey haunting imagery, emotionality, and scares with brevity. Some of the most fear-inducing horror literature comes from short stories. Think Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Shirley Jackson, and Clive Barker. Those names synonymous not just with the genre but with the art of short storytelling in general. 

Horror anthologies and short story compendiums are a great way to dig into the classics, but also to discover new blood. If you love the genre but haven’t branched beyond Stephen King, these collections are the way to go. You’ll learn names that will lead you down new, spooky trails, and open your mind to the broader expanse of horror storytelling. 

Just in time for the fall, let’s take a look at eight horror collections you should read to get in the leaf-crunching, spine-tingling, cider-drinking mood. Our sampling includes a mix of vintage classics, genre-bending contemporary tales, and exciting works from female, international, and Indigenous writers. 

The Dark Descent Macmillan

Let’s start with a stone-cold classic. The Dark Descent is a staple of dark fiction anthologies. Considered by many to be the best-ever chronology of horror short stories, the book traces the genre and from its earliest iterations to modern day. (Well, modern at its time of publish in 1997.) If you’re looking to cover your bases, you can’t go wrong here. The book features stories from aforementioned horror staples like Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, and Stephen King, as well as Henry James, and Richard Matheson.

It also has stories from names you might not associate with horror, like William Faulkner and D.H. Lawrence. And it’s notable for its fine sampling of women-penned horror stories, from authors like Joanna Russ, Shirley Jackson, and Joyce Carol Oates. Split into three parts, The Dark Descent is truly a horror anthology opus. Not only will you learn the history of the genre—you’ll get spooked as hell along the way.

Make sure you read: “The Crowd” by Ray Bradbury, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “The Beautiful Stranger” by Shirley Jackson

Found: An Anthology of Found Footage Horror Stories Vermillion to One

When we think of found footage horror, we tend to think of movies. But it’s an idea that’s made its way into horror fiction, too. Found: An Anthology of Found Footage Horror Stories is an excellent compendium of such tales. But how does one weave found footage into prose? This collection features an array of modern horror writers who find creative ways into the prompt. Some recount home videotapes of monsters and ghouls, others convey newsreel footage of zombie attacks, and one tells the aftermath of a grisly crime through a documentary lens.

If found footage movies make you nauseous from all the shaky cam, you’re in for a good ride with Found. It’s all the fun of “reality”-based horror without the need for Dramamine. 

Make sure you read: “The Novak Roadhouse Massacre” by Alan Baxter, “Regular Saint” by Donna Lynch, “The Spew of News” by Clay McLeod Chapman

The Bloody Chamber Harper & Row

This Angela Carter anthology is an all-timer when it comes to horror fiction. Carter penned every story (and, in the case of the titular story, novelette) in the collection, and all are based on well-known fairy tales. But her aim was not to retell so much as recontextualize. Or, to “extract the latent content from the traditional stories,” as she puts it.

The result is a series of fables you might know told in ways you might not expect, with explicit themes of feminism, body horror, and liberation throughout. The Bloody Chamber is not traditional horror so much as dark fantasy with horrific imagery. Whether it’s a visceral retelling of the legend of Bluebeard, a World War I-era take on Sleeping Beauty, or a “The Lottery”-esque inversion of Little Red Riding Hood, Carter’s trademark poetic prose goes down like a delicious, blood-curdling poison. 

Make sure you read: “The Bloody Chamber”, “The Courtship of Mr. Lyon”, “The Lady of the House of Love”

Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology Penguin Random House

As the dust jacket for this anthology explains, many Indigenous cultures believe you should never whistle at night. Hence, the title of this miraculous compendium of stories from some of the most exciting names in Indigenous fiction. After an excellent forward by Blackfeet author Stephen Graham Jones, the anthology dives right into its many ghost, monster, curse, and revenge stories, all written by Indigenous authors and many with fresh takes on legends and horrors from their regions and tribes.

From the Hukai’po spirits from Native Hawaiians to the Lechuza of Native Mexicans, from colonization to blood quantum, these stories are not just for horror fans. They’re a window into the brutalities inflicted against Native people. The scars they still live with. And some go to very, very dark places. The result is a beautiful collection of stories marked by the history, acceptance, grief, and anger of Indigenous creatives making sure they’re stories are heard. 

Make sure you read: “White Hills” by Rebecca Roanhorse, “Quantum” by Nick Medina, “Dead Owls” by Mona Susan Power

Shiver Viz Media LLC

Horror fiction needn’t fit one singular form or style. Manga is a powerful vehicle for short-form horror for what you see as much as what you read. Shiver, a collection of stories by famed manga artist Junji Ito, is one of the best examples of the genre. Ito’s trademark illustrations bring to life 10 horrifying tales about everything from never-ending dreams to balloon-headed doppelgangers to insect-tinged body horror.

The concepts themselves are terrifying enough, but the art–well, it’s next level chilling. Think heads turned centipedes and demented fanged teeth and spindly ghosts with faces you’ll see in your nightmares. This is a must-read for manga lovers and horror enthusiasts alike. 

Make sure you read: “Hanging Balloons”, “The Long Dream”, “Honored Ancestors”

The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories Corvus

This horror fiction collection, edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, is another tome of legendary writers, but this time with a more international bent. The winner of the World Fantasy Award in 20212, The Weird isn’t just straightforward horror. It’s horror that gets extra, well, weird. The stories are surreal and numinous—more contemplative than expressly horror.

You won’t see your traditional ghosts, monsters, and zombies in The Weird. Instead, you’ll find yourself enmeshed in interdimensional settings that shouldn’t exist and madness you can’t escape. Unnameable, theoretical, and reality-bending horror is sometimes the most dread-inducing there is. The Weird will not only scare you, but will make you question your very existence. 

Make sure you read: “In the Penal Colony” by Franz Kafka, “Saki” by Sredni Vashtar, “The People of the Pitt” by A. Merritt 

Death in the Mouth: Original Horror from People of Color Sloane Leong

This collection of stories from BIPOC and other ethnically marginalized writers ups the ante of social commentary and drives it right into gut-punching horror fiction. As the intro asks, “What is horror to those living in the margins?” It’s a question for readers to ruminate on as they read through stories of systematic oppression, existential dread, body horror, and manic hallucinations. It’s a gripping and intense anthology featuring a wave of talented writers and beautiful illustrations that pack their own elegantly horrific punch. 

Make sure you read: “Welcome to the Labyrinth” by Isha Karki, “Paradise” by Sloane Leong, “Some of Us are Grapefruit” by Rivers Solomon

Her Body and Other Parties Gray Wolf Press

Carmen Maria Machado is one of the most exciting voices in contemporary horror fiction. And this, her first collection of short horror stories, is a true masterwork. As the official summary reads, this collection “bends genre to shape startling narratives that map the realities of women’s lives and the violence visited upon their bodies.” The acuity of cultural and political thought in Machado’s stories are spellbinding. As is her blending of genre, from straight-forward horror to stories tinged with science fiction and fantasy.

The most notable story of the collection, “The Husband Stitch”, is an updated take on Alvin Schwartz’s “The Green Ribbon”, the story that haunted many of our childhoods. Here, it centers on a wife’s plea for boundaries in her marriage, and the too-familiar encroaching of them all the same. You won’t soon forget these twisted tales, especially if you relate to Machado’s themes of bodily autonomy and feminine sexuality. 

Make sure you read: “The Husband Stitch”, “Especially Heinous”, “Difficult at Parties” 

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Disney+ Password Sharing Crackdown Intensifies, New Paid ‘Extra Member’ Options

Just when you thought streaming had taken a little break from its shenanigans, you know, aside from the usual price increases and the like, it rears its head to remind you. Nope, things are still wild out there. The latest evolution is an intensification of Disney+’s password-sharing crackdown. Following the model of Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown, Disney+ will introduce paid options to add people to your account who aren’t members of your household as it embarks on a broader password-sharing crackdown effort. Netflix was the first to introduce an “extra member” model as part of its password-sharing crackdown explorations and now Disney+ is going to do the same. Joy. Honestly, it feels to us like streaming has arbitrarily decided who and how a subscription can be used and changed the rules on us mid-way through. We don’t love it.

Marvel Studios

Either way here are the details of Disney+’s new horizon of password-sharing crackdown.

Disney+ Defines Households so it Can Stop Your Password Sharing

Disney+ wants you to better understand how you can share your account and password (so it can make sure to charge you at every turn). In a message to subscribers, the streamer notes, “Your Disney+ subscription is meant to be used within your Household, which is a collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside there.” Once again, we loudly, HRMMMMM.

If you’re away from your household, you can still watch Disney+, you’ll just need to mark that you’re away from home or moved your household via the app. Then you’ll receive a one-time passcode that’s sent to the email address associated with the Disney+ account and be able to watch it.

But don’t worry, if you want to share Disney+ long-distance, you still can, you just have to pay the piper.

Disney+ Lets You Add a Paid ‘Extra Member’Lucasfilm

Disney+ goes onto explain how its new element of password sharing crackdown works. It notes, “But what about people outside of your Household? They will need to sign up and pay for their own subscription or be added as an Extra Member to your account for an additional monthly fee to continue enjoying Disney+.”

Via the “Extra Member add-on” option, subscribers can pay to add one other person to their account. “For example, in the U.S., an Extra Member profile will cost an additional $6.99 per month for Disney+ Basic subscriptions and $9.99 per month for Disney+ Premium subscriptions. Note that only one Extra Member slot is available per account.” This is a bit cheaper than just starting your own account.

But Is There Any Other Way to Share Your Password and Account According to Disney+?

No! If you don’t add someone else as an extra member, the only other alternative is for them to make their own Disney+ account. Why didn’t we think of that?

In Addition to Password Sharing Crackdown Intensification Disney+ Will Also Raise PricesDisney

As if a password-sharing crackdown weren’t enough, Disney+ also plans to raise its prices in October. Disney+’s ad-supported tier will soon cost $7.99 a month, while Disney+’s ad-free tier will cost $15.99. you can check out the full details of the price increase here.

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