Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 244

James Earl Jones Dies at 93, Beloved Voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa Will Be Missed

It’s with a sad heart that we share that James Earl Jones has died at the age of 93. The beloved actor gave voice to some of the most iconic characters of our generation and acted in too many iconic roles to count, and he will be missed. James Earl Jones’ credits before his passing include, of course, acting as the voice of Star Wars‘ Darth Vader from 1977 all the way up until 2022. Jones also voiced everyone’s favorite fatherly lion, Mufasa, in The Lion King and acted in the seminal sci-fi movie Dr. Strangelove.

ABC News

The loss of James Earl Jones is no small one for Hollywood. James Earl Jones brought joy to our hearts; by turn, he also wrought fear and made us cry. His range as an actor is simply unparalleled. In sum, he was one talented guy. We dare you to watch the clip from Field of Dreams below and not feel something magical stirring in your heart.

Over his long and storied career, James Earl Jones was nominated for an Outstanding Lead Actor Oscar for his work in The Great White Hope. He was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2012. Jones also won two Emmys in his career and was nominated eight times. Not to mention, the actor had many successful turns on Broadway and twice won Tonys for Best Actor in a Play. But these awards barely scratch the surface of his greatness.

There is no cause of death yet given for James Earl Jones. However, the actor passed away at 93, an age we can all only aspire to reach. We are grateful to have witnessed his talent over such a long and varied career. Although we’ll keenly feel the loss of James Earl Jones after his passing, we know we’ll revisit the magnitude of his talent all of the time. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars, after all.

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Andrew Garfield Will NOT Be in SPIDER-MAN 4, A STAR WARS Wedding, and Other News Odds & Ends

The Boy and the Heron finally sets a US streaming release date. Meanwhile, Baldur’s Gate 3‘s Karlach and Astarion strike out on their own adventure (and also get featured on Magic cards). New Disney American Girl dolls have arrived. So did Borderlands, but not to great applause. Here are all these news odds & ends, and more.

Andrew Garfield Says He Will NOT Be in Spider-Man 4Sony Pictures

In an interview with IndieWire, Andrew Garfield shut down the rumors that his Spidey would appear in the MCU’s upcoming Spider-Man 4. “The internet is a big place,” Garfield said. “I think there’s a lot of people who will just say anything to get clicks. So you might have been duped, I’m afraid.”

I mean, he could be lying (again) about playing Spidey in a new movie (again). We shall see…

Star Trek Day CBS Communications

Star Trek Day is coming on September 8! To celebrate, the premiere episodes of several series and Short Treks will be available to watch for free from September 7-13 on Amazon, Apple, Roku, Paramount+’s Official YouTube page, Pluto TV and on the Paramount+ free content hub (in the US only). Here’s the total list:

STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES, “The Cage”

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, “Encounter at Farpoint Part I & II”

STAR TREK: VOYAGER, “Caretaker Part I & II”

STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE, “The Emissary Part I & II”

STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE, “Broken Bow Part I & II”

STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES, “Beyond the Farthest Star”

STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS, “Strange New Worlds”

STAR TREK: LOWER DECKS, “Second Contact”

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, “The Vulcan Hello”

STAR TREK: PICARD, “Remembrance”

STAR TREK: SHORT TREKS – “The Girl Who Made the Stars,” “The Trouble with Edward,” “Ask Not,” “Runaway” and “Ephraim and Dot”

Terrifier 3

Terrifier 3 released a teaser trailer for its Christmas-themed outing. In addition to many jump scares, it includes Art the Clown making blood angels… Very festive. And now it’s followed up with an officially naughty trailer. Check them out above and below.

Terrifier 3 releases on October 11. Its description notes, “In Cineverse and Bloody Disgusting’s Terrifier 3, directed once again by Damien Leone, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) is set to unleash another round of chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.”

ScreamboxTwisters and Superman

The cast of ‘TWISTERS’ react to David Corenswet being cast as Superman. pic.twitter.com/XEombZ4n34

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) August 25, 2024

The Twisters cast adorably celebrated the news that their fellow co-star David Corenswet had been officially cast in the DCU’s Superman by James Gunn.

Star Wars 5healthMONO

Get ready for a Star Wars wedding. Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Phase III – The Wedding Spectacular One Shot reveals the gorgeous wedding of Lula Talisolia and Zeen Mralia, freedom fighters gathering the resistance against the Nihil. It will bring together the talents of creators Daniel José Older and Harvey Tolibao along with Toni Bruno, Nick Brokenshire and many others. Additionally, the one-shot features “main cover art from Cherriielle,” and “two incredible variant covers that fans will need to collect to see every inch of the beauty this wedding has to offer. 5healthMONO showcases their energetic style in one variant, while Priscilla Bampoh’s iconic artistry completes the variant set.”

The description of the Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Phase III – The Wedding Spectacular One Shot shares:

The time has finally come to gather the resistance forces on Eriadu to witness Lula Talisola and Zeen Mrala, the young freedom fighters championing the fight against the Nihil, join hands in marriage. Friends and family throughout the galaxy will be joining in the celebration of light, life and love. But just in case, the dress code does include holstered weapons, as war could break out at any moment!

Priscilla Bampoh

Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures Phase III – The Wedding Spectacular One Shot releases in stores on December 18, 2024. You can make sure you have a copy waiting at your local comic shop today, the one shot will cost $5.99.

5healthMONO Baldur’s Gate 3

If you’re a Baldur’s Gate 3 fan with a bit of chaotic evil in you, strap in. Larian Studios has shared a teaser for a new Dark Urge game ending. But beware spoilers abound.

Father would be so proud.

Embrace your destiny and feast your eyes on a new evil ending cinematic teaser for the Dark Urge, landing this September 👇

Warning: contains spoilers! pic.twitter.com/1TkwDGqyle

— Baldur's Gate 3 (@baldursgate3) August 19, 2024

Other evil endings are also on the way. These will come in Patch 7, releasing this September.

If you decided happily ever after wasn’t for you, there’s an assortment of evil ending cinematics new to Baldur’s Gate 3, arriving with Patch 7.

Here’s another sneak peek! Beware, some spoilers ahead! pic.twitter.com/1Z51dOnL2D

— Baldur's Gate 3 (@baldursgate3) August 14, 2024

LEGO Pixar: Bricktoons 

A new LEGO series is here, LEGO Pixar: BrickToons. A release shares more about this brand-new series of shorts featuring classic Pixar characters. It notes, “Join some of your favorite LEGO Pixar characters for all-new adventures!  Sing along with Miguel in the Land of the Dead, help Merida and her brothers through a beary rocky situation, take an epic field trip with Nemo, Marlin, and Dory, watch the Parr family try to save their neighborhood from Syndrome, and join Mater as he prepares Lightning McQueen for his next big race!”

All five episodes of LEGO Pixar: BrickToons release on Disney+ on September 4.

Pacific Rim Legendary Entertainment

A Pacific Rim prequel series is on the way from Legendary Entertainment and Eric Heisserer. Little is known about the series yet except that it will serve as an origin story for the Pacific Rim world.

Indiana Jones Paramount Pictures

An Indiana Jones hat worn by Harrison Ford in Temple of Doom just sold at auction for $630,000. The hat belonged to Ford’s stunt double Dean Ferrandini, who also wore the hat in the film. You can spy this expensive headwear in the Temple of Doom scene where Wilhelmina “Willie” Scott, played by Kate Capshaw, Short Round, played by Ke Huy Quan, and Indiana Jones, played, by Ford, use a raft to jump from a crashing plane to safety.

Pokémon

All your favorite Pokémon are now the stars of a flight safety video. You can learn how to correctly buckle your seat belts and what to do in the event of an emergency with Pikachu and the gang. Check it out above.

Baldur’s Gate 3 (Part 2)Wizards of the Coast

Astarion and Karlach, two of our favorite Baldur’s Gate 3 companions will be featured in a Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair drop celebrating Dungeons & Dragons. The Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons® 50th Anniversary Superdrop will feature, among others, the following two cards:

Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons®: Astarion’s Thirst Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons®: Karlach’s Rage 

In addition to the above, we now know which four other cards are included in the Astarion’s Thirst Secret Lair drop. In total the five Astarion cards are: Astarion, The Decadent, Exquisite Blood, Anguished Unmaking, Sanguine Bond, and Mortify. Check them out below.

Click To View Gallery Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast

We can’t wait to roll for these. The Astarion drop will be accompanied by four other Magic: The Gathering drops. These Secret Lair drops will arrive on August 27. Each one will cost $29.99, with foil variants available at $39.99 each.

RSVLTS @ D23

If you’re heading to D23, make sure to stop by RSVLTS’ booth, Booth #8002, also known as the Workshop of Wonders. There you’ll find some very special exclusives that come from the minds of Disney imagineer Tony Baxter and the dynamic artist/creative tandem of James C. Mulligan & Michael Mulligan, alongside the RSVLTS team. The theme of this ten-shirt collection is “Magic & Mystery,” so of course, there’s no one better than experienced Disney creative minds to have along.

RSVLTS will also showcase eight officially licensed Disney x RSVLTS pins that match the shirt designs available at D23. It’s truly a magical line-up. You can take a look at what’s available below. We know we’re obsessed with that Lion King button-up.

RSVLTS Borderlands Lionsgate

The Borderlands movie reviews have started to arrive and things don’t look too great for the movie. Borderlands debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a 0% rating (and remained there after more than 20 reviews had been shared). It has since climbed up to 7%.

The CEO of Take-Two, the company that owns Gearbox, which created and owns the Borderlands franchise, is not despairing, though. Strauss Zelnick notes, “Let’s give the film a chance. A lot of people worked really hard on it. The underlying intellectual property is phenomenal, the cast is amazing, and I think the look and feel are really terrific. So let’s see what audiences have to say.”

It’s always possible the audience score and the critical score could be vastly different. But that is quite a rocky start for Borderlands.

Deadpool & Wolverine

One of the funniest “jokes” in Deadpool & Wolverine involved the idea that Hugh Jackman would play Wolverine for Marvel Studios until he was 85. Whether or not that’s the reality of things, Hugh Jackman is mentally preparing himself for it. Check out his dread-filled Instagram post that simply says, 2058. Good luck with playing Old Man Logan, Hugh Jackman. The concept is right there, after all…

Pierre Escargot

The people spoke, and Kenan Thompson brought back Pierre Escargot. It’s pretty hoh-hoh-hilarious. Check it out above.

Disney x American GirlAmerican Girl

American Girls have been icons of the doll world for generations. And now they’re teaming up with some even bigger super stars. That’s right, you can now American Girl versions of Ariel, Cinderella, and Tiana. And newly added to the collection are Frozen‘s Anna and Elsa and Rapunzel. It’s the greatest crossover the world has ever seen. These iconic dolls are available for purchase now.

Click To View Gallery American Girl American Girl American Girl American Girl American Girl American Girl American Girl American Girl American Girl American Girl American Girl American Girl The Boy and the Heron Studio Ghibli

Hayao Miyazaki’s award-winning film The Boy and the Heron is finally coming to streaming in the US. The Studio Ghibli movie will stream on Max beginning on September 6. It joins the rest of the Studio Ghibli library exclusively available on the streamer.

A synopsis of the The Boy and the Heron shares:

After losing his mother in a hospital fire, young Mahito moves to his family’s estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito’s new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into the tower, and enters a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey with the heron as his guide, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world, and the truth about himself. Featuring the voices of Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson, and Florence Pugh.

Baldur’s Gate 3 (Part 3)

Two of your favorite Baldur’s Gate 3 companions, Karlach and Astarion, recently teamed up to go on an adventure all their own. Samantha Béart, who voices Karlach, and Neil Newbon, who voices Astarion, participated in GenCon’s live Dungeons & Dragons show and explored what the duo might get up to if Tav didn’t invite them into their party. The description for the video shares, “Astarion and Karlach from Baldur’s Gate 3 strike out on their own adventure after Tav doesn’t choose them for their adventuring party, meeting new friends and encountering challenges as they explore the Underdark.”

Sounds delightful!

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

Originally published on August 7, 2024.

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X-MEN ’97 Star Lenore Zann Rocks Rogue Cosplay at the Emmy Awards

Few voice actors love the character they portray as much as X-Men ’97’s Lenore Zann loves Rogue. And playing the sassy mutant Southern Belle for thirty years has not diminished Zann’s affection. At the 2024 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, where X-Men ’97 received a nomination for Outstanding Animated Program, Zann took her fangirling to the next level. She actually wore one of her character’s formal outfits from recent X-Men comics to the ceremony. Lenore Zann also rocked a Rogue wig with the character’s signature skunk stripe hairdo. You can see her comic book-inspired outfit below:

Can’t think of any other actor who loves their role as much as Lenore Zann loves Rogue because that’s commitment and dedication right there😭 pic.twitter.com/tOJ5Ntpslj

— Imran | Voice Actor Era! 🥳🥳 (@herelies_imran) September 9, 2024

Comic book artist Luciano Vecchio designed the costume, which was created for last year’s Hellfire Gala in the comics. The Hellfire Gala was a formal event thrown by the mutants of the island nation of Krakoa three years in a row. Every year, the X-Men and other Marvel heroes would bring their very best attire to the party. And every year, the fans ate up all the haute couture high-end fashion. The Hellfire Gala also gave artists like Vecchio a chance to flex their design muscles and come up with new fashion for the X-Men each time the event rolled around. With the end of the Krakoan era, it may be some time before we see the X-Men so runway-ready again.

So, this happened:
The ICONIC @ZannLenore , who plays Rogue in X-Men ´97, recreated the look I designed for X-Men Hellfire Gala 2023 and wore it at The Emmys!

I’m speechless, mind blown, dead and reborn, not in my wildest dream could I have imagined this.
Thank you Lenore!!! pic.twitter.com/d6j9GqWY9M

— Luciano Vecchio (@LucianoVecchio) September 9, 2024

Marvel Comics/Marvel Animation

Sadly, X-Men ’97 did not win the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program. That honor went to the series Blue Eye Samurai. X-Men ’97 received a nomination for its emotional and shocking fifth episode, “Remember It.” That harrowing chapter was truly a showcase episode for Zann as Rogue. Even with no win, it’s still amazing that a sequel to X-Men: The Animated Series made decades later could receive such accolades. We’re just happy the cast and crew of the series got to enjoy their much-deserved nomination and look so fierce doing it.

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LEGO’s JAWS Set Is a Challenging Build That Immerses You in Plastic Brick Water

My summer does not officially begin until I watch Chief Brody and Hooper start paddling back to shore. It’s my one and only summer tradition. And this year it never happened. I never saw Jaws. Not a single scene! Don’t feel too badly for me, because I found an amazing way to appreciate one of my favorite films ever. LEGO sent us its new set based on Steven Spielberg’s seminal 1975 blockbuster, and piecing together the Orca and big ole Bruce more than made up for not seeing them on screen. But just like Alex Kintner never should have been allowed in the water that fateful day, this advanced LEGO Jaws collectible is definitely not for kids.

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The new Jaws LEGO set is the latest fantastic design to come out of the company’s LEGO Ideas. Jonny Campbell of Belfast submitted this concept back in March of 2022. His original layout is still very much present in this spectacular set, which adds lots of detail and kinetic energy to his submission.

The official set consists of two main pieces, the Orca and the enormous shark that took it down. You can display each on their own, with “Bruce” getting his own little stand and movie nameplate. Or you can attach them both to an intricate base that recreates movement of waves and whitewash. (Along with some yellow barrels that giant shark is somehow dragging along.) But getting to those finished products takes some work. This is very much an 18+ set.

Click To View Gallery Nerdist Nerdist Nerdist Nerdist

The Orca features a ton of great details and touches. There are fishing rods, spears, a shark cage, and more. It also includes a very full interior cabin that feels cramped as you are building it, but it looks fantastic when it’s done. While some portions of the boat are straight forward to and not especially difficult to make, I found the front especially hard to piece together. It’s very delicate. It was hard to know if I was doing something wrong or it was just made that way to give the boat a sense of vulnerability. I lean towards the former because I had some issues later that I obviously created and needed to very carefully correct. That’s on me, but just be aware that bag 4 (of 13) poses some trouble if you aren’t extra cautious.

Some of the details that make this ship feel like it might really sail away are also extra tricky. You have to tie the rope segments onto the tiniest possible pieces. That was not exactly a day at the beach for my sausage fingers. Also the ropes ultimately run through the very tall, very flexible mast. The mast’s lack of sturdiness adds authenticity, which this set has in abundance. But determining the exact amount of slack to use on the ropes is frustrating and time consuming. Ultimately it’s worth it, but only when you’re done.

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The shark speaks for itself. It’s moderately difficult to snap together, as some portions are easy while others are not. It looks great on its own, but also easily separates so you can put most of its body on the base where it chases down the Orca. The best thing about the set’s shark is its size relative to the Orca. They’re almost equal in length, which wonderfully recaptures the moment in the movie when it swims right by and Quint assesses its size at 25-feet and “three tons of him.”

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On that iconic ship, you’ll also find three of the best LEGO minifigs ever. Those legendary characters also contain an amazing little joke. Brody and Hooper’s heads give you two options, a happy side and a serious side. Quint, fittingly, only has a serious side. It’s perfection.

But describing what’s in this set and how challenging it is to build is like describing Jaws as a movie about the ocean. It doesn’t capture what’s really important. I’m not kidding about watching Jaws every summer. It’s a perfect movie and I never get sick of it. Actually constructing the Orca and seeing it come to life in my hands was genuinely thrilling. I was geeking out the more it came together. And ever time I added a new portion of detail, I was thinking about specific scenes from the film. I could hear the dialogue. It was a tactile experience that conjured up vivid memories of a thing I love.

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At around 8-9 hours of build time, this 1,497-piece collectible isn’t a huge undertaking. The set’s time commitment doesn’t reflect its $149.99 price tag, though. If you also love Jaws, when you’re done you’ll have something that is definitely worth the price. Especially if you plan on making sure you have it right by your side when you watch Jaws every summer. And I promise I will not be missing out on rewatching it when the weather turns warm next year. That is, unless LEGO makes a second Jaws set.

I hope there is another one… just so long as LEGO doesn’t base it on Jaws 2. Not watching the sequels is another summer tradition of mine.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE’s Weird Ending Will Make Sense if We Get a Third and Final Film

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was a lot more heartfelt than the original film, and for a brief moment it seemed as though Tim Burton’s long-awaited sequel was going to end on an especially sentimental note. Only, Lydia and Astrid’s bonding took a dark twist. The movie’s last scene turned out to be an upsetting dream featuring the Ghost with the Most. What was really going on during that bizarre final sequence? It’s a straightforward question without a straightforward answer, because it depends on whether or not Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is getting a sequel.

Warner Bros. Pictures[image error]

Astrid saved her mother by pointing out Beetlejuice violated his wedding contract with Lydia. Having avoided matrimony with him yet again, Lydia then sent the bioexorcist back to the afterlife. And with a sandworm busy digesting Rory, she didn’t have to marry anyone. Yet that didn’t stop us from seeing a Deetz wedding. The film concluded with Lydia ending her TV show, Ghost House, so she could travel the world with her daughter. Astrid had planned to see some of the spookiest places on Earth with her dad before he passed away. Instead she was going to see them with her mom, further strengthening their newfound connection.

Their vacation took them to Dracula’s castle in Romania. There, Astrid eyed a handsome young man whom we then saw her marry in what appeared to be a fast-moving relationship. That was quickly followed by Astrid giving birth inside a very large, slightly unsettling white hospital room with a suspiciously enormous viewing area. From there Lydia watched the painful, unnatural birth of her first grandchild. The child turned out to be the creepy baby Beetlejuice from earlier. (It had popped out of Lydia’s stomach during her “therapy” session with Beetlejuice, the one who conjured the monstrosity.) The sinister newborn crawled the walls before ultimately ending up in his smiling mama’s lap.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Lydia then woke up in bed, revealing it had all been a bad, strange dream. Beetlejuice was not the father to Astrid’s baby. In fact, Astrid had likely never been pregnant at all. (Probably not even married, either, considering how fast that all happened.) Only, Lydia’s nightmare wasn’t actually over just yet. Beetlejuice then woke up next to her and asked if she was okay. A terrified Lydia—who’d lost her dad, stepmom, and fiancee during the film—then woke up for real to an empty bed.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice‘s final scene went from sweet to scary to sad, but it was consistently weird the whole time. On its own, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Ending on such a dour note didn’t fit thematically or tonally with the movie, which was far more upbeat and positive. Why show Lydia all alone and being terrorized by her long tormenter when she’d just overcome so much and reconnected with her daughter? The first film was far more sinister and ended with an iconic musical number celebration. This type of ending would make way more sense in that movie, instead.

That final dream sequence only makes sense if it set up a third Beetlejuice film. Except there are currently no plans for a third movie, and it might never happen.

Warner Bros. Pictures

The movie opened with Lydia suddenly seeing Beetlejuice again after decades free from him. He was suddenly haunting her waking hours. When she returned to Winter River for her dad’s funeral Beetlejuice re-entered her life. He’d spent all those years pining after her, and in some ways his love for Lydia made him a better person ghost. He got a real job and seemed to mellow a lot. But that didn’t stop him from coercing Lydia into marrying him when the opportunity arose. Rather than help save Astrid out of the goodness of his dead heart, he exploited Lydia’s vulnerability for his own gain.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice‘s ending doesn’t work as a conclusion to itself, but it serves as a perfect bridge to a third and final film. It shows Lydia is not free of her spectral foe yet. Loopholes and voided contracts aren’t enough to rid her of him. He still has all eternity to figure out how to get her to say “I do.” If Lydia wants to be truly free of her Beetlejuice nightmare she’ll need to do something more than just send him back to the afterlife. That clearly didn’t work this time anymore than it did the first time. He still wants to marry Lydia and always will.

Warner Bros.

Ending your film with a scene that doesn’t really fit your movie unless it’s part of a larger story feels like a cop out at worst. But Beetlejuice Beetlejuice can make the case its ending was merely another example of the afterlife being “random,” and that it stayed true to its weird vibes and nature. But it’s hard to not think about the business side of that sequence when we’re watching a big budget Hollywood movie. And that’s almost impossible after seeing the reaction to the film.

Tim Burton’s sequel is setting box office records. We’d now be shocked if the studio doesn’t make a third and final film with Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder. Warner Bros. (and Burton himself) obviously wanted to leave the possibility open, and without waiting 36 years to do so this time.

None of that should really surprise anyone. After two films we all know if you want to get rid of that iconic bioexorcist you need to say Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

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Disney+ YA PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Movie Is Raising Eyebrows

The Phantom of the Opera, he’s there… on Disney+. Deadline has revealed that the streamer is looking to make a reimagined Phantom of the Opera movie with a YA twist. This piece of IP has, of course, seen numerous adaptations over the years and it’s no surprise another one is in the works. But the idea that this film would be a “YA movie re-imagination” of The Phantom of the Opera has its fans raising their eyebrows for several reasons.

Warner Bros.

Firstly, The Phantom of the Opera already basically appeals to the YA demographic in pretty much every way. I know I was in the YA age range when I first encountered the story, and many others online appear to express similar sentiments. So then, what will it even mean to have a “YA” specific version of The Phantom of the Opera? For some reason, I imagine a high school alternate universe where Christine is a shy singer type, and the Phantom is that loner kid skulking under the bleachers.

Secondly, that said, although The Phantom of the Opera does appeal to the YA among us, it very much deals with adult themes. When you brush away the dust of gothic glamor, Phantom highlights incredibly twisted relationships, sexual awakenings, and some fairly dark themes of murder, mistreatment, and obsession at the end of the day. That’s all wonderful to explore, but it doesn’t totally feel like it aligns with the rest of Disney’s YA fare. But hey, who knows?

Warner Bros.

The truth is we still have very few details about Disney+’s YA The Phantom of the Opera movie. All we know, aside from its demographic skew, is that Kenny Ortega, who has overseen Disney’s High School Musical and Descendents franchises, will take the helm here. Theater kids indeed love High School Musical and Descendents, but once again, I’m having visions of Christine Daae trying to get the lead in the school musical… and I’m not sure how to feel about it yet.

Fans of The Phantom of the Opera will also no doubt want to know if the Broadway musical’s iconic songs will feature in the Disney movie version, but there remains no word on that for now.

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JOKER: FOLIE à DEUX Clip Highlights Arthur and Lee’s Connection

The unexpected comic book movie blockbuster of 2019 was Todd Phillips’ Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix in the title role of Batman’s #1 nemesis. The movie earned a billion dollars at the box office and won Phoenix an Academy Award for his role as Arthur Fleck. No one saw all that coming for the relatively smaller budget and very adult-skewing R-rated film. But when you make that much money, a sequel is inevitable. Enter Joker: Folie à Deux.

We have seen quite a few trailers and clips from this movie and there’s yet another one that highlights the Joker’s budding connection with Harleen “Lee” Quinzel.

In this teaser for Joker: Folie à Deux, we got our first look at Joker: Folie à Deux‘s Harvey Dent, played by Harry Lawtey. You can take a look at this new take on Dent below.

Put on a happy face. Joker: Folie à Deux – only in theaters and @imax, October 4. #JokerMovie #FilmedForIMAX pic.twitter.com/CqDld31gVg

— Joker Movie (@jokermovie) September 3, 2024

We also have our latest look at the stars of Joker: Folie à Deux, thanks to some new character posters. Here’s our newest look at Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck/Joker and Lady Gaga as Harleen “Lee” Quinzel. Phillips promised we’d see a more grounded and toned down Harley Quinn and this poster sure seems to indicate that is the case. Jury is out on how fans will feel about this rendition.

Warner Bros.Warner Bros.

Here’s everything we know about the Joker sequel.

Warner Bros.Title

Isn’t it beautiful?

Todd Phillips reminding us to rewatch Joker and get ready for #JokerFolieADeux pic.twitter.com/loJjviyiLI

— DC (@DCOfficial) October 3, 2023

The official title for Todd Phillips’ sequel to his 2019 blockbuster hit is officially Joker: Folie à Deux. Which means, in French, “Joker: Shared Madness.”

Joker: Folie à Deux‘s PlotWarner Bros.

The first thing we learned about Joker: Folie à Deux is that it will feature the Joker and Harley Quinn together. Considering how loosely the first film played with DC Comics’ mythos, don’t expect this one to be any different. DC explored the origin of the Joker/Harley relationship in the classic Batman: The Animated Series episode “Mad Love,” and then translated (more or less faithfully) in the first Suicide Squad movie. We expect something a little more out of the box this time for Joker and Harley, and we get it in the film’s trailer.

Recently, we learned that Joker: Folie à Deux takes place two years after the first movie. After shooting a talk show host on live television and inciting a major riot in the process, Arthur Fleck is sent to a psych ward and faces the death penalty. In the psych ward, he meets another patient, Harleen “Lee” Quinzel who becomes obsessed with him, or at least, his alter-ego, Joker. Arthur stops taking his medication and he and Lee enter a musical fantasy world, which, according to Variety, “often plays like the MGM musicals of yesteryear on acid.”

Despite this, Lady Gaga and some of the other cast and creators note they wouldn’t actually describe it as a musical and “It’s very different… The music is a way to give the characters a way to express themselves because the dialogue wasn’t enough.” Sounds a bit like a musical to us, but okay.

Warner Bros.

For those concerned, Peter Safran and James Gunn have assured fans the movie will remain in the DC Universe, though it will carry an Elseworlds project tag. That means it will live on, but it won’t work into the main timeline of the DC Universe.

Joker: Folie à Deux‘s CastWarner Bros.

Aside from the returning Joaquin Phoenix as Joker/Arthur Fleck, and Lady Gaga as Lee/Harley Quinn, only a handful of other actors have been confirmed thus far. Gaga shares “My version of Harley Quinn is ‘Lee,'” Gaga said. “In a lot of ways, I think this is going to be a very different Lee for people, and I’m excited for them to see the story we wanted to tell.”

Brendan Gleeson has also joined the cast, as has Catherine Keener in a “major” but still unknown role. Jacob Lofland has also joined up, as someone associated with Arkham Asylum. Also officially joining the cast is Industry‘s Harry Lawtey.

Behind the ScenesWarner Bros.

Director Todd Phillips is reuniting with his original Joker co-writer Scott Silver for this new continuation.

Joker: Folie à Deux‘s Release Date

The Joker sequel is set to premiere on October 4, 2024.

Originally published on December 12, 2022.

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LABYRINTH and THE DARK CRYSTAL Coming to 4K UHD Blu-Ray in Deluxe Collector’s Sets

Two of the greatest Jim Henson fantasy films from the ’80s are making their way to limited-edition 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray releases this year. Both of them in a pair of collector’s sets that’ll have fans in awe. Shout! Studios, together with The Jim Henson Company, presents Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal in Limited Edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray Collector’s Sets. Both arrive on November 19, 2024. Each Limited Edition SteelBook will also be available to own separately at Walmart. You can check out images and details for each release right here:

Labyrinth Limited Edition Collector’s SetShout! Factory

The lavish offering of Labyrinth contains a glass crystal ball (iconic of the one in the movie) with interior 3D-etching of the movie title. Also, a wooden labyrinth-style base for display, five art cards, and a 28-page book with a new essay. There are also production stills, and concept art by Brian Froud. Plus, a collectible sticker, a payload of bonus content, and sparkling 4K UHD and Blu-ray of the film. It arrives packaged in an awe-inspiring box with wrap-around original concept art from the movie. The lid flap that opens to a window display of the crystal ball. The 4K disc features new Fan Event Q&As with Brian Henson and Toby Froud. Not to mention a new contact juggling Tutorial. The Blu-ray disc contains all the legacy special features.

Shout! Studios

Starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly, and produced with Lucasfilm, Labyrinth originally came out in theaters in 1986. The film is an unforgettable fantasy adventure that follows Sarah Williams (Connelly) as she makes her way through the labyrinth of the Goblin King Jareth (Bowie) in search of her little brother Toby. A mainstay of the fantasy genre with its spectacular visual effects and ground-breaking animatronics, the film is of special interest to David Bowie fans worldwide as the film contains original songs written and recorded by Bowie just for the film.

The Dark Crystal Limited Edition Collector’s SetShout! Studios

Collectors and loyal fans will rejoice over The Dark Crystal Limited Edition Collector’s Set, which includes a glass replica of the shard (1:1) from the movie, five art cards, a 28-page book with a new essay, production stills, concept art by Brian Froud, a collectible sticker, insightful bonus content, and stunning 4K UHD and Blu-ray of the film. All are housed in a gorgeous box with wrap-around concept art and a lid flap that opens to a window display. The 4K disc contains a Fan Event Q&A with Lisa Henson. The Blu-ray showcases all of the previous legacy special features.

Shout! Studios

This puppetry work of genius recounts the timeless tales of good versus evil, becoming a cult favorite around the world. Directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, the film features innovative animatronics and uniquely memorable characters. Each character was created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. Since its initial release in 1982, the film has earned a place in cinematic history as a masterpiece of fantasy. Travel back in time to the faraway planet of Thra where evil Skeksis are in control. There, the Gelfling Jen, last of his kind, is sent on a quest by the peaceful Mystics to find the missing shard. A shard that will restore balance and heal the world.

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Marvel Studios’ Vision Series Adds STAR TREK: PICARD Actor Todd Stashwick

Marvel Studios’ series starring Paul Bettany as the synthezoid hero Vision, continues to take shape. A few months back, Marvel hired Star Trek: Picard season 3 showrunner Terry Matalas to take the helm of the series. At the time the working title was Vision Quest. Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Matalas has added a new cast member to the series, with actor Todd Stashwick. Stashwick previously starred in Picard season three as Captain Liam Shaw of the Titan, quickly becoming a fan-favorite character. Stashwick will play an assassin who is tracking Vision, and the advanced technology he possesses.

Paramount+/Marvel Studios

Todd Stashwick and Terry Matalas go way back professionally as the two worked together on the Syfy Channel series, 12 Monkeys. Stashwick becomes the second new cast member added to the upcoming Vision-centric series. This is after Marvel announced that James Spader was returning as the Vision’s “father,” Ultron. We’re not sure if Stashwick’s assassin role is a new one created just for the series or not. It may be someone based on a Marvel Comics character. There are plenty of Marvel assassin characters that have yet to make it to the MCU, like Paladin. Another option is the mutant Fantomex from the X-Men.

The Disney+ Vision series is planned as the third part of a trilogy of sorts. The first part of the trilogy was WandaVision, with the second part being the upcoming Agatha All Along. Will this trilogy end with the Scarlet Witch and the Vision, reunited at last? Perhaps with their superhero children, Wiccan and Speed, fighting at their side? It would be amazing if the Maximoff family reunited in time for the events of Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. The Vision series starts filming in the U.K. in early 2025, with a probable 2026 release date.

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New HMD Barbie Flip-Phone Has All the Early 2000s Vibes

Barbie might have been the “It Girl” of summer 2023, thanks to a billion dollar blockbuster movie. But her power is not limited to just one pop culture moment. Barbie has been slaying the house down since 1959, and she’s not stopping anytime soon, nor are her many branded products. And while you may never own Barbie’s hot pink car, or her stylish Dream House, you now can own a real-life flip phone in authentic Barbie pink. Via The Verge, we’ve learned that the HMD Barbie phone will officially go on sale for $129 this October. You can check out the first images below:

Click To View Gallery HMD/Mattel Mattel/HMD HMD/Mattel Mattel/HMD HMD/Mattel

The Barbie phone is as old school as it gets. It has no apps, just a tiny, 2.8-inch inner screen. It only has enough connectivity for calls and texts. So not only can you pretend to be Barbie, you can pretend to be Barbie in 2002. (Or maybe Elle Woods from Legally Blonde?) HMD says that with this Barbie flip phone, users can “take a vacation from your smartphone.” Now, I’m not sure that’s something people are eager to do, but if they are, might as well do it Mattel style. The phone has a 5-megapixel camera with a built-in flash, so you can make your pics look like your summer vacation from the early 2000s.

HMD/Mattel

The new Barbie Phone comes with extremely two extra Barbie-esque battery covers, and an external display with a mirror. It also comes with a beaded lanyard with cute attachable charms, stickers, and stick-on gems for customization. The old-school Snake game even gets Barbie-ized. It also comes in a hot-pink jewelry box. The HMD Barbie Phone works on all three major US wireless networks, and becomes available for preorder on September 23. It will ship on October 1st. Just don’t tell Ken, he’ll find some way to make it all about him. You know how he is.

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