Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 246

Alison Brie Will Play Evil-Lyn in Live-Action MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Movie at Amazon

The live-action Masters of the Universe finally has a release date and a new home with Amazon MGM Studios. After the long-gestating Mattel film bounced from Sony to Netflix to the dark universe of cancellation, fans were not sure if they’d ever see He-Man’s sword and iconic bob come to the big screen. The last live-action film was way back in 1987, so we are certainly due for another round. Now we know that it is happening. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the live-action Masters of the Universe movie will release worldwide on June 5, 2026. That is still a long wait, so hopefully, this movie delivers the goods for fans. 

Amazon Studios/Filmation

Alison Brie, whom fans will know from a wide array of film and television projects including Community, GLOW, and Horse Girl, has joined the cast of Masters of the Universe. She’ll play Evil-Lyn, one of the (shocker here) villains of the story. In the original animated series, Evil-Lyn is a witch and Skeletor’s second in command. In the 1987 Cannon film of the property, Meg Foster and her terrifying eyes played Evil-Lyn.

The CW/Mattel

Camila Mendes, whom many of us know as Veronica from Riverdale, will portray Teela in this film. She’s the Captain of the Royal Guard at Eternos’ palace and trains Prince Adam of Eternia.

The movie already revealed that Nicholas Galitzine will play He-Man in the long-awaited movie. We previously learned that Kyle Allen would star as He-Man, but that, it seems, is no longer the case. Nicholas Galitzine, who recently acted in Red, White, and Royal Blue and The Idea of You, will now play He-Man in the live-action Masters of the Universe film.

Starz/Netflix

Other casting details for the movie are unknown at this time; however, Travis Knight will direct this Masters of the Universe live-action film with Chris Butler penning the script. Mattel Films’ Robbie Brenner and Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch are producing. Masters of the Universe has been around over forty years, first making its action figure debut in 1982 with a popular animated TV series to follow, so we’ll be excited to see where this live-action movie goes.

Mattel

Here’s a synopsis of what fans can expect in the film: 

10-year-old Prince Adam crashed to Earth in a spaceship and was separated from his magical Power Sword—the only link to his home on Eternia. After tracking it down almost two decades later, Prince Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet against the evil forces of Skeletor. But to defeat such a powerful villain, Prince Adam will first need to uncover the mysteries of his past and become He-Man: the most powerful man in the Universe!

When Will the Live-Action Masters of the Universe Movie Release?

As mentioned, this film is slated to release on June 5, 2026. Hopefully, it will not have to move around again.

For now, we will just have to wait and see if this return to Eternia packs a powerful nostalgia punch.

Originally published on May 2, 2024.

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THE RINGS OF POWER Season 2’s Release Schedule (Plus Release Time, Finale Date, and More)

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two is finally on its way back to us. And although the first season of The Rings of Power left us with many questions that still need to be explored, we finally have an answer to one all-important question. One question to rule them all, if you will. What is the release date for The Lord of The Rings: The Rings Power season two? Let’s take a look at when we’ll be able to enjoy more of The Rings of Power.

Prime Video

Jump to: When Do New Episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Release? What Was The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season Two’s Release Date? // How Many Episodes Will Released During The Rings of Power Season Two’s Premiere? // How Many Episodes Long Is The Rings of Power Season Two? // Will The Rings of Power Have a Weekly Release & What Day and Time Will Episodes Air? // When Is the Finale of The Rings of Power Season 2? // The Rings of Power Season Two Full Release Schedule

When Do New Episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Release?

Before we get deep into it, let’s answer the question on everyone’s minds. When do new episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power release? New episodes of The Rings of Power release on Thursday nights/mornings at 12 AM PT, that’s 3am ET and 8am BST (in the UK). They stream on Prime Video

What Was the Release Date for The Lord of The Rings: The Rings Power Season Two?

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two released on Thursday, August 29. On that date, The Rings of Power‘s second season will premiere globally “in more than 240 countries and territories in multiple languages.” To get even more excited about what this season has in store, make sure to check out its recently released trailer.

Prime VideoHow Many Episodes Will Released During The Rings of Power‘s Season Two Premiere on August 29?

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premiered with three episodes on its August 29 release date.

How Many Episodes Long Is The Rings of Power Season Two?

The Rings of Power season two will be eight episodes long.

Will The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season Two Have a Weekly Release? What Day and Time Will The Episodes Release?

Yes, after its initial three-episode premiere, The Rings of Power season two will be released weekly on Thursdays (technically, Friday morning for the East Coast). We feel glad to hear it. We much prefer this method of release to the all-at-once episode drop we saw with Prime Video’s Fallout.

As for timing, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will become available on Prime Video on Thursdays at 12 AM PT, that’s 3am ET and 8am BST (in the UK)

When Will The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power‘s Season Two Finale Air?

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will release its epic season two finale on October 3, 2024.

The Rings of Power Season Two Full Release SchedulePrime VideoThe Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 1: August 29The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 2: August 29The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 3: August 29The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 4: September 5The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 5: September 12The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 6: September 19The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 7: September 26The Rings of Power Season 2, Episode 8 (Finale): October 3Catch Up with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Before Season TwoPrime Video

While we wait for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two to release, it’s a great time to catch up on season one. All eight episodes of The Rings of Power‘s first season are now streaming on Prime Video. If you haven’t watched them yet, we couldn’t recommend them more. This is one epic adventure worth taking.

Originally published on May 14, 2024.

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STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE Get 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Steelbook for 45th Anniversary

Star Trek: The Motion Picture celebrates 45 years this year and Paramount Home Entertainment is releasing director Robert Wise’s film in a limited edition 4K Blu-ray Steelbook edition. This new 4K Blu-ray Steelbook will have the same contents as the now out-of-print Director’s Edition and limited-edition collector’s set entitled “The Complete Adventure” that came out back in 2022. The Steelbook comes with an exclusive booklet with behind-the-scenes images and info from the film, and the cover features the iconic original movie poster artwork.

Paramount Home Entertainment

Star Trek: The Motion Picture was a very expensive movie for its day and was a famously troubled production. The effects took so long to complete, they finished them literally days before the movie premiere. Although reaction to the film from audiences and critics was mixed at first, it launched a feature film franchise that’s still going today. And these days, Star Trek: The Motion Picture has many loyal fans who cite this installment as their favorite, especially for its grand ambition. It also gave us the best version of the starship Enterprise yet.

Paramount Pictures

Here are the new special features for this disc of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, only available previously via the exclusive limited edition version from 2022.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Contents:

Audio Commentary with David C. Fein, Mike Matessino, and Daren R. Dochterman
Audio Commentary by Robert Wise, Douglas Trumbull, John Dykstra, Jerry Goldsmith, and Stephen Collins
Text Commentary by Michael and Denise Okuda

Paramount PicturesStar Trek: The Motion Picture Blu-ray Disc Bonus Features:

The Human Adventure—An all-new 8-part documentary detailing how the Director’s Edition came to life
Preparing the Future – How the remastering began
A Wise Choice – The storied history of Robert Wise
Refitting the Enterprise – How the Enterprise design shaped future federation starships
Sounding Off – Exploring new dimensions of sound in Dolby Atmos
V’ger – The conception and restoration of an iconic alien antagonist
Return to Tomorrow – Reaching an already high bar with new CGI effects
A Grand Theme – Behind the iconic, influential music score that shaped the franchise’s future
The Grand Vision – The legacy and evolving reputation of this classic movie
Deleted Scenes
Effects Tests
Costume Tests
Computer Display Graphics
Additional legacy bonus content

Star Trek: The Motion Picture 4K UHD Steelbook, Blu-Ray, and Digital Copy arrives on November 19, and is already available for pre-order on Amazon.

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George R.R. Martin Shares, Deletes Post About His Problems with HOUSE OF THE DRAGON

In July George R.R. Martin told fans he would soon share his thoughts on “everything that’s gone wrong” with House of the Dragon. That tantalizing tease suggested he was ready to spill a whole lot of Moon tea. Well, he sure was. The author did more than just discuss his issues with the adaptation’s divisive second season. Martin spit fire and blood about his concerns in an already deleted blog post where he explained why he’s worried about what showrunner Ryan Condal has planned for the series’ final two seasons, in a screed that was the literary equivalent of the Night King bringing down the Wall.

HBO

In a quickly deleted post titled “Beware the Butterflies” at his Not a Blog, Martin opened up talking about the split reaction to House of the Dragon‘s “Blood and Cheese” sequence from season two’s first episode. Some readers thought the show’s version came up far short of the more emotionally wrenching one found in Martin’s Fire & Blood. (I wrote the series “botched” the sequence entirely.) Martin was far kinder in his assessment, which included a lot of praise for the series’ take, even though he agrees book readers are right “the scene in the book is stronger.”

Martin also wrote about how Ryan Condal explained the practical reasons behind these changes, along with how the show would later introduce a missing character cut from that vital scene.

HBO

The author’s analysis of House of the Dragon‘s “Blood and Cheese” comes across as tough but fair. Martin has real, well-founded criticism, but understands why certain changes were made. His assessment reads as wholly diplomatic.

“Diplomatic” does not describe the rest of what he wrote. At best it read as highly critical. At worst it came across as downright antagonistic and angry.

Martin explained he only briefly argued about the changes to “Blood and Cheese” because Condal shared his plan to introduce a missing character later. In Fire & Blood Aegon and Helaena have a third child, a younger son named Maelor. His presence (or lack thereof) greatly alters the nightmarish sequence for everyone involved. That’s also true of Maelor’s future role in the story.

HBO

While not a major character himself, two-year-old Maelor is a major impetus for important future events. Except Condal apparently later changed his mind and decided to never introduce Maelor to the show. That has clearly (CLEARLY) displeased Martin.

In his post he went into a spoiler-heavy explanation of the massive “Butterfly Effect” the “Missing Maelor” will cause going forward. (If you haven’t read Fire & Blood and don’t want anything from House of the Dragon spoiled we’re going to keep them to a bare minimum here. Martin’s post does not, so tread lightly if you seek out a copy.)

Warner Bros. Discovery

Martin made no attempt to hide his frustration—if not downright anger and disappointment—with Condal, the show, and even HBO whose budget limits he insinuated are causing problems. Here are some of the standout lines from his post (emphasis our own):

…Could maybe make Maelor a newborn instead of a two year old, but that would scramble up the timeline, which is a bit of a mess already. I have no idea what Ryan has planned — if indeed he has planned anything…From what I know, that seems to be what Ryan is doing here. It’s simplest, yes, and may make sense in terms of budgets and shooting schedules. But simpler is not better.In Ryan’s outline for season 3, (character) still kills (themself)… for no particular reason. There is no fresh horror, no triggering event to overwhelm…What will we offer the fans instead, once we’ve killed these butterflies? I have no idea. I do not recall that Ryan and I ever discussed this, back when he first told me they were pushing back on Aegon’s second son. Maelor himself is not essential… but if losing him means we also lose (multiple major moments) well… that’s a considerable loss.Max

Forget coming in hot. Martin came in on Balerion the Black Dread. And that was true before his final line went full scorched Westeros. He delivered a preemptive shot across the bow at Ryan Condal and House of the Dragon.

And there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if HOUSE OF THE DRAGON goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4…

…Yeah. Yeah.

That’s as subtle as Bronn and as diplomatic as a Dothraki. This was George R.R. Martin making clear he thinks House of the Dragon is heading to the same fate as Game of Thrones, which completely fell apart during its panned final two seasons.

HBO

How much of this post is a result of Martin’s frustration with the prequel itself versus how much is this a response to Game of Thrones‘ ending? Only he knows that. But he has previously talked about how he wasn’t as involved with the original show’s latter seasons. And since it seems he’s been unable to prevent fundamental changes he feels strongly about during House of the Dragon‘s first two, this might be the only way he thought he could help the series course correct before it’s too late.

Will it work? Or will this deleted post backfire on him? Will it ostracize him from HBO, Condal, and the show even more? And if it does, will it hurt other spinoffs, including the currently in-production A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

CBS

Martin didn’t feel he was being heard in private so he aired a whole lot of dirty laundry out in public. We’re not sure Meslidandre herself could divine in her flames what that will lead to.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who agrees entirely with George R.R. Martin on this matter. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Meet Tom Bombadil in This Exclusive Clip From THE RINGS OF POWER Season 2

Hey dol! Merry dol! The time has come, fellow The Lord of the Rings fans. A highly anticipated moment is here at long last. Yes, we mean the first appearance of the mysterious being Tom Bombadil in a major live-action Tolkien adaptation. In our exclusive clip from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two, episode four, our favorite wandering wizard, The Stranger, ends up in a bit of a bizarre position, though not one unfamiliar to fans of Tolkien… Especially not when a certain being is about to appear on the scene. Luckily for the Stranger, Old Tom Bombadil is in a helping (and singing) mood in this The Rings of Power scene.

You can take a look at the pair’s meeting and, finally, properly meet The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power‘s Tom Bombadil in our exclusive clip below.

In The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two, Tom Bombadil is played by Rory Kinnear. We’ve seen glimpses of Kinnear’s Tom Bombadil in the trailers for the series, but this is our best look at the character yet. And we have to say, it’s full marks from us. A melodic voice, check. Long hair, check. Long beard, check. The inner glow of an unbothered ancient, check.

But all kidding aside, even in this short scene from The Rings of Power, we get all of Tom Bombadil’s best qualities on full display. Kinnear’s Tom is cheerful but enigmatic, soothing but mysterious. There’s a great deal of wonderful warmth in this Tom Bombadil, but just enough of a gentle scold to let us know he’s seeing inside our very souls. “Who are you?” The Stranger asks, and though we’ll unlikely get a straight answer to that question (and nor should we!), it’s a great deal of fun to finally get to watch Tom Bombadil name himself in a The Lord of the Rings project.

Prime Video

Of course, we always love a good Tolkien Easter egg, and true-heart fans will delight in how Tom Bombadil’s introduction in The Rings of Power season two echoes his introduction in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. There, Frodo meets Tom Bombadil after those scamps, Merry and Pippin, get gobbled up by Old Man Willow, and Bombadil helps to save them. In our exclusive The Rings of Power season two clip, it’s The Stranger who has been consumed by a tree instead, only to have Tom Bombadil come to his rescue. We don’t think it’s Old Man Willow this time, but perhaps a cousin. If The Stranger really is Gandalf, someone ought to remind him later that he has more in common with Merry and Pippin than he thinks!

To put the Goldeberry on top, we even believe we hear a touch of “Concerning Hobbits” in the theme that plays for Tom Bombadil when he greets The Stranger. And that really cements for us the deep connection between these two The Lord of the Rings meetings.

Prime Video

The Stranger, of course, seems to be on the hunt for his staff when he meets Tom Bombadil. But tugging on random tree branches does not feel like the right way to go about things. Hopefully, Tom Bombadil can guide him toward a better one. We’ll find out as The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two continues streaming on Prime Video. The first three episodes of the series are now available to watch, with new episodes arriving on Thursday until October 3.

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ANNE RICE’S THE TALAMASCA Casts Nicholas Denton As Its Lead

AMC’s “Immortal Universe” of series based on the novels of Anne Rice is expanding. A new series based on the psychic order of scholars the Talamasca is coming next year, according to Deadline. In Rice’s books, the Talamasca are an ancient and secret order that catalogs and studies the supernatural. And now, Nicholas Denton (Dangerous Liaisons) has been cast as the lead. He’ll play a character named Guy Anatole, who seems to be created just for this series and not from the novels. Here’s the Talamasca character’s official description:

 Guy Anatole is brilliant, handsome and sharp on the surface, but he’s always known his mind works a little differently. On the cusp of graduating law school, he is approached by a representative of the Talamasca, a secretive agency that monitors and protects us from the supernatural world. When Guy learns that the Talamasca has been tracking him since his childhood, he falls headlong into a world of secret agents and immortal beings who, up to now, have maintained a fragile balance with the mortal world. But for that balance to hold, and for Guy to survive, he will have to learn to embrace the dark, treacherous depths of his true and singular self.

AMC Networks

Production for the series begins next month in the U.K. The six-episode season will focus on the people responsible for tracking and containing the witches, vampires, and other creatures scattered around the globe. Members of the Talamasca have already been introduced to viewers of Mayfair Witches and Interview with the Vampire. Although, they are a bigger presence on Mayfair Witches so far. John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side) and Mark Lafferty (Halt and Catch Fire) will be the series writers, co-showrunners, and executive producers. Hancock will also direct. 

Unlike the previous two series inspired by Rice novels, there is no Talamasca series of books by the late author. Instead, she used them as seasoning throughout several of her supernatural novels. In the 2000s, when Rice “crossed over” her Witching Hour series and her vampire books, they played a significant role. Rice often teased a standalone Talamasca novel, but it never came to fruition. She finally revealed the origins of the organization in her 2014 novel Prince Lestat. She tied their beginnings more strongly to the vampires. The AMC shows change much of the mythology Rice created, so who knows if any of that will stick in Anne’s Rice’s The Talamasca series.

Nerdist

According to Dan McDermott, president of AMC Studios, a Talamasca spin-off series is something the studio has been thinking about since their Anne Rice Immortals Universe began. He said, “This is a story we’ve been developing and wanting to tell from the earliest moments of this franchise, focused on a fascinating and compelling secret society that has already appeared in both of our existing Anne Rice series.” Shooting starts this fall in Manchester, England. In the novels, the main Talamasca Motherhouse is in England, so this makes sense. Anne Rice’s The Talamasca series is scheduled to debut on AMC and AMC+ in late 2025.

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Yes, There Was a Baby Orc and an Orc Family on THE RINGS OF POWER Season 2 (Get Over It!)

One little orc/uruk baby is in the middle of much discussion among the lovers of Middle-earth in our world. During The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two’s first episode, we got to meet the orc Glûg, who seemed very concerned about the orcs marching back off to war after they just found a home in Mordor. But it turns out, Glûg the orc’s motivation for peace runs deeper than just wanting a little quiet. The Rings of Power season two reveals to us that Glûg has an orc family waiting in the wings, which includes an orc wife and an orc baby. It turns out that neither orc ladies nor orc babies have ever been depicted in a The Lord of the Rings adaptation before. And for some, this was a shocking turn of events.

Prime Video

Aren’t the orcs just purely evil beings who could have no love in their hearts? Well, we suppose that’s a fair question to ask. But The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has long been veering away from that interpretation of orcs, or as they like to be called, Uruk. So, we feel it makes a lot of sense to have orc families in the narrative. But beyond that, J.R.R. Tolkien and his writings leave much room for orc babies and orc familial ties to exist. (And yes, orcs do reproduce like humans and elves. Once again, get over it!)

Here’s What J.R.R. Tolkien Has to Say About Orc Babies and Orc Families

Of course, it’s fair enough to ask what J.R.R. Tolkien, the creator of The Lord of the Rings world, would have to say about orcs having families and babies. Handily, Tolkien does address these ideas WHILE also leaving the door open in a way that 100% allows for The Rings of Power‘s interpretations of orc community.

Orcs Reproduce Like Men and Elves, and That Means an Orc Baby Is Totally ValidPrime Video

Most notably, Tolkien said of the orcs in The Silmarillion, “And thus did Melkor breed the hideous race of the Orcs in envy and mockery of the Elves, of whom they were afterwards the bitterest foes. For the Orcs had life and multiplied after the manner of the Children of Ilúvatar; and naught that had life of its own, nor the semblance of life, could ever Melkor make since his rebellion in the Ainulindalë before the Beginning: so say the wise. And deep in their dark hearts, the Orcs loathed the Master whom they served in fear, the maker only of their misery.”

Two important aspects of that quote jump out. First, Tolkien makes it plain that orc babies do exist. He literally says, “Orcs multiply in the manner of the Children of Ilúvatar.” Yes, that’s elves and men. So, yes orcs have sex. I am sorry to break this to you, but it feels relevant in this case. They reproduce like elves and men, which means that orcs have babies. A totally incontestable fact.

Of course, one might argue that having a baby doesn’t necessarily mean having a family. Although most creatures on earth, especially our direct comparison point here, elves and men, do often have communities that revolve around children. That leads us to, second, the fact that Tolkien stresses specifically that orcs have life and, in the same breath, notes orcs actually loathe Morgoth. That information makes you feel like the Orcs are not just mindless evil but actually have nuanced feelings of their own. If they feel enough to feel misery, they probably feel enough to feel love.

Orc Family TiesNew Line Cinema

In both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien writes of the orc Bolg and his father, Azog. Tolkien notes in The Hobbit, “Bolg of the North is coming, O Dain! whose father you slew in Moria.” Additionally, a footnote in the The Lord of the Rings books notes, “Azog was the father of Bolg.” While he doesn’t come right out and say it, Tolkien implies that Bolg seeks revenge against Dain. That is certainly the tact The Hobbit movies took when portraying the relationship. Seeking vengeance for a father would certainly indicate family ties and orc kin affinities, even though this, of course, is the darkest manifestation of them.

We Just Don’t Know That Much About The Lord of the Rings Orcs, Their Feelings, Hobbies, or Anything ElsePrime Video

Ultimately, though, Tolkien leaves the door fully open for The Rings of Power or any other adaptation to portray orcs, their families, babies, and their interior lives. Tolkien writes in his Letter to Mrs. Munby, “There must have been orc-women. But in stories that seldom, if ever, see the Orcs except as soldiers of armies in the service of the evil lords, we naturally would not learn much about their lives. Not much was known.”

Basically, Tolkien himself says that orcs have lives we just don’t know about. It sounds like he’s saying with complete certainty that orcs do engage in activities other than soldiering and menacing, but we just haven’t yet had occasion to hear about them. (And orc-women are totally an approved part of The Lord of the Rings‘ world.)

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Has Been Setting Up Sympathetic Orcs All AlongPrime Video

Happily, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a story that does want to take the time to get to know the orcs as more than just agents of pure evil. While the presence of an orc family might crystallize this on our screens, The Rings of Power has been working toward this moment ever since Adar told Galadriel in season one that each of his children were “creations of the secret fire” and had “a name and a heart.” If you were busily thinking Adar was the villain in that exchange, perhaps its time to watch once again. We even see Adar and the orcs engaging in a burial rite in season one of the series. Taking the time to honor one’s dead, again, implies a deep sense of community.

In The Rings of Power, the whole Uruk story has been about a search for a home in The Rings of Power and escaping the torment, some might say, misery, long placed on their shoulders. And so, it stands to reason that creatures looking for a home would be doing so for their families, orc or not.

The Time Has Come to Accept the Orc Family, the Orc Baby, and the Orc Community Into Our Hearts! Ross Ferguson/Prime Video

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power‘s showrunners told Nerdist that whether the orcs were orcs or Uruk would play a big role in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two. But whether the orcs eventually fall into total darkness or not, they’ll have at one point had enough love in their hearts to care for one another and their children. And we feel like that’s a much more fascinating story to explore than if they were just purely evil. If the orc baby and orc family on The Rings of Power is really such a bothersome concept to anyone, perhaps they should take a minute and evaluate why! Meanwhile, we’ll be buying Glûg a baby shower gift.

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Marvel’s NOVA Series Will Draw Inspiration From STAR TREK and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

Marvel Studios has been hinting at a series or film based on their cosmic sci-fi hero Nova since 2017. Earlier this year, Kevin Feige revealed that Nova would indeed be coming to live-action as a Disney+ series. He said it was still “three to four years away,” but that doesn’t mean they don’t have an idea what this new show will be based on. Talking to the Phase Zero podcast, Marvel’s Brad Winderbaum revealed that Nova will draw inspiration from two specific spacefaring franchises. And for once, none are Star Wars. Here’s what he had to say:

The Nova that’s being developed right now, it’s an amazing ensemble piece. I shouldn’t say too much, but it’s like a great case of characters that’s got shades of [Star]Trek , shades of Battlestar Galactica

Marvel Comics

In the comics, Nova first appeared in The Man Called Nova #1 in 1976, as New York teenager Richard Rider. He is bequeathed the cosmic power of a Nova Centurion from the last member of the Nova StarCorps from the planet Xandar. With this power, he could tap into the Nova Force, and could fly, release energy blasts, and has super strength. (If this sounds like a cross between Spider-Man and DC’s Green Lantern, it kind of is.) Richard Rider has been a recurring player in Marvel Comics ever since. In more recent years, he became a mentor to a new Nova from Earth, teenager Sam Alexander.

We’ve actually met the Nova Corps already in the MCU, as they appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy on the planet Xandar. In Avengers: Infinity War, we later learned that Thanos later destroyed Xandar. We assume that the Nova Corps died along with it. This makes for the perfect setup for a Nova Corps survivor to make it to Earth. Once on Earth, they could hand Richard Rider the powers of Nova. Or maybe some of the Nova Corps survived the destruction of Xandar? That lines up with the Star Trek/ensemble comments from Winderbaum.

The Nova Corps in the MCU might be akin to Star Trek‘s Starfleet, with many Nova Centurions serving on board a starship. And if there are just a handful left, that would explain the Battlestar Galactica comparisons. We’re just excited to finally see Nova arrive in the MCU after all this time.

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Smell Like Outer Space with Eau de Space Fragrance

Mankind has always looked to the cosmos and wondered what was out there. Yet most of us will never know what it’s like to travel to outer space. That doesn’t mean we can’t al know what it smells like up there, though. Eau de Space, a secret scent created by NASA as part of its space program, is now available for anyone to buy.

Eau de Space

After a successful Kickstarter campaign four years ago, even non-backers can now make themself smell like outer space. Eau de Space is based on a decades old fragrance NASA developed to train astronauts. The space agency wanted to make sure it prepared its astronauts for everything and anything they’d encounter once they left Earth. That included the smell they’d encounter.

So what does space smell like? Those who actually experienced the real thing described space as a lingering “pungent aroma” made up of “gun powder, rum, fruit, seared steak, or a BBQ.” Some also compared its scent to “burnt cookies.”  

….Great. Those are definitely things we want to smell like. Everyone loves burnt cookies, the literal manifestation of disappointment and failure.

Eau de Luna

If curiosity is still going to get the better of you, though, and you want to smell like an astronaut that just came back in from a space walk, you can for $49.99. That’s what it costs to order a 100 ml bottle of Eau de Space. Fortunately its packaging is a lot more pleasant. The sleek custom bottle also comes with an “atomizer.” But why stop there? For the same price you can also opt for a 100ml bottle that will let you smell like the Moon. Eau de Luna is based on the smell Apollo astronauts described after visiting our lunar neighbor. They said it had “a unique smell, that’s hard to describe…like spent gunpowder.”

….Even better. No, really. These smells are fun to experience once, but knowing that’s what space smells like softens the blow of knowing we’ll probably never get to travel there ourselves.

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These Batman Replica Cowls Celebrate the Dark Knight’s Costume History

We always love to talk about how many Batmobiles the Batman has had over the years. But he’s had just as many costume changes as he’s changed rides. And the most evident costume difference is always in the cowl. Sometimes it’s blue, sometimes it’s black. Sometimes the ears are long, other times they’re small. Heck, sometimes, they even have painted on eyebrows! Now, via Comicbook, we’ve learned that McFarlane Toys and DC Direct are releasing a trio of 1:1 scale replica Batman cowls ranging from the comics, movies, and TV. You can check out images of the three 7-inch Batman collectible cowls right here:

McFarlane Toys/DC Direct

The first cowl is a replica of the one Adam West wore in the iconic Batman ’66 television series and the original Batman movie. This blue cowl is the one that helped turn Batman into a household name. The second is the black one Michael Keaton wore in Tim Burton’s classic 1989 Batman film. He wore it again in Batman Returns in 1992. Finally, we’ve got a comic book-accurate version of the cowl from the DC Comics story “Knightfall.” That saga saw the villain Bane break Batman’s back, leading to new hero Azrael taking over the role. That storyline was a big influence on Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises.

McFarlane Toys/DC Direct is releasing more scale Batman cowls in this series sometime in the near future. We’d sure love to see the one from Batman: The Animated Series and the Christopher Nolan Dark Knight trilogy. If we’re talking comics, let’s see DC Comics artist Kelley Jones’ version of the cowl with the long sinister ears.

These new Batman mini-cowls follow up the full-scale Michael Keaton 1989 cowl replica, which measures 24.5-inches tall, which arrived this summer. Each cowl costs $14.99, and they are available to pre-order now, and ship in November.

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