Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 256

PACIFIC RIM Prequel Series on the Way, Indiana Jones’ Hat Sells for $600,000, POKÉMON Star in Flight Safety Video, 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.

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 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

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!

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.

Screambox

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.”

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

Originally published on August 7, 2024.

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FREAKIER FRIDAY Wraps Filming, Plus Manny Jacinto’s Role Revealed

Freaky Friday 2 is officially happening, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan back for more body-swapping fun. The highly anticipated sequel movie certainly seemed like it was gaining traction, but there’s nothing we love more than an official announcement. In addition to Curtis and Lohan, Freaky Friday 2 has gained some excellent new cast members, and it has a slated release window of 2025. That’s some freakishly exciting stuff. We also have the official title. At D23, we learned Freaky Friday 2 will be called Freakier Friday. Here’s what we’ve learned about Freakier Friday since it was first announced.

The title of #FreakyFriday2 is Freakier Friday. #D23 https://t.co/o3cP8Fx6oQ pic.twitter.com/yxDP9dz2vZ

— Nerdist (@nerdist) August 10, 2024

Freakier Friday Wraps Filming

It feels like we just heard that Freaky Friday 2, no known as Freakier Friday was happening. But now, filming on the sequel movie has all but wrapped. Curtis shared a tribute to the film and Lohan on Instagram.

Manny Jacinto in Freakier Friday

Curtis recently revealed Manny Jacinto’s role in Freakier Friday. She shared with Entertainment Weekly, “Manny plays Lindsay’s husband, but that’s as much as we can say. Manny is lovely, so funny.” Looks like it’s Rom-Com leading man land next for Jacinto and we love it!

Freaky Friday 2, Freakier Friday, PlotDisney

In a release, Disney describes the plot of Freaky Friday 2 as follows:

A sequel to the beloved 2003 film with a multigenerational twist, the film picks up years after Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis. Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice.

More body swapping, ahoy!

Freaky Friday 2, Freakier Friday, Cast and Creators

@disneystudios

The band’s back together and coming to theaters in 2025 🤘. The sequel to Freaky Friday is now in production!

♬ original sound – Disney Studios

Of course, Curtis and Lohan reprise their roles as Tess and Anna Coleman. But other Freaky Friday actors will be back for more fun. These returning original cast members include Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray, Christina Vidal Mitchell, Haley Hudson, Lucille Soong, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Rosalind Chao. But Freaky Friday 2 will also see some new faces, including Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. We are very excited to hear Manny Jacinto is Freaky Friday 2 official, especially after his excellent recent turn on The Acolyte. As mentioned above, he will play Anna’s husband.

In addition to the above looks, we also have a glimpse at Chad Michael Murray’s return as Jake.

Finally, Freaky Friday 2 will be directed by Nisha Ganatra.

Freaky Friday 2‘s Release Date

Production on the Freaky Friday sequel began in June 2024. We should expect Freaky Friday 2 to release in theaters nationwide in 2025.

While we wait for Freaky Friday 2 to release, you can catch the original movie streaming on Disney+.

Originally published on July 18, 2024.

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The Wild Ending of ALIEN: ROMULUS, and What It Means for the Future of the Franchise

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Alien: Romulus from director Fede Álvarez functions as a sequel to Ridley Scott’s original Alien from 1979, while also referencing his more recent prequel films, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. Álvarez combined elements of both of those films for a wild third act that has everyone talking, because it’s pure nightmare fuel. Here, we’ll break down the ties to the other films in the franchise, and what the future might hold for further Alien installments. Especially after that wild ending left audiences gagged.

Twentieth Century Studios How Alien: Romulus Ties into Alien and Prometheus

When Alien: Romulus begins, we see a space probe has discovered the remains of the Nostromo, the mining vessel destroyed at the end of the original Alien. This is some 17 years after the events of that film. As you might recall, before fleeing in her escape pod, Ripley blasted the Xenomorph out of the airlock. As a “perfect organism,” it survived in space with no nutrients by going into a cocoon mode. That same Xenomorph was discovered near the remains of the Nostromo. It is brought back to a space station named the Renaissance, in orbit of the ringed planet Jackson’s Star. This takes us to the year 2142, twenty years after the events of Alien.

The Weyland-Yutani Company Is Once Again the True VillainTwentieth Century Studios

The Weyland-Yutani scientists working there try to experiment on the Xenomorph. But of course, it breaks free, killing the crew and creating new baby Xenomorphs, and releasing a metric ton of facehuggers. When labor worker Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her friends from Jackson’s Star, including her synthetic “brother” Andy (David Jonsson) pilot the mining ship Corbelan to the station in hopes of finding cryo pods to escape to a more hospitable world than their own, they find no one alive on the station. All that’s left is a half-functioning synthetic scientist named Rook, the same model as the android Ash from the Nostromo (played by Ian Holm). He explains to Rain and the others what happened on the station.

The scientists in the Romulus lab aboard the station performed experiments on the captured Xenomorph, discovering a new form of the black goo from Prometheus. In fact, the scientists give that tar-like substance the name “the Prometheus strain.” With this strain, the Weyland-Yutani scientists believed they could reverse engineer it to create a cure for all human illnesses and build “a perfect human lifeform” of their own which they could then exploit on dangerous and inhospitable mining worlds as a labor force. The scientists in the lab synthesized this strain, but all hell broke loose before any samples could leave the station.

The Birth of a Human/Engineer/Xenomorph Hybrid BeingTwentieth Century Studios

One of Rain’s friends from the Corbelan, Kay (Isabela Merced), was already pregnant when she escaped to the station. As the Xenomorphs pick off the Corbelan crew one by one, one of them captures Kay. Eventually, Rain and Andy find Kay in a cocoon, free her, and take her with them as they try to escape the station. Kay survives her injuries, but she chooses to inject the experimental sample into herself to increase her odds of survival. To paraphrase Aliens, this was a very bad call on her part.

Kay then suddenly gives birth to an egg. It hatches into a rapidly growing human-Xenomorph creature. The terrifying being looks part Xenomorph and also very similar to the Engineers from Prometheus. It kills its mother and nearly kills Andy, damaging him significantly. Rain ejects the cargo pod and the creature onto the asteroid rings of Jackson’s Star, and gets back control of the ship, and manages to escape with the damaged Andy. They go into cryo sleep, hoping to land on a more hospitable world than the hell they left behind. Even if it takes years to get there.

What Happens After Alien: Romulus?Twentieth Century Studios

Will someone find the remains of the creature in the rings of Jackson’s Star? And will the Company try again to replicate it? And what happens to Rain and Andy now? Just like Ripley (and Jones the cat) in Alien, they might float in cryo for years or decades. The universe they wake up in might be very different. Fede Álvarez clearly embraces the entire canon of the Alien franchise here. So whatever comes next likely continues building on what’s come before. For all we know, she arrives on Earth in the year 2381 or after, and encounters Ellen Ripley. We’re not saying that’s what will happen, but “going to sleep and waking up in a messed up world” is part of this franchise’s DNA. Anything can happen now.

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Why Everyone Is (Rightfully) Freaking Out Walt Disney World Could Close MUPPET*VISION 3D

This year’s D23 was a monumental one for guests of Disney parks. An all-new Villains Land is coming to Magic Kingdom in Orlando. Nearby Animal Kingdom is also getting some big upgrades. Meanwhile Disney California Adventure is getting two additional Avengers rides while Disneyland is getting an Avatar expansion. And that’s not even close to everything the Mouse House announced.

Yet, despite all the excitement, fans are worried about one revelation that should otherwise be a reason to celebrate. An entire Monsters, Inc. Land is coming to Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. The problem is that could mean the destruction of a beloved longtime attraction, Muppet*Vision 3D.

Why are fans (rightfully!) so upset at this possibility? Why is that show historically important to both the park and pop culture at large? And why should the Muppets’ presence at Hollywood Studios not only be saved but improved upon? Here’s everything you need to know about why Disney lovers don’t love the idea of saying goodbye to Muppet*Vision 3D.

What is Muppet*Vision 3D?The Walt Disney Company

Disney’s Hollywood Studios contains a “perfect replica” of the Muppet Theater from The Muppet Show. It’s home to Muppet*Vision 3D, an all-ages attraction whose name actually undersells the roughly 17-minute musical-comedy experience. In addition to a 3D-film starring the Muppets, the show also features 4D-elements. That includes animatronics, a live-action performer, and in-theater special effects.

It’s also a show with special meaning for fans of the late Jim Henson.

Muppet*Vision 3D was Jim Henson’s Last Muppets ProjectDisney Branded Television

Muppet*Vision 3D was a collaboration between Jim Henson Productions and Walt Disney Imagineering. It was also sadly the last Muppets project Jim Henson ever worked on. In addition to directing the film, it also marks the last time he voiced Kermit the Frog.

The legendary Henson passed away on May 16, 1990 before the show’s completion. Jim Henson’s Muppet*Vision 3D (as it was originally called) opened exactly one year later.

It has since aged as well as its timeless stars.

Muppet*Vision 3D Is Just as Good as Ever

The Muppets Disney era, which officially began in 2004, has been a mixed bag at best. Multiple TV shows and specials have come and gone without much fanfare. Outside of two successful films, Disney’s Muppets projects have failed to fully capture why people love the group. That’s not a problem with Muppet*Vision 3D.

The show’s chaotic energy, tone, and humor have all the calling cards of classic era Muppets, no doubt because Henson himself was behind it. It has something that appeals to people of all ages. That alone makes it an especially great attraction for Walt Disney World. But it’s now also a meaningful longtime part of a destination which thrives on offering nostalgia and shared experiences across generations of families.

The Walt Disney Company

There’s simply no reason to get rid of it on its own merits, either as a self-contained show or attraction within the park. But there’s another reason Walt Disney World should keep it: Hollywood Studios has already lost too much of its original appeal.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Has Already Closed Too Many Great Attractions

Unlike every other Disney park in America, Hollywood Studios—originally called Disney–MGM Studios Theme Park when it opened in 1989—no longer has a single opening day attraction left. That wouldn’t necessarily be so bad if not for the fact some of its lost rides are among the best in Walt Disney World history. (We’ll forever mourn The Great Movie Ride, Studio Backlot Tour, Streets of America, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: Movie Set Adventure.)

Losing Muppet*Vision 3D, one of the park’s oldest remaining attractions, would be another dagger to fans who have loved the park for more than 30 years. It’s closure would remove yet another piece of the park’s original soul. Hollywood Studios has changed dramatically in both style and feel, as it has moved further away from the “studio lot” idea that originally drove its design. Muppet*Vision 3D is one of the few remaining ties to an era of the park many still care about and want.

No Disney park is ever complete. The only thing certain about them is that change is always inevitable. And certain attractions do fall out with fans. But in this case Disney doesn’t have to worry about whether people will still care about the Muppets in the future. Kermit and friends have already proven they never feel dated.

The Muppets Have Already Endured the Test of TimeJim Henson Productions

With all due respect to the incredibly successful, incredibly popular Monster, Inc. franchise, The Muppets are a safer longterm bet. They debuted in 1955—46 years before Mike and Scully showed up—and people still love them. If Disney fears the Muppets could feel dated or irrelevant in 10, 20, or 30 years, history should ease any worries. Especially compared to a property that has only been around for a fraction of the time.

That doesn’t mean Monsters, Inc. Land is a bad idea. It actually sounds fantastic. But Disney doesn’t have to worry about choosing between the two, anyway. It can have the best of both worlds, all while making the entire park better anyway.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Has a Much Better Spot for Monsters, Inc. Land AnywayThe Walt Disney Company

Muppet*Vision 3D sits in Hollywood Studios’ Grand Avenue, previously known as Muppets Courtyard. In addition to the signature attraction it’s also home to two restaurants, one of which is the Muppets-themed PizzeRizzo. It used to have its own Muppets store, but that’s currently shuttered much to the chagrin of many fans.

Grand Avenue is a small area with some room for growth behind it, but not as much as other underdeveloped areas at Hollywood Studios. It also sits between the older Star Tours ride and the newer Galaxy’s Edge area. Jamming an entire Monsters, Inc. Land between them would make for an awkward fit, both practically and thematically. And since that location wouldn’t greatly increase the actual physical size of the park, it would make an already overcrowded, very busy Hollywood Studios even more crammed.

The Walt Disney Company

Instead of knocking down Muppet*Vision 3D, Disney could/should instead replace the underwhelming Animation Courtyard, which sadly long ago lost its importance to the park. It’s a much bigger area with far more room behind it to build on. It would also thematically make more sense for Monsters, Inc. Land because it would sit next to Toy Story Land. The two areas would create a whole Pixar section of the park. It would also add to Hollywood Studios total space, alleviating many of the overcrowding problem. Disney could build a new walkway between Monsters, Inc. Land and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. Everyone would benefit from that, as Hollywood Studios really needs more room for people to move through.

There’s also one other big reason Animation Courtyard is the far better spot for Monsters, Inc. Land, only it has nothing to do with the Pixar characters. It would mean a long abandoned plan for the Muppets at Hollywood Studios could finally happen.

Disney Should Finally Build The Muppets Area They Originally Planned

Muppets Courtyard/Grand Avenue is a mere fraction of what it was supposed to be. The original plan for the area called for way more attractions and space. That included a very different Rizzo-themes restaurant as well as a second major second attraction, The Great Muppet Movie Ride.

The amazing premise would have seen The Muppets attempting their own version of the park’s (now defunct) signature ride, which would have resulted in many screwups. If you ever went on the actual Great Movie Ride, you know why this would have been truly amazing.

The idea was clearly too good and too pure for this world. Only it doesn’t have to be.

The collaboration and attempts at a deal between Disney and Jim Henson Productions was not a smooth one. Some, including Frank Oz, believe stress from the potential deal contributed to Jim Henson’s death. His passing led to a much smaller, less ambitious Muppets area that we know to this day.

But Disney has owned the Muppets for 20 years. Rather than eliminate the group’s presence in the park they can expand it whenever they like. Whether that means returning to the original plans or coming up with something new doesn’t matter. The Muppets are a timeless, adored institution that appeals to young and old alike.

Nerdist

All the reasons Muppet*Vision 3D is worth saving in the first place are the same reasons Disney’s Hollywood Studios should give visitors even more ways to enjoy the Muppets. And when you understand that you can understand why fans are rightfully freaking out that a bunch of monsters might lead to the closure of the last Muppets film Jim Henson ever worked on.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who obviously loves Muppet*Vision 3D. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The 10 Greatest JUSTICE LEAGUE Comic Book Runs, Ranked

The world of comic books has no shortage of iconic superhero teams. But in the end, DC Comics‘ Justice League remains the best of the best, simply because it boasts a roster of Earth’s greatest and most iconic heroes. Among them, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. But when it comes to the League’s various series over the past sixty years, which runs are the all-time greatest? Whether it’s as the Justice League of America, International, Unlimited, or very simply “the Justice League,” these are our rankings for their greatest comic book creative runs of all time.

DC Comics10. JLA by Joe Kellywith Doug Mahnke, Chris CrossDC Comics

This run of the Justice League often falls through the cracks. Probably because it’s a follow up to both Grant Morrison and Mark Waid’s more celebrated versions. After successful runs on Deadpool and Daredevil at Marvel, writer Joe Kelly took over JLA with issue #61, along with artist Doug Mahnke. Their four-year run has some great stories throughout, starting with “The Golden Perfect.” That story deals with the ramifications of Wonder Woman’s indestructible golden lasso getting severed, rewriting the rules of reality. Longtime Leaguer Martian Manhunter gets a spotlight too, as this run explores his PTSD as the sole survivor of Mars.

But the greatest story in Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke’s run was “The Obsidian Age.” It’s a magical time-travel story where the JLA goes back thousands of years to the ancient Atlantean era. Meanwhile, in the present, a new League forms made up of characters whose time as Leaguers was long overdue, like Nightwing. Joe Kelly’s run also extended into the mini-series Justice League Elite, a commentary on the brutal vigilante teams like the Authority that were all the rage at the time. For unknown reasons, this run doesn’t get the love it deserves. Hopefully, more readers will discover it in the future.

Issues in Joe Kelly’s JLA Run:

JLA #61-90, Justice League Elite #1-12 (2001-2005)

9. Justice League of America by Gardner Foxwith Mike Sekowsky, Sheldon MoldoffDC Comics

To a modern reader, the original run of Justice League of America will seem very dated. It was written with little kids in mind, and the characters are all just costumes and powers, without distinct personalities. But writer and JLA co-creator Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky still managed to load up the series with tons of imagination, with villains introduced that are still major Justice League adversaries to this day. Bad guys like the alien despot Despero, the evil alt-JLA the Crime Syndicate, the android Amazo, and the sorcerer Felix Faust all debut here in the original run. Put yourself in the right preteen mindset, and these are still fun to read.

These early JLA stories would also flesh out the idea of the DC Multiverse, and begin the grand tradition of the Justice League/Justice Society annual crossovers. And as “kiddy” as they are, they do try to teach children real life science concepts via larger-than-life sci-fi stories. Early issues hid Batman and Superman, especially from the cover art, as DC editorial felt didn’t need more exposure. Once Batman ’66 blew up on TV, however, that edict went out the window. Once Superman and Batman could participate more, the series really took off. If you can view these stories through the lens of a young kid in the ‘60s, you can see how this was the foundation for a franchise that has stood the test of time.

Issues in Gardner Fox’s Justice League of America Run:

The Brave and the Bold #28-30, Justice League of America (vol.1) #1-65 (1960-1968)

8. Justice League by Geoff Johnswith Jim Lee, Ivan Reis, Jason FabokDC Comics

Geoff Johns is known for his seminal runs on DC titles like The Flash, Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, and especially Green Lantern. Not to mention a stint as president of DC Entertainment. He was known for building on DC’s vast history. But when DC rebooted their whole universe in 2011 with their New 52 initiative, Johns and superstar artist (and DC co-publisher) Jim Lee started from scratch. The pair built up the world’s greatest superheroes from the ground up, introducing them to each other as brand-new heroes. Younger versions of the DC icons came together again for the first time in the modern day, with Cyborg replacing Martian Manhunter as a team founder.

In their first adventure, the team saves the world from Darkseid, a story that greatly informed Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Later stories in this run would even see a reformed Lex Luthor join the team, and a new take on the Crime Syndicate. Some choices were suspect—we’ll never be on board with that Superman/Wonder Woman romance for example—and most of this run is no longer in continuity. (DC continuity is a mess, it’s hard to know). But that doesn’t stop this from being a fun and beautiful-to-look-at comic book. The art from Jim Lee, and later Ivan Reis and Jason Fabok, is always jaw-droppingly good.

Issues in Geoff Johns’ Justice League Run:

Justice League (vol. 2) #1-50 (2011-2015)

7. JLA by Mark Waidwith Howard Porter, Bryan HitchDC Comics

Mark Waid doesn’t get the credit he deserves as a Justice League writer, but he absolutely should. He re-introduced the classic JLA roster for the modern era in the 1996 mini-series Justice League: A Midsummer’s Nightmare, before taking over from Grant Morrison in JLA with issues #43-60, during which he wrote the seminal story “Tower of Babel.” This storyline saw Ra’s al Ghul steal Batman’s protocols to take down the League and became the basis for the animated film Justice League: Doom. Waid also introduced the villainous Queen of Fables in a run with future Ultimates artist Bryan Hitch.

Aside from the main JLA title, Waid also wrote the JLA: Year One, telling the story of the League’s earliest days from a modern perspective, with artist Barry Kitson. You could even argue Waid and Alex Ross’ epic Kingdom Come mini-series is a Justice League story, which elevates Waid’s Justice League tenure even further. Few writers have a better understanding of these classic heroes as much as Mark Waid does. Soon, he’ll be taking on the team again in a new Justice League Unlimited ongoing series this year. If it’s as good as his past JL work, his ranking on this list could shoot up even higher.

Issues in Mark Waid’s JLA Run:

Justice League: A Midsummer’s Nightmare #1-3 (1996) JLA ##18-21, 32-33, 43-60 (1998-2002) JLA: Year One #1-12 (1998-1999) JLA Heaven’s Ladder (2000) Kingdom Come #1-4 (1996)

6. Justice League: The Nail by Alan DavisDC Comics

Technically, this is an Elseworlds run, as it takes place outside of regular DC continuity. But that doesn’t stop it from being an all-time classic Justice League story. Writer/artist Alan Davis was originally best known for his work on Marvel books like Excalibur and Avengers. But in the late ’90s, he came to DC with a twist on their mythology: what is a Justice League like in a world where Superman never existed? In the three-part mini-series Justice League: The Nail, Davis imagines a world where Ma and Pa Kent never found baby Kal-El’s rocket, thanks to a rusty nail giving Pa’s truck a flat tire.

Without the Kents’ influence, Earth has no Man of Steel. What does that mean for the very foundation of the Justice League? Davis imagines a world very similar to the DC universe we know, but without the metaphorical nail holding it all together that is Superman. The art in this series from Davis, showcasing his trademark clean lines and retro style, is superb. And the twists and turns the story takes are wild. The series was so successful, Davis returned for another mini-series sequel, Justice League: Another Nail, which takes things into an even weirder direction. Both of these JLA runs are collectively an underrated gem.

Issues in Alan Davis’ Justice League: The Nail Run:

Justice League: The Nail #1-3 (1998) Justice League of America: Another Nail #1-4 (2004)

5. Justice League of America by Brad Meltzerwith Ed Benes, Gene HaDC Comics

Novelist Brad Meltzer is a bestselling author, known for thrillers like The Tenth Justice. But Meltzer is also a lifelong comic book fan, and wanted a chance to take on the JLA. Especially after his non-traditional take on DC in Identity Crisis was so controversial. In 2006, he got to bring his love of DC heroes in a brief (but more traditional) relaunch of the team in Justice League of America. During his one-year run with artist Ed Benes, he saw the trinity of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman reunite after a long absence to recruit a new team, adding heroes like Black Lightning and Red Arrow, Green Arrow’s ex-sidekick.

During Meltzer’s run, longtime member Black Canary finally became team leader, and stories like “The Tornado’s Path” gave some much-needed character development to neglected android member Red Tornado. Maybe the best storyline in his run was “The Lightning Saga,” in which the JLA, the JSA, and the Legion of Super-Heroes brought back Flash Wally West after over a year missing in the timestream. Ed Benes’ artwork was never more stylish or sexy than in this Justice League of America run. The only bad thing about Meltzer’s run was that it was just far too brief. We’d welcome another round from him with Earth’s greatest heroes.

Issues in Brad Meltzer’s Justice League of America Run:

Justice League of America (vol.2) #0-12 (2006-2007)

4. Justice League of America by Gerry Conwaywith Dick Dillin, George PerezDC Comics

Gerry Conway went down in comic book history as the man who killed Peter Parker’s great love Gwen Stacy in Amazing Spider-Man. But after his time at Marvel Comics, Conway went to DC and wrote Justice League of America for several years, working with artists such as Dick Dillin and a young George Perez. During his tenure with the League, Conway introduced more personal conflict into the group, who in the Silver Age era got along all the time. This was also the time period when the League took up residence in an orbiting satellite, miles above the Earth.

Among the highlights of the Gerry Conway era were the introduction of the magician Zatanna and Firestorm, the Nuclear Man into the main roster, a memorable Justice League/Justice Society crossover where the teams had to solve a murder on the JLA Satellite, and a three-part story where the JLA, JSA, and New Gods team up to fight Darkseid. Yes, Gerry Conway’s run ended with the less-than-beloved “Justice League Detroit” era. The less said about that misfire, the better. But we’ve got to hand some points to Conway for taking a big swing and trying something different. 

Issues in Gerry Conway’s Justice League of America Run:

Justice League of America (vol.1) #125-127, 131-134, 151-216, 219, 221-223, 228-230, 233-239, and 241-255 (1974-1984)

3. Justice League by Scott Snyderwith James Tynion IV, Jim Cheung, Jorge Jimenez, Francis Manapul, Mikel JaninDC Comics

When we say we love “Snyder’s Justice League,” we mean this Snyder. After a critically acclaimed run on Batman, writer Scott Snyder decided to turn his eye toward Bruce Wayne’s allies in the Justice League. Snyder, together with artists Jorge Jimenez, Jim Cheung, and others, decided to go big in this Justice League relaunch, perhaps the most cosmic and mind-bending run of the team since Grant Morrison’s days on the title. Scott Snyder’s Justice League brought in several deep-cut characters from DC lore, not to mention one of the silliest and yet wonderful additions to the team, Jarro. He’s a clone of Starro the giant cosmic starfish, who is loyal only to Batman.

In addition to making the Legion of Doom a real threat and not just a Super Friends reference, Snyder also introduced Perpetua, mother of the Omniverse and perhaps the most powerful entity in all of DC history. The team lineup was also fantastic, mixing the animated JLU with the DCEU team. Some of Snyder’s ideas get away from him, and he’s not quite as adept with “big and cosmic” as Grant Morrison is. And far too many of his plotlines that started in Justice League were finished off in other series of his, like Dark Nights Metal. But when his Justice League cooks, it really cooks.

Issues in Scott Snyder’s Justice League Run:

Justice League (vol. 4) #1-39 (2018-2020)

2. Justice League International by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis with Kevin Maguire, Adam Hughes, Chris Sprouse, Bart Sears, Darick Robertson, Chris WozniakDC Comics

In a post-Crisis on Infinite Earths universe, DC successfully relaunched Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. But what about the Justice League? Their previous “Justice League Detroit” version had fizzled badly, and DC didn’t want their “Big Seven” characters all together in one book just yet. So DC took a swing, and the creative team of writers Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, along with artist Kevin Maguire relaunched the team in Justice League International. Very unlike previous iterations, this version leaned into almost sitcom comedy to go along with the superhero action.

JLI kept iconic Leaguers like Batman and Martian Manhunter, but the breakout characters of the book were C-list heroes like Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Fire & Ice, and obnoxious jerk Green Lantern, Guy Gardner. Their bickering and snarky banter was unheard of for a superhero book at the time, especially one that wasn’t a straight-up parody. Artist Kevin Maguire’s expressive faces only made the comedic nature of the stories shine even more. Justice League International was so successful, it split into two books—Justice League America and Justice League Europe—and this run lasted five glorious years. It also gave artists like Adam Hughes, Darick Robertson, and Mike McKone their first big breaks in the biz. This is perhaps the only truly great version of the team that doesn’t have the DC Trinity at its center.

Issues in Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis’ Justice League International Run:

Justice League (vol. 1) #1-6, Justice League International (vol. 2) #7-62, Justice League Europe #1-36, Justice League Quarterly #1-4 (1990-1991)

1. JLA by Grant Morrisonwith Howard Porter, Frank QuitelyDC Comics

Sometimes, it takes three decades and change to get the best version of a concept. This was the case with writer Grant Morrison and artist Howard Porter’s JLA, which reunited the original seven members of the team for the first time in decades (with Wally West and Kyle Rayner now as the Flash and Green Lantern). In Morrison’s view, the Justice League were the modern equivalent of the Greek Gods, with their Watchtower HQ on the moon as their Mount Olympus. Morrison took their weirder sensibilities from his books like Arkham Asylum and Doom Patrol and found a way to make them work in a more mainstream framework.

Grant Morrison told stories that fit that oft-overused word “epic.” They had the League taking on evil Martians posing as superheroes, and an invasion of angelic army from Heaven. Then there’s “Rock of Ages,” a saga that pits the team against Luthor and Joker’s new Injustice League, evil holographic versions of themselves, and a post-Apocalyptic future where Darkseid rules all. Somehow, that’s all just how this run starts. Later stories had the League meeting their descendants from the far future, the Justice Legion Alpha, and even characters from Sandman. Morrison and Porter’s run lasted four years and 41 issues. Yet it’s still the version of the Justice League by which all other iterations are compared.

Issues in Grant Morrison’s JLA Run:

JLA #1-17, #22-26, #28-31, #34, #36-41, JLA: Secret Files #1 New Year’s Evil Prometheus #1, JLA/WildC.A.T.S. #1, DC One Million #1-4, JLA: Earth 2, (1997-2000) JLA: Classified #1-3 (2004)

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Who Is the White Tiger in DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN? The Character’s Marvel Comics History, Explained

Fans who watched the new trailer for Daredevil: Born Again at Marvel Studios’ D23 presentation caught a glimpse of a fearsome-looking character in a white costume with black stripes. The new superhero is none other than the White Tiger. But who is this white-clad warrior and what can we expect when he crosses paths with Daredevil? We’re going to break it all down for you with his comic origin, powers, and more.

Hector Ayala Is the Original White Tiger, Marvel Comics’ First Hispanic SuperheroMarvel Comics/Ken Barr

The White Tiger is a superhero martial artist with powers that come from a set of mystical Jade Tiger amulets. Numerous heroes have held the mantle over the years as the amulets found new owners. The original White Tiger, Hector Ayala, is not only Marvel’s first-ever Hispanic superhero but also the first Latin-American main character in all of American comics. As one of Marvel’s premiere hand-to-hand combatants, White Tiger fights alongside the likes of Shang-Chi, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, and Daredevil. 

The First Marvel Comics Appearance and Origin Story of White Tiger

Hector Ayala made his comic book debut in 1975’s Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19, a series created during the martial arts movie craze of the ‘70s. The series first starred a trio of martial artists known as the Sons of the Tiger. Each of them drew power from one of three magical Jade Tiger pendants. After the Sons of the Tiger disbanded and threw their pendants away, it was Ayala who found them and harnessed their power to become the White Tiger.

Ayala was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico before his family moved to the South Bronx in New York City. This discovery in his new country changed the course of his life and turned him into a costumed crime fighter. As the White Tiger, he used his new powers to take on street gangs and supervillains such as Fu Manchu, Gideon Mace, Lightmaster, Copperhead, and Spider-Man baddie Doctor Octopus.

White Tiger’s Incredible Martial Arts Powers Come at a Price

When all three Jade Tiger amulets are worn by the White Tiger, the magic power of the Tiger God is channeled into the wearer. They are granted the skills of a martial arts master, cat-like speed/reflexes, and superhuman strength and endurance. Though less commonly seen, other powers of the amulets include healing and camouflage. The amulets come from the mystical city of K’un L’un. It is where a magical Jade Tiger statue was stolen by thieves and broken into pieces: a head and two paws. (K’un L’un may sound familiar because it’s where Iron Fist got his powers, but that’s a whole other story.) The great power of the Jade Tiger began to negatively affect Ayala when he developed a severe addiction to it. Eventually he was forced to give up being White Tiger, for a time, and he suffered similar symptoms to drug withdrawal.

Marvel ComicsThe Original White Tiger’s Tragic Death in the Marvel Comics

Despite his heroism, Hector Ayala suffered during his time as White Tiger. He had to live a stressful dual-life, battle addiction, and lose friends and family to violence. He deserved recognition for his good deeds, but he met a tragic end. After a long hiatus, Hector took up the mantle of the White Tiger once more. One fateful day, the White Tiger responded to a routine pawn shop robbery. It soon became a bloody scene where he was wrongfully accused and arrested for the murder of a cop. Despite the best efforts of his lawyer, Matt Murdock, the jury found Hector guilty. Rather than spend the rest of his life in jail for a crime he didn’t commit, Hector tried to escape. He was shot dead outside the courthouse—only for undeniable evidence of his innocence to be brought to light by Daredevil soon after. 

Other Heroes Who Have Taken Up the Mantle of the White Tiger

In addition to Hector Ayala, four other characters have held the White Tiger mantle in Marvel Comics history. The next two characters to call themselves White Tiger have no connection to Ayala or the Jade Tiger amulets, but we’ll still cover them for completion’s sake. The second White Tiger first appeared in 1997’s Heroes for Hire #1. She is an actual white tiger that was given the power to transform into a human woman by the evil High Evolutionary. The third is Kasper Cole, who made his debut in 2002’s Black Panther #50. At first, he started out trying to impersonate the Black Panther. Kasper later became the White Tiger with superpowers derived from a synthetic version of the heart-shaped herb.

David Mack/Marvel Comics

The fourth incarnation of White Tiger brought the mantle back to where it started when Hector Ayala’s niece, Angela del Toro, took up the mantle. First appearing in 2005 within the pages of Daredevil #58, Angela inherited the Jade Tiger amulets from her uncle after he passed away. Working as an FBI agent, she had to investigate Daredevil. However, she quit her job to learn more about the magical amulets and her uncle’s superhero legacy. After receiving combat training from Daredevil, who knew her uncle Hector, she suited up as the new White Tiger.

The fifth White Tiger is Ava Ayala, who made her comic book debut in 2011’s Avengers Academy #20. Ava is Hector’s youngest sister. After Angela ended her time as White Tiger, the Jade Tiger amulets were passed on to Ava. When she was young, Ava witnessed the murder of her father, mother, and older sister and was gravely injured herself. They were targeted by the villain Gideon Mace in order to draw out her older brother Hector, the White Tiger. She decided to become the new White Tiger to honor her brother’s legacy as a Latinx superhero.

White Tiger Comes to the MCU in Daredevil: Born AgainMarvel Comics

Hector Ayala aka, the White Tiger, will make his MCU debut in Daredevil: Born Again. Puerto Rican actor Kamar de los Reyes portrays the live-action version of this character. Sadly, after filming wrapped Reyes passed away in 2023 due to cancer. Marvel has kept a tight lid on the plot details for this series. But it is possible that the show’s first story arc will introduce the White Tiger and feature the trial of Hector Ayala. There have also been whispers that multiple White Tigers will appear in the show. So, we could see the mantle pass down to Hector’s family members just like in the comics. Whatever White Tiger’s role is in the show, Marvel fans can expect him to be a martial arts powerhouse with a sharp sense of justice. 

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Dominique Thorne Says IRONHEART Series Will Take Riri Home to Chicago

In 2020, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced that Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, would spring to life from comic pages in her own original series starring Dominique Thorne. Ironheart will be part of Phase Five. While details about the series are still pretty scarce, Riri Williams’ comic history will provide its foundation. We finally met Riri “Ironheart” Williams in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, an appearance that set the stage for diving into her story.

Disney/Marvel Studios

At its recent Upfronts presentation, Disney revealed that the Ironheart series would release in 2025. We are incredibly glad to hear it and can’t wat to see Riri Williams again.

In a cast interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dominique Thorne confirmed that Ironheart will go to her hometown of Chicago. “We’re taking it back to her hometown of Chicago, and a bit of a battle ensues as she’s debating between or considering how she wants to use what she realizes is a powerful wealth of knowledge, realizing just how much genius she has in her, deciding what she’s going to do with that,” said Thorne. “We see that play out in the environment when she gets back home as well — she has these options. Who and how am I going to use these things that I now know about myself?”

Here’s everything you need to know about Ironheart. 

Title

The series title is Marvel Studios’ Ironheart. 

Ironheart‘s Plot

Ironheart will focus on Riri Williams, a brilliant Black girl inventor who creates a high-tech metal suit like Iron Man’s. As we discover in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri is a 19-year-old MIT student who is “running” a homework business. Oh, and she also builds a vibranium detection machine that puts her in the path of Namor, the leader of a underwater nation who is willing to kill her to protect his people. Of course, she’s alive and well at the end of the film and heading back to Massachusetts… for now. Right now, there are no solid details about the show. But it is possible that the show will bounce between her native Chicago and MIT, where MJ and Ned also happen to be.

An official synopsis shares:

Set after the events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Marvel Television’s “Ironheart” pits technology against magic when Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne)—a young, genius inventor determined to make her mark on the world—returns to her hometown of Chicago. Her unique take on building iron suits is brilliant, but in pursuit of her ambitions, she finds herself wrapped up with the mysterious yet charming Parker Robbins aka “The Hood” (Anthony Ramos).

Behind the Scenes 

Playwright, poet, and Snowpiercer writer Chinaka Hodge will lead the show’s writing team as a head writer. According to Deadline, Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes will direct the series. In addition, Proximity, Ryan Coogler’s production company, will serve as one of the show’s producers. Coogler is also onboard the series as an executive producer alongside Kevin Feige. Ironheart finished filming in November 2022.

Marvel StudiosIronheart‘s Cast

Dominique Thorne will take on the leading role of Riri “Ironheart” Williams in the MCU. She will be joined by Anthony Ramos of Hamilton and In the Heights fame, who will play The Hood. This Is Us mainstay Lyric Ross will portray Riri’s best friend. In the comics, Riri’s BFF Natalie died way before she became an iron hero but lived on through N.A.T.A.L.I.E. This AI program takes her friend’s form and they work together much like Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S. did. It remains to be seen if this friend will be alive, appear in flashbacks, or operate as AI in the series. Or, perhaps it is not Natalie at all but rather a new character.

Other cast members include Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Zoe Terakes, Shakira Barrera, Jim Rash, Shea Couleé, Regan Aliyah, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Sonia Denis, Paul Calderón, and Cree Summer.

A new Marvel filing with the U.S. Copyright Office Public Records System also reveals that Sacha Baron Cohen will appear in Ironheart as “Mystery Man.” Very mysterious indeed.

Marvel Comics/Marvel StudiosIronheart‘s Release Date

The Disney+ series doesn’t have a release date yet, but Marvel Studios has confirmed it will release in 2025.

Originally published on March 1, 2022. 

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Disney Teases FROZEN 4 as FROZEN 3 Gets 2027 Release Date

Disney isn’t so much planning on heading into the unknown. Instead, news we already kind of suspected to be true was all but confirmed at the company’s 2024 edition of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Nerdist was excited to attend the event and report back on all its major news. As part of many other D23 reveals and announcements, Disney highlighted Frozen 3… and Frozen 4. Of course, Disney’s Frozen was a huge hit for the studio, taking home $2.76 billion at the global box office and a couple of Oscar wins. And Frozen 2 was a rare sequel success, continuing the hype. Given those facts, it’s no surprise that Disney wants to expand the story of Anna and Elsa with Frozen 3 and Frozen 4.

Here’s what Frozen and Frozen 2 writer and co-director Jennifer Lee had to say about the upcoming chapters of the Frozen franchise.

Frozen 3 Gets a 2027 Release Date and First Concept Art Nerdist

Before we get into Frozen 4, here’s what we learned about Frozen 3 at D23. Originally announced for 2026, Disney has now confirmed that Frozen 3 will release in 2027. The exact release date for Frozen 3 is November 24, 2027. Jennifer Lee additionally revealed the first concept art from the movie. Lee notes of the Frozen 3 concept art, “It captures the scene of Anna and Elsa…everyone at Disney animation is excited to be back in this world.”

In this first piece of Frozen 3 concept art from D23, you can see Anna, Elsa, and Olaf heading off on another adventure. This time, they seem called toward a mystical world drenched in golden light. It almost looks like they’re going to visit the clouds. Perhaps we’ll visit a fantastical realm set in the Aurora Borealis in Frozen 3. In the water, a menacing shadow is hot on their tale though. We don’t like the look of that. So far, there’s no sign of Kristoff in this Frozen 3 concept art, but we’re sure he’ll pop up sooner or later. We’re also glad to see more of the Nokk, Elsa’s beautiful elemental water horse from Frozen II.

Frozen 4 Is All But Confirmed at D23Disney

But Frozen 3 isn’t the only thing Frozen fans can get excited about. Frozen 4 was also all but confirmed at D23. Although Disney didn’t outright say Frozen 4 was happening, it certainly heavily implied that there would be two more sequel movies in the franchise. And it’s not the first time. Let’s take a look at a timeline of Frozen 4 teases by major Disney figures.

November 16, 2023: Disney CEO Bob Iger Teases Frozen 4

In November 2023, we first heard talk of a Frozen 4. Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed on Good Morning America, “Frozen 3 is in the works, and there might be a Frozen 4 in the works too… But I don’t have much to say about those films right now. [Director] Jenn Lee, who created the original Frozen and Frozen 2, is hard at work with her team at Disney animation on not one but actually two stories.” Iger flat-out introduces the idea of Frozen 4 here. It’s the only time someone from Disney says Frozen 4 outright, but only the first of several Frozen 4 teases.

November 23, 2023: Jennifer Lee, Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation and Frozen Creator, Teases Frozen 3 and Beyond

Shortly after Bob Iger’s first Frozen 4 hint, Jennifer Lee echoed his sentiments while speaking about Frozen 3. When asked what she could tell fans about Frozen 3, Lee noted, “Only what we have already shared, which is the team is hard at work, we are deeply excited about the story we are shaping together, and it’s so epic it may not fit into just one film.” This Disney tease once again intimated that the contents were so epic that Frozen‘s next story might need Frozen 3 and Frozen 4 to do them justice.

August 9, 2024: Jennifer Lee Once Again Hints Frozen 4 Is Basically Confirmed

Although Lee again did not outrigh confirm Frozen 4 at D23 2024, she once again stressed the story of Frozen 3 was so big that it would require more than one movie to tell it. Lee said at D23, “There were a lot of questions coming out of Frozen 2. It will take two films to answer them.” That sounds like a pretty intent confirmation of Frozen 3 and Frozen 4 to us. Although we don’t necessarily think Frozen 2 left us with that many questions, it seems like Disney feels it can sell fans on at least two more Frozen movies.

In the meantime, we’ll wait for a Frozen 3 release date and official confirmation on Frozen 4.

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Diego Luna Talks K-2SO’s Return and How ANDOR Season 2 Ties Into ROGUE ONE

Perhaps our most anticipated Star Wars project of 2025 is the second season of Andor, set to hit Disney+ next year. But star Diego Luna was at D23 recently presenting a teaser for the second season of Andor, and he gave Entertainment Weekly some more tidbits about what fans can expect. And one of those things is the return of Alan Tudyk as the “no filter” droid from Rogue One, K-2SO. Luna says fans will view Rogue One through a totally different lens once Andor season two concludes. Here’s what he had to say:

Lucasfilm

You’re going to see why K-2 is so important in Rogue One, and how does he get to be such an important character for the Rebellion. I think people watching Rogue One, after watching season two, are going to see a different film. Everything will be signified differently knowing what had to happen for K-2 to be there. It’s going to make you witness the journey of Rogue One in a different way, I think. And not just with K-2, but with many other characters. I think it’ll be really cool.

Luna even suggests that Disney use Andor’s second season as a marketing strategy for a Rogue One re-release. He said, “I’m sure someone from Lucasfilm and Disney will give us the opportunity to watch season two and then go straight to watch the film on a big screen with tons of popcorn and friends around.” You hear that Lucasfilm? Diego Luna is doing all of your marketing for you! The second season of Andor will cover four years, dovetailing right into the events of Rogue One. So it’s a prequel to a prequel, but also a sequel to a different prequel (Revenge of the Sith). Whatever it is, we love it, and can’t wait for season two to arrive next year.

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7 Details We Learned Visiting THE RINGS OF POWER Season 2 Set

Making a high fantasy series means designing and constructing otherworldly sets, carefully shaping a set to become, for example, the throne room of Númenor. It also means outfitting hundreds of orcs with prosthetics and maintaining an ear library. Many of those orcs were resting around the edges of a battle scene when Nerdist and a small group of reporters visited the set of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in 2023. The series was filming at Buttersteep Rise in Windsor Great Park, and we planted our wellies-covered feet carefully through thick mud and around performers pulling their orc prosthetics out of the way to drink smoothies through straws.

Even orcs like a smoothie.

In our day on set, we spoke with The Rings of Power showrunners, some of the cast, production design, the prosthetics department, props, and more. Here are seven details we learned about The Rings of Power season two.

Prime Video1. Filming in the UK

Season one of The Rings of Power filmed in New Zealand, but the series moved to the United Kingdom for season two. Executive producer Lindsey Weber noted the decision came from Amazon, because they wanted to centralize their hub in the UK. But, she noted, it’s one of the best places to shoot. She said, “There’s a wonderful crew, actor, and filmmaking base. It does feel like there are new pools of talent here that we hadn’t used in season one. And certainly, we’re in all these locations that Tolkien wrote about.”

Supervising art director Martin Foley joked that when they first showed the showrunners Windsor Great Park and its 900-year-old trees, JD Payne and Patrick McKay literally hugged the trees.

2. Speaking of New Zealand…

The show did have a lot built for season one in New Zealand, and the production team had a lot of things shipped over—as in 70 containers full of items for not only the art department. Production designer Kristian Milsted said, it wasn’t so much full sets as smaller pieces like doors, windows, and detailed panels. Foley said, “Things took a long time to make and were expensive, and they were packed up carefully. We got these lovely notes. You’d open the containers, and they’d be like, ‘Please look after this. It took me months.’ It was quite sweet considering how abruptly that ended. You weren’t sure what you’re going to get, and then in terms of their messages, but they’re all really positive and really nice.”

3. The Voice of SauronPrime Video

Leith McPherson is The Ring of Power‘s supervising dialect coach; she worked on dialect for The Hobbit trilogy, too. She had the challenge of working with Charlie Vickers to turn his Halbrand accent into something different for season two.

McPherson said, “When I work for the actors, I work in the accent that the actors are working in. So Halbrand, it’s that northern kind of quality. He [Charlie Vickers] and I spoke like that for 18 months together and then it was, ‘Okay. So now you’re a different character kind of. Are you? I don’t know.’ Then we were speaking to each other in a new accent. Because this is an evolving, changing character where you are always thinking about the communication that that character is trying to have with others—what impression is he trying to make and what is he trying to achieve? So we talk about that vocally. How that manifests is an interesting thing.”

4. The Rings in The Rings of Power

Season two brings more rings to Middle-earth. Celebrimbor forged the three Elven rings at the end of season one, and set decorator Tina Jones and her team remade those Elven rings for season two. To come up with the designs for the new rings, the team went to different museums, including the British Museum to gather research and take photos. They also referenced design concepts from John Howe, a Tolkien artist. The camera would pick up any small imperfection in a manmade stone, so they used real stones for macro shots.

5. Orcs Everywhere

Season two has 1,500 actors in orc makeup. The prosthetics are a four-part application process including a cowl, a forehead, a chin, and a face. These can be mixed and matched to create unique looks. It takes two people two and a half hours to apply each set of prosthetics, and no, I am not doing that math. When we stopped by the prosthetics department to talk with Sarah Gower, she and her team were working on outfitting the second wave of orcs for the day.

6. Action and StuntsPrime Video

If I could pick a theme for season two just from visiting the set, it’s more. More locations, more orcs, and more action. More everything. Supervising stunt coordinator Ben Cooke told us Galadriel and Elrond both see a lot more action, specifically on horseback. Cooke and his team worked for eight months on season two stunts that include wirework, high falls, and fires. Rehearsals started three to four months before filming. Part of Cooke’s work includes choreographing different action to match the styles of the Elves, orcs, Dwarves, etc.

7. Dwarven Beards

Hair and makeup designer Flora Moody walked us through a number of wigs. As she so aptly put it, “There’s a lot of hair.” Indeed when you think about the number of flowing locks in The Rings of Power, you realize how much effort it must take to maintain so many wigs. There are hero wigs, scale wigs, stunt double wigs, and sometimes picture double wigs. It adds up to, as Moody says, “an organizational feat.”

The wigs are all made from human hair when possible, but Dwarven beards, those are yak hair. The department uses two different types of yak hair. Tail of yak makes for a coarser hair. For a softer beard, it’s yak belly hair.

The makeup and hair department can make subtle changes that speak to character growth. For example, they gave Trystan Gravelle’s Pharazôn a 300-style beard to speak to his character becoming a bit more powerful.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two premieres on Prime Video on August 29.

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