Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 260

Go On an Adventure with Geek & Sundry’s SAGAS OF SUNDRY: GOBLIN MODE

Prepare for an adventure unlike any other. Legendary Digital Networks presents Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode! This immersive actual play podcast series will take fans into an adventure in a unique setting, the world of Sundaros. Hosted by Game Master Amy Vorpahl (Dimension 20, Critical Role), Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode will take viewers on a journey full of fantasy storytelling and weird little monsters in a serialized campaign.

The core cast includes the talented Danielle Radford (Dimension 20, Honest Trailers), Dan Casey (Nerdist, Geek & Sundry), and Jason Nguyen (Westbrook Media, Legendary), all seasoned storytellers with a passion for tabletop role-playing games and improv comedy. The adventurers will also be joined by special guest stars throughout the season. Roll a perception check because you never know who might show up at the table…

The inaugural season of Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode will feature an evolving adventure that blends elements of horror, sci-fi, and high fantasy into a sweeping saga. Set in the richly detailed world of Sundaros, the tabletop roleplaying game explores a land once ruled by godlike beings and now plunged into chaos following their disappearance. Goblin Mode tells the story of a group of genuine underdogs. Not traditional fantasy heroes, but undead skeletons and toothy goblins serving a foul necromancer in a dank dungeon. But with the evil overlord they once served now vanquished, their destiny is in their own hands for the very first time.

Geek & Sundry

Goblin Mode will release 60-90 minute episodes every Monday across Realm and Geek & Sundry‘s YouTube channel. The series premieres on September 9.

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Paramount Shuts Down Paramount Television Studios to Cut Costs

Corporate restructuring is a fact of life in Hollywood. Entities absorb other entities, divisions get cut loose. It is what it is. For the purposes of fans of movies and TV, often it doesn’t mean much, unless the moves lead to your favorite shows or movie franchises going away. So the news from Variety that Paramount Global is shutting down Paramount Television Studios sounds huge. But in actuality, this was a separate division founded in 2013, rather than CBS Studios, which handles most of the company’s TV output.

Paramount Television Studios

The original concept for Paramount Television Studios was to produce television specifically based on Paramount Pictures-owned IP. They own the Jack Ryan movies, and thus made the Jack Ryan TV series. They own The Godfather and made the TV miniseries The Offer. But the tumultuous streaming landscape means that studios have more content to make than they generally receive revenue for. So in order to cut the $500 million per annual cost of PTS, Paramount Global is shutting it down. The continuing programming will fold into CBS Studios. CBS Studios produces all the Star Trek series, Evil, Ghosts, et al.

The report has no word on how many jobs this shuttering will lose, and that is, as always, the most important part of these corporate shufflings. Anyone whose job became redundant following a merger will tell you it’s no comfort to know the projects you worked on will go on without you. But, TV will still exist.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Made the Wait for the Yellow Suit Worthy of the Character

No one would have been surprised, nor would they have cared, if Deadpool & Wolverine turned Hugh Jackman’s comics accurate yellow suit into an easy joke. The gag seemingly wrote itself, especially in a fourth-wall breaking movie. The original X-Men film, which got its own meta laugh out of him not putting in yellow spandex, provided Wade Wilson with the perfect setup.

“Why are you wearing your costume?”
“What would you prefer, black leather?”

Instead the movie took 20-plus years of anticipation and gave us something so much better than a quippy one-liner. It made the payoff of finally seeing Logan’s comic book costume on the big screen worth the long wait by making his reason for wearing it one of the best parts of Deadpool & Wolverine.

Marvel Studios

We didn’t need any sort of explanation for why Hugh Jackman wore his character’s comics costume in Deadpool & Wolverine. In the infinite multiverse an infinite number of Wolverines have an infinite number of reasons for wearing a yellow and blue superhero suit. The film also worked in large part because it actively didn’t care about making sense of most things. It was just having fun. And actually seeing Jackman in yellow was a whole lot of fun. The movie successfully turned another longtime comics fan complaint into comedy gold, too. The comic accurate-tall Logan was a fantastic, short visual gag.

But Deadpool & Wolverine opted to do something much more powerful. It gave Logan’s costume real meaning to both the character and the story.

Throughout the film, Wade kept asking Logan why a disgraced superhero would not only wear his suit, but keep it on underneath his normal clothes. Wolverine repeatedly refused to answer, building more and more suspense the film would have to justify. The answer more than did that.

Marvel Studios

A sad, broken Logan finally explained his attire to Laura, the person in the multiverse who understands him best, while he considered whether or not to fight for Wade’s universe. “Scott used to beg me to wear this suit,” Logan said. “So did Storm and Beast. But I couldn’t have them thinking I wanted to be there. And now it’s too late.”

He didn’t wear the suit because he wanted to. He wore it because he needed to. It brought him closer to the friends he’d lost. That yellow and blue spandex was how he grieved. It was how he showed his love. It was how he remembered the fallen.

But he also wore it as penance for the guilt he carried with him over the mistakes he’d made. If a man with regenerative abilities had simply allowed himself to be vulnerable, to truly let himself be a part of the X-Men, he could have saved all his friends when the humans came for them.

20th Century

Instead, as with the Wolverine from Fox’s X-Men films, he was too cool for that. So he pushed them away so much that he awasn’t there when his fellow mutants needed them. He failed them all in life. Then he failed them in death when he turned his anger and fury into a search for vengeance.

And yet, that yellow getup was also what he wore when he finally became the man Charles Xavier always thought Logan was. The professor knew the hero that resided inside Logan’s reluctant heart. When that Wolverine finally broke forth it did so through a yellow suit that also represented the best version of him.

Marvel Studios

That suit represented every mistake Wolverine had ever made, every dream he’d ever had, everyone he’d ever loved and lost, everything he’d always hoped to be, and everything he ultimately proved he was was represented by that suit. It was a symbol of the character in all his faults and glories. It was everything people have always loved about Wolverine – his depth, his contradictions, and his inherent triumph over himself. That’s why the movie had him wear his iconic superhero suit. Not because it was cool to see Hugh Jackman in it after all this time. Not because it was funny or would sell toys. He wore it for the best reason possible, because it had meaning.

We waited a very long time to see Wolverine on the big screen in his yellow and blue suit. The fact he never had was a literal joke from his movie debut. But all that waiting was more than worth it. We got something better than we’d ever hoped for because Deadpool & Wolverine made Logan’s comics-accurate suit truly worthy of the character.

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Dunkin’ Spiked Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte Is Fall’s Newest Boozy Treat

There are two types of people you meet in August. The first are desperately holding on to the last vestiges of summer, trying to ring out as much enjoyment as they can from the season. The second are already dipping their head in pumpkin spice while carving jack-o-lanterns. But Dunkin Donuts‘ newest product can be enjoyed by either group. New Dunkin’ Spiked Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte is a boozy treat that can bridge the gap between those still seeking out summertime fun and those who can’t wait for autumn.

Dunkin’

Dunkin’ has announced it is expanding its line of Spiked Iced Coffees. The company is releasing its “first-ever limited seasonal offering” it calls “a buzz-worthy twist on a quintessential fall classic.” The new Dunkin’ Spiked Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte is “a rich, creamy and deliciously decadent drink with the perfect balance of sweet pumpkin, vanilla and fall spice flavors.”

Gotta be honest. Just going to be completely honest: would drink. Many of them.

Dunkin’

Like its Dunkin’ Spiked predecessors, the Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte has an ABV of 6%. Thirsty people looking for a double kick of coffee and alcohol can grab theirs in 4-packs of 12-ounce cans. Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Coffees begin arriving in stores in early August anywhere they’re already available. That currently includes 27 states: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

If you’re not sure what stores near you offer them you can find a participating locate at www.dunkinspiked.com. The site won’t ask if you’re still obsessed with summer or already in full-on fall mode because it doesn’t matter. A boozy Dunkin’ Spiked Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte is exactly the kind of drink that can make us all the same in August.

The post Dunkin’ Spiked Pumpkin Spice Iced Latte Is Fall’s Newest Boozy Treat appeared first on Nerdist.

FREAKY FRIDAY 2’s Title Is FREAKIER FRIDAY, 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.

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

— Nerdist (@nerdist) August 10, 2024

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+.

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Nine Inch Nails Set to Score TRON: ARES

The long-delayed third film in Disney’s TRON franchise began production in Vancouver in January 2024. The original 1982 TRON was a groundbreaking sci-fi film, using then state-of-the-art computer graphics to realize the world of “the Grid.” This was a digital world, living entirely inside a computer system. Video game developer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) gets sucked into the Grid and has a grand adventure. TRON became a cult classic, and eventually spawned a follow-up film, TRON: Legacy, in 2010. A third TRON movie, TRON: Ares, is now in the works.

TRON: Ares will continue the musical legacy of the TRON franchise. This time, Nine Inch Nails will score the movie and create the TRON: Ares soundtrack. We look forward to an earful of that.

Disney

Here’s everything else we know about TRON: Ares.

Title

The name of the third installment of the TRON franchise is TRON: Ares.

TRON: Ares’ PlotDisney

We know next to nothing about the plot for the TRON: Ares. The second film, TRON: Legacy, ended with Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) escaping the digital world of the Grid, with escaped Grid refugee Quorra (Olivia Wilde) in tow. The implications that they were going to change the “real” world were there. Will the third TRON film follow up on that plot point? Rumors are that this installment will be a reboot of sorts. Jared Leto’s character of Ares was not in previous films. The film’s director said the third TRON is “a movie subsequently about AI and what it means, and takes, to be human.”

We do have a brief synopsis for TRON: Ares:

TRON: Ares follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.

Behind-the-ScenesDisney

Sitting in the director’s chair for the third TRON film is Joachim Rønning. Rønning became known thanks to his 2012 film Kon-Tiki, after which Disney hired him to direct Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and the upcoming Disney+ film Young Woman and the Sea. This script is from screenwriter Jesse Wigutow. Nine Inch Nails will score the film, and we hope they take notes from Daft Punk’s iconic score from TRON: Legacy.

Rønning said in a release, “I’m excited to be part of the TRON franchise and bring this new film to fans around the world. TRON: Ares builds upon the legacy of cutting-edge design, technology and storytelling. Now more than ever, it feels like the right time to return to the Grid.” 

Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, Justin Springer, Jared Leto, Emma Ludbrook and Steven Lisberger are the producers, with Russell Allen serving as executive producer.

TRON: Ares’ CastSony/Disney

Jared Leto is in the lead for TRON: Ares as the (possibly) titular character of Ares, who joined the cast back in 2020. Joining him are Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, and Gillian Anderson.

Jeff Bridges recently revealed that he will also appear in TRON: Ares. “I’m heading off this Saturday to play a part in the third installment of the ‘Tron’ story; I’m excited about that,” he told the Film Comment podcast. “It’s wild. Jared Leto is the star of this third one, and I’m really anxious to work with him, and I’ve admired his work.” We know that his OG character, Kevin Flynn, sacrificed himself in Tron: Legacy but in a way that left his ending open for interpretation. We will see what happens.

TRON: Ares Release Date

TRON: Ares will release on October 10, 2025.

Originally published on January 23, 2024.

The post Nine Inch Nails Set to Score TRON: ARES appeared first on Nerdist.

THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU Reveals a Battle on a Hoth-like Planet in Sneak Peek

Disney+’s two biggest stars are headed to the big screen. The next adventure for Star Wars‘ Din Djarin and his little green son will take place in theaters. What awaits the two when they get there? Who else will join them in making the move from television to cinema? And who will tell this new chapter in their story?

At D23, we saw a sneak peek of The Mandalorian & Grogu. It did not show too much, but it did reveal that Zeb would be back in the Star Wars movie, as would the Razor Crest, despite the ship’s season two destruction in The Mandalorian season two. Additionally, the teaser focused on something that looked like a giant battle on Hoth, complete with AT-ATs and Snow Troopers. At one point, Din Djarin infiltrates an AT-ST walker as it bounds through the snow. We also see a shot of Grogu in a tiny ship with two Anzellans.

Here’s everything we know about The Mandalorian & Grogu so far, including its release date.

The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s PlotWalt Disney Studios

The movie’s official announcement did not include a plot synopsis or any specifics about its story. It’s also unknown how it might connect to other Disney+ shows, characters, and other planned featured films. The only insight came from Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy’s statement in the press release. She said The Mandalorian & Grogu will tell a “new story” she describes as a “perfect fit for the big screen.” The movie’s first official artwork does show Din and Grogu fleeing an exploding ship, but that might be just a normal Thursday for them.

Until we get any actual details about the film’s plot, any speculation about The Mandalorian & Grogu will be based on where the Disney+ show left the characters after season three, as well as the known state of the galaxy far, far away during the time period of the early days of the New Republic and what we know followed it.

Behind-the-Scenes

The Mandalorian creator and showrunner Jon Favreau will direct the film. He’ll also serve as a producer along with both Kennedy and longtime Star Wars stalwart Dave Filoni. 

Production is set to begin in 2024. It will shoot for a scheduled 92 days in California, where it has received one of the state’s biggest tax credits ever for a movie. Reports say work on The Mandalorian & Grogu will include 500 crew members, 54 cast members, and 3500 background players.

The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s CastLucasfilm

Pedro Pascal’s voice is all but certain to be a part of the movie. It’s unclear how much, if any, he will physically play the role, though. At this point on the Disney+ show the part of Mando is primarily a voice-over one for Pascal. Actors Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder share responsibility for playing the masked Din Djarin on film. If Din never removes his helmet in the movie, Pascal’s involvement could take place entirely off-screen. He did physically play the character in the past. Maybe he’ll put on his beskar armor once again for a big budget film.

Star Wars has yet to announce any official cast members for the movie. Other members of The Mandalorian are likely to also star in the film, however. Those alums include Katee Sackhoff, Emily Swallow, and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee. Ahsoka stars like Genevieve O’Reilly, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, and Eman Esfandi are also obvious candidates to appear, as is Boba Fett himself, Temuera Morrison.

The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s Release DateLucasfilm

The Mandalorian & Grogu is scheduled to come to theaters on May 22, 2026.

Originally published on February 26, 2024.

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A New GHOSTBUSTERS Animated Series Is Coming to Netflix

A generation of kids grew up loving the Ghostbusters because of what they did on the small screen rather than the big one. The Real Ghostbusters animated series was how many people fell in the love with that foursome in the first place. Without that beloved cartoon, it’s very possible the Ghostbusters franchise would now be as dead as the specters they hunt. Now Netflix wants to see if it can recapture that animated magic again with an all-new Ghostbusters cartoon, the third ever to exist.

Columbia Pictures Television

Variety reports that Netflix has officially given the greenlight to a 3D Ghostbusters animated series. Initial talks of a potential new cartoon on the streaming service date back to 2022. It will mark the third Ghostbusters animated series ever. The most recent was Extreme Ghostbusters, which ran for 40 episodes in late 1997.

Elliott Kalan will serve as showrunner, as well as a writer and executive producer, for the latest carton. He’s best known for serving as head writer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His other notable credits include the Mystery Science Theater 3000 reboot and HouseBroken.

Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures Animation will be behind the show with Netflix will producing. Ghost Corps, Inc. under Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan, will also co-produced. Reitman and Kenan co-wrote and swapped directing duties for Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. They’ll each serve as executive producers on the show, which Variety says “will be tonally in line” with those films.

Whether or not the animated show will feature versions of those movie’s characters is unknown. (We’d wager it will.) But no matter which brave ghost hunters straps on a proton pack, if this Netflix series finds as much success as The Real Ghostbusters did, we’ll probably still be getting new Ghostbusters movies 40 years from now.

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All the D23 Updates From MARVEL, STAR WARS, and More

2024’s Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23 promises many announcements! Here’s what you don’t want to miss.

Andor Season 2

Diego Luna arrived at D23 to tease Andor season two. He shared that Andor season two cover the four years leading up to Rogue One. Additionally, it was revealed that Ben Mendelson would return as Krennic, and K-2SO will also be back.

Diego Luna is here to talk #Andor season two! #D23 pic.twitter.com/tjoRQ3wD4O

— Nerdist (@nerdist) August 10, 2024

Skeleton Crew

Read our Skeleton Crew write-up here.

The Mandalorian & Grogu

Explore everything we know about The Mandalorian & Grogu here.

Daredevil: Born Again

The cast of #DaredevilBornAgain is here including Punisher. #D23 pic.twitter.com/IaijbAp9yO

— Nerdist (@nerdist) August 10, 2024

Footage of Daredevil: Born Again shown at D23 teased a male White Tiger coming onto the scene. We also saw Jon Bernthal return as Punisher and a tense standoff between Daredevil and Kingpin. The series looks pretty bloody and dark.

Captain America: Brave New World

It's #Marvel time! #D23 pic.twitter.com/CU6PRLUg1Y

— Nerdist (@nerdist) August 10, 2024

A new clip from Captain America: Brave New World reminded us that adamantium was now in play in the MCU. It also showed Harrison Ford’s President Ross asking Sam Wilson to help him rebuild the Avengers. Finally, it gave us a look at an epic firefight in the sky and Red Hulk in his full glory outside the White House.

Ironheart

Ryan Coogler introduces #Ironheart. #D23 pic.twitter.com/WtSrq3hxJJ

— Nerdist (@nerdist) August 10, 2024

A new look at Ironheart in D23 revealed that Riri is expelled from MIT. We also saw Anthony Ramos as the Hood. The footage gave us big technology versus magic vibes.

Frozen 3 Disney

Frozen 3 is coming in 2027, and Frozen 4 sounds like it will follow on its heels. We saw our first piece of Frozen 3 concept art in the D23 panel.

It snowed in honor of #Frozen3 at #D23. pic.twitter.com/MGS5gvbDkh

— Nerdist (@nerdist) August 10, 2024

Snow White

Live-action Snow White‘s first teaser trailer is here.

Freaky Friday 2 or Freakier Friday

Check out our post on Freaky Friday 2, here.

Lilo & Stitch Live-action

Experiment 626 has entered the chat! The live-action #LiloAndStitch is coming only to theaters in Summer 2025! pic.twitter.com/82KFLEFL5E

— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) August 10, 2024

Here’s our first look at Stitch from the Lilo & Stitch live-action movie.

Tron: Ares

#TronAres will have a soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails. #D23 pic.twitter.com/Ug6fB48pXn

— Nerdist (@nerdist) August 10, 2024

Nine Inch Nails will score the Tron: Ares soundtrack.

Avatar 3

The title of Avatar 3 will be Avatar: Fire and Ash. Avatar: Fire and Ash releases in theaters nationwide on December 19, 2025.

The title of #Avatar3 is #Avatar: Fire and Ash. #D23 pic.twitter.com/iSJnppigUa

— Nerdist (@nerdist) August 10, 2024

Incredibles 3

Incredibles 3 is in development at Disney Pixar. Brad Bird will once again direct.

#Incredibles3 is coming and Brad Bird will direct. #D23 pic.twitter.com/gLK3Jtqe66

— Nerdist (@nerdist) August 10, 2024

Zootopia 2

Key Huy Quan is a new main character in #Zootopia2, Gary the snake. #D23 pic.twitter.com/p7oLKy9eqU

— Nerdist (@nerdist) August 10, 2024

Key Huy Quan will voice a new main character in Zootopia 2, Gary the Snake.

Moana 2

Check out our Moana 2 trailer write-up.

Toy Story 5

Check out our write-up of the Toy Story 5 news.

The Greatest Showman

The Greatest Showman is getting a a live stage musical adaptation.

Hoppers Pixar

Hoppers is an original Disney Pixar movie. It will tell the story of transferring human minds into robot animals who live among real animals. 

A release shares:

Coming to theaters in 2026 is Hoppers is an all-new film from Pixar that introduces Mabel, an animal lover who seizes an opportunity to use new technology to ‘hop’ her consciousness into a life-like robotic animal: an adorable beaver. Directed by Daniel Chong and produced by Nicole Paradis Grindle, “Hoppers” features the voices of Piper

Dream Productions Disney Pixar

A new Disney+ series that takes place between Inside Out 1 & 2 is coming. It is called Dream Productions. This one is all about how the Emotions manufacture Riley’s dreams at night.

A release shares:

Coming to Disney+ in 2025 is Dream Productions, a just-announced series from the world of “Inside Out” about the studio inside Riley’s mind where dreams really do come true thanks to acclaimed dream director Paula Persimmon (voice of Paula Pell). Written and directed by Mike Jones and produced by Jaclyn Simon, the four-episode series also features the voices of Richard Ayoade, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Alli Maki, Kensington Tallman, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Lewis Black and Phyllis Smith.

Win or Lose

Win or Lose is Pixar’s first series, it will release before Dream Productions. It looks like The Sandlot meets Adventure Time.

A release shares:

Directed, written and executive produced by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, and produced by David Lally, the new series reveals what it feels like to be in the shoes of eight different characters—the insecure kids, their helicopter parents, even a lovesick umpire—as they prepare for a championship softball game. Will Forte lends his voice to the coach.

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X-MEN ’97 Season 2 Will Likely Draw Inspiration From These Comics

At the Marvel Animation panel at D23, fans saw a very brief sizzle reel for the second season of X-Men ’97. What we saw was brief, but enough to give us ideas on what stories from the comics will serve as inspiration. Of course, in the season finale, we got several cliffhangers, teasing what’s to come when the series returns. Those also gave us some well-reasoned guesses as to which classic comics will serve as inspiration for the new season. Here are the comic book stories we are confident will be the basis for season two of X-Men ’97.

New X-Men Marvel Comics

For a brief scene in the season two D23 teaser, we see Scott Summers and Jean Grey fighting in their uniforms from Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s New X-Men run. Those uniforms, designed by Quitely, were meant to evoke the black leather costumes of the then-new live-action X-Men films. With a little more comic-book color to make them pop that is. Cyclops and Jean wore these costumes for the entirety of Morrison’s run from 2001-2004. This suggests to us that we’ll get an adaptation of the Morrison/Quitely era in some capacity. Naturally, this era already got a major adaptation with the centerpiece Genosha/”E is for Extinction” arc in season one.

Astonishing X-Men Marvel Comics

After Morrison left the X-Men franchise in 2004, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly creator Joss Whedon took over the flagship mutant title with artist John Cassaday in Astonishing X-Men. The second arc of that title saw the emergence of a new villain with deep ties to the X-Men. Danger was the A.I. program of the X-Men’s training facility the Danger Room, brought to physical form. She hated Charles Xavier in particular for hiding her emerging sentience from the world and sought revenge. We see a brief glimpse of Danger in the D23 sizzle reel, suggesting an adaptation of the Astonishing X-Men arc “Dangerous” is part of season two.

X-Factor Marvel Comics

We very briefly see the magnetic mutant Lorna Dane, a.k.a. Polaris, in the D23 footage. She appears to be wearing her X-Factor costume. This was from the early ’90s, when Polaris, the daughter of Magneto, was a member of the government-sponsored mutant team. She appeared in the classic X-Men: The Animated Series episode “Cold Comfort,” which also showed her on Forge’s X-Factor team. She might be one of his new X-Men recruits when the team goes missing in time to form a new roster in season two.

X-Men vs. Apocalypse: The Twelve Marvel Comics

Wolverine got his adamantium skeleton ripped out by Magneto in the X-Men ’97 finale, barely clinging to life in the end. This was a direct adaptation of the classic comic book storyline “Fatal Attractions.” But the trailer showed Logan with his metal claws popping out of his hands, saying “I’m back!” This means he’ll definitely get them back this season.

So just how will the adamantium get bonded to his skeleton again? In the late ’90s storyline X-Men vs. Apocalypse: The Twelve, Logan made a deal to get his metal skeleton and claws back with En Sabah Nur, who then turned him into his Horseman of Death. This occurred in Wolverine (vol.1) #145. It continued over several other X-Men titles in “The Twelve” storyline. Of course, we expect a resurrected Gambit to become Death, but that might happen after Wolverine has a turn.

Marvel Animation

We also saw brief glimpses of Lady Deathstrike and Sabretooth in the D23 X-Men ’97 season two sizzle reel. No idea what storylines they are adapting for them, but at least we know they’re making a comeback.

The Rise of Apocalypse Marvel Comics

This 1996 mini-series goes back 5,000 years to ancient Egypt and the rise of En Sabah Nur. He was the very first mutant and the being who would one day take the name Apocalypse. Written by Terry Kavanagh and illustrated by Adam Pollina, The Rise of Apocalypse details how a former slave rose up against the Pharoah Rama-Tut. (He is a variant of Kang the Conqueror, should they wish to connect to the MCU.) Apocalypse then began his war on the weakest of the species, eventually recruiting his legendary Four Horsemen. The design for young En Sabah Nur in X-Men ’97 directly recalls his design from artist Adam Pollina. So we definitely see this having a big influence on season two.

The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix (1994)Marvel Comics

In 1991’s X-Factor #69, the tyrant Apocalypse infected Cyclops’ infant son Nathan with a techno-organic virus. The only way to save him was to send him thousands of years into the future. Cyclops was offered this choice by a warrior from the Clan Askani. We later found out the mercenary Cable, leader of X-Force, was Nathan as an adult. He’d been sent back to the present from that future.

In Scott Lobdell and Gene Ha’s 1994 mini-series The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix, newlyweds Scott Summers and Jean Grey are sent into the far future. They emerge in a time period where Apocalypse rules, and they go by the names Slim and Redd. There, they meet their daughter Rachel Summers, now the ancient Mother Askani. She gives them the chance to raise young Nathan from childhood to his teen years. The arrival of Jean and Scott in the far future indicates we are definitely are going to see an adaptation of this series.

Generation X Marvel Comics

After years of villainy as part of the Hellfire Club as its White Queen, Emma Frost’s students, the Hellions, all died in a Sentinel attack. She very nearly lost her life too, falling into a coma for months. When she finally awoke, the trauma of this loss caused her to change her ways (somewhat), and she began training a new generation of X-Men at the Massachusetts Academy, now an offshoot of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

Frost and co-headmaster Banshee taught a new group of students, nicknamed Generation X, which included Jubilee. Among the others were Synch, Chamber, Husk, Skin, and M. Writer Scott Lobdell’s Generation X series lasted 75 issues. With the school closed on X-Men ’97, and Emma narrowly surviving Genosha, she may wish to start her own school of X-Men to keep the dream alive. Maybe with Jubilee and Sunspot as students? Generation X might be a dated term now for a group of younger mutants today, but in 1997? They would have been the right age for a name Like “Gen X.”

X-Men: Blood of Apocalypse Marvel Comics

Peter Milligan’s mid-2000s X-Men run isn’t one that gets referenced a lot. However, this comic run did contain one story that likely will inform season two of X-Men ’97. After the mutant decimation provoked by the Scarlet Witch, causing most mutants to lose their powers, Gambit was in a funk. Especially as his great love, Rogue, started a romantic relationship with another mutant with immunity to her powers. He actually volunteers to become the new Horseman of Death for Apocalypse, in a storyline that began in 2006’s X-Men #185. Gambit’s time as Death is brief, and by X-Men #200, Gambit returns to normal. This will at least partially serve as inspiration for X-Men ’97 season two.

Uncanny Avengers: The Apocalypse TwinsMarvel Comics

If Apocalypse brings back Gambit or other dead mutants as his Horsemen, it will be based on something his heirs did. This was actually something done by Uriel and Eimin, the Apocalypse Twins, in the pages of Rick Remender’s Uncanny Avengers. The Apocalypse Twins brought back to life dead characters like the Sentry, Banshee, Grim Reaper, and Daken, and turned them into their Four Horsemen of Death. If Gambit is coming back via this method, it begs the question, what other three dead mutants from Genosha are coming back too? Banshee, Sebastian Shaw, Madelyne Pryor, and Dazzler are all prime candidates for resurrection as Horsemen of Death.

Onslaught Marvel Comics

Although Professor X didn’t wipe Magneto’s mind after he pulled the adamantium out of Logan’s body, as in X-Men #25, he did spend a lot of time in Magnus’ head. It was enough that Jean Grey worried that so much time mentally fused might break them both. While they both seem intact at the end of X-Men ’97 season one, we’re not totally buying it. We think at some point in season two (or perhaps season three) Onslaught will emerge. The entity Onslaught was born when Charles Xavier absorbed some of Magneto’s rage and hostility when he mind-wiped him, and it stayed dormant for years. We think he was in Magneto’s mind long enough on X-Men ’97 for this comic story to still happen in season two. It’s just a matter of time.

Originally published on May 17, 2024.

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