Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 272

Why One Major DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Cameo Seemed Impossible

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Deadpool & Wolverine is a delightfully dirty superhero movie with multiversal mishaps. It’s also a very clever commentary on the transience of franchise movies. What happens to the characters in an aborted cinematic universe? As such, the movie features a plethora of cameos from versions of characters we know from previous films, most of whom don’t have a home anymore. And some never had a home to begin with. One particular cameo was so unlikely we’re still shocked it happened.

Marvel Studios

When Deadpool and Wolverine arrive in the Void, they quickly run afoul of Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) and her crew of franchise baddies. They hear of a group of freedom fighters who eventually save them. Among the freedom fighters are X-23 (Dafne Keen), Elektra (Jennifer Garner), Gambit (Channing Tatum), and one other Marvel character whose franchise ended forever ago: Blade, as played by Wesley Snipes. While, hey, fun, Blade, it also represents a bit of moviemaking folklore that seemed unlikely to ever repeat.

Predating X-Men to movie screens by two years, the Blade movies were the first R-rated Marvel adaptations. The first and second movies were huge hits, but the third movie, 2004’s Blade: Trinity was not. It’s a very bad movie, but more than that, the behind-the-scenes stories were the stuff of movie-making nightmares. Infamously, director David S. Goyer did not get along well at all with Snipes, nor did Snipes get along with anyone in the cast. He went method actor for the role and refused to be addressed by anything other than “Blade.” One of those cast members with whom Snipes really clashed was none other than Ryan Reynolds.

New Line Cinema

Reynolds played Hannibal King, another vampire hunter who works with Blade and Jessica Biel’s Abigail Whistler. According to costar Patton Oswalt, Snipes refused to say a lot of his dialogue so they would toss lines to Reynolds. This made Hannibal King easily the mouthiest character in the movie, and began to hone a foul-mouthed persona that led to Reynolds playing Deadpool. A definite throughline. (You can read about all the behind-the-scenes drama here.)

At any rate, Reynolds left the movie having a very bad time, and Snipes said later he couldn’t stand working with Reynolds. But 20 years later, they appear together in Deadpool & Wolverine. Snipes even came out of retirement to assay the role of Eric Brooks, the Daywalker, again. Presumably time heals all wounds, and the success of the Deadpool movies, plus some dollars in the bank, will definitely help. Snipes and Reynolds never share the frame with Deadpool’s mask off, so maybe they actually didn’t work together again. Still, it’s a fun moment to see Blade, but also extra funny if you know the Blade: Trinity turmoil.

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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Did DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Tease a Big Future Team-Up or Just Tease Us?

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Matthew Macfadyen’s Paradox made Wade Wilson an intriguing proposal in Deadpool & Wolverine. The TVA agent tried to get the Merc with a Mouth to abandon his universe by offering Deadpool something he desperately wanted: a chance to join the Avengers. That sales pitch included showing past achievements by Earth-616’s mightiest heroes. But Paradox accidentally showed Deadpool something he wasn’t supposed to see.

Marvel Studios

Deadpool wasn’t supposed to see it because it hasn’t happened yet. Deadpool saw himself gravely wounded while an emotional Thor comforted him. It was a memorable promise, one Wade himself made reference to later in the film. Only that meeting never happened. That left MCU fans with an obvious question: will Deadpool and Thor actually join forces in a future film, or was that moment nothing more than a fun gag?

There’s no way to know because Marvel Studios probably doesn’t know yet, either.

Marvel Studios

Thor and Deadpool’s possible future together in combat was brief yet revealed a lot. The two heroes appeared to have a close, personal relationship. An emotional, worried Thor was very upset at Deadpool’s condition. When that moment happens, they will already share a close bond, suggesting they will spend meaningful time together before that. How? Why? In what movie or Disney+ show? We want to know more than Wade did.

There are also questions about that short sequence itself. Where are they? (Both in terms of planets and universes.) What year will it take place? Who will they be fighting? Is that a potential scene from Secret Wars or another upcoming Avengers movie?

Will Deadpool also really be at death’s door? Maybe not. That brief footage on the TVA monitor was reminiscent of the over-the-top Asgardian plays seen in Thor films. The Merc with a Mouth and the God of Thunder might have a meaningful relationship at that point, but we might ultimately learn that moment isn’t as intense or dangerous as it seems. It might prove to be nothing more than a silly interaction between two characters known for big screen foolishness.

Marvel Studios

We do know how it was possible for Deadpool to see that interaction with a superhero he doesn’t even know. The TVA exists outside of time and space. In that realm the past, present, and future aren’t linear. They all exist at once. But that’s also why that moment might never actually happen. Things can change on the Sacred Timeline dramatically. Variants go to the Void and vanish forever. The TVA also monitors every branch of every multiverse, so that might have been footage of a totally different Deadpool with a totally different Thor, neither of whom we’ll ever meet.

Or we might never see that scene because it was nothing more than a funny Deadpool & Wolverine joke. That “tease” might have just been director Shawn Levy teasing fans he knew would be desperate for signs about the MCU’s future. It’s an even funnier gag if it never gets a payoff. People will wait for it to happen forever, and the longer they do the funnier it’ll get.

Marvel

So which is it: a future promise or meta MCU joke? Does Marvel Studios already know exactly when that Deadpool and Thor scene will take place and in what movie? Or are there no current plans to ever revisit that scene and there never will be? The film didn’t commit to either possibility, leaving every option on the table. The gag works entirely on its own and always will, so Marvel doesn’t have to do anything. But even if that is the plan right now, Kevin Feige and cohorts can always decide to make it real later. They have the freedom to pay it off.

Even if the MCU has exact plans for Deadpool and Thor, that doesn’t mean it’ll happen. Scripts change. Executives cancel movies all the time. But that’s exactly why someday someone can also decide to make something that was only a funny gag into an actual plot point.

Marvel probably doesn’t know what the future holds for Deadpool and Thor anymore than we do. But we definitely hope the future includes them teaming up.

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DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE’s Post-Credits Scene, Explained

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Poor Johnny Storm. In Deadpool & Wolverine, the Human Torch Variant managed to avoid capture by Cassandra Nova’s minions until he got mixed up with Wade Wilson and Logan. The Merc with a Mouth couldn’t keep his yap shut while Nova interrogated the three superheroes. Wade made outrageous claims about horrible things Johnny called the powerful Void despot during the drive to her compound. Despite his stringent claims of innocence, she responded by ripping the Fantastic Four member’s skin right off his body. Why did Wade do it? Why would he make up such ridiculous, awful things and endanger the life of someone who just tried to help him? Deadpool & Wolverine‘s only post-credits scene showed he hadn’t. (Probably.)

So what actually happened to Chris Evans’ other Marvel superhero? Here’s what that post-credits scene revealed and why it was both meaningless and really funny.

Marvel Studios

When Deadpool met Cassandra Nova, he immediately (over)shared what Johnny Storm had supposedly told him about Charles Xavier’s evil twin. Deadpool regaled her with a vivid, highly-specific, over-the-top fountain of insults, profanities, threats, and boasts. The more Wade spoke, the more a desperate, scared Johnny promised Nova he hadn’t said any of that. He claimed his innocence right up until she turned him into a skinless mush of human meat and bones.

Why did Wade say any of that even as Wolverine told him to shut the f*** up? Why would Deadpool lie about someone who just tried to save him? He didn’t! In the Deadpool & Wolverine post-credits scene, Wade returned to the TVA to show the audience footage from that trip to Nova’s lair we didn’t get to see originally. It revealed Johnny really had said every horrible thing about Nova exactly as Wade claimed.

Marvel Studios

Was Wade lying after the fact? Had he deep-faked a Johnny video to get himself off the hook? Was the footage just more bullshit to cover up the bullshit that got the Human Torch de-skinned? The very good, very funny joke only works if Johnny really did say all those things to an idiot who wouldn’t know when to keep them private.

There’s reason beyond the humor of both scenes to believe Wade, too. Wolverine never disputed anything Deadpool told Nova. He merely recognized Wade was putting Johnny’s life in danger and tried to make him stop. Plus, it’s not exactly a stretch to think the brash, arrogant Johnny Storm might run his mouth. He just didn’t know not to do that in front of the Merc with an even bigger one.

20th Century Studios

What does this scene ultimately mean for Deadpool and the MCU? Nothing, really. This was an extra gag post-credits scene rather than one that works as MCU serialization. If you insist on a bigger meaning, though, it revealed Deadpool can still break the fourth wall even though the film closed the door on the Fox era of Marvel movies. That means he might continue to do so if he ever shows up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe agains.

That Johnny Storm just won’t be around to see what Wade Wilson does in the MCU. Hopefully other Human Torch Variants stuck around for Deadpool & Wolverine‘s post-credits scene to learn why they should keep their yap shut if they ever meet a hero with an even bigger mouth.

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Who Are DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE’s Many Deadpool Variants?

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The big final battle of Deadpool & Wolverine features Wade and Logan going up against a literal army of Deadpool variants, known in the comics as “the Deadpool Corps.” In fact, almost all of these variants are straight from the pages of Marvel Comics. Although we spotted dozens, these are the members of the Deadpool Corps that stood out the most to us in Shawn Levy’s film.

Lady DeadpoolMarvel Studios/Marvel Comics

Let’s get the big one out of the way first—Lady Deadpool. No, she’s not Taylor Swift, or Madonna (despite that ponytail). She’s voiced by Ryan Reynolds’ wife Blake Lively, but we never see her take her mask off. Born Wanda Wilson, Lady Deadpool, as the name suggests, is a female counterpart of Deadpool from the Earth-3010 reality. On her Earth, she fought as a soldier in a Second American Civil War. She met her sad demise in Deadpool Kills Deadpool #3 in 2013. But she lives on as part of the Deadpool Corps in Deadpool & Wolverine.

DogpoolMarvel Comics/Marvel Studios

Clearly, the star of the variant Deadpools is Dogpool. The mangy little mutt hailed from Earth-103173, and was known just as Wilson. He first appeared in Prelude to Deadpool Corps #3 in 2010, and then died tragically in Deadpool Kills Deadpool #1 back in 2013. Just like the human Wade Wilson of Earth-616, he was experimented on and gained superpowers. He joined the circus, where they gave him the name Dogpool. The Earth-616 Deadpool recruited him into the Deadpool Corps

KidpoolMarvel Comics

The pre-pubescent version of Wade Wilson, better known as Kidpool, hails from Earth-10330, where he lived in Xavier’s Orphanage for Troubled Boys. He had a hard time fitting in at the orphanage and was recruited by Prime Deadpool, he stole two lightsaber-style weapons from his orphanage’s version of the Danger Room, and joined the Deadpool Corps. Sadly, his young life came to an end in 2013’s Deadpool Kills Deadpool #2.

The Deadpool Kid a.k.a. Cowboy Deadpool Marvel Comics

Cowboy Deadpool, or “the Deadpool Kid,” (Not to be confused with Kidpool) first appeared in Deadpool: Merc with the Mouth #7, as the gun slingin’ bank robber type. Our Wade Wilson from Earth-616 gets into a bit of a brawl with the Deadpool of Earth-1108, and he shoots the Deadpool Kid in the head. Being a Deadpool, however, he survives. He appears again as part of the Deadpool Corps, and dies in Deadpool Kills Deadpool #4. Matthew McConaughey voices the Deadpool Kid in the film.

Baby DeadpoolMarvel Comics

He might look adorable, but he’s deadly. Yes, there’s a Baby Deadpool. In the comics, Baby Deadpool mostly appeared on variant covers, along with other baby versions of Marvel heroes. You know you’ve made it as a pop culture icon when there’s a baby version of you. Deadpool is no different.

Ronin-PoolMarvel Comics

Watari, a.k.a. “Ronin-Pool,” is the Deadpool of Earth-11542, a world where it is still 17th-century Japan. Introduced in the 2011 5 Ronins series, he would later join the Deadpool Corps, meeting his demise in Deadpool Kills Deadpool #4. It’s also possible this samurai Deadpool hails from Earth-346, a world where Wade Wilson travels back in time to feudal Japan, learns the ways of the samurai and becomes part of the Avengers-bankrolled Samurai Squad. He first appeared in Marvel × Shōnen Jump+ Super Collaboration #5 in 2019.

Headpool a.k.a. Zombie Deadpool Marvel Comics

Thanks to the Marvel Zombies series, virtually every Marvel character has a slow-walking, rotting version of themselves that wants to eat your brains. Deadpool is no different. On Earth, a zombie apocalypse ravaged the entire planet. Deadpool was a victim of it too. Eventually, only the head of the zombie Deadpool survived, now named “Headpool.” He came to Earth 616 to annoy our Wade Wilson. Fun fact: Headpool was created by The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman.

Golden Age DeadpoolMarvel Comics

In the big “Wolverine and Wade vs. all the Deadpools” fight, you might have noticed a Deadpool with a gas mask on. No, that’s not “World War I Soldier Deadpool,” that’s Golden Age Deadpool. Named Wheezy Wilson, he’s a spoof on 1940s superheroes, like DC Comics’ gas mask-wearing Sandman. He’s one of the very first Deadpool variants in the Deadpool Corps, introduced in 2012’s Deadpool Kills Deadpool.

Deadpool 2099Marvel Comics

You might have spotted a Deadpool that looked like a robot in the film. However, they might not be a robot, they might be a human from the future. The year 2099, to be precise. These days, everyone knows about Spider-Man 2099, thanks to Across the Spider-Verse. Just like most famous Marvel heroes, Deadpool has a year 2099 counterpart. However, Deadpool 2099 isn’t a high-tech variant of Wade, she’s his daughter, Warda Wilson. She uses a tech suit with some very fancy futuristic weapons.

ZenpoolMarvel Comics

In the Deadpool Corps battle scene, there’s a Deadpool variant who looks a bit like Moon Knight, or maybe a character from Assassin’s Creed. In the comics, the Deadpool who looks like that isn’t actually a variant, he’s actually the “real” Wade Wilson. For a time, Wade gave up his life of violence and became something of a monk. He became “Zenpool.” Luckily for readers, the non-violent Deadpool did not last too long. But a version of him appears in Deadpool & Wolverine.

KnightpoolMarvel Comics

Created by writer Cullen Bunn, this is one of the Deadpools in the Deadpool Corps that looked like he had a job working at Medieval Times. Knight Deadpool, or Knightpool, was introduced and died in the same issue, in 2013’s Deadpool Kills Deadpool #4. We know next to nothing about this guy, not even his real name. Is it Ser Wilson?

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Here Are All The Logan Variants in DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE

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In Deadpool & Wolverine, one sequence finds Wade Wilson having to travel to different timelines to find a replacement Logan for the one from his world that died. And this leads to many hilarious scenes of Logan variants from across the Multiverse, most of which are direct Marvel Comics references… and maybe even a DC reference in a way. Here are all the Logan variants we spotted in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Old Man LoganMarvel Comics

Old Man Logan, by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, is one of the greatest Wolverine stories ever. Set in a dystopian future (somehow Wolverine always lands in those), it showed the grizzled former X-Man living alone on a ranch with a signature trench coat and cowboy hat as his go-to look. We see this version pull out his shotgun and blow Deadpool away, not wanting him on his lawn anymore.

Comics-Accurate (a.k.a. Short) WolverineMarvel Comics

One of the biggest changes from the comics to the character of Wolverine in film? Back in 2000 when they cast Hugh Jackman, his Logan was actually tall. In the comics, Wolverine is canonically about 5 foot 3, maybe 5 foot 4. He’s just a lil’ guy. We finally meet “comics-accurate” Wolverine in one of the alt timelines. At last, we get to see what Jackman would look like with a few inches taken off the top.

Brown and Tan Costume WolverineMarvel Comics

Most people know Logan’s yellow costume from the comics and X-Men: The Animated Series. But he had another long-lived costume that’s almost as iconic. From 1980-1991, Logan wore a brown and tan costume in the pages of Uncanny X-Men. We see Logan wear this costume for a fight with the Hulk, a fight we were cruelly snatched away from. The Hulk/Logan rivalry goes back to 1974, in Wolverine’s first appearance. The costume was designed by Canadian artist John Bryne, who got a shout-out from Deadpool.

Age of Apocalypse Wolverine Marvel Comics

Age of Apocalypse was an X-Men event comic from the mid-’90s. It took place on a dystopian alternate timeline in which the ancient mutant Apocalypse ruled the Earth. All our favorite X-Men characters got very ’90s redesigns for this event, most especially Wolverine/Weapon X. In this world, Logan was missing a hand, wore a navy blue leotard, and was sporting the wildest hair you’d ever seen. Hugh Jackman’s Age of Apocalypse version of Weapon X is spot-on, right down to the ridiculous hairdo.

“Patch”Marvel Comics

In one universe, Deadpool finds Logan at a casino, in a James Bond-esque white suit and bowtie. He sported an eye patch, looking rather dapper. This is a direct reference to Logan’s time in the island nation of Madripoor, where he used the alias “Patch.” (You know, because he wore an eye patch). The Patch alias came about back in the late ’80s. This was because, at the time, Wolverine was supposedly dead to the world and he thought an eyepatch would be his disguise. Hey, wearing glasses worked for Clark Kent, right?

Henry Cavill “Motorcycle Wolverine”Hasbro

Speaking of Clark Kent, Henry Cavill himself shows up as a Wolverine variant, looking just as sexy as Logan as he did as the Man of Steel. Actually, as Logan, he’s still a “man of steel” in a way. The gag of this scene is just “Hey, it’s Superman, but he’s Wolverine!” But this Logan in a white tank top working on a motorcycle is also a reference to a Hasbro Marvel Legends action figure. The comics got representation, so why not the toys?

Crucified LoganMarvel Comics

It’s one of the most iconic Wolverine comic book images ever. It’s an image of a broken Logan, crucified to a giant cross in the shape of an ‘X,” over a giant pile of skulls. It’s actually the (metal as hell) cover of 1989’s Uncanny X-Men #251, where Wolverine fought off the cyborg Reavers (who you may remember from Logan). We’re not sure why this Logan variant played by Hugh Jackman is on a cross, but we bet artist Marc Silvestri is very, very proud.

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Every MCU Character Who Appears in DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE

Deadpool & Wolverine delivered a fond farewell to Fox’s era of X-Men and Marvel movies, but it needed some help from MCU stars to say goodbye. Who helped Wade and Logan make the big screen move over to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here is every MCU character who appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Marvel Studios[image error]Happy Hogan (and a Picture of Tony Stark)Marvel Studios

In 2018, Wade Wilson left his universe of Earth-10005 and traveled to the MCU’s (pre-Snap) prime universe, Earth-616. He was there applying for a job with the Avengers, but he didn’t get to meet with the still-alive Tony Stark. Wade interviewed Jon Favreau’s “Avengers adjacent” Happy Hogan. The former chauffeur-turned-head of security didn’t think Wade was quite ready for the job. That soft-rejection sent Wade into a funk that contributed to his breakup with Vanessa. Meanwhile, we’re left to wonder if Deadpool got the job if he could have helped stopped Thanos from acquiring all the Infinity Stones and dusting half of that universe.

Notably the scene included a memorable picture of Tony Stark with Peter Parker, but Tom Holland’s image was obscured. Disney bought 20th Century Studios, not Sony.

Footage of the Six Original MCU AvengersMarvel Studios

Deadpool saw all of the original Avengers on monitors in the TVA. The footage came from the team in action during the Battle of New York along with other famous moments from their own lives/films. Their heroics were a big part of Paradox’s pitch to Deadpool to go along with his devious plan.

The one future “clip” Wade was not supposed to see playing was the one that had him—and us—most intrigued by Paradox’s offer.

ThorMarvel Studios

Apparently in the future an emotional Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth) will hold a dying Deadpool in his arms. (In a scene that looks like an absurd Asgardian play.)

Uh…what? When? HOW!? Wade Wilson really wanted to know, and he made reference to that futur a couple more times in the movie. Unfortunately it was, at best, just a tease. It might ultimately prove to be merely a fun gag. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t an actual sign the MCU has plans for a future Deadpool/Thor team-up. We don’t work at the TVA so we don’t know.

HulkMarvel Studios

During his search through the multiverse for a replacement Wolverine, Deadpool found one seemingly engaged in one of the most iconic fights in comic book history: Wolverine vs. Hulk. Unfortunately that for Wade and all of us, we didn’t get to see that epic showdown. The shirtless, feral Incredible Hulk paused his fight with the “John Byrne Wolverine” so he could throw Deadpool back through the TVA doorway.

Hulk not smash. Hulk evict.

Hunter B-15Marvel Studios

Paradox and his team had to work on their Time Ripper machine in secret because the new head of the TVA runs things a lot differently than the old one. Loki‘s Hunter B-15 is now in charge at the Time Variance Authority. After Loki season two it no longer condones the pruning of branches, even those destined for a natural destruction.

Deadpool & Wolverine marked Wunmi Mosaku’s debut in an MCU film. Her Hunter B-15 had previously only appeared on the Disney+ show.

AliothMarvel Studios

The film featured the big screen debut of another character introduced on Loki, the Void’s memorable monster Alioth. That terrifying storm beast is still eating up Variants sent to that realm outside of time and space. Only Deadpool & Wolverine revealed it’s possible to negotiate with Alioth. It left Cassandra Nova and her fortress alone so long as she provided Alioth with “food.”

The Dead Giant Body of Ant-ManMarvel Studios

Deadpool was wrong, right? The dead giant body of Ant-Man that Cassandra Nova called home means Paul Rudd stopped aging. No one gets older when they’re dead.

Obviously Scott Lang has looked better.

Steve Rogers…’ Fiery Variant Johnny Storm20th Century Studios

One of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s biggest surprises was the return of Chris Evans to the MCU. Only, he wasn’t playing a Variant of his MCU character like Wade first thought. (Which the film also wanted us to think.) Instead Evans played a Variant of his original Marvel superhero character, Johnny Storm from the Fantastic Four.

Considering he looked exactly like Earth-616’s Steve Rogers, we think it’s safe to assume he’s a Variant of the original Captain America and therefore worthy of being on this list. That might be a technicality, but what are you going to do about it? Rip off all our skin and turn us into a mush of blood and bones?

….Please don’t.

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LEGO NINJAGO DRAGONS RISING Announces Season 3 and Season 2, Part 2 Release Date at SDCC Panel

Much to the delight of die-hard fans, the LEGO Ninjago: Dragons Rising team came together at San Diego Comic-Con to celebrate the show. Pamela Keller (LEGO/exec producer), Chris “Doc” Wyatt and Kevin Burke (head writers), Ryan Burns (LEGO/exec producer), Deven Mack (voice of Arin), and Sabrina Pitre (voice of Sora) arrived on the SDCC stage to get deep into the show, its future, and the beautiful heart of friendship and family at its center.

Netflix

We won’t bury the lede, there were a few super exciting LEGO Ninjago: Dragons Rising announcements made at the series’ San Diego Comic-Con panel. Firstly, the highly-anticipated part two of the show’s second season finally has a release date window. Ninjago: Dragons Rising season two, part two, will officially release in early October of 2024. That’s practically around the corner! Additionally, at the SDCC panel, Ryan Burns revealed that Ninjago: Dragons Rising is also officially greenlit for season three! What a joyful slew of news.

But the happy announcements don’t even end there. There are also mysterious future excitements on the way. At the SDCC panel, it was noted that 2026 is a big year for Ninjago. Though, of course, classic and current Ninjago stories would be celebrated, the franchise would hopefully introduce something new and unfamiliar to celebrate its 15th anniversary. Let the speculation begin.

LEGO #Ninjago Dragons Rising has been renewed for season three! #SDCC pic.twitter.com/4mrlZUk3Kt

— Nerdist (@nerdist) July 25, 2024

In addition to these revelations, the cast and creators of the show also shared some behind-the-scenes stories and their personal meditations on the series and characters. For example, Arin’s love of pies actually comes right from his voice actor Deven Mack, but Mack didn’t even know it. Doc and Burke had actually worked with Deven Mack before on the animated show Super Dinosaur, based on a comic created by Robert Kirkman. On their first day of production on the series, Mack had baked a Super Dinosaur-themed pie that really resonated with the writers. When it came time to create Arin, the duo had Mack in the back of their heads and hoped he might play the role. This was long before casting even began to be a thought, of course. But even still, Doc and Burke wrote in this particular habit of Mack’s into the DNA of Arin.

LEGO

Hilariously, when Mack was called to audition, he wanted to give someone else a shot at the role, so purposefully made his voice sound younger than he thought it should be. Still, he was given the role and asked to age up his voice. When he finally read the full script and as Arin couldn’t wait to enter a pie competition, he truly understood the role was meant for him. And thus is the fate and circumstance of the casting.

We loved seeing the cast and creators of LEGO #Ninjago: Dragons Rising today! pic.twitter.com/qX80Or8by1

— Nerdist (@nerdist) July 26, 2024

Speaking more widely about the show’s impact and what they want its fans to take away, the panel shared some heartfelt sentiments. With Arin, his ability to find positivity and the bright side of any situation really shines. Meanwhile, Sora’s fierce protection of her friends and her bonds with the creatures around her is worth admiring. Additionally, her ideology is so different than her parts and everything they tried to impose on her, but she really shows that you don’t have to follow along with what people think you should be. You can do what you believe is right.

LEGO #Ninjago Dragons Rising season two, part two will officially release in early October 2024, reveals Ryan Burns at the #SDCC panel for the series. pic.twitter.com/uDA5qFXlpM

— Nerdist (@nerdist) July 25, 2024

The show also really stresses that family isn’t necessarily what you’re born into. You can build your family with the people along the way, even if they are animals or other creatures. Those are the people who love you for who you are, no matter what. It’s a powerful message.

Of course, the whole Ninjago: Dragons Rising team hopes to tell engaging stories and keep their characters and their journeys fresh.

As to what fans can expect next from LEGO Ninjago: Dragons Rising? The creators noted that the City of Temples is filled with people who worship and study Source Dragons. Events are put together in honor of Source Dragons and the energy they use, and everyone comes together to compete. But now, after the merge, Mergelands Masters from every single realm will come together to have this tournament. Additionally, Doc and Burke tease the character of Dareth in the show’s future. They note that they aren’t confirming that Dareth will appear, but they are not denying it either. Specifically, they will say, “The weight of Dareth fan expectations hangs heavy on their shoulders.”

Netflix

The SDCC panel was certainly an exciting time for fans of LEGO Ninjago: Dragons Rising. And it sounds like there is only more excitement to come.

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Which Sets Is LEGO Showcasing at SDCC 2024? Take a Closer Look with Us

At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, LEGO is showcasing a brilliant display of over 50 LEGO sets, including some that have never been seen before in person. LEGO’s 2024 booth transforms from ordinary Comic-Con installation into Space Station 8R1CK5, highlighting the company’s overall SDCC theme of marrying the wonder of space with the joy of building with LEGO bricks. So it’s no surprise that an assortment of space-themed sets from LEGO City, LEGO Technic, and LEGO Icons themes can be found at the convention booth. But swirling in the idea of space are broader notions of exploration, the discovery of new worlds, and unlocking novel experiences. And so LEGO’s 2024 SDCC booth also highlights products from LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Minecraft, LEGO Super Mario, and LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog. Step inside LEGO’s SDCC booth with us and check out all the cool builds, first-look sets, and out-of-this-world creations.

NerdistA Galaxy Far, Far Away Is Calling… These LEGO Star Wars Sets Feature at SDCC

LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy is a four-part animated special coming to Disney+ on September 16. If you haven’t yet (and really, what are you waiting for?), you can check out its trailer here. But this fun LEGO Star Wars series basically functions a little bit like a What If…? adventure for the Star Wars universe. Suddenly, all the good guys have gone bad, and all the bad guys have gone good. Among other fabulous figures, the series brings to life the fan-manifested Darth Jar Jar, Jedi Bob, and Jedi Vader. At SDCC 2024, LEGO will display three sets tied to LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy.

LEGO Star Wars Jedi Bob’s Starfighter Set Debuts at SDCCNerdist

First up, it’s LEGO Star Wars Jedi Bob’s Starfighter. A mystery Jedi Knight Minifigure appeared in a 2022 LEGO Star Wars set, and fans came together to give him a name, Jedi Bob. Jedi Bob will become a fully realized Star Wars character in the upcoming Disney+ special, but he’ll also finally get official LEGO set acknowledgment. Good for you, Jedi Bob! If you’re at the con, you can play a LEGO scavenger hunt to try to win a LEGO Jedi Bob set signed by Jedi Bob’s voice actor Bobby Moynihan.

NerdistLEGO Star Wars The Dark Falcon and TIE Fighter & X-Wing Mash-up Sets

Additionally, the LEGO booth at SDCC 2024 will feature the LEGO Star Wars The Dark Falcon and TIE Fighter & X-Wing Mash-up sets. The Dark Falcon puts the spotlight on Darth Jar Jar as he receives his own Star Wars Minifigure. It also gives us a pretty cool vision of what the Millennium Falcon might be like if it went to the dark side. Jedi Vader, Beach Luke, and Darth Rey also rank high among our favorite Minifigures ever. Jedi Vader even makes a stunning appearance as a life-size brick-built model at LEGO’s SDCC 2024 booth.

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Finally, the LEGO Star Wars and TIE Fighter & X-Wing Mash-up marries two of the most iconic Star Wars spacecrafts ever to create the ‘TIE-wing’ and ‘X-fighter.’ We are honestly obsessed with this mashup of dark and light side symbols. (But you can also create the original versions of each using the set.) That’s the magic of LEGO for you.

NerdistLEGO Sonic the Hedgehog Debuts a Shadow Set at SDCC 2024Nerdist

Admit it, Shadow the Hedgehog is your favorite part of the Sonic the Hedgehog world—antiheroes often are the best. He’s so cool that Keanu Reeves is voicing him in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie. And now, he’s graduating to the coolest honor of all, having a Shadow the Hedgehog LEGO set created in his honor.

This Shadow the Hedgehog LEGO set debuts at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. The LEGO Group and SEGA will showcase their new LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog creation at the LEGO booth. This new set promises many recognizable details and hidden Easter eggs that will celebrate Shadow’s undeniable style and fan-favorite status.

NerdistNew Dungeons & Dragons LEGO Minifigures Arrive at SDCCNerdist

At Nerdist, it was our great pleasure to build and review the Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale set. And let us tell you, beyond looking extremely cool (and having a full articulated LEGO dragon you can build out of bricks), the set truly captured the spirit of Dungeons & Dragons. But the key to a truly good D&D narrative is to make sure the story and world can keep growing. (And also, sometimes, you need to embrace new party, no matter how in love you are with your latest character.)

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To keep the journey going, LEGO has revealed 12 new LEGO fantasy minifigures: Tiefling Sorcerer, Elf Bard, Halfling Druid, Dwarf Barbarian, Dragonborn Paladin, Aarakocra Ranger, Gith Warlock, Mind Flayer, The Lady of Pain, Strahd von Zarovich, Tasha the Witch Queen and Szass Tam. We could definitely use a Gith to expand on our current party, and who doesn’t love a Mind Flayer after watching Stranger Things? Each Minifigure will also carry an authentic accessory and come with a collector’s information leaflet.  

NerdistLEGO Reveals Minecraft Baby Pig’s Birthday Celebration Set at SDCCLEGO

SDCC is a huge celebration, so it’s the perfect time to reveal a LEGO set with a party of its own. LEGO Minecraft Baby Pig’s Birthday Celebration invites you to build a Minecraft cake. This special set lets you build your own Minecraft mobs complete with moveable parts. The new LEGO Minecraft build includes a baby zombie, baby fox, baby cat, baby llama and baby pig. How is that for something worth celebrating?

A LEGO Masters-inspired Travel Moments Set Heads to San DiegoLEGO

Watching people create LEGO masterpieces is so satisfying. And that’s why the LEGO Master TV show has been so popular. And now, LEGO is giving the people what they want: the chance to build their own LEGO Masters creation straight from the show. LEGO Travel Moments comes right from off our screens and into our living rooms. It allows builders to recreate their most iconic travel moments with the World Wonderliner jet and the world map. The LEGO Travel Moments set even leaves space for you to show off travel souveniers and pictures using photo holders. And you can add micro-build vehicles and decorative tiles to customize your map. Every time you go somewhere new, you can update you build! Pretty nifty!

The LEGO Travel Moments set will be on display at LEGO’s SDCC 2024 booth.

Bring LEGO SDCC 2024 Home!

From Marvel to classic Star Wars to The Legend of Zelda and everything in between, there are a ton of other sets at LEGO’s SDCC 2024 booth. Of course, none of these featured SDCC 2024 sets aren’t con exclusives! You can bring them home and see for yourself just what they look like.

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All the sets on display at SDCC can be found at LEGO.com/San-Diego-Comic-Con. So you have to look no further if you’re looking for a group of LEGO sets perfectly curated to inspire imagination, curiosity, and exploration.

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LEGO’s SDCC 2024 Booth Invites You to Blast Off Into Space—Our Exclusive Booth Walkthrough

Space. For those of us on Earth, it’s a place of wonder. Scientists estimate we’ve only explored 4% of the universe so far. And only 646 people out of the billions on Earth have seen space in person—a staggering number. But that doesn’t mean humans aren’t eager to discover new wonders in the cosmos. To unlock the 96% of the universe we haven’t discovered yet, LEGO has committed to highlighting space’s splendor in its new 2024 releases and sets. From letting creators build the Milky Way to bringing children’s spacecraft visions to life (which you can see at the LEGO booth), LEGO has paired the ingenuity and exploratory nature inherent in its offerings with a mission to encourage a love of space in children and beyond. Blasting this partnership to new heights is LEGO’s space-themed booth at SDCC 2024. Please join us for an exclusive walkthrough (or is that “floatthrough”) of LEGO’s cosmically cool creation, Space Station 8R1CK5.

NerdistWe Invite You Into Orbit: Tour LEGO’s SDCC 2024 Booth, Space Station 8R1CK5, with Our Exclusive Walkthrough

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Welcome to @LEGO’s space booth ✨ #LEGOSDCC #LEGO

♬ BIG UP – INJI

The final frontier. The galaxy far, far away… To infinity and beyond! Space has been the backdrop of many nerdy adventures, and now, thanks to LEGO, it’s on its way to San Diego Comic-Con, the ultimate fannish destination. At LEGO’s San Diego Comic-Con 2024 booth (booth #2829), fans will be welcomed to Space Station 8R1CK5. LEGO has had many incredible booths at SDCC before, filled with awe-inspiring LEGO-built figures, creative activations, and more. But LEGO’s 2024 SDCC booth is one of the most immersive and the most meaningful to date. Stepping into LEGO’s Space Station 8R1CK5 booth will allow visitors to imagine they’re blasting off into space, all with the very special cosmic touch of LEGO magic.

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At Nerdist, it’s our particular delight to help reveal LEGO’s San Diego Comic-Con 2024 booth with a very special booth tour and walkthrough of the space installation. And we invite all the LEGO fans out there in the universe to join us. We say “LEGO fans in the universe” because LEGO fans are on Earth, in space via our terrestrial astronauts, but also (we bet) in parts of the cosmos still unknown. That’s right, we’re saying aliens love LEGOs.

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So, whether you’re soon heading to SDCC yourself, watching from the Milky Way, or just want to live the adventure from your home-ship, C0UCH, we want you to come along on this journey into space. You can check out our booth tour walkthrough video above or shift your telescope down for even more details about LEGO’s SDCC 2024 installation, Space Station 8R1CK5.

LEGO Is Bringing Space to Its 2024 SDCC Booth (#2829)Nerdist

At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, the LEGO Group’s Space Station 8R1CK5 will create an interstellar booth experience, which will also feature first-look product reveals from beloved properties and a plethora of interactive elements. In LEGO’s SDCC booth, booth #2829, the wonder of space exploration will meet the pure joy of building with LEGO bricks. (Another wonderful kind of exploration.) As fans float through the booth, they can expect cosmic experiences, out-of-this-world photo opportunities, exclusive surprises, and more. Space Station 8R1CK5 will land at SDCC from Thursday, July 25, through Sunday, July 29. 

Beth McKenna, Head of U.S. Marketing at the LEGO Group, shares, “After over 20 years of showcasing at San Diego Comic-Con, we wanted to wowfans yet again and worked hard to create a brand-new experience that offers something for everyone. Space is an endless playground for imagination and storytelling; we are hoping to capture that playground spirit right here at Space Station 8R1CK5.”

Don’t Miss Out on LEGO’s SDCC 2024 Booth Experiences, Immersions, and Panel Signings

LEGO’s San Diego Comic-Con 2024 booth, Space Station 8R1CK5, will truly allow you to explore an expansive universe. With its clean, geometric aesthetic, deep blue and white coloring, and gloriously cosmic “windows” into space, Space Station 8R1CK5 makes its visitors feel like they’ve actually stepped into orbit. Additionally, full of brick-built details and delightfully giant LEGO figures, this booth offers all kinds of galactic activities and immersive adventures.

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Some of the activities you’ll find in the solar system of LEGO’s 2024 SDCC booth include: 

An immersive space station experience that features beloved properties, interactive fun, and virtual elements. Among other adventures, you can travel to a galaxy far, far away at the LEGO Star Wars™ display, have a close encounter with specimens from different universes with LEGO IP products, or even just watch the time float by from one of the space windows and content screens! Space Station 8R1CK5 will feature a build-your-own LEGO rocket experience. In this experience, guests can design and build their own space creation using LEGO bricks. Once complete, guests can set their craft in orbit by placing it in front of a special LED screen backdrop. Your rockets will literally take flight before your eyes.Nerdist

Of course, space exploration is its own reward. But to add a little bit of extra incentive to head to space, LEGO will be offering exclusive embroidered patches to commemorate the builds of every astronaut-in-training. LEGO shares that “Every astronaut who travels to Space Station 8R1CK5 and completes the rocket build experience will receive a San Diego Comic-Con mission patch.” And who among us does not want an exclusive patch for our collection?

NerdistLEGO Panels and Signings

In addition to the tremendous adventures of LEGO’s booth itself, LEGO will have a pair of exciting panels and signings that will surely please die-hard fans. LEGO’s San Diego Comic-Con panels include a LEGO NINJAGO: Dragons Rising Continues panel and a LEGO Masters: Back Behind the Brick Panel. These panels will both take place in room 6BCF on Thursday, July 25, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. PDT and  Friday, July 26, from 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm PDT, respectively.

Signings for these panels will take place in LEGO’s SDCC booth. The LEGO NINJAGO Dragons Rising Continues! signing will take place after its panel, at 3 PM on July 25. Meanwhile, the LEGO Masters: Back Behind the Brick signing will take place prior to the panel in the booth from 2 PM-3 PM.

Where Is LEGO’s Booth (#2829) Located?

So, where can you find LEGO’s SDCC 2024 booth, #2829? LEGO’s booth is just across from the Star Wars and Marvel booths at SDCC, right around the very middle of the Exhibitor area.

A Journey of Discovery: The Beautiful Connection Between LEGO and SpaceNerdist

A study by the LEGO Group finds that 86% of children are interested in finding new planets, stars, and galaxies, and 77% want to visit space. Additionally, a majority of children believe there are aliens in space, and 64% want to meet one. It’s this excitement and energy that will allow us to continue exploring space and its wonderful mysteries, and it’s this eagerness that LEGO wants to help bolster with its commitment to making space accessible. Today, children will step into LEGO’s immersive SDCC space-themed booth, and hopefully, tomorrow, they will blast off to explore our next new frontier.

While not everyone will be able to go to space, every single one of us can open a box of LEGOs and feel a sense of adventure and discovery beneath our fingers. LEGO is all about creating and discovering, taking the smallest of component parts and turning them into something much greater. Snapping those bricks together is one small step for our LEGO build and one giant step for our imaginations. Through its space sets, LEGO lets us take off on new galactic adventures every day.

So far in 2024, LEGO has helped children, adults, and more connect with their love of space. This has happened in small ways, like the release of new space-themed sets, and big ways, like helping to inspire the way astronauts are building shelters on the moon. We can’t wait to see what (inter)stellar surprises LEGO will dream of next!

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THE NEVERENDING STORY’s Tami Stronach Returns to Fantasy with MAN AND WITCH

The NeverEnding Story might not actually be never ending, but the movie’s reach continues with no signs of stopping 40 years after its release. Remember how excited people were about the Stranger Things season three homage to the film’s song? Tami Stronach’s portrayal of the Childlike Empress in particular stands out. And now, she’s returning to the screen again for Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps.

The fantasy film, coming to theaters July 28 and July 30 from Fathom Events, harkens back to The NeverEnding Story and other fantasy movies of the ‘80s. It tells the story of a reclusive witch who, for a cost, agrees to help a lonely goatherd overcome a curse from his birth. Stronach plays the witch, while her husband Greg Steinbruner takes on the role of the goatherd. They produce and write the movie, respectively We talked with Stronach about getting back into acting, witches, and what she hopes audiences will take from Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps.

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Man and Witch marks your return to the big screen. What played into you making this decision?

Tami Stronach: I was acting in plays over the course of my 20s and 30s. I had a dance company and I was dancing in a variety of other companies, but I was also in a theater company for seven years. I kept jumping in and out of off Broadway plays in the downtown theater scene. And dance has a really limited shelf life. You do eventually have to give it up. So, I always had this secret plan to return to acting. It ctually makes no sense with the real world, hence going into fantasy, right? If you ask any Hollywood person, they’re like, well, strategizing about getting back into acting in your 50s as a woman…

This project was an opportunity to get back to acting on a broader scale than I had been doing. To do it on my own terms, to have a seat at the table, to be a producer, to make sure that I love the story, that the female characters felt interesting. For all of those reasons, it  felt like something I was willing to give four years of my life to. I could be behind the scenes, in front of the camera, working with my husband, including my daughter, acting, it has a giant dance number in it—I could braid it all together. And I’m a child of the ’80s. I love ’80s movies, and I was watching films with my daughter and we were like, “Why don’t they make movies like they used to anymore?” So, a big motivation was like, “Well, why don’t we try?”

You checked all the boxes! I’d love to hear more about your character. You play the titular witch. Did any other witches in pop culture inspire you?

Stronach: My goal was to take this witch and make the audience fall in love with her. She’s a flawed character. I wouldn’t say she’s really based on other witches. It’s more based on my desire as a middle-aged woman to put a story out in the world that’s about second chances. She’s really damaged at the beginning of the film. In some ways she has this very hard exterior, but inside she’s super soft. That was a really interesting role to play. She’s not what she appears to be and that you learn who she is through time. Having a role with this transformation felt really exciting. I was a little nervous how NeverEnding Story fans would react to my big moment back on screen being this haggard witch. But all of her light comes out towards the end of the film.

This movie doesn’t have CGI. What were some of the rewards, or challenges even, of that?

Stronach: I really love practical effects. This is going to maybe sound a little corny, but I do feel like you can feel the Qi of the puppeteer in the puppet. You’re taking the energy in your body and you’re putting it into that object to animate it. I think that’s magic. I don’t think that there’s never a place for CGI—sometimes CGI can be spectacular. You can suddenly get these enormous scenes, which you could never pay for otherwise, but we just didn’t have the budget for it. Rather than be upset about that, we’re like, well, how can we turn that into a positive? And the positive was to take everything that’s awesome about practical effects and celebrate that. We won’t have an epic battle scene, but instead we’ll do a giant dance number. We just tried to work within the scope of what we could.

Actually we have a really fun featurette that we made for Fathom Events. We made an eight-minute film that you can only see if you go to the theater about the puppets, working with The Jim Henson Company, why we did practical effects, how that all went down.

What do you hope audiences who see Man and Witch walk away feeling?

Stronach: I want their own imagination to be inspired. I want their own creativity to be ignited. Genuinely, I just want them to feel a little bit of joy and feeling a little bit more hopeful. I think we need that. The world’s really complicated right now, and part of what fantasy does so well is it tackles hard problems, but it never gives up hope. Without hope, we’re not going to solve anything.

Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand Steps will play in theaters across the United States on July 28 and July 30. Get tickets now.

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