Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 306

Robert Downey Jr. ‘Surprisingly Open-Minded’ About Playing Iron Man Again

For just over a decade, if anyone could claim to be the center of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was Robert Downey Jr. His Tony Stark began the whole franchise in Iron Man and remained its wisecracking core up until his bombastic final bow in Avengers: Endgame. That ending seemed pretty definitive, and we certainly didn’t expect he’d return to the role ever. But, movie and comic magic is a real thing. Yet, on a recent installment of Variety‘s “Actors on Actors” series (h/t: ComicBook), he said he’s “surprisingly open-minded” about putting on the suit again.

Downey told fellow Oscar nominee Jodie Foster “It’s just crazily in my DNA. Probably the most like-me character I’ve ever played, even though he’s way cooler than I am. I’ve become surprisingly open-minded to the idea… It really is crazy because we look pretty good. I was actually looking at the stills we were taking, making sure: “Do we still look kind of OK?” I’m like, ‘We look pretty good.'”

The royal “we,” evidently.

Marvel Studios

With a Secret Wars movie still in the cards, it’s highly likely Kevin Feige will find a way to bring some of the old guard back. That saga merges universes, after all. Who says other Iron Mans aren’t still kicking out there, if the price is right. Robert Downey Jr. don’t come cheap. Either of them.

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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Michael Keaton Was ‘Possessed by a Demon’ While Filming BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (In a Good Way)

For decades now, we’ve heard rumors about a sequel to Beetlejuice, Tim Burton’s 1988 hit, which cemented his signature style. The story of a young goth girl (Winona Ryder) who tries to help two ghosts in her haunted home scare her parents away. The ghost they hire is a “Bio-exorcist” named Beetlejuice to do the deed. A cult classic to this day, plans for a sequel have always been rumored. During the ’90s, they even floated “Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian” to Kevin Smith.

But now, some 35 years after the original hit theaters, a sequel to the adventures of the “Bio Exorcist” is finally on the way. Original star Michael Keaton, director Tim Burton, and Scream and Wednesday star Jenna Ortega have all signed on.

Warner Bros./Netflix

It sounds like we’re in for quite an adventure when Beetlejuice Beetlejuice releases. Director Tim Burton notes of Keaton stepping back into the role. “It was like he was possessed by a demon, because he just went right back into it.” Additionally, Catherine O’Hara gushes, “It was insane… Insane.” And Jenna Ortega completes the trio of praises by revealing, “It was like an animal with a gun had just walked into the room. To watch him physically change and appear and Michael Keaton to be gone, and for me to be dealing with this Betelgeuse guy… it blew my mind.”

And so, let’s bust out that Handbook for the Recently Deceased; here is everything we know about the upcoming Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Title

As we hoped, the title for this movie is Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! We love it, because this way, if they ever make it a trilogy, they can call the third one Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! and Michael Keaton will magically appear when summoned, just by saying the title.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s Plot

The Beetlejuice sequel will center on the daughter of Lydia Deetz from the first film. And somehow, the previously unknown wife of Beetlejuice will play a part as well. We think it’s safe to say that both ghosts and the afterlife will play a rather large role. The teaser trailer also finally have our first look at Ortega and Keaton in their roles.

Warner Bros.Warner Bros.

The official synopsis for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice sheds more light on the plot, sharing:

Beetlejuice is back!  After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River.  Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened.  With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

Click To View Gallery Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s CastWarner Bros.

The cast for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is shaping up to have a combination of stars from the original, and other actors Tim Burton has recently worked with. Michael Keaton will return as the titular character, joined by Jenna Ortega, who recently worked with Burton on Wednesday, as the daughter of Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz character from the first film. Winona Ryder is returning as well, as so is Catherine O’Hara as her stepmother. Other original cast members, like Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, are likely not returning.

Warner Bros./Netflix

New to the cast is Willem Dafoe, who is playing a law enforcement officer in the afterlife. Another new face is Justin Theroux, in an as-yet undisclosed role. Also new to the world of the afterlife is Monica Bellucci, who will play the previously unknown wife of Beetlejuice. This will be the first time working on a Tim Burton project for all three actors.

Behind the ScenesWarner Bros.

Returning behind the camera is original filmmaker Tim Burton. Al Gough and Miles Millar, the creators of the hit Netflix Burton/Ortega collaboration Wednesday, wrote the screenplay for the sequel. Tim Burton’s longtime friend and collaborator Danny Elfman is returning to compose the score. It just wouldn’t feel like Beetlejuice without an Elfman score, would it?

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice‘s Release Date

The long-awaited sequel to the Tim Burton horror/comedy classic Beetlejuice hits theaters on September 5, 2024.

Originally published on May 15, 2023.

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New PREDATOR Movie BADLANDS Eyes Elle Fanning as Star (Report)

One of cinema’s most terrifying space monsters might want to start planning for their next human enemy. Deadline reports Elle Fanning is currently in negotiations to star in Prey director Dan Trachtenberg’s next Predator film, Badlands.

Hulu/20th Century Studios

Fanning, best known for her roles in Super 8, Maleficent, and The Great, is reportedly close to signing on to star in Trachtenberg’s next standalone Predator movie. Deadline says the casting process began when 20th Century Studio executives learned she’s a big fan of the franchise. If she does come to an agreement we might not have to wait long to see her fight the Predator. The new Predator movie Badlands is expected to start shooting later this year.

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SPOTIFY Announces Price Hikes Yet Again

I did a cursory check and 100% of people stream music. It’s everyone, in the whole world. Remember when people used to buy music, as a society? Now rather than pay for albums, or even songs, they liked, most people use one of a small number of music streaming platforms for everything. But nothing’s for free, especially if you don’t want your listening interrupted by ads. Spotify, maybe the biggest of the bunch, announced on Monday that all of its premium subscriptions prices will go up.

Spotify

In the article by The Hollywood Reporter, Spotify’s individual plan will go up $1 per month to $11.99, the duo plan rising by $2 per month to $16.99, the family plan rising by $3 per month to $19.99. The student plan, which is offered at a discount to verified students, remains at $5.99. All of this will go into effect immediately for new subscribers and on the next billing cycle for existing.

This is just the latest hike for a streaming service, all of which—video and audio alike—have been skyrocketing as streaming media becomes the norm. Still, Spotify has all the music, so, pros and cons, ya know?

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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Where Does THE ACOLYTE Fit in the Overall STAR WARS Timeline?

The High Republic is a broad swath of time in the Star Wars universe timeline. The Acolyte takes place at the tail end of the High Republic, in roughly 132 BBY. This is one hundred years before the events of Episode I: The Phantom Menace (32 BBY). “BBY” is an abbreviation for “before the Battle of Yavin,” or the climactic battle in Episode IV: A New Hope where Luke Skywalker blows up the Death Star. This is not dissimilar to the concept of BCE or “Before Common Era.” Without further ado, let’s dive into the history of the High Republic leading up to The Acolyte. 

Officially, the High Republic spans the years 500 – 100 BBY. The High Republic is preceded by the Old Republic, whose dates are still nebulous at this time. Officially, in the Star Wars Timelines book, the Old Republic is folded into the “Early History” section (c. 26,000 – 501 BBY), which also includes the earliest part of Star Wars history: the Dawn of the Jedi. As the Old Republic and Dawn of the Jedi periods get more exploration in future projects, we’ll get a better sense of their exact dates. That said, the first iteration of the Galactic Republic is said to have formed in 1,000 BBY. So that is a potential benchmark for the Old Republic. The High Republic period precedes the Fall of the Jedi from c. 100 BBY to 19 BBY, which roughly corresponds to the prequel films.

Is Yoda Alive During The Acolyte‘s High Republic Era? Which Familiar Star Wars Characters and Groups Exist at This Time?

Speaking of the prequel films, there are some familiar faces in the High Republic. Yoda was middle-aged in 382 BBY, at roughly 514 years old. (He was born in 896 BBY and became a Jedi Master by 796 BBY). Even in his middle age, Yoda was already reclusive, preferring to teach younglings instead of involving himself in Republic politics.

Yaddle, a member of Yoda’s species on the Jedi Council in The Phantom Menace, was only around 250 years old in 382 BBY. Yoda was a wise stalwart in the Order. However, Yaddle was a proactive force of nature on the battlefield when it came to protecting the galaxy’s most vulnerable. (The High Republic novel, Cataclysm by Lydia Kang, is full of such moments.)

Random House LLC

What differentiates the High Republic is a powerful new ethos that spread across the galaxy at the time: “We are all the Republic.” The Republic had made immense progress in bringing planets in the Mid Rim and Outer Rim into the Republic. Under Supreme Chancellor Lina Soh, the Republic celebrated its new cosmopolitan and multicultural state through events like The Republic Fair (231 BBY). Sadly, the Nihil, a pirate group, cut The Republic Fair’s festivities short. The Nihil were in direct opposition to the ethos of the Republic, seeking to sow as much chaos as possible. 

Who Are the Jedi and Villains During the High Republic Era?

It might seem strange to imagine Star Wars with a non-Sith villain. But the truth is that the Sith were not an active threat during this point in the universe’s timeline in the High Republic era. The Sith were defeated thousands of years earlier. The Jedi during the High Republic certainly had no reason to think that the Sith would become a political threat. That said, the Sith had allied themselves with an alien humanoid plant species called the Drengir in about 2,500 BBY. After lying dormant for thousands of years, a group of Jedi reawakened the Drengir in 232 BBY. The return of the Drengir forced the Jedi to reckon with the remains of Sith temples across the galaxy. 

Lucasfilm

One of the Jedi featured in The Acolyte, Vernestra Rwoh, was born in roughly 249 BBY, making her about 117 years old at the time of The Acolyte. After becoming a Jedi Knight at fifteen years old, Vernestra witnessed some of the Jedi’s greatest challenges during the latter half of the High Republic. Vernestra was seventeen when she first crossed paths with the Nihil in 232 BBY. She would lose her former mentor, Stellan Gios, when the Nihil destroyed the Republic’s Starlight Beacon satellite base in the Outer Rim in 230 BBY. 

The destruction of Starlight Beacon also marked a turning point in the Nihil’s tactics against the Jedi and the Republic. With creatures known as the Nameless, the Nihil’s leader, Marchion Ro, struck fear deep into the hearts of the Jedi Order. The Nameless were tentacled beasts with a ravenous appetite for any Force-sensitive being. After they finished “feeding” on a Force-sensitive, their victims were nothing but calcified husks. Even the most powerful Jedi Grand Masters were utterly helpless in the presence of a Nameless, as the creatures disrupted the Jedi’s ability to connect with the Force. At this point in time, the fate of the Nihil and the Jedi Order before The Acolyte is still unknown.

There are two upcoming adult novels that will likely wrap up the conflict (Temptation of the Force by Tessa Gratton and Trials of the Jedi by Charles Soule) within the next year. If The Acolyte intends to build upon the deep worldbuilding of the High Republic novels and comics, then it would be strange if the series didn’t mention the Jedi Order’s clashes with the Nihil and the Nameless. Facing an abject horror like the Nameless isn’t something you walk away from without a few ghost stories lingering around.

We will certainly learn more about the High Republic era and the overall Star Wars timeline through The Acolyte series.

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Here Are New Images of Recast Adar in THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER Season 2

Some may know that Adar was my favorite character on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season one. So I experienced a bit of a bittersweet moment when I learned that The Rings of Power season two had recast the character of Adar, with Sam Hazeldine replacing Joseph Mawle. On the one hand, I loved The Rings of Power‘s original Adar so much, but on the other hand, season two will bring a whole new Adar to enjoy. Perhaps the orcs/Uruk can fondly refer to Hazeldine’s version of Adar as Lord Step-Father. Happily, The Rings of Power didn’t keep me and other Adar fans waiting very long to find out what recast Adar will look like. In the first trailer for The Rings of Power season two, we see an unquestionable glimpse of Sam Hazeldine’s version of Adar, the long-suffering father of the Uruk.

Now, the show has also released a couple more clearer looks at Sam Hazeldine as the recast Adar. We also recently learned just a little bit more about what Adar’s journey will be like in season two of The Rings of Power. Let’s dive in.

Prime Video

As I wrote previously, the beauty of Adar’s character in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season one was his tragic inability to quite fit in on the side of good or evil. Hopefully, though Adar has been recast in The Rings of Power season two, Sam Hazeldine will understand the delicate balance of the character. And with any luck, we will continue to see Adar do evil things for aims that might seem noble with a different polish. Every show needs a good anti-hero, after all. Happily, The Rings of Power season two’s Adar still seems to have that balance of elf and orc in his appearance, hinting at the duality of his character. So we’re crossing our fingers this recast brings only more depth to Adar’s character in season two.

🚨Look at the new ‘Adar’ (Sam Hazeldine) in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ season 2

"He's a dark character, but he doesn't see himself as a villain,"

Via @EW pic.twitter.com/15WWKgNp5t

— Fellowship of Fans (@FellowshipFans) June 3, 2024

Sam Hazeldine recently shared of Adar, “For me, the appeal was that he’s a dark character, but he doesn’t see himself as a villain. He’s just trying to protect his children, the Uruk. So he’s doing what he feels he has to do to save them from the genocide, whether that would be from Sauron, who sees them as cannon fodder, or from the elves.” 

"At the beginning of the season, Adar is kind of in an existential crisis because he doesn't really know what to do next. Sure, they're going to have to deal with various attacks, but he's finished what he set out to do. He took on the responsibility of caring for these children… pic.twitter.com/O6vmuQ028n

— Rings Of Power Era (@RingsOfPowerEra) June 3, 2024

Additionally, Hazeldine notes of Adar in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two, “At the beginning of the season, Adar is kind of in an existential crisis because he doesn’t really know what to do next. Sure, they’re going to have to deal with various attacks, but he’s finished what he set out to do. He took on the responsibility of caring for these children of his and finding them a home, and now he’s done that. This sets up his call to adventure in season 2.” 

Prime Video

When we last saw Adar on The Rings of Power before the recast, he was celebrating his victory in creating a home for his children. (Read: Blowing up Mount Doom and creating Mordor.) Unfortunately, Sauron, whom Adar believed he had slain, was on a collision course to the very same place. And something tells us Sauron probably does not feel very kindly toward Adar when The Rings of Power‘s second season begins. What will season two of The Rings of Power bring for Sam Hazeldine’s recast Adar and Charlie Vickers’ newly unleashed Sauron? Hopefully not death for the former!

The interview with Hazeldine notes, “Viewers will also see how previous confrontations between Adar and Sauron unfolded.” And the actor shares, “There was an offer for power and for something else, which you’ll find out later on in the show, and Adar willingly took the deal. It’s kind of like he took a red pill and was duped. He was horrifically tortured and maimed.” 

Prime Video

On top of all of this, one thing viewers can get excited about for is more Black Speech from Adar in The Rings of Power season two. Hazeldine shares that “he actually had the show’s Tolkien lore experts rewrite some of his lines from English into Black Speech, in order to give Adar the proper gravitas.” We love to hear it.

The Rings of Power season two and our new Adar will reveal themselves on August 29. You can also watch Joseph Mawle’s turn as Adar in The Rings of Power season one on Prime Video.

Originally published on May 14, 2024.

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STAR TREK: PRODIGY Season 2 Hits Netflix This July

A few months ago, the cancellation of Star Trek: Prodigy made fans righteously angry. Despite having a mostly complete season two, Paramount+ pulled the plug on the popular series anyway. To make things worse, the streaming service took the show off of its platform entirely. So, what did fans do? They took to the skies, literally flying a “Save Star Trek: Prodigy” banner over the offices of other streaming services, including Netflix. It’s a wild gesture but apparently one that resonated with the hearts of Netflix’s decision makers. Star Trek: Prodigy has found a new streaming home with Netflix and will move forward with a second season on July 1, 2024. 

Star Trek: Prodigy is coming to Netflix!

Season 1 of the animated series launches onto Netflix later this year while a brand new Season 2 is slated to debut in 2024 pic.twitter.com/cDFMKGSD7b

— Netflix (@netflix) October 11, 2023

In a world with a lot of annoying streaming updates, this is some pretty refreshing and welcome news. Season one of Star Trek: Prodigy will hit Netflix before the end of this year. Season two will make its debut sometime in 2024. The crew of Protostar and Kathryn Janeway are getting the second shot that they so richly deserve with more Star Trek: Prodigy at Netflix. Speaking of Janeway, actress Kate Mulgrew released a brief statement about the fandom’s awesomeness. 

“I’ve always held that the Star Trek fan base is among the strongest and most intelligent in the world.  They have shown their collective passion, and we’re happy to be able to celebrate Prodigy once again,” said Mulgrew. 

Netflix/X

Star Trek: Prodigy executive producer Alex Kurtzman and co-showrunners Dan and Kevin Hageman also had a few words to add. “Thank you to our incredible Star Trek: Prodigy fans, who championed not just a show, but a community that’s always been connected by the belief that we build a better future together. We set out to inspire you, but you inspired us. The team is still hard at work on the second season, and we can’t wait to share it with the amazing fans around the world.”

We love to hear it! Fandom is at its best when everyone works together for the greater good.

Originally published on October 11, 2023.

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What You Need to Remember From THE BOYS Season 3

The Boys season four is right around the corner and fans can once again expect a bloody and explosive ride. This upcoming season will have additional layers, thanks to everything that happened in Gen V’s first season, to build on all the chaos. Believe it or not, it has been two years since The Boys’ third season hit our TV screens. We always think a rewatch of The Boys is a good time; however, some folks ain’t got time for all that! Life is busy and there is a plethora of TV to watch at all times. So, here is everything important you need to remember from The Boys season three to be ready for season four. 

Prime VideoThe Introduction of Compound V24 a.k.a. Temp V

The Boys season three introduces Compound V24, a.k.a. Temp V. We wrote about it a TON but let’s recap. At the beginning of season three, Homelander is unraveling mentally because 1) his comrades are more popular than him after the Stormfront debacle 2) Starlight becomes his co-captain and 3) Butcher took his biological son Ryan to a safe location with Grace Mallory and refuses to tell him anything. Queen Maeve, the Boys, Starlight, and quite a few others want him dead.

In fact, Maeve visits Butcher, revealing there is a weapon that possibly killed Soldier Boy, who was basically the OG Homelander. She wants them to use it to kill Homelander and suggests that Butcher track down the Payback collective (the original Vought supe team) to find out more info. Maeve introduces him to Temp V, a drug that grants a normal person superpowers for 24 hours. 

Butcher eventually takes it and, like Homelander, can laser his enemies. He also gets super strength. Hughie, who feels powerless next to Starlight and rejoins the Boys after discovering Victoria Neuman is the head-popping supe, swipes some of the drug and is able to teleport. Of course, all drugs have a side effect. We see some of that with Butcher’s sweats, black goo leaking from his ears, and upset stomach leading to green vomit. Starlight later discovers that if you take three to five doses of Temp V, it will kill you. She tells Butcher but he doesn’t inform Hughie of this truth, even though he pressures him into stopping Temp V.

Butcher’s usage of Temp V and partnering with Soldier Boy in an attempt to kill Homelander (more on that later) leads to a splinter in the group. Well, actually all of the Boys (including new member Starlight) hate Butcher for using the drug, putting Hughie in harm’s way, and just generally being an asshole. Going into season four, MM is the true leader of the Boys, as he should be. 

The Red River Institute and Our First Glimpse Into Gen V 

Poor Hughie. He spent a year working for the Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, hoping he could change the world with less violence before discovering the truth about Congresswoman Victoria Neuman. He witnesses Victoria’s conversation (and deadly fight) with Tony, an old friend who called her Nadia and said the world needed to know the truth about Red River. This leads Hughie to the Red River Institute, a group home for superpowered kids, many of whom killed their parents. 

While looking at resident files, we see a girl named Marie M., whom we now know is the hemokinetic supe from Gen V. We didn’t see the Red River Institute long, but it turns out Nadia was living there for a while until…

Congresswoman Victoria Neuman (Now VP Candidate) Is Stan Edgar’s Adopted DaughterPrime Video

…Stan Edgar comes in and adopts Nadia as a teen. He basically uses her as his weapon at his disposal. This makes Hughie feel eve sicker about working for Victoria because he confided in her about Ryan’s location at Grace’s home. Speaking of her, she’s at the center of not one but two scandals. First, she made Victoria Neuman the head of the bureau after trying to save her from the infamous head-popping attacks she caused in the Congress. Grace wants to eliminate Victoria but, thanks to Butcher’s deadly encounter with Payback member Gunpowder, he wants to know all about what happened in Nicaragua with Soldier Boy first. 

The CIA Nicaraguan Cold War Mission That Led to Soldier Boy’s Capture

After blackmail pressure from Butcher, Grace Mallory spills the tea that puts everything concerning Soldier Boy into focus. She explains Operation Charly, a CIA mission by Reagan to help Contra rebels fight the Russian-backed Sandinistas. She was in charge of trafficking Contra cocaine into the US and then using the profits to buy more weapons for the conflict.

In 1984, the CIA was gearing up for a fight during the Cold War but a wrench was thrown in Grace’s plans in the form of the Payback collective, led by Soldier Boy and including a younger Noir. Naturally, she wasn’t happy about ridiculous celeb supes getting in her way. A young Stan Edgar, then a Vought associate, explained that the company contracted with the government to fight the war against communism. He said it was a “trial run” for supes in the military, and she begrudgingly has to go along with it because her superior signed off on it. 

It doesn’t take long for Payback’s hijinks to give away the soldier’s position. A ton of people die and Crimson Countess, Soldier Boy’s supe girlfriend, claims that the Russians killed him with some kind of super weapon and took his body.

The BCL Red Weapon Is Actually Soldier BoyPrime Video

Of course, we eventually find out Soldier Boy was traded to the Russians by Vought/Payback and is still very much alive. The BCL Red weapon that she spoke of is actually Soldier Boy himself after all the experiments done on him. He can release a radiation-fueled particle beam that kills people and fries the Compound V in supe’s bodies. We see this when the Boys find him in Russia and his beam hits Kimiko, taking away her powers until Annie/Starlight gives her more Compound V.

The Story of Black Noir: His Payback Time and His Death at the Hands of Homelander

In the Nicaragua flashbacks, we see Black Noir prior to his head injury. He speaks with Stan Edgar about his displeasure at having to hide behind his mask all time. Ya know, because of racism and all. Later on, we discover that Black Noir was verbally and mentally abused by Soldier Boy, who even blocked him from trying to start an acting career. Noir came into agreement with Stan Edgar and Vought that Soldier Boy was doing too much and needed to be subdued.

During the aforementioned ambush, Payback attacked Soldier Boy; however, he got free and gave Noir a brutal face and brain injury. In the present, Noir takes out his tracker and goes on the run after discovering that Soldier Boy is back. (This is what sends the Deep and eventually Homelander to Vermont for Herogasm, which we will talk about later.) We learn his story through his imaginary cartoon friends. Sadly, Homelander kills him when he returns to Vought tower because he feels betrayed (will get into that more later, too.)

There’s a new Noir in the suit in season four, so we will have to see how things go. 

Homelander Is on His Wildest Behavior Prime Video

After Homelander loses his Nazi queen and snaps on live TV about being superior to the human race, he gains a strong following from a very certain type of person. (Do I really have to say it?) Starlight tries to pull the Flight 37 video out of her chamber to control him but he tells her to go ahead and use it. In fact, he threatens to take our several large government entities. He pressures her into playing as his girlfriend for the public and reinstating the Deep in the Seven. She sticks in there hoping that the Boys will get that supe-killing weapon, but fears for her life the whole way. 

Homelander does so much wild stuff that we put it in this post for your enjoyment. Who can forget him making Deep eat a sea creature, him forcing a woman to die by suicide, or how he drank cow’s milk straight from the source?

Shenangians aside, he gains great power and becomes the leader of Vought after partnering with Victoria Neuman to betray her father. She does so to keep her daughter (and her own secret of being a supe) safe. In exchange, she gets Compound V from Homelander to give her daughter powers. He gets Deep to kill the VP nominee so she can take his place. As Stan predicts, he has no damn idea what he is doing and things begin to crumble. But he still has his awful core following, even after he lasers a Starlight supporter’s head off.

In Gen V, he makes a cameo after the big battle at Godolkin, lasering Marie without killing her. Vought locks up Marie and those on her side for being traitors. He brings Cate and Sam (the real chaotic ones) into the supe fold and they will be at Vought in some capacity in season four. 

Homelander Is Soldier Boy’s Son 

What a plot twist. Soldier Boy reveals to Homelander that he is his father, which makes Homelander even more unhinged and desperate. Soldier Boy’s own terrible relationship with his father led him to Vought experiments in the first place. But that doesn’t mean he wants to be Homelander’s daddy. There’s no father/son good feels between them during the big battle at Vought.

Soldier Boy Killed MM’s Grandfather Prime Video

This season, we discover a huge reason why MM deals with depression, anxiety, and OCD. Soldier Boy is the supe who killed his grandfather when he was a kid. In Harlem, MM and his granddad woke up to Soldier Boy confronting a group trying to steal a car. He watches in admiration but Soldier Boy picks up the car and flings it at their home, killing his grandfather. This led to MM’s father obsessively pursuing justice (at the expense of their relationship) until he died from stress at his typewriter. The Soldier Boy mission is why MM decides to rejoin the Boys. It also makes things even worse when she discovers that Todd, his ex-wife’s new (white) boyfriend is a Homelander enthusiast. Thankfully, MM takes care of him in spectacular fashion. 

MM comes face to face with Soldier Boy a couple times and, even though he isn’t a supe, he is still willing to fight him. He partners with Frenchie to get Novichok, a typically deadly neurotoxin that is strong enough to at least knock out Soldier Boy. He comes up with the plan to kill Soldier Boy before he murders everyone at Vought. Of course, a division comes with Maeve, Butcher, and Soldier Boy determined to use Soldier Boy to kill Homelander, even if it leads to many casualties. 

With help, he is able to get Frenchie’s quickly made Novichak gas on Soldier Boy’s face, but it doesn’t quite work. He ends up going to his daughter Janine and tells her the truth about Soldier Boy and superheroes in general, which is cathartic for him. He wants her to know that he’s fighting for justice, just like her grandfather. 

Ummm, Herogasm Happened

Whew. So, Soldier Boy, Hughie, and Butcher head to the sprawling home of the TNT Twins, who are having their annual supe orgy known as Herogasm. MM and Starlight, who are not down with this plan, head that way, too. They want to stop more deaths from happening, a rather futile attempt at morality in this situation. Everyone gets more than what they bargained for at this Vermont sex fest. MM has an unfortunate reunion with Love Sausage and gets a huge, um, finish all over him. Supes die. The Deep has intimate time with an octopus. Homelander escapes despite Soldier Boy and company’s best efforts.

It all ends with MM recording Starlight going live and condemning Homelander, Soldier Boy, and Vought. She formally announces that she’s done with the Seven. (At the end of the season, she gets rid of her suit and decides to simply be Annie, a member of the Boys.) 

Homelander Finds His Son to Train Him in the Ways of EvildomPrime Video

After finding out about Soldier Boy and Nicaragua, Butcher is enraged and breaks Ryan’s heart in the process. The boy didn’t want to let Butcher leave, so Butcher snapped at him to hurt his feels. Ryan’s eyes go lasery but he stops and says he hates Butcher. Eventually, Victoria Neuman gives Homelander the address to Grace Mallory’s to keep him on her side.

He easily takes Ryan after placating his guilt over hurting Stormfront in season two. Butcher tries to get Ryan back at the big Vought battle, but it is to no avail. Ryan chooses to leave with Homelander, calling him Dad. Ryan witnesses his father laser a man’s head off after he throws a plastic bottle. We can only assume that Homelander plans to train him in the ways of evildom. 

Billy Butcher Is Sick and Weeks Away From Death 

After warning Butcher about the Temp V side effects, he takes yet another dose in his relentless attempt to kill Homelander. It doesn’t work and a doctor’s visit reveals that Butcher only has about 12-18 months left to live. But that isn’t stopping him from still trying to kill supes. At the end of Gen V, he comes into the Woods, which means he knows about that supe-killing virus. We know Victoria has the goods, so he will have to catch up with the VP hopeful in season four. 

Maeve Is Alive But Without Her PowersPrime Video

We don’t get a ton of Maeve in this season but she still plays a key role. In addition to helping (and um, having) Butcher, she verbally eviscerated Homelander, and he along with Noir captures her. She’s locked up in a secret facility at Vought. Homelander says he will harvest her eggs and combine them with his DNA to create perfect super kids.

Thanks to Starlight shining a public light on Maeve missing, Ashley and Deep attempt to move her to another location but she escapes the transport. She makes it to MM’s place and reunites with Starlight for the final showdown. She sides with Butcher, choosing to attempt to kill Homelander versus Soldier Boy. In the end, Maeve tackles Soldier Boy and takes his blast directly on. She saves all our faves but losing her powers. (She also lost an eye in a fight with Homelander.) Vought reports her as a sacrificial lesbian heroine and condemns “Russian terrorist” Soldier Boy. But she’s actually alive and living quietly with her girlfriend, which Ashley is aware of. 

Soldier Boy Is in Government Custody (Again) 

When the Boys “release” Soldier Boy, he is shocked to find a new world with the Seven as its heroes. He somehow makes his way to Manhattan and starts causing a ruckus. It isn’t long before goes to the Legend, picks up his suit, kills Crimson Countess in retaliation, and constantly makes inappropriate comments. Soldier Boy basically wants help with finding and killing the remainder of Payback, so he’s down to kill his Vought successor. The Homelander killing plan doesn’t work out at Herogasm and things go awry at Vought when Soldier Boy is willing to kill Ryan. He tries to do one big blast but Maeve tackles him out of a window. Now, he’s in custody under the watchful eye of Grace Mallory. 

In addition to ALL that info, here’s some Gen V intel to make sure you’re ready for The Boys season four on June 13:

How Gen V Expertly Sets Up The Boys Season Four

What Gen V’s Season Finale Means for The Boys

Compound V and Compound V24 in The Boys and Gen V, Explained

Here’s How The Boys’ Characters Showed Up in Gen V’s First Season

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Binging With Babish Whips Up a FALLOUT Feast of Jell-O Cake, Nuka Cola, and Cram

“Delicious and delectable” aren’t the first things that come to mind when we think of a nuclear wasteland. But that’s because Andrew Rea isn’t a playable character in Fallout. Fortunately he is one of our favorite YouTube chefs, and on his Binging With Babish channel he just whipped up a feast that will have post-apocalyptic ghouls, humans, and mutants alike licking their lips. (Or, at least the area where their lips should still be.)

In Rea’s newest video he serves three Fallout dishes. The wasteland menu includes the Jell-O Cake seen on Prime Video’s show, the Spam-like Cram made from scratch, and Nuka Cola served in a “radioactive” glass.

Binging With Babish

Are these dishes good enough to make living in a dystopian world worth seem like a tasty proposition? Probably not. The giant cockroaches would ruin our appetite no matter what we had for dinner. But we’d definitely like to eat them in our version of America.

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Nazanin Boniadi Will Not Return as Bronwyn in THE RINGS OF POWER Season 2

One of the major actors from The Lord of the Ring: The Rings of Power will not return in season two of the show. Nazanin Boniadi, who played Bronwyn in The Rings of Power, will not appear in the upcoming new episodes of The Lord of the Rings series, which is slated to return in August. The Hollywood Reporter noted, “Nazanin Boniadi, who played Bronwyn in the Prime Video show’s first season, won’t be in the upcoming episodes, a source close to the show exclusively confirmed.” Boniadi herself then confirmed on Instagram that Bronwyn would not return in season two of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Boniadi did not share her reasons for leaving The Rings of Power, but did note a deep connection with her character.

Nazanin Boniadi’s Bronwyn was a human character on The Rings of Power. Boniadi played a healer engaged in a romance with the noble elf Arondir, who grew into her power as the show progressed. When we last saw Boniadi’s Bronwyn on The Rings of Power, she had become the leader of her people, the Southlanders, and was set to lead them to safety in Pelargir after the explosion of Mount Doom. In Boniadi’s own words, Bronwyn is a character committed to honesty, empathy, and integrity—one who strove for a fairer world.

Ben Rothstein/Prime Video

Currently, we have no confirmation on whether Bronwyn was recast for season two of The Rings of Power or whether the door for Boniadi’s return despite her season two absence. The Hollywood Reporter notes that the actress stepped away from acting in 2022 to focus on her activism work. In May, Boniadi shared, “I stepped away from acting in September 2022, to focus solely on the #WomanLifeFreedom uprising in Iran and to advocate for the people of my homeland who have been risking everything for freedom. Despite my passion for acting, I knew it would take a very special project to convince me to once again split my time between my day job and my calling as an activist. A Mosquito in the Ear is that project … a beautiful adventure that we can’t wait to share with you.”

However, Nazanin Boniadi notes in her most recent Instagram post, “I made the choice not to return for season two of ‘Rings of Power.’ This was unrelated to my subsequent decision to prioritize my advocacy.”

Prime Video

We’d be sad if Nazanin Boniadi and Bronwyn never return to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, but regardless of whether more awaits, we’ll always enjoy Boniadi’s turn as Bronwyn in season one.

Originally published on May 31, 2024.

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