Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 318

SUPERGIRL Movie Will Be Second in DCU, Summer 2026 Release

The DCU, under new heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, is already shaking things up. Not only is Peacemaker season two coming out ahead of the Waller series, but there is officially a different film following Gunn’s Superman. That title goes to Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the adaptation of Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s astonishingly good miniseries of the same name. According to Deadline, the movie will come out June 26, 2026.

From the House Targaryen to the Kryptonian House of El, actress Milly Alcock, who played the young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon has been cast as Supergirl for DC Studios. She’ll reportedly first appear in a small role in Superman before starring in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. That film will be based on the comic by Tom King and Alcock won the role over Emilia Jones and Meg Donnelly. The latter voiced Supergirl in DC animated films Legion of Superheroes and Crisis on Infinite Earths Part One. The Supergirl movie has also found its director in a very interesting choice, Craig Gillespie.

Warner Bros/DC Comics

The Supergirl in the Woman of Tomorrow celebrates her 21st birthday in that series, so at only 23, Alcock is the perfect age in real life to portray that version of the character.

Gunn noted of Alock’s casting as Supergirl, “Strangely, Milly was the FIRST person I brought up to Peter for this role, well over a year ago, when I had only read the comics. I was watching House of the Dragon & thought she might have the edge, grace & authenticity we needed for the DCU’s Supergirl. And now here we are. Life is wild sometimes.”

When it comes to the movie’s director, The Hollywood Reporter notes that Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will be directed by Craig Gillespie. In the past, Gillespie has directed Disney’s Cruella and the figure skating movie, I, Tonya. Both movies certainly had a distinct style, so it will be fascinating to see what the director does with Supergirl.

The character of Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El first appeared in 1959, during DC Comics’ Silver Age. She’s been a mainstay of the DC Universe ever since, in one form or another. Supergirl has appeared on the big screen twice before. First in the 1984 film Supergirl, played by Helen Slater, and then in last year’s The Flash, played by Sasha Calle. Of course, Melissa Benoist portrayed Kara Danvers on the CW Arrowverse series Supergirl for six seasons. We’re sure that Milly Alcock will bring her own spin to DC Comics’ iconic heroine.

Originally published on January 29, 2024

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POP CULTURE JEOPARDY! Spinoff Coming to Prime Video

It’s always thrilling for pop-culture fans such as ourselves to see a pop-culture question come up on Jeopardy! A whole Marvel category? What a delight! But now trivia and pop-culture will permanently connect in a new Jeopardy! spinoff coming to Prime Video. This Jeopardy! will feature all pop-culture questions and categories all the time. And, handily enough, this new spinoff is titled Pop Culture Jeopardy! We guess there’s no need to ask, “What is Pop Culture Jeopardy!?”

Marvel/Jeopardy!

A release shares more about the new Pop Culture Jeopardy! spinoff. It reveals :

Pop Culture Jeopardy! is a brand-new twist on the classic quiz show’s “answer-and-question” format that combines the academic rigor of Jeopardy! with the excitement and unpredictability of pop culture. Contestants, playing in teams of three, will need to be experts in categories from Alternative Rock to The Avengers; Broadway to MMA; Gen Z to Zendaya as they compete in a tournament-style event for the grand prize and ultimate bragging rights.

Pop Culture Jeopardy! is the first time the franchise will find itself on a streaming service. Needless to say, we expect our readers to excel at this game. Pop Culture Jeopardy! is coming soon. A host has not yet been revealed. For those wanting to compete on the series, “information regarding the contestant application process will be available soon.”

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DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN Will Release in March 2025

The long-anticipated series series, Daredevil: Born Again finally has a release date window for us to countdown toward. Daredevil: Born Again will release in March 2025. The Disney+ series will see the return of Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, but also several other of his Netflix Marvel heroes-in-arms. When Daredevil: Born Again releases in March, it will bring with it the return of Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye, Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page, and Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson. Of course, Vincent D’Onofrio, will return to play Kingpin.

Marvel Studios

We can’t wait to see how Daredevil: Born Again compares both the MCU’s past renditions of Daredevil and to the Netflix Marvel series.

New logo for ‘DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN’

Releasing in March 2025. pic.twitter.com/tkaLukj6eb

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 14, 2024

Although we don’t know when exactly in March Daredevil: Born Again will release, the month only has so many days to choose from. In the meantime, you can catch up on all things Daredevil on Disney+.

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Disney+ AGATHA: ALL ALONG Series Shares Release Date and Finally Confirms Title

In WandaVision, it was Agatha all along. And now it really will be all about Agatha Harkness. Kathryn Hahn’s MCU witch will soon star in her own Disney+ Marvel series, Agatha: All Along While we don’t have too many details yet about what this series will entail, we can already tell it will serve up some delightfully magical fun.

Disney+

In the end, the true title of Disney+’s Agatha Harkness series is Agatha: All Along. We should have known. Agatha: All Along has also set its release date. The series will premiere with two episodes on September 18. We can’t wait to see what witchy mischief Agatha will cause.

Here’s everything we know about Agatha: All Along, potentially just Agatha.

TitleMarvel Studios

Although the first title we heard for Agatha’s MCU series was Agatha: House of Harkness, and the second was Agatha: Coven of Chaos, it seemed the series would actually be called Agatha: Darkhold Diaries. But now a fourth title has emerged, just Agatha. But in the end, the actual title is Agatha: All Along.

Agatha: All Along‘ PlotMarvel Studios

Marvel Studios has kept plot details for Agatha: All Along under wraps. But the last time we got to see Agatha, the witch lost in a fight to Wanda Maximoff. And then Agatha ended up trapped in her Agnes persona.

We imagine the show will reveal to us how Agatha breaks out of the spell she’s under and then follow her along on some exciting shenanigans. And it seems like we’ll get to meet a number of witches from the pages of Marvel Comics. And we do love a witch.

Although it’ll likely still be a while before we see too much from the show, we officially have our first looks and footage from the Agatha-centric series. Set to be released on the WandaVision Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD editions, a special “Agatha Bonus Clip” takes us behind-the-scenes of Agatha: All Along.

Whatever helps happens, we hope that Agatha gets yet another catchy jingle to her name. “Agatha All Along” needs a successor.

Behind the Scenes

WandaVison‘s Jac Schaeffer returns as executive producer and head writer on Agatha: All Along. Additionally, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Schaeffer, alongside Wednesday‘s Gandja Monteiro and Resident Evil‘s Rachel Goldberg, will direct different episodes of the show.

Agatha: All Along‘ CastMarvel Studios

We’ve learned about quite a number of potential coven members cast so far. Of course, Kathryn Hahn returns to play the titular MCU witch Agatha Harkness. Joining her is Emma Caulfield Ford, who will reprise her role as Dottie for the Disney+ show. Dottie was one of the women Wanda trapped in her Westview fantasies. Could Dottie be another secret witch? Only time will tell. Variety also reports Heartstopper‘s Joe Locke has joined the cast in an undisclosed role. However, many fans speculate Locke will play the role of  Billy Kaplan, a.k.a. Wiccan, the son of Scarlet Witch and Vision. Mashable further notes that Miles Gutierrez-Riley will play “Billy’s boyfriend, Hulkling.”

Aubrey Plaza will also star in the series, potentially as a more villainous character on the Agatha show. Ali Ahn and Maria Dizzia have reportedly joined the cast as well, as has Patti LuPone. LuPone revealed she will play the role of Marvel Comics’ Lilia Calderu. Debra Jo Rupp is reportedly in the cast, too, presumably reprising her role of Mrs. Hart from WandaVision. Sasheer Zamata, meanwhile, is confirmed to play the role of sorceress Jennifer Kale.

Agatha: All Along‘ Release Date

For now, Agatha: All Along will be a part of the MCU’s Phase Five. According to Mashable, it will be nine episodes long, a bit longer than the typical Disney+ Marvel show. Agatha: All Along will be released on September 18 with a two-episode premiere.

Originally published on November 4, 2022.

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Disney Channel Orders WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE Sequel Pilot, Shares First Look

All young witches and sorcerers have to grow up eventually. Not all of them get to continue being on television when they do, though. Fortunately for Disney Channel fans some beloved magic users will soon get that chance. The Mouse House has ordered a pilot for a sequel to Wizards of Waverly Place. It will focus on original star David Henrie, but don’t worry, Selena Gomez will also be back for a magical reunion. This sequel will be called Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.

Disney Channel

Deadline was the first to report Disney Branded Television is returning to an old fan favorite. Gomez and Henrie are executive producing this sequel to their teen comedy series Wizards of Waverly Place. The show will see Henrie reprising his role as Justin Russo. The series will follow an adult Justin who gave up his magical powers so he could lead a regular life with his wife and two sons. But everything changes for him when “he gets a surprise when a powerful young wizard in need of training shows up at his door… and Justin must embrace his past to ensure the future of the Wizard World.” We now have our first look at the series as well.

First look at "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place," a continuation of "Wizards of Waverly Place." pic.twitter.com/7WXRMqNvJv

— Variety (@Variety) May 14, 2024

Gomez will also make a guest appearance in the The Wizards of Waverly Place sequel pilot as Justin’s sister Alex. The show will also feature a number of newcomers to the franchise. Janice LeAnn Brown (Disney’s Just Roll with It) will play the powerful young wizard Billie who seeks out Justin’s help. Alkaio Thiele (Call Me Kat) will star as Roman Russo, Justin’s oldest child. And Mimi Gianopulos (American Princess) will play Justin’s wife Giada.

Disney Channel veterans Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas (Raven’s Home) will serve as both writers and producers. Andy Fickman (Race to Witch Mountain) will direct and also executive produce the Wizards of Waverly Place sequel.

The original Wizards of Waverly Place series, which also starred Jake T. Austin as the third Russo sibling Max, ran for four seasons and 106 episodes from 2007 until 2012. That’s a long layover between shows. Plenty of time for teen wizards to grow up. But that doesn’t mean Waverly Place won’t still be a magical place to visit in a sequel.

Originally published January 18, 2024.

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Disney Didn’t Turn Me Into a ‘Disney Adult,’ But It Helped Me Understand Them

I’ve made some jokes over the years, but I don’t hate “Disney adults.” Why hate people who aren’t harming anyone? My issue is that I’ve just never understood them. That has nothing to do with Disney, either. I love going to new places and meeting new people. I can’t relate—even with friends and family I love and adore—to those who only seem interested in going on the same exact trip multiple times a year to a place seemingly meant for children. Or at least I couldn’t until now. Because after a once-in-a-lifetime experience as a guest of Walt Disney World, I might not be a “Disney adult,” but I definitely understand why so many are.

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Nerdist was recently among the handful of media outlets Disney hosted at its video game-inspired Level Up! event. (Read all about Level Up! and what it taught me about Disney parks in our multiple part series which starts here.) It’s an understatement to say I got the full VIP experience. Among the many perks involved was geting into parks early, going on the best rides without waiting, and eating at exclusive locations. It was amazing in ways I can’t fully explain. Without my wife and young son in tow—technically this was work!—it was like being a worry-free kid at myself. The adults handled everything, my (second) job was just having fun. Only this was like my uncle was also married to Walt Disney’s daughter.

Obviously all of that special treatment contributed to how I feel about my time there and I wouldn’t pretend otherwise. But as you’ll see it’s not why I’m writing this.

My Disney adulthood education is rooted the universal truths I learned about Disney and why so many find it intoxicating enough to keep going back. The most important was something I already knew, but couldn’t fully understand until now. No one offers nostalgia like Disney. How can they when few others have a century of stories, movies, shows, characters, and shared experiences to draw from? That history, and how it binds us to loved ones, is why being in a Disney park is like stepping into a living memory. It’s a memory that is free of all other worries and burdens, the type of memory that really does make you feel like a kid.

This is one of many in my series of Disney selfies best titled “Happiest Goofball in the World”

As I walked back down Main Street U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom for the first time in 30 years (almost to the day!) it was as though I’d never left. It all felt familiar in the best, most innocent, purest way. I had the same emotional, childlike reaction on rides I loved as a kid. Space Mountain still thrilled me. Pirates of the Caribbean was as fun as I remembered. Even Dumbo, which I assumed I was way too old to enjoy without my son, had me smiling like I didn’t have a care in the world. It all just felt good. And that feeling was wonderfully simple. Who wouldn’t want to feel that kind of joy as often as they can? Who wouldn’t want their biggest problem in life to be a long line for the Tea Cups? No wonder people who can keep coming back.

It also helps that in addition to being timeless, visiting Disney feels like stepping outside of reality. The parks’ immersive, self-contained environment makes being there feel like you exist on another planet. It’s a place unmoored from the stress and issues of normal life back on Earth. Obviously being able to ignore the outside world, even for a few days (especially right now), is a huge privilege. That chance to briefly escape reality is a big reason why I felt immense gratitude while there. I knew/know how lucky I was. And though I was much luckier than almost every other person visiting, that feeling was a communal one.

Nerdist

I know Disney is a billion dollar, money-printing conglomerate that’s inherently and unavoidably a political monster, but being at a Disney park is apolitical in a way few things are anymore. (Even the people who work there give that impression. Disney the company might be like the heartless studio counting box office dollars, but the individual people responsible for providing a great experience are like filmmakers only concerned with making a great movie.)

At no point did I ever have to hear a stranger pontificate about politicians or elections. No one was spewing hate or bigotry, either. (Though I thought a ton/felt very guilty about that considering the state I was in.) It’s as though everyone who goes to Disney understands there’s an unwritten rule prohibiting such talk. Breaking it would instantly make someone the worst person at the happiest place on Earth, and no one I encountered wanted to burst the bubble of joy we were all living under for a brief respite. People just get along there the way you wish they’d get along everywhere.

(The only other place I’ve ever experienced that sense of shared, apolitical, escapist joy was on a cruise, which makes a whole lot of sense. “Vacation cruise people” are the floating equivalent to Disney adults. There’s just something impossibly appealing about having a good, self-contained experience that also serves as an uncomplicated reprieve from regular life.)

Me and FanSided’s Camila Domingues being huge Star Wars nerds at Hollywood Studios’ Galaxy’s Edge.

I get it now. Those universal truths are the reasons Disney adults exist. They aren’t looking for what I am in a normal vacation. They’re not worried about going to a new place, because Disney is not a place. They’re not worried about new experiences, either, because Disney is not defined by its rides, attractions, or food. Disney adults keep going back because Disney is a feeling. It’s a feeling that everything there is alright, always has been, and always will be. I know that’s not actually true, but in the moment, when you’re enjoying a Dole Whip, riding up into Spaceship Earth, dropping on the Tower of Terror, or just watching a kid hug Goofy, it feels that way. When you’re there your brain has a way of blocking at all the bad stuff. When Disney is at its best you are, too.

But that fun, freeing escape from adulthood and reality isn’t what Disney adults are really chasing there. It’s not why I wanted to write this, either. The shared communal delights of Disney escapism is responsible for the real reason Disney adults exist. It’s about the people we go to Disney with. That includes those we went with long ago, those we go there with right now, and those we hope to go with in the future.

Disney might be timeless, but we’re not. An amusement park can remain a simple joy, but we get old and life gets more complicated ad more our memories fade. And the older we get the more we say goodbye to people we’d like to hold on to forever. At Disney, where time doesn’t exist, we can. I did.

Me gleefully returning to Hollywood Studios (nee MGM Studios), a place my family and I adored.

I spent 30 years telling people I don’t care about fireworks because once you’ve seen Disney fireworks nothing else compares. I’ve been pretty damn convinced of that opinion despite it relying on the memories of a ten-year-old me. Turns out I’ve been entirely right, just not entirely for the right reason.

Our first official night as a group ended with the fireworks display at Magic Kingdom. It was incredible, as good as any fireworks display I’ve ever seen. But the reason nothing has ever compared to Disney fireworks for me is that they also have something going for it no other show can offer. As I watched Cinderella’s Castle and the night sky come to life, I wasn’t thinking about the colors or the music. I wasn’t thinking about work or even why I was standing there and under what circumstance. All I was thinking about was my sister Kayla, gone, impossibly, more than 12 years now, the first real Disney adult I ever knew even though she never really got to be an adult.

Being back at that spot in the Magic Kingdom, it felt like she was there with me. I could feel her presence, another living memory. As were my sister Jenna and my mom, just as the four of us had been there together thirty years ago at the end of an amazing day. It was like we had never left. More importantly it was like Kayla—who’d been so many times since my last visit—had never left. And that was before the show ended with Tinkerbell, my sister’s favorite character, coming out. As that little fairy in green danced away from the castle, I felt closer to Kayla than I have in a long time.

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As Tinkerbell disappeared and the last firework vanished from the sky it was like my sister went with them. I quietly wiped my eyes before anyone noticed. I didn’t want to ruin anyone else’s experience by making them feel bad for me. They were surely all having their own personal moments. That’s what Disney offers everyone. I wasn’t as successful hiding my feelings the next night, though, when we gathered at EPCOT to watch its fireworks display.

All I could think about that night was my mom and the last time I went to Walt Disney World. It had been the site of many childhood trips until my last vacation there at 10. My mother, struggling with a divorce she neither wanted nor was responsible for, yet feeling as though she had somehow failed us, was determined to prove nothing had changed. She wanted her young kids (including me, the oldest) to know everything would be alright.

My sister Kayla at the Magic Kingdom.

To prove that she brought the three of us all on her own to Disney for a trip she couldn’t afford at a time when she was so hurt and lost. Thirty years after she did, as the music blared and fireworks went off from every corner of EPCOT’s World Showcase, I thought about how happy we’d been that week even when we had every reason not to be. I thought about what this place and those parks had meant to us. Most importantly, I thought about what my mom had done for us then and what it still means to me now.

When the show ended I didn’t move. I didn’t want to. Mom and Jenna were back in Massachusetts, and yet they had been right alongside me, just as Kayla was again. I didn’t want want any of them to leave. That’s when my new friend and fellow Level Up! attendee, Fanside’s Camila Domingues—another longtime Disney prodigal who made my trip so much better and more special than it would have been without her because we got to share so many new experiences together—asked if I was okay. (You really don’t have to know me long to know I’m not usually quiet.)

My mom, Jenna, Kayla, and me the last time we all went to Walt Disney World together.

I didn’t know how to explain everything I just said, so I told her the simplest version of the truth: I was thinking about my sister. She asked if she could give me a hug and I said of course. In that moment I had created a new memory, one I’ll carry with me in my heart same as my old ones when I return to EPCOT. And return I will, because this trip was emotional not just because of the past and present, but because of what it will mean in the future.

Over my four days at Walt Disney World, I couldn’t stop texting my overjoyed wife who wanted a million updates. (She’s a frequent Disney visitor because we have a dear friend who is a Disney adult.) Courtney and I kept discussing when we should bring our son Alexander for his first trip. I thought about which rides he’d love and which ones will scare him. I also thought about how I’d tell him about his aunt’s favorite rides and his grandma’s favorite restaurant they closed. Just as I want him to see where me and my friend Camila geeked out over being inside the Millennium Falcon. And I’d like him to be with me the next time I buy him Mickey Mouse ears.

Alexander with the same type of hat I had as a kid.

But while I don’t want to wait too long, I want him to be old enough he will at least retain the feeling of being there. I’m (obviously) a sentimental person, the kind most prone to Disney’s unique charms. I want every trip he ever makes to Disney to give him that feeling, the one that combines the past, present, and future into something that is whole, pure, and timeless for a brief, perfect moment when the problems of life simply don’t exist.

If only all of life could feel that way all the time. I know all the reasons it can’t. There are also too many other experiences I want to chase to only want this to relive this specific feeling. But while that might mean I’ll never be a full Disney adult, I now understand why so many are.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who didn’t even tell you how every Beauty and the Beast related thing he saw at Walt Disney World made him emotional for family reasons. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Marvel Comics Reveals Storm of the X-MEN Will Become an Avenger

Things are about to change big time in the X-Men universe over at Marvel Comics. After five years of living on the mutant island of Krakoa, and leading the most powerful nation on Earth, the mutants have lost it all. Again. Yet the X-Men thrive in adversity, which is the theme for the upcoming “From the Ashes” relaunch. We already know of new iterations of X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, and other legacy titles. But now Marvel has revealed that two iconic X-Women are leading the charge with solo books of their own. And one of them is also becoming an Avenger at last.

Storm, the iconic X-Man and powerful Kenyan Weather Goddess, will officially join Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Avengers #17 this coming August. This issue, from writer Jed McKay, will also mark the debut of new series artist Valerio Schiti, who most recently drew Jonathan Hickman’s G.O.D.S. Here’s the official synopsis from Marvel on Ororo Munroe’s induction into the Avengers, as well as cover art for Avengers #17.

Marvel Comics

Krakoa’s tragic fall has made the Avengers realize how vital a mutant voice on the team is, and they’ll settle for nothing less than the most prominent and beloved mutant super hero on the planet! A pop culture icon, Storm has assembled with the Avengers before—in both comics as well as other forms of media—but never like this! Not only will the Avengers need her Omega-level power for the battles ahead, but they’ll need to rely on her unique expertise and leadership skills as MacKay’s overarching plots involving Kang, the Twilight Court, and more kick into high gear. This only marks the beginning of what’s shaping up to be a monumental period for Storm as she’ll also headline an all-new solo ongoing series launching later this year!

Marvel Entertainment

Avengers writer Jed Mckay added the following:

“When we were putting together thoughts for X-Men, one problem kept coming up—Storm needed to have a presence in a book befitting her status, but it would be weird for her to be on an X-Men team if she wasn’t the leader. The solution was simple—she needed to be on the global stage, among equals, and what better place for that than the Avengers? We’re excited to bring Storm back to the Avengers and show what adventures she’ll get up to as part of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes!”

Storm will be on the team with her ex-husband Black Panther. Also on the team are the Scarlet Witch and the Vision. Two divorced couples saving the world on the same team? Now that should be fodder for all kinds of great superhero melodrama. Yet that’s not all for Ororo. She’ll also be joining her BFF Jean Grey in finally landing an ongoing solo series, along with another iconic X-Woman, Dazzler.

'Dazzler' and 'Storm', two all-new X-Men solo titles, launch later this year in the From the Ashes era. Stay tuned this week for more announcements, plus, find out which X-Man will be joining Earth's Mightiest Heroes in 'Avengers #17'. #MarvelComics pic.twitter.com/xgrG7S4Qcx

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) May 13, 2024

Marvel Entertainment

Details about the creative team for Storm are being kept under wraps for now. The tagline says “Mutants no longer have a homeland. But they still have a queen.” After her time with the mutants on Mars, will Ororo Munro return to Earth to rule Wakanda again? We don’t think “queen” is literal in this sense this time, but a Storm solo ongoing series is long, long overdue. Especially after so much attention given to her as a character in X-Men ’97.

Marvel Entertainment

The first female mutant to get her own solo series way back in 1981 was mutant pop star Dazzler. A byproduct of the disco age, Alison Blaire’s solo adventures ran for five years and 42 issues. In these stories, she became a Herald of Galactus, a love interest of the cosmic Beyonder, and more. She eventually became an X-Man, and Marvel just announced her first solo series since 1986. The tagline for her new series says “Her world tour begins.” Is this Dazzler’s very own “Eras Tour?” She’s certainly had plenty of them. There are still more “From the Ashes” announcements to come. Some X-Men remain unaccounted for. Hey, where the heck is Iceman? And Colossus? Honestly, we can’t wait to see where our favorite mutants all land.

Originally published May 13, 2024

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A LEGALLY BLONDE Spinoff Series About Elle’s High School Years Is Coming to Prime Video

Is it wise to mess with blonde perfection? Legally speaking? Well, we suppose we can make an exception if the head blonde in charge herself is involved. Reese Witherspoon and her Hello Sunshine company are teaming up with Amazon to create at least one, and maybe more, Legally Blonde spinoff series. Most recently, we learned that the first Legally Blonde Prime Video spinoff would be a prequel detailing Elle’s high school years. There’s no word about whether Witherspoon will don her signature locks and reprise her role as Elle Woods at any point in this spinoff or any other. But we’re excited to find out more.

MGM

Deadline shares, “One offshoot, which is further along in the development process, is being written by Gossip Girl developers/executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage.” Additionally, it notes that Amazon’s acquisition of MGM made this further IP exploration possible. We suppose Gossip Girl‘s helmers would make good sense here, especially if we’re following Elle to high school. But the most important part will be to keep that smart edge of wit and humor alive.

Right now, the Prime Video Legally Blonde spinoff is titled Elle, and its logline shares that, “[the series] follows Elle Woods in high school as we learn about the life experiences that shaped her into the iconic young woman we came to know and love in the first ‘Legally Blonde’ film.“

One thing is for sure: we have our fingers crossed that we’ll see more of Jennifer Coolidge’s Paulette Bonafonté Parcelle in some Legally Blonde spinoff series, if not in this one. Coolidge has seemingly been everywhere in recent years, but Legally Blonde was my first introduction to her. And her character was perfect. We’d also love to see some kind of updated version of the bend and snap or maybe its origin story. And, of course, the spinoff series must have more of Legally Blonde‘s famous pup, Bruiser.

In any case, Legally Blonde, the original, is pure perfection, but we trust Witherspoon knows what she’s doing. Welcome to Prime Video and the land of spinoff series, Elle Woods.

Originally published on April 5, 2024.

The post A LEGALLY BLONDE Spinoff Series About Elle’s High School Years Is Coming to Prime Video appeared first on Nerdist.

Marvel Comics Reveals a Major X-MEN Character Will Become an Avenger

Things are about to change big time in the X-Men universe over at Marvel Comics. After five years of living on the mutant island of Krakoa, and leading the most powerful nation on Earth, the mutants have lost it all. Again. Yet the X-Men thrive in adversity, which is the theme for the upcoming “From the Ashes” relaunch. We already know of new iterations of X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, and other legacy titles. But now Marvel has revealed that two iconic X-Women are leading the charge with solo books of their own.

'Dazzler' and 'Storm', two all-new X-Men solo titles, launch later this year in the From the Ashes era. Stay tuned this week for more announcements, plus, find out which X-Man will be joining Earth's Mightiest Heroes in 'Avengers #17'. #MarvelComics pic.twitter.com/xgrG7S4Qcx

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) May 13, 2024

Marvel Entertainment

The weather goddess Storm is getting her own series at last, although details about the creative team for this one are being kept under wraps for now. The tagline says “Mutants no longer have a homeland. But they still have a queen.” After her time with the mutants on Mars, will Ororo Munro return to Earth to rule Wakanda again? We don’t think “queen” is literal in this sense this time, but a Storm solo ongoing series is long, long overdue. Especially after so much attention given to her as a character in X-Men ’97.

Marvel Entertainment

The first female mutant to get her own solo series way back in 1981 was mutant pop star Dazzler. A byproduct of the disco age, Alison Blaire’s solo adventures ran for five years and 42 issues. In these stories, she became a Herald of Galactus, a love interest of the cosmic Beyonder, and more. She eventually became an X-Man, and Marvel just announced her first solo series since 1986. The tagline for her new series says “Her world tour begins.” Is this Dazzler’s very own “Eras Tour?” She’s certainly had plenty of them.

Marvel Entertainment

And finally, as part of “From the Ashes,” an X-Man is joining the Avengers in issue #17. The tagline says “Earth’s Mightiest Mutant Joins Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.” Well, who is Earth’s mightiest mutant? The Omega Level mutants not slated for an upcoming team book (or in space like Jean Grey) include Storm, and Hope Summers. Another option is Namor, the Sub-Mariner. He’s not Omega Level, but he is indeed “mighty.” And he has a history with the Avengers. However, our money is on Bobby Drake, a.k.a. Iceman. He’s the only founding member of the X-Men unaccounted for in this new era, and is an Omega Level mutant.

Marvel Comics

Of course, it could be a mutant completely out of left field. Proteus? Legion? Heck, why not Professor X himself? We’ll find out when Marvel reveals more details of their new “From the Ashes” X-Men era this summer.

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Here’s Why X-MEN ’97 Doesn’t Have the Avengers and Deadpool

As X-Men ’97 gears up for its season one finale, fans have some big questions about what’s going on with other Marvel heroes during the events of the series—especially as Magneto has essentially declared war on humanity. We know other Marvel heroes exist in this world, because we’ve seen them. Spider-Man has already swung in, however briefly, and Captain America had quite the confrontation with Rogue. So where exactly are the Avengers right now in X-Men ’97? Via IGN, we’ve learned that former X-Men ’97 showrunner Beau DeMayo had some answers. He also gives a reason why we haven’t seen everyone’s favorite “Merc with the Mouth” Deadpool during X-Men ’97 season one.

Marvel Animation

On the subject of the Avengers, it seems Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are out in space, dealing with a matter of galactic importance. A fan asked if the Avengers were knee-deep in a version in their own Marvel crossover event “Operation: Galactic Storm.” This 1992 Avengers storyline was all about a Shi’ar war with the Kree, which we know is going on thanks to episode 7, “Lifedeath, Part II.” So that’s where Cap and company are, while Bastion activated the Prime Sentinels and Magneto retaliated. As for the Fantastic Four? Still no answer. They may be with the Avengers.

Yes, indeed. Some of the Avnegers are indeed off-world dealing with that conflict. Well done.

— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) May 11, 2024

There are also many famous mutants unaccounted for. Not everyone was on Genosha when the attack happened in episode five. A fan online asked about Sabretooth, and DeMayo simply said he’s “lying low.” Victor Creed may not appear in season one, but we’re not counting him out for season two.

I wish I could’ve accounted for every mutant in the world but we had ten episodes.

In my mind, Sabertooth is lying low, enjoying the fact that the X-Men are too busy too worry about him as he tries to exploit what happened in Genosha for profit.

— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) May 11, 2024

We’re actually more curious as to where Mystique is, although we suppose she could be hiding in plain sight. For some time we thought she was Valerie Cooper, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. When asked, DeMayo just played coy. We’re simply dying to know where Raven Darkholme is.

pic.twitter.com/lC12gQ2HLH

— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) May 11, 2024

Finally, someone asked about good old Wade Wilson. Deadpool made a few silent cameos in the original X-Men: The Animated Series, so we know he exists in this universe. All DeMayo would say on the subject of Deadpool was that he was “off limits.” This was no doubt due to Deadpool & Wolverine, and Marvel Animation not wanting to step on their toes. Hopefully, in later seasons, Wade might show up. We actually think Ryan Reynolds wouldn’t be off the table to voice him either.

Yeah, he was off-limits

— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) May 11, 2024

Hopefully, future seasons give fans not only Deadpool, but also a proper Avengers vs. X-Men fight. After all, the comic book storyline that followed “Fatal Attractions,” the story X-Men ’97 is currently adapting, was an Avengers/X-Men crossover called “Bloodties.” Here’s hoping that saga comes in later seasons.

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