Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 336
April 16, 2024
Ridley Scott’s Original ALIEN Returning to Theaters This Month
What’s best for fictional characters is not always what’s best for real people. For example, if you live in a futuristic sci-fi world capable of interstellar travel to other worlds, you should do everything you can to avoid Xenomorphs. That’s just good, solid, life-saving advice. But if you’re an actual human on this planet? Obviously you should run to see those space monsters every chance you get. And this month you’re going to get an incredible chance to see the original one. Alien, Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece that launched the enduring horror franchise, is returning to the big screen ahead of Alien: Romulus‘ premiere.

This summer on August 16 director Fede Álvarez is going old school with a throwback Alien-style film. Romulus‘ first trailer evokes Scott’s original entry in the series in the best way. Álvarez’s story also takes place between the events of Alien and James Cameron’s sequel Aliens, so it’s only fitting 20th Century Studios is going to let fans both old and new see Alien in theaters before Romulus debuts.
Tickets for Alien‘s theatrical return are now sale. Ripley and the Nostromo will sail back to the big screen when Alien returns to theaters starting on April 26. The facehuggers will already be there. They’re always there.
This news is a great sign for fans. It likely indicates the studio believes they have a winner on its hands with Alien: Romulus and want to make sure as many people as possible see it. Re-releasing Alien before Romulus is the best way to do that. Even great legacy sequels, like Blade Runner 2049, sometimes disappoint at the box office because younger moviegoers never saw the original. Now they’ll have a chance to see Romulus‘ predecessor the best way possible: on the biggest screen.
And as real humans on this planet they should definitely take that opportunity. The only people who should avoid Xenomorphs are fictional.
Originally published on April 4, 2024.
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Every DC Character James Gunn Has Possibly Teased for the DCU
Unlike the previous administration, new DC Studios co-head James Gunn is very active on social media. Since DC announced him in the role, he’s been teasing the fans about which deep-cut characters from the pages of DC Comics might be on his mind concerning future projects. Gunn has done this with random image reveals. So far, he’s dropped a few comic book images of characters that might excite fans—including a few that have yet to appear in any live-action incarnations before. Some he teased, like Mister Terrific, were officially announced just months later. Let’s tally all the Gunn hints we’ve had so far, while remembering they might not actually be hints.
Mister Mxyzptlk
He’s been one of Superman’s most powerful (and annoying enemies) since the Golden Age, and yet, he’s never appeared in a live-action film. We refer to the imp from the 5th Dimension, Mister Mxyzptlk. This diminutive fellow is actually an all-powerful being, who can bend reality to his will. Think Star Trek’s Q, and just as annoying, and wearing a derby. He appeared every 90 days to make trouble for Superman, only returning to his home dimension whenever Big Blue could trick him into saying his name backward. James Gunn recently posted an action figure of Mxy on his Instagram, which is raising eyebrows. While the assumption is Mxy would appear in Superman, we think it may also be for the upcoming Peacemaker season two.
Captain AtomThe latest post from James Gunn suggesting a possible classic hero coming to the DCU came as a response to a fan question. When asked if he liked the character of Captain Atom, he responded on his Instagram story saying “I’ve been a big Captain Atom fan for a long time.” He even added comic artwork to his response. We’d say that’s a possible hint that he has plans for Captain Atom.
James Gunn posted Captain Atom on his Instagram story and said he's a big fan of him on 🧵 🤔 pic.twitter.com/tK5yVwiiCN
— Home of DCU (@homeofdcu) February 5, 2024
So who is the good Captain? Like Peacemaker and Blue Beetle, he originated as a hero from the Charlton Comics line in the ’60s. DC bought those characters and absorbed them into the DC Universe proper in the ’80s. Nathaniel Adam was an Air Force officer who volunteered for an experiment involving nuclear power and alien alloy, in exchange for a pardon for a crime he didn’t commit. Disintegrated in the experiment, Adam reformed decades later, now fused with the alien metal, and wielding nuclear power.

Nathaniel Adam then became the government agent and superhero Captain Atom, and joined the Justice League International. He was also the basis for Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen, although slightly less powerful. Along with Booster Gold, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and Maxwell Lord, he’d be another famous JLI character joining the DCU. We think that lends further credence to our theory that the Justice League International is on the way to the DCU.
The Terrifics
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 29, 2023
James Gunn teased an image of the hero Mister Terrific back in 2022, a character later cast for Superman: Legacy. But now those plans seem to have expanded. He also shared an image of the DC heroes hovering around the Terrifics, a somewhat recent super team from DC Comics, introduced in 2018. The Terrifics are kind of a riff on Marvel’s Fantastic Four, as they are more explorer and adventurer types. Mister Terrific leads, and the other members include Plastic Man, the phasing Phantom Girl, and Metamorpho, who was also recently cast for Superman: Legacy. We could easily see them as subjects of a Max streaming series.

Happiest of Halloweens to each of you. pic.twitter.com/1ssMacvBBu
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 31, 2022
On Halloween 2022, Gunn shared an image of one of DC Comics’ most prominent supernatural heroes, Deadman. Introduced by DC in the late ’60s, Deadman was circus performer Boston Brand. During a performance, a group of criminals murdered him. They (the supernatural powers that be) granted his soul the power to possess living people until he discovered who was behind his murder. In the meantime, he used the bodies he “borrowed” to help the innocent and fight various criminals.

Although a ghost, Brand’s spectral form still had his circus outfit and makeup he wore in his act. For the most part, he was essentially a superhero no one in the living world could see. However, a few mystical DC characters could perceive him. Despite being a prominent DC character for years, aside from a few animated appearances, we’ve never seen Deadman in live-action. From the look of things, James Gunn is hoping to change all that—unless he was just having some Halloween fun. Once upon a time, Guillermo del Toro talked about producing a Deadman project. Perhaps now is the time for that to finally happen.
It’s worth noting that Gunn recenly shared the image of Deadman again on his Instagram.
LoboCreative head of DCU, James Gunn, drops a #Lobo pic https://t.co/6rSsASBkmp pic.twitter.com/juscjkdcqs
— SyL ☕#IYKYK (@sylabdul) November 8, 2022
And then, there’s the one that has everyone talking. Recently, Gunn posted an image of DC’s most famous intergalactic bounty hunter, Lobo, and fans got super excited. The “Main Man,” a huge seller back in the ’90s, was long rumored for a movie or TV project. In fact, it was reported Syfy was developing a Lobo TV series a few years ago, but nothing ever came of it.

With folks clamoring for Jason Momoa to play the role, including Momoa himself, it seems now would be the right time to see the space biker finally get a movie of his own. The character is an over-the-top send-up of tough-guy characters, but handled correctly, he made for some very funny comics. We think the comedy sensibilities of the character feel right in James Gunn’s wheelhouse, too.
Kingdom ComeMaybe the post that had fans most excited came on November 30. Gunn simply tweeted out the words “Making plans” accompanied by an image by artist Alex Ross from his seminal series Kingdom Come. That comic was all about an older Justice League vs their younger, more violent successors in an End Times scenario. Now, on the surface, it’s just Superman around a table with other heroes literally making plans. It’s probably just Gunn’s fun way of teasing his upcoming DC Studios plans, using an image of their headlining heroes.
Making plans. pic.twitter.com/cubPgga066
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) November 30, 2022
On the other hand, he also used this same Alex Ross illustration as his featured image on his Hive Social account. Could he have something cooking for Kingdom Come? It seems way too soon for a live-action adaptation. You need to reestablish the Justice League first as a viable franchise. However, Gunn recently stated that DC Studios planned to incorporate animation as well. It’s at least a possibility.
Again James Gunn could just be posting random images of all of these characters and stories he likes. Time will tell.
Originally published on November 16, 2022.
The post Every DC Character James Gunn Has Possibly Teased for the DCU appeared first on Nerdist.
ANDOR Creator Shares Season 2 Update, Teases Even Bigger Second Half
The first season of Star Wars: Andor ended in 2022, and fans have been patiently waiting to learn the fate of its lead character, Cassian Andor. Well, not his ultimate fate–we saw Rogue One, we know how it ends for Diego Luna’s rebel hero. But we are still dying to know how he got from where we left him off at the end of season one of Andor to the determined rebel warrior of Rogue One.

Although we haven’t heard any news about Andor in quite a while, creator Tony Gilroy recently gave an update on season two of the series. He shared, “I’ve been on Andor for five years now, we’re finishing the second half. I’ve had a lot of fun over the years, but I don’t know whether I’ve ever done anything as important as these 24 hours of storytelling we’re doing now. I don’t know if it’s just ‘cause it’s a thing I’m on, but I don’t think so. I’ve never had a chance to work this big before.”
Season one of Andor is largely lauded as some of the best Star Wars television to date. So we can only imagine what an even bigger and more important story will look like in season two.
Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming second (and last) season of Andor.
Andor’s Season Two PlotThe end of Andor’s first season saw Cassian finally embrace becoming a true fighter for Luthen’s cause. All putting him one step closer to the character we first met in Rogue One. Showrunner Tony Gilroy has confirmed that they will split up the second season into four three-episode installments. Each of these three-episode chapters would cover a 12-month period. A year that is crucial to the development of the Rebel Alliance.

In Andor season two we’ll see how Cassian met his trusty droid buddy K-2SO. We’ll also visit the Rebel Base on Yavin IV, a location familiar well-known to viewers of A New Hope and Rogue One. We also expect that early on in season two, Mon Mothma and Cassian Andor will finally meet face-to-face. Thanks to set photos, many fans believe Queen Amidala’s homeworld of Naboo will play a role in the second season as well. Ultimately, season two will cover five years, dovetailing right into Rogue One’s beginning.
Behind-the-Scenes
Andor season one creator and showrunner Tony Gilroy returns for season two, closing the chapter on Cassian’s story. Directing episodes in the second season are Ariel Kleiman, Janus Metz, and Alonso Ruizpalacios. Kleiman is directing six of the 12 episodes overall. Tony Gilroy, Dan Gilroy, Beau Willimon, and Tom Bissell are the known writers for the second season episodes. Delays from the SAG-AFTRA strike and the WGA strike caused the series to delay shooting for months. But shooting commenced as soon as the last strike ended.
Andor’s Cast
Of course, Diego Luna once again portrays our titular hero Cassian Andor. Joining him once more are Stellan Skarsgård as Luthen Rael, and Genevieve O’Reilly as Senator Mon Mothma. Benjamin Bratt is said to join the series in an undisclosed role. Rogue One actor Forest Whitaker returns as Saw Gerrera, as does Alan Tudyk as the droid K-2SO.
Even though it appeared his days were numbered by the end of season one, Andy Serkis has hinted that he’s returning as former prisoner Kino Loy. Also returning is Kyle Soller as Syril Karn, Denise Gough as ISB agent Deedra Meero, and Adria Arjona as rebel Bix Caleen. Faye Marsay (Vel Sartha), Varada Sethu (Cinta Kaz), Elizabeth Dulau (Kleya Marki), and James McArdle (Timm Karlo) round out the cast for season two.
Andor’s Release DateAlthough originally announced as returning in the summer 2024, thanks to various delays, it now looks like Star Wars: Andor’s second season won’t arrive until 2025.
Originally published on January 16, 2024.
The post ANDOR Creator Shares Season 2 Update, Teases Even Bigger Second Half appeared first on Nerdist.
Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn Inspired Ariana Greenblatt’s Tiny Tina in the BORDERLANDS Movie
Borderlands made a splash when Gearbox Software debuted it on multiple gaming platforms in 2009. The video game is an open-world action roleplaying first-shooter and features a plethora of fiercely violent madcap characters. The game follows a core group of four Vault Hunters who are traveling to the planet Pandora (not to be confused with Avatar‘s Pandora) to look for the Vault. This stash supposedly has riches, glory, and fancy alien tech that many factions want to get their hands on first. A movie based on this game has been in the works since 2015, and now, it will finally make its way to theaters.

Slowly, we’re beginning to see more details emerge from the Borderlands movie. Recently, Ariana Greenblatt spoke a bit more about the creation of her Borderlands character, Tiny Tina. Greenblatt noted that she “was heavily inspired by Margot [Robbie]’s Harley Quinn rendition.” And additionally shared, “I read the sides and immediately thought of (Robbie’s Harley) and that’s one of the first things I told her actually for the process of getting Barbie… I watched how she prepared and she read the comic books and she did so much work to build Harley and watching her helped me build Tina.”
Greenblatt also turned to a friend to create Tiny Tina, sharing, “She fully just had this very carefree mindset and didn’t care about embarrassing herself and would say and do weird voices and things and movements. And she is my best friend, and I’d watch her just move and I told her in the middle of filming, I was like, ‘I just want you to know, I’m acting just like you in this movie.’ And she was like, ‘Great, awesome.’” Additionally, a group of YouTubers called 4freakshow, helped her find “Tiny Tina’s gestures and laugh.”

The actress also notes that she opted not to try to recreate Tiny Tina’s voice from the Borderlands games, offering, “The original voice of Tina is so loved and it’s so hard to do. And I thought about it a lot because I was like, ‘I could completely change my voice and do a very cartoon character,’ but then I thought about the people who might have never heard of Borderlands before and don’t like video games and just want to watch for the cast or the director or whatever the reason would be. You don’t want to sit through an hour and something movie listening to a crazy, insane voice and feral, horrifying kid.”
Here’s everything we know about the Borderlands movie so far.
Title
This video game movie adaptation will be called Borderlands.
Borderland’s PlotLionsgate shared an official plot synopsis on April 5, 2021:
Two-time Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett teams up with Kevin Hart in director Eli Roth’s Borderlands. Lilith (Blanchett), an infamous outlaw with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home planet of Pandora to find the missing daughter of the universe’s most powerful S.O.B., Atlas (Ramirez). Lilith forms an alliance with an unexpected team – Roland (Hart), a former elite mercenary, now desperate for redemption; Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg (Munteanu), Tina’s musclebound, rhetorically challenged protector; Tannis (Curtis), the scientist with a tenuous grip on sanity; and Claptrap (Black), a persistently wiseass robot.
These unlikely heroes must battle alien monsters and dangerous bandits to find and protect the missing girl, who may hold the key to unimaginable power. The fate of the universe could be in their hands – but they’ll be fighting for something more: each other. Based on the game from Gearbox and 2K, one of the bestselling videogame franchises of all time, welcome to Borderlands.

In some exciting news, we finally have our first good look at the live-action Borderlands movie. Lionsgate released two first-look images from Borderlands, which reveal one close-up of Cate Blanchett’s Lilith and one shot of the whole team. The team, of course, includes Kevin Hart’s Roland, an ex-soldier, Ariana Greenblatt’s Tiny Tina, a teenage explosives expert, Florian Munteanu’s Krieg, Tiny Tina’s bodyguard, Jamie Lee Curtis’ Tannis, a strange scientist/doctor, and Jack Black’s Claptrap, who is a robot.


Eli Roth, best known for his horror films, is set as the director. Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) is writing. Mazin is also working on HBO’s The Last of Us TV series. Producers for the Borderlands movie include Avi and Ari Arad, and Erik Feig, with executive producers Randy Pitchford (who served as executive producer on the game) and Strauss Zelnick. Deadpool‘s Tim Miller handled reshoots.
Borderland‘s Cast
And now we’re to the most exciting news about the Borderlands movie: the star power. Cate Blanchett landed the role of Lilith, the film’s lead. Kevin Hart will play Roland, a soldier. Lilith and Roland are two of the game’s Vault Hunters. Edgar Ramirez will play Atlas, who is the most powerful man in the video game’s universe. (Naturally, that means he’s a businessman and arms manufacturer.)
Jamie Lee Curtis has signed on for the film too, playing Tannis, an archaeologist. And we also know Jack Black will voice Claptrap, the game’s recognizable sassy robot sidekick. IGN reported on April 6, 2021 that Dutch bodybuilder Olivier Richters will play Krom. Additionally, Ariana Greenblatt and Florian Munteanu will star as Tiny Tina and Krieg, respectively.
The rest of the cast includes Gina Gershon as Moxxi, Cheyenne Jackson as Jakobs, Charles Babalola as Hammerlock, Benjamin Byron Davis as Marcus, Steven Boyer as Scooter, and Ryann Redmond as Ellie. In addition, Bobby Lee is also joining the cast in the new role of Larry.
We have a look at the movie, courtesy of star Jamie Lee Curtis and Lionsgate. It’s only the silhouettes of characters, but still:

Borderlands will release in theaters on August 9, 2024.
Originally published on April 2, 2021.
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YouTube Disables Videos for People Using Ad Blockers in Growing Initiative
Uh-oh. Do you use an ad blocker? You probably do. But if you also like to use YouTube, you may soon have to turn off that handy dandy ad skipper. YouTube is starting to take a hard line against ad blocker usage on its interface, using its own version of tactics other websites employ. Instead of blocking you from viewing page content if you’re using an ad blocker, YouTube could soon block you from viewing its videos. Ads, it seems are at the center of every conversation right now.
YouTube’s Ad Blocker Crackdown Is Ramping UpAs we saw on The Verge, in June 2023, YouTube was running “a small experiment globally that urges viewers with ad blockers enabled to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium.” This experiment entails warning users that they may no longer be able to watch videos on YouTube if they don’t disable ad blockers. If an ad blocker is active, users will be able to watch only three videos on YouTube before the platform stops letting them watch any more. And, as of October 2023, it seems like this test has been ramped up in scope, with many users suddenly receiving the ad blocker warning.
So, who’s going to create the YouTube ad blocker that can unblock the YouTube blocker that blocks the unblocker? pic.twitter.com/U6V5z7Kh2N
— RidhoM (@falfoxdev) October 10, 2023
How about fuck off? This isn't going to make me turn off my ad blocker, it's going to make me turn off youtube (and watch through an alternative client maybe) pic.twitter.com/G54wv04yay
— Kasami (@kasamikona) October 16, 2023
Gizmodo reports that, initially, warnings against ad-blocker usage on YouTube could be immediately closed or closed after a brief period of time had elapsed. But now, when a user receives these YouTube pop-ups, they cannot close out of them and continue to view videos on Youtube unless the ad-blocker is disabled.
YouTube’s Anti-Ad Block Efforts Come to MobileYouTube has officially noted that it’s “strengthening…enforcement on third-party apps that violate YouTube’s Terms of Service, specifically ad-blocking apps.” and further shares:
Viewers who are using these third-party apps may experience buffering issues or see the error “The following content is not available on this app” when trying to watch a video. We want to emphasize that our terms don’t allow third-party apps to turn off ads because that prevents the creator from being rewarded for viewership, and Ads on YouTube help support creators and let billions of people around the world use the streaming service.
YouTube warns that third-party apps found blocking ads for users will lose access to YouTube’s API.
YouTube and Google’s PerspectiveGoogle spokesperson Oluwa Falodun shared with The Verge, “We take disabling playback very seriously, and will only disable playback if viewers ignore repeated requests to allow ads on YouTube… In cases when viewers feel they have been falsely flagged as using an ad blocker, they can share this feedback by clicking on the link in the prompt.”
Additionally, YouTube communications manager Christopher Lawton noted that using an ad-blocker violates YouTube’s terms of service.
Of course, YouTube taking a stance against ad blockers is one we might have seen coming. One of the perks of YouTube’s paid version, YouTube Premium, is an ad-free experience. If users can get an ad-free experience anyway, they may not be as incentivized to sign up. The company shares, “YouTube’s ad-supported model supports a diverse ecosystem of creators, and provides billions of people globally access to content for free with ads.” There is, however, the fact that YouTube Premium costs $13.99/month, which is no small price to pay, especially as other streaming platforms become more expensive and complex to navigate.

YouTube shares finally, “We want to inform viewers that ad blockers violate YouTube’s Terms of Service, and make it easier for them to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium for an ad-free experience.” We imagine that is indeed what the platform wants.
Originally published on June 29, 2023.
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Disney+ Reportedly Plans to Add Old-School TV Channels to Platform
When streaming first emerged, it positioned itself as the great disrupter of cable. Folks weren’t too happy with cable at the time. It seemed costly and constricting, especially when juxtaposed with exciting new streaming channels. But over the years, the gap between streaming and cable has narrowed considerably. Fears that streaming is just cable, but now even more expensive began to emerge. And with every new development in the streaming world, it feels like there is truth to this concern. Most recently, The Information reported that Disney+ planned to introduce old-school style “TV channels” to its interface. (We saw this news via Gizmodo.) These “always-on” ad-supported Disney+ channels would emulate the current approach of FAST channels—minus, of course, the F. (That’s Free, for the uninitiated.) Here’s what The Information reported.

In its article, The Information shared that Disney+ plans to add “live TV” channels to its interface. This content viewing format would operate similarly to how Tubi and other FAST(Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television) channels function. Disney+ would pre-program the channels with content that subscribers could tune into without making a specific decision on what to watch. In other words, if the report is true, Disney+ would add back in television channels as we’ve always known them. The Information notes channels might contain content groups such as “classic Disney animated movies or animated films made by Pixar,” or additionally, Star Wars and Marvel channels.
The idea, of course, is for subscribers to watch a channel for an extended period of time and be served ads as they do. Of course, unlike other FAST channels, anything housed in Disney+’s interface “will likely require viewers to be Disney+ subscribers.” The Information notes that these old-school style TV channels are “part of the broader focus of streaming services to increase the amount of time subscribers spend on their apps, as the industry pivots from trying to sign up more people to trying to actually make money.” It’s worth noting that Disney+ has not confirmed or commented on this report.

Ultimately, there’s nothing specifically wrong with Disney+ or any other streamer adding in old-school-style TV channels for its content. Folks probably do enjoy mindless tuning into shows they might like watch grouped together. And there’s always that element of surprise that feels novel these days. However, the bigger picture this potential Disney+ move helps to paint is that cable and television, as we’ve always known them, are literally coming back. And this time, they’re segmented into four streamers that all continuously raise prices and lower the user experience, looking for greater profit. And that’s not such a pretty picture.
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April 15, 2024
LEGO TIE Interceptor Brings the Dreaded STAR WARS Imperial Fighter to Brick Form
Star Wars and LEGO continue to celebrate 25 years of collaboration together with a new Sith-tastic building set, the return of the Imperial TIE Interceptor. This iconic symbol of the Empire’s war fleet was part of the first launch of the Ultimate Collector Series way back in 2000. Now it’s back in a new and updated modern version. LEGO fans can showcase one of the coolest ships from Return of the Jedi, recreating the distinctive wings, detailed cockpit, and laser cannons that blasted Rebel Alliance ships in the battle of Endor. You can check out images of the new LEGO TIE Interceptor in our gallery below:
Star Wars LEGO 25th Anniversary TIE Interceptor Building Set Click To View Gallery





This incredible 1,931-piece set measures 40 centimeters/16 inches long, and comes complete with an exclusive TIE Pilot minifigure and mouse droid minifigure. The Imperial mouse droid minifigure only comes limited to this set. The TIE Interceptor is mounted on a stand with a printed plaque, and includes a printed brick. The brick is 3.2 centimeters/1.3 inches wide, 0.8 centimeters/0.3 inches long, and 3.2 centimeters/1.3 inches high. It also comes with the LEGO Star Wars anniversary logo. The set will set you back $229.00. You can pre-order it from the official LEGO site on May the Fourth, a.k.a. Star Wars Day.

As part of the 25th anniversary celebration, new LEGO Star Wars content is also coming to LEGO Fortnite from May 3. In addition, there’s a new LEGO Star Wars coffee-table book on the way, The Force of Creativity. It features interviews with more than 50 contributors from the LEGO Group and Lucasfilm. Other new additions include a Tatooine Mos Espa Podrace diorama building set. The 718-piece display set includes Anakin Skywalker, the Arch Canyon, and a plaque with one of Qui-Gon Jinn’s inspirational lines from the film. Also from The Phantom Menace is a droideka set and six collectible LEGO Brickheadz. We’re sure none of these are the end of the Star Wars LEGO 25th anniversary celebration.
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Does the FALLOUT TV Series Offer Hope for a Ghoul Cure?
Season one of Prime Video’s Fallout introduced an important new medicine to the franchise. There’s now a drug that helps keep ghouls from going feral in Fallout‘s world. But how does this ghoul medicine work, and where does it come from? Those are important questions. But they aren’t the most important ones raised by this medicine’s existence. There’s never been a cure for ghouls in the Fallout games. But the presence of this ghoul medication makes us wonder whether or not it means something even better will come along for ghouls. Could the Fallout series be teasing a world where ghouls can actually be cured?
Here’s everything you need to know about ghouls to understand how Fallout could be setting up a cure for ghoulification and hinting at a future where The Ghoul is human once again.
[image error]Jump to: What Are Ghouls in Fallout and Why Do They Need a Cure? // What Happens When a Ghoul Goes Feral? // What Does Ghoul Medicine Do on the Fallout Series? // Is There a Cure for Ghouls in the Fallout Video Games? // Could the Fallout TV Show Introduce a Ghoul Cure? // Does Lucy’s New Finger Hint at a New Nose for The Ghoul?
What Are Ghouls in Fallout, and Why Do They Need a Cure?
One of the Fallout franchise’s most iconic groups are mutated humans (and animals) known as ghouls. In one region of the country these figures are called necrotic post-humans. With the exception of two “pre-war ghouls” who tried to attain immortality via radiation exposure before The Great War even began, ghouls owe their creation to radiation exposure caused by nuclear bombs. Some transformed slowly, while those close to ground zero locations mutated faster and more violently. Other humans in the centuries since The Great War also became ghouls.
Fallout‘s ghouls look a lot like zombies, a term bigots use as an insult, but they are not. Intellectually, they are still people, as they retain their normal brain functions for a long time. It’s how some remain parts of human societies. Ghouls do not have decomposing or rotting flesh like zombies, either. Intense and prolonged radiation exposure gives them raw, flaking, burnt-like red skin. “Ghoulification” also results in damaged connective tissue, which is why ghouls lose their ears and noses. Most ghouls also lose all of their body hair and are completely sterile. Some lose so much skin and muscle their bones become visible. Given these aspects of ghoulification, we can see why Fallout‘s ghouls might want a cure for their condition.

However, the same radiation that transformed them also saved them from death. It also gave ghouls expanded lifespans and super-healing properties. Ghouls aren’t immortal and still have to eat and drink (which is easier in a wasteland because they lose their sense of taste and smell). But thanks to radioactive regeneration, they can withstand many diseases, ailments, and injuries as they live for a very long time. Of course, taking into account these truths about being a ghoul in Fallout, perhaps they don’t require a cure after all. But before we get into whether a cure is even possible in Fallout‘s world, here’s a bit more about the types of ghouls that exist.
How Many Types of Ghouls Are There in Fallout?There are three types of Fallout ghouls. In addition to normal/intelligent ghouls like Walton Goggins’ The Ghoul, Fallout video games also feature “glowing ones.” Those ghouls are notable for their bioluminescence skin caused by prolonged radiation. The result is a haunting, eerie green appearance. The very same prolonged isolation required for that much radiation exposure often drives glowing ghouls to madness or worse. That “worse” is the third variation of ghoul, feral ghouls. And it is this variation that probably most inspires Fallout fans to wonder whether ghouls can be cured.
What Happens When a Ghoul Goes Feral in Fallout?
When a ghoul “goes feral” in the Fallout franchise, they lose all of their cognitive abilities and humanity. They instead become violent, vicious, animalistic creatures who attack other living things. They’re essentially monsters of the wasteland, with some versions being more ferocious, dangerous, and harder to stop than others. Fallout‘s first season showed ghouls on the verge of finally turning completely, and it wasn’t a pretty sight.
According to Walton Goggins, the threat of becoming feral weighs incredibly heavy on The Ghoul’s mind. Goggins notes, “I think it’s an existential crisis every single day… People will rob, and they will kill, and steal and lie to get access to this medicine to stay on this earth in a form of consciousness that is normal for as long as they possibly can.”
There was no known way to prevent a ghoul from becoming feral before the Fallout TV series.
What Does Ghoul Medicine Do on Prime Video’s Fallout Series, and Is It a Cure?
Fallout‘s first season introduced an all-new element to the franchise that has huge ramifications for ghouls. There is a highly valuable, hard-to-get medicine ghouls can take to stop them from going feral. If taken regularly, this chemical mixture can help a ghoul, even as old as Cooper Howard, remain a fully functional, rational being rather than a mindless monster. At the moment, this anti-feral ghoul medication does not appear to be able to cure a ghoul who is already feral, nor does it seem to have any impact on any other aspect of ghoulification. This Fallout series medicine is not a ghoul cure, but it certainly does raise many questions.
For instance, we have to wonder, who invented this medicine and when? And what do they know about how ghoulification works? Do they know enough to create a cure? The show has not answered those questions just yet, but the video games might offer some clues.
Is Ghoul Medicine Based on the Fallout Video Games’ Rad-X?
Prime Video’s Fallout saw Lucy combat radiation poisoning with RadAway, but the video games also introduced another medicine known as Rad-X. It’s a powerful “chem” that greatly enhances a person’s natural resistance to radiation. Unlike RadAway, it’s also meant to be taken before exposure because it can help fight irradiation.
Whether Rad-X has any connections to the franchise’s new anti-feral ghoul medicine is still unknown. But the show’s other ghoul-related chemical has a clear video game counterpart.
What Was the Potion That Turned Thaddeus Into a Ghoul on Fallout, and How Does It Hint at a Cure?
The squire Thaddeus would have died from his mangled foot had he not come across the wasteland’s weirdest doctor/snake oil salesman. In Fallout‘s seventh episode, John Daly’s chicken fan gave Thaddeus a powerful medicine that instantly healed his previously destroyed foot. That’s also why the squire later survived an arrow in the neck. That medicine that cured him actually instantly turned Thaddeus into a ghoul with powerful regenerative healing abilities, like Coop.
In Fallout 4, a major figure known as John Hancock (one of the video game characters we’d most like to see appear on Prime Video’s show) also became a ghoul after taking an experimental radioactive drug he found a single dose of. His ghoulification didn’t involve exposure to radiation, but it led him to become like every other ghoul all the same. It turned John Hancock’s skin raw and exposed his muscles, took away his nose and ears, stripped him of hair, and slowed his age process while giving him powerful ghoul abilities.

The concoction Thaddeus took might be the exact same drug John Hancock found. Even if it’s not, they are similar enough that they did the exact same thing: made them ghouls forever. And this medication, introduced in the games and reestablished in the series, carries its own set of important implications. If the science to turn humans into ghouls with a pill exists in Fallout‘s world, could the science also exist to create a cure that turns people from ghouls back into humans?
Is There a Cure for Ghouls in the Fallout Video Games?
Despite all of the above, there is currently no known cure for ghouls in the Fallout universe. Once a human or animal begins the process of becoming a ghoul, it is irreversible. And until Prime Video’s show, eventually, every ghoul, even those who had survived with their mind intact for centuries, was expected to go feral.
That’s why this new anti-feral ghoul medicine is far more important than just for what we know it can do so far. It’s exciting because of what it implies about whether ghouls can be cured in the Fallout universe.
Could the Fallout TV Show Introduce a Ghoul Cure?
In addition to its instant-ghoulification drug, Fallout now has a medicine that prevents ghouls from going feral. It’s the franchise’s biggest development in ghoul healthcare ever. Clearly, someone out there is working on helping this race of people suffering from a radiation-related disease. And if someone is trying to help ghouls not go feral in Fallout, that means someone might be trying to come up with a ghoul cure, too.
Fallout has a drug that turns a human into a ghoul within seconds. It has drugs that fight off radiation poisoning in humans. It also now has a drug that keeps ghouls from losing their humanity. So why couldn’t someone create something that reverses ghoulification entirely? A cure is the next developmental step after treatment. And it feels like a ghoul cure is exactly where the Fallout series is heading.
One scene during Fallout‘s first season certainly sets up that kind of revelation, but it’s not one that involves a ghoul.
Did Lucy’s New Finger Reveal a Big Future Fallout Moment for The Ghoul?
The treatment of Lucy’s severed finger was a great sequence that provided meaningful characterization and world-building. It didn’t serve any obvious narrative purpose, though. The specifics around her replacement finger didn’t actually make sense. She got her new digit from a machine that planned to kill her moments later. Why have a robot performer a finger transplant on someone under those circumstances? It’s a funny moment but an illogical one.
That is unless that transplant wasn’t about Lucy at all but instead about the person who cut off her finger.

Lucy bit off The Ghoul’s finger before he removed hers. He didn’t need a transplant to get his finger back, though. His body can heal itself. With some stitches, his lost digit mended itself. But The Ghoul can’t simply sew his nose and ears back on like he did his finger. Nor would a surgery like Lucy’s be an option for his missing nose or ears at this point in time. They’re made of cartilage, and ghoulification destroys connective tissue. Even if he had his nose surgically replaced, it would fall back off.
If someone comes up with a cure that turns them back into normal humans, former ghouls would still have to live without a nose or ears. They’d forever wear the evidence of who and what they once were. That is unless they get the exact same procedure Lucy did with her finger once the ghoulification cure restores them from ghoul to human. It’s a procedure that the robot had no reason to actually perform, yet it was important enough that the show included it. Why?
Fallout season one clearly suggests a ghoul cure might be possible. But with just one little finger, it also sets up the potential for a powerful future moment that one day might smell extra sweet to the former Cooper Howard.
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who would live in a Fallout Vault right now if he could. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.
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Keanu Reeves Will Voice Shadow in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3
The Sonic movie universe is something that I never saw coming. Well, not since I dreamed about it in the ‘90s as a lover of the speedster’s video games and TV show. But that is what we got when the first Sonic film sped into theaters at the beginning of 2020. You know, back in the olden days before, well, all of this stuff happened. Since then, we’ve gotten the gift of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with famous characters like Tails and Knuckles (the best angry sweetie ever) coming into the fold. Better yet, we got news that a third Sonic the Hedgehog movie and a Knuckles series were coming our way. Now, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 officially has casting information, teaser trailers, and a release date. We seriously cannot believe that Keanu Reeves will lend his voice to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 as Shadow.
Keanu Reeves Joins Sonic the Hedgehog 3 as Shadow Plus Other Cast Announcements
First, let’s start with returning cast news. It’s not the end for Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik. Although it seemed like Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik tumbled to his death at the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, a post-credits scene teased the villain’s body had not been found. And this, of course, sets up the news, which we saw on Variety, that Jim Carrey will return as Doctor Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. We assume that Robotnik’s mustache survived the fall, too, but if not, we can’t wait to see what manner of facial hair the villain will have in the third Sonic movie.

In addition to the announcement about Carrey’s return, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 confirmed other and returning cast members. Returning to the franchise are Ben Schwartz (Voice of Sonic), Lee Majdoub (Agent Stone), Idris Elba (Voice of Knuckles), Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Voice of Tails), Tom Butler (Commander Walters), James Marsden (Tom Wachowski), and Tika Sumpter (Maddie Wachowski).
Perhaps the biggest new casting is that Keanu will portray Shadow (more on him later) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3! Other new cast members include Krysten Ritter, Alyla Browne, James Wolk, Sofia Pernas, Cristo Fernández, Jorma Taccone. It sounds like it will be an exciting film, for sure.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Teasers Reveal Shadow’s ArrivalNow, what will happen in the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie? We don’t know any firm details right now. But the movie’s first teasers put Keanu Reeves’ Shadow front and center. He and Sonic even share the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 logo.
You all thought I was gone, but I’ve just been underground. What you’ve seen from me is only a #shadow of things to come… pic.twitter.com/3W9Rh728Tt
— Sonic the Hedgehog (@SonicMovie) February 2, 2024
An early look at the movie even gave us a glimpse of Shadow’s iconic shoes.
More About Sonic the Hedgehog 3Off and RUNNING. #SonicMovie3
— Sonic the Hedgehog (@SonicMovie) November 29, 2023
Only in theatres December 20, 2024 pic.twitter.com/BUIlurNIC0
The end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 left us with the Wachowskis taking in even more furry and powerful creatures. Tails and Knuckles are part of the family alongside Sonic, and they are guarding the Master Emerald. But the end of the film hinted at a new set of troubles. We find out that Shadow the Hedgehog is in a secret facility, primed to break out and cause havoc. And we bet that havoc will head our way in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

In the game universe, Shadow was created by Doctor Eggman’s grandfather and plays more of an antihero role in many storylines. Think the Punisher vs. Daredevil except with much less violence. We aren’t sure if Shadow the Hedgehog will be the sole villain in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, but they certainly won’t be friends. The Wachowskis cannot take in another cartoony animal at this point. And, he will give Knuckles something to smash. Our guy likes a good fighting/venting session.
When Will Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Release?The third Sonic movie is coming on December 20, 2024. It’s a holiday celebration, so we expect to see our favorite characters sipping hot chocolate.
Running faster, flying higher, and punching harder. #SonicMovie3 hits theatres on December 20, 2024. pic.twitter.com/DcFGbaKUao
— Sonic the Hedgehog (@SonicMovie) August 9, 2022
Until then, fans can rewatch the second Sonic film on Paramount+ and check out the Knuckles series to carry us through until the end of 2024. In either case, we feel excited to finally know when we can expect Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Originally published on August 9, 2022.
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Will X-MEN ’97 Give Us Cyclops as Mutant Revolutionary?
The world of Marvel’s mutants has changed forever thanks to the genocidal attack on Genosha in episode five of X-Men ’97. So much so, we theorize it will cause a rift in the team that recalls not one, but two major events from the comics. The first is the emergence of the more militant, revolutionary version of Cyclops. For a time in the comics in the late 2000s, Scott Summers had a “take no prisoners” attitude that rivaled Magneto. The other is the formation of X-Factor, a team led by Cyclops consisting of the original X-Men. Here are the clues classic Marvel Comics have provided us that lead us to this is where X-Men ’97 is going.


Even before the attack on Genosha, in the TV interview, Scott Summers seemed very done with the whole thing. He loses control and gets brutally honest, having an outburst where he mentions how sick he is of human prejudice and ungratefulness. It seems all the recent trauma in the series has gotten to Scott, including losing his infant son Nathan to an unknown future. Compounded with the genocide on Genosha, which killed the mother of his son, Madelyne Pryor, this might be enough to make Scott harden his heart and become a hardcore revolutionary. He might even take Magneto’s approach to mutant rights, and break from Xavier’s more peaceful method.
In the Wake of Mutant Decimation, Cyclops Becomes More Militant
In the comics, the genocide on Genosha, followed by the Scarlet Witch’s depowering of nearly all mutants on Earth in 2005’s House of M, led to a near annihilation of mutants as a race. This changed the remaining powered mutants in both good and bad ways. For Scott Summers, this time was particularly harsh. He had recently lost his wife Jean Grey (again), and learned that his mentor Professor X had lied to him and the team, about several things. Dating former villain Emma Frost, Cyclops became more and more militant in his belief that mutants must do anything to survive, no matter the cost. It was during this time he secretly formed a new version of X-Force, designated as a black ops team sent on missions to kill their deadliest foes.

During this era, Cyclops led what remained of the powered mutants to an island near San Francisco named Utopia. There, he formed the X-Men’s “Extinction Team,” which was designed to flex the might of mutants in the world, and who were created to thwart extinction-level events for humans and mutants. On this powerful lineup were X-Men like Emma Frost, Colossus, Namor, Magick, Storm, and, Magneto. The Master of Magnetism had ceded his role as the revolutionary leader to Scott, a man whom Magneto had tried to kill in battle many times when he was a boy.
Cyclops, Headmaster of the Proactive New Xavier School
It didn’t end there. Believing mutantkind must do whatever it takes to survive, Cyclops began training the few remaining younger mutants into soldiers. This led to a schism with Wolverine. Logan believed the mutant children needed to learn how to control their powers first, leaving the soldiering to the adults. From there, the team split to two factions of X-Men, with Cyclops leading one aggressively proactive team, and Logan another. Cyclops opened the New Xavier School in the former Weapon X base, militarizing a new generation of mutant teens. This act raised eyebrows among the mutant community, as well as teams like the Avengers.
“Cyclops Was Right”
Things really got out of hand for Cyclops when the Phoenix Force returned to Earth. This led to a war with the Avengers, and Cyclops (and four other mutants) became the new Phoenix hosts. The Phoenix pushed Cyclops into a darker mindset, ultimately leading to his killing of his mentor Charles Xavier. Of course, Xavier eventually returned. That didn’t stop his fellow X-Men from blaming Scott for what he did under the Phoenix’s influence. However, when Scott died (temporarily of course) many changed their views on Scott Summers, viewing him as a mutant martyr. Mutants in the Marvel universe began boasting the phrase “Cyclops Was Right.” Although his stance has softened quite a bit since his return to life, this militant Cyclops lasted for several years’ worth of comics.
Could Cyclops Form X-Factor As an X-Men Splinter Team?
We do think if proactive Cyclops breaks off a splinter X-Men team, the producers might go further in the comic book past for its roster. Since episode one of X-Men ’97, they keep showing a photo of the first class of Xavier’s students hanging in Charles’ office. Like the comics, the original X-Men were Cyclops, Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), Beast, Iceman, and Angel. The original series casually mentioned an original team before, notably in the Iceman-centric episode “Cold Comfort.” They never directed attention to the fact there was an “original five” team as much as they have in X-Men ’97. We think they are reminding us for a reason. It’s because when Scott forms his own squad, he’ll call his old classmates, and they’ll go by the name X-Factor.

In the comics, Cyclops lost leadership of the X-Men to Storm, attempting to settle down with his wife and son. But circumstances forced him to form his own team with his oldest friends. The original X-Factor’s mission statement was to use humanity’s paranoia and fear of mutants against them. Posing as X-Factor, the original five X-Men were like Ghostbusters for mutants. People would call them on a toll-free line, and they’d show up and deal with the local “mutant problem.” As they were all secretly mutants themselves, they would train these younger mutants as Xavier once taught them.

The mutants wore different costumes as the X-Terminators, a public mutant superhero team made of former X-Men. The unsuspecting public didn’t realize they were the same group. X-Factor thought they could use humanity’s fear of mutants to their own advantage, and save kids with active X-genes instead. The plan ultimately backfired and did more harm than good. Yet we could see X-Men ’97 make Cyclops lead a new charge with his oldest friends in tow. As the series continues to unfold, we’ll find out how far Cyclops has been pushed to extremism. We believe that much of his future character trajectory was spelled out for Scott Summers decades ago in some classic Marvel titles.
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