Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 338

The THUNDERBOLTS* Asterisk Is Important, But Kevin Feige Won’t Talk About It ‘Until After the Movie’

The Thunderbolts have been a long-awaited MCU team. The quasi-villainous anti-hero/misfit gang is a staple of the Marvel Comics world, and many heroes have been a part of it at some time or another. As the MCU slowly gathered the right members, fans speculated harder and harder that the Thunderbolts were coming. And finally, in 2022, Marvel Studios made the big announcement—the MCU’s Thunderbolts movie was finally on the way.

Marvel Studios

In our most recent look at the Thunderbolts* title, we’ve noticed an asterisk appearing after the word. And Kevin Feige has now revealed that it’s there for a reason. Speaking at CinmaCon 2024, he shared, “Yes, you’ll notice the asterisk on Thunderbolts. That is the official title of Thunderbolts and we won’t talk more about that until after the movie comes out.” This refusal to address the Thunderbolts* asterisk seems to mean that it’s important. Let the speculation begin.

Kevin Feige confirms THUNDERBOLTS*’ is the new official title

“We won’t talk about the asterisk until after release.” pic.twitter.com/wCwx5g3CWC

— ScreenTime (@screentime) April 11, 2024

Here’s everything we know so far about Thunderbolts*.

Title

For now, the movie about the Thunderbolts is simply called Thunderbolts*. But there is that lurking asterisk that carries some kind of hidden meaning.

Thunderbolts*’ PlotMarvel Studios

We don’t know anything about the plot of Thunderbolts*. However, we know who will be part of the MCU Thunderbolts. The Thunderbolts will comprise of Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine, Ghost, Red Guardian, Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes (a.k.a Winter Soldier), US Agent, and Taskmaster.

Thunderbolts*’ Cast

Accordingly to the MCU Thunderbolts line-up, here is the projected main cast of the movie so far, pending any surprise recastings:

Marvel Studios

Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns as Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine in Thunderbolts*. Hannah John-Kamen will play Ghost. David Harbour remains as Red Guardian. Florence Pugh will reprise her role Yelena Belova. Sebastian Stan will again take on the role of Bucky Barnes (a.k.a Winter Soldier). Wyatt Russell will appear as US Agent. And Olga Kurylenko will appear as Taskmaster.

Geraldine Viswanathan will now take on a mystery role initially meant for Ayo Edebiri. And reportedly, Lewis Pullman will replace Steven Yeun as Sentry in the Thunderbolts* movie.

Behind the Scenes

Eric Pearson will write Thunderbolt*’s script, and Jake Schreier will direct the movie. Beef‘s creator and showrunner Lee Sung Jin has also come aboard as a writer of the movie. Kevin Feige is, of course, producing this Marvel Studios’ production.

Thunderbolt‘s Release DateMarvel Studios

Thunderbolts* is scheduled to release on May 2, 2025.

Originally published on January 27, 2023.

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FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S Sequel Will Release in Fall of 2025

The massive box office success of the video game adaptation Five Nights at Freddy’s last Halloween took everyone by surprise. Though to many, this adaptation of a beloved game has been years in coming. So of course, a Five Nights at Freddy’s sequel is in play. We may get it soon, too. Star Josh Hutcherson, while speaking to Variety, said “I know they’re in the process right now of nailing down the story, and they want to get going as soon as possible.” He added that his The Hunger Games co-star Jennifer Lawrence even texted him after the film’s big success. She told him “My movie’s #1 on Netflix, and yours is #1 at the box office! Let’s go!” This news was recently confirmed at CinemaCon, where Universal revealed the Five Nights at Freddy’s sequel was officially a go.

Universal Pictures/Blumhouse

So, just how soon is soon? Universal and Blumhouse have confirmed the Five Night’s at Freddy’s sequel will arrive in Fall of 2025. If this seems too soon, remember it’s not uncommon for big horror franchise films. At its peak, the Saw franchise was putting out a movie once a year. During their ’80s heyday, the Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street franchises dropped a movie a year too. For a Five Nights at Freddy’s sequel to shoot in mere months makes sense. That could mean a release around Halloween 2024.

In true Blumhouse fashion, the studio made Five Nights at Freddy’s for only $20 million dollars, and its box office gross finished out at $300 million worldwide. Even more amazing is that the movie made so much at the domestic box office even though it also streamed on Peacock. The fanbase really wanted the theatrical experience for this one. The Blumhouse way has always been about making low-budget horror and getting huge returns on their investments. And Five Nights at Freddy’s is one of their biggest successes in this regard.

Originally published on January 8, 2024.

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ANDOR Director’s New STAR TREK ‘Origin Story’ Movie Coming in 2025

It seems Paramount is making yet another attempt at a Star Trek feature film. The studio confirmed the news at CinemaCon 2024. Toby Haynes, who directed episodes of Andor, will direct this newest Trek film, with screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith providing the script. In terms of plot, all we know is that it will be set decades before the events of J.J. Abram’s 2009 Star Trek, technically the eleventh Trek feature overall, which launched a trilogy. This new Star Trek movie will also release in 2025. Abrams’ Bad Robot will remain as producers. A fourth Star Trek film featuring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and the rest of that cast remains in the works.

Paramount Pictures

The last Star Trek feature film to hit theaters was 2016’s Star Trek: Beyond. Whenever this new Trek movie arrives, it will be the longest gap between Star Trek films since the long-running franchise launched with 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The longest gap until now was between 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis, the fourth and final film in the saga of Captain Picard’s crew, and the 2009 reboot. Although Star Trek has been missing in movie theaters all these years, it has been thriving on streaming television, with series like Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, and most recently, Strange New Worlds.

So what could “decades before” mean in regards to this movie’s timeline? The 2009 Star Trek began with the birth of Captain Kirk. It could be a story about the Romulan Wars. The infamous Vulcan offshoot species began a war with Earth, one constantly referenced in almost every Trek series. Its fallout saw the foundation of the Federation Starfleet. That’s a story possibly worth telling, even if it is another prequel to a prequel. Collider notes that this movie has been described as an “origin story.”

When Will This New Star Trek “Origins” Movie Release?

No word yet on when production is meant to commence on this film, but as mentioned, the film has a release window of 2025. Hopefully, it will fare better than those other announced Star Trek movies that never got off the ground.

Originally published on January 10, 2024.

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Apple TV+ Renews MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS for Season 2

Not long before Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire stomped into theaters and brought the beloved Titans to the big screen, we saw them in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The Apple TV+ series from Legendary Entertainment explored a key mystery of the Monsterverse with its first season. That story will continue because Apple TV+ has renewed Monarch: Legacy of Monsters for season two. Additionally, the streamer has struck a new multi-series deal with Legendary that includes multiple spinoff series based on the franchise. We’ll take all the Monsterverse they can give us.

Apple TV+/Legendary

While Monarch: Legacy of Monsters did feature Titans, it put the emphasis on the human story. Two siblings, Cate and Kentaro, searched for their missing father and as a result, stumbled upon some Titan-sized family secrets. Their journey led them to the organization known as Monarch, a complex group that keeps an eye on the monsters lurking on our planet. Season one of the show ended with a little bit of a time jump and more questions that need to be answered.

Morgan Wandell, head of international development for Apple TV+ said in a release:

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has left an indelible imprint on the hearts, minds and imaginations of audiences around the world, led by the brilliance of Chris, Matt, Kurt, Wyatt and the incredibly gifted talented cast and creative team. We couldn’t be more excited for viewers to not only have the chance to experience even more thrills in season two, but to embark on epic, new journeys in the franchise, as we expand Legendary’s Monsterverse.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season two is executive produced by Chris Black, Matt Fraction, Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell from Safehouse Pictures, Matt Shakman, Andrew Colville, and Jen Roskind. Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character.

We don’t know a release date or details about the story yet, but we’re already looking forward to more Monarch.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE LAST RONIN Getting an R-Rated Live-Action Film

With the success of the animated film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, most fans knew it was only a matter of time before the boys returned to live-action. According to The Hollywood Reporter, that’s exactly what’s happening, but in a new and unexpected way. According to the report, Paramount is developing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, an adaptation of a popular recent IDW comics series and an upcoming video game. Not only will this be a live-action feature, but in a first for the Ninja Turtles franchise, they are aiming for an R-rating. Former DC Films head executive Walter Hamada is producing.

IDW Comics

Tyler Burton Smith, who co-wrote the 2019 reboot of Child’s Play is writing the script. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin comic is a relatively recent one, coming out as a five-issue mini-series in 2020. It was co-written by TMNT creator Peter Laird, along with Tom Waltz.  Esau and Isaac Escorza, Ben Bishop, and Eastman provided the art. The Last Ronin takes place in a dystopian future New York, one where Shredder’s murderous grandson kills three of the Turtles and Splinter one by one. Only one of the Turtles survives and goes on a Kill Bill-style mission of revenge.

In the original comic, they didn’t make it clear which Turtle survived for some time. Since he had the weapons of all four of them, it was a tantalizing mystery. This The Last Ronin conceit is something they’ll likely keep as part of the upcoming R-rated Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles film.

The last Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action film came out in 2016. It was a follow-up to the 2014 reboot produced by Michael Bay. Although both did well financially, they received a mixed reception from TMNT fandom. With the success of the recent animated film, it seems Paramount wants to have Ninja Turtles in a variety of flavors. With the success of movies like Deadpool, there’s nothing stopping an R-rated Ninja Turtles film from finding similar success. Especially as the original comics series was a huge success. No word yet on a director or release date, but we expect this one to get fast-tracked soon.

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AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Animated Movie Casts Dave Bautista as a Villain and Eric Nam as Adult Aang

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when a new Avatar: The Last Airbender movie was announced. Yes, we’re getting a cinematic outing that will continue the story of all our favorite characters from the original series. The Gaang, a.k.a Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, Toph, and company, will grace our screens again in a brand new movie coming in 2025.

At Paramount Studios’ 2024 CinemaCon panel, some exciting news was revealed about the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender animated movie. The studio revealed that Dave Bautista and Eric Nam would lead the voice cast for the new Avatar film. Deadline reports that Bautista will play a villain in the Avatar: The Last Airbender animated movie. Meanwhile, IGN notes that Nam will voice Aang. Joining Bautista and Nam are Dionne Quan, Jessica Matten, and Roman Zaragoza. There is no confirmation of who will play which roles yet.

Here’s everything we know about the new Avatar: The Last Airbender movie.

Title

The upcoming movie doesn’t have a title yet. So, for now, we’re simply referring to it as the Avatar: The Last Airbender movie. Deadline reports that a working title for the film is Aang: The Last Airbender.

The Avatar: The Last Airbender Movie‘s Plot

Not much has been revealed about the plot of the Avatar: The Last Airbender movie. However, a glimpse at artwork from the film revealed at CinemaCon 2023 showed us all our favorite characters looking a little older than we left them. Possibly the group is somewhere in their late 20s. That will certainly be an interesting age to explore the dynamics between them all.

We assume the movie will reveal to us Aang, Zuko, and pals’ continued quest to bring peace to the four nations after the intense upheaval Fire Lord Ozai wreaked upon the world. A lot still needs fixed, after all. We hope this movie can continue the series’ legacy of delivering exactly the right story to its fans.

Nickelodeon

Additionally, we know that this movie is one of three animated Avatar movies that Nickelodeon’s Avatar Studios will create. Avatar Studios is “a newly formed division designed to create original content spanning animated series and movies based on the beloved world of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.” We don’t know, however, if the movies will serve as sequels to one another or each will be a stand-alone.

The Avatar: The Last Airbender Movie‘s Cast

We know that Dave Bautista and Eric Nam will headline the voice cast of the new Avatar: The Last Airbender animated movie. Bautista will play a villain in the film, while Nam will voice Aang. Joining this pair in the voice cast are Dionne Quan, Jessica Matten, and Roman Zaragoza. We don’t yet know who they will play.

Nickelodeon

We don’t have any word yet on whether we’ll see some of our original favorites reprise their roles or in any other capacity. But we do feel like Dante Basco is Zuko.

Recently, Toph’s original voice actress Michaela Jae Murphy, also knowns as Jessie Flower, noted she didn’t believe the original cast would return. However, there’s not yet an official confirmation of this statement. Hopefully, our original actors will have a role to play yet.

Behind the Scenes 

Lauren Montgomery will direct the Avatar: The Last Airbender movie. Additionally, series co-creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino will produce the film alongside Eric Coleman.

The Avatar: The Last Airbender Movie‘s Release Date

One thing we do know is when we can expect the new Avatar: The Last Airbender animated movie. The movie will release on October 10, 2025.

Originally published on May 2, 2023.

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FALLOUT’s Season 1 Ending, Explained

Fallout‘s first season at Amazon provided some major answers to longtime franchise questions. From the origins of Vault Boy’s signature thumbs up to the explosive truth of who dropped the nuclear bombs that began the Great War, it was a shocking season of revelations. (All of which are canon to the entire series.) But the surprises didn’t end until the season’s final moments when the show ended at a place gamers know very well. What happened, and how did the show arrive at that spot? Here’s everything you need to know about the ending of Fallout season one and what it means for season two.

Prime Video[image error]Fallout‘s Ending Reveals That Vault-Tec Destroyed the World to Manage ItPrime Video

Fallout fans finally have an official answer to who dropped the nuclear bombs that kicked off the Great War. It wasn’t China (as previously suggested but never fully confirmed). It was none other than Vault-Tec itself. As Fallout‘s ending reveals, the company turned out to be less of a business and more of a capitalistic death cult. Vault-Tec executives decided that time was the best weapon they had to defeat their enemies. To attain their ultimate victory, Vault-Tec nuked the world and had themselves placed in longterm stasis. Vault-Tec executives then woke themselves up as needed to run their underground societies by pretending to be members of other Vaults. (That’s why poor Norm might have no choice but to take his dad’s old pod in Fallout‘s final episode. There’s nothing in Vault 31 besides stasis pods.)

The people living in the bunkers had no idea about any of this. Vault-Tec ultimately planned to one day return to the surface where they would manage a better civilization.

Prime Video

Fallout‘s ending also revealed that when surface dwellers started to rebuild civilization on their own, Vault-Tec dropped more bombs. The company blew up Maximus’s home, Shady Sands, the capital city of the New California Republic. Vault-Tec refuses to let humanity survive on its on terms. But the monstrous corporation might not be able to stop humanity’s efforts thanks to Wilzig’s artifact.

What Was Wilzig’s Artifact? The Key to Freeing Cold Fusion Energy, ExplainedPrime Video

Scientist Doctor Siggi Wilzig escaped the Enclave after injecting his neck with the single most valuable asset the world has ever known at the beginning of the Fallout TV series. Years before it initiated the Great War of 2077, Vault-Tec began buying up any technology that threatened either its place as the world’s de facto superpower or its long-term plans for worldwide supremacy. That included buying the company of Lee Moldaver. She was right on the verge of completing something that would change the world forever. It was her lost, hidden tech that Wilzig put inside his own neck.

That artifact was important enough that Wilzing sacrificed himself to make sure Lucy could get it to Moldaver, which Lucy finally did in the season one finale of Fallout. That’s when we learned Wilzig had stolen tech for cold fusion technology. With it back in her hands, Moldaver was finally able to unlock free unlimited energy, which manifested when the lights of the region that was once Los Angeles all began turning on at the very end of Fallout.

Prime Video

Vault-Tec primed the world for its masterplan by exploiting previous wars fought over ever-dwindling resources. Cold fusion technology would have ended those disputes forever and helped mankind move towards peace, a peace free of Vault-Tec. That’s why they bought it and locked it away.

F allout‘s Ending Leaves the Brotherhood of Steel with Unlimited PowerPrime Video

Moldaver finally unlocked cold fusion energy in Fallout‘s ending, and it’s now out in the world. Unfortunately, the Brotherhood of Steel controls it. They took the Observatory at the final episode’s end. What will the group do with unlimited power? That was the warning a dying Moldaver gave to Maximus, who might be the only person who can stop the militaristic Brotherhood, which doesn’t trust mankind any more than Vault-Tec does, from exploiting the greatest power the world has ever known. It’s a technology that has the power to end war forever.

Before anyone can do that, though, there are still wars left to fight. That includes stopping the very people who destroyed the world in the first place. The Ghoul knows someone is pulling the strings on everything that has happened, and he’s going to find the puppet master behind everything.

Prime VideoThe Ghoul Lets Lucy’s Dad Go

The man once known as the actor Cooper Howard, the original mascot for Vault-Tec, knows exactly how evil Hank MacLean is. Lucy’s dad was one of the Vault-Tec executives who killed the world the first time. And Fallout reveals that Hank even turned on his own wife when she learned the awful truth about her husband and escaped to the surface with her kids.

Prime Video

But The Ghoul didn’t kill Lucy’s dad in Fallout‘s ending scenes. Instead he shot a tracker into Hank’s face so he could see where Hank fled. Someone on the surface is overseeing everything Vault-Tec does. Whoever it is, is coordinating between Vaults, dropping bombs on whole cities, and conspiring to make sure the Enclave keeps its secrets locked away. The Ghoul knew Hank would go straight to that person and that’s how they’d find the world’s puppet master.

In the season’s final moments, we learned that individual is operating out of a place Fallout video game fans know well: New Vegas.

How Fallout Season 1’s Ending Connects to the Video GamesPrime Video

Hank MacLean flew east in his stolen Brotherhood power armor to New Vegas, an iconic locale in the franchise. It’s the setting of 2010’s Fallout New Vegas video game. That installment took place in the year 2281, 15 years prior to the events of Prime Video’s series.

After establishing an entirely new location in the franchise in its season one ending, the Fallout TV show is now taking viewers right into the heart of the video games. But that’s exactly why we don’t know exactly what to expect when we get there.

What Does New Vegas’ Past Mean for Fallout‘s Second Season?Prime Video

Fallout New Vegas focuses on the struggle of three powerful entities vying to control the region centered around New Vegas. It’s a highly valuable part of the country because of the Hoover Dam and the accompanying clean water and energy it offers. Who ends up in control of New Vegas is ultimately decided by The Courier, the game’s main character controlled by the player.

One of the three groups fighting to control New Vegas is the New California Republic, a group referenced on Prime Video’s Fallout. But Fallout New Vegas provides four alternate endings, and the NCR only wins in one of them.

Does the state of the NCR on the TV series show they didn’t win in New Vegas before? A lot can change in the world of Fallout in just 15 years, so the TV show could treat any of those four endings as canonical only to then say whichever group had won was deposed in the intervening years. Until we learn specifics we at least know the lore of the game will play a big role in the show’s second season, which will continue with its own Vault-Tec revelation.

Who is the person from Vault-Tec pulling the strings, and why are they in New Vegas? How long have they been there? What does that have to do with the city, and therefore the franchise’s past? Is the evil mastermind in charge actually Coop’s wife? And is his daughter also there? Is she the one in charge?

The Ghoul and Lucy are rolling the dice, following her dad to New Vegas in Fallout‘s ending sequences. But it’s the only bet they can make if they want the whole world to win big.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who would like to visit Fallout’s New Vegas. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The Marvel Comics Roots of X-MEN ’97’s Most Intense Episode Yet

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The fifth episode of X-Men ’97, titled “Remember It,” was a true shocker that left fans with their jaws on the floor. In this chapter, not long after the mutant country of Genosha is recognized as a sovereign nation by the UN, a giant celebration is held, with members of the X-Men in attendance. We’re witness to a grand ball, with many happy mutants dancing the night away. Then, tragedy strikes. A giant Sentinel, bigger than any seen before, appears above the island and lays waste to it. Thousands are killed, if not more, including Magneto and Gambit. This harrowing moment, which left viewers speechless, is also one lifted straight from early 2000s era Marvel comics.

The Sentinel Attack on Genosha Is From NEW X-MEN by Grant MorrisonMarvel Comics

Starting in Grant Morrison’s New X-Men run in 2001, many things about Marvel’s mutant team were reinvented. Morrison thought X-Men lore had become stagnant. So the creative team made some drastic changes. Grant made the X-Men into public figures, letting the whole world know that their home base was Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. This is something we see in X-Men ’97. Genosha, once a slave state for mutantkind, has become a free nation and home for mutants from all over the globe. Under Magneto’s leadership, it becomes the haven for some 16 million mutants. But in 2001’s New X-Men #114, a gigantic “Wild Sentinel” arrives above the island and kills nearly every inhabitant—a brutal genocidal act.

In the Comics, Cassandra Nova Sent the Sentinel to Destroy GenoshaMarvel Comics

We learn that this Wild Sentinel, built by a lost Master Mold and made of metal junk, was sent by Cassandra Nova, Charles Xavier’s evil twin, to destroy his dream. She becomes the primary antagonist of Morrison’s New X-Men run, which lasted through 2004. The Genoshan genocide is a serious blow to the mutant community, wiping out a significant portion of their population in one fell swoop. It’s one that haunts them for decades. It also marked the first time that the mutant race would form a country of their own, but not the last. Years later, the mutants would form a new homeland, the living island of Krakoa.

The Genoshan Genocide in X-MEN ’97Marvel Animation

So how different is the X-Men ’97 version of events? The Wild Sentinel design looks extremely similar to the one designed by Frank Quitely for New X-Men. Unlike the comics, however, we don’t know who sent this weapon of mass destruction to Genosha. In the comics, it was Cassandra Nova as we mentioned. The series has yet introduce her, however. Could it be Mister Sinister? He’s the supposed “Big Bad’ of the season. We should note that when Cable appeared to his mother Maddie before the destruction, he told her “He’s coming.” Who is “He?” It could be Sinister or perhaps Apocalypse. He might use a Sentinel to cull the weak mutants from the strong, as he often did in the comics. We know someone sent that gigantic Sentinel, we just don’t know who yet.

Marvel Animation

Another nod to the comics is that Magneto appeared to die in the destruction of Genosha, something the animated show also did. But of course, Magneto actually lived, and we expect to see the Master of Magnetism appear again on X-Men ’97 before too long. In comic books and soap operas, if there’s not a visible body, they ain’t dead. In the case of the X-Men, even if there is a body, they are still likely not dead. Hopefully, by the end of this season, we’ll discover who where exactly this Super Sentinel came from. And we will have to see how mutantkind recovers from this devastating attack.

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FALLOUT Series Confirms Who Dropped the First Nuclear Bombs of the Great War

One of the great mysteries of the Fallout world remains who exactly dropped the first nuclear bombs that started the Great War. In 2023, Tim Cain, the co-creator of the first Fallout game, noted in an interview that China dropped the first nuclear bombs and started the Great War as a retaliation for the United States’ experiments with bio-weapons. But, despite some veiled allusions in games like Fallout 4, this was never formally codified into canon by the games themselves. And now, Fallout appears to have retconned Cain’s answer via the new live-action Prime Video Fallout series. The Fallout series, which is canon to the franchise, per Bethesda director and Fallout series executive producer Todd Howard, offers a different and much more poignant answer to the question of who dropped the first bombs and started Fallout‘s nuclear apocalypse.

Here’s who was behind all the destruction.  

[image error]Vault-Tec Dropped the First Nuclear Bombs of Fallout‘s Great WarPrime Video

That’s right. In the end, it was neither the United States, China, nor any other country that began the nuclear apocalypse in Fallout. Nope. According to the Prime Video Fallout series, it was the Vault-Tec Corporation that oversaw the dropping of the first nuclear bombs and thus began the Great War. And honestly, this explanation makes so much sense, both in the reality of Fallout‘s canon and against the backdrop of our own world.

Through the lens of Cooper Howard (who we later come to know as the Ghoul), viewers are able to travel to a time never before explored in the universe of Fallout, the time before the bombs dropped and the Great War began. Tensions are running high during this period, and people are scared of nuclear war. Of course, it would make sense for security measures to come together. But unfortunately, the company responsible for securing the future of humanity is a private company. That means it looks out for itself and its profits first. Fallout’s Vault-Tec is willing to do anything to achieve supremacy, even drop nuclear bombs and start a nuclear apocalypse.

It All Comes Down to Fiduciary Responsibility Prime Video

At first, Cooper Howard believes that Vault-Tec is doing altruistic work to help save mankind. He even acts as the spokesperson and face of Vault-Tec’s products, becoming the original Vault Boy. But slowly, he begins to doubt the goodness behind the operation, helped by his friend from the Marines, Charlie Whiteknife, who lays it all out for him. Charlie asks, “Do you know what fiduciary responsibility means?” and then explains, “So the US government has outsourced the survival of the human race to Vault-Tec. Vault-Tec is a private corporation that has a fiduciary responsibility to make money for its investors. And how does it make money? By selling vaults. But they can’t sell vaults if these peace negotiations go through. So Vault-Tec has a fiduciary responsibility to make sure that it don’t work out.”

This explanation for why Vault-Tec dropped the first bombs in the war fits perfectly into Fallout‘s narrative. If no nuclear bombs drop, then no one needs Vault-Tec or fallout shelters anymore. And if no one needs vaults, then Vault-Tec won’t make any money. It’s not really a stretch to imagine that a company would be willing to go to any lengths, including nuclear war, to ensure that it retains its power.

Charlie then offers a cowboy analogy for Cooper Howard, asking, “What happens when the cattle ranchers have more power than the sheriff? The whole town burns down. Vault-Tec is a trillion-dollar company that owns half of everything, and after ten years of war, the US government is more than a joke. The cattle ranchers are in charge.”

Vault-Tec’s Evil Extends Beyond CapitalismPrime Video

While Charlie feels Vault-Tec’s prime drive is capitalism and profit, the Fallout series actually reveals a much more nefarious underbelly of the company. We learn that a scientist by the name of Lee Moldaver has unlocked the secret to cold fusion, which could create infinite energy in the world. But Vault-Tec used its immense money and resources to ensure that the technology would never see the light of day. Fans of Fallout will know that one of the main factors that fed into international tensions and the threat of nuclear bombs dropping was the scarcity of energy. Moldaver’s technology could have relieved the proximity to war, but Vault-Tech ensured that didn’t happen.

After speaking with Moldaver, Cooper Howard is moved to spy on his wife, Barb, an executive at Vault-Tec. What he hears is chilling.

Vault-Tec Dropped the First Bombs and Started the Great War in Order to Dominate the WorldPrime Video

Using a listening device, Cooper Howard listens in on a meeting between Vault-Tec, Rob-Co, West-Tek, and Big MT. In it, Fallout‘s Vault-Tec quickly moves beyond nuclear bombs as a way to make money and goes right into nuclear war as a way to control the world. Time, Vault-Tec’s overseer of Southern California operations Budd Askins believes, is the ultimate weapon of mass destruction. And Vault-Tec will beat their enemies (all other humans in the world) in the great game of capitalism with the time they can buy in the vaults after a nuclear event. “The future of humanity comes down to one word, ‘Management.'”

Vault-Tec then invites the other big corporations to take control of different vaults to build their own versions of an ideal vault society and create “the perfect conditions for humanity.” Of course, this will be done in the spirit of competition with the best idea winning… domination over the earth. Since the rest of their “competitors” will be dead on the surface, whoever’s vaults survive gets the ultimate prize: control of the world.

This conversation paves the way for Fallout‘s different vault experiments. Right away, horrible ideas are thrown out, such as intentional overcrowding, human experimentation, pumping drugs into the air, separating parents and children, and more.

But, the other companies want to know, how can Vault-Tec ensure they aren’t just investing in a hypothetical end-of-the-world? How can Vault-Tec guarantee results. Well, that’s an easy one, Cooper Howard’s wife thinks. Vault-Tec will simply drop the first nuclear bombs themselves.

Vault-Tec’s Nuclear Bomb Agenda Will Likely Figure Into Fallout Season TwoPrime Video

Although we don’t actually see Vault-Tec give the order to drop the first nuclear bombs of the Great War in season one of the Fallout series, this is definitely where the story is going. Chances are, if we get season two of Fallout, we’ll see more flashbacks that will fill in the time between Cooper Howard overhearing his wife declare Vault-Tec will drop nuclear bombs to ensure its global domination and the actual nuclear explosions we see reign down on Los Angeles in a different flashback. The ending of Fallout also lets us know that the first bombs of the war weren’t the only ones that Vault-Tec dropped. Of course, Cooper Howard, now the Ghoul, believes his family is still alive in the present-day wasteland, so we might also see Barb contend with the consequences of Vault-Tec’s actions.

Ultimately, making Vault-Tec responsible for the Great War and the nuclear explosions in Fallout was a genius move on the part of the Prime Video series. It doesn’t make anyone feel very good, but it sure does feel like the correct answer.

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FALLOUT Series Reveals Who Vault Boy Really Is and Why He Gives a Thumbs-Up

Vault-Tec’s Vault Boy mascot is one of Fallout‘s most iconic symbols. Even those who have never played the games can likely recognize the grinning blue-and-yellow-clad figure and his association with the world. So, of course, Vault Boy had to appear in Prime Video’s Fallout series adaptation. But no one could have expected the fascinating origin story that the Fallout show crafted for Vault Boy and his notorious thumbs-up. In a way, we got to see an unexpected live-action Vault Boy interlude—something we bet no one had on their bingo cards.

Prime Video

The TV series adaptation, which is set in the games’ canon world, not only remained true to the existing universe but also evolved it. And nowhere is this more evident than with the lore the series added to Vault Boy. So, just who is Vault Boy? And what are the true Fallout origins of this symbol and his thumbs-up? Here’s what the Fallout series revealed about Vault-Tec’s emblematic mascot.

[image error]

Jump to: Who is Vault Boy? Cooper Howard as the Original Vault-Tec Mascot // What Is Vault Boy’s Origin Story in Fallout Canon? // Who Is Cooper Howard? // How Vault Boy Got His Trademark Thumbs-Up in Fallout // Vault Boy Replaces Cooper Howard // Prime Video’s Fallout Series Reveals a Second Reason Why Vault Boy Gives a Thumbs Up // The Fallout Series Evolves the Games’ Canon with Vault Boy Story

Who Is Vault Boy? Cooper Howard as the Original Vault-Tec MascotPrime Video

So, who is Fallout‘s Vault Boy? Well, before the release of the Prime Video series, the answer would have just been Vault-Tec’s chief mascot, a grinning blonde figure who often has a thumbs-up ready to go and wears a yellow and blue Vault-Tec suit. Vault Boy appears on everything from ads to games to manuals to training films in Fallout‘s world and endures even beyond a nuclear apocalypse. Outside the in-universe story of Fallout, Vault Boy and his thumbs-up also often surface in the games for more technical reasons. Vault Boy represents player stats, shows up when players unlock achievements, and serves as an overall mascot of the Fallout games in the real world.

But thanks to the Fallout live-action series, we have a literal answer to the question, “Who is Vault Boy?” It turns out the original Vault Boy is an actor named Cooper Howard (later known as the Ghoul), who was hired by Vault-Tec to represent the brand in a series of print ads and commercials. Though Cooper Howard’s ad campaigns seem successful, Howard eventually turns against the brand. The series reveals that Vault-Tec then creates an illustrated rendition of his image to be their mascot. And thus, Fallout‘s Vault Boy is born from Cooper Howard.

What Is Vault Boy’s Origin Story in Fallout?

Let’s dive into all the details of Vault Boy’s now-canon Fallout origin story, which begins with the tale of Cooper Howard.

Who Is Cooper Howard?Prime Video

Cooper Howard (later known as the Ghoul) is one of the main characters in Fallout, so it makes sense that he plays a critical role in the creation of Vault Boy. When we first meet Cooper Howard, it is at a time the Fallout games barely explore: the time before the Great War. At this point in the Fallout timeline, though tensions are escalating and the world is bracing for nuclear war, life also continues as normal. And initially, Cooper Howard appears as just another all-American ’50s man, living the country’s dream.

We learn that Cooper Howard is a famous actor known for his roles in cowboy movies and Westerns. Some of his movies include The Man from Deadhorse and The Man and His Dog. He and his nuclear family, his wife and daughter, live a cushy life in Los Angeles. Cooper Howard is largely sheltered from the more ominous concerns of the day. Howard, however, is married to a Vault-Tec executive. As a favor to her and likely for a significant sum of money, Howard agrees to become the face of and spokesperson for the Vault-Tec brand just as it intensifies its push to sell Vaults ahead of potential nuclear warfare. And thus, the first steps toward Fallout‘s Vault Boy are taken.

Fallout‘s Cooper Howard Gives Vault Boy His Trademark Thumbs-Up (And Even His Suit Color)

Prime Video’s Fallout series cleverly sets the scene for the audience’s realization that Cooper Howard is actually Vault Boy. When the time finally arrives for Cooper Howard to shoot his first Vault-Tec ad campaign, what does he have to put on? Why, it’s a yellow and blue Vault-Tec suit As she hands him the Vault-Tec suit, Cooper Howard’s wife, Barbara, notes to Cooper, who is wearing a blue and yellow sheriff costume from the movie he is currently filming, “They even made it in your color.” It sounds like Fallout‘s Vault-Tec and Vault Boy even got their blue and yellow color scheme from Cooper Howard.

Prime Video

Right before the Fallout series shows us Cooper Howard’s actual Vault-Tec photoshoot, it juxtaposes Howard’s future persona, the Ghoul, with a Vault Boy image. Then Fallout immediately flashes to Cooper Howard in the eminent Vault-Tec suit, and the vision of Vault Boy starts to take shape.

During the Vault-Tec photoshoot, Cooper Howard awkwardly goes through a bunch of poses before exclaiming, “Hey, I have an idea; what if I were to do like a thumbs-up.” And that, folks, is officially the Fallout origin story of Vault Boy and his trademark thumbs-up. Cooper Howard settles into the pose with a grin, and the first incarnation of Vault Boy is born.

Cooper Howard Turns on Vault-Tec

For a time, Cooper Howard, not Vault Boy, remains the face of the Vault-Tec brand. In the initial advertisement shoot scene and in later commercials and ads shown in the Fallout series, we see Cooper Howard offer a few more of Vault Boy’s trademark poses. We see Cooper Howard giving a familiar wink, a hands-on-hips pose, and more of Vault Boy’s greatest hits from Fallouts‘ games. But things between Cooper Howard and Vault-Tec soon go very sour.

Prime Video

Cooper Howard initially believes his wife and Vault-Tec are trying to save the world. But he soon learns they are actually arranging for its destruction. In fact, Cooper Howard unearths the most harrowing secret of all: Vault-Tec actually intends to facilitate the dropping of nuclear bombs so that it can not only make money selling its vaults but also take control of the world.

Vault Boy Replaces Cooper Howard

Although we’ll likely see more of this in season two, Fallout implies Cooper Howard does not take this news sitting down. Whatever happens specifically between himself, his wife, and Vault-Tec, it leads to Cooper Howard’s ostracization from Hollywood. Of course, Vault-Tec also removes Cooper Howard from his position as the face of the company. Instead, it seems that Vault-Tec takes Cooper Howard’s image, thumbs-up, and smile and creates the illustrated Vault Boy mascot instead. And so Vault Boy takes over as Fallout‘s main symbol, and Cooper Howard is lost to time.

Bethesda Game Studios

Cementing this, in the end credits of Fallout‘s third episode, we see a peeling billboard of Vault Boy and his thumbs up giving way to Cooper Howard and his thumbs up. The visual narrative lets us know that at some point, Vault-Tec covered up Cooper Howard with an image of Vault Boy, the mascot he originated.

Prime Video’s Fallout Series Reveals a Second Reason Why Vault Boy Gives a Thumbs UpPrime Video

The Fallout series offers a second reason why Vault Boy gives a thumbs-up. In a flashback that takes place just before the nuclear bombs drop on the world, Cooper Howard, a war veteran, explains to his daughter that the thumbs-up can be used to gauge danger if one sees an explosion.

Cooper Howard demonstrates a thumbs-up and shares, “Well, back when I was in the Marines, they taught us that if they ever drop a really big bomb, they told us to hold up your thumb just like this. And if the cloud is smaller than your thumb then you run for the hills…” Naturally, his daughter asks what happens if the cloud is bigger than your thumb. And Howard responds, “They told us not to bother running.” Of course, right at that moment, nuclear bombs drop onto the world.

Given what the Fallout series reveals about Vault-Tec’s culpability for the nuclear explosions, the anecdote certainly adds a dark, ironic element to Vault Boy’s thumbs-up.

Vault Boy’s Origin Story Is a Brilliant Edition to Fallout‘s CanonPrime Video

Sometimes, series adaptations that must remain canonical can feel inert. But Fallout feels in no such way. The fact that the Prime Video series dared to take such bold steps and actually add to Fallout‘s canon improves the series. Now we know that every time we see Vault Boy, we are really seeing Cooper Howard and the Ghoul he will become.

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