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THE LAST OF US Season 2 Cast Adds Danny Ramirez, Tati Gabrielle, and More as Game Characters

The Last of Us ended its first season on HBO with Joel and Ellie returning to the commune in Colorado. Sure, Joel might have doomed all mankind to save one young girl, but at least they have a place nice to live. For now. Fans of Naughty Dog’s popular video game franchise know new terrors and sadness await the pair in the years to come, and we’ll see all of it come to life when the hit series begins adapting the sequel game in its second season. What else can we expect from the show after a lengthy wait?

As the series heads into filming its second season, more awesome cast announcements have been revealed for The Last of Us season two. The most recent batch includes Danny Ramirez, Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, and Spencer Lord, who will all feature as characters from The Last of Us Part II.

Naughty Dog/Paramount Pictures/Netflix

Variety reveals:

Ramirez will play Manny, described as “a loyal soldier whose sunny outlook belies the pain of old wounds and a fear that he will fail his friends when they need him most.” Barer will play Mel, said to be “a young doctor whose commitment to saving lives is challenged by the realities of war and tribalism.”

Gabrielle has been cast as Nora, “a military medic struggling to come to terms with the sins of her past.” And Lord will appear as Owen, “a gentle soul trapped in a warrior’s body, condemned to fight an enemy he refuses to hate.”

Liane Hentscher/HBO

Here’s everything we know about The Last of Us‘ second season so far.

The Last of Us Season 2 Plot

HBO has not yet shared an official synopsis for The Last of Us season two. We still have some idea what to expect. The franchise’s second video game will provide the source material for the TV series. Showrunner Craig Mazin has said the show will take more than one season to adapt the sequel game, but like with the television series’ first season they are not making a direct adaptation. Fans will once again see some major changes alongside some major moments and stories taken directly from the game. That might very well include a huge—though temporary—change for one character. (We won’t risk spoiling it for those who don’t know what that means.)

One thing that won’t change is the importance of The Last of Us Part II‘s Abby Anderson. She will debut during the second season and play a significant role in Ellie’s story. And like the video game sequel, the HBO series will also feature a time jump.

Behind the Scenes

The Last of Us‘ second season was in pre-production before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes put the show on hold. The first episode had already been written at the time. With both unions finally getting fair deals, the show is now expected to begin filming in Vancouver in early 2024.

Co-creators, writers, and executive producers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann are back for season two. Writers Halley Gross (The Last of Us Part II) and Bo Shim worked with Mazin and Druckmann on season two. Deadline additionally reports that The Last of Us season two has set its slate of directors, both new and old. These include four new directors: Succession‘s Mark Mylod, Perry Mason‘s Nina Lopez-Corrado, Watchmen‘s Stephen Williams, and Loki‘s Kate Herron. They join returning director Peter Hoar, who directed the incredible season one episode “Long, Long Time,” and the show’s creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann.

The series comes from Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, and Naughty Dog.

The Last of Us Season 2’s CastHBO

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will return as Joel and Ellie. Also expected back is Gabriel Luna. He plays Joel’s younger brother, Tommy. As is Rutina Wesley. She plays Tommy’s wife Maria.

Netflix/Naughty Dog

Regarding new casting news, The Last of Us season two has cast Kaitlyn Dever as Abby. Abby is an important character from The Last of Us Part II game.

Max/Naughty Dog

Additionally, Isabela Merced has joined the season as Abby, who also hails from the second The Last of Us game. Abby is described as “a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit.”

Netflix/Naughty Dog

Finally, The Last of Us season two has also cast Beef‘s Young Mazino as Jess. Jess is described, per Variety, as “a pillar of his community who puts everyone else’s needs before his own, sometimes at a terrible cost.” That sounds ominous. Generally speaking, from Jess’s role in The Last of Us Part II, we can assume he and Ellie will build a friendship.

The Last of Us Season 2’s Release DateHBO

The Last of Us‘ second season wasn’t expected to premiere until the start of 2025 before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Even with production delayed, HBO is still reportedly targeting a 2025 return for the show. However, there is not yet an official date in place.

Originally published on December 29, 2023.

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Anya Taylor-Joy’s DUNE: PART TWO Character, Explained

Anya Taylor-Joy is no stranger to Dune casting rumors. Long before she confirmed her role in the epic sequel, her name was thrown around for Princess Irulan. (This part eventually went to Florence Pugh.) And it’s not hard to see why. Anya Taylor-Joy has the ethereal features of a Dune character, like sharp cheekbones and big eyes—a look that invites an air of fantasy. 

So, when she confirmed at the London premiere of Dune: Part Two that she was, indeed, in the film, it wasn’t a huge surprise. But who was she playing? If you know the material, it wasn’t too hard to speculate. There’s only one major female character who was left out of larger casting announcements. Still, could that really be the part, given the character’s age and specific prominence in the latter half of Frank Herbert’s novel? 

Turns out, the speculation was correct. But if you’re unfamiliar with the book, or a little rusty on the facts and timelines, you still might be a little confused. Here’s everything you need to know about the character Anya Taylor-Joy plays in Dune: Part Two. We’ll also dive into her significance in the story that comes next—should Denis Villeneuve get the chance to make Dune: Messiah. 

[image error]Alia Atreides Role in the First Dune Novel vs. Dune: Part Two

As speculated, the character Anya Taylor-Joy plays in Dune: Part Two is indeed Alia Atreides. Alia is the sister of Paul (Timothée Chalamet), and daughter of Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac). She is also—at the beginning and end of the film—still a fetus in Jessica’s womb. But we do glimpse her as a grown woman late in the film, when Paul has a dream of the future after ingesting the Water of Life. In his vision, Arrakis now has a vast ocean. Alia stands on the beach, then turns to her brother. She reveals to him the importance of their family bloodline: that Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) is actually Lady Jessica’s father and their grandfather. 

This sequence varies significantly from Herbert’s novel. In the Dune book, Alia is actually born. Because Lady Jessica drinks the Water of Life with Alia in the womb, she is born with the powers of a full Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother. It’s a highly dangerous situation—traditionally, the Bene Gesserit killed children born with these insights, called Abominations, because of the risks they possess. Their lack of developed personalities mean that babies infected with the Water of Life can be more easily overtaken by ancestors with access to their memories. 

Warner Bros. / Legendary Pictures

But Alia is different. There’s a time jump in the novel, so we spend time with toddler Alia. And because she is raised by her mother and brother, she learns to control her Reverend Mother abilities. Near the novel’s end, she is captured by the Padishah Emperor (played by Christopher Walken in the film), but escapes. It’s her, not Paul, who kills their grandfather with a gom jabbar needle. She also kills the emperor’s Sardaukar soldiers and Harkonnen men on the Arrakeen battlefield with a crysknife, which earns her the title St. Alia of the Knife. 

Why Does This Change in Alia’s Story Matter in Dune: Part Two?

The way Dune: Part Two the movie handles Alia is honestly a stroke of genius. Fans wondered—and worried—how Villeneuve would work her into the story without making it laughable. A toddler with prescient power and combat power could look pretty darn silly in the wrong hands. In David Lynch’s maligned 1980s adaptation of the book, for instance, Alicia Witt plays Alia. Though entrancing in her own way, the scenes come off hokey, even though she’s also aged up a bit. It’s a big ask to find a kid capable of the acting skills required to pull off a character like Alia. 

Keeping her in utero and only showing her in dream sequences really works. It keeps the film grounded in Villeneuve’s stark sci-fi tone. But it still conveys all the necessary elements. Alia is far too important to the future of the Dune franchise to eliminate entirely. Introducing her to audiences in the event that Dune: Messiah makes it to screens is essential. 

Making her a talking fetus is also great because it still harnesses some of the weird energy of Herbert’s book. It’s not Dune if things aren’t at least a little psychedelic. Talking baby, Anya Taylor-Joy dream sequence Alia is odd without breaking Villeneuve’s established universe. The effect is something both trippy and tangible. 

How Does Alia Fit Into the Future of Dune?Warner Bros./Legendary

To say that Herbert’s books get even more bizarre after the first Dune is a bit of an understatement. Dune: Messiah, the second book in the series, takes everything up a major notch on the weirdness scale. Alia also becomes a major part of the story. In the sequel, she has sexual tension with what is essentially a ghost version of the deceased Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa in the first film), called a ghola. The two attempt to uncover a political conspiracy that the Reverend Mother Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling) and her cohort are establishing against House Atreides. 

In Children of Dune, the third novel, Alia takes after her brother, growing more power hungry as her abilities develop. She succumbs to the whims of her grandfather, Baron Harkonnen, who possesses her, along with her other ancestors. A murder plot against Lady Jessica develops and even more political turmoil unfurls.

The casting of Anya Taylor-Joy seems to confirm Villeneuve’s intention to continue the series and get to some of these storylines. He’s made it clear he’s interested in adapting Dune: Messiah. But if Part Two is successful enough, maybe Children of Dune is on the table, too. It’d be great to see a talented actress like Taylor-Joy get to play out Alia’s full arc. There’s some meaty stuff, and she’d be more than up to the task. 

But whether or not we ever get to those future film installments, Dune: Part Two does a great job on its own of making Alia matter. And Anya Taylor-Joy did a similarly great job of keeping her Dune: Part Two role as Alia under wraps until the opportune moment. Her red carpet appearances whetted the appetites of the audience. When she finally shows up on screen, it’s with great impact. The culmination of anticipation for a character many feared might break the illusion of Villeneuve’s maturely crafted Dune universe.

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

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DUNE: PART TWO’s Ending, Explained

[image error]

In Dune: Part One, Paul Atreides had a spice-induced vision of a future that truly terrified him. “I see a holy war spreading across the universe like unquenchable fire,” he told his mother. “A warrior religion that waves the Atreides banner in my father’s name. Fanatical legions worshipping at the shrine of my father’s skull! A war in my name!” That bloody path was one he spent much of Dune: Part Two trying to avoid. Yet, by the film’s end, the Lisan al Gaib led the Fremen to embark on the very crusade he feared. How did Paul end up doing the very thing he had hoped to avoid? And what does that mean for the galaxy? Here’s everything you need to know about the ending of Dune: Part Two.

Warner Bros./LegendaryWhat Happens at the End of Dune: Part Two?

Despite what Stilgar and many Fremen believed, Paul did not want to be named Lisan al Gaib. He refused to accept the mantel of Fremen messiah, he just wanted to be one of them. To fulfill the prophesy meant being their religious leader, and that would make the holy war fought under his house’s banner he feared more likely.

His visions also showed him which path led to violent crusade. He saw himself in the south of Arrakis, where his most fervent believers and mother remained hidden from the Harkonnens who thought no one could survive there. In vision after vision Lady Jessica, the new Fremen Reverend Mother, led her son into a deadly all-out war. But despite his concerns, Paul finally relented and agreed to go south after he saw a future that scared him even more.

Warner Bros./Legendary

Paul learned where his dad had hidden the family’s atomics after Muad’Dib reunited with Gurney Halleck. But in his visions where he used them, Paul saw Chani killed by the blast. He could not see the way forward to defeat his enemies. To find another way to overthrow House Harkonnen Paul needed to enhance his already formidable powers and see further into the future than anyone ever had. To do that he needed to drink the Water of Life.

Does the Ending of Dune: Part Two Show Paul Atreides Becoming the Kwisatz Haderach?

Paul went south and drank of the Water of Life, the liquid taken from a drowned sandworm, just as his mother had. It left him comatose and nearly dead, but Lady Jessica called on Chani to help bring him back. Chani combined her tear with the Water and put a drop to Paul’s lips. He awoke as the first male to ever survive drinking the Water of Life, and his ordeal opened up his mind to all of time and space. That’s when Paul Atreides truly became the Kwisatz Haderach. Now the most powerful being ever, he took full command of the Fremen as their prophesied hero after letting them all witness his ability to see through time and space.

Warner Bros./Legendary

The Kwisatz Haderach then declared himself alive and called on the Emperor, who arrived in full force on Arrakis. Paul knew a massive storm was coming thanks to his prescience. He used it, along with his atomics and sandworms, to lead the Fremen on a highly coordinated attack against the Emperor and his Sardaukar. In that moment he truly fulfilled his father’s wish to harness “desert power,” as Paul combined the ferocity of the Fremen fighters with the natural strength of Arrakis itself.

Once the victorious Paul had the Emperor hostage, he stopped the Great Houses (who’d been called there by Baron Harkonnen) from interfering with his ascension to the throne. He offered to take the Emperor’s oldest daughter, Princess Irulan, as his wife. But even after the Emperor knelt to Paul and Feyd-Rautha lay dead, the other Great Houses refused to acknowledge him as Emperor.

Warner Bros./LegendaryDune: Part Two and Chani’s Choice

That’s when Paul Atreides’ embraced the very thing he once feared. He would lead his Fremen to a promised paradise. He had his army of religious fanatics who worship him entirely board ships. They would fight his holy war against the other Great Houses. Only, he did so without the person he said he loved most. Chani never believed in the prophesy and did not follow her Usul into war.

She knew what that crusade would mean for her people and so many others. Rather than join the fight she stayed behind on Arrakis with Shai-Halud. And that, my friends, is what you should know about the ending of Dune: Part Two.

Warner Bros./Legendary

Denis Villeneuve has dreams of completing a Dune trilogy. If he gets the chance Part Three will show if Paul was right to fear a holy war in the name of Atreides. But you probably don’t need to drink the Water of Life to foresee what the future might hold.

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

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The Sinister Evolution of Wednesday Addams

The world of pop culture has countless iconic families. And the first collective that comes to many generations of people’s minds is none other than the Addams family, specifically the core members Morticia, Gomez, Wednesday, and Pugsley. Everything from their signature black attire to their creepy and kooky theme song (with necessary snapping) makes them continue to stand out from the TV and film fictional family crowd. And, it seems that we cannot get enough of the Addams family decades after their 1938 newspaper comic debut in The New Yorker. The latest Addams family content is Wednesday, a Netflix series centering around Morticia and Gomez’s fascinating daughter.

MGM Television/Paramount Pictures/Netflix

Out of the entire family, Wednesday is the character who’s gone through the most evolutions. Her age and elements of her personality change with various portrayals. The Wednesday TV series is a major hit, giving us the delightfully dark teen we all love. So, let’s take a look at how Wednesday has changed over the many years, for better or worse, who has played Wednesday Addams, and where she’s at today.

Lisa Loring: Wednesday, the Child Full of Woe (or Not)

Wednesday made her debut in the aforementioned Charles Addams comic. Like her family members, Wednesday did not have a name. These comics were one panel and, in most cases, it was the adults who did the talking. She appears to be quite young, between the ages of 6-8, and she’s simply a creepy looking kid with a dark streak. In the panels, Wednesday seems to be the same size (and presumably age) as Pugsley. 

It’s not until the 1964 TV show, The Addams Family, where Charles Addams gave her the name Wednesday. His friend Joan Blake, an author and poet, was behind the name. Blake took it from the nursery rhyme line “Wednesday’s child is full of woe.” Interestingly, the first live-action version of Wednesday Addams (portrayed by Lisa Loring) isn’t creepy or kooky at all. Sure, she keeps the same general look with a black dress and two braided pigtails.

MGM Television

But she’s very cute, quite the optimistic sweetie, and not nearly as “unconventional” as the rest of her family. Make no mistake, though. She’s quite odd in many ways with her love for spiders and headless dolls. In the show, she’s notably younger than her brother Pugsley and almost makes outsiders believe that the family is normal. That is, until they meet everyone and run from the house. It makes sense to have this little one be a general foil to everyone else. We love where she goes next. 

Christina Ricci: The Dark Wednesday Addams Rises (and Stumbles)

The next major live-action version we get of Wednesday Addams is in the early ‘90s with Christina Ricci’s portrayal of the character. Wednesday’s look and personality in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values movies is the “classic” one most fans think of. It shows her as a sinister teenager with a penchant for torturing her (now younger) brother.

We get some supremely sadistic Wednesday moments that expand on her comic foundation, from her burying a living cat to that infamous fire she encouraged at Camp Chippewa during that ridiculous Thanksgiving stage play. (No to killing cats. Yes to burning down the camp.)

The 1960s TV show and the original newspaper cartoons frequently touch on some suspect things going down. However, Ricci’s Wednesday unambiguously turns up the violence. And, this is when she really became an icon to all the goth girls in the world. Her aesthetic and love for all things macabre, horror, and not “normal” is more than just a Halloween costume for many. It is a cornerstone of their authentic selves.

Ricci will play a role in the Wednesday series, but we will have to see what that entails. Of course, there were other notable live-action Wednesdays between Ricci’s run and Ortega’s fresh turn as the character. Broadway plays aged her up to adult without her classic ponytails, which is honestly kind of sad. Just like we need to see Morticia’s straight black hair and dress, we love Wednesday’s hairstyle choice no matter her age.

Nicole Fugere: A Chaotic WednesdayFox Family Worldwide

Nicole Fugere portrays Wednesday in the straight-to-video Addams Family Reunion film and the one season (with a ton of episodes) series The New Addams Family. This version of Wednesday didn’t resonate with the fans the same way as the sweet 1960s version nor Ricci’s teen nightmare. Sure, she was still a purveyor of chaos but it felt less menacing and deadpan. 

Jenna Ortega: Wednesday Addams, the Superpowered Super SleuthNetflix

Decades later, the Addams family is back in the live-action TV business. And, Ortega’s Wednesday captures all the classic personality elements of this beloved baddie, including her deadpan humor. However, the show does give her some fun updates, including psychic powers that help her solve a series of murders happening around Nevermore Academy. While Morticia and other Addams family members have previously had various abilities that could be seen as supernatural (like the 1960s Morticia’s “smoking” or Granmama’s wild potions), Wednesday never had powers in her live-action iterations until now.

She was always far more intelligent and cunning than the average kid but she wasn’t making things float in the air. The Wednesday series also gave this teenage sleuth a lot more emotional range and even had her caught up in an almost-relationship. That is, until she found out the first boy she kissed is a Hyde. She cries for Thing, hugs her bestie Enid, and actually tells Gomez that he’s a great father.

However, she also nearly tortures Tyler in front of her classmates, dumps piranhas into a pool with mean boys, burns the statue of a racist, and still understandably loathes Thanksgiving. Some things never change! Interestingly, her relationship with Morticia seems to be more callous than previous iterations. It makes sense considering she’s older in this show compared to the ’60s show and Ricci’s movies. A 15-year-old (who turns 16 while at Nevermore) typically wants nothing to do with their mother.

It was a fresh and intriguing take on the character with more to come. The Netflix Wednesday show is coming back for another season so we can watch this version of her continue to evolve. One thing will always be for sure… Wednesday Addams is a child that you don’t trifle with in any way.

Originally published on September 22, 2022.

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SUPERMAN (Formerly LEGACY) Filming Has Begun, First-Look at Suit Revealed

Soon, the world will meet a new Clark Kent in Superman: Legacy. DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are rebooting the most famous superhero in the world as they transition the franchise from the DCEU to the DCU. Who will play the Man of Steel on the big screen this time around? What kind of story will we see him in? And who will bring it to life? We’re keeping track of all these answers and more.

And now, the time has finally come. James Gunn has revealed that the start of principal photography on Superman: Legacy has begun. He also teased our very first look at Superman’s suit in the DCU movie. Something we’re very excited about. Interestingly, the name has changed to just Superman from Superman: Legacy. Whatever it’s called, off we go to Metropolis.

DC Comics/Frank Quitely

Here’s everything we know about Superman: Legacy.

Title

The DCU’s first official movie (though not its first official release) is titled Superman: Legacy. That will kick off the film side of what James Gunn has called the franchise’s first chapter, “Gods and Monsters.” He has also called Superman: Legacy “the true beginning” of the DCU.

Superman: Legacy‘s Plot

While the film still has no official synopsis, Warner Bros. did provide a description of what we can expect from the story, which James Gunn says is not an origin tale.

Superman: Legacy tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.

Gunn announced the film with art from the cover of All-Star Superman by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely. Whether or not that means the story is influenced, inspired by, or adapted from the 12-issue comic series in any way is unclear. What Gunn has said is the movie will focus on “an earlier part of Superman’s life,” where he is still old enough to already be working for the Daily Planet.

Superman: Legacy‘s Cast

Accurate! (They are not only both incredible actors, but also wonderful people). https://t.co/1FtwYIDeYj

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 27, 2023

David Corenswet will play Superman, while Rachel Brosnahan will play Lois Lane.

Netflix/DC Comics/Prime Video

In addition, four more actors have joined the cast of Superman: Legacy. Isabela Merced will play Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi will play Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion will play Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and Anthony Carrigan will play Metamorpho. María Gabriela de Faría will play the villain The Engineer in the movie. Also known as Angela Spica, the character has nanotechnology built into her body. Additionally, Sara Sampaio will play Eve Teschmacher. And Skyler Gisondo will play Jimmy Olsen.

James Gunn has also confirmed that Nicholas Hoult will play Lex Luthor.

James GunnBehind the Scenes 

James Gunn wrote the (definitely completed) script and is directing.

Superman: Legacy‘s Release Date

Thanks to the efforts of our talented crew, who never lost faith during the longest strikes in Hollywood history, and who never let their foot off the pedal, continuing to barrel forward, creating the most amazing character and set designs I’ve seen in my entire career,… pic.twitter.com/ntnEbA2fC0

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) November 11, 2023

Superman: Legacy will soar into theaters faster than a speeding bullet on July 11, 2025.

Originally published on April 11, 2023.

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TRON: ARES Reveals a First Look into the Grid

The long-delayed third film in Disney’s TRON franchise began production in Vancouver in January 2024. The original 1982 TRON was a groundbreaking sci-fi film, using then state-of-the-art computer graphics to realize the world of “the Grid.” This was a digital world, living entirely inside a computer system. Video game developer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges ) gets sucked into the Grid and has a grand adventure. TRON became a cult classic, and eventually spawned a follow-up film, TRON: Legacy, in 2010. A third TRON movie is now in the works, and we already have our first look at TRON: Ares, showing a mysterious figure in a red light suit.

Disney

Here’s everything else we know about TRON: Ares.

Title

The name of the third installment of the TRON franchise is TRON: Ares.

TRON: Ares’ PlotDisney

We know next to nothing about the plot for the TRON: Ares. The second film, TRON: Legacy, ended with Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) escaping the digital world of the Grid, with escaped Grid refugee Quorra (Olivia Wilde) in tow. The implications that they were going to change the “real” world were there. Will the third TRON film follow up on that plot point? Rumors are that this installment will be a reboot of sorts. Jared Leto’s character of Ares was not in previous films. The film’s director said the third TRON is “a movie subsequently about AI and what it means, and takes, to be human.”

We do have a brief synopsis for TRON: Ares:

TRON: Ares follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.

Behind-the-ScenesDisney

Sitting in the director’s chair for the third TRON film is Joachim Rønning. Rønning became known thanks to his 2012 film Kon-Tiki, after which Disney hired him to direct Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and the upcoming Disney+ film Young Woman and the Sea. This script is from screenwriter Jesse Wigutow. We don’t know who is scoring the film, but we hope they use elements of Daft Punk’s iconic score from TRON: Legacy.

Rønning said in a release, “I’m excited to be part of the TRON franchise and bring this new film to fans around the world. TRON: Ares builds upon the legacy of cutting-edge design, technology and storytelling. Now more than ever, it feels like the right time to return to the Grid.” 

Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, Justin Springer, Jared Leto, Emma Ludbrook and Steven Lisberger are the producers, with Russell Allen serving as executive producer.

TRON: Ares’ CastSony/Disney

Jared Leto is in the lead for TRON: Ares as the (possibly) titular character of Ares, who joined the cast back in 2020. Joining him are Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, and Gillian Anderson.

TRON: Ares Release Date

TRON: Ares only just started filming in early 2024. It’s slated for release in 2025.

Originally published on January 23, 2024.

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Every Major DUNE Reference in Pop Culture

Frank Herbert’s Dune is one of the most influential novels of all time. Published in 1965, the science-fiction epic tells the story of a feudal universe and a young man named Paul Atreides at the center of the conflict. House Atreides is assigned stewardship of a planet called Arrakis, to mine the most precious material in the known world: a powerful drug called spice melange. Paul, gifted and prodigious, must get to know his new home world through tragic and fateful circumstances, as political turmoil and ecological warfare swirl about him.

Warner Bros/Legendary

Dune is a dense story full of odd terminology, intense human conflict, and an abundance of moral quandary. And thus, it is hugely popular, and has influenced culture in a major way since its release. A David Lynch film adaptation came out in 1984, and, of course, we now have a couple of movies from Denis Villeneuve. But it’s worth looking at Dune‘s impact on a larger scale, and how it’s referenced and alluded to in non-direct adaptations—everything from cartoon television series to video games to songs from major recording artists.

It’d be nearly impossible to list every single Dune reference in pop culture, but we did our best to compile all of the major ones, as well as some fun, more obscure nods to Herbert’s world.

Major References to Dune in the Movies

Star Wars

Let’s start with the most obvious. Herbert’s DNA is all over Star Wars, from the desert planet Tatooine that shares much with Arrakis, to “spice” as a valuable drug, to the Force’s similarities to the Voice. It’s very clear that George Lucas borrowed heavily from Dune when crafting the galaxy far, far away, although he imbued his universe with more a serialized fantasy element than Herbert’s harder sci-fi.

Phantasm

The 1979 fantasy horror film makes a few references to Dune, including a bar literally named Dune and a part where the protagonist Mike puts his hand into a black box that inflicts pain as part of a test, which mimics the Gom Jabbar sequence in the opening of Dune.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Hayao Miyazaki’s 1982 animated film, based on a manga of the same name, follows a young princess named Nausicaä embroiled in a struggle with a kingdom called Tolmekia that uses an ancient weapon to destroy a jungle of mutant insects. She becomes a savior of this devastated world, not unlike Paul Atreides on Arrakis. Dune was an influence on both the manga and Miyazaki’s film, and the advertising for the latter leaned into the connection, featuring monsters that look like the giant sand worms on Arrakis.

Warner Bros.

Beetlejuice

Speaking of sand worms and Arrakis, the 1988 Tim Burton horror comedy Beetlejuice also features giant sand creatures erupting from the depths of a desolate sand planet. This strange, time-bending location exists outside the home of the Maitlands after they tragically die, trapping them forever in their abode. It’s a clear visual reference to Dune.

Moonrise Kingdom

In this 2012 Wes Anderson film, two 12-year-old kids fall in love and run away together into the New England wilderness. The girl, Suzy, brings her favorite fantasy novels along for the journey. One of them, titled The Girl from Jupiter, has a map on the back of the dust jacket. The map is one of the north pole of Arrakis from David Lynch’s Dune.

Trolls

In the 2016 animated film Trolls, the Chef says the line, “He who controls the trolls controls the kingdom!” This is a reference to the famous line from Dune, “He who controls the spice controls the universe!”

Ready Player One

Surprising absolutely no one, there is a nod to Dune in Steven Spielberg’s reference-heavy 2018 film Ready Player One (based on the novel of the same name by Ernest Cline). The planet Arrakis is mentioned as a virtual destination that exists in OASIS.

Major References to Dune in Television

The Simpsons

The Simpsons regularly pays respects to Dune. Animated covers for Dune books appear in one episode, and Krusty the Clown writes a book called The Sands of Space that is clearly modeled after Herbert’s work. Perhaps the most famous reference is when Lisa eats spicy food and says, “I can see through time,” a reference to the spice from Dune, which also helps see through time.

Futurama

The animated TV series Futurama features several references to Dune, including an episode where a tailor tries to sell Fry a stillsuit, the suit worn on Arrakis to preserve the body’s moisture. Another episode features a giant, desert-dwelling sand worm.

Star Trek

Many of the Star Trek series contain references to Dune. In Voyager, Arrakis Prime is listed as a planet the ship’s surgeon has visited. The same show also names Giedi Prime in another episode. The Next Generation mentions a planet called Caldonia that shares a physical likeness to Caladan, the home world of House Atreides.

Cartoon Network

Adventure Time

The episode “Red Starved” takes place in an underground sand city and features a giant sand worm that recalls the imagery of Dune.

The Venture Brothers

Dune is referenced pretty frequently in this animated series. There is a direct callout in the season seven episode “The High Cost of Living” when Henchman 21 compares Professor von Helping’s appearance to Paul Atreides and The Monarch’s to Piter De Vries. Von Helping’s appearance is based on Kyle MacLachlan, who played Paul in Lynch’s adaptation.

Robot Chicken

The skit “Sand Worm Strategy” from Robot Chicken is totally Dune-focused. It’s set on Arrakis and features the worms.

The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy

The most thorough and awesome Dune reference in animation comes from this Cartoon Network series. The show’s third episode, “Mandy the Merciless,” is based on the fourth novel in Herbert’s series, God Emperor of Dune. Mandy assumes the role of Leto from the book, and learns the secret of immortality by transforming into a worm creature. Billy plays the part of Duncan Idaho, and Grim is Moneo. The episode also references Star Wars.

Chuck

The USA series Chuck is another show that wears its Dune love on its sleeve. The eponymous character has a poster of Lynch’s Dune on his bedroom wall, and in the episode “Chuck Versus the Sandworm” he and Morgan dress as a sand worm for a Halloween party. The Dune line “fear is the mind-killer” is also said many times on the show.

Nickelodeon

SpongeBob Squarepants

The episode “Sandy, SpongeBob, and the Worm” has a few clear-cut Dune callouts, most notably a giant sand worm creature called the Alaskan Bull Worm. At one point, when the worm approaches, Sandy picks up a sign saying “worm” that warns of his advances. This is a reference to the wormsign from Dune.

Law & Order: SVU

One episode of this long-running series, titled “Limitations,” features a clever little Dune nod. When a victim in court begins to panic, she utters the phrase: “I must not fear. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear.” Dune fans will recognize this as the Litany Against Fear, spoken many times in the series to help people focus their minds in times of peril.

Wilfred

This comedy series also contains the famous Dune line, “I must not fear, fear is the mind-killer.”

South Park

As with many animated series on this list, South Park also references Dune rather often. The Thanksgiving episode, “A History Channel Thanksgiving,” contains the line, “He who controls the stuffing controls the universe.” The 2019 episode “Turd Burglars” also contains nods to Dune including a spice melange reference.

Warner Bros. Animation

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

The second season episode of this Scooby-Doo series opens with a narration from a dog named Nova. It mimics the opening sequence of David Lynch’s Dune, where Princess Irulan sets up the story before a galaxy of stars.

Mystery Science Theater 3000

It’d be hard to pin down every time this series throws out Dune mentions. We counted at least 20 different ones throughout the show’s run, including nods to the famous line, “I will kill him,” Gom Jabbar, and Muad’Dib. There are also Dune comparisons a’plenty during the 1993 episode about the film Outlaw of Gor.

Rick and Morty

The third season episode “The Rickshank Rickdemption” includes the line, “He who controls the pants controls the galaxy!”

Major References to Dune in Books

Name of the Wind

Patrick Rothfuss loves to reference his influences in his popular book series The Kingkiller Chronicles, and Dune is no exception. The first book in the saga, The Name of the Wind, contains a scene where a group of children request stories, and one girl says: “I want to hear about the dry lands over the Stormwahl. About the sand snakes that that come out of the ground like sharks. And the dry men who hide under the dunes and drink your blood instead of water.” This is a reference to Arrakis and the Fremen who live there.

National Lampoon’s Doon

This 1984 novel by Ellis Weiner is a parody of Herbert’s Dune, and is noted as “something of a tribute to Herbert’s success on college campuses.” The stories share a general plot, but, ya know, one is much funnier. Weiner’s book changes names like Arrakis to Arruckus and Duke Leto to Duke Lotto. Instead of giant sand worms, Arruckus is inhabited by giant pretzels, and instead of spice being the universe’s vital commodity, it’s beer.

Games

World of Warcraft

This popular online game features an item called Jom Gabbar, which increases attack power. This is a reference to the Gom Jabbar from Dune.

Space Craft III: The Pirates of Pestulon

This fun 1989 adventure game contains a Dune Easter egg. A postcard in Fester’s World O’ Wonders shows the planet Arrakis, and references its dust storms and sand worms.

Bethesda Softworks

Fallout

The post-apocalyptic video game series Fallout has a drug called Mentats, which are chalky red pills that increase memory functions, impact creativity, and speed other mental processes. In Dune, Mentat is a discipline where human brains are trained to replicate computers, after AI are banned in the universe.

Far Cry 3

This 2012 first-person shooter game contains a collectible memory card that describes a drug called Spice, with “interstellar travel” listed as one of its properties. This is a reference to the spice melange in Dune, which also makes interstellar travel possible.

Sudden Strike 4

This 2017 World War II video game has a little Dune nod. During one campaign, you encounter a soldier who says, “I had a weird dream last night. Blue-eyed men were controlling giant worms and fought over spice in the sand.” This is a reference to Arrakis and the Fremen.

Major References to Dune in Music

Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice”

This popular tune by big beat musician Fatboy Slim features vocals from American funk musician Bootsy Collins, who sings, “Walk without rhythm and it won’t attract the worm,” a line straight out of Herbert’s Dune.

30 Seconds to Mars’s 30 Seconds to Mars

The rock band, fronted by Oscar-winner Jared Leto, used their self-titled debut album to explore themes of humanity with space as a metaphor. Many tracks on the record reference Dune, including the song “Capricorn” that features the lyrics, “I’ll start again with a brand new name and eyes that see into infinity,” a nod to Paul Atreides.

Iron Maiden’s “To Tame a Land”

This track off the 1983 album Piece of Mind is based entirely on Dune. The band wanted to call the song “Dune” but Herbert refused, replying to their request, “No. Because Frank Herbert doesn’t like rock bands, particularly heavy rock bands, and especially rock bands like Iron Maiden.” Despite that curt denial, the song still contains several direct references to the book, including terms like Fremen, Muad’Dib, and Caladan.

Grimes’ Geidi Prime

The debut album of Canadian singer Grimes, , is a concept album based on Herbert’s novel and Lynch’s film adaptation. Geidi Primes is a reference to the planet Giedi Prime from Dune, and every track alludes to some term from the book, such as “Caladan,” House Atreides’ home planet, and “Beast Infection,” after Glossu Rabban. Dune is Grimes’ favorite novel.

Interscope

Lady Gaga’s “Telephone”

Though the actual song doesn’t have any Dune-isms, the music video for Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” features a recipe that any Herbert fan will recognize. She lists “meta-cyanide” in the ingredients for a poisonous brew she concocts in prison. This is a poison referenced in Dune, specifically related to the Gom Jabbar, a needle infused with the toxin.

Tool’s “Liatnie contra la pour”

This song from the 2019 Tool album Fear Inoculum is French and translates to “Litany Against Fear.”

Featured Image: 20th Century Fox Television

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

Originally published on May 8, 2020.

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COYOTE VS. ACME Star Will Forte Calls Final Film ‘Incredible’ in Message to Cast and Crew

The Coyote vs. Acme situation continues to get more and more frustrating. Despite alleged attempts by Warner Bros. to sell the completed animation/live-action Looney Tunes hybrid film to other studios, it seems no one is biting. And the likelihood that Warner Bros. will simply shelve the movie forever for a tax write off, similar to what the studio did to Batgirl, is high. So far, we’ve heard very little from any of the creatives involved in the film. Now, star Will Forte released a message via social media confirming that the completed film, in which he stars in, was actually great. You can read his statement below:

To the cast and crew of Coyote vs Acme… pic.twitter.com/UdttuEs9J7

— Will Forte (@OrvilleIV) February 29, 2024

It seems like Will Forte only saw the film after Warner Bros. revealed the news of its impending deletion. He thought that maybe he was in a stinker. After all, no matter how good a script can be sometimes, the final product doesn’t always work. However, according to him, that was not the case with Coyote vs. Acme. He called it “incredible.” Maybe we weren’t just robbed of a good movie thanks to Warner Bros.’ CEO David Zaslav. Maybe they took from us the next Who Framed Roger Rabbit classic. And that should be enough to make everyone who loves movies angry.

Warner Bros.

The movie was about a court case in which Wile E. Coyote sues the Acme company after decades of having their products fail him in capturing that pesky Road Runner. He strikes up a friendship with his lawyer (Will Forte) as they go against the Acme Company’s legal representation, played by John Cena. Despite the star power, Looney Tunes branding, and a story by producer James Gunn, now co-head of DC Studios, Warner Bros. decided to throw it away. Will anything change the mind of David Zaslav at this point? Who can say, but right now this whole situation just makes us sad.

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WINNIE THE POOH: BLOOD AND HONEY 2 Heads to Theaters For Three Days

Last year, almost the very minute that the beloved children’s character went public domain, the world learned of the emergence of Winne the Pooh as a sadistic killer. Well, he is on the big screen anyway. This happened in Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, a low-budget horror film released with much fanfare in 2023. On a mere $100,000 dollar budget, it grossed $6 million, ensuring a sequel would arrive soon. And now, it’s here. The first trailer for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2, from director Rhys Frake-Waterfield, has released, and you can watch it right here. The interested can also take note, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 will head to theaters, but only for three days.

Here is Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2’s official synopsis:

Deep within the 100-Acre-Wood, a destructive rage grows as Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Owl, and Tigger find their home and their lives endangered after Christopher Robin revealed their existence. Not wanting to live in the shadows any longer, the group decides to take the fight to the town of Ashdown, home of Christopher Robin, leaving a bloody trail of death and mayhem in their wake. Winnie and his savage friends will show everyone that they are deadlier, stronger and smarter than anyone could ever imagine and get their revenge on Christopher Robin, once and for all.

ITN Movies

We must say, the budget looks significantly bigger for the second installment than for the first. Maybe Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 will create a Terrifier 2 situation, with the second one blowing up and just eclipsing the original low-budget entry entirely. Certainly, Pooh Pear started a trend last year. We’ve already seen the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey Mouse also head to the horror genre the second the character went public domain. And we imagine more will follow. Does anyone know when Popeye goes public domain?? Because we know he’d be terrifying.

When Will Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 Release in Theaters?

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 arrives in theaters in March 2024. But it will be a quick visit, so don’t delay in making plans to see this bloody movie. Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 will release in theaters nationwide for only three days. If you so desire, you can watch the movie on March 26, 27 & 28, thanks to Fathom Events. Tickets can be purchased online at Fathom Events or at participating theater box offices.

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The MAGIC: THE GATHERING Oracle Deck Will Help Shape Your Path

Magic: The Gathering creating an oracle deck just seems right. After all, what carries more magic with it than Magic cards? The immersive and fantastical world of the trading card game has that perfectly witchy energy that lends itself well to symbolic cards of the oracle or tarot variety. Magic: The Gathering has its own unique realms, nuanced symbolism, and true mythology. It feels only right it should decorate cards meant to help users find their way in the world. And we bet Magic: The Gathering‘s fans will feel very guided by an oracle deck themed to their favorite fandom. Not to mention, odds are, the art will be just incredible. Here’s what we know about The Magic: The Gathering Oracle Deck.

Clarkson Potter

The official description of these Magic: The Gathering oracle cards shares:

From the team behind The Dungeons & Dragons Tarot Deck comes this officially licensed oracle deck comprising 52 all-new illustrations that celebrate the characters, creatures, and lore of the world’s largest trading card game. Inspired by Theros, the plane where monsters prevail, mortals endure, and heroes ascend, this Magic: The Gathering-themed deck features exclusive art of Jace, the Planeswalker; Hythonia, the legendary gorgon; and well-known creatures such as the Pegasus, Chimera, Sirens, and more.

In addition, The Magic: The Gathering Oracle Deck will feature a guidebook to help fans begin to understand the practice of oracle cards. This includes “instructions on how to use and interpret the cards and descriptions of each card image.” Like oracle deck practitioners, the deities of Theros value belief as a true power that can be used to change the world. These oracle cards will invite their users to explore meaning within and without.

We also especially love that these Magic: The Gathering oracle cards are drawing from a Greek-inspired plane. It really brings to mind the many prophecies and ideas of fate prevalent in Greek mythology.

Wizards of the Coast

Finally, to state the obvious, one can never have too many pretty decks of cards. That’s the first rule of tarot and oracle decks. We haven’t gotten to see too many illustrations from The Magic: The Gathering Oracle Deck yet, but we feel like once we do, we’ll just have to have it.

The Magic: The Gathering Oracle Deck releases on May 21, 2024. It will cost $24.99. You can pre-order it today.

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