Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 369

DUNE: Everything You Need to Remember From Part 1

The sleeper has awakened, Dune fans! With Dune: Part 2 just around the corner, Nerdist’s resident Dunatic Matt Caron is here to break down everything you need to remember before returning to Arrakis!

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

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MORBIUS Arrives on Disney+ on March 1

Morbius and now Madame Web were Sony’s follow-ups to Venom for their Spider-Man-less Spider-Man cinematic Universe. Let’s just say that neither of these films set the world on fire. And yet, Morbius does have some fans out there. Sure, most of them love the movie starring Jared Leto as “the living vampire” in an ironic way. Yet they love it regardless. Well, it will soon be “Morbin’ time” for them on Disney+. The streamer has announced that Morbius is premiering on the platform on March 1.

Sony

Morbius is the latest Sony Spider-Man-adjacent film to debut on Disney+, as part of an arrangement between Sony and Disney. Currently, the original Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy can be found there, as well as the two Marc Webb Amazing Spider-Man films. Two of the three MCU/Sony collaborations, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home, have a home on the platform too. So does Venom starring Tom Hardy. At some point, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Spider-Man: No Way Home will land on Disney+. Probably once licensing deals with other streaming services end. We’re not sure if this deal includes both animated Spider-Verse films, which are currently on Netflix.

Once Venom was a huge success back in 2018, Morbius was step two in Sony’s “independent from the MCU Spider-Man-centric universe.” But where Venom was a huge character at Marvel Comics with a significant fanbase, Michael Morbius was not. The character faced an uphill battle trying to get audiences to care about a solo film starring the character. Especially without introducing him as a Spider-Man villain first. If the upcoming Kraven the Hunter film doesn’t land, we think it will be time for Sony to seriously rethink their strategy of making an entire Spider-Man universe that doesn’t contain any Spider-Man in it. In the meantime, you’ll soon be able to watch Morbius on Disney+, and bask in all the ‘Morbin.

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AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Cast Pick Their Live-Action Pets!

Avatar: The Last Airbender live action stars Gordon Cormier (Aang), Dallas Liu (Zuko), Kiawentiio (Katara), Ian Ousley (Sokka), Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Uncle Iroh), and Daniel Dae Kim (Fire Lord Ozai) sit down with Nerdist’s Ro Rusak (@Moondancer1626) to talk about bringing the animated series to life, making the characters their own, and what real life Avatar pet they would choose!

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KINGMAKERS Game Trailer Brings Modern Guns to a Medieval Knife Fight

“Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight” is really solid advice, but what about its inverse? What about bringing a gun to a knife fight? That’s exactly what you’ll get to do with publisher tinyBuild and developer Redemption Road Games upcoming third-person shooter strategy game Kingmakers. Its sending you back in time to wage war with modern day weapons. And the game’s new trailer shows that driving around medieval England in a beat-up pickup with 21st century items is an easy way to reign supreme in a fantasy world.

Gamers will soon be able to travel 500 years into the past without giving up any of their modern amenities thanks to Kingmakers. The sandbox strategy/shooter places you in the middle of “massive war-torn medieval battles.” There you can “build, lead, fight,” and alter events forever, all while also possibly stopping the apocalypse. Here’s the official synopsis from Redemption Road Games:

Go back in time to a war-torn medieval era with a vast arsenal of modern weapons, change the course of history, and save the future in this epic action/strategy sandbox. Build your kingdom, grab a gun, and lead an army of thousands into massive, real-time simulated battles — solo or in co-op.

Redemption Road Games

Players will get to take on an entire army of swordsman in real-time battles. You’ll wage war with “assault rifles, shotguns, grenade launchers, armored SUVs, bikes, attack helos, air strikes, and more.” You don’t have to do that alone, either. The game allows you to have as many as three friends join their armies with yours in an online co-op mode.

Gamers can also switch between engaging in direct combat or merely issuing orders any time they want. That way you can play as many different ways as you like, from being right in the middle of the fray to trusting your subordinates to help you conquer this violent world. But while Kingmakers will send you to the past, it won’t come out until the near future. It arrives on PC via Steam sometime in 2024.

Until then we can probably guess what happens when you bring a gun to a knife fight. Based on this trailer it’s a lot of fun.

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NIGHT COUNTRY’s Finale Fixed TRUE DETECTIVE Season 1’s Biggest Mistake

True Detective‘s first season is one of television’s best ever, but it’s not perfect. While the show more than delivered on its emotional promise, it failed to deliver on its plot’s. The finale revealed the series’ supernatural elements, so important throughout the first seven episodes, weren’t real. Rust Cohle’s visions were only figments of his imagination, and Carcosa was merely a house of human horrors rather than the realm of an evil god. It was a disappointing development because that paranormal aspect was a big part of what had made the show special. Abandoning that entirely and without warning at the very end was a mistake. That’s a mistake True Detective: Night Country did not repeat. Its finale delivered on season one’s promise by embracing True Detective‘s most powerful ideas about life while still leaving open the possibility there truly is “something out there.”

HBO

Time might be a flat circle, but True Detective is not. Night Country‘s conclusion gave us something previous seasons hadn’t. It leaned into its mystical side rather than rejecting it. Until its fourth installment, True Detective always ended by ultimately rooting every resolution and mystery in the terrestrial plane. The show frequently teased the presence of supernatural forces, but everything that took place always had an entirely normal, human explanation to explain it.

That isn’t inherently bad. It actually stands as one of the series’ best recurring themes. It would be easy, even comforting, to blame paranormal forces for our actions. Putting the onus for our own atrocities entirely on us forces us to face what we’re capable of. That’s brutal and unforgiving, yet honest. It’s also an idea that is inherently better than the alternative. If the Yellow King or the “she” of Ennis aren’t real, we don’t have to fight them to make things better. We also don’t need to rely on their opposites to save us. The only evil we need to triumph over is our worst selves, and we’re a much less imposing enemy than a supernatural being. We’re also much more loving and forgiving than they could ever be.

HBO

True Detective: Night Country didn’t abandon that powerful idea. The finale revealed the scientists of the Tsalal station killed Annie Kowtok. An amoral CEO and desperate cop then covered up that heinous crime for their own gain. And the women of Ennis got justice for Annie K. when they drove those same men out into the snow. It wasn’t an evil god in the permafrost directing the townsfolk, it was their own conscience (or lack thereof). The only forces at work in the darkness were entirely human forces. Ambition, anger, greed, and vengeance are the realm of mankind.

What made Night Country‘s finale different than its counterparts is what also made it the show’s most satisfying ending yet. It did all of that without closing the door on the chance there’s more to existence than only this world and us. The fourth season used ambiguity to say more, that we might be part of something much bigger than ourselves as Rust Cohle thought. It’s “something” that goes beyond the events of small towns in Alaska and Louisiana. The skeptic Danvers saw strange, unexplained visions, same as Ennis’ true believers. The show also refused to tell us exactly how those men died in the snow, how Annie’s tongue showed up at the station, or why voices and spirits called out to Navarro to tell her things she couldn’t plausibly know otherwise.

HBO

Night Country even refused to tell us what really happened to the missing Evangeline after she walked out onto the ice one more time. Did she finally join her mother and sister in the afterlife? Have the people of Ennis seen her spirit since she, the way Rose saw the dead Travis Cohle walking the ice? Did Evangeline appear on Danvers’ porch in the show’s beautiful last moment because she will forever be a part of Ennis and her old partner’s life the way Danvers’ late son watches over his mother? Or was Trooper Navarro actually alive and merely fulfilling the promise she made to return to her friend?

We don’t know and we never will, because True Detective, for the first time, refused to give us hard answers. It held us responsible for our actions while still saying there might truly be life beyond our world. Maybe ghosts are real. Maybe they aren’t. Same for the afterlife. It’s up to you to believe what you want for the reasons you believe.

HBO

That’s as honest as saying we’re to blame for what we do. We all live with the unknown. Whether you firmly believe in supernatural forces or not, none of us can definitively prove what awaits us (or doesn’t) when we die. The best many of us can do is hope our loved ones aren’t truly gone when they leave us. Maybe they’re waiting for us to leave this plane, so full of pain, so we can join them forever in another one where death no longer matters. In that way maybe time is a flat circle, only that’s a good thing. We’re not trapped forever in a nightmare as Rust Cohle feared. Instead we’re forever with those we care about. Until we find out, however, we have to navigate the existence we have now the best we can.

In that way Night Country remained intimately connected to True Detective season one, which also provided a moving conclusion for its characters. The first season ended with an injured Rust telling his partner Marty Hart what happened as he was dying. Rust said he felt his late daughter and father’s presence in the darkness. That feeling gave him comfort before he returned to the land of the living.

HBO

Was that just another false vision or something more? It didn’t matter, just as it doesn’t matter if Evangeline is still alive or not. Because while the chance “something” more exists beyond the world makes for a more compelling show, True Detective endures because of what it has always said about being alive. To live is to feel pain. Not only do we do terrible things to one another all the time, everyone we know and love will eventually die anyway. There’s a darkness to life we can never escape. But just as darkness cannot exist without light, evil cannot exist on its own. There is good in a universe where we are not alone. That’s something Rust Cohle, a man who feared an eternity trapped in a nightmare, realized during season one’s last moment.

As his friend helped him walk, Rust looked at the stars in the night sky, just as he once had in Alaska with his dad Travis. He’d realized there’s only real story of life, the oldest, a story of “light versus dark.”

Marty looked up and thought the dark had a lot more territory, but Rust told his friend he was looking at it all wrong. Rust said, “Once there was only dark. You ask me, the light’s winning.” Night Country‘s ambiguous finale, where light—through love, friendship, and hope—shone through so much darkness, said the same thing, just in its own way. In Ennis and everywhere else there’s a light that can be impossible to see if you can’t believe it’s there, but if you do “something” out there offers hope that one day we’ll say hello to those we once had to big goodbye.

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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Concept Art for BATMAN BEYOND Animated Film Gives Us SPIDER-VERSE Vibes

For years, fans have been clamoring for some kind of revival of Batman Beyond on the big screen, either in live-action or animation. The animated series, which turns 25 this year, retains a loyal following. DC Comics has even incorporated its characters and concepts into the comics. Well, a creative from Sony’s Spider-Verse films, along with writer/artist Patrick Harpin, actually did pitch a Batman Beyond animated film months ago and some of the gorgeous concept art is online. Spider-Verse production designer Yukhi Demers shared some of that art for the pitch via Twitter. In it, you can see Batman fighting off his adversary Inque. He’s hoping that it gets some traction and maybe the powers-that-be decide it’s worth a go.

5 months ago Patrick Harpin walked into @wbpictures @DCofficial and pitched a 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘉𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 Animated Feature.

Before we pitched, they warned us "there is absolutely no way we can do a 𝘉𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 movie", but they loved our enthusiasm. We pitched the outline for the… pic.twitter.com/1mhFyu6NUp

— Yuhki Demers (@yuhkidemers) February 20, 2024

In his post Demers said, “Before we pitched, they warned us, ‘there is absolutely no way we can do a 𝘉𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 movie’, but they loved our enthusiasm. We pitched the outline for the entire film, and what started as a ‘never’ turned into a ‘maybe’. In the time since, we’ve been pitching our way up the company hoping to get to James Gunn. This means it never made it to the proper offices of DC Studios. But there’s no way Gunn doesn’t see this now, and see the intense enthusiasm for such a project. Especially if it’s coming from the people behind Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse.“

DC Comics

Batman Beyond takes place in a relatively near future, where Gotham City has become Neo-Gotham, a futuristic amalgam of Blade Runner’s Los Angeles and Akira’s Neo-Tokyo. Average Gotham teenager Terry McGinnis loses his father to a violent crime, and falls under the mentorship of an elder Bruce Wayne. Long retired from crime-fighting, Wayne trains Terry to be the new Batman, wearing a high-tech futuristic suit.

While we’ve long clamored for a live-action Batman Beyond with Michael Keaton as the elder Wayne. However, we’d take the very same concept in animation. Hopefully, seeing these Batman Beyond animated art images alerts someone at DC Studios this chance is too good to pass up.

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Peacock and Paramount+ Are Considering a Streaming Merger

Get ready for Mountcock+… Or is that ParaPea? Whatever the appropriate portmanteau, there’s more “streaming is becoming cable” news for us to read with a sigh today. According to The Wall Street Journal, Paramount Global and Comcast have discussed merging streamers Paramount+ and Peacock. Honestly, it feels like there’s some sense to be had here because people are often confusing the two P-titled streamers. But name recognition is probably not why these discussions are on the table. As the number of new subscribers available starts to wane, streamers are searching for new ways to make money.

Peacock/Paramount+

As The Wall Street Journal shares of this possible union between Peacock and Paramount+, “Bringing the two streaming apps under one roof could produce significant cost savings—from spending on programming to marketing—and create a more in-depth offering for consumers, especially with regard to live sports. A commercial partnership or joint venture are among the arrangements the companies could pursue.”

Companies always name-check consumer benefits when it comes to changes in streaming. But, right now, whether consumers benefit even a little from streaming shenanigans seems like an unclear prospect. Still, merging feels somewhat better than more ads or price increases. But, although it feels ridiculous as a concept, steps like a potential merger between Paramount+ and Peacock constantly take the industry one step back toward cable. Is that good? Is that bad? It’s hard to say. Cable felt stable, if expensive. Now, everything just feels wild.

Peacock

It’s unclear whether this merge between Paramount+ and Peacock will actually happen. Paramount+ has also reportedly spoken to Max and Apple TV+ about a potential unification. We guess we’ll have to wait and see how this shakes out. However, it feels like the future is already written in the cards. The question is more just who eventually will control all streaming channels. Hopefully someone with only consumer benefits in mind…

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X-MEN ’97 Sets Release Date, Trailer Resurrects THE ANIMATED SERIES’ Story

On September 20, 1997, a dying Charles Xavier said goodbye to his fellow mutants. That left them to navigate a dangerous world without their wise leader. At least they would have had to if Fox hadn’t canceled X-Men: The Animated Series. What awaited Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Beast, and the rest with the Professor? We’re finally going to find out. At long last, the show’s highly-anticipated Disney reboot, Marvel Animation’s X-Men ’97, has both a trailer and a release date.

It also has a surprise new owner of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

X-Men ’97 Picks Up Where The Animated Series Left Off

Bust out your best pogs and crack open a can of Surge soda cause the ’90s are back. X-Men: The Animated Series will get to resume its story on Disney+ with X-Men ’97. The show’s first trailer picks up right where the old series left off, too. The death of Professor X means the team needs a new leader to emerge. They’ll also be forced to deal with an old enemy who will now have an even bigger role in their lives. Charles Xavier left everything he had to none other than Magneto.

That will make for a whole lot of fun. For us. That will be fun for us, not the X-Men.

Marvel StudiosX-Men ’97 Will Not Be a Part of the MCU

Beau DeMayo confirms that 'X-MEN '97' is not canon to the #MCU. pic.twitter.com/EPpLHa2xpc

— X-Men Updates (@XMenUpdate) February 19, 2024

For the curious, X-Men ’97‘s head writer, Beau DeMayo confirmed on Instagram that X-Men ’97 would not be a part of the MCU’s continuity. He replied, “We are our own thing,” while answering a question that pondered whether the series would be canon to the MCU.

The Series‘ Cast and Production Team

Disney also announced the cast for the show. X-Men ’97 stars: Ray Chase as Cyclops, Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, Cal Dodd as Wolverine, JP Karliak as Morph, Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, AJ LoCascio as Gambit, Holly Chou as Jubilee, Isaac Robinson-Smith as Bishop, Matthew Waterson as Magneto, and Adrian Hough as Nightcrawler. Theo James also joins the cast in a mysterious role.

Jake Castorena, Chase Conley, and Emi Yonemura serve as the ten-episode season’s directors, with Beau DeMayo on as head writer.

New episodes, new era.

Marvel Animation’s #XMen97, streaming March 20 on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/8ENmkv7F6B

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) February 15, 2024

When Is X-Men ’97‘s Release Date?

Despite this being the first trailer for a reboot more than 25 years in the making, we won’t have to wait long to see its first episode. X-Men ’97 premieres on Disney+ on March 20.

Obviously, mutants are just as eager to resume their story as we are to see what happens to them next.

Originally published on February 15, 2024.

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POKÉMON CONCIERGE Announces New Episodes Are in Production

The original Pokémon series is all about the battles. After all, you can’t become the greatest Pokémon trainer that ever was without some serious work and fighting. But Netflix’s new Pokémon series, Pokémon Concierge, wants us to take a breath, then release it. Because this Netflix Pokémon series is all about the vibes. Using stop-motion animation Pokémon Concierge invites you to relax, take a load off, and just enjoy the world of Pokémon. It’s also the perfect time to catch up with Pokémon Concierge because more episodes of the series are in the works. So let’s dive in, check out Pokémon Concierge trailers, and learn more about what awaits us on this magical Pokémon adventure.

New Pokémon Concierge Episodes Are in Production

If you’ve already watched all of Pokémon Concierge‘s first round of episodes, fear not! More new episodes of Pokémon Concierge are in production. And we feel like they’ll be every bit as wonderful as all the ones we’ve already seen.

NEW EPISODES OF POKÉMON CONCIERGE ARE IN PRODUCTION!!! 🌴 pic.twitter.com/XiJrY1vA4q

— Netflix (@netflix) February 19, 2024

We can’t wait for Haru, Psyduck, and co. to return to our screens.

Check Out Pokémon Concierge‘s Trailer

If you haven’t watched the series yet, it’s not too late to join in the fun. The first Pokémon Concierge trailer really sets the mood for the Netflix series. We learn that this series is set at a resort for Pokémon, and they come to visit as guests. Hopefully, the Poké R&R is enough to give Psyduck a break from its headache. The new Netflix show, Pokémon Concierge‘s trailer reveals, will tell the story of the resort’s concierge. It’s not always smooth sailing, but we feel like the stakes will be appropriately low. And at the end, we, Haru, the Pokémon’s concierge, and, of course, the Pokémon themselves will end up having a great time.

You can also enjoy the show’s teaser below.

The Netflix Pokémon Series’ Plot Synopsis

The Pokémon Concierge‘s trailer description also shares more about the show. It notes:

Set at a resort for Pokémon on a southern island, this is the story of a new concierge named Haru, who gradually discovers herself as she and her fellow staff members scramble to attend to the various Pokémon guests.

Netflix

If you tune into the series, you can see different Pokémon experience relaxing vacations. And honestly, what more could we ask from a show than that? In the trailer, we see Eevee, Pikachu, Dragonite, and many more of our favorite Pokemon friends. Of course, Psyduck seems like he’ll be the star of Pokémon Concerige, and we love that for him. Perhaps Ash and Pikachu might drop by for a well-deserved break after their final episodes as Pokémon‘s main heroes. Anything is possible.

Is that Psyduck standing on the beach with Haru, the concierge!? Stay tuned for more updates about Pokémon Concierge!https://t.co/CMqsyXozaO#pokemonconcierge #pokemon #Netflix #NetflixAnime pic.twitter.com/PCRWLxPna2

— Netflix Anime (@NetflixAnime) February 27, 2023

What Is Pokémon Concierge‘s Release Date?

Paradise at the Pokémon Resort awaits! 🌊🌊🌊 Pokémon Concierge is coming to Netflix on December 28 pic.twitter.com/VTYMDREW9O

— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) November 14, 2023

When you have a world as rich as Pokémon‘s, it’s always fun to dive in and explore its more light-hearted and fluffy perspectives. And Pokémon Concierge sounds like it will give us all a restful treat. After all, its tagline is “I’m happy when you’re happy.”

The Pokémon Concierge series arrived on Netflix on December 28. There’s no official release date yet for its recently announced new episodes.

Originally published on February 27, 2023.

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CHICKEN NUGGET Trailer Transforms a Lady Into a Literal Snack

There is no food quite like a chicken nugget. Those delicious and often crispy bites are a staple in many people’s food journeys, from McNugget Happy Meals as kids to a comforting lunch as adults. In fact, I’d say some of us have eaten so many nuggets that we are practically made of nuggets. But what if you actually became what you love to eat? How would you handle life as a human turned chicken nugget? That’s what the upcoming Korean series, aptly titled Chicken Nugget, will humorously explore when it hits Netflix. The trailer for Chicken Nugget is ridiculously and wonderfully funny.

Here’s the synopsis for Chicken Nugget:

A beloved woman suddenly turned into a Dakgangjeong (sweet & sour chicken) after entering a mysterious machine. This is only the beginning of a series of unpredictable events. A tearful and comic mystery of two men struggling to save their lover/daughter.

Well, that is certainly something. I have so many questions that need answers ASAPtually. What is up with that machine? Why does it turn people into a nugget, specifically? How will they keep this nugget lady from being eaten? I need to watch this right away.

If you thought the Chicken Nugget trailer was quirky, then you’ll really love the poster. You gotta love the look on her face and the aura around her as her man (or maybe he has an unrequited crush?!) and dad scream in shock. She is looking like a snack… literally.

NetflixWhat Is the Premiere Date for Netflix’s Chicken Nugget Series? Garage Lab/Netflix

Chicken Nugget will hit Netflix on March 15. 

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