Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 37

Nintendo Switch Is Getting a Price Hike

Were you thinking of getting a Nintendo Switch anytime soon? Then we come bearing bad news, and we regret to inform you that you’re going to have to dig deeper into your wallet to do so. Via The Verge, we’ve learned that Nintendo is raising the price of the original Switch family of systems and products. The price hike affects not only the first-generation Nintendo Switch, but also the Switch OLED, Switch Lite, and other select accessories. According to Nintendo, this Switch price increase is based on market conditions, in other words, the Trump tariffs. They take effect on Sunday, August 3. Canadian price increases are already in effect.Nintendo

Nintendo hasn’t officially revealed what at the new Switch prices are after the upcoming hikes. However, gamers have already figured out just how much more they’ll pay, thanks to some updated listings on Target’s website. This Switch price hike was discovered by X user @Wario64. It shows that the original Switch has gone up $40, putting it at $339.99. The Target site also lists the Switch OLED getting a $50 price increase, now also coming in at $399.99. Getting a $30.00 increase is the Switch Lite, which is now $299.99. Nintendo is also raising the price of some Switch 2 accessories. Luckily, the prices of Switch 2 consoles, as well as Switch and Switch 2 games, are staying the same. For now, at least.

Nintendo Switch consoles price increase are already in effect at Target:

Switch OLED – $399.99 (from $350)
Non-OLED – $339.99 (from $300)
Switch Lite – $229.99 (from $200)

Alarmo $100 -> $110
Joy-Con 2 controllers $95 -> $100https://t.co/yemitoFE3y https://t.co/bHD3OELkJF pic.twitter.com/0pYQaH6Q4X

— Wario64 (@Wario64) August 1, 2025

The official Nintendo site also reveals that the Nintendo Switch Online memberships will remain unchanged at this time. So that should come as some relief to gamers who will soon feel the financial pinch. (Insert “Happy Mario Face” emoji here.) But they are already hinting that this could also change as well in the not-too-distant future, as the official announcement says, “Please note that price adjustments may be necessary in the future.” So Nintendo fans, you may want to brace yourselves for more price hikes to come after this first wave of Switch cost adjustments. Such are the times we live in.

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STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE Will Head Back to Theaters for 50th Anniversary

I’m one of the olds you’ve heard about and vividly remember the 20th anniversary of the original Star Wars trilogy. I was 13 years old and beyond excited to go to the cinema to see the brand new, updated and remastered Special Editions of A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. Little did any of us who grew up with the VHS releases know that we’d never again get to see the theatrical versions, but never mind. Now here it is almost 30 years later and for the FIFTIETH anniversary, A New Hope will return to cinemas once again.Lucasfilm

The good folks at Lucasfilm are basically sending out a “Save the Date” with this announcement. The 50th anniversary year for the franchise is 2027, so this screening won’t happen until that year. Specifically, beginning April 30, 2027 to span May the 4th, aka “Star Wars Day.” This will be but one of the many Star Wars-related celebratory activities to happen in 2027. One can only hope we’ll get more screenings, or maybe some announcements for new movies? The mind races like so many Boonta Eves.

You can follow along for more updates and eventual ticketing information if you visit StarWars.com.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.

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Warner Bros. Discovery Removes Almost Every Classic Cartoon From HBO Max

Warner Bros. Discovery recently fixed a silly mistake and put the “HBO” back in Max. Unfortunately a return to the site’s old name hasn’t stopped it’s owner from pulling the same old crap. Last year WBD shut down Cartoon Network. That was bad enough, but now HBO Max has made things even worse. The streamer has pulled classic cartoons from the service entirely.Warner Bros.

As noted by Discussing Film, users who log into HBO Max looking hoping to see old Cartoon Network shows will come up almost entirely empty-handed. The streamer’s Boomerang page was home to countless classic animated series. That including some of the best, most famous cartoons ever made. Now it’s just a tiny studio apartment where Mystery, Inc lives in solitude. The only old animated shows still available to stream are Scooby Doo, Where Are You! and The Scooby Doo Show.

That. Is. It. Every other vintage version of famous characters and properties have been eliminated without warning. And hoo boy is that a whole lot of greatness gone in a blink.

Hanna-Barbera Productions

Customers, some of whom pay for HBO Max specifically because it should house vintage, beloved cartoons, can’t use the site to watch classic Looney Tunes episodes. The Flintstones have disappeared from the historical record. Tom and Jerry were put down. David Zaslav made Yogi Bear into a bearskin rug. Every Hannah-Barbera character you grew up with has been processed into an appetizer that was then served during brunch on a billionaire’s third yacht.

Yeah, this stinks. And it especially stinks in lieu of Cartoon Network’s cancellation. But this is just what Warner Bros. Discovery does.

The promise of streaming was having easy access to a virtual library dating back decades. Instead they’ve turned into a constant source of disappointment. None more so than HBO Max. It might have its good name back, but it still has the same old problems, too.

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SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY First Teaser Reveals SPIDER-MAN’s Suit

If a Peter Parker falls off a New York City skyscraper and no one knows who he is, does he make a sound? Please don’t bother trying to answer that very silly question, because we all know Tom Holland’s web slinger is going to cause a ruckus at the box office when he returns as the iconic character in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. What will this new chapter for the (currently anonymous) superhero look like?

We just got the briefest of answers. Sony shared a very short teaser featuring glimpses of Spider-Man’s suit in Spider-Man: Brand New Day and the description “Something brand new is coming…” This promo marks the one-year countdown until the film’s release.

What will Peter Parker be doing when he wears that super suit? Here’s everything we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day so far.

Sony PicturesTitleMarvel Studios

Tom Holland’s fourth standalone film as everyone’s favorite neighborhood hero is called Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The movie takes its title from the 2008 Marvel Comics series. Its storyline shares many similarities with the current plight of the MCU’s character, as it followed Peter Parker after a universe-changing event undid his marriage to MJ. The series was part of a controversial Spider-Man storyline that upset some fans.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s Plot Marvel Comics

Marvel Studios and Sony have not released any official information about Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s plot. Tom Holland has called the film ““a fresh start” for the character following the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home. That film, which completed the Spider-Man Home Trilogy, ended with Doctor Strange casting a spell that made everyone in the universe forget Peter Parker existed. While not the same, that monumental event is similar to Peter’s situation in the comic book series the movie gets its title from.

One unconfirmed synopsis on the film’s IMDb page does provide a believable description of the film, which will take place between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Here’s the unofficial (for now at least) logline:

After Doomsday, Peter Parker tries to focus on college and leave Spider-Man behind. But when a new threat endangers his friends, he must break his promise and suit up again, teaming with an unexpected ally to protect those he loves.

Marvel Studios

That does line up with comments franchise producer/steward Amy Pascal provided about the film. She told Deadline‘s Behind the Lens, “We have to deal with the fact that he decided he was going to give up being Peter Parker, and he was gonna focus on being Spider-Man, because being Peter Parker was too hard. So that’s what the movie is about.”

We also know it won’t be rated R. Kevin Feige has confirmed it will feature a more family-friendly version of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher. Feige revealed, “When Punisher is in the Spider-Man movie, it’ll be a different tonality” than when he’s in his own TV-MA rated Disney+ special. But Punisher WILL appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, shares the Marvel boss.

Behind the Scenes Marvel Studios

Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) is taking over directing duties from Jon Watts.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s Cast Sony/Marvel Studios

Zendaya and Jacob Batalon will return alongside Holland as Peter Parker’s memory-wiped love interest and best friend/guy in the chair MJ and Ned. Sadie Sink will also join the MCU in a still unreleased major role. (Jean Gray, perhaps?)

Netflix

One actor whose role we do know is Jon Bernthal’s. He will make his MCU movie debut as the Punisher, Frank Castle. The vigilante might very well be Peter’s unexpected ally.

Marvel Studios/Netflix Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s Release Date

Spider-Man: Brand New Day will swing into theaters on July 31, 2026.

Originally published on June 23, 2025.

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SUPERMAN Becomes First DC Film to Cross $300 Million Since THE BATMAN

The Man of Steel didn’t just save Metropolis in James Gunn’s new Superman film, it looks like he saved the cinematic DC Comics brand as a whole. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Superman has just crossed the $300 million mark at the box office, domestically speaking. It’s officially the first DC movie to do so in over three years, since 2022’s The Batman. The Matt Reeves reboot of the Caped Crusader made $369 million at the domestic box office that year. Although it’s unlikely Superman will reach that number, it will probably come close. This once again repositions Superman as a character as the other half of DC’s two “Big Guns” when it comes to movies.DC Studios

Batman, of course, has always been nearly indestructible at the box office. Only 1997’s Batman and Robin can qualify as a bomb. But in the 21st century, outside of Batman, it’s been a roller coaster of success and failure for DC. Superman Returns and Man of Steel did ok, but neither was critically beloved or a commercial megahit. Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Joker were legit blockbusters, but movies like Justice League were debacles. And once DC Studios announced that they were wiping the slate clean of the old DCEU continuity? The audience’s interest in the remaining DC films crashed. The Flash, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and even the delightful Blue Beetle seriously underperformed, or flat-out bombed.

We should note, Superman is indeed struggling at the box office overseas. But has more to do with the Asian market no longer being as interested in Western films as much as before. This also applies to Marvel Studios. The halcyon days of the 2010s, when a blockbuster made half its money from the foreign box office, seem to be over. The days of multiple movies making over a billion globally may be a thing of the past, relegated to a pre-pandemic era. In any event, Superman is now a legit success, so a sequel is all but assured. Which makes those of us who loved Gunn’s take on the Last Son of Krypton very pleased indeed.

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James Gunn Confirms He’s Currently Writing the SUPERMAN Sequel, But It’s Not “SUPERMAN 2”

James Gunn’s Superman is now the highest-grossing solo film featuring the Man of Steel at the box office. At least domestically. And pretty soon, it will overtake Batman v Superman as the highest-grossing movie featuring Superman, period. But up until now, Gunn has been a bit tight-lipped about what is going on with a follow-up to his first DCU film. Responding to a post on Threads, Gunn said he was currently busy with the Peacemaker press tour and also “sequel writing.” Where a fan asked, “When are you gonna tease the sequel,” Gunn quickly responded with, “I just did!” Threads/James Gunn

Later, Gunn clarified even further, when a fan asked if what he was currently writing was the follow-up film he’d mentioned in earlier interviews. He clarified, saying “Yes, yes, sorry. This is the same movie. Superman has a major role. It’s not “Superman 2.”

So what will this Superman sequel (but not a sequel) actually entail? Gunn has made comments previously that what comes next won’t be a straightforward sequel. That had many fans speculating that we were going to get a World’s Finest film, featuring a team-up with Batman. But Gunn shot down that idea while appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. Could it be a Superman/Supergirl team-up film? We could see the Kryptonian cousins sharing the screen for an adventure for the first time ever. Maybe even fighting Brainiac? He’s long overdue for a cinematic appearance. Gunn has said that he considered using Brainiac as the villain in Superman, so maybe he’ll appear in a sequel.

DC Studios

The second season of Peacemaker will take place one month after Superman, so hints of the Superman sequel may appear here first. Heck, maybe David Corenswet himself will show up? Gunn has said recently we’d see his version of Clark Kent much sooner than expected. We would not be surprised if Superman makes a cameo in Peacemaker, much as John Cena did in Superman. We’ll just have to wait and find out when Peacemaker season two drops. In the meantime, we’ll cross our fingers for an official Superman sequel (or whatever) announcement very soon.

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THE CONJURING: LAST RITES Trailer Brings the Saga to an End

In the history of horror movies, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a franchise as atypical, as unlikely, as The Conjuring Universe. The first movie, back in 2013, was a surprisingly successful throwback to ’70s ghost movies via James Wan. Since then, we’ve gotten not only two more Conjuring proper movies, but multiple entries in spinoff series Annabelle and The Nun. Now, seemingly the end of the line is upon us with the release of The Conjuring: Last Rites, directed by series veteran Michael Chaves. Check out the trailer below.

As with the rest of the Conjuring movies (and the third Annabelle movie), this movie depicts a purported “true” haunting/possession/demon-related case of self-proclaimed demonologist couple, Ed and Lorraine Warren. As played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, the Warrens in the movies are on one hand a loving, god-fearing couple and on the other, basically superheroes. Lorraine the clairvoyant and Ed the bible-wielding sorcerer for goodness. It makes them great movie characters.

The reality of the situation is that Ed and Lorraine Warren were opportunistic hucksters capitalizing on the Satanic Panic era and a spate of hauntings. This movie takes place in 1986, surrounding the “Smurl Haunting” case, one of the last big reports of demonic activity of the period, which occurred in Pennsylvania. As with everything from the Enfield haunting to the Amityville Horror—both of which debunked thoroughly as hoaxes—the Warrens stuck their noses in and ended up co-authoring a book on the case with the Smurl family.

Warner Bros.

I’m definitely not here to tell you not to watch or enjoy these movies. They exist as exaggerated works of fiction and work very well on the level of horror. But as the movies have progressed, they’ve ceased to be fun ghost movies and have delved too deeply for my tastes into exploiting real horrible events. The biggest offender is The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, based on the trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson. Johnson had murdered his landlord with a knife and as a defense claimed a demon had possessed him. Earlier, Johnson had “assisted” his girlfriend and the Warrens in attempting to exorcize a demon from the girlfriend’s little brother.

I kinda felt like the inclusion of this event in the “Aren’t the Warrens Wonderful” cinematic universe was unconscionable. So, definitely go see Last Rites if you’re inclined to do so, but keep in mind the “based on” part of “based on actual events” is doing a lot of heavy lifting.

The Conjuring: Last Rites will hit cinemas September 5.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.

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New THE WITCHER: LEGACY Board Game Will Let Players Fight Monsters on Tabletops

Life is good for fans of Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher. They have numerous ways to explore his fantasy land of magic and monsters. There are books, video games, comics, a TV show, specials and more. And there are always new entries coming. That will soon include another tabletop game set in the Continent. The franchise’s third board game, The Witcher: Legacy, will send players on a mission to find those who attacked a witcher school.

CD Projekt Red and Go On Board have announced the launch of The Witcher: Legacy. Designed for 1-4 players with both a solo and co-op mode, the game will send players on a mission to find some dangerous foes. The “story-driven” adventure game takes place in the kingdom of Kaedwen. It will have them “take on the role of Wolf School witchers and hunt down those responsible for a brutal attack that left the school devastated — but not fully destroyed.” Here’s the rest of the game’s synopsis:

Taking place across multiple scenarios, this main adventure features a sprawling and branching narrative. Players will be faced with difficult decisions that will shape their story and weave a unique, immersive tale that carries consequences from one session to the next.

CD PROJEKT RED/Go On Board

Gamers will do that as they “explore vast lands, battle monsters, train their skills, and manage limited resources — all the while seeking to unravel a conspiracy that threatens the very existence of witchers.”

Customers who follow and support The Witcher: Legacy at its Gamefound page will also get a very fun bonus. They’ll score an exclusive Gorgon monster miniature. That’s cool for more reasons than you might realize. No Gorgon has ever appeared in a Witcher video game, meaning this tabletop adventure will expand the Continent even more.

A new board game and a new monster to actually fight yourself? Like we said, life is good for fans of The Witcher.

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THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER Shares Season 3 In-Production Teaser

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power closed out season two with a truly epic battle. The orc/Uruk and elven forces clashed at Eregion, with Sauron manipulating both sides of the table to enact his own desires. It was a tragic and intense season, much darker than the first chapter of The Rings of Power. And things are only about to get worse in the world of this The Lord of the Rings series. The Rings of Power was happily renewed for season three, but another season of the show means we’re getting pulled deeper into darkness. Although it’s still early days for season three, we already know things will need to get much worse before they get better.

For now, something is stirring in the dark land of Mordor, where the shadows lie. Sauron’s crown (or is that Morgoth’s crown) has been polished clear of Galadriel’s blood, and it’s ready to sit on the head of the dark lord as evil rises. Season 3 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is in production and it wants us to know, Sauron will not be resting on his laurels. There’s a ring to be forged, after all. You can take a look at The Rings of Power‘s season three teaser below.

Here’s everything we know about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season three.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3’s PlotPrime Video

Although The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season three is still fairly far away, Prime Video released the following logline for the series:

Jumping forward several years from the events of season 2, season 3 takes place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win the war and conquer all Middle-earth at last.

This lets us know we’ll see a time skip between seasons two and three of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which makes a lot of sense because there’s a ton of ground to cover in the Second Age of Middle-earth. Another big part of the story will be Sauron’s quest to forge the One Ring (to rule them all). According to the showrunners, he doesn’t yet have enough knowledge to forge a Ring of Power on his own. But we bet we’ll see him obtain it.

RELATED ARTICLE

THE RINGS OF POWER Showrunners Talk Time Skips in Season 3 and Beyond, Celeborn, Celebrían, and Sauron Not Yet Knowing How to Forge the One Ring

Additionally, war will be the crux of the happenings in season three. In this case, The War of the Elves and Sauron. This major Second Age battle will involve… elves and Sauron, naturally. But the Númenóreans will also have a pretty major role to play in the proceedings, as they join the elves in the battle against darkness. But the trouble with Sauron is that he’s incredibly good at whispering in people’s ears. And that may or may not happen to one power-hungry Ar-Pharazôn. We’ll have to wait and see.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3’s CastNetflix

The entire main cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which includes Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Charlie Vickers, Robert Aramayo, and more, is expected to return for season three. In addition, they are joined by five new cast members: Jamie Campbell Bower, Eddie Marsan, Andrew Richardson, Zubin Varla, and Adam Young. Bower and Richardson will be series regulars, and Marsan, Varla, and Young will play recurring characters. The exact characters they will play are not yet known.

RELATED ARTICLE

New Cast Joins THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER Season 3Behind the Scenes

The third season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Justin Doble, Kate Hazell, and executive producer-director Charlotte Brändström. Matthew Penry-Davey is producer and Ally O’Leary, Tim Keene, and Andrew Lee are co-producers.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3’s Release Date

We do not yet know when The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season three will release, but it has now begun production.

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Elmo Meets SUPERMAN David Corenswet in Purest Team-Up Ever

James Gunn’s Superman told the story of a brave superhero trying to do good in an evil world. His Clark Kent served as a beacon in the darkness, a reminder of who we should be. Someone like that might sound like the ultimate fiction, but we have a figure like that in the real world already. His name is Elmo, a constant source of joy and hope. So it only made sense that DC’s legendary hero stopped by Sesame Street to meet the kids’ show’s red icon. And when they did, the new Clark Kent/Superman David Corenswet taught Elmo about why eyeglasses provide the ultimate disguise.

Let’s just get this out of the way before we talk about anything else in this Superman x Elmo meet-cute. We’re not the first to make this joke, and we won’t be the last: Kal-Elmo.

Okay! That felt good. As does watching this video, where Superman‘s David Corenswet shows Elmo why a pair of black frames can totally obscure your real identity. When Elmo puts on Clark Kent’s signature glasses, Cookie Monster can’t even recognize his old friend. It’s the perfect disguise. No Hypno-Glasses required. Just a slight, mostly translucent addition to the face. Although, something tells us that if Elmo were making cookies while wearing these Superman glasses, Cookie Monster would not be so confused.

Sesame Street

Corenswet wasn’t the only star of Superman to stop by Sesame Street to share an important lesson with Elmo. Lois Lane herself, Rachel Brosnahan, also joined her cinematic Man of Steel. Together, they taught Elmo about what it truly takes to be a superhero.

These were just two of the videos Corenswet made with the beloved puppets. You can find more at Sesame Street‘s Instagram page. And why wouldn’t you? Right now, the world needs every good person—or red monster—it can find. And finding them hanging out together is really good. Someone get Superman and Elmo a team-up TV series.

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