Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 384

Marvel WHAT IF? Variant Covers Give Us Disney AVENGERS and X-MEN

Last year, Marvel Comics celebrated 100 years of the Walt Disney Company with several variant covers. Each of these reimagined classic Marvel issues with iconic Disney characters. Now, in celebration of 60 years of the Avengers and the X-Men, Marvel is releasing a trio of What If? variants showcasing Mickey Mouse and pals as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and the students at Xavier’s School. Disney characters as Avengers and X-Men? Yes, please. You can check out previews for each issue below, alongside the original covers the issues are paying tribute to:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #47 Marvel Comics

The Disney What If? variant cover by Alessandro Pastrovicchio pays homage to Al Milgrom’s West Coast Avengers #1 from 1985. This was the first official spinoff title for the iconic team. It features Donald Duck as Iron Man, Goofy as Hollywood hero Wonder Man, Mickey Mouse as the Avenging Archer known as Hawkeye, Minnie Mouse as his wife Mockingbird, and Daisy Duck as the cat/human (cat/duck?) hybrid hero Tigra. This issue hits comic book stores on April 10.

Marvel ComicsAMAZING SPIDER-MAN #49 Marvel Comics

For Disney What If? variant cover by Giada Perisonotto, the artist recreated X-Men #58 by Neal Adams. This one features the original five X-Men encountering the mutant hero Havok. Goofy stands in for Cyclops/Scott Summers, while Mickey Mouse is Angel/Warren Worthington, Minnie is Marvel Girl/Jean Grey, Daisy Duck is Iceman/Bobby Drake, and Pluto is Beast/Hank McCoy. Appropriately enough, the ever-high energy Donald Duck is Havok/Alex Summers. This X-Men homage issue arrives on May 8.

Marvel ComicsAMAZING SPIDER-MAN #51 Marvel Comics

Put your disco dancin’ shoes on, because this Disney What If? variant cover by Ivan Bigarella homages 1980’s Uncanny X-Men #129 by John Romita Jr. It spotlights the first appearance of the mutant heroine Dazzler and the start of The Dark Phoenix Saga. Minnie Mouse is decked out like Alison Blaire/Dazzler, the mutant pop star who can turn sound into light. Surrounding her in shock are Mickey Mouse as Cyclops/Scott Summers, Daisy Duck as Phoenix/Jean Grey, and Donald Duck as Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner. This truly uncanny issue comes out on June 5.

Marvel Comics

We expect more What If? Disney Avengers/X-Men variant covers before the year is out. How about 1991’s X-Men #1, Marvel?

The post Marvel WHAT IF? Variant Covers Give Us Disney AVENGERS and X-MEN appeared first on Nerdist.

Why 1984 Is Pop Music’s Greatest Year

What was the greatest decade in pop music? Well, we think that’s easily the ’60s. Motown, the Beatles, and psychedelic rock, are all game-changing moments in popular music. But the greatest single year in pop music history? We think that award goes to 1984. Forty years later, the music of that year, and the artists who created it, still resonate. George Orwell predicted 1984 would be a totalitarian dystopia, but he never predicted it would become a pop music paradise. Here’s why 1984 remains the GOAT of pop music years.

Pop Music Royalty Take Their Thrones

The ’80s musical ruling royals—the King of Pop, the Queen of Pop, and the Prince of Pop—defined the pop music of the decade. And yes, we’re referring to Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Prince. But their true reign began in 1984, although the warning shots were fired the previous year. In 1983, Jackson’s Thriller spawned 5 top ten hits, including two number-ones. It was well on its way to becoming the highest-selling album of all time. Madonna’s debut album debuted in the summer of ’83, but had little traction, until December of that year, with the release of her single, “Holiday.” Meanwhile, after years as a critical darling with little radio love, Prince broke through (thanks largely to MTV) with his album 1999. This album finished as the fifth highest-selling album of the year.

Epic Records/Warner Records/Sire Records

In December of ’83, Michael Jackson released the final video from Thriller, a horror/dance epic based on the title track. This video, according to many, remains the single greatest music video ever made to this day. But in 1984, this trio, all born in the Midwest in the summer of 1958, truly began their rule. In early ’84, “Thriller” played on a loop on MTV. Jackson won eight Grammy awards for Thriller, and made headlines for an accident suffered for filming a Pepsi commercial. “Thriller” became his last top 5 single from that album in 1984, and his Victory Tour with his brothers broke records. Even a song that only featured MJ in the chorus, Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me,” became a megahit based mainly on Jackson’s fleeting presence. And MJ merch, from dolls to stickers to t-shirts, was everywhere that year.

Epic Records/Sire Records/Warner Bros.

Meanwhile, Madonna began 1984 by declaring her intentions to “rule the world” on American Bandstand. She made good on that promise, as ’84 saw her score three top-ten hits, including “Like a Virgin” which spent 5 weeks at #1. Her controversial performance of the song on the first-ever VMAs solidified her as a pop icon. Prince followed up by dropping Purple Rain, both the album and movie, on an unsuspecting world. Both were massive, making him a megastar, earning him 4 top-ten hits. All three artists would spend the next decade producing one hit after another, rarely taking more than a year off from producing hit songs. They were beyond prolific. To this day, just about every musician tries to emulate one or all of their careers. But few have even come close to achieving their levels of influence, and 1984 was the year they claimed their respective thrones.

The Second British Invasion Hits Its PeakEMI Records/Virgin Records/Arista

In the early ‘80s, the “Disco Sucks!” backlash had all but erased the genre from the American airwaves. (More on that in a moment). As the decade began, most hits came from mainly white male rockers, or easy-listening tunes your mom and dad liked. Then, a little thing called MTV happened. And suddenly, the new channel needed music videos. Yet, most American artists didn’t have any yet. But U.K. artists did, and so a new British Invasion began. By 1983, David Bowie ruled mainstream radio more than ever, and New Wave acts like the Human League, New Order, and Adam Ant made a splash in America. And with their wild hair, makeup, and electronic beats, they changed pop music.

Columbia Records

In ’84, the New Wave British musical acts infused the charts like never before. Culture Club, Duran Duran, the Eurythmics, Thompson Twins, and others all scored multiple hits that year on American radio. More alternative-style U.K. acts like Depeche Mode and the Smiths started gaining fans on college radio. And then, there was Wham. The duo of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were already huge in the UK., but with their second album Make It Big, they aimed to conquer America. And did they ever, as starting with “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” they tallied up four top 5 hits in ’84, including a song that we still hear every Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, the biggest U.K. artists came together as Band Aid, releasing a holiday-themed charity single, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” that we also still hear every year when December arrives. Whether we want to or not.

Tina Turner Stages the Ultimate ComebackCapitol Records

In the 1960s and ‘70s, Tina Turner was one half of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, belting out hits and performing sold-out shows across the nation. But after years of suffering physical abuse at the hands of her husband and musical partner, she split off from Ike. And it left her life and career in shambles. She was forced to perform on every cheesy variety hour on TV, and lounge acts in Las Vegas. All just to make ends meet. But in 1984, she teamed up with Australian producer Roger Davies. He convinced Tina that she could make a comeback in this new MTV era. She emerged as the Queen of Rock n’ Roll, despite the odds not being in her favor.

Could a 44-year-old woman who had not produced a hit in a decade score with the youth? Turns out that she could…and then some. Davies produced her album Private Dancer, which resulted in the hit title track and the massive “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” The latter spent three weeks at the top position on the Billboard Hot 100, finishing the year as the second biggest hit of 1984. It was only behind Prince’s “When Doves Cry.” Tina scored another hit from the album, “Better Be Good To Me.” All this cemented her status as a rock icon for not just the decade, but for all time. And this massive comeback was one of the defining musical moments of the year. And it showed every artist who had ever fallen out of the spotlight how it was done.

Hair Metal Goes MainstreamMercury/Warner Bros./Elektra/Atlantic

Heavy Metal had already been a thing for years before 1984. But it was during that year that the particular brand of electric guitars mixed with machismo, makeup, and lots of hair products went fully mainstream. A genre we call Hair Metal today. Mötley Crüe scored three Billboard Hot 100 hits that year from their album Shout at the Devil, causing “Satanic Panic” prone parents to throw many of their kids’ albums away. The less-threatening Bon Jovi entered the picture in ’84, thanks to their song “Runaway.” It foreshadowed a very long run on the charts through the rest of the decade.

Meanwhile, Sunset Strip bands like W.A.S.P, Dokken, and others broke big. Twisted Sister had more makeup on than 50 drag queens, but their song “We’re Not Gonna Take It” became a rebellious teenage anthem. But it was veteran act Van Halen, whose album 1984 was, appropriately enough, the biggest rock album of 1984. Its lead single “Jump” was inescapable, and controversial, as the “meat and potatoes” rock band used synthesizers on the track, supposedly betraying their rock ethos. It didn’t matter to fans. The record sold like crazy. And other similar bands followed suit, embracing technology. Hair Metal dominated rock for the rest of the decade, until the Grunge sound of Seattle killed it in 1991. But its dominance in that decade really began in 1984.

America Gets Its Groove BackAtlantic/Epic Records/Warner Bros./RCA

In 1979, the disco genre died a spectacular death. Frankly, it was murdered that July in the infamous “Disco Demolition Night” in Chicago, where thousands of angry (mostly white and male) rock fans rioted and destroyed hundreds of disco albums at a baseball game. “Protesting” that a genre was dominating the charts that was mostly produced by women of color and popularized in gay clubs. Disco was pulled off stations across the country, and within months, the phrase “Dead as Disco” was born. It was so dead in fact, that when MTV debuted in 1981, it was exclusively white rockers, something David Bowie famously called them out on. Radio and MTV were terrified anything “too urban” would cause their audience to revolt again.

But disco didn’t really die. It just went back underground, slowly re-emerging as just “dance music.” Hits like Rick James’ “Super Freak” happened, and Kool and the Gang and Earth, Wind, and Fire just kept pumping out jams. In Europe, disco actually never died. All this came to a head in 1984, when dance classics like Shannon’s “Let the Music Play,” Chaka Khan’s cover of Prince’s “I Feel For You,” and Ollie and Jerry’s “There’s No Stoppin’ Us” ruled radio. The Pointer Sisters had a triple whammy with “Automatic,” “Jump (For My Love),” and “Neutron Dance.” And if you still want to get ‘em out on the dance floor at an event? Put on Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round.” Thanks to bangers like these and others, 1984 is the year America officially got its groove back, and got back on the dance floor.

Room for EveryonePortrait Records/Columbia

Maybe the most pivotal thing about 1984 in popular music is that everyone was allowed on the playground. Radio and MTV playlists were populated by a huge variety of musical genres, instead of just dominated by one. There was “Dad Rock” like Billy Joel and Phil Collins on a loop, but also the previously mentioned dance hits and all that hair metal. One hit song might be really weird, like Prince’s “When Doves Cry,” another might be extremely normal (pick any Hall and Oates song). Unlike today, where it seems everything on the Top 100 sounds more or less the same. But starting in ’84, and for years after, variety was the word of the day.

No greater example of this “room for everyone” attitude in pop music in ’84 was two of its biggest stars—Cyndi Lauper and Bruce Springsteen. Cyndi Lauper’s album She’s So Unusual came out towards the latter half of the previous year. But in 1984, she scored 5 Top Ten hits with it, starting with “Girls Just Want To Have Fun,” a song we still associate with the era. Her unique voice, outrageous hair, and wild style epitomized every fashion extreme of the era. Meanwhile, Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. album broke records. His signature gravely vocals, and “fashion” of plain blue jeans and white t-shirts and “back to basics” rock were also wildly popular. In the end, the music of 1984 proved that pop music is best when it comes in many flavors.

All of these things made 1984 pivotal in popular music. And that’s without getting into the movie soundtrack hits (Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters,” or Kenny Loggins’ “Footloose.”) Or the iconic one-hit-wonders like Nena’s “99 Luftballons” or Scandal’s “The Warrior.” Four decades later, it seems unlikely we’ll get a musical year as important as this one ever again. But it makes us appreciate it all even more today.

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These Digital Builds Imagine THE WITCHER, THE LEGEND OF ZELDA Castles as LEGO Sets

Over the years, the LEGO company has created sets based on all kinds of video games. But, there are a few that we want and haven’t gotten quite yet. So, Guide Strats asked themselves this question — what might some of the most awe-inspiring buildings in video games look like if they were LEGO sets? Using BrickLink Studio 2.0, they digitally rendered several video game-based architecture builds and their packaging. For an extra cherry on top, the group even calculated how many LEGO bricks each set would have. You can check out our faves down below:

Guide Strats Kaer Morhen from The Witcher III

From The Witcher III comes Kaer Morhen, a run-down fortress, reimagined as a LEGO set that comes with 2,385 pieces. Kaer Morhen stands atop the Blue Mountains of Hertch. It’s where the witchers belonging to the School of the Wolf, including Geralt of Rivia, began their training. The original inspiration for this foreboding fortress came from Orava Castle in Slovakia, also built upon a high rock and surrounded by a dense forest.

Click To View Gallery Guide Strats Guide Strats Guide Strats Temple of Time from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda has been around for nearly forty years, but the building that inspired Guide Strats is a lot more recent. The Tears of the Kingdom game from 2023 inspires their digital LEGO architecture build, with the Temple of Time. Guide Strats has reimagined this mystical building as a buildable set with 1,845 pieces. The coolest part of the Temple of Time is that it floats in mid-air. They’ve simulated the temple’s gravity-defying power by placing it atop transparent tube pieces, and then scattering clouds at the base.

Click To View Gallery Guide Strats Guide Strats Guide Strats Dragonsreach from Skyrim

If you’re a fan of Skyrim, the fifth installment in the Elder Scrolls series, you’ll recognize the castle known as Dragonsreach. This imposing fortress would take 2,325 pieces to put together. Their digital LEGO version of Dragonsreach uses brown blocks stacked into patterns evoking Gothic architecture. In Skyrim lore, they say that King Olaf built Dragonsreach to house the captured dragon Numinex. Sadly, there’s no dragon head included, but we still think it’s pretty imposing.

Click To View Gallery Guide Strats Guide Strats Guide Strats Altissia Palace from Final Fantasy XV

There’s even some Final Fantasy representation here, with ltissia Palace, the luxury palazzo fans know from Final Fantasy XV. This set would have a whopping 10,580 pieces in total. That’s more than any other build in Guide Strats’ research, and over 500 more than the LEGO Eiffel Tower set that exists in real life. That one is the tallest LEGO structure you can build (at 58.5 inches) and the second-largest of any set.

Click To View Gallery Guide Strats Guide Strats Guide Strats

For digital LEGO builds for Elden Ring and Half-Life 2, check out the official Guide Strats site.

The post These Digital Builds Imagine THE WITCHER, THE LEGEND OF ZELDA Castles as LEGO Sets appeared first on Nerdist.

BARBIE: THE WORLD TOUR Book Will Reveal More of Margot Robbie’s Life-Size Barbie Looks

Margot Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal set red carpets buzzing with their real-life, life-size Barbie looks for the actress’ appearances related to the Barbie movie. Borrowing notes from the iconic doll herself, Robbie took center stage in high-fashion versions of Barbie’s clothes. But sadly, because of the studios’ refusal to pay and respect their actors, many looks that Robbie had planned for the Barbie world tour never got to see the light of day. But luckily for us, Mattel and Rizzoli New York are coming together to publish Barbie: The World Tour which will reveal new Barbie looks we haven’t seen and offer a glimpse of rare fashions from Mattel’s Barbie archives. Get excited, Barbie fans; it’s all happening.

Rizzoli New York

More actors should dress to evoke their roles on press tours and red-carpet appearances. That is the kind of glamor and imagination that we deserve. And we can’t wait to see all the tricks that Robbie, Mukumal, and Barbie had up their pink sleeves.

The release for Barbie: The World Tour shares more, noting:

For the press tour following the record-breaking release of Greta Gerwig’s award-winning, acclaimed Barbie movie, producer and star Margot Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal immersed themselves in some of Barbie’s most iconic outfits and curated vintage pieces, then approached designers, from Giorgio Armani to Donatella Versace, to create looks inspired by the doll-size originals. Many of these looks were not seen as the official Barbie press tour was cut short—so Margot and Andrew worked with renowned fashion photographer Craig McDean to shoot her in the looks exactly as they were curated: Schiaparelli in Los Angeles, Vivienne Westwood in London, vintage Chanel with matching Streamline luggage at the airport, and beyond.

And additionally:

Accompanying McDean’s sumptuous photography are images of original Barbie dolls from the period, a treasure trove of rare materials from Mattel’s Barbie fashion archives, and the designers’ sketches and Polaroids from fittings, layered into evocative collage by art director Fabien Baron. With text by Margot Robbie and Andrew Mukamal, as well as handwritten contributions from the designers behind the looks (from Olivier Rousteing and Michelle Ochs to Manolo Blahnik and Jeremy Scott), this unique book blends the serious chic of high fashion with the serious fun of Barbie’s world—the dolls, the history, and the style that have captured imaginations for 65 years.

Warner Bros.

What an incredible tribute to Barbie and the Barbie movie. After all, the movie’s true magic lay in the way it leaked out into the world, leaving behind the box and spreading into pink-drenched theaters and streets. Although we weren’t wearing couture, we, all of us, for a minute, into the best plastic versions of ourselves and now, through Barbie: The World Tour, Robbie and co. will share their more elaborate version of that same experience with us.

Barbie: The World Tour releases on March 19, 2024. It is now available for pre-order.

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Here’s Where You Can Watch 2024’s Nerdy Oscar Nominees

If its leading 13 nominations are any guide, Oppenheimer is going to have a big night at the Academy Awards on March 10. Christopher Nolan and his cast and crew aren’t the only ones who could be in for a special evening, though. Nerds like us could also have plenty of reasons to celebrate, too. Many genre films, geeky movies, and pop culture stalwarts earned nods across various Oscar categories. Which ones? We already told you that, but now we’re here to really get you ready for Hollywood’s biggest event. We’ve put together a list of where you can watch every nerdy nominee ahead of the Oscars telecast.

Disney/Warner Bros./SonyBarbie – Stream on Max

Mattel might have produced Barbie, a movie based on its own toy, but there’s no doubt it still qualifies as a true nerdy film. From Weird Barbie to “I’m Just Ken,” this was right up our alley. (An alley millions and millions of others also love, too.)

You can see why it earned more than a billion dollars at the box office and eight nominations over at Max. That’s also where you can see why it’s so absurd that director Greta Gerwig and star Margot Robbie didn’t earn recognition in their individual categories.

Oppenheimer – Stream on Peacock (Starting February 16)

Christopher Nolan has plenty of nerd cred to last a lifetime. Only he’s not why Oppenheimer makes the cut for this specific list. That honor goes to the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. The combined shared release power of Oppenheimer and Barbie created an organic pop culture event. The films reignited a passion for movie theaters that brought together both diehard and casual cinema fans alike.

Oppenheimer turned everyone into a movie nerd, and you can be one too by streaming the favorite to win Best Picture when it arrives at Peacock on February 16. (Until then, you can rent it on digital platforms, grab a Blu-ray home release, or see it in theaters.)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Stream on Netflix

The Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse showed us “anyone can wear the mask.” However, if you want to stream its sequel, you need a Netflix account. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, our prediction to win 2024’s Best Animated Feature category, is available at the site. At least, that’s where you’ll find this gorgeous film in this universe.

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny – Stream on Disney+

Harrison Ford’s farewell to his iconic character brought him on an adventure through time itself. If you have time to see Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny before the Academy Awards, you can watch the Oscar-nominated film on Disney+. The film earned the legendary John Williams a nod for Best Original Score, his 54th Oscar nomination (the most of anyone alive and second most ever).

The Creator – Stream on Hulu

We called Gareth Edwards’ The Creator “one of the most visually impressive science fiction movies” ever made. Clearly, the Academy agreed. It earned a nomination for Best Visual Effects, as well as one for Best Sound. You can see (and hear) why at Hulu, where the John David Washington-led film is streaming.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One – Stream on Paramount+

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning has dropped “Part One” from its title. But just as a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, one of the best action movies ever is just as incredible under any other title. It was also good enough to earn Oscar nominations for both VFX and Sound. Find out why at Paramount+ starting on January 25.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 – Stream on Disney+

James Gunn has left the MCU behind to lead the new DCU, but he bid farewell to Marvel Studios with a moving goodbye. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 gave the group as we know it an emotional sendoff. But the Guardians’ story isn’t over just yet. Their swan song is up for a Visual Effects Oscar in 2024. It’s also available to watch at Disney+.

Godzilla Minus One – Watch in Theaters

Godzilla Minus One looks like it must have cost hundreds of millions of dollars to make. Yet somehow, it had an operating budget under $15 million. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences found that just as impressive as the rest of us, nominating the film for Best VFX. That’s not the only reason to see this fantastic movie, though. You can see why it was a word-of-mouth hit in the U.S. by checking out the movie on the big screen in theaters.

The Boy and the Heron – Watch in Theaters

Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki could direct an animated insurance commercial, and we’d stop everything we’re doing to see it. Multiple times. Instead, he gave us something far better, a beautiful story that might be his final animated film ever. If you want to see why the iconic director’s The Boy and the Heron is also his most successful in America, ever, you can watch this Oscar-nominated adventure in movie theaters.

Poor Things – Watch In Theaters

We’re always excited for a fresh take on Mary Shelley’s seminal Frankenstein, but it’s even better when an original interpretation is as good as Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, starring Emma Stone. The movie earned the second-most 2024 nominations at eleven. While we expect the movie to hit streamers before the Oscars, if you want to watch it now you will need to see it in theaters.

Like all these Oscar-nominated nerdy films, it’s worth it.

The post Here’s Where You Can Watch 2024’s Nerdy Oscar Nominees appeared first on Nerdist.

Who Are the Sinister Six? From SPIDER-MAN Comics to the MCU

The Sinister Six have long been a thorn in Spider-Man’s side in the pages of Marvel Comics. They first came together in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 in 1964, and have repeatedly made Peter Parker’s life miserable. Years later a team of villains came together to fight the three Spideys in Spider-Man: No Way Home—although it was just five baddies and not six, for unknown reasons. (The Sinister Several?) But rumors persist a proper Sinister Six is coming to the big screen. Possibly in the MCU, or more likely, Sony’s Spider-Man universe. But what is the Sinister Six comic book history? We break down this legendary consortium of bad guys.

Who Are The Sinister Six?Marvel Comics

Though they are called the Sinister “Six,” in truth, this supervillain team has had a varying number of members. The original members of the Sinister Six included Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, Doctor Octopus, Vulture, Sandman, and Electro, but a revolving door of villains has come in and out of the ranks. Over the years, many a Spidey rogue has joined their ranks. However, certain linchpin members keep signing on over and over. Some of these are the aforementioned Sinister Six founding members, loyalists from the start, while others joined later.

But who are the Sinister Six, really? Here is a breakdown of each key member of the Sinister Six (or “Insidious Six,” for you ’90s Spider-Man: The Animated Series fans) to help you get to know them. Although there is some stiff competition, some might argue these are the best members of the Sinister Six, but that’s up to you to determine.

We’ll start with the man who put the team together, Doctor Otto Octavius.

Doctor Octopus (Also Known as Doc Ock and Dr. Otto Octavius): The Sinister Six’s LeaderMarvel Comics/Marvel Studios Doc Ock’s Comics History 

If there’s an MVP of the Sinister Six, it’s Dr. Otto Octavius. Doctor Octopus is the most consistent of the team’s leaders, which isn’t surprising because he also formed the Sinister Six. The mad eight-limbed scientist was also one of Spidey’s earliest villains in the Marvel comics, appearing in 1963’s The Amazing Spider-Man #3. In the comics, Otto Octavius was a genius, a widely respected nuclear physicist. Thanks to a lab accident, however, he became something more. Doctor Octopus got his arms when a set of mechanical ones he’d invented became fused to his body. His now-mutated brain could control them with a thought.

Becoming a super-criminal, he tangled with Spider-Man more than almost any other villain. For more than a year, Doc Ock even became Spider-Man himself. He took over Peter Parker’s mind and body, and he attempted life as the heroic “Superior Spider-Man.” But his superhero days were short-lived. Peter regained control of his body. Otto has since resumed his supervillain existence in a version of his old body… complete with his absolutely terrible haircut.

Doc Ock’s Powers and Abilities Marvel Comics

Doc Ock has four long, extremely durable metal appendages. They can telescope and feel sensations. The pincers on his arms are capable of gripping with a force of 175 pounds per square inch. He can mentally control them, just as he would his organic limbs. During his time as the Superior Spider-Man, he also had access to all of Peter Parker’s powers too.

How Doc Ock Could Appear Again in the MCU

Thanks to Multiversal shenanigans and one spell from Doctor Strange, the Doc Ock from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films appeared on Earth 616 (a.k.a. “the Sacred Timeline”) in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Could Alfred Molina appear in the MCU again? Nothing is ruling it out. The Multiverse Saga is far from over, and he could still appear in a future Sinister Six project.

The Vulture: A Founding Member of the TeamMarvel Comics/Marvel Studios Vulture’s Comics History

Adrian Toomes was a genius electronics engineer who became one of Spider-Man’s most persistent enemies, Vulture. First showing up in The Amazing Spider-Man #2 in 1963, Toomes designed a winged suit that allows him to fly at incredible speeds. After business partners cheated him out of his livelihood, he turned to a life of crime. Vulture was an original member of the Sinister Six, helping to found the team, and has served on many iterations of the Sinister Six over the years.

Vulture’s Powers and Abilities

Toomes’ Vulture apparatus consists of an electromagnetic anti-graviton generator that he wears as a harness. It not only allows for him to fly stealthily and with superior maneuverability, but the side effects of wearing the harness include enhanced strength. It’s why the Vulture, usually portrayed as a wiry older man, can withstand physical fights with Spider-Man as he battles the hero for the Sinister Six and alone.

Sony PicturesHow Vulture Could Appear Again in the MCU

Michael Keaton famously played Adrian Toomes in Spider-Man: Homecoming. And although Spidey defeated him, he is still alive and in prison. It’s only a matter of time before we see him again. In fact, those who watched Morbius saw him briefly in a confusing cameo. He should have rounded out the Sinister Six in No Way Home, but for unknown reasons, he was absent. If the team forms properly in the MCU, he needs to be there.

Sandman: Sometimes a Hero… Sometimes Not…Marvel Comics/Sony PicturesSandman’s Comics History

William Baker from Queens, New York, was a two-bit criminal who began a life of petty crime after his school expelled him. Taking on the name Flint Marko, Baker was caught in a nuclear testing site, where an accident caused him to bond with sand on a molecular level. He embarked on a life of crime, joining up with the Sinister Six and regularly crossing paths with Spider-Man. In later years, he tried to be a superhero, and even joined the Avengers. But inevitably, he’d became a criminal once more.

Sandman’s Powers and Abilities 

Sandman can transform his body into different sand shapes, both hard and soft. As fans saw in Spider-Man 3, Sandman can transform his hand into a mace, for example, or soften his form to take punches and bullets. He can also become a living sandstorm. Extreme heat impedes him, as it can transform him into glass. But he can, with much concentration, control glass as well. Water is another vulnerability. But as long as the one grain of sand that contains his consciousness isn’t isolated, he’s virtually indestructible. That makes him a big help to the Sinister Six when he’s a part of their team.

How Sandman Could Appear Again in the MCU

Thomas Haden Church played Sandman in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3. It was a fairly comics-accurate version of the character, too. He was one of the villains from Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy transported to Earth-616 in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Although he went back to his home dimension at the end, nothing is stopping him (or a version of him) from joining a future Sinister Six.

Electro: A Shocking TeammateMarvel ComicsElectro’s Comics History

Like many of Spider-Man’s antagonists, Electro started as a blue-collar guy who received superpowers during a freak accident. Maxwell Dillon, an electrician, was struck by lightning while working on power lines. Finding he could now control electricity, he started wearing a garish costume and became the criminal Electro. He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #9 in 1964 and has come to blows with Spidey ever since. Electro was also a founding member of the Sinister Six.

Electro’s Powers and Abilities 

Electro can produce enormous amounts of electricity, up to one million volts. When he charges his body to the highest levels, he becomes stronger and faster than an ordinary human. In recent years, his abilities have evolved to the point where he can become electricity itself, traveling through power lines. Electro is almost indestructible in this form. But just like real electricity, Max Dillon is quite vulnerable to water.

Marvel Comics/Sony PicturesHow Electro Could Appear Again in the MCU

Jamie Foxx, who played Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, crossed over into the MCU in No Way Home. Although Electro appeared differently than he did in his original film appearance, Foxx was the very same Electro who fought Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man. And just like with Doc Ock, he wound up in Earth-616 through Multiversal fractures. He could return to join the Sinister Six at some point.

Mysterio: The Sinister Six Gave Him His Spotlight Marvel ComicsMysterio’s Comics History

First fighting Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man #13 in 1964, the man known as Mysterio was a former special effects master Quentin Beck. Seeing no glory in behind-the-scenes work, he craved the attention of being an actor. When that didn’t pay off for him, he used his talents of creating illusions to commit crimes. This caused him to have several run-ins with Spider-Man across the years and led him to help found the Sinister Six.

Mysterio’s Powers and Abilities

Mysterio actually has no super abilities to speak of. But he is, however, a master of special effects and stage illusions, while also being a proficient hypnotist and magician. He’s learned quite a bit about robotics as well. But when it comes to a Mysterio vs. Spider-Man showdown, none of these skills have ever allowed him to defeat the hero, not even with his Sinister Six allies. 

How the Sinister Six’s Mysterio Could Appear in the MCUSony Pictures

Just like Vulture, Mysterio has already appeared in the MCU, as he was the main villain in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Although the MCU version, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, was actually a scientist who worked for and grew to resent Tony Stark. He had no Hollywood or movie connections at all. Seeing as he is already in the MCU, he is a prime candidate for the MCU’s Sinister Six. Assuming he’s not really dead, as Far From Home implied.

Kraven the Hunter: A Hunter ObsessedMarvel ComicsKraven’s Comics History

The Sinister Six’s Sergei Kravinoff, better known as Kraven the Hunter, first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #15. (Those early issues produced a lot of iconic villains). A big-game hunter of world renown, he came to New York to prove himself as the world’s best by capturing Spider-Man. His failure humiliated him, and thus capturing and killing the wall-crawler became a lifelong obsession.

Kraven’s Powers and Abilities

Kraven only has powers due to taking an unnamed potion concocted of jungle herbs. By ingesting it, Kraven received superhuman abilities like strength, speed, and durability. His sight, hearing, and sense of smell were all enhanced, making him a natural hunter. The abilities also affect his aging process. Kraven is well over 70 years old but appears to be about 30.

How Kraven Could Appear in the MCUSony Pictures

Kraven is a bit of a conundrum. A live-action solo film is coming out soon, starring Aaron Taylor Johnson. But he has yet to appear in any Spider-Man movie, despite his A-list villain status. It’s unclear which universe Kraven will inhabit. If he becomes a Sinister Six member in the MCU, it will likely be in a later incarnation of the team.

The Green Goblin: The Sinister Six? Try The Sinister Twelve Green Goblin’s Comics History

The Green Goblin has long been considered Spider-Man’s greatest enemy. As the father of Peter Parker’s best friend Harry, wealthy industrialist Norman Osborn grew close to Spider-Man, learning all his secrets. After taking an experimental “Goblin formula,” he grew super strong, but also mad. Using equipment of his own design, like the now-famous Green Goblin pumpkin bombs and gliders, he embarked on a life of crime. There, he came into conflict with Spider-Man.

Marvel Comics

Developing a deep hatred for Spidey after many defeats, he killed his girlfriend Gwen Stacy. As if that wasn’t enough, he made many other attempts at ruining Peter’s life as well. Despite his status as Spidey’s biggest foe, Goblin didn’t join the Sinister Six proper. Instead, he doubled the team in size and became leader of the Sinister Twelve. This occurs in Marvel Knights Spider-Man #10. The Hobgoblin, a different villain who uses Green Goblin’s tech and overall appearance, joined the Sinister Six long before, in 1990’s The Amazing Spider-Man #335.

Green Goblin’s Powers

Due to the Goblin Formula, Norman Osborn possesses superhuman strength, increased speed, reflexes, endurance, intelligence, and a healing factor. All of these abilities came at the cost of his sanity, however. Aside from his powers, he also has tons of advanced weaponry of his own design. This includes his Goblin Glider and a series of pumpkin bombs and jack-o’-lantern grenades. But Norman Osborn’s biggest “power” has always been his vast wealth and intelligence.

How Green Goblin Could Appear Again in the MCUSony Pictures

Willem Dafoe’s version of the Goblin appeared as the prime antagonist in No Way Home. Although his version seems unlikely to go the villainous route again, as we’ve mentioned before, there’s a whole Multiverse out there with plenty of other Norman Osborns in it.

Other Sinister Six MembersSony Pictures

Naming all of the Sinister Six members is nearly impossible. Almost every villain Spider-Man has battled has been a Sinister Six member at least once—even if they were one-off participants. Notable members who joined the team briefly include Beetle, Chameleon, Shocker, Hammerhead, Scorpion, and even Venom and Carnage. The Lizard was only a member a couple of times, despite appearing in No Way Home.

Sometimes the name of the team expanded to Sinister Seven, then Sinister Twelve, then even Sinister Sixteen. Once, there was even a Sinister Sixty! We doubt we’ll get there anytime soon, though. Let’s just make it to six first.

We’ll see who makes the final live-action Sinister Six cut when they officially appear as a team. If we know anything about the MCU, it’s that we could always have curveballs thrown our way. But, hopefully, we will have some kind of project to explore this nuanced team.

Originally published August 31, 2021.

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Jon Stewart Is Returning to THE DAILY SHOW

Jon Stewart is back at The Daily Show! Over a year after Trevor Noah stepped away from the popular late-night talk show, his predecessor is coming in to cover the 2024 election. Stewart was the host of The Daily Show from 1999 until 2015. But for fans who think he will make a daily appearance, think again. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jon Stewart is only coming back to The Daily Show on Monday nights. A team of correspondents will handle all other nights. He previously expressed that doing The Daily Show was supremely exhausting, so this is a nice plan to prevent burnout while still doing something he loves. Who wouldn’t want to work one day a week and (presumably) make lots of money?

Comedy Central

He will begin his assignment on February 12 and also serve as an executive producer. Here’s what Chris McCarthy, President/CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios had to say about Stewart’s return:

“Jon Stewart is the voice of our generation, and we are honored to have him return to Comedy Central’s The Daily Show to help us all make sense of the insanity and division roiling the country as we enter the election season. In our age of staggering hypocrisy and performative politics, Jon is the perfect person to puncture the empty rhetoric and provide much-needed clarity with his brilliant wit.”

This is an interesting (and quite logical) move after Stewart left his Apple TV+ show, The Problem. That exit stemmed from creative differences between him and the company over potential topics and guests. Sometimes, circling back to a previous workplace for another round is not a bad idea. He certainly still has a fanbase that will tune in for his trademark commentary and wit. We will absolutely need both during this election year.

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The History of TRUE DETECTIVE’s Terrifying Yellow King

It’s been a full ten years since the first season of HBO’s True Detective, which feels at once like an exceptionally long time and like no time at all. Time is, it has been said, a flat circle, but it’s like it’s from a different era. Given the show’s lackluster sophomore season, and the four-year gap between then and season three premiering January 13, it wouldn’t be that surprising if you’ve forgotten most things about season one. But in addition to a few bravura directorial flairs and some ponderous bloviating by Matthew McConaughey’s Rust Cohle, the one thing everyone remembers is the season’s terrifying villain, the Yellow King, and his cosmically strange home base of “Carcosa.”

What separated the first season from all other gritty police procedural was how the mystery worked in troubling metaphysical themes. The aforementioned flat circle of time is one example, but even the serial murders at the heart of the story. Women left dead, bound, naked, and adorned with antlers gave the impression of some dark, deep evil, far more ceremonial and ritualistic than the usual murder. As the investigation continued, Cohle and his long-suffering partner Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) began to uncover long standing corruption and cover-ups which allowed the cult of the Yellow King to thrive. The powerful will protect the powerful.

HBO

There’s a lot of cosmic horror in everything having to do with the Yellow King in the series, and they all point back to Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. Errol Childress, the Yellow King’s true identity, is described by children as the “spaghetti-faced man” owing to his distinctive facial scars. This could be an allusion to Cthulhu himself, the bat-winged behemoth with the head of an octopus and tentacles over his mouth. He is, in the story “The Call of Cthulhu,” the harbinger of the apocalypse, his mere awakening would mean the end of all life as we know it. Childress never gets that bad, but the themes are still there.

Childress–in his very first appearance, when he is just a weird lawnmower guy that Detectives Gilbough and Pipania ask for directions–makes mention of his family having been in that area a “long, long time.” This explains why he was protected by the families of the county for so long, but also parallels the ancient, almost eternal way he–as a representation of cosmic evil–has been lurking in similar places in similar times immemorial. One of the hallmarks of the Cthulhu Mythos is that the entities are ancient and forever, never destroyed, but merely dormant.

HBO

A much more pronounced reference is the Yellow King himself and his home of Carcosa. The American author Robert W. Chambers wrote a book of short stories first published in 1895 entitled The King in Yellow. The book contains ten short stories, the first four of which are weird, macabre tales relating to the fictional in-universe play called The King in Yellow, which causes anyone who has ever read it or seen it to fall into deep despair and madness.The four stories that begin the collection all deal in some way with the King in Yellow and his accursed Yellow Sign, the very sight of which, or possession thereof even unknowingly, is susceptible to some form of insidious mind control, or possession, by the King in Yellow. The first story, “The Repairer of Reputations,” is one of the most celebrated examples and evidently takes place in a dystopian future version of 1920s New York, although it’s possible–and likely–the main character and narrator is unreliable and insane due to a head injury and his connection to the cursed play.

HBO

The second story is only minorly connected, but the third story, “In the Court of the Dragon,” tells of a man who goes to a church in Paris and is suddenly overcome with an unending fear of something. He soon is put at ease by the church organist playing music, but that quickly gives way when the organist plays loudly and discordantly, and the organist himself stands and stares at the narrator with a look of unfathomable hatred. The man runs away, but sees the organist everywhere until he finally attacks him. The man awakens back in the church and realizes he’s been overtaken by the King in Yellow, and the church fades away to reveal the majestic and terrible city of Carcosa.

And the fourth story, “The Yellow Sign,” finds an artist troubled by a churchyard watchman who resembles “a coffin worm,” and explains how the Yellow Sign’s original creator was not human. Lovecraft and other writers such as August Derleth who followed Chambers incorporated Carcosa and the King in Yellow into their storytelling, and it has since become part of the Cthulhu Mythos that the King in Yellow (given the Outer God name of Hastur) is a brother of Cthulhu and a key figure in the Mythos.

HBO

This all relates back to True Detective in truly upsetting ways. Is Childress truly the Yellow King, or is he merely a servant? In the final episode when Rust and Marty finally confront Childress and the psycho retreats into a massive, labyrinthine set of ruins, we know it to be Carcosa, and it looks just as creepy and unknowable as we’d been led to believe. Rust runs into a large antechamber with skeletal remains strung up in a tree, and he even briefly sees a swirling vortex in the roof before Childress attacks.

HBO

True Detective season one never fully explains this strange, cosmic occurrence, nor many of the other unexplained mysteries, but the end result is something troubling and chilling. Lots of edgy crime series will have a serial killer tied to devil worship or demonology, but True Detective, to my mind, was the first to tie a serial killer to the nihilistic, apocalyptic cosmic horror of Lovecraft and his ilk.

If time is indeed a flat circle, then we may yet again see the awe and terror of sweet Carcosa, where true evil lies. True Detective‘s fourth season, True Detective: Night Country, is currently airing on HBO. And already, it seems like this latest chapter of the series may just take us back to where it all began.

Featured Image: HBO

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 Instagram and Letterboxd.

Originally published on January 9, 2019.

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ROAD HOUSE Remake Poster Reveals Easter Eggs, Release Date, and Jake Gyllenhaal in Classic Role

Remakes are everywhere these days. And, at the same time, the ’80s are making a comeback in a big way. Just look at the success of shows like Stranger Things and the Prime Video hit, Paper Girls. So it only follows that an ’80s remake would enter our orbit. And that’s exactly what we’re getting. Move over Patrick Swayze! Jake Gyllenhaal is set to star in a remake of the cult-movie Road House. We haven’t seen too much from the movie yet, but its first poster comes chock full of Easter eggs, which is something we always enjoy. Of course, we also enjoy a too-cool-for-school Jake Gyllenhaal, who is a little bloody and has forgotten to button up his shirt. The Road House remake’s first-look poster gives us all this, and even throws in a release date on top. Let’s take a look.

Road House Remake Poster Is Brimming with Easter Eggs

At Nerdist, we love a good Easter egg and reference. And that’s why this Road House poster was a feast for our eyes. Before we break down what exactly there is to see here, aside from the obvious, we’ll let you know that there are five Easter eggs to hunt down in total. Ready? Let’s dive in.

Prime Video

Taken a good look? What did you find? Well, we’ll unlock the mysteries for you either way. Here are the five Road House Easter eggs hidden in the remake’s poster. (We’ll start with the background on the bottom left of Jake Gyllenhaal and work our way up, over, and around him):

In the 1989 Road House film, the owner of the dive bar takes a sharpie and alters a graffiti message from “F*ck” to “Buick,” so it reads, “For a great Buick, call 555-7617.” You can find that message on the left-hand side of the bar in this poster. If you squint, you can see the glass on the bar to Gyllenhaal’s left reads “Double Deuce” which is a nod to the bar in the 1989 movie.Starting from the left and ending on the right, we get three simple rules that Patrick Swayze would really like us to follow. (Of course, on the poster, these have been brought to their most concise forms for space.) These three Road House rules are: 1. Expect the unexpected, 2. Take it outside, 3. Be nice. In the 1989 film a giant monster truck called Bigfoot #7 demolishes a car dealership. You can see its picture in the right corner of the bar.What’s cooler than being cool? In the 1989 movie, Patrick Swayze plays a character called Dalton who turns into a philosophy-grad-nightclub-bouncer or “cooler.” Hence the cooler on this Road House remake poster.

There you have it. This Road House remake is bring us a lot of fun already. Here’s a little bit more about the movie itself.

Prime Video’s Road House Shares Its Synopsis and Release Date

The official synopsis shares, “In this adrenaline-fueled reimagining of the 80s cult classic, ex-UFC fighter Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems.” Well, it would be too easy if paradise was actually paradise.

This echoes the original Road House script, which starred Patrick Swayze in the role Jake Gyllenhaal will soon fill. Instead of Florida, the original ’80s movie took place in Missouri and involved the evil-doing of a corrupt businessman.

MGM/Prime Video

As revealed by the Road House remake’s first-look poster, the movie will release on Prime Video on March 21.

The Road House Remake’s Cast and Production Team

In addition to Gyllenhaal, also starring in the remake are Billy Magnussen, Suicide Squad‘s Daniela Melchior, Gbemisola Ikumelo, and Lukas Gage. Additionally, UFC champion Conor McGregor will star in the film, marking his major acting debut. Joaquim de Almeida, Darren Barnet, Kevin Carroll, and JD Pardo have also come aboard the cast. Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry will pen the scripts. Meanwhile, Doug Liman will direct Road House.

Warner Bros

Liman notes, “I’m thrilled to put my own spin on the beloved Road House legacy. And I can’t wait to show audiences what Jake and I are going to do with this iconic role.” Patrick Swayze is, of course, a legend, and those who love the original Road House may not immediately accept Gyllenhaal in the role. Remakes don’t always hit in the right way. Then again, the ’80s are back baby, and this Road House remake could be a lot of fun. Good luck to you, Jake Gyllenhaal.

Originally published on August 24, 2022.

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Who Is STAR WARS’ Asajj Ventress? The Force Wielding Warrior, Explained

Star Wars fans were shocked to see the character of Asajj Ventress alive and well in the new trailer for the final season of The Bad Batch. Surprised, but elated, as she remains a popular character who suffered an ignoble death off-screen. But who is this Force-wielding warrior? Although debuting outside the official Star Wars canon, Asajj Ventress was conceived for the big screen, way back in 2000.

Lucasfilm Asajj Ventress Was Created for Attack of the Clones, But Debuted in the Expanded Universe Lucasfilm

Asajj Ventress has a complicated history in the Star Wars universe. Lucasfilm originally conceived her as a Sith villain for Attack of the Clones. Before they invented Count Dooku as the new Sith for that film, Lucasfilm artist Dermot Power created a new female Sith apprentice for Darth Sidious. Her original name was Juno Eclipse. Although she didn’t make it into the film, George Lucas didn’t discard her. He resurrected her for the original 2003 Clone Wars animated micro-series, where she was Count Dooku’s dark side assassin. Although technically, she’d first appear in a Dark Horse Comics issue of Star Wars: Republic. She’d later appear in various expanded universe novels and comics, fighting Jedi in many battles during the prequel era.

The Clone Wars Brings Asajj Ventress into Star Wars CanonLucasfilm

Thanks to the 2008 The Clone Wars animated series, Ventress really developed as a character, and became an official part of the Star Wars canon. Voiced impeccably by actress Nika Futterman, Ventress was once again portrayed as a dark side warrior under the command of Count Dooku. She fought our heroic lead Jedis several times in the first two seasons, leading Separatist forces against many Republic clones and their Jedi generals. But as the series continued, fans got new insights into Asajj, and her popularity continued to rise. Eventually, she became a more complex character than just a tool of the Sith.

The Origin Story of Asajj VentressLucasfilm

In season three of The Clone Wars, Asajj gets a proper origin story. We learned that she was born on the planet Dathomir, home of the witches known as the Nightsisters. Eventually, while still a child, the Nightsisters sold her to a band of criminals. She almost certainly would have died during a pirate attack as a youngling, but a Jedi named Ky Narec saved her life, after crashing on the planet Rattatak. Narec instantly sensed her Force potential and began her informal Jedi training.

The Twin Red Lightsabers of Asajj Ventress, the Sith’s Assassin Lucasfilm

Sadly, Asajj’s training was cut short when warlord Osika Kirske killed Narec before Ventress could truly become a Jedi. She believed the Jedi abandoned her beloved master, and ignored the plight of her planet. This bitterness resulted in pure hatred for the Jedi Order. As she grew older and more hateful, she fell under the sway of Count Dooku, who recruited her as his new apprentice. She wields two crimson lightsabers with a curved handle, just as in her original concept art for Attack of the Clones. At the dawn of the Clone Wars, she became Dooku’s principal weapon.

Asajj Ventress Becomes a Nightsister of DathomirLucasfilm

As Ventress grew more powerful, her existence threatened to the Sith “Rule of Two,” which proclaimed there could only be two Sith at any given time. Darth Sidious ordered Dooku to assassinate her, but she survived. Hellbent on revenge, Ventress returned to her birth world of Dathomir. There, she became a fully fledged Nightsister. When General Grievous later murdered her sisters, Ventress once again found herself the sole survivor of a massacre. She became a bounty hunter, and even helped mentor a young Boba Fett. Although never a true “good guy” by the end of The Clone Wars, Asajj Ventress helped Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker clear Tano’s name when she was framed for murder.

Asajj Ventress Falls for Jedi Quinlan Vos, Dies Saving His LifeLucasfilm

Lucasfilm planned a final arc for Ventress in The Clone Wars, however they canceled the series in 2013. That unproduced arc became the basis for Asajj Ventress’ storyline in the 2015 novel Dark Disciple by Christie Golden. In that canon book, Asajj Ventress teams up with for a mission to kill Count Dooku. During this adventure, Ventress unexpectedly falls in love with Vos. In the novel’s climax, Dooku kills her with Force lightning. Vos then returns Ventress’ body to her homeworld of Dathomir so she may rest with her fellow Nightsisters, who also lost their lives to Dooku’s forces.

The Bad Batch Sees the Return of Asajj Ventress, as a Jedi?Lucasfilm

No one’s ever really gone! As The Bad Batch season three trailer showed us, Asajj Ventress survived the events of Dark Disciple. Or maybe she did really die, and someone (or something) resurrected her. How and why this happens is still a mystery. Yet her new look comes straight from designs created for The Clone Wars arc that became Dark Disciple. So for the first time, we see Ventress with hair, and not her usual bald-headed self. She also fights with a yellow-bladed lightsaber, a blade usually reserved for Jedi Temple guards (and later, Rey Skywalker).

Does Asajj Ventress Have a Future in The Mandalorian or Ahsoka?

So what does this mean for the future of Asajj Ventress? If she survives the events of The Bad Batch season three that is. But it seems nonsensical to bring her back only to kill her off again. Dave Filoni could have big plans for her going forward. We might even see our first live-action Ventress. Imagine Din Djarin fighting against (or with) Ventress in a future season of The Mandalorian. Or maybe Ahsoka encountered her old enemy as an adult. After all, Ventress is a Nightsister, and they are a big part of the Ahsoka series. From dead and gone to a wide-open future, Asajj Ventress may have a larger role in the unfolding Star Wars saga.

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