Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 405

Marvel’s ECHO Teaser Promises Daredevil, Darkness, and Blood

After meeting Echo—a skilled fighter and former member of the Tracksuit Mafia—in Hawkeye, fans wanted to see more of her. The MCU is telling a wider array of stories from different backgrounds in its latest offering. And that will continue with this character, who is Deaf and Native American. Now it’s time to focus on Maya Lopez, a.k.a. Echo’s, story in Echo, a series heading to Disney+.

The latest teaser for Marvel Studio’s Echo has us at the edge of our seats. This violent entry into the MCU’s world really feels like nothing else we’ve seen so far. In addition to all the darkness and blood, we also see Daredevil’s return to the MCU. It definitely looks like things will be very different from when we last saw him in She-Hulk.

Here’s everything we know about Echo so far. 

Title Marvel Studios

The title of this series is Echo (more formally Marvel’s Echo.) 

Echo’s Plot 

We don’t know a lot about the plot right now. But Marvel’s synopsis does give us a bit to work with: 

…the origin story of Echo revisits Maya Lopez, whose ruthless behavior in New York City catches up with her in her hometown. She must face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward.

Behind the Scenes 

Several of the show’s creatives are Native American, including directors Sydney Freeland (Navajo tribe) and Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai tribe). Executive producers include Kevin Feige (obviously), Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Stephen Broussard, Richie Palmer, Marion Dayre, and Jason Gavin (Blackfeet tribe). Echo’s co-executive producers are Amy Rardin, Sydney Freeland, Christina King (Seminole tribe), and Jennifer Booth.

Echo’s Cast Marvel Studios

Alaqua Cox will return as Maya Lopez/Echo. The Echo TV show also stars Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Cody Lightning, and Graham Greene in roles that aren’t clear yet. Zahn McClarnon will portray William Lopez, Echo’s father. And, we are getting some familiar MCU faces in the form of Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio as Matt Murdock/Daredevil and Wilson Fisk/Kingpin respectively. 

Echo’s Release Date 

The Echo series received an official release date of November 29, 2023, but reportedly it will now release in January 2024. And, in an unusual move for the platform, all episodes of Echo will drop at one time. That means we can view the season all at once, which of course, we enjoy doing. Some series are better suited to this format. We just hope that’s the case for Echo and the reason behind this choice.

Originally published in 2021.

The post Marvel’s ECHO Teaser Promises Daredevil, Darkness, and Blood appeared first on Nerdist.

THE WHEEL OF TIME’s Fares Fares and Natasha O’Keeffe Discuss Playing Ishamael and Lanfear

The Wheel of Time’s second season brought layers of complexity to Prime Video’s adaptation of Robert Jordan’s fantasy series. The season began with the Two Rivers youths scattered and on separate journeys of self-discovery. Each faced the looming shadow of the Dark One. That including confronting two of his most devoted members of the Forsaken: Ishamael and Lanfear. Wildly powerful and focused on their own goals, the duo manipulated Rand and his friends. However, they showed their humanity too. We talked separately with actors Fares Fares and Natasha O’Keeffe about exploring the right balance for Ishamael and Lanfear.

Finding Ishamael’s HumanityPrime Video

Though Ishamael appeared in The Wheel of Time season one finale, none of the characters were aware of his true identity. Season two revealed who he is. It gave Fares Fares the opportunity to fully explore the character and bring complexity to the leader of the Forsaken. He played Ishamael with gentlemanly, polite qualities.

“Exploring the humanity of Ishamael, that made it so much more interesting and very layered,” Fares said. “I knew when we talked about the character, when we shot the first season already, that a lot of that stuff was going to happen in season two. For me, it’s not very interesting to kind of portray someone that’s pure evil. There’s no fun in it. And it wouldn’t be convincing for me to try to convince the others to join our cause because if I wouldn’t believe in it, they wouldn’t either. It would be too obvious. They would be like, ‘Oh no, that sounds stupid. Why should we listen to you?’ But if I was humane and convincing, it would make it so much more interesting.”

From Selene to LanfearPrime Video

Lanfear also hid her identity at first. She entered the story as Selene, a wry and wise inn owner in Cairhien. Rand fell in love with Selene, learning too late that she’s one of the Forsaken. Natasha O’Keeffe said it was tricky to keep the Lanfear out of Selene. “I had to really keep a cap on my excitement of getting to play Lanfear. Because if you imagine, for so long—or what felt like so long—what you’re doing is playing that different kind of character,” she said. “The thing is, I think Lanfear is actually a really good actress. When she is Selene, she is Selene. She’s embodying that character in herself because otherwise I just don’t think she’d be able to convince him [Rand] all that strongly.”

She joked it was freeing to finally play Lanfear just so Selene could let people know what she was up to. And that included her designs on Rand, the reincarnation of Lanfear’s former lover, Lews Therin. “Rand is there, and he’s showing signs of potential to be maybe a man that could step into Lews Therin’s shoes. That intrigues her, because I don’t think she ever meant to fall for him in such a way,” O’Keeffe said. “For her, it doesn’t matter that it’s a different person really. As long as she knew there was a little sprinkle of Lews in there, that’s enough. That’s how much she loved Lews.”

O’Keeffe thinks of Lanfear’s darkness as a sickness, like she’s sick in love. That contributes to why Lanfear is so determined to be with Rand and relive that love again, even though horrible things happened to her the last time.

Ishamael and Lanfear, Working Together (Mostly)Prime Video

Ishamael freed Lanfear from her prison by breaking the cuendillar seal and summoning her. They both serve the Dark One, but each of them approaches their end goals in different fashions. Ishamael is willing to play the long game; Lanfear tends to be more impulsive. Both are powerful.

“Ishamael knew that he needed Lanfear. That’s why she was the first one that he brought in. He knew that,” Fares explained. “But I feel like he believes in the idea that to be able to change someone, you need the time to do it. He doesn’t really use his powers that much. He knows that he’s too powerful and that he doesn’t need to use them. It’s more interesting, the way he started was trying to make Rand’s friends to join the cause first and then get to Rand that way. He probably knew that he couldn’t trust Lanfear, although he loved her so much as a friend, but he wasn’t counting on her interrupting his plan by moving too fast.”

Prime Video

Lanfear and Ishamael have a long history, going back to being friends with Lews Therin during the Age of Legends. It showed in their scenes together, which Fares and O’Keeffe both enjoyed filming. “Those were  my favorite scenes in the season,” Fares said. “First of all, the scenes are complex, but also I really loved working with Natasha. We had a great chemistry together and you could see that coming out. We took our time, and had mutual respect, and we played with some stuff and that added a few layers to the scenes and I feel it was great.”

O’Keeffe likewise gushed about Fares. “It genuinely was that much fun having scenes with Fares. And it is a beautiful thing when it feels like that when you’re having fun with somebody and then it bounces onto the screen. Fares is very laid back and I thought his choices for Ishamael as an actor were really interesting because it wasn’t—he was really broken as well, isn’t he? It’s very painful to be him. He didn’t just play that pure evil. And I don’t think that’s the intention with any of the Forsaken.”

The Flashback with Lews TherinPrime Video

To illustrate that, we saw a flashback with Ishamael and Lews Therin in the Age of Legends. It’s just before Lews seals Ishamael into his prison. Ishamael asks Lews for the mercy of friendship. It shows the vulnerability in Ishamael, and also how weary he is of the cycle.

Fares recalled, “It was amazing working on the Old Tongue, practicing all that stuff with the dialect coach and practicing a new language and understanding the words, and then the meaning of the words to be able to make the scene, but also to show that Lews Therin was really his best friend. And I guess I saw that at some point it started as an argument [between them,] like, we are going for the same thing, but we believe in different paths for it. This is how I imagined it started. Throughout the season you can see that he still has a huge respect for him, and that he still has a lot of love for him as well.”

“Seeing Ishamael and that scene, being in a way weak, because I was playing the character as if he was a cat and in total control of everyone, he toys with everyone basically more or less,” Fares continued, “And that scene with Lews Therin and with Old Tongue, he wasn’t in control at all. He was very desperate. And you can see those moments in Ishamael in that scene. And also when he realized that he’s going to be in prison forever and this is the last thing that he wants.”

Prime Video

It’s why Ishamael’s defeat in Falme landed so squarely. Fares said, in a way, Ishamael let it happen. “One of his goals is to end everything and to end it all because the suffering is just too great. And he knows that. He probably saw it in the moment when Rand was walking up to him that… this is maybe the ultimate death and that means the end of suffering, at least for him. And I think he kind of took that opportunity when it came. Other than that, we’ll have to wait and see.”

All episodes of The Wheel of Time season two are available to watch on Prime Video.

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RICK AND MORTY: THE ANIME Clip Offers Multiversal Sneak Peek at the Series

Ready for even more of Rick and Morty‘s wild world? Well, you’re in luck because we’re about to see the show in a whole new way. Adult Swim has officially ordered a Rick and Morty anime series. Of course, we’ve seen Rick and Morty anime shorts before, but they’ve been, well, short. This time, Rick and Morty: The Anime will get a full ten episodes, according to Deadline. And now, we have a new look at what’s in store for us in Rick and Morty: The Anime. Adult Swim has released a clip that gives us a sneak peek of the series as well first-look teaser trailer. Both of these offer us a good look at the animation and a sense of what this Rick and Morty anime will unleash.

Rick and Morty: The Anime First Looks, Clips, and More

The description of Rick and Morty: The Anime‘s sneak peek clip shares, “While flying near space distortion, Rick finds himself surrounded by multiple versions of himself from parallel universes.” Seems par for the course.

Meanwhile, our first-look teaser trailer comes with some insights from director Takashi Sano. Take a look at what he has to say about bringing Rick and Morty this whole new world of anime.

Although there’s no release date yet, we’re excited to see the progress on the show. Eventually, this Rick and Morty offshoot will air on Adult Swim and Max. As far as where it stands in canon, Rick and Morty: The Anime will remain separate from the main series. But it will, however, “adapt themes and events from the original title.” The teaser trailer doesn’t reveal much more to us than that. The show does not yet have an official synopsis.

‘RICK AND MORTY: THE ANIME’ is in the works at Adult Swim. pic.twitter.com/WEc5v6LXqs

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 18, 2022

Rick and Morty‘s Anime History and Future

As mentioned, Takashi Sano, who directed Tower of God, will also direct this series. Sano led two of the aforementioned Rick and Morty anime shorts already. He directed both “Rick and Morty vs. Genocider” and “Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil).”

Adult Swim

We’ve greatly enjoyed both these previous Rick and Morty anime outings. They’ve been touching, confusing, weird, and really excellent additions to the franchise as a whole. Clearly, Adult Swim thought so too.

Sano’s Rick and Morty anime shorts accomplished so much with so little space, we can’t imagine what he’ll do with a full ten episodes. We wonder if each episode will stand alone or if there will be a throughline connecting them all together. It’s too early to tell, but at least we know the series is in safe hands. Not just anyone could adapt Rick and Morty‘s world successfully.

Sano recently shared at SDCC 2023 (via Comicbook.com), “What I’ve tried to accomplish in 10 episodes is to take all of my favorite parts of Rick and Morty…compress them down to extract their essence, and then add a unique Japanese twist. I’d like you to enjoy Rick and Morty‘s adventures as they’re whisked through time and space, tangled up in all sorts of chaos… And after all 10 episodes I think you’ll find yourself in a particular state of mind. And that state, I believe, best reflects the feelings I get watching Rick and Morty. I hope you enjoy the new series. Please, do check it out!”

Adult SwimThis Rick and Morty Outing Will Be Subbed

Rick and Morty: The Anime will also be subbed and not dubbed, like the show’s anime shorts before it.

Subbed

— SPIRAL CURSE DEMARCO (@Clarknova1) May 18, 2022

As we wait for this new show, we’ll be rewatching the shorts that already exist and pondering the infinite possibilities this upcoming series offers to us. We have a feeling our minds are about to be blown.

Originally published on May 18, 2022.

The post RICK AND MORTY: THE ANIME Clip Offers Multiversal Sneak Peek at the Series appeared first on Nerdist.

The Death and Rebirth of Rick and Morty | Mort: Ragnarick Breakdown

Welcome back, Rick and Morty fans! This week’s penultimate episode of the season saw Rick and Morty on an adventure of morality, faith, and cryptids. Dan dives in to break it all down on today’s Nerdist News!

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From STAR WARS to the MCU, Which Buildings in Fiction Are the Tallest?

In the real world, we marvel at skyscrapers like One World Trade Center, or the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. But those buildings are simply dwarfed by the ones folks create in their imaginations. But which imaginary buildings are the biggest? Buildworld has recently ranked the tallest buildings as seen in fiction, across film, books, and video games. And the answers as to what the tallest buildings are might surprise you. They’ve released their findings in a series of infographics, and you’ll spot several iconic monoliths from Star Wars, games like Grand Theft Auto, and more. You can check them out in our gallery below.

Click To View Gallery BuildworldUK Buildworld BuildworldUK Buildworld Buildworld

It’s interesting to see that the tallest structure by a significant margin in films comes from the galaxy far, far away. Standing at 4,343 meters tall is the Coruscant residential complex at 500 Republica. We first saw it in The Phantom Menace, as the home of the Galactic Senate’s most elite members. Coming in at second place is the Tyrell Corporation headquarters, from the futuristic Los Angeles we saw in Blade Runner. That cityscape was a direct influence on the looks of Coruscant in Star Wars.

Marvel Studios/New Line Cinema/Lucasfilm

Both of these structures make some other famous buildings from movies seem very tiny. Even Barad-dûr, home to the Eye of Sauron from The Lord of the Rings, can’t compete when it comes to size. Hogwarts looks like a two-story apartment complex next to them. As for the skyscrapers from various Marvel movies? These tend to have something closer to real-world proportions. So Avengers Tower and the Oscorp Tower from The Amazing Spider-Man films mostly seem like regular old buildings in comparison. The buildings from the Grand Theft Auto series are way more down to Earth as well. As for us, well, we’re more comfortable closer to the ground. Has anyone got a hobbit hole with a spare room?

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STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS’ Cast Reflects on Season 2

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds continued its excellent exploration of different genres in its second season, giving us more of the layered characters we got to know in season one. The Paramount+ original series accomplished notable firsts for Star Trek—a musical episode and a crossover with Star Trek animated series Lower Decks—while never compromising story. During a panel for the SAG-AFTRA Conversations at Home program, I talked to the ensemble cast of Strange New Worlds about those firsts, significant character moments, the Gorn, and more. Joining the panel were Anson Mount (Christopher Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley), Ethan Peck (Spock), Celia Rose Gooding (Nyota Uhura), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortegas), and Babs Olusanmokun (Joseph M’Benga).

The Musical EpisodeParamount+

“Subspace Rhapsody” claimed a piece of our heart from the first viewing. The U.S.S. Enterprise encountered an entity that caused the crew to share their deepest feelings and thoughts in the form of uncontrollable song and dance. It required an extra commitment for the cast, as they needed to squeeze in time to practice and record. Christina Chong, a singer herself, was ready for it. She said, “I mean, I was incredibly excited. It was one of my dreams to do that, to be in a film or TV musical. So for me, it was literally my career coming 360 and living out a dream.”

Anson Mount said they’d been lobbying the showrunners to do something like the musical episode for a while. “Not because I’m a singer,” he said. “I’m definitely not, as you can see, but just I like, ‘Oh, no’ situations. They’re really good for creativity. The way that they scheduled it was even better because it came towards the end of a very long shoot seaso, and everybody was—it was a really hard episode to do, as you can imagine. It required a lot of work on the weekends between recording the album and choreography. But everybody was super psyched to be at work every day.”

The Lower Decks CrossoverParamount+

In “Those Old Scientists,” Ensigns Boimler and Mariner went through a time portal and traveled into the past. There, they encounter the Enterprise crew. The Lower Decks characters brought a different kind of energy to the ship—extra energy. The Cerritos crew seemingly operates on buckets of caffeine. But Mount noted with Jonathan Frakes directing, it was smooth sailing. “The episode really could not have happened without Jonathan Frakes, who directs on both series. So he was really the perfect person. With the deep knowledge of Trek to be able to come in and help meld those two tones together, it was really important that he was there at the helm.”

Rebecca Romijn agreed, saying, “Obviously, the energy on an animated show voice-wise is going to be different than on our show. So watching them figure out how to massage that with the help of Jonathan Frakes was crucial.”

The GornParamount+

The Gorn have become a recurring foe for the Enterprise. From first hearing La’an talk about them in season one to the haunting Strange New Worlds season two finale, the Gorn have proven themselves formidable.

“I love it because every time La’an, every time Chrissy [Christina Chong] said ‘the Gorn,’ I got goosebumps on set because only none of us had seen the Gorn. The only character that’s seen them is her,” Melissa Navia said. “That fear is already instilled in the writing and in the plot that you don’t want to be caught by this thing that you hear just the most horrible stories about. But then in the back of my mind, I would sometimes think, but wouldn’t it be great after all this, when we finally see them, they are TOS Gorn?”

Mount added that the show didn’t go for the kitschy take and complimented the special effects team and CG artists. A Gorn on set in the season two finale sounded horrifying. Ethan Peck pointed out, “It’s such a complex mechanism, a very brave and durable stunt person wears this enormously heavy suit. Then there’s a team of technicians that are controlling its expressions, and it was crazy to look into his face and it be expressing and looking at you. It felt very present. One of the amazing things about our show is that so many of the effects are practical and that for us, because you don’t have to, again, fill in so much with your imagination. That Gorn was freaky”

Season three of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is in the works, with production underway. We cannot wait. In the meantime, you can watch the entire conversation with the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast here.

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THE LAST OF US Multiplayer Game Has Been Canceled

Naughty Dog has canceled its The Last of Us multiplayer game, The Last of Us Online. Though the studio has been developing the game for some time, it seems the amount of resourcing needed to get it off the ground and successfully run it would prevent Naughty Dog from doing anything else. Although this news may disappoint fans hoping to play the game together, it sounds like the decision was ultimately the best choice for the franchise. Here’s what Naughty Dog had to say about canceling this multiplayer version of The Last of Us.

Naughty Dog

A release shares:

In ramping up to full production, the massive scope of our ambition became clear. To release and support The Last of Us Online we’d have to put all our studio resources behind supporting post launch content for years to come, severely impacting development on future single-player games. So, we had two paths in front of us: become a solely live service games studio or continue to focus on single-player narrative games that have defined Naughty Dog’s heritage.

Ultimately, although The Last of Us Online offered “an experience we felt was unique and had tremendous potential” and the multiplayer game’s “vision crystalized… gameplay got more refined and satisfying, and [Naughty Dog was] enthusiastic about the direction,” it became untenable for the studio. Taken as read is that ultimately, Naughty Dog has elected to go with the latter choice of focusing on “single-player narrative games.”

Naughty Dog

The release concludes with a tease of the future. It notes, “We have more than one ambitious, brand new single-player game that we’re working on here at Naughty Dog, and we cannot wait to share more about what comes next when we’re ready.”

Although The Last of Us fans were undoubtedly looking forward to a multiplayer option for the game, they still have a lot to look forward to. HBO’s The Last of Us will see its season two release in 2025, and additionally, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered will release for PlayStation 5 on January 19, 2024.

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JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4’s Script Is Now Available Online

By the time an action film franchise reaches its fourth installment, it’s usually starting to run out of steam. (The Mission: Impossible series notwithstanding.) But there was zero franchise fatigue for the latest installment of the John Wick series, which released its fourth, and maybe best, entry this past summer. John Wick: Chapter 4 blew away expectations, and delivered some of the best action set pieces we’ve ever seen. But even with a movie where its lead Keanu Reeves only speaks 380 words, it all starts with the script. Now, you can read the full script for John Wick: Chapter 4 online, written by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch. It’s all a part of Deadline’s “Read the Screenplay” series, which you can check out by clicking here.

Murray Close/Lionsgate

The fourth installment in the John Wick series from Lionsgate is the highest-grossing of the franchise. It raked in some $440 million at the box office. And all on a relatively modest budget of $100 million. It also got stellar reviews from both fans and critics alike. Originally, director Chad Stahelski was going to leave the John Wick series as a trilogy. But later, he and Keanu Reeves came up with the idea of a samurai-inspired movie. Soon, they were off to the races, and John Wick: Chapter 4 became a reality.

If you’ve seen the film (and please, we recommend watching it before reading the script), then you know that John Wick: Chapter 4 fooled us into thinking that it was the end. But alas, there’s a fifth John Wick movie in development. It seems Keanu Reeves will revive himself and choose to go back to the world of the High Table and meticulously dressed contract killers, after all. In the meantime, we will see him in the role of John Wick again soon. He appears in the spin-off film The Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, hitting theaters on June 7, 2024.

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HOTD Seasons 3 and 4 Underway, Marvel Tarot, a PADDINGTON Musical, and Other News

Marvel tarot cards? Check. Renewals for some of our favorite shows? Check. A Paddington Bear musical? Check.

Studio Ghibli/Hasbro/BoxLunch

Here are some of our favorite pop-culture news odds & ends from this week.

Jump to:House of the Dragon Seasons 3 and 4 Are Already In Active Discussion Twisted Metal Has Been Renewed for Season 2Hasbro Announces New X-Men ’97 Inspired Marvel Legends FiguresA Paddington Bear Musical Is in the Works (And a Game of Thrones Play)Foundation Has Been Renewed for Season 3A Marvel Tarot Deck Could Be Perfect for the Nerdy Witch in Your LifeNetflix Finally Releases Some Viewership NumbersMax Renews Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake for Season 2LetterBoxd Adds Movie Showtimes to Help Get Folks to Theaters Build a Festive Cin-Gingerbread House with Cinnamon Toast Crunch KitRobert Pattinson Is an Unhinged Heron in The Boy and the HeronHouse of the Dragon Seasons 3 and 4 Are Already In Active DiscussionHBO

House of the Dragon season two hasn’t even arrived yet, but happily for Game of Thrones fans G.R.R. Martin is already discussing seasons three and four of the series with Max series showrunner Ryan Condal. Martin shared in a blog post, “I also spent two days locked in a room with Ryan Condal and his writing staff (Sara Hess, Ti Mikkel, David Hancock, and Philippa Goslett) talking about the third and fourth seasons of HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. They were lively, fun discussions, and we got some good work done… though two days was not nearly enough. There is so much ground to cover that I am not sure twenty days would have been enough.”

Of course, House of the Dragon has not yet been renewed beyond season two, but we feel confident it will be… and so does Martin. For now, you can check out the teaser trailer for season two of the show.

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Season 2 Brings Intense Stares in First-Look Images

Twisted Metal Has Been Renewed for Season 2

Everyone’s favorite post-apocalyptic dramedy will return for a season two. Peacock announced their series adaptation of the Twisted Metal game would be back for more end-of-the-world adventures sooner rather than later. Anthony Mackie stars in the live-action TV show based on the iconic PlayStation game. We can’t wait to see him back behind the wheel as John Doe. And, of course, more Sweet Tooth the Clown is exactly what we need in our lives.

PeacockHasbro Announces New X-Men ’97 Inspired Marvel Legends FiguresHasbro

We’re very excited for Marvel Studio’s upcoming animated series, X-Men ‘97. In celebration of this reboot of X-Men: The Animated Series, Hasbro has launched a new line of X-Men ‘97-inspired Marvel Legends figures. These include figures of Magneto, Nightcrawler, Jean Grey, Goblin Queen, The X-Cutioner, and Cyclops.

Click To View Gallery Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro Hasbro

Here are some of the stories we’d love to see X-Men ’97 tackle.

X-MEN ’97 Revival Reveals Its Main Characters

A Paddington Bear Musical Is in the Works (And a Game of Thrones Play)StudioCanal

Time to put on your red hat and get ready for adventure. A Paddington Bear musical is officially in the works. According to Variety, it will be released in 2025. Not much is known about Paddington: The Musical yet, but its creative team shares, “We cannot wait to bring Paddington, his antics, adventures and mishaps with the Brown family, and Michael Bond’s other treasured characters to the stage. We hope to inspire audiences of all ages with fun, beauty, joy, and all that Paddington stands for.”

Additionally, a Game of Thrones play is in the works and eyeing a 2024 release. G.R.R. Martin shares in a blog post, “one of the meetings I had in London was with Dominick and Duncan, the director and scriptwriter of our own stage play, the one we have been working on for the past few years. Originally we were calling it HARRENHAL, but we have now settled on THE IRON THRONE as a title… until we think of something better. Regardless, things are coming well, I think, and we are hopeful of being able to open in late 2024.”

As we wait for updates on these, check out what we know about Paddington Bear 3.

PADDINGTON 3 Sets 2025 Release Date and Cast

Foundation Has Been Renewed for Season 3Apple TV+

‘Tis the season for renewals. The sci-fi epic Foundation will return for a season three. So, we guess the Lee Pace shower battle scene really did the trick. We can’t wait to see more from Foundation‘s epic cast and nuanced world in the near future.

A Marvel Tarot Deck Could Be Perfect for the Nerdy Witch in Your LifeBoxLunch

Still trying to fill up a stocking? This Marvel tarot deck could be just the thing for the nerdy witch in your life. This deck features “78 cards with art of characters like She-Hulk, Captain America, Spider-Man, and more” and is available at BoxLunch. We’re already obsessed.

BoxLunch

These fantasy cardigans would also make delightful gifts.

Knock Thrice’s Fantasy Cardigans Will Make Your Next D&D Game Cozy and Stylish

Netflix Finally Releases Some Viewership NumbersNetflix

It is about time we see some transparency from Netflix. On the heels of gains made during Hollywood’s strikes, the streamer has released concrete viewership numbers for its many shows. The information reflects “what people watched on Netflix over a six-month period.” Coming out on top was The Night Agent, while Nerdist favorite Wednesday landed as the fourth most-watched show in second half of 2023. Fascinatingly enough, the now-canceled series Shadow and Bone also seemed to perform favorably. We guess we’ll have to wait and see how this information transparency shapes the landscape.

We’re crossing our fingers Netflix’s One Piece will land at the top of the charts when Netflix releases its next report. It was one of our best TV shows of 2023.

Nerdist’s Best TV Shows of 2023

Max Renews Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake for Season 2Max

It’s time for more Adventure Time. Max has renewed the Adventure Time spinoff series Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake for a second season. Season one was absolutely adorable, so we can’t wait for more adventures with these alternate universe versions of Finn and Jake.

Here’s season one’s trailer if you haven’t watched it yet.

ADVENTURE TIME: FIONNA AND CAKE Trailer Is Packed with Heroes and Heart

LetterBoxd Adds Movie Showtimes to Help Get Folks to TheatersLetterboxd

People head to LetterBoxd to get the scoop on what’s good in the world of movies. And now, if something sounds particularly excellent, users can also immediately see when the movie is playing in theaters in the LetterBoxd interface. This update only makes sense. We first saw this news on The Hollywood Reporter.

If you want to know more about what was good in theaters this year, you can also check out our 2023 “Best Of” list.

Nerdist’s Best Movies of 2023

Build a Festive Cin-Gingerbread House with Cinnamon Toast Crunch KitCinnamon Toast Crunch

Admit it, gingerbread is like your tenth favorite holiday cookie. It could use an update. And that’s why Cinnamon Toast Crunch has made Gingerbread Toast Crunch. And you can even build a Cin-Gingerbread House instead this Christmas season. You can get this festive kit online now. It includes quite a few things, including an ugly sweater and Gingerbread Toast Crunch, but our favorite pieces are the Cinnamon Toast Crunch icing and Cinnadust. Those things sound like they’d be good on a Cin-Gingerbread house, but also just good. Happy Holidays!

Follow this treat up with some Doritos Nacho Cheese liquor.

This Doritos Flavored Liquor Delivers Spicy Cheesy Delight

Robert Pattinson Is an Unhinged Heron in The Boy and the Heron

Robert Pattinson put EVERYTHING into his role as the Gray Heron. 🪽

Experience THE BOY AND THE HERON now in theatres with its star-studded English cast!
🔥 Get tickets now: https://t.co/uErCl3aSTy pic.twitter.com/VTbnbjATwd

— GKIDS Films (@GKIDSfilms) December 10, 2023

When we heard that Robert Pattinson would play the Grey Heron in the latest Studio Ghibli film, we were delighted. And he did not disappoint. But don’t take our word for it. Check out the clip of Pattinson as an unhinged heron above. And then head to theaters to watch the Miyazaki movie.

Studio Ghibli

You can also check out the full English-language dub trailer for the film:

Hayao Miyazaki’s THE BOY AND THE HERON Announces Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson, and More for English-Language Dub

The post HOTD Seasons 3 and 4 Underway, Marvel Tarot, a PADDINGTON Musical, and Other News appeared first on Nerdist.

GEN V’s Lizze Broadway, Asa Germann, and Patrick Schwarzenegger on Love and Phallic Objects

Gen V’s first season gave us the gift of some seriously wild yet loveable college supes. The journey through discovering the dark secrets of Godolkin University was quite the ride full of blood and gore. From the heartbreaking lives of Sam Riordan and Emma Meyer to the mystery of Luke Riordan a.k.a. Golden Boy, there was a lot to explore. We caught up with actors Asa Germann, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Lizze Broadway to dive into the Sam/Emma romance and Golden Boy’s unexpected role in Gen V. 

Nerdist: The final fight scene at God U was wild. Asa, can you tell me what it was like filming those fights?

Asa Germann: Filming that sequence was insane! I think we shot there for 10 days on the lawn of the campus and just witnessing the entire sequence, especially when I wasn’t even in a shot, was incredible. We had tons and tons and tons of people just running around. We had a helicopter. It was amazing. And getting to be a part of that was very special.

Let’s talk about Golden Boy. I think a lot of people assumed that he was going to present himself in a Homelander-ish way, but he ended up completely subverting those expectations. Why do you think it was important for him to occupy that specific role?

Patrick Schwarzenegger: I think what you’re referencing is that he ended up being this really kind person towards Marie [and others]… he was really this humanizing character that cared for the new person and cared for other people. I think that that was a better writing decision because it made you feel for him and buy way more into the story when he ended up dying. Spoiler.

Prime Video

Indeed. And with you, Lizze, there were some wild scenes for Emma. There’s that one scene where you had to film with a very, very large phallic object.

Lizze Broadway: Can we say the word?

I don’t know! I didn’t want to say it…

Broadway: …What should we say? What words can I use?

A…rod?

Interviewer’s Note: Reader, this is where things get chaotic and everyone continuously spirals into laughter. We are not mature people.

Broadway: A rod, a big rod. So how was it being on the big rod?… Because when I saw that big rod… Honestly, I know it’s crazy, but our show, nothing is done for shock value. It’s really character based. So it was really good for Emma’s storyline to ride that rod. 

**insert laughter here**

But honestly, the first time I saw it I was like, this is my chance to add physical comedy. So I could start at the head and slide down. It’s a rod, right? Start at the top of the thing and then slide down. This is not making it any better… [laughs] and then pull out…

Prime Video

Schwarzenegger: Jeez.

Broadway: …[Head of Makeup] Colin Penman… I can’t, I’m trying so hard. [laughs again] Colin Penman gave me such a wonderland to play in… I wanted to do that justice. This is painful, I’m sorry… It was a fun day.

I created chaos and I’m sorry! Moving on… Sam and Emma’s relationship is probably one of my favorite elements of this first season of Gen V. Sadly, they end up on the opposite sides of a major moral debate. Do you think they’ll be able to restore their bond in the future?

Broadway: Absolutely not.

Germann: Whoa! It’s so funny because Lizze and I actually talk about this a lot, and I think that we come at things from a different perspective. We were so ingrained in these characters and getting to explore this relationship dynamic that we will see what happens. 

Broadway: I think that relationship is so beautiful. But I think they both need therapy. I love working with [Asa] as an actor. I think [he brings] the best out of me. So in that context, I would love to have Sam and Emma come back together, but I don’t know if it would be healthy for Emma. I think she needs a lot of therapy.

Brooke Palmer/Prime Video

Germann: …I think in general what I love about this show for both Sam and Emma is that they both have so much struggle internally and they have so much struggle in terms of the environment around them and how they’re responding to it… I feel the same way, in terms of getting to work with Lizze, it was just so much fun to get to explore that relationship and those dynamics and see how we adapted in those environments within ourselves. So I think there’s a lot of room there, but we’ll see what happens.

Broadway: I mean, they’re two misfits that came together and I feel like everyone has suffered from not feeling good enough or fitting in. And then you had these two people coming together that completed them [like] a perfect puzzle piece. And I think that’s every love story that we want.

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