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CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM Is Ending in 2024 with Season 12

As the saying goes, “All good things must come to an end.” Much like Supernatural, which ran for 15 seasons, we just thought Curb Your Enthusiasm would go on forever. But after 12 seasons on HBO, and 51 Emmy nominations, the iconic comedy series from Larry David, where he plays himself (sorta/kinda) is coming to an end. HBO has announced that the upcoming season, which debuts in February, will be its last. The final season will consist of 10 episodes. Here’s what Curb Your Enthusiasm star/producer/creator Larry David had to say about the show’s upcoming ending, and it’s in typical Larry David-speak:

”As Curb comes to an end, I will now have the opportunity to finally shed this ‘Larry David’ persona and become the person God intended me to be – the thoughtful, kind, caring, considerate human being I was until I got derailed by portraying this malignant character. And so ‘Larry David,’ I bid you farewell. Your misanthropy will not be missed. And for those of you who would like to get in touch with me, you can reach me at Doctors Without Borders.”

HBO

Cast members returning for Curb Your Enthusiasm‘s final season include Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, Cheryl Hines, J.B. Smoove, Richard Lewis, Ted Danson, Vince Vaughn, and Tracey Ullman. Despite this being Curb Your Enthusiasm’s twelfth season, the show actually debuted on HBO way back in 2000. So, if it were an actual person, it would be graduating from college already, which is wild to contemplate. The reason for there only being 12 seasons over that many years is that the show had a five-year break from 2011 to 2017. And there were other smaller breaks in between.

The final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm debuts on Sunday, February 4. on HBO. It also streams on Max the same day. New episodes will drop every Sunday, with the series finale arriving on April 7. We can’t wait to see how Curb Your Enthusiasm will end.

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GEN V Stars Jaz Sinclair, London Thor, and Derek Luh on Filming and MarieJordan Love

Gen V exploded onto television and brought all the energy of The Boys universe to a university. The show’s first season follows a group of college supes at Godolkin University who discover dark secrets at their school. At the heart of this collective is Marie Moreau, a freshman with the power to manipulate and weaponize blood. While adjusting to campus life and grappling with her heartbreaking past, Marie soon finds herself in conflict with Jordan Li, a fellow student and genderfluid supe who’s determined to rise up the school’s rankings. Their initially terse relationship soon evolves into a romance as they redefine what it means to be a hero. We caught up with Gen V actors Jaz Sinclair, Derek Luh, and London Thor to chat about their characters’ evolution and that explosive fight in the finale. 

Brooke Palmer/Prime Video

Nerdist: The final scene at God U was absolutely chaotic and super explosive. What was it like for each one of you to prepare for and film those scenes?

Jaz Sinclair: Episode eight was insane! It was so much action and so much happens back to back to back to back. And I just remember being on set those days and being shocked at the scale of everything. You think you know what it’s going to look like, and then you get there and it’s so much bigger and bloodier and crazier. And the stunt guys were amazing.

London Thor: Yeah, the setup for that day was insane. For days, it stayed the same on the campus. There were fake bodies everywhere and blood everywhere, and it really kept you in the moment. For sure.

Jaz Sinclair: And there’s so much happening with each of the characters. Over here, Andre and Sam are having their big fight and then [over there are] Marie, Kate, and Jordan. It’s just like anywhere on campus, some crazy action packed thing is happening. So [the filming crew] had to consider that when they were filming. They were like, we can’t turn too far this way because that’s where Sam and Andre are supposed to be at. So we had to angle it all around that stuff too, which is pretty cool.

Brooke Palmer/Prime Video

Oh my god, it was so wild. So Jaz, it’s interesting how Marie Moreau’s powers tie into menstruation and the confusion and shame associated with that. She ends up facing all of those things and breaks through her guilt, which lets her manifest and unlock new layers to her powers. Can you talk about some of those connections and how Marie’s journey led to her finding her personal power?

Sinclair: I think you just made some really beautiful connections. I do think that for someone who carries as much shame as Marie does about what she did and what her powers mean, it makes sense that she would assume that she would have to hurt herself to be powerful. And then as the show goes on, she butterflies a little bit and realizes that she can tap into other sources of power. [There’s also] her having love for Jordan and that unlocks different levels of just out of sheer desire to protect someone she cared about. I thought that was really cool. 

I love the spots in which the writers chose to evolve Marie’s powers. I thought it was really impactful and meaningful, and I think they did a great job of tying what she can do with her emotional state, which I thought was amazing.

I loved her character arc. Now, for you London and Derek, Jordan goes on this journey of trying to find their place in the world and acceptance within themselves and others around them. Can you both talk about how you two partnered together to really help bring Jordan’s journey full circle?

Luh: Yeah. Well, I think we got very fortunate that we were just so similar and in a beautiful way, so different at the same time. And we had a bunch of open discussions about Jordan… I think we read lines together one time and then we just, I mean, had a lot of dinners together and kind of just took on each other’s personalities. From the moment that we both got the role and read the first script, we fell deeply in love with Jordan and wanted to protect that story.

Thor: Yeah, I think it’s a character we both understand fully. And I mean, we’ve both dealt with our own struggles that relate to Jordan and our own relationship to that stuff. And I think that being able to talk about it together helped a lot.

Prime Video

Your characters have come together for a beautiful romance! There’s so much fandom love for Marie and Jordan. How aware are you of the fan edits and fanfiction floating around in the world?

Thor: I’m aware of it! I love it. I’ve seen some really cool stuff. Some of the artwork that’s been made is amazing, and the love for this relationship is so beautiful and nice and it warms my heart.

Sinclair: It’s a good relationship.

Thor: It’s a good one.

Sinclair: The people love it!

It brings me joy! Last question for the crowd. What would you say was your strangest filming experience on set?

Sinclair: The freaking scene with Rufus. It was awkward. It’s like, yeah, amazing when you’re watching the scene, it’s like a whole 30 seconds of weird closeup penis stuff… that was half the day [of me] getting flashed. Anyway, bless Alexander [Calvert]. It’s great. But that was a day where I was like, “What is my job?!”

Luh: I think the strangest for me would’ve been anytime there was a kiss, because we’d lean in and then they’d be like, all right, stop, swap out. And then I’d have to go in and then I’d have to match. It was onion skinning where I’d have to…

Thor: Yeah, so [the crew would] put a light image of whoever was there first, and you’d have to match the exact position that [the other person] was in. And then they’d have to put apple boxes everywhere. And Jaz just had to stand there and not move.

Brooke Palmer/Prime Video

Luh: …They’re like, “Okay, action. Now be super romantic and super in it and make it believable!”

Sinclair: You guys killed that though!

Luh: It was a great day.

Gen V season one is done but thankfully the show will return for a second season. We can’t wait to see where Marie Moreau and Jordan Li’s story goes next. Sophomore year is going to be diabolical.

The post GEN V Stars Jaz Sinclair, London Thor, and Derek Luh on Filming and MarieJordan Love appeared first on Nerdist.

Finding the Right Cast for PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS

The first book in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series arrived in 2005. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief introduced the concept of half-bloods, half mortals and half gods, and the camp where those half-bloods learn more about their heritage. Quests, mythical objects, monster attacks—they’re all part of everyday life for a child of the Greek gods. The upcoming Disney+ adaptation Percy Jackson and the Olympians brings the books to life, this time as a television series. It follows Percy’s journey as he explores his identity and tries to prove himself to his father. The story is built on pillars of friendship, adventure, and monsters. So many monsters.

We talked to executive producers Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Jon Steinberg, and Dan Shotz and cast members Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri about bringing the fantastical world of Percy Jackson to life.

Finding Percy, Annabeth, and Grover

Disney+

From each of their first appearances in the series, Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri—Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, respectively—embody the characters from the books. Casting them was no small feat. “They have the personalities,” Rick Riordan said. “It was open-end casting. We watched thousands and thousands and thousands of tapes and a lot of really great young actors. But there was something about these three. When the actor speaks, they are embodying the voice I hear in my head when I’m writing these characters. They have the same interactions, they have the same personalities—I care about them. I want to watch them go on an adventure.”

Jon Steinberg echoed that, saying, “I think we got very lucky that all three of those kids created that sense in all of us, of seeing them in their audition tapes and feeling right away, ‘I want to make a show with that, Grover, I want to make a show with that Annabeth, and that Percy.’ Walking into a project like this, knowing that we felt like we had the right center of the team to make it work was critical.”

Like Rebecca Riordan pointed out, the trio was warming up to each other as actors at the same time their characters were getting to know each other. Leah Sava Jeffries said preparing for the role was challenging in a very fun way. “I definitely just studied on this, and I feel like we all did,” she said. “We worked really hard for this and we worked off of each other.”

Disney+

She joked how she really inhabited the role of the rather serious Annabeth. “My family would have to pull Leah out of Annabeth. I would come home, and my family made a joke to me and I would be like, ‘It’s not funny.’ I’ll be like, ‘Can I sit here and do my homework in peace, please?’ I would just be so straightforward.”

Simhadri said his favorite thing about playing Grover was seeing him become more sure of himself as the story continued. “You see those confident traits that were always in him in the first couple of books, but you really see them get to shine,” he said. “You can see him have his moments throughout the series. I would say it was by and far the same for me… You’re playing Grover in Percy Jackson. It’s such an iconic character in an iconic series. I keep saying that, but it’s true. And so getting to get to know my cast and crew, and everyone was so supportive, it definitely felt like I was meant to be there by the end.”

Rediscovering Percy Jackson

Disney+

Rick Riordan was very involved in the adaptation and was frequently on set, which immersed the author in the world of Percy Jackson again. Walker Scobell said he took advantage of having Rick Riordan around. “I kind of feel bad,” he joked. “I talked to Rick a lot. But he was very happy to answer all of our questions. It was nice for him to be there, because it was confirmation, I guess, that he’s happy and that people will like it. Because they obviously like the books. I like the books a lot. I know all the little changes… it was nice for him to revisit it, because it’s been a while since he wrote the first book. And every little thing that we changed was stuff that Rick wanted to change originally in the book.”

Steinberg confirmed that Rick Riordan got to approach the adaptation with hindsight. He said, “Anybody’s second draft is going to be a little different than the first. I think watching someone who had lived with the first draft for so long, finally have somebody open that up and have a chance to play in that world again, was really fun.”

He added that having Rick Riordan on hand was a crucial part of the process. “In order to do a version of this story that really feels like its heart, and its soul, and all of its parts were in the right place, you need the guy who has spent the better part of his adult life in that world,” Steinberg explained. “So having that partner to be both willing to say, ‘This thing you’re trying doesn’t feel like Percy to me,’ or to say, ‘That thing you’re trying, I wish I’d thought of that. And that does feel like Percy to me,’ is, I don’t know how on Earth you would go about making this without that kind of support and guidance and partnership.”

Disney+

Beyond Percy Jackson and the Olympians, being on set helped Rick Riordan with getting back into the characters’ heads for new Percy Jackson books (one of which came out recently). “One thing informed the other,” Riordan said. “I found that while writing the book and being on set at the same time, Percy and Annabeth and Grover started to sound like Walker and Leah and Aryan, and Becky pointed that out when she read it. And it’s very much to the good. It makes the voices more alive and more real. And at the same time, it was helpful to write a new Percy book while advising on the series because it refreshed my memory and reminded me what’s important about these characters.”

Props and Monsters

Disney+

The world of Greek gods and monsters means bringing those monsters to the screen, which is a challenge. Dan Shotz said, “You are doing some of the most complicated creature design of all time. Every episode, new creatures, new ideas with those creatures. And then you’re doing a cross-country tour where your sets change every week. So it checks all the boxes for how challenging it is, but that’s also what makes it so worth it. Not only that, but just there is such a human, honest story to tell that has come from such an honest place, and once you think about that, all those challenges kind of go away and you are all in.”

Shotz continued, “Then the real next step is to just get everyone else to buy in. And the material did so much of that because everybody connects to this story in some way. There’s access points for adults, for kids, for people who’ve read the books, who haven’t read the books. There’s so many ways to dive into this story.”

And it’s the main trio of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover who help make Percy Jackson and the Olympians so accessible. Each of them brings a different facet to the story, helped along by a prop or prosthetic. For Annabeth, it’s a New York Yankees cap that makes her invisible. Her mother, Athena, gifted it to her. Jeffries said, “When I had to put my hat on in some scenes, it was funny because I had to act like I wasn’t there and sometimes Walker would have to act like I’m not there, but I was laughing actually.”

Disney+

Percy has his own special gift: Riptide, a ballpoint pen that turns into a sword. Wielding the weapon meant training. “We all did, I think, like a month of just training beforehand for wires and some sword fights,” Scobell said. “We all did some sword fighting, which is really fun. And I love Riptide, I think a little bit too much. I always wanted to have the pen in my pocket to just feel it for the scene. And I ended up getting to take both the pen and the sword home, which is really awesome.”

Simhadri joked that, legally, he didn’t take anything from the set. Then he said, “But yeah, I definitely got a lot of stuff. I got Hermes’ shoes, the ones that Luke gives us. I wear them all the time, a little too much. The props team, they carved out a bunch of staffs out of fake wood with goat faces in them for the Council of Cloven Elders. That was awesome. I got to keep a few of those.”

Simhadri also got a full set of Mythomagic cards, which we hope Disney plans to sell.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians premieres on Disney+ on December 20.

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Nebula Announces Patrick Willems’ STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL Special

The internet is chock-full of video essay channels, but not all of them can say they had multiple in-universe continuities culminating in a feature film about an evil sentient coconut named Charl. That honor falls on Patrick (H) Willems alone. His videos—film analysis and media criticism—have a full roster of side characters and cameos in between points about Michael Bay or why Batman movies are afraid of Robin. He’s also famously done with talking about Star Wars and hasn’t since pre-pandemic… but that’s about to change.

Streaming service Nebula, the home of thoughtful creators unbeholden to YouTube’s tyranny, has today released the trailer for Patrick (H) Willems’ Star Wars Holiday Special special. With a festive set and many appearances from channel regulars, it hearkens back to the old TV holiday specials of yore. Take a look!

Patrick’s parents are frequent guests in his videos and they are a gosh darn delight, I have to say. Now you might wonder why and how Patrick decided this would be the time, and the topic, to break his Star Wars fast. He told Nerdist it started as a joke proposed by Nebula CEO Dave Wiskus but quickly grew into something more.

As I started thinking on it, I realized I actually DID have something new to say about the space wizards franchise. I decided that with Nebula’s backing, this was an opportunity to try something really unexpected and new: to make something that’s half-video essay, half-throwback-1960s-style Christmas special complete with musical numbers, a big set, and special guests stopping by. And, it seemed only natural that those guests end up making me discuss the past, present, and future…but, not of Christmas. Of Star Wars.

It felt like the perfect time to get together with my friends and collaborate on a big, weird project about movies and Christmas. And if nothing else, I can confidently say it’s the best Star Wars holiday special ever made.

Nebula

The Patrick Willems Star Wars Holiday Special will premiere exclusively on Nebula December 18. Currently you can get a lifetime membership to Nebula for only $300. I have Nebula; it’s great, I watch it all the time. And it’s ad-free. Including this recommendation which is also not an ad. It’s just good stuff. Anyway. For more information, check out Nebula.TV.

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.

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Netflix’s STRANGER THINGS Prequel Play THE FIRST SHADOW Could Begin a Trilogy of Productions

We’ve always known that the Stranger Things universe would expand in some way. In the next couple of years, we will get the show’s fifth and final season. But Netflix will certainly want to continue the universe of its biggest hit. And while we have our own Stranger Things spinoff ideas, including a ‘90s series, this isn’t quite what we had in mind. Stranger Things is heading to the stage for Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a live stage play at the Phoenix Theater in London’s West End. 

A Trilogy of Stranger Things Plays Could Be in the Works

Deadline reports that the The First Shadow could begin a trilogy of plays that delve into Stranger Things world. It notes the this play could be “the first installment in a trilogy exploring the dark underbelly of Hawkins, Indiana.” If The First Shadow is successful, parts two and three could follow in the coming years. With Stranger Things coming to a close, it would definitely be an interesting way to keep the world alive. No official confirmation has yet come.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow Production ImagesNetflix

We now officially have our first looks at the Stranger Things play in full force. Netflix has released some images that reveal how the play will look when it’s being performed. The staging is pretty cool. And it looks like someone is fully dressing as a Demogorgon, which we have to applaud. Our least favorite creatures, the Demobats, are also flapping around. And at the center of it all is, of course, Henry Creel, a.k.a Vecna.

Check out all the teases of this play in action below, including images of Joyce, Hopper, Dr. Brenner, and ore, in action.

Click To View Gallery Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix Netflix

Netflix has also revealed that the first act title of the Stranger Things play will be, “Chapter One: The Girl From Nowhere.” Very mysterious. Start your speculating now.

The Stranger Things Play Synopsis and First-Look Rehearsal Images

The Stranger Things play is based on an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne, and Kate Trefry (who wrote this play) and will hit the stage sometime in late 2023. Of course, Netflix will produce it alongside Sonia Friedman Productions, and fans will certainly show up to see what happens. Here’s the plot synopsis for Stranger Things: The First Shadow stage play: 

Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach. Brought to life by a multi-award-winning creative team, who take theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension, this gripping new adventure will take you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story – and may hold the key to the end.

Netflix/Sonia Friedman Productions

We also have our first look at rehearsals for Stranger Things: The First Shadow. In them, we prominently see Henry Creel glaring into space and also get our first tease of a young Joyce Byers (at the time Joyce Maldonado)

Additionally, a teaser for the Stranger Things play hints that it could also be crucial for understanding what’s to come in Stranger Things 5.

#StrangerThingsOnStage will take you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story – and it might hold the key to what comes next… 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3y9waLiG9j

— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) July 5, 2023

We have to admit that it is quite an interesting take on the series. Fans met Henry Creel and his family last season, and there’s certainly a lot to mine from his story. Sure, there were flashes of his childhood and backstory. But now we will get to see more about his life in the Stranger Things play. And, who isn’t curious about what a young Hopper, Joyce, and Bob were like, as well as the town itself? At this time, Jim and Joyce would have been between 17-19 years old, with the former getting ready to be drafted into the Vietnam War. So, they probably would have little to no interaction with Henry, who was middle school-aged in 1959. But hey, they could always play with timelines and bend the rules a bit.

Behind The Scenes of Stranger Things: The First Shadow

In honor of Stranger Things Day 2023, Netflix shared our long look at the play. Among other tidbits, Stranger Things: The First Shadow sounds like it will prominently feature a love story between the soon-to-be Vecna, Henry Creel, and Bob Newby’s sister, Patty Newby. Writer Kate Trefry shares that the main thrust of the story is Patty and her little budding romance with Henry. We admit we did not see that one coming.

Additionally, the featurette notes that the Stranger Things play is the origin story of how Henry Creel became Number 001 and of the Upside Down. Plus, there will be blood, guts, and Easter eggs.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow Cast and Ticket Information

Welcome to Hawkins, 1959. Before the world turned upside down…

Stranger Things: The First Shadow. A new story live on stage.

London | Late 2023 | https://t.co/6dx4JppFhw pic.twitter.com/DTcWn21wXE

— Stranger Things On Stage (@STOnStage) March 1, 2023

The Stranger Things play cast is also set! Shane Attwooll and Christopher Buckley will portray Chief Hopper and Bob Newby, respectively. Oscar Lloyd will be James Hopper, Jr. and we can’t wait to learn more about him. Michael Jibson will take on the role of Victor Creel, Louis McCartney plays his son Henry Creel, and Lauren Ward will be Virginia Creel. Isabella Pappas will portray Joyce Maldonaldo, Ella Kaurna Williams is Patty Newby, and Patrick Vaill rounds out the cast as Dr. Brenner.

Tickets for the Stranger Things play went on sale March 30th. And tickets are now available for as low as £45 (USD $57.20). Additionally, fans can lottery to get “Shadow Seats” for the performances via the TodayTix app. These 11 pairs of seats will be available via lottery each week and cost £19.59 per seat, according to Variety.

The play itself will begin its run in November.

Originally published on March 1, 2023.

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WHEEL OF TIME Prequel Movie Adaptation Is in the Works

The Wheel of Time is having a bit of a resurgence lately. The epic fantasy series by Robert Jordan (finished by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan’s passing) spans a vast world. It includes magic, a huge cast of characters, and prophecies and legends. It’s the kind of world that’s been around for a minute and we only see one era in The Wheel of Time‘s 14 books. Amazon Prime Video is turning those books into a television series, but a film adaptation is in the works too. Deadline reports that Iwot productions and Radar Pictures have brought on Thor screenwriter Zack Stentz to write the script for the first of three planned movies. Additionally, we recently learned that The Falcon And The Winter Soldier‘s director Kari Skogland will reportedly direct the first movie.

This Wheel of Time movie trilogy would take place long before the events of the books, in the Age of Legends. The books reference the Age of Legends, also known as the Second Age (the books’ events largely happen during the Third Age). Age of Legends was a utopian era with more channelers of the One Power and more technology. Service to fellow beings ranked far above material wealth. If you think of it in terms of Star Wars, the Age of Legends is akin to The High Republic era. And the One Power is kind of like the Force. Though, it’s more complicated than the Force.

Tor Books

Jordan developed the history of his fantasy world. We know a fair amount about the Age of Legends from The Wheel of Time history book. But largely it is unexplored territory, rife for development. And Stentz is a fan of the books. He said in a statement, “I’m excited to be bringing this era Robert Jordan conceptualized to life. A fusion of the fantasy and science-fiction genres, the Age of Legends is a tale of paradise lost, as a futuristic Garden of Eden devolves into a dangerous and broken world.”

Age of Legends will apparently work alongside the Amazon Prime Video series’ storylines. The movie will show the downfall of the men who wield the One Power, and how the women of the White Tower have to save the world.

The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills, and we look forward to seeing how this plays out.

Originally published on July 13, 2021.

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IF Trailer: Ryan Reynolds Is on a Quest to Save Everyone’s Imaginary Friends

Have you made some time for your Imaginary Friend today? If not, they might be in peril. At least according to Ryan Reynolds and John Krasinski’s new movie, IF. Why IF as a title. Well, as the IF trailer explains, it’s short for “Imaginary Friend.” And apparently, all our Imaginary Friends are quite proud of that acronym. We imagine there’s also a less literal interpretation because IF invites you to ask. “What If?” What if all your Imaginary Friends were actually real and really missing you right now? Well, luckily for them, they have Ryan Reynolds and his movie-daughter on the case to save the day.

You can take a look at the IF trailer below and immerse yourself in this fantastical world of cute but cooky creations.

Okay, I can’t be the only person in the world who had a humanoid imaginary friend, right? But we guess we understand why this movie leans into very cartoonish childish creations that are at once adorable but kind of creepy. This is really giving Monsters Inc. in a way. In the IF trailer we see everything from a toasted marshmallow on its last breaths to a walking and talking teddy bear (thankfully not of the horror variety), to dragons, sentient bananas, and dancing sunflowers, oh my. This movie really had fun with its imaginary friends. And hopefully, we’ll have fun watching it.

Alongside the trailer, IF shared its official synopsis which notes:

From writer and director John Krasinski, IF is about a girl who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. IF stars Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr. and Steve Carell alongside many more as the wonderfully unique characters that reflect the incredible power of a child’s imagination.

Paramount Pictures

But we prefer Ryan Reynolds’ rendition of the movie’s elevator pitch, “Get ready for a heart-warming, all-family film from the director of A Quiet Place, the star of Deadpool, and the studio that brought you Annihilation.” Love it.

When Does Ryan Reynolds’ IF Movie Release?Paramount Pictures

IF‘s release date is May 17, 2024. So you have lots of time to connect with your imaginary friend before going to see it.

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Everything You Missed in the Dune: Part Two Trailer

Welcome back, Dunatics! The epic conclusion of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune is almost here, and the latest trailer promises all the spice, sandworms, and explosive battles fans have been waiting for. Dan walks without rhythm to break it all down on today’s spoiler-filled Nerdist News!

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Adam Driver Reveals Kylo Ren’s Redemption Wasn’t Originally the Plan for the STAR WARS Character

When audiences were first introduced to Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens back in 2015, the assumption was that this “Vader 2.0” would have the same “dark side to light side” redemption arc as his grandpa. And more or less, by The Rise of Skywalker, that’s ultimately how it played out. Hey, it’s Star Wars. As George Lucas famously said once about repeating themes in his saga, “It’s like poetry. It rhymes.” But while doing an interview on The Roku Channel’s The Rich Eisen Show, the man behind the mask, Adam Driver, said that wasn’t the original arc for his character. In fact, Kylo Ren wasn’t meant for redemption at all, but instead, meant to go the opposite way. Here’s what Adam Driver had to say about Kylo Ren’s arc and the original plan for it.

NEW • Adam Driver 📷 talking about Star Wars on The Rich Eisen Show December 12, 2023 — Clip

Radio TV Appearance | The Rich Eisen Show | Interview | 1080p | 12.12.23 pic.twitter.com/NFnyiMJFes

— Adam Driver Archive (@adamdriverarchv) December 12, 2023

I had an overall arc in mind that he wanted to do, which then changed. His idea was almost the opposite journey of Vader, where Vader starts the most confident, the most committed to the Dark Side, and by the last movie he’s the most vulnerable, and weak, and he wanted to start at the opposite, where this character was the most confused and vulnerable, and by the end of the three movies would be most committed to the Dark Side.

While he doesn’t say whose idea it was, we’re guessing Driver meant J.J. Abrams, who directed The Force Awakens. While this last-minute Kylo Ren redemption reveal might annoy some folks, changing story beats mid-stream is a very Star Wars thing to do. In the original draft of The Empire Strikes Back, Luke’s long-lost twin sister was someone named Nellith Skywalker, who was off training to be a Jedi on the other side of the galaxy. The movies dropped any reference to her, except for Yoda mentioning “another” who was their last hope. Leia as Luke’s Force-using sibling also didn’t happen until the writing process for Return of the Jedi.

Lucasfilm

Both the prequels and the sequels would have been entirely different without the Luke/Leia reveal. And that story beat came very late in the game. Another thing one can’t predict until a film starts actually shooting is the actor’s chemistry with each other. And no one could have predicted that Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren and Daisy Ridley’s Rey would have had so much on-screen chemistry as they did. We’re sure that played a role in Kylo Ren’s Star Wars redemption. As Yoda once said, “Always in motion is the future,” and that applies to crafting ongoing stories of any kind. Especially Star Wars stories.

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WONKA Isn’t Good, But It’s Not Bad Enough to Be Interesting Either

I go into every movie hoping it will be great. If it’s not I hope it’s at least interesting. But if a film can’t even accomplish that, I want it to be so bad it’s a remarkable disaster, like seeing a violent car crash where no one gets hurt. Any of those three outcomes ensures you had a memorable viewing experience. Unfortunately Wonka isn’t any of those things. At worst, the prequel about the famous chocolatier is boring old normal bad. At best it’s totally fine in the most average way possible. How much you’ll think it’s the former versus the latter comes down to one question: how much do you like whimsy? Because Wonka tries—and fails—to get by on whimsy and little else.

Wonka comes from director and co-writer Paul King. He’s best known for the two Paddington films, and this new musical looks and feels like it exists in the exact same hyper-reality universe of those movies. From the costumes and sets, to the vibe and tone, the playful Wonka is a spiritual sibling to King’s beloved bear movies. It’s just not nearly anywhere as good. King doesn’t come close to conjuring up the same magic he found with Paddington. Wonka might look similar in style, but it lacks substance. It tells a trite and predictable story. It also has far too many characters who are defined by a single trait. Villains and heroes alike are more like colorful toys to play with rather than rounded figures worth investing in.

One thing the film does not lack is love for its main character. The biggest reason Wonka isn’t outright terrible is that it was clearly made by people who adore Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. That’s why most of the many references and Easter eggs to the legendary 1971 classic feel organic rather than forced fan service. (Note: Most, not all.) They each come across as little love letters to the character and his first movie. As much as it might seem like it on the surface, Wonka does not feel like a cynical IP cash grab. The result is a sweet story—almost too sweet—that feels totally sincere.

Warner Bros.

Star Timothée Chalamet also holds the film together with a charming, likable performance. His fun, compassionate, weird Willy is closer to the wild Wonka from Roald Dahl’s books rather than Gene Wilder’s version of the charater. However, Chalamet is burdened with a role that is written inconistently. Sometimes Willy seems as “nutty” as his candy; other times he seems pretty normal. Often Wonka embodies the playful, whimsical spirit that permeates all aspects of the film. Other times it’s almost as though he’s in a totally different movie. The scenes with a more serious, more normal, downright sad Willy aren’t nearly as effective. Every time that Wonka shows up it takes you out of the viewing experience rather than make you care more about him and his plight.

The film’s songs do that, too. Wonka suffers from some of the worst, most unoriginal numbers you will ever hear in a musical. They all sound like an A.I. wrote them after analyzing a million of the most banal Broadway tracks ever recorded. Each song is more forgettable than the last. They’re also poorly mixed. They all feel small and sound weirdly quiet, even though they come with excellent choreography and blocking. Wonka generally has a good, kinetic energy, but not during the majority of its musical scenes. Not great considering it’s a musical.

Warner Bros.

Wonka really works best as a fun comedy that is slightly (slightly) more hit than miss. Even then it feels like it underutilizes some of its best performers. Olivia Colman and Keegan-Michael Key are too good for their roles, which don’t ask nearly enough of them. Rowan Atkinson’s chocolate-loving priest gets to do a little more, but while no one in the cast is bad (everyone is pretty much “fine” to “excellent”), the only star besides Chalamet who gets to have some real fun is Hugh Grant.

Grant plays an Oompa Loompa tasked with stealing Wonka’s candy. Is he funny as a very serious, very smart, very cunning Oompa Loompa seeking vengeance? Very much so. The problem is that no matter how good he is, Grant can’t fully overcome the feels his casting is exactly the stunt it appears to be. The film thinks it’s hilarious to have Hugh Grant playing an orange Oompa Loompa. That part of the joke— more whimsy on top of a never-ending pile of whimsy—gets old immediately. It undercuts Grant’s actual performance, which is hilarious in a vacuum.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Grant’s Oompa Loompa is a mixed bag, like Wonka itself. It’s sometimes really fun, sometimes really tiresome, but never close to great. Far worse, though, is that it’s not good enough to be good, but not bad enough to be bad. It’s only interesting for how uninteresting it is.

Wonka ⭐ (2 of 5)

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

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