Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 41

July 28, 2025

Warner Bros. Discovery Splits Back Into 2 Companies, Announces Official Names and Executives

Incredibly enough, on , another change is being undone… Sort of. In 2022, WarnerMedia and Discovery merged into one company. And that meant all kinds of crazy collisions, like Jon Snow sharing real estate with Guy Fieri. Largely, this merger felt in service to creating this kind of all-encompassing brand, where prestige television met home improvement shows, and everyone could find something they wanted to watch. But sometimes, when you try to please everyone in every way, you end up pleasing no one at all. And that’s what Warner Bros. Discovery found out with HBO Max. But it seems like this realization goes further than just a streaming platform. Warner Bros. Discovery will now split back into two companies. And though they aren’t called WarnerMedia and Discovery… They may as well be.

Here’s what we know about Warner Bros. Discovery’s move to become two companies once more.

What Are the Two Companies that Warner Bros. Discovery Is Splitting Into?Warner Bros Discovery is splitting back into two companiesWarner Bros. Discovery

Warner Bros. Discovery will officially split into two separate companies. These two Warner Bros. Discovery offshoot companies are “Warner Bros.” (initially known as “Streaming & Studios”) and “Global Networks.” David Zaslav will continue to lead “Streaming & Studios,” while current CFO  Gunnar Wiedenfels will become president and CEO of “Global Networks.”

But what do these names actually mean?

What Will Warner Bros. (Formerly Streaming & Studios) Contain?

Warner Bros. Discovery’s Streaming & Studios/Warner Bros. offshoot will include Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, DC Studios, HBO and HBO Max (including its international sports offering), Warner Bros. Games, Tours, Retail and Experiences, as well as studio production facilities in Burbank and Leavesden, as well as Warner Bros’ film and television libraries. Basically… WarnerMedia. It will “[honor] the legacy of more than a century of industry-defining storytelling.”

David Zaslav will serve as president and CEO of  Warner Bros.

What Will Discovery Global Contain?

Meanwhile, the second of the two Warner Bros. Discovery companies, Discovery Global, formerly knowns as Global Networks, will include premier entertainment, sports and news television brands around the world including CNN, TNT Sports in the U.S., and Discovery, top free-to-air channels across Europe, and digital products such as the profitable Discovery+ streaming service and Bleacher Report. Warner Bros. Discovery shares the name is chosen “in recognition of the affinity and value this name has around the world in entertainment, news and sports.”

Gunnar Wiedenfels will serve as president and SEO.

What Does Warner Bros. Discovery’s Split Into Two Companies Mean For You?

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Honestly, Warner Bros. Discovery splitting into two companies probably doesn’t mean that much for the average consumer. This split is more about financial portfolios and shareholders.

Zaslav does note, “The cultural significance of this great company and the impactful stories it has brought to life for more than a century have touched countless people all over the world. It’s a treasured legacy we will proudly continue in this next chapter of our celebrated history. By operating as two distinct and optimized companies in the future, we are empowering these iconic brands with the sharper focus and strategic flexibility they need to compete most effectively in today’s evolving media landscape.”

Mostly, it’s kind of amazing that after much derision and confusion, Warner Bros. Discovery is basically walking back all its choices. We hope the brand’s next ones are better and brighter. Because Zaslav isn’t wrong, Warner Bros. has been touching people for a really long time and we’d like to see it continue to do so.

Originally published on June 10, 2025.

The post Warner Bros. Discovery Splits Back Into 2 Companies, Announces Official Names and Executives appeared first on Nerdist.

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Published on July 28, 2025 08:05

TWISTED METAL’s Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz on John and Quiet’s Season 2 Arcs

Peacock’s Twisted Metal is heading towards its absolutely bonkers titular race in season two. Who will survive Calypso’s chaos and get their wish? Well, you’ll have to follow this wild ride when Twisted Metal season two returns on July 31. But, before you do that, let’s take a trip back to August 2024. Nerdist and several other outlets went on a mission to Toronto, Canada to check out Twisted Metal’s delightfully gnarly set. The cast and crew were right in the middle of filming several scenes, some of which are related to the Twisted Metal competition itself. 

Things were built with meticulous care only to be set ablaze or crushed. It was loud, frenzied, and absolutely fun to traverse through a taste of this apocalyptic world. In season one, we met John (Anthony Mackie), an extremely chatty and witty milkman with amnesia, and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz), an initially reserved yet hyper violent woman who cannot forget her trauma.

The pair developed a friendship turned pseudo-romance as they go on a long journey to achieve John’s mission to retrieve a package in exchange for a more stable life. The end of season one doesn’t give them a happily ever after, with Quiet forcing John to leave her outside of New San Francisco while he later discovers that he will have to race in a tournament that he didn’t sign up for. 

Twisted Metal Season 2: College Level Confusion and Missing Madness

Twisted Metal season two will bring John and Quiet back in each other’s spheres after seven months apart as they face a variety of individual internal and external challenges. John aims to connect with Dollface, his raucous sibling whom he cannot remember, while Quiet has her own noble reason for getting into the tournament and winning it all. And, we all know that nothing will stand in the way of her goal, including John.

The reunion between this loveable pair will probably be a little more bitter than sweet. “I think their partnership kind of gets tested over and over again in season one,” Beatriz told us during a roundtable interview. “You’re sort of seeing them actually become partners and not sure if they can trust each other. And then there’s a moment really in season one where the trust is solidified and season two starts to explore well, what happens when, for lack of a better parallel, what happens when you go away for your first semester of college and you and your sweet high school love are like, ‘Let’s stay together.’ And then you see each other for the first time on Christmas break and you’re like, ‘You’re so different… Are you still the one?’”

TWISTED METAL's Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz on John and Quiet's Season 2 Arcs_1Peacock

The “high school to college” comparisons extend even further when it comes to John’s personal evolution. As we all know, he wasn’t the most emotionally mature dude in season one but he did experience a bevy of changes. From caring about someone other than himself to integrating into a city with structure and rules, the John we will see in season two is still struggling to adapt in season two.

“He was like an adult in a playland that just happened to be the world and now he’s in a structured complex,” Mackie affirms to the group. “That’s his new reality. So it’s almost like when you left for college and then during those holidays, you would come back home and lose your f**king mind… That’s kind of become John’s life right now. He’s moved into this structured world, but he still yearns to be the old John. The fun of being the milkman, the wide open space. So it’s just learning the two ways of existing and conforming to the new while craving the old.”

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Well, John will get a taste of that old and thrilling life back with the Twisted Metal tournament. With a bevy of new characters, demolition derby ready vehicles, and elaborate sequences, this season will take things to a new level with high-octane action that isn’t CGI-driven.

“The car team is really going above and beyond and a lot of the stuff, amazingly we use CGI as little as possible,” Mackie affirmed. “I feel like it gives it a really cool, interesting look. It gives it a feel that you normally wouldn’t get in something like this… last year we had a really great cast and this year I feel like we kind of stepped up and got really good new actors. I’m excited for them and their performances. To get [Calypso actor] Anthony Carrigan was a huge coup… It was just a great opportunity to pepper the cast with new, interesting, fun, and really good actors.” 

John and Quiet open a spooky door in twisted metal season two trailerPeacock

Mackie partners with his stunt driver and stunt man to bring things to life in the safest way possible. He would do them himself but, well, he was told to basically sit the f**k down. And honestly, he’s okay with sticking to the script and looking cool in scenes where everything isn’t on fire.

“I have a great stunt man and a great stunt driver and, as a team, the three of us work really well together,” he said. “We look out for each other and make sure none of us are blown up. They’ve made it very clear to leave Tom Cruise sh*t to Tom Cruise. There’s no reason to be out here flipping cars… Last week, we were doing this stunt and my driver Aaron did his first roll and he literally just blew up a car and rolled down the street. So I was like, ‘Man, I can do that.’ …He showed me a video. He is like, ‘Look at my kids. Do you love my kids? Remember the gift you sent my kids? Okay, sit the f**k down.”

Quiet Kicks A** and Runs Naked in Diesel City?!

Beatriz, who also listens to her stunt team like a sane person, says there will be plenty of bombastic moments for fans to witness. And yeah, there’s more sex, too. But that’s not the focus here. Quiet is a sharper and more efficient driver and we will get to see how her skillset matches up against her opponents. Beatriz said, “There’s maybe five or six really heavy action episodes this season, and the stunts are really insane. It’s a lot of practical stunts this time around. It’s a lot more time spent in the cars, and it’s a lot of time seeing Quiet as a driver and kicking a**. A lot of a**. It’s pretty cool.”

If you’re a Twisted Metal game fan, then you know about Diesel City. It’s an Extra Large Map with large, dilapidated, and often gutted buildings near Los Angeles. That locale will come to life in season two and it is going to involve a bats**t heist, according to Beatriz. 

TWISTED METAL's Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz on John and Quiet's Season 2 Arcs_2Peacock

“Diesel City is… I don’t even know how to describe it,” she began. “It was absolutely manic, f**king ridiculous. Bananas. Off the wall. How do I even describe it?!? I’ll say this. There was probably a day and a half where I was mostly naked, which was highly embarrassing… So there was shit blowing up. There was a vault on fire. There was just running through mostly abandoned buildings trying to not get hit over the head with missiles. I mean, it was shenanigans… Before the tournament, you sort of need to level up your car… You want your car to be as ready to go as possible. But how do you get weapons in this world if you don’t have money? How do you get them? Why, you steal them!”  

So, there you have it. Awkward relationships, naked heists, a** kicking, Tom Cruise s**t, and so much more come together to create the weird world of Twisted Metal season two. Let’s see how John and Quiet rise to the challenge and maybe work together to demolish the competition.

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Published on July 28, 2025 06:00

July 26, 2025

THE VAMPIRE LESTAT Announces New and Returning Cast Members

Interview With the Vampire is going on tour. The AMC show’s third season, renamed The Vampire Lestat, will see the Brat Prince taking his talents on the road. And like every successful concert series, he’ll need plenty of help pulling it off. Now, after the network’s Anne Rice Immortal Universe panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, we know some of the people who will help him do exactly that. AMC announced the series newest cast members. Both who is appearing and who is not appearing provide clues for what awaits in both season three and beyond.Five headshots of cast members for The Vampire LestatRob Daly/Calyasa/ColtonCurtis/UK Telegraph

Interview With the Vampire stars Sam Reid, Jacob Anderson, and Eric Bogosian were on hand for AMC’s bloody good panel where we learned who will join them on the show. Delainey Hayles and Assad Zaman will both be back for more vampire fun as Claudia and Armand. The series will also feature a bunch of new faces. Jennifer Ehle (Lioness) is joining as Gabriella. Ella Ballentine (Black Conflux) is playing Baby Jenks. Jeanine Serralles (Apples Never Fall) has signed on to play Christine Claire. Christopher Heyerdahl (Under the Banner of Heaven) is playing Marius. And Damien Atkins (Slings & Arrows) will star as Magnus.

The return of Hayles might be an indication we’re getting ghost Claudia from Queen of the Damned. Or Claudia could appear as the manifestation of Lestat’s guilt from Tale of the Body Thief. Ballentine’s Baby Jenks also seems to be getting an earlier introduction to the story than she had in Rice’s books, where she appeared in the third novel.

Interview with Vampire season 2 delainey hayles as Claudia and LouisAMC

This list of new and returning characters includes one notable absence. Akasha is not among the new cast members. It seems like Interview With the Vampire might be holding her back for the show’s fourth season. While fans are eager to see her, it makes sense the series would delay her introduction. If The Vampire Lestat rocks as hard as we hope the show will need one hell of an encore to follow.

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Published on July 26, 2025 18:00

THE VAMPIRE LESTAT Rocks Out in Behind-the-Scenes Featurette and Images

AMC turned this year’s San Diego Comic-Con into part of its growing Anne Rice Immortal Universe. The network hosted a packed panel full of big teases and big surprises for its still growing supernatural franchise. But even amid all that news and announcements AMC still found time to rock out. A new behind-the-scenes featurette and series images for The Vampire Lestat shows how season three of Interview With the Vampire is taking its vamping vampire on tour in style.

Showrunner and executive Producer Rolin Jones, composer Daniel Hart, and Interview With the Vampire stars Sam Reid, Jacob Anderson, and Eric Bogosian joined panel host Damian Holbrook at this year’s premier pop culture event. They were on hand in San Diego to give viewers an inside look at the upcoming third season. The show is actually getting a title change for its next installment, as it will feature Reid’s Lestat de Lioncourt hitting the road.

How do you bring an undead musician on tour for a series of bloody good concerts? By going all out with your sets and production so it feels like he’s really performing for adoring crowds.

The Vampire Lestat in yellow pants singing whole crowd surfingAMC

As fun as this video is, the two new images of Lestat performing on stage might even be better. Vampires have a long history of being stylish, but c’mon. Is this the coolest any vampire has ever looked? That’s probably not a question anyone can objectively answer. Only we’re saying, “Yes, definitely.”

The Vampire Lestat rocking out shirtless on stageAMC

The panel also included some big news about the show’s rocking third season. AMC announced the return of Delainey Hayles and Assad Zaman. The Vampire Lestat will also feature the debut of Jennifer Ehle (Lioness as Gabriella, Ella Ballentine (Black Conflux) as Baby Jenks, Jeanine Serralles (Apples Never Fall) as Christine Claire, Christopher Heyerdahl (Under the Banner of Heaven) as Marius, and Damien Atkins (Slings & Arrows) as Magnus.

Plus the show will feature all those adoring fans who can’t wait to rock out vampire style. If the concert, which launches in 2026, is anywhere near as good as this video and these images promise, viewers will be (un)dying to attend, too.

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Published on July 26, 2025 18:00

Anne Rice Series TALAMASCA: THE SECRET ORDER Shares First Trailer and Release Date

For a thousand years, the Talamasca has been there. Watching. Always. Now fans of Anne Rice’s novels will have a chance to watch them at work. AMC‘s ever-expanding Immortal Universe is bringing the secretive group to the screen for its own spinoff series, adding it to the group of shows that includes Interview with the Vampire and more. Only the first trailer for Talamasca: The Secret Order will leave you questioning which side you should be rooting for.

From the Vampire Chronicles to The Mayfield Witches, the Talamasca has been there for a millennia. And from their motherhouses all across the globe they’ve kept tabs on and contained the many supernatural beings who roam the Earth. But despite their presence in Anne Rice’s books, they’ve never been the center of their own story. That’s about to change. AMC debuted the spinoff series’ first trailer during a panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. And Talamasca: The Secret Order‘s trailer is full of all the intrigue, mystery, and gore you’d expect from AMC’s Immortal Universe.

Guests in attendance got more than just a trailer, though. Eric Bogosian, who plays Interview with the Vampire‘s investigative journalist Daniel Molloy, made a surprise appearance both at the panel and in the Talamasca: The Secret Order‘s trailer. He’s reprising his role as a crossover character on the Interview with the Vampire spinoff series. Bogosian’s Molloy is also among the characters featured in new images AMC released from the Talamasca: The Secret Order series.

Click To View Gallery Eric Bogosian at night in an alley on Talamasca: The Secret Order AMC William Fitchner looking real cool and stylish in a scarf on Talamasca: The Secret Order AMC A white-hairded woman speaks to a young man on Talamasca: The Secret Order AMC Jason Schwartzman holding up two fingers together on Talamasca: The Secret Order AMC A young woman holds up a torch on Talamasca: The Secret Order AMC A white-haired woman smirks on Talamasca: The Secret Order AMC A young man with a backpack walking by a brick building on Talamasca: The Secret Order AMC Eric Bogosian in glasses signing books on Talamasca: The Secret Order AMC A woman in black sitting against a green lit wall on Talamasca: The Secret Order AMC

Talamasca: The Secret Order comes from showrunners and executive producers John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side) and Mark Lafferty (Halt and Catch Fire). It stars Nicholas Denton, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Celine Buckens, Jason Schwartzman, and the always great William Fichtner (Jasper).

While the Talamasca are always watching, you’ll have to wait just a little while longer to watch them. The show premieres just in time for Halloween, on Sunday, October 26. That’s when we’ll find out if the watchers are the ones who actually need to be tracked.

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Published on July 26, 2025 16:45

PROJECT HAIL MARY Reveals New Look at Adorable Alien Rocky at San Diego Comic-Con

San Diego Comic-Con took a trip to deep space during this year’s event. It’s a journey readers of Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary were hoping Amazon MGM Studios would launch. The studio’s panel for its adaptation starring Ryan Gosling included new footage of his adorable intergalactic co-star, Rocky.A human hand holds out a little ball to a rock-like hand behind a screenAmazon MGM Studios

Attendees to Project Hail Mary‘s Hall H panel got an extra special treat at this year’s ultimate nerd party. Amazon MGM Studios shared four clips from the film, including the movie’s opening five minutes. That sequence shows Gosling’s Ryland Grace waking up lost and confused in space. Another clip featured him and Sandra Huller’s Eva Stratt back on Earth in a very funny, science-filled flashback. In the third scene the confused astronaut’s zero-G fun gets interrupted by the presence of a very large imposing alien ship outside his own.

While there were both plenty of laughs and intrigue in those scenes, the highlight of the panel came during the last clip. It features Ryland’s interacting with the book’s best character, Rocky the alien. In the clip Gosling’s character floats through a strange, rock-like tunnel towards the alien spacecraft. We then see a strange little hand with two fingers, seemingly made of stone, just like we did in the film’s first trailer. Only this time it reaches out with tiny models of both Ryland and his ship. Rocky then gestures to his human counterpart to leave and go back to his ship.

While the studio has not yet released this footage or an official image, it did confirm Rocky has no face. But it also said that won’t stop Rocky from emoting.

So yes, Rocky looks like Rocky, an alien that is wholly un-human in appearance. Only book readers know he is very much like us in the best of ways. And everyone else will find out why when Project Hail Mary flies to theaters on March 20, 2026.

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Published on July 26, 2025 16:31

New PEACEMAKER Season 2 Trailer Showcases Chris’ Dream Universe

After a three-year wait, Peacemaker is finally launching its second season this summer. The HBO Max series became the surprise hit of 2022. And fans have been eagerly awaiting more of this spin-off from James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. And this season will actually deal with the fallout of the events of Superman, in which John Cena’s Peacemaker made a small but memorable cameo. Head of DC Studios and Peacemaker showrunner James Gunn and the cast were on hand to introduce the latest trailer for the second season at Comic-Con. And you can watch it in full right here:

Despite the first season of Peacemaker taking place in the old DCEU, James Gunn’s teaser firmly sets the story in the wake of the events of Superman. Even the Justice Gang characters have a role this season. But most of Peacemaker’s history from The Suicide Squad and season one will remain canon to his future going forward. Gunn has also said the explanation for the changes within the story will be easy for viewers to understand. Season two will continue just a few short years after the events of season one.

John Cena, of course, returns as our favorite jerkwad superhero, Christopher Smith/Peacemaker. Other returning cast members include Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, and Steve Agee. Also returning is Robert Patrick, who plays Peacemaker’s good dad. New cast members added include Frank Grillo, reprising his Creature Commandos role as Rick Flag Sr., along with David Denman and Tim Meadows. Longtime Gunn favorite Michael Rooker plays a new character this year, Red St. Wild. He’s described as “a nemesis to Peacemaker’s eagle companion, Eagly.” James Gunn wrote all eight episodes of season two, and also directed three of them.

A mural on the wall of Peacemaker in the happy universe.DC/HBO MAX

Peacemaker season two drops on HBO Max on August 21.

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Published on July 26, 2025 16:03

STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY Drops Tantalizing First Teaser

Next year is the Star Trek franchise’s diamond anniversary, celebrating sixty years of exploring the galaxy. To celebrate, Paramount+ is finally launching a Star Trek series that has been rumored about for decades — Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. And at the Star Trek Universe panel at Comic-Con in San Diego this year, we got our first look at the new series with a brand new teaser trailer featuring the cast. Starfleet Academy picks up where Star Trek: Discovery ended, in the 32nd Century, as Starfleet welcomes its first cadet class in over a century.

Here’s the official synopsis for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, which premieres in 2026:

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduces viewers to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.

Holly Hunter as Nahla Ake, the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy and Captain of the U.S.S. Athena.Paramount+

The cast for Starfleet Academy includes Academy Award winner Holly Hunter as Nahla Ake, the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy and Captain of the U.S.S. Athena. She also happens to be a long-lived half-Lanthanite. This is the same alien race as Carol Kane’s character on Strange New Worlds, who live thousands of years. This character might have been alive during the time of Kirk, Picard, and the other iconic eras of the Federation. One interesting tidbit from the teaser; a student studies a monitor pondering the question of Captain Benjamin Sisko at the end of Deep Space Nine. Does this mean that the cliffhanger ending from 1999 may finally get a resolution at last?

Click To View Gallery Star Trek: Starfleet Academy profile for cadet Jay-Den Krang. Paramount+ Star Trek: Starfleet Academy profile for cadet Genesis Lythe. Paramount+ Star Trek: Starfleet Academy profile for cadet Caleb Mir, Paramount+ Star Trek: Starfleet Academy cadet Darem Raymi. Paramount+ Star Trek: Starfleet Academy profile for cadet Sam. Paramount+

As for our class of cadets, they include Bella Shepard is Genesis Lythe, an admiral’s daughter determined to make her own name in Starfleet. Sandro Rosta plays Caleb Mir, an orphan with a troubled past. Karim Diané is Jay-Den Kraag, a Klingon cadet with aspirations of becoming a medical officer. Kerrice Brooks is Series Acclimation Mil, a.k.a. Sam, the first of her kind to attend Starfleet Academy. Rounding out our main cadets is George Hawkins as Darem Reymi, an aspiring captain from a wealthy home world. Zoë Steiner as Tarima Sadal, the daughter of the president of Betazed, homeworld of Deanna Troi from The Next Generation.

The logo and key art for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.Paramount+


Legacy characters include Robert Picardo, reprising his iconic role as The Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager.
Tig Notaro and Oded Fehr reprise their Discovery roles as Jett Reno and Admiral Vance, respectively. Another new character is recurring guest star Gina Yashere as Commander Lura Thok. She’s a Klingon/Jem’Hadar who is the chancellor’s First Officer and Cadet Master. Trek fans have not seen a Jem’Hadar since the end of Deep Space Nine. And last but not least, Paul Giamatti plays Nus Braka. He’s the season’s villain and a man with an ominous past connected to one of our cadets. We must say, all of these characters have us quite intrigued and excited for a bold new future.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy hits Paramount+ in early 2026.

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Published on July 26, 2025 13:52

STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Announces Jim Henson Studios Puppet Episode for Season 4

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds just began dropping episodes from its third season last week. But at the Star Trek Universe panel at Comic-Con, they announced that season four has already wrapped shooting. And fans got one tiny (and fuzzy) hint for at least one plotline next year. Paramount+ revealed that in season four, one episode will feature the Enterprise crew as puppets. And not just any old puppets, but puppets created by the iconic Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. The episode is directed by Jordan Canning, who directed Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock. You can check out the announcement by “Puppet Pike” down below:

The Star Trek Universe panel featured Strange New Worlds‘ executive producers Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers, and Alex Kurtzman, who discussed the lives of the Enterprise crew and all their newest romances on board. Cast members Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an), and Paul Wesley (Kirk) also joined them on stage. Trek fans attending the panel got to watch an entire episode, “A Space Adventure Hour,” a holodeck tale that pays tribute to the entire franchise. Paramount even released an exclusive poster for the episode.

STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Announces Jim Henson Studios Puppet Episode for Season 4_1Paramount+

Between this puppet-themed episode, and last year’s musical, it is very clear that the writers on Strange New Worlds are big fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, which also famously had musical and puppet episodes. However, those are examples of some of the best genre shows in history. So we could see why the writers would find inspiration there. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will sadly come to an end with a truncated fifth season, announced earlier this year. But we still have dozens of episodes to get there before then. As the Star Trek: The Motion Picture tagline once stated, “The human adventure is just beginning.”

STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Announces Jim Henson Studios Puppet Episode for Season 4_2Paramount+

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ third season is currently streaming on Paramount+.

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Published on July 26, 2025 12:42

COYOTE VS. ACME Sets Release Date, Shares First Clips


At San Diego Comic Con 2025, an incredible feat of wonder happened. A panel they didn’t want to happen took place. After being unceremoniously canceled by Warner Bros. Discovery, the completed Coyote vs. ACME movie was brought back to life by fan love and efforts. Defying the odds like Wile E. Coyote himself, Coyote vs. ACME arrived at SDCC 2025 to great fan excitement and much applause. The biggest piece of news was, of course, its release date. Coyote vs. ACME will release on August 28, 2026. In addition to its release date, Coyote vs. ACME also screened two first-look clips which promise this movie is one worth watching.

Coyote vs. ACME First-Look Clip Reveals a Despondent Wile E. Coyote Finding Hope in Unexpected Places

In what seems like an early opening sequence from Coyote vs. ACME, the first sneak peek clip revealed from the movie shows us how the plot kicks off. Wile E. Coyote is despondent in his cartoon lair as the perfect song choice, “Hurt” by Johnny Cash, plays around him. He has a room full of dynamite crates and other tools for his hijinx, but there’s an emptiness in his heart. But not all hope is lost. In his cartoon world, Wile E. Coyote is watching a live-action TV screen, showing off the movie’s smart use of hybrid animation and live-action sequences.

On the TV, an ad for one of those cheesy law firms plays. “Have you been hurt before?” it asks, gotten a piano dropped on you or other ill fates? Well, Avery, John, and Maltese are ready to help you, just dial 1-800-Justice! If you’ve been hurt, the ad suggests, it’s not your fault and surely, you can blame someone! Those words speak right to Wile E. Coyote’s heart and BOOM, he explodes right into the office of the law firm. We have to say, this was one hilarious sequence.

Coyote vs. ACME Second First-Look Clip Shows Off John Cena Smarmy ACME Lawyer and Incredible Cartoon and Live-Action Interweaving

The second Coyote vs. ACME clip takes us into the courtroom. Wile E. Coyote has hired Will Forte’s law firm to sue ACME. But ACME has powerhouse lawyer John Cena, who is sneering, smirking, and ready for action. We begin in the courtroom with the judge, who clocks, human, human, human, cartoon. Yes, as this first-look footage shows us, in Coyote vs. ACME‘s world, cartoons are just a normal, everyday occurrence. In honor of this, the judge opts not to use a human gavel and instead selects a cartoon one. When he bangs it, it squeaks! The whole audience cracked up. After the cartoon gavel appears, cartoons start to flood the scene. There’s a cartoon goose knitting and making eyes at John Cena, there’s a cartoon bird chiseling away at a likeness of the courtroom scene next to the traditional illustrator, and many other Easter eggs.

But, of course, the star of this Coyote vs. ACME scene is John Cena. He brings the perfect obnoxious, American macho energy to his performance as he smoothly blames Wile E. Coyote for making his own bad decisions. He even manages to pour water into his cup as he holds the jug a mile away. Sadly, Will Forte tries to emulate him, spills water everywhere, makes a huge mess, and almost explodes the courtroom oops!

Later, though, his character gets a call for a very exciting source! Yes, Bugs Bunny will cameo in Coyote vs. ACME. Bugs says, “What’s up, doc!” and offers to help take down the evil ACME.

These two clips are honestly perfection and we can’t wait to see what else is in store.

Coyote vs. ACME Shares New First-Look Images

In addition to all of the above, Coyote vs. Acme also shared three new first-look images, check em out below.

Click To View Gallery Wile E. Coyote holding on to the top of a truck in Coyote vs. Acme Ketchup Entertainment A Wile E. Coyote shaped hole in the ground in a poster for Coyote vs. Acme Ketchup Entertainment John Cena in a cowboy hat walks and laughs with Foghorn Leghorn in Coyote vs. Acme Ketchup Entertainment Coyote vs. ACME Sets Release Date

As mentioned, Coyote vs. ACME will release on August 28, 2026. That’s a while (a Wile E. away, you might say) but we’re counting down the days!

The post COYOTE VS. ACME Sets Release Date, Shares First Clips appeared first on Nerdist.

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Published on July 26, 2025 11:48

Chris Hardwick's Blog

Chris Hardwick
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