Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 428

November 9, 2023

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Live-Action Trailer Reveals Release Date for Epic Series

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. These familiar elements are all preparing to assemble on our screens. But can they come together to create a harmonious live-action adaptation of the beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA)? Netflix sure hopes so. So far, we’ve only seen brief teases of the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender, but the looks we’ve received have been promising. But now, the first true test has arrived: real footage from the upcoming series, which aims to successfully bring one of the best-animated shows in history into the world of live-action. It’s always a monumental task. So, what do we think? Well, we think the trailer for Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender looks pretty damn harmonious to us. Not to mention, we’re excited Netflix finally revealed the official release date for the ATLA show.

An Epic Teaser Trailer for the Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Has Arrived

Phew. Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series delivered one epic teaser trailer. It’s really just incredible to see Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, Suki, Uncle Iroh, Azula, Fire Lord Ozai, and the rest come to life. Of course, hearing the musical cues of Avatar: The Last Airbender certainly does not hurt things. We are absolutely emotional.

Avatar the Last airbender netflix live acton series aangNetflix

Honestly, the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series looks just incredible. It seems to capture perfectly the spirit of the animated series, and the characters and settings do really look like they were plucked right out of the cartoon. From big moments to small, this trailer promises us we’ll get to relieve everything about ATLA that we love the most. Our minds are still blown from seeing the Agni Kai between Zuko and his father in live-action. We know this series will make us laugh, break our hearts, and much more.

It’s hard to believe how good Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender looks. But we’re happy to believe it. We’re ready to go on this nostalgic, and yet, all new adventure one more time.

What Is the Release Date for Netflix’s Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Series?Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko first look photo from Netflix live action avatar the last airbender seriesNetflix

We’ve known for a while that the new ATLA show would arrive in 2024. But now we know the official release date thanks to this Avatar trailer. Drumroll, please. Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series’ release date is February 22, 2024. That’s not a lot of time to master all the elements. But at least we can start counting down the days now.

More About Netflix’s ATLA ShowAvatar the Last Airbender Netflix live-action series poster revealing Aang, Sokka, and KataraNetflix

In addition to the trailer and Netflix release date, a synopsis for the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender shares that this show is:

A live-action reimagining of the beloved animated series following Aang, the young Avatar, as he learns to master the four elements (Water, Earth, Fire, Air) to restore balance to a world threatened by the terrifying Fire Nation.

Of course, this synopsis is about what you’d expect. But if we had to guess, we’d theorize that season one of the live-action series will cover similar ground to “Book One: Water” from the Avatar: The Last Airbender animated show. That means highlights will include the discovery of Aang, Aang’s mastery of water-bending, and an epic fight at the North Pole under the light of the moon. Specific castings for characters like General Zhao and Princess Yue seem to lend credence to this theory. But, we would imagine that the live-action show will also take advantage of knowing the full story to introduce characters such as Princess Azula into the mix a bit earlier than the animated series. And, honestly, we’d like for the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender to throw some curveballs at us and imagine new scenes and interactions.

That’s the whole point of an adaptation, isn’t it? We can’t wait to see where this one goes.

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Published on November 09, 2023 14:14

THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY Cast Teases What’s Ahead for the Last Season

Gather up, Brellies. In 2022, Netflix announced The Umbrella Academy, our beloved time-traveling mess of a series, is coming back for season four. However, season four of The Umbrella Academy will be the final season. It is awesome that their story will get an ending. But it is always a bit sad to say goodbye to something that you love so much. 

The Umbrella Academy season three left the Hargreeves siblings in quite a lurch. Allison did some dirty deeds but got her daughter and husband Ray out of the deal. Reginald seems to be even more rich, powerful, and terrible in this new timeline. Five is alone once again, and Luther is heartbroken. Meanwhile, Diego and Lila are going to simply live their lives. Oh, and no one seems to have powers anymore. And we don’t know what the hell is going on with that new Ben. That’s just a few of the many plot threads left hanging from the season finale. So hopefully, we will get answers to those questions in The Umbrella Academy season four.

The Umbrella Academy key art shows a complex mapNetflixThe Umbrella Academy Cast Teases Season Four

As part of Netflix’ Geeked Week in 2023, we got this delightful video of the cast sharing teases about season four. It’s all very vague (and charming), but it sounds like the siblings will face the usual amount of mayhem.

Who Is Returning for The Umbrella Academy Season Four? 

We know a few people are set to return, including Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallager, Justin H. Min, Ritu Arya, and Colm Feore. So that means we are getting Viktor, Luther, Diego, Allison, Klaus (yay!), Five, Ben (a new, new, new one?), Lila, and Reginald are back. We know Nick Offerman, David Cross, and Megan Mullally will appear, too.

Steve Blackman will also return as the showrunner and executive producer. 

diego, five, klaus, luther, and viktor all drink and sing karaoke in the umbrella academy season four renewalCHRISTOS KALOHORIDIS/NETFLIXWhat Is the Release Date and Plot for The Umbrella Academy Season Four?

The Umbrella Academy season four will arrive in 2024. As far as the plot, it is pretty up in the air at this point. Season three pretty much covered the last two volumes of the comics. This means there will be some pretty significant creative liberty being taken at this time. As usual, Five will discover some massive problem and try to round the troops up to save the world. Again. Maybe this time will be the charm, and they can set a timeline that isn’t wacky. All we want is for everyone to be happy and a retirement celebration for Five. He’s hella old and deserves it. 

Until season four comes, we will be stuck in the loop of Luther and Sloane’s wedding. It’s our Brellie happy place.

Originally published on August 25, 2022.

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Published on November 09, 2023 13:09

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES Centers a Predictable Villain While Its Side Characters Shine

An origin story for a true villain is always a complicated prospect, a fine needle to thread. When The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was first announced, the chief question for me was whether this was a truly necessary movie to make. Of course, on some levels, it makes sense to follow the path charted by Suzanne Collins and adapt the fourth book in her The Hunger Games series. But on others, could an origin story for the monstrous President Snow really provide a meaningful foray back into Panem?

Ultimately, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an enjoyable enough time. It features some stellar performances from its cast. And it dusts off the world-building aspects that made the original series so popular. Huge fans of the franchise will no doubt feel pleased with this turn. However, while the movie in no way absolves Coriolanus Snow, a welcome positive, the centering of Snow and the focus on his perspective limits the narrative by design. Ultimately, the movie offers a less interesting story than others we might have seen.

The Hunger Games The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Lucy Gray Baird and Coriolanus SnowLionsgate

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes us back 64 years before Katniss Everdeen’s time. It’s clear this version of the Games is grittier and more overtly punitive, though no less harrowing, than the ones that come after it. Of course, that’s all about to change. Like the novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes divides itself into three parts: “The Mentor,” “The Prize,” and “The Peacekeeper.” Each one details a different journey for Snow, helping to break up the narrative of a fairly lengthy movie. But in each of these chapters, Snow takes away all the wrong lessons.

From the start to the end, Snow casts himself as the victim in his own story. He’s a Capitol citizen from a well-known family who has lost their wealth and position of power. And for that, he feels wronged by the world, entitled to return to the imagined glory of his father. The constant driving motivator in his story is selfishness. Although, at times, human factors, such as love and friendship, enter into the equation, selfishness is always present and salient. Above all, Snow wants to see himself as “The Victor.” He wants to reign as the triumphant conqueror of those around him and humanity at large.

The Hunger Games Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Trailer, Tom Blyth and Lucy Gray BairdLionsgate

Of course, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes does not uphold this narrative as in any way good. And that is appreciated. I also don’t deny that this tale has its roots in realities we see every day. And thus, it holds a certain resonance. But in my book, Snow’s is not a story that merits the spotlight of the narrative. Coriolanus Snow is the hero of the movie, after all, in the sense that he is the center of the tale. He is the main character. Nearly three hours of cinematic real estate are all spent on him. But, at the end of the day, he’s neither particularly complicated nor that special at all, just another angry white man taking his unhappiness out on the world.

Beyond that, the focus on Snow’s journey detracts from the structural themes of The Hunger Games‘ world. Shrinking the story down to, by and large, the villainy of one man turns us away from taking a look at the larger mechanisms at work in Panem. While The Hunger Games‘ focus was on the idea of rebellion, here we end up in a place that thinks more about an individual’s struggle with his own morality than the huge conflicts taking place in the wider world. While these focuses do feed into Snow’s story, they are mostly relegated to subplots. This, of course, may simply not have been the aim of the movie. But it feels as though had the script shifted away from Snow and toward his best friend Sejanus Plinth, played by Josh Andrés Rivera, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes could have found a more interesting balance.

Sejanus Plinth, wearing a red school uniform, sits at a black desk beside other studentsLionsgate

While Snow’s character veers toward predictable, Sejanus Plinth’s is fascinating. Sejanus is District-born but from a family wealthy enough to buy their way into the Capitol. He understands the cruelty of the Games in a way that none of his now-peers can. And he finds himself with a foot in both worlds, although he can no longer fit precisely in either place. Unlike Snow, who occasionally gets referred to as a “rebel,” Sejanus actually acts in meaningful ways that evolve his character and the world around him. Unfortunately, his story remains on the sidelines.

All of this said, the movie’s chief strength lies in the superb acting of its whole cast. Tom Blyth, as mentioned, delivered an excellent performance as he shifts Snow from something akin to morally grey to deeply evil. And when his last scene rolls around, you can practically see Donald Sutherland on screen. A true feat. Rachel Zegler, meanwhile, shines as Lucy Gray Baird, the clever singer who manages to emerge from the Hunger Games as the victor. Zegler’s singing really adds something special to the movie. And her character is just the right amount of charming, tenacious, wounded, and mysterious.

Casca Highbottom, wearing black, looks down in a sea of students wearing red uniformsLionsgate

Additionally, Josh Andrés Rivera absolutely steals the show as Sejanus Plinth. Viola Davis is exquisite as Dr. Volumnia Gaul, the head Gamemaker who is also in charge of the Capitol’s experimental weapons division. Her devastating deviousness and exquisite fashion make her by and far one of the best characters from this prequel. And, of course, Peter Dinklage gives an excellent turn as Casca Highbottom. Highbottom is the creator of the Hunger Games and Dean of the Capitol’s Academy. He’s a character very reminiscent of Tyrion Lannister. But hey, if it ain’t broke…

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes also, of course, adds to the world built by The Hunger Games in ways that will likely satisfy fans. We get to see more of the inner mechanisms of the Capitol’s elite and are introduced to The Academy, where new generations of the powerful are constructed. This Hunger Game prequel further takes us beyond the arena and the treachery of the Capitol. It gives us a taste of how life in the Panem’s Districts persevered despite the terrible circumstances surrounding them. Some of the best scenes take place in District 12, watching Lucy Gray Baird perform to her home audience as they laugh and dance. These moments of levity juxtaposed against the horrors of the early Hunger Games sell the emotional arcs of the movie.

Lucy Gray Baird holds a microphone in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & SnakesLionsgate

Finally, for the curious, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes contains a multitude of The Hunger Games Easter eggs. Among others, Lucy Gray Baird, of course, writes The Hanging Tree, a song that will later have a great impact on Katniss. And Katniss herself comes up, but not the person. Instead, “Katniss” appears in plant form as a “swamp potato.” And the movie takes care to mention that the Katniss is not quite yet ripe yet. But it does feature during an important moment of plot.

Ultimately, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes could have delivered a more compelling narrative, but it does do the job of a franchise movie and bring us back to a familiar world so we can once more take a look around.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes ⭐ (3 of 5)

The post THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES Centers a Predictable Villain While Its Side Characters Shine appeared first on Nerdist.

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Published on November 09, 2023 11:00

Everything We Know About GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE

After all these years, we still know who to call when there’s something strange in the neighborhood. Ghostbusters: Afterlife showed that’s true whether you live in New York or Oklahoma, as a new generation of specter seekers proved bustin’ feels good at any age. But which members of the group, both old and new, will show up in the franchise’s next installment? Where will this sequel take us next? Here’s everything we know about Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire…so far.

TitleFinn Wolfhard drives the Ecto-1 with McKenna Grace and Logan Kim in the backseat in Ghostbusters: Afterlife.Columbia Pictures

The title for the next Ghostbusters film is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will be a direct sequel to the 2021 movie Ghostbusters: Afterlife. It will also be the franchise’s fifth film overall and the fourth installment in the primary series.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire‘s PlotGhostbusters Frozen Empire Proton PackColumbia Pictures

Recently, we got a lot of information about Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Sony Pictures revealed the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel’s name, trailer, and synopsis. Take a look.

The synopsis for the movie further shares:

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Hang on tight, everyone, it’s about to be a frosty ride.

Behind-the-Scenes

pic.twitter.com/nLhVydBwxP

— Ghostbusters (@Ghostbusters) June 8, 2023

Jason Reitman will not return to the director’s chair for Frozen Empire. His co-writer on the first film, Gil Kenan, will instead take over. Reitman and Kenan once again penned the script for the movie together.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire‘s CastGhostbusters Frozen Empire main castColumbia Pictures

Paul Rudd, Mckenna Grace, Carrie Coon, and Finn Wolfhard will all once again star in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Celeste O’Connor will return to the film for more spooky fun. Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, and Logan Kim have also joined the franchise.

Original Ghostbusters stars Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts will, too, reprise their roles as the franchise returns to New York City.

Rumors indicate we’ll see at least a few surprising reprisals in among the rest.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire‘s Release DateThe Ghostbusters firehouse with lit up logo sign covered in ice same as the street and cars out front from Ghostbusters: Frozen EmpireColumbia Pictures

Columbia Pictures has pushed back the film’s release date from December 20, 2023 to March 29, 2024.

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Published on November 09, 2023 09:27

INSIDE OUT 2 Trailer Introduces Everyone’s BFF Anxiety, Teases Other New Emotions

Gee, thanks, Disney Pixar! Way to remind us that growing up is hard to do. But it turns out that it is, even for animated children becoming animated teenagers. The first teaser trailer for the much-anticipated sequel to Inside Out, aptly named Inside Out 2, spotlights one very specific new emotion, Anxiety. Everyone, please make Anxiety feel very welcome…

It happens to us all. Demolition day, and BAM. Anxiety has moved in. We have to say that Inside Out 2‘s teaser trailer has captured the spirit of anxiety very well… Too well… We honestly can’t look this teaser trailer directly in the eye. Perfectly voiced by Maya Hawke (a.k.a. Robin Buckley from Stranger Things), Anxiety is already apologizing for not getting it right. Nooooo! And even worse, she’s not the only one to arrive. Inside Out 2 will feature even more new friends, and we’re not sure we want to find out exactly what they are. Rumor has it the new emotions include Embarrassment, Ennui, and Envy. This movie does not look like it intends to slow its roll.

INSIDE OUT 2 introduces new emotions anxietyDisney PixarInside Out 2 Synopsis Dives Into Anxiety and Other New Emotions

Along with the teaser trailer, Disney and Pixar revealed a lengthy new synopsis for Inside Out 2. It shares:


The little voices inside Riley’s head know her inside and out—but next summer, everything changes when Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 introduces a new Emotion: Anxiety. According to director Kelsey Mann, the new character promises to stir things up within headquarters. “Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, might be new to the crew, but she’s not really the type to take a back seat,” said Mann. “That makes a lot of sense if you think about it in terms of what goes on inside all our minds.” A trailer, poster and film stills are now available for what promises to be the feel-good (or feel-everything) film of Summer 2024.


Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone. Maya Hawke lends her voice to Anxiety, alongside Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Lewis Black as Anger, Tony Hale as Fear, and Liza Lapira as Disgust.


Well, there you have it. Inside Out 2 arrives in June 2024. We’re not quite sure it will make us feel “good” but we bet it will definitely hit hard.

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Published on November 09, 2023 08:51

Dogpool Will Join the MCU in DEADPOOL 3, a ‘Summer 2024’ Movie

After years of speculating, in 2022, Marvel Studios confirmed that Deadpool would officially join the MCU for a third installment of the R-rated comic book franchise at the start of Phase Six. This would mark the first official character of the Fox X-Men universe joining the MCU (although Patrick Stewart as a variant Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness kinda counts too, we suppose).

As the SAG-AFTRA strike draws to a close, actors are once again teasing their upcoming movies. And Ryan Reynolds wasted no time in introducing us to a brand new member of Deadpool 3, Dogpool. Dogpool will be a new addition to the MCU, but he hails from Marvel comics. Dogpool is, of course, an alternate-reality version or variant of Deadpool. This pooch hails from Earth-103173, and his backstory is a sad one. Dogpool started his life as a dog named Wilson, but was captured by scientists and forced to undergo experiments that resembled those conducted in Earth-616’s Weapon X’s program. Dogpool is eventually recruited by Earth-616’s Deadpool to join the Deadpool Corps, a team of Deadpool variants from across realities and universes. We suppose that gives us a hint about what Deadpool 3 might entail.

Reynolds’ post also teases the possibility of a release date shift, as it indicates the movie will arrive in “summer 2024.” Deadpool 3 is currently slated for May 2024, which isn’t exactly summer, although no official release date delay has been announced.

But for now, we’re content to just follow Dogpool on Instagram.

The Deadpool 3 logo.Marvel Studios

Here is everything we know so far about Deadpool 3.

Title

Right now, everyone is calling the film Deadpool 3. However, for superpowered mercenary Wade Wilson’s first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, at least the first official entry, we think they may choose to give it a more creative title.

Deadpool 3‘s PlotDeadpool sitting near a highway drawing on a piece of paper20th Century Studios

The plot of Deadpool 3 remains a mystery. All we know is that Hugh Jackman is returning as Wolverine, and that it takes place before the feral X-Man’s death in Logan. In fact, Jackman has confirmed that time travel will be involved in the threequel in a big way.

As most folks know by now, Deadpool’s third solo film will reunite him with his X-Men Origins: Wolverine co-star. Deadpool and Wolverine will work together, although they have made it very clear that these two characters “hate each other.” It will not be a love-fest in this story. But the fact that Deadpool 3 is smack in the middle of the Multiverse Saga should give us all a clue as to what’s going to go down, and probable multiversal shenanigans will ensue.

Deadpool 3‘s CastHugh Jackman returns as Wolverine in the MCU Deadpool 3 movie20th Century Studios

We know Hugh Jackman will return, along with the very obvious Ryan Reynolds. Here’s who else we know about: Karan Soni, cab driver Dopinder, Leslie Uggams, Emma Corrin, and Matthew Macfadyen. In exciting news, Morena Baccarin and Stefan Kapicic are reprising their roles as Vanessa and Colossus in Deadpool 3. So are Rob Delaney’s Peter, Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead), and Shioli Kutsuna (Yukio). Jennifer Garner’s Elektra from the 2003 Daredevil Marvel Fox movie is also reported to reprise her role in this MCU film.

split image of Vanessa and Colossus from Deadpool franchise returning for Deadpool 320th Century Studios

Behind the ScenesDeadpool lounging in front of the fireplace.20th Century Studios

Deadpool 3‘s director for this third outing will be Shawn Levy, most recently known for his work on Stranger Things. This would be a reunion for Levy and Reynolds, as the pair previously worked together on the movie Free Guy. Levy is also known for the time travel movie The Adam Project.

On the writing side of things are Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin, writers for the popular animated series Bob’s Burgers. The writers for the first two Deadpool films, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, are also contributing to the third film’s screenplay, as is Ryan Reynolds himself.

Deadpool 3 Release DateFirst look at Hugh Jackman Wolverine MCU suit from Deadpool 3, his yellow costume form the comics in high quality. Deadpool and Wolverine walking.Marvel Studios

Deadpool 3 will arrive on May 3, 2024.

Originally published on January 4, 2023.

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Published on November 09, 2023 07:48

November 8, 2023

Noah Hawley’s ALIEN TV Series Likely Won’t Arrive Until 2025

We’ve known since Disney’s Investor Day presentation in December 2020 that the House of Mouse has big plans for the Alien franchise as a streaming series for FX. The studio even tapped Fargo’s Noah Hawley to develop it. But since then, we’ve heard very little about this show. Our latest developments are big ones, though. According to Deadline, the Alien series has recently cast Sydney Chandler as one of its leads. However, nothing more is known about the role at this time. Additionally, Hawley recently shared a bit of insight about what we can expect from the series, including when we might see it finally release.

When Will Noah Hawley’s Alien TV Series Release?Logo for the upcoming Alien series on FX.20th Century Studios/FX

There’s no firm date yet for Noah Hawley’s Alien TV series to arrive on FX and our screens. However, speaking to The Wrap, Hawley offered a little bit more of a timeline for the release of this anticipated show.

He offered, “We’re all just waiting for the strike, and it will end… The plan right now is to go back in January and be shooting in February, and looks like shoot until July or so, which puts the air date somewhere in the in the first half of ’25.”

There you have it, the Alien series will most likely release somewhere in early 2025. That’s not too long to wait.

The Cast of FX’s Alien TV SeriesSydney Chandler from Don't Worry Darling set as lead in Aliens seriesWarner Bros.

As mentioned, Sydney Chandler will play one of the leads in Noah Hawley’s Alien TV series. Chandler is joined by The End of the F*cking World‘s Alex Lawther who will play the male lead, a soldier named CJ, and Samuel Blenkin, who is named as another main character, a mysterious CEO called Boy Kavalier. Essie Davis and Adarsh Gourav also join the series as Dame Silvia and Slightly.

Wylan looks at Jesper in Shadow and Bone season twoNetflix

According to Deadline, Shadow and Bone‘s Kit Young has also come aboard the FX Alien series and will play a character named Tootles.

The Setting, Plot, and Timeline of Noah Hawley’s Alien TV Series

While speaking to Esquire about his novel Anthem, Hawley spilled a little more tea about the series. And he gave fans of the Xenomorph some things to ponder. Here’s what Hawley had to say about his Alien TV series:

“It’s set on Earth of the future. At this moment, I describe that as Edison versus Westinghouse versus Tesla. Someone’s going to monopolize electricity. We just don’t know which one it is. In the movies, we have this Weyland-Yutani Corporation, which is clearly also developing artificial intelligence. But what if there are other companies trying to look at immortality in a different way? With cyborg enhancements or transhuman downloads? Which of those technologies is going to win? It’s ultimately a classic science fiction question: does humanity deserve to survive?”

Additionally, according to Slash Film, Hawley offered that the show was inspired by a specific moment from Alien. He noted, “There’s that moment you realize Ian Holm [who plays Ash] is an android where you go, ‘Oh, this is really interesting now, because this is humanity trapped between the primordial past and the AI future, and they’re both trying to kill us.'”

Alien Ripley20th Century-Fox

So as we guessed before, the Weyland-Yutani Corp., otherwise known simply as “the Company,” are likely the new Alien series’ “Big Bads.” But we’re still unclear about a lot of things. For starters, how will all this tie into the ongoing Xenomorph saga? After all, they call this show Alien, not “Android.” So we’re going to have to see the acid-blooded bad boys at some point. Otherwise, it will disappoint a great deal of very disappointed fans out there.

The Series’ Plot

Speaking to this, Hawley recently commented on the presence of the aliens in the new series. He offered that the movies “always [mimic] the life cycle of the creature, right? Which is egg, slow, Facehugger, starts to get faster — you know what I mean? And, of course, that’s great for a horror movie to build that way. So I found a way to kind of innovate around that structure and play with it.” He didn’t add more detail about how the structure of the Facehuggers’ life would come into play or be updated, but it’s good to know the Xenomorphs are on Hawley’s mind.

Additionally, Hawley noted more about the difference between the new Alien FX series and the movies that originated it, offering, “Look, a two-hour movie, you can set it up, and then it’s just about, ‘Are they going to survive?’ But if you’re making a series, ‘Are they going to survive?’, you can’t sustain it. Even if you have 60% of the best action-horror on television, you still have 40% of ‘What are we talking about?'”

That makes sense to us, and we can’t wait to see how the Alien series manages all these different expectations.

The Series’ TimelineThe fully grown Xenomorph from the Alien series.20th Century Studios

Another big question is when does the Alien TV series happen with respect to the movies? Prometheus takes place in 2089, while Alien: Covenant takes place in 2104. The original Alien takes place exactly 100 years from now, in 2122. The events of Aliens occur some 57 years later in 2179, with Alien Resurrection finishing things a whopping two hundred years later. And Weyland-Yutani exists in all these eras.

But happily, we now know a little bit more about where the show will land in the timeline. FX Chief John Landgraf shared an update on the Alien series at a TCA winter panel for the network.

He said, “Alien takes place before Ripley. It’s the first story that takes place in the Alien franchise on Earth. So, it takes place on our planet. Right near the end of this century, we’re in — so 70-odd years from now. Ripley won’t be a part of it or any of the other characters of Alien other than the alien itself.” That’s right folks, no Sigourney Weaver. We’re sad, on the one hand, but excited for more specificity on the other.

Really though, all we want is one good chestburster scene. Is that too much to ask? The Alien series does not yet have a release date.

Originally published on January 5, 2022. 

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Published on November 08, 2023 14:44

Kevin Feige Says His STAR WARS Movie Is Not Happening

If it was ever actually a possibility, Kevin Feige’s Star Wars movie is no longer a thing. Entertainment Tonight talked to Feige at the premiere for The Marvels. When the outlet asked if the Star Wars movie was happening, Feige said, “No.” We first heard about this potential project in late 2019. And even though then-Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn told The Hollywood Reporter that it made sense for Feige and Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy to work on a Star Wars film together, Kennedy told IGN earlier this year that “nothing ever got developed.” So, Feige’s Star Wars movie that was maybe only ever sort of in development is not moving forward.


We are talking to Kevin Feige at 'The Marvels' premiere in Las Vegas and all of our questions we answered!!#TheMarvels pic.twitter.com/BPSPSGDwlS

— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) November 8, 2023

Reports in early 2021 stated Feige hired Loki creator Michael Waldron to write the script. That indeed was true, as Waldron discussed it with Variety in an interview following Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (which he wrote). He said:

We’re finally into it in earnest. I mean, I’m writing away. It’s a lot of fun. I’m enjoying having the freedom on that to do something that’s not necessarily a sequel or anything. It maybe has a little bit less of a — it just doesn’t have a bunch of TV shows and movies that you’re servicing on top of it, the way I did with Doctor Strange. So it’s nice. It feels like a different exercise.

Kevin Feige talking into a microphone at San Diego Comic-ConGage Skidmore

So, it sounds like something did indeed develop. There was at least a script. But Kennedy said at Star Wars Celebration 2023, “We never discussed an idea. As everybody knows, Kevin’s a huge Star Wars fan, and if he did come up with something, I would be all ears, but that’s never really happened. So it’s not an abandoned project, it just didn’t happen.”

Details seem fuzzy all around, but we know now definitively, from Kevin Feige himself, that his Star Wars feature film is not happening. It’s too bad; we were counting on him to bring in some classic Star Wars nods from Marvel Comics.

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Published on November 08, 2023 14:14

Disney+ and Hulu to Combine Into a Single App in 2024, Beta Test Coming In December

We continue unbidden into the age of digital streaming dominance in the entertainment industry. CEOs and studio heads, therefore, feel the need to clamp down even more on their beloved bottom lines. To that end, many of the majors have focused on combining their various streaming services into one. Take WBD, for example, which recently (and without anyone else wanting it) services into Max. Not to be outdone (never to be outdone), Disney CEO Bob Iger announced something new in May. Hulu—which Disney acquired in the Fox deal—will find its content combining with Disney+. A beta test of a combined Disney and Hulu app will begin rolling out in December.

Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ logosDisney

According to Variety, Iger says the new unified Disney+/Hulu app will launch by the spring 2024. But a beta test app will come as soon as December. The publication shared, “The beta version of the Disney+/Hulu app will launch in December — giving parents time to set up parental controls, according to Iger — ahead of the official launch in spring 2024.”

At the time of its initial announcement, Iger noted that the services of each streamer will still be separate in this unified app. Essentially, it seems, it’ll be like how Showtime content is now on the Paramount+ app, but you still need to pay for Showtime to see it. Tiers and whatnot. Of course, this was before Disney’s ongoing attempts to become the full owner of Hulu. Iger shared on that earnings call:

While we continue to offer Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ as standalone options, this is a logical progression of our DTC offerings that will provide greater opportunities for advertisers, while giving bundle subscribers access to more robust and streamlined content, resulting in greater audience engagement and ultimately leading to a more unified streaming experience.

Iger later said, “The advertising potential of this combined platform is incredibly exciting.”

We should note, in countries, such as the United Kingdom, where Hulu never existed, the content of both platforms was always on Disney+.

Hulu interfaceHulu

At a time when the future of art as entertainment, and the viability of working in the entertainment industry, remains uncertain, one of the few things we can count on is enormous companies looking to make it easier for them to make billions of dollars. Consolidating Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ under one app won’t change too much for you, the consumer. But potentially making everything like old terrestrial cable packages might.

Originally published on May 10, 2023.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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Published on November 08, 2023 13:54

LEGO’s Massive New AVENGERS Tower Set Would Impress Tony Stark

While we certainly don’t condone what Loki did in The Avengers, it’s hard to fault the God of Mischief for using Stark Tower as his base of operations on Earth. Tony’s giant, technologically-advanced New York City skyscraper was a building worthy of an Asgardian prince. Now LEGO’s recreation of that famous skyscraper is worthy of Earth’s mightiest heroes and their fans. The toy company’s massive new Avengers Tower set is a gigantic plastic brick homage to an iconic MCU locale. And it needs to be large, because it needs room for a record-setting 31 minifigures.

LEGO's full Avengers Tower set on display next to two highlights from the set, one of Iron Man and one of Captain AmericaLEGO

Forget flowers. Forget parades. You can even forget about a monument built to the skies with your name plastered on the side. (You know what that would cost to heat? Stark Industries money.) This year fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are going to want LEGO’s 5201-piece Avengers Tower set.

LEGO's Avengers Tower set in a black box with art showing the set in fullLEGO

This enormous set stands more than 35.5-inches tall, making it LEGO’s tallest brick-built skyscraper ever. And while it makes for an incredible display piece, it’s more than just a collectible. LEGO says it’s “filled with ways to replay Infinity Saga battles” on every floor. That will be easy to do thanks to its many, many minifigs. At 31 it’s the most ever-included in any LEGO set. One of them is an exclusive figure of Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. As if all that wasn’t enough, the collection also includes a Leviathan, Quinjet, and two Chitauri flyers.

A table with 31 MCU minifigures on display with the Avengers Tower in the far backgroundLEGO

LEGO Insiders will also have a chance to get even more bonuses. From November 24 through 27, members who buy Avengers Tower will also receive a free LEGO Marvel Taxi set. That comes with a New York yellow taxi and four minifigures of Black Panther, a taxi driver, and two outriders.

No surprise a big set comes with a big price tag. You can get yours on November 24 for $499.99. Sure, that’s a lot of money. But it’s probably still cheaper than selling yourself out to Thanos to get an alien army. That only got Loki this tower for a day. You can keep yours forever.

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Published on November 08, 2023 12:07

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