Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 62
June 26, 2025
M3GAN 2.0 Is a Lackluster Upgrade for a Would-Be Horror Icon (Review)
Every decade has its horror icons. From Leatherface to Michael to Freddy to Ghostface, a charismatic killer with a memorable look is a winning formula for many slashers. One of the more recent additions to the pantheon is M3GAN, the killer robot first introduced in the 2022 film of the same name. Three years after she danced her way into our hearts, M3GAN is back for vengeance in M3GAN 2.0. But her second act isn’t as bloodthirsty as you might’ve expected.
Starring Allison Williams and Violet McGraw, M3GAN 2.0 picks up in the aftermath of the first M3GAN, with Gemma (Williams) having shot to infamy as the creator of a killer, AI-powered toy. Gemma has sworn off all things technology and is now dating anti AI-lobbyist Christian (Aristotle Athari). However, she reluctantly rebuilds M3GAN after her niece Cady (McGraw) convinces her it’s the only way to stop AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno), a rogue robot built by the US military.
Between an opening action setpiece at the Iranian border, a subplot featuring a covert weapons trade between the United States and Saudi Arabia, and a protagonist struggling to warn over-indulgent billionaires about the dangers of AI, M3GAN 2.0 has a remarkable number of ties to current events. But while the plot may be eerily prescient, the film itself is predictable and bloated. It relies on tired tropes to string together a story that feels distinctly divorced from its predecessor.
M3GAN was a campy (if slightly toothless) PG-13 slasher with a flair for black comedy. M3GAN 2.0 has shifted gears, reimagining the formerly killer doll as the unlikely heroine of her own globetrotting action/spy-comedy. Gone are convoluted kill sequences and creative contortionism, swapped instead for M3GAN showing off expert hand-to-hand combat skills against AMELIA.
Positioning M3GAN as a hero (or, at least, an anti-hero) gives director-screenwriter Gerard Johnstone ample opportunity for action set pieces full of bulletproof robots. But the shift in tone robs the M3GAN franchise of any former teeth, rendering it a slow, uninspiring action adventure as opposed to a true continuation of the spirit of the original.
RELATED ARTICLEYou Can Now Own a Life-Size M3GAN Replica Doll and Creep Everyone OutM3GAN 2.0 also suffers from a severe lack of M3GAN. This is because so much of the film hinges around Cady persuading Gemma to attempt to rebuild the killer doll. Therefore, the first hour of the film is desperately lacking in her sharp wit and singular sense of humor. Cady herself also takes a backseat in M3GAN 2.0, afforded less agency than she had in Akela Cooper’s first film. She’s essentially a pawn to keep M3GAN and Gemma working together. Then there’s the Gemma of it all. Her prickliness in the first film is a byproduct of her obsession with technology and inability to connect with those around her. However, Gemma’s lack of charisma plagues M3GAN 2.0, which positions her (not Cady or M3GAN) as the protagonist. Though Williams’ performance is serviceable (she’s at her best in moments of bizarre, dry humor) Gemma isn’t all that interesting of a character. And her new love interest is similarly predictable for his eventual role in the finale. Gemma and Christian’s chemistry (or lack thereof) is symptomatic of the script’s overall disinterest in developing characters beyond plot relevance.Gemma’s lab sidekicks Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez) and Tess (Jen Van Epps) are similarly one-note ensemble players. They exist solely to deliver exposition and help patch M3GAN up whenever she needs a new body. But even M3GAN herself quips at one point that she’s not quite sure what exactly they *do* around here. Universal PicturesBetween Cole, Gemma, Christian, Tess, and AMELIA (a more grown-up, humorless version of M3GAN), the adults in M3GAN 2.0 are largely responsible for longest, most uninteresting chunks of the film. Thankfully, Jermaine Clements’ eccentric billionaire Alton Appleton is a much-needed (and criminally underused) injection of energy. But when M3GAN is finally back online, the film instantly picks up. Whether it’s her uncanny valley-esque design, strange vocal modulation, or guffaw-inducing quips (often jabs at Gemma’s expense) Jenna Davis’ rebel robot is as scene-stealing as ever. Though saddled with a non-lethal inhibitor chip, M3GAN’s wit is still as sharp as ever. In its best moments, the script wanders into the realm of camp. Whether it’s a running gag about Steven Segal or a pointed instruction to take a melatonin, M3GAN 2.0’s most effective moments of humor and heart come when M3GAN, Gemma, and Cady are working in conjunction and playing off of each other. The core trio at the heart of the film remains compelling. But the framework around them is under-baked, uninspired action-adventure fare that feels out of place in a Blumhouse film. Universal Pictures If you’re heading to M3GAN 2.0 hoping for scares (or even mildly frights), you’ll leave disappointed. Although M3GAN breaks plenty of bones, her violent acrobatics only hit heavily-armed goons as opposed to unsuspecting children and animals. At an hour and 59 minutes, M3GAN 2.0 is nearly 20 minutes longer than the original. Sadly, it has half as much personality. But the titular robot continues to prove a winning protagonist, even if she’s been haphazardly pasted into a different genre.While M3GAN 2.0 delivers a few memorable laughs (and one truly surreal musical sequence) a could-be horror icon of M3GAN’s caliber deserves a better upgrade than this muted, action-heavy sequel.M3GAN 2.0 ⭐ (3 of 5)
M3GAN 2.0 will dance into theaters on June 27.
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June 25, 2025
LEGO Ideas ’90s Throwback Contest Winners Include X-FILES, WALLACE & GROMIT Sets
Last year, the folks at LEGO Ideas had an ’80s-inspired contest, which resulted in cool LEGO builds for Gremlins, E.T., and Beetlejuice. This year, LEGO Ideas jumped to the next decade for their Build Your Nostalgia: ’90s Throwback Competition. And the winners were two very iconic ’90s properties, from opposite ends of the spectrum — The X-Files, and Wallace & Gromit. You can check out images of these incredible new LEGO Ideas fan builds below:
LEGO Ideas
LEGO Ideas user WetWired’s The X-Files: The Truth Is Out There features a build that celebrates F.B.I. Agents Scully and Mulder. The top part of this two-tiered LEGO build showcases a forest where a UFO is landing, including a grey alien beaming out of a ship. Below is a replica of Fox Mulder’s FBI office, which, of course, includes his infamous “The Truth Is Out There” poster. The minifugures include Mulder and Scully, along with Assistant Director Walter Skinner, Eugene Tooms, the Syndicate Leader, and even the Jersey Devil.
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WetWired/LEGO Ideas 
LEGO Ideas/WetWired 
LEGO Ideas/Wet Wired
Wallace & Gromit
A LEGO Ideas user named Pidelium created the Wallace & Gromit set, which doesn’t include any aliens, sadly. We’ll have to wait for their Aardman Studios buddy Shaun the Sheep for that one. Instead, it’s based on the classic Wallace & Gromit short film A Close Shave. It shows the iconic duo riding their motorbike and sidecar for their window-cleaning business with big wide grins. This set doesn’t include any minifigures, as the Aardman Studios signature characters are the LEGO build themselves. The look of this LEGO Ideas set really looks like the claymation models from the films, and is exquisitely made.
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Pidelium/LEGO Ideas 
LEGO Ideas/Pidelium 
Pedilium/LEGO Ideas LEGO will no doubt make changes to the actual sets they release. But we hope they stick close to the original fan ideas here. Because we think both of these LEGO Ideas users really nailed the assignment. Now, we await news of a LEGO Ideas 2000s contest. Is it finally time for a Breaking Bad set?
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THE SIMPSONS’ Season 36 Finale Featured the Future Death of a Major Family Member
It took 36 seasons, but The Simpsons finally did something no one ever expected: it killed off one of its iconic family’s core members. Don’t worry, technically this death won’t happen for a very long time.
20th Television Animation
The Simpsons began its 36th season with the show’s “series finale.” It ended the year with a different kind of flash forward. It was the long-running cartoon’s latest installment to jump far ahead into the family’s lives, as it took viewers 35 years past the “present” day, where Bart and Lisa are/have always been in elementary school. Unlike previous episodes set in the future, this one showed one of the Simpsons dead.
And we mean dead-dead. It showed the family’s beloved matriarch Marge in Heaven with her old/new again crush, (the still alive in 2025) Ringo Starr.
20th Television AnimationThe episode revolves around how Bart and Lisa grew apart when they stopped watching Itchy and Scratchy together as kids. Decades later we then learn Marge died years ago, Lisa became commissioner of the NBA (the new name of the WNBA), Bart remained in Springfield, and, like his dad before him, Homer was living in a retirement home.
Or at least, that’s where Lisa thought Homer was living. The truth of father’s living arrangement then leads to a fight between the two siblings. Fortunately they eventually reconcile in a very Simpsons-esque manner after finding a recording Marge left behind for them.
Learning Marge Simpson died—or rather, will have died—is unsettling. She hasn’t aged a day in almost 40 years! We thought she’d live forever. But it’s hard to get too worked up over this. The show has long treated flash forward episodes as fun gimmicks rather than hard and fast canon. Stories set in the future are never beholden to previous episodes that also showed what might happen to the family. So viewers can take comfort in knowing that even if The Simpsons finally did the seeming impossible by killing off Marge they didn’t really.
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Original BLUES’ CLUES Host Steve Burns Launches Podcast for Adults
Steve Burns left hosting duties on Blues’ Clues way back in 2002, but he never really left the show behind. Over the last few years he’s found new ways to reconnect with his (now grownup) audience. Now he’s set to take on a very different type of hosting duty. Only, he wants to still capture the spirit of the Nickelodeon show that made him a beloved part of so many childhoods. He’s launching a podcast for adults that will serve as a “continuation” of Blues’ Clues.
Alive With Steve Burns
Variety first reported that starting this fall Burns will host Alive, his own original weekly podcast. Burns is producing it in conjunction with Lemonada Media. He says his show will “continue what we started decades ago,” an obvious reference to the Nickelodeon series that made him famous. Each week Burns and guests will discuss “what it means to stay human in a complicated world.”
Burns said his show will be different from many other podcasts. It’s not going to focus on creating something you merely listen to. He says Alive “will be a podcast that listens back,” which is what “Steve” on Blues’ Clues did. He “listened” to kids calling out answers to his questions.
His YouTube video announcing the show also provides insight into what his audience (who, for the record, will still have to actually listen) can expect from the show’s inaugural year:
Season 1 will tackle issues near and dear to Steve’s fans. As millennials navigate an ever-changing world, Steve will host conversations on topics ranging from personal finance to spirituality and modern love.
For the Alive podcast to match Steve Burns’ run on Blues’ Clues, it will have to last for at least six seasons and more than 100 episodes. Will his kids-turned-adults fans stick around that long? We wouldn’t bet against it. After all these years they haven’t left behind the show anymore than he has.
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Lucasfilm’s Updated STAR WARS Map Lets You Travel to the Galaxy Far, Far Way
The galaxy far, far away isn’t just, you know, far away. It’s also really, really big. It’s home to innumerable stars and planets inhabited by countless living creatures of every size and shape. The enormity of it all is basically impossible to comprehend. But Lucasfilm has now at least made it a little bit easier to figure out where its most important places are. Star Wars has released an updated digital star map showing the location of hundreds of planets from its gigantic universe.
Lucasfilm
In 2009, Lucasfilm released an online companion for Star Wars: The Essential Atlas. It has now updated that digital galaxy map for Star Wars fans to obsess over. While the studio notes that the galaxy far, far away “contains billions of stars and is home to trillions of beings,” this Star Wars map doesn’t include all of those worlds. It’s (thankfully) a lot more manageable to use. It includes the location of more than 500 planets that have played a role or been mentioned in films, shows, comics, books, games, and more.
Not every single planet Star Wars fans know about is included. Notably, Kamino, introduced in Attack of the Clones, is absent even though other worlds from the Unknown Regions made the cut. But this map does include five major trade routes and the various territories often referenced in Star Wars. If you’ve ever wondered why so many planets seem to be located in the Outer Rim, it’s because that place is huge. HUGE. Disney fans will also note Batuu really does sit on the galaxy’s edge in that infamous part of space. It’s also pretty close to Endor, the kind of fun little detail that makes this Star Wars map so exciting to study.
LucasfilmIf you want to find a specific Star Wars planet, you can search the official list that goes with the map. And if you can’t find one you’re looking for, check back in the future. Star Wars says fans should bookmark the page because it will continue to update this online resource.
No amount of updates will make it possible to truly appreciate the size of the galaxy far, far away, but at least it will help us know just how far apart the most important planets are from one another.
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JURASSIC WORLD EVOLUTION 3 Removes Generative AI From Game After Fan Backlash
Could it be… Good news? I know, I know, it’s hard to imagine in this economy. But it seems like, even in the most minor of ways, good has won out over evil. Or, in this case, humanity has won out over AI. AI is here and it’s probably not going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean we have to let it replace the most creative among us. Jurassic World Evolution 3, a long-awaited dinosaur strategy simulation, triggered its fans’ teeth when its developer, Frontier Developments, announced it had used generative AI to create in-game portraits of scientists. 
Frontier Developments
This Jurassic World Evolution 3 news garnered an uproar among fans, which is honestly amazing to see, because more and more, there seems to be a push for people to simply accept generative AI as part of our reality. But no, fans took to the internet to demand that the generative AI elements and portraits be removed from the game in favor of actual art created by actual humans. And LO, Frontier Developments listened, removing the generative elements from the game. Incredible!
In a post on Steam, the company responded to the AI backlash, saying “Thanks for your feedback on this topic. We have opted to remove the use of generative AI for scientist portraits within Jurassic World Evolution 3.“
In a statement, Frontier confirmed that despite these pivots away from generative AI, Jurassic World Evolution 3 will maintain its release date of October 21, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S.
This may not seem like a huge victory, but it is. Generative AI will creep into our games and fictions not in huge waves, but in small piece after small piece. Insisting that the properties we love employ only humans, who do real, creative, and passion-filled work, will help keep the soul of our art whole a little longer.
Huge round of applause to you, Jurassic World Evolution 3 fans.
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SUPERMAN Is NOT a Confusing Movie (And Much Less Confusing Than OPPENHEIMER)
Soon, the world will meet a new Clark Kent in Superman. (Formerly titled Superman: Legacy). DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are rebooting the most famous superhero in the world as they transition the franchise from the DCEU to the DCU. Who will play the Man of Steel on the big screen this time around? What kind of story will we see him in? And who will bring it to life? We’re keeping track of all these answers and more.
Recently, James Gunn assured fans of one important detail. Superman is not a confusing movie. When asked if was concerned about dropping people into a universe with so many heroes, he shared:
No, not really, because I’ve screened the movie for so many people and saw that people aren’t confused. So I know from fact that it’s not confusing.
We’re used to seeing movies with protagonists and Superman is definitely the protagonist of Superman, and he has his work friends and he has his play friends. Now, I don’t know if the Justice Gang are his play friends or if his work friends at the Daily Planet are his work friends or his play friends, but that’s the two groups of his friends from different places. And just because they have insignias on their costumes or superpowers doesn’t mean they’re not like any other supporting character in any movie.”
Gunn then added, “I think ‘Oppenheimer’ has three times as many speaking roles as we do. So I think people are fine.” That said, did people really understand Oppenheimer? The jury is out on that one. But not on Superman, which does not aim to confuse.
Ultraman. pic.twitter.com/KvdcMYL3XZ
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 24, 2025
In other Superman news, we also really dig this creepy image of DC villain, Ultraman. He gives us the chills.
Here’s everything we know about Superman so far.
Title
Warner Bros.The DCU’s first official movie (though not its first official release) is now titled simply Superman. Of course, the movie began its life as Superman: Legacy. It will kick off the film side of what James Gunn has called the franchise’s first chapter, “Gods and Monsters.” He has also called this movie “the true beginning” of the DCU.
Superman‘s Plot
DC Comics/Frank QuitelyWhile the film still has no official synopsis, Warner Bros. did provide a description of what we can expect from the story, which James Gunn says is not an origin tale.
Superman tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.
Gunn announced the film with art from the cover of All-Star Superman by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely. Whether or not that means the story is influenced, inspired by, or adapted from the 12-issue comic series in any way is unclear. What Gunn has said is the movie will focus on “an earlier part of Superman’s life,” where he is still old enough to already be working for the Daily Planet.
Recently, James Gunn gave us a new look at one of Superman‘s villains, Engineer. In the DCU, Engineer is played by María Gabriela de Faría. We don’t know too much about her role yet, but we know she is “sinister perfection.”
Happy Anniversary to the Engineer, created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, who you can see played to sinister perfection by puppy in human form Gaby de Faria in #Superman this July! 🦾 pic.twitter.com/baXnmpCIoR
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 10, 2025
We also have our first look at David Corenswet as the DCU’s Superman.
James GunnWe also have our first look at Nicholas Hoult’s Lux Luthor. The menacing villain looks to be in fine form as he scowls around our first glimpse of the Superman movie. Check him out above in all his in all his glory, and you can then take a look at the character in action in the trailer itself. (We break it down here)
Warner Bros./DCSuperman‘s Cast
Netflix/DC Comics/Prime VideoDavid Corenswet will play Superman, while Rachel Brosnahan will play Lois Lane.
In addition, four more actors have joined the cast of Superman. Isabela Merced will play Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi will play Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion will play Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and Anthony Carrigan will play Metamorpho. María Gabriela de Faría will play the villain The Engineer in the movie. Also known as Angela Spica, the character has nanotechnology built into her body. Additionally, Sara Sampaio will play Eve Teschmacher, Skyler Gisondo will play Jimmy Olsen, and Wendell Pierce will play The Daily Planet boss Perry White. Saturday Night Live‘s Beck Bennett will play The Daily Planet‘s sports journalist Steve Lombard. James Gunn has also confirmed that Nicholas Hoult will play Lex Luthor.
James Gunn recently confirmed that one exciting canine character would join the world of the DCU’s Superman this summer. Gunn shared that Krypto the Superdog would be a fixture of the movie and that he would be a pup who is a “not-so-good-good-boy” inspired by Gunn’s own real-life dog, Ozu.
In full, Gunn notes:
Krypto arrives on screens in Superman this summer. Krypto was inspired by our dog Ozu, who we adopted shortly after I started writing Superman. Ozu, who came from a hoarding situation in a backyard with 60 other dogs & never knew human beings, was problematic to say the least. He immediately came in & destroyed our home, our shoes, our furniture – he even ate my laptop. It took a long time before he would even let us touch him. I remember thinking, “Gosh, how difficult would life be if Ozu had superpowers?” – and thus Krypto came into the script & changed the shape of the story as Ozu was changing my life. What better time to debut the not-so-good-good-boy Krypto than #AdoptAShelterDog month. Btw, Ozu today, is, fairly often, a very good boy. #Superman
Gunn also recently confirmed the casting of Ma and Pa Kent on Threads. Pruitt Taylor Vince (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) will play Jonathan Kent, a.k.a. Pa Kent. Meanwhile, Neva Howell will play Martha Kent.
Behind the ScenesJames Gunn wrote the (definitely completed) script and is directing.
Recently, James Gunn hopped on social media to share a behind the scenes look at him with actor Skyler Gisondo, who will portray Superman’s best pal Jimmy Olsen. Gunn says Gisondo is “gonna knock you out of your socks” with this role.
Superman‘s Release DateToday is the anniversary of Superman’s Best Pal Jimmy Olsen. @SkylerGisondo’s performance in #Superman is gonna knock you out of your socks.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) April 15, 2025
Photo by Jess Miglio. pic.twitter.com/uQq4g99RfW
Thanks to the efforts of our talented crew, who never lost faith during the longest strikes in Hollywood history, and who never let their foot off the pedal, continuing to barrel forward, creating the most amazing character and set designs I’ve seen in my entire career,… pic.twitter.com/ntnEbA2fC0
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) November 11, 2023
Superman will soar into theaters faster than a speeding bullet on July 11, 2025.
Originally published on April 11, 2023.
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Legendary and Sony’s STREET FIGHTER Movie Lands Director Kitao Sakurai, Casts Chun-Li
We currently live in a world where video game movie and TV adaptations have finally, in most people’s estimation, reached their peak. HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us broke ratings records; the Sonic the Hedgehog movies made all kinds of money. And hell, even the 30-year stink of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. live-action movie has given way to what looks to be a pretty excellent animated film. Another franchise with a bad 1990s movie will soon get a similar reprieve. In 2023, we learned that Legendary obtained exclusive live-action film and TV rights to Capcom’s Street Fighter franchise. What’s more, a Street Fighter movie is on the way from Legendary and Sony. The Street Fighter movie was set to release in 2026, but currently does not have a release date. That hasn’t stopped casting from moving forward, though. Reportedly, the Street Fighter live-action movie has found its Chun-Li.
Capcom
According to Deadline, Callina Liang, who starred in Steven Soderbergh’s recent horror movie, Presence, will play Chun-Li, the iconic female lead in the live-action Street Fighter movie. And we can’t wait to see her in action. Additionally, Rapper Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent, seems to have confirmed rumors that he may play boxer Balrog in the live-action movie.
The Street Fighter movie lost its original set of directors, Danny and Michael Philippou, who created the popular A24 horror movie, Talk to Me. But, in February 2025, THR reported that The Eric Andre Show and Twisted Metal director, Kitao Sakurai, will direct the movie.
Legendary will co-develop and produce this Street Fighter movie with Sony and Capcom, and Legendary and Capcom will work together on any future titles. Capcom has had success with the Resident Evil movie franchise, though those aren’t particularly faithful to the games. Legendary, meanwhile, saw success with its live-action Pokémon Detective Pikachu movie in 2019.
One of the highest-grossing video game franchises in history, Street Fighter all but invented the fighting game as we know it today. From 1987, the games have introduced and perfected a particular kind of superpowered brawler and introduced memorable and beloved characters like Ryu, Chun-Li, and Guile. Dozens of anime adaptations grew the game’s lore and roster, showcasing a global fight tournament against the evil M. Bison.
A 1994 live-action adaptation starring Jean-Claude Van Damme didn’t quite live up to anybody’s expectations, but is still fun if you’re into that particular mood. We can’t wait to hear more about this Street Fighter movie as it develops.
Originally published June 27, 2024
Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks
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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IRONHEART Executive Producer Zoie Nagelhout on the Show’s Themes and Comic Inspirations
Riri Williams’ quest to build something truly iconic is finally here. Ironheart soared to Disney+ to craft the genius teen’s origin story, taking fans to the MCU version of Chicago. The city is close to Riri’s heart as her hometown and it holds many things: painful memories, magical secrets, and the allure of temptation. We spoke to Ironheart executive producer Zoie Nagelhout about balancing Riri’s comic material with new ideas and the show’s thematic underpinnings.
Nerdist: Ironheart gave Riri a more formal MCU origin story that’s done in such a brilliant way. How did you go about striking the balance between bringing in elements of her main comic arc while also infusing her journey with new things to surprise audiences?
Zoie Nagelhout: That is always the fun first task! It is figuring out what about the comics is a must have and what are things that you might want to tweak or change or enhance in order to make it work for the screen. Luckily, the comics are really amazing and there aren’t a ton of them. But the runs that we did have, particularly Eve Ewing’s run, offered us a lot of character depth, a lot of fun concepts, including her interacting with magic.
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IRONHEART Soars With Its Exploration of Temptation, Grief, Legacy, and Magic (Review)And so I think there was a lot for us to just kind of pluck and enhance in collaboration with our amazing writers led by [head writer and creator] Chinaka Hodge. We really got to see what, especially to folks who maybe aren’t as steeped in the comics, although Chinaka was quite familiar, was standing out to them and what was exciting to them. You want it to feel like it works and can engage not only the fans, but also maybe non-fans. So that was very fun for us to go on that journey of plucking out what worked and maybe what needed to be adjusted.
For sure. I think the show does a great job of exploring how socioeconomic barriers can push anybody into the wrong direction. I’d love to hear more about why that felt like the right thematic underpinning for Riri’s journey?
Nagelhout: Yeah, you’re very spot on. I think that the biggest difference between Riri and Tony is the access that they had. Tony obviously grew up a billionaire and ended up using his brilliance for the most heroic reasons and had to realize that that was something at his fingertips. Riri on the other hand grew up scrap metaling and figuring out how to make what she found into something that she invented in her mind. And she learned from her stepdad who ran an auto shop. So it was a very different approach.
Marvel Television/Disney+In a lot of ways, it kind of reminded us of Tony in the cave having to sort of scrap with what he had at his fingertips. But that is Riri’s everyday life… There are different difficult choices that she’s up against in order to achieve her ambitions. It puts her on a very different path, of course. So it was very exciting to explore that in tandem with the villain Parker Robbins, who is of similar struggles, but different methodology, different approach, and different power.
Ironheart is currently streaming on Disney+.
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June 24, 2025
The Marvel Comics History of Ezekiel ‘Zeke’ Stane
In recent years, the MCU has introduced the next generation of some of its iconic heroes, like Kate Bishop, Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, and Ant-Man’s daughter, Cassie Lang. But now, in the new series Ironheart, they may be introducing legacy villains too. Wait, is this character even a villain? Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) makes a new friend in Joe McGillicuddy, a suburban tech genius who is a bit of a weird loner. He’s played with awkward charm by Solo star Alden Ehrenreich. At the end of Ironheart episode 3, we learn who Joe really is, as he reveals he’s Ezekiel “Zeke” Stane, the son of Iron Man villain Obidiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), the former friend of Tony Stark. Could Zeke Stane’s Marvel Comics history clue us into his MCU fate?
Zeke Stane, a Second Generation Iron Man Villain
Marvel ComicsObidah Stane, also known as Iron Monger, fought Iron Man in one of his most seminal early ’80s storylines. He first appeared in 1982’s Iron Man #163, causing problems for Tony Stark until the seminal Iron Man #200 in 1985, the issue where he took his own life. Decades later, writer Matt Fraction introduced the character of Obidiah’s son, Ezekiel Stane, in 2008’s The Order. Fraction described Zeke as a child prodigy, who was building bioweaponry and advanced tech from age nine.
Much like Tony Stark, Zeke Stane was a futurist. But he believed in upgrading the actual human body, versus simply creating suits and armor like Stark. Much like his MCU counterpart, Zeke Stane lived off the grid for years, avoiding detection. He eventually becomes the CEO of Stane International. He uses the company’s resources to strike at Stark as revenge for the death of his father.
Marvel ComicsIn the years that followed, Zeke Stane worked with and against many of Iron Man’s villains, like the Mandarin and the daughter of Justin Hammer. He even joined the ranks of the elite group of wealthy X-Men villains the Hellfire Club. In one instance, he funded a rebellion within the kingdom of Wakanda. He sometimes uses the name Iron Monger like his father, but prefers his birth name. As a behind-the-scenes manipulator, he seems to have his fingers in many pies in the Marvel Universe. And he’s ultimately proven to be a big thorn in Iron Man’s side for much longer than his father Obidiah ever was.
Zeke Stane’s Powers, and How They Differ from Stark’s Iron Suits
Marvel ComicsZeke Stane’s most important power is his genius intellect and his vast fortune, inherited from his villainous father. He used all this to reverse-engineer advanced Stark Tech to augment his own biology, and he was able to create repulsor bolts that came out of his own hands. All of these upgrades come at a price, however. Because of the excessive use of his own body’s energy, Zeke Stane must constantly keep his body’s blood sugar level high to make up for its rapid consumption. Stane does this by eating a high 20,000 calorie paste. This is very similar to how DC Comics’ Flash has to eat massive amounts to overcompensate for his energy output.
The MCU Ezekiel Stane in Ironheart
Marvel Studios/Marvel ComicsThe MCU version of Zeke Stane doesn’t seem to be much of a bad guy at all. Yes, he experiments with a lot of contraband tech, and is a genius. But he seems like a genuinely nice guy, who wants to live in anonymity without anyone knowing his true parentage.
He lives in the suburbs of Chicago, using the name Joe. He keeps his dad’s ashes in his cupboard, but wants nothing to do with his father’s villainous past. It seems his greatest fear is becoming another version of Obidiah Stane. But sometimes, you just can’t fight your destiny. We’ll see if Zeke Stane will finish out Ironheart without a turn to the dark side.
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