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THE BATMAN – PART II Is NOT Canceled! So Relax and Stop Being Mean, Says James Gunn

Although it will not belong to the main on-screen DC Universe, we were very happy to hear that The Batman – Part II will continue on in DC’s new world order. Under James Gunn and Peter Safran, The Batman – Part II will belong to DC’s Elseworlds Projects. These projects will take place in TV, movie, or game form but will not factor into the main universe story. Still, they play a critical role in keeping the DC Universe varied and interesting.

But what is the current state of The Batman – Part II? Unfortunately, the film has been delayed once more. Although The Batman – Part II was originally meant to arrive in 2025, it will now be released on October 1, 2027, after two delays. James Gunn confirmed the news on Threads, revealing, “The only reason for the delay is there isn’t a full script (those of you who follow me here probably know that already). Matt is committed to making the best film he possibly can, and no one can accurately guess exactly how long a script will take to write. Once there is a finished script, there is around two years for pre-production, shooting and post-production on big films.”

Warner Bros.

This latest release date delay means there will be five years between The Batman‘s release and The Batman – Part II‘s release onto our screens. But Gunn feels that this is pretty normal, noting, “To be fair, a 5 year gap or more is fairly common in sequels. 7 years between Alien and Aliens. 14 years between Incredibles. 7 years between the first two Terminators. 13 years between Avatars. 36 years between Top Guns. And, of course, 6 years between Guardians Vol 2 and Vol 3.” We guess we’ll have to see what this latest delay means for the sequel movie and for the audience’s enjoyment of it.

Most recently, Gunn affirmed that The Batman—Part II was still proceeding as it should be. In response to a question about whether The Batman universe might merge into the DCU, Gunn offered, “I would never say zero, because you just never know. But it’s not likely. It’s not likely at all. I’ll also say Batman Part II is not canceled. That’s the other thing I hear all the time — that Batman Part II is canceled. It’s not canceled. We don’t have a script. Matt’s slow. Let him take his time. Let him do what he’s doing. God, people are mean. Let him do his thing, man.”

Here’s everything we know about The Batman – Part II.

Title

For now, the sequel to The Batman carries the descriptive title of The Batman – Part II.

The Batman – Part II‘s Plot

We don’t know much yet about The Batman – Part II‘s plot. But we do know that a cinematic universe is building for The Batman. Next up, we’ll see a Penguin series on HBO Max, and that will tie directly into the coming sequel.

Warner Bros.

One thing is clear about The Batman – Part II; its focus will stay on Batman, a.k.a Bruce Wayne. Reeves shares:

To me, the thing that I really feel is that I also believe that Rob [Pattinson] is so special in the role. My goal has always been to do these point-of-view stories that allow the character to always be the emotional center of the story. Because a lot of times what happens is, after you do the first one, then suddenly other Rogues Gallery characters come in, and they kind of take over, and then Batman takes a backseat sort of character-wise, or emotionally.

The Batman – Part II‘s CastWarner Bros.

For now, we know Robert Pattinson will return as our Bruce Wayne/Batman. It just wouldn’t be a The Batman movie without him. In addition, an article in GQ notes that Matt Reeves has confirmed Andy Serkis’ return as Alfred Pennyworth in The Batman – Part II.

A February 21, 2024 interview on Vanity Fair also confirmed Barry Keoghan—who had a brief cameo in the first film as the Joker—will return, presumably in a much bigger role, for The Batman – Part II.

Warner Bros.Behind the Scenes

Matt Reeves is returning to write the sequel to The Batman. But this time, he will find a co-writer in Mattson Tomlin. We assume Reeves will also direct The Batman – Part II.

The Batman – Part II Release Date

The Batman – Part II will release on October 1, 2027.

Originally published on February 8, 2023.

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Pedro Pascal Wishes You a Happy Father’s Day in THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS

When Disney purchased 20th Century Fox, lo those many years ago, that immediately meant all the X-Men characters could appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It also meant Fox’s other (and let’s face it, far less successful) Marvel property, the Fantastic Four, was joining the fray. However, aside from a Reed Richards cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the Fantastic Four have been MIA. But, hope is on the horizon! The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be part of the MCU’s Phase Six.

In the movie, Pedro Pascal will play Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic. And it just so happens Mister Fantastic will be a father in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. To celebrate this and Father’s Day, The Fantastic Four: First Steps gave us a little montage of Papa Pedro.

Here’s everything we know about the MCU’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie.

TitleMarvel Studios

All the initial branding from Marvel indicated the movie’s title would be Fantastic Four. Now, we know that the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie will be called The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Plot

The film takes place in a retro-futuristic 1960s NYC, which we see in this trailer.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Fantastic Four: First Steps:

Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios’ “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.

Marvel ComicsBehind the Scenes

In August 2022, Marvel named Matt Shakman—who had directed WandaVision for Disney+—as the film’s director. Feige confirmed this at the D23 Expo in September of that same year.

Later in September, Marvel said Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer were writing the script for The Fantastic Four. By March 2023, Terminator franchise and Avatar: The Way of Water screenwriter Josh Friedman was at work rewriting the script. In October 2023, Cameron Squires’ name was added as co-writer.

The fantastic quartet—Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach—also got ready to go on their “first mission.” Pascal shared the candid photo of the cast on his IG page.

As Deadline reports, during the Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore, Marvel boss Kevin Feige made a virtual appearance to talk about the MCU and bringing this collective to the big screen.

“Finally, [we’re] bringing Marvel’s First Family into the MCU,” said Feige. “And then all those characters go right into the next Avengers movies, so I’m very excited for the future of the Fantastic Four.”

The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Cast

The MCU’s Fantastic Four team has officially set its cast. Pedro Pascal will play Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mister Fantastic. Vanessa Kirby will play Sue Storm, a.k.a. the Invisible Woman. Ebon Moss-Bachrach will play The Thing. Finally, Joseph Quinn will play Johnny Storm, a.k.a. the Human Torch.

Netflix/Marvel Comics

Julia Garner (Ozark, Inventing Anna) will play the Shalla-Bal version of Silver Surfer. In the comics, Shalla-Bal appeared as Norrin Radd’s partner, but at one point, she received the same powers as the Silver Surfer and they were both Galactus’ heralds.

Paul Walter Hauser has also joined the cast, as have John Malkovich and Natasha Lyonne. We don’t know who these actors are playing. We do know Ralph Ineson will be playing Galactus. And Matthew Wood will voice the adorable H.E.R.B.I.E.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Release Date

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will release on July 25, 2025.

Originally published on December 22, 2023.

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This Pride, Celebrate Your Sins with a Drag Priest and a Powerful Queer Short at NYC’s SCRIPTURE & SIN

Happy Pride! ‘Tis the season for all things queer. At Nerdist, we’ve been covering some fabulous enteries into the world of queer art and performance. One of our favorite queer immersive theater shows, Life and Trust, closed unceremoniously before it could make it to its first Pride Month celebrations. But the performers that made Life and Trust so special are still working to create more queer experiences in the world. And what would a good Pride be without a little blasphemy? This Pride Month, we’re excited to check out Scripture & Sin, confess to a Drag Pastor, and watch a thrilling short that mixes queerness, religion, and murder.

Queer people have always had a complex relationship with religion. Historically, religion has not been kind to queer folk, so, of course, it’s up to us to reclaim the idea of it and maybe blaspheme just a little bit as we do. And this Pride, we can do exactly that at the Scripture & Sin: Confessions x Kid Prosper Pride event hosted by Confessions.NYC and One Man Army. “God can’t save you in this life.” Confessions, shares. But maybe a drag queen can.

So what can you expect at Scripture & Sin? Firstly, there will be a Confessions reading, which will whisper a fictionalized confession or two into your ear. And secondly, there will be a screening of Kid Prosper, a haunting new short film that explores guilt, grace, and the broken identities we hide from the world. An alternate synopsis of the movie, created by Aaron Dalla Villa, reveals, “After a closeted pastor receives a mysterious note threatening to expose him, he goes to brutal lengths to keep his secret hidden.” Sounds like the kind of intense Pride evening we can’t wait to experience. This will all be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers, moderated by the hosts of Confessions.

One Man Army

In addition to all of this excitement, Scripture & Sin will feature a special guest drag performer who will provide a one-of-a-kind confessional booth experience. Dalla Villa and co. share, “Our confession booth will also feature a DRAG priest that will DRAG yo ass (double entendre).” Honestly, that sounds like so much fun.

RELATED ARTICLE

Long Live LIFE AND TRUST—A Beautiful Immersive Theater Performance We Loved and Lost

If you’d like to attend this event in NYC, you can snag tickets right here. The Scripture & Sin: Confessions x Kid Prosper Pride event will occur on June 22 at 8 pm. Tickets are $15 per person. Don’t miss this evening of scripture, sin, cinema…and something sacred in between.

The post This Pride, Celebrate Your Sins with a Drag Priest and a Powerful Queer Short at NYC’s SCRIPTURE & SIN appeared first on Nerdist.

The 10 Greatest Marvel Villains, Ranked

DC might have some incredible villains, mostly located in Gotham City. But the enemies of Marvel’s superheroes are right up there too. For 60 years, they’ve become iconic, both because of comics and because of their portrayals in outside comics media. But which ones rule the roost? We narrowed down the ten greatest Marvel Comics villains, based on their comics history as well as film and television.

10. MephistoFirst Appearance: Silver Surfer #3 (1968) Created by Stan Lee and John BuscemaMarvel Comics

So let’s not beat around the bush. Mephisto is the Devil. He’s Satan, Lucifer, and Mephistopheles. (Who is actually a Germanic demon not related to the Fallen Angel, but c’mon). I mean, Mephisto is just the cutesy shorter nickname for Mephistopheles. Marvel was just too scared to make Satan a literal character in their superhero comics that kids buy. So, as the Devil, it doesn’t get much worse in terms of villainy, at least in theory. Stan Lee and John Buscema created Marvel’s demon lord back in 1968’s Silver Surfer #3, one of Lee’s last memorable creations of the early Marvel Comics era.

Mephisto often fulfills the Devil’s role we see in most fiction, tempting good people with alluring deals and “selling their souls” to him. And he has fought just about every major hero at Marvel, starting with the Silver Surfer. But he’s also battled Doctor Strange repeatedly, as well as Ghost Rider and Doctor Doom. And he literally erased the marriage of Spider-Man and Mary Jane from existence, perhaps his most famous evil act. A lot of his coolness derives from his memorable Satanic look, designed by his co-creator John Buscema. Sometimes, a killer look is just enough to make you an A-lister.

9. ApocalypseFirst Appearance: X-Factor #5 (1986) Created by Louis Simonson and Jackson GuiceMarvel Comics

Magneto remains the “King Daddy Baddie” of the X-Men books, but we think Apocalypse is very much a close second. Marvel originally introduced him in the pages of X-Factor as an elevated threat to the original X-Men. A creation of writer Louise Simonson and artist Butch Guice, En-Sabah-Nur was the self-proclaimed “First Mutant,” claiming to be born 5,000 years ago in ancient Egypt. A large, imposing figure, Apocalypse is a mutant with nearly unlimited power. This is thanks to his X-gene allowing him to control his own cellular structure. Unlike most mutants, his powers, augmented by Celestial technology, make him practically god-like.

Unlike Magneto and Charles Xavier, who fight for all mutants (in their own way), En-Sabah-Nur cares only about elevating the strongest of the species. So if a mutant is weak, they’re as useless to him as a garden variety human. But for all his ruthlessness, even Apocalypse has (kind of) understandable goals. Using his fabled Four Horsemen, he wants to make sure mutants are strong enough to inherit a world where humans want them extinct. But he’s willing to burn down the planet to achieve it. That alone him one of the most formidable villains in all of comics.

8. Red SkullFirst appearance Captain America Comics #1 (1941) Created by Joe Simon and Jack KirbyMarvel Comics/Marvel Studios

The MCU version of Red Skull tried to skirt around it as much as possible, implying that he was more part of Hydra than someone who worked for Hitler. But in the comics, the reason Johann Shmidt is so awful is simply because he’s a ruthless Nazi, very loyal to twisted Nazi ideals. Red Skull first appeared in Captain America Comics #1, created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. And he has been a thorn in Cap’s side ever since, surviving the death of his Führer and the ravages of time. At first, his “red skull” face was just a mask, until he became disfigured, Joker style. But in either case, it created a truly memorable look that’s hard to forget.

Aside from his status as a Nazi, Red Skull has done a metric ton of damage as a villain. Not only has he killed Cap (actually trapping him in a time loop), he once stole Charles Xavier’s brain and created mutant concentration camps. In addition, he’s funded tons of hate groups that have given many a Marvel villain a run for their money. Unlike other villains on this list, Skull doesn’t have much in the way of redeeming qualities. But in terms of pure villainy, few Marvel baddies come close to causing the amount of damage Red Skull has.

7. LokiFirst appearance: Journey into Mystery #85 (1962) Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack KirbyMarvel Comics/Marvel Studios

In the comics, Thor is a fairly popular Marvel hero. But he’s often outshined by Spider-Man, Iron Man, and others. Yet, his evil adopted brother Loki, the son of the Frost Giant Laufey, is easily one of Marvel Comics’ most notorious villains. Based on the trickster god of Norse mythology, Loki was eternally jealous of his brother Thor, and harbored bitter feelings towards his father, Odin, ruler of Asgard. He used his arcane knowledge of magic to concoct scheme after scheme to embarrass his adopted family, and one of those schemes resulted in the formation of the Avengers.

Loki’s profile was raised further in the ‘80s when he became a recurring foe for the X-Men, Marvel’s most popular team. Loki has gone through many transformations in the comics, even becoming a woman at one point, and later, a teenager. But his brand of likable villainy has made him one of the publisher’s best bad guys since 1962. Of course, his profile increased even further thanks to Tom Hiddleston’s MCU portrayal. But even before going Hollywood, the God of Mischief had earned his place in the pantheon of Marvel villains.

6. ThanosFirst appearance: Invincible Iron Man #55 (1973) Created by Jim Starlin and Mike FriedrichMarvel Comics/Marvel Studios

If you’re only a Marvel fan thanks to the MCU and Josh Brolin, you’d probably think Thanos, the Mad Titan, would be higher on this list. After all, he was the main bad guy of the Infinity Saga. But in the comics, he actually wasn’t as big a deal until decades after his creation. Still, Thanos wasn’t ever a slouch. He first appeared in a 1970s issue of Iron Man, created by writer Jim Starlin. And he became a recurring cosmic menace to heroes like Adam Warlock and Silver Surfer.

Starlin admits that at first, Thanos was not much more than a copy of DC Comics’ Darkseid. He was mostly a secondary villain for decades until the 1991 event series, The Infinity Gauntlet, where he collected the Infinity Gems and wiped out half of life in the universe. This, of course, was the basis for Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. But even since that early ‘90s series, he’s become a major player in the Marvel Universe, involved in cosmic events like Annihilation and headlining several series of his own.

5. GalactusFirst appearance: Fantastic Four #48 (1966) Created by Stan Lee and Jack KirbyMarvel Comics

We can say one thing about Galactus…he’s the tallest villain on this list. As the Devourer of Worlds, he’s got the biggest body count on this list as well. But even with so many dead planets in his wake, it’s hard to truly call Galactus a villain. He’s a force of nature, consuming the energy of planets for sustenance, not out of malice. He first appeared in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four #48 in 1966, when he came to Earth to devour its energy. Over the years, Galactus has also plagued Thor on several occasions, as well as his former herald, the Silver Surfer.

Although he’s usually portrayed as a cold and remote being above mortals, Marvel did eventually humanize Galactus with an origin story. It was revealed he existed in the universe before this one, where he was scientist Galen of the planet Ta. He survived the implosion of his universe, becoming a unique being who has now lived for billions of years. We’d be remiss to not admit that a lot of his popularity is thanks to his amazing character design by Jack Kirby, which will finally come to life in live-action in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Because of his omnipotent power levels, Galactus isn’t a villain Marvel can pull out of their pocket too often. But when they do, you know the stakes are going to be huge.

4. Wilson Fisk/The KingpinFirst appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #50 (1967) Created by Stan Lee and John Romita Marvel Comics/Marvel Television

Wilson Fisk has no superpowers, nor is he a scientific genius. So why is the so-called Kingpin of Crime so damn scary? Part of it is his imposing figure, as artist John Romita designed him as a giant of a man back in Amazing Spider-Man. While he was pretty memorable as part of Spidey’s rogues’ gallery, he had to compete there with many costumed criminals with powers. In the ‘80s, the writers of Daredevil reinvented Kingpin as the primary enemy of Matt Murdock. Over the years, Kingpin took apart Daredevil’s life, causing him more pain and personal loss than anyone else.

In more recent years, Fisk became Mayor of New York, making life miserable for every vigilante hero within city limits. Fisk’s profile was raised by his brilliant live-action portrayal by Vincent D’Onofrio across four seasons of Daredevil television shows, where he’s given a performance for the ages. Like DC’s Lex Luthor, Kingpin proves you don’t need superpowers to be a superheroes’ main villain. You just need smarts, endless resources, and a shiny bald head.

3. Green Goblin (Norman Osborn)First appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #14 (1964) Created by Stan Lee and Steve DitkoMarvel Comics/Sony Pictures

On the surface, the Green Goblin may seem like he’s simply the Joker to Peter Parker’s Batman, if you catch our drift. After all, Green Goblin is another cackling, murderous psycho clad in purple and green. But that’s where the similarity ends. Norman Osborn isn’t a common crook or serial killer. He is highly intelligent and a wealthy captain of industry. Yes, he’s been ruthless and amoral, but he actually has a good side. Only that alternate Goblin personality all but consumed that good side. This persona was a result of experiments he performed on himself, that enhanced his strength but tore apart his sanity.

Green Goblin has done more damage to Spider-Man’s life than any other member of his impressive rogues gallery, murdering his love Gwen Stacy, and being responsible for the infamous Clone Saga that tore his life apart. The delicious irony is that as Norman, he is the father of Peter’s best friend Harry, and saw himself as a father figure to him at times. When you factor in that Norman Osborn has been an enemy of Iron Man and the Avengers as well, you can see why he’s one of Marvel’s most iconic villains. Even a bad costume worn by Willem Dafoe in the Spider-Man movies can’t make him less formidable.

2. MagnetoFirst Appearance: X-Men #1 (1963) Created by Styan Lee and Jack KirbyMarvel Comics/Twentieth Century Studios

Calling Max Eisenhardt/Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto a “villain” is somewhat reductive. Because he’s often been a force for good in the Marvel Universe, and even an occasional member of the X-Men. But, for a much larger part of his comics career, he’s been an antagonist to Xavier’s students, working to eliminate any and all threats to mutantkind. Yes, thanks to his traumatic childhood as a concentration camp survivor in Nazi Germany, the Master of Magnetism is a sympathetic villain. That’s part of what makes him so compelling. Excellent portrayals of the character in X-Men: The Animated Series and by Sir Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender in film have only made us love the character more.

His relationship with ex-friend Charles Xavier forms the ideological divide on mutant rights. And thus, the backbone of the entire X-Men franchise. Because we understand why he is the way he is, thanks to the exploration of his trauma, as readers, we can’t help but sympathize with his pain. But it’s hard to argue that he’s not committed legitimately evil acts in the name of mutant liberation. He once sank a submarine full of soldiers, causing a global EMP that killed thousands. So yes, he is still a villain, even if his ultimate goals are noble. Because when those acts cost the lives of hundreds of innocents, we have to label him a bad guy. He’s just one that we really hate to love and sometimes even root for.

1. Doctor Victor von DoomFirst appearance: The Fantastic Four #5 (1962) Created by Stan Lee and Jack KirbyMarvel Comics

There is no other Marvel villain who could have topped this list. When Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created Victor von Doom in 1962, the stars aligned. The creative duo knew the FF needed a powerful enemy, and they came up with the twisted monarch of fictional Latveria. Kirby wanted Doom’s metal mask to give the impression of “the Grim Reaper meets The Man in the Iron Mask. That gave him the kind of visual punch that made him instantly iconic. But then, Lee and Kirby gave Doom layers. While not as sympathetic as Magneto, the loss of his mother as a child and his suffering at the hands of his country’s ruler do make him understandable. Just not entirely likable. Marvel’s writers did a great job explaining why this evil despot became an evil despot.

Marvel Comics

Marvel also added a rich background with Reed Richards, making him Victor’s former friend and college competitor. They gave him a legendary rivalry that was incredible fodder for literally decades of stories. Not only was Doom a brilliant scientist, but he was a powerful sorcerer. This allowed him to work in sci-fi scenarios, as well as horror/fantasy tales. He’s the Fantastic Four’s primary villain of course, but he’s also terrorized Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, the Hulk, the Avengers, pretty much every Marvel hero has gone against Doom.

In the iconic Secret Wars crossover, he even became God Emperor Doom, reshaping reality in his own image. He may have started as just an FF foe, he eventually became the face of villainy in all of Marvel Comics. He’s never had been portrayed well in film, but we’ll soon know if Robert Downey Jr. will be the one to finally elevate Doctor Doom to his comic book status in the MCU. It’s certainly been a long time coming.

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Celebrate MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL’s 50th Anniversary With Shout! TV’s 24-Hour Event

This year marks the 50th anniversary of a truly important film. It’s been five decades since moviegoers first encountered the Knights of Who Say “Ni!” That’s how long it’s been since we learned about the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog and witnessed firsthand how coconuts make for both a cost-effective and hilarious replacement for actual horses. Yup, fifty years. After all this time (and all those rewatches) you’d think fans already know everything there is to know about Monty Python and the Holy Grail. To that, Shout! TV says, “I blow my nose on you!” It’s celebrating the iconic comedy’s golden anniversary with a 24-hour streaming event that will feature original insights from members of the group.

On June 21 Shout! TV is going big with its special Monty Python and the Holy Grail party. Its marathon showing of the seminal film that will include new insights from John Cleese, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin. These original interviews will include the three talking about their favorite memories from the production and the movie’s legacy. From Shout! TV:

These newly filmed interstitials exclusive to Shout! TV and Shout! Movies feature the cast reflecting on the movie’s lasting impact — from Terry Gilliam talking about his dual role as director and actor, John Cleese sharing what quotes he still gets to this day, Michael Palin saying it was all a bit silly, and plenty more behind-the-scenes stories and laughs along the way.

EMI Films

For fans ready to spend the full 24 hours watching you can stream this special event at Shout! TV, Shout Movies, and via the Shout! TV app.

When it’s over you still won’t know everything there is to know about Monty Pythin and the Holy Grail. But that’s for the best. It’ll give Shout! TV an excuse to throw a new party every year.

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TOMBSTONE Digs Up New French Fry Style Crust Pizzas

Have you ever argued about the best style of pizza? Ever yelled, “Deep dish is just a casserole!” at someone from Chicago? Or, “You haven’t had a real pie unless you’ve been to New Haven!” Guess what? You’ve been wasting your time, because every style of pizza is good. Instead of disparaging any of them, you should have been putting that energy into coming up with new ways to spread pizza joy. That’s what Tombstone has done. It has combined two iconic foods into one appetizing option, with French Fry Style Crust Pizza.Tombstone

We all know pizza and fries go well together. Now they’re literally together with Tombstone French Fry Style Crust Pizza. The company’s two new gluten-free frozen pizzas—Loaded Bacon Cheddar and Chili Cheese—feature potato-powered crust. Here’s the official description for both:

TOMBSTONE French Fry Style Crust Pizza – Loaded Bacon Cheddar: The delicious crust is made with potato, covered in a gooey cheddar cheese sauce and loaded with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses plus a bacon and pork belly blend for the perfect bite every time. TOMBSTONE® French Fry Style Crust Pizza – Chili Cheese: The mouthwatering potato-based crust is covered in a hamburger chili cheese sauce and topped with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, red onion and parsley for the ultimate comfort food experience. Tombstone

You’re not going to believe this after my opening about how all pizza is great, but I would like to eat both of these. If you feel the same way you’ll have to wait a little while longer. Both of Tombstone’s French Fry Style Crust Pizzas will arrive in stores starting this July. You will also have a chance to win them as part of the company’s celebration of National French Fry Day on July 11. Starting that day until until July 25 you can enter to win yourself this culinary crossover at www.tombstone.com/frenchfrysweeps.  

Whether you win them or buy them just don’t waste time arguing over where they rank among pizzas afterwards. Instead spend that time telling Tombstone what kind of French Fry Style Crust Pizzas they should release next.

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James Gunn Seemingly Confirms SUPERGIRL Film Name Change

James Gunn’s new DCU is getting ready to launch in cinemas all over the globe next year with the release of Superman. But just one year later, Kal-El’s cousin Kara, a.k.a Supergirl, is hitting the big screen as well, in the character’s first feature film in over 40 years. Originally titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, it seems the film will now just be Supergirl. This isn’t shocking considering Superman: Legacy eventually became Superman. Gunn himself commented on it during a Rolling Stone interview, saying “I think its just called Supergirl” and noting that he’s always cutting things.

Here’s everything we know so far about DC Studios’ upcoming movie about the Girl of Steel, Supergirl.

TitleDC Comics

Like the comic book upon which it is based, the title of the film was once Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow but now it is Supergirl. It will be the second film in James Gunn’s Chapter 1 of his new DCU, titled “Gods and Monsters.”

Supergirl’s PlotDC Comics

Based on the 2021-2022 series of the same name by Batman writer Tom King and artist Bilquis Evely, the film will be a grand intergalactic adventure. In this story, Kara Zor-El, Superman’s young cousin, will embark on a journey through space on her 21st birthday. Joining her on this adventure is Krypto the Superdog. In space she meets a young alien girl named Ruthye who asks Kara for her help in getting revenge for the killing of her family by a man known as Krem of the Yellow Hills. Kara is far more jaded than her cousin Kal-El, who came to Earth as a baby. In stark contrast, this version of Kara witnessed the destruction of her home planet at age 14, changing her outlook on life going forward.

Today we celebrate #Supergirl and all her various incarnations. Can’t wait for you to see the latest version, portrayed by the indomitable @millyalcock, in June 2026.

Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh. pic.twitter.com/3sXwAFfxJb

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 31, 2025

Behind-The-Scenes

Supergirl is directed by I, Tonya and Cruella director Craig Gillespie, from a script by Ana Nogueira. Although she has written screenplays before, most know Nogueira from her role in the CW series The Vampire Diaries. DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are producing. Of Nogueira, Gunn said “Ana is an amazing writer whose screenplay adaptation of Woman of Tomorrow is above and beyond anything I hoped it would be.”

DC Comics

He later said (via The Hollywood Reporter) “[Writer] Anna [Nogueira] came in, and she pitched the story to me of Supergirl, and it was just one of the best pitches I’ve ever heard, and she immediately wrote it. She came in with the first draft that was great, and it’s just gotten better and better. Then [director] Craig [Gillespie] has been incredibly easy to work with, and I can’t wait for that to come out.”

On January 23, 2025, Gunn shared a photo of star Milly Alcock sitting in a director’s chair with the Supergirl logo on it. He explained that cameras are rolling on what will be the DCU’s second feature.

Thrilled to see cameras roll at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden on Supergirl, with Craig Gillespie at the helm and the phenomenal Milly Alcock as our Kara Zor-El. Craig brings an incredible sensibility to this story, and Milly is every inch the unique #Supergirl envisioned by Tom… pic.twitter.com/za9Tr8Vryr

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 23, 2025

Supergirl’s CastHBO/DC Studios

Our titular woman of tomorrow is none other than House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock. As fans probably know, she played the younger Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the first season of that series. Joining her is Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts, famous for his role in Netflix’s The Old Guard. Here, he’s the antagonist of the film, Krem of the Yellow Hills. Although not confirmed, we imagine there will be some kind of smaller role for David Corenswet as Kara’s cousin Superman.

DC Comics/Ed Miller/Netflix

Eve Ridley will also star in the film as Ruthye Mary Knolle. This character is central to the comics that the film is based on, in which this alien girl discovers the death of her father by a villain named Krem. Her quest for vengeance leads to a team up with Kara for justice.

Warner Bros/DC Comics

In a move both totally surprising and not at all surprising, Jason Momoa—Aquaman in the DCEU—has been cast as Lobo in the DCU, to make his first supporting appearance in Supergirl.

AMC/Universal Pictures

David Krumholtz (Oppenheimer) and Emily Beecham (1899) have been cast in the film as Kara’s parents, Zor-El and Alura, respectively. Presumably they will feature in flashbacks since the characters are canonically dead by time Supergirl is awakened on Earth.

Supergirl‘s Release Date

Supergirl is set to release in theaters worldwide on June 26, 2026.

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First (Shadowy) Look at Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man

They call them “teaser” images for a reason. Tantalizing, brief, unclear, maybe obscured. It’s all part of the exceedingly manufactured, seemingly endless cycle of movie marketing. Nothing revealed before its time. The latest of these fleeting glimpses comes courtesy of actor Nicholas Galitzine. He’s playing Prince Adam, also known as He-Man of Eternia, in the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie. The young beef boy shared a first image of himself as He-Man…kind of. The picture, which he shared on Instagram, is heavily backlit, featuring naught but the silhouette of the hero, sporting his trademark furry loincloth and big ol’ sword. Take a look!

Galitzine shared the image to commemorate the end of production on Masters of the Universe. The gravity of taking on such a beloved hero is certainly not lost on him. He said:

Well, that’s a wrap on Masters of the Universe. It has been an honour shouldering the responsibility of playing Adam and He Man. It’s been the role of a lifetime and I put everything into it. There’s not much I can show you, but I am so proud of the movie we’ve made. Thanks to our amazing cast and crew for all your hard work.

Travis Knight will direct this Masters of the Universe live-action film with Chris Butler penning the script. Mattel Films’ Robbie Brenner and Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch are producing. Other cast members include Jared Leto as Skeletor, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Idris Elba as Man-at-Arms, and Camila Mendes as Teela. The film will come out June 5, 2026, according to all reports.

Starz/Netflix

Here’s a synopsis of what fans can expect in the film: 

10-year-old Prince Adam crashed to Earth in a spaceship and was separated from his magical Power Sword—the only link to his home on Eternia. After tracking it down almost two decades later, Prince Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet against the evil forces of Skeletor. But to defeat such a powerful villain, Prince Adam will first need to uncover the mysteries of his past and become He-Man: the most powerful man in the Universe!

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.

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Exploring CRITICAL ROLE: From a Plucky Underdog to a Beloved Multimedia Powerhouse

Critical Role’s transformation from a plucky underdog to an established multimedia brand shows the power of TTRPGs. In March 2015, the then fledgling Geek & Sundry network aired the first episode of Critical Role, an Actual Play series featuring a group of voice actors playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Although there have been some minor deviations over the past ten years, Critical Role’s core cast of Matt Mercer, Marisha Ray, Liam O’Brien, Sam Riegel, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Travis Willingham, and Laura Bailey have remained together throughout the show’s entire journey. With that kind of longevity and dedication, Critical Role is more than deserving of our dive into its history and impact in the gaming arena.

How Critical Role Won Its Audience Through an Organic Foundation

Critical Role wasn’t the first high-profile Actual Play show, but it captured lightning in a bottle in a way that few other online could. The show captured thousands of viewers with a deep engaging world and fascinating characters. It has also become a model for success and independence within the content creation space.

Critical Role

Critical Role’s roots are organic and homegrown, with the cast originally coming together to play in a home game of Pathfinder to celebrate Liam O’Brien’s birthday. When Geek & Sundry approached the group about airing their game as a livestream, the group switched over to D&D Fifth Edition. The then-new system was seen as more accessible than the crunchy Pathfinder system. But it also meant that the cast was functionally learning D&D in real time. Instead of launching a brand-new story, the cast picked up their characters and had their viewership jump into the deep end of a fully-fleshed out world.

Critical Role‘s Early Days: Charming Beginnings and Inside Jokes

Critical Role’s earliest episodes were bumpy but have an indescribable charm. The show felt like an idealized game of D&D, with viewers enjoying every in-joke alongside the cast and joining the highs and lows of every session. Not only did these episodes feature high-end combat and deep and complex lore, there were also multi-hour shopping episodes and frequent pit-stops to interact with every NPC (all of whom were given a surprising dearth of personality by DM Matt Mercer.)

The group quickly discovered the balance between engaging with their audience and remaining true to their own storytelling pursuits. Critical Role quickly bought into having a passionate and engaged fanbase, sharing fan art and finding ways to engage with its audience through regular Q&A sessions. However, it never compromised on the types of stories they told. Even to this day, Critical Role’s stories are the stories that its casts want to tell. This is opposed to fishing for fan-favorites or making in-game decisions that would please its fans.

Experimental and Intentional Storytelling Drive Critical Role‘s Success

To this day, Critical Role tells the stories it wants to tell, with the audience just along for the ride. This has led to a bevy of controversial moments within the main campaign. (The average Critical Role chat is filled with real-time discussion on various strategic moves and questions about whether Mercer is pulling punches in major combats.) And, there are also experimental and delightfully weird programs. From a Sam Riegel-led miniseries that catered to kids (and hilariously had a swear jar for the usually bawdy cast) to the strange sci-fi podcast Midst, Critical Role keeps finding places for weird ideas and shows that would get turned down at almost any other outfit.

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CRITICAL ROLE Announces New EXANDRIA UNLIMITED Miniseries

At its heart, Critical Role succeeded because the show tells compelling stories. The world of Exandria built by Matt Mercer is a fascinatingly complex world filled with competing themes and ambitions. Exandria is built upon the ideas of fallen empires and feuding gods. However, many of the stories told by the principal cast of Critical Role are about found families and overcoming past trauma. The character arcs found in a typical Critical Role campaign may be framed by dragons and demons, but they tackle problems that many of its readers can relate to.

As Critical Role continued to grow, the group strove to maintain its focus on storytelling. The group eventually parted ways with Geek & Sundry to form its own channel, preserving its independence. The fanbase supported them throughout their earliest days, helping to fuel a robust merchandising arm that rivals much larger brands. Over time, Critical Role became the biggest streaming channel on Twitch, with thousands of subscribers joining during the pandemic. Eventually, Critical Role transformed from a streaming show about a group of voice actors playing D&D to a full-fledged brand.

The Dive Into Animation, Resounding Kickstarter Success, and Building a Business

One of Critical Role’s biggest moments was when the group made the push into animation. As a group of voice actors, the group has always had deep connections with various animation teams and partners. They were also vocal about their desire to adapt their various adventures (particularly the tale of Vox Machina, their first group of heroes) into animated form. However, instead of partnering with a streaming platform or studio partner from the outset, Critical Role instead opted to approach its fanbase via a Kickstarter campaign. What initially started as a project to fund a pilot for a Vox Machina animated series became a $11 million monster, enough to fund a full first season of the show.

The success of Critical Role’s Kickstarter led to a lucrative partnership with Amazon Studios, one that has led to multiple seasons of The Legend of Vox Machina. And, there’s also an upcoming animated series based on the Mighty Nein, the subject of the show’s second campaign. These cartoons are not straight adaptations of the campaigns. Instead, they are independent projects that put the characters in new situations and occasionally deviate greatly from the core campaign. It all comes back to telling stories. An animated slate allows for different opportunities and Critical Role doesn’t seem content to rest on their well-earned laurels.

On a technical level, the growth of Critical Role’s business is fascinating. Every move the group makes is deliberate. From its partnerships to its non-D&D campaign programming slate, every move the company makes has a degree of forethought to it. Outside of the game table, Critical Role doesn’t make a lot of daring moves – it instead waits for the right partnerships to emerge that match its ethos.

Michael Schmidt

Many of Critical Role’s partnerships started off on a manageable scale. There were initially smaller deals to make a single comic series or a limited slate of merchandise. However, many of these partnerships have bloomed into much larger slates. Critical Role’s comic line not only features several miniseries published on a yearly basis, but also a slate of graphic novels. Their books with Penguin Random House started with character-focused novels, exploring the space in between stories. That line has now expanded to include an adaptation of Tusk Love, an in-world romance novel that became a running in-joke during their second campaign.

Darrington Press and the Epic Rise of Daggerheart

While these partnerships are key to Critical Role’s growth, much of their ambitions are in-house. Critical Role has its own production company, Metapigeon LLC, which now produces its internal programming slate and helps develop their animated series. They also now have their own tabletop company, Darrington Press. While it would be easy for Darrington Press to stick with making board games that capitalize on the Critical Role IP, the publisher has actually produced several unique and well-reviewed board games like Queen By Midnight.

Darrington Press’ biggest project to date is the tabletop roleplaying game Daggerheart, designed by Spenser Starke. The game is billed as existing in the same space as Dungeons & Dragons but with a careful balance between the improvisational narrative-focused storytelling featured in lighter RPGs and a robust, rules-heavy combat system that promotes synergistic character builds and tag-team combos. Daggerheart is a glorious union of Blades in the Dark and D&D 4th Edition, a game that’s somehow both less and more complex than D&D.

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Critical Role’s ‘Get Your Sheet Together’ Series Is Your Video Guide to Learning DAGGERHEART

Daggerheart might be Critical Role’s biggest swing since their Kickstarter. Speculation is rampant that the show’s main campaign will switch over to Daggerheart when it resumes at some point later this year. Even if it doesn’t switch over, the sheer size of Critical Role’s fanbase and their brand recognition has turned Daggerheart into a viable alternative to Dungeons & Dragons. Daggerheart is unlikely to unseat D&D from its place as the undisputed titan of tabletop RPGs. But it might be the first viable challenger in a long, long time.

Critical Role‘s Joyful Table of Celebration and Thrilling Stories

Critical Role has always protected its brand. However, it also freely offers seats at the table to other storytellers. Some of Critical Role’s strongest stories have come from outside their core campaign. Two Exandria Unlimited miniseries helmed by Brennan Lee Mulligan (the face of Critical Role’s biggest Actual Play rival Dimension 20) have received high praise and acclaim for their tragic stories and heartbreaking moments. Mulligan used his time on Exandria Unlimited to explore the pantheon of Critical Role in ways rarely explored in fantasy media, showcasing both the unlimited possibilities and the natural limitations that comes with unlimited power.

Critical Role has transformed from a plucky underdog success story to a venerable elder statesman in a constantly changing world of internet content creation. The four-hour streams can be daunting to newcomers. However, the company has built up enough on ramps to draw fans in even if they never watch a single dice roll. From the animated series to comics and books to a very robust fan-driven wiki, Critical Role is probably more accessible now than it was when it only had a few hundred hours of content to run through.

It’s hard to explain exactly why Critical Role is such a success story. The group treats its fanbase as willing passengers on their journey. They never dismissing fans’ role in their success but also does not pander to them. The group maintains its innovative spirit, with new kinds of stories hitting their streaming platforms at least once a year. It moves with deliberate purpose, never going for the easy deal when it comes to licensing. Instead, Critical Role patiently waits for the right project and partner to come along.

But most importantly (at least in my opinion), the group is still fun. Every episode is a joyful celebration of friendship, of success, and remains a group of friends trying to make each other laugh and cry through whatever medium they’re dabbling in that week.

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SPACEBALLS: THE ANIMATED SERIES Was the First (Now Forgotten) Sequel

At long last, Mel Brooks’ cult comedy spoof Spaceballs is getting a sequel. After teases as far back as the original film’s release, with the joke about Spaceballs II: The Search for More Money, the second Spaceballs comes out in summer 2027, the original’s 40th anniversary. And bless his heart, 98-year-old Mel Brooks will return as Yogurt, his Yoda spoof character from the original. The announcement video was rather hilarious, skewering our endless franchise culture, reminding us “there’s only ever been one Spaceballs.” But as Slashfilm pointed out, that’s not entirely true. Back in 2008, Spaceballs: The Animated Series was a one-season-wonder. And you probably didn’t even know it existed. The show did have a catchy title tune, which was written by Mel Brooks, which you can listen to here.MGM

Only 13 episodes of Spaceballs ever aired, and the whole thing was a rather low-budget affair, produced in a flash animation style. It originally aired on G4, the now-defunct digital network. Spaceballs: The Animated Series reunited a lot of the original cast, including Daphne Zuniga, Joan Rivers, and Dom DeLuise. Bill Pullman was already a big star at this point, so he didn’t come back to play Lone Starr. Replaced him was The Batman’s Rino Romano. John Candy had long since passed away at this point, and so Tino Insana played Barf. The Clone Wars‘ Dee Bradley Baker replaced Rick Moranis as Dark Helmet. This gives the animated Spaceballs at least one real connection to the actual Star Wars franchise.

The show leaned heavily into the “let’s just reference something popular” humor of the day found in movies like Not Another Teen Movie, Disaster Movie, Superhero Movie, and the incredibly bad Meet the Spartans. Remember those atrocities? Well, Spaceballs: The Animated Series dipped its toe into those waters. The reason the original Spaceballs holds up is that the references to classic Star Wars films remain relevant and funny. We imagine the script for Spaceballs II is better than the animated show, since comedy legend Rick Moranis came out of retirement for it. He couldn’t be bothered to do voice work for the cartoon. In the end, Spaceballs: The Animated Series is the perfect guidebook for Spaceballs II director Josh Greenbaum on what not to do.

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