Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 69

June 13, 2025

We’re Giving Away 5 Copies of DUNE: AWAKENING – Ultimate Edition for Steam

Get ready to join the fight for spice in the brand new, massively multiplayer online game, Dune: Awakening. The game takes place in an alternate timeline of the Dune saga where Paul Atreides was never born. Arrakis is caught in a civil war between House Atreides and House Harkonnen, while the Fremen have mysteriously vanished. The player character assumes control of an undercover agent working for the Bene Gesserit who must find the Fremen and “awake the Sleeper.” The game is available now, but if you’d like a chance to win a copy for free on Steam, we have just the sweepstakes for you!

Between now and Tuesday, June 17, you can enter to win one of five copies of Dune: Awakening – Ultimate Edition Bundle on Steam. All you need is to put your email address below.

Ultimate edition includes:

Season Pass: Includes the first 4 DLCs for Dune: AwakeningSardaukar Bator Armor: The menacing armor worn by the Sardaukar, the elite military force that players find themselves hunted by in the gameDusk Rider Sandbike Swatch: A unique color pattern for your sandbikeBlue Dasher Ornithopter Swatch: A unique color pattern for your ornithopterCaladan Palace Building Set: Building pieces and placeables from the 2021 filmDune 2021 Film Stillsuit: The stillsuit worn by Paul Atreides’ in the filmDigital Artbook: A 50-page artbook full of artworks from the game’s developmentDigital Soundtrack: 90 minutes of music from the gameThree characters as they appear in Dune: Awakening.Funcom

Join the war, choose a side, awaken that sleeper, and enter to win your copy of Dune: Awakening now!

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Published on June 13, 2025 10:04

Original, Unaltered STAR WARS (Hated By George Lucas) Got First Theatrical Screening in 47 Years

The seemingly impossible has happened, and perhaps Mustafar has frozen over. George Lucas’ original theatrical version of Star Wars: A New Hope has had a theatrical screening. The British Film Institute’s Film on Film Festival in June opened with a screening of Lucas’ 1977 classic. This is one of the few original Technicolor prints still in existence. Kathleen Kennedy herself confirmed it may be almost the only one of its kind. December 1978 was the last time this print of the original Star Wars movie was ever shown. This will be the first time this version of Star Wars has had a theatrical showing in nearly 47 years.

Now, you might be thinking our math is wrong here. It can’t possibly be 47 years, right? True, the last official wide release of the non-Special Edition versions of the original trilogy happened in 1995. That entire ad campaign was “See the original versions, one last time.” But those VHS releases were not really the original versions of Star Wars either. George Lucas began tweaking the sound mix of the film almost right away. When he re-released Star Wars after The Empire Strikes Back, Lucas added in the “Episode IV: A New Hope” title to the opening crawl. That didn’t exist until 1981. The version shown at the upcoming film festival is simply “Star Wars.”

Original, Unaltered STAR WARS (Hated By George Lucas) Got First Theatrical Screening in 47 Years_1Lucasfilm

There’s every chance this happy news for OG Star Wars fans doesn’t last long, however. George Lucas famously hated the unaltered original versions if the Star Wars movie, particularly of the first film. He’s always maintained that he never really finished them. And undeniably, some parts are better in the Special Editions, namely, the Death Star trench battle. (Greedo shooting first? Still not better.)

Lucas even said in the past about the original Star Wars movie, “The Special Edition, that’s the one I wanted out there. The other movie, it’s on VHS, if anybody wants it. I’m not going to spend the — we’re talking millions of dollars here — the money and the time to refurbish that, because to me, it doesn’t really exist anymore. It’s like this is the movie I wanted it to be, and I’m sorry you saw a half-completed film and fell in love with it. But I want it to be the way I want it to be. I’m the one who has to take responsibility for it. I’m the one who has to have everybody throw rocks at me all the time, so at least if they’re going to throw rocks at me, they’re going to throw rocks at me for something I love rather than something I think is not very good, or at least something I think is not finished.”

We can kind of see Lucas’ point. But these unaltered, original Star Wars films are a part of history. Though George Lucas technically doesn’t own Lucasfilm anymore, but if he’s mad enough about it, all he has to do is pick up his phone and call Kathleen Kennedy, and the original version of Star Wars goes back into the vault.


Star Wars fans, Kathleen Kennedy wants to assure you the BFI screening of the original cut is not illegal pic.twitter.com/0a1Pa6FXDI

— Jacob Stolworthy (@JacobStolworthy) June 12, 2025

But it seems Mr. Lucas isn’t THAT intractable in his older age. Kathleen Kennedy was on hand at the BFI screening of the original Star Wars movie, and noted to fans, “I’m here to legitimize this and make sure that you don’t think that this is an illegal screening.” She went on to share, “It’s incredible folklore. I have to say even when I came into the company…there was endless conversation about what was in fact the first print. What you’re going to see is, in fact, the first print. And I’m not even sure there’s another one quite like it. It’s that rare. There’s so much tinkering that’s gone on over the years. And things that George decided, ‘I’m going to change this, I’m going to try that,’ and everyone kind of lost track of the original.”

We’re glad that Lucas let at least some of us see the original version of Star Wars that the world fell in love with nearly five decades ago, in theaters as it was meant to be seen. Hopefully, more screenings of this kind can happen soon.

Originally published on April 16, 2025.

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Published on June 13, 2025 09:15

How LEGO Threw a Global Party for Kids—Inspired by Kids—with ‘World Play Day’

In 2024 the United Nations declared June 11 as International Day of Play. The resolution’s stated goal was “to preserve, promote, and prioritize playing so that all people, especially children, can reap the rewards and thrive to their full potential.” It’s one thing to declare an International Day of Play, though, and quite another to actually pull it off. What does that even mean? How do you make it happen? Who can make that idea a reality? And, most importantly, how? One year later, The LEGO Group answered all of those questions with an incredible and inspired undertaking. The iconic toy company threw its very own global party with World Play Day. LEGO opened original World Play Day activations in four major urban centers around the world. And all of them were inspired by kids who actually live there.A giant Sea Creature head at LEGO World Play Day in BostonNerdist

The LEGO Group truly took the UN’s resolution to heart in the best way. On June 11, 2025, it put the planet in “play mode” by building incredible experiences in Boston, Berlin, London, and Shanghai. It began with LEGO’s Build the Change challenge. That undertaking wanted to give kids a voice in shaping their lives and their future. The program asked children themselves how they would “reimagine their cities through play.” It then took those ideas—which often turned into the exact kind of wonderful concepts only a kid could come up with—and made them a reality on June 11.

In each of the four participating cities, The LEGO Group worked with local governments to build unique, interactive play activations for World Play Day. Each free experience is unique to that location. They reflect both the city and what kids who live there want to see from the place they call home.

Click To View Gallery Kids admiring a colorful giant LEGO set in Shanghai for LEGO World Play Day Shanghai World Play Day (Credit: The LEGO Group) How LEGO Threw a Global Party for Kids—Inspired by Kids—with ‘World Play Day’_1 London World Play Day (Credit: The LEGO Group) A kid in Berlin plays with a music playset for LEGO World Play Day Berlin World Play Day (Credit: The LEGO Group)

In Berlin, that included turning ordinary space into “bursting hubs of imagination” inspired by “kids’ visions of rhythm and sport.” In Shanghai, the riverfront became home to “whimsical structures” and “interactive challenges” for children to engage with and enjoy. And this summer, London’s Play Pavilion is hosting an “immersive environment” celebrating play and imagination.

In Boston, the new home for LEGO’s U.S. headquarters, the company transformed the Rose Kennedy Greenway into three play areas for World Play Day. One celebrates a local sea monster, another is a playground that turns New England-inspired locations into games, and the third holds a massive boombox that lets kids create their own musical beat with LEGO Bricks.

Click To View Gallery A LEGO giant minigif and sign for Boston play Mode for LEGO World Play Day A LEGO lobster shack for LEGO World Play Day Nerdist A giant sea creature and boat play area at LEGO World Play Day in Boston Nerdist Basketball hoops set up for for LEGO World Play Day Nerdist A giant LEGO boombox for LEGO World Play Day Nerdist

The LEGO Group invited me, a lifelong local, to a sneak peek at its Boston activation ahead of World Play Day. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen for children in the greater Boston area. It’s also one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen around here as an adult. The whole activation is creative, entertaining, engaging, and fun. It’s truly playful.

“The Dock” celebrates the mythical Gloucester Sea Creature by turning that beast into a giant, colorful play area. Kids can climb aboard a giant boat as the monster swarms around it. There’s also a free claw game so they can nab extra unique LEGO pieces, which they can then use to build their own creature right on site.

A giant boombox play area at LEGO World Play Day in BostonNerdist

At “The Block,” kids can shoot hoops, take photos, and play other games at (what kids think of as) typical Boston locations. So, yes, obviously there’s a donut shop, because every New England kid knows what we’re all about around here. But there’s also a bus stop and a lobster shack, because we actually do run on just more than coffee. There’s also a spot where a photographer will capture you dunking on a giant hoop. It then gets turned into a free trading card photo for you to take home.

The highlight of the three areas is “The Beat Brick” activation, a kid’s idea I can’t believe LEGO pulled off. It’s a giant beatbox with a built-in step sequencer that plays different notes depending on where kids place LEGO bricks. Even more impressively, the color of the bricks influences the sound. It’s not just that one spot plays a different type of instrument and note. No, a green, blue, or red brick will make that exact tile produce a slightly different sound.


The incredible interactive boombox at #LEGOWorldPlayDay in Boston. The different color bricks produce different sounds on the tiles.

Michael Walsh, Verified #1 Criston Cole Hater (@burgermike.bsky.social) 2025-06-13T13:24:48.500Z

It’s hard to explain just how cool this boombox really is, but I had to drag myself away from it. I could have spent hours playing. And that’s the point of LEGO’s World Play Day. It’s all about promoting play at a time when kids are getting less of it than ever.

LEGO told our visiting group about how it’s working to overcome “play deficits,” a growing problem as children have fewer opportunities to play in their communities. Children and their parents, especially in urban cities where almost 1/3 of all kids live—a number expected to jump to 70% by 2050—also don’t feel like their local governments prioritize play opportunities. And as the UN said when it turned June 11 into a global call to action, “play is considered to have a positive impact on promoting tolerance, resilience, and facilitating social inclusionconflict prevention, and peacebuilding.”

The LEGO Group (more than) took the lead piloting this year’s global play party. The first World Play Day was a huge undertaking for LEGO. It involved significant planning, development, engineering, organizing, and cooperation in four different major metropolitan areas in four different companies. It worked with both local governments, local groups, artists, and engineers. It’s the kind of event you’d understand a company maybe doing once every five years instead of annually. But LEGO hopes to do more even more places in the future.

It’s also hoping others will join them in promoting this worthy cause in the years to come. The company went big for its first World Play Day, but it says it would be happy to just be a part of a much bigger effort that involves far more companies, organizations, and cities going forward. That doesn’t mean The LEGO Group is just looking to pass the baton, though. They’re committed to this goal. I got a chance to speak to Skip Kodak, SVP, Global Commerical Operations, The LEGO Group, and I asked him what he likes World Play Day to look like in five or ten years.

He shared:


I would love to see us doing what you’ll witness this week here in Boston in dozens of cities. And I would love to see it be less about The LEGO Group trying to drive it. We’re happy to do it. We feel it’s part of our mission and our vision for being a global force for learning through play. But seeing urban planners and the people who lead major cities understanding the attractiveness of play as part of the value proposition they offer their citizens, instead of how do we [at LEGO] figure that out? This is an essential part of a city’s infrastructure that doesn’t usually exist.


So beginning to catalyze a movement and having 10 years from now the movement be, not running on its own, but building momentum in a way where it becomes part of what makes a community attractive? As communities are competing for talent and people and tax streams, this is a feature that can make a big difference, especially for everybody who wants to attract families.


How LEGO Threw a Global Party for Kids—Inspired by Kids—with ‘World Play Day’_2LEGO

It was obvious listening to everyone involved with World Play Day that they sincerely believe in this undertaking. They were/are invested and excited about this project, and for the best of reasons. Why wouldn’t they be? A global, iconic toy company, acting on its own best ideals, gave them the time and resources to build incredible, original playgrounds inspired by kids’ ideas all around the world. It’s genuinely wonderful, the kind of thing you simply don’t expect from a multibillion-dollar conglomerate. But the real beauty of LEGO’s World Play Day is the possibility of what it could mean for the future. Hopefully, it will inspire governments everywhere to ensure that one of the most important, most fundamental things about being a kid is not only never overlooked, but that it’s always celebrated.

If that happens, we won’t even need a World Play Day. Everyday, everywhere, will be exactly that.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who won’t show you his World Play Day slam dunk trading card no matter how much you ask. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Published on June 13, 2025 07:52

SPACEBALLS 2 In the Works Starring Josh Gad, Mel Brooks to Produce

Everything must have a sequel or reboot these days. And next in line is Spaceballs. The hilarious space opera that parodies other beloved space-based franchises such as Star Wars, Star Trek, and Alien will now get a sequel. We have a strong feeling the wonder of Spaceballs will not be easily recreated by Spaceballs 2, but we guess Hollywood has to try. Spaceballs 2 will star Josh Gad, who will also produce the sequel movie alongside Mel Brooks. Josh Greenbaum will direct while Benji Samit, Dan Hernandez, and Gad serve as writers on the film. Spaceballs 2 is in development at Amazon MGM studios and set to arrive in 2027.josh gad spaceballsDisney/MGM

Returning to the series is Mel Brooks, who will reprise his role as Yogurt. The Hollywood Reporter additionally shares that Bill Pullman is also expected to return, reprising his role as the Han Solo-esque, Lone Starr. Additionally, the publication reports that Lewis Pullman will join his father in Spaceballs 2. Sources say Lewis Pullman will play “a character named Starburst, the sun of Queen Vespa (Zuniga) and Lone Starr (Bill Pullman). Keke Palmer is also expected to join the cast as a lead, with THR noting, “Franchise newcomer Palmer will play a role by the name of Destiny.”

Will the galactic jokes land? We sure hope so… but in the meantime, we’ll just be watching the original Spaceballs movie, which you can stream now on Max.

Originally published on June 18, 2024.

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Published on June 13, 2025 06:24

June 12, 2025

POKÉMON and Hershey’s Kisses Announce a Chocolatey Collectible Collaboration

We all love a good cartoon mashup with something that’s sweet to eat. Does anyone remember the Dungeons & Dragons Nerds candy, and the Sugarfina Candy Simpsons collaboration? We actually think this one might top all of those. Via PR Newswire, we’ve learned the Hershey’s Kisses brand and The Pokémon Company International have joined forces for a chocolatey delicious journey, with special-edition Hershey’s Kisses wrapped in collectible Pokémon foils. You can check out the first images of the new Hershey’s Kisses and Pokémon collaboration down below:POKÉMON and Hershey’s Kisses Announce a Chocolatey Collectible Collaboration_1The Hershey Company

There are 151 unique foil designs draw inspiration from the original Kanto region Pokémon. So each time someone unwraps one of these unique Hershey’s Kisses, it becomes a chance to discover, trade, and as the saying goes, “catch ’em all.” From Pikachu to Mew, each Hershey’s Kisses chocolate is wrapped up like a Poké Ball. In a statement, the Hershey Company’s Ashley Reeb said the following:

Our collaboration with Pokémon combines the timeless appeal of Hershey’s Kisses chocolates with the joy of discovery and collecting — making it more than just a treat. The special-edition foils may spark a little friendly competition but also unite fans around their love for milk chocolate and Pokémon.

POKÉMON and Hershey’s Kisses Announce a Chocolatey Collectible Collaboration_2The Hershey Company

As a way to help fans show off their finds, the Hershey’s Kisses brand is also debuting a limited-edition Collector’s Case. They’ve designed it to specifically hold all 151 chocolates. This way, Pokémon fans can proudly display their Hershey’s Kisses & Pokémon collection and fuel the chase to find every Pokémon. And the fun doesn’t end there. Throughout the summer, fans can log on to Hersheyland.com/Pokemon to track which Pokémon foils they’ve managed to find. Using the site, they can then monitor progress and unlock digital certificates to share on social media.

POKÉMON and Hershey’s Kisses Announce a Chocolatey Collectible Collaboration_3The Hershey Company

Pokémon aficionados will be able to find these Hershey’s Kisses in 10.1 oz and 34.1 oz bags at participating retailers nationwide this summer.

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Published on June 12, 2025 14:21

Mel Brooks Returning as Yogurt in SPACEBALLS 2

The Schwartz is truly with all of us. Most importantly, it’s with Mel Brooks. The comedy legend announced the long-discussed, oft-rumored sequel to his sci-fi spoof is—finally—officially happening. Even better, Mel Gibson will reprise his role as Yogurt in Spaceballs 2.

The icon himself added the perfect ending to a truly hilarious video from Amazon MGM Studios announcing Spaceballs 2. This clever Star Wars scroll parody highlights how many other big franchises have released films since Spaceballs debuted in 1987. Now, Mel Brooks’ classic comedy is delivering on the sequel his character Yogurt joked about in that film. He called it Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money, which we’re very much rooting for at this film’s title. Even better, Deadline reports Brooks will return as his Yoda-coded mentor.

Mel Brooks with his arms held out wide with a Spaceballs The Sweatshirt onAmazon MGM Studios

Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) will direct. Benji Samit, Dan Hernandez, and Josh Gad wrote the script for Spaceballs 2. Gad will serve as one of the film’s executive producers and is also expected to star in the film. While no other cast members, new or old, have been announced yet, this announcement video does feature Dark Helmet’s signature…uh…dark helmet. That doesn’t guarantee another comedy icon, Rick Moranis, will also return for the sequel. But he better.

He better. This is Amazon we’re talking about. It literally has all the money in the galaxy to get Moranis on board for Spaceballs 2. Same for Bill Pullman and Daphne Zuniga.

Mel Brooks Returning as Yogurt in SPACEBALLS 2_1Amazon MGM Studios

As for the Spaceballs 2 movie itself, Deadline says those familiar with the script have called it “A Non-Prequel Non-Reboot Sequel Part Two but with Reboot Elements Franchise Expansion Film.” Oh, sure, yeah yeah. Perfect.

After waiting nearly four decades, we wont have that long of a delay before the sequel arrives. Amazon MGM Studios says Spaceballs 2 will crash into theaters in 2027. But mostly may it continue to be with Mel Brooks.

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Published on June 12, 2025 12:19

DC Studios Announces MISTER MIRACLE Animated Series Aimed at Adults

A few years back, Warner Bros. announced a New Gods movie, directed by Ava Duvernay and written by comics writer Tom King. A lot of folks thought he was the perfect writer for the project, as he wrote the acclaimed Mister Miracle series, which featured the character from Jack Kirby’s New Gods mythology. That movie ended up canceled. But now, Tom King, who is also a writer on Lanterns, is turning his Mister Miracle comic into an adult animated series for HBO Max. Mister Miracle marks the second DC Studios adult animated show after Creature Commandos.

Below, you can find the official Mister Miracle promo art from DC Studios, along with the first series synopsis.

DC Studios Announces MISTER MIRACLE Animated Series Aimed at Adults_1DC Studios

DC shares the following about the Mister Miracle series’ plot:


No prison can hold him. No trap can contain him. He is Scott Free, the worldwide celebrity sensation known as Mister Miracle, and he is the greatest escape artist who ever lived. But can he pull off the ultimate trick — and escape death itself? Something has gone horribly wrong with the perfect life that Scott and his warrior wife Big Barda have built for themselves on Earth. With war raging between their home worlds of Apocalypse and New Genesis, Scott’s cruel adoptive father Darkseid seems to have finally captured the Anti-Life Equation — the ultimate weapon that will give Darkseid total dominance over the universe.


As the mountains of bodies on both sides grow ever higher, only Mister Miracle can stop the slaughter and restore peace. But the terrible power of the Anti-Life Equation may already be at work in his own mind, warping his reality, exposing his long-buried pain, and shattering the fragile happiness he’s found with the woman he loves. And so begins the odyssey of Scott Free, Mister Miracle: a harrowing, hilarious, heart wrenching journey across the pitfalls of the ordinary and extraordinary as the son of God raised by the devil tries to save his family, his world, and maybe even himself.


DC Studios Announces MISTER MIRACLE Animated Series Aimed at Adults_2DC Comics

All of that sounds faithful to the original DC Comics Mister Miracle series from King and artist Mitch Gerads. The big question remains, though — is this set in the DCU? Probably, since DC Studios pointed out how it’s adult-oriented, like Creature Commandos. And that series takes place in the DCU. If it is, then this is the first indication of Jack Kirby’s New Gods mythology in the new DCU. And it marks the first appearance of Darkseid. James Gunn says that the animated voice actors will match the voice actors in live-action. So we should pay very close attention to the casting announcements for this series.

DC Studios’ Mister Miracle series for HBO Max currently has no release date.

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Published on June 12, 2025 11:07

Robert Eggers to Tackle A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Willem Dafoe the Possible Scrooge

Robert Eggers loves himself a chilly period piece. The director of The Lighthouse and Nosferatu has made his entire career out of tackling spooky tales set in the past in exceptionally overcast times of year. And boy, we definitely like that. While Eggers’ next film will be Werwulf, a seeming companion piece to Nosferatu, Variety reports that his follow-up to that will be none other than Charles Dickens’ perennial favorite, A Christmas Carol. While no official casting came along with the news, insiders seem to suggest Eggers is eyeing his frequent collaborator Willem Dafoe to play heartless miser Ebenezer Scrooge.Willem Dafoe in Nosferatu.Focus Features

It may sound like a weird choice for Mr. Broody Scary to take on what to many is the family holiday classic. Well, you need to go back to thinking again school. The Muppets aren’t the only game in town. As written (and as often filmed), Dickens’ story is an out-and-out ghost story, will just as many spooky moments as uplifting ones. Not that I think Eggers’ version will be an R-rated horror picture, mind you. But it’s not unheard of for an adaptation to actually go the route of a proper ghost story. British people love their ghost stories at Christmas.

As I said, this movie—for Warner Bros, his first for the studio—will go into production after Werwulf for Focus Features. I don’t mind, happy to wait. If indeed the suggestions are correct and Willem Dafoe will play Scrooge, I really can’t think of a better casting. That guy has been killing it in role after role. His most recent for Eggers, Von Franz in Nosferatu, is one of that movie’s clear standouts. In any case, we can’t wait to see the ghosts of various Christmas time periods under Eggers’ eerie eye.

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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Published on June 12, 2025 09:40

Everything We Know About THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER Season 3

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power closed out season two with a truly epic battle. The orc/Uruk and elven forces clashed at Eregion, with Sauron manipulating both sides of the table to enact his own desires. It was a tragic and intense season, much darker than the first chapter of The Rings of Power. And things are only about to get worse in the world of this The Lord of the Rings series. The Rings of Power was happily renewed for season three, but another season of the show means we’re getting pulled deeper into darkness. Although it’s still early days for season three, we already know things will need to get much worse before they get better.

Here’s everything we know about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season three.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3’s PlotEverything We Know About THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER Season 3_1Prime Video

Although The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season three is still fairly far away, Prime Video released the following logline for the series:

Jumping forward several years from the events of season 2, season 3 takes place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win the war and conquer all Middle-earth at last.

This lets us know we’ll see a time skip between seasons two and three of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which makes a lot of sense because there’s a ton of ground to cover in the Second Age of Middle-earth. Another big part of the story will be Sauron’s quest to forge the One Ring (to rule them all). According to the showrunners, he doesn’t yet have enough knowledge to forge a Ring of Power on his own. But we bet we’ll see him obtain it.

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THE RINGS OF POWER Showrunners Talk Time Skips in Season 3 and Beyond, Celeborn, Celebrían, and Sauron Not Yet Knowing How to Forge the One Ring

Additionally, war will be the crux of the happenings in season three. In this case, The War of the Elves and Sauron. This major Second Age battle will involve… elves and Sauron, naturally. But the Númenóreans will also have a pretty major role to play in the proceedings, as they join the elves in the battle against darkness. But the trouble with Sauron is that he’s incredibly good at whispering in people’s ears. And that may or may not happen to one power-hungry Ar-Pharazôn. We’ll have to wait and see.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3’s CastOne smiles at Eleven on Stranger Things 4Netflix

The entire main cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which includes Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Charlie Vickers, Robert Aramayo, and more, is expected to return for season three. In addition, they are joined by five new cast members: Jamie Campbell Bower, Eddie Marsan, Andrew Richardson, Zubin Varla, and Adam Young. Bower and Richardson will be series regulars, and Marsan, Varla, and Young will play recurring characters. The exact characters they will play are not yet known.

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New Cast Joins THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER Season 3Behind the Scenes

The third season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Justin Doble, Kate Hazell, and executive producer-director Charlotte Brändström. Matthew Penry-Davey is producer and Ally O’Leary, Tim Keene, and Andrew Lee are co-producers.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3’s Release Datethe lord of the rings the rings of power season 2 final scene in rivendell

We do not yet know when The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season three will release, but it has now begun production.

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Published on June 12, 2025 09:24

DOCTOR WHO For Babies Is Coming Soon in the Form of an Animated Series

If you’re a Whovian and want to introduce your tiny children to Doctor Who, you’re about to be in luck. A new Doctor Who animated series is coming to the BBC’s pre-school channel CBeebies. This channel meant for those who are six years old and under, will soon welcome the Doctor with open arms. We wonder which Doctor exactly will be portrayed in this animated series, or whether it will be a whole new Doctor Who altogether. We guess we’ll find out as more news about this Doctor Who animated series for babies reveals itself. But we can say for sure, the animated Tardis is going to be ADORABLE.

The BBC shared, via Deadline, that the animated Doctor Who show, “will see the Doctor traveling through time and space for the pre-school audience, solving mysteries and problems alongside their companions and other friends. And, of course, they may come up against one or two challenges on their way.”

doctor who ncuti gatwa with a babyBBC

Patricia Hidalgo, Director of Children’s and Education, shared that this animated Doctor Who chapter is an exciting brand evolution: “Everyone is welcome at CBeebies, including the Doctor. This much-loved franchise entertains millions around the world, so it is only right that our younger audience get to experience the wonder and the magic of the Doctor in a brand new format. This is an extremely exciting opportunity, and we are looking forward to welcoming companies to pitch for this new project, as we continue our commitment and investment in the UK’s animation industry.”

We do love a fandom for all ages. It feels incredibly delightful that Whovians will now have the ability to show the series to their young ones because of this Doctor Who animated series. Baby Whovians are on the way.

For now, in the adult world of Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor recently regenerated and exited the series, leaving behind Billie Piper, who formerly played the Doctor’s companion Rose Tyler. Very mysterious. We’ll miss Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor, but maybe we can see an animated version of him running around in the children’s series. There’s no word yet on when the show will release.

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Published on June 12, 2025 08:08

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