Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 73

THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY Sets the Stage for a Major Battle, Thanks to Bruegel

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We are only a couple of weeks from The Walking Dead: Dead City’s finale and yet another war is brewing in this universe. Maggie, Herschel, Ginny, and Armstrong, who is still dedicated to New Babylon’s desire to take over NYC and utilize its methane, are now in the hands of Bruegel, a gang leader who represents the old world in every way. From his flair for stylish clothing and deep love of classic artwork to his ability to play a cunning hand for self-preservation, this guy is oh-so-fun to watch. And a big reason why he’s great is because the iconic Kim Coates portrays him to perfection. 

It’s a role that The Walking Dead: Dead City’s showrunner Eli Jorn actually wrote for him. And, after being on as massive of a show as Sons of Anarchy, it only made sense for Coates to hop into this big franchise.

Robert Clark/AMC

“Eli said, “We really wrote this part for you with you in mind,’” Coates affirmed to Nerdist. “And that’s always nice to hear. And it was an easy yes for me because I had never been a part of The Walking Dead family. I’m a Sons of Anarchy guy and when we were so popular from 2007 to 2014, that was when The Walking Dead was taking off as well. And I knew Jeffrey [Dean Morgan] pretty well and  Norman Reedus. So to be invited to come to their family was an easy yes for me, and I’m really glad I said yes.”

Since then, he’s been having a blast on set, and that’s very evident in the show’s latest episode. Episode six allows us to explore more of Bruegel’s homebase and collective, which happens to be the Met art museum. Maggie doesn’t fully trust Bruegel because he has a relationship with the Croat, which is super smart.

Bruegel claims that he will get New Babylon the methane and allow them to colonize his group. He also says that his group will side with them to kill Negan and the crew off. From his perspective it’s the smartest and best move considering they don’t have the people power nor weapons to tussle with New Babylon, who will surely send in more people until they get what they want. And it’s better to align with the big dogs than risk death, right? 

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The Entire Timeline of THE WALKING DEAD and Its New Spinoffs, Explained

Bruegel is absolutely an old world kinda guy, which Maggie notes to Armstrong. And, when building this character, Kim Coates got to be involved in the development process before getting in the New York groove. In this universe, it’s always a fine line between getting a little too cartoonish with villainy but also having someone who is indeed a personality whom people would want to follow. Bruegel’s humor balanced with his dark side, which we see more of in this episode, make him a believable antagonist. 

“Eli and AMC sent the first episode and the fourth episode, which is a very heavy Bruegel episode,” he affirmed. “Then, we discussed who this guy was, like probably a hedge fund or CEO multimillionaire for sure. He’s someone who lived in Manhattan and is conniving, smart, and cheats people out of money. Once I got that background, then we talked to the wardrobe department about what he looks like. And [Zureta Schulz] was phenomenal. She came up with this incredible idea of his look having the antiquity of almost 17th or 18th century France and Britain with high collars. And it’s like he went through these incredible stores in New York before the apocalypse or even after it, and ripped off all these incredibly stylish clothes. He’s almost like a Lord from England. You know what I mean? And that excited me.” 

He does look good, but all the flyness in the world won’t help him in this brewing battle. Bruegel doesn’t know it but Maggie revealed his plan after coming face to face with Negan while looking for Herschel. That kid is a problem. I’d bet that Negan will take that warning and work on a plan to not die.

Meanwhile, Bruegel has a little chat with Armstrong, revealing that he apprehended Narvaez before she died from her injuries and siphoned information out of her. He uses good old blackmail regarding Armstrong not killing Negan. If New Babylon found out that Armstrong lied, it would be a crime punishable by death. So Armstrong has no choice but to support Bruegel’s plans for now. 

With the Dama and the Croat out of the way, Negan is once again an evil boss. Will he meet his match against Bruegel, who plays people like a game of cards? We shall see as the final episodes of The Walking Dead: Dead City arrive.

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BLUE SCUTI: TETRIS CRASHER Exclusive Clip Reveals Powerful Look at World of Competitive TETRIS

Have you ever watched a competitive Tetris game? If not, you should absolutely do yourself a favor and check out a tournament or two. You’ll probably be surprised by what you find fast-moving fingers, incredible skill, passionate commentary, and most importantly, a beautiful community that cheers one another on and uplifts all players. In matches, Tetris lovers battle it out against one another, but they also work together to push the game forward as a whole. And if there’s one person you’ll want to watch play, it’s Willis Gibson, also known online as “Blue Scuti,” the first person to ever BEAT Tetris. Yes, we said, beat Tetris. So you know he’s good. And happily, now you can do just this, in our exclusive clip from Legendary Entertainment’s powerful coming-of-age documentary, BLUE SCUTI: Tetris Crasher.

Take a look at this enthralling clip from BLUE SCUTI: Tetris Crasher below.

It’s 2024. The Classic Tetris World Championship is happening in Pasadena. Players are locked in. The announcer’s mouth is moving a mile a minute. Fingers are moving quicker than the speed of light. We can’t help but be sucked into this Tetris game. But even as we lean closer and closer into our screens to watch these feats honed by practice and time, we can’t help but notice how excited everyone is in this BLUE SCUTI: Tetris Crasher clip. All the players are focused, but cheering one another on. It’s beautiful on many different levels.

And that’s what BLUE SCUTI: Tetris Crasher is all about. The official synopsis for the film shares, “When 13-year-old Willis Gibson becomes the first person to beat Tetris, his life changes overnight. BLUE SCUTI: Tetris Crasher is a coming-of-age story about overcoming grief, the power of community, and the rise of an unexpected internet legend.”

Legendary Entertainment

The idea of beating Tetris seems too big to comprehend, a feat impossible for a human to undertake. But Blue Scuti did it, stunning the gaming world and finding himself at the beginning of a riveting story. BLUE SCUTI: Tetris Crasher certainly is a tale of victory, but it also deals with poignant themes of grief, connection, community, and healing that will resonate with any and every viewer.

If this exclusive clip from BLUE SCUTI: Tetris Crasher has you eager to know more about the story, you can see the whole film when it premieres on June 11 at the Tribeca Film Festival. You can get your tickets now at https://tribecafilm.com/films/blue-scuti-tetris-crasher-2025.

And remember, internet legends aren’t born, they’re built one block at a time.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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A 13-Year-Old Prodigy Became the First Human to Ever Beat TETRIS

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STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Reveals Groovy Characters Posters and Season Episode Titles

We are a mere month away from the season three premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+. And it’s been a long wait for fans, as the 2023 Writer’s Guild Strike halted production of the third season. This resulted in a two-year delay since the season two cliffhanger ending. But on July 17, Captain Pike and the Enterprise crew return at last for new adventures exploring the Final Frontier. Paramount+ has released a series of all-new character posters for the season spotlighting the bridge crew. You can check them all out in our gallery below:

Click To View Gallery Paramount+/Pari Dukovic Paramount+/Pari Dukovic Pari Dukovic/Paramount+ Paramount+/Pari Dukovic Pari Dukovic/Paramount+

These images of the Strange New Worlds cast are very reminiscent of cover art for Star Trek novels of the ’70’s and ’80s. Back then, fans had to wait years between movies, and watch endless reruns of the original series on TV. So the novels thrived, giving Trekkers their regular fix of new adventures. Were they canon? No, but fans ate them up anyway. And many of those novels had groovy painted covers by iconic fantasy/sci-fi artists like Boris Vallejo. These Strange New Worlds posters give us all the retro feels.

Paramount+

Additionally, Paramount+ has also revealed the episode titles for all ten episodes of season three. “The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail” appears to be Spock-centric, as a Sehlat was his pet on Vulcan as a child. Speaking of Vulcans, another episode is “Four-And-A-Half-Vulcans,” which is probably the episode previewed at Comic-Con last year, where the human crew is transformed into logical Vulcans. The final episode of the season is titled “New Life and New Civilizations,” which is of course part of the iconic opening spoken-word intro since the days of William Shatner. We’ll have to wait and see how it ties into the 60-year legacy of Star Trek.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season three premieres on Paramount+ with two episodes on July 17.

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Mia Goth Joins STAR WARS: STARFIGHTER From Ryan Gosling & Shawn Levy

Drumroll, please! A new Star Wars movie is coming to theaters in 2027. At Star Wars Celebration 2025 Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni announced that in 2027, Star Wars: Starfighter will release in theaters.

Who Will Star in and Create Star Wars: Starfighter?Warner Bros./Lucasfilm

Star Wars: Starfighter will be directed by Shawn Levy and star Ryan Gosling. So, it has our attention. We’re obsessed with the idea of Ryan Gosling in Star Wars honestly. This Ken’s job is space. We hope Star Wars: Starfighter is able to capture Gosling’s weirder and more comedic aspects, honestly. He really seems to excel in them.

A24

In another fascinating move, Variety reports that X and Pearl star Mia Goth has joined the film’s cast. Goth’s body of work up to this point has largely consisted of strange movies, horror movies, and period-set dramas. Now she’s heading to a galaxy far, far away.

What Will This New Star Wars Movie, Star Wars: Starfighter, Be About?

But what will this movie be about? According to Lucasfilm, Star Wars: Starfighter is “a standalone adventure taking place approximately five years after the events of 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker. The film is an entirely new adventure featuring all-new characters set in a period of time that has not been explored on screen yet.” Very mysterious. We’re in.

And we’ll have to be because Levy certainly isn’t spilling any secrets. He notes, “Stranger Things taught me to keep my mouth shut. So I’m really grateful for that because I kept the Ryan Gosling news and the title and release date of my Star Wars movie pretty damn quiet for a long time. So I’m quite proud of myself and grateful to Stranger Things for making me shut my mouth.”

When Will Star Wars: Starfighter Release in Theaters

This new Star Wars movie will release in theaters May 28, 2027.. Star Wars: Starfighter begins production in the fall. We can’t wait to see this new Star Wars movie adventure take shape. We’ll keep you updated as we know more.

Warner Bros.

In the meantime, you can check out all the latest Star Wars movies that are in the works, here. It really feels like Lucasfilm is pulling back from the Disney+ TV world and heading back to the glorious universe of the big screen. But hey, if it means Ryan Gosling will be in a universe, far, far away, we are totally in. And fresh stories, unrelated to what has come before, also feel like the right way forward.

Originally published on April 17, 2025.

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TESTED’s Adam Savage Builds REAL ‘Chicken Replace-inator” for PHINEAS AND FERB Creators

After ten yearsand just in time for summer vacationPhineas and Ferb has returned. Creators Dan Povenmire and Swampy Marsh have brought their beloved duo back for a whole new season of adventures on Disney Channel and Disney+. To celebrate, their friend Adam Savage created something for them. He built his very own real-life “Chicken Replace-inator” for his hit channel Tested. And Nerdist has an exclusive sneak peek at the former MythBuster showing his pals the real version of their absurd, beloved invention.

Below, you can check out this fun Tested clip of Adam Savage revealing the first REAL-LIFE Chicken Replace-inator to Phineas and Ferb creators Swampy Marsh and Dan Povenmire. 

The first ten episodes of the all-new season (of at least two) of Phineas and Ferb are now streaming on Disney+. They’ve joined the series’ first four seasons, which aired from 2007 to 2015, on the streaming site.

After waiting that long for new Phineas and Ferb adventures, Tested‘s Adam Savage wanted to do something special to mark the big occasion. Special and silly, that is. And there’s nothing more delightfully silly than a machine that swaps an object or person with the nearest chicken. How can you not love the idea of a Chicken Replace-inator?

Disney

Savage hasn’t quite cracked that Phineas and Ferb technology yet. (We’re guessing it’s at least two, maybe even three months away). But his handheld Chicken Replace-inator does “work.” It also looks exactly like the later, smaller version of Heinz Doofenshmirtz’s device on the series.

Various versions of the “Chicken Replace-inator,” both big and small, have appeared on the show and in Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe. Doofenshmirtz’s wacky invention even played a major role in that film. That included saving him.

Tested

Of course it did! As Phineas and Ferb created Swampy Marsh notes in this Tested clip, while the “Chicken Replace-inator” might be the “dumbest device they ever came up with,” it’s incredibly useful.

And so are friends who can make amazing replica props. How did Savage create this one? You’ll be able to see the whole story of how he built a real Phineas and Ferb “Chicken Replace-inator” on Tested‘s YouTube channel starting June 11.

As mentioned, the first ten episodes of the new season of Phineas and Ferb are now streaming on Disney+. In it, co-creators Dan Povenmire and Swampy Marsh return for a new season where Phineas and Ferb tackle another 104 days of summer and are set for exciting new adventures featuring some unforgettable milestones. The boys will break several world records, Candace will take her driver’s license test, and Perry will finally make a trip to the vet. These new ten episodes join the first four seasons of Phineas and Ferb on Disney+.

Watch them all today and see if you can spy the Chicken Replace-inator in action.

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A Fond Farewell to Muppet*Vision 3D and the Beauty of Embracing Change

The best theme park attractions are more than just amusements. They’re tangible memories that can transport you back decades. You can also experience them anew by introducing them to others and passing them down to younger generations. Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is that type of attraction for me. It was one of my absolute favorites as a kid, at a place that meantand meansso much to my family. I still love it as an adult. Only now it’s closing forever.

Like everything and everyone, it’s the inevitable fate that comes for the very best attractions one way or another. But while Muppet*Vision 3D might be leaving Walt Disney World, all of the things that made it great will make sure it endures long after its curtains shut.

A simple building that provided generations with wonderful memories.

From the moment Disney announced its major Monsters, Inc. expansion at Hollywood Studios it was clear to everyone that loves Muppet*Vision 3D the show was in danger. Muppet Courtyard was never exactly the most complete land in the park. The area’s original grand plans never came to fruition after Jim Henson’s death. It ultimately only housed one attraction and two restaurants, neither of which ever rated highly among Walt Disney World dining options. Its beloved store had already been closed for years when Disney shared its expansion plans. The proverbial writing was on the Muppet Courtyard wall.

Not that fans like myself didn’t make the case to save it. It was/is a good case, too! For lots of reasons, Animation Courtyard made far more sense as the location for the Monsters, Inc. area. Muppet*Vision 3D was also historically important as the last Muppets show Jim Henson ever worked on. And the show, which is actually a 4D experience, is still really funny and entertaining. Why get rid of the beloved group’s signature/only attraction at a theme park that had already lost so many of its oldest and most revered rides?

Feeling nostalgic and sad the night before my final time seeing Muppet*Vision 3D.

The answer to that is something we’ll probably never fully know because Disney is a business. We aren’t privy to relevant factors like “the quality of the literal land needed to build on,” foot traffic studies, and overall guest interest. But as people who love attractions, those things don’t matter to us and shouldn’t. The only thing that should is how a ride or a attraction makes us feel. And Muppet*Vision 3D always made me feel good.

As a kid, nothing made me laugh as much as Waldo C. Graphic, Muppet Labs’ digital 3D invention that takes over the show. His big line“All these other people think I’m talking to them, but I’m really just talking to YOU.”and stretching nose effect killed me. That one moment alone had me going back to see Muppet*Vision 3D again and again at my family’s favorite park. The fact it also involved animatronics and a live performer made me think the showheld in an incredible theater and starring Kermit, Fozzy, Missy Piggy, Gonzo, and all the other Muppets I lovedwas the greatest thing in the world.

The Walt Disney Company

Of course, so was The Great Movie Ride inside the park’s replica Grauman’s Chinese Theater. I was obsessed with it as a kid, too. It was the park’s signature attraction, a dark ride through cinema history that also employed live actors so you felt like you were inside a movie. But that wasn’t enough to save it. It closed in 2017. That was a lot longer than the park’s own name survived. DisneyMGM Studios became Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2008. A plaque is the only reminder of what the park itself was once called by everyone who visited.

Do I wish The Great Movie Ride was still there? Every single time I walk into Hollywood Studios. I hope it comes back some day. I’d also give anything to do the Studio Backlot Tour again, but it closed in 2014. Just as the fantastic Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: Movie Set Adventure play area shuttered in 2016, long after SuperStar Television ended in 1998.

I loved all of them. I have vivid memories of each, some of the best from my childhood. And now unlike other Walt Disney World attractions like Haunted Mansion or Spaceship Earth which I can still go onthey’re like most memories, relegated to pictures, videos, and my own mind.

It’s sad. That might sound strange. It’s “just” a thing to do in a theme park with a million other fun things to do, after all. But even if you’ve never had that kind of connection to an amusement park attraction, you have your own experiences you don’t want changed either. There’s an obvious comfort in knowing the things we loved are still there when we need them. There’s a reason no one has ever been okay with Greedo shooting first. Editing that scene doesn’t change your memory of Han Solo getting one of the greatest introductions in movie history, but that doesn’t mean we like that change.

Yet, change itself is not inherently bad, and neither is the closing of Muppet*Vision 3D. I wish Disney would alter its plans at the last second so June 7, 2025 would instead become the show’s day of resurrection instead of its closing. But I still can’t wait to see Monsters, Inc. land. I’m ridiculously excited about riding its new vertical-lift coaster. I think it has a chance to be really special. Disney Imagineers never disappoint with original rides when they get to build something from scratch with all the space they need.

And all of those lost rides I mourn and always will? New attractions and new lands I now love took their place. Hollywood Studios’ Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge are two of the best, most immersive, most beautiful theme park creations ever. And you know who also loves them? My son, who we just took to Walt Disney World for his first time. Toy Story Mania was his absolute favorite. He loved watching stormtroopers follow Kylo Ren around. And even if I’ll forever miss The Great Movie Ride, he had the biggest smile on his face on its replacement, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

He’ll only ever know what was once inside that building from me, but that’s okay. I wouldn’t trade the experience of him laughing at Daisy Duck teaching us how to “waltz” and “conga” for anything. The same is true of of my final time in Muppet Courtyard.

With a week to go before it closed forever, I wasn’t sure how many times I’d want to see Muppet*Vision 3D. Turns out the answer was just once because I got the most perfect goodbye possible. I watched the show, the one I fell in love with as a child, for the final time with my son sitting on my lap. Alexander cackled when Waldo’s nose came at him, same as I once had (and still did). He reached out to touch the 3D projections like they were real. He turned around when the Swedish Chef fired his cannon. And mama was there to take pictures, so one day, even if he doesn’t remember being in that theater, his sentimental dad can show him how happy we both were to be there together.

If only all goodbyes were this perfect.

And when we visit Monsters, Inc. land some day to make all-new memories together that I won’t trade for anything, I’ll point out what was once in that spot. I’ll tell him why it was so important to me, just as I do with people he’ll only ever know because I talk about them. And I’ll also explain all of that inside a park thateven thiough it is so very different from the one I once knew and lovedthat still remains my favorite. And it does becase change doesn’t have to be bad if we’re willing to embrace what’s new. It’s okay to be nostalgia for the past and excited for the future.

I truly hoped Disney would keep Muppet*Vision 3D running forever. I’m also old enough to know that wasn’t possible. If it’s run didn’t end because of this expansion it would have ended because of a different one soon enough. Eventually even the most popular rides at the world’s most famous theme park eventually get upgraded, changed, or even closed. Attractions aren’t immune from the forces of time anymore than we are. But even if I can’t ever again step into this beloved memory, I can still forever hold on to it.

And when it comes to Muppet*Vision 3D I’m especially lucky. It will be easy for me to do that because it gave me its best memory the last time I was there.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. Despite what he said here about change, one day he’s going to make the case to bring back The Great Movie Ride. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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FREAKIER FRIDAY Sequel Trailer Delivers on the Fun of the Original Movie

Normally, we’re not really pro sequels for movies that really don’t seem like they ever needed one. But we’re willing to make an exception for Disney’s Freaky Friday sequel, Freakier Friday. Honestly, there’s been a dearth of movies aimed at teens in our lives. And even though technically, Freakier Friday is probably hitting millennials harder than anyone else. If Freakier Friday‘s trailer is anything to go by, the sequel movies seems to have captured the sincere spirit of an early oughts teen movie. And so we applaud it.

Check out the Freakier Friday trailer below.

No one wants to be an adult until they realize they can now drive a cool car, spend lots of money, AND break up their parents’ wedding if they so choose If they can get their act together, that is. In this even bigger body swap comedy sequel, Tess, Anna, her daughter, and her soon-to-be stepdaughter all end up in one another’s bodies. We won’t think too closely about that as adults. We’ll just accept it for the harmless fun it is. Except, this time, daughter and step-daughter are on a nefarious mission. But if their best effort is to bring back Anna’s first love, Chad Michael Murray’s Jake well, they have a ways to go. Especially since Jake thinks Anna is having a stroke instead of flirting, oops!

Disney

We just hope that Manny Jacinto’s leading man doesn’t get his feelings too hurt. We LOVE him!

The official synopsis for Freakier Friday shares, “In the film, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan reprise their roles as Tess and Anna Coleman. The story picks up years after Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis. Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice. “Freakier Friday” is directed by Nisha Ganatra and based on the book “Freaky Friday” by Mary Rodgers. The film, which also stars Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Rosalind Chao, Chad Michael Murray, Vanessa Bayer, and Mark Harmon, is produced by Kristin Burr, p.g.a., Andrew Gunn, p.g.a., and Jamie Lee Curtis, with Nathan Kelly, Ann Marie Sanderlin, and Lindsay Lohan serving as executive producers.”

Disney

We can’t wait to get even freakier on a Friday. Freakier Friday releases on August 8. (Yes, that’s a Friday.)

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The 7 Best Food & Drink Items at Universal Epic Universe

Every time a new theme park event rolls around, the one question on everyone’s mind is what kind of new magical food and drink offerings will manifest. And, of the manifold offerings, which of these new food and drink items will be the very best of the best? So, of course, when a whole new THEME park opens, the United States’ first modern theme park in over 20 years, the anticipation over the best new food and drink items reaches a fever pitch. Happily, Universal Orlando invited Nerdist to run around its incredible new park, Universal Epic Universe, AND sample some of its finest fare. From wacky concoctions, to themed fantasies, to just purely darn good bites, we’ve narrowed down everything we sampled to the 7 best food and drink offerings you can eat (and sip) at Universal Epic Universe.

Let’s dig into our guide to the most delectable snacks in the park.

Our Guide to the Best Food & Drink at Universal Epic UniverseEpic Universe’s DK Crush Float Is Chaotic BUT RefreshingFood Item Found in: Epic Universe’s Super Nintendo World, Donkey Kong Country, The Bubbly BarrelNerdist

The DK Crush Float, full name: DK Crush Float with Mug Tropical Banana Flavor, is a bananas drink. LITERALLY. You just have to take one look at it to know that Donkey Kong would go ape to get his hands on this one. And even though it seems like it might be overwhelming, it’s actually a SUPER refreshing drink on a scorching day.

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With its swirling mound of soft serve pineapple and banana ice cream, fizzy pineapple soda, waffle bowl, star sprinkles, toffee pieces, AND caramel popcorn, you might think this drink/dessert/whirlwind would be sickly sweet, but in fact, that’s not at all the case! (We were just as surprised as you!) The pineapple and banana flavors taste very natural, and they fade with a clean sensation on your tongue and don’t feel cloying or heavy at all. The DK Crush Float leaves only a welcome freshness and no artificiality at all when you swallow it down. And the crunch of the toffee and caramel popcorn adds a nice textural component. Not to mention, the star sprinkles are so cute! It’s also definitely big enough to share, and you get a fun collectible Donkey Kong spoon and a really fabulous souvenir mug (a 10/10 keepsake).

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As a final pro-tip, The Bubbly Barrel has a cute outdoor setting with many umbrellas and chairs. It’s a great place to make a pit stop before heading back into the exciting whirl of Super Nintendo World.

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Universal Epic Universe Super Nintendo World: Super Mario Land and Donkey Kong Country ReviewDragon Fire Chicken Spire Mac & Cheese Cone Is the BEST Epic Mac & Cheese Cone

Food Item Found in: Epic Universe’s The Isle of Berk, Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel

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Mac & Cheese in a bread cone with delicious toppings?! Could it get any better than that?! Answer: Only if Toothless is on the packaging. And that’s exactly why Universal Epic Universe’s Mac & Cheese Cones (found in the Isle of Berk) are one of the ULTIMATE best food items at the park. (But also just anywhere.) There’s three options to choose from, and while the PB&J (Pork, Bacon, and Jam) Max & Cheese cone IS tempting, how could you eat in the Isle of Berk and not snag the food item named for a dragon? The Dragon Fire Chicken Spire Mac & Cheese cone is the top offering in our book.

What is it exactly? Well, just imagine the creamiest mac and cheese, topped with the most savory, spicy shredded chicken, and finished with just a touch of honeyed sweetness. That’s an item worthy of keeping in the dragon hoard if you ask us If you don’t simply gobble it down first. Officially, here’s the description of this delicious Epic Universe food item. It’s a “creamy mac & cheese” topped “with Nashville style pulled chicken, hot honey, Calabrian peppers, chimichurri, and crispy onions served in a crunchy cone.” YUM. This mac & cheese cone will fill you up for a good long while. Plus, you can take it on the go.

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As a bonus, the container the cone comes in is super cute and features an adorable stylized Toothless. It’s not a souvenir like the DK Crush Float mug, but it also doesn’t cost any extra. This is absolutely one of the best of the best food items at Universal Epic Universe.

Dark Universe’s Monocane Mocktail Brings Narrative and Fizz to the Party, Making it One of Our Best Epic Universe Drinks

Drink Found in: Epic Universe’s Dark Universe, The Burning Blade Tavern

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A good theme park food or drink item brings theming to the table. But the BEST theme park snacks bring narrative to the experience, and that’s exactly what Epic Universe’s Monocane Mocktail delivers to its sippers. What is Monocane, you ask? Well, it just so happens to be the fictional drug that turned the Invisible Man invisible. And if you meet him in Dark Universe, he’ll direct you to take a sip and find out if you’re worthy of being part of the invisible club, too. We are obsessed with the fact that the Monocane Mocktail isn’t just a fun drink a character might enjoy or could belong in a world, but is actually bringing one of Dark Universe’s stories to life.

The Burning Blade Tavern doing its thing at Universal Epic Universe pic.twitter.com/bY3jlolFOs

Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) June 4, 2025

That said, we are also obsessed with the color. A green drink like that does not come around every day, and just looking at the Monocane Mocktail fills us with glee. It also helps that it is REALLY good AND it glitters. So you know, we’re totally sold. The drink is sweet, but not too sweet, and nicely combines “pineapple syrup, blue raspberry syrup, passion fruit syrup, emerald prism powder, Sprite.” The Monocane Mocktail is at once a pretty complex flavor combination and infinitely sippable. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, and really delightfully fizzy. It also comes in a souvenir flask that will make you feel like you’re a mad scientist yourself. Plus, you’ll find it in the Burning Blade Tavern, and is there anything about The Burning Blade Tavern that isn’t cool? Ask yourself. Sip on this cocktail, chat with monster hunters, and catch an explosion of fire, all while knowing you’re drinking one of the best drinks at Epic Universe.

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DID WE MENTION IT GLITTERS?

Yoshi’s Red Shell Calzone Is Worth Biting IntoFood Item Found in: Epic Universe’s Super Nintendo World, Yoshi’s Snack Shack

Ah, the dreaded red shell in Mario Kart. How many times have we been in first place, only for a red shell to knock us off course? But now, we can pay those darn scarlet shells back for all the trouble they’ve caused by biting right into the middle of them. Yes, you can snack on red shells at Universal Epic Universe, and they’re one of the best food items you can find anywhere in the park. When we judge theme park food, we’re always thinking about what is delicious in the moment, but will keep us full later. And Yoshi’s Red Shell Calzone checks both marks.

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Basically, you’re carboloading when you chow down on this one, but there’s some protein in there, too. And every part of the Red Shell Calzone is steaming and savory. Plus it’s got a great texture all the way through. The shell is crunchy on the outside, but soft inside, and the sauce and cheese enough are heavy, but not too heavy. It’s also very easy to carry around as you walk. Plus, it’s just SO CUTE. And SO RED. It really looks like a red shell from the game. And anyone who has tried to shape bread knows that’s quite the feat.

NerdistSip the Snow Wraith ICEE While Visiting the Snow Wraith

Drink Found in: Epic Universe’s The Isle of Berk, Hooligan’s Grog & Gruel

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If you’re at Universal Epic Universe, chances are you’re experiencing a hot day. And what’s better on a hot day than an ICEE? Only a Snow Wraith ICEE, themed to perfection and available right next to its namesake. If you didn’t already know, Universal’s Epic Universe is FULL of dragon animatronics that bring all the magic of the franchise to life at all times, even when you’re just casually walking around. And one of the most impressive denizens of the land is the Snow Wraith, who grins with all his teeth and roars icy mist at passerby.

The Snow Wraith coming to life at Universal Epic Universe's Isle of Berk pic.twitter.com/BtB2iOi16J

Rotem Rusak (@Moondancer1626) June 4, 2025

But what you might not know is that the Snow Wraith has his own drink. And if you visit him, you’re basically honor-bound to get it. This cooling, icy drink tastes of blue raspberry and pina colada. It’s surprisingly light and not too sweet at all. But it is satisfyingly carbonated and perfectly slushy on a scorching day.

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It also comes with a color-changing straw, which kids (and adults) will love seeing in action. Plus, it’s a beautiful pale blue. Take yours and then visit the Snow Wraith in all his glory.

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Universal Epic Universe’s Isle of Berk Is a Dragon Animatronic WonderlandWarm Hearted Cinnamon Bites Are Literally the BEST Food Item in Universal Epic Universe

Food Item Found in: Epic Universe’s Dark Universe, De Lacey’s Cottage

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Listen, are the Warm Hearted Cinnamon Bites the most themed food item in Universal Epic Universe? No. Are they the most elaborate food item in Universal Epic Universe? No. And so when I say they are one of the BEST food items at Universal Epic Universe, does that truly mean something? YES. The Warm Hearted Cinnamon Bites don’t have anything to fall back on except flavor. But woah, do they deliver. When I ordered them, I was going to ask for a half serving because I truly didn’t think I’d be able to eat the eight that come in an order. But yeah, I ate them. I absolutely did.

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These cinnamon roll bites were light, fluffy, and sweet, very sweet, but so delicious. They weren’t heavy or oily at all. The dough of the warm cinnamon sugar donut bites was soft like a cloud, and the cream cheese icing was divine. The streusel on top added a warm, brown sugar crunch. And all of it was just so, so good. I am salivating right now just thinking about it. The Warm Hearted Cinnamon Bites definitely warmed my heart.

Bonus Tip: Right around the corner from De Lacey’s Cottage is a quiet, shady nook of Frankenstein Manor. It’s a great place to sit and snack.

Frank & Friends Pretzel Is the Best Pretzel in Universal Epic Universe

Food Item Found in: Epic Universe’s Dark Universe, De Lacey’s Cottage

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A theme park pretzel is a time-honored tradition. And, of course, it’s a really good pretzel, flaky, salty, soft, and buttery. A melt-in-your-mouth pretzel! But, obviously, you can just take a look at the Frank & Friends, aka Frankenstein, pretzel and know why it’s one of the best food items at Universal Epic Universe. Could you imagine a more fun pretzel than that? It follows in the great tradition of the Shrekzel, but brings even more fun details to the table.

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Just imagine all the fun you’ll have, first, becoming Frankenstein with this pretzel, and then devouring it. Hey, you’re at a theme park, you’ve got to play with your food.

REad next

Epic Universe’s Stardust Racers Is THE BEST Roller Coaster EverThere Are So Many Delicious Foods and Drinks at Universal Epic UniverseNerdist

And that rounds out our list of the best food and drink items you can find at Universal Epic Universe. But, of course, there are so many more things to try and taste when visiting the brand new park. We’d be here all day if we tried to list everything delicious. But hopefully, our food and drink guide will lead you straight to some happy snacking during your time at Epic Universe and help cut through the overwhelming amount of choices!

If you need us, we’ll be dreaming of Mac & Cheese Cones and Monocane Mocktails.

The post The 7 Best Food & Drink Items at Universal Epic Universe appeared first on Nerdist.

How Magic Kingdom’s New Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away Parade Honors Main Street Electrical Parade

Everyone who goes to a Disney park has certain rides, attractions, and experiences that define their visit. As a kid who loved Walt Disney World the Main Street Electrical Parade was “Disney” to me just as much as Cinderella’s Castle or Spaceship Earth. It felt like my family made sure we watched it every single night we spent at Magic Kingdom. We loved it that much. So when I returned in 2024 after a long time away I really felt the absence of those glowing floats. Fortunately an all-new nighttime parade will soon make its way down the park’s streets. On July 20, 2025 Magic Kingdom will debut Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away. And while it will feature original vehicles, costumes, music, and more, it will do what Disney does best by paying tribute to its beloved predecessor.Disney

Disney parks across the world have a long tradition of nighttime parades. Inspired by the Electrical Water Pageant, that began with the most important, most enduring one, the Main Street Electrical Parade. It debuted at Disneyland in 1972 and made its way to Orlando in 1977. But outside of seasonal events, the Magic Kingdom hasn’t had a regular nighttime one since its signature parade’s third run ended in 2016. That’s finally about to change with Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away.

Disney says its newest nighttime attraction will let guests “watch dreams and wishes come true throughout this star-kissed parade.” The parade’s themed-floats and “swirling ribbons of starlight” will all be powered by “the Blue Fairy’s magic.”

Click To View Gallery Disney Disney Disney Disney Disney

Early looks and concept art promise that description will be what exactly guests see at Magic Kingdom. Both classic and modern Disney and Pixar characters will travel through the park on blue-lit vehicles and matching attire. Those characters include:

Pinocchio‘s Blue Fairy Peter Pan & Wendy Wish‘s Asha La Familia Madrigal (Mirabel, Isabela, Bruno) from EncantoFrozen‘s Elsa Sleeping Beauty‘s Aurora and Prince Phillip, The Princess and the Frog‘s Tiana and Prince Naveen, Beauty and the Beast‘s Belle and the Beast, and Cinderella and Prince Charming  Coco‘s Miguel and Pepita Moana Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, Donald, Daisy, Snow White, Dopey, Rapunzel, Flynn, Aladdin and Jasmine. New merchandise for Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away nighttime parade.

Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away will also feature its own original song. It’s pure Disney that will make diehards especially happy. Songs that accompany Disney theme park experiences-like Magic Kingdom’s “Happily Ever After” and “Fantasmic“can transport you back to the parks. They create the kind of lasting memories and nostalgia that binds generations.

The Main Street Electrical Parade’s music still does exactly that for me. It’s objectively dated and (at best) a little silly. And I absolutely love it.

It sends me back more than 30 years to a place and time that was very special to me and always will be. I don’t even need to look at those floats to see them when I hear this song.

Disney knows the kind of connection older visitors like me have with that parade, and they’re honoring that with their latest one. While most of Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away is entirely new, it will feature a very important “whimsical” train float inspired by the Main Street Electrical Parade’s signature piece.

Starting this July kids and first-time guests of all ages will fill the Magic Kingdom’s streets when the sun goes down to watch Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away. Some will instantly fall in love with the beauty and majesty of the show. They’ll buy all the new accompanying merchandise and snack on the special Starlight popcorn. Then they’ll go home and listen to the theme song when they want to quickly “visit” Walt Disney World. They will come to think of the parade as one of the experiences that defines the park itself.

And those of us who think that way about its predecessor will still see our own memories reflected in those new twinkling blue lights. And that, to me, is “Disney.”

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How PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS Sets up The Franchise’s Future

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The Predator franchise is continuing in a big way this year with the arrival of two different new films in the series from director Dan Trachtenberg. After revitalizing Predator with 2022’s Prey, Trachtenberg not only has this fall’s Predator: Badlands hitting theaters, but the animated film Predator: Killer of Killers, which is currently on Hulu.

Even as work began on Badlands, Killer of Killers was a secret production. The announcement of this project just came a few months ago. An animated anthology film, Killer of Killers tells three different stories set in three different time periods about Predators hunting the likes of Vikings, ninjas, and World War II pilots. But a movie made in secret turns out to have even more secrets in store inside of it.

Hulu/Twentieth Century Studios

Killer of Killers actually concludes with a fourth story not mentioned in the promotional campaign which brings the first three together. In addition, that story ends up providing some huge tie-ins to the franchise’s pastmost notably Preywhich also providing some exciting set up for the franchise’s future. 

To the Victor Goes More Fighting

Each of the three stories in Killer of Killers ends with a single survivor among a larger group who’s finally able to defeat the respective Predator hunting them and their people, including the viking warrior Ursa (voiced by Lindsay LaVanchy) in 841 A.D., the ninja Kenji (Louis Ozawa) in 1629, and US World War II pilot Torres (Rick Gonzalez) in 1941.

But glimpses shown in between each story of these characters seemingly sharing the same space and now wearing strange mechanical collars sets up the big swerve at the end of Torres’ story. After his triumph in his confrontation with a Predator, and now back home in the US at his father’s garage late one night, Torres sees a Predator ship flying above him before the hunters take him into space.

Sometime later, he awakens to find himself in a metal stasis pod where he’d been asleep for an indeterminate time. He then ends up in a cell with none other than Ursa and Kenji. This confirms the Predators have come back for others who have successfully defeated one of their kind before, likewise keeping them in stasis so they don’t age until the Predators decide to awaken them.

Taken to an outdoor arena, a translation device tells the trio to fight to the death, with the winner to face the fierce-looking leader of the Predators. (Well, it’s not clear if he’s the top leader, but he is certainly the one in charge of those we see on this planet.)

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Overcoming the urge especially from Ursa to battle one another like the Predators want, the three humans ultimately work together to try and escape. And though the Predator leader cuts Kenji’s arm off as they flee from him, the trio make it onto a ship that Torres figures out how to fly. Then, a large harpoon shot by the Predators stops them midair and keeps them from leaving the planet.

Unable to pull the harpoon out from inside the ship, Ursa leaps back out back to the ground, destroying the weapon that shot the harpoon and cutting the ship loose in the process, even as the Predators surround her. Torres and Kenji then manage to fly off the planet, only for the Predator leader to yell “Let’s go hunting!” in the Yautja language. A whole battalion of ships fly off in pursuit of the two humans who escaped them. 

And so ends Predator: Killer of Killers, as the film’s title appears. EXCEPT

The Return of the War Chief Naru in Predator: Killer of Killers

Predator: Killer of Killers has an additional scene after the film’s title card and it’s a big one. We see that the Predators did not kill Ursa, but they have put her back into stasis. They move the pod she lays in past what we quickly realize are hundreds, if not thousands, of similar pods stored upright, which each appear to have someone inside them. We see the glass covers to these pods from afar, but it’s clear that not all of these chambers have humans in them. Some of them with contain alien beings from other worlds the Yautja have hunted on. 

As they push Ursa’s pod past another row of pods, we stay with the unmoving pod at the front of that row and begin to zoom in on it. We can see a human female behind the glass. And as we get closer and see the war paint on her face, it’s clear who it is. The music from as music Prey underlines that we’re looking at Naru in the Predator: Killer of Killers.

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Yes, the awesome hero of Prey, played by Amber Midthunder, is another one of the prisoners on this distant planet. She was no doubt taken from her home because she’d once proven she could defeat one of the hunters. The closing credits of Prey conclude with animated images of three Predator ships returning to Naru’s tribe. And the Killer of Killers ending certainly seems to indicate that, like we saw with Torres, there was no fair fight during her second encounter with this species. Naru was outnumbered, which led to her capture. 

It’s worth noting we actually have no idea what year this final story takes place in. It is sometime after Torres’ abduction from Earth in the 1940s. But is it still the 40s or a bit later? Is it now our present? Or is it our future? Or course, none of that would make much difference to Naru. She’s from the 1700s, so it’s all the future to her. 

Badlands May Give Us the Next Step, but Naru’s Coming Back Regardless

Now that Killer of Killers has turned out to have this big connection to Prey at the end, it obviously makes it all the more notable that Dan Trachtenberg has yet another Predator movie opening in just a few months with Badlands. That movie is very clearly set in our future. However, Killer of Killers has now made it possible for most of these characters to coexist at the same time, depending on when the Predators wake them up. 

Last weekend, I went to an early screening of Killer of Killers held by Beyond Fest and American Cinematheque. At that event, Trachetenberg got a question about the big Naru cameo. He confirmed it was teasing a specific plan he had for a future Predator installment. As he explained, following Prey’s success, while trying to come up with what to do next, “Three cool things came to mind. This one [Killer of Killers], Badlands, and another cool thing” 

20th Century Studios

It’s now clear that the third “other cool thing” concept involves Naru, with Trachtenberg explaining that, when it came to her silent cameo in Killer of Killers, “Because Badlands is next, we wanted to make sure that people knew that there’s still something in store for that character.” 

When asked if we might see any overt connections to Killer of Killers in Badlands, Trachtenberg stayed coy. He did note because the films were developed concurrently, some of the Predator vehicles and tech are similar. He then added, with a grin, “But in terms of narrative connections, you know, who’s to say?”

Whether it ultimately ties back into Killer of Killers plot wise or not, Trachtenberg said there were definitely surprises in Badlands, in the same way that Killer of Killers ends up teaming all three of its lead characters from across time in a fourth story that wasn’t part of the marketing. As he put it, “Badlands is f**king awesome. It’s like this [Killer of Killers]like you were not expecting to have all the stuff that is in here. Equally, Badlands is not what you expect and it is a full f**king meal just like this.”

The Pistol From Across Time in the Predator Franchise

One other fun curveball Killer of Killers throws at us is the return of a very familiar weapon from the Predator films: the flintlock pistol once owned by Raphael Adolini. 

This centuries-old pistol got its introduction at the end of Predator 2. Danny Glover’s Mike Harrigan received it from a Predator as a seeming sign of respect after he was able to defeat and kill the Predator that was hunting through 1990s Los Angeles. Then, in the 1700s-set Prey, when Naru comes across a group of ill-fated French fur trappers, one of themRaphael Adolini, whose name Harrigan saw inscribed on the side of the pistolgives her the very same pistol to fight the Predator hunting her people. 

Killer of Killers provides this pistol its third onscreen appearance to date in a funny moment when the Predators tell their captives they may use a weapon “of their tribe” to battle one another. Ursa and Kenji are happy with the axe and sword they’re respectively given. However, Torres is bewildered by the antique pistol he’s meant to use. It’s already ancient to him and hardly the kind of gun he’d find most effective. Ultimately, someone knocks the pistol from his hands in the arena. It remains behind on the planet with the Predators when Torres and Kenji flee. 

Prey ended with that pistol still in Naru’s possession in the year 1719. But now we have a pretty good idea how the Predators ended up with it given they took Naru at some point, and she likely had it on her at the time. This also indicates Killer of Killers’ finale likely does take place within the 20th century and no later. Predator 2 takes place in 1997 and, by the end of that film, Harrigan possesses the pistol back on Earth. 

Unless, that is, the pistol eventually changes hands yet again from Harrigan back to the Predators. That sounds wild. But look, if you really want to begin asking questions about how the Predators function, you might ask why Harrigan was simply given that pistol as a sign of respect and allowed to leave by several other Predators at the end of Predator 2, given Killer of Killers shows the Predators instead abducting those who have defeated their kind. Then again, it seems like they tend to do this a good deal later after their hunter loses. So did they only let Harrigan go at that immediate moment and eventually came back for him? Does that mean Danny Glover could come back as Harrigan, even in a movie set far in the future? And hey, do you think the Predators ever came back for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch!? 

Perhaps we’ll get some insight into how this all works in either Predator: Badlands and in whatever Dan Tratchenberg has planned for the follow-up to that film. Regardless, it’s great to know he has plans to eventually bring Amber Midthunder as Naru back into play in a way that she very much deserves. 

Hope you can quickly adjust to the big leap forward in time Naru, because you’ve got plenty more Predators to fight from the looks of things.

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