The second installment of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune franchise isn’t the only new entry into Dune‘s world coming our way.  Warner Media, together with Legendary Television, is creating a Dune tie-in series titled Dune: Prophecy. The show will serve as a prequel to the films and focus on the Harkonnen Sisters as they create the mysterious order of the Bene Gesserit. Villeneuve will even serve as an executive producer.

Here’s everything we know about Dune: Prophecy so far.

Title

The title for this Dune series was announced as Dune: Prophecy. However, according to IGN, the series has been renamed Dune: Prophecy.

Dune: Prophecy‘s Plot

We do not have specifics about Dune: Prophecy‘s plot. But, as mentioned, we do know it will serve as a prequel to the story taking place in Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two. A logline for the show reveals more about what we can expect:

10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, DUNE: PROPHECY follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit. This is the origin story of the Sisterhood during one of the most turbulent and pivotal turning points in the Dune universe’s history. 

In a full profile in Entertainment Weekly, we learn even more.

“We get to see how it all started,” showrunner Alison Schapker tells Entertainment Weekly during a brief break from post-production, in her first interview about Dune: Prophecy. “When we meet Valya Harkonnen, she is a girl whose family has experienced a tremendous fall from power and has lost its noble status. She dreams of restoring what she feels is rightfully theirs. How she goes from being someone obsessed with rebuilding her noble house to being someone who is dedicated to the Sisterhood above all is a big part of the story. It’s not a girlhood coming-of-age narrative so much as a woman’s rise to power from a Harkonnen perspective.”

Behind the Scenes

To help cement the connection between the series and movies, Denis Villeneuve will serve as an executive producer on Dune: Prophecy. Meanwhile, Alison Schapker will be the showrunner and an executive producer of the series. Schapker previously worked as an executive producer on Westworld. She also had a hand in Netflix’s Altered Carbon and other series like Fringe, Lost, and Almost Human. Additionally, Warner Media shares that “Diane Ademu-John serves as creator, writer, and executive producer.”

According to a release:

Academy Award-nominated writer Jon Spaihts, Scott Z. Burns, Mark Friedman and Matthew King will executive produce with Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert for the Frank Herbert estate. Kevin J. Anderson will co-produce. The series is co-produced by HBO Max and Legendary Television with Legendary also producing the film franchise that released its first installment to critical acclaim in October 2021 and garnered six Academy Awards, including Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Dune: Prophecy‘s Cast

So far, we’ve seen quite a few exciting casting announcements for Dune: Prophecy.

Emily Watson will act as the lead of the show. Watson will play the role of Valya Harkonnen. Shirley Henderson was slated to play Tula Harkonnen but has exited the series. Other cast members include:

• Johdi May as Empress Natalya, a formidable royal who united thousands of worlds in her marriage to Emperor Corrino
• Sarah-Sofie Boussnina as Princess Ynez, an independent young princess dealing with the pressures of her responsibility as heir to the Golden Lion Throne
• Shalom Brune-Franklin as Mikaela, a strong-willed Fremen woman who serves the royal family while longing for a home planet she’s never known
• Faoileann Cunningham as Sister Jen, a fierce, unpredictable acolyte in training at the Sisterhood School who rarely reveals her emotional core
• Aoife Hinds as Sister Emeline, a zealous acolyte descended from a long line of martyrs, who carries fervent religion to her training at the Sisterhood
• Chloe Lea as Lila, the youngest acolyte at the Sisterhood School with a deep empathy beyond her years
• Travis Fimmel as Desmond Hart, a charismatic soldier with an enigmatic past, who seeks to gain the Emperor’s trust at the expense of the Sisterhood
• Mark Strong as Javicco Corrino, a man from a great line of war-time Emperors, who is called upon to govern the Imperium and manage a fragile peace
• Jade Anouka as Sister Theodosia, a talented and ambitious acolyte at the Sisterhood who harbors a dangerous secret about her past
• Chris Mason as Keiran Atreides, a Swordmaster to a Great House whose ambition to live up to his family name is disrupted when he forms an unexpected connection to a member of the royal family
• Josh Heuston as Constantine, the illegitimate son of the Emperor (Strong). His character is described as being ‘torn between seeking his father’s approval and his own happiness
• Edward Davis as Harrow Harkonnen, a rising politician from a once-great family, who harbors a strong desire to elevate his House to its former glory

Entertainment Weekly shared several images from the series in mid-September, 2024. They depict characters from the series, like Desmond Hart, Emperor Corrino, and Valya Harkonnen. Check them out below.

Click To View Gallery

Dune: Prophecy‘s Release Date

Dune: Prophecy does not yet have a release date, but it will arrive in November.

Originally published in 2021.

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

The post Everything We Know About DUNE: PROPHECY appeared first on Nerdist.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians achieved what many new streaming service shows no longer get: a second season. The show delighted book fans and newcomers alike with a first season that honored its source material while using all that good Disney+ money to make this universe come to life. Now, our favorite demigod and his comrades are moving towards the next chapter of their saga in Percy Jackson and the Olympians season two. 

We don’t have a ton of information about the upcoming season, but we do know that Tamara Smart is joining the Percy Jackson and the Olympians cast as Thalia Grace, the daughter of Zeus. Here’s what creator Rick Riordan had to say about this big casting news. 

“Thalia Grace is one of the most important characters in the Percy Jackson universe, so the right casting was critical. Thalia is a powerful warrior, a fiercely loyal friend, and a demigod rebel with a very ‘punk’ / ‘rage-against-the-machine’ sensibility. As soon as we saw Tamara Smart play this role, we knew we had found our daughter of Zeus. She was, no pun intended, electric. Tamara puts the ‘grace’ in Thalia Grace!”

Here’s everything we know about Percy Jackson and the Olympians season two. 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season Two’s Plot 

Of course, there are no specific details about the plot. Season two of Percy Jackson and the Olympians is based on The Sea of Monsters, the second installment in Disney Hyperion’s bestselling Percy Jackson book series by Rick Riordan. We won’t get into any of those events here for spoiler’s sake. 

Behind the Scenes 

Predictably, much of the creative team returns for season two of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The series is executive produced by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz along with Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Craig Silverstein, Albert Kim, The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Bert Salke, The Gotham Group’s Jeremy Bell and D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Jason Ensler and Sarah Watson. 

We do know that the show is currently in production, thanks to this clip from D23.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season Two’s Cast 

Series regulars Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson), Leah Sava Jeffries (Annabeth Chase), Aryan Simhadri (Grover Underwood), Charlie Bushnell (Luke Castellan), and Dior Goodjohn (Clarisse La Rue) are all back for another round. In addition to Tamara Smart as Thalia Grace, new cast members include Daniel Diemer (Tyson) and Sandra Bernhard, Kristen Schaal, and Margaret Cho as the Gray Sisters Anger, Tempest, and Wasp, respectively. Timothy Sans will portray Tantalus. 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season Two’s Release Date 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season two will hit Disney+ sometime in 2025.

The post Everything We Know About PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS Season 2 appeared first on Nerdist.

Netflix’s adaptation of The Sandman premiered its first season in August 2022. The series brought The Sandman comics to the screen in a faithful retelling. In many instances, it brought the comic book panels to life. We spent time with Morpheus and Dream, but we barely got to know the whimsical and fantastical world of the Endless. However, it’s time for more stories. Last November, Netflix confirmed The Sandman is a go for more. Fans of the Endless rejoice. Especially because Netflix has just revealed the three new cast members who will round out the rest of Morpheus’ family: Delirium, the Prodigal, and their oldest sibling, Destiny, and gave us our first good look at The Sandman season two.

The Sandman Season 2 Sneak Peek

The Sandman season two took us behind the scenes of production in our first good look at the upcoming series. “It’s time to return to the Dreaming. Go inside the set of The Sandman Season 2, coming to Netflix in 2025.” It sounds like we’ll see more from the series very soon. In the meantime, we suggest you watch the video above a couple of times, to really dig into all the dreamy details in its depths.

The Sandman Announces It’s Delirium, Destruction, and Destiny, Shares Season 2 Teaser Trailer

The Endless are now complete. The Sandman season two has revealed new cast for its upcoming episodes. Hannah‘s Esmé Creed-Miles (she/her) is joining as fan-favorite Delirium. Revenge‘s Barry Sloane (he/him) has signed on as Destruction, also known as The Prodigal. (If you aren’t familiar with the comic books that moniker is a big hint at his role in the story.) And Primary Colors‘ Adrian Lester (he/him) will fill the role of the eldest Endless, Destiny.

In addition to this casting news, The Sandman season two has also revealed its first teaser trailer. Check it out below.

The Sandman Season 2 Shares New Look at Dream and Desire

Netflix celebrated The Sandman‘s 35th anniversary by announcing more episodes of its hit series were officially in production. And if that weren’t enough, the streamer actually gave us a behind-the-scenes look at Tom Sturridge (he/him, Dream) and Mason Alexander Park (they/them, Desire) in action. We certainly feel excited by this brief new glimpse of the show.

The Sandman Teases New Episodes

‘The Sandman’ ประกาศสร้างต่อแล้วครับ
สาวกเทพแห่งฝัน มอร์เฟียส เตรียมออกผจญภัยในโลกดาร์กแฟนตาซี ของ นีล เกแมน กันต่อได้เลย และรอดูกันว่าบทต่อไป จะมีการผจญภัยอะไรรอให้เหล่าเทพอนันต์มาเผชิญกันอีก

แล้วเจอกันที่ Netflix นะครับ#TheSandman #NetflixTH pic.twitter.com/fu2RE6UMDo

— Netflixth (@netflixth) November 3, 2022

To celebrate the new episodes of The Sandman, Netflix released a short teaser featuring Morpheus’ helm. And we got a logo, “The dream continues.” We love it. A release from Netflix also shares that the show will return with even more new “episodes and stories to be adapted from multiple The Sandman graphic novels.” For now, though, we have not received confirmation on episode count and story details.

More About the The Sandman‘s Next Chapter

More of the Endless is coming. Season one of The Sandman brought a story that showed us why adaptations exist. It brought in a moving deep cut from the Hellblazer comics. And it even wrapped up with a surprise bonus episode. The original Sandman comics series includes ran for 75 issues. So, the series has plenty of material to pull from. The show has plenty more rich, sometimes twisted characters to introduce and explore.

As for when the release date for the new episodes of The Sandman will be, it’s likely going to take a moment.

Originally published on November 3, 2022.

The post THE SANDMAN Season 2 First-Look Reveals Characters and Release Date Window appeared first on Nerdist.

The universe of Matt Reeves’ The Batman is expanding exponentially. Separate from the DCU involving the other DC heroes, Reeves’ world is hyper gritty, and focused solely on the world of Gotham City. And the first project of this new The Batman-verse is a Max (formerly HBO Max) series focusing on Oswald “Oz” Chesterfield Cobblepot, a.k.a. the Penguin.

Recently, showrunner Lauren LeFranc revealed an interesting tidbit about why one character, Carmine Falcone, was recast. John Turturro played the character in The Batman, but in The Penguin, Mark Strong will play him instead. LeFranc reveals:

Well, practically, John was just unavailable to us. He had scheduling conflicts, and we couldn’t make it work, but honestly, I’m so thrilled that we brought Mark Strong on. I think he’s really good. Even though, maybe in the beginning when you first meet him, you might think, “Oh. Well, for fans of The Batman, I’m so used to John Turturro,” and obviously John’s a great actor, but I feel like the gravitas that Mark brings, it’s different. It’s very specific, and I hope, by the end of that episode, you’re just thinking, “That’s Carmine Falcone,” and you’re engaged in what Mark brings to it.

There you have it.

Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming The Penguin series centered on the so-called criminal King of Gotham, once again played by Colin Farrell.

Title

The title of the series is simply The Penguin.

The Penguin‘s Plot

Based on early statements, it seems the plot of the series focuses on Oswald “Oz” Cobblepot as he rises in the ranks of Gotham’s underworld, and becomes a power player. It will take place in the aftermath of the flooding of Gotham City, as seen in the final act of The Batman. Here’s what producer Matt Reeves had to say about the show’s premise:

Colin exploded off the screen as the Penguin in The Batman. Having the chance to thoroughly explore the inner life of that character on HBO Max is an absolute thrill. Dylan and I are so excited to work with Lauren in continuing Oz’s story as he grabs violently for power in Gotham.

The Batman spinoff show does have a confirmed timeline and a bit more about its plot. In an Entertainment Weekly interview, showrunner Lauren LeFranc confirms that The Penguin takes one week after The Batman‘s events. We’re in Oz’s world,” LeFranc says. “We’re living in the underbelly of the city. Oz is a mover and a shaker. He can’t always be trusted. He’s very smart and very methodical, but he’s also extremely impulsive. You can’t predict what he’s going to do.”

LeFranc confirms that the show will be a bridge between The Batman and its upcoming sequel in 2026. As we already know, this all exists in its own universe, now known as the “Batman Epic Crime Saga.” …Okay.

Colin Farrell says we will get into his villain’s backstory and personal life, including Oz’s relationship with his mother and with Carmine Falcone’s daughter Sofia. She’s fresh from Arkham Asylum and ready to add her madness into the mix. “They’re two survivalists who’ve been immersed in worlds of duplicity and defeat and violence,” Farrell said about Sofia and Oz. “They’re very suspicious. They also have a very personally connected backstory.”

Additionally, Farrell shares of The Penguin series:

It’s dark, that’s what I can tell you about it. It’s really dark. It’s really heavy, I think – it certainly was doing it. Which is not to say I didn’t have fun, I had an amazing time doing it. It’s incredibly violent.

It’s one man’s rise to what he’s always dreamed of inhabiting which is a certain power or social status. The death of Carmine Falcone at the end of [The Batman] the film, leaves this vacuum in Gotham to be filled and so there are various people that are grabbing for that power and this is Oswald’s journey trying to rise to the top through extraordinary obstacles.

The series will have eight episodes.

Behind the Scenes

Lauren LeFranc will write the script for the series and serve as showrunner. The Batman director Matt Reeves and producer Dylan Clark will serve as executive producers, along with star Colin Farrell. Reeves won’t be directing, at least not early on. Directing an early episode is Craig Zobel.

The Penguin‘s Cast

In the title role is the returning Colin Farrell. Also in the cast is Cristin Milioti as the female lead of the show, Sofia Falcone.

In addition, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Zegen, James Madio, Scott Cohen, Carmen Ejogo, François Chau, David H. Holmes, and Theo Rossi will also appear.

Most recently, we learned that Clancy Brown has joined the cast as Salvatore Maroni. Worth noting, in the comics, Maroni was responsible for throwing acid at Harvey Dent. This, of course, led Dent to become Two-Face. This could be an interesting way to bring the iconic villain into The Batman‘s world.

The Penguin‘s Release Date

The Penguin will officially come to Max on September 19.

Originally published November 9, 2022.

The post Here’s Why Carmine Falcone Was Recast in THE PENGUIN Series appeared first on Nerdist.

Lucasfilm revealed a new live-action Star Wars television series at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim in spring 2022. The show from MCU Spider-Man trilogy director Jon Watts and writer Chris Ford sounds like a Goonies-style adventure set in a galaxy far, far away.

The Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has finally confirmed its release date. The series will arrive on Disney+ on December 3. And when it does, it promises to be an incredibly fun Star Wars time.

The most shocking recent news is that Jaleel White, who played the infamous Steve Urkel, will be a space pirate named Gunter in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. That was not on our 2024 Bingo cards. Anyway, here’s some first images from Entertainment Weekly.

Star Jude Law revealed that Star Wars: Skeleton Crew would have loads of Easter eggs for Star Wars fans to find. He noted, “If you look carefully, [we] got some Star Wars tech that dates right back, I believe, to the original film… They do [easter eggs] so well. That’s one of the joys I think of this universe for those who know there are these little details always hidden away or Easter eggs that people can find and link up.”

Creator Watts adds that there are indeed “a lot of Easter eggs” to be found. Noting that, “even in the first episode, there’s a couple really, really great references that certain fans will immediately recognize.” And Ford adds that he and Watts had “the fun and the challenge of finding some deep cut [references].”

But of course, that’s all extra. “You don’t have to know everything about Star Wars to enjoy the show,” Watts reveals. “You can come into it completely fresh and enjoy the story. But if you do happen to be a Star Wars super fan, there’s a lot for you.”

Here’s what we know about Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

Title

The title of the upcoming Star Wars live-action TV series is Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s Plot

We know a few details about the plot of Skeleton Crew. The story will take place in the New Republic era. That’s the same timeline as The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. It centers on a group of children lost in space. The Star Wars: Skeleton Crew series also takes inspiration from the Amblin movies of the ’80s.

A synopsis for the series shares:

“Skeleton Crew” follows the journey of four kids who make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home—and meeting unlikely allies and enemies—will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined. 

Behind the Scenes

Jon Watts directs Skeleton Crew and Chris Ford is writing on the series. The duo created the show. Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau provide producing support. Skeleton Crew was production since at least September 2022, as the creatives shared an image from the set at D23 Expo during that time. The series is now done with production.

Directors include Watts, Ford, David Lowery, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Lee Isaac Chung. 

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s Cast

The first cast member Lucasfilm confirmed for Skeleton Crew was Jude Law. Joining Law on the journey are Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Kyriana Kratter, Robert Timothy Smith, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Tunde Adebimpe, Jaleel White, Marti Matulis, Dale Soules, Mike Estes, and Kerry Condon. According to Entertainment Weekly, White will portray the space pirate Gunter, Matulis as Vane from The Mandalorian, Estes as Pax, Soules as Chaelt, and Fred Tatasciore (voice)/Stephan Oyoung (physical) as the wolflike character Brutus.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s Release Date

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew will release on December 3, 2024.

Originally published on September 22, 2022.

The post STAR WARS: SKELETON CREW Reveals First Look at Jaleel White’s Cyborg Space Pirate appeared first on Nerdist.

Soon, the world will meet a new Clark Kent in Superman. (Formerly titled Superman: Legacy). DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are rebooting the most famous superhero in the world as they transition the franchise from the DCEU to the DCU. Who will play the Man of Steel on the big screen this time around? What kind of story will we see him in? And who will bring it to life? We’re keeping track of all these answers and more.

Of course, if there’s one thing everyone wants more of in any superhero movie, it’s a friendly dog. Recently, comic book writer Mark Waid teased one appearing in James Gunn’s Superman movie. He noted on the Capes and Lunatics podcast “I have a good feeling about this movie… I like James Gunn. I like his reverential approach by and large to this kind of stuff. And reverential without taking it too seriously. The movie has a dog in it, a super-powered dog with heat vision, so there’s only so much… It ain’t Zack Snyder.”

Sounds like it could be Krypto to us, but we’ll take any super-powered dog, honestly.

Here’s everything we know about Superman so far.

Title

The DCU’s first official movie (though not its first official release) is now titled simply Superman. Of course, the movie began its life as Superman: Legacy. It will kick off the film side of what James Gunn has called the franchise’s first chapter, “Gods and Monsters.” He has also called this movie “the true beginning” of the DCU.

Superman‘s Plot

While the film still has no official synopsis, Warner Bros. did provide a description of what we can expect from the story, which James Gunn says is not an origin tale.

Superman tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.

Gunn announced the film with art from the cover of All-Star Superman by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely. Whether or not that means the story is influenced, inspired by, or adapted from the 12-issue comic series in any way is unclear. What Gunn has said is the movie will focus on “an earlier part of Superman’s life,” where he is still old enough to already be working for the Daily Planet.

We also have our first look at David Corenswet as the DCU’s Superman.

Superman‘s Cast

David Corenswet will play Superman, while Rachel Brosnahan will play Lois Lane.

In addition, four more actors have joined the cast of Superman. Isabela Merced will play Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi will play Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion will play Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and Anthony Carrigan will play Metamorpho. María Gabriela de Faría will play the villain The Engineer in the movie. Also known as Angela Spica, the character has nanotechnology built into her body. Additionally, Sara Sampaio will play Eve Teschmacher, Skyler Gisondo will play Jimmy Olsen, and Wendell Pierce will play The Daily Planet boss Perry White. Saturday Night Live‘s Beck Bennett will play The Daily Planet‘s sports journalist Steve Lombard. James Gunn has also confirmed that Nicholas Hoult will play Lex Luthor.

Gunn also recently confirmed the casting of Ma and Pa Kent on Threads. Pruitt Taylor Vince (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) will play Jonathan Kent, a.k.a. Pa Kent. Meanwhile, Neva Howell will play Martha Kent.

Behind the Scenes 

James Gunn wrote the (definitely completed) script and is directing.

Superman‘s Release Date

Superman will soar into theaters faster than a speeding bullet on July 11, 2025.

Originally published on April 11, 2023.

The post We Have Another Krypto the Superdog Tease From DCU’s SUPERMAN Movie appeared first on Nerdist.

The Rings of Power season one swept onto our screens in the summer of 2022, and it made quite an impact. In fact, at Nerdist, we felt it was one of the best shows of the year. And although we are still thinking about season one of the show, things are already ramping up on season two of The Rings of Power. The Rings of Power didn’t exactly leave us on a cliffhanger, but we are still on the edge of our seats, ready to dive back into its world.

The latest clip from The Rings of Power season two, episode six, is a short one, but it gets in deep with the characters of Galadriel and Adar. Don’t watch it if you don’t want to be spoiled. But it basically lays out how they both feel about Sauron and how they were both deceived by him in similar ways. It’s honestly an incredible scene between two fascinating characters forced to come together. I’m obsessed with it. As we’ve said before, Galadriel and Adar should team up to fight Sauron in The Rings of Power season two. You can check it out below.

Here’s everything we know so far about the next season of The Rings of Power.

The Rings of Power Season Two’s Plot

The Rings of Power concluded season one on a few very dramatic notes, setting the stage for season two. Of course, Halbrand revealed himself to be none other than Sauron in disguise. When we last saw the dark lord, he was simply walking into Mordor, no doubt on the way to mete out some vengeance on his wayward followers. Meanwhile, Galadriel, Elrond, and Celebrimbor proceeded to form the elven Rings of Power despite knowing the idea came from a source of evil. And we feel it’s likely the Dwarves might know about the rings sooner rather then later.

Among other things, war is coming to Middle-earth. A release for season two of The Rings of Power notes, “This season features the long-awaited Siege of Eregion, a definitive battle in J.R.R. Tolkien’s history of the Second Age of Middle-earth, from which not everyone makes it out alive. The banners are raised, and the devastating war against Sauron is just beginning.” Very ominous.

An official synopsis for season two reveals more about the The Rings of Power‘s upcoming season, it notes:

In Season Two of The Rings of Power, Sauron has returned. Cast out by Galadriel, without army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will. Building on Season One’s epic scope and ambition, the new season plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity. Elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots… as friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all… each other.

In the latest clips from season two, we see Galadriel give name to what truly happened in The Rings of Power season one. Sauron deceived her. Elrond and High King Gil-galad do not seem thrilled by the news, but despite this Galadriel still seems to believe she was right to make Rings of Power for the elves. If that’s true remains to be seen. While Elrond staunchly stands against it, the High King seems like he’s willing to entertain it despite his frown. But that’s about to become much harder because Elrond seems to take the rings and jump off a cliff.

We are seated. You can check out the clips below.

Behind the Scenes

Showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay return to helm season two of The Rings of Power. Also returning is director Charlotte Brändström. Sanaa Hamri and Louise Hooper will also join as directors on season two of The Rings of Power. They will each direct two episodes.

Rufus Wainwright joins forces with Bear McCreary for The Rings of Power season two, specifically for Tom Bombadil’s song. The video above teases the song, as well as the making of it.

The Rings of Power Season Two’s Cast

The entire main cast of The Rings of Power which includes Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Charlie Vickers, Robert Aramayo, and more, is expected to return for season two, with the exception of two major characters.

Firstly, Nazanin Boniadi recently revealed she would not return as Bronwyn in season two of The Rings of Power.

Secondly, Joseph Mawle will not return as the tragic but trecherous orc father, Adar, instead, the role has been recast. Sam Hazeldine will take on the role of Adar in the second season of The Rings of Power season two.

Joining Hazeldine are fourteen new actors. No new roles or characters have yet been revealed. The new cast of The Rings of Power season two includes: Gabriel Akuwudike, Yasen ‘Zates’ Atour, Ben Daniels, Amelia Kenworthy, Nia Towle, Nicholas Woodeson, Oliver Alvin-Wilson, Stuart Bowman, Gavi Singh Chera, William Chubb, Kevin Eldon, Will Keen, Selina Lo, and Calam Lynch.

Rory Kinnear has also been cast as Tom Bombadil.

The Rings of Power Season Two’s Release Date

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two will premiere with its first three episodes on August 29. It will then release episodes weekly with its finale landing on October 3.

Originally published on May 8, 2023.

The post THE RINGS OF POWER Season 2 Clip Teases the Connection Between Galadriel, Adar, and Sauron appeared first on Nerdist.

The Last of Us ended its first season on HBO with Joel and Ellie returning to the commune in Colorado. Sure, Joel might have doomed all mankind to save one young girl, but at least they have a place nice to live. For now. Fans of Naughty Dog’s popular video game franchise know new terrors and sadness await the pair in the years to come, and we’ll see all of it come to life when the hit series begins adapting the sequel game in its second season. What else can we expect from the show after a lengthy wait?

Casey Bloys, the CEO of HBO and Max Content, recently gave an updated release window for The Last of Us season two. Bloys offered the following answer to the question, “What can you say about premiere dates for the new seasons of White Lotus and The Last of Us?” He noted, “All I’ll say now, generally first half of the year, I expect them to be in the Emmy window.” The Emmy window means that The Last of Us season two’s release date will likely be anytime before late May of 2025.

Here’s everything we know about The Last of Us‘ second season so far.

The Last of Us Season 2 Plot

HBO has not yet shared an official synopsis for The Last of Us season two. We still have some idea what to expect. The franchise’s second video game will provide the source material for the TV series. Showrunner Craig Mazin has said the show will take more than one season to adapt the sequel game, but like with the television series’ first season they are not making a direct adaptation. Fans will once again see some major changes alongside some major moments and stories taken directly from the game. That might very well include a huge—though temporary—change for one character. (We won’t risk spoiling it for those who don’t know what that means.)

One thing that won’t change is the importance of The Last of Us Part II‘s Abby Anderson. She will debut during the second season and play a significant role in Ellie’s story. And like the video game sequel, the HBO series will also feature a time jump.

New footage from season two promises that it will definitely be explosive. Joel is tearful and Ellie is going through some sort of horrific challenges of her own. We also get a look at Catherine O’Hara and Jeffrey Wright in their new roles. It is not totally clear who Catherine is playing, but Jeffrey is reprising his role as the game character Isaac. According to Entertainment Weekly, he is “the quietly powerful leader of a large militia group who sought liberty but instead has become mired in an endless war against a surprisingly resourceful enemy.”

These new images also have us super hype.

Behind the Scenes

The Last of Us‘ second season was in pre-production before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes put the show on hold. The first episode had already been written at the time. With both unions finally getting fair deals, the show is now expected to begin filming in Vancouver in early 2024.

Co-creators, writers, and executive producers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann are back for season two. Writers Halley Gross (The Last of Us Part II) and Bo Shim worked with Mazin and Druckmann on season two. Deadline additionally reports that The Last of Us season two has set its slate of directors, both new and old. These include four new directors: Succession‘s Mark Mylod, Perry Mason‘s Nina Lopez-Corrado, Watchmen‘s Stephen Williams, and Loki‘s Kate Herron. They join returning director Peter Hoar, who directed the incredible season one episode “Long, Long Time,” and the show’s creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann.

The series comes from Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, and Naughty Dog.

The Last of Us Season 2’s Cast

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will return as Joel and Ellie. Also expected back is Gabriel Luna. He plays Joel’s younger brother, Tommy. As is Rutina Wesley. She plays Tommy’s wife Maria.

Regarding new casting news, The Last of Us season two has cast Kaitlyn Dever as Abby. Abby is an important character from The Last of Us Part II game. Additionally, Isabela Merced has joined the season as Dina, who also hails from the second The Last of Us game. Dina is described as “a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit.”

Most recently, Isabela Merced, who will play Dina on The Last of Us season two, shared, “I’m so excited for people to see my chemistry with Bella. Bella and I have so much chemistry. From the first day, it was there. There’s no work to be done. I really respect Bella. I just saw Catherine Called Birdy, and Bella has such range and just an honesty about their work. I’m learning so much. I’m very honored to be here.”

We’re glad to hear it because we can’t wait to see Dina and Ellie’s complicated romance come to life. Currently, The Last of Us season two describes Dina as “a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Ellie will be tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit.”

The Last of Us season two has also cast Beef‘s Young Mazino as Jess. Jess is described, per Variety, as “a pillar of his community who puts everyone else’s needs before his own, sometimes at a terrible cost.” That sounds ominous. Generally speaking, from Jess’s role in The Last of Us Part II, we can assume he and Ellie will build a friendship.

Finally Danny Ramirez, Ariela Barer, Tati Gabrielle, and Spencer Lord have all come aboard the second season of The Last of US, they will all feature as characters from The Last of Us Part II.

Variety reveals:

Ramirez will play Manny, described as “a loyal soldier whose sunny outlook belies the pain of old wounds and a fear that he will fail his friends when they need him most.” Barer will play Mel, said to be “a young doctor whose commitment to saving lives is challenged by the realities of war and tribalism.”

Gabrielle has been cast as Nora, “a military medic struggling to come to terms with the sins of her past.” And Lord will appear as Owen, “a gentle soul trapped in a warrior’s body, condemned to fight an enemy he refuses to hate.”

The Last of Us Season 2’s Release Date

The Last of Us‘ second season wasn’t expected to premiere until the start of 2025 before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Even with production delayed, HBO is still reportedly targeting a 2025 return for the show. However, there is not yet an official date in place.

Originally published on December 29, 2023.

The post THE LAST OF US Season 2 Will Release in the First Half of 2025 appeared first on Nerdist.

Original reporting by Melissa Miller.

The prophecy foretold six seasons and a movie, and now that will come to pass. The Community movie is coming to Peacock! Thanks to a tweet from series star Joel McHale and a report in Variety, we finally know it’s happening. We also know that series creator Dan Harmon will write and produce the movie. However, with the recent writers’ strike, things were on hold for a while. McHale revealed to Variety that Harmon and co-writer Andrew Guest were almost done with the script and had a director in mind before everything came on a halt in May. Harmon, McHale, and other members of the WGA were on strike because the union did not reach a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) over many issues, including streaming residuals. However, now that the writer and actor strikes have resolved, it sounds like the Community movie is back on track.

Community star Alison Brie chimed in to share, “We got a script, which is a major update. We got a script — you heard it here first.” She added of the Community movie. “I’ve read the script, and it’s so funny.” Sounds like good news to us.

And in the latest Community movie update, the film scored a tax credit from the California Film Commission to shoot in the state. According to The Wrap, the expenditure is for $16.3 million and the film will get $3.3 million back as part of the tax credit program. We love to continue to hear such great news.

The Latest Updates on the Community Movie

Creator Dan Harmon also noted to Variety in February that the script was almost done. He shared, “I can confirm Donald Glover’s report that I told him the script was done, but I will also say Donald’s sources are so unreliable because the script is always ‘almost done. What can I tell you about it — it’s set on the campus of Greendale Community College. I’m super excited about it, and we’re almost done.”

Meanwhile, star Joel McHale also shared that the script for the film is done as far as he knows, adding a further update about the movie’s filming. Deadline notes, “McHale said it’s his belief that the Community movie will shoot “this year.” He’ll be “shocked,” he said, if it doesn’t.” And McHale offered, “I really do think it’s happening this year, and probably next week. It’s basically working around Donald [Glover]’s schedule.”

The Cast of the Community Movie

Casting news isn’t official, but McHale tagged fellow stars Alison Brie, Donald Glover, Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, and Ken Jeong in his post, as well as Gillian Anderson (but we assume he meant to tag Gillian Jacobs, who played Britta). The series finale gave our beloved characters a nudge towards their next steps in life, but we’ll be perfectly happy to see them all back together at Greendale Community College. Three cheers for the Community movie.

Six Season and a Movie

The show fulfilled half of Abed’s prophecy of “six seasons and a movie” with a final season on Yahoo! after five seasons on NBC. Its 110 episodes, all named like community college course titles, that mostly hit the mark of comedic and meta, takes on adult friendships. We cheered for the tight-knit study group through all the years of puppets, paintball, and pillow forts.

Community gained new popularity, and talk of the movie heated up when the show landed on Netflix in 2020. But it’s been part of the show’s lexicon since long before the series finale in 2015. It’s always a fun rewatch, and it’s never too late to watch the series for the first time.

We can’t wait to hear more official news for the Community movie. Will we finally learn what happened to Troy Barnes after he sailed off with LeVar Burton and was never heard from again? Donald Glover did join in when the cast reunited for a virtual table read in the early days of the pandemic. Happily, Dan Harmon has confirmed Glover would return for the movie. Glover himself also recently told The Hollywood Reporter he was still planning on the Community movie, saying:

Yeah, [Dan Harmon] told me what he wanted, and I was like, “This sounds great.” It’s a college reunion, but Abed [Danny Pudi’s character] is like this big director now, and basically this is his magnum opus. I’m like, “This sounds f**king tight.”

Maybe we’re not living in Abed’s darkest timeline after all.  

Originally published on November 4, 2022.

The post The COMMUNITY Movie Scores Tax Credit to Begin Filming in California appeared first on Nerdist.

For a while there, it certainly seemed like we would never get a Star Trek 4. But in February of 2022, another Star Trek film was announced. Since then, though, we haven’t heard very much about the progress of the potential fourth movie that would reunite Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, and more. And updates, both good and bad, have been slight. Still, it looks like the fourth Star Trek film remains in the works, even though some recent comments about it were not wholly positive. The latest piece of news on it even names a writer for the movie. Here’s everything we know about the progress of a possible Star Trek 4 movie.

The Latest Updates on Star Trek 4: A New Writer Emerges

Variety has revealed that Star Trek 4 officially has a new writer onboard. Steve Yockey, the co-creator of Max’s series The Flight Attendant, will now pen the next (and last) movie in this version of Star Trek‘s world.

Recently, Variety also reported that “the fourth installment of the rebooted ‘Star Trek‘ film series remains in development, with the studio describing it as the ‘final chapter.'” We guess that’s good news. But we’ll wait for something a little more concrete to celebrate properly.

Chris Pine on the Status of Star Trek 4

But if Star Trek 4 is still alive, Captain Kirk doesn’t seem to know. Recently, Chris Pine spoke about Star Trek 4, but he didn’t really have much to say. When chatting to Comicbook.com, Pine was asked about any updates about the movie. Pine responded, “Not that I know of.” And when asked if Pine had potentially read any Star Trek 4 scripts, he responded very plainly with “No, of course not.” Hopefully, he’ll hear about it soon, now that a new writer is involved.

Pine also expressed surprise that a new writer was involved with Star Trek 4. He shared with Business Insider, “I honestly don’t know. There was something in the news of a new writer coming on board. I thought there was already a script, but I guess I was wrong, or they decided to pivot. As it’s always been with “Trek,” I just wait and see.”

While all of that that doesn’t inspire much hope in the status of the movie, Lindsey Anderson Beer, who was initially involved in the writing of the Star Trek 4 script, noted to Collider in September of 2023 that the project was still moving forward. She shared, “It is, it’s still on the tracks. I love that project, and it was another one that I had to hop off of to direct this movie, and that was a hard thing to do. But I love that everybody involved with that project.”

The Initial News About Another Trek Movie

These updates come a few years after the initial burst of news we received about Star Trek 4. According to Deadline‘s February 2022 article, negotiations were underway with the intent to bring back all of the mainstays in the rebooted franchise. That includes getting Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, and Simon Pegg to return for Star Trek 4. It was just one of the many major developments to arise out of the ViacomCBS Investor Day call in 2022. J.J. Abrams appeared on the call, confirming the reports that the fourth movie was a go.

WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman was originally on tap to direct Star Trek 4 but has since bowed out of the project. We will wait and see who may replace him. Josh Friedman and Cameron Squires were slated to write the script at the time. According to Deadline, their version is based on a script from Lindsey Beer and Geneva Robertson-Dworet. Now, of course, Steve Yockey has come aboard. Depending on how it goes, this film might have a lot of credited scribes.

Star Trek 4‘s Plot

Naturally, other details about Star Trek 4 remained under wraps, including the plot. It’s been a turbulent last several years for Star Trek 4. Back in 2018, plans for another film with the cast stalled, reportedly after Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth, who played George Kirk in the 2009 reboot, walked away over pay disputes. But Hemsworth later told Variety he wasn’t completely on board with the script.

Over the last several years, several people, from Noah Hawley to Quentin Tarantino, have tossed around ideas for a Star Trek film. (The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood writer-director really wanted to make the first R-rated Star Trek project.  Mark L. Smith, who wrote The Revenant, even wrote a draft.)

Still, though, many, including John Cho, held out hope that the fourth film in the rebooted franchise would eventually happen and that the Enterprise crew would get back together—save one very important cast member.

Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov in the first three films, sadly passed away in 2016. Abrams confirmed at the time that the role would not be recast. He told the Toronto Sun, “I would say there’s no replacing him. There’s no recasting. I can’t possibly imagine that, and I think Anton deserves better.” We’d imagine this sentiment remains in place. And we can’t wait to see how they pay tribute to the late actor.

Danai Gurira Would Have Starred in 2018’s Version of Star Trek 4

As mentioned, in 2018, Star Trek 4 would have starred Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth, but also another big name. Danai Gurira was in talks to star in the film as well. Gurira hasn’t shared which role she was slated for, but notes, “I was in talks… I don’t know how far along they were, but that was looking to happen. I was quite excited about it, but then that entire film didn’t happen.” And additionally, “I was very excited to do it. She was going to be very different from me in many ways. You know, it’s Star Trek, man. It was cool… It was a very exciting idea and story and I was excited about the character.”

According to TrekMovie.Com, Gurira remains interested in a Star Trek role. We’ll cross our fingers she can appear should Star Trek 4 ever actually happen.

Where We Stand with Star Trek 4 Right Now

For now, Paramount has removed Star Trek 4 from its release schedule. And that’s about all we know for sure. One way or the other, we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for more Star Trek 4 developments and any glimpse of Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and the rest.

Originally published on June 8, 2022.

The post STAR TREK 4 Names New Writer for ‘Final Chapter’ of Series appeared first on Nerdist.

The unexpected comic book movie blockbuster of 2019 was Todd Phillips’ Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix in the title role of Batman’s #1 nemesis. The movie earned a billion dollars at the box office and won Phoenix an Academy Award for his role as Arthur Fleck. No one saw all that coming for the relatively smaller budget and very adult-skewing R-rated film. But when you make that much money, a sequel is inevitable. Enter Joker: Folie à Deux.

We have seen quite a few trailers and clips from this movie and there’s yet another one that highlights the Joker’s budding connection with Harleen “Lee” Quinzel.

In this teaser for Joker: Folie à Deux, we got our first look at Joker: Folie à Deux‘s Harvey Dent, played by Harry Lawtey. You can take a look at this new take on Dent below.

We also have our latest look at the stars of Joker: Folie à Deux, thanks to some new character posters. Here’s our newest look at Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck/Joker and Lady Gaga as Harleen “Lee” Quinzel. Phillips promised we’d see a more grounded and toned down Harley Quinn and this poster sure seems to indicate that is the case. Jury is out on how fans will feel about this rendition.

Here’s everything we know about the Joker sequel.

Title

Isn’t it beautiful?

Todd Phillips reminding us to rewatch Joker and get ready for #JokerFolieADeux pic.twitter.com/loJjviyiLI

— DC (@DCOfficial) October 3, 2023

The official title for Todd Phillips’ sequel to his 2019 blockbuster hit is officially Joker: Folie à Deux. Which means, in French, “Joker: Shared Madness.”

Joker: Folie à Deux‘s Plot

The first thing we learned about Joker: Folie à Deux is that it will feature the Joker and Harley Quinn together. Considering how loosely the first film played with DC Comics’ mythos, don’t expect this one to be any different. DC explored the origin of the Joker/Harley relationship in the classic Batman: The Animated Series episode “Mad Love,” and then translated (more or less faithfully) in the first Suicide Squad movie. We expect something a little more out of the box this time for Joker and Harley, and we get it in the film’s trailer.

Recently, we learned that Joker: Folie à Deux takes place two years after the first movie. After shooting a talk show host on live television and inciting a major riot in the process, Arthur Fleck is sent to a psych ward and faces the death penalty. In the psych ward, he meets another patient, Harleen “Lee” Quinzel who becomes obsessed with him, or at least, his alter-ego, Joker. Arthur stops taking his medication and he and Lee enter a musical fantasy world, which, according to Variety, “often plays like the MGM musicals of yesteryear on acid.”

Despite this, Lady Gaga and some of the other cast and creators note they wouldn’t actually describe it as a musical and “It’s very different… The music is a way to give the characters a way to express themselves because the dialogue wasn’t enough.” Sounds a bit like a musical to us, but okay.

For those concerned, Peter Safran and James Gunn have assured fans the movie will remain in the DC Universe, though it will carry an Elseworlds project tag. That means it will live on, but it won’t work into the main timeline of the DC Universe.

Joker: Folie à Deux‘s Cast

Aside from the returning Joaquin Phoenix as Joker/Arthur Fleck, and Lady Gaga as Lee/Harley Quinn, only a handful of other actors have been confirmed thus far. Gaga shares “My version of Harley Quinn is ‘Lee,'” Gaga said. “In a lot of ways, I think this is going to be a very different Lee for people, and I’m excited for them to see the story we wanted to tell.”

Brendan Gleeson has also joined the cast, as has Catherine Keener in a “major” but still unknown role. Jacob Lofland has also joined up, as someone associated with Arkham Asylum. Also officially joining the cast is Industry‘s Harry Lawtey.

Behind the Scenes

Director Todd Phillips is reuniting with his original Joker co-writer Scott Silver for this new continuation.

Joker: Folie à Deux‘s Release Date

The Joker sequel is set to premiere on October 4, 2024.

Originally published on December 12, 2022.

The post JOKER: FOLIE à DEUX Clip Highlights Arthur and Lee’s Connection appeared first on Nerdist.

The DCEU is officially over. James Gunn and Peter Safran’s all-new DCU will soon replace it. Well, their cinematic universe will be mostly new. Some remnants of the franchise’s previous iteration are sticking around, we’re just don’t yet know exactly how that will work. One element not going anywhere is Gunn’s Max series Peacemaker. How will the show’s second season connect to the first? How will the first connect to the DCU? Which previous stars are returning alongside John Cena? And how will the show explain any changes?

Although we already had a sense of this, James Gunn recently confirmed on Threads that Peacemaker season two was coming in 2025, and more specifically, that the new season will only surface after the release of Superman. Superman releases in July of 2025, which officially puts Peacemaker season two’s release date into the second half of 2025.

Here’s everything we know about Peacemaker season two so far.

Peacemaker Season Two‘s Plot

Peacemaker‘s second season does not yet have an official synopsis, but Gunn has shared some intriguing tidbits about it. He said the show’s first season “isn’t canon,” but that season two is “full DCU.” Gunn isn’t dismissing the character’s past entirely, though. He also wrote “many strands” of Peacemaker’s story “will remain consistent.” That indicates some aspects of Christopher Smith’s history from both The Suicide Squad and the Max show’s first season will still matter to the character’s future. Gunn has also said the explanation for the changes within the story will be easy for viewers to understand.

On social media Gunn also said the events of his Superman movie will matter for Peacemaker season two.

The show’s second season will also air before Waller, a new series announced as part of the DCU’s initial lineup. It was originally expected to serve as a bridge between Peacemaker seasons, but the events of Waller will take place entirely after Peacemaker season two, which will also have a new opening credits sequence. (If it’s as good as the original we’re fine with that. Otherwise….)

Behind-the-Scenes

Gunn has confirmed that, just as with season one, he wrote every episode of Peacemaker‘s sophomore outing. Unlike last time, though, he won’t be directing every episode because of his other DC responsibilities. He’s directing “only some” episodes this time.

Gunn also wrote what will be the first DCU movie, the new Superman. He’s directing that film, which will overlap with Peacemaker‘s shooting production, set to begin this summer. Despite his job overseeing the franchise and directing a Superman movie, Gunn has described Peacemaker‘s second season as a “priority” for him.

Peacemaker Season Two‘s Cast

“Team Peacemaker” is coming back. Gunn made that official in the lengthy Threads post where he shared much of what we know about the show. That indicates star John Cena will once again be joined by many (all?) of his season one colleagues. The DCEU version of the show also featured Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Freddie Stroma, Danielle Brooks, Nhut Le, and Amanda Waller herself, Viola Davis.

Most recently, we learned that Frank Grillo has joined Peacemaker season two as Rick Flag Sr. Grillo will first voice this role in the animated DCU series, Creature Commandos.

With a canon-shifting event changing the universe of the show as we know it, it’s unclear if the memory of Robert Patrick’s Auggie Smith will continue to haunt his son, which the end of season one teased. But whatever explanation Gunn has planned means he could also find a way to bring back characters who died in season one, like Chukwudi Iwuji’s Murn.

Gunn’s comments about the events of Superman having an impact on Peacemaker also indicates stars of that film could also show up on the Max series.

And don’t worry: Eagly is coming back.

Peacemaker Season Two‘s Release Date

Peacemaker season two does not have an official release date yet, but Gunn’s Superman movie does. It flies into theaters on July 11, 2025. We know Peacemaker won’t debut until after that film, so a fall 2025 release on Max seems possible, as does an early 2026 premiere.

Originally published on March 12, 2024.

The post PEACEMAKER Season 2 Will Release in the Second Half of 2025 appeared first on Nerdist.

The Rings of Power is a beautiful ode to Tolkien’s Middle-earth, sharing deep cuts but also expanding the lore. The mythical mithril is an example of both. In the Second Age, the dwarves of Khazad-Dûm, also known as Moria, discover mithril as we see on The Rings of Power. The rare ore will bring fame and fortune to their kingdom… and also trouble. But for now, the dwarves’ discovery of mithril is momentous. But what is the precious ore, and where else have we seen it? Here’s everything you need to know about The Lord of the Rings‘ mithril.

What Is The Rings of Power‘s Mithril and Why Is It So Precious? 

For people so in touch with the mountains, it’s exciting to discover an entirely new ore. Durin’s Folk have only just discovered the “grey glitter,” the dwarven name for Mithril on The Rings of Power. So they don’t know everything about its properties. The timing of Elrond’s visit to seek help from the dwarves leads Durin to question his motives. And though Elrond didn’t know the true purpose at first, the elves are in fact seeking mithril. They believe it was created when a battle of good versus evil caused lightning to strike a tree containing the light of a Silmaril.

Mithril will one day be turned into armor and weaponry. And rings, of course. It will be worth 10 times more than gold. Mithril eventually become priceless once it is no longer mined. But for now, all the dwarves know is that it is lighter than silk yet harder than iron.

Mithril is dangerous to mine, with quakes collapsing the shaft. King Durin III is cautious and shuts down the whole Mithril operation in The Rings of Power. But we know Prince Durin IV’s objections will eventually prevail, and the wealth of Khazad-Dûm will flourish with this discovery. After all, by the Third Age, a shirt made of mithril is worth more than the Shire and everything in it.  

What Is the Dwarven Practice of Resonating Stone? 

A new addition to the lore of Middle-earth created by The Rings of Power, resonating is the practice of singing to the stone. Disa first detects mithril and describes how to differentiate earth, ore, air, and water within the mountain. “Sing to it properly, each of those parts will reflect your song back to you,” she says. Elrond watches in amazement as rock shifts while she sings to release the trapped miners. Resonating is how the dwarves know where to mine, where to tunnel, and where to leave the mountain untouched. This sounds wise, but, as we know, they will eventually delve too deep on their hunt for the precious ore. We hope the quest for Mithril does not prove to perilous on The Rings of Power.

Ithildin in The Rings of Power

A new use of Mithril arrives on The Rings of Power in season two. Celebrimbor tells his elven smith, Mirdania, that he had just enough Mithril left over from the elven Rings of Power to make one more creation. In its Ithildin form, Mithril is only visible in the moonlight and otherwise, it becomes invisible. We know that this precious version of Mithril will be used someday soon to build the Doors of Durin and cement a bond between elves and dwarves.

Mithril in The Lord of the Rings Movies and Books 

Mithril plays an important role in Tolkien’s books and in both of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogies. Bilbo describes it as “light as a feather and as hard as dragon scales.” In The Hobbit, Thorin gifts him a shirt of mithril rings that no blade can pierce. They find the treasure in Smaug’s hoard under the mountain.

He eventually passes the mithril shirt along to his nephew Frodo for his journey to destroy the One Ring. It saves Frodo’s life as the fellowship passes through the very mines of Moria from whence the mithril came many generations before. Like everyone wearing hidden armor, Frodo pulls open his shirt to reveal the mithril only after everyone thinks he’s dead, amazing them all. The mail comes in handy once again when Frodo is captured by orcs in Return of the King.

Elsewhere on Middle-earth, other mithril remnants remain. Nenya, Galadriel’s ring, is made of it. As mentioned, the elves learned to make the metal ithildin using mithril. It reflects only starlight and moonlight and marks the door at the West-gate to Khazad-Dûm. The helmets of Gondor’s guards of the citadel are also mithril. Gimli and his dwarven kin later rebuilt the gates of Minas Tirith using the precious metal. 

Mithril also shows up in many other fantasy stories and role-playing games. The name, or close alternate spellings, has become ubiquitous with a beautiful and rare metal often used in armor. Tolkien’s creation lives on.

Originally published on September 15, 2022.

Original reporting by Melissa T. Miller.

The post What Is Mithril, the Rare Dwarven Metal on RINGS OF POWER? appeared first on Nerdist.

Even if you’re familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, much changes between the Second and Third Ages. The creatives behind The Rings of Power shared the map below to help us understand where men, elves, dwarves, and Harfoots live. Maps have always been an important part of Tolkien’s world, both in and out of universe. Handily, on The Rings of Power, we get to see the map a lot to keep us grounded. But with all the overlapping storylines in the show, things can still get confusing. So we made a The Rings of Power map locations guide to help you keep everywhere the characters visit straight. We’ll keep updating this location guide as we forge on into season two of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Every The Rings of Power Middle-earth Map Location; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Pelargir // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas

Númenor, an Island Kingdom of Men

You may recognize the white tree and architecture of Gondor in Númenor, and there’s a long history connecting the two cities of men. The people of Númenor are called the Dúnedain. They received the island as a gift from the Valar after fighting against Morgoth. We see the capital city, home to Queen Regent Míriel. It is a beautiful and grand place, with huge statues overlooking the port. Though we also get to see the less glamorous side—a blacksmith shop, pub, and even a prison cell. Galadriel and Elendil also travel to a second city, one where the Hall of Laws holds much history, there they uncovered a key to finding Sauron. In season two of The Rings of Power, we return to Númenor once again. But this time, there is much more unrest as the rightful queen, Míriel, is usurped by the ambitious Ar-Pharazon.

On The Rings of Power‘s map, Númenor lies west of Middle-earth and far to the south of the world.

Khazad-Dûm, Realm of the Dwarves

Ruled by King Durin III, this great land under the mountain is also known as Moria. During The Rings of Power season one, we see Khazad-Dûm in full splendor, with waterfalls and even plants growing below the surface. Shafts of light from above the mountain penetrate into the great halls. Elrond is a friend to Prince Durin IV, though the dwarfs first rebuff him from the West Gate on the edge of Eregion (see below). Princess Disa talks of mining for silver and other treasures, resonating the rock with her voice. She alludes to parts of the mountain that should be left alone. We know the dwarves will delve too greedily here in the future, awakening the Balrog. On The Rings of Power, the dwarves have also come across the first of the mithril that the mines will become known for.

Although relations between elves and dwarves are not always friendly, as Elrond and Durin’s are, they do sometimes live in proximity. As The Rings of Power Middle-earth map reveals, Eregion, an Elven realm, and Khazad-Dûm are practically entangled with one another. This closeness could yield greatness or great disaster, as we see in The Rings of Power season two.

Unfortunately, in season of The Lord of the Rings series, Khazad-Dûm has been hit hard by the eruption of Mount Doom. Its light shafts have caved in and the city is struggling. Not even Disa’s resonating is helping the dwarves understand their mountain. Who should bring aid but Lord Celebrimbor of Eregion and his new friend, Annatar?

Eregion, Realm of the Elven-Smiths

Celebrimbor brings Elrond to Eregion, the Elvish city along a river and the realm of Elven Smiths. Celebrimbor, a master smith himself, endeavors to build a great forge to make objects of both beauty and power (like rings, perhaps?). For some reason, this also requires a tower to be built, and Celebrimbor simply doesn’t have the workforce to finish the project on his desired timeline. In season one, he and Elrond travel to nearby Khazad-Dûm to enlist the help of the dwarves in this great engineering feat.

In season two, Eregion returns to feature much more prominently. Although we spend the most time in Celebrimbor’s forge, we also get to see a bit of the city, its people, and courtyard. Celebirmbor longs to have peace in Eregion, but Sauron has now come to this The Rings of Power location, spelling trouble.

Every Rings of Power Location We’ve Seen; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Pelargir // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas

The Southlands, the Lands of Men (Destroyed)

On The Rings of Power, the people who live in this vast land, termed the Southlands for its southern location on Middle-earth’s map, are ancestors of those who sided with Morgoth centuries earlier. The elves keep watch over them from a high tower but also patrol to nearby towns. Arondir and the others are called home after High King Gil-galad declares the enemy fully vanquished. Tirharad, where Bronwyn and her son Theo live, is a simple Southland village of farmers and tradesmen. The nearby town of Hordern is destroyed by orcs, its people enslaved for their nefarious trench-building purposes.

Tower of Ostirith

As orcs encroach, Bronwyn rallies the people of Tirharad to take refuge in the tower. The Tower of Ostirith sits high on a cliff with only a narrow road leading to it. After half of those people defect and swear allegiance to Sauron once again, the orcs march to the tower. Arondir and the free men and women turn the fortress into a trap and the tower itself into a weapon, taking out hoards of orcs as they bring it down upon their heads. The tower no longer stands, but the altar amongst its ruin still serves a purpose. The sword is the key to unleashing water into the tunnels and trenches the orcs made, awakening the mountain.

Arriving by Ship

Galadriel, Halbrand, and the ships of Númenor sail northeast from the island to arrive in Middle-earth. From the Bay of Belfalas, they continue sailing upriver. It is a day’s journey to where they must mount their horses. It’s another day’s ride to pass through the mountains and arrive at the village with no time to spare.

Orodruin or Mount Doom

What will eventually be known as Mount Doom was a quiet, dormant volcano looming over the village of Tirharad known in The Lord of the Rings book as Orodruin. But now it has been awoken by water rushing down into its core, a chain reaction using the mysteriously powerful sword. The eruption forms not only the volcano as we know it in the Third Age, but likely the barren wastelands of Mordor as its evil spreads as quickly as ash can fill the sky. The Rings of Power hasn’t referred to this volcano as Mount Doom yet, but we know we’ve just witnessed its creation. It seems The Rings of Power will continually need to update its map of Middle-earth.

Mordor

By episode seven, the Southlands have a new name on The Rings of Power‘s map—Mordor. Adar’s orcs now have a home free from daylight as ash from the erupting volcano blocks out the sun. The villages and farmlands of men burn, and most of the people flee west. This Lord of the Rings location begins to look like we know it in the Third Age, a billowing volcano in a land fortified by mountains.

For now, Adar and his children have settled in Mordor, ordering the surviving Southlanders to obey them or die. Though the Uruk wish to remain in their home, unfortunately, they have to leave it again pretty quickly, as Adar senses the threat of Sauron rising. As The Rings of Power continues, we expect Sauron will come to claim the land.

Pelargir, an Old Numenorean Colony

Not all of the Southlands were completely annihilated by Mount Doom’s eruption. In season two of The Rings of Power, we follow Arondir and Isildur to Pelargir, an old Numenorean colony that we know holds major importance in The Lord of the Rings‘ lore. For now, this The Rings of Power location is offering sanctuary for the survivors of Mount Doom’s eruption and giving Theo and Arondir a place to try to heal from their griefs.

Every The Rings of Power Middle-earth Map Location; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Pelargir // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas

Lindon, Capital of the High Elves

High King Gil-galad rules over this westernmost point of Middle-earth. Lindon is the capital Galadriel returns to after her sojourns to seek out Sauron. Like all Elven places, it is beautiful, with groves of trees perfect for Elrond to sit while writing speeches. There are waterfalls and stunning towers. It is also home to the Grey Havens, the harbor where ships depart for the Undying Lands. Since Valinor sits to the west of Middle-earth according to The Rings of Power‘s maps, it makes sense for Lindon to house this important harbor. We see more of the Grey Havens on The Rings of Power season two, when we meet Círdan, the shipwright, who, among bringing wisdom and council to the elves, oversees the crafting of the boats that will sail from the harbor to Valinor.

Rhovanion, the Wilderlands of Middle-earth

The residents of this area are the migrating Harfoots. East of the Anduin River, they make a temporary camp. Hunters also trek through this area. To them, the Harfoots are a myth, even though they are right underfoot. Clearly, blending into their surroundings has kept the Harfoots alive. They are masters of disguising themselves, their wagons, and even their entire camps. The Wilderlands is also where the meteor lands, bringing the Stranger into their lives.

The Harfoot Migration

After harvesting all each area has to offer, the Harfoots pack up and move along. The caravan heads south from the Rhovanion Hills, adding places like Weedbrook and Undercliffs to The Rings of Power‘s map before reaching the Grey Marshes (which will one day be known as the Dead Marshes).

From there, their path heads east along the northern border of the Southlands, now known as Mordor. These areas are mostly not detailed on any Tolkien map that has appeared before The Rings of Power. Through Trout Bend, Thistledell, and The Braids, the Harfoots are heading to their autumn home. A place Nori simply calls The Grove. The trek is montaged together with scenes of the ups and downs of the perilous journey while Poppy sings her mother’s beautiful walking song. But when they arrive at The Grove, they see that lava bombs from the erupting volcano were flung far enough to devastate some of these lands as well.

Greenwood

The Stranger strikes out on his own journey from The Grove and comes to a forest known as Greenwood. In Eryn Galen, Sauron’s white-robed supporters catch up with him at last. But thankfully Nori and her friends find him soon after and they all break free of the danger. This forest may be what is one day known as Mirkwood. After the Stranger returns to The Grove with the Harfoots, he and Nori strike out once again into the wilderness.

Rhûn, The East and Eastlands

On the far east of the map of Middle-earth lies Rhûn. The white-cloaked figures come from this mysterious land, seeking Sauron. They plan to bring him to Rhûn, where the men and mystics living there are ready to support his return to power. They carry signs of the Hermit’s Hat, the constellation that the Stranger is seeking. The stars are only visible in the far east. So even though he is not Sauron, he clearly has a purpose in Rhûn. In season two of The Rings of Power we finally head to this The Lord of the Rings location. Rhûn is mostly a barren desert, ruled under the thumb of the dark wizard. But it also houses the enigmatic Tom Bombadil and Stoor hobbits.

We learn in season two of The Rings of Power that the Harfoots’ walking song, which we heard in season one, actually doubles as a map to enter Rhûn.

Every Rings of Power Location We’ve Seen; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Pelargir // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas

Forodwaith, the Northernmost Part of The Rings of Power’s Map

Dominated by snow and ice, this beautiful but harsh land also suffers from the cold of evil. A great castle sits atop a cliff that Galadriel and her lieutenants conquer in their search for Sauron. It is the keep where orcs fled after Morgoth’s defeat. But Forodwaith, the Northernmost Waste is home now only to snow trolls. But its existence, and the sigil found there, convince Galadriel of evil still lurking in Middle-earth. And indeed, Adar confirms that Sauron used the fortress to study dark arts in the pursuit of power in The Rings of Power‘s later episodes.

In season two of The Rings of Power, we see a flashback to Forodwaith and how it became an icy fortress. After Adar and the orcs band together to kill Sauron, the release of his evil spirit into the world transforms frosts the previously temperate fortress with snow and ice.

Valinor, the Undying Lands

Valinor is the original home of the elves. It sits across the great Sundering Seas from Middle-earth. From what we see of Galadriel’s childhood there, it is a beautiful and idyllic place. Until Morgoth attacks. The elves left for Middle-earth to fight against the evil. And now returning to it is essentially a reward for those who are worthy. King Gil-galad awards Galadriel and her lieutenants passage from the Grey Havens after their long search for Sauron. To reach it, they travel across the sea and are welcomed by birds, light, and music. The Sundering Seas sit between Middle-earth and Valinor on The Rings of Power‘s map, making the realm highly inaccessible.

The Sundering Seas, A Deadly The Rings of Power Map Location

Who doesn’t love a map with some monsters on it? But the sea serpents and other mysteries that appear on The Rings of Power‘s map also turn out to be real. Though the seas are calm for Galadriel’s journey to the Undying Lands, they are less forgiving once she rejects that fate. She must swim in the Sundering Seas. Even when the survivors of a shipwreck bring her aboard a makeshift sailboat, bad luck prevails. Referred to as the Worm, a huge beast attacks. Halbrand and Galadriel survive that long enough to weather a raging storm. They are eventually rescued and taken to Númenor, though their troubles continue.  

Although we do not see it fully on The Rings of Power‘s map, as mentioned, the Sundering Seas cut off Middle-earth from Valinor, the Elves’ treasured lands.

The Rings of Power Brings Middle-earth’s Map to Life

The Rings of Power shows off a Middle-earth we’ve never seen before as it continues to change in the Second Age. The natural beauty of New Zealand is once again on display, as it was in Peter Jackson’s trilogies. Assisted by stunning visual effects, the show creates the realms we’ll come to know and love during the series. And we love that The Rings of Power weaves the map of Middle-earth in and out of the amazing locations we see to ensure we always know where the path leads.

Every Rings of Power Map Middle-earth Location; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Pelargir // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas

Originally published on September 8, 2022. Original reporting by Melissa Miller.

The post A Guide to the Locations THE RINGS OF POWER Map Has Shown Us So Far appeared first on Nerdist.

In WandaVision, it was Agatha all along. And now it really will be all about Agatha Harkness. Kathryn Hahn’s MCU witch will soon star in her own Disney+ Marvel series, Agatha All Along While we don’t have too many details yet about what this series will entail, we can already tell it will serve up some delightfully magical fun.

For those who can’t wait even a day longer, the first Agatha All Along clip is here and it introduces the new coven of witches in the series.

Here’s everything we know about Agatha All Along.

The series also gave us a few new Agatha All Along posters that look incredibly cool. The one with the fingers that have witches dancing from strings is a vibe and I need it now.

Title

Although the first title we heard for Agatha’s MCU series was Agatha: House of Harkness, and the second was Agatha: Coven of Chaos, it seemed the series would actually be called Agatha: Darkhold Diaries. But now a fourth title has emerged, just Agatha. But in the end, the actual title is Agatha All Along.

Agatha All Along‘ Plot

Marvel Studios has finally revealed plot details and a trailer for Agatha All Along. You can check them out above and below.

The series focuses on Kathryn Hahn’s character, Agatha Harkness, from the acclaimed Marvel Studios’ series “WandaVision,” as she sets off on a dangerous, mysterious adventure filled with trials and tribulations. Showrunner Jac Schaeffer, who was the creative force behind “WandaVision,” directs the pilot episode.

In “Agatha All Along,” the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…

The last time we got to see Agatha, the witch lost in a fight to Wanda Maximoff. And then Agatha ended up trapped in her Agnes persona.

We imagine the show will reveal to us how Agatha breaks out of the spell she’s under and then follow her along on some exciting shenanigans. And it seems like we’ll get to meet a number of witches from the pages of Marvel Comics. And we do love a witch.

“Witches are defined by deception, treachery, villainy and selfishness,” said creator Jac Schaeffer previously. “What do you do when you have a group of witches who [demonstrate] those notions and you need them to work together?” We’d imagine things would get very dark and chaotic.

Whatever helps happens, we hope that Agatha gets yet another catchy jingle to her name. “Agatha All Along” needs a successor.

Behind the Scenes

WandaVison‘s Jac Schaeffer returns as executive producer and head writer on Agatha All Along. Additionally, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Schaeffer, alongside Wednesday‘s Gandja Monteiro and Resident Evil‘s Rachel Goldberg, will direct different episodes of the show.

Agatha All Along‘ Cast

We’ve learned about quite a number of potential coven members cast so far. Of course, Kathryn Hahn returns to play the titular MCU witch Agatha Harkness. Joining her is Emma Caulfield Ford, who will reprise her role as Dottie for the Disney+ show. Dottie was one of the women Wanda trapped in her Westview fantasies. Could Dottie be another secret witch? Only time will tell. Variety also reports Heartstopper‘s Joe Locke has joined the cast in an undisclosed role. However, many fans speculate Locke will play the role of  Billy Kaplan, a.k.a. Wiccan, the son of Scarlet Witch and Vision. Mashable further notes that Miles Gutierrez-Riley will play “Billy’s boyfriend, Hulkling.”

Aubrey Plaza will also star in the series, potentially as a more villainous character on the Agatha show. Ali Ahn and Maria Dizzia have reportedly joined the cast as well, as has Patti LuPone. LuPone revealed she will play the role of Marvel Comics’ Lilia Calderu. Debra Jo Rupp is reportedly in the cast, too, presumably reprising her role of Mrs. Hart from WandaVision. Sasheer Zamata, meanwhile, is confirmed to play the role of sorceress Jennifer Kale. Ahn will play the role of Alice.

Agatha All Along‘ Release Date

For now, Agatha All Along will be a part of the MCU’s Phase Five. According to Mashable, it will be nine episodes long, a bit longer than the typical Disney+ Marvel show. Agatha All Along will be released on September 18 with a two-episode premiere.

Originally published on November 4, 2022.

The post AGATHA ALL ALONG First Clip Introduces the Coven appeared first on Nerdist.

When the Netflix Marvel shows moved to Disney+, fans hoped they might see some familiar faces incorporated into the MCU’s world. Although there were many good iterations of Marvel characters in the Netflix shows, one hero that fans particularly hoped would return for a solo show or movie was Charlie Cox’s Daredevil. Happily, Marvel Studios didn’t make us wait very long. At San Diego Comic-Con 2022, the studio announced that Daredevil would receive a new MCU series on Disney+, Daredevil: Born Again. Since that announcement, the series had some ups and downs, including an overhaul of its creative team.

For now, a new video celebrating Marvel’s 85th anniversary gives us our first look at Daredevil from Daredevil: Born Again. Check it out above. Additionally, Brad Winderbaum, the head of streaming, television, and animation at Marvel Studios teases us about the brutal action in store.

He offers, “I’ll tell you, some of the most brutal action we’ve ever brought to the screen is coming in Daredevil: Born Again, which isn’t a horror show, but really it packs a lot of power and there’s a lot of visceral action, to say the least.”

Here’s everything we know about Daredevil: Born Again.

Title

The title of the MCU Daredevil series will be Daredevil: Born Again. This is also the title of one of Daredevil‘s famous comic arcs.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Plot

We don’t yet know much about the exact plot of Daredevil: Born Again. But in the comics, Born Again is a very dark tale for Daredevil. In it, the man without fear faces down Kingpin, who manipulates Matt Murdock’s feelings for a struggling Karen Page in his attempts to destroy the hero. Whether this storyline will find its way into the MCU, we can’t say for sure. What we do know is that Daredevil: Born Again will have eighteen episodes, leaving a lot of room to explore the MCU version of the hero.

According to a report by Variety, Marvel is planning to overhaul the direction of Daredevil: Born Again. The publication shares that “Marvel Studios has recently parted ways with head writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman and is currently seeking new writers to revamp the show. Ord and Corman will still be credited as executive producers.” Additionally, Marvel has released the directors for the series episodes that have not yet already been filmed. Variety reveals that less than half of Daredevil‘s 18 episodes were filmed before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. And that “Some elements of the already shot material will be used going forward, but Marvel is looking to take the show in a new creative direction.”

Behind the Scenes

Originally Daredevil: Born Again was written and executive produced by Matt Corman and Chris Ord. According to Deadline, Clark Johnson was meant to direct two episodes. However, Variety recently reported that Corman and Ord were released from the show and Marvel is seeking new writers and directors for the series.

The Hollywood Reporter shared the superhero crime series has added Dario Scardapane as its showrunner. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead will direct the rest of the episodes for the first season. Scardapane has experience with The Punisher, while Benson and Moorhead directed episodes of Loki season two.

While Marvel will apparently retain some episodes and other material that was already filmed, Scardapane will add new episodes and new scenes. It’s unknown how many episodes season one will have.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Cast

So far, Charlie Cox, who, of course, returns as Daredevil, and Vincent D’Onofrio, who will play Kingpin, have signed onto the new series. In addition, Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as Punisher in the MCU series, and Deadline shares that Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye will also make the leap. Additionally, Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson will return as Karen Page and Foggy Nelson.

Also joining the Daredevil show are Nikki M. James, Michael Gandolfini, Margarita Levieva, Sandrine Holt, and  Lou Taylor Pucci. Their roles remain unknown. In addition, Deadline recently cited Carnival Row‘s Arty Froushan as part of the cast. And Genneya Walton will reportedly play “a young journalist with connections to a character from the original series.” Clark Johnson, in addition to directing, reportedly has a recurring role in the series.

At D23, we learned a male White Tiger is coming onto the scene in Daredevil: Born Again. We glimpsed White Tiger in a sneak peek from the series, but no casting information was yet revealed. This White Tiger is likely Hector Ayala who uses ancient amulets to transform into White Tiger, a “master of martial arts.” Perhaps we will see Daredevil defend him this season, as White Tiger is often mistaken for a criminal and gets into tight spots.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Release Date

Daredevil: Born Again will release in March of 2025.

Originally published January 5, 2023.

The post First Look at Daredevil From DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN (The MCU’s Most Brutal Show) appeared first on Nerdist.

The time for the underdog to step into the spotlight is overdue. Overdue, we say! We’re changing the narrative with Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode, an immersive actual play podcast and video series. This story is about the characters that are usually the bad guys, not the heroes. The cast plays skeletons and a goblin. Meet everyone in the first trailer for Goblin Mode and see just how delightful weird little monsters can be.

We sense hijinks and chaos ahead.

Game Master Amy Vorpahl (Dimension 20, Critical Role) leads the intrepid cast and special guest stars through an exciting, and often hilarious, adventure. Danielle Radford (Dimension 20, Honest Trailers), Dan Casey (Nerdist, Geek & Sundry), and Jason Nguyen (Westbrook Media, Legendary) star in the series. They all bring their storytelling and improv skills to the table.

From critical failures to successes, we can’t wait to see what this crew does. The adventure is set in the original world of Sundaros, a land once ruled by godlike beings and now plunged into chaos following their disappearance. Goblin Mode tells the story of a group of genuine underdogs. Not traditional fantasy heroes, but undead skeletons and toothy goblins serving a foul necromancer in a dank dungeon. But with the evil overlord they once served now vanquished, their destiny is in their own hands for the very first time. What will they do next?

Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode will release 60-90 minute episodes every Monday across Realm (listen to it wherever you listen to podcasts!) and Geek & Sundry‘s YouTube channel. The series premieres on September 9.

Sign up for the Geek & Sundry newsletter to get the latest about Goblin Mode and more!

The post SAGAS OF SUNDRY: GOBLIN MODE’s Trailer Reveals an Adventure for Weird Little Monsters appeared first on Nerdist.

The Thunderbolts have been a long-awaited MCU team. The quasi-villainous anti-hero/misfit gang is a staple of the Marvel Comics world, and many heroes have been a part of it at some time or another. As the MCU slowly gathered the right members, fans speculated harder and harder that the Thunderbolts were coming. And finally, in 2022, Marvel Studios made the big announcement—the MCU’s Thunderbolts* movie was finally on the way.

Alongside Thunderbolts* first teaser trailer, Marvel Studios revealed the poster for the movie… and it reveals a team that’s hardly united.

Here’s everything we know so far about Thunderbolts*.

Title

For now, the movie about the Thunderbolts is simply called Thunderbolts*. There is that lurking asterisk that carries some kind of hidden meaning. Kevin Feige has revealed that it’s there for a reason. Speaking at CinemaCon 2024, he shared, “Yes, you’ll notice the asterisk on Thunderbolts. That is the official title of Thunderbolts and we won’t talk more about that until after the movie comes out.” This refusal to address the Thunderbolts* asterisk seems to mean that it’s important. Let the speculation begin.

Thunderbolts*’ Plot

We don’t know much about the plot of Thunderbolts*. However, we know who will be part of the MCU Thunderbolts. The Thunderbolts will comprise of Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine, Ghost, Red Guardian, Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes (a.k.a Winter Soldier), US Agent, and Taskmaster.

The Thunderbolts* teaser trailer gives us a bit more of an idea of what we can expect. The clip focused on Yelena (Florence Pugh) as she knocks on Alexei (David Harbour). He welcomes her into his messy apartment. He asks what brings her there, and she says something’s wrong with her, an emptiness. She tried to throw herself into work after Natasha’s death, and we see cuts of her killing people. There’s also Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), US Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), who is in costume. Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) arrives and assembles them together for a “bad Avengers” adventure of some sort. Make of that what you will.

For now, we still don’t have an official synopsis of Thunderbolts*, but a release from Marvel promises “an irreverent team-up featuring depressed assassin Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) alongside the MCU’s least anticipated band of misfits.”

Thunderbolts*’ Cast

Accordingly to the MCU Thunderbolts line-up, here is the projected main cast of the movie so far, pending any surprise recastings:

Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns as Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine in Thunderbolts*. Hannah John-Kamen will play Ghost. David Harbour remains as Red Guardian. Florence Pugh will reprise her role Yelena Belova. Sebastian Stan will again take on the role of Bucky Barnes (a.k.a Winter Soldier). Wyatt Russell will appear as US Agent. And Olga Kurylenko will appear as Taskmaster.

Geraldine Viswanathan will now take on a mystery role initially meant for Ayo Edebiri. And reportedly, Lewis Pullman will replace Steven Yeun as Sentry in the Thunderbolts* movie.

Behind the Scenes

Eric Pearson will write Thunderbolt*’s script, and Jake Schreier will direct the movie. Beef‘s creator and showrunner Lee Sung Jin has also come aboard as a writer of the movie. Kevin Feige is, of course, producing this Marvel Studios’ production.

Thunderbolt‘s Release Date

Thunderbolts* is scheduled to release on May 2, 2025.

Originally published on January 27, 2023.

The post The MCU THUNDERBOLTS* Poster Reveals a Hot Mess of a Team appeared first on Nerdist.

Steve Rogers is either dead or a very old man, but the world still needs Captain America. Fortunately for Earth, someone just as worthy of that title as Steve took on the job. No, not John Walker. (Definitely not John Walker.) On The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson finally accepted the mantle his friend tried to give him at the end of Avengers: Endgame. Now Anthony Mackie is ready to lead the superhero franchise into the future with the MCU’s fourth standalone Captain America film.

A new Marvel featurette celebrating 85 years of Marvel recently gave us our first good look at Captain America: Brave New World‘s Red Hulk, played by Harrison Ford.

Here’s everything we know about Captain America: Brave New World.

Title

Marvel first announced Captain America 4‘s official title as part of its Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2022. It was originally called Captain America: New World Order. But in June 2023, Marvel changed the movie’s name. It is now called Captain America: Brave New World.

Captain America: Brave New World‘s Plot

We now officially have a synopsis and trailer for Captain America: Brave New World. It reads:

After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, played by Harrison Ford in his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

You can watch the trailer above.

Additionally, the film’s title echoes both the main conflict of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and Aldous Huxley’s dystopian classic. Marvel executives have shared some tasty additional breadcrumbs about the movie, though.

That began with Nate Moore, VP of Production & Development at Marvel Studios, talking about how Harrison Ford will replace the late William Hurt as General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross in Brave New World. In an interview, Moore said:

Well, look, Sam Wilson’s Captain America, he is going to bring his own team to play. It’s no secret that Samuel Sterns is making his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is fantastic because Tim Blake Nelson’s the best. Harrison Ford is taking on the role of General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, and to see Sam Wilson and Thunderbolt Ross, which if you remember actually threw him in prison at the end of Civil War because he violated the Sokovia Accords. There’s going to be some natural sparks there, which I think are going to be really fun.

Behind the Scenes

Malcolm Spellman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) and Dalan Musson are co-writing the film. Matthew Orton will also contribute to the writing. Julius Onah (The Cloverfield Paradox) is set to direct.

Captain America: Brave New World‘s Cast

In addition to Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier‘s Carl Lumbly will return as Isaiah Bradley. As will Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres.

Additionally, Brave New World will bring back Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) from The Incredible Hulk. Sterns, of course, is also known as The Leader. He will likely act as the film’s villain. Shira Haas will join the film as Sabra. Xosha Roquemore has joined the movie in an unknown role, and WWE wrestler Seth Rollins was spotted in costume on set.

Another original MCU star will also return after a long absence, too. Liv Tyler will reprise her role as Betty Ross. She originated the role in The Incredible Hulk.

Additionally, we know we’ll see the character of Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World.

The trailer for the movie has confirmed this inclusion now, but originally, an ad for a McDonald’s toy line for the movie revealed Red Hulk’s appearance to us in Captain America: Brave New World. We thought it was Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross transformed and SDCC 2024 revealed a teaser clip that affirms this.

Giancarlo Esposito has been teasing for a while that he’ll join the MCU. And in Captain America: Brave New World‘s first trailer, we finally get to see him in action. You can check out our first-look at Esposito in the MCU movie below as Sidewinder, the King of the Serpent Society.

Captain America: Brave New World‘s Release Date

Captain America: Brave New World will fly into theaters on February 14, 2025.

Originally published on February 14, 2023.

The post We Have Our First Look at Red Hulk From CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney+’s two biggest stars are headed to the big screen. The next adventure for Star Wars‘ Din Djarin and his little green son will take place in theaters. What awaits the two when they get there? Who else will join them in making the move from television to cinema? And who will tell this new chapter in their story?

Recently, Sigourney Weaver confirmed her place in the Star Wars universe. Yes, Sigourney Weaver, the Alien icon, will be meeting a much nicer space creature this time around in The Mandalorian & Grogu. Weaver shares, “I’m playing a role in The Mandalorian & Grogu [which will be directed by Jon Favreau]. I got to meet Grogu for the first time the other day.” We love to hear it.

Here’s everything we know about The Mandalorian & Grogu so far, including its release date.

The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s Plot

The movie’s official announcement did not include a plot synopsis or any specifics about its story. It’s also unknown how it might connect to other Disney+ shows, characters, and other planned featured films. The only insight came from Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy’s statement in the press release. She said The Mandalorian & Grogu will tell a “new story” she describes as a “perfect fit for the big screen.” The movie’s first official artwork does show Din and Grogu fleeing an exploding ship, but that might be just a normal Thursday for them.

At D23, we saw a sneak peek of The Mandalorian & Grogu. It did not show too much, but it did reveal that Zeb would be back in the Star Wars movie, as would the Razor Crest, despite the ship’s season two destruction in The Mandalorian season two. Additionally, the teaser focused on something that looked like a giant battle on Hoth, complete with AT-ATs and Snow Troopers. At one point, Din Djarin infiltrates an AT-ST walker as it bounds through the snow. We also see a shot of Grogu in a tiny ship with two Anzellans.

Until we get any actual details about the film’s plot, any speculation about The Mandalorian & Grogu will be based on where the Disney+ show left the characters after season three, as well as the known state of the galaxy far, far away during the time period of the early days of the New Republic and what we know followed it.

Behind-the-Scenes

The Mandalorian creator and showrunner Jon Favreau will direct the film. He’ll also serve as a producer along with both Kennedy and longtime Star Wars stalwart Dave Filoni. 

Production is set to begin in 2024. It will shoot for a scheduled 92 days in California, where it has received one of the state’s biggest tax credits ever for a movie. Reports say work on The Mandalorian & Grogu will include 500 crew members, 54 cast members, and 3500 background players.

The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s Cast

Pedro Pascal’s voice is all but certain to be a part of the movie. It’s unclear how much, if any, he will physically play the role, though. At this point on the Disney+ show the part of Mando is primarily a voice-over one for Pascal. Actors Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder share responsibility for playing the masked Din Djarin on film. If Din never removes his helmet in the movie, Pascal’s involvement could take place entirely off-screen. He did physically play the character in the past. Maybe he’ll put on his beskar armor once again for a big budget film.

Star Wars has yet to announce any official cast members for the movie. Other members of The Mandalorian are likely to also star in the film, however. Those alums include Katee Sackhoff, Emily Swallow, and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee. Ahsoka stars like Genevieve O’Reilly, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, and Eman Esfandi are also obvious candidates to appear, as is Boba Fett himself, Temuera Morrison.

The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s Release Date

The Mandalorian & Grogu is scheduled to come to theaters on May 22, 2026.

Originally published on February 26, 2024.

The post Sigourney Weaver Confirms THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU Role appeared first on Nerdist.

For decades now, we’ve heard rumors about a sequel to Beetlejuice, Tim Burton’s 1988 hit, which cemented his signature style. The story of a young goth girl (Winona Ryder) who tries to help two ghosts in her haunted home scare her parents away. The ghost they hire is a “Bio-exorcist” named Beetlejuice to do the deed. A cult classic to this day, plans for a sequel have always been rumored. During the ’90s, they even floated “Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian” to Kevin Smith.

But now, some 35 years after the original hit theaters, a sequel to the adventures of the “Bio Exorcist” is finally on the way. Original star Michael Keaton, director Tim Burton, Winona Ryder, and Scream and Wednesday star Jenna Ortega have all signed on for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Speaking of Ryder, she revealed to Slash Film that she had a hard time imagining Lydia Deetz as a grown up, much less a mother and TV personality.

“I think certainly, I never pictured Lydia either having children or in any type of relationship,” Ryder said. “I just always thought she was just probably in her own world as she got older. Just sort of in the attic and happy, but alone.”

But, after meeting Ortega and Justin Theroux, who plays Lydia’s boyfriend Rory, it was easier to find this unexpected version of Lydia. We certainly didn’t think she’d be on TV, either.

Let’s bust out that Handbook for the Recently Deceased; here is everything we know about the upcoming Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Title

As we hoped, the title for this movie is Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! We love it, because this way, if they ever make it a trilogy, they can call the third one Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! and Michael Keaton will magically appear when summoned, just by saying the title.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s Plot

The Beetlejuice sequel will center on the daughter of Lydia Deetz from the first film. And somehow, the previously unknown wife of Beetlejuice will play a part as well. We think it’s safe to say that both ghosts and the afterlife will play a rather large role. The teaser trailer also finally have our first look at Ortega and Keaton in their roles. We get to see Ortega’s character in deeper detail in another Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer.

The official synopsis for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice sheds more light on the plot, sharing:

Beetlejuice is back!  After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River.  Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened.  With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

If you’re thinking that there will be more Beetlejuice because his name is in the title twice, think again. In an interview with Variety, Keaton said he didn’t want too much screen time in this sequel. “The idea was, no, no, no, you can’t load it up with Beetlejuice, that’ll kill it,” Keaton said. “I think the Beetlejuice character doesn’t drive the story as much as he did in the first one. He’s more part of the storyline in this one as opposed to the first one, which is a case of, this thing comes in and drives the movie a little bit.”

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s Cast

The cast for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is shaping up to have a combination of stars from the original, and other actors Tim Burton has recently worked with. Michael Keaton will return as the titular character, joined by Jenna Ortega, who recently worked with Burton on Wednesday, as the daughter of Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz character from the first film. Winona Ryder is returning as well, as so is Catherine O’Hara as her stepmother. Other original cast members, like Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, are likely not returning.

New to the cast is Willem Dafoe, who is playing a law enforcement officer in the afterlife. Empire Magazine revealed a new look at Willem Dafoe’s character ‘Afterlife Crimes’ cop Wolf Jackson.

Empire shares, “the film sees Dafoe play the brilliantly-named Wolf Jackson – an actor who, given that he was known for playing cop ‘Frank Hardballer’ when he was alive, has taken on a similar role in the afterlife as the head of the Afterlife Crimes Unit. Oh, and he has a segment of skull missing, leaving a bit of his brain exposed. ‘It’s not a normal role,’ admits Dafoe. ‘The most important thing for me was to find the tone. It had to be rooted, but it also had to be free enough that you could play with it.'”

Another new face is Justin Theroux, in an as-yet undisclosed role. Also new to the world of the afterlife is Monica Bellucci, who will play the previously unknown wife of Beetlejuice. This will be the first time working on a Tim Burton project for all three actors.

We love seeing them in this new poster:

Behind the Scenes

Returning behind the camera is original filmmaker Tim Burton. Al Gough and Miles Millar, the creators of the hit Netflix Burton/Ortega collaboration Wednesday, wrote the screenplay for the sequel. Tim Burton’s longtime friend and collaborator Danny Elfman is returning to compose the score. It just wouldn’t feel like Beetlejuice without an Elfman score, would it?

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice‘s Release Date

The long-awaited sequel to the Tim Burton horror/comedy classic Beetlejuice hits theaters on September 5, 2024.

Originally published on May 15, 2023.

The post Winona Ryder Had a Hard Time Imagining an Adult Lydia in BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE appeared first on Nerdist.

The supreme Addams family member is coming back to our TV screens in two snaps. Well, not quite that fast. But soon enough, Netflix’s Wednesday will return for season two and we cannot wait to hear Jenna Ortega’s snappy one-liners once again. At the end of season one, Wednesday and her friends defeat Laurel Gates. Meanwhile, Tyler is set to escape his very short time in custody. Nevermore Academy is understandably closed for the remainder of the semester as a result of all the drama. But what will happen when the school opens up once again?

Well, we probably won’t get getting another infamous dance… at least, not as far as Jenna Ortega knows. Ortega talked about Wednesday season two during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and she wasn’t aware of another big dance break; however, the show still has a ways to go for filming. Ortega did open up about her fears of returning and promised big moments this season.

“I was a little terrified just because it had been years since Wednesday, since we shot the first one. We did that like two or three years ago in Romania,” Ortega said. “So, I didn’t really know how I… I just was, I think, overthinking it.  But as soon as you put on the costumes by Colleen Atwood, you get hair and makeup done, and then you take all the expression out of your face, it’s like, ‘Oh, okay. I kind of, I know how to do this. Yeah. Yeah.'”

Here’s everything we know about Wednesday season two. 

Wednesday Season Two’s Plot 

Of course, we don’t know much about Wednesday season two’s plot at this time. It’s pretty clear that Wednesday, Enid, Xavier, and others will return back to Nevermore. We also know that someone is watching Wednesday and threatening to kill her, based on a text message she received while leaving Nevermore. There are still some secrets in Jericho to uncover, indeed. During the 2024 Emmys, Jenna Ortega revealed that the next season of Wednesday will pack in lots of horror, have more wonderful quotes, and that each episode will feel like its own movie. 

What I can say … [is] we’re definitely leaning into a little bit more horror,” the Scream actress teased. “It’s really, really exciting because all throughout the show, Wednesday does need a bit of an arc, she never really changes, and that’s the wonderful thing about her.”

Ortega previously stated this, saying the show will leave romance in the rearview mirror. As much as we love a good romance triangle, Wednesday is at her best when she’s investigating and verbally skewering people. 

Season two’s first episode is titled “Here We Woe Again,” which we discovered in this cute announcement video.

Behind the Scenes

Jenna Ortega will join Tim Burton and Steve Stark, and others as an executive producer. Alfred Gough and Miles Millar will continue as co-showrunners. It remains to be seen who will direct its episodes. As of May 2024, Wednesday season two is in production with filming taking place in Ireland.

Wednesday Season Two’s Cast 

Alongside Ortega, Emma Myers (Enid Sinclair), Joy Sunday (Bianca Barclay), Jamie McShane (Sheriff Galpin), Catherine Zeta-Jones (Morticia Addams), Luis Guzmán (Gomez Addams), Isaac Ordonez (Pugsley Addams), and Hunter Doohan (Tyler Galpin), Fred Armisen (Uncle Fester) will return. Uncle Fester is reportedly getting his own spinoff, so an episode this season could serve as a backdoor pilot for that show. It doesn’t seem that Christina Ricci will return as Laurel Gates but anything is possible.

According to Netflix, Billie Piper (who will play a character named Capri), Evie Templeton, Owen Painter, and Noah Taylor are joining the cast in a full-time capacity. Addams Family alum Christopher Lloyd is joining as a guest star alongside Joanna Lumley, Frances O’Connor, Haley Joel Osment, Heather Matarazzo, Thandiwe Newton (as Dr. Fairburn), and Joonas Suotamo

Deadline reports that Steve Buscemi has joined the cast as well, and “will play the new principal of Nevermore Academy.” His character’s name is Barry Dort.

Last year’s TUDUM event revealed that we will meet a new Addams family member. We had a few ideas about which Addams family member could show up in Wednesday. And now we know that Joanna Lumley will portray Grandmama in Wednesday‘s second season.

Wednesday Season Two’s Release Date

Wednesday season two will tentatively start filming in April 2024, so we can probably expect a 2025 release date.

Originally published on January 16, 2024.

The post Jenna Ortega Was ‘Terrified’ to Return for WEDNESDAY Season 2 appeared first on Nerdist.

Benoit Blanc and his Kentucky Fried Foghorn Leghorn drawl is coming back for his “most dangerous case yet.” That’s how Daniel Craig’s brilliant detective described his next outing in the announcement trailer for Rian Johnson’s third Knives Out installment, Wake Up Dead Man. Who will join Craig for some murder-mystery fun this time around? What is the movie about? And when (and where) can we expect to see it?

On August 17, 2024, Johnson shared an image of a graveyard with a sign that says “Please be mindful of the graves” to say filming had wrapped.

Johnson calls the shoot a “VERY special experience” and that he can’t wait to “put this thing together and show you all what we’ve got.” Well we certainly can’t wait either! Let’s go, donut holes!

Here’s everything we know about Netflix’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery so far.

Title

Knives Out 3 is officially titled Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. That latter half of that title also appeared in Glass Onion‘s title, much to the chagrin of Rian Johnson.

Netflix reveals, “As it turns out, Wake Up Dead Man shares its title with a 1997 U2 song off their album Pop.” And Johnson adds, “Pop is a very underrated album, and that song is very right for the title. But I’ve had ‘Wake Up Dead Man’ in my head for a long while, and I first heard the phrase in American folk music.” Netflix teases that you should “listen closely” for any clues about the Knives Out movie to come.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery‘s Plot

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery does not have an official synopsis, but we do have some early clues about what to expect from it. Johnson’s announcement of the film included commentary about how much he loves the malleability of whodunits. Combined with calling it Benoit Blanc’s “most dangerous case yet,” and everything points towards the darkest entry in the franchise yet.

The title and its accompanying font also suggest the film will have something to do with pirates. (Though we can’t rule out the film is about U2. Hopefully The Edge is safe either way.)

Does that mean a good old-fashioned treasure hunt gone wrong? A setting somewhere in the Caribbean? Arr, until we be getting something more official, wese can let our imaginations run wild like the sea. (Sorry.)

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery‘s Cast

Johnson confirmed a report that Mare of Easttown and Alien: Romulus‘ Cailee Spaeny is joining the returning Daniel Craig in the cast. The Crown‘s Emmy winner and Challengers star Josh O’Connor will also join the cast of Knives Out 3. Additionally, Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, and Jeremy Renner have come aboard.

The full cast is below:

• Daniel Craig (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Casino Royale)
• Josh O’Connor (Challengers, The Crown)
• Glenn Close (Dangerous Liaisons, Fatal Attraction)
• Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men, Dune)
• Mila Kunis (Black Swan, Luckiest Girl Alive)
• Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, The Town)
• Kerry Washington (Scandal, Django Unchained)
• Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers, Ripley)
• Cailee Spaeny (Civil War, Priscilla)
• Daryl McCormack (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande; Peaky Blinders)
• Thomas Haden Church (Sideways, Spider-Man 3)

Behind the Scenes

For the third time, Rian Johnson is directing his own script in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. He’s also producing the film with his T-Street Pictures partner Ram Bergman.

The film officially wrapped August 17, 2024.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery‘s Release Date

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will come to Netflix in 2025. It will also hopefully also come theaters, and for a longer run than its predecessor.)

The movie does not have an official release day yet; however, the first two installments have Thanksgiving weekend releases. Knives Out arrived in theaters Thanksgiving weekend on November 27, 2019. After some film festival screenings, Glass Onion came to theaters for a brief run on Thanksgiving weekend, November 23, 2022. It then started streaming on Netflix, Wake Up Dead Man‘s ultimate home, on December 23.

If Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery follows a similar release schedule, we should expect to see it on the big screen on November 26, 2025. And we didn’t even need to be Benoit Blanc to figure that out.

The post WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY Has Finished Filming appeared first on Nerdist.

In 2020, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced that Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, would spring to life from comic pages in her own original series starring Dominique Thorne. Ironheart will be part of Phase Five. While details about the series are still pretty scarce, Riri Williams’ comic history will provide its foundation. We finally met Riri “Ironheart” Williams in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, an appearance that set the stage for diving into her story.

At its recent Upfronts presentation, Disney revealed that the Ironheart series would release in 2025. We are incredibly glad to hear it and can’t wat to see Riri Williams again.

In a cast interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dominique Thorne confirmed that Ironheart will go to her hometown of Chicago. “We’re taking it back to her hometown of Chicago, and a bit of a battle ensues as she’s debating between or considering how she wants to use what she realizes is a powerful wealth of knowledge, realizing just how much genius she has in her, deciding what she’s going to do with that,” said Thorne. “We see that play out in the environment when she gets back home as well — she has these options. Who and how am I going to use these things that I now know about myself?”

Here’s everything you need to know about Ironheart. 

Title

The series title is Marvel Studios’ Ironheart. 

Ironheart‘s Plot

Ironheart will focus on Riri Williams, a brilliant Black girl inventor who creates a high-tech metal suit like Iron Man’s. As we discover in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri is a 19-year-old MIT student who is “running” a homework business. Oh, and she also builds a vibranium detection machine that puts her in the path of Namor, the leader of a underwater nation who is willing to kill her to protect his people. Of course, she’s alive and well at the end of the film and heading back to Massachusetts… for now. Right now, there are no solid details about the show. But it is possible that the show will bounce between her native Chicago and MIT, where MJ and Ned also happen to be.

An official synopsis shares:

Set after the events of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Marvel Television’s “Ironheart” pits technology against magic when Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne)—a young, genius inventor determined to make her mark on the world—returns to her hometown of Chicago. Her unique take on building iron suits is brilliant, but in pursuit of her ambitions, she finds herself wrapped up with the mysterious yet charming Parker Robbins aka “The Hood” (Anthony Ramos).

Behind the Scenes 

Playwright, poet, and Snowpiercer writer Chinaka Hodge will lead the show’s writing team as a head writer. According to Deadline, Sam Bailey and Angela Barnes will direct the series. In addition, Proximity, Ryan Coogler’s production company, will serve as one of the show’s producers. Coogler is also onboard the series as an executive producer alongside Kevin Feige. Ironheart finished filming in November 2022.

Ironheart‘s Cast

Dominique Thorne will take on the leading role of Riri “Ironheart” Williams in the MCU. She will be joined by Anthony Ramos of Hamilton and In the Heights fame, who will play The Hood. This Is Us mainstay Lyric Ross will portray Riri’s best friend. In the comics, Riri’s BFF Natalie died way before she became an iron hero but lived on through N.A.T.A.L.I.E. This AI program takes her friend’s form and they work together much like Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S. did. It remains to be seen if this friend will be alive, appear in flashbacks, or operate as AI in the series. Or, perhaps it is not Natalie at all but rather a new character.

Other cast members include Manny Montana, Alden Ehrenreich, Zoe Terakes, Shakira Barrera, Jim Rash, Shea Couleé, Regan Aliyah, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola, Sonia Denis, Paul Calderón, and Cree Summer.

A new Marvel filing with the U.S. Copyright Office Public Records System also reveals that Sacha Baron Cohen will appear in Ironheart as “Mystery Man.” Very mysterious indeed.

Ironheart‘s Release Date

The Disney+ series doesn’t have a release date yet, but Marvel Studios has confirmed it will release in 2025.

Originally published on March 1, 2022. 

The post Dominique Thorne Says IRONHEART Series Will Take Riri Home to Chicago appeared first on Nerdist.

Prepare for an adventure unlike any other. Legendary Digital Networks presents Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode! This immersive actual play podcast series will take fans into an adventure in a unique setting, the world of Sundaros. Hosted by Game Master Amy Vorpahl (Dimension 20, Critical Role), Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode will take viewers on a journey full of fantasy storytelling and weird little monsters in a serialized campaign.

The core cast includes the talented Danielle Radford (Dimension 20, Honest Trailers), Dan Casey (Nerdist, Geek & Sundry), and Jason Nguyen (Westbrook Media, Legendary), all seasoned storytellers with a passion for tabletop role-playing games and improv comedy. The adventurers will also be joined by special guest stars throughout the season. Roll a perception check because you never know who might show up at the table…

The inaugural season of Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode will feature an evolving adventure that blends elements of horror, sci-fi, and high fantasy into a sweeping saga. Set in the richly detailed world of Sundaros, the tabletop roleplaying game explores a land once ruled by godlike beings and now plunged into chaos following their disappearance. Goblin Mode tells the story of a group of genuine underdogs. Not traditional fantasy heroes, but undead skeletons and toothy goblins serving a foul necromancer in a dank dungeon. But with the evil overlord they once served now vanquished, their destiny is in their own hands for the very first time.

Goblin Mode will release 60-90 minute episodes every Monday across Realm and Geek & Sundry‘s YouTube channel. The series premieres on September 9.

The post Go On an Adventure with Geek & Sundry’s SAGAS OF SUNDRY: GOBLIN MODE appeared first on Nerdist.

The long-delayed third film in Disney’s TRON franchise began production in Vancouver in January 2024. The original 1982 TRON was a groundbreaking sci-fi film, using then state-of-the-art computer graphics to realize the world of “the Grid.” This was a digital world, living entirely inside a computer system. Video game developer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) gets sucked into the Grid and has a grand adventure. TRON became a cult classic, and eventually spawned a follow-up film, TRON: Legacy, in 2010. A third TRON movie, TRON: Ares, is now in the works.

TRON: Ares will continue the musical legacy of the TRON franchise. This time, Nine Inch Nails will score the movie and create the TRON: Ares soundtrack. We look forward to an earful of that.

Here’s everything else we know about TRON: Ares.

Title

The name of the third installment of the TRON franchise is TRON: Ares.

TRON: Ares’ Plot

We know next to nothing about the plot for the TRON: Ares. The second film, TRON: Legacy, ended with Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) escaping the digital world of the Grid, with escaped Grid refugee Quorra (Olivia Wilde) in tow. The implications that they were going to change the “real” world were there. Will the third TRON film follow up on that plot point? Rumors are that this installment will be a reboot of sorts. Jared Leto’s character of Ares was not in previous films. The film’s director said the third TRON is “a movie subsequently about AI and what it means, and takes, to be human.”

We do have a brief synopsis for TRON: Ares:

TRON: Ares follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.

Behind-the-Scenes

Sitting in the director’s chair for the third TRON film is Joachim Rønning. Rønning became known thanks to his 2012 film Kon-Tiki, after which Disney hired him to direct Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and the upcoming Disney+ film Young Woman and the Sea. This script is from screenwriter Jesse Wigutow. Nine Inch Nails will score the film, and we hope they take notes from Daft Punk’s iconic score from TRON: Legacy.

Rønning said in a release, “I’m excited to be part of the TRON franchise and bring this new film to fans around the world. TRON: Ares builds upon the legacy of cutting-edge design, technology and storytelling. Now more than ever, it feels like the right time to return to the Grid.” 

Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, Justin Springer, Jared Leto, Emma Ludbrook and Steven Lisberger are the producers, with Russell Allen serving as executive producer.

TRON: Ares’ Cast

Jared Leto is in the lead for TRON: Ares as the (possibly) titular character of Ares, who joined the cast back in 2020. Joining him are Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, and Gillian Anderson.

Jeff Bridges recently revealed that he will also appear in TRON: Ares. “I’m heading off this Saturday to play a part in the third installment of the ‘Tron’ story; I’m excited about that,” he told the Film Comment podcast. “It’s wild. Jared Leto is the star of this third one, and I’m really anxious to work with him, and I’ve admired his work.” We know that his OG character, Kevin Flynn, sacrificed himself in Tron: Legacy but in a way that left his ending open for interpretation. We will see what happens.

TRON: Ares Release Date

TRON: Ares will release on October 10, 2025.

Originally published on January 23, 2024.

The post Nine Inch Nails Set to Score TRON: ARES appeared first on Nerdist.

Despite a slew of controversy over the past two years, the Scream franchise is moving forward with its seventh installment. The previous film left the Core Four and Gale Weathers (we assume, considering she didn’t die) in a relatively good place, with Sam finally moving towards healing and peace after killing Richie’s remaining family. (It’s wild but true.) The Scream VII storyline and cast is still mostly a mystery but things will start rolling very soon. In a recent Entertainment Weekly interview, Neve Campbell confirmed a bit about the film’s storyline, saying that it would follow Sidney as the main character once again.

In Scream (2022), Sidney’s story took a back seat to Sam and Tara Carpenter’s drama with her appearing as a supporting cast member. It’s good to know that the focus is on Sidney again.

The next film will be interesting, to say the least. Who will don that infamous mask next? Here’s what we know about Scream 7. 

Title

For now, we will call this film Scream 7. It’s likely this will be the title, which could be stylized as Scream VII. As seen on this script from Campbell’s Instagram post, the film does not have an official title yet. 

Scream 7’s Plot 

As stated above, Sam and Tara’s story came to a neat conclusion in Scream VI. And Sidney is living a happy life with her husband Mark and her daughters. It seems like there was no one else hiding in the shadows who would want to kill Sidney. Her story was complete and she found peace. So, the plot of Scream 7 is really up in the air. Depending on this film’s release, someone from 30 years ago could decide to celebrate the events of Scream (1996) in a sinister way. We shall see. 

Neve Campbell says she expects to get the final script sometime in August, so hopefully nothing will leak before they are ready to tell.

Behind-the-Scenes

Kevin Williamson, the writer of Scream (1996), will direct Scream 7. He is replacing Christopher Landon, who left the film after Melissa Barerra’s controversial (and very upsetting) firing and Jenna Ortega’s exit. Guy Busick and James Vanderbilt, who wrote the last two installments, will pen this sequel. The Radio Silence team will step back from directing duties to executive produce Scream 7. 

In a recent IndieWire interview, Campbell confirmed that filming will start in December 2024.

“We were supposed to start in September, but we’re going to start in December now because of some scheduling stuff with Kevin and myself and having that all aligned,” she shared. “And actually, I think it’s a good thing, because we’re going to be able to have the time to get it really right. So I’m very excited about it.”

Scream 7’s Cast 

Right now, the only person we absolutely know will be in Scream 7 is Neve Campbell. Scream VI was the first film to not include Sidney Prescott due to actress Neve Campbell rightfully bowing out due to a salary dispute. Fans thought Sidney would finally get a happy ending but Ghostface just won’t leave our good sis alone. Variety reports that Courteney Cox is in talks to reprise her role in the next film. It remains to be seen if the Meeks-Martin twins, played by Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding, will be in this film. We’d love to see more of them.

However, their return isn’t likely considering their characters’ stories being so closely intertwined with the Carpenter sisters. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Savoy Brown hasn’t received a call from the studio Spyglass Media Group as of January 2024. Gooding also affirmed he knew no solid details about the seventh Scream film. Sadness.

We assume Courteney Cox and Roger L. Jackson will return as Gale Weathers and the voice of Ghostface, respectively. Maybe we will see Patrick Dempsey reprise his role as Mark Kincaid, too. 

Scream 7 Release Date 

There is no release date for Scream 7 at this time. The script is at least partially in place, so perhaps we will see this film in late 2025 or maybe 2026 to celebrate Scream’s 30th anniversary.

Originally published on March 13, 2024.

The post SCREAM 7 Will Make Sidney Prescott the Main Character Again appeared first on Nerdist.

It feels like Stranger Things has been a phenomenon for as long as we can remember. But now, our favorite party is all grown up, and the time has come for the series’ last chapter. Stranger Things 5 will be the Netflix hit’s final season, but we have no doubt that these concluding episodes will have a ton of meat on their bones.

One character whom everyone is curious about is Max. Season four left her with broken limbs and in a coma but we do know that Sadie Sink has been filming with her co-stars. So, how will Max show up in Stranger Things 5? Sadie didn’t give away spoilers to Variety but she did hint that Max will be back in action again.

They love having me run,” she affirmed. “That’s all I’ll say.” Of course, we don’t know exactly how that will happen. Will Max be running in the Upside Down or in some sort of Void? Or will she come out of her coma to run again at some point? Who knows.

For now, let’s roll for initiative and head back to Hawkins one more time. Here’s everything we know about Stranger Things 5.

Stranger Things 5‘s Plot

Stranger Things 4 ended with a bang as the Upside Down erupted right into the middle of Hawkins. Although everyone came together to try to stop Vecna, the villainous monster, who is actually One, who is actually Henry Creel, succeeded in merging his evil world with the reality every day people inhabit. The party managed to injure Vecna and seemingly save Max from his clutches. However, the fallout remained apocalyptic. In the final moments of the season, the Upside Down’s ash arrives to cover everything, and a full-out war with the monstrous creatures of the dark world seems imminent.

While we don’t know much about Stranger Things 5 yet, we assume it will have just a little to do with how Stranger Things 4 ended. The Duffer brothers haven’t provided many plot specifics but have offered several teases about Stranger Things 5. Among other bits, they shared that the action will remain centered in Hawkins and that likely we’ll see an eight-episode season. Additionally, the Duffers have noted that Will Byers will take a central role in the final season.

Finally, the series’ creators describe Stranger Things 5 as follows, “Five, the way we see it, is kind of a culmination of all the seasons, so it’s sort of got a little bit from each… Whereas before, each season was so [distinct]… [Season] 3 is our big summer blockbuster season with big monsters, and [Season] 4 was the psychological horror. Five, the way we see it, is kind of a culmination of all the seasons, so it’s sort of got a little bit from each. I think that what we’re trying to do is go back to the beginning a little bit, in sort of the tone of 1.” Or, “Season 5 is like if season 1 and 4 had a baby. And then that baby was injected with steroids.” Make of that what you will.

You can take an official look at the season with a new behind-the-scenes featurette celebrating Stranger Things 5.

Behind the Scenes

Of course, the Duffer brothers, Matt and Ross Duffer, will once again take the helm of Stranger Things 5. Additionally, long-time Stranger Things director Shawn Levy will return to direct at least one episode of the season. Superstitiously, the Deadpool 3 director likes to take on episodes three and four if he can.

Ross Duffer is giving us a few peeks behind-the-scenes of Stranger Things 5. This includes a very rad photo of Steve in front of a radio station, a shred bin with a photo of our dearly departed Eddie shredding on his guitar, and some other fun bits. It makes us super excited for what’s to come.

Stranger Things 5‘s Cast

All our favorite characters and actors will be back for Stranger Things 5. We know for sure that Joyce Byers, Jim Hopper, Mike Wheeler, Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers, Eleven, Lucas Sinclair, Dustin Henderson, Will Byers, Karen Wheeler, Stever Harrington, Robin Buckley, and Murray Bauman will be back. (And with them, their respective actors.) Sadie Sink’s Max survived season four and should return with the rest. We, of course, are still holding the torch for the surprise resurrection of Joseph Quinn’s Eddie Munson. Stranger Things takes place in a supernatural world, after all. And it just wouldn’t be a good season without one Erica Sinclair.

When it comes to new faces, we know that Linda Hamilton has joined the cast of Stranger Things 5. But her role remains a secret for now. Additionally, Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly, and Alex Breaux have joined the cast.

Stranger Things 5‘s Release Date

Stranger Things 5 does not yet have a release date, but it will not arrive in 2024.

Originally published on January 4, 2024.

The post Sadie Sink Says Max Will ‘Run’ in STRANGER THINGS 5 appeared first on Nerdist.

“In space no can hear you scream,” but in a packed theater everyone can. Alien movies have made audiences do just that since Ridley Scott first brought a Xenomorph to the big screen in 1979. Now the iconic monster is set to return to theaters once again. While Noah Hawley is developing an Alien TV show, a new installment in the film franchise will premiere in 2024. Who will direct space’s most fearsome creature next? And how does this entry fit into series?

We know that Cailee Spaeny will lead the film as Rain, this generation’s version of Ellen Ripley. And we see how much Ripley’s legacy impacts Spaeny in this new featurette.

Here’s everything we know about Alien: Romulus so far.

Title

The ninth movie in the franchise is currently called Alien: Romulus. It’s unknown if that working title will ultimately be the film’s final one.

Alien: Romulus‘ Plot

The film is described as an “original stand-alone” entry unconnected to previous films. It will feature “a group of young people on a distant world” who “find themselves in a confrontation with the most terrifying life form in the universe.” We also learned that Romulus is set between Alien and Aliens on the franchise’s timeline.

Our latest sneak peek trailer gives us a good idea of what Alien: Romulus will feel like—suspenseful and scary. When you’re trapped in space with Xenomorphs, there’s nowhere to hide. You can take a look at the trailer below.

Here’s an official trailer and synopsis for the film.

The synopsis reads:

While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

Alvarez recently shared a bit more about the plot of Alien: Romulus, noting, “My first instinct, just to try something different that hasn’t been seen before, was to approach it from the angle of characters who are not professionals or scientists; they’re not even adults. I liked this concept of putting people in the front seat of the story who are closer to what the audience is — not that the audience is young, more that the audience is completely virgin to the realities of space. When the characters are professionals, they know more than you do. But when they’re still in their early 20s, they don’t know how to operate the f—ing airlock.”

The sibling dynamic is also at the center of this film, especially between the main character, Rain, and her brother, who is synthetic. In the Alien franchise, synthetics are often seen as antagonists, but this movie will paint these androids in a new light.

When the movie was originally intended to debut on Hulu, it was compared in scope to the original film in the franchise. For those trying to decipher any meaning from the film’s title, Romulus was the legendary founder of Rome and its first king.

Behind the Scenes

Director Fede Álvarez (Don’t Breathe, 2013’s Evil Dead) co-wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues. Ridley Scott is an executive producer on the film. Álvarez told Scott about his idea for the spinoff movie years prior, and Scott eventually reached out and asked Álvarez if he wanted to make it.

In early July 2023, the director announced on Instrgram the end of filming after nearly four months of shooting primarily in Budapest. His celebratory post would have made Red Auerbach proud.

Recently, star Isabela Merced shared some details about the film, including her praise of the terrifying practical Xenomorphs created for Alien: Romulus. She noted one of the highlights of her Alien: Romulus experience was seeing the Xenomorphs first time, offering “Definitely seeing the Xeno for the first time. They used a robot for that. And also, they used a human being, like a really tall person, in the costume and special effects. We had two Xenos on set, at all times, and they were just terrifying.”

She further adds, “The detail is incredible. I like the Xeno nails. That’s my favorite part, the chrome nails. I’m gonna get chrome nails for the premiere. You’ll see me with them all around. They were incredible.”

Alien: Romulus‘ Cast

Alien: Romulus stars Cailee Spaeny (Mare of Easttown). Joining her in the young cast are David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu.

Alien: Romulus‘ Release Date

Alien: Romulus will arrive in theaters on August 16, 2024.

The thin, warm summer air will help anyone in space hear audiences scream.

Originally published on August 9, 2023.

The post ALIEN: ROMULUS Featurette Spotlights Cailee Spaeny’s Rain and Honors Ellen Ripley appeared first on Nerdist.

The Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday’s adventures will continue in Doctor Who’s second season (which some are still calling season fifteen). For now, Ruby is back home and getting to know her birth mom but something will draw her into the TARDIS once again. Thankfully, the Doctor’s spaceship is bigger on the inside, which means there’s plenty of room for Belinda Chandra, a new companion coming to Doctor Who next season. We are oh-so-close to the Christmas special, which kicks things off for this next round. 

Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson opened up about Doctor Who season two in a Variety interview. Gibson says that the fourth episode was a favorite onset moment. “That [episode] was the first one I filmed and the biggest challenge,” said Gibson. “So I was so proud of how it came out.”

Gatwa said he truly got to soar as the Fifteenth Doctor in this next season. This totally makes sense now that this new era has a solid foundation. “Season two felt like a chance to flex the muscles properly,” Gatwa said. “So exciting. You’re fueled by the writing and by each new story, each new monster, each new addition into our world, there’s many in Season two. It’s just the fun of the show. I think that just drives you growing into the character.”

Here’s everything we know about Doctor Who season two so far. 

Doctor Who Season Two’s Plot

As usual, the plot for any Doctor Who season is a bit in flux most of the time. There could be more mystery to unveil with Ruby Sunday’s family, especially her father. And her neighbor Mrs. Flood is an enigma. For now, we have this teaser trailer for the Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special, which is called “Joy to the World.” 

Behind-the-Scenes

Alex Pillai will direct the Christmas special while Peter Hoar (“A Good Man Goes to War”) and Amanda Brotchie are directing two episodes each. Ben A. Williams and Makalla McPherson will direct one episode a piece to round out the six episode (plus the Christmas special) season. Steve Moffat is the writer for the Christmas special. Of course, Russell T Davies will continue as the showrunner. 

Doctor Who season two finished filming in May 2024. 

Doctor Who Season Two’s Cast

Millie Gibson and Ncuti Gatwa will continue their roles as Ruby Sunday and the Fifteenth Doctor. In addition to Varada Sethu’s role as new companion Belinda Chandra, Jonah Hauer-King will appear in the series. The Christmas special will also feature Bridgerton actress Nicola Coughlan. 

In the aforementioned Variety interview, Russell T. Davies shed some light on how Belinda Chandra will fit into the Doctor Who season two dynamic. “We see The Doctor and Ruby in a new light, and with a new friend,” Davies affirmed. “Like you’re saying, different friends bring out different aspects of you.”

Doctor Who Season Two’s Release Date 

Doctor Who season two will hit BBC One and Disney+ in 2025.

Originally published July 29, 2024.

The post Everything We Know About DOCTOR WHO Season 2 appeared first on Nerdist.

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.

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

Title

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 Step‘s Plot

The film gave SDCC attendees a glimpse into its world, which takes place in a retro-futuristic 1960s NYC. There’s not many other plot details to glean from it outside of that at this time.

Behind 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.

Speaking to The Official Marvel podcast, Kevin Feige confirmed exactly when The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie would begin to film. He revealed, “We start shooting at the end of July… The day after [San Diego] Comic-Con is the first day of filming on Fantastic Four.” That means The Fantastic Four: First Steps begins filming on in late July. He also confirmed that the movie would be a period piece set in the 1960s.

The fantastic quartet—Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach—are already hanging out for their “first mission.” Pascal shared the candid photo of the cast on his IG page.

The Fantastic Four: First Step‘s 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.

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.

The Fantastic Four: First Step‘s Release Date

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

Originally published on December 22, 2023.

The post Everything We Know About THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS appeared first on Nerdist.

Borderlands made a splash when Gearbox Software debuted it on multiple gaming platforms in 2009. The video game is an open-world action roleplaying first-shooter and features a plethora of fiercely violent madcap characters. The game follows a core group of four Vault Hunters who are traveling to the planet Pandora (not to be confused with Avatar‘s Pandora) to look for the Vault. This stash supposedly has riches, glory, and fancy alien tech that many factions want to get their hands on first. A movie based on this game has been in the works since 2015, and now, it will finally make its way to theaters.

We’ve had a few first-look images of the Borderlands movie, and they look good. And at CCXP Mexico City, fans got to watch a sneak peek of the film. Via an Entertainment Weekly interview, Randy Pitchford, CEO of Borderlands creators Gearbox, gave us some insight into whether this film would follow the path laid by its video games.

“We’re not retelling a story that we’ve told in the video games,” he affirmed. “We’ve created a cinematic universe that lives in parallel to the video game universe and can live in an independent timeline. It feels like Borderlands, but you don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Here’s everything we know about the Borderlands movie so far.

Title

This video game movie adaptation will be called Borderlands.

Borderland’s Plot

Lionsgate shared an official plot synopsis on April 5, 2021:

Two-time Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett teams up with Kevin Hart in director Eli Roth’s Borderlands. Lilith (Blanchett), an infamous outlaw with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home planet of Pandora to find the missing daughter of the universe’s most powerful S.O.B., Atlas (Ramirez). Lilith forms an alliance with an unexpected team – Roland (Hart), a former elite mercenary, now desperate for redemption; Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg (Munteanu), Tina’s musclebound, rhetorically challenged protector; Tannis (Curtis), the scientist with a tenuous grip on sanity; and Claptrap (Black), a persistently wiseass robot.

These unlikely heroes must battle alien monsters and dangerous bandits to find and protect the missing girl, who may hold the key to unimaginable power. The fate of the universe could be in their hands – but they’ll be fighting for something more: each other. Based on the game from Gearbox and 2K, one of the bestselling videogame franchises of all time, welcome to Borderlands.

We really love this fresh Borderlands trailer that details this wild universe.

In some exciting news, we finally have our first good look at the live-action Borderlands movie. Lionsgate released two first-look images from Borderlands, which reveal one close-up of Cate Blanchett’s Lilith and one shot of the whole team. The team, of course, includes Kevin Hart’s Roland, an ex-soldier, Ariana Greenblatt’s Tiny Tina, a teenage explosives expert, Florian Munteanu’s Krieg, Tiny Tina’s bodyguard, Jamie Lee Curtis’ Tannis, a strange scientist/doctor, and Jack Black’s Claptrap, who is a robot.

Behind the Scenes

Eli Roth, best known for his horror films, is set as the director. Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) is writing. Mazin is also working on HBO’s The Last of Us TV series. Producers for the Borderlands movie include Avi and Ari Arad, and Erik Feig, with executive producers Randy Pitchford (who served as executive producer on the game) and Strauss Zelnick. Deadpool‘s Tim Miller handled reshoots.

Borderland‘s Cast

And now we’re to the most exciting news about the Borderlands movie: the star power. Cate Blanchett landed the role of Lilith, the film’s lead. Kevin Hart will play Roland, a soldier. Lilith and Roland are two of the game’s Vault Hunters. Edgar Ramirez will play Atlas, who is the most powerful man in the video game’s universe. (Naturally, that means he’s a businessman and arms manufacturer.)

Jamie Lee Curtis has signed on for the film too, playing Tannis, an archaeologist. And we also know Jack Black will voice Claptrap, the game’s recognizable sassy robot sidekick. IGN reported on April 6, 2021 that Dutch bodybuilder Olivier Richters will play Krom. Additionally, Ariana Greenblatt and Florian Munteanu will star as Tiny Tina and Krieg, respectively.

The rest of the cast includes Gina Gershon as Moxxi, Cheyenne Jackson as Jakobs, Charles Babalola as Hammerlock, Benjamin Byron Davis as Marcus, Steven Boyer as Scooter, and Ryann Redmond as Ellie. In addition, Bobby Lee is also joining the cast in the new role of Larry.

We have a look at the movie, courtesy of star Jamie Lee Curtis and Lionsgate. It’s only the silhouettes of characters, but still:

Borderland‘s Release Date

Borderlands will release in theaters on August 9, 2024.

Originally published on April 2, 2021.

The post BORDERLANDS Movie Will Be a ‘Parallel Universe’ to the Video Games appeared first on Nerdist.

We’ve known that a Blade movie is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2019. Who can forget with the film’s star—Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali—put on a hat that said “BLADE!” and caused an excited uproar in San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H?! Though there have been some ups and downs with this movie, hopefully, we’ll only see smooth sailing for our favorite vampire from here on out.

Kevin Feige himself spoke about the movie recently, specifically its rating in light of Deadpool & Wolverine‘s R rating, a first for Marvel Studios.

“I mean, for the last two years as we’ve been trying to crack that movie, the most important thing for us is not rushing it and making sure we are making the right Blade movie,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “Because there were some great Blade movies years ago — they were all rated-R. So I think that’s, like Deadpool, inherent with the character of Blade.”

Here’s everything we know about the upcoming Blade movie.

Title

The title of this movie is simple: Blade.

Blade‘s Plot

Right now, we don’t have any plot details for Blade. But, we can imagine the film will borrow from the character’s comic origins. Blade debuted in the tenth issue of Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula comic back in 1973, from writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan. He quickly became a supremely popular character, a half-vampire killer of vampires and other occult baddies. Blade first made it to the big screen in 1998 starring Wesley Snipes. Two sequels followed—one of them good—but eventually, that franchise sort of fell by the wayside.

We do know that Blade will be rated R; the rating was recently confirmed by the movie’s director Yann Demange. Blade marks the second MCU movie to receive an R-rating, although we bet that it will be a very different R-rated experience than Deadpool 3. The rating opens up a whole new world of possibilities for the MCU movie and we can’t wait to see what how they will manifest.

Behind the Scenes

Playwright Stacy Osei-Kuffour (Watchmen) wrote an early draft of the script. In 2021, Bassam Tariq confirmed he would direct the film via The Playlist podcast. However, Tariq left the project in 2022.

The director offered a brief statement about his experience with Blade.

After Tariq’s departure, Lovecraft Country‘s Yann Demange came aboard as Blade‘s new director. However, Demange has also now left the project. In addition, Michael Starrbury wrote a new script for the vampiric movie at that point. According to The Hollywood Reporter, True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto also joined the project to work off of Starrbury’s script as well. Additionally, Michael Green was involved with writing a Blade script in 2023.

Most recently, in the summer of 2024, Eric Pearson joined the MCU’s Blade film to write its latest script. Reportedly, Marvel’s latest plan is to write a new script over the summer and then try to find yet another new director. Hopefully, whoever comes aboard this time will actually be able to deliver a movie.

Blade‘s Cast

As mentioned above, two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali will play the daywalking half-vampire badass in the upcoming Blade movie.

Delroy Lindo was originally slated to join Ali in film. We never formally learned who Lindo was playing, but we thought he could be Jamal Afari, who in the comics raised Blade and taught him all about vampire slaying. Unfortunately, due to shifts in production, Lindo has since exited the movie. Actor Aaron Pierre left the cast as well.

As we saw (or rather, heard) at the end of Eternals, Kit Harington will cross paths with Blade, reprising his role as Dane Whitman. No word yet on the status of that crossover in the new Blade iterations. Deadline has also previously reported that X and Pearl star Mia Goth intended to join the cast in an unspecified role. Once again, there is no official word on whether this casting is still in play, however, Goth recently addressed her role in the movie, seeming to indicate she is still in the mix.

Blade‘s Release Date

The Blade Marvel movie was meant to arrive in theaters on November 7, 2025. However, with all the changes made to the movie over time, it seems like that release date will likely get pushed.

Originally published on July 20, 2019.

The post Kevin Feige Says MCU Blade Movie Will Likely Be Rated R appeared first on Nerdist.

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

In a post on his Instagram story, Ryan Reynolds also gave us a closer look at Cassandra Nova’s sling ring. It looks like two infinity stones, the Time Stone and the Reality Stone, might be appended to it. We guess we’ll have to wait and see just how that works.

Deadpool & Wolverine‘s latest teaser trailer brings yet another new Deadpool into the mix. This time it’s Lady Deadpool.

We can’t wait to find out who will be playing this red-clad gal. Additionally, Cowboy Deadpool also makes an appearance.

Here is everything we know so far about Deadpool & Wolverine.

Title

Thanks to a Super Bowl trailer (check it out below!), we know that this film, formerly called Deadpool 3, is actually Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Plot

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

While originally, Deadpool & Wolverine was called Deadpool 3, director Shawn Levy wants to make sure fans understand that the title change is not just cosmetic. Levy notes to Screen Rant:

As far as crafting the Deadpool & Wolverine story, I just felt privileged every day because you’re talking about two massive movie stars in their most iconic roles. It also gave me an opportunity. It’s the third Deadpool movie, but it’s not Deadpool 3. It’s a different thing that’s very much Deadpool and Wolverine. And it’s not trying to copycat anything from the first two movies. They were awesome, but this is a two-hander character adventure.

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

Dogpool, of course, will also star.

Make sure to follow him on Instagram.

We also now know what Deadpool & Wolverine‘s new official logo looks like thanks to a fun poster.

Deadpool & Wolverine will, of course, be the first R-rated movie in the MCU. And that means it’s not pulling any punches. In fact, its latest official synopsis drops two F-bombs. Let’s take a look:

Marvel Studios presents their most significant mistake to date—Deadpool & Wolverine. A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life. His days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. When his homeworld faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again with an even more reluctantlier… reluctanter? Reluctantest? He must convince a reluctant Wolverine to—Fuck. Synopses are so fucking stupid.

Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Cast

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

Behind the Scenes

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

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

Deadpool & Wolverine Release Date

Deadpool & Wolverine will arrive on July 26, 2024.

Originally published on January 4, 2023.

The post Are Those Infinity Stones on Cassandra Nova’s Sling Ring From DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE? appeared first on Nerdist.

Universal isn’t waiting around to relaunch one of its signature franchises. The studio is already developing a seventh film Jurassic Park/World movie. And it won’t take long to arrive in theaters. Universal has already carved out a prime 2025 summer release date. Who will star in it? Who is making it? And what is it about?

We do know that Scarlett Johansson is a part of the cast. And she’s getting quite the humorous and warm welcome by Jurassic Park franchise alum Jeff Goldblum. According to Variety, the video popped up during her NBC interview about her upcoming rom-com Fly Me to the Moon. Jeff warned her to not get eaten… unless that is what she desires.

Here’s everything we know about the new Jurassic World movie so far.

Title

As of now, the new Jurassic Park/Jurassic World movie remains untitled.

New Jurassic World Movie’s Plot

The untitled movie also lacks an official synopsis. What we do know is that it will explore a “new” Jurassic era and story, in what it being described as a franchise reboot. If history is any guide it will also launch another trilogy. (Jurassic Planet? Jurassic Universe?)

New Jurassic World Cast

The upcoming Jurassic World movie will feature an all-new cast headlined by original Avenger Scarlett Johansson. Rupert Friend (Obi-Wan Kenobi) is also getting in on the modern prehistoric mayhem. Other performers reportedly in discussion to join the film include Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton), Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer), Luna Blaise (Manifest), and two-time Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali.

Behind the Scenes

David Koepp, who wrote both Jurassic Park and its sequel The Lost World, is returning to pen the franchise’s seventh installment. Rogue One‘s Gareth Edwards will direct after The Fall Guy‘s David Leitch stepped down. Filming will begin this year and will have a quick post-production timeline.

Jurassic World trilogy producer Frank Marshall is returning for the series’ latest installment. Series alum Patrick Crowley is also back for dinosaur mayhem. And original franchise director Steven Spielberg is also serving as an executive producer via Amblin Entertainment.

The latest news about the new Jurassic World suggests the movie is heading to Thailand. Per Variety, we saw that Thailand’s Natural Resources and Environment Minister Phatcharavat Wongsuwan noted that Thailand is honored to host the filming, however “It is strictly required that they comply with relevant laws and regulations, and must not affect and damage natural resources and the environment.” That sounds like a fair deal to us.

New Jurassic World Movie’s Release Date

We won’t have to wait long for Universal’s new Jurassic World movie. It will come to theaters on July 2, 2025.

The post Jeff Goldblum Sends JURASSIC WORLD Star Scarlett Johansson a Funny Welcome Video appeared first on Nerdist.

The Boys hit Prime Video back in 2019 and TV hasn’t been quite the same since. Over the past three seasons we’ve watched a band of morally corrupt supes maim, kill, and completely destroy lives without remorse. And, no matter how much the Boys try to mitigate the Seven’s impact, it seems that nothing can stop the worst of them all—Homelander—from becoming an increasing threat. So, what does the future hold for these characters? That remains to be fully seen next season.

Based on this first-look clip, we do know that Ryan is still with Homelander and doesn’t intend on leaving any time soon. We also know that Butcher is legit dying because Homelander can see a black mass swirling around his brain. Oof.

Here’s everything we know about The Boys season four so far. 

The Boys Season Four’s Plot 

Here’s a quick synopsis for The Boys season four:

In Season Four, the world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son as well as his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.

We also have an awesome trailer and it is very on brand. Homelander has some new friends and they are as twisted as he is. And there’s some cameos from Gen V as well.

Showrunner Eric Kripke’s previously told Deadline that the Gen V college spinoff would affect the events of The Boys season four. Now that Gen V has come to an end—after featuring multiple cameos from the original show—we have a better idea how it might. Gen V featured the creation of a deadly supe-killing virus which Victoria Neuman now possesses. The Boys know about it, though, and Billy Butcher personally inspected The Woods, the experimental Vought lab facility beneath Godolkin University. Homelander also locked up some truly heroic young supes, who might now be ready to take on Vought if they can escape from the company.

There are also these fun posters with Butcher and Homelander being their glorious selves. Kripke also notes that this season is the craziest one yet. That’s intriguing and also terrifying.

We do know that there will be copious amounts of fighting, as these posters suggest. I just wanna know who that is with the American flag painted on their face and bunny ears. A Starlight supporter, perhaps? Also, Homelander is very scary on his own poster.

Read more about the connections between both shows and what they mean for The Boys’ fourth season.

• What Gen V’s Season 1 Finale Means For The Boys
• Here’s How The Boys Characters Showed Up On Gen V’s First Season
• Every New Gen V Hero And Their Powers On The Boys’ Spinoff

In the meantime, we have the title of episode one for The Boys upcoming fourth season.

Behind the Scenes 

Eric Kripke will continue to be the showrunner for The Boys season four. The season began filming in August 2022.

The Boys Season Four’s Cast

The titular crew is coming back for another round with Karl Urban (Billy Butcher), Jack Quaid (Hughie Campbell), Tomer Capone (Frenchie), Karen Fukuhara (Kimiko), Laz Alonso (Mother’s Milk), and Erin Moriarty (Starlight) reprising their roles. From the evil supes (and those who support them) side, Antony Starr (Homelander), Jessie T. Usher (A-Train), Chace Crawford (The Deep), Colby Minifie (Ashley Barrett), and Claudia Doumit (Victoria Neuman) will return. Giancarlo Esposito will also make his way back onto the show. It’s not clear if Dominique McElligott will return as Queen Maeve. But we do know that Black Noir actor Nathan Mitchell will return as a new person in that infamous suit. 

We have some questions about what’s going on with the Seven. Entertainment Weekly shared a new image of the supe team, which includes some new faces we are shocked to see like Sister Sage and Firecracker. So much for Marie Moreau becoming the first Black woman of the Seven, not that she’d want to at this point anyway.

There’s also the new Black Noir, and we aren’t sure if he’s someone we haven’t met before or perhaps someone like Sam Riordan in the suit. Who will be the seventh member considering Starlight is one of the Boys now? Maybe Cate Dunlap is stepping into that role.

In August 2022, Variety revealed that Cameron Crovetti—who plays Ryan—will be upped to a series regular. Newcomers Valorie Curry and Susan Hayward will portray Firecracker and Sister Sage. They are not comic book characters, so fans will have to wait and see how they fit into the season’s puzzle. Jeffrey Dean Morgan will join the cast, too. We still don’t know anything about his character but he doesn’t seem to be a supe.

The Boys Season Four’s Release Date 

The Boys season four will hit Prime Video on June 13 with its first three episodes followed by weekly releases for the rest of the season.

Originally published on October 10, 2022.

The post THE BOYS Season 4 Drops a Clip With Butcher Trying to Save Ryan From Homelander appeared first on Nerdist.

The next few years are going to bring about many exciting Star Wars series to Disney+, including Ahsoka and further adventures for The Mandalorian and Andor. But one, in particular, announced in 2020, is The Acolyte.

In a wholesome video, Anakin Skywalker himself, Hayden Christensen, welcomes The Acolyte‘s Amandla Stenberg to the world of Star Wars. Christensen offers, “I just wanted to send you a quick message to say congratulations. And I’m very excited for the show, and wanted to wish you all the best and welcome you to our Star Wars family. Hopefully I’ll get to meet you soon, maybe at a Star Wars Celebration or something.” This is the kind of content we love to see.

Here’s everything we know about The Acolyte, a set a century before the events of the Skywalker Saga.

Title

The official title for the upcoming Lucasfilm Star Wars series is The Acolyte. Its official title may or may not wind up as Star Wars: The Acolyte.

The Acolyte’s Plot

The Acolyte‘s trailer gives us our first good look at the series, which cautions that even in times of peace, evil is always rising. A synopsis shared with the trailer reveals:

In “Star Wars: The Acolyte,” an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems….

When Disney officially announced the series back in December 2020, we got a slightly different description, which noted:

The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated. 

We’ve also learned that the drama unfolds about a century before the events of The Phantom Menace, during a time when the Sith were still in hiding, getting ready to make their move to take over the galaxy. Aside from canon novels, the High Republic is an era totally unexplored in any live-action or animated Star Wars projects.

Behind the Scenes

Leslye Headland is on board as writer and producer. Headland also directed the premiere episodes (Eps. 101 & 102). A release shares, “Directors Kogonada (Eps. 103 & 107), Alex Garcia Lopez (Eps. 104 & 105) and Hanelle Culpepper (Eps. 106 & 108) round out the directing duties on the series.”

The Acolyte’s Cast

The Acolyte‘s cast is turning out better than we could have imagined. Playing the lead role in the show is Amandla Stenberg, recently seen in Bodies Bodies Bodies. Joining Stenberg are Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Joonas Suotamo. Suotamo is playing a Wookiee and Henderson will portray Vernestra Rwoh. This High Republic character was one of the youngest ever to become Jedi Knight. Of course, we’ll see her much older in this Star Wars series.

In The Acolyte, the green-skinned Jedi Master, played by Rebecca Henderson, is a cool 116 years old and lives in the temple on Coruscant. In an interview with Empire, series creator Leslye Headland affirms that Rwoh is the only character from that book series who will be in The Acolyte …at least, for now. Headland speaks more on the character’s personality, saying she’s been through a lot. “That has resulted in her going from this fun-seeking adventurer character [in the books], to a little bit closer to the [type of] Jedi that we see in The Phantom Menace.”

The Acolyte‘s Release Date

The Acolyte will release on June 4, 2024. It will premiere with its first two episodes.

Originally published on May 10, 2023.

The post Hayden Christensen Welcomes THE ACOLYTE’s Amandla Stenberg to the STAR WARS World appeared first on Nerdist.

Video game fans have been safely enjoying the excitement/terror of a post-nuclear wasteland since 1997. That’s when Fallout and its ’50s-era Cold War aesthetic first came to stores. Since then countless sequels and spinoffs have turned the game into one of genre’s most successful franchises. Now Fallout is ready to conquer another medium entirely. It’s getting its very own show from Amazon. What kind of story can gamers expect from the Prime Video Fallout adaptation? Who’s behind it, and who will star in it? And when will we get a chance to see it?

If you’re a big Fallout fan, you also may have noticed the main title changed with every episode. If you didn’t catch that, it’s the perfect excuse to rewatch.

The Fallout series has now released on Prime Video. Here you can find a non-spoilery rundown of everything there is to know about Prime Video’s Fallout series.

Title

Prime Video’s adaptation will share the same name as the original game, Fallout.

Fallout‘s Plot

We officially have our first full look at the Fallout series. Prime Video released the first trailer for the show and it teases a dangerous wasteland of a world. But it’s clear the show understands its dark humor as well.

Prime Video has shared an official Fallout series synopsis, setting us up for what’s to come. It reveals, “Based on one of the greatest video game series of all time, Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. 200 years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind — and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird, and highly violent universe waiting for them.“

Additionally, we know that the series is “set in the future post-apocalyptic Los Angeles.” It will also tell an “original story based on Fallout that will be part of the canon of the games.” 

The first image from the show featured a glimpse at the franchise’s all-new Vault 33. And more recent looks have revealed Fallout‘s main characters including Walton Goggins’ The Ghoul, Ella Purnell’s Lucy, Aaron Moten’s Maximus, and Kyle MacLachlan’s Overseer Hank.

Click To View Gallery

There will also be an adorable animal involved. In the Fallout games, a dog called Dogmeat exists as an NPC companion character that accompanies players on their adventures. According to a blog post from Amazon, the live-action Fallout series’ cute canine isn’t called Dogmeat, but instead is named CX404. But this pup, too, will serve “as a companion navigating the post-apocalyptic world.”

Behind the Scenes

Fallout comes from Bethesda Game Studios, Bethesda Softworks, and Kilter Films. The latter is the production company of executive producers Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan, creators of HBO’s Westworld.

Writers Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner will also serve Fallout co-showrunners and executive producers. Nolan directs the first three episodes.

Fallout‘s Cast

The show stars: Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets), Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight), Aaron Moten (Emancipation), Moisés Arias (The King of Staten Island), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks), Sarita Choudhury (Homeland), Michael Emerson (Person of Interest), Leslie Uggams (Deadpool), Frances Turner (The Boys), Dave Register (Heightened), Zach Cherry (Severance), Johnny Pemberton (Ant-Man), Rodrigo Luzzi (Dead Ringers), Annabel O’Hagan (Law & Order: SVU), and Xelia Mendes-Jones (The Wheel of Time). 

Fallout‘s Release Date

The Fallout show began its post-apocalyptic adventure on April 11, 2024. All episodes of Fallout released at once.

Originally published on October 23, 2023.

The post FALLOUT’s Main Title changed with Every Episode appeared first on Nerdist.

House of the Dragon’s first season flew in with all the drama, shocking moments, and, of course, dragons that fans expect from this universe. Season one took us back many decades before Daenerys Targaryen’s birth to show us the events leading to the decline of the mighty House Targaryen. Now, we are fully locked into the fury that Rhaenyra will rain upon her former BFF Alicent and her supporters after Jace’s death. What does the future hold for these warring factions? We shall see what happens in this upcoming season.

Showrunner Ryan Condal says the season starts “a couple of days” after the end of season one when “all the wounds are fresh.” He also said that after all the time jumps of season one the show’s next outing moves “methodically,” though that certainly doesn’t mean House of the Dragon won’t be exciting.

Here’s everything we know about House of the Dragon season two so far. 

House of the Dragon Season Two’s Plot 

The show is based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, so book fans have a general sense of where this show will go. Of course, there will be some creative liberties taken, but the obvious “Dance of the Dragons” between Team Rhaenyra (the Black Queen) and Team Alicent will happen. Rhaenyra and her uncle-husband Daemon will wage war against Aegon II, Alicent’s son and the newly crowned king.

House Velaryon stands with the “Blacks” along with their massive navy. On the other side is the “Greens” with Alicent, her father Otto Hightower, Ser Criston Cole, and her son Aemond, the rider of Vhagar, the largest dragon in the world. There is no longer a chance at mediation as Rhaenyra’s rage takes over. 

Click To View Gallery

The battle between the Greens and Blacks is further set up with these gorgeous posters featuring Alicent and Rhaenyra and first-look images of the season (pictured above).

George R.R. Martin himself has seen the first two episodes and said on his blog that they were “very dark.” Now, we all know you literally can’t see things sometimes on this show. But we are sure he means the tone and action are not pleasant. He also said the episodes are “powerful, emotional, gut-wrenching, heart rending” and “may make you cry.” Let’s prepare for heartbreak, especially because the season will open with Rhaenyra’s own broken heart.

What it will do, though, is keep Daemon and Rhaenyra far apart as he tries to put together an army at Harrenhal far away from her. How will that space add to her distrust of him? How will being unmoored from his Queen wife make him more dangerous? Time (and dragons) will tell.

Behind the Scenes 

House of the Dragon co-creator and executive producer Ryan Condal will continue on as a showrunner; however, his season one co-showunner Miguel Sapochnik will not return for season two. George R.R. Martin will continue his involvement as an executive producer. This time, fans will get eight episodes, which is two fewer than the first season.

In a featurette, House of the Dragon‘s cast and creators promise season two will be even bigger than the first. They tease a “nuclear” chapter filled with, of course, even more dragons than ever before. Take a look below.

House of the Dragon Season Two’s Cast

After many time jumps and casting changes in season one, House of the Dragon’s second season will stick with the faces we know now. And boy are there a lot of characters in this show. Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy will return as Daemon and Rhaenyra Targaryen. Olivia Cooke (Alicent), Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen), Steve Toussaint (Corlys Velaryon), Fabien Frankel (Ser Criston Cole), Ewan Mitchell (Aemond Targaryen), Tom Glynn-Carney (Aegon Targaryen), Sonoya Mizuno (Mysaria), Matthew Needham (Larys Strong) and Rhys Ifans (Otto Hightower) are also set to round out the main cast. 

Simon Russell Beale, Freddie Fox, Gayle Rankin, and Abubakar Salim have joined the series as well, according to Deadline. Beale plays Ser Simon Strong, Castellan of Harrenhal. Fox is Ser Gwayne Hightower. Rankin is Alys Rivers, and Salim is Alyn of Hull.

The series revealed new cast members at CCXP 2023, including Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull, Jamie Kenna as Ser Alfred Broome, Kieran Bew as Hugh, Tom Bennett as Ulf, Tom Taylor as Lord Cregan Stark, and Vincent Regan as Ser Rickard Thorne.

House of the Dragon Season Two’s Release Date 

House of the Dragon season two will premiere on June 16, 2024.

Originally published on May 8, 2023.

The post HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Season 2 Begins Days After Season 1 appeared first on Nerdist.

Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man Universe is ever-expanding. Coming up very soon is Kraven the Hunter. Sony’s Kraven the Hunter film has been in the works for some time now, but it has finally turned a corner. With Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven, suiting up for his third different superhero project, we know we’re in for… something.

Alas, we’ll have to wait a while longer to know exactly what though. Kraven the Hunter has been delayed for a third time. The movie was originally meant to be released in January 2023 and was then moved to October 2023. After that Kraven shifted its release date to August 2024. Now Kraven the Hunter is slated to release on December 13, 2024. Hopefully this release date takes.

According to producer Matt Tolmach, the reason for the move was actually a positive one. Tolmach noted, “Kraven moved to Christmas because we’re excited about it, and Christmas is the best release period there is when you get people with time to go back to the movies over and over again. That was a real reflection of how the studio felt about the movie. We’re really excited. But that’s a great move that reflects just the feeling about the movie.” If that’s true, it’s good news. But we’ll have to wait (hopefully just until December) and see to know for sure.

Here’s everything we know about Sony’s Kraven the Hunter movie.

Title

The film is named Kraven the Hunter, after its central character.

Kraven the Hunter’s Plot

In the original Marvel Comics, Sergei Kravinoff is born into an aristocratic Russian family. He becomes a world-famous international big-game hunter, who tries to catch the ultimate and elusive prize: Spider-Man. The villain first shows up in The Amazing Spider-Man #15 (1964). The Stan Lee/Steve Ditko creation is a founding member of the Sinister Six. Later stories show witch doctor Calypso giving Kravinoff an herbal potion, granting him enhanced speed and senses that match those of a wild jungle cat.

In Kraven the Hunter, it seems like we’ll get an origin story for the Spider-Man villain. Take a look at the movie’s official trailer below.

Unlike Venom, the character of Kraven has never had a shelf life outside of being a Spider-Man villain. So it’s hard to see how they are going to create a narrative around the character that doesn’t involve the wall-crawler in some form. There is no news of Tom Holland appearing in the movie so far.

Kraven the Hunter will unsurprisingly be Sony’s first R-rated Marvel movie. As Aaron Taylor-Johnson eloquently noted at Sony’s panel at CinemaCon 2023, “Will it be rated-R? F**k yes, it will be rated R.”

Behind the Scenes

A Most Violent Year’s J.C. Chandor is directing a script from Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Richard Wenk, with Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and David Householter producing.

Kraven the Hunter’s Cast

The upcoming film is anchored by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who is playing Kraven the Hunter. Joining him are Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, and Alessandro Nivola. Crowe will play Kraven’s father. Meanwhile, Nivola will play classic Spider-Man villain Rhino, and Hechinger will act as Kraven’s brother, Chameleon. DeBose will play Calypso.

Additionally, Deadline reports that Christopher Abbott will join Kraven the Hunter. Although unconfirmed, the publication shares that Abbot will play the film’s main villain, the Foreigner. In the comics, Foreigner is a Spider-Man villain with the ability to induce hypnotic trances. Otherwise, it is his skills in martial arts and mastery of weaponry that makes him a threat. As we learn more about Kraven the Hunter‘s plot, we will see how this character comes to exist on the screen.

Kraven the Hunter’s Release Date

Kraven the Hunter will now arrive in theaters on December 13, 2024.

Originally published on May 26, 2021.

The post KRAVEN THE HUNTER Movie Delayed a Third Time to December 2024 appeared first on Nerdist.

Sixty years after its TV debut, Doctor Who is still going strong and heading into yet another era. Ncuti Gatwa, who will portray the Fifteenth Doctor, has taken over the TARDIS with Russell T Davies leading the way once again as a showrunner.  This era doesn’t have an official name yet—we are calling it the Bad Wolf era for now—but Davies is setting it apart from the modern era’s 13 seasons by dubbing it season one. (It will not reboot nor ignore previous events.) What can we expect from this fresh slate of stories across time and space?

Well, we do know that Steven Moffat is in the mix. His episode, titled “Boom,” is highly-anticipated among fans and he confirmed that he also penned the 2024 Christmas special titled “Joy to the World.”

Here’s what we know about Doctor Who season one, which is not season 14 after all.

Doctor Who Season One’s Plot 

Doctor Who always teeters between a season-long arc and weekly adventures. Who knows what will happen in Ncuti Gatwa’s first season as the Doctor?! We know there will be lots of villains, time-traveling, and tough decisions made by The Doctor. This season will have eight episodes and here are the titles:

Ruby Sunday’s mysterious background, which was established in the Christmas special, will play a major role this season. In an Entertainment Weekly interview, Russell T Davies revealed that the inspiration behind her character’s arc comes from the Doctor’s rather controversial “Timeless Child” revelation during Thirteen’s era. In that, we discover the Doctor is an orphan who was not born on Gallifrey and came from an unknown planet. Could this mean that Ruby Sunday is not from Earth? It is possible.

This wonderful Doctor Who Season 1 trailer gives us a glimpse into the upcoming adventures of the Doctor and Ruby Sunday. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long to see them because the new series will air in May 2024!

There’s also the new Doctor Who title sequence, which we first saw during the 60th Anniversary specials, has Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson’s names. It’s truly an exciting time to be a fan.

Behind the Scenes

As previously stated, Russell T Davies is back as the showrunner for Doctor Who. The list of directors include Dylan Holmes Williams, Mark Tonderai, Julie Anne Robinson, Ben Chessell, and Jamie Donoghue. Composer Murray Gold also returns to the show as a composer. Doctor Who also confirmed that Steven Moffat will return to pen an episode of Ncuti Gatwa’s first season. We don’t know many details yet but Julie Ann Robinson is directing. According to a release, Robinson says the episode will have Hitchcockian vibes. Interesting. Bad Wolf Studios (named after the Rose/Nine story arc) is now a co-producer of the series. Doctor Who season one wrapped filming in July 2023 and is already working on season two.

In fact, Ruby and Fifteen will get a new traveling friend in season two, coming in 2025. Varada Sethu will be the new companion at that time. Hopefully, Gatwa will get his chance to face the Daleks. “I’ve heard chats about me not ever facing a Dalek,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “I’d be so angry if that’s the case! By the time that I’m done with Doctor Who, I better have faced a Dalek… What on earth would be the point of me being Doctor Who without facing a Dalek!” 

Davies is already teasing a set from the 2024 Christmas special titled “Joy to the World.” It will be interesting to see where Fifteen and Ruby’s friendship is by this point and if the new companion will make her debut.

Doctor Who Season One’s Cast

Millie Gibson will co-star alongside Gatwa’s Doctor as Ruby Sunday. It will be exciting to see their relationship unfold because they make quite the stylish pair. The Christmas special cast includes Davina McCall, a popular British TV personality who will be playing herself. Michelle Greenidge will play Ruby’s mother Carla, Angela Wynter is Ruby’s grandmother Cherry, and Anita Dobson portrays Mrs. Flood.

Now, for the remainder of the season. Bonnie Langford will reprise her role as Sixth/Seventh Doctor companion Mel Bush and Jemma Redgrave is coming back as UNIT boss Kate Stewart. There are quite a few new faces coming to Doctor Who, including Lenny Rush as Morris, Aneurin Barnard as Roger ap Gwilliam, and Indira Varma as the Duchess. Jonathan Groff and Jinx Monsoon are also joining the cast in roles that have yet to be fully defined. Monsoon will portray “the Doctor’s most powerful enemy yet,” while Groff will appear in a historical episode. Golda Rosheuvel will portray Jocelyn in “Space Babies.”

Doctor Who Season One’s Release Date

Doctor Who season one will hit Disney+ on May 10, 2024 with its first two episodes at 7PM ET. The season will be 10 episodes with the others releasing weekly.

Originally published on November 28, 2023.

The post Steven Moffat Wrote the DOCTOR WHO 2024 Christmas Special appeared first on Nerdist.

The Wheel of Time only recently wrapped season two. The exciting finale took fans further into Robert Jordan’s fantasy book series of the same name. And the story will continue in season three, which Prime Video greenlit in summer 2022. While we don’t know a ton about what’s ahead, The Wheel of Time showrunner Rafe Judkins has teased some information.

Most recently, Judkins revealed that “The first 15 minutes of Season 3 is one of the most bonkers set pieces I’ve ever seen on television. I was just watching it this week and it is absolutely bananas what our team pulled off … just a bunch of women in their 40s and 50s shredding each other, and it is wonderful to behold.” The phrase “shredding each other” sure does paint some fascinating pictures. We guess we’ll have to wait and see what mayhem is in store for us in the first minutes of The Wheel of Time‘s third season.

Here’s everything we know about season three of The Wheel of Time so far.

The Wheel of Time Season 3’s Plot

The Wheel of Time season three will pull mostly from The Shadow Rising, book four of the series. Judkins appeared at New York Comic Con in October 2023 mentioning that and also that the season will bring in elements from book five, The Fires of Heaven, too. Judkins noted the season will have more Forsaken and an exploration of Dreamwalking, which we saw a little of in season two. Additionally, the next season will focus more on Rand or Perrin.

Judkins said, “Every season, we sit down in the writers room and one of the things that we do at the very beginning is pick out a couple of the stories that we have to carve out a space to make a whole episode for. We think it’s worth it because those stories will really stand out to an audience, especially that didn’t read the books. They’re given that time, and it’s carved out, so they can really follow that character on that journey.”

Season three will return to the Two Rivers, visit the Aiel Waste and Rhuidean, and go to Tanchicho and bring in the Sea Folk.

Behind the Scenes

Prime Video hasn’t officially shared a director list or anything for season three of The Wheel of Time. We know the season has been filming for months. Executive producer Marigo Kehoe told The Hollywood Reporter they had scripts in place before they began filming, so the WGA strike didn’t cause delays. The cast is on Equity contracts rather than SAG-AFTRA, so that strike hasn’t pushed production either.

It sounds like season three will have eight episodes, following seasons one and two.

The Wheel of Time Season 3’s Cast

The cast for The Wheel of Time season three hasn’t been confirmed yet. We expect to see all existing characters return, obviously. Even if someone has died in the series, you shouldn’t count them out. We expect to see some new faces from the books, too, including Elaida, an Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah. Judkins has also said we’ll see more members of the Forsaken. He said, “I can confirm that we have cast and put on set a Forsaken you have not seen in the show as of yet.”

The Wheel of Time Season 3’s Release Date

The Wheel of Time season three doesn’t have a release date yet.

Originally published on October 16, 2023.

The post THE WHEEL OF TIME Season 3 Teases ‘Absolutely Bonkers’ Opening appeared first on Nerdist.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One took a motorcycle jump off a cliff into theaters in July 2023. The film brought back Ethan Hunt for his first adventure since 2018’s Fallout. The seventh and eighth Mission: Impossible installments were filmed back-to-back and after many delays, Part One finally made it to theaters. The follow-up will pick up the story and see Hunt and his team attempt to stop the Entity.

Here’s everything we know about Mission: Impossible 8.

Title

The next Mission: Impossible movie is a sequel and for now we will call it Mission: Impossible 8.

Mission: Impossible 8’s Plot

We don’t have a plot synopsis for Mission: Impossible 8 yet, but when we left Ethan, the search for the Entity was on. He learned the name Sevastopol from Paris. That’s the Russian submarine housing the source code for the Entity. It’s the only place Ethan can stop the AI once and for all. He and his team just have to find it and access it. That’s not an easy task since the submarine is at the bottom of the ocean. We expect Ethan will grapple with Gabriel again, too. Maybe we’ll learn more about their tangled past.

Behind the Scenes

Christopher McQuarrie wrote and directed this eighth installment. The movie was filmed back-to-back with Dead Reckoning Part One.

Mission Impossible 8’s Cast

Tom Cruise will reprise his role as Ethan Hunt. Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Hayley Atwell will be back, too. Though the others from Part One aren’t confirmed, we wouldn’t be surprised to see anyone who didn’t die return for this film. That could include Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust. Rolf Saxon’s William Donloe will come back, too.

Newcomers include Hannah Waddingham, Nick Offerman, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, and Lucy Tulugarjuk. Love Lies Bleeding‘s Katy O’Brian and Severance‘s Tramell Tillman have also joined the cast.

Mission Impossible 8′s Release Date

According to Variety, Mission: Impossible 8 will arrive in theaters on May 23, 2025.

Originally published on August 1, 2023.

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In a move likely very frustrating for subscribers, Netflix is cracking down on password sharing, specifically sharing passwords with those not living under one roof. This isn’t the streaming company’s first attempt to curb password sharing on the Netflix platform. But this time, it sounds like the streaming platform means business. In Q1 of 2022, Netflix lost 200,000 subscribers. It was the first subscriber loss for the streaming platform in a decade.

If there was ever any doubt that Netflix would follow through with its plans to cut down on inter-household password sharing, that is over. But how will Netflix stop password sharing? This time, the streaming platform is getting money involved. Netflix isn’t going to boot the infringing profiles off the main account right away if it catches someone password sharing. Instead, it’ll just make the account holder pay up. As of May 23, Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown has officially arrived in the US. And, likely to the dismay of consumers, it’s seeing some success.

Netflix’s Password-Sharing Crackdown Is Successful

According to Deadline, Netflix’s Co-CEO Greg Peters recently said, “Our paid sharing work, and our ads work, creates a more effective engine to translate all [Netflix] value into revenue growth, and will support increased conversion of our addressable market in many years to come.” And the company recently noted, “We believe we’ve successfully addressed account sharing, ensuring that when people enjoy Netflix they pay for the service too. Features like Transfer Profile and Extra Member were much requested, and many millions of our members are now taking advantage of them.” This success was recently quantified as Netflix added 9.33 million paid subscribers in Q1 of 2024. In total, Netflix now has 269.60 million paid subscribers as of March 31.

Deadline revealed, “Greg Peters says internal viewership data from before and after the implementation of paid password sharing shows the new policy has not turned off viewers, as some had initially predicted it would.” Peters noted that “owner households” viewing habits remained steady, though he admitted that Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown did cause a loss in some viewership numbers.

Peters noted, “We’re essentially cutting off some viewers who were not payers and therefore we’re going to lose some viewing associated with that,” he explained. Still, “despite that impact and despite the general pressure from strong competition,” he continued, “we think our engagement remains healthy.”

Netflix previously shared in a shareholder letter:

The cancel reaction [to the password sharing crackdown] was low and while we’re still in the early stages of monetization, we’re seeing healthy conversion of borrower households into full paying Netflix memberships as well as the uptake of our extra member feature. We are revenue and paid membership positive vs. prior to the launch of paid sharing across every region in our latest launch.

Jump to: Netflix Password Sharing Crackdown Is Successful // Netflix’s Paid Password Sharing Crackdown Has Arrived in the US // Netflix’s New Account Sharing Rules // Netflix Profile Transfers // Device Log Out // Netflix Password Sharing Is Widespread // Consumer Reaction

Netflix’s Paid Password Sharing Crackdown Has Arrived in the US

Netflix recently expanded more serious efforts at ending password sharing to Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain. And now, the password-sharing crackdown has arrived in the United States. In a blog post shared on May 23, Netflix noted:

Starting today, we will be sending this email to members who are sharing Netflix outside their household in the United States. 

A Netflix account is for use by one household. Everyone living in that household can use Netflix wherever they are — at home, on the go, on holiday — and take advantage of new features like Transfer Profile and Manage Access and Devices.

Among other things, Netflix plans to begin blocking devices that it feels are using a Netflix account but not paying for it. The blog post further notes, “If you want to share Netflix with someone outside your household, you can use these features.

Transfer a profile. Anyone on your account can transfer a profile to a new membership they pay for.

Buy an extra member. You can share your Netflix account with somone who doesn’t live with you for $7.99/month more.

Another blog post from Netflix Canada notes more about you can “share Netflix” without breaking its rules under its paid password-sharing plan:

Set primary location: We’ll help members set this up, ensuring that anyone who lives in their household can use their Netflix account. 

Manage account access and devices: Members can now easily manage who has access to their account from our new Manage Access and Devices page. 

Transfer profile: People using an account can now easily transfer a profile to a new account, which they pay for — keeping their personalized recommendations, viewing history, My List, saved games and more. 

Watch while you travel: Members can still easily watch Netflix on their personal devices or log into a new TV, like at a hotel or holiday rental. 

Buy an extra member: Members on our Standard or Premium plan in many countries (including Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain) can add an extra member sub account for up to two people they don’t live with — each with a profile, personalized recommendations, login and password — for an extra CAD$7.99 a month per person in Canada, NZD$7.99 in New Zealand, Euro 3.99 in Portugal, and Euro 5.99 in Spain. 

All of these aspects of password sharing have been a part of Netflix’s tests up till now. But, of course, the price point continues to evolve. Below we detail more about each one of them.

Netflix’s New Rules and Restrictions for Password and Account Sharing

Netflix recently revealed a new Help Center page that’s all about “Sharing Your Netflix Account.” On this page, Netflix makes it clear that password sharing and Netflix accounts are “for people who live together in a single household.” The exact definition of a Netflix Household is “people who live in the same location with the account owner.” According to Netflix, “people who are not in your household will need to sign up for their own account to watch Netflix.”

Based on the other information on the Help Center page, it also feels like a Netflix Household is defined by the use of one WiFi connection. Netflix notes it determines devices in a household “us[ing] information such as IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity from devices signed into the Netflix account.”

Extra Members

Netflix now notes, “People who are not in your household will need to sign up for their own account to watch; or in many countries you can buy an extra member slot to add an extra member to your account.” The platform adds, “An extra member will have their own profile, account, and password, but their membership will be paid for by the person who invited them to join.”

Extra members differ from regular account holders in these ways:

Extra members can watch Netflix on any device, but only on 1 device at a time.

Extra members can also download titles, but only on 1 phone or tablet at a time.

Extra members can only have 1 profile and cannot create additional profiles.

This profile can be a new profile or an eligible profile transferred from the account owner who invited the extra member.

This profile can have different maturity ratings, but cannot be a Kids profile.

Extra members must activate their account in the same country associated with the account owner’s.

Example: If the account owner signed up in Costa Rica, the extra member must create and activate the extra member account in Costa Rica.

Verified Netflix Devices

The new page about account and password sharing also introduces the idea of Netflix “verified devices.” Netflix notes that if a device not associated with your household tries to sign into your account, then it may need to be verified. Verification involves the main account user approving a device account use within the space of fifteen minutes. And Netflix may ask for new device verification periodically, ostensibly to prevent verification of devices out of the household.

If you are the primary account holder, or if you are using the primary internet connection in the primary account user’s household, you shouldn’t need to worry about verifying your device, according to Netflix. Regardless of your location, if you are the primary holder of your account, you should be able to use it anywhere. Of course, how Netflix can know who exactly is holding the device or belongs to a device household at any time seems murky.

Interestingly, this new page doesn’t reference the kind of paid account sharing that has seemed top of mind for Netflix.

Netflix Profile Transfers

To ready users for the upcoming crackdown, Netflix has added the option of an easy profile transfer. Very simply, this lets each profile on an account easily become its own account. As Netflix shares in a release:

We’re launching Profile Transfer, a feature that lets people using your account transfer a profile — keeping the personalized recommendations, viewing history, My List, saved games, and other settings — when they start their own membership.  

Netflix also notes, “To transfer a profile, go to the “Transfer Profile” option when you hover over your profile icon in the dropdown menu on the homepage — then simply follow the instruction.” Ostensibly, this feature is nicely asking for those sharing accounts to create their own with ease… Before there are repercussions.

In addition to transferring your profile to a new account, you can now transfer it into an already existing one. This feature is now widely available.

Netflix Lets You Log Out of Individual Devices

In addition to Profile Transfers, Netflix has rolled out a new feature that lets users log out of individual devices. This feature, called “Managing Access and Devices” is “a new feature in Account Settings that allows you to view all the recent devices that have streamed from your account and to log out of specific devices with just one click.”

Ostensibly, it’s there in case you forget to log out of a device that you were just using in passing. However, this new update also serves as a further measure by Netflix to cut down on password sharing.

Netflix is not messing around when it comes to password and account sharing.

100 Million Households Are Netflix Password Sharing

This is quite a move from a company that reportedly spent $400 million for the Knives Out sequels. And is dropping something like 86 original movies this year. But according to a company blog post, Netflix claims the password sharing is preventing them from investing in top-tier content.

Chengyi Long, director of product innovation at Netflix, said, “We’ve always made it easy for people who live together to share their Netflix account, with features like separate profiles and multiple streams in our Standard and Premium plans. While these have been hugely popular, they have also created some confusion about when and how Netflix can be shared. As a result, accounts are being shared between households—impacting our ability to invest in great new TV and films for our members.”

Furthermore, the Netflix shareholder letter, indicated more than 100 million households are sharing passwords. More specifically, 30 million households in the US and Canada share passwords. This is a problem for the streaming platform.

How Will Consumers Respond to These Netflix Attempts to Stop Password Sharing?

So this is all to say password sharing on Netflix is responsible for The Baby-Sitters Club‘s premature demise. We can’t imagine that’s specifically true. The announcement comes at a pretty overwhelming moment for streaming platforms in general. Pretty much every major studio with a distribution wing has one. Disney—which snatched its Defenders Saga back from Netflix has three. That company has made serious moves with Disney+ over the next several months. Disney+ has added parental controls and ad-supported pricing in a relatively short space of time. And then there’s Paramount with its two wings. And haven’t even mentioned Prime Video, HBO Max, Apple TV+, and so, so many more.

It’s reaching a point where subscribers are already shelling out a lot monthly to keep up. Password sharing, and trading off, has historically made things a little bit easier. Netflix notes it knows this move might not be initially popular. The company shares, “From our experience in Latin America, we expect some cancel reaction in each market when we roll out paid sharing, which impacts near-term member growth. But as borrower households begin to activate their own standalone accounts and extra member accounts are added, we expect to see improved overall revenue, which is our goal with all plan and pricing changes”

But, however unpopular these changes are in theory, they seem to be doing exactly what the company hopes. So we’d better see some truly incredible content manifest. (And we expect Netflix to be able to pay their creators, writers, and actors what they deserve and more.)

Originally published on March 16, 2022.

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The Witcher‘s fourth season will be a big one for the show, and not just because of what happens on it. Season three was the last for Henry Cavill. Liam Hemsworth is taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. What will his Geralt have to deal with when the show returns after an explosive third installment that saw powerful figures team up to take control of the Continent? Here’s everything we know about The Witcher season four so far.

The Witcher Season 4’s Plot

Season three of The Witcher ended with Ciri relinquishing her powers and the powerful mage Vilgefortz partnering with her father, The White Flame who rules Nilfgaard. It also ended with Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri apart once again. It’s the type of chaos we expect from the Continent.

So what awaits the (new) Geralt in season four? And will he reunite with his lost love and Child of Destiny? This is Netflix’s first official synopsis for the show’s next installment:

After the shocking, Continent-altering events that close out season three, the new season follows Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri who are faced with traversing the war-ravaged Continent and its many demons apart from each other.  If they can embrace and lead the groups of misfits they find themselves in, they have a chance of surviving the baptism of fire — and finding one another again. 

Netflix has also provided additional insight into what awaits fans when the show returns. That includes:

• Geralt giving up his attempts at remaining neutral and traveling with Jaskier and Milva in what is the begging of the Hanza book readers know. “It’s the group traveling with Geralt for the rest of the books. This becomes his newfound family,” said showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich to Tudum. “He begins to realize that he needs help to get Yennefer and Ciri back, and when you need to help, you actually have to give of yourself as well. So, we start to watch the Hanza build and start to see that there are some amazing emotional connections to come there as well.”
• Whether Ciri, now part of the Rats and going by Falka, has truly lost her powers forever.
• Yennefer dealing with leading the fractured and weakened Brotherhood.
• Answers to how far back Vilgefortz schemes and work with Ciri’s father Emhyr really go.

Behind the Scenes

Production on season four of The Witcher, from showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2024. Reports say it’s scheduled to shoot until October.

The Witcher Season 4’s Cast

Plenty of familiar faces will welcome Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt to the world of magic and monsters. Stars Anya Chalotra (Yennefer), Freya Allan (Ciri), and Joey Batey (Jaskier) will all be back.

Season four will also mark the return of Bart Edwards (Emperor Emhyr), Mahesh Jadu (Vilgefortz), Meng’er Zhang (Milva), Mimi Ndiweni (Fringilla), Eamon Farren (Cahir), Mecia Simson (Francesca), Anna Shaffer (Triss), Wilson Mbomio (Dara), Lars Mikkelsen (Stregobor), Graham McTavish (Dijkstra), and Cassie Clare (Phillipa), Hugh Skinner (Radovid),and Royce Pierreson (Istredd).

A big star will also arrive on the Continent in season four. Netflix announced John Wick‘s Laurence Fishburne will play the Regis, a popular character from The Witcher books and video games. While longtime fans know his story, the streamer is keeping his secrets for now. Netflix desrcibes Regis as “a world-wise Barber-surgeon with a mysterious past.”

Additionally, Sharlto Copley, James Purefoy, and Danny Woodburn will join the series. Copley will play infamous bounty hunter Leo Bonhart. Purefoy will play Skellen, an advisor. And finally, Woodburn portrays the dwarf Zoltan.

The Witcher Season 4’s Release Date

Netflix has not yet announced a release date for the show’s fourth season. Based on the expected start and end of production, as well as the timeline of previous seasons, the earliest we’d possibly expect season four to debut is spring 2025. However, a summer premiere seems more likely. The Witcher‘s third season debuted on June 29, 2023 after it started shooting in March of ’22.

Originally published on January 16, 2024.

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Even ghosts need a day job. That’s where we find the pair of British boy spirits at the heart of Netflix’s new series, Dead Boy Detectives. Comic book characters created by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner in the pages of The Sandman, the duo eventually appeared in several DC and Vertigo titles before headlining their own 12-issue series plus a number of other short spurts. The streaming giant recently shared the first trailer for Dead Boy Detectives, which finds ghost gumshoes Charles and Edwin up against loads of supernatural problems, and death itself. And now, we even know when the series will arrive.

Dead Boy Detectives Full Trailer

Weeks ahead of the show’s debut, Netflix released the full trailer of the series. The Sandman spinoff takes place in the same universe, which is why Kirby Howell-Baptiste’s Death of the Endless pops up. The two supernatural P.I.s need to continue avoiding her if they want to stay on the job. But she’s not the only one looking for them.

Dead Boy Detectives Teaser Trailer and Images

Steve Yockey, creator of Max’s The Flight Attendant, developed Dead Boy Detectives for Max originally. Given that streaming service’s rampant offloading, we’re lucky Netflix decided to pick it up. This also means this series can officially exist within Netflix’s Sandman universe. Good news for you, Gaimanites out there. The two dead boys had previously appeared on Doom Patrol, but those were different versions of the characters and won’t related to this show.

Netflix recently revealed that Dead Boy Detectives will release on April 25, sharing the news alongside a slew of new images from the series.

Click To View Gallery

Dead Boy Detectives‘ Synopsis

The official synopsis for the Dead Boy Detectives series is as follows:

Do you have a pesky ghost haunting you? Has a demon stolen your core memories? You may want to ring the Dead Boy Detectives. Meet Edwin Payne (George Rexstrew) and Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri), “the brains” and “the brawn” behind the Dead Boy Detectives agency. Teenagers born decades apart who find each other only in death, Edwin and Charles are best friends and ghosts… who solve mysteries. They will do anything to stick together – including escaping evil witches, Hell and Death herself. With the help of a clairvoyant named Crystal (Kassius Nelson) and her friend Niko (Yuyu Kitamura), they are able to crack some of the mortal realm’s most mystifying paranormal cases.

What Is the Release Date for Dead Boy Detectives?

As mentioned, Netflix has officially revealed that the Dead Boy Detectives series will release on April 25. The trailer looks fun, and so we’re hoping that translates to the full series.

Originally published on November 11, 2023.

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 Instagram and Letterboxd.

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Disney Lorcana is a game that cannot, will not slow down. We’ve known about Ravensburger’s plan for quarterly releases since the trading card game debuted, but we’ve never been prepared for how quickly time flies. It feels like only yesterday we were learning about how to best incorporate Into the Inklands cards into our decks. But now, it’s time to look ahead to Lorcana‘s fourth set. Here’s everything we know about Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return.

Title

The fourth Disney Lorcana set is called Ursula’s Return.

Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return Story and Mechanics

Disney Lorcana‘s next release will continue the story told in the first three sets. This time Ursula is at the center. The Rise of the Floodborn release saw Ursula freed from the Illuminary. And now, in Ursula’s Return, the sea witch is “ready to put her plans into motion and take over Lorcana with only the players and their trusted glimmers standing in her way.”

We’re sure it will all work out just fine.

Ravensburger states gameplay will evolve with this set, but we don’t have any specifics on new mechanics yet.

Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return Characters

Disney Lorcana releases come with over 200 cards (at least they have historically), so we don’t know every character that will be in the fourth set. However, we do know Ursula’s Return will include Bruno and the rest of the Madrigal family from Encanto. That means Felix, Julieta, Mirabel, Bruno, Dolores, and Luisa. We’ll also see Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey and Yen Sid from Fantasia. A sneak peek included glimpses at Floodborn Ariel and Floodborn Mulan, too.

What Disney Lorcana: Ursuala’s Return Will Include

The Ursula’s Return release will include the following:

• Starter Deck – $16.99, Amethyst & Amber
• Starter Deck – $16.99, Sapphire & Steel
• Booster Packs – $5.99
• Illumineer’s Trove – $49.99
• Card Sleeves – $9.99
• Deck Boxes – $5.99
• Playmats (featuring Rapunzel and Tinker Bell) – $19.99

Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return Release Date

Ursula’s Return will release at local game stores, Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, and select Disney Store retail locations on May 17, 2024. It will then be available from mass market retailers on May 31, 2024.

A Disney Lorcana Cooperative Game

This release will also launch with the first Disney Lorcana TCG cooperative game, Illumineer’s Quest “Deep Trouble.” The game has four difficulty levels and sees Illumineers fight Ursula. Ravensburger says, “The game includes a guided gameplay area for Ursula, two preconstructed Disney Lorcana TCG player decks (featuring Disney’s Mulan and Yen Sid and built with cards from the first four Disney Lorcana TCG sets) and a fierce Ursula deck. This sea witch plays by her own rules.”

Originally published on March 20, 2024.

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After a very long wait, Dune hit theaters in the fall of 2021 to both rave reviews and big box office. This was despite bowing on HBO Max at the same time as its theatrical debut. But Dune was really just Dune: Part One. The first film only covered the first half of Frank Herbert’s epic 1965 novel. Luckily, Dune: Part Two was officially announced on October 26, 2021.

For those eager to see more of the Dune universe, Dune: Part Two is now in theaters. And if you go see it, you’ll certainly be in good company. According to Variety, after only 10 days in theaters, Dune: Part Two surpassed the entire North American box office run of the first Dune movie. Of course, the original Dune movie released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max due to the pandemic. And so, its numbers cannot be fully compared to those of Dune: Part Two. Still, even accounting for the disparity in releases, it’s an impressive figure for Dune: Part Two.

Additionally, Dune: Part Two is expected to reach $500 million internationally by Monday, March 18. Variety notes that number is “a figure that few films have reached in post-pandemic times.” Currently, Dune: Part Two also stands as the highest-grossing movie of 2024, domestically and internationally.

Here’s the spoiler-free version of everything there is to know about Dune: Part Two.

Title

The official name of the movie is Dune: Part Two.

Dune: Part Two‘s Plot

The official plot synopsis from Warner Bros. and Legendary for Dune: Part Two reads as follows:

This follow-up film will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

If you’re a fan of Frank Herbert’s Dune, this all sounds like a pretty faithful adaptation of the second half of his novel. And unlike David Lynch’s 1984 version of Dune, this packed second half will now have time to breathe. And who knows? Maybe we’ll see elements of the later Dune novels pop up a wee bit early.

For now, we can enjoy Dune: Part Two‘s first trailer, which highlight a crucial book scene: Paul riding on a sandworm.

The second trailer for the film shows more of Paul and Chani and the Fremen’s fight.

The chief takeaway is that Dune: Part Two is both a love story and a war movie, and we can expect both parts to shine.

Dune: Part Two‘s Cast

Almost the entire original cast from Dune is back for Dune: Part Two. At least if their character survived, that is. This includes Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, the “Kwisatz Haderach,” and Zendaya as his Fremen paramour Chani. Javier Bardem also returns as Chani’s father, Fremen leader Stilgar. Paul’s very pregnant mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) also returns for Dune: Part Two. Josh Brolin is back as Paul’s mentor Gurney Halleck, as is Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat, the loyal Mentat to House Atreides.

Stellan Skarsgård reprises his role as the sadistic Baron Harkonnen, as does Dave Bautista as the Baron’s loyal lackey and nephew Glossu Rabban. Charlotte Rampling’s character, the Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother, is also slated to return. New cast members include Florence Pugh (Princess Irulan) Austin Butler (Feyd Rautha), and Christopher Walken (Emperor Shadddam IV). They are joined by Léa Seydoux (Lady Margot) and Souheila Yacoub as the Fremen warrior Shishakli.

Of course, certain major characters died in the first film, and are not scheduled to appear in Dune: Part Two. These include Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho and Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides. But there could be surprise flashbacks. So don’t count them all out just yet. We may yet see them on the sands of Arrakis.

Click To View Gallery

Behind the Scenes

Just as he was for Dune, director Denis Villeneuve is back behind the camera for Dune: Part Two. Jon Spaihts wrote the script for the second chapter of the story. Hans Zimmer also returned to score the sequel.

Dune: Part Two‘s Release Date

Dune: Part Two hit theaters on March 1, 2024. It released in IMAX 70 mm as well as in IMAX and normal theatrical formats.

Originally published on August 1, 2022.

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

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When “Venom 3” was briefly teased at Cinema Con 2022, fans of Sony’s Spider-Man spinoff movie were excited and relieved. But since then, we’ve only gotten a few brief teases of what the film will hold. Of course, the last time we saw Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and his trusty companion Venom, the pair went on adventures through the multiverse. Sony’s Venom leads ended up in the MCU, but not for long. At the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Eddie Brock returns to his own universe. And we assume that’s where we’ll find him (and most of Venom) in the third Venom film.

Here’s everything we know about Venom: The Last Dance.

Title

According to Variety, the official title for the third Venom film is Venom: The Last Dance. This seems a bit ominous, tbh.

Venom: The Last Dance‘s Plot

At this time, we don’t know anything specific about Venom: The Last Dance‘s plot. We only know that Eddie Brock is back in his own universe after his MCU visit. We assume Venom has also traveled back with him, despite the little gob of Venom goo left behind in the MCU. While we do not doubt that the new MCU Venom bud will seek to cause Tom Holland’s Peter Parker a lot of trouble in a potential Spider-Man 4, that likely won’t factor too much into Venom: The Last Dance.

Tom Hardy did tease a behind-the-scenes image of Venom: The Last Dance, which involves Eddie yelling at a wolf. Whether this will prove meaningful, we’ll have to wait and see. Whatever awaits us in Venom: The Last Dance, we can bet it will involve more of Eddie Brock and Venom snarking at one another and a great mix of comedy and tragedy.

A recent behind-the-scenes photo shared by Hardy also hints at the timeline of the movie. The image Hardy revealed shows his Eddie Brock wearing the same shirt as he was wearing when he was cast back into his own universe from the MCU’s world. This, of course, happened during the mid-credits scene of the most recent Spider-Man movie. The shared wardrobe seems to confirm the movie will pick up directly after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Venom: The Last Dance‘s Cast

Thankfully, Tom Hardy will return as Eddie Brock for Venom: The Last Dance. Alongside him, Ted Lasso’s Juno Temple has joined the movie, as will Chiwetel Ejiofor. We don’t know details on either of their roles yet. Clark Backo is also slated for an undisclosed role.

Regarding returning actors, there has been no news yet of any actors other than Tom Hardy reprising their Venom or Venom: Let There Be Carnage roles.

Behind-the-Scenes 

Kelly Marcel, a writer and producer on Venom‘s first two movies, will direct Venom 3. Marcel also serves as the writer of Venom: The Last Dance, penning the script based on a story she and Tom Hardy created. Marcel and Hardy will act as producers on the movie alongside Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal, and Hutch Parker.

Venom: The Last Dance‘s Release Date

Venom: The Last Dance will release on October 25, 2024.

Originally published on August 1, 2023.

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The two biggest and most popular Titans surely can’t stay dormant for long. Godzilla, the mighty lizard with atomic breath will clomp his way back to the movies soon. Along with him will be none other than Kong, the king of the hollow Earth. After 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong ended in something of a draw, a rematch of legendary proportions is very necessary. Luckily, a big screen follow-up is happening.

In our latest clip from Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, we get something truly incredible, Kong catching a ride on Godzilla. How is that for frenemies?

Here’s everything we know about the Godzilla vs. Kong sequel.

Title

The Godzilla vs. Kong sequel is called Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire‘s Plot

The official synopsis is as follows:

This latest entry follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.

Behind the Scenes

Adam Wingard, who directed Godzilla vs. Kong, will return to direct this film. He’ll be the first director in Legendary’s Monsterverse series to helm a second film so far. He’s working from a script by Terry Rossio (Godzilla vs. Kong), Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight) and Simon Barrett (Wingard’s longtime collaborator on movies like You’re Next and The Guest). The film is being produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric Mcleod, Brian Rogers, Thomas Tull, and Jon Jashni, with executive producers Josh Grode, Adam Wingard, Jay Ashenfelter, Jen Conroy, Kenji Okuhira, and Yoshimitsu Banno.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire‘s Cast

Returning cast members to the series include Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle. All three joined the franchise with Godzilla vs. Kong. New cast members include Dan Stevens, who starred in Wingard’s The Guest. Other new cast members include Fala Chen (Shang-Chi), Alex Ferns (The Batman), and Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok).

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire‘s Release Date

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire will release on March 29, 2024. This is moved up two weeks from its planned release date.

Originally published on August 26, 2022.

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

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