Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are slated to star in Emerald Fennell’s upcoming film Wuthering Heights, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is an adaptation of Emily Brontë’s book of the same name. The film is currently in pre-production and set to start shooting in the United Kingdom next year. Robbie will play Catherine Earnshaw, the main female protagonist of the novel. Elordi will portray Heathcliff, the Earnshaws’ foster son.

MRC and LuckyChap Entertainment are producing the film along with Fennell, who will also be writing. Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, and Josey McNamara founded the production company LuckyChap Entertainment. Among the films LuckyChap has produced are I, Tonya and Barbie, both of which have won an Academy Award and star Margot Robbie.

Fennell announced her intention to make a Wuthering Heights adaptation in July through a social media graphic. The Wuthering Heights adaptation will be Fennell’s third film with LuckyChap Entertainment. Fennell has previously directed LuckyChap Entertainment-produced films, Promising Young Woman and last year’s Saltburn. Fennell’s social media sensation Saltburn saw Elordi as one of the main actors. Elordi gained recognition for starring as Nate Jacobs in the teen drama Euphoria and as Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla. Elordi will appear in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, which is filming now.

Robbie is an actress and producer most known for her titular roles in last summer’s box office hit Barbie. Barbie was the highest-grossing film of 2023. Additionally, Robbie earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for I, Tonya. Robbie will be appearing in Kogonada’s A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, releasing May 2025.

Filmmakers have adapted Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights into film multiple times in various languages. Famously, the Academy nominated the 1939’s Wuthering Heights for Best Picture. Most recently, in 2011, the book was adapted into a film starring Kaya Scodelario.

The post Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi Cast in Upcoming WUTHERING HEIGHTS Adaptation appeared first on Nerdist.

Focus Features launched a Piece By Piece LEGO Minifigure Generator to celebrate the upcoming Pharrell William animated biopic Piece by Piece. The film is about the renowned producer’s life, as shown through LEGO bricks. Academy Award-winning director Morgan Neville is set to direct the movie. The Minifigure Generator is available on both mobile and desktop platforms.

The Minifigure Generator allows fans to be able to create their own Minifigure character with seven skincare options and over 60 hairstyles to choose from. Additionally, 90 clothing options are available to choose from, including exclusive pieces from Pharrell’s fashion brand, Billionaire Boys Club. Facial expressions from scenes of the film inspired the expressions available in the Minifigure Generator. After designing your Minifigure, users can download a picture of their creation with Pharrell’s Minifigure or its own.

The Minifigure Generator comes after LEGO released Over the Moon, a collaborative set with Pharrell. Over the Moon was co-designed by the LEGO Group and Pharrell. The set features a space shuttle with a rainbow jet stream inspired by Pharrell’s love of space. The set featured the widest range of Minifigure skin tones ever included in a LEGO product at seven.

Matching the name of the upcoming film, Pharrell released a new original song titled “Piece By Piece.” Pharrell is a producer, songwriter, recording artist, and the Creative Director of Louis Vuitton. He is also a two-time Academy Award nominee for his song “Happy” from Despicable Me 2 and for producing the film Hidden Figures. The film, produced by 13-time Grammy winner’s company i am OTHER in partnership with LEGO, centers on his life and upbringing. Piece by Piece releases in theatres Oct. 11.

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Currently filming its first season, with an eye on a 2025 launch date, is the latest series in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Some kind of Starfleet Academy project has been rumored since the ’80s, for both film and TV. But one is finally happening at last. Starfleet Academy is the fourth Paramount+ Star Trek live-action series, and the ninth live-action Star Trek series overall. Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series.

Title

The official title of the upcoming Paramount+ series is Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Although, we think that most fans will simply refer to it as Starfleet Academy without the brand name attached. We also imagine in the greater Star Trek fandom the name of the show will be shortened even further to ST:SA.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s Plot

The new series is a spin-off of Star Trek: Discovery, and will take place in the 32nd Century, some 800 years after the time of Star Trek: Picard. After a period of 100 years where the Federation dwindled to a handful of worlds, and Starfleet was a small operation, Starfleet Academy will introduce the first class of cadets in a century. Below is the official description from Paramount+:

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will introduce us to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.

Behind-the-Scenes

Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau will serve as co-showrunners for Starfleet Academy. Gaia Violo wrote the series pilot. Kurtzman of course is the head honcho for all things in the Star Trek universe on Paramount+, including Discovery, Strange New Worlds, and Picard.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s Cast

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has a robust cast, headlined by Academy Award winner Holly Hunter. She’ll be the captain and chancellor of Starfleet Academy, presumably still located in San Francisco. She’s the third woman to headline her own Star Trek series, after Kate Mulgrew and Sonequa Martin-Green. The series’ main villain is none other than Paul Giamatti, who plays “A man with an ominous past connected to one of our cadets.”

Speaking of the cadets, in the roles of the student body we’ve got Karim Diané, Zoë Steiner, Kerrice Brooks, Bella Shepard, George Hawkins, and Sandro Rosta. Legacy actors from Star Trek: Discovery joining the series include Tig Notaro, Oded Fehr, and Mary Wiseman. The biggest surprise in terms of legacy Trek actors is Star Trek: Voyager‘s Robert Picardo. He returns as the Emergency Medical Holographic doctor.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Release Date

There is no release date yet for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, but it’s expected in the latter half of 2025 on Paramount+. Presumably, it will drop some months after Star Trek: Strange New Worlds wraps up its third season.

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Season two of Netflix’s One Piece will soon set sail. And that means we’ll be seeing more familiar faces come to life on our screen. Recently, Netflix has shared a string of new casting announcements for season two of live-action One Piece. But who are the new cast we’ll see on the high seas? From Smoker to Baroque Works Agents to everyone else in between, here the actors joining the cast of One Piece season two and the new live-action characters they’ll play.

One Piece Season 2 Casts Joe Manganiello as Mr. 0 and Lera Abova as Miss All Sunday

In its most exciting piece of casting yet, Netflix has cast Joe Manganiello as Mr. 0 in live-action One Piece season two. Mr. 0, of course, is also known as the villainous Crocodile, a Warlord of the Sea and the president of Baroque Works. Crocodile is one of the most nefarious villains in One Piece‘s world. Additionally, Lera Abova joins as Miss All Sunday… also known as one Nico Robin… she may or may not be destined to join the Straw Hat Pirates along with another teased character, Chopper. Fans will surely delight in seeing these iconic characters brought to life by such masterful actors.

One Piece Season 2 Casts Charithra Chandran As Miss Wednesday

It seems that Netflix will slowly trickle out a large number of new cast members for One Piece season two. A beloved anime favorite character, Miss Wednesday, will be played by actress Charithra Chandra. We love to see it!

Netflix’s Live-Action One Piece Season 2 Casts Sendhil Ramamurthy as Nefertari Cobra

According to Variety, there’s yet another cast announcement for One Piece season two. Sendhil Ramamurthy will play Nefertari Cobra, the King of Alabasta and the patriarch of the Nefertari family.

Netflix’s Live-Action One Piece Season 2 Casts Dr. Kureha and Dr. Hiriluk

The Great Medical Land of Drum is in the house. For a long time, fans hoped that the iconic Dr. Kureha would be played by Jamie Lee Curtis. But alas, that casting did not work out. Instead, Dr. Kureha will be played by Katey Sagal on One Piece season two. In One Piece‘s world, Dr. Kureha is an elderly doctor who some think of as a witch, and an ally to the Straw Hat pirates. Dr. Kureha is Chopper’s adoptive mother, which likely means Chopper’s reveal is just around the corner.

Additionally cast for One Piece season two is Dr. Hiriluk, who will be played by Mark Harelik. Dr. Hiriluk is a complicated character with a good heart and a tragic story. He is Chopper’s original father figure, but alas, their story ends in great sadness. It will be interesting to see just how the live-action One Piece series adapts Chopper’s backstory and Dr. Hiriluk’s tale.

One Piece Season 2 Casts Smoker, Tashigi, Wapol & Dalton

A very anticipated casting for One Piece season two is that of Smoker. This villainous figure was teased at the end of One Piece season one. In One Piece‘s world, Smoker is a marine on a mission… A mission to capture Luffy. And now we know that Monarch‘s Callum Kerr will play Smoker in One Piece season two as the character arrives in full.

Additionally, Netflix has cast Tashigi, Wapol, and Dalton to join the pirate-fun. Tashigi is also a marine who serves under Smoker. Tashigi is a skilled swordsman and we’ll no doubt see her clashing blades with Zoro in One Piece season two. Julia Rehwald has been cast as this new One Pieces season two live-action character.

Wapol, meanwhile, is a selfish character who used to be the king of his kingdom (called Drum). However, when pirates attacked, he fled his people in a cowardly way and became a pirate himself. He’s eaten of the Baku Baku no Mi Devil Fruit which allows him to eat nearly everything and then take on the characteristics of whatever he’s consumed. No doubt, Luffy will be a bit jealous of this eating ability. Rob Colletti will join the cast as Wapol.

Finally, One Piece season two has cast the live-action character of Dalton. Dalton is the new King of Wapol’s former kingdom and a friend to the Straw Hat Pirates. Ty Keogh has been cast as Dalton.

Crocus, Brogy, and Dorry’s Actors Join Live-Action One Piece Season 2

Additionally, One Piece revealed that actors Clive Russell, Brendan Murray, and Werner Coetser will join the season two cast as Crocus, Brogy, and Dorry.

Crocus, Clive Russell’s new character on One Piece season two, is an ally of the Straw Hat Pirates. He’s a lighthouse keeper, but also an exceptional doctor who was a part of Gol D. Roger’s crew.

Meanwhile, Brendan Murray, who has been cast as Brogy in One Piece season two, will play a giant on the series. He’s one of the two captains of the Giant Warrior pirates alongside Dorry. Dorry, also a giant, will be played, as mentioned, by Werner Coetser.

David Dastmalchian Will Play Mr. 3 in One Piece Season 2

We’re particularly excited to see David Dastmalchian cast in One Piece season two. Dastmalchian will play the devious Mr. 3, a member of the Baroque Work Agent crime syndicate. Mr. 3 has consumed the Wax Wax devil fruit and has total control over candle wax. This is definitely a unique and terrifying ability, especially in Dastmalchian’s hands.

One Piece Casts Three Other Baroque Work Agent Characters

But David Dastmalchian’s Mr. 3 isn’t the only Baroque Works Agent to join the cast of One Piece season two. Jazzara Jaslyn will play Miss Valentine, who has the Devil Fruit power of manipulating her body weight. Camrus Johnson joins the cast of Netfix’s live-action One Piece as Mr. 5. Mr. 5 has the deadly ability to create explosions from his body without harming himself. And finally, Daniel Lasker has come aboard as Mr. 9. The newly cast Mr. 9 will bring his metal bats to One Piece season two.

We’re sure these number/holiday-named agents will be up to no good in the season.

More New Characters and Cast Are On the Way for One Piece Season 2

One Piece teases that they’re just getting started with new season two cast announcements. We can’t wait to see who will appear on the horizon next.

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In the ‘90s, Scream led to a swath of teen ensemble horror franchises like Final Destination and I Know What You Did Last Summer. It’s now officially back into the game with last year’s hit movie and another film coming soon. So, it is not surprising that the franchise is inspiring others to dust off their dormant universes and return back for more gore. Deadline reports that an I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel will release on July 18, 2025.

And, we now know that Freddie Prinze, Jr. is officially returning for the I Still Know What You Did Last Summer sequel and reprising his role as Ray Bronson. The jury is still out for Jennifer Love Hewitt but she is expected to return… and Brandy also wants in on this movie.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Brandy basically says “I wanna be down” with the upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel (more of a reboot, maybe?) action. We do love us come Karla Wilson, who survived the events of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.

“I need them to give me a call because I survived in that movie!” Brandy affirmed. “I came out in the end, bloodied up, ready to go. I did not die in that film… Jennifer, Freddie, hit me up.”

We don’t know if Brandy will be a part of it or not. But we do know that Camila Mendes of Riverdale fame won’t be in the I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot. According to Deadline, she’s going to be very busy with her new role as Teela in Masters of the Universe and the production dates between the two projects do not work.

We will have to wait and see what this next terrible summer includes. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers and Jonah Hauer-King are all in talks to star in the movie. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is set to direct this sequel.

If the original stars do come back, the I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel will likely follow a format similar to what we saw in Scream (2022). Legacy characters like Julie James (I guess) and Ray Bronson will return to help newer people get through a horrific antagonist is a win for longtime fans and new ones, too. It would be interesting, though, considering that the last time we saw these I Know What You Did Last Summer characters, it seemed that the hooked killer was about to murder them. Of course, this could have simply been Julie’s bad dream.

Thankfully, a canceled fourth film with their confirmed deaths didn’t take place. If both Julie James and Ray Bronson come back for an I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel, it will be interesting to see if they are still together and what their lives are like decades later.

Originally published on February 7, 2023.

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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.

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Colin Farrell has said he’s not sure he’s up for a second season of The Penguin because it’s really hard wearing all of the required prosthetics. It takes a whole lot of time and effort to transform him into the much larger Oz Cobb. But while Farrell grew tired of wearing all that extra bulk by season’s end, he still appreciates how his makeup team went the extra mile to make sure he had all the…girth…he need in the show’s premiere. The Penguin star said even though we didn’t see it, he was wearing an anatomically correct little penguin during his nude scene.

The Penguin‘s first episode ended with a naked Oz Cobb tied to a chair. Sofia Falcone had him tortured while questioning him about her brother’s murder. While a fantastic scene on its own, it really highlighted just how talented the show’s hair and makeup really are. We got to see all of Oz in all his glory. Mostly. Though completely naked we didn’t see the Penguin’s personal…south pole. Turns out if we had we would have seen a properly sized henchman for the character.

Farrell told Variety the show’s prosthetics designer Michael Marino was “kind enough to make Oz, shall we say, anatomically correct.” Marino did that by constructing a “velcro piece to stick on” to Farrell’s other body prosthetics. And as if that wasn’t enough, for extra naked authenticity, Farrell shared his character was also sporting “a nice retro bush.”

That’s how we looked after reading that. If you need a moment/lifetime to get over knowing this information, so do we. So. Do. We.

As for actually filming as a nude Oz Cobb, Farrell said it was “strange” and “discomforting.” Even though he wasn’t actually naked, he felt as though he was. In-between takes he asked for a towel to cover up because he “felt incredibly exposed,” even though he knew he was anything but.

Would he have felt that way without his phony phallus? Maybe. Maybe not. Unless he returns for a second season and films another nude scene without one on we will never know. What we do know is we’ve already thought about the Penguin’s penis too much already.

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Check out the latest odds and ends of entertainment news.

Voltron: Legendary Defender

Netflix’s Voltron: Legendary Defender has experienced many ups and downs during the course of its existence. But now reports indicate it could leave Netflix in December of 2024. That would be a blow to fans because the series was created for Netflix. However, as always with TV series, there are many cooks in the kitchen and complicated contractual nuances in play.

Official accounts have weighed in the question of whether Voltron will be removed from Netflix, noting “Discussions are ongoing. When we know, you’ll know.”

Mr. Crocket

Get ready for a creepy children’s show to come to life, complete with an eerie jingle. Mr. Crockett is here to snatch children and kill parents. Yikes!

YouTube

YouTube will soon allow creators to organize their contents by “season” and “episode” on its platform. YouTube Chief Product Officer Johanna Voolich shares in a blog post, “To help our creators’ content shine on TVs, they will soon be able to organize their content into seasons and episodes, making it easy for viewers to tune into the new must see TV… We’re making other improvements to the TV experience with immersive content that plays directly from a creator’s channel, streamlined subscription options and easier access to links in descriptions.” This update will arrive in 2025.

Time Bandits

Alas, although fans were excited about the Time Bandits series reboot/adaptation of Terry Gilliam’s cult favorite movie and seemed to like it overall, it was not meant to be. Joining a pile of other Apple TV+ series that somehow didn’t manage to make a big mark despite a big budget and a good amount of star power, Time Bandits has been canceled after one season. It seems like Time Bandits just didn’t garner a large enough audience. And so, to the canceled heap it goes. We barely knew you!

For the interested, The Time Bandits season one synopsis shared:

Guided by Lisa Kudrow, the eccentric crew of bandits embark on epic adventures while evil forces threaten their conquests, and life as they know it. As the group transports through time and space, the gang stumbles upon fascinating worlds of the distant past while seeking out treasure, depending on Kevin to shed light on each situation. The “Time Bandits” witness the creation of Stonehenge, see the Trojan Horse in action, escape dinosaurs in the prehistoric ages, wreak havoc during medieval times, experience the Ice Age, ancient civilizations and the Harlem Renaissance, and much more along the way. 

Spirit Halloween

Spirit Halloween is here to make Halloween miracles come true. Now you can dress like a Cinnabon Box or an Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Nuggets Cup. Isn’t that what every little kid dreams of? We just have to wonder if these costumes also include a Cinnabon and Auntie Anne perfume spray to really set the scene.

The Lord of the Rings

Wētā Workshop can’t recall how many Hobbit feet its made, but does recall Elijah Wood looking for his perfect fit.

MCU – Beast

Kelsey Grammer surprise reprised his role as the X-Men’s Beast in The Marvels. But Grammer can’t say much about whether his Beast will return to the MCU in the future. He notes that there have been “some conversations” about Beast returning to the Marvel franchise. These, he seems to imply, are bolstered by the “overwhelming” response to his cameo. In full, Grammer shares, “There’s nothing I can talk about. What I do know is that there was a huge sort of outburst when I showed up at the end of The Marvels; I guess it was. The response was really almost… it wasn’t unexpected. There’d be some response, but it was pretty overwhelming, and so there are some conversations.”

MCU – Scarlet Witch

Elizabeth Olsen recently gave voice to what some MCU fans of the character have themselves felt. She noted, “It’s a character that I love going back to when there’s a way to use her well, and I think I have been lucky that when I started I was used well. I think people didn’t know what to do with me for a second there… if there’s a good way to use her I’m always happy to come back.”

She seems to imply Marvel wasn’t super sure what to do with her character for a time, but the good news is Olsen is always happy to return as Scarlet Witch… If there’s a reason.

MCU – RDJ’s Return

We were shocked when it was announced Robert Downey Jr. would return to the MCU as Doctor Doom. And we weren’t the only ones. MCU co-star Don Cheadle shared his reaction was about the same. He revealed, “I was like, ‘What the f*ck?’ I think that’s exactly what I said,” 

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom almost had a much more spoilery name. Producer Eiji Aonuma shared more about the title in Tears of the Kingdom‘s art book. In it, Aonuma notes, “One of the candidates for the title that made it to [the] end [of development] was ‘Tears of the Dragon,'”But it would be a bad idea to have the keyword ‘Dragon’ in the title, and we wanted to have dragon patterns in the logo, but decided otherwise. It’d emphasize the Light Dragon, after all.”

The game’s development team didn’t want to emphasize the Light Dragon too heavily in the title because it would have pointed to a huge game spoiler. The Light Dragon is, of course, Princess Zelda herself. To save her kingdom and restore the Master Sword to its full power, Zelda sacrifices her humanity and becomes the dragon. In this way, Tears of the Kingdom also makes perfect sense but doesn’t draw too much attention to The Light Dragon and her identity.

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Decades before Peter Jackson’s live-action The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Ralph Bakshi rendered the epic in striking animation. (Rotoscope is cool, eh?) Now, a new project from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. returns J.R.R. Tolkien’s sprawling story to animated form. And this time, they’re going the way of anime. This trip into Middle-earth will be The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, fostered by filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama. And now, we finally have our first-look images which show us what The War of Rohirrim will look like. In addition, the first voice cast for The Lord of the Rings anime has been revealed, alongside more story details, concept art from the film, and the movie’s release date. It has even been announced that the story will be narrated by Éowyn, Shieldmaiden of Rohan.

Here Is Our First Look at the Art of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

We finally know what The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will look like. Four first-look images of this anime-style The Lord of the Rings movie have been released. You can also check out our deep dive into the trailer, here.

In the images, we see main character Héra, antagonist Wulf, and the legendary king of Rohan Helm Hammerhand and his family, Héra, Haleth, and Hama.

Click To View Gallery

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Stars and Synopsis

Miranda Otto reprises her role as Éowyn in The War of the Rohirrim. She serves as the movie’s narrator as she tells the tale of Rohan’s history. Alongside Otto, Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, and Luke Pasqualino have been cast as the leads in the Lord of the Rings anime. Cox will voice the protagonist Helm Hammerhand. Wise will voice his daughter Hera. And Pasqualino will voice Wulf, the presumed antagonist.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Synopsis

A press release describes the new film as an exploration of “the untold story behind the fortress of Helm’s Deep.” The material adds that this feature will “delv[e] into the life and bloodsoaked times of one of Middle-earth’s most legendary figures; the mighty King of Rohan – Helm Hammerhand.” And new synopsis further shares that this Lord of the Rings anime will take place 183 before the events revealed in The Lord of the Rings movies.

The anime movie’s description notes, ” Set 183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy of films, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” tells the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan. A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg— mighty fortress that will later come to be known as Helm’s Deep. Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation, Héra, the daughter of Helm, must summon the will to lead the resistance against a deadly enemy intent on their total destruction.”

More About The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Director Kamiyama shares of this The Lord of the Rings anime movie, “This is the story of the most powerful king in Rohan’s history, someone who defeated his enemies with his bare fists. Why did his lineage have to end with him? I think there is a lesson in hubris there and also for a need for responsibility and awareness in their power. We live in an age where, all over the world, we face the reality of war again. What, then, is power? What is the responsibility of those who possess it? It is something they need to think about by thinking together with those who don’t.” 

Of Helm’s daughter Hèra, producer Philippa Boyens notes, “In the appendices where the story is drawn from, we get these quite interestingly drawn male characters, and then we get this young female character who is never named — and that was really interesting to me. We know Helm has a daughter, and we know that she was central to the conflict that happened. But myself, and especially screenwriter Phoebe Gittins, were drawn to her. We could feel the weight of being that unnamed daughter, which immediately piqued our interest: Who was she? How did she live?”

Finally, who is the antagonist of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, Wulf, who is “leading the armies of Dunlendings against Helm’s kingdom.” Boyens shares, “We have an exceptionally great antagonist in this story. He’s been one of my favorite antagonists to have written across all of the films I’ve worked on.”  Wulf is no wizard or powerful being, instead he’s just a human in The Lord of the Rings world. And Boyens reveals, “He speaks so directly to a lot of the crises that we’re facing today. He’s a really fascinating character and exciting too. You don’t know what he’s going to do, and some of the choices that he makes are just breathtaking in a good way.” 

Concept Art From The Lord of the Rings Anime Movie

The below concept art by Weta Workshop certainly hints at those blood-soaked times. That Oliphaunt doesn’t look like it’s there for a good cuddle.

Helm, the ninth king of Rohan, was famously defeated—but not killed—at the Crossings of Isen. However, he would survive for just another year, following a lengthy siege alongside his brother. Despite his defeat, Helm maintained a ferocious reputation; he was even thought to live on in some form following official decree of his death. You can check out the rest of The War of the Rohirrim‘s concept art below.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Director and Other Cast

The War of the Rohirrim‘s director, Kamiyama, has been imbuing the anime world with color and story since the 1980s. Among his most noteworthy credits, we find several Ghost in the Shell series, as well as the 2019 Ultraman show.

Additional cast for the movie include Lorraine Ashbourne, Yazdan Qafouri, Benjamin Wainwright, Laurence Ubong Williams, Shaun Dooley, Michael Wildman, Jude Akuwudike, Bilal Hasna, and Janine Duvitski.

Peter Jackson will serve as an executive producer of the film.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Release Date

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will debut in theaters on December 13, 2024. At present, Warner Bros. touts Rohirrim as a stand-alone story; as such, we shouldn’t necessarily expect a trilogy born of this project. But given that The Hobbit was originally only supposed to be one film, we might not wish to count anything out, either.

Originally published June 10, 2021 with reporting from M. Arbeiter.

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The Fantastic Four’s main cast it all set. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Marvel doesn’t have many big roles left to fill in the MCU. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. Recently, Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios’ Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, shared which character he would want to green-light an MCU series for immediately if he could. He revealed, “I would wanna do the Danny Ketch era of Ghost Rider. I think there are a lot of people who would be here for some Ghost Rider.”

And he’s right, there are a lot of people who would be here for it. And that includes one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, who still wants to play one of the few remaining standout characters yet to debut in the franchise. Ryan Gosling still hopes Kevin Feige picks him to play Ghost Rider.

Last year, the Oscar-nominated Barbie actor (and star of both Drive and Place Beyond the Pines, it should be noted, considering the character) told Josh Horowitz he wants to play Ghost Rider in the MCU. While interviewing Gosling and Emily Blunt for The Fall Guy, Horowitz pointed out to Gosling he personally relayed the actor’s Ghost Rider dream to Kevin Feige. That means the MCU head honcho knows he has two A-listers vying for the role. Because, another person who would be here for some Ghost Rider is Keanu Reeves. When asked to name his ideal role, Reeves has also said he wants to play the character, too. Reeves has actually wanted to play Ghost Rider since he was 10!

Will Feige choose either when the time comes to cast the role? He should choose both! What’s the point of a multiverse if you can’t have both Gosling and Keanu play Ghost Rider.

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“Lucius, take your father’s strength. His name was Maximus, and I see him in you.”

Gladiator II‘s newest trailer dropped an epic bombshell in the Colosseum. Lucilla’s son Lucius is really the child of General Maximus from Gladiator. That familial bond will give Lucius’ story as Rome’s unlikely new hero greater meaning. But is this previously unknown connection simply a retcon? Or is it confirmation of something the original film was clearly suggesting? The answer depends on how good of a liar you think Lucilla really is.

Gladiator never revealed exactly what led to Maximus and Lucilla breaking up many years before the start of the film. All we learned was they had once loved each other very much when they were younger. We also learned they never really stopped caring for one another.

We don’t know the specific reason they broke up. The movie hints at some possibilities, none of which have to do with Lucius. It’s obvious things did not end well between them, though. Each had “wounded” the other deeply. Their first few interactions also showed Lucilla and Maximus both still felt the pain from their split. They experienced the kind of hurt you can only suffer from losing someone you truly cared about.

Both did move on, though. Lucilla eventually got married and she and her late husband had a son “nearly eight years old,” the same age of Maximus’ son with his wife.

Rewatching that conversation now, the first between the two in Gladiator, with the knowledge Lucius is Maximus’ son makes this revelation feel like a retcon. (As do all of the other times they talk about either of their children.) The scene is full of obvious animosity and distrust. An uneasy Maximus tries to walk away from her multiple times. It’s only when they talk about their kids that both Lucilla and Maximus show actual warmth towards one another. Their anger and awkwardness fades away for that brief moment.

In print, that might sound like evidence Lucilla was keeping the truth from him, but it doesn’t play that way in Connie Nielsen’s performance onscreen. It comes across as though their children are the one thing that separates the former lovers because neither child is connected to the other. Their shared pain comes from their previous relationship. Their kids were not a part of that. And at no point in the film, which implies the two broke up more than a decade ago, does Maximus ever think he’s Lucius real father. They don’t look alike, either.

That reading also works within the context of the story, because shortly after this moment Commodus orders the murders of Maximus’ wife and son. The loss of his own child helps motivate Maximus to work with Lucilla, whom he resents yet cares for. Her entire motivation in the film becomes protecting her son from his maniacal Emperor uncle. She doesn’t care about avenging her father or making Rome a republic once more. She only wants to keep Lucius safe. And she convinces an angry and untrusting Maximus she needs help by appealing to him as a parent. That helps win over the honorable Maximus.

But while the scenes where Lucilla discusses her son with Maximus make Gladiator II‘s revelation feel like a retcon, they’re not definitive proof they are for some very compelling reasons.

(Note: We’re talking retcon in a strictly in-world sense rather than what Ridley Scott originally planned nearly 25 years ago. This might be a true retcon off-screen, but were evaluating this question purely on-screen.)

Lucilla told Maximus she had “felt alone all my life” except when she was with him. She also told him her brother was jealous because both her and her father loved Maximus, and their love was the one thing Commodus craved. And she knew better than anyone her brother was completely unhinged and not even she could control him if in certain cases. That’s exactly why she never would have—or even could have—told Maximus Lucius was his child while Commodus lived. Her number one motivation after her brother killed their father was to keep Lucius safe, and the number one thing that would have endangerd her boy was that fact getting out.

She trusted Maximus to keep her song safe, but until Commodus was dead and Maximus ruled Rome, it was too dangerous to tell the General the truth. If Commodus ever found out his beloved nephew was really the child of the man he detested it would have meant Lucius’ head. Commodus would have done it, too. After the new Emperor found out his sister betrayed him he convincingly promised to kill his nephew if Lucilla so much as looked at her brother the wrong way ever again.

Could Lucilla have kept such an important secret from everyone for so long, even Maximus, while her dad was alive? It would have been easy for the eight or nine previous years before Gladiator. They didn’t see one another during that time. It would also explain why two people who loved each other so much split up and had so much animosity for one another. (Especially Maximus, who had far more anger for her than she did for him.) The unwed daughter of the Emperor getting pregnant with a Spanish soldier’s son would put them all at risk. Especially Maximus. Burying the truth was the only way to protect him.

If she broke up with him without telling him the actual reason why it’s easy to understand why she wounded Maximus so much. It’s also obvious why she would have kept that secret forever from Maximus. The general died moments after he killed Commodus.

Whether or not Gladiator II is truly retconning the identity of Lucius’ father comes down to one question: Could Lucilla have convincingly kept the truth from both him and the audience? There’s not even a hint of Lucius’ secret parentage in her words. There’s not even a slight look that suggest that. If it was always true she concealed it so well that even after decades of rewatching Gladiator we’re wondering if this is a total creation of a sequel desperate for meaning and connections to the original film. So could she have really been that good of a liar?

Everything we learned about her in the film says yes. Her father gave her the highest praise when he told her, “If only you had been born a man, what a Caesar you would have made.” That spoke to her political skills and tactfulness. Senator Gracchus also extolled her self-control under pressure during a tense meeting with Commodus. He told Lucilla, “Your lightest touch commands obedience.” She also conspired against her brother while simultaneously manipulating him. And when an angry Maximus grabbed her throat and accused her of lying, she calmly explained how she’d lived every day since her father’s murder in quiet fear. Sharing her real emotions would only imperil her son. But she was always able to manage those, even from those she loved.

Lucilla was smart, cunning, capable, and disciplined. And she desperately loved her son. If anyone could hide the dangerous truth about Lucius’ father from Maximus, Rome, her own father, Commodus, and everyone watching Gladiator it was her. So while you might rewatch Gladiator and think its sequel’s big revelation is a retcon, it’s still a totally believable one because we can believe Lucilla was so good at keeping a dangerous secret.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who saw Gladiator in the theater four times when it came out. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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

Fans of the franchise will likely be wondering how The Penguin ties into The Batman – Part II. In answer to that, Matt Reeves shares, “there’s a period of time” that The Batman – Part II will jump to, and “Oz does become one of the entry points into the movie… I can’t tell you where it goes from there, except to say that we’re super excited about it.”

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

Title

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

The Batman – Part II‘s Plot

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

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

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

The Batman – Part II‘s Cast

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

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

Behind the Scenes

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

The Batman – Part II Release Date

The Batman – Part II will release on October 2, 2026.

Originally published on February 8, 2023.

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In a real “didn’t we already know this?” piece of news, HBO has officially greenlit the DCU drama series Lanterns based on the Green Lantern comics. This was one of the titles James Gunn mentioned in his now infamous DCU slate video in early 2023. That certainly made it seem like it was a sure thing. However, given how fickle Warner Bros. is these days, I suppose it wasn’t. At any rate, HBO has given an eight-episode, direct-to-series order to Lanterns. Emmy-nominee Chris Mundy (True Detective: Night Country; Ozark) will serve as showrunner.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Josh Brolin will not star as Hal Jordan in Lanterns. He was eyed for the role but decided to pass on the role. It is not clear why at this time but perhaps he will speak on it in the near future. Meanwhile, new reports indicate that Kyle Chandler could instead take on the mantle of Hal Jordan in Lanterns. He could be a good choice, for sure. There has been no official confirmation yet, but he certainly looks the part.

The synopsis of the series says it follows “new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.” Pretty interesting concept for a Green Lantern series. Intergalactic cops solving an mystery on Earth. Definitely has True Detective vibes.

Joining Mundy in the writing of the show are none other than heavy hitters Damon Lindelof (Watchmen, The Leftovers) and comic writer Tom King (Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow). James Gunn and Peter Safran said of the announcement: “We’re thrilled to bring this seminal DC title to HBO with Chris, Damon and Tom at the helm. John Stewart and Hal Jordan are two of DC’s most compelling characters, and Lanterns brings them to life in an original detective story that is a foundational part of the unified DCU we’re launching next summer with Superman.”

No word yet on when the series will debut. We will, of course, keep you up to date on any casting news as it develops.

Originally published on June 25, 2024.

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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We’re going to have to cancel our visitor’s pass for Gotham City’s most notorious mental hospital. Via Variety, we’ve learned that the Max streaming service is not moving forward with the proposed Arkham Asylum series, which was formally announced back in late 2022. This would have been the first Batman-centric series set in James Gunn’s new DCU, not in The Batman universe, like the upcoming Penguin series. Antonio Campos was developing the series, which originally began as part of Matt Reeves’ universe, before switching gears. Apparently, DC Studios and Warner Bros. have not ruled out another take on the Arkham Asylum series in the future.

This series has gone through several permutations since 2020. Originally, it was a show about the Gotham P.D. That evolved into a show about Arkham Asylum itself, where Gotham City’s most mentally deranged criminals reside. So basically, every Batman foe is not named Catwoman or Ra’s al Ghul. Creators like Terrance Winter and Joe Barton came in to develop the project, but both left over creative differences. The last iteration from Antonio Campos was described as a “horror movie or haunted house that is Arkham.” That sounded pretty cool to us.

Recently, Matt Reeves discussed the canceled The Batman spinoffs, noting, “The things that we’re talking about [now] are evolved versions of those things. It’s not like that just didn’t work. It was like, we need to evolve this. I would describe it less as something that didn’t work out and more as something that is still along a path toward arriving at its destination.”

We think an Arkham-based series will see the light of day at some point. We’re just going to have to wait a bit longer.

Originally published on July 8, 2024.

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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.

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The upcoming Thunderbolts film from Marvel Studios is slated to introduce one of the most powerful characters Marvel Comics has ever produced, the Sentry. Essentially, he’s Marvel’s Superman, but with a dark secret. He’ll be portrayed by actor Lewis Pullman in the upcoming MCU film, and we officially have our first look at Pullman as the character from the MCU’s Thunderbolts* trailer. But who is Sentry, a (relatively recent) Marvel character, and what is his strange origin story, both on and off the page?

The Bizarre Backstory of Marvel Comics’ Sentry

The Sentry began his comic book existence as an elaborate trolling by Marvel Comics editorial. Back in the ’90s, the Marvel Knights line of comics helped save the company after bankruptcy. Edgy titles like Kevin Smith’s Daredevil got critical acclaim and big sales. In 2000, creators Paul Jenkins and Rick Veitch came up with the Sentry series for Marvel Knights, about a superhero in a more classic DC Comics mode than a Marvel one. His costume suggested Superman’s, or Shazam’s. Although he’s not the only analog for Superman at Marvel (Hyperion predates him) he is the most powerful. He may be stronger than Superman himself.

Sentry, The “Lost” Stan Lee Marvel Hero

When the Sentry mini-series was announced, Marvel touted the series as a discovery of a “lost” concept by Stan Lee and a forgotten artist named Artie Rosen from the early ’60s that never made it to print. When Rosen “died” in 1999, writer Paul Jenkins discovered his original creation with Lee, a classic hero named the Sentry. He decided it was time to give the hero a proper Marvel debut in his own mini-series. Marvel EIC Joe Quesada even used the octogenarian Stan Lee himself as part of the promotion, giving interviews to comic book media about how even he had forgotten he co-created this hero. Of course, all of this was complete nonsense. Sentry was a pure creation of Jenkins. The whole backstory was a marketing gimmick.

Sentry Is Marvel’s Superman, with a Dark Side

In the Sentry original limited series, we meet Robert Reynolds. He’s an out-of-shape, middle-aged man living a bleak existence. Reynolds starts remembering a superhero career in his younger days, when he was the Sentry. Having taken “the Golden Sentry Serum,’ an advanced version of Captain America’s Super Soldier Serum, he now had “the power of a million exploding suns.” His arch nemesis was a dark presence called “The Void.” He was a contemporary of early Marvel heroes like the Avengers, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four. In fact, he was very close friends with Reed Richards, the Fantastic Four’s genius leader. As he encountered each Marvel hero in the present, they all slowly began to remember him. But why did they forget him in the first place?

After a deadly attack by the Void that resulted in high casualties during his heroic heyday, Sentry disappeared from the Marvel Universe when his mind was wiped, along with the memories of everyone on Earth, to make everyone forget that he ever existed. This was because of Reed Richards and Doctor Strange realizing that the Void was not just Sentry’s arch-foe, he was also a part of him. The only way to get rid of the Void was to make everyone forget that both Sentry and Void existed, including Bob Reynolds himself. So for years, he lived a life of anonymity, forgetting his heroic past entirely.

Sentry Becomes the Mightiest Avenger

In the New Avengers series in 2005, writer Brian Michael Bendis brings Sentry back to the Marvel Universe. We see Reynolds in a cell inside the supervillain prison the Raft, where he has voluntarily imprisoned himself for murdering his wife, Lindy Lee. When a huge jailbreak occurs, the Avengers catch several of the escaping villains. During this time, Daredevil finds the Sentry, and the powerful hero saves several others from Carnage, whom he flies into space and rips in half. Later, the Avengers discovered that X-Men villain Mastermind, who was at fault for Jean Grey’s descent into Dark Phoenix, was responsible for what happened to Sentry. He implanted a psychic virus in Robert Reynolds’ mind that created the delusion of the Void, but it was all really an aspect of his own repressed personality, unleashed by the serum.

Readers learned that the psychic virus does not allow Reynolds to remember his life as he lived it. Instead, he subconsciously implants his memories into the mind of comic book writer Paul Jenkins, a meta-commentary on the real-life creator of the same name who invented Sentry. Eventually, the Avengers show Reynolds that his wife, whom he confessed to murdering, is still alive. Sentry runs away, going to a house in the suburbs he shares with his wife Lindy. The Marvel heroes find him there, and attempt to reason with him. But he insists the Void is coming, and will destroy the world. Ultimately, X-Men telepath Emma Frost frees Reynolds from the psychic virus and restores his memories, and the Sentry joins the Avengers. The rest of the world does not regain their memories of Sentry. To them, he’s a brand new hero and new addition to the Avengers.

The Many Powers and Abilities of Sentry

The Sentry is one of the most powerful superheroes in the Marvel universe, even more powerful than his DC counterpart Superman. His powers supposedly came from a more advanced version of Captain America’s super soldier serum. Later, they revealed that an alien intelligence actually infused itself with the serum, making Reynolds its host body. Whatever the true origins are, Sentry has super strength, enough to subdue the Hulk at his most powerful. He can fly, has super speed, has telepathy, and can even shapeshift. He can also project light and project energy blasts. Sentry can also pass on a portion of his power, as he did to his kid sidekick, Billy Turner, a.k.a. Scout, an amalgamation of DC’s Robin and Captain Marvel. Jr. He even passed on powers to his Welsh Corgi, Watchdog, a riff on DC’s Krypto the Superdog. Sentry is the definition of the phrase “OP.”

Sentry’s Death and Rebirth

Sentry remained an Avenger for many years, although he constantly battled the emergence of the Void, a symptom of his own mental illness. Eventually, he joined former Green Goblin Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers, as Osborn’s secret weapon. Thanks to Norman’s mental manipulations, he is able to break down the barriers that keep Robert Reynolds’ darker Void persona at bay. In the Siege storyline, Osborn and the Dark Avengers, together with Loki, attack Asgard itself. Osborn uses the powers of the Sentry to destroy Asgard, which was hovering above Oklahoma at the time.

The Dark Avenger Ares, the actual Greek god of war, attacks Sentry for his loss of control. Then, Sentry literally rips the god in half. (It’s a pretty gross panel too). Sentry then murders Loki, although he is eventually reborn as Kid Loki. Realizing what he’s done, upon reverting to his Bob Reynolds persona, Sentry asks the Avengers to kill him. Thor obliges, and carries his body to the sun to be cremated. But Sentry is effectively immortal, and can’t truly die. He eventually merges his Sentry half with his Void half, now seemingly more in control, but also elevated to godhood. In the comics, it seems it is the destiny of the Sentry to effectively never die.

Sentry in the MCU’s Thunderbolts* Movie

The MCU Thunderbolts* trailer officially gave us our first look at Lewis Pullman as the Sentry. But we really don’t know too much about him yet. All we know about Sentry in the MCU for now is that he’ll be a part of the Thunderbolts* film. We have no idea what role he’ll play, but we imagine a scenario similar to the comics. We foresee a situation where Sentry is assigned by the government to the Thunderbolts team. Perhaps to be their public face? But when the ultra-powered hero loses control of his darker half, the former assassins will have to find a way to stop him. But that’s just us guessing. We’ll know for sure when Thunderbolts hits theaters in 2025.

Originally published on February 2, 2024.

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Here’s an idea that definitely makes sense: Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans co-starring in an action-comedy. No-brainer, really. Sign us up. Now here’s an idea that…uh…we’re not as sure about (to be polite): Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans co-starring in an action-comedy Christmas movie that looks like a fake Saturday Night Live sketch. Who would produce such a strange film about a manhunt for Santa Claus? Amazon MGM Studios. We know because there are multiple trailers for Red One.

Buff Santa Claus is missing and the North Pole needs help. As do we after seeing this trailer, which is really silly, really cheesy, and really unbelievable. No, seriously, we’re having a hard time believing it. We’re positive this isn’t a practical joke, right? The official press release we got would indicate it’s not. As would the movie’s official synopsis:

After Santa Claus – Code Name: RED ONE – is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.

Directed by Jake Kasdan (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) the script comes from longtime Fast & Furious scribe Chris Morgan. The film also stars Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Wesley Kimmel, and J.K. Simmons as Old Swole Nick.

We pretty much like everyone involved in this film, so we’re not dismissing it out of hand. It could prove to be the good kind of silly. But hoo boy some of the “jokes” in this trailer are truly painful. If saying so gets us put on the naughty list so be it. Or at least that’s what we would say if we weren’t so scared of buff Santa and his giant head of security.

Red One comes to theaters just in time for the holiday season, on November 15, 2024.

Originally published June 25, 2024.

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James Wan continues to keep his strong foothold in the horror world. His Atomic Monster company is producing Teacup, an upcoming Peacock series based on Robert McCammon’s bestselling novel Stinger (1988). I love nothing more than a teaser that gives little to no information but still piques the viewer’s curiosity. That’s what we get with Teacup’s dark trailers.

The synopsis for Teacup doesn’t give us much to support the trailer, either. 

Teacup follows a disparate group of people in rural Georgia who must come together in the face of a mysterious threat in order to survive. Inspired by the New York Times bestselling novel Stinger by Robert McCammon. 

I continue to maintain that small towns are the scariest places on Earth. So, let’s talk a little more about what goes down in the book. Of course, there will likely be liberties taken in the Teacup series but at least this will give you a better idea of what’s happening here. This is the synopsis for Stinger: 

The story takes place during a single twenty-four hour period in Inferno, Texas. Inferno is a town in trouble, driven to the brink by racial tension, gang violence, and a collapsing economy. But things can always get worse, and they do so with astonishing speed when an unidentified spacecraft crash lands in the desert outside of town, followed by a second craft bearing the alien being who will soon be known as Stinger. Stinger is a kind of interstellar hunter on a mission he intends to complete, whatever the cost. He brings with him an endless array of technological marvels and an infinite capacity for destruction that threaten the existence of Inferno, its inhabitants, and the larger world beyond.

What Is the Release Date for Peacock’s Teacup Series? 

The first two episodes of Teacup will hit Peacock on October 10, followed by two episodes weekly through Halloween to complete the eight episode season. Until then, we will be patiently waiting for a full Teacup trailer to arrive soon.

Originally published August 15, 2024.

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Maximus Decimus Meridius bravely gave his life to fulfill an old man’s dying wish. Unfortunately Gladiator II shows that Rome did not become a Republic again following the General’s sacrifice. That doesn’t mean it was made in vain, though. His legacy did live on. And in more than one way. The new trailer for Ridley Scott’s sequel shows how terrible Emperors make a formidable enemy who personally witnessed how Maximus stood up to an Empire. Now he’s bringing more than just his own quest for vengeance to the Colosseum. He’s bringing real war. And he’s doing so with the memory of his father by his side.

Scott’s star-studded sequel looks as epic as the Empire it’s about. From wild primate and water battles inside the Colosseum, to political intrigue and a conquering army outside, a war for the very heart and soul of Rome is on the line. But how did a young prince end up a gladiator in the first place? Did it have anything to do with Lucius being Maximus’ actual son!? Here’s the film’s official synopsis from Paramount Pictures:

From legendary director Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.

Gladiator II stars Paul Mescal as the grownup Lucius, SON OF MAXIMUS. (Sorry, we’re very excited about that reveal.) The film also features Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, and Denzel Washington, the most stylish subject of Ancient Rome ever. Original stars Derek Jacobi and Connie Nielsen are also back for more swords and sandals fun. The script comes from David Scarpa (Napolean, All the Money in the World.)

The hope to returning Rome to a republic once more came from Marcus Aurelius. And the inspiration to actually make that happen came from Maximus.

We’ll find out if that dream finally comes true when Gladiator II arrives for war on November 22.

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It’s here. And we don’t just mean the return of Bucky Barnes’ long hair. (Although we’re thrilled to pieces to see that as well.) The teaser trailer for the MCU Thunderbolts* movie has arrived. This exciting MCU entry promises to be “not like other movies” as it features a team that’s “not like other teams.” These unlikely antiheroes are all coming together to become more than the sum of their parts. And the soundtrack is already rocking.

Check out the teaser trailer for the MCU’s Thunderbolts* movie below.

Thunderbolts*, of course, will tell the story of Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine, Ghost, Red Guardian, Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes (a.k.a Winter Soldier), US Agent, and Taskmaster. But how will all these very different characters from very different movies come together into one team? Well, it’s not so different than how the Avengers did when you get right down to it. Thunderbolts* first teaser trailer gives us a glimpse. (And yes, this is the Thunderbolts* trailer that was shown at SDCC.)

Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine is playing the role of Nick Fury tonight, and she’s assembling her antiheroes. There are no good guys and bad guys; she tells her motley crew. There are only bad guys and worse guys. Honestly, that’s fair enough. Because if you break down the collateral damage of each MCU hero and the trouble they got themselves and the world into… That idea really tracks.

Marvel has indicated that this movie will have a different tone than other MCU movies. And the teaser trailer for Thunderbolts* does seem to indicate something a little more grounded on the horizon. All our antiheroes are drifting and kind of lost as they look for a direction to head in. Everyone’s favorite depressed-in-bed anthem even plays in the background. (Pixie’s “Where Is my mind.”) But that’s not to say there isn’t still room for laughs. There’s a ton of banter… and Bucky Barnes’ arm in a dishwasher. Bless.

Of course, this teaser trailer leaves us with a key question… Just who is Bob? For now, the trailer doesn’t reveal it. But it appears that Bob is actually the MCU’s Sentry. Also, why is Bucky shooting at a car containing Yelena, Red Guardian, and US Agent? Trouble is definitely afoot.

The release for Thunderbolts* that accompanies the teaser trailer plays at the emulating the tone of this snarkier MCU entry as well, by sharing:

Today, the teaser trailer and poster for the upcoming feature film,  “Thunderbolts*” debuted.  Marvel Studios and a crew of indie veterans who sold out present “Thunderbolts*,”an irreverent team-up featuring depressed assassin Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) alongside the MCU’s least anticipated band of misfits. 

The film also returns to the screen Marvel Cinematic Universe characters Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Red Guardian (David Harbour), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), in addition to some exciting new faces.

“A crew of indie veterans who sold out present.” Yep, we feel that acerbic tongue-in-cheek energy in spades. It looks like Yelena will be at the center of this one and more Florence Pugh is always a good thing. And we’ll just have to wait to understand more of the story that this Thunderbolts* teaser trailer begins.

Thunderbolts* releases on May 2, 2025.

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The entirety of Pelican Town in LEGO bricks?! This wild idea is a reality thanks to Steve Jenson, a fan of the 2D farming simulation game, Stardew Valley. The 75,000-piece LEGO recreation debut at BrickCon 2024 in Bellevue, Washington. The sole developer and creator of Stardew Valley, Eric Barone, known professionally as “ConcernedApe,” also took notice of the large model. Barone praised Jenson in person, as seen in an Instagram photo posted by Jenson.

Jenson’s LEGO build of Stardew Valley included iconic locations from the game, including JojaMart and the Wizard’s Tower. Jenson built a sign that mimicked the game’s title card to tie the entire map together. The build took over two years, and Jenson had to take some creative liberties with it to accomplish the model to the scale he did. To make the game into LEGO, Jenson imagined what the sides and backs of buildings only shown from the front looked like. Additionally, Jenson converged separate pieces of Pelican Town’s map to create a cohesive build. The video below offers a closer look at all the impressive details in the model.

When asked about his favorite part Jenson told PC Gamer, “the Hat Shop, because I was able to make [it] almost entirely hollow, so you can look through the cracks and broken parts, and see through to more such openings on the other side. Just as a rundown, abandoned structure would be.”

The Nintendo Switch version of Stardew Valley largely influences the color and style of the LEGO Model’s design. Jenson combined different game progress levels and seasons to show elements within their respective stages. All of Jenson’s efforts paid off at BrickCon, where his LEGO build won the People’s Choice award.

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Spooky season is upon us, and before you know it, it’ll be October 31. And as fans of the cult classic film Trick ‘r Treat know, that’s the night when the spirit of the holiday, Sam, emerges from hibernation. On the night of Halloween, he ensures the rules of the holiday are followed to the letter….or else. Now, fans of Mike Dougherty’s Trick ‘r Treat can celebrate mischievous little Sam with a new collection of stylish apparel from the folks at RSVLTS. These include button-up shirts, sweatshirts, crewneck tees, and hats. You can check them all out in down below:

Trick ‘r Treat “Candy and Costumes” Short Sleeve Shirt

The “School Bus Massacre” zombie trick-or-treaters join Sam on this shirt, which comes in men’s and women’s sizes. Both versions are $70.

Trick ‘r Treat Halloween Rules Short Sleeve Shirt

Sam emerges on All Hallow’s Eve to enforce the rules of the night, including not blowing out the candle on a Jack-o’-lantern before midnight. Otherwise, he gets grumpy. This shirt celebrates Sam’s strict rule enforcement and also comes in men’s and women’s sizes. Both are $70.

Trick ‘r Treat “Lollygagging” Short Sleeve Shirt

Sam’s favorite weapon is a half-bitten pumpkin lollipop. If you’ve seen the movie, you know the damage it can do. Like the previous two shirts, it also has men’s and women’s sizes available, and is priced at $70.

Trick ‘r Treat “Always Check Your Candy” Sweatshirt

Halloween rule #1: Always check your candy. Who knows what some weirdo might have done. This sweatshirt bears the iconic phrase from the film, and shows Sam emerging from a Jack-o’-lantern. You can buy this one for $75.

Trick ‘r Treat “Sinister and Sweet” Crewneck Tee

“Sinister and Sweet” is the perfect way to describe Sam, who rises out of a pumpkin on the back of this t-shirt. The crewneck shirt only sets you back $32.

Trick ‘r Treat “Smilin’ Sam” Dad Hat

A masked version of Sam adorns this “dad hat,” priced at $30.

You can order all of these Trick ‘r Treat items now on RSVLTS.com.

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

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It’s been a minute since Lara Croft had a live-action film of her own, or a big push outside of video games. But worry not, all you loyal Tomb Raider fans. The erstwhile archaeologist and adventurer returns at last in a new animated series coming to Netflix this October, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. This is in addition to a new live-action show coming soon to Prime Video. And we now have our first teaser trailer for the series. It features Marvel’s Agent Peggy Carter herself, Hayley Atwell, providing the voice for Lara Croft. You can watch Lara Croft get in and out of all manner of predicaments in the Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft trailer right here:

Here’s the official synopsis for Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft:

The animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft picks up after the events of the highly successful Tomb Raider video game Survivor trilogy (Tomb Raider; Rise of the Tomb Raider; Shadow of the Tomb Raider), and will chart the globetrotting heroine’s next chapter as the iconic adventurer. More than 25 years after her first appearance, Lara Croft (voiced by Hayley Atwell) continues to explore ancient mysteries and uncover lost truths across breathtaking and dangerous destinations.

Joining Hayley Atwell in Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft are Allen Maldonado (Zip) and Earl Baylon, returning as Jonah from the Tomb Raider video games. In the aftermath of the Survivor trilogy, Lara Croft leaves her friends behind for a new round of solo adventures. Yet nothing ever stays uneventful in Lara Croft’s world. Especially when someone steals a powerful Chinese artifact from Croft Manor, and Lara has no choice but to pursue it until she gets it back. She’ll soon discover that the thief in question is someone with whom she has personal ties. (Isn’t that always the way?) Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft drops on Netflix on October 10.

Originally published August 2024.

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Batman has owned many Batmobiles over his illustrious eight decades in the spotlight. And while many were awesome, at the top of our list of amazing Batmobiles is the one from Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman film. The one Michael Keaton’s Dark Knight rode through the streets of Gotham City is the pinnacle of superhero aesthetics in film. And while you may never drive that iconic car yourself, you can now wear it on your feet. Crocs has released a new Batmobile Classic Clog, that gives off all the stylish vibes of Tim Burton’s film. You can check out images of the new Batmobile clog right here, as well as read the official description below:

Click To View Gallery

It’s high-octane style. The Batman Batmobile Classic Clog is ready to own the night (and the day) with a design inspired by Batman’s ride — right down to the bat wings on the side of the strap. And you can customize your new favorite mode of transportation, with Jibbitz charms. To the Batcave!

These Batmobile Crocs are water-friendly and buoyant, weighing only ounces. The ventilation ports add breathability and help shed water and debris. They feature a bat wing detail on the heel strap, which pivot for a more secure fit. The heel even has the fire exhaust port that jets out from the back of the car. They also come with appropriate Batman Jibbitz charms. Most importantly, they’re easy to clean, as well as quick to dry. They are, of course solid black, just like Batman’s world-famous car. The Batmobile clogs are $69.99, but only a few sizes still remain. These are selling out fast, so you might want to grab a pair from the official Crocs online store now before it’s too late.

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No one expected JELL-O furniture, but it’s certainly a welcome surprise. The jiggly nature of the
nostalgic after-school treat always seemed like it would make a really comfortable seat. Now, childhood
dreams have come true through The Jelly Collection by JELL-O. This new limited edition inflatable
furniture line features the iconic snack’s silhouette.

The new line includes inflatable chairs that come in four different colors: red, yellow, green, and orange. Each color corresponds to a popular JELL-O flavor. The chairs represent lemon, lime, strawberry, and orange, respectively. If that isn’t cool enough, each chair has its own JELL-O cupholder, so you can lounge in JELL-O while slurping up JELL-O.

The Jelly collection draws inspiration from current design trends visible all over the internet. On Pinterest, this rising interest is marked by their prediction of “Be Jelly” as a future trend, featuring squishy and jellyfish-like aesthetics.

The collection finds the balance between modernity and sentimentality for a brand that has been around for over 150 years. The recognizable JELL-O mold silhouette brings in a sense of familiarity, whereas the concept of a JELL-O inflatable chair is novel and bold.

“With The Jelly Collection, we’re not just celebrating our rich history; we’re bringing it to life for today’s families. By blending our heritage with a modern twist, we’re inviting consumers to embrace the playful spirit that has made JELL-O a beloved favorite for generations,” said Tyler Parker, Brand Manager of Desserts at Kraft Heinz in a statement given to Nerdist.

The new furniture collection comes after JELL-O’s rebrand in 2023, its first in a decade. JELL-O continues to release new collaborations to engage its audience, including its Girl Scouts pudding flavors. The Jelly Collection retails for $30 dollars a chair and is available on Amazon.

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The advent of the first PlayStation in December 1994 changed the home entertainment industry forever. The console’s imagery permeates pop culture and remains just as recognizable as years ago due to its revolutionary impact on the gaming industry. The PlayStation may be on its fifth iteration now, but the look of the original is not lost on time. In fact, Sony just announced a limited edition PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection that pays homage to the colors and themes of its first console.

The new collection includes various editions of the PS5 and its accessories. There are two bundles and three standalone items available for purchase. Both the PS5 Digital and Pro editions will have their own bundles. The Pro bundle will have a limited production run of only 12,300, with each one individually numbered. That number comes from the month and date that the PlayStation launched. Both come with additional accessories like PlayStation cable ties, PlayStation logo paperclip, stickers, and a poster. An eye-catching addition is the special USB-C connector, housed in a casing that resembles the original PlayStation’s controller wire.

“So today we use USB-C for this charging cable, but we want to bring back some memories when you start playing [the PS5],” said Hideaki Nishino, CEO Platform Business Group of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

All the products in the collection feature nostalgic references to the original PlayStation. The collection is light gray, with the original quad-colored logo evocative of the first console. The entire collection features a special logo highlighting the 30th anniversary, including on the grips and embossing of the controllers. PlayStation shared many more hidden nostalgic details in the video below.

Fans of the original PlayStation or those who want to add a retro flair to their modern setup can expect to enjoy all the designs in this collection. The anniversary collection will release Nov. 21. Pre-orders on direct.playstation.com and select retailers begin Sept. 26.

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Netflix is heading back to Night City. We just don’t know when. We don’t even know what the streamer is going to do when it returns there. And we definitely don’t know if this new animated story is connected to the site’s previous anime series set in the video game world. The streamer and CD Projekt Red released a “special announcement” trailer for a mysterious new Cyberpunk project. They just didn’t share any details about it.

As part of this year’s digital Geeked Week event Netflix revealed it’s getting back into Cyberpunk 2077‘s world of technology and body modification. This new animated series will seemingly just be known as Cyberpunk without any year designation just yet.

And that’s about all we actually know about it! The streaming site and CDPR only said “more info” is “coming soon.”

With so few/any details, the lack of information might be more telling. This will not be the first animated show from the franchise to debut at Netflix. In 2022 the two companies released Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, an animated miniseries based on CD Projekt Red’s video game. That ten-episode season told the story of “a street kid trying to survive in Night City” by becoming “a mercenary outlaw also known as a cyberpunk.” This brief teaser also makes no mention of Studio Trigger, which was behind Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

It’s certainly possible this new series could have a direct connection to the previous one, either through recurring characters or plot. The change in title and a complete lack of nods towards it has us lenaing towards this new show being an all-new thing. We’ll just have to wait to find out.

In the meantime, fans of the franchise can celebrate the total turnaround it has undergone since the original game’s less than stellar debut. It did not initially live up to its highly anticipated release. (To put it kindly.) Yet here it is about to have another anime spinoff series. The fact we don’t know anything about it doesn’t change how telling that fact is.

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‘Tis the season for many things—pumpkin spice lattes, apple picking, and… video game adaptations. Yes, more than ever, our favorite games are turning into series for our viewing pleasure. Next up, the popular video game Devil May Cry is heading to Netflix in the form of an anime series. In this current gaming adaptation age, we bet the results are better than ever. Although we don’t yet have a release date for this anime, Netflix did share a teaser trailer for the series. Here’s what we know about the Devil May Cry series heading to Netflix.

Devil May Cry Official Teaser Trailer and Release Date Window

In celebration of Geeked Week 2024, Netflix teases that Dante is on his way. The streamer released an official teaser trailer for Devil May Cry and it is action-packed and epic. This Devil May Care teaser made a few things clear: his name is Dante, he’s a demon hunter, and he can sure shoot those two guns. In addition to a million awesome looking demons, the teaser spent most of its time focusing on Dante. But it also introduced us to the villain of Devil May Cry season one, the dastardly White Rabbit, also called Rabi. He can’t wait for the gates of hell to open. And we’re pretty sure that’s bad news. Either way, we’re hyped!

But that’s not the only exciting piece of news, Netflix revealed that Devil May Cry will release in April 2025. We love a release date window.

Devil May Cry Series Announcement Teaser Trailer

Conversations about the Devil May Cry animated series have been circulating since 2021. So we feel glad to finally see it coming to fruition. Netflix’s original teaser for Devil May Cry didn’t show us too much from the anime show. But it did set the tone just right. The quick scenes of action and the hard rock music certainly have us ready to dive into an episode. And the animation looks incredibly good.

The only character we see in the above Devil May Cry teaser is Dante. He’s got his red jacket, his guns, his white hair, and he’s ready to go. But in earlier conversations, creator and showrunner of the series Adi Shankar confirmed we’d see other familiar Devil May Cry characters. He noted, “I can confirm that Vergil is in it, as well as Lady, and of course Dante as well.” We can’t wait to see how these characters transform for the show.

The Anime Series Synopsis

Netflix also shared a logline for the Devil May Cry series; it notes:

In this animated adaptation of the popular Capcom game, sinister forces are at play to open the portal between the human and demon realms. In the middle of it all is Dante, an orphaned demon-hunter-for-hire, unaware that the fate of both worlds hangs around his neck.

We do love a sinister force. And an orphaned demon-hunter-for-hire. Dante certainly does not seem aware the fate of multiple worlds is on his shoulders in the teaser clip, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens when he does.

Devil May Cry‘s Episode Count and More

Devil May Cry will be eight episodes long. Adi Shankar, as mentioned, is the showrunner and creator. Alex Larsen is the writer on the show. The series comes from Netflix, Capcom, and Studio MIR, so we know it is in good hands.

Shankar noted, “I’m honored that Netflix and Capcom have entrusted me to shepherd the Devil May Cry franchise. Alex Larsen and I love these characters; we are part of the fandom, and vow to surpass the exceptionally high bar we set for ourselves.”

Hopefully, we will know more about Devil May Cry very soon.

Originally published on September 27, 2023.

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While Universal Studios Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) gets the lion’s share of the attention, Universal Studios Hollywood’s own event is just as good, if not better at times. This is the 23rd year of the event, which has been scaring guests regularly during spooky season since 1997. We visited Universal Studios Hollywood’s HHN and now we are fully prepared to rank all eight of this year’s haunted house attractions, from the least frightening to the scariest.

8. Insidious: The Further

Insidious is one of the most popular horror franchises of the last decade. It has had five (soon to be six) films, and several haunted houses at HHN over the years. And this year’s Insidious house, The Further, celebrates all the demonic entities that exist in that supernatural realm. This haunted house has a lot of great scare actors throughout, jumping out at you to the tune of “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.” We appreciate a house that has a copious amount of jump scares throughout.

So why is it at the bottom of our HHN Hollywood rankings? Here’s why: there’s a room in this haunted house that recreates a bathroom where a dummy dressed as a man is throwing up into a toilet. And they actually pump in vomit smells into the room. Look, we really don’t need that level of immersion, Universal. It’s just gross. We can kind of understand why you had vomit smells in The Exorcist attractions of years past. However, the Insidious house shouldn’t make us want to puke ourselves.

7. Dead Exposure: Death Valley

This year’s “science gone wrong” haunted house takes us into a secret government lab deep in the desert, where things have recently taken a turn for the worse. We’re not sure what went wrong in this lab, but there’s toxic waste, (projected) flames, and lots of dead bodies in encased in plastic bags. Actually, it’s the monkeys they’ve experimented on that creep us out the most, that appear in the beginning of the experience. Pure nightmare fuel. While this house has many toxic waste-zombified creatures, far too many of them are static dummies and not actual scare actors. There’s also a path of blood on the floor you think would lead to something scarier. The theming is top-notch for this haunted house, but the lack of good jump scares puts this one closer to the bottom of our ranking.

6. Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines

Universal Studios started modern horror cinema (and cinematic universes) with their Universal Monsters in the ‘30s and ‘40s. So almost every year, HHN gives us a Universal Monsters-themed haunted house of some kind. This year, it was Eternal Bloodlines, where we follow a female Van Helsing descendent as she fights creatures of the night. We see a lot of a warrior Bride of Frankenstein, and a few assorted ghouls wandering the halls. But we don’t encounter Dracula, the Wolfman, or Frankenstein till the very end of the experience. So we have to knock off a point or two for that. We think 2022’s Legends Collide and last year’s Unmasked were better Universal Monsters haunted houses overall.

5: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

We weren’t crazy about Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire as a movie. Yet in terms of detail and adherence in recreating that film, this haunted house succeeds. We enter through Ray’s Occult Books, recreating a key location from the movie. After, we journey into other locales from the film’s narrative. The best part of this house is the scene where a group of 1900s-era firefighters become frozen solid by supernatural means. The “frozen” scare actors actually convinced us they were dummies and genuinely scared us when they “thawed,” so to speak.

We were startled here and there in the Frozen Empire haunted house by Slimer and the occasional Terror Dog. But this one is perhaps the least traditionally scary haunted house this year. As much as well love it, Ghostbusters is just not that scary of a franchise, let’s be honest. But we don’t suggest you skip it, because getting to wander in the Ghostbusters’ firehouse as they try to capture spooks is worth it. Still, this one can’t compete with the excellent Universal haunted house that recreated the original Ghostbusters back in 2019. That one was an all-time favorite.

4. The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy

This is the third haunted house at HHN centering around pop megastar The Weeknd, which takes us on a journey of his deepest, darkest nightmares. It’s mostly a series of demented nightclubs featuring demons, psychedelic imagery, and monstrous versions of the singer in various stages of torture. There’s even a version of him where he’s some kind of demonic baby in a bathtub full of blood. (Don’t ask.) The creepiest and coolest part is a walkway with several giant neon eyeballs. Some of these eyeballs are, of course, scare actors waiting to jump out at you. The weirdest part is when you get to a torture chamber where various versions of the singer are mutilated to the sound of his own music. We don’t know exactly what The Weeknd is working through considering the content of these attractions but we can’t lie, it’s entertaining!

3. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface

Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre turns fifty this year. So of course, HHN needed to have a haunted house to honor Leatherface and family on their golden anniversary. From the moment you enter the Hooper & Henkel Meat Processing Plant and are greeted by a scare actor wearing a dead cow’s head, you know you’re in for a gruesome good time. Leatherface and his demented family immediately greet you with buzzing chainsaws. Not to mention all the corpses of their poor victims ready to become lunch.

The best jump scare moment comes as one of the twisted family members rips the face off what looks like a dummy on the table, exposing his mutilated musculature underneath, only for him to suddenly move and scream bloody murder, revealing he’s not a dummy at all. This got a real yelp out of us. We noted some unpleasant odors wafting in, but nothing that revolting. Between that, all the barrels of decomposing corpses, and human meaty bits thrown all over the place, this one is definitely the most revolting haunted house at HHN this year.

2. Monstrous 2: The Legends of Latin America

Latin America has a vibrant spooky mythology of its own, which HHN has explored before. A few years back, they gave us the Legend of La Llorona house. And this year, they’ve sequelized Monstrous: The Legends of Latin America with a part 2. From the start, where you enter a dusty crypt with crumbling skeletons, you know you’re in for some good theming. The first monster who jumps at you is El Charro Negro from Mexican folklore, who appears as an undead mariachi.

Several genuinely creepy hell hounds growl at you, too. But the best creature in the house is El Chuy, whose massive claws pop out from under a child’s bed in a very cool effect. But the best part is when its massive head emerges out of a cave wall, and it’s legit terrifying. That grand finale moment makes this one a favorite of the night.

1. A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place is one of the biggest horror franchises of the modern era, so it was high time they got a haunted house of their own at Universal HHN. Despite A Quiet Place: Day One is still fresh in everyone’s minds, but this haunted house focuses on the first film. We’re taken to the remote Abbot family farmhouse from the original, and actors appear throughout the house reminding you that you need to stay completely silent, or else the creatures will sense you and have you for breakfast.

The Death Angels, the blind aliens from the franchise, are this haunted house’s highlight. And they appear quite often in the form of giant screeching animatronics, some that are among the best HHN has ever made. A few of these are so detailed and genuinely screen worthy, like the one who hovers over the baby’s crib recreating a scene from the film. Between the animatronics and the generous amount of scare points along the attraction, A Quiet Place truly raises the bar for HHN Haunted Houses. This is the one you want to make sure you see this year.

The post All the Haunted Houses at Universal Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights, Ranked appeared first on Nerdist.

Horror continues to take some inventive swings in this post-Get Out era. From Smile to Barbarian, there are some premises that truly stand out from the crowd. And it looks like we will be able to add Netflix’s Don’t Move, a film produced by the legendary Sam Raimi, to the list. It gives us quite the tough question to answer. What would you do if you only had 20 minutes to escape a serial killer while your body is slowly shutting down from paralysis? Well, I honestly don’t know besides run as fast and far as I can and try to find a place to hide until the awful meds wear off… if they do wear off. The first trailer for Don’t Move is fantastic, giving us intense action without giving away too much of the movie. That’s certainly key with a seemingly on-the-nose premise like this one. 

In the clip, we see a woman who is watching a timer on her phone and trying to escape peril. There are several shots of her running, hiding, and even trying to speak to people before her body totally shuts down altogether. We don’t know her name nor why this man is trying so hard to kill her. Well, besides the fact that he’s just psychotic. He even explains exactly what will happen to her at certain points, which means he’s a pro at this awful game of cat and mouse. 

Here’s a synopsis for Don’t Move to accompany that intense trailer: 

A grieving woman hoping to find solace deep in an isolated forest encounters a stranger who injects her with a paralytic agent. As the agent gradually takes over her body, she must run, hide, and fight for her life before her entire nervous system shuts down.

What Is the Release Date for Netflix’s Don’t Move Horror Movie? 

The film stars Kelsey Asbille, Finn Wittrock, Moray Treadwell, and Daniel Francis. Don’t Move will hit Netflix just in time for Halloween on October 25.

The post DON’T MOVE Trailer Teases a Timed Cat-and-Mouse Game with a Twisted Serial Killer 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.

Arcane season two is bringing a new fighter into the ring. The animated Netflix series is also bringing an unorthodox release schedule to the platform. During Geeked Week, we got an Arcane season two trailer and the clip gives us a peek into all the upcoming action. Fans are clearly excited about this next season, as evidenced by 940,000+ views and a plethora of comments. And who wouldn’t be considering the show’s stacked cast and its rave reviews for the first season.

Here’s a quick word (not sure a synopsis) about Arcane season two to go along with this action-packed trailer: 

From Riot Games, Arcane returns this November on Netflix. The animated series, based on the League of Legends game and one of Netflix’s most successful animated series ever, is created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee. Executive producers include Linke, Marc Merrill and Brandon Beck. The Animation Studio is Fortiche Production. Voices include Hailee Steinfeld (Vi), Annie Award winner Ella Purnell (Jinx) and Katie Leung (Caitlyn), Reed Shannon (Ekko), Amirah Vann (Sevika), Mick Wingert (Heimerdinger), and Ellen Thomas (Ambessa), and Brett Tucker (Singed) among others to be announced. Fortiche directed and produced the animation, under the direction of the founders Pascal Charrue and Arnaud Delord.

What Is the Release Schedule for Arcane Season Two? 

This final chapter of Arcane will take place over the course of three acts. Act 1 drops on November 9, Act 2 drops on November 16, and Act 3 drops on November 23 on Netflix.

The post ARCANE Season 2 Trailer Gives Us a Glimpse Into Its Final Chapter, Reveals Release Dates appeared first on Nerdist.

Hello, fellow storm clouds. Wednesday season two is getting closer each day with Jenna Ortega and her comrades currently filming the popular series. Things are truly back in swing at Nevermore Academy as Wednesday continues to investigate the school’s many mysteries while dealing with typical teen issues. To celebrate Netflix’s Geeked Week, the streaming service gave us the gift of a Wednesday season two behind the scenes clip.

In it, we get to see our favorite sharp-tongued Addams family member, her bestie Enid, her kooky parentals, Bianca, and more characters. The clip promises that this season will be bigger and twisted beyond our wildest dreams. Of course, we didn’t get to see much more because, as Wednesday says, it would make our eyes bleed. We get some glimpses of people in school uniforms and explosive moments that make us want to see it right now.

What Is the Release Date for Wednesday Season 2?

Right now, we don’t know when Wednesday season two will hit Netflix. We can only assume it will come our way sometime in 2025. But we cannot wait to see our favorite students once again. And we also want to see Billie Piper. Please, please always give us lots of Billie Piper.

In the meantime, you can always pre-order some Wednesday LEGO sets and work on your latest build or catch the show’s first season (again) on Netflix.

The post WEDNESDAY Season 2 Clip Takes Us Behind-the-Scenes at Nevermore Academy appeared first on Nerdist.

While I don’t love the moniker, the Matt Reeves version of Gotham City, “The Batman Epic Crime Universe,” is pretty apt. While The Batman has a superhero and a terrifying serial killer at its center, the main thrust of the plot centered around organized crime and police and government corruption. Fun! We always knew Gotham’s rot ran deep, but The Batman really highlighted that. Fittingly, it’s this aspect the TV series The Penguin focuses on, despite having a recognizable comic villain as the lead. Much of The Penguin deals with the hierarchy and squabbling between two particular crime families mentioned in The Batman.

Here’s what you need to remember about the Falcone and Maroni criminal organizations and families before you dive into The Penguin.

Boss Carmine Falcone Is Dead

Carmine Falcone (John Turturro in the movie, Mark Strong on the show) was the longtime head of Falcone crime family. In The Batman, he more or less acts as the fulcrum from which all of the other plots in the movie circle. Falcone is Oz Cobb (Colin Farrell)‘s boss, and owner of the Iceberg Lounge which the Penguin runs. He tells Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) of his connection to Bruce’s father, Thomas Wayne. Thomas fixed up Falcone’s mob-related wounds and later when a reporter threatened to expose Martha Wayne’s history of mental illness, Thomas asked Falcone to “put the fear of God” into the reporter. Falcone also had an affair with Maria Kyle, a dancer at the Iceberg, and is the illegitimate father of Selina (Zoe Kravitz).

The big penny-drop moment of the movie is when Batman figures out that Falcone is the rat feeding info to the police in exchange for the cops and politicians leaving him alone. Falcone murdered the reporter, and Selina’s mother, and later Selina’s friend Annika when she learned the truth about him. Part of his ratting consisted of selling out Salvatore Maroni, his criminal rival and operator of the city’s “drops” drug trade, and taking over the business. He puts Oz in charge of running it.

Through the Riddler (Paul Dano)’s clues, Batman uncovers all of this corruption and the uncorrupt members of the GCPD come to arrest Falcone. While doing so, the Riddler assassinates Falcone with a rifle in a nearby building.

The Penguin Sees a Vacuum in the Criminal Underworld

At the end of The Batman, we see the Penguin—who was vehemently against Falcone’s working with the cops—looking out over Gotham, contemplating his rise to the top. The series shows us it’s not that simple. The remaining capos in the Falcone organization aren’t going to just fall in line behind a thug like Cobb. He also has to contend with Carmine’s two legitimate children, Alberto (Michael Zegen) and Sofia (Cristin Milioti). Both have eyes on controlling the organization, and Sofia is freshly out of Arkham for apparently killing several women in the guise of the Hangman.

Salvatore Maroni Also Has a Score to Settle with the Falcone Crime Family

The aforementioned rival boss Salvatore Maroni will also appear in The Penguin, played by motherf***ing Clancy Brown. Maroni was the ruling family in the drops industry before Falcone’s involvement. Now that Carmine is no more and the big secret it exposed, Maroni sees this as an opportunity to take back what’s his. One setback, he’s still in prison. Lucky for him, his wife Nadia (Shohreh Aghdashloo) is more than capable, and ruthless, to go toe-to-toe with the Penguin and the Falcone kids.

The Falcones, the Maronis, and Their Crime Families in the Batman Comics

The criminal underworld of Gotham City as depicted in The Batman and The Penguin are not wholly new characters to the Batman mythos. In fact, many members of both the Falcone and Maroni families have appeared in comics over the past several decades in prominent ways.

Carmine Falcone

Carmine Falcone first appeared in Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s seminal four-issue mini series Batman: Year One from 1987. He later appeared as a main antagonist in Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s iconic 1996-1997 series, Batman: The Long Halloween, which serves as a major inspiration for much of The Batman and The Penguin. The backstory about Thomas Wayne tending to Carmine’s wounds with a young Bruce watching comes right out of that book. Carmine dies in The Long Halloween at Two-Face’s hand.

Sofia and Alberto Falcone

The two Falcone children also both first appear in The Long Halloween and continue on in Loeb and Sale’s other big arc, Dark Victory. (They have another brother in the comics who doesn’t apparently exist in the show.) Sofia aids her father in The Long Halloween in unearthing the true identity of the serial murderer, the Holiday Killer, who kills citizens seemingly at random during specific holidays. Holiday turns out to be Alberto Falcone himself.

Later in the 2000 event Dark Victory, Sofia Falcone returns to Gotham in the guise of the Hangman, a serial murderer taking out members of the GCPD.

Salvatore Maroni

Salvatore Maroni is a very old character indeed. He first appeared in Batman issue #66 from 1942. He’s a gott-dang Bill Finger and Bob Kane creation! As one of the city’s major crime bosses, he appears on and off over the years. His major claim to fame is that he’s the one who tosses acid in Harvey Dent’s face which leads to him becoming Two-Face. This happens in The Long Halloween as well.

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.

The post What to Remember from THE BATMAN’s Crime Families Before THE PENGUIN appeared first on Nerdist.

The time has finally come to set sail for more adventure and dream-chasing. One Piece season two has officially begun production and is one step closer to coming back onto our screens. Netflix revealed, that, of course, our Straw Hat pirates would all be returning for One Piece season two—but not alone. In addition to a host of new characters joining the cast, a few other familiar faces from season one will be back in One Piece‘s second season. Namely, Alvida, Buggy, and Gold Roger will once again be in the mix of One Piece‘s live-action story.

Let’s take a look at everything Netflix has shared to celebrate One Piece season two.

Netflix’s Live-Action ONE PIECE Season 2 Teases Chopper

During Geeked Week, Netflix shared a sneak peek at live-action One Piece season two… And this inside look included a tease at fan-favorite Chopper. We, as they say, are seated.

You can check out the full table read video, below.

Jeff Ward Takes Us on a Set Tour of One Piece Season 2

Jeff Ward, who plays Buggy the Clown, on One Piece, and will return for season two, takes on a behind-the-scenes tour of the show in celebration of Netflix’s Geeked Week. This tour gives us our best look yet at the world of One Piece season two. Although, of course, spoilers are carefully blurred. Ward shows us the costume department, the prop department, hair and makeup, and production design. Of course, there are some tantalizing hints to be gleaned. The video notes we’ll be visiting Drum Island, where it’s winter all the time, a challenge for One Piece’s South African-based filming location.

We even get to see inside Twin Cape lighthouse, which is the home of One Piece‘s Doctor Crocus. Additionally, in the props department, we see a giant syringe…

Eiichiro Oda Teases Season 2 Story Arcs and More New Characters

A letter from Eiichiro Oda delivered via Netflix has shed a lot of light on the story arcs we can expect in season two and more about the upcoming episodes. In the letter Oda notes that “The story will cover Loguetown, Reverse Mountain (Twin Cape), Whiskey Peak, Little Garden, and Drum Island!” Additionally, he teases Vivi, Miss All Sunday, Chopper, and more casting announcements are on the way.

The full text of the note is below:

Yes, the live-action One Piece is currently in production, with filming well underway. The story will cover Loguetown, Reverse Mountain (Twin Cape), Whiskey Peak, Little Garden, and Drum Island! Think about it. Imagine how much it’ll cost! Lol. But whether it’s the script or the cast, I continue to insist on this or that, which makes Matt the Showrunner go “Aaarrgh!” and Netflix go “Noooo!” and Tomorrow Studios go “Whaaaat” as they all pull their hairs out. All that, even though we grew so close making season 1.

But it’s because we all share the same passion for this show! Just as with last season, they’ve gone out of their way to promise that they won’t put the show out until I’m satisfied. This isn’t in the contract, you know. It’s a verbal pledge. I hope you can appreciate how amazing and determined they are for keeping their word. And they’ve certainly proven their ability to bring this world to the screen. I just can’t wait to see it! 

Meanwhile, the previously announced cast is compiled on the official X account, so go check it out. The Grand Line is an even more expansive “World”. You may wonder, what was the inspiration behind that kingdom? How would it connect to the real world? Naturally, the distinctive cast members have been assembled from around the world, and I can’t help but get excited thinking about how the adventure has already begun! 

Among those yet to be announced, what about Vivi? And Miss All Sunday? What’re they doing with Chopper? We can’t announce everyone all at once, but starting tomorrow, we’ll be announcing more cast members over three days: August 21, 22 and 23. 

Look out for those, and stay tuned for more exciting updates to come!

One Piece Teases Season 2, Episode 1

We don’t know the exact plot of live-action One Piece‘s season two. But we do know the title of its first episode. One Piece season two, episode one will be called, “The Beginning and the End.” It will be written by Matt Owens and Ian Stokes. We’re ready to hear all the fan theories about what that title implies.

One Piece‘s Main Cast Reunite as Production Begins

As Taz Skylar notes, these are happy tears! And what a glorious reunion it is. The Straw Hat Pirates have all traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, to film the next chapter of their One Piece adventure. Iñaki Godoy (Monkey D. Luffy), Mackenyu (Zoro), Emily Rudd (Nami), Jacob Romero (Usopp) and Taz Skylar (Sanji) are all back together again once more as production begins for One Piece season two. We absolutely feel the love and crew bond between them all.

One Piece Season 2 Cast, Revealed

In a release celebrating season two’s production started, Netflix also shared that additional returning One Piece cast include “Ilia Isorelys Paulino as Alvida, Jeff Ward as Buggy, and Michael Dorman as Gold Roger.” Jeff Ward’s Buggy was a true fan-favorite, so it’s no surprise he’ll be back. No word yet on other season one standouts like Steven John Ward, who played Dracule Mihawk, or Peter Gadiot, who played Luffy’s red-headed mentor, Shanks. But hey, they still could be back. Netflix reveals that additional One Piece cast will be announced at a later date.

Of course, in addition to old One Piece favorites, “new cast members joining season two include Brendan Sean Murray as Brogy, Callum Kerr as Smoker, Camrus Johnson as Mr. 5, Clive Russell as Crocus, Daniel Lasker as Mr. 9, David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3, Jazzara Jaslyn as Miss Valentine, Julia Rehwald as Tashigi, Rob Colletti as Wapol, Ty Keogh as Dalton, and Werner Coetser as Dorry.” You can learn more about these new One Piece season two characters with our piece, here.

When Live Action Will One Piece Season 2 Release?

There’s no word yet on any release date for One Piece season two. But now that production on the show has started again, we’re sure we’ll get many more tantalizing treasures from Netflix sooner rather than later.

Originally published on July 1

The post Chopper Arrives on Netflix’s Live-Action ONE PIECE Season 2 appeared first on Nerdist.

The collectible fantasy card game Magic: The Gathering has been an institution for over thirty years. It has inspired video games, comic books, and novels alike. But despite announcing many a Magic: The Gathering TV or movie project over the years, most recently for Netflix, nothing ever came of them. Now, Magic: The Gathering is back from the dead at Netflix. The streamer has officially announced that a Magic: The Gathering animated event series is now in production, with a new creative direction from showrunner Terry Matalas. Folks may know Matalas as the showrunner of Star Trek: Picard’s popular third season. He is also the main creative voice behind Marvel Studios’ upcoming series about the android Avenger, the Vision.

The new Magic: The Gathering event series is made in partnership with Hasbro Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast, longtime owner of the franchise. A few years back, they announced that Netflix cast Brandon Routh from Superman Returns and Legends of Tomorrow in a lead role. Only that iteration of a Magic: The Gathering Netflix series never made it off the drawing board. Brandon Routh confirmed to Collider recently that despite recording lines for it, Netflix completely scrapped the version he was in.

This time, it seems production has at least begun on the new Magic: The Gathering series project. So it will likely see the light of day. Netflix describes this card-inspired creation as an “event series,” meaning that there is no guarantee of additional seasons. Event series seems to be the new word for mini-series. We are not sure what the plot of this new Magic: The Gathering series will be. We also have no idea which iteration of the franchise they will be drawing from. Also, we still have no clue as to when it’s actually dropping on the streaming service. Here’s hoping Netflix finally does justice to the iconic game that so many fans love the world over. Magic: The Gathering series, here we come!

The post MAGIC: THE GATHERING Animated Series Is Now in Production at Netflix appeared first on Nerdist.

It sure feels like we’ve been waiting for Stranger Things season five for roughly a decade. The final season of the beyond-popular Netflix paranormal series will apparently come out in 2025, but beyond that, we have no idea. Geeked Week, Netflix’s festival of teases and trailers and things, has provided us with something ahead of the new season. No, it’s not a trailer or a first look at new monsters. Instead, it’s a video showcasing two young fans’ tour of the set in Atlanta, GA, with tour guides Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, and Gaten Matarazzo.

The fans, Amy and Elycia, get a firsthand look at the various departments behind the scenes in Stranger Things land. They have a surprisingly vivid photographic memory for little bits of the series’ previous seasons. First, they head off with Wolfhard into the archives to look at character- and season-specific props from the past. Among the best stuff is the actual Demogorgon D&D piece from the show’s first episode and the box of Eggo Waffles that Eleven covets.

Next up, McLaughlin takes the fans into the costume room to look at favorite ’80s clothes from the show. They are particularly excited to see Steve Harrington’s costume, as he is their favorite character. (Sorry guys.) Finally, Matarazzo takes them into a room specifically housing the miles and miles (yes literally) of Upside Down black vines which are actually just hundreds of thousands of pool noodles. The Stranger Things production kept a whole business afloat (ha!) with their orders.

The one actual bit of teaser we get from the video is what Lucas, Mike, and Dustin look like in the final season, since the actors lead the tours in costume. Lucas’ flattop has reached skyscraper height while Mike has finally cut his ridiculous stringy hair. But the biggest “aw” moment appears to be that Dustin has grown his hair out and wears a Hellfire Club t-shirt in memory of the fallen idol that is Eddie Munson. Adorbs.

And that’s kind of it! A fun video and actors in costumes. But, you know what? We’ll continue to eat up all the scraps we can get before we finally see Stranger Things 5 next year.

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.

The post Take a STRANGER THINGS Set Tour with the Cast as Part of Geeked Week appeared first on Nerdist.

So far in live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender, we’ve had: Water, Fire, Air… but one element and one important character have been conspicuously missing. Who is that, you might ask? Why, it’s Toph Beifong. Toph is the last official member of Team Avatar, or The Gaang, that still need to be introduced into Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender. But everything has changed now that… Netflix has officially announced Toph’s casting for the live-action Avatar series. But just who is it that plays our favorite earthbender in Avatar: The Last Bender? It’s actress Miya Cech. Let’s dig into it.

Who Plays Toph Beifong on Netflix’s Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender?

Netflix has officially revealed that Miya Cech plays Toph Beifong on live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender. Here’s what Executive Producers Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani had to say about her casting as Toph.

We make a point of reviewing submissions separately and after countless tapes, we both had the same reaction … Miya is our Toph! Miya is a brilliant performer who knows how to precisely balance the sarcastic sense of humor, stubbornness, and vulnerability that is Toph Beifong. Her physicality and emotional dexterity really put her in a class of one.

It seems that although Netflix put out a special open casting call for Toph which noted “Actors who are blind or low vision are encouraged to submit,” Cech is not herself blind or low vision. However a release notes that “Cech will also work with a producer and consultant who is blind and a professional from the blindness community, to make sure the blindness community is represented appropriately.”

Meanwhile, Chech seeks to also represent the communities she is a part of. She notes of playing Toph in the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender, “I personally am of Chinese and Japanese American descent and I’m so excited to represent my Chinese heritage in Toph Beifong… One of the most incredible aspects of this show is the diversity of the Asian cultures in the ATLA world. Even though the universe is fantasy, it feels like every culture is represented in some way and tied to the history and traditions of that culture or country. Just a few years ago, you might have seen one or two of these actors in a show or movie, but on this show we are all able to represent this world together and work together and collaborate. It’s really amazing and a gift as an actor.”

Our First-Look at Live-Action Toph in ATLA

Toph’s great strength lies in her feet. She sees the world through them and kicks some serious butt with their powers. Honestly, this Avatar: The Last Airbender season two teaser of Toph stomping her Earthbending powers to life is point-perfect. It gets us seriously excited for what’s to come in the series. We can just hear Toph saying, “Hey Twinkle Toes,” to Aang. And we just can’t wait to see The Gaang complete. After Toph comes aboard in ATLA season two, we just need Zuko to get his act together, and we’ll be set. We hope the series gives us some more time with all five members as a full team. That’s the best part of Avatar, after all.

Why Is Everyone So Excited For Toph to Join Live-Action Avatar Season 2? Who Is Toph?

In a word, Toph is badass. We said it. Toph is a snarky, sassy, unafraid tank and she knows how to conquer the earth and dish it out with the best of them. We love Katara, Sokka, and Aang, (and Zuko, of course), but Toph adds a little something special. In the anime, Toph is the daughter of a rich Earthbending family, the Beifongs, who think she’s a fragile doll. But in secret, Toph spends her time taking down master Earthbenders in the fighting ring. She becomes Aang’s Earthbending master and though her style is not quite his, they come to understand each other on a deep level. Toph’s frenemies to friends relationship with Katara and her semi-flirtatious relationship with Sokka are also quite fun. Maybe live-action Toph will eventually get to take that field trip with Zuko that she never got to in the anime.

In any case, we’re so excited that Miya Cech has been cast as Toph in live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender season two, and we can’t wait to see where the story will go.

Netflix’s Avatar The Last Airbender Also Begins Production

In addition to this casting announcement, Netflix also revealed that Avatar: The Last Airbender season two is now in production.

Producers Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani notes of the start of live-action ATLA season two’s production, “We’re looking forward to working with all of our actors again and digging into the deeper, more complicated relationships that develop as their journey continues in Season 2. We are going to show the real-world versions of iconic scenes from the original, and explore some of the stories that the animation didn’t. Mainly — we’re looking forward to seeing our gang all together again… We’re going to challenge our characters with more complex and nuanced obstacles as they navigate a more tactile world. Just as the animated series matured and progressed, the live-action will also take these characters and worlds and grow them.”

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender season one is now streaming on Netflix.

The post Toph Arrives! Live-Action AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Reveals Toph’s Casting appeared first on Nerdist.

On The Rings of Power season one, the orcs, following their mysterious leader Adar, searched for a powerful weapon. We were curious about the weapon, itself, but also wondered, just who is The Rings of Power‘s Adar? In the sixth episode of the show, Adar and his orcs get their wish and found their weapon. But, while Theo’s sword hilt may have given Adar’s children a dark new home on Middle-earth, the episode also revealed more than the creation of Mount Doom. It revealed Adar no longer serves Sauron, as we initially thought the mutilated elf might. Throughout The Rings of Power, we’ve slowly uncovered Adar’s true identity. The show has offered us insight into the one-time elf, his origins, and why the otherwise hateful orcs adore Adar as they do. As we delve into season two of The Rings of Power, here’s what we know about Adar, the Lord-Father of Orcs/Uruk.

Jump to: Who Are the Orcs? // The Orcs’ Tolkien History // Adar as the First Orc Created by Morgoth // The Meaning of the Word Adar // Why Did Adar Turn on Sauron? // Adar and Sauron’s History // Adar Recast on Rings of Power Season 2 // Adar’s Future

Who Are Lord of the Rings’ Orcs?

On The Rings of Power, the orcs follow Adar. And so, first understanding these creatures helps us to understand their leader. Orcs, called goblins in The Hobbit, have loomed large in J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world since the beginning. The Lord of the Rings‘ orcs served Morgoth during the Years of the Trees before the First Age. And they continued as soldiers of evil until the end of Middle-earth’s Third Age.

Ugly, violent creatures, orcs hate almost everyone and everything. That includes themselves. This is why it’s so interesting that The Rings of Power‘s orcs do not hate Adar. They also abhor natural beauty and handcrafted works. But that doesn’t prevent them from making things themselves. From weapons and tools, to torture devices and machines of war, Lord of the Rings‘ orcs are crafty.

Orcs live in darkness, most notably deep inside mountains. They are excellent tunnel builders who shun the sun whenever possible because the light burns them. That’s why on The Rings of Power, Adar and the orcs had elves and humans digging for that missing sword hilt. And why the orcs wear robes if forced to go out during the day. They cannot go into the light.

While it’s unclear exactly how long orcs live, one infamous orc was at least 150 years old. And though they lack anything resembling culture, orcs are also much smarter than they look and have great stamina and strength. We know we’ll be seeing nearly 1,500 Orcs in season two of The Rings of Power.

The History and Origins of Middle-earth’s Orcs and The Rings of Power‘s Adar

J.R.R. Tolkien himself changed the origin story of orcs during his lifetime. At one point, he said Morgoth created orcs through sorcery from “the heats and slimes of the earth.” But the author later wrote that only the supreme being Eru Ilúvatar could create life. (Well, minus when the Valar Aulë created dwarves.)

Morgoth’s inability to make life was one of the things that made him jealous of Ilúvatar in the first place. That’s why he needed one of the supreme being’s own “children” to bring orcs to the world. So if Morgoth didn’t create orcs, where did they come from? From Ilúvatar, just not the way he made them. And it is that very The Lord of the Rings tale from which The Rings of Power draws Adar’s origins.

The accepted origin of The Lord of the Rings orcs is the one found in The Silmarillion. It says Morgoth kidnapped some elves when they first awoke in Middle-earth, before the Valar could find the first “children” of Ilúvatar. He then used dark magic to transform them into horrible creatures who served him, just as they would eventually serve the next Dark Lord, Sauron.

The Rings of Power confirms that this history is actually Adar’s own. The truth comes out in a scene between Galadriel and Adar in The Rings of Power season one.

Adar as the Elf Who Became the First Orc, Created by Morgoth

Galadriel more or less reveals exactly who Adar is in The Rings of Power‘s sixth episode. She tells us that she heard stories about elves like Adar. He is one of the elves Morgoth “tortured” and “twisted” into “a new and ruined form of life.” She called those elves, the first orcs, “the Moriondor, the Sons of the Dark.” In The Rings of Power season two, we get a bit more information about this. Adar shares, “Thirteen of us were chosen to be blessed of Morgoth’s hand with the promise of power, a new birth.” That leaves us curious to know the fate of the other 12 Moriondor. Did they go on to create orcs as well?

Regardless of what happened to the other elves, in season one, Adar says his children prefer another name: Uruk. And he defends his children’s right to live and have a home by saying orcs are creations of “The One, Master of the secret fire.” According to Adar, orcs have names and hearts, just the same as Galadriel, and by extension, Adar, who links them all together. In one scene, The Rings of Power confirms both Adar’s identity, an elf turned to evil by Morgoth, and the origins of orcs, once and for all.

Why The Rings of Power‘s Orcs Call Their Leader Adar, The Elvish Word for Father?

Now we know that Adar is literally the orcs’ father on The Rings of Power. So, it thus makes sense that the elves call him “Adar.” In Sindarin Elvish, “Adar” is the word for “father.” (The Sindar spoke their own version of Elvish because they never made it to the land of the Valar like other elves. After awakening in Middle-earth, they never left, same as the kidnapped Moriondor.) Pretty obvious if you think about it.

But as strange as it sounds for orcs, the love Adar shows for them is reciprocated. The orcs are all Adar’s offspring, and he cares for them, just as he is the only figure orcs truly care for in all of Tolkien’s Middle-earth. The use of the word “Father” when it comes to Adar thus feels more emotional than just a factual title. Through Adar, we get a whole new look at orcs on The Rings of Power.

Are There Female Orcs on Middle-Earth?

If orcs are made from elves, do they replicate like elves, too? Some believe that Morgoth’s creatures (which include orcs, werewolves, trolls, dragons, and more) self-reproduce. However, we actually get to meet some female orcs on The Rings of Power. Adar confirmed this idea when he spoke of “brothers and sisters” among his orcs in season one. And in season two of The Rings of Power, we actually get to see an orc family, complete with father, mother, and baby. D’awww!

For now, though, the specifics of orc reproduction is unknown. (Which is almost certainly for the best.) But it’s not unreasonable to think it is a slow one since Sauron sometimes hid for thousands of years while gathering and reinforcing his army. The forces of evil always needed more orcs because, unlike elves, they don’t live forever. And the further removed from their father, Adar, the less like him they become.

Why Are Orcs So Different From Adar on The Rings of Power?

Adar has lived for thousands of years and remembers Beleriand (a land that went under at the end of the First Age) because he’s an ageless elf. That’s also why, unlike his children, the sun does not burn him. Adar can still feel the warmth from the sun of the Valar, which he says he will miss when it’s gone. But despite Adar and his past, The Rings of Power‘s orcs are not elves.

The orcs get uglier and more twisted the further removed they are from their elf ancestors and Ilúvatar. That’s also why the orcs of the show’s Second Age don’t even look as hideous as their ancestors of the Third Age. Those differences and vulnerabilities are a big reason why Adar turned on Sauron, who saw his children as disposable.

Why Did Adar Turn Against Sauron?

Adar had his orcs digging for the sword hilt Theo possesses, but he wasn’t doing it for Sauron. In fact, Adar believes he killed Sauron. The one-time elf was doing it for his orc children whom he loves, many of whom Sauron had sacrificed in his quest to rule Middle-earth. Adar wanted to give The Rings of Power‘s orcs a new home, one where they would not only be safe from light but safe from Dark Lords who treat them as disposable. Neither Morgoth nor Sauron ever loved orcs. They were slaves in service of evil.

Adar thinks he not only stopped serving Sauron, but that he also stopped the Dark Lord forever. Adar tells Galadriel that he killed Sauron himself. In a flashback revealed during The Rings of Power season one, episode one, we actually see Adar and the orcs attack Sauron until he appears to disintegrate. But alas, it’s not that easy to kill a Dark Lord.

The history of orcs says his desire to take care of his children guaranteed them another age of servitude. Adar brought Mount Doom from the depths of the earth. It will be orcs’ new home, free from the sunlight that plagues them, as he desires, but Sauron will be the one to rule over it. Sauron needs the fires of Mount Doom to forge the Rings of Power, a fact that Adar could not have known. But in seeking solace, Adar has given Sauron everything he needs to bring his evil down on Middle-earth.

The Rings of Power Season 2 Reveals More About Adar’s Backstory and His History with Sauron

In season two of The Rings of Power, we find out that Adar’s betrayal of Sauron is a bit more intimate than we once thought. In fact, the pair have a deep history that stretches back into the ages of Middle-earth. And this history goes beyond just a bad leader and his angry general.

In the first episodes of The Rings of Power season two, Adar takes Sauron, who is posing as Halbrand, captive. Sauron is, of course, deceiving him, telling him that it’s the elves who are working with Sauron and that Halbrand can help him. Adar eventually agrees to make a deal with Halbrand in order to “stop Sauron,” but not before imprisoning and torturing him.

When Adar eventually comes to release Sauron from this fate in The Rings of Power season two, episode one, he tells Halbrand a little bit more about his backstory and history with Sauron. He offers, “I was in your place once, in the eldest of the elder days. Thirteen of us were chosen to be blessed of Morgoth’s hand with the promise of power, a new birth. I was led up to a dark and nameless peak, chained and left. And after what seemed endless thirst and hunger, I saw it. His servant’s face, Sauron’s face. And it was beautiful. He offered me wine, red as a blood moon. He offered me wine and on that dark and nameless peak. I drank it, I drank it all.”

Without a doubt, this “rescue” deeply resonated with Adar, enough that he still thinks of it now. We’ll have to see if The Rings of Power season two shines a light on how that seeming gratitude turns into resentment and hate enough to attempt to kill Sauron.

Adar and Galadriel Could Team Up Against Sauron

Of course, Sauron isn’t dead. Adar can’t be certain if that’s true, but he is marching on Eregion now to make try and find out. On the way, he encounters Galadriel in the woods and seems to successfully trap her. The pair have had a stormy relationship so far on The Rings of Power, but it’s possible the threat of Sauron will trump all. Teasers from the series seem to hint that the pair might team up against their mutual foe as The Rings of Power season two progresses. We’re certainly hoping for that.

In the latest episode of The Rings of Power, Adar suggests to Galadriel that they could be allies, but though Galadriel seems to come to an agreement with him on this point. Adar turns away from her in the end, noting that she’s given him everything he needs. He intends to march against Sauron and Eregion, hoping to destroy Sauron with his very own iron crown, which has pieces of Morgoth’s helm in it. To us, it seems like the wiser play would have been to join with the elves. But we’ll have to wait and see what befalls Adar and his children as The Rings of Power draws to an end.

Adar Recast on The Rings of Power Season 2—Sam Hazeldine Replaces Joseph Mawle

In bittersweet news, in 2023, we learned that Sam Hazeldine would replace Joseph Mawle as Adar in season two of The Rings of Power. Recasts can be tricky, but we hope that the character will continue his journey and evolution into this next season of the show. It certainly sounds like there will be a lot in store for Adar. In June 2024, we got our first look at the newly recast Adar, and we felt pretty good about what we saw.

Sam Hazeldine previously acted in Peaky Blinders and appears on The Sandman. While we have no doubt he will do a great job in the role, we will miss Mawle’s version of Adar. We’re glad that Hazeldine appears to capture the same balance of tragic and antagonistic that Mawle did so far into season two of The Rings of Power.

The Rings of Power season two will likely continue to delve into this duality in Adar. Showrunner JD Payne recently noted to Vanity Fair, “You’ve got Sauron, who is not cloaked behind the guise of [the human refugee] Halbrand anymore. The audience knows he’s Sauron, so now we’re watching him maneuver as he’s manipulating [the burn-scar covered dark elf] Adar, who’s another big villain of the season.”

You can see Sam Hazeldine in action as Adar in some of The Rings of Power season two’s sneak peek clips.

Adar’s Future on Season Two of The Rings of Power

It would seem that on The Rings of Power Adar even christened the new land with the name Sauron will use, Mordor. But there’s unlikely to be a place in Mordor for an Adar that orcs will love more than they fear Sauron. In the final episode of The Rings of Power season one, Halbrand, who we now know to be Sauron, seems to refer to Adar as his enemy. And with Sauron already manipulating Adar to his ends, it feels like trouble ahead.

Charlie Vickers who plays Sauron, has given us some insight into what will transpire between Adar and Sauron in season two of The Rings of Power. In an interview Vickers offers more about the interaction between himself and Joseph Mawle, who originally played Adar:

Joseph and I worked really hard in creating that story and it’s something we see more of in the second season. We see Adar and Sauron’s time and how they first connected. Adar’s going to have to do some saying sorry at some point though [for what he did in season one].

It sounds like Vickers is already alluding to Sauron threatening Adar’s existence. A newly released description of Adar’s journey this season on The Rings of Power season two seems to echo this, noting:

Having secured a home in Mordor for the orcs, in Season 2, Adar faces an unexpected threat when he learns that Sauron, the former master he betrayed and murdered, is alive and well – and scheming to take back everything Adar has taken from him.

Well, we know who Adar is now, but he also may have just sealed his fate on The Rings of Power. We’ll have to continue to tune into The Rings of Power season two as it airs this fall.

Originally published on September 12, 2022.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The Rings of Power has made one thing very clear: Galadriel is right. A long-dormant evil is rising in Middle-earth. Orcs are kidnapping entire villages. Strange beasts are wandering the countryside and destroying ships. And the land itself has spoiled, not to mention erupted. But the forces of good might soon find help in a new ally. Well, new to them, at least. Because the Stranger who arrived on a comet might be an old supernatural being. He might also be the first incarnation of a great hero The Lord of the Rings fans know and love. And you don’t have to be a wizard to see why. Especially not if you can see gray. More and more, we’re thinking the Stranger on The Rings of Power might be the wizard Gandalf himself.

Who Sent the Comet That Carried the Stranger?

No man, elf, dwarf, or orc could have survived a comet crash. Of course, no mortal race in the world can travel via small meteorite. It would take an entity far more powerful than any who walks Middle-earth to send someone careening through the sky. There’s only one logical explanation for who sent that celestial traveler: the Valar.

The Valar are supernatural entities who watch over Middle-earth. They are the most powerful beings in the universe besides the supreme Ilúvatar. For centuries the Valar did not interfere in the great battle of Middle-earth’s First Age. They looked on from afar as the “children” of Ilúvatar suffered at the hands of the original Dark Lord, Morgoth. (Himself one of the Valar.)

The Valar eventually relented and came to Middle-earth to defeat Morgoth for good. That victory ended the First Age. But the Valar then returned to their own western continent of Aman. That’s where Valinor sits, the realm to which Galadriel refused to return at the end of episode one.

While The Rings of Power takes place during the Second Age, we know the Valar got involved in the great war of Middle-earth’s Third Age. However, rather than come again themselves, they sent five Maiar.

The Maiar are powerful spirit servants who helped the Valar shape the world. But the Valar sent them to Middle-earth inside the bodies of old men. Called the Istari, The Lord of the Rings fans know those five-robed, bearded, wise figures as wizards.

Before We Consider Gandalf, Is The Rings of Powers‘ Stranger Even a Wizard?

By the start of the Third Age, the Valar had separated Aman from the physical world. So wizards came to Middle-earth from the sky. (Repeat: from the sky.) The Valar sent them to assure the world the Valar had not forsaken Middle-earth nor its people in their renewed fight against the returning Sauron. One wizard, above all, aided Middle-earth in defeating Sauron for good before returning to reclaim his place in Aman.

In order to be Gandalf, The Rings of Power‘s Stranger would first have to be a wizard. As it transpires, the confused old man Nori miraculously found in a field of fire where the comet crashed—millennia before wizards arrived during an entirely different age—does possess many of the same powers wizards had.

What are the Stranger’s Powers on The Rings of Power?

The paranoid, unusual, easy-to-anger Stranger arrived nearly naked and acting erratically on The Rings of Power. He survived his crash but doesn’t remember how to fully communicate. He’s not even sure who he is or why he’s here. Hearing Nori say he’s “good” seemed to be a revelation for the Stranger, who fears he’s going to accidentally hurt the Harfoots.

That’s because despite his confusion, The Rings of Power‘s Stranger still incredibly powerful. He’s also unquestionably far more skilled than any race of Middle-earth. He can move things with his mind. He can pick up monstrous wolves and throw them, or run them off by hitting the ground and causing a huge shockwave. And his scream, which turned the world dark, doesn’t just shake everything around him. That terrifying, inhuman roar seems capable of destruction.

He’s also impervious to fire. The fire from his comet didn’t harm him. No surprise, then he could also pull flames into himself and snuff them out without injury. He also took Nori and Poppy’s fireflies and controlled them to form stars in the sky. Unfortunately, that also killed all the fireflies, which is one ability that should frighten everyone on Middle-earth. The Stranger can suck the life from livings things, though he did not take joy in killing the fireflies. Either that was unintended or a sacrifice required to use his magic. But because he’s not fully in control of himself or his abilities, he is paranoid and scared.

Nori is now scared of his powers, too. The Stranger instinctively came to her rescue and damaged his arm fighting wolves. He was able to heal himself by placing the injured limb in water, which iced over. But when Nori grabbed him, the ice also consumed her arm. He couldn’t even sense she was there, let alone keep her safe. We see the Stranger come into his powers in the final episodes of The Rings of Power, pushed to attack by the mysterious white-cloaked cult. Interestingly, when the Stranger annihilates the dweller on The Rings of Power, she turns into a moth, in perhaps another subtle connection to Gandalf, who is known to talk to the creature in The Lord of the Rings‘ movies.

But while he can destroy, he can also create. The Stranger touched a dying, burned tree and restored both it and the surrounding area to full life in a single night. He took a wasteland and gave the desperate Harfoots a verdant bounty.

So is the Stranger a wizard? Well, he has more in common with the Istari than any creature ever born on Middle-earth. And Poppy herself realizes he’s no man or elf but “something else.” And, of course, The Rings of Power confirms that the Stranger is an Istar in its finale. The cult of Sauron tracks him down, thinking he is their leader, only to name him a wizard instead.

So the question just remains, is The Rings of Power using the Stranger to introduce Gandalf?

What Is the Stranger Trying to Tell Nori on The Rings of Power?

Like Nori, deep into The Rings of Power‘s episodes, we still don’t what the Stranger is trying to communicate. What did those drawings on the rock, his first attempts at communication, mean? (They looked like runes.) What about the lines in the dirt the Stranger drew? Are they a map?

When the Stranger saw them, he repeatedly said, “Mana úrë.” in Elvish that translates to the question, “What is heat?” What is heat! But even with this knowledge, we can’t say for sure the purpose of these strange words from the Stranger.)

Finally, what’s the significance of the constellation the Stranger highlighted to Nori with fireflies? He seemed to find that exact same collection of stars on an old Harfoot parchment. Clearly, its significance dates back to a past era. Sadoc Burrows tells the Stranger those stars haven’t been sighted in thousands of years. Could the Stranger have seen them before? Where does their image come from?

Ultimately, we learn more about them from the mysterious white-cloaked cult following the Stranger also possesses the image of these stars. They point to the mysterious realm of Rhûn, where mystics and men lie in wait for a new power to arrive. We bet that’s a location we’ll surely go in season two.

But we can do something Nori can’t—we can also find meaning in both his size and appearance. Nori’s “giant” friend wears a tattered gray robe, has a long gray beard, and long graying hair. This powerful being sent through the sky by the Valar—who is impervious to fire, and has powers of a wizard—really loves the color gray.

And there’s only one figure in all of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth that fits the same description as The Rings of Power’s Stranger—Gandalf the Grey.

Is The Rings of Powers‘ The Stranger Actually Gandalf?

Tolkien’s unofficial notes for his fantasy world say that the two (of the five) Blue Wizards sent during the Third Age (Alatar and Pallando) had previously come to Middle-earth during the Second Age. So it’s possible wizards first came to Middle-earth long before anyone realized. Tolkien’s Unfinished Tales also says wizards “had need to learn much anew by slow experience” when they came to Middle-earth. The Maiar’s transformation into a physical body and their trip seem to leave them confused initially. All of this lines up a wizard like Gandalf with The Stranger on The Rings of Power.

We also know Gandalf—whose name among the Maiar is Olórin—occasionally walked among the Elves in disguise. So if he ever came to Middle-earth previously, they might not have even known the shapeshifter’s real identity and purpose.

Gandalf, like the Stranger, also had a special relationship with fire. It could not injure him, and he could create it from nothing to light torches with magic. Ultimately he also bore Narya, the Elvish ring of fire. Gandalf, who wrote on Bilbo’s door in runes, also talked to bugs and fought off wolves singlehandedly. And when the One Ring tempted him, the world turned dark as he screamed at Bilbo and Frodo, just as the Stranger did when Nori frightened him.

The otherworldly voices the Stranger heard also sounded a lot like the voice of Sauron that Frodo heard when he put on the One Ring. And, just like Gandalf, Sauron is one of the Maiar.

The Rings of Power season one’s final episode saw Nori and The Stranger head off to find parts unknown. The Stranger is now wandering Middle-earth, and Gandalf was known as the Wandering Wizard for traveling across the lands without a home to call his own.

But the connections between the two bearded men go even further. Gandalf the Grey died in The Fellowship of the Ring. His Maiar spirit did not depart Middle-earth for long. Ilúvatar sent a naked Olórin back to fight Sauron. Despite now being another entity entirely (but with the same spirit), the wizard let his former companions still call him Gandalf, only this time, he was Gandalf the White. However, at first, he did not even remember the name Gandalf. It took a few days for Olórin to piece everything together in his mind.

And what did Olórin, who was unquestionably “good,” do when he first returned naked to the world? “There I lay staring upward” from a mountaintop, he said, “While the stars wheeled over, and each day was as long as a life-age of the earth.” Like the Stranger does on The Rings of Power, Gandalf looked to the stars for guidance. That might be because both had the same mission on Middle-earth.

The Rings of Power seems to tease that the Stranger is Gandalf in its final season one episode. After the Stranger is named an Istar, or wizard, for certain, he also appears to echo Gandalf’s quote from The Lord of the Rings movies, telling Nori that when in doubt, she should follow her nose. Of course, it could be that the Stranger is a different wizard altogether on The Rings of Power. Only season two will tell us more.

The Rings of Power Season Two Will Reveal More About the Stranger

The Stranger is heading off on some new adventures in season two, that surely will help us determine his identity once and for all. The wizard has even met the enigmatic being, Tom Bombadil. Of course, Tom Bombadil isn’t in any hurry to get into the fray himself, but he does tell The Stranger that his destiny is to face both Sauron and the Dark Wizard of Rhûn. He also tries to encourage The Stranger to give himself a bit more over to fate and destiny. Tom Bombadil notes to The Stranger that both a staff and powers are his to weild… when he proves himself worthy. Something he has not yet done. Perhaps he will both prove himself worthy and find his name in one fell swoop.

Most importantly, though, Tom Bombadil offers The Stranger this quote in The Rings of Power season two, episode six. He notes, “Many that die deserve life, some that live deserve death, who are you to give it to them?” This is very eerily reminiscent of line that Gandalf will later tell Frodo speaking about Gollum, “Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them?” This latest line really does make us feel like The Stranger is slowly transforming into Gandalf.

A newly released description of The Stranger’s journey in The Rings of Power season two reveals a little bit more about what we can expect from him. It shares:

In search of his origins and purpose, in Season 2 the mysterious, magic-wielding Stranger seeks the constellation that has haunted him since his arrival to in Middle-earth – and the wizard’s staff he hopes to find under it.

Well, if we see The Stranger hammering a nail through his staff, we’ll know it’s a sign he really is Gandalf. In the meanwhile, we find it very suspicious that Poppy and Nori speak of his search for a staff as his search for a “Gand.” The Stranger is searching for a gand on The Rings of Power, you don’t say… It’s almost like The Rings of Power is saying, The Stranger is Gandalf. But we suppose it could be a misdirect. Gandr is an Old Norse word for “wand” or “staff,” but it seems pointed here.

The Stars of the Valar and Middle-earth’s Smallest Heroes

Varda, Queen of the Valar, created new, brighter stars before the elves awoke on Middle-earth. They were the first things the elves saw, and they loved them. But Varda created some to be more than beautiful lights. She arranged certain constellations to serve as warnings of future doom.

That’s why the Valar sent wizards to Earth during the Third Age, to help fight a coming doom. Now it appears the Valar did the same thing during the Second Age, too. Possibly with the same Maiar, Olórin. And if that’s the case, through the Stranger, The Rings of Power might have just shown why Gandalf put the world’s fate in the hands of Middle-earth’s small-folk.

Nori found the Stranger and refused to leave him. She kept him safe, in part, because she feels some unknown powerful entity sent this man to her. But also because Harfoots—the hobbits’ ancestors—are good, caring people. And after his discovery, he returned the favor by making sure her family did not get lost during the Great Migration. He protected them because the Stranger and Nori are already great friends who rely on each other.

The Valar sent the Stranger to Middle-earth. Like the stars he looks to above, his arrival is an omen of a coming doom. And if he really is Olórin, it’s easy to see why Gandalf trusted in the bravery, courage, and heart of hobbits—Nori’s showed Olórin their worth on Middle-earth long before.

Originally published on September 1, 2022.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Is THE RINGS OF POWER’s Stranger a Wizard We’ve Met Before? 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.

The Boys fourth season is days away from premiering, but we already knew it wouldn’t be the series’ last. Prime Video recently announced it had already ordered a fifth season. But now we know that season five of The Boys will also be its final season. Showrunner Eric Kripke took to Twitter to say that, after admittedly being “cagey,” he’s ready to admit season five will be The Boys supe swan song. Yes, The Boys will end with season five.

After it seemed as though The Boys might (maybe even likely) continue past season five, Kripke has surprisingly revealed it will actually end after five seasons. (Plus what should be at least two years of its spinoff Gen V.) The showrunner said that ending The Boys after five seasons was always his plan, which is both good and bad.

It’s good because it means Kripke is telling the story he set out to tell and it’s ending where he thinks is the show’s natural endpoint. But it’s bad because this means no more The Boys, one of the best, most consistently entertaining shows in TV history, after season five.

In full, Kripke’s message about the end of The Boys reads as follows, “The Boys Season 4 Premiere Week is a good time to announce: Season 5 will be the Final Season! Always my plan, I just had to be cagey till I got the final OK from Vought. Thrilled to bring the story to a gory, epic, moist climax. Watch Season 4 in 2 DAYS, cause the end has begun!”

Additionally, Kripke later shared, “This story of The Boys will not continue on. With any luck, Gen V will continue on, there will be hopefully a couple others in development that we’re talking about that can continue on, but The Boys story ends in season 5.”

Of course, this begs the question, does Eric Kripke know exactly how The Boys‘ ending will play out? It sounds like Kripke has a vision for season five of The Boys‘ very final moments… But not necessarily the whole arc of the season. Here’s what he had to say:

I’d say we’re squarely in the middle. Every season we know that we want Homelander to get a little more disconnected from reality, and we want Butcher to get a little scarier. The show is, at the end of the day, about these two forces charging towards each other, between Butcher and Homelander. I know that them finally smashing into each other, once and for all, will be a big part of whatever end game we come up with. But beyond that, and beyond knowing where I want Hughie, it’s like I know where I want a lot of the characters to end up. That’s what I would say. I actually don’t even necessarily know the climax of the show, as much as I know that 10 pages that happens at the end, when they say six months later, and you see where everyone is. I know where everyone is. Then my job, as whenever we get to it, my job is to just make sure we can back into that.

On top of this, Kripke warns fans that “there will probably be lots of death” to come in season five of The Boys and offers “no guarantee” anyone will survive. Additionally, he notes that since season five of The Boys is the final season, it doesn’t have to worry about anything after it and “you can have really shocking, big things happen all the time.” More shocking than what The Boys already has on offer? That’s a hell of a warning, indeed.

Recently, another The Boys figure, Giancarlo Esposito, commented on The Boys season five, noting, “I think it’s going to be a whirlwind season… Every show that comes to an end has an explosive ending in its final season, and The Boys is just such a very outrageous show, but also reflective of the world we live in now.”

With all that said, the end of The Boys is still a ways away. And f***ing hell, we are going to enjoy every last second of this series.

Originally published on June 11, 2024.

The post THE BOYS Will End with Season 5, Lots of Death Coming appeared first on Nerdist.

Oz Cobb is coming to HBO, but like a true supervillain he’s arriving on his own terms. The Batman spinoff series starring Colin Farrell is launching with a very weird release schedule. The Penguin will debut on both the network and Max at nine p.m. on Thursday, September 19. But rather than stick with that night, the way most shows only air on a specific day of the week, it’s immediately moving to another. Starting with the second episode new installments will air Sunday night during one of the most sacred spots in all of television.

Oz Cobb is ready to take over Gotham, HBO, and Max with The Penguin‘s highly anticipated first episode. I’ve seen it and thought it was excellent. Unfortunately those who agree with me will have an extra few days to wait before getting the next one. Warner Bros. Discovery has revealed that instead of sticking with a Thursday night release schedule, the show will instead slide over to the nine p.m. slot on Sundays nights.

That’s excellent news for the series and how the company feels about it. HBO’s nine p.m. Sunday slot is the network’s most prestigious place on the TV calendar. That time slot has been home to revered mega hits like The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, and countless other critical and ratings darlings.

But if HBO is so high on The Penguin, why not just start the show on Sunday? Why kick things off on a Thursday? Some viewers will inevitably be upset when they turn on their TVs seven days later only to realize episode two isn’t on. Just as some will tune in the night of September 29 confused by a show “starting” with its second episode.

It’s chaos! Like Gotham City after the Riddler destroyed the sea wall!

Okay, maybe waiting three extra days is not that chaotic, but we doubt this would be happening if Carmine Falcone was still in charge. Oz Cobb has his work cutout for him if he wants to be in charge.

The post THE PENGUIN Has a Weird Release Schedule That Will Mean an Extra Wait For Episode 2 appeared first on Nerdist.

Halloween Horror Nights is an incredible tradition. Not only does it bring the spirit of Halloween to life in full, but it’s also an exquisite meeting of screams, scares, art, theater, craftsmanship, and delight. Halloween Horror Nights brings weird to the forefront, which we could not mean in a more complimentary way. It’s honestly a boo-tiful thing. At Nerdist, we had the pleasure of visiting Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando this year during the park’s media preview. And we were absolutely stunned by the eerie array of delights. From delectable themed treats (that were as terrifying as they were delicious) to a ton of thematic atmosphere to huge crowds of horror fans passing out friendship bracelets and celebrating their favorite genre, Halloween Horror Nights had it all. But, of course, the main thing on offer was the theme park’s Haunted Houses. While they were all spectacular, we wanted to share our final rankings of Universal Orlando’s 2024 Halloween Horror Nights haunted houses with you.

It’s hard to rank Universal Orlando’s 2024 Halloween Horror Nights Houses from worst to best. That wouldn’t be right. But we’ll just rank them from awesome to TOO AWESOME TO FOR WORDS instead. Here we go.

10. Major Sweets Candy Factory

Major Sweets Candy Factory is one sweet scare. This house is actually a prequel to Universal Orlando’s 2022 Halloween Horror Nights House, “Sweet Revenge.” In that house, Major Sweets gave kids some candy and they went rabid and murderous. Major Sweets Candy Factory takes place prior to that and tells the tale of a field trip from Progress County to the candy factory. Guests of horror nights are the chaperones on the field trip, but alas, the children get samples of some of the sweets, and the results are deliciously murderous.

This was a fun house and very gory. But I felt it could have leaned into the candy theme a little more. I was imagining something a bit more Willy Wonka-esque (and maybe a little bit more aesthetic), but instead, it was really more just GROSS. For some, that might mean a lot of fun. But for me, it wasn’t the most immersive house I visited. Still, the presence of GATS or “Guest Activated Triggers” made for some excellent surprises! And this house absolutely put some yuck in the yum of candy, in a good way. There was also some intense rattling and slamming, which gave me quite a jump.

9. Triplets of Terror

Triplets of Terror pic.twitter.com/qJdw8xlYvI

— Rotem Rusak 🔜 NYCC (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2024

Unfortunately for Triplets of Terror, I just so happened to visit it after I visited my favorite house, which you can scroll down to learn more about. And so, I think the comparison just made this house feel a bit flatter. The story is that the Barmy triplets killed their entire family on their 9th birthday, and every ten years, they reenact the murder, killing more people throughout. In 2024, they’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of the deaths, so they are out for some blood. The house was definitely creepy and very bloody, and the jump scares were a lot of fun.

But for me, the story wasn’t that salient, making me less connected overall. Once again, I think I’m just more naturally drawn to houses that are a bit more fantastical. This one felt of a slasher movie and had a very realistic energy, which could work well if that’s your taste!

8. The Museum: Deadly Exhibits

The Museum: Deadly Exhibits pic.twitter.com/t8yoTqrUPS

— Rotem Rusak 🔜 NYCC (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2024

Prepare to rot! The Museum: Deadly Exhibits features a museum of folklore (not the Taylor Swift album) that has received a new exhibit, the Rotting Stone. The Rotting Stone has a hold not only on the people but also on the museum itself, rotting it from the inside out. For me, this Halloween Horror Nights Universal Orlando 2024 hour was a sleeper hit. I’m not really a person who goes in for rot, mold, and pestilence. But it turns out the museum was done up with all kinds of historically oriented art and decor; it really told a compelling tale of the Rotting Stone throughout the ages and took us on a very resonant adventure. The attention to detail was honestly iconic.

Not to mention, the rot was really artfully created in a way that worked for me. Unlike Major Sweets’ factory, this gruesome exhibit leaned into the beauty and seeping terror of its decay. That said, I will say this house had a bit less space than some of the others, and many people were in it with you at once, which made the experience a bit more crowded and a little less magical.

However, I did enjoy the true sense of urgency and tension inside The Museum: Deadly Exhibits, with alarm bells and frantic security system recordings that were very immersive. As I said, I expected very little from this one and was pleasantly surprised. It also definitely called to mind The Last of Us, with some mushroom-like creatures invading the world of the house.

7. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire pic.twitter.com/cOcwWERH96

— Rotem Rusak 🔜 NYCC (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2024

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was absolutely a delightful haunted house! For me, it’s in the middle of the pack because while I enjoyed its homages and very clever Easter eggs (Hello Slimer!), it wasn’t really very scary. And that makes a ton of sense. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is more about fun and nostalgia than true overwhelming fear. The house was super cute and some of its effects, like its falling snow, were nothing short of amazing. It was also quite hard to tell the difference between animatronics and scare actors, which is a real credit to the experience. Also this house brought in Garraka to great effect. This ancient deity was serving, and I loved it.

6. Slaughter Sinema 2

Slaughter Sinema 2 pic.twitter.com/4bu07P8BUn

— Rotem Rusak 🔜 NYCC (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2024

Slaughter Sinema 2, baby! This is another example of a 2024 Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights House that ranked much higher for me than I thought it would. Slaughter Sinema 2 is the sequel to the 2018 Slaughter Sinema Horror Nights House. Both are about B-rated movies, where B obviously means best. But this time, the camera has turned to show us some true cinematic fun.

The truth is, B-rated movies are not preferred horror movies, either. But Slaughter Sinema 2 totally won me over; it is a cheesy, gory, good time. I just had a blast in this house, and the ideas are so, so good. Slaughter Sinema 2 hits at all the best tropes: a Western horror movie, a shark scare, killer clowns, evil machines, cannibals, aliens, mermaids, I could go on. Of course, the mummy strippers sold it. You’re still getting scared, of course, but you’re giddy to be so.

Slaughter Sinema 2 was so camp and so queer. I absolutely adored it.

5. Goblin’s Feast

A Goblin’s Feast pic.twitter.com/0fI0pOWPnV

— Rotem Rusak 🔜 NYCC (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2024

A Goblin’s Feast is the winner of my heart, but not my top-ranked house, objectively. But this Halloween Horror Nights Orlando 2024 haunted house really understood me. If you love dark folklore or Dungeons & Dragons, this house is for you too. In it, the goblins and orcs are celebrating their favorite holiday. But when an orc is cooking, you’re on the menu. It might be a good time to mention that I’m an orc apologist. This house was super beautiful and took care to build out its fantastical nature scenes. It made you feel like you’d wandered right into a treacherous fairy tale of the best kind.

A Goblin’s Feast brought high-spirited energy to the table; it was all about a celebration, after all. Additionally, the monsters were crafted with such care (and there were so many of them) that you really did believe you stumbled into a Goblin Thanksgiving. I also felt like I really got to know the culture of these creatures as I screamed, and that was beautiful to me.

Also worth noting is that the exterior of Goblin Feast was the absolute best. The house turned into a snug little fae cottage with a cozy chimney blowing smoke. I was obsessed with it.

In sum, witches, goblins, and forest spirits, oh my!

4. A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place pic.twitter.com/SiUpV7hPqG

— Rotem Rusak 🔜 NYCC (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2024

The A Quiet Place house at Halloween Horror Nights Universal Orlando 2024 tells the story of the first two A Quiet Place movies and the Abbott family. Of course, the house beautifully and hauntingly brought you through to all your favorite scenes and settings from the movies. Most importantly, it created absolutely wild versions of the monsters from A Quiet Place that were point-perfect to the terrifying creatures in the films. There was also a lovely incorporation of American Sign Language throughout the house, which Halloween Horror Nights took great care to get right.

But the bar-none best part of the house was that it let you answer for yourself the question that A Quiet Place makes us all ask ourselves. Could I keep quiet? When I was in this house, everyone was deadly silent. No one wanted to be the one who wouldn’t make it through the movie. I myself did not scream once. But this personal challenge brought to life really added stakes to this house. And that’s why A Quiet Place is up there in my rankings of Universal Orlando’s 2024 Halloween Horror Nights House offerings.

3. Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America

Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America pic.twitter.com/80wIS5BhmU

— Rotem Rusak 🔜 NYCC (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2024

Monstruos, wow. Monstruos is an incredible Halloween Horror Nights haunted house. At its core it brings us three myths from Latin America: Tlahuelpuchi, a vampiric witch, La Lechuza, a witch who can shapeshift into an owl, and El Silbón, a damned lost soul. Death, of course, is our guide. This house was gory. There are no two ways about it. There was blood seeping and carnage at every turn. But it was magnificent. Some parts of this house manifested fear, some, tragedy, and others still, beauty. Gorgeous music accompanied your screams at every turn. And the creatures themselves were a sight to behold. It was an aesthetic nightmare, and that’s all I want from my haunted houses. The surreality of Monstruos makes it one Halloween Horror Nights House I would want to return to over and over again.

2. Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines

Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines pic.twitter.com/PcD3L6Ihfz

— Rotem Rusak 🔜 NYCC (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2024

Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines, BABY! Never has a haunted house has been so exquisitely queer. In it, you follow the story of Saskia Van Helsing, the last surviving member of the Van Helsing family, who takes down monsters. She is getting revenge for the murder of her family. On her quest, she teams up with an unlikely ally in the Bride of Frankenstein, together they take down Dracula’s daughter, She-Wolf and many others. This house has an all female cast, female show director, female hair and makeup, and it shows. Because damn, you feel like the heroine of dark romance as soon as you set foot in it.

A haunted cathedral in the snow is one of the first sights that greet you. And that has stayed with me. The gorgeous gothic sensibilities of this house, its elegant decay, and its epic monsters come together to make it one of my highest-ranked houses from Halloween Horror Nights 2024.

1. Insisidous

Insisidous pic.twitter.com/6bw8fVW89w

— Rotem Rusak 🔜 NYCC (@Moondancer1626) September 18, 2024

Insidious: The Further is everything. So many of the houses were scary, campy, fun, and gorgeous, but Insidious was emotional. It resonated. You could feel everything locked in the movies inside of you as you traversed through. And that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t super scary. All of Insidious‘ best demons came out to greet you. The Long-haired Fiend, The Bride in Black, The Lipstick Face Demon, and more were all present and terrifying. I don’t think I’ve ever screamed so much in such a short period of time. But something about this house felt deep and moving.

It felt like there was a story aching there at every turn in the house. In one of the rooms, Insidious‘ iconic fairy lights lay on the bed, a little light in the darkness. And that really touched my heart. Insidious stayed in my heart the whole night, even though it was the first house I visited. And that’s why it’s a the very top of my Halloween Horror Nights Universal Orlando house rankings.

The post We Rank the 2024 Houses at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s official—Black Mirror is coming to Netflix for season seven in 2025. The six-episode season of Charlie Brooker’s anthology series that treads on the dark side will also include a sequel to the season four sci-fi adventure “USS Callister.” That episode, the first of the show’s fourth season in 2018, was a kind of spoof on classic Star Trek iconography. Fans went wild for it, and the episode won four Emmy Awards. That now-classic episode was written by Brooker and William Bridges and directed by Toby Haynes. Netflix has also officially shared the cast for Black Mirror season seven. You can check out that information and a brief teaser trailer below.

Netflix Reveals Black Mirror Season 7 Cast

Drumroll please. The Black Mirror season seven cast has arrived and it’s a good one. Among Nerdist favorites appearing are Doctor Who‘s Peter Capaldi, The Penguin‘s Sofia Milioti, and Deadpool and Wolverine‘s Emma Corrin. But they’re not the only ones who will be involved. You can check out the full lead cast of Black Mirror‘s newest season below. For now, Netflix notes that “Additional information about specific episodes and characters is under wraps.”

Lead Cast (Listed Alphabetically): 

• Awkwafina (Jackpot)
• Milanka Brooks (Mum And I Don’t Talk Anymore)
• Peter Capaldi (Criminal Record)
• Emma Corrin (Deadpool and Wolverine)
• Patsy Ferran (Firebrand)
• Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)
• Lewis Gribben (Blade Runner 2099)
• Osy Ikhile (Citadel)
• Rashida Jones (Sunny)
• Siena Kelly (Domino Day)
• Billy Magnussen (Road House)
• Rosy McEwen (Blue Jean)
• Cristin Milioti (The Penguin)
• Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids)
• Issa Rae (Barbie)
• Paul G. Raymond (Horrible Histories)
• Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish)
• Jimmi Simpson (Westworld)
• Harriet Walter (Succession)

Black Mirror Season 7 Features the USS Callister

Now that we have a better idea who will be involved in the the upcoming season, you can check out Black Mirror season sevens’s brief teaser trailer below.

Here’s what the streaming giant said on the return of the USS Callister. “Robert Daly is dead, but for the crew of the USS Callister, their problems are just beginning.” In the original episode, Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons), was a reclusive programmer who co-founded a popular MMO that emulated classic Star Trek tropes—particularly those of the original 1960s series. He used his co-workers’ DNA to make digital clones of them, and commanded them as captain of the starship USS Callister. However, in traditional Black Mirror fashion, things did not go smoothly for Robert Daly. Many fans believe that the retro-flavored Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was greenlit because of its success.

Black Mirror Season 7 Release Date and Status

Although starting on the UK’s Channel 4, Black Mirror has found a home on Netflix since season three. No word yet on when the new season drops on the streamer. For now, Netflix notes, “The series is currently filming and will be returning to Netflix in 2025.”

The post BLACK MIRROR Season 7 Reveals Cast, Confirms 2025 Release Date Window appeared first on Nerdist.

The legend of the 300 Spartans is one of the most thrilling in all of Ancient Greece. A small army against a billion guys? How ’bout it! Several movies have featured the story, but the 2006 version from Zack Snyder is very probably the one that will live in people’s memories forever. The film—an adaptation of Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s graphic novel—effectively put Snyder on the map and led to his long career of comic book adaptations. Makes perfect sense, then, that Warner Bros. Television would bring Snyder in for a television series adaptation.

In a recent interview with Comicbook.com, Zack Snyder confirmed that the 300 series is moving forward but it is in its early stages. “We’re just getting ready to dive in and get to work on it. It’s super fun, I love the world,” Snyder said. “And even just in the preliminary meetings we’ve had talking about, like, ‘What if this happened or that happened,’ just a lot of it’s just really fun to like go, wow, it’s a rich standard. It’s similar to this [Twilight of the Gods] in a weird way. As far as there’s a lot of underpinnings.”

The 300 TV series is reportedly a prequel, which makes sense considering that we saw all the soldiers die in the film. It could follow the Spartans led by King Leonidas before they went to war with Xerxes. We will see what the actual plot is in the future.

According to Variety, Snyder and his producing partner (and life partner) Deborah Snyder will executive produce the project, with Zack taking on directing duties. Other info is sparse, and no writers or cast are on board. It’s likely an exciting prospect for fans of Snyder’s directing style, to get a full series of his speed-ramping action.

Originally published May 31, 2024.

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.

The post Zack Snyder Says the 300 TV Series Is in Progress appeared first on Nerdist.

Door-to-door evangelizing seems like a lot of hard work. You have to be out in the elements and spreading the word of your Lord and Savior, often to people who really don’t want to hear it. I’d imagine there are a ton of people who either ignore you, slam the door in your face, or curse you out. And, if you’re a woman, there’s always that extra risk of a guy doing or saying something to make you feel super uncomfortable. But I never thought that a missionary occupational hazard would be running into a lunatic who holds you hostage in their house for weird mental games. That’s what happens in Heretic, an A24 psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, Yellowjackets’ star Sophie Thatcher, and Chloe East with a trailer that teases a house of horrors. 

In the clip, Thatcher and Chloe are two young missionaries trying to spread knowledge about Jesus Christ. Their somewhat meek demeanors mean they are dismissed by most people. Nevertheless, they continue to bike around town and try to save souls. They go to a random, secluded house (red flag #1) where Grant’s far-too-friendly Mr. Reed lives. He invites them inside (red flag #2) and insists that it’s okay because his wife is there (red flag #3).

Things soon go down a dark path when they realize they are locked in. Mr. Reed says they can go but they have to choose between two doorways: one for believers and one for those who do not believe. I’m pretty sure there are terrible things behind both doors. The Heretic trailer is a fun peek that doesn’t give away too much but gives us the gift of a diabolical Hugh Grant. We love when he plays a villain.

Here’s the synopsis for Heretic: 

Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.

What Is the Release Date for A24’s Heretic Movie Starring Hugh Grant? 

Heretic will hit theaters on November 15, 2024.

Originally published June 25, 2024.

The post Hugh Grant Holds Missionaries Hostage in a Horror House in HERETIC Trailer appeared first on Nerdist.

WandaVision‘s nosy neighbor turned out to be far more dangerous than most sitcom characters. Now the show’s spinoff starring Kathryn Hahn has introduced its own mysterious witch. Aubrey Plaza is an entirely new Marvel character who clearly has a complicated past with Agatha Harkness. But who is she and what happened between them? And does she really want Agatha dead? Here’s what we know about Agatha All Along‘s black hearted green witch Rio Vidal so far.

What Marvel Comics Character Is Aubrey Plaza’s Agatha All Along Character Based On?

Rio Vidal, who says she has a “black heart,” is an original character with no direct or obvious comic counterpart in name or role. As of now she seems to be an entirely new figure in the world of Marvel.

Because Rio is a Green Witch, some have speculated she could be loosely connected to or even based on Marvel Comics’ villain Dian. He is a powerful evil sorcerer known as the Emerald Warlock. (Get it? Green Witch/Emerald Warlock? You get it.)

Beyond their names and the fact each has lived for hundreds of years (at least), there’s nothing to suggest the two characters are related. If they are, though, Dian’s history does provide some tantalizing possibilities. He once worked with Agatha Harkness and later became a major enemy of the Scarlet Witch, whom he battled with on the Witches Road.

What Is a Green Witch on Agatha All Along?

Agatha’s efforts to form a coven revealed that their are different kinds of witches living in the MCU. Some are divination witches, others are potion witches, and some are green witches. Green witches have a magical connection to the land, as revealed by Agatha using local gardener “Ms. Hart” (her real name is Sharon) as a green witch proxy.

What Happened With Rio Vidal and Agathan Harkness Before Agatha All Along?

Rio Vidal came to Westview to help Agatha escape (the now-dead) Wanda’s spell. It had locked Agatha inside her own mind as Agnes for three years. But once Agatha broke out of her faux police procedural, which Rio appeared in as an FBI agent, suggesting Rio had created that fake realit, the Green Witch, who is also a fierce warrior, attacked Agatha. She said she would have killed the powerless Agatha if not for witch rules that forbid it.

But why would Rio help Agatha break out of her mental prison if she hates Agatha? Was it only so the Salem Seven could finish off Agatha Harkness for her? Or is their love behind that animosity? The two witches violent interaction hinted at a previous romantic relationship that goes back many centuries. Rio also knew that Agatha’s original coven betrayed her, which is why Agatha attacked them.

Does Rio really want to see Agatha destroyed? Or did she show up in Westview to ultimately save someone she loves? Or is she looking for something a little less serious/more fun we wouldn’t expect to see on Disney+?

There’s so much more we have to learn about Aubrey Plaza’s Rio Vidal on Agatha All Along, and we can’t wait to see what other secrets she’s hiding.

The post Aubrey Plaza’s Mysterious AGATHA ALL ALONG Character Rio Vidal, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Castlevania: Nocturne fans have a lot to celebrate. Netflix just announced the release date window for season two of the series, which will feature Richter Belmont fighting alongside everyone’s favorite character Alucard. That’s arriving to us in January 2025. But the exciting Castlevania: Nocturne news doesn’t end there. Nerdist is thrilled to exclusively reveal new incredibly gorgeous Castlevania: Nocturne PVC figures from Dark Horse Comics and Netflix, which take the form of Richter Belmont and the ancient vampire Olrox.

While two new Nocturne figures would be thrilling stuff, Dark Horse Comics is casting a spell of its own and actually releasing two variants each of the Olrox and Richter Belmont PVC figures, for a total of four new collectible figures. Not only will Olrox and Richter receive a Dark Horse Deluxe figure, available widely wherever collectibles are sold, but they will also each receive a special Dark Horse Direct Exclusive figure, which will be available through Dark Horse Direct’s website.

A true gift to fans of vampires and vampire hunters everywhere. Join us as we take a closer look at the new Richter Belmont and Olrox Castlevania: Nocturne PVC figures below.

Jump to:

• Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Olrox Figure // Dark Horse Deluxe Olrox Figure
• Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Richter Belmont Figure // Dark Horse Deluxe Richter Belmont Figure

Castlevania: Nocturne Olrox PVC Figures: Dark Horse Direct Exclusive and Dark Horse Deluxe Versions

Elegant, powerful, and dare we say it, sexy, Castlevania: Nocturne‘s Olrox brings to life, or more accurately, undeath, everything we could want in a character. After all, who doesn’t love an ancient vampire with tendencies toward good and evil and the incredible powers to turn into a serpent-like dragon, which calls to mind mythology’s Quetzalcoatl? No one, that’s who. And personally, for us, the fact that he’s queer just makes him even more of an icon. So there’s also no question that fans of Netflix’s Castlevania: Nocture series are itching to add Olrox to their collection of figures. And Dark Horse Comics and Netflix are here to answer that call.

As mentioned, two Olrox figures are actually heading in the direction of your shelves. Dark Horse Comics will release a Dark Horse Direct Exclusive PVC Olrox figure and a Dark Horse Deluxe PVC Olrox figure. What’s the difference? Well, the Dark Horse Direct Exclusive features a little bit more Olrox goodness, including a point-perfect homage to his dragon form. Here’s what each figure entails.

Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Castlevania: Nocturne Olrox PVC Figure

Olrox is the vampire who set Richter Belmont on his vampire hunter journey when he took his revenge on Julia Belmont for killing his lover. And on that fateful night, Olrox rose from the mist to exact his vengeance. This Dark Horse Direct Exclusive figure captures that moment in all its dramatic glory, mist and all. The exclusive version of Olrox comes with “an alternate arm and an alternate back plate, which shows Olrox’s dragon transformation appearing from a portal on one side and spectral skulls from the other.” It makes for a hauntingly beautiful vision. You can take a closer look at Olrox from all angles below.

The Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Castlevania: Nocturne Olrox PVC Figure costs $99.99. The edition size for this figure is 1,500. This figure is now available for pre-order on Dark Horse Direct’s website. This Olrox figure is expected to ship to customers between April and June 2025. It’s worth noting that if you pre-order two or more figures from Dark Horse Direct (that could be Olrox and Richter Belmont for those playing along), you get 10% off your order as a pre-order bonus!

Here’s What’s Included When You Purchase Olrox’s Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Figure and Other Details

• Castlevania: Nocturne – Olrox PVC Figure
  • This figure is is 11.25” tall by 5.5” wide by 6” deep
• Alternate right arm (behind his back or snapping)
• Alternate backplate revealing Olrox’s stunning dragon form
• Edition Size: 1,500
• Cost: $99.99
• Expected Ship Date: April – June 2025

Dark Horse Deluxe Castlevania: Nocturne Olrox PVC Figure

The Dark Horse Deluxe version of Netflix’s Olrox is no less stunning than the exclusive version. It just doesn’t include some of the additional grace notes of the exclusive Castlevania: Nocturne figure, such as the dragon transformation backplate or the eerily lovely spectral skulls. But you still get Olrox in all his majesty, either holding his iconic obsidian dagger behind his back or getting ready to summon his otherworldly magic with a snap of his fingers.

The Dark Horse Deluxe Castlevania: Nocturne Olrox PVC Figure costs $79.99. This figure is available for purchase wherever collectibles are sold and should be available for pre-order now. The Deluxe version of Olrox will become available on March 5, 2025.

Here’s what’s Included When You Purchase Olrox’s Dark Horse Deluxe Figure and Other Details

• Castlevania: Nocturne – Olrox PVC Figure
  • This figure is is 11.25” tall by 5.5” wide by 6” deep
• Alternate right arm (behind his back or snapping)
• Cost: $79.99
• Available on March 3, 2025.

Jump to:

• Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Olrox Figure // Dark Horse Deluxe Olrox Figure
• Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Richter Belmont Figure // Dark Horse Deluxe Richter Belmont Figure

Castlevania: Nocturne Richter Belmont PVC Figures: Dark Horse Direct Exclusive and Dark Horse Deluxe Versions

But, of course, we wouldn’t want Olrox to get lonely on the shelf. After all, what good is an anti-hero if he can’t sometimes square off and sometimes assist the forces of good on your shelf? And that’s where Richter Belmont comes into the picture. Like Olrox, Dark Horse Comics’ Richter Belmont PVC figure comes in two versions: a Dark Horse Direct Exclusive version and a Dark Horse Deluxe version. Here’s what fans of the Netflix series can expect from these vampire hunter figures.

Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Castlevania: Nocturne Richter Belmont PVC Figure

You know him, you love him, Richter Belmont is the last of the Belmont clan and he knows how to kill a vampire. After an encounter with the vampire Olrox, Richter set out on his path to become a vampire hunter, and throughout the Netflix series, we see him grow, evolve, and step into his many strengths. From a scared child to a natural vampire hunter, Richter Belmont protects France from the chaos of vampires. (And we can’t wait to see him team up with everyone’s favorite half-human, half-vampire Alucard in season two of Castlevania: Nocturne.)

The Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Richter Belmont PVC figure captures all of these facets of the character. Richter comes with an alternate head and weapons, an incredible amount of weapons. These include his sword, knives, ice gauntlet, fireball, and his signature flaming whip! But hey, with so many vampires around, you always need to be ready. You can look closer at this magnificent version of Richter Belmont above and below.

The exclusive version of Richter Belmont is limited to 1,500 units. It costs $99.99 and is now available for pre-order on Dark Horse Direct’s website. This exclusive Richter Belmont Castlevania: Nocture figure is expected to ship to customers between April and June 2025. Once again, we’re reminding you that if you pre-order two or more figures from Dark Horse Direct, you get 10% off your order as a pre-order bonus.

Here’s What’s Included When You Purchase Richter Belmont’s Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Figure and Other Details

• Castlevania: Nocturne – Richter Belmont PVC Figure
  • This figure is at 9.2” tall by 8” wide by 6.4” deep
• Alternate head.
• Alternate right arms (curled whip, extended flame whip)
• Alternate left arms (ice gauntlet, knives, fireball, sword)
• Accessories: Sheaths (with & without hilt)
• Edition Size: 1,500
• Cost: $99.99
• Expected Ship Date: April – June 2025

Dark Horse Deluxe Castlevania: Nocturne Richter Belmont PVC Figure

Once again, this Castlevania: Nocturne Richter Belmont Dark Horse Deluxe figure is still pretty incredible. He just doesn’t include the alternate head, the alternate right arm options, and the left arm ice gauntlet and knives of the exclusive. That means Richter has fewer weapons to fight off vampiric threats, but he’s still pretty well prepared. The Dark Horse Deluxe version of Richter Belmont instead features him brandishing his sword or manipulating his iconic blue flames. This figure also has a coiled version of Richter’s whip in his right arm which the exclusive does not contain.

The Dark Horse Deluxe Castlevania: Nocturne Olrox PVC Figure costs $79.99. This figure is available for purchase wherever collectibles are sold and should be available for pre-order now. The Deluxe version of Richter Belmont will become available on March 5, 2025.

Here’s What’s Included When You Purchase Richter Belmont’s Dark Horse Deluxe Figure and Other Details

• Castlevania: Nocturne – Richter Belmont PVC Figure
• This figure is at 9.2” tall by 8” wide by 6.4” deep
• Accessories: Alternate left arms (fireball, sword) and sheaths (with & without hilt).
  • This figure is is 11.25” tall by 5.5” wide by 6” deep
• Cost: $79.99
• Available on March 3, 2025.

We Can’t Wait to Own These Castlevania: Nocturne Figures

Netflix’s Castlevania: Nocturne is one of the most beautiful shows around, so it’s only right that the figures based on it are equally glorious. We can’t wait to bring home Olrox and Richter Belmont… We just hope they don’t make a mess of our shelves.

Jump to:

• Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Olrox Figure // Dark Horse Deluxe Olrox Figure
• Dark Horse Direct Exclusive Richter Belmont Figure // Dark Horse Deluxe Richter Belmont Figure

The post New Richter Belmont and Olrox CASTLEVANIA: NOCTURNE Figures Come in Two Gorgeous Versions appeared first on Nerdist.

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is a new way to collect Pokémon cards that feels like a dream come true for collectors. The upcoming app for iOS and Android lets you rip open digital booster packs, organize your ever-growing collection of digital cards, and show off your favorites to your friends. I attended a preview event to play a demo of Pokémon TCG Pocket and chat with the game designers from Creatures and The Pokémon Company. Here’s what I learned about how the game’s collection, customization, and battling systems work.

Pokémon TCG Pocket Is All About Collecting Pokémon Cards

Whereas most Pokémon games tend to focus on battling, Pokémon TCG Pocket emphasizes the fun of collecting Pokémon cards. The app does offer the option to battle with your cards (more on that later), but dedicates a majority of its features to obtaining new cards, organizing them in your collection, and giving you numerous ways to showcase your favorites.

The Game Showcases Pokémon’s History of Iconic Artwork

Pokémon cards are famous for their especially eye-catching artwork. Over the years, Pokémon has only become more creative with their card designs. There are cards with artwork featuring abstract paintings, photographs of clay models, and even crochet dolls. Pokémon fans are truly spoiled with the amount of excellence poured into every card and the sheer variety of art on display. All of that is front and center in Pokémon TCG Pocket. The linework looks sharp and the colors are vibrant on the digital screen. The rarer a card is, the more flair it has, from shiny holofoil to 3D elements that make it pop out of the frame.

The game includes cards that fans will recognize from the physical Pokémon TCG as well as brand new cards created just for Pocket. Then there are new twists on classic cards. For example, the game has a Slowpoke card with its original Base Set artwork, and then a full-art variant that removes the frame to reveal lots of other Slowpoke crawling all over the card in humorous fashion.

You Can ‘Enter’ the Cards to See the World Beyond the Border

Pokémon TCG Pocket’s big showstopper that you won’t find anywhere else is its extremely rare but extremely awesome immersive cards. The first set, called Genetic Apex, has over 200 different cards, but only three of them are special immersive cards. Activating one of these card’s immersive effects takes you into the world of the card. The immersive Pikachu card starts out with art of a Pikachu in a forest. Then you’re taken on a quick, guided tour past the borders of the card and into the forest where various other Pokémon can be seen, from a herd of fiery Ponyta to a pair of Nidoran playing together. 

I won’t spoil the surprise of what happens in two particular immersive cards. I will say that I was impressed by how they were completely different from the Pikachu one, with their own unique music and visuals. These immersive cards were exciting to open up and practically begged for multiple viewings in order to catch a glimpse of all the cool Easter eggs inside. It’s nice to see that the game designers are taking full advantage of the digital format by doing cool things with the cards that can only happen in a digital space.

You Can Fully Customize Your Collection

Collecting the cards is only the beginning. When you get a new card, it populates on your Collection Board, which has filters to present your collection in different ways. Then, you’re free to show off your cards however you want. You can upgrade cards to have different kinds of flair. That’s right, now there’s no one to stop you from having the most sparkly Bulbasaur card there ever was. You can fill up one of many decorative binders with different cards you want to show off together. There’s also the option to pick a card to give the art-show treatment where it’s displayed on a fancy pedestal. When finish customizing your collection, you can put these various things on display for those on your friends list to see. 

The Battling System Is Pretty Much Pokémon’s Marvel Snap

Pokémon TCG Pocket’s battling system is a simplified version of the physical game. The deck size has been reduced from 60 cards to 20. The Bench went from five Pokémon slots to three. Energy cards have been removed entirely and replaced with an energy-generating system that provides one energy to attach to your Pokémon each turn. Instead of winning the game by taking six Prize cards, players must earn three points to claim victory. Players earn points by knocking out a Pokémon, with two points for defeating the more powerful Pokémon ex.

Pokémon TCG Pocket was designed by Creatures, the same folks who make the physical Pokémon TCG. “We really focused on [Pokémon TCG Pocket] perhaps being [a person’s] first experience and making it more friendly to new players,” Ryo Tsujikawa, Creative Director at Creatures, told us in a group interview. “There are fewer complicated elements in it, and fewer attacks on the cards, compared to the physical TCG.”

As a competitive Pokémon TCG player, I was fascinated to see how the game was reinvented for Pocket. Its matches that lasted five-ish minutes reminded me of Marvel Snap and its pared down game mechanics were reminiscent of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links. After using my beginner deck a few times to beat the computer on easy mode, I borrowed the Pokémon rep’s phone with a fully unlocked collection to use his Mewtwo ex deck. With a more advanced deck in my hands, I tried to win on the hardest difficulty. To my surprise and delight, the computer made strategically sound moves and kicked my butt with an Exeggutor ex deck filled with healing cards such as the Potion item and Erika’s supporter card.

How to Battle Other Players

In addition to fighting the computer, Pocket allows you to battle other players both locally and remote. I used the Auto-Build feature to generate a deck built from my modest collection and challenged another journalist to a battle. In the physical Pokémon TCG, Pokémon do such high damage that they knock out opposing Pokémon in just one or two attacks. Pocket’s Pokémon do smaller chunks of damage, so there was a lot of back-and-forth between my opponent and I as we tried to whittle down each other’s team. It was a nice change of pace. In the end, my opponent’s many Trainer cards made all the difference and he took the dub. 

Even though I didn’t have time to explore the battling system more in-depth, I was satisfied knowing that Pocket’s less complex spin on the game would still challenge players. It felt like the designers put a lot of thought into how to keep the game both fun and balanced in this new form. A big change is how Pocket introduces a new rule that says the player who goes first cannot attach an energy. It also reduces the impact of Pokémon weakness. I thought these were smart changes that made the game feel more fair. When we asked if Pokémon TCG Pocket will have a competitive circuit and be part of the annual Pokémon World Championships, a Pokémon rep told us to stay tuned for more info.

Why Did Pokémon Make a Second TCG Video Game?

As it turns out, there’s already a digital Pokémon card game called Pokémon TCG Live. It has similar features to Pocket, allowing you to collect digital cards and use them to battle (with the full rules). It begs the question why the Pokémon Company decided to make a second digital card game when they already have one. Keita Hirobe, Executive Corporate Officer at The Pokémon Company, explained that while Pocket and Live are similar, they serve different purposes.

“We view [Pokémon TCG Live] as more of an extension of the physical trading card game. It’s something for players who want to learn the rules of the physical trading card game. They are able to have this easy-to-use tool to test decks and learn the rules of the game and ultimately have that inform their physical trading card game knowledge,” Hanawa said.

“Pocket is our idea to make [the Pokémon TCG] more approachable and accessible to a wider range of players. I think it’s also different than a lot of digital trading card games. In other trading card games and digital trading card games, the focus is primarily on battle. And while we do have a really rich battle system that’s going to be very fun to play, we equally focus on the card collecting experience. So we wanted to kind of have both of those elements in a digital game application.”

Pokémon TCG Pocket Is ‘Free to Start’

Pokémon TCG Pocket is “free to start,” and we all know what that means: numerous digital currencies, time-gated activities, battle passes, and real-money microtransactions. Pocket gives players two free packs every day. For those who want to fill out their collection faster, you can either fork over real cash or complete missions to earn a currency to exchange for more packs. A mission can be anything from obtaining a certain set of Pokémon cards to completing certain in-game tasks. (While we’re talking about getting more booster packs, I should note that the code cards for a free digital booster pack found in physical Pokémon TCG packs can only work in Live and don’t work in Pocket.)

A single booster pack in Pocket has five cards, and from what we could tell there is no guaranteed rare or holo in each pack like there is with physical packs. There’s also a “Wonder Pick” mode that lets you copy the contents of a friend’s booster pack and pick one card at random to add to your collection. 

The developers said they spent a lot of time making the pack-opening experience enjoyable. They did this by creating a pleasing tearing sound when you open a pack, allowing you to pick from a selection of 12 unique packs, and giving you the choice to open the pack from the front or the back. It’s not uncommon for collectors to have their own personal pack opening rituals for good luck, so it seems intentional that the designers offer so many ways you can customize how you open boosters. 

Pokémon TCG Pocket launches globally on October 30, 2024.

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