It’s never easy to choose just one favorite character from among the many we meet in our travels through fictional worlds. Even when we narrow the scope to just one year of television, movies, and more, defining what makes for a favorite or “best” character seems like a herculean task. And though we say this every year, this year, we truly were spoiled for choice when it came to nerdy offerings that graced our screens. From fantastical realms to multiverse shenanigans to spectacular season twos, spinoffs, and original stories, we received a veritable buffet of characters to love (or to love hating) in 2023. And so, despite the difficulty, the Nerdist team has set out to narrow down the greatest of them all. Here are Nerdist‘s picks for the best characters of 2023.

Monkey D. Luffy From Netflix’s Live-Action One Piece

Selected by Rotem Rusak

I went into the live-action One Piece series as cold as possible for a franchise that’s been around for so long. And though I had no prior love or loyalty to the series, Iñaki Godoy’s Luffy immediately had me signing on to become a Straw Hat Pirate. How could anyone resist when Luffy just wants you to treasure your dreams and be the best you that you can be?

Having now watched some of the anime, I can confidently assess that Iñaki Godoy’s rendition captures all the hallmarks of the original Luffy: his unbounded joy, his intent enthusiasm, his determined love of his crew, and his sometimes overly excited tendencies. But above and beyond that, Godoy injects Luffy with a tremendous heart and warmth that is all his own, which deepens, rounds out, and evolves the character, taking him to new heights and pulling us all along for the ride. 

With Iñaki Godoy’s Luffy as captain, it makes total sense that everyone he meets falls in love with him and decides to follow him to the ends of the earth, fans included. And that makes live-action One Piece‘s Monkey D. Luffy one of our best characters of 2023. 

Egwene al’Vere From The Wheel of Time

Selected by Amy Ratcliffe

We had to wait a couple of years, but The Wheel of Time season two finally happened. The adaptation of Robert Jordan’s books of the same name leveled up in a number of ways from season one, including character development. Egwene al’Vere was one of the MVPs, standing out as one of the best characters not just in The Wheel of Time, but in all the television I watched this year. Performed by Madeleine Madden, Egwene found herself pulled out of the White Tower in the worst way possible: betrayed by a member of the Black Ajah and given to the Seanchan to take as damane. Collared and enslaved by the Seanchan, Egwene faced horrors unknown to most Aes Sedai. The Seanchan controlled Egwene’s ability to use the One Power and used her as a weapon. They broke her.

But Egwene, powerful in every way that matters, fought back. She made a difficult choice, one that will impact her for years to come. But she made it. No one decided her fate for her. In season two, Egwene rose above pain. She showed her mettle and protected her friends. It was a moving, terrible, important step on her journey.

M3GAN From M3GAN

Selected by Eric Diaz

True horror icons come two, maybe three for decade. In 2023, it came in the form of a killer robot doll with a judgmental glare—and who has no time for your crap—going by the name of M3GAN. From the moment we saw M3GAN’s pre-murderbot rampage dance in the trailer for her big-screen debut, she was poised for star status. When Gerard Johnstone’s film was finally released in January of 2023, she earned that status. Screenwriter Akela Cooper created a true icon in M3GAN, and not one of us will ever hear the song “Titanium” the same way again. M3GAN is definitely one of 2023’s best characters.

Marie Moreau From Gen V

Selected by Tai Gooden

A world full of superheroes seeped in debauchery, lies, and murder leads to a lot of blood. For Gen V’s Marie Moreau (played by the brilliant Jaz Sinclair), the constant spilling of this bodily fluid works to the advantage of her ever-expanding hemokinetic powers. Marie’s enthralling and tumultuous journey throughout season one spans from an orphan grieving her parents’ accidental demise to a self-assured young woman who confronts internal and external shaming and bravely redefines what it means to be a hero.

As she further steps into her personal power, her abilities expand and allow her to rewrite her destiny. Marie Moreau has heart, but she won’t completely sacrifice herself for the sake of others. She’s broken and resilient, passionate and terrified, and socially awkward yet keenly aware of her place and space within society on multiple levels as a Black woman. Watching her conjure blood from the soaked grassy quad and shoot it like daggers was perhaps the most empowering moment in this universe so far. She’s a true gem in a mine of new TV characters.

Roderick Usher From The Fall of the House of Usher

Selected by Mikey Walsh

The full depth of Bruce Greenwood’s incredible performance on The Fall of the House of Usher couldn’t be totally appreciated until it was over. Long before his final moments, we knew the pharmaceutical CEO was responsible for a massacre of untold millions. Roderick Usher’s body count had few equals in history. Worse, he amassed his empire by sacrificing his kids’ future to a supernatural entity. And yet, even knowing all of that, Greenwood made Roderick compelling by making it hard to fully hate him. Hadn’t Roderick started out with good intentions? Didn’t he want to end suffering rather than inflict more? And wasn’t his punishment more than anyone deserved? Didn’t his mistakes and remorse make his story a tragedy because he was a flawed person rather than a real monster?

No. His final confession wasn’t about the murders he’d committed or the deal he’d accepted. It was about the greatest lie he’d told. He’d always known exactly what Ligodone was and what it would do to the world. It was only then we knew the truth—he really was the Devil, and he had tricked us into thinking he’s not. That’s why Roderick Usher is among 2023’s best new characters.

Caine From John Wick: Chapter 4

Selected by Kyle Anderson

The John Wick series has always offered action movie fans a cadre of wild underworld characters and hardened assassins to go up against our favorite gun-fu fighter. John Wick: Chapter 4 is easily the best of the bunch in this field, and while offering a number of cool new characters, none were as great as Caine, played by Donnie Yen. The sightless assassin with a sword in his walking stick and a pocket full of sound grenades gives John his toughest battle yet, and the fact that Caine is a reluctant combatant, an anti-villain trapped in a tough spot, endears us to him all the more. And yes, he kicks the most amount of butt; it’s Donnie Yen! Why wouldn’t he?!

O.B. From Loki Season 2

Selected by Mikey Walsh

This year proved it doesn’t matter which multiverse you find yourself watching, Ke Huy Quan is an absolute joy in all of them. The recent Everything Everywhere All at Once Oscar-winner joined Loki in season two and promptly stole all of his scenes. (No small feat considering his costars.) His brilliant, way-too-literal, wonderfully straightforward O.B. was a constant source of both humor and information. What really made Ouroboros one of 2023’s best new characters, though, was the way Quan was able to also convey the inherent sadness of the O.B.’s life, even if the engineer himself wasn’t fully aware of his plight. That gave the TVA employee a depth that easily could have been lost with a lesser performance. We wanted to hang out and listen to Ouroboros while also giving him a big hug. Just like we’d love to do with Ke Huy Quan himself in every universe everywhere.

The post Nerdist’s Best Characters of 2023 appeared first on Nerdist.

There’s only one sound to describe the current state of streaming. Ooof. And the latest news reveals that streaming shenanigans don’t stop at the traditional streaming platforms that first come to mind when we think of streaming our favorite shows. No, the most recent, unfortunate streaming news has to do with streaming via PlayStation. PlayStation users were recently informed that Discovery content they purchased via the PlayStation Store would no longer be accessible to users and would be removed from their libraries. To be clear, PlayStation and Sony are talking about TV shows that users spent money to specifically access and now that content will vanish. We see titles come and go on streaming all of the time, but usually, not titles that come from a store-based interface. PlayStation did not indicate that users would receive a refund for the lost content.

The message to users is short and not so sweet. Playstation/Sony notes, “As of 31 December 2023, due to our content licensing arrangements with content providers, you will no longer be able to watch any of your previously purchased Discovery content and the content will be removed from your video library.”

You can find the full list of Discovery titles that PlayStation will remove from users’ accounts here. Among other titles, purchased versions of Cake Boss, Deadliest Catch, Dirtiest Jobs, Mythbusters, and more will vanish… Alongside the money users spent on purchasing them. Forbes notes that PlayStation will delete over 1,200 titles in total. As mentioned, there’s no discussion of a refund or a way to download Discovery content purchased for PlayStation.

There’s also no clear word on what exactly is driving this sudden removal. But, of course, Discovery recently merged with Warner Bros. and is no longer a stand-alone channel, so that could have something to do with the change in access. But regardless of the source, it doesn’t really matter. The takeaway that matters goes something like this. Not even streaming media that is specifically purchased is really “owned” anymore. We already knew that, of course. But we really know it now. At the same time, it’s becoming more and more difficult to purchase and play physical media versions of shows and movies. So consumers are truly in a pickle.

We say it every time, but we really and truly do not like this trend. Fingers crossed that PlayStation, Sony, and Warner Bros. Discovery can find some way to grant renewed access to titles, or, at the very least, reimburse users for their purchased TV shows.

The post PlayStation Will Delete Users’ Purchased TV Shows with No Refunds appeared first on Nerdist.

From tantalizing The Last of Us season two teases to incredibly orange Cheez-It nail polishes, here are some of our favorite pop-culture news odds & ends from this week.

• Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu Reveals First-Look Images and Release Date
• Iman Vellani Reveals Kamala Khan Will Be “Frodo” of Marvel Zombies, Returns to Voice Character and Pen New Comic
• The Last of Us Season 2 Will Feature Content From Lost Levels
• Chris Pine Feels Confident a Dungeons & Dragons 2 Movie Will Happen
• Cheez-It Nail Polish Is coming!
• Hazbin Hotel Sets Release Date
• Twilight Director Would Cast Jenna Ortega and Jacob Elordi as Leads in Movie Today
• Margot Robbie Reveals No Barbie Sequel Is Heading Our Way
• You Can Now Watch the Halo Live-Action Series Free on YouTube

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu Reveals First-Look Images and Release Date

Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu has been brewing for a while. But we finally have our first looks at the movie and a release date. Nosferatu will officially release on December 25, 2024. That’s one delicious Christmas gift for goths. The vampiric tale stars Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, and Willem Dafoe.

Learn more about the influence of the original Nosferatu with our article, here.

Iman Vellani Reveals Kamala Khan Will Be “Frodo” of Marvel Zombies, Returns to Voice Character and Pen New Comic

Iman Vellani has emerged as one of the MCU’s truest heroes. So we couldn’t be more thrilled that she’ll soon be back to voice Ms. Marvel in the Disney+ series Marvel Zombies. In an interview with The Direct Vellani reveals, “We’ve done the whole thing. It was amazing. It was so much fun. And I love—there are a lot of cool characters in the ‘Marvel Zombies‘ show. And Kamala is kind of the center of the show. They described it to me, it’s like, ‘She’s basically the Frodo of the story.’ And I was like, ‘That’s amazing.'” It’s what Ms. Marvel deserves.

Vellani will also be back to pen another Ms. Marvel comic. She and co-writer Sabir Pirzada will write the Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace series, a follow-up to Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant. According to GamesRadar, the pair will be joined by artist Scott Godlewski. The series is set to release in March.

The Last of Us Season 2 Will Feature Content From “Lost Levels“

If you’re looking for hints about The Last of Us season two than look no further than the remastered “Lost Levels.” These Lost Levels are playable sequences that were cut from The Last of Us Part II. But they’ll be back in the remastered version of the game that is releasing on January 19, 2024. And Neil Druckmann is teasing that they hold some insights for the HBO series. He notes to Entertainment Weekly, “As a tease, I will say there is at least one element from a cut level that is planned [for] the show… I say that with the caveat that we haven’t started filming the show yet, and all things are subject to change based on what we ultimately feel will be best for the show.”

The Last of Us Part II Remastered and its mysterious Lost Levels will be available to pre-order on December 5.

The Last of Us season two is already off to an ominous start.

Chris Pine Feels Confident a Dungeons & Dragons 2 Movie Will Happen

Although it was bad news for Star Trek 4, Chris Pine recently gave a positive update about the future of the Dungeons & Dragons movie franchise. He shared the following with GamesRadar about a potential Dungeons & Dragons 2, “I’ve heard some rumors about it… But I don’t know anything yet. But I feel pretty confident that it may happen.” He also added that he’d be “absolutely” happy to return to the universe. And we too would be absolutely happy to see it happen. Roll for Dungeons & Dragons 2.

Unfortunately, Chris Pine wasn’t so optimistic about Star Trek 4.

Cheez-It Nail Polish Is coming!

Enough said, no? Cheez-It and Nails Inc. Polish are collaborating on two cheesy colors, “Orange You Feelin’ the Cheeziest” and “Flexin’ in the Red Zone.” And who doesn’t want their nails to look like a little cheesy? This polish, perfect for mani/cheddiz, will be available for pre-order on Dec. 29 at CheezIt.com.

Hazbin Hotel Sets Release Date

Who doesn’t want an animated musical series about the princess of Hell trying to rehabilitate demons? Hazbin Hotel is created by Vivienne Medrano and is based on “her popular animated pilot released on YouTube in 2019.” Additionally a release shares, “The series blends adult humor, unforgettable characters, and catchy musical numbers creating a wholly original and unique world.” It certainly looks good in its preview. And now it has a release date. Hazbin Hotel will release on January 19, 2024. The series stars Erika Henningsen, Stephanie Beatriz, Alex Brightman, Keith David, Kimiko Glenn, Blake Roman, Amir Talai, Christian Borle, and Joel Perez. And it will feature exciting guest stars such as Darren Criss (Saint Peter), Jeremy Jordan (Lucifer Morningstar), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Carmilla Carmine), Patina Miller (Sera), and Jessica Vosk (Lute).

We can’t wait to check in to this hotel.

Twilight Director Would Cast Jenna Ortega and Jacob Elordi as Leads in Movie Today

Twilight just wouldn’t be Twilight without the incredible performances of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. But who doesn’t love a fan-cast for today’s day and age? Speaking to the Watch-a-long podcast, Twilight‘s director Catherine Hardwicke shared her picks for Bella and Edward, should a reboot of the series happen. Her selections? Jenna Ortega and Jacob Elordi. We accept these choices. Ortega could definitely help give Twilight a more horror-focused lean and Elordi really does give off strong vampire vibes.

There is a Twilight series brewing, after all…

Margot Robbie Reveals No Barbie Sequel Is Heading Our Way

Alas, it’s unlikely we’ll say “Hi, Barbie 2.” But that’s most likely for the best. Not everything needs a sequel. Of course, this could all change in a moment, especially since Barbie was so immensely popular. But for now, Margot Robbie shares, “I think we put everything into this one. We didn’t build it to be a trilogy or something… Greta put everything into this movie, so I can’t imagine what would be next.”

We bet Warner Bros. could… But we’ll cross our fingers Barbie gets to stand on her own.

Barbie is now available to stream at home.

You Can Now Watch the Halo Live-Action Series Free on YouTube

In case you’ve been waiting for a sign to watch the live-action adaptation of Halo, here it is. The Halo series is now available on YouTube in its entirety via Paramount+’s official channel. And it’s totally free. So now nothing is stopping you from watching Pablo Schreiber’s hunky Master Chief in all his sci-fi/action glory. We know we’re pressing play.

You can find the Halo playlist here.

We’re also getting a live-action series adaptation of Fallout.

The post NOSFERATU Shares Release Date, Chris Pine Optimistic About DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 2, and Other News Odds & Ends appeared first on Nerdist.

Sometimes, a character enters into a show, and it’s game over for all other characters. In Ahsoka‘s case, Sabine Wren’s Loth-cat totally stole everyone’s hearts. Even though the Star Wars series introduced other new adorable aliens, it was the Loth-cat that stayed with us. Sadly, Sabine’s pet didn’t get too much time to shine. We only saw our favorite Loth-cat for a few scenes in episodes one and two of Ahsoka. But even worse than that, we never learned what happened to our favorite creature after the rest of our heroes took off to galaxies unknown! The entire season fans were asking, is anyone watching Sabine’s Loth-cat? Is it okay? In the season finale of Ahsoka, we didn’t exactly get answers about the creature, but in a fashion, we learned the Loth-cat’s name and who is watching it. Plot twist, it’s you. We just hope the Star Wars universe remembers to bring the Loth-cat’s fate onto our screens sooner rather than later.

Sabine Wren’s Loth-cat Is Named Murley

In the Star Wars universe, Loth-cats came onto the scene in Star Wars Rebels. They’re a feline creature that’s native to the planet of Lothal. Star Wars’ official description shares that “while at times they can be friendly—and indeed, make affectionate pets when domesticated—Loth-cats are able hunters with sharp teeth and claws.” On Ahsoka, the first live-action appearance of a Loth-cat, we saw both aspects of the Star Wars species at play. Sabine’s Loth-cat was happy to snuggle and purr against her, but was the first to squawk at signs of trouble. And honestly, the Loth-cat crucially gave both Sabine Wren and Ahsoka an important heads-up when the enemy was near.

But one thing we did not get from Ahsoka, was the Loth-cat’s name. Happily, Star Wars‘ official accounts have arrived to fill in that blank for us. Sabine Wren’s Loth-cat is named Murley. There doesn’t seem to be any particular Star Wars Easter egg or reference embedded in the name, but we’ll take it.

Who Is Watching the Loth-cat During the Events of Ahsoka?

Although a Loth-cat can probably fend for itself to some degree, it shouldn’t have to! Over the course of Ahsoka‘s episodes, fans conveyed a great deal of worry about the fate of Sabine’s pet. We see Sabine feed the Loth-cat in Ahsoka‘s first episode, so Murely is probably used to food coming several times a day. Ultimately, Ahsoka never revisited the Loth-cat’s fate throughout the season, but we assume that Sabine asked someone to look after Murley at some juncture. Between Hera Syndulla and the people of Lothal, surely someone was around to check on the Loth-cat.

Recently, Dave Filoni shed some light on this important issue. He shared with Entertainment Weekly about what Sabine’s Loth-cat is getting up to. Filoni noted, “With the cat, obviously, there’s a couple things at play… First, I think Sabine would leave the door cracked open. Second of all, I think Murley’s smart enough to be able to move through the ventilation ducts and up and down that tower. I don’t think he needs to operate the elevator. I wouldn’t question if he could, but I think he can move up and down the ductwork to get out there to the ground level. Maybe there are other Loth-cats around. He’s not the only one.”

Additionally, Filoni does point out what we already mentioned, Ahsoka‘s Loth-cat is pretty capable. He adds, “I don’t think Murley is what I would call a domestic cat… I think it’s a wild cat that lives with Sabine, and she likes that fact and feeds it. Murley knows it’s a good situation, so it hangs out. Murley’s an opportunist and probably a bit of a pain in the butt.” That said, Filoni thinks, “There could be a whole documentary on what happens to the Loth-cat.” We totally agree.

Don’t Forget, Murley the Loth-Cat Has YOU

Of course, Star Wars reminds us, there’s you. You have always been a part of the Rebellion and now you’re a part of the Loth-cat sitter’s club. Congratulations. To drive the point home, the official Star Wars team created a LoFi video of the snoozing creature. You can watch Murley dream happy dreams for 11 hours straight and content yourself with the thought that you are watching the Loth-cat. And that the creature is both safe and happy, phew.

As for the future of Ahsoka‘s Loth-cat? Well, now that Ezra Bridger has returned to his home galaxy, he’ll probably also return to his home where Sabine Wren had been staying. We’d put a little money on the fact that he’ll discover a Loth-cat waiting for him when he enters into LothalNet comm tower E-272.

Ahsoka‘s Loth-cat Is an Animatronic, Just Like Grogu

For those who want to know more about how this cute creature came to life, Murley the Loth-cat is actually an animatronic from the Legacy Effects team. This very same team created Grogu. Before Murley’s Ahsoka debut, Loth-cats featured in The Mandalorian were purely CGI.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo, who plays Sabine Wren, shared with Empire earlier in the year, “That was my little buddy!… That cat, the complexity of the design… I mean, it has a real skeleton under there, because that’s how they control such intense facial expressions and everything.” The actress also added, “Move over, Grogu!”

Star Wars‘ complex animatronic puppets continue to wow us and melt our hearts. So much so that for seven weeks fans have been asking after the health of this animatronic. We honestly hope Grogu doesn’t end up moving over, but that these paid of adorable puppets one day get to meet in the galaxy, far, far away.

Originally published on October 4, 2023.

The post AHSOKA’s Dave Filoni Offers Update on the Fate of Sabine Wren’s Loth-Cat appeared first on Nerdist.

Pokémon fans have long imagined what Pokémon would look like if they existed in our world. And that only makes sense because it’s a fascinating thought. The world of Pokémon is a fantastical one, certainly, but it has just enough realism embedded into it that it inspires viewers to try to bring some science into it. Realistic Pokémon reimaginations have come in many excellent forms. Still, the latest one, a series of “wildlife” videos starring various Pokémon in their natural habitats, is one of the most delightful yet. These short videos take on the form of a David Attenborough-style documentary and are titled PokéNational Geographic. Not only is this series gorgeously animated, but these Pokémon x National Geographic videos are also truly hilarious. Let’s take a look.

These PokéNational Geographic come from creator Elious Entertainment. A note on each video in the series notes, “Our wonderful Professor Ginkgo has curated lots of information on individual Pokémon that is then read by our very own Michael Michaelson.” And we have to give all the kudos to Michaelson. The National Geographic-like scripts compile information from Pokémon‘s Pokédex. The Pokédex is, of course, known for containing some outlandish details about the Pokémon it tracks. But the reading of the incisive insights really takes it over the top. Something about the dry, objective tone crushing Magikarp into absolute pieces registers as absolute hilarity.

Poor Magikarp. We love all of these Pokémon/National Geographic videos, but the Magikarp one is so deliciously vicious and yet so gorgeously realistic that it may be our favorite. But in all seriousness, Elious Entertainment weaves an incredible animation together. Seeing the Pokémon appear so embedded in their environments, for instance, Magikarp being obscured by deep water, is a neat thing. These National Geographic shorts take the idea of realistic Pokémon and give it depth and dimension. We give PokéNational Geographic a standing ovation.

We also very much appreciate the touch of lore added into the world. It’s all about attention to detail, after all. Could National Geographic’s latest correspondent be a distant cousin of Pokémon‘s Professor Oak? We must know more about Professor Ginkgo and how he fits into the world. But we suppose for that we’ll have to wait for the camera to turn around.

Hopefully, we’ll see more PokéNational Geographic videos surface shortly. After all, we can never have enough realistic Pokémon in our lives. Our vote would be to visit the skies with Dragonite, or to witness an Eevee transforming in the wild. But we’ll be happy with whatever wanders in the frame. Nature cannot be controlled, after all.

In the meanwhile, you can take a look at the full series of the National Geographic x Pokémon shorts by visiting this playlist. We know we’ll be rewatching for a while.

The post POKÉMON Meets National Geographic in Incredibly Realistic Short Videos appeared first on Nerdist.

Recently, we heard discussions about the original Avengers returning to the MCU, saw a Mean Girls sequel (kind of), and learned the secrets of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 post-credits scenes and Easter eggs. But in the mix of all of that, there have been some truly exciting announcements and reveals we wouldn’t want you to miss out on.

Here are some of our favorite pop-culture news odds & ends from this week.

This Week’s Odds & Ends in News

Jump to:

• Horror Sequels Galore! The Black Phone 2 Will See Return of Original Cast, Terrifier 3 Sets Release Date and Shares Teaser, and It Follows 2 Is On the Way
• Another John Wick Spinoff Show and an Anime Series Are Apparently In Development
• Poltergeist TV Series Is in Development at Amazon MGM Studios 
• Disney+’s Cancelled Captain Nemo TV Series Nautilus Saved By AMC
• The Fall of the House of Usher Prop Auction Invites You to Purchase Something Haunted and Stylish
• Bratz Dressed Up as Barbie for Halloween, and Rick and Morty Dressed as Five Nights at Freddy’s
• The Boys Will Likely Have More Seasons Than Originally Planned
• Sesame Street Is Changing Its Format to Include “More Peril”
• Fourth Wing TV Series in the Works From Amazon and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society
• Jurassic World LEGO Sets Are Roaring to Life in January 2024

Horror Sequels Galore! The Black Phone 2 Will See Return of Original Cast, Terrifier 3 Sets Release Date and Shares Teaser, and It Follows 2 Is On the Way

Fall may be drawing to a close, but Halloween season never is. And it’s a good thing, too, because a ton of horror sequels are coming our way.

The truly terrifying Universal and Blumhouse movie, The Black Phone, is set for a sequel. The Black Phone 2 will release on June 27, 2025 and, per Variety, it will be the “launch of a sinister new franchise.”

We don’t yet know much about what The Black Phone 2 will entail, but in a fascinating turn of events, The Black Phone‘s original cast will all return for more scary calls. Yes, Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and Miguel Mora will all return for the sequel terror.  Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill will also return to write The Black Phone 2. We have chills already.

Terrifier 3 and its terrifying slasher Art the Clown will arrive in theaters on October 25, 2024, for another round of Christmas horror. We can’t wait to see what terrifying naughty-list mayhem will transpire.

To get us into the holiday spirit, Terrifier 3 has shared its first teaser trailer, and it’s certainly festive. Santa who? A release further shares of Terrifier 3, “The upcoming installment will be Christmas-themed, adding an extra layer of anticipation for horror enthusiasts. In the third installment of Damien Leone’s breakout horror film, Art the Clown is set to unleash chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.” We’ll be seeing this Saint Nick in our dreams tonight.

It Follows will also receive a sequel titled They Follow. The writer and director of It Follows, David Robert Mitchell, will return for the sequel alongside star Maika Monroe. It Follows was a movie that encapsulated the terrifying feeling of someone always lurking behind you, and we bet its sequel will double the sensation.

In case you were curious, we’ve broken down the horoscopes of 12 iconic horror villains.

Another John Wick Spinoff TV and an Anime Series Are Apparently In Development

Surprise! Another John Wick spinoff series is apparently in development, according to John Wick director Chad Stahelski. And that’s not all, a John Wick anime is in the works as well. Stahelski noted to Collider, “We’re doing a John Wick TV show, which, again, keeps my head going.” And added, “I would love to do a couple of episodes of the TV show just because I think I’d have fun trying things that we didn’t get to try in the films. I mean, absolutely. There’s some great ideas. And to work with a different cast and a different story structure without John Wick, it would be a fun challenge.”

He also shared with The Discourse podcast, which we saw via IGN, that “Lionsgate is having us develop the John Wick TV show, so we thought we could explore The High Table in that a little bit.” But confirmed this was separate to The Continental. Stahelski noted, “Yeah, I love Donnie [Yen], I love Rina [Sawayama], love the Tracker (Shamier Anderson), and the TV show and the ancillaries will give us a chance to expand the kind of fun world we’ve created… It doesn’t have to be John Wick, the character specific, you know what I mean, so that we can explore all that stuff.” Of course, which, if any of these characters would stare in a new John Wick TV series has not yet been confirmed.

On top of that, Stahelski broke the news that a John Wick anime is also in development. He shared, “We’re doing that and a Japanese anime because I love Japanese anime so much… So to create all the cool stories that anime could achieve better than we could and the TV show to expand our world, we’ll still get our fix, you know what I mean? And we’ll still have all the fun.” We guess we’ll stay tuned to see what develops.

As if that weren’t enough John Wick, John Wick 5 is still on the table.

Poltergeist TV Series Is in Development at Amazon MGM Studios 

You can never be free of some ghosts. Variety reports a series adaptation of the classic ’80s movie Poltergeist is in the works at Amazon MGM Studios. Currently, no plot details or writers are attached to the series. However, we know “Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey will executive produce on behalf of Amblin Television.” In 1999, Showtime released a four-season series adaptation set in Poltergiest‘s world—but television has come a long way since.

For more horror-based TV, check out what we know about Max’s The Conjuring show.

Disney+’s Cancelled Captain Nemo TV Series Nautilus Saved By AMC

In a worrying streaming trend, shows are being ordered and completed only to be canceled before release. But sometimes, there is good news. Deadline reports that although Disney+ canceled its Nautilus series, a 10-episode TV show based on Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, AMC has now saved the series. Nautilus will air on AMC and AMC+ in 2024 and tell the origin story of the iconic Captain Nemo.

To see what we learned about Nautilus initially, check out our write-up here:

The Fall of the House of Usher Prop Auction Invites You to Purchase Something Haunted and Stylish

Mike Flanagan’s final show with Netflix, The Fall of the House of Usher, was filled with horrifying yet beautiful visuals. If you loved the show’s aesthetic, you can now take a part of it home with a special prop auction.

The Fall of the House of Usher auction will take place from November 15-29 with 100% of its proceeds going to charity. Among other items, you can bid on “Verna’s (Carla Gugino) Rave Costume with Red Cloak,” “Napoleon ‘Leo’ Usher’s (Rahul Kohli) Drywall-Covered ‘Thor’ Hammer Replica,” and “Arthur Pym’s (Mark Hamill) Briefcase with Files and Accessories.”

For more about The Fall of the House of Usher‘s aesthetic, take a look at what its use of color really means.

Bratz Dressed Up as Barbie for Halloween, and Rick and Morty Dressed as Five Nights at Freddy’s

Happy Halloween from our favorite franchises. In a bit of a shady move, some Bratz dolls dressed as the unimpressed teens looking at Barbie for Halloween—a truly hilarious spin on a Barbie movie costume which was, admittedly, very popular this year.

Meanwhile, Rick and Morty‘s characters disguised themselves as Five Nights at Freddy’s animatronics, homaging the popular game series that just released its movie adaptation. We love series dressing as series!

If you enjoyed Five Nights at Freddy‘s, you may be wondering what that sound at the end of the credits means.

The Boys Will Likely Have More Seasons Than Originally Planned

The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke originally planned for the series to have a five-season run. But it looks like that number is now defunct, and The Boys will likely have more seasons than that. Kripke shared with Inverse, “I have since realized that literally, no one in history is worse at predicting the amount of seasons of a show, like literally. I have learned my lesson, and I’ve stopped predicting how many seasons these shows go. You will find out in hindsight.” With the popularity of The Boys and its spinoff Gen V, that seems like a fair assessment to us.

Catch up with Gen V‘s most gory and shocking moments, here:

Sesame Street Is Changing Its Format to Include “More Peril”

Sesame Street wants you to know you can reinvent yourself at any age. Recently, The Hollywood Reporter revealed Sesame Street‘s format would be “reimagined” for season 56. The show will drop its “magazine style” format, which has been around for decades, in favor of “two longer, more narrative-driven segments, which will be paired with a new animated series, Tales From 123.”

Wilson Stallings, the executive VP and chief creative development and production officer for Sesame Workshop shared, “Kids love a little bit of peril, they love having emotional stakes, and in nine minutes, it’s kind of hard to really dive into those areas really effectively.” The show hopes to be able to tell a more compelling tale with these changes.

Be that as it may, we have to wonder, does Sesame Street really need more peril?

All we have to say is that Sesame Street had better keep gems like this.

Fourth Wing TV Series in the Works From Amazon and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society

Amazon MGM Studios and Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society will be bringing to life a TV series based on Rebecca Yarros’ popular fantasy series, Fourth Wing. This overall deal includes all the books from the Fourth Wing universe titled The Empyrean, including its sequel Iron Flame, releasing on November 7, and the three books slated to follow.

Per Variety, the logline for the TV series shares:

Enter the brutal world of Basgiath War College where there is only one rule: Graduate or Die. Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail expected to live a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general― her tough-as-talons mother―has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. If the fire-breathing beasts don’t kill her, one of her fellow riders just might. Suspense, action, romance, and dragons blend together in a propulsive fantasy adventure from NYT bestselling author Rebecca Yarros.

In other fantasy novel adaptation news, House of the Dragon season two will release in the summer of 2024.

Jurassic World LEGO Sets Are Roaring to Life in January 2024

Show off your dino love with these two new Jurassic World LEGO sets. First up is a Dinosaur Fossils: T. rex Skull LEGO set, which turns LEGOs into bones. The official description of the set shares, “The first Jurassic World set made for display features a skull with an opening jaw, a stand with an information plaque, a hidden ‘amber’ piece at the back of the model and a ‘fossilized’ footprint.” Honestly, building a T. rex skull out of LEGOS, teeth and all, is pretty cool.

Also available is the “Baby Dinosaur Rescue Center” LEGO set and it comes complete with a bunch of, you guessed it, baby dinos. D’aww. Both Jurrasic World LEGO sets will release on January 1, 2024.

Click To View Gallery

For more creative and nature-focused LEGO fun, check out LEGO’s insect collection.

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Most mobile games are fun time wasters but lack the true appeal of a real video game. But now, Netflix is looking to change all of that with its Netflix Games offering. Netflix Games takes the concept of the Netflix we know, hosting content on its streaming platform so it can be watched more widely, and applies it to video games. Additionally, Netflix promises no ads, no extra fees, and no in-app purchases in its mobile games. And we can all agree those are the worst parts of the mobile game genre. Soon, it seems like we’ll even be able to play Netflix Games on our TV screens and PCs. Netflix has shared it wants the games to be “playable on every Netflix device that you have.” And apparently, code from the Netflix app seems to confirm.

Basically, for those who need a more convenient way to play some familiar titles, Netflix has you covered. Let’s take a look at which real video games get the mobile treatment via Netflix Games.

The Grand Theft Auto Trilogy

Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas from the Grand Theft Auto Series are coming to Netflix Games on December 14. And these are some of the biggest games yet to join the platform. Netflix shares that these games will specifically arrive on mobile interfaces. It’s pretty exciting stuff. According to Netflix, the popular games will be available to play via the App Store, Google Play, and through the Netflix mobile app. You can pre-register for the games today.

Hades

Fan favorite video game Hades (also known as the Hades game) is heading to Netflix Games next year. At least, the rogue-like game will be available on iOS. Unfortunately, Hades will not come to Netflix Games users on Android. Still, this is a pretty exciting piece of news. Its arrival on Netflix Games will open up Hades to a whole new audience of players.

A release shares:

In this action role-playing game, you have one mission: get out of Hell alive. You’ll play as Zagreus, the son of Hades, as you attempt to escape the Underworld with the help of various Olympic deities. In Hades, you’ll fight to escape the regions of Tartarus, Asphodel, Elysium, and the Temple of Styx before facing the God of the Underworld himself in a final battle. Can you hack and slash your way out of the depths of Hell, or will you be doomed to the dungeons forever? From Supergiant Games, the hugely successful Hades will be available exclusively on iOS via Netflix starting next year. 

Slayaway Camp 2: Netflix & Kill

Netflix and kill? That sounds like a horror movie in the making. But it’s actually the latest entry into Netflix Game’s catalog.

This puzzle game is actually a sequel to a 2016 game called Slayaway Camp which was released on Steam, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Both games see you play as Skullface, a kind of adorable but deranged slasher. The official description shares, “In this sequel, you’re Skullface, a killer stuck inside a retro horror movie catalog — solve puzzles, stalk victims and get stabby.”

TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge recently released as a full-blown video game that paid homage to the retro Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games of the late ’80s and early ’90s. But for those who’d rather play on their phone, Netflix has converted Shredder’s Revenge into a mobile game you can play on the move. All the fun callbacks, retro goodness, and Ninja Turtle-ness stay intact, but no console is required. Cowabunga!

Tomb Raider Reloaded

Although this game isn’t a direct Netflix recreation of an existing video game, it does share some similarities to the games Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider: Anniversary. In it, you play as Lara Croft, who encounters the mysterious Natla and gets tempted by adventure. This entry into Netflix Games promises “a wide variety of puzzles and face off against different enemies and bosses — both new and familiar to the Tomb Raider series — including bloodthirsty wolves, poisonous snakes, fearsome golems and magical elemental creatures!” Sounds like some good adventure on the horizon.

Valiant Hearts: Coming Home

Valiant Hearts: The Great War is a puzzle adventure game developed for consoles. This popular World War I set game can now be played on mobile courtesy of Netflix Games. Happy the Valient Hearts: Coming Home mobile game retains the graphic novel style of the original and the characters at the heart of its story. The mobile version promises a story every bit as compelling and beautiful as the first.

Twelve Minutes

Twelve Minutes is originally a Steam game with a seriously loaded cast. James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe lend their voices to this interactive thriller. The game revolves around a man trapped in a terrifying time loop that is fated to go on and on unless he/you uses his foreknowledge to break the cycle. Netflix’s rendition of Twelve Minutes replaces the click-and-drag gameplay of the desktop version with a similar “tap and drag” system, and it retains all of the voice talents to boot. Not to mention, the trailer for this mobile version definitely has us at the edges of our seats.

Dust & Neon

Dust & Neon, a Nintendo Switch game also on Steam, has arrived on Netflix Games. This game takes place in “a futuristic Wild West, where robots have rejected their life of servitude, and taken over the planet, turning it into a not-so-enjoyable place for humans.” And it’s up to you to fight robot oppression… Which you can now do on your phone. Netflix Games promises that this mobile game will have every bit as much futuristic, gunslinging, cyborg vs. robot shooter action as its Switch predecessor.

How to Download and Play Netflix Games

Ready to explore these mobile versions of real video games for yourself? If you have Netflix, you’re almost there. To access the games, first, download the Netflix mobile app itself. Then, in the app store, you can look up all these different games. Once you download them, as you would any app, they’ll appear in the “Netflix Games” section in the overall Netflix app. You can also start in the Netflix app itself, go to the games sections, and look up different games from there.

In addition to versions of full games, Netflix has other original mobile games; a few are even based on its different properties, like Stranger Things and Wednesday. As far as mobile gaming goes, Netflix seems like a pretty good bet. So go forth and crush some small-screen challenges.

Originally published on February 22, 2023.

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Every good thing must eventually come to an end. And on Pokémon, that means saying goodbye to the beloved hero Ash. After 25 years, Ash left the world of Pokémon. But that doesn’t mean the show is ending. On the contrary, a new story is beginning. And we still don’t know how Ash will play into it, if at all. Maybe someday, we’ll see our favorite protagonist again, but for now, Pokémon Horizons: The Series, a “new animated Pokémon series” is dawning. Meet Liko, Roy, their Pokémon, and the rest of the gang that will step in as Pokémon’s new heroes. Those are bigger sneakers to fill, but we’re excited to see what happens next. Especially since we now have a US release date for this new Pokémon show.

What Is Pokémon Horizons US Release Date, and Where Will It Stream?

Pokémon Horizons: The Series is officially coming to the United States. This new Pokémon series will premiere in the US on February 23, 2024, and it will stream exclusively on Netflix. A release shares that this “all-new Pokémon animated series that will follow a never-before-seen storyline and characters, will The launch comes just in time to celebrate Pokémon Day 2024, the annual pop-culture holiday commemorating the launch anniversary of the original Pokémon video games on Feb. 27, 1996.”

Additionally, Pokémon Horizons: The Series has set some international release dates as well. The series “will be releasing in Canada on Cartoon Network and Télétoon beginning March 2, 2024, and in Australia on 9Go! beginning Feb. 27, 2024.” 

That’s very exciting for all the Pokémon trainers out there.

More about Pokémon Horizons: The Series

In a trailer for the new iteration of Pokémon, fans learned the official name for the post-Ash adventures. The new Pokémon series is called Pokémon Horizons: The Series, and it’s teasing mysterious adventures linked to a special pendant that shares a bond with our new heroes.

The official synopsis for the show shares:

A new adventure is beginning within the wide world of Pokémon! Arriving at Indigo Academy, a girl named Liko receives her first partner Pokémon, Sprigatito. But she soon finds herself pursued by the Explorers, a mysterious group that’s determined to take the pendant necklace she wears. Liko isn’t on her own, though, as Friede, Captain Pikachu, and the other Rising Volt Tacklers offer her protection aboard their airship. Meanwhile, a boy named Roy dreams of becoming a Pokémon Trainer, unaware of the secret hiding within the Ancient Poké Ball he carries. As Liko, Roy, and the Rising Volt Tacklers set sail for new horizons, what kind of discoveries await?

Pokémon Horizons‘ New Heroes

We also know a little bit more about who we’ll meet in Pokémon Horizons: The Series, thanks to a different trailer for the new Pokémon show. There’s Liko, “the girl with the awe-inspiring pendent.” We bet evil will be trying to snag that. And Roy, “the boy with the mysterious Poké Ball.” Surely, a match made in heaven. These two will be our new Pokémon protagonists in the series.

Joining them are Friede and Captain Pikachu. Friede, we learn, is a Pokémon professor. Captain Pikachu is clearly a boss. We also see a lot of the Gen. 9 starters we met in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet in this new series trailer. Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly were instant fan favorites, so we’re not surprised they show up. And we’re excited to see them in action. Liko, whose partner Pokémon appears to be Sprigatito, and Roy, whose partner Pokémon is Fuecoc, may have a more traditional start to their Pokémon journey than Ash did, but we know we have twists in store. We wonder, for instance, what role Quaxly will have to play.

Additional new characters for Pokémon Horizons have also been revealed.

Per Comicbook, these images include Orla and her Metagross, Murdock and his Rockruff, Mollie and her Chansey, and Ludlow.

We may even meet some mysterious new Pokémon on the journey.

And it seems like they’ll cross over into the Pokémon games, like the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC expansion The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero.

Pokémon‘s New Villains

Okay, so we can’t say for sure these are the villains, but they certainly do seem villainesque. According to Crunchyroll, this new post-Ash Pokémon trailer introduces us to Amethyo and his Pokémon Ceruledge, as well as Zir, whose Pokémon is Rhydon and Conia, whose Pokémon is Golduck. It sounds like these three belong to a new organization called “The Explorers.” Since Team Rocket has officially waved goodbye to Pokémon, we will need someone to stir up trouble.

There’s also a fourth mysterious Pokémon character called Gurumin, who wears a Nidorina kigurumi. Makes total sense to us!

If these are Pokémon’s newest villains, we can’t wait to learn more about them soon. We’ll have to wait to learn their identities and goals.

But for now, time has come to set off on new Pokémon adventures, and we couldn’t be more ready.

Originally published March 3, 2023.

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It’s the age of the adaptation. And one particular live-action anime/manga adaptation has been in the zeitgeist for quite a while. We first heard reports of a live-action Naruto movie in 2015. At the time, Lionsgate was in negotiations for the film rights to the franchise. And it was reported that Michael Gracey would helm the live-action Naruto movie, acting as its director. But since that exciting announcement, very little progress has happened with this film. But, here we are, over eight years later, and finally, it looks like momentum is picking up for the Naruto live-action movie. Most recently, we learned the film officially has a writer. Here’s what we know about this adaptation so far.

The Live-Action Naruto Movie Gets an Update

In its “10 Screenwriters to Watch for 2023” article, Variety highlighted Tasha Huo, who wrote another anticipated upcoming movie, Red Sonja. The profile shares, “After developing scripts for Red Sonja, Naruto and an animated version of Tomb Raider, Huo says she considers it a fan’s dream come true to adapt beloved properties.” And the publication additionally notes, “Next up for the writer is Naruto, a feature adaptation of the iconic anime for Lionsgate.”

Obviously, this doesn’t give us much information about the Naruto live-action movie. But, it does seem to indicate that progress on the film will happen soon. And, after so long without any news at all, it is good to hear the Naruto live-action film is still in development.

What Else Do We Know About This Anime/Manga Adaptation?

The article makes no mention of whether Michael Gracey is still on tap to direct the movie. The last we heard from him, via IGN, was in 2018. Gracey gave an update on the progress of the Naruto live-action movie where he shared, “So many Hollywood adaptations of really popular manga series just don’t get it right, and for me, what was really important was that if I was gonna do Naruto, I wanted to actually work with [Naruto creator Masashi] Kishimoto and get a script to a stage where he would look at it and be excited about realizing it… Because no one knows the world better than the person who created it.” That sounds like a promising perspective, in any case. So we hope the movie keeps it regardless of who is involved behind the scenes.

Of course, it is much too early for any casting news around the live-action Naruto. But it’s not too early for fans to get their dream casting lists together. Hopefully, we’ll get to hear more about this adaptation soon.

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A moment of understandable unhappiness circulated through the wider internet sphere when Max sent out a recent release noting which titles were leaving and coming to its platform in December. Listed among the titles leaving Max on December 31 were the Looney Tunes shorts, The Looney Tunes Show, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action. But happily, whether in actual error or in “oops, we angered the internet” error, it seems that Max listed most of the Looney Tunes titles in error. Seasons 1-15 of Looney Tunes will remain available on Max for now, as will The Looney Tunes Show.

In an updated release, Max shared, “Looney Tunes was included in error as a title leaving the platform. This is not the case, and the show will continue streaming on Max.” Still, the response to the perceived loss of Looney Tunes on the streamer speaks to a greater wound at the moment. Of course, this specific news struck a nerve because Max already removed seasons 16-31 of the iconic shorts series in 2022. That includes material first released in the 1950s.

Max, did, at the time, keep its current offerings of Looney Tunes‘ first 15 seasons. But it feels hard not to consider their existence as tenuous at best. The first season of Looney Tunes released in the 1930s, and the show has incredible historic weight. It would be a huge shame for it to fade from the world. We feel glad that will not happen today. It does seem worth noting that Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003) will still leave Max in December.

Separate from Looney Tunes and even from Max as a streamer, the growing trend of simply disappearing properties from streaming channels is an alarming one. From iconic shows we love from the past to completed modern works we may never see, all media seems to exist in a fragile place. It feels hard to say what will happen going forward. But, for now, if you really love something, consider buying it on physical media.

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Recently, it was announced Destin Daniel Cretton would no longer direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. But now, we have more interesting news about the MCU film. According to Deadline, Loki creator Michael Waldron has come aboard to write the screenplay for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Waldron was already tapped to write the movie set to follow Kang Dynasty, Avengers: Secret Wars. And now he will reportedly take hold of the story behind both films. Waldron also wrote Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Ultimately, if the two Avengers movies end up closely connected, it makes sense for Waldron to pen them both. After all, it seems to have worked for the MCU in previous. Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely wrote both Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame to great acclaim. We still don’t know very much about either of the upcoming Avengers movies, though. Not even, specifically, which heroes will feature as the new Avengers team that will protect the universe. But, of course, it seems to follow that The Kang Dynasty would greatly feature Kang. Loki season two seemed like it might set up the next MCU villain in a big way, but in the end, the series focused largely on its protagonist. There’s no word yet on whether the changes and evolutions made to the team behind The Kang Dynasty will impact its story in any way.

As of now, no new director is in place for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. However, the movie presently retains its release date of May 1, 2026. Ostensibly, they will still be a part of the MCU’s Phase 6 and help conclude the Multiverse Saga. Hopefully, with Waldron penning Kang Dynasty‘s script, the much-anticipated next Avengers movie will deliver a strong story. We’ve certainly seen him deliver great MCU work before. For our part, we just hope both Loki and Doctor Strange get to play a sizable role. It would only be fair.

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2023 was a big year for One Piece. Not only did the series finally get a live-action adaptation courtesy of Netflix, it got a good live-action adaptation and even a season two renewal. If that wasn’t enough, One Piece‘s Monkey D. Luffy transformed into a giant straw hat-wearing balloon for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. It doesn’t get any bigger than that, literally. (Even if he did deflate a little.) And, of course, 2023 marks the conclusion of One Piece‘s long-running anime arc, Wano Country. But there’s no rest of the future King of the Pirates. In a flashy new trailer, Toei Animation revealed our first good glimpse of the One Piece anime’s upcoming Egghead Arc and also shared its official release date. Take a look below.

One Piece‘s Wano Country arc took the series into its thousandth episode and lasted for over four years. But now, change is in the air as our favorite pirates head into a more sci-fi adventure. If the trailer for One Piece‘s upcoming Egghead arc is anything to judge by, we’ll be seeing a more futuristic side of One Piece emerge, complete with wild architecture, giant robots, punk records, and some truly magical anime science. Dr. Vegapunk, who the Straw Hats meet when they land on Egghead island, has us intrigued already. Of course, one of the best parts of any new anime arc is new costumes. We love seeing Luffy and co. in their best cyberpunk looks. (And someone needs to get us a pair of those space boots, stat.)

But One Piece‘s Egghead arc island arc is important beyond just the new adventure it brings. It’s actually the first part of One Piece‘s final act. Yes, after over 25 years , this piratey story is beginning its wind down. But, given that a One Piece arc can go on for many episodes, not to mention, many years, we won’t feel too sad yet. And in the meanwhile, we have all the goodness of an arc titled “Egghead” to look forward to.

When Will One Piece‘s Egghead Island Arc Release?

One Piece‘s Egghead arc will release on January 7, 2024, according to its new trailer. So, if you’re behind, or if you haven’t started yet, there’s still some time to catch up—just snag our guide to watching One Piece efficiently and dive right in.

This new chapter of the One Piece anime will begin with episode 1086.

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It is a historic time in Hollywood! After Writers Guild of America (WGA) members fought to receive an incredible deal for their union, many hoped it would not be long until Hollywood’s actors were also offered a fair deal from the studios. This SAG-AFTRA strike is a historic one; it is the longest strike that actors have ever participated in, and it lasted 118 days. But finally, the AMPTP offered SAG-AFTRA a deal that it could accept. As of 12:01 am on November 9, 2023, actors are free to return to work. Of course, we are excited to see some of our favorite productions begin to live again, but the most important part is that those creating them will be working under fair and respectful terms.

Here’s what the SAG-AFTRA contract looks like.

SAG-AFTRA Strike Ending Deal Is “of Extraordinary Scope”

A release from SAG-AFTRA further shared:

In a contract valued at over one billion dollars, we have achieved a deal of extraordinary scope that includes “above-pattern” minimum compensation increases, unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI, and for the first time establishes a streaming participation bonus. Our Pension & Health caps have been substantially raised, which will bring much needed value to our plans. In addition, the deal includes numerous improvements for multiple categories including outsize compensation increases for background performers, and critical contract provisions protecting diverse communities.

Most importantly, SAG notes, “We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers. Many thousands of performers now and into the future will benefit from this work.” Truly, this marks a historic achievement for the actors and one we feel very glad to see come to pass.

As the strike draws to a close, the details of SAG-AFTRA’s agreement with the studios are now available, including a draft of the full TV/Theatricals Contracts Memorandum of Agreement for those wanting to peruse all the details. Of course, no deal is ever perfect, and areas of concern over aspects such as the threat of AI to the industry remain.

However, SAG-AFTRA’s leadership stresses the gains won in areas such as wage increases, pension and health caps, protections for the casting process, and more.

It also views the AI agreements as “the most progressive AI protections ever written.” You can take a look at the specific AI regulations in the current contract below.

The entertainment industry offers joy and relief to so many with its offerings. It is only fair that those working to make our favorite series and movies also be allowed to have sustainable and safe existence. We are glad to see the SAG-AFTRA strike culminate in exactly these results.

The Actors’ Strike Is Over, What’s Next?

While the SAG-AFTRA strike is over and a tentative agreement has been reached with the AMPTP, there are still steps that must be taken to finalize the deal. The agreement went to SAG-AFTRA’s national board for approval and passed with 86% of the vote. Now, SAG-AFTRA has released details of the contract, and all union members will get to vote on the agreement. And then, if members ratify the deal, then SAG-AFTRA will have a new contract for the next three years. The ratification vote will be open until December 5.

We look forward to learning more about the deal itself and seeing the final resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike. But for now, wish only to offer SAG-AFTRA members and supporters a hearty congratulations on this achievement!

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In an age where shows are getting canceled left and right, it seems a really good anthology might be the best way to crack the code. At least, Black Mirror‘s renewal for a season seven at Netflix seems to indicate that may be true. The sci-fi dystopian show has captivated audiences for as long as its been around, and certainly for its six seasons on Netflix. Of course, that could be because every day it feels more like Black Mirror‘s universe and our reality are one and the same. We don’t love that, we do love Netflix renewing Black Mirror for another outing.

So far, there isn’t that much information available about the seventh season of Black Mirror, aside from confirmation of its renewal, which we first saw on Variety. We don’t know how many episodes the season will have or who will bring to life the stories they tell. Prior seasons have been a variety of lengths and episode numbers, so it’s hard to predict what we’ll see. Of course, all past Black Mirror seasons have delivered star-studded casts and incredible line-ups of writers and directors, so we feel pretty sure that this one will not be any different. We guess we will have to wait and see for more details. And all the while, we should probably cross our fingers that whatever apocalyptic tales take place in Black Mirror season seven, we don’t see them happening outside our window first.

Black Mirror is currently available to stream on Netflix as we wait for more news of its season seven. Its first six seasons feature many harrowing tales, including a particularly prescient one about AI from season six. We also think you should give the Miley Cyrus episode a try. We wouldn’t say it’s the best show to watch during the holiday season, but hey, season two does have a Christmas episode.

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Tiffany & Co.’s new collaboration with Pokémon gives a whole new meaning to the idea of “shiny Pokémon.” Sure, we all love a shiny version of our favorite Pokémon. Maybe they’re pink and not blue this time, or maybe they have a cool new look. But Tiffany’s shiny Pikachu (and friends) take things to a much different level, a diamond, silver, and gold level. And we’re not just talking about the game versions here. We’re talking about Tiffany Pokémon necklaces that collectively cost nearly $20,000 and individually are a pretty penny as well. In case you have a little bit of spare cash lying around to catch ’em all, Tiffany’s Pokémon collection is now open. But like the best rare catches and events, it will only be here for a short time and its timer is already ticking down. Let’s take a closer look at these wild Pokémon jewelry creations.

The Tiffany & Arsham Studio & Pokémon Capsule Collection

The full name of this collection is actually The Tiffany & Arsham Studio & Pokémon Capsule Collection. The Pokéjewels come courtesy of contemporary artist, Daniel Arsham. They actually have a pretty cool vision behind them. A release shares that the Tiffany x Pokémon collection is “designed in Arsham’s ‘Future Relics’ aesthetic, where he reimagines everyday objects as archaeological discoveries from an imagined future. The collection is inspired by Arsham’s exhibition in Japan, A Ripple in Time, which features a variety of Pokémon works of art meant to evoke the passage of time.” That’s quite a story for these jewels to tell.

What Is Available to Buy in This Collection?

The jewelry collection highlights six Pokémon: Pikachu, Charmander, Squirtle, Jigglypuff, Cubone, and Mew. We feel this makes for an interesting array of choices—Cubone especially doesn’t always feature as a series mascot. But he sure looks nice in silver and diamond. Mew, hands down, would be my choice to feature if I got to wear expensive Pokémon jewelry from Tiffany & Co.

In all, the Tiffany & Arsham Studio & Pokémon Capsule Collection features three styles of jewelry. A release notes, “There are pendants with one Pokémon each and a station necklace with six Pokémon, all crafted in oxidized sterling silver with diamond accents. Additionally, a Pikachu pendant in 18k yellow gold with diamonds is offered in a small size.” Excitingly, if you venture to get the 18k Yellow Gold with Diamonds Pikachu pendant (the most expensive available item), then you will also receive a Poké Ball in Tiffany Blue.

What Does The Tiffany Pikachu Pendant and Other Pokémon Jewelry Cost?

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Honestly, Tiffany should just sell their Poké Balls individually. If there’s one thing we know, it’s that folks love a collectible Poké Ball. And that way, there might actually be an affordable item in the line-up. As it stands, here’s what everything costs in this Tiffany x Pokémon collaboration. The Pikachu pendant in gold costs $9,190. The individual silver and diamond pendants cost $1,290 each. And the necklace with the full set of Tiffany Pokémon pendants cost $7,190.

Hopefully, being a Pokémon Master pays… Otherwise, we’ll just stick to the normal kinds of shiny Pokémon for now. This Pokémon jewelry collection is now on sale at Tiffany & Co.’s website. We don’t know if these rare catches will return a second time.

The post $20,000 POKÉMON x Tiffany Jewelry Collab Reveals Very Shiny Pokémon appeared first on Nerdist.

There’s been a lot of chatter about the state of the MCU lately. And with that, as ever, murmurs about bringing back the original Avengers, the heroes that made the franchise so popular to begin with, have risen to the surface. Of course, the best-positioned OG Avenger to return to the MCU is Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. After all, technically, Thor hasn’t left the MCU at all. In Thor: Love and Thunder, a.k.a. Thor 4, Thor even started a whole new storyline with his adopted daughter. And, of course, there’s the question of coming full circle to let Thor and Loki finally reunite and see the sun shine on them once more. But one person who’s unlikely to be involved should Thor 5 become an MCU reality is Taika Waititi.

In recent interviews, Taika Waititi shared that he doesn’t see Thor 5 as a current possibility for him, given everything he has on his plate. But he did, reportedly reveal that Chris Hemsworth was in talks with Marvel for another Thor movie. Here’s what Waititi shared.

Speaking to Business Insider about Thor 5 and rumors of its development, Waititi offered, “I wouldn’t know if that’s accurate…I know that I won’t be involved. I’m going to concentrate on these other films that I’ve signed on for… So that’s six, seven years gone. I’d imagine another Thor would be a lot sooner than that. But I love Marvel, I love working with them. I love Chris [Hemsworth].”

Additionally, according to Inverse, “Waititi said that while he heard star Chris Hemsworth and Marvel are in talks about making a fifth Thor movie, Waititi ‘needed a break from that.’” That’s the first anyone has spoken concretely of Hemsworth returning for a Thor 5, so we’ll be interested to see how if we receive any more news on that front.

And while it seems unlikely Waititi would return for Thor 5, don’t count him out for another MCU movie. You never know if Thor 6 will become a reality. He notes to Business Insider about the idea of Marvel hiring another director for the fifth Thor movie, “I would never feel like they are cheating on me… We’re in an open relationship, and it’s like if they want to see other people, I’m happy for that. I’d still get back into bed with them one day.” Fair enough. For the moment, regardless of Waititi’s schedule, there’s no Thor 5 slated to happen. However should it happen without Waititi at the helm, we would feel curious to see where exactly it would go.

In addition to discussing Thor, Waititi also recently shared a little update about his Star Wars movie, noting that “It’s still marinating. I’ve been writing it.” Waititi also offered to ET, “At the moment, I’m still developing something with them. Like me, they have a lot of projects going on. I think they’re gonna push it until I finish these other projects. I’ve got about four other scripts that I’m trying to finish. My thing is, I want to take my time with that and get it right. I don’t want to rush this movie.”

Originally published on November 14, 2023.

The post Chris Hemsworth in Talks with Marvel for THOR 5, Says Taika Waititi appeared first on Nerdist.

A recent article in The Telegraph caused a big stir when it shared that beloved studio Aardman Animations might be in some sticky trouble. Aardman, of course, is known widely for its unique claymation stop-motion movies. The studio has created fan-favorite films such as Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit in its iconic style. The piece shared that Aardman’s clay of choice, Newplast plasticine, however, won’t be around much longer. This very special clay is reinforced with nylon and doesn’t require additional steps such as glazing and firing to be functional. But it turns out, only one factory in the world was making Newplast plasticine, and it closed in March. And this, The Telegraph reports, means Aardman now faces a clay shortage and is running out of its favorite material.

Aardman has been using Newplast plasticine to make its movies since the early 1970s. And the clay’s ability to hold its shape while remaining malleable, even under intense conditions, has been a great help in creating Aardman’s intricate masterpieces. But although it does seem like Aardman will have to find a new favorite substance from which to create its movies, we don’t yet need to ring any alarm bells about the studio running out of clay and not being able to make any more films.

Aardman took to Twitter to share an update about the Newplast clay situation after great fan concern.

In full, the note from Aardman Animations reads:

We are touched about recent concern over the future of our beloved clay creations, but wanted to reassure fans that there is absolutely no need to worry. We have high levels of existing stocks of modelling clay to service current and future productions and, much like Wallace in his workshop, we have been tinkering away behind the scenes for quite some time with plans in place to ensure a smooth transition to new stocks to continue to make our iconic productions.

The Telegraph did report that Aardman had purchased all remaining stock of Newplast clay from Lewis Newplast before the factory closed its doors. And it sounds like the stock will hold out to bring many future movies to life while the company transitions to a new material. So you can settle in and enjoy Chicken Run 2: The Dawn of the Nugget when it releases fear-free. Aardman and its claymations will live to mold another day.

The post Aardman Gives Positive Update After Clay Shortage Concerns Emerge appeared first on Nerdist.

Are you a noble paladin wielding your sword with might and honor? Perhaps you’re a wily witch, brewing potions from the gifts of the harvest. Or maybe, just maybe, you’re a cottage core bard who just wants to sing and nap in peace. Whatever your favorite fantasy vision for yourself, Knock Thrice wants to outfit you in cozy cardigans perfect for any quest, Dungeons & Dragons game, or afternoon by the fire immersed in your favorite book. Let’s take a look at these gorgeous cardigans that will make you feel fantastical, stylish, and cozy. Knock Thrice’s store will open up again on Thursday, November 23, at 5 pm ET/2 pm PT, so the time is now to prepare for our (shopping) adventure.

(Full and joyous disclaimer: I own two out three of these cardigans, and I wear them literally every day. They are high quality, warm, and gorgeous. Okay. On we go!)

Knight in Cozy Armor Cardigan

Brave knights need comfortable clothes too, but they still want to look good. Get the best of all worlds as you defend the realm and add a layer to your wardrobe that does not ruin the look. Knock Thrice’s “Knight in Cozy Armor” cardigans come in two varieties. “Forget-me-not Knight” (blue), which resembles a more traditional armored look, and “The Raven Knight” (black), just in case you’re feeling more like you’re a rogue knight.

The description for this cardigan shares, “The unique embroidered design features shoulder and back chainmail, ‘laced’ arm bracers, custom moon buttons, and a gilded sword, still dripping red from your recent combat.” When I say these details are incredible, I mean it. You truly feel like you’ve donned your armor. Foes beware!

And just a pro tip, more Knights are coming to join the battalion. A Lavender Knight and a green Ivy Knight are on the way. It’s also worth mentioning that every one of these fantasy cardigans has the most gorgeous blue and silver buttons with a moonscape on them.

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The Knight in Cozy armor cardigans each cost $125.

Forest Forager Fantasy Cardigan

We can’t all be knights. Every good party needs a balance of temperaments and skills. Some ride off to battle with dripping swords, while others go to the forest to wander and forage for herbs and natural remedies. We would be naught without them! Knock Thrice shares that this fantasy cardigan is “For those who crave the scent of sweet, damp moss and wish to wander wistfully in the dappled light of towering trees.”

The gorgeous green of the Forest Forager cardigan is embroidered with so many beautiful surprises. They include mushrooms, acorns, leaves, and even a ladybug friend. The Forest Forager cardigan also comes in both full-length and cropped versions, allowing you some variety. It’s the perfect fantasy cardigan for a gentle soul.

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The Forest Forager cardigan costs $125 for full length and $115 for the cropped version.

Harvest Witch Fantasy Cardigan

The harvest is a magical time, full of trees turning to red and gold, bonfires, and shadows growing long. This Harvest Witch cardigan captures all the magic of mid-October and wraps it around you all year round. The details and colors of this fantasy cardigan are breathtaking. Knock Thrice shares, “Swaddle yourself in soft tones of pumpkin, olive, and mulberry. Hang your copper kettle by above fire-warmed hearth, sip your tea or soup or potion, and watch the dying orange light of an Autumn afternoon fade into dusky, wintery purple.” And that is 100% what wearing this cardigan feels like.

Like the other cardigans above, the embroidered details here are astounding. My favorite is the scythe on the right arm, although the pumpkin on the left is pretty incredible, too. And we cannot forget the adorable tea bag pocket that lives on the front of the cardigan. Fashion and function. Truly, the real magic of the universe is pockets. This cardigan, too, comes in regular and cropped versions, each gorgeous in its own right. So slip this cardigan on and whisper spells into the night.

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The Harvest Witch cardigan costs $125 for full length and $115 for the cropped version.

Other Knock Thrice Creations

In addition to these fantasy cardigans, Knock Thrice also has an Over the Garden Wall collection, which is just incredible.

The store also sells beautiful embroidered hats and fabulous mugs, you know, in case you need another one for your collection.

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To keep up with all the latest creations, make sure to follow Knock Thrice on Instagram.

The post Knock Thrice’s Fantasy Cardigans Will Make Your Next D&D Game Cozy and Stylish appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s always a wild ride in the world of entertainment. This week, Nerdist had the pleasure of speaking to The Marvels‘ Iman Vellani, we saw some potential Fantastic Four casting news, and we got our first good look at Madame Web. But that’s not all that took place.

Here are some of our favorite pop-culture news odds & ends from this week.

This Week’s Odds & Ends in News

Jump to:

• Harley Quinn Renewed for Season Five on Max
• Yes, Frozen 4 Is in the Works Even Though Frozen 3 Has Not Released Yet
• Completed Coyote vs. Acme Movie Canceled and then Uncanceled By Warner Bros.
• It’s Ranch Time: Ranch Popcorn Arrives at AMC, and a Double-Headed Ranch Bottle Can Soon Be Yours
• Welcome to Wrexham Renewed for Season Three
• Blumhouse’s Imaginary Brings Us a Killer Teddy Bear
• Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection Will Launch on Digital
• Critical Role Prequel Novel for Bells Hells Campaign to Release in 2024
• Dr Pepper Reveals Spicy New Flavor, Dr Pepper Hot Take
• Central Perk Coffeehouse, a Modern Take on Friends Location, Now Open in Boston

Harley Quinn Renewed for Season Five on Max

A show renewal, especially on Max, is cause for great celebration these days. And we’re definitely cheering on Harley Quinn, which will receive a season five on Max. Five seasons is no easy feat for any series, but this fabulously queer show definitely deserves them. As a release from Max shares, Harley Quinn is full of “hilarious, heartwarming, and deranged stories with our lovable group of DC misfits.”

Harley Quinn is also heading to the Joker sequel, Folie á Deux

Yes, Frozen 4 Is in the Works Even Though Frozen 3 Has Not Released Yet

“Let it go, let it go!” These lyrics made Frozen‘s Elsa famous. But it seems like Disney is certainly not ready to let go of Frozen, Anna, or Elsa. Although Frozen 3 has not even begun to become a reality, it turns out Frozen 4 is already in the works. Per Variety, Disney’s CEO recently shared, “Frozen 3 is in the works, and there might be a Frozen 4 in the works too… [Director] Jenn Lee, who created the original Frozen and Frozen 2, is hard at work with her team at Disney animation on not one but actually two stories.”

Remember when Disney sequels went direct to VHS?

In the meantime, check out our review of Disney’s latest animated film.

Completed Coyote vs. Acme Movie Canceled and then Uncanceled By Warner Bros. Discovery

It’s a messy time in the entertainment industry. Fully completed movies and series are being unceremoniously canceled for tax break purposes, and that should be illegal, literally. The latest finished movie to almost get canceled is Coyote vs. Acme, starring Will Forte, John Cena, and Lana Condor. Warner Bros. Discovery even announced its cancellation but was met with great public outcry from fans and creators alike. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the studio has since reversed course and will now allow director Dave Green to try to sell the movie instead. Potential buyers include Amazon. It’s still not a great situation, but it’s better.

Unfortunately, more and more streamers are canceling finished products. But happily, some of them, like The Spiderwick Chronicles, are getting saved.

It’s Ranch Time: Ranch Popcorn Arrives at AMC, and a Double-Headed Ranch Bottle Can Soon Be Yours

‘Tis the season, it turns out, for ranch. First up, Hidden Valley Ranch is bringing ranch dressing to AMC theaters with a brand-new Hidden Valley Ranch gourmet popcorn flavor. A release shares this movie theater treat will offer the “right balance of tangy Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning with AMC’s perfectly popped popcorn.” Yum! Hidden Valley Ranch movie theater popcorn is now available at select AMC theaters.

Additionally, for the top ranch aficionados, Hidden Valley Ranch has created “Double Ranch, the ranchiest ranch yet. Double the herbs. Double the spices. Double the flavor. Double the bottles.” You have our attention.

This double-headed Ranch bottle will “be available nationwide through a Snapchat lens on Saturday, November 18, while supplies last. The custom Snapchat lens will recognize any “X” that users come across, prompting the Double Ranch bottle to appear on the screen and providing a Swipe Up feature to purchase.” 222 bottles of this double-headed ranch monster will be available.

This isn’t the weirdest ranch has gotten; it once turned into a diamond ring.

Welcome to Wrexham Renewed for Season Three

Our favorite feel-good docuseries will return once again. Welcome to Wrexham has been renewed for a third season by FX, and it will arrive in spring 2024. That means Rob McElhenney, Ryan Reynolds, and the Wrexham AFC team will all be back for more football fun before we know it. We expect season three will make us cry and then laugh, and we can’t wait. In the meantime, we’ll enjoy watching back through Welcome to Wrexham‘s now-completed first couple of seasons.

If you haven’t yet, check out all the fun of Welcome to Wrexham season two.

Blumhouse’s Imaginary Brings Us a Killer Teddy Bear

Obviously, one thing missing from our lives is a new horror movie about a killer teddy bear. So thank god that Blumhouse’s Imaginary trailer is here to bring us what we need. This movie offers a dark take on the notion of imaginary friends.

You don’t want to cross these angry spirits, and you certainly don’t want to ever leave them behind. Or else, they’ll possess stuffed animals and come for you. Better watch out for how you treat your teddy bears.

We don’t know how this movie will turn out yet, but these are our favorite final scenes from horror movies.

Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection Will Launch on Digital

Want to relive the magic of a whole trove of classing Jurassic Park video games? Well, you’re in luck because a collection of them is launching on digital on November 22.

A release shares, “The 8-and 16-bit era of Jurassic Park games has returned. This nostalgic release includes a lineup of classic titles and adds new features, including save states for each game, new in-game maps, and various quality-of-life fixes that bring these titles into the modern era of gaming.”

The Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection includes seven games that were originally released across NES, Game Boy, SNES, and the SEGA Genesis:

• Jurassic Park (NES)
• Jurassic Park (SNES)
• Jurassic Park (Game Boy)
• Jurassic Park (Genesis)
• Jurassic Park: The Chaos Continues (SNES)
• Jurassic Park: The Chaos Continues (Game Boy)
• Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition (Genesis)

You can pre-order the collection now.

Did you know dinosaurs may have been cuddly?

Critical Role Prequel Novel for Bells Hells Campaign to Release in 2024

Critical Role‘s current campaign Bells Hells is getting a prequel novel titled Critical Role: Bells Hells—What Doesn’t Break. This new book will “[chronicle] the unexplored years before fan-favorite character Laudna joins up with the crew of Bells Hells, following her departure from Whitestone and her solo adventures on the road toward Jrusar.” Sounds like it will be an epic adventure! This Critical Role novel will be written by Cassandra Khaw and release on July 24, 2024.

Experience more Bells Hells with this animated opening sequence from the campaign.

Dr Pepper Reveals Spicy New Flavor Dr Pepper Hot Take

Get ready for a spicy new flavor of Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper Hot Take. A release shares, “Dr Pepper has harnessed the bold and blistering flavor of spicy peppers to create the limited-edition flavor. It’s the iconic Dr Pepper taste fans know and love, but with a zesty, fiery kick.” That’s hot. The flavor is available exclusively through “Pepper Perks” and can either be won in a game of scratch-and-win or purchased for 3,000 points. We must admit, we feel very curious about it.

You think that’s hot? Check out this IRL lightsaber.

Central Perk Coffeehouse, a Modern Take on Friends Location, Now Open in Boston

Our favorite Friends location is coming to life with a modern twist. Central Perk Coffeehouse opened in Boston on November 14. According to People, the “2,600-square-foot venue, a collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment and CenPer, is filled with Friends-inspired memorabilia and subtle nods to the show’s characters and plot lines. And of course, it features an oversized orange couch. There are also coffee cup sleeves featuring iconic quotes from each of the six Friends.”

This location will be permanent. On its opening day, the cafe honored the late Matthew Perry.

We’ll never forget Chandler Bing or his impact on the TV world.

The post FROZEN 4 In the Works, COYOTE VS. ACME Uncanceled, and More News Odds & Ends appeared first on Nerdist.

Ridley Scott recently told historians calling out historical inaccuracies in Napoleon to “Get a life.” And that seemed to indicate that his big-screen adaptation of Napoleon’s story would be more concerned with the spirit of Napoleon’s history, reimagined to enthrall audiences, than the letter of it. But, though touted by trailers as a cinematic spectacle of massive scope, Ridley Scott’s Napoleon is simultaneously too much biopic to be a larger-than-life feature and not factual enough to deliver a compelling history. The movie is ultimately a focused meditation on Napoleon, one that thankfully doesn’t glorify him, but it fails to offer audiences any kind of interesting storyline or meaningful takeaway throughout its nearly three hours of runtime.

This is not a problem exclusive to Napoleon, but the overarching issue with imbuing any biopic with a compelling narrative is that a person’s life, even a person as objectively fascinating as Napoleon, is just their life. And that’s a fine thing to embrace. But Napoleon doesn’t really seem to believe itself to be recounting the history of a person and instead seeks to tell an epic of a larger scale. And in that, it does not succeed. Napoleon oscillates unevenly, and often abruptly, between massive battles (not all of which are engaging), a love story of sorts, and attempts at depicting historical events it isn’t really prepared to delve into fully. And that leaves viewers occasionally fascinated, sometimes confused, and unfortunately, more often than desired, bored.

The main structure of the film really highlights this issue. Napoleon‘s sprawling screen time divides itself into many small chapters, indicated to the audience with a chapter heading that literally appears on the screen to announce a new section. Each of these chapters revolves around a specific moment or battle in Napoleon’s life. But they rarely shift smoothly from one to the next. Napoleon jumps from being merely a successful general to being a key leader of France to crowning himself Emporer with little in the way of explanation of how he moves from one stage to the next.

It seems like any one of these periods and transitions might have made for a compelling movie. Instead, we rifle through Napoelon’s life like a flipbook, jumping in where Scott feels something particularly interesting has taken place. But, much like a flipbook, it’s hard to tell a story with meat on its bones in this fashion. While some moments end up shining, most are just a page passing by.

A particular bright spot, for instance, comes during Napoelon’s frozen winter battle of Austerlitz. In this sequence, you get a taste of the movie Napoleon aspires to be. The cinematography is stunning, the scope is epic, and the music is swelling. There’s cleverness in the characters and the storytelling. In this sequence, you feel drawn into Napoleon’s world and what it has to offer. But, unfortunately, the chapter turns, the moment recedes, and virtually none of the rest of the movie captures the same brilliance. It’s a strong note but swallowed in a sea of weak to moderately interesting ones.

For me, Napoleon fails as both a war movie and an epic history. It really works best when read as a film depicting the slow unraveling of a narcissist. I commend Scott for starting viewers at a point where Napoleon seems like yet another socially inept, self-important upstart and then gradually pulling back the curtain until the strong realization that he’s really a narcissistic psychopath hits hard. That throughline is well done. But while the movie certainly doesn’t seem to praise or glorify this aspect of Napoleon, it doesn’t very strongly condemn it either.

A title card at the end of the film points to the amount of deaths Napoleon has on his hands. And some of the battle sequences and political moments create the feeling that war is a confusing, harrowing experience played out at the whims of the powerful. But while we might know these things are true and terrible, both the dramatic title card and this feeling go largely unexamined in the movie itself. Instead, the movie holds tightly to Napoleon and his perspective of things. This choice doesn’t allow us to see the true impacts of his decisions and the larger context in which they play out. And so, if Napoleon‘s strongest points simply hover, stated, but not explored, what purpose, then, does this movie fulfill exactly?

Strangely, in this way, Napoleon is very much in conversation with the contemporaneously released The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Both movies elect to follow their nefarious leads as they reflectionlessly embark on their respective descents into blind ambition and their desires to dominate. But in both cases, this perspective narrows the scope of what the movies can thusly say about the characters, sticking largely to their perspectives of themselves and setting aside wider, more interesting explorations. The blood on Napoleon’s hands and the impact his wars and conquering efforts had on so many people, countries, and the world would have made for a fascinating exploration of the historical figure. Instead, Napoleon stays inside of Napoleon’s head, where there is no reflection possible.

The film does have some well-done battle sequences that fans of war movies will no doubt enjoy. (Although fair warning, horses are not treated very kindly in this movie. There is a very graphic scene of a horse getting a cannonball to its body very early on.) Napoleon also contains some lines that will no doubt be repeated for years to come. (“Destiny has brought me this pork chop.” “You (the British) think you’re so great because you have boats.”)

Of course, the acting is also steller. Joaquin Phoenix does a tremendous job embodying Napoleon in the movie. Vanessa Kirby, too, shines as the emperor’s much-tormented wife, Joséphine. And she is responsible for the scenes that have the most life and interest in them, aside from the battles that really land. There’s also a strange humor to the staging, dialogue, and overall energy of the movie’s scenes that mirror Napoleon’s character in an interesting way. And, as mentioned, at times, it does capture the imagination and draw the viewers in.

But ultimately, for a movie that does go on, Napoleon doesn’t have very much to say at all.

Napoleon ⭐ (3 of 5)

The post NAPOLEON’s Lengthy Character Study Lacks a Compelling Story appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s a tough day for fans of the Grishaverse. Recently, it was revealed that the Netflix two-season curse struck the fantasy series Shadow and Bone, but this time, it also took out a planned expansion of the world. Yes, Netflix has canceled Shadow and Bone after two seasons and also shelved Six of Crows, a spinoff series that would have focused on series-favorites, the Crows of Ketterdam. Although Shadow and Bone‘s second season received mixed reviews, the news still feels somewhat shocking. The Grishaverse has many ardent fans who would have loved to see season three come to life, and the series, at one time, seemed to be a top hit for Netflix.

Deadline was the first to share the news and cited “series’ performance vs. cost” as playing a major role in the cancellation of Shadow and Bone before its third season. The publication mentions that the second season of the series did not have quite the same impact as the first. Deadline also notes that the pauses in production and the delay in the timing of a potential Shadow and Bone season three also contributed to the decision to cancel the series. Of course, this delay was due to Netflix and the other studios refusing to compensate the actors and writers they work with fairly. Ultimately, it’s impossible for us to know exactly why Netflix canceled Shadow and Bone, but we do know that we’re sad to see it go.

The author of the series, Leigh Bardugo, confirmed the cancellation of both Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows in an Instagram post. Among other things, Bardugo notes, “Most authors never get to see their work adapted. Many who do end up regretting the experience. I’m one of the lucky few who can look at an adaptation with pride and tremendous joy. I am so grateful to our writers, our crew, and our extraordinary cast who are not just wildly talented, but genuinely good people.” She concludes with the the Crows’ iconic motto, “No mourners.” It feels bittersweetly fitting here.

In the meanwhile, despite cancellation, Shadow and Bone‘s two released seasons remain available on Netflix. The show stars Jessie Mei Li (Alina Starkov), Archie Renaux (Malyen Oretsev), Freddy Carter (Kaz Brekker), Amita Suman (Inej Ghafa), Kit Young (Jesper Fahey), Ben Barnes (General Kirigan), and more.

The post Netflix Cancels SHADOW AND BONE, Axes SIX OF CROWS Spinoff Series appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney+’s new Percy Jackson and the Olympians series will arrive just in time for the holidays this year. And what a gift it will be for all the Percy Jackson fans out there. So far, the Disney+ series looks like it will be incredibly faithful to the book series that inspires it. And that makes sense because Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan has been heavily involved with the series since its inception. The full trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians gives us our best look yet at the mythological world of the show. Gods, monsters, and vicious demigod frenemies, oh my! We’ll definitely want to bring a sword along.

This trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians puts the spotlight on some of the monsters Percy will brave along the way. The Minotaur arrives in all his glory in this Percy Jackson trailer. Medusa’s snakes are ready to slither. Hades’ three-headed dog Cerberus just wants a treat. And who doesn’t love a Chimera strolling toward them… especially when its starts to spew fire? We also get to see glimpses of more of the series’ gods, including Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hermes.

Of course, Percy won’t have to go on this quest alone. This Percy Jackson trailer stresses that a quest is for three. We love seeing the trio of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover come together before our eyes. And even though Percy doesn’t know where he fits into the mix yet, we bet this journey will help him find where he belongs. Not to mention, we’ll be going on this adventure with him, too.

The description for Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ trailer shares, “Percy Jackson & The Olympians tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who’s just coming to terms with his newfound supernatural powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. Now Percy must trek across America to find it and restore order to Olympus.“

The Percy Jackson series will release on Disney+ on December 20. It will premiere with two episodes and release weekly episodes after that. Get in demigods, we’re going questing!

The post PERCY JACKSON Series Trailer Promises Gods, Monsters, and a Journey to Belong appeared first on Nerdist.

Initially, when we saw that Chicken Run 2 would be called Dawn of the Nugget, we kind of thought nugget referred to Ginger and Rocky’s new bundle of joy, Molly. But no, it turns out Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget actually makes reference to the fictional advent of the chicken nugget. Uh oh… That’s definitely a chicken’s worst nightmare. But as they say, you either live free-range or die frying. That is kind of a dark thing to say if you ask us. But let’s take a look at the full official trailer for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

All the charm of Chicken Run returns in this sequel movie. And we especially love the stop-motion animation work done by Aardman. Even just from Dawn of the Nuggets‘ trailer, we can already see we’re in for a visual treat. It seems like this will be a hilarious sequel that brings out what we love most about the original, a little absurdity, a little darkness. After all, chickens, they’re just like us. They want to grow up, they want to see the world, and they sometimes end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Last cinematic outing, our favorite Chicken Run poultry were trying to break out of a farm, and this time, they’re trying to break into one. But luckily, that makes them the best chickens possible to be on the case in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

This Dawn of the Nugget trailer also gives us our best idea yet about the story Chicken Run 2 will tell. Ginger and Rocky are living an idyllic life, but their freshly hatched daughter just wants to get out and see the world. Unfortunately, the world isn’t kind to chickens, and she ends up in a creepy Stepford wives-style farm/industrial complex run by the dastardly Mrs. Tweedy. Now it’s up to her parents and their assortment of animal friends to save her. (And all of the other chickens trapped in the nefarious chicken trap, we imagine.) Chickens are about to run really hard. We can feel it.

The logline for Chicken Run 2 shares, “For Ginger and the flock, all is at stake when the dangers of the human world come home to roost; they’ll stop at nothing even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk to save chicken-kind. This time, they’re breaking in!” The movie stars Thandiwe Newton (Ginger), Zachary Levi (Rocky), Bella Ramsey (Molly), Imelda Staunton (Bunty), and more.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget will begin streaming on Netflix on December 15.

The post CHICKEN RUN 2 Trailer Reveals a Chicken’s Greatest Fear: The Nugget appeared first on Nerdist.

The original Pokémon series is all about the battles. After all, you can’t become the greatest Pokémon trainer that ever was without some serious work and fighting. But a new Pokémon series coming to Netflix, Pokémon Concierge, wants us to take a breath, then release it. Because this Netflix Pokémon series is all about the vibes. Using stop-motion animation Pokémon Concierge invites you to relax, take a load off, and just enjoy the world of Pokémon. Learn more about what awaits us on this magical Pokémon adventure with the full Pokémon Concierge trailer.

Check Out Pokémon Concierge‘s Trailer

The first Pokémon Concierge trailer really sets the mood for the series we’ll see on Netflix. We learn that this series is set at a resort for Pokémon, and they come to visit as guests. Hopefully, the Poké R&R is enough to give Psyduck a break from its headache. The new Netflix show, Pokémon Concierge‘s trailer reveals, will tell the story of the resort’s concierge. It’s not always smooth sailing, but we feel like the stakes will be appropriately low. And at the end, we, Haru, the Pokémon’s concierge, and, of course, the Pokémon themselves will end up having a great time.

You can also enjoy the show’s teaser below.

The Netflix Pokémon Series’ Plot Synopsis

The Pokémon Concierge‘s trailer description also shares more about what we can expect. It notes:

Set at a resort for Pokémon on a southern island, this is the story of a new concierge named Haru, who gradually discovers herself as she and her fellow staff members scramble to attend to the various Pokémon guests.

We’ll get to see different Pokémon experience relaxing vacations. And honestly, what more could we ask from a show than that? In the trailer, we see Eevee, Pikachu, Dragonite, and many more of our favorite Pokemon friends. Of course, Psyduck seems like he’ll be the star of Pokémon Concerige, and we love that for him. Perhaps Ash and Pikachu might drop by for a well-deserved break after their final episodes as Pokémon‘s main heroes. Anything is possible.

What Is Pokémon Concierge‘s Release Date?

When you have a world as rich as Pokémon‘s, it’s always fun to dive in and explore its more light-hearted and fluffy perspectives. And Pokémon Concierge sounds like it will give us all a restful treat. After all, its tagline is “I’m happy when you’re happy.”

The Pokémon Concierge series also officially has a release date for us to anticipate. The show will arrive on Netflix on December 28. The perfect holiday season treat.

Originally published on February 27, 2023.

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Let’s face it: almost every fairy tale has a very dark story at its heart—even the ones whose retellings include songs and pretty gowns. But these days, fairy tale movies are embracing their twisted roots more than ever. That’s certainly true of Netflix’s Damsel movie starring Stranger Things‘ Millie Bobby Brown. This dark fairy tale story is all about what happens when happily ever after is just one big lie to get you to sacrifice yourself for the greater good. (Since, of course, the royal family doesn’t want to get their own hands dirty or put their lives at risk.) Millie Bobby Brown begins Damsel, as, well, a damsel, swept away by the promise of romance and happiness, but pretty soon, a dragon enters that equation, and things start to change. Luckily, if the movie’s first trailer is any indication, Millie Bobby Brown’s Damsel is ready to transform as well. Take a look at the teaser for the movie below.

The First Trailer for Netflix’s Damsel Has Arrived

This Damsel trailer is really giving us strong Yellowjackets vibes. And that’s a good thing. Although Millie Bobby Brown’s character begins her time in the dragon lair in a full gown and afraid, she quickly understands that she’ll have to adapt to the situation if she’s going to survive. That means losing the long sleeves and picking up the sword. Based on Damsel‘s trailer, we feel her killer instinct might be about to come out. Could she go from hunted to hunter? We bet that’s pretty likely. Hopefully, she manages to befriend the dragon and turn the tables on her betrayers. That’d be a pretty good twist.

A synopsis for Damsel released alongside the trailer shares more about the movie’s plot. It notes:

A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive.

When Is Damsel‘s Release Date on Netflix?

Those excited about this fairy tale movie will have to wait a little longer to know exactly when they can watch it. Netflix has confirmed that Damsel will release on Netflix in 2024, but the movie does not yet have a specific official release date.

The post DAMSEL Trailer Sees Millie Bobby Brown Become a Bloody Warrior in Dark Fairy Tale appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s been a busy time for Netflix’s live-action anime adaptations. The platform is working on its highly-anticipated live-action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender, it brought to life a live-action One Piece series, and it gave us an, unfortunately canceled, live-action Cowboy Bebop show. We even recently heard that Netflix is teaming with Stranger Things creators, the Duffer Brothers, for a live-action series adapting the anime Death Note. On top of this impressive list, Netflix has also revealed more exciting news about its adaptation of the anime Yu Yu Hakusho. Here’s what we know about Netlfix’s live-action Yu Yu Hakusho adaptation so far.

Netflix’s Live-Action Yu Yu Hakusho Releases Trailer

It’s our best look yet at all the excitement of Netflix’s live-action Yu Yu Hakusho—a trailer. Check out the epic tease below.

Honestly, it looks like a lot of fun and well-worth waiting for. It’s not always easy bringing anime to life, but this series is really selling it and us on what’s in store. It definitely has the distinct feeling of an anime. And that’s a good thing in our book.

The Cast of Netflix’s Live-Action Yu Yu Hakusho and First-Look Photos From the Series

That trailer looked great and the characters really drive it. Here’s a closer look at the cast of Yu Yu Hakusho. Yu Yu Hakusho centers on Yusuke Urameshi, Takumi Kitamura will play this lead role. Netflix has also shared the casting for fan-favorite character Kurama. Jun Shison will play the fox demon. Finally, Kanata Hongo will play the character of Hiei.

Additionally, Netflix has revealed that Shuhei Uesugi will play Kazuma Kuwabara.

Kazuma Kuwabara will be played by Shuhei Uesugi #yuyuhakusho pic.twitter.com/iqgrWzOTrc

— Netflix Anime (@NetflixAnime) July 19, 2022

More About the Netflix Series

As fans of the series know, Yu Yu Hakusho tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi. Yusuke Urameshi begins the tale as a troubled high school student who dies performing a good deed. He then finds himself with neither a place in heaven nor hell. After being revived and passing a test, he transforms into an “Underworld Detective” who investigates cases involving demons. According to Netflix, Yusuke Urameshi “becomes entwined in a mystery that envelopes the human, demon and spirit worlds.” All elements we can expect to see in the upcoming live-action series adaptation of the anime.

In a release, Yu Yu Hakusho‘s director Sho Tsukikawa further shares, “When I first heard about Yu Yu Hakusho receiving a live-action adaptation, I honestly wondered if it would even be possible—but after being presented with the producer’s vision and possibilities with Netflix, my expectations grew, and I found myself burning with passion to make this project come to life.” That certainly sounds promising for fans of the anime.

Live-Action Yu Yu Hakusho‘s Release Date

Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Yu Yu Hakusho will premiere on December 14, 2023. We can’t wait to see Yusuke Urameshi take on demons in this anime adaptation.

Originally published on July 19, 2022.

The post Netflix’s YU YU HAKUSHO Live-Action Adaptation Shares Trailer appeared first on Nerdist.

From The Marvels‘ release to Loki season two’s finale, it’s been a big week in big names. But a whole lot of other important and interesting news has been brewing as well. And we don’t want you to miss out on things like upcoming movie announcements, cool merch, epic trailers, and other generally fun internet shenanigans.

Here are some of our favorite pop-culture news odds & ends from this week.

This Week’s Odds & Ends in News

Jump to:

• Here are the Movie and TV Productions Heading Back to Work
• RSVLTS Invites You to Stylishly Celebrate the Holidays with Marvel
• A New Original Peanuts Movie Is on the Way
• Check Out the Trailer for Netflix’s Epic Heist Movie Lift, Starring Kevin Hart
• Stranger Things Returns to Dead by Daylight
• The Marvels‘ Goose Takes Over Las Vegas’ Sphere and Offers You Soothing ASMR YouTube Video
• Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster Will Release Exactly 29 Years After Its Original Version
• Make Your Food Taste Like Beer with Blue Moon Spices
• TV News: The Bear Renewed for Season 3, OFMD Season 3 Updates, Prison Break spinoff Series in Development

Here are the Movie and TV Productions Heading Back to Work

Since the studios have finally agreed to offer fair deals to their writers and actors, productions on our favorite shows and movies can now resume. Huzzah! According to Deadline, these productions are wasting no time in getting back to work and will be heading back to work as soon as this week. As far as movies go, Deadpool 3, Gladiator 2, Beetlejuice 2, and Venom 3 are all off to the races. In TV show land, meanwhile, the first to return to set and other production areas include Netflix’s Stranger Things, Max’s The Penguin and Welcome To Derry, and Prime Video’s The Boys.

Get ready for The Boys by checking out what Gen V set up for season four.

RSVLTS Invites You to Stylishly Celebrate the Holidays with Marvel

Click To View Gallery

‘Tis the season! And we’re excited to celebrate in many different ways, including dressing up in nerdy holiday style. To help us out, one of our favorite brands RSVLTS has shared a new line of Marvel holiday shirts. We know from experience that RSVLTS shirts are top-notch, and now that they’ve gone festive, how can we resist? Celebrate with a “Heroic Holiday” button-up (also in a short-sleeve version), or get ready to belt out your favorite Christmas song while wearing a “Spider-Man Is Coming to Town” shirt. Both options fulfill all your geeky and Christmas dreams. Gingerbread Groot and Spidey-Santa, yes, please.

For more cool merch from RSVLTS, check out their recent Star Wars collection.

A New Original Peanuts Movie Is on the Way

Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the gang are taking over the big city in a brand-new, original Peanuts feature coming to Apple TV+. According to a release, this Peanuts movie will be a “new family film [that] will see the Peanuts gang go on an epic adventure to the Big City, learning the true meaning of friendship, while meeting some surprising new friends along the way.” Sounds like another heartwarming adventure. The CG-animated movie is slated to begin production in 2024.

In the meanwhile, celebrate Thanksgiving with Charlie Brown.

Check Out the Trailer for Netflix’s Epic Heist Movie Lift, Starring Kevin Hart

It’s time for the ultimate heist—one that takes place 40,000 feet in the air. Netflix’s latest action-packed movie Lift promises a ton of action, but also a lot of laughs if its trailer is anything to go by. We’re totally hooked. Not to mention, Lift is rocking an amazing cast. To pull off the ultimate job, Kevin Hart teams with Loki‘s Gugu Mbatha-Raw as well as Vincent D’Onofrio, Úrsula Corberó, Billy Magnussen, Viveik Kalra, Yun Jee Kim, and Sam Worthington. We could think of no better team and can’t wait to see more of this movie as soon as we can.

A synopsis shares, “An international heist crew, led by Cyrus Whitaker (Kevin Hart), race to lift $500 million in gold from a passenger plane at 40,000 feet.” Lift releases on Netflix on January 12, 2024.

Netflix is on fire lately—we can’t get enough of the trailer for its Avatar: The Last Airbender series.

Stranger Things Returns to Dead by Daylight

Get ready, survivors, Stranger Things has returned to the world of Dead by Daylight. The beloved Netflix show had a DLC on Dead by Daylight before, but it was removed due to licensing issues. Thankfully, Steve, Nancy, and the Demogorgon are all back in the world, alongside a Hawkins lab map. A release from Netflix shares, “The Stranger Things Chapter for Dead by Daylight is returning!

Starting today, players can once again hunt and be hunted in the Underground Complex Map from Hawkins National Laboratory as The Demogorgon, Nancy Wheeler, and Steve Harrington.

All Stranger Things cosmetics are also coming back to the in-game store, including iconic looks like the Scoops Ahoy Outfit for Steve.”

Scoops Ahoy Steve? Say no more.

If you want more Stranger Things fun, check out these cute sets from Fisher-Price’s Little People collection.

Goose Takes Over Las Vegas’ Sphere and Offers You Soothing ASMR YouTube Video

It’s a big week for Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau, but also for everyone’s favorite Flerken, Goose. This cat-shaped alien is making the most of it by taking over the Las Vegas sphere and YouTube. First, enjoy a super-sized Goose glowing over the Vegas strip.

Then, tune in for eight hours of cat/Flerken ASMR. It’s the only way to really live.

The Marvels movie has landed. Here’s our review:

Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster Will Release Exactly 29 Years After Its Original Version

Everything that’s old is new again. And sometimes it’s new again exactly 29 years after it was first new. A remaster for the first-ever Star Wars shooter game Star Wars: Dark Forces has been in the works for a little while, but we finally know when it will be released. This classic turned modern Star Wars game will arrive on February 28, 2024, exactly 29 years to the day after its original release. 1995 is back, baby. According to GameSpot, “The new remaster will support up to 4K resolutions and 120FPS on PC and all consoles except Nintendo Switch. The game will offer modern controller features like rumble and motion controls, as well as trophy and achievement support on PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam.”

If you want to catch up on Star Wars during the holidays, here are some essential The Clone Wars arcs and episodes you can explore.

Make Your Food Taste Like Beer with Blue Moon Spices

No, seriously. Blue Moon wants you to have some deliciously beer-tasting dishes this holiday season. To that end, they’ve released two Blue Moon spices, one sweet and one savory, to help enhance your holiday meals. We at Nerdist got to taste these seasonings, and they do genuinely taste like Blue Moon beer. It’s uncanny.

A release shares more, noting:

Blue Moon Thanksgiving Seasonings are crafted to capture the bright essence of Blue Moon, creating a sweet and savory balance to enhance your Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving meal. The signature seasonings, sold in a 2-pack, include: 

Blue Moon Zesty Seasoning: Flavor inspired by Blue Moon, adding savory notes of coriander, zesty bursts of citrus saltiness, and a subtle hint of hops, perfect for turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and more. 

Blue Moon Pie Pint Seasoning: Flavor captures the sweetest notes of Blue Moon, with bursting hints of orange citrus and coriander, it’s the perfect seasoning to add to your Pie Pint or to create your own BlueMoon-inspired pie filling. 

You can get your Blue Moon seasonings at BlueMoonSeasonings.com and try them for yourself. You can also snag a four-pack of Blue Moon Pie Pints, which are genuinely amazing.

You don’t want pie without ice cream, do you? Scoops Ahoy! Stranger Things ice cream is now available at Walmart.

TV News: The Bear Renewed for Season 3, OFMD Season 3 Updates, Prison Break spinoff Series in Development

We saw a whole smattering of TV news this week. Firstly, The Bear was renewed for season three by FX, and we could not be more excited.

Secondly, Our Flag Means Death season three got a small update at an HBO press event. Decider‘s Meghan O’Keefe shared, “The one thing I will tweet out from this Max 2024 Slate Preview I’m at is Casey Bloys was just asked about #OFMD S3 and said it’s too soon to say. They’re looking at how it performs in a longer window. Says it’s a ‘great show,’ figuring out if a greenlight ‘makes sense.'” Not quite the news fans wished to hear, but at least it’s an updated.

Finally, a Prison Break spinoff series is in the works because what can rise again will rise again. According to Deadline, Hulu is working with Elgin James on a show set in the Prison Break universe. The show is not expected to follow Michael Scofield, Lincoln Burrows, or any of their cadre. We’ll stay tuned to learn more.

If you haven’t explored Our Flag Means Death yet, it’s worth a watch.

The post These Productions Are Back, Marvel Holiday Shirts, a New PEANUTS Movie, and More News Odds & Ends appeared first on Nerdist.

We knew from the start The Marvels would feature an epic team-up between Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel, Kamala Khan, a.k.a. Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau. But in the lead-up to the movie’s release, we learned another exciting character would make an appearance in the movie, Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie. First, we saw the Asgardian Bifrost appear in a teaser, and then we glimpsed Valkyrie herself. Some fans were sad that Marvel didn’t let the cameo Thor character cameo be a surprise. But although we knew Valkyrie would appear in The Marvels, we didn’t know how the character would figure into the story or what exactly she would do in the MCU movie. Happily, we now have all the answers we sought. So why is Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie in The Marvels, and what is she up to? Here’s a breakdown of Valkyrie’s cameo scene.

Valkyrie Appears in The Marvels to Help Captain Marvel Find a Home for Displaced Skrulls

The Marvels kicks off with a rough start for Carol Danvers and the crew. The villainous Kree warrior Dar-Benn is creating unstable jump points through time, space, and reality using the powers of a quantum band she acquired. But she’s not just using them as a means of transportation. No, she’s actually after resources from other planets that her homeworld of Hala is lacking, thanks to a civil war kickstarted by Captain Marvel herself. That’s a big downside for the whole universe in The Marvels, but the upside for us is that it leads to Valkyrie arriving on the scene.

Dar-Benn Steals Tarnax’s Atmosphere, Destroying the Skrulls‘ Home

Before Valkyrie’s arrival on The Marvels, we see Dar-benn target the planet of Tarnax. Currently, Tarnax houses a Skrull colony, one that we actually learned about in Secret Invasion. And here we bet you thought Secret Invasion didn’t matter in The Marvels. This colony, run by Emperor Dro’ge, is the one place the Skrulls settled if they didn’t go to Earth with Talos and the rest. Dar-Benn wants to steal Tarnax’s atmosphere for Hala, but she’s willing to help evacuate the Skrulls before she does. Or so she says, we’re not sure what would have happened because Captain Marvel, certain that the Kree are up to no good, interrupts the discussions between the Kree and Skrulls and a battle breaks out.

During this battle, it becomes clear that in addition to forming jump points and threatening the universe, Dar-Benn’s bangle has entangled Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau’s light-based powers. In the end, all three end up on Tarnax fighting to protect it, but they’re too late. Dar-Benn opens a portal with her bangle and sucks the atmosphere right out of the Skrull colony. Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Monica Rambeau evacuate as many Skrulls as they can, but they are unable to save everyone. Still, even those who are saved have now lost the home they worked so hard to build. Enter Valkyrie into The Marvels.

Valkyrie Takes the Skrulls to New Asgard

Captain Marvel tells Dro’ge that she’s called a friend to help find the Skrulls somewhere safe to go. And, at that point in The Marvels, anyone who had seen the teaser trailer knew Valkyrie was coming. First there was Bifrost, and then there was the suit-clad King of New Asgard. Although Valkyrie doesn’t outright say that she’s taking the Skrulls to Asgard’s new Earth-side colony, we assume that’s where they’re heading. We guess we’ll need Thor 5 or a Valkyrie movie to know for sure.

Valkyrie also takes the time to give her stubborn friend a little nudge in the right direction. Valkyrie tells Captain Marvel that she’s glad she’s found a team and that she can “stand tall without standing alone.” It’s solid advice. Valkyrie also leaves on a teasing note, saying, “May our next meeting be joyful.” We certainly hope there will both be a next meeting for this duo and that it will be joyful.

So, Do Valkyrie and Captain Marvel Kiss in The Marvels?

Wouldn’t that have been nice? In the lead-up to Thor: Love and Thunder, Kevin Feige promised that the movie would explore Valkyrie’s sexuality and find her a queen, but that did not come to pass. Which, of course, came as a big disappointment. But it did keep the door open for someone to fill that role. In the past, Tessa Thompson and Brie Larson both supported the idea of a “ValCarol” relationship in interviews and at cons, much to the delight of fans. So naturally, when it was announced that Valkyrie would cameo in The Marvels, viewers wondered if there might be a romantic element to it.

And, ultimately, there wasn’t not a romantic element to it. Valkyrie and Captain Marvel didn’t share a specifically romantic kiss in The Marvels, but Valkyrie did kiss Carol on the cheek. Hey, that’s not bad for five minutes of screen time. We would say it was definitely textually flirtatious. Maybe in their next joyful meeting, ValCarol can finally become a reality. Captain Marvel is already a princess in a “marriage of convenience” (to a man too fabulous to not also be queer), and that has a fairly queer feeling to it all on its own. Also, we’re looking at you, Carol Danvers’ basketball shorts. So why not add wayward queen of New Asgard to the title pile? We’ll continue to fly the flag of this ship.

In the meanwhile, we were glad to see Tessa Thompson back as Valkyrie in The Marvels, and we hope to see her again soon.

The post Why Is Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie in THE MARVELS? The THOR Character Cameo Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Here’s something we didn’t have on our bingo card. Only one MCU movie will release in 2024. That’s right, one. The only MCU movie coming to theaters in 2024 is Deadpool 3. This will be followed by four movies in 2025. It’s an interesting choice, but one many seem to be applauding, especially given recent sentiment that the MCU has stuffed its multiverse too full. How did this come about? Well, Marvel Studios recently shuffled around the release dates for several of their movies. Let’s take a look at which MCU movies moved and what the overall 2024/2025 release date slate looks like for Marvel.

The New 2024/2025 MCU Release Date Schedule

In short, here are the MCU movies that will release in 2024 and 2025 and their current release dates.

• Deadpool 3 will release on July 26, 2024
• Captain America: Brave New World will release on February 14, 2025
• Fantastic Four will release on May 2, 2025
• Thunderbolts will release on July 25, 2025
• Blade will release on November 7, 2025

How Marvel’s Movies Shuffled Around

For the curious, here’s how these MCU movies and their release dates moved around. Deadpool 3 was originally meant to release on May 3, 2024 and will now arrive on July 26, 2024, a short move of a few months. That makes sense because the movie is approximately 50% done.

Meanwhile, the MCU’s Captain America: Brave New World had an original release date of July 26, 2024 and moves to February 14, 2025. Fantastic Four retains its May 2, 2025 release date and doesn’t shift at all. The MCU’s Thunderbolts movie had an initial release date of December 20, 2024, and Marvel has now delayed it to July 25, 2025. And finally, Blade, initially planned for February 14, 2025, moves to November 7, 2025.

According to IGN, Marvel Studios has removed two untitled MCU movies from its schedule. These movies originally held the release dates that Thunderbolts and Blade now occupy.

We’ll have to wait and see if this release date calendar remains in place as we head into 2024 and beyond.

The post MCU Release Date Shuffle Leaves DEADPOOL 3 as Only 2024 Movie appeared first on Nerdist.

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. These familiar elements are all preparing to assemble on our screens. But can they come together to create a harmonious live-action adaptation of the beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA)? Netflix sure hopes so. So far, we’ve only seen brief teases of the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender, but the looks we’ve received have been promising. But now, the first true test has arrived: real footage from the upcoming series, which aims to successfully bring one of the best-animated shows in history into the world of live-action. It’s always a monumental task. So, what do we think? Well, we think the trailer for Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender looks pretty damn harmonious to us. Not to mention, we’re excited Netflix finally revealed the official release date for the ATLA show.

An Epic Teaser Trailer for the Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Has Arrived

Phew. Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series delivered one epic teaser trailer. It’s really just incredible to see Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, Suki, Uncle Iroh, Azula, Fire Lord Ozai, and the rest come to life. Of course, hearing the musical cues of Avatar: The Last Airbender certainly does not hurt things. We are absolutely emotional.

Honestly, the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series looks just incredible. It seems to capture perfectly the spirit of the animated series, and the characters and settings do really look like they were plucked right out of the cartoon. From big moments to small, this trailer promises us we’ll get to relieve everything about ATLA that we love the most. Our minds are still blown from seeing the Agni Kai between Zuko and his father in live-action. We know this series will make us laugh, break our hearts, and much more.

It’s hard to believe how good Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender looks. But we’re happy to believe it. We’re ready to go on this nostalgic, and yet, all new adventure one more time.

What Is the Release Date for Netflix’s Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Series?

We’ve known for a while that the new ATLA show would arrive in 2024. But now we know the official release date thanks to this Avatar trailer. Drumroll, please. Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series’ release date is February 22, 2024. That’s not a lot of time to master all the elements. But at least we can start counting down the days now.

More About Netflix’s ATLA Show

In addition to the trailer and Netflix release date, a synopsis for the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender shares that this show is:

A live-action reimagining of the beloved animated series following Aang, the young Avatar, as he learns to master the four elements (Water, Earth, Fire, Air) to restore balance to a world threatened by the terrifying Fire Nation.

Of course, this synopsis is about what you’d expect. But if we had to guess, we’d theorize that season one of the live-action series will cover similar ground to “Book One: Water” from the Avatar: The Last Airbender animated show. That means highlights will include the discovery of Aang, Aang’s mastery of water-bending, and an epic fight at the North Pole under the light of the moon. Specific castings for characters like General Zhao and Princess Yue seem to lend credence to this theory. But, we would imagine that the live-action show will also take advantage of knowing the full story to introduce characters such as Princess Azula into the mix a bit earlier than the animated series. And, honestly, we’d like for the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender to throw some curveballs at us and imagine new scenes and interactions.

That’s the whole point of an adaptation, isn’t it? We can’t wait to see where this one goes.

The post AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Live-Action Trailer Reveals Release Date for Epic Series appeared first on Nerdist.

An origin story for a true villain is always a complicated prospect, a fine needle to thread. When The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was first announced, the chief question for me was whether this was a truly necessary movie to make. Of course, on some levels, it makes sense to follow the path charted by Suzanne Collins and adapt the fourth book in her The Hunger Games series. But on others, could an origin story for the monstrous President Snow really provide a meaningful foray back into Panem?

Ultimately, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is an enjoyable enough time. It features some stellar performances from its cast. And it dusts off the world-building aspects that made the original series so popular. Huge fans of the franchise will no doubt feel pleased with this turn. However, while the movie in no way absolves Coriolanus Snow, a welcome positive, the centering of Snow and the focus on his perspective limits the narrative by design. Ultimately, the movie offers a less interesting story than others we might have seen.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes us back 64 years before Katniss Everdeen’s time. It’s clear this version of the Games is grittier and more overtly punitive, though no less harrowing, than the ones that come after it. Of course, that’s all about to change. Like the novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes divides itself into three parts: “The Mentor,” “The Prize,” and “The Peacekeeper.” Each one details a different journey for Snow, helping to break up the narrative of a fairly lengthy movie. But in each of these chapters, Snow takes away all the wrong lessons.

From the start to the end, Snow casts himself as the victim in his own story. He’s a Capitol citizen from a well-known family who has lost their wealth and position of power. And for that, he feels wronged by the world, entitled to return to the imagined glory of his father. The constant driving motivator in his story is selfishness. Although, at times, human factors, such as love and friendship, enter into the equation, selfishness is always present and salient. Above all, Snow wants to see himself as “The Victor.” He wants to reign as the triumphant conqueror of those around him and humanity at large.

Of course, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes does not uphold this narrative as in any way good. And that is appreciated. I also don’t deny that this tale has its roots in realities we see every day. And thus, it holds a certain resonance. But in my book, Snow’s is not a story that merits the spotlight of the narrative. Coriolanus Snow is the hero of the movie, after all, in the sense that he is the center of the tale. He is the main character. Nearly three hours of cinematic real estate are all spent on him. But, at the end of the day, he’s neither particularly complicated nor that special at all, just another angry white man taking his unhappiness out on the world.

Beyond that, the focus on Snow’s journey detracts from the structural themes of The Hunger Games‘ world. Shrinking the story down to, by and large, the villainy of one man turns us away from taking a look at the larger mechanisms at work in Panem. While The Hunger Games‘ focus was on the idea of rebellion, here we end up in a place that thinks more about an individual’s struggle with his own morality than the huge conflicts taking place in the wider world. While these focuses do feed into Snow’s story, they are mostly relegated to subplots. This, of course, may simply not have been the aim of the movie. But it feels as though had the script shifted away from Snow and toward his best friend Sejanus Plinth, played by Josh Andrés Rivera, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes could have found a more interesting balance.

While Snow’s character veers toward predictable, Sejanus Plinth’s is fascinating. Sejanus is District-born but from a family wealthy enough to buy their way into the Capitol. He understands the cruelty of the Games in a way that none of his now-peers can. And he finds himself with a foot in both worlds, although he can no longer fit precisely in either place. Unlike Snow, who occasionally gets referred to as a “rebel,” Sejanus actually acts in meaningful ways that evolve his character and the world around him. Unfortunately, his story remains on the sidelines.

All of this said, the movie’s chief strength lies in the superb acting of its whole cast. Tom Blyth, as mentioned, delivered an excellent performance as he shifts Snow from something akin to morally grey to deeply evil. And when his last scene rolls around, you can practically see Donald Sutherland on screen. A true feat. Rachel Zegler, meanwhile, shines as Lucy Gray Baird, the clever singer who manages to emerge from the Hunger Games as the victor. Zegler’s singing really adds something special to the movie. And her character is just the right amount of charming, tenacious, wounded, and mysterious.

Additionally, Josh Andrés Rivera absolutely steals the show as Sejanus Plinth. Viola Davis is exquisite as Dr. Volumnia Gaul, the head Gamemaker who is also in charge of the Capitol’s experimental weapons division. Her devastating deviousness and exquisite fashion make her by and far one of the best characters from this prequel. And, of course, Peter Dinklage gives an excellent turn as Casca Highbottom. Highbottom is the creator of the Hunger Games and Dean of the Capitol’s Academy. He’s a character very reminiscent of Tyrion Lannister. But hey, if it ain’t broke…

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes also, of course, adds to the world built by The Hunger Games in ways that will likely satisfy fans. We get to see more of the inner mechanisms of the Capitol’s elite and are introduced to The Academy, where new generations of the powerful are constructed. This Hunger Game prequel further takes us beyond the arena and the treachery of the Capitol. It gives us a taste of how life in the Panem’s Districts persevered despite the terrible circumstances surrounding them. Some of the best scenes take place in District 12, watching Lucy Gray Baird perform to her home audience as they laugh and dance. These moments of levity juxtaposed against the horrors of the early Hunger Games sell the emotional arcs of the movie.

Finally, for the curious, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes contains a multitude of The Hunger Games Easter eggs. Among others, Lucy Gray Baird, of course, writes The Hanging Tree, a song that will later have a great impact on Katniss. And Katniss herself comes up, but not the person. Instead, “Katniss” appears in plant form as a “swamp potato.” And the movie takes care to mention that the Katniss is not quite yet ripe yet. But it does feature during an important moment of plot.

Ultimately, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes could have delivered a more compelling narrative, but it does do the job of a franchise movie and bring us back to a familiar world so we can once more take a look around.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes ⭐ (3 of 5)

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Gee, thanks, Disney Pixar! Way to remind us that growing up is hard to do. But it turns out that it is, even for animated children becoming animated teenagers. The first teaser trailer for the much-anticipated sequel to Inside Out, aptly named Inside Out 2, spotlights one very specific new emotion, Anxiety. Everyone, please make Anxiety feel very welcome…

It happens to us all. Demolition day, and BAM. Anxiety has moved in. We have to say that Inside Out 2‘s teaser trailer has captured the spirit of anxiety very well… Too well… We honestly can’t look this teaser trailer directly in the eye. Perfectly voiced by Maya Hawke (a.k.a. Robin Buckley from Stranger Things), Anxiety is already apologizing for not getting it right. Nooooo! And even worse, she’s not the only one to arrive. Inside Out 2 will feature even more new friends, and we’re not sure we want to find out exactly what they are. Rumor has it the new emotions include Embarrassment, Ennui, and Envy. This movie does not look like it intends to slow its roll.

Inside Out 2 Synopsis Dives Into Anxiety and Other New Emotions

Along with the teaser trailer, Disney and Pixar revealed a lengthy new synopsis for Inside Out 2. It shares:

The little voices inside Riley’s head know her inside and out—but next summer, everything changes when Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 introduces a new Emotion: Anxiety. According to director Kelsey Mann, the new character promises to stir things up within headquarters. “Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, might be new to the crew, but she’s not really the type to take a back seat,” said Mann. “That makes a lot of sense if you think about it in terms of what goes on inside all our minds.” A trailer, poster and film stills are now available for what promises to be the feel-good (or feel-everything) film of Summer 2024.

Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone. Maya Hawke lends her voice to Anxiety, alongside Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Lewis Black as Anger, Tony Hale as Fear, and Liza Lapira as Disgust.

Well, there you have it. Inside Out 2 arrives in June 2024. We’re not quite sure it will make us feel “good” but we bet it will definitely hit hard.

The post INSIDE OUT 2 Trailer Introduces Everyone’s BFF Anxiety, Teases Other New Emotions appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s been 12 years since we last saw the Monk series grace our screens. The mystery dramedy ran on USA from 2002-2009. And yes, 2009 was 12 years ago and not just yesterday. Don’t even get us started on 2002. Monk was an early entry in the USA Network’s heyday, which involved shows like Psych, White Collar, Suits, Burn Notice, and more. And like all good things from the increasingly distant past, Monk has now received a new lease on life, this time in the form of a reunion movie that will air on Peacock. Happily, this Monk Movie finally has a release date and some first-look photos. The movie title mentions Monk’s last case, but we’re not so sure. Here’s our first taste of Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie.

Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie‘s Trailer

The first trailer for Mr. Monk’s Last Case shows Tony Shalhoub settling right back into the role of Monk and all his quirks. He references what a struggle COVID was for him, but now, he’s getting back to work.

Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie‘s First-Look Photos

Joining Shalhoub are Ted Levine, Jason Gray-Stanford, Traylor Howard, Melora Hardin, and Hector Elizondo. You can see our first glimpses of the reunion movie below.

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More About This Reunion Movie

The logline for the movie shares, “Monk returns to solve one last, very personal case involving his beloved stepdaughter Molly, a journalist preparing for her wedding.“

And additionally, a note from Monk‘s original creative team, Andy Breckman, David Hoberman, and Randy Zisk, offers:

It’s been twelve years since the world has seen a fresh installment of MONK. The world has changed mightily in those intervening years and MONK 2023 reflects the changing world. 

We’re so delighted to have made a movie version of MONK, and we are thrilled that every one of our stars were so enthusiastic about coming back. But in coming back, we wanted to do a film that was worthy of our legacy. MR MONK’S LAST CASE is a story that is powerful, emotional, funny, heartwarming, and has something to say about the human condition. And it will be both familiar and surprising.

According to an article from Entertainment Weekly, this Monk Movie will touch on the impact of the pandemic and find Monk himself in a dark place and also facing a new foe. But hopefully, we’ll get to see a lof of those funny and heartwarming aspects as well.

As we anticipated, Breckman notes, “‘The End’ was not the end and the ‘Last Case’ we hope is not really the last case… I have an idea for a sequel that I’d love to do, and if the gods smile on this project, I hope we get a chance to continue our journey.”

Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie Release Date

Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie has now officially set its release date. The Monk Movie will release on December 8. It will stream on Peacock.

Originally published on October 10, 2023.

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This isn’t your mother’s Mean Girls, the trailer for the Mean Girls (2024) musical movie wants you to know. Ouch. That does make us feel like we’re back in high school. But honestly, from what we can see, this movie musical captures all the true spirit of Mean Girls and brings us right back to 2004. Of course, this movie is an adaptation of the hit Mean Girls stage musical, which was released in 2017. But the musical was based on the 2004 movie. So, while this trailer is for an adaptation of an adaptation of Mean Girls, it speaks to the power of the movie that its essence is not diluted at all. And that, my friends, is so fetch.

Take a look at the full trailer for Mean Girls, the 2024 movie edition, below.

This movie musical feels like a great way to celebrate twenty years of Mean Girls. The movie really did shape our culture in a big way. In the Mean Girls trailer, we see all the greatest hits, but reimagined for a slightly new audience and age. There’s The Burn Book, health class, the epic performance of “Jingle Bell Rock,” Cady’s scary Halloween look, and more. But this time, everyone’s phones are out. We imagine that makes the jungle of high school that much wilder.

In addition to the trailer, Mean Girls has shared a synopsis for the movie. It notes:

From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic, MEAN GIRLS. New student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called “The Plastics,” ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp) and her minions Gretchen (Bebe Wood) and Karen (Avantika). However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.

So we agree, we think that’s pretty excellent. Jumping from original to adaptation, once-removed, are Tina Fey and Tim Meadows, who reprise their roles as Ms. Norbury and Principal Duval. There’s no word yet on whether any other cast will cameo or act in this Mean Girls musical movie. But Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert, Daniel Franzese, and Rajiv Surendra all came together recently for a Mean Girls reunion/sequel of sorts—by way of a Walmart ad. So maybe, just maybe, we’ll see them.

In the meantime, we’ll look forward to a new generation of Plastics and friends. The Mean Girls movie musical releases on January 12, 2024.

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If you’re an Avatar: The Last Airbender fan, you probably know that everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. But when it comes to this franchise, everything really changed when Netflix announced it would be making a live-action series adaptation of the beloved animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. A live-action version of Avatar was attempted once before, but it did not go too well. Hopefully, though, this time around, we’ll all see better results. We’re crossing our fingers that this live-action outing will go well for Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, and the rest of the Gaang. It’s what the characters and the fans deserve.

For now, we have our first look two other exciting figures, Appa and Momo. In a new poster released for the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender we see Aang, Katara, and Sokka all riding on the flying bison. We don’t see all of Appa yet, but its horns look pretty good. Now we just need the rest of it. Momo is, of course, chittering away on the saddle. So far, so adorable; we can’t wait to see this lemur cause some mayhem in all its adorable glory.

Here’s everything we know about Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Title

Like the original animated series, Netflix’s adaptation will also be called Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action Series’ Plot

It seems likely, given casting choices and other teases, that the plot of Avatar: The Last Airbender’s first season will follow the animated series’ Book One: Water, otherwise known as its first season. That means we’ll see Katara and Sokka discover Aang frozen in ice and follow their journey together as Aang learns water-bending and everyone learns about friendship. Prince Zuko will, of course, be grumpily chasing the trio down. The season will most likely culminate with an epic battle at the North Pole.

Officially, the synopsis for Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender only shares the broad strokes of what we’d expect from this live-action adaptation. It reads:

The four nations once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping peace between them. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads, the first step taken by the firebenders towards conquering the world. With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has lost hope.

But like a light in the darkness, hope springs forth when Aang, a young Air Nomad — and the last of his kind — reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar. Alongside his newfound friends Sokka and Katara, siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a fantastical, action-packed quest to save the world and fight back against the fearsome onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai. But with a driven Crown Prince Zuko determined to capture them, it won’t be an easy task. They’ll need the help of the many allies and colorful characters they meet along the way.

Behind the Scenes

Albert Kim acts as showrunner, executive producer, and writer on Avatar: The Last Airbender. Jabbar Raisani and Jet Wilkinson are set to direct.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action Series’ Cast

Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender adaptation is slated to have quite the cast. Leading the series are, of course, our heroes (and anti-hero) Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko. Gordon Cormier will play the Avatar, Aang. Kiawentiio will take on the occasionally bossy, though always kind, Katara. Ian Ousley will play the goofy yet good-hearted and heroic Sokka. And Dallas Liu will star as Prince Zuko, the exiled prince of the Fire Nation who has an obsession with honor and also a lot to learn.

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Joining the core four are Daniel Dae Kim as the villain of our tale, Fire Lord Ozai, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as the wise Uncle Iroh, and Elizabeth Yu as the devlish Princess Azula.

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Of course, many other castings have been announced because the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender is brimming with incredibly cool characters. Learn about them all by checking out our article on the full Avatar: The Last Airbender cast.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action Series’ Release Date

Netflix has not yet shared the exact release date for its Avatar: The Last Airbender series. However, we know this adaptation will arrive in 2024. In the meantime, you can get ready for this new adventure by rewatching the original version of the series on Netflix.

Originally published on October 24, 2023.

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Move over Barbie Land, Greta Gerwig is set to tackle another intensely popular world, Narnia. According to The New Yorker, Gerwig “has a deal with Netflix to write and direct at least two films based on C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia.” This confirmation came straight from Gerwig herself, and recently, Netflix spoke about the partnership as well, shedding some light on a schedule for the first of the films.

For now, very little information is available about these new Greta Gerwig Chronicles of Narnia movie adaptations. We don’t know which parts of the series will get adapted or even in what format we’ll see them come to life. The Chronicles of Narnia received a big-screen adaptation in the 2000s, with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader all receiving live-action movies. However, the series did not take as well as hoped. (Although the movies did launch Ben Barnes, for which we appreciate them.)

But we do know a little bit about when we might see the movies begin to come to life though. Speaking with Collider, Netflix’s Head of Film, Scott Stuber, noted, “Well, I think people know that we’re aspirationally trying to get Greta Gerwig’s [The Chronicles of] Narnia together and get that movie, which will be next year.” Next year, here, references 2024. Of course, it seems like that could all still change, but it’s nice to hear an update from an official source.

The idea of a Chronicles of Narnia movie done by Gerwig is a fascinating one. The books by C. S. Lewis are dense and heavily philosophical and religious. While the latest Narnia movies leaned more heavily into broad fantasy themes, a Gerwig-helmed Narnia series could get deeper and more existential. But for now, we’ll just have to imagine the possibilities and hope the movies do indeed come to pass. Long live Aslan, hopefully, he’s more than just a Ken.

Originally published on July 5, 2023.

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One of the greatest unrequited loves in the whole of the MCU has been the one between Loki‘s Mobius and a jet ski. Loki‘s first season gave us glimpses of Mobius’ jet ski adoration. Despite living his whole remembered life in the confines of the TVA, where there are certainly no rivers, lakes, ponds, or jet skis, Mobius had a very specific dream. In episode two of Loki season one, Mobius has a magazine with jet skis on his desk and tells Loki that he keeps it because “they’re awesome.” Then Mobius proceeds to give a touching monologue about jet skis and how they’re the only perfect thing in history. He calls them “a beautiful union of form and function.” Sadly, Mobius confesses he’s never actually ridden a jet ski. A cruel twist of fate! But did Mobius finally get to ride a jet ski in season two of Loki?

Here’s everything that went down (up to and including a commemorative Funko POP! figure).

Mobius Gets to Ride a Jet Ski in Season Two of Loki… Sort Of!

In episode five of Loki season two, we finally get to see Mobius ride a jet ski. And just like he told Loki in season one, it looks like fun. Mobius has the time of his life during his jet ski montage. He’s feeling the wind in his hair, he’s experiencing the sting of mist slapping him in the face, he’s surfing the waves. And it’s all set to some incredible funky instrumentals. But then, record scratch. It turns out Mobius hasn’t actually taken a jet ski out onto the ocean; he’s sitting on a stationary version of the watercraft in Piranha Powersports, the store where he works.

So did Mobius actually get to ride a jet ski in Loki? Well, technically, he was riding on a jet ski, but the adventure was still only in his mind. In our book, this is not that dissimilar to when he imagined riding jet skis in the TVA, though, of course, it’s closer. We feel happy that Mobius gets to actually touch and feel a real jet ski, but we still need to see him fulfilling his dreams.

Loki Season Two Enhances Mobius’ Love of Jet Skis

The anticipation is only heightening, though. Although Loki season one teased Mobius’ jet ski love, in season two, we see how deep it runs. In episode six, after the Temporal Loom’s dramatic explosion, Loki time slips to a a 2022-branched timeline where he meets a version of Mobius called Don. And this Mobius is obsessed with jet skis. He sells them and hypes them up every chance he gets. Among other things, Mobius shares that “a personal watercraft is kind of a thinking man’s dirtbike” and even very earnestly tries to sell the branched timeline version of Hunter B-15 on the idea of buying one though she lives in New York City. (New Yorkers will truly appreciate the futility of this mission. But Mobius is right; a jet ski would be a thrilling way to commute… Although maybe not on the Hudson.) What a truly pure love. It warms our hearts.

Mobius even owns two jet skis which he refers to as “beauties,” and offers to sell one to Loki. He, wholeheartedly agrees, of course, when Loki repeats his own words back to him and calls them “a beautiful union of form and function.” It would break his heart to let one go. But, well, Mobius can’t ride two of them, after all. Sounds like an excellent setup to us for a full-force “Mobius rides a jet ski” scene in Loki or elsewhere in the MCU.

The MCU Needs to Show Us Mobius Living His Dream in Full

Even though the branched timeline’s Mobius may have ridden his jet skis on open water, we don’t see our version of Mobius do that very thing. But we hope that in time, he gets to see his whole wish come true.

Producer Kevin Wright notes of the scene, “We wanted to find a way to do it in an unexpected way… I mean, there’s been so much anticipation, and I think we could have just plopped him on a jet ski riding around a lake, and people would have been just as happy. Owen said something really funny, which was he compared it a little bit to an old TV romance — will they, won’t they? He’s like, well, the second you do it, the thing kind of is done. So he’s like, if we’re going to do it now, it’s got to be really fun and really unexpected.”

He further shares, “That was kind of the genesis of, well, what if we tease this out?… We know we can get some of that out there. He’s working at a dealership. Also, the fun of, it is in Cleveland, which is not known for its water sports. It’s the dream but not exactly the ideal version of it.”

We completely agree that in the scope of this episode, this version of the moment was the right way to go. Mobius took one step toward his dream of riding a jet ski. But there’s still a dream out there ready to be realized… And two empty jet skis waiting patiently in a garage.

But, For Now, We’ll Celebrate with a Mobius/Don Jet Ski Riding Funko Figure

In the meantime, you, yourself, can help Mobius live his jet ski dream. A special Loki Funko POP! figure titled “Don Personal Watercraft Salesman Figure” captures the Mobius moment for prosperity.

A description of the figure shares, “Enjoy the wonder of recreational wave time with Pop! Don (Personal Watercraft Salesman)! Help prevent world devastation when you welcome him into your Loki collection. The clock is ticking to add this exclusive Deluxe Pop! Ride of Pop! Don on personal watercraft to your Marvel Studios lineup!”

Just add water, and you, Mobius, and his jet ski will be happy forever. This Funko POP! figure is a Target exclusive and is now available for pre-order for $29.99.

Originally published on November 03, 2023.

The post Does Mobius Finally Get to Ride a Jet Ski in LOKI Season 2? appeared first on Nerdist.

We’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times, and we’ll probably say it again tomorrow. Every day streamers are complicating lives for their subscribers in a bid to increase their bottom line. So far, we’ve seen streaming price increases, password-sharing crackdowns, and ad tiers by the fistful. But now, a new shadow looms over the streaming landscape, and that’s feature reductions. It doesn’t have quite the impact of asking a user to pay more money. But in some ways, this shift feels more menacing. In a new chessboard move, Max recently began letting its legacy ad-free subscribers know that if they didn’t shift to a more expensive plan, they’d soon lose access to some features. Specifically, Max shared that users who subscribed to its standard ad-free plan would no longer have access to 4K titles and would be able to concurrently stream Max on one less device.

Per Variety, Max noted the following in an email, “On your next billing date, on or after December 5, 2023, the price of your subscription will stay the same, but some of your plan features will change… You can still stream all your favorite blockbuster movies, fresh originals and iconic series. Or even switch to the Ultimate Ad-Free plan to unlock more features.”

No price change sounds nice in theory, but subscription features “changing” isn’t actually much better. Because, of course, by changing Max really means some features of a subscriber’s plan will be removed. For Max legacy users subscribed to the standard ad-free plan, currently priced at $15.99/month, this means losing some useful aspects of their subscription. A subscription which will still cost a chunk of change. Namely, subscribers will no longer be able to watch 4K Ultra HD movies or TV shows on Max. Additionally, Max will also remove one concurrent stream from the standard ad-free plan. Previously users could stream Max on three devices at one time, and now they will only be able to stream on two. For now, the amount of titles a user can download on this Max subscription plan (30) remains unchanged.

To unlock these features once again, Max suggests upgrading to its Ultimate Ad-Free plan. This plan will return the 4K Ultra HD video quality to the table, as well as Dolby Atmos audio quality. It will also allow a user to concurrently stream Max on up to four devices. Of course, this shift does come with a price increase. Max’s Ultimate Ad-Free plan costs $19.99. And while that doesn’t seem like much overall, we expect this isn’t the last time we’ll see features being removed from a plan in the hopes of driving users to a more expensive one.

Godspeed, streamers.

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It is true that our Hobbit heroes bow to no one, but we here at Nerdist must bow to the majesty that has been NZ Post’s collections of coins, stamps, and prints celebrating the various 20th anniversaries of The Lord of the Rings‘ three movies. It has truly been a journey of epic proportions as we went there and back again to The Fellowship of the Rings, The Two Towers, and now The Return of the King with creations that can be described as nothing short of precious artworks. But like all good journeys, there must be an ending to this quest, however bittersweet.

Before we sail west, though, NZ Post’s final The Lord of the Rings collection, celebrating The Return of the King is here to take our breath away one more time.

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Commemorative Stamps (Don’t Miss the Hidden Messages)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King always makes me feel emotional. Has there ever been a finer ending to a trilogy? And somehow, NZ Post manages to encapsulate everything powerful and wonderful about the movie in six incredible stamp designs. This time around, we are treated to stamps that depict Arwen’s grief and fading time, Gandalf’s realization of the eagles’ arrival at the Battle at the Black Gate, Frodo’s fight against Shelob with the beautiful light of Eärendil gifted to him by Galadriel, Aragorn calling upon the Army of the Dead with Legolas and Gimli at his side, Eowyn defeating the Witch King of Angmar, and, of course, Frodo and Gollum’s last stand in the heart of Mount Doom.

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Basically, these The Lord of the Rings stamps show all our favorite characters in their most epic moments from Return of the King. Phew, it gives me chills. And, our favorite part—if you look closely at the designs of the stamps, you can see secret messages embedded in the gorgeous artwork by Sacha Lees. For example, if you really peer at Eowyn’s Shieldmaiden stamp, you can see small letters spelling out, “I am no man.” See if you can spot them all below.

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You can order these stamps today.

Return of the King Commemorative Coins

In addition to exquisite stamps, NZ Post has also been creating The Lord of the Rings Commemorative Coins. We know Gollum and dwarves alike would be absolutely entranced by this latest set. There are four Return of the King coins in total, one set of three and one that stands alone. In the set of three, aptly titled “The Lighting of the Beacons,” we see the lighting of the Beacons of Gondor scene come to life in silver and gold. The artistry of these is just beyond incredible. And, in our solo coin is the King of Men himself, Aragorn, being crowned by Gandalf.

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These epic coins are not available to purchase yet but are coming soon.

The Lord of the Rings Art Prints

If you’d like to enjoy this glorious artwork on a bit of a larger scale, some of the concepts for The Return of the King‘s stamps are also available in print form.

But you had better not delay at the Prancing Pony because these are limited edition and selling out. Prints of Gandalf and Eowyn are still available and cost $32.44 each.

About the Artist, NZ Post, and More

Artist Sacha Lees

These gorgeous The Lord of the Rings creations come from the glorious mind and fingers of artist Sacha Lees. A release shares, “The artist behind the stamps and pins is New Zealander Sacha Lees, who began her career at Wētā Workshop working on The Lord of the Rings trilogy as an illustrator, creature designer, and airbrush and concept artist.” What a true talent. You can check out Lees’ other work on her website, here. Trust us, you will not feel sorry you did.

New Zealand and The Lord of the Rings

We also wanted to extend a big round of applause to NZ Post. NZ Post has taken the time to honor The Lord of the Rings because of its incredible relationship with New Zealand. The company shares, “The 2003 release saw a world premiere bring Wellington to a standstill, and scored notable breakthroughs for the local film industry. Held in Wellington, the world premiere of The Return of the King saw a parade begin at Parliament and featured two hundred extras in costume, and demonstrated the growing profile of Aotearoa New Zealand’s film industry on the world stage… As Nancy Swarbrick notes in Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, the film’s stunning financial and critical success further increased international interest in Aotearoa New Zealand as a place to make big-budget movies.”

Of course, New Zealand played no small role in making the films look and feel incredible. We love this symbiotic relationship.

NZ Post’s Collectables

Finally, if you’ve loved NZ Post’s The Lord of the Rings collectibles as much as we have, make sure to check out its Collectables page for more excellent surprises. You never know what you might find. We’d also like to say a special thank you to NZ Post Head of Stamps and Collectables, Antony Harris, for keeping Nerdist informed about the latest in NZ Post news.

We’re crossing our fingers to see a 25th anniversary The Lord of the Rings collection or two someday soon.

The post NZ Post Celebrates 20 Years of THE RETURN OF THE KING appeared first on Nerdist.

Heads will roll in Echo. And get bashed in. And explode. The first trailer for the upcoming MCU series Echo is full of violence, blood, and a whole lot of goodness. The trailer for this five-episode special event honestly looks amazing. Both Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk are delivering. This truly looks like an MCU series like none other, and we kind of love it. Take a look at Echo‘s first trailer below, if you dare.

We first met Echo in the Hawkeye series, which carried a very different tone. And we feel thrilled to see her coming into her own in this outing. It is incredible to see a Marvel show center on a deaf and Indigenous character and for it to have taken care to support this representation in front of and behind the camera.

A logline for the series revealed with the trailer shares more about the show, noting:

No bad deed goes unpunished on Jan. 10, 2024, when Marvel Studios’ “Echo” launches on Disney+ and Hulu. The five-episode streaming event spotlights Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) as she is pursued by Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) criminal empire. When the journey brings her home, she must confront her own family and legacy. All five episodes will stream on Jan. 10 on both platforms. They’ll be available on Hulu until April 9. This marks the first Marvel Studios series to drop all entirely bingeable episodes at once. 

The relationship between the MCU’s Kingpin and Echo is fraught, as we’ve seen before and see again in this trailer. But when the chips fall, will Echo end up as much a monster as her mentor? Only time will tell. At one point, rumor had it that Charlie Cox’s Daredevil would also appear on the Echo show. And though he is not mentioned in any official materials so far, we caught a brief glimpse of Daredevil in a montage of shots featured in Echo‘s trailer. Very exciting.

As the description of the series mentions, there are a few interesting aspects of Echo‘s release. Firstly, the series will run on both Hulu and Disney+, likely an homage to its grittier nature. Echo also has the distinction of being the MCU’s first series rated TV-MA. And, of course, all episodes of Echo will land at once. Disney+ has never shared a series in this format before, so it will be interesting to see how it impacts viewership. We can only hope that it helps.

All five episodes of Echo will be available to stream on January 10.

The post Excellent ECHO Trailer Teases a Dark MCU Series Full of Heads Getting Bashed appeared first on Nerdist.

The Upside Down has never looked cuter. Fisher-Price’s latest Little People collector sets bring us the world of Stranger Things but in adorable miniature. Of course, the world of Stranger Things is no less harrowing or strange than we know it to be in these toy sets; it’s just, well, cuter. Vecna certainly looks like the most adorable version of himself that we’ve ever seen. But he’s not the only one. In total, Fisher-Price has announced three new Stranger Things Little People Collector sets, and they include all our favorite characters and moments from the series. These sets are the perfect thing to distract us as we wait for Stranger Things 5.

Take a look at the details of the “Castle Byers,” “Max’s Song, and “Hellfire Club” collectibles below.

Stranger Things’ New Fisher-Price Little People Collector Sets

Castle Byers Figures Take Us Back to Season One

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Head all the way back to the very first season of Stranger Things with this Fisher-Price Little People Collector Set. With this collection of figures, you can explore the castle both from within and without the Upside Down. There’s even a precious Demogorgon that gives Dart a run for its money. Just wait until it adorably tries to chomp your face off.

A release for this set shares, “True fans know Eleven loves a good waffle and can see the nethering creep and crawl across the packaging bringing Castle Byers and the Upside Down to life.” And additionally, “Fans can revel in the wonderful world of Stranger Things with this Little People Collector set, which features the whole gang including Eleven, Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, and Will Byers, plus the monstrous (but really awesome looking) Demogorgon. Each figure stands over 2.5 inches tall and is styled in each character’s signature look from the first season.”

It really is a blast from the past, in the best way.

The Castle Byers Stranger Things Fisher-Price Little People Collector set is available on Amazon. It costs $29.99.

The Max’s Song Stranger Things Little People Collector’s Set Is Adorably Terrifying

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Okay, this Little People Stranger Things toy set is absolutely ridiculous, but we love it. Is there a more harrowing scene than when Max starts to rise to the sky with her eyes rolling back into her head in Stranger Things 4? Any minute now, Vecna will crack her bones. Just look at the darling terror on Steve’s face. The juxtaposition of terrifying and cute really shows how committed these Stranger Things Little People sets are to their bit.

A release shares, “Fans of the hit Netflix series, Stranger Things, can relive the memorable scene from Season 4 when Max’s favorite song saves her from Vecna’s curse with this special edition Little People Collector Max’s Song set from Fisher-Price. Featuring 5 Little People figures styled like Max Mayfield, Lucas Sinclair, Steve Harrington, Dustin Henderson, and Vecna, this must-have set comes in a display-worthy package that takes fans from the cemetery to the Upside Down.”

And little Vecna? Come on, this one is just incredible.

The Max’s Song Stranger Things Fisher-Price Little People Collector set is available at Target. It costs 29.99.

The Hellfire Club Figure Set Is the Best

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Who could more deserve a Little People Collectors figure than Eddie Munson? No one. This Stranger Things collection celebrating the Hellfire Club is our favorite. It captures the joy the club brings to all its members and especially to us. We love all the details on this set of figures, especially Erica’s American Flag, Dustin’s cap, and the miniature Hellfire Club shirts. We’re going to need these figures for our collection immediately.

A release shares, “​Inspired by the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, this special edition Little People Collector Hellfire Club set brings the members of the Hawkins High School’s group down to Little People figurine size. Assemble the team and relive the campaign to vanquish Vecna with Eddie Munson, Dustin Henderson, Mike Wheeler, and Erica Sinclair. Arriving in a specially designed, display-worthy package, this Little People Collector figure set is the perfect gift for fans and RPG players.”

The Hellfire Clubs Stranger Things Fisher-Price Little People Collector set is available at Best Buy. It costs $24.99.

The post STRANGER THINGS Fisher-Price Little People Sets Reveal Adorable Upside-Down appeared first on Nerdist.

Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are finally here. These latest games in the Pokémon franchise will build help the series “take a new evolutionary step” into “a richly expressed open world.” While Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ gameplay was expansive and exploration-driven, Pokémon has not yet had true open-world games before. This makes Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet extra exciting. And, of course, new Pokémon games mean a new generation of Pokémon to discover. Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet have three adorable new starter Pokémon that players can look forward to catching, Legendary Pokémon that turn into vehicles, adorable new regional forms, and many other new Gen 9 Pokémon. Not to mention, Scarlet and Violet will offer all Pokémon a way to transform into something novel, the games introduce the mysterious Terastal phenomenon.

Here are the new Pokémon we met before Scarlet and Violet‘s release and some additional ones that will be coming in its new DLC expansion.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s new Pokémon; Jump To:

• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Pokémon: Iron Treads // Great Tusk // Gimmighoul // Greavard // Bellibolt // Wiglett // Armarouge // Ceruledge // Klawf // Grafaiai // Cyclizar // Cetitan // Fidough // Pawmi // Lechonk // Smoliv
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Regional Variants: Paldean Farigiraf (Girafarig Evolution), Paldean Wooper
• Scarlet and Violet’s Legendary Pokémon: Koraidon and Miraidon
• Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet‘s Starters: Sprigatito // Fuecoco // Quaxly
• All of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Creatures: Full Pokédex
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Features: Terastallizing with Tera Orbs // Titan Pokémon
• New Pokémon From Scarlet and Violet‘s DLC Expansion: The Teal Mask // The Indigo Disk

Scarlet and Violet‘s New Pokémon

As mentioned, Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet will feature the next generation of Pokémon: Gen 9. And given the open-world nature of the game, we expect there will be many surprises when it comes to the Pokémon the game will introduce. The official description for the game shares: “Various towns blend seamlessly into the wilderness with no borders. You’ll be able to see the Pokémon of this region in the skies, in the seas, in the forests, on the streets—all over!” Here are all the new Pokémon Scarlet and Violet creatures we’ve met so far.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Iron Treads

So far, we’ve only glimpsed the mysterious new Pokémon, Iron Treads. It sounds like this Pokémon only exists in the Violet game. A description of it offers, that Iron Treads is “a monster that rolls to attack and leaves scorched earth in its path.” Iron Treads could be a Paldean regional variant of the Pokémon,  Donphan. Or it could be its ancestor.

Iron Treads and Great Tusk both live in books title The Violet Book and Scarlet Book respectively. These books hold notes about the Paldea region and its Pokémon from an ancient expedition.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Great Tusk

Meanwhile, Great Tusk is the new Donphan relative from Pokémon Scarlet. Great Tusk attacks with its large body and tusks.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Gimmighoul

The latest new Pokémon Scarlet and Violet creature is ghoulishly delightful. Gimmighoul is a ghostly Pokémon that loves treasure. In fact, it hides itself in a treasure chest most of the time. Though its treasure chest home provides safety for Gimmighoul, it also makes it move slowly. And, often, Gimmighoul, in what we learn is its chest form, may get mistaken for an antique.

But beware, anyone who gets too close to a Gimmighoul may be ambushed. Gimmighouls use ghost energy to control people and then make them hunt for coins. And these people can stay under this Pokémon’s spell for a long time.

Gimmighoul also has a roaming form. This form of Gimmighoul carries a single coin on its back. The Pokémon is found all over Scarlet and Violet‘s Paldea, but no one has ever captured one because it moves so speedily. This form of the Gimmighoul will make its way to Pokémon Go.

This Pokémon is a part of the ‘Coin Cheat Pokémon’ category of Pokémon and is a Ghost-type. Its height is 1′ and it usually weighs about 11 lbs.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Greavard

Not all puppy-like creatures are sugar and spice in the world of Pokémon. In fact, this new Scarlet and Violet Pokémon is anything but at first glance. According to Greavard’s official description, “It has powerful jaws that can shatter bones.” One bite can lead to a lot of pain. But as we look deeper, it seems like Greavard isn’t actually vicious, just a little odd. Most of the time, Greavard just lays underground. But if someone gets too close, it will let out eerie howls.

Greavard does want to make friends, and it loves attention. But apparently, “Greavard will slowly and inadvertently absorb the life-force of those around it, so it’s best not to play with it too much.” Poor thing!

This Pokémon is a part of the ‘Ghost Dog Pokémon’ category of Pokémon and is a Ghost-type. Its height is 2’1 and it usually weighs about 77.2 lbs.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s new Pokémon:

• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Pokémon: Iron Treads // Great Tusk // Gimmighoul // Greavard // Bellibolt // Wiglett // Armarouge // Ceruledge // Klawf // Grafaiai // Cyclizar // Cetitan // Fidough // Pawmi // Lechonk // Smoliv
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Regional Variants: Paldean Farigiraf (Girafarig Evolution), Paldean Wooper
• Scarlet and Violet’s Legendary Pokémon: Koraidon and Miraidon
• Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet‘s Starters: Sprigatito // Fuecoco // Quaxly
• All of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Creatures: Full Pokédex
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Features: Terastallizing with Tera Orbs // Titan Pokémon
• New Pokémon From Scarlet and Violet‘s DLC Expansion: The Teal Mask // The Indigo Disk

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Bellibolt

Bellibolt is an adorable frog-like Pokémon that lives in the Paldea region. It contracts and expands its body to generate electricity in its belly-button like organ. This electricity then releases through eye-like bumps on Bellibolt’s head, which help this new Pokémon to appear intimidating. Bellibolt has an easy going nature and won’t typically attack first. Its stomach emits noises that sound like cries when it’s hungry.

Bellibolt has a brand new ability, Electromorphosis. When attacked, Bellibolt becomes charged and its next Electric-type move gets a power boost.

This Pokémon is a part of the ‘EleFrog’ category of Pokémon and is an Electric-type. Its height is 3’11” and it usually weighs about 249.1 lbs.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Wiglett

The Pokémon Company recently revealed another brand new Pokémon to the world of Scarlet and Violet. Even though the Paldean Wiglett looks like a Diglett, this is a brand new creature altogether. In the video, the Pokémon researchers consider whether Wiglett could be a Scarlet and Violet regional form of Diglett, but decide this is not the case.

While no one is sure how long Wiglett’s really are, we do know they have a great sense of smell. If a Wiglett catches the scent of another Pokémon, it will burrow down into the sand and hide.

Scarlet and Violet‘s Wiglett is a part of the ‘Garden Eel’ category of Pokémon and is a Water-type. Its height is 3’11” and it usually weighs about 4 lbs.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Armarouge

In addition to all its cute critters, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are introducing us to two new more humanoid Pokémon. The first of these is Armarouge. This noble Pokémon dons armor that once belonged to a distinguished warrior (whether human or not isn’t confirmed). The armor is the energy source of Armarouge’s psychic moves. The armor’s psychic abilities also allows the Pokémon to control the fire energy in its body and attack. The official description for Armarough notes that it believes in a fair fight and will always approach an opponent head-on, no matter the power difference between them.

Armarouge has a fire-type special move called Armor Canon, which this new Scarlet and Violet Pokémon can learn. To use Armor Canon, Armarouge “moves both its pauldrons to its hands and puts its arms together to form a cannon, allowing it to shoot its own armor out as blazing projectiles.” But in exchange for power, its defense falls.

Armarouge is a part of the ‘Fire Warrior’ category of Pokémon and is a Fire/Psychic-type. Its height is 4’11” and it usually weighs about 187.4 lbs. This Pokémon is one fiery knight.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Ceruledge

Ceruledge is Armarouge’s Scarlet and Violet foil. While Armarouge’s armor belonged to a great fighter, Ceruledge wears armor “steeped in grudges and wields blades made of fire and ghost energy.” This new Pokémon sounds pretty cool though. Ceruledge’s blades become great swords in battle and wounds from them leave cuts that cause life energy to flow away.

Ceruledge will never hesitate to sneak attack to gain an advantage. It uses its fast movements to capitalize on opponents’ blind spots and then attacks with its blades. It can learn the fire-type move “Bitter Blade.” This move “gathers the lingering regrets of the fallen into Ceruledge’s swords, allowing it to focus that bitterness into a slashing attack. The swords then absorb life energy from wounds they made, and the user’s HP is restored by up to half the damage taken by the target.”

Ceruledge is a part of the ‘Fire Blades’ category of Pokémon and is a Fire/Ghost-type. Its height is 5’3″ and it usually weighs about 136.7 lbs. This Pokémon is one to watch out for.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Klawf

But, back to the cute new Pokémon. Klawf may not be able to compete with puppy-like Pokémon, but we still love this crab character. According to its description, Klawf has powerful claws. They can hold things incredibly tightly and will grow back if cut off. Typically, Klawf uses one claw to hold its opponent in place while it attacks with the other. A bit disturbingly, “in certain parts of the Paldea region, Klawf claws are considered a valuable cooking ingredient.” Sounds like one for the Pokémon cookbook.

Klawf also has the advantage of bulbous spinning eyes that can see all and leave it with no blindspots. To hunt its prey, it latches onto cliffsides and hangs upside down to attack from above. However, eventually it gets dizzy from the blood rushing to its head. Klawf also has a new Pokémon special ability, “Anger Shell.” This means that “when Klawf’s HP drops to half or less, the Pokémon gets angry. This lowers its Defense and Sp. Def stats but boosts its Attack, Sp. Atk, and Speed stats.”

Klawf is a part of the ‘Ambush’ category of Pokémon and is a Rock-type. Its height is 4’3″ and it usually weighs about 174.2 lbs. This Pokémon is not monkeying around.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s new Pokémon:

• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Pokémon: Iron Treads // Great Tusk // Gimmighoul // Greavard // Bellibolt // Wiglett // Armarouge // Ceruledge // Klawf // Grafaiai // Cyclizar // Cetitan // Fidough // Pawmi // Lechonk // Smoliv
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Regional Variants: Paldean Farigiraf (Girafarig Evolution), Paldean Wooper
• Scarlet and Violet’s Legendary Pokémon: Koraidon and Miraidon
• Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet‘s Starters: Sprigatito // Fuecoco // Quaxly
• All of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Creatures: Full Pokédex
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Features: Terastallizing with Tera Orbs // Titan Pokémon
• New Pokémon From Scarlet and Violet‘s DLC Expansion: The Teal Mask // The Indigo Disk

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Grafaiai

Grafaiai is a mysterious new Pokémon coming to Scarlet and Violet. The official description of Grafaiai shares, “Grafaiai is a moody Pokémon with a fastidious disposition. It doesn’t form packs, preferring to roam alone. It’s constantly caught up in territorial struggles with other Pokémon.” In short, this new Pokémon is a loner monkey/lemur. The nocturnal Grafaiai uses its poisonous saliva to paint designs on trees in its territory during the night. Bug Pokémon are attracted to the saliva’s sweet smell, but when they encounter the poison, it paralyzes them. At dawn, Grafaiai collects its prey… Very ominous.

When this Scarlet and Violet Pokémon feels like it’s in danger, its saliva becomes more potent and the poison in it more concentrated. Grafaiai attacks with this venomous saliva, which changes colors depending on what it has eaten. It spits at its foes or coats its claws to slash at enemies. Grafaiai’s toxins can immobilize victims for days.​​

Grafaiai is a part of the ‘Toxic Monkey’ category of Pokémon and is a Poison/Normal-type. Its height is 2’4″ and it usually weighs about 60 lbs. This Pokémon is not monkeying around.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Cyclizar

The upcoming games seem to love the idea of Pokémon that become machines. And Cyclizar, a new Scarlet and Violet Pokémon does exactly this. Its official description shares that it’s very common to see people riding Cyclizar. Apparently, the Pokémon has lived in households in the Paldea region since ancient times. Apparently, the warmth of a rider helps Cyclizer to keep away the chill.

Cyclizar can go at speeds of over 70 mph with a human rider. It has a hard and thick head, but also a lithe tail. These help it keep its balance and absorb shock while sprinting, but also help it attack during battle. In addition, Cyclizar has a new move to introduce to the Pokémon world called “Shed Tail.”

Apparently when Shed Tail is launched, “the user creates a substitute for itself using its own HP before switching places with a party Pokémon in waiting.” A very interesting ability.

Cyclizar is a part of the ‘Mount’ category of Pokémon and is a Dragon/Normal-type. Its height is 5’3″ and it usually weighs about 138.9 lbs. Trainers will definitely appreciate the skills of this Pokémon.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Cetitan

It’s not every day a whale lives on land, or in the snow, for that matter, but Cetitan does both these things. A Terra Whale Pokémon​, Cetitan uses its tough muscles and other adapatations to survive. According to its description, this new Pokémon​ have tough muscles that make their bodily attacks incredibly powerful. In addition, they are protected from the elements by a layer of thick blubber. In addition, Cetitan has five powerful horns and one on the upper jaw can even gather ice energy from the Pokemon’s freezing surrondings. Definetly one whale not to mess with.

Cetitan is a part of the ‘Terra Whale’ category of Pokémon and is an Ice-type. Its height is 14’9″ and it usually weighs about 1,543.2 lbs. There’s no word yet on any evolutions for Cetitan. But can imagine that it will only grow more powerful in every form.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Fidough

Although the the Gen 9 starters have been lauded as supremely sweet and other new Scarlet and Violet Pokémon, like Lechonk, are super adorable, Fidough may have just claimed the cutest prize. This Scarlet and Violet Pokémon is literally a puppy made of bread, and it helps people bake. What could be cuter than that? According to its description, Fidough’s skin has the quality of dough, it’s smooth, moist, and elastic. When it gets excited it puffs right up like puff pastery to intimidate its opponents by appearing bigger. (No word yet if that actually works.) In addition, Fidough ferments things around it with the yeast in its breath. This yeast is useful for cooking and baking, so Fidough is greatly loved and protected.

Fidough is a part of the ‘Puppy’ category of Pokémon and is a Fairy-type. Its height is 1′ and it usually weighs about 24 lbs. There’s no word yet on any evolutions for Fidough. We hope if it gets any though it becomes even cuter and turns into a more complicated pastry.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s new Pokémon:

• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Pokémon: Iron Treads // Great Tusk // Gimmighoul // Greavard // Bellibolt // Wiglett // Armarouge // Ceruledge // Klawf // Grafaiai // Cyclizar // Cetitan // Fidough // Pawmi // Lechonk // Smoliv
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Regional Variants: Paldean Farigiraf (Girafarig Evolution), Paldean Wooper
• Scarlet and Violet’s Legendary Pokémon: Koraidon and Miraidon
• Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet‘s Starters: Sprigatito // Fuecoco // Quaxly
• All of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Creatures: Full Pokédex
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Features: Terastallizing with Tera Orbs // Titan Pokémon

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Pawmi

Move over Pikachu, because Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s adorable new Pokémon, Pawmi, is coming for the best electric-mouse Pokémon prize. Well, okay, okay, there’s room enough for everyone. But this Pokémon sure is cute and, as mentioned, it has the advantage of being new to the game.

According to its description, Pawmi has electric sacks in its cheeks, similar to Pikachu. But in addition, “Pawmi has electricity-discharging organs on its forepaws. It generates electricity by rubbing its cheeks, then it shocks its opponents by touching them with the pads on its forepaws.” Don’t get too close, no matter how adorable, is the moral of the story.

Pawmi’s thick fur gives it good insulation against the cold. But that fur also stores electricity for Pawmi. And “when it feels uneasy, this cautious Pokémon will begin rubbing its cheeks, preparing itself to discharge an electric shock.” So, let’s make sure to keep this new Scarlet and Violet Pokémon very comfortable.

Pawmi is a part of the ‘Mouse’ category of Pokémon and is an Electric-type. Its height is 1′ and it usually weighs about 5.5 lbs. There’s no word yet on any evolutions for Pawmi. But we’re sure whatever evolutionary form it takes will probably be a little less cute and a little more fierce.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Lechonk

Lechonk‘s name really says it all. This new Pokémon will bring some much-needed chonky energy to Scarlet and Violet. And we already admire its commitment to getting a delicious treat.

According to its official description, this Pokémon is a “gourmand with an excellent nose.” And that means it can always sniff out “only the most fragrant wild grasses and the richest Berries” to eat. It’s not a favorite of bug Pokémon though, as its eating habits give it a specific smell of herbs those Pokémon dislike. That certainly gives us food for thought.

While Lechonk is timid and fainthearted, don’t let that fool you. The Pokémon may panic if attacked, but it is made of mostly muscle. All that walking around in search of food keeps Lechonk in shape.

Lechonk is a part of the ‘Hog’ category of Pokémon and is a Normal-type. Its height is 1’8″ and it usually weighs about 22.5 lbs. There’s no word yet on any evolutions for Lechonk. But honestly, we don’t need any new Scarlet and Violet evolutions for this Pokémon. It is perfect as is.

New Gen 9 Pokémon: Smoliv

Smoliv may be… smol, but it sure packs a punch. This new Pokémon may look like a tiny little plant but it releases an oil from its head that’s bitter and will make you back away. When Smoliv is threatened, it will shoot this oil at its opponents, slowing them down. Smoliv is also an incredibly adaptable Pokémon. It’s official description shares:

In the fruit on its head, Smoliv stores oil made from nutrients it gathers through photosynthesis. As a result, it can go for a week without eating or drinking.​ It prefers dry and sunny climates, and it seems to spend its days sunbathing.

Smoliv is a part of the ‘Olive’ category of Pokémon and is a Grass/Normal-type. Its height is 1′ and it usually weighs about 14.3 lbs. There’s no word yet on any evolutions for Smoliv. But we can’t wait to see what Smoliv’s evolutionary forms will look like. It surely has us in mind of Mediterranean climes. And that makes a lot of sense considering the new Pokémon games will take place in a world that seems inspired by Spain. We wonder what other kinds of new Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will bring.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s new Pokémon:

• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Pokémon: Iron Treads // Great Tusk // Gimmighoul // Greavard // Bellibolt // Wiglett // Armarouge // Ceruledge // Klawf // Grafaiai // Cyclizar // Cetitan // Fidough // Pawmi // Lechonk // Smoliv
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Regional Variants: Paldean Farigiraf (Girafarig Evolution), Paldean Wooper
• Scarlet and Violet’s Legendary Pokémon: Koraidon and Miraidon
• Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet‘s Starters: Sprigatito // Fuecoco // Quaxly
• All of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Creatures: Full Pokédex
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Features: Terastallizing with Tera Orbs // Titan Pokémon
• New Pokémon From Scarlet and Violet‘s DLC Expansion: The Teal Mask // The Indigo Disk

Scarlet and Violet‘s New Regional Variants

Of course, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet introduce us to a new region, the region of Paldea. According to the games’ official website, the Paldea regions is “a land of vast open spaces dotted with lakes, towering peaks, wastelands, and perilous mountain ranges.” There, people and Pokémon live together. Naturally a new Pokémon region means new regional forms and variants for us to explore. Here are the new Gen 9 Scarlet and Violet regional variants that we’ve met so far.

New Gen 9 Regional Form: Paldean Farigiraf

Pokémon’s Girafarig has never before had an evolutionary form, until now. In Paldea, Girafarig will evolve into the Paldean regional variant, Farigiraf. Technically, Farigiraf is a brand new Pokémon, but since it comes from an existing one, we’ll label it a Scarlet and Violet regional variant.

Farigiraf actually has two brains, one from its tail and one from it head, which have fused together in this evolutionary form. They are connected through thick nerves and can attack with psychic energy. Sometimes, a Farigiraf’s brains move faster than its body. Farigiraf can also attack and defend with its long neck. The force of its neck, made sturdy by the connection of its tail, can crush rock.

Farigiraf has two new unique abilities, Cud Chew and Armor tail, which really power up the Scarlet and Violet Pokémon.

The height of this regional variant is 10’6 ” and it usually weighs about 352.7 lbs. It is a “Long Neck” Pokémon and its type is Normal/Psychic.

New Gen 9 Regional Form: Paldean Wooper

The Paldean Wooper is every bit as cute as its normal counterpart. While a normal Wooper is usually a Water Fish category Pokémon that is a Water/Ground-type, this Scarlet and Violent regional variant is a little bit different. The Paldean Wooper is a Poison/Ground​-type and a Poison Fish Pokémon.

According to its description, this Gen 9 regional Pokémon lives on land. And it’s actually a sad story. The official website shares, “In ancient times, Wooper lived underwater in the Paldea region. But it seems after losing in a struggle for territory, they began living in bogs on land.​” In order to avoid drying out, they began to “cover their bodies with a poisonous film.”

Additionally the Paldean Wooper’s gills have hardened because of its new land life, and its body is heavy and moves slowly. But in its Scarlet and Violent regional form, the Wooper can shoot poisonous liquid from the gills instead, poisioning the Pokémon around it.

The height of this Scarlet and Violet regional variant is 1’4″ and it usually weighs about 24.3 lbs. There’s no word yet on whether the Paldean Wooper evolves into a Paldean Quagsire. We guess we will have to hear more about Scarlet and Violet‘s regional forms to find out.

Scarlet and Violet‘s Legendary Pokémon

It wouldn’t be a new Pokémon game if we didn’t get some incredible Legendaries to marvel at. And Pokémon Scarlet and Violet absolutely do not let us down in the Legendary Pokémon department. We now know that the Legendary Pokémon Koraidon will appear in Pokémon Scarlet. In the meanwhile, the new Legendary Pokémon Miraidon will appear in Pokémon Violet. We also recently learned that both these Scarlet and Violet Legendary Pokémon can turn into vehicles, such as motorcycles and planes, their trainer can ride.

Gen 9’s Legendary Pokémon: Koraidon and Miraidon

Both the new Scarlet and Violet Legendary Pokémon look like dragons to us and Miraidon looks like it could be an electric-type Pokémon. However, not much information is yet available about these Legendary Pokémon.

The official website for the games shares:

Koraidon is a Legendary Pokémon you can meet in Pokémon Scarlet, and Miraidon is a Legendary Pokémon you can meet in Pokémon Violet. These two Pokémon are said to have powers that far surpass those of other Pokémon, but details about Koraidon and Miraidon are still shrouded in mystery.

A new trailer for the game does give us a better look a the mythical creatures, though.

In the trailer, we get a more life-like rendering of these two new Legendary Scarlet and Violet Pokémon. And what jumps out to us there is how machine-like Miraidon seems. The Legendary Pokémon even has blasters for legs. Meanwhile, Koraidon seems all-natural. Some internet speculation wonders if the design of these new Legendaries reflects a theme of nature vs. technology, with Pokémon Scarlet repping nature and Pokémon Violet representing technology. The professors for the two games seem to also fit into this idea. We guess we will just have to wait and see what these powerful creatures have in store for us.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s new Pokémon:

• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Pokémon: Iron Treads // Great Tusk // Gimmighoul // Greavard // Bellibolt // Wiglett // Armarouge // Ceruledge // Klawf // Grafaiai // Cyclizar // Cetitan // Fidough // Pawmi // Lechonk // Smoliv
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Regional Variants: Paldean Farigiraf (Girafarig Evolution), Paldean Wooper
• Scarlet and Violet’s Legendary Pokémon: Koraidon and Miraidon
• Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet‘s Starters: Sprigatito // Fuecoco // Quaxly
• All of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Creatures: Full Pokédex
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Features: Terastallizing with Tera Orbs // Titan Pokémon
• New Pokémon From Scarlet and Violet‘s DLC Expansion: The Teal Mask // The Indigo Disk

Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet‘s Starters

Starter Pokémon are among some of the most important Pokémon in the games. Trainers pick these creatures as their first companions and they set the tone for the rest of a player’s adventure. They also often reveal the theme of the game. For instance, Gen 9’s starter Pokémon hint at the idea that the Scarlet and Violet games will take place in a Spain-inspired Region, as mentioned above. Often, starter Pokémon are Earth, Fire, and Water-types, and Scarlet and Violet‘s new starters follow this format as well.

Gen 9’s New Grass-type Starter: Sprigatito

The first of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet‘s new starters is Sprigatito, Gen 9’s grass-type starter. More specifically, Sprigatito is a Grass Cat Pokémon. This Pokémon’s height is 1’4″ and it weighs 9 lbs. Its primary ability is Overgrow.

According to its official description, Sprigatito is a “capricious, attention-seeking Grass Cat Pokémon.” Well, that sounds like every cat we’ve ever met to us. But watch out for this one’s leaves, in addition to its claws. It has a sweet smile, but we can see the mischief lurking underneath.

We’ve also now learned that “when Sprigatito kneads and rubs with its forepaws, a sweet aroma is released that can mesmerize those around it. This aroma has therapeutic qualities and makes opponents lose their will to battle.” Sounds like a handy ability. Additionally, Sprigatito creates energy by absorbing sunlight and it “adds moisture to its fur by grooming itself, which aids its ability to photosynthesize.”

Gen 9’s New Fire-type Starter: Fuecoco

Gen 9’s adorable fire-type starter is Fuecoco. This Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet creature is actually a Fire Croc Pokémon. He reminds us more of a fire dinosaur, but we can see the croc there if we squint. We’re sure that aspect will come out more in Fuecoco’s evolutions.

Additionally, we know now that the square scales on Fuecoco’s stomach absorb heat. And this heat can be converted into fire energy. Although always warm, watch out for these scales getting hot. This Scarlet and Violet starter also has flames sprouting out of its head, that’s actually fire energy leaking out. The more excited Fuecoco is, the more flames decorate its head. Happily, this member of the Scarlet and Violet starters club is very chill.

In its starter form, Fuecoco measures 1’4″ and weighs 21.6 lbs. Its main ability is Blaze. Its official description shares, “The laid-back Fire Croc Pokémon that does things at its own pace” and “it will sprint toward any food it finds with a glint in its eye.” Absolutely adorable. Perhaps Fuecoco and Slowpoke can be good friends.

Gen 9’s New Water-type Starter: Quaxly

Quaxly makes up the last part of the Scarlet and Violet starters trio. This adorable duck is a water-type Pokémon in the Duckling category. (Our new favorite category, it must be said.)

Although Quaxly is a brand new Pokémon, he has already won many hearts. At 1’8″, it stands as the tallest of the Gen 9 starter Pokémon. And Quaxly weighs 13.4 lbs. Its main ability is Torrent.

Quaxly’s whole body is covered in a protective, glossy gel which repels dirt and grime. And that’s why Quaxly is always shiny. Quaxly’s coif is kept in place with a thick, rich cream but can become unkempt when dry. Quaxly also has some strong legs and can swim against fierce currents. In battle it will often kick its opponents repeatedly.

We also know that Quaxly is an “earnest and tidy Duckling Pokémon” and that it “dislikes getting its head dirty.” Cue the collective awwwwws over this Pokémon.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s new Pokémon:

• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Pokémon: Iron Treads // Great Tusk // Gimmighoul // Greavard // Bellibolt // Wiglett // Armarouge // Ceruledge // Klawf // Grafaiai // Cyclizar // Cetitan // Fidough // Pawmi // Lechonk // Smoliv
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Regional Variants: Paldean Farigiraf (Girafarig Evolution), Paldean Wooper
• Scarlet and Violet’s Legendary Pokémon: Koraidon and Miraidon
• Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet‘s Starters: Sprigatito // Fuecoco // Quaxly
• All of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Creatures: Full Pokédex
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Features: Terastallizing with Tera Orbs // Titan Pokémon
• New Pokémon From Scarlet and Violet‘s DLC Expansion: The Teal Mask // The Indigo Disk

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s Full Pokédex

To get to know every single one of Scarlet and Violet‘s Pokémon, you can check out this full Pokédex that YouTube MELOO has put together.

Enjoy catching them all!

New Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Features

Terastallizing with Tera Orbs in Scarlet and Violet

In addition to new Scarlet and Violet Pokémon, regional forms, legendaries, and starters, every Pokémon gets a novel form in the Paldea region. The upcoming Pokémon games introduce a new gameplay element. With the help of a Tera orb, Pokémon can undergo the phenomenon of terastallizing. This makes Pokémon shine like gemstones as they crystallize into new forms of themselves. All Pokémon in the Paldea region are able to terastallize. Undergoing this process may provide or change a Pokémon’s type and enhance its moves. These changes occur based on a Pokémon’s Tera-type and some Pokémon possess rare Tera-types. All we know is, these Scarlet and Violet crystalline Pokémon forms sure are pretty.

Titan Pokémon

What are Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s Titan Pokémon? Well, Titan Pokémon are a new variation of existing Pokémon that appear in the games that are “bigger and stronger than ordinary Pokémon.” It seems like these Titan Pokémon will offer something like boss battles during Scarlet and Violet‘s adventures.

To defeat them, you’ll likely need to use Herba Mystica. Herba Mystica are “extremely rare herbs that can only be found in Paldea.” And they’ll restore your health immediately after you eat them. Incredible.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s new Pokémon:

• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Pokémon: Iron Treads // Great Tusk // Gimmighoul // Greavard // Bellibolt // Wiglett // Armarouge // Ceruledge // Klawf // Grafaiai // Cyclizar // Cetitan // Fidough // Pawmi // Lechonk // Smoliv
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Regional Variants: Paldean Farigiraf (Girafarig Evolution), Paldean Wooper
• Scarlet and Violet’s Legendary Pokémon: Koraidon and Miraidon
• Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet‘s Starters: Sprigatito // Fuecoco // Quaxly
• All of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Creatures: Full Pokédex
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Features: Terastallizing with Tera Orbs // Titan Pokémon
• New Pokémon From Scarlet and Violet‘s DLC Expansion: The Teal Mask // The Indigo Disk

New Pokémon From Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s DLC Expansions

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will receive their first DLC expansions in 2023. These two-part additions to the game, titled The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero will, of course, bring with them some more entries to the Pokédex. You can see them in action in the latest teaser trailer for the Scarlet and Violet DLC.

Here are the new Pokémon you’ll receive when you add these DLCs to Scarlet and Violet.

The Teal Mask

In The Teal Mask, you’ll find new Pokémon that inhabit the land of Kitakami. They include Legendary Pokémon Ogerpon as well as Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti. Ogerpon seems to resemble a demon of some sort, while Okidogi looks like a humanoid dog, Munkidori carries a monkey presence with him, and Fezandipiti is pheasant-like. Dipplin, the Candy Apple Pokémon and a new evolution of Applin, also joins the fun.

Click To View Gallery

Additonally, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 1: The Teal Mask DLC for Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet will reveal a very special Matcha Pokémon, Poltchageist. Don’t be fooled by its cute appearance. “After a target is sprinkled with some of Poltchageist’s powdery body or eats food dusted with it, Poltchageist drains their life-force and absorbs it as energy.​

We finally have a specific release date for The Teal Mask—this Scarlet and Violet DLC will arrive on September 13, 2023.

The Indigo Disk

The Indigo Disk presented us with the new Scarlet and Violet Pokémon, Terapagos. This sea-turtle like creature seems to be tied to the terastallizing phenomenon somehow.

the Legendary Pokémon Terapagos also has a second Normal Form in addition to its Terastal Form.

Joining Terapagos we also have Raging Bolt, an Electric/Dragon Pokémon, and Iron Crown, a Steel/Psychic Pokémon. These fellas seem very powerful.

Archaludon, a Steel/Dragon evolution of Duraludon, also joins the fray. Archaludon can take the form of a bridge in battle.

We also finally have a release date for The Indigo Mask—this Scarlet and Violet DLC will arrive on December 14.

Other Expansion Additions

The official site also shares, “These expansions bring with them over 230 familiar Pokémon that had not appeared in Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet.” For instance, Gligar will appear in The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero for Pokémon Scarlet, while Aipom turns up in The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero for Pokémon Violet. Here is a sampling of other Pokémon we’ll see.

From Teal Mask

From Indigo Disk

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Gameplay, Order/Release Information, and More

The Pokémon Company has now released two trailers for the upcoming games. In addition to information about the new Scarlet and Violet starters, we see some of the cool environments and gameplay we can expect from the open-world adventures in the first trailer. From desert areas to beachside houses, the game offers a lush variety of different settings. We also feel interested to see if an element of time travel comes into play.

The trailer seems to focus on a whirling clock. In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, trainers traveled back in time. But perhaps in Scarlet and Violet, fans will see gameplay across time periods. This would allow the games to showcase a wider scope of action. Additionally, if the games really are inspired by Spain, they could take players to different moments in history. It would certainly offer a cool twist on the standard Pokémon game. We’re used to seeing regional variants of Pokémon, but maybe Scarlet and Violet could lean even harder into temporal variants.

The second trailer for the game also revealed some other important information, Scarlet and Violet‘s release date information. The games released on November 18.

For now, you can already pre-order Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. 

Order Pokémon Scarlet Order:

Amazon // Wal-Mart

Order Pokémon Violet:

Amazon // Wal-Mart

Discover All of the New Pokémon From Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

We love the first new Pokémon we’ve got to meet, and now it’s time to play the games and explore the world of Paldea fully. With so many different environments, you never know what’s around the corner. From new Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starters to more new legendaries to eagerly anticipated regional forms and evolutions, these creatures are unique. May your Pokémon trainer journeys be the very best.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‘s new Pokémon:

• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Pokémon: Iron Treads // Great Tusk // Gimmighoul // Greavard // Bellibolt // Wiglett // Armarouge // Ceruledge // Klawf // Grafaiai // Cyclizar // Cetitan // Fidough // Pawmi // Lechonk // Smoliv
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Regional Variants: Paldean Farigiraf (Girafarig Evolution), Paldean Wooper
• Scarlet and Violet’s Legendary Pokémon: Koraidon and Miraidon
• Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet‘s Starters: Sprigatito // Fuecoco // Quaxly
• All of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Creatures: Full Pokédex
• Scarlet and Violet‘s New Features: Terastallizing with Tera Orbs // Titan Pokémon
• New Pokémon From Scarlet and Violet‘s DLC Expansion: The Teal Mask // The Indigo Disk

Originally Published February 28, 2022.

The post Meet POKÉMON SCARLET and VIOLET’s New Pokémon and Regional Forms appeared first on Nerdist.

A new entry into the world of Planet of the Apes is coming our way. And it picks up generations after we left Caesar and his tribe living peacefully in War for the Planet of the Apes. Trouble, of course, is brewing, as it naturally does in order for franchises to continue. And we can sense an epic conflict coming our way. The first teaser trailer for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sets us up well for the “action-adventure spectacle” that awaits, promising ape tyrants, human friends, lots of danger, but also beauty. You can get your first look at what’s in store below.

The official logline for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes released with the trailer reveals more about its story; it notes:

Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

That young ape, of course, is Cornelius, Caesar’s son. And he won’t allow his father’s legacy to be ruined by those who would use it for ill. But will he successfully bring peace to apes and humans alike in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes? We’ll have to wait and see where his journey goes. But this trailer suggests it certainly won’t be an easy quest.

A release shares, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is directed by Wes Ball (the “Maze Runner” trilogy) and stars Owen Teague (“IT”), Freya Allan (“The Witcher”), Kevin Durand (“Locke & Key”), Peter Macon (“Shameless”), and William H. Macy (“Fargo”).” This Planet of the Apes movie releases in theaters on May 24, 2024.

The post KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Trailer Teases an Ape Tyrant on the Rise appeared first on Nerdist.

Stephen King’s IT has haunted us since 1986. But most recently, IT and IT: Chapter Two directed by Andy Muschietti really captivated popular imagination. The devious Pennywise and his red balloon caused a stir among die-hard horror fans and casual viewers. And now, we’re heading back to Derry for more of that specific world. The newly coined streamer Max (formerly HBO Max) has officially greenlit and ordered Welcome To Derry, an IT prequel series from Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs. And now we know who will star in Welcome to Derry and when it will arrive on our screens.

The platform recently revealed that Welcome to Derry‘s cast will include Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, and James Remar. According to Deadline, Madeleine Stowe and Stephen Rider have also come aboard in recurring guest and series regular roles, respectively. Additionally, although the Pennywise series was slated for a Halloween 2024 release on Max, HBO CEO Casey Bloys now reveals that it will likely come in 2025.

According to TV Line, Andy Muschietti will also direct several episodes of the series, including its first. The publication reports the HBO IT series will be set in the ’60s. It will delve into the origins of Derry’s curse and, presumably, Pennywise the Clown. The HBO Max show will eventually lead to the first IT film.

It’s not clear whether we’d see Pennywise become the main character of the Welcome to Derry prequel show. But we wouldn’t mind seeing Bill Skarsgård step into the role once more. Though, for now, it doesn’t seem like he’ll have any involvement.

Skarsgård shared the following about the IT prequel with Jake’s Takes:

As of now, I’m not currently involved in it… If someone else gets to do it, my advice would be: Do it your own. Make it your own. Have fun with it… What I thought was so pleasurable about that character was how incredibly abstract he was.

We do, however, have a look at first look at the set of the series.

We’ll just have to see what else lies in store for Pennywise and Derry.

Originally published on February 23, 2023.

The post Max IT Prequel Series WELCOME TO DERRY Release Date Delayed to 2025 appeared first on Nerdist.

After many years of insisting that its platform would remain ad-free, Netflix’s ad tier launched a year ago. At the same time, Netflix also put significant efforts into its password-sharing crackdown, another long-time facet of the platform. And it seems like, in combination and alongside strategic price shifts, Netflix’s ad tier has found success.

In May, Netflix revealed that its ad tier had 5 million monthly active users. It now shares that number has tripled in its latest report. In a blog post, Netflix notes that its ad-supported plan “[reaches] 15 million global monthly active users.” That is indeed a huge jump. In that span of time, Netflix became increasingly strict about account-sharing. And it also moved to increase the price of its ad-free offerings. Deadline notes that “Instead of paying the new fee to share their passwords, evidence suggests that many subscribers simply enrolled in the ad-supported plan.” Since Netflix’s ad-free plans cost nearly double its current ad-supported tier, it’s not surprising that users would be drawn to the cheapest option when faced with needing to change their mechanism of viewing.

Unfortunately for the consumer, it seems like what’s always been true for the television and movie business remains true for streaming. Ads generate money. Across the board, streaming platforms that once sought to disrupt the traditional ecosystem are returning to their roots. And for those trying to watch their favorite shows, that means more ads, more price hikes, and more password-sharing crackdowns are on the horizon.

Netflix’s update does have some good news for users, though. In an effort to enhance the member experience, Netflix has “upgraded the feature set of our ads plan to include 1080p versus 720p video quality, two concurrent streams, and downloads to become available by the end of this week. All members of the ad-supported plan will be able to download their favorite series and movies, making Netflix the only ad-supported streamer to offer downloads.” Downloads are a convenient facet of Netflix’s offerings, so it’s nice that ad-tier users will get that ability back.

Additionally, Netflix notes that it has developed a new “binge ad (wt) format.” Essentially this means that “after watching three consecutive episodes, members will be presented with a fourth episode ad-free.” Netflix has always based itself partially on a model of continuous viewing. We suppose this is good news if you were intending to watch a whole series in one sitting already.

As streaming shenanigans continue to occur, it will be interesting to see if these new developments are actually sustainable.

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Uh-oh. Do you use an ad blocker? You probably do. But if you also like to use YouTube, you may soon have to turn off that handy dandy ad skipper. YouTube is testing taking a hardline against ad blocker usage on its interface, using its own version of tactics other websites employ. Instead of blocking you from viewing page content if you’re using an ad blocker, YouTube could soon block you from viewing its videos. Ads, it seems are at the center of every conversation right now.

YouTube’s Ad Blocker Crackdown Is Ramping Up

As we saw on The Verge, in June, YouTube was running “a small experiment globally that urges viewers with ad blockers enabled to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium.” This experiment entails warning users that they may no longer be able to watch videos on YouTube if they don’t disable ad blockers. If an ad blocker is active, users will be able to watch only three videos on YouTube before the platform stops letting them watch any more. And, as of October, it seems like this test has been ramped up in scope, with many users suddenly receiving the ad blocker warning.

Gizmodo reports that, initially, warnings against ad-blocker usage on YouTube could be immediately closed or closed after a brief period of time had elapsed. But now, when a user receives these YouTube pop-ups, they cannot close out of them and continue to view videos on Youtube unless the ad-blocker is disabled.

YouTube and Google’s Perspective

Google spokesperson Oluwa Falodun shared with The Verge, “We take disabling playback very seriously, and will only disable playback if viewers ignore repeated requests to allow ads on YouTube… In cases when viewers feel they have been falsely flagged as using an ad blocker, they can share this feedback by clicking on the link in the prompt.”

Additionally, YouTube communications manager Christopher Lawton noted that using an ad-blocker violates YouTube’s terms of service.

Of course, YouTube taking a stance against ad blockers is one we might have seen coming. One of the perks of YouTube’s paid version, YouTube Premium, is an ad-free experience. If users can get an ad-free experience anyway, they may not be as incentivized to sign up. The company shares, “YouTube’s ad-supported model supports a diverse ecosystem of creators, and provides billions of people globally access to content for free with ads.” There is, however, the fact that YouTube Premium costs $13.99/month, which is no small price to pay, especially as other streaming platforms become more expensive and complex to navigate.

YouTube shares finally, “We want to inform viewers that ad blockers violate YouTube’s Terms of Service, and make it easier for them to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium for an ad-free experience.” We imagine that is indeed what the platform wants.

Originally published on June 29, 2023.

The post YouTube’s Ad Blocker Crackdown Is Intensifying appeared first on Nerdist.

In Stranger Things 4, fans met and fell in love with Eddie Munson. But, unfortunately, they didn’t get to spend too much time with him. After all, there were tons of characters and plots that divided the screen time. And then, of course, Eddie met his untimely death, much to the sadness of all. But happily, Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus, a Stranger Things prequel novel by Caitlin Schneiderhan, sets aside time for us to spend just with Eddie Munson. In the pages of this Eddie Munson-centric book, fans get to uncover many fascinating facts about Eddie, some we already kind of knew and some we were delighted to discover.

Although the book has many other fun facets for you to explore, like Eddie blackmailing Hawkins High’s principal into letting Hellfire Club exist (but only after he was blackmailed first), his early meetings with Reefer Rick, and his relationship with Wayne—here are some of the best things we learned about Eddie Munson from the Stranger Things prequel book Flight of Icarus.

Eddie Munson Is Corroded Coffin’s Lead Singer and Writes His Own Songs

Since Stranger Things 4, fans have speculated about who exactly played the role of Corroded Coffin’s lead singer. Although many imagine it was Eddie, in truth, Stranger Things never let us know for sure. But Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus is here to unequivocally confirm that Eddie Munson is Corroded Coffin’s lead singer.

But not only that, the Eddie Munson prequel book reveals that Eddie is also a songwriter. In Flight of Icarus, Eddie plays his/Corroded Coffin’s original song “Fire Shroud” during an important story moment. We have to say, between songwriting and DM-ing, we love the idea of Eddie Munson growing up to be an author should he mysteriously return to life.

Eddie and Chrissy Bonded Over Their Bad Parents at the Middle School Talent Show

To the delight of many HellCheer fans, Eddie and Chrissy’s meeting at the middle-school talent show gets a long flashback in this Stranger Things prequel book. Stranger Things 4 mentioned the encounter, but Flight of Icarus puts a lot of meat on its bones.

As they wait their turn to perform, Eddie and Chrissy run into one another away from everyone else. They’re both trying to sneak a peak at the audience and thinking of their respective bad parents. Eddie is looking for his dad, who isn’t there though he promised to be, and Chrissy is looking at her mother, who, though present, only wants to pick at her daughter. Eddie and Chrissy commiserate over their shared lack of support and promise to cheer one another on in lieu of having anyone else who will. After the show, when Eddie’s father has indeed bailed, and Chrissy’s mother is indeed criticizing her, they share a smile that salvages the evening.

Eddie Loves to Discuss the Intricacies of Elven Politics in Tolkien

We knew Eddie was a J.R.R. Tolkien nerd. (“The Shire is burning, so Mordor it is,” anyone?) But we didn’t know how deep the nerdery went. In the book, we learn Eddie Munson can give a half-hour monologue on the “intricacies of Elven politics in Tolkien.”

Eddie Munson’s Mother Taught Him to Love Music (But Sadly, She Died)

Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus reveals that although Eddie Munson’s father taught him how to play the guitar, it’s Eddie’s mother who taught him to love music. While we only learn a little about her, it’s clear Eddie’s mom wasn’t a fit with Hawkins either. And she used her favorite music, Chicago blues, as a way to connect to the wider world and learn its stories. Eddie’s mom taught him music could be transformative, a means to go somewhere he couldn’t literally. He shares, “My mom’s music was plane tickets. I guess that makes my music a portal to another dimension.”

Eddie Was Gareth’s Mentor Figure Before He Was Dustin’s

Hawkins, Indiana, sees Eddie Munson as a big bad wolf, but the truth couldn’t be further from that vision. In Stranger Things 4, we see Eddie as a brotherly figure to Dustin, helping him find his way in the world and treating him as an equal and friend. But it turns out, much like Steve Harrington, Eddie has had an assortment of younger friends that he’s helped evolve. In Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus, we meet future Corroded Coffin member Gareth. While Gareth is a seasoned member of Hellfire Club by the time of Stranger Things 4, in the Eddie Munson prequel book, he barely knows or likes Dungeons & Dragons. He’s mostly looking for a place he can fit in, and that’s what brings him to Hellfire Club.

Ultimately, Eddie provides that place for Gareth, and we see him teaching Gareth how to love the game and, more importantly, how to love and be true to himself.

Eddie Munson Got to Meet Will Byers

Speaking of mentoring, one of the biggest fan regrets that came after Eddie Munson’s Stranger Things 4 death is that he didn’t get to meet Will Byers. Fans rightfully believed Will would have delighted Eddie and that Eddie would have been aspirational for Will. But happily, Eddie Munson and Will Byers get to interact in Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus.

When some bully jocks heckle Will, Eddie steps in to distract them and save Will and then passes on words of wisdom to the distraught younger boy. It’s a big moment for Eddie, who is finally ready to embrace his own advice, and probably had an impact on Will. (“To hell with what they think./You’re the only person who knows who you are.”) Eddie also tells Will that Zombie Boy is a metal nickname and invites him to Hellfire Club after immediately clocking that Will plays Dungeons & Dragons.

Eddie Often Puts Himself Between His Flock and Bullies’ Fists

Will isn’t the only mini-Freak that Eddie saves from terrible jocks, though. Almost any time a younger nerd is in danger in Flight of Icarus, Eddie Munson steps in to distract the bully. Sometimes he protects kids he doesn’t even know. The idea that Eddie thinks he’s a coward is especially ridiculous after this Stranger Things prequel novel. Eddie Munson is taking literal punches, baseball bats to the stomach, and a lot of ridicule to protect those who are part of his freak flock. We can’t think of anything more heroic than that.

Eddie Munson Had a Best Friend Who Rocks (And Is Possibly Queer)

Eddie’s best friend Ronnie is also his first friend, and he’s known her since childhood. According to Eddie, they’re pretty similar, “same broken home, same trailer park, same haircut.” Except unlike Eddie, “Veronica Ecker is going places. She’s headed to college, she’s headed to law school, she’s getting the hell out of Indiana.” (“Eddie Munson? He’s gonna die in this town.”)

It’s devastating that Eddie ends up being right about this summation because Ronnie would not have disagreed harder with it. Throughout Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus, Ronnie is the person who believes in Eddie the most overtly, except for his Uncle Wayne. Ronnie can see what’s so special about Eddie and the space he creates for other “freaks” in need of it. Ronnie and Eddie have a real “platonic life partners” energy that both resembles Robin and Steve’s Stranger Things dynamic but is completely different. It’s a shame that Ronnie and Eddie end things on a sad note.

Another cool thing about Ronnie is that Flight of Icarus implies she’s queer. After Eddie tries to make a move on her, Ronnie lets him know that she doesn’t like anyone that way and “didn’t think she’d ever have a crush on anybody.” It certainly feels queer-coded.

Eddie’s Guitar Is the Only Thing That Survived a Fire in His House

Eddie’s sweetheart is one metal guitar. Not only does she play a concert in the Upside Down, but she’s actually the only thing that survives a major fire in the house Eddie once shared with his dad. Eddie loses all of his other belongings, including his mom’s records, some of the last things he had to remember her by, but miraculously his guitar survives. This Flight of Icarus backstory makes Eddie Munson’s Upside Down weapon of choice that much more special.

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Catching movies on IMAX screens can be tough. Often, there’s a limited window and many movie-goers vying for the same seats. This was especially true of watching Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer on IMAX screens in 70mm. Oppenheimer was specially filmed to be viewed in this format, but getting seats to the screenings proved tough. In some theaters, they sold out for the entire run. But in a rare turn of events, Oppenheimer is actually making its way back to IMAX screens in select global theaters. So, if you missed your chance to view the movie in its most desirable format the first time, you have another shot.

The Hollywood Reporter shares that “six IMAX 70mm film projections locations worldwide” will screen Oppenheimer in November for one additional week. These IMAX Oppenheimer screenings will begin on November 3. Location-wise, four IMAX theaters in the United States, located in NYC and California, will screen the movie. Oppenheimer will also run in 70mm IMAX in London, and in Melbourne, Australia. If you visit the website for your local IMAX theater, for example, AMC Lincoln Square 13 in NYC, you can see that the tickets for the Christopher Nolan movie on IMAX 70mm are now available.

The Hollywood Reporter additionally shares, “Oppenheimer was shot by cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema using Imax cameras and a combination of Imax 65mm and 65mm large-format film. That included the use of IMAX black and white analog photography.” In short, don’t miss the movie’s limited return to cinema’s biggest screen. This could be the last time Oppenheimer screens in this specific way.

Now we just need to somehow convince IMAX to do a double-feature screening of Barbie and Oppenheimer so that we can relive the summer in full. It certainly would make for a visual cinematic feast well worth witnessing.

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He is Kenough! And, honestly, even though Barbie is everything and he’s just Ken, the new “I am Kenough” Ken Doll is also kind of everything. We’re sure even Barbie would agree. We’re just surprised it took this long for him to arrive. But, yes, is the answer to the question you’ve all been asking since the Barbie movie was released. There is an “I am Kenough” Ken doll you can buy, complete with hoodie, Ryan Gosling’s face, and swoopy blonde hair. This new Ken doll has discovered himself, self-actualized, and is now available for pre-order. You’ll have to wait a while longer for him to actually reach you, but he’s worth it.

The Kenough Ken doll is truly inspired. Of course, it was a given that the Barbie movie would have a very meta-arc of being motivated by the story of a doll and then creating more of the doll that created it. But we can’t even be mad at this circle of capitalism when this new Ken doll has a perfectly designed miniature replica of Ken’s Kenough sweater. We have to take our joy where we can get it.

A release from Mattel shares more about this “I am Kenough” Ken Doll. It notes of the Barbie movie figure:

He was complete and worthy just as he was. He was perfectly molded, deserving of both admiration and success. He was more than enough in Barbie Land – he was, in fact, “Kenough.” Thanks to Ryan Gosling’s performance of Ken’s self-discovery in Barbie The Movie, this moment inspired millions around the world and became immediately iconic. Our Ken doll is sculpted in Ryan Gosling’s likeness, and wears the hoodie that is also the must-have, real-life apparel item of the year.

Click To View Gallery

You can take a look at all facets of the “I am Kenough” Ken doll above. While, of course, the hoodie makes the man, there’s a lot more happening for this Ken than that. Firstly, it has a face sculpted in Ryan Gosling’s likeness. And who can resist that? Secondly, we love that this Ken is fully poseable, so he can do his famous end-of-movie wave and sheepishly tuck his hands into his pockets. The embroidery that lives not only on the Kenough sweater but also on this doll’s sweatpants is also pretty cool. We have to hand it to this Ken; he looks pretty good. It’s definitely Kenough for us.

So how do you buy the “I am Kenough” Ken doll? Well, the figure is available to pre-order via Mattel Creations right now. He will be a made-to-order product. “I am Kenough” Ken will ship out sometime in 2024, but the doll will definitely head to you on or before October 31, 2024. This Ken costs $50.00. But being Kenough, that’s truly priceless. Don’t forget, you can also match your doll with a hoodie of your own.

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Freaky and fabulous? Now you’re speaking our language. And that’s exactly why we love the Monster High Skullector series from Mattel. It reimagines horror icons through the lens of Monster High’s boospoke fashions and style. The Monster High Skullector series has brought us incredible fashion-forward dolls of horror legends like Elvira, Annabelle, Chucky, and Tiffany, and now two more will join their ranks. Just in time for this Halloween season, Monster High Skullector brings us The Nightmare Before Christmas‘ leading duo like we’ve never seen them before. Take a look at these hauntingly glamorous Jack Skellington and Sally dolls.

Honestly, it’s hard to believe that these Jack Skellington and Sally dolls aren’t just drawings on a page. They’re so beautiful and intricate that they barely look real. But real they are, and they’re ready to join your Halloween Town.

A release from Mattel shares more about these Jack and Sally dolls. It notes of The Nightmare Before Christmas collection:

Just in time for the holidays, we’re paying homage to Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas with this Skullector set. Disney’s Jack Skellington and Sally make a hauntingly handsome couple in boospoke fashions with a signature Monster High twist… Disney’s Jack Skellington and Sally are a lovable duo in haunting details that will make you scream with joy. Disney’s Jack Skellington radiates ghostlike charm in a stylized skeleton body. He wears a pinstriped suit with a skull motif, his bat bow tie, and Spiral Hill-heeled oxfords. Sally’s vibrant red hair and stitching details complement her gore-geous face sculpt, topped by a thistle, and bow headband.

Click To View Gallery

The Nightmare Before Christmas‘ Jack and Sally have always been style icons, so we’re glad someone is taking the time to really appreciate them. Alongside everything else mentioned in the official description, we also have to give a shoutout to the heels that Monster High Skullector Sally wears. They carry a little poisonous Easter egg. We just hope Mattel will make adult-sized versions of these Monster High Skullector looks because we would wear them.

That’s the fanciful stuff. As for the more practical details? Monster High Skullector Dolls, Jack & Sally from Disney’s Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas will cost $90. The dynamic duo originally released on October 27 via the Mattel Creations website but are now sold out. Hopefully, Mattel will see the demand for these Jack & Sally figures and release another run. They are also perfect for the Christmas season, after all. If you managed to snag them, then it’s time to cue up “Jack & Sally’s Song” and prepare for the arrival of your lovely new dolls. If not, well, The Nightmare Before Christmas is worth watching either way.

Originally published on October 25, 2023.

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