Professional wrestling’s long history includes many famous clans who made the sport a family affair. Fans know all about the Harts, the McMahons, the Anoa’i, the Funks, the Guerreros, and the Rhodes. Lots of famous households strapped up their boots and got in the squared circle together. They then taught the family business to new generations of stars. But while fans can debate the best, most talented, most important pro wrestling families ever, there’s no question over the industry’s most tragic. The name Von Erich is as synonymous with talent as it is with grief. Now the legendary Texas clan’s sad story is coming to the big screen in A24’s The Iron Claw, and we are getting a glimpse at the behind the scenes action of it all.

We never thought we’d see Zac Efron portray a wrestler but he, along with co-stars Jeremy Allen White and Harris Dickerson, put the work in. It looks like they built a great friendship along the way. The film’s trailer gives us a great look at The Iron Claw‘s story, which has a depth of heartbreak that’s hard to believe even though we know it’s true.

The Iron Claw is the pro wrestling movie that needed to be made. But it will be hard for those who don’t already know about the Von Erichs to believe what happened to the family. Even the official synopsis for The Iron Claw, which released alongside the trailer, only hints at the fate of a family who made a lasting mark both in the ring and out of it.

From A24:

The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality on the biggest stage in sports. 

Unfortunately, pro wrestling is no different than life: immortality doesn’t always come the way you hope.

Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene) both wrote and directed this movie. The Iron Claw stars Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simons, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany, and Lily James. It climbs into the ring later this year when it premieres in theaters on December 22, 2023.

Originally published on October 11, 2023.

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I believe movie fans will come to remember 2023 as a truly great year for cinema. I have zero doubt which two films will come to define these past 12 months of movies. Barbie and Oppenheimer both arrived in theaters on the same day. Despite being about as different as two films can be, they’re forever connected. The two global blockbusters combined to give us “Barbenheimer,” an unofficial double feature created organically by fans. If, like so many others, you’re one of them, you can now appreciate both movies in a whole new way. Their respective stars, Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy, sat down to interview each other in the latest episode of Variety‘s “Actors on Actors” web-series.

Their delightful conversation provided tons of great tidbits and insights into the making of each film. It’s a conversation so good it should be an extra on both Barbie‘s and Oppenheimer‘s Blu-rays.

This fun, informative, entertaining chat between two of 2023’s most notable stars has too many amazing moments to mention all of them. Robbie and Murphy touched on a wide range of subjects covering almost every aspect of their movies, from pre-production through the overwhelming success of both. They also discussed everything and anything about their directors, Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan, from their approach to filmmaking to each directors’ wardrobe choices on set. The two also talked about developing their characters, how they research their roles, finding the right accent, and what it was like to carry such a heavy burden as their films’ stars. If you love learning how the Hollywood sausage is made, this is a must-watch.

That’s also true if you also like listening to two talented, charming people enjoying each other’s work. That’s how you’ll learn which one ends up talking to themself in a basement before filming starts. Or which one loves wearing masks to see their own films while the other can’t stand to see themself on-screen. And it’s how you’ll learn they both love writing letters to people they hope to work with someday, how much they know about memes, and what they’re okay with people screaming at them on the street.

Peaky Binders fans will also be thrilled to know Robbie got to ask Murphy about the show. Meanwhile, he asked her about a possible Barbie sequel. And you definitely won’t expect which one of them used David Bowie as a reference in developing their character. (Seriously. It wasn’t Robbie. Seriously!)

Barbenheimer already made 2023 a great year for movie lovers. Turns out that phenomenon had even more to give us.

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After many false starts and canceled projects, Star Wars is finally ready to return to theaters. Lucasfilm announced three new upcoming standalone movies during the opening of Star Wars Celebration 2023. These new Star Wars movies include a story about the founding of the Jedi, a movie that will serve as the finale to this era of interconnected Disney+ shows, and the return of Daisy Ridley’s Rey.

Speaking of the upcoming Rey movie, there is now a reported filming date in play. According to Productionlist.com, which tracks production updates for the Film & Television Industry Alliance, the Rey movie will start shooting on April 7, 2024 in London. Hopefully, that means we will get casting news soon.

And with that, the galaxy far, far away is finally going back to the big screen. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy revealed James Mangold (Logan, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), Dave Filoni (The Mandalorian, Ahsoka), Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Ms. Marvel, Saving Face) have all been tapped to direct these new Star Wars movies.

While Lucasfilm shared few official details about the films, the little they tell us says a lot. Here’s what we know about these new Star Wars movies so far.

James Mangold’s New Star Wars Movie Tells the Story of the Force

James Mangold’s “will go back to the dawn of the Jedi,” a time set tens of thousands of years earlier than anything we’ve ever seen on screen before. That might mean we’ll meet the figure known as Prime Jedi. That’s the person who founded the Order on Ahch-To sometime around 25,000 years before the events of A New Hope. Fans already know Ahch-To well. They first saw it in The Last Jedi when it served as Luke Skywalker’s hideaway. A release additionally shares, “James Mangold will take audiences deep into the past, telling the tale of the first Jedi to wield the Force and harness it as a liberating power in an era of chaos and oppression.”

Mangold further noted to Empire that his new Star Wars movie “takes place 25,000 years before Episode IV, and it’s about the discovery of the Force.” He further shares, “I told Kathy [Kennedy, head of Lucasfilm] I wanted to make a kind of Bible movie, a kind of Ten Commandments of Star Wars – kind of a Cecil B DeMille film about the arrival of the Force, and that’s what I’ve been pecking away at between press events. That’s the idea.”

James Mangold’s New Star Wars Movie Connects with Rey’s Next Appearance

Kennedy also recently shared that this movie will help inform the new Star Wars movie featuring the return of Rey. She noted to Total Film, “I think it’s a really nice compliment to what we’re doing with moving into the future with Rey, and then understanding a bit more of where this all came from,” she explains. “Because it will be at the heart of creating the new Jedi Order, so to get a real sense of where that might have began with the dawn of the Jedi could be pretty cool.” 

According to a new official Star Wars eras list revealed by LucasFilm, this movie will most likely take place in the “Dawn of the Jedi” era, but could even take place earlier than that.

Dave Filoni’s Film Will Bring Together Many Current Disney+ Series

The next new Star Wars movie will come from franchise veteran Dave Filoni. His film “will focus on the New Republic and close out the interconnected stories told in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and other Disney+ series.” That’s huge news for both the television and movie side of Lucasfilm. When we get a release date for Filoni’s film, we’ll know just how many more seasons of The Mandalorian we might see. Clearly, there’s already an end in sight to Din Djarin and Grogu’s story. Although, we suppose they could continue on beyond a culminating movie. A release further shares, “Dave Filoni will orchestrate the escalating war between the Imperial Remnant and the fledgling New Republic.”

Rey Will Return in Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Star Wars Movie

The third and final new Star Wars movie announced will focus on the future. Obaid-Chinoy’s movie will take place after The Rise of Skywalker. It will mark the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey. Set 15 years after the ultimate defeat of the Sith, she will be trying to build a new Jedi Order. Hopefully, that goes a lot better than her mentor Luke Skywalker’s attempts. According to the new list of Star Wars eras, it seems like this movie will take place in the “New Jedi Order” era.

Kathleen Kennedy shared more about the movie with Variety. She noted:

Well, we’re 15 years out from ‘Rise of Skywalker,’ so we’re post-war, post-First Order, and the Jedi are in disarray. There’s a lot of discussion around, ‘Who are the Jedi? What are they doing? What’s the state of the galaxy?’ She’s attempting to rebuild the Jedi Order, based on the books, based on what she promised Luke, so that’s where we’re going.”

Speaking to Empire, Kennedy added, “The First Order has fallen, the Jedi are in chaos – there’s even a question of how many exist anymore – and Rey’s building the New Jedi Order, based on the text that she was given and that Luke imparted on her.” She also offers, “Rey has made a promise to Luke, and that’s really the core of where we’re going and what this story will be. And I think it offers just tremendous opportunity to introduce new characters and start with something fresh, because we culminated with what George [Lucas] was creating, and now we take all of that and move it to the next chapter.” 

On the topic of a possible Luke Skywalker presence in the new Star Wars movie, Kennedy said: “I don’t know if we’ll spend a lot of time in flashbacks or [on] Force ghosts or things like that, but certainly, the spirit of what he represents to her is going to be significant.”

Recently, Daisy Ridley herself gave her first comments on her new Star Wars movie. While her comments remain vague, she noted to Collider, “I’m very excited. The story is really cool. I’m waiting to read a script because, obviously, I don’t have any other updates. It’s not what I expected, but I’m very excited.” And additionally told the The Hollywood Reporter, ” I’m genuinely really excited about the next one [Star Wars movie]. I haven’t read anything, but I know the story. It’s really worth telling, worth exploring, and I think people will be excited.”

Something tells us it won’t be smooth sailing for Rey, though. The dark side of the Force has a way of always creating shadows over the galaxy far, far away, especially in theaters.

As previously noted, this movie is expected to start shooting in April 2024.

Originally published on April 7, 2023.

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Barbie didn’t just make a lot of money for Warner Bros. Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster is the Warner Bros. highest grossing film in its 100 year history. Now, after a record-setting box office run, the movie is getting a new mojo dojo casa house. It’s coming to Max this month. And when Barbie hits Max for streaming on December 15 it will feature a more inclusive way for fans to watch thanks to an ASL version.

If you’re scheduled to beach on that release day, you might want to call in sick. Barbie will rollerblade its way to Max at 3AM ET for your streaming pleasure. Barbie‘s themes of inclusivity will truly shine with its ASL version, too. In a press release Warner Bros. and Max explained how it went about creating this new way to watch:

Grounded in research and feedback from the Deaf community, as well as counsel from community leaders, Barbie with ASL was produced for Max featuring ASL performer Leila Hanaumi (Deaf Austin Theatre’s “The Laramie Project,” ASL cover for Tove Lo in “True Romance” music video). Barbie with ASL will be displayed as a unique title in-app and can be identified by its key art with the sign language symbol

Star Margot Robbie will also join Hanaumi for a conversation at a “special community screening” of Barbie with ASL. The event is being held in conjunction with Deaf West Theatre in Los Angeles on December 14.

“Max is the premiere destination for storytelling, so being able to share the biggest movie of the year in ASL, the first language for many, will make this story resonate in a more meaningful way,” said Casey Bloys Chairman and CEO, HBO and Max Content, in a statement. “By offering sign language interpretation, we will build upon the film’s empowering message of inclusiveness and offer a unique viewing experience for the Deaf community to enjoy with family and friends.”

Safe to say Barbie would approve of this version. Every Barbie.

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In 2022 Paramount+ delivered the Halo adaptation fans of the video game franchise had long waited for. The war with the Covenant is far from over, though. The show is returning for a second season, and now we know exactly when it will arrive. The streaming site announced the Halo series will return with two episodes of season two on Thursday, February 8, 2024. And Paramount+ made that announcement in style during a panel at CCXP23 in São Paolo, Brazil. That’s where the streamer shared a brand new trailer that shows humanity is in more danger than ever before.

It won’t be hard to “remember” this trailer. It’s an intense and ominous tease at the horrors that await Earth’s fiercest warriors. What exactly is going on? Here’s Halo season two’s official synopsis:

In season two, Master Chief John-117 leads his team of elite Spartans against the alien threat known as the Covenant. In the wake of a shocking event on a desolate planet, John cannot shake the feeling that his war is about to change and risks everything to prove what no one else will believe – that the Covenant are preparing to attack humanity’s greatest stronghold. With the galaxy on the brink, John embarks on a journey to find the key to humankind’s salvation, or its extinction — the Halo.

The new season will see the return of stars Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief, Spartan-117, and Natascha McElhone as Dr. Halsey. Joining them once again are Jen Taylor as Cortana, Bokeem Woodbine, Shabana Azmi, Natasha Culzac, Olive Gray, Yerin Ha, Bentley Kalu, Kate Kennedy, Charlie Murphy, and Danny Sapani.

Season two of Halo will also mark the debut of new cast members. Joseph Morgan (Vampire Diaries) will play James Ackerson. He’s “a formidable intelligence operative who has spent his career climbing the ranks of the UNSC’s secretive Office of Naval Intelligence.” Cristina Rodlo (No One Gets Out of Here Alive) will also join the show as Talia Perez. Talia is “a corporal specializing in linguistics for a UNSC Marine Corps communications unit and a relatively new recruit who has yet to see any real combat.” 

New episodes of season two will follow every week after the two-episode Halo premiere on February 8. Assuming humanity lasts that long.

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“There is no war so hateful to the gods than a war between kin.” We’re not sure how much the gods will be involved in House of the Dragon‘s sophomore outing, but the new trailer for the show’s second season features a whole lot of hate and war. Rhaenyra Targaryen is coming for both vengeance and the Iron Throne. And everyone, on both sides, who splintered House Targaryen is now preparing for the blood that will surely follow all that fire. HBO has finally debuted its highly anticipated first trailer for House of the Dragon season two. It premiered at this year’s CCXP23 panel in São Paulo, Brazil. This promo more than delivers on the promise of rage and death teased during the first season’s final moments.

Rhaenyra’s son is gone and she’s determined to make those responsible for his death answer. They know what’s coming, too. This House of the Dragon season two trailer has an underlying sense of regret, as the members of House Hightower who stole Rhaenyra’s crown must face the grim reality of having succeeded. Death is coming for all involved. And with both sides having dragons it’s coming in the form of fire. Bad for them, but it should make for a great season of television for us.

The show also announced some new cast members. Some will end up playing major roles on the show. (We won’t spoil which ones for you.) The new stars include: Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull, Jamie Kenna as Ser Alfred Broome, Kieran Bew as Hugh, Tom Bennett as Ulf, Tom Taylor as Lord Cregan Stark, and Vincent Regan as Ser Rickard Thorne. Previously announced new season two cast includes Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull, Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers, Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower, and Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong.

The show will also feature a number of returning stars. Back for more chaos in the Realm are: Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans. Additional returning cast includes Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, and Matthew Needham.

What Is the Release Date for House of the Dragon Season 2?

The eight-episode second season debuts at HBO next summer in 2024.

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Some films are obviously Christmas movies, like Noelle. But that designation is not so clear cut for others. They may be set during the holiday season, and they may even touch upon Christmas themes, but does that mean they truly qualify in the traditional sense? To find out, we’re putting those movies on trial and laying out all the evidence for and against them by answering some pertinent questions, just as we did with Die Hard, Gremlins, Edward Scissorhands, Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Rocky IV, and Batman Returns. And the latest movie to take the stand in our great Christmas movie debate is hoping its season stock(ing) is about to go up. That’s right, it’s time to buy or sell holiday shares in Trading Places.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, ask yourself…

How much of Trading Places takes place at Christmastime?

Roughly 75% of Trading Places is set during Christmas time in chilly Philadelphia. (The other 25% runs from New Year’s Eve to January 2, with the final sequence on a tropical island taking place a during an unknown time in the near future.) The film is full of festive trees and other holiday decor, though not much Christmas music. A big important sequence also takes place during a Christmas Eve work party, which Dan Aykroyd’s Winthorpe crashes in the dirtiest Santa costume ever put on screen. It’s both delightful and disgusting.

Would Trading Places be fundamentally different if it were set at any other time of the year?

Story wise not really. There aren’t a lot of specific plot elements that tie directly into the holiday. Christmas is mostly present in decorations and the cold weather. The Christmas Eve party and following scenes are the only aspect that would fundamentally change if they took place during another time, but mostly because you’d lose the visual of a drunk, totally out of control Santa. Hiding an entire salmon filet in an Easter bunny costume just doesn’t deliver the same type of laugh.

Do any of the film’s major themes apply to Christmas?

Some very important themes have no connection with traditional Christmas ones. Those include racism, nature vs. nurture, and revenge. But some of the film’s biggest ideas certainly apply to the season. Greed, class structure, friendship, and kindness are all out of Charles Dickens’ holiday playbook.

The problem in trying to give Trading Places thematic Christmas credit is that while greed leads to the villains’ downfall, greed is also how the good guys win. And it’s not like they use their new unimaginable wealth to spread goodwill. They all move to a remote paradise where they reside like kings. That’s not in the spirit of the season. There’s a reason A Christas Carol doesn’t end with Bob Cratchit bankrupting Scrooge and moving Tiny Tim into Buckingham Palace.

Does watching Trading Places at Christmastime enhance the experience?

Trading Places is a comedy set during Christmas rather than a Christmas comedy. There’s only a tangential relationship between the events on screen and living through the holiday season. It’s not any more or any less funny if you watch it any other time of year. Eddie Murphy is equally charismatic and hilarious 365 days.

It would be different if the big payoff—when Billy Ray and Winthorpe ruin the Duke brothers—happened on Christmas rather than around New Year’s. That “out with the old/in with the new” ending does land with a little more oomph if you watch Trading Place around January 1st. The conclusion has more to do with the spirit of New Year’s than the spirit of Christmas.

Has this film been accepted as a Christmas movie tradition?

You’re not going to believe this, but an R-rated comedy that includes nudity, adult-language, homophobic slurs, drug use, blackface, and the strong insinuation a gorilla sexually assaults a human has not become a seasonal viewing staple during the most wonderful time of the year.

Okay, maybe you do believe it. But in fairness, while many elements of Trading Places—like so many other ’80s comedies—have not aged well, the film is great enough to still get played on basic cable any time of year.

THE FINAL VERDICT

This one is close. Any film setting during the holiday season that ends with two rich, greedy, corrupt, amoral, racist a-holes getting their complete comeuppance is a Christmas miracle we want to re-experience every December. And if that payoff took place during Christmas we’d probably find in favor of the film’s holiday bonafides. Instead we have to short this movie’s holiday stock, especially since it has not become a traditional part of the season yet.

Not that Billy Ray and Winthorpe should care. They’re looking good and feeling good even if Trading Places does not qualify as a Christas movie.

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

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If, like me, you are of a certain age you won’t even debate the greatest Happy Meal toy in history. That title unquestionably belongs to the McNugget Buddies. Every kid wanted all of those delightful figures from the moment they debuted in 1988. Not that we all have jobs and can make our decisions, though, they haven’t been available for over 25 years. But we don’t have to wait much longer. McDonald’s is launching a new set of McNugget Buddies in Adult Happy Meals.

McDonald’s has announced (in news we first heard about at DesignTAXI) “reimagined” McNugget Buddies are coming on December 11. They’ll be available in the U.S. and select markets around the world. The fast food chain has partnered with artist Kerwin Frost for the Kerwin Frost Box collection.

The returning Adult Happy Meals will come with either 10-McNuggets or a Big Mac. Far more importantly they’ll also have one of Frost’s McNugget Buddy collectibles.

The set also boasts “mix-and-match” outfits so you can personalize your figures. In a press release, McDonald’s said “Kerwin’s childhood experiences and belief that everyone should feel free to express themselves” inspired the designs.

The new McBuddies, all of whom have an official backstory, include:

• Kerwin Frost – The Mayor of Frost Way is a true champion of the Buddies and encourages them to be themselves. In his free time, catch him adding art to his collection or fixing things around the neighborhood.
• Don Bernice – The Wise Stylist, an experienced fashion designer who creates all the outfits for the Buddies in Frost Way, while also offering stern advice (that’s always nice!). After all, she is “don” – the very best!
• Uptown Moe – The Neighborhood Hero, the no-nonsense, street-smart, supportive guy from around the block in Frost Way everyone knows and loves. He also gives the best motivational speeches on a whim.
• Waffutu – The Curious Optimist, who grew up in Frost Way and was raised by the whole neighborhood. She spreads positivity wherever she goes and can turn any frown upside down with the wave of a wand and tilt of a crown.
• BRRRICK – The Cool Guy, the most adventurous Buddy in Frost Way who speaks in puns, loves trying new things and techno music. He’s lowkey nervous, but always cool under pressure.
• Darla – The Dreamer, a soft-spoken yet peacefully confident singer who moved to Frost Way to pursue her dream of becoming a superstar as the lead singer of “The Frostettos.” When she’s not on stage, she’s running the local McDonald’s in Frost Way – where she’s employee of the month every month!

Obviously we must have them all. And we will. Oh we will. Because unlike when McBuddies first came to McDonald’s years ago, we don’t have to convince an adult to buy us a Happy Meal. We’re the adults now! Sort of!

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A lot has changed in the last 30 years, like how Jurassic Park turned into Jurassic World. Plus I’m sure some other things are different since then, too. But one thing that hasn’t changed, even during the streaming era, are television mini-series events. And since a certain magical talking bear was technically alive in 1993, he’s a perfect candidate to get one in 2023. Seth MacFarlane’s Ted is getting a special prequel mini-series at Peacock, and you can check out the trailer and first-look images for it below.

The talking teddy bear who sounds a lot like Peter Griffin is back. Only this time we’re going back to a much earlier time in his life. Here’s the prequel series’ official synopsis from Peacock:

In this comedic prequel event series to the Ted films, it’s 1993, and Ted the bear’s (Seth MacFarlane) moment of fame has passed. He’s now living back home in Framingham, Massachusetts with his best friend, 16-year-old John Bennett (Max Burkholder), along with John’s parents, Matty and Susan (Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach) and cousin Blaire (Giorgia Whigham). Ted may be a lousy influence on John, but at the end of the day, he’s a loyal pal who’s always willing to go out on a limb for friendship.

Not the most informative synopsis ever, but in a press release Seth MacFarlane shared some insight into the inspiration behind the show. Despite the silly nature of Ted, the series is very personal to him. And also silly.

Each generation develops its own unique artistic style, its own way of seeing the world. In the twenties, it was the subversive musical phrasings of jazz. In the fifties, it was the bold brushwork of the abstract expressionists. Our generation’s unique art is streaming content based on previously successful intellectual property. In that proud tradition, we humbly give you Ted.   

Our series is a prequel to the Ted movies. It takes place in the nineties but is based on the timeless truth that being sixteen sucks. The only thing that makes it tolerable is going through it with a friend, even if that friend is a has-been magical teddy bear with a foul mouth and a proclivity for drug use.  

The three of us were teenagers in the nineties and grew up in and around Boston, where the show takes place, so many of these stories are personal for us. We were able to put the characters through some of the same indignities and milestones we experienced back then. Also, we made stuff up (it’s a lot of pages to fill and real life is mostly boring).  

The streamer also provided three images from the seven-episode “event.” They look very much like a throwback ’90s series. One where a teddy bear gets high with a teenager, which would have technically made for a “special event” episode in the ’90s.

All seven episodes of the Ted series will debut on Peacock on January 11, 2024, so we won’t have to wait for a new one every week. And that is very different from how things worked 30 years ago.

Originally published on November 16, 2023.

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I really enjoyed The Marvels, as did most fans who saw it. The problem for Disney is not enough people have seen it. The film’s box office is currently the lowest in franchise history. The lackluster response is part of a bigger problem for the MCU. It’s no longer the bulletproof entity it was just a few short years ago when Avengers: Endgame was a worldwide phenomenon. What can the MCU do to reach those lofty heights again? Ms. Marvel herself Iman Vellani has some ideas, and it’s hard to imagine anyone who loves the MCU will disagree with her.

Vellani recently spoke to The Direct’s Russ Milheim about the MCU’s current status in the world of pop culture. During their talk she offered suggestions on what the franchise can do to get back to its former heights. She started with talking about what Marvel Studios doesn’t have to do. She said it’s not “about just getting bigger and bigger and bigger.” Instead she thinks the focus should be “about making the audience care about their characters.” And Iman Vellani believes that will be easy since the last Phase of the MCU introduced “so many wonderful” new ones.

Of course, it’s hard to make us care about even great characters when the MCU doesn’t have them show up for years. Remember Shang-Chi? It’s not clear that Marvel does!

Vellani’s other big suggestion would solve that problem, too. Like many viewers, Vellani also thinks more team-ups will draw people back in. She offered a hypothetical Kamala Khan and Red Guardian combo as an example that would entice people. To that we say YES AND PLEASE. Considering her character also just put the Young Avengers in motion, she might soon get what we all hope to see.

Know what else would help the MCU get back its mojo? Putting Kamala Khan in more shows and movies. She was the best part of The Marvels and will be a big reason why the MCU will eventually recover from this dip.

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Some films are obviously Christmas movies, like The Muppet Christmas Carol. But that designation is not so clear cut for others. They may be set during the holiday season, and they may even touch upon Christmas themes, but does that mean they truly qualify in the traditional sense? To find out we’re putting those movies on trial and laying out all the evidence for and against them by answering some pertinent questions, just as we did with Die Hard, Gremlins, Edward Scissorhands, Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and Rocky IV. And the latest movie to take the stand in our great Christmas movie debate asked for a courtroom in Gotham. That’s right, it’s time to send up the Santa-Signal for Batman Returns.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, ask yourself…

How much of Batman Returns takes place at Christmastime?

Outside of the opening scene, all of Batman Returns takes place during the Christmas season. Oswald Cobblepot is not born during the holidays, but by the time his parents decide to abandon their cat-eating newborn in the sewers their giant tree is already up. When his circus gang then attacks Gotham 33 years later it’s during the city’s big tree lighting ceremony. The entire movie, which is full of seasonal decorations, presents, and snow, then ends by Christmas Day.

Would Batman Returns be fundamentally different if it were set at any other time of the year?

The film features major scenes connected to the fact that it’s Christmas. There’s actually two big tree lighting sequences. (RIP Ice Princess who was also an actress.) Mistletoe also ends up playing a significant role in the development of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle’s relationship. And just like the North Pole, it’s full of penguins who shouldn’t live there. Yet, if you moved the film to any other time of year and slightly changed the details/décor you would still have the exact same story. The movie takes place entirely during Christmas. It’s just not really connected to Christmas beyond scenery. The tree lightings could just as easily be the opening of a new building. The mistletoe could be a star constellation.

The only thing you couldn’t change without ruining everything was how the city made workers clean up after a terrorist attack while dressed as elves. There’s no equivalent indignity.

Do any of the film’s major themes apply to Christmas?

Batman Returns is about the duality of self and identity, isolation, and acceptance. Batman, Catwoman, Penguin, and Max Shrek all have two different identities—their public persona and their secret self—and they struggle to find a balance between the two. Interesting, but not very Christmas-y. The movie’s also about revenge, power, greed, and class. The closest any of those come to being traditional holiday themes are greed and class, but considering Bruce Wayne is the film’s hero, it’s not exactly Gotham’s take on It’s A Wonderful Life. The billionaire is the guy we want to see come out on top.

Does watching Batman Returns at Christmastime enhance the experience?

Even though the film’s plot and themes have nothing to do with the holiday, the film is so specifically set during Christmas that watching it in December does enhance the experience.* It’s easy to get caught up in the characters’ lives while also personally surrounded by a Christmas tree and festive lights. And when Bruce Wayne ends up alone at the end you feel a little extra sting because you know it will be another lonely holiday for him. You can really feel the holiday blues in the moment.

*This was obviously not the case when it first came to theaters. Batman Returns premiered in June 1992.

Has this film been accepted as a Christmas movie tradition?

Some fans consider Batman Returns a Christmas movie, but not enough. The film also has yet to break into the holiday movie zeitgeist the way a movie like Die Hard has. Since it didn’t before the streaming era began we can’t imagine it will anytime soon. If will likely need to start airing on basic cable a lot more in December to do that. If/when it does we’ll reevaluate this section. For now it’s simply a niche Christmas-adjacent movie.

THE FINAL VERDICT

We love Batman. He’s also provided us with lots of great Christmas memories over the years. For those reasons and more it would make us very happy to judge this film a true holiday entry. We just can’t do it after looking at the evidence objectively. Because while this movie embraces the feel of the Christmas season, it’s not a Christmas story. Not by its plot, themes, or characters. And since it hasn’t established itself as a holiday viewing staple, there’s only one verdict we can give.

Turn off the Santa-Signal, because Batman Returns does not qualify as a Christmas movie.

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

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Many Shrek fans know Chris Farley was originally tapped to voice the big green ogre. Mike Myers only took over the role after Farley passed away. Lots of viewers also know Myers’ first attempt at the character sounded very different. The Austin Powers star recorded his lines with a Canadian accent before redoing the entire part with Shrek’s signature Scottish one. Clearly it was a good choice, since it launched a billion-dollar franchise. But few people realize just how different Shrek once looked, too. And without that change the series might not be the behemoth we know. A new clip from the movie’s 1995 test film shows that instead of a friendly, kid-appropriate Shrek we could have met a much scarier ogre.

The Zoom Art Studio shared a brief YouTube clip from the original Shrek test. The footage (which we first learned about at Gizmodo) stars an off-brand Shrek we’d expect to meet in Times Square. Or, as Zoom Art Studio describes it, the kind of Shrek who’d appear in a “a dark edgy low budget film.”

This original take on Shrek has a longer face, a bigger nose, and even gnarlier teeth. He’s a lot more like the type of creature you’d expect to see in a story where the ogre is the terrible monster rather than the lovable hero.

Aside from his appearance, though, this clip feels very Shrek-like. It’s set to the classic “I Got You (I Feel Good)” by James Brown. (The above embed features improved audio.) The footage also has the kind of playful silliness and inverting of fantasy tropes that define the franchise. This is a slightly more unhinged Shrek, but kids might have come to love him anyway. But even then, this version of Shrek, Scottish accent or not, probably would not have become a box office giant. Good thing this version of the fantasy had a happy ending.

The post Shrek Looks Scary in This Original Film Test Footage From 1995 appeared first on Nerdist.

Not everyone loved the news Chris Pratt was going to voice Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. To some he just seemed like an odd choice to play an Italian plumber. But no one was upset when, soon after, Pratt was also given the role of Garfield in a new animated film. No one was upset because no one believed the report. How could he be the only star in Hollywood capable of voicing two very famous characters? And back-to-back, no less? It was—and it remains—weird. A lot of consternation went away, though, when it turned out his Mario was actually pretty good. And now we know what his iconic cat sounds like. The first trailer for The Garfield Movie has finally given us a chance to hear Chris Pratt’s lazy, Odie-kicking feline.

If you love the sound of Chris Pratt’s normal voice, you are in for a real treat with this Garfield movie.

Do you hate Mondays but love Chris Pratt sounding like he does on a normal Monday? If so, The Garfield Movie‘s first trailer has likely left you feeling conflicted this morning. At least we can all feel good about baby Garfield, an adorable, very hungry kitty. How did Garfield end up alone in the streets, though?

Released alongside the trailer, here is The Garfield Movie‘s official synopsis from Sony Pictures:

Garfield, the world-famous, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving indoor cat, is about to have a wild outdoor adventure! After an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father – scruffy street cat Vic (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson) – Garfield and his canine friend Odie are forced from their perfectly pampered life into joining Vic in a hilarious, high-stakes heist.

Pratt also recently shared a behind-the-scenes look at the movie where he does seem to be embodying Garfield.

Directed by Mark Dindal with a screenplay from Paul A. Kaplan & Mark Torgove and David Reynolds, the Garfield cast also includes Hannah Waddingham, Ving Rhames, Nicholas Hoult, Cecily Strong, Harvey Guillén, Brett Goldstein, and Bowen Yang.

That’s an incredible lineup of stars. Will they all simply be using their totally normal voices, too? We won’t know until The Garfield Movie comes to theaters on not Monday/Friday, May 24, 2024.

Originally published on November 13, 2023.

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Cobra Kai is coming to an end, but Daniel LaRusso’s story is not. Ralph Macchio is returning to the big screen for an all-new The Karate Kid movie. Only this installment will combine generations of big-screen entries. Jackie Chan, who joined the series in a 2010 reboot as the Kung Fu master and mentor Mr. Han, will join him in the Karate Kid film. All that’s left is for them to find a new student to teach. Macchio and Chan announced a global search to find the next Karate Kid in the movie’s announcement video.

Sony Pictures has decided to wax on another movie in The Karate Kid franchise. While the studio is not yet releasing plot details for the film, in a press release, Sony said it will bring Macchio and Chan “together to continue the mythology of the original franchise.”

Jonathan Entwistle will direct with a screenplay from Rob Lieber. Surprisingly, the film will come to theaters on December 13, 2024. We’re surprised by that date because the movie doesn’t have its proverbial Karate Kid, yet. Macchio and Chan’s video also announced a worldwide hunt for a young star. The parameters for the open call reveal some more information about the film and its production.

According to KarateKidCasting.com, Sony is looking for a 15-17 year old to play Li Fong in the new Karate Kid movie. The studio describes Li Fong is as “smart, scrappy, and a skilled martial artist.” Any actor interested must speak English, with conversational Mandarin “a strong plus.” Also considered a strong plus is “any sort of martial arts, movement, gymnastics, and/or dance experience.”

The part does not require previous acting experience, but anyone cast must be available to film from March to June of 2024. If you or someone you know sounds right for the starring role in this latest Karate Kid movie, email KarateKidCasting@sony.com. It’s free to apply.

Although, you might ultimately have to pay in the form of an evil dojo who wants to destroy you. Being the new Karate Kid sounds great, but it also comes with enemies.

The post New KARATE KID Movie Will Star Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s essentially impossible to overpraise pizza. It’s a perfect food that comes in a variety of styles, each great in its own way. But what really puts pizza over the top as a food is that it’s great whether you want a plain cheese or a fancy pie covered with wild toppings. That ability to customize doesn’t mean every variation is a good idea, though. You can ruin a pizza, which some will surely think DiGiorno has done with their latest special release. But not only is the company’s Thanksgiving Pizza worth being thankful for, we hope it becomes a yearly holiday tradition.

This year, DiGiorno took an entire seasonal feast and turned it into a single delectable Detroit-style pie. The Thanksgiving Pizza comes covered in turkey, diced sweet potatoes, green beans, crispy onions, and cranberries. Instead of pizza sauce it also has a creamy Thanksgiving gravy. It’s then finished with rich mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.

It’s definitely a strange combination, and there’s a reason not many (any?) pizza comes with green beans. (That reason? No one wants green beans on pizza.) But DiGiorno sent us one to try, and not only are the green beans a nice addition, the Thanksgiving Pizza is a genuinely tasty meal. It’s like a pizza crossed with a turkey pot pie. My favorite element was the brown gravy, which creates a highly satisfying bite with the chewy crust. The bits of cranberry on the pizza also add a nice sweetness that compliments the savory elements, much like cranberry sauce does during an actual Thanksgiving dinner.

How much you like this pizza, though, will largely depend on how much you like onion. The crispy onion pieces are very strong. I’d love even more gravy and less onions, but otherwise, this is a pretty impeachable pie. It even looks as good as it smells. This is a photo of my Thanksgiving Pizza, and it makes me hungry to look at it.

This pizza is also big and filling enough for two people to share for lunch. However, if you’re really hungry you can probably eat one on your own.

DiGiorno’s Thanksgiving Pizza ($11.23) is sold out right now, but DiGiorno let us know there will be a “final drop” for the Thanksgiving Pizza on Wednesday, 11/22 at 12 PM ET / 9 AM PT. Hopefully, it comes back every November. Not only will it be a nice addition to our yearly holiday eating traditions, it’s another way to appreciate a perfect food.

The post DiGiorno’s Thanksgiving Pizza Should Be a New Yearly Holiday Tradition appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney’s newest animated musical, Wish, is technically about a girl helped by a magical creature after learning her beloved sorcerer king is not so wonderful. But Wish is really about Disney writing itself a love letter. The film is overtly based on “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes.” It’s also overstuffed with elements, like singing woodland creatures and a fairy tale framing, meant to pay homage to Golden Age Disney classics. And it’s structured like the studio’s Renaissance era movies while looking like an early 2000s release. It’s Disney-Inception. And none of it works.

All that self-adulation and referential storytelling detracts from a great idea, as does a woefully incomplete, subpar script. The result is a film with a major identity crisis made worse by subpar animation. If not for its clever premise and insightful themes, two leading stars, and some great songs it would be a total nightmare. Instead it’s merely a disappointing dream.

As someone who craves the return of shorter movies, it pains me to say the 92-minute long Wish desperately needs at least 15 more minutes. That way it could incorporate elements most good movies tend to have have, like meaningful characterization and plot development. Instead the film has too many shallow characters defined by a single trait, inexplicable plot points, and payoffs that come out of nowhere.

The script—which is actively unfunny the harder it tries to be humorous—is so incomplete that the more you think about it the worse it gets. The fantastic performances of stars Ariana DeBose (the young hero Asha) and Chris Pine (the villain King Magnifico) cover up many of Wish‘s flaws. As do some incredible songs. Wish has memorable numbers that are are more musically mature and intense than a lot of Disney fare. (Which is a pleasant surprise after a very standard opening number.) But not even DeBose and Pine can cover up some huge, obvious mistakes in the screenplay. The movie’s biggest emotional moments and some very important scenes, like the big ending, aren’t earned. More focus on incorporating basic storytelling elements would have been a huge improvement.

Unfortunately Wish isn’t interesting to look at, either. The animation style is not “retro” so much as it’s regressive. It seems to want to recreate the look of Disney film’s like Tangled and Bolt, but it looks like a cheap knockoff of those movies. What’s especially frustrating is that it occasionally employs other animation styles that look amazing. Wish has backgrounds that are truly gorgeous. A simple, stunning post-credits scene also shows what could have been. I wish we got to see the version of the movie with that animation instead.

The film isn’t a total disaster, though, even beyond its leads and songs. It’s premise is so good it covers up some of the movie’s many failings. Wish takes place in the magical kingdom of Rosas. People from all over the world come to live on the beautiful, peaceful island under King Magnifico’s protection. All he asks of them is when they move there or turn 18 they literally give him their heart’s most important wish via magic. The sorcerer then keeps their wish, which they don’t remember, as floating blue orbs. He not only keeps them safe, he grants one person their wish every month. All of which sounds great until Asha realizes why that’s horrible. That leads her to wish upon a star, which in turn brings the magical being called Star to Rosas.

Star’s arrival results in Magnifico going full villain. Only, his transformation doesn’t carry any heft. But nothing that happens in Wish does, since it’s main focus isn’t the story, but rather celebrating Disney. It’s somehow overly meta despite being total earnest. There’s no “winking” at the camera, at least not until the credits roll, and yet it’s so overtly about Disney it still feels meta. It’s too bad, because the rare times Wish does its own thing it’s a lot of fun. There are also a few moments where it seems like it might get weird and interesting, but then a talking bunny shows up and it feels trite. There’s a fine line between tribute and banal. Wish is not close to the line. It revels in being derivative.

The perils of the film’s Disney-ness is best exemplified in its title. If the movie only cared about telling the best story possible, Wish wouldn’t be Wish. It would be Dream, because that’s what it’s really about. This movie is about how the dreams we hold dearest in our heart shape us, both good and bad. It’s about how dreams can push us to greatness just as much as they can fill us with disappointment and regret. And it’s about the fact that who we entrust with helping make our dreams come true is just as important as what our dreams are.

That’s exactly the type of idea that should make for a great Disney animated movie. But the word “wish” does not have the same connotation as the word “dream.” One has a power the other does not. “A wish is a dream your heart makes” doesn’t sound as good as the original because it’s not. We send our wishes far away to the stars, but we keep our dreams in our hearts.

Too bad for us that long ago Jiminy Cricket didn’t sing “When You Dream Upon a Star.” It might have led to a much better movie now.

⭐ (2.5 of 5)

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

The post WISH Will Have You Wishing a Great Idea Got a Much Better Movie appeared first on Nerdist.

Sometimes the perfect holiday gift is an item you’ve been eyeing all year. Other times the perfect holiday gift is an actual holiday-themed item. If you’re looking for the former this season we already have you covered whether you’re a pop culture lover or a tabletop enthusiast. But if you’re on the lookout for the latter, we’re also here to help. We’ve put together a massive list of great seasonal merchandise celebrating our favorite TV shows, films, video games, and more. From advent calendars and home goods, to comfort wear and ornaments, to so much more, we have plenty of present options for every wish list this December.

Advent Calendars – Elf: The Official Advent Calendar ($29.99)

We’re living in the golden age of advent calendars. They aren’t merely daily chocolate delivery systems anymore. You can now get just about any kind, offering whatever kind of treats you like. Those many options include advent calendars inspired by pop culture favorites, including this obviously perfect Elf option from Insight Editions. All month long you can open up gifts like stickers, tin buttons, key chains, Christmas decorations, and more based on the Will Ferrell holiday classic.

Looking for more pop culture advent calendars?

• Sonic the Hedgehog Advent Calendar ($49.99)
• National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Advent Calendar ($49.99)
• The Office Funko Advent Calendar ($59.95)
• Jurassic World 30th Anniversary Holiday Advent Calendar Mini Figure Set ($32.99)
• Stranger Things 4 Advent Calendar ($48.99)

Glassware – Joy Jolt Star Wars Ugly Christmas Sweater Glasses Set ($29.95)

Joy Jolt’s Disney and Star Wars collections have enough fantastic items for fans of the Mouse House and galaxy far, far away that you could knock off most of your 2023 gift shopping list at the site. But if you’re looking for a Christmas-specific set of glasses you’ll want Joy Jolt’s delightful Star Wars Ugly Christmas Sweater collection. These four glasses are fun, practical, and, despite their inspiration, strangely stylish. They would even make Palpatine smile on Christmas morning.

Looking for more pop culture holiday glassware?

• Batman: The Animated Series Joker Christmas Pint Glass ($12.99) – Yeah, we’re using this glass, based on one of the show’s best episodes, year round.
• Saturday Night Live Schweddy Ball White Mug ($12.95) – As the kids say, “If you know, you know.” And anyone who does will love this mug celebrating a truly iconic SNL sketch.

Ornaments – Rick and Morty Ornaments ($19.99)

What duo says “Christmas” more than Rick and Morty? Uh… literally any other pair? I mean, there’s probably some couple in the infinite multiverse who captures the holiday spirit less, but who cares! We want to decorate our tree with television’s most absurd cartoons, and this double Hallmark set will let us do just that. If we’re celebrating TV and Christmas at the same time this is :burp: how we’re going to squanch it. The fact they’ll both look terrified of our tree makes it even better.

Looking for more pop culture holiday ornaments?

• Elf: Buddy The Elf Singing Ornament ($9.99)
• Roy Kent Ted Lasso Christmas Ceramic Ornament ($9.95)
• Dungeons & Dragons: Forged Monstrous Merrymakers Mimic Ornaments($36.99)
• Squid Game – Dalgona Candy Ornament Set ($35)
• Magic the Gathering 3-Piece Christmas Ornament Set ($12)
• Hand Painted “Eye Of Sauron” Lord of the Rings Ornaments ($12/15)
• Nicolas “Picolas” Cage Christmas Ornament ($14.99) – Please please please click this link to see this pickle-themed option. We love it oh so much.

Ugly Holiday Sweaters – Loki: The Christmas Variant Ugly Christmas Sweater ($59.99)

Merchoid has so many fantastic pop culture Christmas sweaters to choose from it’s almost impossible to settle on just one. It’s a massive collection covering film, TV, literature, video games, and more. So we opted for a piece of clothing that truly captures what’s great about all of them. The MCU’s Loki is now the God of Stories. He’s responsible for every reality, which means he’s responsible for every ugly Christmas sweater. Talk about a glorious holiday purpose.

Looking for more pop culture ugly holiday sweaters?

• House Of The Dragon Holiday Sweater ($51.95)
• The Lord Of The Rings Ugly Christmas Sweater ($39.95)
• Ted Lasso Ugly Christmas Sweater ($34.95 – $37.95)
• Doug Nickelodeon Ugly Christmas Sweater ($54)
• Fallout Gary Ugly Christmas Sweater ($54)
• Rugrats Tommy Pickles Maccababy Holiday Sweater ($59.90)
• Stranger Things Hellfire Club Ugly Christmas Sweater ($48)

Home Goods and Decor – Lenox “Grinchmas” Collection

You could easily put together an entire holiday-themed gift guide made up entirely of Lenox’s pop culture options. The company offers ornaments, frames, decorations, kitchenware, and more from The Peanuts, Star Wars, and Disney. But our Christmas movie-loving hearts are partial to Lenox’s The Grinch Who Stole Christmas “Grinchmas” collection. From mugs, plates, salt and pepper shakers, trays, mugs, and more, you can turn your home into a big celebration of the holiday’s iconic green villain-turned-softy

Looking for more pop culture holiday home goods and decor?

• Nintendo Super Mario Super Star Light-Up Tree Topper ($35.99) – Mamma mia! What a perfect pop culture tree topper!
• Marvel’s The Incredible Hulk Nutcracker ($64.99) – This is an amazing decoration and not a functioning nutcracker, but that’s for the best. We don’t want our nuts crushed, not smashed.
• Mickey Mouse Hanukkah Salad Plate Set ($44.99) – You’ll want to use these elegant plates more than eight nights a year.
• Star Trek: The Next Generation “Make It Snow” Pillow ($32.95) – Make this charming gift so for the Captain Picard fan in your life.

Comfort Wear – Pokémon Holiday Long John Pajama Set ($25-$39)

Some families like to wear matching clothes in their holiday photos. It’s a playful way to celebrate Christmas, and you can do that while also celebrating your favorite game with Hanna Andersson’s Pokémon long john collection. Thanks to the color of a Poké ball they don’t even look out of place as holiday-themed comfort ware. And there are PJs for everyone in your herd, no matter their age or size.

Looking for more pop culture holiday comfort wear ideas?

• Star Wars Han Solo “Han In Hanukkah” Sweatshirt ($44.90) – Needless to say this Han Solo Hanukkah sweatshirt is “not too shabby.”
• Elf Crocs ($64.99/$74.99) – Young or old, wearing Elf-themed Crocs on Christmas morning sounds so perfect it makes us think Santa is real. (And that we know him.)
• Studio Ghibli My Neighbor Totoro Forest Spirits Holiday Sweater ($59.90) – Why wasn’t this Box Lunch My Neighbor Totoro exclusive included in our ugly sweater section? Because it’s gorgeous!

Toys – LEGO Ideas Home Alone McAllister House Set ($299.99)

We’ve been obsessed with LEGO’s Home Alone McAllister House set since it was merely a LEGO Ideas submission, but can you blame us? The most expensive item on our list is a toy, a collectible, and a Christmas decoration all in one. It’s everything you could want from a holiday-themed item, one that celebrates so many things we love. And any time we can honor a holiday classic while also having some fun we will

Looking for more pop culture holiday toys?

• Star Wars The Black Series Holiday Figures ($27.99 each) – Every year Hasbro brings Christmas to the galaxy far, far away and every year we love every holiday-themed collectible.
• Mickey Mouse and Friends Disney Parks Holiday Train Set ($141.99) – Another toy that also doubles as Christmas decor? Oh boy!

Pet Toys – BARK Season’s Treatings Advent Calendar for Dogs ($49.99)

Advent calendars aren’t just for humans any more than Christmas gifts are. And since we know you’re definitely going to get your pup some presents this year, we had to highlight BARK’s holiday box for dogs. It will let you give your very good furry best friend something every day for 24 days. This Costco-exclusive dog advent calendar box comes with eight Christmas-themes toys and sixteen treats from their

Looking for more pop culture pet holiday gift ideas?

• ZippyPaws Holiday Burrow – Reindeer Pen ($16.99) – We won’t say how cute we think this little Rudolph toy is, but you can probably guess.
• Frisco Holiday 8 Days of Hanukkah Cardboard Calendar with Toys for Cats ($19.99) – Did you really think we’d forget about cats? Zero chance. We love them almost as much as we fear their wrath.

Board Games – Asmodee’s The Nightmare Before Christmas ($35)

It was another big year for Asmodee, one of our favorite tabletop publishers. You can easily fill up all the space below the board game fan in your life’s tree this holiday season with award-winning games like Challengers!, Unlock!, Star Wars: Shatterpoint, Marvel D.A.G.G.E.R., and more. But if you’re looking for a Christmas-themed game option this December we suggest Asmodee’s new The Nightmare Before Christmas card game, which lets you play as your favorite characters from the film

Looking for more holiday-themed board games?

• Betrayal at House on the Hill with Betrayal Evil Reigns in the Wynter’s Pale the Yuletide Tale Expansion ($21.99 for Expansion) – We know, this is not a board game you expected to see for a Christmas guide. But this horror classic from Avalon Hill is ready for December thanks to an all-new spooky Yuletide expansion.
• A Christmas Karen ($9.99) – If you want something light for your extended family to play this Christmas, Asmodee also has a game perfect for everyone except your actual Aunt Karen.

The post A Holiday-Themed Gift Guide for Film, TV, and Video Game Fans appeared first on Nerdist.

You don’t need a crystal ball to know the Spider-Verse is about to get even bigger. You just need an internet connection. Sony Pictures has released the first teaser trailer for Madame Web starring Dakota Johnson. The standalone film takes place in a new world within the franchise’s multiverse, but she’s not the only Spidey figure who lives there. Or, rather, will live there. Maybe. We know, it’s confusing, but that’s what happens when powerful beings are all fighting to control a future only they can see and change.

Surprise Adam Driver! We’re in. It doesn’t hurt the film also stars Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, and Emma Roberts. But what exactly is going on in this intense trailer? And why is someone who looks like Spider-Man hunting down three young women who seem destined to be webbed-slingers themselves? Here’s the film’s official synopsis from Sony:

“Meanwhile, in another universe…” In a switch from the typical genre, Madame Web tells the standalone origin story of one of Marvel publishing’s most enigmatic heroines. The suspense-driven thriller stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in Manhattan who may have clairvoyant abilities. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she forges a relationship with three young women destined for powerful futures…if they can all survive a deadly present.

Sony also shared a featurette with Johnson discussing the character.

This is a big spotlight for a comic book character who has never really had a chance to shine like this. So while Cassandra Webb is now part of the Spider-verse, it makes sense her story takes place in its own universe. The movie can focus on her story for now rather than how she fits into another Spider-Man’s reality.

Madame Web comes from director SJ Clarkson with a screenplay by Claire Parker and SJ Clarkson. It comes to theaters early next year, on February 14, 2024.

The post MADAME WEB Joins the Live-Action Spider-Verse in First Trailer appeared first on Nerdist.

Dwayne Johnson was right when he said, “The hierarchy of power in the DC universe is about to change.” He was just wrong about who would end up on top. Power now rests in the hands of new co-heads of DC, James Gunn and Peter Safran. We’ve wondered what their ascension would mean for the superhero franchise since the moment they got hired. But we don’t have to wait any longer. Gunn has announced “Chapter 1” of projects in a unified DC universe, or what is known as the DCU.

Gunn shared the plan for the new DC Universe that he and Safran have devised for the first 8-10 years of their regime. That will include a space for other projects that don’t fall under the main DC Universe purview. Films like The Batman Part 2, Teen Titans Go, and Joker: Folie à Deux will fall under the DC Elseworlds banner, same as in DC comics.

Movies already in the works like Shazam: Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman 2, will lead to Gunn and Safran’s new unified DC Universe. (Notably, Gunn said The Flash “resets the entire DC Universe.”) That singular universe will encompass film, television, and gaming. Gunn said characters will even move between animation and live-action, with the same actors playing the voices for the former.

But the biggest news from Gunn is the slate of new films and television shows DC is calling “Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.” Below, we break down what we know about these DCU entries so far.

DC UNIVERSE CHAPTER ONE MOVIES

Superman: Legacy: The film side of the new DCU will kick off on July 11, 2025 with Superman: Legacy. Gunn is writing the script, which he says is “the true beginning” of this new unified era.

According to a release, the Superman movie will “focus on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing.”

You can check out everything we know about Superman: Legacy here:

The Authority: Gunn’s “passion project” is a “big movie” that will introduce a very different group of superheroes. They believe the world is broken and needs saving. But they will also interact with all of the franchise’s other big characters.

A release shares more about this DC Universe movie, It notes “WildStorm characters will join the DCU as members of The Authority take matters into their own hands to do what they believe is right.”

The Brave and the Bold: Batman will come to the DCU in a story based on Grant Morrison’s comic series. It will feature Batman’s actual son, Damian Wayne, as Robin.

According to Gunn, “This is a story of Damian Wayne, who’s Batman’s actual son that he didn’t know existed for the first eight to ten years of his life. He was raised as a little murderer and assassin. He’s my favorite Robin.”

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow: Tom King (and Bilquis Evely)’s comic book series from last year is getting turned into “a big science fiction epic film.”

Gunn shares, “In our story, we have Superman, who was sent to Earth and raised by incredibly loving parents. Kara was on Krypton. She was on a piece of Krypton that drifted away from the planet, and she lived there for the first fourteen years of her life in a horrible situation where she watched everyone around her die. So, she’s a much harsher and more f*cked up Supergirl than you’ve been used to thus far.”

It was recently reported that Ana Nogueira will write the DCU’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie.

Swamp Thing: Though “tonally outside the rest of the DCU,” the origin story of Swamp Thing will still feed into the rest of the DC Universe’s stories.

DCU CHAPTER ONE TELEVISION SHOWS

Creature Commandos: The first project for the new DCU is an animated series based on characters first introduced in 1980.

A release shares that this show will be “a seven-episode animated show in which Amanda Waller creates a black ops team out of monstrous prisoners; Gunn wrote all the episodes of the first season.” Gunn further shares, that team will include, “Rick Flag, Sr. He’s going to show up in other stuff. Then Nina Mazursky. Doctor Phosphorus, a Batman villain. Frankenstein—Eric Frankenstein, specifically. The Bride of Frankenstein, who’s the lead. Finally, G.I. Robot and Weasel.”

Waller: The second series from Gunn and Safran is Waller, a live-action spinoff from Peacemaker. It will see Amanda Waller teaming up with members from the Peacemaker team.

Christal Henry (Watchmen) and Jeremy Carver (Supernatural) will write this entry in the DC Universe.

Lanterns: Gunn says Lanterns will be a big HBO series starring Hal Jordan and John Stewart. The “terrestrial-based” show will be akin to True Detective. The two will investigate a “terrifying mystery” that has huge ties to the entire franchise.

Paradise Lost: Paradise Lost will take place on Themyscira, home of Wonder Woman. Gunn says it has a lot in common with Game of Thrones. A release shares this entry into the DC Universe “focuses on the genesis and political intrigue of an island of all women.”

Booster Gold: Booster Gold might be DC’s most popular loser. He’s a hero who travels back in time with technology from the future that lets him be a superhero. That tech is also getting him his own show.

Even more exciting for DC fans? Gunn says these are just the stories he can tell us about right now. But this slate is enough to know the hierarchy in the DC universe really has changed.

Originally published on January 31, 2023.

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“I am Loki of Asgard, and I am burdened with glorious purpose.”

Loki‘s season two finale proved the Asgardian prince was right all along. Only the glorious purpose with which Loki believed himself burdened turned out to be very different from anything he’d imagined. The God of Mischief, who wanted nothing more than to be loved, who thought personal fulfillment could only be found in the admiration of adoring crowds, realized the only true purpose in life is loving others. Loki became the God of Stories, the being at the end of time who makes it possible for everyone, everywhere, to live their lives freely. It was the final chapter in a story that saw one of the MCU’s best, most interesting, most important characters, one who began his own tale as a selfish villain, become a selfless hero. But it wasn’t exactly a happy ending.

Loki only got everything he ever wanted and redeemed his soul with great personal sacrifice. To protect those he cares for most he must spend eternity apart from them. He sits on a throne no one will ever come before. He shoulders a burden the very multiverse he saved will never know about. It was a conclusion as heartbreaking as it was beautiful, tragic as it was hopeful, ironic as it was poetic. It was an honest, earned, emotional farewell in the way only bittersweet endings can be.

Loki spent his life projecting strength to hide the weakness that truly drove hm. He played the villain to exude toughness because he was always scared and insecure. He thought he needed to intimidate and awe others into submission if he was ever going to earn what he thought he wanted most of all: love and respect. His personal failings didn’t just lead to his own suffering, though. They led him to hurt so many. Loki turned his pain into more pain.

That Loki, with whom we spent 13 years, was long gone by the time he destroyed He Who Remains’ Temporal Loom. By then he’d finally learned to be honest with himself. That self-reflection allowed him to recognize what he actually wanted in life. He would never find meaning in the love of others, but rather in loving them. To show love to those he cared about most, though, he had to do the one thing he feared most. To fulfill his glorious purpose he had to accept being alone. And he has to do it without thanks. The infinite number of people who owe him their very existence don’t even know he’s out there, let alone what they owe him. And the handful of friends who do will never again see him. To give everything to everyone Loki had to give up everything.

Whether you always loved Loki or came to begrudgingly respect him for what he did, it was hard to see him sitting on his throne at the end of time and not feel conflicting emotions. He wasn’t weak or afraid. He’d grown as a person and became strong enough to do something amazing with his life. He did something that mattered, something that earned him true redemption, something that benefitted all of existence. What greater purpose could anyone have then Loki, protector of the Tree of Life? What would his father, mother, and brother think of him if they could see him now? He’d been so desperate to make them all proud and now he had. And yet, to accomplish everything he ever wanted he had to accept being alone, the one fate he feared.

It was an incredible ending for an incredible character and story, one that felt both earned and right. It’s why Loki’s final chapter stands alongside other great goodbyes in the MCU, the ones that didn’t ask us to only feel good or bad, but to feel everything. Tony Stark was once a war monger who wanted to build a suit of armor around the world. In the end he was that suit of armor, but he paid for it with his life. Just as Natasha Romanoff did. The Black Widow who wanted to erase the “red” in her ledger sacrificed herself to save her best friend and the whole universe. Like Loki their endings were not only fitting conclusions to their stories, they stand out because they forced us to accept that emotions that seem inherently at odds with one another are anything but.

There is no good without bad, no hope with fear, no life without death. And we feel both good and bad more acutely when they come together because together they best resemble the conflict of being alive. None of us will ever get happy endings. One day we will all say goodbye to those we love. We might bid farewell first or be the ones left behind, but a parting is coming. Every hug, every “see you later,” every piece of key lime pie we share together could be our last. Remembering that is painful, but that pain it also reminds us to enjoy those moments and those people more. Stories that remind us of that force us embrace the most inescapable truth about existence, that to be alive and to feel is bittersweet.

Not every great ending is bittersweet. Neither is every bittersweet ending great. But when one is honest to the character and their arc, when it feels like the only ending they ever could have had, it lands an emotional blow no other conclusion can. Because a bittersweet ending is the only kind of ending that asks us to feel everything at once the way life itself does. How fitting the new God of Stories, the hero who saved everyone’s story, ended up telling one that did just that.

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

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I always imagine the holiday season is especially tough on Bruce Wayne. That’s when the Penguin murdered Gotham’s Ice Princess. It’s also when the Joker ruined Christmas Eve by kidnapping a bunch of city officials. And you just know the “Jingle Bells, Batman Smells” song hurts his feelings even if he doesn’t want to admit it. Plus, he probably misses his parents. But there’s good news about this year’s celebration: he’s going to spend the special with both his son and his new beard. The bad news is they’ll be fighting some famous villains rather than opening presents. That will make for another tough holiday for Bruce, but the first trailer for Prime Video’s animated movie special Merry Little Batman is an early gift for all of us.

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Not because it’s the holiday season, but because that’s true anytime we get a new Batman special. This one is a lot more lighthearted than previous seasonal Dark Knight stories, though. This Merry Little Batman trailer promises a festive holiday movie that’s a straight-up family comedy with some famous rogues. There’s even a shout to Batman’s infamous nipple suit.

Here’s the Batman Christmas movie’s official synopsis from Prime Video:

This Christmas, Damian Wayne wants to be a superhero like his dad—the one and only Batman. When Damian is left home alone while Batman takes on Gotham’s worst supervillains on Christmas Eve, he stumbles upon a villainous plot to steal Christmas and leaps at the chance to save the day.

Mike Roth (Regular Show) directs with a script from Morgan Evans (Teen Titans Go!) and Jase Ricci (Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham). Merry Little Batman stars Luke Wilson, Yonas Kibreab, James Cromwell, and David Hornsby. This Batman movie will show up under our digital tree at Prime Video on December 8.

Hopefully, the rest of the month goes a lot better for Bruce Wayne. And we do mean that even if we always get a great Batman story when Christmas goes terribly wrong for him.

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McDonald’s jingle is as famous as its Chicken McNuggets, but the company might need to update its tune ahead of a new collaboration. We’re not talking about a big rewrite or anything. We’re thinking something like, “Ba da ba ba ba, I’m wearin’ it,” because the fast food chain is getting into the comfortable footwear business. The latest line from Crocs gives McDonald’s mascots their own signature shoes. And while these clogs might sound very silly (they are), they are also strangely stylish.

The McDonald’s x Crocs Collections Reveals Four Options Including Grimace

Crocs is about to serve up a tasty new line of McDonald’s footwear. Their latest partnership (which we first learned about at Hypebeast) transforms McDonald’s characters, foods, logos, and colors into four different pairs of clogs. Each shoe—which has no business looking as good as it does—also comes with its own custom Jibbitz charms. According to a release, the four McDonald’s Crocs options include:

• Grimace x Crocs Cozzzy Sandal: Inspired by everyone’s purple bestie, these sandals lined in faux fur will have you feeling like you’re walking a day in Grimace’s shoes. The Grimace Cozzzy Sandal features his loveable expression on the straps, comes with his favorite treat – a shake in the form of a Jibbitz™ charm, and can be paired with matching socks.
• Birdie x Crocs Classic Clog: Early birds like Birdie will be the first to get these Classic Clogs in her signature yellow and pink, with her favorite menu item – a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin® – as a Jibbitz™ charm. Birdie fans can put a little extra pep in their step by coupling the clogs with Birdie’s winged pink socks.
• Hamburglar x Crocs Classic Clog: Feel as stealthy as Hamburglar himself with these Classic Clogs in Hamburglar’s famous black and white stripes and Jibbitz™ charms featuring his go-to order (a hamburger, of course). Complete the mischief maker’s look with a pair of matching socks.
• McDonald’s x Crocs Classic Clog: For those who want to sport Crocs in a classic McDonald’s style, the McDonald’s x Crocs Classic Clog is for you. The best part? With new Chicken McNuggets®, World Famous Fries® and Big Mac® Jibbitz™ charms, you can wear your go-to order everywhere you go.

No, you aren’t wrong. Those Grimace Cozzzy Slide clogs are straight purple fire.

Click To View Gallery

When Will the McDonald’s Crocs Go On Sale?

The McDonald’s Crocs collection will go on sale sometime on November 14. You can grab your McDonald’s Crocs at select retailers and Crocs’ online shop. You can sign up now to get updates about this specific collection.

How Much Will These Crocs Cost?

These McDonald’s crocs will range from $70 to $75, and the collection’s accompanying socks will cost $20.

I doubt they’ll be available for long. With billions of customers served and everyone in the world looking for comfortable footwear, this seems like a very happy (meal) meeting of brands. I know I’m going to try and snag the pair that celebrate my personal hero, the Hamburglar. However, unlike him, I am willing to pay for a product I love. Why? Ba da ba ba ba, I don’t feel like wearin’ an orange jumpsuit with my new McDonald’s Crocs.

Originally published on October 31, 2023.

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“It should have been you.” – Carol Danvers in The Marvels.

Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan wore Skrull memory probes together in The Marvels to find Dar-Benn’s coordinates, but the three saw more than just a star map. They also unintentionally shared private memories with one another. That included a moment Monica didn’t know about. While she remained blipped out of existence by Thanos, “Auntie Carol” visited Monica’s dying mother, Maria Rambeau. During their encounter Carol tried to explain why she had stayed away from Earth for so long. Carol also told her best friend she should have been the one who gained cosmic powers.

In the moment it felt like Carol’s way of owning up to and apologizing for her failures, both as a friend and a superhero. She wasn’t good enough at being either, not the way her friend would have been. But after the film’s shocking post-credits scene, that previous moment took on a whole new meaning. Carol Danvers might have been right, at least about the hero part. Maybe it should have been Maria Rambeau who became Earth-616’s Captain Marvel. Her Variants in parallel worlds became Captain Marvel instead. The MCU’s Carol Danvers might be an anomaly.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness introduced the Illuminati of Earth-838. One of the powerful group’s members was that dimensions’ Captain Marvel. She wasn’t a Variant of Carol Danvers but a version of Maria Rambeau.

That reveal was a fun, clever “what if,” the kind of alternate reality inevitable in an infinite multiverse. It wasn’t even hard to imagine why that universe’s Captain Marvel was different. On Earth-616 Carol and Maria were both pilots for P.E.G.A.S.U.S., a government project run by secret Kree scientist Dr. Wendy Lawson (a.k.a Mar-Vell). Carol was in the cockpit for Mar-Vell’s escape attempt. It resulted in Carol gaining immense powers from the Tesseract. But Carol was only flying because she’d taken a shortcut while racing Maria to the program’s hangar. Had Maria beat her there instead Maria would have been the one to become Captain Marvel in Earth-616.

Now the Illuminati Maria, who presumably died during her encounter with the Scarlet Witch, seems far more important than ever. The Marvels‘ only post-credits scene introduced another super Maria Variant. She lives in a world with the X-Men, a dimension that didn’t know about the multiverse before. There she is Binary, an even more powerful superhero persona Carol Danvers took on in Marvel Comics after losing her original powers.

Both Maria Rambeau Variants in the MCU are versions of Captain Marvel. On its own, that is more interesting than telling. But combined with the complete absence of any Variants for her MCU best friend, it stands out like a giant tear in space. We have yet to meet another version of Carol Danvers in any other reality—let alone another super one—even though “Captain Marvel” is proving to be a significant figure across the multiverse. As of now, Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers is a major anomaly.

What exactly does that mean? We don’t yet know. Marvel Comics once introduced a cosmic entity known as Anomaly, but despite its connections to Quasar (and therefore Quantum Bands) it’s not relevant to the MCU’s Carol Danvers. The franchise’s America Chavez is also not a great one-for-one comparison, because there is literally no one else like her in the Quantum Realm. Meanwhile we’ve now met three versions of a Captain Marvel character in three different worlds. And while Miles’ status as an anomaly in Across the Spider-Verse seems most pertinent, that’s a Sony story and it’s never clear what (if anything) it tells us about the MCU.

We do know one important thing: the universe doesn’t make mistakes with its greatest heroes. It gives great power to those it will one day ask to carry a great responsibility. Twice someone spared Tony Stark’s life, and he eventually saved every living being everywhere. The Hulk was seemingly created in an accident that should have killed Bruce Banner so he could use the gamma-ray powered Infinity Stones to bring back everyone Thanos snapped. And a Loki Variant just found the glorious purpose he believed himself born with to be saving every branch of reality to ever exist.

If Carol Danvers of Earth-616 is the Captain Marvel anomaly it’s not because the universe made a mistake. Her friend was not the one who should have been the one to gain those powers. It should have been Carol—along with all her flaws—for a reason we don’t yet know but one we can anticipate. Someday the universe will need that Carol Danvers to do something great, something her whole life will build to. And in that moment she and she alone will be the one, in any universe, who can do it.

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

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Zack Snyder isn’t the only filmmaker who wanted to make a Star Wars movie but never got the chance. Unlike his colleagues, though, he’s still bringing his idea for the galaxy far, far away to the screen, just in a different way. His sci-fi epic about space rebels fighting back against an evil fascist regime is coming to Netflix. And the new trailer for Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire brings all-out war to a different galaxy.

Seven Samurai meets Star Wars (yes, we know why that is a very funny thing to say) in the latest trailer for Rebel Moon. The film’s new promo was the final reveal from Netflix’s Geeked Week 2023 event. It also gives us our best idea of what to expect from Rebel Moon‘s story. Previous looks at the film focused more on world-building. The streaming site has also provided one of the most in-depth synopses you’ll ever see for Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire.

From Netflix:

After crash landing on a moon in the furthest reaches of the universe, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a stranger with a mysterious past, begins a new life among a peaceful settlement of farmers. But she soon becomes their only hope for survival when the tyrannical Regent Balisarius (Fra Fee) and his cruel emissary, Admiral Noble (Ed Skrein), discover the farmers have unwittingly sold their crops to the Bloodaxes (Cleopatra Coleman and Ray Fisher) — leaders of a fierce group of insurgents hunted by the Motherworld.

Tasked with finding fighters who would risk their lives to defend the people of Veldt, Kora and Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), a tenderhearted farmer naive in the realities of war, journey to different worlds in search of the Bloodaxes, and assemble a small band of warriors who share a common need for redemption along the way: Kai (Charlie Hunnam), a pilot and gun for hire; General Titus (Djimon Hounsou), a legendary commander; Nemesis (Doona Bae), a master swordswoman; Tarak (Staz Nair), a captive with a regal past; and Milius (E. Duffy), a resistance fighter. Back on Veldt, Jimmy (voiced by Anthony Hopkins), an ancient mechanized protector hiding in the wings, awakens with a new purpose. But the newly formed revolutionaries must learn to trust each other and fight as one before the armies of the Motherworld come to destroy them all.

That’s a lot of info. (In fairness, there’s a whole lot going on in this Rebel Moon trailer. There are lots of strange creatures, worlds, ships, and farming techniques most of us will never understand.) Fortunately, there will still be some mystery left for the actual movie to share.

Snyder shared a video breaking down the Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire trailer. In it, he hints at what’s to come, discusses making the movie, and talks more about the characters.

Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire comes to Netflix on December 22. Part Two: The Scargiver will follow in 2024, releasing on April 19th.

Two big-budget films about space rebels? Not a bad consolation prize for not getting to make a Star Wars movie.

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You can stab Geralt of Rivia. You can destroy his home and kill most of his brothers. And you can even replace him with a totally different actor. But what you can’t do is stop his story from being told. The ever-growing universe of Netflix’s The Witcher is expanding yet again. It will soon head below the Continent’s waves, to an earlier time in the White Wolf’s life. As part of the latest Geeked Week event, the streamer announced a new anime spinoff series, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. Netflix also shared two intense teaser trailers that feature Geralt and a race of beings not yet seen on any Witcher show or film before. Sirens of the Deep will follow a young Geralt as he tries to avoid getting caught up in an old and deadly feud between humans and merpeople.

Like The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf film before it, Netflix is going to explore Geralt’s early years with an anime spinoff. This time the site is doing so with a series that will introduce a group not yet seen on screen. It’s one fans of author Andrzej Sapkowski’s world know all about. Here’s the show’s official synopsis:

Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter, is hired to investigate a series of attacks in a seaside village and finds himself drawn into a centuries-old conflict between humans and merpeople. He must count on friends — old and new — to solve the mystery before the hostilities between the two kingdoms escalate into all-out war.

See! No need to worry. The show will feature a shirtless Geralt in water. (I think it legally has to. At least in Europe.) Just as important, though, is that Sirens of the Deep seems poised to bring the bard Essi Daven to life.

Considering her connections to Jaskier in the books, we expect ties between Netflix’s versions even if time separates them.

Time will also keep us away from the show. It won’t premiere until “late 2024.” Turns out you can’t stop Geralt’s story from being told. But you can make us wait for it.

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Loki‘s second season ended with the Asgardian prince getting everything he ever wanted. He really was born with a glorious purpose. It led him to sit upon a throne as he’d always coveted. And yet, the fulfillment of his lifelong dreams was not what he imagined. The God of Mischief, who had long played the role of a villain, proved to be anything but. His burden was not to earn others’ love but to show love. Loki saved everyone in every timeline by sacrificing himself to create a new kind of existence. It honors his Norse heritage and frees the universe from the Sacred Timeline’s oppression. The only thing it didn’t do was eliminate the danger posed by Kang the Conqueror and his dangerous Variants.

Loki spent the first half of his show’s season two finale desperately trying to fix the Temporal Loom that had seemingly exploded at the end of episode four. That blast had sent everyone at the TVA back to their original branch and life. It was everything Sylvie wanted, but in episode five those realities and everyone in them all began to turn to spaghetti. Without the Temporal Loom around to organize branches into the Sacred Timeline the entire multiverse appeared doomed. Loki was the multiverse’s only hope thanks to his time slipping.

Once Loki learned to control his movement through time he was able to go back to before the Loom’s failure. In the finale he spent centuries studying and repeatedly attempting to expand the Temporal Loom. He finally achieved his goal when he made it possible for Victor Timely to successfully fire the Throughput Multiplier onto the Loom before it was too late.

It didn’t work. It was never going to work. Scaling up the Temporal Loom’s size to fit more timelines was always doomed to fail. Without the TVA’s pruning of branches, new realities grow at an infinite rate. You can’t scale up for infinite. “It’s like trying to divide by zero. It can’t be done.”

Loki then decided he had to go back even further in time to fix everything. He needed to stop Sylvie from killing He Who Remains in the first place. The death of the TVA’s creator had put this existential disaster in motion.

Inside the Citadel of Time, during a sequence from the show’s season one finale, Loki tried again and again to prevent Sylvie from killing He Who Remains. He never succeeded. No matter how many times he time slipped to that encounter, Sylvie always murdered her sworn enemy. Each time she also told Loki if he wanted to stop her he had to kill her. Loki wouldn’t.

Eventually He Who Remains paused time when he realized Loki had relived this moment many times. The TVA creator also knew all about the time slipping. He had “paved” the road that led to Loki’s time traveling ability, because Loki was He Who Remains’ backup plan for reincarnation, not Victor Timely.

Loki then shared his own secret. He could also control time; he was much further along in his understanding of time manipulation. He Who Remains then explained exactly what was going on. There was no Temporal Loom scaling problem because the Temporal Loom is simply a failsafe. “When the Loom is overloaded with branches, it deletes the ones that aren’t supposed to be there. Everything except the Sacred Timeline.” Saving the TVA was never a concern. It was simply collateral damage that is “easy to rebuild.” The Loom’s protection of the Sacred Timeline and its finite number of chosen branches was all that ever mattered.

He Who Remains then told Loki something the Asgardian already knew: no matter what Loki did he would always lose. There was no way to save every branch. Not unless Loki changed the equation entirely and destroyed the Temporal Loom.

While He Who Remains said countless versions of his dangerous Variants already existed by now, destroying the Temporal Loom would mean multiversal war. That would result in the destruction of every branch of reality, including the Sacred Timeline. He Who Remains said that’s what this was all about. He offered mercy to some by making the hard choice to sacrifice timelines to prevent the end of them all. Loki was unconvinced. He still refused to kill Syivle and said he would “find another way.”

That other way led him to time slip to his first sit down with Mobius. There/then Loki asked his friend for help. Loki asked about how you decide who lives and dies. Mobius talked about keeping the big picture in mind and how “most purpose is more burden than glory.” Ultimately there is no comfort in real, meaningful purpose. The only choice we have is to pick which burden we are willing to live with.

Loki thanked him and then went to speak with Sylvie before she turned to spaghetti. When he told her the truth about the Loom being a failsafe Sylvie realized he might have to kill her. It was the only way to guarantee He Who Remains would live. Loki said it was either the Sacred Timeline or nothing, but she didn’t accept that. What gave him the right to take away everyone’s free will? What was the point of protecting an existence without it? Who was Loki to say they couldn’t die fighting instead? Why replace one nightmare with another anyway, especially when “sometimes it’s okay to destroy something.”

It’s what Loki needed to hear. Sylvie had never lost sight of the real big picture and what matters – a chance to live your life. Loki knew what he needed to do. He finally realized what kind of god he needed to be for his friends and everyone. Loki realized he could replace the branch-killing Loom, and therefore the Sacred Timeline, with something better: himself.

Loki went back to the moment before the Temporal Loom exploded to save the people he loved. He walked out on the platform without a suit and adorned his royal Asgardian clothes and horned crown. He then used his powers to destroy the Temporal Loom for good. Without it the infinite branches began to die, but Loki grabbed them and brought them back to life with his energy. He then gathered every timeline and carried them through a rift that led to the End of Time.

There he weaved the branches both into his robe and into himself as he claimed the throne as the King of All Time, Always. Only, unlike He Who Remains, he did not oppress timelines into a branch-killing Loom. Instead Loki let them all blossom and co-exist in peace as part of something new. Loki created Yggdrasil, the sacred ash Norse Tree of Life that contains all life.

Loki sacrificed himself to save everyone on every timeline. He also saved the TVA, a place people can now choose to serve freely. Some like Mobius opted to leave the TVA behind and go home. Others decided to stay because the TVA still serves an important purpose. It now monitors Variants of He Who Remains, one of whom caused (an already dealt with) problem in an Earth-616 adjacent world. That was a reference to Kang’s activities in the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Loki’s glorious purpose, which was never about earning the love of others but rather showing it to them, saved every branch in the infinite multiverse. He also stopped multiversal war and the potential destruction of everything. The Variants of He Who Remains will not destroy the entire universe. But when Loki broke the loop of time he did not destroy Kang and his Variants for good. Instead, in this new reality, they’re united as the Council of Kangs seen in Quantumania. He Who Remains Variants are no longer fighting each other to control the multiverse, they’re fighting together. That’s still a dangerous proposition for every branch of reality.

Loki’s sacrifice wasn’t a perfect solution because life isn’t perfect. We can never be truly safe. But it was beautiful and full of hope. He created a far better universe than the one He Who Remains maintained. Loki didn’t offer the multiverse false mercy defined by death. Loki has to give the multiverse life. Every life.

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

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When The Marvels‘ Dar-Benn used both Quantum Bands, she did more than just destroy herself. Those powerful ancient artifacts caused a massive energy surge that also turned her unstable jump point into a giant rift between parallel worlds. Monica Rambeau’s efforts to close the tear trapped her in a different universe entirely, one where the X-Men exist. But she might not have been the only Marvel superhero the movie’s big ending will have huge ramifications for. The cosmic explosion that created the multiverse pathway in space at the end of The Marvels might have created a fantastic new foursome in the MCU. And before Monica averted a potential Incursion, mutants might have “bled” into her home dimension.

Will The Marvels‘ Massive Space Explosion Bring the Fantastic Four to the MCU?

The Fantastic Four will soon arrive in the MCU. The iconic clan will kick off Phase 6 with their own movie. However, we don’t know if they’ll appear before their film the way some MCU figures debut in other characters’ projects. We also don’t know exactly how the franchise will explain the Fantastic Four’s sudden presence in the Avengers universe. Will they come from a parallel world in the multiverse? Or will they be natives of the MCU’s prime universe of Earth-616 who suddenly gain incredible powers? That’s their origin story from the comics. If the latter is what the MCU has planned for the Fanastic Four, then The Marvels might have just shown how those four regular humans became super beings.

Reed Richards, Susan Storm, her brother Johnny, and Ben Grimm famously gained their powers in Marvel Comics from exposure to cosmic rays during an experimental space flight. Meanwhile, The Marvels just featured a giant space explosion. While it might not be exactly the same type of exposure—The Marvels‘ was more like a cataclysmic burst of quantum energy rather than cosmic rays—it still would have exposed any nearby scientists on a secret cosmic mission to a massive energy surge. (That’s exactly the type of change the MCU makes all the time.) It was powerful enough to tear the barrier between worlds. It was certainly powerful enough to imbue someone with superpowers.

That would be true for Variants on both sides of the rip. Thanks to The Marvels, the Fantastic Four might have just gained their powers on the MCU’s Earth-616, or in the parallel X-Men world Monica Rambeau finds herself in, or both.

Of course, it’s also possible that, like the X-Men, the Fantastic Four already existed in that other reality. We’ve already met a super-powered Reed Richards Variant in the MCU’s Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. More of him and his cohorts definitely exist in the infinite multiverse already. If the Fantastic Four already a part of the X-Men dimension in the MCU, it’s possible they just switched realities, the same as Monica.

That’s why the Fantastic Four aren’t the only famous Marvel superheroes that The Marvels‘ cosmic bleeding might have pulled into the MCU.

Were Any X-Men Pulled into the MCU’s Earth-616 During The Marvels?

Dr. Hank McCoy now knows the impossible is anything but. for Monica’s presence in his universe showed Beast an incredible fact MCU fans already knew: parallel dimensions exist, and people can travel between different realities. But can they also unwillingly “bleed” into them? That’s the term Monica used to describe what was happening thanks to the rip in space. In The Marvels, she said a totally different reality was “bleeding” into her own.

What does that actually mean? Did that cosmic bleeding pull people into Monica’s world? Specifically, the mutants from the new dimension where the X-Men exist? Spider-Man: No Way Home established people can move through the multiverse against their will. Did that just happen to some of the X-Men of Beast’s world? Are they now on Earth-616? That would solve a big problem fans have long waited to get an answer to. The MCU is a place where the X-Men haven’t existed before, and it wouldn’t make much sense to suddenly learn they always have been there. Now The Marvels could be how the MCU explains the sudden appearance of Fox-era X-Men characters in the franchise.

If that “bleeding” was nothing more than a turn of phrase, and no mutants or Fantastic Four members got pulled into Earth-616 in The Marvels, there’s still one more obvious way Dar-Benn’s space tear will result in major Marvel characters joining the MCU. They have a new friend who wants to go back there.

Will Monica Rambeau Bring the X-Men or Fantastic Four to Her Home MCU Universe?

Monica is now a direct link between the world of the MCU and the X-Men. It’s a connection that didn’t exist before that tear in space. Multiverse of Madness‘s Charles Xavier is the only known mutant of that world. He was a Variant, not the Fox-era version of the character. But Monica might very well have met the Beast of the X-Men films. Beast’s looks are always evolving in Marvel Comics, and Disney used musical cues from both X2: X-Men United and Days of Future Past during the post-credits scene of the MCU movie.

Even if they’re not, though, Monica will want to go home. When she does, she might not go alone. She could bring some fantastic, exciting new friends with her.

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

The post Could THE MARVELS’ Space Rip Finally Bring Some Major Marvel Characters to the MCU? appeared first on Nerdist.

The Marvels ended with one of the group’s three members lost in a parallel universe. The jump point Dar-Benn created over Earth grew even more unstable after she tried to use both Quantum Bands at the same time. The resulting explosion caused a cosmic power overload that not only killed Dar-Benn, it caused a rip in space itself. It opened a door to a different reality which then began bleeding into the MCU’s Earth-616. Monica Rambeau alone stopped a potential universe-destroying Incursion by absorbing the combined energy of Kamala Khan and Carol Danvers. That gave her the power she needed to close the tear using her electromagnetic spectrum manipulation abilities. But Monica knew her heroism would come with a cost. She was only able to close the hole from the other side. When it safely shut she was stuck in a completely unknown branch of the multiverse.

At least it was completely unknown until the film’s only post-movie sequence. A mid-credits scene revealed Monica ended up in a reality with major implications for the MCU’s future. Monica woke up in a hospital bed after someone rescued her from space. Sitting by her side was a Variant of her mother, Maria Rambeau. That Maria doesn’t have a daughter, though. She’s not a mom; she’s a superhero known as Binary, a persona that belonged to Carol Danvers in Marvel Comics.

More importantly, Binary’s associate and Monica’s doctor, turned out to be someone who reports to “Charles.” The scene featured Kelsey Grammer’s Dr. Hank McCoy, a.k.a. Beast, from Fox’s X-Men franchise. His surprise appearance is the most consequential moment yet for mutants in the MCU. It means the X-Men have finally joined the series for good.

Ms. Marvel‘s season one finale revealed Kamala Khan to be the MCU’s first confirmed mutant. Since then others like her have officially joined the franchise. A Variant of Patrick Stewart’s Professor Charles Xavier appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. (That film also featured the first Maria Rambeau Variant. She was that dimension’s Captain Marvel.) Namor was the main antagonist of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. And Mr. Immortal made a brief cameo on She-Hulk. There might also be more hiding in plain sight unaware of their genetic mutations.

However, none of those characters have direct ties to Fox’s X-Men films, which are poised to play a major role in the MCU soon. The version of Charles Xavier from Multiverse of Madness wasn’t just a Variant, it’s not clear any other X-Men or mutants exist in his reality. It’s also not yet known what connections, if any, the version of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine who appears in Deadpool 3 will have with his original Fox universe character. Despite mutants’ presence, the X-Men didn’t exist in the MCU until The Marvels post-credits scene. Now they do, because in that universe Beast reports to “Charles.”

We don’t yet know if the reality Monica ended up in is the exact same universe as the Fox X-Men movies, but The Marvels strongly hinted at it. In addition to Grammer’s Beast, the scene featured music (listed in the credits) from both X2 and Days of Future Past. That’s a big difference from the musical cue we got for Kamala Khan on Ms. Marvel. A motif from the X-Men animated series accompanied her genetic mutation reveal. If Marvel wanted us to treat Beast, Binary, and the unseen Charles Xavier as just other mutant Variants, why use Fox-era music?

The presence of Maria Rambeau’s Binary and the difference in Beast’s physical appearance means we can’t definitively say Monica ended up in the Fox X-Men universe. But no matter which exact reality she’s now trapped in isn’t as important as what that parallel world means for the MCU. The X-Men are now, finally, an official part of the franchise. They’ve also met a hero of Earth-616 and now know, impossible as it seemed to Hank McCoy before, they are not alone in the universe.

It’s only a matter of time before they meet more of a different Earth’s Avengers.

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

The post THE MARVELS Post-Credits Scene, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

After all these years, we still know who to call when there’s something strange in the neighborhood. Ghostbusters: Afterlife showed that’s true whether you live in New York or Oklahoma, as a new generation of specter seekers proved bustin’ feels good at any age. But which members of the group, both old and new, will show up in the franchise’s next installment? Where will this sequel take us next? Here’s everything we know about Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire…so far.

Title

The title for the next Ghostbusters film is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will be a direct sequel to the 2021 movie Ghostbusters: Afterlife. It will also be the franchise’s fifth film overall and the fourth installment in the primary series.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire‘s Plot

Recently, we got a lot of information about Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Sony Pictures revealed the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel’s name, trailer, and synopsis. Take a look.

The synopsis for the movie further shares:

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Hang on tight, everyone, it’s about to be a frosty ride.

Behind-the-Scenes

Jason Reitman will not return to the director’s chair for Frozen Empire. His co-writer on the first film, Gil Kenan, will instead take over. Reitman and Kenan once again penned the script for the movie together.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire‘s Cast

Paul Rudd, Mckenna Grace, Carrie Coon, and Finn Wolfhard will all once again star in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Celeste O’Connor will return to the film for more spooky fun. Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, and Logan Kim have also joined the franchise.

Original Ghostbusters stars Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts will, too, reprise their roles as the franchise returns to New York City.

Rumors indicate we’ll see at least a few surprising reprisals in among the rest.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire‘s Release Date

Columbia Pictures has pushed back the film’s release date from December 20, 2023 to March 29, 2024.

The post Everything We Know About GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE appeared first on Nerdist.

While we certainly don’t condone what Loki did in The Avengers, it’s hard to fault the God of Mischief for using Stark Tower as his base of operations on Earth. Tony’s giant, technologically-advanced New York City skyscraper was a building worthy of an Asgardian prince. Now LEGO’s recreation of that famous skyscraper is worthy of Earth’s mightiest heroes and their fans. The toy company’s massive new Avengers Tower set is a gigantic plastic brick homage to an iconic MCU locale. And it needs to be large, because it needs room for a record-setting 31 minifigures.

Forget flowers. Forget parades. You can even forget about a monument built to the skies with your name plastered on the side. (You know what that would cost to heat? Stark Industries money.) This year fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are going to want LEGO’s 5201-piece Avengers Tower set.

This enormous set stands more than 35.5-inches tall, making it LEGO’s tallest brick-built skyscraper ever. And while it makes for an incredible display piece, it’s more than just a collectible. LEGO says it’s “filled with ways to replay Infinity Saga battles” on every floor. That will be easy to do thanks to its many, many minifigs. At 31 it’s the most ever-included in any LEGO set. One of them is an exclusive figure of Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. As if all that wasn’t enough, the collection also includes a Leviathan, Quinjet, and two Chitauri flyers.

LEGO Insiders will also have a chance to get even more bonuses. From November 24 through 27, members who buy Avengers Tower will also receive a free LEGO Marvel Taxi set. That comes with a New York yellow taxi and four minifigures of Black Panther, a taxi driver, and two outriders.

No surprise a big set comes with a big price tag. You can get yours on November 24 for $499.99. Sure, that’s a lot of money. But it’s probably still cheaper than selling yourself out to Thanos to get an alien army. That only got Loki this tower for a day. You can keep yours forever.

The post LEGO’s Massive New AVENGERS Tower Set Would Impress Tony Stark appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s the holiday season, which means parents around the globe are telling their children Santa Claus will soon bring them lots of goodies and toys. Before that, though, Apple TV+ is bringing a different magical being to our screens to spread some cheer. Ted Lasso‘s Hannah Waddingham is kicking off the most wonderful time of the year with a big new holiday musical special. And the first trailer for Hannah Waddingham: Home For Christmas is another reminder that if someone as talented as her can be real, Santa might be, too.

Get out your finest suits and dresses because this year Hannah Waddingham is ringing in the holidays with style. She’s also ringing it in whole bunch of songs and friends in her Home For Christmas musical extravaganza recorded live at The Coliseum in London.

The one-hour show will see the Emmy-winner perform a number of iconic Christmas songs. Some big names will also join her on the show. That includes Sam Ryder, Luke Evans, Leslie Odom Jr., Phil Dunster, and, as this trailer reveals, even more of her Ted Lasso co-stars like Juno Temple and Brendan Hunt. The show will also feature performers from the English National Opera, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, The Fabulous Lounge Swingers, and an 18-piece band.

Hannah Waddingham: Home For Christmas will debut everywhere on November 22. As a bonus present, Apple has also announced that same day will mark the release of a companion album. You’ll be able to listen to it on all music streaming platforms. Waddingham’s “What Christmas Means to Me” is already available. You can hear it right here.

I don’t know if Santa Claus is real. He’s probably not. However, I won’t rule it out. Not when Hannah Waddingham is. That seems just as unlikely as a magical elf who lives in the North Pole.

I mean, can Santa even sing?

The post HANNAH WADDINGHAM: HOME FOR CHRISTMAS Special Kicks Off the Holiday Season With Festive Trailer appeared first on Nerdist.

After generations came together in Oklahoma in 2021, the Ghostbusters are going home. Well, at least the old ones are. Technically, the new Ghostbusters are going someplace new. What matters is they’re all heading back to where things started for the franchise, New York City. It’s a good thing, too. The Big Apple is going to need all of them. Columbia Pictures’ first teaser trailer for (the officially named) Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a chilling look at the horrors that await the City That Never Sleeps. A powerful, ancient enemy is turning fear itself into its greatest weapon. Take a look at the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire trailer below.

No need to wonder if the original Ghostbusters will return like they did in 2021’s Afterlife. They are a big part of this Ghostbusters sequel’s trailer, which is way more grim than we would have imagined. At least Paul Rudd is back to keep things light. Unfortunately, New York City will need more than a little light to thaw out.

To help us make sense of the trailer, here is the official synopsis for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire from Columbia Pictures:

In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire comes from the Afterlife co-writing team of Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan. Only this time, Kenan is in the director’s chair. The movie also stars: Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Celeste O’Connor, Logan Kim, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts.

Hopefully, Ghostbusters, both old and new, kept their winter jackets close by when they unpacked their summer clothes. They’re going to need them when Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire comes to theaters on March 29, 2024.

The post GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE Shares Chilling Trailer Featuring Original Stars appeared first on Nerdist.

In a world full of superheroes controlled by an evil, all-powerful global conglomerate no good deed goes unpunished. That’s what Marie, Andre, Emma, and Jordan learned in Gen V‘s season one finale. But while their medical facility/prison has no doors, the show revealed a way out for them. A post-credits scene featured the world’s foremost supe hater is on the case. Billy Butcher stopped by The Woods to see exactly what Vought was up to at Godolkin University. While he might be looking for a virus that will play a major role in The Boys‘s fourth season, he could also find some super new allies who hate Homelander, too.

Dr. Edison Cardosa had been secretly working on a way to give Vought “compassionate control” over its superheroes. His monstrous experiments in The Woods resulted in a virus that left supes—and supes only—weakened. But Godolkin Dean Indira Shetty pushed Cardosa to not only make it more dangerous, she wanted him to make it contagious. Shetty also wanted him to make it airborne. She hated supes because she knew Homelander was responsible for her husband’s and daughter’s death in a plane crash that occurred during The Boys‘ first season. Shetty wanted the virus to exterminate super-abled beings all over the world.

After threatening Cardosa to give her what she wanted, Dean Shetty reached out to Grace Mallory, former Deputy Director of the CIA and founder of The Boys. Shetty said her project was getting more dangerous and she needed help. The Dean thought Mallory would happily work with her to “neutralize” every supe on Earth. Instead Mallory—who now has Starlight as an ally—called Shetty’s plan a “war crime.”

Shetty said she’d continue with her plan alone and left. That’s when Mallory pulled out a phone and asked someone if they “got all that” and to “keep a close eye” on the Dean. Mallory had someone record the entire conversation. Shetty provided proof of the horrible experiments Vought had been performing on kids at a school.

Meanwhile, thanks to a drunken Cardosa’s rant inside Dean Shetty’s office, a hidden Marie and Jordan learned about the virus. Marie then told a visiting Victoria Neuman all about it after Neuman revealed she is secretly a supe and they both share the same blood manipulation powers. In fact, Neuman had been secretly helping Marie for years.

Congresswoman Neuman would not help Cardosa escape the predicament he’d unknowingly created for himself. The Vought doctor had inadvertently made a virus that would destroy the company’s very own superheroes. The doctor was very happy when Neuman contacted him about the virus and happily gave over every vile in existence to her. He believed they were on the same side. However, once the doctor confirmed he was the only one who knew how to make the virus, Neuman blew up his head.

With Shetty (forced to slice her own throat by a furious Cate) and Cardosa both dead, the only person who has access to the virus is Victoria Neuman, a powerful, dangerous superhero who could potentially use the bio-weapon on enemy supes. She can also use it as leverage over Vought and anyone else who gets in her way. But Neuman isn’t the only one who knows it exists. Mallory and her Boys know, too, a fact Gen V reminded us during its season one finale post-credits scene.

The season ended with Billy Butcher showing up to examine the abandoned Woods facility. There he saw what Vought had been doing to its own young superheroes. (Which he described with his signature vocabulary.)

What exactly was he looking for there? Evidence of the virus and how to create it? The remains of a supe who died from it? Documentation of what really transpired? Anything that could support what Mallory recorded Shetty saying about the program? All of that and more? Whatever Butcher wanted—even if it was just a chance to see firsthand the depravity of Vought—might not be as valuable as what he didn’t find.

In the season finale Cate and Sam unleash The Woods’ patients on the humans of Godolkin. They wanted vengeance. Andre, Emma, Marie, and Jordan stopped the massacre, saving Vought’s entire board of trustees in the process. For that they earned Homelander’s scorn. (The very tough Marie got a laser eye blast to the chest.) Homelander accused them of killing their own “kind.” That earned all four a spot in a secret Vought medical facility. They’re imprisoned there while the world celebrates the free and clear Cate and Sam. Vought—under Homelander’s watchful eye and smile—is promoting the two of them as the “new” Guardians of Godolkin.

Vought is trying to bury the truth once again, but the company’s biggest enemies know about those dark secrets. And in the world of The Boys, where even Billy Butcher has learned to work with good, kind, moral supes, the four real heroes of Gen V might be just what he needs to reveal what the evil conglomerate is really all about. They’re all now natural allies, anyway. Those locked-up God U coeds are enemies of Homelander now. They need Billy as much as he needs them.

Well, they need each other and a deadly virus that can kill Homelander. Billy Butcher will probably wants to find that just as much as he does Godolkin’s true Guardians.

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

The post What GEN V’s Season 1 Finale Means for THE BOYS appeared first on Nerdist.

Giving presents is fun, but picking them out can be really stressful. So because we like our readers to feel relaxed, we’re here to make the end of your year as easy as possible. We put together another holiday gift guide for you, our fellow pop culture lovers. This list celebrates some of our favorite properties with everything from ideal stocking stuffers and perfect Secret Snowflake options, to must-have collectibles and impressive big ticket items. There’s something here for everyone in your life.

We’ve highlighted a few, but you’ll find plenty of gift ideas under each entry. Make sure to check them out to find the right present for the special people in your life. And, let’s be honest, to probably also pick out a couple for yourself.

Star Trek: Picard – Delta Magnet ($29.95)

This year saw us say farewell to Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Again. But we can always keep the iconic Starfleet commander close by with this Picard elegant Delta Magnet. Based on the insignia seen on the spinoff series, it measures 2 ¾-inches tall and has a bright silver delta over a matte finish black nickel.

Looking for more Star Trek gift options?

• Star Trek Tridimensional Chess Set ($174.95) – Whether you want to play the legendary game or simply add a stunning Star Trek collectible to your home, you can do both with this gorgeous set.
• Star Trek: The Next Generation Replicator Color-Changing Mug ($19.99) – This mug is the best way to know your tea, Earl Grey, is still hot.

Ted Lasso – Roy Kent Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure ($14.95)

Sometimes we all need a little motivation to be our best. Other times we need someone to yell knock off the f***ing bull****. (We tend to really need both during the holiday season.) That’s why we could all use a little Coach Roy Kent in our lives, and you can get just that with this Funko Pop! of the breakout Ted Lasso star.

Looking for more Ted Lasso gift options?

• Mackenzie Limited Ted Lasso Biscuits with the Boss Shortbread Cookies ($29.95/$49.95/$69.95) – Live every day like Rebecca by having your very own Coach Lasso-style shortbread cookies.
• Ted Lasso Believe Dartboard ($99) – We believe in two things—believe and barbecue sauce—so this dart board is perfect for those who feel the same way.

Batman – McFarlane 1989 Batmobile Set ($74.99)

There’s never a shortage of great Batman memorabilia, but we’re partial to anything that celebrates the greatest live-action Batmobile ever. That’s what this special McFarlane set does, with a replica of Tim Burton’s 1989 car. It also comes with a figure of Michael Keaton’s Batman.

Looking for more Warner Bros. icons gift options?

• Little People Collector Barbie: The Movie Special Edition Set of Four ($24.99) – We love Fisher Price’s Little People line, and this four figure set is an ideal gift for anyone of any age who loved Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie. It’s more than Kenough.
• Funko Pop! Rides Deluxe Aquaman And Storm ($30) – Know how Aquaman riding a giant seahorse is the best part of the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer? Well it’s just as amazing in giant Funko Pop! form.

Star Wars – Chatter Back Chopper Animatronic ($79.99)

Ahsoka introduced a whole new audience to Star Wars‘ sassiest, prank-loving droid. Now you (or, you know, your kids) can also get the full Chopper experience with Hasbro’s interactive Chatter Back Chopper droid. With more than 40 different sound and movement combos it will beep your ear off. We wouldn’t want it any other way with old Chop.

Looking for more Star Wars gift options?

• Star Wars: The Deck-Building Game ($37.99) – Baylan Skoll would love this. This new head-to-head tabletop game will let you fight for the Rebel Alliance or the Empire, bu without worrying any Jedi or Sith will get involved in the outcome.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi Legacy Lightsaber Collectible Set ($249.99) – Sometimes you just need a super fancy replica of your favorite Jedi’s lightsaber. That’s just how it goes sometimes. Santa gets it.

Super Mario Bros. – Fire Breathing Bowser ($29.99)

Jakks Pacific’s Super Mario Bros. collection was already one of the best in the toy business before the franchise’s animated film hit theaters. Since that blockbuster premiered Jakks’ Super Mario. Bros. collectibles have only gotten better, like with this fantastic fire-breathing figure of Jack Black’s Bowser. It’s so good even Peach would love unwrapping one.

Looking for more kids’ pop culture toy gift options?

• Sonic the Hedgehog Death Egg Playset ($44.99) – This clever set is basically a final battle come to life. Fair warning: your kids will be angry how much you play with it.
• Jurassic Park and Jurassic World Dinosaur Toys and LEGO Sets ($50-80) – It might be 30 years since Steven Spielberg brought moviegoers back to prehistoric times, but there’s never been a better time for Jurassic Park merchandise. There are almost too many, especially when it comes to fun toy dinos and iconic scenes recreated in LEGO.

The Lord of the Rings – Horn Of Gondor ($184.99)

You don’t need to be in the kingdom of Gondor to hear its legendary horn. You can let anyone anywhere blow it with United Cutlery’s screen-accurate replica of the one Boromir used in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings. This is more than just a collectible, though. It can be buried with you when you die. It’s like a double gift! (Maybe don’t mention that during the holidays.)

Looking for more fantasy world gift options?

• Dungeons & Dragons Young Adventurer’s Guides Series ($13/14 per book) – Longtime D&D fans who nab a copy of the incredible new upcoming special edition Lores & Legends box set should remember every . For them pick up Dungeons & Dragons Young Adventurer’s Guide books, which help them learn all about the role-playing world.
• Game Of Thrones: Paper Models ($24.99) – Let Game of Thrones‘ fans bring the the world of A Song of Ice and Fire to life without needing a loan from the Iron Bank of Braavos.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory – Bluetooth Train Set ($449.99)

The priciest item on our list is a big item for big fans of an all-time classic. Lionel’s new bluetooth-enabled Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Train set celebrates the beloved 1971 movie. Not only can you control this five-piece locomotive with your voice, you don’t even need to be a train person to run it. It includes it’s own track, making it the perfect present to chugga chugga chugga chugga choo-choose.

Looking for more food-inspired gift options?

• Thames and Kosmos Rainbow Gummy Candy Lab ($19.95) Any kid (or adult) who watches Willy Wonka wants candy, but why not play with your food and create your own with this set?
• Heroes of Barcadia ($60) – “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker,” and this clever tabletop game from Rollacrit turns a board game into a drinking game.

Marvel – The Folio Society’s The Avengers Collection ($135)

This massive new 328-page collection from The Folio Society combines some of the most famous, most important Marvel Comics’ stories of Earth’s mightiest heroes. Whether a comic book newcomer or longtime fan this set is a beautiful addition to any library. Plus it also comes with a replica issue of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s 1963 The Avengers #1. Excelsior!

Looking for more MCU gift options?

• Guardians of the Galaxy Groot Alarm Clock ($31.99) – A loud little machine waking you up? The worst thing ever. Baby Groot waking you up? I am Groot.* (*The best.)
• Marvel Studios The Marvel Cinematic Universe An Official Timeline ($50.00) – We’d have included the new official timeline of the MCU anyway, but this one is extra special to us because our very own Editor-in-Chief Amy Ratcliffe is one of the authors.

Salute Your Shorts – Camp Anawanna Sherpa Blanket ($59.95)

Being a kid is obviously way better than being an adult, with one major exception. Adults can buy themselves stuff, including stuff they would have loved to have as kids. So why not do that for your fellow ’90s kids by getting them a blanket that celebrates Salute Your Shorts‘ Camp Anawanna. It will literally warm you with notalgia.

Looking for more nostalgic Nickelodeon gift options?

• Retro Rugrats 12-Inch Reptar Plush (20.99) If you haven’t noticed we’ve tried to find lots of gift ideas that work for both adults and children, that way grownups can justify buying them. Thus…REPTAR!
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shell Backpack With Character Masks ($79.99) – Is this the greatest backpack ever made? That’s an impossible question to answer, but yeah, probably.

Parks and Recreation – Swanson Pyramid of Greatness Poster ($26.95)

Don’t settle for just buying a great gift for someone. Strive to climb the Ron Swanson Pyramid of Greatness introduced on Parks and Recreation. This 18×24 premium print comes on satin photo paper. It’s one of our favorite options for an office swap, especially because there’s a chance your colleague will hang it up at your place of work. Then you’ll get to see Nick Offerman’s face and remember the importance of “Cabins.”

Looking for more beloved NBC show gift options?

• Law & Order: SVU “Dun Dun” Fleece Hooded Sweatshirt ($44.95) – Never before has a piece of clothing made an audible sound without actually making any noise.
• The Office Metal Sign ($34.95) – Simple, clean, and absolutely perfect for both fans of The Office and for any situation where you might have to give a gift blind.

Cinema Science – DIY Retro Film Projector ($79.99 $32 Black Friday Special)

If you want to help inspire the next generation of filmmakers this DIY Retro Film Projector from Cinema Science is a great way to get them excited about how stories get on screen. This 86-piece STEM set designed for kids eight and up will let youngsters safely build their own camera to learn how they work. It also comes a shark-themed film strip to watch. Our only complaint is this didn’t exist 30 years ago so an adult could have given it to us.

Looking for more interactive story-telling gift options?

• Create-A-Story Paper Center ($59.99) Even the youngest kids can learn how to tell a story with nothing but pictures thanks to this adorable set.
• Zu3D Complete Stop-Motion Animation Software Kit and Set ($72) Once your favorite child is ready to go a little more high tech they can not only learn about stop-motion animation they can shoot their own films. We really love this set and would have guessed it costs way more.

The post Holiday Gift Guide for Pop Culture Lovers – 2023 appeared first on Nerdist.

Victor Timely’s stay at the TVA was both short and long. Soon after arriving he tried to stop the Temporal Loom’s complete failure but before he could, temporal radiation turned him into human spaghetti. What exactly happened to Victor? And what does his demise mean for Loki, the TVA, the Sacred Timeline, and the entire MCU? His un-Timely death just unleashed total chaos—and infinite Kang Variants— on the multiverse.

What Happened to Victor Timely on Loki?

Victor Timely provided the final component O.B. and Casey needed for the device they’d built to expand the Temporal Loom’s capacity. The Throughput Multiplier that Victor designed would ensure the Loom could handle more strands of universes safely, stabilizing the Sacred Timeline.

Just like in the season two premiere with Mobius and the Temporal Extractor, someone needed to physically place that piece of equipment on the Loom. That meant going outside the TVA and risking exposure to extreme temporal energy and “fatal corporeal de-husking.” (A term we know from an official show poster featuring O.B.)

Despite the risk, there was no time to waste. The Loom was ready to burst under the strain of too many branches. Victor, whose temporal aura had unlocked the blast doors, offered to go. Sadly his bravery led to his death. Even with a suit on, the instant Victor stepped outside he burst into ribbons. The amount of temporal radiation had become too much.

Why did Victor turn into spaghetti instead of simply exploding or having his skinned peel off, though? In the show’s season two premiere, Loki asked O.B. what would happen if the Temporal Extractor failed to the pull the Asgaradian out of the time stream. Ouroboros answered with a question. “Well, have you heard about how if you fall into a black hole you turn into spaghetti?” Loki had not, but we have.

What Is “Spaghettification?”

“Spaghettification” is a theoretical concept introduced by Stephen Hawking in A Brief History of Time. It hypothesizes what the immense density and gravitational pull of a black hole would do to someone or something who crossed the black hole’s event horizon. As NASA explains, “This effect essentially stretches out the object more and more as the object gets closer to the black hole, creating a long, thin shape.”

That is what O.B. warned Loki about, but it’s not exactly what happened to Victor Timely. For one Victor wasn’t caught in the time stream like Loki had been. Victor also wasn’t stretched into one long Variant noodle. Temporal radiation caused Victor to burst into multiple spaghetti-like ribbons, something we’ve seen before in the MCU.

Who Else Was Turned Into Spaghetti in the MCU Before Victor Timely?

Thanos used the Reality Stone in Avengers: Infinity War to briefly transform Mantis into loose ribbons.

The Scarlet Witch also used her dark magic to brutally murder Reed Richards of Earth-838 in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Magic. Wanda stretched Reed out into long spaghetti-like pieces before making his head explode.

Reed Richards’ slower, painful splintering more resembled Victor Timely’s instant death in many ways. However, the Kang Variant’s fate will have far greater ramifications for the entire multiverse. That starts with what Victor failed to stop.

What Happened to the TVA at the End of Loki Season 2 Episode 4?

Without the Throughput Multiplier in place the ever-increasing number of branches overwhelmed the Temporal Loom. The “heart of the TVA” could no longer weave all those strands of existence into one neat timeline. The result was an explosion of all branches and unrefined time that seemingly destroyed the TVA.

Without the Time Variance Authority there is no one to help manage the chaos of a multiverse that also lacks the guardrails offered by the Sacred Timeline. And we know that means because we know what happened before the TVA existed.

What Does the Implosion of the Temporal Loom Mean for Loki and the MCU?

The Temporal Loom’s explosion literally threatens all threads of reality in the MCU. In Loki season two, episode six, we learn that no branch of existence is safe after the Temporal Loom’s meltdown, they are all dying. We see both Sylvie’s and OB’s separate branches disintegrate into nothing before our eyes. Sphagettification is now happening across branching timelines, essentially destroying every MCU universe and every variant in existence.

But that’s not the only threat that exists for the MCU. He Who Remains created the TVA after defeating his Variants in the Multiversal War. Their battle nearly resulted in the end “of everything and everyone.” The TVA was He Who Remains’ solution to avoiding total annihilation, because without the organization, his Variants would always be a threat to existence. Without the TVA, Kang Variants always live since time is a circle. The TVA alone eliminated them as threats forever. (Except possibly Victor, who might have been He Who Remains’ backup plan specifically because Victor was not a threat, though we need more information to know for sure.)

The breaking of the Temporal Loom, and therefore the Sacred Timeline, means the system created to prevent Kang Variants from existing is gone. That means they might all have come back the second the Loom exploded. That would explain the existence of the Council of Kangs at the end of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. All those infinite strands of existence that just broke free of TVA control represent infinite Kangs.

That might ultimately explain why Victor himself turned into strands.

Is Victor Timely’s Spaghetti Fate Related to the Branching Timeline?

Temporal radiation is not a black hole, so Stephen Hawking’s theory doesn’t fully explain why Victor Timely became spaghetti in Loki. There’s also too much we don’t know about how time works in the MCU, specifically at the TVA, to explain exactly what happened to him and why. And since we know the season did not end with the Loom’s explosion, there’s still more to learn. But we can’t ignore that Victor literally branched out right before every branch of reality broke free.

Did Victor splinter into strands because the branches of reality did that to him? Or did the Loom finally burst because He Who Remains’ Variant did? If so, does that mean Victor’s temporal aura spaghetti-ed and brought all the Kangs back? Did He Who Remains actually want that so he’d come back, too? The last thing he told Sylvie after she stabbed him was that he’d see her “soon.” Was Victor his backup plan to restore himself rather than save the TVA? Does He Who Remains just assume he’ll win the next Multiversal War same as before?

Whatever answers await us during the final episode of Loki season two, one thing is clear: the untimely death of Victor Timely unleashed infinite strands of chaos on the multiverse. Fortunately, if anyone knows how to deal with time chaos it’s the God of Mischief, who already knows what it’s like to slip through time.

Originally published on October 26, 2023.

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

The post What Victor Timely’s Fate Means for LOKI, the Sacred Timeline, and TVA appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s probably not a hard sell getting big names to sign on for a Hayao Miyazaki movie. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of the legendary filmmaker’s Studio Ghibli legacy? No one is too famous for that. But even though we know that to be true, we’re still floored by the newly announced cast for the English-language dub of the iconic director’s upcoming The Boy and the Heron. It features some of Hollywood’s most popular and beloved stars, a list too impressive to pick only one or two to highlight. And in its first trailer for the english-language dub of The Boy and the Heron, this Miyzakai movie shows off its steller cast.

GKIDS, which handles North American distribution for Studio Ghibli recently announced the cast for the English dub of The Boy and the Heron (A film we here at Nerdist described as a “truly mesmerizing feat of animation.”) And now we can hear them in action. The list of voice performers—fittingly—speaks for itself. It includes: Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson, and Florence Pugh. The full list of who plays who is below, but we especially cannot get over Robert Pattinson playing the gray heron.

The film will also feature Luca Padovan, as well as Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolori, and Dan Stevens as the Parakeets. Yeah, Dan Stevens is the last person they mentioned.

The Boy and the Heron‘s Famous Cast and Their Character Roles

Here is the breakdown of The Boy and the Heron‘s cast and the characters they play. See if you can hear their voices in the trailer for this Studio Ghibli movie’s English dub.

SHOICHI MAKI is played by Christian Bale

THE PARAKEET KING is played by Dave Bautista

NATSUKO is played by Gemma Chan

NOBLE PELICAN is played by Willem Dafoe

LADY HIMI is played by Karen Fukuhara

GRANDUNCLE is played by Mark Hamill

GRAY HERON is played by Robert Pattinson

KIRIKO is played by Florence Pugh

MAHITO MAKI is played by Luca Padovan

THE PARAKEETS are played by Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolori, and Dan Stevens

More About The Boy and the Heron

If you’re unfamiliar with the movie, which debuted at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, here’s its official synopsis:

A young boy named Mahito yearning for his mother ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. There, death comes to an end, and life finds a new beginning. A semi-autobiographical fantasy about life, death, and creation, in tribute to friendship, from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Both the original Japanese and new English language versions will come to North American theaters on December 8. (Some special preview screenings will begin earlier on November 22.) Which version should you watch: the Japanese version or the English dub? Why choose when you have the perfect excuse to see a new Hayao Miyazaki movie twice? We doubt the biggest names in the industry would pass on that opportunity, either.

Originally published on October 17, 2023.

The post THE BOY AND THE HERON Shares English-Language Trailer Featuring Star-Studded Cast appeared first on Nerdist.

The House of the Dragon is about to get a lot bigger on HBO. Warner Bros. Discovery has ordered another Game of Thrones prequel set during the Targaryen dynasty to series. Based on George R.R. Martin’s collection of novellas, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, it will bring the beloved duo of Dunk and Egg to life. But unlike its two predecessors, they won’t be moving around like their famous family members. This will be the first Game of Thrones show not to feature dragons. Instead it will feature a famous One-Eyed Raven.

HBO has finally settled on a second Westeros spinoff. Currently known as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, the show will follow two legendary figures in the Realm’s history: Ser Duncan the Tall and his young squire/secret Targaryen prince, Aegon. (Yup, another Aegon.) The show has been in development for more than two years. Martin and Ira Parker will write and executive produce the show. Ryan Condal and Vince Gerardis will also serve as executive producers. According to Variety, at a recent press event, HBO CEO Casey Bloys shared that the series will begin production in spring 2024, pending the resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Hopefully, the studios will soon agree to fairly compensate and protect their actors.

HBO also shared an official logline for the prequel:

A century before the events of Game of Thrones, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends.

Martin has released three novellas about Dunk and Egg’s adventures together, which came in the immediate aftermath of the Blackfyre Rebellion. That was the second famous Targaryen civil war in Westeros, the one fought after dragons went extinct. The three stories were later collected in the book that lends its name to the show’s title.

While we know the fate of Dunk and Egg many years later (which you can read about here if you don’t mind spoilers), there’s so much of their earlier time together we do not. Beyond the three stories Martin has published, he has long said he had/has plans for many more entries. Even if he never writes them, he can now use those ideas as a basis for storylines on the show.

Recently, HBO’s head of drama Francesca Orsi noted more about how the series would structure itself. She offered that it would run “ideally year-to-year and arcing out a three-season series, which maps out the three novellas that George wrote… Of course, we’d like more beyond that, and George is continuing to think about the remaining novellas that he still wants to write, but at this point, we have our eye on three seasons that would map out each book, each novella.”

Even if we simply get adaptations of the three we have read, though, they will provide a fascinating look at the Seven Kingdoms during an important era in its history. The first Blackfyre Rebellion split the Realm in two. But the end of a war does not guarantee peace. And while House Targaryen did not have dragons during this time period, they did have magic. Also, the actions of family members also had major implications on their ancestors 100 years later during the events of Game of Thrones. A couple of them were still around then, too.

Maester Aemon of the Night’s Watch was Egg’s brother. (He called out to Egg while dying.) And the Three-Eyed Raven (known as the Three-Eyed Crow in the novels) was one of the most important figures before, during, and long after the Blackfyre Rebellion. Long before he became part of a tree far beyond the Wall he was an infamous sorcerer and political figure. Just getting to see him in his heyday will make this spinoff worth watching.

Not that it needs any more reasons than Dunk and Egg. Warner Bros. Discovery didn’t need a Three-Eyed Raven to tell the people love this duo for a reason. Or that another Game of Thrones spinoff is a good idea.

Originally published on April 12, 2023.

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Summer is nothing but a memory now and fall is coming to a close. It’s time to start preparing for a long Hoth-like winter. It’s also time to start filling out our holiday wish lists. Fortunately Columbia Sportswear is back to help us with both. The company has announced its newest Star Wars winter collection. This year’s lineup celebrates the iconic flightsuit worn by one of the greatest Jedi ever. The new special-edition Skywalker Pilot Collection is an orange-ode to Luke’s X-wing garb.

And this set is Columbia’s biggest Star Wars one ever.

On December 1, 2023 Columbia wants you to take on both the elements and the Empire. That’s when it’s launching its special Skywalker Pilot Collection. The nine-piece orange and white set will keep you toasty from head to toe in the style of the famed Rebel. (It will also lead to you explaining Aurebesh to those unfamiliar with that galactic alphabet.)

The five big ticket items include:

• Skywalker Pilot Ski Suit ($500) – Luke flight suit inspires this online, limited exclusive. It’s Omni-Tech waterproof-breathable and has Omni-Heat Infinity lining. It also comes with multifunctional pockets and Star Wars extras like a T-65 X-wing Starfighter and R2-D2 blueprint graphics.
• Skywalker Pilot Ski Jacket ($350) – Luke Skywalker’s flight jacket is the foundation of this ski coat. It also features all the same features as the collection’s Ski Suit.
• Skywalker Pilot Lightweight Jacket ($200) – This is the set’s second coat based on Luke’s flight jacket. It has Omni-Heat Infinity lining, as well as comfort cuffs and zippered pockets. And it is comes adorned with a T-47 Airspeeder/Snow Speeder graphic on the security pocket.
• Skywalker Pilot Pullovers ($150) – This zippered sweatshirt is made of heavyweight cotton-blend fabric and has high-loft fleece backing. It also includes a utility chest pocket with flak-vest inspired baffling. Plus it has the same Star Wars details as the Ski Suit
• Skywalker Pilot Snow Goggle ($300) – This limited snow goggle takes its inspiration from Luke Skywalker’s helmet and visor. It comes with two interchangeable lenses with Swiftlock lens change system. It also has an anti-fog treatment and a triple-layer face foam and armored venting. It comes with a carrying pouch that features T-65 X-wing Starfighter and T-47 Airspeeder/Snow Speeder blueprint graphics. The snow goggle has its ow custom box, a Rebel patch, Star Wars logo on the inner strap, and silicone and prints inspired by helmet insignia.

Fans who want to stay warm this winter can also grab four other items. That includes a Skywalker Pilot Long Sleeve Shirt ($70). You can also opt for the short sleeve version (55). And you can round everything out with Skywalker Pilot Ball Cap ($40) and adjustable Pilot Crossbody Bag ($50)

Like we said, Columbia’s yearly winter Star Wars collection really makes filling out your holiday wish list easy. Just so long as you don’t lose track of time filling it out and get ambushed by some TIE fighters. The Skywalker Pilot Collection does not include a way to call Han Solo for help.

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Considering it made roughly 40 gazillion dollars at the box office, earned rave reviews from critics and viewers alike, and might very well garner multiple Oscar nominations next year, it’s hard to imagine Barbie could have been any better. But there’s at least one way to make it awesome in a different way: add a cat. That always improves any film or show. And if you doubt that, the latest video from the YouTube channel OwlKitty shows why. It edits a black cat into Barbie to serve as the true object of Ken’s affection.

Sorry Stereotypical Barbie, you had your chance. You are no longer Kenough for Barbieland’s lovesick blonde beacher. Not after OwlKitty finally gave Ken what he wanted in life and reciprocated his love.

Well, at least this cat (real name Lizzy) is willing to do that some of the time. Every furry feline owner knows you can never get your cat to appreciate you 100% of the time. Sometimes they just want to be left alone to nap. But this cat’s love is still a huge improvement over the lack of attention Ken got from Barbie in the film. Honestly, it’s a great solution for everyone.

This video is the latest piece of fantastic internet silliness from a channel that has also re-imagined Top Gun: Maverick, Titanic, and Jurassic Park with a cat as the main star. And despite this new entry being so short, it touches on some of the best parts of the movie. From replacing Margot Robbie in the opening sequence to editing the cat into some of Ken’s best moments, this Barbie mashup is among the YouTube channel’s best. Especially since it seamlessly adds OwlKitty into one of 2023’s best movie moments, Ken’s big musical number “I’m Just Ken.”

I’m already on record as having an out-of-body experience the first time I saw that sequence. It is perfect in every way. Now it’s perfect in a second way, the only way anyone possibly could have improved Barbie. It now has a cat.

The post Ken Gets a Cat Who Thinks He’s Kenough in Fun BARBIE Movie Edit appeared first on Nerdist.

The members of U.S. Outpost #31 might have been exhausted from fighting an extraterrestrial foe and not knowing who they could trust, but we’ll never get tired of watching John Carpenter’s The Thing. His seminal 1982 sci-fi horror film is still one of our favorites. It had always, and will always scare us. But while we’d normally be loathe to invite any of that arctic encampment’s personnel home (you really can’t be too careful when shape-shifting aliens are involved), we’re definitely going to make an exception soon. Mondo’s incredible new figure of Kurt Russell’s R.J. MacReady is ready to protect us with his flame thrower. And we’ll need him to. He’s coming with two of the movie’s most iconic monsters.

Mondo’s newest collectible (first announced by SyFy) brings a truly iconic character to life. The Thing‘s MacReady is getting a highly-detailed 1/6 scale figure designed by Joe Allard. It also features sculpts by Pichet Pitsuwan and Matt Black, painting by Viola Wittrocka, Hector Arce, and Ed Bradley, and clothing from Tim Hanson. And it comes with a ton of accessories to allow personalization. Here’s everything in included in the base figure:

• Fabric Faux Leather Jacket 
• Fabric Flight Suit 
• Fabric Under Shirt 
• Faux Leather Belt 
• Standard Head 
• Frozen Head 
• Shot Gun 
• Pistol 
• Pistol Holster 
• Flame Thrower Pack 
• Flame Thrower 
• Detachable Flame Accessory 
• Hand Sets – Fist, Trigger and C-Grip 
• Gloved Hands 
• Figure Stand 

Never has a figure looked so cold but also been so fire. Our bet, though, is not many fans of The Thing will opt to get the Regular Edition base figure ($235). Not when the limited Timed Edition version ($265) also comes with an articulated replica of the Spider-Head Creature as well as a mini-figure of the film’s Mutated Dog.

Click To View Gallery

Shh. No one tell Mondo we would have paid waaaay more to get those two monsters. And maybe don’t mention our fear they’ll come alive in the middle of the night is greater than zero.

Fittingly pre-orders for The Thing: MacReady Timed Edition will open at MondoShop.com on Halloween at 12 noon CT. It will be available for just ten days, with sales ending at Friday, 11/10 at 11:59 PM CT. Both editions are estimated to ship next summer in July 2024.

That’s not too long, and yet we’re already tired of waiting.

The post New Mondo THE THING Figure Brings MacReady and Monsters to Life appeared first on Nerdist.

Paramount+’s newest trailer welcomes you back to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger, for Good Burger 2. Sure, that might be a mouthful to say, but at least it was written by a human. Dexter and Ed won’t be lucky enough to deal with actual people in the sequel to their beloved 1997 kid’s comedy. A big corporation wants to turn their jobs over to robots. But as we all know, while he’s a dude, and she’s a dude, machines aren’t. And they definitely aren’t as funny. Take a look at the official trailer for Good Burger 2 below.

More than 25 years after All That‘s best buds went from TV to the big screen, Good Burger‘s most famous employees are back on the job. At least temporarily. Their reunion doesn’t go as planned when Dex inadvertently sends them both to the unemployment line. Here’s the official synopsis of Good Burger 2 that Paramount+ released with the movie’s trailer:

The highly anticipated film sequel follows Dexter Reed (Kenan Thompson) and original cashier Ed (Kel Mitchell) as they reunite in the present day at fast-food restaurant Good Burger with a hilarious new group of employees. In Good Burger 2, Dexter Reed is down on his luck after another one of his inventions fails. Ed welcomes Dex back to Good Burger with open arms and gives him his old job back. With a new crew working at Good Burger, Dex devises a plan to get back on his feet but unfortunately puts the fate of Good Burger at risk once again.

The sequel also features Lil Rel Howery, Jillian Bell, Kamaia Fairburn, Alex R. Hibbert, Fabrizio Guido, Elizabeth Hinkler, Emily Hinkler, and Anabel Graetz. The film will also mark the return of original Good Burger stars Josh Server, Lori Beth Denberg, and Carmen Electra. And as this Good Burger 2 trailer reveals, we’re also getting served up some famous celebrity cameos.

Not that we need them. Just getting Dex and Ed back together is enough for us. So long as it’s the human thems and not robot thems. Machines are not dudes, dude.

Good Burger 2 debuts at Paramount+ on November 22. That’s also where you can stream all four seasons of All That and the 1997 film.

The post Robots Replace Dex and Ed in GOOD BURGER 2 Trailer appeared first on Nerdist.

The Simpsons aren’t the only animated characters to make themselves an indelible part of the spooky season. This year marks the 20th(ish) “Ween” installment from Homestar Runner. Normally the site’s October holiday videos conclude with Homestar incorrectly guessing what everyone else dressed as. But this year The Brothers Chaps turned their traditional ending segment into an entire ‘toon. Their clueless star made his costume ignorance into a game show. And while it doesn’t end the way you expect, this Halloween cartoon is as funny as you’d hope.

Homestar Runner‘s new “The Show: Ween Edition” cartoon isn’t your normal TV game show. Rather than simply have Homestar guess everyone’s Halloween costumes—which always leads to zero correct answers and much hilarity—players must predict the exact way Homestar will get their ensemble wrong.

From obscure pop culture characters to Halloween costumes worn by fictional characters in a very famous movie, there’s a full range of identities for Homestar to mess up here. That’s always true of the site’s “Ween” cartoons, though. What makes this year’s installment especially fun is the chance to play along. If you know Homestar Runner well enough, like his friends clearly do, you have a decent shot at guessing his guesses.

I even got one right! I was all over Homestar’s “Devo Construction Worker” answer for Coach Z. However, as is always the case, I also had no idea who some characters are dressed as. I’ve spent a lot of time obsessing over the Halloween costumes of Homestar Runner characters over the years, and every year there are those I don’t recognize at all.

Does that make me as dumb as Homestar? No. No, I am much dumber. There’s no way I’d be smart enough to turn my own costume ignorance into a game show that I both host and guarantee I win.

The post HOMESTAR RUNNER Turns His Costume Confusion into a Game Show in New Halloween ‘Toon appeared first on Nerdist.

Friends has been such a phenomenon for so long it’s hard to remember it was once just another new sitcom, most of which come and go without anyone noticing. It’s not as though a coveted spot in NBC’s legendary Thursday night “Must See TV” ’90s lineup guaranteed lasting success, let alone a place in TV’s proverbial Pantheon, either. When’s the last time you watched a rerun of The Single Guy or Suddenly Susan? But after nearly three decades as an omnipresent juggernaut it’s easy to forget Friends was once just hoping to find an audience big enough to keep it on the air. And that’s why it’s also easy to forget just how important Matthew Perry was in making that happen. All of Friends‘s stars are now TV icons, but without his Chandler Bing the show never would have become the sensation it still is.

The outpouring of grief after the sad passing of Matthew Perry at just 54 years old has shown just how much he and Friends mean to so many. That’s not surprising. The series’ longevity has created multiple generations of fans. Some viewers have been watching reruns for most of their lives. Friends is one of those shows, even in the streaming era, that seems to always be on somewhere. For the millions who watch it again and again, the six stars of the show have become a comforting presence. To lose one of them is really like losing an old friend who always made them laugh.

The series’ popularity and unbroken, ubiquitous spot in pop culture have made it so all six actors are equally important to its lasting success. With good reason. Friends wouldn’t be Friends without all of them. Even with six standout individual performances the show’s sum is still greater than its parts. But that wasn’t always the case. In the beginning Matthew Perry’s Chandler Bing stood out from the group. Not just within the show, either. He wasn’t merely the “funny one” on Friends. His charming, sarcastic, emotionally scarred Chandler was instantly one of the funniest characters on TV. He was the one who elevated Friends above other sitcoms at a time when network shows ruled pop culture.

Perry’s role in turning a new show into a sensation, all while playing a normal character in an ensemble, is still just as impressive three decades later. He made us laugh with nothing more than a well-timed eyebrow raise. He made Chandler Bing a comedic genius with timeless, perfectly delivered one-liners. Most importantly, he was a comedy anchor on a show that was not universally loved during its first season. Without Matthew Perry Friends might never have even truly become Friends. Without Chandler the show might never had had the chance to grow into what it became. It certainly wouldn’t have been as good.

For those who weren’t around when Friends debuted this could easily sound like hyperbole bestowed on a beloved actor who left us too soon. For those who watched from day one this is actually an understatement. Chandler Bing was without question one of the best, funniest, most singular characters on TV. And it didn’t take Perry long to establish himself as one of the best ever. All of which made him standout even more. If you asked anyone who cared about comedy in 1995 which TV star was destined for greatness, he would have been the number one answer. He really was a revelation. On the page the phrase “could I be anymore :blank:” is less than nothing. There’s nothing inherently funny about that line. Yet he made it an all-time famous gag you can only hear (and impersonate) in his voice.

If he could be that funny saying that, what else could he do? Could he be any funnier?

Watching Matthew Perry during Friends‘ early seasons was like watching a young Ken Griffey Jr. play centerfield for the Mariners. It did not seem like a ceiling existed for Matthew Perry. He might never have matched his Friends success elsewhere, but how many actors ever create a character a fraction as memorable as Chandler Bing once, let alone twice? How many people ever star on something anywhere near as popular and enduring as Friends, period? The early promise of Chandler Bing delivered exactly the kind of success everyone predicted for Matthew Perry. It just came on Friends, a show that is still as loved as ever.

Chandler Bing is not the legacy Matthew Perry hoped would define him. He didn’t think starring on Friends was his greatest accomplishment in life. To him that honor went to his work helping other addicts recover. That’s a testament to who he was as a person, and it’s the memory fans who loved him should carry in their hearts.

What he did off-screen mattered more than what he did on it. But the reaction to his passing has proven what he did professionally mattered to a lot of people, too. So we can honor his wish while also celebrating his amazing career. He created an incredible character who elevated a show that has brought immeasurable joy to countless people for nearly 30 years. And it will continue to bring them joy for many more, because Chandler Bing was a phenomenon who became a legend. That won’t ever be easy to forget.

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

The post In Memory of Matthew Perry: When Chandler Bing Ruled the TV World appeared first on Nerdist.

This news might pose a danger to your bank account. However, after some cold, dispassionate calculations we’ve deemed the risk acceptable. Star Wars’ most resilient villain finally returned to the galaxy far, far away on Ahsoka. Now he is ready to come to your home with Hot Toys’ new Grand Admiral Thrawn figure. Only this version of the Imperial Chiss won’t arrive with an entire catacomb of mysterious cargo.

Hot Toys’ latest 1/6 scale Ahsoka figure is an “ultra-detailed” recreation of Lars Mikkelsen’s blue-skinned, red-eyed character. He recently made his live-action debut on the Disney+ series, and this figure looks like he walked right off the screen.

The miniature Thrawn, which stands nearly 12 feet 6 inches, features 30 points of articulation. It also has a hand-painted head sculpt and comes with Hot Toys’ “innovative rolling eyeball system which allows fans to adjust the figure’s gaze, creating more nuanced and lifelike poses.’ (If you thought Thrawn was imposing before just wait until someone in your house moves his eyes without telling you. That’ll be fun to realize the Grand Admiral is actually staring you down.)

This figure also wears a screen-accurate pristine white Imperial officer’s uniform that includes a belt, boots, and blaster holster. The set comes with a Star Destroyer hologram miniature, a blaster pistol, datapad, and a specially designed figure stand that has the Star Wars logo and character nameplate. And the Grand Admiral has seven interchangeable hands for you to choose from for your display.

Pre-orders are already available ($255). Unfortunately you’ll have to wait to get your hands on your figure. While it won’t take nearly as many years to ship as it did for Thrawn to get a ride back to his own galaxy, this collectible won’t arrive until March 2025.

A lot can change with that much time, we know. Empires can fall and rise in less time. But don’t worry about Thrawn not showing up. The Grand Admiral is a survivor.

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“There can be only one,” unless we’re talking about Highlander. In that case Hollywood will just keep making new versions again and again. And now we know for sure it soon will. Deadline reports a big screen reboot starring Henry Cavill as its titular Immortal, from John Wick‘s Chad Stahelski, is moving forward. That is the a huge step in fulfilling the director’s ultimate plan of making sure this movie won’t be the “only one” that gets made. The real prize for Highlander fans could be a whole new franchise.

Stahelski recently gave an update on his long-awaited Highlander reboot movie when he stopped by Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast. During the interview (which we first learned about at IGN), Horowitz asked Stahelski about the status of his Highlander movie. At the time he said the Highlander reboot is still in development. Now Deadline says Lionsgate is definitely “moving forward” with the project. It’s going up for sale at AFM. If everything goes to plan (and SAG-AFTRA gets a fair deal), it could begin filming in 2024.

The film will also have a big-time budget topping $100 million, so this is a serious investment from the studio. That points to this being the start of something much bigger, just as Stahelski hoped. He has said his ultimate goal is to launch an entire Highlander franchise rather than a single stand-alone film.

These new films will also touch upon elements long-time fans know and love about the franchise. Stahelski told Horowitz, “Our story engages a lot of the same characters and stuff like that. But we’ve also brought in elements of all the TV shows, and we’re trying to do a bit of a prequel, a setup to The Gathering. So we have room to grow the property.”

Exactly how much the new rebooted franchise will connect to the previous Christopher Lambert Highlander show and movies is still unknown even if we now know it’s definitely happening. The exact nature of Cavill’s role on the show, which we first reported on in 2021, is also unclear.

A whole series of movies seems is definitely possible for him more than ever. A lot has changed in the actor’s career since he first became attached to Highlander. He’s no longer DC’s Superman or The Witcher‘s Geralt. But both taught him how to defeat powerful enemies and wield a sword, so he’s ready to be an Immortal. And he likely will be multiple times. There can’t be only one new Highlander movie, right?

Originally published on August 29, 2023.

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Stick to the plan and don’t give a f**k. That sounds like a good rule of thumb, especially for a professional assassin. But what happens when the plan goes wrong? What do you stick to then? Can you plan for not having a plan? And whose plan even matters at that point? These life-or-death questions are not ones we expected to ponder today, but we also didn’t know we’d be getting the trailer for David Fincher’s next film, The Killer. Now those questions are all we’re going to think about until we see the movie. Netflix’s intense full look at Fincher’s The Killer, an action thriller starring Michael Fassbender, finds a world-class hitman in a deadly situation he never prepared for.

When you’ve directed films like Se7en, Fight Club, The Social Network, Gone Girl, and more, you mostly just have to tell us when your next movie comes out to have us planning to buy our ticket. “Directed by David Fincher” is a surefire sales pitch. That doesn’t mean we’re not grateful for this fantastic trailer, though. Even just this brief tease of The Killer looks and sounds like one of Fincher’s movies in the best way. What exactly is going on here, though, besides great aesthetics and an amazing by soundtrack Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross? This is the film’s official logline from Netflix:

After a fateful near-miss an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.

Yes. YES. “Just hook it to my veins.”

The Killer also stars Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, Sophie Charlotte, and Tilda Swinton. The script— based on Alexis Nolent’s French graphic novel series of the same name—comes from Andrew Kevin Walker. It will have its world premiere on September 3rd at The Venice Film Festival. Fincher’s The Killer will then arrive in select theaters this October before finally releasing on Netflix on November 10.

How and where will you see it? Our advice is to make a plan and stick to it… If you can.

Originally published on August 29, 2023.

Featured Image: Netflix

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For 25 generations the Ruling Stewards of Gondor sat atop the white city of Minas Tirith. However, they never claimed its throne. For while they lorded over the kingdom it had no monarch after Eärnur disappeared forever behind the gates of Minas Morgul. That was until Elessar Telcontar, known to some as Strider and others as Aragorn, claimed his birthright after helping to defeat Sauron once and for all. And if you already know all that Middle-earth history you’re definitely going to want to know about PureArts’ newest collectible. You can now honor The Return of the King with a full-sized The Lord of the Rings replica Crown of Gondor.

And is if that wasn’t good enough, it comes with one of the best stands an heir of Isildur could ever hope for.

You can now honor King Elessar and all the rulers of Gondor with a 1:1 scale crown based on the one worn by Viggo Mortensen in Peter Jackson’s Best Picture-winner. The latest collaboration between PureArts and Warner Bros. Discover Global Consumer Products is a faithful recreation of the silver and gold winged crown.

Don’t plan on putting this on a shelf. Nor will it rest on the head of someone with no royal claim. This crown sits atop a highly detailed, LED-lit replica of Minas Tirith. It’s an amazing item unto itself. All it’s missing is Gandalf and Pippin worrying about what awaits them tomorrow.

This gorgeous movie collectible is made of metal for the crown and polyresin for the base. It also comes with an embroidered replica of the Gondor Banner.

If you want your own Crown of Gondor you probably don’t want to wait to order yours. This is a very limited-edition item. Only 150 are available for purchase. And at a price of $749.99 we don’t expect them to last long. Forget 25 generations, it might not last 25 hours.

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Halloween is just around the corner, and that means more than just candy and realizing your costume is not weather-appropriate after it’s too late to change. The spooky season isn’t complete until we hear from Springfield, USA’s most famous cartoon family, The Simpsons. This year will mark the iconic series’ 34th Halloween special. Now we know exactly what scary stories await both them and us. Fox has provided seven images from this year’s Halloween episode of The Simpsons, “Treehouse of Horror XXXIV.” These first looks tease a cyberworld showdown, a spoof of a legendary film, and a plague that doesn’t actually sound all that bad.

As always, Halloween doesn’t end until we get a new “Treehouse of Horror” episode from The Simpsons. This year the beloved special will arrive will at Fox on Sunday, November 5th, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. The network has now provided both images and synopses for this year’s three segments. Here’s what Fox has to say about “Treehouse of Horror XXXIV:”

After Bart is turned into an NFT, Marge fights though the blockchain to rescue her son. To track down a gruesome serial killer, Lisa turns to a murderer from her past. An outbreak transforms Springfielders into a plague of lazy, beer-loving oafs in the “Treehouse of Horror XXXIV” episode of The Simpsons.

That middle short is pretty clearly a The Silence of the Lambs parody starring Lisa and Sideshow Bob. How it took this long for The Simpsons to spoof the 1991 Best Picture winner in its “Treehouse of Horror” episodes is genuinely shocking. It’ll be worth the wait, though, if Ralph is Buffalo Bill as that image suggests he might be.

NFTs and a terrifying outbreak are obviously a little more timely, even if NFTs already seem as dead as Zombie Shakespeare. (Yes, that’s a very old “Treehouse of Horror” reference. LOOK IT UP.)

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While Lisa finding a personalized greeting written in intestines is legitimately unsettling, the single scariest image of this “Treehouse of Horror XXXIV” batch is a scared Homer running after a rolling donut.

Even after more than three decades of these The Simpsons Halloween specials, we can think of no greater nightmare for him to endure. Halloween isn’t over until we find out if he catches it or not.

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Who is the rootinest, tootinest, shootinest, hootinest cowboy around? Sheriff Woody. And don’t you f***ing forget it.

Yeah, we know, that’s not a lyric from “Woody’s Roundup.” It’s not exactly a tagline that has ever applied to the leader of Andy’s toys, either. And it’s definitely not one we expect to see on any posters for Toy Story 5. But it’s the one Woody deserves for starring in a ridiculous new fan mashup. This crossover video sends Pixar’s iconic plaything into Red Dead Redemption 2, and the result is some delightful Old West silliness.

YouTube user eli_handle_b․wav combined the magic of Pixar’s animated world with the violent video game realm of Rockstar Studios to create something that has no business being this good. This shoot ’em up edit (which we first learned about at Boing Boing) sees Woody as a sometimes fearsome, sometimes cowardly gunslinger willing to do what it takes to survive a hostile environment. Whether robbing a train with John Marston, playing dead when a grizzly bear shows up, or throwing down with another ruffian, Woody doesn’t look out of place in the open-world adventure game.

Minus the part where he totally does. He still is just a toy after all. There’s only so much Sheriff Woody can do to blend into normal surroundings. That’s exactly why this video works so well.

We don’t need a character who looks like Woody if he existed in Red Dead Redemption 2. He’d be just another character for us to deal with during our trails. But a giant talking toy who sometimes looks like his limbs are made of jelly? Now that’s a memorable figure we want to meet at a random brothel or tavern.

We do not expect to see Woody at any place like that in Toy Story 5, but after watching this video Pixar might agree with us that it sure is fun to see him do just that.

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Christmas Eve seems like a really stressful time for Santa Claus, right? Every December 24th Kris Kringle delivers toys to billions of kids around the world. Even with time zones that would be hard to do in a single week, let alone a single night. So the last thing he needs on his busiest evening is something else to worry about. You know, something like an evil local politician chasing you down. That wouldn’t be fun for Old Saint Nick, but it should be hilarious for those of us who loves holiday movies. Disney’s first trailer for Dashing Through the Snow, starring Ludacris and Lil Rel Howery, finds Christmas magic in a madcap search for Santa.

Don’t worry, our committee to determine the greatest Christmas movie Santa of all-time is already on high alert after this trailer. Lil Rel Howery has real potential to break into the Papá Noel Film Pantheon. To do that, though, he’ll need to both save himself and restore a cynical dad’s Christmas spirit at the same time. Why is Mr. Claus dealing with so many problems all at once? And on his most important night of the year? Here’s the film’s official Dashing Through the Snow synopsis from Disney:

Eddie Garrick (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges) is a good-hearted man who has turned his back on Christmas due to a traumatic childhood experience. At the request of his wife Allison Garrick (Teyonah Parris), from whom he is separated, Eddie takes his 9-year-old daughter Charlotte (Madison Skye Validum) out with him on Christmas Eve, where they meet a mysterious man in a red suit named Nick. Eddie, who is a social worker, thinks the man is delusional and needs professional help, but when he evokes the wrath of a local politician (Oscar Nuñez), he and his daughter are taken on a magical adventure that just might restore his faith in Christmas.

Dashing Through the Snow comes from director Tim Story and writer Scott Rosenberg. It also stars: Ravi V. Patel, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Gina Brillon, Sebastian Sozzi, Kevin Connolly, and Zulay Henao. The movie comes to Disney+ on November 17.

That’s plenty of time for Santa Claus to watch it before Christmas, which we hope he does. A good holiday comedy is the perfect way to release stress ahead of the biggest night of your year, especially when there’s extra trouble on your tail.

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