John Wick: Chapter 4 recently dominated the box office, with Keanu Reeves delivering hours of action. And we loved it here at Nerdist. The fourth installment in the successful John Wick franchise was meant to be the end of Baba Yaga’s tale. And honestly, he deserves some rest, considering how quickly all of this mess went down for him. That’s a lot of pain and killing in a span of only a few months. But the smell of success is an intoxicating scent that lures executives in for more. So, it looks more and more likely that John Wick 5 could happen in the future, which is interesting considering how the fourth film neatly wraps up Wick’s story.

John Wick 5 Is in Early Development at Lionsgate

At a recent Lionsgate’s earnings call discussing Q4 of 2023, Motion Picture Group chairman Joe Drake addressed the John Wick franchise (via Comicbook.com). Not only did he confirm there were video games and TV series spinoffs in the works for John Wick, but he noted that John Wick 5 was actually in development. Well, we aren’t surprised. Here is his full quote:

We’re now moving across that franchise, not just in the AAA video game space, but looking at what the regular cadence of spin-offs, television really growing that universe so that there is a steady cadence of a franchise that there’s clear appetite by the audience. What is official is that, as you know, Ballerina is the first spinoff that comes out next year. We’re in development on three others, including John Wick 5 and including television series. The Continental will be airing soon. And so, we’re building out the world and when that five movie comes, will be organic — will be organically grown out of how we’re starting to tell those stories. But you can rely on a regular cadence of John Wick.

Drake also recently told The Hollywood Reporter: 

There’s a will and there’s an openness. And you could certainly interpret that ending in different ways,” said Drake. “We’re all going to take a tiny rest here and then scratch at ideas about whether there’s a credible way to get into five. But there’s no guarantee.

Whether John Wick 5 Happens Is Up to Reeves and Stahelski

Additionally, John Wick producer Basil Iwanyk recently told Deadline that “a lot more will be known by September. That’s when director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves head to Japan where, Iwanyk said, they will split a couple bottles of whiskey.”

Iwanyk shared:

Once they get through their hangovers, if Keanu and Chad have figured out something cool, if they’ve an organic way back in that doesn’t feel like bullshit, then there will be a John Wick 5. That trip to Japan, it’s like waiting for a boat to emerge out of the smoke, but that’s the impetus. These movies are really hard for Keanu and Chad, and everybody. By the time each one is over, most involved have said, never again, this is too hard and we’re not getting any younger. Then time goes by, you see it embraced by fans, and after working together every year for 11 years, it’s become a family and in some demented way, and we miss each other. But I totally defer to Chad and Keanu to figure out what and if that story is.

He also added, speaking to IGN, “John Wick 4 was embraced enough by the critics and the audience that it’s kind of an organic and natural next step to do John Wick 5. I think that there’s no question that it’s in development, but right now the story isn’t there yet. And until the story is there, it isn’t… It’s real on something we’re trying to figure out. But we haven’t settled on what that movie looks like or feels like.” Hopefully, that’s where Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves come in.

John Wick 5 Not Yet a Sure Thing

None of this, of course, is a confirmation that a John Wick 5 movie will definitely happen. Maybe Keanu Reeves will decide that he’s tired of shooting people and running in dress shoes when he meets with Stahelski. Early development doesn’t mean a definite yes, either. Either way, this isn’t the end of the universe. There’s already a secret Wick movie in the works, and we have the Ballerina flick coming later this year. But we wouldn’t mind seeing more John Wick at all, just as long as John Wick 5 tells the right story.

Originally published on March 27, 2023.

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Doctor Who is set to do major things in 2023. First, there’s the obvious excitement around the show’s 60th anniversary in general. After so many decades on television with over a dozen Doctors, a long list of companions, and countless memorable moments, there’s so much to celebrate. Fans are ready to see David Tennant return as the Fourteenth Doctor (seriously, what is going on here?!) alongside the beloved Donna Noble. But there’s even more Doctor Who excitement with Ncuti Gatwa taking over as the Fifteenth Doctor in season 14. He will make his debut when Fourteen regenerates at the end of the anniversary special before going off on his own adventures. We already know that Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor will travel with Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday. But there are some guest stars that have fans hype for the next chapter of Doctor Who. 

Lenny Rush is joining the cast as Morris. Interestingly, Russell T Davies refers to him as a member of the TARDIS team, a phrase typically associated with companions. It is not fully clear if he will travel with the Doctor for more than an adventure or two versus being a full-time companion like Ruby Sunday. Perhaps he will be more like a Mickey Smith who hangs around for a bit and then decides to do other things. Either way, we are excited to see him!

Doctor Who season 14 will also bring Bonnie Langford back as Mel Bush. She traveled with the Sixth and Seventh Doctors before returning many years later, making a brief cameo in the Thirteenth Doctor’s final episode. Now, she will come back for a full on adventure.

There are quite a few mysterious new faces to this franchise. Drag Race’s Jinkx Monsoon will portray the Doctor’s “most powerful enemy yet.”

After taking one look at this character, we would let them take complete control of our lives. The statement about Monsoon’s character being a major baddie is very similar to what showrunner Russell T Davies said about Neil Patrick Harris’ character set to appear in the anniversary specials. Could this be the same character after a regeneration? Maybe. Or perhaps it is the Rani coming back to play again. Who knows.

Jonathan Groff will also appear in the upcoming season of Doctor Who. Most of us Americans know him best as Hamilton’s King George III. He certainly can give us a ton of humorous drama. The details about his character are unknown at this time outside of him playing a “key role” in the narrative. But we do know that it will be a historical episode based on this first look photo.

Anita Dobson and Michelle Greenridge will also appear this season as well in undisclosed roles along with Aneurin Barnard as a character named Roger ap Gwilliam. Indira Varma, who made a previous guest appearance in Torchwood, is starring as the Duchess.

We don’t know a lot about those new named characters yet, but the answers will eventually come. It seems this season of Doctor Who is going to be a campy good time based off of these guest stars. 

Another familiar face that we see again is Jemma Redgrave’s Kate Stewart. The leader of the UK’s UNIT branch and daughter of the Brigadier promises some more fun with the Fifteenth Doctor. We cannot wait to get more information about Doctor Who’s fourteenth season. Until then we will patiently wait for a trailer to really see Fifteen and Ruby in action.

Originally published on May 8, 2023.

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The last movie by our beloved Carrie Fisher now officially has a release date. According to Deadline, Wonderwell, a fantasy film, will get a limited run in AMC theaters on June 23 with a digital release afterward. It has been a long journey to this moment—seven years, to be exact. The Star Wars icon wrapped filming just six weeks prior to her death in 2016. And between Fisher’s demise, COVID, and the costly visual effects challenges of crafting a fantasy epic, the delay grew beyond what director Vlad Marsavin imagined. But things are thankfully in the clear now, and we will be able to see Carrie Fisher in her last role when Wonderwell hits theaters and digital platforms.

For those who aren’t familiar, here’s a quick Wonderwell synopsis: 

Set between contemporary Italy and a fantastical realm, the coming-of-age story follows Violet (Kiera Milward), an inquisitive girl living in Italy with her American parents and her beautiful older sister, Savannah (Tiger Free). When Savannah is selected to be the face of world-renowned designer Yana’s (Rita Ora) fashion label, the family travels to an enchanting medieval village for a photo shoot. Neglected and bored, Violet wanders from the ancient Tuscan town into a nearby forest where she meets the enigmatic Hazel (Carrie Fisher), who warns her about Yana’s beleaguered stepson, Daniele (Sebastian Croft). Guided by Hazel to a mysterious portal, Violet is offered a glimpse of what her future might hold. 

The movie itself sounds very good. And it seems that Carrie Fisher had a great experience while filming her last movie. Marsavin said she celebrated her 60th birthday with the cast and crew of Wonderwell in Italy, partying until the wee hours of the night. That’s the kind of energy that we know and love about her and what we will surely see in Wonderwell when the movie finally releases.

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The Sonic the Hedgehog live-action renaissance continues with Knuckles, a Paramount+ series with Idris Elba reprising his role as the red ball of Echidna fury. Well, he’s not so angry now but don’t test him. We’ve known about the Knuckles spinoff series for a while; however, we are finally getting some new casting information. Not only is Tika Sumpter reprising her role as Maddie in the Knuckles TV series, but Adam Pally will also join the cast as Wade Whipple. In case you forgot, he’s a Green Hills police officer and Tom’s BFF. 

According to Variety, Knuckles will take place between the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the upcoming third installment. The next Sonic adventure will hit theaters on December 20, 2024. In this series, Wade will become Knuckle’s protégé as he learns “the ways of the Echidna warrior.” Why is this happening? We don’t know, and we do not care. We just want to see more Knuckles on our screen, especially if he is playing base of ball. It’s not clear when this series will drop, but it is in production as of April 2023. So maybe we will see it later this year or even early next year.

We don’t know if James Marsden will reprise his role as Tom or not, but a few others are joining Sumpter. The Knuckles series cast includes Edi Patterson, Scott Mescudi (known as Kid Cudi), Ellie Taylor, Rory McCann, Christopher Lloyd, Cary Elwes, Paul Scheer, Stockard Channing, and Rob Huebel. Either way, Knuckles is back on the scene and getting the solo love that he so deserves (no shade to Sonic) in his own spinoff series.

Originally published on April 17, 2023.

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Everyone loves Miles. The web-slinging teen is back in our lives with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and will return once again next year in Beyond the Spider-Verse. We absolutely adore Miles Morales in his animated form, but many fans have been wondering if the character will make a live-action debut in the near future. Well, according to Variety, producer Amy Pascal says that a live-action Miles Morales movie, a Spider-Woman animated film, and Spider-Man 4 are in the works. Tom Holland also chimed in on what upcoming movies might hold.

Fellow producer Avi Arad hinted that the Spider-Woman film will actually come sooner than most fans are expecting. That makes a lot of sense considering things are going well with the current animated franchise. Pascal also said that a fourth Spider-Man movie with Tom Holland and Zendaya is in the works, noting “Are we going to make another movie? Of course, we are.” Tom Holland also echoed the sentiment, noting, “It’s (Spider-Man 4) is a collaborative process. The first few meetings were about, ‘Why would we do this again?’ And I think we found the reason why. I’m really, really happy with where we’re at in terms of the creative.” But Holland also noted, “But I’m also a little apprehensive about it. There’s a bit of a stigma about the fourth one in all franchises. I feel like we hit a home run with our first franchise and there’s a part of me that wants to walk away with my head held high and pass the baton to the next lucky kid that gets to bring this character to life.”

Either way, things are currently slow due to the WGA strike. That is, of course, going to affect pretty much any plans they have for the foreseeable future. It could be a couple of years or five years before any of this stuff happens… if it happens at all. Corporations do change their minds, whether we like it or not. But hopefully, we’ll see traction for all our Spider-People.

And even more hopefully, Sony will give Miles what he deserves, which is to exist in every form with lots of adventures for fans to enjoy. For now, let the speculation on who would absolutely crush a live-action Miles Morales movie begin.

Originally published on May 31, 2023.

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The fear of something unknown or scary coming to get you is a big part of our childhoods. We imagine a monster is under our beds or something is lurking in the dark corner of our rooms. Or perhaps we hear strange, creaking sounds and think something sinister is waiting for us. It usually turned out to be our very active imaginations but some stories suggest otherworldly happenings. That’s what we get with Cobweb, a horror thriller starring Lizzy Caplan, Antony Starr, and Woody Norman with a very creepy trailer. 

In the clip, we meet Norman’s character Peter. He’s eight years old and hearing knocks from his bedroom wall. Predictably, his mom Carol (Caplan) says his imagination is out of control. But there’s something surely happening from his perspective as he sees (and draws) very scary s**t. Meanwhile, his dad Mark (Starr) tells him that hard decisions must be made to protect family. We don’t know what that means in the context of their situation, but something’s not quite right with Mark. Then again, Starr does play Homelander so it is very easy to see him as a villain.

The trailer for Cobweb promises many jump scares and plot twists ahead, which isn’t shocking considering the creative minds behind this film. Samuel Bodin of Marianne fame is the director and Chris Tomas Devlin (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) penned the script. The production team has hits like Barbarian and It under its belt. What is haunting poor Peter? Probably the ghosts of his parents’ mistakes. The answers will come when Cobweb hits theaters on July 21.

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The DCU is coming our way, and many fans wonder how it will compare to the all-mighty MCU. Well, according to James Gunn, there will be some significant differences between the DCU and its Marvel counterpart. The co-CEO of DC Studios dove into the topic with Inside of You podcast to give fans more insight. (Thanks to IGN for putting this on our radar.) On the podcast, Gunn shares the DCU will lean heavily on secret identities and fantasy settings, which is certainly not like the MCU.

“If you look at the MCU, there are very few traditional superheroes,” Gunn affirms. “There was never a guy with a secret identity until Spider-Man in the MCU. Their Cap was turned into a soldier even though he wears a mask. Iron Man outed himself at the end of the first Iron Man because they don’t want to deal with the whole secret identity stuff.”

He goes on to explain that the DCU is also more fantasy based than the MCU because many of its heroes, like Superman, are larger than life. To him, Clark Kent and Superman are very much two different characters. And the DCU will find a way to deal with both of them in its world. Speaking of its world, Gunn is excited to explore fictional places like Gotham City. DC’s settings create a much different feeling than putting heroes in our real-life cities as the MCU tends to do. 

“One of the things that I love about DC, that excites me about DC, is that in a way it’s another alternate history,” he notes. “It is Gotham City and Metropolis and Star City and Bludhaven, and all these different places in this other reality, and it makes it a little bit like Westeros in some ways.”

Now that’s an interesting comparison. The ways that the DCU will be different from the MCU make a lot of sense and will give fans a fresh approach to DC’s roster. In the meantime, we will be (not so) patiently waiting for Superman: Legacy to fly our way in 2025.

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It’s time to prepare for check-in. The high-octane universe of John Wick is expanding with The Continental: From The World Of John Wick. This will be a three-part Peacock series (which the streaming service is calling an event) that will explore the infamous NYC hotel where our guy Winston Scott reigns supreme. We’ve been patiently waiting for more information about it, especially after the excellence of John Wick: Chapter 4. Now, we finally have a release date window and an intriguing teaser trailer for The Continental: From The World Of John Wick. 

Here’s a quick synopsis of The Continental prequel and the John Wick story it tells: 

The three-part event will explore the origin behind the iconic hotel-for-assassins centerpiece of the John Wick universe through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, as he’s dragged into the Hell-scape of 1970’s New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind.  Winston charts a deadly course through the hotel’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the hotel where he will eventually take his future throne.

Peacock also recently shared some first-look images of the series.

We love it. We need it now. For those who may be wondering if John Wick will appear in The Continental series, it is not likely at all. The future Baba Yaga was only a child during the 1970s. And there are so many intriguing elements of this universe that we don’t need to have John Wick there to fully enjoy it. Winston is a rather enigmatic character whom we know very little about. It will be cool to learn more about his early years. And we can’t wait to learn what he did to attain such a high-ranking position. We see Winston show up in The Continental: From The World Of John Wick trailer along with some other baddies who are entrenched in this underground network. 

Colin Woodell will star as Winston Scott. The rest of The Continental‘s cast includes Mel Gibson (Cormac), Mishel Prada (KD), Ben Robson (Frankie), Hubert Point-Du Jour (Miles), Nhung Kate (Yen), Jessica Allain (Lou), Ayomide Adegun (Charon), Jeremy Bobb (Mayhew) and Peter Greene (Uncle Charlie). The Continental series release date will be in September 2023.

Originally published on April 12, 2023.

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Believe it or not, Jurassic Park is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The Steven Spielberg masterpiece about an ill-fated amusement park with real dinosaurs became a massive hit that spawned a franchise. Jurassic Park is perfect all-around, from its casting and script to its special effects and advanced animatronics. While we saw original cast members Laura Dern (Dr. Ellie Sattler) and Sam Neill (Dr. Alan Grant) return in Jurassic World Dominion (2022), it has been a while since we saw Lex Murphy. Dr. Hammond’s granddaughter hasn’t been in any Jurassic films since a brief cameo in the second installment; however, that doesn’t mean actress Ariana Richards doesn’t fondly remember the franchise. In fact, Richards recently did a TikTok duet featuring the classic Jurassic Park green Jell-O scene. 

She still conveys that same shock and fear so well. The TikTok clip certainly gives us a bump of nostalgia to see her alongside Lex in such an unforgettable Jurassic Park moment that was so intense that it made green Jell-O tremor in fear.

We doubt that Ariana Richards would return in any future films because she left the industry as an adult to focus on her art career. But we will always have Jurassic Park and this TikTok duet with the Jell-O scene to remind us how awesome she was in this universe.

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I am willing to watch pretty much anything with Jamie Foxx, John Boyega, or Teyonah Parris in it. So, I am triply willing to watch a film with all three of these powerhouse actors leading the way. Imagine this trio in something that is conspiracy-laden, weird AF, and comedic with a heavy dose of sci-fi action. That’s what we get with They Cloned Tyrone, an upcoming Netflix film with a trailer that hilariously explores a government cloning experiment.

Boyega is Fontaine, a hustler down on his luck who gets into shenanigans with Foxx’s pimp character Slick Charles. Parris also comes into play as Yo-Yo, a “pro” with an outfit that is truly cosplay gold. Fontaine sees someone in his neighborhood being kidnapped and, after some investigating, discovers some nefarious things. There’s an entire secret lab where a clone of him exists. They realize that there’s something in everything they consume and decide to fight to save their neighborhood. It’s kinda reminiscent of Vampires vs. the Bronx where a disenfranchised and predominantly Black neighborhood bands together to fight against a common enemy.

I love everything about the They Cloned Tyrone trailer, especially the use of Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me.” I need to see it immediately. And thankfully, the wait won’t be too long. They Cloned Tyrone will hit the streaming service on July 21 for a dose of chaotic summer fun.

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If there’s one thing horror has taught us, it is to not take things that don’t belong to you. Seriously, leave that creepy book, weird relic, and especially that pot of gold alone. If you do, you will be at the mercy of some evil entity, like a leprechaun. And we aren’t talking about the Lucky Charms dude. We mean one hell bent on revenge. The 1993 horror comedy Leprechaun introduced us to its titular figure, a wrinkled and super creepy killer who wants his gold back immediately. Three decades later, the Leprechaun franchise has eight films under its belt and there’s another one on the way. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a Leprechaun sequel is in the works with another movie that will reimagine this frankly ridiculous universe for a new generation of fans. 

The upcoming Leprechaun film will be directed by Felipe Vargas. He’s known for the stunning short film Milk Teeth. Mike Van Waes is penning the script. Producer Roy Lee of Barbarian fame is also on board for this sequel. Of course, we don’t know any further details at this time. But we are almost certain that many fans are hoping to see Warwick Davis reprise his role as The Leprechaun. It is possible that he won’t desire to come back considering he hasn’t been in the last two films. Either way, this Leprechaun sequel movie is quite unexpected but not too shocking. There are, after all, a ton of reboots and reimaginings in the world. Refreshing a classic story for a new audience certainly worked for the Scream franchise. Let’s see how this vengeful character will show up next.

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Netflix’s Wednesday series resonated with viewers in a way that many didn’t expect. The series, starring Jenna Ortega as the infamous Addams family daughter, hit the streaming service right before Thanksgiving weekend for a story about mayhem and murder. Very appropriate timing, to be honest. And that long weekend along with eight episodes of fantastic action, verbal slices, and mystery paid off. Netflix gave us the renewal announcement that we’ve been wanting, revealing that Wednesday will return for season two. Let the ongoing shenanigans at Nevermore Academy continue. 

Here’s what producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar told Tudum.com about this great news:

It’s been incredible to create a show that has connected with people across the world.  Thrilled to continue Wednesday’s tortuous journey into season two. We can’t wait to dive head first into another season and explore the kooky spooky world of Nevermore. Just need to make sure Wednesday hasn’t emptied the pool first.

The Wednesday season two renewal announcement shouldn’t shock anyone. Wednesday nabbed the record for most hours viewed in a week for an English-language series on Netflix with a whopping 341.2 million hours. And it became #1 in 83 countries, tying the record set by Stranger Things 4. We all know that Stranger Things is Netflix’s darling, so anything that can rival that is worth keeping around. And, to be honest, Wednesday Addams is a true legend with a legion of fans. Add in the fact that Jenna Ortega is coming into her full star power with yet another Scream movie on the way, and, well, the smell of success is stronger than Thing’s hand cream. 

Wednesday season two will presumably pick up when the students return to Nevermore. We will get to discover who is watching Wednesday and if she decided to go visit Enid during their impromptu break. Recently, Ortega also shared that in season two, Wednesday would lean into its more horror-filled aspects and ditch a romantic story. Oretega offered, “We’ve decided we want to lean into the horror aspect of the show a little bit more. Because it is so lighthearted, and a show like this with vampires and werewolves and superpowers, you don’t want to take yourself too seriously.” She added, “We’re ditching any romantic love interest for Wednesday, which is really great,”

And, of course, everyone wants to know if Christina Ricci will return to Wednesday as Laurel Gates. Either way, we hope we get those new episodes quicker than we can snap twice.

Originally published on January 6, 2023.

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After three seasons of dazzling ballroom looks, devastating diagnoses, trauma, love, and triumph, Pose is over. The series left its mark on TV with a large ensemble cast of trans women and gay men. These actors gave us characters who told many different stories about LGBTQ+ life for Black and Latin people in the underground ballroom scene during the late ’80s and early ’90s at the height of the AIDS crisis. If someone were to pinpoint the heart and soul of this series, it would certainly be Blanca Evangelista, played by MJ Rodriguez.

Blanca’s story is perhaps the most even-keeled among her found family. She didn’t become a mob-adjacent mogul like Elektra nor a high-fashion model like her daughter Angel. Blanca didn’t experience addiction like Pray Tell, Lulu, and Damon. But she made her own incredible impact on everyone around her, and on viewers while facing her own mountain of socioeconomic challenges as an Afro-Latina trans woman.

Discovering a Diagnosis and Finding Her Dreams

We first met Blanca in 1987 as a 26-year-old living in the House of Abundance. She’s among other trans women of color and gay men, yet she’s ridiculed for not looking “feminine” enough and being unfashionable. Despite this, Blanca recognizes her own worth, speaking up against her house mother Elektra when she blatantly claims one of Blanca’s ideas as her own.

Many viewers may not be able to relate to Blanca’s specific life circumstances. But perhaps we have dealt with some similar issues. The pain of being verbally abused by someone who is supposed to be your friend or like a sibling to you. Cruel judgment about your body because it does not fit into someone’s standards of beauty. Your intellectual property being taken from you during a collaborative process. How do you react to these situations?

It’s not quite so easy for some of us to push back like Blanca. However, we can take a cue from her to know that our ideas, our existence, and our contributions to the world matter. And if there is a way to leave an unhealthy space, then we should do that for our own sake.

This is exactly what Blanca does. She comes to an important crossroads when she discovers that she is HIV-positive. During this time, this diagnosis was rightfully seen as a death sentence due to a lack of understanding about the virus and limited treatment options. Blanca is certainly not rich so her access to needed medications is more difficult. She sits with her friend Pray Tell, an MC at the balls, telling him that this realization is actually a blessing in disguise for her.

“I’m not sad,” Blanca said. “These are tears of joy. I’m relieved. I ain’t never been certain of anything. It’s just been all one day at a time until now. I don’t wanna die. I wanna live.” Blanca’s uncertain life now has one certainty: how she will die. Her response is an incredible balance between pragmatism and optimism. She sees her situation for what it was while still realizing that her life isn’t over until it is over.

The truth is, we don’t know what the future holds for us. There could (or already might be) health diagnoses or something else that could possibly end our lives earlier than we expect. We truly don’t know when we are going to die. So until then, we have to give ourselves permission to live. To love ourselves and others. To find a dream.

And oh does Blanca find the perfect dream for her. She gets her own place, tells Elektra exactly what she thinks about her, and starts her own house to help lost and discarded souls. She soon has her first three kids: fellow Abundance housemate and sex worker Angel, transient bodega shop worker Papi, and recent teenage transplant and dancer Damon. Blanca is only a few years older than they are, but they look to her as their house mother. And, in 1988, she wins the coveted “Mother of the Year” award at the ball.

A Supportive Mother Through Social Injustice

Blanca may not be able to vogue the house down (although MJ can IRL) but she has a special gift. As Elektra told her when they first met, she leads with her heart. She can see greatness in the people she loves and encourages them to become their best selves. Blanca consistently sets the bar for what a parental figure and friend hopes to be. She encourages Damon to pursue his dance dreams against all odds and recognizes Angel’s potential as a model. Angel’s career gives Papi a newfound purpose and way to utilize his street savvy as a talent manager.

They want to give up on themselves at times; however, Blanca is always there with a loving (and rather firm) hand to keep them going. We all know how vital it is to have someone around you who won’t let you give up on yourself. A person who sees you and knows what you are capable of. We are also that person to someone in our own lives, whether we know it or not. Blanca reminds us to hold each other up and keep each other accountable throughout our respective journeys.

Her life is full of injustice yet she’s thinking about future children and making the world a better place for them. Blanca refuses to allow a white gay bar to discriminate against her and brings her house to an AIDS protest. They are both very important issues that, for Blanca, are bigger than snagging a trophy on the ballroom floor. She knows that ball culture is a lifeline for many people but also recognizes that there are other fights that must happen for change to occur.

Depending on our respective privileges, it can be easy to look the other way and pretend something is not happening because it isn’t happening to us. We can dig into the comfort of our safe spaces but, when we step outside of them, that’s where change can truly come. In reality, Blanca should have more than just her fellow community fighting beside her. But that’s a topic for another post.

The Foundation for Found Family

Throughout the series, Blanca carries a lot on her shoulders as the foundation of her family circle. Lulu goes to her first when Candy is missing and Elektra immediately comes to her after a client dies unexpectedly, despite both of them not always being kind to her in the past. And her children’s shenanigans keep her busy. She’s the fixer who wants to make things right. Blanca may get a little too involved at times but she doesn’t do it to her own detriment.

She still maintains her own personal goals and health, opening her own nail business with money she saved for years, taking her medications and Flintstone vitamins, and desiring to find healthy romantic love. At one point, an attractive man approaches her about a date. Blanca accepts but soon discovers that he has an unsavory reputation among the girls. They tell her to simply have an, um, good time with him but she refuses. She wants romance and real love and will not settle for less, even if others think that is what she should do. Again, Blanca shows us that we don’t have to settle. And, even as life gives us more responsibilities, we still need to be a priority to ourselves.

It’s often easier to root for our friends and family, support their dreams, and throw ourselves into giving them what they need. And, sometimes those people are not always easy to love. Children go through rebellion, health diagnoses and medications affect people, and others may not always show up as their most emotionally intelligent selves. (Of course, this is not to say that you have to tolerate abuse of any kind from anyone just because you “have history” or are related to each other.)

But, at some point or another, the people in our lives are not always easy to love and that can be draining, especially if we abandon ourselves in the process of being a present friend, partner, or parent. We, like Blanca, have to remember that we cannot pour from an empty cup and that what we want, need, and desire matter too.

She does get a lot of love in return. Her children and Pray Tell stand by her through her mother’s death and navigating her transphobic siblings. Elektra even comes to her aid, helping Evangelista tear down the House of Ferocity. In fact, Ferocity came about after Blanca set the precedent of moving on and starting a new legendary house. She imprints on Elektra, taking her from a catty ballroom legend to a more benevolent mother and friend.

Approaching Adversity, Accountability, and Apology

Blanca’s the type of influence you’d love to have, especially in terms of her approach to adversity. To say that the social cards are stacked against Blanca is an understatement. Every time she tries to make a stride in the “outside world,” she seems to get quickly knocked down and mistreated. She gets thrown into a men’s holding cell and loses her business because of a transphobic and cruel building owner/landlady.

Despite her best efforts of self-care, her diagnosis progresses to AIDS. Yet somehow she is still able to find light and joy in life, not only through seeing her children thrive but also remaining hopeful about her own future. She realizes that she may never travel the world nor be wealthy; however, her life and impact still matter.

She keeps her heart open towards love and finds a man who is truly the real MVP. Discovering that she met Christopher, a doctor, while working at the hospital caring for AIDS patients is a beautiful realization. Blanca’s original dream/goal was to have her nail salon. When that went up in smoke (literally), it was devastating. But if that hadn’t happened, then she likely wouldn’t have made a new career pivot as an aide to meet her guy.

Christopher loves her to the point that he’s literally willing to help her friends get rid of a body. The best part is, she didn’t have to hide nor change a thing about herself to find love. It may seem impossible during dark times, but finding light, joy, hope, and love is vital. They are what sustains us and remind us that we have value.

Blanca’s family often refers to her as a saint and honestly, she’s pretty close to one most of the time. However, she’s still human and makes mistakes. She unfairly holds Papi and Damon to a different standard than Angel, an interesting subversion to typical parenting philosophies for girls vs. boys. She jumps the gun sometimes on decisions and can be a little too “good” for her own good. Seriously, why did she think Elektra should have called the cops?!

Nevertheless, Blanca is solid at admitting her faults and apologizing to friends and her children. Accountability and apologizing are two major things that too many people, especially in “authoritative” positions (like a parent) don’t do enough. Blanca’s a reminder that we won’t always get it right as a parent, friend, co-worker, or any other role. That’s normal and okay. We can, and should, apologize when we are wrong and work on being better.

A Dream Fulfilled, a Life Worth Celebrating

In the end, Blanca manages to achieve her dreams. Her house may not be on top of ballroom world anymore. But, in 1998, she’s a grandmother now (wild, right?) and leading a new group of ballroom children alongside Ricky, who is now the house father. She is also given an official award to honor her contributions to ballroom. Leaving a mark as a legendary mother? Check. Her kids all went on to do things they would have never done without her guidance. Angel and Papi are living the dream with marriage and a child.

Although we don’t see him, Damon is living in Chicago and teaching dance at his partner’s studio. And Ricky is obviously doing well after Pray Tell’s death devastated him (and everyone else) in 1996. Motherhood achievement? Unlocked. She’s as healthy as she can be, still in love with Christopher, and officially a nurse. Personal goals? She did that.

Farewell to you, Blanca. You brought a great example of how to live fully, love freely, and be a great person, leader, and friend to television. You opened a lot of eyes to your world and showed that no matter who you are, your existence is meaningful. You’re a true gem and we will miss you as though you were our own dear, loving mother. Because, in a way, you were.

Originally published June 7, 2021.

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British post-apocalypse flick 28 Days Later hit American theaters on June 27, 2003, when psychological thrillers and re-imagined horror franchises ruled the box office. The zombie/undead sub-genre had been largely relegated to indie projects and B-movie status until 28 Days Later brought it back (sort of) with a story featuring running, raging infected humans. But, the real gift in this universe is Selena, played by Naomie Harris—a Black horror heroine worthy of all the praise.

In many horror films, the audience witnesses the leading lady’s evolution from normal to confused terror to a trauma-fueled rush of bravery and resilience as they take on whatever dark entity or situation comes their way. When viewers meet Selena, she is already deep into this transition after 28 terrifying days in the apocalypse. She has no grandiose hopes for a cure nor a desire to make big plans. And she certainly would never be a sacrificial lamb to make sure her White counterpart survives.

Selena’s Fiery Introduction in 28 Days Later

Selena’s introduction is aligned with her personality—energetic, fiery, calculated, and bold. She runs in with fire bombs to save Jim, a clueless man wandering the streets after waking up to a dangerous new world. Selena and her sole accomplice Mark are decked out in layers of clothing and gas masks before stripping down to reveal themselves to Jim. The former chemist breaks down the young apocalypse’s history in pragmatic fashion before assuring Jim that his family is dead.

Jim gets an advanced lesson on how brutal this world can be during an attack from “the infected” at his house: when Selena and Mark come to his rescue, Mark becomes wounded, and Selena wastes no time killing him with her machete. Of course, Jim is horrified by her swift action and challenges her response to the situation. Selena is undeterred by his emotion and explains why she killed Mark.

“Look, if someone gets infected, you’ve got between 10 and 20 seconds to kill them. It might be your brother or your sister or your oldest friends. It makes no difference. And just so you know where you stand, if it happens to you I will do it in a heartbeat.”

The Mind of Selena and How It Is Perfect for the Apocalypse

Selena’s self-preserving ideology, quick adjustment to a changing world, and ability to make split-second decisions based on facts are critical to their survival. She makes the logical choice to kill someone who would have become an inhuman terror in seconds. What’s interesting about this is that when men exhibit these traits they are often perceived as smart, capable leaders. Meanwhile, she’s seen as someone who went from being callous to a more “palatable and loving” person by the end of the film.

Further dialogue reveals that Selena is written specifically as a Black woman, which is important. Generally speaking, society often labels women, specifically Black women, as difficult or hard for simply standing their ground and saying what’s on their minds. Selena’s straightforward, assertive, and sometimes ruthless persona probably make Jim, a White man, feel quite uncomfortable because she’s a woman. He (and some of the audience) can’t see past her exterior to realize that Selena’s wonderful balance of survival instincts, tenacity, heart, and compassion are always present throughout the film.

She knows Jim’s parents are likely dead but she accompanies him to his home so he can have closure. Jim’s lack of knowledge and naïve outlook makes him a liability but she takes him under her wing anyway. Selena also shows genuine concern for his health as they climb tower stairs and questions why he didn’t say he say he was feeling unwell. She saves Jim from his own stupidity multiple times (why would he light a candle with zombies on the prowl?) and makes the choice to help Frank and Hannah go to Manchester even though it’s a risky plan.

If she were truly cold and unfeeling, she would have left the dad-daughter duo (and Jim) to their own devices. But, like most other people on Earth, she still wants to be connected to others. And as much as she talks about leaving people behind, she always uses the world we, signifying that they are a unit.

Selena finds joy in midst of bleakness through small moments: strolling through a grocery store, enjoying food, soaking up quiet time, and watching Frank and Hannah interact with each other. She becomes protective over her small group, especially Hannah. Similar to Alien’s Ellen Ripley and Newt, Selena comforts, guides, and protects Hannah after her Frank’s death. The group ends up in the hands of soldiers in Manchester, who are intent on sexually abusing women and girls. Frank and Jim really should have listened to Selena.

A Shifting Dynamic in Selena’s Apocalypse Saga

There are countless stories of abuse towards women in our “normal” world, so to have it present in a devolved society isn’t a far-fetched choice. It’s clear that a woman’s worst enemy in pretty much every apocalypse scenario is vile men. Selena is outnumbered, outgunned, and weaponless, but she uses her brains to try to make the situation better. She gives Hannah pills to emotionally numb her but keeps her own head clear during an escape attempt. Jim predictably becomes a trap-setting, stealth hero capable of tricking military-trained men (and raging infected people) so he can save the day. It’s a dynamic shift that stirs up mixed emotions.

Black women are always expected to be “strong” heroes who save everyone else, so it’s a change to see someone step up and come to her defense. (It’s the least he could do after she saved him multiple times.) But it’s somewhat frustrating to see Selena’s agency reduced so Jim can become the protagonist and ultimate hero. The fact is, Selena’s influence is what drives him to become the person he needs to be in that moment.

Selena’s Next Chapter Takes the 28 Days Later Universe to New Heights

Selena’s film story ends with her, Jim, and Hannah’s rescue, but that’s only the beginning for this character. In 2009, BOOM! Studios gave Selena her own comic series and expanded her characterization with a story that would have been incredible in live-action. In the 28 Days Later comic, Selena is alone again after Jim is set for execution for murdering the soldiers and Hannah was adopted by a German family (umm, what?). Those narrative stretches aside, the story sets Selena on a new path when she leaves a Norway refugee camp to guide American reporter Clint and his crew into London.

Clint is working on a story about NATO forces restoring the city and he needs Selena survival expertise to help guide him there safely. The comics stay true to her blunt persona but also allow readers to learn more about her life before and after the film’s events. According to notes from the film, director Danny Boyle and Naomie Harris created a background for Selena involving her killing her infected mother, brother, and father, but it was never explicitly explored onscreen.

However, the comic reveals via flashbacks that Selena had to kill her loving husband David after he became infected. She checks the attitudes of people in the groups, encounters gruesome dangers on the road, and grapples with coming to terms over David’s death.

In the end, she was able to properly process her emotions, grieve, and leave her machete behind for a new life in an American safe zone. It would have been incredible to watch Naomie Harris reprise her role for the kind of arc that allows Selena to be the primary protagonist and leader. Selena was given the space to not only survive but process her losses and define what it means to thrive in this world.

Selena’s journey is about the delicate balance between the ruthless actions needed to stay alive and maintaining a connection to the humanity within herself. She was prototype of The Walking Dead‘s Michonne and countless other women braving an infested world with a weapon in hand. There are a lot of sides to choose, and Selena’s is the right one to be on.

Originally published on June 26, 2020.

The post 28 DAYS LATER: Why Selena Is the Ultimate Horror Heroine appeared first on Nerdist.

June is not only Pride Month, but also Black Music Appreciation Month. This formal celebration of Black American influences and continuous contributions across all musical genres began in 1979. Music is a vital element in Black American culture. It’s our form of protest, resistance, and celebrating love, life, and all the aspects of the human experience through a Black lens. One of the most interesting impacts of Black music is through television, specifically Black-led sitcoms. They depict many relatable elements of Black life, often through a humorous lens. A sitcom’s theme song plays a key role in this narrative, capturing the essence of a show in a condensed (and catchy) format.

These tunes have the soul and stylings that only a Black artist can bring forth. They tell a story of Black joy, upward mobility, coming-of-age, and everyday life as a Black American.

Movin’ On Up and Having Good Times

Black sitcoms of the 1970s and 1980s often straddle the line of maintaining day-to-day life with the aspirations of upward mobility. Good Times (1974-1979) follows James and Florida Evans, a couple living in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green projects with their three kids.

The show’s theme song features Jim Gilstrap and Blinky Williams leading the vocals with a gospel choir backing them. The lyrics speak about the good times of making a payment on time or meeting a new friend. The theme then sarcastically juxtaposes those things with more difficult “good” times of “credit ripoffs” and “temporary layoffs.”

Many Black people can relate to concepts of “keeping your head above water” and “making a wave when you can.” Systemic racism has left Black families like the Evans with less generational wealth than their white counterparts. The Evans essentially live paycheck to paycheck despite the family’s patriarch working several jobs.

They desire more financial security while still managing to meet all of their kids’ needs. Upward mobility feels like a lofty goal for them but they desire it nonetheless. The Evans boys make their proverbial waves in the world: Michael excels at school and heads to college while J.J. creates art and goes into advertising. Thelma also does well for herself, attending college and marrying a soon-to-be NFL player.

Good Times certainly focuses on the importance of friendship, showing the interactions between the Evans and several memorable tenants and building employees. Some of these people include Ned the Wino, Bookman the building superintendent, and Wilona, an exuberant neighbor.

They live in an impoverished area, but that’s not the crux of their story and it does not define them. They lean on each other in hard times and curate joy even when life isn’t going their way. And they do eventually move out of project housing by the end of the series. Unfortunately, James dies before he can see this pivotal change.

Good Times slowly ushers the family into a more financially comfortable life. However, The Jeffersons (1975-1985) jumps right into the concept of upward mobility. There’s nothing that captures their joy of getting “a piece of the (American Dream) pie” like the theme song. Similar to Good Times, it features a powerful female leading vocal with a gospel choir in the background.

Interestingly, the lead singer is Janet Du’Bois, who played Wilona on Good Times. It’s highly unlikely that anyone over 30 doesn’t know at least a portion of this song. “Movin’ On Up” is one of many unofficial Black anthems. But it’s also a theme song for any disenfranchised person who finally gets to climb the social ladder. It is a staple in our culture that plays at sports games and brings a smile to your face.

As the lyrics spell out, George and Weezy Jefferson are a successful Black couple. They have made enough money to live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in their dream “deluxe apartment in the sky.” They are up in the big leagues and no longer have to fry their own fish, but it’s certainly not because of nepotism or privilege.

It truly “took a whole lot of tryin’ just to get up that hill.” This is something that plenty of Black people intimately understand. The cards are often stacked against us and we have to work much harder to obtain our desires. That is, if we ever get them at all. And, if we do, we still have to contend with being proverbial “outsiders” in white spaces, much like George and Weezy.

The Black Teen Experience Through New Eyes

Being the minority in the room, workplace, or neighborhood is another common experience for Black people. Some people are born into wealth/status that puts them in these spaces while others end up there after having starkly different formative years.

The latter’s “fish out of water” scenario is the entire basis for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996). The show itself is one of the most popular Black sitcoms of all time with an unforgettable theme song by lead actor Will Smith. This was back before he became a blockbuster leading man.

At this time, rap was on the cusp of becoming a global force with a strong foundation among Black youth. Rap music is all about storytelling, which is exactly what this song does. It takes you through a quick journey of Smith’s life getting “flipped, turned upside down” after “one little fight” prompts his mom to send him to Bel-Air, California to live with rich relatives.

In the song’s extended version, Smith gushes about the luxuries of his first-class flight. He gets a taste of the high life by drinking orange juice out of a champagne glass with women all around him. Still, it is clear that he has his apprehensions about leaving his hometown. In fact, he doesn’t trust a man who’s holding his name on a sign at the airport. Why? Because he fears a police confrontation. So he calls a cab to Bel-Air instead.

That line alone says a lot about his perception of the police as an inner-city kid. This comes up in an episode wherein Will and Carlton are pulled over by the police. Why? Because they are two Black teens driving a fancy car in an upscale neighborhood. Will points out Carlton’s naïveté about the situation. They get locked up for no reason, prompting Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv to come and save them.

The theme sets the stage for an often comedic yet insightful coming-of-age story. Will learns more about himself and gains a new understanding of what it means to be Black. He also teaches the Banks family a few lessons along the way. The theme song remains the same, just like Will’s past; however, his future changes as he learns the ropes of being in the kingdom of Bel-Air through high school and college.

The ’90s included a slate of teen-centric Black sitcoms telling their coming-of-age stories. Sister, Sister (1994-1999) is a great example of a theme song evolving alongside its protagonists. The original theme song is an upbeat blend of pop and new jack swing, a cute little ditty about the twin sisters shaking up their family trees with “sibling synchronicity.” And, as the lyrics say, now that they’ve found each other, they are determined to never let go.

In the series, Tia and Tamera are the classic complete opposites. But they are ride-or-die siblings, getting into trouble and learning valuable lessons together. This theme goes through two different intros that show the girls’ lives in a nutshell: birth and separation before reuniting and living together with their parents.

However, the show makes a distinct shift in its fifth season, switching the lyrics up to reflect their growth. Long gone are the girls’ days of curly hair and colorful outfits. Their style is different and they are actually singing the tune of their own lives.

Tia and Tamera let viewers know that they have their own minds and are not the same person. This is the crux of season five, which shows them moving into separate bedrooms and pursuing different interests in school. They have matured significantly, mostly moving past the silly incidences from previous seasons. Now, they have bigger issues like serious dating, love, working, and preparing for college.

Their special bond as twins will never fade; however, they have to make their own decisions and form their own circles. Anyone who grew up with siblings, specifically older ones or a twin, knows it can be challenging to form an identity that isn’t tied to your sibs’. The girls go to the same college but they each remain clearly and confidently their own person.

Moesha’s (1996-2001) theme song “Gotta Move” also changes over the course of the series. The lyrics are the same but the style of the song and Moesha’s looks get a few updates as she matures. It also shows the progression of its real-life star Brandy’s singing voice as she comes into womanhood. “Gotta Move” itself is a reflection of the titular character. Moesha is a carefree teen who is beginning to realize her mounting responsibilities as she encounters more adult situations.

The theme talks about how Moesha’s friend circle, like many teens’, is a crucial part of her life. It is very “me”-focused, which isn’t surprising. Generally speaking, teenagers tend to be rather absorbed in their own lives and what they want. Later versions of the theme feature Brandy singing in a lower register with a remixed musical accompaniment. She’s no longer the fresh-faced, naïve girl from the first season. She looks and dresses more maturely. It’s like watching both Brandy and Moesha grow up simultaneously.

Sister, Sister and Moesha show Black teen girls coming into their womanhood. What made those shows and theme songs great was their exploration of typical teen life. Sure, films and shows set in lower-income and tougher neighborhoods had their place. But that’s certainly not every Black kids’ experience. These girls dealt with serious issues but they also got to just be teens hanging out with friends and giggling in their rooms.

Living the Single Life in A Different World

Where these shows left off, others like A Different World and Living Single pick up. A Different World starts off showing Denise Huxtable’s life as a freshman at Hillman College, an HBCU. The first version of the theme, sung by Phoebe Snow, reflects that transitional time period from being at home with parents to college.

The lyrics talk about how parents tried to warn them that “it is a different world than where you come from.” It reflects a college student’s chance to “make it” and take whatever is dished their way. This reflects the show’s Black students and their various backgrounds.

Some of them come from low-income neighborhoods; others are now in a place where they are the majority for the first time. Speaking from experience, as a Black college graduate, it’s rather common for our parents to give us those extra talks about how to navigate adult life in this world.

It’s that push and hope for us to have some upward mobility and financial security through getting a higher education. There’s a lot to face: dating, sex, STDs, pregnancy, drugs, abuse, and more on top of the social issues of being Black. But knowing that you have a foundation, a community behind and beside you, means everything.

The song gets an update in season two following Denise’s departure, with Aretha Franklin singing the lyrics. The visual became iconic, showing the facets of Black life with studying, bands, debates, fun, and eventually graduation.

The final season gives the song yet another singer/arrangement update but the lyrics stay the same, even though the characters are out of college and into their careers. They are fully in the real world and taking advantage of their chance to “make it” there.

Living Single (1993-1998) moves the timeline needle forward, following an eclectic group of Black women (and men) who are all friends and live in close proximity with writer/editor/magazine owner Khadijah James at the center. As the title suggests, many of the characters are living the single life in a ‘90s kinda world. It was unlike anything that had been on TV before.

The song is relatively short but it still packs a powerful punch with lines about friendship and keeping your head up in tough times. Series star Queen Latifah herself raps and sings (because she is the best) about the comfort of having her homegirls standing beside her when life gets tough. They are the type of friends that all women wish to have: “true blue” and “tight like glue,” sticking beside you through ups and downs. The below version is perhaps the most recognized take on the song.

Friendship is a critical part of our human experience but it is even more vital for a Black woman to have Black women friends. There’s this camaraderie and intimate understanding of our place in society as well as within our own communities. We often have to act as advocates for ourselves and everyone else, a role that is frankly exhausting and at times dehumanizing. Our Black women friendships are where we find solace, joy, rest, and encouragement to keep moving forward.

On Living Single, Khadijah, Synclaire, Regina, and Maxine are exactly that for each other. They can be their authentic and vulnerable selves together. They support each other, whether it’s career moves or in general hijinks.

Along the same vein is Girlfriends, which has perhaps the simplest theme song ever. “My girlfriends, there through thick and thin. My girlfriends, there for anything. My girlfriends.” That’s it and that’s all it needs to say to encompass everything about this show.

It follows four women—Joan, Maya, Toni, and Lynn_with different careers, backgrounds, and experiences who go through myriad changes together. Sometimes, those life updates are crushing, such as miscarriage, cheating, and divorce. Others are celebrations of joyous occasions. They argue and disagree often, but through it all, they are ultimately there for each other.

Are Theme Songs Fading to Black?

There aren’t a lot of modern Black sitcoms with theme songs that stand out strongly—at least not to me. Some shows do have instrumentals or a short theme, like Family Reunion. But they are lacking the excellence that older themes gave. Sorry to these shows.

Instead, they lean towards infusing the show itself with songs that depict what’s going on. For example, Issa Rae’s Insecure doesn’t have an official theme song, but Jazmine Sullivan and Bryson Tiller’s “Insecure” is a part of the show’s soundtrack. Insecure is great at curating tunes to fit each episode.

The one exception is grown-ish‘s theme by Chloe X Halle. “Grown” depicts its main character, Zoey, declaring that she is an adult now who is taking it one day at a time and making mistakes. She doesn’t really know what she’s doing but it is all good in the end.

That is the journey she is on as she goes to college, drops out, and discovers what she wants in life. It’s something that you don’t see much anymore: a theme song with lyrics that are specifically written for the series.

Of course, there are countless Black sitcom theme songs that can be a part of this post. Who can forget shows like Amen, The Proud Family, Family Matters, and Martin‘s theme about him being the man? It doesn’t matter what their premises, triumphs, nor misgivings are. A Black sitcom’s theme song always tells a deeper story about the show and real Black lives too.

Originally published June 18, 2021.

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It is time to face your demons. No, not that paralysis one that jolts you awake at night. (Or is that just a me problem?) I mean the ones that still haunt your dreams from the first two Insidious movies. Who can forget the terrors that the Lambert family experienced as demonic forces took over their son Dalton? The first Insidious film struck a nerve with horror fans back in 2010, leading to a sequel and two prequel films to follow. Now, we are back with Josh, Renai, and Dalton (who is still giving off wonderfully creepy vibes) in Insidious: The Red Door and, whew, is the film’s trailer scary as hell. It was high time to give those first two films a proper sequel.

This final trailer truly reminds us that the end of this family’s story is near. Watching that creepy entity crawl up on Josh Lambert is very, very wild, indeed. While this may mark the end of the Lambert family saga, we know that there is another tale coming from this universe. So the Further is far from being done with us. But, for now, we can also enjoy the clip above as well as the initial trailer, which really amps up the horror factor.

In addition to the trailers, here’s a quick synopsis of Insidious: The Red Door to get you up to speed: 

Set ten years after the end of the previous first two films, Josh Lambert heads east to drop his son Dalton off at an idyllic, ivy-covered university. However, Dalton’s college dream becomes a nightmare when the repressed demons of his past suddenly return to haunt them both.

As we see in those Insidious: The Red Door trailers, the family wants to forget The Further. But that’s just not working out for them. The only way they can move forward is to go deeper into the depths of darkness. They will have to face their past and more terrors that are behind the red door. Think of it as an unhappy anniversary celebration. The film welcomes back original cast members Patrick Wilson (who is also the director and is known for fighting the Moon), Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Andrew Astor, and Lin Shaye.

Insidious: The Red Door hits theaters on July 7.

Originally published on April 19, 2023.

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There’s nothing that says “horror” more than a creepy object that ends up being a portal to something sinister. It is always a good idea to leave that weird book, suspicious puzzle box, old relic, strange doll, etc., the hell alone. It is never, ever worth your soul to satisfy your curiosity. The characters in A24’s upcoming thriller Talk to Me obviously don’t know this, based on what we see in its first and second trailers. 

We meet a young woman (Sophia Wilde) who lost her mom. She gets together with friends, and they decide to have her connect with an embalmed hand in a ritual that will open and close spiritual doors with the command, “Talk to me.” She says it and discovers that the hand allows her to see on the other side, where her mom is trying to reach out.

Well, at least she thinks it is her mom. The figures she keeps seeing in the Talk to Me trailer look far from the norm. Apparently, she didn’t quite close that open door, and her life quickly takes a downward spiral. We can see even more of the chills to come in Talk to Me‘s second trailer.

Supernatural forces unleash themselves for what looks like quite the harrowing adventure. What is the deal with that hand? How will they close this portal? So many questions that need answers.

The Talk to Me trailers certainly grab hold of you and refuse to let go. The movie stars Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, Alexandra Jensen, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto, and more and comes from directors Danny and Michael Philippou. Talk to Me will hit theaters on July 28.

Originally published April 11, 2023.

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Chris Hemsworth gave us the gift of a powerful yet loving cinnamon roll of a god known as Thor. Who didn’t absolutely enjoy Thor: Love and Thunder?! But we know he can do more than wield a mighty hammer. He’s also great at punching men to their knees. In fact, he gave us a whole movie doing just that when Extraction hit Netflix in 2020. Talk about some great pandemic entertainment. Now, Chris Hemsworth is back and punchier than ever in Extraction 2. He’s also joined by Thor co-star Idris Elba in a new clip from the movie. And make sure to check out the full Extraction 2 trailer for some teases of a softer side.

It seems like Chris Hemsworth and Idris Elba are about to have a lot of fun together. And it’s always good to have a team, especially given what’s in store in Extraction 2. Take a look at a fuller sneak peek at the series below.

Here’s a quick Extraction 2 synopsis to get you up to speed with this sequel: 

After barely surviving the events of the first movie, Rake is back as the Australian black ops mercenary, tasked with another deadly mission: rescuing the battered family of a ruthless Georgian gangster from the prison where they are being held. Hemsworth reunites with director Sam Hargrave, with Joe and Anthony Russo’s AGBO producing and Joe Russo writing. Golshifteh Farahani reprises her role from the first film, with Daniel Bernhardt and Tinatin Dalakishvili also co-starring.

The Extraction 2 trailer shows us all we need to see. What is that? Chris Hemsworth punching and tossing grown men like they are puppets. And sometimes cheesily winking in a very dad way. Extraction 2 will hit Netflix on June 16.

Featured Image: Netflix

Originally published on May 16, 2023.

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Believe it or not, it has been almost five years since Bird Box hit Netflix. The post-apocalyptic thriller starring Sandra Bullock and (a very hot) Trevante Rhodes became a bonafide hit for the streaming service thanks to its many meme-able moments. But, much like The Walking Dead and The Last of Us’ gnarly universes, we’ve always wondered what things are like in other places. How did this mysterious force that causes a person to die violently by suicide affect the rest of the world? Bird Box Barcelona aims to answer this question with a teaser trailer that sets up another dark quest for survival. 

The Bird Box Barcelona clip has a lot of what we are expecting in this follow-up film. People running all over the place in a panic before we zero in on a few key people who are trying to survive. The curious powers of these deadly entities also seem to be changing, which makes sense in this kind of world. It’s very much like The Last of Us having various types of Infected.

Our main man, Sebastian, will form terse alliances and try as hard as he can to get the hell out of Barcelona as another threat looms over them. As we can see in the Bird Box Barcelona teaser trailer, that’s going to be an arduous task. Very intriguing, indeed. 

Are you ready to see (this movie?) If so, you won’t have to wait long. Bird Box Barcelona will arrive at Netflix on July 14.

The post BIRD BOX BARCELONA Trailer Introduces Another Dark Quest for Survival appeared first on Nerdist.

The Sanderson sisters are officially coming back for another round! Last year, the Hocus Pocus trio returned nearly three decades after the original film’s 1993 release. While the sequel got some mixed reviews from fans, most people agreed that it was a delight to see Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy revive those kid-hungry witches in a Hocus Pocus sequel. Now, Walt Disney Pictures president Sean Bailey confirmed to The New York Times that Hocus Pocus 3 is a go.

In that profile, the article simply reports, “Yes, Hocus Pocus 3 is happening.” This film is in addition to other live-action developments, including Moana, Hercules, and Lilo & Stitch. Of course, there are no further details about what we can expect. But surely we will get the three leading actors back as those silly witches once again.

When Hocus Pocus 2 came out, screenwriter Jen D’Angelo did hint at a sequel including original protagonist Max Dennison (Omri Katz) and his girlfriend Allison Watts (Vinessa Shaw). Hopefully, those actors will reprise their roles in Hocus Pocus 3. Maybe they are married, and their child will light the black flame candle. There is, after all, a 2018 book where they have a daughter named Poppy. We’d also really, really love to see Dani Dennison (Thora Birch) come back in some capacity, if possible. 

Grab your broomsticks and prepare to fly once again with more Hocus Pocus on the way. We hope to hear more about Hocus Pocus 3 sooner rather than later.

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One of life’s greatest wounds is death and the subsequent grief that follows. It is the steep price we pay for the honor of communing and sharing our soul with another living being. Their absence forces us to accept and acclimate to a new version of normal, one with a landmine of triggers that can slice our emotional flesh at any given moment. And, for some of us, death and loss are repetitive, cyclical hells that threaten to completely consume us at any moment like an invasive disease. But, what if death itself were a disease that could be cured? Would we want the antidote, even if it came with bloody ramifications? That is the crux of Bomani J. Story’s horror drama The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster, a oft-bleak meditation on systemic oppression and violence, heartbreak, and death.

The film borrows general inspiration from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein but shifts its setting to a disenfranchised project housing development. At its center is Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes), a gifted Black teenage scholar whose life has been marred by her surroundings. After losing her mother years prior and her brother Chris (Edem Atsu-Swanzy) recently to gun violence, Vicaria sees death as a disease and is on a mission to cure it. Unfortunately, her environment provides ample test subjects as she desires to bring her brother back to life. She’s the polar opposite of Dr. Frankenstein’s classic depiction as a wealthy privileged white man who is, in a sense, playing God because he can. 

She’s jokingly called the “mad scientist” and the moniker fits. This is especially true when she pulls flesh apart and reassembles it while disturbingly chuckling at her own brilliance. But, this is not about exploitation or satisfying a need to create something world-changing. Instead, Vicaria wants to bring balance to a community that is constantly in flux and soothe her palpable pain. A stroke of genius, luck, and, yes, electricity resurrects her brother… but there is a price to pay. Chris is not fully himself, but rather an entity hellbent on revenge. He seemingly reacts from a place of crushing residual pain from his life that ended far too soon. But, Vicaria’s pain and motivations provide further fuel for his actions, too.

DeLeon Hayes delivers a stunning performance as the titular and righteously angry Black girl. She dips between morbid curiosity, panicked fretting, paralyzing terror, and unbridled confidence with ease. Her heartbreaking rationale and ever-changing currents of grief will resonate with viewers as she parses through her grief. Vicaria fights against the ills of society with the only tools she has: her mind and determination.

The always-stunning Chad L. Coleman makes every second of his screen time count as Vicaria’s loving and protective father Donald, who struggles with drug usage and regrets. And, Denzel Whitaker’s Kango is a solid deuteragonist who is both a part of the problem and the solution. Whitaker and DeLeon Hayes go for several verbal sparring rounds with the final one packing a mighty punch. It is perhaps the best scene in the entire film that blurs the lines between hero and supposed villain.

The film’s version of the Modern Prometheus, however, is a mixed bag. Much of the resurrected Chris’ time depicts him as a vengeful boogeyman whose actions increasingly affect those who loved him. In a sense, this presents the conundrum about what it means to be alive. It surely is more than jolts of electrical energy through our bodies that make our hearts pump. Chris is breathing, walking, and can even say a few words but the essence of him is no longer present.

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster uses Chris’ twisted body and exploits to lean into its horror. He presents as a shadowy hooded figure with a gravelly voice. His twisted fingers creep around a corner, a single eye peeking from an abandoned space to watch in silence. Story’s professed adoration for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Shining are crystal clear. There’s no holding back on the brutality he delivers but the gore is realistic vs. a more splatter approach to match the film’s overall tone. Unfortunately, the interactions between Vicaria and her resurrected brother lack the frequency and connection to truly drive home the film’s points about his humanity and motivations.

Despite a rather lean 92-minute runtime, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster painfully sags in the middle. The focus wanders too far away from its primary plot, losing the steam that it successfully built in its first act. Thankfully, things wander back on course for the third act with an intense, surprising, and thought-provoking finish. Overall, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is an innovative take on a Gothic tale with sharp dialogue, solid performances, and a protagonist who wields a mighty power.

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster will hit theaters on June 9. It will hit on Demand and Digital on June 23 before it later finds a home on Shudder and AllBlk.

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster ⭐ (3.5 of 5)

The post THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER Is a Harrowing Take on the FRANKENSTEIN Tale appeared first on Nerdist.

The Walking Dead is officially over after eleven seasons and it has been quite the ride. But, as we know, the end of the flagship series that’s been in fans’ hearts for over a decade doesn’t mean this world is done. The show already has had three spinoff series, Fear the Walking Dead, Tales of the Walking Dead, and The Walking Dead: World Beyond, on TV. That number is continuing to grow with shows to look forward to in the nearby future. Some of them include key characters we’ve known and loved (or loved to hate) for seasons as well as new faces to meet. We certainly can’t wait to see Rick and Michonne together again and it won’t be long because they are done filming! (You can read more about the Richonne series further in this post.)

This roster of Walking Dead spinoffs will continue to expand this world in interesting ways. So, what’s coming next? Let’s dig into what we know so far. 

Jump to: The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon // The Walking Dead: Dead City // Rick and Michonne Series

The Daryl Dixon Spinoff Show Takes The Walking Dead Universe to Paris

First, we will start with the one we’ve known about since 2020. A Carol and Daryl Walking Dead spinoff was supposed to happen. But surprisingly, Variety confirmed that Melissa McBride, who plays Carol, left the show. So now we have The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, the show starring, well, Daryl Dixon. (It is likely that this show will be known simply as Daryl Dixon.) It is set for a “late 2023” release date, so we can expect Daryl’s solo adventure to begin sometime in the Fall or Winter of this year. And it takes place in Paris of all places. It seems that Daryl will “wash ashore” in France with no clue about how he got there or why. All he knows is he wants to go home. That seems awfully close to what fans are expecting with Rick but it takes things up to another level because, well, it is in a different country.

And, in a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Norman Reedus affirms that this show will be very different from The Walking Dead. “It’s kind of a reset for me,” Reedus said. “Everything kind of breathes in a romantic way. We have the backdrop of France, we have the Catacombs, the Eiffel Tower… The whole vibe is different.”

We also have these awesome first-look photos. Hopefully more are on the way soon.

Click To View Gallery

Daryl is a character who doesn’t even have a comic book counterpart. However, he’s grown to have just as much of a fandom, if not more, than Rick Grimes himself. A show centering on him indeed makes a lot of sense. In The Walking Dead’s final episode, Judith finally tells Daryl that Michonne is looking for Rick. It takes him a year, but after talking with Maggie about “seeing what’s out there,” he decides to leave his found family. He bids farewell to everyone with a special goodbye for his best friend Carol and takes off on his motorbike.

The Daryl spinoff will bring on ER’s David Zabel as the showrunner. It will be Zabel’s first time stepping into The Walking Dead‘s universe. But he will have the guidance of Angela Kang, who will be the show’s executive producer. As we know, she’s been helming the flagship series since season nine. Norman Reedus himself will also be a producer on the Daryl Dixon series.

There are a couple of interesting new characters in the mix, according to Variety. Clémence Poésy will join the cast as Isabelle, a “member of a progressive religious group who joins forces with Daryl on a journey across France and finds herself confronting her dark past in Paris.” There’s also Adam Nagaitis who will portray Quinn, a “displaced Brit who has become powerful in post-apocalyptic Paris as a black marketeer and the owner of the Demimonde, a sexy underground nightclub.” Now he sounds super interesting

Why in the world would Daryl be in France if he’s looking for Rick? And how the hell is he going to get there? We will get those answers next year. This will def rank high as one of the must-see Walking Dead spinoffs with people already hype that it is currently in production.

The Negan and Maggie Spinoff The Walking Dead: Dead City Heads to New York

My, how things change. If you told any fan that Maggie and Negan would have their own six-episode adventure together, they would have thought you were a liar. But it is true. The Walking Dead: Dead City is coming on June 18 with Eli Journé, an executive producer and writer on The Walking Dead, as the showrunner for. As you can see, the title went through a change from the previous Isle of the Dead title that AMC had been using since around March 2022. And, the premiere date got a pushback from its intended April 2023.

That’s likely because Fear the Walking Dead is coming to an end after eight seasons and will debut on May 14. As the premiere date draws nearer, we have a teaser revealing that Maggie needs Negan to save her son Herschel. We don’t see Herschel super clearly but there’s obviously a new Herschel thanks to a time jump that takes this universe further in the future. Logan Kim will now portray Herschel.

A longer teaser reveals that, for some reason, Negan is a wanted man all the way up in NYC. Manhattan looks very gnarly and Maggie and Negan are back at each others’ throats again. So much for that terse truce they had prior, right?

This is very interesting for all the obvious reasons. There’s the ever-looming reality that Maggie will never forgive Negan because, well, she said so in The Walking Dead‘s finale. He genuinely and tearfully apologized to her about taking Glenn away from her family. She told him that while he and his wife earned their place in the community, she could never truly forgive him. It makes sense. He did murder her husband. In brutal fashion. Right in front of her eyes.

Negan goes away from the community in the end, presumably to get Annie from Alexandria and go off on their own. But, we know that he will cross paths with Maggie again to head to NYC. (This isn’t good for poor Annie or their child. Hope they don’t die.) But it sounds like time away could see Negan falling into his old ways.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan shares, “I think time apart probably will make it worse… Negan has an opportunity to kind of fall into some old habits, because it’s all a survival mechanism for him, especially if he’s not with the group. The group kind of tamed him in a lot of ways, and to fit in, he had to stop being who he was. And I think away from this group, he is likely to fall into some old traps and old behaviors… Away from people, he doesn’t do well.” Uh, oh.

It will be a chaotic ride. And according to executive producer Scott Gimple, that includes warring factions, ziplines to get from building to building, and general mayhem. Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks, reveals more about what the world is like in Manhattan 12 years after the apocalypse began. (This also answers the ever-present timeline question.)

“It’s going to take place on the island of Manhattan, which was left to the walkers 12 years ago when they overran Manhattan. The government decided to blow all the bridges and tunnels and just leave the island to the walkers. And it’s now 12 years later,” confirms McDermott. “There’s a million-walker herd that’s sort of dominating the streets of Manhattan… Maggie and Negan have to journey onto the island, where there’s a small civilian [faction] that lives in Manhattan … above the 10th floor of all the buildings, and they zipline back and forth above the streets.” 

This could possibly lead to them finding out answers about Rick, even though it doesn’t appear they are going there specifically to look for him. It seems Rick could be not too far away in Philadelphia (maybe?) or another Northern US city with the CRM. And we know that Michonne left towards that area to look for Rick back in season 10. So perhaps they will cross paths with her in some way. It would be a great way to gear things up for the Rick and Michonne show. We shall see. Considering this show has a name and an April 2023 release date, we can assume it will come out before the Daryl series. 

Gaius Charles will also join Lauren Cohen and Jeffery Dean Morgan as a lead on the show. According to Deadline:

Charles will play Perlie Armstrong. He’s confident, ruthless, and unyielding in the pursuit of what he believes is justice, with the force of his will and his menace. Perlie enjoys his work and intersperses humor with the terror he incites. This is a family man, devoted to building a safe world for his wife and daughters. His journey unearths a loss he is haunted by. He has patience and resilience and walks rather than runs from his mistakes.

An interesting sounding character, to be sure. And, based on this new photo, he’s looking a little Father Gabriel-ish with that hat.

Another slate of photos give us a glimpse into these adventures in the city. Nice to see that Maggie still wants to possibly murder Negan.

Click To View Gallery

Morgan previously revealed that the show would film near his family ranch in New York. They are done with filming and, before we know it, Dead City will be on our TVs.

A Rick and Michonne Walking Dead Spinoff Series Is Coming in 2024

The Walking Dead‘s final panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 gave us the biggest news of all. There will be a Rick and Michonne series to tell their epic story. Yes, that above poster says 2023 but recent news revealed that it will not debut until 2024, according to Danai Gurira’s interview with Self. You can read more about the series here but this breakdown will also get you excited:

This series presents an epic love story of two characters changed by a changed world. Kept apart by distance. By an unstoppable power. By the ghosts of who they were. Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead… And ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they’ve ever known before? Are they enemies? Lovers? Victims? Victors? Without each other, are they even alive — or will they find that they, too, are the Walking Dead?

There’s also some casting news starting to trickle our way. Per Deadline, Lucifer alumna Lesley-Ann Brandt will portray Pearl Thorne. Details about that character are currently unknown. But we do know that Andrew and Danai are officially back on set and filming again. The Walking Dead‘s Twitter page gave us two photos, including one of the pair holding hands. It may not seem like much to some people but for us Richonne lovers, it truly means the world.

During a Walking Dead preview, Gimple warns us that we will see “Red Machete Rick” again. Remember him? He was the one with the brown murder jacket who was a lot unhinged around seasons five and six. This is probably not a good thing but if anyone can bring him back to normal, it is Michonne. We get a glimpse of Rick in The Walking Dead‘s final episode and he looks like hell. But that scene is from the past so he’s presumably in an even worse state at this point. And, there’s also Michonne with her new gear, braving the world alone. Love to see it. Will their show end with an Alexandria reunion? We hope so.

There are rumblings that some filming could take place in Atlanta, where the original show was filmed, but we will see what happens. Even if this is true, the Alexandria location is a done deal and the walls are now down. Regular people will live in those homes now and maybe (probably) be subject to harrassment.

So there you have it. A lot is happening in The Walking Dead universe and there will surely be more details about these spinoffs as well as new announcements. The show that won hearts is bowing out but there’s plenty left to explore in the land of the dead, so let’s keep walking right towards these spinoffs.

Originally published on April 7, 2022.

The post A Guide to THE WALKING DEAD’s Upcoming Spinoff Series appeared first on Nerdist.

The Insidious franchise is back in full swing with Insidious: The Red Door. The film will bring the Lambert family back for presumably their final round against the dark forces of the Further. But that doesn’t mean this universe is done haunting us quite yet. Thread: An Insidious Tale will bring forth a new terrifying tale with Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani leading its cast. Here’s what we know so far about what’s coming next.

According to Deadline, this sixth film will not be a continuation of the current storylines but instead an offshoot. In this Insidious sequel, Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani will portray a husband-wife duo who use a spell to travel back in time to prevent their daughter’s death. As you can probably guess, this leads to some disastrous consequences. Time travel with the aims of a resurrection never did end particularly well for anyone. But at least the cast is killer.

At this point, we don’t know when this Moore and Nanjiani-led Insidious film will come out or any additional details about it beyond the short plot synopsis. But what else do you need to know when it comes to this universe? The Further awaits your arrival once again.

The post Mandy Moore and Kumail Nanjiani Will Star in THREAD: AN INSIDIOUS TALE appeared first on Nerdist.

We already know that it will be a long time before we discover how The Black Queen a.k.a. Rhaenyra exacts revenge after Vhagar ate poor Luce alive. House of the Dragon season two isn’t coming our way until sometime in 2024, likely the summer. Until then, we can spend our time thinking about Daemon Targaryen’s many wonderful hairstyles. And, when House of the Dragon season two does finally arrive, it may fly in with fewer episodes than season one—eight, to be specific. According to a Deadline report, the episode count for next season will indeed be reduced by two episodes. 

It’s natural for fans to feel upset about this, especially after waiting nearly two years for House of the Dragon to return. But, the trim could drive the story further in a more succinct manner. We may love the many dragons on this show, but no one loves filler.

Recently, HBO’s head of drama Francesca Orsi commented on the condensed season. She noted “There was some question about the narrative shape of Season 2. We were developing it with Ryan Condal and [EP] Sara Hess, and we realized that we were sort of treading water narratively in the middle of the season… So it just felt much more rigorous, more urgent emotional arc for our characters if we compressed the season. And then that also dictated how we would kick off Season 3.”

Deadline further adds, “With a portion of the plot originally intended for Season 2, including a major battle, moving to Season 3, there has been speculation that the series more likely would go to four seasons.” However, Orsi notes “It hasn’t been finalized yet, it’s still under discussion,” and “Is it four seasons? I don’t think from where I sit at this point will be any less than four. But could be more. We’ll see.”

The future remains unclear. But we can all agree it is indeed better to get eight House of the Dragon season two episodes with sharp pacing and storytelling than two extra episodes that could include things that don’t really develop characters nor drive the plot forward. Ultimately, we are glad that there will be more House of the Dragon, full stop.

Originally published on March 29, 2023.

The post HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Season Two Will Have Fewer Episodes appeared first on Nerdist.

It is time to dive back into the twisted depths of Black Mirror. The beloved anthology series by Charlie Brooker is finally returning for a sixth season that Netflix says will be completely unpredictable. Not that any of the previous seasons lacked any shocking moments or plot twists, of course. The Black Mirror season six trailer gives us a nuanced glimpse into the action and shares the show’s release date.

Black Mirror Trailer and Release Date

Well, that’s quite the ride. Based on this Black Mirror season six trailer, we can already see a number of implosions in the future of these main characters. From psychological terrors in space to literal demonic possessions, we feel like there aren’t many happy endings coming for us. But that’s not really why we watch Black Mirror or are tuning in for its six season, we suppose. The trailer also shares that Black Mirror season six will officially release on June 15.

Season six’s cast includes Aaron Paul, Ben Barnes, Danny Ramirez, Himesh Patel, Josh Hartnett, Kate Mara, Michael Cera, Rory Culkin, Salma Hayek Pinault, and Zazie Beetz, among many others. In addition, Black Mirror has now revealed more information about the stories our favorite faces will star in. Check out the titles and summaries of Black Mirror season six’s five new episodes below.

Black Mirror Episode Title, Summaries, and Stars

“Joan Is Awful”

An average woman is stunned to discover a global streaming platform has launched a prestige TV drama adaptation of her life — in which she is portrayed by Hollywood A-lister Salma Hayek Pinault.

Directed by: Ally Pankiw
Written by: Charlie Brooker
Starring: Annie Murphy, Salma Hayek Pinault, Michael Cera, Himesh Patel, Rob Delaney, Ben Barnes 

“Loch Henry”

A young couple travel to a sleepy Scottish town to start work on a genteel nature documentary – but find themselves drawn to a juicy local story involving shocking events of the past.

Directed by: Sam Miller
Written by: Charlie Brooker
Starring: Samuel Blenkin, Myha’la Herrold, Daniel Portman, John Hannah, Monica Dolan

“Beyond the Sea”

In an alternative 1969, two men on a perilous high-tech mission wrestle with the consequences of an unimaginable tragedy.

Directed by: John Crowley
Written by: Charlie Brooker
Starring: Aaron Paul, Josh Hartnett, Kate Mara, Auden Thornton, Rory Culkin

“Mazey Day”

A troubled starlet is dogged by invasive paparazzi while dealing with the consequences of a hit-and-run incident.

Directed by: Uta Briesewitz
Written by: Charlie Brooker
Starring: Zazie Beetz, Clara Rugaard, Danny Ramirez

“Demon 79”

Northern England, 1979. A meek sales assistant is told she must commit terrible acts to prevent disaster.

Directed by: Toby Haynes
Written by: Charlie Brooker and Bisha K. Ali
Starring: Anjana Vasan, Paapa Essiedu, Katherine Rose Morley, David Shields

As mentioned, Black Mirror will make its triumphant return to Netflix on June 15, and, after seeing that trailer, we can’t wait to see what wild stories this season has in store.

Originally published on April 26, 2023.

The post BLACK MIRROR Season 6 Trailer Creates Five New Nightmares appeared first on Nerdist.

Happy June! It is Pride Month, a time where we celebrate the creative works, societal strides, and overall brilliance of LGBTQ+ activists, artists, collectives, characters, and trailblazers who have shaped our world. Of course, this extends deeply into pop culture entertainment, from the LGBTQ+ icons who changed TV, film, music, and more to fictional characters who resonate deeply with fans, cementing a permanent place in their hearts. When it comes to dissecting and celebrating entertainment, indie podcasts and YouTube vloggers continue to reign supreme.

Both mediums are a way for fans to ensure that their analysis, joy, and thirstiest of thoughts are heard. More importantly, entertainment podcasts and vlogs with LGBTQ+ hosts provide their needed perspectives on representation and thematic choices in media, whether they are tied to their specific identities or not. So, to celebrate Pride Month, we want to show these creatives a lot of love.

LGBTQ+ Led Nerdy and Pop Culture Centric Podcasts

Midnight Mass (Hosted By: Peaches Christ & Michael Varrati)

Brilliant host Peaches and filmmaker Michael are a podcasting match made in heaven with a deep affinity for cult movies. The pair dives into different aspects of a film, focusing on actors, genres, or perhaps a specific creative along with special guests. There’s lots of great analysis and laughter to be had with this biweekly podcast. 

Cerebro (Hosted By: Connor Goldsmith)

Cerebro is a podcast about Marvel’s the Uncanny X-Men. Each episode, Connor focuses on a specific character from the franchise alongside a guest. As we know, there are so, so many X-Men characters that he’s got plenty of material to mine from! 

That S**t We Do Like (Hosted By: Bianca & Niq)

This chaotic delight of a pop culture podcast is all about, well, that s**t that Bianca and Niq like, even if it isn’t popular among the masses. They dig into things they love (or love to hate) and talk about its relevance and impact. 

The Queer Archive (Hosted By: Skye & Brenna)

Doctor Who fans rejoice! Skye and Brenna expertly break down episodes of the famed sci-fi series, examining it from a queer and feminist perspective. Doctor Who is heading in what seems to be an increasingly (and delightfully) queer direction, so we are sure that this duo will have lots of thoughts as we head into this new era.

Gaylords of Darkness (Hosted By: Anthony Hudson & Stacie Ponder)

There’s no doubt that queerness is a big part of horror, for better or worse. The Gaylords of Darkness podcast traverses through the dark world of horror, touching on everything from mainstream hits to indie works that lurk in the recess of fans’ minds. 

The Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Podcast (Hosted By: Talia Franks & Lucia Kelly)

Yes, there are two Doctor Who podcasts on this list because why not? The Doctor does have two hearts, after all, so they deserve a double dose of love. And this podcast has a lot of love (and valid critiques) to give, with two nerds coming together from different time zones to chat about all things Doctor Who.

Podcast Style YouTube Channels with LGBTQ+ Hosts

That Gay Jedi

Would this truly be a Nerdist list without a Star Wars offering? That Gay Jedi is all about covering Star Wars, but they also dig into Marvel and Stranger Things, too. We love their brilliant content, effervescent energy, and insightful roundtables.

Zack Cherry 

When it comes to deep horror analysis, especially for the Scream and Halloween franchises, no one does it quite like Zack Cherry. His insight into everything from a killer’s rationale to glaring narrative holes in a franchise will make you want to watch films ten times for closer inspection. Generally speaking, Zack is a horror whiz 

Rowan Ellis 

Rowan’s video essays about pop culture, history, and representation from a queer viewpoint are well-crafted and extremely thoughtful. There are lots of great recommendations in her shorter vids as well as some wholly unique topics of discussion, like the “tragic potential of queer zombies.” 

The post 9 Queer Podcasts and Vlogs That You Should Support appeared first on Nerdist.

Miles Morales and many, many other Spiderfolks are hitting our screens soon in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. And, when fans think of the AfroLatino teenage hero, they instantly think of Miles Morales’ signature style, especially his shoes—Air Jordan 1 sneakers, to be exact. To celebrate more Miles Morales on the big screen, Nike has put the new Air Jordan 1 High Next Chapter shoe out in the world. This Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse pair puts a spin on the ones that Michael Jordan himself wore when he played with the Chicago Bulls, adding some leather and suede in the mix.

Check out the new Miles Morales Across the Spider-Verse sneakers below.

And, of course, there’s the clear nod to Spider-Man with graphics near the ankle that will make you want to soar above the city. These Jordans would look super awesome with Box Lunch’s Miles Morales baseball jersey or jacket. But if you’re trying to flex in these Miles Morales sneakers, then you’ll have to cough up some serious cash. This pair of Js is already sold out on Nike’s website but resell sites like StockX are there for you… at a cost, of course. Should you go for them? Well, it depends on how badly you want to have a pair of sneakers inspired by the adventures of Miles Morales. Either way, watching Miles swing through NYC and whichever other universes he ends up in will inspire the hero in all of us. So lace up your shoes and get ready, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse releases on June 2, 2023.

The post These Miles Morales Air Jordan 1 Sneakers Are Superhero Worthy appeared first on Nerdist.

Another day means more streaming news. We learned in early May that Disney+, which will combine with Hulu into a single app, would be removing certain streaming content from its platform. Disney’s Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy announced this on an earnings call saying that the company is revising its costs and strategy. Removing streaming content is a move we recently saw Max (formerly HBO Max) make as a cost-cutting measure.

 “We are in the process of reviewing the content on our DTC [direct-to-consumer] services to align with the strategic changes in our approach to content curation,” said McCarthy. “As a result, we will be removing certain content from our streaming platforms, and currently expect to take an impairment charge of approximately $1.5 to $1.8 billion. The charge, which will not be recorded in our segment results will primarily be recognized in the third quarter as we complete our review and remove the content.”

McCarthy also said the streaming service will produce lower volumes of content in the future.

As for what Disney is removing from Disney+ and Hulu, reference the list below.

9/11: One Day in America
America the Beautiful
Among the Stars
Artemis Fowl
Be Our Chef
Best in Dough
Best in Snow
Better Nate Than Ever
Big Shot
Bin Laden’s Hard Drive
Black Beauty
Buried Secrets of WWII
Cheaper by the Dozen remake
Clouds
Croc That Ate Jaws
Darby and the Dead
Diary of a Future President
Disney Fairy Tale Weddings
Dollface
Drug Lords: The Next Generation
Earth to Ned
Encore!
Everything’s Trash
Extreme Rescues
Flora & Ulysses
Foodtastic
Harmonious Live!
Hollywood Stargirl
It’s a Dog’s Life with Bill Farmer
Just Beyond
Keep This Between Us
Life Below Zero: Next Generation
Little Demon
Locked Up Abroad
Love in the Time of Corona
Maggie
Magic Camp
Marvel’s Project Hero
More Than Robots
Most Wanted Sharks
National Geographic Investigates: LSD and Psychedelics
North Korea: Inside the Mind of a Dictator
Own the Room
Pentatonix: Around the World for the Holidays
Pick the Litter
Pistol
Rogue Trip
Rosaline
Shop Class
Stargirl
Stuntman
The Armstrong Tapes
The Big Fib
The Come Up
The Deep End
The Hot Zone
The Making Of Willow
The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers
The Mysterious Benedict Society
The One and Only Ivan
The Premise
The Princess
The Quest
The Real Right Stuff
The Right Stuff
The World According to Jeff Goldblum
Timmy Failure
To Catch A Smuggler Rome
Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller
Turner & Hooch
Ultimate Survival WWII
Weird But True!
Willow
Wolfgang
Y: The Last Man

This content is set to leave Disney+ and Hulu on May 26.

Originally published on May 11, 2023.

The post Here’s What Disney Is Removing from Disney+ and Hulu appeared first on Nerdist.

Yellowjackets is a big success for a lot of reasons. Even before cannibalism came into play, the show’s mysteries surrounding that strange symbol and what exactly went down in the wilderness hooked people in. And, having a stellar cast didn’t necessarily hurt either, with stars like Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, and Juliette Lewis in the mix. The hive began buzzing even more for season two, especially after finding out that Elijah Wood was joining the fun. So, who is Elijah Wood’s character Walter Tattersall in Yellowjackets? Let’s get into what he does in season two.

In the first episode, Misty notices PuttingtheSICKinforensics, a fellow Citizen Detective who is a little too good at deducing things. He specifically starts posting some solid theories about Adam’s disappearance. Misty, who uses the name AfricanGrey, downvotes his comments with annoyance and tries to brush off his theories as nonsense. She is, after all, quite busy with the Natalie conundrum.

In episode two, Misty asks for help with figuring out Natalie’s case. Elijah Wood’s still-unseen character offers to help if she will stop s**tting on his Adam theories. She rejects his help but, later in the episode, she gets a clever letter from PuttingtheSICKinforensics. He says he has a potential witness in Nat’s disappearance and offers her a chance to pretend to be an FBI agent alongside him. Of course, we know who this person is by now because we saw (and heard!) Elijah Wood at Misty’s job. He rolls in his elderly “mother,” who is a new resident, and locks eyes with Misty. 

In Yellowjackets episode three, Misty accepts his offer to stage an interrogation. She wants to find Nat but she also wants to keep this guy busy so he won’t think about Adam anymore. Misty meets him on a boat and he is thrilled, revealing that he jumped at the chance to work with the incomparable AfricanGrey. He knows exactly who she is and, well, she knows his name is Walter Tattersall. It turns out the witness that Walter has to interrogate about Natalie’s disappearance is Randy, aka Jeff’s best friend who absolutely knows that Misty is not an FBI agent.

Walter does a chaotic and hilarious “interrogation” with Randy with earbud assistance from Misty before releasing him. Misty lies about being friends with Adam’s mother and that what he is posting would hurt his mother’s heart badly, explaining why she downvoted his comments. Walter admits that the elderly woman isn’t his mom and just used her to get in the door. He says he did all of that because he’s a bored Moriarty looking for his Sherlock. Notice that he did not say Watson. Moriarty is a formidable foe and intelligence match for Sherlock Holmes. Interesting. It seems their investigation into Natalie’s kidnapping is just heating up, thanks to new information bringing them one step closer to Lottie’s purple people. 

The next episode, Misty and Walter head towards that random route where Lottie’s group lives. During the ride, Walter insists that he thinks Misty is interesting outside of the Yellowjackets stuff. During a food stop, we find out that Walter was hit by bricks (literally) and got a ton of money in a settlement. Hilariously, we see that they are truly two of a kind as they go through similar nighttime routines.

In episode 5, Walter and Misty arrive at Lottie’s compound, where she briefly reunites with Nat, who tells her to go away. Misty is confused that Lottie is 1) no longer in a Swiss mental institution and 2) is the leader of the purple people. Misty is upset that her super sleuth skills didn’t pick up on Lottie’s activities and Walter tries to be supportive by telling her to move on.

Of course, Misty thinks Nat’s genuine words are a lie. Walter points out that her friendships are complex. He brings up that the story about Adam’s mother is a lie based on his research. He knows that she lied about Adam and likely killed him to assist a friend because, well, she has the traits of a serial killer. (He’s not wrong.) He says he still likes her but Misty immediately cuts ties with him, making him leave. 

The Adam storyline pales in comparison to a cult community, eyeless man, and that weird symbol. But it is still a big part of adult Shauna’s storyline.  

What Is Up with Walter Tattersall on Yellowjackets?

We know his name and that he’s a Citizen Detective with interests in hacking and forensics. But Elijah Wood’s character Walter is still mostly a mystery on Yellowjackets, even after the finale. His sleuthing caused Misty to leave him in the dust… but he came back. Yes, we got more of Elijah Wood and his hilarious character Walter Tattersall in Yellowjackets.

Walter Tattersall shows back up in episode 8. He’s at his lavish home putting together an impossibly intricate puzzle when he gets an alert that Adam’s body has been found. He then emails the Wiskayok department to let them know that he has information that may be relevant to the investigation. Uh oh. Walter then grabs his clothes, including a purple jacket that he uses to infiltrate Lottie’s compound in the finale.

We spent much of the season thinking that Walter would tell on Misty and her friends, but instead he does the opposite. He uses the aforementioned email to lure Kevyn and Mustache Cop to Lottie’s compound. Walter clevery kills Kevyn and planting evidence to blame the Adam and Jessica’s deaths on him. We also presume that Kevyn will also take the posthumous blame for Natalie’s death. They did have a romantic relationship at one point, after all. We see Walter embrace a tearful Misty at the end to comfort her.

Will Walter Tattersall Return for Yellowjackets Season Three?

We know that Yellowjackets is greenlit for season three. Of course, Misty will come back for more mysteries but we don’t know what will happen with Walter. It seems the pair are heading towards a relationship but Walter could also be a one-season-and-done type of guy. Perhaps he wanted to “solve” this case and move on with his life, which is smart considering the constant shenanigans that come with being close to Misty. However, Misty could use a really good friend/possible romance in her life after so much loss and tragedy. So maybe we will see Elijah Wood as Walter when Yellowjackets returns.

Originally published on March 31, 2023.

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The season two finale of Yellowjackets is here and boy is there a lot happening in both timelines. The past includes a predictable act of cannibalism as the crew consumes Javi. We also get an unexpected passing of the torch as Lottie declares Natalie the new leader of the group. We aren’t sure if Natalie will be the Antler Queen; however, we now know how her story comes to an end. Yellowjackets made the startling choice to kill Natalie off in the present-day timeline, and her death will certainly change the surviving crew forever. 

Natalie, Van, Tai, Lottie, Misty, and Shauna decide to go back to their wilderness ways in the Yellowjackets season two finale, and unfortunately, as usual, it ends in death. Lottie is convinced that “It” brought them together once again because “It” needs more blood. They decide to draw lots and do another hunt. Shauna, Tai, and Misty are not cool with this and believe that Lottie’s mental health requires hospitalization. Van disagrees and blames them for Lottie’s state of mind. Natalie agrees that Lottie isn’t well but also doesn’t see hospitalization as the answer. Van convinces Tai not to bring in a psychiatric crisis team, and they end up in the woods drawing cards.

Shauna gets the unlucky Queen of Hearts, also known as the death card on Yellowjackets, and what barely passes muster as a chase begins. Callie quickly ends it by shooting Lottie in the arm. After some arguing, Lottie’s compound member Lisa comes onto the scene with a gun to protect her leader. She aims it at Natalie, who tries to calm her down. Misty decides to inject Lisa with a syringe of phenobarbital, but Natalie shoves Lisa out of the way. The needle goes into Natalie, effectively sentencing her to death, as Misty and the rest of the Yellowjackets group react in complete shock.

Natalie has a vision of herself on the plane alongside a young Lottie, Javi, and her younger self that strongly suggests that she believes she’s the sacrifice to the wilderness. It’s a sad and pivotal moment for the group that will change their already terse dynamic forever. 

Van and Tai have to contend with their decision to not call the psychiatric team, which ends up coming for Lottie anyway. And Misty is heartbroken over accidentally causing Nat’s death, which surely reminds her of what happened with Crystal/Kristen. It seems the more she tries to help people and fix things, the more damage is done. Lottie believes that the wilderness is satisfied with them. But is it? What is the cost of continuing to “feed” this entity? Is it worth everyone dying over? There are so many questions following Natalie’s death on Yellowjackets that need answers.

It’s sad to see Natalie—a woman who went through trauma before and after the plane crash—die such a preventable death on Yellowjackets. She finally found some peace and healing at Lottie’s compound, but it also became the place where she’d lose her life. However, her decision to push Lisa out of the way makes sense. Natalie’s guilt over Javi’s death (and Travis’, to an extent), among other choices, drove her not to allow someone else to die. Still, we will miss her and can’t wait to see how her time as the wilderness group leader goes in season three. 

Featured Image: Showtime

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Pokémon HOME is getting an update soon that will please a lot of players. The ability to link HOME to Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet was a source of frustration for those who wanted to move Pokémon freely. Now, that will be a cool reality with some perks to boot. The company initially mistakenly said the HOME update would happen on May 23 but has now set a new date.

The Pokémon Company made the exciting announcement via Twitter, revealing that those who do link Pokémon HOME to Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet will get a Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly with Hidden Abilities as Mystery Gifts.

The company also took to Twitter to reveal the real timing for this exciting update. The Pokémon HOME version 3.0.0 update will begin on May 29 and continue into May 30. And after that, players should hopefully be able to link Scarlet and Violet to their HOME and move their Pokémon with ease.

There’s only one catch to this Pokémon HOME linking update, and it is not really a catch honestly. A Pokémon can only be moved to a game that they appear in. Let the fun begin!

Originally published on May 18, 2023.

The post POKÉMON HOME Update Lets Players Link with POKÉMON Scarlet and POKÉMON Violet appeared first on Nerdist.

Tina Turner, the indisputable Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, has sadly passed away at the age of 83. According to her representatives, the singer and actor transitioned in her Switzerland abode after a lengthy illness. In today’s world, the words “legend” and “icon” are haphazardly tossed at many people who barely present a modicum of talent, longevity, and measurable impact in their respective career fields. But Tina Turner is indeed an icon and a legend who paved the way for future stars like Janet Jackson and Beyoncé. 

She was born Anna Mae Bullock in Tennessee on November 26, 1939 and lived in the tiny community of Nutbush. Her beginnings were humble as the daughter of a sharecropper overseer and she later became a domestic worker as a teenager. But inside her roared a fierce spirit raring to unleash itself on captivated audiences. As is the case with most Black performers of her time, Tina Turner began her singing career in the Baptist church. It’s in this space that she polished her performance chops and found her unique voice. After moving to St. Louis, her undeniable talent led to her become the frontwoman of the band formerly known as the Kings of Rhythm. Her first recording, “Boxtop,” (under the name Little Ann) set the foundation for a dizzying rise to the upper echelon of music entertainment.

The Ike & Tina Turner Revue became one of the must-see live acts of the 1960s and 1970s. The collective would often embark on lengthy tours all over the world to cater to adoring fans. She became the first Black artist and first Black woman to be on the cover of Rolling Stone. It was a clear sign she’d far exceeded “making it,” instead becoming a part of music history. Her success represented the endless possibilities for women in creative fields, pushing at barriers set in place by misogynoir.

Tina was undoubtedly THE star of the show, from the fierce, guttural growl in her voice to her impeccable showmanship, style, and signature dance moves. Whether she was singing about being a fool in love or big wheels that keep on turning, Tina Turner would sweat, spin, scream, and sing crowds into euphoric delirium. She perhaps didn’t fully realize it then, but she was laying the foundation for her future domination in another arena of music: Rock ‘n’ Roll. 

During this tumultuous time in America, Tina was an aspirational shining star to many. She was gifted and gorgeous with an electric energy that permeated the air every time she breathed. She had style, grace, a hint of mysterious aura, and an unmistakable rockstar edge. It reminded us that—although her infectious laugh and chill persona make her feel familial—she was not quite like us mere mortals. We know sadder elements of her life story all too well, but we choose to celebrate her freedom and brilliant artistry.

Following a period of transition, setbacks, and self-discovery, Tina Turner rose like a phoenix from the ashes with a determination to redefine her career on her own terms. That came in the form of Private Dancer (1984), her fifth solo studio album that brought forth a new legion of fans. Hits like the title track as well as a little tune called “What’s Love Got to Do With It” (you may have heard of it) sent her straight to solo superstardom as she began to cement her place as the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll. She taught us that you can reinvent yourself whenever the hell you want to, critics and skeptics be damned.

Tina soon got into acting, racking up a list of credits that bring nerds a ton of joy. Her roles as Aunty Entity in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, The Acid Queen in Tommy, and The Mayor in Last Action Hero let her dive into raucous and, at times, campy acting fun. But, of course, she could never fully step away from her sky-high pumps. 

Tina Turner was a once-in-a-lifetime phenomena. She became one of the best selling artists of all-time with a string of successful sold-out tours. Her countless accolades include multiple Grammy Awards and Grammy Hall of Fame honors and two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions. Her music is beloved by generations of fans and included in countless pop culture offerings.

However, a critical important part of her story is that she eventually attained priceless gifts. They are what many of us, including Tina, seek in our lifetimes: peace, joy, and rest. She found romantic love with music producer Erwin Bach and later retired to enjoy her quiet home in Küsnacht, Switzerland. (Tina became a Swiss citizen in 2013.) She spent decades giving her gifts to the world. And, in her final years, she left the spotlight to usher in the ease she’d worked towards all her life.

Tina Turner is simply the best… forever better than all the rest. May she rest peacefully.

The post Tina Turner Has Died, But She Will Forever Be Simply the Best appeared first on Nerdist.

Season two of Good Omens is coming our way on July 28 and it will surely be ineffably good. But before then, we will get to experience Aziraphale and Crowley’s world in a different way. An card game, aptly titled Good Omens: An Ineffable Game, is coming our way thanks to Renegade Game Studios on June 5.

The synopsis states:

Welcome to Tadfield! The forces of prophecy, Heaven, and Hell have assembled to start Armageddon. The angels and demons are preparing for battle and only a ragtag group of valiant interlopers can stop it. That’s where you come in. In this game, you will find several different dice and card games themed around the confrontations that took place in the final chapter (for now) of the Good Omens story. Many of the games feature a mix of dice and cards. Why cards? Because cards feature in the series and in the ethos of Good Omens. This whole existence thing is like one big game to those who pull the strings…

Players (2-4 of them) will have the not-so-enviable task of stopping the apocalypse with seven cooperative battles. Fights against the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as players deal with forces of Heaven and Hell will keep any fun-loving group entertained for hours. The Good Omens card game will have three versions featuring different box art and bonus items but the same game features. Fans can expect to pay around $25 for a set. Pre-orders are already available, so get ready to head to Tadfield.

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Nintendo Switch’s Online + Expansion Pack will include a trio of beloved throwback Super Mario Game Boy Advance titles. Super Mario Advance, Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, and Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3 will all be available for download on May 26. (Thanks to Polygon for alerting us to this news.) Check out this fun trailer for the announcement.

Of course, there will not be an extra cost for these Super Mario Game Boy Advance games on Nintendo Switch. The $49.99/year price tag for the aforementioned pack is the only gateway players need to access retro games.

Super Mario Advance brought 1988’s Super Mario Bros. 2 to Game Boy while Super Mario Advance 2 remade the SNES game Super Mario World. So those two games are certified classics for fans, who are still hype about The Super Mario Bros. Movie. It’s exciting to once again get a taste of nostalgia with a fun upgrade through Nintendo Switch.

The post Three SUPER MARIO Game Boy Advance Titles Are Coming to Nintendo Switch appeared first on Nerdist.

It is time to talk about Tai. No, not me, your friendly Nerdist writer. I mean Taissa “Tai” Turner from Yellowjackets. There’s always been a lot to unpack with her, from her peculiar behaviors and wolf sightings to killing the poor family dog in some sort of blood ritual. In Yellowjackets season two, Tai is on a continual spiral as she begins to grapple with this more mysterious (and super chilling and mayybeee evil) side of her that’s causing some serious issues in her life. Who is Taissa’s other identity and what does this seemingly bad version of herself want? What does the eyeless man have to do with all of this, if anything? Let’s get into what’s going on with the legend that we affectionately call Evil Tai and what she’s up to in Yellowjackets so far.  

What We Learned About the Other Side of Tai in Yellowjackets Season One

Yellowjackets actually introduced us to Taissa’s other personality in season one. We saw both ‘96 Tai and modern-day Tai exhibiting certain patterns of behavior like climbing trees and consuming dirt at night. Tai never remembers what she’s doing but others are obviously concerned about her, including Van and (years later) her family. In fact, Sammy tells Taissa that he knows she’s not “the bad one,” who looks into his window at night. So, we’ve known since then that there’s another side of Tai, perhaps another identity within her, that could be construed as evil or bad. We see this in action in the season one finale when Simone discovers that Tai killed Biscuit, the family dog, and put his head on an altar. We also see Tai winning her senator election (we’d vote for her, always) and smiling at us in an unnatural way. 

Tai’s Other Identity in Yellowjackets Season Two

This leads us to Yellowjackets season two with Taissa being unaware of her disturbing actions. She expresses genuine guilt and remorse over Biscuit’s death, even getting another dog to appease Sammy. But the damage is done, as Simone forbids her to see Sammy and threatens to tell everyone about Tai’s actions. It seems the rise of Evil Tai is taking over her life. She’s downing cups of coffee, exercising vigorously, and popping medication to presumably avoid sleeping. Honestly, we cannot blame her because, well, sleepwalking is an obvious catalyst for some of her actions.

But we see Evil Tai showing up in the mirror with those stern eyes. She’s a true horror queen who will not be contained. Tai begins to imagine entire scenarios, like Sammy coming to her house after school. After she and Simone discover the truth in the car, Evil Tai fully takes over, eyeballing Simone ominously. This leads to a major car crash where Simone’s side of the vehicle is hit pretty hard. 

In the past, teenage Tai’s sleepwalking is getting beyond dangerous in the wilderness’ icy conditions. This comes to a head one night when Van tracks sleepwalking Tai, who is following that mysterious Eyeless Man for some reason. (He deserves an all-caps title. Also, his new haircut is rad.) We still don’t know much about this eyeless man except that he first appeared when Tai’s grandmother passed away years prior.

She nearly walks over a cliff before Van tackles her and, of course, she still doesn’t realize what’s going on. So there’s a clear connection between Tai doing things in another state, whether it is involving her other identity or sleepfollowing our sexy forest friend, and either serious injury or death happening.

Van believes Lottie can help but Tai refuses to do so. They never come to a clear resolution because there are more important things on the, ahem, wilderness menu for now.

In episode three, teen Taissa is shocked and then disgusted to learn that they ate Jackie. This confirms what many fans suspected: that Tai wasn’t fully awake and aware of her actions during the great feast. It seems that she’s spending more and more of her time in this fugue state. In the present, Tai is in the hospital with Simone after their shocking car accident. She’s okay but Simone is in critical condition. A nurse points out Tai’s artwork that she put on Simone’s hand: that weird Yellowjackets symbol. As we have seen so far, it appears to be a symbol that the majority of the wilderness group associates with protection. However, Tai seems horrified by it and wipes it off, hinting that maybe there’s something darker tied to its meaning and her personal relationship with it.

Back in the wilderness, Tai wakes up and Van decides to follow her outside. Tai power walks into the woods while Van asks how she knows where they are going. She replies (in a voice that’s not quite like hers) that “the one with no eyes shows” her, which is indeed the Eyeless Man. But, Tai also says she can only follow him if “she” lets him. That “she” in question is Taissa, which makes Van (and us) wonder who Tai becomes in this state. The Eyeless Man leads them to a tree with the symbol on it, and Tai isn’t sure why this is happening to her. It seems that Lottie and Tai are the two most powerful people in the wilderness right now because of their mysterious connection to the symbol.

Present Tai is still popping pills and feeling guilty in a hospital bathroom. She turns around and sees the other Tai (hey girl!) in the mirror, who mouths what appears to be “go to her” as Tai frantically asks what she wants. Evil Tai then places her hands strategically over her eye, making a triangle of sorts. What does that mean? We will get into it a bit later…

In episode 4, Van shows Teen Tai a map that shows all the trees she’s been finding, which form the shape of that symbol. The always pragmatic Tai says that it’s a bunch of random points that could make any shape. Van wants to prove her point and invites Tai to look for a tree that should be in a specific location. They don’t find the tree but they do somehow find Javi after over two months. Van tells her that there’s something deep inside of her that is connected to everything, which only makes the whole Other/Evil Tai and Eyeless Man conundrum even more curious.

Present Tai is still spiraling. It appears that she’s back in her house but then we see Evil Tai digging through things and looking fabulously creepy. Suddenly, Tai wakes up in the car she borrowed, which is out of gas. She is confused and notices two things: that she has the Yellowjackets file that the detective kept on them and that she’s a long way from home. Her GPS is set for Oberlin, OH, which she is still a good ways away from. At this point, fugue state Other Tai (or Evil Tai) is truly wreaking havoc on her life and taking over in a big way. Tai has a job as a STATE SENATOR that she is not doing right now. She picks up a ride to the Ohio address. And the episode caps off perfectly with us finding out where Tai goes: to Van’s wonderfully gay video store. It appears she is the “her” that Other Tai wanted her to go to.

In episode six, we discover that some time has passed in the wilderness timeline. Tai is no longer sleepwalking and agrees to go to Lottie’s “woo woo” sessions to appease Van. Later on, Shauna goes into labor out in the woods during a snowstorm with only Tai by her side. Tai taps into Lottie’s meditation strategy to lead them back towards the cabin. It’s the first time we have seen this and honestly, we don’t know what it means for Tai at this point. 

In the present, we further see Tai at Van’s time capsule of a shop/apartment. Van realizes that the sleepwalking is happening to her again and presses Tai about the severity of it. We don’t get to hear the conversation but we know that Tai told Van about the dog sacrifice and presumably everything else that’s happened. After some tense moments, Van still admits that she won’t let Tai leave in the state that she’s in. Tai admits that she’s terrified and doesn’t want to hurt anyone else she loves. She breaks down into tears and Van offers her comfort.

Later on, Other Tai takes over and makes her move on Van before telling her that “this isn’t where we are supposed to be.” It’s a haunting statement that leads to some serious questions about where they should be. Is it the woods? Or does she simply mean that Van needs to come back to New Jersey to be with Tai? We shall see.

In episode 8, we discover that teenage Taissa saw the Other Tai in a reflection. The group is hungry and she’s in a sort of hallucinatory state when she looks out the window, seeing her actual reflection and a smiling other Tai in another window pane. Tai turns around and there is the other Tai for just a moment before Van breaks this state to ask Tai if she is okay. This is yet another interesting way that Tai’s other identity shows up as though she is a completely separate person. 

What Does Evil Tai Want in Yellowjackets? 

Right now, we have no idea what Tai’s bad identity wants from her in Yellowjackets season two. Maybe she wants Tai to reconnect with the wilderness. Perhaps she was the one that sent those postcards from season one as an invitation. Or perhaps there’s an even greater spirit that is drawing her out to wreak havoc. We will have to wait and see what’s going on with her. 

It is a lot to process, especially when you throw Eyeless Man in the mix. As far as we know, adult Tai is not seeing him but he obviously plays into her overall life. Sammy also saw eyeless figures in season one, too. Taissa’s other identity could have a connection with the Eyeless Man on Yellowjackets; however, it seems she’s up to her own agenda for now. Maybe Evil Tai is leading Taissa towards mayhem and societal freedom while the eyeless man is a vehicle to open her eyes to new truths and enlightenment.

That symbol that Other Tai does in episode three looks very similar to the Eye of Providence (or, the All-Seeing Eye of God). In the US, this symbol appears on the one dollar bill as well as on Freemason (a collective that holds many secrets from general society) lodges. It is meant to represent the eye of God watching over humanity. Like the Yellowjackets symbol, there are many conspiracy theories tied to this symbol with some saying it represents the Illuminati, is generally evil, or it represents some larger “big brother” that is always watching us. 

So there seems to be a duality here of Tai interacting with a part of herself that is all-seeing while also dealing with an entity that doesn’t have eyes. It’s not clear if Tai’s gesture is a direct reference to this, but perhaps whatever entity that is in the woods is the “god” that is watching over Tai and the others. We thought Evil Tai’s “go to her” means returning to that spirit, that place in some way. But, for now, it seems to mean going to Van for some unknown reason. Is Evil Tai in love with Van? It certainly seems like it after that kiss. We ship it.

Both Evil Tai and Eyeless Man are tied to traumatic events in Tai’s life, so it is easy to say that they are all trauma responses that are all “in her mind.” But what if there’s something else going on here? Tai is already a driven and influential woman but maybe we are just learning the extent of her power. Surely more will come to the surface throughout Yellowjackets season two.

The post Who Is Taissa’s Other (Evil) Identity on YELLOWJACKETS and What Does She Want? appeared first on Nerdist.

What is happening on Yellowjackets? That is usually a great question that we often ask about this mysterious show full of secrets and twists with a dash of cannibalism. But this time that question is more of a “WTH” in a bad way because episode eight is baffling, to say the least. A couple of weeks ago, our own Ro Rusak predicted that the playing cards used by the wilderness crew could become a way to draw lots and determine fates for cannibalism purposes. And now we know that Ro was right. Let’s get into how Yellowjackets used playing cards for a deadly drawing that took a twist and ended with the death of Javi. 

Yellowjackets Draws Lots with Playing Cards and Nearly Kills a Key Player

In this episode, Lottie is barely alive upstairs while the others are hallucinating and such. Lottie tells Misty to let the others know that they can “make use of her” if she dies but they reject that immediately. Mari says that the wilderness will not let her die and Tai reminds them that they need to find a way to stay alive. They make the choice to draw playing cards and determine which one of them will be hunted down. The unlucky card is the Queen of Hearts, which Natalie draws.

Shauna can’t bring herself to kill Natalie in cold blood and it leads to the crew chasing Natalie in a very feral manner through the wilderness. Javi tries to help Natalie by guiding her to his hideout but things go awry when the ice beneath him cracks. He falls in and Natalie tries to help him at first, but realizes that if she does the group will still kill her. They watch him drown, convincing themselves that the wilderness chose him as a sacrifice. 

Well, where do I begin? Let’s start with the choice to use the cards. Yes, we know that Lottie is a spiritual leader for many of them, but desiring to kill a random person in good health over someone on the brink of death is a wild choice. It suggests that Lottie’s life has more value in this place than anyone else’s life, which simply isn’t true, especially when it comes to Natalie. Killing your best hunter who is a vital reason why you are still breathing makes no sense considering there are others who are far less useful.

The concept of using the cards makes sense in terms of fairness and how they have used them to dish out chores. However, it seems this story suggesting that other forces are at play would have made it less their choice and more of fate. Allowing the powers that be to “blow” the cards their way would indicate that the wilderness really did want them to draw lots for survival. Even still, the chances of someone in this small group pulling the chosen card from what appears to be a full deck seems very slim. Why not have the exact number of cards needed? What happens if no one pulls the card? Do you just keep going? I don’t wanna know the answers because I have no desire to play this game. 

Javi’s Death on Yellowjackets and What it Means for the Group

There’s also the conundrum of Javi and how he dies in Yellowjackets. We aren’t sure what’s coming next but it is not clear why they brought him back only to truly kill him off. Coach Ben does discover his hideout thanks to Javi’s drawings, so he did have some usefulness. But they could have easily found it during their own explorations.

His death feels exceptionally cruel than Jackie’s snowy demise. While they bear partial responsibility for her death by banishing her outside, they did not witness her death in real-time. The Yellowjackets crew watched Javi die, purposely not saving him to survive. This will certainly cause a major rift between Travis and the group once again (especially Natalie), even if they collectively lie about his death. Van says that the wilderness chose Javi… but did it? Or did the ice simply crack because that’s what happens on a frozen lake? 

Yellowjackets season two is nearing its end and things are getting increasingly more grim in the wilderness. Who will die next? How can Natalie (or anyone) trust anyone around them ever again? We will have to wait and see.

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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom currently has a swath of gamers in a chokehold. (We mean that in the best way.) There’s so much more to explore in Hyrule, even if it is just frolicking around and bullying Koroks with rocks. But for those who truly want some guidance on how to navigate this vast world, this is for you. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – The Complete Official Guide exists, thanks to Piggyback, and is currently available for preorder to help you rule. 

It comes in a Standard and Collector’s Edition with a comprehensive atlas and answers to all your burning questions. Of course, this Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom official guide also includes a curated playthrough for those who desire it. This is certainly helpful for players who are new to this universe or simply don’t want to flail around for 100+ hours in frustration and confusion. Not everyone can conquer this game in 94 minutes. The only downside is it will take a while before the guide gets to their doorstep.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – The Complete Official Guide releases on June 16. So maybe have a little fun between now and then. Or do what many others do: scour the internet for answers. But, for those who love to collect gorgeous books, this one is quite the winner.

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A new era of Mortal Kombat gaming is upon us. Back in 2019, we got Mortal Kombat 11 and fans have been patiently waiting for a new installment since then. Now, there’s not only another Mortal Kombat game on the way but a reboot of the franchise as a whole. Therefore, this new game is simply titled Mortal Kombat 1 and the announcement trailer is quite the spectacle to behold. 

This new version of the Mortal Kombat universe takes place in the New Era timeline established by Liu Kang after he ascended to godhood in the eleventh installment. But do not worry. This game will still pack in all the violence, gore, and fun that we’ve loved for decades.

Mortal Kombat 1 pre-orders will go live on May 19 at 10AM PT and with the game releasing on September 19. The PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S versions will go for $69.99 while the Premium and Kollector’s Editions are $109.99 and $249.99.

Speaking of those special editions, one of the many perks of them is the Kombat Pack, which will include a Johnny Cage character skin in the likeness of Jean-Claude Van Damme. As fans know, the famous actor and martial artist was the original inspiration for Cage. That makes us even more excited to dive into this world.

It is time for more fatalities.

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This truly seems to be the year where video games come to life onscreen. We started things off with The Last of Us bringing its gnarly world to HBO. Then, The Super Mario Bros. Movie brought joy and delight to generations of fans who love the Mushroom Kingdom. Now, the weird animatronic world of Five Nights at Freddy’s is coming to film and if the teaser trailer is any indication, it is going to be a twisted good time. 

For those who aren’t familiar, Five Nights at Freddy’s is a game franchise that centers around a family pizza restaurant called Freddy’s Fazbear’s Pizza. The titular Freddy in question is not a Krueger but instead an animatronic bear. In most of the games, the player is a night shift employee who has to defend themselves from Freddy and his animal comrades, who are up to no good. Mixing a Chuck E. Cheese-inspired place with some sadism is ripe for movie fun. 

The Five Nights at Freddy’s teaser trailer doesn’t give us much information about what to expect in this movie. But there’s not much to figure out here. Josh Hutcherson stars as a security guard who realizes that the night shift is not cool. Hutcherson is joined by Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Kat Conner Sterling, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Matthew Lillard for lots of frights that will not spark delight. A release also shares that “the film’s iconic animatronic characters will be created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.”

The film will hit theaters and Peacock just in time for Halloween on October 27.

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When it comes to Disney Princess stories, Ariel’s is quite baffling for the average land dweller. Why in the world would she want to leave her underwater land with fun fish and riches to come live among humans? Generally speaking, our world (and we, tbh) kind of suck. But Halle Bailey, a sweetheart and literal musical princess among us, can convince us to believe anything. That’s why we will be first in line to watch the upcoming live-action version of The Little Mermaid. For now, we can enjoy Halle Bailey’s full take on “Part of Your World,” performed at Disneyland, as well as an incredible trailer for The Little Mermaid.

It gives us goosebumps; truly this new version of “Part of Your World” brings us right into the heart of the story. And seeing the performance at Disneyland makes everything even sweeter. We love hearing this rendition, both familiar and novel. The full The Little Mermaid soundtrack releases on releases May 19.

For even more of Bailey’s incredible voice, you can also take a look at the heartfelt trailer that recently released. 

Like with “Part of Your World,” we all know this story well and recognize many beats here. However, there’s something truly magical about seeing it transpire with real people, especially Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy as Ariel and Ursula, respectively. In The Little Mermaid trailer, Ariel and her father, King Triton, find themselves at odds. Why? Well, she breaks a cardinal rule when she swims to the surface to help a drowning man. Of course, that guy isn’t just any regular dude. He’s Prince Eric, a man who is charming enough that he can woo a mermaid by simply looking her in the eyes. Now Ariel’s curiosity about humans and the above world is stronger, leading her to make a deal with Ursula. And, well, you know what happens next.

It’s truly magical (and, for me, tear-inducing) to hear Halle triumphantly sing that she will be part of that world one day. A perfect choice for Ariel, indeed. The Little Mermaid also stars Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Daveed Diggs as the voice of Sebastian, Awkwafina as the voice of Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as the voice of Flounder, Noma Dumezweni as Queen Selina, Art Malik as Sir Grimsby and Javier Bardem as King Triton.

The Little Mermaid hits theaters on May 26.

Originally published March 13, 2023.

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The “Maggie and Negan Take Manhattan” show, officially known as The Walking Dead: Dead City, is almost here. In terms of the universe’s overall timeline, we are jumping into the future by a couple of years as Maggie recruits Negan on a mission to find her kidnapped son, Herschel. We’d only gotten some broad Dead City information, photos, and a couple of small teasers until now. Finally, there is a full length trailer for The Walking Dead: Dead City that takes us into the apocalyptic depths of the Big Apple. 

This trailer sets up a completely different tone than what we previously saw in The Walking Dead. There’s certainly a darker (literally and figuratively) and more cinematic scope. This is partially due to the walkers, which continue to mutate in disturbing ways. We do not need walkers leaping from building to building in a single bound nor forming a super sized terror. And we finally begin to understand the situation in Manhattan, which is completely cut off from the US mainland. The citizens who remain there are much like Negan was when we first met him: chaotic and dangerous. We discover that Negan has a connection to NYC via The Croat (Željko Ivanek), a dangerous leader who doesn’t let people off the island once they arrive. This is the man who has Herschel and explains why Maggie needs Negan’s help. 

Negan is a wanted man in this area, specifically by lawman Perlie Armstrong (Gaius Charles), but we aren’t sure why yet. I believe it is one of three things. First, Negan ended up in NYC after wandering off at the end of The Walking Dead and somehow pissed the Croat off really, really badly. Old villain habits die hard with that guy. It’s also plausible that the Croat and Negan crossed paths when the latter was with his new wife, Annie, which somehow led to her death. Or, perhaps Negan has known the Croat for a while. Perhaps this character was once a part of Negan’s Savior collective who seeks revenge. Either way, they obviously have bad blood between them and The Walking Dead: Dead City trailer sets up a gnarly and wild story.

It’s not uncommon for people to take each other captive in this world. But it feels awfully convenient that Herschel is taken from the group. It could simply be because he is young or perhaps it is a more calculated choice by the Croat to lure Negan into his grasp. We will find out the truth when The Walking Dead: Dead City hits AMC and AMC+ on June 18.

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If you were a teenager in the 2000s, then you surely remember the great Disney masterpiece Freaky Friday. Who can forget the hilariousness of a mom and daughter who end up switching bodies thanks to a fortune cookie? It has somehow been 20 years since we saw Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan as Tess and Anna, but they are reportedly reprising those roles in a Freaky Friday sequel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, both stars are ready for more body-swapping adventures, with Elyse Hollander penning the script. 

Of course, there are no further details about the Freaky Friday sequel at this time. But it isn’t shocking that this reunion is happening. During a retrospective interview, both Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan told The New York Times that they were open to a Freaky Friday sequel. And we have seen the actresses in very recent projects, too. Curtis came back as Laurie Strode once again in Halloween Ends while Lohan is back in the spotlight after Falling for Christmas, a very cute Netflix rom-com.

This time, it will probably be Anna’s daughter swapping places with her while Tess tries to help them figure it all out. No matter what the plot is, we are totally down for a Freaky Friday sequel.

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

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

House of the Dragon Season Two’s Plot 

The show is based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, so book fans have a general sense of where this show will go. Of course, there will be some creative liberties taken, but the obvious “Dance of the Dragons” between Team Rhaenyra (the Black Queen) and Team Alicent will happen. Rhaenyra and her uncle-husband Daemon will wage war against Aegon II, Alicent’s son and the newly crowned king. House Velaryon stands with the “Blacks” along with their massive navy. On the other side is the “Greens” with Alicent, her father Otto Hightower, Ser Criston Cole, and her son Aemond, the rider of Vhagar, the largest dragon in the world. There is no longer a chance at mediation as Rhaenyra’s rage takes over. 

Recently, showrunner Ryan Condal noted to IndieWire of the upcoming episodes,  “This second season is about the kids that we only saw for a couple of episodes at the end of the series that are now grown up to be young adults who have dragons, who are of riding and fighting age, who have opinions of their own and a desire to get out there and defend the family claim.”

Additionally, he shared that the length of House of the Dragon and the number of seasons it will run for are yet to be determined. It will have “more than two.” But “that’s part of the discussion that we’re having. Where do you appropriately end the series in a way that doesn’t doesn’t feel clipped, but also doesn’t feel dragged out?” A good question. Only time will tell.

Behind the Scenes 

House of the Dragon co-creator and executive producer Ryan Condal will continue on as a showrunner; however, his season one co-showunner Miguel Sapochnik will not return for season two. George R.R. Martin will continue his involvement as an executive producer. On April 11, 2023, House of the Dragon’s Twitter page announced that season two is officially in production. This time, fans will get eight episodes, which is two fewer than the first season.

House of the Dragon Season Two’s Cast

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

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

House of the Dragon Season Two’s Release Date 

There is currently no release date for House of the Dragon season two. However, reports indicate that a Summer 2024 release is likely.

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Will they or won’t they? That’s the question when it comes to a lot of romance storylines. And while the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise isn’t a straight-up romcom, it does famously center on the relationship between Peter Quill and Gamora. Gamora’s death broke Star-Lord’s heart (and ours too), but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opened the door for another chance with a new Gamora. As we all know, this film marks the end of this Guardians lineup, and we all wanted to know how it would end. So, did Peter Quill and Gamora end up in a relationship together in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 or not? Here’s what happens between the two. 

Peter Quill is a mess on Knowhere, drinking heavily and still mourning the loss of Gamora in his sleep. Otherwise, everything is fine… until it is not fine. Adam Warlock barrels into town and gives Rocket a life-threatening injury that cannot be fixed due to a kill switch in his body. This takes the team on a quest to the Orgoscope in hopes of finding an override code. But, because this is a High Evolutionary locale, they need help. This is where a variant version of Gamora comes into play as her team of Ravagers agrees to help for a price. Of course, Peter Quill initially refuses to accept that this Gamora isn’t his Gamora.

Throughout the film, they grow to have a mutual respect for each other as Gamora sees how far the group will go to save Rocket. She stays and helps them achieve their mission. There are a few moments of romance-esque interaction between them, like when Star-Lord dives in to save Gamora, and they land face to face. However, this film is about family and making choices that feel authentic to yourself and what you desire in your life. By the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Peter Quill and Gamora do not end up in a relationship with each other. Gamora says she bets the other Gamora and Peter Quill were great together, and he agrees. Gamora goes back to her life with the Ravagers, who are her family, with a whole new understanding of what it means to be a galactic hero.

Meanwhile, Quill decides to finally face his past and seeks out his grandfather on Earth to live a normal life. It is a fitting ending for these characters because, well, this Gamora will never be the other one. Actress Zoe Saldaña assures us that this is her last time portraying this character and we get it. Gamora was supposed to die back in Vol. 2, but Saldaña stuck around for more adventures. At least we know that Gamora and Peter Quill found love and true happiness in the end, which certainly exists outside of romantic relationships.

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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a heartfelt, funny, and wild adventure with our beloved ragtag MCU team. The film not only explores Rocket’s tragic backstory but also gives us a ton of fun cameos from returning characters to people that we did not expect to see again. While we totally dig seeing some familiar faces like Seth Green’s Howard the Duck, there is one person who made us feel all the feelings. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 includes a very short but sweet cameo from none other than Michael Rooker, who portrayed Yondu. 

As we know, Yondu sacrificed himself to save his adoptive son Quill in Vol. 2. We previously saw Yondu in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special but it was in an animated flashback. Yondu Udonta makes an appearance towards the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to give Kraglin some needed encouragement. Throughout the time, Kraglin continued to struggle with learning how to use Yondu’s Yaka Arrow, which led to him being ineffective when Adam Warlock literally came crashing into Knowhere.

At the end of the film, Kraglin once again faces a big threat as the High Evolutionary sends some sinister beings to overtake Knowhere. Kraglin gets the arrow and hesitates before hearing Yondu’s voice encouraging him in his head to trust himself. He looks up and briefly sees Yondu appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. His former leader gives him a knowing smile before Kraglin gives it another try. He whistles and navigates the Yaka Arrow with newfound expertise, saving a ton of lives in the process.

Seeing Yondu in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is such a treat for fans and made for an effective cameo that felt organic. Will we get another Yondu appearance in our MCU future? Maybe so. This isn’t the end of the line for Star-Lord, who will apparently return for some project. And maybe he will need to see the image of his true father once again.

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Yellowjackets episode five ended with a moment many fans have been waiting for: the birth of Shauna’s baby. Her child with Jeff has been the center of celebrations, arguments, and fears among the wilderness crew. How would they keep a child alive when they were on the brink of starvation? What happens if Shauna has birth complications? They had many questions on their teenage minds, indeed. In episode six, the crew (and us, the viewers) finally get an answer to one of the show’s biggest questions. What happens to Shauna’s baby in Yellowjackets? Here’s what goes down during her labor. 

Before we go into the wilderness, the show looks back a few months to their normal teenage lives. Interestingly, Shauna, Tai, Misty, Van, and Jeff are all in a health class together watching a video about pregnancy and childbirth. Jeff passes Shauna a note commenting on their, ahem, study session before she walks out of the classroom. This seems to be not too long before the plane crash, so it is very likely that Shauna is already pregnant and doesn’t know it yet.

Then, we are back to the action as everyone panics around Shauna’s labor. Shauna realizes that something feels off while Akilah tries to step into Misty’s place as the makeshift midwife. Things get very bloody and the group discovers that the placenta is coming out first but they try to keep poor Shauna calm through the process. Things go dark from Shauna’s perspective before she regains consciousness with Misty handing her a baby boy. This is interesting considering how Lottie referred to the baby as “him” in previous episodes.

We follow Shauna’s early days of motherhood as she struggles to get the baby to latch on and breastfeed, fearful that her body isn’t producing milk. She talks to her baby, saying that she cannot wait to see him grow up and saying that it is her and him against the whole world before finally breastfeeding him successfully. Things take a dark turn when she wakes up and finds that her friends are eating the baby. Thankfully, this is a dream… but it is not the only thing that isn’t real.

It turns out that everything with Shauna’s baby happened in her mind, as we see her come back into consciousness. The entire Yellowjackets team looks shaken and forlorn as they inform Shauna that her baby died at birth. She is distraught and keeps asking why no one else can hear him crying. 

It is a truly sad yet not shocking fate for this child. We knew that Shauna’s daughter isn’t old enough to be the wilderness baby and she didn’t appear to have any other living children. And, with the group barely getting enough sustenance, it would have been very hard for Shauna to be able to produce breast milk to feed him. We already know that the group will not eat Shauna’s baby but they will have to bury his remains eventually. Everyone will also have to deal with this traumatic situation. It could send Shauna into a dark mental place once again or perhaps shake the faith of Lottie and her followers who believed the wilderness would protect Shauna’s baby.

This situation also brings up a question about Shauna’s diary, which Jeff has presumably read in its entirety. Did she put anything about her pregnancy in it? Does Jeff know that Shauna gave birth to their stillborn son in the wilderness? Perhaps we will learn more about this in adult Shauna’s life. For now, the wilderness group will have to process this heartbreaking loss while still trying to survive.

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Some film genres are not appealing to certain cinephiles. Some people say “no way” to straight-up horror while others aren’t keen on romantic adventures. However, the one genre that the majority can watch and find entertainment and value within its narratives (at least, to some degree) is action. There’s truly something for everyone under that umbrella, whether it’s an epic sci-fi space saga, spy fiction, or a shoot ‘em up style story. From tried-and-true flicks like Die Hard to newer classics like the John Wick franchise, action movies have been a major part of our entertainment experience for decades. But where did it all begin? What is the first movie that set the action genre in motion? Let’s get into a bit of film history. 

As always, it is hard to pinpoint a “first” in decades past considering the plethora of independent creatives whose works may not be on our general radar. But quite a few film historians generally agree that the first action movie ever is The Great Train Robbery, directed by Edwin S. Porter, who also did the film’s cinematography. 

The Great Train Robbery’s Daring Plot

The Great Train Robbery is a 1903 black-and-white silent film. It’s loosely based on the 1893 stage play of the same name by Scott Marble. (We will dig into its history and conception story later.) The 12(ish)-minute flick follows a band of outlaws who rob a steam locomotive station, flee across the mountains, and eventually face defeat at the hands of a crew of ambitious locals. The Great Train Robbery wastes no time jumping into action. It starts with a robbery at gunpoint before the bandits take over a moving train. They commit murder, accost the conductor, and force all the passengers off the train after looting them before heading back towards a valley.

The vagabonds meet their match thanks to a band of heroic guys who save the day. The film ends with one bandit emptying his pistol into the camera. This chilling final frame was primed to become pop culture history. During this time period, The Great Train Robbery was quite the rousing spectacle with its action, violence, suspense, some serious piano playing, and solid practical effects for a film of this era. Even with an actual plot, does it still slightly lean more towards visual spectacle than character development and tightening narrative gaps? Yeah. However, imagination and personal interpretation can fill in those spaces and create a unique experience.  

The Great Train Robbery’s History, Inspirations, and Filming

The early-1900s film landscape was a time of great innovation and chaos as everyone wanted to get their slice of the moving picture pie. Prior to The Great Train Robbery, Edwin S. Porter started his career making film equipment like cameras and film projectors. He notably created a device to regulate the intensity of an electric light, which changed the game for future cinematographers. After a fire destroyed his workshop at the turn of the century, Porter took a contract project with the Edison Manufacturing Company to improve their equipment.

The venture was successful and Porter became a cameraman. At the time, a movie’s cameraman also had creative control akin to what directors have today. This made it a powerful behind-the-scenes position. Initially, Porter’s style was simple and straightforward to mimic the signature approach of the Edison Manufacturing Company. But, he began to branch out and explore foreign films. This happened around the same time that George Méliès set the industry on fire with the first sci-film film, A Trip to the Moon (1902). Scammers and pirates (including known messy man Thomas Edison) imitated his style and hit his pockets hard.

A Trip to the Moon‘s multiple scenes, meticulous editing, and special effects encouraged Porter to bring that sort of energy into his work. Unfortunately, Edison later distributed illegal copies of Méliès’ film, contributing to the rampant industry issue of securing copyright. (As a note, Porter later made the very questionable Uncle Tom’s Cabin. That earns him a side eye on general principle.) 

Meanwhile, Porter delivered movies like 1902’s Jack and the Beanstalk, which was obviously influenced by Méliès style, and Life of an American the following year. The latter is where he began to use a novel editing technique called dramatic editing. Scenes shot at different places and times were pieced together. After some success, he set his sights on The Great Train Robbery. The film was inspired not only by the aforementioned play of the same name but also Westerns. Even then, people loved a good story happening in the open lands of America.

So, to be clear, The Great Train Robbery is far from the first Western film. However, it was certainly an early influence for the TV and films that would follow. Stage Coach Hold Up and the British film Kidnapping by Indians were likely direct influences on Porter’s work. And, of course, art always has a way of imitating and reflecting its time period. In 1900, Butch Cassidy and his comrades robbed a Union Pacific Road train and escaped capture. What better content to further fuel your narrative?! Combined with the public’s general affinity for trains and desire for entertainment, this film was ready to move full steam ahead. 

Filming took place over a few days in November 1903 (only one month before its official release!) in several locations, including the Edison studio in New York and along the now-defunct Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. The railroad spanned from Buffalo, NY to Hoboken, NJ so not exactly the West, but good enough. The cast included Justus D. Barnes as the leader of the outlaw collective, Walter Cameron as a sheriff, and G.M. Anderson in several roles, including a murdered passenger and a robber. To save a little cash, several Edison employees took on background roles. No major stars like Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington were around at the time to lead the way. But Anderson later became a legend who is known as “The First Cowboy-Western Movie Star.”

From a filming standpoint, The Great Train Robbery’s outdoor locations, combination of studio scenes with onsite footage, and several shots with a moving camera gave it an edge. All of this fed into Porter’s primary aim to focus on action and style versus character development. 

The Great Train Robbery’s Release, Reactions, and Enduring Legacy 

The Edison Manufacturing Company began to tease the film to exhibitors in November, saying it would be a sensation. A rough cut of the film also went to the Library of Congress in order to secure a copyright on its material. Edison sold the final cut to exhibitors to screen in vaudeville houses for $111, with the first showing taking place at Huber’s Museum in New York City. It became a success as the headlining attraction at several vaudeville houses before making its way to new entertainment venues like nickelodeons, indoor exhibition spaces designed to show motion pictures for, you guessed it, a nickel.

The Great Train Robbery was a hit among audiences and some early film reviewers/critics praised its action scenes and timely material. Despite submitting the film to the Library of Congress, a few imitators still had their own versions. The most egregious one comes from Lubin Manufacturing Company in 1904. This remake of sorts, hilariously named The Bold Bank Robbery, changes some basic plot details, but it is hard to deny that the story remains awfully similar.

Back then, the parameters around film copyright were still nebulous. And, to be honest, it was a bit of Edison getting a taste of his own medicine. In 1905, Porter hilariously made fun of his own film with The Little Train Robbery. The story follows kid bandits stealing candy and toys.

Decades later, The Great Train Robbery continues to resonate with film historians and fans of action films. Several cornerstone elements in Western (and general action) films like fisticuffs, gunplay, and riding on horseback to pursue a target. In fact, we saw all three of these in the recently released John Wick: Chapter 4. In 1990, The Great Train Robbery was added to the US National Film Registry for its significance in popular culture. 

The final close-up scene of Barnes staring at the camera is undoubtedly the film’s most influential and iconic shot. It doesn’t tie into the narrative in any way while also breaking the fourth wall. The shot can be seen as a message to viewers that no matter what, the violence will continue with new faces and situations. The final scene of Goodfellas when Tommy DeVito shoots at the camera pays direct homage to this shot. James Bond’s iconic gun barrel sequences also seem like more of a nod to this concept. Breaking Bad also famously ends its season five episode “Dead Fright” with an in-the-camera gunshot scene. 

As they say, the rest is history. The Great Train Robbery paved the way for countless films to come that focus on intense action, hand-to-hand combat, chase scenes, and the everyday person’s capacity to become heroic.

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Who is the greatest family man of all-time? No, it is not Ralphie’s Old Man from A Christmas Story. It isn’t even our beloved Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. And it surely isn’t any of our own dads or uncles, either. It is Dominic Toretto, the leader of the greatest found family in human history. The Fast and the Furious franchise is truly a marvel to be studied, going from a street racing saga to an ongoing story that is pretty much sci-fi at this point. Cars in space? People coming back from what surely should have been guaranteed death? Sure, why not. We are getting the priceless gift of Fast X, the franchise’s tenth installment, and we are so grateful. In fact, our gratitude is multiplied by ten thanks to the latest Fast X trailers.

There’s time for the whole family in the movie’s second official trailer, but especially for Jason Momoa’s villainous Dante. He wants to blow up the Vatican, among other things. And he blames Dom for creating him—as it were. Sounds like a true blue villain to us. He won’t let us forget that he’s out for blood and explosions. But, most importantly, there’s a gold car involved, and it’s amazing.

But, of course, love is the true core of this franchise. It’s ride or die. And let’s hope we’re riding.

Fast X’s Synopsis

The synopsis for Fast X gives the story even more naunce; it shares:

Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever.  

In 2011’s Fast Five, Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes’ son, Dante (Aquaman’s Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price. 

Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance. 

Fast X First Trailer and Super Bowl Spot

Dom, Letty, Mia, Roman, Tej, Han, and the rest of their large crew do seem like they are in for a ton of trouble. Fast X’s first trailer illustrates just how much.

In the first Fast X trailer, we see glimpses of our beloved Brian from past vault shenanigans. (Remember, he’s still alive in this universe, and this film obviously ties Dante into Fast Five. Hmmm.) Letty admits that one of them will not come back from this, and, well, that makes sense. They can’t keep surviving after so much.

The Fast X Super Bowl spot (aka trailer) gives us much of the same, and honestly, we love to see it.

Of course, this movie will have what every proper Fast film should have: epic car chases and race scenes. What lengths will Dom go through for family? We shall see. The inclusion of Notorious B.I.G. and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s “Notorious Thugs” is really the icing on the cake.

Perfect. Beautiful. Gorgeous. The top movie of 2023 without question. Family will always win. Give them all awards right now. Fast X hits theaters on May 19. 

Originally published on February 10, 2023.

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If you’re a PlayStation loyalist and a lover of racing games, then Gran Turismo likely had you in a chokehold at some point. The expansive franchise has been around since 1997, delighting gamers who play at home and in arcades for decades with its detailed graphics and realistic handling of vehicles. Now, Gran Turismo is coming to life in a new movie starring David Harbour and Archie Madekwe. It is art imitating art that imitates life… but this art will go between the fantasy world of games and the reality of life on the track. Confused yet? It will all make sense after the high-octane trailer for Gran Turismo. 

Is the Gran Turismo trailer slightly too long? Yes. Are we curious about this film? Also yes. According to Gran Turismo’s synopsis, it draws inspiration from a very real story. 

Based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, the film is the ultimate wish fulfillment tale of a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won a series of Nissan competitions to become an actual professional racecar driver. 

Well, that’s a cool way to find your dream career. Hollywood is all about turning games into TV shows and films right now, as we’ve seen with The Last of Us as well as the upcoming Twisted Metal series. So perhaps this installment will be a good time, too. Gran Turismo will race into theaters on August 11.

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Here at Nerdist, we spend a lot of time immersing ourselves in other worlds. Whether it’s the sprawling and scary apocalyptic settings of The Last of Us or the often delightful lush lands of Middle-earth, there are so many places to explore. But, sometimes we wonder about what our own world would be like in a parallel universe, perhaps. Maybe in that universe we’d live in the sky or it would stay forever 1995. For YouTube creatives Channy and Kimberly, another universe would include The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Game Boy Color, which they showcase in their wildly fun commercial. This is the world that we all deserve to live in. 

The Studio Ghibli-style artwork, an adorable yet deadly Link, and those familiar retro sounds and sights make us want to watch this clip over and over. It also makes us kinda sad that we can’t get The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Game Boy Color, which was discontinued in 2003.

But thankfully, we will all be able to save Hyrule on Nintendo Switch when the game drops on May 12. Until then, we can enjoy this trailer and maybe tune into some retro TV on this clever website.

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