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

What Happened to Victor Timely on Loki?

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

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

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

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

What Is “Spaghettification?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That might ultimately explain why Victor himself turned into strands.

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

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

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

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

Originally published on October 26, 2023.

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

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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. 

Recently, D’Angelo gave us a small update on Hocus Pocus 3 and noted one character in particular as on her mind. She noted to Entertainment Weekly, “We’re still in the story phase, we’re still working on it. We’ve been working on some ideas, and it’s been fun to dive back into that world and we have so many directions in which to go and so many new characters to explore… We’ve only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham’s mother witch.” She even noted that she believes Waddingham’s mother witch to be the “mother” mentioned in the original 1993 movie script.

But for now, when it comes to Hocus Pocus 3, “anything’s on the table,” but “we for sure want to see them [Sanderson Sisters] again as adults.”

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.

Originally published on June 5, 2023.

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

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

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

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

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

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Nick Fury assembled an impressive Avengers squad to protect the MCU. However, that version of Earth’s mightiest heroes is just one of an infinite number of super teams spread out across the multiverse. A few others are surely better, and a lot more are likely worse, but one stands out because of how it was built. And by that, we mean it’s built from little plastic bricks. Now those heroes are getting their very own special at Disney+, LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red.

The film’s new Easter egg-filled trailer puts together an incredible lineup with a special member. It will have Marvel fans wondering when they’ll get to see such an X-citing unit in live-action.

The Collector is back! The LEGO Variant of the character is looking to add Marvel’s Avengers to his vast library of intergalactic goods. That’s a big problem on its own, but one they can manage. It’s a far bigger issue that will lead to the superheroes asking for help. Here’s the synopsis for LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red from Disney:

The Avengers gather to celebrate their latest victory, but their celebration is quickly interrupted by the mysterious disappearance of Black Widow’s father, Red Guardian. As the Avengers investigate, they discover that Red Guardian isn’t the only one missing when they meet a dangerous new foe quite unlike anything they’ve ever encountered before.

That new foe is Red Phantom. He’s why LEGO Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, two Captain Americas, the Incredible Hulk, and the Black Panther will reach out to a “quirky” Marvel counterpart. And oh, is he quirky. The LEGO Avengers will turn to a grumpy, self-healing, hot dog-loving Marvel legend who has yet to appear in the MCU: Wolverine.

Sorry Hulk, we know you really don’t want to deal with “that guy,” but he does have special skills. And also knives in his hands. Indestructible hand knives are always helpful, especially against plastic. Plus, with Wolverine joining the LEGO Avengers, it might push his MCU Variant to get in on the action sooner rather than later. We really want to see that happen. Wolverine makes every team better in every universe.

LEGO Marvel Avengers: Code Red stars: Laura Bailey, Trevor Devall, Steve Blum, Will Friedle, James Mathis III, Liam O’Brien, Laura Post, Bumper Robinson, Roger Craig Smith, Fred Tatasciore, Travis Willingham, Mick Wingert. It debuts on Disney+ on Friday, October 27. 2023.

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Recently, Gargoyles was rumored as a feature film. But it now looks like we know what the plans are for Disney’s live-action take on the ’90s animated TV hit. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Gargoyles is being reinvented as a live-action Disney+ series by Gary Dauberman and James Wan’s Atomic Monster. The two previously collaborated on the Annabelle franchise. Dauberman not only wrote Annabelle: Creation, but he also directed Annabelle Comes Home. Recently, he wrote and directed the remake of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot. Dauberman will write, executive produce, and serve as the Disney+ Gargoyles series showrunner along with James Wan’s Atomic Monster.

Long before Disney+ existed, the original Gargoyles cartoon series ran for three seasons and 78 episodes, from 1994 to 1997. Despite seeming like a comic-book-based property, it was actually a totally original concept. Writer Michael Reaves spearheaded Gargoyles, along with future Young Justice showrunner Greg Weisman. It centered on a group of 10th-century gargoyles who were petrified in stone for 1,000 years. Eventually, they arrive in New York, perched atop some Manhattan skyscrapers. There, they finally awaken and become the defenders of the city. Actor Keith David played the lead Gargoyle Goliath. And a metric ton of Star Trek actors also lent their voices to the show.

Ever since the cartoon ended in ’97, Disney has attempted to revive Gargoyles in one format or another. The animated series’ original writers once wrote a script that translated the show’s first several episodes into live-action. In more recent years, even Jordan Peele came up with a Gargoyles script. Gargoyles makes sense for Disney+ to adapt as a series. It’s not Marvel or Star Wars, but it certainly appeals to a very similar demographic — those who grew up with the original cartoon on weekday afternoons. And with Dauberman and James Wan involved, we can expect something a little darker than the usual Disney+ fare.

We don’t know too much about the Gargoyles series yet, but Variety has shared the following logline:

Based on the cult classic Disney animated series, Goliath is the last of a heroic race of gargoyle warriors who once lived among mankind. Free from a centuries long curse that turned him into stone, Goliath struggles to solve the mystery of his past while watching over modern-day New York City alongside police detective Elisa Maza.

We can’t wait to see how this take on the original unfolds.

Originally published on October 16, 2023.

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I’m starting to think being Kris Kringle is not exactly a walk in the North Pole. Sure, there’s the adulation from millions and millions of kids around the world. And yes, St. Nick gets all the credit despite only really working one day a year while loyal servants toil the other 364. That’s all great. Obviously. But on the other mitten there’s always something! Sometimes you’re forced to find a spouse if you want to keep your job. Other times Jack Frost comes calling. And family, am I right? As if all of that isn’t enough, the trailer for season two of The Santa Clauses reveals that sometimes a Mad Santa will show up unexpectedly to reclaim his old job.

That doesn’t make the job of Santa sound very enticing, but it should make for a good season of the Disney+ series.

It’ll be yet another fraught holiday season in the North Pole this year, as Scott Calvin will once again need to deal with the strangely serious matter of succession. Here’s Disney+’s official synopsis for season two of The Santa Clauses:

The Calvin family is back in the North Pole as Scott continues his role as Santa Claus after retirement plans were thwarted when failing to find a worthy successor in season one. Now that Scott and his family have successfully saved Christmas, Scott turns his focus towards training his son Calvin to eventually take over the “family business” as Santa Claus.

As The Santa Clauses season two trailer reveals, Father Christmas will have bigger concerns than just training his nepo baby. The Mad Santa is coming and he seeks (sweet) revenge against the “fraud” who has his job. Not ideal for either Santa, but getting fired is better than losing your job because you fell off a roof and died.

Like I said, being Santa isn’t easy. Minus the part where you get to meet Tracy Morgan. That’s pretty awesome.

The Santa Clauses stars Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Austin Kane, Elizabeth Allen-Dick, Devin Bright, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, and Eric Stonestreet as Magnus Antas, a.k.a. The Mad Santa. Season two premieres with two episodes at Disney+ on Wednesday, November 8.

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In a perfect world we’d be waiting for a very specific movie this fall. We’d be waiting for the premiere of a followup to the 2022 MCU Halloween special Werewolf by Night. The creepy black-and-white tale of monster hunters and their prey remains one of the franchise’s best and most original post-Infinity Saga releases. But while we don’t live in a perfect world, it’s not all bad either. Disney+’s 2023 “Hallowstream” lineup will include the newly announced Werewolf by Night in Color, a special version debuting this October.

And it now this colorful rendition has a scary good trailer.

Hulu subscribers can now catch the original Werewolf by Night on the streamer. Disney added the special starring Gael García Bernal to the site as part of its “Huluween” collection. But customers of the Mouse House’s flagship streaming service will be getting a very different version on October 20.

Marvel Studios’ Werewolf By Night in Color will give viewers an opportunity to see the film in a whole new way. Disney is giving its spooky story a companion version that comes in “vibrant color.”

On Twitter X, director Michael Giacchino said they “spent a lot of time working on this color version” because they “wanted to pay homage to the incredible vibrant color in horror films like the ones Hammer made.” Giacchino said the result is “a whole new look for the film.”

Prior to this trailer we had only seen colorized images from the set thanks to the behind-the-scenes doc Director By Night.

Before we learned of this colorized version we were planning to rewatch the black-and-white original a couple times anyway. Now? We’re still going to do that, we’re just also going to enjoy Werewolf by Night in Color.

Hopefully next year we also have a second original movie to enjoy, too. That won’t make the world perfect, but like this special colorful version it will get us one lycanthrope step closer.

Originally published September 15, 2023.

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Last year marked the 30th anniversary of The Rocketeer. A film which, as we have discussed, deserved so much better. The Disney film from director Joe Johnston debuted in 1991. Set in the late ’30s in Los Angeles, the movie told the story of stunt pilot Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell) and the rocket-powered jet pack he tried to use for the powers of good. And while it definitely should have launched a movie franchise back then, we’re getting more of The Rocketeer in the present. Finally. Deadline reports that Disney is bringing back that world with a new Disney+ Rocketeer movie. At one point, this reboot was called The Return of the Rocketeer, but it’s unclear whether that will remain the name going forward.

Regardless of the exact title, it’s nice to see the world of The Rocketeer get another chance on the big screen. The movie’s stars, Campbell and Jennifer Connelly, specifically had contracts for at least one sequel. But Disney scrapped plans for additional films after The Rocketeer‘s just-okay box office performance. We originally heard about this Rocketeer reboot in 2021 and not since, but finally, it has some kind of an update.

Edward Ricourt (Now You See Me, Jessica Jones) was originally tapped to write the script. However, The Wrap recently reported that Eugene Ashe has come aboard as a writer as well. It’s unclear whether Ashe will engage with anything Ricourt wrote, or whether he will pen an entirely new script. Either way, we’re glad to see motion on the movie.

David and Jessica Oyelowo will produce the Rocketeer film under their Yoruba Saxon banner. Brigham Taylor will produce too, with Mortal Media executive producing. David Oyelowo (Selma, The Lion Guard) will star in the project as the titular Rocketeer.

Though Joe Johnston’s film (of Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo, and William Dear’s script) pulled from Dave Stevens’ Rocketeer comics, The Return of the Rocketeer will go a different route. According to Deadline, Ricourt’s story focuses “on a retired Tuskegee airman who takes up the mantle of the Rocketeer.” The Tuskegee Airmen, of course, served as the first Black aviators in the US Army Air Corps.

We don’t have further details about The Return of the Rocketeer‘s plot, cast, or filming at this time, but we’ll certainly keep you updated.

Originally published on August 30, 2021.

Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of A Kid’s Guide to Fandom, available now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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Whatever promise streaming services once offered is not just dead, it has been replaced by existential dread. Viewers no longer have to only worry their favorite films and TV shows will get pulled from sites at month’s end. They now have to worry new, finished films and TV shows will never see the light of day. Warner Bros. shelving the completed Batgirl film was not an isolated incident. It was a harbinger of things to come. Disney+ canceled its The Spiderwick Chronicles series before it could debut, despite the fact it was already completed.

The only good news was another studio or platform could ultimately bring it to the small screen. And happily, in this increasingly rare case, that has come to pass. The Roku Channel has “landed the exclusive, premiere U.S. rights to The Spiderwick Chronicles.” Roku will release the now-saved The Spiderwick Chronicles series in early 2024.

We first learned about Disney+’s decision not to release its live-action The Spiderwick Chronicles show in August. It’s based on the children’s fantasy novel series from Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. All eight episodes—starring Christian Slater, Jack Dylan Grazer, Lyon Daniels, Noah Cottrell, Joy Bryant, and Mychala Lee—are totally finished. But in 2023, that simply doesn’t matter much of the time. In this case, Disney+ treated The Spiderwick Chronicles as a write-off, as it continues to service investors at the sad cost of creatives and fans.

The good news is that, unlike Batgirl, this show had a chance to live again. It was developed at Disney but comes from Paramount Television Studios and 20th Television. And these studios worked to find a new streaming home for The Spiderwick Chronicles. We’re glad it will appear on The Roku Channel. In 2008, we saw a movie version of The Spiderwick Chronicles, but a series will allow us to journey even deeper into the magical world. As mentioned, The Spiderwick Chronicles series will release on The Roku Channel in early 2024.

Of course, despite this saving, The Spiderwick Chronicles series might not be available for good. Even shows and movies that do make it to streaming don’t always stay there very long. That’s the complete opposite of what streaming seemed to be offering not too long ago. But, at least for the previously canceled The Spiderwick Chronicles series, there’s a happy ending for now.

Originally published on August 28, 2023.

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The Disney+ Loki series is all about Loki, of course. His name is right there in the title. But for fans of the MCU, Loki was a departure from the Loki story they were used to seeing. For so long, Loki and Thor had incredibly interlinked MCU narratives . But in Loki, the trickster god has had to go it alone. Still, the presence of Thor hovers around the character and the expectations of fans. In many ways, it’s good to see Loki without Thor. But after a while, the natural question starts to bubble up. Will Loki and Thor have an MCU reunion? Well, it sounds like even though Thor and Loki might not reunite in the Disney+ series, the show is doing the hard work to get Loki to a place where he could be a meaningful part of a future reunion.

Speaking to Variety in the run-up to Loki season two, executive producer Kevin Wright discussed whether Loki would return to the world of the MCU at large. He offered, “That’s the hope. I don’t want to — yeah. I think the the sun shining on Loki and Thor once again has always been the priority of the story we’re telling. But for that meeting to really be fulfilling, we have to get Loki to a certain place emotionally. I think that’s been the goal of these two seasons.”

Cue the tears from many a Thor and Loki fan. In Avengers: Infinity War, Loki tells Thor, “I assure you, brother… the sun will shine on us again.” And although Loki met his death shortly after, the statement felt prophetic. And now, thanks to the Loki series, the door remains open for Thor and Loki to see one another again in the MCU. It’s interesting to hear that preparing for this reunion has been a subtle goal of the Loki series all along. And we hope we’ll get to see it culminate on our screens. Loki does have to meet his new niece, after all. Uncle Loki, it has a nice ring.

While such a thing could be saved for a movie, Wright also discussed the possibility of a Loki season three. He noted, “I think it’s open-ended. We certainly did not develop this season going, ‘We have to tee up Season 3’ — in the way that we did with Season 1, where there was a very specific, ‘Hey, we’re coming back.’ But I also think that where this show goes, there certainly can be many, many, many more stories told with Loki in the Loki world, and in other worlds connected to Loki, the character.”

Maybe, if we’re lucky enough to get a Loki season three, one of those stories can involve Thor. And hopefully, he’ll even be in his human form… Although we’d settle for Frog Thor in a pinch.

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The first season of Loki on Disney+ brought back Tom Hiddleston as the seemingly unkillable Asgardian God of Mischief. It was a huge success. The series introduced MCU fans to the Time Variance Authority, or TVA, who watch over the timeline of the known universe. Loki also formally introduced the concept of the Marvel Multiverse. We also got a perfect foil for Loki in the form of his variant Sylvie. Perhaps most importantly, it’s the only MCU series to get a second season (so far). But what wild adventures through the spacetime continuum will Loki’s second round include?

Here’s everything we know about Loki season two.

Loki Season Two’s Plot

The first season of Loki ended with Sylvie killing He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), thereby erupting the Sacred Timeline and unleashing the Multiverse in full. When Loki returned to the TVA, it was altered in the timeline, and no one remembered him. Not to mention, statues of He Who Remains (or one of his variants more likely) stood tall in the TVA’s halls.

The synopsis for Loki season two says:

Loki Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of the shocking season finale when Loki finds himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority. Along with Mobius, Hunter B-15 and a team of new and returning characters, Loki navigates an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous multiverse in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose.

We can see what will go down in Loki season two in this Disney+ trailer.

Behind the Scenes

Season one writers Michael Waldron and Eric Martin are coming back, with Martin now the head writer instead of Waldron, and Waldron serving as executive producer. One of the creatives from season one not returning is showrunner Kate Herron, according to a report from Deadline. Co-directing several episodes in season two, also according to Deadline, are Moon Knight’s Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Natalie Holt is also back as the series composer.

Loki Season Two’s Cast

Tom Hiddleston returns, of course, as the titular Loki. Also returning is Owen Wilson as Mobius, Sophia DiMartino as Sylvie, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer. Eugene Cordero as ever-present TVA employee Casey (he’ll play a series regular in season two), and Tara Strong as the voice of Miss Minutes will also come back. No word yet on Jonathan Majors as one of the Kang variants, although the giant statue of him at the end of season one suggests we will see him again.

Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) is in season two of Loki, but we don’t know details about his role yet. Additionally, Deadline reports that Game of Thrones‘ Kate Dickie will likely play the villain in Loki‘s second season.

Loki Season 2 Release Date

Loki season two will release on October 5, 2023 and 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET.

Originally published on August 24, 2022.

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What a shock. After Netflix’s extended password-sharing crackdowns proved to be unfortunately successful, Disney+ has decided this is a good time to start a password-sharing crackdown of its own. Actually, we aren’t surprised. It seems like the new streaming playbook includes password-sharing limitations right alongside price increases and ad-supported tiers. Disney+ had previously indicated such a password-sharing crackdown was on the horizon earlier in the year. And now it looks like it’s here, and it will start in Canada. Here’s what we know about Disney+’s password-sharing crackdown efforts so far.

Disney+ Notifies Users of Password Sharing Crackdown

According to The Verge, Disney+ sent an email to subscribers in Canada alerting them that password-sharing was on notice. The email noted, “We’re implementing restrictions on your ability to share your account or login credentials outside of your household.” Although Disney+ did not go too deeply into detail about what its password-sharing crackdown would look like, it feels like the streamer is emulating Netflix’s version. In fact, Disney+ even references the idea of “households,” a term Netflix created so it could enforce who could and could not use one Netflix account.

Changes to Disney+’s User Agreement in Canada

In the case of Disney+, an updated Help Center page notes, “You may not share your subscription outside of your household.” Additionally, a new “account sharing” heading now appears in Candian subscribers’ user agreements. As shared by MobileSyrup, the section includes the following information:

Unless otherwise permitted by your Service Tier, you may not share your subscription outside of your household. “Household” means the collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside therein. Additional usage rules may apply for certain Service Tiers.

We may, in our sole discretion, analyze the use of your account to determine compliance with this Agreement. If we determine that you have violated this Agreement, we may limit or terminate access to the Service and/or take any other steps as permitted by this Agreement (including those set forth in Section 6 of this Agreement).

You will be responsible for any use of your account by your household, including compliance with this section.

It doesn’t seem all that likely that Disney+ would actually terminate a user for password-sharing, but now it can’t say it didn’t warn you.

When Will Disney+’s Password Sharing Crackdown Begin?

For most Canadian users, these changes in password-sharing policies will come into effect on November 1. This will correspond with the launch of Disney+’s ad-supported tiers in Canada. While its not clear if Disney will immediately enforce the password policy, it is clearly making sure users know it intends to at some point. For now, Disney+ has not shared any options to add other users to an account or to easily separate profiles from one account into a new account. We guess we’ll see how seriously Disney+ will take this new initiative.

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Since the moment DVDs first arrived on store shelves I’ve been the world’s biggest sucker for deleted scenes. Even when they aren’t very good they still offer fascinating insights into the making of shows and movies. Plus on rare occasions they’re actually great. Both things are true of deleted scenes from the new Blu-ray of Loki season one. They each show the God of Mischief in physical confrontations. That includes a delightful, angry meeting between Loki and Chris Hemsworth’s frog thunder god, Throg.

Disney has shared two bonus deleted scenes from its upcoming Blu-ray release of Loki‘s debut season. The first, titled “Loki’s Coronation,” comes from Mobius’ interrogation of the Asgardian prince, when the TVA agent showed Loki losing moments from the god’s past. During one attempt to name himself the future king, Loki’s brother Thor turned up unexpectedly as frog thor. (Well, not that unexpectedly. Loki had transformed Thor into an tiny amphibian.) A powerful frog punch to the face ended Loki’s almost-moment of triumphant.

It’s a great sequence that would have expanded Throg’s role on the show. He briefly appeared trapped in a jar underground during the first season. That was fun, but not as good as this unfinished scene.

A second deleted scene, “The Standoff,” doesn’t end much better for Odin’s mischievous boy. It starts with Loki holding Sylvie at knife point and ends with both Variants in TVA custody.

It’s a well-acted, emotional scene, but the omission ultimately makes sense. It would have really changed the powerful moment the two had right before this portion started.

Good. Bad. Terrible. Amazing. I don’t care. I just want more deleted scenes from every show and movie I like. And since I always want more Throg this is an especially good batch.

Loki season one is now available on both 4K UHD Blu-ray and standard Blu-ray.

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Those who have grown up with the Percy Jackson book series might think that this new teaser trailer for the upcoming Disney+ show feels familiar. And that’s really the highest compliment you can pay an adaptation. So far, we’ve seen brief glimpses of the mythology-based series, but this is the first time we’re getting a good look at how the story will come to life. This new trailer for Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians finally introduces us to the adventure and, integrally, the quest that awaits us in the show. Percy Jackson may not have wanted to be a half-blood, but we sure can’t wait for his story to find its way back to our screens.

The Percy Jackson Series’ Plottiest Teaser Trailer Yet

It’s hard out there for a half-blood. There are bad grades, bullies, all the normal stuff, and then there’s your teacher turning into a monster in front of your eyes. But that’s just life when your father is a god of Olympus. And not only that one of the Big Three, to boot. But, as Grover tells us in this teaser trailer for Percy Jackson & the Olympians, the important thing is not to panic. Got it! That will be important advice, though, as Percy sets off on a road trip across America to complete his quests. It’s a good thing he’ll have Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood by his side.

The Disney+ Series’ New Images, Synopsis, Cast Information

You can also take a look at a bunch of new images from Percy Jackson & the Olympians. These new looks at the series feature Percy, Annabeth, and Grover across their epic journey.

Click To View Gallery

Additionally, alongside the Percy Jackson & the Olympians trailer, a release for the series shares more about its plot and cast. It notes:

Based on Disney Hyperion’s best-selling book series by award-winning author Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who’s just coming to terms with his newfound divine powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. With help from his friends Grover and Annabeth, Percy must embark on an adventure of a lifetime to find it and restore order to Olympus.

And additionally:

The epic eight-episode series features exciting guest stars, some of which can be seen in [Percy Jackson & the Olympian‘s] teaser trailer, including Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hermes”), Megan Mullally (“Alecto” aka “Mrs. Dodds”), Toby Stephens (“Poseidon”), Virginia Kull (“Sally Jackson”), Jason Mantzoukas (“Dionysus” aka “Mr. D”), Jay Duplass (“Hades”), Glynn Turman (“Chiron” aka “Mr. Brunner”), the late Lance Reddick (“Zeus”), Adam Copeland (“Ares”), Charlie Bushnell (“Luke Castellan”), Dior Goodjohn (“Clarisse La Rue”), Jessica Parker Kennedy (“Medusa”), Olivea Morton (“Nancy Bobofit”), Suzanne Cryer (“Echidna”), Timm Sharp (“Gabe Ugliano”), Timothy Omundson (“Hephaestus”).

That’s quite a mouthful of guest stars; a heroic amount of them, in fact. And, as mentioned, you can glimpse more than one of them in the Percy Jackson trailer. There are many actors we’re excited to see, but especially the late Lance Reddick. We have no doubt his performance as Zeus will be powerful and wonderful.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians Disney+ Release Date Information

Percy Jackson & the Olympians will release on Disney+ on December 20. It will have a two-episode premiere on that date, and new episodes will follow weekly. There is no news yet on what time Percy Jackson & the Olympians will release on Disney+, but we’re hoping it follows the 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET Disney+ formula.

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We officially have a trend. Loki season two has announced its release date will arrive earlier than planned. Loki has moved its second season release up by one day. It will now release on October 5 instead of October 6. But Loki season two’s release date move isn’t so much about releasing one day earlier. No, it’s about the time of release.

When Will Loki Season 2 Episodes Release? Here Is the New Time and Day They’ll Drop on Disney+

Joining Disney+’s Star Wars series Ahsoka, Loki season two will be released at Disney+’s newer, friendlier release time, 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET. And what a gift from the gods that is.

When we saw Ahsoka had shifted its release date by one day, so it too could air at 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET, we crossed our fingers that this would be the new normal for Disney+. And it seems like that’s exactly what will happen with Disney+ shows releasing from now on, on both the Marvel and Star Wars fronts. A release shares that “Marvel Studios’ Loki Season 2 launches exclusively on Disney+ at 6:00 P.M. PT on Thursday, October 5.  All subsequent episodes will also be available starting Thursdays at 6:00 P.M. PT.”

All we can say is that we will not miss late-night vigils to watch our favorite MCU and Star Wars shows.

Is This Earlier Release Time for Star Wars and Marvel Shows Now an Official Strategy?

We now have one Marvel and one Star Wars Disney+ show landing at the 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET release slot. So it does feel like this time could become the official drop time for Disney+ shows. However, Disney+ has still not officially confirmed that this will hold true for all its shows. For now, as with Ahsoka and Loki season two’s releases, announcements are being made on a case-by-case basis.

More About Loki Season Two

To celebrate Loki‘s new release date and time, Marvel Studios released a brand new featurette for the series’ second season. This new look at Loki takes us behind the scenes of the show, assures us that Loki and Mobius will reunite as we know them, and gives us a look at many hugs. The featurette also teases that Loki will really lean into his heroic side this time around.

Loki season two has now officially set its release date for October 5. As mentioned, the show will return at its new time, 6:00 PM PT/9:00 PM ET.

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The highly-anticipated Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians gave fans a great gift on August 18. Of course, this special day is Percy Jackson’s birthday so it is only right to celebrate it with some buzzy announcements. Disney+ released a new Percy Jackson and the Olympians teaser trailer to welcome everyone back into this world. That’s enough to get everyone excited about more adventures and battles involving great gods and half-bloods. But that’s not the end of the treat. The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series now has a release date of December 20. This year’s holiday season is looking merrier than ever. 

Here’s a quick Percy Jackson and the Olympians synopsis to give more context to the teaser trailer: 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who’s just coming to terms with his newfound divine powers when the sky god, Zeus, accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. With help from his friends Grover and Annabeth, Percy must embark on an adventure of a lifetime to find it and restore order to Olympus. 

The series stars Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood. Its guest stars include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Megan Mullally, Toby Stephens, Virginia Kull, Jason Mantzoukas, Jay Duplass, Glynn Turman, the late and great Lance Reddick, Adam Copeland, Charlie Bushnell, Dior Goodjohn, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Olivea Morton, Suzanne Cryer, Timm Sharp, and Timothy Omundson.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ December 20 release date will give us the first two episodes. After that, we will get weekly drops for the rest of the season.

A new look at our trio in 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' from Entertainment Weekly

The show premieres on Disney+ on December 20th #PercyJackson pic.twitter.com/0PZzNuBFFr

— Percy Jackson TV News (@pjotvshownews) September 18, 2023

With Rick Riordan in the mix alongside showrunners Jon Steinberg and Dan Shotz, it promises to be a great time. In fact, Riordan tells Entertainment Weekly, “We have been involved in the series since its inception, since the very, very earliest conversations about what a new Percy adaptation might look like, how it would be sketched out, whether it would be episodic… So, I feel comfortable telling fans of the books who have been waiting—in some cases, decades — for this kind of faithful adaptation, that this is the one you’ve been waiting for. We are involved, and I think you’re gonna love it.”

We can’t wait to see you again, Percy Jackson.

Originally published on August 18, 2023.

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Talk about a Lando Calrissian spinoff movie starring Donald Glover began when 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story arrived in theaters. Eventually a potential Lando Calrissian movie became a greenlit series. In 2020 Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy announced the development of a Lando show for Disney+. Since then fans have waited for Disney to kick things into hyperdrive. Now the Lando series’ latest update might be the clearest sign yet it will really happen, just not anytime soon. It has now been reported that Donald Glover himself is now co-writing the show for Disney+ with his brother Stephen Glover. But it’s possible the Lando series will actually return to its original movie form.

Haunted Mansion director Justin Simien’s week took an unexpected turn a while back. It was revealed that he was no longer writing the Lando series for Disney. That might not have been as big a surprise for him as we thought. Shortly before the news about the Glover brothers broke, Simien told The Hollywood Reporter he was still attached to pen the series. Since then Above the Line, who broke the news of Glover’s new role, reports Simien left the project last summer because of his Haunted Mansion duties. (Why be evasive about the Lando series? Simien likely didn’t want to announce news Disney didn’t want out in the world just yet.)

That secret timetable also answers the obvious questions about how Glover and his brother Stephen, with whom Donald has collaborated with before (Atlanta, Swarm), agreed to write the show despite the current WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Disney hired the two before either began. But until each has resolved, we’re no closer to actually seeing the Lando series than we were before this report came out.

Additionally, it’s possible the Lando series won’t even be a series anymore. Recently, Stephen Glover noted on an episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out, which we saw via Deadline, “It’s not even a show…The idea right now is to do a movie.” He concluded though that little was certain, offering, “Right now, because of the strike, it’s like telephone.” And it certainly feels that way.

The good news is that Donald Glover’s new role in series, movie, or whatever else essentially guarantees he’ll reprise the role as young Lando Calrissian. That was still technically in doubt. Whether Glover’s involvement in the Lando series means Billy Dee Williams will also appear as the elder hero of the Rebellion is yet unknown. (But we hope he will.) Just getting one of them back in the smuggler’s cape will be a better than getting neither of them. Hopefully, Disney will stop changing the deal and get Lando off the ground.

Originally published on July 28, 2023.

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Like many ‘90s kids, Goosebumps played an important role in developing my love for horror. Sure, I’d sneak and watch Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and other classic films, but there was something special about R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books. I remember hiding under my covers with a flashlight and devouring scary stories, putting myself in the kid protagonist’s place. Each page made the hairs stand up on my forearms as I waited with bated breath to see what happened next. I’m sure a few of you can relate to that experience, too. Now, we will get to step into that nostalgic space with Goosebumps, an upcoming Disney+ series with a very dark (literally) and fun new trailer. 

This story follows a group of five high school kids who investigate the death of Harold Biddle, who died tragically in their hometown three decades prior. There’s also Nathan, the new English teacher who moved into the Biddle family’s old house. Like dude, never be the new person in town and don’t move into anyone’s abandoned murder house.

During this dangerous journey, the crew will discover new things about their parents as well. This is certainly going to take things in a different direction. The Goosebumps trailer reveals that the 10-episode series will draw from a few popular stories like “Say Cheese and Die,” Night of the Living Dummy,” and “The Haunted Mask,” among others. The use of Travis Scott’s “Goosebumps” song further cements this story in the present. It will surely invite a new generation of fans to get into these stories. 

Goosebumps hits Disney+ and Hulu on October 13 for their “Hallowstream” and “Huluween” celebrations, respectively. Fans will get the first five episodes with the remaining half streaming weekly. Freeform will also air the show’s first two episodes as a part of its “31 Nights of Halloween” programming. The Goosebumps trailer promises family friendly frights so everyone can have fun. Let’s see how well it captures the spirit of this famous franchise.

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Since the AMPTP isn’t meaningfully negotiating with either the WGA or SAG, the Hollywood strikes continue. The longer the strikes go on—the WGA strike has lasted for over 130 days—the less TV series and other content networks and streaming services have. This could be why Disney+ and ESPN+ have come up with Toy Story Funday Football. The event is a real-time alternative presentation of an NFL game featuring the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. It will follow the action of a live football game, played at London’s Wembley Stadium, but turn the NFL gameplay into Toy Story-themed animation. It’s a lot to process, but this video spells it out.

Both NFL teams will transform into animated Toy Story-style characters and play in the setting of Andy’s room. The players’ moves in Andy’s room will replicate on-the-field gameplay from the stadium in real-time. The tracking technology uses the NFL’s Next Gen Stats player tracking data and Beyond Sports. On one hand, it’s an extension of existing technology NFL uses, and we see its appeal for bringing in younger viewers. On the other hand, this Toy Story football game is making animated versions of actual people, and in a world where AI-generated everything seems geared towards favoring AI to avoid spending as much money on humans, we’re not sure about this concept.

Toy Story characters may not be playing the NFL game itself, but some of them will be cheering on the sidelines. You’ll see Woody, Buzz, Bo Peep, Bullseye, Bunny, Ducky, Forky, Green Aliens, Jesse, Rex, and Slinky Dog. A special halftime show will even feature Toy Story‘s Duke Caboom attempting a motorcycle jump. Who would dare to miss that?

Toy Story Funday Football streams on October 1 at 9:30 a.m. ET on Disney+ and ESPN+.

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If you want to keep not seeing commercials, it’s going to cost you even more. Disney, the company that commands 28% of the media landscape, has announced it will raise its prices for ad-free tiers of both Disney+ and Hulu. Disney+ Plus Premium (ad-free) will go from $10.99 per month to $13.99 per month, an increase of just over 27%. Hulu’s ad-free offering will also raise its price $3, from $14.99 to $17.99, an increase of 20% per month. There will also be a bundle of Disney+ Premium and Hulu (No Ads) for $19.99. The yearly subscription model will also go up accordingly.

Additionally, Hulu’s Live TV packages will see increases as well, both the ad-free and ad-supported plans will increase by $7.00. Hulu’s Live TV with ads plan will go from costing $69.99/month to $76.99/month, and Hulu’s Live TV ad-free plan will increase from $82.99/month to $89.99/month. The Hulu and Disney+ subscription cost increases will come into play on October 12.

This all comes in addition to even more ad-supported tier options for international subscribers, including folks in Canada and Europe. The ad-supported tiers in the United States are currently $7.99 per month for each Disney+ and Hulu. A statement in the press release reads:

The strong momentum of our ad-supported plans in the U.S. demonstrates the importance of providing consumers with choice, flexibility and value,” said Joe Earley, President, Direct-to-Consumer, Disney Entertainment. “We are excited to expand that offering in more markets across the globe, including in Europe and Canada, and to launch a new premium duo bundle of ad-free Disney+ and Hulu this Fall, as we take steps toward making extensive Hulu content available via Disney+ later this year for Bundle subscribers.

As The Hollywood Reporter points out, this move is a bid by Disney to “bring its direct-to-consumer business to profitability.” This move comes at a particularly interesting time for big media corporations and their streaming services with regards to the striking WGA and SAG-AFTRA members. The lack of profit sharing and residuals from streaming content are at the forefront of the guilds’ complaints against the AMPTP, of which Disney is a member.

With its estimated 150 million subscribers as of September 2022, a $3 per month increase for premium subscribers could net as much as $450 million more per month. In 2022, Disney+ had a revenue of $7.4 billion, which contributed to Disney’s total revenue of $84.7 billion that year. And lest you fear, Disney has been losing money in 2023: Q1 2023 was the company’s largest on record, with $23.51 billion. Q2 tied for the second-highest ever, along with Q1 2022, at $21.82 billion. According to Reuters, Disney CEO Bob Iger’s new contract, which he signed in July, could net him five times his base salary in annual incentive bonus. His previous contract gave him $27 million per year in total compensation.

Why am I sharing all of these revenue and salary numbers? Well, it’s interesting to see just what “weak” box office means to a company like Disney. Disney, who still managed to bring in $55 billion in 2022 from media and entertainment. It may only be $3 extra dollars a month out of your pocket for Disney+ and Hulu each, but look where it’s going and know who is actually benefitting.

As mentioned, the new tiers and prices will take effect on October 12. The new Disney+ and Hulu ad-free bundle meanwhile arrived on September 6. Remember, both apps will merge in the fall as well, while the services will still remain separate.

Originally published on August 9, 2023.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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Stealing scenes left and right on the Disney+ series Loki is Sylvie, an alternate timeline variant of the mischievous prince of Asgard. Sophia Di Martino deliciously plays the character deliciously in season one of Loki, and soon, in season two. But who is Loki‘s Sylvie in the comics? Is she the same person as Lady Loki? Turns out, not so much. In Marvel Comics, Sylvie is a totally different character from Loki Laufeydotter. Unlike in Loki, Sylvie is related to the adopted Asgardian Frost Giant, but not exactly another version of her. Marvel Comics’ Sylvie is also a relatively recent creation, debuting in 2009’s Dark Reign: Young Avengers mini-series. Here’s the rundown.

Marvel Comics’ Sylvie Becomes a New Enchantress

Marvel Comics

Originally hailing from Boxton, Oklahoma, Sylvie Lushton believed she was just an ordinary American girl. Until one day, the Asgardians who perished during Ragnarok reappeared in the skies over her small town, reborn. Shortly after the resurrected Asgardians arrive, Marvel Comics’ Sylvie discovered she suddenly had magical abilities, like teleportation. She could also cast many spells, including transmutation. Sylvie also had the standard flight, mental manipulation, and telekinesis powers. And she was proficient at creating forcefields and detecting others’ spells.

These powers were themselves all products of Loki’s magic. In fact, Loki would later suggest that Sylvie didn’t even exist at all until the moment she awoke with powers, and the God of Mischief totally fabricated her memories of an ordinary life. Loki was amusing herself by creating a mortal being that only suspects she’s an Asgardian. The Loki of this Marvel Comics era presented as a woman, which ties the concept of Lady Loki together with the creation of Sylvie. Sylvie also took on the name and general appearance of Amora, the Enchantress, a longtime Thor foe from Asgard. One who has yet to appear in the MCU.

Sylvie’s Short-Lived Avengers Career

Marvel Comics

Although the original Enchantress was a villain, Marvel Comics’ Sylvie became a hero. Well, she tried to. She went to New York and joined a team called the Young Masters. This was during the period in the Marvel Universe called “the Dark Reign.” During this time, Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, positioned himself and other villains as Earth’s great heroes. The Young Masters became Osborn’s counterparts to the Young Avengers. Despite being on a Marvel team already, Sylvie tried out for the Young Avengers and got in. But then, the truth came out. Sylvie was a creation of Loki’s sent to dismantle the Young Avengers’ magical defense systems from within, as a sort of trap. Soon after this revelation, the group kicked her out.

After the events of the Dark Reign, and her disastrous brief tenure with the Young Avengers, Sylvie wandered around the Marvel Comics’ universe looking for a purpose. Ultimately, Sylvie embraced her role as a bad guy. She joined the Hood’s version of the villainous Illuminati and also joined the Doom Maidens. She even joined up with a new version of the Masters of Evil. All of her adventures on different Marvel Comics villain teams ended when the real Enchantress, Amora, returned. Not too keen on someone infringing on her trademark, the real Enchantress subsequently banished Sylvie to one of the Ten Realms. And she remains lost there to this day.

Marvel Comics

The MCU’s Sylvie Appears on the Disney+ Series Loki

Sylvie Laufeydottir, born as Loki Laufeydottir, was a Princess of Asgard who caused a Nexus event as a child and escaped the wrath of the Time Variance Authority. On the Loki series, Sylvie spent the following years seeking revenge against the TVA, and their mysterious masters, Time-Keepers. However, the Loki we all know and love interrupted Sylvie’s big plan. Having been convinced of the TVA’s lies and manipulations, Sylvie and Loki teamed up together to fight them on the MCU Disney+ series. This is where we learned the Time-Keepers were phonies.

At the end of Loki season one, despite warnings from Loki, Sylvie goes on a rampage, killing He Who Remains, the true “man behind the curtain” of the TVA. Ultimately, Sylvie’s decision causes the Marvel Multiverse to explode in many comics and movies.

So, is the Sylvie from Loki tied into the Sylvie from Marvel’s comics? Right now, the name might just be an Easter egg for Marvel Comics fans. And the character from the series might just be a creation of the true Lady Loki, who remains offscreen. Only time will tell. No pun intended, of course.

Originally published on June 28, 2021.

Featured Image: Marvel Comics

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Loki season two will soon arrive on Disney+. It promises us a romp through time as glitches and resets send our main characters in many different directions. But Loki isn’t the only Disney+ series dealing with shifting timelines. Disney+’s upcoming slate of MCU series is seeing a serious calendar shuffle. The result is that only Loki season two will arrive in the fall of 2023. All the other Disney+ MCU shows we planned on seeing soon are heading further down the line. And some of these series seem to have been removed from the calendar altogether.

The Hollywood Reporter shared this news about the shift in release date plans for Disney+ MCU shows. Here’s what was revealed.

Firstly, What If…? season two has shifted from its original early 2023 release to a Christmas 2023 release. Echo, which had a release date of November 29, 2023, appears to have moved to January 2024. All episodes will still drop at once, an unusual move for Disney+. X-Men ’97, meanwhile, originally planned to release in the fall of 2023, will arrive in early 2024. The Agatha series, which The Hollywood Reporter notes has yet another new name, Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, will shift to the fall of 2024. In unfortunate news, Disney+ appears to have removed Ironheart from the schedule for now. The Disney+ series will focus on Riri Williams, a delightful inventor introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Daredevil: Born Again and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Wonder Man also do not have clear release windows at this time.

The latest Disney+ MCU series release date calendar shift is unsurprising, given that the studios continue to refuse to pay their actors and writers, forcing the WGA and SAG strikes to continue. In addition, although Disney+ shows seemed to be a highlight of Marvel Studios’ strategy for a while, it feels like they are now less in vogue. Still, some of these shows have been in the works for several years now. So, hopefully, they can come to light just as soon as those who made them receive the respect they deserve.

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Season one of Loki introduced the TVA to the MCU. That secret organization in charge of the Sacred Timeline wasn’t especially ethical. However, as He Who Remains warned, it really might have been a necessary evil. The latest Loki teaser trailer for the show’s upcoming second season features the God of Mischief trying to restore some semblance of order to the multiverse. Again. It seems he’s been working on this problem, repeatedly, for a long time since we last saw him.

The first season of Loki was among the MCU’s strangest installments. That was a big reason for its success. But everything we’ve seen of Loki season two so far, including this wild trailer, indicates we’re in for an even weirder storyline with even bigger ramifications for the entire franchise. When Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie killed the TVA’s original founder she did more than just murder the most powerful figure in the universe. She plunged time itself into anarchy. Now her Variant and former cohort, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, is trying to fix everything.

The worst things get for him, the more entertaining it will be for us. Getting dragged through time means visiting lots of interesting places. It also means Odin’s trickster son will get to show off more of his many powers, which the MCU has not always fully utilized.

Loki‘s second season also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Eugene Cordero, Rafael Casal, Tara Strong, Kate Dickie, Liz Carr, Neil Ellice, Jonathan Majors, Ke Huy Quan, and Owen Wilson. Eric Martin serves as head writer. Directors Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Dan Deleeuw, and Kasra Farahani will all be in the the show’s big chair over its six episodes.

Season two of Marvel Studios’ Loki arrives at Disney+ on October 6. At least that’s the plan now. It’s possible someone screws up the timeline before that. Again.

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Season two of The Mandalorian introduced a live-action Ahsoka Tano. First introduced in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (voiced by Ashley Eckstein), the character is beloved by many Star Wars fans. And Ahsoka’s appearance in The Mandalorian was just the beginning. Ahsoka Tano got her very own live-action series. Ahsoka is coming to Disney+.

Here is everything we know about Ahsoka so far.

Title

The title of the series is Star Wars: Ahsoka, or simply Ahsoka.

Ahsoka‘s Plot

When Ahsoka turned up in “The Jedi” episode of The Mandalorian, she revealed she’s searching for the missing Grand Admiral Thrawn. Who, as Star Wars Rebels fans know, disappeared into the Unknown Regions with Ezra Bridger at the end of that series. The epilogue of Rebels sees Ahsoka and Sabine Wren take off together to search for their missing Jedi friend and the genius Imperial leader. Ahsoka is likely to pick up those story threads. The synopsis says:

Set after the fall of the Empire, “Star Wars: Ahsoka” follows the former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy.

The Ahsoka trailer plainly shows lots of the World Between Worlds:

Director Dave Filoni told Vanity Fair the following about the series:

Ahsoka is a continuous story. It is definitely driving toward a goal, in my mind, as opposed to being little singular adventures. That’s what I want the character to be doing, and I think that’s what fans want now. They have such a relationship with her. I’ve only recently started to understand that all those kids that watched Clone Wars are now a lot older—they’re very excited about all the things they grew up with, as they should be.

We will also see quite a few familiar faces, including Star Wars Rebels legend Hera. We cannot get over how cool this character looks in this photo. There will even be a mysterious Inquisitor in play.

Ahsoka‘s Cast

Rosario Dawson will star as the title character, reprising her introduction on The Mandalorian. Joining Ahsoka is her Rebels cohort, Mandalorian warrior Sabine Wren. In live-action, she’ll be played by Australian actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny. According to a release, Diana Lee Inosanto will play Morgan Elsbeth. Meanwhile, Ukrainian actor Ivanna Sakhno has also joined the cast as Shin Hati and Ray Stevenson will appear as Baylan Skoll. Shin Hati and Baylan Skoll appear to be villains in the series and wield orange-colored lightsabers. Eman Esfandi will play Ezra. We can’t wait to see Ahsoka and Sabine search for their lost friend.

Meanwhile, Birds of Prey star Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Hera Syndulla on Ahsoka. Additionally, Lars Mikkelsen will reprise his Rebels role in live-action and play Grand Admiral Thrawn. David Tennant is also part of the cast; he will play the droid character Huyang, whom he previously voiced.

Additionally, Deadline reports that The Expanse and Hunger Games star Wes Chatham will also be a part of Ahsoka. Chatham will apparently play “the right-hand man to Lars Mikkelsen’s Admiral Thrawn.”

Behind the Scenes 

The Mandalorian’s Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau are showrunning for Ahsoka. Filoni has confirmed that he wrote all the episodes of the season. Additionally, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Peter Ramsey, co-director of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, will direct at least one episode of the show. We still don’t know how many episodes Ahsoka will have.

Ahsoka‘s Release Date

Ahsoka arrives on Disney+ on August 22 at 6PM PT. The series will launch with two episodes on its premiere day. The Star Wars series will continue to air on Tuesdays at that hour throughout its run, a departure from previous Disney+ releases.

Originally published on December 22, 2021.

The post Everything We Know About the AHSOKA STAR WARS Series appeared first on Nerdist.

Rick Riordan released the first book in his Percy Jackson and the Olympians fantasy series in 2005. The five-book fantasy novel series focuses on Percy Jackson, a young demigod. He learns about his special history and then gets thrown into stopping the Titans from destroying everything. We did get movie adaptations of the first two books in 2010, but they were not well received. (Rick Riordan himself wasn’t a big fan). But now, Percy Jackson gets another chance at an on-screen adaptation, this time on Disney+. Here’s everything we know about the Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV series.

Title

This adaptation of Rick Riordan’s book is called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. This matches the title of Riordan’s overall book series centered on Percy Jackson.

Percy Jackson and the Olympian‘s Plot

Percy Jackson and the Olympians‘ teaser trailer gives us our first real taste of the series. The gods are gathering and everything in Percy’s life is about to change.

In a release, Disney+ shared that Percy Jackson and the Olympians…

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

So, first season is focusing on the first book, The Lightning Thief. In the book, Percy discovers the truth about himself and his background: he’s a demigod. He goes to Camp Half-Blood for the first time and meets others like him. Then, he goes on a quest with his closest friends Annabeth and Grover. Percy must find a thief who stole Zeus’ master bolt, all while reckoning with the identity of his father (I’m not sharing who, because spoilers) and his new life.

Behind the Scenes

Rick Riordan and Jon Steinberg wrote the pilot for Percy Jackson and the Olympians. James Bobin is directing the pilot. Steinberg will oversee the series with his producing partner Dan Shotz. Steinberg and Shotz serve as executive producers alongside Bobin, Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe and Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, and D.J. Goldberg.

Season one of Percy Jackson and the Olympians will have eight episodes.

Percy Jackson and the Olympian‘s Cast

The cast for the Percy Jackson series is age appropriate for the series, which is a good start. Walker Scobell (The Adam Project) plays Percy Jackson. Aryan Simhadri plays Grover Underwood and Leah Sava Jeffries plays Annabeth Chase.

We also have:

• Virginia Kull as Sally
• Glynn Turman as Mr. Brunner, a.k.a. Chiron
• Jason Mantzoukas as Mr D.
• Megan Mullally as Mrs. Dodds
• Timm Sharp as Gabe
• Adam Copeland as Ares
• Suzanne Cryer as Echidna
• Jessica Parker Kennedy as Medusa
• Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes
• Jay Duplass as Hades
• Timothy Omundson as Hephaestus
• Lance Reddick as Zeus
• Toby Stephens as Poseidon

Riordan noted that these are all the main characters who will appear in season one.

Percy Jackson and the Olympian‘s Release Date

The Percy Jackson series will officially release on December 20, 2023. It will debut with a two-episode premiere and new episodes will follow weekly.

Originally published on August 3, 2022.

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The galaxy can rejoice. At least this time around, the latest Star Wars Disney+ series will not premiere in the dead of night. Disney+ has been famous, or is that infamous, for dropping episodes at midnight Pacific Time/3 am Eastern Time, testing the resolve of even the most ardent fans of Star Wars, Marvel, and more. But the new Ahsoka series will bring about a change in Disney+’s release timing that will hopefully stick around. The show, it turns out, will mark not only the exciting return of Ahsoka and friends, but also an earlier release time that will bring happiness to all. Here’s what we know about Disney+’s change in release strategy.

When Will Ahsoka Series Episodes Release? Here Is the New Time and Day They’ll Drop on Disney+

Per the official Star Wars Twitter, Ahsoka episodes will now release on Tuesdays at 6 PM PT/9 PM ET. What a relief! This change will kick in starting with Ahsoka‘s two-episode premiere on August 22.

This means that fans won’t have to choose between sleep and spoilers. The new Disney+ release strategy also means the episodes will get a more typically “prime time” release schedule, and hopefully that will pay off for both streamer and viewer. Other streamers like Prime Video, Apple TV+, and etc. have already adopted similar strategies, so it’s nice to see Disney+ coming onboard.

Will This Earlier Release Time Apply to Other Disney+ Star Wars and Marvel Shows?

To date, every Disney+ series has dropped 12 am PT, so it does seem a change is in the works. But, as of now, Disney+ has only announced an earlier release time for the Star Wars series Ahsoka. (As mentioned, Ahsoka will release on Tuesdays at 6 PM PT.) Hopefully, though, we will see this change in release timing and episode drop strategy apply across the board.

It’s hard to be a hero without a good night’s sleep! Ahsoka will definitely need it as she takes on some of Star Wars‘ most fearsome villains, and we’ll need it to be with her every step of the way.

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On an earnings call Wednesday afternoon, Disney CEO Bob Iger announced price increases for Disney+ and Hulu. The ad-free plans for each service will go up over 25% per month. And that’s not the only measure the company is planning to take to drive profit for Disney+. In news we first saw at IGN, the streamer will follow in Netflix’s footsteps. Disney will start cracking down on password sharing in 2024. Netflix’s own efforts from earlier this year brought the streaming service six million new subscribers, so it’s not a surprise to see Disney+ copying the move.

Iger said on the earnings call, “We are actively exploring ways to address account sharing and the best options for paying subscribers to share their accounts with friends and family. Later this year, we will begin to update our subscriber agreements with additional terms and our sharing policies. And we will roll out tactics to drive monetization sometime in 2024.”

The CEO called it a priority while also stating he doesn’t know that it will meaningfully contribute to growth. To that point, Netflix has been established as a streaming service since 2007. Disney+, however, launched in 2019. The Disney service doesn’t have close to the same number of subscribers as Netflix. It doesn’t have as much to gain. But hey, maybe Disney+ is applying this tactic in order to gain more profit that they will then use to pay striking writers and actors fair residuals. After all, the streaming service wouldn’t exist without the content writers and actors create.

Netflix’s advance against password sharing started with notifications to existing customers. Eventually if a user outside of the household tried to log-in into a shared account, Netflix forced the option of creating a new account. Iger’s comments mentions Disney looking at the best options for paying subscribers to share that accounts, but we have a hunch the best one will be no sharing outside of a household.

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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 left Disney+ and Hulu on May 26. As of June 30, Disney+ removed even more content from its platform. Although the streamer did not indicate specific reasons for this latest removal. Among the titles included in this purge was a Mckenna Grace-starring sci-fi film, Crater. Crater, a Disney+ original movie, released on May 12. Disney+ removed it from the platform after only seven weeks.

Originally published on May 11, 2023.

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

Lucasfilm is mainly famous for three franchises; Star Wars, Willow, and of course, Indiana Jones. But for various licensing reasons, the four existing Indiana Jones films starring Harrison Ford have not been part of the Disney+ library. Until now, that is. In anticipation of the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Disney+ has brought all four Indy films—Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, Last Crusade, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull—along with the entire The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones television series, to the service. And they are now available to watch. Disney+ even cut a special trailer for the release, which you can watch right here:

Well, that brief trailer sure makes us want to marathon the whole series for the millionth time. For those wondering why it took so long for this iconic Lucasfilm property to make it onto Disney+, the films were distributed by Paramount Pictures. Which meant they had the release rights to the films, whether Lucasfilm produced them or not. And so, they’ve been on Paramount+ for the last several years. But now, they’ve come home, so to speak. Hopefully, they stay there, as many non-MCU Marvel films come and go from the service without warning.

In celebration of the Indiana Jones movies and series launching on the service, Disney+ subscribers in the US will receive special access to must-have Indiana Jones merchandise on shopDisney. This promotion goes from May 31, 2023 – June 8, 2023. For a limited time, US Disney+ subscribers can purchase highly anticipated items from the franchise before the general public. During this special window, eligible subscribers can visit shopDisney to check them out.

Originally published on May 16, 2023.

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It’s the MCU’s world and we’re just living in it. Well, it’s the MCU’s infinite multiverse and we just happen to live in this dimension. This plane of existence will be all fans need this year. The franchise will once again dominate the pop culture landscape with a Hulk-sized lineup of new releases. What heroes and villains can we expect to see on screen during the next year? Here’s every MCU movie and Disney+ show in order coming in 2023.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (February 17, 2023)

The third film in the Ant-Man franchise will be its biggest yet. It will mark the formal debut of Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror, a dangerous Variant of his Loki character He Who Remains. Kang is the MCU’s next big baddie. His highly-anticipated arrival is why Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will also be Scott Lang’s most intense movie.

For more on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, check out everything we know about the movie so far.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5, 2023)

The MCU’s most unlikely heroes—and in some ways most unlikely success story—will say farewell with their third and final movie. From the High Evolutionary and Adam Warlock, to Rocket’s backstory and the search for Gamora, there’s a whole lot to cover in the Guardians’ swan song. We’d say we can’t wait, but we expect this movie to emotionally devastate us and we’re not ready for that.

For more on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, check out everything we know about the movie so far.

Secret Invasion (June 21, 2023)

Nick Fury has a difficult job and it’s about to get a lot harder with Secret Invasion. The Disney+ six-episode “crossover event” will “showcases a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls who have been infiltrating Earth for years.” While the series will feature a number of familiar faces, it will also introduce some big names to the franchise. The show will star Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Carmen Ejogo, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Christopher McDonald. Are they playing aliens of humans? Finding out is going to be a big part of the fun.

For more on Secret Invasion, check out everything we know about the show so far.

Loki Season 2 (October 6, 2023)

Time is not a flat circle in the MCU – it’s a Sacred Timeline. And season two of Loki will see what happened to the TVA that controls that timeline after Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie killed He Who Remains. The series, starring Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson, returns this summer for more time-jumping fun and mayhem. We loved season one, which is why this is one of our most anticipated MCU releases of 2023. Plus, Mobius might finally get to ride a jet ski!

For more on Loki season two, check out everything we know about the show so far.

The Marvels (November 10, 2023)

The sequel to Captain Marvel won’t feature one hero. It will star three marvelous ones. The recently empowered Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau will join Carol Danvers on the big screen for a supersized team-up. With the growing influence of S.W.O.R.D., the sudden appearance of mutants, and personal animosity between old friends, the movie will need every hero it can get to deal with all of its pressing issues.

For more on The Marvels, check out everything we know about the sequel so far.

Echo (November 29, 2023)

Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez was a part of Clint Barton and Kate Bishop’s story on Hawkeye. But soon the deaf antihero will get a chance to tell her own. The Disney+ series Echo will show how her “ruthless behavior in New York City catches up with her in her hometown.” She will “face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward.” For this show, all episodes will drop at once.

For more on Echo, check out everything we know about the show so far.

Ironheart (Fall 2023)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever breakout star Dominique Thorne is a worthy successor to Tony Stark, and her Riri Williams will get to show why with her own Disney+ series. Anthony Ramos will join her as Parker Robbins, a.k.a The Hood. It appears (at least initially) he’ll be an ally rather than a villain like he is in the comics. The series is also expected to deal with the theme of magic versus science. We also expect it to be a whole lot of fun after seeing Riri in action.

For more on Ironheart, check out everything we know about the show so far.

X-Men ’97 (Winter 2023)

Professor X is already part of the MCU after Sir Patrick Stewart played a Variant of Charles Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But soon all his X-Men will join the MCU as Disney+ revives the beloved ’90s animated series. X-Men ’97 will pick up where the show left off (when it went off the air; 1997, hence the title). Not only will it be incredible to see those characters back on screen, the show could have huge ramifications for the famous mutant group’s future in the franchise.

Agatha: Coven of Chaos (Winter 2023 – Maybe)

With Blade officially pushed back to 2024, the only major question mark left on the MCU’s 2023 calendar is the WandaVision spinoff, Agatha: Coven of Chaos. It might be the franchise’s last new release of 2023, hitting Disney+ this winter. Or it could get pushed back to next year. No matter when it airs, we’ll have our bags packed to revisit Westview and Kathryn Hahn.

For more on Agatha: Coven of Chaos, check out everything we know about the show so far.

What If…? Season 2 (2023)

An infinite multiverse means infinite possibilities for stories. Marvel will explore more of those alternate realities with season two of the animated Disney+ series What If…? The show’s first season connected with the main franchise in some unexpected ways. We expect the show’s sophomore outing will be even more important for the MCU’s future.

Originally published January 6, 2023.

The post Every MCU Movie and Disney+ TV Show Coming in 2023 appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney+’s ad tier is here, but it’s not exactly the good news consumers hoped for. Ostensibly, an ad tier for Disney+ should have lowered subscription costs, but that’s not exactly what it feels like is happening. Disney’s new ad tier, instead, costs the same as its ad-free tier previously did. And Disney+’s ad-free tier costs more. And it’s about to cost even more.

At a recent Disney earnings call, CEO Bob Iger revealed that Disney+’s ad-free tier was about to see a significant increase in cost. This is in order to “widen the delta” between what Disney+ costs with and without ads. Iger noted:

We plan to set a higher price for [the Disney+] ad-free tier later this year to better reflect the value of our content offerings

The exact magnitude of this Disney+ price increase is not yet known. But let’s take a look at what’s happening right now.

You can click to the area that interests you: The Price of Disney+’s Ad Tier // The Price of Disney+’s Ad-Free Tier // Hulu’s Cost Increases // The Price of Bundles

How Much Does a Disney+ Subscription Cost for Ad and Ad-Free Tiers?

The Price of Disney+’s Ad Tier

Disney+’s ad option is officially here. We first learned of the streamer’s plans to add an ad tier in May, but the streamer noted it hoped to use ads sparingly. Additionally, Kareem Daniel, former Chairman, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, noted that “Expanding access to Disney+ to a broader audience at a lower price point is a win for everyone – consumers, advertisers, and our storytellers.” But now it’s looking more like just a win for Disney because, ultimately, there is no “cheaper” version of Disney+ coming to consumers.

Instead, the ad tier on Disney+ will cost $7.99 a month, the previous price of Disney+ without ads. Consumers will be paying the same amount, but now ads will also be included in the proposition.

The Price of Disney+’s Ad-Free Tier

Meanwhile, the cost of Disney+’s advertising-free tier, which we all currently experience with our subscriptions, rose the previous cost of the “ad-free tier.” To experience Disney+ with no advertisements, consumers pay $10.99, a three-dollar increase on the previous subscription price.

Although it may not seem like that much, given the number of streaming platforms consumers pay for these days, every increase is felt. Additionally, the addition of the ad tier ad feels like it fails to expand access but simply keeps access the same, with a better experience coming at a higher cost. Not ideal.

The cost of the ad-free tier will also increase soon, we’ll have to wait and see by how much.

How Much Does a Hulu Subscription Cost?

Hulu has also seen price hikes in its subscription costs. Hulu’s current ad-supported tier will go from a cost of $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year to $7.99 a month or $79.99 a year.

Meanwhile, Hulu’s ad-free tier, which currently costs $12.99 a month, will see a leap to costing $14.99. Hulu’s cost increases will come into play on October 10.

The Cost of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Bundles

Bundled plans will also see price increases. Disney is offering a package of Disney+ and Hulu with ads for $9.99/month. Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu, all without ads, will cost $19.99/month. Bundles with Hulu + Live TV and the other two platforms will also see an increase in cost to $69.99. This previously ad-free bundle will now include ads.

Soon Disney+ and Hulu will also join their content in one app, although both services will be available as standalone products. We don’t yet know what the join Hulu/Disney+ offering will cost consumers.

Disney+ Ad Tiers Have Arrived, But Streaming Still Costs More

In summary, Disney+’s advertising-based tier has now launched. In the meanwhile, Hulu, ESPN, and bundling will all cost more as price hikes kick in. This is probably not what consumers had in mind when they heard more options were coming to the streaming platform.

Only time will tell how these changes in subscription costs will affect Disney+, Hulu, their audiences, and their platforms. We’ll also have to wait and see what effect this ad tier has on other streamers, like Netflix, exploring ad tiers. Good luck to everyone navigating the streaming world out there.

Originally published August 10, 2022.

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We continue unbidden into the age of digital streaming dominance in the entertainment industry. CEOs and studio heads, therefore, feel the need to clamp down even more on their beloved bottom lines. To that end, many of the majors have focused on combining their various streaming services into one. Take WBD, for example, which recently (and without anyone else wanting it) merged their HBO Max and Discovery+ services into Max. Not to be outdone (never to be outdone), Disney CEO Bob Iger announced something new during its investors call on Wednesday. Hulu—which Disney acquired in the Fox deal—will find its content combining with Disney+.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Iger says the new app will roll out by the end of the year. He hastened to add, however, that the services will still be separate. Essentially, it seems, it’ll be like how Showtime content is now on the Paramount+ app but you still need to pay for Showtime to see it. Tiers and whatnot. Iger said on the earnings call:

While we continue to offer Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ as standalone options, this is a logical progression of our DTC offerings that will provide greater opportunities for advertisers, while giving bundle subscribers access to more robust and streamlined content, resulting in greater audience engagement and ultimately leading to a more unified streaming experience.

Iger later said, ““The advertising potential of this combined platform is incredibly exciting.”

We should note, in countries, such as the United Kingdom, where Hulu never existed, the content of both platforms was always on Disney+.

At a time when the future of art as entertainment, and the viability of working in the entertainment industry, remains uncertain, one of the few things we can count on is enormous companies looking to make it easier for them to make billions of dollars. Consolidating Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ under one app won’t change too much for you, the consumer. But potentially making everything like old terrestrial cable packages might.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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The next few years are going to bring about many exciting Star Wars series to Disney+, including Ahsoka and further adventures for The Mandalorian and Andor. But one, in particular, announced in 2020, is The Acolyte. Here’s everything we know about this mysterious new live-action Star Wars series, set a century before the events of the Skywalker Saga. Here’s everything we know about The Acolyte.

Title

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

The Acolyte’s Plot

When Disney officially announced the series back in December 2020, we got this official synopsis:

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

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

Behind the Scenes

Leslye Headland is on board as writer and producer.

The Acolyte’s Cast

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

The Acolyte‘s Release Date

There is no release date yet for The Acolyte, but production on the series officially began on November 7, 2022.

The post Everything We Know About STAR WARS Series THE ACOLYTE appeared first on Nerdist.

May the 4th approaches and the day that celebrates Star Wars always brings a flurry of surprises from the galaxy far, far away. One of the collaborations for May the 4th this year unites the The Simpsons and Star Wars again for a new short. Following “The Force Awakens From Its Nap,” “Maggie Simpson in ‘Rogue Not Quite One'” puts the toddler back in the spotlight.

This time Maggie borrows a ride from a certain cute green baby. We feel like Maggie and Grogu could exchange a lot of notes. They both communicate with minimal or no speaking. They’re both cute. And though Grogu seems to enjoy live snacks more than a pacifier, they could bond over that too. The release states:

In the upcoming short, Homer loses track of Maggie who hops in Grogu’s hovering pram for a hyperspace-hopping adventure across the galaxy. Facing a squadron of Imperial TIE fighters, Maggie brings the battle to Springfield in this epic short celebrating all things Star Wars.

“Maggie Simpson in ‘Rogue Not Quite One’” will premiere on Disney+ on May 4.

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In 2010, Alice in Wonderland exceeded expectations away by earning over a billion at the box office. Since then, Disney has dutifully churned out several live-action remakes in an effort to stimulate reliable box office success. However, with continually less-than-stellar reviews, it seems even Disney’s most cherished intellectual properties aren’t bulletproof. The studio’s latest reimagining, Peter Pan & Wendy, isn’t even given the grace of a theatrical release. Instead, it is coming straight into consumers’ homes on Disney+. Unfortunately, Peter Pan & Wendy is a middling, predictable attempt at reworking the Peter Pan story with a lack of visual flare and definitive sense of self. Jude Law’s unexpectedly empathetic Captain Hook attempts to rescue this film, but he can only do so much.

Starring Alexander Molony and Ever Gabo Anderson, Peter Pan & Wendy follows Wendy Darling (Ever Anderson), a strong-willed young woman reluctantly preparing to leave her beloved brothers John (Joshua Pickering) and Michael (Jacobi Jupe) behind. She’s heading off to boarding school at the behest of her parents (Molly Parker and Alan Tudyk). Wendy’s reluctance to grow up and embrace young adulthood is noticed by the mischievous Peter Pan (Alexander Molony). With the help of his pixie friend Tinker Bell (Yara Shahidi) he whisks Wendy and her brothers away for an adventure in his magical world of Neverland. 

From character beats to set pieces, the first half hour of Peter Pan & Wendy is virtually identical to the opening of the 1953 film. It sets up the same plot and themes of the original, except with the now-customary update in aesthetic trappings for “modern” audiences. For example, Wendy gets bloomers instead of a nightgown. Peter Pan & Wendy follows Alice in Wonderland in terms of putting the sword in the hands of its demure heroine. While that idea was a novelty and interesting subversion of expectations in 2010, it now feels like a uninspired approach to every women-led live-action Disney remake. Seeing it here feels tiresome and borderline condescending.

As it stands, Wendy Darling is already one of Disney’s most interesting, unique young heroines, especially considering the time in which she was written. Wendy’s dilemma of duty to her family and limits of her gender role and station in contrast with her desire to savor the joy of youth is a complicated, insightful story that continues to ring true with young women today. (Just look at Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, a current film with similar themes.)

This film doesn’t double down on the internal conflict that made Wendy so easy to love in the first place. Instead, she’s made to fit the cookie cutter mold of ‘empowered’, weapon-wielding live-action Disney. This interpretation of the character feels underbaked because of the aforementioned coherence to the original in the crucial first act. Because it follows the original film’s formula so strictly, this significant changes feels particularly unearned.

Peter Pan & Wendy departs from the original once we get to Neverland; however, these measures to update the story and bring something different to a younger generation of viewers feels too conservative, timid, and formulaic. Tiger Lilly also gets the action heroine treatment. She goes from damsel in distress to horseback-riding axe-wielding leader of the Lost Boys. Tiger Lilly is essentially the “muscle” of Peter Pan’s fight against the pirates. It’s good to see the film steer clear of the harmful portrayal of Indigenous characters from the original Peter Pan. But this update of the character on a thematic and narrative level again feels shallow. She simply goes from one stereotype to a marginally less offensive one. 

There is one meaningful change in Peter Pan & Wendy, though, that makes the film interesting: the increased screen time and character development of Captain Hook. It’s understandable that when making the jump to live-action, Disney would want to give the most emotional heavy lifting to a more experienced actor. And Jude Law is without question the film’s MVP. Taking some visual queues from Taika Waititi in Our Flag Means Death, Law’s Captain Hook is more of a long-haired sadboi than a flamboyant, maniacal caricature obsessed with a ticking crocodile.

Instead, Hook is a childhood friend of Peter Pan who left Neverland because he missed his mother. He returns as an adult and but his former best friend shuns him. This story development picks up on an interesting quirk of Peter Pan’s personality in the original film. He’s brash, self-centered, and not all that likable. The fact that Peter Pan & Wendy explores Peter as a morally gray character versus an infallible folk hero is worth celebrating.

Alexander Molony does an admirable job of holding his own when engaging in intense exchanges with Jude Law’s Hook. Together they deliver the film’s most affecting, emotional scenes. This is working despite some strange stylistic and directorial choices from David Lowery. His previous deft craft in films like The Green Knight is strangely absent.

The film feels choppily edited, especially in regards to music queues. Composer Daniel Hart’s sweeping, grandiose score full of Indigenous war cries behind Tiger Lilly and angelic chorals beneath Wendy is chopped and parsed among the sound design of Harry Potter-esque action sequences. 

There are rare glimpses of brilliance in Peter Pan & Wendy that hint at a bold take on this beloved story. Lowery’s reimagining of the journey to Neverland with a disorienting, portal-esque sequence is particularly memorable. The same goes for Hook and Peter’s final emotional reconciliation. But those moments are far too infrequent. And the rest of the film is so stale and shallow that it’s hard to truly call this something new.

Peter Pan & Wendy is currently streaming on Disney+.

Peter Pan & Wendy ⭐ (2.5 of 5)

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The Marvel options on Disney+ are about to expand. Several Spider-Man films and Venom will arrive on Disney+ this spring—most of them as early as April 21. This move, a result of a deal between Disney and Sony, makes it easier to catch up on the world of Marvel films in one place, though most of the Spider-Man movies aren’t part of the MCU. That said, Spider-Man: No Way Home did bring Tobey Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parkers into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney+ released the below video to mark the occasion.

Here’s which Spider-Man movies will be available when on Disney+ in the US:

• Spider-Man (2002) – Available April 21, 2023
• Spider-Man 2 (2004) – Available April 21, 2023
• Spider-Man 3 (2007) – Available April 21, 2023
• The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) – Available April 21, 2023
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) – Available May 12, 2023
• Venom (2018) – Available May 12, 2023

Disney also said that, “Additional titles from Sony Pictures’ film and television library are expected to premiere on Disney+ in the US later this year.” We suspect that means Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, and maybe the Spider-Verse films.

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While Disney+ has been exploiting most of the famous franchises in their library quite liberally, it feels like they had sidelined one very important one: the Muppets. Well, thankfully that is about to change. Via the official Muppets Twitter account, we’ve got our first look at the new Muppets series, The Muppets Mayhem. The new show will focus on the beloved Muppets rock band, the Electric Mayhem. And all the original members will join in the fun. That means Dr. Teeth, Janice, Floyd, Zoot, and of course, Animal on drums. You can check out the first trailer and images from The Muppets Mayhem right here.

This will be the first Muppets series that doesn’t focus on characters like Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, or Gonzo. Up until now, aside from Animal, most of the Electric Mayhem have been side characters. But now, they’ll get to shine. It’s time for Electric Mayhem to make an album. But not without a lot of chaos and some excellent guest stars. We have “Dr. Teeth on vocals and keyboards, Animal on drums, Floyd Pepper on vocals and bass, Janice on vocals and lead guitar, Zoot on saxophone, and Lips on trumpet.” And joining them will be a sea of guest stars that includes Lil Nas X, Morgan Freeman, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Kesha, Danny Trejo, and more.

The series was co-created by Muppets veteran Bill Barretta, along with Jeff Yorkes and Adam F. Goldberg, who also wrote the screenplay for The Muppets Wizard of Oz. So this one is definitely coming to us from some Muppets experts.

According to a report from Entertainment Weekly, the show centers on Nora (Lilly Singh), an aspiring record producer, who enlists the help of her savvy social media influencer sister, (Saara Chaudry), to help the Electric Mayhem record their first album. Yes, they’ve been together since 1975, but they’ve yet to go into the studio. It’s about time, we think. The creators promise that the Electric Mayhem will get along better than Fleetwood Mac (that’s a relief) and that there will be many classic rock cover songs.

The last regular Muppets TV show was The Muppets, a mockumentary-type series that aired on ABC in 2015. Since then, we’ve had The Muppets Haunted Mansion special on Disney+ and a handful of Muppets Now shorts. Hopefully, this is the first of many Muppets projects to land on Disney+ in the next few years. They deserve as many spin-offs as other Disney IP like Star Wars, Marvel, or Pixar. Back in the ’90s, it felt like there were new straight-to-video Muppet movies every year. Shouldn’t Disney+ have something similar? Maybe something that’s a mashup? We’d be down for Muppets Star Wars or Muppet Avengers. Just as long as Jim Henson’s classic characters get their overdue spotlight.

The Muppets Mayhem will premiere May 10 on Disney+.

Originally published March 27, 2023.

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There would be no Avengers without Nick Fury. From the moment Samuel L. Jackson unexpectedly showed up in Iron Man‘s post-credits, the ultimate spy has been the glue that holds Earth’s mightiest heroes together. He’s been such an integral part of the franchise that it’s hard to imagine it without him. But we might have to after the official trailer for Secret Invasion. Because Nick Fury is returning for “one last fight” in the Disney+ series. Unfortunately, “the end is closer than we think.”

There’s been a lot of talk about “MCU fatigue” lately. We doubt we’ll hear much of that after this intense, fantastic trailer for Secret Invasion. Nick Fury’s old friends have splintered, and now a Skrull invasion threatens everything he has ever worked for. Here’s the official synopsis for the Marvel show:

In Marvel Studios’ new series “Secret Invasion,” set in the present day MCU, Nick Fury learns of a clandestine invasion of Earth by a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls. Fury joins his allies, including Everett Ross, Maria Hill and the Skrull Talos, who has made a life for himself on Earth. Together they race against time to thwart an imminent Skrull invasion and save humanity.

From old faces to new, we’re not sure who Fury can truly trust in this global war. We do know who will join Jackson on Secret Invasion, though, and we see some of these characters in the trailer. The show, directed by Ali Selim, stars: Ben Mendelsohn, Cobie Smulders, Martin Freeman, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Charlayne Woodard, Killian Scott, Samuel Adewunmi, Dermot Mulroney, Christopher McDonald, Katie Finneran, with Emilia Clarke and Olivia Colman, and Don Cheadle.

We recently learned who the MCU’s newcomers are playing, including that Clarke’s character first appeared as a child in Captain Marvel. She is Talos’s daughter. But the one character we really can’t figure out yet is Coleman’s MI6 agent. Whether human or Skrull, she seems like trouble. We can’t wait to find out what kind of trouble she is in exactly after the Secret Invasion trailer. And now we know for sure when we will. The six-episode espionage series comes to Disney+ on June 21.

Be careful who you watch Secret Invasion with, though. If Nick Fury doesn’t know who he can trust, how can you? And if this really is the end for one of the MCU’s most important characters, you’ll want to be surrounded by your actual friends when we say goodbye to him. (Well, “goodbye” until we find out he simply faked his own death again.

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Every year feels like a big year for the MCU, but 2023 definitely has a case for bigger than usual. Not only will Kang the Conqueror prove to be a big thorn in our heroes’ side for a while, other baddies lie on the horizon who could shake things up to the core. The Skrulls are taking Earth by storm in the upcoming Disney+ series Secret Invasion, which will see Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) in a clandestine battle for supremacy. Recently, a show page on Disney+ revealed that the series would debut on June 21 of this year. But the Secret Invasion page and its release date then disappeared, but the date has since been officially confirmed!

The series, as the show’s description page said while it was still up, will follow Fury and Talos as they fight against a Skrull faction who have infiltrated the Earth for years. Those Skrulls will be led by Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir). Also joining the fracas is Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke as Abigail Brand, the head of S.W.O.R.D. Another new addition to the franchise is Olivia Colman, who will play a former colleague of Fury’s.

Returning MCU characters will include Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill; Don Cheadle as James “Rhodey” Rhodes; and Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross.

Secret Invasion will drop on June 21 and the vanishing page and release date really add to its espionage feeling. We can’t wait to get a-Skrullin’!

Originally published March 27, 2023.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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One of the most well-known Avengers foes is about to arrive in live-action. It’s been announced via TV Line that Fear the Walking Dead actor Demetrius Grosse has been cast in the Wonder Man series as Eric Williams, also known as the Grim Reaper. Although the Grim Reaper is not quite on the Thanos/Ultron level, he’s been a thorn in the side of the Avengers for decades, often cited as one of their most persistent enemies. He first appeared in Avengers #52, back in 1968, created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema. Here’s the skinny on Wonder Man’s twisted brother and his Marvel Comics history.

Wonder Man’s Twisted Sibling

Eric Williams was born into the wealthy Williams family of New Jersey, which ran the company Williams Innovations. While his younger brother Simon was the favored son, Eric was always the troublemaker. While experimenting with chemicals once in the garage, Eric wound up burning down the family home. Simon felt responsible for his brother’s bad behavior but never could get his criminal tendencies under control. As they grew older, Simon took over Williams Innovations, while Eric moved to Las Vegas and joined the Maggia, the Marvel universe version of the mafia.

Simon Williams’ time as CEO of the family company was short-lived, as he ultimately ran the business into the ground. He blamed competition from Stark Industries, and Tony Stark specifically, for his ruin. He agreed to become a test subject for superpowered experiments by Baron Zemo, who have him ionic powers. With these powers, he took on the identity of Wonder Man, with the intention of infiltrating Stark’s Avengers, and destroying them from within. But he had a change of heart, and ultimately died on the side of his new team.

Becoming the Grim Reaper

His brother Eric, however, blamed the Avengers for Simon’s death. Thanks to his Maggia connections, he had the criminal scientist known as the Tinkerer create a scythe weapon for him to take the place of an amputated hand. The scythe could project energy blasts, and spin at high speeds, becoming a deadly buzz saw. It could also induce death-like comas, thanks to a cerebral frequency generator. Taking the name the Grim Reaper, and wearing a very goofy helmet, he fought the Avengers in the name of vengeance for his dead brother. However, they ultimately defeated him, thanks to the Black Panther’s intervention.

Later, the Grim Reaper formed a supervillain team known as the Lethal Legion, and attacked the Avengers several times over the years. He eventually allied himself with the voodoo master Black Talon, who resurrected his brother Wonder Man as a zombie. Eventually, Wonder Man came back to life for real as a result, and much to Eric’s disappointment, his brother sided with the Avengers against him. The Grim Reaper now had deep animosity towards the Avengers and his brother. During one confrontation with the Avengers, he died in a fall from a cave ledge. But death was just the beginning for the Grim Reaper, as one would imagine might be the case with a name like that.

An Endless Cycle of Death and Resurrection

Eventually, the mutant Nekra resurrected Eric Williams, subsequently turning him into a zombie who did her bidding. This was the start of a pattern of the Grim Reaper dying and coming back to life over and over again. This continued in Avengers stories for years and years. With each supernatural resurrection, the Reaper gained new and more deadly powers. Eventually, he could reanimate the dead and make them do his bidding. He also gained teleportation powers, the ability to summon demons, and the power to create illusions. The techno-scythe he once had was replaced by a mystical one that could absorb life energy from his victims.

The Grim Reaper has fought the Avengers and died several times. He has a special hatred for his brother Simon and the android Vision. This was due to the fact that the Vision shares Simon’s brain patterns, and the two considered themselves brothers. Feeling replaced in Simon’s life with the android Avenger resulted in the Grim Reaper losing his mental faculties more and more. One of his last deaths was at the hands of the X-Man Rogue. He was then resurrected yet again, this time becoming one of Apocalypse’s Four Horseman. And yes, it was, of course, as the Horseman known as Death. Given his knack for never staying dead, he’ll likely continue plaguing the Avengers, and especially his brother Wonder Man, for the rest of eternity.

The Grim Reaper in the MCU

How will the MCU Grim Reaper differ from his comic book counterpart? So far, it seems all we know is that he’s still Eric Williams, brother of Simon Williams. We also know that the show will focus on Wonder Man as a superhero actor, something that happened much later in his career. Will the Grim Reaper simply be a mortal enemy who uses technology against his brother, or will they go the supernatural and undead route? We’ll find out when Wonder Man debuts on Disney+ in 2024.

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Pop culture’s hardline zealots are usually memorable because they make great villains. Those characters’ unyielding convictions and rigid worldviews are often in direct conflict with the goals of the story’s heroes. But those traits are all of the reasons we love The Mandalorian‘s Armorer. The leader of The Watch lives by a simple but inflexible creed: this is the way. But underneath that helmet is a real actress, Emily Swallow. What’s it like playing one of TV’s coolest characters all while wearing a mask you can barely see out of? What was going on with her during the show’s season three premiere? And could we see her co-star alongside Pedro Pascal on a different hit series? We asked Emily Swallow all about those topics and more when we got a chance to speak with Star Wars‘ de facto Mandalorian historian and lore master.

Nerdist: I want to start off with a big question. Specifically, what was it like fighting a big space alligator in The Mandalorian‘s season three premiere?

Emily Swallow: (laughs) Very strange, because it wasn’t there when we were shooting it. That’s the magic of these geniuses. Getting to watch the episode was so cool. When we were shooting it, the location was remarkably unremarkable. There was not much to actually fight when we were making it. Then they put it all in the special effects afterwards and it’s incredible. It looks unbelievable. We were just having to pretend there was a big scary monster, which you do a lot when you’re a kid. So wasn’t that bad.

Was that you for all of it? Or did you have a stunt double?

Swallow: I did have a stunt double and it was me. I did what I could and was there the whole time we were shooting all those sequences. I didn’t do any of the super technical moves I am not trained for and they are not insured to have me do. But I got plenty wet and ran around in the sand a bunch and got to have some fun.

We know Mandalorian helmets aren’t ideal for actors when it comes to things like seeing or walking, so how did you navigate a big choreographed fight scene while wearing yours?

Swallow: How does anybody? I don’t know how anyone does it. And it turns out they fall off at really inopportune moments. There was the moment when the big monster gator swipes the Armorer and she flips. That was not me, that was my stunt double on some wires doing a flip. And there was this one time when they shot it … and it’s painful because when they practice it, she landed on pads. But then when they shot it, every time she was flipping she was slamming into the wet sand. So there was this one shot where it happened beautifully but her helmet fell off. What are you going to do? There’s no way you can use that take. There’s no “oopsy” if the Armorer’s helmet falls off because she can’t really get away with that.

Those helmets are not good for a lot of things and they make life very complicated. When you’re outside in water, or when it’s hot or when it’s cold, you’re breathing a lot inside (your helmet) and it fogs up. It made it really, really, really challenging.

The Armorer provides tons of new Mandalorian lore. In the past you’ve said you don’t know much more beyond what’s revealed on the show.

Swallow: Right.

Since then, have you been privy to additional information that maybe we still don’t know?

Swallow: Wouldn’t you like to know?

I would very much like to know! I know you can’t tell me specifics, but have you learned more of the secrets that have yet to come out?

Swallow: Yes. There’s more that you’re going to learn this season.

What about beyond what we’ll see? You are kind of the memory of Mandalore, and I’m curious how much information they give you so you can put it into your performance, even if it’s stuff we can’t know.

Swallow: I’m trying to figure out the most artful way to answer this.

This character is so interesting for me because usually it’s very helpful for me to have a lot of details about a character’s backstory, about their personal history, to have all of that sketched in very specifically. But for this character, more than any other, it’s more helpful for me to know what she stands for. And what she symbolizes and the role she serves in relation to other people.

So there are some specific details I have learned about some of the history of the Mandalorians and how she fits into that. I don’t think there’s much that I’ve learned beyond what’s revealed in this season. It’s been helpful not to try to pin it down too much, because, based on what I know about her so far, it’s more interesting (not knowing) and it serves the story better.

I know you can’t give me the answer, but I’m curious if you know this. Have you asked specifically about the timeline of the Watch and when they broke off from Death Watch?

Swallow: I have.

And did Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni tell you the answer?

Swallow: Maybe.

Okay. I just had to ask. I had to ask.

Swallow: Of course. I totally get it.

The Armorer has always been unflappable, no matter the situation. But Din’s relic in the season three premiere seemed to catch her off guard. She almost sounded hopeful, if not happy, when she said, “This is the way.” What was going through her mind in that moment?

Swallow: What do you think was going through her mind?

I think that was the first time on this show we saw her, I don’t want to say break, but a little bit of that veneer seemed to crack. That’s how it read to me, but that’s why I wanted to know what you thought was going through her mind.

Swallow: I think she sees possibility…

Come on.

Swallow: That’s all I’ll say.

All right then, if she sees possibility…Mandalorians are scattered. They’re lost. They don’t have their home world. And now for the first time, she has hope. Is that hope enough to get her to do something she maybe wouldn’t previously have done before, whatever that might entail?

Swallow: Well, I don’t know because we’re speaking in the abstract here. I mean, I feel like she’s always… Look, she’s mysterious even to me. And sometimes I think I let her know things, even if I don’t know them. And even if Jon and Dave have not told me that I know them, I let her know them. They’ve given me permission to do that, because I think they also sort of let her know things that maybe they don’t even know if The Armorer herself knows.

Because she’s not psychic. She’s not like a mystic who sees the future in specifics. But I do think she has a sixth sense. She has a feeling about things. And so, for instance, I think with Din Djarin, from the beginning, she has seen promise in him. I don’t think she knows for certain, like she hasn’t seen a prophecy he’s going to lead them to the Promised Land or anything like that. But I think she just knows he is somebody remarkable who is going to play an important part for the Mandalorian people.

And he already has. Maybe he’s already done what he was supposed to do. Or maybe not. I think that she’s always open to possibility. That’s what I say mean when I say she’s hopeful. She’s always open to possibility. I do think she sees possibility in that relic.

We’re talking about this moment, which felt a little bit different for her. But from the outside some people would say the Armorer is very much the same person we met originally. So I’m curious, from your perspective, how she has changed from season one until now?

Swallow: I think Din has changed her, because I don’t think that she’s had such a personal relationship with somebody like him. She’s probably mentored other people, had other apprentices maybe. I think she is a mentor figure to a lot of people, but not in the way she is to Din.

Although, especially this season with all these Mandalorians around, I said, “Doesn’t she have a couple of apprentices? An assistant or something? I’m really making armor for all these people. There’s no other armorers?” (laughs)

But I think Din has challenged her in ways she hasn’t been challenged before. In ways that are really good for her. And they’re learning from each other in a way that is probably unique for her.

It’s striking to me that after that episode of The Book of Boba Fett aired and she essentially banished Din, every convention I went to the fans were just up in arms. They said, “How could you do that to him? How could you?” And I said, “Well, he did it to himself. He made the choice to take off his helmet.” She was just stating what the known consequences are. That’s the creed.

I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we know that most of the time we learn more from being honest about our mistakes and seeing how that plays out than lying about them and trying to get away with it. She knows he’s going to learn from whatever difficulty he faces and from confronting this thing he did.

Why did he make the choice to go against the creed? He had a pretty good reason he felt was justified. But he did go against a creed he has taken. Now he is pretty determined to do what the lore says he must to make right for it. He’s stepping up to the challenge and he’s stubborn that way, which is great. And she’s not discouraging him from that. She’s like, “All right, if you think you can do it, this is the way. See what happens.” I think she appreciates that about him.

As you said, there are so many Mandalorians this season. Again, I know you can’t get into specifics, but with so many of your own people around this year, what is it you’re most excited for fans to see and learn about them?

Swallow: I think fans are going to be very pleased they finally get to see more Mandalorians represented and that they’re going to get to see more clans, some of the ones they’ve only seen animated before. And also that a lot of these questions we’ve had for so long about some of the divisions that have risen up, some of those will be addressed. It is more of an exploration of the culture and the family ties. It’s a much more intimate look at the Mandalorian people and I love that. I love kind of getting on the inside.

Now that you’ve been playing this character for a few years, have you become a de facto Mandalorian historian?

Swallow: Oh my gosh, I’m constantly being schooled! I think I know a lot. Then I will meet a fan at a convention who asks me something and I just get tongue-tied because I realize there’s yet again something else I don’t know. The history goes so deep and all the fan theories go so deep. And so people will ask me something about some connection they’ve noticed and they think is true. And I’m like, “You know what? You might be right. I really don’t know.”

You’ve previously talked about how you love playing a character whose role has nothing to do with her looks. You’ve called it liberating. But is it ever frustrating to you personally that you play this tremendous character on this wildly popular show but you don’t get to show your face?

Swallow: In terms of the story, no. It’s great for the story.

It is an interesting thing as an actor, though, because I do think sometimes people separate that kind of performance from acting without a helmet. They say like, “Oh, that’s really cool that you do that.” But they don’t think it’s a reflection of regular acting. They sort of forget I also do that. It’s an interesting thing. It’s definitely a good thing to keep my ego in check.

Spoiler warning: Our final question and answer contains a small spoiler for The Last of Us Part II video game.

Finally, you’re on a hit series that features Pedro Pascal as a surrogate dad. He just so happens to have another hit show exactly like that and it’s based on a video game series you’re a part of. So I have to know, have you had any talks with HBO about potentially reprising your role as Emily from The Last of Us Part II video game?

Swallow: I have not, but I would certainly be open to it. Or to doing a new role as a character who maybe doesn’t die quite so quickly. That would be nice because, I mean, Emily went out like a chump and deservedly so. But I’d like to be around for a little while longer and maybe actually have a scene with Pedro.

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

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Now that Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor are in the rearview, it’s time to return to the Star Wars live-action show that started it all—The Mandalorian. But as with several Disney+ Star Wars projects, when a show takes place in the timeline is not always evident. But thanks to several interviews given by the show’s creators, we have an idea of where The Mandalorian all fits into the overall Star Wars saga. And exactly where the adventures of Din Djarin and baby Grogu overlap with the existing Star Wars series timeline. Here’s when The Mandalorian takes place.

How Many Years After Return of the Jedi Does The Mandalorian Take Place?

The first season of The Mandalorian took place approximately five years after the events of Return of the Jedi. So in Star Wars chronology terms, that is nine years after we meet Luke, Leia, and Han. It’s also five years since the death of the Emperor, and the destruction of the second Death Star in the Battle of Endor. Luke Skywalker is only beginning to build his Jedi training school at this point. A school we saw under construction in season two on an unnamed world. The show is also approximately 25 years before the events of The Force Awakens.

Is the Empire Still Around During The Mandalorian?

In this era, the young New Republic governs the galaxy, with former Rebel pilots in X-Wings patrolling the Outer Rim worlds like Nevarro. Although the Galactic Empire is technically no more, Imperial warlords remain out in charge of stormtrooper legions, like Moff Gideon. And in an effort to not become an overly militarized body, the New Republic, under the guidance of Mon Mothma, reduced their fleet by 90%. This leaves them effectively just as police in Outer Rim worlds.

What Other Star Wars Projects Overlap with The Mandalorian in the Timeline?

The Mandalorian doesn’t overlap with any other live-action Star Wars series, or any animated ones. At least not yet. The Ahsoka series will be a spin-off, and take place within the same timeframe as The Mandalorian. The upcoming Jon Watts series Skeleton Crew is also said to take place within The Mandalorian era as well. By the time we start season three, we imagine at least a year will have passed since the start of season one. So we’re likely now 24 years away from the sequel trilogy.

In early interviews, series creator Jon Favreau said that The Mandalorian would set up the birth of the First Order. We know the First Order only becomes prominent a few years before the events of The Force Awakens. So about 20 years from where we are in this series. But The Mandalorian has already set this up in many ways. The discovery of cloning vats filled with what look like prototype Snoke bodies hints at the future of the First Order’s leader. Not to mention its real leader, Emperor Palpatine. So although The Mandalorian is set firmly in a post-Return of the Jedi timeframe, it will set up many things left to the imagination in the sequels.

The Mandalorian season three drops on Disney+ on March 1.

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The Book of Boba Fett helped made it a lot easier to wait for new episodes of The Mandalorian. The spinoff series reunited Din Djarin and Grogu after their heartbreaking farewell. But now that the little green Force user has left Luke Skywalker and his Jedi training behind, they’re ready to roam the galaxy far, far away together again. And we have a better idea of what lies ahead for them on their latest journey. The newest trailer for The Mandalorian season three features a whole lot of Mandos and their home planet.

This series sure does know how to deliver a great trailer. We’re ready to join the fight for Mandalore. We also can’t wait to see the world’s tiniest Force user harnessing his powers to save the day. Again. And we hope someone wakes up to the growing threat of a resurrected foe. Unfortunately it seems too many people want to pretend that’s not happening.

But The Mandalorian season three also seems primed to explore more of Grogu’s past, based on what we see in the trailer. That Jedi scene is likely another flashback to Order 66, which we know Grogu survived at the Jedi Temple. Does that have anything to do with why Dr. Pershing is seen on what appears to be Coruscant? We don’t know, but we can’t wait to find out.

Season three’s official synopsis also provides some insight into what we can expect this year. From Disney:

The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together.

In addition to Pascal’s Mando, season three will also feature other series regulars. That includes Carl Weathers (Greef Karga), Katee Sackhoff (Bo-Katan Kryze), Amy Sedaris (Peli Motto), Emily Swallow (the Armorer), Omid Abtahi (Dr. Pershing), and Giancarlo Esposito (Moff Gideon). Christopher Lloyd is also join rumored to join them in season three, as is SNL alum Tim Meadows.

Show creator and head writer Jon Favreau also serves as an executive producer. As does Dave Filoni, Rick Famuyiwa, Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson, Karen Gilchrist, and Carrie Beck. Famuyiwa, Carl Weathers, and Bryce Dallas Howard will return for directing duties this year. The directors of the eight-episode Rachel Morrison, Lee Isaac Chung, and Peter Ramsey join them as episode directors.

The Mandalorian, with an eye towards both the past and the future, returns to Disney+ for season three on March 1.

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Two hundred moons after the events of 1988’s Willow, a new Disney+ series with the same name steps back into the world of magic and adventure. The film ended with Elora Danan, the chosen one, safe and sound. But what happens when she comes of age? That’s where the Willow TV series picks up, exploring a world in danger from darkness. Willow Ufgood returns, as does Sorsha. They join a cast of new characters, including Sorsha’s children with Madmartigan, Kit and Airk. Madmartigan himself, however, has not appeared in the series. Despite that, we do hear about Madmartigan and even get introduced to an imposter in the series. Willow hints that Madmartigan is still out there. He’s alive. It’s just a matter of finding him.

We learn Madmartigan left on a quest and never returned home. Though they had to move on, his family has had no closure. Kit and Airk, very clearly the progeny of the rogue-ish figure, comment on their missing father. Boorman, part of the quest to find Airk, is an associate of Madmartigan. The enigmatic adventurer has stories to tell, and Kit is ready to listen. She wants to find any clue that might explain why her father has been gone.

In a fun guest role, Christian Slater plays another associate of Madmartigan in episode six of the series. The trolls have kept him captive for 10 years. He introduces himself as Madmartigan, though obviously Kit and Willow know he’s an imposter. He claims he used the name to distract the trolls so the real Madmartigan could save the world. His real name is Allagash.

Showrunner Jon Kasdan shared of the role, “The idea immediately, once we saw where we were going with this, [is] there was a movie you never got to see… It came out in 1992, and it was The Adventures of Madmartigan, and it had Madmartigan leading a team of adventurers on a daring quest. And we thought, ‘Who would be in that movie?’ And Christian was the first name that popped into our heads.”

Allagash brings Willow and the others to the door through which Madmartigan disappeared. Kit finds Madmartigan’s sword and even hears his voice calling for her in the Willow series. It certainly sounds like Val Kilmer, but it’s actually a combination of his voice and the voice of his son, Jack Kilmer.  Kasdan shares more about the process of creating Madmartigan’s voice in a tweet.

Additionally, Madmartigan’s heroic theme from the original movie even plays a few times throughout these Willow scenes. In other words, Madmartigan’s presence looms over Willow even though he hasn’t appeared yet. During a recent press conference for the series, Kasdan even said, “Madmartigan is still out there. I’ve had many conversations with everyone involved, and our feeling is he is out there to be found, should the day arrive.”

Including the key character in the series was a conversation from the beginning. However, Val Kilmer, who portrayed Madmartigan in Willow, couldn’t make it to Wales for filming. That doesn’t rule out some kind of appearance in the future. And now that Kit hasn’t just heard tales of her lost father but heard his voice for herself, it seems all the more likely Madmartigan will turn up in the future of Willow.

New episodes of Willow air on Wednesdays on Disney+.

Originally published November 30, 2022.

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Disney is returning to Witch Mountain once again. A pilot based on the iconic sci-fi franchise has been greenlit for Disney+, starring Bryce Dallas Howard in the lead role. In addition to Howard, also joining the cast are Isabel Gravitt, Levi Miller, Bianca “b” Norwood, and Jackson Kelly. The original film spawned five different projects for Disney, starting way back in 1975.

You can read the official synopsis for the Witch Mountain Disney+ pilot below:

The series is “a modern reinvention of the cult classic that takes place in the shadow of “Witch Mountain,” following two teens that develop strange abilities and discover their sleepy suburb may not be as idyllic as it seems.”

The original Escape to Witch Mountain, based on the 1968 novel, focused on kids with special powers who discovered they had an alien lineage. The first film became a rare hit for the studio at a time when they were struggling with theatrical releases. A 1978 sequel followed, Return to Witch Mountain. Later, a made-for-TV third chapter, Beyond Witch Mountain, came along in 1982. In the ’90s, a remake was made, again for television. The last time there was a Witch Mountain project was back in 2009. This was when Disney made a theatrical legacy sequel, Race to Witch Mountain, which starred Dwayne the Rock Johnson. That version didn’t result in any more follow-ups.

In the Disney+ Witch Mountain pilot, Howard will play “Audrey.” According to a release, she is “Tia’s devoted and loving mother.  Her husband died from a mental illness, and she tries to reassure a fretful Tia that she shows no sign of following her father’s dark spiral. A warm mama bear type, but like everyone in this town, not everything is as it seems.” The other new roles include troubled teens with powers and more.

Interestingly, this version of Witch Mountain is only being greenlit as a pilot and not a straight-to-series order like most Disney+ projects these days. Especially those that are based on legacy content like Witch Mountain. It does feel like a no-brainer for Disney to continue this franchise in some form, though. It has teens with telekinetic powers, alien mysteries, and small towns hiding secrets. All of these things sound like perfect ingredients for a sci-fi series geared towards the YA crowd. No better place than on Disney+ for this franchise to thrive.

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After a very long wait, everyone’s favorite intergalactic bounty hunter and his adorable child will be back. Disney and Lucasfilm have officially revealed that The Mandalorian season three will hit Disney+ on March 1, 2023. Mando (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu return a full two years after the season two finale, which saw the infant formerly known as Baby Yoda go off with Luke Skywalker to train in the Jedi ways. Luckily, they resolved all that in The Book of Boba Fett. Mando and Grogu will be together as they should be when season three begins.

They made the Mando announcement at the CCXP convention in Brazil, where Pedro Pascal took to the stage, with a sizzle reel for the third season. What will season three of Mando bring us? Earlier trailers saw a return to Mandalore, with a lot more Mandalorians in action, with all kinds of different (and super cool looking) armor. Katee Sackhoff returns as Bo Katan, who wants nothing more than to rule Mandalore herself. Unfortunately for her, Din Djarin has the Darksaber, so he’s the rightful heir. We sense a big fight coming. Luckily, Mando has an ace up his sleeve, in the form of a green Jedi baby in a floating bassinet.

At the panel, producer Jon Favreau said that seaon three’s scope is bigger than in previous seasons. It will contain more space battles, a lot more Mandalorians, and many more surprises. Will we see Ahsoka Tano return, before her own series arrives next year? And what about Moff Gideon? He is definitely still out there, even if our heroes captured him, and put him in prison. We don’t expect him to rot behind bars for long, as Giancarlo Esposito has confirmed that he’s coming back as well. All will be made clear when The Mandalorian season three premieres next March on Disney+.

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Where can you find this year’s best Christmas party? Knowhere! Of course, that only makes sense if you’re an MCU fan who’s seen director James Gunn’s fantastic new The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special on Disney+. Drax and Mantis turned that Celestia skull into the universe’s biggest winter wonderland to cheer up their friend Peter. But the MCU’s Christmas celebration also gave us new insights into the group heading into their third film. Here’s everything we learned from The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

The Guardians Bought Knowhere From the Collector

It was unclear what happened to the Collector after Thanos attacked Knowhere. (The Reality Stone really does mess with reality!) Now we know he survived, but decided not to stick around his old base of operations. He sold that skull of a Celestial to the Guardians. It’s their new home, and as Knowhere’s leaders they’re overseeing the heavily-damaged colony’s restoration.

Knowhere is a special place to the group. It’s where they first started to come together as a unified clan. And it’s also the last place any of them saw the original Gamora alive. But having an established home base also means it will be easier for their many enemies to find them.

James Gunn even shared a little bit more on how they could afford this base.

Cosmo the Dog Joins the Group

Speaking of the Collector, one of his old specimens is the newest Guardian of the Galaxy. The Soviet Union’s test animal/space explorer Cosmo the Dog has joined the group. She can speak with a Russian accent through a translating device and has telekinetic powers. The adorable pup in a cosmonaut suit also refuses to take gruff and loves treats. She’s obviously a very good girl.

The Guardians of the Galaxy Have a New Ship: The Bowie

The Guardians are already on their third ship ahead of their third feature film. The Benatar (which replaced the Milano) is out and The Bowie is in. We can easily imagine why Quill named a ship after David Bowie. But why the new transportation? What happened to the Benatar? That we do not know. You might say it’s a real “Space Oddity.”

Kraglin Still Can’t Control His Flying Arrow

Kraglin is determined to carry on—or rather fly—Yondu’s legacy. But despite his best efforts and the giant fin attached to his skull, Kraglin still doesn’t have the “hang” of his arrow. Unlike in Thor: Love and Thunder, we didn’t even see him attempt (and fail) to use it during the holiday special. That was for the best, though. You’d have to be really naughty to deserve a wayward flying arrow on Christmas morning.

Groot Got Swoll

Groot is a growing young tree. And we don’t just mean by age. Referred to as both YA Groot and Swoll Groot by James Gunn, the wide chonky boy has a very different build than that of his lean father. He also has a more outgoing personality, which was on full display when Swoll Groot rocked out to “I Don’t Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime is Here.)” And he’s even quite the artist. (We’d very much like Santa to bring us some of his sculptures.)

Gamora Is Still Missing and Peter Is Still Sad

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was wholesome fun. (Not in spite of the human abduction, either, but because of it!) Not everything was perfect, though. Gamora from 2014 is still missing. She disappeared after Thanos’s defeat in Endgame. Quill still hasn’t found her, and he’s obviously not over her. A reunion with Gamora is the one present he truly wants, but is that even possible? The Gamora that is out in the galaxy is not the one who loved him.

It probably doesn’t help that Quill also doesn’t have his buddy Thor around anymore, either. The two clearly had developed a real admiration for one another during the God of Thunder’s brief time with the Guardians.

Peter and Mantis Are Siblings

Star-Lord’s life has been full of loss. He lost his mom, his entire Terran family, his home planet, his father, Yondu, and the love of his life. But this Christmas he gained a sister. Mantis shared an important secret with him: Ego is her dad, too.

Peter says finding out Mantis is his sister is the greatest Christmas gift he could ever get. It’s also a pretty terrific present for MCU fans. Their familial connection will only make what’s sure to be an emotional Vol. 3 even more meaningful.

But we also hope the movie includes more scenes of Nebula dancing. The fact she has some…uh…let’s call them moves?…might be the biggest Guardians of the Galaxy revelation ever. And that’s the type of gift the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe can enjoy.

Originally published on November 28, 2022.

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The magic and fantasy of Willow is one that lives in the minds of lots of ‘80s and ‘90s kids. Who doesn’t love an epic adventure with a sorcerer going on the quest of a lifetime? A good ole tale of good versus a looming evil? Light, darkness, and magic abounding in one sweeping story? Now the wonder of Willow is returning for us kids at heart and a new generation to enjoy. The sequel to this journey, also titled Willow, will take a longer path via a Disney+ series coming on November 30. And now, we get our first taste of what this return to the magic will look like. Lucasfilm has officially released the first clip from the Willow series.

It’s a delight to see Warwick Davis again. And the fantasy of the Willow series is the perfect new chapter for the franchise. We’re already hooked. But that’s not all we get. A special look video also shows off more of this beautiful world. 

For those who are wondering what to expect, here’s a quick synopsis of this Willow series to go with our latest looks: 

The story began when an aspiring sorcerer, played by Warwick Davis, is whisked away on a journey to protect an infant empress Elora Danan and vanquish the evil Queen Bavmorda from their world of Andowyne. Now, the story continues with Davis reprising his titular role, as he leads an unlikely crew of heroes on a quest to protect Andowyne from an even larger foe than they had imagined possible.

We love it. This certainly isn’t the first glance we have seen of Warwick Davis returning as the Nelwyn sorcerer. The official Willow trailer gave us so much life. But any glimpse we get reminds us of what we have to anticipate. Action, love, an abduction, and looming threats bring Willow back into action in this series. A trek into the unknown and a dash of humor will make things in our fraught world alright. Right?

Fantasy has certainly had a great ride in 2022. The Rings of Power brought immense delight to everyone in the universe… or at least everyone at Nerdist. (And left us with a lot of questions to ponder.) Now, let’s get ready for Willow to bless our holiday season with yet another series that will make us cheer, cry, and want to chase our destinies.

Originally published on October 31, 2022.

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The 1988 classic Willow is finally getting a sequel series! Whether you’ve seen the movie dozens of times or not at all, here’s everything you need to know about the magical world.

Jump to: Willow‘s Main Characters // Willow‘s World // Willow‘s Magical Powers // 1988’s Movie Ending // The Disney+ Willow Sequel Series

The Main Characters of Willow 

Willow Ufgood

Our hero, played by Warwick Davis, is a farmer. He performs sleight-of-hand magic but aspires to be a sorcerer. His wife and children rescue a baby and their village is attacked shortly thereafter. Willow is tasked with taking the baby home, which turns into an epic quest. Davis, who was only 18 in the movie, returns for the TV series.

Madmartigan

Madmartigan would describe himself as a master swordsman but according to his friend Airk he is a thief and a rogue. Though he is at first untrustworthy, he becomes a loyal friend. Val Kilmer’s cameo in Maverick gives some hope he’ll appear in the series, but he has not acted much recently for health reasons.

Queen Bavmorda

Following a prophecy that a baby will bring about her downfall, the queen searches the land for the right child. When the baby escapes, she sends Death Dogs and then her daughter Sorsha to hunt it down so she can use magic to banish its soul.

Sorsha

Sorsha is a warrior princess who eventually works with the forces of good against her mother. She defects after falling for Madmartigan’s charms. Sorsha appears in the series, again played by Joanne Whalley.

Fin Raziel

Raziel is a sorceress Queen Bavmorda turned into a possum and exiled to an island in a lake decades earlier. 

Elora Danan

The red-haired baby at the center of this tale, Elora’s birthmark declares her the chosen one to rule the land and dethrone Bavmorda. She tells the fairies her name and chooses Willow as her guardian.

Franjean and Rool

At the request of the fairy queen, these two accompany Willow on his mission. Kevin Pollak’s Rool does appear in the trailers.

Willow‘s World 

Queen Bavmorda rules the land of Nockmaar and has already defeated nearby Tir Asleen and is waging war with Galladoorn. She, and other characters played by actors of average height, belong to the group called Daikini. Nelwyn like Willow are people of short stature. Until Elora arrives in their village, they were safe and unnoticed by the queen. The Brownies, less than a foot tall, live with the similarly sized fairies.

Jump to: Willow‘s Main Characters // Willow‘s World // Willow‘s Magical Powers // 1988’s Movie Ending // The Disney+ Willow Sequel Series

The Magical Powers of Willow 

Every race uses magic to some degree. The fairy queen Cherlindrea gives Willow her magic wand to pass on to Raziel. The Brownies carry a fairy dust love potion, which turns Madmartigan and Sorsha from enemies to lovers.  

The Nelwyn sorcerer, called the High Aldwin, uses the finger test to choose an apprentice. When Willow fails, The High Aldwin teaches him that the first step is to follow his instincts. The sorcerer “consults the bones,” but it is just for show.

Willow is able to use the fairy’s magic wand, though not reliably. After rescuing possum Raziel from the island, he uses it to make her human again. But first she morphs into a series of animals in what was, at the time, cutting edge ILM computer animation. Willow also turns a troll into a two-headed nightmare dragon. Based on the show’s trailers, there are many other magical creatures in the land.

Bavmorda’s powers include transmogrification. She turns an entire army into pigs, which Raziel fixes once she can finally hold the magic wand. The queen also tosses people into the air and shoots fire from her fingertips. Bavmorda sets up an elaborate spell to destroy Elora, but ends up banishing herself instead.

Where Did the 1988 Willow Movie Leave Us? 

Willow‘s happy ending leaves Elora with Sorsha and Madmartigan as the new royal family of Tir Asleen. Their quest to destroy evil accomplished, the unlikely fellowship of Daikini, Nelwyn, and Brownies disbands. Raziel gifts Willow a spellbook and he returns home a hero.

How the 2022 Series Fits Into Willow‘s Timeline 

The Willow series is a sequel to the movie, with some actors returning nearly 35 years later. Although a new featurette has confirmed that the Willow series actually takes place only 20 years after the movie. Though we know some of the new character names, there’s a lot we don’t know about the plot. There was a trilogy of novels that came out in the ’90s that could provide some storylines.

Do yourself a favor and watch Willow on Disney+. The movie holds up remarkably well! The eight episode series debuts November 30, 2022, also on Disney+.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She still has a crush on Val Kilmer that started with Willow. Melissa also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever certainly deals with a lot of its past and present. From the ramifications of making itself known to the world to the aftermath of losing its beloved King, there’s a lot to explore alongside its action. But, as is the case with most Marvel offerings, the film also prepares us for the future. It is the final project in Phase 4, so of course it lays groundwork for the next chapter in the ongoing saga of the MCU. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever introduces Riri Williams, also known as Ironheart, and sets the stage for her Disney+ series in a wonderful way. 

The film serves as almost a backdoor pilot for Riri Williams, introducing her to the live-action world. She’s a 19-year-old computer and engineering wiz MIT student (so she gets an age bump from the comics). Riri is also a hustler who uses her genius intellect to do her fellow students’ homework for money. She’s also not above blackmailing them to get a better fee. She might be young, but she’s tough enough to stand up to Okoye, fight the police, and go into battle.

As expected, she’s also a major Iron Man fan who builds her own secretive suit. But her skills as an engineer also put her life in peril. Ironheart finds herself on the wrong side of Namor and the Talokans. To spite a professor, she builds a machine that can detect vibranium, the only such device in the world. Like Tony Stark did long ago in a cave, it’s partly made out of scraps, showing just how much she learned toying around in her late father’s garage as a kid.

As a result, Namor wants to find Riri and kill her because, well, he doesn’t want anyone sniffing around the ocean for the valuable substance. The search for vibranium could lead to the discovery and destruction of his underwater world.

That’s how Riri comes under the care and camaraderie of Wakanda and Shuri, a comic connection that forms an undeniable bond. Their first major interaction leads to us seeing a cool early version of Riri’s Ironheart suit in action. In Wakanda, Riri uses the country’s tech to make an improved, far more stylish suit that she takes into battle. However, at the end of the film Shuri makes Riri leave the new iron suit behind. But while her original vibranium detector is destroyed in the film, the CIA knows Riri is the only one who can build one. She might be safe from Talokan for now, but likely not from her own government.

Ironheart and Her MCU Future

The Ironheart series will debut sometime in fall 2023, close to a year after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. However, it seems that Ironheart will be a direct continuation of Riri Williams’ story. Her TV introduction certainly won’t be like Ms. Marvel’s, where her entire path from regular kid to hero took place on-screen. We will already have a foundational knowledge of who she is in the MCU and the very real journey she’s about to take.

In the comics, we see Riri taking a step back from being a hero, yet getting into the mix of an investigation alongside N.A.T.A.L.I.E. The details of that lead her back into the suit and eventually into a collective of young heroes. Riri’s first trip to Wakanda certainly isn’t her last, but that’s not likely in her television show. It’s up in the air how things will go and what new suits Ironheart will possibly build. (I am personally holding out hope for her pink one to make an appearance.) Until then, we can take joy in knowing that Black girls are shining in the Marvel Universe.

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