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

Here’s what went down.

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

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

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

Loki Season Two Enhances Mobius’ Love of Jet Skis

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Somebody get Steve Miller on the phone cause the God of Mischief could use his expertise. Odin’s son keeps on slipping through time in the new trailer for Loki season two. But that’s far from the biggest problem he’ll face when his MCU series returns to Disney+. He has to save both the multiverse and the Sacred Timeline from the most dangerous man the past, present, and future have ever faced. Fortunately Loki still has some friends around to help him.

Tom Hiddleston is back for another season of time-hopping adventures, only this time the stakes are even greater. The decision of Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie to kill He Who Remains at the end of season one unleashed so much chaos Loki himself is now getting pulled through time itself. His unplanned trips through the past and future is why he knows there’s a very fine line separating his world and “utter destruction,” in what looks like an action-packed season.

That is unless Owen Wilson’s Mobius can slow things down. He likes to be more methodical in his work. He likes to savor a nice piece of pie when facing annhilation, which, fair.

This Loki season two trailer also features some surprise moments, like the marquee teasing the Marvel Comics’ villain Zaniac. Oscar-winner Ke Huy Quan is also getting in on the fun. This teaser also seems to confirm something the MCU has only been alluding to, which is that the TVA and Citadel exist inside the Quantum Realm. And, despite the actor currently facing very serious allegations, the trailer does tease the return of Jonathan Majors’ Kang.

The series also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Eugene Cordero, Rafael Casal, Tara Strong, Kate Dickie, Liz Carr, and Neil Ellice. Loki season two debuts on Disney+ on October 6. That is unless someone messes with the timeline. Then it might already have premiered last month. Or it will next year? Or today? Maybe Steve Miller knows?

The post LOKI Season 2 Trailer Shows Tense and Slippery Time-Hopping Mission appeared first on Nerdist.

The only thing scary about Disney’s 2003 attempt at turning its iconic hair-raising ride into a movie was how much everyone hated it. It wasn’t particularly funny or frightening for anyone of any age. Twenty years later, though, it seems like the Mouse House might have finally figured out it can do both with an adaptation. The first full trailer for Haunted Mansion has plenty of laughs, plenty of ghouls, and plenty of reason to believe this latest attempt at turning the Disney Parks attraction into a featured film will be spec(ter)tacular.

Is this movie going to scare some kids? Absolutely. We know because we expect some parts to scare us, too. There’s a reason this film is rated PG-13, whereas the 2003 adaptation The Haunted Mansion got a PG designation. But that’s a good thing! If you ever rode the attraction as a kid you were probably scared by some of it. Especially that opening waiting room with the moving pictures, which this Haunted Mansion trailer reveals will be one of many Easter eggs and reference to the ride.

What exactly is going on in this adaptation, though? Why would anyone go some place so haunted? Here’s the film’s brief official synopsis from Disney:

Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, “Haunted Mansion” is about a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.

Directed by Justin Simien (Dear White People), the movie boasts a terrifyingly good cast. The movie stars LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, Dan Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jared Leto as The Hatbox Ghost.

Will this prove to be the adaptation we’ve waited 20 years for? We’ll find out this summer when Haunted Mansion comes to theaters on July 28. But just based on this trailer alone we’re pretty sure it’ll be a lot better than the original. It will be really scary if it’s not.

The post HAUNTED MANSION Trailer Turns Disney’s Iconic Ride Into a House of Horrors appeared first on Nerdist.

There will be some who see Paint‘s trailer and dismiss it as a silly little movie. I don’t blame them. It stars Owen Wilson in a ridiculous wig playing a cartoonish version of The Joy of Painting‘s Bob Ross. That premise seems intentionally pretty silly. If you’re one of those people, though, I’m here to tell you Paint is so much better than it might seem on the surface. Its ability to combine broad humor with quiet quirkiness and a tremendous cast makes for a funny, entertaining film. But what makes it truly worthy of your time is its intimate story about regret, how we each think about success and failure, and what defines “real” art. And that all works specifically because Paint stars Owen Wilson in a ridiculous wig playing a cartoonish version of Bob Ross.

Paint‘s official synopsis gives you everything you need to know about its general plot. From IFC Films:

Owen Wilson stars as Carl Nargle, Vermont’s #1 public TV painter who is convinced he has it all: a signature perm, custom van, and fans hanging on his every stroke… until a younger, better artist steals everything (and everyone) Carl loves.

That younger artist is Ciara Renée’s Ambrosia Long. She’s secretly conniving, extremely talented, a total threat to everything Carl has created, and yet wholly likable. That’s true of everyone in this cast, which despite its primary focus on its lead still feels like a great ensemble piece. That’s because writer-director Brit McAdams does a great job making sure every actor knows exactly what movie they are in. They’re all operating on the same weird frequency, which is akin to a Christopher Guest mockumentary in tone and delivery. The people whose lives revolve around both Carl Nargle and Burlington, Vermont’s public access station don’t have any idea how absurd everything they do really is, so they do it all with sincerity. Anything less would fall flat and undermine why this movie works.

That sincerity is why even the film’s broadest gags—like when the soft-spoken, seemingly emotionally distant Carl speeds from one single house to another on a densely populated street—really land. It’s totally ridiculous and inherently hilarious while still feeling like a legitimate thing that would happen in this tiny world. It’s a world where a local access painter/lothario who basically makes the same painting every day can bring an entire community to “a special place” every afternoon. Everyone really loves Carl, even his ex-girlfriends.

Those exes include Wendi McLendon-Covey and Lusia Strus, who steal every scene they’re in. No surprise Stephen Root, who Carl’s boss, is also stellar just like he always is. As is Lucy Freyer, who plays Carl’s new love interest who has to learn what everyone else seems to know about him.

But the heart of this movie belongs to the criminally underrrated Michaela Watkins (the station’s assistant manager Katherine) and Wilson’s Carl. They had once been in love, but that relationship ended for reasons that aren’t immediately obvious. What is obvious is that it left both of them damaged and stuck working together. As the film slowly pulls back the layers of their history together it slowly unveils a story that is far more heartbreaking and complex than you’ll expect. And each actors’ quiet, understated performance only adds to the sadness that surrounds them. All of that unspoken pain, which is present even during their funniest moments, gives Paint a depth its trailers and synopsis can’t possibly convey.

Its themes of regret and lost love isn’t the limit of the film’s depth, though. It’s also a treatise on what defines “real” art and artists. And this is the true genius of the film’s script and the casting of Wilson. Bob Ross might be a beloved figure who was excellent at what he did, but few would probably describe him as a truly great painter. But Paint poses an important question about that general idea: “Isn’t the separation and gatekeeping of “real” art bullshit?”

Sure, Carl Nargle/Bob Ross painted the same type of thing day after day on a little TV show. But the way an artist and his show made people feel was/is real. Isn’t that what art is really about? Making someone feel something? Connecting with others via your medium?

That’s why Wilson is a perfect choice for this exact role. His Carl desperately wants to be accepted as a real artist. He yearns for the same kind of recognition every creative person does. And it’s easy to see how Wilson’s own standing in Hollywood both reflects and informs his outstanding performance. All of the connotations that come with casting him—someone known primarily as a comedic actor who excels in broad and/or quirky roles and not much more—add to the film’s themes. He’s playing a Bob Ross figure, yes. But Owen Wilson is also a real-life avatar for the character. His presence helps highlight the film’s question about the purpose and meaning of art. That adds layers to everything you’re seeing, as though the real person and the character are in conversation with one another, each searching for the same thing. And each deserving it.

Paint isn’t perfect and not everyone will vibe with it. (These types of off-kilter movies will never be for everyone.) There are also a few moments when it feels like it veers a little too far from its general tone. A few spots get too silly. And while it’s consistently funny throughout, there are sequences that rely too much on its cast’s performance than the scripts inherent humor.

But on the whole it really worked for me. And not only do its strengths far outweigh its few issues, I thought about Paint for days after I saw it.. It lived in my brain the way only truly interesting stories with something to actually say can.

This is a well-paced, tightly told, beautiful little movie full of humor, heart, and a point-of-view. It treats its characters with respect even when they’re at their most absurd. That includes both the real painter who inspired its main character and the actor who plays him.

Turns out putting Owen Wilson in a ridiculous wig as cartoonish version of Bob Ross was exactly the point of Paint. But, fittingly, the “point” is a far more interesting work of art than you might expect.

⭐ (3.5 of 5)

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

The post PAINT Delivers a Funny and Heartfelt Work of Art appeared first on Nerdist.

If you look at the theater today, you’ll see a lot of high stakes. The Earth could be destroyed. The entire galaxy might cease to be. The very multiverse is at stake. But judging by the Paint trailer, which tells the story of a fictional public television artist, one who seems to be incredibly inspired by Bob Ross, this movie will give us something a little different. And by a little different, we mean the pleasant calm of incredibly low stakes. Think: the tree in the painting is too big. Let’s take a look.

The Paint trailer and its already-released teaser below, are all vibes, even when the going gets rough. We get some gentle music, beautiful landscapes, and the soothing ASMR-quality of brushstrokes. Not to mention a whole lot of very sincerely delivered affirmations. Of course, nothing can remain entirely pure. And competition in the paint world is fierce. Owen Wilson’s Carl Nargle does even throw a paint can in frustration at one point. And it looks like some art might end up burning. But what can we say, we need some tension.

IFC Films brings us the next latest and greatest in the recent trend of biopics with a twist. Of course, this isn’t really a Bob Ross biopic; it’s an entirely fictional tale of Carl Nargle. But Paint sure does heavily wink at the idea in its trailer. We guess a true story gives more license to create whatever kind of drama a movie needs. Even if that’s not very much drama at all.

The official synopsis for the Paint movie, released with its trailer, tells us everything we need to know.

Owen Wilson stars as Carl Nargle, Vermont’s #1 public TV painter who is convinced he has it all: a signature perm, custom van, and fans hanging on his every stroke… until a younger, better artist steals everything (and everyone) Carl loves.

Poor Carl. How will this tale end? We guess we’ll find out when Paint releases on April 7.

The post PAINT Trailer Brings Chill Vibes and Owen Wilson’s Bob Ross Hair appeared first on Nerdist.

This is not a drill! Owen Wilson and his glorious perm are finally on display in this image from the movie Paint, which comes out April 28, 2023. The hair and outfit are just right, along with the beautiful snowy landscape on the canvas. But Wilson is not actually playing Bob Ross, though clearly his character and the iconic host of The Joy of Painting have a lot in common. Here’s the movie’s official description from IFC:  

Carl Nargle, a local treasure with a soothing whisper of a voice, has been hosting his own painting show on Vermont public television for decades. His art captivates and has attracted the attention of many women over the years, especially those who work at the station. But Carl is in a rut, and the station isn’t pulling in ratings. When a new painter is hired to revitalize the channel, Carl’s own fears regarding his talents as a painter are brought to the forefront. 

As far as we know, no one ever tried to oust Bob Ross during his run on public television from 1983-1994 but it’s an intriguing plot device. Here’s hoping it includes a similar backstory as Ross’ 20 year military career. Paint, which we learned about from Entertainment Weekly, also stars Stephen Root, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Michaela Watkins, and Ciara Renée. Owen Wilson has a lot planned for 2023. He also returns as Mobius in season two of Loki and the voice of everyone’s favorite race car in a Cars TV show.

The Joy of Painting was popular in its time and has seen a huge resurgence in the past few years. No matter how long you’ve been a fan, there’s something for everyone. Some people paint along while others play drinking games. Ross’ trademark calm voice and rhythmic brushstrokes are also the perfect way to fall into a deep sleep.

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

The post Owen Wilson Channels Bob Ross in This First Look at PAINT appeared first on Nerdist.

What kid doesn’t dream of waking up someday and discovering they’re actually a superhero? If that’s not possible, though, there are other ways to find out life is way cooler than you thought. For example, you can discover your dad is actually a superhero himself. That’s the premise for Secret Headquarters, Paramount+‘s upcoming family-friendly action film starring Owen Wilson. But the movie’s first trailer shows why you should definitely make sure your kid stays out of your hidden underground layer full of alien technology. Especially when sinister forces are looking to steal them.

Super powers aren’t real. (We’re fairly certain.) But Walker Scobell sure does get to pretend they are a lot. He played the childhood version of Ryan Reynolds time-traveling warrior in The Adam Project. And he recently got tabbed to star as the demigod Percy Jackson in the upcoming Disney+ series based on the young adult novels. Now he’ll play a kid who learns his absentee father is actually saving the world when he’s away on business. With no one home to stop him and his friends, though, they’re going to cause some big problems when they start using his dad’s secret tech. Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

While hanging out after school, Charlie and his friends discover the headquarters of the world’s most powerful superhero hidden beneath his home. When villains attack, they must team up to defend the headquarters and save the world.

Secret Headquarters is the latest from co-directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (Project Power, Nerve, Catfish). It also stars Jesse Williams (Take Me Out), Keith L. Williams (Good Boys), Momona Tamada (The Baby-Sitters Club), Abby James Witherspoon (Hot Pursuit), and Kezii Curtis (Charm City Kings). And standing opposite Wilson’s superhero dad as his main enemy is fellow Marvel alum Michael Peña.

That’s why we’re really jealous of all these kids. Finding out your parent is actually the world’s greatest hero is cool. But hanging out with Owen Wilson and Michael Peña isn’t far behind.

Secret Headquarters comes exclusively to Paramount+ on August 12.

The post Owen Wilson Is a Superhero Dad in SECRET HEADQUARTERS Trailer appeared first on Nerdist.

This year, Valentine’s Day movies will not sit and wait quietly. Even though it’s technically Christmas movie season, Valentine’s Day has arrived in full force. And this year, it’s Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson leading the pack with Marry Me.  Though Loki’s Mobius may not have gotten to ride a jet-ski, Owen Wilson’s next character Charlie Gilbert looks like he’s about to have his dreams come true.

The official trailer description shares:

Packed with original songs by Jennifer Lopez and global Latin music star Maluma, Marry Me arrives next Valentine’s Day with Lopez starring as musical superstar Kat Valdez and Owen Wilson as Charlie Gilbert, a math teacher—total strangers who agree to marry and then get to know each other. An unlikely romance about two different people searching for something real in a world where value is based on likes and followers, Marry Me is a modern love story about celebrity, marriage, and social media.

J.Lo’s character, Kat Valdez, thinks she knows the direction of her life. She will marry her fiancé and music-partner Bastian in front of a sold-out audience. But minutes before they take the stage, Kat finds out Bastian has cheated on her. So instead, she looks out into the crowd and elects to web Charlie Gilbert, played by Owen Wilson. Could it be love at first sight?

Of course, it could. It’s Valentine’s Day.

As Kat and Charlie fall in love, “forces conspire to separate them,” but will they make it? Sometimes, the best answer equals out to the one you want to hear. We can’t wait to take this heart-warming, if likely-cliched, adventure with Owen Wilson and Jennifer Lopez in Marry Me. In the meanwhile, we’ll definitely download this song from the movie.

And honestly, we have to give a round of applause for Owen Wilson, who doesn’t even vaguely resemble Mobius in this trailer. Acting, if you like. We’ll see you in the theaters.

The post J.Lo and Owen Wilson’s MARRY ME Kicks off V-Day Movie Season appeared first on Nerdist.

You better make sure you got the oil changed on your Disney+ subscription. And that your modem’s break lights are working. Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy are returning to the Cars franchise for an all-new Disney+ series. But this time they’re leaving the racetrack behind to go out and see the world, in Cars on the Road. And official concept art teasing their adventures is sure to rev fans’ engines.

Lightning McQueen and Mater have already conquered the box office with three films. Now they’re taking on the streaming world with their own Disney+ series. The Mouse House announced the Pixar show as part of this year’s virtual Disney+ Day. While Cars on the Road doesn’t have a teaser just yet, we did get a glimpse at what to expect. In a Disney+ only featurette, Larry the Cable Guy says the duo will head out on a cross country trip.

Concept art also teases the kind of danger they’ll face. One drawing shows the friends on the run from two gigantic dinosaur autos. In another they appear to have joined a gang of Mad Max Fury Road-style cars and trucks. (Either that or they’ll be facing down a band of dangerous machines who just so happen to have their evil doubles.) And in the final image Lightning McQueen flees for his life through the forest as a monster truck chases him down.

Fortunately for children everywhere, but not for those of us with a very dark sense of humor, Saturday Night Live‘s idea for a Cars 4 is probably not an inspiration for the show.

Cars on the Road doesn’t have a specific release date yet. It will debut on Disney+ sometime in 2022. Which should be plenty of time to make sure your home’s streaming capabilities gets a tuneup.

The post Owen Wilson Returning as Lighting McQueen in CARS Series appeared first on Nerdist.

Saturday Night Live

Wilson is starting things off, hosting the October 2 season premiere, with Kacey Musgraves as musical guest. The funny man is fresh off his run as Mobius M. Mobius in Loki. He’s also starring in the new Wes Anderson film, The French Dispatch, which opens on October 22. We’re already manifesting SNL sketches featuring major Wes Anderson vibes, as well as just maybe finally giving us Mobius on a jet ski? As a little treat.

Kim Kardashian West is following things up on October 9, with Halsey serving as musical guest. And from there, Rami Malek picks up the hosting reins, with Young Thug as musical guest. Malek is hosting just a week after No Time to Die, in which he plays the villain, drops. Sure, we think he’ll do a perfectly fine job as host. Still, it’s a shame Daniel Craig and The Weeknd weren’t available to return for the gig.

Disney+/Apple TV+

And capping off the first set of hosts is Jason Sudeikis, which Lorne Michaels recently teased. The Ted Lasso star spent a decade at 30 Rock, working as a writer and then cast member. He’s hosting with Brandi Carlisle as musical guest. And what happens when many alums return, we’re keeping our fingers crossed for some fun cameos.

Meanwhile, the series has just confirmed its season 47 cast. After strongly hinting at several departures, most of the cast is back for another round. Yep, Kenan Thompson, Cecily Strong, Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, and Pete Davidson are all back. As are Michael Che, Colin Jost, Mikey Day, Heidi Gardner, Alex Moffat, Chris Redd, Ego Nwodim, Melissa Villaseñor. Season 47 ups Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman to the main cast. And returning featured players are Andrew Dismukes and Punkie Johnson.

Saturday Night Live

However, after eight seasons, Beck Bennett has departed SNL. The comedian confirmed he left the long-running series on Instagram. It’s certainly a surprising move, considering he was not one of the many rumored departures. Featured cast member Lauren Holt is also not returning.

However, the show is getting a trio of new featured players. are headed to SNL. Aristotle Athari, James Austin Johnson, and Sarah Sherman are headed to SNL. Yep, Johnson, who may just have the internet’s favorite impersonation of a certain former president is headed to SNL. I’m sure Lorne’s just itching for a way to use it.

Saturday Night Live season 47 debuts on October 2.

Originally published on September 22, 2021.

The post SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Sets Season 47 Cast appeared first on Nerdist.

The Haunted Mansion film is letting in its first mortal residents. Announced via Deadline, the upcoming movie about the beloved and iconic Disney attraction has signed on its first cast members, LaKeith Stanfield and Tiffany Haddish. Stanfield garnered an Oscar nomination for his work in Judas and the Black Messiah. And Haddish needs no introduction. Justin Simien is directing. The Hollywood Reporter shared in September that Owen Wilson has joined the cast, and so has Rosario Dawson.

This is, of course, the second film from Disney based in the Haunted Mansion. The first came out in 2003, starring Eddie Murphy. But it didn’t light the world on fire, and everyone felt a better version of this movie was still waiting to happen. For a while, Guillermo del Toro was attached to a Haunted Mansion movie that centered on the infamous Hatbox Ghost. But like many a del Toro project, it never made it past announcement stages.

Universal Pictures

So what will make this version of a 999 Happy Haunts movie different from the last one? Well, we’re hoping that it leans more into spooky and not just outright goofy. Obviously, this still has to be fun and for the whole family. But something that has a true air of creepiness would be ideal. The last movie felt too much like a parody of the Haunted Mansion iconography. For that, we’ll take the upcoming Muppets Haunted Mansion on Disney+. We want something with a little more bite to it for the big screen version, please.

FX Networks 

There is no release date yet for the new Haunted Mansion film. Although it certainly seems to be aiming for a theatrical release, and not just for Disney+. As long as we see Mansion favorites like the spectral bride, the hitchhiking ghosts, and Madame Leota, we think this one has the potential to be another great and long-running franchise for the Mouse House.

Featured Image: Marvel Studios

Originally published July 28, 2021 and updated September 8, 2021.

The post THE HAUNTED MANSION Movie Adds Rosario Dawson appeared first on Nerdist.

Marvel

All we know for sure about the past of Owen Wilson’s lovable TVA agent is that he loves Josta soda and jet skis. We imagine he had a Nirvana poster in his garage, too. But we don’t know for sure what else was going on in his former life during (presumably) the ’90s.

However, we almost found out! Loki director and executive producer was a guest on the Phase Zero podcast (as we first heard at /Film). On the show, she explained why they ultimately decided not to include more about Mobius’ life pre-Time Variance Authority.

“There were a few drafts of the script where you did see, like, a family, or you did see a life,” she said. “But I think we all kind of decided we don’t know what it is yet. And I think that’s exciting, right? Because it gives more road to travel with him.”

Marvel

Omitting additional details also made one of the show’s most emotional moments that much more effective. “And I think it’s more painful when he is going to be deleted, him saying, ‘What if I had a family?’ Because, maybe he did or maybe he didn’t,” Herron said. “I don’t know where the writers will take his character.”

We know where they should: to a large body of water back home. Loki had good reasons not to do that in season one. But no timeline is worth protecting if Mobius doesn’t get to ride his jet ski eventually.

The post LOKI Director Explains Why They Left Out Mobius’ Backstory appeared first on Nerdist.

Through five episodes, Loki has provided plenty of answers. The problem is, many have turned out to be lies. Others have raised even bigger, more important questions. With just the season finale left, there’s still a lot we don’t know, from who runs the TVA to whether or not our favorite agent will get to ride a jet ski. Here are the nine most pressing that issues Loki still has to address.

1. “Where” does the place beyond the Void exist?

Marvel

It’s impossible to comprehend the end of time itself. It’s even harder to imagine what comes after that. But in the MCU, something does. Alioth, the purple cloud monster, protected a castle beyond the Void. So where exactly is that castle? In what dimension/world/place does it reside? Is it at the beginning of time, suggesting that time is a circle? Could it be in the Quantum Realm, a dimension that the Avengers used to break the boundaries of linear time? Is it a dimension within the Time Stone itself (explaining why its portal is green)? Some kind of afterlife? Or a parallel dimension that isn’t beholden to the same physics as ours?

Where that castle is located is just as important as who lives in it.

2. Who controls the TVA and why did they hide their identity?

Marvel

Whoever lives in that castle is the true power behind the TVA. This being is responsible for stealing Variants from their lives and casting them off into the Void. How did this unseen figure gain control over all of time? Why did they install literal puppets to serve as the face of the Time Variance Authority? Why is it necessary for them to hide not only their identity but their home? Why do they even need to live outside of time at all? And did this mysterious ruler create the TVA, or simply take it over?

The answer to this one question could have huge ramifications for the MCU. Especially if it has anything to do with Kang the Conqueror.

3. Is the Sacred Timeline even real? 

Marvel

The TVA is built on lies. Agents and hunters don’t know they’re actually Variants being used by a secret overlord. The Time Keepers turned out to be elaborate animatronics. And pruning doesn’t actually kill anyone; it just sends them to the end of time and the jaws of a living tempest. At this point, what evidence is there that the Sacred Timeline is real? All we know of the Sacred Timeline is what Miss Minutes told us. And we definitely have reason to question her motives.

Sylvie said the universe creates Variants because it “wants to break free.” Pruning Variants who can make that possible would seem to violate the natural order, rather than maintaining it. The Sacred Timeline might be nothing more than the biggest lie told to control the universe.

4. Why is Renslayer still covering for the TVA?

Marvel

Judge Renslayer has worked to conceal the true nature of the TVA. She tried to hide the truth about agents and hunters being Variants. And she knew pruning didn’t mean death, but rather a one-way trip to the end of time in the Void. But she didn’t know that the Time Keepers weren’t real. The being who gave her power and knowledge over the agency lied to her too.

So why is she still protecting it? Why does she want the TVA to maintain its grip on the so-called Sacred Timeline? Even though it meant pruning her friend Mobius and keeping fellow Variants hostage. Does she hate her own past? Fear the future? Think this is the only way to survive? Or does she sincerely believe in the cause, even if she doesn’t know who wields this awesome power?

Renslayer instructed Miss Minutes to find her information on the beginning of time and the TVA. Renslayer wants to learn who truly rules over the Time Variance Authority. Will that revelation explain harden her resolve to serve the cause? Or will it finally push her to abandon the TVA for good?

5. What does Miss Minutes really know?

Even before Loki‘s fifth episode, we questioned whether or not Miss Minutes has been hiding a dark secret. Her joint effort to delay Sylvie, and her uneasy answer to Renslayer about finding documents over the TVA’s founding, didn’t do anything to quell our concerns.

How much does she actually know about what is going on and who is in charge? Is she a villain hiding behind a smile and a kind voice? Is she the eyes and ears of the TVA’s Wizard of Oz? Or is she herself really in charge? We know so little about her true role, identity, motivations, and independence. But we do know she’s hiding a lot behind her clock.

6. What was Sylvie’s Nexus event?

Marvel

Our Loki says that Sylvie is unlike all other Loki Variants. Not just because she’s a woman, but because unlike all the male Lokis she wants to destroy the TVA rather than control it. She also spent years doing the one thing no other Variant could: evading the TVA. Sylvie is special.

But the nexus event—which caused her to branch from the Sacred Timeline and end up on the TVA’s radar originally—remains a mystery. She was just a girl playing with her toys when Renslayer took her. What could she possibly have done? The judge said she doesn’t remember. But we can’t trust a known liar. Even if Renslayer is being honest, this life/time/universe-changing nexus event remains an important question for the finale to answer.

7. Is Gator Loki really an alligator?

Marvel

All things considered, the presence of an alligator Loki didn’t really seem all that weird. Between alternate timelines, animatronic Time Keepers, and paperweight infinity stones, nothing on this show seems out of bounds. It’s why we didn’t even question the truth about Gator Loki until Mobius did.

He raised the possibility that Gator Loki is really just a humanoid Loki Variant in disguise, pulling off a very long con. We have zero doubts a known-shapeshifter like Loki would do exactly that if it meant surviving. That’s what Lokis do best, after all. The finale could reveal that the perceptive Mobius was right, and that adorable little alligator with the horns is really just a regular Loki waiting to strike. As if a regular gator wasn’t scary enough.

8. What will happen to all the Variants if the TVA is destroyed?

Marvel

If Mobius, Sylvie, and Loki successfully burn the TVA to the ground or overthrow its ruler, what will happen to all of the Variants who work there? Can they return to their lives? Will they have any memory of the TVA if they do? If not, is a happy ending even possible for them?

Everyone deserves a chance to live their lives. But if the Sacred Timeline is real, will sending them all back to their realities result in chaos? Can the universe sustain so many branches without breaking? Especially when all future Variants will be free to live their lives without the TVA taking them!

9. Will Mobius get to ride his jetski?

Marvel

Let’s face it. As much as we want all Variants to get happy endings, it’s our favorite TVA employee we care about the most. Particularly whether or not he gets to return to the mid ’90s to ride his beloved jetski.

We don’t care who controls the TVA, time, or the universe, so long as they let Mobius go home to hit the water for a killer ride on the sea.

The post The 9 Biggest Questions for LOKI’s Season Finale appeared first on Nerdist.

Everyone has an Owen Wilson impression. Like Christopher Walken and Al Pacino, Wilson’s distinct vocal stylings has rendered him a favorite among impressionists. Including his Loki costar Tom Hiddleston, who in addition to being the God of Mischief is also a master of impressions. During a recent virtual visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the talk show host showed Hiddleston’s impression of him… as Loki. And there’s nary a classic Wilson “wow” in sight.

Loki’s infamous Germany speech in The Avengers certainly hits differently when delivered in Wilson’s casual vocal stylings. As a talk show party trick, Hiddleston’s celebrity impressions are all over the Internet. And are, naturally, quite good. One of the many floating around the World Wide Web is his Owen Wilson impression from the Popcorn Taxi festival in Australia several years ago.

But how does Wilson rank his costar’s impression? The Wes Anderson regular appeared quite charmed, calling the impression “quite strong” and complementing his word choices, which despite being from a Loki speech, hit all the right beats of a Wilson impression.

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

During his visit to Kimmel, by way of Maui, The French Dispatch star spoke of his arrival into the MCU as Agent Mobius M. Mobius in Loki. More than a decade into the storied franchise, there is a lot of MCU history for newcomers to learn about. Wilson admitted to Kimmel that he wasn’t super familiar with the inner workings of the franchise and its trickster God.

Luckily, as something of a Loki expert at this point, Hiddleston gladly got his new costar up to speed with a series of lectures. (Which were, apparently, legendary on the Marvel Studios lot in Atlanta.) While Wilson remained relatively mum on what’s to come on Loki, he did share that while Mobius doesn’t have superpowers in the traditional sense, he is a “very good listener.” A skill which might be the most important superpower of them all.

Additionally, the pair chatted about his good pal Willie Nelson and his son’s budding DJ skills. Check out the full 15-minute interview:

The post Owen Wilson Wowed by Tom Hiddleston’s Impression of Him appeared first on Nerdist.

We’re two episodes deep into Loki, and increasingly confounded by the nature of time and space in the Marvel Universe. But what’s even more mysterious than the series’ explanations about shifting and fraying timelines is its mad antihero himself. Loki’s diabolically unpredictable nature has already proven frustrating to Mobius M. Mobius. Worse yet, it nearly gets the better of the cast in a new promotional video released by Marvel Entertainment. Owen Wilson quizzes his Loki costars Tom Hiddleston, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Wunmi Mosaku on would-be Loki quotes. Which of these epithets did the trickster god once bellow, and which were spoken by other Marvel characters?

As you can see, it’s not always crystal clear. Between Thor, Thanos, Hela, and Judge Ravonna Renslayer, lots of characters in the MCU tend to spout fatalistic lines. But the Loki stars proved themselves no slouches, answering most of the questions correctly. (The trick seems to be that Loki’s usually tend to have an air of arrogance to them.)

On the series, Mbatha-Raw plays the aforementioned Renslayer, a new twist on a character established in the Marvel Comics. In the second episode of Loki, we get a taste of Renslayer and Mobius’ rapport, which seems to comprise mutual respect and agitation. On the series, Mosaku goes simply by Hunter B-15; she’s a consistently serious officer of the TVA who has little patience for Loki’s antics.

Marvel Entertainment

As Loki carries forth, we’re bound to see the character deliver some memorable barbs. We’re also looking forward to see more exciting developments with Renslayer and Hunter B-15. So far, Loki and Mobius have dominated the spotlight. But we can expect (and hope) that Mbatha-Raw and Mosaku’s characters get the chance to shine.

New episodes of Loki hit Disney+ at midnight PT/3 a.m. ET every Wednesday. (That’s technical Wednesdays; spiritual Tuesday nights.)

Featured Image: Marvel Entertainment

The post Owen Wilson Quizzes LOKI Costars on the Trickster God’s Lines appeared first on Nerdist.

We’re only one episode in and Loki is already throwing X-Men Easter eggs at us. Disney’s new surprisingly philosophical sci-fi series centers around the God of Mischief working for the Time Variance Authority. The mysterious organization is dedicated to protecting the so-called Sacred Timeline. And that’s where the good old Men of X come in. In the comics, there’s only one “Sacred Timeline” and it’s directly connected to one of the mutants’ biggest villains.

Where Does the Sacred Timeline Come From?

Marvel Comics

Dr. Bolivar Trask is the creator of the mutant killing robots known as the Sentinels. While Bolivar personally has nothing to do with the Sacred Timeline, his daughter Tanya does. First introduced in the 1996 comic Askani’son #1 as Madame Sanctity, Tanya is a mutant. Her true identity, however, isn’t revealed until Uncanny X-Men #-1, when her connection to the creator of the Sentinels is made clear. Sanctity eventually describes herself as the “guardian of the sacred timeline and high priestess of the Askani church” in Cable #52 from 1998. But what does that mean? And why would Loki be taking a phrase from this forgotten X-Men frenemy?

In her role as the so-called Guardian of the Sacred Timeline, Tanya is connected to one of the most famous mutant families of all time. How? Through the futuristic religious clan known as the Askani. The sect was started by Rachel Summers—the alt-timeline child of Scott Summers and Jean Grey—in the 37th Century. The Askani aimed to protect “the sacred timeline” through what they called “careful time travel” which sounds very familiar…

How Does This Tie the X-Men to Loki?

Marvel Comics

While Loki is focused on the mid-’80s creation known as the TVA, they’re at least taking in name the concept of the timeline that was used in the convoluted X-Men continuity. The most interesting thing about Tanya’s story is it seems to reflect some of the themes and character journeys that we’re seeing in the first episode of Loki. Just like the TVA, the Askani believe in not interfering with the timeline. And just like Loki, Tanya has little interest in following that directive. In fact, she attempts to go back in time to stop her father in the aforementioned Uncanny X-Men #-1. (Yes, we really do mean #-1, it was a line-wide flashback event in the summer of 1997.)

There’s one other connection here that must be mentioned, as the Askani have a notable disciple in the Askani’son himself, Nathaniel Summers a.k.a. Cable a.k.a. Nathan Dayspring. The time-hopping mutant progeny of Cyclops and his clone-wife Madelyne Pryor was born in the standard timeline of the X-Men. But the character was flung far into the future and indoctrinated into the Askani church, only to return to the present and constantly meddle with the flow of time. This has put Cable in conflict with the TVA on a few occasions in the comics, with his buddy Deadpool in on the shenanigans as well. Although that mutant duo is unlikely to appear in this Disney+ show, you never know if a little fanservice might pop up.

What Does it All Mean?

Marvel Comics

So what does this all mean? Well, it’s very much like the MCU to pick and choose which parts of canon, characters, and naming conventions they want. And this is more than likely an example of the writers’ room digging back into time travel stories past and finding a useful and catchy sounding name in the Sacred Timeline. But we are also living in a world where WandaVision referenced Wanda’s cow mom Bova and possibly left Wanda at the magical Mount Wundagore, so never say never. If we’re thinking on those terms then the time travel shenanigans of Loki could easily introduce the Summers, the Askani, or even Tanya Trask.

For now, though, it’s a simple use of naming. But the connection to the Summers and Rachel in particular is worth keeping in mind, because she was born out of one of the most famous Marvel time travel stories of all time: Days of Future Past. So as Loki traverses the timeline, we shouldn’t be too surprised if we see some references to those iconic X-adventures.

Featured Image: Marvel Comics

The post LOKI Just Introduced a Rare Bit of X-Men Lore appeared first on Nerdist.

We can hardly believe it’s been less than two months since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier left us with a new Captain America and no Easter eggs to break down each week. Luckily, the God of Mischief is here to fix that. Yep, the first episode of the latest Disney+ MCU TV series, Loki, is stacked with a ton of deep-cut comic book references, some killer Easter eggs, and a surprising amount of emotionally driven philosophical meandering. And we’re burdened with the glorious purpose of breaking it down!

Beginning at the End(game)

Marvel Studios

Just in case you weren’t sure where Loki begins, we get a flashback to the moment from Endgame which sparked the series. When the Avengers try to get the Tesseract, it’s knocked on the floor by a very angry Hulk. Loki uses the moment to steal it and throw himself through time, which is how he ends up in Mongolia, about to make a familiar proclamation.

“I am burdened with glorious purpose!”

After landing in the Gobi Desert, he introduces himself with the iconic line from The Avengers. It’s a nice bit of foreshadowing of his journey to come, especially in the context of the personal growth that he has yet to embark on—this is 2012 Loki, after all. It’s also really funny as he’s shut down pretty quickly by the locals and then the arrival of the Time Variance Authority (TVA).

Variant Culture

Probably one of the funniest jokes from Loki so far is that each timeline criminal is called a Variant. This is not only because they’re a variant version of their original self, but it’s also a very good joke about the comic book industry. Variant covers have become a contentious aspect of the comic book business, both a blessing and a bane on comic shop owners. Good stuff.

4.01

Marvel Comics

As she accosts Loki, Hunter B-15’s little screen shows “4.01.” This number works as both April Fools Day—Loki is the trickster god!—and a reference to Thor #401. That issue sees young Thor accepting a wager from Loki. Interestingly, it’s also set a thousand years in the past, which fits with the show’s timeline-shifting shenanigans.

The Sacred Timeline

We get an unexpected X-Men connection here. In the comics, Tanya Trask—the daughter of the creator of the Sentinels, Bolivar Trask—is Madame Sanctity, the Guardian of the Sacred Timeline. This comes from the ’90s Cable comics. That’s relevant here as Cable is one of Marvel’s most famous time-travelers and timeline-jumpers. So, basically, they’re mining anything timeline-centric.

The Hexagons Are Back, Baby!

If you recall our WandaVision coverage, we were very interested in the hexagons! And there are some here, the most prominent being an eye poster in the TVA. The PSA sign features a stylized eye with a pupil shaped like a hexagon. There are also hexagons on the Kree warriors we see in Miss Minutes’ educational video!

Animated Propaganda Aesthetics

The video that Miss Minutes uses to teach us looks vintage. And it seems to specifically take from the car safety propaganda cartoons from the 1950s. Your Safety First from the Automobile Manufacturers of America and Magic Highway USA from Disney seem particularly influential.

Miss Minutes Introduces the Multiverse

In a very interesting video, Miss Minutes tells us about the history of the multiverse. It begins with multiple universes battling each other. The streams of color we see are reminiscent of the Infinity Gems. That’s relevant because in the comics the gems are remnants of previous versions of the universe, which seems close to this version of the timeline…

The Nexus Events Are Occurring

WandaVision introduced us to the concept of Nexus events and possibly Nexus beings. In Loki, the former is a key recurring part of the plot. Here that term is used to describe a Variant going through history and changing it, which happens a lot  in Loki.

The Time Variance Authority Narrative Commission

In a nice nod to the Comics Code Authority, we see that the people in charge of retelling the history of the TVA are the Time Variance Authority Narrative Commission. Like the Comics Code, they seem to be a self-censorship and approval body that decides what stories from time can and can’t be told and how they should be presented. They even have a little seal that’s reminiscent of the CCA stamp that we used to see on most comic books.

The Minutemen

In the comics, they’re the time-stream police. Here, they’re the lower ranking TVA soldiers. The robot/cyborgs first appeared in Fantastic Four #352 in 1991. Could we see the TVA’s Minutemen revealed as robots later? We wouldn’t count it out after that little conversation that Loki has about the robot killing machine he has to walk through to enter.

“Buckethead”

One of Loki’s fellow Variants uses this term to insult a Minuteman. While it’s a Marvel Comics Easter egg, it’s a reference to a different character completely. In the comics, this is the nickname of the hero known as Nova.

Mephisto, Is That You?

Sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves. During their jaunt to 15th century France, Mobius M. Mobius sees a stained glass window with a devil on it. The little kid that he’s interrogating points at it and claims that’s who’s to blame for the Nexus event. While it likely isn’t Mephisto, we couldn’t not mention the cheeky devil who haunted Dan throughout WandaVision.

Mobius M. Mobius

Marvel Studios

Speaking of the TVA manager in charge of Loki’s adventures, the character himself is an Easter egg. In the 1991, Fantastic Four Annual #24 revealed that each of the cloned TVA managers are based on longtime Marvel writer Mark Gruenwald, and later Tom DeFalco. The most famous example is Mobius, who is a Gruenwald clone.

Looking at Loki’s File

There are two nice little Easter eggs in Loki’s TVA file. The first of which will likely come into play as the show moves forward.

Sex: Fluid—This note confirms that MCU Loki follows the canon of comics and is gender fluid. It also hints that we might see Lady Loki.

Sector: 1900-2099—The second number here will ring immediately familiar to Marvel fans. Marvel 2099 was a line of futuristic comics featuring famous Marvel characters. We’ve even seen Spider-Man 2099 in the post-credits sequence of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Sequence Violation: 7/20/89

Marvel Studios

When we first properly meet Ravonna Renslayer, she’s judging Loki. She mentions that his sequence violation number is 7-20-89. This correlates to July 1989. Of course there’s an issue number that we think might be relevant to that: Thor #405. The Thor issue that was cover dated that month stars the Fantastic Four, the Negative Zone, and Mount Wundagore. All of those things are very relevant for the next MCU phase, WandaVision, and potentially Kang.

Josta Soda

This is the soda we see Mobius drinking in his office. It’s a real discontinued soda that is classed as the first energy drink made by a major drinks company, Pepsi. It was in production from 1995 to 1999. This might seem random, but if it’s Mobius’ favorite drink then maybe it tells us something about the TVA manager and his preferred part of the timeline…

A Comic to Read

Marvel Comics

On Mobius’ little screen we see the number #35. So of course we thought of a comic. Journey into Mystery #35 (from the series that eventually turned into Thor) is an issue called “Turn Back the Clock” about a man transported through time!! RELEVANT!

Casey’s Drawer of Secrets

Casey, the secretary of the TVA, has a drawer of impossible items. It’s a key moment in the first episode as it’s where Loki realizes the true power of the TVA. What inspires that revelation? It’s all the spare Infinity Stones, and it looks like everything apart from the Soul (or Mind?) Stone. They’re most probably variant gems from different timelines. And there’s a lot of Time Stones. There’s also a Honus Wagner baseball card, which is the most expensive baseball card of all time.

Oklahoma Is Surprisingly Superhero Relevant

Marvel Comics

After the musical played a major part in HBO’s Watchmen, we visit the state here. This is actually very interesting in regards to Thor and Loki lore. Why? Well, when Ragnarok occurred during the ’00s Thor comics run, Asgard was reborn above Oklahoma. We should note that in the comics it’s above Broxton; here we’re in Salina, Oklahoma.

I’ve Been to the Year 3000

THE WEAPON THEY FIND IS FROM THE EARLY THIRD MILLENNIUM! This deserves to be in all caps. If you’ve been following along for Kang hints, then you know that this is important. In the comics, Kang the Conqueror, a.k.a. Nathaniel Richards, is from the year 3000. So this weapon being from that period is likely key to his potential arrival and Ravonna’s plans.

Creator Thanks

One of our favorite things to see is creators getting credited. So we’re continuing our tradition of highlighting the Special Thanks each week as well as suggesting comics/ characters/arcs we think they’re likely being thanked for.

Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby: Creators of Loki
Doug Braithwaite: Artist on Journey into Mystery
Sal Buscema: Co-creator of the TVA
Al Ewing: Writer on Loki: Agent of Asgard
Don Heck: Co-creator of Ravonna Renslayer
Lee Garbett: Artist on Loki: Agent of Asgard
Kieron Gillen: Writer of Young Avengers (Kid Loki), Journey Into Mystery,
Mark Gruenwald: Co-creator of the Time-Keepers
Ralph Macchio: Co-creator of the Time-Keepers
Jamie McKelvie: Artist of Young Avengers (Kid Loki)
Keith Pollard: Co-creator of the Time-Keepers
Walter Simonson: Co-creator of the TVA and Mobius M. Mobius

Featured Image: Marvel Studios

The post Every Easter Egg from LOKI’s Premiere appeared first on Nerdist.

The MCU’s newest star didn’t have to wait long to get a collectible. His new show hasn’t even debuted yet Hasbro already has a toy ready to go. Loki‘s Owen Wilson is the latest Marvel member to get his very own Legends figure. And the Time Variant Authority’s agent Mobius M. Mobius looks ready for his debut.

Hasbro

Hasbro has announced Owen Wilson, one of the stars of the upcoming Disney+ series Loki, is also coming to stores. The new six-inch scale Marvel Legends figure of the mustachioed Mr. Mobius features a realistic likeness of the actor. It also has “multiple points of articulation for posing and display.” The figure also includes two accessories. One is a tablet for doing his job. The other is for making sure any Gods of Mischief do theirs. Designed for ages four and up, you can pre-order yours exclusively at Target ($22.99). It will find the time to make it to stores this fall.

Collectors can also keep an eye out for Hasbro’s new premium Marvel Legends Series Captain America: The Winter Soldier Stealth Shield. The “highly detailed 1:1 full-scale collector blue and white shield is inspired” by Steve Rogers’s gear in The Winter Soldier. While it should make for a nifty cosplay piece, it can also be used in battle. The shield also features adjustable straps. You know, in case you need to fight your mind-controlled super solider best friend you thought died in World War II. (If we had a nickel…)

Hasbro

Meant for ages 14 and up, it also arrives in stores this fall. You can pre-order yours ($120.99) at Hasbro Pulse and Amazon.

That might sound like plenty of time. But we don’t need to meet Mobius M. Mobius to know why that might not be true. When a trouble-making Asgardian is destroying timelines, who knows how much time any of us really have.

The post Hasbro Unveils Owen Wilson’s LOKI Marvel Legends Figure appeared first on Nerdist.

One of the MCU’s most beloved characters has always been Loki, as played by Tom Hiddleston. Now Thor’s good for nuthin’ brother is among the first Marvel characters to get his own series on Disney+. In fact, Loki was one of the very first announced for the streamer. The Asgardian God of Mischief will be getting his own spotlight story at long last. The series will premiere on Disney+ in June 2021.

What Is Loki About?

After nearly two years of speculating, we finally have a better idea of what to expect from the upcoming Disney+ series Loki. The series takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Per the series logline, the titular God of Mischief, “after absconding with the Tesseract, is a fish-out-of-water when he lands in a world of trouble with the bureaucratic TVA (Time Variance Authority).” The official trailer reveals just how much trouble Loki is in.

The trailer expands on the first look unveiled on Disney’s Investor Day presentation in December 2020. Feige also confirmed that the series would be a crime drama, something the MCU has never done quite this way. Which is to say we’re really excited about this series.

The most important thing to remember about the upcoming series is the version of titular character we’ll be watching. Way back at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, when Kevin Feige was first laying out the initial plans for Phase Four, Tom Hiddleston appeared briefly to discuss the Loki series. He confirmed that he will star as the version of Loki that escapes with the Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame. This means he’s pretty much still a megalomaniacal bad guy, and hasn’t had any of the character development from the subsequent Thor films.

The series will allegedly have direct connections to WandaVision and Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. This makes sense, as the Loki from Endgame is technically an alternate timeline version of the Loki Laufeyson we all know.

Marvel Studios

At Comic-Con, Hiddleston said, “You guys saw Avengers, right? He’s still that guy. And just about the last thing that happened to him was that he got Hulk-smashed, so there’s a lot of psychological evolution that hasn’t happened yet, but Kevin Feige has generously showed me what his plans are—I can’t tell you any of them—but it is one of the most exciting creative opportunities I think I’ve ever come across.”

Marvel Studios

Hiddleston told Empire in an April interview that the shifting logo that switches between different fonts is emblematic of Loki in the series. “I think that shapeshifting logo might give you an idea that Loki, the show, is about identity, and about integrating the disparate fragments of the many selves that he can be, and perhaps the many selves that we are. I thought it was very exciting because I’ve always found Loki a very complex construct. Who is this character who can wear so many masks, and changes shape, and seems to change his external feeling on a sixpence?”

On May 16, Marvel released a clip from early on in the series. We see Loki sparring gently with Mobius M. Mobius, the Time Variance Authority agent assigned to his watch:

From the get-go, we can see that Loki is ill at ease being out of control; Mobius, uniquely, doesn’t seem ruffled by Loki. Perhaps this turning of the tables will make for an interesting rapport.

What’s with the Cartoon Clock?

In May, Disney+ tweeted a new poster featuring Loki‘s cast of characters. The image’s most curious inclusion: the cartoon clock known as Miss Minutes.

Marvel Studios

We know that Miss Minutes is the mascot of the Time Variance Authority; and it seems she’ll just show up in the department’s orientation material, a la Mr. DNA in Jurassic Park. A new clip from the series gives us a closer look at her role in the series:

Who Is Starring?

Joining Tom Hiddleston in the upcoming series are Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Wunmi Mosaku and Richard E. Grant. Wilson is playing Mobius M. Mobius, the TVA employee tasked with keeping Loki in check.

Marvel Studios

Gugu Mbatha-Raw is playing Judge Renslayer, who works for the TVA. While Marvel hasn’t revealed her full name, her surname certainly brings to mind Ravonna. (Especially relevant given Kang the Conquerer is about to make his MCU debut in the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.) Meanwhile Mosaku is playing a TVA agent Hunter B-15, while Di Martino and Grant’s characters remain under wraps.

Marvel Studios

While we’re still holding out hope for an appearance, it’s looking increasingly unlikely we’ll see Chris Hemsworth cameo as Thor.

Who Is Behind-The-Scenes?

Michael Waldron, who is one of the producers of Rick & Morty, is showrunner and head writer. Katie Herron is directing the series.

When Will Loki Debut on Disney+?

Loki will premiere on Disney+ on Wednesday, June 9. (Yep, unlike its Disney+ predecessors, Loki is not airing on Fridays, though it was initially scheduled to do so.)  Tom Hiddleston announced the date in change in a very charming video in which he also lamented the lack of prime placement in superhero montages.

Is Loki an Ongoing Series?

Over the last year, Marvel’s continued to unveil its growing slate of MCU TV shows for Disney+. However one major question remains: are the shows ongoing or limited series? While Kevin Feige has remained mum regarding WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, rumors are already circulating about a Loki season two. We doubt we’ll have a formal answer before June—at earliest—but we’re already on the lookout for confirmation.

Marvel Studios

Originally posted on January 31, 2020, with updates on February 11 and March 11 2020, February 24, March 18, April 5, April 12, May 5, and May 18, 2021.

The post Meet LOKI’s Creepy Miss Minutes in New Teaser appeared first on Nerdist.

While we may still be picking apart the mysteries of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Disney treated us to a look at their next big Marvel series. The new trailer for Loki is filled with fun tidbits. But there’s one question many fans have begun asking: What’s the Time Variance Authority? The surreal Owen Wilson-led organization seems to play a big part in the new series, and has an interesting comic book history. Plus, they’re closely tied to characters key to the MCU’s past and future. So we’re here to answer all your big TVA questions and theorize on their impact going forward!

What is the Time Variance Authority?

Marvel Studios

The organization was first introduced in Thor #371 by Walt Simonson and Sal Buscema. If you’re a fan of those storytellers, you’ll know they’re two of the most inventive and imaginative in the Big Two business. That’s why it shouldn’t surprise you that the TVA is weird as hell and often features in wildly ambitious tales. The agency’s first appearance was a riff on the iconic British comics series 2000 AD. A heavily armed character named Justice Peace causes chaos on Earth as he flies through the skies, implanting jaywalkers with control chips. It’s a silly take on Judge Dredd, but it’s also a key part of TVA history. Justice Peace is the first member of the intergalactic time police that we ever meet.

Since its proper debut in the next issue, the TVA has been embroiled in the Marvel Universe and its flow of time. The group acts as an independent force for making sure no one messes up the timelines. But as you can imagine, their mission puts them on a collision course with heroes and villains alike. Speaking of heroes, the TVA has big connections to the Fantastic Four. On the more villainous side is Kang the Conqueror. We know that he’ll appear in the upcoming Ant-Man sequel Quantumania, so don’t be too surprised if Loki alludes to the character. The odds are likely considering a TVA member shares a name with a key character from Kang’s lore. (Judge Renslayer, that is.)

Masters of the Multiverse

Marvel Comics

Interestingly, in the comics the TVA also keeps track of the multiverse. They have the ability to destroy or change timelines if they deem them unsafe. This could definitely be the group’s purpose in the MCU too, given the countless timelines we saw in the Loki trailer and upcoming Multiverse of Madness. Significantly, it may have been Loki and the Avengers’ actions in Endgame that sparked multiple new timelines and  timeflow chaos. (Rather than—as many expected—Wanda’s shenanigans in her recent TV debut.) Either way, it looks like we’ll get some answers in Loki.

What do they want with Loki?

Marvel Studios

In the context of the MCU, this one actually has a pretty simple answer. During the events of Endgame, Loki from 2012 (The Avengers) stole the Tesseract, jumping back into time with it. As we know, the entirety of the universe relied on one thing in that movie. The Avengers had to return each Infinity Stone to the time and place whence it was taken. Of course, when Loki stole the Tesseract—which included the Space Stone—that did not occur. So Owen Wilson and the TVA have now enlisted him to help fix the time troubles he has created. But Loki isn’t so easily manipulated and will likely try to use the TVA as much as they use him.

How could they introduce the Fantastic Four?

Marvel Comics

While we’re going to talk about the more general future of the MCU next, this question does deserve its own tangent. As we know, the Fantastic Four are coming, and the TVA is so closely connected to them. Walt Simonson brought the time monitors over from Thor into his subsequent run on the Fantastic Four in 1990. Some escapades in prehistory put the foursome on the TVA’s radar in Fantastic Four #346. A few issues later in #352, a null time battle between Reed Richards and Doctor Doom leads to more temporal misconduct. The TVA intervenes, bringing the heroes before the Sub-Committee of Time Lapses and Synchronicity in #353.

It’s possible tat we could catch a mention or glimpse of the legendary Marvel team while Loki tangles with the TVA. With Loki supposedly restoring timelines, he could even get involved in one of the FF’s time-centric adventures. More likely, however, is that this opportunity simply presents another chance for Feige to troll us. Remember the much-anticipated aerospace engineer from WandaVision?

What does the TVA mean for the series and the MCU going forward?

Marvel Comics

Aside from the obvious Fantastic Four connections, the TVA represents something equally exciting. The MCU has long been steeped in military-heavy realism. But the inclusion of this strange new authoritative body moves us slightly more towards the weirdness of comics. While we know S.W.O.R.D. will play a part going forward, the idea of having the TVA as a key player in future movies means that we could have multiversal adventures as well as grounded military action. And then there are their connections to all those major Marvel players. Quantumania will likely see the Quantum Realm finally recognized as the alt-universe it is in the comics. Maybe the TVA isn’t too happy with Scott Lang about that?

We know from the trailer that they class extraneous versions of heroes as variants. Could this be how we see the return of Iron Man and Captain America? Different “variant” versions from other timelines? In the comics, the TVA regularly captured time travelers and those who messed with time; meaning, we could also meet new foes they’ve captured along the way. Plus, one of the most interesting things for comics fans is potentially learning their origin. In the comics, the true origin of the group has never been revealed. Maybe that could change in the MCU? Whatever happens, this is an exciting new frontier for the Marvel world. And, of course, it means that we’ll likely see a Thor/Loki reunion at some point in the future… awww.

Featured Image: Marvel Studios

The post Explaining the Time Variance Authority in the LOKI Trailer appeared first on Nerdist.

Over the past decade and change, fans have found themselves emotionally attached to any number of Marvel Cinematic Universe characters. Some of us really got into Black Widow. A few folks hitched their wagons to Bruce Banner. And most everybody has had a Cap phase. But there has been no bigger, giddier, more intense fandom than that for the Avengers’ first formal villain: Loki. After years wasting his self-declared potential playing foil to Thor, the Asgardian trickster finally headlines his own show. And the first trailer looks worthy of his talents.

It’s been a good while since we’ve spent proper time with Loki; notcounting brief cameos in Infinity War and Endgame, the last true Loki appearance came in 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. But Disney+’s Loki series may well make up for lost time; per the new trailer, his first small-screen foray seems to capture the cheeky, wicked panache that made him such a beloved loon back in Phase One.

Finally, Loki seems matched up with an adversary who’s got a handle on him. After mangling the very fabrics of time, Loki is forced by the Time Variance Authority to help repair the multiverse. Owen Wilson plays “Mobius M. Mobius,” who takes point on keeping Loki’s chaotic powers in check. Much of the humor in the trailer derives from the nexus of science-fiction and bureaucracy, as manifested by the TVA. (We’re getting a bit of a Terry Gilliam vibe here.)

Marvel Studios

Loki will have to deal with both of these unpredictable forces as a prisoner-slash-contractor of the agency. But this isn’t any average superpowered menace we’re talking about; we expect that Loki will cause the agency as much agita as it intends to cause him. And we’re looking forward to both ends of that dynamic.

The new series also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Richard E. Grant, and Sasha Lane. Loki will arrive on Disney+ on June 11.

Featured Image: Marvel Studios

The post LOKI Disney+ Series Trailer Looks Wickedly Fun appeared first on Nerdist.

Living now, and presumably for as long as my temporal lobe keeps in tact, beneath the Hummer-sized weight of my memories of Cars 3, I shoulder a lot of questions. I wonder about the proclivity of the Cars universe’s sentient automobiles to cough and sneeze as if they were made of organic matter; I lie awake thinking about their nebulous familiarity with the ostensibly defunct human world, whose imperial species seems to have been long outlived by contributions like the Sistine Chapel and the music of Bruce Springsteen; I’ve no doubt lost years of my life trying to understand why the only extant beings in this canon not confined to vehicular form are, evidently, flies and crabs. But dominating, and in fact encompassing, this endless list of quandaries is a simple but booming “Why?”

If you’re a certain kind of Pixar purist, you may have approached the notion of a third Cars movie with a similar syllable. Sure enough, there are some who may never wholly embrace a Cars movie, recalling the trilogy’s inceptive feature as the first splotch on Pixar’s then nearly spotless veneer, and its 2011 follow-up as the beginning of what most denote as the studio’s lesser streak.Of course, this variant of the question can be answered somewhat concisely, not to mention cynically. No favorite of the critics, awards organizations, nor even the ticket buyers (don’t get me wrong—the Cars movies do fine, though not nearly as well as most Pixar pictures), the Cars franchise proves formidably valuable to Pixar and Disney foremost as means to peddle merchandise. But this doesn’t quite satisfy the “Why?” that’s revved within me since my recent viewing of Cars 3.

The question first struck me in the thick of an early scene, when I met with perhaps the most quietly vexing of Cars 3’s many bizarre choices. A curiosity set in as I watched Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson, playing a car), newly revamped following a harrowing accident, talk shop and trade pleasantries with his ostentatious new sponsor Mr. Sterling (Nathan Fillion, also playing a car). This bemusement slowly grew as the dry-as-rust conversation continued to evade anything, in my estimation, remotely resembling the interests of the film’s would-be target demographic of prospective toy buyers.

The sequence culminated in full-fledged stupefaction when Sterling, pulling out all the stops to indulge the future face of his company, introduced a trio of jars filled with dirt meant to represent the career of Lightning’s deceased friend and mentor, Doc Hudson (a car played in the first Cars movie by Paul Newman). At this more than any other point, as our hot rod hero beamed dreamily at this threesome of glass containers topped off with disparately colored soil, I found myself struggling to identify who exactly Cars 3 was supposed to be for.

That “Who?” blared louder still as we worked further into Lightning’s comeback story, which eschewed the standard back-in-the-saddle angle, a staple of sports flicks aimed at all ages, in favor of something decidedly more mature. Combating not only the setback of his recent accident but also the threat of a younger and sleeker new rival called Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer, as a car), Lightning is forced for the first time to contend with is amounting years, and even his own mortality. Oh, yeah, these cars can die.

Plotted along the course of Lightning’s story are occasional visually oriented set pieces, i.e. an ill-fated attempt at a confusing race simulator, and a no-holds-barred mêlée with a legion of backwoods brawlers. (Cars, though. These are cars I’m talking about.) But far outnumbering such endeavors are scenes devoted to slow, somber, and contemplative dialogue about Lightning’s fading youth and loosening grip on his own fate. Stunningly enough, the film gets damn near existential.

And while Pixar is hardly averse to treating its audience surrogates to the pangs of growing up— Inside Out faced Riley with the inscrutable treachery of adolescent emotionality, and Toy Story 3 sent Andy to college just as its series’ earliest audiences might have been experiencing the like—Lightning’s isn’t a reflection of the new worlds that young viewers might themselves be taking on. His is a story of a man who fears his life may well be behind him.

Puzzling though this route may be, it’s certainly not without intrigue. Lightning’s diatribes about oncoming oblivion are, at best, earnestly contemplative and emotionally dense, if at times a little dull. In fact, the film’s more intriguing (and bewildering) points occur when it shoos Lightning from the spotlight. Lightning trades in the company of his Radiator Springs family for that of Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo—another car), a devoted personal trainer with a set of dreams all her own.

Through Cruz, we learn about a less forgiving side of the cars world than we ever saw via Lightning. Her arc prompts tangents that divulge insight into the racing industry’s history of segregation, both sex- and race-based, though how either construct manifests in car society is murky at best; you could call this a comment on the arbitrariness of prejudice in the human world. You could call it whatever you want, really.

But even when the film shifts gears into Cruz’s lane, it’s really only doing so to gain another vantage point on Lightning’s story. While it certainly makes sense to keep the emotional focus on the trilogy’s standing hero, the bevvy of McQueen-centric plot turns and motivations only serves to undercut whatever message Cars 3 seems to be aiming to mine out of its B story about automotive bigotry and representation. And in the end, the very same choices serve to undercut whatever lesson Lightning himself has been gearing up toward as well. As such, yet another question: “What exactly is this movie trying to say?”

These “Who?”s, “What?”s, and all-encompassing “Whys?” may not scrap the movie of its more enjoyable features—its visuals are nothing to sneeze at, and its more active set pieces (like the aforementioned junkyard free-for-all and the third act race) carry energy—but they do linger throughout and beyond the runtime of Cars 3. I can’t quite put my finger on how the creative forces at play imagined their family feature’s midlife crisis-oriented story would speak to young audiences; I’m dying to know which factions of the Cars mythos were unraveled in detail and which simply chucked into the script haphazardly; I’ve got dozens more “When?”s, “Where?”s, “What?”s, “Who?”s, and “Why?”s idling now beneath my hood.

As you might expect, Cars 3 may not be willing or able to answer any of these questions. But getting me to ask them is far more than any Pixar purist would expect it to do.

Rating: 2.5 burritos

Images: Disney/Pixar

Michael Arbeiter, who does not know how to drive a car, is the East Coast Editor of Nerdist.com. Find Michael on Twitter @micarbeiter.

The post CARS 3 Prompts a Lot of Fascinating Questions That It Refuses to Answer (Review) appeared first on Nerdist.