The Boys‘ spinoff series Gen V is doing its own thing with a slowly unraveling mystery at Godolkin University. But that doesn’t mean these shows aren’t closely intertwined. For college supes like Marie Moreau, the impact of the Seven looms large over their lives. In fact, the deification of superheroes led some parents to inject their babies with Compound V in hopes that they’d gain powers. This drug is a big part of The Boys’ overall history and future storylines. So, let’s dig into all things Compound V, its different forms, and what it means for the characters of Gen V and The Boys. 

The History of Compound V and Compound V24 in The Boys, Explained

The first season of The Boys introduces us to Compound V. It is a blue serum that can give both humans and animals extraordinary abilities. Nazi scientist Frederick Vought created it during WWII to turn adult soldiers into supes. Over the years, Vought International continued to make and manipulate his formula. The abilities a person can get are random and, if there are multiple doses, the powers can change based on how it mutates in the body. Interestingly, Compound V has a better survival and success rate with babies and young children versus adults. It is not a guarantee that anyone who takes Compound V will develop powers at any point in their lives. And, as expected, higher doses for those who can successfully process Compound V makes them stronger/faster/etc. This is why Queen Maeve and Homelander are so wildly strong.

In The Boys, we see an adult and already superpowered A-Train and his then-girlfriend Popclaw take Compound V. They use it in regular, small doses to enhance their abilities, much like a steroid does for normal human athletes. Unfortunately, it can cause the opposite effect and weaken their powers or cause major damage to their organs. That’s what happens to the speedster A-Train, who ends up needing a heart transplant.

The Boys season three gives us a different form of the serum with Compound V24, which is also known as Temp V. Compound V24 is a green super serum that allows a regular person to be a supe for 24 hours with just one dose. It is expensive—two million dollars, to be exact—and doesn’t seem to be addictive. Well, unless you count a person’s ego boost as addictive. Butcher gets his initial dose from Queen Maeve in hopes of being able to fight Soldier Boy and the Payback collective. Hughie also takes some of it so he can gain powers and feel more useful in general. 

Like any drug, Compound V24 has side effects. It made Butcher vomit green blood, drizzle goo out of his ears, and eventually led to such severe sickness that he only has months to live (allegedly). Starlight reveals that Compound V24 is fatal after three doses and Butcher has hit that mark.

Compound V24 will surely come into play in The Boys season four as we learn more about Butcher’s fate. 

Compound V in Gen V, Explained

It’s pretty obvious that Compound V plays a role in Gen V. It is right there in the show’s name. According to Indira Shetty’s conversation with Ashely Barrett in episode two, 400 kids (including Marie) found out that they weren’t born special but were drugged with Compound V as babies. Luke and Sam further discuss this in an episode three flashback. Sam is understandably furious when he finds out but Luke tries to defend his parents, saying they just thought they were giving them powers.

Why would a parent give their child a dangerous and potentially fatal drug? We assume most parents did this in hopes of making their kids wealthy/famous like the Seven. That is the case with Emma’s mom for sure. As we discover in Gen V, many of these young supes don’t know how to control their abilities when they first activate. Like Marie, some of their powers don’t kick in until puberty or another life-altering event and they are completely shocked.

They often end up in places like the Red River Institute, which is a supe orphanage. After a certain age/timeframe, they “transition” to a facility like Sage Grove psychiatric hospital or Elmira Adult rehab center where they are locked up or killed. Some supes like Sam have to grapple with mental health hurdles, too.

Marie’s power may not be as “marketable” as being a speedster or having super strength; however, she’s still one of the lucky ones. Landing at God U seemed like the best fate given her traumatic past. But we now know that the school is a front for gruesome experiments. Interestingly, we discover more about Marie’s powers, including her ability to suss out Compound V in a person’s bloodstream.

With the mysteries of that weird facility known as “the woods,” we may discover something new about Compound V soon. Vought is always “refining” the process of creating Compound V and there are probably science researchers at this university. How will it affect this generation as they come fully into adulthood? The answers could be lurking in the shadows of God U.

Originally published September 29, 2023.

The post Compound V and Compound V24 in THE BOYS and GEN V, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Godolkin University is a place where you can thrive, cause chaos, and apparently run head first into murder. The Boys‘ spinoff Gen V draws from a bizarre The Boys comic arc with a wild roster of new characters who boast a bevy of powers. Compound V is one hell of a drug, right? And, as the show transpires, we will learn even more about each supe’s power and how it plays into all the bloody action.

Here is every new Gen V hero and what you need to know about their powers. 

Gen V’s Godolkin University Student Hero Lineup and Their Powers

Marie Moreau (Power: Hemokinesis/Blood Manipulation)

Our main girl Marie Moreau is an 18-year-old superhero with the power of hemokinesis, which is the ability to control and weaponize her own blood. We saw her use her power in the Gen V trailer as she uses blood tentacles of sorts to whip around and destroy things. The first episode of Gen V reveals that Marie’s powers activated when she began her menstrual cycle at around 10, even though she was injected with Compound V as a baby. She panics in the bathroom and accidentally ends up killing her parents because she doesn’t know how to control her weaponized blood. We also learn that she frequently uses her powers by cutting her hands and manipulating the blood.

Unlike most kids who end up at Red River Institute and later go to Elmira Adult Rehabilitation Center where they are either locked up or presumably killed, Marie gets into Godolkin University. But she still grapples with her past and how people view her presently. That is, until Golden Boy’s death and some PR foolery by Godolkin and Vought leads her to become ranked in the top ten. Her newfound fame goes over well with everyone except Jordan Li (obvious reasons) and Polarity, who wants his son to be the sole star and finds Marie’s powers “unsanitary.”

Marie doesn’t seem to regret her powers but she is soon disillusioned with being the diversity showpony for God U. She moves up in the rankings to #2 in episode four; however, she’s now fully into exposing the nefarious woods. We get to see a different side of her powers when she explodes a fellow student’s penis after he tries to sexually assault her. Marie isn’t sure how she did it but being able to control blood within another person’s body is a new part of her abilities.

In episode five, Marie humorously reveals that she can sense when a person is about to start their menstrual cycle. More importantly, Marie is able to sense when there’s something obstructing blood flow, which is how she discovers the tracking device implanted in her neck. She can also sense Compound V in a person’s blood, which happens when she meets Victoria Neuman in episode seven. Honestly, her powers are the coolest.

Andre Anderson (Power: Metal Manipulation and Superhuman Strength)

Andre is a junior at Godolkin University with magnetic powers and, of course, superhuman strength. We assume his powers are like his father Polarity considering he’s set to take his place after retirement. And if being charming and handsome are superpowers, then he has those too. He not only draws a metal bottle straight to his hand but also causes two trucks to smash together and capture a fleeing man. But that doesn’t mean his powers are dangerous. He nearly kills a woman after doing a “magic trick” with a piece of metal but Marie saves her, thankfully. Andre’s father pushes him even harder after Golden Boy’s death when he becomes the top-ranked student.

As Andre begins to investigate Golden Boy’s death, his powers come into play quite often. Unfortunately, the soldiers protecting the “woods” secrets have a device that can subdue his powers. But when that device isn’t in play, Andre can be a dangerous guy. He launches a refrigerator at Sam to subdue him and, in episode five, Andre uses gardening tools to pin (and nearly decapitate) Rufus in a moment of anger.

Emma Myer/Little Cricket (Power: Size Manipulation/Reduction)

Emma’s supe moniker Little Cricket is due to her ability to get super small. She’s much like Termite on The Boys, except she’s a YouTuber who makes fight videos with her rodent pet David Caruso. Her power also shines in the Gen V trailer when she crawls out of a dead man’s ear. Fantastic. In the show’s first episode, we discover that Emma sadly has to force herself to vomit in order to get small. People are either cruel to her online, fetishize her in real life, or use her to forward their own agendas. Justine is a terrible person. Emma’s own mother wants to use her to create a TV show. Things are rocky between her and Marie for a bit but they become friends, which brings some light to her sad story.

She also gets close to Golden Boy’s brother Sam. This relationship causes Little Cricket to use her powers in a different way in episode four. Sam is having a mental breakdown and all the blood and metal moving powers in the world won’t stop him. Little Cricket is at her regular size and gorges on food to get super big. She’s able to subdue him and also shocks everyone with her new (to them and us) ability. Emma’s new power reveal (and a video of her getting loose) increases her popularity and makes her rise up the student rankings.

Cate Dunlap (Power: Mind Control)

Cate can make people do anything she asks by simply touching them with her hands. Of course, she uses this to her advantage, like sliding her way into a packed nightclub, and is super popular. She can also use them for revenge or to save someone in a tight spot. Like Marie, her powers accidentally destroyed her family after she told her brother to leave and never return. Her powers do have side effects from severe headaches to seizures if she takes things too far.

Unfortunately, Dean Shetty is using Cate’s power to her advantage. Cate is able to wipe people’s memories, which she did to the group to make them forget The Woods. She was also responsible for mind-wiping Golden Boy to make him keep forgetting his brother Sam. When Cate is not under strong meds, she’s able to hear everyone’s thoughts around her.

Jordan Li (Power: Gender/Body Transformation, Superhuman Strength and Durability, Energy Blasts)

They can change between male and female forms. Depending on their form, this hero has access to different power sets that we see in Gen V. The man is dense and indestructible, while the woman can use energy blasts and appears to be quick. They put up a formidable fight against Golden Boy towards the end of the first episode. Jordan doesn’t fit the social bill to be the hero of Godolkin so we will see how that affects their future.

Thankfully, Jordan can kick down doors, which helps save Marie from a campus creep. This, along with their obvious tension with Marie, leads to the pair hooking up. Love to see it.

Luke Riordan/Golden Boy (Power: Pyrokinesis/Fire Manipulation and Superhuman Strength)

Luke Riordan can light his entire body on fire and apparently use it as a shield. It seems he is this universe’s version of the Human Torch. But there’s a lot more to this pretty boy than meets the eye. Sure he’s all charms and smiles with Marie; however, Luke is dealing with something heavy. He keeps seeing visions of the mysterious “woods” and discovered the truth about what happened to his younger brother Sam. The visions cause him to go on a rampage, killing his supposed buddy Brink before he flies in the sky and explodes himself.

His story and the ongoing mystery about the woods unfolds over the first three episodes.

Other Gen V Characters Who Have Powers

When Marie Moreau arrives at Godolkin University, we see a lot of ancillary students with a bevy of powers. It remains to be seen if we will get to know any of them in the season but there are some other Gen V characters who play a role and have powers.

Maverick (Power: Invisibility)

Maverick is Marie’s RA who makes an appearance a couple of times. He’s pretty witty but we don’t get a ton of him this season.

Polarity (Power: Metal Manipulation and Superhuman Strength)

Like we mentioned earlier, Polarity is Andre’s father and has the same powers. He is also well-aware of the secrets of the woods and, after falling into some serious illness in episode seven, could end up being a victim in the finale.

Sam (Power: Superhuman Strength and Invulnerability)

Sam is a troubled supe (and Golden Boy’s brother) who is trying to escape his unfortunate circumstances. He is a former resident at Sage Grove psychiatric hospital and a part of the sinister secrets of the woods facility, trapped in a lab where he is subject to torture. He’s extremely powerful with super strength and invulnerability but he also has to deal with hallucinations that blur the lines between reality and fiction. Luke was told his brother is schizophrenic but we aren’t sure if that is his true diagnosis or not.

Sam is perhaps the most powerful supe in this series but he’s also been through a lot of physical and mental trauma. But his powers, inside knowledge of the woods, and his brother’s tragic death all make him an asset in taking down God U and Vought.

Originally published September 29, 2023.

The post Every New GEN V Hero and Their Powers on THE BOYS’ Spinoff appeared first on Nerdist.

There are a new class of supes who hope to join the Seven in Gen V. Marie Moreau, Andre Anderson, and others are fighting for the coveted #1 spot at Godolkin University and all the perks that come with being great. It’s an exciting new direction for The Boys universe but our hearts are always with characters like Hughie, A-Train, and even Homelander. We know that a few characters from The Boys are coming to Gen V throughout its first season. But how will their stories intertwine with God U? Here’s what The Boys characters are doing in Gen V. 

A-Train Is a Beacon of Hope in Gen V 

It’s not clear if A-Train will make his way to God U before the season ends. We do see him in the show’s opening scene, which is a flashback from eight years ago. Marie’s dad is proud to see a Black man make it into the Seven. If he only knew the truth about that organization. A-Train’s draft clip is the only time he appears in the first three episodes. 

Ashley Barrett Continues to Lie for Vought in Gen V

Ashley Barrett appears at the end of episode one after Golden Boy’s rampage and death by suicide. Of course, the Vought CEO lies and says that there’s nothing wrong at Godolkin. She calls Golden Boy “psychotic” and a “drug user.” Then, her clip pulls us back into our reality before we get a taste of what will happen this semester. 

She shows up early in episode two on a board meeting/phone call with Godolkin University president Indira Shetty to discuss Golden Boy’s death. Ashley quickly creates a narrative to push Marie and Andre as the “Guardians of Godolkin” who saved the day so they can score points with the public and the NAACP. Jordan Li is purposely left out of the narrative because of their race and gender identity. A private conversation between Indira and Ashley reveals that the woods being exposed is a big and, in Ashley’s words, a “potentially fatal” problem. Indira assures her that she will handle everything from a PR perspective.

Adam Bourke Is a Godolkin Professor in Gen V, Apparently

Adam Bourke shows up exactly where we thought he would in Gen V—the school of performing arts. The famed director tells his acting class to use their grief over Golden Boy’s death to push forward. His appearance is hilarious with a pitch-perfect monologue about the importance of the artist. Apparently, his students have to “bring the funk and not the junk” to get a passing grade.

The Deep Ranked #6 at God U and Loved Brink

The Deep (well, his photo) shows up in a Godolkin University orientation video in episode one. While Queen Maeve and A-Train were #1 in their classes, The Deep came in at #6. Honestly, I’m shocked he made it that far up the rankings. He’s not qualified to be a professor but he did send in a video for a fundraiser gala honoring Brink. In episode three, The Deep says Brink helped him hone his skills and sharpen his mind to turn him into the intelligent man he is today. He tells him to “rest in peace bro.”

This will probably be the only time The Deep makes a Gen V appearance but it is a fun cameo.

Soldier Boy’s Gen V Cameo Is a Dirty Delight

It only took six episodes for Jensen Ackles to return as Soldier Boy in Gen V. His appearance wasn’t technically the real him but rather how he exists in Cate’s mind/imagination as her childhood crush. He meets Marie and company, tells them a little too much info about Cate’s masturbation methods, and dies after being struck by a burst blood vessel. Everything about him showing up is awesome, especially when you consider that Ackles improvs his lines.

Victoria Neuman Is on the Campaign (and Chaos) Trail 

Victoria Neuman makes her Gen V debut in episode six. The head-popping VP candidate is at a Godolkin Town Hall trying to repair her image as a supe hater. Predictably, the town hall goes completely off the rails and Victoria is rushed off stage only to be accosted by Marie Moreau. Through their conversation, Victoria affirms that she also has blood manipulation powers. Marie hands her information about Vought and The Woods (which she may have been at least vaguely aware of) and Victoria uses that to kill Dr. Cardosa and take vials of the supe killing virus. She will be a big antagonist in The Boys season four and surely this virus will be a part of her nefarious plans. 

The Boys‘ Grace Mallory Makes a Surprise Cameo Appearance in Gen V

Grace Mallory, the former CIA Deputy Director who was caring for Homelander’s son Ryan, is known for being the founder of The Boys and working closely with Butcher. She appears briefly in Gen V in a scene with Dean Shetty, who tries to convince her to use the supe killing virus. Grace refuses and then calls a mysterious person (Butcher, maybe?) to make sure they got the recording. So, it looks like The Boys collective will be trying to stop this horrific virus in season four. 

Originally published September 29, 2023.

The post Here’s How THE BOYS Characters Show Up in GEN V appeared first on Nerdist.

The Boys is known for its bloody and oft-gross world full of deceptive supes and shady corporate shenanigans. So it’s fitting that Gen V, the show’s spinoff series, is delivering that same energy in a college setting. Class is in session and there’s a lot of gross, shocking, and plain old weird moments in Gen V that are prime fodder for GIFs and memes. 

Here are all the scenes that will never leave your mind (and timeline).

Jump To: Episode 1 // Episode 2 // Episode 3 // Episode 4 // Episode 5 // Episode 6 // Episode 7

Gen V Episode One’s Most Gross, Shocking, and Weird Moments  – “God U”

Marie’s Bloody Supe Origin Story

Gen V wastes no time getting into some dark and bloody s**t. At first, things seem normal with a preteen Marie starting her first menstrual cycle. She’s understandably unnerved by her bleeding but she becomes terrified when her blood starts to float towards her face. Her screams lead her mom to break down the bathroom door.

Marie isn’t able to control her newfound powers and a stream of her blood slits her mother’s throat. Her dad comes in to help but Marie’s panicking causes her blood to also kill him in a brutal fashion. Her sister comes in to see their parents dead and Marie on the floor in shock. 

Not Suitable for School Sex Videos

A now-teenage Marie is at Red River Institute, an orphanage for young supes, and simply wants to use a computer. But one of her housemates is using it to watch sex videos. Weirdly, he’s watching it with no headphones in a room with others around. Marie rightfully calls him a perv and tells him to move. She also has to, um, clean the keyboard before she can use it. 

Little Cricket Vs. David Caruso the Gerbil 

This is tame for Gen V and The Boys’ universe but it is still very weird. We meet Little Cricket a.k.a. Emma, who shrinks down and makes fighting videos with her pet gerbil. It’s strange and fun and I’m okay with it. 

Golden Boy’s Arm-Ripping Techniques 

Golden Boy is the man at God U. So of course he has to battle his fellow classmates in a gladiator-style battle, right? He turns on the flames and quickly takes out an opponent. The fight ends with him ripping the other guy’s arms off for a burst of bright red. Thankfully this supe has healing powers and his arms are reconnected to his body. 

Hella Strong Supe on the Loose 

Marie and Andre both discover a supe running across campus as armed guards chase him. They use their powers to apprehend him but not before he’s able to toss some vehicles and people around. This sets up a big mystery and goes against the picture perfect image that God U maintains. 

A Night Out and a Throat Slashing (Again)

As a freshman, Marie is living the dream. Andre invites Marie to hang out with him, Golden Boy, Jordan Li, and Golden Boy’s girlfriend Cate. Are they supposed to leave campus? No. But college life is all about breaking the rules. Things are going well until Andre gets drunk and decides to manipulate a coin into a bird to impress a girl at the bar. Someone bumps into him and the coin slices a woman’s neck. Marie is able to save her life but it begins a downward spiral that nearly gets her booted from school.

Little Cricket’s Goes on a Wild and Woeful Ride

Little Cricket didn’t get a chance to hang out with Golden Boy. Instead, she hooks up with a random guy who is a fan of her online videos. Predictably, he only cares about her getting small so she can, um, take a ride on his private part. She isn’t thrilled about it but in the midst of her sadness she does it anyway. We also discover that Little Cricket has to force herself to vomit in order to get small. It really brings her story and powers into a sad focus. 

Golden Boy’s Killer Rampage and Explosive Ending

Marie decides to fight back against Professor Brink’s decision to expel her in order to protect Golden Boy and company. What she didn’t bargain for was seeing Golden Boy burning Brink alive before turning his attention to her. Jordan saves the day (even though they barely survived) but Golden Boy makes it outside. In the end, Golden Boy says goodbye to his bestie Andre before floating up in the sky and exploding himself. His blood and guts rain down on everyone below as they stand in a state of shock. An explosive ending to an episode, indeed. 

Gen V Episode Two’s Most Gross, Shocking, and Weird Moments  – “First Day”

Guts Cleanup on Godolkin Campus

The first scene of the episode shows the gory aftermath of Golden Boy’s death. Chunks of his flesh and blood are all over the place and it is terrible.

Nancy Reagan That S**t

Justine will do anything to get views, including telling others that Emma purges to get small. While that is gross and shocking from a moral perspective, Justine is also a creep. She convinces a supe to suck her tail on camera, telling her to “Nancy Reagan that s**t” in a calm voice. Yuck.

A Dive Into Polarity’s Private Parts

Andre finally pieces together what Golden Boy said moments before his death. “Your dad has it” wasn’t meant to be taken literally after all. It turns out Luke/Golden Boy hid a secret phone in the crotch of the Polarity statue, which Andre opens and retrieves.

Cate Saves the Day with Dirty Mind Control

Andre’s mission to find out about Luke and Sam goes awry when guards catch him. Cate comes in and uses her mind manipulation powers to convince one guard to suck on the others flashlight before it goes, well, where the sun doesn’t shine. Cate is so creative and clutch.

Gen V Episode Three’s Most Gross, Shocking, and Weird Moments  – “#ThinkBrink”

The Fist Up the Throat

Sage Grove doesn’t seem like a fun place to be. In a flashback, Luke and Cate go to visit Sam. Besides seeing a very long “love sausage” they discover that Sam is quite upset after learning the truth about Compound V. Luke calms him down but an officer shoots him, which leads to Sam punching an officer so hard in the chest that his fist comes out of his mouth. Delightful.

Well, That’s One Way to Grieve

Cate and Andre are both mourning Luke’s death and trying to piece together this mystery. In the midst of it all, college hormones take over and they have sex. Somehow, we don’t think Luke would be pleased.

Jordan Li’s Little Romp

This show changes scenery and tone at the drop of a hat. One moment we are grieving with Golden Boy and the next one Jordan Li is having a tryst in their room with a lot showing in broad daylight. Gen V really does embody the spirit of The Boys well when it comes to random shocking moments!

A Little Cricket Ear Adventure

Little Cricket meets Sam and they actually get along quite well. Soldiers come in and hit Sam with a taser. She chooses to defend him by crawling into a man’s ear and going all the way through to the other side. It’s bloody, weird, and a moment that no one will forget.

Gen V Episode Four’s Most Gross, Shocking, and Weird Moments  – “The Whole Truth”

Sam’s Trail of Carnage Candy

Sam is on the loose and he leaves a lot of carnage candy in his wake. Dean Shetty discovers a gruesome scene with most of her soldiers’ bodies twisted and bloody in a hallway. It’s not the first time we have seen Sam deliver blood to the screen and it certainly won’t be the last. 

I Exploded His D**k

Yes, Marie is a supe and currently #2 at God U. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t still a naive freshman who doesn’t know what’s going on sometimes. Marie is desperate to find Emma, so she seeks out Rufus, an upperclassman with psychic and telepathy powers. She wants him to use his abilities to locate Emma and he agrees, coercing Marie to sit close to him.

However, he somehow portals them to his dorm room after knocking her out with some sort of pheromones. Marie is confused and horrified when she discovers that he’s wearing a robe and fully exposing himself to her. Jordan shows up and creates a distraction. Marie holds her hands up and it causes the blood to rush to his penis. It explodes and that situation is a wrap. 

Marie and Jordan Hook Up

There’s been a ton of tension between these two and not in a sexual way. However, Marie finally telling the truth and Jordan coming to her aid sparks a flame between the pair. They share their first kiss before Emma barges in and end up having sex later in the episode. It’s not the graphic fare we’d expect in Gen V, but this moment is still shocking nonetheless. 

Tek Knight Is Humpin’ Around

Tek Knight’s extracurricular activities become his downfall in this episode. Dean Shetty discovers that his brain tumor leads him to engaging with inanimate objects in a sexual way. We actually get to see a few, including a donut, traffic cone, hand dryer, and even a tree. What a swell guy!

Emma Goes Giant

This episode reveals more about Emma’s abilities. Apparently, she can consume large amounts of food while regular sized and turn into a super-sized version of herself. This comes in handy when the God U crew tracks down Sam and tries to subdue him. Emma eats spaghetti and gets very big (and naked), holding Sam down and talking to him gently until he calms down. 

Gen V Episode Five’s Most Gross, Shocking, and Weird Moments  – “Welcome to the Monster Club”

The Dolphin Blowhole Sex Scene

The God U crew wakes up at a house party and doesn’t remember anything from the night before nor the woods. Andre and Cate walk through the house, where all sorts of wild things have happened. But nothing is like what they see in one room. A guy who can move his hand really fast sticks it inside of a girl with a blowhole. And um… she has her climax and shoots fluid out of the hole.

Who the Hell Is Sam?!

Things take a complete turn when Sam shows up. Emma and Marie have no idea who he is and remember nothing about The Woods. This is when we know something truly terrible has happened to our crew.

The Violent Puppet Scene

Dean Shetty’s guards/soldiers descend on Sam’s hiding spot. He takes them out in extremely brutal fashion but it seems less horrific because the fight is seen through his eyes. Everyone, including Sam, appears as a puppet. It’s only in the end where we see the true carnage that Sam left behind. The more you think about his puppet connection, the sadder it becomes.

Cate’s Deception

Marie discovers a tracking device in her neck and goes to Cate to see what to do next. Unfortunately, Cate reveals herself to be the one wiping their minds. Is she a horrible person? No. But it still makes everyone angry, especially Andre.

Gen V Episode Six’s Most Gross, Shocking, and Weird Moments  – “Jumanji”

Hello Soldier Boy

Everything about Marie, Jordan, and Andre’s encounter with Soldier Boy in Cate’s mind is weird and gross. He reveals that he is her childhood crush as well as all the ways she would masturbate to his image. We get great terms like “flick the bean” and “diddle that skittle” to describe it all. What a fun and wild cameo that ends explosively.

A Little Sex and an Emma Puppet

Is there anything else to say? After getting her memories back, Emma finds Sam and shows him the way to Pleasure Town. During their interaction, Sam briefly sees Emma as a puppet before she becomes herself again.

The Dean Shetty and Cate Connection

Well, well, wellll. It turns out Dean Shetty preyed on Cate at a young age after she’d been ostracized for nine years. Now we have a better understanding of why Cate would betray her friends and help Shetty in her dangerous mission.

Andre and Jordan Are Full of Sordid Secrets

Cate’s mind tells everyone’s personal business. While the revelation about Marie’s dark past made everyone feel empathy for her, Jordan and Andre’s secrets were of the anger-inducing variety. It turns out Golden Boy knew that Andre and Cate were sleeping together before he died. Spicy. And Jordan saw a confrontation between Golden Boy and Brink, but chose to stay quiet about it in exchange for their TA position.

Gen V Episode Seven’s Most Gross, Shocking, and Weird Moments  – “Sick”

Infected Andy Enters The Woods

Sam is out of The Woods but the horrors continue for the other supes there. We see the full scope of Dean Shetty and Dr. Cardosa’s nasty virus thanks to infected Andy. He looks like something from a zombie series in the grossest way possible. 

Dean’s Shetty’s Shocking Truth 

Marie and Jordan do a little snooping around in Shetty’s office and make a big discovery. It turns out Shetty’s family died in the flight that Homelander and Queen Maeve crashed in The Boys season one. This is why she’s dead set on killing all supes. For more about that crash and what this connection could mean, check this post out. 

Sam Explores Emma’s Underwear 

Sam is left to his own devices while Emma does a supply run. While it seems like a terrible idea to leave someone like Sam alone, Emma also knows he’s a wanted man. Sam explores Emma’s room and discovers her underwear drawer. Interestingly, she has underwear in all sizes and he takes a liking to her tiny ones. In fact, he begins to act out a weird scene with them to entertain himself. How can you not love him?

Polarity’s Onscreen Breakdown and Crushing Ride to the Hospital 

Polarity is back in Gen V and preparing to interview Victoria Neuman at a God U Town Hall. Things quickly go awry when Polarity goes into some sort of shock on live TV. Andre is watching and rushes to see about his estranged father. Polarity’s powers go off the rails, causing metal to fly all around and his ambulance to start crushing in on itself. Thankfully, Andre contains everything but it raises some unanswered questions about what happened to him. Is it connected to The Woods? 

Victoria Neuman’s Power Reveal

After a terrible Town Hall, Victoria Neuman and Marie Moreau sit down for a little chat. Victoria confirms that she also has blood manipulation powers, which makes sense because she pops people’s heads for fun. Maybe we will see a bloody battle between the two in the future.

Dean Shetty Dies Under Cate’s Control

The frankly awful relationship between Dean Shetty and Cate Dunlap comes to a tragic end. After years of feeding Cate meds to control her powers and coercing her to protect The Woods’ secrets, Cate is over Shetty. She gains mind control over her, making her confess all her sins before forcing Shetty to slit her own throat. This action causes some division among the group and sets Cate up to be a new antihero.

Popping the Doctor

Oh Marie. She tells Victoria Neuman all about what’s going on with The Woods and it immediately leads to mess. Victoria tracks down Dr. Cardosa, gets all the virus vials, and promptly pops his head before heading off to parts unknown.

We can’t wait to see what other gross, shocking, and weird moments will happen in Gen V.

Originally published on September 29, 2023.

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Well, that was one hell of a ride. Gen V’s seventh episode was a complete doozy with tons of new revelations and The Boys’ character cameos. And boy did that ending set up the season finale well. It’s enough to make your head want to, ahem, explode. There has been lots of small connective tissue between The Boys and Gen V, from Queen Maeve posters to Adam Bourke showing up as a professor. However, things between these series are a lot more intertwined than we originally thought. Gen V reveals that Victoria Neuman and Marie Moreau are more alike than we thought and Dean Shetty harbors a personal vendetta against all supes, specifically Homelander, which explains why she is creating a supe-killing virus. Let’s get into how Gen V is perfectly setting up The Boys season four.

Dean Shetty’s Motivations in Gen V and Her Ties to Homelander’s Cruelty in The Boys

At the end of episode six, we discovered that Dean Shetty wants to use Dr. Edison Cardosa’s virus to infect all supes. Of course, this is in direct conflict with Dr. Cardosa’s intentions, which aren’t totally clear but apparently are not this nefarious. We knew we’d get an explanation behind her motivations at some point. It did seem odd to want to kill supes considering she is the dean of a university for supes. Now, we know that Dean Shetty hates supes because her husband and daughter died in the Crash of Transoceanic Flight 37.

In case you forgot, this is the plane crash from The Boys’ season one, episode four where Homelander and Queen Maeve attempt to stop hijackers on a commercial flight. They kill three of the hijackers but when Homelander discovers a fourth in the cockpit, he recklessly kills him with his laser eye powers. This destroys the plane, causing it to start crashing. Despite Maeve’s pleas to save the passengers, Homelander doesn’t want any witnesses. So, he leaves with Maeve and they watch everyone crash and die.

Indira Shetty is very well connected and a smart human. So it is not shocking that she knows the truth about this flight. It also seems that she hasn’t been the dean at the school for very long. She previously told Marie that she was previously a behavioral therapist and reminded Ashley that Vought hired her because she’s a “problem solver,” hinting that she came along in recent years. We’d bet his happened three years ago and she came into this sham of a school to continue studying supes. But unlike her predecessors, she’s taking her experiments to a dangerous new level.

In this episode, Shetty goes to Grace Mallory, the former CIA Deputy Director and the founder of The Boys. Or, as Soldier Boy calls her, Captain Lesbo. Shetty tries to convince her that they can work together. Grace obviously declines this offer and makes a phone call to a mysterious person. She asks if they “got that” and hinting that “they” are on to her.

We don’t hear the voice on the phone, but it is possibly Butcher on the other end. Dean Shetty’s goals threaten every supe in this universe—both good and terrible. The Boys are not on that wavelength, especially with Starlight on their team. They will have to deal with this virus threat next season among other things. Vought is aware of The Woods and experiments, they don’t know that Shetty wants to kill all supes. Godolkin University is a front to study supes to craft new abilities and keep their business going. 

Any hopes of Dean Shetty appearing on The Boys are gone before the end of the episode. Cate controls Dean Shetty’s mind and makes her admit the truth to her friends. Then, she exacts her revenge by making her former mom figure slit her throat. Cate also prevents Marie from saving her, sending the God U crew into shock. Loyalties become divided with Sam believing that Cate delivered righteous justice while Emma, Marie, and Jordan believing she made a terrible choice. We wonder which side Andre will ultimately take. 

The Boys‘ Victoria Neuman Comes to Gen V and Changes the Game

Now, it’s time for the Victoria Neuman drama. The former (??) anti-supe (but actually a supe) activist turned Vice Presidential candidate is at God U hoping to win over its students. Predictably, things go awry and Victoria has to leave the stage. Meanwhile, Marie sneaks in to speak with her directly, hoping that Neuman can use her political power to expose The Woods. She’s shocked when Victoria willingly invites her into a room for a conversation. Marie gets more than what she bargained for after Victoria Neuman invites her to analyze her blood. She realizes that the political powerhouse is herself a Supe and Victoria reveals that she also has blood manipulation powers. This makes a lot of sense considering she blows up folks’ heads on the regular.

Victoria also reveals that she went to the Red River Institute and played a small role in helping Marie get into Godolkin. (RED. FLAG.) Marie divulges all the information to her and Victoria tells her that she will “handle” it. She also tells Marie to go back to being a student, lest she want to cause trouble that will end with Vought shipping her to an adult facility. Victoria says the first Black woman in the Seven would have real power politically and culturally. She tells Marie to choose a path and that they will “keep in touch.”

This complicates things greatly for Marie because she could risk ruining her entire life behind exposing The Woods. At the end, Victoria takes the virus and kills Dr. Cardosa, so she will likely take off with the virus vials and use them to her advantage in The Boys season four. So while Dean Shetty is gone, Victoria Neuman is taking up the mantle of stirring up drama in the supe world. 

We know that Gen V will get another season that will build on whatever goes down in The Boys season four. What will Victoria do with the supe killing virus? How will Dean Shetty’s death change Cate and the rest of the God U crew? The plot thickens, indeed.

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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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Sometimes it is really hard to find the right guy, especially when you’re a teenager. The sweaty boys at your school don’t quite measure up to the handsome (and maybe famous) crush who you dream about at night. So you spend your days and nights fawning over a person you can only hope to meet and fall helplessly in love with in real life. But what if that crush was a dude who isn’t even alive anymore? How do you make your wildest romance dreams come true? You bring them to life for love, murder, gallivanting in graveyards, and adventure, obviously. The trailer for Lisa Frankenstein explores a strange “coming of rage” love story between a goth girl and a reanimated corpse. [Editor’s note: Kudos to the delightful pun on Lisa Frank.]

Kathryn Newton, whom we know as Cassie Lang of Ant-Man movie fame, plays Lisa, a teen who has a high school crush on a handsome corpse (Cole Sprouse). She sits at his grave, telling him that she just wants to be with him. Lisa gets her Frankenstein on and creates a machine to bring her crush to life. They go on a wild adventure full of wacky moments and a sprinkle of murder and crime while falling in love with each other. Her friends think it is weird and adults really hope she gets past the phase she is going through. Yet no one seems to be totally freaked out that she’s hanging out with a not-so-dead dude. Hmmmm…

The Lisa Frankenstein trailer is full of ‘80s-inspired looks, loving embraces, and dark humor. None of these elements are shocking considering Diablo Cody (Jennifer’s Body) is behind the script with Zelda Williams directing. Lisa Frankenstein also stars Liza Soberano, Carla Gugino, Joe Chrest, and Henry Eikenberry.

The Release Date for Lisa Frankenstein 

Lisa Frankenstein will hit theaters just in time for Valentine’s Day on February 9, 2024.

The post LISA FRANKENSTEIN Trailer Explores a Love Story Between a Goth Girl and Her Corpse Crush appeared first on Nerdist.

When it comes to Doctor Who’s modern companions, Donna Noble (played by the remarkable Catherine Tate) remains a fan favorite with a controversial arc. She started off as a rather annoying temp from Chiswick but her platonic chemistry with the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and sharp wit made her a beloved companion. Donna became a very important person in the universe, discovering her own power and worth while traveling in the TARDIS. However, she saw some pretty heartbreaking things and her companion arc ended on a very sad note (more on that later). Donna Noble is returning for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary on November 25 but some people have probably forgotten what happened to her years ago in the series. 

Any Doctor Who fan who knows Donna Noble cannot forget her heartbreaking fate in Journey’s End. Thanks to her touching the Doctor’s severed hand, she gained all the knowledge of a Time Lord. The “DoctorDonna” used this to stop Davros and save many planets in the process; however, she couldn’t save herself. The Doctor’s knowledge is simply too much for a human so the Tenth Doctor made the decision to wipe her mind. As he explains, this will keep her mind from burning up and killing her. All traces of her time with him left her memory in an instant. That scene is still a highly emotional and controversial moment among Doctor Who fans. 

But some fans may have forgotten Donna’s brief return in “The End of Time” in 2009. (It was approx. 2010 on Earth, considering Rose Tyler’s year away from home threw off the timeline a bit.) The Tenth Doctor Christmas special is his epic swansong that loops her back into the mix. The Master returns and tries to make every human a copy of him to take over the world. But Donna isn’t affected because her DNA is no longer the same. However, her memories began to seep through and are nearly restored. Thankfully, the Doctor installed a fail-safe to prevent this from happening. She even generates a pulse that helps to defeat some of the Master’s nearby clones as well as herself.

Towards the end of the episode, the Doctor saves her grandfather Wilfred, which triggers his regeneration. He holds off and sees Donna one last time as we see her marrying Shaun Temple. The Doctor also left her a winning lottery ticket to ensure her financial future. So that’s what happened to Donna Noble in Doctor Who. As we moved on with a new Doctor and showrunner, those previous companions like Donna, Martha, and Rose went off to live their lives… until now. Rose is still on parallel Earth and Martha could still be a freelance alien hunter. We will never know. But we are getting a glimpse into Donna’s life once again.

We now know that Donna is still married with a daughter, Rose Noble. Besides her child’s name, which is an obvious homage to Rose Tyler, Donna’s mind still has remnants of her TARDIS traveling days. In the anniversary specials trailer, she admits to her mom that she feels like something special is missing from her life. How will the Doctor keep her from remembering him and dying? Is she still wealthy? What is Donna Noble currently doing with her life? We will get those answers and more soon when “The Star Beast” hits Disney+ on November 25.

Originally published on August 30, 2023.

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, we don’t mean the ‘Ber months and all their fall/holiday glory, even though they are absolutely awesome. We mean the triumphant return of Doctor Who for its 60th anniversary with a three-part special. Can you believe it’s been 10 years since we saw the Tenth and Eleventh Doctor join forces for an epic adventure?! Well, David Tennant is returning to Doctor Who, but he’s going to be the Fourteenth Doctor instead. We are still confused but very intrigued, especially because we are catching up with Donna Noble. It has been a long time since we last left her in the Whoniverse. The trailer for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary is action-packed, gorgeous, and complete fan service in the best way with a nod to the past, thanks to Neil Patrick Harris’ Toymaker. We can’t wait until the first special hits on November 25!

Donna reveals to her mum that she feels like there’s something missing from her life in this Doctor Who trailer. That’s the understatement of the year. It’s clear that those suppressed memories of The Doctor and the TARDIS are still threatening to surface years later. Also, a spaceship crashing right in front of her eyes doesn’t help. Donna is not the only person dealing with some memories. The Doctor has a memory that is back and has something to do with a weird villain called the Toymaker. It looks like these Doctor Who specials will be unlike anything we’ve seen from the franchise so far.

Who Is Neil Patrick Harris’ Doctor Who Villain, the Toymaker?

Until this trailer, we weren’t sure about how Neil Patrick Harris’ character would play into the Doctor Who anniversary specials. His character is a classic Doctor Who villain called the Celestial Toymaker, who appeared in a First Doctor serial 57 years ago.

The 1966 serial, aptly titled “The Celestial Toymaker,” is mostly lost to time, with only stills and fragments of it existing. But the story involves the Toymaker forcing the Doctor’s companions to play childish yet deadly games. He would trap victims in a little universe called the Celestial Toyroom and manipulate them. Losing was a bad thing because, well, you’d become his plaything forever. The Doctor wins the game, and the Toymaker’s world is destroyed. Or so we thought.

How Will the Toymaker Play Into Doctor Who‘s 60th Anniversary? Will Donna Noble Die?

In the 60th anniversary specials, the Toymaker and his accomplices are no longer in that pocket universe. They are on Earth and threatening to do something so bad that the TARDIS itself has run away. But if there’s one being in the universe you cannot scare, it is the mighty Donna Noble. She’s not only fighting for the world but for the safety of her daughter Rose Noble, played by Yasmin Finney. The Doctor admits that he may not be able to save Donna this time. So there’s a chance that Donna Noble could die in Doctor Who‘s anniversary specials.

Let me tell you something, reader. If this show harms a hair on Donna or Rose Noble’s head, I will never forgive them for it. NEVER. The Doctor Who 60th-anniversary trailer ends as it should: with a closeup of Ncuti Gatwa’s gorgeous face. The Fifteenth Doctor is going to be awesome, indeed.

When Will the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials Air?

The Doctor Who anniversary specials will start to air on November 25 on the BBC for those in the UK and Ireland and Disney+ for other countries, including the US. The first special, “The Star Beast,” will debut on that date followed by “Wild Blue Yonder” on December 2 and “The Giggle” on December 9.

Ncuti Gatwa will take over for a holiday special with his full season arriving in 2024.

Originally published on September 25, 2023.

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We’ve always known that the Stranger Things universe would expand in some way. In the next couple of years, we will get the show’s fifth and final season. But Netflix will certainly want to continue the universe of its biggest hit. And while we have our own Stranger Things spinoff ideas, including a ‘90s series, this isn’t quite what we had in mind. Stranger Things is heading to the stage for Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a live stage play at the Phoenix Theater in London’s West End. 

The Stranger Things Play Synopsis and First-Look Images

The Stranger Things play is based on an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne, and Kate Trefry (who wrote this play) and will hit the stage sometime in late 2023. Of course, Netflix will produce it alongside Sonia Friedman Productions, and fans will certainly show up to see what happens. Here’s the plot synopsis for Stranger Things: The First Shadow stage play: 

Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach. Brought to life by a multi-award-winning creative team, who take theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension, this gripping new adventure will take you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story – and may hold the key to the end.

We also have our first look at rehearsals for Stranger Things: The First Shadow. In them, we prominently see Henry Creel glaring into space and also get our first tease of a young Joyce Byers (at the time Joyce Maldonado)

Additionally, a teaser for the Stranger Things play hints that it could also be crucial for understanding what’s to come in Stranger Things 5.

We have to admit that it is quite the interesting take on the series. Fans met Henry Creel and his family last season, and there’s certainly a lot to mine from his story. Sure, there were flashes of his childhood and backstory. But now we will get to see more about his life in the Stranger Things play. And, who isn’t curious about what a young Hopper, Joyce, and Bob were like, as well as the town itself? At this time, Jim and Joyce would have been between 17-19 years old, with the former getting ready to be drafted into the Vietnam War. So, they probably would have little to no interaction with Henry, who was middle school-aged in 1959. But hey, they could always play with timelines and bend the rules a bit.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow Cast and Ticket Information

The Stranger Things play cast is also set! Shane Attwooll and Christopher Buckley will portray Chief Hopper and Bob Newby, respectively. Oscar Lloyd will be James Hopper, Jr. and we can’t wait to learn more about him. Michael Jibson will take on the role of Victor Creel, Louis McCartney plays his son Henry Creel, and Lauren Ward will be Virginia Creel. Isabella Pappas will portray Joyce Maldonaldo, Ella Kaurna Williams is Patty Newby, and Patrick Vaill rounds out the cast as Dr. Brenner.

Tickets for the Stranger Things play went on sale March 30th. And tickets are now available for as low as £45 (USD $57.20). Additionally, fans can lottery to get “Shadow Seats” for the performances via the TodayTix app. These 11 pairs of seats will be available via lottery each week and cost £19.59 per seat, according to Variety.

The play itself will begin its run in November.

Originally published on March 1, 2023.

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Stranger Things 4 Volume 2 left us with quite a cliffhanger, so it makes sense that people are ready beyond ready for more. This long-running saga of a superpowered girl, her nerdy friends, and a small town with a dark dimension beneath is wrapping up its story for good, making people extra excited. Stranger Things 5 will be the last season, a plan that the Duffer Brothers have had since the beginning. So naturally, they have been dropping information here and there for a while. Here’s what we know so far about Stranger Things 5. 

Stranger Things 5 Releases Pre-Vis First-Looks at Episode One

Who would have thought we’d have our first-look at Stranger Things 5 so early. At least, a technical first-look. In support of the SAG-AFTRA strike, the Stranger Things 5 writers, who were recently allowed to return to work, posted a very interesting-looking Steve Harrington.

FYI this is pre-vis for a scene in ep 1. So technically your first look at season 5. We told Joe he has to perform it EXACTLY like this.

— stranger writers (@strangerwriters) September 28, 2023

They followed up the slightly freaky image by noting, “FYI, this is pre-vis for a scene in ep 1. So technically your first look at season 5. We told Joe he has to perform it EXACTLY like this.” This Stranger Things 5 “first look” doesn’t actually reveal anything… But we are glad to see Steve, regardless.

They did Charlie dirty pic.twitter.com/NOWxnTou4l

— stranger writers (@strangerwriters) September 29, 2023

The writers also shared a continuation of the moment and revealed that Jonathan is also present in it. It looks like they might be working on a car or something of the sort together. We honestly wouldn’t mind seeing a little bit more of their tenuous friendship.

Lastly, Stranger Things‘ writers have revealed pre-viz for a scene in Stranger Things 5 that features Nancy, Jonathan, and Dustin. They’re screaming a lot in a car… and also appear to possibly be heading into the Upside Down by way of Stranger Things 2 location McCorkle’s farm. Very interesting.

Stranger Things 5 Will Be a Return to Season One and More

The Duffer Brothers teased the tone we can expect from Stranger Things 5. They shared:

Five, the way we see it, is kind of a culmination of all the seasons, so it’s sort of got a little bit from each… Whereas before, each season was so [distinct]… [Season] 3 is our big summer blockbuster season with big monsters, and [Season] 4 was the psychological horror. Five, the way we see it, is kind of a culmination of all the seasons, so it’s sort of got a little bit from each. I think that what we’re trying to do is go back to the beginning a little bit, in sort of the tone of 1.

While having an Eleven-centric final season is a no-brainer, The Duffer Brothers affirm via a Variety interview that Will Byers is going to once again become a big focus in Stranger Things‘ final season. There’s no outright onscreen confirmation that Will is indeed gay (we do get lots of heavy hinting); however, actor Noah Schnapp did reveal his truth via TikTok as well as previously stating that his character is gay. In an interview with Variety, Schnapp affirms his own journey would inform how he portrays Will in the final season.

“I think the way I act in season five, honestly, might be a little different,” Schnapp says. “I will be fully aware of who I am. Knowing all of that about myself and being able to invest that in my character, I’m honestly just excited.”

Ross Duffer further adds, “Will really takes center stage again in [season five]. This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together. Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected. So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality—it’s Will coming into his own as a young man.”

In terms of scale, the episodes are still as epic as Stranger Things 4‘s were. In fact, Stranger Things’ writers had quite a visceral way of describing the upcoming season. Take a look.

Additionally, the script for Stranger Things 5 made Netflix executives cry, according to the creators… And David Harbour refers to it as “very, very moving.” So strap in folks.

Will There Be a Time Jump Between Stranger Things 4 and Stranger Things 5?

If you’re wondering whether we’ll see a major time jump between Stranger Things 4 and Stranger Things 5, it sounds like the answer is no, but the door does remain open.

In an interview recorded before the SAG-AFTRA strike began, David Harbour chatted to the Happy Sad Confused podcast about when Stranger Things 5 will pick up the story. He offered, “…when you watch us on that hill looking at the ash and the smoke and fires—we’re going to start somewhere after that. So you’ve got to imagine the world is a different place.” Of course, somewhere after that could mean more than a little time, but it does feel like the ash is still hanging in the air when the cameras begin to roll.

The Title of Stranger Things 5‘s First Episode

To celebrate Stranger Things Day, Netflix gave us a tease of what we might expect in the final season of the show. Well, a tiny tease, anyway. Netflix released the title of Stranger Thing 5‘s first episode. The episode’s title? “Chapter One: The Crawl.”

Hrm… The doesn’t really clear much up. But for our money, that better mean Eddie Munson’s crawl back to life from his death in the Upside Down. Listen, it could happen. We guess we’ll just have to hang on for now. But we feel sure thousands of theories about this Stranger Things 5 title are already brewing.

Stranger Things 5 Will Be Shorter Than Stranger Things 4

Stranger Things 5 will be shorter than this very, very long season. According to an interview on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, the reason for this is pretty simple. “The only reason we don’t expect [Season 5] to be as long is because, this season, if you look at it, it’s almost a two-hour ramp-up before our kids really get drawn into the supernatural mystery,” Matt Duffer said. “You get to know them, you get to see them in their lives, all while they’re struggling with adapting to high school and so forth … Steve’s trying to find a date. All of that.” 

For now, it looks like the Duffer brothers and other Stranger Things writers are teasing us with an eight-episode Stranger Things 5.

Based on the end of Stranger Things 4, this all makes sense. There’s plenty going on with them immediately in Stranger Things 5, to be honest. And this doesn’t mean we’ll get a shorter finale. The runtime for the very last episode will be movie length and have a Return of the King type of deal with eight endings. Goodness. 

Stranger Things 5 Will Only Be Set in Hawkins 

Stranger Things 4 felt like that song about the dude who’s been everywhere, man. There were so many locations in several states (and even Russia). But the final season will stick to the place where we began this adventure: Hawkins, Indiana. According to Matt Duffer, returning to home base is what it’s all about. “We wanna go back to a lot of the things we did in season one,” Duffer told Entertainment Weekly. “A lot of the original groupings and pairings that we had in season one–there’s something nice about coming full circle.”

This is interesting considering the new faces we’ve added on like Robin and Erica. Where will they fit into these groups in Stranger Things 5? We know the first season was heavy on Mike, Dustin, and Lucas being together while Will was missing. Uh, oh. Does this mean Will will separate from his buddies again? 

One thing we got confirmed: the Duffer Brothers know how Stranger Things will end. And we can only speculate what they have up their sleeves. 

The Work Is Currently on Hold for Stranger Things 5 

In a Collider interview, Ross Duffer confirmed that the writers’ room will be back to work in August 2022. However, things came to a grinding halt in May 2023 with the writers’ strike. The Stranger Things writers room made a post on Twitter affirming that production would stop until a fair deal was reached.

This likely means we won’t get Stranger Things 5 until 2025. And that’s okay. The most important issue is to make sure that actors and writers are being treated fairly.

The Stranger Things Spinoff Will Connect to the Series

That elusive Stranger Things spinoff that only the Duffer Brothers and apparently Finn Wolfhard know about will have “connective tissue” with the series. They will be involved in putting it together but they also want to put the reins in someone else’s hands so they can take a step back. In the aforementioned podcast interview, they admit to wanting to stay involved. But they also say they are looking for “that right person to pass the baton to” so they can do new things. Makes sense considering they have been in Stranger Things land for several years. 

Max Is in a Really, Really Bad Situation 

The Duffers also confirm some really sad news about Max and her fate on Stranger Things. Apparently, she is alive but “brain dead, blind, and all her bones are broken.” So, at least for now, Max is certainly not the same person she was before. It’s not clear how this will play into Stranger Things season five but hopefully, she won’t end up being some vessel for Vecna or anything. We can’t bear to see anything else happen to Max. Save her, please! 

Originally published on July 5, 2022.

The post Every STRANGER THINGS 5 Tease Released So Far appeared first on Nerdist.

Gen V’s sixth episode takes Marie, Andre, Jordan, and randomly Dusty on a trip inside Cate Dunlap’s mind. After she restores their memories, Cate goes into a seizure and her powers create a state that drags them into her head. They witness the moment that changed Cate’s life: when she commanded her brother to go away and he walked off to never return. Poor Cate wasn’t aware of her newly activated mind control powers. Their peeping is interrupted by the very unlikely presence of Soldier Boy, whom we got (uncomfortably) familiar with in The Boys season three. What is Soldier Boy doing in Gen V? Let’s get into his wacky and brief cameo.

Soldier Boy approaches the group and wants to know why these “greasy sack of f**knuts” are there. Of course, they recognize him and ask him why he is in Cate’s mind. Soldier Boy reveals that he was Cate’s imaginary friend/boyfriend from her childhood. This makes sense considering that Soldier Boy is aesthetically appealing and presented as a heroic figure. (We all know the truth about his actual antics.) The scene quickly goes left field as Soldier Boy opens up about how he taught Cate to masturbate, revealing some very weird information that she wouldn’t want her friends to know.

Soldier Boy recognizes Andre as Cate’s new f**kboy and admits that she really loves him. Andre and Jordan accuse him of being a Russian agent (thank you Vought for the false information). Soldier Boy denies it because he’s a red-blooded (not “Commie red”) American. He finally explains that Cate wants them in her brain for some reason and says they need to figure out why before they become trapped forever.

According to him, Cate’s brain is unraveling, as evidenced by several strong sparks in the atmosphere. He says they need to know one really important thing and never finishes his sentence. A strike of “lightning” burns him to a crisp, which encourages them to hurry up. Andre comments, “That guy was a dick, right?” and we certainly agree. Jensen Ackles is so good at being a terrible supe like Soldier Boy.

We spoke with Gen V showrunner Eric Kripke, who revealed that Jensen Ackles actually improvised a lot of his lines for the Soldier Boy cameo. For more on that conversation (and a little Taylor Lautner chatter), check out our interview.

So far, The Boys character cameos have been fun and nonsensical, with the exception of Ashley Barrett. While this technically wasn’t the real Soldier Boy, we know that he will likely return for more chaos in The Boys season four. Until then, we really hope that the God U crew doesn’t ask Cate about her childhood crush.

The post GEN V Brings Back Soldier Boy for a Hilarious and Uncomfortable Cameo appeared first on Nerdist.

Gen V’s sixth episode is an incredible mixed bag of revelation, heartbreak, a hot hookup, and a splash of humor thanks to Soldier Boy. Marie, Jordan, and Andre get more than they bargained for after ending up in the recesses of Cate’s mind. Their darkest secrets come to light and they leave with a deeper understanding of why Cate betrayed them. Now more than ever, the God U crew is a united front determined to take down Dean Shetty and her cohorts at all costs. We caught up with Gen V showrunner Eric Kripke and executive producer Michele Fazekas to chat about that Soldier Boy scene, the Taylor Lautner cameo that almost happened, creating Cate’s world, and much more. 

Nerdist: Gen V does a great job of capturing all the wonderful things we love about The Boys, but it also feels wholly unique. What were some of your guiding principles and goals when you started crafting this series? 

Eric Kripke: Thanks for saying that because it is very intentional. [The Boys and Gen V] need to live as their own shows that have their own reasons for being beyond money, you know? We were really scared of appearing like we were selling out… In The Boys, the superpowers are a metaphor for the broadest possible social issues. They’re metaphors for celebrity and authoritarianism and fascism, and so as we were developing [Gen V], we said we should continue to use those metaphors, but we should use them for what young people are going through, and their own specific character and psychological issues.

Buffy was a really inspiring show for me in my developmental years and the way it used the metaphor of high school as literally hell was really smart. The idea that these powers you have are both advantageous to you, but also that wounds that you’re carrying around, felt like a good way into this story.

Michele Fazekas: One thing I recognized very early was the heroes in Gen V would be the villains in The Boys, but we’re getting to them before they’ve been corrupted. And so we actually get to see that moment that everyone deals with in adolescence of, “What kind of person am I going to be? Now that I don’t have my parents telling me what to do, I get to decide what I want to do.” You see that very important moment in these kids’ lives, but they just happen to be superheroes.

And we definitely see a lot of important moments of growth and discovery in episode six. It really takes us into some dark places for all of the characters, but specifically for Cate because we get to live in her mind and see her past experiences in such an interesting way. What went into creating those sequences from a visual and a storytelling perspective?

Fazekas: From a storytelling perspective, we really liked the idea of looking at these key moments in Cate’s life and letting our characters live through them with her. These were the things that shaped who she is, that maybe tell you why she betrayed her friends in such a huge way. She’s not just evil, she had reasons, and this sort of brings you to who she is as a person, so you have maybe a better understanding of her.

And visually, it was a big undertaking. How do we show a world that is a dream world? It’s like the world is crumbling around her, but we’ve seen a lot of dream worlds. So I think the challenge is, how do you do it in a way that you don’t feel like I’ve seen it a million times? So it was a lot developed with our visual effects team… What will look cool? What will look unique?

It came together beautifully. Of course I have to ask about Soldier Boy! Can you talk about what went into the decision to bring him back and what was it like crafting the dialogue? Every word that comes out of his mouth is absolutely hilarious and on brand.

Kripke: Yeah, a lot of that is from Jensen [Ackles]. The part called for Cate’s imaginary crush to guide [the group] into her mindscape. In a very early draft of the script, it was Taylor Lautner. So [in the episode] it’s like, “Taylor Lautner, what are you doing here?” And then it’s, “Oh, I’m Cate’s crush and here’s the rules of the world,” and then he explodes.

I love it!

Kripke: I forget whether we even brought it to Taylor Lautner or, very wisely, he passed, but suddenly Taylor Lautner wasn’t on the table. And we were trying to get Soldier Boy into the spinoff and we said, “Well, this is actually the perfect spot because he can be alive and well in a dream sequence, whereas in the reality of the show, he’s unconscious in a CIA basement somewhere.”

And so I called him and I said, “You’re suiting up. We need you.” He was awesome as always. He was shooting this show, Big Sky, and he moved around his dates and came in. His only request was, “It needs to be funnier.” And I said, “Totally,” and I was actually going to be there in Toronto at the time anyway. So I’m like, “I will be on set, I will be standing next to the camera, and you and I will riff until you are happy.” 

It was one of the most fun days I’ve had on a set. He’s there, I’m right behind the camera, and we’re just rolling. And he’s like, “What if I say this?” I’m like, “Say it.” And then, “What if you say this?” We must’ve come up with 100 euphemisms for jerking off, and we’ve only used 10% of them. It was a blast because he’s so good at improv, he always has been, so it was just him and I throwing stuff back and forth and rolling film on it.

I love that. So what can fans expect from these final two episodes of Gen V?

Fazekas: …Everything races to a head and everyone’s been set on these paths, especially Cate, because Cate sort of breaks. And then her friends have to decide, what side are we going to be on here? Because sides are going to form. We had to set up something to launch us into season four of The Boys, and so we did that as well. There’s a handoff between our show and their show.

Oooh that’s so exciting! Can’t wait to see what happens next.

The post GEN V’s Eric Kripke and Michele Fazekas on Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy Improv and Cate’s Mind appeared first on Nerdist.

The first season of The Boys spinoff series Gen V is giving fans a wild ride at Godolkin University. It turns out this school is not a safe space for anyone to thrive. The heartbreaking experimentations happening in a secret facility are slowly unfolding towards chaos that will change this entire universe. So, it’s not shocking Gen V is coming back for its sophomore year. That’s right, Gen V has been renewed for season two.

The Prime Video show’s official X page shared the delightful news with fans. We really love the video of the God U crew celebrating their good fortune.  

Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon MGM Studios, spoke further about the future of Gen V in a Variety statement. “Expanding the universe of The Boys with a series as bold as Gen V has been an incredible journey for us and our wonderful partners at Sony. From our first conversation with showrunners Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters, along with Eric Kripke, Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen, we knew Gen V would push the boundaries. Their unapologetic approach is exactly what audiences love, and it has helped Gen V become the No. 1 series on Prime Video in over 130 countries. Gen V is Prime Video’s most acquisitive new Original series of 2023, and we’re excited that our incredible cast and crew are going to continue telling brave and bold stories from Gen V to our customers.”

And there’s certainly a lot of storytelling potential here. We know Dean Shetty is doing some horrific experiments on supes like Sam. She’s in cahoots with Vought, which means her reasons for maintaining The Woods have to be nefarious. There’s also still some major questions about the details behind Golden Boy’s mental unraveling, Marie’s sister, and how Andre will deal with his father. We are glad that Gen V is renewed for season two because we need answers… and more puppets. 

The post GEN V’s Sophomore Year Is Happening Thanks to a Season 2 Renewal appeared first on Nerdist.

Like many fandoms, The Walking Dead family disagrees on pretty much everything. But one thing we largely agree on is that the show’s first few seasons were absolutely fantastic. Many of the decisions that Rick and his survival comrades made in those early years of the apocalypse set the foundation for so many story arcs and pivotal moments. And, even though the flagship series is over, fans love to give The Walking Dead the “What If?” treatment. What if Shane actually killed Rick in that field? What if Daryl never saved Carol at the farm? It is always fun to think about the possibilities, but now we can make them happen. The Walking Dead: Destinies is a new The Walking Dead video game that allows players to rewrite the show’s history and relive some epic moments with original characters.

We can see the conceit in action in The Walking Dead: Destinies trailer below. 

AMC and GameMill Entertainment are teaming up to make this new The Walking Dead game happen. The Walking Dead: Destinies covers seasons one through four, which includes the farm, prison, and Terminus arcs in the Atlanta area. The storyline can go many different ways depending on the player’s choices for The Walking Dead‘s most famous characters like Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon. If a player dares, they can change the fates of folks like Shane Walsh and see how that decision affects the future. It is probably not the best choice considering Shane’s obsession with Lori and Carl. This is a super cool concept considering most of The Walking Dead’s popular games are about characters who don’t exist in the show, like Clementine. 

The Walking Dead: Destinies’ trailer back some unforgettable memories in game-form, especially with its voiceover. We can hear Rick giving his infamous speech following the fall of the farm. Gotta love when he tells people that they can either let him lead or figure life out on their own. (It is lovingly known by many fans as the Ricktatorship speech.) We also see locations that are long gone, like the prison and downtown Atlanta. And yes, there’s some blood and gore because it is a The Walking Dead game. Players will have to manage their resources and fight for their survival. The clip notes that this is a work in progress, so we will have to wait for the final graphics.

A new Walking Dead game with original characters like Rick that lets you change the show’s storylines sounds like a great time. The Walking Dead: Destinies will get a digital release on November 17 with a physical release following in December. It will be available for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox and cost $50. The game is available for preorder today.

Originally published on August 17, 2023.

The post New THE WALKING DEAD: DESTINIES Video Game Lets Players Rewrite Show’s Early Seasons appeared first on Nerdist.

Horror’s prevalent and enduring tropes are key parts of its foundation, for better or worse. The victim running up the stairs when the front door is right there, people fornicating or partying when there’s a killer on the loose, and an intrepid character investigating that strange noise are both maddening and thrilling. Some horror tropes make us cringe and roll our eyes while others spark joy, but either way we wait with baited breath to watch the inevitable unfold. There’s undoubtedly several motifs that run through any given horror film, especially the connection between moral sins and deadly consequences. We are all familiar with the seven deadly sins from several religious sects—pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth—and each one of them show up in the horror world in the form of a few classic tropes.

A Horror Jock’s Pride Leads to a Mighty Fall

Proverbs 16:18 of the Bible warns us that pride comes before a great fall. And boy does this sin apply to certain horror tropes, particularly in the form of character archetypes who appear in an ensemble cast. One of them is the infamous Jock, an often young, musclebound male idiot who thinks his “superior” athletic ability will ensure his triumph over a murderous (and sometimes supernatural) maniac. This is the case with Julius, a boxer in Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. He believes he can defeat Jason with his “guns” (read: muscles) and tries to box with a homicidal… entity. Julius goes down by the ultimate knockout as Jason punches his head clean off his shoulders. Bravery is not a bad thing in horror but overconfidence will get you murked. 

Sometimes, the jock’s pride leads them to do horrific things that make them the true villain. Such is the case with The Rage: Carrie 2 and its group of jocks that exploit and humiliate girls. They have no shame about their actions and believe that they can get away with it because they are untouchable gods. Their pride and status works for them until Carrie teaches them a righteously vengeful final lesson. 

The Pleasure of Lust Begets the Pain of Murder

The deadly sin of lust is a very obvious horror trope one is with far too many examples. The golden horror rule about avoiding sex was a staple in past decades. Final girls like Alice Hardy were always the “good girl virgins” among their friend group, their purity somehow sparing them from a grim fate. Anyone who would dare bare it all risked their lives in the process, with the killer luring them to death one by one.

Some of this was writers/directors inserting their personal morality beliefs into the script. However, there’s also a direct tie with the vulnerability of post-coitus nakedness and a fear of something sinister happening. There’s a reason why we are paranoid when we are home alone and in the shower. And no, it’s not just because Psycho exists.

Thankfully, this trope isn’t prevalent anymore, especially in films like It Follows, where the concepts of death and sex are intertwined in a novel (and not-shaming) way. Many of today’s final girls (and other targets) are choosing to have sex and still obliterating killers to our great delight. But, the sin of lust will never quite fade away in horror, even if it is from a comedic perspective poking fun at the genre. 

Mighty Is the Wrath of a Scorned Soul

Wrath is a driving force in many horror narratives, especially from the perspective of the villain. One frequent trope is the “scorned baddie” exacting revenge in a world where they are severely abused (Carrie) or they are seeking vengeance for their death/death of their loved ones. A famous example of the latter is Mrs. Voorhees, who goes on a killing spree against camp counselors because of her son’s death. Sure, she kills the ones responsible but she also, um, kills other counselors who weren’t even there when it happened. 

But even when the wrath is righteous and from the good among us, like the parents who burned Fred Krueger in his home, it almost always results in a ripple effect of unintended and negative consequences. This all points to one message: never act out of wrath and rage, lest you want innocents to potentially pay the future price for your choice.

Envy Is the Gateway to Evil (and Murder)

This is quite the tricky sin with a lot of different examples, especially in films that straddle the line between horror and classic thrillers. It often roots itself in the trope of the voyeuristic stalker who desires what their prey has and a victim who feels like someone is watching them. Inside (2016) follows the horror story of a psychotic woman who envies a pregnant woman so much that she wants to kill her and steal the child on Christmas Eve.

We also see envy tied into the horror trope of the secret killer family member(s). In Scream 3 (2000) there’s Roman Bridger, who sees the attention and love his half-sister Sidney Prescott got after their mother’s death. His envy of Sidney’s life (along with the pain of rejection) is literally the flame that sparked the events of the entire franchise. There’s also envy in Get Out, a story where affluent white people devise a gross procedure to literally take over Black people’s bodies because they desire their traits. Envy is truly a gateway for evil. 

The Soul of a Sloth Hath Nothing Good Comin’ Its Way

If there’s one rule you better follow in a horror film, it is to move your ass ASAPtually. Do not live in denial and pretend that there’s no real threat happening here. Do not allow others to do the heavy lifting on your behalf. If you do, then you may end up hopping into action when it is already too late to save yourself and others. A great example of sloth behavior typically comes from the ongoing horror trope of the lazy/incompetent police force that constantly fails to do its basic job.

We witness some baffling idiocy from two police officers in Scream 4 (2011) who gawk at a teenage girl in her bra and fail to prevent her murder. But even they don’t hold a candle to the pure overall laziness of the entire police department in Hell Night (1981). You can pretty much count on the cops to be useless and exhibit peak sloth behavior in horror films. 

Be On Your Guard Against the Greed (and Gluttony) of Gentrification and Disturbing the Peace

Ahhh yes, there’s nothing like greed and gluttony, specifically in the economical sense, to set up an intense and bloody narrative. Gentrification and looting are the crux of many haunted house/city/town and cursed land horror tropes. We have seen this one before in many forms. Some rich (and usually white) person thinks they are “doing good” by purchasing property in a marginalized neighborhood. Or they build something on top of sacred land or take some object that isn’t theirs for profit and BOOM, the ancestors or evil spirits are on their ass. (Thankfully, horror has mostly moved away from the harmful ” haunted Indian burial ground” trope that somehow tried to make the ancestors evil. Just respect their land and stop messing with it!)

Sometimes, a person goes into an allegedly haunted space and disturbs the spirits for attention and profit. It never ends well for that person. Busta Rhymes learned this the hard way in Halloween: Resurrection (2002) when a group of students tried to create an internet reality show in Michael Myers’ house. Very stupid behavior, indeed.

Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020) uniquely addresses this with vampires who are sucking the life out of a Black and Latinx neighborhood in multiple ways. They are literally killing people but also killing local business and the neighborhood’s established culture. When a person, ahem, bites off more than they can chew, you can be sure that there will be consequences to their actions.

Considering the frequent crossing of horror and religion, its no surprise that many horror tropes have ties to the seven deadly sins. Like Jason Voorhees, many of these tropes will never die… and we are (mostly) cool with it.

The post The Seven Deadly Sins: The Horror Movie Tropes Edition appeared first on Nerdist.

Daryl Dixon’s rise to fame in The Walking Dead universe is truly something to behold. Unlike Michonne, Carol, Maggie, and the GOAT Rick Grimes, Daryl does not have a comic counterpart. The character, played to perfection by Norman Reedus, was created specifically for The Walking Dead TV series. Over a decade later, he’s the only non-comic character with his own spinoff series, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. He started out as a perpetually agitated loner and the younger brother of (the very racist) Merle Dixon; however, Daryl soon became a crucial member of the survival group. Why? Daryl Dixon is a tracker, hunter, fighter, and a skilled crossbow user known for coming in clutch at the most dire moments.

Does he always make the best choices? Nah. But there are many times when Daryl does what needs to be done. It is safe to say that a lot more people would be dead if it weren’t for Daryl saving the day. In honor of Daryl Dixon’s foray into France, here are a few of his most clutch moments in The Walking Dead universe. 

Jump To: Daryl Dixon TWD Season 2 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 3 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 4 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 5 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 6 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 7 and 8 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 9 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 10 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 11 // The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon

Daryl Dixon’s Best Clutch Moments in The Walking Dead Season 2

The Walking Dead’s first season gave us some funny Daryl moments. Who can forget the first interaction between him and Rick Griiiimmmeesss when he reminds us that a chokehold is illegal? But it’s not until the second season when Daryl starts to truly come in clutch. 

Daryl Saves Carol From the Farm (Episode 13 – “Beside the Dying Fire”)

Outside of Lori’s stupid pregnancy drama, Rick vs. Shane arguments, and looking for Sophia, the show’s farm arc was mostly chill. That is, until the finale brought us pure chaos as walkers took over Hershel’s farmland. The group got separated with some folks like Carol ending up on their own. Poor Carol wasn’t the survivor that she is now, as evidenced by her panicked screaming while running slowly in the dark. Daryl made a choice to head back into harm’s way and save her, a favor she would return to everyone later on when she blew up Terminus. It also led to the developing a close friendship.

Daryl Dixon’s Best Clutch Moments in The Walking Dead Season 3

Daryl Helps a Family Escape Certain Death on a Bridge (Episode 10 – “Home”)

He’s in the woods with Merle when they discover a family in peril on a nearby bridge. It would have been easy for Daryl to ignore a problem that didn’t have anything to do with him, especially one involving strangers. But Daryl hops into action, killing walkers with a trunk door and more. He even threatens to shoot Merle, who attempts to rob the family after the walkers are gone. We don’t know what happened to that family, even though the car appears abandoned in a later episode. (The Walking Dead reuses props so this doesn’t mean they are dead.) But at least they got to survive another day thanks to Daryl’s kindness. 

Daryl Helps Rick Live Another Day (Episode 10 – “Home”)

Coming in clutch twice in the same episode? Daryl did that. Walkers are all over the prison and Rick is in big trouble as he tries to fight off two walkers. Thankfully, Daryl saves his new friend in the nick of time with a surprise assist from his brother Merle. Rick even gives Daryl a “thank you” head nod, which certainly won’t be the last time he appreciates having a clutch bestie by his side. 

Daryl Dixon’s Best Clutch Moments in The Walking Dead Season 4

Taking Down a Tank Team (Episode 8 – “Too Far Gone”)

The Governor’s attack on the prison tragically claims Hershel’s life and the group suffers the major loss of their once-secure home. But Daryl prevents more deaths by finding a grenade and tossing it down the barrel of the tank, causing an explosion. Then, when the last living tank person thinks he will get away, Daryl is right there to shoot him. Glorious work.

Sometimes, You Gotta Save Yourself (Episode 13 – “Alone”) 

Sometimes, you are the only one who can save you. It’s not the first time that we have seen Daryl fight his way out of a walker conundrum. But this Daryl vs. Walkers battle is one of his best solo offerings. His clever fighting against the undead with medical instruments in a funeral parlor and that dark, intense hallway scene shows why he’s destined to survive for many years to come. 

Daryl Dixon’s Best Clutch Moments in The Walking Dead Season 5

The Perfect Poke to a Walker Brain (Episode 1 – “No Sanctuary”)

Rick and the gang are trying to escape the clutches of cannibals at Terminus. Rick, Daryl, Glen, and Bob are working together as a team before Rick runs rather haphazardly into danger. He’s behind a car and a walker quickly finds him. Daryl saves Rick (again) by driving a stick through the walker’s head in the nick of time.

Daryl Goes Full Ghost Rider (Episode 16 – “Conquer”)

The Wolves set a trap for Daryl and Aaron while they are on a supply run. At this point, no one from Alexandria is particularly skilled at fighting against walkers. This doesn’t bode well for Daryl because he has no true backup. Thankfully, Aaron has the man with a plan by his side as Daryl helps them escape. The best moment is when Daryl takes a chain and whacks three walkers heads off at once. It’s giving Ghost Rider with a dash of Michonne.

Daryl Dixon’s Best Clutch Moments in The Walking Dead Season 6

Let’s Explode Some Saviors (Episode 9 – “No Way Out”) 

Daryl is deep into his “blowing s**t up” era in season six. Sasha, Abraham, and Daryl have their first encounter with the Saviors. He’s taken to the back of a fuel truck while his friends are harassed by Negan’s henchmen. The next thing we know, Daryl uses a rocket launcher to blow up the gang after he gets the best of his captor. The scene ends with them stealing the fuel truck. Truly an inspired moment. 

Set Fire to the Pond (Episode 9 – “No Way Out”)

This is perhaps Daryl’s most clutch moment in the entire series. Alexandria is down horrendously, walkers covering the streets and devouring people. Even worse, Carl has been shot (again!) and lost an eye in the process. Rick’s crew and the Alexandrians work together to fight the massive horde but things are looking dire until Daryl gets his plan going using the aforementioned Saviors’ truck. He fills a pond with fuel and sets it on fire with a RPG launcher. It’s enough to lure a chunk of the walkers into the fiery waters and allow the crew to fend off the rest. A true Clutch King!

Clutch Moments in The Walking Dead Season 7 and 8?!?!

There’s not much to say about the Savior arc in terms of Daryl (or really anyone) being clutch. (I like to pick on them during this era because I’m cruel.) In fact, he starts slippin’ and trippin’ to the point that we wonder if he’s lost a few of his common sense crayons. He punches Negan, which leads to Glenn being bludgeoned to death, and gets taken hostage for a few episodes. Then, he helps with the initial fight only to turn around and undermine Rick’s plans in season eight. Sigh. This coupled with Rick’s choice to allow Negan to live puts an unfortunate wedge between Daryl and his brother that directly leads to Rick’s untimely “death.” 

Sense is chasing Daryl, but he is outrunning it on his motorcycle with incredible speed for some reason. I will give him an honorable mention for killing Morales with zero remorse. Still love you, DD.

Daryl Dixon’s Best Clutch Moments in The Walking Dead Season 9

Wear the Enemies’ Mask (Episode 12 – “Not Tomorrow Yet”)

Thankfully, the rise of the Whisperers brings Daryl back into full form again. He comes in clutch alongside Connie, saving Henry and Lydia from a tense moment with the Whisperers. This sets up an impending battle between him and Beta where he shows some formidable hand-to-hand combat skills. 

Daryl Dixon’s Best Clutch Moments in The Walking Dead Season 10

The Hospital of Horrors and Saving Negan (Episode 16 – “A Certain Doom”)

A hospital of horrors with a massive horde of walkers and Whisperers? No problem for Daryl. He works together with the seemingly doomed crew to come up with a plan. Daryl puts himself on the line, going into the horde and picking off corralling Whisperers with relative ease. He always hits the target and leaves the bodies for the walkers to take care of. Then, Daryl comes in clutch to assist Negan when Beta gains the upper hand. He stabs Beta with two knives, ending the reign of the Whisperers.

Daryl Dixon’s Best Clutch Moments in The Walking Dead Season 11

All Clutch for (Maybe) the Wrong Reasons (Episode 4 – “Rendition”) 

Daryl has every reason to let Leah die. His former lover not only abandoned him but she’s now a part of a villainous collective holding him hostage. (The Reapers are a stupid group, but that’s another post.) But, when the pair are put to the test by her leader, Daryl makes some crafty moves and saves her from a burning building. Why? Well, it’s likely multiple reasons at play. ‘Tis true that love (and a good heart) makes you want to maintain some moral center. But, I think that it is a strategic play by Daryl. This was clearly a trap and Daryl knows he will have to face the Reapers when he escapes. If he allows Leah to die, they will know for sure that he’s against them. So he saves her to protect himself. (I think.)

The Leah Storm Is Over Now (Episode 16 – “Acts of God”)

And this is why the previous entry is mostly some BS. Daryl saved Leah more than once but she continues to cause trouble, eventually leading to a battle between her and Maggie. Leah isn’t the brightest but she can fight and gets the jump on a very skilled Maggie. Predictably, Daryl shows up in the nick of time and takes Leah out with a gunshot to the head. 

A Well-Timed Boink (Episode 22 – “Faith”)

The Walking Dead is nearly at an end with the battle against the Commonwealth coming into focus. The Warden tries to take Kelly hostage to convince the soldiers to turn back to his side but Daryl pops up like a thief in the night, wounding him and setting the stage for his death at the hands of Rosita. 

The Save That Set a Spinoff in Motion (Episode 24 – “Rest in Peace”)

It’s no secret that Daryl loves Judith a.k.a his “Little Ass Kicker.” In the show’s final episode, he takes a wounded Judith into a hospital. Both of them are down bad for a moment, but Daryl soon comes back to life, saving her from walkers while she’s in a hospital bed. He gets her to Tomi and spares Rick’s daughter’s life. If this hadn’t happened, Judith would not have been able to tell him that Rick is still possibly alive.

This sets up Daryl’s big adventure that somehow ends up in Paris. We don’t know what’s gonna happen yet but we know that Daryl will come in clutch many, many more times. 

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 1 Best Clutch Moments 

Finally! We are catching back up with our boy Daryl D., who managed to get himself on a ship heading towards France. The details behind his circumstances are still unfolding but Daryl is already back to doing what he does best: speaking in a gravely voice and squinting. I’m kidding. He’s back to being the real MVP and coming in clutch.

Daryl Gets the Drop on a Soldier (Episode 1 – “L’âme Perdue” a.k.a. “The Lost Soul”)

A couple of days after arriving in Europe, Daryl runs into Maribelle and Guillame and tries to exchange food for meds. Things are going well until two random soldiers show up and get hostile with them. One soldier smacks Maribelle and Daryl wastes no time pulling out his knife and getting the drop on a solider who is (poorly) holding him at gunpoint. Unfortunately, Maribelle and Guillame double cross Daryl and knock him out. But this allows Sister Isabelle to come in and save Daryl’s life. Seems like he might have met his holier match. 

The Abbey Takedown (Episode 1 – “L’âme Perdue” a.k.a. “The Lost Soul”)

Well, Daryl has certainly had a weird 24 hours or so. He encounters a burning walker, nearly gets killed by rogue survivors, wakes up in an abbey full of nuns and a weird kid, kinda flirts with Isabelle, wears a sweater/suspender combo, and is given a wild mission to lead a young Messiah across a strange and dangerous land.

Daryl is amused but trying to mind his own business, choosing to leave the abbey. But underneath his tough exterior, we know that Daryl is a sensitive and caring dude. He’s so caring that when he sees soldiers invading the abbey, he goes back in determined to neutralize the threat. And boy does he do well, popping out of corners and taking people down like a true boss. Love to see it. 

There’s equal exchange of Daryl and Isabelle saving each other. Hmmm. If you listen carefully, you can hear a ship setting sail. I’m just sayin’. 

Daryl vs. a Lesser American (Episode 2 – “Alouette” a.k.a. “Songbird/Lark”)

Most of this episode focuses on Isabelle’s past and Laurent’s birth, but that doesn’t mean Daryl isn’t still coming in clutch. He goes on a mission to nab a new horse and things predictably go wrong. He helps a small group of kids raid a nearby castle where several of their comrades are being held hostage. It doesn’t take long for Daryl to find a not-so-sharp shooter who tries to kill Hedgehog.

Even when the Texan knocks them both into a pit of walkers, Daryl makes it out in classic style. The ball-and-chain, explosives, and more make for a really fun scene. Thankfully, Lou and others throw him a rope and save him in the end. The school group gets some supplies back as well as a hostage and Daryl gets his mule. So it is a win!

Walkers Burn in the Courtyard (Episode 3 – “Paris Sera Toujours Paris” a.k.a. “Paris Will Always Be Paris”)

The third episode takes Daryl and company to Paris! Isabelle returns to her old haunt and things quickly go from nostalgic to awry when they get outside and walkers start falling from windows. She goes into a state of shock as walkers begin to stand up after their fall in a very creaky and horror-like manner. Thankfully, Daryl saves the day and uses a burner walker to help them escape.

The Savior of Pigeons (Episode 4 – “La Dame de Fer” a.k.a. “The Iron Lady”)

Daryl couldn’t save Antoine but he does kill the guerriers who take him out. Thankfully, Antoine’s pigeons are not harmed in the process and Daryl sets them free, honoring Antoine’s final wish. He’s truly a good man.

The Eifel Tower Spectacle (Episode 4 – “La Dame de Fer” a.k.a. “The Iron Lady”)

If there’s one thing for sure in The Walking Dead universe, it’s that kids are going to do dumb things. Laurent storms off and ends up at the Eifel Tower, which is swarmed by walkers. He finds a sketchy spot to hide from walkers while Daryl (with a heavy assist from Isabelle) have to fight a horde to save him. Sadly, Laurent still gets kidnapped but they gave it one heck of an effort. It leads Daryl to perform some fun torture to pump one henchman for information.

Saving Laurent and Serving Quinn (Episode 4 – “La Dame de Fer” a.k.a. “The Iron Lady”)

Daryl makes quick work of getting into Quinn’s place and grabbing Laurent. But it is his fight with Quinn that’s the most satisfying because, well, that guy is a jerk. It all ends with Isabelle deciding to stay with Quinn in Laurent’s place and Daryl having to brave the world with this unseasoned kid. I bet his clutchness will have to increase soon.

The Pouvoir Escape (Episode 5 – “Deux Amours” a.k.a. “Two Loves”)

He spends more time being reflective and grumpy in this episode, but that doesn’t mean there are no clutch moments. Daryl’s flashback shows the epic way that he saves himself from Genet’s ill-intentioned ship. He fakes his way into what seems like certain death before taking out a few guards, releasing cages of mutated walkers, and epically jumping into the ocean as a portion of the ship explodes. Coming in clutch for yourself is the best.

The Great Gladiator Battle (Episode 6 – “Coming Home”)

Daryl has done a lot of cool things but this just might be the best one yet. Daryl gets clever and kills several mutated and running walkers with little to no resources. He even does it with the somewhat useless Quinn chained to one of his arms. Now that’s a survivor!

Walker Killin’ Coachin’ (Episode 6 – “Coming Home”)

A chained fence separates Daryl, who is on the side of freedom, from a trapped Laurent and Isabelle. Walker Quinn comes and attacks Isabelle. Thankfully, Daryl has a weapon to give Laurent and is able to give him some needed motivation to put down Quinn, who happens to be his biological father. Cold world.

The end of the episode includes Daryl having to make a choice: leave Laurent to fend off walkers or help him fight and probably miss his ride. It looks like another clutch moment is coming our way in season two.

Daryl Dixon’s Best Clutch Moments in The Walking Dead Universe

Jump To: Daryl Dixon TWD Season 2 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 3 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 4 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 5 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 6 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 7 and 8 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 9 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 10 // Daryl Dixon TWD Season 11// The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon

Originally published August 10, 2023.

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There are some historical figures that virtually everyone knows, like Cleopatra, Einstein, and Shakespeare. In fact, some of them have become so ingrained into culture that their names and personalities become well-known descriptive phrases. One example is the term “Napoleon complex,” which is used to describe a man of short stature with an aggressive and domineering persona. We all know that this phrase stems from Napoleon Bonaparte, the famed French emperor, military commander, and not-nice man. (Interestingly, Bonaparte wasn’t that short at 5’6″, which was around the average height of a man during the period of time he lived.) But there are elements of his life that we may not know as well. Ridley Scott’s movie Napoleon aims to detail his rise to power and more with a trailer or two that put Joaquin Phoenix into action.

Warrior, emperor, general, genius, rebel, tyrant. Napoleon was many things, at least according to Ridley Scott’s vision. The trailers for this movie aim to capture all of them to the sounds of some excellent song choices, all while taking us through quite a visual feast. Whatever way this movie ends up portraying Napoleon; it certainly aims to be one powerhouse of a film.

To go along with the trailers, here’s the official synopsis for the upcoming Napoleon movie: 

Napoleon is a spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Oscar®-winner Joaquin Phoenix. Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed.

Honestly, Joaquin Phoenix playing Napoleon Bonaparte wasn’t on my historical movie BINGO card. But, after seeing the Napoleon trailer, he seems to embody Bonaparte’s power-hungry mindset incredibly well. Not to mention, the whole Napoleon movie cast seems to be bringing their A-game. Absolutely no one is falling short here. Napoleon will hit theaters on November 22 of this year, just in time for a Thanksgiving trip to the movie theater. 

Originally published on July 10, 2023.

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You know what I really love? When a teaser trailer is exactly what it says it is. The “go girl, give us nothing” energy of a few clips woven together in 90 seconds or less is great. I want just enough to pique my interest but certainly not the whole story. The trailers for Ferrari, starring Adam Driver, does this well, focusing on the familiar sounds of a Formula 1 car. It’s not the first time that this famous racer’s story is coming to the big screen but seeing Adam Driver look unrecognizable as Enzo Ferrari is piquing a lot of interest. 

The first full trailer for Ferrari is a fantastic trip, indeed.

Here’s a brief synopsis for Ferrari: 

It is the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle of Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura built from nothing ten years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son, Dino a year earlier. Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son Piero with Lina Lardi. Meanwhile, his drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge as they launch into the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy, the Mille Miglia.

There’s very little dialogue and a lot of driving action in the teaser trailer. Yet there’s ample tension that builds up until the end of the Ferrari trailer. We also get to see Penélope Cruz, who stars as Ferrari’s wife Laura.

Ferrari is directed by Michael Mann with Troy Kennedy Martin penning the script. The story is based on the book Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine by Brock Yates. In addition to Driver and Cruz, the film also stars Shailene Woodley, Sarah Gordon, Gabriel Leone, Jack O’Connell, and Patrick Dempsey. Ferrari hits theaters on December 25 a.k.a. Christmas Day. Between this and House of Gucci, Driver is just making a career out of playing famous Italians. Weird.

Originally published on August 30, 2023.

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Freddy Fazbear and friends are coming for you really soon. The popular game franchise Five Nights at Freddy’s has given fans tons of jump scares as they fight through the night against possessed animatronics. It will certainly make you not want to go anywhere near a Chuck E. Cheese anytime soon. Now, nearly ten years after the game’s debut, Five Nights at Freddy’s is getting the movie treatment with a film of the same name. Five Nights at Freddy’s hits theaters and Peacock on October 27, so it’s fitting that Youtooz is celebrating the release by dropping some fun collectible figures on the same day. And we have the exclusive reveal for you below!

In the above reveal image of the Five Nights at Freddy’s Youtooz line, there’s a Freddy Device Holder and a FNAF puzzle, retailing for $34.99 and $21.99, respectively. Both of these items are evergreen, so you will be able to nab them for the foreseeable future. A Five Nights at Freddy’s puzzle is perfect for a dark and stormy Friday night at home. But we aren’t sure that you want Freddy to hold onto any device for you…

There are a few scary figures that you’ll have to grab quickly, though. The Haunted Freddy, Haunted Chica, Haunted Foxy, Haunted Bonnie, and Haunted Golden Freddy Youtooz figures will only be available from October 27 at 12 PM PT until October 31 at 11:59 PM PT. These figures are all $29.99 each.

In case you didn’t catch the reference, that means you can only purchase these Youtooz creations for FIVE NIGHTS. They are truly a Halloween special. And, of course, YouTooz does an excellent job of capturing the essence of a universe, just like it did with The Boys collection.

Check out the images for these creepy (in the best way!) Youtooz Five Nights at Freddy’s collectible figures below. 

Click To View Gallery

Thankfully, these figures are not giant animatronics who are trying to kill you. At least, we don’t think they are… So get ready to bring the joy (or terror?) of Five Nights at Freddy’s to your shelves soon.

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The Walking Dead is over but, as we know, the end of the flagship series that’s been in fans’ hearts for over a decade doesn’t mean this world is done. The show already has had four spinoff series, Fear the Walking Dead, Tales of the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, The Walking Dead: Dead City, and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon on TV. The latter, starring Maggie and Negan, is returning for a second season in the future along with Daryl’s spinoff.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season Two – “The Book of Carol” Is Coming

We are almost done with Daryl Dixon’s adventure, but there is already great news about his show’s second season. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon will bring Carol back next season. We don’t know if she will also end up in France or if they will meet in some odd middle. Either way, it will be good to see those besties together again. A new teaser shows that next season will focus a lot on Carol’s journey.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner David Zabel gave fans more insight into season two. He reveals that the Nest is a prominent location in season two and Carol’s previous comment about some mystery person coming back will come into play. “There’s also another clue… this moment in the radio call in episode 5 where she talks about something or someone having come back,” said Zabel. “And the impression we get, and Daryl also gets, is that something’s a little off for her, something’s wrong. And so that’s going to also function into the story for Carol in season 2.”

We cannot wait to see how it all unfolds. In the meantime, there’s still one spinoff that has yet to air. It is perhaps the most important one of all because it will bring the great Rick Grimes back.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Will Bring Rick and Michonne Back in February 2024

The Walking Dead‘s final panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 gave us the biggest news of all: a Rick Grimes and Michonne series was coming soon. Now, New York Comic-Con 2023 gave us a more specific release window of 2024. There are currently two teaser trailers out there, with one focusing on Michonne’s perspective and the other from Rick’s POV.

Here’s a breakdown of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live:

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

The name of this Rick and Michonne series should be familiar to fans. Rick first said the phrase “we are the ones who live” back in season five while chatting with Deanna about his group. And, we heard Richonne as well as many other characters say that phrase in The Walking Dead‘s finale episode. So it holds a lot of significance to Rick and Michonne’s individual and collective journeys.

We certainly can’t wait to see Rick and Michonne together again.

There’s also some casting news. Per Deadline, Lucifer alumna Lesley-Ann Brandt will portray Pearl Thorne. Details about that character are currently unknown. We also know that The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will bring back Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis. This isn’t shocking considering she’s the one who took Rick away in that helicopter. Terry O’Quinn and Matt Jeffries will portray Beale and Nat, respectively. 

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

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

Originally published on April 7, 2022.

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Until now, the apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead hasn’t been overly concerned with finding a cure or hoping that humanity will get the same level of restoration. (In fact, some survivors want to make changes to make the world more equitable and collaborative than it was in the “before times.” I like this approach.) This might change in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon thanks to Laurent. He’s a young survivor with a lot of people putting their faith in him. Here’s what you need to know about this important character.

Shortly after Sister Isabelle saves Daryl from near death, she brings him back to her home, where he meets Laurent. He is the only kid living among a group of nuns, so that immediately sets off some red flags. Laurent and Daryl interact in a courtyard, which isn’t surprising because Daryl likes kids. They spend time playing with a Rubik’s Cube and talking about how many people are likely still alive in France. Interestingly, Laurent tells Daryl that his eyes look homesick and that he deserves a happy ending. Daryl goes along with it but it is clear that he finds Laurent rather unsettling. 

Of course, Daryl wants to know what the deal is with Laurent. Despite Daryl being a person who “lives without God,” Isabelle tells Daryl that he is the “messenger” from Laurent’s drawing three weeks prior. She says Laurent is special, perhaps clairvoyant, and is a new Messiah who will lead the revival of humanity. This comes from a prophecy by a religious leader years ago… and it is one that others apparently know beyond their secure walls. Isabelle tells Daryl that Laurent needs to get to a northern community that can raise him into his special calling. It’s not clear if this means that he is immune to the virus or is just destined to be a great leader/prophet of some sort.

An elder nun tells Laurent that he is “the cure” but again, this could be spiritually versus physically. So what’s Daryl’s response to this situation? Well, he says he knew a kid like Laurent in school and that he got his a** kicked all the time. Daryl is not a serious person. He doesn’t buy this story despite Isabelle being fully convinced that fate brought Daryl to them. Isabelle reveals there’s a northern port that can get Daryl home so he would need to travel that way anyway. Daryl doesn’t care and declines to usher Laurent to this new place. He leaves to figure out his next steps.

However, Daryl changes his mind when a few Cause soldiers, whom they call guerriers, invade the abbey. Codron and his crew are looking for Daryl. He returns and helps to subdue the men but several nuns die in the process. His guilt over the soldiers’ actions leads him to make a deal with Isabelle. He will take her and Laurent where they need to go if she promises to take him to the port. Thus begins the mission of getting Laurent to this special place. 

Episode two of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, gives us a huge revelation about Laurent. He is Isabelle’s nephew who was born in the early days of the outbreak. We spend much of the episode flashing back to Isabelle and her pregnant sister Lily as they escape Paris. Lily gets bitten but of course no one knows what that means yet. They end up at the abbey where Lily turns and gives birth to Laurent after she dies and reanimates. The residents and Isabelle see Laurent as a miracle.

Now, this doesn’t mean that he’s “the cure” for the virus necessarily. And even if he were, it would be nearly impossible to restore humanity to what it was before. Unlike other zombie universes where it takes a bite/scratch to get infected, everyone here has the virus within them. When people die from any circumstance, they will reanimate. It’s pretty hard to dole out a cure that will reach everyone nor contact everyone about a cure.

So, we can still assume that Laurent is just seen as a savior. He certainly lacks survival skills and street smarts because he grew up behind those walls. Laurent is no boss killing machine like the late, great Carl Grimes, that’s for sure.

Daryl eventually warms up to Laurent throughout the remainder of the season. Laurent becomes stronger, even putting down Quinn (his biological father) when the time comes. They make it to the Nest and Laurent settles in there, finally finding his safe space. At the end of the season, it seems Laurent will convince Daryl to stay in France. But it is still not clear what Laurent’s purpose is in this universe. We guess we’ll find out in season two.

Originally published on September 10, 2023.

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The Walking Dead universe gave us a lot of strange undead creatures over the years. From the bloated and gross walker in Herschel’s well to the freakazoid monster that Maggie fought in Dead City, the show gets pretty creative with these flesh eaters. Walkers have done everything from creep towards their victims to full on climbing ladders and it is all scary. Or, at least we thought they were scary. In the first episode of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, we find out that there are a few new (to us and Daryl) types of walkers in France. Daryl encounters a brûlant walker (called a burner in English) and several other mutant walkers that completely change what we thought we knew about these creatures in The Walking Dead. 

Daryl arrives on a deserted shore and makes his way to Marseille, France after listening to a message from a survivor saying it could be safer there. He stops in an abandoned building and it isn’t long before several walkers surround him. Killing multiple walkers alone is like breathing for Daryl, so he begins to dispatch them. A few walkers look noticeably different with prominent veins in their faces. Daryl stabs one walker in the brain and it drops to the floor as some sort of acid drips from its head. We hear a burning/sizzling sound before things really go awry.

A walker grabs Daryl’s arm and its touch burns his skin. Daryl makes it out of this sticky situation but he’s left with a nasty sore that he attempts to disinfect. Later on at the abbey, Sister Isabelle tells Daryl that he got the wound from a burner/brûlant. She reveals that it is just one kind of walker they have there. (They call walkers les affamés a.k.a. “the hungry ones” in France.)  

Isabelle cauterized the wound before any infection could spread. This means this kind of injury could lead to death and reanimation. This is the first time we have ever seen this burner type of walker in The Walking Dead universe. Considering that France is the Wildfire virus’ place of origin, it makes sense for their walkers to have different abilities.

The country has done—and continues to do—lots of experiments on walkers. We see the effects of this throughout the season. When Daryl and Isabelle go to her former apartment in Paris, there are walkers that fall from the windows. But, instead of splattering on the ground, they creak and snap their way back to standing. It is very, very horror movie of them. The scariest ones are perhaps what Daryl encounters in the gladiator pit. They are snarling, running, and quite clever… but not more clever than Daryl Dixon.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon gives us some understanding of how they work but we have more to learn about their purpose. We will see what happens in season two.

Originally published September 10, 2023.

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In The Walking Dead TV series, many of the villains came from the comic books, like Negan, Alpha, and the Governor. Sure, we got some random (and not great) baddies here and there but they didn’t hold a candle to the classic ones. But the show’s spinoff series are giving us a great mix with established heroes and frightening yet fresh antagonists. In The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, our Southern hero gets on the wrong side of not one but two villains—Codron and Madame Genet—shortly after he washes ashore. Let’s dig into who they are and why they are making Daryl’s journey even harder.

Who Is The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Villain Codron? 

Daryl has a good heart but he has an, um, affinity for stirring up fights. Sometimes he starts them and, even when he doesn’t, he is 100% gonna finish a brawl. However, this situation with Codron is not his fault. He starts a fight to save a couple travelers from two jerk soldiers from a group/movement initially known as “the Cause.” Naturally, one of them is Codron’s brother, who Daryl doesn’t even kill! (He does kill the other guy but that’s not what matters here.) The woman traveler killed Codron’s brother and later lied on Daryl to save her own skin. It is easy to believe that an American man would do that, after all.

Codron also works with/for the Cause, more formally known as Pouvoir Du Vivant (Power of the Living). He doesn’t waste time piecing together Daryl’s location and comes into Sister Isabelle’s abbey with his men. They kill several nuns before Daryl takes out his entire crew like John Wick with a knife. (Yes, the nuns are technically killer nuns but they don’t want to hurt Daryl.) Defeated and angry, Codron retreats but we know he won’t stop until he gets his hands on Daryl.  

Pouvoir comes into direct conflict with l’Union de l’Espoir, a freedom group that the abbey members align with. They are open to all messages of faith and perseverance.

In episode three, Codron and Genet finally cross paths. She doesn’t know who he is, of course, but Codron tells her that a “traveler” representing Genet told him about a great movement (the Cause) in Paris. He says the person gave him that Mike Tyson-esque tatt and said he was a warrior now. He presents that recording of Daryl to Genet, confirming that he is still alive, and promises to find Daryl for Genet. She officially hires him to complete the task and this is not great for Daryl.

Daryl slips through Codron’s fingers initially but he still ends up getting captured by another one of Genet’s guerriers. In the end, Codron reveals that he’s not so villainous after all. After Daryl’s group escapes the wild gladiator situation, Genet’s men (including Codron) find them once again. He decides to spare their lives, instead shooting his comrades so they can escape. His deception leads to some torturing at the hands of Genet. We don’t know if Codron will get out of this predicament but if he does, it will be interesting to see what happens to him in season two.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Villain Madame Genet and Pouvoir Du Vivant, Explained

At the end of the first episode, we meet Madame Genet, the leader of Pouvoir Du Vivant. It is possible that the Cause is similar to the CRM in America with widespread operations. We don’t learn much about her except that she has a ship with walker “test subjects” and human prisoners. One of the latter was Daryl before he caused some trouble and escaped, but not before causing so much damage that Genet’s collective lost lots of research. Why was he a prisoner on a ship bound for France? We will surely get more details as Daryl Dixon progresses. The crew (specifically the captain) presumes that he’s dead but she wants them to start looking for him anyway. A man who can do so much damage alone is not someone she wants to be in her way. 

Of course, Genet had her soldiers hunt down Daryl so she can attend to bigger issues. Those matters include walker and human experimentations for reasons that still are not clear. Some of their work takes place at her Pouvoir base at the Maison Mère hotel in Paris. But Daryl ruined one big hub when he destroyed that ship, a project three years in the making.

Genet tried to get revenge against Daryl by making him the center of a dangerous spectacle. In the finale, Genet put Daryl into a gladiator-style battle against enhanced walkers. Thankfully, Daryl teams with Quinn to defeat them before Fallou and company send everything into chaos. Daryl escapes, Genet’s men catch up to them, but thanks to Codron, Daryl and the crew get away.

Madame Genet will do anything to get Daryl in her clutches again, so it will be interesting to see how Daryl continues to evade her and protect the Nest in season two.

Originally published September 10, 2023.

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Daryl Dixon’s spinoff series is nearly done with its first season already. So far, we have followed Daryl, Laurent, and Isabelle across France as they head towards the Nest, a safe place where Laurent can thrive. (Not really.) Of course, there have been violence and side quests in the mix but, in episode five, we finally someone who is dear to Daryl’s heart in the mix. In a flashback, Daryl Dixon finally gets radio contact home and speaks briefly with Carol, which brings her into the Walking Dead series for a very intriguing cameo. And, in the season finale, Carol makes her official appearance in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon to set up season two’s “The Book of Carol” chapter.

First, let’s look back at that radio call. Daryl is at a strange trading post in Maine hoping to get extra gas to make it back to the Commonwealth. The problem is, these guys want people to round up walkers in exchange for goods. Daryl is suspicious but he does it anyway because he’s desperate. He discovers a radio and uses it to contact his home base. At first, it is hard to tell who he is talking to but Carol’s voice soon becomes clear. Plus, it makes sense that Daryl would reach out to her specifically because they are best friends.

He asks how she’s doing and Carol weirdly says it is taking time to get used to something. Daryl picks up on her discomfort right away and presses for more information. He promises to be home in about a week before Carol breaks up and says that “he” came back. They lose contact and the episode quickly moves past this exchange. 

Who is the mysterious “he” who came back? Some fans will jump to the conclusion that it’s Rick Grimes. But that doesn’t really make sense based on Carol’s tone. She doesn’t sound too thrilled about whoever this “he” is being there or life in general for that matter. Plus we still have to see some events unfold with Rick and Michonne on The Ones Who Live.

It’s plausible another male threat came their way after the events of The Walking Dead’s last season. All of their other major enemies except Negan are dead and Negan is in NY under the thumb of the Dama. Even if Negan were free, he hasn’t been a threat in a long time. This is quite the mystery, indeed. 

We do know that Carol will play into The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season two with her own storyline that parallels Daryl’s adventures. In the finale, Carol appears in Freeport, Maine and discovers a dude riding Daryl’s bike. Of course, she kidnaps him for information, thus setting her path towards finding her best friend.

This teaser for season two reveals that “The Book of Carol” will be a major part of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon‘s future. It’s possible they will find themselves in a reunion next season. And the “he” is a mystery that certainly will trickle into season two as well. We can’t wait to see a Carol and Daryl reunion.

Originally published on October 8, 2023.

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The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon takes its titular hero farther than he’s ever gone before. In the show’s first episode, we see Daryl wash up somewhere on a shore before heading to Marseille, France. As usual, it doesn’t take this ultimate survivor long to adjust to his surroundings and get into trouble. Yes he always comes in clutch to save the day, but that doesn’t stop him from being an agent of chaos. From the moment that The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon announced its intriguing location, fans have been wondering exactly how Daryl ends up in France. A teaser trailer showed him on a tiny boat in the middle of the ocean, but surely he didn’t take that all the way from America, right? The show slowly unraveled the answer to that question. 

In the first episode, Daryl tries to be a good human and trade supplies with a duo for food. Things go awry (as they do when he’s around) when a couple of soldiers arrive and begin threatening everyone. Daryl goes on the attack, the soldiers die, and the duo double crosses him to take everything in his bag. He’s two seconds from becoming walker food when a woman he saw earlier comes to his aid.

She is Isabelle, a nun who takes him to an active convent. Naturally, Isabelle and others at the abbey have the same question we have: How the hell did he get there?! Daryl keeps it vague, saying it was because he made “bad decisions” while on the road. We don’t know what else he will reveal because his motto is “a little less conversation, a little more action.”

The end of the episode gives us more insight into how Daryl Dixon ends up in France. We head to Le Havre, France where several people are docked on a ship. Madame Genet, who is the leader of a nefarious collective called the Cause, wants to know who destroyed her ongoing work. (The work in question includes walker research/experiments.)

She discovers that an American prisoner went overboard and but not before wreaking havoc. His name? Dixon. Daryl took drastic actions (perhaps to save his life) that led to deaths. The crew believe he’s dead but Genet is not so sure and wants them to track him down. Daryl is also on the bad side of Codron, a Cause soldier who believes Daryl killed his brother, one of the aforementioned soldiers from that earlier confrontation. Of course, Daryl did not kill him but he’s got the blame anyway, further complicating this season’s chain of events.

Episode five finally gives us a definitive answer to our burning question about Daryl Dixon. We get a flashback in America with Daryl traveling near Maine. He ends up at a trading post in hopes of getting more gas for his bike. The problem is, this group wants people to round up live walkers for some unknown reason. Of course, Daryl does this better than the others because he is Daryl. He tries to help a young man who is experiencing bullying from others at the post but it is to no avail. An annoying man named Juno kills the young guy and tries to cover it up, angering Daryl and causing a fight.

We see Daryl and Juno get led onto the ship from the show’s first episode. Daryl notes all of the violence and sees a fellow prisoner become walker food. He decides to do something about this conundrum. He teams up with Juno and pretends to puke blood so guards will take him out of the cell. Of course, he gets the drop on them and opens the cages full of walkers, causing a full on panic as he attempts to escape with Juno. A mutated walker quickly gains on them, killing the other guy and forcing Daryl to jump just as a section of the ship explodes. Fantastic. It’s still quite the farfetched story but this is The Walking Dead universe, after all. 

Thankfully, Daryl isn’t completely lost to his American family. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon season one finale revealed that Carol made her way to Freeport, Maine to look for Daryl. She’s found a man riding his motorcycle and, in true Carol fashion, captured him to get information.

In the above teaser, we get a glimpse into next season as we follow Carol’s path to find Daryl, who apparently chooses to stay in France with Laurent and company. Now that we know how Daryl made it to France, the question is how Carol will make her way to him and if they will come home together.

Originally published September 10, 2023.

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Netflix is taking yet another odd route in an attempt to gain new revenue sources. The streaming service recently removed its cheapest ad-free tier to push users towards an ad-supported tier or a more expensive ad-free plan. And, of course, you cannot share your login information with the masses anymore. There’s also its online shop that sells items tied to properties like Stranger Things and the occasional pop-up store. Now, Netflix will stake a more permanent claim in the brick-and-mortar world with several retail destinations in 2025. As Bloomberg reports, the new retail stores will be known as Netflix House.

They will offer food items, merchandise, and experiences tied to Netflix’s shows and films. Many of the details are still in the air at this moment. We don’t know which cities will have a Netflix House. But we can assume Los Angeles, New York City, and maybe another city like Atlanta will be on the list. Right now, it seems Netflix will open stores in the US and, if they are successful, expand locations to other countries.

It is quite the choice to make considering that retail stores are typically more expensive to maintain versus online-only/pop-up options. In our 2023 world, many retailers are minimizing or altogether closing their physical locations to further shift their focus online. The days of the mall rat are pretty much a thing of the past, sadly. But Josh Simon, Netflix’s VP of consumer products, is very confident in this new move. 

He tells Bloomberg, “We’ve seen how much fans love to immerse themselves in the world of our movies and TV shows, and we’ve been thinking a lot about how we take that to the next level.”

A Netflix retail store isn’t something that we saw coming but we are curious about how it will all shake out.

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Gen V’s fifth episode completely flips the series around with a wild reset. The end of episode four suggested some trickery was afoot as the “save Sam” sequence abruptly cut to Marie Moreau and Jordan Li in bed together. This proved to be true with the entire crew waking up at a wild party and not remembering anything about what happened the night. Even worse, they don’t remember anything about Sam nor the woods. It set them on the path towards Rufus, the psychic supe, because all signs pointed to his involvement. Rufus is disgusting, but he’s not the culprit behind their major setback. It turns out Cate Dunlap is deeply involved with Dean Shetty and covering up what’s happening in The Woods on Gen V. 

In the episode, Marie, Jordan, Andre, and Cate try to remember how they all ended up at a wild house party. Jordan notes they never black out and a whole day has gone by without any of them remembering it. Later on, Marie and Emma are confronted by Sam, who is much calmer than when they last saw him. The problem is, they don’t remember him at all. Sam tells Emma there are dangerous people at the school who don’t want them to know about him. He says he will find a way to fix it and leaves.

Marie and Emma catch up with the group again and Cate suggests Rufus is probably behind their memory loss. It’s a convenient lie considering Rufus is 1) a horrible predator and 2) mad at Marie for exploding his penis. Marie also discovers a tracker is embedded under her skin, which is likely true for the others. She goes to Cate to update her and Cate uses her mind control powers to make her forget. Of course, Marie isn’t able to expose Cate’s deception because she cannot remember anything (again). 

However, Cate isn’t straight up evil like Vought. She tearfully tells Dean Shetty she can’t keep lying and pretending to be someone she’s not. Cate says her friends will eventually figure it out and Dean Shetty simply apologizes for what’s going on. Meanwhile, Emma finds Sam, who reveals Cate made Luke forget Sam over and over again. Everything crashes together when Jordan and Marie find Rufus, who says he can’t manipulate anyone who isn’t physically close. Emma calls and reveals Sam is Golden Boy’s brother and Cate is behind it all. Andre shows up with Cate and he’s very angry, nearly killing Rufus before Cate admits her deception and restores his memories. He’s visibly heartbroken and calls her a monster before walking off. 

Despite the circumstances, it’s hard to not feel sorry for Cate Dunlap. She genuinely cares about Andre and the others and doesn’t take pleasure in manipulating them. It’s not clear why Dean Shetty chose Cate as her reluctant accomplice. It’s possible that there’s some part of Cate’s past that Dean Shetty is able to use as a bargaining chip. Maybe Cate has some kind of connection to the woods that Gen V will reveal soon. Either way, Cate knows something—if not everything—and the crew will have to get that information out of her. The good thing about Cate being a decent supe at her core is that she can still use her powers to help stop Dean Shetty’s nebulous plan. The plot continues to thicken in this quest to take down God U and The Woods.

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Gen V has many questions that need answers. What is Dean Shetty up to in The Woods? When will we see Soldier Boy? When do any of these kids do their homework? But there’s one question fans have had since the show released its trailers. What is up with the puppets in Gen V? We know they have a connection to Sam and how he mentally processes information. And, in episode five, we discover that the puppets’ relationship to Sam is kinda similar to one we have seen in The Boys.

In the last season of The Boys, Black Noir’s past plays out in front of him in the form of cartoon figures. He also sees these cartoons at random times and they are invisible to others around him. Years prior, Soldier Boy brutally beat Black Noir and the incident led to severe physical and mental changes for him. He became the same mental age as a young child. These cartoons from his childhood act as his friends and allow the viewer to experience things from his unique perspective.

This is very similar to what we get with Sam in Gen V. In episode three, Sam imagined a TV with a Sesame Street-like program playing. A man and a Deep puppet push him to kill Dr. Cardosa, which he attempts before Emma calms him down. Like Black Noir, Sam has been through a lot of physical trauma that affects the way his brain works. He doesn’t have the mental age of a child; however, he certainly isn’t used to socializing with others. People treat him like a monster but, in reality, he’s a rather sweet young man you want to help. Sam has been trapped and used for experiments in The Woods for a long time, which is certainly contributing to his current (and not clearly defined) mental status.

In episode five, Sam is dismayed Emma and the others have been mind wiped to forget him. He is alone with his racing thoughts when a puppet version of Emma shows up. Puppet Emma says things are bad and that Sam needs to save her. Sam says he will save the real Emma and that she’s not real. She questions him, saying “Real like that?” and points to a swath of soldiers invading his hiding spot. The scene switches over to all puppets (including Sam). A violent and gory fight scene breaks out with puppet Sam ripping everyone apart. At the end, puppet Emma sadly says Sam needs to stop hurting people right before we see that the violent fight was real. 

It seems Sam uses these puppets to dissociate himself from the violence. This makes sense considering Sam’s long-term experimentations that lead him to retreat to his inner child for some semblance of safety. He spends a lot of time reading and maybe watching movies/old TV programs, both methods of passing the time and escaping his reality. These puppets are probably in the style of a kids’ program that he grew up watching before his life went down a dark path. It is his way of processing all of his trauma and trying to deal with the ramifications of his (as he puts it) “broken brain.” 

Like The Boys, Gen V teeters on the line between bizarre entertainment and heartbreaking revelations with remarkable care. Sure it is a way to amp up the violence even more without virtually getting banned from TV. But it is also a window into the very real pain and trauma that Sam is experiencing. Maybe one day, Sam will find his way to a freer and healthier life where he doesn’t have to be violent for his own survival.

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The Walking Dead universe gave us some truly lovely gifts at New York Comic Con 2023. Fans are pretty hype that Carol will join Daryl in the second season of his spinoff series. But the real big news came in the form of a brief yet action-packed teaser trailer for Rick and Michonne’s spinoff series, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. The last glimpse we got came from Michonne’s perspective with Rick simply walking towards the screen like his true boss self. This time, the trailer is coming from Rick Grimes’ POV as he hints at what he’s gone through. And, if that weren’t enough, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live delivered new photos, casting news, and a firmer release date window. Let’s get into all of this Richonne goodness.

What Happens to Rick Grimes in the Trailer for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live?

Considering this clip is less than a minute long, there’s not a ton that goes down. Rick’s voiceover is a clear message to Michonne about his years of trials and tribulations: 

“I tried to get away…please know I tried. I tried but I failed. Just know…I love you.”

That alone is enough to make Richonne lovers squee with delight. But it is also sad because many years have gone by since the pair were together. Rick has a son that he doesn’t even know exists and a daughter who is a teenager by now. We get to see Rick take down some gnarly walkers, including one that is glowing like an ember. Some fans are speculating that Rick is missing a hand in this shot but it looks more like he’s holding some sort of weapon to me.

We can also see that he’s at some CRM location and killing walkers there, which could have been his primary job at some point. As usual, Rick looks sweaty, bloody, and a little wiley. The trailer also shows a cell phone with Michonne’s image etched on it as well as her taking down a walker with her infamous katana. We can’t wait to see more from this series. 

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live: Casting Announcements and New Photos

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The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will bring back Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis. This isn’t shocking considering she’s the one who took Rick away in that helicopter. Terry O’Quinn and Matt Jeffries will portray Beale and Nat, respectively. They will join Lesley-Ann Brandt as Pearl. Of course, this universe is far past any comic source material, so they are original characters. We don’t know how they fit into this narrative but those details should be coming soon. Everyone looks really awesome in these new photos, though. 

What Is the Release Date for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live?

We don’t have an exact date for this series; however, we now know the month. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live will bring Rick and Michonne back to our screens in February 2024. That’s only four months away! We can’t wait to witness their journeys back to each other. 

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When you think of Prime Video’s The Boys, many words come to mind. Bloody, gross, diabolical, and brilliant, to name a few. One word that doesn’t quite fit this show is “cute.” Sure it has some heartwarming moments but there’s nothing too fluffy happening in this world. But cute is the only way to describe Youtooz new line of The Boys collectible figures. 

Well, I partially take that statement back. Of course, The Deep makes everything super weird with that octopus on his crotch. We cannot forget the, um, moments they shared together last season. I can’t explain why, but I have suddenly lost my appetite. And then there’s Hughie and Robin (what’s left of her, anyway) moments after A-Train sped through her body in the very first episode. That still goes down as one of the most shocking moments in the series. These figures truly capture those wild moments well.

Those two delights aside, the other Youtooz Boys collectible figures are as normal as they can be but no less awesome. Who doesn’t want a laser-eyed Homelander on their shelf? Or perhaps you’d like to sit and sip with Kimiko. A singing Soldier Boy and a gun-toting Frenchie?! I love it. There’s also a Terror the bulldog plushie coming your way for additional delight.

For some reason, there isn’t an MM figure but we hope to see him soon. Billy Butcher has a limited-edition figure that’s currently available, so adding Mother’s Milk would truly complete this collection. And his figure has to rock a really cool T-shirt! Also, I know it is perhaps far too early to ask, but I’m putting in my bid for figures of the Gen V characters in the near future.

Yootooz will launch its The Boys collectible figures and plushies on October 17.

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Come with me and you’ll be in a world of pure imagination. It’s one where an eccentric chocolate factory owner and his gang of (possibly murderous) diminutive orange assistants create the world’s most delicious confections. Everyone knows the story of Willy Wonka from the perspective of young Charlie Bucket and his lying Grandpa Joe. But how did Wonka become a rich and successful chocolatier? That’s what we will find out in Wonka, an upcoming film starring Timothée Chalamet as a young and ambitious version of this character. After a few intriguing photos, the first trailers for Wonka are here, and the movie is something else, to say the least.

Our latest look at Wonka takes us deeper into the story and gives us more of Hugh Grant’s hilarious Oompa Loompa, who we learn is a perfectly respectable size for an Oompa Loompa. The trailer also builds on the story we saw in the first trailer, revealing to us more of Wonka’s inventions and touching on the movie’s plot.

In the trailer, we meet Wonka on his quest to find the perfect ingredients to make his chocolate. He works in a lab, combining things in hopes of creating something tasty. However, Willy Wonka is quickly told that the “Chocolate Cartel” crushes all hopeful chocolate makers’ dreams. You can’t get a shop without selling chocolate, and you can’t sell chocolate without a shop. Willy Wonka makes a friend, people fly, and there’s maybe a musical number or two with some dancing goodness.

Of course, as Timothée Chalamet shares, in both Wonka trailers, we get a taste of “HUGHMPA LOOMPA DOOPATY GRANT.” We’d expect nothing less from a Wonka movie.

Paddington writer/director Paul King directs Wonka with David Heyman, Alexandra Derbyshire, and Luke Kelly as producers. In addition to Chalamet, the film stars Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Matt Lucas, and Paterson Joseph, among others. Wonka will hit theaters just in time for Christmas on December 15. And what could be a sweeter gift than that?

Originally published on July 11, 2023.

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There aren’t many things in life that we can all agree on. But I honestly believe every person alive and born before 1995 knows that Eddie Murphy is a comedy legend. From the legendary Harlem Nights to the forever classic Coming to America, he can make us laugh no matter the situation. In fact, the more ridiculous the plot, the more he soars as a comedian. So it seems fitting that Eddie Murphy is diving all the way into the Christmas movie arena with Candy Cane Lane, an upcoming Prime Video flick with a fun teaser trailer.

The streaming service proclaims this is Eddie Murphy’s first Christmas film. And I have to strongly disagree with that because I will not stand for Trading Places erasure. (I’m kidding… sort of.) Anyway, who doesn’t love Eddie getting into full suburban Dad mode for a pure adventure? 

Check out the synopsis for Candy Cane Lane:

Eddie Murphy stars in this holiday comedy adventure about a man on a mission to win his neighborhood’s annual Christmas home decoration contest. After Chris (Eddie Murphy) inadvertently makes a deal with a mischievous elf named Pepper (Jillian Bell) to better his chances of winning, she casts a magic spell that brings the 12 Days of Christmas to life, and wreaks havoc on the whole town. At the risk of ruining the holidays for his family, Chris, his wife Carol (Tracee Ellis Ross), and their three children must race against the clock to break Pepper’s spell, battle deviously magical characters, and save Christmas for everyone.

As we see in the Candy Cane Lane trailer, the holidays are going to get very, very wacky in their household. It’s giving a touch of Clark Griswold with a heavy dose of fantasy. I don’t know that I want six geese laying eggs near my house, but I will take the five golden rings. Catch Eddie Murphy in Candy Cane Lane when it hits Prime Video on December 1.

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A few months ago, the cancellation of Star Trek: Prodigy made fans righteously angry. Despite having a mostly complete season two, Paramount+ pulled the plug on the popular series anyway. To make things worse, the streaming service took the show off of its platform entirely. So, what did fans do? They took to the skies, literally flying a “Save Star Trek: Prodigy” banner over the offices of other streaming services, including Netflix. It’s a wild gesture but apparently one that resonated with the hearts of Netflix’s decision makers. Star Trek: Prodigy has found a new streaming home with Netflix and will move forward with a second season in 2024. 

In a world with a lot of annoying streaming updates, this is some pretty refreshing and welcome news. Season one of Star Trek: Prodigy will hit Netflix before the end of this year. Season two will make its debut sometime in 2024. The crew of Protostar and Kathryn Janeway are getting the second shot that they so richly deserve with more Star Trek: Prodigy at Netflix. Speaking of Janeway, actress Kate Mulgrew released a brief statement about the fandom’s awesomeness. 

“I’ve always held that the Star Trek fan base is among the strongest and most intelligent in the world.  They have shown their collective passion, and we’re happy to be able to celebrate Prodigy once again,” said Mulgrew. 

Star Trek: Prodigy executive producer Alex Kurtzman and co-showrunners Dan and Kevin Hageman also had a few words to add. “Thank you to our incredible Star Trek: Prodigy fans, who championed not just a show, but a community that’s always been connected by the belief that we build a better future together. We set out to inspire you, but you inspired us. The team is still hard at work on the second season, and we can’t wait to share it with the amazing fans around the world.”

We love to hear it! Fandom is at its best when everyone works together for the greater good.

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Hello reader, I have a question for you. When is the last time you’ve been on your Animal Crossing island? If it has been months since the last time you saw Tom Nook (the crook), Isabelle, or your furry private island neighbors, I totally won’t judge you. I don’t even want to think about all the weeds growing in my grass or the bugs crawling in my house. Real life kinda takes over, you know? Or maybe you just need some sort of boost to make you want to grab your Switch again. Never, fear the great minds of LEGO are here to do just that. LEGO Animal Crossing sets are officially coming our way for the very first time in 2024!

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What Types of LEGO Animal Crossing Sets Are Coming Out? And How Much Will They Cost?

LEGO made the big announcement for a few sets via its official website. Here’s more information about the five LEGO Animal Crossing sets that will soon be available for purchase, including the price of each set: 

• Julian’s Birthday Party, where builders can celebrate with Julian, share cupcakes, and open presents. ($14.99)
• Bunnie’s Outdoor Activities allows enthusiasts of the great outdoors to roleplay, setting up a tent, roasting marshmallows or using the vaulting pole to jump across the water, and grab the shovel or other recognizable tools from the video game series. ($19.99)
• Kapp’n’s Island Boat Tour gives fans the opportunity to board the boat and explore another island with Kapp’n and Marshal, go on an adventure to search for coconuts and bamboo, discover wildlife, hermit crabs, and fish or simply hang out and enjoy the fire. ($29.99)
• Isabelle’s House Visit allows builders to get creative and help Isabelle and Fauna customize Fauna’s house and enjoy activities like opening the balloon present, crafting tools, or picking fruits and flowers. ($39.99)
• Nook’s Cranny & Rosie’s House gives builders two locations where they can roleplay stocking up Nook’s Cranny shop or go to Rosie’s house for freshly baked cookies.($74.99)

LEGO Animal Crossing Minifigures

Minifigures are always a big draw for LEGO sets, and the Animal Crossing sets are no different. But which of our favorite Animal Crossing friends will turn into Minifigures in this upcoming release? LEGO will make Isabella, Fauna, Julian, Bunnie, Kapp’n, Marshal, Tom Nook, and Rosie into Animal Crossing Minifigure form. That’s eight minifigures in total that you can collect across these new sets.

In a release Simon Kent, Creative Lead, Design Director at the LEGO Group, noted, “creating the minifigures to make sure they were accurately representing the characters in the video games was very important for us.” And it shows. You can check out these Animal Crossing LEGO Minifigures below.

What Is the Release Date for LEGO’s Animal Crossing Sets?

Gather your bells dollars now because these sets will be here before you know it. The LEGO Animal Crossing sets will be available globally at LEGO Stores, all retailers, and LEGO’s website on March 1, 2024. You can sign up now to get more information as the release date draws nearer.

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October is all about spooky stuff as we celebrate the greatness of Halloween. But it is also the wonderful precursor to the holiday season, specifically the overwhelming joy of Christmas. This means it is a perfect time to introduce horror fans to a scary new Christmas tale. That’s what we get with RLJE Films and Shudder’s new flick, cleverly titled It’s A Wonderful Knife, and its trailer full of bloody cheer. 

Of course, the film’s title is a play on the Christmas classic It’s A Wonderful Life. However, life is anything but wonderful for Winnie Carruthers. (If she looks familiar to you, it’s because Jane Widdop played Laura Lee in Yellowjackets.) Last Christmas is haunting Winnie for a very good reason and it seems this year will not be any better. There’s so much going on in the trailer for It’s A Wonderful Knife that it is baffling yet quite intriguing. Blood, a parallel universe, holiday happenings, and a killer dressed like an angelic version of Ghostface. I love it. 

Here’s a quick synopsis for It’s A Wonderful Knife to bring it into sharper focus:

A year after saving her town from a psychotic killer on Christmas Eve, Winnie Carruthers’ life is less than wonderful — but when she wishes she’d never been born, she finds herself in a nightmare parallel universe and discovers that without her, things could be much, much worse. Now the killer is back, and she must team up with the town misfit to identify the killer and get back to her own reality. 

The film also stars Cassandra Naud, Justin Long, Jessica McLeod, Katharine Isabelle, and Joel McHale. Tyler MacIntyre of V/H/S/99 fame directs with a screenplay by Freaky’s Michael Kennedy, so we can expect some fun with this one. It’s A Wonderful Knife will hit theaters on November 10 and make its way to Shudder afterward.

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The world of The Boys and Gen V never fails to leave us with questions that need answers. Butcher’s grim health diagnosis aside, one of the biggest mysteries leading into The Boys season four is about Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s mysterious new character. A lot of fans, myself included, assumed that Morgan would portray Tek Knight, a character from The Boys comics. We soon discovered that wasn’t the case. Gen V actually introduces Tek Knight, played by Derek Wilson, in its fourth episode. But who is Tek Knight and what role does he play in The Boys’ universe? Let’s get into his history, powers, and much more.

The History of Tek Knight in The Boys Comics and TV Show, Explained

As we all know, The Boys characters are (mostly) evil parodies of Marvel and DC Comics icons. Tek Knight a.k.a. Robert Vernon is no different as a mashup of Iron Man and Batman. In the comics, he is a founding member of the Payback collective despite having no clear superpowers. Instead, technology and intelligence are his powers; however, he uses them for nefarious reasons. Tek Knight is rather homophobic and engages in bizarre sexual behaviors, some in reality and others during moments of imagined psychosis. But compared to other villains he was mostly harmless, at least in the eyes of The Boys. Tek Knight’s behavior is explained due to a tumor in his brain. Eventually, a psychotic episode leads to his death. He thinks he’s saved Earth by having sex with a meteor but a falling wheelbarrow actually hits and kills him. [Editor’s note: A whole lot to unpack there.]

The Boys TV show mentions Tek Knight a few times throughout its three seasons. We know there’s a movie called Tek Knight Lives and that he’s made some tech in the universe. And Tek Knight was apparently a part of a hostage situation that left a woman paralyzed, as evidenced by a newspaper clipping in MM’s closet. So he’s certainly been in the ether but we haven’t met him… until now.

Tek Knight’s Motivations, Powers, and Place in the Gen V Spinoff 

Gen V’s fourth episode is very, very Tek Knight heavy. We meet him through a Vought+ commercial for his crime investigation series The Whole Truth. Tek Knight is a famous Godolkin University alumni who is back on campus to dig into Golden Boy’s death. His presence is unsettling for many, especially Dean Shetty. She’s very busy trying to keep the truth about the woods, Golden Boy, and Sam’s escape under wraps. Dean Shetty reveals that many of Tek Knight’s interview subjects end up dead or badly beaten after crossing his path.

Unlike the comics, Tek Knight does have some level of special powers. He’s able to sense that Dean Shetty has adrenaline coming from her pores and is apparently ovulating. Tek Knight later uses his powers to break down Andre after smelling Maddie’s, erm, hole on his breath. He later agitates Marie, calling her a liar when her pupils dilate during an impromptu class interrogation. Thankfully, Andre calls him out for being a hack and a “small man playing f**king hero” because he’s never been one. Still, Tek Knight is so unnerving that Marie ends up admitting the truth. She tells the room about what happened with Golden Boy, finally giving Jordan their due credit.

Tek Knight is willing to do anything to continue to increase his celebrity and popularity, including fabricating wild lies as the truth. He tells Dean Shetty that knows the complete truth and tries to blackmail her into taking the fall for Golden Boy’s death. Mr. Knight says he will go to Vought about Sam’s escape but he underestimates the power of a human dean with a lot to lose. 

Dean Shetty gets the last laugh with some dirt on Tek Knight. Like the comics, Tek Knight has a fatal brain tumor that causes him to do sexual things with pretty much any object that has a hole. She shows him video evidence of his odd trysts and threatens to leak them online if he doesn’t get out of God U’s business. Tek Knight flips his story, saying Golden Boy’s death is nothing more than an unfortunate tragedy. He goes about his business but not without having a couple intimate moments with a tree and a bathroom hand dryer. Thank you, sir, for your contributions to our post about Gen V‘s gross and shocking moments.

Will Tek Knight Return to Gen V or Appear on The Boys?

Tek Knight is alive so there’s a chance he could show up on either show again. We don’t know if Gen V will get another season or not so it depends on what happens with a renewal. As far as The Boys, it is quite plausible for Tek Knight to pop up there and stick his nose (and another body part) where it doesn’t belong.

The post Who Is Tek Knight on GEN V? THE BOYS’ Comic Character’s History, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

The possession story is one that horror fans know all too well. A demonic or parasitic force creeps its way into a human’s body, wiping away all traces of them and replacing it with something sinister. It frequently manifests as pure evil unleashing itself into its immediate surroundings with a body horror flare. The person’s aesthetic appearance devolves into something delightfully nightmarish. Demián Rugna’s Spanish language horror film When Evil Lurks certainly holds true to the classic possession story. However, it takes notable deviations from this subgenre’s norms. Some leaps stick a solid landing while others barely take flight but it comes together for an entertaining film to add to your Halloween watch list. 

When Evil Lurks follows brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodriguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomon) discover something grotesque that leads to something worse. There’s a “rotten” (read: possessed being) that is bloated and sort of decaying in a nearby farmhouse. All of the typical logical choices, like shooting it or calling in religious reinforcements, either don’t come into play or work to their detriment. The result is an unleashing of evil that spreads across their rural community and has profound effects on their family. Pedro and Jimmy are not the brightest horror duo ever, so their missteps are our entertainment.

This film jerkily hops between full-on panic, quieter emotional character beats, and grotesque scenes, which is in odd contrast to its overall steady pacing. Speaking of grotesqueness, When Evil Lurks gives a hefty offering to the gorefest gods. The best kind of movie is one that knows exactly what it is. And this flick’s primary purpose is to disturb you and make your stomach turn. These well-crafted scenes—and not necessarily the film’s at times convoluted plot—are what will resonate strongest with viewers.

The tension is palpable, the blood is spilling, and the power of this malevolent force becomes abundantly clear. When Evil Lurks‘ perpetrators and victims take on many faces that we don’t wish to see, from young children to typically adorable animals, while expanding its world quite well. One can’t help but make loose connections to this swiftly spreading yet seemingly commonplace force and what the world has experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic. The same goes for human evil, specifically in terms of colorism. But again, those are not the large crux of the film, which is sick, twisted, and rather bizarre entertainment.

When Evil Lurks does fall into pockets of overexplaining its lore instead of just trusting its audience. The first half sets an intriguing stage with physical and emotional terror. Unfortunately, the latter half never quite dials things up. There are some striking scenes in pockets that somehow culminate in a fizzled end. What will keep viewers in the game are the film’s performances, which elevate its material significantly. When Evil Lurks isn’t packing the same powerful punch as Rugna’s Terrified (2017) but it is far from being a terrible film. There are different flavors for horror fans to chew on, if they dare to give it a go.

When Evil Lurks hits theaters on October 6 with a Shudder streaming release on October 27.

When Evil Lurks ⭐ (3 of 5)

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Horror killers are vital to the success of a film or franchise. Victims come and go at a swift pace but those iconic and terrifying figures are foundational to building an engaging and entertaining story. Jason Voorhees, Freddy Kruger, Jigsaw, and many others are deeply embedded into our pop culture landscape and well-known by all, even those who don’t love horror. They all share the common activity of killing; however, they are actually quite distinct in terms of their motivations and personalities. When you think about it, some horror villains seem to align with certain traits that we associate with specific Zodiac signs. Maybe—just maybe—we see hints of ourselves in how they operate in the world because we are a fiery Aries or stubborn Taurus. 

In honor of Nerdoween and the everyday awesomeness of horror in general, let’s line 12 infamous horror killers up with the Zodiac sign that we think fits them best. Surely this won’t cause online outrage, right? 

Jason Voorhees – Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

This silent but very deadly slasher legend walks under the stars in the darkness of Crystal Lake. But he surely doesn’t care about astrology. Like a Capricorn, Jason is a very ambitious and determined being. He only wants to meet his one goal: kill every person who crosses his path. And boy does he do that well, with one of the highest kill counts among his peers. Jason is a sensible and pragmatic dude who uses his nearby resources well. 

Pinhead – Aquarius (January 20-February 18) 

Aquarius people are known for their keen intelligence and innovation. So is Pinhead, the horrifying Hell Priest in the Hellraiser franchise. Pinhead is very intentional about their moves, not the most emotional being, and incredibly smart with their approach. Also, Pinhead makes their victims suffer forever and looks good while doing it, just like a clever Aquarius would do. 

Samara (The Ring) – Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Samara’s watery demise isn’t the only reason she’s a Pisces. This killing entity from The Ring wants you to feel what she felt leading up to her death, torturing you for seven long days and nights before she claims you. Those specific feelings involve pain and suffering that you must spread, lest you want to die. Complex emotions and chaotic thoughts are the definitely hallmarks of a Pisces. 

Chucky – Aries (March 21-April 19) 

Everyone can agree that Aries is the Zodiac sign that fits this horror villain the best. Chucky is ginger, fiery, and so evil that his soul refuses to slumber but instead possesses a doll to continue haunting others. Chucky acts on impulse and has a temper that you don’t want to contend with. If you’re in his path, he will certainly keep you on high alert because his energy is a boundless whirlwind. 

Jennifer (Jennifer’s Body) – Taurus (April 20-May 21)

Is Jennifer really a villain? She’s more of a victim seeking vengeance honestly. Jennifer is staunchly loyal to her bestie Needy and committed to only doing things her way. She can be insensitive at times but her alluring personality and pretty girl privilege make it easy for her to gain fans and prey alike. 

Gabriel May (Malignant) – Gemini (May 22-June 20) 

Gabriel May is literally the parasitic and evil twin of Emily May in Malignant. But we’d dare say that quite a few horror villains have the duality of a Gemini, balancing their normal side with a darker one. Gemini’s get a lot of hate from other signs for being bold, sorta mean, and a bit terrifying, and that fits Gabriel May for sure. 

Leatherface – Cancer (June 21-July 22) 

Cancers are known for being sensitive beings who would hide in a shell all day if they could. That’s what we get with Leatherface, particularly in Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s earlier installments. Unlike many others on this list, Leatherface is not inherently evil. He is a person with limited mental capacity who would probably be kind but he’s driven to do murderous things by his family. Leatherface is also sensitive to the point that he hides behind someone else’s face, which is terribly sad. 

Hannibal – Leo (July 23-August 22)

Yes, we know that Hannibal’s in-universe birthday (January 20) makes him an Aquarius. But he gives off the energy of a Leo for sure. He loves the spotlight and lives for drama, doing everything with a fun flair for applause. Hannibal is super confident in himself with a stylish aura and a driven leader, much like a mighty lion.

Michael Myers – Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Michael Myers was born on October 19, so he’s technically a Libra. But this silent and mysterious boogeyman who moves at his own steady (and shockingly swift) pace gives off Virgo vibes. He’s hyper focused on the task at hand and a true strategist who often outsmarts his victims. Does Mike like small talk? Nope. Does Mike like to win against his enemies? Absolutely. His relentless commitment to his profession is why the Halloween franchise will probably rise again in the future. 

Jigsaw – Libra (September 23-October 22)

Jigsaw’s twisted quest for justice is very much like a Libra. John Kramer wants to balance the scales of society, teaching victim’s lessons or punishing them for their indiscretions with deadly games. He’s a smart dude and, based on those contraptions, super crafty as well. As Beyoncé sings in “Signs,” a Libra will stay on your mind. And once you have see Jigsaw’s work, it will certainly never leave your thoughts.

Freddy Krueger – Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Freddy Kruger’s dream manipulations and slippery presence makes you never want to sleep. It makes perfect sense for this horror villain to have a water Zodiac sign like Scorpio. This charred killer with sharp fingers can get incredibly violent and he’s passionate about crafting hellacious nightmares. In his world, his power seems limitless to the point that it dominates every waking thought of his victim. Freddy can be silly sometimes but that’s only to lure you in for one hell of a sting. 

Ghostface – Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

They aren’t (jokingly?) known as Sagiterrorists for no reason. A Sag is known for having a lot to say, stirring up a mess, and being hyper-confident, sometimes to the point of their own detriment. But they are also great at conversations and generally fun to be around. A killer who will chat with their target over the phone at length before unleashing full chaos is indeed a Sagittarius. There have been many killers behind the Ghostface mask, yet the persona of this character remains mostly the same. Ghostface is blunt but also witty and can easily blend into just about any situation. 

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Gen V is obviously set in the bloody and supe-laden world of The Boys. The show takes us to Godolkin University with a slate of college-aged superpowered people, including Marie Moreau, who want to use their powers for a bigger purpose. Some of them want to follow in Queen Maeve’s steps and become the #1 so they can secure a spot in the Seven. There are certainly some spots open there after The Boys season three. How long has it been since Homelander lasered a Starlight supporter in front of his adoring fans, anyway? Let’s get into Gen V and The Boys timeline shenanigans. 

When Does Gen V Take Place in The Boys‘ Timeline?

The answer to this is fairly simple. Gen V takes place between The Boys season three and whatever debauchery we will see in season four. The Boys confirmed this via X (forever Twitter in our hearts). So there are things that could happen in Gen V that will set the stage for next season of The Boys.

Honestly, after seeing the Seven in shambles, we are not sure why anyone would want to be a part of this mess. Vought International must be more convincing than we thought. 

Does Gen V Reference The Boys Season Three Moments? 

Why yes, Gen V does affirm that it takes place after The Boys season three. Gen V’s first episode shows Marie in a Red River Institute group meeting where one person says that Starlight leaving the Seven encouraged them to speak their truth. There’s a Vought news broadcast that claims the Russians plotted the attack at the Seven’s tower. Homelander also appears to be on trial with his lawyer saying he simply stood his ground. 

There’s internet chatter about Queen Maeve’s death and autographed merch for auction. In episode two, we see a student wearing a red “Keep America Safe” hat, which is a Homelander slogan that his followers have adopted. Many of them were wearing the same type of paraphernalia when Homelander lasered introduced his son. 

None of this puts a super specific pinpoint on how long it has been since the season finale. But it can’t be any more than a few weeks to months after all of this took place. All of these events seem to be very fresh in everyone’s minds.

We will have to wait and see if future episodes give us more insight into Gen V’s timeline in relation to The Boys.

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You’re all I ever wannttteeedddd. You’re all I ever needeeddd. So tell me what to do now when I want you back. If you’re under the age of 30, you probably don’t get that reference. But if you do, you are totally an NSYNC (also styled *NSYNC) fan. The infamous ‘90s boy band sang those very words on their smash debut single “I Want You Back,” quickly making millennial girls swoon over them. They released their last album, Celebrity, in 2001 and since then we have been wanting them back. Over two decades later, NSYNC is reuniting for a new song in a seemingly unorthodox way: for a Trolls movie. We got a sneak peak at NSYNC’s new reunion song “Better Place,” in the trailer for Trolls Band Together. And now the new NSYNC song has been released in full alongside the Trolls Band Together soundtrack.

Yes, this seems a bit strange for those who aren’t familiar with this universe. The Trolls films follow Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick), the pink-hued and upbeat troll who eventually becomes the queen of the Trolls. The Trolls are carefree and love to sing and dance ALL the time. She eventually falls in love with Branch, who hates all things joy until he forms a friendship and later romance with Poppy. NSYNC member Justin Timberlake not only voices Branch in the Trolls franchise, but he also wrote the Academy Award-winning theme song for the original 2016 movie, “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”

So it makes sense that Trolls Band Together would be an avenue for an NSYNC reunion song. In fact, it seems that Branch’s life will somewhat mirror Justin Timberlake’s based on what we see in the Trolls Band Together trailer. Branch is a former member of a huge boyband made of his brothers. He will apparently save one of them from a kidnapping before they have a surely happy reunion.

We only hear a snippet of NSYNC’s new reunion song in the Trolls trailer, but we can now jam out to the finished track. It sounds upbeat and fun. Have a listen to the full version of NSYNC’s new song “Better Place” below.

Additionally, Justin Timberlake shared a short behind-the-scenes look at getting the band back together to record NSYNC’s new song.

NSYNC are officially back on the music scene. “Better Place” released on September 29. What a joyous time for all NSYNC fans. Get ready to fan out like it’s 1997.

Originally published on September 14, 2023.

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In my mind (and maybe yours too), 1993 was only 20 years ago. But that’s sadly not true. Believe it or not, 2003 was twenty years ago. That explains why newer artists are sampling Beyoncé and Ashanti songs and making me feel ancient. As a fan of The Walking Dead comics and TV show, it’s truly dawning on me how much of my life I’ve spent with this universe. This October marks twenty years since comic fans met Rick Grimes in an apocalyptic world. Since then, The Walking Dead universe boasts several shows and games as it continues to expand. Fans are currently speculating what The Walking Dead will do next, especially after an official X (formerly Twitter) account posted a photo of a clapperboard to tease a new project. 

The caption simply says “Soon” along with the hashtag #TWD20. The clapperboard date is listed as September 26, which is when it went up on social media. Predictably, responses and thoughts flooded in with people wondering what it all means. The Walking Dead X account did strike down a theory about a Clementine show. While many fans love that storyline, it has nothing to do with the comics. And this is something that is likely tied to the comic stories in some way. 

What Kind of Project Is The Walking Dead Doing for Its 20th Anniversary?

Image Comics is already selling 20th anniversary box sets of The Walking Dead’s entire comic run. So perhaps this project is in conjunction with this special anniversary release. I can see a video series complete with commentary from Robert Kirkman and maybe a few of The Walking Dead TV show’s actors. Sure, the clapperboard says 9/26 but that could be from last year when The Walking Dead actors/writers filmed the project. A big anniversary is not something they would film at the last minute, after all. It would have likely happened long before the recent writers and actors’ strikes. 

The special and secret 20th anniversary project for The Walking Dead could also be a documentary. It could span from the comic’s origins to the massive franchise it has become today. All of the ingredients for a great documentary are there: behind-the-scenes drama, shocking moments, and a meteoric rise that changed our TV landscape. 

Honestly, the possibilities are endless. Perhaps The Walking Dead has a live-action spinoff project that celebrates the show’s history. Or, we will get an anniversary TV special with guests, fans, and much more to honor the show’s legacy. Who knows. No matter what, it’s truly incredible to see how far this universe has come in 20 years.

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Netflix’s Drop 01 event gave fans a slate of incredible animation news. From a virtual viewing of Castlevania: Nocturne to the very intriguing teaser for a Devil May Cry anime series, there’s a lot for subscribers to look forward to in the near future. Another Netflix announcement that has us buzzing is Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft and its gorgeous teaser trailer. It’s been a long time since we have seen this famous adventurer swing into action, and it looks like we are in for quite the quest.

The clip reveals exactly what it should to viewers. In this Tomb Raider trailer, We get a glimpse of Lara Croft as she dives into a mysterious abyss and shoots an arrow at the camera. There’s also some intrigue as she looks at a photo of herself with a group of people, presumably friends. It would have been nice to hear Hayley Atwell as the titular tomb raider. But perhaps Netflix is leaving a little something for us to look forward to when it comes to this Tomb Raider series. Lara Croft’s video game and film history gives her a few different backstories, including everything from being an aristocrat who chooses a life of adventure following an accident to a daughter seeking answers about her mother’s disappearance.

Of course, many fans are familiar with Angelina Jolie’s take on the character. She discovers the truth behind her father’s demise while also being a total badass. It remains to be seen what Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft will do with her story, but the Netflix trailer does show how aesthetically pleasing this show will be. 

The series is produced by Legendary Television and video game development company Crystal Dynamics with animation by Powerhouse Animation Studios. Powerhouse is the same studio behind the 2017 Castlevania TV series as well as video games like Mortal Kombat X. 

What Is Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft’s Release Date? 

Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft will hit Netflix sometime in 2024. We will likely get a firmer date/release window when a full trailer for the Tomb Raider series drops.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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Class is almost in session for Gen V, the college spinoff series set in The Boys’ universe. There will be secrets, blood, and even a puppet in the mix of whatever’s going down at Godolkin University. It’s safe to say that Marie Moreau and her fellow students could use some words of wisdom and comfort as they embark on a brave new journey. Never fear, a few familiar faces are here to do that for them. Behold this video of The Boys cast welcoming the Gen V cast into the fold in a hilarious and lowkey offensive way. 

Actors Karen Fukuhara (Kimiko), Antony Starr (Homelander), Jack Quaid (Hughie), Jessie T. Usher (A-Train), Erin Moriarty (Starlight), Colby Minifie (Ashley Barrett), Claudia Doumit (Victoria Neuman), and Cameron Crovetti (Ryan) wish everyone a warm and seemingly normal welcome. That is, until a few of them give the classic salute of The Boys: a middle finger. Some of them double up on it for extra care and affection. We can already feel the warm and fuzzy feels brewing between The Boys and Gen V casts. 

Jessie T. Usher doles out solid advice about avoiding early morning classes. Jack Quaid also gives necessary tips on how to clean up loads of blood. Apparently, shampoo, shaving cream, and two showers will do the trick. Marie Moreau’s power in Gen V is blood manipulation, so this advice from The Boys star will come in handy. Karen Fukuhara tells them to not trust Vought but, of course, Colby Minifie says they should always trust Vought. She does portray the very-shady CEO of Vought International, so that totally checks out.

The Boys cast wishes the Gen V cast the best of luck in the video and encourages them to make good grades. We are sure they won’t have time to study because, well, everything is f**ked at God U.

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Rick and Morty are heading out for more twisted, odd, and overall confounding yet entertaining adventures in various universes. This ongoing saga about a sociopathic genius scientist, his oft-skittish grandson, and the rest of their weird family is in its seventh season. A new Rick and Morty season seven trailer proves that there are still many stories to tell and questions to answer. We really wanna know what is going on with evil Summer.

Rick is back and he’s not a pickle this time. Instead, he shows an unimpressed and probably exhausted Morty that he’s a leg. It’s the start of what is a chaotic collection of clips. Rick shoots a zombie in a graveyard and fake attends therapy. A society unsurprisingly collapses far quicker than it should, thanks to Rick and Morty existing. Perhaps the most exciting part of this is the return of Water-T. Of course, the person behind this voice is actor/rapper Ice-T. It is the one thing in life that makes sense.

We also get a few fun nods to movies like Air Force One and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. This reflect the season’s very fun episode titles that pay homage to well-known movies from several genres. Who ever thought Rick and Morty would tip its hat at How Stella Got Her Groove Back? It’s shocking but we have seen some seriously strange stuff on this show. I dare say that the Rick and Morty season seven trailer is very on brand for this franchise, indeed. Rick is gonna Rick and Morty is gonna Morty.

What Is the Release Date for Rick and Morty Season Seven?

Rick and Morty’s seventh season is coming on October 15 at 11PM PT/ET on Adult Swim. The season will head to streaming sometime in 2024.

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There are some things you just can’t get enough of, like lazy weekends, donuts, crisp fall mornings, and a good sitcom. I’d dare say that many of us would also include LEGO sets in that list. The company can release a zillion of them in a year and we are sure to buy at least a handful (or two). There’s something incredibly calming about tuning everything out and focusing on a build. The satisfaction of completing it is a truly unmatched burst of joy. LEGO is adding yet another Super Mario Bros. set to its collection with a figure that we all recognize. The LEGO Super Mario Bros. Piranha Plant set won’t consume our bodies but it will consume our time and energy in the best way. 

This fun Piranha Plant set is the latest addition to the LEGO Super Mario Theme for Adults collection. It boasts 540 pieces that come together to craft the iconic video game plant in vivid detail with 23cm high x 11cm wide x 17cm deep dimensions. The build starts from the bottom up as the Piranha Plant comes to wonderful LEGO life straight out of its green pipe.

Once completed, the builder can move the Piranha Plant’s head, mouth, stalk and leaves to create various poses. If you’re someone who lacks a green thumb, this plant can hang out in your home or office and you don’t have to worry about killing it. Will it try to kill you? Probably not, but keep your eyes open just in case. You can’t ever trust a plant with sharp teeth, after all.

The LEGO Super Mario Bros. Piranha Plant set will be available on November 6 and cost $59.99. Go ahead and add it to your holiday list for yourself because, well, you deserve good things.

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Nicolas Cage is back at it. He can do pretty much anything from playing himself to putting on fangs to transform into Dracula. Nic Cage is in so many movies that it almost feels like he is around us all the time. In fact, it wouldn’t be shocking if his face showed up in your dreams. It’s a little scary, but also I would like to experience it …unless Nic Cage is on some Freddy Krueger stuff. I’ll pass in that case. His stare and antics can cause a shiver to creep up your spine, after all. Entertainingly, Nicolas Cage appearing in people’s dreams (and maybe nightmares) is exactly what’s happening in the trailer for Dream Scenario.

Here’s the synopsis for Dream Scenario so the trailer makes sense: 

Hapless family man Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams.  But when his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, Paul is forced to navigate his newfound stardom, in this wickedly entertaining comedy from writer-director Kristoffer Borgli and producer Ari Aster.   

This whole concept is quite interesting. Why is Paul in everyone’s dreams and nightmares? What makes him such a special person? Why is this happening at this particular point in his life? We all know that A24 is masterful at these types of stories, so the answers will likely surprise us. And who doesn’t love to see Nic Cage being very weird and funny? Cage is starring in whatever floats his boat nowadays, so we might as well go along for the Dream Scenario ride.

In addition to Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario stars Julianne Nicholson, Michael Cera, Tim Meadows, Dylan Gelula, and Dylan Baker. The film will hit select theaters on November 10 before getting a wider release on November 22.

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A little over two weeks since its release, Barbie hit a major milestone by crossing the one billion dollar mark at the box office. (Thanks to CNN for putting this news on our radar.) The Greta Gerwig film, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, was one of the most anticipated films of 2023. First, there was the obvious curiosity about bringing a pop culture icon to the big screen. Then, Barbie’s incredible marketing push sealed the deal for many moviegoers as they donned pink and swarmed theaters. But Barbie showed no signs of slowing after that, the movie is still breaking records and taking titles previously held by top movies like The Dark Knight and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Barbie Has Hit One Billion Dollars

Barbie made history by joining a small club of films to hit one billion dollars, with Greta Gerwig making history as the first woman director to hit this mark. The power of Barbie and good Kenergy are powerful, indeed. It joins The Super Mario Bros. Movie as the second film this year to accomplish this great feat.

With its huge success, it seems almost inevitable that Barbie will get a sequel. The ending of the film does feel pretty final, but we all know that Hollywood will find a way to make more cash. In fact, Mattel is apparently forming its own cinematic universe with 14 confirmed projects on the way. Barney, Hot Wheels, Polly Pocket, and even the great historian Wishbone will get their time to shine on the screen. We don’t know if they will make a billion dollars like Barbie. But we are still very curious to see if Mattel will continue to have a foothold in the entertainment business.

Barbie Is Breaking Records (And Beating Batman, Mario, and More)

In addition to its billion-dollar-plus intake, Barbie is also breaking other records. Recently, it became the highest-grossing domestic/North American release ever for Warner Bros. That record was previously held by Christopher Nolan’s Batman movie The Dark Knight. But in the Barbie vs. Batman battle, Barbie has come out on top. The Dark Knight brought in $536 million, while Barbie just recently passed $537.5. Barbie also became the highest-grossing Warner Bros. movie worldwide. It surpassed the $1.342 billion made by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—Part 2.

Additionally, Barbie has also officially become the highest-grossing 2023 movie in North America and in the world. Both these titles were recently held by The Super Mario Bros. Movie which $574 million domestically and $1.35 billion globally. Barbie has now crossed the latter number, recently clocking in at $1.36 billion, and is still on the rise. This officially makes Barbie the top-earning 2023 movie, at least unless some other film swoops in all of a sudden. The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a lot of fun, but there’s no beating the Queen, President, Supreme Court Justice, Doctor, Astronaut.

Barbie has even taken on another super-team. Domestically, Barbie has officially made more money than The Avengers. And it is now #11 as far as highest-grossing domestic releases go. It has a long way to go to get to the top, but beating the Avengers is pretty cool.

Other Barbie Victories

Barbie already landed the year’s biggest opening and the biggest opening ever for a movie directed by a woman. Barbie will likely shatter more records as it continues its world domination.

For now, Barbie continues to rake in cash at theaters. The film is set to come to streaming via Max sometime this fall; however, the date isn’t confirmed yet. Barbie will also arrive on digital channels on September 12. We will see just how high those box office numbers will soar for one of the most entertaining and heartfelt films this year.

Originally published on August 7, 2023.

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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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When it comes to iconic duos for ‘90s kids, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell rank pretty high up on the list. The comedic pair’s chemistry on Nickelodeon’s All That led to their own TV series, Kenan & Kel, and the 1997 comedy film Good Burger. The movie came from an All That sketch and soon became a pop culture hit in its own right. The way Ed says, “Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger… Can I take your order?” is etched into our brains forever. So is that braided wig that Kel Mitchell randomly found on set and wore to make this character unique. A while back, we discovered that Kenan and Kel would reunite for Good Burger 2 along with other faves like Lori Beth Denberg. Now, we have our first look at Good Burger 2 with a teaser trailer that revives this story. 

It’s 25 years later, and things are mostly the same for good ole Ed. He drives his “carburger” to pick up Dexter “Dex” Reed, hitting him with it. Dex cartoonishly flips into the car and we know exactly what we are in for with this movie. The Good Burger 2 teaser trailer is ridiculous and the movie will surely be ten times that. 

So, what is this Good Burger sequel about anyway? Well, yet another one of Dex’s inventions is a failure. But no matter what happens, he will always have a place at Good Burger with his old buddy Ed. Dex goes back to work there, and he’s not proud of being in the same place again decades later. There’s some new faces at the restaurant in Good Burger 2, but Dex is still up to his old ways, risking everything in his latest scheme that he will drag the not-very-smart Ed into.

Good Burger 2 will hit Paramount+ on November 22.

Originally published on August 22, 2023.
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